Author Babbles: I bring you a very long chapter about Ashlyn being on the Finalizer. Surely this chapter isn't the entirety of their stay. There's one more chapter after this one all about it. But for now... there's something I must tell you.

So. The Last Jedi comes out in like...7 days? I want to remind everyone that this story will probably not follow the canon so... please note that. Also, I thought about maybe breaking this story up into multiple parts, but realized naaaaaah. Sometimes I lose readers if I break the story up because they don't realize it. So it'll all be here. And boy, do we have a lot to uncover. It's about to get intense in this place.

Also. I think we can give this chapter some love maybe? How does 5 new reviews sound? Good? Let's do it. Let's get this story to at least 115 by Sunday night and maaaaybe there will be a chapter up by then!

For those of you reviewing. I love you. Keep it up. All my readers keep this story going, and I want to make you all happy. I also love hearing from you so... pretty please?!

Anyway. Enough babble! Story!

Phasma arrived on the Finalizer, marching out of her transport ship with purpose and in full armor. The troops honored her by meeting her on the launch deck, standing in line and saluting the Captain as she passed by. At the end of her walk, a man dressed in First Order light grey was waiting for her. His arms folded behind his back, clasped gently around his datapad as he offered a disingenuous smile. "Captain Phasma." He greeted.

"Lieutenant Damar." She returned his lack of enthusiasm.

Lieutenant Espen Damar was a man in his mid-thirties, yet one could argue he looked much older with the dark circles around his eyes. He didn't sleep much with this job, but that could be said for most First Order personnel. He had beady black eyes and slight stubble on his pronounced chin. He was a proud man; a man who would sell out his best friend just to get ahead in his ranking. That wasn't exactly a secret. He also had quite the distaste for General Hux and Commander Ren; Captain Phasma was the least of his worries. Though, that was more sexism than actual fact. "I see you arrived alone."

"Good to know your eyesight is still intact, Lieutenant." If she were speaking to Hux or Ren, her statement would have been in good fun. However, this was clear malice.

Damar unlocked his hands and pulled up his datapad, looking through a flight itinerary as his face contorted to annoyance. "I hear the Commander is bringing his new apprentice to the Finalizer?"

"He is." Phasma confirmed flatly, the two now taking this moment to begin their walk from the launch bay and headed for the internal hallways of the Finalizer.

"I believe the Commander will be pleased with the proposal we have in place for him. His current reports on the location of the separatists and with the archival map, we should find the missing piece soon." Damar said as they walked. "Yet, he still has yet to inform us what this missing piece entails."

Phasma snapped. "That is classified." She wasted no time in putting Damar in his place. Not only was Phasma's rank above his, she also had the ace up her sleeve in being the General's right hand. It also didn't hurt to have Kylo Ren in her back pocket when needed. While Commander and Lieutenant were technically of equal rank, the base saw it differently when it came down to Kylo Ren. His rank was enhanced with the fear that followed in his wake.

"Knowing what we are looking for could help in the overall investigation as well as keep the mission from going astray."

"Perhaps you should keep your focus and energy on what you were assigned and leave the extra work to myself, the Commander and the General." Phasma said. "Are we clear?"

Damar grimaced. "Crystal, Captain."

"You will notify me the minute Commander Ren makes his final descent on the Finalizer. I wish to speak with him in my quarters the moment he arrives." Phasma demanded, her helmet hiding her knowing smirk as she added. "He may bring his apprentice."

"Captain." Damar confirmed with a glower as Phasma quickened her pace and headed for her quarters on the large ship. Damar kept his glare as he turned and made his way back to the launch bay to await the arrival of the Commander. However, the First Order Lieutenant did have trouble keeping his mischievous side down as he pulled up the file of the Commander's new apprentice.

"Holy cow, it's huge!" Ash gawked at the sight before her. She stared in amazement through the cockpit windshield at the sheer mass and size of the Finalizer. "You didn't tell me it was a giant ship."

Ren had a small, amused smirk on his lips as he reached for his helmet. "You didn't ask." He placed the helmet over his head, the clasps clicking in place. They were readying for their final descent onto the Finalizer. "Phasma isn't happy." He quipped, feeling the aggravation from Phasma onboard.

Ash's face scrunched slightly in confusion. "Oh?"

"She hates the Finalizer and everyone in it." Ren explained. "Or rather, she really hates some of the higher ups."

Ash made the observation. "Phasma seems to be the glue holding everything together in this organization. She keeps you and Hux in line."

"That she does." Although his voice distorted, he spoke with a glimmer of respect for the Captain. The three of them had been together for a long time now; that respect was earned and mutually given by all of them. "Remember, keep your distance." He said, now sounding more like her Commander again. "Do not get close to anyone on this base, speak only when you have to, and don't eat the green gelatin thing."

