12
'Shoot that piece of junk out of the sky!' Ren's booming orders filled the room and I finally got to my feet. The fighting had been going on for a short while and showed no signs of stopping any time soon. The two troopers followed me closely as I walked up to the command deck, stopping a few metres back and peering out of the main window. Scattered red speeder lines patterned the salt covered floor and TIE fighters zoomed off into the distance. I silently observed the battle, my feelings swaying neither way. All I could focus on was Takodana and Maz. I stayed in my daydream, I was only pulled out of it by Kylo. 'Stop!' He yelled and I was pulled back to reality. The speeders were gone and alone stood a figure in black. My breath caught in my throat as I processed who I was seeing. 'Master Skywalker.' I murmured to myself, taken aback by his sudden appearance. He looked exactly as I remembered him, facing up to the ship as though he knew who stood within it. Kylo began to shake, balling his fist up just as he used to as a child. 'I want every gun we have to fire on that man.' Hux and I simultaneously looked at Kylo but neither of us dared to speak. The officers froze, also looking at him. 'Do it.' He commanded, eyes locked on Luke like a predator to its prey. I heard the ATAT's groan as they got into position before red lasers began to fire non-stop at the spot where Luke stood. Shot after shot burst into the ground, causing red mineral to soar high into the sky like an explosion. I nibbled my lip nervously, shifting my eyes from Hux to Kylo. 'More.' He ordered, his voice unhinging slightly and his trembling intensifying. 'More!' I had never seen him so deranged in all the years I'd known him and swallowed anxiously. Hux finally stepped forward. 'That's enough.' He hissed but Kylo's face merely twitched in response. 'That's enough!' Hux yelled and the firing ceased, a cloud of red dust slowly wafting upward outside. Kylo collapsed, exhausted into his chair. Turning on his heel, Hux glowered. 'Do you think you got him? Now, if we're ready to get moving we can finish this.' Pulse lowering for a mere second, I folded my arms tightly across my chest. 'Sir.' One of the commanders said, Kylo getting to his feet instinctively. Looking past their heads, I saw Luke's figure emerge completely unscathed. He stepped forward, flicking his shoulder nonchalantly and staring Kylo right in the eye. 'Bring me down to him. Keep the door covered and don't advance until I say.' 'Supreme Leader, don't get distracted. Our goal-' Slamming his arm out, Kylo force pushed Hux into the side of the ship. I fought back a smirk as Hux let out an anguished cry. 'Right away sir.' As the ship lowered, Kylo walked passed me. He stopped for a mere second and I side eyed him, before staring ahead again. Standing for a moment longer, he eventually continued to walk and departed the ship as we touched the ground.
Moving further up the command deck, I extended a hand to Hux who still lay on the floor. 'Come on General.' I gave a wicked grin and he took my hand, still scowling at me. Yanking him to his feet, he dusted himself down. 'Aren't you supposed to be a prisoner?' I shrugged. 'Supposed to be are the key words there.' I responded, folding my arms again and looking out onto the mineral wasteland. Kylo stomped toward Luke, stopping a few metres away. Sliding my tongue across the back of my teeth, I couldn't help feeling like something wasn't quite right. I turned to Hux, concern on my face. 'Something's wrong. Why didn't those shots get him? How can he still look so young after all this time? Hux-' My eyes met his and he gave me a disapproving glare. 'Shut up girl. And it's General Hux to you.' I bit my tongue and went back to watching as Kylo dropped his cape and lit up his saber. Luke followed, a blue light illuminating from his weapon. 'Wait, blue? His saber was always green. It was never-' I felt Hux's palm connect with my cheek as he slapped me hard. 'I said shut up.' Rubbing my skin, I felt tears sting my eyes. 'Sorry General.' I finally mumbled. Kylo ran at Luke, who ducked neatly under his swipe and dodged his swing. Switching sides, Kylo ran at him again, swiping sideways as though to cut the Jedi in two. Bending backwards, the red plasma just missed Luke's face and he span to his feet, taking a defensive stance again. Brow wrinkled, I began chewing my lip again, trying to work out what was happening. Whatever Luke was saying to Kylo was filling him with rage. Eventually, he ran full throttle at Luke, merely moving straight through his body. Red marks adorned the ground as he skidded to a halt and it hit me. 'It's a distraction.' Whispering the words to myself it made all the more sense. 'It's a distraction!' I yelled out, the troopers grabbing me and pulling me back as I tried to hurl myself at the command dashboard. 'Will you stop being so disorderly!' Hux shouted, raising the back of his hand at me again. I winced, but the slap never came. Opening my eyes, his face was contorted in disbelief staring out of the main window. I followed his eye line and saw Kylo's saber piercing through Luke as though he were a hologram. Removing it, Luke gradually faded away and Kylo visibly shrieked out in rage. 'He was never here. The red marks on the ground, he didn't make any. Luke was never here.' The words tumbled from my lips and my breath quickened. I felt the barrels of the trooper's blasters digging into my rips and tasted blood in my mouth from where I'd split my lip with my teeth. Shaking himself back into character, Hux turned back to me and swiped his hand across my face. I coughed as my jaw jarred and spat blood onto the ship floor. 'Prick.' I growled and he rolled his eyes at me. 'So dignified.'