Fandom Star Wars: Chaos and Order [Closed]

[cleopat]

“Yours for taking my damn ship in the first place!” She would never accept blame for this.

If they were going to try and return with the droid, they would need more transport, and right then, it looked like they were in the middle of the desert, with nothing near them, including the crash site.

Including the crash site?

Sighing, Verena removed her cloak and outer layer of her garment, fashioning them both into a headwrap, leaving her arms now exposed, but her face and eyes protected from the harsh glare of the sun and the sand. She pulled out her own datapad and checked how far the crash site was from them.

She frowned. They were…right on top of it. Did the sands swallow it? Was there a recent wind storm that shifted the dunes?

Verena put the datapad away and knelt onto the sand. One hand reached out and touched the sand, and she reached out with the Force to find out what she could ‘see’. Distant vibrations…and they were growing stronger. That wasn’t good. “There’s something-”

She stopped mid sentence. There was a giant creature lurking beneath. Has to be a nightwatcher worm. It would’ve been what consumed the wreck. And, based on how she could feel it getting closer, no doubt lured back by the crash of her ship.

“Shit,” she hissed, realizing that, in fact, the creature was digging its way up there. “Move!” was all she yelled as she ran away from the ship, pulling on Kylo’s arm in the process to get him out of there as well. If he resisted, she would still run, run far enough to where the worm wouldn’t swallow her with its gaping maw.

~~~

Poe grinned and winked at Neria, “You think I’m cute?” He thought similar of Neria, especially if she were to ask him about joining her side. She was cute…but not that cute that he would leave the Resistance.

He confirmed her assumption. “Yeah, I’ve got a lot of old buddies there in the New Republic.” He scrunched his face as he thought for a second. “I think General Organa also just sent some of our people to Hosnian Prime recently.” She was always making sure someone representing the Resistance was in Hosnian Prime. In order to gain support and sympathy, they needed to show face and argue their side, after all.

“I can try and contact them for help. Either way, I should be able to find my way back from Hosnian Prime,” he chuckled, shutting the last cupboard. His own bag was readied with supplies as he finished looking through the last of the cabinets.

Right then Milo came out of his room with a duffel bag that he almost struggled to carry, due to its size compared to the small child. “You got everything?”

Milo nodded. “I think so.” He struggled with the strap on his shoulder, but he didn’t want to ask for help. He was a big kid! He could do this!

“Do you want me to carry that for you?” Poe offered, and Milo looked down at his bag, hesitant to want to ask for help. Big kids didn’t ask for help!

Poe could sense the dilemma. “How about I carry your bag, and you,” he knelt on the floor, removing his bag from his shoulder, “and you carry mine?” It didn’t weigh as much, and Milo would still feel like he was doing something important.

Milo nodded. “Okay!” And he took Poe’s bag, while handing over his own.

 

[Lucyfer]

Using the Force was probably the way to go. Kylo could feel life forms easily, but he could also feel barriers. Not that he could manipulate them in the same way, and as Verena knelt to try and reach out, he opted to do so similar, though without kneeling. Covered head-to-toe as he was, it wouldn’t make much difference to put his gloved hand into the sand.

It’d just get sand in his gloves.

Not that he wasn’t going to be cleaning sand out of his outfit anyways. He really hated sand.

He felt that something as well, though he had no experience with Jakku, his mind went to what he did know – krayt dragons. Even knowing that, when Verena reached for him, he yanked his arm immediately back and glared at her, wanting to throw her for even daring to touch him after everything.

However, he didn’t have much time to consider that, and also consider dealing with the thing he felt. Rather than run, however, he stayed still.

The creature went after Verena’s running steps.

He’d fully expected it to come after him. He’d expected to be thrown up when it rose out of the sands, or pulled down if it was more like a sarlaac, and deal with it from that point, but apparently it went after the movement. Kylo reached out with the Force to try and halt the creature, and he did get a grip on it, but without seeing it, and all the sand, it wasn’t a good grip.

The creature thrashed, and the movement made its location clearer, as sand was tossed up in its struggle against the grip Kylo held on it.

~***~

Typical flyboy.

Neria could only roll her eyes as he asked for affirmation. There was no need to give it as he indicated Hosnian Prime would work. He had enough allies to pick his way back to whatever mid-rim planet General Organa was hiding out on. Karan owed her 100 credits if it was mid-rim; he was hunting for it, as he did.

She hid better than the Order, at any rate.

Milo came out with a too-large bag, and Poe was far too accommodating for the lad. True, he had just lost his mother, his home, and his entire way of life…but Neria didn’t plan to offer to help Milo for making the decision of packing too much. However, she frowned a bit when Mari came out with a similar sized bag, just…not weighed down.

Evidently, their mother had gotten them matching bags. Perhaps, for a previous move. Mari’s seemed to have hardly anything in it. “Did you find everything you need?” Neria asked, and Mari silently nodded. “Everything you want?”

Hesitation. The threat of more tears. “You can add more, Mari—” Mari immediately, harshly, shook her head.

Neria’s own parents would have accepted it at that. If they even questioned it. There was a pettiness in Neria that made her want to accept it, as well. However, she forced that down, “All right. I’m going to take a look and see if there’s anything I want to grab,” she had her bag packed, but there was room, so she walked by Mari and into the children’s room.

She snatched a few of clothes that seemed to be Mari’s and stuffed them into the bag, before stepping into Deliah’s room. It was modest, really, but it looked torn over. Someone – Mari, no doubt in Neria’s mind – was looking for something very particular. Perhaps she’d found it, and that was all she needed. Perhaps she hadn’t, and now it upset her that she wanted nothing else.

Hard to say.

But Neria did see a datapad that likely belonged to Deliah, one likely to have photos Karan could snatch off it for the kids, and information on other relatives or friends. She packed that, a couple of dresses Mari might one day want, and necklace with a gaudy stone on it.

She returned to the main room and nodded, “Cratertown should be the closest civilization, but Niima’s outpost is the one most likely to have accessible transport. Your droid, your call, Dameron.” Presuming BB-8 even had the ability to map things out. It could just be wandering aimlessly.

 

[cleopat]

The worm stopped chasing her, but it definitely did not stop moving. Verena looked behind her, a little shocked that Kylo attempted to stop it despite the fact it was chasing after her. But she didn’t have time to think about that.

She reached out one hand and held it tighter with the Force. She could better see and feel it, even through the sand, and the vibration of its movements helped. Its thrashing stopped, and the creature went still. Verena didn’t know how long she could hold onto the creature, and could only hope Kylo didn’t turn spiteful and let go.

Grabbing and holding her lightsaber in one hand, Verena utilized the Force to jump high and far enough to land on the creature’s back. The lightsaber turned on, the dual blades illuminating red. Continuing to hold onto the creature with the Force, she willed it to lift its head, just high enough so that she could see part of the head and back.

With a twirl of her saber, Verena stabbed the creature in the back of its head, and with a twist of her wrist, she severed the head from the rest of its body, now dropping limp in the sand as she jumped off.

