Fandom Star Wars: Power & Control

[cleopat]

Cassia felt as if she could read the doubts, the hesitations, and the thoughts that Poe flickered through. She wasn’t sure if she was always so easily able to read him, or he always wore his heart on his sleeve, but she reminded herself to assure him later that she wanted to do this. To return to the Resistance.

Of course, a conversation with General Organa was still needed, and that would be her ultimate decider.

Her sister smiled at Poe. “I know you won’t.” Not only because she heard enough stories of Poe’s loyalty and bravery from Cassia, but because Cara could just feel that he meant every word he said. “And I know you will keep her safe.”

Cassia couldn’t tell if her sister meant she knew that Poe or the Resistance would keep her safe, but a gut instinct, or maybe a sisterly instinct, told her it was the former. Dammit Cara. “We’ll be fine on our own, but thank you for the offer,” her sister continued.

Cassia nearly stepped in right then, but a tiny voice drew her attention. She looked down at her nephew, and her heart almost broke into two with his question, and with the uncertainty in his eyes. Not even Cara stepped in. Sighing, Cassia stepped closer to Karhem, and kneeled so that they could be face-to-face easier.

“You remember those bad guys that killed your father?” The toddler nodded, but remained silent. “Poe over here and his friends,” she motioned over to the man in question, “are doing everything they can to stop these bad guys from hurting anyone else, and I used to help them until I came back to help you and your mom.”

The little boy’s eyes were wide as he shifted his gaze between Cassia and Poe. “You mean like heroes? Like those old tales of the Jedis?”

Cassia chuckled and rose back to her feet. “Something like that. Now, I need to go and pack a few things before I leave, but I will be sure to talk to you again before we do leave, alright?”

The little boy nodded. “Can I play with BB-8 in the meantime?” Cassia didn’t answer, but instead looked over at Poe, as if BB-8 already didn’t want to entertain the boy.

-

Kylo could see the metaphorical feathers of Varsha ruffle with every passing comment of his and the Knights’. He wondered exactly just how far he could push her until she snapped back in a way she knew would draw forth physical anger from one of them, especially himself.

He was curious to see that happen.

He knew already of the anger she held, of how she wanted him dead. Of course, many wanted that. He was certain Varsha would have to fight General Hux for that honor of either striking the final blow or watching his body fall cold to the floor.

The others laughed with her light jab. “We don’t strive to be great hosts,” one of them commented with another chuckle.

While he spoke, Kylo’s dark gaze followed Varsha as she sauntered forward. His brow twitched, but he forced himself to remain silent as she spoke, and when he sensed one of his Knights were to interject, he held up a hand to silence them. He allowed the words to sink in. “Although the idea of you bending over is delicious,” he began, and the Knights laughed.

Again, he raised one hand, and motioned for them to leave. Without another word, though several of them desperately wished to have gotten in one last word, they left, and once again, Kylo and Varsha were left alone. “Maybe we can find some common ground yet, Senator,” he hummed, taking one step closer to her, leaving little space between their bodies.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Poe watched as Cassia kneeled before Karhem, as she gestured to him as she spoke. He felt saddened by the information. The additional information of Karhem’s father, and how he was somehow lost at the hands of the bad guys. He looked at Cara, then, with sympathy in his eyes. He wanted to say something, about how he was sorry, feeling as if the offense was on his hands, personally.

But he said nothing.

His eyes returned to Cassia and her nephew, a small grin growing on his face as he spoke of heroes and ‘Jedis’. He wouldn’t group himself in with that. But his friends? Yeah, definitely. His own aunt, she was one of those heroes. She would be again, too, if she decided to stay with the Resistance. He knew, technically, it was just a talk with Leia. But he felt in himself that he was taking Cassia away from her family. For a while.

Hopefully, one day, when the war was over, he’d be flying her right back to this house. Landing in the meadow. And she could hold her family and not have to worry about leaving again.

Poe didn’t have to think before he answered Karhem’s question, “Yeah, of course, buddy. I think BB-8 would be happy to play with you. The droid knows a thing or two about Jedi, too.” Poe winked and BB-8 beeped enthusiastically. The droid was good with kids. Poe looked to Cassia, “Do you, uh, need help packing?” He asked, running a hand through his hair.

