Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Rey, listen to me. You don’t have to do this. I can feel the conflict in you, I saw it, through the bond-”

“The bond means nothing!” She snapped, though it lacked the venom he’d come to expect from her. 

“It’s not too late for you. We can defeat him, together, end all this.” The lift slid to a stop, the doors opening a moment later.

“Ah, Ben Solo, we meet at last.” A voice called from the room behind him. Rey was quick to take his elbow and turn him around as she led him from the lift. Snoke was not how he’d imagined or envisioned, instead a gnarled humanoid that looked far too old to be an actual human. 

Rey snatched Ben’s lightsaber from his belt and pushed him forward as she fell to one knee. He stumbled but caught himself in time to see his lightsaber float over to Snoke’s waiting hand. “Interesting that you do not use your grandfather’s blade, I would have imagined that a family so focused on their legacy in the light would want the symbol of their blood’s ties to the Jedi.” He spoke, turning the saber over in his hand before setting it on the arm of his throne. 

“Come, step closer” he gestured, the binders around Ben’s wrists unlatched and hit the floor with a dull ‘thump.’ Ben however, did not move. “Such strength in you, stronger than I had anticipated.” Snoke continued, “Darkness rises and light to meet it. All throughout her training have I warned my apprentice of this, that her equal in the light would make themselves known. I knew it would be a Skywalker, but I had assumed it would be the son of Vader who would face her, not you, Organa’s son. Come, closer I said.” And then Ben was moving against his accord,  dragged closer to Snoke’s throne with the pull of the Force. 

All his life he’d been counseled to keep his temper and his tongue in check, even now he desperately wanted to snap and snarl that Rey did not belong to Snoke, that the Resistance would defeat the First Order, that he was stronger than Snoke knew. But instead, he met Snoke’s eyes with the calm confidence he’d mastered with years of practice, his mouth shut and temper in check. He did, however, push on the bond, reminding Rey that he was still with her. 

“Ah, trying to turn her against me? Utilizing the bond I created between you?” 

“What?” “ What?” He heard his own disbelief echoed in his head by her voice. She was just as surprised as he was. 

“Yes, young Solo, I bridged your minds in order to draw you to me. I knew you would try to find the good in her, believe she could be turned as your Uncle did to your Grandfather. But you underestimate the power I have over her, I have taught her everything she is, given her a purpose from a life of obscurity. She belongs to me!” 

That was the last straw for Ben. In a flash he reached out with the Force, not for his saber, no, Snoke would expect that, but for Rey’s. The saberstaff was heavier than he expected and obviously longer than his own one-bladed saber, but still he flicked on the activation and one blood-red blade emerged from the staff. Before he could point it at Snoke however, he was flung backwards by the Force, rolling to a stop before Rey, her saber knocked from his grip. It spun in a tight circle on the ground between them until finally settling to a stop perpendicular to them, creating a dividing line. 

He lost control of his body once more, Snoke forcing him to kneel before Rey. “It is a shame that you must die but I'm afraid you are far too much of a nuisance to be kept alive.” Ben’s eyes flashed to Rey’s, searching for the light in her hazel irises. He knew there was light in her, he’d felt it, seen it through the bond.

“My worthy apprentice-” Snoke spoke again, addressing Rey this time. “daughter of darkness, I have raised you from nothing and taught you to become a powerful Sith. Where there was conflict I now sense resolve, where there was weakness, strength. Complete your training and fulfill your destiny!” His voice was a snarl, echoing through the throne room, demanding complete and utter obedience. 

Ben watched as Rey reached out for her saber and rose to her feet, looking down at him. “I know what I have to do.” She said, moving her gaze from Snoke to focus on Ben. 

“Rey- '' He whispered, a last hope attempt to make her see reason, to make her see that she was a slave to Snoke. 

Behind him, he heard a dark, gravely chuckle. “You still think you can turn her? Then you are even more foolish than I expected. I cannot be betrayed. I cannot be beaten. I see her mind. I see her every intent. Yes, I see her turning the lightsaber to strike true. And now, foolish boy, she ignites it and kills her true enemy!” The ‘ snap-hiss’ sound of a lightsaber igniting and then suddenly he fell to the ground, his body his own again. 

Rey’s eyes had hardened with determination and Ben turned to see the turquoise blue blade of his lightsaber piercing Snoke’s lower torso. The creature looked shocked, mouth gaping as the saber slid through him, bisecting him into two neat halves. Ben reached up to grab his saber as it hovered over to him, looking back to Rey in astonishment as he got to his feet. 

He searched her eyes for an answer as he heard the sound of the guards' weapons igniting and their boots rapidly approaching. The only answer he received from her was a red glow reflected in her eyes as both blades appeared. Her side of the bond opened up just enough that he trusted that they would survive what was about to happen, together. 

~

They survive, both breathing heavily, reeking of burned skin with wounds oozing blood,  but they survive. He can’t help his instinct to worry about his family and friends, they’d been running for their lives when he’d come aboard the Supremacy in this last ditch attempt to save them. Out the viewport he can see that a few transports still remain but the flash of cannons around them doesn’t leave him hopeful. He needs to find a way to stop them from firing but with the Snoke dead, who would they- he turns around to look at Rey. 

She’s staring at the throne, eyes locked on the remains of Snoke’s corpse on it. “Rey?” He asked quietly. He hadn’t considered the mental toll that killing her Master, the man who’d practically raised her, even if it had been glorified slavery, would take on her. “Rey?” He repeated, trying to pull her from whatever headspace she’d fallen into.

“It’s time to let old things die.” She said finally and Ben felt his heart freeze in his chest. The plan had been to free her from Snoke, show her that her path was wrong, help her follow the path of light and with all that, the First Order would crumble. “I have been at the mercy of others my entire life, Snoke, Plutt, the parents that left me behind to rot in a desert wasteland. Let every master who ever controlled me die to give me my freedom. You feel the same, trapped by your bloodline into a fate you had no choice in, I can feel it.” She turned to look at him, taking two measured steps closer. 

“I want you to join me.” She said, extending her hand. “We can rule together, bring a new order to the Galaxy.” 

