The beginning of this chapter received a quick edit (since it was awful) 12-31-2017
Dreadnot Bridge, First Order Flagship.
"Sir, the acquisitions manifest." Trooper LK 338 handed him the most recent inventory on the First Orders supply ship. According to it, all his orders had been carried out with the same systematic smoothness as the previous Supreme Leader, which was something. That title would have to be done away with though, pretentiously overbearing. Drastic changes were about to take place, as soon as he located the current Resistance hideout.
Light, accusatory brown eyes. How one being could be filled with such absolute certainty was...
Of course, concentration would be easier if he didn't have incessant interruptions from his increasingly unreliable mind. Indecision was something Kylo had always struggled with, accept now it was ten times worse. The almost constant presence of someone as annoyingly perfect as Rey was a relentless source of temptation and confliction.
Never flinching from her path. The girl knew nothing, she'd seen nothing.
Yet the idea of working with her was as rage inducing as it was attractive. He could let her try to save him, utilize her compasion to lead him to the last of the resistance and finish them off. Or he could attempt to turn her again, despite the fact that she'd so naively rejected his offer the last time.
She thinks she can help without being corrupted. I'll break her and start over.
"Sir, the general would like to speak to you." LK 338 hadn't left already, and the little fear Kylo could sense from him was being effectively suppressed. Impressive.
"Hux can send the desired information to my quarters " Kylo said carelessly. Now that he had the luxury, Kylo preferred to interact with Hux as little as possible.
LK 338 hesitated, no doubt wary of insulting either of his superior officers, but ultimately acquiesced to the Supreme Leader, "Of course, Sir." He nodded and strode away as Kylo absentmindedly observed that if the trooper maintained that kind of intelligent doggedness he would make an excellent candidate for Kylo's inner circle.
She had a similar quality… no real fear anymore… she probably would have primly commented on his callus behavior.
Sighing out a gust of air, Kylo tried to focus on some more technical issues, like how little his men knew about the newest Resistance location. Nothing. That was exactly how much he knew about their present location. The First Order had so few members of actual grit, LK 338's were few and far between. It would be considerably more difficult but maybe he should just kill them all and start completely from scratch.
She would hate that. Despite the fact that she fights against them... Their extermination would only drive her further away from him.
And thus Kylo's mind went around and around in endless debate, always involving that Goddamn girl. He had let her get the better of him last time, but at their next encounter, they would be on even footing. He was determined.
Baskarn, Outer Rim
Rey dodged another razor sharp leaf, as she followed the distinct path made by several large green-furred Yrashu. The Resistance had been on the strange jungle planet Baskarn since the events on Crait.
"Where are we going?" Rey asked Leia on the bridge of the falcon. Poe, Finn and her had all been waiting expectantly for Leia to make her decision.
"To Baskarn. The Yrashu there are a force sensitive race and sympathetic to the Resistance." General Leia hesitated slightly gazing at the holo-image of the jungle planet, eyes mingling sadness and regret. "We've never involved them in the fighting before. After they fought against the Galactic Empire…" She glanced up at the three youngsters, "There are very few of them left. We must be careful not to put them in further danger. Once we get there, we'll stay and regroup for awhile." Leia was back in 'General mode', giving firm orders. "There'll be no leaving and only necessary, encrypted massages sent to allies around the outer rim." She was looking at Poe with a critical eye when she said this and he grinned sheepishly.
"I get it, I get it. No flying." His charming smile was infectious as he raised his hands disarmingly. Leia smirked and Finn and Rey found themselves grinning at each other as the Falcon jumped to hyperspace.
"Shhh." The green, sapient being squatted down eyes alert, scanning the jungle. Rey could hear the swoosh of Baskarn's distinctive Razor Trees, the chirping of an insect, but this environment was entirely unknown to her, so she closed her eyes, reaching out with her senses. She could feel the other Yrashu as they also to probed their surroundings through the force. Positioned directly behind the leader, Morro, Rey was pleasantly surprised that she could follow the thread of his mind. He gently nudged her in the right direction.
"There," They both said quietly, simultaneously, before grinning at each other and dashing into the woods. Morro's huge body lithely danced in and out of the deadly sharp Razor branches as Rey fumbled, only able to follow by intense focus on her surroundings through the Force.
They were hunting, a dangerous endeavor for humans on this planet. Their quarry moved up into the trees and so did the Yrashu. Rey halted, growling in frustration. There was no way she could climb into that thing, her skin just wouldn't be able to handle it. Glancing quickly in the direction they were going, Rey followed on the ground at a sprint.
Dashing through the less dangerous lower foliage, Rey glanced up into the massive trees, catching a glimpse of the chase above. Spurring her pace further, Rey's lungs began to burn.
Then she started laughing.
Sand absorbs momentum and takes a significantly higher energy output to run on than a flat, stable surface. Rey had never been able to run this fast before.
Feeling exhilarated, she pushed impossibly faster and managed to get ahead of their quarry. Hefting her spear, Rey slowed, feeling more than seeing the large carnivorous feline barrel through the trees above. It was panicked.