His intention was, partly, to interrogate her. Ask her why she hadn’t trusted him with this information. He understood the desire to protect her family. But didn't she know he'd have gone to any length to protect her? Her family?

-

Varsha supposed she should have expected such a crass and indecent twist of her words from Kylo Ren. Somehow, she had foolishly expected more from the man. Oh, and stars how the Knights’ laughter irritated her. The sound assaulted her ears like an airhorn. It took much of her strength not to snap on any of them. On Kylo. She could only glare as Kylo dismissed them. She stared where their retreating forms had been long after they were gone.

She and Kylo were alone. But she felt no better chances then than she did when she was surrounded by the Knights.

He stepped closer, crowded her, but she did not step back. That’s what he wanted, wasn’t it? For her to cower, or show weakness? Well, she wouldn’t. Her fingers curled into a fist and she placed it between them, pressing it against his terribly firm chest. A poor attempt to keep him from coming closer, as if her hand could keep him from doing anything.

She frowned at his suggestion, now having to crane her neck a bit to glare at his face. “I don’t know if I want to hear what you’d consider common ground. I’m not sure you know what that means.” She wasn’t certain what his angle was. Kylo Ren was hard to read. “I don’t know who you think I am. If you’re propositioning me in exchange for my agreeability, it won’t work.”

She let her hand fall to her side. “You’re not the first man, let alone person to try. Perhaps it’s worked for you before. But if you want it, have some sense. You’re the Supreme Leader. The First Order’s decisions are yours alone, but I am here to advise. And I’m quite good at what I do. There's no shame in being informed."

 

[cleopat]

Karhem cheered as he was told he could play with BB-8 some, and the droid seemed just as enthusiastic to stay with the kid for a little bit longer. Cassia smiled at the sight, a bittersweet smile as she knew it would be some time before she would see her nephew’s joyful smile again.

Taking a nearby seat, her sister remained focused on the boy and the droid with a soft smile.

Cassia turned to Poe. The implications in his question did not escape her notice, nor did the way his hair moved when he brushed his hand through it. Snap out of it. This is Poe Dameron, your friend.

Her inner thoughts did not help her at all.

“Uh, yeah, sure, follow me.” She gestured with a wave of her hand for him to follow, and Cassia set off down a short hallway and to a bedroom on the left. The room was fairly clean, and the bed made up. The one thing that showed a bit of Cassia’s personality was the desk in the corner, covered with various tools.

“Close the door behind you.” There was a conversation to be had, and Cassia didn’t want her nephew overhearing anything. She walked to the bed and knelt on the floor beside it. Reaching one arm under it, she pulled out a suitcase and set it on the bed. “I know you’re probably left with more questions than answers.”

-

Kylo could only feel amusement from the glare of the woman, as if she could cause any harm to him. The Knights were gone, and they were left alone once again.

He had stepped closer, and Varsha made a futile attempt to stop him in his tracks. Bemused, Kylo did pause, if only to see what she had planned, if anything at all, or if she wanted to say anything.

And oh, she did. She had a few things to say to him. A flicker of anger flashed across his face. She dared to be so bold to him? But he didn’t allow the anger to linger. He even felt a slimmer of admiration, for Varsha did not once back down from threats by one who could snap her neck in an instant.

Really, Kylo had to commend that tenacity.

A few seconds later, after silence from Kylo, he backed up a few steps from Varsha. “Maybe I was wrong about you.” He wasn’t entirely convinced in his words. “You are a bold one, foolishly so, aren’t you?”

The question had been rhetorical, but Kylo half expected her to answer anyways. “And perhaps overly confident in your own abilities, but that remains to be seen.” He would judge if she was indeed a great advisor.

He took a few more steps away from Varsha and sat down in a nearby chair, all while his dark gaze remained focused on the woman. “Well then, if you have anything to advise me on right now,” his arms gestured open, “I am all ears.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Of course Poe followed her down the hall, into the bedroom on the left. He took his first glance around her room as he closed the door behind him, as per her instructions. No doubt were they going to have a conversation, Poe would have wanted the privacy even if it was just Cassia’s sister and Karhem wasn’t at risk of hearing anything. He wasn’t sure if he’d get upset or not.

He didn’t want anyone to see him as anything less than the dashing, brave pilot he had become known as.

