Chapter VIII.
Caught between the rock and a hard place.
Synopsis: the alliance flees to Sullust. Rey has a lot of explaining to do. Poe finds his loyalty conflicted. Finn flies to Lothal to find O'Hara's family.
They fled to Sullust like possessed.
Rey felt exhausted and thrilled at the same time. Every single nerve in her was re-energized after the battle. But her joy was darkened by the fact that her combatants' lives were lost and that she now had that injured, unconscious and potentially deadly enemy on her deck. She had a very difficult task of explaining all of this to the rest of the crew ahead of her – and she herself wasn't an exception. He was weak and it was little short of a physical anomaly that he wasn't torn apart or killed by radiation and absolute zero temperature. But he was a powerful Force wielder, just like she was. Force protected him.
As she came out from the "Millennium Falcon" into the domed launch bay on Sullust, she saw Poe running to meet her with Mandalorians aiding their wounded to come down the ramp of his ship.
He was beyond himself of joy. He saw the Guavian ship being hit and saw the blaze that threatened to rip the ship into pieces. For too long, he thought her dead and that hit him harder than any other loss he suffered before. She was injured and limping, but she smiled and waved at him with that infallible smile of hers.
He was a simple, impetuous man. He forgot his rank, her rank and her Jedi title as he grabbed her around her waist and kissed her boldly.
Rey was caught off guard. Perhaps it was her tiredness, her joy of re-union or her need for simple human touch and comfort, but she didn't push him straight away. He felt unthreatening, real and warm, and she welcomed that basic human experience. She felt he acted more on an impulse and the sheer joy of being alive than on some complicated passion. After all, how much experience can a freed slave from Jakku have?
As he picked her up and held her in his arms for a second, his eye caught the stretcher behind her back. Chewbacca let the droids navigate the floating device as he came down with what seemed an extremely troubled expression. Poe couldn't recognize the injured man's face, but that uniform was stuck with him for the rest of his life. He shuddered and instinctively placed Rey behind him.
"I have to tell you something", Rey said, gesturing at him to put down the weapon, "You need to know what happened".
There was a small renegade base on Sullust, with medical staff and some artillery. But they couldn't stay on Sullust for too long – although the planet was impoverished and largely forgotten by the First Order, it still was a long-time occupation zone of Empire. Besides, Rey feared that Snoke could detect Kylo Ren's presence, making their situation even more vulnerable.
This was an information she, however, couldn't tell Poe. He was caught in a whirlwind as it is.
Poe summoned an emergency Council meeting – every single one of them was always an emergency, but this was just ridiculous, he thought. In rush, Rey told him the story of visions, Ahch-to, Luke and Kylo Ren's role, but Poe was weary of all the Jedi stuff.
Jedi met their deaths readily and calmly, as if they almost welcomed it. Poe valued life. And this gambling with life and death rubbed him in all the wrong ways. But contrary to his own nature, he said nothing to Rey. She was, after all, fully aware that this is something extremely hard to be explained and even harder to be accepted.
"The fact that this man is alive", Major Harter Kalonia reported to the Council in a cautious voice that barely concealed her anxiety and disbelief, "Is contrary to all laws of physics and biology. He sustained multiple injuries. He was without oxygen for at least 10 minutes. He has 2nd and 3rd degree frost-bites that should, conventionally, lead to tissue necrosis but in his case, I see the remission of the symptoms. He has multiple bone fractures but each of them is regenerating at an unusual speed".
"And your prognosis would be, doctor?" Sato asked impatiently.
"My prognosis, under normal circumstances, would be to identify this man according to his trace DNA", the medical expert sighed, "But now… I really don't know. He's struggling. The pulse is weak, but stable. His blood results are surprisingly good for someone with that sort of damage. But he is in coma. Whether he'll ever come back, I don't know".
Silence fell on Council like a thick shroud. The distant buzz of the light felt like a roaring thunder in that sort of silence.
"I say we kill him", exclaimed Satine, vocalizing the idea many harbored in that moment, "He is the enemy, the darjetii".
"It's not the noblest decision, but there is no dignity in slaughterhouse. And the slaughterhouse is what will come for us when the First Order finds out we have their traitor with us. Let's do it quickly. Let's do it mercifully", Commander Sato said.
Disgruntled murmurs filled the room. Rey suspected this would happen, but remained unfaltering.
"One thing I know", she said, "If we strike him down, it will be vendetta. It will be rage. Vengeance, rage, fear and hatred are the fuel of the Dark Side. He is an enemy, and he is a darjetii. But if we surrender him to his death, his true master will become more powerful".