Ash laughed. "Or the grey stuff."

The distorted chuckle was unnerving. "I'm serious. Keep your distance and follow Phasma's lead. Remember what I taught you."

She nodded as she inhaled deeply through her nostrils. The ship beginning to dock on the Finalizer. Ash saw the awaiting troops in the launch bay, standing in line to welcome them. What the hell had she gotten herself into?

Ash's heart was racing in her chest as she followed a few steps behind Kylo Ren. Her head forward as her eyes locked on anything besides the helmets or faces of the personnel on the launch bay. She could feel the hesitation and anxiety radiating off practically everyone in the room as Kylo Ren walked with purpose. They feared him. They all did. He knew it too. Except unlike Kylo Ren relishing in the fear, Ash was feeling completely drained by it. So much negative emotion in a confined space was enough to to drive her crazy. It was like trying to walk forward with a weight shackled to her legs. A very heavy weight that she was unable to pull. A resistance pulling her back as she tried to move through it.

She had to be strong; not for him but for herself and her own sanity. She was stronger than this, she knew that. Now Ash had to find that strength as the two stopped and were greeted by a smug looking man in grey. "Commander." He saluted before looking around Kylo Ren to Ashlyn. "You must be Ashlyn Novafall. Welcome to the Finalizer, I am Lieutenant Damar."

Before Ash could return any formalities, Kylo Ren spoke. "Captain Phasma is expecting us." The distortion causing Lieutenant Damar to flinch slightly. Without another word, Kylo Ren walked around the Lieutenant, Ash quickly following his lead. However, before leaving Damar behind, she glanced in his direction. His scowl was not something she'd so easily forget, there was something about that man she didn't like. While she couldn't place it, she felt it. For now, she'd blindly follow Kylo Ren deeper into the Finalizer and hopefully find Captain Phasma.

Kylo Ren didn't knock, he didn't have to. He knew Phasma was waiting for them inside her quarters. He stormed right in, followed by a less confident Ashlyn Novafall. The door slid behind them as Phasma came out from the refresher in all her armor say for her helmet, looking at them with relief. "Thank the stars, you two finally made it." She looked around the brooding Commander to the uncomfortable Ash. "Are you alright, darling?"

Ash nodded. "Someone tends to draw the worst out in people, it's overwhelming." Phasma had an idea of what Ashlyn meant. She may not have been a Force User, but she did spend a lot of time with Kylo Ren to know that he felt the emotions of those around him. Ashlyn was no different.

Kylo Ren removed his helmet. "It's better to be feared than loved." He mused. "Exactly why haven't I been allowed to kill Damar yet?"

"Here's a crazy idea." Ash suggested. "How about you just don't kill anyone while we're here?"

Phasma snickered at Ashlyn's snarky comment. "Life would be easier if Damar weren't around." She agreed somewhat.

"I assume he's not well liked?" Ash asked.

Kylo gave her a pointed look. "You'll find out soon enough."

Phasma silently agreed; her attention now turning to a different matter. "Ren, have you received-"

He interrupted sharply. "I will take care of it."

Ash looked from Phasma to Kylo Ren, then back to Phasma before sighing. "Ah, yes. You're all in on this crazy little secret that's way above my pay grade."

Phasma quickly glared in Kylo Ren's general direction. Ren returned the glare just a fiercely. "Captain Phasma and I have a few things to catch up on. I recommend finding the maintenance team and introduce yourself." Ash was now joining in the frowning session. "And for the love of the maker, please stay out of trouble."

Ash rolled her eyes. His concern was unwarranted. "I'm not a child."

"We aren't worried so much about you causing problems as we are them." Phasma explained, knowing Kylo Ren's tone was just going to blow up in his face if he kept going. Although right now she'd love to see that.

Ashlyn understood their concern, she just hated how Kylo Ren would talk down to her when he was aggravated. Even if he wasn't aggravated with her, it always came out at her. "Alright, mom and dad." Ash said trying to joke. "I'll be good and explore safely."

"One of us will find you." Kylo added, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close. He kissed the top of her head lovingly before letting her go to wander. As Ash reluctantly left, Phasma gave Ren a very knowingly look as she quickly grabbed her datapad and began messaging feverently. "What are you doing?" He asked.

"I just won a bet." Phasma said as she messaged the General back on StarKiller.

Kylo narrowed his eyes, his tone menacing. "What bet?"

Phasma smiled sweetly. "That you'd be the first to admit your current relationship with Ms. Novafall." A message blipped on her datapad, cursing her out and skepticism over the matter.

