A dark-haired woman, panting with exertion and holding the hand of a small child trudged through the thick and threatening forest of Kaller, its trees reaching down with arched fingers as if to clutch the mother and her helpless child. The mother was trying to walk as quietly as she could, but there was urgency in her steps. She looked far behind her often and tried to rush the child, who was no older than four standard years.

"Mama, my feet hurt," the child whined. The mother's did, too.

The mother dropped the bunched edge of her buff-colored dress and leaned over to pick the little girl up. Weak with the journey, she could not hold her daughter for long; but she tried anyway. Her feet dragged with the extra weight of the child, and the tattered edges of her gown caught on the underbrush.

She hugged her daughter close for a moment and whispered, "Hush, Rey, we must be quiet. Can you be quiet?"

Rey nodded, then nestled her head into her mother's shoulder; the only safety the child had ever known.

She walked on as fast as she could, which was anything but fast. She stumbled frequently, but was sure not to lose her hold on Rey.

"Where did he go?" she muttered to herself. After a few more minutes of walking, she stopped and put down her daughter to rest on the dead leaves and vines of the forest floor.

"It's no use," she said and fell to her knees. They sat together on the forest floor. The mother hid her tears from her daughter by putting her face in her rough and weathered hands.

"Mama," Rey said. "Who's that man?"

Rey was looking into the thick woods. No one was there.

Her mother looked up in that direction, then to her daughter. Her eyes opened wide in hope. She got up quickly and picked up the little girl, her muscles aching at the effort.

"Point to where he is, Rey. He's a man that can help us."

Rey's little hand pointed, and her mother started walking in that direction. After a short time, Rey stopped pointing. Her mother halted. The light of day was fading, and the forest was becoming darker. The cold chirps of insects began to usher in the night.

"Where is he, honey?" asked her mother, trying to remain calm.

Rey did not say anything, but instead she looked past her mother.

"Why are you following me?" A voice came from behind the mother, causing her to jump.

Rey's mother turned to see a man with a light brown beard and a long cloak standing before them. This was the man that she had been pursuing. She stood up quickly.

"You-the Jedi Master," the woman said.

"Master? In the eyes of some," the man responded.

"But you are Luke Skywalker. Are you not?"

"I am," Luke said, cautious restraint in his voice as he stood tall with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Oh, thank the stars!" she exclaimed. She ran to him and fell before him.

Luke took a step back, breaking a stray branch with his step.

"You are in terrible danger!" she cried out.

Luke looked surprised. "What danger do you mean?"

"I will tell you, but first you must promise to help me." The woman had desperation in her voice.

Luke did not respond immediately but considered the woman and child. The silence from him was uncomfortable. The insects still sang their song. Rey walked up and grabbed her mother's arm.

"Who are you?" He asked the mother.

"My name is Deborah, and I am Ren's wife."

Luke's eyebrows raised. "My Jedi Apprentice? I didn't know he was married."

Deborah looked away and then toward Rey. She took a deep breath and held her daughter's hand a little tighter.

"There is much you don't know about him. Ren is not who you think he is. He entered under your training two years ago with intentions that you know nothing about."

Luke searched her feelings with the Force. He sensed her earnestness and fear. She believed what she was saying. He allowed her to continue.

"You and all of your students-eh, Padawans-are in great danger."

"What do you mean? Ren has been my friend and aid in training Jedi. How could he be such a danger?" Luke could foresee many possibilities, but he wanted to draw Deborah out. After the fall of the Empire, no one was threatening those that sought the Force, so Luke was free to train a new generation. Ren, being only about fifteen years younger than Luke had learned quickly, and soon became a close friend in the training of Padawans. He had been knowledgeable in the Force and easy to instruct. He excelled to such a degree that he had been elevated to train the youngest Jedi prospects. The news that he could be a danger was potentially devastating if true.

"Ren is a Jedi hunter," Deborah said flattly,

Luke looked shocked. "I would have known. I should have been able to sense something like that."

"He was trained as an inquisitor from a very young age during the Empire and is familiar with the Dark Side. He knows how to hide that from you. He joined with you, feigning ignorance of the Force and pretended to learn. You know how deceitful the Dark Side can be."

"But a Jedi Hunter? He would have to have been hired by someone." Luke responded.

