Chapter Text
It's quiet....dark.
Wait, something isn't right....
Where am I?
Who am I?
Exegol. One year after the defeat of the emperor. A small team of rebel soldiers and researchers enter the sith temple, to investigate the reports of unusual activity coming from deep inside the dark structure. The reports came from the new rebel base that was set up not to far from here, saying that a deep pulsating humming sound could be heard coming from the temple and that the pulsing hum has slowly gotten faster and louder over the past few weeks.
As the team made there way inside, something new happened. The sound of the pulsing had changed tone from a deep humming to a high pitched ringing and began to pulse at a rapid pace, it was as if the temple was reacting to there presence. The sound had become so loud that the team couldn't help but cover there ears, but even in doing so, it could not help them relieve the excruciating pain it was causing them. The ground begins to shake. Elsewhere, in the room where the throne of the sith use to be, deep below the temple, in an underground chamber was the source of the anomaly. The air was visibly morphing, static electricity was sparking everywhere in time with the pulsing, becoming more violent, as the shaking of the ground became more intense.
Suddenly, the morphing of air and the electrical energy coming from it, seemed to condense into a small sphere, collapse in on itself, and then burst out in all directions in a fast blinding flash of light. The energy released instantly vaporizes the rebel team and nearly almost the entire temple itself, however the energy was not just confined to the temple and expanded outwards, and while not destroying it, did cause severe destruction to the rebel base. All had now become quite, aside from the alarms sounding in the damaged rebel base. The pulsing had stopped and the ground had stopped shaking, meanwhile back at the remains of the temple, a hand emerges from the rubble, then more fall away as a man crawls out and collapses face forward. The man weakly looks up, eyes unfocused and darkness slowly beginning to fill his vision, after hearing a fading muffled voice.
"Don't move, you must save your strength."
The man trembles and gasps weakly, the voice becoming more faint
"You must survive! Hold on, she is coming! She'll be here soon!"
No longer able to hold his head up, the man drops face first and passes out.
-Tatooine- Lars homestead
The twin suns of the desert planet had slowly begun to rise, breaking through the night time darkness. Out in the front of the home that once served as the home of Luke Skywalker, the new tenant Rey trains and practices with her lightsaber, going through the drills and exercises that her former teacher, Leia Organa had taught her. Her golden yellow blade cuts through and illuminates the fading darkness, her swinging and striking motions, moving with polished fluidity. After the twin suns had become more prominent in the sky, does Rey end her training, panting softly, she deactivates her saber and turns around to see BB8 rolling out the front door towards her. Rey smiles and walks towards the droid, clipping her lightsaber to her waist and kneels down to BB8's level.
"Good morning BB8. You ready to get the day started with me?"
BB8 let's out a series of excited beeps, then turns around and quickly rolls off to the maintenance garage. Rey let's out a small chuckle as she watches the little droid. She always had found BB8 and the way he got around to be one of the cutest things she has ever seen, at least when it came to droids. Rey follows after him, going into the garage, she sees BB8 gathering the machines she had repaired and then goes over to the tanks of water that she had farmed and beeps a question, to D0, who rolled out from behind the tanks and over to rey.
"Hello and good morning rey."
Rey kneels and gently pats D0's head and smiles brightly.
"Morning D0 you ready to help me and BB8?"
It had taken D0 a while to fully accept and become comfortable around Rey, but when he did, he and BB8 became a great team in keeping the place in good working condition. D0 doesn't respond to rey, but rolls past her and goes over to the moister farming machines to check to see if everything was working correctly. Rey stands up and starts securing some water tanks and the machinery that she had repaired for people living in town, to her speeder. Even though Rey had been well compensated for everything she did in the war, she kept those credits as a backup for an emergency, and felt like she needed to earn her living here.
After Rey had finished loading up the speeder, she walks it out of the garage and hops on it. She turns her head and looks at the horizon of the rising twin suns. She let's out a deep sigh, today was going to be a little difficult for her. Today marked one year exactly since the ending of the war, palpatine's defeat, but most of all the death of ben solo. The image of her kissing ben comes to her mind, the feeling of his lips on her, the feel of his skin on her fingers, but what stood out the most was his smile. God that smile. Seeing him smiling at her made her stomach feel like it was filled with butterflies, and that soft laugh he gave made her heart pound wildly in her chest, it was at that moment where she knew that she loved him. Rey loved him with every fiber of her being and more than she could ever possibly measure. When she felt Ben's lifeforce fade, along with his body, it felt like a piece of her had died along with him. It would make sense that she would feel that way, she and ben were a dyad, two that are...were one. Rey takes a sharp inhale, clears her throat and shakes her head lightly. She shouldn't dwell on it, especially today. She starts up her speeder, and turns around to D0 and BB8.
"I'll be back in a few hours you guys. When you get back inside contact finn and chewie and tell them to meet me back here. If they arrive before I get back let them inside to rest okay?"
D0 turns around and rolls towards the front door, with BB8 close behind after beeping his goodbye to Rey. She turns around and then speeds off towards town to sell the goods she was bringing with her, as she heads towards town, an odd feeling comes to her, a feeling like something was off. Rey couldn't quite figure it out, so she pushed out of her mind. A little after mid day, Rey begins to pack up to head back to the lars estate, but stops when she feels a familiar presence. She looks up and briefly scans the area, and smiles when she sees luke in the crowd. However something was wrong, luke would always usually have a smile on his face, but here he had a stern serious expression on this time, and it concerned her. Luke then speaks to her in her mind.
"Rey something has happened. You must go to exegol. There isn't-"
Luke is interrupted by what could only best be described as a series of shockwaves in the force. Rey grabs at both sides her head and drops to her knees. The pain she was feeling was excruciating, unlike anything she had ever felt or would even have expected she could even feel. She wants to scream, desperately so, but somehow manages to hold back. After a minute or two, the pain in her head suddenly stops. Rey let's out a pained gasp, panting heavily she stands back up and looks around for Luke, but is unable to find him. She quickly gets on the speeder, and heads back home, usually she would have dozens of questions going through her head, but now there was only one that she had.
Exegol...kriffing exegol. Seriously what the hell? And today of all days too!
Chapter 2
Notes:
//Hey there everyone! Just want to let you know, I am going to be starting back to work next week, so future chapters might take a bit longer. Anyways, here is chapter 2! Enjoy!
Heeding Luke's warning, Rey rushes back to the lars homestead, where some old friends are waiting for her
Chapter Text
-Lars Homestead-
Finn let's out a groan and rubs the sides of his temples. He sits down in a chair at the kitchen table, and drops his head face first into it. He let's out another groan, his head still throbbing from the sudden migraine he got twenty minutes ago. While finn was laying his head down, Rose and Chewie come into the room. Rose goes over to finn's side, kissing the top of his head and rubbing his back, while chewie was helping himself to Rey's pantry letting out some happy little yelps as he looked around. Rose rolls her eyes and let's out a soft chuckle, then turns her attention back to finn.
"Here Finn...take these aspirin."
Finn lifts his head up, takes the meds from rose, then drops his head back down onto the table, letting out a groaning grumble. Rose let's out sigh and shakes her head.
"Always so dramatic...suck it up, you've been through worse."
Finn responds to Rose with another groaning grumble
"Ugh....shoot me."
Before Rose can reply to Finn, his head quickly lifts off the table, his attention on the front door. A smiles comes across his face when he hears the sound of a speeder engine approaching and then turning off. Finn stands up from the table, just as Rey quickly walks in, rushing past finn as though he weren't even there. Finn stands there dumbfounded with his arms open in preparation to hug his best friend, but then drops them turning to rose and chewie who look back at him, just as confused as he was. Finn and Rose, walk after Rey, hearing her rummaging around in her room. They both stop just outside of the rooms entrance and look at each other, still confused. Finn then turns back towards Rey.
"Um...hi there Rey! Come in Rey!"
Rey suddenly jumps and softly gasps when she hears the voice of her best friend. She quickly spins around, seeing Finn and Rose, both smiling, but with concern and confusion on their faces. Rey rushes over amd embraces both of them in a hug.
"Oh you guys! When did you get here?"
Finn let's out a relieved laugh and hugs her back
"We were here before you got back. You walked right past me, Rose and Chewie in the kitchen!"
Rey releases them both, pulling back to look at her friends. She puts her hand to her face and let's out a loud sigh, then looks back up at the both of them.
"I am so sorry you guys, I was lost in though. Something happened when I was in town. Luke came to see me, he tried to warn me about something but got cut off by....I guess you could say an explosive shockwave in the force. It made my head feel like it was going to split in two."
Finn looks to rose and nods at her, a smug and cocky smile coming across his face.
"Explains the migraine, I knew that it was something related to the force."
Rose shakes her head, clearly not amused and smacks the back of his head.
"No you didn't you dummy! Shut up!"
Chewie, who was still in the kitchen, let's out a laughing bark when he sees rose smack finn. Rey couldn't help but smile and laugh, she then goes over to chewie and gives him a hug. Afterwards, Rey then goes back into her room and continues to gather supplies for the trip. Once she was done, she comes out, her back of things slung over her shoulder, and heads towards the Falcon. Finn, Rose and Chewie, quickly follow after her, confused once more. Rose catches up to Rey and stands in front of her.
"Whoa hold on Rey, what is going on? Where are you going?"
Finn and Chewie catch up and look at Rey, wondering the same thing. Rey turns to look at Finn and Chewie, then she looks back to rose.
"Exegol....Luke said I need to get to Exegol."
Rey doesn't wait for any of them to respond, instead she lowers the ramp to the falcon and runs into Poe halfway up. Poe grins and looks down at BB8 and D0 who were close at his feet
"You see guys? I told you she'd be back."
BB8 beeps a relieved response to Poe as he goes over to her and gives her a hug. D0 rolls up to Rey, after Poe let's her go and takes a step back.
"Hello Rey, I am glad you are back."
Rey let's out a soft laugh, bending down and playfully pokes the top of his coned "nose." She looks up at Poe, but before she can say anything about going to Exegol, he turns around heading up the ramp, talking while heading back to the Falcons cockpit. Rose, Finn and Chewie pass by Rey and go to there necessary stations.
"Hey Rey, looks like there has been a change of plans. An emergency distress call was picked up from our base at Exegol, seems like something happened down there. We were a actually heading there, but Finn wouldn't shut up about bringing you along."
Rey comes up to the ships cockpit, and stands at the entrance. Chewie and Poe were already getting the engines up and prepping for take off.
"That is actually perfect Poe, I actually have to go there anyway. Seems whatever happened there, Luke wants me to check out."
Rey sits down in the seat behind poe and straps herself in.
"Great, another jedi thing....those never turn out to be bad."
Poe groans, and chewie responds with a "he's got a point rey" in his native tongue. Rey looks back at chewie, with a slightly annoyed expression on. Chewie puts up his hands and turns back to the controls. The falcon takes off beautifully and smoothly. Chewie has been taking real good care of the falcon it seems, which would mean that he hasn't let Poe or Finn touch it for a while. Once they made the jump to hyperspace, Rey unbuckled herself and got up out of the seat, and stretches. Poe looks back to her, and calls out to her before she walks out of view.
"We should be at Exegol in thirty minutes."
Rey gives a thumbs up and walks out to the main hold. She smiles when she sees Finn and Rose talking amongst themselves, but was a bit stunned when then leaned into each other and kissed. It was something she didn't expect and the image of her kissing ben once again comes into her mind. Rey walks past them and goes into her quarters, and leans her back against the door once it closed. She closes her eyes, and takes a few deep breaths to get her emotions under control, but it was difficult and even though it had been a year since Ben died, it felt like she had just lost him yesterday. A stray tear moves down her cheek, she sniffs and wipes the tear away. Rey goes over to her bag, and pulls out some clean clothes, the outfit she wore when she confronted snoke and Ben. It was a cross between jedi attire and the attire she wore when she was a scavenger back on Jakku. Rey goes into the fresher room and takes a quick shower, to wash away the sweat and sand back from tatooine. Once she was cleaned and dried off, she gets dressed and just as she finishes she hears Poe over the speaker.
"Hey guys, we should be arriving at Exegol in two minutes, so you should get up here."
Rey and the others meet up at the cockpit right as they exit hyperspace. Ever since the defeat of Palpatine, the cosmic storm that kept the planet hidden had dissipated greatly over time, making travel a bit easier and safer, though it did still pose some risks, especially if you came put of hyperspace too early. The storm must have been part of the dark side, so when the darkness was beaten back, it must have affected the planet as well as the storm, no more dark side energy to keep raging on. The falcon entered the planets atmosphere, and after a little bit of reentry turbulence, they fly down to where the base was sending out a distress call. Poe leans over the flight control panels, looking out ahead.
"Uh guys....didn't there use to be-"
Finn nods, chiming in and finishes Poe's question.
"Yeah that big black sith temple, only it looks like now it was obliterated. There is hardly anything left."
Finn looks at Rey, who was clearly focused on something else. Finn tries to find what rey is looking at, but isn't able to. Rey's eyes were wide, her breath was a little shallow, and her heart was beating like crazy. She could feel it in the force, she could feel him. It was Ben. Though the presence she sense felt slightly different, yet almost identical to his. It had to be Ben! There couldn't be any other explanation. Rey then firmly pats the back if Poe's chair a few times.
"Poe, land as close as you can to what is left of the temple. I need to take a look around."
Rey doesn't even stay to wait for Poe to reply. She turns around and starts heading towards the Falcons ramp, and she makes sure that her lightsaber is securely fastened to her waist. She looks up to see Finn coming over to her, he has that concerned look on his face. That look when he was worried about her and knew that something was up. He puts his hand on her back and locks his eyes with her's, which he could see were filled with tears. Finn could also see, as well as feel how hard she was fighting to hold them back. Rose was in the back coming towards them along with BB8 and D0, but hangs back when she sees Rey and Finn were having a personal moment. Even from where she was standing, Rose could tell something was wrong with Rey. Finn moves a little close to her, and talks in a soft tone.
"Rey hey...what is it? What's wrong?"
Finn didn't know that she kissed Ben just before he died, nor did she ever tell him that she was in love with him, however he did know that they both had shared some kind of bond and that she cared deeply for him on some level. Rey takes a sharp inhale and quickly let's it out. She was doing all she could to not break down right there and now.
"I can feel him Finn. It's him. I think Ben is alive!"
Chapter 3
Summary:
Now that they have arrived at Exegol, the search for answers begin
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
-Exegol. Outside the remains of the sith temple.
Rey couldn't take it anymore, it was taking too long for her. The falcon was about forty or fifty feet from the planets surface, and Rey felt like that was good enough. She lowers the falcons ramp, walks down it and over the edge, falling fast, Rey uses the force to slow her decent and land safely on her feet. Rey takes off sprinting towards the temple, smirking when she hears what Finn shouts at her.
"I hate it when you do that!!"
Finn goes back inside the ship and closes the ramp. He turns around, seeing rose with bb8 and d0, he let's out an annoyed sigh and heads back to the cockpit.
"I REALLY hate it when she does that."
Rose and the droids then follow close behind. Rose then teasingly adds her opinion to Finns comment
"I think maybe that's why she does it."
As Rey approached the entrance of what remained of the sith temple, she slowed her sprinting down to a quick jog and then eventually back to her normal walk pace. Rey inspects the ruined temple remains, which not much is left, aside from a few pillars, large bolder like chunks of the temple itself and the massive fissure that surrounded the area of where the dark throne use to be. Rey couldn't think of anything that would be powerful enough to do something like this. No starships that currently exist had such power to cause the damage that was done here, which just leaves the force itself.
"What happened here? What could have caused this?"
Rey closes her eyes, calmly and deeply breathing, she reaches out into the force, to try and locate Ben's presence, but is unable to pinpoint it. It feels as if it's in multiple places at once. Something else felt wrong though, in the force. The force felt like a wild raging storm, and trying to focus on anything in it almost instantly knocked the wind out of Rey's lungs. She opens her eyes, and rubs them, sighing in mild frustration. Meanwhile, Poe and the others had landed the falcon near the damaged rebel base. While chewie and poe go into the base to look for any survivors, Finn takes a speeder out of the cargo bay and gets it ready for him to use. Rose comes up to him, looking a little confused.
"Finn what are you doing? Where are you going?"
Finn opens the cargo hold ramp door, then gets onto the speeder. He turns around to face rose, taking her hand into his, he kisses it softly and then releases it from his hold.
"I'm going to help Rey. I'm worried about her and I don't want her to be alone over there where that horrible place was. You go help out Poe and Chewie."
Rose nods and smiles sweetly. She stays where she is as Finn speeds off, watching him before he disappears over the horizon. Rose then goes to help out Poe and Chewie, while back at the temple ruins, Rey continues her search for Ben. Rey was getting anxious and impatient while she was looking around, she desperately wanted to find him and bring him home with her. Rey's frustration was building, not being able to use the force to help in her search was making things much harder. She starts making her way over to one of the pillars, when some slight movement at the base of the pillar caught her eye. Rey froze, and just stared at where she saw the movement, hoping that it wasn't her eyes playing tricks on her. When she sees movement again, Rey rushes over to the pillar and as she got closer, the presence became more focused and noticable to her in the force. Rey had a hopeful smile on, and tears were starting to run down her face, as she ran over and fast as she could, but as she turns around the corner by the pillar, she stops dead in her tracks.
Rey was surprised by what she had found. It was a man, unconscious and with no clothes on. He had a lean, yet still muscular body build to him, which didn't seem like how Ben's build was. She goes over to his side, kneels down and turns him over. When she does she gasps at the face she sees, it was ben! Suddenly, a piece of the pillar breaks off and comes falling down above them. Rey, gathering what energy from the force that she could, pushes the falling rubble away from them. It comes down on the ground just barely 10 feet from them, with a loud powerful crash, kicking up dirt and dust. Rey throws her body over to shield him from any debris that came flying out of the impact. When the dust settles, Rey moves off to look at him, but is confused by the face she sees. It wasn't him. This person she just found was not Ben Solo. It made no sense to her, because she saw his face. Rey was absolutely certain she saw Ben's face right before she pushed that piece of the broken pillar away. Rey doesn't have much time with her thoughts, before she hears a voice. It was the voice of a woman, and a very familiar one that she knew all too well. It was Leia's voice and it sounded like she was pleading to Rey.
