Rebel

Chapter 20

My eyes snap open as I gasp awake. The throne room around me burns in ruins, I quickly look around and see Rey laying on the ground, not too far from me, I get up and stumble over. The adrenaline that had kept me going was gone and exhaustion filled my body. But I couldn't stop. Not yet. I knelt by Rey's side, shaking her awake. "Rey. Rey, come on." I say, looking around quickly to make sure no one was coming, "We have to go." I sat back as Rey twitched, her eyes fluttered open.
"Alex?" She murmured groggily, I nodded, taking another glance around the burning throne room, the red curtains burned in tatters around the walls of the room and metal groaned around us.
"Yes, we have to go." I helped her to her feet and made our way to the turbolift. Rey was still waking up, and looked around hazily. Then she turned quickly towards me, her eyes lighting up, now more awake as the situation had registered.
"You're okay!" She said, and embraced me. I hugged her back as she shook slightly, I stepped away slightly as the lift doors open to step inside as Rey followed me.
"Yes, that appears to be so. Although I have a wicked headache." The lift's doors closed and I jammed the button to the main floor rapidly. The turbolift finally started moving down and I leaned back against the wall, Rey looked towards me with sadness in her eyes. I opened my arms and she wordlessly came over and buried her face in my chest. She mumbled something and I looked down at her, "What?"
"I couldn't save him." She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, "I couldn't save Ben." I wrapped my arms around her carefully, minding the cut on her arm, I made a note to myself to make sure to check it back on the Falcon.
"We can't always save everyone. It's a terrible fact, but one that is inevitable. No matter how hard you try to stop it, believe me, I tried."  I gave a bitter laugh thinking about my time in the First Order when my squad had one more member. Marla. "When I was in the First Order, there was one more person in my squadron. Marla Keevs was her name, she was the first woman I ever loved. We were partners, like Kai and Erik are. The First Order sent us on a sucide mission to retrieve a data disk, Marla and I. She sacrificed herself to save me. She told me, she didn't fear death, it was just another adventure for her. But she didn't want me to die with her. Her last words to me were 'Make it count.'" A few tears ran down my cheeks, "and you know what? I did. I made her sacrifice count, because on that data disk, was everything the First Order had done, to the village I was born in, to innocents. Five years later I would find that that disk had been made into a file, and then I escaped." I cleared my throat, "Our plan had been to abandon the First Order, but after Marla's death they must have known I changed and sent me to reconditioning. So I forgot about it, until I found that file."
"I'm sorry." Rey murmured, and I looked down at her.
"I didn't tell you this to be sorry, although I appreciate it. I've moved on. I told you this because I don't want you to feel bad about Ben. Because we lose people in war, and that's why we fight to stop it."
"You know, green isn't my favorite because of Takkondoa." Rey said, turning to look up at me. I furrowed my brow at the sudden change of subject, but went with it as Rey looked at me with her kind eyes.
    "Then why is it?" I question softly.
    "Your eyes. They're beautiful, I have never seen anything like them."
    "Oh." I say quietly, I look into her eyes, the soft brown memorizing me.   
"Can I kiss you?" She asks in a whisper, I barely hear her, but when I do I smile. She's the one.
    "Yeah." I smile, and lean down slightly. Rey leans up and she presses a soft kiss to my lips, it's sweet. She pulls away slightly, I feel her breath fanning across my face as I smile, I press another kiss to her lips, warmth rushes through me as she wraps her arms around my neck. She tugs on my hair, bringing my face closer to hers. I wrap my arms around her waist caressing her back as the kiss gets more intimate. Unfortunately I had to pull away slightly as the need for air became necessary. "So you like me for my eyes?" I tease, she flushed slightly in the bright light of the lift.
    "No!" She said, "Well, a little. But that's not the only reason!" As I stare into her eyes I notice little flecks of gold in them, "You're just... perfect." I looked at the ceiling as sorrow flashed through me.
    "I'm not perfect, Rey. I've done many things I'm not proud of." Rey took my face gently in her hands and turned my face back towards her.
    "But you're trying to fix those things, and that's what matters. To me, you're perfect." She presses another chaste kiss against my lips and I feel her smile, and a grin spreads unconsciously across my lips.
