STAR WARS: THE FORCE HITS SNOOZE

CHAPTER XVIII: THIS (PROBABLY) MEANS WAR

"Pick up you traitor!" I grumble in frustration as Ben and I race back home. He is listening to the radio frantically for news but so far this chaos is affecting every system and every city.

I was watching horrid videos released on the news with my phone; ones of people spreading the word about revolution. Troopers lined up on streets to stop riots. But no one can figure out who killed the chancellor. The New Republic as we know it is falling to pieces.

Right now, however, I am holding my phone to my ear trying desperately to get a hold of anyone. Poe didn't answer so I am trying Finn. After it rings for a while he finally picks up. "Finn?"

"Put him on speaker," Ben tells me and replaces the car radio with Finn's voice.

"Rey. Where are you guys? Are you alright?" he sounds a bit preoccupied but worried as usual.

"Finn we're fine. Naboo is known for isolation. In fact we didn't find out what was going on until today. How are you guys there?"

"We were pulled out of school—well all of us who didn't want to be Stormtroopers. Most Darksiders were forced into it. But the majority of the Lightsiders got out. And we joined up with the Resistance."

"It makes sense now that Snoke wanted us all to learn how to use firearms in gym class..." I realize.

"What are you saying, that Snoke knew this was all going to happen?"

I exchange a look with Ben. "...I don't know... It's certainly odd."

"Where is Poe?" BB-8 asks him.

"He's working on his baby."

"Should we be concerned?" Ben asks.

"No um remember when Maz gave us the grade assignments?"

"Yes," I say.

"We got an X-Wing and Poe ended up loving it more than hair gel by the time it was done—"

"Is there a point to this story?" Ben interrupts.

"Yes. We were recruited you know. I am training to be on the field and Poe is gonna be the best Resistance pilot the world has ever seen. He's been working on his black beauty all day so he couldn't get to his phone."

"Where are you guys?" I ask.

"At the underground base that was used in the old war. In Hoth."

I look at Ben who does the same. "Hoth?" I repeat.

"Yeah."

"Where are my parents?" Ben asks.

"They're here. Along with Chewbacca, Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2."

"Did Rex and the others make it out?" I ask.

"Most. But El was taken."

Ben has had a serious look on his face this whole time but I can tell after this he looks a bit more grieved that one of my friends is out there...

"What did they do with them?" I ask.

"We're not sure. I think to some kind of boot camp but no one can figure out where. The school is gone."

"What about home? What kind of condition is it all in?"

"Well Ren's system is fine. The more crowded downtown areas though got pretty crazy. The cops are too busy with revolutionaries than common crime. Poe and I left there and we can't go back if it stays this way."

"And Jakku would be fine as well," Ben says. "It's so far beyond the borders of everything there wouldn't be a reason to bother if they even know it exists."