161 Rey's Future 161
Close up on Rey's sleeping face in pitch black. Visions begin casting. Finn's voice pulls her. Blink into a blurry room, with fire everywhere. A defeated Finn in the middle, crippled, with Kylo Ren holding his blade at Finn's neck.
FINN Stay out of the Empire, Rey.
Rey screams as Kylo swings to behead him. Blink into a crowd of well-dressed, faceless, royal figures. They surround Rey and place a ring on her finger, only for it to pass through her hand and hit the floor. As Rey examines this, they explode into a ball of fury. Rey erupts from the vision with energy flailing out of her.
..
162 Torture Room 2 – Int. 162
Rey awakens into a far more threatening room than Poe was in. Syringes and blades hang close. The red light of the floor is the only light. The black walls are tighter, more intimate. A platform binds Rey. Rey is still panicked from the vision, energy lashing out of her. Kylo appears from the shadows, effortlessly redirects any bolts near him. Poe's warning about the Empire's torture is shooting through Rey's mind as he approaches. Her fear increases the volume of erratic energy. Kylo puts his hand over her head.
KYLO Stop.
The sharp pain is far less than torture.
Rey still recoils, and her power rests. Ominous quiet.
KYLO I can take any answer I need. I will ask, and you will talk. If I sense the slightest deception—
Kylo gives a slightly sharper pain, Rey shrieks.
KYLO Do you understand?
REY Yes!
KYLO What has the traitor told you about our mission?
REY Nothing! Nothing, I swear it!
KYLO What has he told the prisoner?
REY I—I...
Kylo twitches his hand, threatening torture.
REY I don't know, I know nothing, they might have talked, I just don't know.
Rey is on the verge of tears.
KYLO Very well. Now. What is your name?
Kylo lets go and walks away.
REY Wh— what?
KYLO There is no trick. Your name.
REY My name is Rey.
KYLO Family name?
REY I'm sorry, I d— don't have one.
KYLO Who raised you?
REY My mother's servant.
KYLO Your mother's name?
REY She never told me.
KYLO And what happened to your mother?
REY I... I don't know.
KYLO Do not lie to me.
REY I— I— I think she died giving birth to me, I don't know.
KYLO ...with the same power you used against me?
REY ...
KYLO Who taught you?
REY No one.
KYLO Can you control it?
REY Not well...
Kylo Ren backs away and begins to believe an impossibility.
KYLO Show me.
REY I can't...
KYLO You must.
Kylo walks over behind Rey's head. He grabs her face again. The probing sharpness provokes the desired response as Rey screams and her power strikes every corner of the room. But nothing is damaged. Kylo presses harder.
KYLO Stop holding back. You have more than this.
Greater pain, nearing real torture.
KYLO Unleash everything, or you will die as your mother did.
Rey buckles and the resulting burst launches the door of the torture room. Kylo Ren hurriedly puts his hand over her eyes, knocking her out.
Two soldiers peer into the room, guns drawn.
CONCERNED STORMTROOPER Sir, are you alright?
Kylo is unhitching Rey's platform.
KYLO This one frustrates me. She will require greater technique. Have her bound in my quarters.
Kylo walks out of the room.
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163 Star Destroyer Hallway 1 163
Kylo enters to find two soldiers accompanied by Eepha Ren, who is staring at Kylo intently.
LOYAL STORMTROOPER Sir, Vice Admiral Hux is ready for you now. We will bring you.
Kylo Ren returns Eepha Ren's stare.
KYLO Very well.
Kylo turns to the two soldiers guarding what was once the torture room.
KYLO I expect the prisoner transferred when I return.
Kylo leaves with Eepha and the other two.
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164 Jedi Stealth Cruiser – Navigation Room 164
Outside the viewport of the ship is a wave of hyperspace. Finn sits in a dimly lit room, watching some of Rey's hologandas on BB8. Very quiet, a sense of dread fills the crew. Finn is trying to find the hope Rey saw in the footage, but he cannot see himself in the role.
