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KyloGlenn · Aug 2, 2016

They slowed on Bespin and Paquin was in awe. Initially, Cloud City didn't seem all that big. But, as they neared, it became clear just how large it was. What Paquin had thought to be just some sort of needle at the bottom grew into a large structure. She wondered how many people resided on the planet. 

How would they find Gnaeus and Ariel? How would this Lando fellow even know they were there? 

The clone took them down into a busy hangar, full of diversity. Humans and aliens alike littered the place, much like the various ships. She even saw families of people. She almost wanted to ask if they were in the right place, but this was a city in the clouds. "And these people are supposed to have Gnaeus and Ariel?" 

It seemed like a vacation hotspot, not a place she'd imagine the Resistance to be working out of. 

"The Supreme Leader believes so." Paquin wanted to snap at the clone, 'I didn't ask you.' 

- 'Well, that was...easy?' She hadn't necessarily said she'd talk to Luke. She said she'd consider it. If she needed to, she would. Hux would take it. He had agreed with himself to not push her into it. 

She had some other idea, which Hux was curious about. 

Hux did let out a snort at Mira's comment. Hux hadn't expected to get on so well with Leia, either. But it just seemed to work, for the moment, anyway. But Hux wasn't going to complain. It made an alliance easier. "That's your fault," not only because she pushed for an alliance, but she seemed to be a mutual concern in more ways than one for both Generals. A shared affection. 

Leia's in a motherly sense and Hux's was...something. He supposed it was in a familial way apart from Leia's. 

They had quite a few mutual feelings besides Mira, however. Goals alike one another's, just expressed in different ways. If they could get past those and somehow find a way to make an alliance work beyond Snoke, learn to compromise, they could do just as Mira wanted. Move mountains. Change the galaxy and hopefully it would be for the better. 'Anything is better than Snoke.' 

"If you need assistance in your idea, feel free to utilize the Order's resources. That's what they're there for." Hux's first piece of advice for the new Admiral. Which reminded him. He'd have someone provide Mira with her desired information about pilots and such. He already knew there was no other Admiral. Hadn't been for a while. 

- 

Yes, Becki was definitely angry and jealous now. And Finn hadn't helped himself. "Well, I like him," before he could finish that, Becki's arm tightened around his own. It felt like she was shaking a bit. So, he quickly finished, "As a friend! As a friend, that's it." He wasn't entirely sure if the way he liked Poe had changed on Jakku. 

He flushed at that thought on its own and decided that then was the time to break free from Becki. He struggled to pull his arm out of the woman's iron grip. Her arms were so small! How could the be that strong? "Thanks for your help, Becki. I think I-I got it from--" 

His arm finally came loose, "Here!" 

"I didn't even show you the clothing store," at that point she was tempted to lead him to the dump. Throw him in the trash. The rumored trash monster could swallow him and take care of that problem. 

- 

Rey's head turned just as Luke's did, 'Oh no!' Poor Finn had once again been captured by that pilot girl! She had almost moved to save him once again as she saw him seemingly struggle to pull away from her. 'Use the Force, Finn! It works like that!' But she didn't say that in front of Luke. 

But Luke's words stopped her from saving him. 

It almost stopped her from thinking about Finn using the Force. 

Eyes wide, Rey shook her head. "Peculiar? No, nothing peculiar. Finn's the most un-peculiar person I know." Finn didn't want her to tell Luke about his Force-sensitivity or about being Mira's padawan. "Why? Do you think he's peculiar? I mean, he might be bi-curious." Yes, change the subject to something wildly different. Throw Luke off.

Lucyfer · Aug 2, 2016

“Lando is a friend of General Organa,” Kylo stated to Paquin’s question. “It is possible that he would capture the Knights if the opportunity presented itself, but last I knew, he was a coward.” He tried to sound more angry than bitter. 

Bitterness was what showed through, though. 

As the ship docked, he straightened in his seat, hands falling onto his knees. He took a breath, and then rose. “You can wait for us to return, here.” They’d need someone to start the ship quickly if things went bad, he supposed. 

Though, he doubted it would. 

Lando wouldn’t lay a finger on him. He was Leia’s son. Han’s son. 

He walked to the door as it was opened by the clone. “Don’t be long.” The Clone said, as if it could give him orders. He rolled his eyes and stalked down the ramp, feeling immediately the suspicion that darkened the air as eyes alighted on him and his dark attire. Did they know who he was, or was it just his appearance? 

He wasn’t sure. 

Until, “Ben Solo? Is that you?” C-3P0. “My goodness! It is you!” 

Kylo lifted his head to take in the golden droid that Darth Vader had created, and then lifted his hand and threw it into the hangar wall, to the shock and horror of many. Good. A scene would draw Lando out. ‘But if 3P0 is here….’ “I demand to speak to Calrissian!” Kylo’s voice boomed through the hangar. 

~***~ ‘I suppose it is my fault.’ Mira accepted the blame. She had pushed for this, wanted this, hoped for this. The pair weren’t different enough. They wanted the same things, in the end—peace. 

Mira nodded. “I do not think I will need to, but if I do…,” well, she would. Right now, she was almost certain she could just use what the school had to offer. Copies couldn’t be that expensive, could they? 

Finn would bring back change, wouldn’t he? 

She and Hux would have to talk budget at some point, what she could and could not do, for her mind kept racing ahead to things she could build. Things that would outlast her—which seemed like quite a bit. Such a short time to make a legacy. It was inspiration enough, though. “Now, I really need to get clean, and you have more business to tend to.” He would know where to find her when he needed her, and she’d figure out where he was, when she needed him. ‘Perhaps for Luke….’ Finn was an option. Leia an option. 

Except Leia would guilt trip the both of them. Bonding with Luke through the shame of disappointing Leia didn’t seem like a good idea. 

~***~ 

“I can see it!” Finn shouted back to Becki, jogging quickly ahead. He didn’t even notice Rey or Luke as he moved into the store, letting out an exhale before he realized the next problem. ‘What size does she wear?’ 

Well. 

Shoot. 

Where was BB-8 when he needed the droid?! BB-8 had been tasked with getting Mira clothes before, he probably knew her sizes, right? 

Finn’s blank look, of course, brought over one of the saleswomen, “Can I help you, sir?” ‘Sir?’ “Uh, I hope so.” Finn managed to answer. 

~***~ 

Luke was a bit startled when Rey mentioned Finn might be bi-curious. “That has nothing…,” though Luke supposed that was a bit peculiar. He hadn’t explained himself very well. He shook his head, “No, Rey. He seems like he might be Force-Sensitive, too. I thought I felt it at the other hangar….” 

He had been rather bold in confronting the Knights, hadn’t he? He heard tale of how Finn confronted Kylo Ren, too. “Did he seem that way before Kylo Ren?” He asked her, as Rey started to edge towards the clothing store, curious as to what Finn was getting up to in spite of Luke and the possibility he might figure things out. 

“No,” Rey said. For to her, he hadn’t seemed that way at all, but she hadn’t understood much then. “He just picked up the lightsaber….” Luke’s lightsaber. And wielded it quite well, admittedly, but she’d chalked it up to his Stormtrooper training.

KyloGlenn · Aug 2, 2016

Paquin couldn't help but wonder what Lando had done to warrant such bitterness from Kylo. Something about him being a coward, apparently. 

She had barely made it off of the ship, the ramp closing behind her, when the golden protocol droid recognized Kylo as Ben Solo. She barely had time to react before it was thrown into the hangar wall, a large group of people near them pausing and gaping. Though, that wasn't what caused the hangar to still. 

No, Kylo's booming voice did, the chatter and the movement in the hangar ceasing. Paquin sighed. "Warn me before you make a scene next time." She grumbled to Kylo. Though with him as her companion, she should've known that subtle would not be the path they'd follow. 

There was a screeching of some sort, followed by the crowd quickly parting. Out came an astromech droid, coming right for Paquin's legs. She managed to react fast enough, her hand raising as the Force stopped the droid inches from her legs. A guard slowly followed in the path of the blue and white droid, his hands up. "Hey, I'll take you to Lando. Let's just move this away from the people, yeah?" 

Paquin and Kylo wouldn't have to wait long for Lando Calrissian or his newfound partner, Chewbacca. Word traveled through the city quickly, especially when an entire hangar came to a standstill. 

- 

"Right," Hux nodded then. He needed to get to the Knights and see to it that they were secured into the containment fields properly. And Mira needed to clean up, the blood and sand certainly were apparent on her. Hux would have to follow in her footsteps eventually, but he could wait. 

"And Mira, be careful." That was him finally acknowledging the threat that was his father, even if he didn't explicitly express that it was Brendol he was warning her about. He wasn't sure what had happened or how much of a threat the older ginger really was to Mira, but he wasn't going to take this lightly. 

"I'm sure I'll see you again at some point," they'd be in the same general area. "Dismissed," he said as he turned back to his ship, the littlest bit of amusement returning. Though he'd likely said the same thing to Mira at some point, it was her new position in the Order that made it all the more fun. 

He slipped back into his ship to drop off Millicent. He set her down just inside the ship, "Stay." He instructed as he tried to slip out, only to have the dazed ginger cat try and follow after him. He managed to get the door shut before she ran out again, but she did scratch at the door. He wondered if he'd ever be able to teach her to sit and stay. 'Foreign Language building.' Back to work. 

- 

"Alright, well, what are you looking for?" The saleswoman questioned as Finn looked around, a little lost. 

"A dress, but I don't know what size to get my friend," Finn pointed at a mannequin, "She's skinny, like that. Maybe a little more meat. And she has a waist." Well, obviously she had a waist. 

"...Okay, I'm sure we can work with that." She wasn't sure if this man would accurately describe someone's size, but she'd work with it. "What kind of dress were you looking for?" 

"A nice one," was Finn's answer. He wasn't entirely sure what Mira would like, but he'd try to use the tattered one she'd worn when they met as reference. Surely he'd know something when he saw it. 

- 

"How did he handle the lightsaber? Did his use of it seem natural?" 

Luke was going to figure it out. It seemed he'd already had and was just pressing Rey for some sort of confirmation. But she wouldn't give it. Not technically at least. The words 'Finn is Force-sensitive' would not come from her mouth. And she'd do her best from keeping Mira's position in this a secret. 

"Well, yes. But he'd had training. In the Order." Or so she figured as the store and what it sold was legible. Dresses. Women's clothing. What was Finn doing in there? She could barely see him through the displays in the window, but he looked a little lost. She didn't blame him, she would be too. Even as a woman herself.

Lucyfer · Aug 3, 2016

Kylo glanced to Paquin at her statement. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to.’ He didn’t exactly predict scenes. He sort of just…reacted. And caused them. Usually. 

But he had no regrets, as the guard of Cloud City gave up with his hands up. Kylo tilted his chin up, glaring down at R2-D2 and ignoring the droid’s beeps of anger as it couldn’t do anything about the situation it was in. Kylo didn’t even consider how useful that droid could be, didn’t recall it was almost always around Luke. 

It was not the droid he was looking for. 

“That’s fine,” Kylo was willing to accept moving along to find Lando, he didn’t need to deal with any of these others. 

“Okay. Right this way. I’ll take you to a lift,” he told Kylo, figuring it was best not to surprise anyone. 

And he did, taking up his walkie-talkie once Kylo was following. “Alert Lando Calrissian that Ben Solo is here.” He didn’t actually know his name as Kylo Ren, but he knew the name Ben Solo. 

“What is he doing here?” 

“He’s here to see Lando.” 

“…not gonna be happy about this,” came the muttered response, but the guard knew the message would get there. He’d take these two to a waiting room, but he knew Lando would want to see them personally. 

~***~ ‘Dismissed.’ 

Mira smirked a bit, hearing it even as she had already started to turn. It shouldn’t be this amusing to hold a rank in the First Order, but it was, and she wasn’t sure why. The position was no joke, it seemed. ‘Admiral.’ She never would have dreamed of it on Hoth. 

Mira knew her way to the dormitory easily enough, and the FOTC boys were always around, it seemed. She hailed one, “Knight Vallens,” it seemed that was still the popular title. 

“Admiral, now,” Mira corrected, and saw the lights turn on in his eyes. He was speaking to an admiral. “I need use of the showers.” 

“Right this way, Admiral Vallens!” He turned quick and led her through the hallways to the showers, “I apologize, they are communal…,” but no one was really thinking of privacy all that much right now when wounds of all sorts needed to be washed, bodies and souls offered that quick respite. 

“No worries,” Mira was worried, but she wasn’t going to let it show. She’d just remain hyper-alert. She wasn’t dying in a damn shower. That’d be…pathetic. “If an orange, round droid comes about asking for me, let it know the way. Or Finn.” Though she hoped Finn would use the medium of the droid. She wouldn’t be scandalized by the thought—Force knew she’d seen enough of Kylo Ren and the other Knights—but it wasn’t ideal. 

“Understood. Is there anything else?” 

“Do you have any towels?” 

“One second.” And with that he darted off to go find a towel. ‘I can get used to this.’ Minions. ‘Bad.’ Learners. ‘Better.’ 

~***~ 

Phasma had gone to await Hux, and was filled in on the status of both the Knights. They were separated into different rooms. Mitaka had the foresight to request four rooms, knowing the number of knights, even though Kylo Ren was not present. Ariel had been disarmed, her lightsaber and her wrist communicator separated from her. There was no need with Gnaeus—it seemed he had lost his hand, and not to a lightsaber. 

“…medics are treating him so he doesn’t bleed out, but he’s still unconscious and his condition is troubling.” 

Apparently the shot had splintered bone and the knight had gone into shock. The wrist device he had been wearing hadn’t helped; armor and electronic shrapnel had to be removed from the wound. 

“We cleaned up the debris of a lightsaber as well. I am not certain if there is anything that can be done with the parts, but I did not want to just discard them.” 

Questions for Mira. Phasma nodded. She wasn’t sure what they’d do with Ariel’s in-tact blade, either, or her communicator…which kept flashing a light of a missed call. 

No one had been stupid enough to answer it. 

~***~ 

Before Luke could ask more, Rey was in, and Finn immediately reached for her, causing her to let out a startled, “Finn!” 

“She’s taller than Rey!” Not by much, but he figured Rey was better than a mannequin. He gestured up to indicate how tall Mira was. 

