ATTENTION READERS.
DUE TO ISSUES WITH FF'S NEW ALERT SYSTEM, AS NOTED IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, I WILL BE MOVING THIS STORY OVER TO A03, SO THAT READERS WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO READ THIS STORY. I AM CURRENTLY UNDECIDED IF I WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO HERE ON FFdotNet. REGARDLESS, YES, THERE IS MUCH MORE LEFT TO THIS STORY.
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I do not own Star Wars. If I did, different people would be doing the scripts for the films.
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Beta read by the wonderful lincoln time, Jeda31, and BlantonM. Could not have done it without you guys!
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Guest Review answers :-D
Zero
Those bombers are basically an attempt to build something based of a Second World War designs, while ignoring the realities of space-based warfare -_-
No Anakin Skywalker showing up as a Force Ghost, because he for his many, many sins he only got a single opportunity to show up at his funeral, and that is it. As for the rest, wait and see ;-)
Here is the newest chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! :-D
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Guest (please choose a name/nickname next time)
Now that Starkiller is gone, I am free to work to my heart's content! :-D
Glad you enjoyed that fic! Main plot is complete, they are just doing a few bonus chapters for scenes which would have disrupted the flow of the main story.
Not sure what you mean about Solo and Skywalker family discussions, unless you missed a previous chapter.
Here is the newest chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! :-D
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Star Wars: Legends Never Die
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Chapter 8: Battle of Starkiller Base, Part 2
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Previously:
As the First Order prepared its next shot from Starkiller Base to destroy the Resistance, Luke and Mara devised a plan to destroy the superweapon. Their infiltration team consisted of themselves, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Finn, both versions of Artoo-Deetoo, and See-Threepio. Having successfully infiltrated the planet, they grabbed a high ranking member of the First Order, Phasma, and threatened her into giving up her access codes, which were used to lower the shield protection Starkiller.
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Fulminatrix
Orbit above Starkiller Base
"Captain!"
Captain Moden Canady of the First Order swivelled to his sensor operator even as she continued.
"Enemy contacts! 'Fighters matching older Republic models. It's the Resistance."
"Target them with our surface cannons," he ordered automatically, even as he tried to understand what they were thinking. A desperate suicide run?
"Captain!" she called again, only now with clear concern. "The planetary shield's down!"
"What?" he said in reflex before catching himself. It appeared the Supreme Leader had been wise to pull his ships away from finishing the dismantlement of the corrupt Republic after all. Obviously a traitor and saboteurs were at work. "Contact the base immediately!" he thundered. "Scramble our fighters! Tell the other ships to do the same!"
As the commander of a Mandator IV-class Siege Dreadnought, he had superiority over the rest. Ostensibly he answered to General Hux here, but without the obnoxious twit hovering over his shoulder, he felt free to give out what should be obvious orders.
With a sense of foreboding he turned to look out the viewscreen at the sight of the star being sucked into the installation below. While he was hardly briefed upon the specifics of it, he could imagine how volatile such a containment system must be. "They're targeting the weapon!"
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Starkiller Base
On the screen before the infiltration team, they saw the holoscreen indicate the planetary shield was down. Artoo whistled in triumph before starting his next task.
Next were their communications. While Luke knew his plucky Droid could not take down the entire net on his own in their limited timeframe, it was within his talents to scramble them up a bit. The less people who knew to shoot at the incoming Resistance fighters the better.
Finally, a few smug whistles, and Artoo confirmed he had used Phasma's access codes to set up a remote link with his counterpart back on the Millennium Falcon, even applying the head stormtrooper's own authorization to encrypt and classify it, while bypassing nearly every security protocol in the process. Unfortunately, accessing the superweapon's systems directly was impossible, proving at least someone in the First Order had good sense there. Nonetheless, in short order he received confirmation that the native version of himself was carrying out his remote slicing with aplomb, taking advantage of a priceless opportunity.
Even so, they only had a short window available, and it was already apparent there was a tremendous amount of information to shift through.
No matter, that was not their main priority here.
"Okay, time to ditch this planet," said Mara, putting words to action as she made for the door with the others quickly following. Belatedly she started to wonder how much time they had to evacuate before the Resistance attacked, given how flawed their assumptions about hyperspace travel had been.
"Is Ben here?" asked Han suddenly as he jogged beside Luke.
"Yes," said Luke, not even hesitating. "However he's concealing his presence," he went on regretfully, "so I can't locate him specifically."
"And talking down a Dark Sider isn't something to be done when you're in a rush," she added, stopping to glance around a corner. As essential as speed was, bringing the entire base down on them would be a hindrance. "Especially if you're trying to find them in a place this huge. If he's anything like you, he'll survive."
"The Force is nudging us this way," added Luke, pointing in one direction. "Finn, are there any hangers that way?"
"Uhm, yes," the man answered in awe. "Yes there are!"
"Okay, so let's make our escape, and see if we run into him on the way."
"Right," Han gruffly acknowledged. "No way my kid's dying here. Certainly wouldn't have killed Vader. Or me in the old days."
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Exegol
Darth Sidious was jolted out of meditations by a shrill noise. As his followers knew they would scream for the sweet mercy of death if they disrupted him without good cause, he released the cloaking feeling of the Dark to answer the message. It was short and to the point:
An agent of the Final Order aboard one the ships now guarding Starkiller Base had sent a priority message the planetary shield was down, and Resistance starfighters were moving in.
How!?
It was Endor all over again!
Obviously it was all Skywalker, but for even him to pull this off should have been impossible!
Grasping control of his fury, Sidious quickly worked to make the connection to Snoke. He would have to assume some measure of direct control of this catastrophe.
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Planet orbit
Commander Poe Dameron, Black Leader, felt a thrill go through him as he and his pilots soared down towards the planet below.
