Star Wars: Episode IX The Empire of Fear

by Shenstratashah

This is the 2nd sequel to my re-imagined The Force Awakens story. It represents the conclusion of the trilogy based on some of the characters and ideas from the 2015 film. It is written in the traditional style of a Star Wars movie. It begins with a crawl and jumps from scene to scene using "wipes".

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

[Opening Crawl]

Episode IX

THE EMPIRE OF FEAR

As the key figure in the defence of the Republic, Luke Skywalker's death has sent a massive shock-wave throughout the galaxy.

Rumours have begun to circulate that Kylo Ren has constructed a new Death Star even more powerful than the original. Panic has gripped the citizens of Coruscant, as they believe that they will be the target of this deadly weapon.

Lacking confidence in the last remaining Jedi Knight, Rey, to overcome the increasing Imperial threat, several members of the Senate have begun to call for Chancellor Leia Organa to seek an accommodation with Kylo Ren...

[camera pans down to the Senate building on Coruscant]

The Senate is a cacophony of indistinguishable voices as a heated debate rages. Senators are arguing over what can be done to tackle Kylo Ren. Some demand that the war be continued, while others insist that a peace be brokered.

"Order, order!" shouts the Speaker of the Senate, from his large hover-seat, "We will now hear from the Senator from Muunilinst."

A silence descends upon the multi-storied chamber. Muunilinst is a planet of great financial and political power, and the Senators are keen to hear their view on this most important topic.

"Senators, I come here before you today to urge you to make peace. Without Jedi Master Skywalker to protect us, and with a Death Star at the disposal of Kylo Ren, the balance of this war has shifted away from the Republic, towards the Imperials..."

The Muunilinst Senator is interrupted with shouts of "Traitor!", and in turn defended by others shouting, "Let him speak!"

The Senator continues, "We know this may not be a popular view with some, but in time we hope that the whole Senate will eventually see sense. Until then, we regretfully must announce that we will be leaving this chamber, and adopting an official stance of neutrality. In good conscience we cannot support this war with men, with materials or with financial backing."

And with that, the Senator from Muunilinst and his grouping of advisors get up from their seats and leave the chamber. A torrent of abuse follows after them.

Leia, watching over the proceedings, is urged to intervene by her own advisor, "Chancellor, you must say something. Today one member will leave, tomorrow more again, and the day after that, even more still. A trickle will turn into a flood if we don't stop this now."

"Order, order!" shouts the Speaker of the Senate, "We will now hear from the Chancellor of the Republic."

"Friends," says Leia, "The Senator from Muunilinst says he wants peace. So do I. So does everyone here. Senators, let me tell you, there is one person in this galaxy who does not want peace - genuine peace - and that person is Kylo Ren!"

Shouts of "Hear, hear!" ring out across the chamber from some of the Senators.

Leia continues, "Peace is just a word, a tactic, to men like him. It would allow him time to build his armies, and his armadas. Any peace we could offer him would only last until he was ready for war again."

The Senate applauds.

"Some of you may be afraid. I beseech you - don't be afraid. In my life I have suffered more than most. That is not a boast. That is not an attempt to win your sympathy. That is a tragic fact. I have lost my home-world, my foster family, my father, my husband, my brother, and many great friends and colleagues to the Empire. But, Senators, I am not afraid!"

The Senate cheers.

"In the past the Empire constructed two Death Stars. Have you forgotten?" she asks, scanning the chamber and smiling, and some of the Senators laugh.

"We destroyed them both! And, Senators, we'll destroy the third one too!"

The Senate cheers even louder.

"Senators, I will create a Special Task Force to defend Coruscant from the latest Death Star. We'll also dispatch ships and probe droids to all corners of the galaxy. There'll be no place left to hide. When the Death Star is discovered, it will meet the exact same fate as the previous ones. Senators, there will be peace, but on our terms!"

Leia ends her speech, "Victory will bring peace! Victory is peace!"

The Senate stands to applaud, giving Leia a rousing ovation. Leia, in turn, waves and smiles.

"Well done, Chancellor!" says her advisor, "The whole Senate is with you."

"For now," replies Leia, still waving.

When Leia leaves the Senate chamber she is surrounded by many well wishers and members of the media, as well as Rey, who works her way through the mob to say, "Well done, Leia! That was really great!"

But before Leia can reply, Rey and the crowd are pushed aside by a Wookie called Bekka.

His boss, Senator Kohl Trass, has Leia's full attention and says, "A fine speech, Chancellor. One that will long be remembered, I'm sure."

Trass is one of the longest serving members of the Senate. He was a close friend of Bail Organa's, and Leia has known him since she was a child.

Trass shakes Leia's hand vigorously before he leaves.

With the Wookie out of the way, a beaming Rey then says, "Everybody seems to have been impressed!"

"I'm still trembling," replies Leia, "Here, give me a hug to calm my nerves."

[wipe]

Meanwhile, on board the Star Destroyer, Avenger, a military ceremony is underway in the large hangar bay. Stormtroopers, Tie Pilots, and Bridge Officers all stand to attention, as before them General Hux receives a promotion.

"For your noble efforts in this war against the Republic," declares Kylo Ren, "I hereby promote you to Grand Steward of the Galactic Empire."

Kylo then hands him a ceremonial axe.

"Thank you, my Lord," he replies. Hux is now the second most supreme commander of all the Imperial forces, behind Kylo Ren, while Lord Snoke remains Kylo's spiritual guide and religious master.

Now a Grand Steward, Hux stands before the assembled troops and says, "The Republic represents disorder, lies, and treachery. Together, we will rid the galaxy of this impure system. We will end the democracy. We will end the Senate. We will end the rule of the corrupt politicians. The last day of the Republic is near. Hail victory!"

And the troops reply in unison, "HAIL VICTORY!"

With the main proceedings complete, Kylo and Hux inspect the guard.

As they walk past row after row of pristine uniforms, Kylo says, "The time has come for the next phase in our plan. When can you begin operations?"

"Shortly, my Lord."

"Excellent."

[wipe]

Kylo Ren rushes to Pohlo aboard his large winged command shuttle. His elderly mentor has been ill for sometime, and his condition has deteriorated further.

Lying in his sickbed, a weak Snoke dismisses his doctors and armed guards, "Leave us!"

"My Master, how are you?"

"I've lived a very long time, and now that time is almost up."

"No, Master," replies a shook Kylo, "You can't die now! Not when we are so close to..."

"Careful, my Apprentice," warns Snoke, "Sentimental thoughts will lead you to the Lightside. Keep your mind focused and your heart hard."

Snoke coughs before continuing, "My work with you is almost complete. There is but one more task I have for you."

Snoke talks for several minutes, and at first Kylo Ren is again visibly shaken. But by the end of the conversation Kylo is ecstatic. Snoke finishes with the warning, "You must destroy her to ensure your journey to the Darkside is complete."

Kylo tells Snoke, "Where you have failed, I shall succeed."

And with that Snoke breathes his last breath.

[wipe]

The annual Chancellor's Ball is being held at the Grand Coruscant Hotel. It's an event for the leading lights of the Republic to dress up, let their hair down, and put their political differences aside for one night.

Finn, in the dress uniform of an X-Wing pilot, arrives late. Rey, in a flowing sapphire coloured dress, has been waiting for him by the large revolving doors at the front of the glamorous hotel. When he sees her, he runs up the steps, with BB-8 rolling after him. When he reaches her, he lifts her in the air and spins her around. After they stop laughing they head for the doors.

"We don't allow your kind in here!" states the hotel doorman.

"Pardon me?" replies Finn, "I'm an invited guest."

"Your droid, Sir. Droids use the service entrance. Those are the rules."

"That's a stupid rule!" says Finn angrily. Rey agrees, "They wouldn't let Artoo in the front either." With Luke gone, Rey has not only inherited his responsibilities, but also his ever loyal droid.

Crouching down, Finn says to BB-8, "Sorry, BeeBee. You gotta use the service entrance."

BB-8 wheels himself down the steps and around the corner. There he finds both R2-D2 and C-3PO at the service entrance locked out. The service door isn't working properly. R2-D2 tries his interface arm. The door is raised a small amount but then becomes jammed.

"Look what you've done now," says C-3PO, "You've broken the door!"