“Don’t do this Rey. Please, don’t go this way.” He could see his hopes crumbling before his eyes, the light he’d seen within her growing dimmer. He’d put his faith and hope in her, the entire Resistance had put their hopes on him. 

He saw her hand clench to a fist, anger building in the air. “You need to let go!” She snapped. “We are more than this! We are greater than the First Order, than the Resistance.” She exhaled heavily through her nose, muscles relaxing slightly as she got her fury back under control. “I learned the truth about my family. Snoke lied to me. My parents were nothing, no one important to the Galaxy, but my grandfather.” She turned back to the throne, taking deliberate steps up the dais to rest a hand on the arm of it. “I am the heir apparent to Emperor Palpatine, my grandfather Sheev Palpatine.” 

The temperature in the throne room plummeted. He’d known they were connected, but the Force so blatantly connecting a Skywalker and a Palpatine? “The throne, this Galaxy, it belongs to me-” She looked at him once more “and to you. You, Vader’s grandson. Don’t you see Ben? We were meant to rule, together.” 

“Rey,” he could find nothing to say but her name, shaking his head with a silent plea. He took a step back from her, glancing across the ruins of the throne room to where his saber lay. Her eyes flashed to his and then to where he’d looked, her gaze turning cold and calculating. 

In an instant they both reached out for his saber, the Force flaring between them. The strain was enormous, the saber wavering between them as they both fought to overpower the other. The dark and light clashed against each other like twin tidal waves of power, they were both screaming with exertion though he could barely hear it over the pounding in his ears. Harder and harder he pulled, she matching him in strength and resolve. He felt it before he saw it, the crystal in his lightsaber, the weapon he’d crafted over hours spent under his uncle’s careful mentoring, shattered within the casing.

A starburst of light and energy sent him flying backwards. He hit the floor hard and rolled across a field of shrapnel that had been left behind from their battle. His mind and vision was foggy, shadows creeping in along the edges and blood pounding in his head. Across the room he saw a heap of black fabric and a peek of chestnut hair, Rey’s prone form. He blinked and opening his eyes again was agony. Maybe if he just, shut them, for just a second, the headache might pass. 

~

Rey woke with a gasp and a wince, her head pounding worse than Snoke’s mental probing ever did. The air was smokey and hazy, the crackling remains of fire on the edges of the throne room giving off acrid black smoke, there wasn’t much left burning, a sign of how long she’d been out. She sat up slowly as awareness came back to her, pressing the heel of her hand to her temple. Embrace the pain , harness it, use it to give you strength Snoke’s rasp echoed in her mind. She risked a glance at the throne, her heart stuttering in her chest. She’d done it. She’d really done it. It wasn’t a dream or a vision. She’d killed Snoke. She’d killed him instead of… She looked across the throne room. Solo was gone. Anger flared within her. He’d run away from her again. How dare he come here and give her hope that he might actually want to be with her, want to join her. She’d given him a chance and he’d betrayed her. Well this would be the last time she allowed him to get away.

“What happened here?!” Hux had finally decided to show his face.

She forced herself to her knees, ignoring the ache in her limbs and sting of the burns on her skin. “Solo.” She said simply, reaching out to summon her saber to her hand. By the time Hux had crossed the room she was standing, though she’d yet to look at the General. “He killed the Supreme Leader-”

“And managed to defeat you and all the Praetorians?” He sounded incredulous and more than a little suspicious. 

“Actually, General ” she let her voice drop to the unamused drawl that she knew grated on his nerves “it was the destruction of his lightsaber that knocked me out. The Praetorians decided I was just as much of a threat and turned on me as well.” The crisp snap of Hux’s boots on the floor stopped next to her, both of them looking at the throne and Snoke’s remains upon it.

Hux said nothing at first, though his thoughts were loud and clear What now? The question was tainted with ambition. The man had been as much a reluctant servant to Snoke as she had been Snoke’s slave. “The First Order needs a leader.” She said calmly. 

“And what do you propose, Lady Ren ?” He drawled her title in the same tone she had used for his. Truly she didn’t hate Hux, he was an excellent General, intelligent, and willing to stand up to Force users like herself who could end his life with a mere thought, but sometimes he refused to see what was right in front of him.

“Come now Hux, we’ve known each other long enough now that you can use my real name instead of the title Snoke bestowed on me.” She felt his confusion and discomfort resulting from said confusion. Hux hated being unaware. 

“Lady Rey?” He tried, wary of whatever her reaction might be. 

She thought back to her words to Ben. He may have rejected her and her ideas but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t still follow through with her goals and claim her birthright. With a gesture, Snoke’s corpse fell from the throne, tumbling off the dais into an ungraceful pile of fabric and flesh. She ignored the way Hux flinched at the sound and stepped forward with a confident stride despite the twinge of pain each footfall sent through her body. 

“No, Allegient General Hux,” She settled upon the throne like it was meant for her. “Empress Palpatine.” 

~

Out of the viewport of the small escape craft he’d stolen, Ben Solo watched the Supremacy crumble. It felt a hollow victory though, his mission had been nothing short of a complete failure. He’d been wrong. He’d thought he’d known her, that their bond had been enough to convince her that she could rise above Snoke’s chains. Though in a way, he supposed she had done exactly that. He could still feel the bond, a tenuous, wavering thing in the back of his mind. That at least proved that Snoke had lied, if he’d truly been the one to connect them it would have severed when he died. Tentatively Ben reached out for her, reeling back at the frigid wall of darkness that flared to meet him in response. 

Rey was gone. 

His chest felt tight and when he blinked, there was a stinging sensation in his eyes. He touched his lower lash line, fingertip coming back damp. He looked down at it in wonder and surprise, the shimmer of moisture glowing in the pale green light of the cockpit. He hadn’t cried in years. Why now? Was this because of the bond or simply because of her? He’d been so certain that she’d see his way, was the realization that he’d been wrong really enough to make him cry? Or was it that by failing in this, he’d all but guaranteed the end of the Resistance? 

