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It had been years, and now it was actually time to go and get Han Solo.Lando Calrissian had done his job in terms of keeping Han and Ben (and the girl that they had adopted in a sense, Rey) safe, but now, considering that they were all in trouble, Han was their best bet, really.Jessika Pava was the one who he called into the room. Jess was a good soldier, more than a good soldier. He needed her for this task, trusted her with it, and so he called her in. She entered, black hair in a ponytail, before he spoke to her.”Jess,” he said. “I have a job for you. A really important one. And it involves an old friend of mine...”***It was in the throne room of Empress Leia Organa’s ship, the Peacekeeper, that Taral Ren, formerly known as Poe Dameron, knelt before the woman that he had sworn to serve. She sat on her throne, dressed in white and silver, her hair done up in one of those elaborate braids. It had been years ever since Leia and her apprentice had killed Snoke and taken the First Order to create an Empire. So far, Taral had been doing well. Where there were dissidents, unwanted troublemakers, Taral was quick to root them out, although like rats, they’d always go and find another hole to hide in.“You may rise,” Leia said, and Taral did. “How goes the day?” Leia said.“I have news,” Taral said. “We have a new enemy. Several, actually.””I know,” Leia said. “I felt as much.” A beat. “Two of them seemed terribly familiar, actually. I gave not felt presences like this since...since Han and Ben Solo.”In her voice was a strange sort of hope. Taral supposed he couldn’t quite understand it, how Han Solo (the ingrate) could treat his own wife like that, though Taral knew that it made him hate Han more. How anyone could do that...Taral would never know.“After all this time?” Taral said.Leia nodded. “Find them. Be sure, whatever you do, to bring them back alive.””I will, my lady.”Taral bowed once and left. He knew full well that hardly anything would get in the way of him completing his mission. He would carry it out to the letter, and that was a promise.Taral walked towards the hangar, towards his shuttle, where Phasma was already preparing her troops for the mission. “Sir,” she said, calmly, “I assume you’ll be joining us?””Yes,” Taral said. “Excellent,” said Phasma. “I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield, sir.””As will I.” Taral boarded the shuttle, sat in the cockpit. He preferred to do the flying, truthfully; it was something he had never managed to shed even as Taral Ren.It was in the cockpit that Taral reached out through the Force. It was remarkable, how he had gone from learning a few tricks from Leia to becoming a Force user in his own right. He reached, and through the haze of misery that seemed to cloud him, other scavengers wondering how many portions they’d get...Jakku. They, plus another presence Leia no doubt didn’t recognize, were on Jakku. Why anyone would hide in such a place, Taral didn’t know. But he told the others, before firing up the shuttle, that they were heading to Jakku.The shuttle took off after he fired it up. He set the coordinates for Jakku. And he knew that failing the Empress was not an option.
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Ben was heading back to Niima Outpost when he saw the X-wing landing. He wasn’t going to lie — of course when something like this happened, it was big news. Visitors didn’t often come to Jakku, if Ben was to be perfectly honest, and Resistance soldiers especially. Ben had heard stories about the Resistance, and the First Order, but he had never seen a Resistance fighter up close, actually. The Resistance fighter climbed out of her X-wing with a BB unit — blue and white — by her side, wiping black hair out of her eyes as she surveyed the Jakku expanses. Then, to Ben’s astonishment, she walked towards him. What could she possibly want with him, of all people? “Hello,” Ben said, awkwardly. The young woman smiled. She had a very friendly, warm sort of face. "Hello,” she said. She observed him some more before saying, “I knew it!””What?”“I knew it!” the young woman exclaimed. “I knew I’d come to the right place."”If you think Jakku’s the right place, you’re gravely mistaken,” Ben said wryly. “No, it is the right place. I...stang, you probably don’t even know my name. I’m Jess.””Ben,” Ben said. “I know. General Calrissian’s been looking for you. Well, you and your father. And your friend.””Us?” Ben said. “Why us? We’re just scavengers.””Your uncle Lando, kiddo.” Han strode up to meet Ben, Rey by his side. “He’s led the Resistance for a long time.”"Well...stang.” Ben rubbed his temples. Rey grinned. “I’ve never met the rest of your family before, Ben. This is amazing!”“Yeah.” Twenty-five years old and meeting a part of his extended family. “Pretty amazing.” He only wondered what his mother was like. He had vague memories of her and his father fighting, his earliest memories actually, but he had never known what happened to her after he and his father had ended up on Jakku (Ben being a toddler at the time). He headed over towards Plutt’s kiosk. It was there that Rey said, “Where are you going?””Telling Plutt where to stick it,” Ben said. Of course, Plutt wasn’t happy with Ben all but giving him an earful about how he’d treated him, Rey and Han over the years. “Where are you going to go?” he said. “Honestly, Ben...””I don’t care,” Ben snapped. “Anywhere’s better than with you.”He walked away, and Rey turned to look at him. “Really worth getting that last jab in?” she said. “He deserved it,” Ben said. “Rey...come with us.”“I can’t.” Rey’s voice cracked. “My family...they’re still waiting for me.”