The Resistance

“It’s not hopeless!” Poe stood, his chair sliding back behind him. The remaining members of the Resistance sat crammed in the meeting hall, a single roomed wooden shack; the biggest of the the abandoned Ewok settlement.

Lieutenant Connix cast her eyes down in shame. She’d only spoken what half the small group had been whispering in hushed tones for weeks. The distress signal had been sent out as the remnants of the Resistance lay stuck on Crait and yet no one had come. No one had answered their signal, despite confirmations that it had been seen. Morale was low. Hope was fading.

Poe turned to General Organa for some wise words, something, anything to bring back the spirit that had been lost with their retreat from Crait.

The wrinkles around Organma’s eyes deepened as she shut her eyes in thought. Opening them again slowly as the silence hung in the air, everyone waiting for what she would say next. “We have allies. We must. The rebellion, the rebel alliance, and now the resistance, we have always had allies.”

Chewbacca cried out in agreement. Her worn face turn to give him a half smile.

“We are sitting ducks here. It is only a matter of time before we are found. There are a few ships here in flying condition-”

“Yes!” Yelled out Poe as he followed her train of thought. “A small contingent of us will seek out our allies, while the remainder regroup at… at..”

“At the Anchorhead Base on Tatooine.” General Organa smirked. She pulled out a small device, punching in the coordinates and showing the group a hologram of the base.

Finn pushed through the throng of people, away from Rose’s side near a far corner. “But wasn’t that base destroyed during the Battle of Yavin?”

“Only partly.” Organa smiled, the plan now manifesting clearer in her mind. “There were lower chambers that remained untouched by the bombings, although they have since been abandoned. There are more supplies there than Endor, smaller ships, more fuel, and lots of weapons.” Everyone’s ears perked up. “It was the base from which the alliance would purchase weapons off the black markets of Tatooine; if my recollections are correct, there should be quite a stockpile left. Although dated, the weapons will help.”

Finn shook his head, placing both hands palm down on the table. “That’s all? Regroup and find allies? Where is the offensive? Where are the attacks? The First Order is weak! Rey told us about Snok’s death! Now, now is the time to attack while their leadership is left scrambling!”

A murmur carried throughout the crowd. Organa shook her head. “We are too weak. We would not even survive discovery at this point. They may not have Snok, but General Hux and Kylo Ren have taken command of the First Orders vast arsenal. We are no match right now. We need to disband and regroup.”

The door of the room suddenly burst open, hitting the wall with a loud thud. In the doorway stood Rey, her cloak soaked from rain. “He’s found me. You have to go. All of you! Everyone! Now!”

***

General Organa looked into Rey’s eyes sternly, clutching both of her arms. “Are you sure about this?” She asked seriously as the whirling of engines blared in the background.

Standing on watch outside the meeting, listening in, Rey had felt a jolt in her mind, a sudden flicker, for a split second, of herself, standing watch outside the shack in the treetops. The word, Endor, hung in the air. He had found her. She felt it, in that split second, and she felt the the tug of their connection slacken, he was on his way.

The remaining Resistance members quickly had run off to pack their belongings and split off into groups. It was decided that three small groups, led by Poe, were to be sent off in search of allies. The remainder would retreat to Tatooine and re-establish the base as their new stronghold.

Rey had chosen to stay behind and throw Ren off their tracks. It was a decision she only now whispered to General Organa.

“We are matched. Our strength in the force is equal. His vendetta against me has grown since that day, but I cannot allow my shortcomings to compromise what is left of the Resistance. I must stay.” Rey stood firm, her jaw set in a hard line. She knew this was something that needed to come to pass. Her fingers instinctively touched the lightsaber hanging from her belt.

Unfortunately Finn had been passing by just at that moment, heading towards the Millennium Falcon where Poe, BB-8, a wayward Porg, Chewbacca, and Rose awaited him. “You’re what?” He stopped mid step, whirling around to stand next to Rey and Organa.

“I, I’m staying. I am going to try and buy you all time to escape. It’s my fault he is coming.” Rey hung her head, clenching her fist.

