Fandom Star Wars

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin couldn’t help the incredulous look that graced her face, even as she felt relief as she heard Hux collapse to the ground. Why? Was the answer to that not obvious? It wasn’t so much her thinking Hux deserved mercy, though perhaps her merciful nature had something to do with it. But how was harming him helping any of them? ‘And why did you choose retaliation over me? Over any of us?’ Her thoughts made her question.

She wouldn’t give him an answer. Not then. She didn’t want to give him one then, not that she had a chance to. He swept her off her feet, literally. And she let him. Her face scrunched at the movement, as pain reminded her of the wound she hadn’t really forgotten. Her arms wound around his neck. She stared at him, for just a moment. Just long enough to know his eyes were brown again. But Paquin knew she hadn’t imagined the sickly yellow.

She shut her eyes tight, burying her face in the crook of his neck as he carried her. Trying to let the brush of his hair across her face soothe her. But she couldn’t get the sight out of her mind. She didn’t think to bring it up then.

Both she and Kylo failed to notice the flying stone.

“Hi,” Ariel greeted them weakly from her spot on the floor when the two joined them. She couldn’t really make them out, at that point. Just saw big and small and she heard Gnaeus call for Kylo. She couldn’t tell that either of them were injured, too, but she was relieved that they were back.

Paquin peaked, then, her eyes finding the blood covered ginger. “Oh, Ariel,” Paquin wiggled free from Kylo’s arms to attend to Ariel. The shooting pain, the aches of her own wound weren’t forgotten, but she knew she could wait. Ariel couldn’t.

Luckily, the ship rocked as Gnaeus woke it up, the ramp closing them in. The stone left in the sand of Korriban.

-

Hux thought he was dead. Certainly. The crushing of his windpipe, he felt his bones would crack at any second, too. He would’ve accepted it. He was ready for it, especially as the pressure was upped. And then it never came. He was released and he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. His bones creaked as he moved, as they adjusted back to their normal positions.

He thought it was some sort of torture, at first. That it would start again. But Finn burst out of the ship, blaster in hand, and Hux looked back to Kylo Ren. He’d been distracted by Paquin, carried her off. And then something caught Hux’s eye. Something small, dark flying from the ship. Somehow gone unseen. “The stone,” Hux whispered, attempting to scramble to his feet, to fetch it, but something caught the back of his collar.

Finn.

Finn pulled on him, pulled him into the ship as Leia began to lift it. As the ramp raised to a close. Both the men stared at the dark stone until they could no longer. “We’ll come back for it,” Finn mumbled. He didn’t care to go back for it anyway, not when they all had finally grouped into the damn ship.

Hux would leave it at that as he continued to pant, to even his breathing. ‘Mira,’ He heard a sound from her, a whimper, and his head whipped to find her.

Not for a second did he regret anything he’d done to the medic, not as he looked at Mira. As he got a good look at the damage done, the crystal embedded in her face. She couldn’t open her eyes. Or at least, certainly not one of them.

Hux didn’t even bother to stand from the place Finn had pulled him to, instead opting to scramble into a crawl towards Mira’s side. Without a doubt, hesitation, or care his hand sought hers. Gentle. And his other hand moved to carefully push the wild strands from her face. Once blonde now stained red from her wounds. ‘Stars, what did he do to you?’ “I’m here, Mira.” He offered in a whisper, unsure if she’d hear him.

Leia spoke as soon as they’d exited Korriban’s atmosphere, putting them into hyperspeed. “Phasma, could you inform August we’re heading to my base and that the Knights are likely heading back to theirs,” to where Tarkin and Motti had decided to snoop.

“Take us to the Finalizer. No offense but I’m certain my medical staff is better equipped,” Hux chimed in.

“We can’t, General. Your father…,” Phasma didn’t have to say anymore. Hux understood.

‘That son of a bitch….’

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo jolted to a halt as he saw Ariel. Really saw Ariel. It wasn’t sorrow he felt, it was anger, sheer anger, as he recognized the blaster shots. ‘Phasma.’ He shouldn’t have underestimated her presence, particularly under a stone that blocked the Force. Her blaster had also played a role in Paquin’s injuries.

The worst offenders all came from the blaster, not Mira’s lightsaber, not Ariel’s stolen one – he didn’t even see Finn take out a lightsaber, if he had one.

He let Paquin go without a fight as he tried to swallow that rage. He knew it did him no good here. There was no one to kill, here. He wanted everyone alive who was in this ship, although he was jolted once again when it suddenly lifted. His hand fell to the wall to keep himself up as he shot a rueful glare back towards the cockpit.

It would be best to leave Ariel to Paquin’s treatment.

Check on Gnaeus, quickly.

And he did move back towards the cockpit.

Gnaeus wasn’t harmed. ‘He didn’t fight.’ He’d try not to be angry with that. “Take us back to base.” Likely unnecessary, but in case Gnaeus was thinking of somewhere closer, it was denied.

He didn’t question it, just nodded, and felt when the stone released it’s hold on them.

So did Kylo. He glanced around, “Where’s the stone?” He hadn’t taken it back – even then, he would have felt it from where he was standing.

Gnaeus plugged in the coordinates and set them into hyperspace before answering, “Korriban.”

“What?!”

Gnaeus managed to meet Kylo’s gaze, hard, angry himself, as well. “It wasn’t helping us now, and Ariel need to be able to access the Force!” Gnaeus snapped in spite of himself, and though he felt Kylo’s anger, he was relieved – terribly relieved – that all Kylo did was hit the back of the co-pilot’s seat in frustration.

“We need that!”

“We can come back for it.” Gnaeus assumed they could, anyways. If the sands didn’t cover it. If it wasn’t lost forever. He didn’t even consider the others might have seen him do it.

Kylo fixed him with a glare, before he left him to the cockpit alone. He might be able to at least do something to help Paquin, to help Ariel.

~***~

Mira didn’t need to question who took her hand, after Phasma had released her wrist. She knew it could have been Finn, but it wasn’t. Somehow, she knew Finn’s grip would have been more panicked, more rushed to hold, rather than the one that found her. It was gentle, there was no rush, no panic, not even in the one that moved hair from her face, though she had to still a flinch from pulling her back.

Hux wouldn’t agitate things further.

And the hair was annoying. It should have stayed up.

