The Rise of Skywalker

by Rae Carson

  Since then, it had become clear that the First Order controlled so many lines of communication, had so many jammers operating at strategic locations throughout the galaxy, that they couldn’t be sure their call for help had even been heard. Leia and Poe had spent the ensuing months trying to reconnect with old allies and friends, reestablish communications, bolster their network of sympathizers and spies. They’d even made contact with former Imperials and rescued some high-profile First Order targets from imprisonment. But their progress had been painfully incremental, and Poe couldn’t shake his greatest fear, that the real reason no one came was because they’d all lost hope.

  “I don’t believe you believe that,” she said. She stared up at the jagged mountain peaks; this time of night they looked like massive razors of shadow. “They win by making you think you’re alone. Remember? There’re more of us than there are of them.”

  Along the dark horizon, a handful of ships appeared, small at first but growing ever larger as they approached. When they breached the city boundaries, they spread out and flashed on huge searchlights. The lights swept back and forth, lighting up sections of the city brighter than day.

  “The hell are those?” Poe asked.

  Zorii stood. “Your cue to leave.”

  * * *

  —

  The first few drops of lubricant Rey applied to D-O did absolutely nothing. He was drier than the Rakith Plateau in high summer. But he made soft whirring sounds of happiness, so she kept at it—applying it to his head joint, his wheel rotor, even the base of his communications array.

  “Squeaky wheel,” he informed her solemnly. “I-I-I-I have a squeeeeeaky wheel.”

  “Now try,” Rey said.

  He rolled back and forth experimentally. Not a sound. “Squeak eliminated,” he said. Then he shrieked in delight and took off on a freewheeling rampage, running circles around the workshop, whipping about BB-8 as if enticing him to play. “Thank you. Very kind.”

  Finn stepped over to see what the fuss was about and smiled. He gave Rey a light elbow to the side as if to say: Good job.

  “Finn,” Rey said, her gaze on the tiny droid. “I know where I’ve seen it…the ship he was on…Ochi’s ship.”

  Finn flinched a little. “What?”

  Rey took a deep breath. Saying it aloud was going to make it real. “The day my parents left. They were on that ship.”

  Finn leaned toward her, concern all over his features. He understood how important this was. “Are you sure?”

  Zorii dashed inside, Poe at her heels. “The scanners are coming,” she said.

  “Did we get it?” Poe said. “Babu?”

  Rey and Finn exchanged a startled glance. They couldn’t leave; Babu wasn’t done yet!

  But another spark popped over C-3PO’s head, and Babu climbed down to give the droid some space. “Ay-yep,” Babu said. “Droid is ready!”

  Something inside C-3PO seemed to purr, as if he was powering up after a long nap. His eyes flashed on—bright, eerie red. He cocked his head to look at them all—a sharp, jerky, almost hostile motion.

  “Is okay,” Babu said. “Is unlock! Droid unlock!”

  But Rey’s heart sank. No matter what happened next, no matter if they were successful, she had lost another friend.

  The droid who used to be C-3PO sat up and spoke, his vocal intonators using a strange new modulation that was dark and low. “The Emperor’s wayfinder,” he said, “is sealed inside the Imperial Vaults. At delta-three-six transient nine-three-six bearing three-two on a moon in the Endor system. From the southern shore. Only this blade tells, only this blade tells…”

  The droid jerked once, then slumped as if powering down. His eyes went dark, his body stilled.

  Oh, Threepio, I’m so sorry, Rey thought.

  “The Endor system?” Finn said. “Where the last war ended?”

  “Endor!” Babu enthused. “I know this. Babu will help.”

  The little droidsmith started to reach for something, but the entire workshop began rattling. Bolts and screws spilled from shelves. The battle droid legs hanging from the ceiling swung violently.

  Poe ran to the nearest window, and Rey followed. Together they peered up into the night.

  A massive Star Destroyer cruised low over the mountains, blocking out the sky. The blowback from its thrusters shook the city, tossing trash and loose snow about, creating chaos.

  “Ren’s Destroyer,” said Poe.