“They may have been your parents, but they weren’t your family.””Ben, don’t say that,” Rey said. “You’re still holding on. We could live a better life than this. You could live a better life than this. No Plutt, no struggling to survive...”Rey almost looked tempted. Han butted in. “Kiddo...you can’t change her mind.””I’m not ditching her on Jakku like — ”It was just then that a shadow covered them. Ben looked up, and it was there he saw two shuttles, hovering over Jakku, in the clear, sunny sky. Jess’ eyes widened in fear. “Stars preserve us,” she said. “The Empire’s found us.”Han looked grim. “Forget about dilemmas. We’re getting as far away from these ships as we can.”Rey didn’t say anything. Just a nod. They ran as quickly as they could, and all around them, Niima Outpost turned to chaos as stormtroopers flooded out, shooting at people. Jess shot at the troopers, and Ben, for the first time, wished that they had blasters on Jakku and not just melee weapons. The nearest shuttle was an all-too-familiar sight — it was what had taken Ben and his father to Jakku in the first place. “Can we outrun them in that shuttle?””Yes,” Han said. “We can.” They clambered on the shuttle, before Han and Jess made their way up to the cockpit, Jess’ BB-unit, Rey and Ben in tow. It was there that they blasted off, avoiding stormtrooper blasts, heading up — — up towards the shuttles. “We’re going low,” Jess said. “It’ll confuse their tracking.”Han nodded. “Grip on, Rey, Ben! We’re going low!”They swooped in low, past the stormtroopers, past scavengers in the desert that were wondering what was going on no doubt, through the relics of old Star Destroyers. Finally, they swooped up into a clear spot in the sky, before Jess said, “Plot a course to D’Qar. That’s where Lando is. He can help us!”Han nodded. “Doing what I can.”He typed in the coordinates, and they jumped to lightspeed, leaving Jakku behind. ***It was among the corpses on Jakku that Taral Ren strode out of the shuttle. He was not particularly tall, but his presence was commanding nonetheless. He wore black, as was customary among the Knights of Ren, and his face was covered by a mask that he had constructed himself. Even the title of Taral was something that he had taken himself. Everything about him was self-constructed. He stepped over downed bodies, reminded of his first mission for the Empress when he had been horrified by what he’d done. Now he had gotten used to the carnage. Some would call him a monster, the most destructive man in the Empire.He only did what he had to. He strode over bodies, over blood-soaked desert, towards a Crolute. A Crolute that began sputtering at the sight of him. “You — it is you! The monster — ”“Where is Ben Solo?” Taral demanded. “He ran away,” Plutt said. “Damnable little brat. Ran away and took that no-good girl and the old man with him...”Taral sneered at him. “Doesn’t take much to make you talk, does it? Just a spiteful little slavedriver angry that his chattel got away.” Phasma spoke. “Shall we prepare him for execution, sir?””Not yet. Tempting as it is.” Taral could feel the anger and outrage of the Crolute that his property had gotten away. He had to say he was pretty amazed at how selfish the Crolute was. “I have plans for this Unkar Plutt.” He turned to Plutt. “After I’m done with you...well, it’s up to Phasma, isn’t it?”***It was in the shuttle that Rey finally spoke. “That was some flying! I’ve never seen anything like it.”Jess grinned. “I’ve practiced.” She sighed. “It’s a good thing we got away from Taral Ren and his minions when we could.””Who is he?” Ben said. Rey nodded. “We’ve heard about him, but...”Jess laughed wryly. “Consider yourself fortunate. He’s not a good man. In terms of where he came from, he showed up shortly after Poe Dameron, a friend of mine, was captured.” She sounded bitter. “You could say that Poe was the first victim of that...monster.””I’m sorry,” Ben said. Truthfully, he didn’t know what to say. Rey spoke up. “We’ll help you avenge him, Jess. And that’s a promise.”Jess smiled. “We will. We truly will." Han turned to look at them. “We’re on Autopilot until we reach D’Qar. So...we should get some sleep or something like that. Well, you should.””What about you?” Ben said. Han smiled. “Don’t worry about me, kid. I’m going to make sure everything’s up and running here."Even heading to the back, Ben could still remember the bunk beds that he and his father had slept in on the way to Jakku. It had been, what, over a decade now? He supposed there was something poetic about it, being carried home by the same shuttle that had taken him there. Ben lay down on one of the beds, trying in vain to get to sleep.
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Ben dreamed of a familiar place. Something too familiar.
It was his childhood home — the home that he shouldn’t have had such vivid memories from when he was but a toddler and just starting to form memories, but there he was again. His parents, arguing viciously.
“...you don’t even know what you’re...changing into!” His father, struggling for the right words even as Ben watched. He wasn’t supposed to be watching. He overheard anyway, the frantic whispers that threatened to become shouts.
“What am I changing into, Han?” His mother’s voice, challenging, quietly angry.
“Some sort of...” Han trailed off. Almost like he didn’t know the right words this time.
“A freak? That’s what you and Luke love talking about, don’t you? Behind my back, when you think I’m not listening.” His mother actually sounded hurt, angry even.
“Leia — ”
“You’re just pathetic,” and Ben had a feeling that his mother wasn’t quite herself. Like she was blindly repeating what she’d been told. “And jealous.”
“Oh, I’m sure that I’m jealous of you and the state you’re in most of the time!” Han snapped sarcastically. “You’re not eating, you’re not sleeping, you go into these weird trances, but sure, I’m jealous. Tell me the upsides because I would love to hear them!”
Ben sniffled. What could he do? He was only a kid, and Mommy and Daddy weren’t supposed to be fighting.
They stopped abruptly, and went to the top of the stairs. Han apologized for scaring him and Leia said, “Mommy just doesn’t feel well, baby. It’s okay.”
Ben never knew why she didn’t take medicine if she didn’t feel well.
