A/N: Guys, I am so sorry. I've been posting this on both FF and Archive of Our Own...and apparently last week I forgot to post Chapter 5-THIS CHAPTER-on FF. I had posted Chapter 6 ten minutes ago, then realized that Chapter 5 wasn't on here, and I just...ugh, I feel a bit stupid. SO! You get two chapters of Rise of the Jedi today, and possibly another one this weekend!
Also, you may notice a slight title change. That's because I've decided this won't be an "Episode X" novel, after all; instead, I've just decided that my TROS fix-its will be a series of shorter, multi-chapter, interconnected stories about Rey, Ben, and the Resistance. Some may even be one-shots, depending on where my muse takes me. This particular one, which deals with Ben's redemption/reintegration into the Light Side, should conclude with a total of 13 chapters. But I've already started its sequel, and I'm so excited about it-so I think I'll be writing about Rey and Ben for quite a while yet! Shorter, self-contained plots are just easier for me to manage, especially since I'm hard at work on other, non-fanfic projects.
Enjoy this chapter...AND Chapter 6. Haha.
"Be strong, saith my heart; I am a soldier;
I have seen worse sights than this."
― Homer, "The Iliad"
Back on Exegol, a frigid, foul-smelling wind scraped over the ruins of the Sith temple. The Final Order's ships had either disintegrated in the planet's atmosphere or pummeled its surface in fragments. Flames licked at the shapeless chunks of steel. A scream or two resounded in the planet's endless night, only to quickly die away.
The Sith Acolytes—the fanatical followers of the undead Palpatine—had all perished or fled. What remained of the First Order's fleet had barely escaped. Even the whispers, snarls, and thunder that constantly churned here seemed to have settled with the dust and debris of the recent battle.
Resistance scouts had already zipped over the planet and returned to their base with confirmation: no signs of life on Exegol. The First Order's scouts had surreptiously done the same, slinking away in embarrassment and horror.
But what neither realized was that they probably should've waited a few hours.
The Dark Side of the Force, after all, was a pathway to many abilities considered unnatural.
A wordless, agonized cry split the eerie silence. With the groan of tortured steel a huge section of an Imperial Destroyer tilted off the ground; a lone survivor scrambled out from underneath it, his black cloak tattered, his strong, angular features scraped and scorched. As soon as he was free he staggered to his feet and looked around. His already-labored breathing quickened and his keen yellow eyes filled with horror as he took in the destruction of Palpatine's long-perfected schemes.
"No," he gasped. "No, no, no…"
He broke into a desperate run to the throne room. Palpatine's life support system was empty. Frantically, the surviving Acolyte searched the dark, crumbling room. When his feet brushed something soft and moist, he swept aside his cloak and got down on one knee, feeling the ground with his bare hands.
He recoiled as soon as he realized what he was touching. Flesh. Raw, disintegrating meat.
The Dark Side chose that moment to inform him of what he already knew.
He's dead. Your father is truly dead.
The Acolyte clenched his hand and sprang to his feet again, his eyes wild. He reached out, taking stock of his surroundings. No Destroyers or Dreadnoughts left in the atmosphere…my ship destroyed…no other survivors…
A TIE Whisper? He frowned, puzzled for a moment—and then it, too, dawned on him. Kylo Ren had come in that TIE Whisper…only the Acolyte and his brethren had known as soon as the young man stepped foot on Exegol that he was no longer Kylo Ren. Ben Solo had arrived, telegraphing his resolve to defeat Palpatine and help the Girl from one end of the planet to the other.
The Acolyte had laughed then, but he wasn't laughing now. He ground his teeth and followed the Dark Side's direction at a powerful, storming pace. As soon as he approached the Whisper he snapped his fingers; its hatch opened and he climbed in, unconcerned by the fact that he'd never piloted a ship of this kind before. He leaned into the power of the Darkness, and his hands flew over the controls with ease.
He also turned on the ship's communicator. It was already set to a First Order frequency.
"Exegol to the First Order," he called, the Whisper's engines revving in the background. "Exegol to the First Order."
A response came almost immediately. "Supreme Leader?! Is that you?!"
"This is…" The Acolyte hesitated a second, undecided between his two names—the one given to him at birth, or the one he preferred? He chose the latter. It usually had a more pronounced effect. "This is Darth Chrallous, Son of the Eternal Emperor. I'm on Exegol aboard the Supreme Leader's ship. Give me your coordinates. I will report to your Commander-in-Chief."
"I—I mean—I'm sorry, sir, but General Pryde is dead, sir. And no one's sure where the Supreme Leader is. General Ava Cratt's in command of the Fleet now—would you like me to inform her of your approach, sir?"