His glance around the room didn’t yield anything that made the place scream Cassia. It was so clean and organized. It didn’t hold the same personality he was used to. Except for, of course, the desk in the corner. Now that was the Cass he knew. He gravitated towards it to examine it while she pulled out her suitcase. He couldn’t help but snort when she said he probably had more questions than answers. “You think?”

He sighed, fiddling with a tool before he turned back to her. “Why didn’t you tell me? About anything? I thought…,” He thought they were closer, better friends than that. “I could’ve done something, I could’ve kept all of you safe.” That was a tall order, and perhaps it wasn’t true. But he could have tried, he could have done everything he could. Karhem’s father, if he’d known...Poe couldn’t have stopped him from being a part of the Resistance, but he could have made sure he wasn’t sent anywhere dangerous.

Or maybe he could've talked to the man, put into perspective the fact that he had a family to think of. Something, anything. “The Resistance has connections. Me, I have people who could have helped look after all of you. I just–I don’t understand.”

-

Varsha was silently relieved when Kylo backed away from her. She took that as a sign of him not going to snap her neck. For the moment, anyway. Her shoulders relaxed, even as she crossed her arms over her chest. And she would answer his rhetorical question, of course, “Maybe I am. Maybe I am foolish, but I’m not a fool,” that sounded asinine itself.

She knew she was pushing Kylo, and that act was foolish. She wasn’t deluded about that. But she wasn’t incompetent, and she knew whatever perceptions Kylo had of her were wrong. She was raised for this, trained. Maybe she was overconfident, but she did know what she was doing.

“I have a lot to advise you on. Where should I begin?” With his bad attitude, maybe? A lot of them were personal attacks with some unkind words, so she wouldn’t say any of those. She would keep it professional. In subject matter. “Perhaps with the lack of support from, well, the people you should be seeking support from.” The ones in high positions. Snoke had managed easily enough because progress could be seen, with Starkiller.

“Many are hesitant to back you and the First Order because you’ve shown no promise since taking the mantle from Snoke,” which well, was questionable in itself. How did one girl kill Snoke and his entire guard? There had to be more to that, but that was probably too much. “You’re lacking direction and you’re losing the politics.” If he was a leader, he had to show it.

“You need a statement. I can help, if you tell me what you want. Your goals. Beyond hunting down one Jedi.”

 

[cleopat]

Cassia allowed her gaze to flicker towards Poe as he took in her room and notice the slight mess on her desk. Her jaw clenched, but Poe had every right to feel the way he did right now. Just as much as Cassia had every right to withhold the information that she did from him.

The clothes in her dresser held more attention and fascination for her as Poe began to spew out his questions. She didn’t have the courage to look him in the eye right then, not while she was formulating an answer. Clothes were grabbed from the dresser and thrown haphazardly into her suitcase.

“I didn’t tell anyone,” Cassia started, before sighing and turning to finally face him. Well, she didn’t tell anyone except the General. “You already do so much for the Resistance. Did you really need something else to think of?” They had been close friends, and Cassia knew Poe would do anything to protect those he cared about. It was exactly that she had been afraid of. They didn’t need him. The Resistance did. “Something to distract you from the bigger goal here?”

It had been a decision Cassia hated, to withhold information from Poe, but she also didn’t regret it. “Yes, you may have connections, but we live in uncertain times right now.” Cassia paused in her packing and sighed. “I know it was a big thing to not tell you, and for that I am sorry. But I’m not sorry for the choices I have made.”

~~

Varsha remained guarded near Kylo, that much he could see. He nearly snorted at her inane comment, but maybe she was right. Varsha may be foolish, but she wouldn’t hold the position she did if she was a fool. She knew what she was doing, though had she ever had to deal with someone like Kylo Ren?

He doubted it.

She certainly didn’t wait before starting her analysis of what Kylo should do. Much must have already been on her mind, and Kylo didn’t know if he was impressed or annoyed. Perhaps both.

“I have support.” He had some. “Fear helps.” It certainly helped some officers to quickly accept Kylo’s new position as Supreme Leader. No one dared to question him, for fear of his anger. But within him, he knew fear wouldn’t lead to loyalty.

That was far more valuable.

Varsha’s words were those Kylo didn’t want to hear, but he had to, because she had a point. What kind of leadership had he shown the First Order aside from his anger? Politics...had never quite been his strong suit, despite who his mother was. Clearly the genes did not pass on.

