logo Sign In

Post #1326379

Author
NeverarGreat
Parent topic
Episode IX: THE SHATTERED SWORD - DETAILED SUMMARY COMPLETE
Link to post in topic
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1326379/action/topic#1326379
Date created
23-Feb-2020, 10:20 PM

A TIE Interceptor and a battered A-wing settle onto the docking bay floor, Rey leaping lightly from her cockpit and waiting as muffled curses emanate from the TIE interior. Rey spies BB-8, R2, and Threepio huddled in conversation near Poe’s X-wing. BB-8 looks up at the TIE and rolls over, followed by the two other droids. Threepio asks Master Solo if he needs a hand, and a metal appendage flies out of the upper hatch to strike him on the chestplate. Rey sweeps up the prosthetic hand and joins the droids by the TIE fighter, asking where the others are. Threepio responds that they are in the mess hall. Rey leaves the bay holding the hand, followed by BB-8.
There is a clatter from the TIE fighter and Threepio rushes over to Ben, who has collapsed in a heap in front of the ship. He asks Master Solo if he is all right, to which Ben responds with a withering stare, staggering up and following Rey to the mess hall. R2 beeps derisively at Threepio, who turns away with something approaching wounded pride. ‘What could I do? I’ll have you know that among my other talents I’m now the galaxy’s foremost authority on the Jedi religion.’ R2 beeps sassily. Threepio turns to him. ‘And what would you know about something like that?’

The mess hall is a scene of barely contained chaos. Tables and chairs have been pulled from their brackets and now form clusters throughout the hall. Helmetless troopers chatter and shout, their armor decorated with bright paint and duct tape. Red squadron sits across from the bridge officers, their flight suits festooned with splashes of red paint. In the center of the room, alongside several tables of Resistance soldiers, sits Finn, Rose, Poe, and Chewie. Rose is going over all the mistakes made during the day’s exercises. She laments that they don’t have more ships since they have crews and pilots for almost two Destroyer compliments.
Rey walks up to the table, a tray of First Order rations in her hand, sitting in the open space between Poe and Finn and setting Ben’s hand beside her tray. Finn asks her if she had a nice flight. She gives him side eye, and he mutters to her that any other Captain would have thrown her in the brig for what she did. Poe overhears, speaks up in Rey’s defense, that it’s normal to need to blow off some steam after a defeat. Rose remarks that it’s nice to see Finn and Poe talking directly to each other. Chewie nods. Rey throws down her fork. She admits that Finn is right, and that it’s selfish to act as if she’s the only one so affected by Leia’s death. Silence falls at the table. Rey continues that she wishes she didn’t have the sole responsibility of returning the Jedi to the galaxy, and Poe looks confused, asking if Ben won’t help her.
Before she can respond Ben arrives in the mess hall. A quiet descends on the hall, but Red Squadron stands proud. Their spokesman shouts ‘Let’s hear it for the leader of Red Squadron, Master of the Knights of Ren, Heir to the Empire…Ben Solo!’ Three cheers go up from Red Squadron and a strong showing from the rest of the assembled soldiers. Poe looks at Rey, gesturing to Ben as if that said it all. Rey gives him a ‘really?’ face but then she turns back to Ben as if re-evaluating him.
Ben sits at the table across from Rey, his expression unreadable. He asks for his hand back. She asks him about the Knights of Ren. He asks why she wants to know, and she responds that they need people strong in the Force if they are to rebuild the Jedi Order. Ben shakes his head, saying that he believes it to be a fool’s errand. Poe wonders why this is the first he’s hearing about these Knights, and Rose answers. She says that the Knights were once students of Luke’s Jedi school but they chose to join with Kylo and now each rules over a planet largely independent of the First Order. Ben clarifies that these students originally joined Luke’s school to protect their home planets as the Jedi of old had done before the Republic, and that when it became clear that they were to join or die Kylo Ren, they chose to join in return for control over their planets. Now their planets are off-limits to the First Order and their child-harvesting, and these knights care only about protecting these worlds. He says they will not join an unlikely cause. Rey argues that since Ben is the one who made this deal, Thrawn and Hux have no reason to continue to honor it. Ben clearly hasn’t considered that.
Rey comes to a decision. She will seek out these knights and gain them as allies in their fight, and Ben will come along to help. Ben seems reluctant. The planet they must travel to in order to convene the knights is in Hutt space, he says, and will not be easy to approach. Chewie roars, Rey translating that he and Han once had friends among the pirates there and Chewie will come as well.
Rey reaches to give Ben his hand. He takes it but Rey doesn’t let go, instead saying that they will do this for the Jedi and the memory of Leia. Finn places his hand on the metal hand as well, saying ‘For Leia.’ Poe follows suit. ‘For the General.’ Rose says ‘For our Leader.’ Ben says something as well, but it’s inaudible to the assembled team. Chewie places his paw on top of the pile and roars. Rey translates ‘For the Princess’. Ben asks if he could please have his hand back. He pulls it away from the group and as they all get up from the table to make preparations, he reattaches it to his arm, clenching it into a fist and looking to the departing crew with new resolve.

JEDIT: Obsolete