A/N: Hello! This story is a rewrite of my previous story Dark Hearts. The old story will be taken down a week after this chapter is published. As time has passed and more content has come out, I have had to change my overall story to fit the events of canon. This story and the other connecting tales to come are all mostly canon-compliant (with slight changes here and there). If you are a previous reader, welcome back! If you are new, welcome! This story takes place about 5 years before The Force Awakens. I hope you enjoy!

Sanya lay on the bed in her quarters, amusing herself by spinning small figurines in the air with the force. Her cousin and business partner Sam had been gone for several hours, leaving her to her own devices onboard their ship, the Distrix. He didn't like taking her to meet clients, as people tended to treat force users with distrust.

Tales of Jedi and Sith had been warped over the years to the point where they were considered a joke or a myth. The only prevalent force users in the galaxy were the Knights of Ren, most notably their leader Kylo Ren, and they were widely feared and avoided. They had wiped out the New Jedi Order she had been part of as a teenager, killing her fellow students after the death of their master Luke Skywalker. Sanya had barely escaped herself, only surviving because her mother had reached her in time to save her from the massacre. Since then, she had managed to stay off their radar, living a simple life with Sam transporting cargo for various clients.

At the sound of the ramp lowering in the cargo hold, Sanya sat up, letting the figurines fall onto the bed behind her. She got to her feet and opened the door of her quarters to reveal Sam climbing up from the cargo hold.

"Any new business?" she asked.

"Yeah, but you're not going to like it," Sam responded, "we're going to Mygeeto."

Sanya groaned at the thought of returning to one of the last places she wanted to go.

"I hate Mygeeto. It's cold and full of lowlifes. Not to mention, there is almost always a First Order presence there."

"Wouldn't they be considered lowlifes?" Sam asked jokingly.

Sanya gave him a scowl in response, not amused by his attempt at humor.

"I really shouldn't go back there. Not after what happened last time."

"You mean when you cut off a guy's hand?" Sam asked, "you may not have inherited your mother's red hair, but you certainly got her temper."

"He had it coming. I told him I wasn't interested in both Basic and Huttese, but he persisted. He's lucky I just cut off his hand."

Sam chuckled at her comment, walking in the direction of the cockpit.

"Well, you can wear your hood and mask. As long as you refrain from dismembering anyone, I think we should be fine."

Sanya rolled her eyes, closing her door and following him to the cockpit. She flopped down into her co-pilot seat as the ship took off, making her displeasure as evident as she could.

"We'll be paid a good amount of credits for this job," Sam assured her. "Maybe we could take some time off afterward. You can go home and visit your mom. It has been a while since you have been home."

"Yeah, maybe," Sanya said as she prepped the ship for hyperspace.

When they reached Mygeeto, Sanya instantly felt uneasy. There was a First Order ship in orbit above the planet, which had been one of her concerns about them coming here.

"Relax, Sanya," Sam said as he entered their clearance codes. "We aren't doing anything suspicious that will get us in trouble."

"To the First Order, my existence gets me in trouble. Especially if the Knights of Ren are around."

"Don't look like a Jedi, and they'll leave you alone. If you're that worried, leave your lightsaber on the ship and just take your blaster."

Sanya looked at Sam incredulously for his suggestion.

"I know, I know. You never go anywhere without it," he said, "forget I suggested it."

Sanya left the cockpit, returning to her quarters to grab her gear. Preparing for the frigid air and to avoid unwanted attention, she pulled on her hooded cloak. She wrapped her mask around the lower half of her face, snapping it in place behind her neck. Sanya stared down at her weapons on the bedside table, considering what Sam had suggested about leaving her saber behind. Shaking her head at the ridiculous notion, she hooked it on her hip beneath her cloak. Grabbing her blaster, she placed it in the holster on her leg, just in case.

Sanya exited her quarters just as Sam set the ship down on the landing platform. She pulled her gloves on as he walked towards her, pulling his coat on over his shoulders.

"Let's get this over with," she said, pulling her hood up over her head.

The pair of them climbed down to the cargo hold and walked down the lowered ramp. The port bustled with activity around them. Sanya glanced around nervously at the snowtroopers patrolling the port. Sam touched her hand lightly in encouragement, before closing the ramp behind them and walking towards the city attached to the port. Sanya shook off her unease and followed him closely. Reaching out with the force, she kept herself aware of her surroundings. She could sense a strange presence somewhere in the city, but she couldn't identify the source. Deciding it was better to lay low than to investigate, she withdrew her range to the immediate area. Sanya followed Sam through the city, stopping at a door on a quiet side street. He knocked on the door, which opened to reveal a protocol droid waiting for them.

"Please come in," it said welcomingly, "my master is expecting you."

The pair followed the droid into the building, where it led them up some stairs to a room where a man sat reading something on a datapad. He looked up when his guest entered and smiled in greeting.

"Ah, hello my friends! I've been waiting for you," he said jovially, "please sit. My droid will bring refreshments, and then we can talk business."

"Just water for me," Sam said, following the man's suggestion that he sit.

"And for your friend?" the other man asked, gesturing to Sanya.

"Nothing for me, thank you," she replied curtly, "If you don't mind, I will wait out on the balcony while you discuss business."

The man shrugged and pointed to the door leading outside. Sanya nodded her thanks before exiting the room, letting the door slide closed behind her. She never was part of the business discussions, as she was more like the 'muscle' of their partnership. Sam took care of the jobs. It was just her job to make sure he didn't get killed. It was a position she had inherited from Sam's father, one he had trained her for.