~~~

Poe frowned at Mari. It was obvious she was holding in much more than she wanted to show, similar to her twin. But both did it in very different ways. They will need a very strong and comforting support system, and he hoped Neria was up to that task.

Neria mentioned two towns. Poe…didn’t really know the geography of Jakku too well, so he couldn’t gauge how far Cratertown or Niima Outpost was, but, looking down at the two kids, he didn’t want them to have to walk too far in that sun with their limited water supplies.

And he honestly didn’t know which one BB-8 would try and find first.

“Do you know how far Niima Outpost is from here?” Within a day’s journey, he would probably consider it, given it had accessible transport. “If it’s too far, we may need to consider Cratertown.” He looked down at the kids, Milo seemingly getting lost in his own thoughts. “We don’t need to spend that much time out in the sun, after all.”

A huge hint that he didn’t want Milo or Mari to overexert themselves, while already dealing with their personal tragedy.

 

[Lucyfer]

The creature tossed enough sand to reveal itself. A foolish move, given Verena aiding the effort to hold it still, before launching an attack. Kylo didn’t relinquish his own hold. After all, the thing would just turn on him when all was said and done. Best to get it dealt with now.

And Verena dealt with it, beheading it effectively enough with her lightsaber.

Kylo strode towards it as it collapsed, dead, and pulled his own lightsaber into his hand. He cut right into the middle of the beast and tore its insides open, finding what he rather hoped he wouldn’t – the sight of the TIE fighter. There was no body within it, either. It was impossible to know if the pilot was dead or alive, but they likely weren’t eaten by…whatever this thing was.

“Tch.” He unlit his saber and put it back on is belt. “Nothing.”

Still! Nothing!

And he had no idea where this location was, compared to anything else, so he couldn’t just walk on to find the next lead. No, he was going to have to call for a ship, and get taken back to the Finalizer.

And wait on the Stormtroopers to find something. “Unless you sense any other lifeforms?” ones not below the sand, ideally. But even as he asked, he was already pulling his datapad out to call up to the Finalizer and get a transport so they weren’t stranded.

~***~

‘I barely know where we are.’ Neria started to pull the datapad out to see if she could get around the locks on it to check locations.

Mari spoke up, “I know Cratertown is closer,” she murmured, “whenever we needed supplies, we’d go there. But we never walked….” She could clearly tell that was the fate that awaited her – walking.

Neria was able to pull up a directions application on the device, and use it to check the distance between both Cratertown and Niima Outpost, “It is closer,” she agreed, “but neither are more than a day away. Cratertown looks to be 35 miles out, and Niima outpost is about 51.”

“That’s forever away!” Mari exclaimed.

Neria shook her head, “No, it’s not so bad. Most people can walk a mile in fifteen minutes,” she smiled, “We may take a little longer, but that’s only a few hours.” Presuming they could do at least four miles every hour, they could make decent time to either one…but that was unlikely. Three miles would still leave it at more than ten hours to Cratertown. “It’s nearly dark, as well.”

So most of the travel could be done without the burning sun, although she knew there were other dangers.

Not to mention, exhaustion. Not just for Mari and Milo. She didn’t know how well Poe Dameron could keep up. She could have made it on her own, but with these three? Debatable. Still, Poe asked for information, not for her to decide.

She’d still leave that to him. Presuming the starship even took that look to get to them, of course.

 

[cleopat]

Verena frowned as the innards of the nightwatcher worm were spilled open and onto the sands. Her nose scrunched as the stenched waffed her way. She moved one of the pieces of fabric that covered her head and hair and moved it over her lower face to protect herself better from the smell as she moved closer to the creature.

The wreckage of the TIE fighter revealed nothing. Just crumpled up metal. No body, not even the sight of torn clothes or any evidence that someone piloted the ship.

She frowned. Something…pulled at her. It was very faint, but it was there. She tried to seek further, pushing the Force to show her something, but it faded away into nothing. “Nothing.”

A broken ship and no clues! This wasn’t her day.

Verena looked out into the distance with a sigh. She already dreaded the report to Snoke. Hopefully she could explain, alone, how Kylo crashed her ship.

Something poked out of the sand in the distance. Faint, but she could see it. She reached out a hand, and using the Force, she pulled it towards her. It flew into her hand with ease. A white plate, slightly rounded at the edges. Part of a stormtrooper uniform.

“That Stormtrooper that freed the pilot is alive,” she surmised, tossing the piece back on the sand. “That is, if the sun doesn’t get him.” He could be wandering the desert for days before he finds water or any civilization. Good.

