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chapter forty-nine: protecting the light
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IN ALL HIS LIFE, Stefan Nakada never thought that he would find himself onboard the Supremacy ever again. After choosing to defect, the pilot had envisioned himself living the rest of his life outside the grasp of his former colleagues. Even so, he had willingly accepted the mission to return when he had been asked to do so by Commander Poe Dameron. When the time came, Stefan hadn't hesitated. Now, however, he is beginning to think that he made a terrible mistake.

      After their group had been caught attempting to disable the tracker, Finn had been separated from Stefan, Rose, and General Calrissian. Stefan had been extremely worried about the fate of his friend, but he had little time to think of Finn's well-being before he and the others were marched before the First Order's troops and presented to their general by Captain Phasma.

      It was humiliating for Stefan — being forced to kneel before people he once worked alongside — but the presence of Hux made things so, so much worse. He had been dreading this particular reunion more than any of the others.

      "Nakada," the general sneers at him. His barely controlled anger makes Stefan's name sound like a curse. "So good to see you again."

      Stefan stifles a sigh. "I wish I could say the same, Hux," he replies, narrowing his eyes at his former commander and, more unfortunately, his former lover. "But I would be lying if I did."

      When he first joined the First Order, a young and naive Stefan Nakada made the fatal mistake of falling into General Hux's clutches. The relationship that blossomed between them as a result of that mistake was a toxic, terrible thing that still haunted him to this very day. More than anything, Stefan had left the First Order to get away from Hux. Seeing him again brought back all the ugly, painful memories he had been trying so hard to forget.

     The general bristles at his snark and curls his lip in disgust. Before Stefan can react, Hux draws his hand back and slaps him across the face. The sting hardly registers with him as he glares up at the other man, fighting to keep his rising panic buried beneath the surface.

      "I never would have suspected you for a traitor," the general taunts, folding his arms behind his back. "But you always were soft, weren't you, Stefan? Same as your turncoat uncle. It must run in your bloodline."

     "If by soft, you mean I have a soul, then yes; I am soft," Stefan retorts. "And I'm not ashamed of it."

     Hux scoffs. "You should be," he warns before turning to Phasma. "Execute them."

     If Stefan were able to see Phasma's face beneath her helmet, he is certain she would be smiling. "With pleasure."

      "I would say I'm sorry about this, Nakada, but I would be lying if I did," the general leers. "This is your fault, you know. You brought this on yourself."

     The words are familiar — this is your fault, you brought this on yourself — and they make Stefan feel enraged. He lashes out against his bindings in an attempt to lunge at Hux, wanting to hurt the man in the same way he had tormented him. Before he can reach him, Stefan is kicked facedown onto the ground, unable to do anything but watch as Hux turns on his heel to leave the primary hangar without a second glance. Next to Stefan, Rose and Calrissian are also forced to lie on the ground with their cheeks pressed to the cold, hard floor. Despite the odd angle, Stefan meets Rose's gaze and finds her eyes filled with fear.

      "Execution by blaster is too good for them," Phasma announces to her guards. "Let's make this hurt."

     "Stefan," Rose whispers, her voice shaking with terror.

     "It'll be alright, Rose," he tries to reassure her in spite of his own fear. In front of them, three stormtroopers carrying glowing weapons step forward from the ranks. From his spot on the ground, Stefan can hear the hum of electricity flowing through their staffs and he knows that whatever is coming will be excruciatingly painful. "Everything is going to be okay."

      Captain Phasma raises a hand. "On my command."

      The troopers lower the weapons so they are hovering only inches away from the necks of the prisoners. Stefan can feel his hair stand up as heat licks at his skin.

      "Close your eyes, Rose," he instructs her, but she shakes her head, keeping her eyes wide open with fear.

     Unable to hold her terrified gaze, Stefan lets his own eyes slip shut. This is it, he thinks dismally, finding some sort of peace before the pain. Uncle Bodhi, I hope I've made you proud.

     "Execute," Captain Phasma orders.

      Stefan takes a deep breath and opens his eyes one last time before the world around him is engulfed in heat and a brilliant, blinding white light.

THE RED GUARDS HAD been formidable opponents, but Finn and Rey fought together like a well-oiled machine. Despite their lack of practice, the Force flowed through them in unison, allowing them to move in perfect harmony. Still, they never would have been able to win without the help of Raena Nhagy — the former First Order assassin, who had become their unexpected but very welcome ally in a time of great need. Together, the trio had defeated Snoke's trained lackeys and snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat.