Shouts and curses filled the room.
"What? You mean to tell us Snoke is alive?" Sato exclaimed. "But you saw him killed! The First Order made a funeral pyre! Our intelligence confirmed that the creature was destroyed!"
"What sort of manipulation was that?" Browne exclaimed.
Rey felt she went too far with revealing the whole truth to the Council. She was so zealous to do this the right way that she completely forgot there might be another right way.
Poe's brow darkened. He didn't expect he'll see the day when he'll become a politician, but that's what his new role demanded. He sighed and hit the metal panel in front of him until he gained relative attention from the Council.
"This information is strange, I can admit to that", he said firmly. "But that doesn't change our perspective at all, now, doesn't it? Snoke was a shadowy figure behind the First Order all my life and even before I was born. Snoke, Ren, Sith, the Emperor… it doesn't matter what label they have, they're the same enemy. We are accustomed to see them coming in pairs – first Darth Vader and the Emperor, now Snoke and Kylo Ren. However, this time we have the other half in our custody. Be as it may, it might give us some leverage".
Murmurs rose again, this time with somewhat more approval.
"Sir", Kay said. "There is a new public broadcast by the First Order".
Poe nodded and the hologram appeared. It informed all governments and nations across the chartered regions to reinforce curfews and arrest the Jedi girl and the traitor of the First Order, Ren. Detailed biometrics ensued. Even Rey found it hard to watch. Poe gestured at Kay to switch off the propaganda.
The calm lasted only seconds.
"There it is", Sato exclaimed. "There can be no negotiations with the First Order. He is a danger to this base and to the very survival of all our sympathizers".
Council was again in an uproar.
Rey felt that, whatever influence she had before, now it was quickly sipping through her hands like sand. She gathered all her strength and stood up, but a small painful twitch escaped her face. The wounds were healing, but not quick enough and she felt the broken muscles and nerves tugged against her bones like sand-stone.
Poe glanced at her worriedly. Everyone saw her weakness. Rey blushed, but tensed and said in firm tone:
"We are both sought after across the galaxy. I am a liability to the Resistance the same way he is. I need to go back to Ahch-to. The planet is…"
But an explosive discontent came her way as she struggled to finish.
"…the planet is protected by the strong Force and it will shield me and him from the First Order".
Rey was acutely aware she lost the Council's attention.
"That's out of the question", Sato exclaimed, "Even if you somehow manage to get through the sector, we don't have enough ships as it is. We need every single vessel for the potential evacuation".
Everybody around Rey shook their heads. Arguments, disputes and accusations flew left and right. Poe tried to stop them, but was outnumbered and out yelled. He gestured at Rey, trying to retain good spirits.
"Come", he said, "I've seen them in this state. Let the kids vent, we'll talk again to them tomorrow".
But even he didn't believe himself and Rey knew that too well.
Finn rushed to Rose's side.
No changes – the medical droid informed him.
Finn caressed her cheek – it was warm. And as if this somehow brought him some courage back, he whispered:
"I'll come back soon. There is hope for this galaxy, Rose. I know it. I see it all the time now. And when you wake up, you'll see it too".
"Are you out of your mind? What is with all of you? Are all of you out of your minds?" Poe practically yelled, now seriously annoyed.
"I need to get to this man's family", Finn said, "He's the unsung hero of the Resistance. His family needs to know he died saving us. I owe him, Poe. You owe him, too. The whole Resistance does".
"Do you have any idea how many unsung heroes the Resistance has?" Poe almost hissed back, "And I can't let you be one of them, not yet. I need you here, soldier. And as far as I remember, I'm still the general, so stick it".
Poe was just tired of all these potential losses. For the first time in his life, he resented the risks that time and time again led to nowhere. He had to blast something up, and fast. The art of explosions is simple, deadly and gives visible results. It is completely opposite to these romantic crusades everyone is venturing on all of a sudden.
"Do you know where Lothal is? What Lothal is?" he said, grumpily.
"I know. I know everything I need to know. I'll just fly there, find his family, tell them what happened and then I'll come back".
"And what if these people are dead? What if they tip you off to the First Order?" he asked, "It's just insane. I don't allow it".
"So, since we have so many heroes, one more or less makes no difference? One life makes no difference?" Finn said, "You sound very much like First Order now, general".
Poe waved his index finger at his friend.
"Finn", he practically cursed, "You spent too much time with Rey".
