A/N: Hi my lovely readers – here's another chapter of the crazy little fanfic that I'm writing. Took me forever, but here it is. it's the longest chapter so far, but I just didn't want to split it, coz the beginning has a lot of set up for what happens at the end (isn't this, like, the most ground-breaking description of a chapter, EVER?). Hopefully, you'll find the end rewarding and, hopefully, you'll like it! Happy reading!

Disclaimer – all of the recognisable characters and locations belong to their respective owners. I own only the plot.

Chapter 010 – The Supreme Leader

He barely tolerated Hux. Just barely. Truth be told, Ben knew he should have replaced the annoying general by now; there were at least ten other high ranking officers more than capable of doing Hux's job. So, why hadn't he done it yet? Was it purely because Hux's hatred and fanaticism, which even Snoke had seen, made him predictable, and, therefore, easy to manage?

Maybe I'm just sloppy, Ben thought with a pang of shame. He had all this power, and he had paid hefty price to be where he was. He could do a little better.

But it was just so difficult to focus, to think of anything else than her lips. It had been difficult before, but, now, after he'd taste them, it was nearly damn impossible.

Still, he had an empire to run.

And Hux was, as usually, ruining everything with his short-sightedness.

"What did you just say?" Ben asked through clenched teeth. He hoped Hux would have enough sense to take back his words. They were standing on the bridge of one of their Super Star Destroyers, surrounded by multiple officers and Ben really did not want to come across as emotionally unstable in front of all of them. Even if they had already their minds made up, after his antics on Krait. There was simply no room for more errors. Even if he was barely holding it together.

The truth was, he was perfectly aware that Quay had been mind-controlled by Rey. He had never seen anyone, neither Skywalker, nor even Snoke, being able to control another person to such extent. Witnessing Rey doing it so, it would seem, effortlessly, made him both terrified and jealous. Despite all that, he was relieved to see her unharmed.

He also couldn't stop staring. Rey was just so beautiful that even her flickering, blue image on the holovid was making Ben's thoughts go a bit fuzzy. When he had been doing his best to seem indifferent an authoritative, while listening to Quay reciting Rey's commands, Ben realised that he never really even had the time to calmly think about all that had happened between him and Rey since that time Snoke had assumed he had them all figured out.

It had occurred to him that he should be grateful to Snoke. It was the old troll, after all, who had bridged his and Rey's minds. If only he could see what use they put this connection to.

Snoke had been right about one more thing, too. "The Dark rises, and the Light to meet it." He had said those words minutes before his ultimate demise, but they were proving themselves to be true. Rey's powers were astonishing.

Perhaps I should step up and prove I'm just as powerful, Ben thought with disdain. He had never doubted his own powers until now. He had often wondered whether they should be offered to the Dark of the Light side, but never doubted the power itself. As he had looked at Quay's pained expression and as he listened to words escaping his mouth in disturbing monotone, he came to conclusion that he'd become stagnant, trusting in Snoke's training, but nothing more.

He knew he would never see Quay again. He wasn't yet quite sure how to feel about that. Quay had been his ally since the days of Skywalker's doomed Jedi school. He had fought alongside Ben in too many battles to count. It was quite different to watch Rey make twenty – twenty! – anonymous Stormtroopers basically commit suicide in the middle of the crowded street, and to watch his friend being completely broken by her. Ben was under no illusion that Rey was going to kill Quay once she got past the planet's lockdown points.

He was also painfully aware that Quay would be alive, had Ben not hidden Rey from the search party after they had made that warehouse exploded. Or had the explosion been purely her doing? He still wasn't sure. Did he regret saving her? Not really, no.

Was he in a state of mind good enough to deal with Hux's ridiculous ideas? Hell, no.

"We shall proceed to annihilate this laughable rebellion." Hux recited with his usual smugness. Ben was not surprised. What else to expect from a man who had devoted his life to create something as grotesque as the Starkiller base? If Hux could have things his way, he would keep fighting until there was not a single being left in the galaxy to kill.

Ben, on the other hand, was the son of one of the finest politicians in the galaxy.

