Happy New Year! My 12-year-old son decided to help us write today, too. Despite multiple writers, I hope we can maintain a consistent tone and story. Enjoy!
Part 3 is here. Each part links backward if you need to get back to the beginning.
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“You’re buzzing,” Finn said.
Poe glanced back. “Huh? Oh.” He pulled out his buzzing communicator, but all he could hear was static. “Downside of living underground,” he grumbled and shoved the com unit back into his pocket. He needed both hands free for the steep climb up the rock face anyway. There was a path, but it was narrow and only allowed for one person at a time. Which meant First Order troops couldn’t come down, but also meant the Resistance foot soldiers couldn’t effectively form ranks either should they need to rise to meet the enemy.
Better to just stay in the caves.
“So what did they leave?” Finn asked from behind Poe as they began the climb.
“All we know is that it’s alive,” said Poe. “Which is why we’re checking it out.”
“Alive?” Finn asked. “Like an animal or . . .?”
“Probably a person,” said Poe. “Based on the size.”
Finn stopped walking and Spannik nearly walked into him. “A person? And he’s alive? Shouldn’t we have a prison escort or something?”
Poe looked back but didn’t stop his ascent. “I think we can handle one person, Finn.”
***
Kylo paced the edge of the flat outcropping in search of a way down. It was not large, had barely fit his command shuttle. He made one circle then another like a caged loth wolf, his pain lessening as his ire increased. He would murder Hux. Slowly. Picturing it lifted his spirits a bit.
The pilot first, Kylo thought. For daring to abandon me. Though Hux had probably given him no choice. Kylo pushed the semi-charitable thought aside. He couldn’t afford mercy. In order to keep his position as Supreme Leader, he had to be unrelenting.
Another turn around the stone ledge, slower this time as his energy uncoiled. The path, if there was one, might be hidden, or at least difficult to spot.
Motion drew his attention, the bob of heads as people approached from below. Three. Easy enough to deal with. Kylo stretched out a hand, ready to pull the rocks down on top of the strangers, then stopped. He needed at least one of them to show him the way to the Resistance base.
That meant two were expendable.
Kylo drew his lightsaber and waited.
***
“Kylo Ren?” Rey said. “Here?”
“I can show you the footage,” Connix told her. “But we don’t have time. Poe, Finn, and Spannik are on their way up there right now.”
“He’s here,” Rey reiterated. “Alone.”
Connix waited, wide-eyed and trying not to snap. For whatever reason, Rey clearly needed to process this information. If only she would do it faster.
But instead of rushing to save their men, Rey closed her eyes.
“Um . . .” said Connix. She glanced around as though for support. “Is this helping?”
Rey held up a hand. From time to time she’d felt Ben—Kylo, she reminded herself; he’d chosen to remain Kylo Ren—pushing at the edges of her consciousness, but she’d always cut off his attempts at contact. They had reached an impasse, so what would be the point? The connection also endangered the Resistance on the off chance Kylo recognized where she was.
Yet he’d found her anyway.
Had he changed his mind?
Ben, she thought hopefully.
***
Kylo stepped away from the top of the path in case any of the men looked up and spotted him. He wanted the element of surprise on his side. Strike the first two down and take the third, he thought. Simple enough.
He took several deep breaths and focused, listening for the steps on the rocky slope as they grew closer, feeling the building presence of life as it came near.
He switched on the lightsaber.
Felt the men on the path pause.
“Did you hear that?” one of them asked. They were so close now. Kylo’s heart picked up speed, but he forced his breathing to remain slow and steady. The key to winning was to keep the mind clear. Fixed breathing helped.
Uncle Luke had taught him that.
Another of the men spoke. “Sounded like a—”
Ben.
Kylo swallowed. Not now, he thought, more to himself than her. I can’t do this right now
He’d lost the rhythm of his breathing. Damn. And the three men continued to hang back, suspicious.
Ben, she said again, listen to me. There are three men coming to bring you in. Let them.
Kylo’s brow furrowed. Bring him in? The idea that he and Rey wanted the same thing momentarily confused him. But then he understood. She wanted to make him a prisoner of the Resistance.
He couldn’t allow that.
You don't have the power to hold me, he told her. You know that.
Ben, don’t. Don’t make us do it this way.
There’s only one way, Kylo thought. My way.
__________
Part 5 can be found here.
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