Chapter 42

Rey felt her heartbeat in her ears as she stood on the stage in an auditorium with an audience of what seemed like hundreds of beings, some of which were present through holos. Perhaps it was hundreds of beings. It was hard for her to see clearly through the bright lights pointed at her, and even harder to think through the novelty of it all. She had never experienced anything like this.

Poe and Kaydel stood before her with BB-8 and Threepio, though Kaydel had decided to leave the speaking to Poe since he knew the situation better. To the side, she could see the three knights alongside Finn and Rose off-stage behind the curtain. Ben stood a few feet to her other side through their bond, waiting for his cue to speak as well.

"I present to you Rey of Jakku, the hero of the Resistance!" Poe announced.

The room thundered with applause, and Rey offered a shy wave and stepped forward to the podium with the microphone. "Um, hi," she said, wishing yet again that she had spent some time thinking about what she would say instead of spending nearly the entire afternoon making out with Ben. "I'm Rey."

"Lift some rocks!" shouted a voice from the audience.

Rey frowned. That was not what she had expected. "You… want me to lift rocks?"

The subsequent cheering and applauding did not quite drown out the sound of Ben's laughter behind her.

"Go ahead, Rey," he said.

"But there are no rocks," Rey said. Poe quirked his head at the droids, and Rey sighed. "Fine." She reached into the force and levitated both BB-8 and Threepio into the air for the audience.

"Oh my!" Threepio said as BB-8 trilled and the audience thundered with approval.

"Okay, so we've established that I can lift things with the force," Rey said as things quieted down. She heard some chuckling from the audience and smiled. She could do this. "Lifting rocks is a useful skill to have and actually helped saved lives on Crait, but as Luke Skywalker once said, there's more to the force than lifting rocks. It's about the balance and bonds between all living things."

She glanced at her friends, who gave her encouraging smiles and thumbs-ups. "There's a lot of talk about balance with the force, and a lot of stories. Um…" She paused. She wasn't sure how to bring the topic around to what was important that night. "Luke Skywalker was a legendary jedi. Darth Vader was a legendary sith. They existed in balance with the Rebellion and the Empire. Opposite forces that existed until they were each destroyed in the battle between light and dark. You probably see the same balance with me and Kylo Ren."

A chorus of booing followed her mention of Kylo Ren, and Rey clenched the podium, struggling with her desire to leap to Ben's defense when they wouldn't understand why.

"Listen, there are more ways to have balance than fight each other. We can work together."

"You can't work with evil!" someone jeered. The audience erupted in pandemonium, and Rey stared in dismay.

Poe grabbed the mic back. "Silence! Look, you came here to see what the hero of the Resistance had to say. Now quiet down."

The audience quieted down, and Rey took the mic back from Poe with shaky hands. "I get it, actually. I was once like you. Shoot first and ask questions later when it came to the First Order." She took a deep breath. "Through some wholly unexpected circumstances, however, I was put in a situation where I could not battle with my blaster or my staff or my lightsaber, and I had to use my words. And when I did, I started listening."

She paused and gazed at Ben behind her.

"When I started listening, I learned that not everything was as black and white as it had seemed. And furthermore, I was not alone. My dreams for a better future were shared with Kylo Ren. He was not the monster I thought he was." Protests erupted from the audience. "I know, he did horrible things. Terrible things, but he did it with a passion for tomorrow, and not a tomorrow where he was some sadistic master of everything collecting power, but a tomorrow where the galaxy could live free of pain."

"What about Hosnia?!" someone shouted, and a chant formed. "Hosnia! Hosnia! Hosnia! Hosnia!"

"The destruction of Hosnia was engineered by Snoke and Hux, who are both dead. Kylo Ren did not support it," Rey protested.

The chant continued, and Rey closed her eyes, fighting tears. They weren't listening. "Look, do you want me to talk or not?!"

The audience quieted down again, and Rey wiped her face on the shoulder of her tunic. "I'm sick of the destruction. I'm sick of the fighting. The losses have been too steep on both sides, and I came here mostly to announce that Kylo Ren and I are done with the war. Both of us."

Silence fell, and the tension in the room became so thick that Rey could hardly breathe.

"Whatever happens next, I'm leaving the Resistance, and Kylo Ren is leaving the First Order. As our parting gift, we would like to help you arrange peace terms so that the Resistance and First Order can work together to make the galaxy a better place for everyone."

Chaos erupted once more as voices protested her departure, the likelihood of Kylo Ren's departure, the possibility of peace, and more.

Poe stepped up and took the mic again. "I think the audience wants to know how you can be so sure that Kylo Ren is leaving the First Order. Can you help with that, Rey?"

