Chapter 3: Hidden in the sand
"I need you to search for something," I said, watching as Finn's gloved hands moved across the controls. The TIE Silencer hummed to life, its sleek design a testament to First Order engineering. A part of me - the part that once dreamed of piloting such a ship - wanted to geek out over every detail. But now wasn't the time for nostalgia.
I settled into the slightly elevated rear section of the TIE Silencer, my position affording me a clear view of both the cockpit and the vast expanse of Jakku's desert landscape through the viewport. I observed FN-2187's every move as he piloted the ship, his rigid posture betraying his nervousness. The sleek, angular interior of the craft surrounded us, its dark surfaces occasionally flickering with the reflection of instrument lights. "What are we looking for, Sir?" Finn's voice was tight with barely concealed anxiety.
"A droid. Orange and white. About as tall as a Womp Rat," I described, pulling out a datapad to review First Order structure. "It should be alone, traversing the dunes."
"Why would a droid be traveling in the sand?" Finn blurted out. I could feel his immediate regret as he stiffened, realizing his slip. "I mean, why, my Lord?"
I raised my eyes from the datapad, meeting Finn's reflection in the viewport. His fear was palpable, a stark contrast to the confidence he was trying to project.
"Just keep a lookout for it, Stormtrooper," I replied, my tone neutral. I let the moment, watching as FN-2187 squirmed under my scrutiny before turning back to the controls.
As the ship began to rise, a thought suddenly struck me. "One more thing," I said, my modulated voice cutting through the hum of the engines. "This TIE Silencer is significantly faster than standard models. Ease on the controls."Finn nodded, slowly pushing the handles forward as we left the ruined village.
The ship responded instantly, accelerating with a smoothness that belied its immense power. Through the Force, I felt Finn's mix of awe and concentration as he adjusted to the Silencer's sensitive controls.
From my elevated position, I observed FN-2187 as he piloted the TIE Silencer. His movements were precise, but tension radiated from every gesture. I pulled out the datapad again, purposefully rustling it.
"FN-2187," I said, my modulated voice filling the cockpit. "I want you to analyze this tactical report while maintaining our search pattern."
I felt his spike of anxiety through the Force. "Yes, sir," he replied, voice strained.
As I relayed information from the datapad, I watched him struggle to divide his attention between flying and processing my words. His discomfort was palpable, and beneath it, I sensed something more - a deep-seated desire to escape, to flee the First Order.
"Your piloting skills are adequate," I said coldly, "but your ability to multitask leaves much to be desired. And your loyalty..." I let the words hang in the air.
FN-2187 stiffened, fear rolling off him in waves.
I leaned forward slightly. "I sense your desire to leave, trooper. It radiates from you like a beacon."
He remained silent, but I could almost hear his heart racing.
The silence in the cockpit was deafening, broken only by the hum of the engines and FN-2187's ragged breathing. I could almost hear his heart racing, feel the turmoil roiling within him.
"Was it because of the handprint on your helmet?" I asked. The words felt strange on my tongue. I had stopped Poe from killing the other troopers, yet here was FN-2187, still marked by that fateful moment. Was this his inescapable destiny, or was the universe still binding our futures tightly together?
"I am sorry for your loss," I said, my modulated voice softer than usual.
FN-2187's shoulders tensed. "Don't be. I... I didn't know them," he replied, his voice shaking with suppressed emotion.
I nodded slowly. "Of course. After all, to the First Order, you're just another number."
The trooper's hands tightened on the controls. "Is this why you brought me out here?" he asked, his voice quiet at first, then rising with sudden fury. "To get rid of me like some faulty droid?!"
"To the First Order? Yes," I admitted, letting the words hang in the air between us.
FN-2187's shock and fear pulsed through the Force, a maelstrom of emotion that threatened to overwhelm him.
I leaned forward slightly, my next words carrying the weight of the future I hoped to forge. "But to me? You could be so much more."
"So what if I offered you a different path?" My tone shifted, becoming less menacing. "I see potential in you, FN-2187. A potential that is wasted in your current role." I noticed it in the village, the threads that connected to the force.
Confusion replaced fear in his emotional landscape. "Sir?" I could see it even now, though it was hidden in the sand. Finn was force-sensitive.