He blinked hard, forcing the tears to well over and fall, a single one on each cheek. They’d dealt a huge blow with the destruction of the Supremacy but it wouldn’t be enough, not with so few of them left. The binary beacon on his wrist suddenly felt heavy, one touch would signal his mother that he was alive and guide him to her and the remains of the Resistance. Was he ready to face her? Could he really go to them and apologize for practically signing their death orders due to his failure? He should contact Chewie to come pick him up, time was of the essence if they wanted any chance of surviving this battle, but Force did he just want to let go of his emotions right now. 

“Control. Keep a level-head Ben.” Luke’s teachings echoed in his head. “Losing control is as good as opening yourself up to the darkness.” With a heavy sighing breath he wiped the tears from his face and grabbed the controls once more. He was a Jedi and an Organa-Solo on top of that. Hope was in his very blood. A few taps at the console input Chewie’s comm code, a few more taps and the encoded message containing his current coordinates was on it’s way. It would take the First Order at least some time to collect themselves before they launched a counterattack on the planet below. It would be close but he might be able to get to them first-

One of the destroyers disappeared into hyperspace, then another, and another. They were leaving. In a scant few minutes, the entire First Order fleet with the exception of the crippled Supremacy had fled the battle. 

What was this? Surely by now Snoke’s death must have been discovered and the blame placed upon Ben himself. If he knew anything about the First Order, they would be furious, the blow he’d supposedly dealt to their leadership combined with the destruction of the flagship was more than enough reason to wipe out the last of the Resistance. Except, was it really the First Order anymore? 

“Let old things die.” He muttered, Rey’s impassioned words ringing in his ears. 

Out of the viewport he watched the Falcon swing around to align with the docking port of this ship. Sparing one last look at the Supremacy , he stood from the cockpit to board the Falcon. 

He activated the beacon when the Falcon broke atmosphere on Crait. Moments later he felt the gentle touch of his Mother’s Force presence, a pillar of strength even now. He wondered if they were preparing for a siege that would apparently not be coming. It was part of the reason the base on Crait had been chosen, of all the remaining Rebellion bases, this one was the most defensible.  He’d barely said a word to Chewie, besides the normal reassurances that he was fine once the Wookie had seen his injuries. He hadn’t realized how beat up he was until Chewie had forced him to sit down with the med-supplies. He was covered in burns and bruises from the duel with Snoke’s guards, cuts from rolling across shrapnel in the aftermath of his sabers destruction. And apparently several sluggishly bleeding punctures in the palm of his hand as a result of the sharp edges on his destroyed saber. He didn’t remember taking it, but it sat on the bunk next to him, a pair of jagged halves. He could see the Kyber crystal, normally in the center of the saber, exposed due to the break. 

The turquoise color sputtered with energy, struggling to keep its glow. Where could he possibly get another kyber crystal? This one had been given to him by Luke, who’d spent weeks scouring the crystal caves of Illum to find as many as he could. But thanks to the First Order, Illum was gone now. Though really it had been the Resistance who’d destroyed Starkiller base. Could he possibly repair the crystal? 

The ship jolted as it touched down on the salt flat outside of the massive doors that sealed the base off from the planet’s surface. Slowly Ben let his mental shields drop, allowing the Force to flood him with the life forces of all the rebels contained within the mountain. Worryingly, the flood was barely a wave, so many lives had been lost in the stars above. However, he could feel his mother and friends, the people who were really important to him. More surprisingly was that Luke was here as well. His uncle had decided to come out of exile after all. Ben blinked and Chewie was in front of him, a paw offered to help him stand. 

“I’m good Chewie, I can walk.” It wasn’t a complete lie, he could walk, but now that adrenaline had worn off, it hurt like hell to stumble off the Falcon. Mother was waiting for him at the bottom of the ramp and wrapped her arms around him before he barely set foot on the salt. She didn’t say a word and didn’t need the Force to sense his emotions. 

“Let’s get inside, we don’t want to be out here when they get themselves organized.” She said, letting go of him.

“They’re not coming Mom.” He said, swallowing heavily. “Their entire fleet left orbit besides the Supremacy .” Surprise and confusion flashed through the Force, but notably not disbelief. 

“I see. Still, let’s discuss further inside.” 

It takes less than a quarter hour to gather the remnants of the Resistance command. He’d hoped to only have to face his mother, not tell the entire command what had occurred. Though, it was only fair considering how hard he’d argued to allow them to let him go in the first place. So he steeled himself and told them everything. 

“She killed Snoke? Are you absolutely certain of that?” Ben bites back the snide remark he wants to make at the stupid question, nodding instead. 

“Do we know for certain that she is who she claims to be?” One of the Commanders asks. 

“We don’t, but I don’t think proof is our biggest concern. It will be the First Orders.” Luke said, scrubbing a hand through his beard. “If she plans to claim the throne and rebuild the Empire, she will need proof of her blood ties to Sidious or else no one will believe her claim. She’s smart, dangerously so. If she found the information herself as she claimed she did, she would have saved a record of that proof.” 

“The real question is, what are they planning now?” 

“General, incoming transmission, Galaxy wide public channel.” One of the communication techs spoke up from her station. 

“That channel hasn’t been used since the fall of the Empire.” 

“Patch it through.” Leia ordered, the command room filling with the blue glow of a holo.

“Attention, Citizens of the Galaxy.” The man began, he was dressed in a crisp uniform, First Order by the look of it. “I am Allegiant General Hux of the New Galactic Empire. The First Order is no more.” Ben heard gasps from around the room. So this was the leader of the First Order they’d been chasing for years, though apparently no more. “The time of petty squabbles is behind us and a new era of peace has begun. The heir to the throne of the Empire has finally been found. The Empire shall begin anew under the leadership of its rightful Empress. Long live Empress Palpatine!” The holo stuttered with static and when it restabalized, Rey had taken Hux’s place.

She was sitting on the throne, her cloak once again around her shoulders, blocking much of her body. Her triple buns were gone, instead her hair was twisted into an elaborate braid that twined around her head and draped over her shoulder. The scar that he’d given her was hidden either with editing or with makeup and the blood that had stained her skin when he’d last seen her had been wiped away. It seemed that they’d been busy in the last several hours, preparing for this address.

