A very important thing about writing is to immerse yourself inside a character or a situation to the point where you are actually feeling their emotions and actions. I hope you guys really enjoy this chapter; we are going to be taking a deeper look into the Bond and what exactly it means for both of them. Thank you for the reviews already! I want to get up to at least 3k views by the weekend (We are at 300 right now)! Please share this with your Star Wars friends and tell them to review! As always, feel free to tell me where you would like the story to go. I thrive off of my fans ideas! If we get to 3k and 10 reviews, I will put a lucky fan's idea in the coming chapter.
Location: Eriadu space, .16 parsecs from Sullust
Rey looked out of the cockpit of the Falcon, seeing that the ship was nearing its course. She slowly sat down next to Chewie, who reached behind her and handed her a fur blanket. She took it almost hungrily, wrapping herself tightly inside the warm fibers until the cold had finally receded from her chest and stomach. They were nearing their destination: a lava mining planet called Sullust. Rey had only ever heard of Sullust from a Sullustan passing through Niima Outpost, and she hadn't been too overly fond of the species. A supporter of the Rebellion and Resistance, Nein Nunb, had offered refuge in the underground cities of Sullust, his home world. According to General Leia Organa, the Sullustans were incredibly welcoming hosts, and sympathizers to their cause. Rey wasn't too keen on the idea, but they were desperate and had nowhere else to turn.
The supplies on the Falcon were running dangerously low. Of course, they hadn't expected to take what was left of the Resistance in a daring rescue from Crait. Luckily for them, iIt wasn't too terribly long from Crait to Sullust, but it was long enough that with as many people on board as they had, people were beginning to go without food, water, and rations. Rey, herself, hadn't eaten in at least two… or was it three days? She couldn't be sure; all of the days were beginning to run together. It was mostly because of her pounding headache that was incessantly poking in the far reaches of her mind. It made her incredibly nauseous as well as making her body ache, feeling like needles were poking her skin over and over until she was swollen and limp.
Her encounter with Kylo Ren had the same effect on her. She had immediately rebuilt her mind barrier the moment Poe had knocked on her door to retrieve her for a briefing. As she followed him up to the living spaces, she cursed herself inwardly repeatedly for almost joining Kylo. What was it about Kylo Ren that made her want to go to him, to run to him so willingly and longingly? He was everything she hated and feared, everything that was wrong with the universe. Yet, simultaneously being everything she loved and trusted, and being everything right in the universe. Her confliction was warranted, but in her mind, it wasn't even close to being justified.
Chewie sensed her tension and put a furry hand on her shoulder in comfort, uttering a low growl of concern. Rey shot him a small smile and assured him that she was fine, just nervous about getting drug to another planet she was unfamiliar with. Poe entered the cockpit a few seconds later and took a seat behind Chewie, so he could speak to Rey. He also sensed her unsure emotions, and was unsure on how to approach her. He put his elbows on his knees, the most sincere expression on his chisled face.
"You have every right to be worried, Rey, Sullustans are one of the ugliest creatures I've ever laid eyes on," he joked, trying to lighten her mood.
Rey cracked a small smile, pulling her blanket more tightly around her small body and brushed a strand of stray hair out of her left eye. "I only met one once, and I was not a fan of him."
"One doesn't speak for their entire race," Poe told her matter-of-factly with a shrug. "Take you for example. You're a scavenger from Jakku, and most scavengers are dead-beats, just trying to survive. But, you… well, you went up against Kylo Ren. The Kylo Ren. That's impressive."
Rey felt a slight blush creeping across her cheeks. She never had received compliments while she was on Jakku, and she still wasn't used to receiving them or processing them, for that matter. "Thank you, I guess?"
Poe's lips curved into a smile, and Chewie looked over his shoulder to send him a small growl of warning. Poe's eyes darted over to the Wookie once before focusing back on Rey, heeding his protective stance over the young girl. "How far are we from Sullust?"
