Chapter 11

As they descended towards the rendezvous point Rey took notice of the cloud cover. The clouds were enormous and Rey could see lightning flashing.

"This is going to be interesting," Rey said. Kylo didn't answer and when she looked back his expression was solemn. They were going to be fighting this battle in the rain. The only good thing about the storm was that it would be nearly impossible for the orbiting ship to get a lock on them through the lightning interference. If Hux wanted to see how the battle was going, he was going to have to come down to the planet.

As they neared the clouds Rey shouted back, "Hang on! It's going to get bumpy!"

They entered the clouds, the white quickly giving way to dark gray. Water beaded up on the transport windshield and Rey could see nothing as they descended. The ship began shaking, dropping several feet at once in the unstable atmosphere.

When the cloud cover finally dissipated, they were much closer to the ground than Rey expected. She pulled up sharply, skimming the cloud cover and praying no lightning bolts would find them. It was difficult to see where they were headed in the torrential downpour.

"Over there," Kylo said, pointing.

Rey followed his line of sight and saw what looked like troops. She turned the ship and headed towards them, landing next to a rock outcrop. They got up and walked to the open bay door, Kylo holding her hand as Rey limped slightly from her leg wound. The Knights of Ren were standing just inside the door, out of the rain.

Zira looked at them both. "What are our orders?" she asked Kylo.

He looked at all the Knights and then again at Rey. "We fight the First Order." He held Rey's eyes as he continued, as if daring her to contradict him. "No quarter. No prisoners. We either succeed against Hux or we die." He looked back at Zira as Rey felt uncertainty bloom in her chest. Many of the stormtroopers were with the First Order involuntarily. "Is that clear?"

Zira didn't answer at first and Rey could sense her uncertainty. "Yes, sir." Her eyes went to the saber strapped to Rey's belt and its partner strapped to Kylo's side. "We have no lightsabers, sir."

Kylo's gaze moved over each of them. "Then I suggest you get comfortable with a blaster." He swallowed, his breathing shallow as he pointed at Chewbacca, who was jogging towards them in the rain. "He can help."

As Chewbacca drew near Rey sensed Kylo's fear and guilt through their bond, felt his hand tighten on hers. Rey looked at him, sending a wave of hope down their bond. Then she turned to Chewbacca.

"The First Order should be here soon," she said. "They were not far behind us when we entered the atmosphere." She pointed towards the Knights of Ren. "They will need weapons."

Chewbacca looked them up and down and then indicated they should follow him. He turned back towards Rey, eyeing Kylo.

"Raaaaaahhgh uugggh huurh wrrhwrwwhw?" he asked, nodding towards Kylo, likely noticing his blindness.

Rey watched Kylo swallow again.

"He's going to help the Resistance," Kylo responded. Rey sensed waves of apprehension and guilt flowing through their bond, all the more potent because of it.

"He's here to help us," Rey said quietly, giving Chewbacca a pleading look as lightning flashed ahead.

Chewbacca regarded them for a moment before turning back around.

"Uughghhhgh raaaaaahhgh uggguh."

Rey sent Kylo a quick smile as they followed the wookie over to the rest of the soldiers, Kylo gripping her hand as they walked. Rey attempted to ignore the warmth that bloomed in her chest at the contact, knowing now was not the time. By the time they reached the others, Finn, Poe, Rose, and the defected stormtroopers had joined them as well. Blasters and other weapons were being passed around, while paint was being applied to the stormtroopers' armor to distinguish them from the enemy. Rey wondered how they would handle fighting their former comrades and hoped they didn't freeze when the time came.

Poe headed over towards Leia and the other leaders to discuss battle strategy. Rey started to walk over to join them, but felt her arm jerk when Kylo didn't move with her. He was rooted to the spot as he watched his mother speaking with the general of the Naboo armies.

"Ben?" Rey asked, pushing wet hair out of her eyes. His eyes flicked to hers as he swallowed thickly. She heard the sounds of approaching ships above the boom of thunder and flashes of lightning and knew their time was running short. The First Order would soon be upon them. She pulled his hand again. "We don't have time. We have to find out what's going on and where we're needed." This time he followed her as she tugged him towards Leia and the rest of the leadership.