So what did he want?

“I want to build a new empire,” he answered. To finish his grandfather’s legacy. “Create and have full control of this empire.” And ensure the end of the New Republic. Kylo took a step away from Varsha. “How can you create a statement from that?”

 

[KyloGlenn]

“What I need or don’t need to think of isn’t really for you to decide. That’s me. And I’ve always kept my focus on the bigger goal,” it’s what his whole life revolved around, what he’d dedicated it to. Everything he did, in some way, was for the purpose of saving and protecting the galaxy. Just as he’d been raised to believe in. “I’m quite capable of multitasking.” He’d already had a dedicated space in his mind for Cassia.

Not that he’d say that. But it included her and everything about her, and he’d have easily extended that to her family if she’d let him in on it.

Poe sighed, resting a hand on his hip, the other running through his hair and holding it back for a moment as he gathered his thoughts and feelings. He wasn’t angry with her, not so much as he was...hurt, he supposed. He was uncertain of how to put that into words. “You don’t have anything to apologize for anyway.” She didn’t have to apologize for not telling him.

She certainly didn’t have to apologize for her decision.

“You’ve just been doing what you thought was best for your family.” He supposed he understood that much, partly anyway. He got the intent, not the method. “A goodbye, at least, would’ve been nice.” He did mumble as he moved to sit awkwardly at the edge of her bed. “Or a lie,” like she’d been reassigned or something. Something that would’ve given him more closure. Instead of being left with the feeling of abandonment. Thinking she’d given up everything for no good reason.

Of course, he’d probably have made a scene about her reassignment, taken it up with General Organa. Still. He’d thought so many bad things about the situation, about her. He was ashamed of that now, and wished he hadn’t thought them in the first place. He had no right to be angry with her. “Cass, if you decide to stay with the Resistance...there’s no room for any more withholding.” Even if she thought he couldn’t, shouldn’t, be distracted.

-

“You’re going to need more than fear to get you where you want.” Varsha put it simply. She tried to word it in a way he’d make sense of, hopefully, with something he knew, “Not even Palpatine managed what he did with fear alone,” even if it had been a factor. He’d earned loyalty, even if much of it may or may not have been manipulated.

“If you want this empire, if you want control of it, you have to actually be capable of it. Which requires quite a bit of work, unfortunately,” for both Kylo and herself, since she’d accepted the task of helping this man.

“But creating a statement from it is easy, in theory. You can’t tell someone this statement, you have to show it. Make yourself known to the galaxy, to the Senate, as a leader. As someone in control already. By that, I mean informed, put together. They need to know you’re not a petulant child.” He was far from a child, of course, but her point stood. Ruling with anger and fear didn’t inspire much.

“Even if your goal is to abolish the Senate,” which Varsha wasn’t opposed to, even with herself being a Senator. It was just a means of power. “You need political knowledge. You need more allies within. Fear won’t work on a lot of them,” many of them had seen the Galactic Empire come and go.

Of course, he couldn’t charm all of them. ‘If any…’ “Perhaps the most clear cut statement, and I have no doubt this is something within your realm of capabilities, is shows of power. Claim things. If some planet refuses to submit their allegiance or their resources, take them. Not out of anger, but calculated.” Importantly, make sure everyone knew it was a power play and not spite. “I know you’re more competent than you seem,” a bit of a backhanded compliment. He could handle this, if he put his mind to it. How else had he gotten where he was?

She truly doubted it was a matter of simple convenience.

 

[cleopat]

Cassia almost felt like a child being chastised. Poe certainly could focus on the bigger picture, and she knew she should have made any assumptions about him. Assume he would allow himself to get distracted from the Resistance, which, in hindsight, now seemed ridiculous to Cassia. Had Poe once suggested he would allow for easy distractions?

Never.

Her eyes rested on the way his hair bounced as his fingers ran through the strands. Stop it. Now was not the time to allow her mind down such a path. If there was ever a right time.

Cassia sighed, and moved to sit on the edge of the bed next to Poe. “I suppose I could’ve done things better,” she admitted. There one day, gone the next, not even a note left behind to explain what was going on, with Leia agreeing to her secrecy. “After I heard what had happened, I just...panicked.” And she needed to see her sister as soon as possible without much thought to everyone in the Resistance, even Poe.

