Epilogue: I have a bad feeling about this…

After defeating the Stormtroopers, Zoroyais' foot soldiers and taking out the TIE fighters it was easy for the group to believe that victory was within their grasp. Especially when they made it back to where the Starfall and Kylo's shuttle were parked and the coast was totally clear. It didn't take long to realize that it was really all for nothing.

Taliki and Asera were furious that Kylo decided to send them to the Starfall. Asera and Taliki watched the battle from the ship which they seemed to be winning and couldn't understand why they couldn't stay and help. They were shocked that Eshreal wasn't upset about not being able to participate.

Eshreal had a feeling that the more people who stayed for the final battle with Zoroyais' personal body guards the easier it would be for them to capture or kill some of their group so she didn't argue when Kylo told her what to do. All she wanted was for them all to make if off of the stupid floating ball of ice in once piece. If she had to step away from the battle to insure they all had a safe way off of the planet she wouldn't be the one to complain. Instead she directed Taliki to help Asera prepare the cargo bay for any wounded they may have when things were all said and done.

The women were shocked when Gear brought the limbless clone male onto the ship. Gear locked him in the far side of the cargo bay.

Together Eshreal, Gear and Taliki watched as Kylo's shuttle exploded with Rey only a few feet away. Kylo's bellow shook the Starfall and Eshreal called to Asera that Rey was injured. Eshreal set the Starfall down just as Cade came running with Rey in his arms.

Then Zoroyais appeared from out of thin air, chasing away all of the light as he descended to the ground. Asera rushed Rey to one of the makeshift beds and began treating her right away. As soon as Sera had her stable Rey was trying to get up to get back to Kylo who was busy being thrown around along with Zer-o by Zoroyais.

Finally Rey'd had enough and she headed to the cockpit where Essie and Cade were busy coming up with a plan to get Zer and Kylo away from the dark Force user. Rey tried to communicate with Kylo but had to stop when a scream escaped her lips. Whatever Zoroyais was doing to Kylo, Rey felt it as if she were down on the ground with him.

Gear helped their fearless leader to a seat while Eshreal moved the Starfall into position. Cade went to the gunner's seat and began firing at Zoroyais while using the Force to keep their friends from being hit by friendly fire. While that monster was busy trying to stop the cannon fire that was being spurred on by Eshreal and Cade pushing it forward with the Force, Gear jumped out to go after Zer-o.

Next Taliki and Asera jumped down with the stretcher. Gear was helping Zer-o onto the ship slowly so that Asera was able to see the ruin of his face. They didn't have the time to be angry they needed to get Kylo Ren out of there before he was captured or killed.

As soon as they had him on the ship Eshreal took off into hyperspace.

Asera immediately went into doctor mode working to staunch the bleeding from Kylo's chest wounds. Once she thought she had him stable she looked Zer-o over and then the machine monitoring Kylo's heart began going crazy. On top of everything Rey collapsed near Kylo.

Then it was like all hell broke loose. The Starfall started shaking worse than any solar storm had ever rocked it. The power began cutting in and out leaving them with only the engines sometimes. If things kept up the way they were, the members of the Knights of Rey as well as both of their leaders would never make it back to Olara to warn everyone of what had happened. Eshreal thought for sure that they were all going to die.

Asera dropped everything and went to Kylo while Gear went to Rey and began chest compressions. Asera also tasked Taliki and Cade to monitor how Zer-o was doing. Asera was finally able to get Kylo stabilized and as soon as she did, Rey stabilized too. And then the Starfall stabilized.

The near death experience led Gear to head off to his room to find everything he could on Force Bonds. They needed to find a way to save Rey even if they couldn't save Kylo. The members of the Knights of Rey needed at least one leader. Without either Rey or Kylo they wouldn't be able to complete their training and trials and then there would be no one to stand up to Zoroyais and the First Order.

Eventually Eshreal put the ship on autopilot and made her way back to the makeshift med bay to check on things. Asera grimly informed her that Zer-o had lost his eye and had needed stitches across his face; Kylo's chest and torso were in ruins with parts of his heart shredded by Zoroyais' blade and Rey had collapsed and had yet to regain consciousness. Asera seemed genuinely upset when she said that the chances for Kylo Ren to live and make a full recovery were slim to none.

Luckily Asera was able to keep Zer-o and Kylo stable until they were able to get back to Olara where there was actual medical equipment, droids and 2 fully functional bacta tanks. Asera left Eshreal to fill in Leia and the rest of the Resistance about everything that had happened on Ilum. She and Gear took the two injured men into the operating room to try to save their lives.

Leia and the others were devastated as well as disheartened at the fact that they had clearly lost the first battle against The First Order and Zoroyais. However they were grateful for all of the lightsabers the group was able to procure from their enemies. Eshreal agreed to start teaching those willing how to wield a lightsaber safely and effectively so that if it ever came to it they would all be able to defend themselves.

With the first battle fought and lost, Leia and the resistance needed time to come up with escape plans in case they were ever found on Olara, attack plans to bring the fight to Hux and Zoroyais and contingency plans in case Rey and Kylo never woke up again. Not that Leia even wanted to think about that possibility but they needed to be prepared either way.

Leia and the others were slowly but surely coming to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe Eshreal, Asera, Cade, Taliki, Zer-o and Gear really were the Last Hope of the galaxy…

TO BE CONTINUED…

Soo, thank you to everyone who stuck it out over my little hiatus from the main story but here we are at the end of the Last Hope and the first chapter for The Neo Order: a Reylo Star Wars Story will be out later this week. I will officially announce the first chapter's release here and on Two Parts of a Whole, so keep an eye out.