The Knights of Ren - Star Wars Episode IX

Chapter 2 - The Sand

Understanding what Rey was up to, Poe and Finn jumped together, except R2-D2 who flew out the window on his own.

But Streak, unsure about plunging to his death, hesitated. Rey ran to the window and yelled "JUMP STREAK!". Streak finally jumped, but seconds after the others.

Rey looked out the window as the group was falling, and reached out with the Force to slow their descent. But, because Streak jumped late, she was unable to slow his fall. Streak dropped to the ground and yelled out in pain. Rey gasped, then jumped out the window and slowed her own descent with the Force.

Poe shouted "THE SHIP IS THAT WAY, WE HAVE TO CUT ACROSS", and pointed to a large patch of desert before a hill which partially hid the ship. Finn grabbed Streak in an attempt to help him walk. Poe urgently spoke into his communicator, "3PO! GET THE SHIP READY...WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW!

C-3PO looked out across the tundra and saw the team in the distance, but did not hear anything in his communicator. "Oh, my! My friends are in trouble!", and started shuffling towards the group.

The Resistance made their way across the large area of desert sand, littered with occasional rocks and sparse patches of grass. In the distance, the stormtroopers left the front door of the facility.

The loose sand was making it very difficult to run. They were about half-way to the ship when the seven stormtroopers pursing them got within range to start shooting. Poe yelled out, "FINN, KEEP GOING WITH STREAK, R2, GET TO THE SHIP!"

Streak turned to Finn, "I'm slowing you down...can I borrow a leg?"

"We have three, keep going!"

The troopers made their way onto the sand. Poe was wisely close to Rey so she could shield him somewhat, but not close enough so that she would accidentally impale her. A bolt whizzed by Rey's saber and grazed her leg. "I CANNOT BLOCK THIS MANY AT ONCE!" exclaimed Rey, as the troopers closed in.

"PUT DOWN YOUR GUN, WE WON'T MAKE IT." Poe dropped his gun and raised his hands. Rey likewise dropped her saber in front of her. The troopers stopped firing and yelled at them to keep their hands outstretched and visible. The troopers formed a half circle around Poe and Rey, while Finn and Streak ahead stopped running and turned.

The troopers got out two pairs of stun cuffs while others covered Finn and Poe.

Suddenly the ground started shaking and rumbling. The troopers paused and looked down. The ground stopped shaking, and the troopers slowly brought their aim back to Poe and Rey.  Poe and Rey were completely still. The closest trooper moved in to put cuffs on Rey when suddenly a giant, oval headed, brown creature popped out of the sand and grabbed the trooper by the leg with its teeth. The trooper was pulled into the sand to his waist, screaming. Another trooper yelled out "SAND MOLES!", and all troopers started frantically shooting into the ground.

The troopers scattered, shooting as they ran. Rey and Poe grabbed their weapons and started running towards the ship again. "GO, GO!" yelled Poe. The bitten trooper remained motionless.

Another trooper was grabbed briefly, then the mole disappeared again under the sand. The ground shook beneath Poe and Rey and they looked down. A sand mole popped out of the ground and attempted to grab Rey. But Rey sensed the attack and moved to the side. Poe and Rey stopped moving and looked down, panicking. Screams were heard from the troopers. The mole popped out of the ground near Rey again. This time Rey jumped, anticipating the bite, and came down on the nose of the creature with her elbow. The creature was stunned and did not return to the sand.

Rey and Poe started sprinting. Ahead they saw a mole pop out of the ground and bite Streak. Streak's good leg was bitten viciously and pulled into the ground. Streak screamed out in horror. Finn shot randomly into the ground.

"Pop your head out again, I dare you!"

The mole popped up again and nearly grabbed Finn. A few seconds passed then Streak was bitten again, but this time on the other leg. Rey arrived and plunged her lightsaber into the ground and pulled it out. The ground still rumbled. She then plunged her saber again into the ground, and swept across the sand. A muffled scream was heard and the mole's head popped out of the ground, only to stop moving.

The troopers still standing were down to four, and most had made it back onto the solid road. Finn was dragging Streak, who was losing blood. C-3PO, who was running towards the group was suddenly grabbed himself and pulled down, and his head was violently smashed against a rock in the process. R2-D2, who was hovering three feet above the ground, ignited his flamethrower at the mole. Poe grabbed 3PO and put him over his shoulder. They finally made it to the ship, started the engines hurriedly and took off.

In the ship, R2-D2 sadly beeped and whirred at the sight of C-3PO. The others were gathered around Streak, trying to wrap his wounds to prevent more blood loss.

Streak whispered, "First mission success?"

Finn said back, "Definitely, Leia's message will turn the tide".

Streak smiled, closed his eyes, and his breathing stopped.

Rey stepped back, horrified. She did not protect.