"Go ahead, annihilate all you want," he said, looking Hux straight in the eye, "Do it, and tomorrow every single person in this city will support the Resistance."

"We do nothing then?" Hux raised an eyebrow at him and sneered, "Great strategy, Supreme Leader."

It took all Ben's strength not to throw Hux across the room.

"Did I say we do nothing, general?" he asked, and before Hux could say anything, he continued, "No, but, of course, you jumped to conclusions, which are, frankly speaking, treasonous."

"My lord, I…." Hux tried to interrupt, but Ben focused his attention on him and effectively shut him up. He took pleasure in seeing first shock, then grave understanding in Hux's eyes. Maybe, he thought, is not as difficult as it seems, to control others this way, without any verbal command or gesture.

"I would not expect you to grasp the political potential of this situation, Hux," he said. The bridge was dead quiet; everyone was listening to him. After the fiasco on Krait, Ben knew he had to show them he was the leader they needed. Even if he, himself, did not feel as such.

"We will not play to this rebel's hands. We will not be predictable. And we will not turn Sullust against us any more than they already are. In fact," he looked around the room and was glad to see officers nodding in approval, "We will make Sullust more of an ally than it was before."

Ben turned to Hux. Drops of sweat appeared on general's pale forehead, as he was struggling to speak, but couldn't. You want to talk? Ben thought, Oh, I will make you talk.

"You are right, Supreme Leader Ren," Hux stammered against his will, "This is an incredibly wise move, which I wouldn't have thought of. I shall arrange the meeting with Sullust governor immediately."

Ben regarded Hux with a smirk. General's face was scowled in barely tamed anger, but his eyes were still frightened. Hatred was emanating from the general, but Ben did not let the Force's grip loosen as he made him leave the bridge. After Snoke's death, he had almost asphyxiated Hux. Clearly, this wasn't enough of a lesson. Ben would make sure Hux knew dying was the best that can happen to him.

xxXXxx

Rey stood knee-deep in a freezing water of a mountain stream and watched in silent terror as her ship was being swept away but a massive mudslide. She had been lucky beyond reason to have left the ship mere minutes before. All she had planned to do was to scout the area and then to get back inside and get some sleep. She had thought the ship was hidden well in between tall, sharp rocks.

Maybe it was, she thought as it was being crushed by tons of mud and rocks. Maybe a little too well.

Rain on Eadu was not pleasant at all. It was freezing cold and smelled of fetid soil. The clouds were so thick that it was impossible to say whether it was day or night. The only source of light were blue lightning bolts crossing the sky every few minutes, followed by deafening roars of thunder. Rey had never seen more unwelcoming place.

Eadu made her miss the perfect, always painfully clear sky of Jakku. Would she ever see another scorching sunset over the dunes?

Not likely, she thought as the ship disappeared under the mud. Looks like I'm staying here for a while.

Before landing, which hadn't been easy to say the least, Rey had noticed a cluster of villages and decided to stay away, in case this remote planet also heard about the price on her head. Now, trudging through a slippery, rocky hillside, she regretted this decision. She would give everything for a dry bed and warmth of fire.

Few times, in the pale light of thunderbolts, she thought she saw Master Luke's silhouette in distance, but he seemed to disappear when she looked again. She could only hope it was Luke and not some glowing monster from Eadu. She had no idea what kind of creatures lived in this planet and she wasn't looking forward to finding out.

After hours of marching, Rey was completely soaked and tired to the bone. She was grateful that at least the Jedi books were safe in the water-resistant backpack she'd found on Quay's ship, but, between the books and the weapons she'd found there, too, it was a heavy lift. And the rain did not seem to want to stop.

When she reached a top of one of the less steep hills, Rey sat down to take a breath. She was exhausted and, frankly, she had no clue where she was going. The village lights, wherever they were, could not be seen in between the tall spires of rocks and mountains. Her portable scanner was not picking up any life forms apart from what must have been small vermin or birds. Thick rain did not improve visibility of anything. For all she knew, she could be actually walking away from the village, not towards it.

It was a stupid idea to come here. She should have taken the longer way and gone to Jedha.