Rey glanced over to the monitor in front of her, reached out, and daintly pressed a teal colored button. "Not far. We should make it by the end of the rotation."
"That's wonderful news. The sooner we get off this rust bucket, the happier I'm going to be," Poe said. He slapped his hands against his knees and stood. "I'll go inform the General."
Rey nodded, and Poe left the cockpit, closing the doors behind him. Chewie looked over to Rey and growled at her in conversation, his pitch going up and down matter-of-factly, and then ending with a sound that could only be taken as a warning. Rey shifted herself comfortably in the seat, laying her head against the side of the chair while staring at the Wookie with a grin on her lips.
"How would you know anything about dangerous flyboys? You were best friends with one," quipped her witty response.
Chewie shrugged and his eyes saddened in memory of Han. He murmured something to Rey, to which she was taken aback so much, she sat up straight in her chair.
"You miss him? Ben?" she asked, her mouth suddenly going dry. She never would have thought that Chewie would miss the man who murdered his best friend, let alone his own father. Chewie grumbled something sadly, whimpering a bit in response. "You're right: you did help raise him. Do you think he can be turned, Chewie? Be honest with me, please. I need to know."
Chewie sighed, his big eyes looking from Rey to the dashboard of the Falcon, and then into the vast space ahead of them. The Falcon was coming out of hyperspace, and a grey planet with red and grey streaks across it came into view. It was dotted with little specks of bright aqua blue. Sullust definitely wasn't much to look at. In fact, the planet looked dull and uninviting. Chewie looked at Rey and began a long rant that entailed how he thought that there was light in him if only Kylo was able to see it in himself, otherwise he would forever be lost. He told Rey that when Kylo was Ben Solo, he was the most fun-loving, intelligent, happy boy… until they sent him to Luke. According to Chewie, that's where Han and Leia went wrong. He told Rey that he loved Leia, but he did not agree with her wanting to send Ben away to harness his power. And he missed Ben, missed them climbing the trees on Chandrila and taking him fishing in their luscious lakes and rivers. Chewie was the one who taught him how to make a fire, how to track, and how to fly. He whimpered a soft sound of sadness.
Rey sighed, imagining the young Ben Solo swinging from tree tops, swimming in lakes, and chasing after Chewie, laughing and smiling. She imagined him in the front seat of the Falcon, with Chewie yelling at him because he came too close to hitting an asteroid. She imagined the two out in the forest making fires, cooking fish, and tracking foxes. It was those thoughts that reignited her hope and passion in saving him. Chewie thought he could be turned, and that was the most important of all. Chewie grumbled that he was going to go tell Leia that Sullust was in view, and to prepare the Resistance for landing. Rey nodded, settling herself back down into her seat and closed her eyes, not realizing how tired she really was. As soon as the Wookie had left the cockpit, Rey allowed the steady rocking of the Falcon to lure her into a deep slumber, dreaming of simpler days when Kylo Ren was the young man, Ben Solo.
Location: The Absolution
Kylo Ren's command shuttle slowly lifted itself upward into the docking bay of The Absolution, securing itself inside the hanger bay. As soon as it had landed, the ramp lowered, and he stormed down it, his shoulders swaying menacingly. Lining the way to the door into the corridors, were hundreds of Stormtroopers along with the highest ranking officers. Admiral Schneider and Lieutenant Murray were waiting for him on the right of the troopers. They both saluted and began to walk with him.
"Supreme Leader, this is an unexpected pleasure," Admiral Schneider said as they fell into step together.
"Save it, Kylo snapped. "I'm here to end this pitiful Resistance once and for all. Where are you in locating them?"
Schneider gestured towards Lieutenant Murray, and she began to inform Kylo of their current situation. "Our spy was a Mandolrian bounty hunter who suddenly can't remember where he saw them last until we give him the right amount of credits."
Kylo's eyebrow rose in curiosity. All bounty hunters – especially those from Mandalore – were scum. He remembered a certain story from his childhood involving Bespin, frozen carbonite, and a Sarlacc pit. He smirked to himself and continued his journey to the end of the hanger.
