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Lucyfer · Jul 17, 2016

Kylo suspected as much, especially with the way that Paquin shimmied up onto the counter. He decided to offer a reason of why passive Force was useful, when he effortlessly jumped from the place he was at, onto the counter, kneeling over just enough so he didn’t bang his head on anything. 

He crouched down besides her on the counter. 

“We’ll start with you being able to always feel the Force within yourself. That makes tasks like these easier,” he then shifted to let his legs dangle over the edge, “It will also make working with the lightsaber easier, as you’ll just naturally channel yourself into it. So let’s try to focus and feel with that.” 

He drew out his own lightsaber, and lit it, “This is when I do focus on it.” There was still a bit of an erraticness to it, but it became more obvious when he pulled back, denied it the flow of the Force. The energy coming out of the vents seemed to snap and crack. “And when I do not.” It was much more an effort to not focus now, for Kylo. 

~***~ 

Gnaeus frowned at the pressure and scratchiness of the rubbing, but when it was all done, he did offer a, “Thanks,” that was sincere. It wouldn’t help to try and bargain with a bloody face. 

The world came into view, and Gnaeus smiled as he was offered to get the information first. “We can do it at the same time. I figure the store clerks know things,” if not, people there buying alcohol definitely would. 

The hangar they chose was one more meant for the downtown traffic, not the academy. Even so, once Gnaeus landed, he felt it. His hands gripped the lever of the ship tightly just as he put it into park. ‘Shit.’ She wasn’t alone. Gnaeus was sure he felt one more Force sensitive there. “Okay. Let’s just get the alcohol.” They could do that before Mira caught up with them. 

Though it was odd that he could feel her so clearly. Normally, she had better control. She was difficult to notice. 

He didn’t think of it as some clever ruse when he hurriedly moved to exit the ship. Just alcohol. They could do that. Yes, Snoke would be angry with them—2 to 1—but Snoke would never know. He wasn’t going to know they left Korriban. 

~***~ 

If Anakin had only known what he was doing in the moment, he would have never caused the future that occurred. He knew Luke would not yet believe that, Obi-Wan and Anakin had never told him how Padme died. People always had control over their actions, though. 

It would eat at Anakin forever. 

There was a flare-up in the Force, though. If Qui-Gon had a head, he would have turned it, but there was no need for it. He felt the presence of the two knights. He felt Mira, clearly. 

And he felt Anakin, apparently trailing after these two Knights rather than Kylo Ren himself. “I am afraid I am needed elsewhere.” With that, he left. 

“Qui-Gon?” Luke called, stepping forward in this enclosed space and turning around. There was no response now, but he felt it, too. More Force Sensitives had arrived. He closed in on himself, pulling the Force in tight, even if these were unfamiliar to him, they had sparked a reaction. ‘Rey.’ 

He moved. He had to find her, to keep her from the trouble. 

~***~ 

Rey was there, and then just as soon, Phasma. Mira grabbed Rey’s arm but put a finger to her lips to silence her for the moment, the promise that they’d discuss it present. She let go of Rey once on the ship. Finn jogged to catch up, even if it meant going onto the ship…and moving by Phasma. He clung close to Mira and Rey, stood behind them as Hux blew up at his father. 

Mitaka, even, was witness to it when he stepped up to try and speak to Phasma. 

Phasma heard the sting of the slap, and did step forward to throw Brendol from the ship, but there was no need. 

The next words that left General Hux’s mouth had everyone stunned. Phasma hid it, of course, but a little smile came to her lips that mingled with the snarl for the Commandant. Now he was fucked—Phasma had rank above him at last. 

Mitaka was promoted. “Sir?” No stutter, but utter shock. 

And then Mira, who raised her eyebrows at it. ‘Well I’m going to need to get a Lieutenant-Admiral fairly quick.’ The thought of Poe crossed her mind, but then it was dismissed. She’d just ask him about strategies. Or have Finn ask him about strategies. She’d have to learn who she just displaced, if anyone. ‘Wait, are we accepting this?’ 

The cat was made Commodore, and Finn covered his lips to quiet a laugh that came with that promotion, and the ‘fuck you’. The women were stoic in the face of the glare. 

Once Brendol left, Phasma smiled widest, first, “Sir. Thank you. I’ll see to it he never lays a hand on you again.” 

The cat meowed. “Commodore,” Mira acknowledged it, then looked to General Hux just as a shift in the Force took place. ‘Damn it.’ “If you’re serious, I do accept, though I will require information on the current ranked officers in that area, and some of the better pilots, as I will want to choose a good hand to aid me.” 

Well, now she didn’t need to look for a job. Or probably a ship, though she had on one Coruscant for personal use. Was she going to get her own starship base? Questions for later. “I came to report that General Organa would like to meet with you as soon as possible to establish an alliance. She would like one at least temporary, if not permanent,” permanent couldn’t be guaranteed at this point. “I’m afraid I have to go tend to a matter of a couple of Knights now.” 

“What?” Phasma turned round, just as Mira walked towards the doors to leave. 

“Kylo?” 

“Knights?” 

“Not Kylo,” Mira stated, and let several of her own guards fall once she was off the ramp. The Force pushed out from her, denying anyone from getting close again, and a bit of lightning did tremble. It was an effort to hide Luke and the others, more than anything, to flare up so that she’d be felt too intensely for anyone else to be. 

It hurt, but it was worth it. She had an idea of where the Knights were—if only the Force were easy. 

And again, the green returned to the crystals.

KyloGlenn · Jul 18, 2016

'Show off. You and those legs of yours.' She did have to give credit to his fancy Force agility, however. Passive Force. 

That would have come in handy for her at any previous point in her life. 

She flinched away when Kylo's lightsaber was drawn and if she could have moved away more when Kylo didn't focus on it, she would have. Kylo may not intentionally hurt her, but she didn't trust his crackling lightsaber. Especially when he stopped the flow of the Force and it became wilder. 

“So, I have to feel my inner Force, unconsciously. That sounds like something one of my coworkers once said to me.” Give some words, rearrange them, and some different context. Still, she lit up her lightsaber, at least for in case she needed to push Kylo’s away from her. She stared at its already natural steadiness and the turned to Kylo. “I’ll be able to tell that I’m feeling the Force within me, right?” That’s what happened with other people. And she wasn’t positive her lightsaber would be able to tell her. 

- 

‘I knew this was a bad idea!’ Nothing had happened yet, she tried to calm herself. Nothing will happen. They’d get the alcohol and go. 

If it were at any other point, Ariel would be more than prepared to fight Mira and whoever the hell else was on this planet, but she was in no shape to do so. And that hadn’t been their purpose on the planet. 

Ariel followed after Gnaeus. “Why don’t we just leave? Forget the alcohol, we can go somewhere else. We already told Kylo we’d be a while.” Even as she spoke, she was already hurriedly moving towards the downtown scene, searching for the nearest liquor store. She saw the word ‘alcohol’ and that was good enough for her. 

She wouldn’t waste time choosing the good stuff. She just needed alcohol and to get back on Gnaeus’ ship. So, upon walking in, she scooped up half a shelf in her arms. “You do this, too. We need a lot of these babies.” It wasn’t a joke, they needed a lot. Ariel was already prepared to walk out the door without even trying any Force mind tricks on the cashier. She dared him to chase after her. 

- 

If Hux hadn’t just been slapped and hadn’t just slapped his father right back—with words—he word have found his company’s reactions amusing. But he had been slapped and had slapped. 

He wasn’t sure if he had been serious while spitting the words at his father, but the promotions he’d given were quite fitting. He wouldn’t mind much if they were serious. After all, then his father couldn’t piss off any one of them. Mitaka wouldn’t have to live in fear. Phasma actually had the ability to kill his father, if she wanted. 

And they all deserved the promotions. ‘I’ll get Millicent a uniform, then.’ 

But those were thoughts for later, as Hux was informed of Leia’s desire for a meeting. That was at least one good thing. Everything else, not so much. 

“Lieutenant-General Phasma,” first order in her new position, “Organize a few Stormtroopers to accompany Mira and then join me with General Organa,” 

“No, I’ll follow her,” Finn informed. 

“Me too,” that was Rey, turning herself to join Mira. But Finn stopped her, putting his hands on her shoulders. 

“Rey, no. Go find Luke.” 

“But I want to actually do something useful for once!” 

“Snoke can’t know you’re here, Rey! If the Knights get away or contact Snoke, this all falls apart. Besides, she's my teacher. I need to have her back.” 

“Well, someone go and quit blocking the exit.” Hux chimed in, fed up with their bickering. “Phasma, organize that group still. Kylo Ren or not, they’re Knights and I want them.” Good leverage. Or he could just kill them. Either way, he’d win. “I’ll go meet with Leia, inform her of our visitors.” 

“What should I do, sir?” Colonel Mitaka asked, happy with his new position. 

“Prep a holding room for the Knights,” he wasn’t sure if they’d capture them, but it would be good to be ready. Though, they wouldn’t really be cells. Millicent meowed then and Hux added, “And take care of my cat.” With that, he pushed past them all to look for the Resistance General.

Lucyfer · Jul 18, 2016

The fear Paquin felt at his lightsaber being lit up was evident, and Kylo did react to tame the chaotic energy that came from his blade, and then withdrew its energy and set it aside. 

He arched an eyebrow about what her coworker said, and then looked to the lightsaber as it lit up, steady, of course. But not because of her focus. The crystal was stable. “That’s why we’re using the lightsaber. This blade will even out more when you push your own energy into it and connect with it,” he answered, “It should be easier, as your energy is already in the crystal. You can call to it, and it will call to you, making the connection easier. Once you have a feel for your own unique presence in the Force, then you can start to acknowledge everything else as separate from you.” 

Even if it was all a part of the Force. Everyone and everything had their own signatures. It was how Kylo Ren knew when Han Solo arrived on Starkiller. 

“So, focus on it. Like meditation,” he said, then had to ask, “Or whatever your coworker said…what did they say?” He didn’t know medical terms, but perhaps he could try to understand, so he could try and phrase things in ways that would make sense to Paquin. 

~***~ ‘Because we’re already moving out.’ 

Gnaeus knew they could stop at any moment and turn back, fly away. 

Perhaps they were arrogant. Mira couldn’t pinpoint their location, at least, he didn’t think so. That’s not how the Force worked. 

They had a good chance of getting out of here without running across her. 

When they walked in and Ariel swept up her half-shelf, the cashier openly gaped at them. Gnaeus added to their surprise by taking hold of the Force and using it to lift several random bottles from an area that said ‘gin’. 

When he started walking towards the door, bottles floating into his arms, but mostly being held up by the Force, the cashier shouted. “Y-You have to pay for those!” 

“We do not have to pay for these.” Gnaeus stated, looking him dead in the eye. 

There was a beat. 

“You do not have to pay for these.” He repeated. 

It would have been better to add on to it, to cover his tracks, but there wasn’t time. Gnaeus stepped out with his bottles. 

~***~ 

August watched the worlds from his ship, several holograms up, several screens of what was going on outside his ship up. He cared little for the way Brendol left Hux’s ship, though the mood was acknowledged. 

What interested him was, again, that blonde. The Force was moving obviously around her and she stalked off like a predator on the hunt. ‘Move or stay.’ 

Tarkin still needed to make sure he seemed useful to Hux. He had to prove Eriadu’s worth, once it was liberated from Snoke. He let out a breath, pushed his knuckles into his forehead as his brows furrowed, then forced himself to rise and drop the hand back to his side. He grasped one of his sniper rifles from the wall and walked out, strapping it over a shoulder. 

He’d remain at a distance. He’d only be noticed if he needed to be, otherwise he would stay out of it. 

Shame he left his guards near Johann, he would have liked to have the Rodian to tag along, too. 

~***~ 

There was something about Phasma ordering Stormtroopers, and Rey arguing with Finn, that Mira caught but paid little attention to before she was out of earshot. There wasn’t time for this, there was never time when it came to dealing with the Knights. Her fear was that Snoke had sent them here, and Kylo and Paquin might be on their way. 

Or worse. 

Might be going to Alderaan or the Resistance base while it was undefended by its leaders. 

What she understood was this was, certainly, an opportunity no matter what Kylo and Paquin might be up to. 

Then Finn was at her side, “I told Hux that Leia should be at her ship,” he noted. He wasn’t exactly at her side—even he felt the pressure that he didn’t want to try and push through, but he was to the left. “Are you sure about this? Confronting them?” 

“You don’t have to come,” Mira said softly, “I know who they are. I can handle it.” If she was in a better state she could. Of course, she didn’t know how bad off Ariel was. 

“I have to come.” 

Mira gave him a glance, the tiredness apparent to Finn then. She didn’t say anything, but looked forward again. “Fall back to lead Phasma’s troops. You’ll know how to find me.” Before Finn could protest, Mira was several yards ahead of him, and furthering herself. 

“Oh, come on!” Finn yelled, and stamped his foot, but then did decide she likely had a point about leading the Stormtroopers. If she showed up alone first, it’d be a surprise, wouldn’t it? 

But he needed to learn that trick. That speed. 

~***~ 

And it would not take Phasma long to organize a few troops quickly. She knew where they were out on the campus, and drew to her individuals of varying squads. She directed them towards the hangar, and then onwards towards the town, as that was the direction Mira appeared to be moving in. 

"Admiral Mira Vallens," they were all going to have to get used to that, "Has gone to confront and subdue an unknown amount of Knights of Ren. Hux would like them to be captured. You are to follow and assist the Admiral in this. She has gone ahead, so you must find and follow her." 

Their agreement echoed out, and soon enough, the soldiers were moving off, and Phasma turned to follow them back to the hangar, to rejoin Hux to meet with Leia. 

She noted that Luke moved by her at a quicker pace, anxious. No doubt, looking for Rey. Phasma did not address him, though. He looked too distracted.

KyloGlenn · Jul 19, 2016

She wasn’t sure how at one time she wanted to stab herself with her own lightsaber but wanted Kylo’s nowhere near her. She figured it was something about control. 

“Okay, I can do that.” She mumbled, more to herself. She used Kylo as stability so she didn’t fall off the counter as she shifted into a ‘meditating position’, pulling her legs under her. He asked what her coworker had said. “It was when I first started working for the Order. He said I had to be aware of my own body and mind before I try to take care of someone else’s. He recommended I take deep breaths and do yoga, not connect with a sword.” She shrugged. 

“I didn’t take him very seriously, though. He also recommended Xanax. And then died a week later. He had angina. He mixed nitroglycerin with sildenafil. Everyone knows you’re not supposed to do that. He was a nice old man, though.” With that, Paquin closed her eyes. 

She was wary of doing so in front of Kylo since he'd been the one to tell her it didn't matter. She found that it helped, however. At least it did with shoving her energy into the kyber crystal. 