"Yes, someone named Snoke."

Luke had not heard of him before. It was obvious from his face that he was confused as to who he might be.

"If you know all of this, you must have condoned it yourself. Why are you telling me this now?"

She moved her daughter in front of her and held her forward toward him. She could not hold her composure any longer and began to cry.

"You must help me. He'll kill her." She broke down in sobs, and could hardly speak.

Luke did not know how to respond. He stumbled over his words, there being so many questions, so many of which would be out of place.

"Why would he do that?" It may not have been the best question, but he needed to know. His own Padawans were in danger, and he needed to know more about Ren quickly.

"She is strong in the Force." Deborah tried to detach herself emotionally as she answered, wiping her face and choking down her crying. "I have tried to hide her ability, but I can't do it anymore. You must help her." Her voice cracked.

"Why me?" Luke asked.

"You are a Jedi. Ren will know how to find her if I hide her. He will get it out of me. That's what he does. I cannot know where she is going, and you will know a place where she can be safe. You are a Jedi and can protect her . . . and teach her how to protect herself, when she is able."

"I can't," Luke replied. "If what you say is true, I need to return to my Padawans and protect them. They trust your husband."

"No!" Deborah was desperate. "You promised."

He had not but that did not matter to her.

"Please," she implored. "He may know I am here already. We are not safe. I thought if I helped you, you would save my daughter. You are my daughter's only hope."

Luke looked at the child, running his fingers through his hair. Then weakly nodded in assent.

Deborah let out a gasp of relief, but it only lasted an instant. The forest seems a little less perilous to her now. "You must go now," she said. "There is no time."

She bent down to her daughter, and pushed her daughter's fine brown hair back, tears falling from her face. Rey was confused, but sad so she mirrored her mother and began to cry. "It's ok, Rey. Everything is going to be ok." She drew her in for an embrace. "This is a good man. He is going to take you to a good place for a while." Rey held onto her mother tight. "I love you, Rey. You remember that." Deborah closed her eyes tight and held her daughter, gripping her, not wanting to let go. "You hear me-always remember that I love you. Never forget that."

Luke looked on silently, reflecting on his own youth, ripped away from his mother.

Deborah loosened her embrace and cupped Rey's face in her hands, looking directly into her eyes as if to burn them in her memory. "You never forget. I love you." Tears ran down Rey's face as she looked to her mother. She did not understand. She did not know what was happening.

….

Rey bowed before the giant image of Snoke, his hologram looming twenty feet tall in an immense, dark communication room of the super star destroyer, a communication room meant to be an exact copy of the one on the Finalizer. His gaunt face and piercing eyes focused on his apprentice.

She was dressed in a black, tight, synthetic outfit with multiple buckles on her arms and legs to adjust the fit. A long, hooded, black cape draped over her back. Her black lightsaber staff was strapped diagonally behind her over her shoulder on top of her cape. Her brown hair was bound up tightly as to be in complete order.

"The Resistance base will be taken shortly. Their defenses are weak, Master," Rey stated.

"Does that seem typical of them?" Snoke was testing her, as he always did.

"No, Master. Their forces are smaller than normal. They will have moved much of their force to another location."

"Yes, Darth Irata. You have made a wise observation. But that is not all." Snoke smiled with his thin grin.

"They knew we were coming, certainly because I am with you. It is likely to be a fruitless outcome."

"You are quick to judge it as fruitless," Snoke said. "Perhaps you must make it fruitful."

Rey thought for a moment. Snoke watched, his dead pitch black eyes studying her. He said nothing.

"I must board the station and obtain information of the new Resistance base, Master."

"Yes, very good." Snoke stated with a sharp smile. His encouragement was always to promote his own ends. "Yet I wonder if you are ready to face Rey's old allies." His comment ended in a hiss.

"I have no feeling for them. They are puppet masters. Rey was the puppet."

"Excellent, My Apprentice. You have learned well. Now go and take control of your destiny."

"It will be done, Master." Rey lowered her head again.

Not long after, a First Order shuttle accompanied by eight TIE superior fighters exited the super star destroyer and made their approach on the asteroid belt. Passing through the star destroyers was easy enough; all the Resistance fighters were focusing on the destroyers. However, the expanse between them and the asteroids was swarming with fighters from both sides, and a contingent of nine ships attracted the attention of a squadron of X-Wings.