"I admitted nothing." He said sternly, watching Phasma type away on her datapad. "Stop telling Hux that anything happened!"

Phasma's smile turned more mischievous. "You're sure getting upset over not admitting anything."

He groaned, rolling his eyes before wandering over to the couch and plopping down. "Can we please just go over our mission?" He suggested, knowing once they got Hux on the hologram, he'd be just as relentless as Phasma. However, they both knew they had to go over their next mission and Ren wanted it to be over with sooner rather than later. Someone had to keep an eye on the wandering red haired girl in the very large First Order station.

Ash wandered the hallways, looking around for any sign of where the maintenance hall would be. Her datapad hadn't updated yet with the Finalizer map so she was on her own. She received a few strange looks from anyone she passed. She felt completely out of place on the Finalizer. While the First Order wasn't known for its welcoming atmosphere, at least on StarKiller she felt home. Here she felt lost and overwhelmed by the negative cloud hanging over the entire ship.

"Excuse me?" Ash turned, seeing a bald man with a scar over his left eye. "I'm sorry to pester, but I saw your patch." He said, pointing to the maintenance insignia. "Are you Ashlyn?"

Ash forced a nervous smile, knowing she was already breaking all of Kylo Ren's rules. "I am."

He smiled with relief. "I'm glad I found you." He shoved his hand forward to shake hers, Ash cautiously took it. His shake was firm, but friendly. "I'm Arc, the director of maintenance on the Finalizer."

Ash felt her body relax slightly, realizing she had accidentally found her other team. Her smile now a little more reassured as she shook his hand. "It's so nice to meet you. I'll be honest, I didn't know we had a maintenance team outside of StarKiller."

He laughed. "We don't really deal with StarKiller, it's a separate base from us. However, Korran was in charge of the entire maintenance crew before we separated to StarKiller and Finalizer. Then Sid took over, I'm sure he had a lot going on with StarKiller. Fortunately, he didn't have to keep an eye on us too much." Ash's smile faded slightly at the mention of Sid's, so did Arc's. "I'm sorry to hear about him."

"It was difficult, but we pulled through." Ash said, trying to keep the conversation positive.

"Well, now you're here." Arc said, returning to a happy medium. "And maybe once StarKiller is done, we can bring our teams together again."

"I'd like that." Ash admitted. The idea was nice; yet who knew if it was even plausible. What was to become of Ashlyn Novafall, the mechanic, after StarKiller was finished?

"Where are my manners?" He asked, suddenly realizing he was being far from hospitable. "Come meet the team!" Ash nodded, ready to meet the maintenance team of the Finalizer.

Arc lead her towards a far point on the Finalizer, a thankfully quiet hallway. The two making small talk about the different tones of each base. Arc asked how the team was doing, having really only met them once or twice since his start. He also explained how he came to work for the First Order, like Ashlyn, it was a total accident. He had fixed a really banged up TIE fighter and received somewhat unwanted attention from its pilot. The First Order contacted him to join their cause, so he did. "I don't have to be part of their fight, I just have to fix their ships." He explained. "It pays well and I'm pretty happy." The two walked into an open area that looked like a rec room. There were four men lounging around, their attention perking up as the looked at the door. "Alright guys, fall in! Our Head of Maintenance is here!"

The group quickly removed themselves from whatever they had been doing prior and rushed over like they had never seen a lady before. Let alone, a redhaired lady. "Hi everyone." Ashlyn smiled warmly.

"Ashlyn, this is Krux, Raif, Parron and Gorron." Arc said, pointing to each man respectively. Ash noticed each man was different in their own right, Krux was a rather large man and reminded her of Grim. Raif was a very tall and slender man with a buzz cut. Parron and Gorron were apparently brother's but not twins like her the guys on StarKiller. It was weird, almost like looking into a bizarro world of her own life. "Would you want to have dinner with the crew, get to know us all better?" Arc suggested.

Ash pursed her lips, unsure if that was the best idea or not. She wasn't sure what Kylo Ren would think and if he had plans for her later. Then again, she was sent here to meet the other maintenance team and get to know the Finalizer. "You know what, yeah. I'd love to." She finally said, smiling more as she began to feel somewhat comfortable with them.

"And where is he now?" Kylo asked, frustration on his face as he sat back on the couch in Phasma's quarters. His eyes closing tightly as he tried to focus.

"They've moved the Supremacy. I'm not entirely sure the exact coordinates." Phasma confirmed. "From what I gather, it's paranoia. He's afraid of you failing to find Skywalker before the Resistance does."

"The Resistance has caught onto our plan for the missing piece." Kylo confirmed.

Phasma looked in shock. "For certain?" Kylo's silence only confirmed this. "You haven't told Hux?"