“Finn, what are you doing?” Rey asked, laughter escaping in the question as she realized he was trying to describe something. Someone. She had an idea of who, all things considered. 

Luke looked befuddled, and out of place, in his hood and off-white and brown clothing. With that beard. It added to Rey’s amusement. 

“Mira sent me shopping. I need to find a dress for her,” Finn explained, then looked to the other woman who was trying to help, “She likes nice things. Like, um, semi-formal, maybe? Green? I think she likes green….” He remembered the kyber crystals turning green a couple of times. 

The woman looked between Finn, Rey, and the stranger, then nodded. “Come with me,” she said, and led Finn deeper into the store to where some of the ‘nicer’ dresses were, and not just the summer and bohemian-esque ones. 

“She has you shopping now?” Rey couldn’t help but tease in a whisper. She recalled the conversation with Tarkin, and was amused. 

“…anything to get rid of the smell,” Finn joked back, and Rey laughed aloud again. 





~

KyloGlenn · Aug 6, 2016

“Sorry, droid,” Paquin whispered to the angry droid, even though it should be the one apologizing to her. The droid didn’t take her apology well, continuing to boop and beep angrily at her. ‘Rude.’ She had to leave it at that, seeing as Kylo and the guard were already leaving. 

She followed after them, her grip on the droid releasing when the crowd of people seemingly enveloped the three as they moved through the hangar. She didn’t focus so much on Kylo and the guard, but rather the people as the room was filled heavily with relief as they were leaving, the noise continuing once the three of them were situated into a lift. 

The down button was pressed once inside, the guard shooting glances at the two as the lift started moving. It was strange to Paquin, having someone shooting wary looks at her. She didn’t necessarily blame the guard, though. 

They stopped on the ‘administrative’ level, the guard taking the lead once again, weaving them through a few corridors until he stopped at a room, opening a door for the two. “Lando will be with you soon, Mister Solo.” Paquin nearly choked at Kylo being called ‘mister Solo’. “And miss…” 

“Kent.” Paquin offered her last name instead, to see if it garnered any reaction. But the guard just nodded and left them. 

The guard was right with soon. As soon as the name Ben Solo reached their ears, Lando and Chewbacca were on the move. 

- 

The FOTC boy ran off to collect a towel for the Admiral. He was admittedly curious as to how that happened but had enough sense not to question it. He wanted to be on her good side before, certainly much more so now. She could help in getting him recruited within the Order after his time at the Academy. 

Even if that might not be for a while. 

A towel at a time, he’d work. 

He’d have to share this with his fellow FOTC members, so they wouldn’t refer to her as Knight anymore. 

He entered a storage room full of towels and other toiletries. Or at least, it was usually full. Right now, stock was a little low. He grabbed a towel and turned right back out of the room, running right into an orange and white round droid. Well, that rung a bell. “Are you looking for Admiral Vallens?” He questioned it. 

The droid responded with a question, confused by the ‘admiral’ part. The droid couldn’t take a little stroll without something changing. It had heard about an ordeal in the hangar and had shifted to looking for its friends, so the boy wasn’t too far off. With the request of following the boy to Mira, he led the ball right to her. 

BB-8 rolled right up to Mira, looking up at her. There were many questions in the form of beeps and squeals coming from the droid. Questioning why she was being called ‘admiral’, where had Finn gone and if he and the others were okay. There was a comment about never leaving any of them alone again. 

- 

Hux found himself at the Foreign Language building easily, it being one of the few buildings on campus to survive the attack of the clones. There were Stormtroopers stationed outside the building, which made it all the more easy to identify. 

The troopers let their General pass with no questions, Hux stopping just before entering to give them instructions. “If Leia Organa requests to see the prisoners, let her through.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“Good. Continue on,” Hux then slipped through the doors. There were a few officers bustling about, Stormtroopers stationed seemingly around every corner. Hux figured the medics were with the Knight that was apparently crippled in some fashion, but he did see one moving about. 

It caused his thoughts to drift to the former First Order medic, Paquin, and Kylo Ren. Where were they? What were they planning? 

Why were these two Knights on Cimarosa? Hopefully Mira would be able to get the answers to those questions. 

Hux easily spotted Phasma. She was hard to miss. He joined her and the officer she was speaking to. He caught the end of the officer speaking of discarding something. “What is the status on the Knights?" He questioned, more so curious about the crippled one. Hopefully it wasn’t too bad. Hux still needed him for answers. 

- 

Luke was lost. Why was Finn shopping for Mira? And what was so funny? And why was he even following these three around the store. He really did feel out of place. 

Even more so than usual. 

The saleswoman stopped at a rack towards the back of the store, sifting through hangars with sizes she’d think would work and pulling a few dresses. Made up of varying fabrics and different shades of green, some were short and a few were longer, some billowy just by looking at them and a few not so much. 

“There’s not the biggest selection of semi-formal green dresses, sorry about that.” It really wasn’t that kind of store. Their consumers, mostly college students, didn’t typically go for such fancy attire. 

“No worries! This is just fine.” Finn dismissed with a smile at this sight of the dresses she’d picked. Now he just had to decide which one. He took the dresses from the woman’s hands, mumbling a thank you. “Rey, would you mind being my model?” Finn joked. 

Rey chuckled and nodded her head, Finn holding dresses up to her, in reference for length and fit. He tried to envision each dress on Mira and what she’d like, how it would fit. Finn didn’t want to have to return it while Mira waited around in a towel or dirty clothes. 

Meanwhile, Luke stood by awkwardly, looking around the store. A few eyes were on him, instead of the giggly pair, most likely for his mystical, almost shady attire and unkempt appearance.

Lucyfer · Aug 6, 2016

Kylo Ren didn’t enjoy being called Solo, but he knew it was the only way he was going to get the audiences he needed. So, he endured, seething with fury underneath. Once they were left, he stalked right over to a chair and collapsed into it, glaring at the door and waiting impatiently. 

“I don’t think they’re here,” he said to Paquin. “I can’t feel them here.” Cloud City was huge, though. If they were unconscious, it was possible that he wouldn’t feel them…but Kylo didn’t buy that. They were close. He’d know if they were here. 

Even so, the Supreme Leader wouldn’t like it if he didn’t check. 

It didn’t take long at all for Lando to get in the hallway of the room, and then he turned to Chewie. “Give me the bowcaster.” 

Chewie protested in loud, roaring growls. 

“I know that, but I need you to call Leia. So give me the bowcaster,” he mostly didn’t want Chewie to do anything rash, like shoot “Ben”. 

~***~ 

BB-8 and a towel were brought, but Mira knelt down to be nearer to BB-8’s size as the droid started to beep at her. “I’m Admiral of the First Order now, BB-8.” The droid let out a startled, high-pitched screech at that. “I’m still an ally of the Resistance, don’t worry—I have a lot to learn from Poe as it is.” Best pilot of the Resistance. She wasn’t sure how she’d ever get on his good side enough to learn. 

She’d find a way. 

Probably through treating Finn well. She should stop plotting, it sounded manipulative in her own head. “Finn’s in town, I hope. I may need you to go find him. Everyone else is okay, as far as I know.” 

She rose to get the towel, as BB-8 rocked on its body and beeped, unsure if it should be leaving her to find Finn. It needed to stick with someone. It wasn’t even sure where Poe was, and it asked that. “Last I saw, he was with Leia on her ship. He may still be there. The hangar is sort of the hub of activity. Finn should be going through there, too.” On his way back. 

Then, to the young FOTC man, “Thank you.” 

“Of course, Admiral Vallens. Is there anything else?” 

Mira shook her head, “No, this is enough,” she just needed to wash off the blood and sand, she’d enjoy an actual bath with scented things another day. 

~***~ 

“Sir,” the officer straightened even more, and then moved into his report, “Knight Ariel Ren is stable. The wounds she has seemed to be on her eyes and the back of her head. There was only bleeding coming from her eyes—we’re not certain of her condition so far as sight goes, but everything else is stable. We expect she’ll wake soon. We have her in room 4,” in the basement. With the other prisoners. 

“Knight Gnaeus Ren is not currently stable. We have him in room 3, undergoing medical treatment for his severed hand. It looks like it was blown off by a small explosive or something,” he was unaware of the way the lightsaber’s explosion had mucked everything, since he didn’t fully understand the weapons. “Bone splintered after the wrist, we have had to remove bone, electronic material, metal, and armor, and we are working on stabilizing him and preventing further blood or tissue loss.” 

Then, he added, “We do expect to be able to stabilize Gnaeus Ren, however he may not be conscious for a while.” At least they hoped. They couldn’t work on him in a containment field. 

Phasma noted, “They retrieved one lightsaber, and one of the knight’s communication devices. The other lightsaber was in ruins, as was the other communication device.” But the latter could be useful—communications through the knight’s equipment was not theirs, and even if it was tracked, it could be abandoned. 

~***~ 

Dress after dress was held up, and Finn squinted, directed Rey, and canted his head. He didn’t think Mira was much into short dresses, so he had to find one that was long on Rey. He then had to make sure it was going to fit the rest of her, and that was the trickier part. 

Eventually, though, he settled on two that seemed like they might work. He was pleased that so many had looked like they might fit her, and hoped he wasn’t wrong. 

“Okay, which one do you think Mira will like best?” 

“Finn, I barely know her!” Rey said. 

“I know, but…,” well, he couldn’t complete that and say ‘you’re a girl’, because Rey was an atypical girl. Then again, so was Mira. “But you both kick butt, so maybe you’d know what she’d like!” He said instead. 

Rey could see through it and folded her arms across her chest, but then looked between the two dresses. Mira had just joined the First Order, so she figured Mira would be more into simple things. Though, the billowy dress was pretty (not that Rey would admit it). 

“Oh…this one,” she finally said, deciding on the more billowy one of the two. Mira was a Force Sensitive, she should try to look sort of mystical. Like Luke. That wouldn’t be done in sheathe dresses and the like. 

Luke heard what was said then, and just frowned at the pair of them. Dress shopping. For Mira. Why was he a part of this? How was he a part of this? ‘And why is Finn…?’ Did Mira know? 

Mira had to know. 

Was she grooming him, then? Another apprentice? Luke didn’t want to think of Finn being trained in the dark arts. He might have to intercede here…or get Rey to intercede. Except now Rey probably liked Mira. 

Maybe Leia…. 

~***~ 

There were hundreds upon hundreds of things that gave August Tarkin headaches. 

The “Imperial Council” was one of them. 

Perhaps 900 of them. 

Yet, it was a headache that August was willing to endure, especially then as he played at being patient. There were people who would flock to Skywalker just because of his name, and so there were people that flocked to Tarkin solely because of his name. Those who had admired Wilhuff and saw him in August, remained steady. 

Two of the Imperial Council were on the screens before August. 

In the middle of them hovered Eriadu, and ships were placed. 

Though there were starships and other pieces of Imperial power now in the air above Eriadu, thanks to Motti and Yularen, the Imperatrix was not among them. Which meant that Julia was still handling things on the ground. August took that as a good sign. The Imperatrix was the flagship of Eriadu, an upgraded version of the Executrix. Still no Carrion Spike, but it was meant to perform a drastically different job. 

“We outnumber him now,” Gunnar Yularen was saying, the grandson of the great Wulf, as he paced the length of the screen, back and forth. “If we press the advantage—” 

August clenched a fist. The action was visible enough that Gunnar cut himself off. The stress lines were apparent and the ginger man pushed the fingers of his open hand back through his hair. 

“We can’t get any communications through.” Adelaide Keil nee Tagge reminded, daughter of the Grand General, something she made a point to take pride in whenever just General Hux was mentioned. “We don’t know if Julia is all right. Landing is impossible with the blockade.” 

“We did intercept a message from him that was abnormal. It talked about missing Knights and Bespin.” Force bless Gunnar. Wulf had been an Admiral, but he was a better informant and ass-kisser. He’d learned the Holonet well, and worked closely with spies. His grandson was more that then he was an admiral. 

But August didn’t care about Bespin. He knew what the missing Knights meant. “He may be pulling out some of his forces to find them. He’ll be that much weaker soon.” 

August shook his head. “He has more than he’s letting on,” he spoke softly. “Hold until the Imperatrix rises. There’s a reason Julia is remaining down.” He was certain it wasn’t because she was a hostage, either. 

“Snoke knows your intents. With us, here,” Adelaide stated. “The longer you bide your time, the more prepared he can be.” 

“He thinks this is all I have,” August reminded. “He would not think I would go to Hux.” 

“Which, I still say, is a stupid idea.” Adelaide said. 

“Noted, General,” August leaned back from the world, looked up at the screens. “However, I must explore the option. Snoke was prepared for this inevitability, I believe.” Hux leaving. Or rather, replacing Hux. He was likely prepared for replacing Kylo Ren, as well—which was what actually worried August. 

Snoke had many tricks and August had never met him. 

Never observed him. 

Unlike Palpatine, who he had understood somewhat, he did not understand Snoke. “Maintain watch. If the situation changes, alert me. And if you receive any calls from the ground…ignore them.” 

At this point, it would be a trap.

KyloGlenn · Aug 7, 2016

If this were any other situation, if they were back on Korriban with Ariel and Gnaeus, Paquin might have internally chuckled at how childlike Kylo was in that moment. Stomping around and glaring. Even if she knew he was actually seething. But this wasn’t any other situation, so instead she moved to take a seat on the couch next to Kylo’s chair.









She huddled close to the armrest of the bright white sofa, legs crossing as she spoke. “They might not be here, but Lando might know where they are. Like you said, Lando Calrissian is a friend of General Organa.” At least she hoped he had information. She wanted Ariel and Gnaeus back soon. Hopefully in one piece.













Chewie let out a quieter grumble of protest this time at the mention of Leia. “C’mon, Chewie. Just hand it over. You don’t need it to talk to Leia. Ben won’t do anything.”









The wookiee let out a growl, translating to ‘Not Ben’. But still, he surrendered the weapon, albeit hesitantly. “Good. I’ll go in first.” Lando offered Chewbacca a grin before finding the door.









As it slid open, Lando walked in but he had to pause. It had been a long long time since Lando had last seen Ben. He looked the same, yet so much different. Taller even sitting down, bulkier. His face had matured, a scar now adorning it. His hair was longer, concealing whether or not he’d grown into his massive ears. He looked so much like Han. Leia, too. “Ben Solo, huh? Long time no see.”









