The Space Between Stars

by VinVenture12

Kylo Ren has been humiliated by the scavenger and is now hunting her for retribution. He delves deeper into the depths of darkness along his journey, while Rey soars closer to the light. Strangers on opposite sides of a war, but bound together through their destinies. Both will do whatever it takes to survive, but who will come out victorious? Slow Reylo. Post TFA, Later M rating

39. Chapter 39

Thank you all for all the precious comments, faves, and follows! I appreciate all your support!

Aleta Wolff: Oh, that ego of his isn't going anywhere. His pride will alleviate somewhat, but he will always be cocky. It's one of his main weaknesses. NightElfCrawler: Ren is spiraling more and more into Ben. We are getting closer folks. Don't expect him to be exactly like he used to be. He's done too much to go back to that. Will he ever start thinking of himself as Ben? You'll have read on to see ;) I tried to make the action shorter than usual in this chapter. That's because we have some big action sequences coming up since we are nearing the end. I didn't want to take up too much time with the prison. Xenlith: I'm so glad you're reading this story! lol. I've tried really hard to build Ren's characterization the way I wanted to see it go. Can be difficult at times. I, too, have read fanfics that strip him of his toughness, and it always bugged me. I understand why they did it– to show him as a better person– but I didn't want to go that route. I view him as this sort of anti-hero. And when writing him and Rey together, I try to make their relationship natural and comfortable instead of super fluffy and easy. I mean I do put some fluff in there, but I try not to force it down the readers throats. Poe and Finn are important to this story. Other fanfics don't have them really playing a part, which is their choice. In TFA, I viewed them as substantial characters, so I wanted to keep that the same here. Tigresswoman: Thanks! I hope you keep liking it as the story moves forward! KatMichBow: I was wondering if anyone would catch that Soniee is from the Clone Wars, but no one did. But she is a very minor character. And I'm rooting for the whole Obitine love child thing. Fingers crossed! Just having the Skywalker's and Kenobi's so intertwined would be amazing! Leia is truly a strong woman, and a strong mother. She wasn't really there for Ben growing up, but she loves her son. He's the only child she has. The guilt she has over failing him aids her in forgiving him. Glad I could hit you with the feels! There is a Leia pov at the end of this chapter and she does have an old datatpad she got from Maz. You'll have to see how it goes! Guess you'll see Hux's true colors soon enough. In my opinion, he is a mixture of both INTJ and a psychopath. He yearns for greatness, which makes him and Ben similar in that way, but Ben is learning how to suppress that side. Mostly. Sometimes it's so hard to weave all these details in, because I have to have patience to reveal something till it's right. I just want everything out there! But that wouldn't make a good story. And there are still more reveals to come... Obitine forever! SheLitAFire: She had her two kids before taking in Maridia. I went back to write that in so it made more sense. And her biological kids are not really important, so I don't bring them up all that much. Palpatine rumor was just a theory the New Republic had after they saw the private list of names Vader had. They thought it was Palpatines descendants, but it was actually potential people who would know about Kenobi. And Vader suspected the truth about Obi-Wan and Satine as well. So Rey is descended from Kenobi. Oh, Harter! Will she make it? Will Hux kill her? We will be coming back to her to see what happens! I would be shocked if anything from this story actually happens in the movie. I would pass out in the movie theatre if something does. lol. I just want Reylo to happen. Please, Rian! Make it so! sweetes forbidden candy apple: Thanks for all the reviews you left along the way! I loved reading them. It was like I was on the journey with you. When the story is finished, I plan on going back to the beginning and deeply editing every chapter. Then I want to advertise it more. So maybe in the future, I'll get more followers. I'm good with the small following I have right now, though. You're lucky you didn't have to wait as long as the others for this next chapter! Thanks for loving the story!

So as I said, I tried to keep the prison sequence short. Still ended up longer than I thought it would. But next chapter will have another set of action as it sets up the catalyst for the end. Omg, the end is near you guys. I can't believe it. Like, I'm thinking maybe six or seven chapters left. Maybe less, depending on how much I write.

Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter Thirty-nine:

Riosa's prison was extremely remote, located on a small island eighty miles off the coast of the capital, surrounded by tall, sharp mountains. There was no way to escape, except to take your chances on climbing the sheer rock faces.

Or to have a ship.

The Falcon was on one of the only small plateaus they could find. In the cockpit sat Ren, restless and unable to stop his foot from tapping against the flooring.

They shouldn't be doing this. There was no need anymore. The Resistance was gone. And an hour before leaving to Riosa, they found out that the First Order now occupied Coruscant.

Didn't take Hux long before ascertaining his next target. But he was a man who took quick advantage of an opportunity.

Did he really have to execute Senator Tisnew though?

Eh. His heart would have given out within a week of having the Order control his planet. Best to get the dying part over with, Ren thought.

Feeling claustrophobic, he went outside, feeling the cool, salty air upon his taut, milky skin. He walked back and forth between the two cliffs, one side showing him the dimly lit hexagonal outline of the prison. The other, the dark ocean that stretched for an eternity.

From the edge, Ren looked down and thought he could make out several people along the narrow shore. Could hear their voices. But no. Those were just rocks. And the noise was just the sighing sound of the water on the sand below.

His paranoia was making him hear things. See things.

Every time he walked between the cliffs, he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. All this moving around was making his anxiety worse, but he didn't want to stay inside the ship.

His head swiveled to look up at the Falcon. Power focused in his legs, Ren leapt into the air, arched, and then touched down softly next to the sensor dish. Shoulders hunched, hands shoved in his pockets, jacket zipped all the way up, he faced the valley while trying to stay somewhat warm.

In the sky, the clouds parted enough for the moon to shine through, it's minuscule light making the energy shield around the prison glow imperceptibly. Not even a glow, really, a suggestion of translucence. But an obvious wall, nonetheless.

An impenetrable, impermeable barrier.

Poe's idea around it? Wait for the last shift change of the evening. Every six hours, the shield was deactivated so those who needed to leave or enter could do so. It could be off for a short ten seconds, or as long as a minute. Depends on how quickly the new set of guards wanted to relieve those on duty.

Hopefully the new batch was feeling particularly lazy tonight.

If not, then this mission will show who really is the fastest sprinter.

…. That was a little too phlegmatic of a thought for the chance that one of them could die, he scolded himself.

But he always had somewhat of a morbid sense of humor. Which everyone took as him being inhuman... which he kind of was.

Suddenly, the glimmering stopped. Ren stepped forward. Squinting. In his head, he counted the seconds:

One… two… three… four… five… six… seven… eight… nine…

The barrier came back.

That was far quicker than he thought it would be. His eyes roamed the area. Rey made it. He felt her alive. But everyone else?

"Shit," he fumed, his voice carrying amongst the swirling air. Rey was right. He cared about those people down there. They all had their different levels on his care-o-meter, some higher than others. But dammit… he was concerned.

Hopefully all those quick lessons of showing Rey how to control levitating others and herself paid off. Because next, they had to get over the wall that had electro-spikes adorned at the top. Then Force stun some guards so they could steal some uniforms and access chips.

Too many things had to go right. And they rarely ever did. Not to mention in his opinion, they were relying on Rey way too much.

Stars. This stress was giving him heart palpitations.

Ren didn't mind having Rey take up residence within his heart, but once you began adding more to that muscle did you start having problems with being rational. So maybe if he never showed the others his worry, this whole caring thing would be consumed by that ever-lingering black hole of apathy.

That's what he told himself to harden against the soon to be losses, anyway. Because smart credits said that someone wasn't getting out of this war alive. And with Rey and his mother among the biggest targets of the First Order, he had his heart almost filled to capacity worrying for them.

His muscles shivered. The temperature was falling fast, his fingers and toes already numb.

How long had be been out here? Thirty minutes? An hour?

Ren went inside the Falcon to grab his winter coat, but stopped as he passed the cockpit. The communications signal was beeping from an incoming transmission. Someone was trying to hail the Falcon.

Dashing for the console, Ren was afraid that whoever it was would give up on trying to contact them. Maybe it was his mother…

A holo-image appeared of someone who certainly wasn't Leia, but rather her scruffy looking twin.

"I've been hailing the Falcon for almost an hour," Luke exclaimed, frustrated. His face sunken, but not from age. It was exhaustion. "Do you not have the transmission alarm connected to your comlink?"

Ren crossed his arms, stayed standing. "Nice to see you're still alive," he commented smugly. "Where's Leia?"

"She's fine. We made it out."

"If she's fine, why can't I sense her?"

Skywalker scratched his beard, seeming apprehensive. "We ran into a problem while trying to escape. Leia was rendered unconscious, and the blockade of Star Destroyers was making it impossible for anyone to leave. So I had to siphon enough energy from her to bring one down." Ren's eyelids pulled back, eyes stinging from the inability to blink. "But doing so weakened her greatly. I'm still trying to regain my own–"

Ren raised a hand. "You took energy from her? That could have killed her!"

