Episode 9: Nemesis of the Force Part 15

Skywalker Saga

The Shadows of the Past Trilogy

Episode 9: Nemesis of the Force Part 15

                Over Uratsixo, the battle rages on unchecked.  Ship after ship is being pulverized by the First Order Star Destroyers.  But then they open up a gap for the Vengeance to fire another series of ion blasts followed by the main cannon.  Another Star Destroyer is devastated as it, like several others before it, begins to crumble apart starting from the massive hole just made in its center. 

                In the midst of it all, Kylo Ren’s old shuttle, from the Force Awakens, drops out of the Finalizer, heading planet-side.  Likewise, another assault shuttle drops out of the Vengeance, also descending towards the planet.  On Kylo Ren’s shuttle, Gnoza flies straight for the temple.  On the other ship, Altaria descends in the same manner.  No one intercepts them.  No one even seems to notice them.

                On the bridge of the Finalizer, Traisl watches another Star Destroyer’s demise.  “They’re tearing us apart.”

                Suddenly, the bridge door slides open.  "Hux is on the bridge," an officer announces, and a very flustered Hux storms in.

                “Sir!” Traisl says with a bit too much relief.  “The Finalizer is now in position over the planet, as ordered.”

                “Finally!” Hux snaps.  “Launch the Incinerator.”

                Then hidden doors of the Finalizer are opened, and a massive spire is launched towards the planet’s surface.  The Incinerator smashes into the surface of the planet just to the rear of the temple with such force that huge chunks of rock are flung for miles in all directions and the rocky ground becomes torn and split.  The resulting shockwave knocks everyone and everything flat.

                Moving across the open terrain, Rey and her companions, along with about a hundred Republic ground troops, are also knocked prone.  The tanks swerve to a halt in an attempt to avoid running over their allies, and the walkers, which are no bigger than the old Clone Wars AT-TE’s, stumble a bit but manage to stabilize themselves.  “What was that?” Finn cries out, trying to be heard over the raging storm and the thundering quake.

                “I…I have no idea,” says Rey.

                Only Jacen seems to have an inkling.  “We’re running out of time,” he shouts.  “We have to get to the temple.  NOW!” 

                But then, a flash of lightning illuminates the field of stone in front of them.  In the distance, the temple can be seen.  But to their horror, marching away from the temple and towards them, they see a huge army of Massassi - along with other terrible and fierce-looking creatures, all armed with melee weapons; clubs, swords, spears, axes.  They wear heavy armor as well, and as Jacen blinks in their direction, trying desperately to make out what they look like, he sees that they are being led by none other than ALL of the Knights of Ren.

                Finn quickly assesses the situation and turns to the New Republic commander.  "Better notify the General.  We're gonna need backup."

                "Yes, Commander," says the NR Commander.  He then turns to Oniho who is acting as a communications officer between the ground forces and the New Republic Command in space.  He gestures for him to do as Finn has commanded.

                Oniho immediately speaks into his com.  “General Dameron.”  

                In his X-wing, weaving furiously about, Poe doesn’t hear him but continues barking orders.  "Silver Four, watch your eight and three.  Mag Six, you've got three on you.  Two and Five, move in to cover."  

                “General Dameron!”  This time, Oniho breaks through, his voice like a trumpet’s.

                “What?” says Poe, switching his com.  He looks like he is about to chew the young man out.  “What’s going on down there?”

                “We need to send down more ground troops.  Now!” he tells the General.  “Whatever else we’ve got!  Otherwise…I…I don’t think we’re going to win this.”

                Poe regards his com for a moment.  He then switches channels to Hera.  “I’m going down there to provide air support.  Can you hold things here until I get back?”  

                Hera, on the Restoration, seems about to protest, but before she can, an officer reports, "The General is already maneuvering towards the planet with his Black Squadron, Sir."  

                Hera sighs heavily, shaking her head.  "Gold and Blue, move to the General's position and cover his squadron."

                On the ground, the enemy army led by the Knights of Ren charges towards Rey and the Republic forces.  Both sides issue out battle cries as the Republic troops lay cover fire.  Before long, Rey and her companions are swarmed by enemy troops.  As Rey, Jacen, Golrit and about thirty New Republic melee troops battle up close, Finn fires from behind with the rest of their forces including tanks and walkers.  Aritra begins flinging troops this way and that with the Force, or throwing boulders into them.  She positions herself in the midst of her allied melee forces, allowing them to act as her protector and guardian.

                And then, Amelia's lightsabers ignite.  The one in her right hand is golden.  The one in her left is silver.  She spins and twirls like a Jedi, cutting down enemies as if they are grass.  Clearing a small circle around herself within moments, she suddenly throws her silver-bladed lightsaber.  It spins like a saw, and she guides it, using it to expand the circle around her.  It mows down the enemy troops without much effort.  Even as she does this, she deflects her enemies’ energy bolts and weapon attacks with her other saber - even as her silver blade continues to kill her foes.

