Fandom Star Wars: Rising Tide [closed]

[cleopat]

I don’t know.

It’s what Kylo wanted to answer, but it wouldn’t be the truth, and he knew Myka would know that. She would be able to sense the lie and the hesitation in his voice. He almost didn’t want to answer her and allow himself to become so vulnerable to someone he hardly knew.

But if she could help him…

“My mother,” he whispered softly. A swallow, then he spoke louder, “My father. I can still see them in my head, calling for Ben Solo.” Ben Solo was dead, a fact Kylo told himself over and over, yet it never helped. If anything, it only worsened, and no amount of destruction and death he left behind put a stop to the voices.

He thought that maybe, if he killed them one day, then that pull would finally go away. “The light won’t let me forget.”

~~

Azra's wait didn’t last long, for as soon as they got back to her ship, they headed back to the lift, with an idea of seeing the race track first. It seemed like a good enough plan, and she couldn’t fault Poe’s logic.

“Flyboys being vocal about their complaints? I suppose you would know a thing or two about that,” she chuckled. Azra could certainly see Poe losing his cool if faced with something he disagreed with.

They walked back on the lifts, and entered the market once more. “Maybe we should actually see if we can find a map while we’re here. It could come in handy.” Unless they just wanted to ask for directions every time they needed help.

Surely there was a map BB-8 could download.

There were still many people in the market, eating, shopping, or simply utilizing it as a social hub. “Asking one of the workers may be our best bet.”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Loved ones….’

Though a master of the darkside, he was not a Sith. Otherwise, Snoke would have had him kill his parents by now. That would have been the sacrifice necessary for their side, a sacrifice that Myka herself could only truly gain by killing her own Master.

She’d had no one else, nothing else, to sacrifice.

Something which her master had bemoaned as a failure of planning, on her own part, once upon a time.

It was not something necessarily essential, in Myka’s mind. It was something that wasn’t even a true sacrifice, though her situation might have influenced her thoughts. When one knew what they wanted, they let nothing stand in their way. Others would either join them, or be destroyed for opposing them.

“You won’t let you forget. The light does not work that way,” Myka stated, “you have power over your own thoughts, and how you direct them. Your parents have failed you in some way. You must remember that. You must focus your thoughts and your energy on their failures. Perhaps a time will come when they can beg forgiveness and support you, but you must be prepared for them to fail you, once again. To hold you back. To prove that they don’t truly love you.”

For if they did not support him, how could they love him

~***~

Poe couldn’t help but laugh at Azra’s comment, “Yeah, well,” he shrugged. It was how they were. He knew this. They all knew this. Sometimes they were in the wrong for their complaints, and were too hot-headed with it, but it was a universal truth. Sometimes, he thought it was almost a requirement.

“We know what we want,” he said, as if that explained it at all.

They got off the lift and walked into the market once more. There ought to be a map for a space station, but Poe wasn’t sure where it could be downloaded. It was definitely something they could be told, though.

Poe nodded, and walked on ahead to a stand that was selling drinks of some sort, “Hey there,” Poe lifted his hand in a wave, “I’d like to get one – and I’m hoping you can tell me where the racetrack is?”

The besalisk nodded, “What flavor are ya wanting?”

“How about a shuura?”

The besalisk began to prepare the snowcone, while rattling off the information as to how to get to the race track. It wasn’t far, though it was a walk all the same, since the market did like to be close to the track, but not close enough that the noise of it became annoying.

 

[cleopat]

You won’t let you forget.

Maybe that was right. They were on his mind often, for many reasons, and Kylo had always blamed the light for that. For trying to keep Ben Solo alive. It was the easiest way to try and push it from his mind, but now he needed to actually confront why he won’t allow himself to forget.

Your parents have failed you in some way.

Again, Myka was right. Kylo could still remember how his father left, and his mother placed him with Luke Skywalker. They were all afraid of him, afraid of what he could become.

Just like his grandfather.

“You are correct, they did fail me. They abandoned a scared, little boy because they were afraid of his potential.” He felt vulnerable, and also a little embarrassed, that he was admitting these deep thoughts so freely to Myka. Snoke was the only one to know about any of this, but it was near impossible to keep secrets from him.

Kylo tried.

~~

Azra did not doubt Poe in the least. Her first interactions with him, his insistence on getting what he wanted, was how they ended up in their current predicament. He knew what he wanted from her, and Azra agreed to his terms. The TIE pilots in the First Order were very similar. Damn flyboys.

At least he was nice to look at.

