Star Wars: Division

Hey everyone! Yes, yes, more of me talking about how happy I am that this story is getting attention. I got three new reviews to look over, a favorite, and three new followers. Amazing! I'm really happy with all the responses so far.

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Chapter Five

Stretching out before the Finalizer was the blue-lined tunnel of hyperspace. The First Order had mobilized, and what Kylo Ren still had of the original Fleet was traveling together to reach Batuu, hopefully with enough time to catch the Resistance forces and their leader; he watched space through the bridge viewport, anxious to reach their destination. Chasing down the remaining Resistance forces he had had in his reach and cornered on Crait, but were spared because of his former Master, was already plagued by tedium enough; he wanted to end this.

Then where will you go, he questioned in his mind. There was only one person on Batuu he wanted alive - the rest could be returned to the Force.

He wanted a resolution, and not strictly because he didn't want to see the Resistance rise from their pile of ashes. Yes, whispers had been spreading amongst the Senators that had betrayed the New Republic while it still stood - the ones Snoke had had in his pocket - and their whispers spoke of the remaining Republic planets reaching out to the Resistance and joining forces. The majority of the Republic Fleet had been decimated when Starkiller Base burned the Hosnian System off the Galactic map, but that didn't mean it was completely gone. Fragments remained, and so did some very wealthy Senators with very wealthy governments and planets full of resources; it was certainly enough for them to band together, meet with Leia Organa, and then combine all their numbers, credits, and materials into one. It was more than enough for a rebirth, and he wanted to avoid that as much as possible. Still, they didn't worry him so much as they were too much of a distraction from his real problems - trying to get a grip on his leadership role of the First Order, and trying to figure out what plot was simmering between his officers so he could avoid being assassinated as soon as he'd gotten to the throne. He hated not having his Knights close by for security, but he'd dispatched them in order to keep tabs on the newly acquired Senators, with their newly acquired loyalties; he didn't trust them. A person who could be bought once could easily be bought twice.

He knew Hux would try to win some of them over, obtain their backing and support, and Kylo Ren highly suspected, unfortunately, that he couldn't stop that from happening. After all, no leader could be everywhere, and subterfuge ran rampant amongst the power hungry and ambitious. The ancient Sith Order was proof enough of that. But at least if a Senator did feel treasonous, one of his stationed Knights would be able to inform him. Getting ahead of the curve would make all the difference.

Then, of course, there was the matter of the Jedi. Even as he rushed his army through hyperspace to launch a surprise attack on her friends, he could feel her lingering presence around his mind. It wouldn't make him hesitate; this was war, and the Resistance needed to die. Killing her friends, in fact, was something he hoped for - was anxious for. Preferably in front of her. He remembered his own path to the Dark Side, how Snoke weaseled his way into his mind even as he studied with Skywalker in the Jedi temple, practiced his Jedi forms in combat, built his first lightsaber with the guidance of Jedi knowledge. Even then, surrounded by Jedi teachings, and fellow students, and a Jedi Master, Snoke was present in the back of his mind like a splinter, slicing his sly, slow way right down the middle of all those chaste, pragmatic Jedi lessons.

There is no emotion, there is Peace, Master Skywalker would pronounce.

Peace is a lie, there is only Passion, Snoke's voice would hiss.

He understood these two contradictory principles simultaneously; as he had trained in one, so, too, he had trained in the other, creating a very temperamental mixture of knowledge and an even more volatile relationship and connection to the Force. Often, he felt the Force's confusion surrounding him; it showed itself when it denied him possession of Anakin's blade on Starkiller, preferring the much more centered, Light-attuned energy of Rey. He knew it wasn't because she was calling it with more strength - the lightsaber chose her, or more accurately, the kyber inside it chose her. But on the Supremacy? When they'd both called it, it hadn't been able to choose. His desires, her desires - equal in the Light.

Now, if only he could get her desires to line up with his in the Dark.

