110 Command Center 110
The Imperial makeshift command station holds panicked activity. Hux stands in the center, trying to control the situation. Eepha stands silently on the left of Hux. Kylo enters on the right.
KYLO For the glory of the Empire.
HUX May the empire never fall. Especially now.
KYLO Do we know where the traitor fled?
HUX The hijacked TIE-I.N. was in shambles as they left. At best, they may have managed a crash landing somewhere in this wasteland. We can begin searching the local settlements, but outside of some sand cruisers, we have no way to reach them until our remaining TIE-I.N.s are repaired. Thankfully, no men of honor were lost, and it will only take three hours.
KYLO The identity of the traitor?
Hux looks down in shame.
HUX …FN-2187. He took the prisoner with another trooper's tags.
KYLO I can draft a tighter range of their position with the trooper's original helmet. They will be annihilated.
HUX You have five standard hours to accomplish this. Contrary to your postulations before the Emperor, FN-2187 has no information that threatens us. Even if he did, they have no means of hyperspace communication. Make no mistake, this is still a lower priority to our rendezvous with the fleet.
KYLO This matter is top priority to the Emperor. It will end in accordance with our deadline.
HUX …see to that, Kylo.
Hux gestures to Eepha Ren. She joins Kylo as they exit.
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111 Witch's Den — Ext. — High Noon 111
Poe has been dragging an unconscious Finn for some time. He is drained. Finn's armor has been taken off to reduce weight, and his EG-8 rifle hangs on Poe. As Poe gets closer to the Witch's Den, he sees blaster craters and objects floating in midair. Poe looks quizzically at the surroundings, wondering how dehydrated he really is. Suddenly, a red rifle shot hits in front of Poe, bringing his focus back to the Star Destroyer.
POE Whoa!
The unseen shooter's voice is female. Her voice is commanding and calm despite the circumstance.
REY Stop there, state your business.
POE Uh… alright, alright! I was told by my friend here you can heal wounds or something. Uh, can you?
REY Where is your payment?
POE I… I have nothing on me…
A second shot lands closer to our heroes.
REY Die elsewhere.
POE Hey! Hey! I am a Republic Elite. Eh? You heard of that out here in nowhere? It means credits! More than you can count! So nothing now! Nothing on me, but everything you want! After you heal him.
REY ...you are both with the Republic?
POE Yeah... That's right. We're Republic spies. And he needs your help.
REY Three million credits.
POE ...that is a lot of credits.
A third shot near the men.
POE Alright, great haggling! Three million. It's done —if!— You can fix him.
A pause, then the small, spherical droid BB8 appears and starts fiddling with some controls on the outside of the Den. A bridge drops down, allowing Poe access.
REY Follow the droid.
BB8 excitedly drops down with a clunk and rolls to the men in a fashion that seems to say, "common, right this way!"
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112 Witch's Den — Int. 112
Poe drags Finn where the droid guides him. He looks at the strange interior of the incomplete Star Destroyer. More items are floating. Poe can barely see the shadowy figure of a young woman with a sniper rifle but can't make any details out. BB8 stops at a door that opens to reveal an unlit medical wing.
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113 Medical Room (Where the magic happens) 113
BB8 repeatedly careens into a domed pod, opening the front hatch. Inside can fit an adult male; it is empty inside save an oxygen mask and a thin metal articulating arm. Next to it is a baggy suit and some water for Poe to drink.
REY You will need to take off his clothes, then put him in the shrink suit. Grab the mask inside the pod put it on him.
Poe does so. The suit is form-fitting. Used, but stylish. BB8 politely takes Finn's belongings.
REY Put your friend inside and attach the side unit to his arm.
POE Hey, any part of this three million involve you doing anything?
A disheveled —but pretty— stoic young woman about Poe and Finn's age enters. Covered in tiny nicks and scars. Poe's demeanor shifts upon her reveal.
REY Stand far back. This can be a violent process.