She heard the whisper, but not the words. The ringing was too loud for a whisper to carry sensibility so far, but she was fairly certain of the gist, as conversation about where they were going, who they were reporting to, circled. That was loud enough to hear. She squeezed Hux’s hand as Phasma trailed off her explanation of the Order, and why they couldn’t go there.

‘Damnit.’ She set them back on retrieving the Order. At least a little. They could leave her with Leia’s medical team and get things settled without her. She wasn’t sure how long this might take, not really seeing it, just feeling it. Feeling it was bad enough, but she was calming significantly. Managing it. The Force helped.

She opened one eye, to assess Hux’s state. To make sure he was okay. To prove she could, as well. She tried to ignore the blood she could see on her own face, although the temptation to get up and walk to the bathroom was there. To try and clean it up. It might be a good idea, or she might faint.

“The Order…it’ll come back to you…Hux.” There was a shake in her voice, a pitch she didn’t like in the least. Stars this did hurt, when she broke focus. She shut her eye again, took a deep breath. ‘Voids.’

A part of her wanted to apologize to Leia for scaring her.

Another part wished Kylo was dead. So, she opted to say nothing with regards to that.

Phasma gave a nod, more or less confirming, “Mitaka has started to encourage a sort of quiet sabotage.” Making sure that confused orders, rather than clear ones, spread. Casting further doubt on Brendol. Everyone trusted Mitaka. He had delivered messages to Kylo Ren. “Commodore Millicent remains safe under his care.” An odd report, but she supposed it might help Hux to know the cat was fine. “And Governor Tarkin has responded. He’ll be returning to Coruscant.”

Apparently, he wasn’t keen on staying in the area when the Force sensitives returned.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin was quick to attend to Ariel, groaning as she lifted the woman into a sitting position. Ariel let out a strangled noise of pain as she was moved. “I know, I know,” Paquin tried to quell, moving aside Ariel’s hair and obstructing armor to get a look at the wound on her neck. “I’m sorry, Ariel,” she sighed. She should have helped Ariel right away instead of having Gnaeus take care of her. She was the medic, this was what she was supposed to do.

There was a lot of blood, but her wound wasn’t in the right position for her jugular to have been hit. She’d have been dead already. But she was still bleeding profusely, and Paquin readjusted the black fabric Ariel had tried to hold in place. She was amidst tying it as she felt the Force return to her. And she wasn’t even going to question how.

She ignored the argument in the cockpit. ‘If it weren’t for the stone…’ Ariel wouldn’t be hurt. Paquin wouldn’t be hurt. Paquin could only now use the Force to apply pressure. She couldn’t do much more without any equipment, she couldn’t find anything that might need to be clamped. She couldn’t close her wounds. Could she help her pain? She longed to do more.

“I’m tired,” Ariel’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“I know. But I need you to stay awake. We’re almost to the base, you can sleep when we get there.” The medics would put her under anyway. Paquin knew what they’d do. Give her some more blood, stop the bleeding, close the wound. Let bacta do the rest. That would do Ariel some good. “Can you feel the pressure? Do you think you can maintain that yourself?” Paquin gave her a task to keep her up. Ariel nodded, and her own manipulation of the Force took over Paquin’s.

Paquin slumped against the bench for just a moment, closing her eyes. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to cry. Everything hurt. And then Kylo joined them. Another distraction. “Let me look at you,” She reached for his arm to pull him to sit.

-

Hux was angry. At Ren, at this whole situation, but he was mad at nothing more than he was himself. He never should have been so lax with his father. He of all people knew what Brendol was capable of. Perhaps Hux was just used to being apathetic when it came to dealing with the older Hux. He felt a squeeze to his hand, and he looked to the culprit. She had one eye open and she spoke.

The shake in her voice, the pitch, it made his brows knit together in concern. But he squeezed her hand back, thumb brushing against her knuckles. “I know.” He would. He knew the Order. Brendol didn’t, as much as he liked to take credit for much of it. “Thank you,” she’d offered words of support despite the pain she undoubtedly felt. He was glad when she closed her eyes again. They’d get her to the medics, but not fast enough for Hux’s liking.

Mitaka was doing much to help. Including taking care of his cat, who Hux found himself missing dearly. Recalling how he’d given a cat the rank of commodore in spite of his father, he knew Brendol would’ve been happy to kill the cat to get back at him, even if he wasn’t there. They were a spiteful family. And a piss poor example of a family. “Good, I’m sure my father would’ve had a field day if he got his hand on Millicent.” Hux couldn’t help but think, maybe he could adjust Mitaka’s rank as well, when he thanked him.

But that could all wait.

“Governor Tarkin might be willing to help you regain control of the Order, once you’re ready,” Leia suggested to Hux, sighing. She wanted to avoid thinking about watching her son’s face right before he tried to slice right through her. Maybe they would all be better off if Mira had…She stopped that thought. But the desire to apologize was shared between them. Leia would wait, until Mira was taken care of.
Hux felt a tap on his shoulder and he looked. A hand, holding a towel, extended to him by Finn. “For Mira.”

“Thanks,” Hux took it, attending to the task of clearing as much blood and dirt from her face that he could while avoiding any of the crystals or open wounds.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo allowed himself to be pulled down as he came into the area, looking over to Ariel. There was an urge to apologize to her. To all of them, he realized. Things had not gone as he wanted. As any of them wanted. Perhaps he could have responded better, or planned better, for all of this. ‘At least you told them about this.’

Low blow, thoughts.

And he noticed that Paquin hadn’t tended herself, once he was sitting. He lifted the arm she’d pulled, and brushed her hands off with his other hand, “See to yourself,” he said, “I will be fine. You know I’ve suffered worse,” if she knew anything about his general medical records, which, he was certain, she did.

“I won’t move.” He offered that much.

He would stay where he was. He supposed he might put pressure on his own wound if it would satisfy her, but Paquin needed to see to herself, first. He wasn’t going to allow himself treatment until he saw to that.

She’d seemed like she was just going to curl up when he stepped in, rather than help herself. That was entirely unacceptable. “I’ll be fine until we get back.” He knew that much, with certainty.

The Force was helping to focus him, if nothing else.

He supposed Gnaeus may have had a point.

~***~

Mira was also not getting to medics as quickly as she’d like, but with eyes shut, she was able to focus again. Meditate.