-









“Alright. I’ll leave you to it, then. If you change your mind, there’s an FOTC officer at the ready.” They literally had planned for at least a couple of them to be roaming each floor all at once. “I’m glad I could be of service,” he finished, sparring a glance at the round droid before offering Mira a nod and making his leave.









BB-8 let out a tentative beep, saying it would go find Finn or someone. It was still wary of separating from the person it’d found. Then it quickly added that it would be right back! That she shouldn’t go anywhere once she was done with her shower. It wanted to at least know where one person was at for certain.









Even as the droid dismissed itself, it was hesitant, slowly rolling backwards. It really didn’t want to leave the only sure thing, which was Mira. It emitted a quick series of boops, saying okay, it would find Finn for her, for whatever reason. Its’ half-sphere head whipped around and the droid rolled off fast around a corner, so it wouldn’t have a chance to change its’ computer mind, causing a few people to hop out of the fast and furious droid’s way.









-









‘Severed hand. Ouch.’ Gnaeus wasn’t going to need it anyway. Not with Hux’s plans for him. Then again, he had to keep in mind Leia’s desire for them to not yet be killed. ‘If he ends up like Mira, there’s alway cybernetics.’









He wasn’t so sure what the options for sight were if the redheaded Knight had lost hers.









At that moment, the doors he’d just came through opened up, two containment fields being rolled in on a cart. Unactivated, they weren’t anything special. But they would be when they were on and had the two Force-sensitives inside of them.









“Ariel Ren’s eyesight isn’t important. Put her in containment immediately. The same with Gnaeus Ren, as soon as he’s stable. There’s no need to fuss too much with him, he just needs to be alive enough for Admiral Vallens to get information from him.” Hux honestly didn’t care much for the Knights. If it weren’t for Leia, he’d have just said to simply slow the bleeding of Gnaeus’ severed hand. He’d be weak and easy to break into.









“I’d recommend turning the communicator off until we decide what to do with it. There may be a tracker within it,” it was easy to slip trackers into things. Hux had slipped a tracker into Kylo Ren’s belt in five minutes and he was fairly certain Ren had no clue. Until Hux pulled him from Starkiller, of course. “Leave the lightsaber to Vallens.” Her area.









-









Finn grinned at Rey’s decision. “I like the billowy one.” And hopefully Mira would, too. “Thanks, Rey. C’mon. Let’s pay for this and get going, Mira’s probably already half way done with her shower.” She’d established that the shower she was taking wouldn’t be long. And Finn still had to travel through town and search for BB-8.









Or he’d deliver the dress himself, but he wasn’t too excited on the though of violating Mira’s privacy.









Finn slipped the other dress back on to the rack before turning to head back to the front of the store. Rey took up beside him as Luke trailed behind them, thinking on how to act. It was almost like a parent chaperoning a trip to a mall, just simply trailing behind the kids as they went about their own thing.









“Y’know, I think you secretly like shopping.” Finn teased Rey as he set the dress upon the checkout counter, to which Rey’s response was rolling her eyes.









“It’s fascinating, I’ll give it that.” It was so much different than ‘shopping’ on Jakku. There were pretty things, already made. No bland rags that had to be stitched or tied together.









Finn just grinned. And then that grin fell when the cashier lady read off the price. Three hundred credits! Why? Finn could make this himself for less! Finn didn’t have time to do that though, as he dug in his jacket pocket for the credits. There was still a good amount of credits left over anyway. The woman returned his change with a receipt and the dress neatly folded in a bag.









Time to get back to Mira.









-









“Your planet, your rules.” Was Adelaide’s comment. They had the numbers, they could move. They wouldn’t need General Hux.









But his wife was on Eriadu, his people. They were there to help him. Whatever he wanted to explore for his planet was not up to them. Even if they’d spent all these years rejecting the Order.









“I’ll let the twins know to hold the ships, then.” The Motti twins. Caius and Alexander Motti.









Alexander was just like his father. Bold and overconfident. Though he was a tad more immature, and a tyrant of sorts.









Caius was the more sensible of the two, humble. He was the more politically versed of the two, Alexander being the perfect war machine. Together they worked perfectly, balancing each other out. But without each other, they’d be actual human disasters.









Everyone had agreed to feel bad for their mother, who had to raise the two boys, only five at the time of Admiral Motti’s death. Though, it seemed she had no trouble. She managed to spoil them. She didn’t do the best job at raising them to be functional as separate entities, but she tried her best.









Gunnar was less than thrilled to inform them, or at least to inform Alexander. Not because he was afraid, but because he’d rather not deal with the man’s whining. The brat had been looking forward to attacking the blockade.









Gunnar continued, “And Tarkin, you must keep us updated on your affair with Hux. This effects us all.” The way they functioned.









Like August already knew, they flocked to his name and the memory of the great Wilhuff Tarkin. It would cause ripples amongst the Imperials who held out from aligning with the younger Hux and the First Order.

Lucyfer · Aug 7, 2016

Kylo Ren glared at Lando as he entered, “It’s Kylo Ren.” 

“That wasn’t just a phase?” Lando joked, and Kylo’s expression didn’t lighten in the slightest as the graying man approached. 

He saw Chewbacca’s bowcaster, and understood all too well that that meant. ‘How didn’t I…?’ Kylo didn’t dwell on how he didn’t feel Chewie through the Force. “I’m sorry. Kylo,” he said, then looked towards Paquin. He gave her a once over, noted, “This one is a lot nicer than that asshole you sent to me before. What was his name?” 

“Kevan.” 

“Yeah, him. Didn’t care for him,” Lando stated, “Paquin Kent. Not a Knight?” 

“She is.” 

“Can the woman speak for herself?” Lando cut in. 

Kylo wanted to rise in rage, but he suppressed it. He didn’t care to talk about these petty things with Lando, but somehow the man was always able to navigate a conversation well enough to detour Kylo. He hadn’t gotten so much as a word in about his purpose here, and now he was fuming on being called out for not letting Paquin speak that he forgot to just interrupt and get to the point. 

Lando held out his hand to Paquin, “Lando Calrissian—Kylo and I go way back. Good friends with his parents. Knew him as Ben--they named him after old Ben Kenobi, but I guess he didn't like it much. Can't blame him. Pretty boring name. The 'o' ending just sounds so strong, too, doesn't it?" 

Han… 

The reason he couldn’t let Chewie in here just yet. If ever. If he could finish up the business quickly, that’d be best. 

~***~ 

Mira waited until she was alone, promising, “I will remain here, BB-8.” 

When the droid had vanished, and the FOTC man was gone, Mira finally pushed open the door to the showers and walked in. It reminded her a bit of Korriban, with its stalls. She knew it was standard of Academies, but it wasn’t really what she’d grown up with it…just on Korriban. 

A touch of nostalgia did wash over her as she slipped out of the dirty clothing and let them fall to the bench of the chosen stall. She didn’t remove the wrapping of her wound, though made a note to get it actually looked at when she got out of the shower, to make sure it wasn’t infected. 

The water ran cold first to jar her awake, the shock of the water alerting her senses. ‘Stay up.’ It wasn’t just Snoke to worry about when she was out of sight. It was also Commandant Hux. 

Then, she shifted it to scalding hot, another lovely shock, but one that became relaxing as the water washed over her. She’d always disliked hot temperature, but her showers were almost always scalding. The blood washed off. The sand washed off. 

The day tried to wash off, as Mira pressed her head against the tiles of the stall wall. ‘Please….’ Just a few moments of weakness. Just a few moments to relax. 

~***~ 

“Understood, General. I will see to it that your orders are followed immediately. Is there anything else that you would like to know?” The Officer inquired, looking between Phasma and Hux. 

Phasma considered. “Details of the skirmish.” 

A nod, “Admiral Vallens took the lead and confronted the two Knights in the hangar near the downtown, alone at first. Finn gave the directive to the Stormtroopers to spread out and cover the area. This allowed for an ambush after Finn revealed himself. Admiral Vallens was speaking with the Knights, from our understanding.” 

Phasma nodded. Expected of Mira; likely only she and the Knights would have the full story. “The Stormtroopers have relayed that the Knights were held at…glass point, which is how Ariel Ren was handled.” The details of that were murky, “When Admiral Vallens chose to engage,” that Phasma found interesting. Somehow, she expected that Mira would wait to be assaulted first. This made it sound like Mira attacked first. “Ariel Ren was overwhelmed with glass and faltered. She was surrounded, held, and knocked out. Admiral Vallens engaged Gnaeus Ren atop the ship that the Knights arrived in, allowing us to subdue Ariel Ren first. Their battle seemed more with the Force than the lightsabers, and it seemed that Gnaeus Ren got the upperhand.” 

Phasma found that as odd and canted her head, but the Officer just shook his head. He didn’t understand it. “Admiral Vallens took a knee,” he said, “and Gnaeus Ren’s hand was then shot by Governor Tarkin. As I understand it, it pierced his lightsaber, thus destroying it in the process.” 

Phasma nodded, “It was then that Rey subdued Gnaeus Ren.” ‘Mira took a knee?’ Odd. This was the woman who challenged Kylo Ren and hadn’t seemed at all bothered by his use of the Force. ‘Snoke?’ Gnaeus Ren never struck Phasma as being one of the more Force-sensitive ones. 

Phasma didn’t mention that. There was no need to, and the Officer would know nothing. “And what was Governor Tarkin doing there? Did any Stormtrooper inform him?” This was still bothering her. 

“No, Lieutenant-General,” the Officer shook his head. “No one seems to know.” 

~***~ 

Finn paid the price for the dress, muttering to himself as they started to walk out. Rey heard some of it, “You know how to sew?” She had to ask, a touch amused by it. 

“Some!” 

“When did you learn to sew?” 

“We took a basic first aid class when I was…when I was a Stormtrooper,” he said, “We were taught a bit about emergency stitching.” Rey just looked at the more amused and intrigued, “And so I put two and two together, and realized this would work for clothe, too, and I started to make little things.” 

“Little things?” 

“Yeah!” 

“Like what?” 

His cheeks tinted a bit, “Just…you know. Little dolls. Ewoks. Things.” 

They were in the hangar then as Rey’s smile fought between laughter and being absolutely endeared with the thought of Finn making tiny plushes. She was interrupted by the sound of BB-8 rolling and beeping at them, a string of concern and mentions of Mira. 

And that was when Luke finally moved, touching Rey’s shoulder as he passed just to let her know he was moving. He was going to Leia, unaware the kind of call he’d be interrupting. 

~***~ 

“I’m not the one having an affair with Hux, I assure you,” August dared to joke, if only because he was absolutely looking forward to seeing how everyone reacted to the new ‘Vader’ and ‘Emperor’. 

Because the pair would have to endure that from the Imperials. Even if Hux wasn’t Force-sensitive. He was a red-head, like Palpatine. And he had a Force-Sensitive who was clearly fighting for him, with a loyalty beyond what one would expect. 

Gunnar just arched his eyebrows, “Coruscant,” he said, “You’ll know soon enough, and speaking of, let the Mottis know there is finally an Admiral of the First Order.” 

“Oh?” Adelaide could guess from how this conversation was going. 

August nodded. “Mira Vallens. Formally Mira Ren,” he offered that, only to make the connections easier. 

He heard Adelaide muttering something under her breath. He was pretty sure he distinctly heard the word ‘whiplash’. “However this goes, I do promise to keep you all afloat. If I align with Hux, or if I reject him…you’ll all know.” 

And would respond accordingly.

KyloGlenn · Aug 14, 2016

‘I don’t see the family resemblance,’ was Paquin’s first thought upon seeing Lando Calrissian. Not actually blood-related, she supposed.

Lando said she was nicer than the asshole before her and Paquin nearly cringed at the mention of Kevan, but managed not to. At least she wasn’t being called his replacement. ‘And Lando won’t have to deal with him ever again.’

Paquin regretted introducing herself as Kent instead of Ren. If she had, Kylo wouldn’t be silently fuming in his chair because of something as silly as not letting her speak. And they would be on track, discussing where Ariel and Gnaeus were instead of Kylo’s birth name.

She took his hand when it was offered to her, to be polite. “Um,” she didn’t want to touch the name subject with a ten-foot pole. And who was old Ben Kenobi? Whatever, “Kylo suits him better, I think.” She didn’t know the rhyme or reason for the name or Ren for that matter. But then again, Ben also suited him in a way. She wouldn’t say that, though. The renaming thing seemed to be of importance to the Knights.

“Strong handshake,” Lando commented, before returning to the name, “I thought it was pronounced kilo for the longest time, you know.” Lando chuckled as he released her hand. He sat in a chair conveniently placed across from them, letting the bowcaster rest against it.

‘Me too,’ but that was another thing Paquin wouldn’t say. They needed to get back to the Knights. The longer they rambled the more danger they could be in. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lando, but unfortunately, we’re not here to talk about Kylo’s name. We’re looking for two other Knights. They said they’d be moving through Cloud City.” She looked to the pouty boy then, giving him an opportunity to take over.

-

The tale of the skirmish was a wild ride from start to finish. Finn led Stormtroopers, Ariel and Gnaeus Ren were held at…glass point. Ariel was somehow subdued by that. Gnaeus somehow got the upper hand with the Force, which seemed very odd to Hux. Mira had proved to be very skilled with the Force.

Hux hadn’t been involved all that much with the Knights during their time with the Order. He had no idea how they compared to Kylo and Mira.

And Hux wasn’t sure what was stranger, that Mira took a knee or that Tarkin showed up without being informed.

‘Is he following Mira?’ The thought popped into Hux’s head. Maybe what Poe had said about flirting hadn’t just been to get a rise out of him, maybe Tarkin did have some sort of infatuation with Mira.

Or maybe he was keeping tabs on the First Order’s movements. Either way, Hux didn’t like it.

And he would question Mira about the fight, about taking a knee. Maybe the lack of sleep was already taking a toll on her. Maybe he’d have to keep her out of fights. It was a risk for her and both organizations. And now, technically, she’d have to follow them as orders. He’d see how it would play out, though.

“Have the building searched for any hidden cameras or microphones, anything foreign that’s been wheeled into the building. Don’t disable them, however.” Yes, Hux was a little paranoid now. And this would prove whether or not August was spying on them, or preparing to leave his wife for Mira. “And if you see Governor Tarkin lurking around, inform me.” He needed to talk to him anyway.