“Citizens of the Empire, it is with greatest pride that I find myself upon this throne. Many of you may recognize me from my services to the First Order and to Supreme Leader Snoke. I regret to inform you that the Supreme Leader was assassinated by an agent of the Resistance mere hours ago and I myself was forced to fight for my life. The assassin fled before justice could be served and I now offer a substantial reward to anyone who can bring him before me.” Muttering filled the command room as his own image appeared next to her. “Many of you were alive during the reign of my Grandfather and will remember the peace that arose under his leadership. However I would be remiss to ignore the shortcomings of the Empire. It is my intention to remedy these with the advent of the New Galactic Empire. First shall be the reestablishment of the Galactic Capital on Coruscant. In the coming months, I invite every planet and system to send a representative to the Capital to meet with me personally in order to discuss how we might improve the Galaxy together. Included within that invitation is General Leia Organa of the Resistance.” A heavy silence overtook the base, each of them waiting with bated breath. “As Hux said, the time for petty squabbles is over. If we are to revitalize and improve upon the era of the Empire, I think it imperative that we hear the opinions of all sides. ”  

“She’s joking.” Someone muttered behind him. ‘She’s not.’ he wanted to say, but wasn’t confident enough in the truth of the rebuttal. 

“A formal coronation will be held at the Imperial Palace on Coruscant in one standard week. It is my honor to serve the Galaxy. Glory to the New Galactic Empire.” The phrase was echoed in the broadcast, Rey inclining her head in a gesture of humility before the broadcast cut out. 

A long silence overtook the Resistance base and then, one by one, the eyes in the command room turned to look at his mother. She in turn, looked to Luke. His eyebrows were furrowed in uncertainty. Finally he looked at Ben, meeting his eyes and leaving the room. 

“We’ll take whatever chance we’ve been given to regroup and contact our allies. Don’t let your guard down, there certainly is more at play here than it appears.” Leia said with the calm confidence she always had no matter what she was faced with. 

“Yes General!” chorused around the room as she followed her brother out, Ben trailing just behind her. 

Three Months after the Advent of the New Empire

“For the record, I still think this is a bad idea.” 

“Your grievance has been noted Commander Dameron.” 

Courscant's air space was crowded with ships and speeders, barely organized into a collective chaos. Ben had been to the planet before, not since he was a boy, but he remembered it had been even more chaotic. He could feel her reaching out, a tinge of surprise leaking across the bond. She hadn’t expected him to be joining the negotiations. At his acknowledgement, her surprise morphed into something resembling delight, though there was a dark undercurrent to it that made him uneasy. She’d not lifted the price on his head, the last several months had him constantly on guard for anyone who might try to claim it. When he’s asked to join the group headed to the capital someone had brought the bounty up as a reason he shouldn’t go. He’d argued that it was simply a ploy from her to see him again and that he’d rather go of his own accord and be prepared to defend himself rather than be caught off-guard by some bounty hunter. Luckily his mother had agreed that he’d be more of an asset than a hindrance.

“Final chance to back out.” Dameron said, finger hovering over the button that would hail the palace to request a landing pad. Rey already knew they were here of course and likely already had something prepared, but the rest of the rebels didn’t need to know that. 

“Just open the channel Poe.” Leia said with an exasperated sigh. Poe lifted his hands defensively but did as instructed. 

“Imperial Palace, this is shuttle RS-1977 requesting landing pad access.” 

“Shuttle RS-1977 state your business.” 

“We have a scheduled visit with the Empress.” Poe replied, unable to keep the grimace off his face at the title. Poe was a born and bred rebel, he hated the idea of an Empire even if it was shaping up to be better than the one his parents had fought to dismantle. 

“Shuttle RS-1977, you are cleared to land on pad 161C. Do not deviate from your course.”

“Acknowledged Imperial Palace.” Poe exhaled a long sigh the moment the channel closed, grumbling ‘imperials’ as he steered the shuttle towards their designated landing pad.  

A squadron of Stormtroopers were waiting for them as they disembarked the shuttle. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Poe’s hand come to rest on the grip of his holstered blaster, prepared for this all to go wrong in an instant. Ben was suddenly hyper aware of the saber that was not his own bumping against his hip. Some may argue that in a way it was his, the Skywalker blade had been Luke’s and Anakin’s before him, Ben was the heir to the Skywalker legacy in the Force. He’d used this saber when he was younger, it had been the first saber he’d used after a training blade. But it had never truly felt like his not in the way the saber he’d crafted had. 

“Her Majesty the Empress is waiting for you.” One of the troopers spoke, the pauldron on his shoulder designating him as Captain. 

“Lead the way Captain.” Leia said, gesturing with the hand not on her cane, her signet ring glinting in the sunlight. The Captain turned crisply and started into the palace. Poe and Finn fell into step beside Leia, Ben trailing a few steps behind her. Around them, a group of troopers joined their march, surrounding them completely.

Ben could feel the nerves radiating off of his companions, even his Mother, normally so unflappable, had a twinge of unease. She’d been in this position before one too many times in her life, surrounded by enemy troops and led into the belly of the beast. Most times it had ended in her escape, but once it had ended in the destruction of Alderaan. 

“I’m right here mom.” He reassured her. 

“That’s part of the reason why I’m worried.” She replied bluntly. Ben bit his lip to keep the amusement from his face. 

The palace engulfed them in darkness as they entered, the immense building a monolith of duracrete and durasteel above them. They piled into a lift in the hangar and were whooshed away from their most obvious escape route. It was likely less than a minute, but the trip felt like ages, each of them tense and ready for anything to happen. Finally, the doors slid open and the Captain led them out. At the end of the hallway was a pair of large doors, he felt Rey keenly now, no longer just a presence in his head but an actual physical one. 

Leia faltered a step, Finn there to help steady her in an instant. “Alright General?” He asked softly and she nodded but provided no explanation. 

