Lightsaber Games
Seraphina's beating heart had calmed down after the Millennium Falcon came out of hyperspace right in front of Dantooine. Ben leaned forward in his seat. "Here we are."
The first person to greet them once the ship had landed on the surface of the planet was Nathan. He was taller than Seraphina remembered but then again, it had been a year since she had seen him. Amber squealed and tackled Nathan in a hug. Seraphina smiled. She knew that Amber had kept in contact with Nathan during the time both cousins were training on Ahch-To. Amber and Nathan had grown close despite being light-years away from each other.
Amber quickly pulled away as her face began turning red. Seraphina laughed and hugged Nathan. "Please tell me you've been doing something interesting." Seraphina said as she looked at Nathan.
Nathan shrugged. "You already know that D'Qar was attacked by the First Order but no surprise there. That's why we moved to Dantooine. The general is acting strange, though."
Amber raised an eyebrow. "Isn't the general always acting strange?"
"Stranger than usual. He spends hours by himself and when he calls meetings, as soon as they're over, he leaves. I think he knows about my suspicions, though."
"What suspicions?" Amber asked.
"I'll tell you later. For now, who are these people that you brought?"
Seraphina gestured towards her mother. "Nathan, this is-"
"Rey Skywalker!" a voice interrupted. General Alarick marched over to the young woman who was just an inch shorter than the general. "What are you doing here? I thought I made it very clear that I did not want to see you or any of your relatives again."
Nathan leaned over to Amber and whispered, "Is that why he hates you?"
Amber nodded before whispering back, "And the feeling's mutual. The general hates Solos and Skywalkers. All because of Leia. He was furious that she led the Resistance while he was a lieutenant. He's still convinced that he should have gotten the promotion."
Seraphina watched as her mother spoke to the general with a calm tone. "I apologize, general. But a First Order ship located us and we had to flee. Our best choice was to come here. Besides, I would think that the company of six Force-sensitives would be a reassurance in the Resistance. After all, we can help fight off the First Order."
The general clenched his jaw before glancing at Seraphina. "Why is she here? Isn't the First Order searching for her? If she's here, then she's a danger to us all."
Rey glared at the man who stood only an inch taller than her. "She's here because she's more powerful in the Force than Ben and me. She'll be a great asset to the fight. Wouldn't you agree?"
The general returned the frown before nodding firmly and then making his way inside the base. Rey sighed while Ben hugged her. "You did a good job cousin. I wish I could hack that guy into tiny pieces."
"Ben!" Rey exclaimed.
"What? Just tiny little bits and-"
"Ben." Leia said firmly, putting an end to the topic.
Seraphina glanced up at the sky. Dantooine's moon was climbing the sky while the sun was slowly setting on the horizon. "Let's get inside and get some rest. We'll have plenty of stuff to do tomorrow."
The next morning was slow. The family had gone to the training room where they had decided to have a bit of fun sparring. Rey had suggested playing a sparring game: Solos vs. Skywalkers. Luke had protested at first but upon Leia's insistence to at least play once, he had reluctantly agreed.
Amber, Ben, and Leia made up one team while Seraphina, Rey, and Luke made up the other. Each of them activated their sabers, Seraphina using Anakin's and Leia borrowing Nathan's. Nathan, Poe, and Finn stood in one corner to observe the fight. BB-8 and R2-D2 cheered in their droid language for the Skywalkers while C-3PO was torn between rooting for the son of his creator, or the woman he had spent most of his time with. He finally decided that it was becoming too much to deal with and left the room. Nathan cheered for Seraphina while Amber shot him a death glare. Finn and Poe were favoring Leia's team.
When the fight began, Seraphina immediately targeted Amber, knowing that the young girl was not as skilled as she. Amber's eyes were wide as she deflected each strike. Seraphina Force pushed Amber into a wall and the girl fell to her knees in a daze. Seraphina swung her saber towards the girl's throat but brought the blade to a stop centimeters away from the bare flesh of her opponent.
"Amber you're out!" Nathan shouted. Amber walked over to where he was standing and grumbled something incoherently.