“Alright, General.” The officer supposed the request wasn’t unusual, so didn’t question it.

-

Rey looked to Luke’s hand as he touched her shoulder, watching as he left. She didn’t offer a goodbye, instead turning her attention back to the fast-talking droid.

“Woah, woah, BB-8. Slow down, yeah? I can barely understand, all your beeps sound the same like that.” Finn chuckled, as he crouched down to the droid’s level, just glancing at Luke to acknowledge his departure.

The droid let out a long beep, a sigh, before starting again. It voiced its concerns about the two of them and Poe, and then mentioned Mira. It complained a little bit about how it couldn’t take a little break without something happening, like the Knights and Mira’s apparent promotion.

Finn couldn’t help but chuckle. “Poe wasn’t even in the hangar during the scuffle. He wasn’t even involved, I’m sure he’s just fine. Rey and I are good too, as you see.”

“Now what’s this about Mira?” Rey questioned, “We were just heading her way.”

“Yeah, you showed up just in time. Now you can deliver this.” Finn wiggled the bag with the very expensive dress in it.

BB-8 spoke its hesitance to have left her on her own and that they should return quickly, whipping its head around and rolling off. Rey and Finn shared a look with smiles. That droid was precious. Finn stood and the two hurried after the droid.

It led them right to the showers, having to stop a few times for the pair to catch up. But they stopped infront of the entrance, steam pooling out from the showers. BB-8 stuck an arm out for the bag, to which Finn placed upon the droid. “Be careful with it. And remember, don’t record anything!”

-

“Yes, I’m sure we will,” Adelaide mumbled. If Tarkin decided to reject Hux once again, who knew how that would turn out. Likely not peaceful. Technically they still had to see how Hux would handling things on his own, without Snoke controlling him from behind the scenes.

It would be a real twist if Hux rejected Tarkin.

Hopefully, the General wasn’t that immature.

Hopefully, he wouldn’t be like his father, petty and simple.

“I hope you know what you’re doing. Good luck with this, August. The First Order seems to be a bit of a mess.” Gunnar offered. There was this split from Snoke and the Knights, then Hux adds a knight as an Admiral. They’re working with the Resistance. If Tarkin did align with them, hopefully they’d straighten themselves out.

And now he had to inform the Mottis of a new Admiral. Now he had to listen to more complaining about how poor of an Admiral this Mira Vallens would make. As if the two of them were the best there ever was.

-

Imagine Leia’s surprise when after weeks of no word from Chewbacca or the droids that had gone with him, she finally gets a call from him. She offered an apologetic look to Poe, before answering. She had to answer him. “Chewie?”

The wookiee let out a roar. Something between angry and sad.

“Wait, wait? Who’s there?”

Kylo Ren. And another knight, but her son was on Bespin.

“Hold on.” Leia turned to Poe, “I’m sorry, Poe. Would you mind?” She didn’t want Poe in on this conversation. He simply nodded, but he’d stick outside the door. “What’s Ben doing on Bespin?”

As Poe walked out, he spotted Luke approaching. “General Organa’s in a call right now.” He warned the man.

Lucyfer · Aug 14, 2016

“Ariel Ren and Gnaeus Ren.”

“Haven’t heard of them,” Lando stated, rather honestly. He didn’t know any of the other knights, except for Kylo Ren and Kevan Ren. “How do they look? I can see if they’re passed out in some bar.”

Kylo rose, slamming both palms flat on the table as he leaned over the table to glare at Lando Calrissian, “They informed us they were coming here, and now they’ve gone off the radar. Where are they, Lando?”

“Kid,” he said, not at all letting himself look intimidated, even though he was. He leaned forward and held Kylo’s gaze, “I don’t know them. No one here has recently been arrested or been causing any trouble—except you. I’d know.” Lando let his lips quirk a bit in a half-smile, left side only, “How do they look? I can have some people go look for them.” He didn’t want any problems with the knights as it was, and had very little interest in harming them.

Not with the hell that would rain down on him. Yeah, he heard they weren’t with the First Order anymore, but if anything, that just worried Lando more. It was Snoke that Leia had worried about, and so Snoke that Lando worried about.

Kylo didn’t let Lando get off that easily. He was a smuggler. A liar and a cheat, just like his father—he could charm his way out of anything, and Kylo couldn’t believe anything he said. Rather than offer a description, he decided to go about it in the only way that would get him the truth.

The Force.

He lifted one hand from the table, palm towards the ceiling, and without warning pulled at Lando’s thoughts violently.

~***~

“Go on,” Phasma urged the Officer then. She had no further questions on the situation, and it seemed Hux did not, either.

Orders needed to be taken care of, the building searched, the Knights contained. Everything needed to be set up.

Phasma decided to note, “Tarkin’s main movements seem to be from the dorms where his son is staying, to the hangar where his ship is,” she hadn’t noticed too much deviance from it, except for a walk-around once with the Commandant.

With the Officer gone, she asked, “How would you like to proceed?” The Knights were going to be contained, but it seemed none were conscious now. He could go oversee their containment, of course. There were other matters, too—Mira’s situation seemed to worsen with every report, but not enough that others were catching on to the true severity. August Tarkin was becoming worrisomely informed.

~***~

For once, Mira was allowed respite. The cooler tile on her forehead let her drift for a few minutes, slipping into a familiar, meditative trance.

Then she heard beeping, and shook herself from it, pulling away from the shower and turning it off. She stepped out and wrapped the towel around herself before moving out of the stall and seeing BB-8 with its head turned away.

She chuckled. “Thank you, BB-8. I’ll be out in a few minutes,” she told the droid, who flashed a quick, flaming signal, and then rolled away to return. She slipped back into the privacy of the stall to change, realizing before the dress was out of the bag that she had not told Finn what size. ‘I barely know….’ Everything with the knights was tailored to her, and everything with Leia was a bit loose.

Still, as she slipped into the dress, it was not a bad fit. Loose, but it flowed with the wispy dress. The dirty clothing she put into the bag. She pulled her hair back into a single, long braid—save for the padawan braid, and then walked out to meet Finn, Rey, and the droid.

Finn let out a sigh at once, “Oh it fits, I was worried.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry I forgot to mention sizes,” she said with a shake of her head, “Don’t know well myself. Yet. I like it, though. Thank you.”

“Rey helped!” He offered quickly, and Mira glanced to Rey, not sure yet if she was in the clear with Rey or not. Though Finn talked right on, “So what’s next, Mira?”

“I need to get my coat, need to have the wound looked at,” she was trying to keep it in order, “then I need to interrogate the prisoners, pick up my ship from Coruscant.”

“You already have a ship?!”

“Not…that kind of ship,” she almost laughed. She didn’t exactly have a flagship. ‘Yet.’ “Just a skiff I got on Hoth for…trading…Hux’s ship….”

Finn looked so amused with that detail, but then frowned. "When am I going to get to learn about the Force?"

"After you help me create a franken-ship. Remember, on Jakku? I told you I was teaching you about ships first." Because there was no way she was teaching him about the Force until she learned what kind of student he was, with something...tangible.

~***~

“Thank you, Gunnar,” August rose from his seat then. “We’ll see if we can’t whip these children into shape, if I join with them.”

Standing, he said, “I would appreciate it now if you two would resume your positions. I need to get a feel of the situation now.” Needed to make sure the knights weren’t getting free or causing havoc. Mira had vouched for the containment fields, so likely those wouldn’t be cast aside, but there could still be issues.

He needed to stay afloat of things. Watching was how he knew where to be, after all, and he needed to check on Johann as well. ‘And eat something.’ He hadn’t had breakfast. He usually delayed it. He was never hungry when he first woke. ‘Donuts sound good.’

“Understood, August.”

“Keep your communicator on your,” Adelaide advised, and with that request, August made a show of putting it back on, and showing it off to her. “What wave will you be answering?”

“Only wave Z-39.”

The pair nodded, and then dismissed themselves to return to their watch, to let August step back out into the real world.

~***~

Leia’s heart was in her throat as Chewbacca told her that he didn’t know what Kylo Ren was doing there. She was afraid for them. “You let Lando go in there alone?” She was aghast—how could Lando do that? Didn’t he know what Ben had done?

If he would do that to his own father….

Chewbacca let it be clear that Lando had insisted, and took his bowcaster. “Well get in there, Chewie! You can’t leave him alone with my son—you know what he’s capable of.”

There was a shout then, Lando, and Leia's blood froze. The visual left, and with it, the sound, as Chewbacca decided to rush back to the room with Lando.

And just outside the door, Leia could hear Luke’s low voice speaking. He had approached Poe to ask, “Who is she in a call with?” If it was some senator, then he’d wait. He didn’t want to be seen on any holocams.

Poe didn’t feel comfortable lying about it, so he said, “Chewbacca. They’re on Bespin with…Kylo Ren.”

KyloGlenn · Aug 14, 2016

Paquin scrambled to her feet at Lando's shout, “Why?!” It seemed to be going just fine! Lando had offered to get someone to look for them. Had Kylo picked up on something that pointed to Lando being dishonest? Kylo did know Lando better than her, after all. Lando did seem to be good at talking his way out of things, as well.

But Kylo would only find that Lando was telling the truth. He would find that he had Chewbacca call his mother, and that was as much of ‘interfering’ as he’d done.

It was then that the door slid open again, revealing a very tall fuzzball, letting out a noise that wasn’t as cute as his appearance. ‘Is that a real life wookiee?’ Paquin’s eyes widened. She barely even registered that the first wookiee she’d ever seen in person was going for the bowcaster.

Paquin reacted just quick enough, her arms opening to accept the bowcaster as the Force barreled it into her, luckily not going off. What she didn’t react quick enough to, was Chewie leaping over the table to tackle Kylo, letting out another roar as he did so. Anything to break Kylo's concentration on Lando.

She didn’t even think she’d be able to stop his attempt anyway.

-

“I suppose I should take care of this Tarkin ordeal, even with the hunt for surveillance. I doubt I’ll make a decision immediately anyway.” Who knew what Tarkin was doing while Hux was putting this meeting off. Obviously, he was getting quite a bit of information someway, somehow.

But what else could he be up to?

Maybe it was time to find out.

“I trust you to supervise the Knights being placed in containment, specifically Ariel,” her only impairment was her eyes, “Mira will be here to interrogate them shortly, I believe. You can choose to stick around for that or not. Feel free to interrupt Tarkin and I if you see fit.”

Voids was he dreading having to meet with Tarkin. But it needed to be done.

-

“But I already know ships,” Finn mumbled, barely audible. Well, sort of. He knew how to fly ships. And he’d picked up a few tips and tricks from hanging around Poe and the Black Squad. But he was no expert. He still couldn’t identify ship parts or anything of the likes. Unless they had labels.

Rey heard his mumble, standing right next to him. Her eyebrows rose as she looked pointedly at Finn, “Oh, really?” She recalled how much trouble he had identifying a single part, even when she pointed to it.

“Okay, okay. Ships it is. Mira’s the teacher,” Finn sighed. He knew they’d get to the Force eventually. He had to trust Mira. These were his first steps. “But that means I’m definitely going to Coruscant with you!” He wanted to see the skiff that Mira traded for Hux’s ship. His ship was undoubtedly luxurious and very expensive.

He hoped the ship would get some reaction out of Hux when they brought it back.

And he also wanted to see Coruscant again. He hadn’t been able to enjoy it the first time.

BB-8 interjected then, saying that they should get Mira’s coat and get her checked out. “Right,” Finn agreed, “That’s gone unchecked for way too long.” It should be pretty easy to find a medic. From either the Order or the Resistance. Heck, maybe even locals. A school nurse.

-

Leia was ready to open the door and invite Luke in, but he was already moving through the door before she could even move her own feet.

Luke could feel Leia’s dread. “What happened?”

“Lando’s in trouble. Chewie didn’t know why Ben was there, but he is. We need to help them, Luke.” It hurt. This was her son hurting her friends. His uncles, by blood or not. He’d killed his own father, he could easily do the same to Chewbacca and Lando.

“And we will. Do you think Kylo’s there because his Knights are missing?”

“I don’t know how that would lead him to Cloud City. Maybe Snoke sent him to kill Lando and Chewie,” like he did Han. This was beginning to feel more and more like her own fault, but she needed to keep a level head.

If the latter was the case, then they needed to act instead of chat about the reason.

Lucyfer · Aug 14, 2016

Kylo Ren had expected that Lando was lying, of course. He couldn't tell Paquin as much with his focus solely on getting the information before the inevitable. He wasn't stupid. He knew who lingered nearby.

'He's not....' The fact Lando wasn't lying did surprise Kylo. That wasn't the worst shock, though. Leia had been alerted.

Kylo had no time to form any reaction to that bit of information. He heard Chewbacca's outcry and released his hold on Lando. He wasn't quick enough to escape the wookie, though. He grasped his lightsaber but it fell from his hand the moment his back hit the ground.

He didn't waste his energy retrieving it. "Chewie! Don't hurt him!" Lando said, but it was pointless.

Chewie wasn't given a chance.

Kylo Ren lit up with Force lightning. One well-placed blast into Chewbacca's chest, and the wookie was on the other side of the room, fur singed.

Kylo wasn't uninjured either. His head ached from the collision and from Chewie's attempt to hold him down. The nails had dug into the back of his skull.

Kylo's lightsaber flew back into his hand as Lando took out a blaster.

~***~

The General's direction was Tarkin, then. Curious as Phasma was, she made no protest to not being invited. Tarkin was dangerous but not in this situation. The Knights were more dangerous to them all in this situation and they were wounded. "Understood, sir. I trust you will make the best decision for the Order in regards to Eriadu."

Though Tarkin was Eriadu in many ways, Hux needed to keep in mind that it wasn't just this single individual he had to deal with. As Hux stood in for the Order, Tarkin stood in for Eriadu...and some Imperials, though no one would dare say that in polite conversation lest they offend the Imperials who hung on his words. There was much to risk and much to gain.

But Phasma did trust Hux. "I will make sure we have no more uncalled for disturbances from these Knights." She added, "I will most likely remain with the Admiral." Just in case. Hux would not need to worry, or hope, for her interruption.

~***~

Mira nodded to Finn's statement about going back to Coruscant. "Of course," she agreed, before they all turned their attention to BB-8. "Back to Hux's ship then," that's where she left the coat.