"It's not safe." Kylo commented. "There's certain things I must keep from Hux. If he were to go before the Supreme Leader…"

"I understand." Phasma said, not needing the explanation. "And the Resistance still is unaware of the overall plan?"

"As far as I know. They just believe our only focus is going after the map."

"And Ashlyn?" Phasma brought up.

He looked at her through narrowed eyes. "What about Ashlyn?"

"She still doesn't know."

"How do you propose I tell her?" He asked in annoyance, remembering their little power struggle back on Maridun. "While she has greatly improved in blocking out intruders from her thoughts, I'm still unsure if it's time."

"Hux said Snoke wants to see her." Phasma informed him. "You can't protect her forever."

Kylo shifted in his seat. "Here I thought having another Force User would make our cause easier." His tone sarcastic.

"It would have been if you weren't in love with her." Phasma confirmed. "It's only harder because unlike Hux and myself, if she did die in the process you would be affected."

Kylo snorted. "I'd be affected if you and Hux died."

Phasma smiled sarcastically. "Only because you need us. I am certain that without us you could keep on going."

"I can function without Ashlyn." He argued. "I've done it before, I can do it again." She gave him a pointed look to which he simply sighed; his confident demeanour faltering. "I just wouldn't want to."

"Exactly my point." Phasma's voice was calmer now; a more genuine and caring tone taken over. "You know, it's okay to let someone in every once in awhile."

He frowned. "We are not having this talk, Phasma."

"I'm just saying."

With one last eyeroll, Kylo Ren asked another important question. "Since Snoke is not arriving, do we still have to stay?"

"Unfortunately." Phasma replied with a sympathetic smile. "We can't look suspicious."

Kylo Ren began to realize more and more, the deeper they went with this plan, he couldn't keep Ashlyn safe. He was going to need her to be her own force to help in their takedown. Yet, he was holding himself back from letting her be a part of it. Perhaps it was because if it did, then the danger that came with it would be too real.

While he cared if Phasma and Hux died, he knew they were ready for that ending. If Ashlyn died? That would affect him in a whole other way. They were fully bonded now, if anyone were to rip that bond apart, it would tear them to pieces from the inside. Ashlyn could fend for herself, but Kylo Ren wasn't ready to let go of that selfish want and need to keep her oblivious to it all. He did promise her more transparency. In his mind, however, keeping her in the dark would keep her safe for just a while longer. "Speaking of our head of maintenance." He said. "I should go find her."

Phasma shook her head. "Allow me." Kylo eyed her skeptically at the offer. "You have to keep some distance from her this week. It would be suspicious otherwise." He hated that she had a point.

Ash really enjoyed spending time with the other maintenance team. She learned a lot about what made them tick, their overall vibe, their likes and dislikes. It was a great way to calm her nerves and recenter her focus. She was around people who were emitting a more positive energy unlike when she first arrived.

She was walking back from dinner with the maintenance team, they were laughing and telling stories back and forth. "So what do you think about my team?" Arc asked her.

"You all remind me of the guys back on StarKiller." She said with a smile. "I miss them."

Arc laughed. "Maintenance is just a special group, no matter where they are. We get each other, ya know?"

"Misfits who fit in together." Krux said with a wide grin, the group laughing again as they turned the corner.

The laughter died down pretty quickly as they stared at a shiny, chrome trooper walking down the hallway towards them. "Ms. Novafall." She said.

Ash was smiling still, a small smile but a smile nonetheless. "I suppose I'm needed, Captain Phasma?"

Phasma looked at the group she was with. "When you're ready."

Ash looked at Arc and the gang. "Duty calls, gentleman. I'll be seeing you soon."

"Don't be a stranger, Ash!" Arc beamed.

Ash turned to Phasma, signaling to her she was ready. The two leaving the maintenance hall. "How was your afternoon?" Phasma asked.

"It was great connecting with the rest of maintenance. They're all really nice." Ash said. "Yours?"

Phasma smiled knowingly under her mask. "Successful." She was short and to the point.

Ash groaned. "Are you just like the Commander? Ask only the right questions and perhaps I'll get an answer?"

"He makes things a little more complicated than I do." Phasma acknowledged.

"You have no idea." Ash mumbled as the two women continued to walk.

"There is nothing going on today." Phasma stated plainly. "I recommend you rest for tomorrow. The fun has only just begun."

Ash laughed, she was in such high spirits it didn't bother her that her time on the Finalizer would be a stressful one. She realized after her dinner with maintenance that she had people here who were there to help her through it. Arc, the boys, Phasma and yes, even Kylo Ren (mostly when he wasn't being a pain in her behind). Things would be okay… for now.