Rey....save him.
Finn had just arrived at the ruins and gotten off the speeder when he heard a loud crashing sound coming from inside. Even though he knew Rey could take care of herself, he still felt that he needed to be there to help her in whatever situation she was in. Finn bolts towards where he heard the crashing sound, but quickly slows to a stop, when he sees Rey coming towards him while doing her best to carry this unconscious person. Finn doesn't say anything, but instead goes over and helps her out. Once they were at the speeder, Finn grabs a blanket and wraps it around the man, then they all get on the speeder. Finn holds the unconscious man, and let's Rey control the speeder. When they were back at the falcon, chewie comes and helps carry the man into the ship. Rey was close behind him, and she helps chewie get the man set up in the med bay, and once everything was settled, chewie goes back out to ask Finn about the man they found, while Rey stays and watches over the unknown man, with the company of BB8 and D0. Chewie heads back to the cockpit and preps the ship for takeoff, while Poe, Finn and Rose discuss about what happened.
Finn let's out a sigh
"So there were no survivors in the base? Not one?"
Rose shakes her head
"No, not one person. The strange thing is, we didn't even find any bodies in the base either."
Finn looks at her with a puzzled look on his face, then clears his through turning to Poe.
"So what do you think Poe?"
Poe's gaze was turned towards the med bay, his facial features hard and serious.
"I think that guy better wake up soon, and have some damn good answers about what happened here."
Poe gets up and heads to the cockpit.
"Chewie! Set the course for Dantooine, it's time to head back home!"
Chewie growls out a response and the ship takes off, leaving Exegol far behind them.
-Dantooine. New rebel base. Medical wing.
Where am I?
Who am I?
It hurts!
Why is it so dark? So loud?
Make it stop!
Stop!
STOP!!
It had been a week since Rey and the others found the man on Exegol, and they were no closer to finding out what had happened there. The man was still unconscious, but alive and stable, at least by a medical perception. However, his presence in the force was a different matter. Rey almost never left the man's room over the past week, desperate for answers. He felt like Ben, but at the same time he didn't. Maybe this man is ben, but in a different body? There were too many questions she had, and this man was her last hope for answers, because she wasn't getting anything out of Luke or Leia. In fact she wasn't able to contact them anymore. The force was behaving bizarrely, especially around this person, almost like it couldn't make up its mind on what to do with him. Rey was currently sitting in the corner of the room sleeping, arms crossed and head leaning to the side against the wall, when she is suddenly jarred awake by the sounds of the medical machines rapidly beeping and the room shaking. Rey looks around briefly, before focusing her attention on the unconcious man in the bed. She could feel the charging of power in the force, something big was about to happen, and something real bad if Rey didn't act on it now. She stands and steadies herself, drawing power from the force, Rey puts up and encases the man in a type of bubble barrier.
The door to the room slides open, Finn and chewie as well as bb8 and d0, come into the room to see what is going on. Rey, was struggling to keep the shield up around the man, and Finn could tell that something was going to happen, from the side glance Rey gives him. He backs out from the door way, hitting chewie's arm to get his attention. Finn and chewie turn around and start running away, the droids close behind them. Rey now turns her attention back to the man and trying to maintain the shield around him. Whatever it was that was fighting her, was incredibly strong, and it was making her lose her hold on keeping up the shield. Rey let's out a strained growling yell, and when the man's eyes snap open, everything for her had gone black, and the next thing she knew, was waking up in a bed in one of the med rooms. Chewie was at her side, asking her if she was alright. Rey let's out a groaning sigh, her head was pounding and her back hurt, but she nods and rubs her face with both of her hands. She looks up and locks her eyes with chewie's.
"Yeah I'm okay, what happened chewie?"
Chewie tells Rey that after a few moments he, Finn and the droids ran from the room that she and the man were in, they heard a loud rumbling crash. When they came back to the room, almost everything was destroyed, she was on the ground, unconscious on the other side of the room and that the man was awake, leaning over her. He has been detained and has been asking about you for the last two days. Rey then quickly gets onto her feet.
"What? Two days? Damn it!"
Rey grabs her lightsaber that was on the bedside next to her, and clips it to her waist. She leaves the room, chewie barking after her, saying that she needs to rest still. Rey ignores him and makes her way to the security wing of the base and now that the man was awake, she was determined and hoping to get answers from him. When she arrives at the interrogation room, that the man was in, she stops and watches through the window where Poe was asking him questions, however the man was cooperating and remains silent. Why did this man remind her so much of Ben? Did he have to get a new body in order to survive and come back? Aside from the fact that his presence in the force was so very close to that of Ben's, there wasn't much else that bore any similarities between them. She needed answers and she needed them now!
He sat there quietly, his hands both placed on the table. The man who said he was Poe Dameron, was slowly pacing the room and asking him many questions, though he wasn't paying attention to any of them. He looks suddenly and turns his attention to the tinted window, someone was there. It was the girl. With his attention still on the window, he speaks for the first time.
"She is here. Can I see her? I want to talk to her."
The one called Poe had an annoyed and confused look on his face, and before he could respond, the door to the room slides open and the girl walks in. She holds up her hand and speaks to the man named Poe.
"It's okay Poe, I can take it from here. We'll be alright."
The man Poe throws up his arms and leaves the room.
"Have a go at it. Good luck."
Once the door slides closed, does the girl turn to look back at him. She gives him a soft, warm smile. She then moves a chair close to him, and takes a seat.
"I heard you wanted to talk with me?"
He returns the smile to her and nods.
"Well my name is Rey."
His smile widens and he nods again
"That is a lovely name. Hello Rey, it is very nice to meet you. I am glad to see you are okay"
The girl Rey nods, and is quiet for a few moments before she speaks again.
"Well thank you, but this is usually the part where you would tell me your name now."
He looks at the table, his brow furrows as he thinks for a few moments and then looks back up at the girl Rey.
"My....name? My name....I don't know what it is."
The girl Rey was about to respond, but he interrupts her with his own questions.
"Where am I Rey? What is happening here? Why am I being asked all of these questions? Did I do something wrong?"
The girl Rey let's him finish before continuing.
"Calm down, everything is alright. I don't have those answers for you, we were all hoping you could tell us."
She reaches out and touches his hand, and the moment her skin comes into contact with his, he quickly pulls his hand back, jumps to his feet, staggers back a few steps, then falls to his knees, clutching his head and groaning loudly in pain. His sudden movement causes Rey to jump up and back away as well. Rapid flashes of images and overlapping voices painfully assault his mind, and while most of the voices that were mixing with the images were impossible to focus on, there were a few that stood out for a few moments longer.
You killed him!
Stop touching my things Jaina!
Where you go, I go hero-boy!
Ben no!
Told you I'd win, Jacen!
The mighty Kylo Ren!
You have no place in this story. You come from nothing, you're nothing.
Don't do this Ben, please don't go this way.
No one's ever really gone
The images and the voices stop. He let's go of his head, takes a few gasping breaths and looks up. The girl Rey was knelt by his side, while the man Poe was at a distance with two guards, both with blasters drawn and pointed at him. He stands up, steadies himself, and clears his throat. Rey stands up, and with a look of concern on her face speaks in a cautious tone.
"A...are you okay?"
He nods, taking a deep breath and letting it out.
"Yeah, I'm good now. I remember by the way, my name at least. My name is Anakin....Anakin Solo."
Notes:
//Now before you all make assumptions about this character reveal, I just want you to know that Anakin Solo is not someone I made up. He is from the book series and existed LONG before the sequel trilogy was even made.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Chapter 4 will be coming soon...ish. Might take a bit longer since I'm working again now
Chapter 4
Summary:
Now that the stranger has been revealed to be Anakin Solo, Poe and Finn start they're interrogation on him, while Rey talks with Rose and lays everything out on the table.
Notes:
//Sorry for the wait. Life has begun to get a bit busy for me. Anyways, tanks for all of your patience. Sorry that it isn't exactly that long. Was dealing with some writers block. I hope you all enjoy it still
Chapter Text
The interrogation room was quiet, almost dead quiet, aside from the sounds of everyone breathing. Rey was stunned, well more like almost in shock to be exact. She felt like her heart had just been shattered, and as well as feeling a little lightheaded, though despite what she was feeling at the moment, Rey was quickly on her feet. She turns around and rushes out of the room, Finn was following after her. Rey was whipping tears from her eyes, as she passes by Rose in the hallway. Finn was calling after her, but she was just ignoring him, just wanting to be left alone because that is how she felt. Alone. Terribly and utterly alone. Rose puts her hand up to Finn, and blocks him from going after Rey.
"Hey Finn stop! Leave her be. Go back and help with Poe okay? I'll go and talk with Rey."
Finn looks down the hallway, then back at rose. He nods reluctantly and sighs. Rose moves close and gives him a kiss on his lips, then pulls back to look at him and gives him a reassuring smile.
"It'll be okay Finn. I got this."
Rose turns around and runs down the hallway after Rey, leaving Finn thinking what did he ever do to deserve an amazing woman like Rose Tico. Finn composes himself, then heads back to the interrogation room to help out Poe.
"Ugh...this is gonna be a long day."
It took her a little bit, because she lost sight of where Rey went, but eventually Rose caught up to Rey. Rose runs up to Rey, right as she lowers the Falcons ramp. She puts a hand on Rey's shoulder, and when Rey turns around, Rose's heart just breaks for her. Rey's face was flushed, and was stained with tear streaks. Rose had a feeling she knew the reason why Rey was so upset, and seeing the face of her friend as it was, confirmed it for her. She wanted the man they found to be Ben so badly, because she was in love with him. Rose doesn't get a word out, before Rey speaks through choked sobs.
"Damn it Rose! It's not fair! It's not kriffing fair!!"
Rey falls to her knees, buries her face in the palms of her hands and just let's go. Rose doesn't respond, but instead get's down onto her knees and embraces Rey in a strong hug, letting her cry unrestrained. Meanwhile, Finn joins Poe again in the interrogation room. When Finn came in, it looked like Poe and that Anakin guy were having some kind of an intense staring contest. After Finn takes a seat next to Poe, Poe sighs and clears his throat, then resumes his questioning.
"Okay, let's try this again. So "Anakin" if that really is your name-"
Anakin interrupts Poe
"It is."
Poe stops and closes his eyes briefly in annoyance, then resumes after opening them.
"-you claim to be a jedi knight and the youngest son of Leia Organa and Han Solo but-"
Anakin interrupts Poe again
"That is because I am, to both"
Poe jumps out of his chair, clearly fed up with this guys attitude, and was looking like he was about to jump over the table to tackle him. Finn was on his feet fast, he takes a hold of Poes arm and and pulls him back a bit. Anakin doesn't even flinch, but just stays sitting where he's at, watching unamused. Finn pulls back more on Poe's arm and pushes him back towards the door.
"Poe stand down now! Go for a walk, I'll talk with this guy."
Poe was out of the room before Finn even finished his sentence. When it was just the two of them in the room, Finn turns back around to Anakin and sits back down. He let's out a relieved sigh, but before he could say anything Finn stops and looks up at Anakin. Finn somehow knew Anakin was telling the truth about everything he has said so far. He couldn't explain how he knew, maybe it was through the force? Whatever it was, he had completely thrown him off balance and left him sitting there, staring at Anakin with his jaw hanging open. Anakin's brow furrows a little as he focuses on Finns face. He let's out a soft whistle, snaps his fingers and speaks to Finn.
"Hey Finn....you okay there?"
Finn immediately snaps out of it when he hears Anakin say his name.
"Wait hold it! How do you know my name?"
Anakin sighs softly and shakes his head a little.
"Seriously man? Jedi remember? I just said that I was one!"
Anakin doesn't tell Finn that it wasn't because of his skills as a jedi that allowed him discover his name. It was when the girl Rey had touched his hand, that something was triggered in his mind and as well in the force. There was so much going on here that made no sense to Anakin. Where was his family? The Jedi? What was the first and final order? Those and many more were things he needed to figure out, especially the problem he was having connecting with the force.
"Look I know you all have dozens of questions to ask me, and i am not sure i can be much help in answering them, not at least until I figure things out."
Finn leans forward and listens.
"What kind of things?"
Anakin holds up his hand and shakes his head.
"Wait before I go on, that girl Rey....is she okay?"
Rey and Rose sat across from one another in the falcons main hold in silence. Rey had just finished cleaning her face in the fresher, and started sipping the caf that Rose had gotten for her while she waited for Rey to finish. After a few more moments had passed, Rey finally breaks the silence.
"I'm sorry about that Rose, for just breaking down on you."
Rose shakes her head, leaning forward, she reaches with her left hand and puts it on Rey's right hand. She gives it a reassuring squeeze.
"Rey you have nothing to be sorry about. Did that guy we found say something that upset you, or was it something about...you know...Ben?"
Rey drops her head, and quietly looks at the caf in her cup for a moment before looking up and replying to Rose.
"It's a bit of both actually. I thought it was him, I really thought that he was Ben. Damn it i was so sure of it Rose!"
Rose leans back into her seat and closely listens to her friend as she goes on. Rey starts to place a little.
"When I found this guy, I swear on my life that it was Ben's face on that person. Ugh! Shit! I feel like I am losing my mind-"
Rose then interrupts Rey.
"Well to me it sounds like you are in love with Ben."
Rey freezes in her place, and then looks up at Rose, with a surprised expression. She couldn't find anything in her mind to respond to Rose with. Yes she was in love with Ben, she knew that she was, but hearing it spoken out loud caught her off guard. When Rey opens her mouth to reply, a familiar voice calls out from behind her. When Rey turns around, she smiles a little as Maz Kanata makes her way up the falcons ramp.
"Are we talking about boyfriends, because I can tell you a few things about chewbacca hehe!"
Rey kneels down and embraces Maz in a hug, then pulls back and stands back up.
"My dear Rey...it is so good to see you again, and the same to you miss Rose Tico."
Rey smiles and pulls a chair out for Maz.
"Did you just get here Maz? How did you know any of us were here?"
Maz comes over and takes a seat with Rose, and Rey sits back in her chair. Maz clears her throat and adjusts her glasses.
"Oh I have my ways dearie....I knew i was needed for a reason here on Dantooine. Anyways, I hear you found someone on Exegol? Mind filling me in on that?"
As Rey and Rose explain to Maz of the events that had occurred over the past week, back in the interrogation room Finn and Poe decide to call it for a day and have Anakin transferred to a holding cell. Poe goes and works on the task of notifying the families of the people who died at the base on Exegol, while Finn goes to look for Rose and Rey. He runs into Chewie, who tells Finn that they are on the falcon with Maz, now tagging along both Finn and Chewie make their way to the falcon, but stop when an alarm goes off and security personnel rushes past them and towards the holding cells. Finn turns to chewie and points in the direction of the hangar bay where the falcon is at.
"Chewie go get Rey and meet me and Poe at the holding cells. Go hurry!"
Chewie growls and runs to the falcon, while Finn dashes to the holding area. As he hurries down the hallways, a nearby explosion nearly knocks Finn off his feet, but he keeps pressing on. When he turns the corner, Finn nearly falls face forward, trying to stop so suddenly. His eyes grow wide in shock and fear from what he sees. It was the knights of ren, the three that somehow had survived back on Exegol, but the knights weren't what shocked him, it was who was behind them. It was a woman in a dark hood, and she had her right hand wrapped around the throat of Poe. The woman turns her head a little towards Finn, and what Finn sees turns his blood ice cold. In the womans other hand, was a blood crimson red energy blade of a lightsaber, that she then plunges into Poe's left hip.
"POE!!"
Finn screams just as another, and this time closer explosion knocks Finn off his feet and sends him crashing through the wall that was behind him
Chapter 5
Notes:
Hey everyone! Got chapter 5 here ready for you all. Things are now gonna start getting real interesting, so hold onto your butts lol!
Also just want to say thank you all so much for your patience. I know chapters have been coming out later than they usually do, but I'm trying to add more into each chapter to make them longer and life is been getting more busy. I do hope all of you are enjoying this story so far.
If any of you want to be kept updated on the story, follow my twitter DerpySith (derpysith99)
Chapter Text
Get up Anakin! Get up now! They need your help! She needs your help! ANAKIN WAKE UP!!
Anakin's eyes snap open. He was moving, but not of his own free will. His eyes dart around briefly, before he looks up and sees that he is being dragged by someone. No, by something. Anakin couldn't really tell, but he knew it was humanoid, even though his eyes were having a little trouble focusing. His ears were ringing, his head was throbbing and his whole body was sore. Gathering as much strength as he could, Anakin manages to jerk himself free from the humanoid's grip, jumps to his feet and backflips away to get some distance. He looks at the person and sees that it is a male nautolan, or at least looks like one. Something was wrong with this person, Anakin couldn't sense him in the force. There was nothing, which usually means one thing, this was a droid, but what type of droid, Anakin wasn't sure. The nautolan droid hunches forward a little, Anakin takes a cautious step backwards. Suddenly two extra arm appendages shoot out from it's back. Anakin's eyes widen in surprise, and nearly falls over some rubble, when he takes another step back, but quickly regains his footing.
"Yeah....nope!"
The droid then lunges at Anakin, and while in mid air, Anakin releases a strong force push at the droid, which sends it soaring back and crashing through several walls. Anakin turns around and sprints down the hallway, he was really wishing he had his lightsaber with him, he needed a weapon, it didn't matter what kind. He then comes across a destroyed droid. A holo droid from the looks of it, but Anakin couldn't recognize the model. It also had four arms, like the nautolan droid. In one of its hands, was what looked to be a vibrosword, though it didn't look like one he'd ever seen before, though regardless, he needed a weapon and this would have to do for now. Anakin takes the weapon and briefly examines it, finding a button on the top right side of the handle. He pushes it, and the blade is encased in a thin layer of highly concentrated silver white plasma energy. Anakin grins, impressed with this weapon, it kinda felt like a lightsaber prototype.
"Nice."
Anakin's attention is then drawn further down the hallway, when he hears Finn scream
"POE!!"
Then he hears the sound of an explosion from that direction.
"Shit!"
Anakin sprints further down the hall, turns the corner and skids to a halt. His eyes went wide with horror at what he saw. It was obviously another holo droid, but It was who it looked like.