“Otherwise, dead end.” And now she had to wait there, with Kylo, for their rescue.

~~~

Milo also frowned and nodded when Mari spoke up. “But it feels so far away…” Of course, the world always appeared much larger to tiny children. Just like every adult looked like a giant to them.

Poe considered both towns. Niima Outpost would be a guarantee to help him contact and get back to the Resistance, but if Cratertown was a place where the kids remember that they stocked up at, there was a chance there could be a communications point, if not a ship he could borrow.

“Let’s go to Cratertown,” he decided.

“But, that’s a lot of walking,” Milo murmured, looking down at the ground. “And…and won’t we be out after it gets dark? We’ve never walked out there after it got dark before.” They would be out after bedtime. It felt so wrong!

Poe chuckled. “It will be dark, but isn’t that exciting? And we’ll be with you both the entire time,” he encouraged. Mile still didn’t look entirely convinced, but he nodded. At least Mari would be with him!

He straightened back up, adjusting the bag over his shoulder. “Right, let’s leave now then.” Before the children grew too tired. Before more time passed and…well, he didn’t know. Something! But he couldn’t stand around there any longer while his droid was out there.

 

[Lucyfer]

Nothing!

At least, for a moment.

There was no evidence of Poe Dameron surviving the crash, but a this was the one that held two people, there was evidence of the Stormtrooper, and with no body, Kylo was willing to bet Poe walked out of there, as well. He gave a succinct nod, as the communications connected.

“Commander Ren,” the voice on the other side greeted.

“Send a transport,” Kylo directed, “and a ship to pick up the shuttle. It needs repairs.” No need to explain why, so he left out comments of blame. “Get a bounty on FN-2187 as well. He's likely alive. We do not want him to leave Jakku so make sure the bounty pays, dead or alive.”

Alive was preferred.

They could figure out why he went rogue, but it would be better to see to it he was killed if they couldn't get him alive.

“Understood Commander. We'll have a ship dispatched immediately.” The call disconnected and Kylo shoved his datapad away, trying to think of ways they could be useful. The others wrecks would already be examined by now, by stormtroopers. Niima and Cratertown were likely already informed….

Kylo let out a frustrated sound as he realized he was going to have to sit around and wait.

He loathed that.

~***~

For Jakku children, they'd known a bit of a spoiled life. Not that Neria would say as much. It was a testament to Deliah’s love that she tried to make life easier on them in such a harsh environment. When they looked back on Jakku, after knowing the wonders of the galaxy, they'd likely never think this was easy.

It was almost a shame.

“Hands,” Neria directed, and Mari was quick to grab one, “you can take mine or your sister's, Milo,” either way, they were walking holding hands, so they didn't get far away. “Cratertown is East of here,” she told Poe, “if we follow the point of the Eremite’s Tear, it'll take us East.”

“Eremite's Tear?” Mari asked.

“It's one of Jakku's constellations,” Neria answered, “you don't know it?” A little teasing. What reason did she have to know it? Then again, the same could be asked of her.

Mari shook her head.

“I'll point it out,” she promised, “you'll need to know this if you want to be a great adventurer – better than the Pathfinders.”

 

[cleopat]

Verena glanced back at her shuttle, wondering if it could even be repaired, or if she would need an entirely new one.

Oh well. That’s for their engineers to figure out. As long as she got a damn ship in the end.

And she wanted to chime in that the Stormtrooper really needed to be left alive, so they can figure out why he went rogue, and if the others in his troop posed the same risk, but she didn’t. She just wanted off the damn planet without any further issues.

Well, they had time to kill now. Anywhere would be too far to walk, and there was nothing more to see at the crash site. Now the question is, can we sit around with nothing to do, and manage to not snipe at each other?

That remained to be seen.

Verena moved to the ramp of the shuttle, sitting on the incline, where at least part of the ship provided some shade from the sun. She looked over at Kylo as he made that noise. “Does that helmet ever get hot?” she wondered out loud. “Or is there some kind of…cooling system in it?”

~~~

Milo looked between Mari, Neria, and even Poe, as he considered who to hold onto. He ultimately decided on his sister, not wanting to be far from her at all right then.

“Do you want to hold hands too?” Poe asked Neria with a grin on his face, not at all serious. Though, if the kids say they should…who was he to argue?

Milo gasped. “Better than the Pathfinders? I want to be the greatest adventurer ever!”

Poe chuckled at Milo’s enthusiasm. Oh didn’t it look familiar. He recalled sharing similar enthusiasm for all things adventure and flying when he was a boy, thanks to both of his parents’ passions. “Maybe we can teach you a few things along the way then. You’ll do very well just by learning how to navigate looking at the stars.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo would have been fine to wait in silence. He had done it plenty of times with stormtroopers around, but of course, that wasn’t to be allowed. Verena wanted to talk, and he sighed at the inquiry. “It has no cooling unit installed. It is not needed.”

Okay, Kylo might have liked it right then, but he wasn’t about to say as much. The more he suffered, the more he connected with the dark side of the Force. He knew even this suffering under the heat was necessary.

“There are things more important than comfort,” something Verena ought to know, although given her attire, one had to wonder if she truly had. Of course, there were many ways to deal with a person.

Kylo preferred fear.

He couldn’t really see how her presence caused fear in anyone. “Why do you choose not to dress in a way that inspires fear?” he opted to ask, “Is that not what Supreme Leader Snoke taught you when you came under his wing?”

Snoke hated his mask.

Kylo didn’t care.

But it would be interesting to know what Snoke thought was important, that inspired Verena’s choices.

~***~

Neria gave Poe an unamused look for his comment on holding hands, even though she was amused. She answered in a mock-serious tone. “If you think you’re inclined to go wandering off on your own, you can hold my hand or Milo’s for safety, Dameron,” she said, before heading out of the hut as Poe noted how useful it was to use the stars.

It seemed the time the children took to pack, had allowed the sun to set. That would make the first lesson easy, and start their journey off easy, as well. Neria didn’t want to be under that damnable sun any longer, anyway.

Neria pointed upwards, and towards the North, “Look forward,” Neria said, “Eremite’s Tear is a grouping of seven stars. Three form the hand of the Eremite, and four form the star,” it was very rudimentary, “the three stars of the hand are fairly bright.”

“I think I see it….” Mari said.

“In the hand, are four stars you can trace as a diamond. That’s the tear. The end that sits over the fingers, points East.” Neria explained, and Mari hummed. By the way her head turned, Neria was fairly convinced she’d found the constellation, and the way east.

“There?” she pointed towards East.

“Good. Yes.”

 

[cleopat]

A cooling unit may not be needed, but Verena could certainly see it being desired right then. Sure, Kylo probably didn’t spend too much time on hot planets, and space, even on ships, tended to be a bit on the colder side.

She knew that there were things more important than comfort. How many times did she train until she collapsed from sheer exhaustion? How many times did she go to bed with an empty belly, because she felt like it wasn’t deserved, because she wanted to focus longer on her training?

“One can inspire fear in ways other than fashion.” Verena could almost chuckle at his question. Is that why he wore the stupid mask? He thought it invoked more fear? His stature alone could inspire intimidation if he so chose to use it that way! “After all, the Sith of old inspired great fear without much thought into fashion.”

Their reputations were all they needed for that.