Ash was running in an empty void. Not the empty void she had been absent from for a while now. Ever since she began sharing a bed with Kylo Ren, their shared dreams were minimal to completely nonexistent. They didn't care either way. However, now Ash was running in a void once more.

Soon, around her walls began to appear. They were much lighter than the walls on StarKiller and the Finalizer. She didn't recognize where she was. Finally, she stopped, taking in the sights around her. Where the heck was she?

There was a beeping in the distance. Ash sharply turned, seeing a round, orange and white BB unit rolling towards her. It looked up at her curiously, before beeping for her to follow and quickly speeding from the direction it had come from. Ash wasted no time in running after the BB unit. "Wait!" She called out to it. It simply beeped for her to keep following.

Ash made it to a cross section, the orange and white BB unit was now nowhere to be found. She glanced down each hallway, wondering where it could have gone to. The hallways melted around her, forming the empty void once more.

Then, from the darkness, Kylo Ren stormed forward. His helmet over his head as his boots heavily made contact with the ground. At first, she felt comfort seeing him. Then, she realized, something was wrong as he came closer. Ashlyn felt a tightness around her throat as she watched his arm fly up towards her. Her hands found her throat, trying to alleviate some of the pain as he kept coming closer.

Kylo Ren grabbed his lightsaber, the blade hissing out of the hilt. With one swift motion, he sliced down at Ashlyn, forcing her out of her dreaming state.

She sat up, gasping for air, a cold sweat taking over her body as her chest rose and fell rapidly to compensate for her breathing. The room was dark, of course it was, they were in the middle of space. Something she wasn't used to waking up to. She was unable to tell how late or early it was. With a groan, she reached over to her datapad; early. The answer was it was really early in the morning.

Ash swung her legs over the side of her bed, her feet touching the cold ground. It brought her back into reality as she calmed down. Her room on the Finalizer was much smaller than StarKiller. It was cold and empty, it didn't feel right to be in there. She'd have to make due and deal with it, however.

What she didn't want to "deal with" was her latest dream with Kylo Ren killing her. That wasn't really something anyone was ready to focus on. She almost half expected the other Force User to be barging in right now and telling her that the vision was wrong. However, she could feel him; she felt his reluctance. He was awake too, and he wasn't all too happy with what she saw either. Yet, neither one could act on it. They had to behave. Both also somewhat thankful that they weren't able to face each other right in that moment.

'Not all of them come true.' She reminded him; hearing nothing back in reply. Although, every other one had come true. What would make this one any different?

With a grim sigh, she wandered over to the refresher. Perhaps a nice warm shower would do the trick in helping her forget the fact that the guy she really, really liked was probably going to kill her someday.

Her vision didn't help Kylo Ren feel any better about basically anything in that moment as he sat in his sleeping quarters. He had that looming feeling of all the ways this could go horribly wrong. Perhaps Phasma had been right; Hux and Phasma were just collateral. If they died in this ultimate chaos; that would be almost expected. They all silently knew that death was an option for all of them. At first, Ashlyn was the same, however unsuspecting of that prospect. Her death was also collateral. Now? Kylo Ren had a weakness.

If she died in the sights of battle, he'd probably never forgive himself. Kylo Ren had done a lot of things he wasn't exactly proud of, but he accepted them as gracefully as anyone with a dark past. Ashlyn dying due to causes either directly or indirectly by him… he wasn't ready for that. The only thing he could do was keep preparing the red haired girl for the worst. An inevitable end that was probable and now glaring down at them thanks to one little Force Vision. It was a warning. He knew that. A warning he wished he didn't need.

Today was a little different for the Force User. He was needed in a rather large debriefing over a proposal from the Finalizer inside collateral team, something he typically didn't want to deal with. However, Ashlyn would be with him for this one. She'd be gaining some insight on the overall plan and he knew she'd have a million questions to follow. He could only hope she'd continue to blindly trust him until the time came.

Perhaps Phasma had been right, maybe he had gone too far by falling in love with the girl. It compromised everything, the stakes were higher. Maybe there was still a glimmer of hope that everything could work out in the end. Kylo Ren wasn't exactly an optimist and it showed in that moment.

There was nothing to do on the Finalizer that wouldn't be considered not "getting into trouble" according to Kylo Ren's standards. So, Ashlyn was forced to stay in her new apartment, waiting for something to do. She hadn't seen Kylo Ren since their little meeting in Phasma's apartment at this point; she knew he was busy and she understood he was needed elsewhere. That didn't mean she couldn't miss his stupid, charming face.

Her quiet second day involved cleaning, reading the large book on planets, and playing with her datapad. She missed StarKiller, something she never thought she'd ever say. Surely, most of that feeling was due to the inhabitants of that base. Perhaps, it was time to check in?