They approached one of the food stands, and as the besalisk told them the way to the racetrack, Azra watched him prepare a snowcone. When was the last time she had one? Early childhood? Oh screw it.

“I’ll have one too,” she said once the besalisk finished telling them the directions.

“Alright, what flavor?”

Azra paused for a moment, “Muja.”

He nodded, “Aight, comin’ right up.”

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Careful….’

Although Kylo was speaking, Myka could sense she might be on the edge of a precipice here. His emotions were mixed, but among them was a fear not quite related to the light. It was a fear of being known, which she could understand. He had been under a harsh hand with Snoke, that much was clear.

A harsh hand was no longer the way to deal with him.

“They did, and that was wrong of them. As parents, they had a responsibility to you – to comfort you, to love you, to show you the way…and they failed. And now you live with that same fear of your potential,” perhaps something he didn’t yet see, or did not want to admit, “you hold their fear of what you could do, and that is hindering your progress.”

If anything, that could play a huge part in the way the light still clung to him. He wasn’t prepared to give in to the dark, and to his potential.

He was afraid of it. Afraid of becoming something unlovable.

~***~

Poe gave Azra a grin as he took his own snowcone, “Hey, is there a place a droid could download a map, or get one?” Poe asked.

“Eh, don’t know about that, really,” the besalisk admitted, “Don’t keep a droid myself,” so he didn’t know much.

“Right – I’ll ask around the track then, I’m sure there are pitdroids,” and Azra was handed her own snowcone.

“That’ll be seven credits,” the besalisk noted.

Poe considered paying…but looked to Azra with something akin to puppy dog eyes. He got the information by asking – and they both had nice treats now, right? That was worth two snowcones, wasn’t it?

 

[cleopat]

Myka spoke of the fears Kylo had buried deep down, and slowly, she was unraveling them to present to him what he already knew yet denied for so long.

They feared what he could become, and Kylo still held on to that fear to some extent. Or that he would never reach the potential he was capable of, and to live in isolation from fear and regret.

“I don’t want to hold onto this fear anymore,” he spoke softly. “But I do not know how to let go.” And oh how he wanted to let go. To not fear that ridiculous notion of his potential.

Kylo straightened where he sat. “But this is something I’m supposed to be able to figure out on my own, isn’t it?” He simultaneously did and didn’t want to admit he needed guidance, but he wished for it.

~~

Oh, those damned eyes. Azra called it completely unfair. She would have paid for the snowcones without Poe giving her those eyes she didn’t want to stop looking at. And she hated herself for it.

She broke their gaze with a scoff and a roll of her eyes, but her lips were quirked upwards in an amused smile. “Oh fine, I’ll cover this. Just don’t make that face again.” She gave the besalisk the credits with a polite nod.

“Thanks, have a pleasant day,” he said, and his attention turned to a little twi’lek girl who wanted a snowcone.

With that, Azra stepped away from the vendor and turned to Poe. “At least the track isn’t that far,” she commented. She took a bite of the snowcone, and smiled at the sweet, fruity flavor. No, she didn’t regret her decision in buying the treat.

 

[Lucyfer]

The shift in Kylo was obvious. As he touched on his vulnerabilities, tender wounds within, he started. He wanted to shift away from it, towards something more comfortable, no doubt. Deflect. Delay.

He must be familiar with the tactic.

Myka was not much impressed, “Of course you have to do the work, it is an internal thing,” she agreed on that, “but I wonder how much deflecting, delaying, and denying, has helped you in that,” she would make a point to show her understanding of what he was doing.

She would not press it if he still moved it all aside – but her own displeasure was in her tone. His tactic was childish, but now he had someone willing to point it out. This time, he would get away with it.

Other times, he would not.

But this was the start.

~***~

Poe laughed but wiped the look off his face as he did so. He thought to tease about why not, but he definitely had an idea. He knew the look, after all. He knew what it did to people. Only Leia really seemed immune to it, which was really to her credit. There weren’t many people who could bother her with just a look.

“Thank you,” Poe chimed as they headed off with their treats in hand to enjoy, “It’s been a while since I had a snowcone,” of any flavor. How could he resist, though?

He hummed a little at her statement about it being close, agreeing, as they walked. “Yeah – see, told you this wouldn’t be too hard to figure things out.”

Given, they hadn’t actually figured anything out yet, but the leads were easy enough to start following, and collecting. They were both of a similar mind about flyboys, after all. Those were going to be the ones who were most invested in this, or at least, the most vocal about it.

They would go from there.

