Lin leaned back in the squeaky copilot's chair. He watched as the stars ahead stretched and gave way to the endless blue tunnels of hyperspace. This view he had seen many times before, but never had it looked so sweet and full of possibilities. Never had he seen hyperspace from the cockpit of the fastest ship in the galaxy.
"I've always wanted to fly this baby," Lin said with an anxious nod. His fingers drummed along the console of the Millennium Falcon. "I'm surprised she's not in a museum somewhere."
Rey sat quietly in the pilot's seat. Her fingers moved across the switches, checking their estimated arrival time.
"We have two hours," Rey said, keeping her eyes lowered. "When I first saw her, I thought she was garbage."
Lin turned his head slightly and arched an eyebrow. He wasn't entirely comfortable around Rey. She was something of a legend in the academy. And the stories his father used to tell made her seem like a hero from ancient myths.
But Rey wasn't a mythological figure. She was real; she was flesh and blood and had a sweet smile. The woman who saved an entire galaxy at one point, was sitting right next to him. The Grandmaster sucked in her bottom lip, feeling Lin's gaze on her.
"I could hardly believe this was the ship that made the kessel run in twelve parsecs," Rey continued.
Lin let out an appreciative whistle, scanning the overhead controls. "Impressive," he nodded. "I've never… I've never seen a navicomputer networked like this before. It's a thing of beauty."
"I can't take credit for her," Rey said with a little laugh. She leaned back into her chair and settled in. "But it's been my privilege to keep her flying. Actually, the Falcon has been under Kayla's care for the past few years now.
The mention of Kayla's name made Lin scratch his stubbly, square jaw and look away. There was quiet in the Falcon for a few seconds while both pilots stared into hyperspace.
"How did you know?" Lin asked, finally broaching the subject. He stared at all the blinking lights on the console as he spoke. Rey glanced at him sideways and didn't respond right away.
"How did you know that Colton was the traitor?" Lin asked again.
"BB-8 and I are friends, too," Rey replied, with a half smile. "We go back aways. When he was attacked I took it personally, as well as Kayla. I had one of Leia's assistants monitoring his camera feed from that point on. I was already on my way to the hangar, when Leia sent me your conversation with Colton."
Lin nodded and ran his fingers through his dark, wavy hair. After another minute in silence he reached down and unfastened his seatbelt. "Excuse me," he said while climbing out of the chair and leaving the cockpit altogether.
Rey pinched the bridge of her nose and exhaled deeply. "Okay," she sighed, before unfastening her own seatbelt and going after the young man. She found Lin pacing the galley, looking like he had a lot on his mind.
The Jedi folded her arms and leaned against the side of the Falcon. "You can talk to me, Lin. I won't bite. At some point we are going to need to get comfortable with each other, my padawan."
Lin continued to pace. He made a fist with one hand and cracked his knuckles with the other. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I… I had to move. I can't sit still right now. It helps if I keep moving."
Rey nodded, "You're always on the move. You've gone far, I'll give you that. But right now you need to slow down and rest."
The Grandmaster knew what challenges lay ahead. She needed Lin to be sharp and receptive; she needed her student to be well rested. Rey clicked her tongue after seeing Lin shake his head and continue pacing.
"You're worried about Kayla," Rey said, trying her best not to smile. Her dimples peeked through her cheeks however. "It's rather sweet of you."
Scratching his chin, Lin finally came to a stop. "How are you so calm about this? Maker, I'm a nervous wreck."
"Oh, I worry for my children like every parent. But, I have faith in my daughters," Rey replied, resting her hands over her belly. "The Force is strong with my girls. It will guide them through the challenges ahead — even if I am not able to."
Lin watched with a surprised look on his face as Rey crossed the galley and took a seat next to the Dejarik table. He chuckled, doing his best to hide his fear and frustration with their current predicament.
"I am going to strangle that ginger bastard until his eyes pop out of his sockets," Lin said, clawing his fingers on both hands.
"That is not the Jedi way, Lin. And you will do things according to our customs. I've lost one padawan today and I will not lose another," Rey replied. She rubbed her belly again, which was becoming a recurring habit.
Lin stopped and leered at Rey. He looked like a man that wanted to argue, but at the same time, this was the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. She was also Kayla's mother. It was wise to stay on her good side.
"Talk to me," Rey implored, trying to soften her expression and tone. "You have questions and things on your mind. You have a voice here, Lin."
The Gray Leader cleared his throat, "My questions may be uncomfortable. You may not want to answer them."
"Facing uncomfortable questions is essentially the narrative to my life. That's the best way to get to know each other, Lin," Rey said with an arched eyebrow. She leaned back into the padded seat and got more comfortable. "Fire away."
"How long have you known about Kayla and I?" Lin blurted out. The question was on the tip of his tongue and it came rushing forward before he could rephrase it.
"For some time now, though she's been keeping it a secret," Rey said, narrowing her gaze. The corners of her lips twitched but she decided to refrain from diving into that "secretive" part.
"Does Kylo Ren know?" Lin followed up right away. There was a nervous energy in how he was holding himself.
"No, he does not. For now, I suggest we keep it that way," Rey replied.
"Are Jedi allowed to…" Lin started, but his voice trailed off.
"No, but I'm considering changing that policy," Rey answered, knowing full well where the young man was going with the question. "It's hypocritical for Ben and I to be in a relationship when I can't afford the same opportunities to my students. I also want my daughters to be happy."
"Are you pregnant?" Lin asked.
This question, as with the others came tumbling out like rapid fire. But this time Rey sighed and looked down at her hands. The slight pause made Lin stop for a moment and blink. Seeing the expression on Rey's face made him regret asking something so deeply personal.
"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have."
Rey swallowed hard and her twinkling gaze found his. "I'm not far enough along to be showing," she said while cracking a coy smile. "How did you know?"
"I've been piecing it together," Lin replied. "It's your hands and the way you've been carrying yourself. It's not much of a stretch, considering your husband just returned home. You're much younger than I thought you'd be… and attractive, too. People leave that part out. And he's well… he's Kylo Ren. Please stop me at any time."
