CHAPTER XI
Finn took the elevator all the way down to the bottom floor of the Star Destroyer, holding Veep tightly in his arms.
Finally, he reached the lower level, and while he couldn't know for sure that this was where prisoners were held, it was so dank and unpleasant that he could hardly see it being used for anything else.
But as he walked the corridors, he felt some other type of activity afoot. This was no prison block; some other type of facility had been made out of this bottom floor. It wasn't until he opened a door that he realized he knew exactly what was going on:
It was a cloning facility.
Several Sith Inquisitors were overseeing the process: dozens of babies, all from different species and races, were being grown and cultivated. They were each assigned numbers and were being programmed; this was to be the Sith's future military.
Finn looked at this sight in horror, trying his best to suppress the memories they brought back. This was his own childhood; his entire adolescence. He had been bred in a lab just like this, under the very supervision of the Sith Imperialists.
Furthermore, he could see the cloning being done right at that moment, as two of the Sith were discussing samples.
"We have Mandalorian blood," one was saying, "And Dathomirian. You remember the stories of Darth Maul."
"Yes, but here is the best sample of all," the other Sith said, opening his hands to reveal brown fur, "Wookiee hair. From our prisoner."
And at that, a loud roar was heard. Finn looked and saw a cage was suspended from the top of the room. Inside it was an incarcerated Udo.
"We've never had Wookiee soldiers before," the Sith grinned with each other, "It's a shame they can't use the Force, but at the very least they are a warrior race."
And Finn only had to stare at Udo to see how unhappy he was. The thought that the family-line of Chewbacca would perverted in this way was horrifying. Worse yet, after the cloning was complete, what would they do to him afterward? What type of cruel experimentation-
"You there!" one of the Sith looked at Finn, "Who are you?"
"I am Darth Finn," Finn said, trying to keep his facade.
"You're not authorized to be here. And the Force-" The Sith reached out, "I sense nothing on you. Either the Force is very weak with you, or you are no Sith."
Finn pulled out his blaster and began shooting, first at them, then at the cage, freeing Udo!
Suddenly Finn felt himself being grabbed by the collar and hoisted up! The air was being yanked from his lungs, and it dawned on him he was being Force-choked!
"I have him-" the Sith began, then suddenly a Wookiee roar was heard and he was knocked backward! Finn felt the air reenter his lungs, and realized he had been rescued by Udo.
Finn kept shooting, until soon all the Sith were gone. Udo roared, happy to be free.
"Sirs," Veep said, terrified, "If you keep this up, you'll have all of Kylo Ren's forces coming after us!"
"I don't care," Finn said in rage, continuing the fire his blaster away, "I will do everything I can to rescue any clone soldier from living the life I lived!"
Meanwhile, down on the Kessel surface, Rey and Kur were quietly eating their dinner inside the Golden Sphere.
"Why have you waited here, all this time?" Rey asked, "While you have been using the Force and uploading your consciousness into planets, the Resistance has been fighting against Kylo Ren and his followers."
"What do you expect? Do you think the galaxy will ever be at peace? Even if I were to suddenly step in, how would I make every single Sith suddenly see the light?"
"It has to be better than doing nothing. Kylo Ren has captured my friends-"
"And that's why you're betraying him," a new voice said. Both turned to find the Force-Ghost of Luke standing in front of them.
"Master Skywalker!" both of them exclaimed in unison.
"Hello, Kur. Hello, Rey," Luke said solemnly, though it was always hard to read emotions when speaking to any ghost, "Life has guided both of you to places I would never have foreseen. One of you has learned to use the Force is ways unlike any Jedi before you, yet you do nothing. And the other one uses the darkside."
Kur was shocked, but Rey stood there without shame.
"It's true, Luke. The darkside gives me power; power I never knew. With it, I can enter Ben Solo's dreams. If only you knew the power of the darkside."
"I've heard that before."
"I won't become like Vader! I won't!"
Luke had no answer. He only stared at her in silent judgment.
"What's going on?" Kur asked, "And what's all this about betraying me?"
"She's planning to turn you in to Kylo Ren in exchange for her friends."
Kur processed this, then took a look at himself.
"Master Skywalker is right; I have been doing nothing against the darkside, so much so that I was blind to it being used right in front of me. Very well, if Kylo Ren wants me as his prisoner, then I will turn myself in. I will gladly sacrifice my life if it means that Rey's friends go free."
"What about my grandfather?" Rey said.
Luke remained quiet while Kur remained dumbfounded.
"I am Rey Palpatine," she said, and Kur gasped.
"You-you sound like you're proud of it."
"I am neither proud of it nor ashamed of it. It just happens to be the truth. And until I figure out who or what to believe, I see nothing wrong with learning to use the darkside of the Force."
As Kur took this in, Luke only sighed and faded away.
After a second, Kur began to get ready for bed.
"I will turn myself in tomorrow," he said, "As for you, Rey Palpatine, I don't believe you are the monster you think you are. Granddaughter or not, I believe there is good in you. We will both see Luke again before this is all over. Goodnight."
