Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business Star Wars: The Last Jedi Re-Written

So I wasn?t sure I?d post this or not, because there is no Legion in it at all. But I worked extremely hard on this for 3 years and Reboot and Thoth Lad convinced me it would be alright so here I go.

Introduction:

This story I will re-write the entirety of last Jedi book where I see fit, I might keep certain parts the same but I will right it in my own words. I am taking inspiration from the movie, the novel, the junior novel, some YouTube theory videos (Supercarlinbros, Screenrant, different Star Wars channels.) and most importantly my own imagination. It will begin similarly with minor changes but by chapter 6 major changes will occur which change the course of the story.

I don't own Star Wars, I have a few characters that I'll introduce further on in story that are mine and I'll let you know, but I don't own any characters that the characters might mention or be related too. For characters that I've altered there story or created I'll release a profile at the end of the book so you know the changes, but only major characters or changes.

Just for reference, the original trilogy, the prequels, the Clone Wars, Rebels, the first season of the Mandalorian, Rogue One, and of course the Force Awakens are all canon to my story. Solo, The Last Jedi, and The Rise Of Skywalker are not considered canon along with the plot of The Resistance, but Resistance stuff might still be mentioned. I might draw inspiration from other Star Wars media which will remain nameless. If ever there is a scene that contradicts the above mentioned canon I promise that is a thought out change that is needed for my plot. I hope you all enjoy.

Star Wars The Last Jedi

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...



Star Wars The Last Jedi: The Re-Write



The First Order reigns. Having decimated the peaceful Republic, Supreme Leader Snoke now deploys his merciless legions to seize military control of the galaxy.



Only General Leia Organa's small band of Resistance fighters stand against the rising tyranny, certain that Jedi Master Luke Skywalker will return and restore a spark of hope to the fight.



But the Resistance has been exposed. As the First Order speeds towards the Resistance base, the brave heroes mount a desperate escape....

Prologue

Rey exited the old smuggling freighter known as the Millennium Falcon onto a rocky island surrounded by blue sea. The island she had seen in her dreams. Something here was calling her but she didn't know what and she had a mission. Leaving Chewbacca behind to check the ship she turned to climb the ancient stone stairs with her staff.

She started climbing. The stairs and stone path went all over the Island so she decided to climb to the very top to get a better view. On the way she came to an abandoned village of small round stone buildings with lightning rods on the roofs. Maybe a dozen of the ancient shelters. No one appeared to be here at the moment so she continued climbing.

Not far from the small primitive village was a mysterious building built on a small flat clearing near the edge of a cliff. Although made from the same stone materials, this building seemed more recent. It was square instead of round and it was slightly bigger. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Rey entered.

With no lights it took her a second to adjust to the dark. What was in the centre of the building amazed her. An old X-wing starfighter, identical to those she had scavenged on Jakku. Just like those ships this one appeared to be a little over 30 years old, but unlike the ones on Jakku this one was intact, the building protecting it from the elements.

A singular flashing light in the cockpit indicated it was in low power mode just like the Falcon had been on Jakku for years. It wouldn't have much fuel but probably enough to get off world and one hyperspace jump. No sign of who she came for, she exited and continued the climb to the top.





Luke stood on a cliff overlooking a raging sea, sometimes still amazed by the amount of water. He wore sackcloth robes under a woolen cloak. A hood protecting his face from the wind. Hearing footsteps approaching him he realized that after many years of being left alone he had been found.

He turned slowly to see a girl on the other side of the plateau. She approached but stopped a few feet from him. He paused for a second then with both his metal and flesh hands, took his hood down.

He took a good look at her. Her hair was a light brown in a triple bun. Her gray vest and tunic were of simple style. She wore dessert gauze around her arms and carried a salvaged gear axle quarterstaff. A satchel dangled from her hip.

She took a good look at him. He looked sad, wrinkles burdened his forehead. A white beard separated him from his youth. His blond hair was unkept, peppered with white and gray. His robes were disheveled and grimy. It had probably not been washed in a long time, same with Skywalker himself. But he still had Sky blue eyes despite the troubled look in them.

The girl stopped and reached into her satchel and brought out an item he thought he'd never see again. She held out to him a lightsaber, his lightsaber. The lightsaber had belonged to him and his father, Darth Vader.

He had lost the weapon in the same instant he had lost his hand, in a duel with his father above the clouds, he had thought he had lost both forever. Now however, right in front of him stood a young girl, the same age he was when he left Tatooine for the first time, and she was holding his weapon out to him.

Chapter 1

War was coming to D'Qar. More specifically it was coming for Leia and her Resistance. Supplies, fuel, and soldiers were boarding escape shuttles to mostly the Raddus, but some were heading for the medical frigate Anodyne, Ninka, and cargo hauler Vigil that were also orbiting the planet.

There only hope was light years away. Rey, a scavenger girl from Jakku, who is strong with the force left the day before to find Leia's brother. Luke Skywalker was the last Jedi Master and Leia hopes that he would havethe ability to help lift the Resistance spirits, and that he would help defeat the First Order. But for now all Leia could do was wait.

While waiting for her shuttle, the former Princess of Alderaan was standing in a clearing surrounded by officers and other Resistance crewmen as she slowly read the names of the pilots who gave there lives blowing up Starkiller Base. She read all of them and finished with Han, she could barely say his name.

She was about to walk off the podium when Ackbar spoke out.

"Do a speech for Han."

'NO,' she thought.

She hadn't had any time to grief, and the last thing she wanted to do was give the final address to her distant husband, but she knew that's what everyone would wanted, and deep down she knew she had to do it eventually. She took a deep breath and than spoke from her heart.

"Han wouldn't want a long speech, he was a 'do now and think later' man who had no patience for anything."

Some old friends of Han in the crowd smiled.

"Han might not have always done the right thing but when it counted he'd be there by your side to save the day. Some considered him a Scoundrel, including himself, but deep down he wasn't. He cared about freedom for himself and everyone, he cared also for his family despite time and distance and will be missed."

With that she left to board her shuttle.



Huddled in a ball turret of a Cobalt Hammer, Paige and Rose Tico were doing there best to forget about the preparation for war right outside the ship.

"I hate the thought of you flying without me."

Rose said eventually, looking up at her sister. Paige just smiled.

"You just checked the guns, all I have to do is pump these triggers, and the TIE Fighters go away."

Rose had an uncontrollable yawn. Her sister gave her a concerned look.

"You were up late last night, nervous?"

Rose was now the one who smiled.

"I had this horrible feeling something was wrong with the bombers, so I went and checked all of them, once I knew everything was functioning I felt better and went back to sleep."

"Will you be ok today on the Raddus?"

Rose just nodded, she than held her teardrop Haysian ore Otomok Medallion that there parents had given them many years ago, right before...

"I will see you on the Raddus, right Paige?"

A nervous laugh.

"Of course, what have the past two years of us being reunited taught you, no matter what happens the Tico sisters will always find each other again."

She took her matching medallion out of her flight suit and placed it near Rose's.

The Tico sisters had a bond that would be extraordinary even for twins. Cobalt squad found it odd that two sisters that had not seen each other in 20 years could continue right where they left off and be as close as ever, but they soon excepted that nothing could separate them again. Nothing could change that.

The Cobalt Hammer made a chime sound saying it was fully fueled.

"You better get on the Raddus Rose, they'll need you in engineering now that you've been promoted to work on the lead ship. I'll see you after the evacuation."

She hugged her sister tightly.

"I'm just a maintenance tech, and of course I'll see you when we get to the next base."

They hugged for a few seconds more then Rose got up and left the ball turret. She would later wish she had hugged Paige a little tighter and a little longer.

Chapter 2

They had known that the First Order was coming, but not how fast they'd get to D'Qar. On the surface Lieutenant Kadel Ko Connix was the first to know of the First Orders arrival from being near the deep space monitor.

She contacted General Leia on the Raddus.

"They've found us."

Commander Dameron was the voice she heard respond, he talked to both her and presumably General Leia.

"Well, we knew that was coming, Connix, is the base fully evacuated?"

Connix took a second to think. 30% of deep fuel reservoirs remained to be siphoned, surface computer purging was still incomplete, and 30 pallets of cannon shells hadn't been loaded yet.

"We need more time, they'll be in range in 6 minutes, we need ten."

She heard the General speak to Commander Dameron.

"You've got an idea, but I won't like it, go."

Once the transmission was ended Connix started barking orders to the crewmen around her.

"Jones, tell the purging team to use the computers for target practice then get out of there." She turned to her droid.

"PZ-4CO, make sure we siphon as much fuel as time allows, but I want it and it's works on a shuttle with everyone else in ten minutes."

Finally she opened her com.

"Quartermaster Prindel, Bollie, get any cannon shells you are already loading on board, but then leave the rest, the First Order is here."

Connix looked up in the sky and could see the little dots that would be everyone's doom if Commander Dameron's plan didn't work. "I hope they know what they're doing up there." Connix thought before getting to the last shuttle to prime its engines.





Far up above the plant General Armitage Hux stood on the bridge of the Finalizer, gazing at the shuttles frantically trying to get to the bigger Resistance ships. From just a glance he classified all the ships and new the insignia of the flag ship, the Raddus.

The Finalizer gleamed with efficiency, the controllers and monitors briskly exchanged information with the other First Order ships targeting computers and sensor units. Hux smiled at the thought of his slim, dignified figure in a perfect black uniform in the middle of such activity that he helped create.

"We've caught them in the middle of their evacuation."

Veteran Captain Peavey exclaimed.

"The entirety of the Resistance in one fragile basket."

Hux kept his frustration against the old man concealed. Edrison Peavey was old, Imperial old. He served with Hux's late father over twenty five years ago, the father who was a good strategist but had beaten him regularly, and Peavey knew this. He was apart of the handful of Imperial loyalists that had managed to escape the New Republic bounty hunters by venturing into the uncharted space of the Unknown Regions, and formed the First Order, and most former Imperials thought it was the same thing. But the First Order was something new, and the Imperials, including Peavey, were all obsolete.

"Perfect. I have my orders from Supreme Leader Snoke himself. This is where we snuff out the Resistance once and for all. Tell Captain Canady to prime his Dreadnought. Incinerated their base, destroy those transports, and obliterate their fleet."

On the Fulminatrix Dreadnought, Captain Canady started giving orders to his arrogant, young crew.

"Reorient the topside cannons to target the Resistance fleet, and Prep our fighter squadrons for launch."

The annoying young officer Bascus objected.

"General Hux ordered no fighter deployed, he feels like demonstrating-"

Canady cut him off.

"Do I need to explain the difference between 'prep for launch' and 'deploy' to you?"

Canady was at his wits end with the stupidity of his crew when a scope monitor called out.

"Captain!"

The lighting of the bridge turn red, the scope monitor continued.

"We have a single Resistance X-wing fighter approaching. It's moving to an attack formation."





Black One was no ordinary X-Wing. Black fuselage and orange flare, already the fastest and most agile fighter in the Resistance, Black One had just been upgraded with an experimental booster engine. What really made it special however was who was flying it. A well equipped orange BB-8 unit in the droid socket, and Commander Poe Dameron, the greatest flyer in the Resistance, possibly in the Galaxy sat in the cockpit.

Poe was doing a few inflight checks when BB-8 beeped with displeasure, Poe translated it in his head to something like, 'I've got a bad feeling about this'. Poe didn't like this negative thinking,

"Happy beeps, buddy. We've pulled way crazier stunts than this."

Poe tried to convince himself that that was true, but most of those stunts didn't involve turbo-lasers pointing at his head.

"Happy beeps,"

General Organa talked through a private com channel.

"For the record, I'm with the droid on this one."

"Thanks for your support General."

Poe found it odd that she sometimes listens into cockpit conversation, but that's what makes her a good General, eyes and ears everywhere.





On the Finalizer, a confused conversation was taking place.

"A single light fighter?"

Hux squinted into space to see the ship he wasn't even sure was an X-wing.

"What is this?"

Everyone on the bridge kept looking back and forth at each other until Hux finally gave the previously implied order.

"Well... Shoot it!"

As soon as he gave the order a transmission from the X-wing was received, a bridge member allowed for the message to be heard.

"Attention, this is Poe Dameron of the Republic fleet, I have an urgent communiqu? for General Hugs."

Dameron. Hux's inside intelligence informed him that he had fired the final shot that blew up Starkiller Base. Besides currently pronouncing his name wrong, Dameron was responsible for countless destroyed TIEs and was the first pilot to Hux's knowledge to escape the First Order. Hux wanted him back in an interrogation cell so that he could personally torture him until his demise. For now the ship continued on its course but was still very far away.

"Patch him through. This is General Hux of the First Order. The Republic is no more so your fleet is rebel scum and war criminals. Tell your precious princess there will be no terms, there will be no surrender!"

Silence for a second which baffled Hux, than finally Dameron replied.

"Hi, I'm holding for General Hugs?"

Hux tried keeping a calm collective face but frustration and curiosity were seeping out.

"This is Hux. You and your friends are doomed! We will wipe your filth from the Galaxy!"

Silence again.

"Ok, I'll hold."

Hux reacted to this with a burst of rage.

"What?!"

Dameron responded quicker this time.

"Hello? Hello? I'm still here."

To this Hux turned to the communications officer with confusion and a little embarrassed.

"Can he hear me?"

The officer nodded. Hux's entire attention span was on Commander Poe Dameron and his communication problems, but Peavey was paying more attention to how the little X-wing was slowly getting closer.

Dameron responded again.

"Hugs, with an H, skinny guy, kind of pasty?"

Alarms in the back of his head were starting to go off but his ego, arrogance, and curiosity were getting the best of Hux.

"I can hear you, can you hear me?"

"Look, I can't hold forever, if you reach him, tell him Leia has an urgent message for him."

Dameron, clearly smiling through the com, had a dramatic pause.

"About his mother."

Something inside Hux snapped, how dare Dameron bring his forgotten mother into this. He also finally clued into what Dameron was doing, but annoyingly so did Peavey.

"I believe he is tooling with you sir."

Everyone on the Finalizer were looking at Hux. His rage boiling up until he screamed.

"Open Fire!!!"

Poe severed the transmission and braced for what happened next.

"Beebee-Ate, punch it!"

With the sudden newly found speed thanks to the experimental booster, Poe was heading straight for the massive Siege Dreadnought.

"Whoa, that's got a kick."

When he reached the hull he prepared to take out the cannons. He opened a link to all Resistance ships.

"Taking out the cannons now. Bombers, start your approach."

Chapter 3

On the Fulminatrix, Canady had one ignorant child swapped for another as Hux's hologram came up in front of him.

"Captain Canady, why aren't you blasting that puny ship?"

Canady couldn't hold back all of his annoyance, he sternly replied to the young General.

"That puny ship is too small, to fast, and at too close range. We need to launch our fleet!"

"Five bloody minutes ago."

He said under his breath. Goneril, another idiot crewman, decided to open her mouth.

"He'll never penetrate our armor."

For a single moment Canady envisioned kicking his crew out of the nearest airlock but that would have to wait until after the battle was won.

"He's not trying to penetrate our armor, he's clearing out our surface cannons!"

From behind Bascus called out.

"Captain, Resistance bombers approaching!"

Canady sighed in frustration.

"Of course they are."





Paige had been waiting in her cramped ball turret for hours, and now that she was in space headed for the Dreadnought her anxiety was through the roof. She could almost feel the thousands of Stormtroopers heading to there TIEs. All the cobalt squadron had to do was get to the ship and drop there pay load, but the simplicity of the task wasn't what it seemed.

Usually Paige piloted but the more experienced Finch Darrow was in the big chair. Finch would pilot and Paige would make sure they got there, for the Resistance and Rose's sake.

After a systems check and little crew banter Squadron Commander Tallie Lintra cracked in Paige's headset.

"Bombers, keep that formation tight, Fighters, protect the bombers, don't get dragged into dogfights, we must buy our evacuees some time."

On the Raddus Admiral Ackbar relayed the news he had just received from Connix to General Leia.

"The last transports are in the air, eta 4 minutes."

Leia didn't dare breath her sigh of relief yet but this was a good sign, she opened a transmission with her trusted Commander.

"Poe, the evacuation's almost complete, just keep them busy a little longer."

The second these words left her lips the sky suddenly started to become much more crowded, Poe had managed to blowup almost all the cannons, but he now had company.

"One cannon left, and here comes the parade."

The Dreadnought had finally launched its TIE Fighters. Hundreds, upon thousands of TIE Fighters left the Dreadnought and the other star destroyers. All but three made a beeline for the Bombers, what was left headed straight for Poe.

Poe wanted to go after the swarm of TIE Fighters, but he knew the best way to protect the bombers was to take out the final cannon. Destroy the Cannon, save the bombers, destroy the dreadnought, save the whole Resistance, and Leia and Finn.

As he approached the last cannon the thought of Finn stuck in his mind. The former Stormtrooper, who had rescued him from First Order captivity, and helped blow up Starkiller Base, now was unconscious in a medical coma recovering from a battle with the demon Kylo Ren.

Poe's focus on Finn was only an instant, but he paid for it dearly, he hadn't noticed the weapons lock on his ship until it was to late. An explosion rattled the small ship as Poe was just reaching the last cannon.

"Damn! Beebee-Ate, my weapons systems are down, we need to take out that last cannon or our bombers are toast. Work your magic little buddy!"

In the starfighter's droid pocket, the little orange and white astromech received Poe's request and got to work. He lowered himself inside of Black One, and a smoking junction box was in clear view and reach, most likely a short from the blast, an easy fix. He extended a welding arm, but as soon as he started repairing the single sparking short, another revealed itself.

'This can't be good,' the astromech squealed in frustration.

"Tallie, heads-up!"

Poe informed his close friend through his com set. She in turn warned her pilots.

"Here they come! Gunners! Look alive!"

Like a swarm of black insects the Starfighters surrounded them in an instant.

X-wings blinked off the radar so fast it was sickening. One pilot, Jaycris Tubbs, had his last words belted into everyone's ears.

"They're everywhere, I can't-"

Tallie had faith in her her friend, but fellow pilots were dying.

"We're not gonna get old out here Poe. Gimme good news!"

"Negative. Hold tight, Beebee-Ate, we've got to kill that last cannon. I need my guns!"

BB-8 was currently working on just that, using every single extending part of his body to try and fix the short. The original problem still remained and he had yet to think of a way to fix it.





As Canady looked out into the battle, part of him just wanted to admire the bright colours of the explosions, but the rest of him knew better. His pilots were dying, pilots that actually did there job unlike his bridge crew, and they deserved better deaths then in the vacuum of space.

"Are the auto cannons primed?"

"Primed and ready Sir."

Although he knew this was going to be the answer, this infuriated Canady.

"What are we waiting for? Fire on that base!"

What all sentient life saw next from space was a single shot of an intense laser shoot down to where some had called home for the past few months, and was now completely obliterated. All life the laser hit was gone; forest, birds, mammals, reptiles, insects and fish for miles where instantly incinerated alone with all soil and water.





A small miracle in all the madness came as a transmission for Poe from Admiral Ackbar and General Leia.

"The last transports are aboard, evacuation is complete." Leia has her pre-victory sigh of relief and complimented her best pilot.

"Poe, you did it, now get your squad back here."

This hit Poe like a Wookiee's punch to the gut. This Dreadnought would help enslave thousands and kill millions of more. He also couldn't believe the General wanted him to disengage now when lives had already been lost trying to take it out, did there sacrifices not matter?

"No, General, we can do this, we have a chance to take out a Dreadnought!"

Leia just fought back against this insubordination.

"We need to get the fleet out of here Poe."

Poe shot right back at her.

"These things are fleet-killers, we can't let them get away!"

The last words Poe heard before he disconnected his receiver was Leia's angry voice yelling at him.

"Disengage now, that's an order!"

On the Raddus bridge many turned there heads in the Generals direction to see her facial reaction or possibly what she'd do next, but all she did was turn toward her trusty companion droid and long time friend C-3P0.

"Threepio, wipe that nervous look off your face."

"Oh, well, I will certainly try General."





An X-wing right next to Commander Lintra suddenly exploded as it was hit with a laser attack from the Finalizer, the fiery remains spiraled into a bomber and tore it in half. Tallie knew that if that last cannon wasn't destroyed, in twenty minutes there would be no Resistance.

Poe knew that too, and deep down he also knew that Leia's orders probably should have been followed, so he made a decision. No matter what, this cannon has to go because the Resistance fleet is already way to far into this battle to retreat. He was taking out this cannon no matter what the cost, so that the Resistance, Leia, Finn and even the whole galaxy have a better chance at survival. He aimed his ship at the final cannon for a collision course.

"Beebee-Ate, it's now or never!"

Desperation can over the little droid and an improvised scenario entered his matrix that was most likely now his only hope. After a quick diagnosis on his own systems he retracted all his extensions and demagnetized his head from his ball body. Using his welding arms he thrusted his own head into the junction box, the instant the head made contact with the box he sent an electrical surge through his head causing the primary photo-receptors to have an electrical feedback, rebooting all ship systems.

The guns back to life Poe pulled the trigger and the final Dreadnought cannon went up in smoke. The heroic sacrifice would have to wait, he swerved out of the way.

Chapter 4

"Yah!!! All clear, bring the bombs!"

Poe yelled joyously into the intercoms. Tallie responded instantly.

"Happy to, here we go!"

In the bottom turret of a Cobalt Hammer, Paige was blowing up TIE after TIE. She had a knack at piloting but even she knew her true talent was behind a gun. She could almost feel the pilots in the black TIE Fighters, she knew where each one was and where they were going to be.

Just because she was doing extraordinarily well did not mean everyone else was though. Three bombers had already been destroyed, forcing the Crimson and Cobalt Squadrons closer together.