“Of course, when Snoke brought me in, I was still young. Many of our early lessons revolved around trying to unteach the Force techniques my first Master instilled in me.” And that pain he would put her through, so she could better channel the Dark Side.

~~~

Poe had half a mind to grab Neria’s hand and take her up on her offer. “Don’t tempt me, Tarkin.” No, he wasn’t going to go wandering off unless some sudden sandstorm blinded them all, but it would still be all in good fun to see her reaction.

Milo looked up at him. “Don’t worry! You can hold me hand if you need to.”

Poe chuckled and lightly mussed Milo’s hair, who grinned and smoothed it back down.

He did stay very near the group.

Milo looked up at the stars when Neria started explaining to Mari, desperately wanting to follow along. He hummed for a minute, looking all around the sky, before pointing to the same constellation and direction Mari had figured out.

“Where did you learn navigation on Jakku?” Poe asked, looking over at Neria.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I know that.’

First impressions were still important, and Kylo knew how intimidating his grandfather had been. Although the wardrobe had been necessary for his life, Kylo still knew the wardrobe’s design had helped terrify people. “I am not a Sith,” Kylo stated, “nor do I have any plans of becoming one of those failures.”

First they were out and well known, and defeated by the Jedi.

Then, they were hidden, and still defeated by the Jedi!

It was Darth Vader’s flaw, going along with that line of teaching. Kylo Ren believed Snoke knew better. Hell, he even believed Ren knew better, although Ren had been terribly misguided, led astray. It was strange to hear her speak of the Sith so positively. “Was your former master a Sith?”

He could imagine how much she had to unlearn from that.

Learning fashion might be part of that unlearning.

~***~

Neria kept the constellation in her sight, even as she followed the path East. Poe clearly thought he didn’t need any hands, but Neria was hardly going to protest. It’d look even stranger if he held onto Milo’s hand.

“I’ve learned how to navigate several planets,” Neria said, “but Jakku is one I’ve visited often enough to need to know it.”

“Why would you come out to Jakku?” Mari asked, sounding a bit morose in her sorrow. Clearly, not seeing much good to Jakku right then.

“Scavenge. The parts found in the starship graveyard tend to work in the ships I build, and it’s cheaper than buying new.” To Dameron, she added, “As I’ve been telling these kids, I’m far better than any Pathfinder you’ll meet when it comes to traversing planets,” and she was pretty sure he knew a few. Leia was one, after all.

They tended to end up in the Resistance, for some reason.

The desert was cooling off rapidly. Then again, there was little to contain the heat. Mari bunched closer to Milo as they trekked on, piping off questions about other constellations, and other ways to navigate. Neria answered, glad they were distracted from what had happened, and willing to indulge – and let Poe chime in where he wanted.

But they were still a small group of exhausted people, and Mari eventually started to stumble in walking along.

 

[cleopat]

“Of course not.” Verena would be lying to say that she wasn’t surprised that Kylo didn’t want to be like the Sith. His grandfather was the last, didn’t he strive to be exactly like Darth Vader?

But it seemed that he wanted to be someone even greater than that. Bold ambitions.

Did she want to be like the Sith? No, Kylo had a point. They failed. They were killed. Verena wanted to be…herself. She didn’t know what that kind of path entailed, but she only wanted to focus on bettering herself in every way.

She leaned back on her elbows against the ramp, tilting her neck to get a better look at Kylo. “No, he wasn’t.” That was a hilarious thought! “He wasn’t quite a Jedi either, but he descended from their lineage. I know Luke Skywalker taught him a few things as well.”

He might as well have been a Jedi, which was why he had to die, along with the other pupils of his who didn’t want to abandon him. Shame she couldn’t convince them otherwise, but there were others who joined her later on. “I guess he had more to learn himself if a fourteen-year-old was capable of striking him down.”

~~~

Poe was somewhat surprised to hear that Jakku was a planet Neria visited often enough, but upon the explanation of scavenging ships from the starship graveyard, it made more sense. Jakku became a decent source of income for scavengers who knew how to take apart ships without damaging parts, and it seemed that Neria took advantage of the graveyards.

“Better than any Pathfinder, eh? Just another reason why I may have to convince you for my side.” Poe didn’t doubt those skills. He heard stories of the families of Eriadu, especially the Tarkin family. It all seemed rather extreme, but left Neria with valuable skills that she still obviously used.

They walked a ways, and Poe glanced down at Mari when she showed signs of exhaustion. Even with the sun down, the planet was still a hot desert, so nighttime didn’t provide much relief in terms of temperatures. He frowned. Milo looked to be doing better, but it was obvious the boy was feeling the fatigue.

“Hey, Neria,” he called out, slowing down a bit, “why don’t we rest for a bit? I think we can sacrifice an hour or two.”

 

[Lucyfer]

A lightsider. Kylo should have guessed when she’d mentioned her earlier familiarity with Luke, but he couldn’t be sure. People obviously fell away from Luke’s teachings, after all. He did, and he never planned to go back to what Luke taught. “Clearly.” Fourteen years old and dispatching her master.

The man clearly wasn’t worth the title.

First Order ships began to appear in the sky, lowering. One was obviously going to carry the shuttle, but the other appeared to be a trooper shuttle for them to get into. It landed near, though it took a moment to adjust to the corpse nearby, and make sure it didn’t land on top of it…or too close so that they had to smell it.

Once it settled, Kylo walked to the shuttle and noted poor Mitaka was within. “Report.” Kylo barked, not bothering to explain what happened here. “Have we found the other crashes?”

“Sir—yes, we have,” Mitaka answered, “no survivors were found at the crash sites, we have not retrieved any of the four escapees, nor confirmed any deaths,” Mitaka managed to get it out without a stutter, though his fear was palpable. “No sign of the droid, either. We have troopers searching the desert, and troopers in Niima and Cratertown.”

‘Not good enough.’

Kylo wished he actually had ideas to make it good enough, though. Short of having TIEs fly over every square inch of the planet, and troopers everywhere, which he knew the Order couldn’t afford, and yet this felt worth the cost!

No doubt, Snoke would have mentioned it to Hux…and Hux still responded with only so little!

~***~

If Poe was going to keep harping on joining with the Resistance, it would do wonders to get rid of him. Neria wasn’t inclined to humor it, although she would humor slowing down. She was going to wait until one of the kids themselves spoke up, but it seemed Dameron would do that for them.

‘One day….’

The squeaky wheel was the one to get attention. For now, however, she’d let Poe interject for their sake. “All right,” she wasn’t inclined towards it, but was willing enough not to make a fuss over the early stop.

“I can keep going!” Mari was quick to say, “We don’t need to.”