"I'm offering you a chance to be more than just another stormtrooper. To be my right-hand man. Someone indisposable." I paused, letting the words sink in. "I can train you in ways you've never imagined. The Force is strong with you, FN-2187. Together, we could reshape the galaxy. With the Force anything is possible" I said, my words carrying a weight that seemed to fill the cockpit.
"The Force?" Finn repeated, the word rolling off his tongue with a mix of awe and uncertainty. I could sense his mind racing, grappling with concepts he'd only heard in whispered legends.
"Stop the TIE. Turn everything off," I commanded.
Finn complied without question, his newly ingrained obedience overriding his curiosity. The ship descended smoothly, settling onto the cold desert sand with a soft hiss.
As we disembarked, I turned to face him. "The Force is everywhere, FN-218..." I paused, making a decision that would ripple through time. "I'll just call you Finn."
His surprise and joy radiated through the Force. "Finn... I like that," he said, his voice warm with newfound identity.
I gestured to the vast, moonlit expanse around us. "I want you to feel it, Finn. Feel the Force."
"Feel what actually," he asked, confusion evident in his voice.
"Close your eyes," I instructed, my tone softening. "Meditate. Breathe in and out. Every movement, every breath, connects to the Force."
Finn hesitated for a moment, then settled onto the sand, crossing his legs and closing his eyes. I watched as he took a deep breath, his posture relaxing slightly.
I turned my face to the night sky, a sense of uncertainty creeping in despite my outward confidence. 'Let's see if I can actually do this properly,' I thought.
Raising my hand towards the TIE fighter, I reached out with my mind. The ship rose effortlessly into the air, responding to my will without hesitation. But something felt off. It was too easy, too mechanical. There was no real connection, no true harmony.
I frowned beneath my mask. The power was there, undeniably, but it felt hollow, like I was merely puppeteering the ship rather than working in concert with the Force.
Closing my eyes, I searched inward, trying to understand what was missing. That's when it hit me - I wasn't truly connecting with the Force. I'd been relying on raw power, on the abilities I'd inherited, rather than forging my own genuine connection.
[Trust in the Force]
The realization resonated within me. Taking a deep breath, I let go of my preconceptions and opened myself fully to the Force for the first time.
The change was subtle but profound. The TIE fighter, already aloft, now seemed to float with a newfound grace. I felt not just the ship, but the air around it, the sand below, the vast expanse of the desert. Everything was connected, and I was a part of it all.
When I opened my eyes, I couldn't suppress a smile of wonder. The TIE fighter now hovered serenely, surrounded by four unsurfaced AT-ATs I hadn't even realized I'd lifted, all enveloped in a shimmering curtain of suspended sand.
"Finn," I called out, my voice filled with awe, "open your eyes."
As Finn beheld the sight before us, I marveled at the difference the true connection to the Force made. It wasn't about the feat itself - I could have lifted these objects before - but about the harmony, the understanding, the fulfillment that came with a genuine connection.
"This is what I felt..." Finn whispered, his voice filled with wonder.
"Yes," I replied, my own amazement bleeding into my words. "Yes, it was. And the Force, Finn, can be your ally too - not just as a tool, but as a true connection to everything around us."
"That will be all," I said abruptly, my voice cutting through the awe-filled silence. With a mere thought, I released my hold on the Force. The AT-ATs, once suspended in an impossible display of power, crashed back to the desert floor with a thunderous roar. Sand billowed up around them, already beginning to reclaim these metal giants.
I could sense Finn's shock and disappointment at the sudden end of the demonstration. His emotions roiled through the Force - a mix of wonder, fear, and a newfound hunger for understanding.
Without another word, I guided the TIE fighter back down, its sleek form settling gracefully before us. As the entry hatch hissed open, I turned to Finn, who still stood transfixed by the fallen AT-ATs.
"Continue the search pattern," I ordered, my modulated voice betraying none of the exhilaration I felt from the true connection with the Force. As I climbed into the craft, I could feel Finn's hesitation, his unspoken questions hanging in the air.
But there would be time for answers later. For now, we had a mission to complete - and a future to reshape. As Finn joined me in the cockpit, his movements more purposeful than before, I knew that this night had changed everything. The path ahead was uncertain, but rich with possibility.
The TIE fighter's engines hummed to life, and we lifted off once more into the star-studded Jakku night, leaving behind the buried AT-ATs.
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