“You and Luke weren’t kidding.” She told Ben, with no trace of humor. This was the first time she’d been close enough to Rey to truly feel the way the Dark Side radiated off of her. It had always been there, every encounter he’d had with her she’d been shadowed by it, an aura of cold fury. It would have certainly only gotten stronger since the Supremacy, but part of him felt the opposite was true. It was still there, but the darkness felt almost, muted. He didn’t reply to her comment, but did his best to send her a small bolster of light.

The doors opened when they got close enough and there she was. Before them was what could only be called a throne room, a long hallway of a room lined with imposing columns and banners bearing the insignia of the New Empire. At the end of the room was the throne itself, a silver and black seat with a rounded back that curled in such a way that it seemed as though it was prepared to engulf whomever sat in it. Upon the throne was Rey. She didn’t wear the simple hooded dark robe her grandfather had favored, nor the form-fitting tunic and leggings Ben had last seen her in. Instead a heavy gown the color of spilled blood that looked befitting of a Queen, or more accurately, an Empress. Her hair was piled above her head in a braided updo and her amber eyes were lined with kohl.

To the right of the throne stood the only man the Resistance had ever had true intel on. Armitage Hux had been a General under Snoke, an equal in station to Rey back when she had been no more than Lady Ren. As their spies had come to understand, Hux had been the one who discovered the scene in the throne room and rather than turn on Rey when she was injured and vulnerable, had chosen instead to serve at her side, earning a promotion to Allegiant General along the way. 

“General Organa.” Rey greeted as the Resistance ensemble came to a stop at the base of the steps that led to the throne. 

“Your Majesty” Leia returned. Neither woman made any move to show deferance besides to address each other by their titles. 

“So nice to finally meet the family.” Rey’s voice purred in his mind, drifting through like smoke.  

“I’m honored to finally meet you, General Organa. I must admit, you’ve been somewhat of a legendary figure to me. An icon, if you will.” She spoke out loud. “Women with true power can be quite rare in the Galaxy as I’m sure you are as keenly aware as I. I’ve conducted as many of these meetings as possible with the ruling women of the various planets and sectors. I tend to find the women far more reasonable than their counterparts. Women as well, tend to be far more accepting of meetings held over tea. If that is acceptable to you of course?” 

Ben had to give her this, it was clever. Everyone knew that before Leia Organa had been a General, she’d been a Princess, had even been honorarily appointed Queen of Alderaan. Instead of treating this as a military ceasefire, Rey had decided to treat it as a treatise between royal houses, complete with business disguised within tea time. 

“I would be remiss to reject your hospitality, your Majesty.” Leia replied smoothly, easily making the same connections Ben had and slipping away from the stoic General and into the persona of the woman who’d been born and bred as royalty. 

“Excellent.” Rey said, rising from the throne with her skirts clutched in her hands. It was only as she moved that the light caught the glint of metal woven into her hair, a slim silver diadem studded with obsidian gems. Hux offered his arm to her and together they descended from the throne. 

Her eyes fell upon Ben’s and he felt the touch of her mind to his. “Prince Organa” She greeted with the slightest of smirks. It had been a long time since anything relating to his title had come up, people tended to forget that before he’d been a Jedi, he’d been born a Prince. The Prince of a dead world, but a Prince nonetheless. She was planning something, of that much he was certain. Ever since she’d made the announcement across the Galaxy, they’d imagined there was an underlying plan. It seemed that he would be playing a role within it. 

A flick of her fingers and another door opened up off to the side of the room. Without a pause, the Empress and Hux led the way, seemingly unafraid of exposing their backs to the ones who’d been their enemies for so many years. The reason was obvious enough, the back of her gown was open, tanned skin only interrupted by the presence of her saberstaff, treated as an accessory rather than a weapon. It was a blatant reminder of power, the same way her casual use of the Force had been. Reminding them that it was Lady Ren who’d ascended the throne. 

Leia followed the pair into the next room where a rectangular table had been set for eight people, fortuitous considering it was the near exact number they had between both groups, enough to seat them all while leaving an empty chair as a buffer on either side. Ben sensed Poe’s unease as he made the same realization. Without comment, both women took a seat at the opposite heads of the table. Hux sat to Rey’s immediate right, a datapad already out and waiting in front of him. Ben let Finn and Poe sit next to his mother, deciding he would be the odd man out. He took the seat in the middle of the table on the opposite side as Hux.

Servants swept in once everyone was seated, pouring tea and placing trays of finger foods on the table. It had been some time since he’d attended a proper tea time, but years of etiquette classes didn’t just disappear overnight. He caught Poe’s eyes with a silent ‘watch me’ when he saw the other man trying not to flounder, Finn just as overwhelmed. 

When the servants left the room, leaving them alone once more, Leia was the first to act. She calmly took a sip of her tea before anyone else, a sign of trust in the host’s intentions. Her eyes widened ever so slightly and she lowered her cup. “Chandrilan golden tea?” 

“Of course, your Highness.” The title change cemented her intentions. This was not the place for General Organa any longer. Only Queen Leia Organa was welcome here. “If you’ll forgive my presumption, I assumed it might have been some time since you’d had a taste of familiarity.” 

“I see. Well it is a welcome surprise. And I must say, my colleagues were wary of your invitation. Our families have quite a history after all.” 

Rey took a sip of tea and nodded. “Indeed, but that is why I thought it so important that we meet. As I told your son, I believe it’s time we move beyond the past. I have no intention of recreating the Empire you knew in your youth.” 

“I’d be very interested to hear what you intend to do instead, your Majesty.” 

Rey used the Force to lift a biscuit, speaking as she directed it to her plate. “I don’t expect your brother or son to have told you of my past, or if they have I imagine it has been altered to fit a certain narrative. I do not know where I was born, but I grew up on a desert junk planet in the Western Reaches. From a young age I was left to fend for myself, scavenging in the wrecked corpses of Imperial Star Destroyers for scrap that was valuable enough to trade for portions of calorie rations and synth protein. The food and water was owned by a blob of a creature that sold the scrap we found to reclamation companies off world.  It was not slavery, he didn’t own us, not really. But he was fond of changing the values from scavenger to scavenger, forcing us to stay in his good graces if we wanted to eat or drink, let alone get enough to trade for credits to buy passage off world. I was lucky when I was younger, I was small enough to get to scrap that none of the others could, but it made me a threat. I taught myself to fight from the moment I was strong enough to hold a weapon and as I got older, they lost their inhibitions about hurting a child or doing even worse to her. I was fifteen when Lord Snoke found me, beaten and on the brink of starvation, left in the desert to rot by men who’d taken everything from me.” 

