Leia's Mon Calamari star cruiser was docked in the Alderaanian space station. It was heavily damaged with carbon scarring and multifocal to coalescing pockmarks over the forward hull. Assessments were that it may never see battle again but would become a permanent part of the space station. Leia mourned silently in her quarters for the failed mission and the lost lives, her forehead resting on her folded hands. She thought of Luke.

Her somber meditation was broken by a knock at the door. She readied herself, wiped her face and got up to open the door. It was Boba Fett, standing proud and impervious as if the last twenty-four hours had never happened.

"You called for me, General," he said.

"Yes, come in," she suggested. "I wanted to thank you for what you did today."

Boba did not say a word in response but smiled.

Leia studied his face closely.

"Did you know it was a trap the whole time?" she asked and furrowed her brow.

"General, I assume everything is a trap," he said. "How do you think I survived this long?"

Leia thought of the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine.

"I suppose so," she said. "I'm sure you will want some reward for saving the crew of the Millennium Falcon."

Boba laughed.

Leia was unsure how to interpret that.

"Haven't you heard, General?" Boba smiled. "I'm retired."

Leia still thought this was unusual for him.

"You mean to tell me that you saved those men, and you don't want any payment?"

Boba laughed again. "Who said I wasn't getting paid?"

With that, he turned to walk out of the room.

Leia smiled and began to say something else, but Boba was already gone.

….

Finn stood in the medical bay. He was at a distance from Kylo Ren, who was lying down and being attended by medical droids. Electrical scars and burns could be seen on his arms and chest. Finn watched the progress.

Poe came up beside him reticently as he watched.

Finn and Poe were quiet for a moment, watching the medical droid bandage Kylo Ren.

"I don't know what happened," Finn said.

Poe put his head down and placed an arm on Finn's shoulder.

"She was so different. She looked so evil and dark," Finn said.

"Do you think she can come back?" Poe asked.

Finn looked like he was carrying the whole Resistance on himself. He looked tired and drained.

"I don't know," Finn could barely speak. "But, I shouldn't have left her."

Just then, they saw Leia enter cautiously into the medical bay. She approached Kylo Ren, her son, Ben Solo, and stood at his bedside. It was obvious to Finn and Poe that she did not know if she should touch her son's hand, but she wanted to. She stood there hesitantly, watching her son, whose eyes were closed. Pain was in her own eyes.

"The mission was a terrible failure," Poe said expressing his own grief.

Ben then looked up as if he knew his mother had been watching him. He raised his head a little and reached for his mother's hand to hold it.

"Not a complete failure," Finn said. "And there still is hope."

Finn patted Poe on the back and motioned for them to leave.

….

Rey stood in a stygian subterranean cavern, with dark pillars scattered throughout the room. In front of her stood Snoke, robed in ashen grey, an evil grimace on his face.

"Come closer," he said to Rey.

She approached and stared him down. Her eyes were not filled with the red rage of the dark-side presently.

"You have done well and become very powerful," Snoke began. "But there is much for you to learn. And much that I can teach you."

Her black-bladed lightsaber staff was in her hand but lowered.

"With my help, you will become more powerful than anyone in the galaxy . . . You will then be in charge of your own destiny."

The corner of Rey's mouth turned up in an almost hidden smile.

This is the end of Episode VIII.

If this ending depresses you, just be patient. Empire Strikes Back was a bummer, too. If you have questions or critiques about the story, PM me; or visit the google doc. I address the most commonly asked questions about Dark Jedi at the end of the google doc. You can find the link by going to Facebook riseofthedarkjedi. And although Boba Fett falls off in Episode IX, you can pick up his story where it has left off in my other fan fiction, Dark Bounty. As always your reviews are appreciated. And if you think I would like your writings, PM me, too!