 

[cleopat]

Deflect, delay, deny.

Kylo knew that was all he had ever done in hopes he could push the thoughts so far down, that they would disappear. And for what?

It obviously didn’t work, but rather quite the opposite. It only fed the conflict within him.

Kylo stood up, again slowly walking towards his bed. “Instead of deflect, i need to accept it and embrace it?” he questioned, pausing his movements right in front of where Myka sat.

She and Snoke held two distinct approaches for him, that much was clear. Snoke was all about fear, while Myka seemed patient to help him and answer his questions. It was quite clear which one he would rather listen to right then.

~~

Azra smiled, “Yeah? It’s been a while for me as well. Probably too long.” And now, as she enjoyed the cold treat, she debated on getting snowcones as a special treat for herself every now and then.

Maybe even in flavors she never tried before.

The track had indeed been close to the market, and it didn’t take too long for them to come across it. Just like the market, there were quite a few people there, both spectators and racers, and even some droids, as the vendor said.

“Alright, any idea of where to start?” Azra threw a slight smirk in Poe’s direction, “All flyboys have that arrogant look about them, yeah?” The ones she ever met did, including the man standing next to her.

BB-8 didn’t dare to comment on that. It knew better.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka didn’t rise, but leaned back on her hands as Kylo approached again, trying to get a sense for what he ought to do other than deflect, deny, and delay. He was engaging. Perhaps he truly had been suffering too long. Or he realized the tactics didn’t work.

But he hadn’t known anything else.

“Deflect and embrace are both negatives. Both lead to harming yourself in some way, in hindering yourself,” Myka stated, “Embracing it means you want to keep it a part of yourself. You do not.”

No, this was weakness that he had to overcome. “Accepting it, is like accepting a terminal disease. You must acknowledge it, Kylo. You must face it, study it, as you would a foe. You must get to the heart of it, and then destroy it.”

This was something he could overcome, if he desired to.

~***~

Poe rolled his eyes, though he didn’t outright deny it. It was a truth, after all. “BB-8, go find a map, yeah?” He suggested, and BB-8 agreed, rolling off on this quest to find a map, no doubt beginning by questioning the other nearby astromechs.

Poe gestured her on ahead. “There’s no race going on,” he noted, “but we can probably find some of the racers by uniform,” he said, “they usually wear something representing a team,” or their patrons.

He didn’t quite know how the racing was here.

In either case, they’d be able to walk into the track area without being stopped, and see that the racers seemed to actually have their rides on display for others, some sort of exhibition going on, rather than a race. They all seemed to be of the same team, wearing similar blue uniforms.

Poe just gave Azra a grin.

Easy enough so far.

He didn’t stay entirely distracted, but called out to the team, “Hey! Let me get a look at that speeder!” He gestured towards the one on the left as he hastened his own approach.

 

[cleopat]

No, he didn’t want to keep it a part of himself. Kylo no longer wanted it any chance to thrive and seek deeper inside his mind.

“Like a foe,” he repeated, murmuring. That was something he knew, studying a foe to hunt them down and destroy them.

In a way, it was like what he was doing to Luke Skywalker. Research, study, in order to find him, then destroy him.

“Yes, I think I understand.” No more could Kylo push the pull to the light aside, but study himself and understand it, then hopefully he could crush it permanently.

Only then could he fully embrace the power of the dark side, like he was supposed to.

He nodded at Myka. “Thank you, for your help.”

~~

Azra walked onto the track, where she could see all sorts of speeders being shown off by their riders. They all looked so proud of their speeders, exactly how she imagined they would look. Proud. Maybe slightly arrogant.

Poe was quick to pick out someone, and the owner of the speeder looked over for the source of the voice. The woman, who stood a little bit taller than Azra, grinned at Poe and nodded at her speeder. “You like?”

Azra knew next to nothing about speeders or any modifications made for racing. She kept eating her snowcone, letting Poe warm the racer up for their questions.

The woman placed one hand on her speeder. “This beauty has won me quite a few races over the last few months.” She looked back up at Poe and Azra. “You race?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka had no doubt that Kylo understood. Understanding wasn’t the difficult part. Acting on it, making the changes, that was the hard part. Still, at least he would begin. He would have a chance to overcome this light, and become all that he was meant to be. All that he could be, as someone of such a powerful bloodline.

She still did not rise, but she let her lips take on that feline tilt in her smile, in the cant of her head, as Kylo thanked her. “Oh, don’t thank me until you’ve succeeded. I don’t think you’ll very much enjoy this process.”