    "I could get used to this." I murmured as I pressed my forehead against hers. I felt a nudge though the Force as the turbolift finally decided to arrive at the main floor. I drew my blaster, not looking up, and shot the stormtrooper outside as the door opened. I looked towards the trooper as the body fell to the ground. I looked back towards Rey, smiling softly at her. "I'm sure that will have attracted some attention, are you ready to run?" She smirked at me and turned towards the door, I passed her the blaster and took out Leia's lightsaber. I ignited it as a squad of stormtroopers came around the corner raising their blaster.
"Are you, trooper?" Rey joked as she raised the blaster. I glanced towards her, and damn.
"Always scavenger." I snarked back and raised the saber, blue light washing across my face as the stormtroopers started to fire.
—-
Leia's lightsaber was a blur as I spun it, blocking shots meant for me and Rey, she took an opening to fire back at the troopers and they fell one by one. We cleared our path hallway by hallway. We skidded to a stop in front of a closed door, I tossed Rey Leia's saber and she caught it, I spun back to the control panel for the door and started to type in codes that would let us though. Red lights blare back at me though the screen as I fail to open the door.
"Freeze!" The modulated voice of a stormtrooper sounds behind me, and I ignore it, trusting Rey to handle it. I slam my hand down on the open button and the screen flashes green, the door opens, but to another squad of stormtroopers.
"Shavit." I curse, and turn to find that Rey had not handled the original trooper as he had been with another squad. Rey and I both raised our hands slowly as the troopers circled us. Cuffs were clamped around our wrists and the Force dimmed around me. Our weapons removed, the stormtroopers marched us through the halls until we were stopped by none other than General Hux. His face seemed to pale as he saw me, and something that looked like worry passed though his eyes. Then his gaze hardened as he stepped up to the trooper leading our little 'tour'.
"Send your men to the throne room. See if there's anyone left. A firing squad will be enough for these rebels." The commanding stormtrooper gave a quick nod and directed two troopers to stay with us, while he took the rest presumably to the throne room. The footsteps faded before Hux spoke up, "On your knees." The stormtroopers pushed us down on our knees as they stood behind us. I tried to feel for the Force anything to get us out. But there was nothing. I felt empty. The sound of the blasters powering up made me tense. I looked towards Rey and sent her a small smile. The whirr of the blasters silenced, they were primed, seconds away from firing. "Fire." Hux's voice rang out and I dove to the side crashing into Rey to protect her. Simultaneously two shots rang out, but none hit us, and two bodies hit the floor. I looked up to where Hux was standing, his blaster muzzle smoking slightly. I looked down to the two stormtrooper bodies on the floor. "Get up. You don't have much time." Hux urged, we both scrambled to our feet, Hux unlocked our cuffs and I grabbed our weapons from the dead troopers. I clipped the saber on my belt and tossed Rey a blaster. I turned to look at Hux, questions flying around my head at light speed.
"Wha- why?" I attempted to voice my questions but before I could get a question out, Hux's eyes widened, he push me aside and a blaster shot rang out. I spun around to a stormtrooper in the halls. I thrust my hand out and the stormtrooper crashed into the wall. I turned back towards Hux and my stomach dropped. Hux's face was pale, and his hand clutched his chest, covering a blaster wound. He swayed and started to collapse. I quickly moved forwards and caught him, laying him gently on the ground as my eyes filled with tears. He jumped in front of a blaster shot meant for me. There was something there at the edge of my memory, clouded, Hux meant something to me. But I couldn't remember. I gently brought his hand away from his side, the blaster wound just barely missed his heart. With the heat of the blaster the wound instantly cauterized, but blood leaked through the burned flesh from movement. I quickly pressed my hands down on his chest, Hux gave a gasp of pain as I pressed down on the wound, trying to stop the inevitable. "Why?" I choked out as Hux's gaze met mine.