It was his main focus in matters pertaining to her. In his excitement, he had tried to lure her over in a rush, underestimating the attachments she'd made within the Resistance and overestimating their own bond. He had completely overlooked the fact that, although she was untrained in the ways of the Jedi, her meeting and being with the Resistance had given them all the opportunity they needed in order to indoctrinate her to their point of view and, foolishly, she'd made a family of them thinking they were paragons for Good. It was just as he'd told her - a wounded animal searching for any handout she could find; she took to them so easily because of her weakness.

What she didn't know was that her emotional connections ran too deep; they were, in fact, very un-Jedi like. He'd been pondering how to explain that to her for the past couple days, but now with this opportunity to simply kill them all, extensive mind games may not be necessary. There would be a need for some, though. After all, his own path to the Dark Side had been a process, why had he expected hers to be anything less? Too anxious, too excited. He'd never forget the moment it had begun to take root in him.

"Sir, we were unable to acquire the droid on Jakku. It escaped capture aboard a stolen Corellian YT model freighter," said the nervously sweating Lieutenant Mitaka.

A Corellian YT model freighter meant - Han Solo, he growled in his head. "The droid - stole a freighter," he said slowly, turning his head to look over his shoulder.

The Lieutenant swallowed and tried his damnedest to maintain composure. "Not exactly, Sir. It had help. We have no confirmation, but we believe FN-2187 may have helped in the escape - "

His words were caught off in fear as Kylo Ren ignited his lightsaber and began hacking and slashing through his rage using the control board in front of him. Sparks flew. The steady red beam of his saber cutting through the machinery with abandon helped steady his mind.

He took a deep breath and tried to regain calm. "Anything else?"

A bead of sweat rolled down the man's temple. "The two were accompanied by a girl."

With an unnatural speed, he spun around, reached out his arm, and pulled the Lieutenant directly into the awaiting claw of his hand. "What. Girl," he ground out between his teeth; the mask's voice apparatus distorted the sound into something nearly inhuman.

There had been whispers growing in the Force. As Snoke had said - as Darkness rises, Light grows to meet it, and he'd felt the ripples in the Force that suggested change was coming. Of course, he had suspected something from his old Master, as Snoke had, until the appearance of the girl. Coincidences didn't happen in the Force; everything had its reason and purpose, a universal truth in both the Light and Dark.

And from that moment - the moment of his suspicions - he had been prowling through the shadows to claim her.

He was planning on doing just that when the death of her precious rag-tag family stirred the hatred and wrath he saw inside, coiled around her core like a snake ready to strike. It just needed some prompting.

He'd make her see. He'd make her understand.

Once the meeting was over, Rey returned to the Falcon to finish moving her things into actual sleeping quarters. True, it wasn't a large space, but it could fit a proper bed and a desk and that was all she needed. On the desk sat the Jedi texts; she'd been reading sections, but it was starting to become very clear she would need to start from the beginning - no shortcuts. No cheating. But she hated her inadequacies.

With a sigh and a heavy heart, she sat down at the modest desk and opened up the first ancient book with trepidation. There is no emotion, she read slowly. What did that mean?

"Wake up," someone was saying at her elbow. "Hey, Rey, wake up. There's some urgent news!"

Bleary-eyed, she slowly lifted her cheek off the page of the text she'd been studying; when had she fallen asleep?

Rose looked down at the exhausted expression on her friend's face and felt pity for her; every one knew Rey hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in nearly a week and a half. She could see the strain being 'The Last Jedi' was placing on her shoulders, but there wasn't much anyone could do about it. Being the last of an ancient religion and order that half the Galaxy had come to believe was simply stories to entertain children had an isolating effect on a person.

"Rey," she said softer. "Scouts have an urgent report. We need you in the briefing room."

"Right, right," she said, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Yeah, right," she repeated from sleepy confusion.

It took Rey another moment to fully wake up, take in her surroundings, and then stand and follow Rose to the briefing room - which was a nice way of addressing the abandoned shack of a former Resistance crew that had been stationed at the outpost. As they trudged through the forests of Batuu, Rey was only just able to keep herself from sleepily tripping over a gnarled root or decaying log. She yawned silently, her palm covering her mouth. She knew they were almost near the outposts borders when she began to feel unease through the Force. It appeared the scouts didn't have good news.

