Kylo's POV
The dust, dirt and debris was still falling from the star destroyers now silently hovering over Exegol. It would probably still take a while before it had settled.
Thousands upon thousands of planet destroying flying cities have been hidden on this planet for years. The death star a few decades ago was enough to send the whole galaxy into a state of fear and submission. Same with Starkiller base. If the galaxy knew the true power of what was hidden here? There wouldn't even be a fight. Not one faction would oppose them. None that wanted to survive, anyhow.
Actually...that was wrong. There had always been people opposing the Dark side. The rebel alliance decades ago. The Resistance now. People that had lost everything to the current ruling power, either by accident or by force. People that thought the First Order's ways were wrong. And people that simply wanted to fight. Emotionally unstable people. Immature people. Everyone going through their rebellious phase. Kylo wasn't exactly aware of the irony.
This power could tip the scales in their favour. Defeat those pesky Resistance fighters. Ensure total and absolute control over the galaxy. Restore Order. Keep the crime rates down on every planet. Eliminate crime all together, if they could rule for long enough. No one would dare to steal if the punishment for doing so was death. Instead of angering locals by stealing their children for the First Order's army, they could clone their best current soldiers. Increase not only the capabilities but also their obedience. It was...too good to be true.
What did Sidious have in mind? He'd never allow Kylo to just take over the throne and rule as Emperor. Did he want Kylo to be his apprentice? Literally step into Darth Vader's footsteps. No. He had promised him the seat of the Emperor if he could kill Rey.
But killing Rey? She'd shown in the past that she would be a very capable user of the dark side of the Force. If Kylo could convince her somehow. Convert her. Together they'd have a chance against Sidious. She was strong. Inhumanely so. It was ridiculous. Not even Anakin Skywalker, the chosen one, had been as promising as she was.
Converting her was the only way. Changing her way of thinking. Convincing her that the side she had chosen on a whim was weaker and incapable of protecting her oh-so-precious friends.
Defeating Sidious alone would be an almost impossible task, even with the help of the Doc. Kylo had an idea how to do it though. It wouldn't exactly be easy, but with enough preparation he could do it.
For that to work...however...he had to get to Rey. Speak to her. Convince her that her true place was with him. On the Dark Side. Where she belonged. He had always known this, with her being Emperor Palpatine's granddaughter, Sidious' granddaughter... It was obvious.
But she was so frustrating. Incapable of any rational thought. She was stumbling through the world around her, getting dragged along by its events. If he'd found her first, it wouldn't have been a problem. None whatsoever, but because the 'light side of the force' had to find her before he had she was now convinced she belonged to it.
Just like that...without any reason she had joined the Resistance. She had always been a girl that had been looking for her destiny. Her place within the galaxy. She'd never found it being on that damned sand planet, gathering junk. The moment there was the slightest bit of excitement and the feeling of belonging she had grasped that straw like a drowning person trying to keep themselves above water.
Given it was the first time and probably only time she had felt like she belonged to something... she didn't want to betray them. Wanted to stay true to its cause. A cause that wasn't hers, or...hadn't been hers from the start. Now she held onto it, didn't want to oppose those that had fought for that goal their whole lives. Pretending to be one of them. As if she'd always wanted this. It was pathetic. The only thing she ever had going for her was the sheer amount of power that was given to her by...what? Genetics?
Kylo scoffed out loud and started his TIE Whisper. It was time to leave Exegol. Next time he wouldn't come alone. Best case scenario he'd have Rey and the Doc at his side. Worst case it would just be the Doc and Rey's body. He had a feeling that they wouldn't really like each other...
Doc's POV
"It's me.", you said, leaning in closer to the intercom so Kylo could hear you.
He didn't reply but the door opened, so he must have heard you. The room was completely white inside. The architecture was different, not just the colour. Of course the hospitals and medbays were white, but they had different accents of grey or black. This one seemed more sterile than the medical wings. Somehow it made it more personal. More important, especially to Kylo, who was standing in the middle, supporting his body weight on a pillar. He didn't really fit in, being completely dressed in black. Then again, neither did you.
You put your beaked helmet down after the door had closed behind you and walked over to him.
"Are you alright?", you asked quietly, placing your hand on his shoulder.
"We need to talk."
Oh. That was more serious than you had anticipated. There was no smile on his face, not a single wrinkle next to his eyes indicating that this would be a pleasant conversation. Fuck. Had you done something wrong?
"Alright.", you replied quietly, taking your hand away from his shoulder.
He mustered you, then looked down at the helmet in front of him.
"Do you know who's mask that is?"
It was a relatively easy question. You'd seen this one countless times, it was just a bit more morphed and half destroyed. Still recognizable, however.
"Darth Vader's."
He nodded.
"He's...he's...", a sigh escaped his lips. Was he nervous? No...but he wasn't comfortable either.
"He's my grandfather."
What. His grandfather? Darth Vader was Kylo's grandfather? That...That would mean that he was either the son of Luke Skywalker or Leia. Regardless of who it was...neither were affiliated with the dark side, as far as you knew. And both...were fighting against the First Order. You didn't even want to begin to imagine the awkward family meetups, if there were any.
"That explains why you're so strong with the Force.", you simply said, not wanting to pressure the matter any further. It was the same with patients, if something made the uncomfortable it was best for the attending physician or nurse to just pretend it was 100% normal.