Suddenly, It begins to rain heavily.

"Let us in!" pleads C-3PO, tapping on the door, but no-one hears him, "This rain is sure to short all my circuits!" Defeated he adds, "It's our lot in life to suffer."

Both BB-8 and R2-D2 leave in search of a place to shelter.

"Where are you two going?" asks C-3PO, "You can't leave," he says, but then follows after them towards an office building a short distance away.

At the party, Leia, bejeweled and looking radiant in a vermilion dress, greets Rey with a hug. "Thank you for coming, Rey. These events can be tough, and it's great to have a friendly face here," Leia adds, looking around the large packed hall, "And I seem to have lost C-3PO. Languages have never been my forte."

Finn tells Leia about the droid door policy.

"You and Rey," says Leia, noticing that they're together again, "seem to be seeing a lot of each other."

"We're just good friends!" insists Rey, answering the question on behalf of Finn.

Outside the droids have reached the office building looking for shelter. However, they find that it too is locked and also in total darkness. "This is all your fault!" says C-3PO to the two other droids. R2-D2 uses his interface arm once more and this time it works. The door opens and they move inside. C-3PO's mood instantly changes, "Thank the maker, shelter at last!"

Out of the rain, it's very quiet but a faint noise, like the clicking sound of something being assembled, can be heard sporadically coming from up-stairs. R2-D2 makes an alarmed noise and a scanner emerges from the top of his dome.

"What's that Artoo, there's someone up stairs?"

At the party, Leia and Rey head towards the balcony while Finn goes to get some drinks.

"Tell me more about Finn," says Leia, "You're more than just friends, aren't you?"

"We've been seeing each other for a while," admits Rey.

"Did Luke not tell you that a Jedi must avoid certain strong emotions?"

"He did, but he didn't give me a good enough reason to stop seeing Finn."

"The Jedi have their ways. They believed that such a powerful emotion, like love, could lead a Jedi towards the Darkside."

"Am I meant to be alone forever?!" asks Rey, as her lips quiver.

"I don't know what the answer to that is, Rey," but Leia adds, "While Kylo Ren threatens us all, I want you to stop seeing Finn."

Back in the office building, R2-D2 is becoming more agitated, and heads towards the lift. C-3PO says, "You can't go up there, Artoo."

BB-8 also reacts. Instead of the lift, the little droid speedily rolls up the stairs to investigate.

Zoning in on the noise, BB-8 sees a figure, in a black cloak, crouched by a window. They're facing the Grand Coruscant Hotel, and are too busy to notice BB-8, as the little droid edges closer. The cloaked figure then adjusts their position and reaches out their hands to pick up a long barreled sniper rifle.

The figure takes aim at the hotel. They have Leia, on the balcony, in their sights. However, before the cloaked figure pulls the trigger, BB-8 charges and bounces up. The assassin is hit full force in the back, but the shot rings out anyway.

As Rey thinks about how to answer Leia's request, a loud bang nearly makes her jump out of her skin. Pieces of the hotel's exterior wall, just above them, explode and fall down in their direction. Rey reacts quickly, and uses her Force power to deflect away some of the debris. She then pulls Leia inside and away from the balcony.

There is panic and confusion in the hotel. Finn comes running, and checks on Rey and Leia. Leia has suffered some minor cuts, and Rey tells him, "Someone took a shot at us! Out there!"

Finn crouches down and goes to the balcony. He keeps a low profile but can't see anyone. The Chancellor's personal bodyguards arrive and whisk her away.

In the office building, the cloaked figure has also had a massive fright. They turn round to see what struck them. BB-8 is coming at them again. They fire and BB-8 is hit. The cloaked figure then makes a run for it. Heading to the roof, they eventually escape, with the aid of a friend, in an airspeeder.

R2-D2 and C-3PO emerge from the lift to find BB-8 damaged and rolling in circles.

"He's been shot, Artoo! We better call for help."

[wipe]

Meanwhile, far from Coruscant, an armada of Star Destroyers has begun assembling. Aboard the Imperial flagship, Avenger, Grand Steward Hux gives out final instructions to his fleet captains.

Hux's target for today is Cantonica. It's a desert planet whose government has remained steadfast in their support for the Republic. When Leia assembled her Special Task Force to defend Coruscant from the Death Star, Cantonica gave her fifty cruisers, when they hadn't fifty cruisers to spare.

As they happily received Leia's gratitude, they unknowingly brought themselves to the attention of Hux.

Ever the master tactician, and careful not to risk his Star Destroyers in open battle, he's been looking for vulnerable points in the Republic's armour. While Cantonica's government sees themselves as bit players in a distant war, Grand Steward Hux takes the opposite view and sees them as a valuable target on the front line.

"With the best of their fleet out of the way, we must drive home our advantage," says Hux to his Captains, "Show no mercy!"

The Imperials follow Hux's instructions to the letter. Cantonica's defenders are at once taken by surprise. What valiant resistance they can muster is swiftly put down. When the way is open, wave after wave of Tie-Bombers descend unopposed upon Canto Bight, the capital city of Cantonica.

Ancient and beautiful, the old coastal city is smashed by thousands of bombs. With their work complete, the Tie-Bombers fly off into the sunset, leaving the city behind, burning like a giant pyre.

Until its destruction, Canto Bight was an irrelevant place few had ever heard of, but in one swift move, the Grand Steward had made it the most important city in all the Republic.

When news reaches Coruscant, the Senate is once again sent into an uproar. The consensus Leia had only just begun to build, now begins to fracture.

Senator after Senator demands the return of the ships they had pledged to the Special Task Force in the defence of Coruscant.

"While our ships protect Coruscant, who will protect us?!" asks one of them.

A patched up Leia, with a visible scar on her forehead, after the assassination attempt, tells the Senate that, "Now is not the time to waver. Coruscant needs those ships. The Death Star cannot be allowed to strike at the heart of the Republic."

She insists there is adequate protection for the other planets against conventional attacks, "Cantonica was left vulnerable, but we will learn from this terrible mistake. I promise this will never be allowed happen again!"

But the Senate is not convinced.

Unlike her previous appearance, Leia's words are greeted with few cheers, or moments of applause. Feeling the hostility, she promises to allow some of the ships to return home. She also promises to treble the number of probe droids searching for the Death Star.

"It's only a matter of time before we find it!" she says finally.

But time is in short supply. Her reassurances temper the Senate for now, but support for her war policy is ebbing away.

[wipe]

Rey receives a holographic message from a middle-aged man claiming to be from Jakku. In the recording, he says he knows her parents and he wants to meet up. Intrigued, she heads to the park near the Ministry of Education.

With the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing, she waits by a large fountain. Soon the man from the message approaches and introduces himself, "Nice to meet you, Rey. I'm Torstin Brax."

After the short introduction, they walk together.

"You know my parents?"

"Yes, I served with your father in the war - flying Tie-Fighters," begins Torstin, "After it was all over, a number of us from the squadron all settled on Jakku. The spaceport - we ran that place for years!"

"Oh, yeah," says Rey, remembering her difficulty trying to leave Jakku.

"You probably won't remember this, but I did meet you many years ago. You were very young though."

"My parents - how are they? I haven't talked to them since I left."

"They're good, but they are very worried about you, Rey."

"Worried?"

"It's a difficult time for them, Rey. They see you serving the Republic, and they feel like they failed as parents."

"They didn't fail. Tell them that. I want them to be proud of me."

"I'm not sure that is possible. Your father gave the best years of his life to the Empire. His brothers died for it. He wants it back, Rey. That's why he's now a loyal supporter of Kylo Ren."

"But how could he?"

"The time of the Galactic Empire was a great period, Rey. You don't remember it, you never experienced it. It was before you were born, but believe me - it was glorious."

Torstin stops walking for a moment and looks directly at Rey, "Look at what is going on now on this planet - it's chaos. Nobody knows their place anymore, Rey. Back then there was harmony and prosperity. It was a simpler time when the galaxy was divided into the rulers and the ruled."

"The Darkside ruled!"

"Yes, the Darkside ruled, but what is the Darkside, Rey? The Darkside is the natural order of things. It's honest with itself. It's honest enough to know that people like Emperor Palpatine or Kylo Ren, or you Rey, were born to rule over the masses. It's wrong and unnatural that powerful beings should serve corrupt politicians elected by an idiotic public."