Alongside him were his fellow X-wing pilots, providing escort for the Starfortress bombers. Cumbersome and barely manoeuvrable, the entire formation was packed tightly together to provide some measure of overlapping fields of fire for the inevitable TIEs, while 'fighters like his own were sacrificing precious speed to keep close. All in all, it left them terribly vulnerable to the defenders below, to say nothing of the unexpected presence of the destroyers and dreadnought above which were doubtless preparing to crush them between two unyielding maws of death.
Except despite it all, he could not help but grin at the audacity of the plan they had all put together, confident in its success.
Hey, Finn and Master Skywalker had already done the 'impossible' in getting that shield down!
Visible even from space, they could see the thermal oscillator standing out as a massive, miserable target for them to hit.
And completely out of range of our bombers, he thought, barring his teeth in a predatory smile.
"TIE's closing in on our six," reported Cobalt Belle.
Turbolaser fire flashed by his viewscreen as the destroyers risked shots even with their own planet-sized base as a backstop.
Pulling back on his stick, he looped around to vape the vanguard TIE's. "Red Squadron with me," he ordered. "Blue Squadron, stick to Cobalt and Crimson Squadrons."
Acknowledgements flowed in, even as he tapped his trigger and made his first kill of the fight.
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Starkiller Base
Command Center
"What's going on!" demanded General Hux sharply.
"Reported fighters incoming," one subordinate briskly answered. "We're having issues with the comms, so there's not a complete report."
His face tightened at the news, but only said, "Get me through to Canady." They would fulfil their duties or be replaced.
Intimately familiar with Starkiller, he went to the window to look for any threats to the thermal oscillator, be they Resistance scum or Republic stragglers, yet there was nothing to be seen. Good.
However, he also took note of the lack of any siren blaring. "Put out a general alert. Dispatch all squadrons."
"Internal comms are disrupted as well, sir. We're having difficulties spreading the alert."
He said nothing in response, merely taking note of the speaker for later.
"General Hux," said a garbled voice, and he turned to see the static-filled image of Captain Canady. "Resistance fighters have emerged from hyperspace, including heavy bombers."
"Then we shall crush them here," he said coldly.
"You have saboteurs down there," added the captain, and despite his professionally blank expression, Hux knew the man was enjoying this. "The shield went down just before they came out of hyperspace."
"Our security forces will uncover and make an example of them," vowed Hux, even as his gut churned in the knowledge the man was likely correct.
How was this even possible?
There was no conceivable way another traitor could have slipped past his screenings, nor for a saboteur to infiltrate them. Even if it was Skywalker, Kyo Ren would—
Hux's thoughts ground to a halt as he realised what must have happened, if not the specifics, and because he dared not show weakness before his juniors, mentally screamed out a litany of curses at the Supreme Leader's pet.
Because of Kylo Ren's pride and arrogance in his refusal to warn anyone, Hux' base was taking damage! He would be sure Snoke knew of this, and that the fool would face the full consequences of his actions!
Some of his thoughts must have shown, given the slightest twist of Captain Canady's face. Still, he could not tear at the older man as he richly deserved; he had too many cronies amongst the other failures of the Empire, and they remained a useful symbol.
"How long until the weapon's ready to fire?" Captain Canady said instead.
"Thirteen minutes," said Hux promptly, projecting all of his confidence at their inevitable victory. "They'll never penetrate our defences in time." Except even as he said those words, a foreboding thought occurred to him. With a wave, he dismissed the transmission, and quietly gave an order to one of his subordinates.
Only then did he turn his attention back to the windows, making a mental note for a proper command holotable to be installed here in the future. Obviously something like this would not happen again, but he was missing out on the opportunity to more clearly see the Resistance being crushed. As well as a few other changes, he conceded. There were not as many TIE's assigned here as there could be, as it was assumed the shield would be all that was necessary. Given the issues deploying and coordinating them though, a few more squadrons would not hurt in the future, even if they had the orbital fleet as reinforcements. Some more turrets as well.
"Sir! The shield's coming back up!"
Briskly he arrived at the shoulder of the officer who called out, and sure enough the shield was back online, except now it was cutting off Canady's turbolasers and most of his TIE's. Hux's face clenched from a moment at the incompetence of raising the shields not only too late, but to their detriment, before he understood what was happening. "They're still in the system!" he snapped. "Lower it!"
"We can't," apologised the officer, typing frantically at the keyboard.
"Find out where they are! Ensure nothing interferes with the weapon's operation systems!"
So long as they kept that safe, there was nothing to worry about.
"Have the turrets target the bombers," he continued. "We'll pin them up against the shield."
Yes, as unexpected as this was, the First Order's triumph was inevitable.
"General, Supreme Leader Snoke is making contact from his ship."
Keeping his face a mask, Hux bit off his irritation at the interruption. "Excellent," he said. Quickly he weighed doing it here against the cost of his leaving the battle.
Any decision was taken away from him as a holoimage appeared before him.
Bald and deformed, but eyes commanding and intense all the same despite the poor imagery. "General Hux," he rasped in a gravelly voice.
"Ah, Supreme Leader Snoke," he said, feeling a touch of nerves even as he reminded himself he was not the one at fault for this humiliation.
"The weapon is endangered. Skywalker has infiltrated the base."
Not something which he would have learnt through Starkiller Base, so it must be Canady and his ilk.
"Kylo Ren is handling it," Hux managed to get out, praying it was true, even as he tried to pin the blame on his rival. "The Resistance rabble will never manage to destroy the thermal oscillator." It was the most obvious target. "Their bombers will be shot down before they can reach it."
For an endless moment Snoke kept his silence, even as it felt like he was peering into Hux's soul. In a blink it was over, and the look of disappointment vanished along with a weight he had not even known was there.
"Deploy all Stormtroopers to reinforce it," ordered Snoke before disconnecting the transmission.
A flicker of indignation went through him, only to be overshadowed by the satisfaction the Supreme Leader trusted him to handle this.
He could gloat later though, after they snuffed out the Resistance and the last sparks of this so-called 'democracy.'
