Forget Me Not (Kylo Ren Story)

Everything We Need

The remaining members of the Resistance huddled in the Mine on the salt planet, Crait, dejected. The battering ram cannon had already burnt through the large door and no one was coming to their aid, the Resistance would perish today. General Leia Organa slumped down onto the stack of boxes, "We fought till the end . But the galaxy has lost all its hope. The spark is out." She dug her cane into the gritty ground below, defeat evident in her disheartened voice. The few Resistance members that surrounded her, looked around at each other and the others awaiting the ill-fated incoming attack from the First Order's Stormtroopers, this was it. Leia's eyes suddenly fluttered up, sensing something or someone. She turned her head to her left, seeing a shadowy hooded figure emerging from one of the many brightly lit tunnels. The figure continued forward, silently, until he stopped before Leia. The man slowly removed his hood, revealing his aged face and short gray beard, "Luke", Leia breathed out in astonishment and relief. Her twin brother sat down in front of her, mouth opening to deliver his deepest apologies, but the General cut him off. "I know what you're gonna say. I changed my hair." The Jedi rolled his eyes at his sister's ill-timed antics. "It's nice that way." He paused for a moment, inhaling sharply, "Leia, I'm sorry." Leia nodded softly, "I know. I know you are. I'm just glad you're here... in the end." Luke turned serious, his green eyes hardening, "I came to face him, Leia. And I can't save him." A grim expression fell onto Leia's face, the man terrorizing them was the "Jedi Killer", Kylo Ren. "I held out hope for so long, but I know my son is gone." A small frown formed on her lips, but Luke simply gave her a look. "No one's ever really gone." A small laugh escaped the General's frown, "Yeah thanks for telling me by the way." Her head nodded to her right, out the broken command center windows, towards the group gathered by the melted door. Luke stood confused, eyes casting a search out into the small crowd of Resistance fighters, hiding behind boxes of supplies and old transports. A young brunette woman crouched besides an olive toned man with black hair, caught the former Jedi's eyes. Her hair was secured up in a bun of braided hair, small droplets of salt woven into it. A large faded pink scar covered a decent portion of the right side of her neck. That was the only thing Luke needed to see before he turned back to Leia exasperated. "How-?" was all he could muster, green eyes wide. Leia only smirked at her unexpecting brother, "She'll always find her way back home, Luke. Regardless of..." The General trailed off, discreetly tapping her temple. Luke shook his head in disbelief, after all he had done to prevent this very thing and yet she still found her way back and with disturbingly close proximity to the enemy. "You know if we sent her out, he'd probably stop all of this." Leia added. Luke shook his head immediately, this was not the endgame of Chess, they could not sacrifice "The Queen" in hopes to win. Not when he was so consumed by rage and would only endanger the young woman. Luke placed his hand over Leia's, dropping the gold dice from the Millenium Falcon, from Han, into her open palm. A flash of realization washes over her facial features, as Leia looked to her brother in surprise. Luke remained silent only moving to cup Leia's face as he bent down to kiss her forehead, before he turned to face his fate.

Resistance fighters throughout the Mine rose from their crouched down positions, eyes following the figure walking towards the hole, the First Order battered into the shield door. Poe stood in disbelief, gaping at the legendary Pilot before him. Luke paused at the door, which was still surrounded by flickering red flames, and turned to look at something besides Poe. He pivoted slightly to see his longtime friend, Athena, staring straight back at Luke. The former Jedi Master nodded once to her, before heading out to face the First Order. Poe looked back at his friend, when Skywalker was out of sight, her face contorting as she mentally tried to solve a puzzle with too many pieces missing. "I think I knew him."

Kylo Ren emerged from the ship, clad in all black, making the man look like only the silhouette of a monster. The newly self-appointed Supreme Leader was shaking to his core, pure and raw fury filled his being as he stalked out of the command shuttle. From inside the safety of the bunker, Poe watched the scene unfold behind a pair of binoculars. "It's Kylo Ren, Luke's facing him alone." Finn quickly chirped up from beside him, "Well, we should help him. Let's go." The former Stormtrooper moved to walk in between Athena and Poe, but a white sleeved arm shot out to halt his advancements. "No, wait. Wait" Athena reiterated, Poe and her sharing a skeptical look, before returning their eyes to observe the scene about to unfold before them. "Did you come back to say you forgive me? To save my soul?" The words dripped out sarcastically and menacingly from the Supreme Leader. His uncle lifted his eyebrows, "No". Kylo Ren shrugged off his cloak and ignited his crackling red lightsaber. Luke ignited his blue lightsaber in return and the two readied themselves for the inevitable fight. "He's doing this for a reason" Poe muttered lowly, his finger gently gesturing to the spectacle outside. Athena, who still was loosely holding back Finn, raised her eyebrows a realization popping in her mind. "He's stalling so we can escape" She exclaimed, perhaps that is why he nodded at her. "Skywalker's doing this so we can survive. There's gotta be a way out of this mine. Hell, how did he get in here?" The small group of survivors begin to follow a remaining Crystal Critter, in hopes of leading them all to an alternative exit. Athena stalled behind the group, glancing out to the fighting force users, something oddly familiar about them both. Flashes of flames and quick movements of blue and purple light danced behind her eyes. "Athena let's go!" Poe shouted back at her, reluctantly she turned and raced after the group, Leia monitoring the perplexed expression on the girl as her beaken on her wrist began to illuminate. Rey was close... Kylo continued to strike at Luke, who easily dodged his advances. "How do you think she would feel about all of this Ben?" The man in black, growled at his words quickly swiping at his uncle. "Doesn't matter, she's dead because of you!" His words were harsh and accusatory, but his brown eyes were brimming with sadness and vulnerability, Luke had touched a nerve. Luke shook his head slightly, "No, that was all you. But I did fail you, Ben. I'm sorry." The two now stood in front of each other, at a distance. "I'm sure you are! The Resistance is dead. The war is over. And when I kill you, I will have killed the last Jedi" Kylo spit out, anger overflowing. The Resistance members came to the end of the tunnel, the Crystal Critter escaping through a tiny hole amongst a massive pile of rocks. "No! NO!" Poe shouted scrambling up the rocks, they were trapped. "Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong. The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi." The rocks began to move, bright white light streaming into the tunnel. Athena, Poe, and Finn stammered out of the cave first, seeing Rey with her hand outstretched the rocks floating in midair. Finn runs up to Rey, the rocks dropping down to the sides, creating a clear path to the Falcon. The two engulf each other into a tight embrace, glad to know the other was safe. "Hey love birds, let's get out of here first, then we can do that!" Athena laughed approaching with Poe. The two broke apart and Rey laughed slightly turning to look at the girl, her laugh catching her throat at the sight. The girl had bright blue eyes, freckled cheeks, and large pink scar tissue on her neck, Rey had seen this girl before. Leia caught the look on the young Jedi's face, flustered at the sight of Athena.