"I was never supposed to save you," He said, his eyes became clouded and his breaths labored, "I saw you and..." he broke off coughing, blood splattering my shirt, "I couldn't do it." His hand fumbled with the collar of his shirt, bringing out a chain that he had around his neck, "Here." With a weak grip he pressed the necklace into my hand that had been trying to stop the damage from the blaster shot. I closed my hand around it as a wave of images flooded through me, my vision darkens as the visions flash by too fast for coherency. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and a presence brush against my mind offering a lifeline. I take the help and ground myself back to the present. My vision cleared as I opened my hand, a crystal sat in my palm, glowing a deep purple. A small hook attached it to the golden chain of the necklace. My gaze darted back to Hux as his breaths became shallow. "It was with you, your mother gave it to me." Hux gave a small smile, his eyes were filled with warmth, but sadness clouded them, "Ren took my memories of you. I only started to remember after you were captured. I'm sorry. I should never have let them do that to you." Tears streamed down my face.
    "You didn't know." I say, "You didn't know." He took a shuddering breath, "Please. Please don't go. Don't leave me." I begged, Hux gave me a smile, as a small stream of blood leaked out of his mouth.
    "I am so proud of you Alex. Proud of the woman you have become. I only wish I could have done more."
    "Don't go." I cried, as Hux's eyes grew cloudy, and then, there was nothing. His light in the Force winked out and I knew he was gone. My sobs quieted and I closed Hux's eyes. I rose to my feet, wiping the tears from my face. I turned to Rey, she gave me a hug as more alarms blared though the ship. "We have to go." I croaked and Rey nodded slightly. I followed her through the hallways blindly, nothing came our way and we made it into the hangar. Somewhere along the way Rey called for Chewie and the Falcon flew into the hangar as we ran in. Boarding quickly we took off again. Rey quickly led me to the back of the Falcon, sitting me down on the bed and she wrapped a blanket around me. I think she said something, but I don't know what it was. I felt like I was sinking. I was tired, so tir- nothing. It was blackness, enveloping me, and pulling my consciousness away.
——
    Alex. A voice call to me, I recognized it as Luke's voice. It felt far away. Alex, I need your help. Luke's voice was clearer, and a scene slowly formed in front of me. Ach-To, the temple was highlighted by the sun as it set against the water. Luke sat on the stone outside of the temple's archway.
    "How is this possible?" I murmured, watching as I stepped forwards and onto the stones that made up the cliff's top. Luke turned towards me, giving me a kind smile. His hair was short, and his beard trimmed.
    "Your body is asleep, damaged. So I pulled your mind here to Ach-To." There was something on the edge of my mind, something had happened. I reached for it but was met with a wall, "Don't think about that," Luke said, and I turned my attention back towards him, he put up the wall, "Yes, I blocked that memory. It will only hinder you now. I will unblock it later." Luke explained quickly, I frowned but did not question it, trusting that the Jedi Master knew what to do, "Now, I brought you here for a reason. I need your help, the Rebels are in danger." My eyes widened, and the fight the Rebellion was in came rushing to the front of my mind.
    "Well why am I here? I should be helping them!" I exclaimed, and Luke shook his head firmly.
    "You are in no shape to fight. Your body is in shock and you would be no use there. Now sit down." I did as I was told, wanting to argue more but time was running out. I looked towards Luke, "I need you to help me send a message to Leia."
    "But you've already done that with no problem?" I questioned, Luke shook his head and gave a small smile.
    "Yes, but I need to be there. They need to see me, and that takes too much energy for me to do it alone in the time I need." I nodded now seeing Luke's point. I placed my hand on Luke's shoulder and closed my eyes. I reached out towards Luke's mind and found a wall preventing me from entering. When I pushed against it, and in reality giving Luke a light nudge, the wall softened, and I stepped though. I kept my presence contained and did not look at any of Luke's memories. A bright light shone in front of me and I stepped into it, meeting the 'mental Luke' he appeared much younger, with shorter hair that was not greyed by time. Luke gave me a soft smile and I nodded back.
    "Ready?" His voice echoed, and I nodded, he turned and together Luke's from was projected through space.
——
    The bunker the Rebellion camped out in was dark, Luke pulled up his hood as he stepped through the doorway leading into the makeshift command center. Alex's presence was in the back of his mind offering support as his form wavered. Leia sat on a crate and her gaze followed Luke as he stood in front of her, pushing back his hood. Her gaze filled with joy as she murmured, "Luke." He walked further forwards and sat before Leia, the bond between them strengthened again as Leia spoke again, reaching out to Luke, interrupting what Luke was going to say, "I know what you're going to say." Leia gave a smile, "I changed my hair." Luke gave a joking nod and smiled as Alex laughed in his head,
    Tell her she should wear it like that more often. Alex told him, and Luke smiled.
