Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 12: At Last

(Author's note: The character Cassian will look like the chapter image above)

"It seems too easy, Finn."

Finn turns from the Tie Fighter being moved into the cruiser's loading bay and looks into my eyes.

"I know, something doesn't seem right," he responds.

"It's like they wanted us to win this item.  Our enemy and the Hutts," I reply staring into his eyes.

The fighter is now securely loaded into the cruiser and I see our party start boarding. I turn from our ship and look one more time back at the Hutt palace. 

"I don't trust the Hutts," I say turning back to Finn.

"Well, let's just get out of here before our intuition proves correct," he replies. 

I follow behind Finn and stop in my tracks---Finn does the same. I turn around quickly and see a man standing, surrounded by a handful of First Order commanders.  He appears taller than me with a strong build. His short hair reveals Sith tattoos across this face, and he wears an elaborately shaped armor with an Imperial crest on the shoulder.

I turn to fully face him and activate my yellow double-bladed lightsaber.  I take a combat stance, and he does the same---activating a red glowing blade. 

"At last we meet face-to-face, Rey!" He yells at me as the cruiser's engines turn on.

I remain silent and watch him.  He rushes towards me and I do the same. Before he can reach me I Force jump into the air and slash at his upper half with one end of my blade.  He deflects the hit. I land on my feet and turn to engage him in combat.  Our blades crash together and I can feel the Force turning in a snake-like squeeze around us.

He is skilled in combat and the Force. I Force push him away from me, and he partially deflects with a Force block but not enough to keep him from slightly losing balance. 

Anger rises in me at an unprecedented level.  I can't keep the growing darkness down for much longer---I need to get off this planet.

"Who are you!" I scream at him as we start circling one another.

He pants and stares into my soul with a dark intensity.

"Cassian, remember that name," he says with anger.

"I don't plan on it!" I yell.

I can feel the darkness growing inside of me just from his presence. I can't control it anymore and shoot him with volts of purple Force Lightning.  He uses his saber to deflect my attack.

Pushing even harder with the Force, this causes him to start sliding backward. 

"Show your face again and I will kill you!" I yell as I push as hard as I can with the Force lightning. The power causes him to lose balance, and he falls to the ground.  The lightning ricochets from his saber and crashes into a nearby building---causing a devastating explosion. 

"Rey!" Finn screams near the cruiser.

I take my opening and start running towards the cruiser.  I reach the entry ramp and take a moment to look back at the individual now rising from the ground.  He cracks his neck and stares at me with a visceral hatred. This won't be the last time I meet him---I'm sure of that. I know it won't.

Finn and I enter the vessel and the door closes behind us.  The ship begins rising in the air and climbing through the atmosphere.

"Rey, what in the world just happened!" Poe comes rushing at me. He grabs onto my right shoulder. 

"It appears our enemy acquired something, a Sith follower," I reply staring into Poe's eyes and then turning away.

"Are you sure, Rey? I thought the Sith were long gone now?" Finn asks.

I walk down the hallway and make way into an elevator that is nearby to take us to the bridge.  Finn, Poe, and Chewie follow closely behind me and enter into the elevator as well.

"Should I call for Republic reinforcements to intercept them? They are war criminals after all," Poe chimes in as the elevator climbs to the destination.

The doors swoosh open, and we all walk in the bridge.  A small handful of the crew is manning the station to guide our ascent back to the larger republic cruiser that is awaiting our arrival.  

I reach the center HoloTable and crash my hands onto the sides---bending slightly over and breathing deeply. I need to muffle the growing darkness.  I will not let it consume me. Breathe...

Poe and Finn surround my sides a Chewie stands near us.  I hear the Wookie roar at me.

"Any move we make needs to be highly calculated.  He wouldn't have shown his face if not to throw us off guard.  We now have a new wild card in the game. They wanted us to win that bidding. We can't make any rash decisions because they could be anticipating it," I say calmly.  I turn my face to Poe's, "I'm sorry Poe, I should have listened to you. I was just distracted."

"What do you mean, Rey?" Poe asks me.

I rise to a standing position and inhale deeply.  "I had to make sure we won that relic at any cost.  I persuaded you, just a little," I reply wincing a smile.

"Again! Rey, come on!" Poe yells at me turning around, "That was sixteen million credits!" 

"Why would you do that to Poe, Rey?" Finn demands.  "Did you do it on me too? Is that why you wanted us to drink Reactor Cores? To make it easier!" Finn yells as some crew turns to look at the commotion.

I hear Chewie yell at the two of them.

The energy between Finn and Poe starts to calm down from Chewie's response. I know what I did was wrong but I couldn't help it.

"Chewie is right.  I'm sorry for betraying you like that Poe but you know what could happen if that relic were to fall into the wrong hands," I respond.

Poe turns around finally with his hands on his hips and stares heart brokenly into my eyes. "Maybe it ended up in the wrong hands."