It would mostly be on him, but she knew she would remain there as a guide for him, to help him figure all of this out. Snoke wasn’t doing a good job, and Myka wondered if it was intentional, or if he didn’t know how.

Not every teacher was the best, or the one that was needed.

Kylo already had two bad ones behind him now.

~***~

“Yeah I do,” Poe agreed, recognizing some of the features even from further away, “I have a friend who would love it,” Jess Pava, he was thinking of. She loved modifying her own ship. She’d enjoy considering why all of these additions were made to this ship.

At her question, Poe gave a slight shrug, “Nothing official,” which was true. He’d done some illegal racing in his youth, “and not with speeders,” he’d used other kinds of ships and rides. “Always wanted to try out pod-racing, though,” which these weren’t, but he could imagine many felt the same.

Pod-racing was hard for humans, but still worth it, in his mind. “When is the next race, anyways? I might stick around.”

Here was likely to start to show some of the frustrations, if it was impacting them much.

 

[cleopat]

No, Kylo figured he wouldn’t enjoy the process. When had anything in his training been enjoyable, or painless? Ever since Snoke took him in, training had been nothing but pain. Pain to become who he was, and still, it wasn’t enough.

He scoffed, “I didn’t expect to enjoy it. Just as long as I can get results.” Those results didn’t have to be immediate or overnight, but he wanted more than what he was getting from Snoke.

And one day, once Myka helped him overcome this light, Kylo vowed to finally strike down Snoke.

He paused to look down at the woman, still reclining on his bed. The urge to recreate the scene from the previous night, his lips on hers, his hand in her hair, grew strong, and yet he resisted. His fists tightened for a few seconds, before he relaxed them.

“I don’t know how to start. Where to start.” He swallowed and looked away from Myka, but he didn’t step away from where he stood so close to his bed.

~~

The woman looked pleased. “You should bring your friend by then sometime. We hold exhibitions like this twice a month.” The racers get to show off their speeders to one another, and the spectators get to see all of the vehicles up close. It was a fun time for all involved.

As Poe started to talk about his own history with racing, Azra slightly raised one brow at his desire to try pod-racing. Wasn’t that dangerous? Not that what he already did wasn’t dangerous, but pod-racing held a certain reputation.

Meanwhile, the racer looked pleased with Poe’s answer. “Next race? Hopefully tonight, about an hour after this exhibition is over.”

“‘Hopefully?’” Azra repeated.

She nodded. “Yup. Fuel hasn’t exactly been as plentiful as it once has been. We may be able to race, or we may be sitting in the dark.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo’s scoff, was followed by a surge of desire.

It came before he looked to her, but that strengthened, his thoughts perhaps shifting. The clench of his fist drew her eyes, but she would not comment on it, Only lazily drag her gaze back up to his eyes as he wondered where to begin.

Oh, so many ideas.

But she would stick to the topic at hand. This was what he needed, after all. What she needed, too, if she was to have any hope in him.

“Pick one,” Myka suggested, “Your father, or your mother, and consider them in relation to you, and to your future. Discern what role they have in that future, if any. Once you have figured it out, you can begin the process of making that future. You cannot go anywhere, if you do not know where you are going.”

He couldn’t take the steps he needed, if he wasn’t certain.

~***~

“I’ll let her know about it, definitely. She does a lot of modification to single-pilot fighters,” Poe offered, so that the racer would know what sort, and why he thought she’d enjoy this. A decent enough way to connect, as he got his own information.

Thankfully, she was indeed forthcoming. Enough, anyways.

They were hoping to have a race that night, but the situation could change. “What, they’re rationing fuel here?” Poe frowned, “You guys don’t just have some in the back you can use?” Which would, indeed, normally be a standard thing to have around.

Fuel for races and around a track should be expected, not a hope.

“What’s going on with this place?”

He was hoping the frustration would keep her tongue loose.

 

[cleopat]

Pick one to start. The task sounded so simple, and yet it wasn’t. Both his mother and father did much to fail him, but his mind wanted to remind him of the pleasant memories he shared with them.

Before his father abandoned him. Before his mother sent him to Luke Skywalker.

And Kylo certainly didn’t see either of them having a role in his future.

“My future will not contain them.” That he was sure of. Kylo turned and took a few steps. His gaze was turned downward to the floor in contemplation. “I will shape my future the way I want it.” And his parents will no longer hold a place in his mind and keep him from his full potential with the dark side.

But what role did Myka play in that future?

He turned back to face her, as he considered her. He didn’t know if Myka would even stay within the First Order that long, but she seemed to be getting comfortable enough.

