Torn Apart

Diversion

Kylo Ren surveyed the squadron of the Stormtroopers in front of him searching the planet of Dathomir. Supreme Leader Snoke would be impressed by the progress made. They were out in search for the remaining part of the map, having gathered the biggest part of the map from the archives of the Empire, that would lead them to Skywalker and then the First Order would destroy the last remaining Jedi and they'd be free to rule the galaxy.

He should be elated...elated that he was fulfilling the mission his grandfather had set forth to accomplish. But he felt divided. The light kept calling to him. Pulling him in directions that he didn't want to go. Showing him that he could go home. His mother....hell even his father would welcome him with open arms. The prodigal son returning. They would let him resume his life...even though he didn't deserve it. He was a murderer. He'd slaughtered younglings and padawans in Snoke's name...in the name of the First Order. He had turned himself into a terrible person just so that he'd have somewhere to belong, somewhere that felt more like home. 

Lux was home. How he missed her. How he loved her...even now....so much his heart felt as if it would burst sometimes. It was sentiment that he knew Snoke meant to eradicate but he could never completely accomplish.

"I hope you have a plan to find this recluse," General Hux crisp British accent broke into Ren's thoughts. "If he even exists."

"Of course he exists," Ren replied "Do you doubt research that I've done?"

Hux scoffed "I doubt almost everything you do...most of the time your actions are dictated by petty revenge and childish tantrums."

Ren tried hard to refrain from pulling his lightsaber from his belt and putting this roach out of his misery. "Careful Hux, or I'll show you how childish I can be."

"I'm frightened," Hux said in a bored tone as one of the Storm troopers returned. 

"Excuse me sir," SF-4857 interrupted "There is a small contingent of Resistance at the far end of the space port."

"How many?" Hux asked quickly.

"2 officers, 3 fighters," the trooper replied.

"Have you arrested them?" Ren asked.

"Not yet sir, Captain Phasma is headed in that direction. I was sent back to let you know in case you wanted to handle it personally."

Kylo felt the call to the light strongly as the words left the troopers mouth. A tinge of recognition, a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time pulled his insides. He had to find out what it was. "Take me to them."

================

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Lux blurted as she and Daen hid behind one of the ports protective outer structures. 

"We need to provide a diversion so the X-Wings can take off," he replied.

"So you want me to run out in the open like a mad woman while those snowballs fire at me " she yelled louder than she wanted to and he shushed her. "You are fucking insane."

"Damn...do you want all the Stormtroopers over here? And the cuss words...what happened to sweet innocent Lux who sat in the garden and drew pictures of pretty rainbows?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "That girl has been gone for a long time."

"I know, Lux...I know...We'll get to the ship, I promise," he said as he pulled his blaster. "Now...are you ready?"

She pulled her own blaster and flipped the safety "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Good...now shoot straight because I'd hate to lose you before your date with with Dameron," Daen gave her a dashing smile.

She glared angrily "Fuck you," she said quickly before they ran out before the troopers and opened fire.

She managed to take out three troopers as they ran across the port. Daen had better aim and he ran faster so he made better distance.

"Damn it," she said as she threw herself behind the small maintenance shed. The roar of engines came to life as she heard the X-Wings begin their flight take off. Good...at least something good was going to come out of her getting herself killed. She made another run for it through the red blasts that came at her. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," she cried as she dodged the fire.  At least these assholes hadn't learned how to shoot straight and she had a little control over the blasts themselves. The Force was on her side as long as she concentrated. This was not how she pictured her life ending. She always thought she'd die an old woman on Naboo...sitting in a rocking chair waiting for her grandchildren to come and visit. But no, she'd decided after Ben turned that she wanted to save the world and now she was going to die.

"Come on," Daen's voice called from the distance she still had to cover. "Haul your ass."

She picked up speed and was halfway to the ship when her focus on the Force slipped and she was hit in the thigh.

"LUX!!!" Daen yelled and started to walk down the small ship ramp. He knew the plan was for Lux to see Ren but it wasn't in the plan for her to get captured like this...when Ren wasn't even around.

She went down quickly reaching for her wound with her hand and feeling the blood. "GO GO GO!" she cried loudly waving to him to clear the deck.

"I can't...I won't leave you," he yelled at her.

"DO NOT WAIT. GO!" she commanded "THAT'S AN ORDER, PILOT."

His face was torn between loyalty to his childhood friend and the order. In the end, his duty to the Resistance won out.

She watched as the small craft took off and Stormtroopers surrounded her retrieving her dropped blaster. She fell back onto the pavement, dizzy as she drowned in a dizzy sea of white. Her eyes tried to focus but the blood loss was too much. She barely registered the black mask in front of her...a flicker of recognition. 

"Ben?"