Chapter 36 – Search and Rescue
Rey stirred from sleep, feeling a welcome sense of rejuvenation wash over her. The night had provided her with much-needed rest, yet the urgency of her mission still weighed heavily on her mind. She decisively brushed aside the lingering nausea, determined not to let it distract her from the task at hand.
Rey's gaze fell upon a medallion with a familiar First Order design lying on her bedside table. The sight of it filled her with a surge of affection, knowing that only her husband could have left it there for her. She held onto this feeling as she prepared to get dressed for the day ahead.
At breakfast, Rey shared her insights with her team, her voice filled with determination. "I can sense Chewbacca through the Force," she revealed, her eyes shining with unwavering resolve. "He's currently a prisoner on the Finalizer."
The team sprang into action, brainstorming a plan to utilise Oshi's ship for their rescue mission. "I found this medallion in the sand," she added, holding it up for them to see. "I'm guessing it was ejected from Kylo Ren's ship."
As Rey spoke, the gravity of their situation settled over the group. Poe, Finn, and the droids were already buzzing with excitement and anxiety, tirelessly preparing to embark on a daring rescue to save their beloved friend, Chewie.
As part of their mission, the crew needed to recover the Millennium Falcon. Poe decided there was no time to waste, so the group quickly made their way back onto Oshi's ship and began flying toward the Finalizer.
Rey felt confident that the plan would be easy to execute, but a sudden wave of anxiety washed over her when she realised that she couldn't sense Kylo Ren aboard the ship. Where could he be?
Apprehension twisted in her stomach; even if Kylo was absent, she knew that Hux would still be there to help her.
Poe glanced at Rey, his expression serious but determined. "Medallion's clear," he said with a reassuring nod. "We have clearance to enter hangar 12."
"Hang on tight, Chewie," Rey called out. "We're coming for you."
"This is madness!" C-3PO exclaimed, his metallic voice rising with a hint of panic.
With skilled precision, Poe brought the craft in for a smooth landing, the familiar hum of the engines fading as they prepared for the next phase of their daring mission.
A pair of imposing stormtroopers marched with purpose toward the lowered ramp.
"Credentials and manifest!" one of the soldiers barked in a gruff, authoritative voice, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble.
Without hesitation, Rey raised her blaster and fired, ensuring she had it set to stun. The first stormtrooper crumpled to the ground, the shock of her shot evident.
Just then, another stormtrooper shouted, "Close the blast doors!"
Panic rippled through the air as the command echoed around the vast space. Rey concentrated fiercely, her heart racing, as she maneuvered her aim. She made certain the deadly blasts from her allies whizzed harmlessly past the stormtroopers, while her own shots struck true.
The hangar fell eerily silent; they had acted with such speed that no alarms had a chance to blare.
With a commanding tone, Rey addressed the droids standing nearby, "You three stay there."
"Happily," C-3PO responded, his voice tinged with concern.
"Which way?" Poe asked, his brow furrowing as he scanned their surroundings for any possible exit.
"Uh, no idea," Finn admitted, looking around with wide eyes before saying, "Follow me."
Poe, Rey, and Finn sprinted down a dimly lit corridor just off the hangar, the cold metal walls echoing their hurried footsteps. Rey felt a rush of uncertainty; this side of the ship was unfamiliar territory for her, and she strained to recall the layouts she had studied.
As they rounded a corner, the rhythmic pounding of boots against the metal deck grew louder, signalling the approach of a stormtrooper squadron. Heart pounding in her chest, Rey gestured for the others to stop, and they quickly ducked into a narrow alcove shadowed from view.
They held their breath as the marching grew closer, the stormtroopers' voices low and muffled, before finally fading into the distance. Once they determined it was safe, they cautiously emerged from their hiding spot.
Moving stealthily toward a corridor junction, they each raised their blasters, scanning the intersecting paths for any sign of danger. Just then, a door to their right slid open with a mechanical hiss, and two stormtroopers stepped into view, blasters aimed menacingly at them.
"Drop your weapons," one of the stormtroopers barked, his voice sharp and commanding, leaving no room for defiance.
Rey stepped forward with resolve, her hand sweeping through the air as she aimed to calm the tension with assistance from the force.
"It's okay that we're here," she commanded, her voice firm but reassuring.
The two troopers exchanged glances and slowly lowered their weapons, the nervousness in their stance easing slightly.
"It's okay that you're here," one of them replied, his voice laced with relief, while the other chimed in, "It's good."
Rey, sensing their unease, waved her hand again with an air of confidence. "You're relieved that we're here," she stated, her words almost soothing them further.
"Thank goodness you're here," the first trooper exclaimed, relief washing over him.
