Star Wars IX
The Spirit of the Galaxy
Star Destroyers in low orbit over the capital world, Coruscant, fired at each other with Tie fighters chasing one another. The capital world below was on fire as First Order ships reigned fire on the cities. Storm troopers were fighting each other in the streets with giant AT-M6s walkers blasting through buildings and crushing anyone in their way. Civilians fled from the carnage as Tie bombers blasted craters in the streets dropping people to the lower levels.
First Order officers shouted orders as surface laser cannons fired continuously. Shield generators would explode and hit Tie fighters would spin into ships. In all, dozens of Star Destroyers were firing on each other in organized cliques.
The Supremacy and several Star Destroyers suddenly appeared on the edge of the battle. Kylo Ren looked over the destruction with dispassionate eyes. "With Supreme Leader Snoke dead, the First Order has fallen to squabbling factions. They need you to bring order," Kylo's faithful admiral told him.
"I know," Kylo said softly. "Order all ships to cease fire. Destroy any ship that does not comply," Kylo ordered.
"As you wish, Supreme Leader," the admiral said.
With the order sent out, many Star Destroyers ceased fire while some continued to fight. The Supremacy fired its guns on the still fighting Star Destroyers causing them to explode in brilliant flashes of light.
"More," Kylo said softly.
The Supremacy continued firing blasting away at the scraps left behind. Some of the larger scraps fell towards the planet.
"More!" Kylo said more forcefully.
The Supremacy continued firing but a large section of a Star Destroyers bow was about to fall into the planet. Kylo reached out with his black gloved hand and grabbed the destroyed Star Destroyer with the Force. The bridge crew stared at Kylo as he tensed up.
The piece of wreckage stopped descending and began to spin slowly in midair. The Supremacy fired on the pieces blasting it to smaller debris. Kylo then let go exhausted and allowed the small pieces to burn up in the atmosphere.
"Open a channel," Kylo ordered the admiral.
"Ready, Supreme Leader," the admiral told him.
"First Order ships: stand down. Snoke is dead, and I, Kylo Ren of the Knights of Ren, am Supreme Leader of the First Order," Kylo said.
Holograms then appeared on the bridge showing several First Order captains. "Why should we follow you? You are only a boy," one said disrespectfully.
The captain began chocking and fell to the floor dead. A new captain took his place. "I pledge my ship to Supreme Leader, Ren," he said quickly.
"Anyone else?" Kylo asked them.
"All hail, Supreme Leader Ren," they said in unison raising their fists.
"The Imperial Council shall be reestablished. I hope to see all of you soon," Kylo said and then signed off.
Meanwhile, a First Order shuttle exited with several transport shuttles from a lone Star Destroyer. Tie fighters also came out to escort the shuttle down to an asteroid planetoid known as Kessel. The shuttle landed on a pad and Rey came out with soldiers all wearing black uniforms with the First Order logo on their shoulders. She was in a white dress uniform greatly contrasting herself with her men. Her light saber was on her belt. A black security droid stayed with Rey at all times.
The First Order governor approached Rey with a skeptical look. He was an older man with a cruel look on his face. He wore an all-black coat and had his own escort of Storm troopers behind him. "Whom may I have the pleasure of speaking with?" he asked condescendingly.
"Rey," she said nervously.
"Just Rey?" the governor asked unimpressed.
"Well, actually, I'm the new Empress of the First Order. It's a long story," she said smiling.
The governor smiled back not believing a word that had just been said. "There is only one Supreme Leader and that is Snoke."
"Snoke's dead, so you answer to me now. It's right here," Rey said giving him a datapad.
The governor eyed the pad skeptically. "Forgive me…Empress," he said and knelt before her.
"That's quite alright. You can come up now," Rey said embarrassed.
"Communications don't reach this corner of the galaxy quickly, my Empress," the governor excused himself.
"I thought that would be the case, so I came in person," Rey said brightly.
"How can I help you, Empress?" the governor asked.
"I'm here to free your slaves and most of your prisoners," Rey said confidently.
"Most of them?" the governor wondered.
"Well, not the murderers, rapists, and thieves but everyone else," Rey said vaguely.
"I see. I don't believe for a moment that you are who you say you are. You may have brought one Star Destroyer, but I have my own ships. Unless I hear it personally from the Supreme Leader, I'm not freeing a single soul," the governor refused.
"You will obey me," Rey said moving her hand across her body.
"I will obey you," the governor replied.
Rey nodded pleased and proceeded to follow the governor while bringing her soldiers with her. As she looked around, she saw slaves in rags and inhospitable conditions. The cell doors opened letting thousands of prisoners go at once.
"You will give them medical treatment," Rey ordered the governor using another mind trick.
"Of course I will," he replied.
Rey smiled pleased with herself as First Order personal began feeding and treating the slaves and prisoners. She personally greeted some of the sick who had been worked nearly to death for years. Using the Force, she healed an old man's wound.