      As soon as the fight is finished, Rey tosses her saber to the ground and Finn does the same. The two run to each other before embracing fiercely, clutching at one another and holding tight before letting go.

     "How did you —" Rey begins as soon as she steps back, but Finn just shakes his head.

     "No idea," he says. "I just ... reached out and it came to me."

     She exhales incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

     "Trying to save the fleet," Finn explains. "The First Order was tracking us through hyperspace — I was supposed to help disable the tracker before I got caught." He frowns. "What about you? What are you doing here? Where's Skywalker?"

     "Still on his island," Rey replies, her brow furrowing. "It's a long story, but I came here to find you."

     "Me?" He asks incredulously.

     "Yes, you," she says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "I saw a vision of you in danger and I knew I had to stop it."

     "You came here for me?" Finn repeats.

     Rey shakes her head at him fondly. "Of course I did," she tells him. "Don't act so surprised."

     Finn smiles at her — his first real smile since waking up from his coma after Starkiller base — and his heart beats wildly in his chest. It's a look that Rey returns, grinning from cheek to cheek; still radiant and beautiful in spite of her battle-worn state, and gods if Finn doesn't want to take her in his arms and —

     "Um, guys," Raena Nhagy interrupts. "He's waking up."

      Rey whirls around quickly. She had nearly forgotten about Kylo Ren, but sure enough he was stirring on the ground as consciousness returns from his blow to the head.

     She glances over at Finn. "Did you come here alone?"

     He shakes his head. "No. I came with friends." His eyes widen as he looks at her. "We have to find them — they're probably in trouble!"

     Rey bites her lip before nodding. "You go find them," she instructs. "I'll be right behind you, but I need to deal with him first."

     Finn wavers. "Rey, I don't want to leave you."

     "You won't be for long," she promises. "But this is something I need to do. Go find your friends. I'll meet you in the secondary hangar. Chewie and Artoo will be waiting with the Falcon."

     He shakes his head. "I don't like this, Rey. What if he —"

     "We've got this," Raena interrupts, doing her best to reassure him. "If Kylo tries anything, I'll blow his brains out. I've been looking for an excuse to do it and my trigger has been feeling very itchy. Go find your friends, Finn, before it's too late."

      Finn hesitates, looking back and forth between Rey and Raena before finally nodding. "Okay," he caves, knowing that Rey is more than capable of looking after herself. He couldn't leave Stefan, Rose, and Lando behind just because of his own desire to protect someone who definitely doesn't need his protection. "We'll meet in the hangar."

     "We will," Rey promises. Ren groans loudly on the ground, startling them, before Rey shoos Finn away. "Now, go!"

     Finn doesn't need to be told twice; he turns on his heel and runs from the throne room, hurrying down the halls of the Supremacy in the direction of the prison cells. However, he doesn't make it any further than the primary hangar before he sees an assortment of troopers gathered round a spectacle that he can't see.

     Finn catches sight of Captain Phasma at the head of the crowd. from a distance. Fear makes his heart beat rapidly in his chest as he lays eyes on the woman who had once made his life as a soldier a living hell. The chrome-plated commander raises her hand, signaling for three of her troopers to step forward with weapons raised high. Finn's brow furrows in confusion before he realizes too late what it is — an execution.

     "On my command," Phasma orders, her voice ringing loudly. "Execute."

     "NO!" Finn screams, giving his position away immediately.

     The captain's helmeted head snaps up as she sets her eyes on him. "You," she hisses.

     Before Phasma can order her guards to seize Finn, an unexpected force crashes into the ship and engulfs the vessel in a brilliant flare of heat and light. The last thing that Finn remembers before unconsciousness takes him is the sensation of flying and falling very, very fast.

      Rey, he thinks.

     Everything goes black.

      REY WATCHES WITH trepidation as Ren blinks, slowly returning to consciousness after she had knocked him out. He looks confused at first before he stands, staggering away from her and Raena as he stumbles around the room. Eventually, Rem manages to gather his bearings before he turns on the two girls with an impassive expression.

     "Why did you do it?" Rey demands, cutting to the chase immediately as she gestures towards Snoke's mangled body. "Why did you kill him?"

     Kylo doesn't answer.

     "I know why he did it," Raena mutters darkly in Rey's ear, but the words are loud enough for Ren to hear.

     His eyes narrow. "And why is that?"