The ship jolted out of hyperspace, waking Ben in that moment, and he didn’t know why he dreamed about his old childhood home. He knew, though, why his mother didn’t take medicine for whatever was happening to her. After all, some things couldn’t be helped by medicine. Medics couldn’t diagnose strange trances, either, or holding conversations when she thought Ben was asleep with someone else Ben didn’t know the identity of. Ben didn’t know what had been the last straw for his father, but he could remember that his father had been very scared when they had fled. And now...”Ben?” Rey’s voice. “Are you okay?”Ben turned to her, nodded. Then, “Just a bad dream.””I don’t blame you,” Rey said. “Jakku...I can’t believe they did that.” A beat. “Ben...” and here she sounded hopeful. “Do you think I could still go back there? See my parents?””I don’t know,” Ben said. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if it was under Imperial occupation, or ruined entirely.” Even thinking about it, all these people, massacred in cold blood...Rey blinked. “I can’t just betray them.””You’re not,” Ben said. “Really. And...” In a way, with that memory having popped up, he knew what it was like to deal with a troubled parent. Rey’s parents had had something more tangible, alcoholism, but it really changed nothing. A demon was a demon, after all. Several beeps from the cockpit, and Ben sighed. “Think we found the Resistance.”Rey headed up to the cockpit with him, and even as they took in the green together — who knew there was actually green here? — they knew for the moment they were safe. ***They disembarked from the shuttle, and it was there that another woman, a very pretty young woman with black hair and an almost diamond-shaped face, ran out to meet them, looking overjoyed. Jess ran to her, and the two women embraced tightly before drawing away, grinning. Jess must have sensed the three scavengers’ curiosity, because she said, “Oh yeah, introductions. This is my girlfriend, Paige. Paige, this is Han, Ben and Rey.””Han Solo?” Paige said. “The Han Solo?” She looked excited. Han shrugged. “I was,” he said. “Well, you’re back. It’s good to have you back,” Paige said. “And it’s good to meet your two kids, as it were.”Rey grinned. Ben patted her shoulder affectionately. Paige’s assessment wasn’t wrong; in a way, they were like siblings, both of them. They headed through the base, which was already bustling with activity, and whispers. Ben couldn’t help but all but feel the scrutiny; he certainly wasn’t nobody anymore. He was somebody, and he didn’t know how to feel about it. They finally reached the command center, where they met Lando. He was older, of course, but there was a certain grace and dignity about him that was enough to tell others, quietly, who was boss in this room. General Calrissian...it definitely had a good ring to it. Lando turned to look at Ben and Jess. “Jess...you brought him back. He’s here. He’s...big.”Jess nodded. “We has to outrun the Empire, but we’ve made it.”Lando beamed. “You brought them back safe. All three of them. Definitely more than we bargained for.” A beat. “Thank you, Jess.” He turned to Han. “You old pirate...you have no idea how good it is to see you again.””Same here.” Han said. “So...what sorts of things did I miss while I was gone?”
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The interrogation room was mostly shadow, which was appropriate all things considered. Taral couldn’t say that he was fond of interrogation — even the very concept was enough to repulse him. He wasn’t a sadist. Others loved to paint him as such — perhaps they thought he should be? — but he wasn’t a sadist. Most of the time.Looking at the Crolute in the makeshift restraining device they’d constructed for him (he’d barely been able to fit on the interrogation chair, according to Hux), Taral almost wanted to break his own code. Just out of anger at what he’d sensed. “Where did the Resistance pilot take them?” Taral said.”I’ll be damned if I know. Something about a Resistance Base...she mentioned that...” “Interesting,” Taral said. “You overheard it?””Yes...”Taral nodded. “Thank you for your cooperation.” It would have been something if he had actually spared the Crolute — he was the sort who could spare you or kill you depending on what you’d done. All in the name of the Empire, naturally.”W-What will do you next?” said the Crolute.”What do you think?” Taral said.Taral Ren activated his lightsaber.***Outside the room where he was guarding the Crolute prisoner, FN-2187 could have sworn that the previous meal he’d eaten was creeping up his throat as he heard the sound of a lightsaber igniting, and then cleaving through something. More specifically, flesh. A deactivation of his lightsaber, and Taral Ren walked out, making a menacing figure of himself. “The slavedriver’s dead,” he said. Maybe he had deserved it, FN-2187 thought, but there had been something about the way Taral had dispatched of him that had given him the urge to throw up. “G-good,” he forced out, and Taral looked at him, his head tilted. Then, “You seem troubled, Finn.” It was a nickname that Taral had given the twenty-three year old stormtrooper. FN-2187 hadn’t “earned” the nickname, not like other stormtroopers had, but Taral had taken a curious liking to FN-2187 and FN-2187 was quietly pleased with the nickname that Taral had given him. He knew he had to be wary of this strange man with Force powers that FN-2187 had mostly heard of in hallway talk, who never took off his mask, but it was perhaps the only kindness the higher-ups at the Empire had given him. Who was he, really? He could have moments of great compassion and great ruthlessness. You never knew what to expect. “I won’t tell Phasma,” said Taral, and FN-2187 was grateful. “If it’s about the slavedriver...I assure you he deserved it.”It still didn’t feel right. Taral continued. “Or is it Jakku?”Stang, but he found the other half of his worry. Taral continued. “Everyone’s first battle is difficult. I don’t know exactly what happened there, but I don’t blame you.”“But they weren’t even armed — ”“I know,” Taral said, evenly. “Things like this aren’t pleasurable, but they’re part of war, unfortunately.” A beat. “Your helmet...was that...””Yes.” FN-2187 was quiet, remembering how Slip hadn’t made it the invasion of Jakku. “I mean, people made fun of him, but he was my...teammate...””I assure you,” Taral said, “Slip’s most likely right beside you even if you can’t see him.”FN-2187 tilted his head. “How?””Metaphorically. What Hux doesn’t understand, what Phasma doesn’t understand, is that the stormtroopers are brave. Strong. Every one of them, including both you and Slip.”FN-2187 couldn’t say he’d heard it from either Hux or Phasma before. “Really?” he said. “I promise.” Taral said. “Slip was one of many troopers who died honorably in battle, and we are going to find a way to bury him and the others properly when it’s all over. And in my experience...there’s no such thing as ordinary in the Empire.”FN-2187 swallowed. Somehow, it was like there were two Tarals. The one who was the Queen’s enforcer, ruthlessly carrying out her commands. And the other, who seemed to see things in others, a lot like precious stones, that they didn’t know existed. Or that others didn’t know existed. He could be uncommonly cruel or uncommonly kind, and FN-2187 didn’t know which was which. Taral continued. “They may call me the best...but so are you. So was Slip.”And long after Taral had to report to Empress Leia, FN-2187 doubted he could understand him.