Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the amazing characters.

Chapter 14:

Rey

Rey was ready to go home but she was also sad to leave Phasma and Datoo on Vodran with Falbell and Nikhoah. Phas especially but they were going to stay and help Bell and Nik convince the other Knights of Ren to join the Grey Ember Order and help the Resistance fight both the Neo Order. From the way Kylo put it they were going to need all of the help that they could get on that front because most of Kylo's friends despised the Resistance.

Rey had mostly enjoyed her time on Vodran. She'd been furious after learning that the First Order would no doubt be sweeping down on Olara any day now that they knew Hux had cracked Kylo's personal datapad. Then there was the night she'd gotten super drunk and the darkness in her had made its first real appearance since back in that cave on Ach-To causing her to question Kylo's love for her.

The next day when he'd asked her about it, she had lied to him and she didn't know why. The dark little voice that had appeared that night still hadn't gone away and seemed to be dredging up all of Rey's worst fears every time she closed her eyes. She had no idea how Kylo had lived with the constant self-doubt, depression and anger that seemed to always be right under the surface.

Every time Rey tried to talk to Kylo about how she was feeling, she would feel the sense of dread and panic. The voice in the back of her mind would remind her how quickly things would fall apart if she poked at it all too much. And the last thing she wanted was for Kylo to realize that he didn't need her. Then he leave her all alone again.

She was hoping that once they were away from Vodran things would get better. And as they were boarding the shuttle that would take them back to Olara, Rey did feel better; lighter. She'd spent most of the journey back meditating, trying to find her center and get back to feeling like herself.

Kylo had noticed that something was wrong with her and was keeping an eye on her through their bond. She couldn't really keep him out without him becoming suspicious so she spent a great deal of time and energy keeping her thoughts light and mostly worry and stress free. She knew that she couldn't keep it up forever but she was hoping that she could keep it together until she could figure out what was wrong with her.

"Rey, we'll be landing in about 10 minutes," Kylo called back from the cockpit.

"Okay," she said coming to stand behind him.

It had been a long 5-day-flight with the two of them barely speaking most of the time. Most of it was Rey's new found awkwardness and Kylo's determination not to crowd her or make her feel like she had to talk about what is bothering her before she was ready. The only time they seemed to be in harmony with each other was when they were doing something physical whether it was sparring or intimacy.

Rey sighed as Olara came into view and she felt a sense of relief and peace wash over her.

Maybe she really had just been home sick. Either way she planned to head straight for their hut so she could just enjoy being in their space. She just wanted to sleep in their bed.

"We should brief the others first," Kylo said catching her thoughts.

"You're right," she said and sighed. "Do you really think that the First Order will be invading our air space soon?"

Kylo sighed. Rey could feel that he was struggling not to let his own darkness drag him down in to a pit of anxiety, guilt and anger. She also knew that he suspected that Rey was angry with him for endangering everyone by leaving his datapad behind and that was why they were barely speaking.

"It is an inevitability at this point, sweetheart. And that is why we need to prepare the others. We don't want to be caught unaware," Kylo said.

"Like the Resistance was back on D'Qar," Rey asked before she could stop herself.

"Yes, exactly like D'Qar except they won't hold back this time," Kylo said.

The conversation came to a halt as Kylo got in touch with the comm's room to have the force field lowered so that they could land in the hanger and not have to walk the extra 5 miles or so to the base. It didn't take long to verify who they were. Then Kylo was bringing the dingy shuttle into the mostly empty hanger.

As soon as the couple stepped off the ship a pair of arms was thrown around the two of them. It took less than a second for them both to register that it was Leia. Rey and Kylo both hugged her back just as tightly and when they separated, Leia was wiping tears away from her eyes.

"Mother, we weren't gone that long," Kylo said gently.

"I know that but you went straight into enemy territory and we only heard from you once while you were gone," Leia said, frowning at them.

"Well we have a bunch to tell you. Where is everyone else," Rey asked, surprised that none of her friends were there to greet them.

"I told them that I would send someone to fetch them when you were ready to talk. I though you two would be exhausted after such a long flight," Leia asked as she led the way out of the hanger.

"We are but," Rey started but then hesitated.

She looked to Kylo.

"There are things we need to tell everyone as soon as possible," Kylo said and by the look on Leia's face she knew that it wasn't good news that her son would be delivering.

She nodded solemnly and took them to a conference room. Within fifteen minutes everyone who needed to be there that could be was there. The Knights of Rey had yet to return from their mission but had checked in regularly so no one was worried about them.

Kylo and Rey stood at the head of the long table. Rey looked over Leia, Chewie, Poe, Kaydel, Rose, Finn, Taliah, Kaiser, Maatis, Nikkinem, C3-P0, R2-D2, BB-8, BQ-21 and R2-V5. They all stared back at her and she found herself at a loss for words.

Kylo put his arm around her shoulders and cleared his throat, earning silence from the room.

"First and foremost, we are no longer safe on Olara," Kylo said in a dry, matter of fact voice.

