Force Destiny

Battle Plans

"Well, it won't be simple. Learning from past failures, they have built-in systems to control redundancies. The systems I need to access are on the Command Bridge tower, but they also have an Emergency Bridge tower with direct access at midsection with orders to lock down if the Command Bridge is taken. That one is heavily fortified and impervious to outside attack. Once that room is locked down, there is no getting in. The only weakness is the control system for the entire fleet that Hux created to protect the ship from mutiny. It was created to protect the ship from in-fleet attacks from other destroyers...not in-ship attacks by high ranking officers. With a properly coded rank cylinder, which all the officers wear, we can access any of it, not only disabling the systems for the ship, but for the entire fleet. We'll use Hux's genius against him."

"And how are we going to get one of those cylinder things without risking a lockdown?" Rey asked skeptically.

"I think you forgot that I was the highest-ranking officer on this destroyer," his eyes lit up as he spoke, darkness igniting the residual part of him that was still that powerful man, hellbent on holding the galaxy in his palm. "I already have them. And I am betting everything that Hux hasn't had the time to disable them." He pulled several metallic cylinders from his belt. He tucked them into the pack around her waist. "What is this?" He pulled out two fractured halves of a Kyber crystal.

"Oh... they're what is left of the crystal from Luke's lightsaber. I didn't want to throw them away when I got my new crystal, so I put them in there and forgot about them. I don't feel as connected to them anymore, not as much as I do to my new one."

"Well, I would hope so, your new one nearly cost you your life," Ben said, and she tried not to think about what it had cost. "There's something I haven't been able to rationalize...how did you survive under all that snow for so long?"

"When I fell, I heard your voice in my head telling me to use the Force. So I put my hands out and tried to push the snow away, but I made a small energy barrier around my face instead. It was all because of what you taught me in training. I held it for as long as I could. I don't know how," she whispered, "but I knew you would come for me."

"Is that how you survived the Force Destiny?"

Rey shook her head. "I don't know what happened. I wasn't able to use the Force; I had binders on that blocked everything. I felt all the energy from the crystals, and it overwhelmed me. I passed out and thought I had died, but when I woke, Hux was carrying me from the machine. He thought I was dead. That's how I was able to attack him and escape."

"It doesn't make any sense...unless...the energy was diverted somehow...." She had nothing on her that would divert the energy of the machine. His fingers slid over the rough edges of the broken crystals. "Rey, what if these interrupted the energy? What if these useless, fractured crystals saved your life?"

She contemplated the idea that such a small, seemingly insignificant act of putting something in her pack could completely change her destiny.

Or was it my destiny to put those crystals in my pack all along? She thought back to their dreams and visions. What if everything that has ever happened in our lives led up to this moment?

"Maybe they'll bring you luck. We'll need it."

She smiled. "I thought you didn't believe in luck."

He smirked in response. "Right now, I'll believe in whatever it takes. Are you positive you want to do this? The Millennium Falcon is—"

"I'm not leaving this ship without you, Ben."

He sighed in acceptance. "The Emergency Bridge is directly above us. There are cameras; they will see you coming, so move quickly. Take the code cylinders, hold them up to the scanner, and that'll gain you entry. You'll have seconds before they shut down the mainframe. If they do, you won't be able to get into the system again in time. No hesitation. Kill them all. Lock it down, not just the main door, but the emergency shutdown switch. I'll find a way in on the Command Bridge. You must destroy the defense control computers so the only controls are on the Command Bridge. I will lower all defenses and hold the bridge until the Resistance begins their attack, which means we won't have a lot of time to escape. You'll need to be on the ship waiting for me. Do not release the emergency switch or open that blast door until you hear me over this comm." He handed her the black device, sleek and expensive-looking compared to the ones they carried at the Resistance. "If this goes sideways, promise me you will not come after me."

"Ben."

"Say it."

"Ben!"

"Say it!"

"I'm not leaving this ship without you." He ran his hand over his face in frustration. She stared unwaveringly at him. She would not bend on this. They were getting off that ship together even if she had to drag him off. His eyes softened. He reached out and ran his thumb down her cheek and over her lips. There was a finality in his touch, a sadness in his eyes as though he was looking upon her for the last time.

She shuddered with dread. "Why are your eyes saying goodbye?"

"I don't know how you can simultaneously be so infuriating and hold such power over me," he said, avoiding her question. She wanted to hold him and never let him go again. She wanted to stop him from doing whatever he was about to do. Perhaps that was why he had foregone a drawn-out, emotional goodbye. Ben pulled her to him, holding her tightly, lips pressed against her hair. Before she could melt into him, before she could say another word, he had released her.

Ben knelt by the droid. "You need to go with Rey. She'll keep you safe," he told the droid, then stood. Blue asked him if he would come back for him. "It'll be all right," Ben answered instead. She wanted to stop him, but he had already turned, blending into the shadows. Hesitating, he turned to stare at her, his expression unreadable.

You be careful. It took her a moment to realize that he hadn't spoken the words aloud. She swore there was a tear tracing the scar down his face as he disappeared from sight.

"Why are your eyes saying goodbye, Ben?" she whispered to the darkness.

She shook away the dread crawling up her spine. The Resistance needed her. A renewed determination settled over her as she stared up at the command center. She needed to use the turbolift to get up to the Emergency Bridge level. There were no personnel at the lifts, but her exit on the upper level would leave her exposed and vulnerable. She would have to dispatch anyone quickly, then make a run for the bridge before they secured it. "Come on, Blue," she said, and the droid obediently followed.

The lift doors opened and she slipped inside, pressing herself into the corner. The doors had nearly closed when an armored hand prevented the lift door from closing. She had not seen anyone else around her, but suddenly a stormtrooper and prisoner stepped into the lift. She reacted instinctively and kicked the trooper across the lift, startling him.

"Rey?" the trooper gasped. She froze.

How does he know my— She was suddenly wrapped in an embrace by the prisoner.

"Rose!"

Rey wrapped her arms around her friend, thankful that Rose was all right. Rose had a split lip, but was otherwise not worse for wear.

"And Finn!" he shouted from under the helmet. She threw herself against him, knocking him off balance. He chuckled, embracing her tightly.

"How did you escape?" she asked them, her heart flooding with relief. They would bring down the bridges, and it would all be over. They were so close.

"Ky... Ben broke us out," Finn said. "We took the detainment cell systems offline. Hopefully, it will be long enough to make it to the Emergency Bridge before they discover we've escaped."

"Let's take down this bridge."

Rose and Finn exchanged looks before she turned to Rey and smiled conspiratorially. "Let's end this war. Together."