IT WAS time. Time to make a plan and go out and fight. Fight until they can't fight anymore. They were here to stop the First Order and they'll stop the Final Order too.
"As long as those Stardestroyers are on Exegol," Finn says, "We can hit them."
"Hit them? Hit them how?" Torin asks.
"They can't activate their shields until they reach atmosphere." Rose says.
A large group of members of the Resistance gathered around. It was the planning of the lifetime. The final battle to end the war once and for all.
"Which isn't easy on Exegol," Poe says, "Ships that size need help taking off. Navigation can't tell which way is up there."
The Resistance gather in a circle. Gathered around close. Poe and Finn stood tall and charge. Rose stood next to Poe and Chewie stood next to Finn.
"How do the ships take off?" A female member asks.
Poe looks over, "They use a signal from a navigation tower like this one."
Poe presses a button to show a hologram of the navigation tower.
"Expect they won't. Air team is gonna find the tower," Finn says, "Ground team is gonna blast it."
"Ground team?" A member asks.
Finn and Poe lean back at the same time and look at that person.
"I have an idea for that," Finn says.
They look back at the tower.
"Once the tower is down, the fleet will be stuck in limbo for minutes with no shields and no way out." Poe says.
Rose looks from Poe to the others, "We think hitting the cannons might ignite the main reactors." She says.
Lando makes a face, "That's our chance."
"We need to pull some Holdo maneuvers. Cause some real damage." Beaumont says.
Finn looks at Beaumont, "Come on that move is one in a million. Fighters and freighters can take out their cannons if there are enough of us."
A pilot of the Resistance who did not speak the same language as Finn spoke out, but what he had said was that there is not enough of us.
"He's right," Connix says, "We'd be no more than bugs to them."
Poe and Finn look over to Kaydel.
"That's where Lando and Chewie come in," Finn says, "They'll take the Falcon to the core systems. Send out a call for help from anybody listening."
"We've got friends out there," Poe says, "They'll come if they know there's hope."
People in the Resistance looked around at each other. A bit hesitate. There were some muttering among them, some uncertain.
"They will," Poe says firmly, "First Order wins by making us think we're alone. We're not alone. Good people will fight if we lead them."
People stare to Poe.
Heck even Finn. Finn looks at his best friend and sees something in Poe. Something he remembers having a conversation with Amara about in the past.
"He doesn't think he can be what Leia wants," Finn had told Amara a year ago.
Finn remembered the smile on Amara's face after he had said that. She did not believe that one bit.
"He isn't my mom, but he is a leader. This has shaken him. Shaken him to his core, but- but I believe he'll get pass this." She had said.
At first, Finn chalked that up to the fact that Amara was basically a Jedi. That she could feel things and sense things, but now that he could connect to the Force he knew that's not what Amara was hinting at at all. She knew Poe very well and Finn would like to think the same.
Poe has done some growing. He's pride was shaken after Crait and it wasn't getting better. Things kept throwing themselves in front of the pilot as some sort of test. And it just felt like it was getting harder and harder. But Poe managed to pick himself back up and realized what it is he needed to do.
"Leia never gave up and neither will we." Poe says.
Finn nods, "We're gonna show them we're not afraid." He says.
"What our mothers and fathers fought for, we will not let die. Not today. Today we make our last stand. For the galaxy. For Leia. For everyone we lost." Poe says.
Poe looks at Finn.
"They've taken enough of us," Finn says, "Now we take the war to them."
Poe nods, "Let's go battle stations!"
And with that said, everyone was off moving. Running to ships. Running to controls. Everyone was just moving.
Poe and Finn looked at each other. The two generals kept a firm smile on their faces and then reached out their hand to shake each other.
"General," Poe says.
"General," Finn says.
The two hug before quickly parting to get ready to head out and win this god forsaken war.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
THE SQUEEZE fit in the X-Wing was apparent as Amara and Ben had plotted their course to Exegol. Amara and Ben had barely enough room to move, because it was a tight fit. So Amara had to sit on her brothers lap as he stirred the X-Wing.
Ben flicks some switches, "Wish you would've borrowed a ship with more space,"
Amara groans at him, "You get what you get, Ben." She groans.
"You literally could've borrowed any ship from that base and why did you think of one with only one seat?" Ben asks.
Amara rolls her eyes, "Oh I'm sorry," She says, "Wasn't it me who pulled your ass of Kef Bir. Yeah, it was. You're welcome."
Ben flashes, "I never did thank you, did I?"
Amara gives a small smile, "No you didn't."
Amara tries to adjust herself in the small cockpit, but only winced a little when she had accidentally sat on her injured hand.
Ben noticed.
"You hurt?" Ben asks.
"No," She says, "It's nothing."
Ben rolls his eyes as he stirs the ship, "If it's nothing then why did you wince?" He asks, "What happened?"
Amara looks at her left hand and then to him, "On Pasaana," She says.
Ben's eyes narrow.
"When we were under attack, one trooper fired its blaster as I was firing from my blaster and it went," Amara illustrated with making an explosion sound and expanding her hands, "So it's kinda burnt."
"And have you had it looked at?" Ben asks.
Amara groans, "Yes, Ben. What do you think I am an idiot?" She spoke.
"You only put a bacta patch on it and didn't go to medical, right?" Ben asks.
Amara nods, "Yep."
Ben shakes his head with a small grin, "Mari,"
Amara glanced at her brother with a grin, "What can I say?" She asks, "Stubbornness is a Solo trait."