Seraphina glanced at the other four combatants. Rey and Ben were fighting but both seemed to be doing fine. Luke and Leia were going against each other and Seraphina decided to jump in to help her grandfather. Leia was taken by surprise at Seraphina engaging her in the fight. Leia was doing pretty good against Luke but now that she was fighting two Jedis, Leia was struggling to stay in the game.
When Leia went to block Luke's saber, Seraphina swept her leg under the older woman. Leia fell, Luke's saber at her throat.
"General, you're out!" Poe shouted with a grin.
Seraphina and Luke turned to watch Rey and Ben battling. They were evenly matched. Luke moved in to assist his daughter. Ben quickly took out Luke Skywalker while keeping up the fight with Rey. Seraphina joined her mother in the fight, only to be taken out a lot more quickly than desired.
Minutes passed by and the fight continued. Rey and Ben were beginning to tire. Rey pushed Ben back with the Force, giving her room to breathe before attacking him. The air was filled with the sounds of lightsabers crashing against each other. The fight finally ended with Rey's lightsaber poised at Ben's eye level.
He backed away from the saber but admitted his defeat. "I hate it when you win."
Rey smirked and deactivated the blue blade. Turning to Seraphina, she said, "When are you going to create your lightsaber?"
"I'll go do it right now." Seraphina said, quickly dismissing herself and hurrying through the halls to her quarters. She sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of the pile of metal pieces that had been there since arriving on Dantooine the day before. She closed her eyes and focused on the Force, directing it at the pieces of metal. She felt the pieces begin to fit together, creating the hilt of her lightsaber.
She pulled out one of the two kyber crystals from her pocket and inserted it into the hilt, fastening the last piece of metal into place. After placing the other kyber crystal into place, she lowered the hilt to the ground and opened her eyes.
The hilt was gray with black and white swirling around the handle. But rather than it being regular lightsaber hilt, it was similar to Rey's since it was meant to be used as a staff. Seraphina exhaled but was unsure of how her family and friends would react to seeing the new saber.
When she finally decided to emerge from her quarters, it was late in the afternoon. She joined the rest of the Solos and Skywalkers in the canteen where they were eating dinner. Her stomach rumbled and she grabbed something from the counter before taking a seat next to Ben and Rey. Since spending time with her family, she realized that Rey and Ben were never far from each other and that they made an excellent team. Her mother had explained to her that she and Ben had a connection, a Force bond. They understood each other due to their link.
"So Seraphina…" Amber was saying. "Do we get to see your lightsaber?"
Seraphina smiled despite her nervousness. "Can I show you next time we go into battle?"
Amber pouted. "Fine. But I'm not happy about it."
Before Seraphina could take a bite out of the food in front of her, the Resistance's alarms went off, indicating that a First Order ship was on the way. Seraphina put her fork down as a voice came on over the loudspeaker. "All personnel please evacuate the base."
"And make your way to Hoth." Amber muttered.
"And make your way to Hoth." The voice finished.
Rey stood. "Let's go. We have to get to Hoth before the First Order arrives."
Ben nodded. "Grab your stuff and then meet us in the hanger."
Everybody agreed and Seraphina hurried to her room and grabbed the lightsaber belonging to Anakin and the one owned by her master. Just as she reached the door, images flooded her mind. She saw bodies, all dead and bloody lying at her feet. Her family… her friends… all dead. She saw her mother being struck down by a red lightsaber before the wielder turned on her.
Seraphina stepped back but fell to the ground that was littered with debris. Fires roared in the distance, consuming anything in its path that was flammable. Amaro stood before her, his lightsaber the color of the blood that stained the ground around her. Smoke filled her nostrils and throat, choking her. And then Seraphina found herself back in her room.
She gasped for air, the taste of smoke still in her mouth. Her heartbeat was erratic. She took several deep breaths to steady her pounding heart. It seemed to be working when all of a sudden, she heard his voice again.
Surrender to me, and you're friends won't be hurt. His voice whispered.
Seraphina's heart began hammering against her ribs again. How do I know that you'll keep that promise?
I only want you. The others are of no use to me. Once I have you, then the First Order fleet will leave.
