Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 71 - Prisoner of War

The Falcon evaded yet another head-on collision with a TIE fighter as the quad cannons fired. Steam was pouring into the main cabin through from the floor decking as the old freighter could not take the strain of yet another battle. Chewbacca roared at his pilot.

"I know! I know!" responded Kylo Ren as he swerved yet again, maneuvering the freighter closer and closer to the Finalizer.

Finn came in over the headset, "Ren, what do you think you're doing?"

"Getting close enough to the Finalizer that the tractor beam will pick us up," answered Ren.

"Fire!" ordered Finn.

The specialists in the cockpit fired on Ren. Kylo deflected the bolts hitting the external communication array. "Stop that!" ordered Ren. "We have to get to Rey now! The longer she is with Snoke, the more she will fall under his control. She won't be able to break free if she's there much longer!"

"I don't trust you!" stated Finn as he fired at yet another TIE. "Chewbacca, get us into hyperspace, now!"

Chewbacca roared back something.

"I don't speak that! Droid, translate!" ordered Finn, as this entire escape fell out of his control.

"He says it will take a few more minutes for the navacomputer to make its calculations," replied Threepio. "Provided it's not the hyperdrive that's spewing steam from the engine compartment, we should reach maximum speed in less than two minutes."

"Two minutes?! We'll be dead in one!" complained Finn as he shot two more TIEs. Chewbacca roared something back that made Kylo Ren chuckle. "What? What's so funny?" asked Finn.

"I'm not sure, Captain Finn. I must admit, I don't understand humor, but Chewbacca mentioned something about flying through a supernova," replied Threepio.

The Falcon shuddered as another TIE got a shot through. The navacomputer beeped its cycle completion, and Chewbacca reached forward, activating the hyperdrive.

Finn climbed out of the cannon turret and entered the cockpit. "Specialists, stand down. Go back to the main cabin and find some provisions for the team. Check on Skywalker. Let me know if his condition changes."

Kylo Ren stood up from the pilot's chair, but Finn pointed his weapon at him. "Sit down. You're not going anywhere," he ordered.

Chewbacca growled something and headed out of the cockpit.

"Where's he going?" asked Finn.

"To take care of the damage in the engine compartment, which is what I was going to do," informed Kylo Ren.

"He can handle it on his own, I'm sure," mentioned Finn. "We don't need whatever's smoking while we're in hyperspace, anyway."

"But we will need it for re-entry," debated Kylo Ren.

Finn stared at him, sizing him up. "Look, I don't know what kind of game you're playing, but you are still a prisoner of war. One move, and I'll kill you right now."

Kylo Ren laughed. "You won't. Your Resistance wants my information on the First Order too much."

"You forget, they have me. Trust me, they have all the information they need," stated Finn.

"Your data is old and expired," taunted Ren. "Look, you can try to kill me and I can kill you, but that won't get us what we both want."

"And what's that?"

"Rey."

Finn leaned forward, his face changing to one of compassion. He thought he saw a softening of Ren's as well. "I'm listening."

"You have no idea what Snoke is capable of, what he wants. We have to go back. We have to rescue her," stated Kylo Ren.

"I know why I want to, but I don't get your connection," stated Finn.

"Snoke will corrupt her and then consume her, taking her soul and possessing her," informed Kylo Ren.

"Ren, I still don't get why you care," remarked Finn. "Are you jealous you are not Snoke's favorite anymore?"

"No. You don't understand. If Snoke succeeds in possessing Rey, the galaxy is lost forever. He wanted me, until he found out about Rey," stated Ren.

"Why Rey?"

"Do you know who Snoke really is?" asked Ren.

"The Supreme Leader of the First Order. His goal is to conquer the galaxy and bring it into enslavement to run a perfectly ordered galaxy," answered Finn.

"No. You're wrong. He is the spirit of Darth Plagueis in a clone of Darth Vader's damaged DNA. He has been awaiting for the proper host—a perfect descendent of Vader that he will seduce, train, and then possess," informed Ren.

"That's why he had you?" asked Finn.

Ren nodded. "But now he has found a better host."

"Rey?"

"My sister," answered Ren. "My sister I never knew until today."

"Wait! You're a descendent of Vader?" asked Finn.

"He was my grandfather," explained Ren. "Anakin Skywalker."

"Skywalker? Like Luke back there? This is getting too weird," stated Finn.

"Yes. Plagueis created my grandfather for this express purpose," explained Kylo Ren. "When he fell in the lava of Mustafar, he altered his plans. And he still is seeking a scion of Skywalker to possess."

"For what purpose?" asked Finn. "Couldn't he have just possessed one of the other Knights of Ren?"

"Yes, but if he possesses a Skywalker, he will be immortal," revealed Kylo Ren.

"And you were going to agree to that?" asked Finn.

"You don't understand how he can seduce you," stated Ren.

"But you see clearly now?"

"Yes. When he took Rey, he released me from our bond. The cloud of the dark side fell away, and I saw what he was immediately," revealed Ren.

Finn thought about what Rey must be going through, so naïve, so vulnerable. "So, how do we get Rey?"

"We need to get on the Finalizer and take her," stated Kylo Ren.

"Ren, you've got to be kidding me? You expect us to just waltz onto a star destroyer and kidnap the apprentice of Snoke? How stupid do you think I am? I don't care what you've just told me. I would be a fool to let you anywhere near the First Order. You are still a prisoner of war," argued Finn.

"You don't understand. Even now, he's putting her under a spell. In a few days, she won't even remember who she really is. She will be forced to do things—"

"I only have your word," countered Finn. "Sorry. We're heading to the next base. I do not have the authority to do anything else."

Kylo Ren hit his hand hard on the console, shaking a lever lose. "You are a coward!"

"And you are a spoiled brat! Orders are orders!"

"You're one for following orders, aren't you?" answered Kylo Ren. "Guess you had to learn some time."

"Too bad you haven't."

The medic poked his head into the cockpit. "Captain, Master Skywalker is coming around."

Finn exited, followed by Kylo Ren.