Kylo tried and failed to calm himself, his emotions scattering with each step towards his mother. His last meeting with her had not gone well, but there was also the added emotional potency of meeting in person rather than through the force bond. He felt a wave of understanding flood him through his bond with Rey and was grateful for her calming influence. The last thing he needed was to be distracted during battle. It would be difficult enough to be of use without his sight. He couldn't exactly hold Rey's hand the entire time, as much as he would like to.

When they reached the team of leaders, people running off in different directions to prepare as the incoming ships closed in on them, Leia turned towards them. She froze, her eyes widening before she blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, obviously trying to reign in her emotions. Kylo merely nodded once at her, unsure of what to say or do.

"My Knights of Ren and I are joining the fight," he said, addressing all those present. "They are without lightsabers, but have trained in several different weapons and are ready to fight where they're needed."

"What's our plan?" Rey asked.

Leia sighed. "We meet them on the battlefield and hope we win."

"We have a few tricks up our sleeve," said one of the generals. "But for now, we fight them on open ground."

The sound of blasters firing and the approach of AT-ATs met their ears, along with shouts.

"Any plans for how to handle those?" Kylo asked, somewhat sarcastically.

The scream of what sounded like X-wings approached from their right.

"As a matter of fact, we do," Leia replied, equally sarcastic.

It was only then that Kylo realized Poe was no longer present. He itched to get into a ship himself, and felt bitterness rise in him at the thought that he would never have the pleasure again. He looked back at the Knights who were awaiting his instructions.

"Find a fight and take them down," he said, nodding in the direction of the battle. They returned his nod and headed into the fray just ahead.

He turned towards Rey, igniting his saber. "Ready?"

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Leia asked, sounding worried.

Before he could respond, Rey replied, "The force isn't about what you can see." She turned towards him and smirked. His own mouth twitched upwards in reply, before he finally let go of her, closing his eyes and saying "Remember, don't break the connection."

"Ben." His mother's voice sounded hesitant, yet also slightly panicked.

He opened his eyes, though without direct contact with Rey he could see only darkness and Rey. He felt his mother's hand on hesitantly settle on his arm.

Kylo shook his head. "There's no time." He cursed the waver in his voice and felt the urge to rip his arm away. Fighting that instinct, he gently but firmly grabbed her hand off of him, turning around towards the battle ahead, again closing his eyes.

He focused on the force around him, on the battle ahead of him, sensing his comrades and the enemies they fought. He swallowed as he wondered if his mother was right. This might not be the best time to learn to fight totally blind.

"It's going to have to be," Rey said, answering his unspoken thought.

Before Kylo could take a step he felt a sharp shift in the force around them and pushed Rey down, the sound of a blaster bolt hitting something behind them ricocheting around them.

Rey breathed quickly. "Thanks."

"Go," was all he said in reply. To his surprise, he felt the force swelling around him, as if his sense of it had been heightened. Perhaps it was the blindness itself, or perhaps it was his battle mode kicking in, but he could sense every person nearby, every bolt flying.

He turned as he sensed an enemy approach, bringing up his saber to block a blaster bolt and send it back to its owner. He heard a scream as the bolt hit his intended target. Smiling to himself he stalked forwards, both hands on his saber, parrying bolt after bolt back towards his new enemies. He heard screams all around him, though the din of battle was almost background noise as he remained focused on gaining ground against his enemies.

Just as he was about to charge forward he felt another shift in the force to his left and turned, swiping his saber upwards and hitting his intended assassin. From that point forward he was truly in the fray. Trooper after trooper came after him, some with blasters in front, and some trying to sneak behind. He was being assaulted from every angle, but none had managed to hit him. His breath rate increased with his battle fury until, with a roar, he drew his saber in a circle slicing all those near him. He charged forward, slashing at all those around him, briefly wondering at his ability to discern friend from foe, before quickly turning his attention back to the task at hand. He wondered how Rey was fairing, knowing she had not yet been hurt, as he had felt nothing through their connection.

Rey felt fury building within her as she charged forwards, ignoring the pain in her leg, blocking blast after blast. She had lost Kylo early on in the battle, and suspected her anger was not all her own. She channeled it as best she could into defeating those firing at her. She swooped down towards a fallen trooper to grab his blaster and held it up, parrying blasts with the saber in her right hand and shooting the blaster with her left.