"So, I'd reckon it's a yes?" Finn asked, tauntingly.
Poe was exasperated.
"At least ask Kay to search these people in our archives".
He nodded at his friend. But he had another thing to do – he had to talk to Rey.
He found her in the catacombs that served as detention center for the Resistance. Her plan was to lock Kylo Ren up in one of the cells and prohibit anyone from coming near him. She couldn't predict in what state he'll wake up – if he'd wake up at all. She could feel his presence in the Force, but it was clouded. He drifted away. She hoped he was similarly undetectable to Snoke.
"Finn", she smiled, her smile giving him the additional dash of optimism.
"Rey", he uttered as they hugged, and then added: "I'm sorry".
She shook her head. Who was she to judge him? She managed to turn all these people against her. They lost one ship they managed to steal and 8 people onboard the "Conquistador", failing to secure that much needed powerful vessel. She failed to defeat their enemy and now he was under her watch and a potentially enormous risk to them all.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for", she said, "You wanted to protect those you love at any cost. Maybe that's no quality for a Jedi, but I'm no Jedi either".
She placed her bandaged hand on his shoulder.
"You have to leave", she said, reading his sad and grateful eyes.
"Yes, but only for a short while", he replied.
"Jedi masters lived on Lothal during the Rebelion", Rey said, "Their heritage is still there. Light doesn't go that easily away, Finn. I think you'll see that. I think it's no coincidence that you have to go there".
Hux felt weak and dizzy as he drifted in his escape pod at the edge of Mandalore system. The life support systems were functioning on their very minimum. He wasn't killed by those savages, but he was definitely left to die. Damn Ren. He planned this from the beginning. He put him deliberately here, between the rock and the hard place. Saxon clan by itself was full of self-serving snakes, but they are at least easier to lure into alliance by bribery and high positions.
He was afloat for almost 4 days now. He was out of water, out of supplies and soon he'll be out oxygen. And as he struggled to stay alive, feeding from his sheer hatred for the new Leader, his communication channel activated. An eerie, disembodied but familiar voice addressed him.
"General Hux".
I am hallucinating, he thought to himself, Armitage, you're hallucinating. Snap out of it.
But there was something alluring and empowering in that voice, like the first time he felt the pull to the Dark Side.
"Supreme Leader?" Hux replied faintly, still mistrustful of his own sanity.
"Why didn't you overthrow the traitor?" Snoke asked with a hint of a dark joke, "You didn't seriously believe him the fairy tale he told you?"
"No, Supreme Leader!" Hux found new strength in himself and screamed, "Not for a moment. I waited for his weak moment, and then I'd strike".
Snoke laughed hectically from the other side – the other side could well be the other side of life as well the other side of the galaxy.
"Good", he said, "A true follower of the Dark Side. Ren is tainted. The Light clings to him persistently. There is a new presence in the Force that threatens to destroy everything we have built".
"The girl?" Hux asked.
"No", Snoke almost growled, "The girl is conflicted herself. Too much power in one human leads to unpredictable outcomes, especially with the females".
Snoke again snickered to his own joke.
"Then who? Tell me and I'll destroy your enemy, Supreme Leader", Hux shouted.
"No", Snoke replied, as if amused, "You cannot do anything against ghosts. Only I can resist the powerful Jedi spirits. You bring me the traitor to Korriban, Supreme General Hux, and you shall be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams".
"Of course, Supreme Leader", Hux cried out. But he stopped as the life support system fell to 2%.
"You need to have more faith in the Dark Side, Supreme General", Snoke said mockingly, "Your allies from the Saxon clan will rescue you. And then, make haste. Bring me the traitor alive".
Rey felt desperately tired. The Council's discontent seemed to drain her even more. Poe tried to stay optimistic, but even he couldn't conceal his mistrust. She detected a pang of jealousy in him and it left her confounded and - embarrassed. Rey tried to verbalize the fact that it is just about the Balance and about how the Force works … but what was it exactly? These people were risking their lives and lives of their supporters and families to fight the First Order, and there she was – protecting their worst and ultimate enemy, having nothing more than vague Jedi references as an explanation.
She desperately hoped to find both rest and answers in her slumber. And as she activated the sensors attached to Ren's life support, Rey dozed off.
It was a sort of black, deep sleep all exhausted humans have.
She awoke refreshed, but with no visions, no insights, no nothing. And as she was slowly waking up, a shock revelation came over her – he wasn't there, his cell violently burst open from the inside.
Deadly terror overcame Rey.