    "It's nice that way." He said, and then grew more somber, "Leia," he shook his head, "I'm sorry." Leia raised her hand again.
    "I know. I know you are. I'm just glad you're here." She said and gave a knowing look at Luke, "Alex too." Her gaze turned sad, "At the end." With Leia's acceptance of the doom of the Rebellion, Luke's resolve grew.
    "I came to face him, Leia." Luke said, looking into his sister's eyes. Alex's surprise flitted through his mind, "And I can't save him." Luke shook his head.
    "I held out hope for so long," Leia shook her head, looking down tears welled in her eyes, "but I know my son is gone."
    "No one's ever really gone." Luke said, raising a hand to Leia, she took it and looked back up at Luke, who gave a small nod. Taking his hand away revealed the two sabacc dice resting in Leia's palm. Luke rose again and pressed a kiss to Leia's forehead. Luke winked at C3-PO as he passed and 3-PO gave a bow of his head.
    "Master Luke." C3-PO acknowledged. It was silent as Luke stepped to the gaping hole in the blast door. The flames licked the edges of his cloak, and the AT-AT's came to a stop. Luke continued forwards onto the salt flats of Crait. The smell of burned salt was heavy in the air. Luke came to a halt and Alex chuckled in his mind.
    Turns out you are going to face down the First Order with a laser sword. She said, and Luke smirked.
    Guess so. Was his reply, the sun shone between the legs of the AT-AT and one stepped forwards. Then, it fired. Chunks of salt flew up creating a magnificent explosion of red dust as more AT-AT fire joined in. A plume of red smoke rose high into the sky as the AT-AT's increased their fire. The spot Luke stood was a mess of craters and fire. As quick as it started, the firing stopped.
    Well shavit. Was Alex's response the barrage of fire as Luke stepped forwards out of the smoke. Luke raised a hand to his shoulder to brush off some imaginary dust. Kylo Ren's flagship slowly lowered to the ground, and Luke watched him silently. The door to the ship hissed open and Kylo Ren stepped out stopping a few meters away from Luke.
    "Did you come back to say you forgive me? To save my soul?" Ren said, anger clear in his stance and voice.
    "No." Was Luke's short reply, with that, Ren's anger only grew as he stepped forwards, shrugging off his cloak he ignited his saber, it came to life with a crackling hiss, buzzing like a hive of angry bees. Luke ignited his own saber, and raised it to his face. The only thing that was different was it had a purple hue to it. Ren raised his saber to point at Luke, and charged forwards. His movements were erratic and anger driven, Luke dodged a swipe fluidly, and stepped back he and Ren having now switched places. Luke moved a foot forwards and the ground was white beneath his foot. Kylo Ren charged again, and Luke bent backwards, the saber crackling as it narrowly missed him. Ren followed up with a quick swipe and Luke spun quickly on his foot, moving back until Ren was a reasonable distance away. "I failed you Ben. I'm sorry." Luke said he could feel Alex's strength draining and knew he had to end the fight soon.
    "I'm sure you are." Ren yelled, "The Resistance is dead! The war is over! And when I kill you, I will have killed the last Jedi."
    "Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong." Luke's voice faded into Alex's as he let her speak.
    "The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. You have torn everything from us, slaughtered innocents, destroyed entire systems. And if you think we aren't strong enough to fight back," Luke smirked, "Well buckle up, because there's a few things you haven't learned about us. We. Don't. Back. Down." Alex said, her voice strong and unwavering. Having said her part she retreated back as Luke spoke again.
    "And I will not be the last Jedi." Luke finished, as Alex's presence in his mind dimmed he subtly started to push her out of his mind and back into her own body. She didn't need to be there for his end.
    "I'll destroy her, and both of you. And all of it." Luke retracted his saber as he stepped forwards.