"You're a White Shirt, aren't you? Nobody hates democracy like a White Shirt!" she says as they begin walking again.

"Yes, I've been a member for over thirty years."

"I could have you arrested!"

Torstin laughs.

"Have you ever met Kylo Ren?" asks Rey.

"I've met the great man - yes."

"The great man who destroyed Canto Bight and threatens Coruscant with a Death Star?!"

"The Death Star is a weapon of last resort, Rey. We need it for our own protection. Kylo Ren doesn't want to use it. Believe me!"

Torstin again stops for a moment and looking at Rey says, "He just wants some living space. He just wants the Republic to leave us alone. He wants peaceful co-existence. We all want to bring an end to this destructive conflict, Rey."

"You tried to assassinate the Chancellor!"

"That wasn't us, Rey."

"If not you, then who?"

"Do you really want to know, Rey? Do you dare pull back the facade, and see the rotten core underneath?"

"Tell me."

"Find Zapran Mez, and you'll find the truth."

Torstin ends the conversation with a message from Rey's parents.

"Your parents told me to tell you that they are willing to forgive you, and welcome you back home, if you abandon the Republic and pledge your allegiance to Kylo Ren."

[wipe]

With a possible lead in the assassination investigation, Rey heads to the Police Headquarters. There she meets with Captain Atatan. As the lead investigator, she'd spoken with him at the Grand Coruscant Hotel after the attack, and they both recognise one another.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of a visit from a Jedi Knight?"

"I may have some vital information for you, Captain. A confidential source gave me a name to check out - Zapran Mez."

The Captain works his console, as Rey takes a seat next to him.

The name Zapran Mez appears on the screen. A photo and some information loads. Atatan, summarising, reads it aloud, "According to records, Zapran Mez is... one of several aliases... used by a... Ozlig Ormenerak. A Clawdite from Zolan."

"Excellent!" says Rey, "Can you bring him in for questioning?"

"I'm afraid that is impossible, Rey," replies the Captain, "The records say he's dead."

"Dead?!"

"His body was discovered two days ago in District G17 - a slum. Poisoned. The report also says he probably knew his killer, as there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry into his hotel room."

Captain Atatan scans his eyes over the records and says, "He fits the profile though. It says here, amongst other things, that he's a hitman for hire... a suspect in at least five assassinations in the Outer-Rim, but never convicted of anything like murder. Served three years for fraud and blackmail a number of years ago."

"The killer was killed," says Rey, "How very convenient!"

"There's no evidence he tried to kill the Chancellor, Rey."

"Where's his body now?"

"The central morgue."

"What about any of his possessions?" asks Rey.

"Anything of note from the crime scene will be downstairs in the evidence storage rooms."

Rey quickly stands up and says, "Come on, take me there!"

"What for?"

"I'll show you when we get there!"

When they get to the storage rooms, Captain Atatan has the Custodian of Evidence place all the items, found in Ozlig Ormenerak's possession, on a table.

"Just three items?" asks Atatan.

"Yes." replies the Custodian, before leaving the small windowless room.

"Obviously wasn't planning to stick around then, I guess," says Atatan to himself, before asking Rey, "Are you going to tell me why we've come all the way down here?"

"I just want to try something." says Rey, as she picks up the first item. It's a small wooden figure attached to a necklace.

She closes her eyes and after a moment says, "His mother gave him this when he was a child. Great sadness - that's what I feel from this."

Rey moves on to the second item. It's a handgun and holster. "He loved this weapon. It saved him many times. It brought him luck," but suddenly Rey is startled.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," says Rey, "I saw the face of the last person he shot with this gun. There was an argument at a card game and Ozlig shot a man who accused him of cheating. It wasn't on Coruscant though."

The final item is a gold coin. She picks it up and the Captain says, "This one coin was the only money found at the scene. Whoever killed him, probably robbed him too."

Rey closes her eyes and says, "Yes. There was more money. He had a small pouch of gold coins. He counted them in the room over and over. He put this one in his pocket. There was a knock at the door. He put the pouch in a drawer. He opened the door. A very tall man with a tattoo on his face entered. Ozlig called him something like... Tampa or Wampa. I can't make out what is being said. I think it must be a nickname."

The Captain notices sweat running profusely down Rey's forehead.

"Maybe you need to stop and take a rest, Rey."

"No, I must keep going," and she continues, "The tall man gave Ozlig a drink and he fell unconscious. I can't make out much more. The man took the pouch of money and left. I can't follow him."

"The money," asks Captain Atatan, "Who gave it to Ozlig?"

Tiring, Rey concentrates her thoughts on the coin. It's tough for her to understand what she is seeing. It's like a hazy dream being played out in reverse. Eventually, she sees Ozlig receiving the pouch of coins from an individual in a dark alleyway, but she can't make out much. The person is hooded and masked.

The sweat on her forehead has become a flood and her body begins shaking, as if she had hypothermia. Nonetheless, Rey continues with her backwards dream. Eventually, the individual is alone and unmasked. She can see who it is. But exhausted, she collapses on the floor before she can say anything.

Captain Atatan rushes to her aid. She regains consciousness as he kneels over her, shouting for someone to call a doctor.

"I know who it was!" she says to a confused Atatan, "It was Bekka! The Wookie bodyguard! He works for Senator Kohl Trass!"

"I think you need to see a doctor, Rey."

"No!" she replies, "We must go and arrest Senator Trass now!"

"Arrest the Senator?!"

"Yes! He's the one behind the assassination attempt!"

"We have no evidence of that."

"I saw the past, the coin revealed it to me!"

"I don't know what you saw, Rey. But I do know that a gut feeling is not enough to have someone arrested."

"It's not a gut feeling, I know he did it! That is my word. And the word of a Jedi Knight should be enough!"

"There are rules and procedures that have to be followed, Rey."

"Rules? What about the truth?!"

"I can't turn up in court and tell a Judge that Senator Trass is guilty because a coin told a mystic about the past!"

"So the Senator is going to get away with it?!"

"No!" replies Captain Atatan, "You've given us some leads. We can work with them. The tattooed person - we'll try to find him."

"This is a waste of time. I'll find the Senator and make him talk! I'll make him confess. I'll read his mind if I have to!"

"You can't do that, Rey. This is a democracy. It's not a dictatorship! Promise me you won't interfere any further."

Frustrated, Rey agrees to let the Captain continue with the investigation in the way he sees fit.

[wipe]

Despondent, Rey goes to see Leia in her office.

"What's wrong, Rey?"

"I know who tried to have you killed!"

"Who?!"

"It was Senator Trass!"

"Senator Kohl Trass. That can't be!" says Leia, gobsmacked.

"It's true. The Force guided me to the truth!"

"I've known him for most of my life. We've worked together on so many issues over the decades," and Leia adds, "The man spent years in an Imperial Labour Camp just for campaigning for the restoration of the Senate! He provided safe houses for members of the Rebel Alliance. He can't be a traitor!"

"It wasn't an Imperial plot, Leia. This has nothing to do with Kylo Ren!"

"How do you know that?"

"A White Shirt told me."

"A White Shirt... and you believed them?!"

"Yes!" and Rey adds, "They warned me. They told me the Republic was corrupt. And they were right!"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"All you do for them, Leia, and they backstab you! They're all rotten!"

"Please calm down, Rey," requests Leia, "Whatever Senator Trass may or may not have done, you can't condemn everyone and everything. This is not the time to lose faith in the Republic, Rey. You'll never beat Kylo Ren if you lose confidence in what we believe in."

"It doesn't matter. He's too good with a lightsaber. I'll never beat him in a fight."

"But you've got to, Rey. The whole galaxy is depending on you."

"I'm not going to give my life for these backstabbers!" says Rey, "What's so wrong with doing a deal with Kylo Ren anyway? If we leave him alone, he'll leave us alone!"

"As long as he lives, he'll never leave us alone, Rey. If you give him an inch, he'll take a mile! Today we could give him the Outer-Rim. Tomorrow, the Central Systems. The day after, he'll want the Core, he'll want Coruscant. He'll never be satisfied until he controls the lives of every single person in this galaxy."