The biscuit had been reduced to a pile of crumbs, crushed by the Force of the Dark Side. 

“What I intend to do, your Highness, is put an end to the subjugation by the people who enslave and force others to do their dirty work. And punish creatures like the one that controlled me for so much of my life. I plan to enforce a standard of order across the Galaxy to prevent such things from happening again. I have little care for what remains of the First Order or the Resistance. As I said, I wish to move beyond all of that and forge a new Galaxy. One that is united under a single banner and a single understanding of each other. For that goal to be achieved, we must put an end to what came before. No more Empire, no more New Republic, no more Jedi and no more Sith. We are all capable of far more than our predecessors and I wish to make the Galaxy see that.” 

There was tense silence between the two of them and Ben could feel the turbulent energy flowing back and forth. The bond had been eerily silent, giving him no hint as to Rey’s thoughts. He did have to admit that what she was saying had merit, but such things surely couldn’t be feasible without some sort of conquest or destruction? He could feel his Mother’s thoughts, reviewing what she had heard and evaluating it at lightspeed. She sipped her tea thoughtfully and then finally, set her cup down. 

“I’m sorry Rey.” She began and Ben nearly flinched from the sharp stab of offense coming from Hux. His mother likely felt it as well and was well aware of the risk she was taking in so blatantly ignoring formal titles. “I’m sorry you were forced into a life like that and that you suffered. I am sorry that it was the Dark Side that allowed you to be free, but I am glad you found that freedom. And you are right, no one should have to suffer. No one deserves to serve another against their will. Slavery was outlawed by the New Republic, but not as enforced as it should have been, I will admit that. We were more focused on repairing the damage the Empire had caused to think about addressing the problems they had also largely ignored. But what you envision, is simply not possible. It is the conundrum the old Republic found itself faced with, the Galaxy is too large and too varied for one ruling body to control. That is why the Galactic Senate was instated, to give each planet its own voice. You have to be willing to hear from all participants and while you appear to be making strides in doing so, far more than your Grandfather ever entertained, a meeting with the governing body once a year is not enough nor is it practical.” 

Rey sipped her tea as Leia spoke, listening and formulating her own counter-points. Beside her, Hux tapped and swiped silently at the datapad, making notes perhaps. When Leia finished, Rey barely waited a moment before speaking again. 

“Tell me, in all your years as a Senator and Princess, did you ever meet a Senator from Toydaria?” 

“I did not.” Leia said after a moment of pondering.

“Gamorr?” Again Leia indicated she had not.

“Tatooine?” Another shake of her head, although more subtle, as though she realized where Rey was going.

“Jakku?” 

“No, I did not.”

“I could go on but I believe I’ve given you enough examples to make my point. All of those worlds have something in common, they are slave worlds. They are rampant with slaves and slavers and laborers working to eat. I spent ten years of my life on Jakku and not once did I hear mention of a single Senator or representative to the Galactic government on our behalf. I’ve asked former Senators this same question. Where were the people who represented the slaves? They are citizens are they not? Why did they see no one defending them before the Senate? There are countless planets in this Galaxy that not a single soul cares about outside the people who call them home. I hate Jakku. I would gladly see it burn for the memories I have of it, if not for the fact that I know there are people there with nowhere else to go who can do nothing but work and hope they survive to see another sunrise. I will be the representative that we never had. I will be the representative for every planet that has no one who cares.  You cannot have a Senate if there is not equal representation for every citizen. I will create a system where everyone is given a voice.” 

Leia said nothing, eyes searching for something unseen and only known to her. The atmosphere had grown tense but Rey did not back down, holding Leia’s gaze unflinchingly. Finally Leia nodded “I agree. If that is the goal that you wish to strive for then you have my support in that. What I ask now is what you would be willing to do so that I may ensure that you are actually working towards this. How am I to know that you are actually trying to find a solution to the issue of the Senate and not simply putting your own politicians into place be it by force or by bribery? The reservations I have with a single governing body such as an Emperor or Empress is that anyone given absolute control will eventually misuse such power. In the time of the Old Republic, the Chancellor acted as the leader in the Senate but did not have the final word. An Empress on the other hand,” She trailed off, point made. “I’d like to place a representative in your staff to ensure you are following through with what you promise.” 

Ben felt a flux of confidence across the bond. Mother had inadvertently given Rey exactly what she wanted. But what and why? Did she want a Resistance representative at her side? For what purpose was she pleased by this?

“And am I correct in assuming you have some reservations with a Dark Side user as well?” Rey asked, delicately and casually sipping her tea. 

“I am not my brother, but admittedly yes. Though how much cause for concern that truly is has yet to be seen.” 

Rey nodded, then looked to Hux “And you’ve made the proper corrections?” 

“Yes your Majesty.” He confirmed with a crisp nod. 

“Then I have a proposal for you, Queen Organa.” And there it was once more, the reminder that this was not a military meeting. The datapad in Hux’s hand hovered to Leia with a gesture from Rey. 

She scrolled through it, skimming quickly until Ben felt a sharp spike of surprise from her. “You’re joking.” She said flatly, looking from the datapad to Rey. 

“You’ll find that there is a very short list of things with which I joke about. This is not one of them.” Rey replied calmly. 

Ben could sense the various emotions throughout the room, Finn and Poe were both intrigued, interested in what could have gotten that sort of reaction from the General. Hux was shielded well, remarkably well for someone who was not Force sensitive but still Ben felt a hint of smug pride from him, perhaps because they’d been able to catch the normally unflappable General Organa off guard. Both his Mother’s thoughts and Rey’s were guarded as well, but he had a discomforting feeling that they were both thinking about him. 

Leia glanced at him, all but confirming his suspicion, then back to Rey and then the datapad once more. “I’d like to discuss this and read it more thoroughly.” She settled on, tone back to commanding and formal, trying to regain control. 