                In spite of this, the forces of Sala-tzar seem to be overwhelming Rey and her ground assault.  Surrounded on three sides, they pull back to a single point in the midst of an open, desolate, flat plain.  However, Rey notices that Jacen is no longer with them.  She looks out beyond the enemy, who are like a sea around them, but she cannot find him.  “Jacen!” she shouts.

                Jacen stands surrounded by the entire group of the Knights of Ren, surrounded as well by Massassi beyond them, his lightsaber blazing.  “How is this possible?” he asks, looking from knight to knight.  “Most of you died on Corellia.  I felt your lives snuffed out.”

                “Snoke has given us immortality, Kylo,” says one of them, his voice sounding like it has come from the grave through his helmet.  “Snoke has the ability to give us immortality.  You have, in the end, joined the wrong side.”  The Knight’s voice becomes that of Snoke.  “I always knew you were weak to the Light.  You cannot escape its temptations, no matter what.”

                Jacen shakes himself, trying to force Snoke’s voice out of his own mind.  “What is this?  What is happening?”

                The other Knights also begin to speak, but they have Snoke’s voice as well.  “You are Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren.”

                “No!”  Kylo lashes out at them, and a fight ensues.  As he is battling them, however, they continue to speak to him in Snoke’s voice.

                “You ARE Kylo Ren.”  Then he slashes through the torso of one of the knights, but they vanish suddenly.  Only Vader stands there, now.  “It is your destiny!” Vader speaks, his voice just as it had been on Cloud City when he spoke to Luke.  “Join me!  And together, we can END this destructive conflict, and bring order to the galaxy.”

                Jacen, defiant, swings at Vader, but his blade clashes with Vader’s crimson saber.  Vader shoves Jacen effortlessly, sending him sprawling to the ground.  Vader puts his saber in Jacen's face.  “You are beaten!” Vader says, mirroring the words he said to Luke on Cloud City when he’d thrown Luke onto his back.  Jacen is huffing and puffing, even as Luke had.  “Join me.  It is your destiny.”  Then Vader extends his hand, and in it is Kylo’s helmet and mask.  “You swore to me you would finish what I started.”

                Jacen stares at the mask and then up at Vader.  He is shaking uncontrollably in the driving rain.  Vader merely stands there, mask in hand, extending it to Kylo, waiting for a response.  And then, Jacen reaches up with his free hand and reluctantly grabs the mask, as if he is not worthy of it.  Rising to his feet, he puts the mask on for the first time in years.  In the dark, pouring rain, Kylo Ren is seen amidst the Knights of Ren once again.  Vader vanishes into shadows.  As the lightning flashes, Kylo’s helmet is all that can be seen.

                The battle continues as Snoke’s alien ground troops swarm the New Republic forces on all sides.  Most are brutish Massassi warriors from the Knights of the Old Republic stories, though some have pale skin instead of red.  Others are completely new and unidentifiable with various shapes, sizes, and skin/scale colors.  All are terrible looking monstrosities.  Republic soldier after Republic soldier are brutally killed, and even the walkers and tanks are swarmed and being torn apart.  In the storming rain, though, it is difficult to really see what is happening, so that it isn't too graphic or violent for younger audiences.  

                And then, one comes right at Finn, and he shoots it, sending it flying backwards.  Immediately following, another clubs him from behind.  Seeing this, Rey cries, “Finn!” and she charges towards him, lightsaber ready for the kill.  She twirls her dual-bladed lightsaber about her, hacking and slashing her way to her friend’s side just as the enemy thug is about to come down on Finn with a finishing blow.  Rey hacks the club in half, sending the end flying through the air.  Then she runs the thug through.  A moment later, catching her by surprise, another thug with a mace swings it up to knock her unconscious.  She sees it at the last moment, slips and loses her footing, almost falling to the ground.  The club is coming down towards her…

                …and Kylo’s blade stabs him through the back and out through the chest, just as in Rey’s vision in Maz Kanata’s castle.  Shocked, Rey regains her footing, but she stares at Kylo Ren’s image as if reliving the terrible nightmare.  He is backed by the Knights of Ren…all of them!  The battlefield around them is suddenly bare.  Bodies are strewn about at their feet.  Seeing her, Kylo moves towards her at a brisk pace, even as he did in the vision.  She stumbles and falls onto her rear, staring up at him as if helpless, her saber switched off.  He looks as if he is about to run her through.

                “Stop!” she cries, holding her left hand out as if to freeze him in place.  For a brief moment, it seems as though she has, for he does indeed become like a statue.  “What are you doing?  Jacen!  It’s me!  Rey!”  She is all but hysterical.  “Jacen!” she shouts again as if to get his attention across a loud manufacturing plant.

                “I…I must finish…what HE started,” he says as if struggling against some sort of mind control.  “YOU!  You are the last of the Jedi.  The Jedi - the Sith - they ALL must die...to bring Balance to the Force.”