Raising her voice, Rey says, "If you want him stopped so badly, why don't you pick up a lightsaber?! It's easy to talk tough when you don't have to do the fighting!"

"Don't turn on me too, Rey. You're the daughter I wish I'd always had, and I don't want to lose you!"

Rey heads for the door.

"Where are you going, Rey? I hope it's not to see Finn! Is he the one putting ideas in your head - distracting you from your responsibilities?"

But Rey leaves without replying. She just wants to be alone.

Seeking solace, she heads over to the Monument to the Fallen Jedi. It's a small park with an eternally burning flame situated at the centre. The flame is partly surrounded by a wall with the names of all the Jedi engraved upon it.

Forgotten by most and visited by few, Rey finds the the park empty, and takes a walk along the wall. When she reaches the end she sees the name "Luke Skywalker". When she stops, she hears her name being called. She turns and sees Luke's Force Spirit.

"Thank goodness you're here, Luke! I've been lost without your guidance."

"You are not lost, Rey. You may doubt yourself and your abilities, but I assure you, you are stronger than you think."

"But it all seems so hopeless."

"I know how you feel, Rey. When Obi-Wan Kenobi was struck down, I was alone without anyone to guide me. When Darth Vader revealed to me that he was my father, I felt completely betrayed. It all seemed hopeless, but I remained true to myself, and against all odds the Emperor was defeated."

"Will I have to face Kylo Ren again?"

"Yes. It is your destiny."

"But how will I defeat him?"

"Stay true to yourself, Rey. Don't give in to the Darkside. Question its lies. That's what you must do."

Feeling slightly better, Rey asks Luke about Leia.

"I had an argument with Leia. She said I'm like a daughter to her. When she said that, I realised that she has become like my mother here. My real mother and father hate me now. They won't have anything to do with me. I can't ever go back to Jakku. I really can't stand the thought of losing Leia as well."

"Don't worry, Rey. An argument every now and then can be a good thing. Leia has too much love to hold a grudge," and Luke adds, "You don't know this, but in the past she did have children - twins. But they died soon after being born. I was away on my self-imposed exile at the time, but even so, I felt her pain from so far away. That pain is still heart felt to this day. She won't let an argument ruin your close relationship. And I hope you won't either."

[wipe]

Over at the Pilot Academy, several squadrons have been brought together to take part in some training exercises. Outside the advanced simulation centre, some orange clad pilots from Yellow, Green, and Purple Squadrons, as well as the X-Wing pilots of Red Squadron, are standing around discussing a holographic image.

Finn and Poe Dameron, just assigned to Red Squadron, arrive, and Regg, a Y-Wing pilot with Yellow Squadron, beckons them over.

"Hey, Finn! Have you seen this one?" he asks.

"What is it?"

Regg shows Finn the holographic image. It's an all-white Tie-Interceptor.

"That's a beauty!" remarks Poe, "Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of those!"

"Good luck with that!" says Dekker, one of the Red Squadron pilots, "That ship belongs to an Imperial Ace!"

"An Ace?" asks Finn.

Regg replies, "She goes by the name Shirress!"

"She?" asks Poe.

"No joke," replies Regg, "She's got over 150 kills to her name."

"Women are taking over this universe!" claims Bash, also a member of Red Squadron.

"When it comes to women pilots I always say Make love not war!" says Viper, Red Squadron's ladies' man.

"I bet she has a pink uniform and all!" laughs Noxx, Red Squadron's Leader.

"I'd buy a pink uniform," says Finn, and looking at Poe adds, "Pink - it really brings out my eyes!"

Poe asks Regg, "What kind of a name is Shirress anyway?"

"It's the name of a Goddess," answers Azoh, Red Squadron's very own mine of useless information, "One of the old religions. Her lover was killed and she took revenge on just about anyone she could get her hands on."

Dekker then says, "Ah, that makes sense. Rumours say her husband, also a Tie pilot by the way, was killed in battle."

Regg adds, "Yeah, I heard that too. He was killed at Bezutashi - supposedly."

"Bezutashi!" says Poe, "Me and Finn - we were in that furball!"

"Maybe you killed her husband, Poe!" laughs Regg, "Better watch your six from now on!"

"A lot of ships went down that day," adds Finn, "No way anyone knew who they were shooting."

Dekker, changing the subject asks, "Anybody hear about the raid on Kelesstra?"

"No," says Regg, "What happened?"

"Imperials attacked the base and stole a flight of X-Wings!"

"Stole?" asks Finn, "They didn't destroy them?!"

"I guess they know a good ship when they see one!" says Poe.

The pilots are then interrupted by Wing Commander Zoller, "Cut the chatter! Everybody head into the simulator and sit into your pods!"

Smiling, Zoller concludes with, "Today's the big day. Practice runs on the Death Star!"

[wipe]

That evening, Rey and Finn meet up for dinner at his place. A newly repaired BB-8, as well as R2-D2, wait on the couple.

"How was your day?" asks Rey.

"We had simulated runs on the Death Star!" says an excited Finn, "Me and Poe - we got the sucker! We were the only ones!"

Finn quietly adds, "We were blown up trying to get out of the superstructure, but you know, whatever, we did it!"

Looking at Rey, he then asks, "And what about you?"

"Don't ask!"

"That bad?!"

Rey rants, "You know, they have all their rules that they expect us to follow. But the rules are for us, not for them! They really are hypocrites of the worst kind!" and she adds, "They demand I be a perfect person who's virtuous, prim and proper, while none of them are."

"I'm not sure I follow what you are saying," replies Finn.

"Leia doesn't want me to continue seeing you. I'm their knight in shining armour and you're a distraction from my responsibilities!"

"You know, when I was a kid, all I ever wanted to be was a fighter pilot. I never cared about anything else. And now I am a fighter pilot! I'm living the dream! But at the same time, I met you, and I now realise there is more to life than flying an X-Wing."

"More to life?"

"What I'm trying to say is that being a pilot is pretty good, but being with you is even better."

"They'll never let us be together though. They have their stupid rules and that is that!"

"I'm just a Jakku street kid - an orphan. So maybe I don't know what I'm talking about," says Finn, "But how can something that feels so right be wrong?!"

"You know, if someone asked me right now if I'd prefer to be a Jedi Knight or be with you, then without hesitation I'd pick you!"

They both lean across the table and kiss.

After a moment, Finn says to Rey, "I'm leaving soon. Red Squadron is being deployed to Naboo to help reinforce their defences."

"Leia! I bet she organised this!"

"Don't be paranoid, Rey. This was a military decision. There's war on out there and we're needed. Coruscant is well protected, but a few of the smaller planets are wide open. They're really terrified since the attack on Canto Bight."

"Kylo Ren's got everyone on edge," laments Rey.

"He thinks he's so tough. Probably nothing but a Nerf-herder with delusions of grandeur! I'd really like to take a shot at him one of the days. If he was here in this room with us now, I'd knock his lights straight out!"

Rey laughs, "My hero!"

[wipe]

Rey is contacted by Captain Atatan, and heads to Police Headquarters.

"Rey, we found your guy!" he says, "Wampa - the man with the face tattoo!"

"Really?!"

"Caught him trying to leave Coruscant the day before yesterday. He even had the gold coins with him," says Atatan, "We put him in an interrogation room and he spilled his guts there and then!"

"Go on!"

"Wampa and Ozlig were hired to assassinate the Chancellor. Ozlig was the sniper, while Wampa acted at his get-away driver. He was on the roof that night piloting the airspeeder."

Atatan explains, "Both Wampa and Ozlig were close friends, but Wampa got greedy. He needed the money to buy himself out of a Death Mark, so he poisoned Ozlig and took the gold coins. He had a problem that he didn't consider though - guilt. He's been racked by guilt since the murder. His confession is like an absolution for him."

"Who hired them?"

"Bekka the bodyguard - just like you saw in your vision."

"And Senator Trass?"

"Well, that's where it gets complicated. Wampa believes there were others involved, but doesn't know who, while Bekka says he acted alone."

"Bekka confessed?!"

"He denied it at first, but when we told him about Wampa, he said he did it. But he would only admit to acting alone. He said Senator Trass was unaware of what he was up to."

"So that's that?"

"Unless Bekka changes his story or we find some incriminating evidence - yes!"