“But if I decide to leave again abruptly, I’ll be sure to tell you first.” Cassia intended her last statement as a joke, but deep down, she wondered if she could leave again. Leave the Resistance behind, leave Poe behind, leave everything again. But then there were her sister, and her nephews. They could take care of themselves, but they were the only family she had left.

Jumping into a sarlacc pit may be an easier decision for her.

One hand reached out to squeeze Poe’s arm, before Cassia pulled back and stood up. “Though I think my sister may complain if I show back up so soon again.”

~~

Kylo didn’t immediately say anything. He knew Varsha was right. He needed more than just fear. Palpatine had fear, but he also had loyalty. Manipulation. Kylo could do that, but he knew proper manipulation may need some help. Such as help from the woman standing before him.

He was willing to put in the work to obtain the empire he wanted, but was he willing to get the help he needed to see his dreams come to fruition? He had to try.

And Kylo had been called a petulant child once or twice before. Previous Supreme Leader Snoke came to mind. He had to ensure that no one would even dare to think of him in such a way ever again.

But did he wish to abolish the Senate? Not even the Empire did that until later on. Having a system of close allies to help watch over the thousands of galaxies would be ideal, something similar to the Moffs of the old Empire, but he didn’t voice that thought right now. It could come later.

Kylo fully considered Varsha’s words of advice. Yes, he had the plan of showing the might of the First Order with taking planets, but he had to ask, “And if you had the choice of which planet to strategically take first, which would you choose?” The destruction of the Hosnian System showcased the might of the First Order well enough, to which he wondered if other planets in the Core would easily surrender.

Dark eyes studied the woman intently. “Perhaps I judged you too harshly.” The words were almost mocking in tone, but he meant them to some extent. Kylo would keep a close eye on Varsha for the foreseeable future, and if she slipped up, he would be quick to know.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“We all could have done things better,” Poe mumbled. But they couldn’t go back and do anything about it now, not that they would if they could. He had to understand her panic, her concern. Of course he wished he could have prevented all of this, but he couldn’t. Now all that was left was to get over it, because he couldn’t be angry about it forever.

Poe’s brows did furrow for just a moment with concern at what he recognized as her joke. He was just a tad fearful, reluctant to think of the possibility of her leaving again. But she was just joking so he let his face relax, allowed an easy smile and a snort of a laugh. “Gee, thanks.” The chance was high, at least he felt like it was, for her to pull a mad dash. She still had to have her talk with Leia, after all. He supposed he could only hope that she would tell him if she intended to leave again.

He felt her hand on his arm, a gentle squeeze. It was a moment all too fleeting and he found his eyes lingering where her hand had been. But lingering even longer was the warmth he felt where she’d touched him, and it spread through him. Poe had forgotten that feeling. The effect she had on him. A much more genuine smile settled on his lips then. He thought to reach out, catch her hand as she stood. But he refrained, standing himself. “Maybe. Maybe not. You don’t realize what you’re missing until it’s gone.”

Poe knew that all too well.

“She’ll miss her free babysitter.” He teased, even though he did feel a bit bad for taking Cass away from her nephew. ‘It’s for something better,’ he told himself. He’d make sure Cassia would reunite with her family, too, after all of this. “Is there anything you want me to grab?” He gestured around to her room. He was an extra set of hands, though he wasn’t about to drag her bedroom furniture out to the ship.

-

“Which planet we go for depends entirely on what the First Order is capable of at the moment. If you want to make a statement, you’d want to go for a Core planet. They have the most influence, really, so taking an Outer Rim or a Mid Rim planet is of little concern to them, really.” The Core wouldn’t care. They wouldn’t blink because it wasn’t them. Of course, her homeworld was a Core planet. She knew these things.

She supposed, if nothing else, they could stage an overtaking of her planet. If they had to. It would be hard to sell given the history, however.

“Coruscant, Chandrila, places like those would be too difficult to take control of,” too many people, or too much of a statement. Those were planets one took when they were winning a war. “But perhaps a planet in the same systems, same sectors…” She mused. That would be good. “Sissubo, maybe. Metellos, something like that.” Off the top of her head, anyway. She shrugged. They should probably discuss it in a group setting, where they could receive information on the many aspects of the Order and what it would take.

