Aftermath

Rey wakes up to the first sun of Ahch-To rising, the rays penetrating through the carved out window. The morning light hitting her closed eyelids she rolls over to her side. Rey, feeling hollowed out from last night's conversation with Kylo Ren. Her chest feels heavy with how much sadness and pain that dwells inside of him. Rey tries to push it aside as she gets out of her modest bed. Suitable for a Jedi's humble living. She walks over to her knapsack sitting on a small table at the entryway of the room. Lifting the clasp Rey rummages for some fresh clothes. Finding a grey linen tunic, a lightweight long sleeve shirt, and a pair of tight pants that are made out of a flexible material.

She walks over to the small private bathroom attached to the room. The stone floors are cold against her feet. Setting down the fresh clothing on a small counter as she walks to the bathtub. There is already fresh, hot water waiting for her. The caretakers of this land must have done this for her, the Lanai, small creatures in stature with grey skin, bearing resemblance to avian-like beings but have hands and bird-like feet. Rey strips herself of her nightclothes and undergarments and lowers a hand into the bathwater. The warm liquid envelops her badly bruised hand and it seems to soothe that ache.

Deciding that the water was suitable, she steps over the small wall of the dark stone tub. Slowing sinking into the water, Rey's body starts to relax as the water soaks her aching muscles. The water brings Rey into a meditative state and lets go of her mental barriers Letting herself feel the Force of everything on the island. She can feel life, death, creation, destruction, violence, equilibrium, light, dark, waves crashing, warmth, cold, balance. Rey takes a deep breath of steamy air as she lets the Force flow through her as she settles into the warm water. Rey can feel the familiar tug of the Force bond, she turns her head, but he is not here. She brushes it off as closes her eyes.

"Rey... where are you?" Kylo's voice enters her mind. Kylo sits in his office, sweating through the layers of black robes. The curiosity in him begins to rise. Feeling relaxation drift over him and a warm substance all over his body through the bond. Images of balance flash before him and he is taken aback by the serene beauty of it. Moments go by as the silence fills the bond.

"Rey…" his voice was soft and enticing. Rey restrains to answer his call, unable to speak in the intimate moment.

"Nowhere." She replies coolly. Not wanting to reveal the true nature of where she is. Embarrassed at the thought of Kylo Ren catching her.

"You are not telling the truth, Rey" Kylo can feel the hesitation in her response to him. Knowing that Rey must be hiding something from him. The feeling of the warm substance on his skin begins to swish around as Rey moves, causing it to echo through their bond.

"It is none of your concern where I am. It is private." Rey feels a slight smile touched the corner of her mouth. Realizing who she is speaking with, Rey's smile quickly dissipates. But Kylo can still feel it.

"It is when you bridged us together, Rey. I am feeling what you are. It is very distracting. I am trying to focus." He counters her. A smile threatened his lips but held a cool demeanor so that it could not ripple back to her.

"I am in the bath if you must know." she retorts back at him with a touch of annoyance. She begins to take the rationed out hair product and lather in her long, wet brown hair. Letting her thoughts of Kylo escape her as she massaged her scalp. Pleasure, like from massaging a sore muscle runs through her body.

"Rey, stop." Kylo could feel every sensation, every movement coursing through him. She stops, causing him to sigh in relief.

"Ben?"

Kylo chokes at the name but does not correct her. Her voice was steady and calm as she said that name.

"Duck."

Confused, Kylo Ren looks up at his office only a fraction of a second before the door is kicked open. Kylo Ren summons his red lightsaber to his hand. It comes with a cold smack into his palm, igniting it in the same motion, as he sidesteps a blaster shot. It is General Hux and platoon of Stormtroopers rush into the room.

"By order of decree E4-1, I, General Hux find First of the Knights of Ren, Kylo Ren, unfit as Supreme Leader and hereby relieve you of your position." Hux's smug smile takes up his face as he waves the platoon further is, blasters ready. The Stormtroopers fire off rounds from their E-11 blaster rifles. Kylo Ren, adrenaline coursing hard through his veins, jumps to his desk before him, using it to launch off into the air. As Kylo is mid-air blaster rounds follow him, using the Force to guide his movements, he uses his lightsaber to deflect the shots back where they came from. The blaster rounds from the E-11's were heading in all directions, barely missing General Hux, but knocking a small handful of Stormtroopers, penetrating their breastplates. Kylo instinctively tucks his body, approaching the platoon, and begins to flip over them. He turns off the red lightsaber as he lands just behind the platoon's rearer and runs.

Kylo is running for his life on the command ship and there was nothing she could do but watch as he attacked defensively. The First Order wanted him dead, more like General Hux's greed for control, wanted him dead. Rey reached out through the bond to Kylo Ren, letting her calm state wash over him. He took a deep breath as he ran through the corridors towards the flight deck. He has to escape from the First Order. Rey watched through his eyes, trying to stay calm as he ran for his life.

Kylo Ducked into an abandoned storage closet, sensing a routine patrol of Stormtroopers were about to turn down the hall. He shuts himself in. Through the small slits of the door, Kylo watches tentatively, waiting for the patrol to pass. Rey is so scared as she watches through his eyes, curling into herself as she lays on her bed. Her heart is pounding in her ears as she watches the patrol pass the closet with not even a glance in their direction.

