(The last stand.)

Chapter seventeen:

The Delta squad was preparing for the Dark trooper's that were arriving in about ten minutes. They had went into the four way hall thinking that if something went wrong they could make an escape route. Rey Palpatine was sprouting new orders to the troops every second.

"Set a trap there Delta. Take that explosive and put it near that door. Let's do some reconstruction there Delta." Said Rey Palpatine.

"We have about two minutes left Empress Rey Palpatine." Replied Boss.

"Okay check your weapons. Let's take advantage of those sniping positions." Said Cale Lestin. Fixer and Sev got behind a couple of crates and took out their sniper rifle attachments. "Boss I want you and Scorch to be in control of explosives and grenades." Said Rey Palpatine as she unhooked her yellow lightsaber from her belt and said. "Let the war with our brothers begin."

Dark trooper's turned the corner and started to fire. "Set off explosives one and two." Replied Cale Lestin. Two bombs were detonated and about ten troops were killed. Sev and Fixer was getting head shot after head shot. Scorch and Boss were throwing EC detonators which paralyzed the Dark trooper's long enough to allow Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine to take them out with their lightsabers.

It had been fifteen minutes into the battle when Fixer was hit and took cover because of his wound. Boss then yelled over to Scorch. "Go help 40."

"On it sir." Replied Scorch. As soon as Scorch left Boss was hit and he dove for cover. Sev and Scorch was to bogged down with the blaster fire to fire back. Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine were all alone.

Cale Lestin used all of the techniques that Rey Palpatine taught him, but there was too many Dark trooper's. Rey Palpatine knew that this is where she and her apprentice Cale Lestin would die. After all that happened, after all that she and Cale Lestin had learned they were to die here and accomplish nothing.

Suddenly an explosion came through the roof. Then from the smoke of the explosion Ailyn Vel appeared! Stormtroopers followed. Ailyn Vel started firing rockets and using her flamethrower and the Dark trooper's was being pushed back! Ailyn Vel then started to make her way towards Rey Palpatine and her apprentice Cale Lestin.

She pulled out his EE-3 blaster rifle because her rockets were already used up. Ailyn Vel ,Rey Palpatine, and Cale Lestin were all back to back.

Ailyn Vel was firing at Dark trooper's while Rey Palpatine and her apprentice Cale Lestin was deflecting their attacks. After a couple of more shots and Force Crushes from Rey Palpatine and her apprentice Cale Lestin all of the Dark trooper's was defeated. Ailyn Vel then turned to Cale Lestin and said. "Looks like you owe me one handsome l." A shot from a Dark trooper that was left was heading right for Ailyn Vel's head. With a flick of Anakin Skywalker's blue lightsaber he reflected it back at the Dark trooper and let out a. "Arrrrgggghhhh."

"Call it even." Cale Lestin smiled and Ailyn Vel nodded as a Stormtrooper came up beside them. "Ma'am it seems that the Dark trooper's are making their escape." Rey Palpatine got her orders out before Ailyn Vel.

"Order all Shock troopers outside and tell them to fire at will." Said Rey Palpatine. What was left of the Shock Troopers ran outside and blew up most of the transports that was taking off, while Rey Palpatine and her apprentice Cale Lestin was using Force Pull to destroy the rest of the transports. Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine then walked over to the Delta squad and cured their wounds with Force Heal. "Good work Delta squad." Said Cale Lestin. If the Delta squad didn't have their helmets on Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine would have seen them smiling.

Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine then walked into the meeting room to see Kylo Ren at his desk. "I have heard you did very well today Rey and Cale Lestin. You took down hundred Dark trooper's. You have done well." Said Kylo Ren.

"Thank you Ben." Replied both Rey Palpatine and Cale Lestin.

"But I have also heard that you risked your life for a member of the Delta squad. A Sith Empress and her apprentice does not care about the death of a comrade." Said Kylo Ren.

"Does that mean you wouldn't care about me?" Asked Rey Palpatine. Kylo Ren's breathing stopped for a second. "That is not the same thing." Said Kylo Ren. "Yes it is, those men are mine and Cale's brothers when we are on the battlefield." Replied Rey Palpatine. Kylo Ren then sighed. "You are just like me when I was your age. And maybe in a way your right. In any case, you did the right thing Rey." Said Kylo Ren.

Rey Palpatine then looked at Kylo Ren the way she never looked at him before. Not as a Knight of Ren or her enemy, but as her friend. "Thank you Ben." Replied Rey Palpatine. Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine then turned around and was about to walk out the door when Kylo Ren spoke to them again.

"One more thing Rey. The Bounty Hunter has left to capture a smuggler on Tatooine. I just thought you might want to know." Said Kylo Ren. The door then closed behind Cale Lestin and Rey Palpatine without them saying a word.

As Rey Palpatine and her apprentice Cale Lestin walked down the hallway they noticed that the Stormtroopers was looking at them definitely. It's like they thought of them as a comrade instead of a enemy.

Today when they were willing to risk their lives for the Delta squad, they had won more than their trust they had won their loyalty.