Seraphina tuned him out and stood up. Her family agreed that she was too valuable to fall into the hands of the First Order but at the same time, if she gave herself over to Amaro; if she surrendered, then her family and friends could get away and they would be unharmed. Seraphina shook these thoughts away.
She made her way towards the hanger and paused when she saw her family. Ben gestured for her to come over to them. When she arrived, Ben explained to her the situation. "We're not going to get out of here without a distraction. The First Order will be waiting for us."
"I'll be the distraction." Seraphina volunteered.
Rey jerked her head up from where she had been checking something on the Millennium Falcon and looked at her daughter. "What? No, you can't."
"Relax, Mom. I'll take an X-wing and distract the First Order while you guys head to Hoth. I'll follow after making sure they won't be able to track me."
Rey started to say something but Ben cut her off. "She'll be alright, Rey. We need to get going or else we're not going to make it to that ice planet."
As the others started to board the Falcon, Luke muttered something about returning to that forsaken icy wasteland. Leia said something to him before swatting her twin brother on the back of the head. When the ramp closed and the ship had taken off, Seraphina hurried over to the closest X-wing.
We've spotted the Millennium Falcon. Came Amaro's voice in her head. I can sense you're not on it. Does that mean you are coming to my ship?
Yes… Seraphina said as she started up the X-wing.
Good. I'll alert my men not to shoot down the Falcon.
Seraphina directed the X-wing out into the sky of Dantooine and exited the atmosphere of the planet. The First Order Destroyer was accompanied by five other Star Destroyers. TIE fighters zipped around and fired at squadrons of X-wings. Seraphina could feel Amaro's presence onboard the lead Star Destroyer. As she got closer to the ship, a group of TIE fighters began to fire at her.
She maneuvered past their shots but was almost blown up several times. She clenched her teeth as one of the shots hit the X-wing. It shook violently. Well that can't be good. She thought.
What can't be good? Amaro asked.
Seraphina silently cursed herself for not shielding her thoughts better. Nothing.
She was close to the Destroyer now. She made an attempt to land in the hanger. Instead, the X-wing crashed on the metal floor. Seraphina quickly jumped out of the aircraft as smoke began filling the cockpit. She stumbled when her feet hit the ground and she collapsed to her knees. Her head spun from the shaking of the X-wing and the smoke that had made its way into her lungs. She coughed which made her head hurt and her lungs ache.
Somebody knelt next to her, asking if she was okay. She barely heard the voice and only nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, she looked up into the jade green eyes of Amaro. She knew that now that she had come to him willingly, she wasn't allowed to leave.
Rey couldn't help but worry about Seraphina as the rest of the family sat in the Millennium Falcon while the ship cruised through the blue expanse of hyperspace. Her leg bounced up and down as she thought of her daughter.
You do know what she's planning, don't you? Rey silently asked her cousin.
Ben nodded. Yeah, I do.
Why would she do something like that? Tears began to form in Rey's eyes and she pushed them away. Rey rarely cried.
To protect us. Was Ben's response.
It's brave, yes, but stupid all the same.
If I recall correctly, Ben began. You did the exact same thing by surrendering yourself to Kylo Ren in an attempt to save your friends.
Rey's cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Yes, she had given herself over to Kylo Ren so that he wouldn't continue to hunt her down and kill her friends.
Seraphina will be okay. Ben assured her. She's a Skywalker.
Rey smiled slightly and her cousin pulled her into a hug. Rey gladly accepted the embrace. When she pulled away, Ben gripped her prosthetic right hand. "She will be okay." Rey nodded. Ben was right. Seraphina would be fine.
Author's Note
I feel like in Episode VIII, if Rey ends up being a Skywalker, then she might lose a limb. It must be a Skywalker thing besides growing up on desert planets.
Please review and all that good stuff. It has been a rough week. Two of my sisters and my father have been sick so I have been busy. I was so happy to have gotten this done.
What color do you think Seraphina's lightsaber crystals are? What do you guys think of the vision? I tried not to be too descriptive when it came to that because sometimes, I scare myself when I write and that's only because I can be extremely descriptive.
Thank you for reading!