Poe backs up as BB8 nudges him. Rey closes her eyes and places her hands over the pod. Electricity starts erupting from the woman. Lights turn on all over the medical room. The pod flickers, but nothing stays on. As she continues, pieces start being ripped off from the other areas, sometimes violently. Poe looks on in awe and ducks an object glowing from extreme heat transfer. After the pod sustains a charge, Rey lets go and takes a deep breath, the kind one has after stretching.
POE That's a witch, alright...
Rey looks at the now lit monitor on the pod.
REY He has several major injuries. Both legs are fractured, but most critical is a spinal fracture. I have seen this pod heal worse, but it will take some time.
POE Money may not be a factor, but time is. How long?
REY I need to check all his minor injuries still. Give or take two standard hours.
Poe is overjoyed to hear this; he was expecting a day or two.
POE Haha, that's fine! Wow, these imperial tanks are something. You can power them with... that?
REY Yes.
Poe gets closer as Rey presses buttons on the monitor. BB8 notices it too late to stop him.
POE I can see why they call you a witch. That kind of Force power is incredible.
REY It's not the Force.
POE No, it's the Force.
REY The Force needs control, I can't—
Poe slightly grabs Rey's shoulder to get a better look inside the pod. This surprises Rey and a bust of energy sends both Poe and BB8 comically flying out the medical wing.
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114 Witch's Den — Int. 114
Poe hits the wall flush to his back, knocking the wind out of him. It has been a long day. Poe had watched his fellow soldiers die, been tortured, crash-landed twice, and walked hours carrying a carcass in the desert. And now this. BB8 was caught in the pulse and flies out after Poe already lands. He seems a little rattled but shakes it off fast. Rey puts her head outside, doesn't fully enter the hallway to keep her distance.
REY BB8, you okay?
BB8 *uses his lighter for a thumbs up
Rey sweetly smiles back. Poe has had enough of today.
POE Really? You ask the droid? My spine may be fractured now, and you ask a disposable mining droid!?
REY Well, I would hate to make another three million credits.
POE Unbelievable. Urgh! This has been a terrible day, and you witch lady fit right in with all of it. You break Finn's tank in your freak out there?!
REY It was the first thing I checked! He's fine. I told you to stand back, and you disobeyed! I can't control it! It's not the Force.
POE Clearly! You're no Jedi. Haha, you could be a Knight of Ren. You've done more damage to me today than they have!
REY …A Knight of Ren attacked you?
POE Two knights. One crashed my cruiser. The other blended my brain. Then my other cruiser crashed. Like I said. Long day. Getting longer still. You got any stimulants here?
REY Uh…
BB8 *hands him the goods
POE Oh, thanks, little man! I can see why you like him.
Poe injects himself and instantly perks up.
POE Ooh! Look, I am still on a mission with the Republic. Reinforcements are coming soon, but they won't get here for a quarter rotation. We need to get off world. You wouldn't happen to have anything around here, would ya?
REY ...no. I have nothing like that here. I would destroy any vessel I was inside.
POE Right, yeah. You should not be flying —next plan. I'm off to that town. I'm gonna need this…
Poe takes off his jacket and puts on a raggedy, hooded cloak, covering his Military uniform. Heads outside to the nearest city.
REY That's Musparl. What are you going to do there?
POE Find a starship. Only option.
Rey watches Poe head off to the bridge, split between her distanced disposition and Republic sympathies.
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115 Witch's Den — Ext. 115
REY Wait!
Poe turns, and Rey almost tells him too much.
REY ...there's a land speeder I haven't broken yet. Take it with you on your mission.
BB8 *tilts head in surprise
POE …no charge?
REY (laughs) it's on the house.
BB8 *Shrugs by lifting his two fan protectors
BB8 rolls along to get the land speeder out. Poe hops on it as Rey watches from a safe distance.
POE Thanks. This one won't crash.
REY You better not. It's hard for me to keep those you know!
POE Hey, I know you got it taken care of. But the guy in there? He is the bravest man I have ever met and is the only good part about my day. He deserves to make it through this. Promise me you will take care of him.
REY I promise.
POE Then I'm off.
