Hux stood triumphantly on the bridge of Languish. He rubbed his throat in comfort as he gave the order to jump to lightspeed. The First Order would not bow to the whims of a mood swinging traitor. Armitage Hux was smarter than Kylo Ren ever gave him credit for, and that was his undoing. He could now strengthen the Order in his vision.

"Summon the Knights of Ren." the ginger's grin curled around his high cheekbones.


Kylo Ren woke with an agony filled scream. His voice mangled and vexatious tore through the cell. The only part of him not tied down was his right arm cleaned and bandaged; not only was his wrist gone they had cleared it up to his elbow. He took deep ragged breathes searching the greyness around him. The walls were a thick terracotta tiles and the dirt beneath his knees compacted.

"Comfortable?" Her cunning voice came from the shadows.

He gave a frustrated sneer. The shadows fell away from her figure like a discarded robe. It sent an odd shiver up his spine. It hadn't been a vision; Calliope Soruna was in front of him. Six years had morphed her from a beautiful and wild girl into a vivacious and commanding woman.

She took a few steps toward him,
"I'm impressed," her voice was seemingly genuine until she let out a cackle, " On how clouded you've let your mind become in the darkness."

"And you've become soft!" Kylo gritted his teeth for a moment, "You left me alive." Softer and more thoughtful, "Why?"

She crossed her arms, "You think I'm soft for giving you a quick, painless and isolated way out?" Calliope shook her head, "No..no.. Kylo Ren the-."

"My name is Ben."

She tilted her head back, "HA!" and leaned down near his face, "Ben Solo died or so I was told."

"Would you care if he didn't?" He met eyes like amethysts.

"No." She angled away from him her one syllable etching out his efforts, "You can try to talk your way out of a judgement by the newly formed Republic. Until then you're our guest." Calliope returned to the shadows, and her image faded from his view.

"You think you can hold me here!" He yelled.

An echoed laugh reverberated on the tiles, "I don't think little man. I know."


Leia's eyes gently fluttered allowing the excess light above her to filter. She felt like an amorphous liquid laying in the medical bed. Poe and Rey were at each of her sides. They looked worried for her. She was going to make a quick witted remark about how it's not her time yet, but something more important drew from her lips,

"My son….."

Poe and Rey made micro glances at each other like which of them should explain what happened until Rey hesitantly opened her mouth,

"He's alive, and imprisoned here in the capital."

Leia searched herself. The force had moved so malevolently around Calliope as they trudged out of the Falcon. The General was sure she was honing in to kill him. After all that he had done… why did she feel so relieved to find that he had been left alive? The guards at Leia's private room stood at attention. Anakin ran in and Poe yanked him on his lap before he could jump onto Leia.

They could all see Calliope's form shadowed behind the fogged window. Rey went to say something but halted in the mid formation of a sound. She made a comment to the guard and departed. They all looked at the six year old for answers.

"Ani… is your mama alright?" Leia held out a gentle hand from him to grasp. He did so gently joining her in the hospital bed. The boy usually abundant with smiles turned momentarily cold,

"Mama's been having nightmares since she's come home. They make her cry and she won't let me help." her grandson laid gently against her side and she could feel tremors of the force pulsate through him.

"How long have I been out?" Leia met eyes with Poe.

"Two weeks General." he replied.

The pilot looked conflicted at the door, like he should go to her, but oddly he remained planted by Leia's side.


This chapter is kind of ...setting the scene for the next few chapters.

Also ...Calliope is a very "taste of your own medicine" kinda gal. She's spent a lot of time with Poe and Rey... just saying

Thirdly, hope your all enjoying the story this going a lot further than I originally intended