Once they reached the flat, safe ground of the outpost, they hurried the rest of the way. Everyone was already waiting. As soon as Rey and Rose entered, Leia turned to the scout and nodded her head, prompting him to speak.

"General, we have confirmation First Order forces are being sent to land on Batuu's surface. Whether they're aware of our presence our not, scouts can't confirm."

"They know," Rey said immediately. Everyone at the table turned to look at her, and Leia gave her an appraising glance. She couldn't say how she knew, but as soon as he'd made the statement, the answer had come to her. She could… Feel it.

"If Rey says they know, then they know. We'll need to get off-world immediately. Our forces aren't strong enough to take on a fight, here. We'll have to complete the transfer of X-Wings another time."

"No," said Poe as he gripped the edge of the table. "We need those fighters. We need to rebuild our air forces, or else we'll never have any chance to get going again." Of course, for Poe, not having an X-Wing to fly felt similar to not having a home. As an ace pilot, it was natural he felt most comfortable when he was in a cockpit, in the middle of a dog fight, somersaulting to avoid blaster fire and being the underdog. It must've been killing him to have to settle for those few times he'd been able to fly the Falcon - when Chewie and Rey weren't already at the helm.

Leia appraised him with the same knowing look she'd just cast on Rey. "I understand you want to get airborne, Poe, but we have to take what we can get. We have another ship, we have the new recruits. While we have the chance, we need to leave and set up another rendezvous point."

"We can stall 'em," Poe urged. "I know we can. Those X-Wings are just outside, General, they're practically in our hands! All we have to do is keep the Order distracted long enough for the transaction to complete, and for our pilots to get airborne. After that, full on evacuation."

Leia sighed - as stubborn as ever, and still as much of a risk-taker as he had been during the D'Qar disaster, but at least this time he was making sense. It would be a huge time kill to have to circumvent the usual hyperspace routes again, and find another suitable place to make the deal. It may only be ten fighters, but that was ten fighters more than they had, and having them would really begin the process of rebuilding their army. Poe's eyes were on her like the twin suns of Tatooine, burning and urging and desperate. The thing about being the plucky underdog was sometimes - most of the time - you had to take risks. "All right," she said finally, nodding her head. "All right. Assemble a small team to take with you into the forests. Don't engage the enemy - use the trees to your advantage. Lots of hit-and-run fire, you hear me?"

Poe heard her loud and clear. "Absolutely, General. Rey, Finn, Rose? What d'you say we go play with our First Order friends?" He looked at each in turn with his debonair smirk.

"Count me in," said Rose with determination.

"Me two," said Finn.

"Me three," said Rey without hesitation.

Leia smiled. "Good. I'll send some of the new recruits your way. And don't forget a blaster," she winked at them all and then turned to meet with their sympathizer to oversee the transfer of the fighters. C-3PO followed behind her, muttering his usual pragmatic one-liners about how the odds were stacked in the First Order's favor, and their forces wouldn't survive.

Next to the four of them, BB-8 buzzed and whirred in excitement.

"Sorry, buddy, you gotta' stay here," said Poe as he knelt down to be eye-level with his loyal little droid.

BB-8 whirred sadly.

"I know you've been itching for a fight, but we're fighting the First Order on some rough terrain and we have to stay hidden. Probably we'll hide up in the trees. It won't be a good place for you. Besides," Poe said standing, hands on his hips, "you'll need to stay here and make sure these pilots are up to snuff."

That did sound promising - the droid beeped proudly and loudly.

"Also, look after the General." The droid gave affirmation and then rolled off after the retreating backs of Leia and C-3PO.

"Rey," Rose said, turning to her. "We're gonna' need some help on this one. What can you do?"