The audience quieted down, and Rey took a deep breath. "I can. You see, Kylo Ren and I are bonded through the force. We are always together, no matter how far apart we are." Rey gazed at Ben as murmurs of confusion echoed through the audience, and then she took his hand.

Screams and shouts echoed throughout the auditorium as he came into view, and a number of people started rushing for the exit. Rey huffed at their reaction and slammed the exit doors shut with the force.

"I didn't think that many people knew my face," Ben said into her ear.

Rey shrugged. It's not like she understood it either. "Everyone! Please calm down before you hurt yourselves. You are not in any danger from him. I can make him go away at any time. Watch," she said, and she let go of his hand. The panic level in the room immediately dropped, though she could easily still feel their fear.

Poe stepped up again. "That's an impressive jedi trick there, Rey. Is the audience ready for more of the Supreme Leader of the First Order?"

"He's going to kill us all!" cried one panicked person.

"This was a horrible idea," Rey muttered.

"Relax," Poe said to her away from the mic. "They just need some time to get used to the idea. Speaking of which, Finn, Rose, get over here." He waited until Rose and Finn were standing awkwardly next to Rey, and then grabbed the mic again. "Okay, let's change the pace some. Does everyone know who these two are?"

Sounds of affirmation came from the audience. "Yea, this is Finn, the stormtrooper who defected and used his insider information to lead the destruction of Starkiller Base. Next to him is Rose Tico, whose sister Paige destroyed the dreadnaught in the evacuation of D'Qar, and Rose herself went on a covert mission to save the lives of everyone on the Raddus when it looked like all hope was lost. They're also heroes, and, as you know, I'm Poe Dameron, your general. We love the Resistance as much as anyone, and we've proven time and again that we're willing to risk our lives for the Resistance. We're also some of Rey's best friends. We went through the same shock and doubt you're going through now, and I'd like Finn and Rose to say something about it."

Finn stepped up first. "Umm… I'm Finn. Yea. You know that." Some cheers erupted, and he smiled. "Yea, that's me. A big deal, you know? Look, I was inside the First Order, and I saw exactly how awful Kylo Ren could be. When Rey told me she had some kind of bond with him and was beginning to trust him, I thought she was absolutely crazy. Com-plete-ly bon-kers," he said, enunciating each syllable. "However, she brought us on some crazy mission, and then Kylo Ren shows up. Like you, I was certain he was there to kill us all, but then he didn't." He paused. "Kylo Ren has changed. He actually helped us, and what's more, that man was smitten, and I do mean head-over-heels smitten, with Rey. He bought her clothes. He gave her his helmet… you know, the freaky looking thing that makes him sound like a robot? He just gave it to her. He was determined to do anything to be with her. I was still in denial then of what was happening, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was simple. He'd fallen in love with her, and you can't be all evil if you can fall in love."

The audience went nuts again, this time with shock and denial and a few people asking if Rey returned Kylo Ren's affections.

Rose grabbed the mic from Finn. "That's right, they're in love, and they're determined to be together. You can't stop them."

This did not quiet the audience down, and the knights stepped out onto the stage in clear preparation for battle, if necessary, as Rose failed in her attempts to calm the audience down.

Rey exchanged a worried glance with Poe and Ben, and Poe smiled. "Wait, I've got an idea. Rey, don't interfere. Teva, Rypo, come here."

Rey and Ben exchanged worried glances as the two knights and Poe huddled briefly. They nodded, and the next thing Rey knew, Teva had Poe in a headlock with his lightsaber out against Poe's neck. The auditorium immediately fell into silence.

"If you don't want your general to die, then shut up and listen," Rypo said. "My name's Rypo. I'm one of the six Knights of Ren, followers of Kylo Ren, Supreme Leader of the First Order. My friend who has General Poe pinned is Teva, and Nighwitch is the young woman standing behind me. We are armed and dangerous, and we could destroy all of you within an instant. All we're asking, though, is for you to hear us, Rey, and Master Kylo Ren out. So everyone head back to your seats quietly unless you want Nighwitch to visit you personally with her lightsaber."

The audience quieted immediately, and a number of people sat back down.

"That's better," Rypo said. "Now, it's been a weird few weeks for the First Order too. The destruction of Starkiller Base saw the end to countless First Order lives, and not just soldiers. Technicians, scientists, and families were on that base when you destroyed it. The Hosnian destruction also impacted us, as many of us had family in the Republic. Supreme Leader Snoke was too powerful to stand up against. However, he was someone that Master Kylo could stand up against. Rey, join hands with Master Kylo again so we can all see him again."

Rey did so. The fear in the audience spiked again, but this time, they stayed in their seats.