"I was hoping we were being discreet," Rey said with a bit of a laugh. "Well, I suppose people will know soon enough."
"Eh, crap," Lin said, pulling his fingers through his hair. "Shit," he continued, turning pale.
"What?" Rey asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I've just run off with Kylo Ren's pregnant wife," he replied while pulling at the edges of his hair. "And I've flown you towards a trap on Endor," Lin said, raising his voice.
Rey laughed and leaned forward to stand up, "Ben and I aren't married. We haven't gotten around to that yet. It's complicated, but there's still time should we decide that it suits us."
"He's going to kill me for this," Lin continued, clicking his tongue in annoyance. "Assuming we make it out of this mess."
"Please, sit down," Rey said, with a smirk. Lin was pacing again and starting to make her nervous. "You're going to wear a path into the flooring."
"Kriff," Lin sighed, picking up the small metallic ball off the table and tossing it in the air. "What the hell is this thing, anyway?"
"Your first lesson," Rey replied, watching the sphere drop into Lin's hands again. "Since you won't sit still and rest, you may as well be productive. Lin, you struggled to fight without the use of your vision, but you did better with a little coaching. I won't always be there to offer you guidance. It's time to learn to see in the dark."
"Advanced course, eh?" Lin said, tossing the sphere in the air one more time. Rey snapped her fingers, activating the training remote. The sphere hovered in the air and spun on its horizontal axis. Without warning, it fired and hit Lin in the shoulder.
"Ah," Lin cried, grabbing his arm. The shot burned a thin path through his long sleeves and scraped along his bicep. He inspected the wound and growled in response. The Gray Leader wasn't about to be upstaged by some pissant training remote.
"Actually, this is a youngling lesson. I insist that all my eight year olds can do this," Rey said with a playful laugh. "Now close your eyes and concentrate."
Lin closed his eyes and ignited his lightsaber. Getting in a crouching stance, he could feel the Force taking control of his actions. It guided his weapon and footwork. A few seconds later, the remote twisted and fired three more shots.
Leia and Luke stood side by side, watching Colton on a security monitor. The troubled padawan sulked in the brig on Leia's battlecruiser. He leaned his back against one of the walls and slid all the way down to a seated position.
The young man had bandages wrapped around his midsection. He appeared to be in discomfort, listing to one side and clutching his torso. But this prisoner wouldn't garner any sympathy from the Republic guards, or the Jedi Order for that matter. Leia narrowed her gaze. She suspected that Colton was trying to play his injuries up for the cameras.
"He always did have a flare for the dramatic," Leia said, pursing her lips together. She wouldn't be granting the teenager an ounce of leniency; his age didn't matter. Colton's actions directly jeopardized the safety of her family. The general was seething and Luke was hard pressed to recall the last time Leia had been so infuriated.
"What are we going to do about this individual? Such an unfortunate waste." Luke said, shaking his head. He knew that Colton would be unanimously expelled from the Jedi Order. He sensed Leia's desire to interrogate the young man, for he had valuable intelligence. But after that everything became tricky. Colton could become a serious threat to the Jedi Order, especially if he spent years in a prison cell.
"Perhaps he can be rehabilitated," Luke continued, rubbing his hand across his gray beard. He could feel Leia's fiery eyes shift over to glare at him.
"My people will get him to talk," Leia stated. Her tone had a familiar ring to it — this was final and she wasn't going to be swayed.
"You can't seriously be talking about torture," Luke said, turning to face his sister. He knew damn well that this was going to start a fight, but he needed Leia to listen. "You know first hand how terrible those methods can be. You also know that Force Sensitives won't give up information so easily."
"Yes, I know all about the pitfalls of interrogating Force users. But there were some lines that even Darth Vader wasn't willing to cross with me," Leia replied, remaining thin-lipped and focused. "I don't have those same reservations. Neither do my people."
"Reservations?" Luke asked, with a throaty chuckle.
Leia never had a reason to speak fondly of their father. Luke didn't blame her because she only knew him as Vader. Sadly, this was the nicest thing that his sister had ever said about Darth Vader.
"You're suggesting that Vader... went easy on you?" Luke asked incredulously. The Jedi Master couldn't believe that they were having this conversation.
"What if I told you that Vader knew I was his daughter. That he had his suspicions about my identity when he was interrogating me on the Death Star," Leia said, looking quite serious.
Luke fell silent and ran his hand down his forehead and across his face.
"He let us escape because he wanted the location of our base. That part is not in question, but what if that wasn't the only reason he let me go?"
"That's impossible," Luke frowned, "He would have never let you leave."
Leia gave her brother a wary look.
"You've never once mentioned this, Leia. Why didn't it come up on the forest moon of Endor, when I first told you who our father was?" Luke pressed further.
General Organa looked back to the security screen, choosing to ignore her brother's inquiry.
"Colton may be a teenager, but he put my granddaughter's in danger. It stands to reason that he shares a close connection with Owen; he must. The same creep that wormed his way into Hanna's life, must be behind this. Colton will give me every little secret in his head," Leia said, crossly. "I don't care how influential his parents are."
"And then what will we do?" Luke asked with a heavy sigh. He had forgotten until that very moment that Colton's parents were Republic Senators.
"Once he's given me everything?" Leia said, pursing her lips together. "Once he's sung like a canary, I will put a blaster to his head and pull the trigger."
Luke raised his brow, reeling from his sister's response.
"You disapprove, Master Jedi," Leia stated, more than anything. "Well let me tell you how I see things. In my lifetime, I've seen my home, Alderaan destroyed. I've seen the Empire crush countless systems that refused to submit to their control. I watched my son turn to the Dark Side and support that mass murdering, soulless worm," Leia said, swiping the security hologram away with the flick of her wrist.
Luke watched silently as his sister circled the makeshift office she had set up in the Jedi Temple.
"I saw the entire Hosnian system get destroyed before my eyes. The following day… the very next kriffing day, my son killed his father."
"I know, Leia. And I can never apologize enough," Luke started, before Leia stopped him.
"We're old. Let's not rehash this every time, alright? But you and I need to be on the same page here. We are not losing any part of this family; not ever again. I will bleed to ensure this," Leia swore. "And I will spill blood if necessary."
