Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 68 - Back to D'Qar

Luke hauled a few crates down the causeway, including the crates that contained the gems and lightsaber parts. As he joined Rey, she noticed a change in his clothing—he now wear a black uniform similar to the dark grey one she had worn.

He caught the question in her mind and explained, "This is the uniform of a Jedi Warrior."

"Do I—" asked Rey.

"You must pass your trials first, Padawan," answered Luke, interrupting her question. "You are not a Jedi yet."

Rey's mood passed from shame to discouragement. "My trials?" asked Rey as the Falcon approached the lower plateau.

"The five trials: skill, courage, insight, flesh, and spirit," informed Luke.

"I can understand how I will be tested in skill, courage, flesh, and even insight; but what about spirit?" asked Rey.

"That is the one I fear the most for you. This is a time when you will be tempted by the dark side. Whatever you do, remember what you have learned," urged Luke.

The Falcon's landing made it impossible to hear whatever else he was going to say. Rey reached her hand forward and lowered the Falcon's loading ramp before it reached the ground. She and Luke dragged the crates on board, urging Chewie to take off immediately. The only two on board were Chewie and Artoo. Artoo was plugged into the control panel at the back of the lounge area, controlling the secondary controls while Chewie piloted.

Rey and Luke joined Chewbacca in the cockpit. After punching in the coordinates for D'Qar, he activated the hyperdrive. The cockpit screen turned from the blackness of space to the blue of hyperspace. Chewie moaned something to Rey.

"What's he saying?" asked Luke. He never was able to understand Shriywook and had depended on Han or Threepio for translation.

Rey replied, "He says they First Order had not arrived when he had left, but he wants us ready for a battle when we enter the system. Artoo will pilot, he will operate the ventral cannons and mandible array while we man the quads."

"Artoo's going to fly this thing? Is that safe?" asked Luke.

"Well, Artoo cannot fire weapons. It's against his programming," mentioned Rey, and then she realized he was testing her yet again. "Besides, he is an astromech droid. I'm sure he flew your X-Wing more than once."

Luke smiled at her, proud she had caught his subterfuge. Her insight was good. "Yes, more than once. He's not too bad at landings either." Artoo beeped something rather cheeky at that point.

Rey looked at Luke and asked, "You crashed your X-Wing?"

"On Dagobah. Hey, there was a lightning storm and all our instruments were dead," defended Luke.

Artoo beeped some more while Chewie moaned something. "And a snow speeder? Master, I thought you said you were a good pilot."

"That was not my fault. It was in the middle of a battle, Chewie! If I recall, the Falcon took some hits as well, at Hoth," joked Luke.

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As they came out of hyperspace in the Ileenium System over D'Qar, the planet was surrounded with Star Destroyers, Cruisers, and hundreds of squadrons of TIE fighters. Artoo plotted a steep insertion angle, straight through the fighters, hoping that between the Falcon's advanced shields and the crew's shooting, they would be able to clear a path down to the planet.

Rey yelled at Luke, "What is with this seat, Master?" as she swung wildly from side-to-side.

"Stop fighting it. Feel it with the Force and let it glide you to the right position. You've got one coming over the top. He just pas— that got him! Great job!" shouted Luke over headset.

Rey grinned. "Yeah, that was pretty good, wasn't it?"

"Don't get cocky. Four more approaching from mark 786 point 35," admonished Luke.

"You've got eight coming at you, Master," remarked Rey as she saw them cut across the axis of the ship.

"I see them!" yelled Luke, as he took out the first two in one blast. "Keep the gun level and work side-to-side. You start a vertical movement, and you'll lose all control."

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As they landed on the base, Luke and Rey ran off the ramp before it was lowered, Rey grabbing her staff. The Wookiee roared something at Rey, and she replied, "I'll find someone. Get ready to take off!"

Bombs were falling all around the base, but then they suddenly stopped. All of a sudden, the ground shook as hundreds of walkers approached the base from the forest around them, firing at any remaining units on the ground.

Rey and Luke ran at top speed into the bunker, barely dodging blasts from the walkers and ground troops approaching. Parts of the roof had already collapsed from the concussion bombs, and the command center was in disarray.

Rey moved bodies, looking for her mother. She could feel her, but she was not sure where she was. A protocol droid sat in a corner, unable to move over the debris and bodies. "Master Luke! Master Luke! Am I glad to see you! I seem to have fallen and cannot get up."

"Threepio, hang on," announced Luke. Luke moved the droid with the Force.

Threepio complained, "What's going on? Master Luke, put me down. I don't enjoy flying like this."

Luke set him at the entrance to the bunker. "Go get on the Falcon! It's on the deck!"

"I've always hated space travel!" argued Threepio as another piece of the ceiling fell in.

"There's about to be the enemy in here. Will you get going? Chewie will cover you until you get aboard. He's to take off as soon as you're aboard," instructed Luke.

"What about Princ—I mean General Organa?" asked Threepio.

"Just do what I say. I'll take care of Leia. Now get out of here!" ordered Luke.

Rey was across the room, continuing to look for her mother. "She's not in here. Come on. No one's alive in here, Rey. Use the Force," commanded Luke. "We've got the enemy in the next room. Get ready."

Rey joined Luke as they reached the blast door ceiling off the command center from the next room. Smoke, chaos, and explosions surrounded them as Luke opened the hatch with the Force.

In front of them stood six Knights of Ren, protecting one figure in the back. Rey tried to look through the smoke to identify the figure, but it was to no avail. It did not feel like Kylo Ren, so she wondered where he might be. Her wandering thoughts left her ill-prepared for the first strike from the Knights of Ren.

"Stop thinking, Rey! Let the Force guide you. Your thoughts must only be on that!" instructed Luke as he moved into position. Rey stood back-to-back with him as they began their defense, outnumbered 7 to 2.