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[KyloGlenn]

Paquin wouldn’t have put it passed Kylo to destroy their only form of communication to other people. He clearly was not the type to think before he acted. But he didn’t destroy their connection completely.


“So does that mean Darth Plagueis was the Sith’ari?” She questioned. It sounded like it. The bringing people back from the dead bit. But Paquin knew little of the Sith lord. And the Sith hadn’t been destroyed as far as she understood. The Knights might not be Sith, but there was still Snoke. 


She felt as though Kylo would have mentioned the Sith’ari bit, if that were the case.


“Can we go back up? Or will that password thing keep us from going back?” She asked, looking up as they found themselves back where they were. They knew the way back from there. A lot of jumping and a lot of pain on her part, but it wouldn’t take that long and it was safer than wandering around a trap ridden tomb. Kylo was there and was most certainly ablebodied in the case of something going wrong, she wasn't terribly concerned.


-


“Gotta go!” Johann said to Hux as he hopped back on the speeder to follow after his father. He did wait for Hux to join him, but Hux decided to take a speeder of his own to use.


Just as those clones began to aim and fire at the gingers did the two speed off. ‘Maybe I should dye my hair a darker shade,’ Hux considered in that moment. It certainly would make him less noticeable, on and off the battle field. ‘Coruscant,’ that disaster came to mind.


Unlike Johann, Hux hadn’t quite realized where August was leading them. Not until they were over the hill. If Hux had the chance to hesitate, he would have. But there was the issue of Snoke’s troops following not far behind them. 


He understood August’s plan, then. Lead the army into the Carrion, which name meant the rotting flesh of dead animals. Harsh, but the Tarkins had to have some understanding of it. So Hux would remain close to August and his son. “This is insane.” Hux commented, even if no one could hear him.


And Ransolm. He was slowly coming to, due to the very bumpy ride. He was going to wake up, unaware of what was going on. In the Carrion, inches away from falling off August’s very fast speeder with little to no protection from things that lurk in the wilderness. Hux felt at least a little bad.


-


Ada already didn’t like Mira. But Adley—'Finn’—did. And she couldn’t resist that hopeful look on her son’s face.


With a sigh, “We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. I’m not going to waste time arguing about her.” Not fully giving her a chance, but dropping the subject. Ada did hold her son’s face in her hands again, pulling him closer. “You’re not dating her, are you?” She asked in a whisper.


“No! No,” Finn chuckled, shaking his head. Why did everyone think they were dating?


“Fine, fine. Good. Are you dating anyone?” Finn was about to answer with no, but, “Wait, let’s go inside. I’m making you hot chocolate.” If Mira was good, she might get a cup.


Finn let Ada head in first. He turned to Mira as he pulled her into the apartment. She wasn’t escaping this. BB-8 understood the plan following behind the blonde, the door automatically closing behind them. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think she’d hit you.” He frowned as he examined the redness from the slap, “Are you okay? I’ll ask for some ice to put on that. Just please don’t go, I need you here.” He offered her a small grin.


”Make yourself at home!” Ada called from the kitchen. “It is your home, after all.”


-


“Oh, I’ve certainly heard.” Who hadn’t heard about the break up? 


Terex leaned forward. “This sounds all fun and dandy, but there are some questionable bits here.” And it did sound appetizing to Terex, going back to the classic ways of the Empire. What the First Order was supposed to do. “How do you expect to get the Knights out of there without, oh, I don’t know, getting stopped? Questioned? These are the Knights of Ren. Two of them. Kind of a big deal.


Surely Hux was at least smart enough to make sure his father, who he hated and who hated him back, couldn’t walk out with the Knights. Or anyone walk out for that matter. If not Hux, then Phasma.


“Don’t get me wrong, I’m definitely helping,” he said, beginning to set his course back to the Finalizer as he said that. It wasn't just the ways of the Empire that he'd get, but also some form of power. Higher than what he had now. That would be fun. “Just want to make sure the person I’m betraying a powerful military organization with isn’t a complete idiot. No offense.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren shook his head, “No, he wasn’t,” he was certain of that much. Plagueis may have gotten close to being it, but in the end, he hadn’t been. He hadn’t stopped himself from dying. Kylo wasn’t sure if he brought anybody back from the dead, either. He just stopped it. “I think Darth Vader was. He did everything but the reviving thing,” basically destroyed the Sith forever. “Even if he’d probably deny it.”


Anakin Skywalker. Deep in regret over the best thing he’d ever been. Kylo Ren still felt such immense disappointment for that.


“We have to find a new exit…the original way is blocked,” he told her. “There’s usually a route not far from the tomb, but usually the tomb is upstairs,” one shoulder lifted in a shrug, a ‘what do I know anymore’ sort of gesture.


The glow rod continued to float along, trying to shine a light on a path as well.


Cracks in a wall were noticed as it glided along, near the stairs that would have led up, that Kylo didn’t take before. The cracks were not from fault lines, but seemed to have been created. Rectangular. ‘Hidden door?’ He went to approach the tapestry.


But of course, he couldn’t read the instructions.


~***~


The speeder would be useful if August intended to keep to some of the open grounds of the Carrion. However, he didn’t. ‘The cliffs. Jova’s old traps.’ Which August would still go out to tend to and examine. Wilhuff and Jova had caught an assassin there before, in a pit trap.


August still remembered how Jova used to talk of it. How he would always end up wandering back out into the Carrion – wanted to die there. Live there. Kept a small cabin there, just on the outskirts. August wouldn’t head to it, though. That’d be suicide.


He kept the speeder going as Ransolm started to wake, “Careful,” he spoke, “You’re on a speeder, Ransolm.” And not exactly the best position for moving around.


The cliffs were ahead. The obelisk that was the true carrion spike, high above it all. ‘Mount Veermok around it.’ No longer a fitting name. The veermok were gone.


He skid the speeder to a stop in the shadow of the spike, besides the cliff. Ransolm was awake enough to get off, unsteady, and August wrapped an arm around his waist then, as Ransolm wrapped his own over August’s shoulders.


“Please don’t tell me…,” Ransolm murmured, getting his senses back slowly, “we’re in the carrion.”


“I won’t tell you, then.”


He groaned.


August waited for Hux and Johann to catch up. Two liabilities in Ransolm and Hux…and August no longer had his sniper rifle. Or hand cannon.


This day was just getting more fun.


~***~


Mira still heard the question posed to Finn, and rolled her eyes, glanced down to BB-8. Mouthed, ‘Really?’


The droid beeped out how it didn’t understand, either, quietly while Finn’s mother spoke of preparing hot chocolate. Mira was dragged along before she could try again to find a way to escape this, the droid right at her heels to keep her moving lest she wanted to trip over it.


Door shut. It felt like a prison. “I’m all right, I don’t need any ice,” Mira denied, reached up then to touch the sore area and winced a bit as that seemed to shoot heat through her. ‘One hell of a hit.’ “Fine,” she reiterated. “Just not good with parents. Apparently.” Commandant Hux didn’t like her.


BB-8 commented that Leia liked her, and Mira gave the droid a smile. “Most parents,” she adapted.


Ada called out to them then, and Finn let Mira go, certain she would be staying now. He walked forward, examining the apartment. Mira followed behind. “This place is nice, mom,” Finn said as he walked into the living room, then moved a bit down the connecting hallway to take a look at the extra rooms. Foolish idea in his head that there’d be a spare one, for him.



Of course, there wasn’t. He was quick to hurry back, as Mira took a seat at the edge of the couch, and he went into the kitchen.


Watched her, as she started to prepare hot chocolate, and not the way he would have on the base. She was using a stovetop. Heating milk, rather than water. Had the cocoa set out. Must have been her favorite drink, “I think I know where I get my sweet tooth now,” he said, casually leaning on the counter then to watch her.


Watch all that he’d missed.


He had so many questions – first of all being how the hell a woman like her let him go…but he’d wait until they were sitting. Even if, right then, he wouldn’t have minded this moment stretching on forever.


~***~


The Commandant waved it off, “The Stormtroopers still listen to me. I just tell them we’re moving them to a more secure location and they’ll step aside,” he stated, as if that wasn’t a concern, “My son is off playing at war,” as if he could actually wage it. Win it. “with the Tarkins on Eriadu, so we won’t have any issues from him, Phasma, the admiral, the colonel, or any other officer who might think to stop us.”


They were all, conveniently, far away and too busy to care if the Knights vanished.


“No one here has any authority to stop or question me.” Not for long, anyway.


And no one would think twice about going to bother the General with this kind of thing in the middle of a war. “By the time my son even bothers to spare the knights a second thought, we’ll have him out of the way, and then any nuisance officers will be cleaned up, as well.” Phasma. The admiral. The ‘colonel’.


“Does that sound like a good enough opportunity?” Not that Terex was passing it up anyway, but this ought to make it sound better. They weren’t going to have to deal with any superior officers at all. Just lowly troopers and petty officers who couldn’t command either of them.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“If there’s anything that I am curious about, it has to be Anakin.” Not just in the sense that he was pleasing to the eye, but his story was interesting. She wanted to know more about his reasoning. How someone who had been so evil for so long decided to be good again. And how he even came to be evil. Now she knew how to ask the man himself. She could get information from Kylo, but he was biased. 


They couldn’t go their original way, and obviously the tomb was  backwards from what Kylo typically experienced. She felt a little bad for him. But she at least looked on the bright side. It was a good thing they fell before they got too far, even if Paquin did get hurt. She felt it would have been more infuriating to go so far and find nothing than be wrong and find something that could get him out of trouble.


Paquin untangled herself from Kylo as he went to examine the tapestry. “I really think we should invest in learning how to read this. Surely there’s something out there that can teach us.” She commented as she hobbled herself in front of the rectangle, pushing on the wall with her hands. She didn’t expect it to budge. And it didn’t. 


Pushing on it with the Force didn’t work either. 


“Should we…blow it up?” What other ways could they use the Force on this thing?


-


Johann and Hux weren’t far behind. Hux stuck behind Johann for the sake of cues, knowing where to go or what to do. Hux was unfamiliar with the Carrion. As were most.


Johann slowed, and so Hux did as well. The actual Carrion Spike stood high in front of them, Ransolm and August in its shadow. Johann was the first to stop completely, next to where his father had. Johann hopped out of his vehicle, ditching the helmet just as Hux pulled up next to him and got off his own speeder. Or his borrowed one, anyway.


“They’re trying to follow. We’ve got a good distance on them. Most of them are on foot, anyway.” Johann informed his father.  “My bet is most of them will get lost and picked off pretty fast.” That was dumb of them. Had Snoke not warned any of them of the Carrion? Johann’s gaze shifted to Ransolm. “You okay? I’m sure that ride didn’t help the concussion you probably have.” He chuckled a little bit.


Ransolm just groaned.


Hux joined the three then, looking around at the group. Three gingers and an injured man. Quite the team. Hux understood that he was a liability, as was the injured Ransolm.  “Is there a strategy to this?” Hux questioned, glancing behind them to the cliffs. Lead the army to the cliffs. Throw them over. Might even be useful for AT-ATs, if they end up following. A lot of mechanical clean up afterwards, however.


-


Ada smiled as Finn said he knew where he got his sweet tooth. “Definitely from me. I don’t think your father liked to indulge in sweets.” But then again, Ada hadn’t known Finn’s father long. But she would tell him as much as she could about him. He deserved that, even if the man wouldn’t have been involved in his son’s life whether he’d been taken by the Order or not.


Ada still wondered where the man had disappeared to.


And Ada’s words definitely brought more questions to Finn’s mind. Where was his father?


Ada took out three mugs from a cabinet, filling them with the milk and cocoa mixture. “Come. sit. I’m sure you’re anxious to ask questions.” Ada’s smile was a sad one as she handed a mug to her son. She shouldn’t have to answer questions. She should have been able to raise her son.


Finn nodded, mumbling a thank you as he took the mug. He let Ada lead him back to the living room and she placed a mug of hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of Mira before she moved to take up the recliner, allowing Finn to sit next to Mira. She understood that he’d need her support at some points. 


She allowed both Finn and herself to get settled into their seats with a couple sips of the hot liquid before she encouraged Finn to ask questions. BB-8 rolled up next to Mira, settling itself in, as well. BB-8 had been around Finn for quite some time now, the droid was curious. “I’m ready to answer whatever questions you have. I’m sure there’s a lot.” 


-


The Commandant did have a point. Anyone who had power above the Commandant was preoccupied. And not to mention they wouldn’t question the General’s father. Not everyone was aware of their less than healthy relationship.


Terex was already on his way, but this comforted him. Brendol had thought some on it and didn’t seem to be completely dumb. Power hadn’t quite gotten to his head. Or at least not the strategist part, the good part.


“You’ve got you and your Knights a ship, Commandant.” Terex offered the ginger a smirk. “Be ready to get moving. I’m a busy man, you know. I have other matters to attend to after you. I’ll be there in a jiffy.” With a wink, Terex disconnected, settling back into the pilot’s seat and jumping the Carrion Spike into hyperdrive. It was funny to him, really. He was in position of the Tarkin’s ship and now the First Order was in an alliance with them.


He wasn’t planning on giving this ship up, if that was apart of the terms.

 

[Lucyfer]

Anakin Skywalker was interesting, Kylo Ren couldn’t argue, even if his fascination was more with Darth Vader than Anakin himself. Darth Vader as the Chosen One, as the Sith’ari, as so much, in terms of restoring balance to the universe.


Yet he went off that path.


Just as this tomb went off the normal path, and Kylo was left to glare at an unintelligible mess of images on the tapestry, and the cracks. “Destroying things does seem to be working so far,” he murmured, and it was tempting, but he didn’t want to destroy their only escape, either.


He held his hand out, tried his own Force Push.


Nothing.


Tried to pull.


Nothing.


‘Wait.’


Not quite nothing. It was a sliding panel. Kylo no longer tried to push from all sides, but pushed it to slide it into the ground. It groaned, and the dust of years fell with it, settling upon the path that it revealed. Kylo gave Paquin a nod, and would reach for her again if she wanted the help with walking.



Then he'd continue on through the narrow passage.


~***~


August listened to his son’s assessment. Likely right, “We should still anticipate the worst.” That somehow, the majority of Snoke’s following forces would find their way to the speeders.


The speeders were meant to be a lure, of course. When Hux stopped, August gave a curt nod. Head ached at doing it, too sharp. Had to blink a few times, “Yes. The best path up Mount Veermok is around the other side. We are going in pairs. You are going with Johann. He can lead you around the traps.” And August would help Ransolm around the traps.


“This area is mostly populated by primates and avians, few dangerous, but you need to watch the ground. Where some of the pit traps are, and in well shadowed areas or dips, there is a rather…territorial species of arachnids.”