Ben glanced at her as he continued to pilot, "Th- That it is." He says.
Amara noticed a signal beeping at their transmission, she glanced from the controls to her brother. Ben looked at it.
"What is it, Ben?" She asks.
"Rey," He says, "She setting out transmissions for the Resistance to follow to Exegol."
Amara frowns and turns back to the screen, "And for us to follow."
Ben glanced at her, "I know you're worried about what's going to happen down there," He says, "But I promise that I-,"
Amara shakes her head, "Please, don't make promises you can't keep." Amara says looking at him.
Ben frowns, "I understand," Ben says.
Amara knows that this is uncertain territory that they are going. Chances are the Resistance is heading to Exegol too if Rey left the signal. Chances are Amara may not make it out with her life, nor will Poe.
Amara bit her lip.
Her life, it doesn't matter right now, what matters is stopping Palpatine.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
REY LANDS Luke's ship on the surface. She had passed so many Stardestroyers on her way to land. She opened the hatch of the ship and tossed the helmet inside as she climbed out.
Lightning was striking the ground.
"Like Amara's vision," Rey spoke aloud.
Rey's feet touch the ground and began to walk forward. She was walking as if she was being led to a direction, to a place. As she walked down a straight pathway for a while, she noticed a platform that would lower. She watched it begin to lower, so Rey ran and jumped in the air. She landed on the platform as it was lowering itself to the ground. She looked around at the dark and grey place.
The platform and Rey reached the bottom. She turned around to the place she knew she needed to walk down next. She followed down a hallway, a hallway with past Sith in statue form. Rey looked at it as she walked with caution.
Lightning striking again.
She found a narrow walkway. She glanced back and then forward, she knew what she must do. She began to walk down it. It was a tight squeeze but she managed. She stepped one foot in front of the other. Walking slowly. Until she reached the end of the narrow part and into a large room.
Rey knew where she was.
She moved a little faster. Looking for one certain thing, Rey would glance to make sure she doesn't trip over something, but kept glancing to her left.
Lightning still striking.
Finally Rey moved around the corner and found at the center of the room, stood the throne. The throne. The Emperor's throne. She stopped in front of it. She turns. She hears voice. She looks behind her. It sounds like people behind her. Chanting. She is shocked, confused.
Lightning strike again.
"Long have I waited," Spoke a sinister voice.
Rey swallowed back her anxiety.
She turned around to see him. The Emperor. He was not in the throne, but rather attached to some crane of some sorts. He looked ghostly. He looked so white and pale, so old but also as if he was reanimated back from the dead.
"For my grandchild to come home," Palpatine says, "I never wanted you dead. I wanted you here."
Rey watched as Palpatine moves his hand toward the throne.
"Empress Palpatine," Palpatine says, "You will take the throne."
Rey takes a step back, but as she steps back he moves forward. He moves due to that crane thing, so as he gets closer to her, she steps back.
"It is your birth right to rule here," Palpatine says, "It is in your blood. Our blood."
Rey stops stepping back, "I haven't come here to lead the Sith," She says, "I've come to end them."
"As a Jedi?" Palpatine asks.
"Yes," Rey says firmly.
"No," Palpatine says, "Your hatred, your anger. You are to kill me. That is what I want."
Rey seems a bit confused. She sees the man smile, the smile was chilling.
"Kill me," Palpatine says, "And my spirit will pass in through you."
Rey stares at him intensely.
"As all the Sith live in me," Palpatine says, "You will be Empress. We will be one."
Rey's eyes sort of widen at that comment.
"The time has come!" Palpatine says.
He extends his arms out. She turns around to the crowd watching she was certain was in her head. The lightning continuing to strike. Rey turns back around to him.
"With your hatred you will take my life," Palpatine says, "And you will ascend,"
"All you want is for me to hate but I won't. Not even you." Rey says.
"Weak," Palpatine says without hesitation, "Like your parents."
She shakes her head, "My parents were strong. They saved me from you." Rey says.
Rey kept her gaze at her grandfather. She showed no fear.
"Your Master Skywalker was saved by his father," Palpatine says, "The only family you have here is me."
Rey exhaled deeply.
Then she watched as Palpatine's gaze moves from her to above. The ceiling begins to open. Revealing the battle above. The Resistance come. They're fighting against the Final Order.
Explosions.
Ships exploding.
Rey gasped. She looked back at Palpatine and then back to above. As she stared at the sight above, tears were threatening to roll down the side of her face.
"They don't have long," Palpatine says, "No one is coming to help them. And you are the one who led them here. Strike me down. Take the throne. Reign over the new empire and the fleet will be yours. Only you have the power to save them. If you refuse, your new family dies."
Rey grits her teeth.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
THE X-WING land. Amara stands up and sees Ben already getting out. Amara looks up at the fight above.
"Amara," Ben calls, "What are you doing?"
Amara looks at the explosions.
"Should one of us- uh you know go up there and help?" Amara asks, "Two Jedi is enough to stop Palpatine, right?"
"Amara," Ben says looking directly at her, "I need you. Rey needs you."
Amara frowns at looks up, "So does Poe."
Ben sighs, "You helping us down here is doing everything you can for him." He says, "I know you're tired of loosing people, but-"
Amara looks at him.
"We have to just finish this last battle and it'll be done." Ben says.
Amara looks up at the sky and nods.
Amara jumps out of the X-Wing. She runs over to Ben, he lets her catch up to him before he begins to run too. The two running in the direction to Palpatine.
(re-uploaded: 7/18/21)