The Supremacy
Kylo Ren is once again dueling with the Knights of Ren, light of the clashing weapons flashes through the dark room. A loud grinding noise signals the opening of the massive entry door. Hux and Thrawn stride into the room.
Snoke watches the fight from his throne. There are a pair of twi'lek concubines, one green, and one red, on either side of his throne. Snoke rubs the red one's cheek as he watches the fight, disinterested expression on his face. Kylo kicks one of the knights back, then takes a swing at another. His attack is blocked, and he gets hit in the leg. He drops to one knee and Ador Ren kicks him in the face. Kylo sprawls on the ground dropping his lightsaber.
"Pathetic." Ador says, sneering. "And to think you were our leader. Look at you now."
Kylo reaches for his lightsaber. Ador kicks it away, then jabs Kylo in the ribs with his electrostaff. Kylo winces, but makes a visible effort not to cry out.
"I think that's enough for one day." Snoke says. "Pick him up."
Two knights reach down and each grab one of Kylo's arms, hoisting him up. As soon as he is back up Kylo shrugs them off, and stands on his own. It is obviously a struggle to do even that, but he accepts no help.
"Kylo Ren, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn," Snoke explains, motioning towards Thrawn.
"A pleasure," Thrawn says, nodding to Kylo.
Kylo barely acknowledges his presence.
"He is to be the new commander of this fleet." Snoke says, offhandedly.
"What!?" Hux exclaims.
Snoke narrows his eyes. "Is there a problem, General Hux?"
Hux swallows, nervously. "Supreme Leader, I'm afraid I don't understand. I have run this military for-"
"You have run this military into the ground!" Snoke hisses. "You allowed the Resistance to destroy our greatest weapon, let system after system to fall out of our control, and just recently were incapable of dealing with a small group of Resistance fighters!"
"But Supreme Leader, I-" Hux cuts off as he is force choked.
"I am not interested in whatever excuse you were about to provide. Thrawn will command this fleet now. He has the experience, the skills, and most importantly, he is not an imbecile! Do you understand?"
Hux nods frantically, struggling and failing to breath.
"Good. Now return to the rest of the fleet, before you give me a reason to demote you further."
Snoke releases Hux, who falls to the floor, gasping for air. Still recovering, he stumbles out of the throne room.
"You may go as well, Kylo Ren. Thrawn and I have military matters to discuss," Snoke says, absentmindedly stroking the head of one of the concubines.
Kylo Ren limps out the room. He arrives in the outside hallway, and continues to walk. He checks to see if there is anyone else around. As soon as Kylo he is alone, he slumps against the wall, and slides to the floor. He moans in pain.
Meanwhile, Rey is sitting similarly on the beach of the island. She gazes into the sea. The tide comes in, washing over her boots. She smiles and reaches down to cup a handful of water.
Kylo tilts his head, as if hearing the tide. He starts to look in the direction Rey would be, were they facing opposite.
Rey sits up straight, and also looks to where Kylo would be.
"Is that you...Rey?" Kylo says.
Rey scrambles back, splashing water from the motion. "What are you doing? How did you get in my head!?"
"Me? I didn't do this." Kylo replies.
"Liar!" Rey accuses.
"Believe what you want, but I didn't do this. Not intentionally at least...can you see me? I can't see you."
"Well I don't care how it happened! I have no interest in talking to you." She turns away.
"Why? Because I'm the enemy?" Kylo asks.
"Because you're a murderer! You killed your own father!" Rey shouts.
"I did what I had to." Kylo says softly.
"He was trying to help you!"
"He was trying to make me weak!" Kylo counters. "I can't afford to be weak."
"And why is that?" Rey demands. "Is that what your master, Snoke told you?"
Kylo pauses, thinking over his response.
"...This galaxy is rotten Rey, and I need to be strong enough to fix it. I know you feel the same deep down."
"That's not true! "
"Oh? You're from Jakku right? Was your life there fair? Did you always have enough to eat? Despite how little you had, did others still try to take what was yours?"
"H-how does blowing up planets solve that!?" Rey stammers.
"Sometimes...sometimes you've got to get your hands dirty to scrape out the muck."
"Tell that to the billions of people you helped murder!" Rey shoots back.
"...If it matters at all, I never supported the idea of building Starkiller Base."
"You still let it happen!" Rey replies.
Kylo sighs. "What do you want from me Rey?"
"Nothing. I want nothing from you." She turns away.
Kylo Ren doesn't say anything at first.
"...did you find him? Jedi Master Luke Skywalker?"
She doesn't reply.
"You did, didn't you?" Kylo says
He chuckles, but then winces from the pain.
"Is he everything you hoped he would be?" He says through gritted teeth.
Rey doesn't respond.
"Disappointing, isn't it? Meeting legends. But at least you're learning to be a Jedi right?"
More silence from Rey.
"Or...did he reject you?" Kylo prods.
"Stop trying to read me!" She shouts.
"What was it? Were you just too much like me? Or has he given up teaching altogether after what happened? Either way you're better off without him..."
"This is over." Rey says angrily. "I'm done talking to you."
"Wait, Rey-"
She closes her eyes and starts to focus. After a moment the sounds of Kylo Ren's voice begins to fade. She sits down, pulls her knees against her chest and wraps her arms around them.
Kylo is sitting back in the hallway. "Rey?"
Silence.
Eventually, he painstakingly pushes himself back up to his feet, and starts limping down the hall.
***
Crait
Poe is spraying his ship with air, blowing the salt off his X-wing.
"Dang salt gets on everything..." He mumbles to himself.
BB-8 beeps irritatedly.
"You have salt where?" Poe says with a shocked expression.
Finn walks up.
"You getting ready to fly?" Finn asks.
"We're going on a raid soon." Poe says.
"Really? When?" Finn asks.
"Less than an hour. Get any word from Ackbar? Maybe you'll be able to help."
Finn shakes his head. "They're still figuring out what to do with me, I guess."
"Damn." Poe says, shaking his head. "Oh well, I'll take out a few extra TIEs for ya."
Finn chuckles. "Well don't die out there. With Rey gone, you're basically the only friend I got around here."
BB-8 beeps angrily.
"Sorry BB-8. You're my friend too." Finn corrects.
BB-8 beeps happily.
"ALL PILOTS, BEGIN FLIGHT PREPARATIONS! REPEAT: ALL PILOTS BEGIN FLIGHT PREPARATIONS!"
A voice says over the base intercom.
"Sounds like you've got to be going soon." Finn says.
"Duty calls. Time to show those First Order rust buckets what a real pilot looks like." Poe says.
"Just be sure not to show them what a dead pilot looks like." Finn says, jokingly.
"Yeah right. They'll have to try a lot harder than they have to kill me." Poe replies.
"Good luck all the same."
"Only bad pilots need luck." Poe says with a chuckle.
Finn gives him a mock salute and starts to walk away as BB-8 is sucked inside the X-wing.
The X-wings, corvettes, and frigates all begin to rise into the air. Their command ship, the Raddus, rises last. The ships fly out of the hanger one by one. Finn watches as they go. The Resistance fleet soars out into space.
***
The white bridge of the Raddus is lined with various stations manned by officers, with a large suspended command chair in the center. Admiral Ackbar sits in the chair. Standing beside him is Leia.
"I still do not understand why you insisted on joining this mission, General Organa." Ackbar says.
"I just felt like I was supposed to be here..." Leia says, distantly.
"Very well." Ackbar says, cautiously.
He turn back to the bridge's viewport.
"All ships prepare to jump to hyperspace...Now!" Ackbar commands.
One by one the ships vanish into hyperspace.