Chapter 18 In the End

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Rey's face grimaces in her sleep. She feels a great wave of fear as she follows her mind into the hole on Ach-to. Her head begins pounding and she feels trapped.

"I feel it too." Ben's words echo.

[This isn't going to go the way you think]. Luke's words are fiercer, [Rey!]

Snoke's voice is even louder, [A true Jedi!!!]

Ben's voice is quiet, "You're not alone. Remember that night in the forest? I love you."

Kenobi's voice makes her question whether she is dreaming, [Trust your instincts.] He calls for her, [Rey? Rey? REY!!]

Rey can almost see Kellin's face, "Rey? Where are you?"

Rey's eyes open in distress. The droids sit in their places but the windows behind them are full of fighters shooting back and forth outside the Command Ship. Rey's head is still echoing. Outside the chamber windows in the hallway storm troopers run past, followed by Blue Guards. One of them stops and bangs against the door but is shot down as a scattered group of Storm Troopers rushes the other way. Her head is ringing.

Suddenly it clears and she can hear again as an explosion jolts her into motion. Rey jumps on top of Ben trying to shake him awake. In frustration she cries out for help.

"CBBO, Droid!"

The droids spring into action immediately. CBBO holds the vent to escape the room open. Droid shocks Ben awake. Ben leaps up but before he can say anything an explosion rips into their chambers from the hall!

Ben has been pushed to all fours and as he moves to stand Rey can see that he has been impaled by a crooked metal bar through his middle, hooked around his back.

"Noooo!!!" She runs to him but he motions her away.

"Go! Now!" He orders her.

"I won't leave you!"

"You have to get down to the ground, go to the escape pods!" Ben shakes his head putting his hand to his ear. "What is this?!" His head is ringing too.

Rey watches him struggle, knowing she's the only one who can escape.

"I think it's some kind of poisonous gas."

An alarm blares and they both grimace as it rings through their heads.

"Go now!!!!!" he screams.

Rey touches Ben's face before she runs and dives into the ventilator shaft followed by the two droids. She begins to crawl quickly through the shafts, tears streaming down her face. She crawls around a corner where a foggy pillow of gas still hangs, but notices too late as she once again collapses, at the mercy of the poison.

Ben is buckled over in pain but calmly pulls his knees under himself and places his hands against the floor as if to will himself into a state of composure.

Storm Troopers flood the room. Two of them yank him to his feet strapping his wrists and neck with Force-preventing cuffs and holding a mask over his face so that his eyes close. As they drag him away drips of blood leave his trail on the floor.

Flame Troopers blow fire into the ventilator shaft Rey climbed into.

On the surface of Chandrila, battle is being waged in open fields and through the patches of forest. An X-wing is chased by Tie Fighters around to a massive battle near the planet's moon, where there are so many fighters it looks like a swarm of flies against the moon's surface.

Poe circles back and speaks to Kellin, in a fighter nearby.

"Have you heard anything from Lieutenant Gow?"

"No. And I've been a little busy."

"What do you think happened?"

"I think someone hijacked our peaceful surrender."

Chewie moantalks from the cockpit of Kellin's ship.

"Yeah exactly. What about Heretia?"

"I don't know." Poe is losing hope quickly.

On the planet, Mandalore, Maz ducks behind a window outside the Senate hall and speaks into a comm device.

"We're a little indisposed at the moment."

"Is Heretia there?" Finn is anxious to know.

"Here, yes. Alive, but she can't talk right now."

Rose comes in to view running from across the way and slides down for cover with Maz. Speaking low, she talks into the comm, "There are at least a hundred Tie Fighters advancing toward us from the north. Have they heard from Rey?"

"No, and they don't-"

Maz is cut off by an explosion nearby. A few diplomats come running out of the Senate building and Maz signals for them to follow her as she talks over her shoulder.

"We need to signal for Plan B!"

Rose nods and watches as the Tie Fighters fly overhead. She looks to the Senate hall and sees through a broken window the fight within.

Heretia is dressed in her own clothes, except for a First Order commander hat. She fights with her two sabers against a dozen Mandalore guards.

"This is ridiculous! We're on the same side!" She yells at them.

Running hard, she jumps through a window. As she does, her communication device rings and she hears Lando's voice on the other side.

"I can be there in a couple hours. I've got a surprise. I don't understand what is going on! What happened?"

"Let's just say we were all ready for a peaceful surrender. Someone didn't seem to tell the other half of the Galaxy."

"Well we're fine out here. How many ships do you need?"

"How many you got?"

Ben lands with a grunt in his own blood as the Storm Troopers holding him drop him to the ground on his knees on the throne room floor. They drop his saber too, a few feet away. A Chrome trooper stands before him on the throne steps. The helmet of the trooper looks identical to Kylo Ren's but it is chrome. Ben looks to his saber as a chrome foot kicks it away. He know that foot.

"Phasma?!"

The Chrome Kylo Ren sounds almost identical to Darth Vader when he speaks.