Poe and Finn looked at her expectantly, and under the gazes of the three of them the enormity of her position began to press upon her. The Last Jedi - what a moniker she had inherited from a mentor that had barely helped her. Thanks, Master Skywalker, she thought sarcastically. This was her time; she had to prove herself, and not just to Leia, not just to her assembled friends, not just to the remaining Resistance forces that were holding on to the smallest fraction of hope left in the growing chaos of the Galaxy. She needed to do this to prove to herself she was the Jedi they believed she was. She had to be their protector, and their champion.

"Let me see what I can find in the Force," she said.

Trusting her, they all nodded and began suiting up with blaster ammo and fire, while Rey took a deep breath, grounded herself, and closed her eyes.

There was much she didn't understand contained within the ancient Jedi texts, but one of the easier concepts was that a Force-user would be able to wield the Force much quicker, and more efficiently, by extending out one's hand and using it to direct their will. In the days of the Old Republic, great wars between the Jedi and Sith were fought only in the mind using battle Masters who spread morale throughout entire battalions of their soldiers, or cast doubts and illusions upon the enemy. Using only one's mind, many things could be achieved through the Force, but it exhausted the wielder and for some, like Luke Skywalker, it took their remaining connection to the physical world. Less strenuous, and more focused, a Force wielder could extend their arm and hand to channel their mind's will and the Force, taking the weight off their mind, and honing it to a very sharp point. It was such whenever a Sith used the Force choke or whenever a Jedi casually waved their fingers to influence another's decisions. Limbs became an extension of the Force, just like a lightsaber. She used this principle in that moment to direct her focus upon Kylo Ren's intentions and movements. With closed eyes, and a furrowed brow, she felt herself reaching out for the first time in the Force since Master Skywalker's lessons on Ahch'To, sifting through it like the sands of Jakku she'd searched through her entire life. The First Order forces had just landed. She felt many people - many minds. Stormtroopers, assembling themselves in precise military formation. Stronger minds - lieutenants, captains, other soldiers who were of leader-class. And then, descending from his TIE Silencer, the staggeringly heavy mind of Kylo Ren. It pressed upon her like a rock, solid and rigid with jagged edges that grated along the base of her neck. "He's here," she muttered in her concentration. "I can see his mind."

"Good, Rey. Good," Poe said with a quick encouraging squeeze of her shoulder. "Can you see anything? Plans, strategy?"

Her eyes pressed tightly together as she focused. "The mountains...the trees, he's thinking about the landscape," she said lamely. "I can't read exactly what - " She paused and the look of concentration on her face deepened. Behind her closed eyelids, Poe and Finn and Rose watched with bated breath as her eyes roved from side to side. "A-a-a-a- gas attack!" she said suddenly with prideful exhilaration. She'd done it! "He wants to initiate a gas attack to smoke us out."

Poe smirked and wiped a hand across his mouth in excitement. "Of course, he'd know we'd use guerilla warfare. Too bad he didn't bank on our ace," and he gave Rey a small punch on the arm and flashed a smile. "This is good. As long as we can avoid breathing in the gas, we should be able to distract them for a while, and then retreat without a problem when we need to. The gas will actually help cover our movements." He turned to Rose and Finn. "Quickly, tell everyone and get some masks. Only move in small groups of three or four."

"Got it. What about you two," Rose said, looking between Rey and Poe.

"I think the Jedi and I will run up ahead and give everyone time to prepare." He looked sideways at Rey and grinned.

"Be careful," Finn said, eyes on Rey.

"I will," she gave him a quick smile. "Don't worry about me. Just get everyone else ready and catch up."

Rose had already turned from them to hand out blasters to the new recruits, and distribute masks, clothes, rags - anything they could cover their nose and mouth with to stave off the gas.

Poe pulled the blaster from his hip and gave it a roguish twirl around his finger. "Get going. We got this," he said to Finn.

Finn rolled his eyes, but smiled, and handed them each a gas mask, which they accepted and slipped over their heads.

They parted ways. Poe handed Rey his spare blaster and sighed. "Really wish you still had a working lightsaber. Ren's got a knack for catching blaster fire."

Rey looked at him with a sigh and shrugged, "So do I. I'm working on repairing it as fast as I can."

