Running Away- finnpoe

Chapter 22

"I must congratulate you on your success." Kylo Ren stared out into space from the bridge of his Star Destroyer, facing away from Poe. "Although, it isn't as if you had any other choice." He smiled under his mask.

"So, you say the Jedi have gone to Dantooine. You have done well." He slowly turned around to face Poe. "I expect you are waiting for your compensation- your mind back."

Poe stared at him, emotionless.

"However," Ren continued. "I have one last task for you. I told you before that Finn would come to no harm. Which he won't, if he cooperates. You will find him for me. He is young, and untrained, and he does not know how to defend himself against the Force. With time, he will become a servant of the Dark Side. If not, he will die."

Poe nodded. "I understand."

The Jedi would never understand what had hit them until it was too late.

"I sense a disturbance in the Force." A member of the temporary Jedi council told Rey. "The one you have called here has arrived."

"He brings much sorrow with him." Another interjected. "But anger too. Anger and fear. He is uncertain of his choices. Such emotions can make it easy for one to fall to the Dark Side."

"I know." Rey said, "But he can be trained against that."

"We must only hope that he has been smart, and kept to himself about where he was going." A third council member added. Rey nodded. She said nothing, but she had a bad feeling.

"There was no way he could have been followed." She assured them, "He wouldn't have told anyone. But he will be upset. He's found out the truth about Poe."

"Not all of it." The first Jedi spoke, "I sense there is more yet to be said between the two."

"But how?" Rey asked. "Poe is in a completely different part of the galaxy-"

"Be silent." The second Jedi instructed. "The troubled one approaches."

Rey turned her head to see Finn walk slowly, uncertainly, through the doorway. He was crushed, she could see it on his face. His eyes were red, as if he had been crying, and he shook slightly.

"You have arrived." The third Jedi said, "There is much to be discussed. As an adult, usually we would not allow you to be trained. But this is an unusual circumstance. You can be trained in the ways of the Jedi, if you wish. It will take time and effort, but will give you protection in battle, and peace of mind through meditation."

"If you do not, you will be an easy target for those who serve the Dark Side of the Force." The second Jedi told Finn.

"But it is your choice." Added the first. "You cannot be forced to do anything you do not wish to. Would I be right in assuming you have already made a decision?"

"I want to go home." Finn said, his voice wobbling. He stood there, facing the Jedi as they began to murmur among themselves. Before they could make a decision, another Jedi, younger than the ones on the council, rushed through the door.

"Sorry to interrupt." She apologised, "There's something wrong."

After Finn rushed outside, he found a number of others gathered outside, all looking to the sky. Finn looked upwards to find several star destroyers appearing in the atmosphere. His heart sank. Poe had found him.

"The First Order are here!" Someone cried, and the crowd began to panic. Rey grabbed Finn's shoulder.

"They followed me." He said quietly. "They knew where I was going. This is all my fault."

"Finn, no." Rey said, "It isn't your fault. They probably planned this all out."

"Poe." Finn realised.

"What?"

"It was Poe. He told me to go, and never come back. He wanted me to go. He wanted me to lead him here, and I've done exactly that."

"Finn." Rey insisted, "There was no way you could have known." She handed him something. "Here. Temporary lightsaber. Be careful with it, the blade comes out from this side."

Finn ignited it, the blue blade taking him by surprise. "I'm gonna have to fight?"

"We all do." Rey told him. "But take care of yourself."

Finn nodded. "See you on the other side."

Secretly, he doubted if he ever would. He had only just found Rey, and he didn't want to lose her again, but what choice did he have? He had brought this upon himself, and it was up to him to fix it.

Kyle Ren stood on the bridge of his Star Destroyer, looking down at the pathetic attempt of an enclave that the Jedi had put together. He smiled, seeing the people on the surface scatter, terrified. He had wanted to give them a moment of fear, before the attack started, but he had had his fun.

"Fire." He ordered.

Poe had waited until the shots had been fired to take his starship down to Dantooine's surface. He had watched from the cockpit as the makeshift enclave had been torn to shreds like it had thousands of years before. He hoped that Finn hadn't been an idiot and got himself taken out by the gunfire. He touched down the X-wing on the grassy plains, looking out to the horizon. The enclave was burning, plumes of smoke rising into the air. Clouds had begun to form, it looked like heavy rain.

He had better get the job done before the rain started. Poe didn't want his hair to get wet. He jumped down from the cockpit, blaster in hand, and went hunting for Finn.