"You've been praising Rey for assassinating Supreme Leader Snoke these last few weeks. She was instrumental to his destruction, but she was not the one who cut him in half. That honor went to Snoke's apprentice, Master Kylo Ren. You owe the freedom of the galaxy from Snoke to none other than Kylo Ren."

Ben bowed.

"Master Kylo, tell them what you told us," Rypo said.

"Snoke had forced me into a position where I had to kill Rey or Snoke. I killed Snoke to save Rey's life. I love her."

Shock emanated from the audience, and Rey blushed. Ben squeezed her hand, and she squeezed it back, stepping closer to him.

"I am capable of being a monster, but Rey freed me from being Snoke's tool. Where Snoke delighted in tormenting his enemies, I have no desire to see suffering, nor do my knights, who have stepped up to fill the gaps in leadership after I disposed of Hux and the others of that era. We wish only for peace and order in the galaxy. However, Rey and I will no longer let your feud separate us. This plea for peace is our parting gift. Whether it works or not, Rey and I will retire to form an academy for force users of all alignments that is wholly separate of both the First Order, the Resistance, and all other governments. My knights are welcome to join me, as they are also force users, as are any within the Resistance who wish for a safe place to learn and be themselves in the force. Therefore, I need to make an announcement on the leadership of the First Order, so you know who you are dealing with in the future. I nominate Rypo, this capable woman in front of you, to lead the First Order in my absence. She is reasonable and desires nothing above an end to the chaos that war brings upon us."

Rey smiled. Rypo had been her first pick too. Beside her, she saw Teva's proud grin and Rypo's shock.

"I... I would be honored," Rypo said, bowing deeply to Ben.

Ben turned abruptly and pulled out both lightsabers, Rey stared in shock as she saw glimpses of a lightsaber fight near her, and Rypo searched the air before them. "What's happening over there?" Rypo asked her.

Rey took Rypo's hand rather than speak out, and they watched together as Ben cut someone down. The body did not stay in contact long enough for them to identify before disappearing again on their fall to the floor.

Ben turned around, deactivated his lightsabers, and faced Rey. There was blood sprayed on his black clothes.

"What happened, Ben?" Rey asked.

He frowned and took her free hand, revealing himself to the audience once more. "My apologies. I had not yet informed my knights of my choice, and two of them found it objectionable. However, the objection has been eliminated, and the remaining knight with me fully supports Rypo's nomination. You see that we also support peace, even if it means we must stand up against our own. We hope you will do the same. May the force be with you."

Ben studied the people around him and turned to where Poe was still in Teva's headlock. "General Poe, Teva, I do believe you can quit your act now."

Teva deactivated his lightsaber and let Poe go. Poe grinned for them and took the mic. "There you have it. There are still details to be worked out, but as you can see, the First Order has changed leadership and has a vision compatible with our own. Will all in favor of ending the war once in for all and entering negotiations with the First Order for peace raise their hand or appendage equivalent?"

Rey saw movement, but she found she no longer cared as she turned to face Ben. She and Ben had done their part. The rest was up to the others. Ben's eyes were on her as well. "Think you can extract me from here without putting the others in danger?" Rey asked.

"I think it's time we find out. The others should be fine now," Ben said. "That was some speech you gave."

Rey nodded and yawned. "I never want to give another speech again."

"Then come here," Ben said and opened his arms to her.

Rey wrapped her arms around him as he lifted her off the ground and closed the bond. Instantly, the noise from the audience was replaced with the nearly still quiet of the First Order ship's ventilation system.

"It's over? I'll just excuse myself then," Hama-Ki said from beside them. Rey watched the old woman leave the conference room and recalled what had happened just before.

"You don't have to look," Ben said, sensing where her thoughts were heading.

Rey nodded and buried her face in his chest to avoid seeing the bodies of Banto and Jun'Pon, whom she knew would be on the floor. "What happened?"

"They attacked me after the announcement. Stupid of them, but I suppose they thought they could win if they caught me unaware and then attack the Resistance while the other knights were stranded there. I was not unaware, nor was Hama-Ki. She was actually the one to slay Jun'Pon. He didn't even have his guard up against her."

Rey took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Is it really over? Can we really leave it all behind now?"

Ben kissed the top of her head and leaned against it. "Yes, I think we can."

Fin! Thank you so much for following Sugar through to the end. I hope it was as enjoyable for you as it was for me, and I do hope you'll tell me what you think now that it's done!

I also welcome constructive criticism, as I will be spending more time focusing on original works now. If there were parts that were slow, awkward transitions, character changes that seemed off, or whatever, please feel free to tell me in PM or review.

If you like my writing and want more, check out my other reylo fics. :)