Inhale.

Exhale.

How she wished she could be unconscious again to escape all of this, but that would likely panic everyone around her. Better to just suffer, awake.

Inhale.

Finn said something, about for her, and Mira opened one eye again, then shut it as she saw the towel, before it touched her face. She clenched her jaw tightly. This was irritating, more than it was comforting. The fibers threatened to pull at open wounds, and Hux couldn’t skirt them all. He was careful, though.

She knew it probably did everyone a world of good to see the actual extent of the wounds, and that it wasn’t her entire face. Still, the hand that was free dug nails into her kneecap whenever the towel irritated her face.

Exhale.

She was able to eventually reach a deeper trance to avoid both the irritation of the towel and the pain. Barely there – but present enough to know when situations would change.

“Leaving all the flightless shitbirds behind….”

It was a memory.

It was not a memory, but Mira certainly didn’t realize that. No tell-tale orange glow offered any hint that she hadn’t been abandoned by another constant.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin’s initial response was to fight his hands, lightly smack at them as he brushed them away. “I know you have. That doesn’t mean you should, Kylo,” she sighed. He offered not to move and she could see that he wouldn’t let her do anything. She let her head drop to rest against the bench. They’d be at their newly acquired facility soon, wouldn’t they? She could wait. Just to rest, close her eyes a little.

But if she got it done, she could get to Kylo.

She clambered to her feet. She followed a haphazardly discarded trail of black cloth, she could make it work. She pulled herself off to the side to rid herself of the top layer of her armor once again. She winced as she felt the fabric peel from her wound, a sickening sound following it. She didn’t want to pull her shirt up to inspect it, she didn’t want to see that wound on herself, so she just tied it tight around her abdomen.

‘Good enough.’ She could deal with it later. She didn't like the thought of someone else looking at it, but that would be the likely situation.

She returned, but she didn’t set to work on Kylo right away. “I can’t…,” She couldn’t do anything for him until they got back, or for herself. For anyone. Still, she reached out through the Force, to apply pressure as she had with Ariel. She dropped next to him, leaning her back against the ship. Every rise and fall of her stomach as she breathed hurt. Ariel dropped her head against Paquin’s leg. “Don’t sleep,” she reminded the redhead.

She got a groan in return.

-

He didn’t fail to notice the way her nails dug into her knee.

“Sorry,” Hux offered as he tried his best to pat away blood and dirt. Tiny little sand particles. And crystal fragments. The towel quickly became stained with red and brown, and it glittered with the little things. But they had a better look at the damage with the blood not covering it so much. Hux said nothing, nothing that would give away how it looked right then. It wasn’t as extensive as he’d thought, but... She didn’t need to know. Not until everything was final.

He finished by gently running the towel over a few strands of her hair, to get some of the color of blood and the clumping of it out. He was so tempted to try to pluck out the kyber fragments embedded in her skin, it looked so easy, but he didn’t. He’d probably only make it worse.

Finn sat backwards in the co-pilot’s chair. To watch and to hold Leia’s hand at the same time. This had gone poorly, hadn’t it? He wouldn’t even attempt to imagine the disappointment Leia felt or the pain that Mira did. But they had Hux, at least….he supposed. Finn had a good feeling about that, after all. ‘And not a good feeling about Kylo.’ Coincidence, maybe. If there even really was such a thing.

And then they dropped out of hyperdrive, approaching a lush, green planet below them. They’d be okay. For the moment.

“We’re going to move you soon, Mira.” Hux warned her as the hangar parted to make room for the foreign ship. People awaiting whoever was to walk out of it.

 

[Lucyfer]

Paquin tried to fight him, however briefly, but gave in. For a moment, Kylo was worried he might have to find another way to encourage her through it. However, though it was delayed, the thought came to her. She moved, a shambling mess, but she moved and did what she could, with what they had, to wrap her wound.

It wasn’t much.

It wasn’t much at all, and Kylo felt that guilt return as he felt the pressure on his own wound. He moved his hand over it, unimpeded by that pressure. ‘We’ll be there soon.’ And Paquin would get the treatment she needed. So would Ariel.

“Stay awake, Ariel.” He added, as if his voice would do anything to help. “I’ll let you buy whatever alcohol you want once you’re better. No matter how expensive.” If she wanted something from Hosnian Prime that was never going to exist again, she could have something from Hosnian Prime.

With any luck, Ariel wouldn’t remember this and call him on it, of course.

He looked over at Paquin, struggling to hold it together, to hold him together, he knew. He reached out with his other hand, and put it over her shoulder, before applying a pressure to her own abdominal wound. It was the least he could do.

Eventually, the shuttle shivered around them, and he heard Gnaeus call back the unnecessary, “We’re back. Landing soon. I’m calling ahead to have a med-team arrive,” he stated, and Kylo heard his voice drop lower, no doubt speaking with someone on the other side.

‘I am not making a good impression on whoever Pryde is.’

It shouldn’t concern him, but it did.

~***~

Mira wasn’t happy with the thought of being moved, although she knew it was necessary. Could she walk? She let out a breath, slowly, bringing herself back to the situation. Back to the pain that hardly faded. She hadn’t lost enough blood to pass out, it seemed. Shame. She would have preferred the tiredness Ariel was feeling to this sort of constant, increasingly irritating, and certainly panic-inducing, pain.

No one was saying anything, either. ‘You’re not keeping your eye.’ That was worst-case scenario, right? She didn’t know if it was better to hold to that thought or not. She decided not. She wanted some hope.

“I might be able to walk.” With guidance. She didn’t like opening one eye and keeping the other closed. It was another reminder of what she didn’t know.

Phasma would let them figure that out, as when the ship settled, she took the initiative to head to the door, and to the ramp. She knew she wouldn’t be the rebels favorite person, but she could do a quick brief of the situation to the curious crowd outside.

Mira tried to stand. She was successful with that, at least, the hand that had held Hux’s now holding the top of the seat as she tried to orient herself and not keel over or sit right back down. Still, the movement had made her nauseous. She knew she was standing still, her hand confirmed that, but her head was swimming. It was a fight to stay standing and not give into that desire. She wasn’t sure why it happened, not recalling the connection between ears and balance, and to be fair, not nearly as concerned about ear damage as she was with her eye. She was just assuming the ear would be fine because it didn’t feel like it had anything jammed in it. “Okay. No.” She spoke only as she was certain opening her mouth would allow only words to pass. She’d gone significantly paler.