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"Looks like the party's getting started," said Han, alarms started to howl.
"Just this way," said Finn, leading them alongside Luke.
"Right," said the Jedi Master, trusting in the Force. "We'll grab those two-seater TIE's, and you fly out with Han."
"What about the Droid?"
"Artoo will fly with me, and Mara'll take her own."
They rounded a corner, and came into a hanger bay, some 'fighters to the side, and nobody in sight.
Relieved, Finn hurried forward a few steps before realising the others were not with him. Looking back, he saw the other three on guard and scanning the room suspiciously. Even Artoo discretely retreated back into the corridor they had come from.
"What's wrong?" he whispered-shouted.
"Too quiet, kid," answered Han, which confused Finn as there were sirens still blaring.
Understanding dawned as the hanger alarm shut off, as did the lights, leaving only the red glow of the emergency ones and the dimming brightness through the large, open hanger leading outside.
Out from behind one of the TIE's emerged Kylo Ren, leading six other figures in dark, concealing armour, wielding a wide variety of weaponry.
The shadow of Darth Vader loomed over the room.
Luke and Mara drew their lightsabers, yet did not ignite them. Finn raised his blaster rifle . . . while Han lowered his pistol.
Sounds caught Finn's attention, and Stormtroopers, pilots, technicians, and a few others of the First Order emerged, yet they only stood to the side. Faces tight with suppressed emotions. Witnessing.
"I overestimated you," said the dark figure grandly. "I was sure you would target the thermal oscillator yourselves instead of relying upon a pack of washed out pilots to do your dirty work while you flee. However, the Force led me to you all the same."
"That's some impressive stealth," conceded Luke. "Being able to hide your presences' like that."
"Jedi Master Luke Skywalker," hissed out Kylo Ren. "This won't end like before."
For a moment Luke considered pointing out how exactly Takadona had ended, before dismissing it. Not only was that beneath him, the lack of comment would stand out all the more.
"However I still don't understand why you only returned now. Was it because your new apprentice," a gesture at Mara, "was finally ready? Because you learnt how your bloated Republic's time was at an end? Or was it because you wanted to say you forgive me?" The next words came out harsh through the vocoder, dripping with venomous sarcasm. "To save my soul?"
"No."
Except it was not Luke who had spoken, but the old man beside him, who stepped forward while holstering his weapon.
For a moment it seemed Kylo Ren would ignore him, remaining focused upon the hated Jedi. But then he turned his attention upon the smuggler. "Han Solo. I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
The father took a deep breath, and then walked forward without even so much as a gesture to his allies.
Knowing how this would have to go, Luke and Mara said nothing, while Finn looked back and forth in confusion between the war hero of the Rebels, and the champion of the First Order.
Slowly Han closed the distance, heedless of the danger before him.
What do you make of those other six? asked Mara through their private bond.
Dark Siders. The feeling of it is crude amongst them. They've used it, and often, for violence, but no true training. At least not enough to be considered proper disciples.
He's obviously their leader. So he's not training them properly?
I'm not sure he knows how, admitted Luke. Although it was impossible to deny the sensation of power emanating from the younger man. Burning with it in a way almost blinding now that he was no longer hiding it. He shared this with Mara, and hesitantly added, It's a lot like Rey actually.
. . . I see, said Mara, mentally grimacing at that. Coincidences were far and in between when it came to Force Sensitives. Back to the present though, you think they, a mental jerk at the unknown six again, will cause trouble?
They were spread out to the sides of their boss, unmoving, but with enough distance that Han and his son could react if necessary.
. . . No. They know what this is, and want to see if he passes the test or not.
Except both sides had very different definitions of what 'passing' would entail.
Luke's gut clenched as he knew more than anyone what sort of risk this alternate version of his brother was taking.
"Take off that mask," said Han, only a few metres away now, words echoing throughout the hanger for all to hear. "You don't need it."
"What do you think you'll see if I do?"
"The face of my son," said Han, voice as hard as durasteel.
Silence stretched out across the room, broken only by the wail of distant alarms, and the galaxy rested upon the tipping point.
Slowly leather clad hands reached up, and with a hiss of gas removed his helmet.
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Poe Dameron was never as alive as he was when behind the stick.
Sex, spice, nothing had anything on this. The only Resistance pilot without a wing-mate because no one could keep up.
He danced through the skies while his X-wing spewed fire, and with every twitch of his thumb a TIE died.
Another X-wing blew up.
Only there might be too many for even Poe this time.
Squadron after squadron of TIE's were swarming in, while the bombers threw out as large a wall of fire as they could.
Still though the TIE's flew at them, and he knew what they were thinking. That they should be able to just swarm over the escorts and overwhelm the bombers.
"Keep it up," he reassured the others. "We're almost in position, and then we'll be able to go home."
To prove his point he spun to the side and came up on a curve, killing four TIE's in quick succession.
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An indescribable feeling blew through Han at the sight of his son, truly seeing him in the flesh for the first time in too many years.
He's grown up, he could not help but think. A man now.
It was eerie how much he looked like a mixture of both his parents when they were that age.
Impassively Ben stared back while Han collected himself.
As the sun above was consumed, the light within the hanger began to dim.
"Your son is gone," Ben suddenly said. "He was weak and foolish like his father. So I destroyed him."
"That's what Snoke wants you to believe," said Han, slowly coming forward, not contesting the parts about himself being weak. Foolish. A coward. "But it's not true. My son is alive."
It was there in his face, one which even after so long he could still read. The intensity of his denials to try and make something true when it was a lie. Even to yourself.
"No. The Supreme Leader is wise."
And there for you when I wasn't, Han knew, just a few arm's length away. "Snoke is using you for his power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you."
So close, he could reach out and touch his son now, who sensed it and took a step back. They stared into each other's eyes, with Han letting all his grief and regret shine through, along with his undying urge to protect Ben even now. "You know it's true."
It was just the two of them, and nothing else mattered as Han saw the struggle within.