"M...mom?"
The droid had her face, Leia's face, not the one he remembered when growing up, it was far too young. It was probably at the age when she met Han and Luke. Anakin snaps out of it when his arms bring the vibrosword up and blocks the lightsaber that the droid nearly brought down onto his face. He was so stunned, that he didn't even notice the saber come slashing towards his face, nor did he remember bringing his blade up to block the oncoming strike. It was almost like he wasn't in control for that very brief moment. Anakin pushes back the droid, then swiftly twirls his body severing the head with a spinning slash of the vibrosword, the droid then falls to the ground, it's holo projection of his mother now gone. Anakin looks at the droid for a few minutes, feeling a bit uneasy about what he had just saw. When he turns around, he's startled and impulsively swings the vibrosword, but the blade is stopped and parried away by a golden yellow lightsaber. It was then Anakin recognized who it was. The girl Rey. He let's out a sigh as she deactivates her saber.
"Hey...it's you. I'm sorry, I got startled and-"
Anakin abruptly stops in mid sentence. His attention now on the wookie who had just approached behind Rey. Anakin drops the vibrosword, a shocked disbelief look comes across his face, and his eyes water up lightly.
"C...c...chewie? I...is it really you?"
Chewie looks at Anakin, tilting his head to the side in confusion. He let's out a small series of quick grunting growls to Rey, who then turns around to face chewie.
"It's a long story and I'll tell you later chewie, but right now we need to find Finn and Poe, and then help the security team outside the base."
Anakin takes a quick breath in and blinks a few times, coming back to reality. He clears his throat and goes over to one of the bodies on the ground.
"Oh uh yeah....over here. Poe was hurt. He was stabbed with a lightsaber. Luckily it was just through his hip, if he gets help now, he'll recover just fine."
Rey motions to chewie to pick Poe up, he nods and carefully picks him up in his arms. He growls and heads off to the medical wing. When chewie is out of sight, Rey turns to face Anakin, igniting her saber once more and points it at his face. She looks in his eyes, with a look of distrust and caution.
"Explain now! What is going on? Who are you?"
Anakin summoned the vibrosword to his hand, just as Rey pointed her saber at his face, however he didn't smack it away. He just looks back into her eyes and breathes calmly.
"I have already told you who I am Rey. My name is Anakin Solo, and as for what is going on here, I am just as much in the dark as you are, probably even more than anyone else."
Rey doesn't reply, but keeps her lightsaber pointed at him.
"Look, I am not the enemy. I think-"
Anakin is cut off by a woman screaming down the hall behind him.
"REY!!"
Anakin turns around in the direction of the scream, just as Rey darts past him. He runs after her and stop when she does. A young woman was holding the body of the man Finn, eyes read and tears streaming down her face.
"Rey he isn't breathing! I can't wake him up!"
Rey kneels down next to them
"Its okay Rose let me see if-"
Anakin pushes Rey out of the way, he was now holding what looked like a stun baton.
"Move away now!"
The woman quickly scoots away from Finn. Anakin then forcefully jabs the baton directly in the center of his chest. His body jerks and flails a bit, as the electric current courses through his body. His eyes snap open wide, and then he quickly sits up with a pained gasp.
"Finn!"
The woman Rose throws her arms around him, and let's out sobs of relief as she holds him.
"I thought I lost you!"
Rey then embraces the both of them, while Finn panting softly, looks up at Anakin and gives a thumbs up.
"T...thanks man."
Anakin smiles slightly and gives him a nod. The woman Rose looks up at Anakin and wipes the tears from her eyes.
"Thank you so much!"
Anakin smiles and nods at her. Rey then releases her hold on Finn and stands up going over to Anakin's side. The both of them turn around and head down to where blasterfire and explosions are heard, most likely it is at where the droids first breached the base. When both Anakin and Rey are out of view, Finn looks at Rose as he takes both of her hands in his. She looks at him with concern.
"Finn? What is it? Is something-"
"Marry me Rose...!"
Rose's mouth hangs open, and she stares at Finn in complete and utter shock. After a few moments she finds the words to speak, but they come out as a small gasp.
"What?"
As Anakin and Rey get closer to the breach entrance, Rey looks curiously over at Anakin
"How did you know what to do in order to help Finn? Couldn't you have used your abilities with the force?"
Anakin doesn't look at Rey when he replies.
"I didn't...and as for my abilities in the force, like I said earlier, something is wrong with my connection to it."
Out of the corner of his eye, Anakin sees Rey's surprised expression and then she shakes her head. They arrive at the breach opening, the scene looking a bit grim. The base security teams as well as a few resistance soldiers, are putting up a good fight, but the droids are too much for them and are slowly being pushed back. Anakin let's out a groaning sigh, Rey turns to him, her voice having a hint of annoyance in it when she asks him what the problem is.
"What is it now?"
Anakin holds up his free hand as he responds to her.
"I just now realized I should have grabbed a blaster before-"
A few blaster bolts whizzing close by them, cuts off Anakin in mid sentence. They both jump behind some rubble for cover, Rey takes the blaster from her holster and hands it to him.
"Here use mine."
Rey ignites her lightsaber and leaps out of cover, running towards nearby droids. Anakin comes out from behind the rubble, and gives Rey some covering fire, shooting any droid that tries advancing on her. Anakin was amazed at how well Rey fought, actually it was more like a beautifully choreographed dance. It truly was a wonderous sight, she was indeed a true jedi, and it brought a smile to his face. Yet, somehow seeing her fight felt familiar to him. Suddenly, Anakin's arm jerked to the side, and the blaster was yanked out of his hand. When he turns in the direction the blaster flew, a large clawed hand engulfs his whole face. Anakin is then lifted off the ground and back slammed up against the outside of the base. The impact nearly knocked out all the air out of his lungs, fortunately, Anakin was able to turn his head enough so that his mouth hadn't been completely covered by his assailants hand. Anakin lets out a pained shout and groans as the hands grip tightens around his head, then with the vibrosword in his other hand, takes a blind swiping slash, in the hopes of getting this thing to let him go.
"Let me....GO!"
Anakin hears a pained yelp when he swings his blade and is then dropped to the ground. Anakin tries to see who it was that attacked him, but his eyes were having a little trouble focusing. He hears Rey call out to him. She was saying something, but he couldn't make it out over the roar of a ships engine flying overhead. Anakin was able to get his eyes to focus, but when he looked to see who his attacker was, there wasn't anyone there. The ship that flew overhead comes back around and starts unleashing blaster fire on the droids, cheers from the security teams and soldiers could be heard as the enemy is being forced to retreat. Anakin looks up and smiles big when he sees the ship. The Millennium falcon. Rey deactivates her lightsaber and runs up to Anakin.
"Are you okay?"
"Aside from a splitting headache, yeah I'm wonderful."
Anakin rubs the sides of his temples and groans softly. He then looks over at Rey.
"You wouldn't by any chance have gotten a good look at the guy? I know it wasn't human and it was strong, both physical and in the force"
Rey shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders.
"No sorry....was a little bit preoccupied."
Anakin nods and sighs.
"So what now? Am I being detained and interrogated again?"
Anakin chuckles and smiles as he pretends to have his wrists restrained. Rey scoffs and rolls her eyes, returning the chuckle as she starts walking back into the base.
"I'll take that as a no....or a maybe at least."
Anakin starts walking after Rey, but stops suddenly when he hears a girl's voice say his name.
"Anakin...."
Anakin turns around slowly, only to see no one. There was something familiar about that voice. He could have sworn he heard it from somewhere before, but he just couldn't remember. It was so frustrating that there we so many things he was still having trouble remembering. Anakin rolls his shoulders and takes a few long, slow deep breaths. He closes his eyes, and reaches out in the force again. This was new, his head didn't feel like it was about to split open, in fact it all felt normal now. Anakin reaches out further, concentrating more. Anakin hears a voice again, though this one is different. It was a elderly man's voice.
"The first order rose from the dark side. You did not."
Another voice joins in. It was a man's voice as well, but it was different, it was deep, almost mechanical like. He responds to the elderly man. Anakin shivers slightly, he felt cold. He felt the dark side
"I'll show you the dark side."
"You may try, but you cannot deny the truth that is your family."
"You're so right."
Anakin's eyes open wide in surprise, when he hears the sudden activation of a lightsaber. Standing before him was a hooded masked man. He held a unique crimson red lightsaber high above his head, and brought it down towards Anakin in a powerful swinging stroke. Anakin instinctively closes his eyes and holds up his hands, and loses his footing when he takes a staggering step back. He falls back, hitting his back on the ground. When he didn't feel anything from the swing of that lightsaber, Anakin opens his eyes and groans when he sits up. A vision. Of course it was a vision, or at least something close to one anyway. Anakin rubs his eyes, then when he looks up, an odd looking creature was studying him intently. It's skin was wrinkled and leathery looking, and was a brownish orange. It was also wearing glasses that had multiple lenses that made it's eyes wider. Anakin was feeling a bit unnerved by it, and just as he was about to say something, it speaks.
"So you are the one I've been hearing about. Come now, get up! We have much to discuss."
Anakin gets up, brushes himself off and hesitantly follows after the small creature. Whoever this creature is, he could tell that it was attuned to the force and it piqued Anakin's curiosity. They both were heading towards the Millennium falcon, which brought a smile to Anakins face when he saw it again, the entry ramp was lowered and the small creature walks up it. It turns around facing Anakin and gives him a small smile.
"There, we should have some privacy for a bit now. Oh please forgive my lack of manners I have a tendency to forget due to my age. My name is Maz Kanata....come and tell me your story Anakin."
A few hours had passed since the attack on the base had been repelled. Rey was in the medical wing, the one that managed to escape total destruction, with Rose. She wanted to see how both Finn and Poe were doing and was greatly relieved to find out that they both were going to be just fine. Poe still hadn't regained consciousness yet, and Finn was currently asleep and resting. Rey and Rose were just outside Finns room talking with one another. Rey had both of her hands covering her face, her eyes were wide with surprise and a hint of excitement.
"Finn said what to you??"
Rose nods, giving as well a little shrug and let's out a nervous chuckle. Rey drops her hands from her mouth down to her sides.
"Well what did you say Rose?"
"My mind was racing a million miles an hour, I didn't give him an answer yet because I didn't know what to say. He passed out by the time I finally had one."
Rey was on the edge of her seat, waiting for Rose to tell her what she was going to say to Finn.
"Well??"
Rose blushes and smiles big. That was all Rey needed from her. She was so happy for them. Rey moves in to give Rose a hug, but stops when she senses something through the force. It was familiar, all too familiar to Rey. She felt, anxiety, confusion, frustration, but most of all, she felt an overwhelming sense of sadness. It was how she felt the day Ben Solo was taken from her. It was the feeling of someone's world shattering. Rey softly whisper his name.
"Anakin..."
Rey closed her eyes, and reaches out in the force, trying to locate him. It took only a few moments, but she was able to find him on the falcon. She sensed Maz was there with him, and she suddenly became very nauseous. Rey apologizes and tells Rose that she had to go, and takes off towards the falcon, not waiting for her to reply. Her mind was racing with questions. What did she tell him? Does he know everything? When Rey exited the base and was halfway to the falcon, she sees Maz exiting the ship walking and towards Rey.
"Rey I am sorry, I thought he knew...."
Rey glances at the ship and then back at Maz after meeting up with her.
"Maz what did you tell him? What does he know??"
Maz holds her hands out to Rey, she has an apologetic look on her face. She stutters, and Rey walks past her and up the falcon's ramp. She takes a quick look around, before sensing where Anakin was. He was in Hans quarters. Rey stands outside the closed door, after swallowing the lump in her throat, she takes a deep breath and presses the button to open the door. Anakin sat on the bed's end edge, his arms were draped over his knees and his head was hanging, looking at the floor. Rey speaks in a soft and concerned tone.
"Anakin....?"
He doesn't respond immediately and Rey doesn't repeat herself. After a few tense quiet moments, Anakin looks up at Rey, tears were in his eyes and his facial expression was a mixture of hurt and anger.
"Why couldn't anyone tell me? Why couldn't you tell me the Jedi order doesn't exist?"
Rey doesn't respond, and Anakin's voice becomes more stern, with a hint of accusation.
"Why couldn't YOU tell me that half of my family is dead, and the other half never existed?"
Rey opens her mouth to respond, but Anakin scoffs and shakes his head. He waves a hand out in front of him, using the force, he slides the door shut in Rey's face and has it locked. Rey closes her eyes and softly whispers her reply to the now closed door.
"I'm sorry..."
Rey opens her eyes, and waits for a moment. When the door remains closed she goes and joins Maz, who was sitting in the main hold. Maz puts her hands over Rey's right hand when she sits down next to her. Rey couldn't be upset with Maz, she didn't know what was happening with Anakin and the attack on the base here. Maz gives Rey a small warm smile, she knew that Rey was very concerned for him.
"Give him time my dear....he will be alright."
Rey sighs and nods. She looks towards the living quarters and speaks softly
"I really hope so Maz."
Whether Rey realized it or not was unclear, but for the first time in a long time, Rey's full attention was on someone else, and while they were there, strong and fresh in her mind still, thoughts of Ben and him being alive weren't exactly her main focus anymore. She would find the answers she was looking for eventually, but for now she was focused on helping Anakin in anyway she could.
Chapter 6
Notes:
//Hello everyone!! Yes I am still here and I am not dead, and neither is the story. Life has been very busy, but I wont get into it too much. My girlfriend unfortunately had gotten covid and I've been focused on taking care of her, which is why it took forever for me to get this chapter done. Until things settle down, future chapters will be a bit slow.
Anyways, I hope you all are doing good, and I do hope you like the new chapter.
Chapter Text
Six days later
-Medical wing recovery ward-
"Whoa whoa whoa hold on, time out! That guy we found is from another what? Another universe? Seriously? Come on Maz, you don't really believe that do you?"
Poe Dameron had regained consciousness two days ago, and was going stir crazy in the recovery ward, so to prevent Poe from getting up and doing something stupid, Maz and Rey both decided to tell him and Finn both about what the story is with Anakin. Finn shakes his head and rubs his eyes, Rose who was at Finn's side had a puzzled look on her face as she tried to understand and process what she just heard. She looks over to the far side of the room, where Lando Calrissian sat. Lando had arrived on Dantooine yesterday with R2D2 and C3PO, after recieving a distress call from the falcon. Lando then speaks up in agreement with Poe.
"I have to agree with Mr. Poe Dameron over here Maz. That sounds a bit out there, even by our standards. I think that kid is lying and-"
Maz cuts Lando off by letting out an audible scoff and crosses her arms.
"Lando Calrissian! After all you have seen from your journeys with Luke Skywalker and your days fighting the empire, you of all people here know that anything is possible through the force! Don't try to brush me off like some crazy old lady. I have been around for almost a thousand years, and while I have not seen anything or anyone like our new friend Anakin, I have heard many theories and stories from scientists that I have met in my time, and they add up to what Anakin has told me. I truly do believe him."
Maz adjusts her glasses and clears her throat.
"Also DNA tests don't lie....he is the son of Han and Leia."
Poe falls back onto his bed and sighs loudly, Finn and Rose both laugh softly and lando smiles, shaking his head. Finn lightly claps his hands and let's out a chuckle
"Well this sure beats learning about panic attack preventions for the 6th time, boy I needed this distraction."
Finn notices Rey taking a glance at the door. She had been doing for a while now, her mind was clearly focused on something else.
"Rey? You okay?"
Rey quickly turns her head towards Finn
"Hmm?"
Finn let's out a soft chuckle and repeats his question
"Are you okay?"
Rey sighs, nods and then stands up. She walks to the door and turns around to face everyone.
"Look I'm sorry, but I have a lot on my mind right now. You and Poe get some rest."
Rey leaves the room. She starts heading back to the falcon, but stops after turning a corner, and leans against the wall. She laid her head against the wall and sighs heavily, closing her eyes. She felt lost, and was wishing she could get some guidance from either Luke or Leia, or any jedi for that matter. One thing that felt almost certain for Rey, was Anakin. Anakin was her path now and hopefully it would lead her to somehow getting Ben back.
Anakin sat in his father's quarters. He was meditating, or at least was trying to, but something felt off with his connection to the force. When Anakin opens his eyes, the room was spinning and he saw spots. He covers his mouth, running into the fresher and vomits in the vac tube. When he was finished, he sits on the ground up against the wall, panting softly. What the hell is going on? He closes his eyes, and takes a few deep calming breaths, and when he felt better, he opened them again. Vertigo sucks. He leans his head back against the wall and looks at the ceiling. His mind drifts to Rey, and the guilt washes over him. Anakin sighs, knowing that even though he was still upset with Rey, she didn't do anything wrong, in fact she has done nothing but try to help him ever since she found him, though it felt like there was some kind if reason she had for helping him. His thoughts are interrupted, his head snaps towards the door, and was surprised to see Chewbacca standing in the doorway asking if he was alright. Anakin was so lost in thought, that he didn't even hear the doors to the quarters or the fresher slide open. He gets up, and walks past chewie, not looking at him. Chewie let's out a few growls, which makes Anakin stop where he is. Anakin doesn't turn around, but he does respond to chewie.
"Maz and Rey....told you about me?"
Chewie let's out a confirming soft growl, then gives a small series of barks asking him "why did you say that I was alive earlier?" Anakin's eyes tear up, and he slowly turns around to face chewie.
"B...because you died where I came from and....and..."
It was at this point he broke down. Tears were now falling down on his face and he spoke in sobbing words.
"You died saving me, because of a stupid choice I made. I blamed dad for you getting killed, while he blamed me and...and...I....am so sorry....god...!"
Anakin falls to his knees and buries his face into his hands, sobbing harder.
"God I am so sorry....so sorry uncle baccie!"
Chewie stood and listened closely as the man named Anakin spoke. He had no reason to believe anything that he was going to say, but what he did say, chewie did not expect. Chewie wasn't sure how or why, but he believed what Anakin was saying and when he fell to his knees, chewie rushed over and embraced Anakin in a strong loving and reassuring hug. Anakin buries his face into chewie's chest and let's out muffled sobs, meanwhile just outside the room, Rey stood just a few steps away from the doorway, and had her hand over her mouth. She had heard everything Anakin had just said to chewie, and she knew that it was true because even in the force, his words were genuine. Rey felt terrible, mostly because it never crossed her mind on about how Anakin was feeling. Now, here she was focused only on her own selfish needs, concerned about Ben and how to get him back, not once even thinking about what Anakin must be going through. Rey takes a few moments to gather herself and turns around, leaving the falcon, but runs into Maz just as she steps off the ramp. "Ah Rey good...I wanted to talk to you."
