Finn lays on the floor, groaning. He lets out a cough and struggled to rise. Shards of glassy material fall off him. Blinking his eyes, he looks up to take in the sight before him.
The Core has been completely destroyed. The console platform is melted, sparking from wires as it hangs from the shattered remains of the central pillar.
He smiles. Phamsa crashes into him.
"You think things can be different just because you said a few nice words!?" She punches him across the face. "You think we can stop being enemies just like that?"
Finn tries to kick her off, but Phasma jabs him in the gut. Finn wheezes from the blow.
"We can't! And this proves that!"
Phasma sweeps a hand towards the destroyed Core. Before Finn can form a reply she drives a knee into his chest. While lies back, gasping, she pulls a knife out of her belt.
"This is war! It doesn't end until one of us is dead!"
She raises the knife.
"You forgot something..." Finn gets out.
"What!?" Phasma hisses.
"The wookiee."
Phasma whirls around just in time for Chewbacca to drag her off Finn. He lifts her up over his head, then smashes her onto the floor. Slowly, Phasma tries to rise. Chewbacca picks her up, and throws her back down again. She doesn't rise this time.
"The damned wookiee again..." She moans.
Finn, catching his breath rises to his feet.
"Thanks Chewie." Finn says.
Chewbacca growls, nods back. They turn to walk back out the chamber, but Finn spares Phasma one more look.
"Think about what I said, Phasma. This doesn't have to end with one side destroying the other. Do you really want the rest of the stormtroopers to die?"
"...they won't die if we win." Phasma says eventually.
"If you win." Finn says, nodding to the destroyed Core.
"Shut up." She says looking up."Don't act like you care about them, when your hands are red with their blood You don't care, traitor! You're nothing but scum!"
Finn pauses. Then after a moment, he smiles.
"We're stormtroopers, Phasma. We're all scum."
Then Finn turns and leaves Phasma behind.
The moment Finn steps back out into the hallway, Rey is dashing towards him.
"Finn! Are you alright?" She skids to a stop just in front of him. "Did you take care of the Core!?"
"It's done." He nods. "And I'm fine."
She smiles. He smiles back
"-Good, then let's get off this ship." Lorn breaks in, limping over.
"Yeah..." Rey's gaze drifts over to Ador Ren, lying prone. ...but first there's something I need to do."
"...he dead?" Lorn asks.
"I don't know."
She strides down the hall, towards the fallen knight. Lorn and Finn share a look then follow her. Chewbacca stays with R2-D2 and stands guard. Ador Ren lays on the floor, motionless. Rey nudges him with her boot. He groans, and cracks an eyes. Rey crouches down, hovering just above him. Ador sits bolt upright, eyes widening with fear.
"Relax I'm not going to kill you..." Rey's eyes narrow. "...assuming you tell me what I want to know."
Ador stares at her without replying.
"What does Snoke know about me?" She asks.
Ador shifts his gaze to focus on the ceiling.
"Is it about my parents?"
Ador's silence remains.
Rey glares at him. "You are going to talk."
She activates her lightsaber.
"Rey..." Finn says, cautiously.
"What does he know!? " Rey demands, grabbing his collar. "Who am I!? Who are my parents!? Why did they leave!?"
She levels the blade over his neck.
"Rey, easy!" Finn says.
Lorn grabs Rey by the arm.
"That's enough." She says with steel in her voice.
"No it's not." Rey says coldly.
Ador finally looks at Rey. His eyes are hard.
"I'm more scared of him than I am of you."
Rey's grip on her saber tightens.
"Dammit Rey put the saber down!" Lorn shouts.
Rey whirls around to glare at her. Lorn lets go of her arm, and takes a step back.
Rey...put the saber down." Finn says, voice sincere. Almost pleading.
Rey blinks. She shakes her head, and looks down at the blue saber she wields. She looks disgusted and deactivates it. Ador actually cracks a smile.
"If you want to know who you really are...ask Snoke."
Lorn leans forward and socks Ador across the jaw. He goes out like a light.
"What was that for?" Rey asks.
"He was pissing me off." Lorn says, walking away.
"Are you alright?" Finn asks. "What was that all about?"
"I'm...fine." Rey says, unconvincing.