This was a fight she’d have to give up, she wasn’t going to walk without crashing into something.



Phasma, outside, wasn’t greeted warmly by the rebels. Their suspicious looks said enough, but she spoke first, “General Organa is in the ship, and she needs space,” Phasma said, “Admiral Vallens of the Order needs medical attention, immediately, for severe lacerations to the face that may cause permanent retinal or auditory damage.”

“Is General Organa—”

“Unharmed.” Physically. “You’ll see soon but at least give space.” Phasma insisted, once again, “And call for a medic.”

The one who started hesitated, but decided to move back, and get on their datapad to get things moving in the base. Leia hadn’t called ahead, but rebels were used to unorganized emergency situations.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel heard Kylo and she lifted her head the slightest bit in intrigue, before she dropped it back down onto Paquin’s leg. She only had to stay awake a little longer...she could do it, if only because Kylo was encouraging her alcoholism for once. Even though she’d definitely forget he’d made such an offer. Paquin would remind her, even though Ariel’s drinking problem probably made her situation worse. She deserved a little something.

As a treat.

She felt Kylo’s hand on her shoulder, felt pressure on her own wound. She let her head tilt as she looked at him and her hand sought to rest atop his. She realized, then, that the fighting was over for the moment. They were as far from the danger as they’d get and close to getting Ariel the attention she needed. Relief washed over her, just as much as confusion. It settled in her what Kylo had done, or tried to. And then…’What was that?’ Any of it.

Paired with the pain, she was overwhelmed. She bit her lip as it trembled. How was she supposed to feel? What was she supposed to do?

Struggling to hold it together she was, Gnaeus’s voice and the ship rocking pulled her out of it. She blinked, looking away from Kylo. “Thank you,” she whispered, her hand slipping from his as she straightened. She could tell they’d entered the hangar when the lighting shifted and soon the ramp dropped.

“Can I sleep now?” Ariel asked as the med team filed in, taking to the obviously wounded redhead.

“Yes, Ariel, you can sleep now.”

-

Finn and Hux rose as Mira claimed she might be able to walk. Mira’s hand left Hux’s to grip the head of the seat, the two men standing around her with their arms ready to grab her in whichever direction she might fall. Hux figured, with guidance, she might be able to walk. But then she swayed and her face lost color. They didn’t know of the ringing in her ears or the potential damage, they couldn’t make that connection between it and her equilibrium.

“Okay, come on. It’s only a short distance,” Hux assured as he pulled Mira’s arm around his shoulder. She could deal with being moved for just a little bit.

“Wait, Hux,” Finn interrupted. “Are you sure you should…” All Finn could see were Hux’s thin arms. And wasn’t he poisoned recently? Finn could lift her easy. If Hux would just let him...

But now Hux took it as a challenge. “I can do it.” He was firm in his statement. As skinny as he was, contrary to popular belief, he worked out...occasionally. Not recently. And not as much as when he was a cadet all those years ago. Mira didn’t weigh that much, anyway. He hooked his arms under her knees and lifted. He held back any noises of effort he felt the urge to release.

Maybe he should have let Finn handle this. But he couldn’t turn back now. Hopefully his determination would win out over the burning in his arms. He readjusted his grip, quick to exit the ship. Finn stayed close. Just in case. “Where’s the medbay?” Or whatever makeshift medbay these rebels had.

“C’mon,” Leia took the lead. She hadn’t said much since they’d left. No one expected her to.

“Medics will meet us,” Phasma informed them as they joined her, doing a double take at Hux. She said nothing, as Hux’s look instructed her to.

“General Organa!” A voice called. Connix coming to meet them, some medics with a gurney floating alongside them.

 

[Lucyfer]

Even if Kylo didn’t like Ariel’s alcoholism, seeing her come to life just a little more with that promise did make him feel encouraged for her state. She was at least able to think of something she liked and be happy with that thought, if only for a moment.

Mostly, he was glad that she made it all the way back to base, in a too-silent compartment in the ship. Gnaeus was out of the cockpit as soon as they landed, and he was the one to help the medics pull Ariel up, even if they didn’t need it.

And when his eyes turned from Ariel, to Paquin, to Kylo, there was still anger in them. Anger that hadn’t been there when he was helping Ariel.

He wasn’t angry at Paquin – but he remained furious at Kylo.

Even so, he offered a hand out, in the middle of them, as help for whoever wanted to grab it.

Kylo didn’t, but pulled himself up on his own. There were still plenty med-staff outside the ship – and, Kylo noticed, that same officer from before who came to tell him about Pryde. ‘I should probably learn his name.’ He was apparently Pryde’s dog, like Mitaka had been Hux’s dog. He might be important enough to learn the name of.

Still, he really didn’t want to deal with him right then, but he trudged down the ramp anyways.

There was no small satisfaction to see the officer’s eyes widen in surprise. “Supreme Leader, what—”

“Later,” Kylo dismissed it. “Inform Pryde we have returned, and as soon as I am able, I will meet with him. The meeting did not go according to plan.”

~***~

‘What?’ Mira stumbled with Hux’s pull, surprised with his intent. Admittedly, she didn’t think he had the strength to do it, either. She wanted to protest for Finn, but bit back on that when she heard his intent. Well, it wasn’t like she could get that much worse from being dropped. And Hux wouldn’t be hurt that bad.

Still, she didn’t make it any more difficult than it had to be, hooking her arm around the back of his neck, and moving as he needed her, willingly.

It was still hard to believe he managed to walk. That he didn’t drop her. Mira knew in another situation, she likely would have flushed crimson. There was still some small enjoyment to this, something to focus on instead of the pain. She could hear his heart, her good ear closer to his chest. Leaning against it.

A memory, for later.

Something to mourn with the loss of the void stone. ‘Wait, my lightsabers?’ She suddenly wanted to ask Finn if he had those – most of all, if he had Kevan’s. She could make a new one, but she wanted Kevan’s.

No time to ask that, though. There were footsteps. Another vaguely familiar voice.

“Here, uh, General.” A Rebel, clearly not comfortable addressing Hux by title, made the gurney obvious. “We’ll get her taken care of.” Mira was fairly certain she heard someone hiss in surprise and imagined pain.

