Star Wars, "The Temple in Our Minds" Part 4, Rey, Kylo Ren | rated E

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Fandom: Star Wars
Title: The Temple in Our Minds
Parts: 4/8
Part 4 Title: Temple of Our Fears
Rating: Explicit
Characters/Pairings: Kylo Ren, Rey, General Hux, OMC, Kylo Ren/Rey
Spoilers: Post-TLJ, Divergent before The Rise of Skywalker, though some elements are in this fic.
Notes: Part four, continuation of my Dying Light serial. 

Links: AO3 

Chapter Summary:  Kylo Ren and Rey decide they need to be together. Rey breaks the news to the Resistance.

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Part Four: The Temple of Our Fears

 

Kylo Ren was almost grateful for the unending silence of deep space. He was keeping a low profile, using the Force to sense any nearby First Order ships or anyone that might reveal his location. Luckily enough, he had found a hiding place among a slow-moving asteroid belt in the outer rim territories, consisting of an erratic gravitational pull. This told him that these bundles of rocks had once been a small planet, probably destroyed from the days of his grandfather’s reign.

 

Regardless of the history, the asteroids provided him the cover he needed to have safety and silence, as his next plan was to warn his Knights of Ren of Hux’s mutiny and the new implementation of Aicsss as the Supreme Leader despot. He was sure of his Knights’ loyalty, and he did not want them to be tortured or abused by Hux and his schemes.

 

Thankfully, the Knights were scattered throughout the galaxy. He had them set up in different locations to maintain the First Order’s rule, as well as gather intel on any Rebel activity. So far he had not heard from any of them in several weeks, which only told him the Rebels, though as weakened as they were, were doing very well as keeping themselves hidden.

 

He programmed his ship for stealth mode, and he closed his eyes as the dark silence swallowed him. He reached out to them using his Mind, picking up their positions through the endless sea of stars.

 

At first, it was difficult for him to find his center. His chaotic thoughts and anger about General Hux’s betrayal were still eating away at his concentration, forcing him to lose control of his temper. He was so angry that sweat moistened his skin in a permanent cold sheen, and he was forcing himself to breathe to keep the intensity of his anger at bay.

 

Thinking of Rey in her clandestine, peaceful place within the Force lulled some of his darkness and put his thoughts more at ease. He didn’t even care where he thought of her, whether it was in the Force or not, just the idea of being close to her enlightened his spirit and warmed his inner self.

 

Perhaps it was his heart that she had soothed as well, and whatever it was, Kylo Ren held onto it. And… he wanted more of it. He wanted more of Rey and the feel of her power encompassing him. He’d never felt such addictive raw power before, all within the frame of this tiny woman who saw right through him and knew him better than anyone else.

 

He knew her too. He could see her lifetime, feel her future within his grasp, and he knew he should be a part of her life from this point on.

 

As he settled into a peaceful state, Kylo Ren released his thoughts of Rey to concentrate on the task at hand. With his mind clear, Kylo Ren beckoned his knights within the Force, getting their attention all at once. When he felt each Knight’s attention solely on him, he updated them on what had happened with General Hux.

“Be on your guard, Knights,” he told his most trusted soldiers. “If he hasn’t yet, Hux will give you an ultimatum and use your loyalty to me against you. Do not fall for it, stand your ground, and I will come to you soon to regroup so we can go on the offensive.”

 

“Master, what do you plan to do to win against them?” one of them asked.

 

“I have one last chance to get the scavenger girl on my side. I have made progress. With her power, Hux and Aicsss will not have a chance against us,” he said. His Knights did not answer him right away, and the silence almost consumed him.

 

Finally, one said. “Understood, sir. We will be on our guard and wait for your next orders.”

 

“Very well. I will be in touch, and we will reunite again,” he said, and then he severed the connection with them, the feeling of their psyches spider-webbed with his was a temporary comfort, but now he was alone and he didn’t like the company of his demons for very long.

 

He steered his thoughts back to Rey and focused on another task. He had to reach out to her in the Force like his Knights, only the result would be different. He needed to find out where she was and see her in person. It was the only way he felt he had leverage to convince her to help him and join his fight against Aicsss.

 

Quickly, he checked his position outside his ship to make sure he was still hidden and safe from enemies, and then Kylo Ren returned to his thoughts, reaching out to the space where Rey had created for them in the Force -- the very place where they had first made love. Once there, Kylo Ren fell into a lull of intense peace as he called out to her.

 

 

---

 

 

The ocean of stars twinkled against the deepest dark, and it was well into the early morning when Rey heard from him again. She was trying to stave off the cold of this planet, cocooning herself within her blankets, wishing she had a warm body to press against and share in their warmth. While she was sure anyone here would welcome her into their bed for warmth, she knew they would expect something more. Well, maybe not General Organa or Rose, but Finn and Poe and even Lieutenant Connix might think her request would have other intentions.

 

Instead, Rey thought of someone else who she wanted to warm her, and the moment she thought of him, she heard his voice in the void. At first, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her, but when she felt his presence in the Force, she knew he was reaching out to her.

 

“Rey…we need to meet in your place,” Kylo Ren said within their bond.