Chaos was everywhere, the rain making it more difficult to see what was happening. Poe was leading a squadron of Naboo's air force in trying to take down the AT-ATs, TIE Fighters hot on their tail. Chewbacca was attempting to lure the First Order troops back into the tree line where, if the plan was being followed, there were additional forces waiting in the trees to surprise their enemies. Rey saw several of the Knights of Ren fighting near her and shouted at them.

"Push them towards the tree line!"

They nodded and began changing their attacks, pushing the enemy into the waiting ambush. Rey smiled and then turned around, nearly hit with a blaster bolt while she had been preoccupied. Anger rushed through her and she bared her teeth, screaming as she charged forward and slashed at her assailants.

It seemed that for every trooper she took down, five more took its place. Wave after wave headed towards them. She looked around quickly and saw that so far the Resistance had been able to hold their line, but she wondered how long they could handle the assault before the First Order got the upper hand. When it came down to numbers, they were sorely outnumbered. What they needed to do was get to Hux. Only by stopping him could they truly win.

As Rey continued to fight she began searching the battlefield for Kylo.

Kylo felt droplets sliding down his face, though he didn't know if it was sweat or simply rain. Despite the ruthlessness of his fighting he had yet to feel the exhaustion that would certainly consume him at the end of battle. It was as if he had liquid energy running through his veins. Despite the loss of his sight, he had never felt stronger. As the attacks became slower he began to feel a sense of urgency. Rey was searching for him, wanting to find Hux and end this. He tried not to split his attention too much, but began using the force to search for his nemesis.

Kylo sensed him, off in the distance, behind the line of AT-ATs. The good news was he was on the ground. Likely Hux had had difficulty keeping the command shuttle, his command shuttle, in the air in this storm.

He felt a tug on his bond with Rey as she tried to pinpoint his location.

"We need to –" she started, running up to him.

"Over there," he said, cutting her off to point in the direction he sensed the General. "Hux is that way."

Rey grabbed his hand and the world suddenly reappeared before him. He blinked rapidly in the shock as Rey pulled him along with her. When he regained his composure he increased their pace, now pulling Rey along behind him. They blocked blaster fire as they ran, sending the bolts back to their owners and slashing at any who happened to get too close to them.

As they neared the line of AT-ATs the X-wings finally crippled one. As it fell, Kylo looked up, seeing it was headed straight down on top of them.

"COME ON!" He yelled, pulling her quickly to the side as the huge transport fell. He was practically dragging her through the mud by the end, yanking her arm to go faster and finally jumping and pulling her with him. The transport hit the ground with a loud boom, narrowly missing their legs. Several soldiers on both sides had not been as lucky.

Kylo and Rey both breathed heavily, faces inches apart, until Rey got up suddenly, pulling Kylo up with her.

"Let's go," she gasped.

He nodded and they took off again. As they neared the command ship, the number of stormtroopers increased ten-fold. Kylo chanced a glance behind them and realized most of their force was still well off.

Rey started to protest when Kylo dropped her hand, but he sent a wave of trust flowing down their bond as he began slashing his lightsaber forward, both parrying fire and killing foes. He would never have believed it, but his sight had become a hindrance for his concentration on the force. Without it he had a laser-sharp focus on his surroundings. He whipped around, hearing Rey roar as she fought off assailants as well.

He felt the force signatures of his Knights behind him, along with Finn and some of the defected troopers, as they ran up to help the pair fight their way to Hux. Kylo sensed them on either side of him, creating a tunnel of sorts, leading right towards the transport ship. He charged forward, trusting they would cover his sides as he gained ground. He saw Rey running next to him, their connection still strong, and they both took down trooper after trooper, heading ever closer to the transport ship.

As the reached it, he nodded for Rey to head to the left while he came around the right side of the ship.

Rey parted from Kylo, heading around the side of the ship slowly, eyes peeled for an attack. The fact that there was no one trying to attack her set her on edge. She raised her saber high as she stalked around the side of the ship. She sensed several people nearby and stopped, breathing heavily, and trying to focus.