She really hoped they’d have something to knock her out with, as she relaxed her arm from around Hux once she felt the gurney underneath her.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin took Gnaeus’s hand after Kylo pulled himself up. She noticed the anger in Gnaeus’s eyes, in his body. She wondered if Kylo did too and ignored it or if he was oblivious to it. She sighed as she pulled herself up, with Gnaeus’s help. Her hand let go of his, instead finding his back patting it and doing a quick run up and down. “You did good, Gnaeus.” He had. He’d probably bought Ariel a good few, needed minutes, even if it was clear he’d been a bit frantic.

She dropped her hand. “I never should have put you in that position. This sort of thing, that’s my job. I’m sorry,” she should have been the one to handle Ariel, the situation might not have been so desperate. But she hadn’t wanted Gnaeus to fight, either and she thought Kylo would need help after he was stabbed. She'd have to apologize to Ariel, too.

Outside the ship, she heard Kylo be addressed. And heard him say the meeting didn’t go as planned. ‘No shit.’ Something about ‘right away, sir’ followed.

Paquin stumbled down the ramp, longing for the moment her people were stable. For the moment she could shower and go to sleep. Which didn’t seem to be soon, if they all would have to meet Pryde.

Ariel was taken well ahead of them by a team of medics. Paquin would have to trust their capabilities with Ariel. She envied them. She missed that work, responding to situations like their own. She was good at it, too.

“Um, miss..Ren?” The medic that grabbed her attention seemed uncertain how to address her. He didn’t know her name. Kylo had been a Commander turned Supreme Leader, but the rest of the Knights didn’t really have a rank. It was strange to be addressed as Ren, but Paquin was too tired to correct it. Should she even correct it? “I can look at you,” he offered.

“Right, yeah. Thank you.” She let him put a hand on her back, to lead her back to the medbay they'd been in earlier.

-

Most of Hux’s accomplishments were achieved due to pure spite, the desire to prove people wrong. He’d probably credit his ability to even walk with Mira to that aspect. But he managed it long enough to meet a rebel halfway, long enough to gently set her on top of the gurney. Even though his arms begged him to set her down as quickly as possible. They did burn and thanked him when he unhooked his arms from around her. He’d do it again, bear the uncomfortableness, if he had to.

But for the moment, it just served as a reminder that maybe he should get back to doing some fitness activities.

Hux wasn’t bothered by the unnamed rebel’s uncertainty regarding his title. He wouldn’t expect the soldiers who’d spent so long fighting him and everything he’d stood for to so willingly be cordial with him. No, but what did irritate him was the noises of surprise a few had let out. Why would they think that would be an acceptable thing to do? Mira shouldn’t be made to stress about it, more so than she already was.

Hux resisted telling the rebel ‘you’d better’ and instead said, “Thank you.” He turned, to tell Phasma, “Reach out to Mitaka, if you can. I’ll want to reclaim the Order sooner rather than later.” But first, he’d see Mira to the medbay.

Finn would join him, clapping a hand on Hux’s back. “Good effort, Hux.” A little mocking, a little genuine.

Hux nodded, “Thank you. For back there,” Finn had gotten Mira to safety. Had tried to help Hux.

“Don’t mention it. Seriously.” He did it for Mira. Just as he trailed along for Mira, to make sure she’d be okay.

“We can numb your face to take the...shards out,” a medic explained to Mira, “But we’ll have to put you under to look at your eye.” That didn’t look good. And it would be too painful to do it while she was awake, paired with her eye movements.

Behind them, they could hear Connix talking with Leia. “What happened? I thought you didn’t need backup?”

“I didn’t think we would.” That sentence made even Hux feel bad for the woman.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus felt some of the anger dissipate as Paquin patted his back, moving into the territory of exhausted. The adrenaline and the panic had been wearing off in waves. It wouldn’t be gone, not for a while. Not until after they had met this Pryde, he knew that much. He was going to be anxious and jumping at nothing for a bit.

And he was going to be angry with Kylo if anything serious happened to any of them. Even Kylo.

He smiled at Paquin’s apology, shaky, and it dropped off his face as he shook his head, “Don’t worry about that. You had to do what you had to do,” he understood why. Kylo had been hurt, and that caused her to panic. She also hadn’t been close enough to see how bad Ariel’s wounds were.

If she had, he hoped she would have helped Ariel first.

Let him try to help Kylo.

Even if he was down a hand and furious.

He wasn’t going to just throw Kylo away.

He followed Paquin off the ship, and let her be pulled away from his side. He saw that someone was already leading Kylo off, as well, and he sighed. He supposed he could go to the medbay and wait – “Gnaeus Ren?”

It seemed he was known. He looked to the one that Kylo thought of as Pryde’s dog. “Yeah?” He was too tired for this shit. He wanted to just fall asleep in the medbay waiting room.

“Given the situation, I was wondering if you would be willing to come with me to see Allegiant General Pryde. Things have been a bit chaotic with the death of Supreme Leader Snoke, and the hasty movements of Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. We would just like some information of what happened, so we can start to set things right here, and across the board with our other bases, as well.”

‘What the hell do you need information for to do that? We’re not ordering any movement, just to hold….’ Gnaeus supposed asking might only show how little he knew about large-scale command. “Can’t this wait for Kylo?”

“If we need to,” the officer was too agreeable, Gnaeus decided. It shouldn’t be a bad thing, but he still recalled the Order far more clearly.

~***~

Mira certainly wished she could see what she imagined based on sound alone. Finn clapping Hux on the back. Telling him good effort. She’d have to suffer imagination alone. Opening one eye was still too strange with the other in sheer agony. At least the medic who spoke to her promised to put her out for a bit.

Mira nodded. “Just go ahead with that. I’m sure the eye is a bit more dire than random shards of kyber in my face elsewhere.” She wasn’t sure of that, but she was fairly certain.

She seemed to have quite the entourage following, at least a bit of the ways. She could hear Leia and the other, familiar voice, still. ‘We didn’t need back-up.’ Back-up would have made it worse, and no one could save her from her own stupidity of wearing kyber around Kylo Ren. The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind that it was a stupid idea.

She knew better now.

She was going to miss it, though. It’d been nice. She was still going to sort out hair for another padawan braid, though. It was still a reminder she intended to keep around, even if it had to be sans kyber.