“Of course.” Rey said, a small smile on her face, polite and knowing. “Shall we reconvene in three days' time? Is that enough?”  

“Plenty.” 

Rey stood, Hux a fraction of a moment later “I look forward to hearing your thoughts.” She said to Leia though she looked to Ben out of the corner of her eye and he couldn’t help but think she might be talking to him as well. She swept from the room without another word, Hux on her heels. 

~

That night, the bond leads him to find her in a bar in the underbelly of Coruscant, a place few could imagine seeing the Empress of the Galaxy. She’s dressed not in her gowns or finery, but in a simple dark gray tunic and matching leggings, her long hair in a braid down her back. As far as he can tell she doesn’t have her saberstaff on her but there is a blaster holster at her hip, the grip barely peeking out. It’s more for appearances than anything else, she didn’t need it to protect herself. 

“You know,” he says as he approached the bar, “I’d make a pretty terrible husband.” He flagged the bartender down, taking a seat on the chair next to her. She already had a glass of something in her hand, half empty of amber liquid. 

“And I would make quite a terrible wife.” She concurred, taking a sip. 

“But yet, you give my mother a marriage proposal. Give me whatever she’s having.” The bartender nodded but said not a word to the conversation he’d overheard. 

“Did she send you to interrogate me?”

“No, doesn’t know I’m here, none of them do. As far as they know I needed some time to think about my part in your proposal. Though she probably guessed where I was going, or at least assumed. She’s clever like that.”

“She is. I wasn’t lying when I said I admired her.” Rey agreed. “If you’re not here at her request, why are you here?”

“Because I wanted to talk to you. Is that so unbelievable?”

“I’d think you’d want no such thing after I put a several million credit bounty on your head and tried to kill you.”

“The thing is sweetheart, I think that was less about seeing me dead and more about just seeing me again.”

“Maybe so.” She replied, sipping her drink. 

They drank in silence for a few minutes, the Force humming between them. There was a certain sense of calm to it that was unexpected, like a rightness to them being near one another. It hadn’t felt like this before when they’d been near each other. And tensions had been too high in the palace for him to think back if he’d felt it there or not. But what had changed between now and then? Was she trying to already make the changes she’d proposed? She’d claimed that she wanted to move past the Jedi and the Sith but was that the truth or a lie to try and convince his mother?

“I didn’t lie to her.” She said, glimpsing his thoughts apparently. “About any of it. What none of you understand is that I didn’t choose the Dark Side. Snoke found me, a child dangerously close to starving, beaten and bloody, everything I had to my name stolen from me, and offered me safety. No one would have refused. Least of all a child who knew nothing of the Force. I learned very quickly to follow orders or be punished, no matter what the order, until I no longer question what he told me to do. We were slaves, me, Hux, the rest of the First Order. Snoke did none of the dirty work, he simply held the chains that bound us all.” 

“Tell me about the Supremacy .” Ben said quietly. 

She tipped her glass back, finishing her drink in one go, nodding to the bartender for another when she put the glass down.

“I looked into our bond.” She said instead. “There is a wealth of forgotten knowledge in the Imperial Palace. Datachip after datachip of texts that the Empire hid away.” She picked up her refilled glass the moment the bartender pulled the bottle away. “There’s a name for what we are. And it wasn’t Snoke that connected us. A Dyad, a pair in the Force that share two parts of one soul. I never would have been able to kill you. The Force practically screamed it at me. So I took the chance I needed when it was presented to me.”

“You already had plans to kill him.” 

“Beginning stages, nothing that could have caught his notice. You’re showing up on the Supremacy gave me the opening.”

“So why stay in the Dark?” He asked, taking a sip. He knew there was no turning her to the Light now, she was too stubborn to even consider or try but he was truly curious as to what had caused her to make the choice.

“Have you ever thought about what separates the Light side and the Dark side of the Force? It really all comes down to how we approach emotions. You, as a Jedi, are taught that emotions are something you must suppress in order to reach a place of peace, the very first line of your code tells you that. The Sith code praises passion and other emotions as a way to strength. But fundamentally our skills are the same, there are some exceptions, both sides of the Force have their abilities that are historically considered exclusive, but there are records of Jedi using lightning and Sith being able to heal. The Force at its very core, does not discriminate. The Force is all things, light, dark, life, death. Balance of all things. The Force has existed long before the Jedi or the Sith and will continue after the last traces of either are gone. Both sides were nothing more than religions that held the Force as their deity and the time for either religion is over.” 

“No more Jedi, no more Sith.” he echoed her earlier words to his mother. 

“Just the Force.” She reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a scrap of flimsi. “I found this hidden deep in the archives. In a text of a man named Jolee Bindo. The idea of there being only the Force is not a new one.” 

“He merged the codes.” Ben commented, skimming the flimsi when she passed it to him. There were fragments of text on it, written in an older style of Aurebesh, words from the Jedi code and the Sith code written together into a delicate balance. It wouldn’t have likely gone over well with the old Jedi order, but it proved enough of what she was saying. This man, this ancient Jedi, had approached the Force in the same way she proposed. He would have considered it ridiculous, as Luke likely would, except when he thought about it, really thought about it, the idea had merit. 

He passed the flimsi back to her without another word, she put it away without a comment, she knew she’d gotten him thinking.

“And the rest of your proposal?” He asked, picking his glass back up.

“The ceasefire I assume you mean? Wondering if I really intend to keep my promises? I will do as we proposed. Provided we be allowed to keep the systems currently under our control, we will no longer take any action in gaining new territory by force and instead will use treatise and alliances, as well as begin the process of providing aide and relief to the systems under our banners.” She recited the verbage almost exactly as it had been written, modifying only enough to loosen the formality. 

“And you trust your General to keep to that?” Ben asked, he found it hard to imagine that the former General of the First Order, the man who’d engineered Starkiller Base, could be trusted to abandon warmongering.