Rey stops and quietly let's out a soft huff, then turns to face Maz.
"What is it Maz?"
Rey's tone had a touch of annoyance and frustration in it. Maz looks at Rey with an "excuse me" expression on and she crosses her arms.
"Watch your tone young lady, you may be a jedi, but that doesn't give you the excuse to speak like that to me. You know very well you should respect your elders."
Rey takes in a deep breath, then let's it out with an audible sigh. Calming herself down she smiles slightly and nods.
"I'm sorry Maz. I just...I just have a lot on my mind right now and-"
Rey stops talking when she feels Maz take her hand into hers. Maz's expression was soft, warm and reassuring when she looked up at Rey. Maz gives her a smile and a soft squeeze of her hand.
"Oh I know my dear child I know....you were hoping that Anakin was Ben."
Rey looks at her with a bit of surprise
"Wait how-"
"Oh please haha! I don't need the force to know that you were in love with Ben Solo. I mean with his father's eyes, and that smile of his mother's....oh to be young again."
Rey blushes. She also could not help but smile and laugh at what Maz said. As usual Maz was right.
"If there is a way to bring Ben back, I am certain you will find it."
Maz releases her hold on Rey's hand and her expression becomes serious.
"However, if it turns out that he cannot come back, do not become stuck in the past again. Always remember that you are not alone anymore. Always remember what I told you when we first met back on Takodana. The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead."
Rey nods and hugs Maz. This was something she needed to hear, even if it wasn't exactly what she wanted. Rey pulls back and looks at maz.
"Thank you Maz."
"Of course child, of course."
Rey, now with a clearer head and more focused, makes her way out into the wilderness of the planet to meditate. The arrival of Anakin and the attack on the base, happening so close to each other couldn't be a coincidence. Someone wanted there attention, and they now had it.
Anakin had spent the next two hours talking with Chewie. He told him about his life, at least what he could remember, from where he was from, and his family, his Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara, the jedi and his siblings Jacen and Jaina. and Chewie told Anakin about everything that had happened up to this point. Chewie also mentioned that when they found Anakin, they were expecting to find Ben. Anakin, thanks to Maz, already knew what had happened, but it was good in a way to hear it from Chewie. After all was said and done, Anakin gives Chewie a big hug, and Chewie returns it. Anakin smiles happily, remembering the hugs he would get from Chewie and for a few moments it felt like he was back home. They release there hold on each other, and look at one another with big smiles on.
"Thanks Uncle Chewie, this was good. I'm gonna go and clean up in the fresher."
Chewie nods and growls, saying he will leave some clean clothes out on the bed. Anakin gives a pat on his arm and goes into the fresher, locking the door after it slides shut. Anakin takes off his shirt, and when he turns around, he is surprised with his reflection in the mirror. Anakin's hair was long, near shoulder length, it almost looked like how his grandfather looked just before he had become Darth Vader, only his was neat and even, while Anakin's was messy, uneven, and slightly oily. He also saw that he had a beard growing. Anakin scoffs and shakes his head. No wonder why people here thought he was crazy, because he LOOKED crazy. However that wasn't what surprised him the most, it was just how old he looked. He would deal with that later. Anakin takes some clippers and his fathers shaver, and gets to work. Once he finished, he gets into the refresher, and closes his eyes as the water pours down onto his head. He lets his mind wander, he focuses on the visions he had of his "brother" Ben Solo, or as he was better known as Kylo Ren. Why was the force showing him this? He just couldn't figure it out and it frustrated and annoyed him. Anakin pushes those out of his mind, and tries focusing on the stillness and the sound of the water running down on him, though after a few moments, something happens. Anakin was suddenly outside in the wilderness, turning around, he sees Rey, who was deep in meditation. Confused and curious, he approaches her, but suddenly her eyes snap open wide, and Anakin, now back in the refresher, lets out a startled gasp and opens his eyes. What the hell was that? That was not a vision, this was....something else, but why did it feel familiar? He shakes off the thought, and after taking a few moments to get his bearings, Anakin finishes up in the refresher. He looks at the clothes that chewie had left out for him. There was a brown jacket and a simple shirt with pants. Anakin smiles slightly, when he sees the jacket. It was his fathers from when he first started out as a smuggler. The shirt and pants however, were a different story, because when he touched them, Anakin was no longer on the falcon.
"Great....now what?"
"BEN!"
Anakin quickly turns around to see his father on the ending of a bridge.
"D...dad?"
No response
"Han Solo."
Anakin looks down the bridge and sees Kylo Ren in the middle
"I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
Han then slowly begins to walk towards Kylo Ren, while Anakin continues to watch them both.
"Take off that mask. You don't need it."
"What do you think you'll see if you do?"
"The face of my son."
Anakin's eyes shift from Han to Kylo, as he takes off his mask. He swallows and continues to watch, though a little anxious now.
"Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish like his father. So I destroyed him."
Han starts moving closer to him, Anakin shakes his head lightly and whispers softly.
"Dad no, don't."
"That's what Snoke wants you to believe. But it's not true. My son is alive."
Kylo Ren gently shakes his head
"No. The supreme leader is wise."
Han now moves closer and stops when he is standing right in front of Kylo.
"Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you. You know it's true."
There was a long pause, and Anakin's breath quickens a little as he watches.
"It's too late."
"No, it's not. Leave here with me. Come home. We miss you."
There was another long pause. Anakin, now focused on Kylo Ren, his eyes widen slightly. He could feel what Kylo was feeling, the conflict in him. He speaks, his voice breaking.
"I'm being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain. I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?"
Han was now just inches from him
"Yes. Anything."
Kylo drops his mask to the floor of the bridge, his lightsaber now in his hands, he extends them out to Han. Han puts one hand on the lightsaber hilt, and the two just look at one another for what seems like forever. Anakin, now starts moving towards them, but stops dead in his tracks when the crimson blade is activated and emerges from Han's back. Anakin hears a pained roar from chewie and then he hears Rey cry out.
"NO!"
Anakin trembles slightly, not believing what he was seeing. Kylo speaks softly, but Anakin was just barely able to make it out
"Thank you."
In surprised horror, Anakin calls out as Han's body falls down into the depths of the abyss below.
"DAD!!"
Anakin was now back on the falcon. Panting softly, he blinks a few times and briefly looks at his surroundings. A knock sounds off at the door, and then a muffled voice follows. It was Rey.
"Anakin? Anakin are you alright? Can I come in please?"
Anakin sniffles, wipes the tears from his eyes and clears his throat.
"Hold on, give me a minute."
Anakin quickly puts the clothes on, then uses the force to unlock and open the door.
Rey had rushed back over to the falcon after her meditation was abruptly interrupted by Anakin. She had felt him. It almost felt like the time she and Ben had first connected with one another through the force, and when she tried to shoot him. When Rey takes a step onto the falcons ramp, she stops walking and looks in the direction of the living quarters that Anakin was occupying. Something was going on with him, she could feel it in the force. Rey resumes her walk and arrives outside his quarters, she knocks after seeing that the door was locked.
"Anakin? Anakin are you alright? Can I come in please?"
The door opens, and Rey enters. She is suddenly at a lost for words when she saw him. Was this Anakin? He looks almost completely different now. He had shaved off the beard that was forming, and had given himself a haircut. His haircut wasn't exactly professional looking, it was some version of a military looking flattop, but it was long enough to be spiked. It also looked slightly shaggy as well and it somehow worked for him. She also noticed that he was wearing some of Ben's clothes and one of Han's jackets. Rey had suddenly found herself feeling quite attracted to him.
"Um...Rey? Are YOU okay?"
Rey comes back to attention, shaking her head and clearing her throat. She blushes and tries to hide it
"S...sorry, you um...you look real good."
This made Anakin smirk and let out a soft chuckle.
"Thanks."
There was a long pause before either one of the spoke up, and they both happen to speak at the same time
"Anakin I wanted-"
"Look Rey we should-"
They both stop and quietly chuckle. Anakin hold up his hand to her and nods.
"You go first..."
Rey smiles and returns the nod with one of her own. Her expression becomes a little serious now.
"What was that....? I mean back when I was meditating? I felt you and I could've sworn I saw you too. Did you do something?"
Anakin sighs softly and rubs the back of his neck.
"Yeah about that, sorry. One minute I was in the refresher, trying to get my thoughts in order, the next I'm standing in front of you seeing you meditate."
Rey cocks an eyebrow and puts her hands on her hips, smirking ever so slightly
"Excuse me? You were in the refresher when you saw me?"
The realization of what Rey was saying dawns on him and Anakin holds up his hands, shaking his head
"Whoa whoa no no no! That isn't what I mean! I wouldn't do that to someone like you, I mean I wouldn't do that to anyone"
Anakin was now nervously stuttering a bit. Rey crosses her arms over her chest, and fights the impulse to burst out laughing
"I mean I'm not saying your unattractive, in fact you are real beautiful and no wait-"
Anakin immediately stops talking. He quickly sits down, folds his hands into his lap and just looks straight ahead.
"I'll just shut up now..."
Rey turns her head away, trying to hide her blush and big grin. After a moment she comes over to Anakin and sits next to him.
"Relax Anakin...I was just kidding around with you."
Anakin does relax, but Rey notices that his attention is somewhere else.
"Anakin? Hey what is it?"
Anakin doesn't look at her. His gaze remains looking straight ahead. After a long quiet pause Anakin sighs
"I had a vision just before you showed up...."
Rey starts to ask what is was of, but Anakin resumes
"I saw him...I saw Ben, or Kylo Ren or whatever. I saw him kill my fath- I mean Han Solo."
Anakin closes his eyes, a tear rolls down his right cheek, but is quickly wiped away. Rey sighs quietly and gently puts her hand on his back. She knew exactly what he was saying that he saw, because she could see it just as clearly as when it happened almost two years ago, back on starkiller base.
"Anakin....you don't need to do that. I believe you. I know that you are Han and Leia's son."
Anakin turns his head to look at her. He nods and gives a small smile.
"Thanks....you have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that. You are the only one that has actually said that they believe me. I know....um....maz was it? I know she believes me, but she never said she did and chewie, despite our long and heartfelt talk, I'm not sure he believes me. It's just nice to hear it, especially from someone that means it."
Anakin turns to look back ahead, takes a deep breath and let's it out, while puffing out his cheeks. His smile fades a little, when he turns to look back at Rey.
"Ever since waking up here, I've felt lost. I need to find my purpose here in this universe, and I have no idea where to go from here."
Anakin sighs and groans softly
"I don't think I can do this....I feel so alone."
Rey scoots a bit closer to Anakin, her hand now moved from his back to his right shoulder
"Hey....don't feel like that okay? I will help you. You aren't alone in this."
Anakin puts his hand over Rey's that she had placed on his shoulder.
"Neither are you...."
Rey pulls her hand back away from Anakin. She had a mixed look of confusion and hurt on her face. She stood up from the bed, turns around to look at him and backs up away from him.
"Why would you say that?"
Anakin was confused. Did he say something wrong? Just as he was going to ask Rey about what he said, a familiar mechanical voice could be heard from a shiny golden droid that had just appeared in the doorway. It was C3PO
"Oh! There you are mistress Rey! It is so good to see you again. I just wanted-"
C3PO stops talking when he sees Anakin sitting on the bed.
"Oh I'm terribly sorry! Am I interrupting something?"
Rey keeps her eyes on Anakin, then turns to leave the room. The memory of her and ben touching hands through the force, was vivid and clear in her mind, in addition to all the emotions she felt then.
"No 3PO...we just finished."
Anakin sat and watched Rey leave the room, still confused as to what he did wrong. BB8 rolls in beeping a question about if Rey is okay and Anakin just shrugs. C3PO's attention now fully on Anakin.
"Forgive me good sir, allow me to introduce myself I am-"
Anakin interrupts him. He nods and smiles
"I know who you are 3PO, I've known you for my whole life."
C3PO tilts his head to the side, then looks down at BB8 when he starts explaining everything.
"I'm sorry, Anakin Solo? Jedi from another universe? Oh BB8 I do believe you've been spending too much time with R2."
Anakin's eyebrows rise, the realization coming to him. R2D2 might be able to help him out, he could probably show him the next step in finding his purpose. As C3PO and BB8 continue back and forth, Anakin leaves the quarters and finds R2D2 in the main hold of the falcon.
"Hey there R2...this might be a bit strange for you, but I am hoping you could help me with something. My name is Anakin Solo and-"
R2D2 let's out a series of beeps and chirps.
"Haha! Of course BB8 told you about me. That's good. Listen, before it was destroyed, the jedi academy that my Uncle Luke built, was it on Yavin 4?"
R2D2 responds with a few beeps. Anakin looks at the droid, a bit confused.
"Ossus?"
R2 replied with a confirming whistle, and Anakin nods, shrugging his shoulders.
"If that's where it is, then that is where we will go. I trust you R2."
Things here are similar, yet so very different to what Anakin knew, hopefully he would be able to find some answers on Ossus.
Chapter Text
Finn let's out a big sigh of relief as he left the medical wing. If he had to spend another hour in a hospital bed, he was sure he would lose it due to boredom. However, his jedi training from Rey, as limited as it was, did help him out. Finn felt an arm wrap around his waist. When he looked to see who, he was met with the beautiful face of Rose, smiling sweetly at him. Finn smiles back and softly kisses her forehead and puts an arm around her shoulders. Rose closes her eyes and let's out a quiet giggle, when Finn kisses her forehead. Finn pulls back to look at her.
"So...what did the doctor say?"
Rose opens her eyes and replies
"The doctor said that you need to take it easy for at least three more days."
Finn frowns slightly and looks at her skeptically
"Oh really? I heard a day or two."
Rose rolls her eyes and sighs.
"Fine, I SAY you need to take it easy for at least three days, and that includes laying off the jedi training with Rey."
Finn laughs, and they both start walking down away from the medical wing.
"Well I think our training is gonna be put on hold for a bit, considering what is going on now. Also speaking of Rey....you want to go and tell her about Poe and the "news" about us?"
Rose nods excitedly and let's out an adorable giggle.
"Absolutely....though I kinda did already tell her, but not like we made it official or anything."
Finn shakes his head and smiles.
"Really?? Rose Tico, you can't keep a secret can you?"
Rose shakes her head and sticks her tongue out at him in a teasing manner.
"Nope, not when it's about me and something this big."
Finn was about to reply, but stops himself when he sees Rose's attention was now focused somewhere else. Rose grins and nudges Finn, motioning him to look forward, he looks in the direction she motions to. It was Rey. She was standing just a few feet from them, her eyes were watering and she had one of the most genuine smile he had ever seen. Finn smiles big and chuckles, taking his hand and interlacing his fingers with Rose's, this made Rose let out a soft giggle. Finn shrugs and nods
"Yup haha! It's official now for us!"
Rey doesn't say anything, instead she goes up to them both and embraces them both tightly. Rose and Finn embrace Rey back and the three of them just hold onto each other in silence. Rey was excited and beyond happy for them both, but deep deep down beneath her joy for them both, a feeling of sadness faintly makes itself aware to her. Sadness and fear, fear that she may never have what Finn and Rose have. That dream of her's died when Ben did, and if she couldn't find a way to bring him back, she feared that dream would forever remain dead. A small tear rolls down Rey's cheek as she continues to hold onto Finn and Rose. After a few minutes, they both release their hold on one another, Rey and Rose wiping the tears from there eyes, and Finn looking at them both with a big smile on his face.
"Um okay yeah...haha! Anyways, Rose and I just spoke with the doctors and they say Poe is now going into surgery. They say he will make a full recovery after a little physical therapy. Guess the damage looked more serious than it actually was."
Rey's brow furrows and she frowns slightly, her thoughts briefly going back to the attack on the base.
"Finn...did the attack on the base seem "off" to you? It seemed random. It had no purpose, almost like-"
Finn then chimes in, finishing her thought
"-like they wanted our attention?"
Rey nods and crosses her arms over her chest. Rose placing her hands on her hips, looks to both Rey and Finn.
"But why? Could it be some new strategy by the first....I mean the final order?"
Rey shakes her head and shrugs her shoulders, while Finn let's out a sigh and moves his attention from Rose back to Rey.
"It could be them, or maybe it was pirates-"
Finn stops talking, when he notices Rey's attention briefly wavers from the conversation.
"Hey Rey, do you think it has something to do with him? With that Anakin guy?"
Rey closes her eyes and rubs the sides of her forehead. She let's out a heavy sigh, and shrugs.
"Maybe...though I really hope it doesn't involve him, but it is a possibility. It cannot be a coincidence that we find Anakin and shortly after our base here is attacked."
Rose tilts her head to the side, and adds on
"Well maybe the attack wasn't random....maybe they were after him?"
Finn nods at the thought
"That makes sense, but the question is why?"
Rey opens her eyes and is about to speak, but she decides to remain silent and just let's out a sigh. Rose gives her a concerned look.
"Rey are you okay? Finn and I are really worried about you."
Rey just shrugs her shoulders before replying.
"Yes....no....I don't know actually. My mind is just all over the place with what's been happening, and being around Anakin is....well kinda difficult."
Finn jumps in, his tone sounding like a protective older brother.
"Did he try to do something to you?"
Rey catches the sudden tone change in his voice. Her eyes widen, and she quickly shakes her head.
"W...what? No no it's nothing like that! It's just-"
She was then interrupted by the voice of an approaching Lando Calrissian. R2D2 was following at his side.
"Oh I'm sure if that happened our new friend would be in several pieces and buried in the ground."
Rey turns around, smiling as they both approached. Finn let's out a chuckle.
"I believe that general."
Lando lifts his had, letting his index finger point upward. He shakes his wrist and grins.
"It's never smart to anger a woman believe me, especially one who has a blaster or even a lightsaber. I tell you, the day I saw Luke and Leia going at it in one of there training sessions, I knew I had to do my damndest not to piss her off from that day on."