"The Senator is going to get away with it?!" asks a worried Rey.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. The story hasn't broken yet, but the Senator's career is finished. The powers that be on his home-world plan to recall and replace him in the Senate."

"Retirement, that's not a punishment."

"His reputation is sure to be damaged and he leaves under a cloud. Sometimes that's as good as it gets," the Captain adds, "This was a real amateur attempt at an assassination. Maybe there's some comfort in that."

"And what about the "why" - why did they try to kill Leia?"

"Wampa and Ozlig were paid to do a job. They weren't told why."

"I have to know, I have to know why!" demands Rey.

"Don't do anything illegal, Rey." says Captain Atatan as Rey leaves.

Rey goes directly to Senator Trass' palatial home. After being allowed to enter by a servant, she confronts Trass directly.

"A Jedi Knight in my own home, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You know why I'm here, Senator!"

"I had nothing to do with it. Bekka's a Wookie, sometimes they do crazy things! I'm not responsible for an employee's actions."

"How dare you! Admit it, you tried to have Leia killed!"

"No! How dare you! Come to my home and accuse me of this! Get out!"

"I'm going nowhere. I must know the truth. Are you working with the Imperials, with Kylo Ren?!"

"Kylo Ren?" laughs the Senator, "You are so blind, aren't you? Leia's just as much of a threat to the Republic as that thug."

Senator Trass launches into a rant, "War - oh how she loves it - no matter how many times she may protest! In all honesty, she is the last person who should ever hold power in a time of crisis. She'll let millions be killed to prove a point. Her pride will never allow for any compromise. In a grey galaxy, she only sees in black and white. You can stand with her if you wish. Watch as she crashes the Republic on the rocks of her own brand of absolutism! But I won't!"

Trass continues, "Coruscant, and everything we've made here, can't be allowed to be destroyed. There are many more others, besides me, in the Senate and the military, who'd like to see the back of Leia Organa. She's a warrior not a politician. When the enemy's got a Death Star, you need a politician in charge. A grown up with a brain who can do a deal, and end this war."

"A politician just like you, I suppose?"

"Yes! If I was Chancellor, I'd have done a deal and ended this war by now!"

Becoming red-faced and louder he says, "Leia's a fanatic driven by hatred. A political has-been only made relevant again by this war. That's what she fears, when the war ends she loses all relevance."

"It is you who is now irrelevant, Senator or should I say ex-Senator!"

"All my resignation will do is hurt the Republic - make it weaker."

Rey sarcastically replies, "You are so noble!" and then says, "The galaxy is falling apart and all you can think about is yourself!"

"No!" he replies, "I'd do anything for the Republic!"

"The Republic has laws and rules. It has procedures. None of these include murder."

"Careful now, I had no knowledge of what Bekka was up to. But I will tell you that if breaking the law means saving the Republic, then so be it!"

"You're a hypocrite, and a backstabber!" replies Rey angrily. Frustrated, she wants to use her Force power to smash his house to pieces, but she thinks better of it and leaves.

But it's clear now, more than ever, that the Senate is cracking under the strain. The politicians are fractured, and so too, probably, is the military. Most still support the Chancellor and her war policy, but others are hedging their bets. Trust has broken down, and nobody can be certain who their real friends are anymore.

[wipe]

It's a bright summer's day in Theed. The beautiful capital city of the planet Naboo is thronged with crowds out enjoying the weather.

Just across from the cliffs and the waterfalls, that give the city a uniquely spectacular appearance, lies the main air force base, known as Alpha. Red and Blue Squadrons have taken up residence here in support of the local air force. A game of Naboo Football is taking place on the runway, next to the rows of Starfighters and X-Wings.

Watching on is Finn and Poe Dameron.

"What is this game?" asks Finn.

"I've been watching for the last half-hour and I've no idea. The rules make absolutely no sense to me!"

"Is that Dekker out there?"

"Yeah," says Poe, "I don't think he knows the rules either. He's just running into the locals and knocking them down."

"It's not that difficult to understand," says a Naboo Starfighter pilot, when he hears the discussion, "There's two teams and..."

But suddenly the pilot is interrupted by the sound of an alarm.

"What's going on?" asks Finn.

"I think we're having a power failure," replies the Naboo fighter-pilot, "It happens sometimes. The back-up system should kick-in shortly."

All across the base the power is out. From the lights, to the air traffic control tower, to the automated laser projectors and the perimeter shield, that keep out intruders.

"The back-up doesn't seem to be working either," remarks Poe.

It's then that they hear the sound of an explosion in the far distance. Some smoke is seen rising into the sky. The Commander of the base, General Owlaka comes out from the main building.

He takes a look and says, "That looks like it's coming from Beta!" Beta's another air force base, situated about nine miles away.

Speaking into his helmet comm system, he says, "Put the base on alert and launch a fighter patrol. Something is up!"

But just as he's finished giving the order, four airspeeders fly into the base. Carrying twenty passengers, they land near the fuel tanks. The passengers wear civilian clothing but also wear distinctive white armbands. They are armed with handguns, and carry backpacks.

"White Ribbons!" shouts the General, "We're under attack!"

White Ribbons are Imperial infiltration troops. Made up of young men and women, who are fanatical in their devotion to Kylo Ren, they are used to covertly infiltrate planets and launch attacks or sabotage infrastructure.

They'd typically train for a mission for weeks or months, and when ready, journey as civilians to their target planet in ones or twos, making them difficult to spot. They'd then meet up again and form back into larger assault groups.

To avoid security, they wouldn't bring their own weapons or materials, but would arm themselves, how best they could, from local resources. Only when ready to act would they ever tie white ribbons around their arms or foreheads. Experts in asymmetrical warfare, their motto is: infiltrate, improvise, instigate.

A firefight breaks out and Red Squadron Leader, Noxx orders his pilots to their ships, "We're no good to anyone in a gun fight. We've got to get our ships to safety!" he explains.

X-Wings and Starfighters take-off from the chaotic scene. Naboo troops advance on the White Ribbons, who shoot at them and hurl thermal detonators in their direction, using slingshots. As Finn gets to his ship, one of the large fuel tanks explodes. There's a tremendous noise and thick black smoke blows across the base.

His canopy closes and his X-Wing rises into the air. There's another even bigger explosion, but he pulls back on the stick and hits the accelerator. He escapes the smoke and debris, emerging into the sunshine.

Meanwhile, in space, just beyond the effective range of Naboo's ion canons, an armada of Star Destroyers has just dropped out of hyperspace.

"All Star Destroyers, stand ready to engage any Naboo cruisers," orders Grand Steward Hux, on the Bridge of the Avenger, "And launch all fighters and bombers. Their target is Theed!"

Hux speaks to himself, "They have remained stubbornly loyal to the Republic, and now they will pay for that loyalty."

"Sir," says one of the Bridge Officers, "Our White Ribbons report damage to Alpha and Beta. They've managed to destroy fueling facilities at both air force bases. The Naboo won't be able to launch significant numbers of aircraft for some time."

"Excellent," replies Hux, "We can destroy the Naboo Air Force on the ground at our leisure!"

Another Officer informs Hux, "Sir, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy fighters forming up over Theed."

"Inform Commander Shirress!" orders the Grand Steward.

Seven X-Wings of Red Squadron regroup high above Theed. News of the arrival of the Imperial armada begins to reach them from Naboo Military Command. They're ordered to intercept the Imperial fighters, while the local Starfighters will tackle the Tie-Bombers.

"I've got Imperial fighters on my scope - closing fast," says Noxx, "Lock S-Foils in attack position. Accelerate to attack speed. Form up, and keep your eyes open. When you see them call them out!"

"I see them! At one o'clock high!" says Viper, "The formation is lead by a white Tie-Interceptor!"

"That's Shirress - the Ace!" shouts Bash.

"Cut the chatter!" commands Noxx.

Both sets of fighters fly past each other at high speed. The scream of the Tie-Interceptors is almost deafening.

"That was too close!" says Dekker.

The X-Wings then turn and begin a pursuit. Being of a much more recent generation, the X-Wings have all the advantages. The Tie-Interceptors, although upgraded and refitted as best the Imperials can manage, are still dated fighters.