She'd have to hope that Mitaka or another were near. She did not have a key.

The group exited the dorms, but not before Finn made a point of stopping one of the students who looked like they had been wounded, where to get medical treatment. It was quickly gathered that most were in the building next to the Foreign Languages building, so called the Mathematics building, though it hosted the biology labs as well. "They set up there due to the prisoners," he explained.

With that information gathered, they walked into the hangars to find no Mitaka. Or anyone. Mira scowled at the door.

"I could open it." Rey offered as she saw Mira clearly racking her mind. Rey was feeling a bit on edge in the hangar though. She could feel so much anger and fear.

"Without permanently damaging the ship?"

Finn was a bit surprised, "Do you really need--oh!" He realized what Mira needed then. It wasn't the coat.

Rey canted her head. "Nothing!" Finn said quickly.

"You're a bad liar."

"Rey, if you can open the door without damaging the ship I'll tell you what he's hiding,"

Rey frowned, but, Mira was proving to be good to her word. So, she stepped to the door, by Mira, and crouched a bit to get a good look at it.

While the young scavenger was working, August Tarkin was returning from his donut run with a bag for himself, Johann, and some extras for the debate team. He wasn't sure how many were needed so he just got a baker's dozen.

Naturally, he looked over, paused, then allowed himself a quiet laugh before he approached, "Admiral," he spoke up, startling Finn who was watching Rey work, "Just so I am clear--are you breaking into your General's ship?"

Finn stated, "Jedi business, Tarkin."

"I left something important in the ship. I don't have a key."

August just let his lips quirk in a disbelieving smile. Today could not, in fact, get stranger. "All right," it wasn't his business anyways and he knew that. "Have you three eaten since Jakku?"

Finn tried to look suspicious. “Why?”

August was about to answer, but the day opted to get weirder. “Got it!” And the door slid open. Immediately, Millicent tried to attack BB-8, who let out a shriek and rolled behind Mira. August scooped the cat up by the scruff of its neck and put it on his shoulder as if it was nothing.

“Er.”

“That’s Commodore Millicent,” Mira told August, as the cat sniffed his ear and worked to find its balance on his shoulder.

“Commodore…,” he repeated, then took a deep breath. Okay. There was a cat in charge of the First Order, too. Why not? All the more reason not to disturb her as she tried to climb up on his head. He pretended it was nothing. Cats liked heights. “I was going to offer you donuts,” he told Finn.

"Why would you give us donuts?" Finn asked.

"I don't have any other response to what I am witnessing right now.” Especially the cat.

Finn needed to eat. Mira needed to eat more. Finn held out his hand, figuring he should take the offer before the donuts were taken away. He didn't think they were poisoned, the guy helped with the Knights.

~***~

Luke did not want anything to happen to Lando or Chewbacca. That left only one option, of course. “All right. We’ll set a course to Bespin.”

He saw how Leia lit up at the ‘we’.

Poe interjected, “I can get you there quickest.”

“No, Poe, I need you to stay here,” Leia told him, already moving towards the cockpit. She knew how to fly. So did Luke. “Just in case. I need someone I can trust here.”

“Leia, that’s—” Poe wanted to argue more, but Luke’s look actually caused him to still his words.

He could badmouth Kylo Ren all he wanted, another time. He could worry for Leia, another time. But not right now, not when it seemed Luke didn’t want him to. Not when Luke seemed willing to go along with Leia, too. Perhaps this time they’d be able to catch Kylo Ren and….

‘And what? Bring him back?’

“All right, I’ll hold the fort.” Poe stepped back, and stepped off the ramp.

KyloGlenn · Aug 14, 2016

It was at that moment that Paquin accepted the fact that she may never receive a warning before Kylo causes a scene. She should just be prepared for things to turn hectic in a moments notice because that’s what seemed to happen with Kylo.

Paquin moved quickly to help him up with her free hand. Or rather just gripping his arm and pretending as though she could pull him up. “Are you okay?” She questioned softly as she looked over him. She couldn’t exactly see what was going on underneath all that wookiee fur. He didn’t look to be bleeding profusely from anywhere, so that was good.

“Look, kid, it didn’t have to go this way,” Lando spoke, drawing Paquin’s attention back to the graying man. Upon spotting the blaster, her hand moved from Kylo’s arm to hover above the lightsaber on her hip. She figured she could turn it on and throw it if she needed to. “It still doesn’t. You’ve seen that I have no idea where your Knights are. I can still get someone to look around for ‘em if you just calm down.”

The disoriented wookiee let out a grumble of disagreement as he stumbled back onto his feet, paw running over the now singed fur on his chest. And he had no weapon now, the small Knight now had his bowcaster.

-

Hux had a lot to think about in regards to Eriadu. He had to hear what Tarkin had to say and then weigh the pros and cons of an alliance. After stowing away his bitterness towards August and his rejection of the Order. And he had to take into consideration that Tarkin may have had surveillance on the Order.

Or that he was simply stalking Mira. Would that be enough grounds to deny Tarkin?

“Alright. I wish you luck with the Knights,” even if she wasn’t going to be the one interrogating them. They were still at risk for being a handful. “Let’s get this over with.”

They needed to get ahead of Snoke, considering he had this connection with Mira. Which they still needed to figure out. ‘One thing at a time.’

“Dismissed,” it wasn’t as humorous as it was with Mira since Hux said this to Phasma on a rather daily basis.

He decided to head to the hangar and find Tarkin’s ship first. Hux would have felt rather awkward going to the dorms and interfering with ‘family time’ or whatever it was.

Finn used his free hand to point at Mira, “You get a donut, too.” She could omit sleeping and getting her shoulder checked for as long as she did, but Finn wouldn’t let her get away without eating. Coffee wasn’t enough sustenance.

Rey stepped away from the ship as donuts were being handed out. She was a little skeptical, eyeing Tarkin up and down. But, if Mira and Finn were accepting the food, she figured it had to be safe. And she wasn’t going to pass up free food. Even if it wasn’t safe to eat. She’d learned on Jakku that you never knew when the next time you got food would be.

Hux had gone looking for Tarkin in the hangar. He wasn’t sure which hangar it would be, but he figured it would be the one closest to campus, where his own ship was.

And he found Tarkin alright.

The sight caused Hux to falter for a second, eyes squinting. Tarkin was handing out donuts. And Mira was there. And Millicent was rested upon August’s shoulder, trying to climb onto his head.

Hux barely even noticed Rey and Finn and the fact that Millicent had escaped from the ship because of Mira and August. He was giving her food. He had to be following Mira around at this point! Hux was sure of it, the evidence pointed to it. It couldn’t just be a coincidence at this point.

So, Hux continued on. Millicent caught sight of Hux and jumped down from Tarkin, pausing for a second before starting her run towards her new owner. At least Tarkin wasn’t trying to steal his cat.

Hux scooped up the meowing cat as he met her halfway. She sniffed at his shoulder and chin, rubbing against him in greeting. “Governor Tarkin,” the greeting wasn’t warm by any means, monotonous in an effort to hide his suspicion. He added a greeting for Mira, too, “Admiral Vallens." He badly wanted to question what had been going on, but held off.

-

“Thank you, Poe. I’ll be back!” She assured him in a call as she shut the ramp from the cockpit. And maybe she’d be back with her son. Though, she kept in mind that her current mission was to make sure Lando and Chewie would remain safe and unharmed.

She settled herself into the pilot’s seat, starting the ship up. She knew the way to Bespin by heart at this point, but the ship didn’t nor could she navigate in lightspeed. So, she set the coordinates for the jump into hyperdrive.

Luke settled in the co-pilot seat as Leia lifted off the ground. “Leia, I don’t want you trying to get through to Kylo Ren.” He flat out told her. Sure, bringing him back to the light side would be great. Luke would love to see his nephew again. But Luke wasn’t sure how possible that was anymore.

Luke had been able to bring Anakin back, but when Han attempted to reason with Kylo…

And the purpose was to make sure no harm came to Lando, Chewbacca, or anyone on Cloud City, for that matter.

Lucyfer · Aug 14, 2016

Kylo managed a nod to Paquin's question, though that was all the acknowledgment he gave to her. His mind was still reeling with pain, and with anger.

“You called Leia!” Kylo snapped at them.

“Yeah,” Lando agreed, “I called your mom. What did you expect me to do? She’s worried sick about you; we all are.” Even standing there, looking at Kylo Ren and feeling terrified, Lando was worried. This kid, who had once gotten so dirty in his hangars playing at being a mechanic, was not the kid he remembered.

It saddened Lando. And it worried him, far more than it angered him. Yeah, this kid had killed Han Solo, but there was something wrong with Kylo Ren. Maybe it was Snoke, as it had been Palpatine with Vader, who twisted him so much, but either way…this wasn’t what he wanted.

“So what do you want from here, Kylo?”

Kylo briefly considered taking Lando hostage to try and trade for the Knights, but he knew that wouldn’t work. Bespin all but worshipped Lando. He’d never get out with him. No, he had to retreat, for now. Report to Snoke that the Knights weren’t there and move on. They needed to gather information as to where the Knights actually were. ‘Perhaps Hestria.’ That was where they had gotten food the first time.

“Just stay here. We’re leaving. If you don’t have the Knights, they aren’t here.”

Kylo moved then, to stalk by Lando and Chewbacca both, hoping the fuzzball would stay down. If he didn’t, he would light his lightsaber and put it through the giant wookie.

~***~

Mira managed not to roll her eyes at the order to take a donut. No, she just took a donut. She had been wanting donuts anyway, since Poe denied her. ‘How long ago was that?’ A little over a day now. She hadn’t eaten since then, had she?

Of course, as Mira reached for one of them, the cat jumped off his shoulder. She retracted her hand for a second, then noticed Hux, and took a donut quickly. Tarkin turned then, as everyone had a donut.

Rey tried not to look guilty.

“General Hux,” August and Mira spoke in near unison, though August’s greeting lacked all warmth as well. He mirrored Hux’s greeting, and did not offer a donut.

Mira was the one to elaborate first, “I returned to get my things, General,” never mind how, she wasn’t ratting Rey’s ability to break into ships out just yet. With that, she stole into the ship quickly and went right to where her coat was, still covering the book.

She kept it that way. There was likely going to be enough of a scene when Rey saw what she had and learned that she lied, too. Sort of.

She heard August inquire, “I do not suppose you know when you will have free time to meet with me, do you, General?”

Finn was all but prepared for another ‘fuck you’ scene.

~***~

Leia did not respond to Luke, not until the coordinates were set and they jumped from realspace to hyperdrive. Then, she turned in her seat to look at him. “If Ben is there,” she couldn’t do this, she couldn’t call him Kylo, when she almost had her baby in her arms again. Kylo Ren was the name he chose to emulate Darth Vader, and she wouldn’t have that. “We are going to get through to him.”

Luke stated again, flatly: “He will kill us.”

“He wouldn’t!”

“He will.” Luke had seen his death to Kylo Ren before. He wasn’t interested in speeding that up. Not when his training with Rey wasn’t done. But he wouldn’t let Leia die on some fool’s mission, either. “It’s not important right now, we have to protect Bespin and our friends, first, but if he is there…don’t try to reason with him.”

“He’s not lost, Luke!”

“Perhaps not…,” he could only give her a little, “but Snoke has a strong hold over him.”

KyloGlenn · Aug 14, 2016

Was this day even real? Kylo’s mother had been called? And Lando was talking to him as if he was just a rebellious teen.

“I’ll tell your mother you said hi,” Lando’s wanted to get something out of Kylo, to show he still held some sort of love for his mother.

Paquin gave up on even trying to understand what was going on and what kind of bad blood Kylo had with his family. They were leaving anyway, the Knights weren’t here. ‘Where are you guys?’ She wished there was some way to contact them. Through the Force, maybe. Maybe she’d bring it up if they found them. ‘When.’

Paquin quickly followed after Kylo still clutching the bowcaster to her as she scurried past Lando and Chewbacca. Chewbacca let out a harsh growl when Paquin passed, causing her to jump and move faster. “Chewie, let them go.” Came Lando’s voice, followed by an unhappy whine from the wookiee.

He probably wanted his bowcaster, but she wasn’t letting it go until they were a safe distance away.

“Um,” Paquin wasn’t quite sure what to say to Kylo. Sorry? Sorry worked for everything. But before she had a chance, the lift doors opened in front of them, revealing the droid that tried to pummel her legs and the golden droid, one arm detached and in the droid’s hand.

“Ben Solo! How rude!”

-

Hux didn’t even care about the reason Rey and Finn were accompanying Mira. He didn’t pick up on the fact that the ship was open and unlocked with no one who could possibly have access to it in sight except for him, even with the cat that he had specifically stuffed inside the ship in his arms. He didn’t see the obviously guilty look on her face.

No, all he saw was August and Mira, coincidentally in the same place.

And the mood immediately changed when Hux approached, though that might’ve been August just not liking Hux in general.

Finn stuffed his face with the donut as he shuffled off to the side, by the open door. Rey joined him, munching on her donut as well. The two watched the redheads, both ready to witness something like the showdown between Hux and Tarkin.

“I’m free as of right now. In fact, I came looking for you.” Still, nothing kind to Hux’s tone. “But if now is a bad time,” Hux’s eyes glanced to the donuts and briefly back to his ship before landing upon Tarkin once again, “Then we can settle on a specific time to sit down and speak.”

He wasn’t sure if Tarkin had elaborated to Phasma the reason he’d been there or if she gather all her information from spying on him, so he didn’t mention Eriadu’s situation.

It was funny, Hux was very against Tarkin having tabs on the Order, yet not the Order having tabs on Tarkin. ‘He might just be following Mira, though.’

-

“And so do I. I’m his mother.” Leia pointed out. Bonds between mother and son were strong.

“And Han was his father.” Luke countered.

That quieted Leia, but she didn’t let it deter her from possibly speaking to her son. Maybe she’d be able to understand him more. She was Force-sensitive. She knew what the calls to the dark side were like, even if she wasn’t all that invested in the Force. She wanted to believe she could help Ben.

“You wouldn’t get it, Luke. You’re not a parent.”

They slowed then, the gas giant that was Bespin in front of them. She felt her heart pick up, both in speed and in the sense that it was caught in her throat. She was nervous, excited. She was so close to her son. And hopefully Lando and Chewie were alright.

