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Point of Light

AN: For years I've told myself I'd never step into the vast expanse of Star Wars fanfiction. Mainly because I consider myself a mediocre writer at best, and don't really feel adequate to do the fandom justice. But this idea came at me with a vengeance, so I thought I'd give it a shot and add my support for the Episode IX hype.

Originality Disclaimer: I have scanned through all of the summaries for the Reylo fanfics on here and although my story follows a similar pattern/theme as a few others, I don't think there are any out there with this particular plot. (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong though.)

Chapter One – Trade

Rey let out a nervous breath as the blueish-white lightspeed lane around her suddenly melted into black space and the mammoth dreadnought Supremacy appeared through her cockpit view port. She quickly flipped a few switches on the control panel as various warning lights and alarms sounded.

The Y-Wing she had "borrowed without permission" from Leia was beyond its last legs, though there really hadn't been much else to pick from, since the Resistance was still pitifully short on ships and manpower after the battle on Crait only two months ago.

The Supremacy loomed ahead, its massive engines giving off a menacing hum even at a distance. Rey tipped her head at the sound of her astromech companion beeping worriedly. "I don't like this either Artoo," Rey replied with a dismal sigh. "But what else can we do? I can't just leave them to die. I have to do something."

Rey still wasn't sure how Finn, Rose and Poe had managed to get themselves captured by the First Order some twelve standard hours ago. According to Leia, the trio had been tasked with a simple reconnaissance mission on some nameless moon looking for prospective supplies. The mission had obviously gone sour, because not long after their capture the First Order publicly announced over the HoloNet that they were willing to make a trade for the three prisoners.

For former Supreme Leader Snoke's murderer, Resistance fugitive Rey.

It hadn't surprised Rey that they blamed Snoke's death on her. In fact, it made sense that Kylo would blame the killing on her, otherwise he never would have claimed his grand new title. None of that mattered to her though. What mattered was the safety of her friends. Despite Leia's fervent attempt to talk her out of surrendering herself, as it was clearly a trap, Rey was determined to follow through with it.

R2-D2 broke her out of her thoughts with another dubious string of beeps. "A plan?" Rey repeated with a disparaging laugh. "We'll see about that soon, I guess."

The astromech let out a long, plaintive whine, but Rey could only cringe in reply when a telltale rattling suddenly erupted from the starboard engine. "Can you look into that? I've got to concentrate on... not getting shot down." R2-D2 chirped compliance and got to work, but not without a warped grumble.

Switching on what she guessed were the proper channels, Rey dearly hoped the bridge's administrators weren't napping on the job. "Calling Supremacy, this is Y-Wing Sunburst, please respond."

After a few tense seconds of static, a man's voice crackled to life on the comm. "Y-Wing Sunburst confirmed. State your intent or prepare to be fired upon."

Rey rolled her eyes but leaned in again to reply. "This is Resistance fighter Rey. Here to surrender," she spoke clearly but hated the way that last word tasted on her tongue. "I repeat, my intent is surrender. Awaiting extraction."

There was a pregnant pause, and Rey could imagine the administrator scrambling to notify his superiors about this new development. "Copy that Sunburst," the man said, sounding a little more nervous than before. "Tractor beam is locked on. Extraction commencing."

Rey leaned back in her seat and sighed again as the fighter lurched forward from the tractor beam's pull. She couldn't help but wonder how different things might have been had she stayed with the Resistance the past two months. Instead, as soon as the small band of Resistance fighters had established a new base, she and Chewie had taken the Falcon into the outer rim, in search of a Kyber crystal to power her new lightsaber.

Granted, she still had Luke's cracked blue crystal, but the ancient Jedi texts Rey had "liberated" from Ahch-To's library made it a point that each aspiring Jedi needed to find their own crystal, the one that called out to them specifically and reflected the same essence of the Force in their heart.

With the help of those same texts, and after about a month of following their vague and cryptic directions, (and almost another month just to find a route back to the inner rim and locate the Resistance) Rey had finally managed to find a suitable crystal for the hilt that still needed work. All of which was safely tucked away in the knapsack on her lap.

Not a lot of good it would do her for all the trouble it was to find when the First Order was about to apprehend her and confiscate her belongings.

Rey suddenly missed Chewbacca's protective presence and encouraging grumbles, but she was firm in her resolve not to endanger him and the Falcon needlessly. As it was, she felt bad for bringing Artoo along, but the droid had acquired a funny little habit of following her around after Luke's passing and had been quite adamant about going with her when she went looking for a ship to borrow.

The Supremacy quickly filled her view port as her fighter drew ever closer to the nearest red lit hangar bay. It was both amazing yet discouraging to see the flagship almost completely repaired after the Raddus had quite literally ripped the starboard wing clean off some two months ago.

It was a blatant testament just how much the gap had grown between the First Order's wealth of resources and the Resistance's lack thereof.

As her fighter passed through the red magnetic field of the hangar bay, Rey felt a wave of anxiety surge through her arms and legs. Execution most likely awaited her at the end of the day, and whether the First Order would actually hold up their end of the bargain and release her friends was anyone's guess. But as far as Rey was concerned, there was no other alternative. Her friends needed her, and she would not turn her back on them.

Upon setting down in the massive hangar, Rey had expected a squad of troopers ready to swarm around her cockpit, unceremoniously drag her out, cuff her and otherwise manhandle her to a holding cell.