- 

Ariel was ahead of Gnaeus, speed walking while trying to look inconspicuous. It was a little hard when she actually had armfuls of alcohol. Though, looking innocent wasn’t her priority. Getting back to Gnaeus’ ship was. 

And as she neared it, she did begin to feel a little relief. Mira was getting closer, Ariel could feel that much. But the ship was already in her sight, and she gave up on looking normal. She pulled the door open once again with the Force and utilized it to float the bottles of alcohol into it. 

All except for one, which she popped open and began to sip. She wouldn’t chug anything until they got back to Korriban. But the sips helped ease the withdrawals. 

She waited for Gnaeus to catch up with her, leaning against the ship. There was still anxiety, but at this point, she wasn’t sure if it was real or just symptoms. “It’s legal to be drunk in public here, right?” She questioned as Gnaeus entered her sight, trying to return her easygoingness now that they were almost free. 

- 

With a frustrated sigh, Finn turned back around to find those damn Stormtroopers. That speed would be one of the first things he’d get Mira to teach him. So she wouldn’t ditch him again. 

Finn was less than enthusiastic about leading the Stormtroopers until he caught sight of them and realized. He was leading them, he was in charge of them. And he’d be leading them into something good, no less. With that, Finn strode towards the troopers, head held high. 

“You guys! Follow me! Admiral Vallens sent me to instruct you.” 

The group of Stormtroopers all looked from one another. None of them were pleased to be following after FN-2187. They’d all been made aware of him when he betrayed the Order. But then Admiral Vallens came up, who was now another one of their bosses. And they needed to follow after her anyway. Not to mention they didn’t have time to argue. 

“Lead the way.” 

And Finn did, turning with a smug grin on his face as he hurriedly led them the direction Mira had gone. “Now, we need to stay behind and out of sight, we can’t be seen. Element of surprise and all.” 

- 

Finn said Leia would be on her ship, so that’s where Hux went. Saved him the time of aimlessly wandering. 

He knocked on the door of the ship as Mira had just moments before the Knights became an issue. Poe was the one who opened the door and allowed him in, making a grand gesture as he stepped aside to let Hux by him. He clearly didn’t care much of what Hux thought of him, but that didn’t matter, he supposed. 

“General Organa,” Hux greeted her as kindly as he could manage. “Dameron,” him not so much. 

“General Hux, thank you for coming. Are we waiting on Mira and Captain Phasma?” 

Since an alliance was the goal of this meeting, Hux didn’t have much of a problem providing Leia with some new information. “Phasma’s been promoted. To Lieutenant-General. And as for Mira, something’s come up. The Knights of Ren have landed on Cimarosa, Mira went after them.” 

“Kylo Ren?” Was the first question out of Leia’s mouth, even though she’d have known if her son was on the damn planet. She had been hopeful, though. Until Hux shook his head. Next question, “You let Mira go after them? And alone?” 

“I’m not her boss,” well, now he was. But the point was that he still really couldn’t order her around. She’d have done it anyway. “Besides, Finn followed after her. And I sent a squad of troopers, as well.” Half of the reason was because he knew Mira was in no shape to face the Knights of when, however many, on her own. And the other was because he really wanted the Knights. Or, at least, a Knight. 

- 

Rey had been dismissed by Finn, he wouldn’t let her join them. And she saw the reasoning, so she let it happen. But she wasn’t going to find Luke. No, she was going to find a way to help without being seen. And then maybe after the ordeal, she’d look for Luke. 

But Luke was already looking for her and had found her. She couldn’t avoid him, but she tried. “Rey! Come on, we must get you off of the planet.” Luke planned on temporarily, until after some time had passed. So he could come back and tell Leia he hadn’t ditched them and find a few means of communication. 

But he needed to get Rey off of Cimarosa. 

“Why? So you can leave me on Jakku again?” Rey spat bitterly as she nearly started jogging away from her teacher. 

‘Damn it,’ Mira had told her. When, he didn’t know. Probably when he was talking to Qui-Gon. He wondered if the Force ghost had purposely acted as a distraction. 

This was why he wanted to tell her himself, with Obi-Wan. It would have been easier. “I’ll explain everything, just not now. We need to leave.” Luke nearly jogged alongside her. 

“I’ve heard that before.” Rey abruptly turned to weave through some ships in an effort to both find where the action was and shake Luke.

Lucyfer · Jul 19, 2016

The Knight remained steady as Paquin used him to adjust herself, solid as ever while she shifted her pose to one of meditation. Unnecessary, but at this point that didn’t matter. She needed to do what was necessary. It was why Kylo was using the lightsaber as a prop. She could visibly see things, a little bit, with the lightsaber. 

Kylo Ren, of course, didn’t know you weren’t supposed to do that. Still, he nodded, “He had a good idea. It applies to the Force, as well. It is better to recognize its flow and effect on yourself, before you start to use it on others.” It wasn’t exactly how Kylo Ren got started, but then, he’d had Leia and Han around to try and help him. 

Not the best help. 

She shut her eyes, and again Kylo had to resist the urge to comment on the unnecessariness. One day, she’d have to learn to feel it all while standing. While in the heat of battle. ‘These are the first steps.’ He had to remind himself not to be impatient. 

And so, he waited. He watched. He felt, and he hoped that she would be a natural. That would make things easier. Faster. A lot faster than some of the other Knights, anyway. He was pretty sure the only one who hadn’t been a struggle was Kevan. ‘Well. She’s Kevan’s replacement.’ And he mentally hit himself for the thought. She was more than that. 

~***~ 

Gnaeus was actually upset when he saw Ariel, until he remembered he had the keys. ‘Right.’ She couldn’t get it started without him. “I don’t think we care about legal right now,” they’d just stolen hundreds of credits worth, if not thousands of credits worth, of alcohol. “Let’s just—” 

The door of the ship slammed down with a deafening finality, and then every bottle that Gnaeus was holding was ripped from his hand, shattered, and the shards rose immediately from the liquor at his feet to poise before the two knights. 

Gnaeus pulled his lightsaber into his hand and clicked it on, the vibrant red reflecting prettily off the various bits of colored glass. 

Mira was in clear view then, no lightsaber lit, but there was no need. Not yet. The two would have to get by the field of glass first, which Mira was rather pleased with. “Gnaeus. Ariel.” The other hangar was the obvious location. Their ship had to be parked somewhere, after all. Mira had figured it out as she followed what she could through the Force. 

“Mira,” Gnaeus spat. 

She didn’t look too good, either. There was blood on the tunic she wore—a rather Jedi-esque design. She looked tired, too. Paler. And she was starting to draw back in—unknown to him, because Luke had drawn in, masked his presence better. “I see Kylo’s been kind to you,” but she hadn’t lost her edge. Unfortunately. 

Gnaeus pretended not to know what she was referring to. “Mira, we’d rather not kill you. Just let us go.” She was outnumbered. He liked to believe outmatched. 

She shook her head, “This is war, and I do not intend to lose.” Yet, “You don’t have to stay with the knights,” she offered to them both. She’d rather not harm them, as well, but she would. 

Not far, but staying well out sight, the red-headed governor moved behind ships. He was looking for a good location where he could see the Knights when things did, inevitably, turn to violence. 

~***~ 

Finn wasn’t sure exactly where to go, but his own natural instinct helped. Or his Force-enhanced instinct. His danger sense. Whichever it was, he soon found himself before the hangar, and knew. “All right, spread out here. Don’t attack anyone yet, wait for my signal.” 

“And what is your signal?” No ‘sirs’ here. This was still the traitor. 

“Um.” And then he just punched his fist up in the air. Easy enough. 

“Roger.” Easy enough to remember, too. The Stormtroopers then moved to spread out, and stay out of sight, which wouldn’t be too difficult with all the ships here. 

Finn took a more direct route, not sure if he ought to stay hidden or not. 

Although, once he stumbled upon the scene, he suspected staying hidden wasn’t an option as he put himself right into view almost immediately. The Knights of Ren were surrounded by glass, with liquor at their feet, the door to their ship closed. Lightsaber lit. 

~***~ 

It was evident that Leia wanted to put a halt to the meeting to tend to the issue of the Knights, but then there was another knock on the door, and Poe went to answer it. It was Phasma, who stepped up into the ship and addressed Hux first, “Sir, I’ve dispatched a mixed group of Stormtroopers to follow after Vallens,” it would now be terribly improper to refer to her as just Mira. Yet, she left the ‘admiral’ out, in case the Resistance was not yet informed. 

When she glanced towards the Resistance, they didn’t seem surprised to hear that, so she assumed they were already informed of Mira’s absence. “I believe that we should begin without Vallens, as she is otherwise occupied with a matter of similar importance, and we all know why we are here.” 

“Yes,” Leia agreed, “No matter our differences, I am certain that we both agree that Supreme Leader Snoke is the larger threat to the galaxy. We must work together to bring him down, and hopefully during this process, we will learn to work together after his fall.” Leia stated. 

~***~ 

Luke grit his teeth at her defiance, but followed, understanding that they were getting closer to leaving the hangar. He tried to reach out for her, but she immediately shook him off and spun around, “Don’t. Touch me.” And then, turned right back around to stalk off. 

“Rey, it is dangerous here now.” 

“All the more reason to stay!” Rey spat, “My friends are in danger.” Poe. Finn. Maybe Mira. She’d been honest with her. “Your family is in danger, though I guess you don’t know how important that is.” She had stepped out of the hangar then, trying to feel out where the action was now. To feel out where Finn was. The sensation had dulled some. 

Attachment issues really should have been the first lesson.

KyloGlenn · Jul 20, 2016

The dark helped her ‘see’ things better. She had no images to focus on, just the Force. And she was happy when Kylo didn’t comment on her closed eyes. He was doing surprisingly well, patience-wise. She didn’t expect it to last, however. 

She focused, which was getting much easier the more she did it. She felt Kylo and she felt Gnaeus’ plant, but that wasn’t supposed to be her focus. So, she pushed those two to the side—hoping she didn’t actually push them—and focused on her lightsaber. 

She felt the kyber crystal, vibrating with energy. It was almost like a call, inviting her to take a hold of it with the Force. She was experimental with reaching out, poking and pushing in different ways, mostly to test if it would explode. It was almost like imbuing the crystal, only it felt more like she was encompassing it, circling it rather than forcing herself into it. And then it sort of clicked, felt like she just grew a little more arm. And in that moment she became oddly aware of her signature and how it connected to her new ‘arm.’ 

She didn’t reject the awareness. That was good, that’s what they wanted. She cracked one eye open, “Is it working?” 

- 

Mira looked like shit and Ariel hoped she felt even worse. 

Ariel glared, mostly at the glass shards pointed at her, angry at the waste of alcohol. ‘I knew this shit would happen, I knew this was a bad idea.’ It was the Force trying to warn her and she just ignored it. 

And then there was the anger and hatred towards Mira. They hadn’t been close, not that they had a chance to be, maybe that’s why Ariel didn’t find it difficult to hate her. Gnaeus spoke of not wanting to hurt Mira, but Ariel wanted to. But she was in no shape to. And she hoped Mira realized that she wasn’t in any shape either. 

Realize how stupid her idea was. 

Poor Ariel had no clue of the reinforcements Mira had. Other than the boy who had just entered their line of sight. “We don’t have to stay with the Knights, no,” they could pull a Mira or a Kevan. If they wanted to die. But Ariel wasn’t planning on that. Even if Kylo was a dick and Snoke was scary, she was still loyal to them. After all, they confessed their love the previous night. Well, she and Gnaeus had. But she felt it from Kylo and that was enough. Even if they had been drunk. 

Ariel set her in tact bottle of alcohol down, that hand making way to her lightsaber. “Let us go free,” Ariel saw an opportunity with the kid she didn’t immediately recognize, “or I drag Hot Chocolate here through your little glass field.” And if Mira dropped the glass, Gnaeus still had his lightsaber. 

Finn had been spotted. He almost shot an apologetic look to Mira, but wouldn’t in front of the Knights. Instead, he strode to Mira’s side, head held high. “Do it, I dare you.” His arms crossed. He’d resisted Mira’s Force-pushing, surely he could resist this. If not, he just had to put his fist in the air. 

- 

Hux nodded, “We saw here yesterday just a fraction of the forces Snoke has. On our own, we wouldn’t stand a chance.” And then neither would succeed in implementing any policies that would better the universe. 

Hux had the technology, he had the funding. What he didn’t have was enough manpower, and that’s what Leia had. And Hux didn’t trust in recruiting ‘volunteers’. He barely trusted the Resistance, but at the very least he knew they wouldn’t turn to Snoke. 

Hux, going into this, knew the Order would fund most things and was alright with that. Desperate times call for lots of money. And the Resistance was underfunded. 

“I hope you understand that I can’t promise anything for after Snoke’s fall.” They’d discussed a way to make things work with leaders, but that was another discussion that couldn’t be hammered out in twenty minutes. It would wait until they could discuss it in length, without the threat of Snoke. 

“We can’t either, bud.” 

Hux ignored Poe’s commentary, “I am not close-minded,” I tiny glance was shot to Dameron. “But for now, the focus is Snoke.” Hux had quite a few things he would go over with Leia. Guidelines and all. An openness would be needed between the two parties. Which brought him to the topic of Tarkin. Depending on Eriadu’s state, it might be useful to strike a deal with him. But everyone knew Wilhuff Tarkin blew up Alderaan in front of Organa, so he’d discuss how comfortable she’d be with that. 

- 

Rey got a hit on Finn. His general direction, anyway. The town, which was straight ahead. And so she began hurrying over there, Luke behind her. She grew more irritated with his presence, knowing he wasn’t going to help. “Luke, I am staying. Either you can stay and help your family and friends, or just go.” Maybe Mira would adopt Rey as an apprentice, too. 

Rey shook those thoughts from her head. She knew she was being a little drastic with those thoughts. But she was still angry. 

“Rey, I wanted to tell you. But this was not the place or time.” 

“I have a feeling you’d never have found the place or time if I waited for you to tell me.” Rey had a plan. She’d sneak right past Finn, Mira, and the Knights. Come up behind them and attack if she needed to. But she couldn’t sneak with Luke. Unless he was going to help.

Lucyfer · Jul 20, 2016

Meditating was boring. 

Watching other people meditate was somehow more boring. 

Kylo would have rather watched paint dry, but he tried to keep himself amused by focusing on the way Paquin played with the Force. The poking. The prodding. 

It was obvious when it clicked, which was what Kylo was waiting for. The cyan blade straightened out even more, seeming to lose its edges. It was ethereal, beautiful, in its smoothness. 

“Yes,” he told her as he saw one eye crack open. “Open the other. You will need to know this feeling. You will need to learn how to maintain this feeling in the heat of battle, and to always recognize it.” Kylo told her. 

