-xoxo- The Empress of Death, 6 of 10 -oxox-

132 Warship Fenhogg Meeting Room – Int. 132

An emergency meeting has been declared. All military leaders convened. Inside Poe's meeting room, all the other fleet admirals and the remaining generals are attending virtually.

Poe has finished explaining the situation with Kylo watching in the background.

FLABBERGASTED GENERAL …you say our death star is now in control of the Empire?

POE I'm going to say the reason we had the votes to agree to this meeting was that the Gammalann guard fleet lost the station? High Admiral Cherubi, did the death star vanish while you were in hyperspace?

HIGH ADMIRAL CHERUBI …Admiral Dameron is correct. DS Gammalann disappeared from all sensors mid-voyage. We have gotten no contact since.

KYLO The Princes of Dawn would intercept hyperspace transmitter communication too.

The group silence acts as an agreement of reality.

GEN. PUSHAWN Against a death star, our republic will die along with the hope of another rising again. With odds overwhelming, it is on us to eke out a victory. Do we know where this "Cassariot" will take DS Gammalann?

KYLO From the confidentials I have heard from Admiral Dameron, there is a greater reason Cassariot issued this an Annihilation Summit. He uses the requirement for all non-military members to join on the planet New Sidious, or as it once called "Shi."

HIGH ADMIRAL CHERUBI He's bringing it to the same place it was already going?

POE It'll save him time on travel plans.

KYLO The hate they have for the Imperial Family is absolute. It is their first goal. I am sure they have plans about where to go after they enact their vengeance.

GEN. PUSHAWN High Admiral Cherubi, I trust your fleet is still the nearest to Shi?

HIGH ADMIRAL CHERUBI Yes, sir, General Pushawn. My fleet can be at Shi in an hour.

GEN. PUSHAWN Good. Admiral Dameron, your backdoor and sabotage plan is our best option. How soon can your fleet meet at Shi?

POE My fleet is three hours away. Considering the nature of this mission, I can push the hyperdrive and make it two.

GEN. PUSHAWN You will need more numbers. We need more at Shi in two hours.

About a tenth raise their hands.

GEN. PUSHAWN Thank you, men. We will create two forces: a Fleet on Shi and a fleet as an evacuation force for the Republic Cluster of Planets. I will be joining Admiral Poe. The remainder is to operate on the assumption that we have failed. Save as many as you can before they arrive. Do you understand soldiers?

EVERYONE (save Kylo & Pushawn) Sir!

GEN. PUSHAWN Invasion group and I are to reconvene in an hour. Make all your time count, soldiers.

The meeting ends, all the holograms wipe away.

KYLO There are still competent generals in the Republic?

POE Only the ones Organa stuck nowhere. Can't have anyone making comparisons.

KYLO And your own success isn't a treat to him?

POE Hilariously no. I took every Imperial Ex-Patriot. "Surely one will assassinate him!"

KYLO That is disappointing.

POE It takes a personal touch. Now move.

Poe pushes the Cardinal Knight toward the door. They both exit.

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133 Warship Fenhogg Hallway – Int. 133

Luke Skywalker is standing outside the door. Kylo is as surprised as he is awkward. Poe looks back just in time to see Kylo squirm. He grins ear to ear.

POE Now, now, Luke, Kylo is under my protection. If you want to have a go—

LUKE SKYWALKER It's good to see you again, Kylo.

KYLO …thank you, master.

Poe cannot express his disappointment enough.

LUKE SKYWALKER I was expecting to be waiting longer. Nice to see the Republic changing pace.

POE New leadership, Luke. General Organa chose to captain the Gammalann himself. I'm… sorry for your loss.

LUKE SKYWALKER (morose) …we must see to it the rest of the galaxy isn't lost too. What is the plan?

POE Pretty loose at the moment… but we will join with a larger fleet that will distract the enemy for my fleet to invade alone.

KYLO We can have more fleets join us inside.

POE No, we're going to start the hidden destruct sequences. Regular soldiers will have the knowledge of that ripped from them. It has to be done by Jedi and my Crownhunters.

KYLO No, Prince Helena is second only to me in mind-pulling. They will find it. We need more men to defend against them from stopping the self-destruct.

POE Oh~ho~ho second only to you, huh? Luke, you just gonna take that?

LUKE SKYWALKER The kid still has an ego.

POE Let's deflate that some. Kylo, slave buddy, my brain is sore from all your bitching. It could use a massage, eh?

Kylo hesitates on Poe's request for torture.

POE 'Common, take a peek. You know what you're looking for, right?

Kylo walks up slowly. His hand over Poe's face.