Luke nodded, looking gravely at his sister. His round, blue eyes had a way of getting under Leia's skin. He could usually make her to see reason, without the need to vocalize his objections.
This wasn't going to be one of those times. Leia was prepared to take drastic measures to protect her family. Luke swallowed hard. He was reluctant to give his blessing to his sister's plans. But she was right, they needed to be on the same page.
He knew this was going to get ugly.
Hanna broke away from her father's embrace. She wiped the corners of her stinging eyes and sniffled. The young woman was embarrassed to be crying and shied away from Kylo's intense gaze. She almost never broke down like this and she hated showing any signs of weakness.
Kylo Ren looked on, giving Hanna a moment to collect herself.
"You can't expect me to leave Kayla and Zel," Hanna said, her voice shaking much more than she hoped it would. Lady Shade balled up her fists and desperately wanted to punch something.
Kylo raised the hood over his head again, helping to conceal his glowing red eyes. Sirens echoed in the subterranean levels nearby. The Sith Master knew they needed to move now, if they were going to leave the planet without being detected.
"The longer we wait, the further our enemies get," Kylo said in a low voice.
"I can't kriffing stand this!" Hanna cried out, not giving a damn that her voice was echoing in the alleyway. A large dumpster nearby shuttered and squeaked, before launching itself into the adjacent building. The noise from the impact was toe-curling. The mixture of scraping, twisted metal and crumbling bricks would definitely be reported to the authorities.
Kylo Ren rested his hand on his lightsaber and surveyed the damage that Hanna had caused. He wasn't concerned about cutting down the police. The privatized security agencies on Coruscant weren't foolish enough to face the Master of the Dark Side. What Kylo didn't need, was a confrontation with the Jedi Order.
The Sith would be exacting revenge for the bombings that occurred here and on the other twelve training sites. The perpetrators were going to be found and executed.
Hanna hissed through her teeth. Her breathing was still erratic and her pulse raced. She found no comfort in taking her frustrations out on the nearest inanimate object. The flippant showcase of her crushing Force abilities, displayed the considerable progress she was making.
Kylo Ren swelled with pride, admiring the gigantic crater that Hanna had left in the building.
"You have every right to be upset," Kylo hissed. He gently placed his hands on his daughter's shoulders. It steadied her trembling fists for a moment. "For everything that's happened today… for everything that's happened in your past. You can use it all, my darkness."
Shaking her head in reluctance, Hanna was at odds with herself and Kylo could feel the struggle within. He could feel her call to the Light, shackling her to Kayla and the Jedi Order.
"You will never be truly free, until you accept what you are," Kylo continued, "Who you are. Do you really think the Jedi Order will give you a chance at vengeance? Hmm, can you really trust that they have your best interests at heart? They would rather crowd you into their archaic, narrow-minded mold. You're my daughter… and you're very special."
"But Kayla," Hanna protested, scrunching her face in anguish. She had to stay with her sister — she had to.
"A step towards the Dark Side, is not a step away from Kayla. It's a step towards becoming her equal. And soon… you'll surpass her abilities altogether. The Dark Side is stronger; I've shown you it's awesome potential."
"No," Hanna said with a sniffle. "I can't leave… I've lost so much today."
"No, my child. You've gained much more than you've lost. You understand the power of the Dark Side. You've witnessed what it can do. And now you can use your powers the way they were truly intended to be administered. You can punish those who have waged war against our family."
Hanna's watery eyes blinked once more and a cold chill ran down her spine. "I can do what the Jedi Order… cannot do. What their religion will not allow them to do."
"Indeed," Kylo said, before inhaling deeply. "Hanna, you will be protecting the Jedi Order by taking the next step in your training. You must punish those who came so close to killing Kayla and Zel. Together, we can hunt down those responsible for today's tragic events."
"My armies," Hanna said, closing her eyes for a moment. The thought of avenging their deaths was calming her down; allowing her to think clearly. Lady Shade found her center and opened her eyes.
"What do we need to do first?" Hanna asked, finally daring to gaze into the glowing set of eyes in front of her.
Kylo Ren gave his daughter a devious smile. "You have an army, my dear. The First Order."
Hanna quickly shrugged her shoulders away from Kylo Ren's grip. "The First Order? The fucking First Order? You must be joking. I will gut the entire First Order for what they've done here. I don't care if only two hundred men were responsible for the bombings. They will all pay."
"Good," Kylo replied, with a definite nod. "We'll slay the ones at the top, starting with Owen, Hux and the rest of the commanders."
Owen. The mention of his name made Hanna's skin crawl.
"And the stormtroopers?" she snapped, shaking her head. "We're supposed to spare them? This effort took coordination. It took planning to carry out this barbaric treachery. Maker, they came so close to killing Kayla… and my boyfriend."
"I know, my darkness," Kylo said, gently brushing his fingers through her silky hair. "I will kill them all, if it will make you feel better." The Sith Master bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. He chose not to address Hanna's little slip up about Zel. For now, it served to stoke the fire.
"Mom…. and Kayla. They will never allow the Dark Side to return," Hanna said, coldly. "Not like this. They could put you in carbonite again — they may even decide that's where I belong, too."
"The Dark Side has already returned, my child. That destiny is rightfully ours, as Father and Daughter. The Dark Side will bring peace to the Galaxy, because you and I will be at the helm. Owen Skywalker will not stand in our way. No one will stand in our way," Kylo hissed.
Hanna rubbed her arms, feeling torn once again. She had taken drastic measures to keep her family safe in the past. What could be more important than this — than ridding the galaxy of any threat to the Jedi Order?
"If Owen and Hux were willing to attack our own armies… then the next move they make could be against the Jedi Temple itself," Hanna concluded.
"Yes," Kylo said, with a firm nod. "Especially if they have the location to a superweapon." The Sith Master turned around suddenly, sensing that Kayla was drawing near. It was time for Hanna to make her choice. "You know what's at stake," he continued. "We must eliminate any threat that we cannot defeat with a lightsaber alone."