    "No. Strike me down in anger and I'll always be with you. Just like your father." Luke said. Ren screamed in anger and charged madly, swiping his saber through Luke's chest. The red saber only passed though as if Luke was a ghost. Luke turned slowly, allowing Ren to come closer stabbing his lightsaber though Luke's chest as the old Jedi watched Ren with a hint of amusement. "See you around, kid." Luke said, and faded. It was a joy to teach you kid, Luke said to Alex, as he pushed her out of his mind, The Force will be with you, always. His voice faded as he closed his mind off again from Alex.
——
    Alex's eyes snapped open as Luke's words echoed in her mind. She felt Luke's presence in the Force dim and tears rose to her eyes as she felt the Jedi's signature flicker. It was there, but so very weak. Alex rose from the bed she was laying on and let her thoughts surround her for a moment. Hux was gone, when Alex thought of this a small whisper of grief went through her, but it was replaced by peace. Hux no longer had to life in the shadow of the First Order, and he was finally happy. Alex pulled the golden chain from around her neck and held the crystal attached to it in her palm, it glowed lightly and a calm feeling emitted from it. A blue hue caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she turned her head slightly, Ashoka stood beside her with a man she did not recognize. He had dark brown hair that was messy and reached just past his ears, a scar cut through his left eyebrow and his eyes were a deep blue. "Who are you?" Alex questioned the man and he laughed lightly, turning to Ashoka.
    "You didn't tell her about me Snips?" He asked, and Alex's eyes widened as she recognized the voice, the man stepped forwards slightly, "Anakin Skywalker."
    "Alex." She responded, giving Skywalker a nod, Anakin laughed again.
    "I know, I've heard a lot about you." Alex turned to Ashoka again.
    "What are you doing here?" She asked, and Ashoka gave a small smile.
    "Helping you build your lightsaber." Alex's eyes widened at this and she looks over at Anakin.
    "I figured you may need my mechanical skills." He supplied, and Alex nodded, "conveniently, we do have everything on this ship." After Anakin has explained everything, Alex sits on a crate, the parts she gathered laying in front of her. Ashoka stood beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.
    "Close your eyes." Asoka said, and Alex did, the Force started to hum with life around her as Ashoka and Anakin disappear, Ashoka's parting words whispering in her head, "The Force will guide you Alex." The parts of what was to become Alex's lightsaber floated off the crate, they hummed softly with energy, each part having it's own song that would fit together. The pieces float around Alex, and  they connect with the Force, fitting into place. The power cell fits with the primary crystal mount, and the power cell slides into the power field conductor, the Force seals the conductor around the power cell, more pieces fit into place as the energy channel forms, the blade emitter spins itself on with a click and the two halves of the saber hover apart. Alex's hand opens and at the end of the golden chain hangs a Kyber crystal. The crystal breaks from the chain as it softly glows a purple color. Alex's brows furrowed in concentration the crystal is guided up to the rest in place in the focusing chamber, with a slight turn of the two halves they came together perfectly. A brown leather wrapped around the saber making a grip as a golden colored cap fit onto the bottom with a belt ring. The completed saber floated gently down to rest in Alex's open hands. As she felt it land she opened her eyes looking at the completed saber before her. She closed her hand around it and raised it up in front of her, with a small movement of her thumb the blade buzzed to life, dousing her face in a purple glow. Alex stood and twirled the blade holding it by her side, she then turned the blade off and put the saber on her belt. Walking out into the rest of the Falcon, Alex was greeted by the faces of battered Rebels who had narrowly escaped death from the First Order; she moved quietly over to Rey who was looking at the halves of Luke's saber in her hand most likely already thinking about how to fix it. Alex placed a hand on her shoulder and Rey looked up, without saying a word Rey stood and embraced Alex, saber halves left on the crate. Relief shone in Rey's eyes, as she had not been able to check on Alex with all of the fighting going on. Alex pressed a kiss into Rey's hair as she smiled softly, her chest filled with warmth. Alex's gaze grew thoughtful as she thought about all the lives lost. There was sorrow hanging heavily in the air, but also hope. Hope for the galaxy, hope for the rebels, and hope for the two young women that stood aboard the Falcon. For the galaxy just gained two new Jedi, Jedi in training that is, but Jedi nonetheless. They would work hard to bring peace to the galaxy, and they would face many challenges, but that would do it together. They were strong alone, but even stronger together and they were a force to be reckoned with.
——