‘And we have no antidotes with us.’


“And they are unfortunately not small.” They had taken over when the veermoks left, making the primates their main food source. They weren’t opposed to eating humans, either, or other humanoids. August knew that well when he found one of his companions in their grips during his second trip to the Carrion.  


“August, why am I friends with you?”


“Politics.”


Ransolm sighed. Laughed. Let August pull him towards the left. “We’ll meet at the river.” Also on the other side of the mountain, or at least, one way to it was. There were many paths to the river.


As he said it, he began to take off his own helmet, planning to toss it over a pit trap. Someone would go investigate it. That’d be at least one done with.


~***~


“Thank you,” Mira accepted the hot chocolate when it was presented, taking it from the table and holding it in her hands. She didn’t sip at it yet, just held it. Let it warm her. She really wasn’t sure how to be present enough for this – how to help Finn.


She didn’t do parents well.


She smiled to BB-8. If anything, she needed the droid then, this technically emotionless robot, to help.


The floor was opened after some seconds in silence, and Finn hesitated. Sipped the hot chocolate. Glanced to Mira, who met his gaze. There were a thousand questions in his eyes, and it seemed he didn’t know where to begin.


She couldn’t tell him where to begin. How to begin. This situation was foreign to her, too. She shook her head, but with a slight smile on her lips, indicating silently that there wasn’t really a wrong way to begin. His mother seemed open, willing, friendly.


And Finn was kind-hearted. He wouldn’t hurt her. Not much. Mira had faith in that much.


Finn took it, looked back to Ada, “Well,” he said, sighed, “Yeah, there’s a lot,” he agreed, nervously chuckled. “I don’t know where to begin, but…why? How? You don’t…seem to have wanted me to leave you,” he said. That much was clear, “How did I…end up with them?”


~***~


Terex’s behavior could always be improved, but at least the man was willing to assist. The Commandant rose from his seat and exited his own ship, marching back to the prisoner’s quarters. He stepped into a nearby storage room and took out a set of magnetic shackles. He still had to make things appear proper, after all.


He approached the Stormtrooper at the door to Ariel’s little prison. “Unlock the door,” a command followed before.


It was done without question, and the Commandant walked in. The door shut behind him, and he walked to the containment field itself, pressing his hand to the pad, and then beginning the process of shutting it down. “One wrong move, and you will be killed,” he warned Ariel without looking up at her. “I have us an escort to Snoke arriving. Agent Terex.” Didn’t know if she knew much of him, didn’t care, but figured it would be better to mention it now than surprise her with his arrival.


Besides, the Knights would need to know Terex soon – he would be assisting them, after all.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin did return to Kylo before the two made their way into the narrow passageway.  It was dark and cold and the single glowrod didn’t help much with illuminating.


As they walked further and further, Paquin started to notice the walls on either side of them getting narrower and narrower. And Paquin didn’t notice due to her being closer to the ground, but the height of the passage was getting shorter as well.


It got to the point where Paquin could no longer walk alongside Kylo to use him as support. So, she pulled ahead and instead used the wall for support. She did become aware of the shorter ceilings as they come to another crossroad and in each direction, the ceiling seemed to get smaller and smaller, to a point where it would inconvenience her. To the point of crawling even. “Now this is unnecessary. If this is the exit, all this serves no other purpose than being inconvenient.”


Maybe the Sith just liked messing with people. 


“Kylo?” The question of which way to go was not fully asked, but in her usage of his name. At this point she might as well have tried her hand at reading the tapestry, as neither of them knew what the hell it said.


-


‘Oh, lovely.’ Hux was more than excited to encounter giant arachnids. Not.


“Stay safe!” Johann called to Ransolm and August as they went off to the left. Johann had to admit he was a little nervous for the two. Ransolm wasn’t in top shape and Johann knew his father couldn’t be either, he was in that explosion as well.


But he reminded himself that his father had gone through the Carrion with much worse than the tap on the head he received from the explosion. He took comfort in that, at least.


“Come on, we’ll go around the right.” Johann spoke to Hux then. And another reason to be nervous. He technically had to keep the fellow ginger safe in the Carrion. He imagined he’d get in trouble if the General of the First Order happened to get eaten or fall into a trap. At least now, when they needed him. “If they do reach the speeders, they’ll have to split up to follow our trails.” If Snoke’s clones were even decent at tracking. 


Johann took the lead then, veering in the opposite direction of his father and Ransolm. “Stay close.”


The General nodded. He wasn’t stupid. He wouldn’t wander from the younger Tarkin. 


-


Ada sighed. She knew that would have to be one of the first questions he’d ask, but it still wasn’t a story she was prepared to tell. When her son was taken, her heart was broken. It was hard to talk about, she felt like she’d failed. Even with her son now sitting in front of her.


“Trust me, I never wanted you to leave my sight.” Ada shook her head. “It started as soon as you were born. We were being watched. At first I thought it was coincidence, seeing the same faces everywhere. At the hospital. Things got weirder after awhile. Some of them would follow us home. I’d see them lurking in the halls. That was when I’d start leaving Coruscant for trips, taking you to meet your grandmother and what not.”


Those were times she felt at ease. She shouldn’t have. They were still watching them during those trips.


“That went on for almost two years. Then it got worse. Children that were born around the same time as you, born at the same hospital, they started going missing. So, I left Coruscant. I went to stay with your grandmother, but we never made it to her house. They ambushed at the inner city hangar I’d always dock at. They ripped you right out of my hands.” Ada’s eyes watered then, and Finn placed a hand on his mother’s knee, offering her a smile.


“I tried to fight back but I’m just one woman. I never ever would have let them leave with you if I could have.” She didn’t give up there though. She tried to find Finn. Tried to find Mace. For years. But she couldn’t.


-


Ariel wondered if she could be killed. Well, obviously she could, but she wondered if she had a chance to take him down, however many Stormtroopers, and get herself and Gnaeus out. 


She wondered, but she made no move to attack once she was freed of the containment field. And she wasn’t released gently, she fell to the ground once the field was shut down.


It was like a breath of fresh air, being reconnected with the Force. She could feel herself, the Commandant. A few Stormtroopers outside in the halls. But no Gnaeus. He was still in a containment field.


Ariel had no idea who Terex was, nor did she care. This all would end in the same way, with Terex or without him. “You’ve dragged more people into the fight against your own son, huh?” Ariel grumbled as she rose to her feet, a little unbalanced. “If only Hux knew how many people in his own military didn’t like him.” Hux wasn’t likable. Well, except for Mira, apparently.


“Now take me to Gnaeus and I’ll be as compliant as you wish.” Maybe. Ariel held her hands out, having spotted the magnetic cuffs. 

 

[Lucyfer]

The Sith did like messing with people.


Kylo wanted to curse as he had to start bending down a bit more as they walked further down the hall. Paquin seemed to notice, as the walls closed in around them, and she stepped ahead. He watched her. Kept wanting to reach out a hand to her back, to help steady her, but he refrained and just watched, making sure she wouldn’t fall. They came to a crossway, eventually, and he sighed out in agitation.



He stared at the tapestry, willing it to make sense.


It didn’t.


‘Use the Force.’


His only alternative, he supposed. Try to sense the life outside, even if Korriban was dead. Sense in which direction it was easier to feel. “The entire tomb is unnecessary,” Kylo grumbled, but looked to the route that got smaller and smaller. “There, I think,” he sighed, “I’ll take point,” needed to, to make sure that if there was anything dangerous ahead, he could deal with it.


And so he went ahead. Eventually, he did have to crawl, and he noticed the incline starting to rise. He ignored that feeling as they steadily moved higher and higher into the tomb. He didn’t want to get paranoid, but it was growing with him as they moved.


Not to mention, there was no trace of light, save the glowrod. His mind imagined sounds that weren’t there.


Until, of course, he wasn’t imagining it anymore and the corridor was shifting around him. “What is….”


And then he was blinded by sunlight.


~***~


Ransolm stayed at August’s side, in the man’s grip. He walked besides the mountain, as August walked outside it. His anxiety was high, seeing August’s complete focus ahead.


“You’re bleeding,” he commented. He could see it, now that the helmet was off.


“I know.”


Could see August was now a bit paler than normal – not that he was ever tan. “It’s not serious, but it will be detrimental when twilight hits.” The nocturnal creatures would start waking. Hunting. The scent of blood was not good.


“Your head is bleeding. How is that not serious?”


“Head wounds bleed more than others. I admit, I’m a bit…nauseous.” Woozy. But he’d just hit his head. “You seem to be walking better.” Ransolm started to nod, but felt his vision swim at the movement. His footing wavered, and August had to brace and grip him tighter to hold him up. “Never mind.”


Ransolm let out a soft chuckle. “Even if I asked you to, you wouldn’t leave me now, would you?”


“No.”


And perhaps that was why. When one made a friend of Tarkin, it wasn’t something tossed away easily, abandoned. He’d figured that out when August pulled him from his execution and gave him a second chance. Knew it now as August risked both their lives. “Should we really be talking?”


“We’re not the favored prey of the arachnids. They will eat us. They won’t go out of their way to do so.” And they’d learned what guns could do. “If anything, better to keep them aware we’re around, and keep you talking so you don’t slip.” And so August could monitor his condition.


When they moved by a pit trap near the mount, August did toss his helmet, and kept on walking. “What about communicating with the others?”


August shrugged. “I have a good feeling they all know where we are.”


He’d be right – though he didn’t know it. Many re-routed towards the Carrion. Adelaide knew. Phasma guessed. They pressed the advantage either way.


And dark would start to fall. Ransolm was starting to think the Carrion Plateau myths were full of shit, until he heard the low growls of other creatures starting to wake.


August’s pace increased quite rapidly then. “Augus—”


“Shh!”


Too late. He saw the flash of white claws in the moonlight that filtered down, and he shoved Ransolm against the rocks, falling to the ground as the blackstalker jumped through the space.


But didn’t say.


Back into the dark. ‘What was that?!’


August pulled himself up quick, and grabbed for Ransolm again. Curiously, he didn’t grab his blaster. He knew it wouldn’t work – blackstalkers, creations of the empire, were engineered to not give a damn about blaster shots. And of course Wilhuff wanted to test them in the Carrion.


“We have a pack hunting us,” he told Ransolm in a whisper, moving him along. Not really a pack, blackstalkers didn't form packs - but a family was close enough to it. They weren’t far now from being at the point to get away from the rocks, and towards the river. Nexu grounds. The blackstalkers tended to avoid those, had no proper 'territory'. They roamed the Carrion rather freely, except for the area of the nexus, since the nexus actually went out of their way to hunt the blackstalkers if they touched their territory.


A truly fascinating event that August wished he understood better. “Keep moving. They like to play.” Terrorize their enemies into a corner.


A howl broke the air, and another dashed out. August slammed his foot into its nose when it came close enough to swipe, and it whimpered, pulling back and rushing into the darkness again, black scales fantastic camouflage.


Ransolm took the vibrostave off his back then, pushed August a bit away. When August looked at him, he just gave a nod. He was good enough now – he would contribute, so they didn’t die.


~***~


Mira could not look at Ada as she told the story, and she remembered what it was, she was supporting. She had made it clear she didn’t agree with it, of course, but she couldn’t change the past. Not the past of the First Order, and not her own.


But she could try to change the future. ‘He has to see now that people will join him, willingly.’ The FOTC should be sign enough of that. In spite of Hosnian Prime, there were still be people who wanted to join the First Order, serve them, assist them. There wasn’t going to be anymore need to recruit as he had done in the past.


And Finn kept that patient, understanding look on his face that proved to the universe he was too good for it. He squeezed his mom’s knee lightly, and as he saw that desperation wash over her, he pulled her into another embrace, “I’m okay, though,” he wouldn’t say it was okay. It couldn’t be okay, what happened, “I figured it out. Didn’t get brainwashed by the First Order,” he wondered if others from the FN crew had been from the Coruscant hospital.



Nines? “My first mission out, I couldn’t…I couldn’t do it, couldn’t support them,” he said as he pulled away, “So I busted out, with a Resistance pilot, and I’m so glad I got to meet him, and be a part of this…this large thing. Without me, they wouldn’t have gotten rid of Starkiller base,” some pride. “And I’m here now, too. And I’m gonna stay in your life now – you’re not getting rid of me.”


Mira glanced down to BB-8 as the droid beeped, seeming to swoon on its round body, and she gave it a wry little grin.


“But what about my dad? Is he still around?” Was he ever around, Finn wondered. It seemed like…felt like, she’d been alone for so long. And she hadn’t mentioned him in the story.


“Maybe you don’t have a dad,” Mira said, thinking of Anakin.


“I think I would have known about another vergence in the Force.” Qui-Gon said.


Finn noticed, “What did he say?”


Mira just shook her head. Wasn’t comfortable talking about the Ghost around a woman who already probably hated her. She sipped the hot chocolate, as if it would spare her from answering, and give room for Ada to answer.


~***~


The Commandant didn’t respond to her comment about the ‘fight against his son’. That wasn’t the real fight, the real reason. It was a fight for the First Order, and for them to succeed. His son just happened to be on the wrong side of that war.


He walked forward and strapped the cuffs on her wrists, glaring into her eyes as he sensed some defiance in her statement. “You will, if you want him to join you with Snoke.” He reminded, before grabbing the center of the cuffs and pulling her harshly forward, hoping she would stumble a bit, and out of the room. He grabbed the wine on the way out.


The Stormtrooper seemed to panic. “S-Sir, the prisoners aren’t—”


“The prisoners are going to a more secure place, one at a time for safety purposes,” he snapped, “Terex is bringing around the Carrion Spike. It has a containment field.” Well, it did.


No one could say Wilhuff wasn’t prepared.


Comandant Hux wouldn’t have been surprised to hear that August had suggested them. He probably had a few himself.


He walked on to the other cell, and with one look to the guard, the door opened.


Gnaeus was there. Conscious now, but clearly not exactly present. Not until he heard the doors opened, and then he lifted his head. “Ariel!” Surprise. He wished he could pull forward.


He glared at the Commandant, “What game is this?” Snarled the words, thinking this was some mad design to get one of them to talk by torturing the other.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin let Kylo take the lead. She followed after him, watching as it got more and more awkward for Kylo to walk. It grew all the more painful for her as well, as she had to begin to bend down and use the wall to walk at the same time. Eventually she had to start crawling as well, which was not fun for her leg.


“This is ridiculous.” She kept her gaze mostly downward to avoid having to stare at Kylo’s behind. Even if it blended in with the darkness. ‘I’m ridiculous.’