Another X-wing exploded. Over the shared channel, the Abnedish pilot known as C'ai Threnalli spoke in his native tongue which was translated by his ship for all to hear.

"We can't hold them."

Poe, who is a personal friend of Threnalli tried for some inspiration.

"Yes we can, stay tight with the bombers."

At this moment, Paige's thoughts went out to Rose. In all this stress, pain, and death, the thought of her sister calmed her. For 20 years Paige thought she was dead, but the second they were reunited it was like they had never been separated by the First Order. Thinking of cheerful Rose gave Paige the strength and will to keep fighting.

Dead ahead the nose of the Dreadnought was approaching fast. This was the moment they had all waited for. Tallie gave the command.

"We're almost there, Bombers, begin your drop sequence."

Above Paige, the pilot Nix Jerd would be arming the magno-charges and preparing for deployment all while still keeping them on course and doing his best to dodge laser fire. Paige, just for an instant, she thought that everything was going to be ok. That was when the TIE struck a Bomber.

There was an explosion as the TIE slammed into a bomber, than the remains of that ship tipped into the next ship which tipped into the next ship which tipped into the next. Paige's bomber had been on the opposite side of this chain reaction but it wasn't any less deadly. There was a brilliant white light as all the Bombers exploded in unison. Paige's Cobalt hammer was all that was left.





On the Fulminatrix, Bascus gave an update. "Auto cannons aimed. Three minutes until fully charged."

For a second Canady relaxed and let himself bask in his success, but then he shivered as he realized he was thinking like Bascus, Goneril, or even worse, Hux himself. He realized that the battle wasn't over yet.

"Destroy that last bomber."





Paige was still destroying TIEs with the help of many X-Wings, but she was surprised at how she was still alive. Her bomber, the only bomber, was now over the Deadnought, heading for the weak spot on the torso. A black X-wing flew under her and she instantly received a message from Poe Dameron himself.

"Cobalt bomber, why aren't your bay doors open?"

"Paige, come in!"

Paige rotated her ball and realize the horrid truth, the bay doors really weren't open. She opened her com for Nix, but no reply.

She opened her hatch and the ball instantly filled up with smoke and stale air. The power was also on reserves, this meant there must have been a malfunction or explosion that let all air out and shut down systems, but why was there air now?

She didn't have time to find out, they were approaching the drop zone and Paige didn't know how long the ship or its remaining oxygen would last. She opened the bay doors and headed for the ladder.

Poe yelled from Black One.

"Drop the payload, Now!"

She climbed the ladder that lead to the cockpit, as she reached the top she called out to her trusty pilot even though she knew he would never call back. The cockpit was a mess, a gaping hole showed Paige just where all the air went, but now there was a forcefield. That shouldn't have been possible because StarFortresses weren't equipped with that technology.

She couldn't worry about that now, she grabbed the remote from Nix's stiff hand and prayed he had already armed the bombs.

To Paige's luck he had, but just then a TIE landed a hit on her bomber and Paige lost her grip on the 7 meter ladder and fell to the base of it.

This should have killed her, or at the very least left her unconscious, but she willed her body to stay awake and somehow it did. She could feel broken rids and probably many fractures in other locations, but she still tried to look around. She could hear the sound of the remaining ships system deactivating, and at the very top of the ladder, taunting her by being half off the platform, was the remote.





On the Fulminatrix, Bascus once again gave a status update.

"Auto cannons fully charged."

Captain Canady gave his final order.

"Fire!"





She knew she couldn't climb the ladder, heck, she knew she couldn't sit up. So with her legs she kicked the ladder. The remote rattled slightly. She kicked again with all her might, nothing. She finally took a deep breath and tried to kick the Ladder again but her legs gave out as they touched the pole.

In that instant she picture the remote at the top of the ladder with all her might, and then forcefully imagined it tipping over and to her astonishment, it did. Tumbling down the remote came, she reached for it and missed, it fell right passed her.

'No, No, No, No,' Paige thought as she still reached out with her hand, and suddenly the remote levitated into her hand. Without a moment to spare she pressed the button.

Rows upon rows of magno-charges fell towards the dreadnought. Some had silly messages for the First Order like 'Hi Snoke' Rose and Paige had painted on together.

Rose. The StarFortress bomber lost power and so it started its descent into the fiery explosion below, all lights went out and the forcefield lost its power. In these last few seconds Paige grabbed her medallion and thought of her sister.

Here she learned that she could actually see Rose, she was looking out a window, looking at the battle from a distance. Paige could see her sister for all that she was, the good and the bad. Paige could also see everyone on the Raddus, and the First Order ships, and all life on D'Qar, and all life everywhere. Paige could see everything and then nothing.

Chapter 5

The dreadnought broke apart in multiple explosions and implosions until it was just a large hunk of fiery space debris.

The Resistance wasn't out of danger yet. The remaining X-wings sped for the hangar. Poe knew they needed to get out of there as soon as possible but also knew he'd be the last one in the hangar.

"Dameron to Bridge, get ready to launch into lightspeed as soon as I give the word."

He was coming in hot.

"Beebee-Ate, prepare emergency landing procedures, we are landing the second we enter the ship."

BB-8 gave an affirmative reply as they sped towards the Raddus with the First Order TIEs right on there tail. They entered the hangar, and Black One found an empty spot and slammed it's self down.

"Go, Go, Go, Go!!!"

Poe yelled into his com and a second later they were in hyperspace.





General Hux watched from the bridge of the Finalizer as one of the best ships in his fleet crumble to ashes and then the culprits get away. First his beautiful Starkiller and now the Dreadnought, Hux was in complete shock.

A young communications monitor called out to Hux.

"General, Supreme Leader is making contact from his ship."

All Hux wanted to do was head down a few decks to his chambers and take the communication there, but he knew Snoke did not have that amount of patience. He gathered himself together the best he could. Despite desperately trying to sound professional, Hux's voice rang as sarcastic.

"Excellent. Patch him through."

Suddenly a huge holographic image of the Supreme Leader's deformed huge humanoid head was in the center of the bridge for all to see. His eyes were almost ablaze with anger and annoyance.

"Supreme Leader, I-"

Hux suddenly couldn't breathe, his airway was not being blocked, but crushed by the force that Armitage really wished didn't exist. As he gasped for air he could not reach Snoke spoke.

"General Hux, My disappointment in your performance can not be overstated."

Although his vision was starting to go black and white Hux gestured to speak. Snoke scowled at him for a few seconds longer but reluctantly released his force grip on the General.

After falling to his knees and partially gaining his breath back he gasped at what he was trying to say.

"They can't get away Supreme Leader, we have my spy giving us there constant location, they are tied to my string."

"Splendid."





Finn regained consciousness, he was confused and only had his last thought on his mind.

"Rey!"

He sat straight up and whacked his head on something, twice, which did not help him regain clarity. He pushed the object out of the way and shifted his wait to try and sit up. As he did so he lost his balance and fell off some sort of table.

The fight he was having with the First Order's blood thirsty Kylo Ren was still fresh in his mind, the gash up his back and the smell of his own burnt flesh was the last thing he could remember, that and Rey laying motionless in the snow.

The translucent bacta suit was currently leaking everywhere but Finn did not care, he needed to find Rey and make sure she was alright.

He went out the door in a haze and started his search for somebody to make sense of what was going on.

"Well done pal."

As Poe opened his cockpit to let in somewhat fresher air BB-8 started rapid firing statements at him. He tried to make sense of his companion's statements.

"Finn, naked, leaking bag, what, are your chips alright?"

That weird fragmented sentence did get Poe's attention however and as he began to look around he discovered BB-8 was right. There was indeed a disoriented Finn walking in the hall outside the hangar in a mostly transparent leaking bacta suit.

Poe leaped down from Black One and ran to greet the confused ex-Stormtrooper. He puts his arms around him but then takes them off because the bacta liquid was squirting everywhere.

"Finn, buddy, It's so good to see you. It's, ahh, we need to-"

Poe stammers as he realized just how naked Finn was.

"Let's get you dressed, you must have a thousand questions."

But Finn only had one question to ask.

"Where's Rey?"

Chapter 6

Rey stood there, lightsaber in her hand outreached to the Jedi Master she thought was a myth only a few days prior. Hope was flowing through her, hope for the Resistance, hope for Finn and Leia, hope for the Galaxy, and hope for herself.

Luke reached out and cautiously took the hilt of the blade that Ben Kenobi had given to him all those years ago. So many old memories came flushing back. The first time he turned it on in Ben's hut, the brief training in the Milenium Falcon before Ben's death, when he first force grabbed it on Hoth to save his life, training on Dagobah with Master Yoda, and finally that fateful duel with his father on Bespin's Cloud City.

Rey watched as the Jedi Master looked at her with confusion, then his lightsaber with reminisces in his eyes, then back to her. Then she watched in shock as Luke dropped the lightsaber, that was rightfully his, to the ground and then walk right by her.

"Uh, Master Skywalker?"

Rey called out to him as she quickly grabs the lightsaber and tries to go after him. For an older man Skywalker was quick, Rey rushed to catch up but barely saw which hut Luke entered in the village. The door to his hut was locked so Rey knocked.

"Master Skywalker, I'm from the Resistance, Leia sent me. We need your help, we need you to come back."

There was only silence.

"Master Skywalker, hello?"

Still nothing.

"Are you ok in there Master Skywalker?"

"Go away!"

This left a bad taste in Rey's mouth, she had come all this way to help the Resistance and herself but whatever was wrong with Skywalker he wouldn't budge.

'Time to bring out the big guns,' Rey thought, as she turned to run down the island.





Luke had just finished changing outfits to prepare for the coming weather when there were more knocks on his door. Not particularly looking forward to talking to anyone he called back out to the girl.

"I said, go away."

Suddenly the door flung across his hut and slammed against the back wall. Moments later a familiar Wookiee storms in and roars in his face.

"Chewie what are you doing here?"

Chewbacca, still very mad at Luke for many, many reasons just yells at him again. Rey decided to translate.

"He says you're coming back with us."

Luke just replied sarcastically to her.

"I got that."

He turned to Chewbacca.

"You shouldn't be here."

Luke, more focused on his old friend then the random girl is subjected to another small growl before asking a question he hoped would never come.

"How did you find me?"

Rey, feeling like she was in a rush, responded.

"Long story, we'll tell you in the Falcon."

Luke suddenly noticed someone missing in this conversation. A panicked Luke looked to Chewie, but his furry friend had his head down in mourning.

"The Falcon? Wait, where's Han?"

Rey just now remembered Han once mentioning that he and Luke were good friends and felt ashamed she didn't think about Luke not knowing. She then took it upon herself to explain the horrific circumstances of which Han Solo had passed away.





As the turbolift carrying Hux rose, so did Hux's anxiety. If he kept thinking about what might happen to him when he reaches Snoke's throne room then he'd be a nervous wreck when he arrived. So instead, Hux turned his thoughts to the beautiful ship he was in.

The warship known as the Supremacy is the galaxy's first Mega-class Star Destroyer and currently the largest star ship in the known galaxy with a wingspan of 60 kilometers. Being on this ship meant a great deal to Hux.

Within the Supremacy held factories making armour, foundries making other star ships, research and development labs coming up with many ways to better the lives of everyone in the First Order, and training facilities producing the best soldiers in the galaxy. In short, the greatest minds, bodies, and machines possible and General Hux was in the centre of it. It even had enough food, medicine, and resources to keep it and its residents sustained for a decade before having to restock.

Snoke had made himself clear that he did not want one fixed location to be his Capital. It had been Hux's, and many others, hope that Starkiller Base would be the new Capital, but thanks to Commander Dameron, the beautiful Supremacy would have to do.

Fixed locations would only cause difficulties anyway; Hosnian Prime, home of the New Republic had proven that. In a Millennia it will only be known as a monument of when the First Order staked its claim to the galaxy. The New Republic will soon be forgotten but the First Order will go down in history.

The name General Armitage Hux will go down in history as well. He will be known for building their armies to the peak of perfection, as the architect of a technological revolution, and the sole destroyer of the New Republic and the minuscule Resistance.

With The New Republic destroyed and the Resistance soon to follow Hux could only assume a promotion will be his reward. Commander Hux of the Supremacy would be an excellent title... surpassed only by Supreme Leader Hux.

Hux suddenly turned pale again, he was getting close to the Supreme Leader's throne room and although Hux hated the idea of the force, he knew his master was strong with it and the abilities he had access to. Even one's thoughts weren't private with close proximity to him.

The doors were now open; although he was one of the few living beings granted to see Snoke, Hux did not feel like it was an honour at this moment. He kept a stiff upper lip though; with back straight and face forward, Hux strode into Snoke's throne room.

Snoke sat on his giant throne. His hideously scarred, giant, humanoid body was draped in dark purple robes that were only a few shades lighter than black.

They were not alone in the room, eight of Snoke's crimson-armoured Elite Praetorian Guards were spread out along the sides of the walls, ready to defend their master if he were ever attacked. Each was armed with a weapon they had mastered that had been enhanced with plasma photonic energy shields so they could resist lightsabers. Hux had convinced Phasma to add these features when he started seeing Ren as a threat.

As Hux approached, knowing how much thin ice he was walking on, he decided bowing on one knee in front of Snoke would be the first step into getting back into the Supreme Leader's good graces.

Snoke looked down upon Hux with disappointment and spoke.

"General, I handed you a war hammer and you pointed it to a nug-gnat!"

He wasn't even yelling but his voice boomed to the same effect.

"As I assured you Supreme Leader, my operative is just standing by for when their ship exits hyperspace. She will then transmit their locations. The setback is merely temporary."

"Are you sure your confidence is in her skill or the nights you spent with her."

Hux controlled his emotions and prevented himself from showing emotion or having a shaky voice.

"She has proven herself time and time again to both myself and you, Supreme Leader, as a reliable First Order spy and assassin. She won't fail, and our intimacy has not occurred in years."

A smile made its way to Snoke's face.





The turbolift doors opened once again as Kylo Ren emerged as Snoke finished up his conversation with the General who was now standing up. He had just gotten out of surgery, he would never admit to how close the scavenger girl, traitor, and Wookiee had managed to get him to his death.

"Tied on a string indeed General Hux. Well done. The Resistance will soon be in our grasp."

Snoke chuckled.

"Thank you, Supreme Leader."

Hux said this rather loudly to make sure Kylo Ren could hear. He knew it was childish but he loved his hard earned successes to be observe by Ren. He wished he could see the punishment Kylo was about to receive but knew he was over staying his welcome. He couldn't help but smirk at Ren however as he passed by him on his way to the turbolift.

Kylo Ren continued to walk towards his master, a slight limp was still apparent despite his best efforts. When he reached proper talking distance with his master, he bowed.

The First Order had existed before Snoke had joined, even before the Empire had completely fallen. It was no more than a cult however until Gallius Rax, Rae Sloane, and Brendol Hux molded it into something that more resembled the First Order today. They were powerful leaders that wanted to bring peace, stability, and balance into the Galaxy, but had too much Empire in them and had their own agendas. So when they crossed paths with Snoke, a powerful outsider, they eventually made him their leader thinking him as the new Palpatine.

Kylo and his Knights of Ren had been a terror on their own but it was clear to Kylo from the very first time he made the official acquaintance of Snoke why he needed him as his master and that his sole destiny lied with Snoke. The master who fine tuned him in the dark side that Skywalker would never teach him, who taught him who he was meant to be.

Though he was still chuckling from his successful conversation with Hux, now his master stared down at him with suppressed fury and annoyance.

"Do you wonder why I keep a manipulative, scheming insurgent cur in such a place of power?"

Kylo did not respond. He had opinions but he knew better than to answer this kind of question.

"A cur's weakness, properly manipulated, can be a sharp tool."

This was Snoke both insulting Hux but also making him seem better than Kylo at this moment.

"How are your wounds?"

Snoke asked, making no effort to hind the derision in his question.

"They are nothing."

Lies to avoid the topic was immature, but his master was strong and he didn't what Snoke to see him weak. His face had been healed, but the scar will always remain the droid had said, and his abdomen, shoulder, and leg still hurt from their wounds, though there scars could be hidden behind clothes, he was lucky he still had his dark mask.

"The mighty Kylo Ren."

Snoke began.

"When I found you, I saw your destiny: War!!! Untamed power! And beyond that, something truly special, the potential for you to finish what Darth Vader started by destroying the Jedi."

Snoke than sighed.

"Now I fear I was mistaken."

Kylo Ren's emotions were everywhere; mere hours ago he was lying for dead right after murdering someone he deep down cared about. He was angry, guilty, miserable and accomplished.

"I've given everything I have to you- to master the dark side."

His voice was distorted by the mask but both emotional and physical pain could still be heard.

"Everything."

"Take that ridiculous thing off."

Snoke was disgusted with his apprentice's failure and cowardliness. Hesitantly Kylo took his helmet off, revealing the stitched up scar that surgeon droids had tugged and pulled at for hours.

Now, with great effort, Snoke stood. With the help of his cane the size of Kylo, he hobbled over with his crippled body and bent over in front of him. His crooked finger traced Kylo's eyelid, revealing the tears that had been hidden by the mask.

"Yes, there it is. You have too much of your father's heart in you- young Solo."

Kylo Ren snapped. Anger was dominating the rest of his emotions-anger at Snoke and anger towards himself.

"I killed Han Solo. I killed my... "

Kylo's voice broke but he continued.

"When the moment came I put my blade through his chest, I didn't hesitate."

The truth was, though, he did hesitate, and both he and Snoke knew that.

"Petulance, not strength, and look at you, the deed split your spirit to the bone."

Snoke's anger increased exponentially. He shot a bolt of Sith lighting at Kylo, he howled in pain. Snoke continued to berate him.

"You were weak, like Vader was in his last actions, unbalanced, and you were bested by a girl who had never held a lightsaber!"

Another Sith bolt, causing every nerve in Kylo's body to writhe in excruciating pain.

"You failed, if you don't purge the light you harbor, than I can not finish your training."

Kylo stood, took one step towards Snoke but his master whipped around and electrocuted him back to the floor. The Praetorian Guards snapped into an attack stance, weapons activated, but Snoke waved for them to stand down.

"Skywalker lives, the seed of the Jedi Order lives. As long as its light shines, hope in the Galaxy spreads."

Snoke took a deep breath as he sat back down into his throne.

"I thought you would be the one to snuff it out. Alas you are no Vader; you're just a child in a mask."

Despite his pain and position Kylo tried to bring up a topic he had discussed with Snoke on several occasions.

"Master, the balance-"

"Has been shifted this far many times before; the scale will not fall. Now, get out you disgusting cur."

Kylo walked to the turbolift in a haze. When he entered he did not specify where it should take him but it descended anyway. While still in the haze he stared at the helmet in his hands. A huge wave of rage came over him and without another thought he started slamming his helmet into the wall over and over and over until the turbolift opened and the helmet was now no more than black and silver metal shards. He faced the crewman in the halls.

"Get my ship ready."

Chapter 7

Luke was still taking in the news of his old friend, they had moved to outside his hut for fresh air. Luke sat on a bench while the Rey girl finished up telling the tragic tale.

"Han Solo was a friend. There's no light left in Kylo Ren, and he's only getting stronger."

Mentioning Kylo had put an even worse scowl on the grieving Jedi's face, he seemed really old in this moment to Rey but she hoped that was only superficial. She wanted to leave Chewie with Skywalker so they could mourn in peace, but she knew she had to bring him back to the Resistance with her.

"Leia showed me estimates of the First Order's Military stock, it is massive. And now that the Republic is destroyed, there's nothing to stop them, they will control all of the major systems within weeks. They will destroy the Resistance, Finn, Leia, Bee-bee-Ate, Chewie, Maz, and everyone I care about. Now will you help us?"

This caught Luke's attention and he almost looked swayed, so Rey continued.

"You have to help us. We need Luke Skywalker. We need the Jedi Order."

Luke's expression went back to being dark, and he must have been prepared for this question because his answer was almost instant.

"No!"

"What?"

"You don't need Luke Skywalker or the Jedi Order."

"Di-did you hear a word I said? Because we really, really do."

Luke scowled at her.

"You think what? That I'm going to walk out with a laser sword and face down the whole First Order? What did you think was going to happen here?"

Rey looked down in shame, she had been very impulsive and now she was upsetting a grieving man.

"Do you think I don't know my friends are suffering? Or that I came to the most unfindable place in the Galaxy for no reason at all?"

This upset Rey, he knew of the suffering his friends and the galaxy were going through but had done nothing?

"Then why did you come here?"

Luke ignored her and just faced Chewie as he stood and headed for his hut.

"I'm sorry old friend, I'm not coming back."

Chewie was no longer angry, but sad, so he let Luke go, but Rey did not.

"I'm not leaving without you!" she called out to him.

"Get comfortable then."

Rey wanted to keep arguing but the sun was setting and she hadn't slept since her interrogation with the dreaded Kylo Ren and needed to rest. She told Chewie to sleep in the Falcon, and that she would find an abandoned hut to rest until sun rise.





Leia sat alone in her quarters staring out into hyperspace, at the stars and planets wiping by so fast they changed the perceivable colour of space from black to a beautiful blue. The Resistance had only a small amount of fuel. Connix and Prindel made the right decisions, but now they only had two days of fuel left, three if they rationed, plus one hyperspace jump.

The plan Ackbar had come up with was a deep space rendezvous point for the ships to meet up and discuss where to go next then follow secret old Alliance space roots to have a greater chance of not being tracked. Ackbar might be getting old but this was a safe and smart plan.

With the bridge crew handling the navigation this left Leia time to think. The first thing they would have to do would be alert the rest of the Galaxy of the dangers the First Order is capable of doing, and protect any surviving New Republic senators. Any politician that need protection would have to be there duty. Wexley was dispatched to recruit his mother and stepfather Wedge for whatever help they could offer. Pava, Kun, and Moradi were still MIA and the Resistance should confirm there status. Recruit anyone willing to help them stop the First Order and enlarge C-3PO's network of droid spies was the final thing Leia could think that her Resistance would have to do once they were out of hyperspace.

