Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 40

They came out of hyperspace and descended towards the small forest moon of Endor.

"It's called a holocron, Chewie," Rey explained, as they guided the ship down through the atmosphere.

The wookiee made a few cries.

"They're used to store huge amounts of information that can only be activated through the force."

Chewie shook his head and grumbled loudly.

"I don't know Chewie, but they would often be used to keep secrets."

A burr was his only response.

"Hopefully the location of Mortis."

The Falcon swooped over a long stretch of forest as they approached the distant sea.

"Death Star up ahead," she said as it drew closer, "Let's fly over and see if there's a place we can land."

They circled the massive broken structure, finding an endless series of curved struts and floors.

A huge section was intact and Rey recognised it from her vision, "That's where we need to get to."

Chewie pointed down towards a flattened patch on the far side.

"Yes that looks stable," Rey said, "We should land slowly though."

He growled.

The ship lowered and they engaged the landing gear.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with the Falcon?" Rey asked.

Chewie shook his head and groaned.

Rey stood and placed her hand on his shoulder, "I'll be fine. You don't need to worry about me."

He gestured energetically, grunting and getting to his feet.

"Alright, you can come," she said.

They quietly stepped out suddenly feeling unsettled. As soon as her feet touched the rusted metal surface of the platform, Rey felt an overwhelming pulse of the dark side.

She looked up at the cuboid segment stood some hundred feet high.

Chewie moaned shaking his head.

"We need to climb up," she said stepping through a hole in the side.

They seemed to be in a long corridor that was at ninety degrees to its intended orientation. Doorways and panels stood open, water trickling and falling all around them.

They each shot a grappling hook which sailed upwards and caught somewhere above them.

Chewie murmured loudly.

Rey gave the cable attached to his hook a sharp jolt, "It seems secure."

He looked at her.

"Very secure," she said triggering hers and beginning to rise, "Come on."

The wookiee muttered to himself and followed her ascent.

The Night Buzzard hung in the air above the Falcon.

Kylo Ren's lip curled at the sight of it, "She's here."

"Do you want me to destroy it?" Cardo asked.

Kylo hesitated. The temptation was palpable, intensified by the strong hold the dark side had here. You could feel the heaviness of it in the air, almost engulfing his senses. But no, he didn't want them alerted to their presence. He had to take them by surprise.

"No, land quietly. I don't want them to know we've arrived."

Rey almost felt faint by the time they reached the top of the grappling hook and swung through a doorway. She took a long breath in as she tried to quash her growing anxiety.

The next corridor was at a slight angle, covered with loose wires and imperial stormtrooper armour. Chewie drew his bowcaster and held it ready as they picked their way through the debris and open blaster doors.

Rey hesitated by a hole in the ceiling, hearing a sinister chorus of whispers.

"Up there," she said shivering.

Chewie tilted his head as she braced her knees and jumped. Catching herself on the edge, she felt the air knocked from her lungs. 

She scrabbled up she looked down, "I'll lift you."

He shook his head, rumbling unhappily.

"It's perfectly safe, Chewie."

Again he protested.

"Alright, but you'll need to wait there."

A distant sound caught his attention.

"It's probably just a wave hitting the ship," Rey said.

He looked unconvinced.

"Well go and see if you're unsure. Meet back here, alright?"

Chewie burred.

"You too," she said and began climbing through a narrow passageway and coming into a large room. The walls were incomplete, the icy wet wind whipping across the wet floor covered in metal fragments.

The whispers intensified as she drew closer to a throne like chair set in front of a large round viewport.

Behind her she saw a closed door. Standing in the middle of it, she raised her hand and focused. Slowly, the doors opened and she stepped through.

This was the dark room from her vision, the walls covered with dented mirrors making it look seemingly endless.

She saw the podium reflected up ahead with the holocron hovering above it, red light bleeding out from the pyramid shaped crystal. At the middle was a smaller inner pyramid that seemed to be the source of a sharp glow, whilst the edges had bronzed margins and corners. Stepping around the last mirror, the holocron hung just in front of her.