"Here we go!" Poe lowers the Millennium Falcon to the swampy surface. Chewie bellows in disgust as sludge spews over the windshield.
"Hey BB-8," says Finn. "Can you clean that while we're gone?"
The droid bleeps and turns to Poe.
"Sorry buddy. But we're gonna need to see. And you've got tethers."
BB-8 rolls away in disgust.
Luke clutches at the ramp as they climb off.
"Humidity too much for you?" Finn tries to joke. Poe smiles. Luke doesn't.
"No. I just-I feel something in the Force."
Finn freezes. "Something like-bad? Like Rey's-hurt, or-hurt-bad?"
"No. Nothing like that. Something else entirely." Luke shakes his head, muttering to himself about the temple and how he'll have to ask Obi-Wan...
"Well, we've got a mission to complete," Poe announces. "And we've all got to survive it. You too, R2. Blasters ready?"
Chewie cocks his in response.
"Good."
A scream echoes from the field of fighter jets, X-Wings, and other ships. Many of which appear to be hollowed, blackened shells. What happened here? Finn wonders. A fire?
A Twi'lek rushes past, almost tripping over its absurdly long tentacles.
"What the hell is going on?" Poe hollers.
"The beasts! They're out! The scavengers broke them out!" he squeaks.
"Rey!" Finn shouts. "It's got to be her! Poe, Luke, Chewie-"
A ferocious yowl echoes through the hanger. R2 wheels behind Chewie, who looks about as disconcerted as Finn's ever seen the Wookiee.
"What was that?" Poe wonders.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Luke says grimly.
"Well, while you all debate, I'm going to find Rey!" Finn races forward, skittering to a stop as a giant, cat-like creature with fangs lets out a snarl.
The nexu leaps past Finn, bounding over a blackened hull and pouncing on a glinting man who looks like he's made of silver, tearing him in two. Blood smeared across its jaws, the beast turns around, locking its gaze on Finn.
A blaster shoots in front of him as Poe grabs Finn by the shoulders, dragging him around the other side of a ship.
"Luke-Chewie-" He can't find them. Can't see them. All he hears are screams and roars and the sickening crunch of metal. The air boils in the sun's rays.
And saliva drips down on them.
"Poe!" Finn screams, grabbing his friend and running, shooting his blaster. The nexu's claws fly out, catching Poe and throwing him against another ship-a functional one. Or, at least it was functional, until the nexu crushes it and throws it in the air, growling as it leers over Poe.
"Don't touch him!" Finn fires shot after shot, hitting the creature in its shoulders. It shrieks, a sound so shrill Finn fears his ears will bleed.
And, inexplicably, the nexu leaps away from Poe, chasing after some other unfortunate soul.
"Poe!" Finn drops to his knees. His friend's face is smeared with blood, and his leg sticks out at an odd angle. "C'mon. We've gotta move." Clutching Poe's arm, he slings him over his shoulder, struggling to his feet.
"Finn! Poe!" Luke charges towards them. "It seems the Force works on that beast. Chewie?"
Chewie grabs Poe, who grimaces in pain.
"Finn?" Poe asks.
But Finn's eyes are glued to a small figure, draped in beige robes and clutching a familiar glowing blue stick, fleeing from the very same nexu.
Hundreds of meters away.
"Rey!" he screams, but the nexu's howl drowns out his cry.
She's at the edge of another ship, a soot-covered silver one, when she ducks to avoid the beast's claws. As she tumbles to the ground, her lightsaber flies out of her hand.
The nexu rears up on its legs, screeching in pain as it turns and charges frenetically in another direction.
And a tall figure, head coated in thick black hair, reaches down to grasp Rey's lightsaber, to take Rey. Kylo Ren hauls her in the ship by her waist, red lightsaber blazing, and Finn's screaming like he did on Takodana, chasing, hoping even though that voice, the voice that haunts him, General Hux's voice-not general, just Hux, he's not your general-whispers "futile."
The ship powers up, soaring into the sky.
"REY!"
Finn turns to Luke, who looks as if someone's punched him in the stomach.
YOU ARE READING
•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•
Fanfiction*WRITTEN PRE-TROS, POST TLJ* When a ship crashes near the Resistance base, Finn and Poe are shocked to discover Kylo Ren. What does he want? And where is Rey? And as for Kylo, he must decide how much he can trust them with what he knows about Snoke...