It was a daunting list, but Leia found relieve from having a plan for herself and the Resistance even if it was grim.

She still had worries however. The Galaxy was at war again, against a threat that had been secretly growing for 30 years. Now the Hosnian Prime system was destroyed and anything on it was lost for all time. Friends, co-workers, fellow fighters, and Han were dead. Leia also knew many more were about to die in the coming fights and she could hardly stand the ghosts that were always with her.

'Hope is a light brighter than the deepest darkness-but only we can keep it lit.'

Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan, her mother, had said those words many years ago when Leia first joined her fathers Rebel Alliance months before they were both killed, along with her entire home planet, by the brutal Imperial Empire.

'And is that how she'd want me to remember her? To remember them? As mere victims of the Empire?'

After Endor, with the help of Luke, Leia had started to harness the living force. However once she started tapping into it she realized it really had already been a part of her life. It had helped her understand senate sessions and Alliance meetings on a different level. The force helped her read rooms and keep her calm in stressful situations which was one of many reasons why she was such a successful politician.

Luke offered to teacher her how to manipulate the force on a further scale but after a few lessons she declined. She had no intentions of being a Jedi and following there rules. She loved Han, and wanted to have a family. Luke had argued that he did not plan on enforcing the old Jedi rules of having no attachments, but Leia still did not want to align herself with the religious group that in its final decades had made decisions that suppressed its people, had civilians killed, and made the rules that inevitably lead her biological father to turn into the murderous Darth Vader.

On her own however she did learn to perfect the ability to read the living force. She remembered how Luke had explained it to her, telling her to reach out with her feelings. Leia closed her eyes and did just that.

She could feel the living force now, all the sentient crewmen on board and the non-sentient, like micro-organism and the few pets that were snuck on board.

She could feel the emotions they all felt: Joy for there escape, anxiety and doubt for coming battles, mourning and enragement that comes with losing close ones, and fear for the likelihood of an early demise.

Leia let it wash over her, there feelings mixing with her own. She never meant to intrude but those with the strongest emotions brought her in. She saw Ackbar working away hard, he was deeply troubled. Connix was exhausted and taking this time to rest, but sleep wouldn't come to her racing mind. A mechanic in extreme agony and despair, questioning her morals. Fossil dealing with survivors guilt for his lost bombers. She also thought she felt a familiar presence but it quickly passed.

Leia was surprised to see Finn, he should still be recovering in a medically induced coma for many more days yet he was awake, but extremely confused. She could feel him talking with Poe who was overjoyed to be with Finn, and filled with pride of his victory, but also feeling the lose of the majority of his squadron.

'Way to much pride, very little doubt, I will deal with him shortly.'

For the time being she let her thoughts drift farther than the Raddus by tapping into the cosmic force. She could now feel the emotions of the beings on the planets and moons they passed at lightspeed. Hopes, dreams, and fears, but she was once again searching for just on presence.

At one time she had been able to sense Luke from anywhere in the galaxy, in fact some kind of bond always used to connect her to him even before she knew they were related. Then there family fell apart and Luke blamed himself. She could feel his agony and guilt for months, and then she didn't feel him suddenly at all.

She didn't think he was dead, she had felt the deaths of loved ones through the force and this was different, she felt nothing. She could only hope Rey, Chewbacca and R2-D2 had found him and were bringing him home.

Now she tried to reach someone else's, she had tried countless times and always found him but the same thing kept happening-

"Ahhh!!!"

Leia said out loud in pain as she was shot out of the dark mind of her son. Still taking in what had happened Leia hardly notices that they had left hyperspace, but she did notice when a message popped up on her com pad.

It was from Vise-Admiral Holdo from her position down in communications. She confirmed one of Leia's worst fears, so Leia told her to double check. She then sat up and started heading for the bridge.

She contacted C-3PO to find Poe, they needed to talk.





Ackbar stood on the bridge of the Raddus looking down at his console finalizing there plan of escape and rebirth. He looked out into hyperspace, although it retained all its beauty, with his worsening vision it was somewhat blurry.

Ackbar was getting old. If he had lived a normal life, it could have been possible he would have retired back on Mon Cala and be surrounded by grandchildren who would take turns visiting and listening to his war stories. But those weren't the cards he chose. The galaxy still needed him. He would continue to help the cause, probably until he died.

'Self-pity is for humans. You can float in your own tide pool later. For now, stiff fins and sharp teeth.'

Arkbar read the fuel count again, they would reach there rendezvous destination but would probably have to request some local ships to bring them enough fuel to reach a base.

A young crewmen accidentally ran into him, nearly knocking him over.

"Sorry Admiral, are you ok."

"Humph, I am fine, where is it you were heading?"

"To my console, sorry that I'm late for duty."

As the crewmen headed for his console Ackbar studied him. He appeared to be a young Mandalorian with light sandy brown hair with matching brown eyes. But the skin around his eyes seemed to be red, which indicates to Ackbar he is either sick, or has been crying, or at least quite upset. Ackbar decided not to report the youth.

Ackbar had just returned to his work when his dear old friend Princess Leia Organa, now General, entered the bridge. Ackbar felt sympathy for the Woman. Great hardships had been happening to her since she was an adolescent, but now her ex-husband had died and her brother is missing, possibly dead as well.

Leia was keeping a stiff upper lip however to keep everyone else hopeful, but Ackbar could see the pain she held back. Leia walked over towards him.

"Is Commander Dameron on the bridge yet?"

"No General."

"He better arrive soon."





Poe was guiding Finn to his quarters so that he could take the bacta suit off, clean up, and get properly changed.

Finn was still in a daze, but he could feel something important, and managed to take in the surroundings of Poe's quarters.

"Messy."

"You are very messy, that's why you are going to go in the bathroom, taking off the suit, and taking a sonic shower, I'll leave some clothes right outside the door."

"Ok."

After a quick shower Finn was feeling more in tune. He got dressed and left the bathroom.

He now got a good look at Poe's Room. A nice sized pile of random stuff like clothes, books and trinkets were on his bed, some seemed to fall on the floor from when the ship left hyperspace. The only secured items were a very small Uneti tree in a well kept pot and a branch from a similar full grown tree wrapped in fine synthsilk, the baby tree was almost whispering to him.

"I'm guessing you have some more questions now Finn?"

"Yes, but I still want to know where Rey is, she was the only one in the forest with me so I think she saved my life, did she?"

"Yes, but it was a group effort."

"How do you mean?"

And Poe started telling Finn all he had missed. First, because of his curiosity how Rey fended off the loathsome Kylo Ren until the planet itself separated them and she returned to Finn and took care of him until Chewbacca saved them both with the Millennium Falcon.

Poe told Finn about how he and his team had blown up Starkiller Base thanks to Han, and Chewbacca's help. He might have added how he was the final blow.

He also told him about the past 24 hours. The gravity of Finn's surgery. There evacuation which became necessary after presumably a snitch revealed there location.

Finally he told Finn of the Scavenger Girl and how she waited for Finn to stabilize before she, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 took the Falcon on a mission to find Luke, recruit him, and bring him back to help fight the First Order.

"So she is ok? How will she find us if we aren't even sure where we are going?"

"I don't quite know buddy, the General has that covered though, don't worry."

"You blew up Starkiller base, besides your team, myself, Rey, and Chewwie, did anyone survive?"

This was an odd question for Finn to ask, Poe thought, but at one point that was Finn's home and despite deserting the First Order he might have had friends there. So feeling sympathy Poe answered to the best of his ability.

"The General has confirmed that Kylo Ren's slimy carcass somehow made it out, and I just had a pleasant battle with Armitage Hux, and many other small ships were reported getting off world but I don't know the specifics."

Their was silence, after a couple minutes Finn looked like he had a question, Poe decided to call him out on it.

"What is on your mind?"

"Poe, I believe in what you guys are doing is right, but I'm not sure it's my fight, I want to experience the Galaxy through my own eyes."

First off Poe could tell this was not what Finn was originally going to say, but what he did say hurt. It wasn't an attack on him or the Resistance, but Finn leaving just felt wrong to Poe. If Finn wanted to explore the Galaxy though, Poe could understand.

"That might be for the best, but I would suggest somewhere less likely to be attacked by the First Order. Also, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Most places it would be easier to get around with a last name."

"A last name?"

"You know, like Dameron, Organa, Skywalker-"

"I know what a last name is, I just don't see why I would need one, Rey doesn't have one."

"She might have at one point, either way, it's like your old serial number, it helps your individuality."

"Our numbers just helped sort us out and to be identifiable, besides, you were the one who named me, you didn't give me a last name."

"Well how about I give you a last name now?"

"What?"

"Well, if Finn is off of FN, then that leaves 2187, T, O, E, S. Eight sounds like it begins with an H however. That is shot backwards, and you are pretty good with a blaster."

"So now I'm Shot?"

"No you are Finn Shot, and that's just a suggestion, you can be whoever you want to be."

"No I like it, but I think I will still go by just Finn for the most part."

"Fine by me."

Another awkward pause, the only times they had interacted before was in high stress situations, to have a casual conversation was different for the both of them.

"I almost forgot."

Poe stood up and dug into his large pile of possessions, he pulled out a familiar leather flight jacket and handed it to Finn.

Finn looked over the gifted jacket, the back was sloppily stitched up multiple times, but seemed sturdy. Finn looked up at Poe who was thinking about something foundly, than noticed Finn staring at him. Now facing him, Finn noticed the slightest bit of red in the pilot's cheeks. Embarrassed about the stitching?

"I'm not much of a sewer, but while you were in surgery that's all I could think of doing, I stitched up your jacket while the Doctor stitched up you."

This meant a lot to Finn, but before he could express his gratitude there was a buzzing at the door and C-3P0's voice came over the com.

"Commander Dameron, Princess Leia requests your presence on the bridge at once."

"Finn, go to the medical bay to get a quick go over and to have your name put in the computer, this should only take a few minutes."

Chapter 8

Poe couldn't remember a time he didn't know General Leia, she worked with both his parents, and after they died, she sort of filled the maternal role in his life. When the time came she personally recruited him to join the new Resistance.

When he got to the bridge he was expecting to talk battle strategies, instead all he saw was cold fury, fury for him.

He knew mistakes were made, but the galaxy was now safe from one less Dreadnought that could obliterate a planet in a day. So it was quite a shock to Poe when Leia slapped him across his face, very hard for an aging women.

"You're demoted."

Leia was for the first time disgusted by the sight of Poe for the lives he lost.

"What? General, we took down a Dreadnought, it would have terrorized the galaxy-"

"But what cost did it take to blow it up, ten ships, 32 lives. Pull your head out of your cockpit Poe!"

"The mission was almost complete, I had to see it through."

"There are things you can't solve by jumping in an X-wing and blowing something up. I need you to learn that."

"There were heroes on that mission!"

Poe needed Leia to understand this wasn't all about him.

"Dead heroes, no leaders."

Poe was still hot headed, but Leia cooled off a bit.

"Poe, I could have court-martialed you and have you thrown in the brig for what you have done, but I know you just made a mistake , it just was a grave one."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying your new ranking is your punishment, but it will also help with the assignment I'm putting you on."

"Now, but we aren't safe yet?"

"The sooner you finish this task, the sooner we are all safe. Several rogue transmissions have been sent, I need you to-"

They were cut off by a panicked Ackbar from across the bridge.

"Proximity alert!"

A crewmen at a near by console yelled at the General a question.

"They've found us? That can't be."

But as soon as the words left her mouth, six Star Destroyers and a Mega-class Star Dreadnought emerged from hyperspace almost directly on top of them.

Poe's jaw nearly dropped in the pure awe and fear when the ship came into view. In fight or flight situations he always chooses fight, but even he knew what the reasonable choice was right now.

"That's Snoke's ship. You've got to be kidding me. Can we jump to lightspeed?"

The near by crewmen was the one to respond.

"We only have enough fuel for one jump."

Poe's senses started coming back to him, he remembered what Leia had said and faced her as she raised her hand for attention.

"Wait, they tracked us somehow through lightspeed, weather device or some other means, we can't jump."

Poe understand the grave situation.

"So if we had jumped to lightspeed, they'd just find us and we'd be out of fuel. We're trapped they've got us."

He had no plan but if it gave them even a percentage of a chance Poe had to take it, maybe he would still die in a blaze of glory. He faced Leia.

"General, permission to jump in an X-wing and blow something up?"

She sighed, she knew this was the end and granted Poe this final request.

"Granted, Admiral, swing us around."

"Full astern! Rotate shields!"

Poe didn't even here that last bit, with that one word he had bolted for the docking bay where Black One would be waiting, BB-8 rolling beside him at top speed. He told his droid to contact his fleet.





A small fleet of special TIE fighters were launched as soon as there Star Destroyer exited hyperspace. This team was lead by a TIE/vn Space Superiority Fighter known as the Silencer, and in it's cockpit was the livid Kylo Ren. He had two goals, destroy the Resistance, and his mother with it.

The cannon fire from Mega-Destroyer rattled every ship even if it missed. The cannon fire however did not miss the Vigil. It exploded as Kylo's fleet passed by, getting ever closer to the flag ship.





Tallie was almost glad the wailing alarm went off, anytime she closed her eyes all she heard was the screams of the pilots and soldiers who died in the last fight.

She and many other pilots, including her long time friend Starck, rose from there cots, flew there flight spots on, and ran for the hanger.

They reached the hanger and started the prelaunch sequence. The scanners on Tallie's ship showed multiple prototype TIE Fighters approaching at top speed. She opened a link to Poe Dameron.

"Boss, are you seeing this?"

An out of breath Poe responded.

"I know, I'm on my way."





Finn had been in the med-bay when the alarm went off. The Med-droid had just given him a clean bill of health when the wail of sirens starts, he looked up with one thought on his mind.

"Poe!"

Finn got up and ran into the halls, pilots would be heading for the hanger, so he had to head there. He had never been almost anywhere on the ship, but he knew he had to find Poe. Left, right, right, left, he just hoped he could find him.





Kylo Ren and his team of TIEs were shooting at the ships, but with there shields up they were only making minimal surface damage. Kylo reached out with the force, found the weakest nearby point in the shield, ripped it open wide enough for his ship to fit through, and he was inside the shields.

He raced within the walls, blowing up everything in his path. Then he found the perfect target and locked his missile on it.





Poe had just turned the corner when he saw the entrance to the hanger explode, the force flung him and BB-8 back. Poe landed on Finn but BB-8 wasn't so lucky, the little droid was flung against the wall and his head fell off.

Poe watched in horror as the doors automatically closed to contain the destruction, but also cutting off the possibility of saving any survivors.

Finn helped Poe sit up as BB-8 magnetically pulled his head back on.

"Poe, are you alright?!"

In a daze Poe responded.

"We need to get out of range of those Star Destroyers."





On the First Order ships, the crews where celebrating this explosion.

"Torpedo! Direct hit on the starfighter hanger!"





The same news was a deviation on the Resistance bridge, Leia couldn't bare to think about the lives they just lost.

"Full engines ahead, get out of range of the Star Destroyers and the Fighters will have to fall back."

Ackbar acknowledged her orders and gave the commands.

"All crafts, full engines, concentrate rear shields!"

A TIE shot the bridge causing an explosion, it missed Ackbar but the young Mandalorian was down. Ackbar knew he couldn't carry or drag this young man all the way to the med-bay, but if he could at least get him to the hall, another crewmen possibly could.

Leia was suddenly caught in a force link, her son was right outside the Resistance bridge, she could feel his murderous intentions.

The brightness she had felt in him since he was a child was replaced with the blackness of space. Currently he was a wave of screaming rage, but not just at the her, but at himself. Leia could feel his remorse for his actions and how much conflict it was putting him through, she reached through the force to comfort him.

In that moment they were just mother and son, suffering pain they did not want to have. In that moment he was back to being Ben Solo and she was just Leia, not a princess or general, but his mother.

Kylo had planned to fire on the bridge just like how he had on the hanger, his finger was even on the trigger, but Ben Solo couldn't do it.

Leia sighed in relief, despite all her son had done even in the last few minutes, she forgave him.

Ren then watch in horror as one of his TIEs lined up for the same shot.

"No-!"

But they fired. The torpedo sheared through the bridge of the Raddus and it exploded. The vacuum of space sucked everyone on the bridge, and all damaged or dislodged equipment, out into space.


The explosion had thrusted Ackbar and the wounded Mandalorian forward. As Ackbar landed he heard a loud crack and knew something was broken. Before loosing consciousness however he saw the door to the bridge slam shut, he realized he might have to lead the whole ship on his own and that terrified him.

Kylo sat in his TIE stunned, if he had known the other TIE would take that shoot he would have stopped it, blown it up with a thought. It had surprised him however, and now there was nothing to be done. He could feel his mothers life force fading away, just like how Han's had.

With the slightest thought he pushed the TIE that had done the deed into range of the Ruddus's guns with the force. Even without his help all his fellow TIEs were being blown up. Then a mini Hologram of Hux appeared in front of him with a message.

"The Resistance ships have pulled out of range, we can't cover you at this distance. Return to the fleet, Supreme Leader's command. They won't last long burning fuel like that, it's only a matter of time."

Reluctantly Kylo changed course.





Leia Organa Drifted through space. The moisture in her body was evaporating or freezing and her lungs were desperate for oxygen that wasn't there. The remains of the bridge were floating around her, whether wreckage, or dead crewmen.

Her son would be heading back to his master, but the short connection they had just had satisfied her conscience. She was ready to be at peace. She was ready to be reunited with Han, her father and mother, and all she had cared about.

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a blue light. On her wrist, a beacon was glowing. The matching beacon was in the possession of Rey. Leia might die but if she couldn't get this beacon back to the Resistance than the galaxy's only hope dies with her. She couldn't give up.

She out reached her hand. She thought of her teachings and what she had learned on her own.

'Feel the force around you. Life created it, make it grow, let it guide you.'

Even in space there was life. Microscopic life still existed. Tardigrades were scarce, but there. Her crewmen might be dead but some of the cells were still alive.

With this life she made it will her forward, like crossing a bridge. It pulled her to the biggest, closest life source around. The Raddus.

She managed to fly herself to an air lock and commanded it to do its job, than everything went black.





Poe, Finn, and Connix were the ones to get her out of the air lock but a medical team was right behind them. In there desperation to do a full body check, and find a pulse they had removed the glowing bracelet from Leia's wrist and it ended up on the floor.

Once they checked her out they announced to everyone around her status as they got ready to take her away.

"Life signs are weak, but she's fighting."

Once the team had gotten the former princess on a stretcher and were rushing her to the med-bay, did Finn notice the glowing bracelet. He picked it up and showed it to Poe.

"What is this?"

"I'm not sure."

The boys were ready to dismiss the item when Connix got a good look at it.

"That is a cloaked binary beacon, someone would have the twin bracelet so they could find each other."

Finn looked at Poe and spat out his hypothesis.

"Rey!"

Connix returned the beacon to Finn and left the friends to there discussion. Poe spoke what was on his mind first.

"It will light her way home."

"Until then what is the plan."

Poe remembered his task Leia was about to assign him, but wasn't sure if it was the most reasonable plan to do at that moment, so with great though he finally responded.

"We need to find a new base. One with enough power to get a cloaked signal to our allies scattered throughout the galaxy."

Poe's leadership skills impressed Finn, but he was now in charge of where Rey will meet up with them and he needed to make sure his friend would return safely. A friend has got to do what a friend has got to do. Even if he had to leave Poe behind.

Chapter 9

Rey tossed and tossed but she could not fight off the dream. Finally she let go and the imagery she had been fighting for the past solar cycle flowed freely through her mind.

"Stay here. I'll come back for you, sweetheart. I promise."

It was the same dream she had had for years, and years. She could never see the face of the man who spoke and she couldn't recognize his voice, but for the first time in as long as she could remember, there was more.

"I love you Kira."

'Kira,' Rey thought, she had never heard that name before, but it seemed so familiar that she could almost feel the sand on Jakku.

Then she was indeed back on Jakku. The place where she had spent all of those years scavenging for Unkar Plutt, all the spots the fat fish couldn't get into. But then for an instant she was back at her little make shift home, holding her pilot helmet.

She was now seeing the blazing temple she had seen in her vision on Takodana. She could see it in the distance from another's eyes. Remorse, guilt, and betrayal washed over her. Bodies of burnt young adults and children were everywhere.

'Stop! Make it stop!' Rey wanted to yell but couldn't.

Thankfully her dream did change, but not for the better. There was only darkness. Darkness that somehow felt warm and safe, until a threatening feeling washed over her and she opened her eyes. Right above her, a green lightsaber activated, and in attack stance was Luke Skywalker, eyes ablaze.

But in a blink she was no one, as if watching from the perspective of a god. All she could see was a battle, both sides trying to end the other. A hundredss were killed on one side, hundreds of thousands were killed on the other. Rey recognized her side, but she was seeing the bigger picture.

Only a small fragment of this was Ben Solo's internal fight with Kylo Ren. The darkness has long since won but has yet to silence completely the light within him. A recent event had also caused the light in him to surface once more.

Rey suddenly was locked in gaze with Kylo Ren, who looked confused and took a step towards her before fading away into darkness. In his place was the purest of darkness with trillions, no quintillions, no decillions of microscopic lights. Something was wrong however, everything was fluctuating and swerving, and bending, it was as if the whole universe was about to snap and shatter.

Rey felt like she was about to throw up but she would have to wait for she was now fighting for her life in an enormous completely red room, fighting warriors in completely red armour. She wasn't alone but she couldn't focus on those who were helping her because a final image kept coming in and out of focus.