Finn looks to his side and sees a human female with long red hair but cannot see a face.
FINN Is that what Datas looks like?
Vilpus contracts and her form returns to the green Twi'lek before we can see the face of Datas.
VILPUS Yes, sorry. I am wondering what she would be doing in this situation.
Finn points at the hologandas.
FINN Aren't these odds normal to a Jedi?
VILPUS ...Jedi Masters, maybe.
FINN What?
POE Oh, I called it!
Poe walks into the Navigation Room, sensing distraction from the Cockpit's front facing view of tunneling death. He keeps the door open, letting us see the Cockpit's viewport when cutting to him.
VILPUS I am still an apprentice to Datas. I have lived a long and dangerous life, but this is the first time I have been so cavalier about risking it.
FINN Any regrets?
VILPUS None. My first four hundred years before were a detached existence. A life with risk is a life that matters.
POE My life has been risked enough. I can really use four hundred years off.
FINN I don't believe that.
POE Yeah, you're right. But if we make it out of this, I'll take a short vacation. Finn needs a tour of true freedom, and my name can get us anywhere in the better half of the galaxy.
FINN Thanks, Poe, but... it's okay if that doesn't end up happening.
VILPUS *laughs* Optimism may be the only way we get out of this Finn. Take him up on his offer.
FINN I don't understand.
VILPUS After this, there will be nothing tying you down to any set path. You will be free. Isn't there anything —in an entire galaxy— that you truly want to explore?
Finn searches himself, finding nothing. Except:
FINN I would like to be with Rey.
Poe laughs.
VILPUS A young answer Finn. But sweet.
POE Well, who wouldn't want to 'explore' her, right?
As Finn is attempting to correct Poe, the hyperspace snaps out over the Faldur planet. The many Space Elevators dotting the world all connect to massive orbiting harbors with freighters taking cargo off-world. Of course, the greater focus is Vice Admiral Hux's Star Destroyer IV-class: Agnomenon.
POE And would you look at that! Finn gets his wish.
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165 Faldur Off World/ Jedi Stealth Cruiser – Cockpit 165
This sequence will be cutting between a view outside and inside the Jedi ship.
Poe rushes to the pilot seat, striking switches and rolling through knobs but not yet grabbing the control stick. The rest of the party join him there.
POE Vilpus, we need the highest stealth settings from here. I'm going to lower the main reactor as far as I can.
VILPUS It won't take long.
C3PO It is still possible to turn back!?
Outside, the visuals of the ship fade away. Only the edges are slightly noticeable.
VILPUS Good now.
POE Finn. If I see anything. Anything. I'm taking us out of here.
C3PO Should I prepare the hyperdrive for the retreat?
POE Can't do that 3PO. It'd be picked up at the range we're approaching. If they see us, it'll all be manual.
Poe grabs the control stick and begins moving the Jedi Cruiser toward the ship.
C3PO Oh, dear...
POE We're approaching now.
Silence falls on our heroes. Closer.
Closer.
Finn erupts up, startling C3PO.
FINN THERE! Right there! Do you see the far corner?
POE The section without light there?
FINN Yes, that right there is Hangar 7.
POE I only see two hangars lit on this side anyway.
FINN They must be inspecting the fighters there. I'm telling you, they haven't fixed hangar 7.
POE We don't know that yet.
VILPUS Keep it going. Let's see.
Closer.
And closer still.
A turret moves. Poe stops. After nothing happens, he moves in.
POE I can't believe it... it is open.
VILPUS Finn, excellent job.
FINN We still need to get through.
POE You still have any codes for a Garage Bird?
FINN ...they could have changed them by now.
POE We can't stay out here any longer Finn. We need to try something!
VILPUS Garage Bird?
POE Requesting shields drop without supervision. It's for ships returning during attacks.
Finn is typing what he knows in but keeps deleting what he has. The panic is beginning.