Paquin struggled to crawl up the incline. Then there were noises and the corridor was shifting, then Kylo’s butt did not blend in with the darkness because it was no longer dark. Luckily Paquin was looking downward and was given a second for her eyes to adjust. Outdoors.


“Thank the Force.” She breathed as the outside world welcomed her. She used the Force to help herself to a standing position once again. She was a little dizzy upon standing up, the light a little too bright. She leaned on the tomb they’d just left. “The Sith are cruel, I’m glad we’re out of there.” She groaned. Her thoughts wandered to Snoke then. The words Sith and cruel simply brought him to mind. “Thank you. For not leaving me in there. Even though I told you to.” Hopefully this holocron would appease Snoke.


She didn’t want to be to blame for something happening to Kylo.


-


He and Hux were making much better time than his father and Ransolm, not that they knew that. 


Johann and Hux were both uninjured, both armed. Johann remembered where the traps were along the ‘path’ that was taken, both him and Hux having already avoided a pit trap. The traps weren’t Johann’s main concern, though. It wasn’t the arachnids, either. It was the other animals. Especially as it grew darker.


Even Hux knew that darkness wasn’t a good sign. They weren’t more protected. In fact, they’d be at a disadvantaged. They’d only have the moonlight as a light source. “What should I be expecting here, Johann?” Hux questioned there was only a sliver of sunlight left. They were almost on the other side of the mountain, at least. It wouldn’t be long before they reached the river. Nexu territory.


Which Johann began to explain. “Our issue is going to be the Nexu.” They’d reach their territory before anything else became a threat. Or at least they’d be too near it for any other animals to risk it.  “It’s about dinner time for them.” Which would be another thing they’d have to deal with. Johann could hope they’d already be hunting something else, but he doubted they’d have that luck. 


“And we’re heading straight for them?” Hux questioned incredulously.


“Yep.”


It was then that a howl echoed, and the two gingers froze. It wasn’t anywhere near them, they knew. But it still worried Johann. “I sure hope that’s one of Snoke’s guys.” And not his father and Ransolm being hunted. 


With that, they continued on, mostly in silence. Then they could hear the sounds of water rushing down the mountain. Johann couldn’t help but be paranoid that the Nexu hadn’t appeared yet. And that his father and Ransolm weren’t there yet, either. “Stay alert,” Johann warned in a whisper. He almost felt like they should have killed something. Brought it into Nexu territory. It was a trick proven to work. 


-


Ada was overwhelmed by pride for her son. Even though she failed him, let him go, he still turned out to be so wonderful. Tears were wiped from under her eyes as Finn inquired about his father.


Mira made a comment, saying maybe he didn’t have a dad. If Ada hadn’t known the things she did, that would’ve been the weirdest statement. But Finn’s father, she wasn’t sure if she could call Mace her ‘lover’ even twenty-years later, had shared a lot of things. A time of weakness, she understood it as. But the question of ‘what did he say’ did strike Ada as weird, as she wasn’t aware of the Force ghost in her apartment.


She moved on, though, to answer Finn’s question.


“He has a father.” Ada confirmed. “And I hope you don’t think less of me for this, but I didn’t know your father for very long.”


Finn couldn’t think less of his mother. Sometimes things last for a long time or sometimes there’s one night stands. But Finn wanted to know. “Did he…leave us?”


“No! No. Well, yes. But he didn’t know I was pregnant with you.” At least, she thought he didn’t.


“Well, what was his name? Maybe we can find him too.”


Ada chuckled at that. She’d tried, but she wouldn’t crush her sons dreams. “His name was Mace Windu. Your birth name is Adley Windu. He wasn’t there when you were born, obviously, but I still felt you should have your father’s name.” Tradition, she supposed.


Finn’s eyes widened. “Wait, Mace Windu? As in Jedi Guide Mace Windu?” He’d seen that name it there. He looked to Mira then, as if she could confirm.


-


‘Asshole.’ She couldn’t help but think as Brendol yanked on the cuffs, causing her to stumble. But he was taking her to Gnaeus. so she refrained from saying anything that could set the asshole off. He couldn’t kill her, but he could do something to Gnaeus.


And Force was she happy to see him. “Gnaeus!” If only she could hug him then. “Listen, I’m getting us out of here okay.” She explained after the snarl. “Commandant Hux and General Hux have serious issues and the Commandant wants to overthrow his son, so we made a deal. I take him to Snoke and then we come back for you.” The ‘we’ wasn’t specified. Someone would be coming back for Gnaeus, she’d made sure of it.


“I know what you’re probably thinking, but—“ It was then that her ears finally seemed to register the heart monitor. ‘Stable.’ Her eyes moved from Gnaeus’s face to look over his condition, gasping. “Holy shit! What did you do to him?” Ariel then yanked the cuffs out of Brendol’s grasp then, nearly prepared to snap the Commandant’s neck.


‘They cut his fucking hand off!’ Ariel, of course, wasn’t aware that this had occurred on Cimarosa. She’d been knocked out right before. Her mind figured that they must have gone to him before her, failed to get him to talk or something. 


She seriously was considering just killing the Commandant and using his hand to free Gnaeus. Maybe they’d make it out.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo had not been looking down, but he still crawled forward as he shut his eyes, feeling the ground of Korriban beneath him and then using the pyramid’s side to pull himself back up. He put a hand over his eyes, trying to shield himself from the sun. ‘What time is it? How long were we in there?’ Why was the sun so damn bright?


“The Sith were cruel,” Kylo stated his agreement, leaning against the pyramid as he tried to remember where his ship was. Somewhere around the pyramid. Not right in front of them, of course, that’d be too easy.


When she thanked him, he glanced at her, almost confused by it, “Of course,” he said it, as if it were something he would have done no matter what. “You’re a Knight.” She was important, if not to Snoke, to him. Ariel and Gnaeus, as well….


‘Perhaps you should have thought that of Kevan. Mira.’


He had, but…he had still allowed Snoke to easily sentence Kevan, hadn’t he?


He shook the thought off. “Let’s find the ship and try to get in touch with Snoke.” He told Paquin, “Hopefully he won’t be too upset.” Kylo wouldn’t have that luck. Never had that sort of luck.


~***~


The next blackstalker that showed up out of the darkness bit into the staff as Ransolm used it, and didn’t let go. It pulled, trying to drag it from Ransolm’s hands, and another dashed out of the darkness, black rattail slashing the air behind it, and for Ransolm’s back.


It didn’t forget August, but they kept thinking he was the weak one – they smelled his blood, after all.


When August kicked this time, it swerved, but towards the cliff. August had his blaster out now, and used it. It didn’t really hurt, but the force of the blast knocked the creature back into the cliff, and turned it on August.


It lunged, and August moved his arm into its path, feeling those teeth sink in, August couldn't feed it the armored pad, as the hind legs fell to his chest and knocked him onto his back. Not a good position. It couldn't break through the vest, though the shirt was torn to shreds.


But he rolled the beast who refused to let go of his arm and tilted its head sharply back as the hindquarters struggled for grip, for strength, tearing down his chest as Ransolm finally got his staff free and broke open the head of the creature who held it, then turned to help August…only to hear the satisfying snap as the blackstalker’s head broke.


The mother and the father of the small pack. The younger ones weren’t bold enough to come dashing out of the darkness again, and August grabbed his dead one.


“Why…?”


“The nexu and I have an arrangement,” he said, as if it were something they had spoken about. “Food will get us passage.” And not get him killed. His blood was going to draw in so many damn creatures.


At least in the Nexu territory he could rest.


“Let me carry it,” Ransolm said, noticing that August was struggling, considering the shape his arm was in. Ransolm took both, even though they were heavy, and he did his best to grin and bear it, letting August have the staff and the gun.


They would reach the river after Johann and Hux, “You two look well,” Ransolm commented when he saw them. “Johann, we need to find a place to rest,” the reason was obvious. August’s condition was not improving as he walked.


August still spoke, “Just follow the river,” they were bound to bring the Nexu around.


~***~


“I’m the only Jedi who followed our rules,” Jinn complained, irked as he heard that Mace was the father. Mira just chuckled.


“Master Windu,” she said, wondering if it could be true, “He created vaapad for lightsaber fighting – the style that Kylo Ren uses,” she told Finn. “If he’s your father, he was considered one of the most powerful Jedi of his time, alongside Master Yoda.”


“He would have been Grand Master Mace if Yoda wasn’t around.”


“That would explain your Force sensitivity,” she said.


Finn smiled at that consideration, at the idea his father had been some powerful hero. He looked back to his mother, realizing he hadn’t told her about that, “Um, so Mira…she’s with the First Order,” obviously, “but she’s also a Gray Jedi. She figured out I was Force sensitive when we were stranded on Jakku, after helping in the fight on Cimarosa against Snoke, um, the Sith,” he figured that’d be the easiest way to explain it. “She’s going to be training me in the Force – and there’s a Force Ghost around here. Qui-Gon Jinn. He talks to her.”


Finn hoped that summarized everything, and what Mira really was to him. Not his girlfriend. And not the First Order – not to him, anyway.


Mira sipped the hot chocolate. Not commenting. “So what did he say?”


“He’s very bitter he’s the only Jedi who followed the rules.” Mira said.


“Does he know where Mace is?”


“I thought he was dead.”


“He thought Mace was dead. Shouldn’t he be dead now, anyway?” Just from age.


“Well now I don’t know. Humans with the Force can live longer, use it to prolong their lives. Sometimes I wonder if Yoda did….”


“Jinn knows nothing.”


~***~


The cuffs slipped out of his grip, and the Commandant felt the anger in the room. He reached for his blaster, took it from its holster. He wasn’t about to get caught off guard by a damn Force sensitive.


He didn’t fire it, of course. “I didn’t do it. Mira did it,” he told Ariel, directing her rage appropriately.


Gnaeus shut his eyes. He felt his own anger, but it was still weird to him experiencing the emotions without the flux of the Force around him. “She exploded the crystal in my hand or…something,” he told Ariel, confirming what Brendol said. He still wasn’t clear on the details, all he knew was minute he was holding his lightsaber, the next he absolutely was not. “Then I passed out…now I’m here,” he took a deep, shaky breath, opened his eyes again, “How are we getting out of here? Wouldn’t the First Order stop him?”


Brendol puffed a bit, “They wouldn’t dare. I’m the highest ranking officer on the ship right now,” said with some pride. As if he hadn’t, in a way, been demoted by the promotions of others. “Come on, Ariel. You saw him now. Let’s get you to Snoke and get this deal made.”


“Deal?”


“I want to work with all of you again,” he said simply.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin couldn’t help but smile at his words. It had been alluded to that she was a Knight, but she appreciated hearing it directly. ‘You’re a Knight.’ She liked hearing it from Kylo, anyway. She still quietly questioned if she wanted to be here. If being a Knight was even a good thing. 


For now she just enjoyed the heartwarming feeling it gave her.


Which didn’t last very long.


That heartwarming feeling turned into a nervous pit in her stomach at the mention of Snoke. She nodded, using the tomb to assist in her walking. She wasn’t sure what direction they came out in or where the ship was, but if they went around they’d get to it. And they did, though it seemed like such a painfully long walk to Paquin.


Avoiding the stairs to the tomb, she entered the ship and found relief when she finally got to sit down and really rest her leg. She’d leave calling Snoke up to Kylo, since she didn’t know how. She wanted to give him one of her reassuring pats, but refrained. She wasn’t sure they even did anything for anyone.


-


Johann was paranoid. Eyes darting around the dark, trying to see what he could. He jumped when he heard the sound of something approaching, but was relieved when Ransom’s voice came, the moonlight illuminating his father’s red hair. 


Relief didn’t last long, seeing the blackstalkers, seeing his father who looked too pale. Even in the dark. Johann moved to help Ransolm, grabbing one of the blackstalkers. Johann wondered what would attract the Nexu. Them or the artificial beasts. “Father, maybe you should rest. It’s not like we have to go search for the Nexu.” Johann knew what the blackstalkers were for. Here was a good a place as any.


Hux stood awkwardly, looking around for the aforementioned Nexu. The mixture of the emotions coming from Johann that Hux himself could not relate to and the nonexistent safety kept him uncomfortable. And what was this about not having to search for the Nexu. "Aren’t we supposed to keep away from things that want to kill us?” Why would they sit still? Were these people that crazy.


Johann sighed, but began to follow the river. He knew his father would insist on following it. The sooner they offered up the blackstalkers, the sooner August would rest. And Hux questioned their methods. “It’s sort of a deal. We feed the Nexu and they leave us alone for the night.”


“And other creatures?”


“They won’t venture into Nexu territory if they know what’s good for them.”


‘And I thought my father was insane.’ Different kind of insanities, Hux supposed. 


And the Nexu they were waiting for had caught August’s scent, most prominently. Then the blackstalkers. Then the others. And they lurked on the other side of the river, all four eyes of each beast glowing in the moonlight, waiting for the right time to cross the river and strike.


-


Ada had to absorb all the information. She knew of Finn’s Force-sensitivity. She knew when she was pregnant that there would be a chance. Was Ada comforted in the fact that Mira was going to be her son’s Force teacher? No. Not really. She still didn’t trust the blonde.


But Ada would say nothing. Mira meant a lot to Finn. And Finn was grown now. She couldn’t make decisions for him. But from what he’s told her, how he went rogue on his own, she trusted that if he knew something was wrong then he would no longer participate in it.


And then there was this Force ghost stuff. Qui-Gon Jinn. Mace had mentioned him during their time together. During a conversation about the Jedi. How Mace was breaking rules he’d followed so religiously. A mention of Qui-Gon Jinn during that conversation. Ada could guess what Gray Jedi meant.


Ada took a sip of her hot chocolate. “I don’t know if your father’s alive or not. I haven’t seen him in over twenty years. I’d love nothing more than for you and your father to meet. All of us to be together, but I don’t want you to get your hopes up about him being alive.” Or Mace to be happy about a son he didn’t know he had. “Or finding him at all. The galaxy is big, love.”


Finn sighed. “Don’t worry, mom. I won’t get too excited. But I have to try, at least.”


“Of course you do.” Ada smiled. “He turned out to be such a lovely man, didn’t he?” Ada directed that to Mira. It was an attempt to include the woman. Come to terms that she was going to be prominent in her son’s life.


-


Ariel was going to kill Mira. Ariel was going to kill her, that beautiful chocolate man, and the rest of the Order. Maybe she and Gnaeus could go about cutting all of their hands off, too. 


Ariel rolled her eyes at Brendol’s little spiel about being the highest ranking on the ship, at his puffed posture. But she’d let the Commandant take the reigns again.