When the patrol is safely out of earshot of Kylo, he bolts out of the closet. Making a b-line to the flight deck. As he is approaching the hangar door but the Hux and the remaining patrol are running towards him. He quickly wills the sizable hangar door open with a swift swipe of his hand. As the door opens just enough, Kylo slips through, driving for immediate cover, igniting the infamous red sword. A Stormtrooper comes around the corner he waits behind and slashes at the soldier's blaster hand. The Stormtrooper falls to the ground clutching the exposed, cauterized tissue. Kylo runs, darts to a random transport freighter that sits docked ahead. As he ducks in, he hides by Force jumping to the ceiling. Concealing himself by spreading out his limbs to hold the position. Two Stormtroopers file in on the ramp, going opposite ways to cover the ship. His adrenaline pumping, echoing through the bond to Rey that is rebounded straight back to him, making his ability to hold his position harder as his palms sweat. Rey takes deep breaths as she watches him struggle.

"Breath, Ben. You have to stay calm and collected. You will make it." Rey reassures his success as he begins to breathe slowly. The Stormtroopers come back around, they both hold their breath, not moving a muscle. The soldiers report through their commlinks that they cannot find Kylo here. As the Stormtroopers leave they close the ramp to the ship. Kylo jumps down and lands heavily on the grated floor. But there is no time to spare. Kylo makes his way to the cockpit. Turning on the backup power to see what he is looking at. If he does not execute this right, the ship will be too damaged to fly before he gets it out of the bay door. Taking a deep breath, Kylo reaches out with the force to sense the movement around him. While no one near is Force-sensitive, every living creature gives off a signature that he can read. He can see forty pilots, Hux, and three platoons of Stormtroopers.

"You have to start the engines now, Ben, They are all distracted and moving out of flight deck." Kylo hesitates for a moment. "NOW!" she shouts. Kylo flips on the ignition and the engines roar to life. Quickly Kylo grabs the controls and lifts the small freighter off the deck, The landing gear is still tucking back into the ship as he steers the ship out the external hanger door. Everyone hollers as the see the ship blasting out into space. It is too late, Kylo Ren has escaped the clutches of the First Order. Rey falls back onto her bed as their connection breaks. There is sweat beading on her forehead. She swipes at her forehead with her sleeve. Breathless, she closes her eyes and tries to swallow to help drive away from the dryness in her throat. Moments go by before her breath comes back to her. She sits up abruptly, realizing that she must get to Leia. Rey has to tell her that Kylo Ren, the Kylo Ren has had an assassination attempt on his life and that Hux was behind it. Rey runs fast to Leia's chambers. Not caring how late she has to wake the General. Rey slides to a halt as she finds Leia's door, knocking loudly. Moments later, Leia answers the door. Leia wore an expression that tells Rey she better have woken her up in the middle of the night for a good reason. But in an instant, Leia sensed that there was trouble, a disturbance in the Force.

"Rey, what is it?" her voice riddled with concern and anxiety. Rey, stood there for a moment, breathless, panting the General searched her eyes, trying to find out what was wrong.

"It's Ben. He is in trouble.." Rey let out as quickly as she could, trying to catch her breath.

Standing still for a moment, taken aback by the name that came from Rey. Leia had not heard that name spoken since He had become Kylo Ren, a Sith Lord. "Come in." she steps aside to let the young woman in. Rey walked in slowly, finding an armchair tucked in the corner of a small sitting area. Watching Rey as a million possible scenarios raced through her mind. What more trouble could he get into? Leia took the chair adjacent to Rey, she noticed that her left hand was bruised badly. Knowing somehow it had to do with Kylo Ren. "Breath, child. Tell me what happened." Leia lets out calm and collected.

Rey's eyes are filled with fear and tears that threatened to escape from them. Leia's cool demeanor threatens to falter as the silence is prolonged. Where was Rey even to begin? How had their situation came to be is so intricate and convoluted? Unsure, Rey starts at the beginning, of how they are connected with a Force bond, that to their knowledge cannot be broken. She tells Leia of how Ben, not Kylo, killed Snoke to save her from his evil clutches. Rey is so scared, she shakes as she continues their story. Leia, listening to every word and taking it in.

"And now General Hux mutinied and is taking over the First Order, but not before he tried to kill Ben. I was so scared. I was looking through his eyes the whole time as he ran and fought for his life, Leia." At this point, Rey is choking on her tears as she tries to finish her story.

"Did he escape?" Leia waits anxiously as Rey tries in earnest to control her sobs. Sniffling, Rey nods her head at Leia. Relief washed over her like a crashing wave. Rey is staring at Leia with remnants of tears in her eyes and a red nose.

"Does this mean you want me to leave the Resistance? For consorting with the enemy?" the thought of being discharged from the Resistance makes the tears in her eyes swell as the fall silently down her rosy cheeks. She sniffles looking for an answer to a hard question.

"Did you give up any sensitive information that directly affects the Resistance?" Rey shakes her head no. Leia had no doubts in her mind that Rey would ever give up her family to the First Order, but hearing her say that she had affirmed her faith in the young Padawan.

"Do you know where Ben may have flown to hide from the First Order?" Leia looks at Rey in hopes that she can bring her son home once and for all. But at last, Rey shakes her head again, wishing she had the answer for his mother. Leia sighs, dreaming of how things could have been if she had been a better mother to her fragile boy Ben.

"Get some rest, Rey. It is late. You will need your strength." Leia puts a tender hand on Rey's shoulder. She goes stiff and relaxes. As if she had never been touched by motherly compassion. Rey nods her head silently as she gets up, turning abruptly to give Leia a tight hug before walking out of the room.