  He had found them again. Rey tensed to flee. If they ran for Ochi’s freighter right this second, they might have a chance. She was about to say as much, but she gasped instead.

  Kylo Ren was near. And his conflicted mind was dwelling on torture. He’d ripped away someone’s thoughts, the same way he’d tried to rip away hers when they’d first met, except with far greater results…

  Her stomach turned over.

  “Rey?” Finn said.

  “Chewie…” Ren had done something to him. Recently. Maybe only moments ago.

  “What about him?”

  “He’s on Ren’s ship.” She hadn’t killed Chewie after all. She could still save him. “He’s alive, I feel it! Finn, he must’ve been on a different transport!”

  “We have to go get him!” Finn said.

  Zorii’s voice came out almost like a squeak. “Your friend’s on that sky trash?”

  “I guess he is,” Poe said, in a voice as glad as Rey felt

  Something inside the workshop clattered, and they all whirled. Poe’s hand flew to his blaster.

  It was C-3PO, rebooting. His eyes flashed a familiar gold. “Allow me to introduce myself! I am See-Threepio, human–cyborg relations! And you are?”

  “Okay, that’s gonna be a problem,” Poe said, but Rey’s relief was like a punch to the gut. The droid was back, in some semblance of his former self.

  “Helloooo,” said Babu. “I, Babu Frik.”

  “You’ve got bigger problems,” Zorii reminded them. “To the alleys. Let’s go!”

  * * *

  —

  The sounds of pursuit were all around them as Poe and his friends hurried through the crooked streets of Kijimi City, keeping low to avoid troopers. But their group was only as fast as their slowest member, which was C-3PO. Always C-3PO, shuffling along at half the speed of everyone else. If Leia were here, she’d no doubt make a lesson in leadership out of that.

  But she wasn’t here. Poe said, “Threepio, move your metal ass!”

  “How dare you!” the droid said. “We’ve only just met!”

  They turned a corner. Ochi’s freighter was straight ahead, and Poe’s chest was suddenly aching and empty. At least this time he wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

  Zorii and Rey exchanged a nod, and then by silent mutual agreement, Rey ran ahead with Finn and the droids, giving Poe and Zorii a moment alone.

  Zorii pulled the captain’s medallion from her belt and handed it to him. “Might get you on a capital ship,” she said. “Go help your friend.”

  Poe stared at the medallion, his breath catching in his throat. The fact that Zorii refused to talk about its acquisition meant she’d done unspeakable things to obtain it.

  He said, “I don’t think I can take this.”

  “I don’t care what you think.”

  Poe smiled. Still the same Zorii.

  “Poe!” came Rey’s voice. “It’s the Knights. Come on!”

  Poe took the medallion, but his feet were rooted. How could he leave Zorii again? What do you even say in a moment like this? He settled for, “Can I kiss you?”

  “Go,” she ordered, giving his chest a shove, but he smugly noted the amusement in her voice.

  Reluctantly, smiling just a little, he stepped away from Zorii and then dashed after his friends.

  CHAPTER 10

  Finn follo
wed Poe and Rey as they raced into the cockpit. Rey took the pilot’s seat, and Poe slipped into the seat beside her. Both started flicking a dizzying array of switches. Lights came on, and the engines hummed to life. Finn tried to pay attention. Unlike Rey and Poe, he was not a natural pilot, but he was still supposed to be learning piloty things. Leia expected every member of her core team to be able to fly something in a pinch.

  “Hang tight,” Poe said. “We’re going up hot.”

  In the Falcon, “going up hot” meant Finn had better get himself to the turret station, but there was nothing for a third passenger to do in the Bestoon Legacy; the cockpit didn’t even have a place to sit. Until there was something for him to shoot at with a blaster, Finn would have to settle for holding on tight and offering encouragement. He was good at encouraging. He could encourage all day.

  “Uh, you’re both doing great,” he muttered.