Poe revs the accelerator and speeds to the town in the distance as Rey and BB8 look onward.
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116 Finn's Past 116
Close up on Poe's face in the pod: unconscious, relaxed. He hallucinates ambiguous sounds, many women's voices. Blink into hazy images of a home with two women and two soldiers. Muffled noise sharpens into words.
FINN'S MOTHER You have to return our glory, (name inaudible).
Finn's brow twitches some. Blink to a festival of burning floats watched from underneath many seated people. A younger woman holds Finn in tears.
FINN'S SISTER When we get glory back, we can sit up there, (name inaudible).
Finn's brow furrows, his breathing quickens. Blink to a mess of images; His sister taken away, him taken from his mother. They are screaming out his name. He cannot hear it. Finn erupts out of his healing sleep.
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117 Medical Room 117
Finn wakes up inside the pod. He is breathing heavily and needs to take off the mask. He beats on the front of the pod until a new woman can be seen approaching from the hazy glass. Finn looks surprised and backs away from the door. Outside the pod, Rey presses a button and pulls a latch. The door opens, and the retracting arm detaches from Finn. Finn bursts out, startling Rey. She dashes away just in time as Finn stumbles out and falls. He is looking up at Rey, who staggered into a flattering light while dodging him. Finn has not been face-to-face with a woman without his hormones suppressed in a decade. And right now, this disheveled witch looks like an angel. Rey is still curious about talking to a Republic spy.
REY You woke up with more energy than most!
FINN (panting) ...what?
REY Listen. Your name's Finn, right? Your friend took you here to see me. You just woke up from a healing pod.
FINN ...are you with the Republic?
Rey smiles a little at the suggestion.
REY No, I am the healer in the Star Destroyer. Try to remember, your friend is paying a lot of money for this.
FINN You're the witch!?
Any trace of a smile is gone now.
REY I am. Your friend should have been here to help you out, but left to find a ship.
FINN What? No! We search towns first! Where is he?
Rey lackadaisically points outward.
REY Musparl. Largest city outside.
Finn rushes out while Rey collects some tools. She has lost all interest in Finn now.
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118 Witch's Den — Ext. 118
Finn rushes out. BB8 is outside, still waiting for Poe to return. Finn surprises BB8, and the ball falls down the stairs.
FINN No no no no, oh! Sorry. Are you okay?
BB8 *shakes his head to regain his senses, then nods
FINN Great! Now, oh man. Why did he do that... Did he say when he will get back?
REY Nope, took my speeder and said he'd come back with a starship.
Finn sighs and realizes there is nothing he can do.
FINN I hope you know what you're doing, Poe.
REY I don't get that impression from him.
Finn's attention is returned to this possibly available woman. And woefully, he is aware of his flounderings so far. Finn returns to the interior.
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119 Witch's Den — Int. 119
Rey has become uninterested and annoyed with Finn's presence. She takes off her earring, starts tuning the pod, but she really wants to sit and watch old hologandas of Luke Skywalker. Finn prevents this. Finn walks into the hallway, looking for a way to continue talking to her.
FINN *Coughs* well, he thinks fast on his feet. He is Republic Elite.
REY Mhmm.
She doesn't care, Finn. What else? Finn finally notices the objects floating around.
FINN So... what's with all this stuff?
REY If it bothers you, it stops further outside.
Finn realizes his entire life in service to the Galactic Empire made him a dull person. Is there anything he can use? This is an Imperial craft. He notices the pod he was healed in.
FINN Is that an SRR Healing Pod?
Rey stops this time.
REY Uh, yes. It's pretty beaten up.
FINN No, it's impressive it's working at all! Empire discontinued making these standard-issue in Star Destroyers thirty years ago. They need constant repair. Only royalty and those of highest glory have these now. I actually met someone who worked on the deluxe Hadron model for House Fashna!
REY ...I don't know what any of that is…
It is becoming clear to Finn how little of Imperial culture is known outside his bubble. But Rey sees market interest in Finn's knowledge.
REY Is there a way for it to heal diseases or illnesses?