"I never would have thought I would see one of your kind again," the old man said gratefully.
"What kind would that be?" Rey asked.
"A Jedi," the old man smiled.
Kylo Ren exited a shuttle on a landing pad and proceeded to walk along a bridge with a large escort of Storm troopers behind him. Fires continued to rage across the city landscape. Entering the large office, he saw a collection of First Order admirals and captains all standing at attention for him.
"The Supreme Leader," his new general introduced him.
"You may sit," Kylo said calmly.
Kylo sat down at a large circular table. "Supreme Leader Snoke and General Hux are dead. The chain of command is clear. You are either with me or against me."
"Supreme Leader, there are a number of issues that must be addressed. The First Order has greatly expanded since the fall of the Republic," an admiral said boldly.
"I will address your concerns in a timely manner," Kylo said disinterested. "What I will not tolerate is rebellion and dissension. Furthermore, the Force shall never be used to attack or defend. If anyone…uses the Force against me…or for me, they will be executed. Do I make myself clear?"
"Perfectly, Supreme Leader," a general replied.
"The Sith and the Jedi Order are no more and shall never return," Kylo made clear.
"Supreme Leader, we have heard rumors of a girl that claims to be Emperor Palpatine's heir. Is there any truth of this?" one admiral asked.
"I hear she is freeing prisoners, letting lunatics escape asylums, and healing sick people," a general scoffed.
Kylo eyed them all with contempt and they went silent. "The rumors are true. We now have a new Empress, a purely symbolic position. Some of you were alive during Emperor Palpatine's reign. If you were loyal to him, you will now be loyal to her," Kylo said.
"Why isn't she here? Who is this girl?" a general asked.
Kylo had no reply.
Rey entered a control room and accessed files on prisoners. Her security droid quickly went through the files and found a DNA match. Finally, she found the prisoners she was looking for. A hologram appeared of two people. Rey watched the hologram intently memorizing their faces and features. She saw her father and mother for the first time in memory. Rey wiped away tears as she saw them. Their files listed them as escapees.
"Where are you now?" she wondered.
Her hologram emitter then started to beep. Rey eyed the hologram emitter hesitating to turn it on. She finally did and saw Kylo Ren's disappointed face. "Ren?" she answered.
"I need you here," he said annoyed.
"I just have a few more stops," Rey said holding back her tears.
"That is unacceptable…," he replied but Rey shut him off.
Rey went outside and saw ships coming and going as prisoners left with their relatives and loved ones. She saw children hug their parents for the first time in many years. "Empress?" her security droid asked her.
"We're leaving," she told the droid.
Kylo Ren overlooked the ruined capital. "Supreme Leader?" his general asked as he stared off into space.
"Clean this mess up. It's a disgrace," he ordered.
"There are still factions fighting in the streets," the general replied.
"Eliminate them and start rebuilding," Kylo ordered. "I am going for a walk. I do not want to be disturbed."
"Yes, Supreme Leader," the general backed away.
Kylo then made his way to the ruined Jedi temple. Even after the empire had fallen, the Jedi had yet to come back. The temple had been abandoned for decades, a historical ruin and tourism attraction. Kylo entered the ruin at twilight and visited for the first time. He could see blaster holes in the pillars, statues sliced to pieces, and damage from fires.
A Force ghost appeared to him in the Jedi temple. It was Anakin Skywalker with a sad expression on his face. "Grandfather," Kylo addressed.
"Snoke lives," he warned him.
"He died by my hands," Kylo rejected.
"He lives," Anakin repeated.
Kylo gave Anakin a deathly pale expression. If it were true, the First Order, his life, and Rey's were all in danger. Looking around, he felt haunted by the Jedi statues that looked down upon him. "Let the past die," he said aloud and walked quickly out of the temple.
"Fire on my coordinates. Do it," a distressed Kylo ordered through his wrist communicator.
The Supremacy fired down on Coruscant with a flurry of powerful beams. The beams hit the Jedi Temple in a series of powerful fireballs that collapsed the whole structure. Kylo watched the explosions memorized and horrified at the same time. The watchtowers came down and the structure crumbled to dust.
"Let the past die," he repeated.
Author's Notes: The beginning battle sequence between Imperials was inspired by the Palpatine Reborn novels and a natural consequence of Snoke's sudden death from Last Jedi. I find it naive to think that Kylo would just take control immediately after such a loss. Continuing the theme from Last Jedi, Kylo has decided to destroy the Jedi-Sith legacy. Rey is becoming a leader, albeit an awkward one, as she puts forth her compassionate vision. Here, on Kessel, she's able to put forth her philosophy while continuing research on her parents which will pay off in chapter 2. I think a lot of fans were wanting to see the Reylo alliance and considered what that might entail for the galaxy. The tension between these two visions will be the beginning drama of this story until we get to the more serious threat in later chapters.