She did lift an eyebrow at his words, that he’d judged her too harshly. Yes, they sounded mocking, and she wasn’t sure whether she should or would take them as a compliment or not. “Perhaps you did. Perhaps we both judged each other prematurely.” Though Varsha was still almost entirely full of doubt.

“I’ll withhold from judging you too harshly until you actually do something to warrant it.” Verbally, anyway. Accomplishment, failure, whatever.

That’s all Varsha could offer, though. She knew right away they would not get along, but they didn’t have to to get anything done.

 

[cleopat]

Yes, we all could have done things better. But that would be left unsaid. It would only be best to focus on the present, and what they would do in the future. And any drastic decision she made regarding the Resistance, Cassia would try and make sure Poe knew about them. He was right, no one ever realizes what they’ll miss until it was gone. And she missed him.

The subject changed, and she chuckled a bit. “Oh yeah. She’ll miss those extra naps she’s been able to squeeze in.” And Cassia will miss her nephews, and wondered, if she stayed with the Resistance this time, how long would she be away? Would she miss them grow up? And if something happened to her, her sister would have lost everyone, except for her two kids.

A slight frown tugged at her lips, before she covered it with a smile. “You can grab my suitcase,” she said with a wide grin. “I will grab my tools.” She stepped over to her messy desk and grabbed the toolbox laying on the floor next to it. “I figured you wouldn’t mind carrying it.” As she spoke, Cassia started placing all of her tools into the toolbox, closing it once her desk was cleared off, except for the random object she had been working on.

It was junk anyways.

“Well, I guess I’m ready then,” she said, slight hesitation in her voice. Would she ever be ready to leave her sister again? Nevertheless, Cassia walked to her bedroom door and opened it for Poe. Down the hall, she could hear Karhem’s laughter and the trills of BB-8. She took a pause though in the doorway, and looked back at Poe. “Do you forgive me?” Her voice was soft, afraid of what he might say.

Poe had every right to still be angry, but Cassia didn’t want that. She wanted what they had before, and maybe even something more.

~~

Kylo stood there and listened to every word that came from between Varsha’s lips. He wouldn’t interrupt her, instead soaking in the advice she was sent there to give. What could he complain about? Nothing, really. It was all logical, and he found it perhaps even a little irritating.

He wanted her to be incompetent, for his own gratification. Oh well, there was still time.

“We had already shown the Core worlds the might that the First Order is capable of,” Kylo mentioned. “The destruction of the Hosnian system was seen by many,” and most may still not know that their superweapon was destroyed by the Resistance. They may think it was still out there, waiting to strike its next target of whomever crosses with the First Order.

Some planets may be willing to hand over control if it meant they were safe from total annihilation.

But they should test this theory first. Start off with a less populated planet, as Varsha suggested, such as Sissubo. Coruscant may be the hardest planet to conquer, but if they could take the Chandrila system? The other systems in the Core would fall like dominoes.

A smirk crossed his face at Varsha’s judgement. “And I shall do the same,” he promised. Kylo took a few slow, calculated steps towards her, his dark gaze running over her body in contemplation. “And if that holds true,” he paused right before her, close enough where he could reach out and touch her if he wanted, “then you will be of great use to me.”

A valuable asset to help patch any holes in his plans. He couldn’t let the First Order fall like the Empire. He had to succeed. Failure was not an option.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Poe’s brows furrowed as he watched her pack up her tools, thinking to mention that the Resistance had tools too, more variety too, but he refrained. They weren’t just any tools, they were hers and he could understand it from that point. Thought it to be cute. His lips quirked into a smile and he lightly shook his head, lifting her suitcase off of her bed. He’d missed all her little Cassia-isms.

But he didn’t fail to notice her hesitation. And he could hear the laughter of her nephew with BB-8. As enthusiastic as he was to have her back, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was right to find her, to pull her into this mess again. It wasn’t just her, like he’d thought, it was her family, too. How long would she be away? Would her nephews remember her? Karhem, sure, but the baby?

Yes, Poe decided. They both would see plenty of Cass, and Cass would get to see both Karhem and Kev grow up. He’d make sure of it. There was no reason for Cassia to not be able to return home on occasion.

He intended to follow her out of her room, suitcase in hand, but she paused. So he did too. He waited. Waited for her to say she changed her mind. But she didn’t, and instead asked if he forgave her. Her voice was soft, soft and sweet and he just about melted at the sound of it.