"I knew what I was doing," Luke argued confidently. "I knew how much to take."

"That doesn't matter. You never know how someone's body will react to the siphoning process. She could've had a heart attack right when you started!"

"Leia's strong and can handle it."

Ren pegged him with a hard stare. "She's fifty-three."

"So am I," Luke retorted. "Age defines your body. Not your mind."

Through clenched teeth, Ren said, "But you didn't take the strength from her mind. You took it from her body."

Luke's eyes pinched, observing his nephew for a stretched moment. "I didn't think you'd care this much."

"Would it shock you if I said I do?"

"Yes, actually." Luke seemed to lean back in whatever chair he was sitting in, exhaling loudly. "I saw the message Finn sent to Leia. I want to see Rey."

Ren hesitated. "That's… a little difficult at the moment."

"Ben, I need to know how she's doing."

"She's fine."

Luke didn't buy it. "What's going on?"

Ren waved an inconsequential hand through the air. "She's with her friends right now."

"Stop being coy."

Ren rolled his eyes. And then told Skywalker what Rey and the rest of them were up to.

The man was not too pleased. "How could you let them still do this?"

"Me?" Ren said, taken aback. "How is this my fault? What was I supposed to do? Stop them?"

"That mission isn't a priority anymore. So yes, you should've found a way to stop them."

"By doing what? Using the Force?"

"Of course not. But you know how to be manipulative and at times, persuasive under certain conditions."

Ren blinked at the almost there compliments. "No one listens to me around here. Especially Rey. She'll follow her friends into the eye of a storm if she thought the cause was worthy. Honestly, at this point, I think they're all bad influences on her."

"This isn't a time for jokes," Luke scolded.

Ren lounged in the pilot chair. "I was being serious. The wording made it sound like a joke."

Skywalker massaged his forehead. Then looked up. "Go after them. Tell them the mission is to be scrapped, per my orders."

"They're already inside the prison."

The Jedi Master shook his head in defeat. "This was a horrible idea from the beginning," he murmured.

Ren shrugged. "I wasn't really expecting you of all people to agree with me, but I'll take the support where I can get it."

"I think the mission is dangerous. You just want Ransolm's execution to go forward for obvious personal reasons. Our opinions are different."

"Well, if you want to get technical… then, yeah. But Rey isn't completely unprepared. We've been practicing her mental capabilities and I taught her how to Force stun."

Skywalker gazed at him. "You've… been teaching her."

"I just said that."

"What else have you taught her?"

"Don't worry. I haven't corrupted your precious student. The only–" Ren paused, ears perking up as he caught the distant noise of sirens. His forehead creased as he stood and looked out the cockpit to the now fully illuminated prison.

"What is it?" Luke asked, anxious. "Is it Rey?"

"It's the prison alarm," Ren said as he went for his comlink. He commed every single one of them, but no one answered. More than likely, they were on silent.

Impatient, Skywalker asked, "Why aren't they answering?"

"Remember when I told you how no one around here listens to me?"

"Then go after them. They probably need–" Ren ended the transmission. Breathing deeply, he kept staring out the foreport, not sure what he should do. Poe specifically told him not to do anything unless otherwise ordered. And Ren was supposed to wait for Poe to comm him that they were ready to be picked up at the north tower. That was the rendezvous point.

"Fuck," he whispered as he left the cockpit, going to the smuggling compartment. BB-8 rolled down the hallway, watching Ren as he lifted the flooring and hoisted Threepio out.

Ren begrudgingly switched him on.

Threepio shot upright. "–what if they find us anyway!" The protocol droid yelled. His head swiveled around, noticing Ren to his side. "How long have I been powered down? That's specifically against the rules!"

"I was eight, then. Those rules have expired. You know how to communicate with the Falcon, correct?"

"Well, yes, but–"

Ren hoisted the protocol droid to its feet. "I'm going to turn the autopilot on, but have you hooked up to the computer so you can give it directions. When I comm you, I need you to come pick us up."

He turned, jogging to the living quarters. Threepio hastily shuffled after him. "You want me to fly the Falcon?" Threepio asked, shocked.

"It's sort-of flying." Ren entered his and Rey's private room, accompanied by Threepio and BB-8.

"Sort-of flying? There is no such thing as 'sort of flying'!" Threepio protested.

"I know the basics of operating a ship," BB-8 beeped. "I can help."

"Perfect. You'll have some extra support, Threepio." On the bed, Rey's lightsaber and the pistol Han had given her were in the middle. Ren eyed both objects. He knew Rey should've taken her saber, but she hadn't been confident she wouldn't kill anyone with it. So she left it behind. The pistol? She was too afraid of losing it for sentimental reasons.

Ren grabbed the mundane blaster from the side table.

"I'm getting help from a BB unit?"

Both Ren and BB-8 looked to the standing droid, glaring. Well, Ren was pretty sure that's what BB-8 would do if he had eyes.

Looking past Threepio's prejudices, he ordered, "Download the schematics of the Riosa Planetary prison." Ren strapped the blaster holster to his belt. "You'll come to the north tower when I tell you."

"Why a prison?"

Ren walked out, heading for the loading ramp.

"Is anyone accompanying you?"

He walked down the exit, leaving the two droids.

But he was still able to hear Threepio's last question. "Is being ignored considered a hobby?"

Winds now stronger, Ren went to the cliff, glanced over the edge, and jumped. He didn't have time to hook himself in a harness and scale the cliff wall like the rest had done. Falling would be much quicker.

The air filled his ears and stung his eyes, the momentum moving his stomach into his throat. He wasn't sure exactly how far the fall was, so he kept his squinted vision on the bottom. Slowing, he touched down with little to no repercussion and set off on a run.

He stayed to the route the others took, staying among the boulders and heading to the back of the facility.

The only way to get to the prison was to go through the shield. Literally. Ren figured it was the same principle as when Cato rammed the lightsaber in his hand. You try to deflect the energy with your own. Or absorb it, like he did to those people on the Eravana. But absorbing the shields power would kill him within seconds because of its potency.

Deflecting it is.

But this time, he would have to do it with his whole body.

Quite the problem upgrade.

And if he lost focus while walking through? He would be stripped down to his molecular structure and disintegrate. That had to be near the top of the list of the worst ways to die.

Ren crouched behind a wide tree, measuring the distance between him and the barrier as approximately ten meters. No rocks or trees to hide behind along the way. He would be seen. That was guaranteed.

But going through the barrier would take time, so he would be seen anyway. And the others were probably in need of a distraction.

Good thing feats of overcoming impossibility always drew a crowd.

Ren took some deep breaths, preparing mentally for his performance before sprinting out of his concealment, straight for the barrier. He heard the shouts. Saw the red blaster fire whiz by.

His focus remained unwavering. It had to.

He hit the translucence with a breathtakingly rough impact, his insides feeling as if they were being torn apart and rung out of his belly button.

Vibration. That was the only sound that ran through his ears. That rattled his bones. It threatened to seal his eyes shut, but he forced them to stay open. Just as he forced one foot in front of the other.

The pace was slow-moving, worse than swimming through a body of mud.

Guards lined both sides of the barrier, frozen. In shock, most likely. He counted the onlookers he was facing. Four. Strength depleting fast, he second-guessed if he would even be able to take out the small group of guards.

Drenched in sweat, breathing hard, he concentrated on his movement, repelling the energy that wanted to tear him apart.

Almost there. Almost…

He collapsed out of the shield. Gasping for fresh air. Shivering from the cold.

None of the guards knew how to respond. They were all trying to figure out if they were hallucinating, or if this person was indeed real. Ren took the quiet moment to inhale deeply… and then stun the men unconscious.

Now shaking severely, his body rebelling against the excessive use of energy, he crawled to the nearest guard. The person was not gifted with the Force, so Ren wouldn't be able to siphon much strength from him. He quickly made his rounds to the other three.

The four men were still alive once Ren was done.

Standing on stronger legs, he cleared the inner wall and ran in the direction of where the shield was originating. He took out two more security before reaching the shield generator.

And then realized he didn't bring any explosives.

He cursed under his breath. Now, he would have to get creative. He popped open the side paneling, immediately being met with the cooling system. Grinning, he unhooked the tubes and let the liquid leak onto the ground. Without the coolant, the generator would overheat and eventually explode.

Hopefully 'eventually' was sooner rather than later.

Bent down low, Ren crept to the nearest prison entrance. He couldn't open it. He growled another slew of profanities and examined the panel.

A blaster bolt hit the wall a few feet to his left. And then another to the right.

He cranked his head around, frankly unimpressed with how obvious the guard was being and how bad his aim was.

With his hand outstretched, he pushed the guard violently against the duracrete wall. The body crumbled, an entanglement of arms and legs, but the man was still alive. Probably thanks to the helmet he was wearing.

Ren shouldn't have reacted so brashly. He very well could have killed the man, and then he would never hear the end of it.