She could smell many plant life, it was also very humid but she only felt success and accomplishment. She was sitting on a woven chair talking to an elderly human woman of about 70 years. Her hair was almost completely white but Rey could tell it used to be blonde. The woman's face was aged and friendly, but so oddly familiar. Rey never wanted to stop talking to her even though she couldn't hear a word she or the woman were saying.





Rey woke up in a cold sweat, her dream almost instantly faded into the very back of her mind. Dawn hadn't broke yet but she didn't want to go back to sleep, she wanted to make sure she caught Skywalker when he woke up.

When dawn did break the old Jedi Master emerged from his hut. The weather was grey, wet, and cold, but standing just outside his hut was the Scavenger girl.

"Good Morning."

His only reply was a huff, then with his pack he walked off.

Rey now understood that she would have to put up a fight to bringing him back to the cause. She promptly followed him up one of the many flights of stairs that traversed the island. She continued to follow him when the second sun broke the horizon.

"So this is where they built the original Jedi temple? How long ago?"

He did reply this time, but not positively.

"Go away!"

The path they were on overlooked the sea. Rey was entranced but the beautiful and abondant amount of water.

"I've never seen so much water in my life."

This reminded Luke of when he first approached Yavin 4 all those years ago, but than he shook his head and tried to discourage the misguided follower.

"I don't care!"

They then descended a flight of stairs and reached a narrow inlet that pierced the land, it's cliffs plunging down into a foamy slot of a bay. A ridiculously long pole that went all the way up and down the cliff lay on the ledge they stood on. Luke grabbed the pole and used it cleverly to swing himself to the other side. Rey found this quite impressive.

He braced himself on the ledge then with great, but experienced effort, lifted the pole.

Rey watched as he stared at the water waiting for some sort of sign. Than he thrusted down. She watched in complete awe as he not only lifted a giant fish from the water, but also lifted it up to him, removed it, then lowed the pole back down.

"How did you do that, the force?"

He did not stop or turn even around, his response was like a natural reflex.

"No."

Luke now carried the giant fish on his back. He huffed a little bit but never slowed down, even as he climbed the steep staircase to return to the main pathway.

The rain that had only been a mist ten minutes earlier, was now a down poor. Rey had never seen more the a mouthful of water a day before but in the last three days she had seen lakes, snow, a blizzard, oceans, and now rain. Her amazement gained too much of her attention and now Skywalker was over the hill and probably descending into the village.

As Rey reach the top she watch Luke hand over the humungous fish to a dozen smallest alien folk she had seen in the distance before. This impressed Rey who had thought he was keeping it all for himself.

By the time however she reached his hut it was locked again. She huffed and decided to wait him out. Luckily the rain had subsided, but it was still wet and cold.

The Suns had started to set when Luke finally reemerge from his hut. He was surprised to see Rey there but continued on to his destination. She followed.

Then suddenly Rey stopped. Luke noticed this but kept walking, trying his best to ignore her.

Rey didn't even register his existence anymore. She was being drawn somewhere. From the moment the Millennium Falcon approached Ahch-to she could feel something calling her but right now it was stronger than ever before.

She changed directions and after walking into a medium gap between two cliffy hills she came to an ancient Uneti tree. Because of the time of year the tree was dormant and had no leaves. The tree was quite large, and as Rey approached the tree, she realized that there was a gap and the tree was mostly hollow.

Rey entered, compared to the outside, the hollowing was warm and dry. A window like opening higher in the tree was shining light upon the single shelf in the room.

All her focus was on the books, they whispered to her. They were telling her to touch them, read them, take them. She reached out, complying with their request.

She jumped when Luke Skywalker spoke.

"Who are you?"

Rey was still in a hypnotic daze. Luke had finally acknowledged her, but she was still in shock as she realized where she was.

"I know this place, this library."

Luke seemed to notice the genuine connection between her and the library so he picked up a book.

"Built three and a half million years ago, to keep these."

Luke opened the book in his hand and showed it to Rey. The language was an ancient form of basic, extremely difficult to understand, but not unreadable.
"The original Jedi texts. They make up the foundation of the ancient faith. They were the first and now, just like me, they are the last of the Jedi religion."

Luke now asked what was on his mind.

"You know this place, you've seen these books, you've seen this island?"

"Only in dreams."

He repeated his earlier question.

"Who are you?"

She didn't quite know what he meant, he knew her name, what was he after?

"The Resistance sent me."

"They sent you, what is so special about you? Do you have Jedi Lineage?"

Rey did not know the answer to his questions, her family left her when she was so young, she could not remember who she, or they were.

She just looked down.

Luke sensed that she was unsure so he changed the subject slightly.

"Where are you from?"

This Rey knew, but didn't think it of any importance.

"Nowhere."

Luke tried for kindness.

"No one's from nowhere."

"Jakku."

Luke once again remembered the hard life living on a dessert planet in the outer rim was, he knew you could become more than where you were born.

"Alright, that is pretty much nowhere. Why are you here Rey from nowhere?"

"The Resistance sent me, we need your help, the First Order-"

Luke's expression went ice cold. A glimpse of Rey's dream from the night before resurfaced, but then disappeared again. An emotion that wasn't her own told her to defend herself, she resisted this urge and waited for him to respond.

"Why are you here?"

Rey paused and thought. She thought about what to say. She could still hear the whispers, but she was now focused on Skywalker.

"Something inside me has always been there, and now it's awake. And I'm afraid. I don't know what it is or what to do with it. And I need help."

"You need a teacher, I can't teach you."

With this Luke turned to place the book back on the shelf but Rey cut him off.

"Why not, I've seen your routine, you're not busy."

Luke just placed the book down on a large root off the ground and turned around and started to leave.

"I'll never teach another generation of Jedi."

Luke stopped at the entrance and looked back only slightly.

"You asked why I can here? I came here to die, I know only one truth: it's time for the Jedi to end."

Upset, and confused, Rey tried to understand Luke's reasoning.

"Why?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"But your sister. Leia sent me here with hope. If she was wrong, she deserves to know why. We all do."

Luke stared at her a moment longer, then turned and walked away.

Upset, Rey turned too looked at the books. Luke might have wanted the Jedi to end, but she wasn't leaving without knowledge of the force within her.

Carefully, Rey lifted the books and raped them in her poncho. She then returned to the Millennium Falcon. She couldn't find any clean empty storage spaces. The only escape pod had a secret compartment in it and it looked like it had never been used, so she placed them in there.

She returned to the village. She sat on the bench in front of Luke's hut to wait for him. She soon found that she was very tired and lay down with all intentions of staying awake. But soon she found herself drifting off to sleep.

Chapter 10

Finn's mind was made up. He did not want to leave the people who welcomed him with opened arms in their time of need, but Rey had been captured by the First Order before and had been tortured. If he could prevent that from happening again to the girl that saved his life on Starkiller base, than he would. Even if he'd regret it the rest of his life.

He couldn't ask for directions to the escape pods or else he probably would be thrown in the brig, so he just walked around and made logical turns and soon enough he found himself near the pods.

As he opened the door to the chamber he thought he could make out voices, but as he entered he soon realized it was someone sobbing. He guessed this person was one of the pod guards. He felt terrible for not comforting them, but if they're distracted then he could walk right by.

This is what he attempted. He casually, but briskly walked by them as if he were supposed to. He didn't even look at them to not give them any suspicion. Out of the corner of his eye he could tell they were a human female and that she was holding something that was hanging around her neck.

He had made it to the pod, opened it, activated it, and threw his bag in there when the guard appeared behind him with some sort of weapon.

"What are you doing here?"

Finn jumped, making him hit his head on the top of the pod above him. He turned around to see the guard.

The woman was about five foot one or two. She had dark, wiry, shoulder length hair, although some was held back. She did not have a soldiers build like any female Stormtrooper he knew, and she wasn't scrawny like Rey, but still looked strong under her baggy jumpsuit. Her skin was light but had a different under tone than Rey's or his own.

And her eyes. Her pupils were a very dark brown, so close to black that they trapped your soul. The skin around her eyes were beautiful but puffy and reddish from crying. The skin slanted up at the very edge, and there was almost something almost seductive about them.

Finn then realized he was staring and that the woman holding some sort of taser had asked him a question. A question that if answered truthfully would get him thrown in the brig. Although just hitting his head, his thoughts were a little scrambled so he said the first things that came to mind.

"Hi. I was, ummm, just doing a-"

He was stammering badly, but she didn't seem to notice, she instead cut him off.

"You're Finn. The Finn!"

Finn was now more confused than ever.

"The Finn?"

"Sorry, I work behind pipes, wires, and circuitry all day. Doing talking with Resistance heroes is not my forte."

Finn watch as the woman got embarrassed and confused in her point. Under her breath she finished.

"Doing-doing talking..."

She put out her hand, Finn took it.

"I'm Rose. Rose Tico."

After letting go, Finn put up his own hands to signal her it was ok to calm down. Tears were still in her eyes and he wanted to comfort her, even if he needed her to go away.

"Breathe."

She took a few breaths and looked a bit better, but Finn needed her to go, now.

"Look, I'm not a Resistance hero, but it was nice talking to you Rose."

The phrase Leia and Poe both used popped in his head, and he felt it was the proper way to end this encounter.

"May the force be with you."

"Wow, you too."

She turned around and started walking away. As soon as Rose had her back turned Finn turned around himself and had just taken on step closer back to the pod when he felt Rose turning, so he spun on his heel.

"Okay, but you are a hero! You left the First Order, and what you did on Starkiller Base-"

Finn tried to cut her off."

"Listen-"

But she just kept talking.

"When we heard about it, Paige, my sister, said, 'Rose, that's a real hero. Knows right from wrong, and don't run away when it gets hard,' she said."

Finn was shaking his head and said, 'No,' somewhere in there but he was just getting embarrassed and guilty by her words, but also a bit desperate. At the end of her mini rant she took back out her taser stick thing, waved it at him expressively, and continued talking.

"You know, just this morning I've had to stun three crew members trying to jump ship in these escape pods."

"What?"

Yes, they were running away."

"That's disgraceful."

"I know."

Finn noticed Rose looking into the pod, he shifted his position so that his body was in the way of his bag.

"Well, I should get back to what I was doing."

His cover up wasn't good however and she wasn't buying his charm anymore.

"What were you doing?"

Finn started stuttering.

"Checking. Just checking, the...uh, the pods, doing a check."

Rose's face was now void of excitement and wonder, and was instead replaced with seriousness and disbelief.

"Checking the escape pods?"

"Routine check."

"By boarding one, with a packed bag."

"Ok, listen-"

But instead she teased him with her stunner into the back of the pod with great force. Finn would only feel this pain later because the second the bolt hit him everything went black.

Chapter 11

With so few high ranking officers left, Poe was quite jealous that he was not invited to discuss the plan of their survival, and who would take charge. It was quite obvious that Ackbar would be taking Leia's place while she recovers, but the other bridge officers would have to be replaced as well.

The rest of the upper middle ranking officers, along with Poe, were now gathering on the emergency bridge in the lower part of the ship. Poe took a seat next to C'ai Threnalli, a good friend of his, and one of the very few pilots remaining from the explosion. Lieutenant Connix stood among the new bridge members. Commander D'Acy and Vise-Admiral Holdo stood next to Admiral Ackbar who leaned on a cane.

Despite the broken leg, Ackbar hobbled forward for his informative speech.

"Some of you might be wondering the status of General Leia Organa. She will be fine and will most likely wake within the next couple days. Tragically everyone else but I, and a lieutenant, has perished."

Ackbar, along with most on the bridge took a sigh of sorrow.

"If she were here, she'd say, 'Save your sorrow for after the fight.' The clear succession of power should be placed to me, but I must inform you all that I cannot take this position."

Nearly everyone gasped, Ackbar continued.

"I have for some time been living with a Mon Calamari cancer, it is caused from not being in a Mon Cala ocean for a prolonged period of time. When I discovered it a month ago it was already in its terminal stage and it is weakening my body and mind. I am not fit to lead but I will advise anyway I can. Now I will let Commander D'Acy give the rest of the new rankings speech."

With that, he sat down and D'Acy took his place. Poe couldn't hear what she was saying, Ackbar was such an amazing soldier, to die from something like cancer instead of battle seemed almost unheard of.

Poe could only make out that D'Acy was giving out everyone's new ranking. It was based on what you were before the incident, what positions need filling, and your qualifications.

Poe, not paying much attention, stood right up when he heard his name called. How many ranks had gone by already, what knew ranking am I getting, I definitely got Commander back but am I any higher?

"Poe Dameron: ... Captain?"

D'Acy sounded just as confused as Poe. Why did he still have his demoted ranking? They need more high ranking officers and he had perfect qualification. Now he was standing, with everyone staring at him, new rank and all. Poe sat down, he almost never felt embarrassed but this was an exception.

Names kept getting called and then there rank was given. Connix was now a first class Lieutenant, D'Acy stepped aside and let Holdo call out her new rank, Vise-Admiral, then continued calling ranks.

Finally it came to who would be General of the Resistance. In normal armies, captains, commanders, and admirals would out rank a general but knew meanings were given to each name when the Resistance started. There were also captains of ships and captains only by rank.

"Leia always left clear instructions in case she died in battle, her secession was to go to Ackbar, but since he has retired, the person next in line to take her place is clear. Someone she's always trusted, and who has her full confidence."

Something in Poe wished it was him, but he knew that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Instead newly ranked Admiral Amilyn Holdo stepped forward as D'Acy sat down.

"Thank you Vice Admiral."

She had a forced half smile on her face. She was older then him, probably 15 to 20 years, but appeared younger then Leia. Her hair was dyed a light purple. She wore a similar coloured dress. Her posture was so profound you would never think she fought and won the battle of Chyron Belt. She stepped into a proper speaking position.

"Look around you. Four hundred of us on three ships. We are the last of the Resistance, but we are not alone. In every corner of the galaxy, the downtrodden and oppressed know the symbol of the Rebellion which we were born from, and they put their hope in it."

Everyone, including Poe was expecting to have heard a plan by now, but Poe was giving her the benefit of the doubt.

"We are the spark that will light the fire that will restore a Republic. That spark, this Resistance, must survive."

Finally she got to a more instructive part of her speech.

"At the level of fuel all our ships are burning we will be out of fuel in less than a day, so I propose we drain the other ships, transfer their energy and crew to our ship, that way we should be sustainable for a few more days. The barracks will be full, so officers with private quarter, you will have to make room. Now, to your stations, and may the force be with us."

This seemed to satisfy most of the crew as they headed to their stations to prepare for the fuel and crew transfer. This did not satisfy Poe however, she was giving them more time, but more time for what?"

As the crowd broke up, Poe pushed through to get to Holdo. When he reached her side and got her attention he thought proper introductions were in order. He held out his hand. She did not take it but he spoke with a smile anyway.

"Admiral Holdo, Commander Dameron-"

"Captain, not Commander, yes? Wasn't it Leia's last official act to demote you? For the Dreadnought plan? Where we lost our entire bomber fleet?"

Poe was ashamed and taken back, but he couldn't let that slow him down at the moment.

"Captain, Commander, I don't care what my rank is, at our current fuel consumption there's a very limited amount of time we can stay out of the range of those Star Destroyers, so what is the plan to shake them before we find a new base?"

She looked Poe up and down then pulls him aside.

"I've dealt with plenty of trigger happy flyboys like yourself multiple times, you're impulsive, and dangerous, but Leia trusted you and has asked me to give you an extra important task and that's what I'm going to do."

Poe remembered what Leia had tried to tell him earlier, but they had been interrupted so he didn't get the whole briefing.

"There is a plan Dameron, we are heading somewhere, somewhere where we can lie low and regain supplies, but we can't safety arrive there under present circumstances."

"Leia had said there were transmissions?"

"Yes, since I first informed her of the situation there have been several rouge transmissions being sent off and to the ship. They were heavily encrypted, but we managed to translate one and it was sent to the flag ship giving them details on our conditions and status."

"Did you block there signal?"

"Yes, but there were so strong we had to block all signals, we can't call allies to our location for assistance."

"We're doomed than."

"No, that's where you come in, I kept you at your current rank so you would have less duties to distract you."

"Distract me from what?"

"A spy hunt."

"What?"

"The whole ship needs you to find the spy or spies, turn them in, and confirm that's all there is before we reach our destination."

"May I request anyone's help?"

"No, you can't trust anyone."

"What about Finn Shot?"

"The First Order Stormtrooper?"

"Former Stormtrooper, and he was in a coma for the past couple days, he couldn't have sent any transmissions."

"He might not be the one who sent those transmissions, but he is the most likely to be a spy out of anyone aboard."

Poe knew this was the exact opposite of the truth, but he could see were the Admiral got her ideas.

"You must investigate quietly, report back your findings, work alone, understand Captain?"

"Yes Admiral."

With that Poe went to see if he could find Finn.

Chapter 12

Under the shadow of the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca sat in front of the fire he had struggled to build. The island had almost no trees, he now understand why the villager's huts were made from stone and the porg nests were made of tall grass. The little wood he found from weak saplings and some shrubs didn't even want to ignite because of all the rain. He had to eventually use some flammable liquids on the Falcon to get it started.

His struggles were about to be paid off however, because he had easily captured a pudgy porg. He cleaned it, put it on a spit over the fire, and it was almost ready to eat. The ships rations were very nutritious, but had no flavour, so Chewbacca welcomed the change.

He took the spit off the flame and gave it a sniff. It was finished, nicely crisped, and it appeared to be cooked all the way through.

He brought the roasted porg to him mouth when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A small group of porgs had gathered by the fire and were staring up at Chewie with their huge eyes. These birds did not seem to have a fear of bipeds, but were quite sad looking at there roasted friend.

The groups stares were making him feel uneasy. There eyes were so round and wet, there mouths quivering as they stared up at Chewbacca.

He roared at them, striking enough fear into them that they all flew away, but the damage was done. He could not eat the perfectly roasted porg. Chewbacca set it aside and just started thinking. He had not had this amount of time to think since Han's death.

In his deep thought he barely noticed someone climbing the Falcon's ramp, he just assumed it was Rey. He was wrong.

Luke reminiscently walked through the round main hallway of the falcon. At some point some of the rooms used to be crew quarters, but Luke never knew those days, Han might not have even know those days. Now almost every room was filled with parts, junk and mementos, or were extensions of the hyperdrive. Only one quarter remained, the captains quarters, and it remained unused.

This ship had been Luke's ticket off his desert home world all those years ago. With nothing to lose he was flung into a galactic civil war that would lead him to his friends, sister, father, and destiny. Or so he had thought when he was still so young.

This had been where Luke took his first lightsaber training session with Ben Kenobi. Had his first force connection with his father Darth Vader. This was where he knew he was on the right path.

Now he was in the cockpit, the closest thing Han felt was a home. Luke remembered all the adventures they had together in this small space, they had averted death many times. Luke also remembered how a young Ben Solo used to play with Han all around the ship. Han, Leia, and Luke would playfully chase him until he hid in this very cockpit. Those were the good days however, and they were very far and in between.

Before the Academy-

Before Ben-

Before Han-

Luke noticed the old golden dice Han had used decades ago to win the Millennium Falcon from Lando Calrissian. They meant a lot to Han. Luke carefully took them off there hook and moved them around in his metal hand. The artificial flesh had been destroyed years ago so his sense of touch was minimal at best, but he could still feel the inscriptions on Han's only good luck charm.

Luke put the dice in his pocket, turned around, and started walking through the smugglers ship with all intentions of leaving. He stopped however by the holochess table when all the emotions flooded him and he was suddenly caught in them.

Luke thought he heard a familiar noise. It sounded like an R2 unit activating. He almost wondered if he had imagined it, so he looked up and walked towards the sound.

"Artoo?"

And there the droid was, starting to showing the age he was, but still the same droid he had last seen eleven years ago. Luke got up and nearly ran to his oldest companion, than knelt to his level.

"Artoo!"

The droid had his classic chirps and whistles that took Luke a few seconds to readjust to droid speak but even R2's incomprehensible laughs brought a smile to his face.

The droid than started bombarding him with questions and accusations that Luke tried to keep up with.

"Yes. No. I-yeah, it's true. Hey, sacred island. Watch the language."

Luke because seriously again. The last time he had put his arm on this droid was when he used him to support himself after the hut collapsed on him. Now he was patting R2's dome.

"Old friend, I wish I could make you, Leia, and the others understand. I'm not coming back. Nothing can change my mind."

R2 than shifted positions and activated his projector along with a very old file.

A projection of his sister, Leia, appeared, she was only 19, so young. This hologram was the first he had seen of her. She was being held hostage and sent R2 to find Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the droid by coincidence happened to end up on Luke and his Aunt and Uncles farm.

"Years ago you served my father in the clone wars. Now he begs you to help him in the struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am not able to deliver his message in person-"

The message continued but Luke was now focused on the droid itself.

"That's a cheap move."

The droid sarcastically rotated his head towards Luke and finished playing the message.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

Luke just stared at his beloved sister, it had been just over a decade since he had last seen her, and three decades since he had seen her that young. He missed her, but he could not look her in the eyes after what happened with Ben.

The recording finished so R2 turned off his hologram projector.

"You lead them here, didn't you?"

The droid remained silent.

"I told you too split it up, send it to droids around the galaxy to be destroyed than delete the master copy."

The old droid gave a low sad moan, Luke realize that the poor droid probably didn't want to lose the key to his beloved master.

"I'm sorry, but I can't come back. The girl however could be useful to your cause, if she could just learn how to safely control her raw powers. Maybe."

Luke patted his old droid on the head once more than got up and left the Falcon for the last time.

Rey woke with a start. A presence over her, familiar but dark. Green lightsaber light. She bolted up in a panic, ready to fight, but it was only Luke looking over her.

Slight fear passed over his face as if he were reliving something, but his face went back to stern.