"Welcome, guys," the second one said, a hint of gratitude in his tone.
Poe leaned closer to Finn, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "Does she do that to us?" he whispered.
Rey took a step back, her expression shifting to one of focus and urgency. "We're looking for a prisoner and his belongings," she inquired, her voice steady and resolute.
It wasn't long before the stormtroopers gave their instructions with notable clarity and precision, which would guide everyone through the shadowy corridor that seemed to stretch on forever. With a commanding tone, Rey ordered them to forget their encounter and return to their previous orders.
After weaving through a maze of twisting corridors, Rey, Poe, and Finn finally arrived at the area they had been searching for. Their hearts raced as they moved through a series of heavy, reinforced doors, each one exuding a sense of foreboding.
"The cameras!" Rey suddenly shouted, spotting the surveillance devices lurking in the shadows. She quickly fired at one, the blaster bolt searing through the air and striking its target, while Poe swiftly joined in, his own shot silencing another camera in a bright flash.
They exchanged brief glances, tension hanging in the air as they checked their surroundings, confirming that the corridor was devoid of any threats.
"They said Chewie is this way," Finn said, a sense of urgency in his voice as he pointed down a narrow passage, barely illuminated by flickering overhead lights. He approached a door and, with a few quick taps, entered the code the stormtrooper had provided.
The door swung open smoothly, revealing the unknown beyond. Rey hesitated for a moment, her mind whirring with thoughts about the importance of debriefing with Hux and uncovering the results of the decryption.
Her instincts tugged at her, leading her to take a different path, separating her from the boys as she ventured deeper into the shadows.
Rey, come on," Finn urged, anxiety creeping into his voice as he glanced back at her, his brow furrowed in concern.
"The dagger is on this ship," Rey insisted, her willpower evident in her tone. "We need it."
Poe, ever the pragmatist, furrowed his brow and asked, "Why?"
Rey paused for a moment, a faraway look in her eyes. "It's just a feeling," she answered cryptically, her instincts guiding her. "I'll meet you back at the hangar."
"Rey… you can't just—" Finn started, worry etched across his features.
But Poe placed a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off. "Chewie," he simply stated his voice firm.
With that, both men rush down the opposite corridor, their resolve set on rescuing their loyal friend, Chewbacca.
Rey, with a deep breath, continued alone. She moved cautiously through the corridor, the cold metal walls casting eerie shadows as she navigated the labyrinth of passageways in the imperial facility. Every step was laced with tension; she was on the hunt for a stormtrooper or any soldier who could alert Hux to her arrival.
The layout of this place was a maze, each corner fraught with uncertainty. As she rounded a sharp corner, a glimmer of hope caught her eye—a control panel pulsing faintly with light. She stepped closer, her heart racing with the possibility of finding a way to reveal her presence.
But before she could reach it, a group of officers emerged from the shadows. Blasters drawn, they leveled their weapons at her.
"Freeze!" one of the men barked, his voice echoing off the sterile walls.
Raising her hands slowly in a gesture of peace, Rey's voice was calm yet urgent. "I can explain," she said, keeping her eyes on the panel.
With a swift motion, she brushed her fingertips across its surface, causing the panel to illuminate in a vibrant green hue. Startled by her movement, one of the soldiers instinctively pulled the trigger.
In an instant, Rey reacted, freezing the blaster bolt mid-flight, the energy suspended in the air like a shimmering crystal. She redirected it harmlessly away, the sound of impact echoing in the corridor as it struck the wall.
The soldier's eyes widened in disbelief as he noticed the panel next to her flashing the word "Empress."
"Lady Ren, my apologies. I didn't realise it was you," he stammered, his voice now laced with fear and respect.
Rey dismissed his concern with a flick of her hand, as if brushing away invisible dust from her dark attire. "No matter," she said, her voice steady and commanding. "Take me to Hux," she ordered with a palpable authority in her tone.
Before she knew it, Rey found herself navigating more familiar corridors. The path led her straight to the bridge, a place she had come to know all too well. Just as she was gathering her thoughts, a figure caught her eye—a tall, ginger-haired man striding purposefully toward her.
"My lady," Hux said, bowing deeply, the fabric of his uniform rustling slightly in the movement. "I was expecting you later in the day for the rescue mission."
Rey felt a knot of frustration tighten in her stomach. "It's difficult when I cannot communicate with you directly," she replied, her voice steady but laced with a sense of urgency. "I need to make this quick. Have you finished the translation?"
"Yes, we have," he assured her, his voice firm and confident.
"I'm going to need the dagger," Rey informed him.
"Of course, my lady. Right this way," Hux responded, gesturing with a courteous nod before leading Rey through a set of automated doors.