She walks past Finn to follow Lorn. Finn sighs and goes to follow. They come to a stop next to Chewbacca and R2.
"We need to get off this ship as possible." Lorn says. "Droid, guide us to the quickest way out."
R2 beep an acknowledgement, then projects a map of the ship's halls. A line marks the path out.
"Alright let's move." Lorn turns to leave.
"Wait!" Rey says, suddenly, looking at the map.
Lorn turns back around, and tilts her head questioningly.
"R2...did you ever find the room where Snoke is?"
R2 beeps another affirmative, then projects a second line.
"Rey what are you thinking? We've gotta get out of here." Finn says, looking concerned.
"Listen to your friend." Lorn says.
Rey stares at the line for several long seconds.
"...I'm going."
She turns to run the other way, but Lorn moves swiftly in front of her.
"No you aren't."
"Yes. I am."
Rey moves to step around Lorn, but the other woman moves to intercept her again.
"No good will come of you meeting that creature." Lorn says.
"He knows who I am." Rey says. "I have to find out."
"Rey please." Finn says. "We can find out who you are later, but right now we really need to go."
Rey doesn't turn her gaze from Lorn. "Well we could find out right now...if Lorn cares to share what she knows."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Lorn says, flatly.
"What's she talking about?" Finn asks.
"Lorn knows who I am. I'm pretty sure about that."
"Kid...I don't know you." Lorn says without emotion.
Rey nods. "That's what I thought."
She starts to push past the other woman. Lorn activates her lightsaber. The magenta blocks Rey's path. The light from the blade reflects off Lorn's helmet.
"You aren't going anywhere."
Rey narrows her eyes at Lorn. She activates her own lightsaber.
"What are you guys doing? We don't got time to be fighting, we need to get out of here!" Finn insists.
"Stay out of this if you don't want to get killed." Lorn says.
Reluctantly, Finn steps back, as the two women circle each other. Lorn holds her lightsaber in one hand. She shifts to angle her body in line with the blade. Rey grips her lightsaber tightly in both hands. Rey taps her saber against Lorn's experimentally. Lorn steps back. Rey surges forward, swinging her lightsaber in an overhead arc. Lorn defects it to the side, then kicks Rey back. Rey stumbles at first, but then rights herself and charges again. Rey flicks attacks from several directions, aimed at slipping through Lorn's guard. Lorn deflects and sidesteps each of the blows. Rey pulls back and thrusts at Lorn. Lorn slaps the blade aside and elbows Rey in the face. Rey stumbles back, blood leaking from her lips.
"You're outclassed kid. Let's just end this and get off this ship."
Rey wipes the blood off her lip and glares at the other woman.
"No."
Rey swings wildly, throwing all her might into the next swing. Lorn blocks, but cries out in pain. The woman shuffles back, holding her side. Rey, noticing this, rushes at Lorn. Lorn brings her blade up defensively. Rey's blade locks against Lorn's but at the same time Rey kicks the woman in the side. Lorn howls from the pain, and stumbles. Rey throws out her free hand at Lorn. The other woman flings back into the wall, and drops to the floor. Rey turns and runs. Finn sprints after her.
"Rey wait!"
He reaches out and grabs hold of her arm. Rey skids to a stop, and turns to face Finn with a sad expression.
"I'm sorry Finn, but I have to. This is...it's what I've been looking for all this time."
"What does it matter?" He asks. "Maybe I don't know who you're parents are, or where you came from, but I know who you are. You're Rey. Isn't that enough?"
Rey smiles at him. She grabs hold of his collar pulls him in and kisses him. Finn is shocked at first, but then leans in and kisses her back. After a moment, Rey pulls away.
"I'm sorry...but its not."
Rey throws out her hand and force pushes Finn back across the hallway. He tumbles across the floor. In an instant he's back on his feet. But Rey is gone.
The Raddus
Princess Leia sits down on The Raddus' command chair.
"Start getting everyone to the escape ships." She says to Ackbar.
Ackbar nods slowly and accesses his comm. "All personnel clear out, and get to the shuttles!"
The officers file out of the bridge, leaving just Leia, Ackbar, and C3PO.
"Prin-General..." Ackbar pauses, as if looking for the words.
