STAR WARS: EPISODE VII - THE LAST JEDI (with a better story)

Sixteen - The Core

"Hey, the girl's about to die." Velto says.

"I won't fall for a bluff like-"

Rey cries out. Lorn spins around. Ador stands over the helpless Rey. He plunges his blade down.

"Rey!" Lorn screams, throwing out her arms.

Ador flies away from Rey, slamming into the wall. Rey looks back, eyes wide. While Lorn's back turned Velto strikes. Her saber pike's blade slices into Lorn's side. Lorn hisses with pain, and falls to her knees. Velto raises her staff to finish-off her opponent.

"No!" Rey yells, throwing out her hands at Velto.

Velto flies back across the hallway. Rey rushes to her feet and runs over to Lorn. She grabs the other woman's arm and tries to help her up. Lorn shoves her back, and stands up on her own.

"I'm fine, kid." She says. "Armor took most of the hit."

Despite this, Lorn is holding her side. Rey looks at the wound skeptically.

"Besides, we got bigger problems." Lorn nods past Rey.

Rey turns to see Ador racing towards her. Velto gets up and advances on them from the opposite direction. Rey and Lorn stand back to back.

"Got any ideas?" Rey asks, as Ador charges at her.

"One. Jump as soon as I do it." Lorn says.

"Do what-"

Lorn throws her hand down. Rey jumps. A shockwave passes through the ground. Ador and Velto are thrown off balance. Rey's feet reconnect with the ground, and in the same motion she launches herself at the stumbling Ador. He barely manages to block her swing aimed at his head. He shuffles back, attempting to regain his footing. Rey keeps the pressure on, speeding up the tempo of her attacks. Her blade sending sparks flying off Ador's with ever swing.

"Who does Snoke think I am? Why would he want me so bad?"

"I'm not letting you find out." Ador snarls. "I've already decided to kill you here."

Rey narrows her eyes. She swings at Ador. He deflects, then punches Rey with his free hand. She stumbles back, wiping blood from her lips. Ador tears the glove off that hand. A mechanical prosthetic is revealed.

"Still getting used to this thing, but it seems it comes with its perks!"

Rey steps back and Ador lunges.

***

Empty air and a long drop is all that sits between Finn and Phasma. For a time, neither speak and the hum of the Core is the only sound.

There is a smaller square-shaped platform on the side of Phasma's larger platform wrapped around the glowing pillar. The smaller platform is about six by six feet. It floats away from Phasma's platform, slowly towards Finn's side of the chamber. Both notice, but neither comment on it.

"...I thought you might come here." Phasma finally says. "It's how you rebels work. Sneak in and throw a wrench in our plans."

Finn shrugs. "It keeps working."

"It won't this time!" Phasma hisses. "That's why I'm here. I thought you might find a way past those knights and the troopers. But, I will stop you here at all cost...traitor."

The platform reaches Finn's side. He steps on. A moment later the platform pulls away, and moves back towards Phasma's side.

"If it's any consolation, I do feel a little bad about the trash compactor thing." Finn says, with a half-smirk.