Star Wars VII - Revised and Redacted

Chapter 17: Meeting

Rey was marched down the hallway in the middle of a dozen stormtroopers. Her wrists were shackled together; without more training with the Force, she couldn't break out of them without tools, and she currently didn't have any. With each passage and hallway, they drew closer to the landing bay and the transport ship intended to deliver her to Snoke.

As they turned a corner, a flurry of blaster fire erupted all around her. The stormtroopers were taken down before they'd time to realize an enemy was upon them. Standing alone, Rey looked around and found Han, Chewie, and Finn nearby.

"Hold out your hands," Finn instructed as he activated the lightsaber he carried.

Rey did as Finn had told her, and the lightsaber was carefully touched to the edge of her handcuffs to cut through the metal and free her wrists. When Finn shut off the lightsaber, Rey threw her arms around him in a hug.

"Thank you," she told him.

"Are you alright?" Finn asked.

"Escape now, hug later," Han interrupted.

The reunited group continued forward.

   ***   

TIE fighters screamed through low orbit while spitting green energy at enemy ships. An X-wing took a hit, transforming into a fireball. A few seconds later, another X-wing was destroyed. The Republic fleet had entered the atmosphere and hung low over the planet. Every moment brought them closer to the enemy superweapon, but the damage being inflicted upon them was increasing.

Although the point defense lasers had been disabled, the turbolasers and missile batteries were still online. They weren't as effective or accurate, but they were still a problem for the Republic fleet, especially the cruisers who were less maneuverable than the nimble fighters and Y-wing bombers.

The amount of enemy fire being directed toward the Republic fleet was intense, and every fighter that went down was one less to divert the enemy's attention from the heavy cruisers closing in on the main gun. When the planetary batteries finally decided to open up on the slower moving cruisers, it wouldn't be long before the shields were overwhelmed and any hope of success would be vaporized.

   ***   

"Where's the exit from here?" Rey asked, looking at three different hallways that all looked identical to her.

"We're not heading for the exit," Han replied.

"Why not?" Rey questioned.

"We brought explosives," Han told her with a nod toward Finn. "We might not get another chance to be this far into their base."

Finn led the group into a wide open space resembling a chasm with narrow walkways crossing it at large intervals. He pointed to a door several levels up.

"The life support regulator is through there," Finn explained. "There are a number of backup systems, but it should keep them busy for a time, perhaps even force an evacuation or two."

"Good," Han accepted, taking the bag of explosives from Finn. He handed several of the round charges to Finn and Rey. "Take these and place them where they'll do the most good."

"These are main structural supports," Finn replied, tapping one of the metal pillars he was standing next to with the back of his hand. "If these were damaged, it could undermine a good portion of the base."

"Chewie and I will handle that," Han replied. "Get going."

Han gave the explosive detonator to Chewie before heading down a short set of stairs to reach a lower section of the chamber.

Chewie climbed a ladder to the upper level, placing one of the coppery spheres against a support column and pressing a central button with one claw. A portion of the sphere lit up red as it became armed and magnetized itself to the column.

Han crept along the base of a support column and placed an explosive charge up underneath an overhang where it wouldn't be as easily noticed.

   ***   

A squad of stormtroopers followed Kylo Ren into the chasm chamber. He silently surveyed the darkened room before giving orders.

"Spread out and take covering positions," he commanded. "No one leaves."

Kylo remained at the railing for a moment, turning his helmeted head slightly as he reached out with the Force. Jumping over the railing, Kylo plunged into the darkness below and landed in a crouch on the main floor, only a few feet from Han.

Not wasting time, Han fired his blaster, but Kylo already had his lightsaber out and easily deflected the projectiles. Reaching out his free hand, Kylo ripped the blaster from Han's grip and tossed it aside.

"Is that any way to greet your son?" Kylo asked, switching off his lightsaber and returning it to his belt.

"Ben?" Han questioned in utter shock. "It can't be you."

Kylo reached up and removed his helmet. The dark hair was as Han remembered it, but the face had changed considerably, especially a vertical scar lancing down from forehead to cheek while crossing a now completely white right eye.

"What happened?" Han asked, instinctively reaching out toward his son and taking several steps closer. "We thought you'd been killed."

"Not for lack of trying," Kylo growled. "Luke tried to kill me."

"Never!" Han snapped, lowering the hand he'd extended toward Kylo. "Luke would never do such a thing."

"I know you have the map to find him," Kylo replied coldly. "I have the map as well. I'll make you a deal. If you find Skywalker first, you can ask him about what happened. If I find him first, I'll ask him about it before I kill him."