The early exchanges go the way of the Republic. Finn lines one up and destroys it. The same goes for Noxx and Viper. But Shirress is not to be out done, and takes out Bash when he was distracted and fully concentrated on another target.

Now angered, Red Squadron make little work of the rest of the Imperial group, leaving only Shirress. As she chases after Viper, the rest form up behind in a row. As Viper moves to dodge, he unwittingly leads a roller coaster of fighters after him.

Frantic, Viper shouts, "I can't lose her. Someone get her off me!"

Azoh's behind and says, "I've got the shot. I'm taking the shot!"

But before he can fire, Shirress barrel rolls out of his aim, and hits the air break. She's directly behind him now and opens fire. Azoh is destroyed. She accelerates once more, reacquires Viper and fires. His X-Wing turns into a fireball and explodes violently.

With four angry X-Wing pilots on her tail, she turns hard and descends in a spiral. With all their concentration on the white Tie-Interceptor, Noxx and Dekker fail to notice a new wave of Imperial fighters approaching. They're X-Wings, but flown by the Empire. Captured in a daring raid on Kelesstra, they've been put straight into battle.

Confusion reigns and Noxx collides with one of them. His plane disintegrates. Dekker loses an engine to some of the crash debris. With smoke billowing out across the sky, he's got a massive target on his back.

"Break, break, break!" shouts Poe, but it's too late. Dekker's struggling fighter is picked off by an Imperial X-Wing.

Now out of her spiral, Shirress uses the chaos to close on Finn.

"I need some help here!" says Finn to Poe, his wing-man.

Poe accelerates to catch up but is too eager. He overshoots Shirress, and she punishes his mistake.

"No!" shouts Finn, as Shirress confirms her fourth kill of the day.

Shaking with anger, Finn tries to calm himself. "Focus!" he says a couple of times. Shirress is still behind him angling for a shot the whole time. Shirress orders the Imperial X-Wings to break off their attack, "This one is mine!"

Finn pulls hard on the stick and they both soar straight up into the sky.

Unable to shake her, he resorts to desperate measures. It's Finn's time to barrel roll out and hit the air break. And luckily it works. Finn's now behind her, but just as his targeting scanner is about to confirm a lock, Shirress slams on the breaks and the two fighters collide.

They're forty thousand feet up and they both lose engine power. As though synchronised, the two enemies begin spinning down towards one of Naboo's large lakes.

"BeeBee, get the engines back up!" shouts Finn to BB-8.

He flicks every switch in the cockpit, but it's no good. The engines won't restart. Trying to regain control of his X-Wing, by forcefully jamming his stick hard right, Finn also scans the sky looking for Shirress. He knows he's dead if she can recover before him.

With only a thousand feet left before he hits the water, BB-8 gets one engine working and Finn can take the ship out of the spin. But it's not enough to avoid a crash and Finn hits the water close to land.

The X-Wing plunges twenty feet down into the crystal clear water. Finn blows the canopy and swims back to the surface. With all the energy he has left, he reaches the shore. Slowly, he crawls up the beach, before turning over to catch his breath. Exhausted, he sits up and looks out to sea. Eventually, BB-8 rolls out of the water and up the sand. The little droid then expels all of the unwanted water out of his system.

The sound of waves lapping against the shore is interrupted by the unmerciful scream of a Tie-Interceptor. Shirress has recovered from the spin and does a victory roll over the beach before retreating up into the clouds.

Finn places his head in his hands as, in the distance, wave after wave of Tie-Bombers close in on Theed. The Naboo Starfighters had put up a brave effort. They'd destroyed many bombers before the Imperials overwhelmed them. The ant-aircraft batteries did all they could before they too were destroyed.

But it's not enough. The bombs fall, and Theed is destroyed.

[wipe]

Kylo Ren leaves his meditation chamber on Pohlo to receive a message from Grand Steward Hux.

Hux appears as a hologram and says, "Lord Ren. It is with great delight that I report the total destruction of Theed."

"Well done, Grand Steward. Your supreme efforts in the restoration of the Empire will not soon be forgotten. The end of the era of the illegitimate Republic is close at hand."

Hux takes a more somber tone, "But my Lord, I must also regrettably report the loss of the underground complex on Nakisstah. Republican forces discovered and overran the site this morning. It produced much needed Tie-Fighters and Bombers. It's the third such facility we've lost in a short period," and Hux adds, "Lord, such reverses, combined with our combat losses, will soon see our forces struggling to fight this war. Even in victory, we are losing valuable fighters and bombers that cannot be easily replaced."

"Spare me the sob story, Grand Steward. Sacrifices must be made!"

But Hux remains steadfast, "My Lord, to continue this war in a conventional manner, with the aim of victory, is to ask the impossible. I can continue to fight this war for you, but I cannot win it for you. I need more men! I need more pilots! I need more Stormtroopers!"

"Careful, Grand Steward. In this galaxy, it is I who make the demands."

"Yes, my Lord."

Kylo thinks for a moment and says, "I have played games with the Republic for far too long. The time has come to show them a full demonstration of the awesome power at my disposal."

[wipe]

Meanwhile back on Coruscant, the Senate has descended into uproar once again. The loss of Theed brings with it much despair and resentment.

"Chancellor, you promised that a disaster like Canto Bight would not be repeated! And yet, here we are talking about another city and its people being wiped out!" says Tano, the blue skinned Senator from Pantora, "If the Republic is unable to protect its members, then what good is it? We demand a vote be taken on the future of the Special Task Force!"

"Hear, hear!" says much of the Senate in agreement.

"Order, order!" says the Speaker of the Senate, "We will now hear from the Chancellor of the Republic."

"When I heard the news from Theed, my heart broke into a million pieces. It really did," says Leia, "But, Senators, my resolve remains in tact. The Special Task Force cannot be allowed to be dismantled. This is exactly what Kylo Ren wants. When the ships leave, he'll attack with his Death Star and Coruscant will be no more. Senators, my powers permit me to veto such a vote. And that is what I must do."

The Senate is almost united as one against Leia and the sound of disapproval rings throughout the chamber in many languages . But then shouting is heard. And then screams. And then absolute shrieks of terror.

Some of the Senators can be heard to shout "Fire! Fire! It's everywhere!"

"It's the Death Star! We're all going to die!"

"Get out! Get out now!"

Leia asks her advisors what is going on, but none can explain what they are watching. Panicked Senators begin jumping from their seats or running from the chamber.

"The whole galaxy has gone mad!" says her advisor.

"This must be the work of Kylo Ren," responds Leia.

"Order, order!" shouts the Speaker, but to no avail. It's total chaos as mass hysteria grips the Senate and he's forced to suspend proceedings.

Later the Senate returns, but without some of its members, many of whom have now declared themselves to be neutral in the war.

Leia repeats her threat of a veto, but the Senate is unmoved. It retaliates by proposing a No-Confidence vote in her as Chancellor. It is a vote she cannot dodge, and, according to her advisors, one she is sure to lose. Her premiership has only days left to run. The future of the war, and therefore the galaxy, will be decided soon.

[wipe]

After a fruitless day of trying to win over the support of individual Senators with a series of meetings and holographic calls, Leia takes to her bed and tries to get some rest. Under so much pressure, it's difficult to get to sleep, but eventually she nods off.

There is no comfort for her in her dreams though. She experiences a horrible nightmare. She's back on her old home-world of Alderaan, just moments before it was destroyed by the Death Star.

Her dream starts peacefully. She's walking in the grounds of her old home on a fine sunny day. The peace of the day is suddenly interrupted by a green flash in the sky. An intense heat follows and she begins to burn up. When the pain becomes unbearable she is awoken, covered in sweat. Every time she falls back asleep, she sees the same thing. She gives up trying to rest, and decides to holo-call Rey.

Although it's the middle of the night, Rey answers immediately.

"I'm glad you called, Leia," says Rey, "I want to apologise for what I said to you the last time we talked. I was angry and went too far."

"I'm sorry too, Rey. I've put too much pressure on you that you really don't need."

With the pair of them back on speaking terms, they talk a little more and discover that they have just had identical nightmares. The only difference is that in Rey's, the word Dagobah is repeated over and over.

"Dagobah, you say," says General Berra, the next morning, when Leia inquires about the planet. "Oh there's nothing much to it. A swamp planet but of no military interest."