  Rey lifted them away from the planet at such a fast, steep angle that the acceleration compensators couldn’t keep Finn’s stomach from dropping into his feet and pressing like lead against the floor. Within moments they had cleared the atmosphere and were quickly approaching the massive Star Destroyer that was most certainly Kylo Ren’s command ship.

  How was it that he always ended up flying toward First Order ships?

  Rey slipped Zorii’s captain’s medallion into the dash slot. BB-8 and D-O rolled into the cockpit, which made the place a bit cramped, but Finn didn’t mind. When you were about to try to sneak aboard an enemy ship—again—and your heart was racing and your feet twitched to flee, it was helpful to have something blocking your exit.

  Everyone in the cockpit was dead silent as they waited to see if they would get blown to bits.

  Something beeped, and Poe’s shoulders slumped with relief. “Medallion works,” he said. “Cleared for cargo hangar twelve.”

  “Hang on, Chewie,” Rey murmured. “We’re coming.”

  “Whoever this Chewie is,” said C-3PO, “this is madness.”

  There’d been a time when Finn would have agreed with the droid, before he’d had friends.

  Traffic was heavy, with supply ships, TIEs, and shuttles flying to and from the various hangars. Rey angled them neatly toward one, slowing to regulation speed, slipping through the containment field, touching the freighter down onto the shiny hangar floor with the lightest kiss.

  Together they rushed down the ramp. Two patrol troopers approached, stepping in unison. One said, “Credentials and manife—”

  Finn blasted him. Poe got the other. Both collapsed to the ground. So much for sneaking.

  Rey turned to the droids, who were attempting to follow. “You three stay there,” she said.

  “Happily,” said C-3PO.

  “Which way?” Poe asked.

  “No idea. Follow me!” Finn said. Because he had a feeling. Besides, there was a pattern to First Order construction and organization that was fleet-universal. If he wandered around a little, he’d be able to figure out where to go.

  They jogged down a corridor. Just as in Starkiller Base, the floors were pristine, the light panels, dataports, and even support struts sparkling with newness and state-of-the-art technology. Finn knew exactly how much work it took to keep everything looking like it just came off a Corellian assembly line. He preferred the dirt and fallen leaves and intruding tree roots of the Ajan Kloss base any day.

  They turned a corner and came face-to-face with another pair of patrol troopers, who raised their rifles.

  “Drop your weapons!” one ordered.

  Finn did not want to kill anyone else. Leaving a trail of bodies throughout the ship would just make it all the harder to rescue Chewie and escape. But if he had no choice…He moved his finger to the trigger.

  Rey said, her voice full of quiet strength: “It’s okay that we’re here.”

  Finn held his breath.

  “It’s okay that you’re here,” the stormtrooper echoed.

  The other trooper nodded. “It’s good,” he added.

  “You’re relieved that we’re here,” Rey said.

  “Thank goodness you’re here!” said the first trooper, his shoulders going slack.

  “Welcome, guys!” said the second.

  Poe leaned over and whispered in Finn’s ear: “Does she do that to us?”

  Of course not. She’d never—no, wait…she definitely would. To protect them. To keep one of them from following her into the desert and getting run down by Kylo Ren’s TIE fighter.

  Oh, hell.

  “We’re looking for a prisoner,” Rey said.

  The stormtroopers cheerfully gave directions to the cellblock where Chewie was being held. After the troopers resumed their patrol, Finn and his friends raced away. Within moments, they came to a split in the corridor, just like the troopers had described.

  Rey stopped in her tracks, and Finn’s heart thudded in his chest. He knew that look. It meant their plan was about to take a detour.

  “Chewie’s this way,” he reminded her.

  Half to herself, Rey said, “The dagger’s on this ship. We need it.”

  “Why?” Poe said.

  C-3PO had already translated it, already given them the coordinates of the Emperor’s wayfinder.

  “A feeling!” Rey said.

  “Rey, you can’t just—” Poe grabbed Finn’s arm to silence him.

  “I’ll meet you back in the hangar.” She dashed off before either of them could protest.

  “Chewie,” Poe reminded him.

  Finn nodded, and together they jogged down the corridor.