Lucyfer · Aug 15, 2016

“Threepio,” Kylo Ren glared at the golden droid, “Get out of the way.”

“Not until you apologize, young man. You are a prince, this is behavior very unbecoming of your status!”

Kylo Ren would have killed Threepio, were it not for the fact that C-3P0 was something built by Darth Vader. A relic in its own right, even if the droid didn’t seem to remember it. He knew that the golden one had its memory wiped, because as was obvious, it couldn’t keep its mouth shut.

Kylo Ren just pushed by it, “Ben Solo was,” he said as R2-D2 started beeping at him. “I’m not.”

C-3P0 looked to Paquin then, “Is that Chewbacca’s?” He asked, knowing it was, of course, “If you’ll return that to me, I will give it to him. He can be very…tempermental, and I wouldn’t want him to rip your arm off if you tried to return it.” Although C-3P0 didn’t think she would even consider trying. “It does not hurt me when he does that.”

Kylo Ren tuned out the droid completely. He could feel Leia then, and it sent a spark of panic through him. He didn’t waste time then and he moved right into the lift. "Paquin, we don't have time." His tone held urgency. Fear. Panic. His calm was shattered with the thought of Leia being near.

‘And Luke.’

That trailing thought almost had him stop, almost had him prepare to fight rather than flee…but Leia…

‘You will need to, eventually.’

Though, admittedly, Kylo Ren would prefer Leia just be a casualty of an explosion or something in the war. He didn’t want to do it himself. He hadn’t wanted to do it to Han, either.

But he couldn’t explain to Snoke not doing it.

~***~

Mira had the book and coat as Hux spoke with Tarkin, of how he was looking for him. ‘Not our scene.’ The tension in the air was high. Mira glanced at the door, realizing she wasn’t sure how to shut it—if it would shut the normal way. She shot a glance to Rey, who gave a quick, furtive nod, voice muted by the donut.

Mira put her hand to the panel and the door shut. Hux could open it to return Millicent when he needed to.

“I am able to chat shortly. I merely need to deliver these donuts to my son and his debate team. If you like, you may accompany me, General. I intend to ask Johann to join us as it is—if you have no qualms with it,” if he did, then August wouldn’t ask.

He wanted Johann to learn, and he wanted to be a good example to his son about working through…very difficult issues. However, the risk was too high. If it made Hux uncomfortable, it would be nixed. “And I am willing to meet in the privacy of either of our ships, or in public, however you prefer.”

Mira had stepped off to the side by then, with her accomplices, “General,” she dared interrupt, “We’ll be leaving you now.” She wanted to just sneak off, but it seemed wrong.

Finn looked a little disappointed, but Rey put a hand to his back and pushed him along so they could get moving without becoming problematic.

~***~

As Leia brought her ship into the atmosphere of Bespin, she could feel her son. “We’re not too late….”

Luke wasn’t happy with that. It was obvious in the way he crossed his arms and reclined a bit in his seat. Leia steered her ship safely into a hangar, trying and failing to guess which ship was Kylo’s. She’d seen his bat-winged thing before, but she did not see it here. No, all she saw were standard, silvery ships.

“Lando is still all right. He must be,” Leia added. She was certain she’d feel Lando’s loss in the Force. “So is Chewie.”

“Let’s just make sure they stay that way,” Luke said, rising to get off the ship first. He wasn’t going to let any harm come to Leia, no matter her insane ideas.

KyloGlenn · Aug 15, 2016

'Prince? Kylo?' Paquin's eyes were wide. She didn't know how Threepio knew Kylo but however he did, he certainly wasn't in the loop. He didn't go by Ben and he certainly wasn't a prince.

Well, he was. But the protocol droid was right, Kylo's behavior wasn't that of a prince of wherever he was a prince.

Then he spoke about how he didn't want Paquin's getting arm ripped off and how it didn't hurt when it happened to him. Was his arm ripped off often? Either way, she figured it was okay to give the droid the bowcaster. He couldn't use it with his stiff limbs, could he? Well, she was already handing the weapon off to the droid when Kylo said they didn't have time.

"What? Why? What's wrong?" Paquin's eyebrows furrowed in concern, picking up on the panic and the worrying part, fear. She'd only known Kylo to feel that around Snoke. She all but shoved the bowcaster into the golden droid, scurrying into the lift with Kylo.

"Oh, goodness!" The droid was caught by surprise, losing his balance a little bit. Paquin would have said sorry, but Kylo said they didn't have time. R2-D2 beeped at them as Paquin pressed the up button.

-

August wanted to bring along his son. Hux didn't question why, it was obvious why. Or at least, Hux had an idea why. His own father had brought him along to a few meetings. Or rather forced him along. 'To learn,' he had said. Hux supposed those experiences may have helped, but he'd been a young and shy thing during those times.

If that's what August was doing, Hux didn't mind.

There was always the possibility that August had some sort of plot. 'With Johann?' Maybe. He'd been involved in a lot of his father's own plots.

"Your son may join if you wish," he consented. Hux was a little curious what had become of August's son. He'd been quite young when Hux last approached Tarkin. "I'd like to have the discussion in the privacy of my own ship," Hux wanted to have some sort of 'advantage'. He'd be on his own turf. That made him the slightest bit more comfortable, confident.

And he'd have Millicent and her calming presence, which he knew he'd need.

He hoped Johann wasn't allergic to cats.

Mira dismissed herself then, to which Hux only nodded. Good. He'd have to press her on possible advances Tarkin had made later.

-

Rey and Finn moved on along then, BB-8 trailing after them. The droid spared a glance behind it to spot the ginger cat peering over her new owner's shoulder, connecting 'eyes' with the droid. It wasn't heard, but she let out a tiny meow, BB-8 only seeing the kitty's mouth moving.

BB-8 wasn't sure how to take it, turning back around.

"So," Rey started as she swallowed the second to last bite of her donut. "Why did we break into General Hux's ship for his coat?" Or Mira's coat, as she referred to it as earlier. But Rey had only known it as Hux's coat, having seen him carrying it back on Jakku when they picked him up.

Finn glanced to Mira then, a silent look asking if he should tell her. He wasn't sure how she'd take being lied to by Mira. She wasn't sure how she'd take it from him, but he figured it wouldn't be as bad. But it was ultimately Mira's choice.

-

Leia nearly rolled her eyes at Luke as he rose before her. She let him lead her out of the ship, though and into the crowd of people within the hangar.

Luke adjusted his hood then, once again letting it disguise his face. It might be harder to do so in Cloud City. He was pretty known here. Luckily, there were all sorts of beings dressed in ways more strange than him. And he just needed to make it to Lando and Chewie.

"He's here, I feel him," Leia commented. Luke knew that feeling just as well, as well as one other presence. A Force-sensitive.

"Keep your eyes out for Ben," Leia instructed, wishing she was just a tad taller to see over all the people moving about the hangar. She could feel him. She was getting closer as she moved out of the hangar. Her destination was the lift. She still had to find the two in potential trouble and she knew where the likeliest place to find them was. "Get to the lift." She instructed Luke who still insistently took the lead. He hadn't been around in a good long while, but she hoped he still knew his way around Cloud City.

She was so close.

Lucyfer · Aug 15, 2016

The lift closed them off from the world, and Kylo brought a hand to his forehead, pushing his dark hair back again. “Luke Skywalker is here,” and he was woefully unprepared for that. Unprepared for, “As is his sister, Leia Organa,” he did not refer to her as ‘mom’ or ‘mother’.

Likely, she’d caught on by now, after the exchange with Lando. After being referred to as a prince by C-3P0. ‘Prince of what? Alderaan is gone.’ And his mother had decided not to take up the leadership of Birren when she had the chance. Honestly, he didn’t know why they bothered with the titles. The world was destroyed. So, too, the royalty.

‘Well, there’s Naboo….’ But that was an elected monarch. Bit different.

“We cannot get caught by the Resistance.” Not with Ariel and Gnaeus AWOL. Any other time, he’d be prepared to fight, but there was no ‘plan b’ so far as he knew.

Snoke would be out all of his Knights at once. How would he recover? Of course, he would, but he’d be in a bad situation. Kylo Ren couldn’t allow that to happen, especially since the ‘rescue’ would lead to a greater punishment. It was better to flee in this case. Snoke would be angry he did not fight Skywalker, but he could deal with that anger.

The lift came to a stop at the hangar floor, and Kylo stepped out immediately, long legs letting him move quickly from the lift and towards the hangar. ‘Not good.’ He could feel that he was getting closer, rather than further. “This way,” he gestured towards a cantina, thinking to try and lose Leia and Luke in the chaos of a bar.

~***~

“Thank you, General,” August was glad that the presence of his son would be accepted. Now Johann had to agree to it.

He had suspected the meeting would be either in Hux’s ship or in public. It couldn’t be his ship—he wouldn’t be allowed that sort of advantage. Public was the only ‘neutral’ space, but Hux clearly wanted the ‘advantage’. “I will be back shortly with Johann. You may prepare and set up as you need.”

With that, Tarkin stepped around Hux to allow him easy access to his ship, and to return towards the campus. ‘Dorms.’ That was where he’d last seen Johann. It didn’t mean he was still there, but others would know where he’d gone if he was no longer there.

Fortunately, August did not have to go elsewhere. It seemed that the FOTC was more than willing to have extra hands, and August was pleased to see the Eriadu debate team was up for assisting while they were stranded here, and not just being helpless. Even if not all were trained extensively in much besides debate, there was plenty of work to go around for all sorts of things—and information needed to spread quick, which those on debate could manage.

“Johann!” August called, walking around the side of the dormitory to see some of the students, and the Eriadu debate team, being briefed on what was next. The briefing ceased, and the rodian guard scowled as he noticed the sniper rifle on August’s back.

“What were you doing?” The guard asked in a chastising tone. Honestly, it didn't know why it was hired sometimes. August clearly didn't need him, 99% of the time. It seemed he got paid just to hang around, since August didn't look intimidating.

His reputation usually made up for that lack.

Johann just arched an eyebrow.

“Shooting a knight of Ren, not Mira," gasps of surprise—it wasn’t well known they were captives yet, or even here. August held out the donuts then; he’d take from the remainder. “Johann, share these with the team,” the younger Tarkin took the bag, “Then I am going to meet with General Hux. Would you like to join?”

He could feel the tension and excitement from those in uniform—those who clearly wanted a full alliance of the Empire and First Order.

The debate team was already clamoring around Johann for donuts, and expressing their gratitude to their governor as they took the choice picks of the cream and jelly-filled ones.

~***~

Mira knew this was not going to be fun, when she let it be clear what she’d done on Jakku. Nonetheless, she wasn’t going to let Finn do it, though she gave him a brief smile. “Well, let’s just say I omitted some things earlier.” Lied. She put the donut in her mouth so she could adjust everything she held, putting the coat over her shoulders as Hux did and revealing the Jedi Guide.

Rey gasped.

Finn looked down. “You knew?!” She was angry at Finn first, as Mira removed the donut, sans one bite, from her mouth.

“Only recently!” Finn said.

“I told him when we were here. Luke will get it back, but first I am going to have copies made.” Luke would never do that. “We need to combat Snoke on many fields, and the best way right now is to restore hope. The Jedi were a shining pillar of hope, once.”

“You lied to me.”

“Yes, I did,” Mira said, but with no apology. The deception had been necessary. She took another bite of her donut, realizing she was hungry after the first bite.

~***~

The Force was not exact, but Leia liked to think a mother’s intuition could be. She and Luke came to the lift, to find that it had stopped on that floor. ‘Recently.’ There was no evidence of that, just guesswork.

“Leia,” Luke stopped her with a hand to her shoulder as she marched on. “We need to check on Lando and Chewie.” He looked upwards as she looked at his face, signaling the direction of Lando and Chewbacca.

It was also his own way of avoiding his nephew and whoever the stranger was.

Kylo Ren might struggle—Luke hoped.

But what about this unknown Force-sensitive? They might not care as much as Kylo or Mira—they wouldn’t have ties to either Luke or Leia, after all.

KyloGlenn · Aug 16, 2016

'Is he scared of Luke Skywalker or his mother?' Paquin had caught on to that. Kylo's introduction of her sealed it, though. There were definitely some issues with Kylo and Leia. Paquin didn't think he hated her, though. Not after he seemed more sad than anything with the buns in his hair back on Korriban. And if he hated her, he wouldn't be trying to run away. He'd probably be trying to kill her.

And Leia couldn't hate Kylo, could she? It didn't sound like it from what Lando said.

Kylo moved quickly out of the lift, Paquin's much shorter legs working hard to keep up. But then he decided to make a detour, which caused Paquin to pause. "Kylo! Bad things happen in cantinas!" She was punched in the face for the first time in a cantina, she killed someone for the first time in a cantina. All in the same day. "Cantinas don't like us!"

They'd probably get cornered or something.

She picked up her pace again, anyway, not wanting to get left behind. "What if they know something about Ariel and Gnaeus?" Maybe the Resistance had them and Lando just didn't know. She was willing to face Leia and Luke if they did. On her own, maybe.

She'd get captured, though. 'It's the thought that counts.' She decided as the stench of the bar greeted her. Maybe she'd grab a drink and hope Anakin would show up and save her.

-

Hux moved to his ship then, using one hand to open the door, Millicent still in the other. It slid open with no problem and it was then that Hux wondered how Mira had managed to get into his ship. He was fairly certain he hadn’t left it unlocked. ‘The Force, maybe.’ If it wasn’t he’d have to step up the security.

He let Millicent down as soon as the door closed behind him. This ship wasn’t nearly extravagant as his old one, but it certainly was a luxury ship. His setting up consisted of brushing cat hair off of a table and moving the cat’s water dish, moving it to the cockpit. It was set upon the floor and Hux then noticed the absence of the coat concealing the book.

He hoped Mira was reading it, figuring out how to fix her problem.

Hux’s next step was to make sure he had a backup weapon. He wasn’t planning on killing Tarkin, but even though he doubted that’s how this meeting was going to go, he would be ready just in case.

And once he concealed a simple blaster pistol in a drawer near the table surrounded by a dark bench and a few chairs, he was ready.

-

Johann let his debate team members swarm around and grab their pick of donuts. His father asked him if he’d like to join in his meeting with General Hux and Johann jumped on that opportunity. “Of course.”