“I’ll see you later, okay?” Ariel spoke to Gnaeus, “When you get back, we’ll talk to Paq. See what she can do about your hand.” She offered him a small smile. Surely Paq could get him a cybernetic or something. Was there such thing as a hand transplant? She wondered if regrowing body parts would be apart of Darth Plagueis’ notes. Still would need to find that, though.


She’d let the Commandant lead her out of Gnaeus’s room, for appearances. Let him lead her to the hangar. Almost instantly she could tell which one was this Agent Terex. He didn’t look like someone that would be apart of the Order. He stood apart from those neat, clean officers.


“Oh, another redhead? She’s a hot one, though.” Terex commented when the two approached. “Just my type.”


“I will crush your head between my thighs.” Ariel threatened.


“I’d love that.” Terex winked, gesturing to the ramp leading into the Carrion Spike. “Ladies first.”

 

[Lucyfer]

The ship took some walking to get to, but even Kylo was relieved to find it. Paquin could sit down and properly rest.


He could face the penalty for his actions.


It would be a weight off his shoulder, at least. He knew there would be a penalty. He knew it would be severe. He did not hesitate once he was in the ship and sitting in the pilot’s seat. No, he called right out to the Supreme Leader.


It took longer than usual. However, the Supreme Leader did answer, and he did not speak when the small hologram appeared.


His silence was far more intimidating than his voice. Kylo bowed his head, “Supreme Leader,” he managed to say it without  a hitch, “A holocron was found in the tomb. It relates to the prophecy, and offers some idea of where the Jedi Valley is.”


Still nothing.


“We have now left the tomb. I will leave for Eriadu, if that is still your wish.”


“No.” Kylo looked up then to the hologram. “Return to Kamino.”


Kylo swallowed his fear, “As you command.”


~***~


Ransolm easily handed over one blackstalker, glad to just be under the weight of one. August, of course, shook his head at Johann’s statement. “We should get further into their territory. We’re still on the outskirts,” last August knew, anyway.


He was pretty good at knowing what the nexu considered ‘theirs’.


So, they walked. August held himself together as best he could, though he knew he was quite the mess. Not exactly how he wanted to appear before Hux, but if nothing else it would remind Hux of why the First Order had lost, all those years ago. The Tarkins were insane, a certain, cultivated insanity that came from understanding the chaos of nature around them.


How certain creatures worked.


Like the nexu.


It did not take long as they followed the river, for August to catch sight of the eyes. He paused then, and so did Ransolm.


He looked directly into the darkness, into the eyes that reflected the light and then began to move out. The alpha of the pride, of course. It jumped from a tree, the height of the tree allowing it to land on the other side of the river and not splash about in the water. Its steps made no sound as it drew closer, other nexu starting to make themselves known, most moving through the rushing river itself.


August gestured to Ransolm, who handed over the blackstalker for August, who took it without question, keeping his eyes on the nexu.


He never turned away as he walked away from the group, and crouched down, throwing the blackstalker in front of himself. He kept his hands out to the side, palms up.


The alpha approached, sniffed it, then looked at August as if he was a far tastier treat. It circled around half, towards the injured arm, but August just followed it with his own eyes, promising a swift death to the creature with a look.


Its gaze shifted to Johann, the more familiar Tarkin – and then continued its path around August, brushing against his side with force enough that, had August not braced, he would have been knocked over. Its head tilted up a bit in the brush, almost cheek to cheek with August. Its maw opened wide, but then snapped shut.


It was a test. He heard Ransolm suck in a breath, just before the alpha plunged its fangs into the blackstalker and began to drag it off some feet from August. It let out a quick sound, indicating to the others that their meal was, in fact, the dead things.


One of the pride looked expectantly at Johann. Challenging the young boy not to give it up – see what would happen.


~***~


Mira wasn’t sure if she wanted Mace to be dead or alive. What she knew of Mace was that he was something of a zealot. A firebrand in his own way – and Kylo had some respect for him due to the style he created. A style that certainly rivaled her own preferences.


If Mace were alive, wouldn’t he want to kill her? ‘He’s hiding. If he’s alive he doesn’t want anything to do with this.’ Perhaps it would even be better to let him hide.


She left her thoughts when she seemed to be addressed, brought back into the conversation. A simple question. “Yes,” she answered the mother. Even if it was a lie, one didn’t tell a mother that. “He’s an admirable man. And stubborn.” Sipped the hot chocolate. Nearly gone now. She was going to run out of reasons not to talk soon, wasn’t she?


Finn grinned at that, pleased under the compliments even if it made him feel a bit awkward, too. Awkwardly warm. “Thanks,” cheeks tinted slightly, he shifted things again, “So, uh…of my family then…are my grandparents still alive?” He knew it was possible they weren’t, now. Gone away. But it’d be nice to meet them. Apparently they knew him as an infant – or at least his grandmother did.


He could go see her. “And how have you made it out here, mom? What do you do?” His father was apparently a Jedi. Impressive. But his mom seemed all the more interesting right then, too, as a woman who knew a Jedi and tried to keep him safe – was able to travel with him between worlds when he was young.


~***~


“Okay…,” Gnaeus didn’t want her to go. He didn’t want to be left alone again, but he understood the necessity. Still, he glared when the Commandant grabbed her shackles, and he could do nothing about it. If he just had the Force! "Be safe!" Parting words, before the door shut behind Ariel and took her away.


But he didn’t, and so he had to watch helplessly as Ariel went to go make deals with devils to get them both to safety. He hoped it would work.


The Commandant hoped it would work, too.


Brendol narrowed his eyes at Terex’s words, “I wouldn’t,” he stated to him, let Ariel go then so she could walk ahead as the ‘lady’. He would follow shortly after her, and once they were closed into the ship, he would reach out to undo the shackles from around Ariel’s wrists.


He was fairly confident not only in his own ability to deal with her, but Terex’s ability, and the Carrion Spike’s own defensive mechanisms. “Let’s get to the cockpit and get this sorted then, shall we, Ariel?” He addressed her, glancing to Terex to suggest he lead the way there. It’d been a while since…well, no, Hux had actually never been on this ship.


Wilhuff never allowed it. And he hadn’t been on it while Terex had it, now that he thought of it.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin knew better than to say anything this time around. But that made her all the more anxious. Snoke was still mad, he had to be. But when he spoke, his tone was neutral. Calm even. It was unnerving. And Paquin’s eyes darted between the hologram to Kylo, waiting for something to happen.


But nothing happened. No screaming, no pain.


“You will present the holocron to me when you arrive.” Snoke’s voice still held no particular emotion. And he made no reference to dealing with Kylo, or his disappointment, or anything. Nothing on if this holocron pleased him, if it go Kylo off the hook. Paquin wondered if he was doing it on purpose, to keep the two of them on edge. ‘Cruel.’ The thought popped up in her head, but she pushed it away. “Don’t be long.”


And with that, the hologram was gone.


Paquin blinked, looking back to Kylo. “Are you okay?” Did something happen that she couldn’t pick up on? Telepathic threats or something? “Was that…good?”


-


Johann slowly lowered the blackstalker to the ground, as to not alarm the Nexu with any sudden movement. His eyes remained on the challenging nexu as he let it drop to the ground, hands raising and backing away. The nexu stepped forward slowly before lunging, biting into the blackstalker and dragging it away. “You can have it, bud.” Others of the pride joined in feasting on the already dead creatures.


Johann’s shoulder’s slumped as they seemed to lose interest in the four of them. For the moment. “Father, will you rest now?” They had to stick around the Nexu, to keep themselves fresh in the creatures’ minds. “I can take a look at your arm.” He was no medic, but he could at the very least wrap it up tight until they could get back home. And how they’d do that would depend on how August and Ransolm would feel when the sun rose.


Hopefully they could walk back. Or hopefully someone had seen them leave for the Carrion


Hux let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. They seemed to be in the clear for the moment. Hux’s attention shifted to August, then, as his son talked to him. The older Tarkin did not look well. Probably not the state he wanted to be in in the presence of others.


There was one nexu, a small cub, who’d been chewing on tiny bits of blackstalker while occasionally looking up at the group of humans. Eventually, it slowly broke from it’s elders and trotted over to the group. It sniffed at the feet of Ransolm, moving onto Hux, then Johann, then finally to August. The little Nexu rubbed against the oldest redhead’s leg, with much more force than that of a household cat, letting out a small noise.


-


Ada smiled at the words Mira used to describe her son. Definitely things she wanted to hear. And then Finn shifted the conversation. And as he questioned her, she kept a smile on her face. Even as though the answers wouldn’t exactly be positive ones. “Your grandfather passed away a few years before you were born. Your grandmother is still alive, but she’s not very healthy.” 


Finn could pick up on what his mother was hinting at. Alive but for how much longer was the question. “Oh. I’m sorry.”


“She’d love to see you, if you ever get the chance. She loved you so much. I can get you her information, if you’d like.”


“I’d like that.” Finn nodded. He wasn’t sure when he’d get the chance to visit his grandmother, but he definitely hoped he’d be able to.


“And as for what I do for a living. I work for the Galactic Museum. I appraise things, I get to look for new artifacts. This galaxy is full of them. Some we have yet to discover. It’s fun. And it was very lenient when I was pregnant and raising you.” There was a period of time she wasn’t working after Finn was taken, but luckily they accepted her back when she finally returned. It even aided, though unofficially, when she was trying to find her son and former lover. She had a lot of connections through that job.


Unfortunately none of them led her to her son.


-


Ariel’s face displayed nothing indicating that Commandant Hux was clearly underestimating her and the Force when she was released from the shackles. But she’d let him. That would be a good advantage, if and when it was needed.


Ariel didn’t say anything to Brendol, instead grabbing the bottle out of his hands and using the Force to open it. Barely showing off. And for the sake of being difficult. She turned to Terex, who offered her a a smirk, “Right this way, Red.” And so he led Ariel and Brendol directly to the cockpit, where there were plenty of seats for them to take. “Where are we headed, then?” He asked as he settled into his seat.


Ariel, again being difficult, rattled off the numbers of coordinates to Kamino, memorized. Again to be difficult. But Terex didn’t miss a beat. 


“Kamino, huh? They specialize in cloning. Makes sense, doesn’t it Commandant?” But Terex continued, “How do we know you aren’t leading us to a place we’ll be shot at?” 


“You think I’d let us be shot at with me in the ship?” Ariel asked as she took a swig from the wine bottle. “Snoke will sense us once we get close. He won’t shoot us down.” She hoped, anyway. She honestly wouldn’t put it past him.


Terex turned to Brendol. “No going back once we leave this hangar. You ready for that? I can’t have you pussing out on me.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren listened to the orders that were given in such a neutral tone, paranoia increasing with each word. He didn’t let it show, remained as stoic as he could, but he was…worried. People learned to fear many things, and Kylo feared calm more than he feared the storm.


Especially when that calm was Snoke.


“I understand, Supreme Leader,” he said, before Snoke was gone.


His dark eyes lifted up to Paquin then, and he shook his head in answer, “I don’t know,” he informed her honestly. “He did not ask for you. If you like, you can stay and rest at Korriban,” it was possible the Supreme Leader might be angry at Paquin for making him…weak.



He’d prefer the anger of the Supreme Leader not pass to Paquin in this instance. It was his defiance alone. His weakness. He should learn to be stronger – Paquin had told him to go on. He chose to stay. She shouldn’t need to suffer for that.


~***~


“Yes,” August breathed out, relaxing his posture and smiling a bit. He glanced back to Hux, wondering if the General understood yet just what he was dealing with.



He heard that exhale. He stood, and calmly walked to be near the river, dropping down to his knees. He cupped his hands in it, brought the water to his lips, and drank what he could, before shifting his attention back to the General. “How do you like my home, Hux?” He asked him, a touch of play in his tone.


Ransolm let himself drop then, at last. He wasn’t at all calmed in the presence of these beasts, tearing apart another creature and digging in happily. How could he be? They could turn on them at any second – yet there was August, almost back to his normal, arrogant self, in spite of the paleness and bloodloss.


Or maybe because of it.


August began to remove his shirt. It was already shredded by the blackstalker. The vest remained, armor, but the shirt was more useful as a wrap now for his wounds.


As the cub came over, going to Ransolm, August asked, “As I suspect none of us have decent communication devices anymore, we will be moving to Jova’s home,” Johann knew it. Ransolm had all but frozen solid when the nexu came to sniff him, so it went on to the others, “Likely we’ll find it occupied, and we’ll deal with that, but it is our best bet for communication and resources.”


The cub was near him then, and he looked down curiously at the bold thing. Most would cling to their mother’s side. This one came up, mewling at him and rubbing against him like a cat – but obviously, not a cat.


He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, offered his good hand out to it. It approached, sniffed, then rubbed its own head against his hand. “August….”


“Hush.” He told Ransolm, letting the creature just rub itself against his hand for now, checking the reactions of the other nexu to see if he’d get away with actually responding back to its desire for affection.


~***~


Mira looked up again at the mention of ‘Galactic Museum’.


“Yes. That could be useful.” Qui-Gon echoed the thought she didn’t speak, though her eyes clearly showed her interest. Then went back down to the hot chocolate.


Finn noticed, too. “Mom, do you know anything about the Gray Jedi? Or maybe some old artifacts that Mira and I could take a more…private look at, someday?” He asked on her behalf, offering, “Mira and I are sort of starting a new thing to improve on the old. I got that right, right?”


Mira nodded.


“But there were Gray Jedi before her, and we don’t know anything about them. We’re sort of just…making it up as we go,” he didn’t mind that, but direction would probably be useful. “Oh! And we have lots of Jedi Guides, with us in our ship. Would the museum like that? They’re not the originals, but they have notes from Jedis like Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi! Mira’s getting lots of copies made, so maybe that’s not rare enough for the museum anymore.”


“Your connections,” Mira said, a bit too soft for her normal tone. There was a certain fear she had of Ada, confessed in the tone alone. “Would they be able to…get the guide out to many worlds?” War propaganda. It was necessary. That was why Mira was here – senators from all over were here. She needed to start here, and then move beyond the normal boundaries to get the news to others.


Spread it. Burn Snoke’s plans and goals to the ground.


~***~


The Commandant took a seat near and behind Terex, folding his arms over his chest as Terex made his commentary on things. “Yes, it makes sense. Snoke has a clone army,” he probably didn’t need to tell Terex that, either.


Seriously, where did the man get his information? That was perhaps the most closely guarded secret of the entire universe. Moreso than Luke’s location.


It was why Brendol was sure he could trust him. He kept secrets. He knew how to keep them, how not to get caught, how to remain useful until they sprung the trap and took over. It was odd how it didn’t make Brendol mistrust him.