"Do you know about Rey?"
Of course you did. Needless to say you weren't really fond of her.
"The wannabe Jedi orphan from some sand planet? Yes, I've heard the others mention her. When she caused the most trouble I had barely joined the First Order though."
Jedi? One reason to dislike her. Sand? Even worse. From what you knew she was a devoted follower of the Light side of the Force. Another reason to despise her. The fact that she was with the Resistance was probably what pissed you off the most.
The Resistance had killed too many people that were dear to you. Too many. It had almost killed you on multiple occasions as well. You weren't one to forgive anyone easily.
The Knights had talked about her a few times. Why exactly she wasn't dead yet, you didn't know. Pure luck? Destiny? Fate? Mercy from Kylo's side? Unlikely but not impossible.
"She's strong.", he looked back down at Vader's helmet, "She has potential."
Oh really? She had potential? Well she could just try attacking you. It would be very...very entertaining. No matter how strong she was she wouldn't be prepared for you.
"Okay.", you said, crossing your arms in front of your chest. Where did he plan to go with this?
"We need her."
No.
"Do we?"
He shook his head slightly and turned it back to you. Was there a smile on his face? Why?
"I want to destroy Palpatine. I don't trust him. He is offering me the throne to be the Emperor."
Obviously he'd go on and change the subject.
You laughed coldly, "Don't tell me you accepted. He fucked over your grandfather, Darth Vader, he will fuck you up too. He will never let you get that position."
Normally you wouldn't have put it so bluntly, but you weren't exactly in the mood to sweeten your words.
Kylo scoffed, "I know.", looking back down at his grandfather's helmet, "I need Rey to defeat him. He's weak. We can destroy him together."
"We?"
"Rey and me."
Kylo and Rey? Rey?! Those two? That did not sound good, even if you disregarded your own dislike for her. Half a Jedi and a dark side user? Joining forces with the Resistance? The Resistance?! Was he out of his mind?
"If he's weak why don't I cut him off? Then we wouldn't have to get Rey on our side!", you hid your utter confusion at his sudden change of character as best as you could.
"Sidious is weak compared to how he used to be. He's stronger than I am. Much stronger.", he paused, "Rey is...Rey is his granddaughter."
"What.", was all that escaped your mouth as your chin was slowly dropping. You had hidden your confusion earlier. Now it just did get a bit too much to hide. "No."
"What do you mean 'No'?"
"No. That is the most stupid idea I've heard. You are going to try to convince the granddaughter of the last living Sith to join you? What makes you think she is going to do that!"
What was wrong with him!
"She almost did before."
"Almost! She didn't! And then she didn't know you wanted to kill the possible last living relative of hers!"
Kylo tensed up at your words. You paused briefly, mustering him. He was convinced this would work. He had some sort of plan in his head. From how he behaved right now he wasn't too pleased that you were opposing it.
"Fine.", you said, sighing, "Why didn't she join you?"
He scoffed, "She's too focused on the Light side of the Force. I can convert her."
He wasn't happy with your behaviour. Not at all. His leather gloves made a soft squeaking sound as he balled his hand into a fist. This was unusual for him. You knew that he wasn't necessarily the most...thoughtful person. He was impulsive and moody. Killing random stormtroopers and officers if they only looked at him wrong. You knew you had a special place, he would have executed anyone else already. However, he still had a breaking point, and you weren't too keen on testing out how much further you could try to argue with him.
"Okay.", you said quietly and took a deep breath. Kylo was convinced that this would work. No, he was convinced that this was the only way. One moody teenager was on his way to try to convert a different but very entitled teenager. What a spectacle to watch from the sidelines, but no...you'd be dragged right into it.
"I'll help you. I trust you to have a plan. No one else can get into my head so you can tell it to me without risking anyone finding out."
"For now we will follow Sidious."
"Pretend to follow?"
"Yes."
"And convince that Rey Bi- Rey to join the dark side of the Force by...?"
"I'll show her that she can use it. You'll stay in the back. For now. We don't want you to get close to her."
It was easy to guess why he didn't want that. Keeping your powers a secret until they were needed in the very end was probably the best way to succeed. She didn't know you existed and neither did she have any idea about your powers. Perfect. At least that part of his plan was rather foolproof.
"I will stay in the back. I'll behave like any other Knight.", you repeated, making sure that you both understood each other about your role.
"Exactly. You're just another Knight. And no word to them.", He looked satisfied and straightened his back, probably ready to leave to meet with the rest of the Knights any minute now.
"But.", you continued,"...if she harms you. I will kill her."
He smiled and you stepped closer to him, placing your hand on his chest.
"I fucking mean it.", he leaned down so you could kiss him. You moved your hand up to his head so he couldn't pull away.
Eventually you loosened your grip and he wanted to go away, but you kept him close.
"And if you two get some special connection because your grandfathers worked together I'll kill her too."
He didn't reply. You let him go. Something about the way Kylo had reacted was off. Was he surprised? You had killed someone once that had gotten too close, he very well knew you wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
"We've got your mask and someone that can fix it, just as you requested. Anything else?"
"No."
"Let's go then. The boys are waiting."
Annotation:
A shorter one because I have an exam coming up. Can't wait to finally be done with this utter bullshit, I've been studying so much I don't even know what free time is anymore.
I hope you're all holding up well during quarantine!