"This chapter will see Ranza meet Evelyn for the first time, what will happen at their first meeting? Lets find out
Chapter 21: The Knights Of Ren
"Rey Skywalker has begun her personal mission to Moraband, Kenobi is determined to stop her before Rey reaches it" Ranza Ren slowly spoke as she was kneeling down on one knee with her head lowered as a projection of Kylo Ren was standing before her.
"Things are going according to plan, once Rey reaches Moraband and finds what she is looking for...it will all be over" Kylo Ren stated.
"My love" Ranza Ren looked up at the projection of her Master. "What of Evelyn Kenobi?"
Kylo Ren balled his fists as they were down by his side. "We can not allow her to interfere, I want you to hunt her and kill her. But be warned, she is strong in the Force and will be a challenge".
"If it is your wish for me to kill her then I will do your bidding" Ranza Ren lowered her head in respect.
"Your gonna need all the training and help you can get, do not under estimate your target" Kylo Ren ordered.
"I will not fail you my love" Ranza Ren spoke quietly.
"Destroy Evelyn Kenobi and you will be my empress, we will rule together...just as I have envisioned" Kylo Ren smirked then the projection ended leaving Ranza Ren alone in the private room.
She slowly raised back to her feet and looked into the distance full of determination "My love."
Suddenly the door leading out of the private room opened and a stormtrooper entered with his blaster in hand and he stood to attention. "My Lady, our spies have confirmed the Millennium Falcon is on course to Moraband our intel team is currently tracking its movements and its gonna be a while before they get there. Do you wish us to intercept?".
Ranza Ren slowly turned her head and the Storm Trooper could only see the lower part of her Sith Mask as her hood covered the rest of the mask and he felt uneasy.
"No, our mission is to hunt down and kill Evelyn Kenobi. Rey Skywalker must reach Moraband." Ranza Ren spoke with authority.
"Yes My Lady, The Knights Of Ren have arrived. They await orders from you". The Stormtrooper calmly stated.
"Keep me updated on The Tempest's movements, we tagged it after they escaped from Yavin 4. I want us to intercept them as soon as they come on radar". Ranza Ren ordered.
"Yes My Lady" The Stormtrooper then turned and left the room.
Ranza Ren slowly turned her head back to her front as she was finally alone in the room. "Evelyn Kenobi, I will finally rid the galaxy of your bloodline".
Soon she turned around and left the room and into the hallway of her ship towards her fellow Knights Of Ren, moments had past and soon she came to a large door in a private area of the ship and she slowly entered. The door shot up and Ranza Ren saw her fellow Knights turn to her.
"My fellow knights" Ranza Ren whispered and the Knights Of Ren kneeled down and lowered their heads in respect to their most skilled knight and Ranza Ren looked at all five of them as they knelt before her.
"Our Master has called to us, Rey Skywalker is on her way to Moraband and her precious Master Evelyn Kenobi is out to prevent her from reaching the Sith Home world." Ranza Ren slowly approached the Knight Of Ren which was in the centre of the group and closer to her and she looked down at the knight.
"We must find and destroy Evelyn Kenobi and her bloodline will vanish from the Galaxy, as for Rey Skywalker...our Master will deal with her personally. We must not allow Kenobi to reach Skywalker before Moraband. This...is our Master's will" Renza Ren's voice was heavy and the Knights of Ren remained silent as they always did.
Soon Ranza Ren watched them all slowly stand to their feet and with their menacing helmets covering their faces they looked right at Ranza Ren.
"The Resistance, will die and we shall have peace..." Ranza Ren spoke once more as the Knights Of Ren were whole once again.
In another section of the Outer Rim The Tempest was flying through lightspeed and Jaylah was sitting in the crews quarters on a chair looking down at a pendent down in her hands, it was a gift she was gonna give to Lelu when she comes of age, only question she had was if this mission was gonna be her last. Deep down she wanted to stay with her daughter but something was constantly telling her to be with this crew.
As she looked down at the pendant she heard the door leading out to the hall open and she saw Finn enter and the two locked eyes.
"Hey Jaylah" Finn casually greeted and Jaylah just looked back down at her pendant.
"Is everything ok?" Finn questioned as he slowly walked to her.
Jaylah took a deep breath. "Just thinking about Lelu".
"Lelu? Oh you mean your daughter" Finn slowly took a seat in a chair on the opposite side and continued to look at her.
"I never thought I'd miss her this much" Jaylah slowly traced her fingers on the pendant as she spoke.
"I guess the life of a bounty hunter didnt leave you much time for her, I mean you are always out on jobs?" Finn questioned trying not to offend her but lucky enough she slowly nodded.
"Everything I did, I did for her. Apart from my fleet she's the only thing I have left" Jaylah whispered.
Finn looked down at her hands holding the pendant then looked back at her. "Doesn't she have a father?".
