SAVIOR [Kylo Ren]

Crescendo

When Ree and Ben finally entered Exegol's atmosphere, it was chaos. The endless rows of Star Destroyers were firing at the tiny fleet that was the Resistance. X-wing after X-wing was getting shot down. The soldiers fighting on the wings of Star Destroyers were getting slaughtered. The tiny flames of hope were slowly extinguishing.

They landed on the foggy ground of Exegol, next to an ancient-looking X-wing, probably what Rey had used to get there in the first place. Ben got out of the TIE-fighter first, lending the pregnant one a hand as she too jumped down on the stone ground. The hilt of Ree's lightsaber resting o her hip gave her a calming assurance. But the fact that there was no lightsaber on Ben's hip worried her profoundly, couldn't he have waited till after they went into the enemy's layer to throw away his only weapon?

As soon as Keelor was out of the TIE-fighter, he practically started running in the direction of the entrance. "Ky-" Ree cut herself off, "Ben, wait up!" He paused in his tracks, subconsciously tapping his toes as Ree closed the distance between them.

"What?" He wondered what was more important than going and saving Rey.

"I-I just wanted to say," the words were fumbling around in her mouth, "that I," she breathed in sharply, gathering up som confidence, "that I can't imagine a world without you in it," there was no response emitting from Ben's lips so she continued on blabbing, "you're the gravitational pull that makes my world spin. Whether it's a good or bad pull, it moves me. Keeps me going forward." Tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes as she confessed, "I don't know what I would do if you weren't here."

"You would figure it out," Ben assured her as he warmed the sides of her arms with the palms of his hands.

"If the sun's gravity ceased to exist, then all the planets would go spiralling out of control," Ree hoped that her metaphor was getting the point across and Ben's pained eyes received the message loud and clear.

"Ree," he tried again but was cut off.

"And I'm not the only planet anymore in the solar system," their eyes travelled down to her bulging belly. Guilt showed itself in his rounded shoulders. He cupped his love's face.

"You two are the most important planets in the entire galaxy," he looked into her eyes that contain an entire galaxy within them, "but what about the rest of the planets? The stars? Without them, there is no galaxy."

"I don't care about the rest of the galaxy. We'll thrive without them." A tear fell from her ice-blue eyes. Ree knew that he had already made his decision. No matter what she said she couldn't change his mind. He was a true Skywalker.

---

"The ritual begins," Palpatine shouted from his throne. A throne that made him look like a spider in a web climbing down from the ceiling. Omniscient chanting soared through the cold air, sending chills down Rey's spine. She was completely surrounded by a stadium of Sith sympathizers. the robot arm connected to Palpatine's back took him out of his seat and down to Ree's face, "she will strike me down and pledge herself as a Sith."

 The crowd answered with cheers.

---

The pace was set by Ree's legs ability to carry the weight of another human being while sprinting. Even though Ben wished to just take off to save Rey, he could never allow himself to leave Ree to fend for herself, even though she probably would be fine.

Ben used his blaster to kill the guards. As the red blaster bolts collided with Ree's white lightsaber, it gave off rosy sparks before flying back in the direction of the shooter.