***”Did you get the information you needed?” Leia said.Taral stood in the throne room before the Empress, and said, “I did. The Crolute managed to blubber something about Jessika Pava having them run off to join the Resistance.””And you killed him,” said the Empress critically. “We lost a prisoner.””He had to be punished.””Nonetheless,” Leia said, “You were reckless. Foolish. Killing a prisoner is not standard procedure in the Empire. It’s impractical. No matter your agenda.””He was a greater monster than others call us.””Even monsters can have their uses,” said the Empress.Silence.”I noticed that you seem very interested in one of the stormtroopers.””F...N-2187?” Taral finished reluctantly. He couldn’t help but feel a sort of distaste at the idea of referring to Finn as nothing more than a number instead of a name. It felt wrong. “He is an acquaintance of mine.””Yes. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised. You always seemed to get along better with the troopers, TIE pilots and your Knights than your officers.” A beat. “You are too full of compassion, apprentice. Something the Resistance does not share.””Maybe that’s where we vary from them,” Taral said. “I know in hindsight that compassion is something your enemies will only take advantage of,” Leia said. “Any softer feeling, they’ll use it to drive a vibroblade into your back. They’ll use it to destroy you.” A beat. “I can’t have that.””I won’t let it.” With a hint of lightness that one wouldn’t expect from a Knight of Ren, “I still have my claws and I’m not afraid to use them.”The Empress didn’t smile. “Let us hope so. As for Ben, Han and the girl...remember what I taught you. Close your eyes.”Taral did.”Breathe. Now,” Leia said, “Extend your perceptions. Reach out with your feelings. Search.”The galaxy was just so spacious. So many stars, so many planets, so many beings. Nonetheless, Taral reached into the galaxy and pulled an answer from the thin air of the galaxy.
Ileneum system.
Taral opened his eyes. “The Ileneum system,” he said. “I know. I felt it as well. More specifically, D’Qar.” The Empress said it almost casually, like she hadn’t all but reached across a galaxy with Taral. “We’ll be sending our ships right there right away. From there, we’ll deal with the Resistance.”“What will you do with the scavengers?””Ben is the most important. And Han betrayed me. The girl I have no quarrel with; she has no place in this story. But Ben...taking him back will be more than revenge. It will be a victory.””Will he recognize you?””He’ll understand. Once he sees in full, he’ll understand.” A beat. “Bring him to me. Alive. The others I could take or leave.””Yes, my lady.”Taral bowed and left the room. For her, he’d do it.
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“How much do you know about using a blaster?”The blaster instructor, a woman in her thirties with black hair and freckles, turned to look at Ben and Rey even as she spoke.”It’s easy,” Rey said. “You pull the trigger.””Not quite,” said the instructor. “You, Ben?”Ben shook his head. “We didn’t have blasters on Jakku,” he said. “We mostly had melee weapons.””And Han...well, obviously he knows enough about using a blaster.” said the instructor. “Han...you will have to teach them.””Well, you hold it like this. You don’t hold it to look cool; you have to hold it with some degree of precision. Tightness too — it’s like it’s a tiny thing, so you don’t want it flying out of your hand while you’re firing...”Rey and Ben followed Han’s lead. Ben couldn’t help but feel a certain chill holding a blaster, knowing that it could take out lives like that. Staffs could bludgeon. Blasters could take you out without so much as batting an eyelash. Clumsy and random was not how to describe them.”Aim at the target,” Han said, referring to the target boards in the midst of the room. Ben and Rey did, before firing. They landed square in the middle of the target. The two scavengers turned to Han, and he smiled. “Good job,” he said. “Really. You’re not automatically done with your training, but...you’re learning.”They walked away in that moment. Rey turned to Ben in that moment. “Nice shooting,” she said. “You too,” Ben said. “I think we’re both getting the hang of this.”It was while they were having dinner that a screeching, wailing sound all but echoed through the vase. It was almost like screeching a warning. And then the sound of a voice over the speakers. “The Empire has found us. I repeat, the Empire has found us — ”Ben already felt chills go up his spine. To think that the Empress had found them on D’Qar...“We need to get out of here,” Lando said. “Black Squadron, Blue Squadron, bombers, get to your stations. The rest of you, get on the transports, quickly.”The pilots and bombers headed towards their stations, and Ben and Rey and the others headed towards their transports, though not before wishing Jess and Paige luck. They would need it, more than they knew. It was as they ran towards the hangar, towards the shuttle, that there was a blast of laserfire, and the shuttle exploded, all but throwing them back. Ben looked up in a daze, staring at the fiery wreckage of the shuttle, and it was there that he saw the looming figure of one of the ships looming in the bright, sunny D’Qar sky. Han, meanwhile, looked outright pale. “That’s the Peacekeeper,” he said. “It found us. Tracked us there.”“Then we’re getting out of here,” Ben said. “Are there any X-wings left?””I bet.”They found the X-wings before blasting off into the sky. Up in the sky was pure chaos, explosions like fireworks in the sky. Ben was about to jump to hyperspace, only to realize that the other X-wings were getting good as pummeled up there. He and Rey had had experience piloting. Han would take them flying through Jakku’s expanses, train them on the flight simulator, things of that nature, though they had never participated in an honest-to-stars space battle before. His head was already feeling terrible. Like somehow, every X-wing that got destroyed was painful. Explosions in his mind, so much more...”We’ve got to help them.” Han spoke over the comm system. “Otherwise, we’re all in trouble.” They blasted off, towards the space battle, blasting away TIE fighters that got in their way. They fought, and Ben knew that they could at least buy some time for the others before the evacuation completed. ***She could feel both of them, along with a presence she couldn’t say she recognized.She hadn’t seen them in, what, over a decade? Hadn’t felt them in over a decade. And here they were. In the midst of the space battle. She would have to give orders to shoot down her own son. To shoot down her former husband. She could all but hear her deceased master laughing in whatever afterlife Dark Siders had.“My lady.” General Hux’s voice, almost like the toll of a requiem. “Your orders?”The Empress inhaled. Then, “Shoot at them...but set for stun.”It was the best she could do, in the end. To preserve Ben, still, to stop him from being sacrificed. It would have been easy to say that she wanted him forgotten. She wanted him back. And she would do anything to make sure he was. While Hux was busy no doubt barking out orders to bring down the X-wings, the Empress reached out through the Force towards the X-wing she knew had her son in there. Her son, a mixture of Dark and Light, the same presence that she knew too well.