The gurney came to a stop, “I’m going to go get the anesthesia prepared,” the medic said to Mira, but also, to those who followed. She would be put under soon enough, and then they’d have to get to work and have the area cleared.

“Thank you,” Mira heard their steps retreating, and she let out a slow breath, before turning her head towards Hux and Finn. She would open her eye again. She was certain she was going to survive a bit of surgery, but still. She wanted to see them. “Don’t wait up for me, Hux,” she said. She didn’t know how long this process may take. If he could get the Order before she was back, she wanted him to. Much as she’d love to see Brendol’s face. Or find out what he knew about where Terex went. “Finn, did you get my lightsabers?”

 

[KyloGlenn]

“We won’t ask much of you. The Allegiant General simply would like to know some details of what happened, on your mission and regarding the unfortunate death of Supreme Leader Snoke. And since the Supreme Leader is occupied for an undisclosed amount of time, your timely input would be helpful,” the officer elaborated, perhaps for it to seem less like an interrogation.

“And beyond that, I’m sure Allegiant General Pryde would appreciate any insight on how to better serve Supreme Leader Ren and the Knights. But alas, we understand if it’s preferred to wait for the Supreme Leader himself.” If Gnaeus wanted to join his people in the medbay.

Very agreeable indeed. “I must return to him, let him know Kylo Ren would like to meet,” the officer left the offer open, for Gnaeus to join.


Paquin hadn’t realized until they were down the hall that Gnaeus hadn’t followed, caught up with that one strange officer. She wanted to stop and wait for him, she didn’t want the Knights to be separated, even if they were all on the same planet. But the medic continued to lead her away, back into the stark medbay.

The medic helped her onto a cot, closing a curtain around them for a little bit of privacy. Off came the makeshift bandage. Her shirt was peeled painfully from the wound and abandoned in favor of easy access.. “I’ll get you something new,” he offered, noting the hole that went through the shirt. “Luckily the bolt didn’t go all the way through you.” Paquin knew what he was doing. They were trained to talk patients through things like this. She let him.

He offered her something for pain, but she foolishly declined it. She realized that as he flushed her abdominal wound, no doubt full of sand and actively bleeding. It wasn’t like a lightsaber wound, that penetrated long enough to cauterize itself. She remembered Kylo had a strange mix of that post Starkiller. Bacta was applied and the wound was closed on a surface level. The bacta would take care of the rest. She knew a dip in a tank would have been better, but she didn’t think she’d have that much time. Her stomach was wrapped firmly with gauze, her other smaller wounds dealt with much simply.

“You’ll have a few scars,” Paquin knew as much. Bacta encouraged the healing process and scarring was a part of it. “You’re the one that was a medic, right?” Paquin nodded. “Then you’ll know how to care for this. Making my job easy,” that earned a laugh from her, but it was immediately followed by a wince. “I’ll get you a new shirt.” He patted her knee before disappearing for a few moments.

It was on brand, black. A little too big, but comfortable. Anything to ward off the chill of the medbay. She usually didn’t mind and knew it was cold for a reason, but she just wanted to curl up then. And she did, for a minute, when the medic left her. Closed her eyes and nearly let herself sleep on the cot. ‘Ariel. Kylo.’ She wanted an update on her, and to check on Kylo. So she pulled herself to her feet, in search of Kylo and hopefully Gnaeus.

-

Hux thought Mira almost wanted to be knocked out. He wouldn’t blame her. He couldn’t imagine the pain she was in. The little crystals, maybe, like glass. But what went through her eye…He shuddered even thinking about it. He hoped her eye would be fine. They put needles through eyes, didn’t they? Though, he knew this was different from a controlled procedure. He sighed as he and Finn settled next to her.

They wouldn’t say goodbyes. More like saying goodnight, because they knew she’d live. As long as she didn’t have any adverse reactions to anesthetic.

She opened her good eye and the corner of Hux’s lips quirked at that. He wished she’d keep it closed, though. To avoid any discomfort. She told him not to wait. And he’d probably take to that. Brendol would run the Order straight to the ground. And he had nothing else to do while she was out like a light. He wouldn’t want her tagging along if she was up by that time, either. Rest was what she needed. He could handle his father on his own. He knew better now and faith in Brendol would be weak. “I won’t,” he assured. “I’ll tell you all about it when you’re up.”

And then came the question about her lightsabers, and Finn paused, eyes widening just a bit with realization. “Um. Well, my focus was getting you away from Ren. I didn’t really think…” Finn trailed off. “We’ll have to go back, anyway. For the stone.”

Hux looked at him. Did he have to mention all of that right before Mira was about to be put under? She shouldn’t have to worry about that. Hux also supposed Finn couldn’t lie, and was just trying to ease the fact that he’d left both of Mira’s lightsabers on Korriban. “We can work on getting them back while you’re out,” Finn added, hoping that would let her relax. Would she dream about that sort of thing? He hoped not.

The medic returned, needle in hand. “Ready when you are, Vallens.” The medic mostly looked at her company when that was said, a sign for them to wrap this whole thing up.

“Right,” Hux cut through, his hand patting Mira’s as a goodbye. “I’ll see you when you wake up. Hopefully we’ll have news for you.” With a parting pat, he let Finn have a moment.

“I’m sorry about the lightsaber thing,” he offered. “But don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” His hand squeezed hers, a sign of support. Once he let go, the medic moved in to inject. Only Leia cut in then, too.

“I won’t keep you. We’ll talk when you’re better, but...I’m sorry, for all of that. I...thought I could accomplish something.” ‘I should have let you…’ Leia smiled, albeit a bit forced. “Hope you’ll get some good rest. You deserve it. You’re in good hands, but I’ll keep an eye on you,” she wouldn’t be left on her own in a foreign medbay. Not for very long. Leia would have them get her when Mira woke up, too. In case Hux or Finn weren’t around. Leia would let the medic finally do their work. Mira would probably be thankful for that, too, since her pain would finally be dealt with.

“I’ll stick you once, then you’ll be out quickly,” the medic informed, giving Mira an opportunity to say some parting words before she was injected with an anesthetic. And of course, her little entourage would stick around until she was completely out. Until they were forcefully shooed away so some work could be done.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus listened as this officer offered more information about what they were looking for. It made sense. In spite of the reassurance that they would wait for Kylo, however, Gnaeus still felt pressure to go along, and so, slowly, he nodded. “Okay.” Perhaps he would be able to bring back information about Pryde to the others.

