Glitter and Gold

Chapter 39

34 ABY – The Supremacy

Kylo Ren had never needed Vex's guidance more desperately than he did now.

The Scavenger – Rey – had appeared to him. Out of nowhere – while med-droids had peeled the bandage from the wound she'd given him. Rey had appeared. Sitting before him, but not truly there.

Some trick of the Force.

One that had left him more confused than ever.

Kylo Ren knew – without a doubt – that he loved Vex. In a different way than he had at the peak of their relationship, certainly – but she was the only love he'd known.

But Rey made him feel something. Something similar but different than what Kylo Ren felt for Vex.

Vex had briefly described something similar in the short time they'd had to talk before reaching the Supremacy. She'd loved before, sure, but Vex had described this strange, confusing feeling when she'd met Poe. She hadn't known what to think of him.

Kylo Ren didn't know what to think of Rey, either. He almost felt as if he was being unfaithful to Vex for the very thought of Rey. For the stirrings she'd caused within him. Even though he knew it was over between him and Vex.

But they'd never had the chance to simply sit down and talk it out.

Thus, Kylo's conflict.

He knew if he could talk to Vex she could help him sort out his feelings. He could help her with hers and the could have closure.

Move on. Be happy.

But all of it that was impossible with Snoke hanging around their necks like a millstone. Weighing them down.

Kylo Ren reached out, laying a hand on the cold glass of the Bacta Tank. Inside, Vex was looking well. She'd wake soon.

Snoke had sunk Vex so deep into oblivion that Kylo Ren couldn't even appeal to her unconscious mind. And he'd know if Kylo Ren tried.

"Did you hear, Commander Ren?" a cold voice said.

Kylo Ren turned his gaze towards Hux, his hand slipping back to his side. The ginger-haired general's face was pinched and pale.

He lifted an eyebrow. "What?"

"The Supreme Leader has announced that the Lady Vex will be his heir. His successor," Hux hissed.

Kylo Ren blinked. "Really?"

Hux's already sour expression worsened. "I am to begin preparing her as soon as she wakes. The Supreme Leader has stated his intent for her to learn at his side,"

"It's a wise choice," Kylo Ren mused.

"Are you mad!?" Hux growled. "She betrayed the First Order! Betrayed us all! And yet, the Supreme Leader has chosen to install her as the next Supreme Leader!"

Kylo could barely choke out his next words out without showing his disgust. "Such is the love of a father,"

34 ABY – Ahch-To

A silence had fallen between the two elderly men. "How's Leia?" Luke asked finally, scratching his beard.

Han glared. "Heartbroken. What do you expect, Luke? After losing Ben – and you running away – and me being a terrible husband…" he described, dragging a hand down his haggard face.

Luke sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. I thought it was my fault. That I'd failed everyone. So I ran,"

"It wasn't your fault, kid,"

"I know that now. It was Snoke," Luke acknowledged, eyes fierce. "Vex told me, when she first came to me, that Snoke had begun to torment Ben's mind from the time he'd been a child-"

Han started at this, face creasing with shock and pain. Luke reached out, putting his hand on the other man's shoulder. "It's no surprise now that Ben turned. None of us knew something was wrong," Luke continued.

"Surely you would have sensed it," Han said, rubbing roughly at his face.

Luke shook his head. "I've pondered this long and hard, Han. I didn't sense it because Snoke had existed there as long as I'd known Ben. There was nothing there that hadn't always been,"

A long silence followed. Han covered his face – perhaps to mask tears. "My son… was ordered to kill me. But he couldn't," he said at last.

"Really?" Luke said in surprise.

"He said that all he was doing was to protect his family. Vex and Anakin. Leia and I believe there's still light in him,"

"Vex changed him. Being a father changed him." Luke said in wonder. "Without Snoke for him to fear… We could bring him back to the light. He could be with his son,"

"Will you help us, Luke?" Han questioned, eyes glistening. "Your family – the galaxy – needs you,"

"I'm coming. I just don't think I can come with you," Luke said.

"What?" Han questioned in bewilderment. "What the hell are you talking about, kid?!"

"It's Vex," he began, only to hear Han scoff.

"Tell me, Luke. What the hell is it about this girl that finally got your ass moving after fifteen years when your family didn't?" Han questioned.

Luke sighed, letting his hand fall back to his side. "She showed up here, Han. Scared. Pregnant. Refused to leave when I asked her… And then I saw the pain she'd been through, pain she was still in. I was the only one who could help her, Han. I was powerless against her… And after time, I began to see her as a daughter… and Anakin-"

"As your grandson?" Han said. "How lucky you are to have met him, Luke. Me? Leia had already sent him into hiding before I'd even heard he existed," he said bitterly.

Luke leaned back in his seat. "I understand your pain, Han. But if there is any chance at slaying Snoke… destroying the First Order… Vex is the key,"

"In. What. Way?" Han questioned.

"She was taken by Snoke as a child. There is no one in the galaxy that knows him better. She's strong and well trained in the Force – and she's turned to the light. She bonded with Ben and placed him on the precipice of light and dark – and gave him the tools to choose." Luke explained. "…but with Anakin in the picture, I suspect he'll chose light,"

"And there are people loyal to Vex in the First Order… with her help, we might just be able to tear them apart from the inside," Luke added.

"I do like the sound of that," Han admitted.

"I thought you might," Luke smiled.

"But Vex was captured by the First Order a week ago…"

"I know," Luke said. "I could feel it. She needs me. Or everything we worked for will be gone,"

"What are you talking about?" Han questioned.

"For a few days, I couldn't sense her at all – and when she was suddenly back…she was full of rage. In all the time I've known Vex, she's never been angry. Just sad. She was about to kill a man. Someone cruel – someone who'd tortured her. I tried to intervene her – tell her to stop – but she shut me out. Her anger and pain had taken over everything…" Luke trailed off, looking lost.

"If I get to her, I can reverse it. Put her back on the path of light. She needs care – to be protected. Vex needs her son, to remind her of why she turned."

Han took a moment to consider his old friend's words "Is she as good as everyone says? Does she deserve all this hullabaloo?" he asked.

"Yes," Luke said fiercely, surprising Han. "She's the same as Ben, Han. Targeted by Snoke as a child…but unlike Ben, she didn't have parents who loved her. Or me, a teacher to guide her. No, she had parents who traded her to Snoke when she five in exchange for his favor,"

He drew in a deep breath. "She lived knowing all along that her only family had betrayed her. Knowing that Snoke was evil, that what he asked of her was wrong. But she was helpless. Pain eventually taught her to simply go along…"

"Until?" Han asked, looking pale.

"Until Snoke demanded an heir. Until he killed three of Vex and Ben's unborn children,"

"What?!"

Luke nodded. "The time she became pregnant with Anakin, she knew she had to escape. She built a droid, EV-9, to help her. But in the end, it was Ben who got her out. In what was perhaps his first truly selfless act,"

Han sighed. "And why can't you come with us, Luke? You need that rust bucket?" he asked, gesturing in the rough direction of his X-Wing.

"I have to get close to the Supremacy. Wait for the opportune moment to get to Vex – it's coming, I can feel it," Luke explained. "And no offense, Han, but they really hate your ship,"

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Thanks to my reviewers last chapter - Mstngsali1 and SARA!

Much love, Suz Singer.