Fearlessly, he lifted his hand and held it close to the lightsaber that burned out of the hilt, “This blade won’t crackle at all if you can keep your focus on it, and you can use that to your advantage, as well. You can learn to freely release it, or more, take the energy from it to destabilize it.” 

Not a good strategy if one wanted to keep a lightsaber, unless they were skilled at quickly putting the energy back in, “Or flood it, for a similar effect,” equilibrium. It was at perfect equilibrium like this. “I would have you try it…but we don’t have other crystals to use right now to rebuild.” If she screwed it up. 

He drew his hand back. “How does it feel to you? Do you recognize yourself better in the Force?” 

~***~ 

Hatred from Ariel. 'Two red heads hate me.' She'd report to Poe. Just because. 

Apathy from Gnaeus. Apprehension. 

Mira took it in, knowing she would have gone at them with or without assistance. “This is Finn, Ariel.” She offered, when the drunk called him Hot Chocolate. Amusing nickname. “The one who stood up to Kylo Ren and lived.” 

Gnaeus clearly didn’t like that bit of information. “We know how this is going to end, so let’s jus,” the word was incomplete and unfinished intentionally, a strategy in itself as Mira blurred again. 

The glass would not strike them, but shatter into particles as small as sand and then launch at Ariel to blind her, perhaps permanently, while Mira went to engage Gnaeus. 

Purple and red clashed, but only for a moment. Gnaeus had the high ground on the ramp, but Mira wasn’t going to let that remain. Speed—as he’d told Paquin—was her style. And “four”. With a moment’s press forward against Gnaeus’s lightsaber, she made sure he couldn’t follow the end of the deadlock with a strike, as she kicked off from the ground and landed atop the ship. 

The higher up, the easier a target Gnaeus was, unprotected by all the other ships. 

And he followed Mira up as she took some steps back, smirking as she let both arms fall to her side, leaving her quite open for an assault. 

Which only made Gnaeus paranoid as he drew closer, but in a circling fashion, stepping with her. 

Down below, Finn grabbed his blaster, and then, just as he released it from the holster at his side, he remembered—and punched his fist up in the air. 

~***~ 

“We understand, General. We are not making promises for the future, after Snoke. We will both hope we can reach an agreement, and come to better understand each other through this process,” Mira was no doubt going to try and help with that as much as she possibly could. Leia had no doubts, if Mira could get through this issue with Snoke. 

If she could figure out the inevitable issues of the Jedi Order and…whatever Mira wanted to see instead. 

Which, likely, was another thing she might have to try and mediate. If Luke even had designs on creating a Jedi Order again. 

“We will need to shore up security on our major bases first, and lines of resources,” like the kyber crystal planet, “before we work on expanding out and removing Snoke.” They didn’t know where to begin for that, not yet, though Leia hoped they would soon. She could feel the tensions from afar, and knew Mira must have encountered the Knights now. 

Phasma nodded. “I will draw up lists of locations that are important, and you shall do the same. We’ll exchange them,” at the same time, but that went unspoken. They’d be offering up critical information, but it was the only way to protect these locations, too. Build up the defenses. Know where they were, so they knew where to go if issues arose. Protect. “The next order of business will be acquiring information on Snoke’s locations, though I believe Vallens knows a bit of that, and will know more if we are able to capture the Knights.” 

Or if not, there were still prisoners that weren’t Force sensitives. 

“Speaking of.” Leia had to add this. “The Knights…if at all possible, I would like us to be of the mind to prefer capture to killing them. If possible.” 

It went unspoken why. One of them was her son. The others were Force Sensitives, seduced by the dark side. She wanted to save them. Mira had come back. Kevan had jumped ship. 

It had to be possible. 

~***~ 

Luke felt the tensions rising in the Force, not just from Rey’s anger, but from what was likely the encounter. Mira had caught up with them, then. 

And yet her own energy seemed to dim, pulled back in, as it usually was. He did wonder what caused the change. Now seemed the time to be releasing emotion, to be raging or panicking, but she was not. 

And there were the Knights. 

And there was…another? It was barely noticeable, but it was there all the same—a movement stirred by the innate need to preserve life, the Force moving around another individual. 

Luke knew when it must have begun. The Force was pushed into activity rather than passivity, and the signatures of its users started to blur. Luke could argue more, but it was now a waste of breath. Rey was moving, and the only way Luke was going to stop her was if he literally dragged her away. 

That wasn’t an option. Not with her this angry at him, this mistrustful. No, he had to follow, and he had to keep her safe. 

So, he added nothing to her comments as they moved through the town. All he did was push his hood up, and hoped no one in the town was going to recognize him as they walked on. 

Hoped Mira handled it before they arrived.

KyloGlenn · Jul 20, 2016

Paquin opened her other eye on command, though the mention of the heat of battle dimmed her excitement a little bit. She didn't let that bother her too much, instead observing the work she'd done. 

As Kylo had said, it had worked. There was a noticeable difference that she hadn't been expecting. The crackling was gone. It wasn't like Kylo's crackling, more like it was just cycling over. But now it was smooth and even steadier and Paquin let herself feel pride. 

And then Kylo put his hand near her lightsaber and she instinctively pulled it away from his hand. 'Idiot, if you cut your hand off, I won't be able to fix it!' Well, she could, but she'd have to get creative. They'd gotten lucky that Kylo had only burned his hand that previous night and nothing more. 

"Rebuild?" It came out soft as her protectiveness over her lightsaber returned. But she didn't have time to get defensive as Kylo asked how it felt, pulling his hand away from her lightsaber. She did recognize herself in the Force better. But it was a foreign feeling. "Yes. It feels strange. The lightsaber feels natural, but feeling myself doesn't. The best I could compare it to is recognizing your own mortality." But, she'd get used to it. 

- 

'That fucker!' Was all Ariel could think for a good minute. 

Initially, she screeched. It hurt getting a hair in her eyes and this was tiny pieces of glass! Her eyes shut and didn't open as she stumbled back towards the ship, slipping to the ground as her back hit it. She wanted to help Gnaeus, but she had glass in her eyes. 

Her biggest worry was that she wouldn't be able to see anymore, the glass cutting into her eyes. She realized then she'd have to use the Force for everything while she was blinded. Whether that be temporary or permanent. 

The first step was to pull the glass out. She was lucky to have the Force on her side. It was hard, Ariel didn't work with such tiny pieces. And she had to search for them. But once she had a grab on them, she didn't hesitate to open her eyes and rip them out. It was painful and felt like it took hours when it was only a minute or two. 

She felt relief, immediately knowing when the last grain of glass was out. There wasn't much relief. Her eyes were still cut or something, they were burning. Water--which she refused to call tears--leaked from her eyes and down her face, possibly mingling with blood. She didn't know. 

And the next second, before she could even process, she felt people swarming. Coming from all angles. Some surrounded her, others were gearing up around the ship, for Gnaeus. Before she could react, her lightsaber was ripped from her side and she was being manhandled. She fought and struggled, using the Force to push people away. But they just kept getting back up. And then the signature of who she recognized as Hot Chocolate came to rest on her shoulders. "I got you now, Hot Tamale." He was proud of himself, while Ariel was questioning 'Hot Tamale'. "Knock her out." It didn't go dark for Ariel, as she already couldn't see. But she lost consciousness when a Stormtrooper hit the back of her head. 

- 

"I have a location of Snoke's," the one he'd instructed Hux to take Mira to. Whether he was still there or if it was a base, he didn't know. But he didn't have a chance to elaborate, as Leia spoke of capturing the Knights rather than killing them. Lucky for her, he was already planning on capturing the Knights, for then. "The order is already to capture the Knights." 

But he knew she was talking about in the long term. And he knew why, as well. 'Damn Mira for giving people hope.' "I understand. And I will instruct the troopers to be conscious of that, at least attempt capture. But only if it's a smart decision within the situation. If there's little room for capture, killing them will be opted for." 

Hux would prefer if they were just killed. He'd milk the Knights for information if they were captured, at this point. But if a chance arose to kill the Knights, he would prefer to take it. No room for escaping or for them to muck anything up. He'd learned his lesson with that Rey girl. 

But, for Leia. To make this work. 

It seemed as though an agreement would be reached. "It goes without saying that you'll be given access to resources and information, within reason." Plans against Snoke, what they needed to construct something. "And I'd expect it to be the same." They didn't have much that the Order would need, other than information. He didn't need to know when they going on a supply run or anything, just things that could be seen to have an effect. Tarkin would wait until after hands were shaken. 

Poe was unhappy with this, but he saw reason. If it was anything like how they'd worked together on Cimarosa, then he didn't see a huge problem. And he'd want to know exactly what their plans were, too. But he still gave Leia a look to express his thoughts. 

- 

The other hangar was where they were. Rey felt it the Force signatures within it. So, she made her way to the opposite end, to come up behind. She moved silently and was at least a bit glad that Luke shut up and was simply following her at this point. Better than nothing. 

Rey weaved through ships and the owners of ships as they hurriedly left the scene, pushing against Rey and Luke. Rey didn't bother to check if Luke was still with her as it didn't matter. 

Rey was careful as she moved, especially when she felt herself growing nearer to the others. She stopped as soon as the group was in sight, not wanting to be close enough to give herself away. She hid behind a ship, peering around to see where she could come in. 

The Knight and Mira were moving together, but not fighting. Rey wasn't sure who had the upper hand at that point, so she observed. If Mira didn't grasp control, then Rey would step in. This was Mira's fight and Luke and Finn did have a point. Snoke couldn't know about them just yet. Maybe the Knights had some sort of telepathic connection.

Lucyfer · Jul 20, 2016

Kylo shook his head, “Let’s not bring existentialist crisises into this,” he almost chuckled, but it really wasn’t a happy thought. Mortality. Of course, he knew he would continue in the Force…but that didn’t mean he wanted to. Like so many others before him, he didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to rejoin the Force. 

“It is always strange to recognize that, while the Force encompasses all, you are still separated from it. Like a drop of water in an ocean—but unlike that drop, you can control the ocean. The Force. You will need to learn how to control it in yourself, and affect its flow. You can practice that with the lightsaber, as you’ve already done—calling out to your own energy and connecting with it. You can withdraw the flow to bring it back to its normal state,” he noted. 

He then continued, “Once you have a feel for that, moving the Force back and forth, you can try to move it within what is actually your body. You will be able to then jump like I did, to run faster than most humans can see, to break through doors with added strength. You will learn to overcome all your frailties through the Force. Exhaustion, hunger, pain—all of it can become meaningless in the moment you need it to be.” 

He wasn’t encouraging starvation and such, but when that strength was necessary, it could be pulled upon. It was the only way he’d survived some of his encounters. Like the damned bowcaster of Chewbacca. That had nearly done him in. Then fighting Rey…suicide. 

And yet, he lived. 

It was what made Force users seem so inhuman to others—they were able to become so much more. Their bodies no longer limited them as it did other creatures. 

~***~ 

Leia was relieved that Hux was already planning to capture the Knights. She assumed Mira would; they had once been her allies. If she was trying to turn over a new life, she also needed to start stepping away from the murderous tendencies of the Knights, too. 

“I understand that,” Leia did not like it, but she understood it. 

Especially as she saw Phasma’s expression, a woman who hadn’t lost children, perhaps, but who had seen the death of many of the people who served her. “Only if it is possible. If it is not, then they have to be killed.” It pained her to say it, but it was true. ‘Please, Kylo. Please do not get into such a situation.’ 

“You will receive the same, General Hux. We do not have as many resources, but we do have a wealth of information at our disposal, and we do have plenty of Allies in the Core. We may be able to persuade them to become more open.” 

Though that wasn’t guaranteed. After the Hosnian system, some had gone further into hiding. Not all—when Starkiller was destroyed, some of their patrons became more open about their support, too. 

It would be interesting breaking the news to them, that was certain. Next senate meeting. That was when Leia saw most of those allies, when she played her role as Senator. 

“Are there any more requests, General Hux, or shall we work from here and adapt as necessary?” There was lots of room in the unspoken. Neither were truly hindering the other in the requests thus far, which could be both a boon or an issue down the line. 

Likely both. 

~***~ 

Rey would have been 100% right on the telepathic connection, and it was just that which Mira was playing at. Reconnecting. Re-establishing, while Gnaeus weighed his options. His caution would be his undoing here. 

Mira wasn’t waiting, though she intended it to look that way. To make it appear that she wanted Gnaeus to rush forward, headlong into the danger. No, she was steadying her breathing. She was watching his eyes. She was matching his heartbeat. 

She was connecting, to make her true attack easier. 

When Gnaeus finally did lunge, she guarded, even if it was foolish to enter deadlocks with him. His strength was heightened and he pressed the advantage for all he was worth, feeling the Force waging its war between them. 

He shoved, and she staggered back. 

He rushed, and she feinted right, but her eyes were almost eerily unmoving from his face. She didn’t look to his hands or feet to figure his direction or action—there was no need. She had shifted into Style 2, avoiding unnecessary acrobatics, and following the flow of the lightsaber as it came, on defense rather than offense. 

That was when Ariel began to have her troubles with the Stormtroopers, and Gnaeus looked down. He definitely considered joining in the fray. ‘Nope.’ And Mira tilted her head up a bit. 

Gnaeus felt a shooting pain through his head, and he stumbled. His focus was lost on the lightsaber and it lost its red blade but he managed to keep hold of it. He fought against the pain, tried to shake himself from it as Mira stepped forward, eyes unblinking now as she fought to maintain the pain, maintain control, as she ripped through layers of guards. Her plan was only pain, only harm, information would come later. 

Gnaeus’s mind wasn’t nearly as shielded as Kylo’s. Easier to break into, now that their breathing matched, heartrate matched. 

And then she stopped dead in her tracks. The kyber crystals shifted starkly from the green to a vibrant orange, and Mira lost all focus on the task at hand, her grip on Gnaeus lost as an all-too familiar howling assaulted her mind, with the trailing thought of ‘Leia was right,’ being the last one she could actually think, before all instinct to resist pulled her out of the fight. She took a knee and let the electricity jump up around her, hoping it might serve as a shield against Gnaeus if nothing else. 

Gnaeus saw the advantage as soon as his own pain ended. The way to stop this was to kill her, kill Hot Chocolate, and flee with Ariel. 

He wasted no time, blissfully unaware of the sniper watching him, focused only on this. 

And so, when he raised his hand, the blaster dart connected with it, piercing the lightsaber, the crystal, and blowing it to pieces with his hand. 

Gnaeus stared in horror, the pain not having a chance to register before Rey was behind him on the ship, and slammed the back of her lightsaber’s hilt into the back of his neck, knocking him out. 

Below, the Stormtroopers were about to take Ariel away, when Tarkin jumped from his perch, sniper rifle strapped on his back once more, “Do you have containment fields?” 