Of course, she knew this was never going to happen. Quay's ship hadn't had enough of fuel for such a long flight. If she really wanted to find some Kyber crystals for a new lightsaber, Eadu was her only choice.

And it will be my grave, she reflected with exasperation.

As soon as she thought this, a gentle voice somewhere around her said: "Use the Force, Rey. Let it guide you."

Scared, she jumped to her feet and reached for her blaster, but even as she was pointing it at the darkness around her, she knew – it was Luke's voice she'd heard.

"Well, it's not like I have any better ideas," she muttered and took a deep breath to steady herself. She closed her eyes and allowed Force flow through her. The beating of her heart slowed down and, somehow, became louder than the rain. And the rain, it no longer sounded like a swoosh. As she focused on the Force, Rey began to hear each raindrop hitting the ground separately, each with its unique tone.

It was almost like music.

For the briefest moment she saw a glimpse of Leia deep in worry sitting alone at a table somewhere and, as the image cleared in Rey's head, Leia suddenly looked up.

Taken aback, Rey took a rapid step back and slipped. Her concentration broke, but she managed to stop herself inches from the ground. As she stood up, she wondered how did she even know how to do it, to prevent herself from hitting the rocks, just like whenever she had reached for the lightsaber and it would just fly into her hand, obedient to her will. There was so much about the Force she did not understand. Like, for instance, seeing general Leia and – Rey was certain of that – being seen by her. Or, if not technically "seen", because it was nothing like the experience of being connected through the Force with Ben, then, somehow, felt through the distance of millions light miles.

Still, she was no closer to figuring out which way to go.

"Rey, let go of your doubts and let the Force guide you, like you did on Sullust." Luke's voice, eerily clear, came through the downpour again. Rey crinkled her nose at the thought of Luke seeing everything she had been up to on Sullust, but she compelled herself to clear her mind again and focus on finding shelter.

As the raindrops turned to harmonious melody, again, Rey felt a soft pull towards one of the hills. She didn't quite understand it, she couldn't see what was there, but she followed it, trusting in the Force.

She marched for what seemed like ages, but her exhaustion actually faded away. As she walked focused on the gentle guidance of the Force, the ache she had felt in her muscles diminished, but any time her concentration broke, was it by a sudden, unexplained noise, or by her own thoughts, mostly about the kiss that never should have happened, the fatigue and ache hit her with a new wave. It was only logical to let the Force take it all away, whatever destination it was guiding her to.

After climbing one of the hilltops, she saw a cluster of faint lights in a meadow below. Not many of them. It looked like a remote village, not like the settlements she had seen from her ship, but it would have to do.

When she reached the bottom of the hill, Rey realised the place was not as small as it had looked from afar. It had perhaps fifteen buildings, but buzzed with activity. She could see the ships in a small, dimly lit docking bay and people walking the few tiny streets. Somewhere in the dark nerfs were bellowing. The village even had its own cantina and this was where Rey decided to go.

The cantina was a striking contrast to its gloomy surroundings. It was bright and warm and filled mostly humans and a few Zabraks here and there. There was even a tiny scene with three Biths playing a song that sounded completely out of place, at least to Rey. A small crowd gathered near the scene and attempted dancing, but it was no easy task given how crowded the place was.

Rey headed for the bar and asked for whatever the cheapest warm drink they had. She had found some credits on Quay's ship, but she knew better than to spend them too quickly.

"You're new around here," the bartender said, regarding her coldly. He was an old, hunched man, the type that looked like a harmless grandpa and seasoned killer at the same time. Rey just shrugged. So much for passing unnoticed. Yet, it was hardly surprising. In a place like this you start recognising all the locals within a few days and she couldn't imagine why anyone would willingly come here.

"One of the Kyber fanatics, huh?" the bartender asked before she managed to come up with any valid response. She decided to go along with it, especially, that, technically, it wasn't even a lie.

"Yeah, some people pay well for this stuff," she said, as the bartender handed her a cup with steaming drink. She took a sip and immediately burnt her tongue. "Do you know where I can rent a room?" she asked.

