The Light and the Dark - A Star Wars Story

Prologue

At 13 years old, Rey's life would be altered in a way she would've never expected.

She had been stuck on Jakku for 8 years ever since her family left her there. It had been a lonely few years, but she managed to learn how to survive on her own. No matter what, she always had the hope that one day her family would come back for her. 

Because of that one hope, Rey kept her hair up in three buns to be easily recognized by them and always wore beige clothing. She stayed in an AT-AT Walker that had crashed during the Battle of Jakku, which occurred before she was born. She had to scavenge around for old parts in order to get food from Unkar Plutt, the creature that practically owned her. He barely gave her the food she needed, but she didn't put up any complaints. The last time she complained, it didn't go so well.

Rey has built herself a speeder to get around the area faster. It was always hot and tiring on Jakku, which meant that walking was never a smart idea. She gained some parts that she later built into a speeder, helping her mechanic skills grow. She had also acquired a flight simulator, which helped her become a good pilot and be able to drive her speeder. During one of her trips, she found a quarterstaff that she used to defend herself. None of the scavengers thought she'd be able to handle herself, but she proved that she could quickly.

Rey had even kept a few things from her scavenging trips to keep her hopeful thoughts going. One was an old pilot helmet that belonged to a member of the Rebellion. She loved wearing it and playing with her Rebel doll as she always imagined going on adventures. It was her dream to leave with her family and be able to fly ships.

What she never though of was how she would be leaving the planet.

One day, Rey was scavenging in a crashed Star Destroyer when she heard a noise from outside. She grabbed her parts and grabbed her staff in case it was other scavengers, but froze when she stepped outside. A shuttle was outside and stormtroopers came out of it, holding blasters. A dark figure then stepped out of the shuttle and looked around. It caught sight of Rey and started walking towards her.

Rey immediately got in a defensive position and held out her staff to attack. "Who the kriff are you?!" She yelled. 

"Hello Rey," the dark figure said in a distorted voice. 

"How do you know my name?" Rey asked the figure, confused. She didn't recall this person being in her life. Was he a part of her family? Did they come back for her?

"You're the one I'm looking for," he said in response. "I'm Kylo Ren of the First Order and I need you to come with me."

Rey, still confused, shook her head. "I can't leave Jakku," she said. "I don't even know who you are! Isn't the First Order dangerous?"

"It's not dangerous. The Resistance is what is dangerous and is what is attacking the order of the galaxy," Kylo Ren explained. "I have been sent to find you because of a power you have in the Force. You are strong. Stronger than anyone I have known."

"The Force?" Rey repeated. "I thought all of that was a myth?"

"It isn't a myth. We need you to help us against the Resistance. Against the Jedi and everything they stand for," Kylo Ren said. "You may believe that the Jedi are the good guys in the myths you hear. But you haven't heard the whole story. The Jedi are the bad guys while the Sith just want order."

Rey started to lower her staff, but still kept it up in case. "How do I know I can trust you?" She asked. "How do I know you're not just a creature in a mask?"

Kylo Ren stepped forward and took off his mask. Rey lowered her staff completely when she saw that he was just a person. She slowly stepped forward and put her staff back up against her back. Not only that, but she abandoned the parts she had collected by throwing them back in the Star Destroyer.

"I'll come with you."

...

At the same time across the galaxy, a 17 year old FN-2187 would make a decision that would alter his life.

He and the other legions of stormtroopers were on a mission to find Luke Skywalker and kill him. The Jedi has abandoned the galaxy after the fall of Kylo Ren and disappeared. But the First Order managed to find out where he had gone because they had uncovered the map to the first Jedi Temple. It was in the old archives of the Empire and they found the last piece in a previous mission which FN-2187 didn't go to.

The transports landed on the planet of Ahch-To and the stormtroopers separated in order to find the last Jedi. FN-2187 walked up the long stairs to look for him, blaster drawn. He didn't know what he would do if he found Skywalker first. Would he be able to shoot him like that? Or would he kill him first? He was a Jedi after all.

FN-2187 froze in both his tracks and thoughts when he saw a cloaked figure in front of him. It was Luke Skywalker and he took notice of him immediately. The stormtrooper lifted up his blaster and aimed it at the Jedi, who only stood still. He didn't move or grab his lightsaber when the blaster was lifted. He didn't have any sign of reaction.

"Go ahead," Skywalker said to him. "If you must kill me, go ahead and do it."

FN-2187 was breathing heavily and was still confused at the man in front of him. He wasn't even trying to defend himself even though he was an enemy. It didn't seem right to kill a defenseless man, regardless of the fact that he was a Jedi. The stormtrooper felt himself lowering his blaster and sighed. He stared at Skywalker, who had a smile on his face.

"I sense a power within you," he told him. "It's telling you to not kill me. I came here to die, but I didn't expect stormtroopers to do the deed."

FN-2187 raised an eyebrow underneath his mask. "A power?" He asked him. "What, you mean like the Force? I don't have the Force."

"But you do have the Force," Skywalker said. "You can be more than a killing machine. Killing innocent people isn't something that you do. Let me help you and you can be a better person."

"I-I can't," the stormtrooper responded. "I can disobey orders. They'll kill me if I do."

"They won't," the Jedi reassured him. "Only you can control your destiny. Not those guys back there. Take off your mask for me."

FN-2187 hesitated, not sure if he could. Skywalker gave him a reassuring smile and persisted that he would take off the helmet. He took a deep breath and took of his mask, revealing to Luke that he was just a boy.

"What do you say?" Luke asked him.

Before he could respond, other Stormtroopers appeared behind him. "FN-2187, put your helmet back on and kill the Jedi already!" One of them said. 

FN-2187 looked back at Luke, whose face was unreadable. He closed his eyes and felt something inside of him stir. He could hear a voice telling him to not listen and to do what he wanted to do instead. He listened and shook his head at the other stormtroopers.

"Useless!" One of them yelled, beginning to attack both him and Luke. FN-2187 quickly took action and fired his blaster at the stormtroopers, killing them. Once they were gone, he turned back to Luke, who gave him a nod.

"You made a wise choice there," Luke said. "I swore to never train another Jedi again, but I see potential in you. Maybe you can help restore balance in the galaxy."

"But what about the First Order?" FN-2187 asked. "They know you're here."

"You have a comlink," Luke reminded him. "Tell them that I killed everyone,  but you managed to get the shot in. That way they think I'm dead and they think you're not a traitor. We need to stay here in order to help your training."

FN-2187 nodded, ready to receive his training.