     "The one thing you want more than anything else," the assassin retorts, raising a brow at him. "Power."

     Rey frowns and shakes her head. "Did you have a change of heart?" She questions, looking into Ren's unreadable gaze. She wonders if maybe, just maybe, he still has a heart somewhere beneath those soulless eyes. "You can still turn this around. The fleet — there's time to save them! Order your men to stop firing."

     Kylo Ren ignores both of them as he strides over to Snoke's throne and looks at his master's lifeless corpse. Rey frowns before she feels someone take her hand. Her eyes flit over to Raena, who is holding her tightly. "I know you don't trust me," she says earnestly, "but I will try to do everything I can to help save the people we care about."

     A hopeful smile tugs at Rey's lips and she squeezes the other girl's cold hand before turning back to Kylo. "Ren," she says urgently. "Make them stop."

     "It's time to let old things die," he announces as he stares at Snoke's corpse. "Snoke, Skywalker; the Sith, the Jedi; the rebels ... let it all die."

     A feeling of dread flows through Rey as Raena lets go of her hand and pushes her behind her. "What are you saying?" She demands viciously.

     Kylo whirls around to look at them. "I want you to join me," he says. "Both of you. We can bring a new order to the galaxy together and start over — all of us."

     Rey shakes her head. "Ben, don't do this," she warns him. "Don't go this way. Think of your mother. Think of Leia. I know you still care for her. It's not too late to fix this —"

Seeming to realize that Rey is a lost cause, Kylo Ren turns to Raena. "Let the past die, Raena," he tells her, extending a hand towards her. "Let's put it all behind us. You and me can be partners again; an outmatched team." His lip quivers slightly in rare display of vulnerability. "I need you."

     Raena looks at him with disgust. "Let it all die?" She echoes incredulously. "I already did die. Did you forget when you shoved your lightsaber through my chest?" She scoffs. "You're delusional if you think I can ever forgive that." She rips the hidden comm link from her ear and holds it up for him to see. "I didn't become a Rebel spy just to let it all die!"

     Kylo shakes his head, clenching his hand into a tight fist. "No, no," he growls angrily. "You're still holding on — both of you! LET GO!"

His eyes settle on Rey again. "Do you want to know the truth about your parents?" He asks with a vicious glint to his tone. "Or have you always known and you've just hidden it away? You know the truth. Say it. Say it."

Tears well up in Rey's eyes and she blinks them away, remembering how it felt to be in the cave on Luke's island; all alone with nothing but darkness. "They were nobody," she admits, voice small.

"They were filthy junk traders," Kylo confirms, sounding almost pleased at her confession. "Who sold you off for drinking money. They're dead in a paupers' grave in the Jakku desert. You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You're nothing." He pauses when Rey sobs, his stare calculating before he chooses his next words. "But not to me. Join me. Please."

     "I think I've heard enough," Raena interrupts, stepping forward to shove Kylo backwards before he can say another word. "All you want is a partner. You need someone to trust you so badly, so that you don't have to bear the weight of the consequences of your actions on your own and so that you don't have to rule this gods-forsaken galaxy alone. That person won't be either of us."

     "You told me that I could start a new world," Kylo reminds her softly. "One without the Supreme Leader."

     Raena wrinkles her nose. "Fine," she says, whipping her blaster out from her belt. "You want to let the past die, Ben Solo?" She cocks her gun and points it at his head. "Then let's kill it, starting with you."

     "Raena, wait," Rey warns her. She could sense something off in the other girl's spirit, but the assassin brushes her off.

     "Give me one good reason that I shouldn't kill you," Raena demands from Kylo. "Right now."

     Kylo blinks. "Because I'm your future."

     A tremor wracks Raena's body, but she holds her weapon tighter. "Not good enough." She flicks the safety off on the gun. "Give me another reason."

     His eyes bore into hers. "Because you care for me."

     Raena tries to laugh, but the sound comes out like a sob. "Last chance."

     "Because killing me will give you instant satisfaction." Kylo pauses. "But it will haunt you forever."

     "Raena, let's go," Rey tries to coax her away once more. The dreadful feeling inside of her feels more and more urgent with each passing second. "We have to help our friends. Finn is waiting —"

     "JUST LET ME DO THIS!" Raena screams, taking the younger girl aback.

     Rey steps away from her quickly, feeling lost as she observes the couple before her. She can't wrap her mind around Ren and Nhagy's connection; all she can feel radiating off the two of them is pain and conflict. She watches quietly as the assassin steps forward towards Ren, pressing the barrel of her gun directly against his forehead. Instead of trying to evade or escape her, Ren reaches out to cup her cheek.