Every vein flares up red on Poe's face as Poe muffles his own screams. But then his veins flash green, and Poe cannot hold them in anymore.

Kylo takes his hand away, baffled. Poe gets immediate elation after it ends.

POE (numbed out) Oh, gotta I thank Build Corps for putting in the auto stimulants.

KYLO You're insane.

LUKE SKYWALKER Find anything, Kylo?

KYLO Only his own pain.

POE Chip with a rough mitochlorian sensor. Any shift, and it targets my pain receptors until it is all I can think about. Hits the pleasure after, which is…

Poe enjoys the high as it starts to fade.

POE (cont.) …too short.

LUKE SKYWALKER All your Crownhunters have these?

POE Oh, and much, much more. Let me show you boys how men fight.

Luke and Kylo roll their eyes as Poe starts his tour.

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134 Warship Fenhogg Build Corps. – Int. 134

Poe opens the door to the busy tinkerer's workshop. Guns, armor, all manner of warcraft, and the means to make them overstuff the factory. However, today, they are only doing maintenance. Kylo and Luke only have a morbid curiosity, but this entertains Poe.

POE Behold! The Ren blacksmiths' new home! Gentlemen, your Admiral is here.

Everyone stops what they are doing to salute their Admiral.

EVERY BLACKSMITH Admiral Dameron, Sir!

POE At ease, men. Our next assignment will have us working with these guests. Show them our wares.

There is some chuckling and a few scrambling to get their projects ready.

Poe turns back to the two.

POE Now you Jedi-types. You're monsters. Unstoppable to anyone outside your cults. But me and the fellas here have been around you. And we've seen the blind spots. You must know this one:

On cue, an engineer gives Poe a double-barreled rifle.

KYLO Quantum rifle.

POE Our oldest one! Tried and true, reliable, I love this gun.

PROUD ENGINEER All Crownhunters do.

POE And all Forcies don't. You can predict the shots before they happen, but not even the universe knows which barrel the shot will come out of until the trigger is pulled. And you might guess right! But rapid-fire? No. Accuracy goes out the airlock, but these guys are stormtroopers, so no difference there.

AENEAS Teach us how to crash a ship sometime too, Admiral!

Poe sees Aeneas has entered with Vilpus.

POE Showing off for a woman usually does the trick. And you're learning fast, Aeneas! Can't think of a better dating site than the workshop myself.

AENEAS A Crownhunter's only weapon is unpredictability.

Poe points to Kylo and Luke.

POE Captain Aeneas is precisely right. Jedi are only limited by what they know now, and even that can be expanded. For every new fight, we have a new spear. But Aeneas, you don't need to be here. I can show them around.

AENEAS Thank you for the thought, sir. But I want to be here one more time.

POE Here I thought I could take the lady off your hands. You're getting better. Let's keep going…

Poe leads the crowd further into his toy store.

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135 New Sidious Mansion – Int. 135

The capital of Rey's Empire now resides within a neighboring solar system. Much of the planet remains unterraformed, large deserts with pockets of walled cities providing a life-sustaining atmosphere.

The Imperial Family remains in wealth: lush gardens, golden roads, and white skyscrapers replace the spires before. Inside House Palpatine, General Solomon Palpatine and David Fashna discuss.

GEN. PALPATINE Thank you for arriving, David.

DAVID FASHNA Of course, General Palpatine. I enjoy our time together.

GEN. PALPATINE I'm not your uncle. I don't need the extra words.

DAVID FASHNA Politics then. Our missing House members…

GEN. PALPATINE In our house, the missing are any who abstained from a vote for annihilation.

DAVID Identical to us. For what end?

GEN. PALPATINE We're at a tipping point. The last vote falling tie… I have information that the Empress is trying to sway them to the Slave's side. They are being amassed on the MDS Krannek so that she will persuade them with a display of power.

DAVID FASHNA The Empresses' Democracy.

GEN. PALPATINE If she can flip even a single vote before we meet, our power will end.

DAVID FASHNA Is your House in such disorder? General, a shame. We have infiltrated the Krannek, our spies have ensured that our House members understand.

GEN. PALPATINE …Your spies?

DAVID FASHNA Yes, they evaded those Sham Princes' eyes. Come now, even with your political experience you couldn't smuggle any spies?

GEN. PALPATINE Of course not. That's impossible. Are you a complete idiot?

DAVID FASHNA No need for extra words old man.

Panicked Servant rushes in.

PANICKED SERVANT General! The Republic Death Star is here!

The General understands.

GEN. PALPATINE No words are needed at all, young one.

