CHAPTER XV
While Rey filled her friends in on the Golden Sphere and what she had learned from Kur, Finn was slowly unraveling. The last few days had nearly been a mental breakdown for him: first being under torture, then discovering all these other clones just like him, and now having been trapped and starved down here. He was just about ready to snap.
"Rey, I need to get out of here!" he said when she had finished explaining.
"Take the Sphere back to the planet surface," she responded, "Remember, it's not a spacecraft; you won't get far on it and you'd never outrun a tie-fighter. But if you take it down to Kessel, you'll be able to find the Resistance Base. There was a lot of food stored down there."
"What about you?"
"My place is here," she said determinedly, "I need to confront Kylo Ren again."
Udo gave a loud roar.
"Well, if I'm going back down, I'm taking the clone babies with me," Finn said, "I won't let them be treated as I was! I need to send a clear message: the Resistance lives!"
"Finn, you can't take care of twelve babies! Even if you could, just carrying them into the Sphere would be-"
But Veep had already rolled across the floor and plugged into the facility's computer. He unlocked the pods, and soon they were released. They all levitated six feet off the floor. The babies all looked around in their pods, some crying, some looking comfortable with the Force. Samara was giving Rey a warm look.
"Twelve pods," Veep said, "You maneuver their levitation using your sensory details. I think they can just fit."
Finn and Udo walked up to the pods and slowly learned to maneuver them. They then led them all through the airlock and into the Sphere.
"Goodbye, Samara," Rey said to the baby Togruta, "I will be there for you one day. But today I can't."
And Samara gave her a sad look as she was maneuvered away into the Sphere.
"What about Veep?" Finn asked.
"Sorry, I'm gonna need him," Rey said, "Navigating this Star Destroyer, a droid will come in handy."
"So, is this it then?"
Rey gave Finn a hard look. His PTSD was severe; she wasn't sure he was in any shape to take care of a baby, let alone twelve. But at least he would have Udo with him.
"Yes, Finn. I need to go on alone."
"But you'll rejoin us when you're finished? We need you. The Resistance needs you!"
"I know you do, but-I'm Rey Palpatine."
As she said it, Udo roared in surprise and even Veep made a noise.
"Palpatine?" the droid said, "You can't be. Emperor Palpatine had no recorded-"
"It's true," Rey said, and realized she was no longer ashamed of anyone knowing it. She stated it as the plain fact that it was.
"What's that have to do with anything?" Finn asked.
"It means I'm the galaxy's rightful Empress," Rey said.
"What the heck does that even mean?"
"I don't know," Rey said, "But I have to follow where my path leads. And that path may not be with the Resistance anymore."
There was silence for a moment, but then Finn spoke up.
"Well, I know my path, Rey. I owe it to every single clone soldier out there to give them a better life! If I have to raise this generation of clones to be the new Resistance, I will! I will pick up where Commander Pik left off!"
And Rey found herself strangely proud of Finn. For the first time since she had first met him, when he had been that random soldier numbered FN-2187, it seemed like he finally had an identity.
The two of them stood there, two people who had once been lost souls; now they were Rey Palpatine and Commander Finn, Empress of the Galaxy and leader of the Resistance, opposite ends of the spectrum. Would they ever see each other again? Neither one was sure, and they were both thinking this same thought.
"I wish you well, Finn. No matter which way our paths go-whether you're fighting by my side or against me halfway across the galaxy-you'll always be my family. If this is truly what you were meant to do, I hope you finally have peace."
Finn gave her a weak smile in return. Both of them had a feeling it would still be many years before he would ever not be a soul in conflict.
"Goodbye, Rey," he said softly, and Udo gave a soft roar after him.
The two then walked through the airlock and entered the Sphere, along with the twelve babies in their levitating pods. To Rey's eyes, it seemed as if they became invisible the moment they passed through the barrier. She solemnly closed the airlock door.
Now she was alone with Veep. She pulled out her lightsaber and ignited it, knowing what she had to do.
Inside, the Sphere's golden interior shined brightly as Udo looked around confused.
"How do we navigate this thing?" Finn asked, when suddenly it moved.
Samara was using the Force, and the walls of the Sphere immediately became transparent. They could see the reaches of space, and they were slowly moving away from the Star Destroyer and back towards Kessel's surface.
Soon the planet grew closer and closer, and they passed through the atmosphere, until the sky was blue and they could see the familiar landscapes of mountains and craters while the ground was getting closer and closer to them.
Finally the Golden Sphere landed right where the opening to the Resistance base had been.
"Here we go! Inside!" Finn commanded, leading the levitating pods out through the barrier and down into the hidden crater.
The base was completely empty, all the soldiers having long since evacuated. But there were tons of food supplies, hidden away where the makeshift cafeteria had been. Finn and Udo were soon stuffing their faces, finally having sustenance.
I must rest, Finn thought, and then looked out at the twelve clone babies he had just recruited to be part of his Resistance. Samara was looking right at him. As soon as I have my wits back, I need to figure out how to begin commanding my new army.
