The Empress

Power

Lightening struck just as Palpatine made his final demand. Kylo stood still in his place, in awe of the power radiating from the girl. The large metal arm that held Palpatine suspended in the air quickly, pulling him back into the darkness where Kylo had found him. Uneasy feelings fluttered through his stomach.

The Empress turned her back to Kylo and began to walk away. Her walk was unproblematic. He began to cooly walk behind her.

"What are you doing?" She said as she thrusted her hood back over her brown locks.

"We need to make plans for an attack on the resistance," Kylo insisted eagerly. "I know where we can get information on their base. We just need to—."

Kylo was cut off as The Empress froze in her tracks. She tilted her head to the side as he stopped behind her.

"You have a lot of bark for someone with little bite," she turned towards him, revealing her nose and her mouth, but not her eyes. "And what will we do with your mother when we get there?"

Kylo stared intently. The mentioning of his mother brought feelings of guilt and dismay. He tried his best to dissemble the remains of his conflict from his face.

"Whatever we must do."

A smirk peered from under the girls hood. She lifted her head and met her eyes with his.

"Rey," she had a warm smile, even if it was outwardly judging you. Dimples came through her intensely pale skin. "Call me Rey."

"Rey." Kylo echoed. It surprisingly seemed less intense than The Empress.

Rey turned back around, letting her long black cloak drag across the dirt floor. She strutted through to the large opening. Ominous statues surrounded the pair. Kylo's eyes met with the swarm of cloaked bodies looking down on him from the arena.

Rey made her way to the abstract throne awaiting her in the middle of the arena. As she sat down on the cold stone, the crowd broke out into a harsh praise. As she waved her hand, the crowd died down. She sat quaint on her throne of destruction.

"So remind me," her legs crossed over one another as she leaned back. "What brought the infamous Master of the Knights of Ren to Exegol?"

Kylo stepped forward towards the throne, pressing one foot down on the stair. His forearms rested upon his knee. He ignored her question, knowing he isn't one for small talk.

"Let me guess— You killed your father to be the talk of the First Order. When that didn't work, you killed Snoke because killing dear old daddy didn't totally cut it. Now your here for the same reason," lightening struck against the stone once more. "Power."

"I'm here to do what your grandfather couldn't." Kylo responded enraged.

He stepped back off of the platform and paced around the arena, trying to shake off the banter.

"And how do you suppose you're going to do that? What happened to Star- killer base? What happened at the battle of Crait?" She scoffed.

"We were tricked." Kylo bellowed

"You lost," Rey retorted. "Because you're weak!"

Rage engulfed Kylo as he reach quickly for his saber. He barely unclipped it from his belt when bursts of lightening struck against his chest, knocking him effortlessly onto the ground. Kylo sat up quickly to see Rey standing, hands extended. Dust gathered around him from his fall.

Rey stepped down onto the platform and untied her robe, brushing it off of her shoulders. She wore a tight black tunic, exposing her chest and her slim figure. Her boots clattered against the ground as she made her way over to Kylo's body, twitching on the ground.

She stood over him and smirked.

"Like I said. Your bark is a hell of a lot bigger than your bite." She extended her hand to him.

He reached up and clasped her hand calloused hand. As she pulled back to help him to his feet, he gripped her wrist and shoved her to the ground. Her back hit the floor as invisible hands clasped her wrists to the ground. He leaned over her, inches away from her face. His black hair fell over the sides of her face.

"Say another word about my father and I'll crush you." He lifted himself up and released his grip on her.

She sat up and looked over his face curiously.

"You— you're afraid." She replied.

"We have other things to discuss. I know a place we can go for information, but we have to be inconspicuous. We'll take tie- fighters and try to fly under the radar."