The Light and the Dark - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 43

Padmè and Kylo Ren's fight raged on. When their sabers clashed together, flashes of Kylo Ren appeared in the room to Rey. She could see him, but then he was gone in the blink of an eye. Flashes of Padmè would appear on Kijimi as well, but neither of them could see where the other was. That didn't matter to them. What mattered to Kylo Ren was getting Padmè's location while Padmè had to stop him.

"Tell me where you are," Kylo Ren ordered when they pressed their blades together, sounding calm. It was a tone Padmè despised. Ever since she heard that tone in the throne room, it haunted her. Now she was hearing it again and she just wanted it to stop. "I'm doing this with your survival in mind, Padmè. This is the only way we can defeat Palpatine. You just have to tell me where you are."

Padmè immediately broke away from the stance, hitting a bag of berries that was on Kijimi. The falling berries appeared in Kylo Ren's quarters, Rey jumping when she saw them. She continued to watch as Padmè fought her brother. She wanted to do something to help, but she couldn't when she couldn't see or hear Kylo Ren.

"Palpatine wants you, Rey, Finn, and Alinah dead, but I need you," Kylo Ren said, pressing their blades together once more. "I need all of you. With our power, we can stop him."

"Why should I believe you?" Padmè sneered. "The last time we worked together, you betrayed me."

"I never betrayed you," Kylo Ren countered. "I saved your life that day. Snoke would've killed you and Rey if I didn't stop him. The same could happen with Palpatine if you don't listen to me."

"I'd much rather be dead than have to be betrayed a third time by the likes of you," Padmè shot at him. "I don't need you. I'm not telling you where I am!"

She broke away from the stance once more, striking down at him. Kylo Ren parried the attack and he tried striking at her, which she blocked. Rey couldn't stand watching this anymore. While Padmè didn't want to hear anything that came out of Kylo Ren, she did. Rey knew that there was something about her that Kylo Ren knew. She could tell based on what she heard Padmè say. And she was desperate to know, whether Padmè liked it or not.

Waiting until the right moment, Rey lifted a hand when Kylo Ren appeared in the room again. She managed to grab Padmè and Kylo Ren's arms with the Force. Then she threw their arms around, which made their lightsabers hit the pedestal nearby. Darth Vader's helmet fell to the ground as the pedestal collapsed. Kylo Ren looked down at it, seeing it appear on Kijimi.

"So that's where you are," he said.

Padmè's eyes widened when she realized that he could see the helmet. She looked over at Rey with a confused expression. "Why would you do that?" She asked, not understanding.

"Because she wants to know," Kylo Ren answered for her. "She wants to know why Palpatine is so afraid of her. Even though she doesn't know it, she is desperate to know the truth. About us. About her. About Palpatine."

Padmè swung again, Kylo Ren blocking her. She tried to strike at him again, but he simply parried her attacks. He then got them caught in a locked stance again. "It's so much more than what you think," he said. "I'll come tell her."

Just then, Kylo Ren disappeared from sight. Padmè stared at the spot where he was, turning off her lightsaber. She looked back at Rey, who was carrying Chewie's belongings. Padmè shook her head at her, not sure why she would show Kylo Ren where they were.

"Why did you do that?" She asked her. "I was dealing with him."

"Because I need to know what he knows," Rey said. "If this is what's going to keep me off that throne, then I want to know. He knows more about myself than I do."