~~

Poe’s question stirred an immediate response within the racer. Azra could see how she stiffened, before giving a subtle glance around the field. No one was watching them, or seemingly trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

The woman stepped closer to them. “Yeah, we’ve been forced to ration fuel here. We normally have some in the back, but fuel is becoming more scarce.” Her voice lowered, careful to not be overheard by anyone else. It was hard to know who to trust these days.

“Why?” Azra asked, though she already knew the answer. She just needed the confirmation.

“Because of the First Order.” Her whisper was harsher now, as contempt leaked into her words. “They think they can take fuel from a station with hardly the means to defend themselves.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo stepped away, speaking with some determination about the fact his parents would have no role in the future. “You’re wrong,” Myka told him, but added, “perhaps not in the long run, but if you are determined to remove them from that future, you will have to make sure to remove them.”

Kill them, really. She was fairly certain she wouldn’t have to say it so bluntly.

“Your parents are likely to try, and continue to try, to enter your future otherwise and change its course.” That was what parents did, supposedly. They looked after their child, they tried to direct it, as best they could.

It was certainly why Phantasm had to kill her parents, even if they lacked the resources that Kylo Ren’s parents had. There always remained that chance.

~***~

Poe was really nailing this investigation thing. Looking for Lor San Tekka for so long probably helped, though. The racer stepped forward to tell them what was up, that the First Order was acting a bully because they were a relatively defenseless world. They couldn’t really expect aid, so to stay afloat, they had to do what the Order wanted.

“So are they making some sort of deal today? Before the race?” That was the part that was interesting to Poe.

If she was uncertain, that meant the First Order had to currently be in negotiations, right? Or else they thought it could happen.

He wanted to ask directly if she knew where any First Order operatives were, but thought that might be a bit too much.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo knew that he would need to kill his parents. He had always known. But would he have the strength to do it? Killing Han Solo, Leia Organa...but it was what was needed.

If he ever wanted to push out the light that clung to him, he had to.

“I know.” He swallowed, his throat dry all of the sudden. “I know I have to kill them, and I’m prepared to do so.” That was something he kept telling himself, but was he really? Would he really be willing to strike down his mother as she looked up at him with sympathy, or slay his father as he looked at him with eyes full of regret for the years away from his son?

“I will make sure they’re dead before they can try and change the course of my future.” Kylo took a few steps back towards Myka. He couldn’t stand still - the need to be doing something to distract himself from the thought of killing his parents was great. “This I vow.”

~~

The woman looked hesitant at Poe, unsure in what to make of the couple who wanted to know so much about the First Order. In her experience, they were nothing but bullies and wanted to subjugate with fear. And anyone who associated with them was usually nothing but bad news.

“Listen, I don’t know why you want to know so much about them,” she started, but paused. She sighed, “They come to the station quite often. I don’t know their schedule, but there’s a good chance they will make an appearance today.”

Azra didn’t like that news, that they could be seeing the First Order. Still, the racer gave them something, and they could use BB-8 to record anything they couldn’t get close to.

“So they just come and go as they please,” Azra repeated.

The woman nodded. “Pretty much. Nothin’ but bullies they are.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo was aware…but not pleased. Myka did not anticipate that. The conflict within him was strong. He may have spoken with confidence of his decision to kill his parents, but he did not feel that same confidence. No matter what his parents had done, they were his parents.

It was not something Myka understood as a reality – only something she’d heard of, read of. This familial pull was supposedly strong, and so it seemed right now. Expressing any exasperation would not benefit this.

“Good,” Myka did rise then, as he came back towards her with the vow upon his lips, “I have faith that you will succeed, but I am here if you need assistance, all the same. We all need help,” of all sorts, though she would not say that. “For Snoke, for your parents, for exploring the dark side, or…other ventures,” she wouldn’t let her smile be too inviting, given the subject matter of earlier.

That would just reek of a literal seduction, and then he could too easily throw his anger at her if guilt ate him up.

He had to come about this honestly.

~***~

Poe took in what was said. The First Order didn’t seem to have a schedule. Potentially problematic, as in they wouldn’t get good proof if the Order didn’t show up. He wasn’t sure Azra was just going to take some random racer’s words for it.

“Well, let’s hope they don’t show up,” he said, “we’ll hang around at the track then for a bit, and hope to see a show. When should it begin?”

It was a place to stay safe – and a place where they’d immediately find out if the First Order came around, given the likely vocal outbursts of complaints when fans and racers alike found out that there would be no show that day.