FINN And any alert will get us killed.
POE If we get picked up, that's it. Every ship here is going to be focused right on us.
VILPUS Finn. Clear your mind of doubts. You already know which to use.
Finn looks at Vilpus, then goes back, punching in the code. The frontmost shield goes down.
FINN Hurry, we don't have long. This is going to be rough.
Poe shifts the control stick forward. Halfway through the entrance, the tip of the ship sparks and shrieks. The light is blinding, the sound deafening.
FINN You can make it! Keeping going!
Poe continues chugging through the shield as it strips the entire surface of the ship. Once inside, the external shield returns.
POE Finn... Are we good?
FINN Yeah, they might have changed lowering the shields, but not the refresh on the external shield. The rest I just hoped were weak enough to plow through. We are good.
POE Finn. That was insane.
Poe rockets up, laughing, shaking Finn, who returns the laughter and embraces his friend, cheering the achievement. Vilpus smiles and starts getting up, leaving the boys to the victory lap. C3PO goes with her. R2D2 and BB8 stay to participate in the festivity.
.
166 Hangar 7 166
Hangar 7 is a vacant room with the only light coming off the external shield —the walls, floors, and ceiling bare open scars. The Jedi cruiser has landed safely in the middle with its newly stripped surface. Vilpus is first out, with C3PO close behind. The Agnomenon's wound now infected.
C3PO What a dreary place...
VILPUS This vessel makes no illusions for its purpose. This is the most comfortable part for us.
The remainder of our heroes exits the cruiser.
INTERCOM VOICE Now entering hyperspace.
The view from behind them shifts from stars to a side view of the blue tunneling effect of hyperspace.
POE Woah...
VILPUS Any slower, and that would have cut us in half.
FINN I did not know about that.
POE Worked out. Onto our prisoner.
FINN I'll need to use R2 up here.
Finn and R2D2 move to the far wall next to the large door. Finn punches some codes on the panel.
FINN Alright, R2D2 jack in and display the third-floor blueprints.
R2D2 *Beeps
R2D2 extends an arm out into the panel. After a few twists, he projects a hologram.
FINN Uhh, that's it! Perfect R2!
R2D2 *beeps returning the favor
FINN Okay, currently, we are here. Thankfully, the prisoner bay is only down here. Now we need which cell Rey is in. Jedi Vilpus, is that possible for you?
VILPUS Absolutely. I can tell where she is from here.
FINN Excellent—
VILPUS And she isn't there.
POE Of course.
FINN Can you place her?
VILPUS She is here. It is overwhelming.
FINN ...That's hangar 2. That's Kylo Ren's private domicile.
VILPUS There are some advantages. Rey's presence here may mask us from Kylo for some time. He is on another floor.
POE He'll notice when she moves then.
VILPUS We don't intend to stay long.
Vilpus changes into the form of a generic stormtrooper. The wound on her right arm remains. Finn immediately reacts against this.
FINN You don't want a trooper; we have chips inside the suits.
VILPUS Ah, what about an officer?
FINN That's better.
VILPUS I am not as familiar with officers within the Empire. I will need your mind, Finn.
Vilpus lifts her hand near Finn's head. Finn grimaces, expecting what he hears in the torture rooms. But the process is innocuous; shapeshifters need to be unnoticed when taking a new form from a target.
FINN Okay. Vilpus concentrates shifting to a female comm. officer.
The wound on her right arm remains.
VILPUS How is this?
FINN Exactly right.
POE Has a flaw right there.
VILPUS I can make them ignore this much. The last thing we need then: Finn. How many true Knights of Ren are on this craft?
FINN It should only be one other than Kylo Ren, Eepha Ren.
VILPUS That's good. It is impossible to sense a Knight of Ren.
POE Wait, Kylo still hasn't become a 'true' Knight of Ren?
VILPUS Apparently, whatever they do to make Knights of Ren, they did not do to him after betraying Luke. He still feels like the Jedi "Kylo Skywalker" he was before.
