Author's Note: Thanks for following along this far. The supernatural side of the force may not be entirely canon, but I'm enjoying adding this element through the story. My inspiration for this comes from Palpatine talking to Anakin about preventing loved ones from dying, and now that we are seeing the return of Palpatine in TROS I wanted to explore the potential of that idea. I know many people have looked at this story at a glance and there isn't smut 7 chapters in so they don't continue, but I wanted to continue the groundwork from TLJ in the complicated foundation that is Rey and Ben. Delayed gratification anyone?
*
"If I go to him, Ben Solo will turn."
Arms crossed over her chest, Rey paced the floor back and forth in pensive silence. The only sound was the rhythmic scrape of her boot heel dragging with every step.
When the freighter had touched down in the hanger bay on arrival the day before, the knights were met by officials. They escorted her pod down the ramp, and halted once set on the hanger floor. Rey, peering out through the glass, saw Tyrus being met by a woman with white hair in a long braid and tanned skin. The similar black garb on her figure indicated she was another Knight of Ren.
Rey was momentarily in awe; she'd never seen a Sith female before. Though she had no irises, Rey could feel her piercing gaze through the glass. The female knight turned away from Tyrus after waving officials over to the pod, but Rey caught sight of her thin lips twisting in a devious grin.
It was strange General Hux was not present, especially when the First Order basically had a bounty on her head the last three months, and then finally sending the Knights of Ren to obtain her.
She continued to pace the cell, recalling the details of the arrival. A memory interrupted her thoughts, nagging to be re-visited; her stomach flip flopped as it played out in her mind.
The pod descended in space as its escorts followed it into the hanger bay of the Finalizer. It settled on the ground and disengaged its thrusters as stormtroopers and another individual approached. Through the smoke and the steam, dark flowing locks framed a familiar face - one whom she came for.
Ben Solo.
Rey's insides turned over themselves as their eyes met through the glass. His expression revealed nothing as he motioned for the stormtroopers to step forward, binders unlocked and ready to receive her. She swallowed as disappointment trickled in. The vision she saw...was it in error?
Why did she feel this way?
She blinked away the vision, not needing a reminder of how naivety got the best of her.
Rey circled the cell one more time before stopping at the cell door. Placing one palm against it with a small sliver of hope, the cold steel made contact with her skin and goosebumps rose on her upper arms not covered by the wraps. The edges were seamless against the frame, no obvious mechanism in sight as Rey stared up at it with a great heaving sigh.
Footsteps approached at that moment before the door mechanism loudly turned as it began to rise. Rey stepped quickly to the side of the door, back pressed tightly to the wall as her fists balled up. With no spear and no lightsaber, she was hardly a threat.
It stopped at the ceiling as she held her breath, but no one entered the cell.
"Reveal yourself, Jedi" a male voice sounded from outside the cell door.
Rey didn't move; her brain worked furiously to come up with a plan.
The voice spoke again matter of factly. "You're not armed. Step out, and come with us."
Rey's bravery deflated as she realized this was the sixth Knight of Ren she hadn't seen yet. Timidly, she stepped away from the wall and approached the doorway. A bald man stood with several stormtroopers, his skin and features similar to the female force user who met Tyrus in the hanger bay.
The whites of his eyes unnerved her, as he motioned with his right hand for her to come forward. Rey complied by stepping through the doorway, four elite stormtroopers flanking her immediately.
"I am Ozir, a Knight of Ren" he nodded to her respectfully. "I realize you're quite willful. You've been spared the binders yet guards are more of a formality; we can't have a Resistance fighter and the last of the Jedi walking around unescorted."
Rey shrugged awkwardly at his recognition of her characteristics. Her reputation had begun to precede her in the last few months.
Where was Tyrus and the other Knights? Would they hold to their word?
"Are you taking me to the Supreme Leader?" she managed to ask, rubbing her hands on her arm wraps.
"He's extended an invitation for you to join him at the moment. Follow me." As he turned to proceed, his cloak peeled to the side enough that Rey noticed his lightsaber clipped to the left hip. As they marched down the corridor to exit the detention block, Ozir turned back with a knowing gaze, and she shivered.
Ozir waved his hand in front of him, and the black door at the end of the corridor ascended, allowing dim light in from the adjacent hallway.
From there, they began a long journey from the detention block into the belly of the ship. It was a very similar escort to Rey, when she'd arrived in the pod and was met by Kylo. She checked her mental shields as Ozir led her.
Only the sounds of boots echoed in the corridors as she followed him, stormtroopers close behind.
Walking behind Kylo, Rey had the opportunity to take in his full height and shoulder breadth. He escorted her alone to the turbolift.
She admired the dark waves of hair curled at the nape of his neck, the way he held himself upright with every step, and his proportionate frame. It wasn't difficult to imagine the hard muscles of his back and definition of his broad shoulders beneath the black fabric. Heat crept up her collar remembering the night they had connected when he wasn't fully dressed, and she quickly re-centred her thoughts.
Ozir slowed his pace as they arrived at a turbolift and the entire company boarded it.
"When the moment comes, I know you'll be the one to turn" he'd said to her, before the turbolift doors opened.
"Rey," he breathed her name for the first time, "I know who your parents are."
Those last words to her before facing Snoke still bothered her from time to time; when he'd told her that he'd seen who her parents were. He did not understand her commitment to the light, how she'd always revered the Jedi and despised the Sith. Rey had promised Luke she would not fail him.
"You're still holding on...let go!"