The access chip port was locked, leaving only the palm print scanner to open the entrance. With a single command, the cataleptic guard was instantly a foot from Ren as he looked down at the armored figure. Calculating. Running over the odds of finding a guard at every corridor to donate their prints.

The likelihood could go either way.

Igniting his saber, he swept it through the man's wrist, the smell of burnt flesh wafting into his nose. Ren held the hand in his own, making sure the man's wrist and the detached limb stayed cauterized before taking the guards helmet and sliding it over his head.

The fingers cracked as he flattened the palm against the panel. The door opened, and Ren walked right on in.

()()()()()

Through the shadows, Rey sprinted to the high wall, aware that she had barely cleared the barrier zone. Not being able to stop her momentum, she rammed right into the duracrete. She heard a string of grunts to her right, everyone following suit.

Panting, they all crouched and huddled together, taking a moment to catch their breaths. "Hard parts over, kids," Poe whispered and looked to Rey. "You up to getting us over this wall?"

Her eyes trailed up the forty-foot structure, taking in the long electro-spikes at the top. "It's what I'm here for," she said with a smile.

One by one, she focused on clearing them over the spikes and setting them safely back down. It was actually quite easy. What was difficult was levitating herself. She made it over the barbs, but went to the ground with less grace than the others. Shaking it off, her concentration came back quickly.

It had to. Her job wasn't over yet.

They kept to the perimeter of the facility, Rey Force stunning each guard she came upon until they were all able to have their own uniforms and access chips. No one seemed to be a big fan of the new attire. The suit was adorned with black armor, covering the chest, arms, shoulders, and thighs. The midsection and legs were covered with thick wrappings of leather, looking to be constricting. But when it was Rey's turn to adorn the specialized suit, it actually fit comfortably, the material forming itself to her curves and height. Lastly, she put on the dark and slender helmet, her hair slightly pulling in the back in a way that was going to be annoying.

At least her black jumpsuit from Khalon worked underneath the armor. They all had to wear the bare minimum when it came to their clothing: no jackets, thick belts, or satchels.

Rey gazed down at the unconscious guard and felt unsettled. She didn't know any of these people, and yet, she was making their lives a whole lot more complicated. They were just doing their jobs of keeping the vile scum of the galaxy locked away from the rest of the them. Didn't make them bad people, necessarily.

Poe must have felt similar since he gave the order not to kill anyone. So maybe it was a good thing Ben wasn't here.

"Everyone good?" They nodded. "Each door panel can be opened with an access chip or a palm scan. But some are equipped to work with only the palm panel. So you two," Poe nodded to Jess and Rey, "stay to the route I laid out and you won't run into any problems. Good?" The two women nodded.

Since this was a relatively small prison, and the inner planetary government cut their funding significantly, the only cameras currently operating were the ones inside. So once Poe inserted the access key and opened the heavy door, they didn't hurry, duck, or try to hide, but rather walked casually, like it was just another day they were working, another credit they were earning.

They went through one access door after another, till finally making it to the main inner hallway that connected each of the six segments.

"Okay," Poe said quietly as they stopped in a curved hallway. "This is where we split up." He glanced from Jess to Rey. "Do you remember what to do?"

"We got this," Jess shrugged, sounding confident. As the girls parted, Rey glanced over her shoulder, but Poe and Finn were already gone.

"We're looking for entry A23, right?" Rey asked to make sure.

"Yup." As they weaved their way to the next destination, the few guards they passed paid them little heed. One nodded, but so far none tried to talk to them – which was a relief for Rey. She wasn't particularly well versed in the art of disguise.

Both women stopped outside the door labeled A23. Rey looked to Jess. Jess nodded. Rey put the access chip in the slot below the panel. With precise focus, she knocked out the five monitor guards.

Jess locked them in as they both yanked off their helmets. She whistled in admiration. "You're getting really good at this." They moved to the screens, Jess frantically searched for Poe and Finn.

"Only because Ben taught me," Rey admitted, noticing Jess's temples protrude slightly.

"There," Jess pointed. Rey got closer, leaning over the console. Poe and Finn were near a lift, waiting for Jess to signal that they had made it to the control room.

"You sure that's them?" Rey questioned. "It's hard to tell when the guards look the same."

Jess grabbed her comlink link and sent out a beep to Poe.

The two men began to move.

"That's them," Jess assured her. "I know Poe's walk." She paused. "That sounded weird."

Rey chuckled. "It's okay. You know someone long enough, you get accustomed to certain things about them." Rey was tempted to ask if there was anything going on between her and Poe, but Jess and her never really had a relationship like that. Jess taught her a lot of things about the Resistance base and social norms, but boys were never really a topic of discussion.

Plus, Jess seemed like a closed off person when it came to her private life.

Come to think about it, Rey actually talked more about that aspect of her life with Finn... who was a guy.

"You don't like Ben, do you?" Rey brought up abruptly. Jess tensed. "I saw how you reacted when I said his name."

Poe and Finn exited the elevator as Jess opened the entryways for them, timing it when Poe would 'place' his palm on the scanner. "I don't know," Jess breathed out. "It's all very confusing. I can't hate the person who saved me, but at the same time, I hate the man he is."

"Was," Rey corrected. Jess glanced at her from the corner of her eye. Rey shrugged. "He's getting there," she admitted reluctantly. "Maybe you should try talking to him about what happened in those caves."

Jess recoiled from the suggestion. "Why?"

"It could help you move on."

"I have moved on," Jess said a bit too harshly. She exhaled. Calmed. "Or mostly. Or whatever. I don't like talking about it. But I've learned to live with the memories."

"I think Ben has yet to learn that. Maybe you should talk to him not just to help you, but to help him as well. He killed a lot of people that night."

"Fiends. Monsters," Jess said the word like a curse, eyes staying on the screens. "All of them."

Poe and Finn were stopped by two officers. The girls tensed. But it didn't seem like a hostile exchange. After a moment, they followed one of them in the direction of the cells.

Heart a little more calm, Rey continued. "They were horrible people, but he took their lives, all the same. Still bothers him. Especially since he killed one of the women during it all."

That drew some ire from Jess. "That woman wasn't even paying attention. First thing she did when she got free was scream and run around–." Jess stopped talking. Took a deep breath. Eyes staring as if she lost hold of reality. As if she were still behind bars. And maybe in Jess's mind, she still was. "What I'm saying is… it was an accident."

Rey looked at her, placatingly. "You should tell him that."

"It's just weird to be around him in general." Jess straightened and pointed. "They're in the cell block."

Staring intently, they held their breaths for the next part. It was what they came here to do: to get Casterfo.

The cell shield came down. Words were exchanged. And then the officer left. Poe and Finn had Casterfo.

"So far so good," Rey said, feeling as if she might vomit from how heightened her nerves were. "But just think about talking to him, okay?"

"I will."

Suddenly, an armada of officers ran to the trio, stopping them. Something was said. Then they raised their weapons.

"No," was all Rey could say.

"What should we do?" Jess asked, panicked. An idea came to Rey's mind, one that was not all that safe. Her hands swept over the console before her finger hovered over a flashing red button. "What are you doing?"

"Evening the odds." She hoped.

Rey pressed down and watched every single shield on the cells disappear. Everyone was confused as to what just happened, but that only lasted a few short seconds. The prisoners rushed out and went straight for the officers. All hell broke loose.

The two girls lost sight of the men among all the chaos.

People were suddenly banging on the door, yelling. Jess was concentrating on finding Finn and Poe as Rey pulled up the camera feed from outside. Guards were starting to accumulate, one of them carrying a small metal box.

Out of her periphery, one of the above monitors caught Rey's eye. She squinted, entranced by what she saw, then horrified. Large beast-like hounds had been unleashed, pinning down prisoner after prisoner. Fists beat against the animals thick hides and spikes, but it didn't faze them.

The banging stopped. Rey's stare went back down, seeing the guards now gone, but the box remained. And then, she realized what it was.

She grabbed Jess's arm to push her as far away from the door as possible, but the entrance was blown apart before they could back away.

Rey groaned, her own moans echoing in her dulled ears as she languidly started to move. Through the dust and smoke, she saw Jess being dragged away.

Every part of Rey's body was being uncooperative. But as a new set of guards came at her, her mind was able to push them out of the room, their bodies hitting the outside hallway wall.

They scrambled away.

Sitting upright, her hands and eyes roamed over the armor, examining for wounds. Her ankle was badly twisted, but not broken. And she had a concussion: her ears rang, eyes stung from the light, and she gulped down a ball of vomit. Coordination was also a problem as she fumbled to stand.

Ben was trying to call out to her throught the Force, but her head was too rattled to understand him.

A growl came from the corridor.

Rey froze. One of those animals was staring right at her, it's sharp teeth displayed with each growl. On the monitor they had looked formidable. Up close, they were terrifying. Hideous. Black eyes menacing.

She force pushed. The animal took a step closer. Again she tried, but all that moved was the debris at the creature's feet. A chortle came from the things throat, almost like it was mocking her.