This entices a laugh out of the three of them, then Rose speaks.
"What can we do for you general?"
Lando turns his gaze to Rey.
"R2 and I ran into each other as I was leaving the mess. It appears our new friend plans on going to Ossus."
Rose tits her head. Puzzled, she looks up at Finn, then to Lando
"Why Ossus?"
Rey, after a moment of thinking looks to Lando and nods
"Luke's jedi temple....makes sense for him to start looking there."
Rey, turns around to hug both Finn and Rose, and congratulates them again on the engagement. She then starts walking towards the hangar at a brisk pace. A thought about Anakin stealing the falcon enters her mind. She then picks up her pace a little.
Anakin sat in some crates just outside the entrance to the base's hangar. In his hands, he had a holo pad of his DNA results. He stared at the images of his parents, Han and Leia. Anakin closes his eyes, and let's out a heavy saddened sigh, then when opens them, he was now looking at the part of his results that was labeled "calculated age of individual" which read twenty five years of age. He groans softly, turning off the holo and tossing it to the ground. He mumbles to himself in disbelief.
"Really? Twenty five...?"
He leans his head back, letting it rest against the wall. Anakin closes his eyes. A voice calls out to him
"Anakin..."
Anakin's eyes snap open, jumping off the crate and onto his feet. He darts his head around, to try and find the source of the voice. It was that voice of that girl he heard just after the attack on the base. Anakin stops looking around, closing his eyes again, he reaches out in the force to try to find the source of the voice he heard, but all he could sense was the wildlife of the planet, the people on the base, and...her. Rey. Anakin, could feel her searching for him, and suddenly all thoughts of that voice he heard, were out of his mind. He goes over and picks up the holopad, then makes his way back into the hangar and to the falcon. Anakin reaches out to Rey, signaling her that he is on his way to the falcon. He can tell that she senses him, because she basically responded with a simple "okay" in the force, but what she said next is what caught him off guard.
"I'm not angry Anakin, don't worry about it."
Anakin stops dead in his tracks. Surprised by not what she said, but the fact that she answered him before he could even ask about it. Somehow she had read his mind, or it could've been just coincidence. They weren't exactly far from one another, maybe a dozen or two feet. Still....it was a matter to figure out, but now wasn't the time. As Anakin approached the falcon, he saw Rey waiting for him at the entry ramp, with Lando Calrissian and R2D2. When Anakin saw Lando, a smile started to form on his face, but the Lando looked at him, that smile turned into a hurt frown. He looked at Anakin with a mixture of doubt and disbelief, but what stung Anakin the most was the resentment he felt from Lando in the force. Anakin doesn't stop walking, even as Lando starts to talk.
"I'll be joining you all, and as for you son, don't think you can call me uncle, just because-"
Anakin cuts him off just as he walks past both he and Rey and up the ships ramp.
"Don't worry....I won't."
Anakin continues walking up the ramp, not looking back at them. Rey looks at Lando with slight annoyance and gently hits his arm with the back of her hand. Lando looks at her with some confusion.
"What?"
Rey sighs and shakes her head as she walks up the ramp to follow after Anakin. Lando, holding his hands out, calls out to her as he now walks up the ramp.
"Seriously what?"
R2D2 let's out a beeping "giggle" as it follows close behind Lando
"Oh be quiet R2."
The engines of the millennium falcon roar to life, takes off into the sky, soon breaking the atmosphere of Dantooine, and makes the jump to hyperspace. After checking thing with Chewie and Lando in the cockpit, Rey goes to find Anakin, who was in the cargo hold, looking at a holopad of what appears to be some kind of medical test results. Anakin doesn't look up even as she approaches him, and attempts to make small talk.
"What's that?"
Anakin still doesn't look up, but he does answer her.
"Yet another question added to the list of my three dozen other questions that I have yet to have answers for...."
Anakin sighs and then looks up at Rey
"Sorry....it's my DNA and blood results."
Rey walks over to his side and looks down at the results, trying to see what it was that was troubling him.
"What is-"
Anakin cuts in
"It's the age...that is what is bothering me. It says twenty five years, but the last thing I remember before waking up was being seventeen years old, so that would mean two things: either my memory is missing eight years of my life, or something happened to me as I crossed over into this universe."
Rey had no words. She was at a complete loss. Anakin sighs and nods
"Yeah, I'm still at a loss too."
Anakin shuts off the holopad and sets it down on the crate next to him, then looks back up at Rey, who was still searching for something to say.
"Anyways, was there something you wanted to say to me?"
Rey closes her eyes and quickly shakes her head before opening them again.
"Um uh yeah....yeah just that it will be a while before we get to Ossus. The usual hyperspace lanes have pockets of the final order or pirates, so it'll take maybe four or five hours before we arrive."
Anakin sighs and nods.
"Damn...well, as long as we get there in one piece, then that's really all that matters."
Rey puts a hand on his shoulder and gives it a gentle reassuring squeeze.
"Anakin, are you alright?"
Anakin forcibly shrugs her hand off his shoulder, jumps to his feet, and almost shouts at her.
"No! I am not alright Rey! I am far from it! None of this is alright, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind!"
Rey was taken aback by his outburst, and takes a step back from him. Anakin then starts to storm off, but stops just as he reaches the exit. He let's out a heavy sigh and turns back to look at Rey.
"I'm sorry Rey....I didn't mean to snap at you. I know you are just trying to help. I am just....tired."
Anakin heads to the living quarters, leaving Rey alone in the cargo hold. She drops her hands down to her side, and starts heading out of the hold. She didn't blame him for snapping at her, she probably would've done the same if she were in his place. Rey heads to her quarters, getting some rest was sounding like a good idea.
The moment Anakin entered his father's quarters, he fell face forward onto the bed, and was quickly taken by the peaceful embrace of sleep, however his peaceful sleep did not last long. Meanwhile, in Rey's quarters, she finishes changing into comfortable nightwear that she made for herself back when she was on tatooine, it wasn't anything much too look at, but it was made from material that felt so soft and light on her skin, that it was almost like she had nothing on. Rey places her jedi scavenger hybrid outfit next to her bag, she stops when she sees Ben's shirt hanging out the side of it. Rey takes the shirt in both hands, brings it up to her chest and hugs it close. She lays down in bed, still holding the shirt close to her, whispering his name just before she falls asleep. A stray tear falls down her cheek right as she closes her eyes.
"Ben...."
Anakin tossed and turn in bed, mumbling softly, his face covered in sweat. The walls of the room start to groan and loose objects begin to rattle. D0, who happened to be in the room at the time, begins to panic as it begins to lose some control over its motor functions.
"Oh n-no...not good!"
The door to the room opens and Rey goes to over to Anakin, shaking him and tries to wake him up. Anakin was clearly having a nightmare of some kind, and it was affecting his abilities in the force. She keeps shaking him, more aggressively now, but he doesn't wake up. Acting on impulse, Rey forcefully slaps the side of his face, Anakin's eyes open wide and he bolts up into a sitting position.
"No!!"
Anakin, trembling slightly and panting, quickly looks around the room. Rey scoots closer, putting both hands on his shoulders.
"Anakin hey hey! You're ok! Sshhh....it was a nightmare."
Anakin blinks a few times, and looks at Rey, his breathing getting under control.
"R-Rey? I was-aah!"
Anakin puts his hand to the side of his face, where Rey had slapped him, and let's out a sharp pained gasp. He looks at her in surprised confusion.
"Did you hit me?"
Rey nods, and winces slightly in embarrassment. She takes her hands off his shoulders and let's them fall to her lap.
"I'm sorry....you weren't waking up. I had to do something before you destroyed the room."
Anakin sighs and gets out of bed, rubbing the side of his face gently, he goes over into the fresher and leaves the door open. It was now that Rey noticed that Anakin was shirtless and had on nothing but loose undergarment shorts. He didn't look as frail as he did when she found him on Exegol, which was great. His body was still lean, but it had more muscle to it now. Rey wasn't aware that she was staring at him as he splashed water onto his face, or that her breathing became slow and heavy, with a slightly elevated body temperature.
"Um Rey? Hello?"
Rey blinks a few times, blushing slightly, she wraps the cloak she grabbed on the way in around her and takes her eyes off of him, clearly embarrassed. It took a moment, but Anakin caught on.
"Oh sorry."
Anakin grabs some fresh clothes and quickly changes in the now closed fresher. Rey, closes her eyes and silently curses to herself, not for getting embarrassed, but for actually feeling what she did when she saw him in nothing but those shorts. Gods, he was attractive....REALLY attractive. However, what she really didnt like, is feeling like this toward Anakin, while being in love with Ben. Rey, gently shakes her head, pushing those thoughts and feelings out of her mind, and takes a few breaths, while whispering to herself.
"Come on Rey, get a grip."
Rey looks down at D0, who was was still having a little trouble moving. She bends down and takes a look at it. Anakin then comes out of the fresher, now in a simple shirt and pants. Rey doesn't look up at him, and continues to work on the droid, it looked like a loose screw was caught in its wheel gears, fortunately it was an easy fix that could be done with her hands and after she fixed it, D0 then wheels out the room. Rey then looks up at Anakin, who was rubbing the back of his neck and eyes fixed on the base of the quarters doorframe.
"Anakin, do you remember what the dream was about?"
He drops his hand to his side, but keeps his gaze where it's at.
"Kinda....it was more a bunch of image flashes and sounds, though I could pick out sounds of blaster fire, lightsabers, explosions and....and screaming."
He walks over and sits back down onto the bed next to Rey, his eyes now focused on the bulkhead walk ahead of him. Rey keeps quiet and continues to listen.
"I don't think this was a dream, I think these are memories....my memories, and before you ask, no I dont know exactly what memories they are....everything is still kinda jumbled up in there."
Rey and Anakin were both silent for a while, before she looks over at him.
"What was the last thing you remember before waking up? I mean before waking up in...um...this universe?"
Saying that out loud felt weird to Rey, but then again, this whole situation was weird. Anakin was quiet for a little bit, before answering.
"Darkness....complete and total darkness....as well as pain. Absolute agony. It felt like my body, right down to my cells, were exploding, imploding and disintegrating, then at the same time reforming."
Anakin sighs and groans softly in frustration.
"I really don't know how else to describe it....I don't even think my description does it justice, but all I know is that it sucked."
Rey kept quiet, not really sure what to say to that. Just then, Lando is hear over the loudspeaker.
"Hey you two, we'll be at Ossus in 20 minutes....best get ready."
Anakin looks over at Rey, and gives her a smirk.
"Well...guess we should get ready."
Rey returns the smirk and nods
Anakin kept the shirt that he changed into on earlier, but does put one of his father's vests on over the shirt and a pair of dark blue pants, which are more suited for the kind of planet they were going to. He grabs a blaster and puts it into the holster on his right leg, and secures the vibrosword onto his left leg. He leaves his quarters, and makes way towards the cockpit, stopping ans leaning against the entrance frame. Rey was in the seat behind chewie, she turned her head to look at Anakin, giving him a small smile and a nod, which he returned. Rey had on a pure white outfit, that resembled something similar to what his mother wore the day she was captured by the empire, which was also the day she met his uncle and father. Though it looked similar, it was actually a cross between jedi attire and a flight jumpsuit, underneath she had on a dark blue tunic shirt and shorts. When she stood up, the outer bottom draped down behind, just stopping at the back of her knees. Her waist band belt was also the same color as the shirt and shorts. She looked good. They were about to drop out of hyperspace in a few minutes, and Anakin was suddenly feeling nervous and anxious. He takes a deep breath and calms himself. Whether, Rey sensed him or not, remained unknown as she didn't make any mention of it.
The falcon exits hyperspace and the planet Ossus comes into view. Anakin found himself staring at the planet, it looked and felt familiar, yet different. It felt darker. Anakin felt a hand on his thigh, which caused him to look down at his side, then back to Rey. She removes her hand and speaks softly.
"You ready?"
Anakin sighs and shakes his head.
"Not really, but...."
Anakin gives Rey a small smirk.
"But I'm glad you are here....I'm glad you all are here."
Notes:
Sorry that this took a while, life has been a bit nuts. Hope you all like it, and hope you all like the story so far! The search for answers begins in the next chapter
Chapter 8
Notes:
About damn time huh? Lol! Here is the next part! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and new year
Chapter Text
The Millennium Falcon had just entered the planets atmosphere, and a bit of turbulence was rocking the ship, though it was nothing Lando and Chewie couldn't handle. Anakin had left the cockpit earlier, and was now standing in front of the closed ramp, mind swirling with dozens and dozens of thoughts. The planet looked practically the same, at least from space anyhow, but it felt much darker now, probably because of what happened here years ago. Anakin was anxious, so anxious that he was starting to pace a little and he only stopped when he felt a hand placed on his shoulder. He looks over to see Rey, giving him a small soft smile.
"Hey, take it easy....I can feel your anxiety pouring out everywhere on the ship. Whatever we find down there, we can handle it together."
Anakin takes a deep breath and slowly releases it, and calms down after doing this a few moments. The ship shakes a little then jerks as it touches down on the planet. Rey takes her hand off his shoulder and motions to the door.
"You ready?"
Rey goes over and hits the button to open the hangar door. Anakin turns around and starts walking down the ramp after its fully opened. He stops when he takes a step onto the planets surface, and looks out at the ruined temple. Something was odd for Anakin, he didn't feel what he thought he would feel when he saw the temple, even though this wasn't exactly the temple he lived in for a portion of his life, it was in some ways still home. Anakin expected to feel, anger or at least surprise, but instead all he felt was sadness. Somewhere in the back of his mind, something was telling him that he had seen this before. Anakin is taken out of his thoughts when he feels Rey touch the back of his arm.
"Hey, what is it?"
Anakin softly clears his throat and begins walking off towards the temple.
"It's nothing...come on let's go."
Rey frowns slightly, and sighs watching Anakin walk ahead. She moves her attention to the destroyed temple that played before them. She could feel the darkness, she could still feel the lives that were taken by the man that she was trying to bring back, the man she loved, however the man she loved wasn't this monster that slaughtered the jedi that he lived with, not anymore at least. Rey shivers and runs her hands along her arms, and whispers sadly to herself.
"Oh Ben...."
Rey follows after Anakin. The both of them searching amongst the ruins and rubble, in hope to find something, anything really and as they move farther from the falcon, Lando, who was watching them from the cockpit, turns to chewbacca and nudges him a little.
"So what do you really think of this guy chewie? You think he's really telling the truth about everything he's said?"
Chewbacca shrugs, and let's out a few groans and grunts, when he looks up at Lando, which translated to "not too sure, but he did know things that were pretty convincing" more or less.
"Yeah...I'm not too sure either old buddy, we should keep an eye on him."
Chewbacca let's out a growl of agreement. R2D2 wheels up to them, letting out a few alarmed beeps.
"What? A lifeform? From where?"
Lando grabs his blaster and heads to the exit of the ship, with chewie close behind with his crossbow blaster.
Anakin and Rey had just barely begun their search, when they both sensed a presence in the force, some rustling of plants could be heard coming from the jungle. Anakin and Rey turn to the direction of the sound, blaster drawn in his hand, while her lightsaber hilt was firmly grasped in hers. Anakin, not taking his focus off the approaching presence, sees lando and chewie exiting the falcon and making there way over to them. After waiting for a few moments, the presence they sensed emerges from the jungle. It was an old man, wearing a raggedy dark brown cloak over what appeared to be an old and worn out grey-black jedi tunic. He looked to be in his seventies, possibly eighties. When he saw the four of them, with weapons at the ready, he gasped in surprised, stopped his approach, held out his hands in surrender and nearly fell down as he took a step back. He spoke in a tone that sounded like he was having some slight trouble catching his breath.
"Oh...oh my! Please lower your weapons...I mean you no harm!"
No one said or did anything, and after a few minutes Anakin and Rey cautiously put away there weapons. Lando and Chewie lowered there's, but kept them at the ready. The old man smiled and bowed slightly, before speaking again.
"Goodness, thank you. I apologize for surprising you all, but it would seem I was more surprised than the rest of you hehe!"
Anakin takes a quick look back at Rey, she looks at him and shrugs and he nods, turning back to look at the old man, who was slowly beginning to approach them.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
The old man stops just a few feet from Anakin, frowns slightly and let's out huff.
"A little rude aren't we son? Though I guess i shouldn't complain, you all are the first people to come here in a long time....anyways I am the caretaker of this fallen jedi temple, I am Taron Malicos. Please, make yourselves at home, and please be respectful, if you need anything, my hut is a little ways down the path I just came from."
The old man called Taron Malicos, gives another bow, then turns around and slowly begins walking towards the temple, disappearing once inside. Anakin never takes his eyes off of the old man, and when he disappears inside of the temple, turns around looking at Rey, who was now at his side. She studies Anakin for a moment, then lightly touches the side of his right arm.
"What is it? Do you know that man?'
Anakin shakes his head.
"No I don't, but I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before. I couldn't feel anything about him that was dark or hostile, did you?"
Rey let's her hand drop back down to her side.
"No I didn't either, but he is strong in the force, a lot stronger than I expected him to be, though something does feel...off about him."
Anakin sighs softly
"We should keep an eye on him."
Something shiny by his feet catches Anakin's eye. He kneels down, moving a few rocks off of it and brushing off some dirt. Anakin gasps softly, when he sees what it is. It was a lightsaber, destroyed and unsalvageable, but it was unmistakably a lightsaber. Anakin reaches his hand out to pick up the ruined saber, and the moment he touched it, a massive shockwave is released. Rey is sent flying back, nearly crashing head first into some trees, Lando and Chewie are knocked off there feet. The falcon shakes and let's out a metallic groan, as both Lando and Chewie get back onto there feet, both rushing over to Rey, who was just getting onto her hands and knees. The ground shakes, not violently, but enough to cause concern, and a rumbling hum can be heard coming from where Anakin was, who was on his knees, holding the sides of his head. Rey manages to get to her feet and calls out to him.
"Anakin!!"
He doesn't respond, whether he didn't hear her or is unable to is not clear yet. Rey then starts going over to him, but is struggling because there were strong pulses emitting from Anakin. Lando tries to grab Rey, but Chewie pulls him back.
"Rey no don't!! It's too dangerous! He's too dangerous!"