Ash boredly looked at her datapad before typing a quick message to the maintenance team. 'Miss you guys!' The message said as she stared at it's delivery for a few moments before being flooded with messages back.

'ASH! COME HOME! EVERYTHING IS ON FIRE!' - Grim

'HE'S KIDDING. BY THE STARS, HE'S KIDDING, DON'T FREAK OUT!' - Taka

Ash laughed at the messages as the two went back and forth before ultimately replying to them. 'How is the base really doing?'

'Twins are checking into a minor malfunction in the oscillator, shouldn't be a big deal though. Everything is going smoothly.' - Taka

Ash replied. 'That's good to hear.' She typed out. 'And the refracted rays? Have you guys worked on the calibration yet?'

'Geez, she goes away for a week and thinks we did nothing the entire time!' - Grim

'Don't listen to him! The calibration was tested earlier in the week; readings look strong and have been steady. We'll await your final check before getting ready for any testing. How's the Finalizer?' - Taka

'Awful.' Ash replied. 'Everyone is so dull. Except the other maintenance team, I really like them. Hopefully we can reconnect with them soon.'

'Oh no, she likes them better than us, Taka! It's too late, she's never coming home now.' - Grim

'I could never' Ash smiled fondly as she sent that message.

'Well hurry up, Ash. We all really do miss you ;)' - Taka

Ash ignored the winky face that Taka had sent back, her attempts to avoid his flirting were proving to be more of a hassle than she wanted to think about. If only he knew about her relationship with Kylo Ren, he'd probably quit and leave the base as fast as possible.

At least things were going well at home. That was all she could really ask for. StarKiller was nearing completion and she'd be back to the safety of the base soon. Ash mentally laughed. 'StarKiller' and 'safety' were not two words she would have ever thought to put together.

The door to her quarters slid open, and not by the mechanism but by a forceful push as the man in black came storming in. The door sliding quickly behind him as he came further into the room. Ash frowned at him, well, at his mask. She couldn't actually see his face. "You really don't know how to knock, do you?" Even with the sarcastic remark, she couldn't hide her excitement at seeing him for the first time since their arrival.

"I have to keep my authority in check." His distorted voice reminded her. "That also means entering rooms whenever I want." Without her having to ask, he removed his helmet and walked over to her, sitting on the bed next to her. Kylo placed his helmet on the other side of him as he looked at her. "We have a meeting today." He was tense, and while it didn't show outwardly, Ash could feel it.

Ash put her datapad on the small corner table next to her bed. "I figured. You wouldn't be here otherwise." She cautiously spoke again, choosing her words carefully. "You seem stressed."

He was. He had a number of things to be concerned about. From the overall plan to overthrow Snoke to not being able to keep Ashlyn safe. It was a weight on him, one he'd bare without showing the struggle. "Would you hold it against me if I said I missed sleeping next to you last night." Kylo admitted, pushing the focus to anything outside of the overhaul.

Ash beamed as she nudged him with her elbow. "You must really like me."

He smirked. "No, I'm simply used to having the extra warmth when you sleep on top of me."

Ash laughed, of course he'd bring up her awkward sleeping positions. "Fair enough." She said before returning to business. "Isn't is suspicious for you to be here?"

Ren gave her a knowing look. "I'm the Commander, I dare them to say something."

Ash chuckled at his defiance. "Well then, Commander. How much time do we have before this meeting?"

"We have time." He informed her. "I told you I'd make time for you."

"Oh good, so we have time to make out then?" She asked teasingly, hoping to throw him off guard and bring a smile to his face.

Kylo Ren's face turned to a look of unexpected shock before the sudden wholehearted laughter kicked in. It worked. "Plenty of time." He said, leaning over and pushing Ashlyn backwards onto the bed, she let out a surprised laugh as Kylo Ren lied down partially on top of her. He looked down at her, hesitating for a moment to really take her in. Her smile, her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when she saw him. Everything outside of this war he was creating was perfect. If only it could be that way forever. He didn't hold back anymore as he leaned down, capturing her lips with his and kissing her feverently. It had only been a day and he missed her more than anything.

She felt it too as she kissed him back. Everything was right in the galaxy when they were together. Nothing could change the way she felt about him. Sure, he had done some awful things… things she knew about and things she didn't. Yet, there was something inside him. Something only Ashlyn could feel, perhaps it was because of their bond or some other reason she didn't understand. She felt it. There was light. While Kylo Ren didn't want to admit it and would do anything in his power to smother the light; it was there. It was enough to give her that glimmer of hope that he wasn't the monster he made himself out to be.