FINN He isn't like any Knight of Ren I have seen.
VILPUS I'll still need backup if we run into Eepha Ren. I will come back with a trooper. Poe, you will knock him out and take his armor.
POE I can do more than knock him out.
VILPUS That would be unnecessary.
Vilpus exits out the door.
FINN The plan's working?
POE So far. Never count on that.
.
167 Agnomenon's Royal Contact Room 167
All black room. Hux and Kylo Ren stand as equals, waiting. Eepha Ren is on the side closer to Hux but only stares at Kylo.
HUX I suppose if even the Emperor fails punctuality, there is hope your delay has gone unnoticed.
KYLO The traitor needed to be found—
HUX Your privilege to an opinion, Knight of Ren is denied! Especially until this meeting concludes. No second humiliation by you.
The three silently wait. Hux sighs, tapping his foot.
Suddenly the hailing signal. Hux waves his hand, and Emperor Zaltan appears as a hologram before them.
HUX & KYLO For the glory of The Empire!
ZALTAN At ease. You are behind schedule Vice Admiral Hux. This coordinated attack is on a strict timeline.
HUX Apologies for your grace. We have been preparing for the final charge. I assure you no time has been wasted on this vessel.
ZALTAN Hmph. Waste no further, all ships are here. Your position will be with Admiral Rastan Palpatine, on left proximal dorsal. You cover medial.
HUX We will arrive in haste.
ZALTAN You have yet to present a traitor's capture.
HUX There is nothing to report—
ZALTAN Not you, Vice Admiral.
KYLO Your grace, I am under an oath of silence.
ZALTAN ...No longer. State your peace.
Eepha Ren ends her focus on Kylo.
KYLO The traitor, with the prisoner, found a collaborator. They escaped Faldur.
ZALTAN And you just let this happen?
KYLO Never, sir. I tracked them down and cornered them on the backwater planet of Su'Ka'Lay. I captured the collaborator and had the greater two in my grasp. I withdrew under threat of death by Vice Admiral Hux, who sought to keep your schedule.
ZALTAN And what has the new prisoner stated?
KYLO Seemingly, the traitor has no knowledge of the greater mission. He has said nothing.
ZALTAN You told Hux all this, and he still made this decision?
KYLO The Vice Admiral silenced me before a situation report.
ZALTAN Acting so rash while in ignorance
KYLO He is still ignorant to the most troubling finding. A Jedi Master was in the same area as the traitor.
Both men look at Kylo in surprise and panic.
ZALTAN A Jedi Master!?
KYLO They attacked us separately. It is possible the traitor's skill with the Force is so weak, the two never came into contact, as the Vice Admiral had speculated.
ZALTAN ...the traitor has given no information as far as we know?
KYLO Yes.
Zaltan calms down.
ZALTAN This was far too sloppy... Had it not been for our speed, this error could have had time to metastasize fatally.
Zaltan thinks as the two men stay silent.
ZALTAN (cont.) After the culmination of our victory here today, there will be nowhere the traitor can run. It will be your private assignment, on my order to hunt the traitor down. Understood Knight of Ren?
KYLO Sir!
ZALTAN Vice Admiral Hux. General Organa has yet to take your bait. If this oversight leads to the destruction of your own plan, you will suffer every indignity becoming of such failure. Understood Vice Admiral?
HUX Sir!
ZALTAN I expect you in position in ten. May the Empire never fall.
Zaltan leaves. Hux is humbled and hesitant now.
HUX ...A Jedi Master, eh?
KYLO Yes.
HUX ...I'm sorry for being so crass, Kylo.
KYLO I am a Knight of Ren. Your apology is unnecessary.
HUX Stop that. You're not just some throwaway Ren like this one here. It was my mistake using this lesser Ren...
Hux then points to the House Hux sigil on Kylo.