"I know, Rey," Poe said, and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I told you not to stress too much. We all know you're under a lot of pressure. But you're not alone." His eyes had softened; they were no longer blazing with that fighter spirit that was so easily recognizable in his animated face. It was a gentle expression. A friendly one.

She smiled. "Thanks." She clipped the blaster to her hip and then gestured forward. "Let's hurry."

The fighter was back. "Yes ma'am," and the two of them ran forward, towards the First Order.

The problem was, even as she ran to fight - and kill - the First Order in protection of the Resistance, with every intention of helping their cause, Poe's words had mirrored someone else's, and it was creating a devilishly hopeless loop in her head. You're not alone, echoed Kylo Ren's deep voice, as the glow of the fire played across her tear-stained face. His dark eyes stared at her from the murky depths of her own mind.

You're not alone.

Hux eyed him suspiciously, hands clasped rigidly behind his back. "Wouldn't bombarding the planet be the quickest, most efficient method of eliminating them?"

His back was to him. It was the only reason he dared question the Supreme Leader's command.

The muscles in Kylo Ren's shoulders rippled with a flex of tension; Hux's constant commentary and questioning clearly nagged at his temper. But it didn't seem like enough, anymore. I need to unbalance him, Hux thought. Being Supreme Leader has steadied him far too much.

"Don't forget, General, that Black Spire has played host to the First Order, as well. We don't only have spies down there, but dormant access to trade routes that go largely unperturbed. Taking control of these trade routes, as well as the common ones between the Mid and Outer Rims, will give us a monopoly." Kylo Ren's head turned a bit, to regard Hux over his shoulder. "We can't do that if we recklessly bomb the planet."

Hux sneered as soon as his rival faced forward again. When had the temperamental apprentice, prone to childish tantrums filled with destruction, become so cool and calculated? It was like he'd become a whole new person. And it was certainly making it difficult to form a plan of attack for removing him from the throne.

"Of course, Supreme Leader." That was all he could manage to say after being mentally out-classed in front of all the assembled officers and grunts on the bridge.

"Begin unit deployment to the surface and ready my private ship."

"Immediately, Supreme Leader," said the communications captain just to his left. She relayed the message to the hangar team.

He hadn't been to Batuu - it had never been necessary for Snoke to send him, as a mere outpost sitting at the edge of the Mid-Rim that was largely bypassed by ships since the invention of hyperspace technology now in common usage. But he knew the landscape. The mountains and thick forests were the perfect forms of cover for a rogue band trying to hide and stay hidden. If his forces attacked they would take to using the trees to their advantage and only engage in small skirmishes they could win. Other tactics like traps, decoys, and sniper fire could also be in their plan of attack. They'd never beat the First Order forces with numbers and brute strength, so dipping in and out of quick, small-numbered fights through wits and strategy was their only hope of staying alive. He knew that. That's why he'd already prepared counter measures to quickly nullify their predictable guerilla-inspired battle plan. All villains knew the best way to make critters flee in fear - and run directly to their own slaughter - was to smoke them out.

She would be there amongst the rebel forces. She followed his mother around like the same attention-starved child she'd been with Han Solo; it irritated him. More than that, the thought she had somehow become the daughter Leia Organa had never had was maddening. Why was she so impudent?

The First Order landed on Batuu's surface and began unloading.

He sensed her presence amongst the trees, burning brighter than any other life force on the entire planet. It was a beacon - if he wanted to follow it and find her, he could. But he wanted to find her friends, and he wanted to see them dead. Only when they were no longer around for her to cling to could she finally release herself from the need for their affections.

The stormtroopers stood at attention as he descended the ramp of his ship. They sounded a military cry as he walked up the center column, between the four divisions - two on each side. Kylo Ren held up two fingers, then flicked them forward. Behind him, a lieutenant gave the call - "Launch the attack. Units! Move out!"