Some of the Stormtroopers looked confused, as if they hadn’t heard that term before. One piped up, “I am not sure if we have it here, but we do have access to it.” 

“It is needed, immediately. It can contain Force sensitives effectively.” 

“How are you so sure? Who are you?” 

“Tarkin. Wilhuff had enough conversations with Darth Tyrannus to know. It was used to capture Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Or so he’d heard it had been effectively used on the Jedi on Geonosis, but he was running on rumors, not actual tests. Though, he did find them quite effective for non-Force sensitives. 

Finn frowned, not sure if he ought to be taking any advice from this stranger. He knew the name Tarkin, he just couldn’t place, until one of the other Stormtroopers piped up, “Didn’t you refuse to work with the First Order?” 

“You’re free to ignore me,” August stated, “It will be your funeral when they get free. I want the Knights captured as much as you.”

KyloGlenn · Jul 23, 2016

Paquin mumbled an apology for her mini existential crisis, but it was the only way she could describe it. Kylo found a good way to explain it that wasn't as depressing, and Paquin couldn't help but think how poetic it was. She wondered if he'd worked on that or came up with it on the spot. 

She moved on from that when Kylo noted she could stop the flow of the Force, that going to be her next thing to attempt. She closed her eyes again to try while also trying to pay attention to Kylo. Multitasking. Kylo said she'd have to learn to use the Force in the heat of battle. This wasn't exactly battle but it would get her one step closer to that. 

Recognizing herself within the Force definitely helped her with halting the flow of the Force to the lightsaber. Even with Kylo talking and her trying her best to listen, it still seemed easier to withdraw. Probably because it was essentially mapped out from her at this point. 

When she opened her eyes, the lightsaber returned to its original state, Kylo talking about exhaustion, hunger, and pain becoming meaningless. "That all sounds fine and dandy," especially the whole jumping thing. If only she had that in medical school, when everyone thought it was funny to hold things out of her reach. 'Jerkfaces.' "But the whole overcoming frailties thing sounds like a dangerous game. The body needs nutrition and the brain needs rest." Unless all that was in Darth Plagueis' writings, "I hope you don't rely too heavily on that." 

- 

Hux wasn't going to hold out for any of Leia's allies in the Core to open up. It was likely that they'd scattered. After all, Hux had built a superweapon and targeted an entire system in which many members of the New Republic resided. He wondered if they'd accept the alliance between the Order and the Resistance. Well, they'd have to. 

Either way, he only needed information. 

"No further requests, no. I did have a query that would fall under working and adapting together. I'm not sure if you're aware of August Tarkin's presence on the planet--" 

"We're aware. He flirted with your girl Mira," Poe spoke up. 

Hux rose an eyebrow. He doubted Tarkin 'flirted' with Mira. Maybe he'd ask her about it at a later point. "Well, Eriadu's is in a bit of a situation, apparently, and will likely want to discuss an alliance as well. If you find this to be an issue with you, personally or professionally, feel free to object." The alliance with Leia and the Resistance was much more important than with Eriadu, even as beneficially an alliance with the planet would be. 

Hux couldn't help but find it funny, if Tarkin were to come to him this time and ask for a merge, only to be denied. But Hux knew that pettiness could not be the way for him to run things. 

"I'd like to know before I meet with August," so he wouldn't waste his time. If Leia did agree, there was still the potential of wasting his time. There was much more to consider than just Leia's approval. 

- 

Rey's first move after knocking the now handless Knight out was to pull off her arm wrappings, tying them tight around his new stump. She didn't much care for him, but they didn't need him to bleed out. "Come on, let's get him on the ground, then." The Force could take care of the bleeding and the transporting of him. 

Luke took care of that bit, however. He'd moved around the ship, hood still hiding his identity. He used the Force to apply pressure to the wound and to move the Knight off the top of the ship and onto the ground by the Stormtroopers. Luke felt very little sympathy for the man. Only for the loss of the hand, as he himself knew what that was like. But that didn't erase the fact that he totally deserved it. 

Even if it was Mira he was going to kill, he was still going to kill someone. 

Rey stood up straight after that, taking a deep breath. "Are you alright, Mira?" Rey saw her take a knee, and that's when she moved to jump onto the ship. 

It clicked in Finn's head then. August Tarkin, he'd refused to work with the Order years and years ago. Finn had been much younger, it was no surprise it had taken so long to recall the man. 

Who he was just further made Finn even further wary of accepting any advice from him. 

The Stormtroopers and Finn were silent for a moment until one of them piped up. "You two, take Red here--" 

"Hot Tamale." Finn corrected. 

The trooper was silent for a moment, "...Okay, Hot Tamale here to where the other prisoners are being kept." Then he addressed another pair by pointing at them, "You two take floating guy. Quad, you call the base to get those containment fields and I'll ask General Hux for permission to listen to this guy and put 'em inside. In the meantime, keep them knocked out." 

It was clear Finn couldn't order them around from here, but at least he got the chance to. And know the redhead would further be addressed as Hot Tamale.

Lucyfer · Jul 23, 2016

Kylo shook his head at Paquin’s question, “Only when it is necessary.” He informed her, and decided to elaborate, “You repaired me from the damages I received from Rey and Chewbacca. I do not know if you know much about wookie weaponry or the bowcaster, but that weapon tends to break through Stormtrooper armor.” 

Their armor was built not to deflect blaster shots, but rather to spread it so that the one inside did not die from a single shot. He imagined Paquin knew that much. “It broke through my armor as well, and it should have killed me,” over the heart, “but the Force protected me, and my own ability to manipulate it within myself allowed me to continue on.” Sure, he lost his fight with Rey and Finn, but he’d tried. 

If Paquin wasn’t learning how important that was—trying—around Supreme Leader Snoke, then she had a lot to pick-up on. 

Giving up wasn’t an option. “When you need to stay strong. When there isn’t another option, the Force will let you fake it until you can rest. The Jedi used it this way, as well. It was how they remained so stoic and calm, in any situation.” It was one area of common ground, to use the Force to enhance the body and its capabilities. “Generally, I prefer to have three meals a day and a snack or two, and sleep.” Kylo said, “but we don’t always have that luxury.” 

He remembered the complaints of Gnaeus, Ariel, and Mira most of all. They were the ones sent to variously inhospitable lands and made to deal with it. They always did, though. “There may come a time when you need to use it in this way to live, too, and we will practice it.” In the safety of Korriban. But she would have to starve. She would have to stay awake. She would have to find the strength to manage it, until she did not feel these issues. 

~***~ 

Leia was not surprised that Hux was already informed of August Tarkin’s arrival. What she was surprised with, was that he was actually asking her opinion on it, and not just making the deal. 

“August Tarkin is not Wilhuff Tarkin,” Leia said, “But he remains a member of that family and runs his world as if he is an emperor.” ‘Governor’ was laughable. Sure, he was elected, but everything was rigged so that the Tarkins always won. “I have met him before in the Senate,” of course, “and he presents well, but I know little of his goals. His move here to forge an alliance with you,” Leia wouldn’t play coy, she knew what Tarkin was here for, “is an unexpected one. In the Senate, he made a habit of denouncing the First Order and was one of the few who spoke for the New Republic to be open with its Resistance.” 

Leia found she was thinking as she spoke, “It may be he is that desperate, or it may be he never agreed with the Knights of Ren and now finds your organization worthy of his attention. I do not know, and I will not pretend to know, but I advise you to be careful. I will not stand in the way of an alliance simply because his relative destroyed my home. It was not his action.” She could not hold August responsible for that. “Just learn his intentions before you step into any relationship with him. He is cunning.” That much Leia had seen in his interactions with the Senate, and the way he would play some Senators into, metaphorically, hanging themselves. 

She almost mentioned that Tarkin seemed to loathe Commandant Hux, but though she had a taste for Hux’s opinion of his father, she imagined that should not be mentioned. People didn’t always appreciate others commenting on family in such a way. It was to stay within the family. Others weren’t allowed to speak ill of them. 

Though, she had an idea that Hux didn’t care that much for his father. 

~***~ 

Mira had Luke to thank for her default defense. Repetition and meditation, a focus on mantras. Jedi and Sith were repeated, over and over, to try and pull out of the howling and to block thoughts from leaving her mind to Snoke. Not that Mira was thinking beyond the mantras. She did not hear Rey. She did not hear Finn and the Stormtrooper, his minor victory, nor August Tarkin. There was nothing but the mantras. ‘The Force will set me free. There is no Death, there is the Force.’ 

“Mira?” Rey spoke again, hesitantly taking a few steps closer. The lightning kept her from going to shake Mira; she’d never seen anything like it before, though Luke had mentioned it when he spoke of the Emperor. “I think Mira—” 

Rey cut herself off as the crackling ceased and Mira took a gasping breath, returning to her senses and letting the other knee fall to the ship, rocking back to sit on her legs. She opened her eyes and shook her head, clearing it. It was like waking from a nightmare, only Mira knew that had been all too real. “Are you all right?” Rey asked again. 

Mira looked up, catching Rey’s gaze. She held it, but didn’t answer, just pulled herself back to her feet and tried to bury every emotion again. This had been her fault. She made herself recognizable, too obviously, and drew Snoke’s attention when she was focused on another mind. She couldn’t protect her own if she was doing that. She saw Gnaeus and Ariel being removed. “Thank you,” was what she told Rey. Gnaeus would have killed her if not an intervention. 

She walked to the edge of the ship and slipped off, no Force to catch her. The landing was rough, stumbling, but Mira still held herself up, posture straight, and walked to meet Finn and the Stormtrooper who remained, as well as the red-head Leia had called Tarkin. 

“Admiral Vallens,” the Stormtrooper addressed her, “Do you know much about containment fields?” He asked, glanced to Tarkin, “He believes they’ll better contain Force sensitives.” 

“They will,” Mira answered. 

“Thank you. I have called for some. I will relay your information to General Hux to gain permission to put the Knights within them. Do you need anything else?” 

Mira gestured back to Gnaeus’s ship, “Information. I want the ship hacked and all of its navigational information downloaded. When that has been finished, I would like the keys.” She would not use this ship, but she would take it apart, and see what she could create from it, and the Skiff. She needed a personal ship again. 

“Understood. I’ll contact someone in HK squad.” 

Mira nodded, “And you are?” 

“TC-5211.” 

She tried to commit it to memory. How Phasma pulled it off, Mira would never know. “Thank you. Dismissed. I’ll rejoin everyone on campus soon.” 

“Ma’am.” And he turned to leave them. As soon as his back was turned, Mira lost some of her good posture, and her arms moved to fold over her chest. 

“What do you want, Tarkin?” There was an edge to her tone, as she opted to talk to him first. 

Finn noticed the abrupt change, and straightened up. “Merely to be on your good side before I speak with the Emperor, Vader,” he joked without humor, and Mira’s green eyes burned, but the anger didn’t so much as ripple the Force. “Eriadu has gotten wrapped up in the war since Hux split from the Knights. Snoke has sought our alliance. I want nothing to do with Snoke.” 

“So you’re coming to Hux for an alliance in desperation.” It wasn’t even a question. 

“Yes.” No denial. “Eriadu has much to offer the war effort when it is not under a blockade, and I’ve experience you both can learn from.” 

“From the Emperor and Vader?” 

“Yes.” Simple. Finn looked aghast, but before he could speak up, Tarkin continued, “And more besides. Such as before you approach any prisoner, you should clean yourself up.” He didn’t say rest. Her inclination towards coffee suggested something amiss with that idea. “Looking better will assist in feeling better, and so you will act better.” Though she acted well, surprisingly. Her posture and her look right now told another story, but her words were precise. Her mind, sharp. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…Admiral.” 

“What were you doing here?” 

“Overseeing this scuffle so that the First Order would win. I blew off the male knight’s hand.” He had the shot to kill, but didn’t. 

“…Dismissed.” Mira hadn't seen his hand. Mira felt a twinge of guilt, shame, thinking then of Ariel as well and her eyes. Would they recover? 

August was pleased with the reaction. All the wariness of the formerly-caged animal he expected, the inability to know what to do when strangers acted on her behalf. He nodded, and he left, satisfied that Mira would speak well for an alliance, and satisfied that would aid his quest.

KyloGlenn · Jul 24, 2016

‘What the hell is a Chewbacca?’ A wookiee, by the sounds of it. A few Stormtroopers had returned from Takodana with stories about a wookiee. 

Paquin cringed at the reminder of Kylo’s injuries, though. That had been a real mess. “Trust me, I know it broke through your armor,” She had to rip the damn outfit off of him, “I’m well aware it should have killed you and I was very surprised that you were still alive.” That day had been a disaster. 

“Though, your heart did take a very long pause,” and that was the moment that Paquin really started to panic. If the commander had died in her care, she was sure she’d have been the next to die. “Stars, that was a real mess. It was bruised and bloody. I spent a good five hours cleaning up blood after I got you stable. I always did wonder how you received injuries of that magnitude and managed to continue on,” she hadn’t known the Force could do that. Or anything about the Force really. Other than its ability to choke things. 

Now she knew better. 

She could go on and on about how torturous that experience had been, but didn’t. “Sorry.” She shook her head and moved on, turning off her lightsaber. She wasn’t looking forward to learning to manage hunger and exhaustion with the Force, but she wasn’t too worried either. Besides, it was far too late to back out now. “There’s a lot I need to learn, it seems. I hope we find that Sith book soon.” 

- 

Hux was baffled. If he had been in Leia’s place, he’d damn the entire Tarkin family. They would have been the first targets of Starkiller even though Wilhuff was long dead. 

Then again, he wasn’t Leia and had never been in her place. Never will, either. Even if he was, he’d probably thank whoever destroyed his homeworld with his family on it. Arkanis was a dreadful place and his father was even worse. 

Hux honestly wasn’t surprised that Tarkin condemned the Order. Still, Hux wasn’t too pleased with that. It certainly wouldn’t help Tarkin’s case. 

Hux would take Leia’s advice. He’d be cautious with Tarkin. He still wasn’t positive what had caused August to so vehemently deny the First Order. Hux had dwelled on that years ago when it happened. Maybe it had been the Knights and Snoke. With Kylo Ren as the poster boy, he wouldn’t be surprised. He wouldn’t say that in front of Leia. 

Then again, this could be desperation. “Thank you, General. I’ll keep this conversation in mind for when I speak to Tarkin.” 

At that moment a knock came at the door again. Initially thinking it was Mira, Poe opened the door. Instead, he found a Stormtrooper. Or the Stormtrooper had found them after a bit of asking around. The trooper all but ignored Poe, speaking to Hux and Phasma. “General, Captain. Excuse me for interrupting, but the Knights have been captured. I called the base for containment fields, Admiral Vallens recommends putting them in them.” 