 

As soon as she heard his words, she thought of the place and then opened her eyes to see him waiting for her in the peaceful place. She rose from her spot on her usual meditation rock, and they drew closer. He reached out his hands to her and held her arms. She noticed anger and darkness swirling in his eyes. His skin was pale and sweating, and he looked anxious. She could feel a disturbance within him. He frowned at her and furrowed his brow. When he lost himself in a moment of studying her, finally she could feel his softness - but it was only for her.

 

“What happened? What’s wrong with you?” she asked him.

 

“General Hux betrayed me,” he said gruffly. “He enlisted one of Snoke’s former students to take my place as Supreme leader. His skill is no where near yours or mine, but he is formidable. I had to escape the Star Destroyer before they killed me.”

 

Rey’s eyes widened, but she looked invigorated by his news. “You’re… you’re on your own? Then you must come to the Resistance! We could use…”

 

“I will not demean myself and join the rebels,” he snarled. “They would kill me or treat me as a criminal. They would waste my time, and I do not believe they have enough strength to even aid me in my fight against Hux and Aicsss.”

 

“Aicsss, is this the new Supreme Leader?” Rey asked when she didn’t recognize the name.

 

“He has not earned the title yet, but he intends to take it from me, which means with my death, he will gain it,” Kylo Ren said.

 

“And you won’t even consider joining the Resistance? I mean, your mother…”

 

“Rey, enough,” he said in frustration. “I do not want to deal with any of them. None but you.” His touch turned possessive and he pulled her closer against his chest.

 

“Ben…” Rey said, closing her eyes as she felt his vibration through the Force, tricking her mind and heart that he was here, touching her. She knew that it wasn’t the same.

 

“I have a plan, but I need to tell you in person. I need to see you. I can no longer deal with the limitations of this Force bond. I need you by my side,” he said.

 

“But… you know I have a duty to the Resistance…” she began.

 

“Do you?” His voice was rising with anger. Why couldn’t she see the reality here? By his side was where she belonged. “Do you really believe these foolish rebels stand any chance against the First Order? I know of your small numbers. Though you have most definitely been building yourselves up, you are still small and weak, and it will take years for you to match the power of the First Order, even if they do have your power by their side.”

 

“You say that but… I believe we can win. Everyone’s been working so hard, and I’ve been training to gain strength. We have to win for the sake of the whole galaxy, and we’re gaining strength every day,” she said.

 

“Yes, yes, I am sure you have. Belief isn’t enough. Do you believe in the Force? What does it tell you, Rey?” he asked her, and she opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out.

 

Furrowing her brow, Rey searched inside herself for the answers. She had doubts, and though she loved and cherished her friends and their cause, they were seriously lacking in support and manpower, not to mention weapons and connections. The First Order’s reach over the galaxy was stifling, and sometimes it felt impossible to her that they could make any difference at all.

 

“I think you see the truth, Rey,” Kylo Ren said. “You belong at my side. You know this deep down to be true. Our fates are entwined.”

 

“Yes, they are,” Rey agreed, and she lifted her chin. “You said you had a plan.”

 

He nodded. “I will send you an encrypted communique with the coordinates of our rendezvous. I will expect to see you in 48 standard time hours.”

 

“I need to talk to my friends,” Rey said, and she felt worry whirl inside her gut. “They are not going to like this.”

 

“They will get over it when we take down the First Order and they have nothing left to fear,” he said resolutely.

 

“Not even from you, Supreme Leader?” Rey said, challenging him.

 

He shook his head. “I used to want one thing more than anything. Now that desire has changed.”

 

“What do you want now?” Rey asked, and he pulled her toward him again. He leaned down to her lips and she felt his hot breath. She met his eyes and became bewitched. He must have seen something in her expression to permit him, and he covered her mouth with his and tasted her like a starving animal. Rey moaned in his mouth, her body electrified by the touch through the Force bond.

 

“Ben…” she said breathlessly when he pulled away, leaving only a scalding hot tension between them that would not be appeased.

 

“Look out for the communique,” he said, and Rey watched him as he faded from their sacred place, back to wherever he was hiding in the depths of space.

 

Rey was excited to see him, but she was not looking forward to explaining to the Resistance that she had to leave.

 

--

 

“I can’t believe you, Rey! After everything we’ve been through!” Finn yelled at her as he paced in anger around their outpost.

 

Poe glared at her darkly, and Rose seemed more shocked by her decision than miffed. General Organa looked worried more than anything, but she stared at Rey already knowing that anything they said would be in vain. Rey was going to leave whether they liked it or not, and they couldn’t keep her there.

 

Plus, they were still gathering allies and supplies. They wouldn’t be able to plan an attack on the First Order for some time now. They were still building themselves and taking the necessary precautions. If anything, Rey was sitting idle here. Though she was training by herself, she knew that if she left to be with Ben, she could be more productive in her training. He would teach her, of that she was sure of. However, her friends wouldn’t see it that way, and she couldn’t blame them. They didn’t understand the intimacy she shared with him, and they still saw him as the ruthless Kylo Ren, whether the First Order was under his command or not.