"Then we'll eliminate the First Order. If the stormtroopers cannot be persuaded into joining us, then we will have no choice," Hanna nodded in agreement.
"They will," Kylo said confidently. "Your powers of influence will be too much for those weak-minded, aging stormtroopers."
"Then we go after Leviathan and Checkpoint," Hanna continued, sounding a bit distracted. She could feel her sister searching for them now. Kayla was reaching out to her.
"Checkpoint… and the one man with the power to use it," Kylo corrected.
"What?" Hanna asked, wondering if she had heard her father correctly. As she asked the question, Kayla peeked into the alleyway and spotted them. She yelled to Kylo and Hanna, waving her hands in frustration.
"The time traveling knight," Kylo answered, keeping his voice lowered.
Hanna looked confused and parted her lips. She wasn't entirely sure why her father was referring to Lin Dameron in this way. But from the sounds of it…
"Hey," Kayla yelled again. The Jedi Knight approached her father and sister with a worried look on her face. What could be so important that they would ignore all her attempts to communicate?
Hanna, Kayla's voice entered her sister's mind. It didn't matter that there was less than twenty yards between them now. Why the hell did you and Kylo Ren take off like that? Zel's being medevaced to the cruiser. He's lost a lot of blood.
"Uh," Hanna stammered, closing her eyes and having trouble forming a coherent thought. She shouldn't have left Zel's side. Sheer panic radiated from the tall woman in waves.
Kylo Ren watched his daughter carefully and growled. He kept his back to Kayla, as she closed the distance.
"Say your goodbyes," he said quietly, before brushing past his daughter. "I left my mask on board anyway."
Hanna whirled around and grabbed her father by his elbow. With an annoyed grunt, Kylo held his ground. He kept his head lowered, so that Kayla couldn't see his face.
"We do this together and you promise to teach me everything," Hanna whispered. "I need to be able to catch a falling building, too. Whatever it takes to become as strong as you. I am up to the challenge."
Kylo looked up enough for Hanna to see his intense, sinister stare. "Of course, my darkness. If you stand with me, I'll show you how to do much more than that."
He leaned in closer.
"You continue on this path," Kylo hissed, "and I will show you how to Pull a Star Destroyer out of the sky."
"We're here," Lin said, leaning over the cockpit controls. He flipped the stubborn old switch to silence the proximity alarm. A second later the Falcon exited hyperspace and slowed to a crawl in front of the wasteland of Endor.
The pilot looked up at the once great moon and paused. His grandmother was a rebellion pilot and his father used to tell stories about her fighting in the first Battle for Endor. Sadly, after the Empire, the remnants started harvesting the world for materials. The lush moon was left dark and desolate. The forests that remained were petrified as a result of high winds and barren lands.
What a shame, Lin thought, shaking his head.
Rey tossed a towel over Lin's shoulder. "Not bad, for a youngling. At the very least you should be warmed up," she said with a snicker.
"Who knew that training remotes stung so much?" Lin asked, taking his copilots seat.
Rey furrowed her brow, feeling a headache starting to form across the back of her head. "Yeah, some models can even be set... to kill."
"Hmm. No ships in the vicinity," Lin said, arching his eyebrow. The instrument panel couldn't be correct, so he checked it again. "If the First Order is around, they're hiding on the surface."
"They're here," Rey said, with a wince. She put her hands to her temples in an attempt to relieve the discomfort. The Jedi eased into the back row of seats, fending off the sudden sharp pain that clouded her senses. "We… need to be ready," Rey choked out. Her strained voice made Lin look away from the console.
"It looks like an eclipse… wait, are you feeling okay?" Lin asked, pivoting in his chair. He sprang out of the seat and hovered over his new mentor. Rey didn't answer him, but she seemed to be in agony. The Gray Leader was hesitant to put his hand on Rey's back, until she doubled-over and fell out of her seat.
Lin's quick reflexes kicked in and he caught Rey before she fell, swooping her into his arms. "Ah, shit," he cursed, rushing Rey out of the cockpit and gently laying her on the lounger.
"What is it — Rey, what's wrong?" He asked frantically, while scanning Rey's body. For some reason he was looking for a wound or something physical to explain the source of Rey's torment.
BB-8 came racing up and bumped into Lin's foot, beeping wildly in concern.
"Kylo Ren," Rey managed after a tense few seconds. She kept her eyes closed and repeated his name. "Something has gone… horribly wrong," she said with a sob.
Lin swallowed hard. He wasn't entirely sure what to do. The young man didn't have medical training and he wasn't sure of the severity of Rey's condition. And what could this warning possibly mean? Lin worried that the Jedi Order had been attacked on their mission. He wouldn't be surprised if Hux broke his own ultimatum and ordered an assault on Coruscant.
"Rey… Rey, I need to know right now," Lin said, suppressing the sinking feeling that dragged his stomach into his knees. An anxious, wild look was in his eyes as he grabbed ahold of Rey's wrists. He moved them along her hands to cup them both in comfort.
"You must tell me, are they in danger? Are your daughters in danger? Should I take us to Coruscant or stay here and fight?" Lin asked, unable to hide the frantic tremble in his voice.
Rey's forehead, shoulders and arms, glistened with sweat. Her glossy eyes focused, but only briefly. The blurry sight in front of her finally became sharper. Lin Dameron was doing his best and in that moment she acknowledged his efforts.
"My girls are fine… but there is a Star Destroyer shadowing the planet," Rey said, slipping into a distant gaze. "Coruscant."
"Shit," Lin said, backing up and nearly tripping over BB-8. His hands clapped over his cheeks and pulled against his flesh, until he was tugging at his bottom lip. "Right," he exhaled.
"I wonder if this means they've acquired more Destroyers," he asked, looking at his gear piled up in the corner. "BB-8, plug-in to the Falcon. I need to locate the nearest Republic ship with an infirmary."
The little droid scooted for the data terminal and quickly got to work.
Lin came back to Rey with a damp washcloth and padded it over her forehead. She was noticeably pale; even to his eyes. Although he had only seen her up close on a handful of occasions, she never looked like this before.