BB-8 was the one to actually try to ask a question this time – whether or not the racer understood, it wanted to know why she thought the First Order would come around that day, in particular.

 

[cleopat]

The sly suggestion Myka offered did not escape Kylo. He looked down at Myka, his gaze trailing from her lips and down her scantily clad body, hands itching to discover how soft her body was. If it was as soft as her lips had been.

She so readily offered her help without demanding anything in return. Kylo knew she had to want something. No one ever helped without having something in it for themself.

“And if you are to help me, what is it you’re wanting in return?” He stepped closer, their bodies only inches from each other. Kylo looked down at Myka, and this time he allowed one hand to reach out and tuck a strand of her hair behind her ears.

He could think of one thing she may want.

But there had to be something else. Power in the First Order? He would grant that, but if she tried to usurp his own power and position, Kylo wouldn’t hesitate to cut her down.

~~

“You and me both.” To her, the First Order did nothing but terrorize for resources they wanted from other people. She hasn't seen the planets they’ve decimated first hand, but she’s heard the stories from guests. None of the stories were ever pleasant.

“The show?” The woman shrugged. “About an hour.” Really, when the racers stopped showing off their speeders, but one of the few things that could bring them away from showing what work they’ve done on their speeders is the promise of a race.

She looked down at the droid as it asked her another question. “Call it a feeling.” She’d seen the First Order come there often enough. It wasn’t exactly like clockwork, but they never left the station alone for too long. “But, really, it’s been a few days since they’ve last bothered us. They’re overdue.”

Azra gave her a small smile. “Well we can hope they don’t decide to show up today. I have been wanting to see a race.”

“Well, hopefully today you can see one, just as much as I hope to race in one.”

 

[Lucyfer]

It had taken Kylo a while to get to that question, and Myka hummed in thought, shutting her eyes a moment under that grazing touch. The curve of her lips remained in a smile.

He wasn’t asking what she wanted as a whole – and she had told him that before, of Galactic Control. No, only what she wanted out of this.

“I have spent too much time on Korriban trying to discern a way to find what I wanted, to integrate into the larger society,” she let her eyes flutter open, “I want to use your First Order for that. I want a place in the galaxy, a way to learn the galaxy, and someone to help with that. Given this First Order will be the new power in the galaxy…it seems only fitting that I begin here, doesn’t it?”

She had been an outsider to things for too long. She didn’t want that any longer.

Of course, her ideal place was at the top of it all…but that could wait. She needed a place to start, after all. She wasn’t prepared for any sort of take over.

~***~

Poe and BB-8 were both willing to accept ‘a feeling’. Intuition had gotten them pretty far, and it took Leia pretty far, too. He nodded to that, but wouldn’t dare confirm it, beyond, “I understand,” especially living in a state of paranoia, habits quickly became noticeable.

If they were gone too long, then a visit was overdue.

Why not do it on a day when people were hoping to forget there were problems there? Come in and ruin all plans, just when people were once again thinking it was safe to enjoy. He could see it. “Well, we’re gonna go take a look at the other speeders, and then get some seats,” he said, “Good luck out there,” he added with a wink, before he’d step aside.

And briefly step closer to Azra, “If anything happens, we’ll hear about it here first,” he dropped his voice to say as he snaked an arm around her shoulders, for that illusion of being close.

So the whisper wouldn’t be suspicious.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo's fingers itched to travel into her hair and grasp at the strands, but he pulled his hand away to rest by his side. You already gave into temptation once. Why not do it again?

Because he couldn’t answer that question.

“To find your place in our society,” he murmured. There had to be more than that. Myka had mentioned her desire for Galactic Control, her life’s aspiration. For all he knew, she could be using him as a stepping stone to that goal. It wouldn’t be something he commented on, but Kylo would keep that thought to watch her carefully.

If she wanted his position, she would die trying.

“Well I hope I can help you find what you wish for in this galaxy, whether it be your place, or your knowledge.” Assisting her would be the best way to keep that close eye on her, and if she helped him, he had to give her something in return. It was only fair.

~~

The racer said nothing more to Poe, only gave him a nod as she stepped back to her speeder to talk to others who were curious about it.

Azra momentarily tensed when she felt Poe’s arm wrap around her, but then she realized the image he wanted to pass, and she relaxed, if not a little red in the face at how close he was.

He still smelled like her soap. It was nice, but not as nice as how he smelled when she rode in the X-Wing with him, a scent that could only belong to a pilot.