"Take me to him, Lieutenant," Kylo commanded.
"Right away, sir," She nodded and they proceeded down to the corridor.
The bountry hunter was a young thin man, clad in grey armor, his helmet on the table in front of him. He didn't look like much, and reminded Kylo of that damn Resistance pilot that blew up the Dreadnaught. Kylo walked into the room slowly, reading the man's Force signature to see if he had a weak mind. He was surprised to find this bounty hunter's mind was fairly strong, which meant he would have to resort to violence if he didn't give him what he wanted.
The bounty hunter looked up as Kylo entered the room, but the look in his eyes was certainly not fear. It was more amusement that they had to call in the Supreme Leader to get the information out of him. Obviously, he had put up quite a fight. Kylo titled his head and stood on the other side of the table, arms at his sides, looking the bounty hunter up and down, wondering why in the world The First Order hired him.
"You know what I've come for." His tone was deadly and quiet.
"I'll tell you what I told your Admiral, Ren," the bounty hunter said, and Kylo was surprised at how brave he was being. Normally, people begged him to give him what he wanted, not toy with him. Maybe it was because he was no longer wearing his mask… "You cut me the right deal, and I'll tell you where the ship is."
Kylo let out a sharp laugh. He wasn't in the mood for games. He raised his arm and called out to the Force, pulling the bounty hunter out of his chair and back against the wall behind him. He was yelling to stop now, but Kylo couldn't hear him over the sound of the retribution. Kylo began readying himself to probe the man's mind. The bounty hunter was begging him now, saying he would tell him where The Falcon was and that he was terribly sorry for all the inconvenience. Of course he was; they all were sorry. None of them truly meant it, though, so they all had to pay for their lies.
Kylo raised his other hand, keeping the bounty hunter pinned against the black wall, and squinted his eyes as he forced the Force to infiltrate into his brain. Kylo began to see images in his head while the man screamed in agony. He swam past memories of Mandalorian cities, rough cantinas, exchanging money for information, being recruited by The First Order, and eventually… there it was. He found it. The glimpse of the ship he was looking for. It certainly was The Falcon, and it certainly was exactly where he said it would be. Kylo's mind settled for a moment, knowing now that it wasn't a wild goose chase. As he watched the memory play back, something caught his attention. The bounty hunter was having a conversation with a Rodian, who was telling him something about… Sullust. The Falcon was heading to Sullust – they had intercepted a communication between the Falcon and the mining factories on the planet, and they were due to be there by the end of this rotation.
That's where the Resistance was headed. That's where Rey was headed.
Kylo pulled out of the bounty hunter's memories sharply, and curled his fingers, allowing the man to drop down to the floor in a heap of pained nerves. "It appears you knew more than what you let on, bounty hunter."
The man wheezed and raised an arm in surrender as Kylo approached him. Unfortunately, he had to pay. They all had to pay one way or another. This man's crime was withholding the vital information that led him to finding Rey. Kylo drew his lightsaber from the holster on his belt, using the Force to grab it, ignited it, twirled it in his hand, and with one swift stroke, beheaded the bounty hunter. He sheathed his saber, and used the Force to open the door to the interrogation room to find Admiral Schneider and General Hux awaiting his return.
"Got it out of him, did you?" Hux sneered as he glanced into the room to see smoke sizzling from the neck of the beheaded bounty hunter. A stench like burnt steak filled the air, and he caught his breath to keep himself from choking.
"They're going to Sullust," came Kylo's gruff reply, and he began to walk the opposite direction.
Admiral Schneider motioned for two Stormtroopers to dispose of the body, and quickly caught up with Kylo and General Hux's pace. Kylo turned the corner harshly.
"Are we the closest to Sullust?" he asked Hux.