“Do it, then.” Hux gave his permission. The news pleased Hux, he fought back a smirk. And then ‘Admiral Vallens’. He turned to Leia then, “I forgot to mention. Mira’s joined the Order as Admiral.” 

“What? Can she do that?” Poe questioned, turning to Leia as well. 

- 

“Should we trust him? I don’t know if we should trust him.” Finn spoke up after August was out of ear shot. He faced Mira. “I don’t think we should trust him. Not if he says he can offer you anything that he learned from Darth Vader.” Vader equaled bad news. For Mira especially. 

Finn didn’t want Mira to have any dark side influence. 

“But one thing we should trust him on is the showering thing. You kinda smell. Just a little.” It wasn’t so much for the presentation in front of the captured Knights. And it would make her feel better, or at least wake her up. “We kind find showers and I can find a laundry room or something. I can get BB-8 to collect your clothes and I’ll wash them for you.” They were covered in blood and sand. And, like he’d said, didn’t smell very nice. 

Like the rest of her. He probably needed a shower too, though. 

And as Finn observed her, he noticed she was missing something signature. 

Hux’s coat. Or hers. But was once Hux’s. 

Rey joined them then, having ignored Luke. She still didn’t want to talk to him, even if he’d stayed and helped with moving the male Knight. He trailed behind her anyway. “Mira doesn’t need a shower! She’s fine. She could go a while longer.” Then again, Rey spent most of her life looking like Mira. Dirty and sandy. 

Then Finn remembered where the coat went. He saw Hux with it. “Hey, did Hux take your coat back?” Finn hadn’t really seen her without it. Maybe they’d made some pact about her giving it back to him when they next saw each other or something.

Lucyfer · Jul 24, 2016

Kylo knew he’d been a mess. Hearing how much of a mess just made him all the more pleased of his own skills in the Force, even if it had clearly worried Paquin. “I am glad the First Order had you employed at that time. You will learn how to better your skills. The Jedi were taught to heal, but….” 

He wasn’t. 

It wasn’t something Luke had known, or else he certainly would have healed his own hand. 

It was something that had to be rediscovered. “The Sith were better at such things. They were not afraid of doing things the Jedi condemned, like extending life, or even, restoring it,” or so the rumors went. “It isn’t something I know how to teach you, but there are many things you can learn through experimentation, once you have a general grasp of the Force. So.” 

He let the topic shift then, “I have given you options now to begin working on. Where would you like to begin?” They weren’t done here. Paquin could move the Force through her lightsaber, but she needed to learn how to now move it through her body. 

~***~ 

Leia was angry with Mira’s decision, but she did not let it come out as an outburst, the way it did with Poe. 

Mira was free to make whatever decision she liked, and Leia knew that in this way, she would be able to gain more information on the Order’s movements. “Mira is free to make whatever decision she would like,” Leia answered. 

Poe looked flabbergasted, “They are our allies,” she reminded Poe, tersely. “But she will be treated as one of the First Order now,” her neutral position was compromised by this decisions. 

“I’d hope so!” Poe stated, still annoyed with it, and not masking it at all. 

“And I am sure the General is aware of the risks of placing Mira in such a high position,” Leia at least hoped so. 

Certainly he was aware of the Snoke issue, though he might not understand how serious it was. He didn’t seem to understand the Force well. 

Phasma was not aware, and so arched an eyebrow at what Leia stated, but did not take it as a threat. Merely, wondered what was meant, though she did not ask there. 

“I hope this will be a move to our favor, for a continued alliance after Snoke is removed from the equation,” it was Mira who had fought for the alliance, and Mira who was likely to retain that position so long as the wrong voices didn’t win out again. But Mira seemed stronger in that regards, more able to listen to herself. 

It could end badly when Snoke was gone if an alliance were not brokered. Leia was not truly sure on what side Mira would fall then, but as before—the decision was always Mira’s, and Leia would at least trust, now, that Mira would not follow her fears. 

~***~ 

Mira didn’t yet answer about if they could trust August. There was something quite dangerous about him, a blind person would recognize it. 

Finn was correct, meaning August was correct. Even though Rey’s protest was pleasant, she just shook her head, “No…I should clean up,” she wouldn’t say need, “Finn, remind me in the future to always bring extra clothing with me—and yes,” Finn would notice her coat was missing now. “Hux has his coat,” he didn’t take it back. Not truly, she hoped. She was attached to that coat. 

Though, she was going to have to get a new one, if she was Admiral, wasn’t she? 

Which, Luke noted: “You’ve rejoined the First Order?” 

Mira gave a curt nod, then. She needed to talk to Luke. He was right there, Leia’s point had just been prove—Snoke could reach her, conscious. She was able to shake him off now. It wouldn’t last. 

And yet…she knew he was well aware that she had already spoken to Rey. That was written in the way Rey turned her head away from Luke. The Jedi was not going to help her now, especially not as an official member of the First Order. Not without Leia intervening, and Leia was not going to be happy she was Admiral of the First Order. 

“If you’ll excuse us,” she looked between Luke and Rey, “I do need to clean up,” and she needed her coat, for credits, so she could send Finn running to find her something temporary to wear. She would be clean before he was done with her clothing.

KyloGlenn · Jul 25, 2016

Paquin was a little nervous about not having much of a source to learn from as far as healing went. But it would consist of experimenting, which Paquin was familiar with. That’s how she became a medic. She had to learn the basics then, though, which she needed to do now. 

Pushing it aside, Paquin didn’t even have to think about what she wanted to work on. “I’m learning how to do that super jump thing.” That was what she was most excited about. She’d always dreamed about reaching the top shelf without a stool. Now she could just jump on the counter! Much more convenient. 

With a little more shimmying, she pushed herself off of the counter. She set her lightsaber down where she’d been sitting. “Alright, teach me how to do this.” She knew how to move the Force in and out of her lightsaber and could recognize herself, but she wasn’t sure how she’d shove herself so far into the air. 

She also wasn’t sure how she’d be able to do this with her eyes closed, either, if she was going to jump onto something. 

- 

Hux hadn’t thought much about Mira’s position or the risks. It had simply spilled out in anger at his father, anything to piss the man off. Even so, he wasn’t too worried about the risks of Mira’s position. Not at that point in time, at least. 

Snoke knew the inner workings of the Order already. He’d know about the alliance soon enough, especially if his Knights would show up dead somewhere. Which wasn’t confirmed, but it might happen if it needed to. There were no real big plans against him, either. Not yet. 

He was more worried about Mira. She had to stay up to keep Snoke out of her head, where he knew that Snoke could do much more than just pull information. “I’m aware of the risks,” he confirmed anyway, not expressing that it wasn’t his real concern. He saw the look on Phasma’s face and knew he’d have to explain. He couldn’t imagine she’d be very supportive of it. 

“And I’m sure this’ll work in favor of a continued alliance after Snoke,” Mira was the reason they even had one now. Though, he did wonder himself what would happen if it wasn’t continued. Mira had a position with the Order, but she’d known Leia longer. She could still go either way. 

It was something he oddly hoped they wouldn’t come to. Hux addressed the Stormtrooper, then, “Go. I will join soon. General Organa, you’re obviously welcome to pay the Knights a visit as well.” 

- 

Mira was right. There was no way Luke was going to help Mira now. Not without Leia and then she’d have to put up one hell of an argument. Which would probably be easy for the tiny General. 

Luke said nothing as Mira dismissed herself and Finn. 

“I’ll see you later, Rey. Right?” He just wanted to confirm that they wouldn’t leave after this, which he figured Luke would want to do. 

“Right.” Rey offered Finn a smile, her confirmation a bit of a snap towards Luke. 

Finn smiled back before he looked to Luke, “Mister Skywalker, sir,” was his awkward goodbye accompanied by a nod that earned no response. So, he turned around to head back to the campus, one hand on Mira’s arm to rush her and himself away from Luke, who didn’t seem too fond of them. Finn felt a little bad for Rey. 

“There’s gotta be showers in the dorms that you can use. Or in town somewhere.” There had to be a hotel or someplace with a shower in case the school wouldn’t let them use the showers. But this was some sort of disaster that they’d provide resources for. Finn was pretty sure that’s how it worked. 

And then Finn would have to hunt for BB-8, who could move in and out of showers without anybody feeling too violated, as long as the droid didn’t record anything.

Lucyfer · Jul 25, 2016

Kylo simply slid off the counter, no worries at all and no silly shimmying. He smirked a bit at the way Paquin wiggled down, and he moved several feet from the counter. “This way,” he motioned Paquin to his side. “Relax, and be open,” he advised, “I’ll try to let you feel it first.” 

He would wait until she was near him, and semi-relaxed. 

Then, he’d lift one hand, and manipulate the Force around her, rather than in. He would manipulate it so it applied pressure to Paquin. The pressure centered around her hips and knees, “You want to move the Force within yourself to these points, first,” he instructed, manipulating it in his own body then. “You’ll bend in the same fashion as if you were just going to jump, but right before your feet leave the ground,” the pressure would suddenly vanish from Paquin’s hips and knees, to shoot right down either side of her legs, and then to have the pressure at the bottom of her feet, “you’re going to push it out of yourself, and angle it so that the jump takes you where you want to go.” 

Kylo demonstrated again, bending knees and lowering himself, slower than he’d done before so that Paquin’s eyes could follow. 

They couldn’t actually see the Force, but they might see the way the dust in the kitchen on the ground jumped briefly with him, and then scattered from the spots where his soles had been, as Kylo once again landed atop the counter with ease, without running forward, or even preparing for a jump beyond what he’d just shown to Paquin. 

~***~ 

Leia Organa would try to focus on the positives, for now, but she would let Mira know just how she felt when she got the chance. Yes, Mira was grown and could make her own decisions, but she would have to live with the consequences of them as well. 

When the Stormtrooper was dismissed, and Leia offered a chance to see the Knights, she shook her head, but paused. “I will…consider it.” They knew Kylo Ren, after all. Her son. Leia had not gotten through to Kevan Ren, but these were different. Perhaps she’d stand a better chance. 

Then again, likely not. 

Not if Mira headed the investigation, as was likely going to be the case with her talents. 

Leia didn’t want to like the idea, but she did. Mira was their best shot at getting information out of them, and thus, information about Kylo Ren. Her best way of getting to Kylo Ren. “Try to talk to Mira, Hux,” Leia spoke that in a more maternal way, “She won’t listen to me on the matter of Luke," Leia was biased. Luke was her brother, "but she may listen to you.” 

She had joined him without a moment’s hesitation—or at least, Leia was certain of it. She had not been Admiral last Leia saw of her. There was a story to Hux’s turn, and Mira’s, that entwined. If Mira could turn Hux from the dark perhaps he could turn her from it, as well, though she was clearly still clinging to anger and fear when it came to Luke. 

They had to fix it, as Mira was trying to repair the bridge between First Order and Resistance. “You may go check on them, now. Make sure they get into those containment fields.” He had to oversee this. “And let me know how the discussion with Tarkin goes. The Resistance will aid, if an alliance is brokered.” 

Not for Tarkin’s sake, but for the sake of the Outer Rim. 

~***~ 

Mira honestly couldn’t recall a time when she’d had anyone care half as much about her as Finn. He guided her away from the danger of Luke, he was insistent on seeing her cleaned and clothes—simple matters, but it was never the simple things anyone cared about before. 

Mira tried to quash the feeling she had only ever known the word for, until so recently. Gratitude. Gratitude that had risen when Leia took her back. Gratitude when Han had first taken her to Luke. Only now, Mira was making a conscious decision to accept it from Finn, knowing too well how deep the bond of Master and Padawan could become. 

“Dorms. I’m sure I can convince someone to show me to a shower, and perhaps get a guard in case the Commandant wants to try and kill me.” 

Finn almost stumbled in his walking when she said it so apathetically, so carelessly. “You don’t think—” 

“I know what hate is,” Mira cut him off, “I’ve felt it enough. So yes, I’m quite certain he would. He raised soldiers to kill and make it look like accidents.” Commandant Cadets. “You should know that better than most.” 

Finn was quiet for a few moments. “I could stay guard.” 

“No, you have to find me clothes. You don’t have time to wash mine, my shower will be quick.” They were at the docks then, through the city. “I have some spare credits in the coat,” she led the way back towards Hux’s ship. “Find me a nice dress.” 

Mitaka was on the ramp, talking to the cat as it mewed at him, telling it he’d be right back. “Colonel,” Mira jogged forward before he could leave. “Hold on.” 

“Admiral?” He blinked, concerned. 

She gave a quick smile, “I just need to grab something,” she said and darted up the ramp, by him, and into the ship with its still open door. The cat immediately pursued the flare of her pants and dug its claws into them once she paused by the chair and the coat, quickly searching for the interior pocket with the credits. 

Never mind that it probably looked like she was stealing from Hux’s own coat. Poor Mitaka. 

~***~ 

Luke did not say more. His tongue was tied and his throat was tight. He was angry, angry with August Tarkin, angry with Mira, and he had a feeling he ought to be angry with Finn though he was not sure why, except that he had a feeling that the friend of Rey who was close to Mira, was involved. 

He waited for them to leave, grateful that Rey did not go with them. 

She did round on him, though. “All that talk of how bad anger is,” she pointed out, “And it’s all I feel.” 

Luke let out a breath, “I was brought into the Jedi Order old. I am flawed in many ways, but you do not have to be.” Then, he said, “Rey, I am sorry. I did want to tell you. Obi-Wan Kenobi was dear to me. It was why I wanted him to tell you. I wanted you to be mature enough in the Force to have him tell you, to have him explain everything to you. Not…her.” 

Her delivery was not kind. It couldn’t be, for Rey to be so upset with him, and he feared that Rey might indeed turn on him. 

Then what would he have? 

How could he restore the Jedi then?

KyloGlenn · Jul 27, 2016

Paquin joined Kylo’s side as he’d instructed and she relaxed herself. Kylo applied pressure to her hips and knees, which Paquin made note of. Kylo’s physical demonstrations were accompanied by verbal as the pressure on her hips and knees moved down her legs and to her feet. Kylo made everything sound and seem much easier than she initially thought it would be. 

Paquin watched as Kylo once again jumped on top of the counter, the dust from the ground acting as a physical representation of the Force. “Okay, I think I can do this.” She’d managed to move the Force in and out of a lightsaber, she figured she’d be able to move it through herself. 

She closed her eyes, but they wouldn’t stay closed. Only until she had a good grasp on herself. And once she did, she opened her eyes. She moved the Force to the points where Kylo had pointed out. She bent as she would to jump and pushed the Force down her legs and out the bottoms of her feet. 

She over calculated the angle and distance she’d have to go, slamming into the cabinets as she jumped onto the counter. But that barely fazed her, as she still successfully jumped onto the counter. She stood still and quiet for a moment, making sure she was stable. And once she was, she squealed. “I did it! This is the best!” A few cabinets flung out in response, but she quickly stopped them from hitting her or Kylo. “Sorry.” Gnaeus was right, she was easily excitable. 