"Tomorrow, at dawn. Three lessons. I will teach you how to access the force, and why the Jedi need to end."

With that Luke went of to his hut. Rey, with a smile on her face, left to go to her own hut, tomorrow would be a big day.

Chapter 13

As Finn started to gain consciousness he could feel he was on some kind of trolley being pulled somewhere. He moaned as he tried to get his barring. The trolley thing shifted directions but did not stop.

Finn tried lifting his head, he than realized all his senses were numb and tingly. He could see Rose pulling the trolley with a little effort.

"My stunner must have been malfunctioning, you should have been out for over an hour so I could get you to the brig and have you processed, but it's been only 10 minutes."

Finn still confused tried talking, but quickly figured out his tongue and mouth were as numb as the rest of him.

"You've got to be kidding me. I can't move! What happened?"

Than he remembered everything.

"You stunned me! With a, um, stun thing! Oh my God, you're totally insane. Help."

"Yes, and I'll do it again if you keep talking or try to escape, I'm taking you to the brig and turning you in for desertion."

Maybe Finn's brain was also numb because he kept talking, stalling, and asking stupid questions.

"Why?"

"Because you were deserting."

"No, well I was, but it's not like that."

Rose stopped the trolley which was good, but she took out her stunner thing again which was bad. She waved it in Finn's face as she talked.

"My sister just died protecting this fleet. I heard what you did on Starkiller Base. Everyone was talking about you. You were a hero for both the Resistance and the whole galaxy, and now you are running away from it?!"

"Sorry, but what I did was to protect a friend, and that's what I'm trying to do now, not join another army."

Rose had activated her stunner. Finn had to think fast.

"Look, I've talked to people who work on the bridge, this ship is almost out of fuel, the fleet is doomed."

Finn, with great effort, managed to fling his arm into view of Rose showing her the beacon.

"If my friend comes back to this now, she's doomed too. I've got to get this beacon far away from here. Then she'll be safe."

"You're still a selfish traitor."

"Look, Poe Dameron, Leia, everyone in this Resistance, they've all been so nice to me and saved my life even. If I could save them and Rey I would, but I can't."

Rose deactivated her stunner, but went back to pulling the trolley.

"Yun-huh."

"We can't outrun the First Order."

"We'll just jump to lightspeed."

"No we can't, Poe told me after the bridge explosion, they're tracking us somehow, that's how the Supremacy found us."

Rose stopped.

"They can track through lightspeed."

"Yes, and if we jump 30 seconds later they'll show up and we'd be out of fuel."

"They shouldn't be able to track us, our transmissions and signatures are scrambled and our emissions are cloaked."

"Well they are-I can't feel my teeth. What did you shoot me with?"

"Active tracking."

"What now?"

"A new type of hyperspace tracking, but the principles must be the same. They're single-source to avoid interference. So-"

"-They're only tracking us from the lead ship. What did you say you're job was?"

"Mechanic, I read a lot of tech books."

"Cool."

"Hyperspace tracking takes a lot of computing power. The whole fleet would have to be computer banks, which is impossible. What if..."

"'What if' what?"

"A static hyperspace field generator! That's how they're doing it!"

"A what now?"

"Instead of adding lots of computers, you add lots of processing cycles. If you can safely use hyperspace tech with a computer you could speed it up a millionfold. That's all theoretical of course, crazy advanced tech, but H- the First Order must have gotten it to work."

"So how do we get it to not work? This sounds far to good to be true."

"Well, we could never get to the tracker to shut it down. It would be an A-class process, it would be guarded and protected by a force field, and they'd be controlling it from the bridge."

"Well no, not exactly. If it's that dangerous it would need another way to deactivate it if it's compromised. They'd probably need some kind of-"

"-dedicated power breaker. We still don't know where on the ship it is or how to find it."

"I cleaned every inch of that ship, I don't know exactly where it is, but there's only a very short list of places that I know of where it could be."

"I could easily shut there trackers down. We've got to take this to a bridge member."

"Yah, I know a guy."

Chapter 14

Finn and an unfamiliar women had come to Poe who was in the comatose room Finn had been in just the day before, but now it occupied the leader of the Resistance. Leia.

They were explaining some crazy plan so fast Poe barely caught any of it. Something, something active tracking, something, something, A-class process, something, something power breaker.

"Slow down, one more time, simpler."

"We figured out how the First Order is tracking us, active tracking, and how to stop it, destroy the dedicated power breaker."

"That's not how they are tracking us. Finn, a word."

"Um, ok."

Finn was confused, but Poe took him through a door that lead into an empty, tiny closet. After squeezing in, Poe quietly filled Finn in.

"They tracked us because there's at least one spy on board."

"Oh-wait, what."

"Many transmissions, oral, holographic, and text, have been sent from this ship to the First Order. We finally managed to block them but if we run out of fuel than we can't block them, and if the spy is still among us when we reach our destination than we're done for."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Poe looked Finn in the eyes. Finn realized how tired and stressed Poe looked, there was also a new level of seriousness.

"It was Leia's last wish for me to find the spy or spies, to save the Resistance. I wish I could say that I could do it alone, but I can't, and I trust you."

This was high praise, Finn now felt horribly guilty for trying to abandon ship to save Rey. Rey. The beacon.

"Poe, what about Rey's beacon?"

"No signals are getting through. I'm sorry Finn, but as soon as we secure the ship, signals won't be blocked and we can arrive at our secret and safe base."

"Ok, let's do this, I'll tell Rose."

"Rose who? We can't trust anyone."

"The lady out there with Leia and Threepio, Rose Tico. She just lost her sister, and trust me, she is loyal to this army, I have the stun marks to prove it."

"Why did she stun you- wait. Did you say Tico, that's Paige's little sister?"

Finn was glad Poe changed the subject himself, he couldn't look his first friend in the eyes knowing he almost abandoned him.

"I don't know, I know she will personally deal with anyone who betrays the Resistance."

Poe thought long and hard. He knew Paige was honourable and trustworthy, but he did not know anything about Rose. From the small window however, that separated the supply closet from the comatose ward, Poe could see how shaken Rose was from her sisters death. Finn seemed to trust her, Poe trusted Finn, and he had heard Paige talk about a younger sister a couple times. Besides, what was that saying, keep your friends close but your enemies closer.

"Ok, she can come along, but she's not allowed to know about the spies."

"What is she supposed to think we're doing, going all over this ship?"

"Give you a tour? I don't know, but I'm a captain with almost no pilots to captain, so walking around with my friend checking in with people shouldn't sound like a stretch, right?"

"Yes, it does a little."

"Fine, well tell her were patrolling to keep those who are panicking under the stress of this situation under control."

Finn and Poe jumped as a loud knocking came from there door. Rose was the knocker, she had a confused look on. The door deeply scrambled her voice but through lip reading and what little sound they could make out, Finn and Poe could comprehend what she was saying.

"What are you two doing in there, are you ever going to come out of that supply closet?"

Finn realized how odd this must look from Rose's point of view. He opened the door. Rose had a hand to her hip in a questioning stance.

"So what are we going to do about the active tracking?"

Finn stuttered as he started to talk, but Poe, having been taught how to lie like its the truth for several occasions, cut him off and took over.

"The bridge originally came to the same conclusion as you about active tracking, but they discovered that it was a red herring of the First Order. I've since lost my rank so the bridge will not inform me off how they are tracking us, but have assured me that they are working on it."

"Well what is everyone supposed to do until they succeed or fail?"

"There normal functions aboard this ship."

"Many of us did not have any real roles on this ship, it's only made for 250 but there's 400 of us. Some jobs are also to over crowded, there are over 25 mechanics on board, they didn't need me so they placed me as a guard, but now someone has replaced me and I just don't have a job to do. What would you have me do?"

Poe sighed and rubbed his messy dark brown hair.

"Ok, well, here is the thing. I'm a captain of a squad with only a small amount of pilots left in it, I don't serve much of a purpose. So what I'm going to do is patrol the ship and get Finn familiar with his surroundings."

"Patrolling for what exactly?"

"As you well know, many crewmen just lost family, and loved ones, as well as not knowing if they are going to survive. It's cause lots of unrest, I need to help keep the peace, would you like to join us?"

"You, Poe Dameron, best pilot in the Resistance, would like to work with me?"

"Well, yah."

"I'm in."





Ackbar sat on a med-bed as a medical droid examined and treated his leg. As the droid worked, it informed Ackbar of his diagnosis.

"You should have stayed for full treatment, I can not properly heal your leg from your lack of treatment. You will have to remain on the cane until you heal."

"I'm not going to heal, I'm dying."

"I am connected to this ships medical files, I am aware. I also know that you have estimately two months too live, where only the last two weeks will truly be painful, but I also know there are treatments on Mon Cala that could prolong your life by a year or more yet you refuse to leave the Resistance."

"I guess I've come to except that I would die amongst those that I've been fighting with for the majority of my life that I don't wish to leave them. I can't leave now however anyway."

"Well, my professional opinion would be to enjoy the time you have remaining the best way you can. I've done all that I can for your leg, I must tend to other patients."

"Thank you."

With some effort Ackbar got to his feet and made his way out. The med-bay was so over crowded from the last two attacks and all the patients from the evacuated medical cruiser. He passed crewmen with different levels of injury, some waiting for treatment, others receiving treatment, some waiting to know the fate of a loved one, and others recovering from a more serious injuries.

As he walked towards the door he passes a familiar Mandalorian having a protective bandage being placed over the stitches on his head. Ackbar was pleased to see that the lad was conscious and alright, but did not want a confrontation.

None the less the light brunette lad spotted him and rose after receiving the doctors ok sign. Ackbar tried to reach the doorway faster but his leg would not allow it, so the young man caught up.

"Admiral, it's an honour to see that you are-"

"I am no longer Admiral, you don't have to refer to me as such."

"I'm sorry?"

"I resigned my position in the Resistance, and if I survive this journey I might even retire completely."

"I see, well, what I meant to say was that I'm very grateful to you for saving my life. My name is Lieutenant Junior Grade Davu Gev, and meeting you in person, even under these grave circumstance is an honour. You are a hero to so many."

"I am a hero yet so many young heroes are already dead and are going to die on this journey, there is very little joy on board."

"If everyone's morale stays low then we'll never make it, you would be right, someth-"

Another young crewmen, a Lethan Twi'lek, came rushing towards them. She grabbed Gev by the shoulder.

"They found Cuarya."

Before another word could be spoken the two youths ran off, leaving Ackbar alone.

Finally Ackbar managed to reach the door without another incident. It was when the door slid open that he came face to face with C-3P0.

"Oh my, Admiral Ackbar, I bare a message for the medical personal."

"Weren't you and another droid looking over Leia?"

"Yes, that is my message, she is awake."

Chapter 15

Rey awoke to a painful tugging sensation on her right cheek. She lifted her head and felt her face with her hand. Nothing.

She then opened her eyes. Sitting on a chair that had not been in her hut before was the monstrous Kylo Ren. The last of some high tech stitches were being removed from his face by a droid, revealing a cavernous scar.

Rey just stares for a few seconds, trying to figure out if what she was seeing was true. Then he looked at her dead in the eyes and stood.

"You?!"

Anger now taking over, Rey snapped to her satchel that lay nearby. In a second she had drawn her blaster that Han Solo had given her in her hand, turned the safety off, and fired at the murderous snake.

This seemed to actually hurt Kylo, but he quickly realized it was psychosomatic, and Rey realized it went right through him.

"I knew I had seen you yesterday, how are you doing this?"

Rey's anger temporarily turned to confusion, but only briefly.

"What, I hadn't, I'm not- you will pay for what you did."

Kylo's expression went from shock and curiosity to remorse. He stepped closer, she stepped back.

"I know, but what has been done is now done and can't be undone."

'Even if I wanted it to be.' Thought Kylo. To Rey's surprise she could hear such thoughts. Kylo continued.

"How could are minds be linked over such a distance? Can you see my surroundings, because I can't see yours, only you."

The slightest amount of heat rose in Rey, must be anger at such a comment she thought, than why than did he seem different, almost fragile in a obviously sinister way.

"I'm not doing this, you're doing this to torture me further."

She knew this couldn't be true however because he looked just as surprised and confused as she felt.

"Believe what you want, I'm not the one to change your mind."

"You are the vile Kylo Ren, that is proof enough."

At the statement of his own name, Rey could see him wince.

"If it's not either of us, than maybe, well what if this has to do with the state of the balan-"

Kylo just vanished, and seconds later Luke comes bursting in.

"What is all of this about."

For a second she feared he was referring to Kylo, but she realized his hand gesturing was towards the semi-destroyed wall behind her. She knew she should state the truth, but something, almost like the remainders of a forgotten dream, told her to wait.

"I was cleaning my blaster, I'm not used to it, it went off."

Rey could tell that he didn't quite believe her but that he also didn't care, and more was annoyed at her for it happening no matter the reason.

He steps outside and she followed. Outside the small alien creatures she had seen earlier were out and about, a good portion of them were working now on her hut, many giving her an angry stare once they saw her.

One came up to Luke and frantically asked something, in a language Rey could not understand, and pointing at her. Luke responded, in a rustier version of said language, which seemed to satisfy the aliens.

Luke than walked away, heading for the stairs that were the only safe way up and down the island. Rey realized she was supposed to follow and sprinted after him.

When she got to his side she decided to ask about what had just happened.

"Who are those villagers?"

"They're Caretakers of the island and the temple, there species are native to this planet. They've been maintaining the Jedi temple and its relics since it was first built."

"What did you tell them that made them less mad at me?"

"That your a Jedi in training."

"I don't think they like me very much."

Luke, clearly thinking about the big hole she blasted into the wall.

"Can't imagine why you'd think that."

Luke gestured that he wanted to walk the rest of the way in silence. It was a long walk though and Rey's mind kept wondering to what had happened when she woke up.

Kylo seemed to genuinely not know how there minds had bridged, hadn't she seen him in a dream she had, was she doing this. She had seen his masked face a couple times in nightmares on Jakku and in her vision on Takodana.

He also seemed like he was in great emotional pain, did he actually regret his actions towards his father? That wouldn't excuse him of course. He also seemed conflicted between his own name, Kylo Ren or Ben Solo. When she had first looked into his mind on Starkiller Base the good in him was suppressed to such small part in his mind. This was a mystery however that would have to wait.





On the Supremacy Kylo's mind was on a similar topic, how was there minds connected. He had seen her a couple times when he meditated, wearing a mask that protected her from her dessert work. He had taken these visions as a warning, and told Snoke about them, but now even awake and systems apart he sees her.

It could be a combination of two things, he thought. She is so strong and untrained in the force that when he entered her head and she entered his that she didn't fully disconnect, leaving a residual bound. Although this bound could possibly be being strengthened by the force itself. There had been some type of connection before this, and now the force of the universe just happened to be at risk.

'There's more going on than at first glance, I wonder if one of us could purposely awaken the bound?'

Chapter 16

Leia lay on her bed in her personal quarters. The medical team had moved her here so that more patients could be added to the comatose room. She was tired and weak, but awake.

Poe sat by her side, while Ackbar sat in a chair close to her bed. Rose, Threepio, and Finn waited outside her quarters.

"General, I've started what you have asked of me, but I do not know where to start, I-"

"You will do fine, just sweep the entire ship and make notes on everything. Did you enlist the young Stormtrooper?"

Poe looked to the door, where he knew Finn stood behind. The thought of getting to work with Finn made him happy, but after what Admiral Holdo said about what she thought of Finn, Poe wasn't sure on what Leia would say to them working on such a secretive matter.

"Well-"

"That's good, I have a really good feeling about him, I'm not sure why, but I know he's important to our survival, as are you. Now go, time isn't on our side Poe."

Leia reached out and squeezed Poe's hand.

"Thank you General."

With that Poe left her quarters to start his search with Finn and Rose, leaving Leia alone with Ackbar.

"I have been informed of the decision you made on the bridge, I'm honestly a little disappointed in your choice, but not exactly surprised."

"Princess, I wasn't even young when you first joined the Rebellion, I am to sick to lead and to tired to make the right choices this Resistance needs to make to survive. It only made sense to me to pass the torch down to your second choice."

"I can understand not wanting to be in charge of the Resistance in your current state, I'm not taking the mantle back until I'm better, but there are so many crew members aboard right now, and I can feel there pain and hopelessness. They need someone like you to bring there morale up. If we don't have our will to fight than there's nothing worth fighting for."

Ackbar sighed than nodded.

"I'll do what I can, however the bridge crew, the people I worked the closest with, they're all dead."

"Than you will have to work with new people."

Ackbar hesitantly nodded his old head, the thought of having to interact with several of the ships tadpoles was not a comfortable one.

"I see...Princess Organa-?"

However Leia had already fallen asleep.

"Then I really am doing this on my own."

When Poe exited Leia's room, he was greeted by a curious Finn, and a worried looking Rose. Finn approached him first.

"How is the General?"

"She is tired, but with rest I think she'll be just fine, now, if you don't mind, I want to check on my pilots before we start doing our rounds."

"That's fine, but why the rush Captain Dameron?"

Rose had asked.

"The fuel supply is low- Poe's fine by the way- I want to make sure this gets done, because if we can't get where we're going before we run out of fuel it'll never get done."

"Than let's go."

They started heading for the pilots shared quarters. The hallways were quite over crowded with crewmen. Some were half running towards there different assignments, some were talking to each other, but a lot of them were just sitting or standing against the walls, looking completely miserable.

'Rose is right,' Poe thought, 'So many crewmen have nothing progressive to do, nothing to distract them from thinking about the bleakness of there situation, the friends they've lost.'

Poe stopped, his thoughts stuck on his lost pilots, and Tallie. Where Rose kept walking, Finn stopped, concerned about his friend. Finn put his hand on Poe's shoulder which seemed to break Poe's spell, Poe looked at Finn.

"You ok Poe?"

When she heard Finn speak Rose looked back, than stopped to wait for them.

"Yah, I guess I got lost in thought. Don't worry, I'm f-"

Poe was interrupted by the projected voices of two crewmen.

"Crewmen without anything to do, go to your quarters and make sure the lights are off, are set to dim when you enter, and that there's nothing draining power."

They seemed to be Raddus ship electricians, both in standard uniform. The one that just spoke was a caucasian human male, shaggy super blonde hair that cover his ears and almost cover his blue eyes. The other was a Lethan Twi'lek, with a calmer red skin than most Lethans, her brown eyes looked around the hallway for more possible ways to save power.

She speaks next, her Rylothian accent was almost non-existent.

"Drain any unnecessary handhelds, also drain your droids, anything that isn't necessary for our survival of our situation should be drained, any alternative power sources should be turned in to be transferred into energy, every gigawatt will help keep us out of the clutches of the First Order longer."

Poe wasn't one for eavesdropping but he did heard what they were saying to each other as his group walked by.

"Suu, I really think we should go to another deck, this sections lights have already been dimmed."

"We have orders Belac, and of course if we finish everything quickly, we might even get a break, some time alone."

"What about Cuarya?"

"She was friends with Gev, I want to leave him and her friends to grieve for her in peace."

Poe wasn't interested in these two crewmen's relationships, but something Belac said seemed off. He couldn't think of what seemed particularly off so he was just going to take note of him and keep walking, however Rose seemed to have other plans. She walked right up to Suu.

"I really hope this doesn't sound rude, but are those ears?"

Finn was shocked that Rose would ask such a personal question, however when he looked closer at the female Twi'lek he realized her question at least had basis. Suu indeed had ears that seemed to be a mix between human and Twi'lek males instead of the pointed cone horns Twi'lek females have. Finn simply thought this meant that she was transgender, so he put his hand on Rose's shoulder to gently pull her away, Suu made a hand gesture though to suggest that everything was ok. Poe approached.

"Don't worry, I get that all the time. Lethan Twi'leks having slightly mutated genes, and my father was not fully Twi'lek so the weird genetic combination resulted with me having ears. I can also grow real eyebrows but I shave them off and had these tattooed on like most Twi'leks. I'm Suu Leh-Lawquane, this is Belac Cham."

She turns to Poe and puts out her hand to shake his hand, he takes it.

"Commander Dameron, I believe we've met once before, I was a technician on D'Qar."

Poe didn't feel like correcting her, so he just politely responded.

"I think I remember, however I do not recall having the pleasure making your offical acquaintance Lieutenant Commander Cham?"

Hearing his name caught his attention, before that he seemed to be staring nervously at Finn, who didn't look the most comfortable either.

"I throw myself in my work a great deal of the time, but I've attended some of the strategical meeting."

He noticed Rose and his eyes widen for a second than return to normal, she does seem to notice this reaction because she turns from Suu to him.

"Who are you?"

"Rose Tico Sir."

"Never heard of you, oh, aren't you a guarding class of soldier."

"No sir, mechanic, I was also stationed to D'Qar."

"Huh, funny that I've never seen you before, but it makes sense that you are out here with Commander Dameron, the head mechanic is probably a thorn in your side. Anyway, Suu, we really should get going if we want to finish early."

With that Belac rushed off, Suu than followed. Poe started back on the course he was walking before that little interruption. Rose was the first to speak.

"He was weird."

"I agree."

Finn said with a shiver.

"Yes, he must not have been feeling to well, his cheeks and ear tips seemed a little green, and speaking of green his hair roots were green, I've never seen someone dye there roots like that."

"No Poe, I'm talking about this feeling I got off of him, like a shadow, I've felt it before, I just can't remember when."

Before Finn could explain any further, they turned a corner and Connix literally ran him over, her light blue PZ protocol droid turned the corner soon after.

"Sorry, um, Finn right, I didn't see you there."

She helped Finn up. Poe spoke next.

"Shouldn't you be on the bridge Connix, is something wrong?"

"Oh, no Captain, I just heard that the General was awake. I wanted to check in with her."