"I want you to dispatch a probe droid to that planet, General. The Death Star - it's got to be there - hiding!" insists Leia.

The probe droid is sent, but nothing is found. Leia, however, is not satisfied. "I must go and see for myself!" she says. Rey wants to go too.

The General is wary, "You can't leave now. It could be a trap, and if word leaks out that you have left Coruscant, there'll be wide-scale panic. The people will think you have abandoned them!"

"You're right, General Berra," agrees Leia, "I will take a shuttle, a pilot and some droids. That way no one will know and we can keep it a secret."

"Finn," says Rey, "He's on leave. He can be our pilot."

"But what about the vote of No-Confidence, Chancellor?" asks the General.

"There is nothing I can do to stop that. It's a lost cause. However crazy it sounds, Dagobah is the only thing I have left."

"The Senate can be made to listen," suggests the General, "There are many in the military who are loyal to you first, Chancellor."

"No, General!" insists Leia, "A coup is not the answer. I fought for re-establishment of the Republic. I took an oath to serve the Republic, and I will not bring about the downfall of the Republic. What separates us from the people who oppose us in this war is that we are true to our word, or at least we try to be."

Leia, Rey and Finn set off in a shuttle, along with C-3PO, R2-D2 and BB-8.

They reach Dagobah, and find nothing in orbit.

"We can't have come all this way for nothing!" says Rey.

"I'm picking up something," says Finn, "According to the scanner, there's a ship down there. I don't know how the probe missed it though."

Leia gives the order and they land on Dagobah, near to where the other ship is located. The droids are told to stay with the shuttle.

After a short while, when Leia, Rey and Finn have left, BB-8 follows on. R2-D2 does likewise and C-3PO says "Hey where are you two going? Master Finn told us to wait here!"

But BB-8 and R2-D2 ignore his words.

C-3PO talks to himself "Well, I'm going to stay here." but when he hears a wild animal making a sound, he changes his mind, "On second thoughts, I'll go with you two. But to make sure you don't get into any trouble. Wait for me!"

Travelling further into the swampy territory Leia, Rey and Finn encounter a masked figure wearing a black cloak - it's Kylo Ren. Instinctively, Finn takes out his weapon and fires. Kylo uses his Force power to send the shots either side of him. He then Force disarms Finn, and the gun flies through the air and into the swamp. "Crude toys!" remarks Kylo.

Stormtroopers appear behind them and just as Finn is about to tackle one, Rey shouts "Don't!"

Finn relents and Kylo orders that he be taken to the Imperial shuttle close by.

"Take him away, I wish to be alone with my distinguished guests."

The droids see what is happening and BB-8 once again secretly follows after Finn. R2-D2 and C-3PO do the same.

"What will you do with him?" asks Rey.

"Don't worry," says Kylo, as he takes off his mask to reveal his face for the first time. He's got long black hair and a pointed nose and looks even younger than his age, "I have come alone. I have no interest in fighting you or hurting Finn. I only wish to talk."

Rey replies, "Let's talk then, about the location of the Death Star."

"Such a technological terror is no match for power of the Darkside," answers Kylo.

"There is no Death Star, Rey," says Leia.

"Very good, Leia. Your incite serves you well, if belatedly," and Kylo adds, "After all, who needs a Death Star when rumour of its existence alone is enough to cower the galaxy."

"It's all a big lie?" asks a shocked Rey.

"Not a lie. A ruse," insists Kylo.

"And our nightmares... the panic on Coruscant in the Senate?"

"A demonstration of the power of the Darkside!" Kylo then says, "If not strong you are, clever you must be."

"You're familiar with the words of Master Yoda?" asks Rey.

"I've studied the work of a great many Masters. From Master Yoda to Darth Plagueis the Wise."

"Then you are aware of the power of the Lightside! You can join us!"

"Such naivety, Rey," responds Kylo, "The Lightside is for those who serve. The Darkside is for those who rule."

"Why have you drawn us here?" Leia demands to know.

Although Leia asks the question, Kylo turns to Rey and says, "You must know by now why you are here, Rey or should I say... sister!" Rey is stunned. "Search your feelings. Search my thoughts! You know it to be true."

Rey closes her eyes.

"Don't listen to him, Rey. It's a trick!"

"It is no trick, dear... mother!"

Leia reacts very angrily. "I know you are lying, because I have no children!"

"But you and my father, Han Solo, did once have twins."

"They died!" shouts Leia.

"We live!" says Kylo, determinedly.

Kylo explains that his former Master, Snoke, had been devastated when the Emperor was destroyed. Vader too was dead leaving a gap in Sith lineage that couldn't be easily filled. Although a close confidante of the Emperor's, Snoke himself had no formal training in the ways of the Force, and what knowledge he had was insufficient to rebuild the Sith.

Luke had also forsaken his sacred duty to train a new order of Jedi Knights, so that ruled out any possible chance to seduce a Padawan with the temptation of the Darkside.

All seemed lost until the marriage of Leia to Han Solo. Soon after, Leia had announced that she was pregnant with twins. All was saved, thought Snoke. The descendants of Vader were his only chance. Unfortunately, the twins died at birth.

Undeterred, Snoke had a sympathetic nurse remove DNA from each child, and using that DNA he cloned the twins. He took Kylo to train for himself, and because of the Rule of Two, which forbade Snoke from training more than one Sith, he left Rey with a family loyal to the Empire on the desert planet of Jakku.

"It's not true!" insists Leia.

"It is true!" shouts Kylo.

"Everything you say is a lie. My son would never turn to the Darkside. It would be impossible. He could never be controlled by angry and evil thoughts."

"The Darkside is strong in our family, mother. Don't pretend otherwise. Don't underestimate its influence!"

Standing next to Leia, Kylo now answers her question directly, "You ask - why have I brought you here? Well this planet has a special place in our family's history. It is here that Luke, your brother, my Uncle, completed his Jedi training, and I too hope to complete my journey here." And with that Kylo strikes Leia down using Force lightning.

"All that is left now, is for you, Rey, to join me!"

Rey is jolted by Leia's death, and the sudden disturbance in the Force. "Why did you do that?!" she shouts, as tears stream down her face.

"You don't know the full story, Rey. Leia's fate has long been settled, but it was never your destiny to join with Skywalker. Snoke left you on Jakku to shield you from the Lightside of the Force. When my training was complete, I was to take you from Jakku, and make you my Apprentice. Your destiny has always lied with me! Join me, Rey, and together we will rule the galaxy as brother and sister, Master and Apprentice, husband and wife, Emperor and Empress!"

"What?!"

"A new era is upon the galaxy. You, the last Jedi, and me, the last Sith Lord, we will join together and finally bring balance to the Force! It all makes perfect sense."

Kylo adds, "It's not for us to be told how to live our lives. Jedi rules, Sith rules. This galaxy belongs to us and we shall do as we like. We shall live as nature intended where the strong rule over the weak! With Leia destroyed, she takes with her the last vestiges of The Jedi Order. When my Master, Snoke, died, he took with him the Sith Order too. Together we will establish our own - The First Order. Our children, The Knights of the First Order, shall rule for a thousand generations."

"You're mad! Your plans are insane. You've been totally twisted by the Darkside!"

"I've been very generous with you, Rey. I've offered you more than anyone could want! I've had my palace on Pohlo readied for our wedding. I've had crowns made. Yours is very beautiful - fit for an Emprees!"

"No! This is all so wrong!"

"You confuse me, Rey. I thought you would join me willingly. It is your destiny. You were not born to serve the Republic. Like me, you were born specifically to rule the galaxy!" Kylo, a little angered says, "But if you need to be persuaded by other means, than I can find new ways to motivate you! I will show no mercy to anyone, especially Finn. At my hand, he will suffer a thousand painful deaths. Is that what you want, Rey? But if you do as I say, I shall be merciful. You can keep him as your pet, if you wish."

Kylo tries to get her to see things from his perspective, "Skywalker has corrupted you and lead you down a foolish path. Everyone serves themselves, Rey. It's the natural order of things, no matter what anyone says. Especially those politicians who order you around and betray you when they no longer need you."

"What about Leia?"

