Outside the Death Star wreckage, the skies of Endor blazed. The canon fire seemed to have stopped; the atmosphere was quiet but filled with a mixture of orange flame and grey smoke. Several Dreadnoughts had come to rest their decimated carcasses upon the grassy plains of Endor. The impact of the ships bodies weight with the ground crushing and flattening vast sections. The air around the flaming remains of ships rippled with heat and smoke swirled about it. The metallic debris of other vessels, X-wings, B- Wings, Tie-Fighters, Y-Wings and other Resistance ships lay strewn across the grass or within the sea. This once lush green and beautiful planet had been ravaged by war, caught up in the conflict between good and evil. Hopefully, this time would be the last time.

"Is it over?" Rey asked.

"Not if Pryde is still alive." Ben reached for a communications device, "General Hux has Pryde surrendered?"

Static and silence followed until General Hux's clipped and ever eloquent voice broke through.

"Not yet Ren, all others have, but he is standing firm, we're preparing a convoy to gain his submission. I shall arrange for your collection, your presence I'm sure will be most persuasive."

Ben and Rey did not need to wait long before a shuttle landed to escort them to Pryde's Dreadnought.

"Good to see you're still alive, Sir," the stormtrooper greeted Ben with a courteous nod, before greeting Rey the same way. Rey looked about bewildered and amazed by the entire exchange. Ben nodded at the officer as the shuttle launched towards the scene of war above. He led Rey to a room at the back where he proceeded to search through medical supplies. Ben found what he was looking for and wrapped the bacta patch around the scorch mark on Rey's arm then grabbed another piece for her stomach, placing it on gently as she flinched with pain. Ben placed his large hand on her shoulder, searching her face, making sure she was ok, and she smiled back at him reassuringly. Relieved, that she was not too severely injured, he kissed her on the forehead before exiting the room and headed back to where the troops were stood staring out the shuttle windows at the scene before them.

Outside the atmosphere of Endor Rey had never seen the likes of it. The immediate space was littered with the debris of enemy and Resistance ships alike, united in mutual destruction. The glittering remains of exploded ships were all just stardust now in the eternal emptiness of the galaxy. Beside him, Ben could feel Rey's anger and grief at the loss of life.

"Contact Dameron, as leader of the Resistance he needs to be the one to take Pryde's surrender."

Rey nodded and opened her comms device.

"Poe, it's Rey."

"Rey, you ok?"

"Yes, we're both fine. Palpatine is defeated. It's time to end this."

"Agreed, everyone has surrendered but those on board Pryde's ship. Meet me in the hangar of Pryde's Dreadnought."

Ben, Rey and the troopers from the shuttle met with General Dameron in the hangar of Allegiant General Pryde's Dreadnought. Ben stalked forward purposefully as he neared the group, Rey at his side. Poe spoke to them on their arrival.

"Solo. Rey," Poe greeted them.

Ben had to take a moment before he responded. The pilot had called him Solo, Finn had done that on Mustafar and now Dameron.

"We are ready to advance when you are," Poe continued.

"Let's proceed then." Ben ignited his lightsaber, and to his side, Rey ignited hers following Ben as he led the way towards the bridge.

-X-

On the bridge of the lead Dreadnought Captain Janome had watched the situation unfolding. Vice Admiral Renor was dead, and his ship had plummeted to the planet below long ago. General Kail had surrendered, and then there had been the betrayal by Admiral Deltan, General Hux, General Targo and Colonel Kramer. Regardless of such defections the battle had been reasonably evenly fought. When Allegiant General Pryde had lost the use of his ships autocannons and communication with Letan Nex on Endor's surface had failed, everything had changed. Janome had received correspondence from unknown Resistance leaders aboard Grand Admiral Skalick's Dreadnought informing her that the ship was under their command and that Skalick was also dead. She had watched their pilots doing their best to defend the First Order flagship, but so many had been reduced to metallic stardust that with no one higher to command her Captain Janome had called them back. Pryde had barricaded himself in his quarters refusing to leave until Letan Nex returned, so as far as Janome was concerned, she was in charge now, and that demon Nex was dead. Good riddance. Janome hadn't joined the ranks of the First Order to bring back the Galatic Empire. Those were her men and women fighting out there, and she wasn't going to sacrifice anymore on a lost cause. This battle and the First Order were as good as over.

"Captain Janome, Resistance fighters have entered our hangar and are heading to the bridge, Kylo Ren is with them," a communications officer reported.

"Open the doors," Janome commanded. Captain Janome had every intention of doing this correctly and unlike Pryde with her dignity intact, standing to attention awaiting the approaching company of Resistance officers and fighters. She felt apprehensive, but it seemed the Resistance had been merciful to anyone who had surrendered. She hoped that was where this endeavour was heading- peaceful submission. Through the open doors of the command centre, Janome could see the approach of the enemy led by two lightsaber-wielding figures. One was the dark towering form of Kylo Ren carrying that red burning sword, the other a girl garbed in white carrying a brilliantly blue weapon, her clothing streaked with blood. Captain Janome gulped nervously. The girl smeared in blood though not physically as intimidating as Kylo Ren had and an air about her that made Janome equally as nervous. Janome had seen the previous Supreme Leader a handful of times always masked, he was and always would be frightening to behold. Janome felt no shame in feeling afraid of the man. Janome had heard enough stories from fellow officers who'd been dragged, choked and thrown by the man to know that Kylo Ren was formidable and had a reckless temper. He wasn't any less intimidating without the mask, his dark eyes were intense. A severe scar ran across one of those eyes and down the length of his face.