". . . It's too late."
"No it's not. Leave here with me, come home. We miss you."
Whatever else, Leia had always accepted their child. Showed Ben the affection and unconditional love he so desperately deserved and yet needed. Even when she had sent him to Luke's Academy.
Ben's eyes became wet. Emotions flew across his face as the war within him intensified. Voice breaking, he gasped out, "I'm being torn apart." Biting back the urge to speak, Han kept his silence. ". . . I want to be free of this pain." Ben looked away for a moment, then back to say, "I know what I have to do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. Will you help me?"
"Yes," said Han, stepping closer. "Anything."
Ben searched his face for any hesitation, and then dropped his helmet on the deck, the sound echoing throughout the hanger. Slowly he unclipped his lightsaber, and with both hands offered it horizontally to his father.
Certainty and relief blooming through him, Han looked his son in the eyes once more and then reached for the lightsaber and all it represented of the First Order. Of Snoke.
Night fell outside as the sun's radiance was swallowed whole, leaving only the haunted glow of the emergency lights.
Ben was not letting go of the lightsaber.
His grip was unyielding for all that Han pulled at what had been offered, doing everything he could to help his son make the steps home.
Because he wanted to go home?
Understanding crystallised within Han's mind at the two very different conversations they had been having.
Ben needed to make a choice, and had asked his father's help to make it . . . and he had offered freely.
In one swift motion the lightsaber was torn free of Han's grip and twisted to point at him.
Red plasma burned into existence and flesh burned.
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Watching Han approach Ben, Luke now properly understood what he had put Leia through all those years ago when he had left to confront Darth Vader, to prove the man was indeed still Anakin Skywalker.
Everything had hinged upon choices that day. His to have faith. Vader's to reject the Dark Side in an act of love. Leia's . . . to let him go.
Once more father and son stood upon the precipice, and all they could do was bear witness.
And trust in the Force.
He reached out to it, trying to get a feeling for all that was happening right now, ominously aware they were on a deadline, and they had yet to escape.
He reached out to it, and felt it all around them.
He reached out to it, and could feel it weeping at the loss of life this abomination represented.
He reached out to the Force . . . and for the first time since arriving in the strange galaxy, it fully answered back.
Like returning home he felt the full weight of its embrace, and deaf and blind to the events around him, he Saw.
Opening himself to the Force, he reached out with his will and yanked Han aside just as the red lightsaber ignited. Too late, the red blade ignited through the older man's left arm, sheering it through.
A scream erupted from Han even as Luke and Mara's lightsabers burned to life, and the six dark figures raised their weaponry.
Han flew to Finn, who grabbed him and eased him down to the cold floor.
Stormtroopers moved forward.
At the center of it all, Kylo Ren stared at Luke with a look of such profound hatred it tainted the air around him. "He offered it to me," he spat. Goading and vicious.
"Kid," said Luke, resolved. "I've had a long few days." He released his own rage into the Force where it would do no harm, and marched forward, Mara at his side. "I need to get Han out of here, so I'm going to have to steal those ships. Are you going to stop us?"
"I'm going to kill you," sneered Kylo. "You may've bested the Knights of Ren before, but they're now more than enough to occupy you while I kill your replacement apprentice."
"Is that a fact?" said Mara coolly.
A flick of her wrist, and she raised her hold-out blaster to shoot Cardo in the throat, dropping the Knight with the arm cannon.
Shock emanated from them at the un-Jedi-like approach.
She fired twice more at the Knights, to which Kylo raised his hand and froze them mid-air.
The Force coursing through him, Luke closed the distance in a blink and brought down his lightsaber.
Gasping, Kylo stumbled back, their blades locked, and his grip upon the frozen energy was lost.
Their sniper Kuruk failed to move in time.
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Sorrow, disappointment, and curdling guilt clawed at Han worse than the pain in his arm as he fell.
He had failed his boy.
His son.
Ben had made a choice he doubted even Leia could pull him back from.
Distantly he felt the impact of himself hitting the cold, unfeeling floor, and could not help but weep at how Snoke could apparently offer Ben what Han never could? Or was it something else that he had missed? Or was Ben truly blind to what Snoke and the First Order were?
Darkness edged across his vision, and he knew he did not have much time left.
Even as he drowned in his remorse, something caught his attention and he recognized the shadowy figures who had been with Ben advancing, and a familiar fire lit through his veins. Self-pity swept aside as old memories moved his arm. He might be a failure of his father, but he was Han. Farking. Solo. And there was still a way to help save his son.
A worn yet trusty blaster belched his fury, taking a Knight of Ren in the knee.
No Force tricks, just the pure, sleek surety of a man who had done this a million times, with lightning speed and reflexes not even time could dull.
Ap'lek fell to the ground in agony, losing his grip upon his treasured axe.
Han's next two shots to the head removed any further concerns.
Blaster fire sizzled by his head, and with blurring eyes Han turned his shots upon the stormtroopers.
The other three Knights of Ren closed in around Mara.
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"Cobalt Mare's destroyed!"
"Crimson Dancer taking a lot of hits!"
"Cobalt Treasure here, shields at twenty-percent!"
"Mayday! Mayday! We're going down!"
Poe grimaced at the growing tally against their priceless bombers. The longer they took, the more the First Order was getting its act together.
"More TIE's are scrambling from the base!"
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His nephew had talent, there was no denying it.
He had been trained to an extent, and moved with a certainty and power reminiscent of Vader in the strength and brutality of his strokes. Lighter too without that suit. A raw, natural talent to brush aside all who came before him.
Except Luke had that too.
A blazing connection to the Force, and unlike Kylo Ren he embraced its guidance. For all the young man's genuine talent, his actual inexperience fighting other lightsaber duelists showed in comparison to Luke's, who beyond all his struggles against Dark Siders, also regularly trained with his fellow Jedi at the Praxeum.