Her eyes widened suddenly as she sensed someone behind her, whirling just in time to bring her lightsaber up to block the attack. Sparks flew as the two sabers hit one another. Rey was face to face with a woman, anger on her face, holding Kylo's lightsaber. Rey narrowed her eyes and rage settled hotly in the pit of her stomach.

The circled around each other, both with sabers raised, rain pouring down both their faces.

"That doesn't belong to you," Rey spat.

The woman, who must be Jesmaee, the defected Knight of Ren, scoffed. "He couldn't keep hold of it, so it belongs to me now."

Rey roared as she charged the woman, who barely managed to get her saber up in time to deflect. Rey pushed her back with each parry. The woman stumbled, tripping on the bodies that littered the now empty field as the battle had been pushed back to the tree line. In the distance Rey could still hear the scream of the X-Wings flying overhead.

"Why did you do it?" Rey yelled, recalling Kylo's sense of betrayal.

Anger flashed in Jesmaae's eyes as she suddenly goes on the offensive, pushing Rey back now. Rey ducked under one slash of the unstable, red lightsaber, circling behind the woman and swinging her saber. Jesmaae whirled around, blocking Rey's attack, pushing forward.

"Why did I do it?" Jesmaae seethed as Rey grunted, trying to hold her ground. "Because he had lost sight of our mission." She sneered at her. "All because he met some scavenger from Jakku. He could have been the next Palpatine. Instead he killed our leader, ignored the First Order, and spent all his energy searching for you."

Jesmaae shouted as she shoved Rey away from her. Rey stumbled back a few feet, taken aback by Jesmaae's admission.

As Kylo rounded the right side of the ship he felt a spike of adrenaline rush through him. Rey must have encountered someone. It takes his entire concentration not to go running after her, reminding himself that the only way this ends is with Hux dead. As he rounded the corner to the open bay door, he senses something is off, but without his eyes, he is unsure what it is.

Just in time he heard the whine of blaster bolt, barely managing to raise his saber in time to block it. Suddenly he sensed many more bodies than he had originally and wonders briefly how they had hidden so many from him.

He has no time to dwell on this as he is suddenly assaulted with bolt after bolt. Kylo yelled for the rest of his team, hoping they can hear him over the raging storm. He ducked back around the corner of the ship, but sensed the stormtroopers rounding the corner to fire at him. Thankfully he sensed his comrades come rushing up behind him with blasters and other assorted weapons. Between them all, Kylo is finally able to regain some ground, pushing back the line towards the interior of the ship.

Kylo sensed bodies falling around him, their life force dimming as they perish. With all the bodies surrounding him and his Knights, Kylo has lost sense of where Hux is. He tried his best to sense those around him in hopes of locating his nemesis, but can't find Hux's signature anywhere. Snarling, he charged forward, slashing left and right at those in front of him. He felt the sting of a blaster bolt hitting his side, but ignored it and continued to charge forward. After taking down trooper after trooper Kylo realized that Hux is not on the shuttle. Rage builds in his chest at having lost the man when he feels a sudden spike of fear.

"Rey," he whispered, stumbling over bodies in his haste to get to her.

Rey now found herself on the defensive, being pushed back as Jesmaae lunges forward, slashing with a speed Rey can barely keep up with. She suddenly becomes aware of her injured leg as it's jostled against a dead body as she stumbles backwards, trying to fend off the attack. Fear and rage war inside her and she's sure that the rage isn't her own.

Rey stopped her backward defensive fight and again tries to feint to the left to gain the upper hand. Jesmaae sensed her intent, however, and blocked her attack.

"Another Palpatine?" Rey said, angrily. "Palpatine terrorized this galaxy. Ben is meant for more than being just another tyrant!"

Jesmaae scoffed at her. "What do you know of it?" she shouted, lunging forward again. "Palpatine ruled the galaxy and Kylo could have taken over that mantle. We had all but completely decimated your pitiful Resistance. And instead of pursuing you and ending you entirely, Kylo gives up the fight. Meanwhile the galaxy grows restless. The time to secure our power is now and Kylo squanders it."

Jesmaee has been steadily pushing Rey backwards, but has become distracted in her anger. Rey saw an opportunity and slashed her saber forward, knocking the lightsaber out of Jesmaae's hand. Before she can try to call it back, Rey charged her. Jesmaae ducked down, picking up a weapon from a fallen trooper and slashes it towards her. Rey anticipated the weapon hitting her saber and being sliced in two, but Jesmaae doesn't aim for the saber, instead hitting Rey's wrist.

