Beating Heart ♔ Rey

fourteen

Chapter Fourteen;

"Are you sure?" Rey demanded, as the two of them ran back for the building. As soon as they saw the incoming ships they'd turned and ran back, BB-8 directly behind them.

Hester nodded grimly. "I spent years next to him. There's no way I'm mistaking his Force signature."

Rey didn't question this, and even if she wanted to, their breath as soon taken away as they ran to the break in the forest.

Everything was crumbling into ruins.

Ships flew overhead, firing on the building. Walls blasted apart and fell to the ground, the statue of Maz became nothing more than rubble. People were screaming and running out of the building, trying to protect themselves from debris and laser fire. Stormtroopers had already landed and were firing on those who left the building, so the air was full of dust and blaster fire.

And to make matters worse, Hester saw a very familiar ship land on the planet surface.

Hester swallowed. "That's his ship."

The thought of Kylo Ren attacking the people who had been the building... Finn. Han. Chewie. Maz... everyone. 

All those innocent people... No one stood a chance against him. They'd be slaughtered for sure, should he turn his attention to them.

Hester pressed her lips tightly together. She knew what she needed to do.

"I need to face him," she said lowly. "I'm the only one who stands a chance against him."

Rey turned to her, stricken. "Hester, are you sure -"

Her voice fell at the sound of new voices, completely unfamiliar. The two girls glanced in the direction to see two Stormtroopers had made their way into the forest just metres from where they were standing.

At once, Rey whipped her blaster out and aimed to fire, only to be unable to.

"Oh, safety!" Rey realised, fumbling with the blaster.

Hester shook her head frantically and pushed Rey away. "I'll take care of them!" she hissed. "Run, you need protect BB-8, they're here for him only!"

Rey stared at her for a moment, then nodded. Hester smiled grimly at her then turned to the Stormtroopers, who had just noticed them and were yelling. Hester grabbed her lightsaber and activated it, charging forward to the Stormtroopers. She deflected all incoming shots then used the blade to destroy the two of them.

After checking that there were no other Stormtroopers nearby, Hester sprinted toward the now-collapsed building and joined those fighting in the ruins.

It was chaos. Hester had never been in a battle before, and instantly felt overwhelmed. There were so many Stormtroopers, and too little amount of people opposing them. She wondered just how many people had been carrying blasters - too few, by the looks of things. As soon as she emerged into the fray, several Stormtroopers noticed her and opened fire.

The battle proceeded almost mechanically. Block blaster fire. Use her lightsaber to kill Stormtroopers, or use the Force the throw them back into walls.

The entire time she fought, she kept a lookout for Kylo Ren.

But... she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Traitor!" a voice yelled.

Hester turned from her search for the Jedi and saw a Stormtrooper was looking at her. Hester arched an eyebrow and raised her lightsaber. "Am I a traitor if I was never on your side?"

She ran forward, using her lightsaber only to deflect the blaster fire, and then cut the weapon in half. Now defenceless, Hester grabbed the Trooper and glared at him.

"Tell me," Hester snarled, twisting the Stormtrooper's arm so he yelled in pain. "Where is Kylo Ren?"

The Stormtrooper didn't answer.

Hester's eyes narrowed and she gripped his arm tighter, twisting it even further so it was on the point of breaking. "Tell. Me," she snarled.

The Trooper hesitated for a moment longer before he choked out, "He was headed to the forest... To find that droid..."

Hester dropped the Trooper, not caring he could reach for a blaster and shoot her, not caring that in her distracted state she was leaving herself open to attack and fire and would probably die unless she put her guard up. She didn't see the damage or hear the sounds of battle - all she heard were the Stormtrooper's words.

Kylo Ren was headed into the forest.

That was where Rey and BB8 were.

"Rey," Hester whispered.

Without further ado Rey left the field of battle and sprinted to the forest, running like she'd never run before. Her heart was hammering and she was surprised to find that she was shaking.

Soon she was surrounded by trees and shrubs, and she had no idea where to look. The forest was so vast, and there was no distinct path - where could either of them have gone?

I should've been the one to protect BB-8, Hester thought, shaking. She ran blindly through the forest, turning whenever, not paying any attention to anything but her thoughts. I would be the only one who had a chance against him, and he was after BB-8 of course... I should've seen that. I should've known how he'd operate - I've spent so long around him. I should've known, and now Rey...

The forest made no sense. Anywhere she turned, Hester only saw greenery. There were no footprints, no blaster marks on the trees, no nothing to suggest where either of them were. As far as she knew, Hester could be running in the opposite direction.

Where could she possibly be? Where is Kylo Ren? Has he found her? Where are they?

Hester paused in the middle of the forest, heart racing at a million miles an hour. Panic consumed her - she was drowning it, and it was clouding all her senses, she couldn't feel anything -

That's my problem. I can't feel anything - which means I'm unable find them. She breathed in. Just calm down, Hester, and stretch out with the Force.

Hitting herself mentally, Hester took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She closed her eyes and stretched out with the Force, searching through everything until she was able to feel Rey, or Ren...

Then she felt the both of them and she gasped, hands flying to her mouth.

Her eyes snapped open, the panic rushing back and hitting her once again like a tidal wave.

No. He - he can't have - he can't have Rey!

For their Force presences were together - and there was no way Rey would go with Kylo Ren, unless he was taking her against her will.

Panic gripped Hester once more in an iron grip and she was running like she never had before. Her feet barely touched the floor as she ran, focusing on nothing but running continously faster, her mind fixated on the movement of Kylo Ren and Rey - she couldn't let him take Rey, she couldn't fail Rey, she couldn't... She wouldn't let it happen, never!

And then she was bursting out of the trees and flung into confusion once again - shots were being fired, ships were in the air, blaster fire and screams assaulted her ears. 

And Kylo Ren had Rey in his arms - and he was boarding his ship.

"No! Rey!" Hester screamed. She ran forward, knowing it was a lost cause, and that only made her more desperate as panic overrode every sense of her body and she screamed, "Give her back! No! Kylo Ren, face me! Rey!"

Kylo Ren glanced back, and Hester swore his eyes landed on her before the door to the ship closed, concealing both him and Rey.

"No - no, no, no!" Hester screamed through her choked up throat. She sank to the floor in utter defeat. "Rey! Give her back! Rey!"

But her screams were heard by no one, and all she could do was watch helplessly as the ship flew away, with Rey and Kylo Ren inside.