“Poe’s tired, Mari,” Neria said with light teasing, “he went through quite a lot today. He just needs a short nap,” it was encouragement for them to sleep. A short nap would be good for them. Neria took a seat in the sand, and let go of Mari’s hand.

“In the sand?”

“Mmm,” Neria hummed, “I know it’s not great,” she admitted, “I can make a pillow out of some of the clothes – they’ll get washed when my people arrive.” Mari nodded, and Neria removed the pack she had, and drew out some of the extra clothes she’d grabbed for Mari, to fold into a pillow, as fluffed as she could make it. Not great, but not terrible.

She’d do the same for Milo if he wanted, as well, after Mari settled her little square on the sand near where Neria sat.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo had actually been…somewhat of a decent conversationalist, when they weren’t taunting the other, goading into violence. There were still many reservations to be held, and Verena still hated him.

The echoes of Snoke’s taunts of how she would never be as good as Kylo Ren still rang in her head.

She doubted he felt any different towards her after a brief civil conversation. For all she knew, he would use whatever information she gave him against her.

The First Order ships arrived soon, though she thought it could have been sooner.

Aboard the shuttle, the officer that she met earlier was there, painfully obvious that he was intimidated by Kylo. No updates to be had of the other crash sites, and no sign of the droid. Of course not.

“If that pilot did indeed survive that crash, and he manages to find the droid first…” she trailed off, no need to remind them of the unacceptable failure that scenario would be.

Her head still pounded from the earlier wreck. Without another comment, she moved to sit down away from the officers, and Kylo if he didn’t follow her, until their shuttle returned to the Finalizer.

~~~

Poe heaved a heavy sigh when Neria told the kids it was he that was tired, and that he was the reason they were stopping for now. “That’s right, I just need a little nap. It’s also something that just happens when you get older. You need to rest more!”

Of course he was joking. He wasn’t old at all!

Milo giggled at Poe and his comments. Of course he thought Poe was old. He may have even been older than his mom! But to not dwell on the thought of his mother for too long, he looked at what Neria was doing for Mari.

It certainly looked comfortable enough…So he nodded at Neria for her to make him a makeshift pillow as well. A little rest wouldn’t hurt.

Poe, meanwhile, just used the bag he was carrying to rest his head on as he relaxed on the sand. His jacket would’ve made a better pillow but…he didn’t know what happened to his jacket. And it was such a nice jacket.

“If you need to lay down too, like Poe because you both are so old, you can! You don’t have to pretend for us,” Milo said to Neria, as he laid his head on her makeshift pillow. Really! She had to be tired too!

It took Poe everything he had to not bust out into laughter.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo did not join Verena where wandered off. He remained standing as they returned to the Finalizer. It was only when their new shuttle finally came to a halt in the hangar that he turned to Verena.

“Do you have quarters on this ship?”

It was obvious she and Hux knew each other, but that didn’t mean she actually had quarters. Kylo never knew her, and he was frequently on the Finalizer. Of course, with a ship as large as the Finalizer was, and Kylo’s general disdain for getting to know others – there were plenty he didn’t know who occupied the Finalizer.

If she didn’t, though, he’d need to arrange it so she had quarters while she was stuck here. Snoke had clearly decided to combine assets, rather than let Verena go work on this in some other way, or commit her to another mission.

Kylo wasn’t sure if he’d prefer that last or not. At least this way he knew what she was doing, now that he’d just learned about her. Putting her back into hiding would be…frustrating.

~***~

Neria did chuckle as Milo told her she could lay down as well. She was exhausted. Likely, she’d fall asleep as soon as she let her head down, and that was something they couldn’t afford. “Another survival rule, Milo. When you travel in groups, one person has to stay awake while the others rest. Don’t worry, I have a lot of practice, so you three can rest.”

She did mean Poe in that.

“If you’re sure….” Though Mari already sounded partially gone. Neria reached out to stroke her head.

“Rest,” she said, rather than answer directly. She was obviously sure about her decision. The Order was still out there, and there were dangers Jakku had all on its own. “I’ll be waking you all up sooner than you want me to.” She gave a bit of a cheeky smile at that, but she fully meant it. They would be back to traveling sooner than any of them wanted.

Another, terrible part of adventuring.

 

[cleopat]

Verena’s gaze had wandered to a specific spot on the floor as her mind drifted into many, many different thoughts. Many thoughts on failure, on her own abilities, of what she could do to become greater. To be the favorite of Snoke.

They were thoughts that frequently kept her up at night.

When the shuttle shuddered as it landed back in the hangar, her mind returned to the present around her, just as Kylo turned to her. Verena frowned. She hadn’t anticipated on staying on the Finalizer long enough to need quarters, but…it became increasingly apparent that Snoke intended for her to work with Kylo on this current mission.

“I haven’t had the need to stay on the Finalizer for an extended period of time before, so no, I do not have quarters on this ship.” She normally stayed closer to Snoke on the Supremacy. “Do you intend to share your quarters, Kylo?” she joked with a teasing smirk as she stood to disembark the shuttle.

~~~

Poe chuckled as the children didn’t really seem like they wanted to sleep, yet the temptation for a quick nap won out. He craned his neck to look at the two twins as they drifted off right next to one another, not wanting to be apart even in slumber.

He wouldn’t be joining them in having a nap, though he did force himself to relax, even if the bag and sand weren’t the most comfortable makeshift bed.

“So what other skills are you hiding? I would say surprising skills, but…” he shrugged. Anyone who knew anything about her family and her planet would know otherwise.

Just too bad the Imperials and Leia didn’t exactly get along, though Poe couldn’t fault her for that in the least. Grand Moff Tarkin was the one who ordered her planet to be destroyed. If anything, she had every right to hold a lifelong grudge. He just hoped she knew how to work past it if it meant a way to weaken the hold of the First Order.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo scowled at the inquiry, “No.” He stated flatly. “I only asked so I knew if quarters needed to be prepared. Mitaka, you can handle that,” he gave the order.

“Of course, Sir. Shall I let you know when they're prepared?”

“Yes,” he accepted.

Verena wouldn't have much of anything beyond that was in the shuttle which Kylo doubted was anything. He presumed she could handle any issues with lack of clothing or anything else. “But inform her as well,” he wasn't her keeper.

Mitaka looked at Verena, “Ah – Herald – are you in the system or do I need your contact information?” He didn't know her surname or he'd just look it up. As it was he had no idea how to locate her information if it was in the system.

