Kylo Ren and the Scoundrel

~Chapter Thirteen: Distracted~

   Ben is working on the Falcon as Poe walks over to him. "So, you got her up and running?" Poe asked.

   "You were right before," Ben responds walking over to him. "I'm gonna pick up Luke's search for Exegol. I'm gonna start where her trail went cold. The Forbidden Desert of Pasaana."

   "Yeah, I know. We're going with you." Poe pats Ben's shoulder and walks over to the Falcon. "Chewie, you get that compressor fixed?"

   "I need to go alone," Ben tells his friends as Finn walks up to the group.

   "Yeah. Alone with friends," Finn tells Ben patting his shoulder as Poe had done.

   "It's too dangerous, Finn."

   "We go together." Chewie and BB-8 respond to Ben.

   "Hey, we should get going. What is it?" Poe asks as Ben stands looking off into the distance of the forest.

   "Nothing," Ben pats his shoulder and winks. Ben walks up to his mother before speaking. "There's so much I want to tell you."

   "Tell me when you get back," Leia responds. She holds out Luke's saber and hugs her son and kisses his cheek lovingly. Ben sniffs holding back tears. "Ben, never be afraid of who you love." Ben's face morphs into a small smile.

~~~

   Kylo Ren takes her mask to be fixed. She watches as the workers put the mask back together and make it look brand new with red streaks running through like cracks. Her Knights of Ren standing around her.

   She returns to her star destroyer and walks through the halls her new mask covering her face. Her boots smash against the ground making sure everyone could hear her coming, her Knights following in formation after her. 

   She reaches the conference room and walks in a head in her hands, She slams it down on the table. "We have a spy in our ranks," her voice back to the scary robotic sound that covered her own soft and gentle voice. "Who just sent a message to the Resistance. Whoever this traitor is won't stop us. With what I've seen on Exegol, the First Order is about to become a true Empire." he turns to a window looking out. "I sense unease about my appearance, General Hux." She turns towards him.

   "About the mask? No, ma'am. Well done," Hux responds turning back to face the other leaders at the table who watched Ren.

   "I like it," Bellava, another leader, tells the woman. 

   "Forgive me, ma'am, but these allies on Exegol they sound like a cult. Conjurers and soothsayers," Domaric replies.

   "They've conjured legions of Star Destoryers. The Sith fleet will increase our resources 10-1,000 fold. Such range and power will correct the error of the Starkiller Base," Enric tells Domaric.

  "We'll need to increase recruitments. Harvest more of the galaxy's young," Amret says.

   "This fleet, what is it, a gift? What is he asking for in return?" Domaric asks Ren. She gives out a shaky breath, her mind going to how she has to kill Ben. Her anger surges and she thrusts her hand out and Force chokes Domaric.

   "Prepare to crush any worlds that defy us. My knights and I are going hunting for the Scoundrel," she slips up. She freezes in her spot, she had never said it in front of other people before.

   "Scoundrel?" Hux asks as all the leaders but him and Ren leave. "You mean the scavenger that keeps fighting you and winning?"

   She turns sharply to Hux, her breathing accelerating. "General Hux, I suggest you keep your comments to yourself. Unless you want to find yourself dead."