Spinning, he redirected the red saber to the side, stepped back as Kylo used his own momentum to recover and come about, only for Luke to use the new space between them to go on the offensive.
"Who told you to use a lightsaber crossguard?" he asked conversationally, trying to make the boy think. Han had loosened the blinders, and within that hurricane of Darkness Luke could feel Kylo's regret and grief at what he had been within a hair's breadth of doing. If he could just reach it . . .
He probed with a series of quick thrusts, something difficult and rarely used by him, and thus trickier for someone expecting him. Or a variant of Jedi Master Skywalker at least.
Furious, Kylo Ren refused to answer, struggling to adjust.
"Because I haven't come across it before. Yes, it might have some use trying to catch and knock away a lightsaber, or a new way to cut through someone up close, but it really costs you in defence, doesn't it? Easy for even an expert to cut themselves on it."
"Shut up!" snarled Kylo Ren. "I don't need to worry about that!"
"Mmhmm," hummed Luke, catching the lack of denial to both his questions. Because he was confident Snoke treated him as an apprentice. "Because you've been promised secrets and knowledge which will make-up for such shortcomings."
"Yes!" Kylo's eyes twitched as he realised he had admitted weakness there, and shoved hard to move Luke's lightsaber aside to come in for hammering blows. Casually redirecting his weapon, Luke shifted into the defensive, letting the younger man expend his energy in aggressive motions he lacked the experience to properly manage, even as the others handled Kylo's allies.
Flawlessly Kylo switched from two-handed strikes to a series of quick one-handed uppercuts from both sides one after another. As easy as he moved, Luke noticed the younger man's footwork was not quite as perfect.
He kicked out to which Kylo sidestepped but made space for Luke to push forward with a few broad strokes of his own, eying how they were directly blocked before Kylo then spun around using his back to hide motion to a punishing downwards slash. With a familiar, whirling, crackling noise their blades locked together, faces mere inches from one another.
Despite himself, Luke could not deny the relief that as much as he could see this boy was indeed a child of Han and Leia, he was not a clone of Jacen, Jaina, or Anakin Solo.
Wrenching down, Kylo brought his crossguards to Luke's wrists to lop them off, only he had already skipped back to safety, fingers tingling from the lingering heat.
Undaunted, Kylo advanced, making powerful, aggressive strikes which Luke dodged and deflected.
"Snoke won't share them, you know. He'll only dangle them before you to keep you following him."
"He gives me what I'm ready for!" Yet even through that maelstrom of emotions he caught Kylo's resentment; that there were things he wanted to learn and had been denied.
Distantly Luke registered the stormtroopers firing, with Finn radiating grim determination as he fought back. A relentless Han by his side, half-dead but still fighting as ever.
Taking a gamble, he knocked Kylo's lightsaber aside and made a snap-kick to his gut. Even as he gasped out some air, his nephew's blade remained up on guard for his torso and head. Luke disengaged and took a step back.
"The Dark Side offers power to crush a galaxy which threatens you," he said. "To impose your will upon it to make it all stop, and to remove all the pain and fear you feel. Only instead it only makes you Snoke's slave."
A stillness fell over the young, ending the turmoil within him, and Luke knew he had erred.
"Really?" said his nephew conversationally. "Threatened? Pain and fear? Uncertainty in the face of the galaxy? Snoke taking advantage of me?"
Pure, raw, unadulterated hatred erupted out of Kylo Ren as it choked the air, and burned Luke's mind.
Palpatine. Exar Kun. Kueller. So many Dark Acolytes and more. Never had even their sheer loathing been as poisonous as this. As Personal.
"That's what you say when it was you who attempted to murder me!?" screamed Kylo Ren as he went on the offensive in a storm of crimson strokes driving Luke backwards. "And now you return to blame me!? The man who saved me!?"
And to his horror, Luke felt the truth in those words. Grasped images of what had happened years before.
Seeing his own face, bearded staring down at him, wielding a lit lightsaber and an expression of fear and loathing.
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Through their connection Mara felt Luke's shock and horror throwing him off.
Keep it together, Farmboy! she shot back at him while she focused on the Knights of Ren.
They came at her as a group like pack predators. Filled with vicious glee and casual violence like she had seen countless times, hungering to avenge the humiliation of her killing two of their own already.
Her holdout blaster slipped back up her sleeve, not even bothering to use it here; if they were coming at a lightsaber with melee weapons, then those vibroblades had to be made of some sort of resistant material.
Barely visible in the dim light, they came to encircle her.
Jade eyes cold, she drew from her back her latest toy, and lit up the shock baton, holding it horizontal to her forearm.
"Well boys?" she taunted. "Afraid of one little girl? Or do you want to call for reinforcements first?"
With a cry the one with the large cleaver made a wild swing at her, but just like dancing she flowed to the floor under his feint and not towards the others. Her lightsaber lashed out and he barely stepped back before the tip cut across his leg.
Ignoring his screech of pain she came up to knock aside the scythe with her baton, and jumped back from the downward strike of the war club; the ground shattered beneath the blow thanks to some sort of concussion technology.
The one with the cleaver hung back now, his mobility hindered, while the other two came at her from both sides.
Spinning around, she adjusted her shock baton so it stabbed right at the one with the war club, who raised the long hilt to block it. In a shock of electricity and its own concussive force, he went flying back.
Adjusting her stance and lowering her core, she came about to make a series of cuts at the man with the scythe, probing with the tip of her lightsaber while he was on the defensive. "You all seem to have poor footwork," she chided, riling him up more. "You must be too used to slaughtering the defenceless."
"You know nothing of the way of Ren!" he spat back at her. "We consume all!"
Closing in, she locked her shock baton against his weapon, and with a twist of her wrist tapped her lightsaber against his left elbow.
With a scream he stumbled back, arm gone limp.
A warning in the Force, and she called upon it to block the unseen Force push by the one with the cleaver.
There was no denying these people would be a threat for most people in the galaxy. Besides tricks like this, they moved faster and stronger than they should.