The band of fighters entered the bridge weapons posied, but with no sign, anyone was about to use them. The pace of the group didn't falter until Kylo Ren stopped less than a metre from her, the others with him also halting. Although Janome did not alter her footing or stance from her respectful military pose her hands clenched each other hard behind her and her head leant back slightly, fearful of being lanced on that fiery red bolt. Nobody spoke, and Janome didn't dare look at anyone other than Kylo who when he finally did speak did so in a deep voice, his words short and precise.

"Captain Janome, where is Allegiant General Pryde?"

"In his quarters," Janone blurted out nervously; she was also surprised that Kylo Ren knew her name and had been civil. Janome paused for a moment calming herself and then continued, "He's unaware of you being onboard, and of the extent of the situation."

Kylo raised an eyebrow questioningly at Janome.

"What is Allegiant General Pryde aware of?" a short handsome pilot with dark wavy hair asked her.

"That Skalick and Renor are gone, that Kail surrendered. I take it Letan Nex is dead?" Janome responded still not allowing her gaze to falter from the dark Jedi before her.

"Yes," the girl in white answered this time, and Janome turned to her and nodded.

"Pryde is unaware of that although we all suspected. He is ignorant of our Ties being recalled or of our current rather terminal position."

Kylo Ren nodded his understanding of the situation. Now the pilot at the head of the pack spoke again.

"Captain Janome, I'm General Dameron, leader of the Resistance. Are you here to surrender your forces and your ship?"

Janome turned respectfully to address the new speaker. "I am General, yes. I want no more of my soldiers or pilots to die for something I believe is already over."

Janome felt a little embarrassed at thinking this man had been merely a pilot.

General Dameron spoke to the other Resistance members around them.

"Solo, Rey go deal with Pryde, the division and I will stay here with Captain Janome."

A handful of Resistance fighters followed Kylo Ren out of the command centre; Captain Janome watched them go the same way they'd just come from and wondered to herself why they were referring to Kylo Ren as Solo?

-X-

Ben headed further within the flagship, away from the bridge and towards the quarters. Dreadnoughts interiors were all the same, and he knew the corridors and layout intimately. That familiar buzz and mechanical hum of the ships interior systems, the insistent click of his boots on the polished floor were all sounds with which Ben was well acquainted. He headed towards the hierarchy's sleeping quarters. The doors to Allegiant General Pryde's quarters were shut, and outside two troopers nervously stood as they approached. No sign that they had any intention of utilising the weapons they held, as the group stopped the troopers quietly stepped aside. Before Rey even pressed the release button to open the doors, Ben knew that they had been overridden to stay shut. He took his red flamed lightsaber and thrust it into the doors. Around his saber, the doors started melting; they would open soon enough. There were safety procedures that would not allow a door to stay shut when extreme heat was applied.

"Blaster's ready," he growled at the fighters with them.

The melted hole increased until the door opened Rey instantly deflected several poorly aimed blaster shots. Pryde had no real military experience; he wasn't a soldier; he was a scientist with ideas and a savagely misguided view of his place in the future of the galaxy. Harnessing the Force, Ben reached out with his saber free hand and froze Pryde where he stood then lowered Pryde's blaster hand to his side. Pryde looked different from how Ben was used to seeing him, unhinged. Desperation had made him sloppy both mentally and physically his hair no longer slicked back but fell over his eyes. It would be so easy to break his neck or to make him shoot himself with the blaster. No one need know Ben had done it he could compel the division with him, that Pryde had committed suicide easily enough, Rey, however, would know.

Ben stepped towards Pryde, carefully scrutinising his face and letting go of his hold ever so slightly. Then spoke a calm command.

"You will drop your weapon."

Pryde's fingers released the blaster, and it fell to the floor at his feet. Rey raised her lightsaber to Pryde's shoulder the blue light shimmering off Pryde's terrified face, and Ben smiled.

"The First Order, the Contingency, Letan Nex are dead," she announced. "You are a prisoner of the New Republic."

"Try to accept your fate with an ounce of dignity," Ben added.

Pryde managed to mutter through a tense mouth, "You were always merely a tool in the machine."

Ben merely smiled at him maliciously harnessing the Force further he squeezed Pryde's throat. Pryde couldn't even pull at his throat; his hands were pinned at his sides; he just gasped through his locked face turning from red to nearly purple. Next to him, Ben could hear and feel Rey's disapproval. Eventually, he released his hold on Pryde's throat; it wasn't his life to take. Pryde's life would serve a purpose for the creation of the new galaxy. Calming himself, he turned his head slightly to speak behind him while maintaining his focus clearly on Pryde.

"Do you have any binders?"

Behind him, a Resistance fighter came forwards handing the binders to Rey.

"Yeah, right here."

"Then take him prisoner."

Rey extinguished her lightsaber, reattaching it to her belt and stepped forwards as Ben moved Pryde's arms up against his will. Rey placed the binders around Pryde's hands and then stepped back. Harnessing the Force further Ben lifted Pryde's body so that it hovered just above the floor then Ben moved him across the room. Ben made Pryde exit the room, closely followed by Rey and the other Resistance soldiers. All the while Pryde was attempting to fight and shout out but was unable to do a thing against Ben's will, his face reddening in his futile efforts.

As they re-entered the bridge, General Dameron and Captain Janome stood awaiting their arrival. Ben let his control of Pryde go. Pryde stumbled forward from the unexpected release, having been fighting against Ben's hold, and fell to his knees in front of General Dameron. The Resistance Leader looked down at Pryde, amused by what he saw.

"Allegiant General Pryde, I assume."

Pryde didn't respond merely glowered up at him until two Resistance soldiers came to his side and dragged him up.