How do you ever manage to navigate this labyrinth of a place?" Rey finally asked, her eyes scanning the vast hallways lined with imposing doors.
"You get used to it," Hux replied, a teasing smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
With a confident stride, he led her through a series of corridors, past several heavily guarded doors that creaked ominously as they passed. Finally, they arrived at a spacious chamber, where Oshi's dagger rested on a clear stand at the centre of a pristine white podium.
"What does the dagger say?" Rey asked, her curiosity piqued as she stepped closer to the blade.
"The inscription holds the GPS coordinates for the planet Kef Bir, one of the moons orbiting the planet Endor," Hux explained, his voice low and full of intrigue. "It reads: Delta-4-6, transient 9-2-6, bearing 8-4. And there's a phrase etched into it: 'only this blade tells.'"
With deliberate care, he lifted the dagger from its display, the weight of the blade seeming to resonate with untold stories as he held it delicately in his hand.
Rey scrutinised the blade, a shiver running down her spine as its dark energy seemed to beckon her closer. She couldn't tear her gaze away from the ominous weapon that Hux held firmly in his hand.
"Isn't that where the ruins of the Death Star are?" she asked, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
"You're familiar with the war?" Hux inquired, a hint of surprise in his tone.
"I know history," Rey retorted, her eyes narrowing slightly as she considered the implications of the weapon.
With a deliberate motion, Hux extended the blade toward her. "But you have another problem," he said, his expression shifting to one of calculated seriousness.
Rey delicately wrapped her fingers around the metallic blade and lifted it from his grasp.
"Your friends have been captured," Hux informed her.
Rey rolled her eyes, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Of course they have," she replied, sarcasm lacing her words.
"Why don't you return to the hangar?" Hux suggested, his demeanor calm and collected. "I'll take care of your friends." The promise hung in the air, thick with unspoken intentions.
Rey nodded slowly, the darkness radiating from the dagger palpable in the air around her. Each whisper of pain it had inflicted seemed to echo in her mind, a haunting reminder of the lives it had claimed. With an effort, she tore her gaze away from the malevolent blade and looked up at Hux.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice a mix of concern and curiosity.
"This blade has been responsible for a lot of death," Rey replied, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow as she thought of her parents and the void their absence had left.
"Yes, well," Hux said, his expression shifting to a more thoughtful one, "it's more about the wielder who chooses to use the dagger than the blade itself." The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, hinting at a deeper understanding.
"I didn't think you were a philosopher," Rey replied, a hint of playful sarcasm in her tone.
"There's plenty you don't know about me," Hux responded, his eyes glinting with a mix of mystery and mischief.
Rey allowed a smirk to form on her lips, breaking the tension. "Very true. I must go now. Thank you for your… insights."
"Of course, my lady," Hux replied, bowing low.
Rey turned on her heels, her boots echoing against the metal floor as she left the room and made her way back to the hangar where she had first boarded the ship. The doors started to open before she even reached them. A confident smile spread across her face as she caught sight of the cameras tracking her movements, and she continued on her path, her expression steady and resolute.
She felt a surge of adrenaline as she spotted a pair of troopers menacingly questioning C-3PO, their blasters raised and ready. With a swift motion, Rey aimed her blaster and fired, the quick zap of energy stunning the troopers and sending them crashing to the ground.
"Oh dear!" C-3PO bellowed as he witnessed the scene unfold before him.
Approaching him, Rey's brow furrowed with concern. "Where are the others?" she asked, anxiety creeping into her voice.
"They haven't come back," C-3PO replied, his tone a mix of worry and confusion.
Suddenly, a familiar presence washed over Rey, and she sensed Kylo Ren drawing nearer. The piercing screech of his ship echoed through the corridor, and relief coursed through her, momentarily easing her tension.
"Where have you been?" she called out internally.
"Miss me?" Kylo replied with a smirk, his voice smooth yet teasing.
"Always," Rey answered.
"Find them," Rey commanded, her voice firm as she ushered the droids out of the ship. She then draped the strap of the weapons she had collected around C-3PO's neck, ensuring he was ready for whatever lay ahead.
Once the droids had vanished from sight, Rey couldn't contain her excitement any longer. She skipped across the hangar floor toward Kylo, who had just stepped off his imposing ship.
In an exuberant leap, she landed in his arms, her heart racing as she pressed her lips against his in a fervent kiss.
"As much as I adore this welcome, aren't you a bit afraid your friends will catch us?" Kylo replied, a teasing grin spreading across his face as he held her tightly, his dark eyes scanning the empty shadows of the hangar.