"Yes, Supreme Leader," came Hux's reply. He did not look happy about going to Sullust. "I will ready the ground forces, and call on our special teams –"
"No," Kylo replied, cutting Hux off. He turned and faced the General, who stopped, and sighed at Kylo's intensity. "I have to go alone."
"Stop being dramatic, Ren," Hux said forcefully. "Everytime you say that, we always end up providing support for you anyway."
Kylo raised his eyebrows at Hux, and wanted nothing more than to ignite his lightsaber and slice him down this very second. It implied he was weak; that he couldn't take on the entire Resistance on his own on a planet of Resistance supporters. Maybe even that was too much for him, but the real reason he didn't want anyone going with him was because his main mission was to retrieve Rey and bring her back to The Absolution. But, judging by Hux's eyes, Kylo already knew that Hux knew.
"I know you want to get the girl, how romantic of you," Hux said gesturing his hands. He always liked to talk with his hands – behind his back, waving them around, and sometimes even clapping them like a mentally challenged bantha. It was one of his many traits that Kylo couldn't stand. He gritted his teeth as Hux continued. "But, think logically for once, Ren."
"Supreme Leader, if I may?" Admiral Schneider chimed in, raising a finger. Kylo looked at him and his eyes burned into his, waiting for him to continue. "We can send in a battalion of troopers once we pinpoint their location on the planet and cover you with our Ion cannons from orbit. You will be able to go in and retrieve this girl while the troopers begin the battle. In and out, sir, no harm done."
Kylo saw the logic in the Admiral's statement and nodded. "Very well. Prepare for ground assault."
Location: Sullust
Rey couldn't get over how hot it was on the planet. It wasn't like Jakku where all you could feel was the berating heat from above. On Sullust, the heat rose from the depths of the planet where the lava bubbled up in crevices and the bright blue pools of acid steamed, creating a toxic environment that no human could ever withstand. In the second that she stepped out of the Falcon and into the landing bay before the launch doors closed, she felt a heat wave whoosh in and choked back the fumes, hurrying herself into the facilities.
The Sullustans had set the Resistance up with their own rooms in their lavish underground cities, and once everyone was settled, they had taken up in one of the conference rooms to discuss further action. Rey wanted to pay attention as everyone was talking about strategic plans and how to send a message to their sympathizers across the galaxy, but she couldn't help but feel like something was off. She was nauseous (maybe from the fumes of the planet's surface?), and her head was pounding like it was about to explode. All she heard was Leia debating with Poe about fighting, and Finn siding with Poe, and a bunch of chatter between Chewie and Nein Nunb. During a lull in the meeting, she politely excused herself from the conference room and began her way down the empty corridor.
She was losing herself in her own thoughts as she walked. She was remembering her conversations with Kylo, striking down Snoke, fleeing with the Resistance… she began to fill lightheaded again, feeling that protrusive snake trying to get into her head once more. Maybe she should let him. But then, he would see where the Resistance was… but maybe not. Maybe she could conceal her surroundings… Her head hurt so terribly again, and all she wanted was to speak to him, especially after talking to Chewie about his childhood and the person he once was. So, she made her way down a few more mazes of halls until she finally reached her quarters. She placed her hand on the pad to open the white door, and stepped inside. She wasn't quite sure of what she was doing or why, but she wasn't sure of anything these days… Rey say gently on the white and burgundy patterned bed and closed her eyes.
And she called to him. Ben?
The few moments of anticipation made me cringe as she waited for Ben to answer her. Did he cut her off? Probably. Was he mad? Probably. Would he reject her again? Probably. Her anxiety peaked until she opened her eyes, feeling another presence in the room with her. A flood of relief swept over her body as she saw Kylo standing next to the desk adjacent to the window of her room that overlooked one of the many indoor parks where plant life flourished. He didn't acknowledge her, didn't even move. But, she knew that he wouldn't have come unless he knew she was calling him.