Her eyes started to burn.
"They're dead, buried in a pauper's grave in the Jakku desert."
She squeezed her eyes closed painfully. The truth was so painful indeed.
The turbolift's ascension was thankfully short, and there was a pause before the doors opened. Much to Rey's surprise, there was no grandiose throne room the lift opened to, but a simple sub-bridge of the ship. Three large portholes showcased the stars against the black of the galaxy, and the room was dim save for the lights on the consoles against the walls.
Ozir stepped off first, and Rey was nudged forward by a stormtrooper when she did not react quick enough. The command chair in the centre of the bridge rotated towards them, but Rey could not immediately make out who was sitting in it.
Black-gloved hands clasped together cordially under a sharp chin, and there was a flash of red hair in the light of the consoles. One hand motioned to Ozir, who bowed before stepping to the side, allowing Rey to come forward.
"So you are the girl from Jakku, are you not?" an unearthly voice asked from the chair.
She swallowed. "I suppose I am." she answered steadily. "And you are the Supreme Leader of the First Order are you not?"
"A meager title, I assure you" he replied coolly.
"Where is Kylo Ren?" she asked, wondering if he was still in his cell. Ozir eyed her with a suspicious look.
Hux rose from the chair to approach her, and she resisted backing away. From the moment they had entered the room, her stomach had an uneasy feeling that kept building in her gut. As Hux neared, in the dim light it was apparent to her that his face wasn't quite right. Something unfamiliar marked his features, and his eyes frightened her deeply.
"He's been put aside for the time being, until he is ready to be...tested." He halted within a few strides of her, and Rey's fists clenched in response. Darkness emanated overwhelmingly from his being, but the presence didn't seem to make sense to Rey. As far as she knew, Kylo was the only Sith left in the company of the First Order, save the Knights of Ren. Hux had been on the battlefield at Crait, but she had never detected him.
"We have much to discuss, my dear" his voice hummed with elation. "Your training is almost complete, and your powers are on the verge of complete transformation."
She blinked in confusion at his statement.
"The Jedi texts have brought you this far, but all Jedi must face a test to complete their training."
Rey did not answer. She'd expected to face a similar situation to Snoke; ruthless, cruel, and power hungry.
"I...don't understand what you want from me."
"Oh it's not what I want from you, it's what I can offer you." His mouth turned up in a loose smile. "You'll be pleasantly surprised to have some questions answered about your family..."
The same curiosity that drove her to the dark hole on Ahch-To was awakened at the mention of her family; a chance to receive answers instead of the disappointment handed to her from the mirror under the island.
"They sold you off for drinking money."
Kylo's voice in the throne room shook her. Perhaps he'd only said that because he wanted her to join him, taking hold of her power to combine with his own. He seemed desperate, so it wasn't far-fetched to think he may have been hasty with a half-truth.
Hux watched her patiently, a slight shadow cast across his face.
Rey crossed her arms over her chest, and jutted her chin in his direction.
"I'm listening."
*
"Ren?" A voice quietly asked a sleeping Kylo.
He tried to pull his body out of the sleep cycle, but it was heavy with healing from his wounds. As soon as his eyes opened the muscles of his back were screaming in agony, and he realized he'd slept sitting up against the wall for an extended amount of time. He groaned as he leaned forward against his knees, willing the muscles fibers to relax.
"Ren" the voice insisted gruffly.
He looked up to see Tyrus standing in the cell. The door opening never woke him.
"How long was I out?" Ren asked tiredly.
The knight's brow furrowed as he knelt beside him, his reply urgent. "We have little time, you need to explain what's happened...Lilith and Ozir have informed the Knights that you're a traitor to the First Order. We also serve a new master."
Ren touched his face carefully, pleased upon discovering the swelling had gone down on the right cheek, but the tender spots were still there. The grogginess was beginning to lift away.
"New master..." Ren echoed. He looked back up as he realized what had happened.
"Tyrus...Hux is not himself. His body is now the home of another Sith Lord. One much worse than Snoke."
The knight stared at him incredulously. "Similar to Darth Plagueis?"
"Except the one you now serve is Emperor Palpatine. Darth Vader's master. Thought long dead, but has learned the secret to cheating death by living on in other bodies."
Tyrus considered the information. "The Knights have pledged allegiance to him on Lilith's behalf...for the time being."
Relief at their loyalty washed over Ren momentarily, before suddenly grabbing Tyrus by the shoulders.
"Where's Rey?" he demanded as his fingers gripped the armour tightly. Tyrus brushed the lock of red hair out of his eyes as he hesistated.
"She left with Hux this morning" he explained.
"Willingly?" Ren nearly roared, tightening his grip.
"I can't be sure. I saw her, no detention binders, as she boarded the ship with Hux. Ozir and some elite stormtroopers accompanied them."
Ren released his hold on him as he slowly removed himself from the cell floor. The bar of metal that had confined his wrists was inches from his boot, and he kicked it away.
"What is that?" Tyrus asked.
"A Sith weapon that only activates when it comes into contact with my Force signature. Bring it with us, we may need it for later."
Tyrus obeyed, carefully lifting it from the floor and attaching it to his belt.
"I'm your prisoner then" Ren nodded. "Where are we headed?"
Tyrus raised his eyebrows. "The same place Rey and Hux left for." He motioned for Kylo to hold his arms out.
Ren raised an eyebrow at him as he lifted his wrists. Tyrus applied the detention binders swiftly, before he added "To Jakku we go."