"When I left she was talking to Ackbar, so I'm sure that it's ok to go in."

"Alright, I will see you on the bridge later than maybe, I'm sorry to hear about Tallie by the way."

"Thanks Connix."

"Come on Peazy."

And with that Connix continued on her way, passing through the crowd of crew members with nothing to do but get consumed in there own grief. She wondered for a second if anyone on board would be praying to the Ulizra, but she knew that there wasn't any Nazzars on the ship and doubted any other humans on board worshiped them.

A few paces away from the generals door hobbled Ackbar. Connix approached the old Admiral.

"How is she Admiral?"

"It is just Ackbar now lieutenant, and she is sleeping, gaining her strength."

"I see, well than I should probably return to the ship."

"Actually lieutenant, er, Connix, Leia has asked me to find a way to interact with crew members like you to bring up there morale."

"Crew members like me?"

"Young, mostly low ranked."

"Ah, I understand. Sadly I'm due back on the bridge in a few minutes, with you and the General down here, I am one of the few fully trained bridge crewmen left."

"Well than I won't take anymore of your-"

Connix interrupted him.

"But, I may be able to introduce you to someone who can help you."

Chapter 17

Hux still had not heard from his spy, and for the very first time in his hunt of the Resistance, he had doubts. He knew that his bluff was working, that even through hyper space the First Order could track them through a mysterious means. But he now knew that they were expertly blocking all signals and that if the Raddus were to jump into hyper space now, and still managed to block there signals long enough for there minor reinforcements to arrive, the First Order would lose the stand still and the Resistance would live on for the foreseeable future. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck.

'Thorn is far more than capable of handling herself,' Hux thought,' but I do fear they are looking for her, and it's taking all of my persuasive skills to stop the Supremacy from light-speeding in front of the Raddus and blowing it up, with her still inside of it.'

They will succeed no matter what because of there sheer numbers and resources, but if Hux isn't the one to deal the final blow, and quickly, his promotion could be at stake.

He excused himself from the bridge. He decided more planning was to be done to secure all that he worked for. If he worked hard now he might even surpass the dreaded Kylo Ren as the Supreme Leader's most favoured servant.





Kylo Ren was meditating in his quarters, something he often didn't do. Everyone in the First Order was working towards insuring the Resistance's defeat, and yet that did not seem important to him. Instead he was spending his energy on finding Luke Skywalker.

Finding Luke Skywalker was the utmost priority of the entire First Order only days ago, and in Kylo's mind the best way to his former master was through the scavenger girl, Rey.

His mind was always open to the force, but he had never seen the use of projecting his mind, not until now. His force abilities were one of the highest in the galaxy, but it had been over a decade since he'd practised this technique and he seemed to be encountering difficulties. After an hour he could only seem to manage to read the thoughts and emotions of the people on the same deck as him.

It finally dawned on him that it wasn't solely his fault. Realizing what might be going on he took a deep breath and stopped channelling the darkside.

He braced himself for what he was about to do. Deep down he knew that there would be no going back from this. He restarted his projected search, but this time through the light side of the force.

He thought it would be difficult to reconnect, he had suppressed that part of himself so deep into his soul for so long now. But instead it flowed through him as easily as it had when he was a boy. It made him feel warm and at ease, almost like it was welcoming him back with open arms.

Then the visions started.

He saw his uncle, decades ago, screaming in pain on a platform floor as he was being electrocuted by the Sith Emperor. This was the moment he was taught to hate with all his soul. He watched as his grandfather, the intrepid Darth Vader, picked up his master and threw him into Death Star's reactor.

However the vision continued, he witnessed how an injured Luke lifted and dragged Kylo's dying grandfather from the throne room to the closest hanger. Just as they reached an abandoned ship was when the last of Vader's strength and energy ran out, and Vader fell, forcing Luke to drag him to the base of the ship. That was when Darth Vader died. Except to Ren's surprise it wasn't.

Vader reaches out to his son.

"Luke, help me take this mask off."

"But you'll die."

"Nothing can stop that now. Just for once, let me look on you with my own eyes."

Luke slowly disassembles the different parts of the mask until he could see Vader's pale, scared up face. A happy smile came over the Sith Lord.

"Now go, my son. Leave me."

"No. You're coming with me. I can't leave you here. I've got to save you."

"You already have, Luke. You were right about me. Tell your sister...you were right."

Kylo watched as it was only than that Vader died, died in Luke's arms.

"Father...I won't leave you."



And true to his word Luke lifted up Vader's body and drags him into the imperial shuttle and took off.

"Do you finally see, Ben?"

"Who?"

"You were one of few who knew the truth."

His surroundings began to change. He was eleven years old, and was lying in his bed in his small quarters on Elphrona, inside the Jedi temple Luke was using to train the next generation.

He had just woken up from a nightmare and was trying to process it. He had dreamt that his lightsaber had turned red and his eyes a sickly yellow, Sith lightning had crackled from his fingertips. This had not been the first time he had had that type of dream and was starting to think he should tell his uncle.

He took a deep breath and calmed himself down. 'I can not turn to the darkside, my lineage is strong in the light side, I can control this.'

Ren know that this memory was his own, but it must have been suppressed because until now he did not remember this particular event.

His younger self turned towards the window, something had caught his attention. He watched as his mother's Republican cruiser landed. She wasn't supposed to arrive to visit him and his uncle until morning, and yet that was unmistakably her cruiser.

'Something must have occurred.'

Young Ben quickly got dressed and ran to the landing pad. By the time he got there she had already departed so he started searching for her.

When he approached his uncle's quarters he heard both Leia and Luke's voices. He continued towards the open door than stopped, a mischievous smile crossed his face as he decided to jump scare them. He quietly came to the door and prepared to jump, he listened for the right moment.

"We've waited too long Luke; we should have told him by now."

Ben froze.

"I know, every day I tell myself that I will do it, but he then looks up at me with innocent eyes and I cannot bring myself to shatter his reality like mine had been."

"Our father's story might have had an extremely dark part of it, the people he's killed will never live again, but its ending is one of honour, without his sacrifice the galaxy would still be under the Empire's rule and you would certainly be dead."

"I am aware of this, his life's story would also serve as a cautionary tale for all my students. As well as make sure that they know that you can always change for the better no matter how far you've gone. But how would we tell him, 'hey kid, your grandfather, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, was also the Sith Lord Darth Vader.'"

Kylo Ren could visibly see his past self's soul shatter. He could remember this event now. After this he had gone back to bed, and suppressed that memory deep with in himself. The consequences of that moment still greatly effected him. When the darkness started to seep into him he barely fought; he was under the mindset that there was no use in fighting it. And when his mother told him the truth about his grandfather over half a decade later, despite being enraged, it did not feel like a surprise.

"Do you finally see, Ben?"

Kylo, oh who was he kidding, Ben turned around and saw his grandfather. Still in his suit, but the helmet removed as it had been when he died. They were both on his private shuttle, the one he had used in the Tehar and Jakku raids. His grandfather's ghost was completely corporeal, with only the slight blue tinted aura surrounding him.

"The destiny of Skywalker's isn't eternal darkness, it's redemption and restoring the balance."

"The darkness has already won; I can't do this alone."

"You won't have to; no one achieves victory alone."

"I will recall the knights, they will follow me."

"Who you need is in the compartment behind you."

And with that Anakin Skywalker faded away, the whole vision was fading as well. Ben whipped around, opening all the compartments with Jedi and Sith relics he and the knights had collected, and just as the vision faded into blinding light he opened the compartment that contained the sole relic of the Tehar raid, the weapon that had given him his first vision of Rey. His namesake's lightsaber.

"Kenobi."

Sharp images flash through his head, the images distorted and cracked; Ben knew the force was tearing apart.

He saw Rey, she was wielding a long double-bladed lightsaber, it's blades a light vilot. But with another crack of the force he saw her falling into a well of darkness.

His mother's voice.

"Ben?"

And than something more sinister.

"Ren!"

Ben Solo's eyes snapped open. A hologram of Supreme Leader Snoke's head was projected just feet from his face.

He fell to the floor as it turned out he had been levitating, than went to his knees.

"Apologies Supreme Leader, I had fallen into a trance."

Ben now realized what his main obstacle was. If Snoke remained in power, all that is good will be destroyed. The balance will shatter, reality will break, and its pieces will fall into darkness. He needed a plan.

Ben stopped channelling the light and let a small amount of darkness to return, because if his master found out what he had done than he would surely die.

"General Hux has made a proposition and I want you in my throne room."

"Yes, Master."

Ben than left his quarters and reluctantly made his way towards his master's throne room.

Chapter 18

After almost two hour of walking and climbing up the islands path, Luke and Rey came to the base of the islands peak, which revealed its self to be the dug out Jedi temple. As they walked through, Rey could see a simple but beautiful mosaic in the middle of the floor made entirely from small black, and white stones.

Luke led her outside to a stone ledge. It clearly was the highest reachable part of the island. Rey never had a fear of heights, if she did she would have died years ago on Jakku, but looking over the edge gave her a small amount of anxiety.

She looked at the Jedi Master, and he simply looked back at her. This staring contest went on for almost a minute until Rey broke the silence.

"So?"

"So."

Rey now could feel her frustration boiling, she tried to remain calm however.

"Master Skywalker, I feel like you are still being difficult with me. Last night you said that you would show me the ways of the force, so are you going to keep your word?"

"What do you know about the force, Rey from nowhere?"

"It's just Rey, and not much, only the little Han, Maz, and Leia told me, and the stuff I've experienced myself."

"And that is?"

"A magical power that moves through and surrounds everybody, good and evil. It lets Jedi move things with there mind and will, and can let them enter someone else's mind."

"A lot of what you said is somewhat accurate. The rest...WRONG!"

Rey could see that he actually was impressed, but she was still taken aback by his words.

"Lesson one. Sit here."



Rey sat down on the larger rock Luke had pointed to. She arranged her legs in an awkward crisscross position.

"One, the force isn't magic, there is a science behind it, it just happens to be a stupid science and I'm glad the records of it were destroyed with the Empire. Second, the force doesn't just exist in people and living things, it flows through every planet, solar system, and galaxy. The balance is far more than lifting rocks or reading thoughts."

"Okay. But what is the balance?"

"Close your eyes."Luke instructed.

"Breath, now reach out."

"Reach out, I don't-"

Luke interrupted her.

"If you are going to question every word I say than I won't be able to teach you a thing. Now breathe, just breathe. Reach out with you mind, reach out with your feeling and emotions."

With Luke's instructions Rey quickly found that she could see the whole island, from every pebble to the clouds above. she could see all the life, the life in herself, the Caretakers of the island, the sea beasts lying on the beach, and the little odd birds that covered every inch of the island. That was only the beginning though, she could see so much more.

"What do you see?"

"The island. Life, death and decay, that feeds new life. Warm, cold, peace, violence."

"And between it all?"

"Balance, an energy. A force."

"And inside you?"

"Inside me is the same force."

For a second Rey realized she could not see Luke, even though he stood right next to her. Before she could say anything he spoke.

"This is the lesson. The force does not belong to the Jedi. It's all so much bigger. To say that if the Jedi all die, the force dies, it's a lie. The light and darkness of the force is in everything and every heart. Can you understand that?"

She understood, and she was about to say just that to Skywalker when she sensed a new presence, calling to her, almost like a soft pleading whisper.

"There's something else. There is a powerful light right here-"

"That would be the Jedi temple, A construction, and embodiment of light-"

"And a darkness, beneath the island. A place, a very dark place."

She could see it, wet rocky flats by the sea. A dark hole in the rock, emitting frigid cold.

"Again, all things need balance, powerful light, powerful dark."

Rey could see a mirror like wall inside, the whispers seemed to emanate from it. They spoke to her.

'Come.'

"It's calling me."

The ledge they both stood on shook, and than cracked. Rocks from above fell while the pebbles by her hands rose. Luke began to panic, he saw now not the young women, but his dark nephew.

"Resist it. Rey, fight it!"

But the whispers had grown to a roar, just like the water rushing in the dark cavern.

'The answers you seek are inside, come, and learn your truth.'

Than suddenly she was on the floor of the ledge. Her face stinging, she realized Luke had slapped her. Rey also realized that her hair was soaked, despite the mounting top being the only dry part of the island, as if the water in the darkness had come to her.

"You went straight to the dark."

"That place, it wanted to show me something."

"No, it wanted your soul, it just offered you something you needed, and you didn't even fight it."

He turned and started walking away. Rey decided it was now or never to confront Luke about what she hadn't seen.

"I saw everything on this island, but I didn't see you, nothing from you."

Rey didn't mean to pry, but she found herself trying to read Luke's base emotions and thoughts, only to discover nothing to read. It dawned on her what was going on.

"You've closed yourself off from the force."

Luke turned around, and Rey could finally see his true emotions to this situation he had found himself in, absolutely terrified.

"I've seen this raw strength only once before, in Ben Solo. It didn't scare me enough then, but it does now."

Luke than left with no further statement. Rey did not move from where she lay for a couple minutes, until she regained her thoughts and strength, than she too got up to leave. As she past the mosaic, she finally understood the ancient piece of art, it was equally black and white, completely balanced. This only left a question in her mind.

'If there's both black and white, why is there no grey.'

Chapter 19

Lieutenant Connix was leading Ackbar towards the ships mess hall, located in the very centre of the Raddus. When they entered Ackbar was overwhelmed by the sheer number of crew members in there, not a square inch was available at the tables, and even more people were gathered in large and small groups along the walls.

"Do none of these crewmen have a job to do? Or at least been assigned quarters?"

"Most of these crewmen were ground soldiers, the rest were kicked out of there assignments because its to over crowded. They have quarters, but half these people have never stepped foot on the Raddus, let alone know there way around, so sticking with friends is only logical."

"Which tadpoles do you want me to interact with?"

"Do you mean, never mind, my old cadet pod is right over here."

Connix took him to one of the smaller groups huddled against the right wall. There were two Keshiri women, a Yinchorri, and humanoid male. As Ackbar got closer he was shocked to realize that the human was the same Mandalorian he had rescued.

As he approached he could make out more details about the different group members. The Yinchorri was quite tall, one of the Keshiri had white hair and a pure black pupils, the other Keshiri had the same eyes but a more silvery hair colour.

A second later the grieving group noticed Connix and all but the Yinchorri's faces lit up. The Yinchorri might have lit up as well, but Ackbar had trouble distinguishing the reptilian specie's emotions.

They all came to greet her, by this point the young Mandalorian, Davu Gev, had noticed Ackbar as well as his friend. They all greeted Connix first though.

"Kaydel, you are here!"

"What is the news from the bridge?"

"Is there a plan to save us Kadi?"

Connix looked a little panicked, Ackbar knew that even if she had the answers, she could not tell her friends.

"I can say that there's a plan."

She looked nervously at Ackbar, possibly worried that he'd get her in trouble if she spilled information.

"But the details of where we're going, and how long until we get there is strictly confidential."

Everyone's hopes seemed to plummet.

"Thanks Kadi, you now sound exactly like every other officer, completely useless."

Connix clearly felt hurt by this comment. The other Keshiri came to her defence.

"Sasharsi, this is not her fault, she has her orders. You can't take our losses out on her."

Gev turned towards the old Mon Calamari.

"Adm- er, um, Mr. Ackbar, why are you here with Lieutenant Connix?"

The former Admiral actually stopped to think on how he would reply, for the first time in about 40 years he felt awkward.

"I have no where else to go, Lieutenant Connix offered me your companionship, I was not aware that you were a friend of her's Lieutenant Junior Grade Gev."

Although Gev continued to face Ackbar, the others all turned to look at Connix, with negative expressions on there faces, who's own face was now going bright red with embarrassment than anger as she glared at Ackbar.

"Yes, 'I' offered the former Admiral your companionship, that's exactly what I did."

Ackbar was oblivious to the emotion, sarcasm, and slight begging in her voice.

"Kadi, why, just why."

Connix looked like she was about to speak, but she than pulled the Yinchorri close to her and whispered in his species hearing vessel. When she backed up he nodded.

"I'm sorry everyone, I can't stay any longer to talk, I'm already really late to my job on the bridge. Just allow the former Admiral to converse with you. I'll meet up with you all again when my shift is over."

With one more look at both Ackbar and the Yinchorri, hastily she walked away.

Gev decided to initiate the conversation.

"Well, Mr. Ackbar-"

"Ackbar is sufficient, thank you, continue."

"I am Davu Gev, as you already know. This is Lieutenant Junior Grade Sasharsi Talion, and her sister Tasharsi. Tash was the Head Mechanic of the Ninka, of course with all crewmen now on the Raddus her job is, um, well-"

"Being hogged by that greedy nerf-herding plezint."

"Tash! Sorry Sir, she's still upset. The Head Mechanic of the Raddus didn't feel like sharing and there was no where else for her to be stationed."

The Yinchorri stepped forward.

"And I'm Privet Soldier Class Qrayluk. I fight ground battles, but there are no battles to fight."

Gev continued to speak.

"Most people in this room have no job to do because of the over crowding. I'm the only one in my circle with a station, but my next shift isn't for hours."

"Everyone is just grieving in silence, everyone trying to keep themselves together for the sake of everyone else."

Qrayluk nodded to Ackbar's summary, than added on to it.

"It is exhausting."

Tasharsi spoke next.

"What is honestly worse is not being able to do the proper send offs. Every room being as crowded as they are, there is no privacy for prayers."

Ackbar thought about the young Keshiri's words. Mon Calamari didn't have any religion to pray too, so the religious practices, and needs of those around him often slipped his mind. The Calamari, being such logical beings, one aspect of what Tasharsi said didn't make sense to him.

"Why can't they all pray together?"





Poe was surprised to see the pilot barracks full of crewmen, but he quickly realized that they were all crewmen refugees and not his pilots. The four pilots that remained were huddled together in the left corner on there cots. Finn and Rose followed.

Sargent Nodin Chavdri spotted Dameron and stood.

"No."

Chavdri stated firmly.

They all stopped, the other crewmen in the immediate area quieted down. Poe became quite confused.

"No?"

Ensign Pammich Nerro Goode got to her feet and stood by Chavdri. Lieutenant Commander Nien Nunb also stood, but stayed in place, and Poe's old friend Captain C'ai Threnalli stayed on his cot, and would not even look in Poe's direction.

Goode spoke next.

"You heard Nodin. No, don't come here asking for something, or to help you with some crazy idea, we're sick of your ego centric notions."

"I came hear to check up on all of you, too see if you were all alright. You all are my friends."

"Once again, no, we are not all your friends. Threnalli is your friend, but you left him to go argue with the Admiral about your rank. Snap and Vi are your friends, but they are still MIA and you haven't shown to care at all about there fate. Tallie and L'ulo were the closest thing you've had to family but they're both gone now, and you expect us to pick up there slack."

Poe was completely shocked by Chavdri's comments, those weren't his intentions and yet elements of what he said rang true.

"I did not mean for this to happen to us, the entirety of our people were wiped out in a matter of days, but I promise you that I only came here to see how you all were faring."

"But you're still wrong, not the entirety of us were killed, we're still here, and it took you over a day to 'see how we all were faring,' I think it's best if you continue to leave us alone."

"Yes, go."

"But-but, C'ai-?"

The old Abednedo still did not face him, but spoke to him in his native tongue.

"Just leave us alone for now Poe. Tallissan's things are on her cot, take what you want, the rest will be given away."

Despite the shock he was in, Poe nearly tripped over himself as he turned to lean over her cot. It was a mess since she had been in a rush to get dressed, stuff was everywhere. Finn came to Poe's side as he frantically looked through everything.

"What is it you are looking for?"

"Anything I can take that was important to her, one thing in particular is a necklace, but I bet she was wearing it when she-"

Rose was now helping him search, she noticed his stop.

"What is it Poe?"

Poe lifted up a pair of black formal gloves. He stared at them then closed his eyes and held them to his chest. Finn noticed that they were made from synthsilk like the uneti branch in Poe's quarters were rapped in. To Finn's surprise, Poe than flung them back onto the cot and kept searching underneath it. Finn did not comment but Rose did.

"Why did you do that, they clearly have value to you?"

"They had value to her, not me, and look at them, they could never fit my hands. If you want them, take them."

Rose remained silent for the remainder of the search. Finn really wanted to help Poe but none of them could find anything of real interest. Finn stepped back and took a deep breath, and than something under the adjacent bunk caught his eye. He bent underneath and saw a small locket attached to a silver chain.

"Poe, is this what you were looking for, it must have fallen off and slid under her neighbours cot."

Poe's eyes widened. He outreach his hand and Finn dropped the chain into his hand. Poe looked it over, took the locket off of its chain, than pulled out a chain that had been concealed around his own neck. He took it off, to both Finn and Rose's curiosity it held what was obviously a wedding ring. Poe slid the locket next to the ring than put the chain back on. Rose was the one to ask.

"Who's wedding band is that?"

"My mother's, I'm saving it for the right person."

Rose's posture changed suddenly Finn noticed, and one off her hands went to her waist before she spoke again.

"She'll be a lucky women."

"She?"

Poe said before turning, heading for the door. Realization dawned on her face.

"Oh."

Both Finn and Rose turned to leave with Poe, but Chavdri called out.

"You are Paige's sister, aren't you?"

"Yes."

He motioned her to sit next to him. Finn looked between Rose and the leaving Poe, Rose noticed this and gave him a wink.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up in a minute."

Finn smiled at her, and she smiled back, Finn than jogged to catch up with Poe. The former commander seemed to be in a daze, Finn had noticed that he seemed to be in that daze a lot since the hanger blow up. The PTSD was clearly haunting him, but Finn could not think of a way to help, he knew that this pain would stick with him until he died.

"Where are we headed Poe."

Poe slowed down to allow Finn to walk at the same pace next to him.