Rey stood up, feeling her brown hair slide past her shoulders. She gingerly walked over to Kylo, step by measly step, until she was beside him. They both were staring down into the millions of plants beneath them, the lush green leaves falling over eachother was quite a sight to see, especially to Rey. It just reminded Kylo of his homeworld, which brought pain. It was only after that moment, the moment she approached him, that he turned his head and looked down at her.
"I know you're on Sullust."
His words shocked her like a laser blast to the heart. He had found them! And it was all her fault! She felt shame, embarrassment, and regret flush over her. Rey took a step away from him, shaking her head. Kylo felt all of those negative emotions flood her happy ones, and felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: the need to reassure. He titled his head so he caught her hazel eyes in his gaze, and held them for a moment to make sure she wouldn't look away from him.
"It wasn't you. We had a spy who told us where you were," he told her. He wasn't sure why he was; maybe so she would smile again? Rey felt relief at his statement, but panic all the same.
"You're going to attack us."
The statement was just that. She knew what they had in store for them. Kylo felt just a tad ashamed when she said it, and took a deep breath to steady his thoughts. "Yes. But, I won't, if you come to me."
"I came to you once and look how that turned out," came her spiteful reply.
Kylo chuckled at the truth of it all. "You're right. Look how that turned out."
"Your mother is here, Chewie is here. Would you really sacrifice your family just to prove a point to me that I won't join you?" Rey demanded, crossing her arms now. But, wait. He already had. He had killed his father.
"Rey… there will always be things that you never will understand," Kylo said and lowered himself down onto the desk chair. He kept his legs apart and leaned his elbows on them. "Come with me."
"I won't," she said and shook her head softly. It pained her to do it, to let him go again. But, she had too. She would not shut out and betray her friends. Her voice turned to a whisper. "I can't."
"If you won't come to me, I will have to come to you," Kylo reasoned and stood up. Rey's eyes widened. "You're worried that you'll betray the Resistance? Then I'll come to you. I will retrieve you from their traitorous ways."
"I will not go with you," Rey whispered, still shaking her head, petrified at the thought of it all.
"You won't have a choice. Remember when you resisted me on Takadona?" Kylo asked with raised eyebrows. He needed to convince her. "It's time to stop fighting, Rey. We are destined to be together."
"Not in this way," Rey replied, clutching the sides of her robes tightly, her fingers balling into tightly clenched fists.
"Yes, this is the only way," Kylo said forcefully, his voice raising. It made Rey wince because she knew what happened when he got angry. "Rey, I'm tired of fighting with you about this. You will come to me now, or you will be taken by force."
Rey's eyes narrowed. "You will have to take me."
Kylo's brown eyes narrowed equally and his lips pursed. Rey could feel the anger wash over her, his resentment towards her and the Resistance, her rejection, but more than anything, the fact that she had rejected him yet again. She took a step backwards in fear of his retaliation. "So be it."
He cut off their connection explosively, causing Rey to drop to her knees by the shockwave of it. She put her hand over her heart to steady herself, but she just trembled as the Kylo's feelings reigned over her. She began shaking and almost convulsing with rage, but not at Kylo… at herself. She felt his rage against her. She fell into the fetal position pulling her legs closer to herself and feeling involuntarily tears falling down her cheeks as the feelings rocked her near to unconsciousness. She needed to escape, but she couldn't – she wouldn't. Going with him would end all this pain, all this suffering, and they would be together – like they both wanted. But, the easy way was always the path to the Dark Side, which was exactly what Kylo wanted. He wanted her to give in. But, she was strong and powerful and she refused to give in, no matter how much pain he caused her.
Let him come for her. She would be ready.
Dictionary:
Eriadu – planet located in The Outer Rim, known for being home to the Tarkin family, who served under Emperor Palpatine.
Chandrila – Capital of the New Republic and Kylo Ren's homeworld.
Bespin – Planet known for their Tibana Gas Mining where Han Solo was frozen in carbonite by Darth Vader and given to the bounty hunter, Boba Fett.
Rodian – Species of Reptilian humanoids from the planet Rodia. Greedo was Rodian.