- 

Leia’s maternal tone had a strange affect on Hux. He almost felt a little sympathetic. It was clear Leia cared a lot about Mira. Hux had to resist scrunching his nose. Either way, he nodded in agreement. “I’ll talk to Mira.” 

He touched the idea of Mira talking to Luke back on Jakku and she didn’t seem convinced that Luke would have anything to offer then. Or maybe it had just been her dislike for Luke that stopped her from approaching him. He’d at least bring it up one more time, though he wouldn’t try and force her into it. 

He wasn’t really sure how him talking to Mira would make a difference, but it was worth a shot. 

“I’ll be sure to speak with you after I speak with Tarkin. Thank you, General.” A glance was shot at Poe, but Hux didn’t thank him. “I’ll let the Stormtroopers know that you’re allowed to speak with the Knights, in case you decide to do so.” He was planning on having his Stormtroopers surround the building in which the Knights were in, no one was getting in or out except for a few people. He was not going to let the Knights get away. 

With a nod of goodbye, Hux motioned for Phasma to follow and led the way out of the ship, following after the retreating Stormtrooper as he moved towards the other end of the hangar, likely where the ship with the containment fields would arrive. “I suppose I should elaborate on what Leia meant by the risks of Mira’s position. Snoke can get into her head when she’s unconscious. It’s how he knew about the meeting here.” Hux didn’t beat around the bush in telling her. Whichever way he said it, Phasma would likely react the same. 

- 

Finn followed Mira onto the ship, giving Mitaka a nod of greeting as he passed by the obviously confused Colonel. 

Finn hated the Order with a burning passion. But there were some people who weren’t half as bad. One of them was Mitaka. He was a smart man, but a wary one. Finn couldn’t recall Mitaka doing anything untoward to the Stormtroopers. Or really anyone for that matter, outside of orders. 

Still, he was a member of the Order. And Mira was one now, too, which Finn was little confused about where he’d land then. Something to question at another time. 

“A nice dress, I can do that,” Finn spoke as he took up leaning against the other chair, petting the cat with his foot as she seemed torn between attacking Finn’s shoe or Mira’s pants. “Hey, maybe you should mention the whole Commandant situation to Hux. If anyone could do anything about it, it would be him.” As much as Finn didn’t want Hux to have anything to do with, well, anything, he was the most likely to adequately deal with his father. 

And Finn didn’t think Hux would have any problem with reprimanding his father when it came to Mira. Or at all, considering the ‘because fuck you’ scene that him, Rey, and Mira had stumbled upon. 

Mitaka joined them then, “Um, Admiral Vallens, should you—should you be doing that?” He was obviously referencing the fact the Mira was elbow deep in a coat that appeared to be Hux’s. The Admiral and the General stripes were similar, but Mitaka could tell the two apart. Not to mention that Mira would had to have had a coat made, which wouldn’t have happened in an hour after being named Admiral. 

- 

Rey’s arms crossed over her chest, eyes narrowed at Luke. “You should have been the one to tell me,” she could understand why Luke would want Obi-Wan to tell her, he was her grandfather, apparently. But that didn’t make her feel any better. “You knew how much I wanted to know who I was, who my family was!” And he’d knowingly kept all that from her. 

And more. 

“You should have been the one to tell me that I went to your school. That you were the one who abandoned me on Jakku. How am I supposed to trust you now?” How was she to know that when things went bad, if they went bad, that he wouldn’t just abandon her again. 

Which led her to her next wonder. “Why did you leave me on Jakku? Why not take me with you, you hid yourself well enough. You could have taught me the ways of the Force as I grew, like you’d intended to.” Despite Luke saying he’d entered the Jedi old, hadn’t he been the same age as her? “Better yet, why didn’t you take me to my parents?” Were her parents even alive? At this point, Luke had to tell her that. At least.

Lucyfer · Jul 27, 2016

Kylo waited, rolling his eyes when Paquin’s were closed, but keeping hold of his tongue. Paquin would get used to all of this. Everyone had to start somewhere, and this was where Paquin had to start. At least she was able to advance quickly. A natural. ‘But are there any unnnaturals?’ He mused, considering how easy those at the Jedi Academy had picked up the basics. 

They were all Force Sensitives. Once it was brought to light, it became easier. 

Even Rey had done much without a teacher. Without knowing…well…anything. ‘Unless she remembered.’ But Kylo doubted it. 

He stepped aside a bit more when Paquin finally jumped, giving her more space, but she still banged herself against the cabinets. Kylo bit down on his cheek to stifle a laugh, and was about to ask if she was all right, when she suddenly squealed. One of the cabinets flew open near him, and nearly jabbed into his elbow, but Paquin stopped it. 

He smiled again, pleased with her, and pleased with himself. She was learning, learning fast. And happiness was…doing something with the Force. It was still bizarre to him. “When you have a feel for things beyond yourself, you’ll never miss your jump. You’ll know exactly where it is in the Force, and it will guide you to it.” 

He was about to say more, but the communicator on his arm started to light up. He jumped off the counter, then answered it, expecting it to be Gnaeus. 

It was Snoke. “Supreme Leader?” He almost stumbled over the words in his surprise. 

“Where are Ariel and Gnaeus Ren?” 

Kylo did not like where this was going, “They went to retrieve sustenance, Supreme Leader.” 

“Their signatures in the Force have been quieted. Neither are answering their communication devices; Gnaeus Ren’s is offline.” Their minds were also offline, but he did not mention that to Kylo. Unconscious was different than sleep when it came to invading minds, astral projection and astral penetration much easier from afar. 

Kylo did not mask his surprise. He was about to offer to go look for them, but recalled he did not have another ship on Korriban. 

~***~ 

Phasma followed Hux out, her own nod to Leia and Poe, still wondering about the situation with Mira. 

Force-sensitives couldn’t be easy, could they? 

She followed alongside Hux, and stiffened when he mentioned the problem. “Sir, that is…severe security risk at this point.” The Knight had to sleep. Not to mention the Knight was going to end up in fights, and that always came with the risk of entering an unconscious state. 

On the way to the opposite end of the hangar, she noted Mira and Finn near Hux’s ship, and made a gesture in case Hux wanted to speak with the Knight at the moment, but did not vocalize anything in case he intended to speak to her later. ‘Not to mention her closeness to Finn.’ Though Phasma had to remind herself that Finn saved Hux. That these issues were no longer black and white. 

“Supreme Leader Snoke may know how we work as it is, but he does not know our plans for the future. Do we have a contingency plan for this?” 

Phasma could see ways of using this, if they fed Mira information that would only lead to trapping Snoke, but that would be dishonest to Mira in some ways. After all, they couldn’t tell her what they were doing or why they were providing that kind of information to her. 

~***~ 

Mira had wondered if Mitaka would question what she was doing, and was partially glad. Finn coming up closer made her have to be more cautious with its movements. He would know about the Jedi Guide. Just not yet. 

Not when it was easy for him to go running to Luke. 

Mira answered Mitaka, “As odd as this sounds, Colonel, this was my coat. Not sure if it still is my coat, but it has my things in it,” with the credits, she pulled the holocron, “Jedi holocron,” she offered to Mitaka once it was in sight, “It has a Jedi called Qui-Gon Jinn talking to Obi-Wan Kenobi in it. You can ask General Hux if you’re uncertain,” she wouldn’t hide her actions—there was nothing to hide. 

She returned the holocron to the coat, and then placed the credits in Finn’s hands, a little more than 1,000 left from Coruscant. 

The cat was attacking Finn’s foot by then, and Finn had to hold his foot up as the cat had latched onto the bottom and was rabbit kicking the sole of it. “Millicent,” Mira cooed. The tone was familiar to the cat, but not yet the name, “Milli,” the ‘y’ ending sound was more familiar, and the cat released Finn to come up to Mira expectantly. Mira knelt briefly to scratch her behind an ear, glad she let go of Finn, and then she rose to exit, motioning for Finn to follow as Mitaka weighed his options. 

He’d at least mention it to Hux, though he didn’t really doubt Mira’s sincerity. “So how come Hux has your coat, anyway?” Finn asked once they were out. 

Mira almost let the words, ‘I’ll tell you later’ slip, but Luke was still in her head. She bit down on the words, couldn’t find better ones, and sighed, “You can’t tell Luke.” 

“I won’t!” Secrets! 

Mira slapped the credits into Finn’s hand, then met his gaze. “I have the Jedi Guide.” There went her plans of telling him later, though the expressions his face went through were amusing, “Hux helped me smuggle it out.” 

Finn lowered his voice, “Rey could use that!” 

“We all could,” Mira matched, “Might be able to copy it….” As the thought came to mind, Mira realized that was exactly what she wanted to do. 

Spread it. 

Combat Snoke in that way. Bring back the Jedi to general knowledge. One book of all things Jedi was really inadequate. She didn’t mind sharing, but she knew if she’d handed it over to Luke, she’d never see it again. “I promise, I’ll try to make copies. You’re going to need one, too. Now, go on, and forget this, and forget the Commandant issue until it becomes an issue.” 

~***~ 

Yes, definitely the reason Luke wanted Rey to be more mature. He sighed, but knew he’d have to answer these questions in some form one day, “Rey, I did not know then if I would be able to hide myself as well as I did. I had to keep us separated, in case I was found, no one would know to look for you.” 

Now came the difficult part. 

Her parents. “Your parents were killed by Snoke.” It had been before Kylo and Mira became the Knights, but not long before. It was the event that led Luke to truly look forward, and see what was going to be. It had been difficult; Snoke was acting to hide the future, Master Jinn had been right on that. Even then, but Luke had seen through it. 

“I’m sorry, Rey. I foresaw all our deaths and I had to act. I did what I thought was right then, in protecting you. I know it was painful. I know it was confusing.” And back then, he had meant to come back for her, but as the years went on…well, he lost sight. He lost hope.

KyloGlenn · Jul 30, 2016

Paquin was happy with herself. While her jump hadn’t been graceful, she’d still done it. And she managed to stop a cabinet from hitting either one of them with the Force. It was better than only being able to stop things under intense fear. 

And Kylo was happy with her, which also made her proud of herself. 

Kylo’s wrist communicator went off and he jumped off. Paquin shut the cabinets as he did so, she herself thinking it would just be Gnaeus or Ariel. All that pride and happiness she felt flooded out of her when Kylo stumbled over the words ‘Supreme Leader’. Then came Snoke’s question and she became worried. 

She slinked off of the counter quietly and stuck off to the side, not wanting to be noticed by Snoke. He couldn’t get angry at her if he didn’t see her, right? 

“They went drinking, they could just be drunk,” but she thought drinking left them more open in the Force, “someone could have taken Gnaeus’ communicator.” She spoke quietly, with the purpose of only Kylo hearing her. 

“No,” but, of course, Snoke heard her. he was very familiar with them when they were drunk. When they’ve passed out drunk. Or, at least with Ariel Ren. “They need to be recovered. Now.” Something had happened to them. Foul play of some sort. “Did they share where they were going?” 

- 

Hux redirected himself, heading towards Mira when Phasma pointed her out. “At this point in time, it’s not an issue for the Order,” for Mira it was. Maybe for the Resistance. In his eyes, it wasn’t yet an issue. It would become one, he knew. As time went on. As plans against Snoke developed. As both organizations grew. But Hux hoped that Mira’s issue would be fixed at that point. 

And it had to be fixed because Hux didn’t have a contingency plan. 

It bothered Hux in the slightest that Phasma referred to Snoke as Supreme Leader still. He didn’t correct her, but from that point on, he wouldn’t encourage it. Snoke was certainly not the supreme leader of any of them anymore. “No. The plan is to find a way to keep Snoke out of Mira’s head. And it will not fail.” No contingency plan would be needed. 

‘That’s incredibly stupid of you.’ Hux spoke to himself. He wasn’t sure if that was his voice or his father’s, but either way, it was right. 

Something would have to be thought of. Hux had two ideas, neither of which he liked. Send Mira away or use her connection with Snoke in some way. For one, he didn’t want to send Mira off. She was one of the few people he could tolerate. Not to mention she was needed for this alliance, even if she had joined the FO. 

Second, he couldn’t imagine using her connection going so well. Whatever they did, they wouldn’t be able to tell her, otherwise, Snoke would know. And if she ever found out, he didn’t think she’d be too thrilled. Even if she could see reason in it, anger seemed likely to overpower reason. As the case with Luke. That woman could hold one hell of a grudge. 

- 

Finn sighed. “This is some big stuff you’ve got on your plate, Mira. And a lot of it. I mean, the Jedi Guide and Luke, Snoke and the Knights, the Commandant. Just…don’t take on too much stuff, okay? Don’t exhaust yourself.” Finn wasn’t sure if Mira would even listen to him, but he’d at least express his concern. 

“Now, I’ll go and get your dress and forget this ever happened.” Finn gave Mira a smile then, his eyes catching sight of the younger Hux, who actually seemed to be the nice one. Finn nearly cringed outwardly at that thought. “But one more piece of advice, maybe stop the issue before it becomes an issue. You don’t need any more.” He nodded behind her, to Hux. 

He patted her good shoulder affectionately, turning off and heading back towards the town they’d just left. Apparently, a padawan doubles as a personal shopper. 

Mitaka came out of the ship then, cat hurrying after him as he tried to beat her to the door so he could close her in and go back to work, but she sprinted out, immediately rushing passed Mira to Hux and Phasma, rubbing herself against her knew owner’s legs. He scooped her up happily, little protest on either part. 

“Mir—Admiral Vallens,” he corrected himself, a small grin playing at the corners of his lips. He’d have to get used to calling her that now. Like he’d have to get used to Phasma, Mitaka, and apparently Millicent’s new positions. “Colonel Mitaka,” 

“Hello, sir. I’m sorry about Millicent, I tried—“ 

“It’s fine, Mitaka.” She’d only wanted to run to him, anyway, it seemed. “Is this a bad time, Admiral?” 

- 

Rey’s heart sunk down into her stomach at the news of her parents. Her arms dropped to her sides and her shoulders slumped. Part of her had expected that answer, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. There was sadness and then anger returned. Not towards Luke, but towards Snoke. Now she’d never know her parents. All because of Snoke. 

Unless they could be Force ghosts too. 

But by the way Luke only talked about Obi-Wan, she wasn’t too confident in that idea. 

But just because she was angry at Snoke, didn’t mean she wasn’t still angry at Luke. She had to clarify that, “I still don’t forgive you. Not yet, anyway.” She straightened herself up then, returning to her previous stance. “You have to prove I can trust you again.” She wasn’t going to leave Luke yet. 

If anything, she needed him to teach her more. For Snoke. ‘Yeah, that’s it.’