"The less crowded areas of the Raddus. If the spy or spies are trying to break through the communication barrier, or make plans they would probably be in the least populated spots on this ship, and that is vary few places at this point."

They checked all locations with the lowest crewmen concentration, covertly interrogating anyone even remotely suspicious, however everyone turned out clean.

"There is only one last location I can think of Finn, and that's the escape pod hanger. It usually only has one guard."

Mentioning this location re-ignited Finn's guilt. His guilt of trying to abandon the Resistance, and abandon Poe was to much, so he turned to look away from him.

"That sounds logical."

So they made there way to the hanger. Because it was a restricted area only the guard, who was clearly doing his job, was there.

They left the hanger itself, but before re-entering the main part of the ship Finn put his hand on Poe's shoulder. Poe turned and looked directly into Finn's eyes.

"Poe, do you need to talk?"

"No, why."

"Because you are hurting, you apparently lost so many people and you've been in a daze since I woke up from my coma. Who was Tallie, was she your, um, your girlfriend?"

Poe out right laughed at Finn saying girlfriend, a laugh he clearly needed.

"Girlfriend! No, she definitely wasn't. Here, sit."

Poe sat on a floor against the hall wall, Finn joined him. Poe took out his chain and held it out for Finn to see.

"My Parents were active members of the Rebel Alliance all throughout my early childhood, I rarely saw them. My grandfather looked after me at the house my parents built on Yavin 4."

"Wasn't Yavin 4 an old rebel base?"

"As well as a Jedi temple. When the war officially ended after the battle of Jakku they came home and my grandfather left. My father officially left the life behind but my mother stayed as a reserve for the Republic Defence Fleet. We started learning how to be a family after that. When Jedi Master Luke Skywalker asked if we would tend to one of his uneti trees we jumped at the chance of having something that united us."

"The branch in your quarters, is that from the same tree?"

"I'm getting there."

Finn was amazed by how open Poe was with him. He felt happy seeing Poe happy.

"My mother started teaching me how to fly, in a real A-wing, when I was about six. Flying and tending the tree with me were two of her most favourite things to do."

Finn could now feel where this was heading, he once again put his hand on Poe's shoulder.

"What happened to her."

Poe took a big sigh.

"I didn't learn the truth until I joined the Resistance. What we did know was that she was called away to escort a diplomat ship heading to the unknown region, no one on that mission returned. I was eight at the time."

"I'm sorry to hear that, it was the First Order, wasn't it?"

"Yes, the diplomats were passing through the Otomok System, the First Order had just arrived there and they didn't what the New Republic knowing about them yet. So the obliterated the diplomats ships and their escorts, my mother died in a hopeless battle. What was so horrible though was that the First Order moved the remains. They tractor beamed the remains of ships and its contents halfway across the Unknown region to lay off suspicion. It was almost a year before the Republic identified the reck."

"Poe, that's truly awful, if someone had done that to Captain Phasma I would rip them limb from limb, like a Wookie."

"What! Captain Phasma is the poster soldier of the First Order, and you care about her?! Didn't you hold her hostage and have Chewie knock her unconscious."

"Poe, she is the reason I managed to rescue you from the First Order."

"WHAT!"

"I'll explain it after you finish your story, I want to hear the rest of your tale."

"If you say so. My dad and I were devastated, we both did what we knew how to try and cope. I tended the Uneti and studied flight manuals while my dad joined the reserves. Because he was away so often he needed help raising me. At first he had my grandfather move back in, but by the time I was eleven he had died from a disease that had entered the colony."

Finn wanted to comment on this loss but he felt like he would sound like a corrupted recording, he also had a feeling that this wasn't the last death in Poe's history.

"Being off saving the galaxy half the time, and drunk the rest, my father wasn't really qualified to raise me on his own, so he asked his old Rebel friend for help. L'ulo L'ampar was a Duros rebel pilot that transitioned to the Republic Defence Fleet like my mother, and the Resistance when that came around. He looked after me when dad was on duty, and they both looked after me when they both were off, but that was very rare. What wasn't rare was when they were both off fighting, so that's where Tallie comes in. Tallissan Lintra's Father, who also used to be a rebel pilot, had become a farmer and synthsilk trader on Pippip 3. When L'ampar was on duty he'd drop me off at the farm. Tallie was only one when I first got dropped off, but she had already suffered like I had, her mother had died in an accident two months before Mr. Lintra let me live there part time. Eventually he started properly flight training me in his A-wing, and I got a sister out of it all, Tallie was always by my side. We were two broken families, but when we were brought together we became a little more whole."

"You said that only L'ampar was dropping you off, what happened to your dad?"

Poe took a big sigh, he subconsciously started rubbing the ring.

"Not long after L'ampar and the Lintra's entered my life, my dad left it. It was the fourth year anniversary of us learning of my mother's death. He was super drunk and that night he decided to go flying. He barely got off the ground before crashing into a Massassi tree at 400 km/per hour. I remember the happy days with him, but it's very hard not to think of him as the depressed drunk man that he was for half of my childhood, the only thing I got from him was my name and my mother's wedding ring that he left on his nightstand before his drunken flight. L'ampar didn't want me to be permanently separated from my home so whenever it was his turn to look after me it would always be at my home on Yavin 4. After my fathers death when neither the Lintra's or L'ampar could look after me, former rebels members would come over for a short while, the alliance was a family, that's how I knew General Leia. When I turned 18 I decided to join the Resistance, I knew that I would most likely almost never be home again so I took a seedling from the Uneti tree to tend to, and snapped a branch off of its parent to always have a piece of home and my mother with me always. Before I left Mr. Lintra gave me a piece of Synthsilk to rap the branch in. That's basically my story, it's been fourteen years since I joined this fight, Tallie joined eight years after me and flew through the piloting ranks, and L'ampar who was the closest thing I had to a uncle died saving hopeless people in escape pods. These deaths have shaped me to be who I am."

"I know a lot of these events must have been traumatizing, but you pushed through them and joined a cause you believe in, it is really inspiring Poe, makes me almost wish I could stay."

Poe looked shocked.

"You still want to leave."

"Poe, you know this isn't where I belong. I respect what the Resistance does, and I'd never betray you guys, but all my life I was raised to kill whoever my superiours pointed at, and currently Holdo is pointing at the people I was raised with. I've come to terms with the fact that the First Order must fall, but it can't be by my hands. I want to see the galaxy, and maybe learn what a normal life is."

Poe sighed again.

"Ok, well, if we survive this whole thing, what if you moved into my house?"

"What, but its your, well, home."

"It really isn't anymore, the Resistance is my home, I've only been to Yavin 4 five times since I joined. I'd like to know that its in good hands."

"Wait, you wouldn't be living there anymore?"

"What, no, it would be all yours, why do you think I'd still be there?"

"Nothing, never mind. Um, why is the locket important?"

"It's not exactly important to me, it was important to Tallie and is something I can have on me to remember her. One side has a holo-image of her mother and the other side shows her when she was a little girl playing with her dad."

"That's not the images it shows."

"What are you taking about, I've seen the holos myself."

"Open it Poe, it was open when I found it, I didn't mean to look, but I did see the two photos."

Poe opened the locket. The holo-image on the left was a picture of Tallies mother and father holding her as a newborn. Her mother was about Finns age, with the same skin tone as her daughter, light blonde hair, and murky greyish-blue eyes. Her father was just younger the Poe, with light brown hair, slightly darker skin tone than his wife, and deep ocean blue eyes like his daughter. The second image was what made Poe gasp, it was a picture of him and Tallie the day he had left to join the Resistance. He was so young, he was sporting a horrible buzz cut because he thought it would be required in the military. He was all decked out in a Resistance pilot suit that was to big for his at the time scrawny body. Next to him, with her arm around his waist, and his flight helmet on her head, was his sister. Only about eight years old at the time, her dirty blonde hair crept out of the helmet, her ocean blue eyes were just barely visible behind the visor. The image didn't capture it but she had just told Poe that she would join him in the fight soon enough, and that they would fly around the galaxy together.

After taking it all in Poe realized that a few tears were now running down his face.

"Thank you Finn, I needed this."

"Anything for you, I would never have escaped the death trap that is the First Order without you. Come one now, there's a spy somewhere on board and just because we missed them on the first sweep just means we need to try again."

Finn Shot stood up and held out his arm, helping Poe to his. They exited the hanger.

"But according to yourself I wasn't the only reason you escaped, tell me more about this traitorous Phasma."

"Captain Phasma is a traitor?!"

Rose Tico had just turned the corner, clearly searching for them, the look on her face was that of complete shock and bewilderment.

"I don't have all the details myself, but yes."

"Sorry, I just find that so hard to believe because she was the one who boarded my families refugee ship, killed my family, separated me from my sister, and took my to the First Order to be enslaved, all when I was only six."

Now it was Finn's turn for surprise.

"Wait, you were First Order."

"Only for about a month, a troubled soldier rescued me and a handful of other taken children, he dropped us off on Naboo. The other children managed to get in contact with distant family members, but Phasma killed the only adult family I had. That's why I joined the Resistance when I learned about it, to get back at the monsters that took everything away from me, turned out my sister Paige was rescued by a kind pilot who raised her and also joined the Resistance."

"That is some story. I won't excuse Phasma's actions, because the galaxy knows of the crimes she's committed, but she was also troubled by the greater evil boiling in the First Order."

"What could possible make you think that."

"Because she is the reason I'm standing in front of you Rose. After my first mission, something awakened in me. The screams of those innocent civilians, I couldn't pull the trigger of my blaster. After the mission Phasma approached me, I thought she was about to rat me out, but instead she told me that if I hated the horrors as much as she did, than I should rescue Poe so he can fly me to safety. She told me exactly where to find him, and what to say to the guards to get him out. Than on Starkiller she lowered the shields, however I had to make sure she wasn't blamed so I made sure it looked like she had no choice. She was always super tough on me in particular, but I was also the only one I ever saw her praise, support, and congratulate."

"If she is a sympathizer why is she still working with them instead of us?"

"I don't quite know, I asked her to escape with me and Poe, but all she said was that she had more work to do, than she turned around and left me. I doubt I'll ever know the truth."

Poe interrupted.

"I hate to interrupt this origin fest, but we have that thing we need to do."

"Right, sorry Poe."

And with that they continued there search.

Chapter 20

The voice of the Supreme Leader boomed so loudly Ben feared his ears would bleed.

"Recall The Knights of Ren, and send the mission to Spector Ren, I have grown weary of this childish rivalry between you and the General!"

General Hux had just proposed a strategy to cripple the Resistance before they made there move, this greatly troubled Ben. For starters Hux now felt bold enough to give orders for Ben's Knights, which was not a good sign. Second this would crush Ben's plans before they were even fully developed. He had to play along and still plant the seeds of his plan and hope they grow quickly.

"Master, you are aware of the communication shielding on that dreadful ship, Hux's plan has several holes."

"There ship is more than close enough for you to make contact with your Knight through the force."

"Yes Master, It will be done. Though Supreme Leader, it was my impression that we didn't assign my Knights for the plans of a Juvenile General thinking with what's between his legs instead of his ears."

Hux's jaw dropped at that statement, along with his entire face turning a brighter red than his hair. He stuttered for a few seconds, to in shock to speak, but he found his tongue. He quickly approached Ben, clearly preparing to fight, he made his comeback.

"You froxhuving sinion! I know who your mother is, she's the plezint who leads the rodents we're trying to kill."

Just as Hux was within two feet of Ben, he force drew and ignited his cross lightsaber. He held the tip of the blade an inch below Hux's nose.

"And your mother was a kitchen cooking h-"

"ENOUGH!"

With the force, Snoke deactivates Ben's lightsaber and slams both men to the solid floor. Neither man dared make a noise despite there pain.

"I won't tolerate another second of this outrageously immature rivalry. You are BOTH major disappointments. I saw greatness in both of you upon our first encounters, and both of you only sink lower in the shadows of those men. Leave me now and do your duties or I'll rip your heads off by hand."

Both men got up and walked for the lift. Ben was hopeful that that scene would distract both Snoke and the hot headed General enough to buy him some time. He would still have to contact Spector Ren, but his Knight would be following his orders, not anyone else's. Hux on the other had was infuriated, bruised, and humiliated. Twice in a week someone had taunted him with his kitchen slave mother, and he had had failure after failure. No more would he take this degrading behaviour from anyone. It took all his strength not to draw his blaster and shoot Kylo's brains out, but he knew that that would only result in his death. He had to think smarter.

When they exited the lift Hux activated his communicator.

"Captain, I have a task for your best squads."

Phasma's voice answered his immediately, he knew that the old Captain was probably the only person he could trust other than himself. He couldn't even fully trust Thorn, she is a spy and her job is to lie.

"What are your orders General?"

"I want your troops to light speed to any planet or moon within range of the Raddus and take thorough note of any base, and than remain there to catch them if they arrive."

"Understood, do you need me to 'take care' of anyone in particular?"

"No, not yet anyway. That will be all, thank you Phasma."

Phasma was, after all these years, still the greatest warrior he had ever know. The only soldier Hux had thought was her potential equal, had died at her hands just over two weeks prior.

She had saved his father from certain death just over 25 years ago. When his father died about a month later, for a little while anyway, she had become a role model to him. A warrior that came from nowhere flies through First Order ranks, but despite having almost the same rank as himself, she modestly kept the title of captain.

Sure she abandoned Starkiller Base when her orders were to stay, but Hux would have done the same thing in her armour and he knew she hadn't betrayed the First Order because she flew straight to the nearest base immediately after her escape. If she were executed along with all the others who abandoned the base he'd be down his best warrior, and Hux could not afford that right now. He needed friends in high places if his mission failed.

Chapter 21

Rey was practicing sparring in the late afternoon against a large human-like rock with her staff. On Jakku she had practiced anytime she wasn't scavenging, flight training, or sleeping, because if she ever got rusty the other scavenger would have shown no mercy. Ever since she left the depressing dessert plant however she had been neglecting her training and decided it was time to get back on schedule.

Her strikes never made contact with the stone however, it was only used to hitting fleshy things, but every false blow she pretended it was something she really wanted to hit. Smack to the reluctant and overly sarcastic Jedi Master, pow to the monstrous Kylo Ren who killed her mentor and comatosed her only friend, and Blam to herself for leaving Jakku when her family had told her to stay.

When she realized that she was beating herself up she took a breath. She leaned on her staff as she recovered, the cawing Porgs were flying all around her, from her new angle she watched as one porg land on her bag.

"Shoo, go on, that's not a nest."

The funny birds landing and take off had jostled Luke's lightsaber free. She starred at it, wondering if it would be alright to practice with it. She made up her mind and picked it up.

Although it had called to her it did not quite feel right in her hands. She was used to the long well balanced staff, along with its grip and fighting technique, but this didn't quite feel wrong either. Something, perhaps deeper within, was what called to her. Something inside worth exploring, it might also be saying the same thing about herself.

She couldn't help remember what it had shown her when she first touched the lightsaber. That it had shown her the helmeted figure of Kylo Ren in the forest of Starkiller base, and yet when that actual event accrued he was not wearing said mask. Perhaps the vision stated that she had to also look deeper into-

"No!"

She ignited the blue lightsaber. She swung the blade in a combination of how she fought Kylo, and her own technique of her staff. The result was a defence so rhythmic it was almost a dance. She got so entranced that the world fell away. She continued until she slashed through the rock she had before been intentionally missing.

"Impressive."

Rey deactivated the lightsaber and turned to see Luke watching her from a higher up point. She was about to comment on his creepy distance watching of her when the top part of the large stone slid off the cliff she was practising on.

Rey peeked over in embarrassment to see that the stone had crushed a Caretaker's cart and what it held, barely missing the two Caretakers themselves. They stared up at her disapprovingly.

She quickly turned back to Luke who was climbing back towards the temple. He gave no signal for her to follow him, but she did so none the less. The climb wasn't as long as the first, but just as silent. Thankfully the silence this time wasn't as hostile as before. By the time they had reached the meditation ledge outside of the temple the two suns were barely over the horizon.

"I've shown you that you don't need the jedi to use the force, so why do you think you need the Jedi Order?"

Rey thought about her answer, she did not want Skywalker to yell 'Wrong' in her face again. She had heard stories of the Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, and the different powers that he had. She had seen, and felt, first hand the cruel powers of Kylo Ren, and on Starkiller base she had started to scratch the surface of her own powers. She had heard older stories how the Jedi had fought against the Sith in the Clone Wars, how without them the Republic wouldn't have lasted as long as it did.

"The Jedi Order is needed to squash the darkness before it grows more powerful. To keep the peace and protect all that is light and good in the galaxy-I'm going to guess from your smirk that every word I just said was wrong."

The Jedi was indeed choking down a laugh behind his not so stoic face.

"Sorry, and you were so passionate about what you were saying. You are on the right track, but that doesn't make you any less wrong. Lesson two. Now that they are extinct, the Jedi are romanticized by the few who remember them. But if you strip away the myth and look at there deeds, from the Knights of the Republic, to the rise of the Empire, the legacy of the Jedi is failure. They thought themselves pure, beyond corruption, this blinded them to the darkness growing from within."

"That can't- is that really true."

For the first time Rey realized something, even though Luke thought he was speaking the truth, he was only one perspective, and how much of what he spoke of did he actually experience.

"At the height of there power they allowed Darth Sidious to rise, create the Empire, and wipe them out. It was a Jedi Master who was responsible for training Darth Vader."

Rey snapped back, Luke wasn't even seeing his side of his own story. She sure hoped that enough of the stories she heard about him were true, or she was about to sound quite foolish.

"And a Jedi who saved him. Yes he was the most resentful man in the galaxy, but you saw that there was conflict in him. You believed that he wasn't fully gone, that he could be turned."

'Like Kylo,' she thought, but quickly pushed that thought out of her head.

Luke now looked miserable, as if his own past successes were now haunting him. Rey once again wondered if this decade alone had driven him even just the slightest bit mad.

"I became a legend. For many years there was balance. My little amount of light did not tip the scale of the natural balance between good and bad. I think it was when I started training the next generation, when I started training Ben, that the darkness started to rise."

Rey took a step closer to the Jedi, showing him her support for him to continue.

"Although I already knew of a couple other force sensitives, I opened the temple for him. Ben, my nephew, with the mighty Skywalker blood running though his veins. In my own pride I thought I could train him. Through him and the others I could pass on my strengths, that I might not be the last Jedi."

Pride did sparkle in his eyes, but it was quickly swallowed up by some sort of dark trauma.

"Han was Han about it, but Leia, Leia trusted me with her son. By the time I realized I was no match for the darkness rising in him, it was to late."

"You mentioned others."

"Yes, over the decade that I ran the training temple I had gathered about thirty students, ranging between the ages of eight and a couple years older than I was at the time. Some families who had force sensitive kids and knew of the old Jedi ways tried to give me their very young children, some less than two years old."

"Why not accept them?"

"I was a teacher, not a parent, and in the beginning I was all alone. I trained the few who were around my age and they in turn started helping me train the younger generation. In the beginning there was a rogue former Padawan, the last formally trained Jedi. She taught us all she knew and even took one of my older younglings on as a Padawan of her own, but a few years before the temple fell she disappeared, I don't think poor Jacen ever recovered."

"How could there have been force users older than you, I heard of the tragedy the Coruscant temple went through. No younglings survived and by the time you became a Jedi Knight all other Jedi had been hunted down."

"They were, almost everyone who survived Order 66 was killed by Darth Vader and his Inquisitors, but in the heat of the end of the Clone Wars the council missed several hundred force sensitive infants and the Empire was just as successful. One of my fellow instructors was a woman from Thabeska who was three years older than me. Her name was Hedala, I miss her ever day. I still remember each and everyone of them. Pypey, Tionne, Jacen, Dorsk, Kam, Hennix, Brakiss, Streen, Gantoris, Corran, Alora, Madurrin, Kyle, Mara, Kyp, Cilghal, Dal, Tai, and Voe. So many who died a needless death, and than there are the ones who didn't die."

The darkness in his eyes reawakened something in Rey, part of her dream she had had yesterday. She looked up at Skywalker with concern and apprehension.

"What happened?"

Luke opened his mouth to answer but before any sound could come out a horn sounded far in the distance. Rey and Luke both turned their heads to see seven wooden ships not that far in the horizon heading straight for the Villager's fishing docks.

"This is what I brought you here for. Those are a tribe from a neighbouring island."

Rey nodded to show that she understood.

"They come once a month to raid and plunder the Caretaker's village."

Rey was shocked at how calmly Luke said that, and wondered why he would bring her to the very top of the island if he knew a threat was coming from the bottom. She strapped her staff to her back and held up Luke's lightsaber.

"Well, come on! We've got to stop them!"

But Luke did not move, instead he spoke.

"Do you know what the Jedi Order would do right now? Nothing. They would sit in their chairs in their almighty temple parsecs away from the issue, and discuss whether or not they should intervene, and until the start of the Clone Wars they rarely did."

"But we've got to help; they could be hurt or killed."

"If you stopped the raiding party with force, they would return to their island and come back with a larger force. Will you alone be able to stop them then, will you even be here? And let's say you go to their source to stop them. As a Jedi you can't intervene with their culture, you would be diplomating with an unfamiliar race, language, and rules where there might not even be a solution. What do you do then 'Jedi' Rey from nowhere?"

Rey did not know what was happening; if this were a test it was a twisted sick one. Those people, who despite not liking her had fixed the hole in her hut that she had made, and provided her with food and drink, they were about to get hurt and have their possessions and provisions stripped away. Rey couldn't believe Luke was telling her to hold back when the answer was so simple in her mind. His negligence filled her with frustration.

"That burning inside you, the Jedi Masters of the Old Republic would tell you to ignore it. Only act when you know you can restore balance."