Can you hear me?
*** It was in the cockpit of his X-wing that Ben felt a presence — something that seemed to be a peculiar mixture of warm and cold. And a voice, a woman’s voice, a bit raspy and soft, almost unusual to listen to.
Can you hear me?
Ben didn’t know if it was just in his head or not. It should have been in his head. It —More urgent, all but pounding. Can you hear me?!”Who are you?”He could feel the horror, the confusion...and then realization of the presence. Surely you know, Ben. You merely locked it away...”Kiddo, what’s going on?” Han’s voice, frantic now. “What — ”A TIE fighter shot at him, at the same time Ben shot at it. The TIE fighter blew up, at the same time that Ben’s X-wing tumbled into space. All the while, he kept hearing the voice, the gravelly female voice, in his mind.
Can you hear me? Dear stars, can you hear —
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Taral could already feel Ben Solo falling towards the planet below, and he flew down towards the falling X-wing. True, the wannabe pilot had killed one of his friends, but there was something in him that was bent on saving Ben, and not just because the Empress wished it. Something about his Force presence was bizarrely peaceful, Taral had to admit. Just feeling him — an enemy of the Empire shouldn’t have that sort of effect on Taral, even as he flew towards the planet. The now-deserted D’Qar. Even as he got to the crashed, ruined X-wing, climbing out of his TIE fighter, he saw that the young wannabe pilot was badly injured. There was a scrape on his temple, a busted lip...probably more injuries, now that he thought about it. Even that TIE pilot who had set for stun hadn’t been able to prevent the impact of falling. Solo’s breathing was shallow, ragged, and trying to lift him out of the X-wing...kriff, but he’d have more luck trying to lift a krayt dragon’s corpse. But he had to try. Or just do it, alternatively. He managed to wrench Solo out of the ruins of the X-wing before smoothing hair out of his eyes. Solo looked like he was mid-twenties, no younger than Taral himself. Something about that was enough to chill Taral, actually. He almost wished Solo was a faceless enemy — but that was not so. He’d been kidnapped. Brainwashed. Hopefully, Taral could take him back to the Peacekeeper to undo the brainwashing. He looked peaceful too, almost angelic, with his long dark eyelashes and milky skin (how did it not burn on Jakku?) with interesting moles and beauty marks that contrasted with it. He looked like hell thanks to the crash, and yet beautiful.If there was one thing that Snoke has taught that was useful before Leia had killed the bastard, it was the matter of healing techniques. Taral concentrated on the flicker of life in Solo’s body, before concentrating on healing his injuries. Smoothing them over. The flicker of life in Solo’s body grew stronger, and Taral could swear that he murmured something, faint and indecipherable.”I’ll get you to the Peacekeeper,” Taral said. “You’re safe with me.”He smoothed hair out of Solo’s eyes, in a protective gesture that even he couldn’t say he understood, before heading with him into the TIE fighter. He propped him up so that he wasn’t just banging around the TIE fighter, strapped him in, then got in the cockpit and started up the TIE before flying back to the Peacekeeper. The rest of the Resistance fleet had scattered. He parked in the hangar, unstrapped Solo and headed out with one arm of Solo’s slung over his shoulder for support...at least before ordering the medics to get him to a bacta tank. Hux was the next one to meet him. “If I didn’t know better, Ren, I’d say that you had compassion for this Resistance rat.””The Empress wanted him alive.””Even so...””Did Snoke’s rabid cur,” Taral said wryly, “Forget who’s holding the leash this time?”Hux bristled. “Well, I’m taking the rabid cur metaphor to an appropriate conclusion,” Taral said, almost casually. “Though they usually have less freedom than you.”He walked away, actually quite satisfied that he managed to get a jab in at Hux. Taking jabs at Hux was extremely satisfying. Hux really was an animal — an intelligent, creative animal, but an animal nonetheless. He made it to the throne room, where he knelt before the Empress. “He’s in medbay,” Taral said. “I’ll ask him questions when he wakes."”Thank you, Taral.” The Empress’ voice was soft. A part of Taral couldn’t help but wonder if there would still be a place for him when Solo was made her apprentice. It was a childish worry, and yet he wondered. The Empress spoke. “Taral...there will always be a place for you. In this Empire, in my thoughts, in my heart. We’ll just have more room. More people.”Taral nodded. Somehow, he thought of Snoke. How he thought of others as disposable. But the Empress was not Snoke. She had more respect for life than he ever did.And he knew he loved her. Not in the romantic sense, but he knew that he’d rip apart the galaxy to keep her safe.To keep her Empire safe.And perhaps, he could feel the same for Ben Solo too.***
Wake.
