Warning. Major character death ahead.
They were being shot at from every direction and it was all Finn could do to keep Poe and Jaina from getting blasted. They were going to get overwhelmed. There was no way out of this. Poe suddenly grabbed Finn.
"You have to get out of here. They can't have Jaina. I'll hold them off!" he exclaimed, shooting a Sith Trooper right in the face.
"Are you intentionally being an idiot?! YOU'LL DIE!" Finn screamed at him while directing a blaster shot back at a Sith Trooper.
"IF YOU DON'T GO, WE'LL ALL DIE!" Poe screamed right back. They managed to take cover from the blaster shots for the time being.
"Poe, please I can't…" Finn said, unable to finish the sentence. He couldn't take any more of this.
"I know. But you know you have to," Poe said, gently placing his hand on Finn's shoulder. Finn knew he was right but how could he do this?
"Keep your promise, Finn. Keep Jaina safe," Poe continued. Finn had tears in his eyes, but he couldn't argue with Poe. He had a duty not just to Han but to the Republic. If Jaina was captured, there would be no hope. Only darkness. Finn grabbed the back of Poe's neck and brought their foreheads together.
"Go," Poe said as he stood up and started blasting any Sith Trooper he could, throwing detonators at them and distracting them from the retreating figures of Finn and Jaina.
Finn ran until he finally reached the Falcon and made sure Jaina was safe before entering the coordinates to the Republic Fleet. He refused to acknowledge his feelings or what had just happened, because he knew his sorrow would consume him to his very soul and his distraction would cost them their escape. His friends' sacrifices would be in vain.
Finally, Finn managed to activate the hyperdrive and they jumped to hyperspace. He sat there in silence for a long while before he turned to Jaina and saw her crying silently. He gave himself the permission to acknowledge what had just happened. He reached into the Force to feel Poe but all he could feel was emptiness. It was at this moment that he allowed the crushing sadness he felt to overwhelm him, and he broke down into tears.
Han regained consciousness and he saw the bodies of the Republic soldiers lying beside him. He glimpsed the unmoving figure of General Dameron to his right, a streak of blood coloured his grey hair. He had known General Dameron since he was a little boy and a single tear fell from his eye as he looked away.
An Admiral of the Sith Eternal navy noticed he was awake and dragged him to the Sith leader who did not look happy.
"What do we do now? Do we postpone the ritual?" The Admiral asked.
"We can't postpone the ritual, Admiral Tharen. Such things are not easily done!" The Sith leader sneered at him, annoyed. "We have to improvise. We still need a sacrifice for Lord Plagueis to regain his consciousness," the leader continued.
"We don't have a vessel," Admiral Tharen replied. The leader pulled out a Sith Holocron.
"This will have to suffice. Prepare the sacrifice," the leader said, and Han knew these were the last moments of his life. He was dragged in front of the crypt where the opening was still glowing red. His arms were bound behind his back.
The Sith Eternal began chanting and the leader produced a large knife with a black blade. It was the Dagger of Mortis. Han wondered idly where they had obtained it as he was faced with his final thoughts. He accepted his fate as he would soon be one with the Force, like his wife and reunited with his parents once again. His last thought was of Jaina and her beautiful smile before the dagger was plunged into his heart.
Deke found it difficult to process after hearing everything Finn told him. He couldn't imagine going through that much heartbreak.
"Were you and Poe…close?" Deke asked. Finn didn't look at him and instead stared ahead at the prison wall, deep in thought. Finally, he answered.
"Yes. We were. And it was the most painful day of my life…" Finn said, trailing off. He was lost in thought again.
"I don't understand how Jaina could ever join Darth Plagueis and these evil crazies when they basically ruined her entire family!" Deke said getting angry.
"You judge too harshly Deke. She was desperate."
"Desperate for what? Power? How could she do this?!" He felt appalled at Jaina's willingness to align herself with these people. Her father had sacrificed his life for her. Finn just sighed sadly.
"Any parent can get desperate when it comes to their children," Finn said quietly. Deke was stunned into silence.
"Wh…what?"
"No parent should ever be forced to bury their child," Finn continued as Deke stared at him in shock. He didn't know what to think anymore.