He did bristle at the accusation, “Don’t make me regret this, Terex. I can see your ship returned to Eriadu,” he threatened instead, added, “Get us to Kamino, and make sure the communications aren’t blocked.” Snoke would hopefully hail them. Or someone would hail them on Snoke’s behalf. Then Ariel could talk and make sure they would have passage down to land, and an audience with Snoke himself.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin shook her head. “I’ll go with you.” She was thinking the opposite of Kylo. She would rather have Snoke’s anger passed onto her or divided between the two. Kylo didn’t deserve to be punished for doing something kind. Being a leader like he was supposed to be. Not to mention it was partially her fault. She got herself injured. 


If anything, she’d be there for him so he wouldn’t be alone should something like before happen. Where he became all silent. Or if he just needed someone.


And if she stayed on Korriban, all she’d be doing is sitting in pain, thinking of Ariel, Gnaeus, and Kylo. Wondering when or if they’d come back. Might as well go with Kylo and possibly serve some sort of purpose.


“If Snoke doesn’t want me in the room with you or if you don’t want me in the room, I can wait for you elsewhere.”  It was then that Paquin did offer him a brief pat on the arm. It was just her thing. To show support.  And with that she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, to enjoy the brief moments of rest she’d get. Before she willingly hobbled into the angry storm that was the Supreme Leader.


-


With the blankest look Hux could manage, “Your home is lovely.” He answered in a deadpan tone, to much his expression. Or lack there of.


The nexu cub made its way over to Hux, sniffing at his boots, and it reminded him of Millicent. He was glad he’d passed her off to Mitaka beforehand. They weren’t shot down, but she still would have been in danger. She was safe. And she’d somehow wormed her way into being apart of the handful of things that Hux really cared about. On a personal level.


Hux shook those mushy thoughts from his head as he could almost hear the scolding voice of his father, and shifted his attention back to August, speaking of moving to Jova’s home. It amazed Hux that anyone would choose to reside in the Carrion, especially as August said that the home might be occupied. ‘Whatever it takes to get back to the others.’ Hux couldn’t help but feel useless in the Carrion.


This always seemed to happen. Whenever it came time for battle, he always managed to be whisked away from action. First Jakku, now into the Carrion.


“We’ll leave when it gets light out. When it’s safe…ish.” Johann added. The Carrion was never really safe. He ventured over to his father, stepping around the nexu cub that seemed to cuddle up next to August. He took the ruined shirt from his father and ripped off a smaller part, getting it a little wet and using it to wipe away blood. River water wouldn’t be good for washing it out, but it was for simply removing blood. “Father, is that really safe?” He questioned as he began to use the rest of the shirt to wrap the wound tight and cover it.


Johann and Hux simultaneously spared glances to the feasting Nexu. One adult seemed to look back at them and grunt, but did nothing to take action against the man touching the cub.


-


Ada was surprised by the sudden interest in her job, especially from Mira. But it all made sense as Finn continued on.


She started off by answering Finn, “There’s no specific exhibit for Gray Jedi, but I’d be happy to take you two through the Jedi or Sith wings one day, if it means that much to you.” Improving on the old, she wasn’t one hundred percent sure what that would entail, but she’d see to it as long as it would do some good. “Maybe you’ll be able to find something along Gray Jedi lines there.” 


Whatever to help her son learn and grow now that she was in his life. Later than she would’ve liked, but still in it.


And to help Mira, whether Ada really liked it or not. Clearly this Mira would be a big influence on her son. Might as well give them something stable to go off of.


“The museum probably wouldn’t display a copy of the Jedi Guide. If you had the original, that would be a different story. But, I can pull a few strings and see if I can have them sold in the gift shop.” She turned to Mira, raising an eyebrow at the soft tone in her voice. “Yes, they could. Any planet you could imagine, really. I can make a few calls if that’s what you two need.” Ada offered.


-


Terex snorted, smirking back at the Commandant. Despite his playful look, his tone was all but. “You won’t touch this ship.” A wink, then he turned around, starting up the Carrion Spike. Ariel’s eyebrows rose as she took another long drink from the wine bottle. Terex flipped a switch, double checking communications were on. And then they were off.


“Lightspeed is so convenient.” Terex commented as he switched the ship out of hyper drive, just before they enter the atmosphere of Kamino. Rainy and dreary, just as Ariel remembered. It was particularly stormy, in fact.


Ariel thought to the running joke that Snoke could control the weather. ‘Wonder what he’s pissed about now.’ She chuckled at that.


“You are entering restricted area,” it wasn’t the dreamy voice of a Kaminoan that greeted them, but a clone. “Turn back now.”


Terex gestured for Ariel, holding the button for her to speak. Ariel leaned forward. “It’s Ariel Ren. I’m with two men named Agent Terex and Commandant Hux. They want to speak with the Supreme Leader. Privately.”


“One minute.” The clone spoke after a few seconds, but then disappeared for a few minutes. He came back, though. “You’re clear to land.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren felt a rush of warmth as Paquin offered to stay, even if he feared for her. He would do what he could to make sure she didn’t suffer…but he was glad to have the support all the same. Wouldn’t push it away.


He didn’t know what to expect from Snoke, and that had him on edge, but at least he still had one knight here…one who still cared. The touch to his arm suggested as much, but she leaned away to rest again.


She needed it. Needed to learn how to heal with the Force, but it was the one thing he didn’t know how to teach her. “You should…perhaps try to channel the Force towards your leg. See if you can interact with it. I don’t know how exactly you’d heal it, but…there might be a way to encourage the flesh to grow. Divide the cells or, something.”


He didn’t really know much about healing.


He was a terrible teacher, wasn’t he? Getting her injured in the tomb….


He let out the sigh and shook it off, redirected his attention and lifted the ship up from Korriban, then put in the coordinates for Kamino to bring them back there.


~***~


August laughed. He couldn’t help it as Hux gave his deadpanned answer. He was only surprised that Hux put in that much effort to answer, as Johann came over. There was no argument about the plan, though.


Not that Hux would know to argue. Or Ransolm, for that matter, who kept a wary eye on the nexu as they grunted and continued on, all but ignoring them. It was fascinating in some ways, and terrifying in others, how comfortable August seemed here.


‘Wilhuff was the one meant to have kids. To carry on the name. I was going to live here.’ He remembered August complaining one day, a long time ago. He was more upset with the senate than with his actual life – wanted to run away from it all to live in the Carrion.


Ransolm would never understand it. Especially considering how August had already nearly gotten killed.


At Johann’s query, August arched an eyebrow, “Is any of this safe?” He asked, finally reaching out to scratch behind the nexu’s ear and draw it in closer to his side, letting Johann tend the wounded arm. “I have a feeling we’ve at least helped the war effort by disappearing, though it will mean we face hostiles at Jova’s home.”


He had no doubts. It wouldn’t remain hidden when they started to swarm the Carrion, though so help Snoke if they damaged the place. He didn’t think they would. They’d try finding any secrets it held, first. “You’ve never spent much time out in nature, have you, General?”


“This isn’t exactly a campsite, August,” Ransolm drawled, offering a defense of sorts for himself and Hux.


He smiled, “I don’t mean it as that. You, I know you’ve actually gotten out and enjoyed nature.” Hux, however…seemed far more tense here. As if he’d never left his spaceship.


~***~


Finn nodded excitedly at the prospect of going through both Sith and Jedi wings. “I didn’t know there would be a Sith wing!” Would have somehow figured Coruscant would want to get rid of those things, or hide them, considering Palpatine and Vader had made Coruscant their seat of power.


But that would be useful! If they were improving on things, they needed both sides.


Finn glanced to Mira as the gift shop, and moving copies, were mentioned. She gave a nod, “Yes. They can make as many copies as they like, to have ones to sale,” she was pretty sure copywrite wasn’t going to be an issue here. “It can help to fund the museum itself,” since they’d really just have to pay the cost of making copies for themselves. Mira didn’t need to charge, “Perhaps send the copies to other museums. I’m not trying to get them anywhere in particular, just…spread it. Far and wide.”


Make sure Snoke’s influence, fear of him, would be diminished.


~***~


‘Everyone gets attached to this damn ship.’ Wilhuff had been attached, and all who followed him. August Tarkin remained attached – so much so it had been one of the initial reasons for the divide with the First Order.


It was old. The Commandant didn’t understand the fascination.


Shortly, though, they made it to Kamino. And then, Ariel spoke, and they were given clearance to land. In fact, a landing strip seemed to rise from the stormy sea, and the Commandant rose from his seat as the ship was moved to that platform. “You’ll lead the way,” he told Ariel, though he noticed a human coming out into the storm, onto the platform from what appeared to be a covered passageway that would lead them down and under the sea.


Not exactly the most encouraging sight.


Still, he supposed that meant Snoke was keeping himself and his things well protected under the water.


The Commandant brusquely walked towards the exit of the Spike, though he would wait for Ariel to walk out first, and then he’d follow right after her.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin had to chuckle at Kylo’s ‘divide the cells or something’. “The body’s healing process is a little more complicated then that.” Not to mention she wasn’t sure how to use the Force in such a way. How to manipulate microscopic cells and tissue. If that’s even how Force healing worked.


She wouldn’t fault Kylo for not knowing much about any of that. He didn’t go to medical school. Poor thing didn’t even know what sepsis was. ‘Will I ever tell him what sepsis actually is?’ Maybe one day.


But for now, she’d at least try and interact, like he said. Keeping her eyes closed, she tried to press from all sides, like with a kyber crystal. But that seemed to only prove to be uncomfortable. ‘Think smaller.’ She had to really focus then, become oddly aware of every little bit of her within the flow of the Force. It wasn’t like she could necessarily pin point certain cells with the Force. But she just pressed. On a much smaller scale. She wasn’t sure what she was doing but all she knew was that it made her leg tingle.


At that feeling, she cracked an eye open to take a look at her leg and, ‘Nothing. Maybe it should be tested on something smaller.’ Like a small cut or something where results would be visible. If there were any.


-


“I’ve spent time out in nature. Maybe not in the same lengths as you,” not to such a dangerous extent. His own training called for it. Surviving outdoors. It helped his father pick off the bad cadets. Sometimes there’d be treks through wilderness, miles, just so his father could make a point to a group of teenagers. Learning how to cover tracks. Not only for enemies, but in the case of needing to off someone and not be found out.  Again, it wasn’t to the extent of the Carrion. Nothing that wild.


“I did not enjoy it then.” And he didn’t enjoy now.


He would admit, he much preferred the comfort of his ships. Surrounded by technology. Especially his beloved Starkiller. The Finalizer was a decent enough substitute. ‘But I loved that base.’ He wanted another super weapon. Maybe sometime in the future. He could find a reason, if blowing up Snoke wasn’t good enough.


It was then that Hux allowed himself to sit down, as the Nexu were still uninterested in them.


“How can someone not enjoy nature? It’s refreshing, being away from most things modern.” Even if Johann wasn’t as comfortable as his father in the Carrion, mainly due to not having nearly as much experience as August, he still found it rejuvenating. And when he returned home, he certainly appreciated the little things much more. Technology. The whole idea of this all. The Hux’s were weird.


The little Nexu cub circled around, before lying down resting its head on August and closing its four eyes, making little noises resembling purring. And it wasn’t going to go anywhere.


-


“Spread it. I can do that for you two.” Ada nodded. “The museum gets hundreds of thousands of visitors daily. Just give me what you can, I can start getting the Guides into the gift shop as soon as tomorrow.” She knew they’d sell out fast, no problem. “And I can start sending out Guides to my contacts, or give you their information. Just tell them Ada directed you to them. We can aim for other museums after that.”


Finn couldn’t help but grin at all this, at his mom’s helpfulness. “Wow, mom, this is great, really! Thank you for this.” 


“It’s nothing, anything to see my baby boy smile.” And to give him and this girl some stability. Ada had to reach over to pinch her son’s cheeks. She didn’t get to do it enough before Finn was taken from her. 


Of course, Finn became red again, but he didn’t mind the pinches to his cheeks. It was something he’d always heard of other kids, normal kids, be embarrassed of. But he never experienced it before, longed to.


“Can I ask why you two want to spread this, though?” Ada knew about the Jedi, the Sith, the First Order. She knew about Kylo Ren, vaguely familiar with the Knights. But she knew not of the evil that was Snoke or the power he held. He was definitely a silent leader. 


-


Ariel took one final chug from the bottle of wine, which wasn’t ever really pleasant, but it was putting back alcohol in her system. She’d leave it in the ship, knowing better than to bring the bottle in to meet Snoke. Even if literally everyone, including the Supreme Leader, knew she was an alcoholic. 


She stood then and led the way out. “Good luck, you two.” Terex offered to them jokingly, as he kicked back in his ship. He’d be staying behind. His job was transport, anyway. And if things went south, he was confident in his ability to get the hell out of dodge before anyone came near him. Though, he really would love to witness this possibly historic meeting first hand.


“Knight Ariel,” the clone greeted her as she and the Commandant reached him. “Follow me.” And down the passage the clone lead.


“Don’t be an idiot here, Commandant. Or you’ll get us both in trouble.” Ariel had seen Hux’s personality. Hopefully he was smart enough to act much more respectful to the Supreme Leader. Ariel herself was nervous. She didn’t often speak to the Supreme Leader directly. It was either Kylo doing the talking, or simply orders given and that was it. 


The clone them down further, into an underwater facility, unattached from the structures above. It was darker, even. Scarier. Straight out of a nightmare as they were led down a hallway, to a set of grand doors. Snoke really did seem to like feeling superior to everyone, didn’t he?


The clone pushed the doors open for them, before stepping back and leaving the area quickly. Ariel took a breath and stepped into the dark throne room, as it was. Snoke sat upon the throne, and while he wasn’t twenty feet tall, he still seemed larger than life. Made Ariel feel small. “Forgive me, Supreme Leader. Gnaeus and I were irresponsible and our actions led to this. Commandant Hux here wishes to make a deal with you.” The redhead figured that was a good way to start.


It was then, that Ariel felt the signatures of Kylo and Paquin enter the atmosphere. She tried to push down her anxiety and excitement for the moment, to focus on the meeting at hand.

 

[Lucyfer]

Though Kylo Ren had no idea what Paquin was doing, he still knew she was doing something. He did not speak to disrupt her focus, though he did glance over curiously a few times, trying to notice any change to the wound. He did not see anything himself, but he still wondered. It was a rather large wound, and he couldn’t see all the damage. Perhaps internal things were being repaired?


Perhaps the back of her leg?


He was taken from those thoughts when he came out of lightspeed, and noted not just the signature of the Supreme Leader, but Ariel.


