Across The Stars // Star Wars (Sequels)

✰Chapter 21✰

The Falcon bumps and hitches over the boulders on the ground until we come to a sliding stop. I crack open one eye and discover we're on the very edge of the cliff. I let out the breath I was holding as my heartbeat slows down.

"I am... never... doing that again," I breathe, stumbling to my feet. Dad chuckles at me and I push his arm, rolling my eyes. 

We heave ourselves in thick coats before heading into the bitter snow that is howling around us outside. I look around and discover we're on the top of a hill that houses a small structure. We stop behind it.

"The flooding tunnel's just over that ridge," Finny says. "We'll get in that way." 

"What was your job when you were based here?" I ask out of curiosity, wondering how he knows so much of this planet. 

"Sanitation," Finn says casually. 

My eyes widen when Dad grabs Finn's shoulder and slams him against the wall of the building. "Sanitation?" he hisses. "Then how do you know how to disable the shields?" 

"I don't," Finn states. "I'm just here to get Rey." 

"What?!" I exclaim. "People are counting on us, Finn! The galaxy is counting on us." 

"Raven, we'll figure it out," he states firmly. 

"How do you plan on doing this, huh?" I ask.

His eyes light up. "We'll use the Force," he says. 

I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose to calm myself as Dad exclaims, "That's not how the Force works!" 

Chewie roars complainingly. "Oh, really, you're cold?" Dad mocks.

Finn turns away. "Come on," he says, jogging into the field of snow toward the building where, hopefully, Rey is waiting for us. Dad sends me a look before we follow Finn down the hill. 

As I run, I feel the Force becoming stronger and stronger. But not just the light, the dark as well. I can feel it growing inside me but I focus my thoughts on the light. I have to. 

***

"Lower the shields!" Finn barks as he points his blaster at Phasma's head. The Stormtroopers' captain fiddles with the buttons on the panel in front of her. 

"You're making a big mistake," she says.

"Do it," Finn repeats.

Phasma presses one more button and the computer beeps. Finn presses his blaster in my hands and I uneasily point it as Phasma's head while he turns to my father. "Solo, if this works, we're not gonna have a lot of time to find Rey," he says. 

"Don't worry, Finn," I speak up, never taking my eyes off of Phasma. "I have a feeling she'll find us before we can find her." 

"We won't leave here without her," Dad adds. 

The computer Phasma was working on beeps and she rises to her feet. "You can't be so stupid as to think this will be easy," she says. "My troops will storm this block and kill you all." 

"Trust me, we never thought it was going to be easy," I comment with a grin. "What do we do with her?" 

Dad smirks. "Is there a garbage chute? Trash compactor?" he asks Finn. 

With a mischievous grin, Finn says, "Yeah, there is." 

After throwing Phasma into the garbage chute that leads to a trash compactor, we jog down the hallway, dodging patroling stormtroopers every once in a while. While Dad and Finn come up with a plan to get us past the blast doors, I reach out to the Force. I search for my brother's mind but I just find a thick wall that I can't seem to break through.