And then it lunged.

Rey grabbed the metal chair to her right and raised it as the creature pounced on top of her, the heavy weight knocking the air from her lungs. Its snout wriggled back and forth, trying to get past the chair that held it at bay. Arms burning, mildly aware that she was screaming, Rey looked quickly around.

A blaster. Under the console.

She adjusted her grip, holding the chair up with her left arm. Desperately, she called the blaster to her outstretched palm as the beast let out a spray of saliva, soaking her left hand and wrist. In one fluid motion, she pointed it right into the animal's mouth and fired a string of shots.

The creature whined, immediately getting off of her as it staggered, backed into the corner, and went down. It let out a sloshy breath and stilled.

Panting, she stared at the dead thing. Trembling. She'd fought animals before, but this encounter shook her deep with fear.

The Force didn't work on it. How is that even possible?

Rey didn't know things like that actually existed.

The prison. Like being woken from a daze, Rey snapped to attention. Her left hand and wrist were now numb and not working. She hissed as she put weight on her bad ankle while scrambling around to find the comlinks.

They were smashed beyond repair.

Rey stripped the armored suit off her body and carefully unwrapped her left armband, making sure not to touch the saturated part.

Blaster in hand, she limped into the empty hallway. She looked left. Looked right. Trying to remember which way was north.

She went left.

Shuffling along, Rey called out to Ben. He didn't answer. More than that, it was like something was blocking her from getting through. She went past a small piece of debris, tried to Force pull it to her.

Nothing.

Horrified, she glanced down at her bad hand. Could the creature's saliva do more than just numb the body, but numb the Force as well? Fear threatened to swallow her whole, but she fought against it with a will that was forged out of hardship and independence.

She breathed her courage in. Let it settle.

Rey set the blaster to stun. She knew how to use the weapon. She was growing accustomed to the feel of the grip in her hand, thanks to Finn. With determination, she pressed forward.

If she could survive fifteen years on Jakku without the Force, she could do it here. The point was to keep moving.

Back in Rey's old life, there had been awake time, and then there was nightmare time. The only thing to ever keep her sane – other than hope – was moving.

But she had an inkling that the numbness wouldn't stay just in the wrist and hand. She could already feel it fusing up her arm. And if it spread to her body… then this would be classified as a nightmare.

()()()()()

There had been a sound of an explosion inside the prison a few minutes back, catching Ren's attention. Rey's fear had heightened considerably at that moment. He tried to get through to her, but then she disappeared. Vanished. He couldn't sense her anymore. Couldn't even feel for the bond they shared.

He quickened his pace, following the direction he believed the blast had came from. To add to his unease, he hadn't run into a single person yet.

Where was everyone?

He stopped, hearing the thud of footsteps nearing. Frantic footsteps. He sidled to the corner, peering around. Two guards were holding a comatose Jess under the arms, her feet dragging against the floor, chin tucked against her chest.

Ren jumped out, stunning the two men with the blaster. Being unprepared, they went down easily, one of the guards landing on top of Jess in the process.

He pushed the body off and rolled the woman over. "Jess." He tapped her cheek to get a response, saw her pale lips and sunken eyes. The culprit? A metal shard sticking out of her midsection, blood oozing from the wound. "Jess," he whispered again, trying to wake her. Ren put his palm to her temple and as gently as he could, willed her wide-awake.

Jess jerked with a scream, attempting to sit up, but then gasped in pain. Ren pushed at her shoulders. "Don't move. You have shrapnel sticking out of your midsection."

Jess looked at him as if he were speaking Agarian. Or Huttesse. Both he knew, actually. "Ben?" Ren stiffened upon hearing his birth name come out of her mouth. She was surprised too, but collected herself quickly. "What are you doing here?"

He averted her confused eyes and went to check her abdominal injury. "I was getting bored watching over the Falcon."

Touching the skin around the fragment gently, Jess hissed. The wound went deep, imbedding into her small intestines but missing the colon. It was right next to the left common iliac artery, though. Nick that and bleeding would get out of hand.

"What's with the helmet?" she asked on a deep exhale.

"I didn't want my face on a recording." He rested his hands on his thighs, gazing at the sweaty skin of her face. She'll be going into shock soon. "Where's Rey?"

"I don't know. They blew the door open to the control room and that's the last thing I remember." Jess took in an unsteady breath. "But I think I can find my way back there."

"Where are the guards?"

"Rey shut down all the cell shields once she saw that Poe and Finn were found out. They're all probably dealing with the prisoners below."

He nodded, then pointed to the metal piece. "I need to take this out in order to heal you."

"I'll be fine," she groaned as she tried to sit up on her elbows.

Ren nearly yelled at her not to move, but instead stopped her with another firm hand to the shoulder. "I really hope that was a joke."

Jess tried to undo his grip. He didn't budge. "I don't need your help," she said through gritted teeth.

"You don't get a choice in the matter."

"But–" Ren wrenched the metal piece from her gut, causing her to cry out. Jess bit down on her lip, breathing heavily, eyes creased closed. He watched her for a moment, impressed she didn't black out from that. "A warning would have been nice," she snarled.

"I don't have time to debate with you." The bleeding was now worse than before. "Stay still for this next part. Or do you want to bleed to death?"

Jess looked up at the ceiling, and he saw the fight go out of her.

Ren ungloved his right hand and placed it carefully on her exposed, sliced open skin. The healing only took a few moments, and by the time it was done, Jess was breathing normally. More color was now in her cheeks and lips, thanks to him vamping up her red blood cell count and blood volume.

"Better?" he asked.

She lifted her head, hand gliding over the now smooth skin. "The area is really itchy."

"That's normal."

Jess stopped moving. Lids popping wide, looking at what was tucked in his belt. "Is that – Is that a hand?"

He covered the evidence with the flap of his jacket. "The corridors are no longer access key compliant. And I can't unlock them with the Force." Jess was slightly horrified. And disgusted. Looking as if she wanted to back away from him. "Don't worry. The man is still alive."

That eased her only minutely.

"Sans hand," she muttered, gulping down what was probably vomit. Tucking her legs beneath, Jess went to stand. Ren tried to help her by holding onto her elbow. She rolled her arm out of his grip. "I can get up on my own." And indeed, she did. Albeit a little unsteadedly.

"You can ask for help, you know," Ren said, even though she was now obviously uncomfortable being in his presence. He was too, but for different reasons.

Or maybe the same.

She cocked a brow as she stripped off the armored suit. "Is that a motto you go by?"

He stared at her flatly. "Let me correct myself: You can ask for my help."

Now in her dark shirt and trousers, Jess retrieved a blaster rifle from one of the unconscious men and walked past him. He caught up and stayed next to her. "I'm already indebted to you enough. Now put this on top of it–"

"You owe me nothing."

She gave him a side-glance. "You know I do."

"No, you don't," he insisted. "I alleviate you of your debt. There. Done."

Not like she had any, though.

Jess shook her head. "That's not how it works."

They came to a closed corridor. She looked at him impatiently. He got out the severed hand. "It works however you want it to work." The door opened. They walked on through. "Don't get caught up in the misconception that humanity goes by a certain set of rules."

She stopped. Looked at the blacked out visor from her inferior height. "Of course it does. If it didn't, than there would be more evil people in this galaxy. And right now, we have plenty."

The slight at him couldn't be more obvious. "Do I disappoint you?"

"Yes. You're a monster."

"Monster is a relative term," he countered. "To a canary, a loth-cat is a monster. But people view that as a part of nature. Not an act of evil."

"You're a monster because you kill people not out of survival, but for personal gain or vengeance." They stood there, staring at each other. Jess's face was icy.

She broke the eye contact and resumed her pace.

Usually, he wouldn't stand to be talked to that way, but he had no motivation to fight with her.

Ren slowed his steps to put some distance between them. He wasn't surprised by her candor, but her response stung. More than he wanted to admit. Being a disappointment was nothing new. And yet, he didn't want Jess to view him in such a way.

Would his life always be based on such a malicious and unforgiving scale of balances?

It was becoming more difficult to look Jess in the eye, for he had looked into them before, long ago… behind metal bars… in a decrepit cave… from the visage of the man he used to be.

He thought of the hand wave she gave him as he left that massacre…. Her grateful stare.

Jess and Ren heard commotion up ahead. Slowly, they inched to the corner of the hallway. Jess peered around the bend, gasped, then sprinted away. Ren called out and followed her.

Down the hall was Rey, fighting two guards with nothing but her bare hands and wit. Something was wrong with her left arm, though. Like it was almost useless, being flung around like an after thought, no real control.

One of them came up behind her, wrapping their arms around her torso and lifting her off the ground. Jess took out the other guard with the blaster, but couldn't get a clear shot on the one holding Rey.

Lifting her legs up, she pushed against the wall, taking her and the guard to the floor. She kneed him, reached for a blaster pistol, and put him out of action.