It was a learning opportunity. Johann knew that one day he’d follow in his father’s footsteps and become governor of Eriadu. It was a long ways away. He hoped, at least. Now was the time to learn.

Not to mention he was incredibly curious as to how this conversation with Hux would go, anyway. Now he got to witness it first hand.

And he’d get the chance to ask his father about the Knight he apparently shot. The FOTC boys would be interested to hear about that if he could share. They held quite the admiration for the ‘Jedi’, Mira. Admiral now, as he’d heard. That may just be a rumor, though.

Johann picked out a cream-filled donut for himself once the others had fished out their own, and handed the remainders in the bag back to his father. “I’ll be back to assist after the meeting,” he informed the groups, to which he earned nods for.

He turned back to August and gestured for him to lead the way. The radian guard stepped in, though, “Am I needed for this meeting?” Again, mostly for looks.

-

Rey’s green eyes narrowed in anger, “I’m getting sick of being lied to.” Rey, in all honesty, wouldn’t have much cared what Mira would do with the book, Rey knew she needed it for her Snoke issue. Had she shared that she had it, Rey wouldn’t have been angered. Finn too! How long had he actually known? He said not long…

Rey would not have believed all the things Mira had said about her and her family, not if Luke hadn’t confirmed it. She felt foolish then, for having trusted Mira right off the bat. ‘But Finn said I could trust her,’ and Finn turned out to be a liar as well.

“I’ve got to tell Luke,” Rey decided, more in spite of Mira than actually feeling obligated to tell Luke. But as she felt with the Force to try and locate Luke, she couldn’t find him.

“Wait, Rey! It was necessary. If Mira had told any of us right off the bat, we all would’ve told Luke. You know it’s true. Just don’t tell Luke until after Mira makes copies of it, please? Then we’ll hand it over.”

“You want me to be a liar, too.” Rey crossed her arms, her glare shifting to Finn then.

“Well, technically it wouldn’t be lying unless he asked if you knew where the book was?” Finn offered.

-

“You’re right. You go check on Lando and Chewie, and I’ll follow after Ben.” Leia determined. She couldn’t lose this trail. She knew he’d run as soon as he could. When would she have this chance again?

Luke sighed, “Leia, no. I’m not leaving you alone. Besides, it’s not only Ben that’s here. He might hesitate on harming you, but the other one might not.”

“Lando and Chewie are fine, though! We would have felt if they died, you know that.”

“They might not have died, but they could be injured. They’re why we came here Leia, remember? Let’s check on them and once we see they’re fine, I’ll help you go after Kylo.” Luke offered. It was a lie. He hoped Kylo Ren would take the chance to run so he and Leia wouldn’t have to confront him.

Lucyfer · Aug 17, 2016

Bad things did happen in cantinas. “We’re not staying,” Kylo hissed, quietly enough to be heard, but no more. He kept his head down as he stepped into the noisy cantina, and made his way through the gathered, moving close to the counter and around it. "It doesn't matter right now if they know anything," he added in that carrying whisper.

He knew the ins and outs of Bespin from his visits here. From playing around. Han had shown him many of its secrets, as had Lando.

And no one here was any wiser. A few did make way when they recognized him as the person from the hangar who threw a protocol droid into a wall, but no more than that.

Kylo was able to get to a back exit, and then weave his way back through the halls towards a hangar. They entered it far from the lift, and Kylo strode across it quickly to his ship, ramp lowering with a gesture of his hand.

He hastened up.

“BEN!”

He dared not pause. He couldn’t look back. He pretended as if he didn’t hear, though the way his shoulders stiffened and straightened gave away the truth.

He heard, and it ripped at his heartstrings the same way it had when Han Solo had called out to him on his last day. Only now, he wasn’t trapped on a bridge with no where to go but Han’s way. No, he had the sky and freedom and every excuse in the world.

‘Or none.’

He could never mention this to Snoke.

Snoke never had to know that he wasn’t ready to overcome this temptation to the light just yet. He would fail….

‘Or worse.’

~***~

August saw the edges of a exasperation and amusement on the rodian’s expression. “No,” he answered. “This is supposed to be diplomatic. I do not think Phasma will be in attendance, nor the Admiral.”

“That’s the Sith, right? Jedi?” Whichever. He’d heard the rumors, hanging with Johann.

August nodded. “Help out around here,” he took a donut from the bag then, knowing there’d be no cream filled ones left, which suited him fine. He preferred simple chocolately glazed ones. He tossed the bag and the rodian caught it, with the last donut, “Or take a nap.”

The rodian considered asking August if he needed a blaster—a sniper rifle wasn’t ideal for close quarters—but thought better of it. August would probably make the sniper rifle a close range weapon if it was needed, and Hux would be all the more shamed. “Good luck,” he offered instead, and took his just desserts and a small break.

August started to walk then, Johann at his side. “One or two questions,” he said, “before we get to the ship. If you have more, they will have to wait until after the meeting.” He was certain his son did, and they’d be addressed, if they were not answered in the course of the meeting.

August bit into his donut, and listened.

~***~

Rey was innocent. Naïve. Sheltered. So many things that Luke likely would have wanted. "I'm not a liar, Finn! Even that...that's being dishonest with Luke."

"He's been so honest with you," Mira said sarcastically, but amended it with, “I’m trustworthy, Rey. So is Luke, but we're both liars.”

Finn hissed a whisper, “You’re not making this any better!”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Rey accused.

“Would you lie to protect Finn?”

Rey blinked. She looked at Finn, then back to Mira, then to Finn, “That’s different. Finn’s my friend. This is a book. You had no reason to hide it!”

“Luke wants me dead,” Mira was all but certain of that, “And you were traveling with him. You, whom I’ve stolen life, family, and happiness from—and I am supposed to admit that I have something you two are looking for? That General Hux is hiding it for me? No,” not on her life.

“Luke might have understood! If you just told him—if you just gave it to him then!”

“Rey,” Finn tried, “Remember when we met? I introduced myself as the Resistance,” it had been a lie, too. “I didn’t know you…I didn’t know I could trust you. Sometimes we have to lie, to protect ourselves or others.”

Rey glared at him, too, for reminding her of that.

“Luke might have understood,” she repeated.

Mira shook her head. “He’d take it, and hide it, like everything else,” Mira’s lack of faith in Luke was evident, “I need it as much as he does.” Perhaps more, if it had anything that could help her. “The universe needs it more. So run and tell Luke. By then the first copy will be made, and we can continue from that.”

Rey would have. Her fists were clenched and she was prepared to storm off, but she said, “He’s not here.”

Mira hadn’t been paying much attention to that, but as Rey said it, she relaxed her guards a bit to feel out the area. ‘No Luke. No….’ “Leia’s gone, too….”

“Why?” Finn looked between the two women, but obviously, neither had an answer.

Rey folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not letting that book out of my sight.” She stated as they passed near the Foreign Language building, and on towards the medical one. Mira then detoured. “HEY!”

But Mira was detouring not to start interrogations. She saw the FOTC man she’d fought alongside—Edwin, if she guessed right—exiting the building and looking a bit agitated. He was the perfect one to hand the Guide off to.

~***~

Luke was impossible, and Luke didn’t understand at all. How could he, though? He wasn’t a father. The closest thing he had was Rey. ‘And you nearly lost her, too.’ Perhaps he had wanted to lose her, so she’d be safe.

Leia was not going to lose her child. Not again.

Leia knew as well as Luke that her son was leaving. “We’re not medics.” And Bespin had enough medics to be able to help out, since they were still alive.

Without letting another word of protest pass between them, Leia turned and hurried off. Luke was on her heel, and she felt his confusion as she pushed into a cantina, but didn’t remain. She knew the entrances and exits, too; Lando had given her quite the tour.

Unfortunately, Luke had stalled long enough that Kylo Ren was able to circle back around, and she just saw the trailing black of his cloak on a ramp, far across a hangar, and she knew she’d never catch him.

Still, “BEN!” It was half scream, half cry.

KyloGlenn · Aug 19, 2016

‘It doesn’t matter?’

Paquin was practically jogging to keep up with Kylo at this point as they crossed the hangar back to the ship. “It might matter,” Paquin spoke, her breathing picking up a little. “They might be dying right now.”

She was barely on the ramp when the shout came. Unlike Kylo, Paquin did freeze. ‘Ow.’ Leia sounded so desperate. Paquin traveled up the ramp after Kylo. “Kylo, we should talk to Leia. She won’t capture us, she can’t. Did you hear her?” Yes, he did. And Paquin knew he did. “If you can talk to Lando, why not Leia?”

“Leia? As in Leia Organa? She’s here?” The clone spoke up, Paquin having forgotten he was even there.

‘Not your conversation!’ Paquin thought with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t sure why, but she just did not like the clone. And Paquin wasn’t a person to dislike others.

-

Johann’s father knew him well. Of course, anyone would have questions in this situation, but it still made the corners of Johann’s mouth twitch upwards into a grin, just before he took another bite of his own donut.

August had already answered one, whether Mira was really an admiral or not.

So, “What’s this about you shooting a Knight? Apparently not Mira? I didn’t even know there were even other Knights on Cimarosa.” Which raised the question of their purpose on Cimarosa. Maybe just to spy, considering they hadn’t made a ruckus. And it probably wasn’t Kylo Ren, otherwise they’d definitely know about that one.

How his father even knew about them being on the planet wasn’t really a question. His father had his ways.

Johann had a plethora of other questions, ones that could wait and ones that would likely be answered during the meeting with Hux.

-

“Hey, Rey! When I told you I was a part of the Resistance that first time, I said it so you wouldn’t kick my butt. And you would have. Just like Luke would’ve kicked Mira’s if she had said she had the book.” At this point, there was nothing Rey could do. Luke was gone. ‘And so is Leia…’ It made Finn wonder if Poe had left, too.

But now it was just time to get her to accept it and forgive him and Mira. He didn’t like it when Rey was upset with him.

All Rey did was shoot Finn a glare. “Mira, what do you think you’re doing?” Rey questioned, ready to protest whatever it was. She really wasn’t letting that book out of her sight and she hoped Luke would be back soon.

Finn was wondering that, too, but not for the same reasons. Mostly because Mira was once again delaying the need to get her wound checked out.

It wasn’t until after Edwin ran a hand through his hair and let out an irritated sigh that he noticed the trio heading in his direction, heading right towards him, it seemed. The Knight, the ex-Stormtrooper, and a very angry looking girl.

“Knight Vallens,” he greeted initially, “Admiral Vallens?” He corrected, but with some uncertainty. The title was what had been going around, anyway. It seemed to have been started by an FOTC member, so he figured he had reason to believe it.

-

Ben wasn’t stopping, but Leia knew he heard.

Ben didn’t stop, but the other did. Just on the ramp, too. Leia didn’t even bother taking in the appearance of her son’s accomplice. ‘Please be enough of a delay.’ She thought as she immediately began pushing her way through the people of the hangar. It was a long shot, but she’d try.

It took Luke a minute to register that Leia had moved. He had observed the other Knight. All he saw was a mass of curls and not much else to the being. But he didn’t judge by size, not with Yoda having existed. Not with his own sister existing. “Leia! You won’t make it.” He spoke as it finally hit him that she was off, quickly moving after her.

“Can it, Luke!” Leia barked. ‘You’re the reason I won’t reach him in time.’

Lucyfer · Aug 19, 2016

‘I’d know if they were dying.’ At least, Kylo wanted to believe he would, as he tried to tune everything out, tried to tune out the fact he could feel both Leia and Luke here.

But Paquin had to keep going on about it and his temper was near boiling over. “Yes, I heard her!” And then that damned clone. He glared at it, though it did not so much as flinch.

“If Leia Organa is here, sir, she must be dealt with.” The clone saw it as the perfect opportunity to make the Supreme Leader happy.

“No, the situation is too risky, we have to leave. Raise the ramp and get us out of here.”

“Negative, sir. The Supreme Leader’s wishes come first,” the clone dared to challenge his authority on this. He rose from the pilot’s seat. “Isn’t this your last challenge?”

‘Yes.’

And there were Leia’s steps on the ramp.

Kylo’s heart was in his throat and he acted, lifting his hand and grasping at the force to grab the clone, “You forget your station,” he told the clone, and before it could react beyond fruitlessly reaching for a blaster—an action Kylo wouldn’t soon forget, he had grasped the clone by his throat, snapped his neck with the Force, and thrown him at the entrance to the ship.

Leia had to move to get out of the way of the corpse, and that move was to the left—enough to cause her to lose her balance and falter off of it.

Kylo had taken the seat then, and Kylo utilized the controls to immediately lift the ramp and get the ship started, running through the thousands of things Han Solo had taught him about emergency escapes.

Luke rushed to Leia’s side and pulled her up, pulled her back away from the ship, and took note that the clone was dead.

That the clone’s fingers were around a blaster.

And Kylo wasn’t feeling rage.

~***~

“No, not Mira, if I wanted to start a war with the First Order I would have done so months back,” after Hosnian Prime, when he had the opportunity to destroy all of Hux’s allies. A few well-placed snipers. A rousing speech. Then, ruination.

Yet, he hadn’t. He still wasn’t sure why he hadn’t.

“It was Gnaeus Ren. I noticed Mira Vallens storming off with lightning practically on her heels,” he told Johann. He’d been in his ship, in the hangar. “I knew something had to be going on, so I followed,” it was quite simple, really. Angry force-sensitive? Either run, or follow. “They were not here for an encounter. They seemed here on a shopping spree,” he recalled the alcohol he’d seen.

It was then the ship was in sight, “You may speak as you like Johann,” he noted. “Hux has given his permission for you to be here, and I do hope that if my temper flares,” he hoped to keep it in check, but there were old wounds here, “you will mediate.” Johann had youth. He was not so set in his ways yet.

That might come in handy.

At the door of the ship, August did pause to knock. He didn’t just assume the door would open for him, even if he was tempted to find out.

~***~

Mira made no comment on Edwin’s disposition, “It doesn’t matter which, both may be correct, depending,” did Gray Jedis have knights? Had they ever had enough organization? "You're Edwin, correct?"

"Yes, I am," he agreed.

Mira was pleased. From what she'd been overhearing, that meant he was the leader of this little group. “Admiral Vallens is my title with the First Order, and I have a request of you.”