Kylo Ren reluctantly pulled away first, his lips barely hovering over hers. Immediate regret washed over him; was all of this worth sacrificing? Was losing Ashlyn worth everything he worked so hard to build? What if they ran and left the galaxy and its stupid war behind and didn't look back? Her voice soft. "What is it?" She asked, bringing him out of it.

He was panicking a little more than he had realized. He forced a false yet still deviant smirk to his lips. "Nothing." He assured her, thinking of a lie he could create to get himself out of his troubling thoughts. "I'm just wondering how much time we still have if I take you now."

Ash chuckled at his crass suggestion. "Aren't you the one in charge?" She asked him. "Don't you make the rules?"

Kylo Ren's grin grew. "You're right, I do." He kissed her again, a kiss that held a promise of something mischievous. "And my new rule is for us to get rid of stress in any way I see fit."

Ash leaned up and pecked his lips. "Then you should implement your new rule, Commander."

He didn't need to be told twice.

The two arrived to the debriefing meeting later than expected. However, the only one who dared to glare at them was Captain Phasma as Kylo Ren found his seat towards the head of the table. Ashlyn, however, was fortunate enough to sit next to the glaring Captain Phasma. Phasma quickly typed a message on her datapad and motioned to the girl next to her to read it. 'Rough morning?'

Ash blushed furiously as she quickly typed sank in her chair. Before she could explain herself or even try to come up with an excuse, Lieutenant Damar began speaking. "Now that the Commander has finished his early morning training with his newly acquired apprentice-" He began. 'If only he knew…' Ashlyn heard echo in her mind; between Phasma and Ren, they weren't helping the blushing situation. "We can begin our debriefing." A large map appeared in the center of the conference table, it held different charted planets and constellations that Ash was unfamiliar with. "We have managed to complete the maps of the old Empire archives in its entirety except for one missing piece." Damar was pleased with himself, it showed in his smugness.

At this point, Ash wished one of the Force gifts were to see through objects, like masks. She'd give anything to get some sort of answer from Kylo Ren's expression, his mask his everything. Perhaps it would give away the importance of having this map at all.

Phasma knew what this meant, however. The only missing piece was the piece they were searching for. The piece that safely held the location of Luke Skywalker. The beginning point of their overhaul. While Phasma didn't truly understand the importance of finding Skywalker, she trusted Ren knew exactly what he was doing. He always did. Kylo Ren had a way of being one step ahead, and while the latest news was a minor setback, she had a feeling Ren was prepared for that.

He was. In fact, Kylo Ren was almost hoping they'd finish the restoration of the archives. This would give Snoke a reason to believe their mission to find Skywalker was still in the hands of the First Order and not in Kylo Ren's personal agenda. He had to keep Snoke believing he always had the upper hand. Now, the tricky part came. Once he found the other piece to the map, he'd need to go. That was also where he needed Ashlyn. Another Force User was detrimental when confronting Skywalker. He didn't expect a fight, but he needed to be prepared. There was also so much more to be done and only a Force User like himself could handle it. He'd have to let Ashlyn in on a few details soon.

"We are almost certain that we have narrowed down the planets to Resistance bases as well." Damar continued, the map zooming in on a few Outer Rim sectors. "They've chosen to lay low, but we have the power and means to find the Resistance scum and end them."

"No." The distorted voice was firm and powerful; the room growing eerily quiet after he spoke. "We focus on the Republic first." Kylo Ren commanded. "Without the Republic, the Resistance has nothing."

Damar frowned. "With all do respect, Commander. I believe-"

Kylo Ren stood from his chair now, the overall vibe in the room turning toxic as everyone awaited the ultimate demise of Damar. "We focus on the Republic." He restated; his voice like venom as he spoke.

Damar faltered then, backing down as he forced an unconvinced smile. "You are the Commander."

"And you will do well to not forget that." Ren spat, sitting back down with purpose.

Damar cleared his throat and began to talk about the logistics of their newly acquired archive and the overall plan.

Ash kept her focus on the hologram in the center of the table, or at least, made it look that way. 'You really enjoy making people squirm.'

'Power is everything.' He reminded her. 'Intimidation is the best way to harness that power. No one questions you. Now pay attention, this concerns you too.'

She listened again, hearing Damar bring up StarKiller and the weapon. "Once StarKiller is ready, nothing will be able to stand in our way. This weapon will be the ultimate decider in who controls the galaxy."

Ash didn't really care for that, Kylo Ren had figured as much when she frowned. He knew StarKiller was a red herring. While useful, it was simply a distraction. A tool to help them change the course of this war and ultimately give them the advantage. Well, give Kylo Ren an advantage. Ashlyn, however, was told by General Hux that StarKiller was for defense only. It was the only way to help her sleep at night. Now hearing what she ultimately believed in the first place; Ashlyn Novafall was a very unhappy Force User.