It all happened within seconds, Rey's precision getting the job done quick. Ren knelt down beside her, touching her flushed face. She was confused at the helmet, but then realized who was behind it. Her eyes widened. "Why are you here?"

Jess, keeping watch, said, "Apparently, he got bored waiting on the Falcon."

"I was concerned about you when the prison alarms went off." He reached for her left wrist. "Your arm–"

She pulled it away quickly. "Don't touch it. One of those animals slobbered all over it and now I can't feel anything. And the effects are starting to spread." He helped her up, noticing how she winced when putting pressure on her ankle. "I think it's somehow blocking me from using the Force."

He gave her a concerned look before kneeling down and healing her. By doing so, he sensed her concussion.

"You got away from one of those things?" Jess asked in awe. Ren stood, touching her head to restore her full mental capabilities.

"No." She motioned behind her. "I killed it back in the control room."

"Is that near here?" he asked.

Rey nodded. She led them through the corridors, retracing her route. Ren stepped over chunks of durasteel rubble as he followed her into a disheveled control room. The beast was lying dead in the corner, a pool of blood beneath its snout. He approached it, examining its horned head and thick spiked hide.

His heart dropped. He recognized the animal.

"Gods." Jess covered her nose. "That thing smells horrible." Indeed it did, but Ren didn't show any sign of noticing.

Rey came up next to him. "Do you know what it is?"

"It's a Zakkeg," he explained, eyes still studying the mystical creature. He's only ever seen one in illustrations. They looked worse up close. "Usually a solitary creature, but can be trained for combat. Their hides are impermeable to lightsabers and they are immune to most Force techniques." Jess went around to get a better look. "Your guess about the saliva is correct. It's a numbing and paralytic agent, and suppresses your connection to the Force." Ren stood, eyeing Rey's arm. "Would explain why I can't sense you."

Fear shined behind those hazel eyes. "Is it fatal?"

"No. But…" he paused. "Your whole body will be paralyzed soon."

Rey took a deep breath and blew it out all at once. "And I'll be useless."

She shivered.

Ren took off his jacket and covered her, offering her not just warmth, but a barrier from getting anyone else infected with any remnants of the beasts saliva. He'll just have to remember to wash his jacket vigorously after they get out of this. "We need to get to the north tower."

Jess stepped closer to the duo, alarmed. "What about Poe and Finn?"

"They have Casterfo?"

"Yeah."

"Then there's nothing to do other than getting out of here." Jess didn't seem to agree. She turned her frustrated stare to the console. "The tower is where they will be heading. The guards we've stunned won't be unconscious forever. And–"

"That's them!" Jess exclaimed, pointing at one of the working monitors. They went to the console, seeing the three men in an elevator.

"Where is this?" he asked Jess.

"Section three, eastern block of–." The monitor went black.

Jess swapped the feed to another part of the prison. "The monitor still works. They must've turned off the lifts."

"Lets go get them," Rey said. Jess was eager to get out of the room, but Ren noticed that Rey had stopped. He turned back to her. Her eyes were on his belt.

She pegged him with a heated gaze. "You didn't."

"I couldn't carry a body around. This was more practical."

She walked up to him. "You know cutting off someone's hand is wrong, right?"

"It was necessary."

"Your sadism tends to blur the lines of necessity," Rey bit back. He didn't respond, just dropped his covered head and looked down at the floor. When he raised it, Rey was already out the door. Ren waited, wanting there to be a long gap between him and the two women.

First there had been the hostility from Jess. Now, the anger from Rey.

All stemming, yet again, from his disappointing actions.

()()()()()

The rules inside the duracrete, metal walls were very different from the ones in the 'free galaxy'. Luckily, Finn had grown up in an atmosphere that was similar, allowing him to not feel too out of place among the guards and officers. He walked like he belonged, nodded to them as if they were familiar.

Six stories down, every entrance required a palm scan for entry. Jess opened all of them manually as Poe hovered his palm just above the scanner.

As they got closer to the cellblock, two of the officers took notice, both wearing matching black uniforms, no helmet – different from the tactical ones Finn and Poe were wearing. "What are you guys doing down here?" the blonde haired, taller one asked. "You should be on the top level or checking the prisons perimeter."

"Med bay found something unusual in inmate 46-58B's blood work," Poe explained coolly. "And with his execution coming up, they want to make sure the injection doesn't have adverse effects. Last thing anyone would want is another lawsuit."

Poe had definitely done his research.

The guard shook his head. "That lawsuit was ludicrous. Alleging torture and human medical experimentation was a stretch."

"Well," the shorter one said, "it did take the guy forty five minutes to die. Not exactly an ideal outcome. They really should be more thorough–"

The officer put a hand on the man's shoulder, quieting him. "We can all agree that they should make a better method, yes. We don't have to talk about this again." The officer eyed Finn and Poe before making a decision. "Take them to 46-58B's cell. These two probably don't know their way around down here."

Poe nodded. "Thanks, man. We're kinda new here."

They followed their newly acquired escort into the cell block. The cells stretched on both sides of the great room, the most vicious of criminals locked down there, pending their executions.

They passed dozens of the small compartments, some prisoners sleeping, others rising and watching them as they moved along.

The officer suddenly stopped. "Wake up, 46-58B. Looks like you have some things to smooth over before your execution."

The prisoner rose out of the bed, his height being the first thing Finn noticed. Then the hard stare of a man who hadn't seen the light of day in over six years.

But Casterfo said nothing. Just moved his lanky body to the barrier, waiting for it to disappear. Once it did, the guard cuffed him and handed him over to Poe and Finn. "Watch out for this one. He knows how to fight. Even with all the lessons we give him, he still makes things hard on us."

Finn interpreted 'lessons' to mean beatings.

The officer pointed further down the cellblock. "If you go through that corridor, the lift down the hall will take you right outside the med bay."

Finn nodded his thanks and then the man walked away, leaving them alone.

They grabbed either side of Casterfo's arms and escorted him in the direction they'd been told to go. "You want to get out of here?" Poe whispered closely to the man.

Casterfo looked at him in confusion. "You trying to tell a joke?"

"We need you to do everything we say. General Leia Organa sent us here to rescue you."

Casterfo stopped, but they pulled him right along. "Act like everything is normal. We don't want unwanted attention."

Finn eyed the security up top, looking down at them through tempered glass.

"Leia... Leia really sent you?" Casterfo whispered, barely moving his lips.

"She did."

"Is the Resistance really gone?"

Guess they still got the news sixty feet below ground.

"Hey!"

All three of them spun around to see a group of guards rushing toward them. "I commed the med bay. They haven't even checked Casterfo's blood yet." Both Finn and Poe stood frozen. "What are your names?"

"Uh… Finn and Poe."

"Those don't match up with the credential patches on your uniforms."

"Well… you see…"

The group raised their rifles. "Step away from the prisoner and put your hands in the air."

Finn palmed the blaster at his side, knowing that the likelihood of not making it out of there alive was now very high.

But then, the humming noise he never really noticed was there suddenly disappeared.

The cell shields had been deactivated.

Prisoners stormed the area, going for the officers and unfortunately, Finn and Poe as well.

Finn was on the ground, a rabid looking Togruta on top of him, trying to pry the blaster from his hands. Casterfo kicked the humanoid off of him, dazing the prisoner. Little by little, the three men fought their way to the exit, taking hit after hit to get there. Stunning as many as they could so they could get through.

Once they did, they soon realized they had an officer on their tail.

The walls and corridors began to blur as they raced through, swerving frantically to make each turn. Poe stumbled, dropping the pistol and clutching at his hip. Finn caught him, swinging Poe's arm over his shoulders for added support.

Casterfo picked up the fallen weapon in his cuffed hands, firing and handling the thing like he hadn't been stuck in prison for the last six years. He knocked out the officer with a precise hit.

They ran to the elevator at the end of the hallway, but realized they had no way of getting in. Before anything could be said, Casterfo ran back to the unconscious man and started dragging him to the lift. Finn went to help. They stretched the arm up, placing the palm on the scanner. As the doors opened, growls came from behind. Big, beast-like creatures were watching them, their spiked hides making them look like something out of hell.

The animals rushed.

They piled into the elevator, dragging the officer with them as Finn hurried to the panel, closing the doors before the creatures could get inside. They heard the booms of the animal's impact. Then, quiet.

Finn's hope rose with the elevator... until it abruptly stopped, going dark.

He frantically felt for the panel through the blackness, pressing all the buttons. "They turned off the lifts," Finn muttered.

"Can you feel for a latch on the ceiling?" Poe asked Casterfo since he was substantially taller than the two of them.

Ransolm's hands glided over the upper section. "I don't feel anything."

Finn took off the helmet, wiping at his perspired skin. He voiced another option. "We could try opening the panel and wiring it so the doors at least open."

Poe started to hit the panel with the butt of the pistol. Finn stood off to the back, sweat pulling into his eyes. He started to take off the layering of armor as he counted every hit Poe landed.

It shouldn't have been taking this long.