The voice in his mind was soft, musical, pleasant to listen to. It had no place among the images of blood and violence in his head.
You’re safe now. Wake.
Ben stirred — and it was there that he saw the cold white of medbay surrounding him — he was lying on the floor with various beeps surrounding him even as he woke. He was cold — cold, shirtless, wet — and he was relieved, though still disgusted, to find rich Imperial clothing that he could wear. He dressed, before brushing back soaking wet hair and letting it fall to his shoulders.He wasn’t safe. He knew that much. Even the fact that his jailers had given him clothes...well, a gilded cage was still a cage, as they said.He needed to get back to his father and Rey. To the Resistance. He needed to get...home...The door opened, and a figure that Ben recognized as Taral Ren entered. Ben’s breath hitched — he had heard descriptions of Taral, masked and cloaked, an angel of death, but seeing him face to face...Ben felt shivers go up his spine, a realization that he was in the clutches of a notorious butcher and he —Taral was looking at him, clearly curious. Looking at him wearing the rich Imperial clothes like he was evaluating him. Then, “You’re awake. Good.” His voice sounded soft, muffled. It sounded unnatural somehow, almost wrong.”Where am I?” Ben said.”You’re on the Peacekeeper. You were badly injured in the battle of D’Qar. I rescued you.””Funny word for ‘kidnapping,’” Ben said.”Harsh words,” Taral said. “You were lucky you didn’t die when my squadmate shot you down.” A beat. “You didn’t have to kill him, really. He was trying to stun you; you could have showed him the same courtesy.””I was trying to survive.””That is what they all say.”Silence.“Why do you even wear that mask?” Ben said. “It’s kind of hard to understand you with that stupid thing on...”A pause, then Taral unmasked. Ben wished he knew what exactly to expect looking at him, but he didn’t expect a man that was almost angelic in his beauty. His hair, black and curly, thick, his features almost delicate in how they were constructed — a long nose, dark, terribly expressive eyes, soft, sculpted lips...He was beautiful. The face of an angel, the mind and heart of a murderer.”That’s a little better. For one thing, you can actually hear me properly.” Taral’s voice...Ri’ia, even his voice was a soft, pretty thing. He was beautiful — of course, the beautiful ones could be the most deadly. Ben couldn’t forget that. “I expected someone scarier.” Ben said.”I’m not here to scare you, Solo. I’m here to save you.””I don’t want your definition of saving.”A sigh from Taral. “It’s far from as bad as you think. The Empress wishes to speak with you.””She’s the last person I want to see.” Ben said. “She’s missed you.”Somehow, the words sent unpleasant chills down Ben’s spine. “She has answers about your mother.”Well, that would be interesting. “I’ll see her because of that, then. Though I think she’ll lie about it.””She might not.”They walked down the hallways towards the throne room. Ben was struck by how spacious the ship really was. The throne room was elegant and regal, not terribly ostentatious but not austere either, pale in color. Hooded, cloaked figures similar to Taral stood guard even as a woman dressed in white and silver sat on her throne. And Ben knew that it was the same voice that had reached out to him during the space battle. To distract him? To — what exactly?Her face was shrouded in shadow, hard to decipher, but Ben could swear there was something about her that was familiar. Finally, she spoke, her voice a little gravelly as she did. “Thank you, Taral. I never thought that I’d find him again.” Then, “He’s recovered?””He is.” Taral said.The Empress looked over Ben in that moment. Then, “You’re here.” Softer, almost amazed. “Over a decade, and you’re here.””I know you,” Ben said. Already, he was afraid.”Come closer,” said the Empress. “I want to see you.”Ben did. He could see her closer, dressed in silver and white, a dignified face. There was something familiar about her, something he couldn’t place. “I’ve seen you before,” he said. The Empress smiled faintly. “Ben,” she said. “Let’s talk.”
