Chapter Eight: Starkiller Base
Chapter Eight: Starkiller Base.
I was still shackled to the device, my mind racing on what happened between Ren and me. I was flooded with emotions, feeling my potential. The Force. I was able to pull knowledge of the force out of his mind. I turned to look at the Stormtrooper guard. I studied him for an intense beat.
"You will remove these restraints. And leave this cell, with the door open." I ordered. The Stormtrooper Guard looked at me.
"What did you say?" He demanded. My eyes trained on him, I shifted in my seat, confidence wavering.
"You will remove these restraints. And leave this cell, with the door open." I ordered more authority. The trooper moved forward with his rifle aimed at me. My heart pounded as he came closer.
"I'll tighten those restraints, scavenger scum!" He barked.
Rey stares intently at the trooper. Calms herself. And tries again.
"You will remove these restraints. And leave this cell, with the door open." I repeated.
"I will remove these restraints. And leave this cell, with the door open." He reached down and unlatched the restraints.He turned and started to head out, his back to me as he exited. I stayed silent for a moment in shock that I was able to pull it off.
"And you will drop your weapon," I ordered again.
"And I'll drop my weapon." The guard said as he dropped his blaster without turning back, leaving the cell open. I stopped in disbelief. Slowly I moved in disbelief. Hopping off the seat and moving towards the open door.
---
Kylo Ren's POV
I entered the cell to see it empty, I immediately understood what happened. Rage built up. I let this happen. I should have predicted it. I ripped out my sabre, igniting it. Yelling in rage as I ripped up the walls of the cell. Unleashing my anger.
---
Rey's POV
Bini. I sense Bini?
I walked down a corridor of cells. Reaching the one where Bini was. I opened the cell to see Bini, barely awake with a massive gash on her arm.
"Bini? Bini!?" I called out. She moaned and moved her head towards me.
"Rey? Wh-Why are you here?" She mumbled.
"Nevermind that, come on. We have to go." I insisted as I unlatched her from the seat and let her put her weight on me as she slumped out of the chair. I helped her out of the cell.
---
General Hux's POV
"Begin charging the weapon!" I ordered as I walked across the control room.
"Yes, sir. Weapon charging."
---
Finn's POV
We all sat in the control room looking at the map in the resistance map.
"The scan data from Snap's reconnaissance flight confirms Finn's report." Poe reported to the group of main resistance fighters.
"They've somehow created a hyper lightspeed weapon built within the planet itself."
"A laser cannon?"
"We're not sure how to describe a weapon of this scale."
"It's another Death Star."
"I wish that were the case, Major." Poe said, he hit control and a wireframe of the death star appeared."This was the Death Star." Poe hit another control, the Death Star shrinks and shrink and shrinks, as the surface area of the Starkiller base is drawn into a larger image, revealing the entire base planet. The Death Star in minuscule planet in comparison. "This is Starkiller Base."
This is news to many there, and they're stunned.
"So it's big." Han said with a shrug.
"How is it possible to power a weapon of this size?" Admiral Ackbar asked.
"It uses the power of the sun. As the weapon is charged, the sun is drained until it disappears." I explained as an officer ran up and hands Leia a Datacard.
"The First Order: they're charging the weapon again, now. Our system is the next target." Leia said the devastating news.
"Oh my. Without the Republic fleet, we're doomed."
"Okay, how do we blow it up? There's always a way to do that."
But no one has anything. Leia watches the silence, frustrated.
"Han's right." Leia admitted.Han looked back at her in surprise.
"In order for that amount of power to be contained, that base would need some kind of thermal oscillator..."
"There is one." I blurted out, moving to the hologram to show it in the location of Starkiller. "Precinct 47. Here."
"If we can destroy that oscillator, it might de-stabilize the core and cripple the weapon."
"Maybe the planet." Poe said. Pacing to consider the situation. "We'll go in there and we'll hit that oscillator with everything we got."
"They have defensive shields that our ships cannot penetrate."
"We disable the shields."
"Kid, you worked there, what do you got?" Han asked, looking towards me.
"I can do it." I insisted.
"I like this guy."
"I can disable the shields. But I have to be there, on the planet-"
"We'll get you there." Han interrupted with confidence.
"Han, how?" Leia asked.
"If I told you, you wouldn't like it," Han informed her.
"So we disable the shields, take out the oscillator and we blow up their big gun. All right. Let's go!" Poe ordered and everyone splits
---30 minutes---
Chewie and I followed Han's orders as we prepared the Falcon for one more daring run, maybe it's last.
"Chewie, check that Donal capitator. Come on. Let's go. Finn, be careful with those, they're explosives."
"Now you tell me?" I barked, carefully dropping the box into Chewie's arms so that he could take care of them.
"No matter how much we fought, I've always hated watching you leave." Han looks over, there's Leia.
"That's what I did it. So you'd miss me." Han replied with a smirk. She laughs, moves up close to him.
"I did miss you. So did Ben." Leia insisted.
"It wasn't all bad, was it? Huh? Some of it was...good."
"Pretty good."
"Some things never change." Leia smiled and nodded.
"True. You still drive me crazy." Leia replied. Han places his hands on her shoulders. It could be thirty years ago. They both know there's a good chance he won't make it back. They pull each other tight, holding for dear life. Quietly, "If you see our son again, bring him home."
---Two hours later---
"How are we getting in?" I asked as I entered the cockpit where Chewie and Han were flying.
"Their shields have a fractional refresh rate. Keeps anything travelling slower than lightspeed from getting through." I was suddenly filled with dread.
"We're gonna make our landing approach at lightspeed?!" I asked in shock and fear.
"Alright, Chewie, get ready." Chewie groans saying he's ready. Han and Chewie started hitting switches, getting ready to jump.
---
Kylo Ren's POV
I walked down the corridor followed by a stormtrooper.
"Sir, she was not found in hangar 718 but all troops are on alert." He reported.
"Put every hangar on lock-down. She's going to try to steal a ship to-" Suddenly, I stopped. Sensing something familiar "Han Solo..."
---
Finn's POV
Han, Chewie and I crossed the terrain, walkers appeared on the horizon and we took cover behind a base structure. Chewie shifted a black duffel of explosives on his shoulder.
"The flooding tunnels are over that ridge. We'll get in that way." I said, pointing.
"What was your job when you were based here?"
"Sanitation." I admitted.
"Sanitation?" He repeated in disbelief. "Then how do you know how to disable the shields?"
"I don't. I'm just here to get Rey and Bini." I said.
"People are counting on us! The galaxy is counting on us-"
"Solo, we'll figure it out! We'll use the Force!" Han grabbed me and spun me around to him with a scowl.
"That's not how the Force works!"
Chewie moan talked behind Han and Han turned to him with an annoyed look.
"Oh really, you're cold?" Han snapped at him
"Come on!" I ordered, they followed me on a snowy hike. I looked up in the horizon to see a lazer siphon shooting into the sky, slowly sucking the sun.
---
General Hux's POV
I paced the control room. I spun around and looked at one of the technicians.
"Report." I ordered.
"Weapon charged in fifteen minutes, sir."
---End of Chapter Eight---