However, as fresh of one as she was, Mara Jade was a Jedi Knight, and as recent as it was, her true potential was now open to her to use.
Reaching for the energy all around them, instead of pressing back, she redirected his attack around herself.
And smoothly swung her lightsaber behind her to burn through the throat of the maimed man with the scythe.
There was no sense of satisfaction from it. Just the cold certainty it needed to be done for the sake of everyone these people would prey upon, to stop Starkiller Base, and to get to Luke to help him.
"Ma'am!" came Threepio's voice suddenly from the comm. "Are you off the planet yet!? They're almost in position!"
"Tell Chewbacca to do it," ordered Mara briskly. "We'll handle things on our end."
"Very well."
They had even less time now.
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Starkiller Base
Command Center
"Sir."
General Hux turned to the lieutenant who had approached him, and raised an eyebrow to indicate they could speak.
As much as the officer tried to hide it, his eyes shone with trepidation and respect. "We just got word from the scouts you sent to D'Qar. It is as you suspected: it's been abandoned."
Fists clenched behind his mask, Hux gave a dismissive nod and stopped to think, thankful that the earlier setbacks had prompted him to wonder about any further surprises. Now though he had to adapt to this act of cowardice. What opportunities were still to be had?
Obviously, as the Resistance had fled they had likely abandoned many priceless supplies of theirs while sending these snubfighters as a distraction. So denying them what remained would be useful.
However . . . blowing up an empty planet was wasteful. Certainly it would not send the proper message to the rest of the galaxy, and they did not have an alternative planet pre-selected.
Especially as he had designed it with the anticipation that they may wish to abort a shot, and could safely do so.
"Shut down the firing sequence," he ordered. "The Resistance has already abandoned their base. Send word to Supreme Leader Snoke." The man would not like it, but with only a minute left, there was little time.
Moreover, by doing so, the deactivated thermal oscillator would no longer prove to be a threat to them or the fuel cells beneath.
Not that he was concerned even now; after all, relying upon those cumbersome bombers had been a failed gambit, as they were still too high to be of any use. By the time the Resistance was in position, even if they did manage to blow it up, which they would not, the rest of the planet would be secure. Buying them only a meagre few days until Hux's men finished repairs.
A week at most.
Meanwhile thousands of Stormtroopers would find the infiltrators, and their secrets and methods would be torn from their fragile minds, even as the last of the Resistance fleet crashed and burned from the sky.
Yes, thought Hux with a triumphant grin as he looked out the window, all will be as it should be.
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Fulminatrix
Orbit above Starkiller Base
"What're they up to?" murmured Captain Canady.
"Sir?" asked his aide.
"Those bombers," he gestured at the plot. "They aren't on a proper course for bombing run." At least not for that rather large building north of the main weapon, which is what they seemed to be aiming for.
"We can't expect them to have proper discipline while under attack," she offered, only for him to shake off such an idea.
It would hardly do to just assume their enemies were incompetent, especially after how well they had arranged this, and the sheer fact they were still alive against such odds.
Are they after a different target?
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Millennium Falcon
Starkiller Base
Peering intensely at the monitors before him, Chewbacca raised a hand in readiness, and then roared in confirmation.
"Now!" cried Threepio into the comm unit. "Do it now!"
"You heard them!" said Commander Dameron. "Remember to hold off on arming them."
"This is Crimson Leader, confirmed."
"Cobalt Lead, beginning bombing sequence!"
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Resistance Headquarters
D'Qar
"But the bomber's will be too slow to get to the surface safely," protested Commander Dameron.
"And the proton bombs'll scatter if you drop them too high," confirmed Luke. "That's why the bombers back home tend to prefer using missiles. Except if we're already planning to get the MillenniumFalcon down to the planet, we might be able to make more use of her."
Han lit up. "You want to use the atmospheric sensors! Track the gravity and winds to calculate how they'd scatter so you know where to drop 'em."
Chewbacca roared.
"Yeah, someone'll have to stay behind to watch the ship, and sort through all the data."
A huff, and the Wookie confirmed who it would be.
"That . . . could work," nodded the commander, obviously in deep thought. The other senior officers were showing understanding now as well. "How far can your sensors reach?"
"Far enough," said Han, waving off the objection. "And those things are magnetised, right? That," he jerked a finger at the image of the thermal oscillator, "is a huge hunk of metal."
All objections resolved, Commander Dameron gave a faint grin as it all came together. "All right. Let's go."
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Starkiller Base
On cue, both bomber squadrons opened their bay doors, and dropped their payloads.
Cobalt Lead went first, dropping down the bombs in a staggered wave, with each remaining member following in order, followed then by Crimson Squadron.
Even as a sense of triumph filled her, Paige Tico kept on firing with everything she had in her gunnery turret, knowing it was not over yet. All those bombs were still vulnerable.
"Cobalt and Crimson, pull up!" ordered Black Leader. "Red Three and Four, go with them. Everyone else escort those bombs down! Stay on the comms for arming them!"
"Copy that!"
The dark and terrifying edifice of the First Order's base pulled away from her field of vision, while the X-wings flocked around their precious cargo, and she took aim at the suddenly desperate TIE's.
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"Alright everyone, this is it!" cried out Poe as he spiraled around the cloud of falling proton bombs, belching fire.
BeeBee-Ate screeched a reminder to him they still had to pull out before the planet went up.
The TIE's were firing for everything they were worth, blowing up dozens of bombs, but they were such small targets with so many remaining. Moreover, without being activated, they were only taking out the individual bombs instead of causing a chain reaction.
Now ignored, the unleashed X-wings tore into the TIE's with a savagery, while First Order turrets below fired wildly, unable to get a proper lock.
Poe almost pitied the enemy pilots really, being expended like machines by their masters, not even allowed names. Suffering and dying while being told everything was worth it for a righteous cause, when in truth it was all hollow and empty on behalf of men like Kylo Ren. Unable to break free of their indoctrination like Finn had.