“So are we just going to sit and wait here for something to happen?” she whispered back. “What if nothing happens at all?” There was that chance that the First Order didn’t show up at all that day, which meant time wasted waiting for nothing.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I have enough knowledge.’ Not expressly true, Myka knew, and wouldn’t say that. Yet she was already tired of the search for knowledge of the usual sort. Of the Force. She wanted more of the galaxy, and to be known to it, as well. The patience, the hiding, was annoying.

This was already a good start.

Though he may indeed hope to help her on that path, Myka still wondered how much. He was fairly good at resisting temptation. Even while his desires sung on the air, he still drew back. It was the constant sign to Myka that she’d have to continue this slowly. He saw the signs, he knew much would be reciprocated, but he still had his hangups.

“I hope so, as well." She did touch his arm at that, a brief return of the affection. "Looking for it is as fun as going through a desert on Korriban,” Myka said, not really an exaggeration. She hadn’t had a way in, and so she’d put the search off. But now she had it – she wasn’t going to relinquish it so easily. “I’d rather this be the end of that search.”

~***~

Azra’s blush didn’t go unnoticed, but Poe wouldn’t be rude and comment on it. He’d just enjoy the look from closer up, “Yeah,” he said, flexing his fingers a moment off her shoulder before letting them come to rest on her again, “Worst case scenario, we enjoy a few races, and move on, right?”

Waiting around another day for the Order would be pointless.

“I guess it’s not best case scenario to say, the Order shows up and ruins the race, but maybe they show up, don’t ruin the race, and we catch something on the way out?”

BB-8 would clearly prefer they not show up at all.

“I know, I know, but we want Azra to see what they’re doing, and that means getting her the evidence, and not just word of mouth, right?” Or was she finally starting to believe people’s stories now?

 

[cleopat]

Kylo’s gaze dipped down to where Myka touched his arm, and as he looked back up, his eyes slowly raked over her poorly covered form. Maybe he should encourage her to continue to dress this way. It would undoubtedly annoy General Hux, and Kylo found it stirred certain reactions in his body that laid long dormant.

“I can only imagine.” He could hardly stand the few minutes he spent in the desert on Korriban, just walking to the temple entrance. He would use any excuse he could to avoid deserts and sand in the future.

He nodded, “Then maybe it will be. It will depend on how well you can behave,” he said with a raised eyebrow, “and how...events unfold in the First Order.” The future was uncertain, and the galaxy was chaotic. They couldn’t know what each day would bring.

And he was still on his search for Luke Skywalker. His success in that mission could bring about great change for them. For the First Order, and for himself.

~~

Sitting and waiting seemed like a waste of time to Azra, but there was nothing more they could do, and it’s not like she wanted the First Order to show up and prove those racer’s words. But if there was truly a story there, she wanted to see it happen.

“Well, I guess all we can do is just find somewhere to watch and see what happens.” She shrugged, tossing the liquid remnants of her snowcone into a trash bin as they passed one.

But she was conflicted as to if she really did want the First Order to show up. There was that chance to get the story being told and publish it on the HoloNet, but also that would bring the chance for her to run into the First Order, and no one needed that. Especially her.

She didn’t wish to face the consequences of her actions.

“But the race is like an hour from now, right?” Surely they could do something in that time, unless Poe’s plan was to simply sit somewhere and continue to look like a couple, which Azra didn’t completely hate. He was warm.

 

[Lucyfer]

Behave only caused Myka to smirk. ‘Behave.’ Oh, she knew how to do it, and so far she’d call her behavior, behaving. It wasn’t as if she’d decided to try and take everything by force, immediately, although she suspected that might work. At least, if she killed Snoke. There would then be some figuring out to do with Kylo, and perhaps some of the other officers.

She needed to know who those officers were that might challenge her rise, to better determine how to handle each one.

There were certainly a few that could be allowed to live.

“Yes, I know it’s hard to determine much of anything when you aren’t the one in charge, or making any of the decisions,” she lightly squeezed his arm, before letting go. “I’ll have to get used to that here, too.”

He might make some, but so far, Myka had only truly see him make the decision to bring her – and even that, he had to clear through Snoke.

She didn’t know what power he had in the Order, beyond apparently being someone that Phasma would report to, and having some control over these Knights of Ren.

~***~

Poe did a similar act of tossing his own long-eaten snowcone aside, noting Azra’s lack of enthusiasm with waiting around, “Trust me, an hour isn’t as long as you think it is. We have to get good seats, and then we need food, and sometimes the lines for those before races can be long, which means someone has to stay and keep the seats.”

