Chapter 2 – Ever held a lightsaber?
Kylo Ren was very unhappy currently. After laying waste to that Jedi loving village, he had gained nothing and wasted his valuable time. His Resurgent class-Star Destroyer the Finalizer had been rather quiet since the previous night. There hadn't been nearly as many casualties as usual, so General Hux had nothing to complain at him about this time.
Shortly after they left, he felt a presence appear in the village, it was of the dark side. He thought it might've been residue from his killing, but it was different. Now that he had time to think it over and try to locate it, he hadn't be able to sense it again. He knew it was person though, but it was hard to gauge the strength of someone while in orbit. He wondered if he'd have time to look into it between that and search for Skywalker.
"My Lord?" The muffled voice of a Stormtrooper said from behind him.
"What is it?" Kylo said, turning on his heel to face the man.
"The remaining scouts you left behind just returned and finished their sweep of the area." He explained. "Their report says that they found an ancient Dynamic-class freighter. Just outside Niima Outpost."
"A Dynamic-class, you said?" Kylo asked, skimming his memory for the name, he recalled that model being noteworthy around the time period of the Jedi Civil War. "That model has been discontinued for hundreds of years, correct?"
"Yes sir." The stormtrooper confirmed and continued. "They also said they found a woman leaving it and returning multiple times over the past 24 hours, they even saw her go to the village you burnt down and then went back. She appeared to be around 30 years old."
Kylo nodded his head slightly. Could it be the woman he sensed?
"She also carried two lightsabers and her attire, it seemed like something from out of a history book. Tattered robes, and heavy armor. She even wore a helmet not unlike yours at times."
"Was she a Jedi?" Kylo asked. Of course he knew it wasn't likely, the Jedi had been a very group under Skywalker and he was seen to it that they were all dead.
"No, sir. Based on her attire, we believed she's a Sith Lord." The stormtrooper said with a whince, just waiting for Kylo to start swinging his lightsaber around again.
Kylo turned away from him then and looked down from the viewport at Jakku down below. There was a Sith Lord on Jakku. Which had to be impossible, they have been gone for the past thirty years and it seemed unlikely that Palpatine was somehow alive.
"Shall I organize an attack group to go after her?" The trooper asked.
"No." Kylo said, waving him off with a gesture. "I will deal with this Sith myself."
She could just be an ally.
Thea was tired upon returning to her ship at Niima Outpost. She had found no leads about the attack, or whatever they had been searching for. The sun wouldn't rise for another hour yet as she arrived back at her ship. Perhaps she'd figure it out after a good sleep.
A dark figure was blocking the entrance when she returned. A tall, hooded man with a black helmet. Thea immediately recognized him as Kylo Ren. The dark jedi who a leader in the First Order and also commanded the Knights of Ren. She hadn't even started looking for him yet, but this was fortuitous. She hadn't expected to meet him face to face so soon, but it worked in her favor.
"Hello, nameless Sith." Kylo said in the friendliest tone his voice modulated mask could put out.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Kylo." Thea said, matching his tone. Though she couldn't help the sarcasm that came out. Her hands crossed across her ample chest. "What do you want?"
"I only came here to talk." Kylo said, slightly inclining his head.
"I see." Thea said, not letting her guard drop for an instant. "Go ahead."
"How are the Sith still alive?" He asked. "I was led to believe that Luke Skywalker finished them off over Endor."
"Wouldn't be the first time the galaxy has believed that. We're never gone for long." Thea said with a smile. "I'm the last one around currently."
"Who was your master?" Kylo asked. "Vader? Or perhaps Palpatine himself?"
"Neither." Thea responded. "My father taught me long ago. His name was Darth Revan."
Even behind the mask, Thea could feel Kylos eyes widened at the name, it held power, much like the man himself did.
"Revan? The legendary Sith Lord who crushed the republic thousands of years ago, and then vanished from history?" Kylo asked.
"The very same." Thea answered with a smile. She took much pride in her heritage.
Kylo didn't want to believe her, the claim was insane. She'd be nearly 4,000 years old then. But he felt in the force that she spoke the truth. "How are you still alive then?"
Thea shrugged. "There are ways to live for such a long time, but how is none of your concern. I was never discovered by the Sith of Banes line or the Republic."
"Why did you hide from your brothers for such a long time?" Kylo asked, genuinely curious now.
"It wasn't by choice, and you certainly aren't a brother of mine." She said, narrowing her eyes and her hand slipped to one of her lightsabers. "I know why you're here. You're interested in recruiting me to your cause, right?"
Kylo hand also went to his lightsaber and unhooked it. "I was going to, yes. If you're interested in sharing galactic power."