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“We’ve got to find him, Lando.”They had reached the rendez-vous point, Crait, and now Han couldn’t help but think about his son — about if he was all right, if he was dead or in Imperial custody. Han couldn’t help but think about what his wife was possibly doing to their son. Torturing him, making him into someone like her (assuming that she hadn’t already done something like that with Taral), or — He couldn’t bear the thought. It was a lot like his worst nightmare come to life. Lando looked at him. “I know. Problem is, I’ll be damned if I know where he is.””Is there any way we can...go back?”Lando took a deep breath. “If D’Qar’s under Imperial occupation, we’ll be captured too. I’m not saying it shouldn’t or can’t be done, Han, but we’re going to have to be careful.”Han nodded. Deep down, though, he knew that he would never stop protecting his little bandit. It was why they had gone so far to Jakku in the first place. It was why they were still fighting. Rey spoke up. “I’ll go,” she said. “I’m pretty good at infiltrating things. As a scavenger, you’ve got to be.”Lando looked at her. “You’re not going alone.””You don’t trust me?””You’re a newbie, Rey. Which is why you and Han need people with you. Paige, Jess...if you went with Rey and Han — ”Paige nodded. “We’ll be back before you know it. I promise.”And Han couldn’t help but think of the old days, as General Solo. Taking care of this new strike team...he had hope now that he could save his son. ***“Talk?” Ben said. “Really — what’s to talk about?””You could say quite a few things.” said the Empress. There was something about her eyes as well — they seemed gold, or was it just a trick of the light? Ben wished he could say, actually. "Anything you talk to me about might be a lie,” said Ben. He could have sworn that the Empress actually looked hurt. What could she have to be hurt about, he couldn’t help but wonder. She was a monster. Monsters didn’t have many things to be hurt about, except maybe their pride. Then, “What would I gain by lying to you?””Turning me over to your side.””That,” said the Empress, “Was more rhetorical. But I’ve found that telling the truth is more effective than lying.”Ben couldn’t help but shiver, thinking of what the truth might be. The Empress spoke. “Your father lied to you about everything. Hid everything. He wanted you on his side.” She actually sounded brittle and angry all the while. Like she was about to snap in half. “My father would never — ””Would he?” said the Empress. “What do you want with my father?””He betrayed me.” The Empress’ anger...oozing from her voice, it was a thing that could kill. “Stabbed me in the back. I want him to suffer, as I have for over a decade.””I won’t let you hurt my father.” Stars, how Ben needed his blaster or staff — and yet something in him knew that he shouldn’t even try it. “You don’t know his true intentions, do you?” said the Empress. “I’m sure they’re not worse than yours!”The Empress was steady all the while. Unsettlingly steady. Then, “You’re naive as well as defiant. But you’ll learn.”It was Taral that led Ben back to his room. “You shouldn’t have disrespected the Empress like that,” he said. Ben shook his head. “You heard what she said about my father.””Your father did betray her, more than you know. Can you blame her for not forgiving him?””I can blame her for wanting him to suffer.” Ben said. “My father’s a good man. She’s a monster.”Taral tilted his head. Then, “That’s your opinion. Some in the Empire see the Resistance as the real monsters."”Should I agree with that?””Well, considering what the Resistance has done in the name of wanting corruption back in the galaxy..."They reached Ben’s room. Taral removed his mask again, revealing that almost angelic face (it was unfair. The Dark Side should not be so affable, so lovely), and Ben could only imagine his relief in removing his helmet again. In a way, he didn’t need it — did he? “The Empire isn’t evil.” Ben could swear that he could get lost in Taral’s voice — how soft and musical it really was. “It’s a pretty popular misconception to say that we are. I say that there’s nothing wrong with what we’re doing.””And Jakku?” Ben said. Taral nodded. “I took no enjoyment in it. Except Plutt. He was slavedriving scum.””So you killed him. That’s probably going to destabilize the whole scavenging business.”“Well,” Taral said wryly, “I suppose you can understand if my tears can barely be repressed.” A beat. "Plutt did nothing but starve and abuse you.””I know,” Ben said. “I just wanted anyone but you to deal with Plutt.”Taral tilted his head. “You find me repulsive?”Not physically, but definitely on the inside. There was something about Taral where Ben couldn’t say if he was monster or man. He could be kind and cruel in the same breath. It would have been easier if Taral was just plain cruel. Taral continued. “You’ll change your mind. Once you know everything, you’ll change your mind.”He left, leaving Ben alone with his own thoughts. He had to get out of here. The question was, where would he start?
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Han didn’t originally think that Maz Kanata — an old contact from his smuggling days — was coming with them, but here they were. They were already on the shuttle, in hyperspace, with the thousands years old cantina worker next to them.”So, the plan’s that we just smuggle ourselves in?” Paige said. Maz smiled, if a bit wryly. “Nothing that Han Solo hasn’t done before, I think.”Han shrugged. It was definitely nothing that he hadn’t done before. He, Luke and Leia, before it had all gone wrong. Leia. Stars, it had been almost a decade. She no doubt hated him, and justifiably so. But now, thinking about it...“Maz,” he said, “If I confront...her...”Maz looked at him sympathetically. “Not now. You have to save your son. Your son needs you.”“I know, Maz.”“But Master Zhar once said that very few on the Dark path are truly gone forever. If she has any remnants of Leia Organa in her, she may yet be able to be saved."Han nodded. He couldn’t say that he had much faith in the Force — especially after what it had done to Leia and their family. Was that how it usually went, the same stories over the years, the same script with different names? “Han,” Maz said, “Don’t just do it for Ben. Do it for her.”Paige spoke up. “Maz...you think that a few sweet, logical words are going to change the Empress’ mind?””It’s more than that,” Maz said. “She was as much of a victim as anyone. It was Snoke who took that noble, brave woman and twisted her into a mockery of her former self. But Snoke is dead...and freeing her is long overdue.”Han nodded. He would do whatever he could to save Leia — even if it meant effectively facing her on his knees. ***There was no way to tell if night was going to fall or had already fallen in space, but Ben took the opportunity, once the guards had gone back to bed, in order to sneak out. Well, giving it a try, that is. The door wasn’t locked, so he couldn’t quite say that the guards were good at security