"Leia was the exception to the rule. She was selfless but also unique. She was a dogged and worthy opponent, unlike the rest of the cowards in the Senate," Kylo, feeling magnanimous says, "You know, as a tribute to Leia, I will have all the Senators who opposed her publicly executed."

"Leia would never want such a sick tribute! No matter what happened, she always stood by the Republic!"

"When we get to Coruscant, there will be no more Republic!"

"Get to Coruscant? I thought you just wanted living space?!"

"Coruscant is living space!"

"Leia was right about you!"

"Leia is dead!" shouts Kylo.

Rey begins to back away and Kylo follows.

Kylo tells her, "You don't have a choice, Rey. There's nowhere to go and you can't defeat me in combat. I'm twice the swordsman I was when I destroyed Skywalker. How about you, Rey. Have you improved from that pathetic performance at Bezutashi?"

Using her Force power, she makes short reeds grow very tall and says "I'm one with the land."

"Impressive!" says Kylo, as he pushes the reeds out of his way, "You must teach me that!"

When she passes a ditch, she uses her power to fill it with water. Kylo wades through it and says, "Glorious! Your natural powers of the Lightside and my physical powers of the Darkside - we will complement each other so well."

Eventually, Rey finds a cave opening, and Kylo tells her to go in. "That place is strong with the Darkside, sister. Enter and take your first steps towards the Darkside."

She enters. The cave is eerily cold and she becomes gripped by fear. Finn suddenly appears in pain and dying. "You love him, don't you?" asks Kylo, who has followed her into the cave.

"With all my heart," replies a crying Rey.

Kylo laughs mockingly.

Angrily, Rey asks, "And what do you love?"

He thinks for a moment and replies, "A Master of the Force has no need for love. When I complete your training, you will come to see this."

"Fear then!" shouts Rey, "What do you fear?!"

"I fear nothing. Fear is my greatest friend," he answers, arrogantly, "My forces are insignificant compared to the size of those they face, and yet I am winning this war. Fear is the hammer I've used to re-shape the galaxy. All before me are afraid. All tremble when they hear the name Kylo Ren. Forget the Chancellor or the Senate, I'm the true ruler of the Republic. I'm the supreme master of the Darkside who reigns over an Empire of Fear."

With that a heavy mechanical breathing noise can be heard. The unmistakable voice of Darth Vader sounds, "Your thoughts betray you, Kylo Ren. I feel the fear in you." Vader appears, lightsaber in hand, and adds, "The Force is with you, young Kylo, but you are not a master of the Darkside yet!"

Kylo becomes searlingly angry, and for the first time loses all his composure. He begins pounding on Vader's lightsaber, but Vader holds him off easily with just one hand.

"All too easy," says Vader.

A young Luke Skywalker appears, dressed in the black of his Return of the Jedi days. Sitting on an embankment in the cave, he begins to mock Kylo, "He's not one of us, father." "He's a fake, a copy, a clone." "His Master was no Sith. He was a fraud too." "He'll never be your equal, father."

Kylo is engrossed in the battle with Vader, but hasn't managed to lay a glove on him. At this point, Rey sees her opportunity, and attacks Kylo. Rey and Vader fight Kylo together. She slashes Kylo's shoulder but he replies by chopping off her lightsaber holding hand, and uses Force lightning to catapult her to the other side of the cave. She remains prone and injured on the ground, while Kylo continues to battle Vader.

Back at the Imperial shuttle, Finn is being held hostage by seven Stormtroopers.

"Hello down there," comes a voice from a vantage point near the shuttle. It's C-3PO, and he begins waving at the Stormtroopers.

"What's that?" asks the Imperial Commander.

"It's a droid, Sir."

"You two, go get it and bring it down here!"

When the two leave, that's the signal for R2-D2 to act. He's at the back of Imperial shuttle and using his tool arm, he starts a fire in the undergrowth.

"Hey, there's smoke coming from over there!" says the Imperial Commander.

Three of the Stormtroopers head for the back of the ship.

Now it's time for BB-8 to act. Coming from the front, he rolls at high speed out of the overgrowth and into the two troops standing next to Finn. He knocks them over like a bowling ball would with pins.

One of the Stormtroopers loses his blaster when he falls. Finn picks it up and fires on the three who have moved towards the rear. They fall down dead.

The two Stormtroopers looking for C-3PO run back to the ship when they hear the shots, and Finn shoots them too.

The final two are now back on their feet. Only one of them has a blaster, which he uses to shoot at Finn. Finn dives out of the way and returns fire. The Stormtrooper falls down dead. There's only one left and he arms himself with a thermal detonator. Just as he's about to throw it, Finn shoots him. The detonator falls and rolls towards the ship.

Finn makes a run for it and shouts to the droids, "Get out of here!"

There's a small explosion, but when the shuttle's fuel cells catch fire, there's an even bigger one. Fortunately, everyone got away in time.

Finn then orders the droids to, "Get back to the ship. We'll need to get out of here in a hurry. I'll go find the others!"

As he leaves, BB-8 gives him a thumbs up, and C-3PO says, "The chances of one man defeating a Sith Lord are..."

"Never tell me the odds!" interrupts Finn.

Finn gets back to the spot where he and the others had met Kylo Ren. He can't see anyone around, but does hear the sound of fighting coming from inside a nearby cave.

He runs in, and seeing Kylo he immediately opens fire on him. Kylo is too quick for him though, and Force freezes the blaster shots in mid-air. He keeps his lightsaber in a defensive stance towards Vader, and uses his power to lift Finn into the air. Kylo starts to Force choke him.

Rey sees this and, with what little strength she has, Force throws her lightsaber at Kylo, striking him straight through his back. Kylo falls on one knee, and shouts "TRAITOR!" In agony he begins to Force remove the lightsaber from his body. He's visibly weakening, but continues to choke Finn.

The blaster shots, frozen in mid-air jump forward a few feet, but once again Kylo stops them dead. He removes Rey's lightsaber fully from his back, but just as he is about to Force throw it back at Rey, he loses control of the blaster shots, and they fly forward into his chest.

Kylo slumps down dying. Rey's lightsaber is propelled off into the cave, but misses her. Finn drops to the ground, coughing but alive. Vader stands over Kylo, before disappearing as Kylo takes his final breath. Finn runs to Rey and they embrace.

"You're injured!" says a shocked Finn, when he sees her arm. But Rey only thinks of Leia.

"Leia! Quickly! Take me to Leia. There isn't much time!"

Finn carries Rey to where Leia is lying. Rey, although badly injured, sits and adopts a serene meditative stance. She closes her eyes, and her body begins to shake. Rey lets out a long shriek that echoes through the swamp, and, as her voice fades, the colour returns to Leia's face.

Leia opens her eyes. She's alive! And the two hug one another tightly. They both cry, and Rey says "Mother!" Leia replies "My daughter!"

Finn is amazed and has so many questions, "But how do you bring her back to life?"

Rey replies, "I don't know. I just felt it. Kylo, when I read his thoughts, he had the knowledge to save a life."

[wipe]

Leia, Rey, Finn and the droids fly back to Coruscant.

While receiving medical attention, Rey and Leia talk.

As she's given a robotic hand, Rey asks, "Can this really be true?"

"Kylo told so many lies," replies Leia, "We could do a scientific test."

"No," says Rey, "It feels true."

"It does." replies Leia.

When Finn lands the shuttle at the spaceport, they are greeted by a massive cheering crowd. With the news that no Death Star was constructed, order returns to the Republic. The fear and the chaos dissipates. It is replaced by an unbridled happiness.

Without Kylo Ren, the Empire's plans for a take-over turn to dust. But Grand Steward Hux and his armada are still out there.

Rey declares that she will establish a new Jedi Order. However, there will be changes. Kylo was wrong about so many matters, but Rey agrees with him about one thing. The future cannot be dictated to by the past. Rey is not obliged to follow rules from a different era. There must be new and modern ones.

With that in mind, she proclaims that nobody under sixteen, and certainly no children, will be admitted to the Order. And the rules on love and marriage will be abolished too.

After a few days, when Rey and Finn finally get a moment alone, Rey has a question for Finn. As the sun sets on Coruscant she asks, "Marry me?!"

Finn smiles and says, "Yes!"

They embrace and kiss.

[wipe]

end credits