And if Kylo was angry with him? ‘Good.’ He deserved it. “I’ll come with you to help.”

So, Gnaeus Ren followed the officer through the corridors, “Thank you,” the officer said, “We do appreciate this.”

‘Uh huh….’ Gnaeus didn’t attempt to make small-talk, he just looked around his surroundings, and tried to get an idea of where he was in relation to the medbay. Not that he really could. He didn’t know this base at all.

Soon enough, however, they came to an intimidating set of double doors that slid open, and a few others besides Pryde were in the room. Other officers, with that curious outfit, trimmed in red.

There was one at the head of the room who looked up. “Allegiant General,” the officer gestured to the man at the head. Silver hair. Thinning. Definitely an old Imperial, Gnaeus surmised. “This is Gnaeus Ren,” which he probably already knew, “Our Supreme Leader is currently seeking treatment in the medbay.”

“Thank you, Colonel Alsen,” Pryde responded, and the man moved to take his seat, as Gnaeus stepped closer to the long, oval table. “Gnaeus Ren, thank you for joining us. We are just attempting to get clarity on the situation, and what we should relay to our allies in the First Order.”

“What have you told them?”

“Little more than Snoke has passed on and Kylo Ren is in charge,” which, the ungrateful General of the Order didn’t seem pleased with. “We are still a bit confused on all of that ourselves, and rumor and hearsay have dominate that conversation.”

Gnaeus wasn’t sure if this was a trap, but it felt like one. “The praetorian attacked Snoke. Kylo was not able to defend him.”

~***~

Kylo Ren also refused anything for the pain. He saw a droid, as well, rather than people, in spite of the medic’s attempt to detour him. Kylo knew very well what medical droids were capable of, and still, so often, preferred them. The lightsaber wound needed treatment, but it was also a cauterized wound.

It wasn’t terrible.

At least, not as terrible as it could have been.

Mira hadn’t aimed to kill. That hadn’t been obvious when it struck, but it was obvious when she held herself back after utilizing the sand against him.

The droid offered no small-talk, just went about the business of cleansing the wound, applying the necessary bacta, and wrapping the wound, before fetching him something to put on. Not that Kylo accepted that, either; he just put back on his armored top, and walked out to find the lobby of the medbay once again to find out about Ariel’s own status, as well as Paquin’s.

He expected to find Gnaeus there.

He did not – but he did reach there nearly the same time as Paquin. She was walking on her own, which was a relief.

He started to approach her, paused, wondered why he paused in a post-Snoke world, and continued to meet her, to reach out and touch her arm, assure himself she was there as his eyes assessed her face for any discomfort. No words. He didn’t quite have words, or a certainty of what to say.

Gnaeus’s glare hadn’t left his memory, either. Or the fact Gnaeus wasn’t there.

~***~

Mira couldn’t be upset with Finn for forgetting the lightsaber in the midst of all of this. She was surprised to hear about the stone, though. “They left it?” That was strange, but she still nodded. Waking up, with that back around, would be…nice. It was obvious it was not going to be an advantage against Kylo Ren, but she’d still rather have it.

It would still protect her mind. ‘You don’t need that.’ Snoke was dead. And yet Mira was still cautious of trusting sleep, of trusting, well, anything.

She longed to be put out in spite of that, though. Admittedly, she figured if she was put out by medicine, it might be different than a natural sleep. No dreams, she hoped.

She wouldn’t ask Finn to help Hux with the Order – and if he wanted to go get lightsabers and stone, then that was something he could do while she was out, as Hux took back the Order. Before Mira could make a comment, though, Leia interjected. Mira met her gaze, calm.

“We held the same hope, Leia…in spite of my own anger at Kylo,” perhaps she could have done better with that, but she hadn’t. Somehow, she thought it might have been worse if she tried to be too diplomatic. Kylo knew her too well. It was her way of claiming to understand. Of saying the apology wasn’t really necessary.

They’d talk, when she woke.

When Leia, also, had time with what happened. ‘What nearly happened.’

What a strange group she had. “I have a lot to look forward to.” A strange conversation with Leia, Hux’s return to the Order, and Finn’s reclamation of the Void stone.

Mira would think of that positive note. “I’ll see you all soon.” She tilted her head to look at the medic, and nodded.

In went the needle.

And Mira was actually quite surprised with how quickly she felt the medicine seeping in. And annoyed as she immediately felt the fight reaction within herself. Within the Force.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’ve got this. Just think of the shitbirds, Mira.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

“So we’ve heard,” Pryde allowed. That much had been relayed to him.

“Mm,” one of the officers accompanying Pryde mused from their seat. “How did that come to be? Given Snoke’s proficiency in the Force, and we assume the Knights’ own.” There was no accusation behind the words. At least, none that could be picked up through inflection. Just a simple desire for such questions to be answered.

Colonel Alsen added, “I’m sure you can imagine the kind of rumors we’re facing. The more details we can offer, the easier we can disregard such falsehoods and be prepared for the work that Supreme Leader Ren might have us focus on.” Alsen smoothed over whatever interpretation might come from the other officer’s press for details. Like Alsen had said, this wasn’t meant to be an interrogation. Not an obvious one. “Of course, we’ll discuss those matters once he’s treated for his injuries.”

“Yes, we’ve heard of the injuries he attained. As well as Ariel Ren’s unfortunate condition. Our medical staff is well equipped, I have full confidence in each of their recoveries,” Pryde offered. “I understand the shift of power has been quite hasty, the Supreme Leader may have overlooked it, but our resources are his now. For future reference, he’s more than welcome to utilizing what he must for his missions,” a careful pry.

Looking for a response that might indicate the nature of the ‘mission’ they’d been on.

-

Paquin was a bit puzzled when Gnaeus wasn’t in the waiting room. Was he with that officer still? Was he visiting Ariel? Paquin didn’t think Ariel would be available for visits just yet. She did see Kylo, though, and was eager to meet him halfway, looking over him as she did. His hand found her arm and she found herself tensing under his touch. Like it was something they shouldn’t be doing in the open. But she supposed Kylo was in charge now, who was going to stop them? ‘Are you sure that’s really the reason?’