"It's not budging," Poe said, breathing hard. "It must be reinforced."

The three men stood in the thick darkness, their inhales and exhales the only sound to be heard. Finn didn't know what else to do, and neither did the two other men.

Without warning, something heavy hit the top of the lift, vibrating the walls. Finn braced for an attack. Heat started to resonate from above, the ceiling gradually beginning to glow red, lighting up the small space. A blue plasma blade lanced through the durasteel, making the men push themselves against the walls. Meticulously, the blade made a circle, the heavy chunk of metal dropping loudly to the floor.

They gathered to the middle, looking up.

The dim light from the lift shaft casted off enough brightness for them to see Ren crouching next to the opening, a guards helmet covering his face.

"Found yourself a new mask," Poe observed.

"It's not as good as my other one."

"I'm sure," Finn chided.

Ren cocked his head to Finn. "Would you rather make small talk, or get out of here?"

"Casterfo first," Poe demanded. Ren didn't move. "I wouldn't put it past you to leave him behind."

"Neither would I," Ren agreed.

Casterfo put his bound hands up in confusion, glancing at each one of them. "Aren't you all here to get me out of prison? Why would he"–Casterfo pointed up–"leave me behind?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't want his help." Another second passed by. "Ren," Poe said sternly.

Ren's hesitation was obvious. But then the man waved his hand, the cuffs on Casterfo's wrists releasing and dropping to the floor. Ren reached out to him, beckoning to Casterfo. He pulled the man up and then helped with the rest of them.

In the lead, Ren climbed up the ladder, heading to the opening at the top level.

By the time Finn made it, Ren was bent over, lifting Rey off the floor. Jess helped adjust her in his arms. "I tried to keep her up, but she just collapsed," Jess explained worriedly. "She's having more trouble breathing. And she can't really talk anymore."

Rey moaned.

Finn went up to her, seeing that she could barely move. "What happened?"

"Zakegg saliva got on her arm," Ren explained. Finn assumed those were the animals that had been set loose on the cellblock. "It's a paralytic." Ren's helmet turned to Poe. "Didn't know these animals were here, did you?"

Poe shook his head as he stripped off the armor.

"Can't you just heal her?" Finn demanded.

"No. Most Force techniques don't work on Zakegg's." Gurgling came out of Rey's mouth. Jess lifted her head so she was more upright, her cheek resting against Ren's bicep. "Just focus on breathing," Ren whispered to her. "I'll get you out of here."

Ren had Finn grab the comlink out of his pocket. "Tell Threepio to bring the Falcon to the north tower."

"Threepio?" Both Casterfo and Poe said at the same time.

"BB-8 is there, too."

"You have droids in charge of a ship?" Casterfo asked, stepping closer. "They aren't pilots."

Slowly, Ren's helmet moved to where Casterfo stood. "Really? I had no idea. Maybe you should drag your observant ass back to your cell instead of taking the risk that a couple of droids will come get us."

He didn't give Ransolm the chance for a rebuttal. The little meeting broke up as Ren was the first to take the lead, walking quickly away. The rest caught up to him, Jess and Poe taking up the rear while Finn protected Rey and Ren.

Casterfo stayed in the middle.

They made it to a corridor labeled the north tower stairway. And much to Finn and Poe's surprise, Jess flattened the palm of a severed hand against the access panel. "Where the hell did you get that?!" Poe whispered harshly.

Jess looked to Ren, whose face was fortunately hidden.

"I'll make a sizeable donation to the prison so the guard can get a new hand," Ren said evenly. "It'll be better than the original."

Poe blinked, flabbergasted by Ren's response. He looked to Finn.

"At least the guard's still alive?" Finn shrugged as he tried to point out the positive.

No one said a word as they rushed up the flight of stairs.

Once at the top, Jess opened the next door. Outside and on a landing platform, they were met by a handful of guards and three of those hideous animals.

The guards immediately fired, but the bolts were stopped by an invisible wall from Ren's making. Then everyone, including the animals, dropped to the ground, wailing in agony. Withering in delusional pain.

"Be careful where you step," Ren said to them as he began weaving through the bodies.

With disturbed eyes, Finn looked at the people and beasts as he passed and stepped over them. He almost fell from someone's flailing legs. Almost stepped on an animals tail. Almost demanded that Ren stop whatever he was inflicting onto these beings.

The Falcon flew above them and then hovered at the edge, ramp down and ready. They all bolted to their safe haven. Finn could still hear the screams being carried on the breeze as he ran to the freighter, only finding relief after the boarding ramp closed.

Poe and Jess went for the cockpit while everyone else congregated in the main hold.

Except Finn. He lingered behind for a moment, catching his breath, wondering where he drew the line with personal code of ethics.

But at the end of the day, he was still alive. They all were, thanks to Ren's methods.

()()()()()

Ren placed Rey in the medical alcove, taking off the helmet, whispering to her that she was going to be alright. She couldn't form any expressions. All she could do was blink and stare.

Finn came up behind him, trying to get a look at his friend. "She's fine," Ren said in an effort to make the man go away.

"Does she need anything?"

"All we can do is wait."

"Finn, can you grab me a medkit and bring it over?" Jess asked, her and Poe walking to some crates. He sat on one of them as she got ready to examine his hip wound. The trooper gave Rey a quick smile before rushing off to be useful.

"Thank the maker you all made it!" Threepio exclaimed as he entered.

Casterfo looked at the protocol droid in shock. "Threepio? It's really you?"

"Master Casterfo!" The droid excitedly addressed him. "You look better than expected. And I'm sure ecstatic that you don't have to face your own execution. Dismal fate, you were given. The general was quite adamant on rescuing you."

"When can I speak to Leia?" Casterfo asked, glancing around once he saw that Threepio didn't have the answer.

"We aren't sure where she is after the attack on the base," Poe said, now shirtless and having Jess bandage him.

"She's on Takodana." Ren cut in, surprising the others. Standing, he leaned against the alcove, angled in a way so he could see Rey from his periphery. "I spoke to Skywalker before leaving to rescue all of you."

Poe rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't say rescue. We were doing fine." He gave out a hiss as Jess applied another layer of bacta patches.

"Uh huh," Ren said smugly. "You and I must have different definitions of fine."

"Is Leia okay?" Casterfo asked with concern.

Ren pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to show his annoyance every time Casterfo spoke. "She's alive. Skywalker had to take–"

"Did you study under Luke Skywalker?" Casterfo queried, the interruption causing Ren's blood pressure to rise. "I saw what you did with the Force back there. You know him personally?"

…"Yes."

This confused the man. "But…. I thought everyone was killed at his academy."

"They were."

Seeing that Ren was getting closer to losing self-control, Finn spoke up. "How's Rey?" He handed a bacta patch to Jess, glancing between him and Casterfo.

"The paralytic is in full force," Ren said, glancing at her still form. "But her breathing is more under control."

"When should it wear off?"

"If I remember correctly, in about four hours. But I haven't read about Zakeggs in a long–"

Casterfo stepped forward. "I apologize for interrupting again–"

"Oh, do you?" Ren snapped at him. "You must have forgotten what manners were while in prison. Or maybe you just never had them at all."

Casterfo clapped his mouth shut, shocked by Ren's insolence. But that didn't stop him from commenting on how familiar he looked.

Ren crossed his arms. "We've never met."

"Why, he's the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo," Threepio enthusiastically explained. "You are probably recognizing the family resemblance. His facial features are a good mixture of his parents genetics."

Silence.

Followed by more silence.

No one moved.

Casterfo couldn't stop staring at Ren. Ren couldn't stop staring at Threepio, imagining all the ways he could tear the droid apart and make it look like an accident.

Casterfo cleared his throat. "I was shocked to learn that Leia's son was Kylo Ren."

"As was the rest of the galaxy," Jess mumbled. Poe shushed her.

"I've heard of some of the things you've done. Even down in that pit, news still has a way of reaching us." Casterfo shook his head in disapproval. Not that Ren gave two shits what this man thought of him. "How could you go and join the First Order? Betraying your own mother and everything she has stood for?"

Ren's eyes narrowed. "You talk as if you care about her. Interesting, since you're the one who ousted her to the senate. Ruining her career. Making it harder for her to form the Resistance."

Casterfo's nostrils flared. "I was manipulated into doing that."

Ren laughed, a short, bitter sound. "Then you're as gullible as you are daft. Especially for ever trusting Carise Sindian."

Brows lifting, Castero said, "You know Carise? Where is she?"

"Want to enact some revenge?" Ren taunted. While Casterfo didn't outright say anything, the hate in those eyes said enough. "You'll have to get in line," he warned dangerously.

"And you all trust this man?" Casertfo questioned the rest of them. "After he cut off someone's hand and tortured those people on the tarmac?"

"Trust?" Ren felt like he was on fire. He squeezed his crossed arms tighter, like it was a straitjacket that could keep him from killing this man. "I don't recall trust being an issue as I helped you to freedom," he growled.

"Against your will."