Jaylah slowly looked up at Finn and just looked at him before giving her answer. "Her father...my mate...he died protecting us".
Finn slowly leaned forward in his chair "You said you were from another galaxy, so you wasnt alone when you arrived here".
Jaylah sighed and lowered her head again. "The truth was...I was once part of a fleet, we came to this galaxy to expand our reach across the stars, on this mission I bonded with a member of the fleet...a human".
Finn was confused. "Wait Javik said you hated humans, but you bonded with one?".
Jaylah looked up at him. "My mate was killed by another human, when he died I knew humans were dangerous. Even after everything I was told and learnt about them in my galaxy...everything here showed a very cruel side of them, I couldn't trust them anymore...until Han Solo saved me".
"So when did you have Lelu?" Finn questioned.
Jaylah slowly placed the pendent around her next and leaned forward on the chair resting her elbows on her thighs and she was rubbed her hands together. "I gave birth forty years ago".
Finn blinked shocked as he leaned back in his chair "Wait..Lelu is forty years old? She's a child".
Jaylah couldn't help but chuckle at Finn at how shocked he was and she looked at him. "My kind can live up to nine hundred years, I am one hundred and fifty six to my kind I am nothing more then a young adult".
Finn scratched the back of his head still shocked. "I swear humans have the shortest lifespan".
Jaylah huffed amused. "Dont feel bad human, I know I few races in my galaxy that only live till forty".
Finn chuckled and soon the room fell silent until he spoke again. "So, what do you think of us. The people here I mean".
Jaylah slowly looked to the door leading out to the main hall of the Tempest and thought of the people who were on the ship.
"Evelyn is strong but she worries about the people around her"
"Rey is quick to anger but her hearts in the right place"
"Poe is someone who loves to show off and rushes off into danger"
"Javik...I cant figure him out"
Jaylah revealed what she thought about the crew and soon she turned to Finn "You have a strong heart, I heard about what you tried to do on that salt planet. It was noble".
Finn just sat there and listened "To be honest out of all the humans I know, I am starting to think not all humans are bad in this galaxy."
Jaylah and Finn smiled at each other and all of a sudden alarms went off and every part of the ship flashed a bright red with the alarms and Finn with Jaylah looked up at the ceiling then the door leading out the hall opened and they saw C3PO enter. "Master Finn, Lady Jaylah your presence is requested at the bridge".
"Good timing 3PO!" Finn stated and he with Jaylah rushed to the door and 3PO managed to avoid getting tackled out of the way and he watched the two rush off before following them to the bridge as fast as he could.
Running down the opposite side of the hall and taking a hard turn into the bridge Evelyn rushed forward right in front of Javik and Poe as they worked their asses off trying to figure out what was happening and all Evelyn saw was a a bright light right in the middle of lightspeed, they were heading straight for something.
"We're on a collision course with an unknown object!" Poe stated.
Evelyn continued to look at the bright light then looked at Poe "Make corrections" She then turned to R2 who was at the back of the bridge plugged into a terminal. "R2 you on this?"
R2 beeped away confirming he was doing his part. "We're about to collide!" Javik shouted.
Evelyn quickly turned back to the front of the ship "All stop NOW!"
Poe and Javik quickly worked and halted the ship in its tracks and it left lightspeed and right in front of them was a massive ship right in their path, as if it was waiting for them.
Evelyn looked at the massive ship as she took a few steps back and Poe with Javik just looked on as the ship looked intimidating.
"Is that First Order?" Javik questioned.
Poe slowly shook his head "No, this is something else".
R2 turned his head and peeped multiple times and Evelyn turned back to the driod "A Scimitar? I thought they were small ships?".
"Either that or this is a new model someone personally made...that thing is bigger then our Falcon" Javik stated as he continued to look on.
Evelyn turned to Poe "Status?"
Poe quickly checked the ships status. "Ship is in their magnetic field, they are scanning us".
"Shit!" Evelyn then looked back at R2 "Scan them back R2 see if you can find us a way past them".
All of a sudden the bridges lights went off and everything went dark but soon the emergency lighting came on and everyone worked hard trying to find a way out of this mess and soon Jaylah and Finn with 3PO rushed into the bridge seeing the situation before them.
"Is that raiders?" Finn asked as he saw the massive ship.
"If that is they are defiantly prepared" Jaylah stated as she slowly walked forward.
"Oh my I dont think this ship is fitted to face a ship like that?" C3PO stated as he walked over to R2.
"Yeah thanks for the moral support Golden Nugget" Javik mocked.
Evelyn looked down at Poe and Javik in their seats and soon a huge projection appeared right in front of Evelyn and it made he step back quickly and everyone else looked on seeing a figure all in black with a hood and sinister looking mask.
"Evelyn Kenobi" The cloaked figure spoke in a cruel tone.