"Most of you Kyber freaks tend to just sleep on your own ships," the bartender raised an eyebrow at her. Rey figured there was no point lying.

"I'd be happy to, but my ship got drowned in a mudslide," she said. From the look of the cantina and the kind of people in it, Rey deducted that the First Order was not exactly popular here, so, perhaps, it was good no one would know what kind of ship she had arrived in.

"Ah, haha!" The bartender laughed sternly, "You must have landed on the Northern Badlands. That's a real graveyard of ships, there, I tell you!"

Rey did not answer. She kept blowing at her cup to cool down the drink. She didn't realise how cold and hungry she was until she entered the cantina. When the drink cooled down a bit, she gulped it down within seconds. It had peculiar taste, a bit like Bantha gravy mixed with Jakku Nectar. She didn't want to know what it was. Still, she felt the warmth spreading throughout her, which made her happy beyond words and immediately she raised a cup to the bartender, asking for another round.

"Ignorant fools, those who don't bother to learn about the planet before coming here," the bartender continued, as he poured her another drink, "Northern Badlands are the worst place to choose, if you ask me."

I'm not asking you, am I, Rey thought, but didn't argue with the old man. "So, no rooms to rent around here?" she repeated her question, hoping not to sound impolite.

"We've got some," the barman said, while pouring Jawa Juice to an already drunk couple sitting next to Rey, "Not many and usually all rented out. You're lucky, girl, coz yesterday one of the gambling fools got killed for his debts to the wrong kind of crowd. Throat slit in the middle of my cantina! Blood everywhere and I have just put a new paint and flooring! No respect for hard-working people, if you ask me!" The bartender shook his head and seemed to dwell on this unpleasant memory. "His room is the only one available."

"I'll take it," Rey beamed at the old man and soon enough she was following one of the kitchen helpers – a girl, who couldn't be more than twelve standard years – into a tiny room at the back of the cantina building. It was on the first floor and there was barely any space between bed and walls, but it was warm and quiet.

It also had a shower cabin.

xxXXxx

Ben was only mildly tired, which came to him as a surprise. He had been Force-controlling Hux for entirety of talks with Sullust governor and he had expected it to completely exhaust him. He had feared it would make him slow and reactionary, as much as it was making Hux quiet and humble, but that hadn't been the case.

The Dark rises, and the Light to meet it. It made perfect sense.

Throughout the entire negotiations, he made himself feel the emotions and intentions of all the participants and, he had to admit it, it had made all the difference. Even if the governor and his advisors will start second-guessing their treaty with the First Order, it will be too late. The terms of the treaty would be impossible to break without risking the life of the governor's young son, who was to be kept at the First Order service, in training to become one of the leading commanders once he reaches adulthood.

Fancy way of saying he was nothing but a hostage, really.

And, since he was the governor's only son, Ben knew the accord would be followed. In case, however, that wasn't enough, the First Order took ten other children of prominent politicians of Sullust under its massive wings. All for the brighter future.

As cruel as this move seemed, Ben knew that the treaty helped him avoid a much bigger problem. The footage of Rey's antics made it more than clear that the people of Sullust were not happy. Quite the opposite. They were full of rage and frustration. Ben had seen this scenario once in his life already, when he was just a boy, before his parents sent him away to Skywalker. He had seen people frustrated with the system joining the Resistance.

He would not have it again. He would rather be called a coward by Hux and the likes. The First Order no longer had the Starkiller base, Snoke's prime destroyer had also been long gone, so it was wiser to lean on politics whenever possible rather than to smother people with the army, that could be – as everyone saw on the recent footage – so easily defeated.

All it took was one girl with the Force running through her veins.

A girl who, at this very moment, was standing under a searing hot shower.

Ben didn't register the exact moment the Force connected them, the sensation of the air being sucked out of the room must have become too familiar. Or, perhaps, had just become welcomed. Perhaps, he longed for it.

Perhaps?! Who are you trying to kid here? Ben thought as he stared at the steamy walls of a small shower cabin. He heard the hum of the running water. It must have been burning hot, because he could not see through the steam filling the cabin at all.