Kylo headed off. He didn't need to stay when he could release some of his anger in the gym.

~***~

Poe seemed inclined to ignore rest as well. Not that Neria would complain, it would help her stay awake, but she still noted, “You can rest, Dameron. I know you've had a long day. I won't hold it against you..” First Terex, then Kylo. He really was taking abuse that day.

“But I've plenty of skills,” she didn't think any were surprising, but others seemed to. Dameron seemed to be keeping an open mind, and she knew what people like him cared about so far as skills went. “I built my own stealth corvette, for one. Adelaide is likely seeing if she can get that to us. It's a vast improvement on the Carrion Spike.” She still wanted the Spike though.

It belonged to her family.

“And I have my degree in philosophy.” Which really just made her more of an asshole in debates, but an asshole who was very good at logic tricks. The number of times she'd made both centrists and populists stumble on their own words was quite high.

“There's other things,” she wasn't humble, “but you don't really care, and I'm not one to deal with that when I'm not on the clock. So sleep.” She barely stopped herself from saying ‘bantha shit’ in regards to dealing with the false politeness of Dameron’s information seeking.

 

[cleopat]

Of course Kylo only asked to see if quarters needed to be prepared. Verena knew it as well. She just wanted to see what kind of reactions she could pull from him. It amused her, and it helped her better read him.

She wondered if he ever smiled beneath that helmet.

Mitaka directed his attention on her, a little less skittish than he was with Kylo, but he was still clearly on guard with her. She couldn’t blame him, and Verena almost relished the trepidation. “You can find me under Herald Drakos,” she confirmed.

Mitaka nodded, quickly searching and locating her in the contact information in the system. “And I’ll need some clothes as well,” she added with an eye roll. Really, if she had a warning that she would be here a few days, she could’ve prepared better!

But with that, and after leaving Mitaka a few more details for the clothes, she headed off in the direction Kylo left. She was bored, and what better way to spend the time than annoying the man who annoyed her?

He went to a gym, which was interesting enough to Verena. More so that the helmet was still on. She strolled into the gym after him, glancing around at the equipment they had. “So do you always keep your helmet on, even during exercising? Do you also shower with it on?”

~~~

“This is me resting,” Poe argued. His mind wouldn’t be able to shut off until he was in an environment he was completely comfortable in. In the desert on Jakku, with Neria Tarkin and two children, knowing the First Order was still relatively nearby, was not his definition of comfort.

“Wait, you’ve built your own stealth corvette?” That genuinely interested Poe. To be able to build his own stealth ships! For both his own personal reasons of interest, and also for reasons regarding the Resistance.

And he didn’t expect the philosophy background. That was…interesting? Unique? Completely unexpected, that’s for sure.

Poe did make a noise of disagreement after she stated he didn’t really care. “That’s where you’re wrong. I do care. I enjoy learning about others, even if we…don’t see eye-to-eye on everything.” He was a people-person! Everyone had a story and experiences that made them into who they were.

“But if you don’t want to talk about yourself, I won’t pry,” he conceded. He still wouldn’t sleep though.

 

[Lucyfer]

The gym wasn’t empty, but Kylo didn’t expect it to be. Nor did he clear it out. He was familiar with the people who came to this one, as he never had a ‘set’ time, unlike them. He got to see many different faces, but he knew them.

They never saw his, of course.

It was a discomfort to work in the helmet, but his face wasn’t to be visible to anyone. A point that Verena seemed to want to insist on making, as he loaded the barbell for his bench presses. “I do not take the mask out for activity. That would defeat its purpose of being useful in combat situations.” He was used to sweating in it.

Used to how hot it could get.

“Perhaps you should focus on yourself,” he said, “since we are in a gym.” With the barbell loaded, he slid underneath it. He didn’t use the Force when working out, so he didn’t have a spotter, either. If he lifted beyond his physical limit, he could always catch himself with the Force.

But he knew he needed his physical strength as well as his strength in the Force, so he tried to limit using that aid. “I presume you’re familiar with them, unless Supreme Leader Snoke does not insist on such from you.” He wouldn’t be surprised. She was in shape, after all, but he didn’t think that was Snoke’s insistence.

Snoke never seemed to care about the body. With how decrepit his own form was, that wasn’t a surprise. He didn’t know how to preserve it. Kylo intended to do a far better job at that. Better than Vader. Better than Snoke.

~***~

‘Rest is sleep.’

Although it was easy for Neria to imagine Poe talking in his sleep. Perhaps he did? That’d be an atrocious flaw for someone who had to keep secrets. She wasn’t surprised that he jumped at the mention of the stealth corvette. He was a flyboy, after all.

“Mm, we’ll see,” she said, “I suggest that you don’t because that kind of question usually only comes up from people who want something from me, as a way to fish for common interests so they can forge a faux bond to get what they want.” Politics was a terrible place, but it wasn’t just that.

She was too many things to too many people. She was always sought for the interests of others. “I don’t mind talking about myself, but make it interesting, Dameron. Don’t play coy and uninformed,” she smirked, “like, I know you’re a pilot, I know you flew with the New Republic and work with Leia. I know you have atrocious tastes in starships,” a small joke, she knew the merits of the X-Wing, “I don’t really care what secret talents you have,” she didn’t, “but I am fascinated that you partnered with a droid modeled after therapy droids, such as the QT units. Perhaps you’d care to elaborate how and why you partnered with a droid that many would want to avoid for the association with a weak mind.”

That was interesting. And it could be quite personal.

Or it could be nothing. But people weren’t often so brazen to ask such things overtly, because they only wanted the superficial, and to stay on good sides. The risk of offense drove so many off from actually knowing people.

Neria loathed that.

 

[cleopat]

Oh, so Kylo was a dramatic one. Never removing the damn mask. Did he sleep in it too? Bathe in it? Then how did he ever wash his hair or face?

Maybe he insisted on the mask all the time because he was disfigured, or ugly.

And he did look a little silly keeping it on while underneath a barbell.

Verena gave another glance at the weight racks after Kylo’s comment. Well, it could help with some pent of irritation and anger she felt, but she didn’t have any spare clothes at the moment, nor any quarters to go to quite yet. Perhaps later.

“Snoke never specified physical fitness. He did stress the importance of keeping the mind sharp, and,” she shrugged, “to me they were one in the same.” Working out did help her to clear her mind, and that mental clarity helped her to channel the Force better and improve during her training.

“I would also be lying to say that some vain reasons weren’t involved at all.” She could be proud of her looks!