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136 DS Gammalann Headquarters – Int. 136

New Sidious displays on the DS Gammalann's targeting screen. Cassariot's officers staff the headquarters. Above them, Cassariot with five Princes of Dawn behind him. To his front left the chained General Organa. He leaves space for another on his right.

Two stormtroopers bring in a loud, thrashing Ephrath Galencia. She is bound and bent below him.

CASSARIOT Third Lady Galencia. We can begin.

EPHRATH I am not going to beg Cassariot.

CASSARIOT Look up, Princess.

EPHRATH I don't need to. I know where we are.

CASSARIOT You babble about nothing yet never speak about what you know. But tell me, why aren't you down there?

EPHRATH For your sick pleasure.

Chuckles from the Princes.

CASSARIOT I understand justice is a perverse concept to the Imperial Family, but you aren't entirely wrong. To your credit, you have never voted in favor of annihilation. So, you are here.

EPHRATH What of the others who abstained?

CASSARIOT Aboard the Krannek. We are holding a summit, but we all know how the Imperial Family votes.

EPHRATH And what after? You hold a trial for me and the survivors?

CASSARIOT Oh no, you are already guilty. We have the sentencing. The natural order your ilk ravaged, I am returning. The strong will be king, and the weak will be slaves. I have chosen you as mine, Ephrath.

EPHRATH Rey will avenge us. You will—

Cassariot grabs her hair. He strokes her face.

CASSARIOT How easily your words stop. Start the countdown from twenty. Ephrath, use that time to think about all the family you know down there. I want you to picture them. Draw them for me in your mind. General Organa, I want you to picture them too.

Ephrath helplessly stares. The time ticks down. And down. Then last count drops.

Shi is annihilated.

Cheers erupt from this accomplishment as the planetary explosion fades into sparks. Cassariot wells with pride as his dreams are realized. Organa tries to enjoy the sight, but he only feels echoes bounce distantly through him. Ephrath stays strong, but tears still sneak away from her.

CASSARIOT Men! The new age has begun! Our enemies dead! The lowest enslaved! And we! The greatest! Have climbed from the lowest point and become Star Kings! Remember this day! Our time has begun!

Ephrath keeps her head low in a hopeless piety.

EPHRATH Rey…

CASSARIOT Join my slave with her fellows on board the Krannek. There is nothing for her in our next conquest of the Cluster. For the General, however, keep him here. Their planets should have a compassionate face to cry for their loss.

LOYAL GUARDS Sir!

As Ephrath and General Organa are taken away, an alert sounds on a single terminal.

INTRIGUED OFFICER Emperor Cassariot, sir! A ship has just come out of hyperspace!

METICULOUS OFFICER More popping up. This rate— it has to be multiple fleets!

The guards stop to see if Cassariot will correct them, but he waves them forward.

CASSARIOT Put our fleets in midrange defensive positions. They know our theft, and they will try to take it back. Let them come, then envelope their attack. Begin our counter!

EVERYONE Sir!

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137 Warship Fenhogg Hangar – Int. 137

The hangar carries fifty attack transports. Some mechanics work as Kylo lays against a wall pondering the mission.

LUKE SKYWALKER Hey, kid. Sticking around for the mission?

Luke stays smiling as Kylo turns around.

KYLO …I suppose.

Silence.

KYLO I am sorry I failed you, Master Luke.

LUKE SKYWALKER You failed yourself, Kylo. And you have suffered from that made choice. You brought pain to the galaxy and those you tried to protect. I am sorry for letting you go before you were ready.

KYLO It was over before I arrived. There was nothing to be ready for.

LUKE SKYWALKER So that is why. You gave up faith.

KYLO Luke, I had no choic—

LUKE SKYWALKER It would have gone better than you thought, Kylo. You were surrounded by enemies, yes, but there were many enemies of those enemies close together. There was a way. You had to trust it.

Kylo's body fights that claim. But he reflects on it.

KYLO …Was it all wrong?

LUKE SKYWALKER Once you considered death something to fear and be tied around your neck to enslave you… every action after was wrong.

KYLO I…

Kylo has nothing to say.

LUKE SKYWALKER I'm happy you are here for this mission.

KYLO …are we to die in this invasion?

LUKE SKYWALKER Odd question. Three hundred Princes of Dawn, an army of millions, and the fighting ground condemned. Most understand what this is.

KYLO There is always a way to live, even under extremes.

LUKE SKYWALKER …if there is nothing more valuable than your own life, you will be stuck in an empty reality.

Kylo ponders this.