Did he forgive her? “Of course. I think we have a lot of...rebuilding to do. But I’ve never been able to stay mad at you.” Poe’s voice matched her own soft tone. His free hand reached for her, gently brushing her hair away from her face, his fingers lingering a second too when his fingers brushed against her skin. Then he let his hand fall back to his side. “We can talk about...us later. I’ve got to get my droid back before he decides he wants to stay.” And Cassia needed to say goodbye to her family, but he didn’t say that. She knew it.

-

“The destruction of Starkiller will be known by many soon enough. Word spreads quickly in the Republic, and I have no doubt the Resistance will be quick to spread the news. The First Order can’t survive on the destruction of the Hosnian System.” For now, sure. But once the Senate knew the mighty Starkiller–whose power was supposed to surpass the Death Star–had faced the same fate as the planets in the Hosnian system, the First Order wouldn’t seem so strong.

He sauntered closer to her, once again threatening to close the distance between them entirely. She didn’t back away or put her hand between them, but if she could have straightened any more than she already was, she would have. Varsha could swear she could feel the warmth radiating from him, which meant he was much too close. Even worse is she was now well acquainted with how nice he smelled, surprisingly.

Of course, she didn’t fail to notice the way his eyes moved over her, and she wasn’t sure what to think about it. Varsha was partly tempted to direct his eyes back to hers, but she stayed quiet on the subject. “I’ll be of great use to the Order,” she corrected. But she did add as she stepped closer, almost closing the distance between them–if either of them breathed too deeply they’d be touching, “We’ll be of great use to each other.”

She blinked and moved past him, her shoulder intentionally bumping his. “Well on with it, then. The sooner we begin plotting, the better. I have my hands quite full with you.” She did glance back at him. “Speaking of, if I’m to frequent this place, I’ll need a space to work. I’m sure you can pull some strings to get me a room, Supreme Leader?” Her tone was mocking, of course.

She never promised that she wouldn’t mock him.

 

[cleopat]

Oh, Cassia knew the Resistance had tools, but these tools were hers. She had used them for years, and she almost thought of them as good luck at this point. She would use an occasional tool that the Resistance had and she didn’t, but for any standard tuning or repair? Cassia wouldn't part from these.

And that toolbox was clutched firmly in her hand as she had looked back at Poe, questioning him about forgiveness. Although Poe was like most flyboys, getting intense in the moment, he never could hold a grudge forever. Not when the person expressed genuine sorrow. That didn’t change about him.

And how could someone not cave into what Poe wanted while looking into those giant puppy eyes of his? Cassia always hated that about him, and it always made her heart skip a beat. Like now.

She softly smiled, ignoring the way his touch left behind goosebumps on her skin. She wanted his touch to remain, but they had a friendship to repair. And it would only be just that, a friendship. Even if she wished for something more.

“Of course.” Cassia turned and walked back to the living area, where her sister was watching Karhem and BB-8 with amusement and mirth. “I think BB-8 may like it here better.” Karhem looked up at her, eyes wide and mouth open, ready to ask, before Cassia quickly spoke again, “But I think its owner will need it more.”

Karhem pouted, but then his attention turn to the toolbox in Cassia’s hand, and the suitcase in Poe’s. “So you’re really leaving?” he asked, voice just as small as he was. And damn, did it make her feel bad.

Cassia knelt on the floor next to Karhem and pulled him into a tight hug. “I promise I’ll be back.” She pulled away just enough to look into his eyes. “And you know what? Once I’m back, I’ll finally teach you how to work on droids and speeders. Maybe even small ships!”

The young boy stared at her with wide eyes and a blossoming smile. “Really?” He threw his tiny arms around her neck, and Cassia saw how her sister looked at her with a raised brow before rolling her eyes with a slight smile.

-

Kylo scoffed. “The Resistance,” he mumbled. There were few of them left. What credibility did they have in the larger role of the galaxy? How could they possibly spread the word of Starkiller when they couldn’t even get a signal to be saved on Crait? But somehow, they still held onto hope, even if Kylo thought it was useless. They didn’t. Leia Organa didn’t. Which meant they will survive.

He will need to fix that before they become a problem.