His hopes sparked, and he quickly drew the ship down, seeing one of the platforms raised. No one stopped his ship – it was a familiar one, if not his own. The ship on the platform was also familiar, though Kylo couldn’t immediately place it.


Just Kevan’s nagging voice in the back of his mind. ‘Fucked it all up.’ As if that should be relevant to the ship. Kylo couldn’t remember why. “We’re here,” he told Paquin as he landed his own ship near the other on the platform. “I think Ariel may be here.” Perhaps she stole the ship. Got free.


But where was Gnaeus, then?


~***~


“Pity,” August said, more a comment to how Hux did not enjoy it. Ransolm at least enjoyed nature – perhaps not the Carrion, but he did have an appreciation for it. He glanced down as the nexu actually seemed to lay down on his lap, and Johann expressed his disbelief at Hux’s dislike of nature.


“Different lives, Johann,” August said, stroking the fur of the nexu, “The Empire was rather…sterile. I know I’ve told you enough stories of my time at the Academy when Palpatine ruled.”


Sterile. Technology. Everything constructed, dead.


It had always made him and Wilhuff outliers, which made them unique. Ladder-climbers. Others thought of machines, and so they sought their role in the machine itself. They never imagined themselves as one of those who repaired the machine, as August did. Wilhuff. “And Ransolm knows full well the care the Empire had for nature.”


Ransolm’s look shifted to moderate disgust at the reminder. How his own world was ravaged. “If I didn’t know you, I’d think you were a hippie.” But he knew August. Knew how well he played with technology. “You’re not thinking of keeping that thing, are you?” Referring, of course, to the nexu.


“I’ve already named it,” August lied. He glanced to Ransolm, Hux, “You two should sleep. We have a ways to travel tomorrow.”


“We are being pursued by Snoke, and you want us to sleep? Look, the animals might know not to come here, but Snoke’s forces don’t.” Ransolm protested.


~***~


Mira’s thoughts of getting the guides to the senators vanished. The senators would go to the guides. No need for her to get involved. Not yet. The important part would be handled, and when she had things figured out a bit more with Finn…with this whole Gray Jedi idea, perhaps then.


She turned her head to hide a smile when Ada pinched Finn’s cheek. Jealous, happiness, and sorrow waged their war, but Mira only let that smile show. She wanted to be happy for Finn, and she insisted on feeling that.


Yet, when Ada asked about the reason, Mira’s smile vanished.


Finn hesitated. “It, um, might be dangerous for you to know.” He said, noting the change in Mira easily.


Mira sighed. The woman could deal with some danger. “Supreme Leader Snoke is the common enemy of the First Order and the Resistance. The Jedi and the Gray Jedi. He leads the Knights of Ren,” Mira turned her head back, looked to Ada as she explained, “He’s a user of the darkside of the Force, in a universe that thinks the Jedi are myths. I want people to remember.”


To remember Luke and Palpatine, and how the light had triumphed. To remember it wasn’t just a story, a myth, though Palpatine had done a good job at making it seem so, even with all the long-lived species in the universe. “It’s just a bit of war propaganda. I want Snoke’s influence diminished when he does finally reveal himself.”


~***~


The Commandant didn’t bid Terex a farewell, just shot him a glance back. He would not ask him to come. It was better that he didn’t. If things went south, he’d already be in the ship – and admittedly, this ship was damn useful. Tarkin ingenuity at its finest.


He followed Ariel and assessed the clone put before him with dubious belief in its abilities. Clones had failed. Clones would always fail. It was one opinion he and his son shared. They lacked certain necessary abilities due to the way their biology was manipulated. Their personality.


Sure, his method needed tweaking – he saw that now from Finn and Hux – but he was on the right path.


“I know how to address an Emperor,” Hux shot back to Ariel, and that was how he intended to see Snoke. As the emperor they needed. The emperor his son should have worked with.


He did keep up appearances well. The dark water outside the glass created an eerie feel to their walk. The light seemed eerily dim beneath that water. Shadows seemed to be everywhere thanks to the way the water rippled.


And Snoke’s throne room was magnificently huge, with that same shadowy feel. Snoke was upon his throne, an alien taller than both of them, and Ariel spoke first, introducing him.


Though he was unused to it, the Commandant managed a brusque bend of his back, not quite a bow – but certainly more respect than he’d dared to show anyone in a long time. “A deal?” Snoke said. He ignored Ariel.



Not because she was out of trouble.


But because he, too, felt Kylo’s signature. And he knew he needed to try new ways to keep Kylo on his side. Punishing Ariel would only serve to anger Kylo, and not in the right way. “Commandant, I am not looking for deals.”


“She phrased it wrong,” he blustered out immediately, “I seek to return the First Order to you. I seek to run it in my son’s stead.” He met Snoke’s dark gaze, “My son erred. He’s damned the First Order to obscurity with his decision.”


Snoke never blinked.


He didn’t need to delve deep into this one, he was relatively simple in this respect: sincere in his belief that his son had messed up. And there was only ever one way to truly test it. “You wish to realign the First Order to me, before you have it in your grasp.”


“I need your help.”


“Is it so difficult to kill your child and take his place?” Bored. But Snoke knew where this was leading. This path was easy to see.


The General had secrets – secrets they both needed to learn.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin felt Ariel in the midst of her healing attempts, and she allowed herself to be hopeful, opening her eyes completely as Kylo announced they were there. She felt Ariel, but not Gnaeus. And that bit made her nervous. She tried to convince herself that maybe she just wasn’t focused enough on the Force, but she knew that wasn’t it. 


Paquin couldn’t help but think that Ariel wouldn’t leave Gnaeus anywhere if he was alive. Ariel seemed too loyal to the Knights, to Gnaeus. That thought didn’t help with keeping her spirits up. 


She stood, and paid attention to see if her leg felt any different. ‘Still hurts.’ She sighed. She wouldn’t reach for Kylo. Not only because she needed to start walking on her own, but when they joined Snoke, she didn’t want to anger the Supreme Leader any further with magnifying her injury and the fact that she was not abandoned in the tomb.


She wobbled herself down the ramp slowly when it was lowered, feeling her hair getting wet and frizzy at the same time. It was then that she spotted the other ship. “Hey, I know that ship. I know who pilots it, too. An asshole.” Paquin had met Terex on several occasions. “I hope Ariel stole that ship.” Otherwise she could only figure that Terex was up to no good.


-


“Casterfo is right. We don’t have to worry about the animals, it’s the people.” Hux spoke, ignoring the comments on the Empire’s sterileness, it’s lack of care for planets. Wasn’t his fault. Nor was the Order that bad. Hux liked to think they did only what was necessary, as clearly the ways of the Empire were faulty and chaotic. ‘At least when I destroy something, it’s done completely.’ The Hosnian System. Nothing left of that.


“I doubt even a third of them will make it this far,” Johann waved their worries off. “And if they do, My father and I will have you up and them taken care of before they can have a chance to attack us.” Not to mention the Nexu would likely eat them as a midnight snack.


“And if more than a third of them make it this far? And you two happen to fall asleep? I’d rather stay awake.” And there was also the fact that Hux still didn’t fully trust the Tarkins enough to be in such a vulnerable state that was sleeping. Hux could go without sleep. 


He vowed the next time he fell asleep, it would be on an actual bed. It’d been too long since he’d slept in one. Not since the night before the meeting. The topic made his thoughts drift to Mira. He hoped she was figuring out a way to resolve her Snoke problem, so she could sleep. 


“Suit yourself.” It was his life at stake. Totally would not be Johann or August’s fault if Hux happened to fall in a pit trap, or get shot. Eaten by some animal. Ransolm either. Instead of trying to convince Hux more, Johann’s attention reverted to the cub. He’d always wanted a pet. A nexu was no house cat, but he’d take it.


-


Ada could handle a little danger. And as Mira explained, the woman grinned. “I can stand behind that.” She knew Palpatine. She knew the war before this one, thirty years ago. She saw now, how people lived in fear. Young people thinking they were only a myth, some having no clue who the Jedi were, the beacon of hope that they were. She was constantly surrounded by Jedi and Sith, knew how evil Sith could be.


Eliminating any fear or influence this Snoke had over people, it was a strong idea. One that Ada knew had to work.


Ada still did not like the Order. They took her son, other people’s children. Destroyed planets. But she recognized that they were not the real evil here. 


“It’s very smart,” Ada was, however, warming up to Mira. That First Order coat that she wore over that green dress—an odd fashion choice, Ada thought—did not define Mira.


“Now, enough about that. I want to hear about my son. Are you in a relationship with anyone? I know you’re still young, but I want grand babies.”


-


Ariel was surprised she wasn’t immediately punished. Or acknowledged in that aspect at all. But she wasn’t relieved. Surely that would come once Snoke was done with Commandant Hux. Whatever he was going to choose to do with the man.


‘Phrased it wrong my ass. Fuck you, Commandant.’ Ariel couldn’t help but think, but managed to keep her outer expression neutral. But Force did she hate this Hux already. Like father, like son. And there was a chance she had to work with him. 


She stood still, but she waited anxiously to be reunited with Kylo and Paquin. She wanted to give them hugs. But that would wait until they were out of Snoke’s eyes.


“I can kill him, yes. But my son has very valuable information, information not attainable if he’s dead.”


Just as Snoke knew he’d say. “And you can’t get this information out of him?”


“I can’t, no,” not only would Hux not reveal anything to him in a regular conversation, but other means would not work. Brendol supposed that must have meant he did something right. “Nor can any ordinary man.” On his side, anyway. There was just him and apparently Terex.  “That’s why I need you and the Knights. I can supply you with other information, battle plans, the hierarchy, until the opportunity to take care of my son arises. I can bring you Gnaeus Ren, as I’ve done with Ariel.” He tried to make it sound less like a deal.


Ariel had to suppress an eye roll. She wanted this to go through, if only so it would be easier to get Gnaeus back.

 

[Lucyfer]

“That would explain why I keep thinking of it as someone who manages to not do their job well,” Kylo said. He did not want to use Kevan’s words. Wished he wasn’t even remembering the voice. Why was Kevan so opposed to this person?


‘And why shouldn’t I like them, then?’ Because Paquin thought they were an asshole.


But why should that matter? “I hope you are correct in your assessment,” if she knew it, it meant one other important thing, “I do not want to see anyone of the First Order here.” He’d end them. Lightsaber through their neck. He let the ramp close up behind them. No clone came to greet them – it was not necessary. Kylo Ren knew the path, and he would lead Paquin through it, pace slower than normal so that it wouldn’t be a strain for her.


~***~


August was of the same mind as Johann – if any made it to nexu territory, they still had to find their specific location. There was a decent chance they’d be torn to pieces before doing that, and if some lucky few made it here, well, August would just put a blaster bolt through their skull.


Done.


“I will be sure to let Phasma know your decision if you do not return because you stumbled into a pit.” August said flatly to Hux, added, “I would prefer to have you along. Dealing with those at  Jova’s will require your strategic abilities.” August wasn’t a general for a reason. He was a military man and knew strategy, but he also knew where his true talents lied.


He had Adelaide and a council for a reason. He listened to them. If Hux was half the general Adelaide was, he’d be useful.


Ransolm laid down, crossing an arm over his head. At least he could be sure that August wouldn’t leave him behind to die. “Just wake me up every couple of hours,” Ransolm requested. He was paranoid about the explosion. Didn’t think he should sleep too long, even as he shut his eyes.


August lifted his hand as he saw Johann’s interest in the nexu cub, to let him have room to touch its head if he wanted to. Gave him an encouraging look.


Julia would flay him if he returned with a cub, but Johann? She might let that slide.


~***~


Mira smiled, just a bit, at how Ada got behind it so easily. Even seemed to think it was smart. From her, it felt like quite the compliment – this was a woman who engrossed herself in a history of sorts. If she saw the merits, then this could work out. Had to.


When Ada asked about grandchildren, Qui-Gon’s ghost laughed, sparking that green light to the crystals.


“I’m not—”


“Poe Dameron.” Mira said immediately, earning a heated look from Finn, face still red and catching that hue again. “Resistance pilot. Bit of an asshole, but I like him. He’s optimistic and realistic enough for your dreamer son.”


Finn’s face was so red, “We’re not—we aren’t—”


BB-8 beeped out information about Poe and Finn kissing.


“No—Mira dared me to!”


“See how much he protests?” Mira couldn’t help but laugh then, seeing how flustered Finn was. “Tell her about Poe.”


~***~


Hierarchy. The word intrigued Snoke. It had never been important before, when he knew the hierarchy, but now he did not…and the way the Commandant said it, suggested changes. “What is the hierarchy?” The General was likely still at the top.


The Commandant answered, “My son moved quickly after he left from you. He overlooked many more deserving officers to surround himself with ‘yes men’ and manipulators,” he sniffed, “Phasma was made lieutenant-general.”


No surprise to Snoke.


“Mitaka was made colonel.”


Who was Mitaka?


“Mira was made Admiral.”


Ah. Of course she was. Snoke bristled.


“And he made a cat his Commodore.”


Snoke wasn’t sure what to make of that. How to even react to that. This was a joke group, then. Something perhaps to drive home the fact that Hux had no competitors? No one to question him, or even, truly, guide him?


“Your son has also aligned with August Tarkin, has he not?”


The Commandant let out a long sigh, “Yes. But I think August can still be – ”


“No,” Snoke cut that off. No more chances for August. “That is unimportant. He is growing his alliances quickly. I merely needed confirmation of that.”


Kylo burst through the doors then. When he saw the Commandant, he lit his lightsaber immediately.


“Lower your weapon.” Snoke didn’t even break his monotone. Kylo looked to him, but lowered it, as Snoke explained, “We will be working with the First Order again, through the Commandant, who will be taking it over.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin hobbled behind Kylo as he burst through the doors, catching sight of the Commandant and Ariel, but no Terex. And then it was explained that they would be working with the First Order again. And the Commandant was taking over? This was a hard thing to jump into the middle of.


Ariel turned as the doors burst open, not even having to wonder who it was. Especially when the sound of the lightsaber came. Kylo Ren, dramatic as always. She offered them a small smile, though her eyebrows furrowed as she caught sight of Paquin's rather large leg wound. What had they gotten into while she and Gnaeus were gone? 


Brendol had to resist the urge to snarl the signature Hux snarl when Kylo Ren burst in. He didn't even allow the man a glance. His dislike for the Knight was pushed to the side as it was confirmed that he and the Supreme Leader would work together to reclaim the Order. Set the galaxy back on the right path. He let himself stand a little straighter. "Thank you, Supreme Leader. This won't be a decision you'll regret."


