𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

𝟎𝟎𝟏. 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐞𝐝𝐡𝐚

001. THE GIRL OF JEDHA

∘₊✧───────────────────────────✧₊∘

THE SUPREME LEADER MAY HAVE BEEN DEAD, BUT THE CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP MADE NO DIFFERENCE TO THE PLANETS STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE UNDER THE IRON GRIP OF THE FIRST ORDER. Some remained hopeful that things could change, but those who were smart knew that things would only grow worse. Whoever this new leader was would possess the need to control all that the previous leader had. Furthermore, the consequences of insubordination and disregard would grow more severe.

The girl kept her hood pulled up over her eyes and remained in the shadows. If she gave up her position too quickly, any hope of finally leaving the barren planet would diminish and she'd be stuck there to rot until the next shipment of needed parts arrived. Her eyes scanned the crowd as she waited for the shipment to make an appearance. Satisfaction was apparent in her expression as the cargo shipment finally arrived. Although there were a few more guards than she had anticipated, it shouldn't have affected her plan to snatch what she needed and get the blazes out of there. However, she immediately frowned as smoke filled the streets of the marketplace and made it impossible to see anything. Of course the Ravagers had gotten there before her, that's just the way her luck always worked. It looked like she'd have to start sooner than anticipated if she wanted to get what she needed.

She sprinted out of the alley and did her best to avoid the shadows chaotically moving about the smoke. She scrambled up onto the cargo hold and started rummaging through the mess to find the parts she needed. However, just before she could grab the most essential part, something caught hold of her satchel and yanked her down from the top of the shipment. She watched as the necessary piece was snatched by one of the other shadows and disappeared before her eyes. She frowned and then focused on finding the cause behind the inconvenience. The shadow that had knocked her to the ground had continued moving forward and she had determined that he was not going to get away with his actions. She quickly got up, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pulled him into the alley that she had originally come from. She slammed him up against the wall and pulled her hand-made vibroknife from its holster.

"You piece of bantha fodder! If you've wrecked my chances of getting out of here, you're a dead man walking!" she exclaimed as she brandished her vibroknife near his throat.

The stranger raised his arms defensively in shock, "Let's just calm down."

As a second figure entered the alley, the girl pressed her vibroknife up against the offender's throat, "Stay back or I'll gut him like a ghest!"

The second also raised his arms defensively and took a step back for good measure before speaking through grit teeth, "This is why we don't rush places without a plan, Poe!"

"I had a plan," Poe gently tried to move the vibroknife away from his throat, "a few things just changed along the way, that's all, Finn."

"Changed disastrously!" Finn argued, "Charging ahead going against the plan is not a plan!"

"The plan changed—"

"Hey!" she yelled to get their attention before placing the vibroknife back at Poe's throat, "I don't care about whatever problems the two of you have, go to couple's therapy for crying out loud! Just stay out of my way and you might remain unscathed. This smog won't last forever and I don't want to be here when first order reinforcements arrive!"

Without waiting for a response, she shoved Poe into the wall once more for good measure before sprinting back into the smoke to locate whoever took her part. However, she froze as a small part of herself that she'd buried long ago resurfaced. She slowly turned around and the pace of her heart quickened. Reinforcements had arrived quicker than she could have imagined, and with them stood a figure dressed in solid black. She had no idea whose face was beneath the mask but she certainly didn't have any intentions of finding out either. She pulled her hood further over her face and sprinted into the chaos of the marketplace. However, she was pulled back by an invisible force and thrown into the nearest pile of junk. Unfortunately the piece she needed wasn't there and even more unfortunate the force-sensitive individual was closing in on her. She scrambled to her feet and fled the scene as fast as she could.

She quickly ducked around the street corner and immersed herself in the crowd of pedestrians shopping. Although she normally disapproved how busy the marketplace could be, she was certainly thankful for that trait in the current moment. She checked her shoulder regrettably to see she was still being followed. To make matters worse, a squad of stormtroopers had formed a barricade ahead of her. It could be assumed that she was surrounded, but she wasn't willing to give up yet. She ducked into an alleyway. Although the end was blocked by a pair of troopers, the skies appeared clear. She dodged the poorly aimed blaster fire and began climbing before others could join. After a matter of moments, she was on her way toward an escape via the market rooftops. If she could just avoid the oncoming barrage of fire long enough to reach the outskirts of the town, she should be able to lose her pursuers in the maze of canyons on the more deserted side of the planet.

"Once a scrapper, always a scrapper," the deep voice of the helmeted figure finally spoke, "It seems your little resistance has nothing more for you than that rock you were abandoned on."

She stopped momentarily in confusion before realizing that her pursuer thought she was someone else. She thought maybe she could clear the confusion; however, when he ignited his crossguard to reveal red sabers, she realized that effort would be futile. Her eyes widened and she decided that escape was once again her best option. As she tried to ignore the blaster fire that was becoming more precise by the minute and the hum of the lightsaber behind her, she realized that she was quickly running out of roof to run across. She frowned and scanned the area trying to quickly come up with a plan, but found that moving had suddenly become difficult as if she had started running through water. She looked around with panic and began to try making her legs run as the figure behind her walked closer with an outstretched hand.

"I didn't expect you to put so much effort into running," the voice chuckled as it mocked her, "Especially since you know that you can't hide while we're connected."

"Who's hiding?" she retorted, "You're the one wearing a mask."

"You're crafty for a scavenger girl," the voice spoke as the figure walked circles around her, "but your skill has only decreased since we last met."

"That would have required us to meet in the past," she replied as the figure stopped to face her.

"Supreme Leader," one of the troopers who had finally caught up spoke, "General Hux wishes to—"

The Supreme Leader raised his hand and the trooper stopped speaking. She raised an eyebrow as the trooper collapsed on the ground, clutching his throat. Again, she tried to move but found it impossible as the Supreme Leader approached and clutched the top of her hood within his hand. With one swift motion, the fabric was thrust backward and she was forced to look at him face to... well mask as her identity had been the only one revealed.

∘₊✧───────────────────────────✧₊∘

• author's notes •

Thank you for taking the time to read this story. A forewarning, the oh so cherished canonical timeline will without a doubt be disrupted. Furthermore, some, if not many, of my facts may be incorrect, it's a fan fiction just roll with it. This story begins a few months after the eighth film. Although my goal is to finish this tale and allow it to lead into the ninth film, there is no guarantee.

One canonical tweak that is to be noted for the purpose of this story. The transition of Ben Solo into Kylo Ren has taken place in 24 ABY, several years earlier than the canon.

I do not own any canonical Star Wars characters; however, the personal characters that I introduce belong solely to myself and my creative team.

Now since that is taken care of, the story shall resume and hopefully be regularly updated until its completion.

• fin •