We're surrounded, and we're hounded
There's no above or a secret door
What are we here for,
If not to run straight through all our tormentors?
-twenty one pilots, "Morph"


Finn pulls Rey to her feet. "Rey," he says, such worry and gentleness in his voice, "what happened?"

"He knows," Rey manages. "He's here, and he knows where we are—that we have it."

Finn's eyes widen. "Poe!" he shouts, tugging on Rey's arm. She lets him lead her up the Falcon's ramp. They race to the cockpit, where Poe is prepping the ship for takeoff. "Ren's coming."

"Kriff." Poe's hands continue to fly over the controls. "Just what we need."

He keeps talking—something about the hyperdrive, or maybe the landing gear; she's not sure—but Rey isn't listening. She can't stop thinking about her past. Her parents. Just when she thought the wound of their leaving was beginning to heal, she learned this.

Did Ben know that, too? Did he lie, and hide the worst of the truth from her?

I've never lied to you.

Rey gasps as his voice fills her mind. She looks at Finn, but he and Poe are too busy with the Falcon to notice her surprise. She should be helping them. They need to get out of here now. Instead, she thinks, Why should I believe that?

Because you know me, Ben answers, just as I know you. You know I'd never lie to you.

People keep telling me they know me, Rey snaps. Then, bitterly: No one does.

There is a beat of silence, and for a second, Rey thinks he won't respond. Then he does. But I do.

The sound of 3PO's metallic feet on the Falcon's floors shakes Rey out of the moment. She takes a step forward, shedding her big coat and tossing it over the back of the nearest seat. "What can I do?"

Poe runs a hand through his hair. "Get yourself in this pilot's chair. Now."

Before Rey can comply, 3PO enters the cockpit, voice full of distress. "The First Order is here!"

This time, all three say it unison. "Kriff."

Finn looks out the viewport. "They've got us surrounded."

"This is all my fault," Rey whispers. "I let my shields down, and he came crashing through."

Poe rises from his seat and places a hand on her shoulder. "Rey, you've got a deranged darksider taking up space in your head all day. You slipped up just this once. It won't kill us." He makes a face. "Actually, it might. But don't beat yourself up about it."

Finn rolls his eyes. "Helpful, Poe. Thank you." He tilts his head towards the viewport. "What's the plan?"

"A distraction." Poe unholsters his blaster. "I go down there, shake things up a bit…hopefully it'll keep their eyes on me long enough for you two to make a break for hyperspace."

Finn frowns. "Poe, you can't—"

"We're out of options, buddy." He gives them both a lopsided grin. "I've survived worse." He moves past them, headed for the hall that will take him back to Kijimi's surface. Before he leaves the cockpit, though, C3-PO steps just in front of him, blocking his path. Poe makes to go around the droid, but 3PO mirrors him, preventing Poe from leaving.

Poe glances back at Finn and Rey, and all three exchange bemused looks.

"What are you doing there, Threepio?" Poe asks.

"Taking one last look, sir," the droid replies, "at my friends."

Then 3PO turns, lifts his arms into the air, and takes off running.


Kylo Ren stands in the snowy clearing beside the Millennium Falcon. Behind him, he can hear quiet murmurs from his assembled troops—about what, he isn't certain.

General Hux steps away from the crowd at Kylo's back, coming to stand beside him. "Do you…hear something, Supreme Leader?"

"Hear what, General?"

"Some sort of…screaming, sir."

Kylo turns to Hux with narrowed eyes. Most of his expression is hidden by his hood; he can tell that it makes Hux uneasy because it reminds him of the mask. Good.

Kylo begins to answer before he cuts himself off. Now that he is listening for it, he does hear something. Not quite a scream, more like a yell, coming from—

An all-too-familiar, golden protocol droid comes running down the ramp of the Falcon, arms raised above its head, letting out a sound akin to a war cry. Kylo would laugh if he remembered how.

The droid runs straight for him. His troops raise their blasters and take aim, but Kylo lifts a gloved hand, staying their attack. C3-PO comes to a stop before him.

"Well hello, Master Ben!" the droid says.

Countless memories flood into Kylo's mind, unbidden, at the sound of 3PO's voice. His mother, away on Hosnia again. His father, leaving, ignoring Ben's pleas to stay. His uncle and R2 at the temple. Tai at the temple. The temple engulfed in flames, Snoke's laughter in his head—

Kylo clenches his fists so hard that the knuckles pop. He takes a step towards the droid, boots crunching on the snow, and levels 3PO with a vicious glare. The droid visibly quails at his approach. "Call me that again," Kylo says quietly, so only 3PO can hear, "and you'll be a pile of golden scrap."

"But Master B—"

Kylo raises his hand and reaches for 3PO's vocabulator with the Force. With the dark side at his fingertips, the whispers rush back into his mind, seething and screaming. Crush it, they demand. Destroy it! Kylo's fingers flex, ready to obey.

The Falcon roars to life. Kylo's head jerks up in surprise, his hold on the droid's vocabulator loosening.

Hux turns to the stormtroopers, face turning red as he shouts, "Stop them!"

The troopers fire on the Falcon, but Kylo knows they're too late. The ship lifts above their heads, buffeting them with a gust so strong that Kylo stumbles. He balances himself with the Force, watching as the rounded curve of the ship's latter half burns blue-white.

It winks out of existence, lost to hyperspace. At his side, 3PO cheers.

Kylo reaches for the electrical spark within the droid and pulls. 3PO crumples to the snow like a doll, eyes dark. Kylo can hardly think, hardly breathe, for the rage burning in his chest. Every time he gets close to finishing this war, some relic of his family comes along and destroys everything.

"Take the droid to my ship," he spits. He points a gloved finger at Hux. "Pick apart its memory. It knows where they are headed."


A/N: Am I still bitter that "but I do" got cut? Yes. Yes, I am. xD Thank you for your reviews and follows!