Venus & Mars

Chapter 28 ~ Final Fight

Two more months passed without incident. We were all waiting with bated breath for the First Order to strike. For them to give us any sign that they would be attacking. The Resistance was ready for whatever Snoke would throw at us. Han and Ben had started to become close again, and even Rey had seemed to accept that Ben was here to stay. I wondered if she had a change of heart after our discussion of how we were related to one another. Thalia's baby had been born, a little girl named Solaria, with her father's blond hair and Thalia's hazel eyes. Braylen had become a commanding officer in charge of an elite team of fighter pilots. Even Orusa had officially started to court the Mirialan engineer, Kanatu. It was nice to see that everyone's lives were starting to change for the better. It was a gentle reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always something that can bring back the light.

However, even the most perfect picture of tranquility can be shattered. A few evenings after my twenty first birthday was when all Hell broke loose. A hologram popped up out of nowhere in the middle of our base. A hologram of Snoke. He was in his usual garb, but this time he was holding a long double ended crimson lightsaber. "Greetings General Organa and the people of the Resistance. I trust you have been expecting something like this for a large part of your miserable lives. Well the time has come for us to meet, General. In three days time you will find me in the Citadel of Takodana, a planet I know for a fact that you are familiar with. There, we will discuss the terms of your surrender and the destruction of the Resistance. If you refuse to surrender your power to me, the First Order will crush you all like the slimy cockroaches you are!" He threatened, his image slowly dimming against the background.

Everyone in the base had gathered around the figure in a large circle, and once he was gone we all exchanged worried glances. Ben's arms were wrapped around my waist securely, his grip tightening with every utterance of Snoke's name. "Can't breathe, love." I muttered. He loosened his hold just slightly. "Sorry." He murmured. General Organa and Han had been standing beside us during the holographic message. As soon as Snoke was gone, General Organa stepped into the center of the circle, overlooking the crowd of her supporters and military. "We all knew that this day would come. We've been preparing for it for years now, some of us longer than others. I will not force you to fight for me, I only ask that you fight for your beliefs and what you believe is right. One way or another, one side will prevail. So I ask you, are you with me?" She shouted. The crowd erupted in a volcano of noise, people whooping and hollering their support for our cause. Ben and I cheered along with them, raising our lightsabers to the air and igniting them. "Will you help me bring balance to the universe once again?" General Organa smiled, a look of adoration and pride on her face. Another much louder wave of screams went up into the air. Master Luke and Rey copied Ben and I, raising their ice blue and lime green weapons toward the sky.

As the applause died down, General Organa pulled Luke aside and began to speak with him. The workers and pilots disbanded to go work at their stations, a sense of anxiety beginning to form in their wake. Anticipation settled over the area, everyone trying to make last minute repairs on their ships or taking care of their weapons. We were ready for this battle, but as always with these sort of situations, it was nerve-racking.

Just as I turned to ask Ben about what he was thinking, Master Luke's voice rang out across the field. "Rey. Ben. Andromeda. Come here a moment." The three of us looked at each other curiously, before striding forward to stand in front of he and General Organa. "Yes, Master Skywalker." Rey answered. The two older adults exchanged a knowing glance and took a deep breath. "This is highly irregular, generally it takes years, decades even, for an apprentice to advance in rank and become a Jedi. However, considering these circumstances and the battle looming on the horizon, General Organa and I believe that it is time you all became full-fledged Jedi." Master Luke explained cautiously. Our jaws dropped in disbelief. "Are you serious?" I asked. General Organa smirked. "Of course we are, my dear. My brother thinks you are ready, and after my own careful observation, I agree with him. I have seen what all of you are capable of, and I am certainly impressed. You're very skilled in everything you do, and I am confident that you are strong enough to defeat Snoke, so long as you work together." She told us. Rey and I grinned at each other, and even Ben was buzzing with excitement. "So, if you all believe you are ready, we will hold the ceremony tomorrow afternoon. There you will perform your oaths and choose the paths you each will walk." Luke continued. "And that is my only question for you. Are you all ready for this?" Leia inquired. "Yes." Ben nodded in affirmative. "Me too." I added. "So am I." Rey answered. "Then it is settled. The ceremony will be tomorrow." Leia clasped her hands happily and waved us off to go rejoice.