"They're in another part of the ship," Rey said, her voice steady. "I can sense Hux is with them."
He gazed at her with deep affection, his eyes sparkling with warmth. "Did you manage to get the dagger and the translation already?" Kylo asked, his voice a blend of curiosity and anticipation.
"Already done," Rey replied, a playful grin spreading across her face as she lightly smacked his arm. "Where were you hiding?"
"Ow," Kylo protested, though he barely flinched as he lowered her back to her feet, his grip still secure around her waist and unwilling to let her go.
"Oh, come on, that didn't hurt," Rey challenged, her eyebrow arching playfully as a teasing smirk danced on her lips.
"I had to make myself scarce to make it more convincing that you could sneak aboard," Kylo explained. "I took a joyride when I felt you approaching." He paused, looking out into the distance, and let out a frustrated groan. "I can sense the Millennium Falcon firing up now," he added, a serious note creeping into his voice. "You don't have much time."
Rey sighed dramatically, her lips forming a cute pout. "Fine," she relented, leaning in for one last quick kiss, their lips brushing softly against one another, before she stepped back. "Ready for another show," she asked.
Kylo nodded, his expression unfaltering as the heavy doors creaked open, allowing a stream of stormtroopers to march into the hanger.
"Why did the Emperor come for me?" Rey's voice trembled with a mix of defiance and confusion. "Why did he want to kill a child? Tell me!"
"Because he saw what you would become," Kylo responded, an eerie calmness in his tone. "You don't just possess power; you have his power."
The atmosphere thickened with tension as stormtroopers and soldiers watched the intense confrontation, their whispers echoing in the space.
"You're his granddaughter," Kylo explained. "You are a Palpatine."
Although Rey had grappled with this shocking truth before, she forced herself to adopt a façade of astonishment, stepping back as if the revelation weighed heavily on her.
"My mother was the daughter of Vader," Kylo continued, his gaze piercing through her uncertainty. "Your father was the son of the Emperor." He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "What Palpatine doesn't know is that we're a dyad in the Force, Rey. Two that are one."
Don't step back any further," Kylo internally warned her.
Rey didn't notice how far she had retreated during their intense exchange until a sudden awareness struck her—she was dangerously close to the edge of the hangar. Glancing down, she peered over the ledge and felt her breath catch in her throat as she saw the platform give way to an endless void, the inky darkness of space stretching out before her like an unfathomable abyss. The stars shimmered faintly in the distance, stark against the deep black, creating a haunting backdrop to her precarious position.
"We'll kill him together and take the throne," Kylo said confidently. "You know what you need to do. You know," he said while offering out his hand to her.
A faint smirk tugged at the corners of Rey's lips, battling against her serious demeanour. Standing amidst the soldiers, she could feel their eyes upon her, many recognising her as the Resistance Jedi they had heard about. She directed her gaze down to his hand, noting the subtle tension in his fingers, before lifting her eyes to meet his. His brow arched in a playful challenge, daring her to respond.
"Don't tempt me," Rey thought as she took a few deliberate steps closer to him.
"I do," Rey declared defiantly, her voice firm and unwavering.
The engines of the Millennium Falcon roared to life, a powerful rumble echoing around the hangar as the ship emerged from the shadows, casting a formidable silhouette. Without warning, stormtroopers began firing their blasters, bright bolts of energy slicing through the air towards the ship.
Poe, at the controls, expertly maneuoered the Falcon, angling it so the ramp could be lowered, sending a wave of force that knocked the stormtroopers off their feet, their shouts drowned out by the chaos.
Meanwhile, Kylo Ren stayed low, bracing himself against the intense wind and debris swirling around him.
"Rey!" Finn shouted, his voice cutting through the din of battle. "Come on!"
Rey turned, locking eyes with Finn, her heart pounding in her chest. She hesitated for just a moment, casting a fleeting glance back at Kylo, caught in the throes of conflict. Then, summoned by the urgency of the moment, she sprinted toward Finn's outstretched hand, the space between them narrowing.
"Come on! I got you!" Finn shouted, his voice full of encouragement.
With a burst of adrenaline, she leaped across the gap, her feet catching the edge of the ramp.
He reached out, grasping her arm firmly as he pulled her into the safety of the ship. The ramp quickly rose, sealing them inside just as the Millennium Falcon surged forward, breaking free from the clutches of the Finalizer. The ship hurtled back into the expansive void of space, engines roaring triumphantly as stars stretched out before them.
Finn cheered and Poe laughed with the realisation their mission had been a success.
Rey let out a heavy sigh, her heart aching with the weight of unspoken words. She realised with a pang of sorrow that she didn't get the chance to say goodbye to Kylo.