HUX ...against my favorite. I apologize completely. Eepha Ren, you return to full command under Kylo Ren. See to it, Kylo. You never let me blunder like this again.
KYLO Of course.
They all take their leave out the Private Comm. Room
.
168 Hangar 7 168
Poe is putting on the suit of armor, no helmet yet. Three other troopers are tied up unconscious in the back, but only one without armor.
POE This fits. We're good.
FINN Alright.
VILPUS When you're ready.
POE Finn, you understand your end?
FINN Keep the ship safe.
POE And if we do not arrive?
FINN R2D2 has the coordinates. We'll go without you.
POE Sounds like we're all ready.
A signal fires off on the ship.
POE What's that?
FINN We're exiting hyperspace.
Shot stays on Poe. We can see the glow of hyperspace on the back of Poe's head.
POE Good timing, let's go.
As they exit hyperspace, the glow changes to a red.
FINN Wait...
VILPUS No!
Hux speaks over the intercom.
HUX Gentleman, rejoice! You have assured the victory today!
Poe turns around to see a completed Death Star. The shape is a sliced sphere composed of eight spindled arches. The claw-like tips permanently burning red, gripping an empty ring, ready to fire. The focus lens and head lay opposite, binding the machine to its cause. Deep black, coarse, and non-symmetrical, this machine relishes in its purpose. Groups of five Star Destroyers hover around it.
HUX (cont.) View starboard and take your glory: an operational Modular Death Star, codename KRANNEK.
Poe's very soul has sunken into his stomach.
POE It was bait...
FINN What do we do now?
POE Everything changes. Quiet! Let me look where we are.
Poe heads to the external shield and examines what stars he can see. They are in a thick reddish-orange interstellar cloud, but he sees enough stars.
POE We're in the Bloody Sea. Near the edge closer to Fowlasteen. We wouldn't be far from Chos.
FINN You think they are going to attack there?
POE Chos was bait the whole time. They want to wipe out half the military but keep any useful planet. That's what they've been doing. This whole. Entire Time. And we fell for it.
FINN Poe. What do we do now?
POE We can't save Rey.
Finn is quietly betrayed. Poe is panicky, but he still recognizes Finn's muted response to this.
POE I know! But this has become bigger than one girl. It's bigger than any one of our lives! This is irredeemable.
FINN But, what do we do?
POE We have to leave. I'm sorry Finn, we can't stay here! We have to get off this ship and tell the Republic.
Poe walks toward Vilpus' ship.
VILPUS Poe! You will not make it to hyperspace with this fleet coverage, not without any stealth. And the ship's surface has been destroyed.
POE Arghhhh! Your ship doesn't look big enough for a hyperspace transmitter.
VILPUS Correct, there is none on board.
POE ...Finn, where is the communications room?
FINN Floor nineteen, right below the command center.
POE Then that's what it is.
FINN There is no way you will send a message out to the Republic without alerting everyone.
Poe reaches an understanding about the situation.
POE Yeah... Yeah.
VILPUS Poe, your jacket is an Alderaanian Pilot's Jacket?
POE ...yeah. I can't let this exist. If I die, then... yeah.
VILPUS Then we will both go. Finn, I am already a communications officer, correct?
FINN Yes. Both of you look the part, but after you send that message...
VILPUS We know. This ship won't be used for escape anymore. Do you want to come with us?
FINN No, no. If you guys can make it, this is still our only chance out of here. I'm not throwing us all away yet.
VILPUS ...then take this.
Vilpus hands Finn a second lightsaber.
VILPUS I can't use my other arm anyway. Every Jedi should get the chance to wield one.
POE Finn...
FINN Yeah, Poe?
POE It was nice serving with you.
FINN Thanks. I could never have known freedom without you.
Poe puts on the Stormtrooper helmet, then he and the disguised Vilpus leave. Finn looks down at the lightsaber, then the MDS Krannek.
C3PO I knew this whole thing was a bad idea!
.
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