"Sharing?" Thea bit out. Was this what had become of the dark side? A sniveling boy playing in a mask and his pathetic master? It was an insult. What had happened to the days of the greats such of Tulak Hord, Exar Kun, Darth Nihilus, or Marka Ragnos? They'd all be rolling in their graves at the sight. Thea had come to a realization then. The days of the Sith long past needed to return to the galaxy. Armies of the dark side, of proper Sith. That's what the galaxy needed right now. Not this pathetic, fumbling New Republic and First Order. They were a shadow of what once was.
One of Theas lightsabers ignited in her hand then and she pointed it at him. "I suggest you leave my sight. You're absolutely pathetic."
Kylo was fuming then, being threatened by a relic from a bygone era. He had been interested in a possibly alliance with this woman. But now she insulted him openly, he wouldn't have it. His anger overtook his reasoning as he lit his lightsaber and charged at her with no abandon. She sidestepped his initial slash and when he brought his weapon back up to bisect her, she easily caught it on her blade and casually flicked it away.
Kylo roared in fury as he lifted with lightsaber over his head with a sloppy downward chop which she parried and with flick of her wrist slashed him across the face, she made sure not to make contact with the skin beneath but half of the half did slid off his face, revealing one of his eyes and part of his nose and mouth. Kylo went again to slash at her, but she flipped over his attack and landed behind him, kicking his legs out from behind him. He rolled back to his feet a distance away and Thea saluted him with her lightsaber, not taking the fight serious at all.
Kylos form was sloppy. He fought like he used a vibroblade. His attacks were slow and heavy and he left himself completely open to counters. He wasn't even sure if he was using a proper lightsaber style. He was easy prey to her using the fluid style and motions of Makashi.
"Have you ever held a lightsaber in your life?" Thea mocked him. "You'll never hit me attacking like that."
Kylo gingerly touched the side of his broken mask and then looked back at her, she could see the anger in his eyes, feel it radiating off of him. He was unbalanced, he had no idea of how to harness his strength with his emotions. Snoke must be a terrible teacher.
Kylo came at her again, wildly swinging his blade at her head. She ducked and dodged every attack and caught the last one and with her free hand she force pushed his arm away, and his briefly looked at himself knocked backwards and Thea used the distraction to step forward and remove his saber arm at the elbow. Kylo dropped to his knees then, holding his smoking stump. Thea put her lightsaber close to his neck
"I'll give you this one opportunity to leave. I sense much potential in you, but you need to learn to harness your hate properly. Perhaps I'll have some use for you then."
Kylo helplessly knelt in the sand, looking down at his arm and picked up his fallen lightsaber with his one remaining hand and returned it to his belt. How had the battle gone so completely in her favor? She had danced around his attacks in a way he had never seen. For all his power and training, he was helpless, and had even lost an arm. What did she mean she'd have use for him? He'd definitely kill her next time. "I'll go." He said and stood up.
She pointed at his shuttle just off to the side. "Go, and next time you attempt to kill me so pitifully. I won't hesitate to end you." Kylo noticed the yellow glow in her eyes at the threat. The utter defeat he suffered at her hands made him want to lash out at her again, but he knew it'd be suicide in his condition. He now had a goal, a rival to defeat. He tucked his hate away deep within himself for later use as he was taught.
"Pathetic Dark Jedi." Thea said as he left and she returned to her ship. It was like she was fighting a novice. She had seriously considered killing him, but she knew she could use him to get to his master and the leadership of the First Order, they'd be who she needed to kill. She didn't want to bring the entire wrath of the First Order down on her just yet. She had much work to do yet.
Thea sat in the captains chair of the Ebon Hawk and looked across the dusty plains with Niima Outpost just in the distance. It had been some hours sine her duel and she was sitting in contemplation of the past 24 hours. She had a choice before her, she could leave and continue life as she had. Or take steps at tearing down the First Order. The choice was obvious. Kylo Ren, Snoke and their ilk all had to die. They both made a mockery of the dark side. She longed for bringing back the Sith Empire of old. Yet she felt that there was something else out there in the galaxy behind it all, hidden and elusive. One thing at a time though, she'd deal with the immediate threats and go from there. She'd need a power base if she was do anything though. A fleet would be nice, but it'd take time.
First things first. She'd absolutely need Rey, she would be important in events to come. Thea could feel the currents of the force surround that woman. She continued to stare out and watch people come and go when a dark skinned man in a tan jacket was wandering into the outpost, he looked tired and thirsty. She wasn't sure why he caught her eye but he did. So she simply sat there and watched, she had a decent point of view of the goings on decided to watch and wait. Something was happening. Anxiety was in the air. Within the next ten minutes, she could see a platoon of First Order Stormtroopers running into the area and surrounding where she saw the man stumble off, and then she could feel Rey then. She was panicked, they were after her too. She had seen enough.