Rey's frustration had risen to determination. That is what the Jedi of old would do, but she is no Jedi yet. She turned and bolted back through the temple, not even hearing Luke's cries out to her.

"Wait! Rey! Come Back!"

Rey made the descent down the mountain as fast as she could without breaking her neck, but she could see the ships reaching the docks so she had to go faster.

As the ground started to level out closer towards the bottom, anger flooded throughout her, anger at Luke, and at herself. Anger at him never defending his home, anger for refusing to teach her properly, anger at him for refusing to help destroy the First Order, anger at him from the feelings leftover from her dream, and angry at herself for not realizing sooner that Luke was never going to help anyone ever again, and that it was up to her and her alone to save the galaxy. And she could start with this small village.

She ignited her lightsaber.

The ships were no longer visible which meant they must have docked. Rey could see smoke coming from the village as she approached it and this only made her angrier. She charged at a poorly constructed wooden fence, slashing it down with her lightsaber and charging in prepared to fight with her weapon above her head.

Only when she entered she saw that the smoke was coming from roasting fires and strategically placed torches. There were tables full of fried fish, baked bread, roasted porg, sea sow cheeses, spiced seaweed, and stone mugs filled with grog. The Caretakers, in their nicest outfits, were dancing with finely dressed males of the same species.

The party stopped for a second as everyone turned to see what the commotion was. Embarrassed, Rey started lowering her lightsaber but one of the Caretakers closest to her gestured for her to raise it and wave it around. She did and the crowd cheered and returned to there partying.

Her adrenaline was fading, and combined with the worst embarrassment in her life, she wanted to get away from the crowd. At one of the tables both Chewbacca and R2-D2 were decked out in dried seaweed wreaths, Chewwie waved to her with one hand and held a mug of grog in the other. But their presence only made Rey more frustrated, 'did everyone know about this but me?'

"Seriously!?"

She stormed off to a short fence further away from the party that looked over the ocean. Leaning her back against it she could still very much hear the music and celebrating, but she could not see anyone, anyone except for the man who just appeared behind her.

"I would yell at you, but I don't feel like doing anything right now so could you just leave?"

It was not Luke's voice that responded, but Kylo Ren's.

"Sorry to disappoint, but I don't know if I can."

Rey turned her head to see him come next to her, and also lean over the fence, his chin lying on his folded arms. He seemed sad, tired, a little desperate, and looked like he had a lot on his mind.

"Ugh! You are the last person I want to talk to right now."

"But I need to talk to you, you shouldn't believe me, but I need your help over thro-"

"You are right, I don't believe you, you murderous snake. You killed your own father, countless others, and almost killed the only friend I've ever had, and your people are about to kill mine."

He looked away for a second, but then made up his mind and faced her, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I am the monster you think I am, there is no denying that, I just know now how wrong I was, and that I need help making things right. If nothing is done the balance will fall, and the First Order aren't my people, just like the Jedi aren't yours. The Knights of Ren are my people."

"Why should I help you?"

"I don't know why; all I know is that I've seen you helping me in my dre- I know this song."

A sort of goofy smile crossed his face. Rey nearly gagged at how much being happy changed his appearance.

"What?"

"In visions and prophetic dreams I have heard this song in the back of my head, over and over."

"And what could it mean?"

"I'm not sure."

He must have been out of his mind, but he held his hand out to her.

"Care to dance?"

"Not in a million orbital rotations Kylo."

But she couldn't help giggle at this whole situation. It was the first time she'd laughed since landing on Takodana with Han, Finn, and Chewie.

"Ben, my name is Ben."

"Ok 'Ben', why should I trust you? You destroyed Luke's temple, killing everyone."

"You don't know? Has he told you what happened that night, what he did to me?"

"He's told me bits and pieces, but no, not explicitly. Tell me."

"No, you might not believe what comes out of my lips, but you might from him."

"Than I'll ask, and Ben-?"

But he had vanished, Luke now was approaching her, quite out of breath.

"Rey-"

Her anger was rising again. He stopped where he was, and put up his hands.

"Raid and plunder?"

"In a way."

"Was this some kind of joke?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd- you just ran so fast."

"Tell me what happened that night, what happened to the temple, and its students, and instructors."

"Now?"

He was still catching his breath. He wasn't out of shape, but he was a mid fifties man who just ran down a mountain in half an hour.

"Yes."

"Alright then, after my school began to grow in numbers, I started sensing rising darkness in the force, and for sometime had been sensing similar darkness in Ben Solo, my nephew, who had just reached 18 years. My teachings were less restricted than the Jedi of old but I still needed to know how dark Ben was getting. One night, when I could not sleep from the rain storm I snuck into his chambers. He was peacefully sleeping and guilt washed over me for ever doubting him, and yet just to be safe I decided to peer into his mind. What I found still haunts me. Darkness beyond what I could have imagined, a voice that I would later know to be Snoke's telling him to commit the most heinous actions, and in his dreams he did not resist. I think he sensed my presence in his mind and he woke up. He knew what I saw so he force grabbed his lightsaber, much like the one you currently carry, and with the force brought his chamber walls and ceiling down on me. When I came to, the temple was burning, everyone, my students and my beloved Hedala, were dead. Ben, along with six of my students had vanished, leaving the rest unidentifiable husks."

Rey was tormented by this retelling. Why would Kylo, who wants her help, ask her to hear this tale. Did he think Luke would say something different, or was he just as twisted as she thought, and he had tricked her to let her guard down.

"In the aftermath Leia blamed Snoke because she had sensed his interference with Ben since he was an infant, but it was I who didn't teach my Padawan to fight hard enough, and it was I who hadn't trained my pupils to defend themselves from a familiar adversary. And I did all this while I was Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master, a legend."

"The galaxy may need a legend, but the Resistance needs a real person, a hero, and I need someone to show me my place in all of this."

"And that's what the Resistance needs, a hero, not some old failed husk of a faulty religion. Do you understand what I'm telling you Rey?"

But Rey did not understand; all that she understood was that he had given up.

"I understand that across the galaxy the people who saved my life, your sister, are really dying. That legend of Luke Skywalker you hate so much? I was just starting to believe in it. I was wrong."

She turned and left him at the edge of the party. She did not see this but he was shaking his head.

Chapter 22

Lieutenant Connix had been working nonstop on the bridge for 10 hours, she was physically and mentally exhausted. She was glad that with her shift finished she could finally take her mind off of the below 20% fuel gauge. And yet she still had one more task to do, one that was harder than anything she had done all day. She had to confront Admiral Holdo.

She was just finishing up giving commands to another bridge staff member.

"Give the order to start draining power to the U-55 orbital loadlifter."

The crew men nodded than left, so Connix approached the purple haired Admiral, and stood in attention. Peazy walked right behind her trusted companion, the Admiral's own protocol droid was next to her. 2-9NT was a masculine programmed droid with dark blue plating with black details, he was made up of different RA-7 and 3P0 droid parts.

"At ease Lieutenant, you've been dismissed, haven't you?"

"Yes Admiral, but I have been asked to give you a proposal from the crew."

"Lieutenant Connix, you know as I do that if we consume an extra power we won't have enough to reach our destination, and that I need to concentrate on my work to get us there."

"Admiral this proposal comes from former Admiral Ackbar himself."

Holdo sighed.

"Proceed Connix."

"The crew would like to use the tertiary storage bay, which currently is only being used as a hang out anyway, as a multi-stationed religious expo to mourn and give proper send offs to recently deceased loved ones and to pray for our survival. Everything is already prepared and they are just looking for the go ahead."

"But if everything goes to plan there won't be a reason to prayer?"

"You are right, but most of these crew members are without a job, so praying is the only thing they feel they can do to help this crew, and most feel like they can't even do that. It is only scheduled to last two hours so it won't interfere with our plan."

"Fine, granted, as long as you oversee it."

This made Connix want to scream 'NO', but she had to push her cultures horrible brainwashing deep inside her so she could help the greater good of the ship.

"There is one more thing Admiral."

"Yes Lieutenant?"

"The Admiral himself requests that you attend."

"Tell him no, it is imperative that I personally make sure the crew members of this ship survive."

2-9NT looked at Peazy, than at his master and spoke.

"May I make a suggestion?"

Connix was late to the gathering, she had given the go-a-head the second she received it, but procrastinated on her decent to the storage bay. By the time she arrived all the dozens of religious stations were set up, with room for crewmen who wished to pray in private. Despite her bias she was still impressed by how much representation was in one room.

She spotted Qrayluk pretty quickly, Yinchorri stand out in a crowd. As she approached she was surprised to see another Yinchorri doing some kind of spiritual war cry with him. Her skin was a tanned yellow to his green, and her dark brown eyes were noticeable even from several feet away.

Connix had picked up a little Yinnchar over the years of knowing Qrayluk, so she knew roughly what they were saying in there call.

"Wreenda and Sprik, may your spirits be guided to the Within World, and your lives give us the energy to complete our living journey: Discover, Expand, and Aggress!"

"That was lovely-"

The female snapped at her.

"Our people do not believe in descriptors like 'lovely'."

Qrayluk chimed in.

"But the notion is none the less appreciated, right Camil'kil?"

Camil'kil simply huffed in response.

"It's good that you are here Kadi, this is Ensign Camil'kil, she was a warrior in the Republic Defense Fleet until, well, Starkiller, and she was stationed on the Raddus last week. I was telling her that I didn't know that any other Yinchorri fought for the Republic. Camil'kil, this is Lieutenant First Grade Kaydel Ko Connix, she is one of the few surviving bridge crew members and a long time friend."

"You flatter me Lucky, I can't believe you guys, and the Admiral came up with all of this. Speaking of which, I need to speak with Ackbar, do you know where he is?"

"He's in the centre. Also I think the current Admiral is here, I see her droid."

"Thanks Lucky."

Connix turned around to indeed see 2-9NT entering with Peazy, but unlike Qrayluk she knew the Admiral wasn't with them. 2-9NT had suggested that he go and observe everything and report back later. What she didn't know was why they took even longer than her to arrive. The thought that crossed her mind made her want to inform Captain Dameron, but only if he was here, it was so unlikely that she didn't need to go searching the ship for him.

Connix maked her way towards the old Mon Calamari, and got about 2/3rds of the way there when she was interrupted by familiar fighting.

"Skyborn!"

"Protectors!"

"Skyborn you Criiking idiot, do you want to still be spreading Sith lies, and propaganda in the situation we are currently in?"

"No, but these are the deities ALL our people have worshipped for five millennia. To change back would be culture suicide and you know it Tasharsi!"

A small group of Keshiri had gathered around two specific Keshiri. The Talion sisters had sparked a localized version of the bloody Kesh religious debate that had been going on for 30 years. The other Keshiri had positioned themselves behind the sister who had the same believe as them. Sasharsi's side far outnumbered her sisters, and Connix did not wish for them to ruin the religious distraction they helped organize by fighting.

"Yewmen!"

The sisters both turn to stare at Connix, she had gotten there attention.

"You two are here to pray for him, aren't you?"

"Yes, Cuarya Linz as well, and everyone else who's died in the last two battles."

"Well, don't both versions state that the good souls of Keshiri join the Kesh sea of creation, that's were your brother is. The names of what you believe in might have changed, but you all believe you are headed to the same place. Honour that. Everyone here believes in something different, pray your way and respect that others do it differently, that's what I do every day."

Sasharsi looked at Connix almost like she was intimidated by her, but Tasharsi looked at Connix with respect at what she had done. She smiled at her.

"You really know what to say, don't you Kadi."

But Connix did not respond, she was really starting to feel the presence of the couple hundred people in the room, and she felt like the breathable air was quickly running out. Before she just had to check in with Ackbar, but now she needed to find him. She spun around in a circle, looking for the Mon Calamari, and when she finally saw him her vision tunnelled so that he was all she could see. She walked half ran at him, and as she blacked out she became overwhelmingly aware of how many aliens were in the room.

"Connix! Ko, Ko are you alright?"

Connix regained consciousness only a couple seconds after she fainted. She became aware that the aged Admiral had dropped his cane and was the only thing holding her upright, she forced her body to stand, and swallowed hard on whatever was trying to come back up. She nodded to let the Admiral know she was conscious again, but he did not let go of her until she was able to speak.

"I'm good now, but I can't stay here any longer. I know the Admiral wanted me to over see this with you, but I'm going to be sick."

"Come, sit, the private praying section has benches. What was that that just accrued? And where is the Admiral?"

As they walked they past a human male with almost bleached coloured hair praying alone at the Twi'lek shrine, Connix was to distracted to notice at the time, but later came to realize that she did not know language he prayed in despite knowing over twenty.

As they reached the benches and sat down Connix started answering Ackbar's questions.

"Holdo will not be attending, her droid has come and he will relay all the events to her."

"That is a real shame, I invited her because the crew are panicking, and if she were to leave the bridge, and attend a gathering like this, even for a quarter of an hour, I think it would calm the crew. Now, speaking of panicking, what was that?"

Connix always felt subconscious about this, but an explanation was in order. See took a deep breath.

"I am Ulizra, that panic attack was cultural overload."

"Ulizra, but that is only practised by Nazzri, how could a human ever be Ulizra?"

"It's a long and shameful story. A few generations back the Nazzri invaded my homeworld of Dulathia, conquered it, and enslaved all its people. During the Clone Wars the planet was liberated, but the damage was done. Many of my people, including my ancestors, only knew and were used to there old masters ways: the group is greater than the individual, aliens will contaminate the Ulizra, and all other religions which conflict Ulizra must be destroyed. It took me my entire childhood to break from the second two teachings, I now only practice the first, but despite knowing that aliens and there cultures are alright, a room full of everything I was taught to hate makes me very dizzy."

"That is understandable, but I have to now say that you can't leave until it's over."

"Why?"

"You are learning to be better, that is very respectable, but you have to learn not to be sick every time there are two or more cultures interacting in front of you. There is a Mon Calamari saying, 'Webs spread, and gills open.'"

"I don't understand."

"It means be ready and open to change, and to push through it, and to always keep breathing, even when it's hard."

He patted her on the back with his huge webbed hands.

"Stay sitting here, but watch what is happening around you."

Poe, Finn, and Rose entered the religion expo. Poe had taken his branch and pot with him, but why they were really here was to see if they could find someone suspicious they hadn't seen on there previous searches. Finn saw that there were benches at the back which would make a great vantage point, he pointed this out to Poe and the two of them headed over with Rose not far behind.

As they walked Finn felt great darkness. It felt cold, and seductive, and unforgiving, not able to shake it off he turned his head in the first direction he thought of and realized he was now looking at the back of Belac Cham's head. The electrician stopped praying for a second, but shortly after continued, his prayer was softly spoken in some language other than basic, but in Finn's head it sounded like metal screeching. Not knowing what to do he kept walking.

Finn aligned himself so that he was walking parallel with Poe. He hoped that Rose would not hear him because despite trusting her he did not want to burden her with there mission still.

"Poe, the electrician, Belac, all I feel off of him is consuming darkness, there is something really wrong about him."

"I agree that there is something suspicious about him, but what in creations name do you mean by you feeling darkness?"

"Exactly what I said, don't you feel it?"

Poe was about to answer Finn's odd question, but they had reached the benches and Lieutenant Connix was waving them down.

"Captain Dameron, Shot."

"So formal Connix- wait are you ok, you look pale?"

"I'll be fine, but there's something I'd like to bring to your attention, about what you are doing, the thing."

"How do you know about that, also Finn here is helping me search so you don't need to speak in code."

"I had over heard bits and pieces when the Admiral took you aside, but only put it together when I had intercepted a handful of heavily encrypted messages attempting to be sent from this ship and when I brought it up to the Admiral she said it was being dealt with."

"I hate to say this, but how can I trust you."

"Poe, go to the bridge and ask anyone, I've been there 95% of the time, and the other five was with you or Admiral Ackbar."

"Fare point, what is it you wanted to say."

"Spy droids, we thoroughly check every droid when it joins the Resistance and whenever one returns from a mission, but everything was so rushed in the evacuation of D'Qar, and the merging of the three ships crew that one could have been missed. High tech First Order spy droids can even wirelessly interface with ships systems, so it could be sending a transmission while doing its normal functions."

Poe really did appreciated this theory, but his working theory was much stronger than hers.

"I will definitely keep that in mind."

Poe looked behind him.

"However I already have someone else in mind."

"Well, you better apprehend them soon, because-"

Connix stopped and put her hands over her mouth. Finn spoke up.

"Because we have almost reached our destination, don't worry Connix, we won't tell anyone."

She nodded in appreciation.





Ackbar was enjoying himself, Mon Calamari culture was based off of science and creation, but seeing such a colourful room helped him understand what a galaxy full of different believes should truly look like.

Ackbar spotted Davu Gev standing in a small group of fellow Mandalorians, some like Gev wore no armour, others wore armour and held there helmets, but the one that stood out the most was one who wore a standard Resistance uniform, but was wearing a Mandalorian helmet. Gev was waving him over so he decided to join them.

"Mr. Ackbar, this idea of yours has been working very well, it was an honour to help you organize it."

Ackbar beamed with pride.

"It was you and your friends that gave me the idea, and helped me figure out the logistics of it."

"Will you join us, we are about to recite the Resol'nare."

The Mandalorian with just a helmet became upset at that request.

"He is not Mandalorian, if he recites the Resol'nare than he must devote to being a part of the Manda Oversoul. This is the way."

"Whoa, whoa Pizla, I'm not asking him to join any of our clans, just to observe us refreshing our vows, will you?"

"As long as it doesn't complicate anything."

"Than let us begin."

The Mandalorians who were holding there helmets put them on, and the ones with no armour pulled out signets of there respective clans. They all started reciting the Resol'nare.

"Ba'jur bal beskar'gam, Ara'nov, aliit, Mando'a bal Mand'alor? An vencuyan mhi."

The Basic translation was that they must educate there children as Mandalorians, obey the commands of Mandalore, speak Mando'a and defend there clans. It was quite educational to listen to. When they finished Ackbar took Gev aside.

"Why does your comrade wear a helmet but no other armour?"

"Oh, he is of the Tribe Clan founded on Nevarro, it's a branch descended from the Death Watch Clan. There way of honouring our warrior history is to not remove there helmets unless they are completely alone. It's different than the rest of us, but they sponsor most of Foundling Mandalorians, there are big hearts under there intimidating exterior."

"Well thank you for inviting me to observe, however I now wish to return to observing all of the stations."

"As you wish."

Ackbar returned to the middle of the room, and from there the Lethan Twi'lek he had seen earlier caught his eye as she entered the expo. Curious, Ackbar did not see the harm in observing. She approached a human male standing by the Twi'lek station. He seemed agitated.

"You are late Suu."

"Sorry, I was kind of stuck over our quarters toilet for a while Ma Sareen Belac."

The male now seemed overly concerned.

"My gods, are you ok Suu, should you see the ships doctors?"

"No, I'm fine now, and I want to pray to Rytee for our safety in the battles that are about to come."

"Well, you do so, but I'm leaving."

"But I just got here, we've barely seen each other on this voyage."

"Because I'm trying to keep this ship powered long enough to get wherever we are going, I'm sorry Babe but I am needed."

"But?"

"Sorry, love you."

He kissed her on the cheek and than half ran to the secondary exit. Ackbar tended to not always understand humanoid behaviour, but even he knew that that human was acting odd.

A few minutes later General Organa emerged from the main entry way. Happy to see her on her feet Ackbar quickly made his way towards her. As he approached he thought she looked troubled.

"It is good to see you on your feet Princess. Is everything alright?"

"I don't know, I felt something, but now I'm not sure. What I do know is that you really took what I asked you to heart. I knew Holdo would get us to safety but at the cost of a depressed crew, I would definitely say you took the edge off."

She walked with a cane like he did, but she seemed to need its support more than him.

"There are benches to sit on over there, you can witness the whole expo from that wall."

"Thank you Ackbar."





Poe and Finn were still talking with Connix when Rose caught up.

"Where were you?"

Poe's voice was harsh, and accusing, this made Finn stare at him in shock. Finn's disapproving look broke Poe's harshness, but Rose was still hurt.

"I actually have friends on this ship, friends I want to make sure are doing alright after this collective loss we are all currently going through. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go pray to my sister and for our safe journey, because that is what this section is, the private praying section."

Rose took off her Haysian ore Otomok medallion, held it tightly in her fist, and stormed off to the other side of the benched wall.

Poe sighed.

"She's right."

Poe stood up and walked a few meters to the left. Not knowing what was going on Finn followed him. Poe set his potted tree on the bench, got down on both knees in front of it, and carefully unwrapped his branch. Now realizing what was happening Finn started backing up, but Poe patted the floor next too him inviting Finn to join him. Finn knelt next to the skilled pilot.

"I don't really believe in any religion, more like I don't know one to believe in."

"I don't believe in stuff like that either, I don't believe in Gods or an elaborate afterlife, although I know that our life force joins the Cosmic force when we pass on. What I like to do when I am alone and have the time is just have a mental conversation with my parents, and since the branch and sapling are the embodiment of our connection as a family I like to have them with me. Does any of that not sound crazy?"

Finn put his hand on Poe's.

"It makes no sense, but I think that's what makes belief special."

Poe having the silk-covered branch on his lap, and Finn holding Poe's hand they both started reflecting. Finn, without moving from his current position spoke.

"Poe, I need to tell you something. How me and Rose met, she was guarding the escape pods, and I was trying to escape. I'm sorry."

"I know."

"Really?"

"Yes, I saw you take the beacon, and you had already expressed your desire to leave. I didn't want to stop you, and when it turned out you hadn't left I didn't want to embarrass you, but I really am glad you stayed, even if it's only for a little longer."

Poe squeezed Finn's hand a little harder, the two men remained silent. This didn't last long however because they were than startled by a blaring announcement.

"All crew members please calmly make your way to the lifeboat bay for immediate evacuation."