In every perfectly squared division, the back line of soldiers carried canister guns, all loaded with gas pellets. As the soldiers advanced, the cannisters began launching into the trees, fizzing through the air as thick, white smoke began to release from the top. The stormtroopers' helmets already protected them from the gas. Kylo Ren's resurrected black helmet would do the same for him. It felt good to be a creature in a mask again.

The forces had landed in an area Kylo Ren sensed the Resistance was concentrated; Rey had been there, and a few others. He suspected they'd fall victim to the gas soon.

"Canvas slowly," came the half organic, half robotic cadence of his voice from within the mask. "When you find their bodies, shoot to kill."

The forest was calm. Dark green leaves blanketed the tree limbs, leaving little room for the sun to filter down beyond the canopy. They moved slowly, fanned out in a long line across a swath of the forest, blasters and eyes pointed down on the ground searching and scanning for knocked out Resistance scum. Soon, they should find something - the first body of their final crusade.

Kylo Ren halted. At the back of his mind, a fiery presence brushed past his thoughts a little too close to stay veiled. Rey. He had been so focused and so sure that he'd forgotten to layer his mental shields and protect against invasion. He hadn't expected her to attempt it, but he still should've been prepared for it. Had she seen? She must have. They should've begun to discover fallen bodies, but had yet to come across one. Then he felt a disturbance and with impeccable reflexes turned to his left and stopped the blue blaster bullet in its tracks.

Poe Dameron's face emerged - mask-clad - from behind a nearby tree. Sensing her, Kylo Ren swung right and also stopped her blaster fire in midair. It was almost enough to make him laugh, a Jedi so done in she had to use a blaster pistol instead of a lightsaber. Sad, really. Though, Rey's face was set with the same determination she always wore when they met face-to-face; he could tell by the look in her eyes. Her tenacious nature was one of her best qualities.

They locked eyes even through his mask, and hers. In the briefest moment it passed between them that he knew she'd invaded his mind, and she knew he knew. So, that's how it had to be, did it?

Just hours ago they'd been in each others' arms. Now, they were enemies.

"I want the Jedi," he hollered at the top of his lungs, the unnatural sound of his voice distorted not only because of the rage in his scream, but also by the mechanical voice relay that helped warp the sound into something far beyond the primal call of any animal mother nature had created. With its usual lightening like crackle, his lightsaber ignited, a red hot beam like his fury.

"Fire!"

Heavy blaster fire began, widely missing their targets, who were already on the move. The First Order forces gave chase. Kylo Ren advanced on Rey who, reminiscent of their first encounter in the forests of Takodana, fired several shots at him while retreating backwards. Even though some of the stormtroopers had broken off of Poe and the other Resistance fighters who were emerging from behind trees the further they advanced into the forest to chase after Rey, he needn't worry about them hitting her. He felt no danger in the Force.

"You've chased after me several times, now," she yelled with a taunt, then ducked to avoid blaster fire that hit the tree trunk to her left and burned a hole through it.

Inside his helmet, his lip curled - unseen. He knew what she meant: Takodana and Starkiller Base. "Yes, the first time I was successful, and the second I was not." It was a repeat of their first dance, him advancing as she pulled away. He paused a moment. "That means I'm due a victory."

Her chest heaved from the adrenaline that scorched her blood. "We'll see."

With flourish, he swung his blade around and let it slice the air, his wrist rolling effortlessly. She didn't seem at all impressed by his display. Aiming over his shoulder, she fired on the stormtroopers running after their Supreme Leader's back, who occasionally paused to return fire on her. They only hit trees trunks; the forest was too thick, and Rey was beginning to feel the direction blaster fire was moving in, making it easier to dodge and avoid.

Frustration built in Kylo Ren as he chased after her, not nearly as nimble as someone who'd spent their entire life climbing and jumping and bending their way through the enormous ruins of war ships. With so much to hide behind and move around, and with the ground uneven, Rey was constantly able to stay three steps ahead, and he had no way of reaching her at the pace they were going. He searched the landscape for an answer, reaching out in the Force to read the lay of the land that was spread out before them. While he focused, he refrained from deflecting all her blaster fire, in order to keep the majority of his concentration on his mental task. He deflected only those shots that were too close for comfort. Consequently, several shots made it past him - two succeeded in finding targets. The stormtroopers collapsed with muffled cries of pain.