"You have to stay with me, Rey," Lin said, "My training is woefully incomplete… remember?" He leaned over her, kicking himself for not learning more about emergency field care. The young man completely coasted through those mandatory classes at the Republic Academy.
Rey stirred and snatched the washcloth from Lin, "Don't mock," she scolded. "Yes, you will need to fight." The Grandmaster's sudden spark gave Lin a glimpse of hope; until Rey closed her eyes and passed out altogether.
"Kriff," Lin said, standing up straight and putting his hands on top of his head. The Gray Leader had no idea what was wrong with Rey. He only knew that Rey's daughters had survived. Maker, that could mean anything. They could be injured somewhere and in serious need of medical attention.
Everything was spiraling out of control and Lin didn't know how to put it back together. He only knew how to fight.
BB-8 whistled and hooted from the data terminal. He was thrilled to announce he had discovered a Republic ship close enough to reach them.
"Tell me that's not Finn's ship," Lin said, stomping toward the Falcon's cockpit. At this point, Lin would have taken help from anyone… including his jackass of a godfather.
"What the hell is going on over there?" Finn yelled, looking across the deck of his battle cruiser. He didn't have a video connection with the Falcon, and his godson's audio transmission was cutting in and out.
"Can we clean up this damn signal?" Finn asked sharply, turning to his closest engineer. The crew in his line of sight worked quickly at their consoles, boosting Lin's transmission.
"Are you fucking listening to me?" The Gray Leader asked, his hard-edged voice coming in loud and clear.
"Yes," Finn sneered back. Of course, that transmission made it through the interference.
Lin finished cleaning the face of his mandalorian visor with a scarlet rag. He tossed the used rag onto the floor and set the helmet down.
"Rey is breathing," Lin continued, eyeing his new Master. "But she's faint… she's weakened and I think it has something to do with Kylo Ren," he continued.
"Kriff," Finn shot back, waving at his navigator. The commander wrapped his hand to cover his transmitter.
"How long until we can get to Endor?" Finn asked his crew.
Rolling his eyes on the other end, "It will take you too damn long," Lin said. "Stay there, I'm sending Rey to you."
Finn's eyebrows raised, "What the hell did you just say?"
"Listen to me, please," Lin said, punching in new coordinates for Finn's current location. "I'm sending Rey to you in the Falcon — it's the quickest way to get her medical attention."
"Alright," Finn said with a nod to his navigator, "We're laying in a new course. We will meet somewhere in the middle. We're sending you coordinates now."
"I've got them," Lin continued, hovering over the console. "Finn, listen to me carefully. Rey is pregnant. The doctors need to check on the baby first."
"Shit," Finn let slip out. He didn't mean to react that way, especially in front of his crew. But he always wore his heart on his sleeve, even as Leia's second in command.
"There's something else, too," Lin said. "You have to get to Kayla and Hanna on Coruscant. Hux threatened the girls and Rey had a vision to confirm that there is a destroyer near the system. The First Order may be putting their fleet back together."
"I understand," Finn replied, suddenly realizing that his godson was venturing alone into a deadly trap.
"I have to go," Lin said, resting his hands on the console. "Call in my old crew and have them hunt that Star Destroyer down. The Grays haven't had any fun since I left."
"That can be arranged," Finn nodded, hovering over his command chair. His entire crew was watching him now, ready for his orders to enter hyperspace.
"Give them hell," Lin said, cutting the transmission.
Finn took his seat and nodded to his navigator. The helmsman turned and punched the ship into hyperspace.
"You too, kid," Finn muttered under his breath.
"BB-8, I need you to look over Rey," Lin said, checking on the Grandmaster one last time. "The Falcon will take you to Finn in a snap. He's crew can help her far better than I can."
BB-8 followed Lin all the way to the Falcon's escape pod. The droid let out a sad tune as they went along.
"I don't want to leave you guys either. And I'm worried about Rey, too. I'd take her myself, but Kayla and Hanna's lives were threatened. I have to make it to the forest moon and there is not enough time to do both."
BB-8 whistled again, making Lin sigh.
"Yeah, I suppose it's a good thing that Finn was nearby. I'll see you soon, little buddy."
Lin gave BB-8 a thumbs up, which the droid eagerly returned. A second later the door to Lin's escape pod shut. Closing his eyes, Lin used the Force and pressed forward on the controls to send the Falcon into hyperspace.
The escape pod launched and cleared the ship, just before the Millennium Falcon disappeared for hyperspace.
"Any word yet?" Kayla asked, handing her sister a cup of java. Hanna was seated just outside the med bay and had a far away look in her eyes. It was the same look she had during the entire shuttle ride back to Ahsoka's cruiser.
The Jedi cleared her throat. She could tell that something was off about Hanna's behavior. It was as if Hanna was avoiding Kayla. Granted, the day had been tragic. But Kayla had a strange suspicion that Kylo Ren and Hanna were keeping a secret. They were far too quiet during the shuttle ride. They were noticeably closed off from the rest of the group.
The fact that Kylo wore his mask the entire time, didn't help this feeling that Kayla had. Her father was intentionally hiding his face and blocking his emotions from her.
"Hanna?" Kayla asked again, getting a little impatient.
Hanna's long raven locks were partially draped in front of her face. Understandably, she looked like a mess and her sister wanted to take her to the fresher to get cleaned up. The sound of Kayla's voice startled Hanna and caused her to jerk upright in the chair.
Avoiding Kayla's gaze, Hanna reached up and took the cup. "Thanks," she replied weakly.
Kayla sighed and took the seat next to her sister. She planted her hands on her thighs, trying to think of something she could say to break the ice. Kayla wanted to tell Hanna that everything would be alright, just like when they were kids.
Wrapping an arm around Hanna, the Jedi pulled her sister in close. The taller girl leaned into Kayla, resting her head and neck on her shoulder.
"You always know what to say to cheer me up," Hanna said softly. "Even when you don't say anything at all... it cheers me up."
Kayla grinned widely. Hanna could feel her sister smiling into her temple.