Leia smiles at him. "Ackbar we've served together for decades. Is there even enough words to say everything we've been through together?"
"No...I don't suppose there is."
Ackbar leans in and hugs Leia. She hugs him back. Ackbar pulls back and stands up straight.
"It's been an honor, Leia Organa." He says, saluting.
"Honor was all mine, Gial Ackbar." Leia replies.
Ackbar nods, then turns tp walks off the bridge.
C3PO walks up to Leia.
"Hey there ,Threepio." Leia says to the droid.
"Miss Leia..." C3PO says softly.
"Something you wanted to get off your chest?" She asks, bemused.
"Um...how to put this...so hard to articulate the correct meaning..." C3PO chatters.
"Just spit it out Threepio," She says, with a smile. "I think I'll understand."
"Very well miss..." C3PO says. "...I just wanted to say, that not many people seem to find use for a protocol droid these day. But you've always kept me by your side, even when I wasn't technically necessary. It may be strange for a droid to say but I always felt...needed. So...thank you. It has been a great pleasure to serve as your translator all of these years."
"You're more than a translator, Threepio." Leia replies. "You're my friend."
C3PO is silent.
Leia smirks at the droid. "Take care, Threepio."
"...I will try, Mistress Leia."
C3PO walks towards the exit, but stops and turns around once more.
"I consider you a friend as well, Princess Leia."
C3PO leaves. Leia wipes an eye, then sits back in the command chair. She closes her eyes and begins to concentrate.
The Supremacy
Kylo Ren slowly pulls himself to his feet. He groans from the effort. He reaches down and picks up the broken lightsaber halves. He holds both in one hand, and shakes them over his other palm. Fragments of red crystal sprinkle out, filling his hand. He drops the two pieces, and holds just the fragments in his hand. After a moment of starting at the useless shards, he pours them onto the ground too. Then he leans back against the wall, and looks down with a sigh.
For a moment all is silent.
But then he starts to tilt his head, as if listening to something. His eyes widen and he jerks his head upwards.
Leia stands there.
"...Hello, Ben."
"You...you can't be here." he stammers.
"I'm not." Leia admits.
"A force projection..." Kylo realizes. "...I never knew you could."
"I never was cut out of be a full Jedi." Leia says with a glimmer in her eye. "But, I do know a thing or two about the Force."
Kylo stares at his mother for several seconds.
"...are you here to tell me everything I did wrong? Every mistake I made along the way? How I gave up everything to succeed and failed anyway?" He pauses. "...Because Luke beat you to it."
Leia sighs and shakes her head.
"No Ben I'm not here to do that. I think you know your own mistakes better than anyone else."
"I..." He seems to be looking for the words. "...I started all of this just because I wanted to make the better galaxy that you never could. The system was corrupt and falling apart. And you couldn't see it. I just wanted...to fix it. Was that so wrong?"
"No Ben it wasn't." Leia says. "But we aren't defined by our goals. We're defined by our actions."
"You think I wanted it to end up like this?" He says, dejected. "Sometimes...sometimes you make a bad decision and tell yourself it's for the best. Then you do it again. And again. Before long all you make is bad decisions and you can't even remember why you started. And by then it's too late to turn around..."
"It's never too late to turn around, Ben." Leia says.
Kylo laughs, hollowly.
"Not even after I killed Han Solo?"
Leia stares at him sadly.
"Don't say his name like he wasn't your father..." She says quietly.
"He was never a real father to me." Kylo Ren says through gritted teeth. "He never had time for us. It was always one mission after another. He shouldn't have tried to bring me back. He should have known that nothing he said would be enough. You can't make up years of failure with a few nice words."
Leia steps forward and slaps Kylo. His face snaps to the side from the blow. He looks back at Leia, shocked.
"You're just an illusion you shouldn't be able to-"
"-Don't talk to me about what's possible!" Leia shoots back. "I'm your mother, and I've been in this galaxy a hell of a lot longer than you! Don't you ever talk about your father that way again! Everything he did was for us and the good of people who needed his help. Every free hour he had he spent with us. And I hardly ever let you go with him because I knew it would be dangerous. And...and because I was worried that if I let you go you'd never want to come back. But you never chose to see it that way. He was always the villian, because you could never see bigger than yourself! "
"No!" Kylo shouts. "He didn't care! He was...he...just a damn smuggler looking for a reason to leave!"