"You didn't really think a little fire could hold up our best captain did you? You're injured. What a shame. Let's at least stop the bleeding."

"As you wish general."

Phasma walks behind Ben. Ben struggles against the pain as she takes hold of the bar protruding from his torso. Heat radiates from the glove through the bar. Ben's skin sears against it, he cries out in pain as Phasma slides it out of his body. It lands with a clatter a distance away.

"That should do. Don't worry, we used flame throwers to clear the girl out of the ventilator shaft."

Ben seeks to find Rey but his vision of the droids pulling her limp body into a dark hole is shaky from the Force cuffs. He screams out and leans forward to rest his head against the smooth floor.

"How does it feel to finally be on the losing end?" The Chrom Ren asks. Ben has no will to speak, "Answer me." The shorter Chrome figure demands. The figure pulls a weapon from his belt and shocks Ben with it. Ben flashes back to a young Hux drawing lightening bolts from a rough draft of the Chrome Trooper outfit he now wears.

Young Hux shoves the drawing in young Ben's face, "And then it would shock like this! SEE?"

Ben is shocked again which brings him sideways onto the floor.

"Our ventilators filter out smoke, but not toxins." Hux's voice is heard through the mask. "Did you sleep well? The newest trooper masks filter out toxins. Thanks for that."

"You've taken everything from me!"

"I told you I would never give up. What happened to you? It was always supposed to be you and me against the universe!"

"No Mitty, we were wrong."

"Don't call me that! You abandoned us! I made sure you were included and you gave up!"

Ben grunts against the pain of using the Force through the cuffs. He sees Hux's memory:

A teen Hux stands with Snoke at a political ball.

"If you take away the things he's holding onto, he'll come around."

Vera's Ship explodes. Snoke's voice is in teen Ben's head.

"I know how it feels, I can teach you to be strong."

Ben looks up in fiery anger to Hux.

"It was you who told Snoke about my power!"

Ben remembers joining Snoke after fleeing Luke's training.

"You've done well young Solo. Like a true Skywalker. I believe you already know the young man responsible for designing the army's training program. Though he does not possess the Force he has everything he needs to be a great leader! He's talented and ruthless! And so young!"

"Ready to be part of something great?" The young adult Hux asks Ben.

Ben moves to lunge at Hux but Phasma shocks Ben again and he flies backward, landing on his side. Ben stands again. Phasma removes her mask, revealing a half robot face. Her scars lace across her cheek and she cocks a different weapon out.

"You're stronger than I thought." Hux observes.

Ben closes his eyes and opens them. He flexes and the cuffs around his neck and wrists wither from their places and fall to the ground. Chrome Hux stands as if to fight him.

"I thought you said those cuffs prevented the Force?" Phasma exclaims, turning a switch that activates the strands of melee tech protruding from the end of her gun.

"It only makes it incredibly painful. You didn't actually think I'd give him a weapon you could use against me did you?"

Ben's saber flies to him and Phasma bolts out the doors aided by rockets at her feet. Ben takes down Hux's Chrome figure in one motion and it falls to three pieces.

Six more Chrome figures appear behind Ben and he looks confused. Hux's voice is heard above him through the ship.

"You didn't actually think I'd wear one of those ridiculous masks did you?"

Through his teeth Ben yells.

"What did you do?!"

Ben slices the Chrome figures down one at a time avoiding their blasts and blows as Hux talks over the ship's loudspeaker.

"I received a disturbing call from a lieutenant on the other side of the Galaxy yesterday. One who said that the Resistance scum leftovers knew very well that you were alive. That they were behind your plan to use my armies against me. Imagine my irritation." Two of the Chrome figures shock Ben at the same time and he falls. "You feel different don't you? Just as weak on the outside as you are on the inside? It's the poison."

"You ruined my life!" Ben pulls his saber again and slices down the last two Chrome Troopers. He slides into the hallway searching for Hux.

"Ruined your life?! I did everything I could to make you great! You always blame everyone else for your mistakes!"

"You knew what I really wanted. You betrayed me!"

Three destroyer droids appear around a corner and Ben battles them.

"I gave up everything so we could rule all this—together. You've betrayed everything I built!"

"It was no accident that I left you; you wanted things I couldn't be a part of anymore."

Ben slashes into Hux's chambers, which appear empty. A black rolling droid comes in behind Ben. He turns to regard it and it sprays him in the eyes with something. He doubles over and stumbles back into the hallway. Ben runs toward the elevator and boards it.

"Snoke made us both better than we could have ever been on our own!" Hux continues. "You were always ungrateful. You never appreciated anything. Your power, your parents, your life. I gave you an escape."

The elevator suddenly begins to fall, and unable to stop it, Ben jumps through the top and out onto the other elevator car.

"You fostered nothing but fear in me!"

"So you admit you are afraid."

Ben yanks a cable loose and uses it to rappel down to the floor he wants.