They enter. Their armor bulky, blackened, and crystalline. Their faces cocksure and controlled. Heavy arms, badges, metals; all worn with pride. Held high above it all the logo on their shoulders: Crownhunters.

The rowdy bunch strap into their spots on the attack transports. When the door opens a second time, there is silence among the crowd as Admiral Dameron enters. He wears the Crownhunter armor, with added guns and a garish red cape around his shoulders —kept attached by an Alderaanian pin. Armored Aeneas and Jedi Vilpus strut beside him.

Poe makes his way to a wall and picks up a phone. He punches in the code, and every speaker in his fleet relays his words:

POE Attention Crownhunters… my Crownhunters: We leave hyperspace soon. The battle has already started. The distraction set. We are clear for invasion. Split in five, you will plant the sabotage. After that is all done, you are free to choose. If you want to flee, find a quiet space for you to live out your days. I will tell you what I choose, ah! Of course, I am keeping with the boys! And I am staying for the light show. Now, why is that? What makes a handsome, wealthy, popular man like your admiral choose to burn alive? You all know!

Some blurt the answer.

POE (cont.) THAT'S WHERE THE CROWNS ARE!

Everyone cheers!

POE Oh, I am excited, boys. I can't lie. Over a hundred of them all tucked in. We're going to break records. We have emptied the arsenal, and we will claim every head in there before it even blows.

Everyone erupts!

POE (cont.) But men —no lies remember: there will be none of Poe's usual rewards. No matter who wins, without me, you will be hated. The Empire, the Republic, the rest, we're all serial traitors to them. Even as you save this galaxy and are thanked with spit, the last reward you and I will have is sweeter than any they will ever know: To have lived as a Crownhunter.

Everyone cheers and chants and even sing. Kylo looks perplexed at the men, all preemptively celebrating their funerals in joy as the preparatory blue of hyperspace snaps away, and the DS Gammalann lies in front of them.

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138 Planet Seveal – Ext. 138

The basin barely contains the wrath exploding out. The blaring ball of light wields electric tendrils that rip the land, whipping entire streets into the air, clouds in the sky funnel into tornadoes of toxic gas, skyscrapers lifted behind the overcast and are spiked down.

Our red ember twirls onto a hovering chunk of wall. Finn looks up, rides the rubble long enough to wipe some sweat off his brow, then blasts out again right before a boulder careens there.

Finn flies, bounces, dodges with style and spins. He makes his way counterclockwise, spiraling his way to the center. Another skyscraper bites through the sky toward Finn.

Finn never looks at what he has already seen. He backs off, floats to a hole in the roof, cuts the wall, and right through the open story window.

The second skyscraper crashes through that same window, only for Finn to fly just outside of it while the edifices implode into each other. He turns off his lightsaber, steadies his aim with both hands, and right as two holes line up toward the skyscraper's base, Finn takes a shot.

Lands on Rey's hip chain. The skyscrapers gone; she sees him floating untouched.

A rain of hundreds of broken vehicles to change that. Finn weaves and slices up the stream. Now, almost face to face with Rey, shoots her shoe, and lands near enough to see her reaction.

FINN Rey, it's over.

Rey dives downward, Finn follows. Rey strikes up at him with the pipes underground. They engulf Finn and the entire stage, now an overgrowth of the bent metal tubes. Rey flees from her area only for her necklace to be shot from out an above pipe.

Finn leans back. Spotless as polished glass.

FINN I've shot you with enough protonium to crater this city. Not even you can take that, Rey.

The tired Rey gives up. Turns off her attack. The light around her fades, the remaining pieces of city held in the sky drop.

REY Then why don't you do it, Finn? The whole universe would praise you for it.

FINN Ephrath wouldn't.

REY Finn, this again?

FINN It wouldn't be just her in the end. Same as always, Rey. The galaxy needs us. You and me, and Poe, and Luke, and Organa, many nameless others, even that rat Kylo!

REY More visions?

Finn flies down to the spire Rey stands on. Embracing her hands, fixated on her eyes.

FINN Not entirely complete ones, admittedly. But we change that together.

In all carnage, the layer of thick helium was ripped through. The oxygen they breathe a little thinner now, but more visibly —without clouds blocking— we see the large white gas giant, a pearl in the night sky above a man and woman. Bathing the two in a pure light. A slight blush from Rey. Maybe even a smile?

REY We-well, I am still covered in Protonium, Finn. Even if you don't trigger it, they can still go off while we head out.

FINN You know this. I always have a plan!

Finn smiles, knowing he has the spiritual support of half the universe behind him:

FINN (cont.) I only hit your clothes, Rey. You're gonna have to take those off.

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