FINN It can heal the injuries from a sickness, but the virus is usually still there.
REY I see. That's what I thought.
FINN Did you fix up this whole place yourself? You have a team, family, uh,...boyfriend?
Rey is unwilling to open up at this time.
REY My boyfriend is over there.
Rey points to a busy BB8.
BB8 *excited beeping noises
FINN Oh, a BB mining unit. That's an odd pick.
REY He's very durable. I've had him longer than anything else. Which reminds me, you are getting too close. I sent your friend right out that door.
Finn sees the dent in the wall.
FINN Wow! That's... impressive…
Finn looks at Rey's slender frame, confused.
Rey rolls her eyes at needing to explain a piece of her she hates and holds the circuit breaker on the wall. The room lights up with only minimal debris.
FINN Wow! Now that's impressive! Is that the Force—
REY It's not the Force. I've had it since I was born, and I can't control it. It can go off at any time.
FINN Oh. OH! That's how you can still operate the SRR! The pod is so inefficient with the synoscanner, carbon-filer, biosplicer, that it all just overheats. But if you supply and place the energy, you can stop that from damaging the internals!
Rey is finally interested again.
REY You're a Republic Elite...?
FINN Oh, no, Poe is! I'm uh, mmm. I'm... an Imperial Stormtrooper.
REY What!?
FINN But not anymore? I'm a... spy... now?
REY Won't the Empire punish your family for leaving?
FINN They already have. My family lost all its glory and honor. They're gone now. I was the last one left to restore my family name. And I am a traitor now.
REY Oh...
FINN I can't even remember them very well. I was given heavy conditioning to purge my family's subversions. I don't even remember my own name.
REY Your name isn't Finn?
FINN ...it is now. I like it.
REY It's a good name... mine's Rey.
FINN It's an honor to meet you, Rey.
Finn goes to shake Rey's hand before realizing. But this time, Rey doesn't recoil. She is flattered by the attempt.
FINN Oh, I, uh...
REY It's an honor to meet you, Finn.
Rey shares a non-contact handshake through a tool she was working on the healing pod with.
REY Say, Finn, do you know anything more about Imperial technology?
FINN A lot! I was trained in engineering during school-to-academy. I was stationed as a mechanic until I got promoted to higher glory.
REY Has it been a long time since you worked on anything?
FINN Nope. Just got promoted yesterday. It's been a long day.
REY I see. I have something to show you, follow me.
BB, ready the hangar!
BB8 *Noises of acknowledgment
BB8 enthusiastically rolls into a hole in the wall. Clanking and crashing can be heard behind it. Rey races down the hallway with Finn following her.
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120 Witch's Hangar 120
Massive, mostly empty hangar. Mounds of scrapped parts litter area. No electrical lights, but ceiling blinds are opening to let in some sunlight. Rey expertly jumps down some slapdash stairs while Finn needs to be far more careful. BB8 is already down and once there is enough light, starts grabbing a cloth covering a large object. He can't quite do it, so Rey helps while Finn gets to the floor.
FINN Woah.
A large, raised spacecraft is unveiled. Size of a bus. There are many mechanical tools and screens showing blueprints.
REY Yup, it's a T-4a shuttle, Lambda-class. Has everything, it flickers some, but it won't start.
Finn spies inside and points to a few parts.
FINN Sienar manufactured. Any Cygnus parts would trip it up.
REY Not the problem. Faldur was in a monopoly under Sienar during the Sidious Era: there are no Cygnus parts on the entire planet.
FINN Hmm. May I look inside?
REY Please!
Finn enters with Rey taking the opposite entrance.
FINN These shuttles are tricky, they were only meant to look good, and the air inlets suffer the most.
REY Yes! Even with the proper part numbers, the compression chambers don't fit right!
FINN Wow, it looks good! It's big, but it isn't invading the hydrogen synthesizer, and it joins well with the HO Condenser.
REY Oh, that's... not... it?
FINN No, but this is. Your Integrated Generator is tapped out. An IG in this condition won't generate nearly enough.
REY But I have the auxiliary battery there.