Leia takes a breath. "...then why did he try to bring you back, knowing he might die?"
"He...he...he didn't care he..." Kylo's voice falters.
Leia sighs.
"...do you remember the argument the two of you had all those years ago?" Leia asks.
Kylo is long in reply. He seems to be trying to bore a hole in the floor with his eyes.
"...The one one right before I left?"
"That's the one." Leia says. "The two of you were such stubborn idiots that you couldn't see you were arguing the same exact thing. You both were trying to convince the other that you were doing what was best for me. But you know what? I didn't want that from either of you. I didn't want you to fix the galaxy, I didn't want either of you racing around trying to find the solutions to all our problems. I just wanted my family. Neither of you could see that for some reason."
"That...that isn't true. He-"
"Stop it!" Leia cries. "Enough of the lies you're telling yourself. Enough of the justifications. Just admit what we both know you feel!"
"Aright, I know he cared! I know he loved me! He was my dad, of course I loved him too! Is that what you want me to say!?" Kylo shouts, with tears in his eyes.
Kylo sinks to the floor and puts his head in his hands.
"...and I killed him because I thought he made me weak. Because that's what Snoke said. Because I thought it'd make me strong...like Darth Vader." He shakes his head. "But it just made me feel hollow."
Leia leans down and touches Kylo on the shoulder. He looks up at her with wet eyes.
"That was the one thing you never seemed to understand. You aren't just the grandson of Darth Vader. You're also the grandson of Anakin Skywalker."
Kylo stares at Leia, with tears in his eyes. She stares back, smiling sadly. She looks distant for a moment.
"It looks like I can't talk for much longer." She says sadly.
"What's going on?" Kylo says, sitting up straighter.
"I'm doing what I can to make sure the galaxy still has a chance. Well that's what I'm telling myself anyway. Really, I'm just trying to make sure I don't loose anyone else I care about. Ben I...may never see you again."
"What? Mom, what are you doing!?"
She shrugs and lets out a half-chuckle.
"Something reckless."
She touches Kylo's cheek.
"Ben, I want you to know, that in spite of everything, in spite of all the bad choices, the hate and the destruction...I still love you. And so did Han, even in the end."
"I don't deserve that..." He says, tears now flowing fully.
"Maybe." Leia says, smile broadening. "But you're my son, and I will never stop loving you, no matter what."
Kylo stares at Leia for what seems like an eternity.
"...I love you mom." He finally says.
Leia grins.
"I know."
Leia vanishes. Kylo is left standing there, staring at nothing. After a moment, he turns, and limps out of the hangar bay.
Rey runs down grey corridor after grey corridor. She turns a corner, then skids to a stop. She sees the huge door leading to Snoke's throne room. The two Praetorian guards stand there, with spears held at their sides. Rey gingerly takes a step forward. The guards shift at the movement, but do not take fighting stances. She walks forward a few more steps and remain still. She walks all the way up to the door, glancing back and forth between the two guards. They turn to her, but still do not raise their weapons. Rey puts her hand on the door. There is a loud grinding noise, followed by the massive door pulling to the side. Inside, Snoke sits on his throne, bathed in shadows. Six praetorian guards stand in a semicircle around the room.
"Come in child. I've been waiting for you." Snoke's voice rasps.
Rey hesitates. The two guards behind her step in, blocking her path out. Hesitantly, Rey steps into the throne room. Behind her the massive door slides shut, leaving the two guards outside. Rey walks further into the room. As she begins to approach the throne, the six guards step in, holding their weapons ready. Snoke waves his hand, and they relax. Rey grips the hilt of Luke's old lightsaber in one hand. She approaches, eyes darting all over the room, but always returning to the figure on the throne. Snoke leans forward, and his face dips into the light. yellow eyes boring into Rey. She takes a step back, as if physically touched by the gaze.
"Do not be scared." Snoke says. "You are exactly where you belong."
Rey stares up at Snoke, forcing herself to meet his gaze.
"S-Supreme Leader Snoke?" She stutters.
"I am." Snoke replies.
Rey takes a breath.