Hearing their cries of pain brought her both a sense of elation, and a sense of dread. She felt their lives snuffed out through the Force. It was dizzying.

Up ahead, Kylo Ren sensed the weakened trunk of a tall tree. He could trap her.

She continued to backpedal most of her way through the forest, firing with less precision as she blocked out the sensations of death that kept coming to her as others died further to her right - stormtroopers, mostly. She'd never been so open to the Force before. It was overwhelming and disorientating.

Right as she drew near, just twenty feet away from the tree, Kylo Ren reached out with the Force and yanked it down in triumph. The tree caved under the pressure of his pull, and the trunk snapped near the base, causing it to fall right in her way - with a bit of his guidance, of course. She looked up at the tree, startled, and jumped back right as the tall, heavy tree slammed down to the ground, disrupting the entire area around it. The forest was filled with the propagating sound waves of countless tree branches snapping and breaking and cracking.

Frozen in placed in shock, she gazed at the tree as it lay across the path. Behind her, the weight of Kylo Ren's presence assailed her own, their carved out space within the Force combating one another.

What would she do now? Off in the distance, she heard the cries of the Resistance and the First Order. Blaster fire echoed deafeningly. Bodies fell. No one would be able to save her.

He felt her intent before her hand came up to call his lightsaber; he supposed she'd figured she had summoned it once, so why not try again? But he had already put up a Force shield to block her. Kylo Ren's left hand, clad in its usual black leather, raised up and the index finger moved side-to-side as he scolded her in the same way an indulgent parent scolds their pampered child. Her call couldn't even make his lightsaber vibrate.

In a flash, he called her weapon, and the blaster whipped out of her hand and flew to his open palm. Now there was fear in her eyes. Weaponless, and alone, her only plan of escape would be to run in the direction of her friends and hope for the best. But she wasn't a runner by nature, so the choice felt cowardly even given her circumstances. She was the brave sort. Another one of her best qualities.

Without preamble, he tossed the silly weapon to the side. "Go to the others," he said to the remaining stormtroopers behind him. "I can take care of things from here."

"Sir," the three men said in unison, then trudged off through the rough terrain to their brothers and sisters in arms.

"It's not too late," he said when they were out of earshot.

She set her chin. Defiant. As always.

"You're right, Ben," she said with that same blaze of determination and hope. "It's not too late. Come with me. Join me," she urged him. "Put an end to all this!"

His hand balled into a fist. "No, that's not how this is supposed to go. I know what I saw."

"And I know what I saw," she shot back. "You don't have to do this and you know it." She paused. Her eyes softened, and the tension in her shoulders released. She took a step towards him, the memory of their kiss a flame in her mind. "You offered to be my teacher, not too long ago." Her mouth quirked briefly into a hesitant smile. "Doesn't the offer still stand?"

Completely disarmed by her sudden gentle words, and the tenderness of her eyes, he took a step back. He had never before met someone who could make him feel so constantly off-guard.

"But Rey, my Jedi training - " He cut his words, and looked to the sky.

She quickly spun around and cried, "No!"

They both felt it. Double-barrelled laser fire from an X-Wing peppered the ground, lining up with Kylo Ren's location, and Rey stood by, in distress, as the green laser bullets just missed him. When the second X-Wing made a pass at the leader of the First Order, he was prepared, lightsaber in hand. Crackling and electric, his distorted lightsaber blade deflected shot after shot as enemy fire rained upon him. The gentleness in his face was gone, replaced by rage. It made her stomach lurch.

"Ben, please, we need - ! " But he was already turning away, taking cover from the continued fighter fire.

She had no choice but to head towards the Falcon's location. But she had felt so close. So damn close. Only to have the chance and moment ruined. Dammit, she swore angrily in her head.

He glanced back only once, and when he did she was already climbing over the tree trunk.

Just like on the Supremacy, they split apart and went their separate ways.