"You know you can always talk to me, right?" Kayla asked. Her sister fell silent again, but nodded ever so slightly. "Zel will be fine," Kayla continued, trying her best to sound reassuring. "He's extremely tough and too stubborn to die. When he was getting loaded into the medevac, he woke up and started pleading with me. He didn't want you to know he had passed out from something small like loss of blood."
"Damn, the women in our family have a type," Hanna snorted. As she spoke, Kylo Ren came stalking around the corner. From his body language, he seemed desperate to have a word with his daughter and pupil.
Kayla nodded slightly and smiled again. She could feel her father's gaze piercing into her. Kylo held his ground. He silently debated on whether or not to encroach on the moment between his daughters.
"Would you promise me something?" Hanna asked.
Kayla lifted her head up to get a better look at her sister, "Of course, anything." The Jedi stroked a strand of hair from Hanna's face.
"Don't let him get away," Hanna said with a half smile. "I think he can make you happy and you deserve to be. No, just listen to me," she continued, feeling Kayla beginning to fidget. The Jedi wanted to protest, but Hanna needed her to listen.
"The Force is trying to tell you something, Kay. I'm not sure how you managed to form a Bond outside of ours, but I know it's worth fighting for."
"The way you are talking," Kayla said while feeling a lump in the back of her throat, "You sound like someone who is getting ready to run again."
"Come on, Kay. You may be older by a few minutes, but consider what I'm saying. How many chances do you think you are going to get with Lin Dameron? You may not have a chance to say how you feel… not with the entire galaxy trying to hunt him down."
"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Kayla replied with a furrowed brow. She caught Kylo Ren pacing out of the corner of her eye. "Why were you and dad so quiet on the shuttle ride back?" she asked.
Hanna closed herself off again, not wanting Kayla to glean anything. It was better that she didn't know, or they would have to fight to get off the cruiser.
"Does it have something to do with dad wearing his mask again?"
Hanna swallowed hard and stood abruptly. "Zel's awake," she blurted out.
Kayla was caught off guard by her sister's sudden outburst. She stood up from her seat too, as the med bay doors opened. A short doctor came scurrying out, with a frightened look in his eyes.
"Erm, uh," he stuttered while looking at the women. "Commander Zel is asking to see you, Ms. Ren."
Hanna stormed past the doctor, making him shuffle to the side to avoid a collision.
"He's already awake?" Kayla asked in disbelief.
The doctor trembled a bit and adjusted his glasses. "The surgery went well. We weren't sure how much anesthesia to give him. I've never seen a patient that big before. He must eat seven times a day to keep that bulk up."
Kayla rolled her eyes and scoffed, "So you mean to tell me, he suffered throughout the procedure to save his leg?"
"He'll spend a couple days in a bacta tank, but at least there appears to be no permanent nerve damage," the doctor replied.
"That's my sister's boyfriend in there," Kayla hissed. "You should have alerted me that there was an issue and I could have helped. I could have kept him asleep." The Jedi had her index finger pointed in the doctor's chest. She wasn't entirely sure why she was berading this man. Kayla had a flood of negative emotions wash over her and she wondered if it might be coming from Hanna.
Kayla stopped herself and backed away from the doctor. Kylo Ren was no longer pacing at the end of the corridor. He stood still and was watching his Jedi daughter yell at the doctor with great interest. He and Kayla exchanged looks. She could feel something different about Kylo Ren, but she couldn't describe it. He seemed evasive.
He turned away from Kayla and headed in the direction of the ship's bridge. The Jedi was determined to get some answers from her father.
"Nice chatting with you," she said, leaving the doctor cowering against the durasteel siding.
"Get out," Hanna ordered with an icy stare. Two nurses and a medical droid were hovering near Zel's bed. They immediately scuttled, leaving an annoyed Lady Shade to be alone with her boyfriend.
Zel put his hands on either side of the recovery bed and lifted himself into a more seated position. He winced, taking care to keep his right leg from moving.
"Hello, love," he said softly. The commander looked through hooded eyes at the woman he cared so deeply for. He gave her a flirty smirk.
"Don't give me that look. I asked you to get medical attention right away," Hanna hissed. She walked closer to the bed and crossed her arms. "I can't fucking lose you, baby."
Hanna glared up at the privacy curtain which was bunched over to one side. The green curtain wiggled and then raced along the track above their heads. It closed in a "U" shape, so that prying eyes wouldn't see what was about to happen.
Zel swallowed hard; he only ever witnessed Hanna using her Force abilities when she was really pissed off. There was still dark ash all over his face. By tradition, the war markings would be applied daily until Zel's people were avenged.
"You're not too upset with me, are you?" he asked in a low voice.
Hanna sauntered over to the bed and let her fingernails scrape along the edge of the mattress. She knew that Zel would be in here, healing for a few days. She sucked her bottom lip behind her front teeth. Her heated gaze couldn't help but fall on his bare chest; the same chest she had branded years earlier. She should fuck him right here… just to make sure he was alive and that the whole day hadn't been some sort of twisted nightmare.
"You could have died," she snapped, digging her nails into the mattress much harder now. Zel looked a little worried as her hand passed by his wound.
"I know we agreed to do this together," Hanna continued in her usual, sultry voice. "You're in no condition to fight, much less argue with me. Do you hear me, commander?" Hanna inhaled and paused, as Zel reached for her hand.
Zel's large hands swallowed hers. Hanna couldn't help but crack a smile, feeling the texture of her man's palms and fingers. Zel never took his eyes off her's, as he guided Hanna's hand to his lips. The proud warrior kissed her knuckles and gently placed her palm over his heartbeat. His pull made Hanna step closer, so that she was standing right beside him and leaning a little over the bed.
She carefully sat down, easing her supple ass next to Zel's hips.
"We must do this together," he cooed, massaging his thumbs into her palm. "There is nothing in this galaxy that can keep us apart."
"I agree," Hanna replied, her flirty smirk fading. "But if I had to leave," she continued as her voice died.
"My love… what are you not telling me?"
"My family is in danger," she answered above a whisper. "I will do whatever it takes to defend them. I will spill blood over the galaxy if it comes to it… and it will. For my family… that includes you, Zel. You are my family."