"Snoke used you to build the First Order." Ben tells him.

"I used him to build the First Order! Do you honestly believe I could have done it without his power, your power? If it weren't for that ridiculous girl I'd have succeeded long ago."

Ben enters the mechanical corridors and follows them to where he thinks he'll find Hux.

"You were always jealous of me. You've never risen above it. I'm not the one who cares too much. You are."

"I'm predictable Ben. When given the choice, I choose control and supremacy every single time. And I'm willing to do anything for it, because I'm strong!"

Ben draws back at the doors to the hanger as two Flame troopers throw fire at him. Hux stands, holding only the comm device, at the end of the largest overlook. He wears a chrome suit, no mask, a short cloak draping behind him.

The Supreme Leader approaches slowly. From above, Phasma blasts him with the largest shock yet. Troopers come out of every entrance but the floor is mostly empty. There's a slight burn of a lighting bolt on Ben's neck. He continues to approach Hux. The troopers are poised to blast him and Ben shouts to the room.

"I'm your Supreme Leader. Are you really going to shoot me?"

"You're a traitor to the First Order."

"You are the traitor. Taking everything you want without asking. You have no regard for life or anyone."

"Listen to the great Kylo Ren and his sudden turn to the Light. You killed your own father and you dare to lecture me?"

Ben travels again to an echoed memory in his mind:

"What happened the night Han died?" Rey asks.

"My father knew in the end I was the only one who could stand against Snoke. When he said he would help me, do anything. I took my chance.

"Yes, Anything."

"Don't say anything." Ben drops his helmet. "Snoke wants you dead. I can't stay here if I don't. But I can't come home if I do." He puts his hand on the saber.

"We can do it together"

"No. I won't."

"We both know you're the only one who can do this."

"I can't"

"You can. You have to. Be strong."

Ben thrusts his saber into his father, "I love you." Han touches Ben's face, "I love you too".

"I always hoped you would rise above your ambition. I was wrong." Ben closes in on Hux but suddenly directs his attention to the movement of a small cannon nearby. It's Ben's weapon. The one that vaporizes. He holds up his hands as if to talk Phasma down. He places his saber on the ground.

"Fire!" Hux orders.

Ben turns all his power to defend himself against the vaporizing energy. He disappears from view behind the ray of the cannon and Hux runs to the edge of the overlook. Ben hangs on an edge a few feet below. His clothes are tattered, he has a few scrapes, his nose is bleeding.

"My goodness. You really just won't die will you?"

Ben closes his eyes against the pain.

"You never asked for enough." Hux lectures at him.

"You wanted too much."

With a great swing of his legs Ben leaps into the air and catches his saber.

Hux is suddenly on guard and backs up, motioning more Chrome troopers forward. They are each holding a small version of Ben's large weapon. He looks disappointed to see this, as he is surrounded. Phasma moves to take his saber, but instead he throws it off the bridge. Hux signals for the troopers to fire on Ben. He is sure he has the upper hand.

"You never appreciated your power. You always underestimated everyone except yourself! No one ever lived up to your lofty expectations!"

As his weapon is fired, Ben jumps and his hands seem to pull the rays of energy into his arms as he makes fists inward. Ben dispels the energy as he lands on one knee shaking the ground. He meets Hux's bewildered eyes.

"No." Ben glances upward, "Everyone except her."

Rey is poised on the ceiling above. She drops like a helicopter and slices Hux to chrome pieces flying in every direction. There is a pause. Phasma meets Ben's gaze. He dives forward and grabs Rey using their Droids like flying stirrups, blasters begin firing as they propel forward. Phasma ignites her rockets and flies after them. Ben and Rey leap as far as they can and slam to safety in the elevator. The droids engage Phasma as the doors close in front of them.

Blasts pelt the outer metal.

"You heard me." Rey marvels, looking over his wounds and touching his face.

Ben holds his wound panting, "I never told you... how much... I really love those droids."

Across the Galaxy fighting ceases. Storm Troopers across all planets take off their helmets. Commanders and Senators and world leaders shake hands and everyone tends to the wounded.

Families are found and united.

The Senate is restored.

Ben observes the Senate as leaders are elected and chosen, Rose is elected as a Senator.

Training academies for Force wielders are put in place across the Galaxy.

Ben and Rey fight alone on a green planet in front of a beautiful house. Rey beats him.

"You're dead!"

Ben splashes her with water from the fountain in the yard and they kiss and lay down in the grass holding hands. A ship looms over them and Chewbacca calls from the repaired Millennium Falcon.

Rey holds their baby girl tight then passes her to Ben, kissing her head.

"I won't be gone long."

She kisses Ben goodbye.

"C'mon sis, you're holding up the mission!"

Heretia and Finn shake their heads and disappear into the ship. Rey laughs and turns back to Ben one last time before closing the door.

"I love you." She says.

"We know." He smiles.

Rey boards the Millennium Falcon and takes off into hyperspace.

Peace in the Galaxy.

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net