After listening for two hours about the archives and the ultimate expanse of the First Order, Ash felt like her brain was going to melt. She didn't sign up for all this political jargon. She wanted to fix things and train in the Force. That was it. Yet more and more, Ashlyn was beginning to learn the truth about the First Order and was growing further and further from the path she had set out on. Her place in all this was still undetermined.

Each minute on the Finalizer was growing more and more frustrating. It was like everyone knew a piece of the puzzle, or rather they knew a heck of a lot more than Ashlyn did. She wanted something, anything. A typical case of 'be careful what you wish for' in every sense. Especially when Kylo Ren stormed into her sleeping quarters again.

The two saying nothing until the door shut behind him; his mask was off in mere seconds of the door clicking and he was on the couch next to her in less time. "To what do I owe the honor of another visit, Commander? People are going to start thinking you're picking favorites."

"I don't have favorites. I hate everyone equally." He said dryly before getting into business talk. Ash wished he wouldn't. "We don't have much time before the next meeting." He said, giving a little knowing smirk. "How do you enjoy being in the know?"

Ash scoffed. "I don't." That was obvious. "But not because I don't want to know anything. It just seems like everyone knows something but not the whole picture. Everyone but you."

"It's better that way." Kylo Ren admitted.

"Not when you're trying to play the game with them." Ash said. "Everyone is a pawn to you, I'd like to at least know where I am on the game board."

Kylo rolled his eyes. "You're not a pawn, exactly." Ash frowned at his wording. "You're very important to me in many ways. I can't tell you exactly what is happening, but I can tell you this. You can't just be Ashlyn Novafall anymore, there is a bigger part for you to play."

She wasn't a fan of that statement by any means. It's all she had, it was her mantra that she always went back to. She was simply Ashlyn Novafall, nothing else. Now, she was going to be something much bigger with Kylo Ren's guidance. "I'm not a piece you can constantly control, Ren."

"I don't plan on controlling you." He said truthfully. "I need you by my side. When the time comes, you will be the only one I can trust."

Ash let his words sink in for a moment. He trusted her. In some sense, he did trust her. That was enough for her to make the decision. "And I will be. Just don't keep me in the dark for long."

Kylo Ren decided then to give Ashlyn a little piece of the puzzle to hold. A piece of her own that didn't give too much but also gave her a secret to protect. A purpose. "A piece of the map is missing." Ash knew that from looking at the giant hologram from earlier. "That piece is important to the First Order, but not many know why."

"And you do?"

He made a face. "Let me finish, oh-impatient-one." Ash playfully smacked his arm; unable to hide the smile that was forming on her lips. "It's a map to Luke Skywalker." Ash seemed unphased by the significance of it all. Then again, she didn't really know who Luke Skywalker was other than something about a rebellion and bringing down the Empire. Kylo sighed in frustration at the blank reaction on her face. "Are we going to need a history lesson too?"

Ash laughed nervously. "We might."

"Once the map is in my possession, you and I are going to need to find him." Kylo Ren explained. "That's about as much as I can give you as I've already said too much."

"Why are you so afraid to tell me anything?"

"It's not you." Kylo began. "The Supreme Leader is a strong Force User. I can counter his attempts to read into my thoughts, anyone else is at risk."

It suddenly made sense to Ashlyn. "That's why no one knows anything, if they know too much then Snoke might find out."

"Precisely." Kylo looked away from Ashlyn then and down to his helmet. "I trust that you've grown strong enough to keep him out, but I need to be smart about it until we can prove that."

"There really is going to be an overhaul of power, isn't there?" His silence was all the confirmation she needed as she gently placed her hand on his thigh. "I didn't come here to fight a war."

Kylo rolled his eyes. "I know, I know, you're not only grey but also freelance. You don't take sides."

"Now who is being impatient?" She asked teasingly; leaning over and kissing Kylo Ren's cheek. "I was about to say how interesting it is that even based on my beliefs, I'm willing to join you. After all we've been through, I'm by your side for whatever happens now." He wasted no time in pulling her close; his lips devouring hers in an instance.

She was sincere in her words. It all came back to her earlier revelation. There was light in Kylo Ren; somewhere deep down within him, presiding over his decisions. Perhaps maybe this was all for the greater good, she had to let go of her inhibitions and blindly continue to follow him. The light was begging to come out, she was determined to help it.

Final Thought: Oh snap! We finally have Ash on board and ultimately helping Kylo Ren in whatever the hell it is he's up to! I assure you, we will find out soon. Also, I doubt Ash can keep out of trouble either. Kylo has been quite the influence. Anyway! Remember to review, see y'all next time!