Snoke didn't acknowledge that bit, "You will be equipped with a communicator before you leave, as will Agent Terex." He wasn't in the room, but Snoke obviously knew of him. "When I call, you will answer and you will do as I say." It wasn't obviously a statement pointed at Kylo Ren, but it was meant to be heard by him.


"Of course, Supreme Leader."


"You'll be met outside by a trooper to be equipped. You are dismissed." Ariel shifted, waiting for Gnaeus to be mentioned. Surely he had to want someone, she was thinking of herself, to tag along to make sure Gnaeus was brought back. 'Right?'


-


Hux wanted to make a comment about Phasma understanding his decision, but even though she'd understand it he somehow knew she'd try to find a way to scold him for it. Slap his dead wrist or something.


"And I will be along. I've gone longer than one night without sleep." He knew he could function fairly decent without his eight hours. He had to when he was younger, when he was a cadet. He also learned how to sleep standing up during that time. But that ability to go without sleep carried over to sleepless nights as General. Working on plotting, designing, building. It was frustrating work and not always rewarding.


But with those words, his decision was made and he distracted himself by watching the adult nexu. The feast seemed to be finished, and they all began to collectively lie down and begin cleaning themselves, clearly not even caring about the group at all.


Johann did touch the cub's head. "Can we actually keep it, though?" He asked in a whisper, to allow Ransolm some sleep. People have had nexu as pets before, as guard dogs. The only probably Johann could see was sneaking it away from the pride.


-


"We're not dating, mom, I swear. But Poe, he really is a nice guy. Funny, brave. Has really nice hair. And isn't awful looking." Finn shook his head. What was he saying? He shifted, "Like I mentioned, I helped him escape the First Order. He gave me the name Finn because of the letters FN. He also gave me this jacket. And BB-8 is his droid. His traitorous droid." An offended beep.


"Poe, huh? A boy, then?"


Even though Finn wasn't with Poe, he still felt nervous when his mom seemed to question that. 


"You two can still give me grand babies! Adopt or something, there's all sorts of options nowadays! He gave you his jacket and a name! And obviously he let you bring his droid so he can make sure you're being safe. He sounds so lovely, Adl--Finn! I have to meet him, you know that right?"


"Mom, I told you! We aren't together. But I'm sure you'll meet him at some point. But not as my boyfriend! We kissed once on a dare, that doesn't mean we're together." Finn shot a glare to Mira, though he wasn't genuinely angry.


"Uh huh, sure, love." Ada winked. 

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren was not sure what to think, or how to really accept this. He took the order, and he stepped aside so that the Commandant would have a clean path to exit, but he didn’t like it. The Commandant was a snake – less worthy of their trust than even the General.


He couldn’t let him be dismissed that easily. “Where is Gnaeus?” Kylo demanded when the Commandant was dismissed, looking between those there. He knew Gnaeus couldn’t be dead.


Snoke answered, “Gnaeus will be returned shortly. Won’t he?” A pointed look to the Commandant.


The Commandant nodded, “Yes. Immediately.”


“Good.” And then there was a slight flick of the wrist, and the Commandant moved to leave.


The Knights stayed rooted to the spot, and Snoke looked down to Ariel, held her in his gaze for several long seconds before he said, “Thank you, Ariel,” it was likely the first time she’d heard those words. It would likely be the last time, as well. “With this connection we may be able to restore some of what we have lost.”


His eyes then moved to Kylo, “Like Eriadu.” Kylo felt a flush of shame. Took a knee immediately.


An apology wouldn’t cut it, but he spoke it, “I am sorry, Supreme Leader.”


~***~


August certainly believed Hux on that. He’d spent many sleepless nights himself – notably after Johann was born. Why did infants have to cry so much? If anyone deserved to be crying it was him – he had to deal with the stress of bills and governing. Not the infants.


But at least Johann was worth it.


He smiled at his son, “Maybe.” He said, glancing to the adults, “If they allow it,” they were not kidnapping a nexu. That would…that would not go well. The Carrion would spill out into Eriadu. Hell hath no fury like a mother.


He put his good arm behind himself, leaned his weight back on it. He was hungry. He couldn’t go hunt now. Not on their territory. They could gather a breakfast in the morning. He shut his eyes, “You should sleep, Johann. One of us ought to be awake enough in the morning,” and he wouldn’t be sleeping. He knew that, instinctively, even if he wanted to. He couldn’t. Not when he didn’t know what was going on.



He could hear distant explosions.


He knew the fight continued. He trusted Adelaide and the Mottis. He trusted he had done some good by running off, but he didn’t know.


It would keep him awake.


~***~


Mira tried not to laugh harder when Finn described Poe’s hair. How he wasn’t bad to look at. She managed it, managed to calm her laughter in general as he tried to convince everyone he wasn’t interested in Poe.


She did chuckle at his glare. “Finn also has a good friend named Rey, but she’s a Jedi.” Mira told Ada, “And Leia Organa likes him.” Highlights of her son’s life. She yawned, shook her head, set the empty cup down, “And he dragged me here when I had other plans…but it seems to have turned out better.”


“Sorry,” Finn noted the yawn, put a hand behind his head as he remembered – they had to catch up with Rollo, too, didn’t they? “We were kind of looking for a…ghost. I guess.”


“He’s not here.”


“Obi-Wan isn’t here,” Mira said. "Of course he's not, this couldn't be easy...," muttered.


“Drat. Well, um, we do kinda need to find him…quick,” he looked apologetically to his mom, “But we can show you the ship! Give you information to get back in touch with us, and come see you again, real soon!” Finn promised.


“And get her guides.”


“And get you guides!”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Gnaeus seemed to be added as an after thought, but thankfully he was going to be brought back and that’s what mattered. Ariel felt odd being thanked by Snoke. And she thought it would be something that would make her feel proud, but if anything it made her even further uneasy. And then something involving Kylo, Paquin, and Eriadu had happened? And Snoke was upset about it, apparently.


They’d all really have to catch up after this.


If there was an after this.


Ariel and Paquin shared a dislike for seeing Kylo take a knee in front of Snoke, having to hear him apologize. Paquin wanted to reach out and do her little pat, but would not do that in front of Snoke. Instead, both the women kept their eyes cast downward, waiting for whatever punishment to come. To any of them really. They’d not been good Knights, had they?


But the punishment they all were expecting didn’t come. No, Snoke had to reel Kylo Ren back in. Punishing him or either of the other two would only push the man farther away, into defiance. Instead, “Rise, Ren.” The scarily neutral tone once again. “The holocron,” with a small, lazy hand gesture, “bring it to forward. Show me.” Now to see if it was even worth anything.


-


“Fingers crossed.” Johann patted the nexu’s head one last time before laying down. “Sleep, no problem.” He shifted onto his side, facing away from his father. 


Johann had no issues drifting to sleep. Even with the sounds of explosions, knowing people were awake and fighting. Or dying. With the Nexu moving about, drinking water, messing with each other. Nothing like falling asleep to the calming sounds of wildlife and war.


The nexu cub stuck around with them throughout the night, however. No mother came to get it. The little cub shifted between cuddling with August and Johann. It once did go over to Hux, but returned to the other family of redheads.


And Hux kept true to his words. He did not sleep. Didn’t even lay down for more than five minutes. It seemed painfully slow until the light began to enter the sky once again. Hours of just staring blankly. But morning did come and it came time to rise. Johann seemed to wake on his own. Internal clock, perhaps. Even the Nexu cub rose, filled with new energy. It even went ahead to try and wake Ransolm for them, pawing at the arm of the man, making strange squealing noises.


Surely the nexu had to be some sort of feline creature.


-


Ada wasn’t going to question their search for a ghost. “That’s fine, you two get on your way then!” Ada set her mug down, standing up. “I’m just…so happy you found me.” Ada grinned at her son, as he stood as well.


“I am too, mom.” Finn embraced his mother once again, and the two swayed together in a hug for a moment before Ada rubbed Finn’s back and parted.


“I’ll be right back.” Ada collected the mugs and disappeared back into the kitchen. Not long after did she come back out with two to go cups. One she handed to Finn, “More hot chocolate,” and one to Mira, “and one with coffee. It might not be super hot anymore, but the caffeine should still work.” She saw the yawn and knew they still had business to take care of. 


“Thanks, mom.” Finn took a sip of the hot chocolate. It was so good.


“Mira, mom, if you two are ready we can head back to the ship.” BB-8 beeped then, reminding them of its presence. “You too, BB-8, come on.” And Finn would lead them out of the apartment. Ada would follow behind the three, so she could lock her apartment. Coruscant wasn’t the safest place. The bad security in the building didn’t help either.

 

[Lucyfer]

Even Kylo was surprised when nothing came. His dark eyes were down on the ground, but they widened. He made sure not to rise until his face was composed again, and he walked carefully to where Snoke was. He extended his hand, long fingers reaching for the pyramid holocron that was placed into his hands.


Kylo stepped back, didn’t turn, as Snoke played the holocron out before them,


“And a knight shall come, a battle will be fought, and the prisoners go free. The Prophecy refers to the Valley of the Jedi. The Valley was lost, but I believe I’ve found it. The Valley is with the Three Sisters. I’m going there, to undo what that foolish Bane did to our Sith order. If I do not return, go there, my apprentice.”


Snoke hated poetic language. It was the problem of dealing with the particular prophecy he was always working. It was embedded in a poem, and so it always dealt with things like this. Nothing could be straightforward. Three Sisters?


Could not be literal Sisters. It had to be something more static. Suns, moons, galaxies, a constellation – any one of these. Unfortunately, with a vast universe, there were many pairs of three that were likely called Sisters.


Yet, it would narrow it down. From the majority of the galaxy, to trios named Sisters. He could work from this. He knew how to look at history. He had lived through a significant portion of it.


He looked up then, to the three Knights before him. Three. Still not the right number.


The tension remained in the room, as expected. They were still expecting him to snap. “This is useful,” he informed Kylo Ren. Glanced to Paquin, noted the injury, “You should go to a bacta tank.” He then took them all in. “You are all dismissed. Gnaeus will join you when he arrives. I need time to consider how to use this information.”


~***~


As promised, there was a trooper present to greet Commandant Hux with a communications device. “And the other I will need to deliver to Terex.”


“I will deliver it to Terex.” He didn’t bother to mention it was pointless. The day anyone got Terex to listen on command would be a miracle. Though, Snoke probably had a better chance of it than either of the Hux’s. Certainly a better chance than Phasma. “It’ll get to him. I don’t have use of two.” He stated, snatching it from the clone as he seemed to hesitate with handing it over.


There was no more use for the clone except to walk the Commandant all the way back to the outside, and then he went to the Carrion Spike himself. Waited for the ramp to be lowered, and then stepped in.


Before a smart quip could leave Terex, he threw the communication device to him, “Yours. We need to go pick up Gnaeus now and deliver him, too.” It ought to be just as easy as Ariel.


~***~


Sleep seemed to come easily for Johann and Ransolm.


August and Hux were true to their words of staying awake. Neither filled the void with useless chatter, either. August would indeed lay affection upon the cub when it approached, but he did not speak with Hux. He let his mind wander. He meditated, even, a bit. Tried to prepare himself for the morning.



Food. Water. Jova’s home.


He had to deal with one arm, as well.


When the sun rose, though, he felt calm. The other nexu left behind the cub, though the alpha did approach August. Like the first time, it came to him, to stare into his face, and find the human did not look away or show weakness in spite of his condition. He just met two of its eyes, and held, until the nexu turned and walked off, leading his pride away. ‘No one came.’ No one had even made it close enough to disturb the pride.


August stretched out as the nexu went over to Ransolm.“Just—VOIDS!” Ransolm shouted, starting up and backing away from the nexu that was batting at his face. August couldn’t help but laugh as the nexu sat back on its haunches and looked up at Ransolm.


August clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth, and the cub returned to him as he rose, walked over to the river again, and took a few handfuls of it, shaking a bit from the cold and the hunger.


He shook the water off of his hands and looked to them, “We’re not starting any fires,” he told them, “so get yourselves sorted. We’ll be taking a route that will allow us to gather food as we go.” Fruit-bearing trees. Some vegetables. There was plenty enough to eat that didn’t require cooking.


And poison. They’d try to steer the two novices away from the poison.


~***~


‘He also got that weird acceptance from you.’ Mira thought. Though she’d been slapped, Ada did actually seem to be…accepting. Of a lot. Of what they were doing. That Finn might date a man. That he was, in fact, supporting her. Learning under her. Quite a bit more accepting than Luke.


She glanced down to BB-8 as they hugged, and the droid rolled a bit, apparently pleased with how this reunion went. It beeped a soft question.


“Not right now.” They couldn’t stay too long. Mira would have liked to let him…but the truth was she needed Finn right then. Going out of here, alone…there was a risk of getting into trouble. She knew that.


Finn would get into trouble with her, but perhaps he’d get out of it. Tell someone.


Travel mugs were brought, and Mira was quite grateful to know coffee was in it – not hot, but coffee. “Thank you,” caffeine was caffeine at this point. Out they went, and when Ada had locked the door, Finn began to lead the way back to the hangar they came from. It wasn’t far, but there was enough space between the hangar and the apartment building for Mira to look around and notice some news streaming on a marquee.


Eriadu under attack! The First Order has been spotted assisting. Senator Tarkin has been called to the Senate for conspiring with the enemy of the New Republic, but so far….


Mira’s attention was snapped from it by Finn grabbing her hand, backtracking when he noticed Mira had stopped in the crowd. He saw the marquee, too. “They’re all right,” he told her, knowing she would want to be there. “He’s all right,” added.


With a gentle pull, he brought her along back to the hangar.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel had no clue what the holocron meant. Except that Paquin and Kylo must’ve gone into a tomb to have found it. Probably how the smaller brunette was injured. ‘Shouldn’t have taken the newbie through a tomb without me.’ While they all had explored tombs, Ariel had much more so.


Paquin stiffened at the recognition of her injury, but said nothing else as they were dismissed. She further bowed her head, out of respect or something. As did Ariel, the redhead woman mumbling, “Thank you, Supreme Leader.” For not punishing them. She was going to suck up hard, as she was very confused. 


The two women turned, Ariel allowing Paquin to shuffle ahead of her. She waited until all three of them were out of the throne room, back into the scary dark hall, the waves of the water causing shadows to display across the walls and across their faces. 


The doors closed, likely shut by the Force. It was then that Ariel practically jumped on Kylo, pulling him into a hug, even if he wouldn’t hug her back. “Force, I missed you two!” Ariel sighed as she pulled herself off of Kylo. “Okay, I have a lot of questions, but first there’s something that I need to tell you about Gnaeus that I probably should have mentioned to the Supreme Leader.” It hadn’t seemed to be the time to squeeze it in. She took a deep breath. “Mira blew off Gnaeus’s hand.” 