Zel's hands reached forward and pulled Hanna into his chest. She tried to protest, worrying about his leg. But as her lips parted, Zel silenced her concerns with a crushing kiss.
Hanna's tense forehead eased as she gave into Zel's hungry mouth. Every little doubt she had melted away. She moaned loudly and deepened their kiss, knowing full well that this would make his cock throb. Zel desperately sought his love's tongue and she eagerly gave into his fervent mouth.
He was always passionate like this, even though he was the strong and silent type. From his perspective, he needed to be. Hanna was outgoing and fiery like a pulsar star. The quiet and steady commander was always determined to prove that he was worthy. Every whisper, kiss, and touch was meant to reinforce his place beside Hanna.
Zel went above and beyond to please her. Hanna recognized his relentless efforts and she knew she'd never get enough of this man. The way she moaned into his mouth said it all. The way she twisted her fingers into his scalp and the way her pale cheeks turned bright red whenever he touched her.
Fuck, she thought. Lady Shade broke the kiss and searched for air, but Zel wasn't letting her go that easily. He latched onto her bottom lip and pulled, stretching until she whimpered for him to stop.
Force, she was already wet. That was the power Zel held over her. She could feel his hardness resting against her ass.
"You," she said with an exasperated sigh. His right hand cradled the back of her head. They both swallowed hard, while searching each other's expressions. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They simply enjoyed being this close.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're trying to leave me here?" Zel asked gently.
Hanna leaned in close to her lover's ear, "I will never leave you… you will always be with me." She kissed the side of his neck and smelled his hair. Maker, she loved his scent. He smelled so damn masculine, like a warrior should.
Her warrior.
She opened her mouth and greedily attached it to Zel's ear. She sucked in deeply, making her healing beau jump. He had never quite experienced this sensation before.
"Ah," he cried out, trying not to move his leg. Hanna didn't apologize; didn't let up. She continued to suck and nip his ear and neck, while her hand traveled down his chest and abdomen.
"Shit," Zel cursed, wrapping one hand around Hanna's lower back and using the other to hold her neck in place.
"Don't move," she teased. "Don't make a sound." Hanna continued to bite Zel's neck. She was determined to bruise his flesh there. It was incredible being in his lap and taking control. She reveled in the fact that he couldn't grab her and assert his dominance. Her man would need to lay there and accept that she was in charge. The exciting thought struck her deep within her core.
The modest sheet that was covering Zel's lower half was tenting obscenely.
"They had to cut you out of those pants," Hanna said with a moan. "I don't like that two nurses saw so much of you."
"I… I only have eyes for you, Lady Shade," he said shakily. Her hand wrapped around his erection, trapping it under the sheet. She easily pumped her fist down his covered shaft once, making him growl deeply.
"My love," he choked.
"Everyone must know you belong to me," Hanna said, biting down into his earlobe. Zel's eyes shut tightly while she continued to pump his length.
"Fuck," was all he could manage in response. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and chest.
"We'll get to that," Hanna said, trailing kisses down the commander's neck. Her full lips peppered a trail down his clavicle and chest. Hanna's dominant hand left Zel's cock, but only to remove the sheet.
"I need to be inside you," Zel growled. He wasn't thinking about the searing pain in his leg anymore or how dangerous this could be for him.
"You will," Hanna said licking her bottom lip. "But first I need to hear you say it. Say you are mine, no matter what happens. No matter what I become."
"Ah, kriff," Zel hissed. "In my armor… I have the proof," he choked out. Hanna's fingers circled the base of Zel's shaft. "Where the fuck is my armor?" he called out into the room. There was a ring in there for her, but Hanna couldn't possibly know that.
"I believe you," Hanna replied with a teasing snicker. "I suppose it's written all over your chest and shoulder anyway." Pushing her long locks to the far side of her face, she wanted to make sure that Zel could clearly see her cheeks, lips and neck.
Leaning down slowly, Hanna opened her mouth and slid down onto Zel's cock. Her tongue rolled down the massive vein along the side. This vein made him such a pleasure to fuck. She didn't stop filling her mouth until the tip of his bulbous head hit the back of her throat.
She gagged, which made him jerk forward in pleasure. Zel couldn't find the words to express how amazing this was. His padded thumb and fingers gently found the top of Hanna's head.
"Please," he groaned, before shutting his eyes altogether. Lady Shade flexed her jaw and swirled her tongue again, catching as much of his cock as she could.
Maker, he was huge and throbbing just for her.
Hanna bobbed her head up, enjoying the slick sounds coming from Zel's coated shaft. Her tongue swiped just under his head, making the commander roll his hips involuntarily.
"I love having this power over you," she cooed, before tilting her head at an angle. She kept her wanton tongue out and licked along the side of his erection. Her lips glistened as her lower jaw dropped.
Hanna's long tongue extended outward as far as she could make it. She eagerly slicked his cock, enjoying every hitch in his breathing.
"Shit," he cursed, trying his best not to move his leg or be overheard. He'd never had a fucking blowjob like this before. "Please," he begged.
Yes, beg for me, she thought.
Hanna didn't ease up, slowly slurping up his cock again. She got to the top of his dick and wrapped her lips tightly against his circumference again.
So thick, she thought.
Zel squirmed as Hanna lowered her head back down on to his pulsing cock. Force, he was huge but she would take as much of it as she could. Lady Shade found a steady pace and gradually increased her plunging mouth. She teased him with her tongue every so often, changing where and how often she swirled it.
"Pull my hair when you're close," she hissed up at the top, before engulfing him again. Zel felt like his head was swimming. He tried his best not to buck up into her, but it was nearly impossible. His toes curled from the building, sparking sensation.
"Ah, baby," Zel groaned.
Hanna increased her bobbing head, going much faster now. The sounds she was making were too much. The stimulation was nearly too intense to handle. He was trapped and left teetering between ecstasy and torment. Every part of his cock was tingling from her attention.
"Fuck, I'm close baby," he said in a deep, strained voice. He filled his hands full of her dark locks.
"Pull harder," she scolded at the tip of his cock. "Or I won't let you cum in my mouth."