FINN Only used for space travel and needs the HO Condenser. Which needs the I.G.
REY Ooooh. So, a newer generator…
FINN And it'll fly.
Rey smiles and eagerly heads over to some loose engines. Takes off her earring, grabs a snack, picks a tool, and gets to work. Finn finds a tool, and works the one beside her, at a little too close of a distance.
FINN I'll take apart what I can too.
REY Thanks! I appreciate it, and the advice.
Finn finds some comfort in doing a task he's performed all his life. BB8 pushes some food over to Finn, which the hungry man accepts.
FINN That's delicious.
REY There's more in there.
FINN Did you guys really do all this on your own?
BB8 and Rey look at each other.
REY No. It was... this whole place was home to my scavenging party.
FINN What happened?
REY One day we went out flying. And I couldn't control it.
Finn has never handled someone in grief before. He doesn't know what to say. There is a long pause.
REY It wasn't everyone. Just the ones that weren't afraid to ride on a speeder with me.
Rey looks again to BB8.
REY The rest never came back. It's just been me and BB8 since.
FINN Long time?
REY A very long time ago.
FINN They were your family?
REY Well, none of us had family. My mom died before I could remember. Her servant, Shika, never told me it was me, but... Shika was good to me. She's the one who gave me this earring; she said it was my mother's.
Rey grabs the earring, turns her head, bats some loose hair, and models it near her ear.
FINN It's beautiful.
REY Thanks. The shuttle was our leader Dagr's. We worked on it together. Taught me blueprints, the tools... we sometimes wouldn't even talk, just work together. I can barely remember what Shika and Dagr and I talked about anymore.
FINN It sticks with me now.
REY What?
FINN What my fellow troopers talked about. Before they died. They were the only family I had too. In the Empire, you're programmed not to feel it as much and encouraged to forget it. Every day they rewrite your mind in service to the Empire. But not anymore. It sticks with me now.
REY Do you feel bad abandoning them?
FINN If I went back, things would return to how they were. None of their deaths would stick anymore —none of their voices. I can't go back to living in numb misery every day. I had to break free. It's the only way their deaths will mean anything.
REY But what do you do now that you're free?
FINN I don't know. I'm free now. I'm happy to die here, just remembering them and being free.
REY You could meet Luke Skywalker.
Finn is stunned then starts to chuckle.
FINN Where did that come from?
Rey is embarrassed.
REY Sorry, weird thing to say to a stormtrooper.
FINN Hahaha, that'd be the wildest thing. Never thought about that. And what, become a Jedi? Haha, that's crazy.
REY It is pretty crazy.
FINN Me, a JEDI!
Finn mockingly pretends his wrench is a lightsaber. BB8 flashes lights to help the joke. Rey laughs along with the sad truth that they will never act out these secretly desired roles.
REY (laughing) Stop, stop, I get it!
FINN You like that? Maybe Poe will introduce me.
REY ...Does Poe know Luke Skywalker?!
FINN I don't know! He's Republic and an Elite. He can't be too far.
Rey is now closer than she may ever be again. Neither notice the faint explosions outside.
REY ...could you come back after you meet him?
Finn thinks fast (but not with his brain).
FINN Do you want to come with us?
Rey can't say yes, but the look Finn is giving her is making her feel many, many, strongly suppressed emotions.
REY ...this earring is special. Shika told me it's designed to look like hyperspace when you look closely. I'm never going to see that. Can you tell me if it does?
Rey puts the earring on the refrigerator between them. Finn stares Rey in the eyes wanting to convince her
—he has no argument. He grabs the earring. It is incredible ...like nothing Finn has ever seen. The faint explosions are getting louder.
FINN That's incredible.
REY She told me it was extremely rare.
The explosions are now too loud to ignore.
FINN What's that?
Rey listens.
REY Blasters.
FINN Imperial blasters. Oh, no.
Finn hands the earring back to Rey, directly touching her hand, and takes off. Rey is shocked by this then amazed/confused nothing happened. But right now, she needs to focus on the pressing issue.
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