Varsha did the unexpected and stepped closer to Kylo. He was hyper focused on the heat radiating from her body, and how he could easily smell her scent. It was pleasant, and it stirred an unexpected response in his body he hadn’t felt in quite some time. All Kylo wanted to do was to grab her hair and burrow his head into her neck, inhaling more of that scent.

“And I have no doubt that you will be...of great use to the First Order.” Kylo could think of other uses, outside of the First Order, but he didn’t comment on those. Wouldn’t. Couldn’t. Even as they stood so close, he could press his lips on hers if he so desired.

One lesson from his Jedi teachings that was still ingrained in his memory was the notion of attachments, even if he tried to forget those Jedi teachings.

Varsha moved past him, and Kylo blinked, mind processing what had just happened before he turned around to face her. And there was that annoyance again, in her voice as she mocked him. A brow twitched, but he refrained on any insulting comment for now. “I could get you a room, but it will take a few hours to make sure it is adequate for someone of your class.” Okay, so he would mock a little in return.

This time, he moved past her to the door. “If you wish to get started though, I have an office we can use for now.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Poe didn’t say much during Cassia’s goodbyes to her family. He didn’t want to interrupt the moment, didn’t want to make her feel rushed. Even though he swore to himself and the Force that he’d bring her back, at least to visit, as soon and as much as he could...he had no clue when that might actually be. The slightest idea he did have was that it wouldn’t be any time soon. There was a lot to do.

Poe and Cassia’s sister observed the goodbye between aunt and nephew, Cara waiting a few moments after her son enthusiastically threw his arms around his aunt to poke him on the shoulder. “Mind if I cut in and say goodbye, buddy?” She asked, seeing his hesitancy to let go. Karhem may have been young, but he had definitely understood that once Cassia left, it would be a while before they saw her again.

Maybe he had fear, too, that it would be like his father’s end.

Poe noticed the hesitation, too, and offered, “Hey, why don’t you say goodbye to BB-8? I think you’re aunt’s right, he does like it here better. Bet he’s gonna miss you.” BB-8 beeped in confirmation, going along with his master’s plan. That, and the droid’s programming decided it liked the kid. And Karhem did release his hold on Cassia, going to wrap his arms around BB-8’s round body. But despite Karhem averting his attention, Cassia’s arms weren’t unoccupied for long.

Cara would help Cassia up–or pull her up, really–and have her in a tight hug. “It’s good that you’re going,” she mumbled to her sister. “You’ve got your own life to live, good to do,” and Cassia figured the man in the room would have much involvement in it.

“I’ll still miss you though.” And of course she’d worry. But Cassia wasn’t meant to sit around and babysit these kids while Cara caught an extra nap. She was supposed to go with Poe and save the galaxy, or at least help. And perhaps Cara had a bit too much faith in this dashing pilot Cass spoke so highly of, too much faith that he’d keep her sister safe.

-

It was a strange interaction, what they had in that room. She wasn’t quite sure what happened in her mind, nor would she begin to attempt to know what happened in Kylo’s. She at least knew it was somehow unprofessional. It was put to a stop, though, and it seemed they returned to normal. Not that they’d had much time to establish a normal, but the mocking seemed common enough.

She snorted, quipping back, “I’m glad you think so highly of me, Supreme Leader.” Thought her pretentious, most likely. Still, she wondered what he might consider adequate enough for her. “I’ll want a room for myself, but this office of yours should do for now,” she allowed, letting him walk past her to lead. Again, she felt the warmth he radiated. Smelled him. That stupid cape of his swirling the air around. It was all too terribly inviting.

Varsha huffed and she fell into step behind him. “I’m surprised you know where any offices are,” she mumbled, not one of her finest remarks. She felt like she had to compensate a bit for her thoughts. As if being petty and mean would make up for it. More than anything it would probably just get her killed. All because she thought his scent was pleasant. “With how little advancement has been made with the Resistance all but disarmed.” Abandoned on Crait, what little they had left in ruins.

But it was Leia Organa leading them.

“Though, with the...sudden transition of power, I suppose it could be understood.” The transition of power that was all too much a curiosity to Varsha. It felt like many details were missing, but it wasn’t as though anyone could ask Kylo questions to fill in the blanks. “Clearly you’re capable of leading on some level, given how well trained you have your little pack of Knights. And you’ve not been killed.”