Chapter 18: Stormtrooper Rebellion

Finn peered nervously through his binoculars as the imposing First Order Star Destroyer appeared in the atmosphere above Ajan Kloss. At his side, Poe was jittery.

"I'll call the other pilots to their ships. We gotta get in our X-Wings and blow that hunk up!"

"Are you crazy?" Zorri lay a hand on his arm, her pretty face frowning in deep concern. "It's a suicide run! You'd be killed!"

Poe's wild eyes did not seem to take in her words as he spun to his new lover, taking Zorri by the waist. "No matter what happens, sweetheart, I love you!" Yanking Zorri close, he kissed her thoroughly; Zorri froze in shock for a moment before she melted, kissing him back. Drawing away, Poe prepared to dash off. "I'll round up BB-8!"

"Wait."

Finn's firm voice made Poe take pause. He could see his buddy turning the gears over in his head, before slowly turning to his comrade. "I might have a way of bringing down that Destroyer without firing a shot."

Poe gawped. "How?"

"If we can find the right transponder codes, we might be able to make contact with them. But, first... let's relay my plan to the General."


Leia Organa warily approved the plan, deciding to place her trust in Finn before risking any more lives in an air assault. With Connix's help, the Resistance managed to tap into the Finalizer's frequency codes. Sending a prayer to the Force, Finn picked up the comlink.

"This is Stormtrooper FN-2187 of the Resistance. State your assigned unit and serial number."

A long, pregnant pause on the other end. "This is Stromtrooper JN-9403 of the First Order, Engineering Corps. Protocol requires that I patch you through to the officer in command, Admiral Rutherford Puesey."

"No!" Finn said sharply. "Do not patch me through to your Admiral!"

There was a strained silence on the other end, broken only the crackling of the radio. Seeing as he had the attention of the voice - a woman, by her tone - Finn pressed on:

"Aren't you tired of following orders? Of being a nameless face, a pawn in the First Order's games? Don't you want to take control of your own destiny, as I did?"

The silence on the other end of the line was unnerving.

"You have a chance to be brave and fight for the freedom of the galaxy," Finn continued. "If you really want to contribute something important to this universe, tell all your brothers and sisters to lay down their arms in mutiny!"

Beside Finn, Poe and Zorri and Leia were all watching him with their jaws dropping. This was his plan? It would never work!

...Or would it?

After what seemed like an eternity, the woman's voice appeared back on the line. "As you command... FN-2187." Then, to her comrades in the background. "All together, lads! Lay down your weapons! Halt this ship immediately!"

Through the line, there was a sudden explosion of blaster fire and Finn's heart went into his mouth. Had he just led a battalion of his former comrades-in-arms to their deaths?

Hands to her mouth, Zorri suddenly gasped and pointed. "Look!"

Glancing up into the sky, Finn watched in horror as the nose of the Finalizer began to shift and point down, sinking towards the planet as it was then further pulled in by Ajan Kloss's atmosphere.

"Clear the area!" Poe bellowed. Sweeping Zorri off her feet, he carried her away, much to her objections. Finn grabbed Leia and tugged her along as fast as they could go.

Reaching a grassy hillside, the Resistance watched in horror as the Finalizer crashed down on the planet's surface, nose-first. Explosions rocked the ship, but a shell of the structure emerged intact as the ship grounded to a halt. In the distance, Finn spotted a hydraulic hatch choosing open and he dashed forward, Poe and the others on his heels.

A dark-skinned woman in a white-plated uniform stepped out in the lead of about thirty Stormtroopers. Her hair was in frizzy poofs around her head. Nodding to Finn, she gave a toothy smile.

"My name is... Jannah."

Finn shakily grinned back. "I'm Finn," he nodded in respect.

There was a sudden howl as Chewbacca pointed towards the heavens. Following his gaze, Finn's heart alighted with even further hope.

"Rey's back!" The Resistance cheered and ran after the Falcon, coming in for a landing.

Finn had been adamantly opposed to Rey going out after Ben, at first. But seeing as he couldn't stop her, and finally understanding her deep love for the man, he had finally permitted it reluctantly.

The Resistance and Jannah's battalion surrounded the taxing Falcon, cheering as the gangplank was lowered. Rey soon strode down to cheers, but these quickly turned to screams of terror when the others saw whose hand she was holding.

"It's Kylo Ren!"

"Someone get him!"

Leaping in front of her husband, eyes stricken, Rey begged, "Don't shoot! Don't shoot! He's OK! He's... he's come back."

Poe didn't lower his gun. "He must submit himself to arrest and stand trial!"

"STOP!" An authoritative voice cried out. "Please, don't hurt my son!"

The crowd parted to let Leia Organa walk through with her cane. Upon seeing her, Ben began to shake in paralyzing fear. The closer she came, to then up the gangplank, the more violent the shaking got.

Tears streamed down Ben's face at the thought of his five-foot nothing mother coming any closer, no doubt to give him the greatest tongue-lashing of his miserable life.

"M-Mother..."

Leia didn't let him finish.

Casting her cane to the ground, she threw her arms around Ben's middle and squeezed. After a moment of freezing in utter astonishment, Ben let forth a sob and tentatively put his arms around her in return. Watching the sight, Rey tearfully beamed, laughing as Finn came racing up to her.

"We took down the Finalizer, Rey! Oh, Rey, I knew you'd come back!"

Stepping out of the hug, Rey smiled at him radiantly. "You've done so much for me already, my friend, but I must ask your help one more time."

"Yes. Anything!" Finn watched as Rey turned away to slip back into the ship... only to then draw up short as he observed the Jedi carrying another woman in her arms in an impressive show of strength. The unconscious woman was dressed all in black.

"This is Tazla. She's wounded and a former Knight of Ren. She can't hold on much longer; I knew she'd be safe here... Please, can you treat her?"

Finn barely nodded, his expression leery. "This way," he waved Rey on.

"FN-2187." Finn stilled at the sound of his Stormtrooper number coming from that voice. He had barely turned around before his head reeled back as something hard collided with his face. Blood spurting from his nose, he heard Rey's scream.

"Ben! Stop!"

Staggering back, eyes blinking, Finn stared in surprised shock at the man once known as Kylo Ren. "That's for pistol-whipping my wife, you... you..."

"Ben Solo, stop this right this minute!" Rey screeched, stamping her foot. "I've forgiven Finny for that..."

"No need to defend me, Rey," Finn cut across her suddenly. "I reckon I deserved that." A slight pause, and then Finn reared back his leg and kicked Ben in the shin. He would have gone for a punch of his own, but he had a feeling the man had the drop on him physically. Rey gasped in concern as Ben actually doubled over in pain.

"That's for abducting me into a fascistic regime!"

There was long, pregnant pause. Then, locking eyes with Finn, Ben actually chuckled. "All's fair in love and war."

And then, with Rey between them looking on in astonishment, the two men actually shook hands. Turning to Poe, Ben held out his wrists.

"Commander, if you still wish, you may place me under arrest."

Poe's eyes gleamed. "It would be my pleasure."

"No!" Leia and Rey swooped in to flank Ben on either side, protecting him.

"Mother... Rey, my sweet: it's all right," Ben soothed. "Let them take me to prison." Taking Leia's hand, he kissed her knuckles. Then dipping his head, he captured Rey's lips with his. Her eyes drifted shut as she relaxed in his kiss.

Both in tears, the two Force-sensitive women watched as their son and husband was led away, whilst Finn carried Tazla Ren's body to the medical ward.