The Acolyte didn't even bother to smother his contempt as he gripped the ship's control columns. "Certainly. You may also inform her that Kylo Ren has betrayed the First Order…and the Sith. I will assume his position as Supreme Leader as soon as I confer with General Cratt."
The soldier sounded like he might faint with shock. "Y-y-yes, sir. Right away, sir. These are our coordinates. You've been cleared to approach, sir."
The Acolyte—Darth Chrallous—or Kass Palpatine, as he'd been known in his youth—severed the exchange without so much as a "thank you." The Whisper lifted off the ground. He took one last look, his thoughts surging with memories: discovering the truth of his bloodline as a boy, secretly seeking out other acolytes like himself, locating his father's (startlingly well-preserved) remains aboard the Death Star's ruins…
And then bringing him back to life through ritual after bloody ritual.
Chrallous turned away from the receding view of Exegol with a long, steady sigh. That was all in the past now. The future—his future—lay ahead, but not without yet another contingency plan birthed from the ever-vigilant, calculating mind of his father.
The Skywalker Line would be obliterated…and the Girl would be the one to deal the final blow.
The Millennium Falcon landed on Ajan Kloss in the middle of an uproarious celebration. The Resistance fleet had finally come home to roost, and it was far larger than it had been when it set out on its desperate mission to Exegol. Afternoon sun streamed from cloudless skies down into the jungle, bathing the victors in a happy glow.
Rey watched behind the captain's seat while Lando and Chewie made the landing, the Skywalker lightsabers holstered in her belt. The lush green of Ajan Kloss had always elated her: not only was it heavenly to her color-starved eyes, but it had become home. Here she'd been trained by Leia, deepened her friendships with Poe, Finn, and Rose, and become confident in her role as the Last Jedi.
But now, as Resistance fighters rushed towards her beloved Falcon, her mouth went dry. She'd already spotted Poe in the jubilant crowd, and her heart leaped at the sight of him in one piece—but with Ben Solo standing behind her, still covered in the grime of Exegol, she had a feeling that the celebrations might not last much longer…and that Poe might not be so thrilled to see her once he realized who she'd brought along.
"Don't be afraid." Ben's thoughts wrapped around her like his arms had in the medbay. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
"So do I," her thoughts retorted. Through the Bond she sensed him smile, but she felt something else, too, something entirely human, understandable, and yet—for him—unsettling.
Anxiety. Fear.
And fear…fear is what sent him tumbling into the Darkness…
"All right, here we go," Lando said, shutting off the engines with Chewie's help. "You sure you want to come down with us, Kid?"
"I am," Ben said quietly.
"Your call. All I ask is that you stay with Rey. They won't fire on you if they risk hitting her."
Ben only nodded. Rey squeezed his hand.
"Guys, they're clamoring at the exit bay," Finn called, swinging his head into the cockpit. "Is it okay if I open her up?"
"Go ahead," Rey said, far steadier and more commanding that she felt. "We're right behind you."
Finn nodded, called out to Rose, Jannah, and the droids, and opened the Falcon's hatch. The gears creaked, the ship opened, the ramp extended. Lando and Chewie discreetly squeezed out of the cockpit, leaving Ben and Rey alone out of view from the ground. The cheering escalated outside. Anxiety chilled Ben's side of the Bond.
"We should go," Rey said. "They'll start wondering if I don't show up."
Ben stared out the cockpit window. "These are my mother's people. Her followers. People I've wanted to annihilate for so long—"
"But they were your friends for longer. And you were theirs." She cupped his face in both hands. "Hey. Look at me. Remember who you are…and don't forget who's in your corner."
He forced a smile. "The Last Jedi."
"Not the last," she retorted. "Not so long as you're with me."
With that she jumped up on tiptoe and pressed a quick, firm kiss to his lips. Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the cockpit, her blood pounding in her ears.
The warmth of Ajan Kloss and the deafening noise enveloped her as soon as she stepped outside. People were cheering, kissing, whooping, hugging, dancing, and passing around the drinks. BB-8 spun in circles around a laughing Poe. D-O hung close to Rose, but judging from his jerky motions, he was quite happy in his raucous surroundings. Only Finn looked uneasy as Rey and Ben reached the top of the ramp. She could tell from his forced grin that he was as nervous as a desert rat on a hot tin roof.
And then everything went very, very still as everyone finally noticed the tall young man in black behind her.
Poe, squatting beside BB-8, sprang to his feet, his eyes wide and his mouth open. More worryingly—and much closer to the Falcon—Lieutenant Connix's sharp features had changed from shock to fury. Rey sensed Ben's turbulent emotions shifting from fear to resolution.
"Stay with me, Ben. No matter what happens, keep your thoughts on me."
He didn't even hesitate. "Always."
Rey took a step forward, bringing him with her. Connix whipped her pistol out.