BB-8 noted that he could stay behind and watch the seats. He would zap anyone that got close. “I know you will, buddy.”

BB-8 was a good little droid.

“Besides, if something happens, it’s likely to happen within the hour, so we may only need to wait a half hour, or so,” since before the hour was over, the racers would pull their vehicles aside to get them fueled up, and start getting prepared.

“And if nothing happens, we have a race to enjoy!” Which Poe was excited enough about.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo slightly narrowed his eyes at the reaction Myka gave with the command for her to behave. Oh, he knew she wasn’t going to. Or she would find some loophole to exploit and further frustrate him. He simultaneously hated it and looked forward to it.

“Yes, you will.” But one day, he would be the one in charge. This he vowed. He would be the one to command everyone, including General Hux, and no one would doubt him as a leader. Even Myka would answer to him, if she was around that long.

She was so used to answering to only herself, that he wondered if she could truly get used to this new environment, of taking command from someone else. Or maybe several officers would ‘mysteriously’ wind up dead.

Kylo took a step back, creating some space between them. “I think I would like for us to do something,” he started. No new message had appeared on his datapad, so there was more time to kill. “I want to see your fighting style. Me against you. What do you say?”

~~

Azra doubted words, but she wouldn’t say as much, just looked at him with a raised brow. “If you say so.” She didn’t think they needed to get food. They had just finished their snowcones after all, but if it ended up being a cover just to discuss more of the situation at hand, she would allow it.

Unless Poe just had a limitless stomach, which she could see.

“Admit it, you just wanted to stay and enjoy the race,” she teased, not entirely faulting him. She hadn’t seen too many races, but she could see the appeal. The energy of the crowds, the adrenaline of the fast moving speeders, the possibility for someone to crash. It could be fun.

“So, where to first? Find our seats?” More people were starting to pool in, even with the race still being an hour away. Everyone wanted to get everything done before the race began, with the lines at the food vendors starting to increase.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo broke away from her, and much as Myka wanted to pursue his steps, she stayed where she was, and raised a brow at his suggestion. He knew what she had been up to before, “I would be willing to do that,” she had been looking for a challenge, as much as attempting to understand the First Order’s training.

“Are there any rules or hindrances I should know of?” Meaning, of course, would he want her to hinder herself, or did he want to see her full-out?

Somehow, she didn’t think he’d stand much of a chance against her that way. His Knight hadn’t really been a challenge. She was certain he would be more of a challenge than that, but she wondered how much, given his power in the darkside was not so advanced as her own.

How quickly would he falter to a prolonged blast of lightning?

Could he even defend against it?

~***~

Poe held up his hands with a laugh, “I’m not going to deny that,” he said, “I would absolutely love to catch a race, but you can’t deny my logic, either.” He said in a teasing voice, as he lowered his hands while they walked away from the racers.

“We should definitely find the seats first,” he said, looking around for a place in the front row. That would be easier to hold, too, since BB-8 wasn’t going to fit as easily between the rows of bleachers. “Here,” he finally picked one place out, and patted the seat.

BB-8 came rolling over to it, “Think you can hold it, Beebee?”

The droid confirmed once more with the fiery signal.

“Good,” although he wished he had a jacket to place on the bench, “Now we can grab some food,” the snowcones hardly counted, in his opinion.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo considered her question and took a few seconds to think. There were so many ways they could spar, with or without the Force, with or without their lightsabers. Any one would be great to assess Myka’s skills, which she obviously had.

The dead Knight of Ren was proof of that.

“How about we start with something basic,” he offered. “We’ll start our session with a basic spar. No Force, no saber.” Could she keep up with him without the use of the Force? Not in that outfit, he imagined.

“And then after that, we’ll bring out our lightsabers. Again, a basic session.” No Force, no special abilities like that Force lightning he saw.

But Kylo hardly imagined she followed the rules very well. “How does this sound?”

~~

“No, I’m not going to deny your logic,” Azra said with an exasperated sigh followed by a slight smile. It wasn’t like she had anything better to do anyways. If the trip was a bust, she would have seen a new place and witness a race. That wasn’t a bad thing.

They quickly found some seats, which BB-8 set out to protect from anyone taking them. Azra couldn’t help the chuckle at the droid’s little fiery signal of a thumbs up. What a cute little droid.

“What are you thinking for food?” She was convinced she wasn’t going to get anything, but that didn’t mean if it was something shareable, she wasn’t going to steal a small piece. Maybe.

A little taste never hurt anyone.