He arched an eyebrow, ignoring the other two for the time being. He thought he’d be more surprised with this turn of events. Mira was a relative unknown until recently. She’d moved too quick in the ranks to be reasonable, but he found he wasn’t surprised with the confirmation. “What is it?”

“Copies, of this,” Mira offered the Jedi Guide, and watched his eyes widen.

He didn’t need to be a history major to understand what was before him. “Is this…real?”

“Yes. Make one copy, and then give the original to Rey,” she gestured to the scavenger. Rey said she wasn’t taking her eyes off it. Very well then—she’d get the original back immediately.

Rey looked a bit surprised by the gesture, some of her anger evaporating, before it turned right back to suspicion. “Really, the original?”

“Yes,” Mira said. Mira didn’t need a relic. She just needed the damn thing. Luke could have the relic. “If you have time to make more copies, I would be in your debt.”

‘Debt?’ His head was swimming at the mere idea, but it did not break his poker face. “How many more?”

“Ideally thousands, but I doubt Cimarosa capable. I would like at least…,” she did a mental count of people. Herself, Finn, Rey, Luke, Hux, Leia, Poe, Edwin himself, Phasma, Jessika. ‘Coruscant. Send one to Coruscant.’ Coruscant. “Eleven.”

Finn tried to do his own count, trying to guess who the eleven were for. He muttered names under his breath.

KyloGlenn · Aug 22, 2016

Paquin hopped the slightest bit out of the way as the clone was thrown, her eyes widening. She didn’t like him, but he didn’t need to die! He couldn’t have hurt them.

How were they going to explain that to Snoke? How would they explain it without mentioning Leia, who was obviously someone Snoke wanted dead. Would Snoke do that whole mind torture thing on Kylo again? ‘Oh no.’ Paquin felt bad then.

She didn’t even notice the ramp pulling up until she heard the sound of it shutting. Sighing, she joined Kylo in the cockpit.

Paquin tried to focus with the Force, feel out what exactly he was feeling at that moment. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she settled into the co-pilot’s seat. “For trying to push you into talking with Leia and for bringing it up in front of NY-something rather.” She just wanted something to lead them to Ariel and Gnaeus, and Leia was the best bet.

But if anyone wanted to find Ariel and Gnaeus, it had to be Kylo. He’d known them longer, and even if he didn’t say it, Paquin knew he loved them.

And she knew then that he felt something in regards to Leia. But she didn’t think it would be wise to bring his mother up anymore unless he wanted to talk about it. She shoved away the need to ask him if he was okay, figuring he’d just say he was fine. “Hestria’s probably our best bet once we get out of here.” There wasn’t much on Hestria, but it did have alcohol.

-

Leia wasn’t upset. She’d just barely miss her son. She’d been that close to holding her son once more and she’d missed it. Even the dead body lying in front of her that her son had certainly killed didn’t upset her.

Ben hadn’t killed her.

He’d fled when he’d been just feet, no, inches away from her. He had the perfect opportunity. But he didn’t take it.

“He didn’t kill me, Luke. You were wrong.” A small smile grew on her face. “He could have, but he didn’t.” She knew there was still light in him.

She’d let Kylo go for now. Not that she’d be able to follow him, anyway. He was Han Solo’s son, after all.

-

A shopping spree? On Cimarosa? Johann didn’t think it was just that, but it didn’t matter much now.

He wanted to know the status of the Knights then, but they’d reached the General’s ship then. “Don’t worry, father. I’m sure you’ll be fine.” Probably, anyway. Johann felt he understood just how deep this feud between them went. He’d been with his father after Starkiller and while he’d tried not to let it show, Johann could tell how it affected him.

There was still a chance for those emotions to get the better of his father. “You can count on me.”

It was then that the door slid open, revealing General Hux and a cat. ‘Hux has a cat?’ Johann couldn’t help but stare at the tiny fuzzy creature.

Hux had been playing with her just moments before and picked her up so she wouldn’t run out when he opened the door. “Please come in. You may sit where you like.” Hux was the slightest bit nervous about this meeting. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect. He felt he did a good job of concealing his nerves, however.

-

Finn figured he’d get one, Mira would have one, mumbling his own and Mira’s names under his breath. Hux, maybe? He’d smuggled it for her, maybe he’d get use out of it. So, Hux was mumbled. Leia? Sure. Rey? She would be getting the original, though…

As Finn breathed names, nearly inaudible, Edwin stared down at the book and let out a huff. “Eleven, I can do that.” But ‘ideally thousands’ rang over in his head. There was no way he’d be able to make thousands of them in such a short period of time she’d likely want them in, and not with a lack of printers in the school.

‘Outside of school.’ Surely he could find more places to print the book.

He could scan the book to a computer. Once that was done, making copies would be much easier. He’d see how many other than the requested eleven he could get done. Maybe he’d get some of the boys in on it. Though the extent of the debt he may be owed wasn’t on his mind, he did think of how it might impress someone of such high rank within the Order. That would be good for the FOTC members’ futures.

”Consider it done, Admiral. If you’ll dismiss me…” Edwin looked to Mira’s company then, the scavenger specifically. “I suppose you’ll be accompanying me, then?”

Rey herself huffed, glancing from Mira to the book. She said she wasn’t letting it out of her sight. “Yes.”

Edwin nodded, looking back to Mira. “Is there anything else I can assist you with?”

Lucyfer · Aug 22, 2016

Kylo wondered, briefly, if Mira had felt this much anxiety when she freed Kevan and tried to hide it. He hadn’t felt any around her, but then, he never felt anything around her. Not often. Kylo couldn’t contain it.

Snoke would find out.

And all he’d have to tell Snoke was that he wasn’t ready—not for this test. ‘And I don’t want to be.’ Let Leia die in an explosion. Let her die any other way but his hand. ‘And that is why you keep failing.’

The ship was out of the system then as Kylo’s thoughts continued to swirl in his head, reminding him of the failures that had led to Ariel and Gnaeus going missing. The failures that must have turned Kevan, Mira, and even Hux against him. He wasn’t strong enough. He wasn’t able to do what was necessary.

Paquin’s words were distant, but he heard Hestria and shook himself from those dark thoughts. “Yes,” he said, starting to set coordinates. “Hestria was the next destination,” he agreed. It had been in his thoughts, and quickly, the ship was out of Bespin’s pull, and then out of its sights.

He swallowed down the worry. Could General Organa know where the Knights were? What were the odds? ‘What are the odds they’re missing, anyway?’

“It’s more likely General Hux knows where they are…if they’re AWOL.”

Kylo Ren wasn’t sure which he’d prefer. Hux or Leia. Hux might kill them.

Leia would turn them against him. ‘Or Mira.’ Mira had run off with the Resistance. “Hopefully Hux.” If Mira got information out of them…would they be as damned as Kevan?

~***~

Luke didn’t dare to tell Leia that he wasn’t wrong. He could feel the conflicting emotions up until Kylo was far, far away. He believed those conflicts had been in play with Han.

He was relieved, of course. And he allowed, “There may be hope…but you shouldn’t be so rash. If you had gotten into that ship, there’s still the other knight to consider.”

“She didn’t seem so bad.”

Luke gave Leia a look that said it all. ‘Neither do you.’ Meaning this knight could be just as deadly. ‘Neither did Mira.’ Instead, he said, “Let’s go check on Lando and Chewie.”

Leia nodded. “They’ll be surprised to see you.”

Luke just nodded, and started back towards the lift, pretending not to notice the sorrow that started to sweep over Leia in the silence.

~***~

‘Yes. Externally.’

That was all August was hoping for, and all he imagined he could pull off. He wouldn’t dare hope for more. He’d be setting himself up for disappointment and a temper.

There was no ‘thank you’ to Johann, for the door opened, and the conversation ceased. August gave a curt nod to the cat, “Commodore,” he greeted it, “General,” to Hux, of course.

He stepped up and stepped into the ship, already feeling the petty urge to remain standing. It wasn’t like it would do any good, though. He couldn’t afford to be petty, only honest. “Thank you,” he said, unstrapping the sniper rifle and leaning it near the door.

He finished the donut on his way to a seat then.

He would wait for Johann and Hux to join him. Then, he would begin. “General Hux, there is no point in masking my intentions. I am here because, as Snoke no longer has you as an ally, he’s come to seek Eriadu out as an ally. Currently, my world is surrounded by several ships, some my allies, some Snoke’s. It is under embargo, and soon to be barricaded from the outside world. Communications are down on the planet itself.”

Separatists tactics, except Snoke wasn’t a separatist. He has no worry about waiting for the Senate to do things how he wanted them. He could strike at any time. Why he was wasting time…. “I am asking for aid, fully aware that I’ve rejected an alliance in the past. I’ve come to ask for one now, if we can find agreeable terms.”

He might be desperate, but he had no intention of handing over his world to a Palpatine, nor of being subsumed by the First Order. That would be the same as aligning with Snoke, and he’d fight tooth and nail before he let that happen.

~***~

“Rey is a Jedi, so treat her fairly, Edwin. You’re dismissed,” it was going to take some getting used to, dismissing people, “If you can’t find me when all is done, you may deliver the copies to Mitaka, Phasma, Hux, or Finn. No one else. Understood?”

“Understood, Admiral,” he stated, then looked to Rey, “Are you ready?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she sighed, looked to Finn, then to Mira, then to Finn, “Be careful,” she tried. Her trust was a bit broken now, so she wanted Finn to be careful around Mira, without her.

Finn just gave a smile and a happy nod. With that, the FOTC man and Rey left them.

“All right,” Finn then clapped a hand on Mira’s good shoulder to turn her back towards the other building. “Let’s get you checked out now,” he added a bit of pressure to lead, and to make sure she didn’t go running off again.

Mira hid her amusement, and finished off her donut. “I don’t understand it.”

“Hm? What?”

“I’ve rejoined the First Order, and you’re still here.” She arched an eyebrow as he looked to her, holding his gaze. “You have options to learn about the Force from Luke. From Rey. I’m not going to make you stay.” They entered the other building then, which did seem to smell of antiseptic. “Is my position going to be a problem for you, Finn?”

KyloGlenn · Aug 24, 2016

‘Hopefully Hux? He’ll kill them.’ Leia could, too, but Hux definitely would. Especially since he lacked a Force-sensitive to pull information from them.

There was still the possibility that they weren’t even missing at all. Or at least not due to being kidnapped. What if they’d ran off and were somehow managing to hide from Snoke? “What if they ran away to have the Gnaeus children?” Paquin mused, not even joking. It seemed entirely possible to her.

Or maybe Kylo slamming that cabinet into Gnaeus’s head was the last straw for the two. ‘No, the kid thing seems more likely than them intentionally abandoning Kylo.’ Whether it be out of loyalty or fear.

Of course, she couldn’t rule out that they might just be passed out drunk somewhere, communicators broken or stolen. They were all making a big deal out of nothing. She hoped for that. “Gnaeus did say that Ariel was in the top three of people he’d procreate with.” ‘You’re reading too much into that.’ She decided upon sighting the familiar planet of Hestria.

“Do you know where to land?” Paquin asked as she recalled him being out of it the last time they were here.

-

The two rode in silence within the lift as they went up towards Lando and Chewie. Luke took the lead once they stepped out, using the signature of the two to find his way to them.

The two stopped in front of the room, “You can go in first.” Luke offered and Leia rolled her eyes.

“Looking to make a dramatic entrance?” Leia teased but the door slid open for her first.

“—I do not appreciate it when you nearly rip my arm off,” came C-3PO’s voice as they entered, speaking to the obviously irritated wookiee with singed fur.

Lando was the first to notice them. Or notice Leia, at least. “Leia! You look as beautiful as ever.”

“Thank you, Lando.”

“Princess! And Master Luke, how lovely to see you!”

That was when Lando noticed Luke Skywalker. “Hey, kid. Long time no see.” Luke was certainly no longer a kid.

-

Johann sat himself down as Hux closed the door, letting Millicent down from his arms. Johann was still confused as to why Hux had a cat and why his father addressed it as Commodore, but he decided it wasn’t important.

Hux brushed the cat hair off of his uniform, placing himself across the two Tarkins as August spoke.

It took all of Hux’s willpower not to laugh right then and there. “You must be truly desperate to come to me for help.” Hux couldn’t help but comment, though he managed to disguise all the humor in his voice and face. Of course, being petty and pointing out Tarkin’s desperation still wasn’t the best way to start. “Are your allies within the Senate not enough?”

‘Well, most of them are dead.’ Johann thought. Not long ago, either. Some of their planets were still picking up the pieces.

And Hux knew that. ‘Alright, that’s enough. Be professional.’ Hux told himself. “I’d be open to an alliance, however, Snoke’s forces are unexpectedly large and strong. There’s a lot at stake for the Order and the Resistance in helping. I must keep in mind what’s best for my organization as well as another ally’s.” Hux recovered from his previous commentary as best as he could, getting back on track.

Johann watched his father’s face for his reaction as Hux spoke, especially as the General was clearly making an effort to push aside his bitterness, even with that comment, and work something out. He couldn’t help but wonder who was more bitter. ‘My father,’ for sure.

-

Finn’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought. “Nope.” He decided. Right then, it wouldn’t be a problem. “As long as I don’t have to join the Order, I have no problem.” The Resistance and the Order were working together and as long as he wasn’t a part of the Order, he was sticking with Mira.

Of course, if this partnership didn’t work out…Finn wasn’t so sure then.

They’d cross that bridge when they came to it. If they came to it.

“You’re my friend, Mira. That matters more to me than your position.” Finn waved a hand in dismissal. “And Luke and Rey…well. You figured out my Force sensitivity. I trust you. We’re a team now and I’m happy sticking with you. And I won’t let you try and ship me off with Luke. It ain’t gonna happen, blondie.” Finn offered her a playful grin.

Finn broke their gaze then to speak to a woman donning the familiar First Order medic uniform. He’d seen it so many times, mostly when he was accompanying Slip to the medbay. How he missed him. “Excuse me, do you think you can squeeze this woman in real quick? Her shoulder’s injured. And she’s the Admiral, you know.” Finn turned to Mira briefly to shoot her a wink.

If her position was good for anything, it was good for a rank drop. That would surely get her fixed up faster.

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either born in hell or heaven sent

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

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

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

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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

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