Evelyn frowned as she took a step forward. "Who the hell are you".
The figure chuckled amuzed. "If you wish to know my name its Ranza Ren".
"Ren?, wait are you in league with Kylo Ren?!" Evelyn's eyes widened in realisation.
"My love always said you had a good head on you" Ranza looked on at the group before her.
Poe quickly looked at Evelyn. "If she's a Ren then she's one of the Knights Of Ren, Kylo Ren's Inquisitors".
"That doesn't explain why they are here?" Javik stated.
"Ive come for Evelyn Kenobi" Ranza Ren spoke as she looked right at her target.
Evelyn mocked a chuckle "Sorry sweetheart I dont date girls who wear masks".
Ranza Ren the looked at all the other people with Evelyn. "All I want is Evelyn, surrender her to me and I will let you all live".
"Thanks but no thanks" Javik joked.
"Go fuck yourself" Poe defended.
"We're not giving her up" Finn came up next to Evelyn.
Ranza gave a little chuckle "Then you will all die".
R2 then beeped repeatedly and all of a sudden the main power of the ship came back online. Poe and Javik then saw coordinates pop up on their main screens.
"R2's found us a path out of here" Poe stated.
"Go for it!" Evelyn ordered and both Javik and Poe pushed their levers and the ship shot forward at fast speed right past Ranza's ship and made an escape attempt, only Ranza's ship quickly did a U turn and gave chase.
"You will not succeed in saving Skywalker, you will fail just like your Grandfather" Ranza spat and cut off communications and it became a game of cat and mouse.
Evelyn quickly turned to Finn and Jaylah. "You two man the main guns try and take that bitch down".
"On it" Jaylah responded and she pulled Finn with her and they rushed off.
"Reckon they can out skill us both Poe" Javik chuckled at his fellow pilot.
"I dont think out skill is a word but I doubt they will beat us, lets get out of here" Poe stated and the two pilots shot the ship forward.
The Tempest flew as fast as it could away from the hostile ship as it opened fire at them, Poe and Javik pulled evasive manoeuvres avoiding incoming fire
Evelyn quickly rushed towards the exit out of the bridge as she looked at R2 and C3PO "Do what ever you can to keep our shields up".
"What you doing you Evelyn!?" Javik called back as he focused on flying and she stopped and looked back just as she came to the door. "Defend us".
Jaylah and Finn rushed down the ladder to the main cannons and they both took a cannon each and activated them as they sat in their seats and soon the two were lowered out under the Tempest and they directed their cannons towards the hostile ships.
"Eat this!" Finn pressed his triggers and his cannons shot out multiple shots towards the ship and Jaylah began firing along side Finn trying to take down the hostile.
In the hostile ship Ranza stood at the bridge looking out to The Tempest trying to escape and not once did she feel worried. "Pathetic Rebel scum".
"My Lady, they are making it difficult for us to take them -" An officer was cut off mid sentence as he gripped his own throat as he was lifted in the air and Ranza Ren raised her hand then balled her fist breaking the man's neck and he fell to the ground.
"No matter the cost I want Kenobi dead!" Ranza ordered and her pilots remained focused on the task.
The Tempest continued to pull evasive monoverse as Finn and Jaylah continued to fire on Ranza Ren's ship but they had extreme difficulty landing a shot as The Scimitar was just as good avoiding the attacks from The Tempest.
Evelyn rushed towards the back room of The Tempest and she deactivated the blast doors and she watched them slide open revealing the outside of space and right there in the distance was The Scimitar right on their tail.
"Lets see what you got Ranza" Evelyn frowned and took a deep breath as she balled her fists.
Ranza Ren's sensed Evelyn looking right at her so he took two slow steps closer to the view of space with her heels clicking against the steel floor and she balled her own fists. "Kenobi".
The Scimitar then shot multiple missiles towards the Tempest and despite the ship doing everything it could to avoid the rockets they just kept drawing closer, Evelyn watched the rockets draw closer and she lunged her arm out with her hand wide open and focused with all her strength.
Finn and Jaylah continued to fire the turrets but all of a sudden the missiles started to explode on by one, Finn stopped firing and so did Jaylah as they looked on confused.
"Whats going on?" Jaylah radioed Finn and he looked back up into the ship with a feeling knowing what was causing the missiles to blow.
Evelyn had both her hands out gritting her teeth as her mind was in absolute focus and with the force she was actually blowing up the missiles and none of them were even getting close to the ship.
Ranza Ren grew furious over the prolonged battle and she had enough. "Send...everything we have...".
"Yes my Lady" The Scimitar's pilot responded and started preparing for another attack.
Evelyn screamed as she blew up the last five missiles at the same time and once they blew up she stumbled back and that's when she noticed the wings of The Scimitar extend open which revealed alot more missiles and these ones were bigger then the ones used earlier.