"I'm...here to defeat you." Rey says, forcing confidence into her voice.
Snoke stares at her for several long moments. Then he lets out a long, dry cackle.
"I expected many things, but this was perhaps the best outcome I could have hoped for!" Snoke chuckles. "So tell me, Rey. How will you kill me?"
"Oh I'm not going to kill you." Rey replies. "I need you to tell me what you know about my parents."
"Ah I see...and what if I don't?" Snoke replies bemused.
Rey narrows her eyes at Snoke. "I'll find a way to persuade you."
She activates the lightsaber. A blue hue fills the room. The red-armored guards, brandish their weapons at Rey. The light from the lightsaber's blade reflects off Snoke's eyes. He stares at the blue blade, looking transfixed.
"Very well, then." Snoke says sitting back in his throne. "Persuade me."
Rey hesitates. She from Snoke to the guards.
A horrible, twisted smile cracks Snoke's face.
"...unless of course, you lack the resolve?"
Rey launches herself up the steps at Snoke. His smile never breaks. She swings the blue lightsaber for his midsection. Two of the praetorian guard are beside the throne in an instant. Their weapons thrust out, blocking Rey's saber. They each wield swords with vibrating blades, electricity crackling on the edges. Together the guards shove Rey back from the throne. She stumbles down the stairs, barely catching herself from falling.
"Good, good." Snoke nods. "You do have resolve..."
The other guard's weapons crackle to life and they move towards Rey.
"...now show me your power."
The two with the swords march down the stairs, weapons held out towards Rey. The next two guards, each holding similar swords, only segmented, advance on Rey from either side. The remaining two guards, wielding curved, bladed staffs, creep around behind Rey. They form a circle around her, and begin to close in. Rey spins, struggling to keep all in her line of sight. She throws her hand out at the two with the staffs. The Force-push throws both back. They go low and dig their staffs into the floor, slowing their movement. They slide to a stop, unhindered, and continue to march on Rey.
Frustrated, Rey spins around and swings her lightsaber at a guard with a segmented blade. The guard blocks, catching Rey's saber in the pulsing electricity between segments. She shoves the guard back, as the other three with swords rush at Rey. She spins around, barely blocking a swing that would have taken her head off. She holds her lightsaber against the vibrating sword, while the other two sweep around from either side to attack Rey. She pulls back, deflecting one strike, while sidestepping another. She backs into the guard she just kicked, who wraps one arm around her, and brings his blade in, to cut her throat. Rey thrusts her lightsaber up, stopping the sword's progress towards her neck. She swallows hard, blade close enough to singe the hairs of her skin.
The other three guards thrust towards Rey. Rey twists, swinging the praetorian guard around, so he lands in the path of the oncoming blows. The other blades smash into the guard's back. The guard doesn't even grunt at the weapons crackle against his armor. Rey slides her lightsaber down his blade, cracking it against his forearm. The blue blade, sparks against the armor, and the guard's hold on Rey finally weakens. She twists out of his grip, and throws her hand out, Force-pushing him into the other three. All four stumbled for a moment, but right themselves almost instantly, and advance on Rey. At the same time, the two guards with the bladed staffs close in on Rey from the other side. Rey ducks under a pair of staff swings, and rolls under a handful of stabs. She comes back up to her feet, surrounded by guards on all sides, once more.
Rey throws out both hands on either side of her, in an attempt to push all of the guards back at once. The guards dig their weapons into the floor, and only slide back a few feet each. Rey huffs, with frustration, and sweeps her gaze across the Praetorian Guard.
"So far I remain unimpressed." Snoke comments. "How did you think you could defeat me at the level you are at?"
"I may have lied about that part." Rey admits.
"Then what are you actually doing here?" Snoke asks.
Rey shrugs. "Stalling for Luke Skywalker."
Snoke stares down at her, with curiosity.
"So you hoped to draw him into conflict with me by coming here?" Snoke says thoughtfully.
"That was the idea." Rey says, deflecting a staff blade.
"We will have to speed this up, then." Snoke says, thoughtfully. "I can already sense that Kylo Ren failed to stop Skywalker, and I don't want that Jedi ruining this for me. I cannot tell you how long I have anticipated this meeting..."