 

“I’m with Finn on this,” Poe said gruffly. “Kylo Ren can’t be trusted. Who knows if he’s even telling the truth about being betrayed by the First Order? Something doesn’t seem right, and this is the oldest trick in the book. He’s setting you a trap.”

 

Rey stood her ground, and she turned to Poe and retorted. “Kylo Ren knows that he cannot set a trap for me, not the way we are so entwined in the Force. I would sense his intentions right away. I may be new to mastering the Force, but I know when people lie to me, and this was genuine. He is holding some information back from me, but we can only talk so much within the Force bond.”

 

“Why doesn’t he just come here and join us?” Rose asked.

 

“Believe me, I tried that suggestion,” Rey said with a sigh, her voice heavy with hesitation. How did she explain to her friends that Kylo Ren didn’t consider them a threat at all? He didn’t even consider him worthy of his purview. “He does not believe… you are strong enough to fight against the Order. He does not want to waste time…”

 

Finn scoffed. “Oh, that’s rich. He thinks we’re a waste of time.” He turned to General Organa. “General, please talk some sense into her. We can’t lose her help, not when we gained two more civilizations of allies.”

 

Despite Finn’s desperate pleas, General Organa said nothing.

 

Chewbacca roared at them all, and Rey acknowledged. “I’m sorry. I know you want to come with me, but I need to do this alone, and I need you and General Organa to take care of the Millenium Falcon.”

 

Chewbacca huffed a few worried grunts, and Rey smiled at him. “I know you want to protect me, but…”

 

“He’s right, Rey,” Finn said. “You’re too important to leave us like this and go to Kylo Ren of all people! You know all the pain and suffering he’s inflicted! How can we protect you if Poe’s right and it is a trap?”

 

“I don’t need your protection!” Rey said, the anger getting the better of her, and in that tense moment, raw Force energy exploded from her, and two large storage compartments of tools fell over in a crash. “Sorry. It’s just that… If I can convince Ben to come to our side, I might have more hope of doing it in person and hearing out his plan.”

 

Finn guffawed. “Ben? Seriously...Rey, you and that guy... there’s something more here and you aren’t telling us.” Rey watched as her friend didn’t meet her eyes. He looked hurt and rejected as if her going to Kylo Ren was a betrayal of their friendship. He would never forgive Kylo Ren or regard him as she did, and Rey would never expect him to, but she needed him to trust her, and his judgment was clouded by his hate and fear for the Supreme Leader.

 

Rey heaved a sigh as they all looked at her with skepticism and worry. “Look, I’ll prove it to you. I’ll prove that we can leverage Kylo Ren’s help in some way.” She turned to General Organa and locked with her gaze. She tried to appeal to the General’s motherly side, knowing that she, too, had some hope that they could still reach her son and bring him back to her.

 

General Organa let out a nod and finally said, “Well, I suppose I should wish you a safe trip. I put my trust in you, Rey. No one has ever been successful in appealing to my son to come back from the Dark Side. If anyone can do it, then it must be you…”

 

Rey felt a weight lift off her shoulders as Leia agreed to her plan. She watched the woman with respect and gratitude, but she felt the conflicting energy around her as she thought of her son. Rey could sense hope too, the hope that finally someone could reach her son when she and her husband, and brother, had failed.

 

She stepped forward and Leia drew her into an embrace. Rey reveled in it, trying to reassure Leia that she would be safe, and her son would be too.

 

When Leia released her, Rey turned to see Finn waiting for her. He still looked angry, but he wasn’t going to let her leave without a hug. Rey was happy that he cared so much, and when she embraced him, Rose and Poe joined them in a group hug as they held her. Then, Chewbacca joined them all last, encasing them into a big warm hairy embrace.

 

“Please be careful,” Finn said against her cheek.

 

“I will,” she said.

 

“And if you sense a trap at any moment, you come back to us,” Poe said, stroking her hair.

 

“Yes, of course,” Rey said.

 

When Rey made a motion to release from the large hug, everyone reluctantly stepped away and watched her head to the X-wing fighter that she prepped for this mission. Before settling into the cockpit, Rey turned around and looked at all her friends and felt her heart sink as she saw their worried faces.

 

She smiled at them. “I’m not abandoning you. I promise that I will be back,” she said. “Then, we’ll be stronger than ever. Trust me.”

 

General Organa nodded while Finn let out a heavy breath. Poe saluted her, and Rose sniffled. Chewbacca made one last noisy plea to go with her.

 

“I appreciate it,” Rey said, tilting her hand. “But I must go alone. You know how he is, and I’m determined to find out what he wants.” Chewy looked dejected and let out a small whine that touched her to her core. “It’s alright. I will be back. Please, take care of everyone.”

 

Securing her lightsaber, her bag, and a few other tools and belongings, Rey settled into the cockpit of her fighter jet. She looked at all of them again before she closed the hatch.

 

“May the Force be with you,” she said, and she was revving up her ship for takeoff, leaving them behind, she saw the worried looks on their faces. She made a solemn vow to return to them and to bring back General Organa’s son to her no matter what.

Part Five

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