Not that Poe would hesitate. He vaped four more in rapid succession and spun about for another run.
Something shot past, and three TIE's went up in sequence, and with a roar the Millennium Falcon swooped in, turrets locked forwards as it took the First Order on the flank.
A Wookie war-cry echoed across the coms as Chewbacca joined the fight, resolved to see his part through to the end.
Doing a quick out the viewport at the distance to the surface, Poe roared into his comms, "Arm the bombs!"
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Command Center
Starkiller Base
Eyes wide in horror, General Hux followed the trail of laserfire down towards the thermal oscillator, and knew what had happened.
Instant mental calculations confirmed the weapon had not been properly shut down yet.
A series of infernos erupted over the structure, tearing at it with the wrath of Hosnia.
Then into it with more explosions arriving while the X-wings tore safely up to the skies above.
Without a word, he turned on his heels and walked out of the room. Once the door was closed, he ran for the turbolift.
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The entire planet shook.
Smoothly Luke readjusted his footing while Kylo Ren stumbled, his advance broken.
Shock and disbelief lit up his nephew's face, before twisting into ever greater hatred.
Sirens erupted even louder now, with cries from the First Order members still fighting around them.
Debris fell from the ceiling as the ground trembled beneath them again.
Mara's voice cut through it all, as she called out, "You do know Snoke's going to hold you responsible for this, right?"
Behind Luke, one of the Knights of Ren roared in rage only for it to be cut off in a scream, with the sense of his passing.
Looking over his uncle's shoulder, Kylo jerked his chin. "She has potential for the Dark Side."
"You have no idea how wrong you are," said Luke calmly, filled with an unbreakable confidence in Mara. In the trials she had already overcome, and the knowledge of how unlike him she had never Fallen.
"I wonder how long it'll be before you come to fear her too. To try and kill her as she sleeps." Eyes narrowed with insight. "She's your lover, isn't she? That'd make it easier."
"Never."
Giving a snort of amusement and a knowing smirk, Kylo said, "So self-righteous. Denying and lying to yourself. It all ends here." He cocked his head. "Tell me about the girl."
An icy chill went down Luke's spin. "Who?"
"Your other apprentice. The younger one. She . . . she has real potential."
"You won't touch her," vowed Luke.
"Be careful, Master, attachment leads to the Dark Side."
The floor tilted once more, and a large chunk of the ceiling broke free, crushing a TIE beneath it.
"This is unfortunate," acknowledged Kylo as if discussing the weather, "but Supreme Leader Snoke will understand. Especially when I bring him your head, and prove my worth."
Slowly he raised a hand and pointed it at Luke, gathering together the full might of his hatred. Concentrating it to his fingers.
Released.
Beyond any storm in the galaxy Kylo Ren unleashed streams of lightning which tore apart the ground before him and reached hungrily for the lone Jedi Master before him.
Calm and serene, Luke raised his palm.
The Force was energy, and this was just another form of it. Even if this was more of Corran's trick than his, between the Force and his nephew's compulsion to drag it out, he had more than enough warning.
Actually, nobody had ever really given him this much opportunity before.
The power of the Dark Side blazed into his hand without leaving a mark, flowing into him and cleansed into the Light.
In this though he had the full measure of his nephew as unseen he struggled to contain the power he had absorbed, and was unable to deny the truth:
Kylo Ren was stronger in the Force than him.
A raw potential still untapped.
Expression calm, he regarded the horrified young man as he witnessed the impossible, and simply said, "The Dark Side isn't as strong as you've been told."
In the end, all it could do was destroy, while blinding you to everything else the universe had to offer.
It was the duty of the Jedi to oppose this, doing whatever they could to stop it. Sometimes this involved offering the hand of forgiveness to even those who had committed atrocities.
Other times . . . it necessitated meeting violence with violence.
He felt it as the Force wept at the impending death of another world, even one as violated as this one. As well as the understanding that there was no other way.
Jedi Master Luke Skywalker released his confusion, fear, and yes, anger, and found peace as the Force flowed through him, and knew it was time to end this as he moved forward under its guidance.
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Secure Conference Chamber
"Supreme Leader," reported a pale General Hux, trying to keep his feet while the ground beneath him shook, and parts of the walls broke away around him. "The fuel cells have ruptured. The collapse of the planet has begun."
Despite what this meant, the towering hologram of Snoke remained collected before him. "Leave the base at once and come to me with Kylo Ren," he instructed. He took several deep breaths to maintain himself while staring off to something only he could see. "It is time . . . to complete his training."
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The Force was Luke's ally, forewarning him of every shit of the ground, sidestepping away from each and every piece of falling debris.
Against this Kylo Ren hurled his relentless hatred in his swings of his lightsaber and thrusting with the Dark Side of the Force itself.
Each and every time Luke batted it aside even as he pressed his nephew back further and further.
In growing desperation Kylo tried to be on the offensive even as he gave way, and his fear from realising this truth made him grasp deeper into the Dark Side, adding to his strength and power in a feedback loop which threatened to consume him.
Through his connection to Mara, Luke saw her duck and weave around the increasingly frantic swings of the war club. Her shock baton was used for feints while her lightsaber came in from all angles, boxing him in even as they stumbled. Spinning she came about for a full-powered swing, and severed right through the shaft.
Be ready, she sent.
Perfectly poised, she thrust and stabbed the tip of her blade through the last Knight of Ren's heart.
That knowledge echoed through the Force, and it was all Luke needed to distract Kylo as he realised he was all alone. Extending himself, his lightsaber came down like lightning not towards the heavy upper guard, but to cleave through Kylo's right leg.
Screaming, Kylo Ren dropped.
"It's over," said Luke, holding up a hand to call to it a blaster from one of the stormtroopers Finn had shot. Presumably they would have a stun setting.
Mustering through the pain, Kylo desperately shoved with the Force at Luke, who took it head-on unruffled. Even unfocused it was powerful, yet less than before.