Paquin blinked. And she felt herself grow upset. Not sad upset, though that was in there. More…angry. “She did what?” 


-


Just because the Commandant spoke before Terex could get something out, didn’t mean it would stop him. He caught the communicator, examined it, and then threw it onto the dash. Maybe he’d wear it, maybe he wouldn’t. If he did, no promises he’d answer right away. He was a busy man, after all. “I thought your ass was grass as soon as I saw Kyle,” and he meant Kyle, “and the little medic lady show up.”


Gnaeus Ren. Back to the Finalizer, then. 


Hopefully his new job wasn’t just delivery boy.


Terex let his feet drop from the dashboard where they rested and leaned forward, flipping switches and starting up the ship. “I wonder who Hux hates more. You or Kylo Ren.” The ramp raised, shortly followed by the ship rising. With the coordinates leading back to the Finalizer inputted, Terex activated hyperdrive. Again it came in handy, making it back to the Finalizer in no time.


“Wouldn’t want to keep Snoke waiting now.”


-


Johann and Hux both seemed to rise at the same time to wander over to the river. Johann was sluggish, still waking up as he knelt by the water, cupping his hand to gather some to drink. Hux, however, took a handful of cold water and patted it on his face to wake him up a bit. He wasn’t exhausted, but he could stand to be much more awake.


But Hux stood by what he said hours ago. He’d be just fine, all the way to Jova’s home.


Feeling slightly more energized, Hux stood up straight. “I’m ready when you three are.” He’d allow Johann and Ransolm to wake up. August really could rest for a while longer. He needed food and sleep but Hux wouldn’t be the one to say that. Not to mention they should get moving. 


Hux briefly wondered if this was karma. August blew off Gnaeus Ren’s hand, and now his arm happened to be injured. Hux wasn’t sure if he really believed in that, though.


Johann was ready as soon as he noticed the pride of Nexu were gone. Except for the cub that seemed to love them. It excited Johann, gave him hope that it meant they’d get to keep it. But didn’t it have a mother that was worried for it? Perhaps they didn’t notice it was missing? Yet, he was already thinking of names for it as the cub allowed the young Tarkin to pick him up. “Mom is not going to be pleased with us.” First running off into the Carrion, then returning with a nexu cub.


Now he and Hux were sorted, ready to move. Though gathering food did not excite Hux, if only because there were so many naturally growing foods that were poisonous. And he felt it would be harsher in the Carrion. Nothing really could be easy,


-


Ada stayed with BB-8, where Finn had left them briefly to go grab Mira. The two returned and Ada made a comment, having heard the same announcement that distracted Mira. “Sometimes I wonder if the galaxy will ever be free of war. It seems one war ends, you blink, and another one begins.” Ada seemed to have lived through more war than she had peace.


Finn continued on to lead them back to the hangar, hand still holding Mira’s all the way up until he had to get out the key to unlock the ship. The ramp was lowered and Finn set down his hot chocolate to grab Mira’s datapad. Handing it to his mom, he then returned back to grab the guides for her. “Hey Mira, how many should I give her?”


“A couple will be fine, the museum can make some copies and I can take from those to send to my other contacts. Maybe even invest in getting a hardcover for them.” From what Ada could tell, the bindings of the book were a little crude.


With that explanation, Finn grabbed five. “You can carry these back home, right?”


“Of course I can, it’s only five books. Here, I’ll trade you.” Ada offered the datapad, now containing her contact information, and in exchange she took the five books. “I’ll get to work on these. You have my information now, you can get ahold of me anytime. And I mean anytime. Whatever you need, if you just want to talk. Okay?”


“Okay.” Finn smiled, leaning down as his mother gestured for him to do. She placed a kiss to his cheek.


“I love you, son.” Ada had wanted to tell him that for so long.


“I love you, too, mom.” And that was no lie from Finn. He already loved his mom. And he was so happy to hear those words from her.


Ada turned to Mira then. “What I just said to him, about contacting me, that applies to you, too.” Ada reached out and pinched Mira’s cheek. “You two go on, now. Get your business taken care of and get back to your home safe.”

 

[Lucyfer]

“Gah!” Kylo was sober for this hug and he tried to step back, but then Ariel was upon him, forcing the affection onto him. He was still too paranoid that they were too close to the Supreme Leader. Basically, being on the same planet as the Supreme Leader was too close for any sort of hugging.


It was probably illegal.


Fortunately the embrace wasn’t long, just sudden, and Kylo moved his hands over his black attire, as if it needed adjusting right after that. Ariel had news, though, so Kylo paid attention.


When she dropped the bombshell, though, he felt a similar sort of anger to Paquin, but it wasn’t really a ‘grow’. It burst open in him. He didn’t need to question it like Paquin did, just asked, “What did you two do that got you caught in the first place?” He wasn’t blaming them for the fact Gnaeus lost his hand – though it might sound like it. He just wanted to know how it happened.


He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Gnaeus anymore.


He wasn’t sure how loss of a limb was going to affect him.


~***~


‘Kyle?’ The Commandant was momentarily confused, before he realized who Terex meant. Voids, how did this man survive being a Stormtrooper? He couldn’t imagine him in the role at all. Not this jokester who liked to rile people. His commanding officer would have put a boot up his ass so far he’d never think of a joke again.


Because he’d be dead.


“Hmph.” It was all the answer Terex was getting to his question about who Hux hated most. It didn’t matter. His son would be dealt with. They would get the information they needed, he would find a way to make sure Phasma didn’t ascend – claim the promotion was a lie. All of them. There weren’t enough witnesses. He doubted his son had the foresight to make it official yet.


Too busy with Eriadu. Thank the Stars for that. Damn shame Tarkin made his choice. The Commandant rose when they landed, decided to mention that, “You should be happy to know that Snoke has no interest in an alliance with the Tarkins any longer.” So no worries of ever having to return it. Not that Terex would – but now the order would never come to do so.


With that, the Commandant left the ship and marched right on to the cells, grabbing a pair of magnetic cuffs on the way, gave the same order as before, to undo the containment field. This time it was done without any fussing before the Commandant walked in to see Gnaeus drop.


Gnaeus looked up, confused, sleepy. “Where’s Ariel?”


~***~


August nodded as Hux indicated his readiness. Ransolm just sighed, glared at the cub that Johann was holding, and then shook his head, trying to bring himself back together again. He decided a bit of water wouldn’t hurt, and drank some, splashed some on his face as well.


August would have moved both hands behind his back in a familiar posture, but it hurt to try and twist his arm there, so he settled for just the one. He could still gesture with the injured one. He did chuckle at the thought that Julia was going to kill them – him – again. “She’ll come to love it,” she loved them, after all.


“Now, we’re going to follow the Orrineswa river until we reach the large of its falls. From there, we’re going back into the surrounding greenery. We’re still in nexu territory for a while, so the major things to be concerned with are birds of prey, bugs, and a few of the rogue hunters,” those that didn’t rely on packs. “It is unlikely we’ll run upon any of those. In that area, there usually grows some beebleberries and bellassan peppers. We may find some aurilians, as well, if we’re lucky,” difficult to grow, they thrived here.


August probably could have made extra money off of that fact, but he refused to. The aurilian fruit was known for being energizing and was used in energy drinks. “I would advise eating nothing else.”


“Any chance we could get some eggs?” Ransolm asked, almost derisively. “Bellassan peppers go great in an omelette.”


August smiled. It was a smile Ransolm knew – it meant ‘maybe’. And Ransolm was not sure he wanted to find out how they’d go about it, considering August mentioned birds of prey…but he wouldn’t argue if it got him an omelette. Didn’t care to ask the details of how they’d cook it, either.


“Let’s go,” he gestured, and turned, following the river he knew better than the back of his hand.


~***~


Five was fine. Fifty would have been fine. Mira had planned to lose most of the Guides here, find a way to get them into the hands of Senators, but now there was no need. Which meant, she should find some place in the Outer Rim to see them to. She meant to spread it on high – perhaps it was time to take it to others.


She just wasn’t sure where to start there, or how to spread it. ‘Really should put a password on the datapad.’ She realized belatedly. She never thought about it. She was never around people for this long, it was unnecessary.


Just a hassle.


When Ada turned to her, Mira meant to fill her in on the group she currently had working on copies – perhaps connect them. The thought was stolen from her when she felt her cheeks pinched and Ada offered her a person to speak with, too.


How did people react in these situations? Something between a smile and a grimace pulled on her lips as she tried to turn her head to break the connection.


Mira was baffled by the twinge of pain that was followed by embarrassment and warmth. Cheeks were not safe around Ada. They were going to get hurt. “Thank you,” Mira seemed more confused than anything, touched the cheek again to make sure it was still intact. “Please keep us in the loop, as well. If you ever need anything or…just want to see Finn,” wouldn’t assume herself, “Just send us a message.”


Needed to get Finn his ow datapad, too.


So many things to do…why did she agree to this padawan thing again?


She looked back to Finn, then, who seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh. The smile on his face said it all, though. “Come on, we need to go catch up with our friend.” Rollo.


“Right!” Finn agreed, and let Mira walk into the ship first. Mira did offer a wave to Ada, then vanished towards the cockpit. They would need to go to the hangar where she left her ship - Finn could keep piloting this one.


BB-8 beeped out its ow goodbye, commenting on how it looked forward to introducing her to Poe, before it rolled up the ramp after Mira.


Finn moved for one last embrace, even though he’d gotten several. It was still hard. He just met her. But he knew he had to go, and he was afraid he wouldn’t see her again. He didn’t want to believe it. Didn’t think it was true.


But there was a war going on. And he was involved.


“Hey, mom,” he said when he pulled away, “I think I might start going by Finn Adley Windu.” Keep her name in there. He would always be Finn, but he needed a full name. He'd never taken on a surname. It'd been weird sometimes, but now...now he knew it. Windu. “You’ll need to know that when I’m in trouble, right?” A last joke, before he said, “I will come see you again real soon. I promise.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin was familiar with lost limbs. She hadn’t lost any herself, obviously. Even if it was a close call with her leg. But she was familiar with cutting limbs off, closing them up, the healing process. And how it affected the people who once had those limbs. Stormtroopers. Both physically and emotionally. It was hard.


Of course, cybernetics made things ‘easier’. But they could never fully replace a hand. Not the sense of feeling, or the way they moved. The synth flesh could wear off after time, or the mechanics could malfunction. 


Thinking of it all, Paquin grew much more angry. ‘Gnaeus doesn’t deserve this! He’s never done anything wrong in his life!’ That probably wasn’t true. But it didn’t change the fact that Gnaeus was nice. ‘How would Mira like it if her hand was cut off?’ Paquin wouldn’t be cutting off anyone’s hand. But maybe she could bring it up to Kylo or Ariel and they’d do it.


“Well, we went to Cimarosa. The night before Gnaeus bought the cinnamon rolls there and heard about this meeting between the Resistance and the First Order. Heard about Mira. Apparently she has a purple lightsaber now. So, we went there to get more information and alcohol. We didn’t even get any information, we just got alcohol and when we got back to the hangar, Mira was there with Stormtroopers. Must’ve felt us. Then the large amount of alcohol we had was shattered, I got some glass in my eyes and was knocked out by some Stormtroopers.” Voids, she was useless. 


“Gnaeus must have lost his hand after that. I woke up on Cimarosa and Mira tried to get information out of me. I’m not sure what she got, she freaked out midway. Then I woke up on the Finalizer and now we’re here. Gnaeus and I didn’t want to tell you about Cimarosa. We wanted you to keep focused, to get you back on your game.”


-


The Commandant grabbed Gnaeus by the arm and pulled him up. “She’s with Supreme Leader Snoke and the other two Knights. The deal went through, you’ll be joining them now.” Brendol explained as he pulled Gnaeus’s wrist out. He remembered then, the lack of a hand. ‘Behind his back, then.” That would disguise the fact that Gnaeus could just slip his stump out of the cuffs.


Pulling Gnaeus’s hands—hand—behind his back, Brendol placed the cuffs on him. Brendol’s hold on the man’s arm returned and he used it to pull him forward.


Once again the Stormtrooper’s let him pass with no issues. Eriadu had really come in handy.


Terex still sat in the Carrion Spike when Brendol returned to the hangar with Gnaeus. “Oh look, it’s the man of the hour. Dazed and confused. Take a seat, I’ll take you home.” There was a wink, but no playful ‘flirting’. Gnaeus was not his type.


-


Hux wasn’t going to touch anything else, other than what August told him to. Which he had yet to see. But there was talk of omelettes, and Hux had to admit that sounded appetizing. Maybe not in the middle of the wilderness with some random bird of prey’s eggs. Maybe back on the Finalizer, in his room. An omelette and then a nice long sleep in his bed. In celebration.


That was if he even got out of the Carrion.


Hux followed after August, Johann following last, nexu cub still in his arms.


The path was pretty straightforward. Follow the river. Not to mention it was August leading them, who was clearly very familiar with this area. It was obvious when they were getting close, as the sounds of rushing water, water crashing down and into rocks grew louder and louder. The falls were large and aggressive and Hux couldn’t imagine falling down them. If you didn’t break a bone or something, surely you’d drown.


It was leading back through the green trees that would be harder to navigate, Hux imagined. But they wouldn’t have to search too hard for food at least, As Johann pointed out some fruit. “That’s a beebleberry. Like in the ice cream. Only the ice cream tastes better.” 


-


“Finn Adley Windu. I like that.” Ada could feel herself tearing up again, for many reasons. For one, Finn was still going to use his given name. And second, her son was leaving her again. But if she was confident in anything, it was that she would see him again. Nothing in the galaxy would stop her from seeing his shining face again. “You better stay out of trouble, though.. And you better bring your boyfriend next time you visit, too.”


“Not my—“ Finn sighed, smiling. He shook his head. “Bye, mom.” A kiss was planted to her cheek and he walked back up the ramp, picking up his travel cup again. He turned to his mom and waved. Ada waved back and she’d wait until the ship was lifted and moving before she walked back to her apartment.


Finn took up the pilot’s seat again, BB-8 beeping, mentioning how it liked Finn’s mother. “I like her too.” He was glad this trip was successful. But he remembered then, that they had more to do on Coruscant. “Your ship!” That’s what the original plan was, other than spreading the guide. “What hangar is that in?” For all he knew, they were on the wrong side of the planet.


Good thing the both of them could fly ships, so they wouldn’t have to leave one behind. But that did mean Mira would lose a chance to meditate. Well, at least she had her coffee.


And then they’d go back to Rollo. Finn imagined that would be an emotional experience for Mira, probably draining as well. Kevan really did seem to mean a lot to her.