  * * *

  —

  Zorii Bliss crouched on the rooftop of the Kozinarg Guildhouse, spying on the squad of snowtroopers who gathered at the steps to Monk’s Gate. Her left foot slipped on the steep, icy tiles, dislodging a bit of ice and snow, which slid off the roof and plunked down at a snowtrooper’s foot. She froze, hardly daring to breathe.

  The trooper gave a small kick to rid his foot of snow, but otherwise did not react.

  Slowly, quietly, Zorii reached down to the tread of her boots and flicked a small switch built into the arch. Her cleats popped out—tiny metal gripping stars that were a lot noisier to walk around in, but they would dig into the toughest ice, keeping her from sliding off the roof. They were also pretty great in a fight.

  Her perch now secure, Zorii leaned forward to hear better.

  A tall, black-clad humanoid with an odd helmet and a long cloak swept toward the stormtroopers. At his back were a band of similarly clad warriors. She could see none of their faces, but their weapons expressed volumes. One carried an ax, with a long weighted handle even taller than he was. Another a giant club. Still another a wicked scythe. The scythe dripped with something dark and viscous.

  Not warriors then. More like butchers.

  As the black-clad man approached, the squad’s officer snapped to attention. “Supreme Leader,” he said.

  Zorii barely managed to hold her gasp in check. The man standing below with his gang of butchers was Kylo Ren himself. The man responsible for all the horror she’d witnessed these last months.

  “Lieutenant Barok,” the Supreme Leader said. His voice was tight and calm, though Zorii got the feeling that he was barely containing his rage. He looked around, almost as though he was sniffing the air.

  “We have a perimeter around the city—” the lieutenant began, but Kylo Ren cut him off.

  “We’re too late,” he snapped. “The scavenger is gone.”

  The scavenger…Why was the Supreme Leader of the First Order specifically here for the girl Zorii had just met? Rey was remarkable, that much was clear. That lightsaber, those fighting skills…What had Poe gotten himself into?

  Well, she would waste no more time worrying about that nerf herder. The lieutenant had mentioned a “perimeter”
around the city, and that was bad for business. As soon as the First Order troopers left Monk’s Gate, she’d hurry back to the Spice Runners’ den and tell her people to—

  Supreme Leader Kylo Ren whipped out a lightsaber that teemed and sparked with chaotic red light. He slashed it back and forth in a rage, toppling a column of stone, slicing a neehwa oil lantern in two. The snowtrooper squad slunk away from his wrath, but his butchers looked on as though amused.

  When he was done, boulders and lantern scrap lay scattered on the ground, the melted water pooling beneath them already freezing back up at the edges.

  “She had help,” said the Supreme Leader, his voice calm once again. “Find them. Destroy them.”

  Zorii adjusted her plan. Now, somehow, she’d have to sneak back to the spice runners’ den, and instead of telling them to cash in a few favors and open their emergency smuggling routes, she’d order them to get the hell out of the city.

  * * *

  —

  Finn and Poe reached the prisoner cellblock and found the cell that supposedly held Chewie. Finn hit the switch, and the door whooshed open to reveal the Wookiee, manacled to the wall. He growled and moaned excitedly, almost too fast for Finn to follow with his rudimentary understanding of Shyriiwook—he only caught the words for “surprised” and “danger” and “much gladness.”

  “Of course we came for you!” Poe said.

  Chewie rattled off a question.

  “Rey’s here,” Finn said. “She’s gonna get the dagger.”

  Chewbacca started to chatter, something about Kylo Ren and information and how very sorry he was, but they didn’t have time. It would take moments for the First Order to figure out that Ochi’s freighter didn’t belong in hangar twelve, if they hadn’t already. And once that happened, even off-duty stormtroopers would be called upon to join the search for intruders. Finn had endured that drill a hundred times.

  “We’ve got Ochi’s ship,” Finn said to the Wookiee, interrupting him. “Follow me.”

  He hurried down the corridor to a door and hit the release. It whooshed up—revealing a stormtrooper who raised his blaster.