Rey doesn't turn back or reply to him, but keeps pushing forward. This was familiar to her, this was just like back at the medical wing on Dantooine. Rey manages to get to Anakin, she can just make out some sounds coming from him, most which to be like he was gasping from breath. She gets down on her knees, reaching out with both hands and putting them on the sides of his face. When she touched his face, what she felt coming from him made her cry out in pain. Whatever he was experiencing, it was agony, and so much of his focus was on trying to make the pain stop, that he was gasping painfully for air.
"Gah! Ugh...Anakin!! Stop! You need to breathe!"
The shaking in the ground had begun to become more intense and pieces of the ruined temple started to collapse. Rey had no idea what to do, except for one thing, but it was a VERY long shot. She presses her lips against his and kisses him deeply.
Something wasn't right here. His mind felt like it was unraveling and being shredded. Anakin could see, hear and feel everything that happened here when Ben Solo turned and destroyed the temple. He just couldn't focus, he felt like he was dying, and he was now panicking. Suddenly, everything had gone silent and black, a few flashes of images go by, then it's all black again. The next thing Anakin knew, was feeling something warm and somewhat soft, being firmly pressed against his face, more so on his lips to be accurate. Anakin opens his eyes, and is shocked as well as confused to see Rey kissing him. She then pulls away, opening her eyes, those absolutely gorgeous hazel eyes of hers, and she pants softly. Anakin took a deep breath in and quickly coughs a little, then takes another breath in and let's it out. Anakin was at a lost for words.
"I...w...wha...?"
Rey swallows before answering
"You were having some kind of....panic attack I think."
Anakin still looks at her confused, and in slight awe.
"I...I...I was? How did...?"
Rey nods slightly, and responds to him in a sweetly soft, soothing almost whisper like tone.
"I...I heard that one of the ways to stop a panic attack, was that you had to hold your breath."
Anakin still looking confused, doesn't take his eyes off of hers.
"S...so you kissed me?"
Rey smiles slightly
"You held your breath didn't you?"
Anakin slowly nods
"Yeah I guess....I think it worked."
Rey's smiles widens a little and she let's out a soft chuckle.
"Yeah....I think it did."
Anakin, still keeping his eyes fixed on hers, takes his right hand, and brushes his thumb softly and tenderly along left cheek, getting some mud off of it.
"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"
Blushing slightly and still smiling, Rey shakes her head and puts her hand over his that he had placed on her face.
"No...I'm okay. How about you?"
Anakin smirks slightly
"Much better now."
Over the next few moments, Anakin and Rey didn't say anything else, but the two just looked at one another. It was only when approaching footsteps from Lando and Chewie, did the two of them snap out of it. Rey quickly got to her feet, and went back to the falcon. Anakin stood up, and watched Rey go back into the ship. While on the ship, Rey presses her back against the bulkhead, closes her eyes and places a hand over her mouth. Lando looks over at Anakin and frowns.
"Wanna explain what the hell all of that was about?"
Anakin lightly shrugs
"Your guess is as good as mine Uncle Lando."
Anakin turns around and starts walking towards the temple, he smirks slightly when he hears Lando calling out to him.
"Hey! I told you not to call me that!"
It was almost completely dark inside the temple, once Anakin made it to the sections that weren't totally destroyed, however that didn't become much of a problem once he found the switch for the lights in the generator room. It wasn't as illuminated as he was hoping for, a majority of the lights didn't work, but it was better than nothing. Anakin is startled and jumps back a little, when he turns around and the caretaker appeared.
"Kriff!"
Anakin's hand nearly went to grab the blaster from his holster.
"Old man...you...ugh!"
The old man, Taron Malicos, give a weak chuckle and smiles.
"Oh I am sorry my boy, I didn't mean to startle you. I heard a noise coming from this room and wanted to see what it was."
Anakin sighs and slows his elevated heart beat, by taking a deep breath.
"It's fine don't worry....wait....you were walking around the temple in the dark?"
The caretaker give a toothy grin and laughs
"My boy...the force is my eyes, my guide."
Anakin scoffs and chuckles
"Of course you would say that."
The old man's face becomes somewhat stern looking and serious.
"And what may I ask, are you doing in the temple?"
Anakin walks past him, and exits the room
"Looking for answers....hopefully."
Outside the temple, Rey was just exiting the falcon. She had to put some space between herself and Anakin. Rey felt confused and conflicted. Something had happened when she....kissed Anakin, something had changed between them, but what it was exactly, she had no idea. She wonders if Anakin felt what she was feeling. Rey shakes her head and let's out a frustrated scoff, she quietly speaks to herself.
"Get it together Rey, it was just a kiss. It didn't mean anything....like that."
Rey now starts walking towards the path the caretaker mentioned about. Something definitely felt off about him, meanwhile back in the temple ruins, Anakin was in a big empty room, standing in front of a large wall. Something was pulling him, calling him, lifting his hand, he touches the wall and the moment he does, the wall and room begins to rumble. Anakin, quickly pulls his arm back, and reaches for the vibrosword he had. The stones and bricks in the wall, move and shift around, eventually creating an opening. Anakin doesn't immediately enter, one hand on the vibrosword and the other on the blaster. Anakin speaks to himself in a low, soft tone.
"Well this is new....what were you up to here Uncle Luke?"
Anakin cautiously enters the room, and begins looking around. Automatically, a few lights turn on, giving a soft illuminating glow to the room. Anakin continues exploring the room, coming across a table that was littered and scattered with numerous mechanical pieces. He briefly looks over the table and the mechanical pieces, and smirks slightly. This is where he worked on his lightsaber, and as well as his hand. Anakin grimaces a little, the thought of his grandfather Vader doing that to his son, then the thought is replaced by the vision of Kylo Ren killing their....no, HIS father back on starkiller base. Anakin is suddenly filled with anger, but it is quickly suppressed when he let's out a sad heavy sigh. Anakin then whispers to himself.
"Who am I kidding....he wasn't my father, not really at least."
Anakin is brought to attention, by the soft sound of scraping stones. He slowly turns around to see a section of a wall opening up revealing some kind of shelf, keeping his hands on his blaster and the vibrosword hilt. Anakin let's out a soft gasp when he sees what was inside and on the stone shelf. Inside were three jedi holocrons.
Meanwhile back outside in the jungle, Rey follows down the path the caretaker mentioned. She had lost the path a few times, due to parts of it being covered and overgrown by the jungle, but was able to quickly find it again. After a little bit, Rey breaks clear of planets nature and in the opening was a large hut like house. Rey walks around its perimeter, studying it. It looked perfectly fine, but she was getting a sickening feeling deep in her gut, like something bad had happened. Rey takes a slow, cautious step towards the door, she opens it with her right hand and keeps her other on the hilt of her lightsaber. She takes a minute to look around, from outside the doorway before entering, and even when it looks like nothing might happen, Rey does not take her hand away from her saber. She briefly explores the hut, then she enters what looks like to be a bedroom, nothing looked out of the ordinary, except from a large black scorch mark in the center. Rey kneels down and holds her hand out over it. She closes her eyes, she reaches out with the force, a brief flash of images, sounds and feeling rush through her, her eyes alarmingly snap open, not from just what she had seen, but mainly because of what she sensed, everything around her seemed to slow to a crawl. Rey was barely back on her feet, lightsaber hilt just taken off her belt, when everything around her, the house hut vanishing in a huge destructive explosion, with her still in it. The next thing Rey knew, she was high in the air, soaring back towards where the temple and the falcon was. That wasn't a normal explosion, not like a bomb or thermal detonator, it was with the force. Rey notices that the ground was quickly beginning to approach her, she gathers as much power in the force as she could to create a barrier around her, however when she made impact with the ground, her left shoulder was dislocated, the barrier protected her from anything fatal, but unfortunately was not strong enough to prevent all types of injury. Rey, fighting through the pain, slowly gets to her feet, and tries reaching out to Anakin in the force. Anakin, back in the temple, is jarred out of his marveling awe over the jedi holocrons, when he hears an explosion in the distance, and feels a strong disturbing ripple in the force. He reaches out to Rey, who in turn was reaching out to him as well, however Anakins focus was interrupted suddenly, because he felt like he was choking. Anakin quickly turns around, and is stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hehehe....hello young Skywalker. Thank you for opening the hidden room for me!"
It was Taron Malicos, the caretaker and he had Anakin in a strong force choke.
(Planet Christophsis in the outer rim.)
Finn and BB8 were rushing down the hallways of the medical center at the new base of the resistance. They were just notified that Poe had woken up from surgery and was now trying to get out of his room. After a few more hallway turns, they both arrive at the room that Poe was in. When Finn and BB8 entered, Poe was arguing with the medical droids, and attempting to get out of his bed. Finn quickly goes over to poe, grabbing him just in time before falling to the floor.
"Whoa easy tough guy, you are going to kill yourself."
Finn helps him back up in the bed and let's him go. BB8 rolls up, beeping excitedly and happily. Poe smiles and chuckles
"BB8! Hey Buddy! Yeah I'm okay, it's really good to see you both."
Poe looks to Finn
"Did I miss anything since I've been out?"
Finn shrugs and leans back against a nearby wall.
"No not really. We arrived on christophsis a day ago and are just setting up shop. Intel still shows that the final order is still scattered and desperately trying to hang on to what worlds they still have. It's only a matter of time before we beat them and end this damn war."
Poe sighs and nods, laying back down in the bed.
"Okay that's good....and what of our new friend? What's happened with him?"
Finn looks at BB8 right as BB8 look up at him, then they both look at back at Poe.
"Uh well, he's gone. Anakin left for Yavin 4 with Rey in the Falcon just as we left to move operations here."
Poe nearly leaped out of his bed, but because he had surgery, he only managed a quick and painful sit up. After his pain subsided, he looked at Finn in confusion and mild disbelief.
"Wait what?? You all just let them fly off together with the falcon? How can she trust him? And since when have you been calling him by that name?"
Finn rolls his eyes and sighs
"Poe would you relax and calm down? You and I know that Rey is far more than capable of taking care of herself, plus Lando, Chewie, R2 and D0 went with them too."
Poe seemed to easy up a bit and relax at this, but scoffs and shakes his head.
"Well that's okay I guess, fair enough but still....i don't trust him."
Finn chuckles softly
"Oh you are still just upset because he got you back during interrogation."
BB8 let's out a laughing like beep, Poe points at the both of them.
"You two shut up, just wait until I can get out of this bed in a few days-"
The door to room opens suddenly and a soldier salutes as he enters.
"Generals, pardon my interruption but we have received Intel on the final order. It appears there is some kind of activity."
Finn and Poe look at one another, then Finn walks over to the soldier, who presents a data pad to him.
"At ease soldier....what kind of activity?"
The soldier clears his throat and shakes his head slightly.
"Unknown sir, but it looks like a significant number of them have begun gathering in the Adega system, specifically in the Auril sector."
Poe, looking concerned and anxious asks them both.
"The Adega System? Wait isn't that-"
Finn turns around, and nods
"Yeah, it is. They are going after Rey."
Finn turns back to the soldier.
"Notify the high council and assemble the fighters! We are going to Ossus!"
"Yes sir!"
The soldier salutes and rushes out the door. Finn turns to look back at Poe. Poe shakes his head and sighs heavily.
"They're going to beat us there Finn, they already have a healthy head start."
Finn groans quietly and nods.
"I know....let's just hope they can hang in there until we arrive."
(Ossus)
Chewie was out of his seat and outside the ship in a blink of an eye, rushing to aid Rey. Lando and R2 had just exited the ship, when a loud crashing sound comes from the temple. One of the ruined walls bursts into a cloud of dust and debris, as Anakin soars out from it and lands just a few feet from where Rey was. He briefly rolls on the ground, groaning in pain, but then gets to his feet as the pain subsides. Anakin looks over at Rey and noticing her limp arm, quickly goes over to her.
"Rey hey...are you okay?"
Rey tries to hide her pain by brushing him off, but it doesn't fool him.
"I-it's nothing, I'm fine....listen-"
Anakin scoffs and gently looks at her arm.
"Fine my ass...your arm and shoulder has been dislocated."
Anakin motions Chewie over, and tells him how to brace and hold her. Anakin puts his hands on her arm, and looks her square in the eyes.
"I'm gonna pop it back in on the count of three okay?"
Rey nods and takes a deep breath, tightly shutting her eyes.
"One--"
In a quick, forceful jerk of his hands, he pops her arm back into her shoulder. Rey's eyes bulge open wide, and she let's out a short and quickly sound that sounded a mix between a yelp and a shriek. The pain makes her almost fall to her knees, but she stands firm, when the pain begins to dissipate. Rey glares at him, and fights back the urge to smack him.
"What the hell was that for??"
Anakin let's go of her, and Chewie does the same.
"I'm sorry, it's easier to do that when the person isn't tensed up."
Lando and R2 arrive, R2 beeping urgently.
"Easy R2, don't blow a circuit I'm about to tell them. Hey something is up, our communications are being jammed. I think the order is here."
Before anyone could reply, a loud booming is heard coming from the sky. The final order exiting hyperspace.
"And right you are general calrissian!"
Everyone's attention then turns to the voice of Taron Malicos emerging from the temple, and in his hand was an unusual looking holocron. It was a sith holocron, but it was unusual even for a sith holocron because all sith holocrons were pyramid shaped. This one however look like two were merged into each other, one rightside up and one upside down. Anakin grabs and activates his vibrosword, and Rey does the same after recovering her lightsaber. Suddenly the jungle becomes very active, plants and trees violently rustle around, then start parting. Whoever caused that explosion, was coming towards them. Anakin turns to Lando, Chewie and R2D2.
"I think you three should get back into the ship and get it ready to leave."
Anakin turns back to the temple, Rey chimes in.
"Anakin is right, this is looking bad and we are going to need an escape."
Chewie growls and Lando nods in agreement. They both start heading back to the ship, but stop when they see who comes out from the jungle, R2D2 however keeps going to the ship. Rey notices Lando and Chewie looking at something, and when she turns around, her eyes widen and she nearly let's her lightsaber fall from her hand when she sees who exited out of the jungle. The person was male, clad in all black, wore a helmet like mask, and had a black and silver lightsaber hilt attached to his waist. Rey let's out a trembling whisper.
"B...Ben?"
Anakin's focus is interrupted when he hears Rey. He starts to turn around to her, but stops when he sees him. All thoughts on Malicos are gone now, and instead are now replaced with the vision of Kylo Ren killing his father on repeat and in vivid detail. Anakin tightly grips the hilt of the vibrosword, and then activates it. Rey rushes over to Anakin's side.
"Anakin wait, don't-!"
Rey was suddenly pushed back by a strong force push from this Kylo ren looking copy. Anakin turns to see if she is okay, and when he sees her starting to get to her feet, turns back to face him.
"You and me only....leave her out of this."
The Kylo copy doesn't respond, but does nod in agreement. He takes the lightsaber hilt off his belt and ignites it, a blood ruby red blade extending from the hilt with a snapping hiss sound. Anakin dashes head on, leaping high into the air, both of his hands on the hilt of the vibrosword, attempting to bring down the blade on him with an overhead downward slash. Anakin however, was unfortunately grabbed by the Kylo copies force grip in mid air. Anakin was yanked forward, and slammed hard into the ground, the impact almost knocking the wind out of him. The Kylo copy brings down his blade to Anakin's face, but Anakin manages to stop his strike by bringing up the vibrosword to block it. The blades were so close to Anakin's face that it felt like his hair and eyebrows would burst into flames from the heat of them. The Kylo copy then speaks as he keeps pressing his blade down against Anakin's, his voice was similar to Vader's which unnerved Anakin.
"What was that suppose to be?"
Anakin softly grunts, baring his teeth a bit as he struggles, meanwhile Rey was sprinting towards the two of them, her golden yellow lightsaber activated. She suddenly brakes, bringing her saber up just in the nick of time to block a flurry of lightning bolts arching out from the fingertips of the copy Kylo Ren. Anakin's eyes widen in surprise, then sees his opening, and using his free hand, Anakin takes his blaster and unloads four point blank blaster shots into the copies stomach, then slashes the upper left portion of his chest. The lightning then stops as the Kylo copy stumbles back, and Rey looks over at them in shocked confusion. Anakin jumps to his feet, vibrosword at the ready, but what he sees next was unexpected. The four blaster holes in his stomach and the gash on his chest heal almost instantly, the copy looks at Anakin and growls softly.
"That hurt..."
Suddenly the sounds of ships exiting hyperspace and blaster fire is heard from up in the sky. Anakin looks up, and smiles slightly. It was the resistance. As Anakin brings his attention back down to the Kylo copy, Anakin is suddenly pulled and throw into the air, crash landing into Rey. A wicked laugh is heard amongst the overhead battle. Taron Malicos claps his hands and continues laughing.
"Hahaha! Excellent my apprentice, excellent! Come now, we have what we came here for."
A final order ship makes it's decent down towards the temple and back in the Millennium falcon, Lando and Chewie were getting the engines ready for takeoff. The Kylo copy raises his hand and a storm of lightning erupts from his hand and engulfs the falcon. Anakin, getting up and helping up Rey, turns around to the ship, eyes wide.
"No!!"
Rey takes a few steps forward and calls out to the Kylo copy.
"Ben!! Stop! Please!"
The storm abruptly stops, the Kylo copy looking at Rey. After a few moments he speaks.
"Ben Solo is dead, Rey...I am what now remains."
He then looks at Anakin, and then Rey.
"We shall finish this another time."
The Kylo copy turns around and gets onto the ship with Taron Malicos. Rey runs to the ship, and Anakin runs after her. The ship takes off and flies away, from the planet. Rey falls to her knees looking up at the sky as the ship jumps to hyperspace.
"BEN!!!"
Rey slams her fists into the ground, sobbing. Anakin stops close to her, and sighs heavily. He looks at her, then up at the sky. The final order ships start jumping to hyperspace and leave. Anakin then looks back at Rey, moving closer to her, he gently wraps his arms around her. Rey throws herself into him, burying her face into his chest and continues sobbing. Anakin hears Chewie and R2D2 approaching them, Lando remains at the ship. He sighs, relieved knowing they are okay. Anakin returns his focus back to Rey, feeling somehow and somewhat responsible for what has happened.