Lucyfer · Jul 30, 2016

Where they were going? Kylo only remembered the joke of a location that Gnaeus had suggested. “Cloud City,” Kylo told the Supreme Leader, “but I doubt that Gnaeus was being serious in his suggestion.” 

Then, he added, “We have no ships. Gnaeus’s was the last working one.” 

“I will send you a ship.” The Supreme Leader stated. “You will find them. You will begin with Cloud City.” 

Kylo stiffened. That meant going to Lando. And Lando would surely recognize him. “Sir—” 

“Do you have doubts, Kylo Ren?” The voice of the Supreme Leader brokered no arguments. It held immense doubt towards Kylo. “Are you afraid of confronting your uncle?” Lando was not, in fact, Kylo’s uncle, but he had been as much as one to Kylo as Chewbacca had been. 

He knew the feelings there. He knew how difficult it would be for his young Knight to go there, but now it was necessary. If there was even the chance of the Knights being on Cloud City, then Kylo had to go and find them. 

“No, Supreme Leader.” Kylo managed to say, in an almost monotonous way. What cheer he’d had for Paquin’s successes were now gone. 

The Knights were in danger. 

And he had to go see Lando. Which likely meant he’d have to kill Lando. 

~***~ 

Finn was too good for her. 

Poe was going to tear her to pieces when he learned she was Admiral. 

That Finn was her padawan. 

They needed to have a talk, of course, of what this meant for him. For them. Finn would have no position in the Order if he did not want it, and Mira wouldn’t force it—people would have to accept him as an outsider, and as a trusted confidant. Not someone who could order, but someone to listen to. ‘This will be…interesting.’ And Finn was right—she was taking on much. 

But being busy would keep her awake. Remaining wary would keep her alert. 

And time was running out. She had to move and act as if she was going to die, because even if others rejected it, she knew it was a real possibility. 

Finn ran off, and Mira turned to see Hux and Phasma approaching, Phasma looking less than thrilled in spite of how cute the cat was being. Colonel Mitaka stopped near her, and Mira managed to smile at Hux’s question. Sarcasm bit at her throat. ‘You’ll let me know when I have a good moment, won’t you?’ Of course, she didn’t say it. "General," Mira greeted, continued, seeing the amusement in Hux's expression at the new titles, “I was going to get cleaned up, but if you need me for something, I can assist,” Mira answered him. It wasn’t a bad time, exactly, just a bad time to do other things when she wanted to rid herself of the sand and, apparently, the stench. 

Mitaka cleared his throat, dared to ask, “Sir, the coat in your ship…is it yours or Admiral Vallens?” 

“Tattle-tale,” Mira said it just loud enough so the small circle of the four would hear, causing Mitaka to flush a bit. She was still pleased Mitaka was looking out for Hux’s things. 

~***~ 

Finn exited the hangar, but once out of it, he wasn’t sure exactly where to go. He didn’t do much shopping—most of his things had been provided for him, in both the First Order and the Resistance. Not to mention, this world was still wholly unfamiliar to him. 

“Finn!” 

It was some woman, and he recognized her as soon as she caught up as one of those who had been harassing him earlier. Rey had saved him from her. “Er.” 

Yet her smile was bright as she easily slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Can I help you?” He asked kindly. 

“I think so!” She still needed all the dirty details about Jakku, but Finn had looked lost—a trade seemed in order. 

~***~ 

Luke was not surprised by the anger, nor any of the emotions then. He let them pass through his padawan in silence, waiting for her to find words to her feelings, waiting for what seemed an eternity. 

When she suggested that he needed to earn her trust again, he understood she wasn’t leaving him. Not yet. He inclined his head, “I know,” he had broken it with this, “I will try. I have never meant you any harm. I hope you see that.” 

“I do,” Rey understood that much, at least, through her anger and her pain. “But I’m still angry. And I’m still hurt.” She told him, wanting her feelings to be validated, and wanting Luke to understand, too. 

He did, in his own way. He had been angry when…. “We’re not good at this,” he chuckled, a reference to someone not listening. “Did I ever tell you how I found out about my father?” He asked, and Rey shook her head. He motioned for her to walk with him, and, hesitantly, she did. Stormtroopers were starting to return to the hangar now, no doubt to fulfill Mira’s request to download the information off of the ship.

KyloGlenn · Jul 30, 2016

‘Uncle?’ Kylo had an uncle on Bespin? Paquin recalled Gnaeus saying he’d say hello to someone named Lando, maybe that’s who his uncle was. Either way, Kylo was not at all thrilled about confronting him. 

And Snoke wasn’t helping. She didn’t like the way the Supreme Leader managed to somehow suck all the life out of Kylo. He does it with all of them. Ariel became stony around the alien, Gnaeus was tense. All happiness drained out of Paquin when Snoke called. And she didn’t want to get started on the way he treated the Knights. 

“Good. Then it’s settled. You’ll go to Cloud City. You know what you must do, now do it. A ship is on its way. Keep me up to date.” And then Snoke was gone. 

Paquin was silent for a moment, shifting awkwardly. “I can go on my own.” No, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t even know where to start searching for Ariel and Gnaeus. She’d never been to Cloud City. Her mother had once spoken of their calzones. Or was it raisins? Maybe both. 

And if she got in trouble of some sort, she’d be screwed. 

That is if she even managed to fly herself off of Korriban. 

And Kylo would likely get in trouble with Snoke for not going. Paquin didn’t want that. Not after the last time Snoke was angry with him. 

- 

An eyebrow was raised at Mitaka’s question and then Mira’s comment. Poor Mitaka. 

Hux wasn’t entirely sure how to answer. The coat had the book in it. Then again, if Mitaka had seen something he shouldn’t have, Mira probably wouldn’t let him talk about it. “It’s Admiral Vallens’.” Maybe he should have reclaimed the coat. He needed another one, anyway. ‘No,’ it was Mira’s, even if she’d opt for a new one with the bands of her new title. 

“Oh. Alright.” Mitaka turned to the shorter blonde among the group, eyes downcast. “Sorry, Admiral.” 

“You’re fine, Mitaka. Get to work, I’ll take care of Millicent.” Hux dismissed the man, even though his apology had been aimed at Mira. 

“Yes, sir.” 

As Mitaka scurried off, Hux looked back to Mira. “Be gentle with him.” It was half a joke, half not. Mitaka could deal with quite a bit of crap, but he was still a nervous being. “On another note, there’s nothing that needs immediate action. I should let you know that Leia and Poe are now aware of your position as Admiral. Dameron’s angry, Leia’s no better but she conceals it well. Sorry about that.” He sort of saved her from having to tell them herself. Now she could prepare for whatever was to come from the two. 

“Poe said something about August Tarkin speaking with you, I wanted to ask about that.” Well, Poe said flirting, but Hux didn’t relay that. 

Talk of Luke would be one of the last things Hux would bring up. He wasn’t quite sure what to say on that front other than ‘talk t him’. Mira would need convincing on that. 

- 

“I think I can help you, too!” 

“How so?” Finn remained kind as his eyebrows furrowed, a little uneasy with how cheery she was. He was almost certain the arm around his shoulders would move to strangle him, but he didn’t yet make a move to shrug her off. 

“Listen, kid. You’re a little lost, aren’t you? I’ll tell ya what, you tell me everything about what happened with you, Poe, and Mira on Jakku, and I’ll lead you where you need to go.” Becki squeezed Finn towards her, meant to be a reassuring gesture. Not so much how it conveyed to Finn. 

But Finn did need to find Mira some clothes so she wouldn’t be sitting around without any clean ones. The things Finn did for her. Suppressing a sigh, “Alright. Sounds like a deal…excuse me, but what was your name again?” Maybe he’d be able to leave a clue somewhere before the girl murdered him. 

- 

“Well, technically I first found out after Darth Vader cut my hand off. Though, I hadn’t believed him then.” Luke chuckled, despite the look on Rey’s face. “But when I first believed it, it was quite a similar situation to yours, looking back on it.” No wonder the situations had played out so similar. Luke had listened to Obi-Wan, taken a page from his and Yoda’s book. 

It seemed Luke simply crossed out names and rewrote his and Rey’s. 

Rey was intrigued then. “It took a while for his claim of being my father to really get to me. When I returned to my masters, Obi-Wan and Yoda, I questioned them. Obi-Wan had lied before, saying he was dead. He’d avoided telling me the truth like I had you. I was angry. Much like you are now.” 

That’s how he could relate to Rey’s anger. He’d experienced it in a way before. 

They came to the end of the hanger, “And how long did it take you to forgive him?” Rey asked.

Lucyfer · Jul 31, 2016

Kylo shook his head when Paquin suggested going alone. “If Lando Calrissian has captured both Ariel and Gnaeus, you would not make it on your own,” Kylo said. Perhaps it was too blunt, but it was certainly honest. 

Then Kylo would be on his own. And without a ship. With a very angry Supreme Leader. 

No, he was not facing that. “He may speak with me.” He would speak with Kylo, if only for Leia’s sake. “If he does not have the Knights, we will determine it quickly.” Kylo was hoping he didn’t. He could step on the planet, get the information, and leave before Lando knew how to react. 

Sure, Lando would then call his mother and let her know, but…well, there was no avoiding that. ‘Yes there is. Kill him. He is a weakness. A path to the light.’ His mind reminded, and Kylo shut it out. “Prepare to leave. I will be waiting at the landing pad.” He informed Paquin, and started to move off in that direction. There was nothing he needed to grab. He just needed to wait for the ship to show up, and prepare himself for what he needed to do. 

However difficult that might be. 

~***~ 

“Forgiven, Colonel,” not that there was a need for Mitaka’s apology in her opinion, but there was hardly time to say more than that with Hux instructing Mitaka to work on other matters. 

It seemed the news was already broken to Leia and Poe. Mira nodded, “I will speak with Leia soon, and there is no need for apologies. They were going to find out,” she wouldn’t avoid Leia. She wouldn’t avoid the inevitable anger from the woman. She needed to make her peace with it, and make Leia see her reasoning. ‘And hopefully…this will last.’ 

If Mira had to pick sides…well, she’d cross that bridge if she had to. 

She arched an eyebrow at Poe mentioning Tarkin, wondering the motivations of the pilot in doing so, but not questioning it then. ‘Was he spying?’ She was pretty sure Tarkin had only given her coffee with Poe around, but regardless. “Tarkin seems to like calling me Vader, and you Emperor,” Mira commented, “There’s not much to say. He assisted with crippling knight Gnaeus Ren, and is here to speak with you in regards to a situation on Eriadu. Snoke offered an alliance and he’s rejecting it. He seems to think he has experience we can learn from, and believes Eriadu has further uses, but I did not speak with him long.” 

The information coincided with what Phasma had overheard, so she did nod, though her expression was bemused at Mira being ‘Vader’ and Hux, ‘Emperor’. “He crippled a Knight?” That was impressive. Set him against Snoke with no room to go back, certainly. 

Mira nodded. Phasma wasn’t sure how to take it—mostly because, she wasn’t sure how Tarkin got the information. She hadn’t sent him. “Did you bring him with you?” 

“No.” Mira denied. “I am grateful for the assistance provided with the Stormtroopers. They were key in seeing Ariel Ren rendered immobile, as well.” 

~***~ 

“Becki,” she answered him, “So where is it you need to go?” She asked him, figuring she had him right where she wanted. If he didn’t tell her, she could always lead him in another direction and get him hopelessly lost. 

“I need to find a woman’s clothing store.” 

Becki scrunched her face in confusion, but then decided the reasoning wasn’t nearly as important. “What sort of clothing?” 

“She said a dress….” Finn said, but of course, she hadn’t specified formal, or summer, or anything…. 

“Okay! I know just the place!” Though Becki was definitely not thinking formal, since her own attire didn’t usually consist of formal wear. She didn’t have much opportunity, and being under a ship all the time didn’t make it seem like a good choice, either. 

She tugged on Finn’s shoulder to pull him along, “So, start telling me what happened on the way!” 

~***~ 

“A while,” Luke answered honestly, “Obi-Wan tried to insist he hadn’t lied, since my father had died…to him. He couldn’t see that Anakin was still there, that there was still light in him.” But Luke had seen it, and he had saved him. “I have not seen him in years.” 

“Who?” 

“Anakin, my father,” he answered, “He is…or he was, a ghost, too.” He knew that ghosts could move on. He had wondered if Anakin did that, but he had a suspicion that he hadn’t from the way that Obi-Wan sometimes spoke of him. It seemed he was still around, somewhere. Same with Yoda. Though, Obi-Wan had mentioned that Yoda was on some sort of spiritual quest of his own, now that he was so much closer to the Force. 

“How do you become a Force ghost?” Rey asked. 

Luke said, “It takes…a lot of preparation. You have to be prepared to recognize your death when it happens, and to…accept it.” Which was, perhaps, the hardest part. Accept it, and then ‘jump’ into the Force fully, mind, body, and soul. 

Luke wasn’t even sure if he was truly prepared. He wouldn’t know until it happened, but at least he knew what the ‘death’ felt like. He knew it from when he lost his hand.

KyloGlenn · Aug 1, 2016

'Calrissian!' Not calzones or raisins, Calrissian. Which made Paquin all the more curious about Lando. She wasn't so much affected by Kylo's blunt statement. She already knew that. "Yeah, I know." But if he had agreed to it, she would have done it all on her own. 

"I'll meet you in a couple minutes." Paquin dismissed herself as Kylo headed out, returning to her room. 

She wasn't sure what they'd be facing, but she felt it would be wise to put the bulk of her armor on, having spent the day without it. She was still getting used to pulling it on and off, always seeming to miss some sort of fastening. 

Gnaeus' plant caught her eye. Paquin thought to water it again, having noticed the nearly dead plant had sucked it all up already. She wanted it to be alive when Gnaeus came back. And he would come back, both him and Ariel. If it was the last thing Paquin did. 

She brought it to the kitchen and flooded the pot with water. Hopefully that would last long enough. Paquin snatched her lightsaber from the counter, it having a convenient place to be secured into at her hip, and moved to join Kylo. 

The cold air of Korriban greeted her face as she seemed to join him just in time. 

- 

Hux didn't try to hide the nearly disgusted look on his face at Tarkin referring to him as 'Emperor'. He didn't take it as a compliment, and knowing how Tarkin behaved the last time they met, Hux didn't think it was one. He wasn't sure how to feel about Mira being called 'Vader'. 

If only because Mira had disassociated herself from the Sith. Otherwise, he'd probably not have any thoughts toward it. 

Hux was surprised by what he heard. Tarkin crippled Gnaeus Ren? How did he even know about them? He hadn't sent them and it didn't seem like Phasma knew anything about it. Had he followed Mira, perhaps? Maybe Tarkin had been flirting with Mira and maybe she just didn't pick up on it. "He hasn't made any...advances towards you, has he?" 

