Star Wars Episode 9: A New Order by J.R.Wittig

Chapter 18 In the End

Rey's face grimaces in her sleep. She feels a great wave of fear as she follows her mind into the hole on Ach-to. Her head begins pounding and she feels trapped.

"I feel it too." Ben's words echo.

[This isn't going to go the way you think]. Luke's words are fiercer, [Rey!]

Snoke's voice is even louder, [A true Jedi!!!]

Ben's voice is quiet, "You're not alone. Remember that night in the forest? I love you."

Kenobi's voice makes her question whether she is dreaming, [Trust your instincts.] He calls for her, [Rey? Rey? REY!!]

Rey can almost see Kellin's face, "Rey? Where are you?"

Rey's eyes open in distress. The droids sit in their places but the windows behind them are full of fighters shooting back and forth outside the Command Ship. Rey's head is still echoing. Outside the chamber windows in the hallway storm troopers run past, followed by Blue Guards. One of them stops and bangs against the door but is shot down as a scattered group of Storm Troopers rushes the other way. Her head is ringing.

Suddenly it clears and she can hear again as an explosion jolts her into motion. Rey jumps on top of Ben trying to shake him awake. In frustration she cries out for help.

"CBBO, Droid!"

The droids spring into action immediately. CBBO holds the vent to escape the room open. Droid shocks Ben awake. Ben leaps up but before he can say anything an explosion rips into their chambers from the hall!

Ben has been pushed to all fours and as he moves to stand Rey can see that he has been impaled by a crooked metal bar through his middle, hooked around his back.

"Noooo!!!" She runs to him but he motions her away.

"Go! Now!" He orders her.

"I won't leave you!"

"You have to get down to the ground, go to the escape pods!" Ben shakes his head putting his hand to his ear. "What is this?!" His head is ringing too.

Rey watches him struggle, knowing she's the only one who can escape.

"I think it's some kind of poisonous gas."

An alarm blares and they both grimace as it rings through their heads.

"Go now!!!!!" he screams.

Rey touches Ben's face before she runs and dives into the ventilator shaft followed by the two droids. She begins to crawl quickly through the shafts, tears streaming down her face. She crawls around a corner where a foggy pillow of gas still hangs, but notices too late as she once again collapses, at the mercy of the poison.

Ben is buckled over in pain but calmly pulls his knees under himself and places his hands against the floor as if to will himself into a state of composure.

Storm Troopers flood the room. Two of them yank him to his feet strapping his wrists and neck with Force-preventing cuffs and holding a mask over his face so that his eyes close. As they drag him away drips of blood leave his trail on the floor.

Flame Troopers blow fire into the ventilator shaft Rey climbed into.

On the surface of Chandrila, battle is being waged in open fields and through the patches of forest. An X-wing is chased by Tie Fighters around to a massive battle near the planet's moon, where there are so many fighters it looks like a swarm of flies against the moon's surface.