A deep groan rumbled from Zel and he pulled on her hair hard. Hanna smiled and increased her pace with a twisting motion of her jaw. Zel's lower abdomen tightened and he bent forward involuntarily. He added a second hand on top of Hanna's head and pulled her into him with every thrust. "Fuck," he cried out.
Lady Shade knew he was close. She needed him to explode inside her mouth. She needed that hot mess to coat her throat and lips. They both needed this.
Hanna stopped right before the head of Zel's cock. Her smooth teeth came down, just barely. The slight pressure made Zel call out her name. The commander's eyes went wide as Hanna carefully glided down his shaft. Her mouth, tongue and teeth were too much. She applied this extra pressure slowly, all the way to his base.
"Hanna," Zel cried out again in raspy desperation. He exploded into his lover's mouth. Streams of his seed filled her mouth and throat.
"You're fucking mine," Hanna said, wiping her mouth a moment later. "Mine."
Zel nodded frantically and pulled her up into his chest again. The commander recovered from the best blowjob he ever had, while Hanna nestled into his chest and neck. They were quiet for a few minutes, enjoying this chance to cuddle.
"We can lower the bed," Zel said softly. "I want you to climb on top of my face."
Hanna's smirked deviously, but kept her ear pressed against Zel's chest. "I will take you up on that offer… soon."
Zel sighed and stroked his finger's through Hanna's raven strands. "When will you return?"
"There's much to do," Hanna said, burying her face into his chest. "And I'm not sure."
"That's too long," Zel replied.
The red armored Guavian death gang approached the crash site of Lin's escape pod. The wreck was still smouldering from its entry into the forest moon's atmosphere. It was relatively easy to find the pod, which was a concern for the gang.
They weren't the only one's trying to collect the First Order's bounty for Lin Dameron.
The Guavian assassins took flank positions and approached the pod with caution. There were rumors about Lin Dameron; rumors that he killed the last group of bounty hunters that came for him. It weighed heavily on their leader, Kyper's mind. So, he came with heavy armor, guns, and thirty men.
"We should have known this sneak would have tried something like this," Kyper said, lowering his weapon and taking out his cigar. The hatch to the pod had already been blown off and was resting in the marsh.
"Spread out," he continued. "Dameron couldn't have gotten far."
His red armored team fanned out across the rocky, desolate landscape. A distant noise from the nearest hill caught one of the assassin's attention.
"He's up there," the heavy gunner called out, pointing to the base of a petrified redwood.
Making it over the rocky hillside, the death gang raised their scopes and found Lin at the base of the hill. He appeared to be standing in the remains of a quarry… and he wasn't alone.
"Son of a bitch," Kyper swore, scrambling over the rock face. "Those bastards aren't taking our kill."
"Please, join the party," Lin said, raising his hands above his head. The Gray Leader could hear the Guavians as they trampled down the side of the hill. The red armored clowns weren't exactly known for their discretion.
Kanjiklub II had found Lin Dameron first, chasing him into the quarry. They had orders from Owen Skywalker to bring Lin Dameron in alive and now they had him surrounded. Their weapons were trained on their target, should he move or try anything. That all changed once the Guavians made their presence known.
"This should be good," Lin continued with a smirk. "I think the red guys have you outnumbered."
"Silence," Memo shouted. The leader of Kanjiklub II was behind Lin Dameron. In annoyance, he kicked the back of Lin's knees.
"Oh, you're gonna regret that," Lin said with a chuckle. The Gray Leader steadied himself on one knee, keeping his hands on his head.
The Guavian death gang shouted and raised their weapons at the scrappy group known as Kanjiklub II. They kicked over rocks and came stumbling down the rest of the hill to assert their claim to the bounty.
This was going better than Lin had expected. The rival gangs were in a stalemate, with fingers resting on their triggers.
"Damn I'm popular," Lin smirked. "Fifty against one… that sounds about right."
As he spoke, a loud rumble shook the petrified forest nearby. The ground beneath them hummed as trees toppled in the thin canopy. The death gangs had no choice but to break their showdown. They turned their weapons to the forest, when the nearest giant redwood came falling toward them.
The impact kicked up a plume of dirt.
An AT-ST, left over from the Battle of Endor, came stalking out of the shadows. The relic clunked along, splashing puddles of water and exciting swarms of insects as it approached. A second AT-ST was right behind it, rattling loudly.
"Oh shit. Didn't see this coming, did you?" Lin asked, lowering his hands. He reached for his lightsaber, which was in the mud next to his knee. "We have a couple of sharply dressed new players."
The first AT-ST lowered its forward cannons at the group. Kanjuclub II and the Guavian death gang spread out and took up defensive posts behind large boulders and abandoned mining equipment. The gangs had no time to worry about Lin or each other. They prepared to eliminate this new threat before it cleared the entire field.
"This is bad ass. It's gonna make an awesome story one day," Lin said with a laugh.
"Silence," Kyper and Memo shouted together. The respective leaders glanced at each other, before turning their attention back to the twin AT-STs.
Suddenly, the forest moon's surface started to darken. The loss of light compounded the anxious feelings radiating from both gangs. The gas giant known as Endor, started passing in front of the system's sun. The eclipse occurred once a day on the forest moon. No one had taken that into account.
No one, except for Lin Dameron.
The shadow of Endor swallowed the AT-STs, before moving across the death gangs and Lin in the quarry.
"You guys aren't afraid of the dark, are you?" Lin asked, clutching his lightsaber and slipping into the shadows. "Because I can see everything."
The first AT-ST fired blindly into the group, chasing the assassins with crimson cannon fire.
A/N: First, sorry for the extended wait between chapters. My company is swamped and its tough to churn out new chapters right now. I appreciate your patience. This chapter is dedicated to a loyal tumblr follower named the-resident-demon. She had a birthday a couple days ago... so yay!
Rey will be fine. In fact, she will be in the Battle of Endor. There's a reason why I wanted Rey and Lin to be together for this, so we'll see how long he can hold out.
We are getting closer to a Kaylin moment. It's in the cards.
Ah, Kylo Ren and Hanna. What are we to do with you?
Thank you for reading and reviewing :)