CHAPTER VI

Kylo Ren was not in a good mood.

He had felt the pull of this Force-user for some time now. Yes, the Force was strong with her, yet she seemed to keep moving.

As his Star Destroyer had made its way back towards Naragna, he had felt a movement, a sense that she had left the planet. For a short while he didn't sense her at all, so he simply put her out of his mind. Now he felt that presence again, and realized she must be close by.

He turned to his right hand man, Darth Cullen.

"I feel that Force-user. Prepare the shields and see if a ship is in range."

"Are you sure that's necessary, Master?"

"Make it necessary!"

The Sith were known for not always getting along. This was part of the reason the Rule of Two had been established by Darth Bane over a thousand years ago. However, since the fall of the Empire and the rise of different factions, several darkside-users had banded together to create the Sith Imperialists. In Kylo Ren's opinion, the Rule of Two was idiotic: why operate in a way where all it took was any stranger with two shots in their blaster to end your entire order? If the Sith were going to survive, they needed a real organization, a place to cultivate followers. The Sith Imperialists were the Sith's first guerilla movement, and Ren was sure that the legendary Darth Vader would have approved.

The Finalizer's radar did indeed pick up a ship: a small freighter. Ren took a good look at it and froze.

"I've seen drawings of that ship's design," Darth Cullen said, "Isn't that the Millenium Falcon?"

"Yes," Ren said, recalling many bad memories of that ship, remembering it leaving him alone and flying away. "Destroy that ship!"

"That?" Darth Cullen asked, "It's just a tiny thing. What danger can it possess?"

"It's heading towards Coruscant. That's all I need to know. Now BLOW THAT PIECE OF JUNK OUT OF MY SIGHT!"

And everyone knew to obey Ren when he was in one of his tantrums.

Onboard the Falcon, Finn was piloting just fine and Rey was starting to get the hang of things when suddenly something knocked them off-course.

"We've been hit!" Finn yelled.

"Something hit the main-rear deflector shield," Han said, and then, with a nostalgic smile on his face, added "Where's an asteroid field when you need one?"

Rey looked and saw a Star Destroyed behind them.

"I'm guessing one of those is not good news."

Finn took a look and his face dropped.

"That's the Finalizer. Kylo Ren's personal Star Destroyer."

Han did a double-take at this.

"Did you just say Kylo Ren?"

"Yes. Well, technically it's the Sith Imperialists' Star Destroyer, but he's the one in charge. I've been on the ship when I was with the other soldiers."

"You-you-" Han was realizing something, "Kid, you told me you were a clone soldier used by some guerillas group, but you never mentioned who it was. You never told me your boss happened to be Kylo Ren."

"What, do you know Kylo Ren personally or something?" Finn asked.

Han just grew silent and mumbled, "As a matter of fact, I do."

"Guys, they're shooting at us and they're getting closer!" Rey yelled.

"Turn her around!" Han yelled, "The Falcon's outwitted Star Destroyers before."

Finn did his best to pilot the ship, but Rey was struggling to keep up. The Falcon began doing backflips, turning upward, downward, rightward, and leftward, every which way but loose to avoid the blasts.

"No, not that stick!" Han yelled, "Hold on, Rey! Let me teach you!"

Rey smiled as Han showed her the right maneuver. Something told her she was learning from the best.

Another blast hit them hard!

"If we swing right we can just outrun them," Han yelled, "Where's Chewie?"

He turned to see Chewbacca was missing, but Udo stood in his place.

"Where the heck did your great-uncle go to?" Han yelled, but Udo only roared something in return that was beyond Rey's understanding.

"Can't we use the hyperdrive?" asked Rey.

"We're this close to Coruscant," Finn said, "I mean, if it's the only way, but-

And suddenly the Falcon sped forward, almost as if it had sprouted an extra rocket! Everyone jolted back!

"What happened?"

"Whoo, I think Fuzzball just saved us!" Han laughed, "Chewie turned on the carmogen-drive links!"

"What is that?"

"The emergency blast drive that the Falcon keeps in the rear-shield. Ha, I remember now why Lando called this the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy!"

Sure enough, the Falcon sped safely forward, avoiding any further shots from the Finalizer behind it, and soon was within Coruscant's orbit. They were safe!

Chewbacca reentered the cockpit with a triumphant road and everyone cheered and applauded their saviour. Even Rey gave Chewie a big hug and said, "I think I could get used to the smell of Wookiee after all."

-This chapter is dedicated in memory of Peter Mayhew-