"Stop!" Rey commanded, raising her free hand and summoning the Force to amplify her voice. It worked, but more than she expected: to her surprise (and slight terror), she sounded more like a queen. The Resistance fighters stared, stunned by the change in their young, cheerful Jedi. Connix didn't lower her pistol, but tears of rage and confusion welled in her eyes.
"What," she hissed, "is he doing here?"
"He's here under my protection and authority," Rey replied, holding her gaze before looking out over the stunned crowd. "Emperor Palpatine is dead. I turned his own power back on him through the strength of the Jedi, but they'd be bringing back me dead and cold if it weren't for Ben Solo."
"Don't you dare call him that!" Connix cried, almost sobbing. "I know exactly who that is, and she's dead because of him! Billions are dead because of him—and you brought him back?! Force around us, Rey, why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?!"
Judging by the murmurs, glares, and downward glances, the rest of the crowd was asking the same question. Before Rey could answer, Poe stepped close to Connix.
"Kaydel," he murmured, laying a hand on her arm. "Kaydel, give me the gun."
The lieutenant gritted her teeth, her finger quivering over the trigger. Rey tensed, ready to fling herself in front of Ben if she had to. But Poe slid his hand down to Connix's wrist and pried her fingers loose. Connix shuddered and let her arms drop. Poe holstered the gun with a loud snap, swept a warning glare over the crowd, and strode towards the Falcon.
"Now," he said, much louder now, "I hope someone's gonna explain what's going on."
Rey released the breath she'd been holding. "Poe, I'm sorry—I knew you and Finn could get off Kef Bir with the Falcon, but I had to—"
"I don't care about any of that," Poe hissed, his face inches from hers. "I want to know why you brought him to Ajan Kloss, why you're telling me you'd be dead without him, and why the hell you're holding his hand!"
Rey gulped and started to say something—but before she could, Ben released her hand. Poe took a step back and slapped his hand onto Connix's pistol. Ben's quiet expression never faltered. He loomed over Poe, but there was nothing threatening in his posture. In spite of the filth, the scrapes on his face, his torn sweater, and his dusty boots, he was just…serene.
At peace.
"Rey will explain everything," he said, his deep voice projecting over the silence. "But before you hear her story…" He held out his hands, cupped palms facing the sky. "I surrender—"
The fighters gasped sharply.
"—to the governing body of the Resistance…and I'll accept whatever punishment they see fit for the crimes of Kylo Ren."
Rey throbbed with pride, but as soon as he uttered that hated name, the place exploded. Surprise gave way to ferocity; cries of "Traitor" and "Butcher!" roared through the glade. Ben never flinched, but anxiety flickered across Poe's face. He glanced at Rey; she nodded once, pleading and desperate. Finn, who'd wrestled his way back to the Falcon as soon as Connix raised her pistol, dashed up the ramp and seized Poe's arm.
"It's not a trick, Poe," he insisted, shouting over the tumult. "Take him in. You won't regret it."
"And how am I supposed to be sure of that?!" Poe snapped, flinging a hand at Ben. "He's Kylo kriffing Ren! What if he's playin' some kind of mind trick on all of us?"
"He's not. Trust me—he's changed, and you're not gonna believe how it happened—but you've gotta get him outta here before these people tear him to pieces!"
Poe raked a hand through his unruly curls, looking as if he wished to the stars that Leia Organa hadn't left him to deal with these high-spirited rebels alone. They really were growing angrier by the second. Rey had never sensed much Darkness on Ajan Kloss, but right now, right here, it was almost like being back on Exegol.
The realization left her cold.
"All right, all right!" Poe finally bellowed, struggling to be heard over the turmoil. The noise died down a bit. Poe inhaled, glared up at Ben. Rey could've sworn she heard her own heart pounding.
"Cuff him," Poe snapped.
The rebels exploded again, this time in cheering. Several officers materialized around the Falcon ramp, snapping metal cuffs around Ben's wrists. Rey couldn't bear it. She rushed to his side and seized his arm before they could drag him away. He looked at her, the look on his face still so quiet and brave and peaceful. His determination pulsated through the Bond.
"I love you," Rey said, loud enough for Poe to hear.
Ben smiled faintly. "I love you, Rey."
Then the soldiers ripped him away, leaving her at the foot of the ramp. The rebels—her friends— shouted and jeered, hurling insults as the soldiers escorted him through the crowd towards the Base's main building—and, she assumed, the brig.
She suddenly realized Poe was staring at her, his hands on his hips, his dark eyes glinting.
"Talk about a plot twist, Rey," he muttered, coming close. "The story had better be good."
"The best," she whispered. "I promise."
"Then the sooner you tell me, the better." He whistled sharply, motioning for Finn and the rest of the Falcon crew to gather round. "Everybody, to the Command Center…now."