"Guys we cant keep this up forever! We need to lose them now!". Poe shouted over the comm and Evelyn witnessed The Scimitar finally fire the new missles, ten shot out of the wings and seconds after they left they broke apart making on missile into five.
Ten missiles became fifty and they shot towards The Tempest at remarkable speed and Evelyn's eyes widened seeing the fifty missiles coming right for her ship.
"Shit! Finn fire!" Jaylah ordered as she witnessed the fifty missiles coming in and Finn was just shocked at how many were coming.
"Obi Wan...Grandfather...lend me your strength" Evelyn whispered to herself then frowned as she planted her feet taking a deep breath as the missiles drew near and with all her strength in her body she screamed as she threw her hands out and soon the rockets started blowing up.
Finn and Jaylah continued to fire at the rockets assisting Evelyn as they knew she may not be able to destroy them all but they had to try.
R2 beeped crazy towards C3PO and the golden droid turned to Poe and Javik "We have multiple missiles coming our way!".
"I KNOW 3PO!" Poe shouted back.
"Make sure those shields are as strong as they can be, its gonna be a bumpy ride" Javik quickly rerouted all non critical power.
Evelyn grunted in pain as she used all her strength from body and mind to try and destroy all the missiles, she managed to destroy a hand full but a few managed to get through and the Tempest was hit by four missiles making the ship buckle as a small part of its left wing got blown off and Evelyn was knocked off her feet as the ship rocked from another hit.
Alarms indicating the damage went off in the cockpit and C3PO freaked out. "The left wing has been hit, if we sustain another hit to the wing we will lose stability!".
Javik turned and pointed his finger at the droid "One more reminder and I throw you out the airlock Goldie!".
The Tempest was suddenly hit by more of the rockets and this time a thruster was hit causing a huge explosion in the back of the ship destroying the two left side thrusters in the process, Evelyn climbed back to her feet knowing another hit could end them and she looked on to Ranza's ship still chasing them.
Ranza on her ship smiled behind her mask knowing victory was near. "Finally...the blood of Kenobi ends".
Her voice ringed in Evelyn's mind and she gritted her teeth in anger and she slowly got up. "Not today...". She got up against the pain in her body pushed her arms and hands out on more time screaming in determination and with every last bit of strength she had she blew up the missiles as they were seconds away from hitting her ship.
A great wall of explosions formed from the destruction of the missiles and The Tempest was going as fast as it could on its remaining thrusters, Evelyn's mind burnt and she continued to destroy the missiles and soon she fell to one knee but still fought on.
Evelyn looked to the missiles that were blowing up before her and she focused past them and toward Ranza Ren's ship. "You will not win..." She then stood up strong pushed harder and the remaining rockets blew up before Evelyn and despite the pain she stood strong as she watched the wall of fire slowly vanish only to see Ranza's ship fly through it still giving chase.
All of a sudden Evelyn's nose started to bleed and she suddenly fell back and crashed against the ground smacking her head hard and her eyes slowly closed and darkness surrounded her.
In her ship Ranza Ren felt the pain Evelyn went through and she chuckled as she felt her enemy fall to the ground of her ship. "Kenobi is down, finish them off".
The Tempest tried to keep its distance away from The Scimitar but the hostile ship drew closer.
"We're losing power, those hits fucked up our thrusters. We're losing speed" Poe stated.
Javik looked to Poe "What are our chances?".
Poe slowly turned his head to Javik and he had a look saying this could be the end. "I dont know...".
Back in the turrets Jaylah and Finn lost power to thier weapons and they were doing everything they could to get them back up and running but it was hopeless. The ship sustained too much damage.
Evelyn slowly woke up with blood still coming from her nose and she leaned up looking back out into space and she saw The Scimitar one up its wings ready to unload the same missiles for the killing blow, Evelyn no longer had the strength to fight back.
"Fire" Ranza Ren ordered and the pilots did their job and unleashed the rockets once more and all Evelyn could do was watch the ten rockets break into five once more and create fifty missiles and they headed straight for the Tempest which was pretty much dead in the water.
"Rey..." Evelyn whispered.
Further across the galaxy in hyperspace Rey and Chewie were at the helm of the Falcon keeping the systems in check and all of a sudden Rey grunted and gripped her head as she felt severe pain and Chewie looked to her with worry.
Rey's mind burnt for a few seconds and all of a sudden she felt her nose run, the pain in her head faded and she brought her hand to her nose. She touched the spot under her nose and then pulled her hand back, all she saw was blood...followed by a familiar voice.
She slowly looked up to the sight of hyperspace and she felt the pain of the woman she once loved. "Evelyn...".
"Ranza Ren and her fellow Knights have encountered Evelyn and her crew, however Evelyn used up all her strength too quickly out of desperation, what will this do to her. Has it cost her life? We will find out in the next chapter where we will see a old character return :)