Glitter and Gold
Chapter 41
34 ABY – The Supremacy
Ben didn't say a word to her when she'd arrived.
Han hadn't approved of her scheme, but Rey had seen it. It was what she was meant to do. Get to Ben. Turn him. It was perfect, if you thought about it. Rey could teach Ben to be good again, and he could teach her about the Force.
It wasn't till they were inside the elevator – alone – that Ben spoke.
"You came," he said, voice low and warm.
"I knew if I did, you would turn." Ben's dark eyes found hers. There was a hint of surprise there – and perhaps hope. "I saw your – our future. Only the lines, but solid and warm," Rey explained in earnest.
"Ours?" Ben muttered to himself, eyes dropping for a moment. "I saw something, too," he said. "I saw who your parents are," Rey's jaw dropped, preparing to question him. "But I saw that you'll be the one to turn. Fight beside me when the time comes. You will, won't you? Stand beside me?" he questioned uncertainly, as if it was all he wanted in the world.
Before she could answer, the elevators door opened to a room cast in red. A large, monstrous thing sitting in a throne at its center. Snoke. Next to him was a smaller, slighter throne occupied by a young woman Rey had only heard of.
The Reaper. Vex Valorum. The woman who'd defected from the First Order and joined the Rebels.
But yet here she was. Sitting at Snoke's side as if she'd never left. On a throne. For a brief moment, Rey wondered if it'd all been a ruse for Vex. In the Rebellion. But then she'd truly looked at the woman.
Her lovely face was marred by an ugly, new scar not unlike the one she'd given Ben. The tautness of her body, as if it hurt, as if she was scared. Her fingers white as she clenched the arms of her throne.
No, Vex didn't want to be there anymore than Rey did.
The other woman's eyes were glazed over with pain, slow to track the newcomers of the room.
"My apprentice, well done," Snoke cooed as Ben led Rey into the red room. He fell to his knees behind her, eyes carefully trained on the floor. Snoke's eyes turned to Rey. "So this is the Scavenger…"
x
It'd all happened so fast. One moment, Vex had been enduring Snoke's presence so close. The clear hooks of his mind were buried inside of her own, monitoring her every thought.
She wasn't entirely aware of what was happening.
Kylo had entered, with a woman. The Scavenger – Rey, she thought. Snoke's voice had boomed out in anger – but Vex couldn't think much beyond her exhaustion, beyond her bone-deep ache.
And then, suddenly, a lightsaber ignited beside Vex. A blue one.
Not hers. Not Kylo's. Not her…father's.
And then his torso slide to the floor, entirely independent of his lower half.
Snoke…dead?
His Praetorian Guard was advancing on the others – one standing in front of Vex, his designated successor. As if to protect her from whomever had killed him.
Vex stared dumbly at his bisected body. "Father?" she whispered, as if she expected him to simply spring back to life.
She was oblivious to the chaos around her – Kylo's shouts. The girl's cries. The sizzle of lightsabers meeting the guard's weapons. All she could see is that Snoke was dead.
She rose quickly from her seat, wincing for a moment, before diving towards his throne. All with a silent guard standing ready in front of her. Her fingers scrabbled at the small compartment in the arm that she knew held her lightsaber.
Her wild movements knocked Snoke's lower half from the floor, clattering to the floor. Vex froze for a moment, until she heard the compartment click open. She looked back, pulling it open. She snatched her lightsaber before clapping the compartment shut.
Vex turned back to see the throne room in shambles – burning – littered with corpses. Kylo slayed the last guard before turning towards Vex – towards the guard who stood in front of her.
Without thinking, she swung her lightsaber up, igniting it the moment the angle was right. The blade pierced the guard's chest – he stilled, and fell. Vex extinguished her saber, lowering it to her side.
"Kylo," she called, voice shaking, hand outstretched.
Without hesitation, he crossed to her side and took her hand. Immediately she felt steadier, leeching strength from the warmth of Kylo's hand. "He's dead," Vex said in shock.
"We're free," Kylo said.
"Anakin-"
"You have to stop them!" Rey's voice interrupted. Kylo and Vex looked towards her.
"Stop what?" Vex questioned.
"They're shooting down the Rebel transports! There's only a few left!" the girl said urgently.
Vex gasped, heart going cold.
Poe.
She crossed back to Snoke's throne and snatched the commlink from its place. "On orders of the Supreme Leader, immediately cease fire on the Rebels! TIE fighters, return to the ship now!" Vex ordered, voice echoing over their heads.
As to be expected, General Hux's questioning voice followed. "Lady Vex, why does the Supreme Leader not give the order himself?" he drawled.
Vex hesitated, eyes finding Kylo. He nodded, lips thinning. "The Supreme Leader is dead. This is my order," Vex answered.
After a moment of silence, the comm crackled to life. "Long live the Supreme Leader," Captain Phasma announced. Hux and the other commanders slowly echoed her.
Vex dragged in a deep breath, pain starting to thrum in her head. "If anyone fires at the Rebels, you will be eliminated. Await my orders before doing anything," she directed, turning to Kylo and Rey.
"You two must go," Vex said. "Take Snoke's personal ship. Get to the Rebels. Help them,"
"I'm not leaving you," Kylo said grimly, his grip on her hand tightening.
Vex smiled weakly. "It's your turn, Kylo-"
"Ben," the girl corrected.
Vex's eyes flashed between the two, focusing on Kylo with a questioning gaze. He nodded after a moment. And in that moment she understood. The girl was Ben's future.
"Ben, it's your turn to escape. Get to Poe, find our son," Vex told him, squeezing his hand.
"You don't have to do this, Vex. Come with us," Rey said, approaching the two.
"I'm the Supreme Leader," Vex said with a halfhearted smile. "Someone has to do this. Bring peace. It has to be me. You know that,"
Kylo – Ben – only looks at her. "Go!" she barked. He doesn't move, oblivious to Rey pulling on his arm.
Vex sighed. "Do it for me, then. For Ani. I need to know you two are together," she pleaded. Finally, Ben nodded, grip loosening on her hand. "Ready the ship. I need to talk to Rey for a moment,"
Ben looked between the two women nervously for a moment before heading off, face set in determination. "What is it?" Rey questioned, taking Vex's arm.
Vex wants to flinch back from the gentle touch, but she forced the urge down. There was nothing but kindness and concern in the girl's eyes.
But that didn't stop Vex from wanting to draw away.
"He needs you. You have to teach him to be light again. Like Poe did for me," Vex said, voice strangled.
"I will," Rey promised, looking proud.
"For even the littlest things. The good choices never even occurred to me as options, until Poe said something,"
"I'll take care of Ben, Vex. But will you be okay?"
She didn't know how to answer that question. Vex swallowed hard, looking away. "Go, Rey. Tell Leia this will all be over soon,"
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Much love, Suz Singer.