“No! We almost lost you once we can’t lose you again! If you’re what’s left of the force we can’t-” Finn’s voice rose with panic.

Poe, peeking out of the ship in search of his missing companions heard Finn’s outburst and ran over, joining the small grouping.

“The force is everywhere Finn, in me, in these sprinkles of rain..” She stretched out her palm calmly and watched as water filled her hand, “and the force is telling me I have to do this.”

She looked up, meeting Poes eyes. He understood, he knew what it meant to take risks for the ones you loved. Recognition passed from his eyes to hers and he gave her a nod of recognition.

“Let’s go buddy.” Poe patted Finn’s shoulder before turning to return to the Falcon.

Finn stood, shocked that no one else was trying to stop her. A tense moment passed before he finally began digging around in his pocket, pulling something out and thrusting it towards Rey. “Here, take this. It’s a tracker and a communication device. Never let it leave your side.” He gave her a half smile.

Rey beamed in return. Finn was the closest companion she had here, and his approval meant everything to her. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Now go! I sense he’ll be here within the day, you need to leave before he catches you in orbit.”

Finn held out his communication device, the other half of the one he had given her, holding it for her to see he tucked it in the pocket of his jacket, closest to his heart, patting it in place. “May the force be with you.” He turned and joined the others aboard the Falcon.

“He would probably call you a silly kid who thinks you know too much. He would probably be against all this, but, in a way, I think I trust Ben as much as I trust you.” General Organa smiled. “Now we have left a small ship hidden away near the far left corner of the settlement. Should you need it it is there.”

“Thank you” Rey whispered. She watched as Organa turned and boarded her own ship, headed to Tatooine. It took off and joined the rest of the small fleet.

The last ship to leave was the Falcon, headed to Kashyyyk. Rey had promised General Organa she would catch up with them once her business with Ben was finished.

“Ben” Rey whispered. She watched as the Falcon took off. She was alone.

She didn’t entirely have a plan. She wasn’t sure exactly why he had come to find her, or whether it would require a fight. She wasn’t sure she was truly ready to fight him again. She paced the small opening the ships had taken off from, smirking as a plan emerged. If he had come for her, she wasn’t about to make it easy for him.

***
Rey sat cross legged on the damp earth of the same clearing. The night had fallen on Endor, bringing with it an eerie loneliness. She’d built a large crackling fire, flames flickering higher than her stature. She was waiting for him. There minds had not connected again since that brief glimmer, but she could feel with every fiber of her body a pull, stretched to breaking the further they were apart, and now growing calmer into a comfortable tranquility the closer he got.

She threw some sticks onto the fire which illuminated the whole clearing, keeping the other hand firmly upon her lightsaber.

Suddenly out in the darkness, yards and yards away she heard the faint snap of a twig. Rey let out a sigh in preparation and closed her eyes, reaching out with the force for him. Abruptly a twig snapped close than she had expected. Rey’s eyes sprung open.

Across the licking flames of the large bonfire a dark figure stepped out from the blackness beyond.

“Foolish” The deep voice echoed. “Remaining here defenceless.” He took a slow and deliberate step toward Rey, gloved arms reaching up to pull back the black hood of his cloak.

“Are you sure you would like to do this again? If I recall correctly you already received one memento from the first.” Rey jumped to her feet, releasing her lightsaber and pointing it across the fire at Kylo Ren, at his scar.

He took another slow step towards her, untying his robes and letting them fall to his feet. “I don’t believe you are as sure of yourself as you believe. Why else would you have placed all these ridiculous traps around this clearing.” He smirked, silhouettes of the flames dancing on his pale complexion, orange and red mirrored in his eyes.

Rey faltered. She’d been hoping they would give her a minor advantage, but he knew.

“I plucked it right from your mind.” His foot raised to take another step closer.

“Stop!” Rey yelled across the fire. She could feel the clutches of his presence on her mind. He was stronger, much stronger.

“You fear me more. Now why is that?” Ren smirked, taking a step towards her once again. Rey stepped backwards in response. The corneers of his hard set mouth twitched upwards with pleasure.