In her shock, the pain in her wrist caused her to drop her saber. Like Rey did, Jesmaae gave Rey no opportunity to call the weapon back towards her as she quickly attacks. Rey stumbled backwards, looking around in a panic for a weapon to fight off her assailant as Jesmaae swung her weapon back and forth trying to hit Rey.

Rey, her attention split, hit a body with her injured leg and fell backwards. When she looked up it was as if time had slowed. Her eyes widen as Jesmaae pulls the weapon back, and Rey can sense that she is aiming to kill. Her breath caught, a sense of déjà vu washing over her. Too stunned to look for a weapon around her, Rey lifted her hands up in defense. But before Jesmaae can bring the weapon down a lightsaber suddenly pierced through her abdomen. Rey watched in horror as Jesmaae screams, falling down, her force signature dimming.

Rey looked up at Kylo and her breath catches. She's seen this all before, the first time she touched Luke's lightsaber. This had been part of her vision. Only at the time she assumed her fear stemmed from Kylo's presence. There are some details changed, such as the lack of helmets hiding the faces of Kylo and his Knights, but otherwise everything was the same, down to the storm raging around them.

Kylo marched over to Rey, holding out a hand to help her up. She blinked at him for several seconds, in a daze, before shaking her head and grabbing his hand. She stared at the saber in his hand as he helped her up and he sensed her confusion.

"I sensed it as I ran by and called it to me," he said simply.

Rey nodded, closing her eye. Holding out her hand, her saber came flying back to her. Kylo unhooked the other saber from his belt, handing it over to her. She took it and fit the halves back together, creating her saber staff once again.

They could both hear the sounds of battle behind them.

Kylo held out his hand. "Come on."

Rey nodded, grabbing his hand and causing the world to reappear before him. The storm still raged, dumping buckets of rain on their heads, and the field around them was littered with dead bodies. They took off immediately, leaving the dead behind in the hopes of saving their friends.

"Hux wasn't there," Kylo said, breathing heavily. "He used the cover of stormtroopers to get away. I don't know where he is." The acrid taste of bitterness flooded his mouth at his failure to find and kill the man he despised.

"He won't get away," Rey said firmly as they drew closer to the fray.

The First Order had been steadily pushing back the Resistance and Naboo forces, though by the looks of things, the First Order had lost many more troops than the Resistance and Naboo had. The air force had managed to disable all the AT-AT's and were now battling against wave after wave of TIE Fighters. On the ground the line between sides had been blurred as both sides fought hand-to-hand. Kylo swept his gaze across the field, spotting his mother behind an outcrop with the other generals, all with blasters in hand.

Rey pulled Kylo towards them as she spotted his mother as well. He allowed himself to be pulled back in the direction of his mother, though he itched to find Hux. Just as they reached the group a series of loud booms shook the ground around them, louder than any of the thunder had been thus far.

"What was that?" Kylo yelled over the din.

"That would be reinforcements!" shouted a Naboo general back at him. "And by the sounds of it, they have just taken down the First Order ships in orbit!"

"What reinforcements?" Rey asked, turning towards Leia, looking incredulous.

"As it turns out," Leia said, "Once word got out that Naboo was helping the resistance more systems pledged to join, sending ships to take care of the force orbiting the planet. I didn't know for sure they were coming until after you had already left-"

Kylo suddenly whipped his head around, sensing impending danger. Before he could think, he ran and pushed his mother down, a blaster bolt hitting him in the process. Unlike the sting he had felt on his side, this bolt hit right above his heart, a burst of pain wracking his entire body. Before he had hit the ground he blacked out.

A/N: Gosh. So sorry about the long wait! I had a massive case of writer's block on this chapter. I didn't have it blocked out in as much detail as I needed and then some of my plans didn't work. Anyway, I got it all sorted out eventually! There are only 2 more chapters left of this fic, and I'm super excited to share the ending with you. For those wondering what Chewie says, it's translated to: (1) What's he going to do? (2) Come on then. Thanks so much for reading. Please let me know what you think!