There were several gasps from around the room from those who knew what it meant. The others just looked confused. The droids all left the room, presumably to begin getting things ready for the evacuation that would no doubt be coming.

"We have reason to believe that Hux and Zoroyais know where we are. If not the exact planet, he will know what system to look in and it won't take long for him to locate us here," Rey said and found that her voice was just as lifeless as Kylo's.

"What? How did this happen," Leia asked.

Kylo went to open his mouth but Rey said, "We aren't sure yet."

Nikkinem and Maatis gave Kylo and Rey knowing looks but said nothing.

"Do you know how much time we have? This isn't like D'Qar where we can afford to leave things behind," Poe said sounding angry.

Rey wondered if he suspected that Kylo was the reason why the First Order was drawing closer.

"I don't. Do either of you have any insight," Kylo asked the two former First Order officers.

"Not really. Hux has made so many staff changes that it's becoming harder to predict what he will do next. I would say prepare for the worst, ie them showing up tomorrow but Hux likes to move in silence. They will go quiet before they hit us," Nikkinem talking like he'd been in the Resistance his whole life.

"Just this morning Zoroyais' clones led by Hux's stormtroopers destroyed a former Resistance base that some locals were using as shelter after a fire had destroyed most of their town. None of them were Resistance supporters as far as we could tell but they were still all executed," Maatis said sounding as disgusted as everyone else in the room looked. "I think we have some time but certain things need to be shut down and packed right away."

"Like the weapons making equipment and the tools and things in the hanger," Finn asked.

"Yes. Also, Gear's lab and the Medbay will need to be stripped of almost everything except the very minimum, things we could stand to leave behind if need be but also useful enough should we need something in a quick fix," Poe said quickly.

Kylo nodded.

"I would suggest sending scouts out to find us somewhere to go so even if we have to flee in waves, we will already know were we are all going," Maatis suggested.

"Well we kind of already have a place where we can go," Rey said.

Kaydel looked at her and said, "You guys have been busy in the short time you were away."

"Well Falbell and Nikhoah offered to let the Resistance use their castle as our next base. It's big enough, there's enough food and it's well protected," Rey said quickly.

Kylo shot her a look and she shrugged. Now that they were here and having to tell everyone that once again, they were going to have to up and move, all she wanted to do is be able to give them some kind of hope for the future. They couldn't afford another battle like last time.

"Do you think that wise, Kylo," Leia asked.

"I know Vodran is in Hutt space and was under the control of the First Order but I can vouch for the fact that it is probably the safest place we can go. And it is the absolute last place that Hux would think to look for us," Kylo explained.

Rey held her breath as she waited for someone to argue and was shocked when no one did. She looked up at Kylo to see that he looked as relieved as he felt.

"What choice do we really have," Leia said sounding defeated.

"Really Leia, it's beautiful there. I wasn't too keen on the idea at first either but then Nikhoah took to me on a tour all around the compound and it makes this place look small. We will be safe there," Rey said.

"I wouldn't even think of suggesting this if I didn't think it would work," Kylo said.

"How are we supposed to tell people that we are going to be moving to a former First Order stronghold," Taliah asked.

"Tell them we found it abandoned by the First Order and reclaimed by the natives to the planet who agreed to let us use it. They don't need to know the details," Rey said.

Kylo looked at her. She shrugged. She was willing to say whatever she needed to make sure that they all made it safely off of Olara.

"Alright. I need you all to do your part to get everyone ready to move out as soon as possible. By the end of the day I want status reports and estimated moving times for all of the important equipment, food and other supplies. Poe, I want you to figure out how long it would take us to evacuate everyone who isn't in fighting shape. Kaydel, I want you try to contact the Knights of Rey. Let them know what's going on and try to get an ETA," Leia barked orders to everyone before dismissing them completely.

When everyone was gone Kylo took a seat next to his mother while Rey went over to the windows that looked over the grounds of the base.

"Now, what did you learn from your friends," Leia asked.

Rey listened as Kylo told Leia about Bell's meeting with Zoroyais' third in command, Zoroyais' plan to sway the Knights of Ren to his cause, and Bell's plan to do the exact opposite. It was when Kylo started talking about Zoroyais that Rey tensed up. She could feel how much the things that Falbell had told Kylo had effected the way he looked at things.

Rey herself had an uneasy feeling. The fact that Snoke had anything to do with Zoroyais made Rey feel like Snoke was still manipulating their lives. The fact that Snoke had helped to form the bond that had brought Kylo and Rey together weighed on Rey more than she cared to admit. So, if he had something to do with Zoroyais it would be amazingly discouraging.

Rey sighed, looking over at Kylo. She smiled reassuringly when he looked her way. She hoped like hell that they would be able to get everything they needed to defeat him before The Neo Order showed up at their door.

So I think putting a such a rigid schedule on myself for this has been stifling my creativity so I've just been writing at my leasuire until I can get acclimated to my new job and everything. Thanks for being patient with me guys.