Chapter 9
Notes:
Guess whose baaaaack? Lol! I know it's slow as all hell, but I really appreciate everyone's patience. Hope you all enjoy chapter 9!
Chapter Text
Rey sat on a large flat stone, looking at the ground, she had been like that for the last hour. Anakin was helping Chewie and Lando fix up the falcon and get it working again since the force lightning had shorted out the electrical systems. Anakin was currently checking for and repairing any damage to the falcons hull, but was having trouble focusing on his task. He turns around, seeing Rey sitting near the entrance of the temple, and R2 approaching her. She was radiating confusion and anguish, it felt just like, possibly even more when Kylo killed Han in the vision he had. What did she see in him? What was it that he was missing? Anakin knew that in the end, he turned back to the light, but still....maybe this is how Leia felt about his grandfather before he was born. Anakin let's out a sigh, putting down his tools, he starts heading over to Rey and R2.
Rey continued to stare at the ground, her eyes focused on a small insect walking past her. Rey kept playing the scene of the fight again and again in her mind. How could she not sense anything earlier? She picked up nothing, not until the last second, which did save her life, but watch concerned and confused Rey the most was the fact that she couldn't sense Ben, not like before. If that really was Ben, back from the dead, why couldn't she feel him? The connection, that indescribable, amazing connection that she had with Ben was gone, and the thought of never having that again terrified her. Rey was brought out of her thoughts by a concerned beeper from R2D2 and the approaching footsteps of Anakin. She turns her head to look at the droid, and gives a small smile.
"I'm okay R2....I promise."
She sniffs and quickly wipes the tears pooling up in her eyes, then stands up to face Anakin, trying her best to regain her composure.
"Hey....are you okay?"
Anakin lightly scoffs and smiles, nodding
"Yeah I'm okay, not my first time getting thrown through a wall. How about you? How's the arm?"
Rey almost completely forgot about her arm, and just how sore it was. She gently starts rotating it and winces slightly.
"It's a bit sore still, but otherwise fine."
"Here let me take a look....I mean, if that's okay with you?"
Rey nods and pulls at the collar of her outfit over her shoulder and partially down her arm, letting Anakin get a good look. Rey then takes her other arm and holds up her hair.
"Do you have medical training?"
Anakin placed his hands softly and gingerly on her shoulder and her shoulder blade, slowly moving his hands along her skin.
"Not really, just some basic stuff...growing up I would get into all sorts of trouble with my brother Jacen, mostly because of him, which would result in us getting hurt a few times, so I've seen my fair share of joint dislocations."
Rey turns her head to look at Anakin from her peripheral.
"Why would you keep following him if you kept getting hurt?"
Anakin glances up, his eyes meeting with her and chuckles softly.
"Because I was five years old and I looked up to my big brother."
Rey smiles a little, then turns away. She started to wonder what it would've been like growing up with an older or a younger sibling.
"Jacen was extremely gifted in the force, trying to tame wild animals since the time he could walk and talk, at least that's what my mother told me. Jacen was also an exceptional lightsaber duelist, but not as good as my sister Jaina, she was the best of the three of us, and a spectacular star pilot."
After a few moments of silence, Anakin takes his hands away, tugs the collar back up over her Rey's shoulder, and sighs softly now missing his siblings.
"Your arm and shoulder look fine, but just get it check out by a med droid to be safe."
Rey nods, then turns around to look fully at Anakin, interested in hearing more.
"What about you?"
Anakin looks up at her, a puzzled expression on his face.
"Me?"
Rey nods and gives a cute smirk
"Yeah you, you nerfhearder. It seemed your siblings had certain specific talents, what's yours?"
Anakin lightly scoffs and chuckles, but just as he was about to answer her, a look of sudden realization comes across his face. Rey notices the change and before she could ask what was wrong, Anakin was already making a mad dash back into the temple. Rey quickly got to her feet and ran after him, R2D2 let's out a series of confused and startled beeps as they both disappeared into the temple. The droid goes and follows after them, beeping in frustration.
Inside the temple, Rey had lost sight of where Anakin had gone, but she could sense him and he wasn't that far from where she was. Rey finds anakin kneeling over something cursing softly under his breath, as she get closer to him, she can see what he was kneeling over. Three small severely damaged, more like crushed, metallic objects. Rey kneels down beside Anakin, and looks over to him.
"Anakin? What is it?"
Anakin bows his head at the destroyed metal objects.
"These were holocrons, jedi holocrons and I'm assuming Taron Malicos destroyed them after he threw me out of the temple."
Rey looks at the destroyed, metal objects, thinking back to the ancient jedi texts, she remembered that the word holocron popped up a few times, but there wasn't any real information about them in there. Rey then stands up, the crumpled holocrons in her hands, and turns to face Anakin, who was now standing over next to a large stone shelf that was in the wall. Rey places the objects on a nearby table.
"What exactly is a holocron? I've come across that term a few times, but there wasn't anything explaining what it is."
Anakin turns his head towards Rey, cocking an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
Rey puts her hands on her hips, returning the look to Anakin.
"What? I haven't been a jedi for that long you know, so forgive me if I don't know everything."
Anakin nods and turns his attention back to the stone shelf.
"Fair enough....holocrons can be used for a variety of purposes, but they are mainly known as "ancient repositories of knowledge and wisdom," at least that's how my Uncle Luke told it to me....basically they contain the knowledge and teachings of the jedi who made the holocron, and each one is unique."
Rey tilts her head to the side slightly, curious.
"Unique how?"
Anakin shrugs his shoulders
"It depends on the Jedi who made the holocron. Holocrons can last for centuries until activated. They could contain research on ancient extinct species, locations of force sensitive individuals, or....or instructions on how to rebuild the jedi order."
Rey was quiet, now fully understanding the reason why anakin ran here. Anakin resumes talking.
"However, I don't believe those three had the information about the jedi order. I think they were some kind of....guardians."
Anakin turns around to face Rey, his expression was a mixture of curiosity and worry.
"I can't be certain, but I believe what Malicos took was a sith holocron, a very unique looking sith holocron. I don't-"
Anakin was interrupted by R2D2 rolling up and giving some alarming beeps. He was saying that a new republic security corp ship was landing. Rey looks from R2 back to Anakin.
"I wonder why the security corp is here...we should go see."
Anakin nods and motions his head to Rey to go on.
"You go on, I'll catch up. I just need a few minutes."
Rey gives him a soft understanding smile and nods, before leaving she puts a hand on the dome of R2.
"R2 you stay with Anakin okay?"
R2 beeps and shakes in excitement slightly, this causes a soft chuckle to escape Reys mouth. She looks back at Anakin, smiling sweetly at him, then walks out the room. Anakin approaches R2 and pats its dome head.
"Come on R2, I wanna take a look at the living quarters real quick."
Anakin walks off and out of the room, with the droid following close behind. Meanwhile, Rey had just existed the temple, she could hear an argument going on with Lando, and the security corp captain, as well as Finn, who noticed Rey approaching. Finn rushes towards Rey, shaking his head with an apologetic look on his face.
"Rey I'm so sorry, this just happened and I couldn't stop them."
Rey places her hand on Finns shoulder.
"What's going in Finn?"
Finn sighs heavily, shaking his head again.
"Where is Anakin?"
Rey takes her hand off of his arm, her eyes narrow slightly and her expression going hard.
"Finn! What...is...going...on?"
Anakin had made his way out to the back of the temple, and what he saw caused him to let out a sad, heavy sigh. R2, who was right beside him, let out a sad beep when it saw the remains of the stone huts that once served as shelter for the padawans. Anakin took his time exploring the destroyed huts, each one had it's own echo in the force, and while all were different, almost all of them ended the same way....death. Anakin was starting to feel that there wasn't much else around here, when out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of another destroyed hut. It was further out and away from the others that Anakin had searched through. It gave Anakin a feeling of isolation and loneliness. If he had to guess, it was the hut Ben had occupied. Anakin points to the hut, and turns to look at R2.
"That hut over there....that was his wasn't it?"
R2 doesn't respond, and Anakin tilts his head slightly to the side.
"R2?"
R2 then responds with a confirming, saddened moan like beep. Anakin puts his hand on to of the droids domed head.
"You can stay right here if you want R2, I'll be okay."
R2 watches Anakin walk towards the hut, but after Anakin took the first five or six steps towards the hut, it decided to follow after him. As Anakin got closer to the hut, he started to feel a bit uneasy, a strong connection to the dark side lingered over this area. He stopped just outside where the huts entrance would have been, placing a hand on a section of a wall, Anakin reaches out into the force and is almost immediately bombarded with images of Ben and his time here at the temple, and then he hears his uncle's voice.
"I saw darkness. I sensed it building in him. I'd seen it in moments during his training. But then I looked inside, and it was beyond what I ever imagined. Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction and pain and death, and the end of everything I love because of what he will become, and for the briefest moment of pure instinct, I thought I could stop it. It passed like a fleeting shadow, and I was left with shame and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose Master had failed him."
A sudden image of Luke and Ben's lightsabers interlocked with one another flashed in his mind.
"BEN NO!!"
Ben uses the force to bring down the hut on them, which causes Anakin to snap back to reality. Anakin pants softly for a few moments, then turns around to see R2 behind him asking if he was alright.
"R2? Um uh yeah....yeah, I'm alright."
Anakin turns around again, now facing the hut, his mind flooded with thoughts about what he had just seen. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath, then let's out a heavy sigh before opening his eyes. Anakin not only saw the fall of Ben Solo, but he also saw his uncle's failure. It made Anakin see Luke in a different light, he saw that no matter how wise and powerful his uncle became, he still made mistakes, and those mistakes would have lasting consequences. Anakin is brought out of his thoughts, when something shiny was reflecting the light of the setting sun into his eyes. He kneels down, looking through some of the rubble from the hut, and reaches his arm in to try and get at it. When it was clear that it was out of his reach, Anakin pulls his arm back and using the force, very carefully lifts up the rubble high enough so Anakin can reach and get the metallic object. Anakin's eyes widen a little when he feels the object on his finger tips, now he grasps and pulls the object out from under the rubble, a lightsaber, though it wasn't just any lightsaber, it was his uncle's. Anakin pressed the sabers activation switch, and the emerald green blade emerges from the hilt with a familiar snap hiss sound. Anakin stares into the blade for a few seconds before the lightsaber flickers and then dies out. Anakin drops the saber hilt, as more memory flashes emerge in his mind, memories of his jedi training. The sound of R2 whistling, brings Anakin out of his mind, he looks down at the lightsaber hilt and examines it, seeing that it was dented inward in a few places, one dent had a partial opened crack. It looks as if the power cell was damaged, but Anakin couldn't know for sure until he took the saber apart and got a good look at the components. Anakin's attention it turned to R2, as the droid bumps into him, before Anakin could say anything, the droid starts urgently beeping and whistling "they're coming."
"What? R2 slow down who is co-"
Anakin stops talking and looks up from the droid. He could sense Rey, and to his surprise Finn as well getting closer, in addition to almost a dozen other life forms. Anakin looks back down at R2 and hands it the lightsaber.
"Hide this R2. Don't activate it either, it's damaged and needs to be repaired. Give it to Rey as soon as you get the chance okay?"
Letting out a confirming beep, R2 takes the lightsaber and hides it away in it's body. Anakin then walks past the droid, slowly and after he emerges from the destroyed hut, he is surrounded by what looks to be republic forces, who all have there blasters aimed at him.
"FREEZE! Don't you move!"
Anakin stops and stands still, confused, but for some reason, not completely surprised that this was happening. He slowly puts his hands up in surrender, and begins talking in a calm manner.
"Hey so I don't know what's going on here but I-"
One of the soldiers to his left, a zarbrak woman cuts him off.
"You keep your mouth shut, you murder! Get on your knees now!"
Murder? What is she talking about? Anakin was confused and he was quickly searching his mind for answers, but his train of thought was interrupted by the soldier in front of him.
"On your knees NOW! Final warning, we are authorized to use deadly force!"
Anakin could tell that things were getting tense and that they were becoming impatient. He also saw Rey and Finn coming out of the temple and rushing over, as he started to slowly lower himself down to his knees.
"Just a heads up, I'm armed with a blaster and vibrosword, both are attached to my belt."
The zarbrak woman slowly and cautiously approaches Anakin, another solider, a human male, follows closely behind her, both of there weapons are trained in on Anakin.
"No funny business you hear me?" The female zarbrak says.
Anakin's weapons are removed by the woman, while the man behind her retrains Anakin in some high tech heavy duty stun cuffs and neck collar. These stun cuffs and collar were connected to each other, so in case they were being tampered with, the collar would almost instantly fry the person's brain. Anakin looks over at Rey, and gives her a small reassuring smile, which Rey does her best to match and return. Anakin reaches out to Rey in the force, as he starts being taken away by the new republic security corp.
"Machines."
Rey tilts her head to the side slightly and looks at Anakin puzzled.
"Earlier when we were talking about my brother and sister's talent, you asked me what mine was. It's machines. I'm great at making and fixing things."
Anakin walks past Rey and Finn, giving them both a quick sideways smirk, and as they both watch Anakin get taken away, Rey let's out an amused scoff and shakes her head. She also could help but let out a soft chuckle as well. Rey then frowns slightly, and sighs as she feels Finn put a hand on her shoulder, she turns back to look at him.
"Hey...don't worry. We will get this sorted out, I promise."
Rey's facial features harden, and her voice becomes serious.
"How did they find out? Who told the council about Anakin?
Finn sights and let's his hand fall from her shoulder.
"We haven't figured that out yet...."
"It was Poe wasn't it?"
Finn shakes his head
"No I'm pretty sure it wasn't him, because he was mostly in surgery the whole time you guys were gone, and he only woke up a few hours ago....oh and he's fine by the way."
Rey was very relieved to hear that Poe was awake and recovering from his injuries from the attack, and as Rey was about to apologize to Finn for not asking about him sooner, she turns around when hearing approaching footsteps. It was two male soldiers, a togruta and a weequay, both of them holding there assault blasters. The togruta speaks in a determined voice, but it was laced with sympathy.
"Apologies miss Rey, but we are going to have to detain you as well."
Both Rey and Finn, wide eyed, looked at the soldiers in stunned silence, then after a few moments, Finn takes Rey's lightsaber and blaster as one of the soldiers puts a pair of stun cuffs on her.
-Near the borders of the unknown regions-
The sounds of pained agonizing screams could be heard coming from the throne room of the final order's flagship. The ship of the newly resurrected Kylo Ren. Two praetorian guards that stood at the throne rooms entrance, turn slightly to look back at the closed doors, as the screams continue. Inside the throne room, the sharp crackling of lightning loudly echoes and the flashes are near blinding, the fury of Kylo Ren being focused on a large male Chistori. Kylo takes a pause, saying nothing, as the Chistori, slowly comes out of the crumpled fetal position it was in. He slowly staggers to his feet, then he kneels back down, bowing his head and speaks in a deep pained voice.
"M...master...what have I done to-"
Lightning explodes out the fingertips of Kylo's left hand, cutting off him in midsentence, only to be replaced once again by more screams. Kylo Ren replies in an angered tone, just loud enough for him to hear over the sounds of screams and lightning.
"You know what you did Valag...do not play dumb with me!"
Kylo Ren begins walking towards him, while still assaulting Valag with force lightning.
"You were well aware of the plan, and because of your impatience, you nearly revealed us and ruined everything!"
Valag responds in a pained and struggling voice.
"F...for...forgive me...m...master! I believed that the...new...holo b...battle droids needed to be tested in the field-"
Kylo Ren abruptly stops his electric assault on Valag. He once again cuts him off, but this time Kylo grabs hold of the Chistori in a force choke. He lifts him up off the ground, then sends him hurtling back and pinned up against the wall right above the door to the throne room. The impact of Valag's body against the wall, caused the praetorian guards on the other side to jump around and take a few cautious steps back away from the door. Inside the throne room, Kylo Ren begins to choke the life out of Valag.
"I grow tired of your excuses Valag! I had hoped you would be a worthy apprentice for me, being as powerful as you are with the dark side, but now....I fear that I was wrong to take on as my student."
Kylo begins to tighten his grip around Valag's throat.
"This was a test for you. A test to show restraint, follow orders and report back on the activities of the republic, and you failed."
Valag's eyes slowly begin to roll back into his head, his tounge falls out and hangs to the side of his mouth, while he desperately gasps for breath. Kylo begins to close his hand into a fist, when a voice from behind him calls out.
"That is enough Lord Ren."
Kylo Ren immediately and without hesitation, drops his hand, turns around and kneels, before the body of Valag even hits the ground. Valag loudly and painfully gasps for air, as he was now released of his masters hold. The voice came from Taron Malicos, a much younger looking Taron Malicos. He looked to be in his early forties now. Kylo Ren looked up at him, curious as to how he was able to regain much of his youth back, but remained silent and dropped his head back down.
"Rise my faithful apprentice....take your....student, and have him patched up. I foresee him being of use to us still."
Kylo Ren stands up, summoning the guards outside and orders them to take Valag to the infirmary. They obey and leave, half carrying and half dragging Valag away. He then turns around to see Taron Malicos sitting on his throne, causing a very brief flicker of rage to flare up, but quickly suppresses it. Taron was grinning as he sat on the throne, clearly sensing the anger that quickly rose in his apprentice.
"I trust you don't mind me sitting here do you?"
Kylo Ren bows slightly and speaks.
"Of course not, the throne is rightfully yours my master."
This makes a laugh escape his lips, and he clasps his hands together.
"Yes, indeed it is...!"
Taron Malicos then frowns and sighs.
"Now my young student....we must discuss a few things, the plan needs to be changed."
"Yes I understand my master, and I will see to it personally that everything now goes as you wish for it....nothing will stop us, now that you have returned supreme leader Snoke."