Rey lurched, realizing with a mixture of trepidation and amazement that she could not only sense the animal's presence but also experience what it was feeling.
Then, just as startling, Rey felt the now familiar tugging in the swirl of the Force and the black robed figure of Ben Solo materialized just to her right.
Rey gasped. The surge of energy was enormous! Her weapon fell to the side as she looked up into his ambiguous expression. Completely submerged in the flow of the Force as she'd been, their spiritual bond took on a vitality and dynamic shape. To Rey, it felt as though a hyperspace tunnel had just connected two suns.
Ben's dark eyes were searching, inquisitive, as she struggled for air.
Their eye contact only broke when Rey's former prey fell to the ground thrashing and the Yrashu descended.
She glanced back at him giving a slight shake of her head, making it clear now was not a good time.
An emotion she couldn't identify flitted across his face before he nodded calmly and stepped back a little. Apparently content to observe.
Skillfully avoiding the deadly leaves, Morro pounced, efficiently finishing off the unfortunate creature with a swift cut to the throat.
Some of the Yrashu, including Morro, gave her toothy grins as they approached, making an odd kind of salute with their hands. An affable gesture Rey had seen the Yrashu present to their own kind but not to her.
Fear was threatening to overwhelm her composure at the idea of Ben seeing any of this. What if he somehow learned where she was?
"Well done." Morro's voice was slow, deep and not the slightest bit labored as he shuffled over to her using both hands and feet. "You're efforts helped slow the Eata down." He touched his shoulder then moved his hand down palm up in the same deferential gesture.
The moment was both solemn and friendly, as several Yrashu gathered up the carcass, and despite the stressful circumstance Rey found herself smiling. A gratified swell filling her chest at the genuine praise, "Thank you, I'm glad to help."
Morro grinned again as the party began skillfully maneuvering their massive kill through the Razor trees, making slow but steady progress towards home.
Rey cautiously eyed Ben as she fell to the back of the column. He seemed calmer than usual, face blank, hands loose. It made her think about their last conversation. How angry and bitter he'd been. Not so now. Perhaps, this time, they could have a non-volatile conversation. Perhaps… she could even help ease the obvious, festering wound in his soul.
"I wont be alone for a while." She furtively murmured to him. He just stared at her, deep eyes probing yet unrevealing.
Rey almost growled, her brows furrowing. She had a galling number of questions and she couldn't read anything from his careful expression. Was he planning on keeping their connection? Using it? Would he be willing to negotiate with the Resistance? Just her? Did this clam mean he had reach some sort of decisions about the First Order? And how was she supposed to learn anything if he kept himself so closed off?
Almost subconsciously, she reached out to him though the Force. Maybe she could feel what he was feeling, just like with the Eata.
Loss. Pain. Uncertainty. Fear. Rage. Loss. Emptiness. All swirled within him, scrabbling for dominance.
"Auh!" They both gasped and took a step back as Ben snapped a wall back in place around his mind. He glared at her, emotions now quite easy to ready, and Rey found an obviously angry Ben was far less unsettling than a quiet one. Whatever act he'd been trying to portray was now shed and Rey could see the maelstrom of emotions wreaking havoc in his head. She wanted to reach for him, say his name but she knew he'd react with antagonism and belligerent refusal if he thought there was any pity in her sentiment.
But she knew she could help calm the disruptive storm in his head.
Again, she reached for him through the Force. He reacted just as she'd anticipated, violently shoving her away. Rather than fighting for ground, Rey instead welcomed him into her own mind, desperately focusing on all the good and peaceful things she knew to exist in the galaxy, the things she fought for.
The effect was instantaneous and powerful. Ben's eyes widened and tension drained out of his body in a rushing deluge, she could feel as it fell away into the great swirling pool of the Force.
Rey's elation was brief, however, as a stony expression took over Ben's face. He backed away, sealing his mind once again, "No."
The word was adamant but surprisingly composed.
"No. No, I wont have someone feeding their agenda into my mind ever again." For the first time, Rey saw resolve in his eyes, not anger or confliction.
"You want to help me? Good, I want your help too. I want to work together." Ben stepped closer with a serious, determined air. "But not with you trying to manipulate me to align with your ideals." His dark eyes probed hers "We'll work together." Ben emphasized this again and Rey understood. They'd have to find a way to compromise.
Rey nodded her head slowly, "Alright"
Ben stepped back, appearing satisfied but still assessing her with dark roaming eyes.
Rey thoughtfully considered his genuinely calm visage. "B-"
"Rey…?"
Morro's quizzical voice shattered the moment causing Rey to snap her head towards him and back at Ben. Stepping away, she glanced at Morro calling, "coming" before swiveling back to Ben, making sure he recognized that she had to go. He seemed resigned, making no move to follow as she hastened to catch up with the group. Instead, his impassive eyes follow her until the forest cloaks his dark imposing form in shadow and the connection breaks off just as sharply as it had formed.
AN: For this chapter I gathered some information about the expanded Star Wars Universe from wiki/Baskarn
Hope you guys like it!