"I still did it."

"Trust will always be an issue when it comes to him," Finn interjected. "You can't convince us of that since we already know it. But his allegiance is… in the right place." Finn glanced to Rey, Casterfo following his line of sight. "Look, the only way we got you out of that place was because Ren came to help."

Casterfo licked his lips, taking a breath. Then looked back at Ren. "And I thank you for–"

"I don't want your thanks." Such a thing from Casterfo disgusted him. "I went there to save all of them. You just so happened to be there." Ren turned, unlocking his arms and scooping up Rey. "I'm going to have her rest in one of the rooms," he said to no one in particular as he walked to the living quarters, all eyes watching him go.

Poe went after him, against Jess's orders.

What would it take to be left alone on this ship?

"You coming to tell me more about what I'm feeling?" Ren asked, calling back to the conversation before they left for Riosa.

He gently placed Rey on the soft bed, straightening out her limbs.

"No." Poe answered. "You know what I said was true."

Ren faced a shirtless and wearied looking Poe. "Perhaps. The New Republic is still an inept form of government, though."

"The senators were. The concept of a Republic is what's best for the galaxy."

"But people will always run the government."

"A dictator is a person, too. And if that much power isn't divided, then it will corrupt them completely." Poe shook his head. Rubbed his face. Let out a shaky breath. "I didn't come in here to argue over politics. I'm letting you know I'm gonna have Ransolm stay in the medical alcove."

Ren let the quiet stretch for a bit before saying, "Okay."

Poe eyed him. "I'm telling you this so you can avoid him. Not go start something. Like murder, for instance."

"I got it."

"Do you?"

Ren rolled his eyes so hard, he practically saw his brain. "You know, on second thought, I think I'll wait till you fall asleep and quietly go kill the man."

"That's sarcasm."

"Sort of."

Poe gazed at the floor between them, his shoulders relaxing. "Look, I'm sorry you had to deal with him. I know you didn't want to. But thank you for coming to get us."

Ren's face softened. "You're welcome."

"And about the hand… You can't just go doing stuff like that." Ren opened his mouth to argue, but Poe talked over him. "I understand why you did it. And from an outside perspective, it was logical to do. Just… put more thought behind your actions next time."

Ren nodded.

"If you need any help with Rey, I'll be in the cockpit," Poe offered.

"You want me to take a look at your hip?" Ren said abruptly.

"Oh. Uhhhh…" Poe looked down at the bacta patches. "Nah. It isn't too bad. Jess did a good job patching it up. Thanks, though." He gave Ren a small grin and left.

Ren looked at the closed door, feeling… strange. Being sincerely thanked was still a new thing to him. It was nice, though, to be appreciated by someone he was coming to respect.

Ren pivoted and went to the bed. Crouching next to Rey, he stroked her cheek, felt her silky skin. Studied her hazel eyes. It calmed him, being silently in her presence. Calmed him more than taking his anger out on inanimate objects. Or people.

It was a long time before he finally spoke. He started off explaining his encounter with Kayani. Partway through, he realized he probably should have waited to tell her until after Rey was able to react to what he was saying. It was almost impossible to gage what she was thinking.

"Don't go seeking her out, okay? She isn't telling us everything and don't go believing her when she says Snoke's fate lies solely with you. We'll figure out another way to solve that problem. I know you don't trust her either, but I'm afraid she'll entice you with a way of getting rid of him. So however you're blocking her, just keep doing it. I'd rather she didn't see everything that's going on in your life." He paused. "In our life," he emphasized.

Ren eyed her body, not in a wanting way, but to see if there were any injuries he missed. He didn't see any. Crossing her arms on her stomach, he went back to sitting beside the bed, wondering what she was thinking.

"You're disappointed in me for what I did back at the prison. I know. But I had to get to you. The access chips weren't working and–." He stopped with the excuses, clenching his jaw. "I had to get to you. You have to know I will do whatever it takes to always get to you. But I know what you're going to say to that: Don't turn to violence as a solution." He rubbed his neck. "Can we just consider how taking that guard's hand and leaving him alive was a vast improvement on my part?" Rey remained motionless. "No one seems to point that out," Ren mumbled.

He sat on his rear, bending his legs against his chest.

He looked into Rey's blank stare as he rested his chin on his knees, trying to read her expressionless face. "I don't want Casterfo on this ship," he confessed, chewing at his lip. "It's just a reminder of what happened six years ago. And I don't want to remember. I don't want to remember anything." Looking down at the sheets, he continued in a more solemn tone. "Sometimes, I think living with the memories is possible. It's felt like that lately. But right now… it's almost hard to breathe. It's like I'm back in that cave. Or the diner. And then from there, I think of all the things that came after. The torture I endured under Snoke. The people I've killed without question." He paused. "Han." His eyes found hers. "Can I truly live with what I've done? I keep going back and forth with the answer."

Rey stared at him.

"And then there's the other part of me," he whispered. "The one that misses having that power and authority. I crave that still, even though I know it's not right." He dug his fingers into his hair, needing the pain, needing to hide from the shame. "Going to Snoke was what ruined my life. But you're right: I'm addicted to being malicious." Perhaps he truly didn't deserve happiness, since he occasionally yearned for the sins that got him where he was.

At times, he felt as if he were two sides of the same credit. Sensitive, yet brutal. Caring, yet monstrous. Bewildering, yet transparent. And in the end, even content, he was broken.

"What if I can't live with both the darkness and the light?" he mused for the thousandth time.

He received no answer.

Wiping at his face, he breathed into his palms, feeling the slow beginnings of fatigue. But he kept talking. "I don't like playing the victim to circumstances I've created." He lowered his hands. "But… wouldn't you think that some blame falls on Casterfo for what he did?" Rey's gaze didn't leave his. Ren moaned, irritated at the situation. "I wish you could talk to me. Even if it is to tell me how childish I'm being. I like being able to feel you through the Force. Knowing you're always there. It's weird to be this cut off from you right now. And if I'm struggling, I can't imagine how frustrated you are. Trapped in your immobile body." Rey blinked rapidly. "Yeah, I thought so. Only a few more hours left of this, though." He climbed over Rey and relaxed, holding her in a position he hoped would be comfortable to her.

"Only a few more hours," he whispered. Her eyes closed as he traced over her soft features with his fingertips.

Soon, the temptation of sleep claimed him as well.

()()()()()

Leia stood at the edge of the lake, the afternoon sun almost blinding with how it reflected off the water. The air was warm, a faint breeze playing with her loose hair and baggy clothes. The grey mechanic jumpsuit Maz lent her was thicker than the usual material she wore, but was still breathable in the heat.

She took a deep breath. It was so calm here. So calm when the galaxy was in such a state of extreme unrest. So tranquil, considering what she'd gone through not too long ago.

The Resistance was in shambles.

The hope of getting it back together looked grim.

Leia hated this part. The after effects of taking a massive hit. Losing a battle to the enemy. Optimism seeming more and more like a naïve practice.

This was the only thing that had been on her mind since waking this morning. But no need to think about that at the moment. Right now, Leia just wanted to breathe. When was the last time she'd been able to do that? When she was eight?

But moments were just that. Moments.

She glanced down at the worn datapad, hoping to see a new message.

Nothing.

Not many people had sent her information on their whereabouts, most choosing to lay low for a bit. Trend among them. The Resistance fleet was hiding somewhere near the galaxy's edge – which Leia actually thought was the right move for now.

On top of that, she couldn't stop thinking of what she found when she logged into her personal account this morning. The alert that one of her messages had been seen, the one she sent six years ago to her son.

She heard footsteps approaching, sensing she was no longer alone. "The Falcon is right outside the atmosphere."

Leia whipped around. "They were successful?"

Luke nodded as he took off his brown cloak. She was surprised he'd worn it at all with how warm a day it was. "Ransolm is eager to see you."

"Anybody hurt?"

"Nothing too serious or long lasting. And so far, there have been no reports of deaths at the prison."

She closed her eyes for a moment, smiling. "Good."

"Poe never should've gone through with that mission."

Leia exhaled, looking at her disapproving brother. "We've already talked about this. He never actually got an order from me saying not to do it."

"Because you were unconscious. He shouldn't have endangered–"

"I don't want to beat a dead bantha, Luke. What's done is done. I'm not going to punish Commander Dameron."

The twins went quiet.

Luke scanned the waterfront. "Ben and Ransolm shouldn't be on the same ship together."

Leia mirrored his stance without noticing. "They shouldn't be within five feet of each other, if we're to be honest."

Hearing the far off sounds of a ship, she turned, seeing the Falcon in the distance.

Both walking back to Maz's crumbled castle remains, Luke asked, "What are you going to do with Rey?"

Leia sidestepped a chunk of duracrete. "I'm not going to arrest her, if that's what you mean."

"Vassena will still want to."

"Good thing she isn't here." She glanced sideways at her brother. "What about you? Do you have any course of action you want to take with Rey?"

"I want to talk with her and then decide."