~~~

Poe almost wanted to be offended that Neria would think so little of him, that he only fished for what would create some sort of temporary bond so that he can get what he wanted. Sure he would like for her to see the Resistance’s side more, but he wasn’t going to go about it that way. He’d prefer if that was more natural.

Politics really was a horrible world. He never knew how Leia could do it. He could see himself get far too passionate, or punch someone in the face.

He chuckled at her assessment of him, half tempted to defend his taste in starships. Instead, he focused on her questions of his droid and why he chose BB-8. “Well, I first got Beebee while I was still in the New Republic. Beebee was one of the droids I could choose as my droid companion, and…I don’t know.” Poe shrugged.

He wished there was a more exciting story, but there wasn’t.

“Something about the droid stuck out, and we’ve been pretty inseparable since. No matter how dangerous of a mission, Beebee is always there by my side.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Verena didn’t go to work out. No weights. No cardio. It seemed he was stuck with her as he temporarily racked the weights to take a brief break. His assumption about Snoke was right, at any rate. He didn’t speak to the physical body – but Verena found a way to incorporate it, anyways, and Kylo could agree.

Physical strain kept him from getting stuck in his thoughts.

When she mentioned vanity, he scoffed, but then reconsidered and sighed. It wasn’t the same sort of vanity, but he was proud of being intimidating. “And what exactly do your looks benefit you?” he asked as he gripped the bar again, not really grasping how she was making use of them, considering she didn’t intimidate him.

She annoyed him, but that wasn’t by virtue of her looks.

No, the first look at her, he’d mostly taken in the Force presence. He’d bypassed the physical entirely, and at this position, he couldn’t get another good look without being obvious in tilting his head, so he didn’t.

‘Later.’

And then he’d know what to look for, since she’d mention what she had to vain over – what purpose her looks served.

~***~

An option amongst several. Neria knew how the New Republic worked in that regards. Pilots were offered a droid. Usually, that droid would go back to the New Republic when the pilot left their station, but it seemed Poe did care enough. “A bond forged of convenience,” sometimes they were strong. Sometimes not.

Almost every bond she had was one of convenience. Born into the Tarkin family, her allies were allies of Wilhuff, allies of her family.

Making them hers was…a project.

“Intuition has its place. I suppose whatever stood out about BB-8, was right to stand out in that way if he has become such a stalwart companion.” She couldn’t deny intuition either. She wasn’t touched by the Force, as some would claim all intuition had to do with that, but she knew it.

She wouldn’t be alive without intuition, and quick thinking. She’d be dead in the Carrion Plateau without it. “See? That’s far more interesting than special interests,” the story itself perhaps lacked anything interesting, but it spoke to several characteristics she already saw in Dameron. “Now let’s see how you are with assumptions – why do you think I dislike Princess Organa?”

 

[cleopat]

Verena frowned at Kylo’s question. She personally thought it was obvious, but then again, Kylo didn’t seem like he was exactly the most observant in certain matters. She didn’t think he would see how her looks benefitted her, unless it was in the intimidation territory.

She knew she could never be physically intimidating. She was too small. But she could still strike fear in other ways.

“Because of my looks, many often underestimate me, and when they do, and then they realize how quick I can strike them down, their reactions are so delicious.” Their surprise and their sudden fear are something she always relished.

That’s what they get for underestimating Verena.

Of course that wasn’t the only reason her looks benefitted her, but she would leave the other reason unspoken. Something told her that Kylo wouldn’t understand the desire to have a tight ass. Or maybe he did. He was an enigma to her in many regards.

Verena changed the subject with a question that popped in her head, “Have you had a sparring partner recently?”

~~~

Poe agreed with Neria. It was a bond initially forged out of convenience, but it was one that evolved into a close relationship where they trust each other with their lives.

He just hoped that bond would lead them back to one another. He couldn't imagine any other astromech droid flying with him and aiding him on missions.

Poe chuckled at Neria. Maybe it was more interesting than special interests. He couldn’t disagree. What exactly did it tell Neria about him? Maybe that he had good intuition, that his gut instinct didn’t lead him astray. He’d like to think so.

“I know people have many different reasons that they don’t like General Organa.” He wouldn’t call her princess. She would forever be a general to him. “I know many don’t agree with her politics, and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were one. I also know she can be stubborn and hold a grudge, and, well, given what happened to Alderaan…” that didn’t need any explanation. Poe was certain Leia may have allowed some of that prejudice to affect the way she treated Neria and the other descendents of Imperials.

“Am I anywhere near close?” he wondered, craning his neck to look over at Neria.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo at least understood being underestimated. Despite all his efforts, some fools still opted to underestimate him and challenge him. Of course, people had still challenged Vadar. It was how he could grow his legacy, overcoming every foolish challenger and putting their ambitions to rest.

He finished his third set as Verena asked him about a sparring partner. “Phasma,” that was his first, immediate answer, before considering that she likely also meant ‘with the Force’, which was…significantly harder to find.

Snoke didn’t spar.

“The Knights of Ren, when they are around, serve as sparring partners, as well.” Unfortunately, they were around less and less of late. He disliked it. He was their commander, but they were never around to prove he commanded any group!

Snoke always had them off on other missions, and his focus had been on Luke Skywalker for so long, he’d lost touch with them. Once he found Luke, he could reconnect with them.

It didn’t occur to him that she was offering, “I’m sure you find such partners amongst the others of Lian.” Were they all Heralds, or was that her title as leader of them? He presumed there were others, at any rate.

~***~

General.

Princess.

Leia had her own number of titles, and Neria kept that easy smile on her lips as Poe offered his ideas. Politics and Leia’s own disdain for the Tarkin family. Neria shook her head when he asked if he was close, “I’m afraid not. I have friends of the same political spectrum as she, and even people not friends whom I happen to respect, such as rebel scum Amilyn Holdo. Even if she is a worthless pathfinder,” there was a joke in there, as both ‘rebel scum’ and ‘worthless pathfinder’ were said with affection, rather than any venom.

She was pretty sure Holdo disliked her, though, but that was fine by her. She didn’t see the other woman as a friend, after all.

“As for Leia’s dislike for my family, that is something I understood,” the past tense might be the only clue Poe would get to the real reason. Something had changed. It wasn’t a reason she understood any longer. “Seems you’ve more to figure out about me,” and special interests weren’t going to help him there.

She’d allow him a breath to consider the direction he wanted to go, as she glanced down at Milo and Mari, seeming asleep. She’d assume they were, for now. Even if they weren’t, it wasn’t bad that they were laying down and resting.

 

[cleopat]

Verena wasn’t surprised that Phasma often sparred with Kylo. The two seemed to be on equal footing when it came to fighting without the Force, and she couldn’t imagine any normal Stormtrooper or First Order officer to agree to spar with Kylo Ren. Not with how scared most of them seem to be of him.

And his Knights of Ren, of course. Just like how she sparred with the other Heralds, whenever she saw them. They had been a bit more scattered recently, thanks to separate missions.

She needed to make it so that their names were more recognized! More feared.

Verena hummed in agreement. She did find such partners amongst the Heralds of Lian, but it seemed that Kylo didn’t understand what she was offering. “How about a spar, right now?” There, he couldn't miss that, could he?

The both of them may be getting tired from the long day, but that could potentially lead into a more interesting spar.