Chapter Text
(Aboard the final order flagship. 6 hours later)
Kylo Ren sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed, placing them firmly on the floor. He cracks his neck, and looks over his shoulder at the body he was sleeping next to. He stands up, fully nude, but due to the darkness of his room, not many would be able to tell unless the looked real hard, even the light reflecting off the moon they orbited did little to provide much help in illuminating the room. Grabbing his clothes, and getting dressed, he stood up and moved over to his bedside transparisteel window, looking out into the void of space, reflecting on events that had recently developed. The supreme leader had returned, more powerful and in a new body, though this wasn't the same snoke that trained him....or to be more accurate, the original Kylo Ren. This snoke must have been another clone from exegol. He stares at his reflection in the window, the sickly golden yellow eyes of a sith looking back at him, the only part of his face he could see in the very faint light, the thoughts of Ben Solo invading his mind. He clenches his fists, his anger slowly bubbling. It infuriated him that Ben Solo had all this at his disposal, but never truly and fully embraced the dark side, and the gifts it bestowed upon him. It also made him sick to his stomach, that he gave it all up for a girl. Rey. The scavenger, turned jedi. Ben Solo could've had her, had he fully embraced the darkness, her and so much more. He could've had the jedi and many other women for his purposes. They could've been his slaves, meant for entertainment, breeding or whatever came to mind....or more importantly, apprentices. Rey would have been a superb sith apprentice, especially due to her bloodline.
However, none of that happened, because of Ben Solo and his pathetic weakness, but that is not what angered Kylo the most. It was that his existence was based off his DNA, even though it was altered and enhanced, it was still him. His mere existence was nothing but a cruel sick joke. Kylo Ren vowed silently to himself, his fists clenched so tightly, his gloves threatened to split at the knuckles, he would destroy anything and everything that Ben Solo had achieved as a jedi and as an apprentice to snoke. His anger radiated so intensely that it was beginning to lightly shake his quarters, but it was when he heard the sound of his bed sheets ruffle and a soft moan, did he calm down. There was someone in his bed, a white female twi'lek. Kylo takes his mask and puts it back. The twi'lek turns over, and seeing Kylo standing on the other side of the bed, sits up and stretches, while letting out a small yawn, before softly speaking in a voice that could only be described as divine. She reaches over to the table beside her and presses a button. The quarters faintly light up with a dim gentle light, enough light to see where you were walking at least. The twi'lek then turns back towards Kylo Ren.
"Mm...baby?"
Kylo Ren turns his head slightly towards her, she was also nude. In the light, much more of her features could be seen. Frey'lah, the white twi'lek, was not pure white, as she had a silver tint to her. She also had black body markings of a sith, although she had a decent connection to the force, she was not sith, or even an apprentice for that matter. These were most likely done to please him, for Frey'lah had a very strong attachment to Ren, he did not however. The twi'lek was a sight to behold, while practically almost all of them are very attractive, Frey'lah was different, aside from the fact that she was a color that was nearly extinct among her species, her body was perfect....possibly even more. She had a very well toned body, her curves were in all the right places, her arms and legs had some muscle to them, but not too overly muscular, her ass had just the right amount of thickness, her lekku was long, strong and sleek and her skin was healthy, soft and smooth. Frey'lah's breasts however, are mostly what got attention drawn to her. Almost all female twi'leks were well endowed on there chests, but Frey'lah was a notch or two above them. They were border lining on being as large as her head, and were near perfectly round, with just the smallest hint of sag. If it weren't for that, she would've looked like one of those concubines that altered there bodies.
Frey'lah got onto her hands and knees, she seductively crawls over to Kylo Ren, and stops about half a foot from him. She sits up straight, leaning back on her bent legs, she curves and puts her right index finger in her mouth, letting it hang from her bottom lip, while her left hand rests on top of her left breast.
"What troubles you? Maybe I can help...."
Kylo Ren doesn't respond to her, but instead turns his attention back to the view from his window. He is quiet for a few moments, before speaking.
"Get dressed and go, you have a mission to complete."
Instead of obeying him, Frey'lah moves a bit closer to Ren, still with the intent of seducing him. She takes hold of his hand and gently rubs it on the side of her face, while letting out a sigh. Kylo pulls his hand away, and Frey'lah moves a little closer to him.
"Come on lover....tell me what's wrong. Tell me as you ravage me again, I'll even let you use my lekku as reins again-"
Frey'lah stops speaking abruptly, a hand of hers clutching her neck as she begins to lightly gasp for breath. Kylo Ren then turns to completely face her, but remains silent as he looks at her. Frey'lah speaks while letting out some pained gasps.
"Please...b...baby please...what are y-"
The naked twi'lek is again cut off, as Kylo quickly lifts his arm up, Frey'lah's body lifts up in the air, both of her hands, now holding at her neck.
"You forget your place twi'lek, you are nothing but entertainment to me. Do not let my interest in you, make you think that there is something....more going on here."
Frey'lah gasps and squirms more.
"You have a mission to complete...now go!"
Kylo releases his hold on the twi'lek, she falls to the floor, gasping and coughing while holding her neck with one hand and responding in a pained voice.
"Y...yes my lord, forgive me! I will leave at once!"
Frey'lah quickly gathers her clothes and dresses herself, before stopping at the door to look back at her master.
"Complete this mission successfully, and you will be rewarded. I trust I do not have to explain what would happen if you were to fail yes?"
The twi'lek bows and replies, her voice more like its usual tone.
"No master, I will not fail you."
Kylo turns around back to look out the window, and gives her a dismissive wave of his hand. The twi'lek then rushes out the room, when the door closes he let's out an annoyed sigh.
"Pathetic..."
Kylo begins to go back to his thoughts when the door to his quarters opens and a male togruta comes in, bending the knee and bowing his head. The togruta doesn't speak, and instead waits for Kylo to give him permission to.
"Yes? What is it Xalrek?
The male togruta then stands up and lifts his head to look at his lord and master.
"My lord, the...the supreme leader has summoned for you."
Kylo Ren immediately turns around and heads out the room, the togruta male Xalrek following close behind.
"My lord if I may..."
Ren doesn't stop walking, or even look back to him, but does respond
"Speak apprentice."
Xalrek was now walking at his side.
"A few of the black knights have been speaking, and I must admit, that they have raised some valid points..."
"Out with it now Xalrek!"
"Yes of course my lord. They...we are wondering, is this really Snoke? Is this truly our supreme leader retu-"
Kylo Ren stops just outside the entrance to the turbolift, turning around, he holds a finger up to the togruta's face.
"Let me make this perfectly plain apprentice....do NOT question me. If it weren't for the situation with our forces, I would kill you here on the spot."
Xalrek bows his head in a mixture of apology and fear. Kylo Ren is silent for a few moments, before he continues.
"Yes...it is true, supreme leader snoke has returned. Anything else?"
Xalrek raises his head and looks at him again.
"No my lord, and thank you."
The doors to the turbolift open and Kylo steps in.
"Gather the other knights and resume your training. You now have the title of sith apprentice....my apprentice."
The turbolift doors open
"Valag will not like this news, my master."
Ren gives a scoff, and enters the turbolift, then turns around to face Xalrek.
"And yet somehow, I just can't seem to care."
Xalrek bows his head
"Kill him if he tries anything, and inform our agent in the rebellion to get a sample of blood from the jedi they have in custody and have is brought here immediately!"
The doors to the turbolift close before Xalrek could respond, once again leaving him alone with his thoughts, but is quickly disturbed by a voice.
You cannot do this. You must stop.
Kylo Ren quickly turns and looks around the turbolift, but sees that he is the only one in it.
You are going to fail!
Confused, Kylo was about to respond to the voice, but the doors to the turbolift open. He composes himself, and walks down the long corridor to the door where two praetorian guards stand at on either side. Nothing is said between the guards or Ren, the door opens, and sitting on the throne is snoke. Kylo enters the throne room, then stops in the middle of the room, and kneels bowing his head. When he doesn't hear anything after a few moments, Kylo looks up. Snoke's eyes were closed in concentration, a faint eerie green aura emanates from his body.
They will stop you.
Kylo heard the voice again. Now it was beginning to get annoying. There was still nothing as he looked around the room, aside from snoke and himself. Snoke's voice brings back Kylos attention to his master.
"Something troubling you my apprentice?"
Kylo clears his mind, then bows his head again.
"No supreme leader."
Snoke leans forward a bit, studying his student before speaking again.
"Rise Lord Ren."
He does without hesitation.
"Is everything in place?"
Kylo nods, putting his arms behind his back, and linking them.
"They are my master, my agent has departed for Daiyu with the package for the cult that worships palpatine and our spy in the rebellion continues his routine check in updates."
Snoke nods and leans back into his throne.
"Very good, and what of your black knights?"
Ren unlinks his arms and let's them fall to his side.
"Currently training, and awaiting orders."
Snoke leans forward in his chair towards Ren.
"Lord Ren tell me...what do you make of this boy? The one who calls himself Anakin?"
Kylo Ren paused and thought for a few moments, as Snoke watched him, awaiting a response from him.
"I've only had one encounter with him, so I cannot give a definite explanation, my master. However, I can say that the force is with him, although due to the anomaly, it is difficult to determine just how strong in the force he is."
Snoke nods at this answer, interlocking his fingers together and rests them on his chin.
"And his fighting skills?"
Ren again paused a moment, then answers.
"To an everyday person, surviving our fight would look like pure luck. I believe he has great experience in fighting."
Snoke leans forward, intrigued.
"Oh? And what has made you think this?"
Kylos hand briefly moves to and rubs the spots where he was shot by Anakin.
"His body moved in the way of an experienced jedi, although he did seem....confused and alarmed by it. As for his origins, I cannot say."
Snoke now was the one who was silent for a while. Finally he stands up and approaches Ren, stopping a few feet from him.
"I have no doubt that this boy is of the Skywalker bloodline, perhaps the offspring of Luke Skywalker, or the late princess Leia, but I must know more on him. He could very well ruin our entire plans to restoring the final order and resurrecting Sidious. I trust our agent is preparing to acquire the blood from him?"
Kylo Ren nods slightly
"Yes my master."
Snoke then turns around and returns to his throne.
"I would much rather have him brought before me, however, due to the...impatience of your black knight and his assault on the Dantooine base, the rebels will be on high alert. Once our agent has completed his task, terminate our relation with him. You are dismissed."
Kylo Ren bows then briskly leaves the throne room. Anger and disbelief fills his mind, but so does another feeling. Excitement. He felt great excitement at the information he had just received about this Anakin individual. If what supreme leader says is true, this boy could be a cousin or even a brother of Ben Solo. This knowledge fills him with fresh new determination, determination to destroy anything and everything related to the Skywalker line, and especially Ben Solo. Kylo Ren, couldn't wait for the next confrontation with him, because when he meets him next time, he would not just simply destroy him, he was going to absolutely and utterly annihilate him.
You can't beat them.
And just like that, Kylo Ren's good mood was ruined by the return of the voice.
Once Kylo Ren had left, snoke closes his eyes, focusing on the dark side, a faint eerie green glow radiates from his body.
(Planet Christophsis. Interrogation wing of a rebel max security prison)
Rey let's out an annoyed sigh. She has been sitting here for hours, and the boredom was slowing beginning to get to her. She tried earlier to calm her mind with meditating, hoping to see if she could find out what was going on with Anakin, but it would seem he was in the same boat as her. Rey even tried reaching out for Luke or Leia even, but all she could feel was that disturbance, that anomaly in the force. It was interfering with her to fully connect with the force, which meant that it was once again up to her, to figure out and fix whatever was going on out there. Rey's patience had officially run out, getting up she heads to the door and lifting her hand, she opens the door by using the force. As the door opened, rey gasps softly when she sees Finn with R2 on the other side.
"Finn? R2?"
R2 let's out a confirming whistle, and Finn chuckles a little.
"Impatient are we?"
Rey rolls her eyes and groans softly in annoyance. She turns around and heads back to her seat, crossing her arms as she sits.
"You try sitting here for hours, while waiting to know what's going on."
Finn sits down across from Rey, grinning.
"But aren't all jedi patient....master?"
Rey scowls and glares at Finn, but then softly laughs and shakes her head when she realizes he was teasing her.
"Oh shut up you bantha head!"
They both laugh together, something they both felt they haven't done in ages, and even R2 joins in with a series of playful beeps and chirps. Rey then let's out a sigh and leans forward on the table.
"So what's up? Am I under arrest?"
Finn shakes his head and reaches over onto his belt, unhooking Rey's lightsaber and handing it back to her. She takes it and places it on her belt, then looks back up at Finn.
"No you're not under arrest, you actually should've been told this an hour ago at least. Things have been...hectic around here lately, and we got held up with this."
Finn looks over at R2 and nods. The astromech droid then activates it's holo projector and a hologram of what looks like to be some kind of bio scan appears on the table. Confused, Rey looks from the scan to Finn.
"I don't understand, what is this? Whose scan is this?"
Rey already knew the answer to her question, but she still had to ask. This scan was of Ben, back when he was still Kylo Ren. Rey let's out a heavy sigh and motions for Finn to go on.
"Show her the new one R2."
The droid whistles and a new bio scan appears. This one looked almost identical to Ben's, but there were a few differences to it, which made Rey even more confused.
"Whose is this? This one practically looks the same."
Finn looks at Rey, he had confusion on his face as well.
"Well...this is the one R2 was able to take of the person that Lando said fought Anakin. Unfortunately R2 wasn't able to get one on this Taron Malicos guy, before he was hit by that lightning attack."
Rey quickly chimes in to correct him.
"Force lightning...Leia called it force lightning."
Finn nods, confusion still on his face.
"I never saw Ren do that before, did you?"
Rey shook her head. She was studying the bio scan, trying to understand as much as she could from it.
"This is what was taking you so long to inform me on what was happening?"
Finn nods.
"Yeah...but mostly I was trying to delay the reports being sent to the council and the senate."
Rey looks up from the scan, at Finn.
"Why would you do that?"
Finn sighs and leans forward as R2 turns off his holo projector.
"Look Rey, I haven't told anyone, not even poe and rose, that Ben Solo was Kylo Ren, but it's only a matter of time before others see these scans and put two and two together."
Rey looks away from Finn. If it weren't for her training him and helping him learn to become a jedi and connect to the force, even Finn wouldn't have known that Ben and Kylo Ren were one in the same. She looks back at Finn, trying to keep her composure.
"Did you show these to Anakin?"
Finn briefly hesitates for moment, before replying.
"Um no...because I can't. Anakin is on lockdown. No one can see him unless they have permission from a senate council member."
Rey looks at finn with a confused look
"What? Why?"
Finn sighs and gives a small shrug
"My guess is precaution...."
Finn's voice trails off a little, his mind begins to wander. Rey could sense that something was on his mind.
"What is it Finn?"
Finn looks at R2, who then gives what sounded like a reassuring tweet, then he gets up and begins pacing slowly.
"Finn...talk to me."
He stops and turns to look at Rey.
"Look I am on your side Rey, so don't take any of this the wrong way."
Rey nods and leans forward in her seat.
"Ever since we found Anakin on exegol, things have been starting to get difficult for the resistance and the new republic, and now with Ben-"
Rey quickly cuts him off and interjects
"That wasn't Ben Finn."
Finn gives her an apologetic look and nods, then he continues.
"-and now that...Ren has returned, plus this Taron Malicos guy."
"Okay Finn I get it, what is your point?"
"My point is, this all started with him, with Anakin. What if he is the cause for what's been happening...?"
Finn's voice trails off again
"Spit it out Finn."
He takes a deep breath and then let's it out slowly.
"What if Anakin is...what if he is palpatine? Think about it, after you and Ben faced him on exegol just a little over a year ago, you told me that he was trying to posses you, to take over your body. What if he somehow managed to do that with someone else?"
Rey was quiet, as she looked down at the floor. As far as she knew, the ritual that palpatine was trying to do, pretty much focused on the fact that she was his blood relative, so she knew that palpatine couldn't be possessing Anakin. However, Finn did raise a good point. Conflict and anxiety, filled her entire being, as she was trying to find the right words, so she could end this discussion. Finn didn't know about her connection to palpatine, no one did...at no one alive as far as she knew. Rey couldn't let Finn or anyone else know that palpatine was her grandfather.
"Rey?"
Rey looks up at Finn, coming out of her thoughts and doing her best to hid the truth about her and palpatine. Finn looks at her, with a mix of curiosity and confusion.
"Rey what is it?"
"It's nothing Finn...listen, that's a very good point you bring up, but I can promise you, that's not the case here. I will take care of everything ok? I need you to trust me."
Finn leans forward and puts a hand on hers.
"Rey I've always trusted you, and everyone here in the resistance does too. It's just that it's the se-"
"I know finn, the Senate and the council."
Finn smirks and scoffs, while nodding.
"Yeah exactly."
Finn leans back in his chair, placing his palms behind his head, and locking his fingers together..
"Okay look, I'll try to see if I can get you to see Anakin, but I can't make any promises."
Rey smiles, then stands up and heads to the exit.
"Thank you Finn, I really appreciate it."
"Yes of course....master."
Rey stops and looks back at him with a slight warning scowl.
"Okay, you need to stop that."
Finn laughs and holds up his hands in surrender.
"Just being respectful is all."
Rey smirks, then rolls her eyes and shakes her head, while scoffing. She then exits the room, leaving both Finn and R2 alone. Finn let's out a sigh, as he watches his friend leave. Finn could tell that she was hiding something, something big and as much as he wanted to know, he would let Rey tell him on her terms, but for now he was going to focus on trying to get Rey clearance to see Anakin, then hopefully get some rest back in his quarters. Hopefully Rose would be there, he had some things to talk to her about. Just as he was about to enter the quarters he and rose shared, Finn's comlink chirps. Sighing, Finn answers it.
"Yes? What is it?"
A male voice responds on the other end.
"General sir, we have an unauthorized access down in the med bay."
Finn groans softly in annoyance.
"Why am i being notified about this? Where is security?"
There was a pause on the other end before he replies
"Sir, it is just better if you come down to the med bay."
Just as Finn was about to relay his annoyed response, muffled blasterfire can be heard. The security alarms then sound off.
"Sir! There is blasterfire coming from the cargo area!"
Finn is now running towards the cargo area, his blaster in one hand, and his comlink in the other.
"Yeah i noticed! Get security down there now, and have Rey meet me there!"
Finn turns off his comlink, dozens of thoughts going through his mind as he is now sprinting towards the cargo area. Meanwhile back in the holding area, the security detail that was standing guard at Anakin's cell, lie dead on the ground. A male falleen, currently attempting to slice through the security to open the door to Anakin's cell. An assassin at work.