None of which happened at all. As her fighter's view port hatch slid open, Rey stood to see two perfectly symmetrical lines of white armored troopers standing before her, as if forming the path in which she should walk. Her eyes followed the path to its end only to lock onto Kylo Ren's imposing dark clad form.

The silence in the air was eerie as he met her gaze, his arms held behind his back as if he was patiently waiting. Rey wasn't sure how long she hesitated there, standing in her cockpit, expecting the coiled tension in the air to erupt all at once. But it never did.

Kylo raised his head ever so slightly, and if Rey hadn't been so focused on him she would have missed the prompt. Don't make me come and get you. She could almost hear his thoughts through the Force. Perhaps she did, though it wouldn't have surprised her, considering the undeniable bond they still shared.

After climbing out of the cockpit, she held fast to her knapsack as she strode down the lane between troopers, who stood so still that they might as well have been statues. Rey turned her attention back to Kylo as she approached him, perplexed by his lack of concern at apprehending her.

His black attire hadn't changed much since she'd seen him last, though his belt, gloves and cape now had notable blood-red trim. His black hair was slightly longer and was beginning to resembled a mane around his neck. His brown eyes were as calculating and just as hard to read as she remembered.

The silence seemed to stretch on forever until she came to a halt only a few feet away from him. When he didn't make a move or say anything, Rey finally made an impatient gesture and raised both hands expectantly. "Well, here I am." She chanced a cursory glance about the huge hangar and noted three small shuttles parked on the opposite side from where they stood. "Where are my friends? Are they hurt?"

"Your friends are fine," Kylo finally told her as he brought a comlink up to his mouth. "Bring them out."

Rey looked across the hangar, close to where the shuttles sat, at the sound of a door hissing opening. Seconds later, two troopers emerged from the door with a shackled and struggling Finn between them. Behind him, Rose and Poe were also pulled by a pair of guards respectively as they were all led towards the shuttles.

"What are you doing?" Rey snapped, eyes darting from Kylo to her friends and back again. "This was supposed to be a trade! My surrender for their release. You have to let them go!"

"I will let them go," Kylo responded calmly, unperturbed by her obvious aggravation. "Eventually."

"What?" Rey nearly screeched at him. She knew she shouldn't feel surprised by the treachery, since Leia had warned her of such an outcome, but it didn't make things any easier to accept. Especially not by him, of all people, and so causally at that. "Where are you taking them?"

Kylo seemed to study her for a few seconds before replying. "They will each be transported to three separate star destroyers for detainment." He no more than finished speaking when the prisoners started shouting and thrashing as their guards began leading each of them into different shuttles. Finn and Rose seemed to be putting up the biggest fuss though, as if they expected to be executed soon and didn't want to face it alone.

"No!" Rey cried and felt her body lunge in their direction instinctively, only to be caught by one of Kylo's arms barring her way at the waist. "You can't separate them like this!" she yowled, turning on him with a snarl that quickly melted into a frown and a plea. "Please, don't do this."

"There will be conditions."

Rey nodded, attention darting between him and her friends worriedly. "Anything."

"You will do as I say." It was a statement, though Rey nodded again, as if it had been a question.

"Any disobedience and they will be immediately separated."

She nodded again.

"Cause any trouble and they will be executed, one by one."

Wincing as though he had stabbed her with a knife, she nodded a fourth time.

"We have an agreement, then." Kylo released her and Rey stood, watching passively as her friends across the hangar continued to struggle. "Change of plans Lieutenant," the Supreme Leader spoke into his comlink again. "The traitor and the girl are to be transported together."

"What about Poe?" Rey complained worriedly as her friends calmed down considerably and were finally led into the two different transports, not having noticed her at all.

"For a prisoner, you sure are demanding," Kylo commented with a raised brow. "Keeping them all together is too much of a security risk. But don't worry, the pilot will have his little droid to keep him company."

Rey had momentarily forgotten about BB-8, but she was suddenly aware of his distinctive orange-white tint against the gray-black interior of the hangar as he too was loaded into the same shuttle as Poe, beeping atrocities and complaints at their white-armored captors.

She had also forgotten about the blue and white astromech that had been quietly sitting in his Y-Wing housing until now. R2-D2 had lowered himself to the floor and blew out a string of rebuking beeps in Kylo's direction, causing the dark haired man to bristle for the first time since Rey had landed.

"Get that droid off my ship," Kylo growled and aimed a pointed finger at the mech, though oddly enough, his command was directed at Rey and not his subordinates. "Before I have it sent to the factory for recycling."

Rey took a second to look up at him, puzzled as to why he would even be giving her an option on the matter if the droid aggravated him so much. Again though, his eyes bore straight through her own, giving nothing away except a sparking irritation.

Blinking and turning towards the astromech, Rey crossed back over to him and knelt down to speak quietly. "I'm sorry Artoo, but you have to go. Tell Leia and Chewie that I'm sorry, but things didn't go as badly as we thought." She paused to glance back at Kylo, still standing ridged though patient. "Tell them, I can't put my finger on it, but something about Kylo is different..."

R2-D2 warbled dubiously but begrudgingly moved to reconnect with the starfighter. He beeped sadly one last time and ignited the engines before lifting off and retreating back through the magnetic field. Rey sullenly returned to stand in front of Kylo just as the two shuttles carrying Finn, Rose, BB-8 and Poe left the hangar in the same manner, leaving the aspiring Jedi to her fate.

The feelings of loneliness and abandonment all too familiar to her.