He knew he was interrupting something he shouldn't, but he couldn't look away. Part of him wished he knew how to break this Force connection, but another part of him was afraid to move – or even breathe – in case it actually would break it.

He held his breath, when he saw Rey's hand on the shower wall. She wiped the steam away, just a little, and he saw her face. She stared at him in surprise, but, inexplicably, he sensed no anger from her. What he sensed was a mixture of so many so conflicting emotions that, even if anger was somewhere in the mix, he wouldn't know.

Ben thought that he understood this hellish confusion, this combination of everything that Rey felt. Her mere proximity, even if only through the Force, gave him the most peculiar sensation. Something between feeling like finally he was home, and like he will always be lost, searching for her through the vastness of the galaxy until his very last breath.

Her lips were slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something but words wouldn't escape her mouth. Ben could see the drops of water on her long lashes. Her cheeks were deep pink and strands of her wet hair were stuck to the side of her forehead. She looked like one of these mythical creatures Mon Calamari claimed lived in the deepest reaches of their endless ocean. No one had ever caught, or even recorded any of them, but they were rumoured to be beautiful beyond measure. They would lead anyone foolish enough to approach them to a certain death. The victims would happily die, mesmerised by their beauty.

Ben knew that he, too, would gladly die, if this was what it took to hold her in his arms one more time.

When the flow of water came to an abrupt end, Ben found himself gripped by sudden panic. She was just a few steps away, completely naked, and it was intoxicating to the point of madness, but he was an intruder. She had every right to actually get angry.

"Do you have something – a cowl, or something, you can put on?" he asked, hoping to defuse the situation with some humour, although, he doubted she would remember the words she said to him that night when they spoke during one of their first Force connections.

"As a matter of fact, I do," said Ray. Ben could hear the smile in her voice. He saw her tug on the towel hung over the shower. That was when he realised he must be dreaming. He was about to see her wrapped in nothing but a towel. Surely, this couldn't be actually happening. He was definitely going to wake up any minute now.

And yet, there she was standing in front of him. Her slim body was tightly wrapped in a pale blue towel; water was dripping from her hair onto her exposed arms. Ben could actually feel the warmth emanating from her and, still, still he couldn't believe this wasn't a dream. Her eyes drilled into him in a way that made him more alive than he had ever been, even if it was just a dream. It also made him want to die, because – dream or reality – he was the Supreme Leader and she was the Jedi Nemesis and they could never, ever have what they both saw that night on Ahch-To.

It took all Ben's strength not to grab her by the arms and force a kiss on her perfect mouth.

But, then, nothing they did had been forced so far. Sure, the whole concept had been forced on them by Snoke, but nothing else since. As he looked into Rey's strangely dark eyes, he realised, again, as shocked as every time, that she wanted this, she wanted him. Against all reason and hope.

Rey drew nearer and her eyes fell on Ben's lips, and he knew he had been captured by this mythical ocean creature and he would be lead to his death. Just like in the legend, he was happy to die. He leaned in slowly, almost reluctantly, and kissed her.

As soon as her impossibly warm lips melted into his, he wrapped his arms around her, still, despite everything, afraid she might change her mind. When his hands stroke her naked back, she arched into him, tightening her own grip on his back. Her touch felt as if it was burning through his shirt. Everything felt as if it was on fire, their lips, the air their shared, the whole world.

Her tongue traced his, timidly, at first, only to get devoured by this fire they had awaken and give in completely.

How was this possible he still hadn't woken up?

When, at last, they broke the kiss, both equally out of breath, Rey rested her forehead against his chin and whispered: "See, this is what you should have done, when I asked if you had a cowl to cover up."

She looked up at him and smiled and Ben knew he was no longer the Supreme Leader. Or, perhaps, he was only now becoming one.

A/N: Please, please, please let me know your thoughts! And, as always, thank you for taking time to read this little fanfic (although can you say it's a little fanfic when you're on chapter 11 and it's not even the half-way through….?). It means a lot to know that someone out there actually got up to this point!

Thanks! xx