She made her way from the ship and into the outpost and saw Rey and Finn running in her direction with Stormtroopers shooting after them. There was tie fighter closing in as well. The two of them ran past her without noticing her with a small orange and white droid following behind them and then she stood in the path of the chasing troopers. She raised her hand at the group of 6 men and they came to a stop and lifted their blasters at her. "Move it!" One of them them called out. "We're in pursuit of fugitives and you're in our way." Thea said nothing in response and just stood there. She could feel Rey making distance from them as an old corellian freighter took off and figured she'd be alright. Then she unhooked one of her lightsabers and a blood red blade shot out from the hilt.
The troopers were all momentarily stunned by the sight of another with a lightsaber other then Kylo Ren and unleashed a barrage of bolts that she casually deflected away from herself into the sand and reflected a few of them back at the shooters. Three of them went down with a muffled grunt and then she charged in and slashed another one of them in two and extended a palm at the remaining two and unleashed a storm of force lightning that reduced their armored bodies to ashes. She was disappointed at the quick battle, if one could even call it that. She had been itching for combat for awhile. She'd have to find it elsewhere. She saw more troopers off in the distance but decided to run back to her ship anyway. She'd try to assist Rey and the nameless man on their way out.
Once she lifted off into the air and moved towards where she saw Reys ship and the pursuing ships following her. They seemed to be doing perfectly fine on their own and changed her mind. She hailed Rey on her comms and a she could tell the girl was flustered from her hurried hello. "Rey, this is Thea. I'm close. Do you need assistance?"
"No," Rey replied. "We just finished off the last Tie Fighter and we're heading for space."
"Stay on your current course and I'll join you soon." Thea said and disconnected. So, now they were on the First Orders radar. Not good. She'd have to bring her with her. Though she was sure she'd just want to go back to Jakku, as much of a lost cause as that way.
Shortly after Thea docked the Ebon Hawk with the Millennium Falcon. And she was taking a brief look around, she had met the man from earlier, whose name was Finn apparently. Supposedly he was with the Resistance, yet she could sense deception from him, but not ill will. He was curious, and she could feel he was a force sensitive of strength as well. What were the odds of her running into two of them in the middle of nowhere? Things were going well for her already.
Finn and Rey were talking in the main hold of the ship where Rey was doing repairs and Finn was attempting to assist and the BB-8 droid was with them as well. "Rey, you could take this ship anywhere. Why would you want to go back to Jakku? Do you have a family? You got a boyfriend? Girlfriend?"
"None of your business, that's why!" Rey answered, popping her head up from the compartment.
Thea felt a disturbance just then as the entire view port of the ship was taken up by a large hauler ship that was bringing the Falcon and the Hawk into it's hanger. "We might have some trouble, guys."
The two of them came rushing into the cockpit to see and were stunned by the new situation.
"I need both of you and the droid to hide in that compartment Rey was in, they won't look for you there." Thea said urgently.
"You can't handle an entire boarding party alone." Rey said defiantly.
"I'll be alright, I have a trick or two." She said with a wink.
"We can take them together, don't worry." Rey said again in protest.
Thea rolled her eyes, having grown annoyed and knowing that they would be boarded momentarily. She picked up Rey bridal style and put her into the floor space then pointed at Finn and BB-8. "Both of you, in there now!"
When they complied. She lifted the panel and placed it over them to hide them. "Stay hidden and don't make a noise."
"She lifted me so easily, I felt like a toddler." Rey said softly.
"Doesn't really strike me as the type you want to annoy." Finn added.
Just above them they could hear the entrance opening and two people entering the ship. An old man and a wookiee. Thea moved to stop them, placing her hand on her lightsaber. "Don't move."
Han already had his blasted out and Chewie pointed his at her as well. "Chewie, hold on." Then he stepped closer to her, putting his blaster down. "Odd that there's two ships here and only one pilot. How'd you get this one?"
"It was rusting away on Jakku." Thea answered, her hand tightening on her lightsaber hilt. "Is that enough info for you?"
"You won't need this one then, you can take the other one." He suggested. "Doesn't seem like it's in any better shape then this one." Chewie made a snorting noise that was the Wookiee equivalent of laughter. "Search the ship, Chewie." Han ordered but Thea ripped his weapon out of his hand with the force first. "No one is searching anything." She warned.
"You're not quite the Jedi type. You a First Order agent?" Han asked her uncertainly.
"Never." Thea spit out in disgust. "Now tell me who you are and why you're on my ship."
"Your ship?" Han asked, offened. "I'll be damned before I let one of the Sith steal the Millennium Falcon."
"The Falcon?" Thea asked, her guard dropping a bit. "Are you Han Solo?"
"I am, and this is my first mate. Chewbacca." Han said smugly. "We helped take down the Empire, I'm sure you've heard of us."