Rose hovered close to Finn as they ran across the open plain.
"The ship is on the other side of that ridge, in between those two hills!" Finn exclaimed.
Gulping down big breaths of air, Rose worked to keep up the pace. They were so close to freedom she could almost taste it, between mouthfuls of dust clouds.
As they approached the edge of the ridge, a firestorm of laser blasts rained down on them from above. Rose ducked and hit the ground.
"Get down everyone!" Finn yelled.
Two Tie fighters rose up from beyond the ridge, hovering overhead. The blasts from their laser cannons created eruptions of rock and dirt around them.
Rose blinked back the memory of hiding from the First Order all those years ago. She thought about Page and Leia and all they had sacrificed.
"It can't end like this!" she growled, reaching into her pack, she pulled out a blaster and aimed for the sky, firing off several shots.
Finn, looked over in admiration, momentarily forgetting the danger around them.
"I almost forgot what a badass you are!"
He grabbed his blaster, encouraging the others to do the same.
"Stay low, we have to defend ourselves as best as we can with what we have!"
"These blasters are not strong enough to penetrate their shields. They are only buying us time." Rose huffed.
"We just need to hold them off until their shields give out! Then we can try to take out their blast…"
Before Finn could finish the ground beneath them began to rumble, kicking up dust clouds. From behind the ridge, a clunky gray object rose up, engaging the Tie fighters.
Finn looked over his shoulder, wide eyed in disbelief.
"It's the Millenium Falcon...Rey!" he cheered.
The Falcon flew over the group, shooting the Tie fighters. An explosion shook Finn, Rose, and the others as one of the tie fighters broke apart in midair, a direct hit. The other tie fighter doubled back, flying in the opposite direction, towards the city center.
"Woooo!" Finn screamed, joy replacing the desperation he felt moments before.
The Falcon moved over the group, chasing after the remaining Tie fighter.
"How did she find us?" Rose began to question.
Without answering, Finn jumped to his feet and beckoned the others.
"No time now, we have to go!"
Rose stood quietly in place, unflinching, she stared off into the distance as the others came running to join them.
"I left Leia behind," she whispered.
"What?"
Rose finally broke out of her trance, staring up at Finn, "We have to go back and get her."
Gently, Finn rested his hand on Rose's arm. "You just saw for yourself, Rey is here. I don't know much about how to tap into the force but there is something happening here that's bigger than us all. She has her destiny and we have ours. We each have our own responsibility to face. Poe and the others from the Outer Rim need us now."
Feeling the urgency in Finn's voice, Rose took one final look over her shoulder and watched as the lights on the Falcon disappeared over the horizon. Force sensitivity or not, something inside her told her to remember this moment as a goodbye, one she was not prepared to do yet had no control over. Giving into her destiny, she turned to follow Finn and the others.
….
Rey concentrated as she positioned the Millennium Falcon directly behind the remaining Tie fighter.
"Now Amell!" she yelled, signaling the Jedi to blast the ship from the firing pod below.
Several lasers flew through the air striking the Tie fighter, sending it into a spin and finally tumbling to the ground.
"Well if they didn't know we were coming before they sure do now," Scarlett huffed.
Theo sat motionless behind Rey and Chewie with Scarlett. Sensing his concern, Rey looked back at Theo.
"I know this might be more action than you are used to on your isolated planet but this is nothing compared to what we are up against. I know you did not have to come but I assure you this is what you trained for, to bring balance back to the force. Leia is in danger and...I...I fear that we will have more than just the Knights of Ren to contend with."
Theo paused for a moment as the city appeared in the cockpit window before them. He took a deep breath, trying to focus. "I knew when this day came it would not be easy and rest assured if I felt like this was not the right path for us I would have never agreed to come. While I do not agree with your tactics I do not have a choice if we are needed now. We stand with you Rey. We are the Jedi, protectors of the light and we fight together."
Relief rushed over Rey and she gave Theo a half smile over her shoulder. It was time to put the darkness behind them once and for all.
…
The moment his foot touched the floor of the hanger in the underbelly of the glass tower, a familiar presence swept over Kylo Ren, the vial rotting soul of his former master.
"Snoke," he growled under his breath. Suddenly, he felt the hair on his arms stand up with the definative realization of why he felt so compelled to journey to this place.
"He has Leia." he whispered.
He looked over his shoulder checking his surroundings. He hesitated briefly sensing another presence. He shook it off. He could not afford to be distracted now.
He moved quickly, at a near run, hoping his pace would deter anyone from trying to speak with him. Dashing down the maze of endless hallways, the feelings of pain and twisted evil grew stronger. Chest heaving, his anger flowed through him. His thoughts flashed back to Snoke, having total control over him. He could feel the crushing certainty that his mother was now enduring the same fate.