here. He needed to find a way out; were there any escape pods, by any chance? Surely the Empress had them. He just needed to be quiet enough for the others not to catch him, he supposed. Even as Ben, slowly, opened the door, he could all but feel the possibility of being caught. He found that the ship was quiet — even Taral was probably asleep. Did monsters have dreams that were normal? Who knew, really? Ben stopped. Was there any equipment around here that he could use, he wondered. Scavengers took what they needed — “repurposing”, Rey called it. Scavengers found what they could and used it. He would need to find his share. Infiltrating the armory took some tinkering, but Ben got in — and he swore that there was practically a treasure trove of equipment. He left the lightsaber crystals and parts; he didn’t need them, not really. Not truly. But he took some of the stealth equipment. That was what he needed most. He also took weapons, shields, things of that nature. He had a feeling that he’d need them. He snuck back down the corridor, stealth generator all but activated even as he crept along the hallways. He could all but feel, hear the stillness of the ship. Anyone could wake up at any moment. He wondered if his footsteps were too loud even as he reached the room with the terminals. Ben logged into the terminal, slicing into it, before observing the options. He downloaded a copy of the layout of the ship to his datapad, before logging out. He reactivated the generator, before heading towards the escape pods. It was then that his comlink crackled. Han’s voice. “Kiddo, can you read me?”“Dad!” Ben kept his voice hushed. “I’m at the escape pods. I just need to get in.””Just get to the hangar. We’re coming for you, kiddo. We’re going to park in the hangar.”Ben nodded. They would get out of there, get wherever they needed to go. That was a promise. ***It was him. Leia stirred from her sleep in that moment, blinking it away. She could feel him — a presence that she hated. And yet she could still remember the man she loved as well. The smuggler that had all but made her heart burst into bloom in perhaps one of the darkest periods of her life. And he was coming back for her. Why, was the question. And yet Leia found that it was a welcome development. More than welcome, actually. She did not expect others to think that she could be saved. She’d taken lives as Empress, and to make things worse, she got worse as she went on. She got angrier, more ruthless. More monstrous. She needed to become that as much as she hated it. She emerged from sleep, headed to her comm system. Spoke into it. “Taral...he is here. Han Solo is here. Along with other strangers.”Taral’s image popped up on the screen, dressed in full Knight of Ren armor. Then, “I’ll take care of them all, my lady.””Good.” Leia said. “Take them alive...if you can. Kill them if you can’t. And keep Ben Solo alive, if he’s escaped. We need him alive.”***Sneaking down to the hangar was immediately rendered out of the question when Ben heard one of the soldiers shout, “That’s him, get him!”Ben shot at the soldiers that were far away, managing to land shots on them. Knocked down other soldiers with his staff. Even as they fell, there just seemed to be more of them. They fell, but there were more. More and more, and —It was then that Ben saw them. His father, and the others. His father grinned at him. “Good to see you, Ben!””Good to see you too.” Ben stepped past the mass of dead bodies, if only to embrace his father. They embraced, and Ben drew Rey into it as well. For the moment, they were reunited. Here. Home. They boarded the shuttle, and it was there that they left the Peacekeeper behind them. Ben could swear, in that moment, that he heard the Empress’ voice in his mind.
No matter where you go, I will never stop hunting you.
And he would never stop running and fighting. That was simply a fact. The shuttle blasted off into hyperspace, and towards sanctuary.
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The shuttle should have been sanctuary. After all of this, all of it should have been over. It wasn’t over, of course — there were introductions, like Maz Kanata, the apparently thousands year old alien that had contributed to his rescue. But now...Now, even as Ben went to bed, he couldn’t help but wonder. About the Empress. What made her hate his father with such an intensity? Had she known him? She’d seemed so familiar, but Ben couldn’t put a finger on it. It should have been easy. It wasn’t. It was trying to fall asleep that he saw Taral, still masked, no sign of his surroundings. Then, “This isn’t over. I promise you.”Taral’s image disappeared, and Ben was left wondering if it was real or not. ***”You let them escape.”The Empress’ statement was a rebuke, almost like a verbal slap. And it was worse because Taral could feel the agony in her voice, over losing her husband and son again. “I’m sorry, my lady,” Taral said, quietly. “I was...held up...”The Empress scoffed. “I see. And that’s perfectly excusable regarding...just about everything.” A beat. “I do not doubt your loyalty. I doubt your competence in this moment, but not your loyalty.”Taral flinched. She was right, in a way. He had been terribly, wildly incompetent. That needed to be corrected. “My lady,” he said, “I felt...Solo’s presence. He’s awakening. He’s starting to bloom in the Force.”The Empress nodded. Then, “Anything else?””I swear I felt this strange pull...””Then,” said the Empress, “Be wary. We’ll have to train you all the more. Snoke warned us in his dying moments that the stronger we got, the more our equal would rise in the Light. You must resist, rage against it, with all you have.”Taral could not deny it. ***”You saw Taral, but not his surroundings?” Maz said. Ben nodded. “I don’t know if it was just a hallucination, or — ””Such things are rarely so, child.” Maz said. “You may have very well formed a Force Bond with Taral, though I don’t know how. Plain and simply, you’re linked mentally and psychically with him.””I...” Ben laughed, shocked. “I don’t want to be linked to him!””I know.” Maz looked at him sympathetically. Then, “There is no known solution, but we can find ways to deal with it nonetheless. I am no Jedi, but I know the Force. I can train you, if you wish it.”Ben swallowed. He wasn’t going to lie — all of it felt like stepping into a strange new galaxy, and he was afraid. “I’ll do it,” he said. “To find my place in all this.”Maz nodded. They looked out at the expanses of hyperspace that cleared to form the view of a barren-looking white planet. Crait, it was called, his father said. Even as they swooped in, landed, Ben stepped out towards the bulky doors of what he assumed was the Resistance Base. The doors opened, and Lando came out, all but crushing Ben and Han to him. “You came home safe,” he said. “Both of you.”Ben smiled, wanly. He hoped that Lando wouldn’t change his mind once he learned the truth. But the time was now. If there was ever a time to tell the truth, it was now. “Uncle Lando,” he said, “I have something to tell you.”