….

"That looks like an important contingent," Temmin Wexley radioed the rest of Blue squadron. Temmin Wexley, also known as "Snap," was an experienced pilot for the Resistance and had fought against the remnants of the Empire on his home planet, Akiva, when he was a young man. Now he headed his own squadron of fighters.

"Looks like they intend to board the station, Blue Leader," Blue Two replied.

"Let's see that they don't. Attack pattern Gamma," Snap replied.

The five X-Wings approached the First Order contingent from below. Blaster fire erupted from the fighters. Two TIEs were destroyed at the first assault. The rest broke formation to engage the X-Wings, one for each X-Wing; and one remained with the shuttle.

A TIE came directly as Snap. He corkscrewed the X-Wing to avoid damage, laser fire deflecting off his shields. His targeting computer hadn't found its mark but Snap fired. The laser blasts shot into the infinity of space, disappearing in oblivion. He then pulled up hard and looped to come down on top of the TIE as it passed underneath him. He fired again, with more success; and the TIE exploded, one dismembered TIE solar panel spinning silently in space. He then redirected to engage the shuttle.

"I've got one on my tail," Blue Three radioed. The pursued X-Wing passed slightly below Snap's view, a TIE close on its tail.

"I'll get it, Blue Three." He replied and veered to port slightly and downward to intercept, but it was too late. He watched as the X-Wing was erupted in pieces of metal and flames. Snap, undeterred and fixated on his target, lined up with TIE from behind as the TIE's gunner was still watching the X-Wing hit. Snap then pulled the trigger forcefully, venting his anger and easily dispatched the TIE in retribution.

The shuttle was not far away. He increased his thrust to catch it. The three other X-Wings fell back into formation having destroyed their TIEs.

"One shuttle and one TIE," Blue Two commented, "We got this one in the bag."

Snap did not smile but warned, "Don't celebrate 'til it's over, Blue Two. Let's keep the chatter to a minimum."

"Yes, Blue Leader." Blue Two replied.

The last TIE fighter's rear gunner began firing on the X-Wings, but it was futile. They effortlessly evaded any damage, and the four X-Wings vastly out-gunned the TIE. Its fight had ended before it began.

"Fire on that shuttle," Snap ordered.

The X-Wings drew near, letting out everything they had on the shuttle. Surprisingly, the shuttle was more agile than expected and made a sharp turn to starboard and around to head directly at the X-wings.

"That shuttle pilot is crazy," Blue Two commented. "We'll cook that ship, easy."

"Blue Two, less talk and fly," Snap ordered.

The squadron fired on the shuttle. As if the shuttle pilot knew where the shots would hit, the shuttle pulled up sharply, turned to port, then dove, successfully dodging the attack.

Blue Two had not responded to Poe as was protocol. Soon there was a choking sound on the other side of the radio from Blue Two.

"Blue Two . . . Locke?" Snap said. The shuttle was getting nearer, but not firing. Locke's X-Wing veered out of formation then drifted away aimlessly. The choking sound abruptly stopped.

"Locke!" Snap shouted. There was no answer.

He tried to fire on the shuttle, but his controls were not working.

"Blue Leader, I can't control my X-Wing!" Blue Four called out.

"Neither can I," Blue Five added.

Snap watched as Blue Four and Five seemed to move laterally in front of him as if picked up and moved like a child handling toys.

"What's going on!" Blue Four called out.

Snap did not know. He watched as the two X-Wings crossed over in front of him and were smashed into each other. He heard their screams over the radio before being snuffed out. Then he felt the tightening of his own throat. He tried to breath, but could not. Panic arose as he clawed at his neck trying to release the invisible force strangling him, but there was no use. He writhed and gasped without effect. Finally his clenching fists and tense arms relaxed, his vision fading into bright white unconsciousness.

….

Rey, seated in the pilot seat, had her hand outstretched with clenched fingers. The X-Wing that floated in front of her drifted downward, obviously no longer piloted. She lowered her hand, then rose from the controls. The pilot that had been removed from his seat at the beginning of the attack, rushed back into position.

"Get me onto that station," she ordered the pilot.

"Yes, Lady Irata," he returned.