~~~

Poe frowned as Neria stated that he was wrong in his guesses. He supposed that he did have more to figure out about Neria, but there wouldn’t be much more time for that. They would get picked up by her Imperial friends, and then they would go their separate ways.

He heard the name she threw around, Amilyn Holdo, but he never had the chance to meet her. Even then, he could understand the light-hearted tone and jest in her words.

“Will you let me learn more about you?” he chuckled, his head turning to look up at the stars. A night as clear as it could get. “What…what was your impression of General Organa when you first met her?” he asked. Maybe then he could figure out Neria better.

Or she could continue to play coy and refuse to answer the question.

 

[Lucyfer]

Verena offered a challenge, and Kylo canted his head at it. ‘Why?’

His anger towards her had dissipated into simmering annoyance that she pestered him while he was working out. She’d likely continue to do so, either because she was waiting on her room, or because she wanted to annoy him. Hard to say.

Kylo couldn’t think of another reason.

Sparring with her would at least turn that annoyance into something productive, and it’d still be working out. It’d be working out in a way he didn’t get to do as often, as well – the Force. He did meditate, of course, and he did practice in those ways, but he didn’t get to do much active work with the Force.

Still, he wondered at the motive. Was it just boredom? ‘It doesn’t matter.’ He’d learn her weaknesses. He’d learn what strengths she had, though given how Snoke didn’t see much in her, he didn’t think he’d find anything that would threaten him. “Fine. If it’ll put an end to you annoying me when we’re done.”

Maybe just by sending her to the medbay.

Either way, he got up, and cleaned the bar of weights before heading to the exit of the gym to head to the sparring area. He had to have a special one, for when he did use the Force.

~***~

‘I wouldn’t be letting you ask me things beyond small talk if I didn’t want you to know me.’ Neria didn’t say as much, but let Poe stumble onto a question that was outside the normal realm of dialogue. What was her first impression of Leia?

“I was a child when I met her,” how strange to think of it now, but she’d been, perhaps six or seven? The war hadn’t really ended until five years after the Battle of Yavin. Jova had passed by then, and so she met Leia when she accompanied her father to the senate. “It was on Riosa. The Senate had transferred operations from Nakadia to Riosa. It was supposed to rotate every year,” but it had been at Hosnian Prime for the past six years.

Neria didn’t actually have a problem with it. She preferred it be more stationary.

“That’s not important,” obviously, that wasn’t what Poe was asking about, “Princess Leia was cold, and terse. I suppose some may have given her leniency for her moods since she’d just given birth recently, but she was also choosing to work in such an…emotionally charged environment, and she seemed to want nothing to do with speaking about any compromises my father was proposing. I don’t even recall what it was, but I remember he brought me because he thought a child might help Leia connect, being a new mother,” she chuckled and shook her head, “it didn’t. He went to Mon Mothma instead. I think she may have helped in smoothing things over for…whatever it was.”

No, she really didn’t remember.

“I didn’t like her then,” of course not, “I grew up, of course. I understood what Wilhuff did to her, and I understood more about her personal situations at the time, but my first impression was atrocious.” She’d let that cool. She’d respected Organa for a while afterwards, despite Leia’s obvious dislike. “I doubt I made much of an impression on her until I became a Senator, though. She may not even remember that first meeting,” Neria was pretty sure she didn’t. She was a busy woman. Why would she remember such a thing as that? “How did you meet Princess Organa?”

No doubt, that went significantly better.

 

[cleopat]

Verena nearly grinned when Kylo agreed to her offer of sparring. No, it wouldn’t stop her annoying him, as long as Kylo annoyed and angered her simply by being. By Snoke constantly uttering his name to her.

Maybe she was setting herself up for failure, but at least she could gauge what kind of fighter Kylo was, and analyze his fighting style. No doubt he used his size to his advantage.

She could use her speed to her own.

“That heavily depends,” she said to his own reason for his agreement. Maybe she wouldn’t stop annoying him. Or angering him. Or anything to get underneath his skin.

Verena followed him out the gym and to the sparring area. “Any rules you want to establish?” Somehow she doubted he was one who would bring in restrictions to the spar, especially when it involved her.

But still, she asked, as she began to think of different strategies to take down Kylo’s ego a notch.

~~~

Poe remained silent as he listened to Neria’s story regarding the first time she met Leia. It was when she was young, young enough that she didn’t think Leia would remember the encounter. She recalled the older woman as being cold and terse, which…well, Poe wouldn’t doubt it. It was sometimes necessary in politics, especially as a new mother.

Politicians preyed after one another over the smallest things. A new mother would have been perfect bait.

Perhaps it was knowing that Leia may have been more difficult to work with at the time, more difficult to reason with, but Poe knew that she could still be difficult to work with at times. If she had her mind set on something, she intended to see it through.

Poe thought back to when he first met Leia, which he really couldn’t remember. “I’ve known her my entire life. My parents were both part of the Rebellion. My mother was a well decorated pilot, and my father was an amazing Pathfinder.” Really, it was no wonder why he was on the path he chose in life, from a New Republic pilot to defecting to the Resistance.

“After the Empire fell, they kept in contact with General Organa, and so I’ve always known her, and my parents always told stories of working with her in the Rebellion.” And as a result, he also grew up with her son, Ben Solo.

But that was an entirely different story and heartache.