Rebirth of the Rebellion~Reylo

3

After two days of fighting, the Shroud Regiment pulled out of battle with the First Order. From any window, anyone could see floating debris and drifting bodies of soldiers in the vacuum. The news of the retreat buzzed amongst every General, officer, and trooper on the Finalizer. For the past year, victory was all the First Order had tasted, only to grow hungrier for it. A lust that would surely end them.

On the main bridge that oversees the span of space, General Pryde and Armitage Hux bicker amongst themselves about further actions and the fall of the Revanchist.

"You do know what you've done: your call to pull away allowed for the Regiment to escape, and now- and now they will surely be hidden away with the Resistance!" Hux hollered at Pryde.

"That's enough, you festering wound! The orders from the Supreme Leader were explicit: conserve our numbers. We cannot afford to lose all but three of our ships in a single battle. To question our orders is to question the Supreme Leader himself. As much as I would love to see him tear you apart, we've got bigger matters to worry about." Pryde ranted. Hux's face flushed as red as his hair from the anger and the bridge grew silent.

"Back to work, all of you!" Hux shrieked. He turned back to Pryde in an attempt to give him a piece of his mind.

"For your information, General, I've been following Ren's orders to a tee-" Pryde cut him off.

"Obviously not if you've been demoted to Commander! You will not interfere with my orders. Do I make myself clear?" Pryde seethed. Hux stared him down, challenging him, but he obeyed his superior. Blinded by his fury, Hux stormed off. General Pryde sneered and turned on his heel to return to his duties.

The Supreme Leader sat perfectly still in his private chambers meditating, a very rare chance for him to relax and let the Force wrap itself around every fiber of his being. His facial features remained at ease, all his muscles loose, but his fists remained clenched over his knees. The state of silence allowed for the very essence of the Force to encase his soul and mind, a certain peace Kylo hadn't felt since before he called himself such. The comfort he gave himself over to was short lived as a hologram of General Pryde shone a blue hue against the stark white walls.

"Supreme Leader, I'm sorry to-"

"Report."

"Right. We conserved our numbers as you said, but it cost us. The Revanchist has fallen and the Regiment escaped." There was an eerie silence that fell. Anger quickly rose to its boiling point in Kylo causing the blood to deafen his eardrums. The invisible Force found its way around Pryde's throat and constricted without so much as a hand gesture.

"Conserve our numbers did not mean let them escape. Find their location and report back to me when you have it." Kylo said sharply. He released his Force grip on the General's throat and left him sputtering and wheezing.

"They just made planetfall, sir-" Pryde choked out.

"Then you should have no problem finding them!" Kylo retorted. With that, he shut off the hologram.

Kylo resumed his meditations, only this time there was no peace. Within his mind replayed every event that lead to him becoming the leader of the First Order. Every dirty deed, vile act. The genocide, the breakdowns, the betrayal... the girl. Yes, the young Jedi still plagued his mind after all this time. Often he recalled the look of hurt and disbelief etched into her features when he begged her to stay with him. He remembered how broken he'd felt, kneeling inside the empty bunker holding his father's lucky dice as Rey gazed back at him from the entrance of the Millennium Falcon. They held out hope for each other, desperate for one to join the other, but neither could.

Ren's eyes stay tightly shut, trying to tear his conscience away from her with no avail. Anxiety made itself known as the surroundings around him morphed. He could hear the rustle of leaves and heavy footfalls on soil. He snapped his eyes open and saw, but did not recognize, where he was. For the first time since the previous year, he was in a dense forest, vibrant greenery suddenly blinding him after sinking into the darkness of meditation. He rose to his feet and walked towards where all the noise was coming from.

As he pushed forward through the vegetation, he caught a glimpse of the blue blade of a lightsaber. Kylo furrowed his brows and stomped forward. The buzz of the lightsaber grew louder, then suddenly it came flying towards his head. Kylo ducked quickly to avoid getting beheaded, and then he saw her. Rey stood across from him amongst the trees, jaw clenched and eyes piercing. The saber flew back to her hand and she stood in a defensive stance.

Kylo snatched his own saber off his belt and ignited it, pointing it to her in a threatening manner. They said nothing to each other, but their glares said it all: Hatred. They were enemies. As if on que, they sprinted towards each other with their sabers raised and ready to clash. The moment Kylo swung his lightsaber at her, he followed through and turned back around only to reveal he was still in his chambers.

Kylo deliriously paced around in his chambers, then growled and slammed his fist onto a nearby table leaving a deep dent in the metal. The Force was still connecting them, even after a year hiatus. At this point, it was dangling his prey right in front of him, and any advance made, it would take her right out of sight. Soon though, soon it would end.