Only his nephew was as wily as his parents.
Teeth clenched against the pain of his cauterised limb, the smell of his own flesh making him want to gag, Kylo wrapped the Force around himself to throw him towards the remaining stormtroopers being pinned down by the deserter and Han Solo.
Most of the remainder had fled by now, with debris killing even more.
"Kill him!" he shrieked, and obedience held true as the stormtroopers turned their attention upon the Jedi Master who had crippled him.
Carelessly their blaster bolts were battered aside, but two of the troopers grabbed Kylo and rushed him out, leaving the others to die.
"Don't worry, sir, we've got you!" assured one of them.
"Where do we take you?" asked the other.
Through sheer will and the Supreme Leader's training he mastered the pain, pushing aside the grip of shock, and grasped his hatred and humiliation to reinforce himself. Hallways passed in a blur, and then he sensed a familiar mind.
"Wait," he told the stormtroopers.
"Sir?"
In an explosion of power he snapped their necks. As they deserved for their failures in the hanger. For seeing him weak.
Panting, he planted one palm against a wall, and hopped forward, not wanting to be seen with their corpses. He rounded the corner, and met with the pale face of Hux. Refusing to lose faith, he managed a few more jumps before the general rushed out, "The Supreme Leader sent me to collect you."
Right, the tracker on Kylo's belt.
This man the Supreme Leader would not want him to kill, so he let himself be picked up by two more stormtroopers and be carried away from the site of his shame.
Off-planet.
To the Supremacy.
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Hanger Bay
"Time to fly," said Mara, leaping atop a TIE to peer within. "They're all two-seaters."
"I need to go with Han," said Luke, carrying the man in his arms. The ornery smuggler had collapsed the moment the fighting was done. "I can put him into a healing trance while we're in flight. That should keep him from dying of shock until we get him to a proper medical bay."
With a squeal, Artoo rocketed into the room, swerving around debris and cracks in the ground.
"What about Kylo Ren!?" demanded Finn.
"No time," said Luke briskly. "How're we going to fly out is what we've got to worry about now."
"We can't put three to a 'fighter, and they don't look compatible to his style of astromech," grimaced Mara. "Someone will have to fly out with Artoo in the back seat." Once, in what seemed a lifetime ago, she would have advocated abandoning the Droid without hesitation. Now she refused to even consider doing so.
Looking around wildly, Finn tried to think of something. Some instinct, some sound he had caught, made him break into a run towards all the supplies and consoles that had been to the side where people from the First Order had been taking cover. Sure enough, there was one pilot still there, foot trapped under a piece of ceiling.
"You're flying me outta here," he said, hefting his blaster at her.
"Yes," she gasped out, hands raised as best she could from her position.
It was the work of a moment to get her free, and race back with her in the lead. Mara helped heave the pilot in, with Finn going after her. "Anything funny happens, and they'll be right behind us to blast you," he said as aggressively as he could.
". . . yes, sir," she managed.
With a jolt, they took flight, magma erupting out across the landscape as the triumph of the First Order died.
". . . Hey," said Finn, feeling like it was an echo of a few days ago, "what's your name."
"TN-3465," she promptly rattled off.
"I'm not calling you that." He paused. "I'll ask Poe to help with a name."
"Resistance 'fighters," said Mara over the comm, using what was presumably an open channel. "Infiltration team here in three captured TIE's. Mark us as friendlies, and let's get out of here."
"Roger that," and . . . not-TN-3465 flinched as an X-wing pulled up alongside them.
"Poe!" laughed Finn with a touch of hysterics.
"Finn, good to hear you man!"
"Give us hyperspace coordinates someplace safe, and then afterwards give us the ones to the rendezvous," directed Mara. "Keep an eye on Finn's TIE, he's using a captured First Order pilot."
"The weapons are off, right?" he checked.
"Yes, sir."
"Good."
"Incoming TIE's," broke in Luke over what was presumably an open channel.
"Don't worry, we and the Wookie've got them."
"Chewie, Han needs medical attention," reported Luke, leading to a roar upon the comms which made Finn very glad not to be one of the First Order.
But we all made it out, he thought with relief.
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Fulminatrix
"Get us to hyperspace!" roared Captain Canady as the power of a sun prepared to finish breaking free of a fragile, planetary shell.
"It's not—!"
The wave of fire overtook them before they could escape, destroying the fleet.
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First Order shuttle
Stone-faced, Hux looked out the viewport as he schemed how they would retaliate.
Behind him, Kylo Ren was sedated into a medical coma.
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As the Resistance flew away, Poe broadcasted, "Our job's done here. Let's go home."
Home, thought Finn. Wonder what that's like?
Is this what it feels like?
He was still unsure if he wanted to remain with the Resistance, but one thing was for sure: this feeling was nice.
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Exegol
With considerable effort, Sidious resisted the urge to vent his wrath lest he destroy everything around himself, including his own medical apparatuses.
Once more Skywalker had caused him a setback, and without Starkiller as a threat, and the Xyston-class Destroyers unfinished, he was denied the crippling blow which was his due. That along with some disturbing intelligence reports filtering in, it appeared the corpse of the Republic was still twitching and providing false hope to the mindless rabble.
No matter.
No matter.
The Dark Side would be triumphant.
He, Darth Sidious, would be triumphant!
Even if he had to have the First Order destroy itself in burning down the Republic, while the Final Order swept in to rule over the ashes!
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Author Notes:
Yes, Phasma is dead. I know she has a lot of popularity, but I feel Mara would just be that more pragmatic about handling her. So far it had been a flawless infiltration, but leaving a conscious enemy behind you could lead to an alert getting out.
.
Was this a fairly easy victory overall from the protagonists?
Yes. Yes it was.
But honestly what you would expect when both the First and Final Order unexpectedly have to deal with the likes of Luke, Mara, and two Artoo's they had not accounted for. I am not going to make things as easy for our heroes in the days to come.