Rey shook her head, trying to send him out of her mind. Suddenly Ren’s steps continued, and his slow advance picked up slightly. They were now circling the fire at a slow pace.

“Hmm. You think I’m stronger. Funny since you play the victor constantly.” His arm flicked out in a quick motion, releasing his lightsaber as he continued his advance, his game of cat and mouse. “Now let’s take a closer look.”

Rey almost fell back as Kylo ambushed her with the full force of his mental abilities. Like a worm burrowing into a carcass, he was bypassing any gates she had mentally established.

“What’s this. You think my…” His voice broke to a whisper and his advance stopped.

Rey knew what he had seen in her mind. She gulped, regaining herself, standing legs apart in a defensive position. “I think my rejection changed not just any plans of domination you may have had. You’re heart it-”

[Music Recommendation! Play this as you continue reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1k5zo0w6N8 ]

Suddenly Kylo jumped over the flames of the bonfire and flew at her. Rey threw her lightsaber up to block his attack. Their lightsabers collided with such a force that threw Rey’s one knee down to the ground. Her arms quivered as she tried to push him back.

“MY HEART WHAT?” He spat the words out as he pushed back against her.

Rey’s chest heaved faster and faster. She mustered her strength and threw him back. “It betrayed you!” Rey lunged at him. He blocked, faltering in the process, coming close to the flames of the bonfire. “With your father!” She attacked. “With your master!” She blocked his lightsaber and kicked him in the chest. “And now with me!” She attacked again, letting out an angry scream in the process.

He blocked, again and again, face in painful concentration.

“But you don’t see!” She yelled. Her lightsaber connected with a tree as he ducked. She jumped back as the trunk fell, missing the fire. She lunged at him again. “What you don’t see is that the problem is you! Not us! It is the dark side! It has warped your mind until you’ve thrown off all those who have loved you!” Tears of anger and pain began streaming down her face as her foot made contact with his chest again, sending him back onto the ground. She stood over him, lightsaber pointed at him, the sounds of their panting and the crackling of the roaring fire filling the air.

His lightsaber had been thrown back, out of reach. Kylo looked up with spite and anger. “US? THERE WAS NO US!” He reached out with the force, bringing the lightsaber back into his waiting hand and lept forward. Grabbing the hilt of the lightsaber with both hands he swung with the full force of his despair. Rey ducked, landing a searing blow to his leg.

She reached out with her mind. All she found were lies. “STOP LYING TO YOURSELF!” She screamed, beads of sweat stinging her eyes. Rey stepped forward to land another blow but Ren raised his foot, bringing it crashing into her ribs, sending her flying across the clearing.

Rey landed with an audible thud, but before she could regain herself Ren had lept towards her, bringing a knee down on her chest, pinning her to the ground. He turned the light saber off, keeping it in his hand before grabbing her now loosened hair with the fist of his other hand. Rey cried out in pain. He brought her head up so that she could look into his eyes. His sweat soaked face danced in shadows and light from the fire next to them. “This!” He spat out, forcing her face closer to the fire, “THIS IS WHAT LOVE GETS YOU!”

The flames began burning Rey’s cheek. She began crying and screaming out in pain as the fire scorches her pale skin. He hands weakly clawed at his fist locked around her hair. She let out another cry and he pulled her face away from the fire, before raising the other arm, wrapped around the lightsaber and bringing it down on her head.

He’d knocked her unconscious and her body fell limp to the ground as he let go of her hair, letting the strands stream out from between his gloved fingers.

Ren ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back out of his eyes as he struggled to even his breathing from the fight. He allowed eyes to pan over her defenceless figure.

Moments passed before he finally slowly stood, reaching out an arm and bringing Rey’s lightsaber flying out of the forest and into his waiting hand. He attached it to his belt along with his own before bending down and gently scooping Rey up into his arms. Cradling her, he walked off in the direction of the ship.

Light shone out into the night from the open door of his small ship. RD-12 stepped into the doorway at the top of the ramp that led down to the forest floor. “Did you find what you were looking for sir?”

Ren looked down for a brief moment, before walking past RD-12 onto the ship, ramp rising behind him and doors buzzing shut.

“I did.”