     "Everything will soon be set right," Kylo tells Raena softly.

     Something about the words make the other girl break. Rey watches as the assassin lowers her gun and bursts into tears. Raena falls heavily into Kylo Ren's arms and he holds her for a few moments as she sobs and Rey feels defeated; knowing that Raena has chosen to side with Ren.

     Eventually, Kylo pulls back from Raena's embrace and grasps her face in both of his hands. He tilts her head back to look into her eyes — a fond gesture, Rey assumes at first — until he shoves his forehead violently into hers and knocks her to the ground.

      "No!" Rey cries out, drawing her lightsaber from her belt.

     Kylo moves quickly, summoning his own blade from the floor, and ignites it. The two of them stand face to face, two sides of the same coin, as Raena's unconscious body keeps them apart. Rey readies herself for a fight, wondering if she will be able to defeat him a second time.

     However, before their blades can even touch, an abrupt blast rocks the ship and throws the pair of them to the ground. Rey narrowly avoids hitting her head and rolls to protect herself, but Kylo abruptly loses his balance before his skull collides with the hard surface of the floor and renders him immobile.

      Around the ship, alarms are blaring loudly as flames and smoke fill the throne room. Rey pulls herself up from the ground in a haze, stumbling away as quickly as she can with only one thought in her mind.

     Finn. I have to find Finn.

CHAOS ERUPTS ON THE transports as the First Order continues to fire upon the defenseless, slow-moving shuttles. Indira feels frozen, transfixed by horror as she witnesses more and more of the vessels meet their ends. Each ship that disintegrates goes up in a blazing inferno of plasma that makes her flinch. She knows that it's only a matter of time before their ship is taken out too and she has never felt more helpless in her life.

From the cockpit, she can hear Poe giving orders to the pilots. "Come on, give it full thrusters!" He shouts. "Full speed!"

"I am, sir!" One of the pilots replies.

Indira closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. They were already going as fast as they could go — it just wasn't fast enough. She looks to Leia, who is still sitting at her window seat. In spite of all the panic, her aunt is calm. It isn't a reassuring sight. Instead, Indira feels even worse; as if her aunt had already bypassed all the stages of grief and skipped straight to acceptance of death.

Poe returns from the front of the cabin to stand silently at Indira's side. When the transport closest to theirs goes up in flames, she winces before reaching for him. Instinctively, Poe weaves their fingers together and brings their hands to his lips, muttering something wordlessly against Indira's skin that feels like a prayer.

In the distance, she can see the faint outline of the Raddus beginning to move. Indira's eyes narrow and she nudges Poe to see if he sees it, too. Holdo had taken command of the cruiser and was steering it away from the exploding transports, turning it to face the Supremacy head on.

"What is she doing?" Indira wonders.

From Poe's other side, Connix makes a noise of disgust. "She's running away."

Poe shakes his head. "No, she isn't," he replies lowly, voice filled with admiration and Indira realizes that he's right.

Holdo wasn't leaving them behind; she was going to save them. As Leia had promised, the admiral was protecting the light. The realization makes Indira's breath catch in her throat. From her spot at the window, she watches as the Raddus charges up its engines one final time before the ship blasts off in an elongated streak of blue light. The vessel tears directly through the Supremacy as it jumps to lightspeed, tearing the ship apart and decimating the rest of the fleet with an audible boom.

Instantly, the soldiers onboard the transport erupt into loud, triumphant cheers. They embrace excitedly as relief washes over them, but an air of silent solemnity hangs over Leia, Poe, and Indira as they recognize the price at which their survival had been bought. Amilyn Holdo had sacrificed herself to save them, surrendering her own life to keep the Resistance alive. It makes the small moment of triumph taste bittersweet.

With nothing left to hinder their journey, the transport ships continue onwards to Crait. From the window, Indira can see the faint outline of the First Order fleet still pursuing them from a distance. Holdo had bought the Resistance a little more time, but the fight wasn't over yet and there were only six transports left. The war would continue once both parties touched down on the mineral planet's surface, but the rebels were at a hopeless disadvantage.

As she watches Crait grow closer and closer in the window, Indira wonders just how much longer they have before their luck inevitably runs out.

a/n: GETTING CLOSE TO THE END FOLKS

EDITED ON:
11.12.19