As she braced herself against the cold wind, Sanya's eyes scanned the streets below her. She could feel the strange presence from before again. Something about it felt familiar, like a memory. She felt uneasy again, concerned that her fears had been relevant about coming to Mygeeto. As she scanned, her eyes fell on a dark figure being followed by a few snowtroopers. The figure stopped to speak with someone else in the street, who pointed in the direction of the building she was currently occupying. Sanya cursed in Huttese as the group started walking in her direction. She turned and quickly retreated inside.

"We need to go," she said, grabbing Sam's arm. "First Order."

Sam apologized to their host, explaining that they would return in a few days to resume their conversation. Just as he finished speaking, there was pounding on the door. Sanya pulled Sam to his feet and towards the entrance to the balcony.

"Wait, you can't go that way! We're on the second floor!" the man called out.

"We'll manage," Sanya said before going outside.

Sanya looked down to see the group of troopers outside the door. The dark figure that had been leading them was nowhere to be seen, but she was sure that he was around somewhere. The presence she had sensed was clear and nearby, which meant it had been him she was sensing. Using the force, Sanya lifted Sam down to the ground on the opposite side of the building as the troopers. She gestured for him to flee before she jumped from the balcony to an adjoining roof. As Sam quickly walked back towards the port, Sanya stealthily followed him from her higher vantage point. Luckily, it had begun to get dark, so she was hidden as she moved along the rooftops.

When Sam reached an intersection, Sanya prepared to jump down to join him, confident that they had lost the troopers. Before she could jump, she noticed Sam tense up. He seemed to be stuck in place, like he couldn't move. The dark figure from before stepped out of the shadows of a nearby alleyway, his hand raised towards Sam's still form. Now that he was in clear light, Sanya could see that it was Kylo Ren. She had seen pictures of the leader of the Knights of Ren on First Order propaganda postings. From her vantage point on the roof, she could barely hear what he was saying, but the deep voice coming from beneath his helmet sent chills down her spine.

"You have been seen traveling with a woman. My sources tell me that she's used a lightsaber and used the force while in your company on this planet."

Sanya cursed again. The slimeball that she had interacted with before must have seen them and alerted him to her presence. There was no way that she would get Sam out of this situation alive without revealing herself. She reached beneath her cloak and grabbed her lightsaber from her hip, waiting for the right time to jump in.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sam lied, struggling against the hold Ren had on him, "I'm traveling alone."

Ren took a few steps closer to Sam, his walk broad and intimidating. Sanya could see Sam wince in pain as Ren's hold on him tightened.

"You were seen with her when you arrived. Where is she?"

Deciding that she had seen enough, Sanya ran across the roof she was standing on before leaping off of it. Flipping in the air, she ignited her saber, duel purple blades extending as her feet hit the snow. She landed between Ren and Sam, focusing on the former.

"I'm right here," she said, straightening up with her saber between them in a defensive position.

"Ah, good," Ren said, "I thought you ran off and left your friend to fend for himself."

He grabbed his own saber from his belt, igniting the crackling red blade. He gave it a spin, as if he was encouraging Sanya to make the first move. Not falling for his trick, she restrained herself.

"What do you want with me? I have no allegiance to the Republic, the Resistance, or the Jedi. I live a simple life and am no threat to the First Order or the Knights of Ren."

Ren tilted his head to the side, as if he was observing her closely.

"You seem experienced for someone who's not a Jedi. Although, I thought all of them had been wiped out, so you must not be one. Regardless, you must be eliminated."

With that final word, Ren charged her. He swung his saber at Sanya, humming as it collided with her own. The force of the impact sent a shock down her arms, almost causing her to let go of her saber. Reacting quickly, she pushed against his blade with her own. Both blades hit the ground, melting the surrounding snow. Holding her saber with one hand, Sanya reached out with the force to drag a large loose rock from the mountainside beside the town. She flung it at Ren, forcing him to duck out of the way. While he was distracted, Sanya could sense that his hold on Sam had disappeared.

"Sam, run!" she shouted at him, "get out of here!"

"Not without you!" he replied, trying to grab her arm.

Sanya pushed him away with the force, causing him to fly through the air in the direction they had been fleeing before Ren stopped them. With her guidance, he landed on his feet far away from where Ren was returning to his feet.

"Go!" she yelled, turning back to face Ren.

Annoyed that she had bested him, Ren swung more violently this time. Sanya barely had time to block his attack before his saber collided with hers. After exchanging a few more blows, Ren used the force against her. Sanya felt herself flying backward, somersaulting in the air before landing in a heap in the snow. Groaning in pain, she struggled to her feet, her hood falling back. She summoned her lightsaber to her hand, ready to fight again. When she focused on Ren, she noticed that he was standing in place, looking at her.

"Sanya?" his deep voice asked in pained surprise.

Noticing the cold air on her face, Sanya realized that her mask had fallen off her face with her rough landing. What concerned her more was that he seemed to know who she was. That explained why his presence had felt familiar.

Sanya started to ignite her saber again, but found herself frozen. Ren had put her in the same hold he had used against Sam. She couldn't move anything except her eyes. Sanya watched Ren as he stalked closer to her, fearing that this would be her end. He had her trapped and could easily kill her. Rather than running her through with his blade, however, he turned it off and returned it to his belt as he walked.

"You're alive…" he said, almost to himself as he gently touched her face with his gloved hand.

Sanya felt her fear building up inside her at his closeness. Frozen in place, there was nothing she could do. She felt him remove his hand from her face before she lost consciousness, falling to the snowy ground.

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!