“Trust Hux?” She repeated, exhaling a quick amused sound. “I trust Hux not to try and kill me in my sleep. I’d be a fool to trust that he not have some sort of beginnings of a plot in the works to overthrow me. I’m working to quell such tendencies though. The price is high, but Hux’s loyalty is easy enough to buy.” She took another sip of her drink. “Believe it or not, the marriage proposal was his idea. He’s far more clever than anyone ever truly gave him credit for. Snoke stifled his abilities by forcing him to put his focus into endeavors like Starkiller.” She sneered the name of the former base. 

“You mean it wasn’t his idea?” Ben asked, everything they’d been led to believe had implied that Hux had been the mastermind behind that monstrosity.

“No, it was his idea.” She confirmed. “But don’t forget, we were all slaves to Snoke. He requested a weapon to surpass the Death Star. A planet killer to instill fear into the Galaxy greater than the Empire ever did. Hux had no choice but to provide the worst weapon he could conceive. He is in agreement with me, fear, while a strong motivator, garners very little long term loyalty. It's something my grandfather never understood and the reason why rebellion began to brew months after his ascension. Hux and I have done our best to show the Galaxy how we plan to differ.”

Ben wasn’t sure what to say, he sensed no deception from her. Could they really be telling the truth? Everything he felt in the Force seemed to indicate such a thing, but they were First Order, Dark Siders, Empire, the villains, the antagonists in the Galactic story. Or had he fallen prey to the propaganda he’d been fed from childhood and was assuming things that she was working so hard to prove wrong? What was he supposed to think? How was he supposed to feel? This was all so confusing. Nothing in his training as a Jedi or as a Prince had ever prepared him for anything like this. He’d hoped coming here to speak with her personally would make it obvious that she’d been lying, trying to trick him and his family, but she’d done the opposite at every turn. 

She stayed silent, likely privy to his inner turmoil but choosing not to comment.  Her strategy all along it seemed, get him thinking and he would come to the decisions she wanted. She was brilliant. “For what it’s worth,” he conceded with a heavy sigh “I think you would make a good ruler. Far better than that wrinkled creature you killed.” He tipped his glass towards her in a toast. 

“High praise.” She commented, touching her glass to his. They both drank, finishing whatever remained off. 

“You’ve left me with much to consider your Majesty.” He said, standing from the stool. 

“May I ask you a question, Ben Solo?” She said, finally looking at him. Her eyes were not Sith amber or even any shade near that, instead they were a dazzling shade of hazel. It was the first actual sign that she was attempting a change.

“Anything.” 

“Does your code prevent you from taking me to your bed if I asked?” It was not the question he expected, but still he barely needed to give it thought.

“The code my Uncle and I follow is lax compared to that of the old Jedi, so no it does not prevent such things. I however, respect you far too much to say yes.” He told her honestly.

She looked away, huffing out a bitter sound. “Pity, it’s shockingly difficult to find someone willing to ‘disrespect’ you once you become Empress of the Galaxy.” She grumbled and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

He turned away and took a few steps towards the door to the bar, nearly empty of other patrons. He paused before leaving and without turning back said “Ask me again once we’re married.” 

~

Three days later, negotiations begin on the ceasefire treaty between the New Galactic Empire and the Resistance.

Three weeks after their first meeting, Queen Leia Organa Solo of Alderaan, High General of the Resistance and Empress Rey Palpatine of the New Galactic Empire both sign their names on the final version of the ‘Treatise to Restore Unity Across the Galaxy.’ The ceremony is broadcast across the Galaxy on every holochannel. The war had finally ended.  

Three hours after the ceremony, Prince Benjamin Organa Solo gets down on one knee and asks Empress Rey Palpatine to be his wife. 

Three months into his tenure as both the Empresses betrothed and as ambassador to the Imperial palace, Ben Solo realizes he loves Rey. Not because she is the Empress. Not because she is his betrothed. But because she’s brilliant and beautiful and truly does care about giving a voice to the voiceless across the Galaxy. He finds that he loves her because of the way her eyes shine with mischief when she teases him and the way he’s able to draw huffs of amused breath from her, far closer to a laugh than he’d ever seen anyone else manage. He loves the way she carries herself with power, grace and poise. He loves the way she moves when they spar and the delight in her eyes when she pins him under her training staff. He loves the way her eyebrows crinkle when she’s focused and the way her lips turn up just so when she gifts him with a smile. He loves the feel of her hair when he gets the chance to run his fingers through it. He loves the way technical specs spill from her lips like the finest poetry. But most of all he loves that she is so unbelievably strong and had and continued to do everything in her power to subvert the expectations that had been placed upon her. She fought to prove herself not just a strong leader but a truly good one despite the circumstances that brought about her position. 

He confesses his love in the privacy of her quarters, kissing her but going no further despite her asking. “I’m afraid I only respect you more.” She breathes out her exhale of a laugh and he kisses her again, whispering “Ask me again once we’re married.” upon her lips.

Six months after their engagement agreement was signed, they get married. The Senator of Naboo, a dear friend of Ben’s mother as well as one of the leading members of the recently reestablished Imperial Senate, presides. His words reflect themes of unity and wholeness, touching on how it matters not where one comes from but how one chooses to move forward in their life. For ceremonies sake he speaks on the binding of two generations old families, the Royal House Organa of Alderaan and the Noble House Palpatine of Naboo. He, and the rest of the crowd and onlookers throughout the Galaxy remain ignorant of the private recitation of the new code the couple shares within their minds. Their own rewritten version of the ‘Grey Jedi’ code she had discovered. 

‘We need a better name for what we’ve decided to be.” Ben says as he leans in to kiss her.

“I present to you Empress Rey Palpatine and Imperial Consort Benjamin Organa Solo.” 

“Later my husband. I believe we have more pressing things to attend to.”

Six hours later Rey leans over to whisper in her husband’s ear. She’s done it several times already this evening, commenting on one thing or another, often enough that he doesn’t really know what to expect when his focus shifts to her. 

“I don’t suppose you’ve decided you no longer respect me?” There’s flirtatious mirth in her voice, her breath tickling at his ear. 

He turns to face her properly and lifts a hand to cup her cheek, gently pulling her in for a kiss. “I respect you more and more by the day unfortunately but I think I could be convinced.”