They made it to where the Falcon was landing, Leia eagerly awaiting for a reunion with her dear friend.

The ramp lowered, the first one off being Ransolm. He stopped when they made eye contact, his mouth agape at seeing her.

Both closing the distance between each other, they embraced, his tall frame towering over her small, aged body. She looked up, beaming. Those young features that made him so handsome were now weathered. Dark circles took up residence under his eyes. Cheeks hollow. Skin thin. But his hair was still that rich mixture of blonde and copper tones. And like before, it was long, softly curled, and covering his fanned ears.

Ben preferred to wear his hair the same.

Leia touched her friend's cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you sooner."

He shook his head. "We both know there was nothing you could've done. The evidence was overwhelmingly against me. But breaking me out of prison, Leia…" he said cheekily. "Seems like something you would set into motion."

Leia laughed lightly, then glanced to the Falcon. Her son was holding up a very weak looking Rey, helping her to walk down the ramp. They looked at one another for a short moment before Ben glanced away. He started heading toward the entrance to Maz's basement.

"I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Ben."

Ransolm's face grew hard, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. But like the senator he used to be, he recovered an inviting face quickly.

Ransolm bowed his head. "Of course." He gazed around, breathing in deep. "It's been years since I've been outside. I think I'll go for a walk, so take your time."

Luke came up to introduce himself, and the two men started to talk as Leia went in the direction of her son.

"Ben," she called out. He stopped before hitting the steps. "Can I speak with you?"

"Rey is still weak and I should–"

"Finn can help me the rest of the way," Rey interjected, glancing over at her friend. Ben seemed annoyed to let her go, watching Finn bare most of her weight down the steps and through the basement corridor.

It took him a while to lift his gaze to Leia's.

"I know you didn't want to, but thank you for helping to retrieve Ransolm."

Ren gave a curt nod.

"I'm glad you were able to find Rey."

"Me too."

"How is she doing?"

"Better." And then he went silent. Ben could carry on like this forever: not talking. Looking off to the side. It had been like this constantly while raising him. Like she was speaking to someone who never answered back.

Quiet Ben.

She hated it. Didn't know how to get through–

"Is Ematt still alive?" he suddenly asked.

She cleared her airway. "He was able to get off the base with some of the medical personnel. He's with the Resistance fleet now."

"Good," he nodded. "If he died, Rey would view it as her fault."

"I heard she found her grandmother. What's she like?"

Ren did this slow shrug, as if he wasn't sure what to say. "She's… interesting. But her and Rey have taken to each other really well."

"Is she learning more about her family?"

He rubbed his lips together as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Somewhat. What are you going to do about the Resistance?"

"Rebuild," she said on an exhale. "Call upon the few allies we have left."

"The First Order has the Core Worlds now."

"The Empire had the whole galaxy. I've faced worse odds."

Ben blinked. "You'll never stop fighting, will you?"

"Not in my nature."

He glanced down, a faint hint of a smile on his lips.

Finally, she couldn't keep what she wanted to talk about inside anymore. "I know you've seen my message," Leia blurted out. Ben didn't speak. His eyes remained downcast, his frame as still as the thick, tall trees. "Do you have anything to say about it?" she pushed.

Nothing.

"You must have thoughts about what I said." She got close to him. Even grabbed his arm. His gaze went to her grip, but he didn't move her away. "Talk to me. Or yell at me. Or tell me how much of a disappointment I am. Just say something about it."

"I miss who I used to be," Ben whispered, head still down.

Leia's heart thundered against her rib cage.

She got into his line of sight, which wasn't difficult considering their height difference. "I miss him, too."

Soft was his expression as his eyes roamed over her face, like he was memorizing every wrinkle. Every sunspot. "The truth is…" he breathed, "I always had moments when I would think of ways to get out. Killing and torturing people was what I'd fall back on. But it had started to mess with my perception the longer it continued. And now the damage is permanent."

What to say to that? She needed to say the right things so he didn't shut her out.

When the occasion called for it, her son was always a professional at ignoring things. Feelings. Problems. People. But as Leia watched him, it was like she could see her son slowly emerging from the self-oppression he preferred to hide behind.

But this was what happened last time they talked, when he told her he didn't want her to be his mother. Whenever she thought a breakthrough was coming and he would trust her with his vulnerability, the shutters came down. His emotions walled off behind a mask of indifference.

He never knew another way.

But… has he finally learned not to hide?

"There is always time for healing," she commented.

Ben ran both hands through his hair, putting some distance between them. "Maybe," he said wearily.

"What made you watch the recording?"

For a moment he seemed to fade, to draw in on himself. "I thought you were dead. I panicked. Then I thought about that vid… What if that was all I had left of you? Just recordings? I don't have anything of…"

Ben didn't need to finish the sentence. She knew of whom he was alluding to.

Leia proceeded cautiously. "I made many mistakes throughout my life, Ben. But the worst one was not being honest with you. I foolishly believed that secrets were better than love, because it seemed to keep people together."

"A short term solution to cover up years of deception."

"It is."

He shuffled his boot against the dirt. Leia waited, like she expected him to say something. It looked as if he wanted to say something.

"Finding out about Vader…" he spoke slowly. "I admit, I only thought of myself. I never stopped to wonder just how affected you were by it." He looked at her. "How affected you were when I joined the First Order."

Leia swallowed. Could hear the rush of blood in her ears. "When I found out… Not even your father could console me," she said mournfully. Eyes glistening, she clutched her chest. "You don't know what it feels like to lose a child, and in truth, that's what it felt like when you joined the First Order and became…" Leia's voice teetered, not wanting to utter that name out loud. "To me, it was like you died. And if you were to ask any parent if they would die in the place of their daughter or son, I guarantee you that answer would be yes. Do you know why?" Ben just stared at her. "It's not only because of honor, or duty, or parental responsibility. It's because it's also easier. It's easier to die than to know you failed them."

For Leia always felt like a failure when it came to Ben.

"You should whole-heartedly despise me," he admitted. "It would be easier that way."

"Easier is not always right."

"Right…" Ren muttered, shaking his head. He steeled himself, bracing for what he was about to say. "You remember… when I was a child and I would cry to you that I wished I was different?" Leia nodded. "I still feel that way. Why was I born to the family I was? Why did I have to struggle with morals and social acceptance when all of that came so easily to other children?" he asked passionately. Closing his eyes, he calmed. Then looked to the forest. "I'm so exhausted from constantly being pulled in different directions."

"I think you've been put in these situations not because the universe is out to get you, but because it wants to give you the chance to choose right."

"I have a hard time knowing what right is anymore."

"Maybe having something constant in your life and then starting from there can help your judgment. Like Rey."

Still looking anywhere but at her, he rubbed at his mouth. A strong wind swept past them, brushing his hair to the side. Ben didn't notice as he struggled to speak. "In the vid when you said you would love me forever… was that true?"

She reached up, fixing his hair quickly. Ben didn't react to her touch. "Every word in that recording was the absolute truth."

Pause.

"Ben," she whispered, his stare joining hers. "Do you love me?"

Leia held her breath. Hoping.

And then… he nodded.

Unexpectedly, a sob escaped his lips, loud from being repressed for so long. It startled Leia. Ben had seemed so collected. So even. But his emotions finally became too pressurized to hide anymore.

He went to cover his eyes with his hand, face contorting, lungs struggling to breath. He fought the show of emotion, his neck straining against the effort.

Leia tried to pull his hand away from his face. "Ben, look at me." He shook his head, brushing her off. "Don't hide yourself from me. There's no need to feel embarrassed."

He spoke in between the short pauses for breaths. "It's hard… to be… around you… and not… think of him." The tears finally fell from her eyes, leaving shining rivulets down her cheeks as her heart broke for him. "I always… fall apart… seeing you."

"Then every time, I'll pick you back up." She cupped his face. Ren dropped his hands, sniffling as he gazed at her, a picture of grief. Loss. Devastation. "It's about time I take care of you. Because who am I?"

He hiccuped. And then said the three words Leia has wanted him to admit for the longest time. "You're my mother."

And with that final admission from Ben, everything came together. The vein tapped. The gold slowly extracted.

Those walls, the ones that held him up, that made him invulnerable just… collapsed. Second by second, they fell in the form of the salty drops sliding over his chin and down his neck.

Leia could almost feel him as a baby in her arms again. His softness. His innocence. But he was anything but innocent anymore. He was raw, raw everything. Raw tears. Raw emotions. Raw guilt.

She wiped the moisture from his cheeks with her thumb and said with conviction, "And you'll always be my son."

Leia might not win this war. Might even lose her life in the process. But she just won another battle: she had beaten Snoke.

For her son had finally returned home.

A/N

Little Ben is starting to make a comeback. Sort of. At least he talked to Leia waaaaaay more this time than the last. Seeing her message really made him realize a few things, and he isn't trying to deny them.

Hopefully I can get the next chapter out sooner than I did with this one! May the Force be with you all!