Last he checked, August was married. Quite happily, too. At least, Hux would think so based on the way his wife looked. 

But none of that was really important. What was important, was Tarkin's situation. He knew well that Snoke didn't really 'offer' an alliance. And that meant August was likely struggling against Snoke's pressing forces. Now it would probably escalate, with the Knights being captured and him crippling one. 

"Nevermind. After you've finished cleaning up, I'd like you to press the prisoner we already have, as well as the Knights. It might be wise to see what information the clone has." Snoke kept things from him, he wouldn't be surprised if things were kept from the Knights. 

- 

"Well, okay. There's not much to share, it's not as big of a deal as you may think." Or what Mira made it out to be. "I'm definitely not with Poe. Not my type." That was a lie. Finn had no idea what his type was. Not something he'd had a chance to explore, nor did he know if he'd ever have a chance. 

"I'll be the judge of that." 

"Well, nothing happened. Mira and Poe stuffed themselves in an X-wing to save General Hux and I. And there was only one bed in the shelter we found, and Poe wasn't going to share with Hux or Mira. They hate each other." Well, Poe hated Mira. Finn didn't think Mira cared all that much. "He even made her eat some very disgusting substance in a game of truth or dare." 

"You guys played truth or dare?" Finn shouldn't have mentioned that. 

- 

"Accept your death?" 

"Accept the death of your physical body. If you're prepared, then you'll live beyond that." 

"Are you going to teach me how to do that?" 

"I'll try. If I'm honest I'm not sure I know how to do it yet, either." 

"How do you know to recognize your death? We fight it every day, how do you know when it's your last fight?" Rey was asking questions Luke didn't quite know the answers to. 

"You'll know. It's different for everyone. Yoda had prolonged his life and timed his death to give me one last lesson. He had time to accept it. My father, he asked me to take his mask off, which was keeping him alive. I suppose he chose when his time was up. And Obi-Wan..." Obi-Wan had easily jumped into the afterlife. He knew before going up against Vader that that would be his last fight, as Rey put it .

Lucyfer · Aug 1, 2016

Kylo was as prepared as he could be, lightsaber ready, only some of his armor on. It shielded most of him from the cold, but not his face. 

No, Lando would have to see him. He’d have to speak to Lando plainly to get what he wanted, and work around the smuggler’s tricks. ‘Politician.’ Not that there was much of a difference. People who lied and dodged trouble. No wonder his mother had liked his father. 

No wonder they didn’t work out. Politicians always ended up fighting, too. 

Kylo waited in the cold for the ship, and when it arrived, he was disappointed to see it. Not that he was expecting something as spectacular as his own ship had been, but to see a simple small, starcruiser, made for just a few people, he was disappointed. The ship had virtually no firepower. It likely didn’t even go as fast as a standard skiff. 

He was going to have to build a whole new ship, soon. He wasn’t dealing with this piece of junk. 

The Falcon was better, and that was trash! 

He tried not to pout, but the Clone that opened the door must have seen it. “Sorry, Commander,” he said, “This was the only ship available.” 

“We have plenty of ships!” 

“We’re blockading Eriadu right now.” 

Kylo canted his head. Bold move. Not a bad one. Well, he couldn’t argue with that decision. Eriadu was a world worthy of capture, and the Tarkins had scorned them. 

He turned then as he heard Paquin’s footsteps, and motioned her along as he stepped by the clone. No doubt the clone would be flying…no sidetracking then. 

~***~ ‘Advances?’ Mira was confused by the question. Had she missed something? 

Even Phasma found the inquiry odd, and folded her arms over her chest, eying Hux briefly and wondering at the question, before looking to Mira as she was about to speak. She was cut off by Hux deciding the question not important. 

Orders. 

Mira nodded. “That is the plan,” August said she needed to clean up—as did Finn—was that his way of making advances? “I will get what I can out of them.” She did not suggest herself incapable, nor consider it was a risk, though she knew it might be. Snoke had picked up earlier on her use of the Force for the mental tricks. He might sense it again. 

She’d have to see. She’d have to be prepared. 

“If you need me for anything else, I will be either in the dorms or with the prisoners, for a while.” Though there’d likely be enough people keeping tabs. “And if I should end up dead as an accident, investigate the Commandant first.” There. Finn should be happy, she took his advice—a little, “He seems to hate me more than Kylo Ren does.” 

Phasma wasn’t surprised by that statement. The Commandant had every reason to hate Mira; she was only surprised it was mentioned, suggested as a real risk. She wanted to say it shouldn’t worry Mira, the Commandant couldn’t do anything—not now, not when he’d been cut down so low. Yet, Phasma did not say that, because she didn’t truly believe it. She only wanted to. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,” Mira moved to walk around them, to move on to the dorms to find a place to clean up. 

~***~ 

So far, Finn seemed to be providing honest information, although it was ladened with his own judgements. So, Becki kept them on the path towards a decent shop. Truth or dare, though? She could see Poe playing it, even Finn, but not Mira or Hux. 

Too stuck up. 

“Yeah, we played truth or dare. Um, we needed to pass the time, and it sounded like a good idea….” 

“You suggested it?” Becki asked. 

“Yeah,” he smiled a bit, “The others all agreed, though. And BB-8 went first—had Hux tell us his middle name.” 

“Oh?” 

But Finn shook his head. He might really like that embarrassing detail to be spread, but he didn’t want to tell her. “And then Hux dared Poe to drink some disgusting water, Poe dared Mira to eat…well, lick, some disgusting thing in the fridge. And then Mira dared me to kiss Poe. That’s all,” he said quickly. 

~***~ 

“One day, you’ll be able to control the visions you get. I mean, you’ll be able to direct them, look to the future. That will help you to know when it is time.” Perhaps that was how Obi-Wan knew. 

He thought again to what Qui-Gon Jinn had said, and then recalled he had been the one to teach Obi-Wan the trick to jumping into the Force on death. Perhaps that was why he could not see him, he must have truly mastered it and learned to mask his presence better than the others. “You may be able to feel it. I felt the midichlorians dying rapidly when I lost my hand.” 

Rey’s nose scrunched a bit as she and Luke moved into the town, not wanting to imagine how terrible that must have felt, but unable to help it. “You should not need to learn that for a while.” Luke added again. It was a talent she shouldn’t need to know for many, many years.

KyloGlenn · Aug 2, 2016

Paquin approached as there was something about blockades, but she didn’t question it. Kylo motioned her to follow onto a rather unimpressive ship. She knew next to nothing about such vessels, but it still didn’t seem like an appropriate ship for their mission. Maybe that’s why Kylo was looking extra pouty now. 

Paquin passed the clone as Kylo did, and the clone began to follow after them. ‘Or maybe that’s why he’s pouty,’ because now she was pouty. “He has to come with us, doesn’t he?” She mumbled to Kylo. Obviously someone had to bring the ship to them, but she hadn’t considered that they’d have to come with them. She’d rather leave the clone on Korriban. He could find something to do. 

She felt now that she had to watch what she said. 

With a sigh, she walked into the equally unimpressive interior of the cruiser, taking up the co-pilot’s seat. She thought that Kylo would at least fly the thing, but she was once again met with disappointment when the clone took up the pilot’s seat. ‘And he’s flying?’ Now she felt like they didn’t have any freedom. “What’s your name?” She questioned the clone, aware it would be a serial number. 

“NY-1712, miss.” He answered as he set the coordinates to Cloud City. 

‘Miss? I don’t get a name like Commander. Or even Knight 2?’ Now she was just being silly. 

- 

Hux wasn’t surprised by the fact that his father hated Mira. He’d expressed his disapproval for her after he and Kylo Ren picked Hux up from Coruscant. But he was surprised that Mira felt the need to mention it. Had he said something to her? The only interaction he’d seen between Mira and Brendol was the glare he gave her while leaving his ship. 

He wanted to tell her not to worry, but he knew his father. 

He wouldn’t put anything past the man. Obviously someone’s rank didn’t much effect Brendol’s actions, as he still slapped Hux. And he was very aware that his father was good at making deaths look like an accident. He was about to say that he’d keep that in mind, but Mira moved to dismiss herself. 

“Wait, one more thing.” He would have reached out to grab her arm, but his hands were already full of a slow-blinking cat. “Phasma, would you mind going ahead? I’ll meet you at the Foreign Language building.” It wasn’t so much a question as an order. He didn’t think Mira would be thrilled of his next words taking place in front of Phasma. 

He’d wait until Phasma left the two of them. “I’ll make this quick,” so the both of them could move on to their tasks. “ I’ll be honest, Leia told me to convince you of this, but I agree with her. I believe you should speak with Skywalker on the Snoke issue. Even if he can’t fix the problem, he may know something to lead us to an answer. You don’t need to make amends. If you need someone to be on your side,” whatever that may be. Whether it was moral support or something that was less than friendly. He’d offer it. “Consider it is all. Take care of what you must, first.” 

- 

“Wait, wait, wait! Slow down!” Becki stopped walking, rounding in front of Finn and gripping his shoulders. “Did I hear what I think I just heard? You kissed Poe?” 

“Well, I was dared to.” 

“So you didn’t kiss him?” 

“Well, no, I did.” Finn was cautious as he watched the girl’s face. Was she angry? Jealous? Her tone expressed surprise, as did her face. But that couldn’t have been all she felt. 

Becki was jealous. And she was worried. But what seemed to come out of this was that Mira and Poe couldn’t be a thing. They hated each other and she was the one to dare someone to kiss Poe. But now Finn was back on the threat list. But all Becki could think to ask was, “Is he a good kisser?” She looped her arm through Finn’s and continued to fulfill her end of the deal. 

- 

“You bet I shouldn’t!” Rey wasn’t going to die any time soon. And she hoped she wouldn’t feel it, either. She wouldn’t let herself. Not until what needed to be taken care of was taken care of. Like killing Snoke. And maybe the Knights. Depending on whether they could make them switch sides or not, which Leia would definitely push. 

Luke let a smile play at his lips, glad for his padawan’s ambition. She’d do well. 

“Master Luke,” Rey’s thoughts wandered back to visions. She’d had one when she discovered Luke’s lightsaber on Takodana. She had never gotten an explanation for it. She’d attempted to bring it up to Luke, but he had dismissed it. Saying they’d get to that at another time. Looking back on it, it was likely because she’d spoke about being left on Jakku. “Do you think we can decipher my vision now?” There were other things that she needed to know from it. She’d seen things, heard things, that she didn’t remember happening quite yet.

Lucyfer · Aug 2, 2016

Kylo Ren was absolutely pouting. 

He didn’t get to fly the ship. 

He didn’t get to even ride in a cool ship. 

And this was a clone of the stupid NY branch, one of the more scientific ones, helping Snoke with his experiments. 

Kylo let his frustration be known once he took a seat and groaned, the back of his head striking the cushion. He shut his eyes as he saw the ceiling of the ship. “Just get us there quick,” he complained. He wanted this to be done already. He wanted Ariel and Gnaeus back. ‘How could Lando take them?’ Lando was a coward. A coward who had given up Han Solo and the Rebels to Darth Vader. 

He’d cow before Kylo Ren, too. He’d tell him everything. At least this would be quick. ‘But what if they’re not there?’ 

Then it got messy. Kylo wouldn’t know where to begin to search. He supposed the world that they’d gotten supplies from initially, but then what? Ariel would probably be the most obvious one to ask about; her red hair stuck out. ‘No, they couldn’t go some place like Coruscant and have their pictures everywhere, could they?’ 

Kylo Ren was quite bitter as the clone took them into hyperdrive. 

As the clouds of Bespin began to materialize around them. 

~***~ 

Mira didn’t get to escape to get clean so easily. She had expected Hux would have questions about his father, but instead, he dismissed Phasma and spoke of Luke. 

Mira’s eyes did narrow a bit as he revealed his source—and that he agreed. ‘He’s not wrong.’ Only in so far as Luke’s ability to help. Leia held Luke to too high a standard, and Hux…well, Hux probably thought highly of Luke thanks to Kylo’s obsession. 

But he was earnest. He offered to even be there, and Mira wasn’t sure how to take that. Support? It seemed counterintuitive. Luke would want to help less if Hux was there. Cold logic twisted around hot emotions, complicating the matter in a thousand ways to make it seem impossible. Untenable. “I’ll consider it.” The words were spoken, mind moving slowly to try and construct a way to even approach Luke now. 

Amends didn’t have to be made, but yet…they did. ‘The Guide.’ 

Copies. 

Once thousands of copies were made, she could hand Luke the original. She could…perhaps…try broaching the subject then. 

A resigned sigh escaped her, as her mind put it all together so easily then. So neatly. So impossible to defy. “I have an idea. If I need to, I will.” She’d promised Leia a time period. “You and Leia weren’t supposed to get along that well.” 

The comment was made easily, a rueful acceptance that the pair of them were dangerous – and would be able to move mountains like her own stubbornness. 

~***~ 

Finn flushed a bit at the question. He didn’t really have much experience, but, “Well, if I hadn’t been dared to, I might have, probably, enjoyed it,” he found himself stumbling over the words. It really hadn’t been unenjoyable, just awkward. Confusing. Weird. 

“And Poe thinks I’m a good kisser,” he thoughtlessly added. 

“WHAT!” Much more an exclamation than a question. 

Finn managed a weak smile in the face of Becki’s jealous anger. “I-I’m sure he was just being kind! I was nervous.” 

Becki stewed a bit in silence. Yes, Finn was definitely a threat, and he didn’t even realize it! “Do you like him?” 

“What? He’s my best friend!” 

“But do you like him, Finn?” She asked point-blank. 

But by then, Finn could see mannequins in store windows. 

~***~ 

Luke sighed as the topic of the visions was brought up again. He paused then, and turned to look at her, ignoring the many passerbys. “Let’s get back to the hangar first,” he told her, “Then you’ll have to remind me of what you saw,” he knew some of it. His mind had always focused on the details of her past. 

Being left on Jakku. 

The other horrendous things she’d seen, things Luke had suspected when he felt the Force disturbed by the atrocities that the Knights committed. 

He resumed walking, and Rey followed, steps a bit quicker, until they both heard a shrill ‘WHAT!’. Luke turned his head, and his attention was again caught by the one named Finn. The Force-Sensitive. 

He couldn’t help but ask Rey then, “Did you ever notice anything…peculiar about Finn?” He was a Stormtrooper who rebelled. That was peculiar enough. Was it the will of the Force that inspired him? He had to look into this. He had to consider if Finn would want to be a Jedi with Rey. They were friends. 

Perhaps it would help him out with headaches, too. 

But why had he been hanging on Mira so closely? ‘Traitors.’ Perhaps that was it, a simple kinship in that.

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I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

either born in hell or heaven sent

I made something that'll love me even when I won't

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