The thought made her nauseous. She relaxed under his touch, it was just Kylo. To combat her thoughts, her arm found his, her other hand reaching out. She ran her hand over his unusually messy hair, some sand falling from it as she did so. No words were shared for a few moments. He didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want to say anything about what had happened on Korriban.

“You should change your shirt, you know. You can infect your wound,” it meant to come out louder, but it was more of a mumble. “Didn’t your medic tell you that?” She withdrew herself from him, hands trailing and fingers lingering.

“I wonder what that officer wanted from Gnaeus,” she figured that was a good bet where he was. What they were doing was another matter. She’d suggest looking for him, after she checked on Ariel.

The lobby wasn’t empty, a few medics with their heads down, working away. “Excuse me,” she targeted one of them, “Do you have any information on Ariel Ren?”

The medic looked up, examining Paquin before she noticed Kylo Ren. Her eyes widened just a bit, “I can get some. One moment, please,” and she rushed off.

-

Mira was out quicker than any of them anticipated. They expected to be able to loiter around a bit, but it was only a few moments before the medic confirmed she was unconscious and asked them to leave so they could get to work. The group they formed was a hesitant one, but they all eventually shuffled out of the medbay, to instead stand around in the hall. It was silent among them, all of them a bit lost in their own thoughts.

Finn was the first to speak. “I’m gonna find Poe. Take him with me to Korriban,” he informed Leia. “Unless you might need him around.”

“Just Poe?” Leia questioned. “Maybe you should take a few more people with you, just in case.”

Finn shook his head, “It’ll be easier if it’s just the two of us. Besides, three of them are injured and it didn’t seem like any of them noticed the stone was gone. They’ll be away for a while if Poe and I go real quick.” Before any of them had a chance to recover, before the sand had a chance to bury the stone or the lightsabers.

Leia sighed. “Hurry back. Get what you need and get out. That planet is dark and it’s only a matter of time before they go back to it, too.”

Finn nodded, figuring it was better not to mention his intent of snooping around the Knights of Ren’s base. Another reason why just Poe would be better, he wouldn’t have to explain to anybody else. Finn figured...they had to have some interesting stuff there, right? Maybe they had something, books maybe, that he could use to help Mira with her emotional control of the Force. Then she wouldn’t need the stone. Maybe they could destroy that. “I’ll try to be back before she wakes up. And Hux...I don’t like you. Or the Order. But I hate your dad more. So, good luck, I guess.” Finn offered.

“Thank you. I guess.” Finn nodded in response and turned away, off to find Poe. “And thank you for your help, General Organa." 'I'm sorry your son is such a murderous snake.' "If I’m not back before she’s awake,” which Hux suspected was pretty likely. Even after he dealt with his father, he was sure he’d have some things to fix within the Order, “Please contact me.”

“Of course. Good luck, General Hux.” Leia thought she might sit. Drink some tea. Did she not earn that bit of luxury? At times like these, she missed her twin. She wondered where he was now.

And Hux was off to unite with Phasma. Get the scoop from Mitaka and decide if he’d have to take Leia up on her earlier suggestion of contacting Tarkin for assistance.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus had the answers, of course. They were lies, and truths, and he realized without the Void Stone, it might be hard to prove any of it. ‘Shit.’ He shouldn’t have thrown it out of the ship. He fucked up. He really fucked up. Well, they could go back and get it. It’d be fine.

“Of course, it was a surprise to us, as well,” Gnaeus managed, eyes flickering from face to face. He wanted to settle on Pryde, but even as his gaze met his, it drifted to Colonel Alsen instead. “Hux had on his person a stone that sapped the area around it of the Force. Nearly as long as the ship we took,” he added, to explain how wide the field was. “Snoke requested we bring that to him. He mentioned its power in the room – I think the praetorian just got the idea all of a sudden and…ran with it. Didn’t think. Thought they could take us out, too.”

Didn’t work, obviously.

And it wasn’t true. That wasn’t the point. “Our mission on Korriban wasn’t meant to require anyone else,” and unfortunately led to them losing Hux. “It was made in haste.” That much was true, although he realized he probably shouldn’t have said that. Shouldn’t have discredited Kylo’s abilities. “It was meant to be diplomatic, between our enemies.”

Pryde’s brows lifted. A diplomatic mission on Korriban? Strange destination. “I understand that Hux did not return. Is he alive?”

Gnaeus could feel his face heating. “Yes.” Unfortunately. He would prove a threat to the Order.

Pryde nodded, and looked to one of the other officers. “Warn Brendol that his son has escaped. He should be prepared for any fallout.” While they were, currently, stagnant.

~***~

Kylo recognized the tension. He would have pulled away, if Paquin hadn’t responded with a gesture of her own. He didn’t flinch. He wasn’t as relaxed, given his preparation to move, but he did begin to. A bit.

There was much unspoken in the moment, and much neither of them wanted to dwell on. He let his gaze drop from her, to his shirt, and he rolled his eyes, “Yeah, it was mentioned,” but he didn’t want to put on some random loaner clothing. “I’ll get to my own clothes soon enough.” He should go back to Kamino and get armor.

He knew Korriban was a gamble right now. It wasn’t a planet he intended to lose to the Resistance, but he would rather avoid any immediate conflict again.

He wanted a bit of rest.

A moment to go over what the hell happened.

He would look to the medic that left for information, and follow their trail until they were out of sight. “I know she’s still alive….” Likely, they all knew that. So was Mira.

‘So is Leia.’

“What officer?” He went back to that. He hadn’t noticed any officer with Gnaeus.

~***~

Poe Dameron had still been on Coruscant when information started leaking about a situation with Leia, with Hux, and then he was getting a call from Connix about Leia returning to base, and the situation not that great. Needless to say, he hopped in his X-Wing with BB-8 to go find out what was going on, and he was just entering the atmosphere when a call came through.

Finn.

“Hey, buddy!” Poe greeted, cheer not entirely forced, but somewhat. He was anxious. Then he remembered Connix had told him that Finn was with Leia. “I’m about to land at base, you still there?”

BB-8 chimed something from his own spot, asking about Mira. He heard enough to know Mira was hurt, and even if Poe didn’t care that much, the droid spent too much time in her company not to be curious about the situation.

~***~

Mira had no idea how long she was out for, of course. At least when she woke, there was no pain, but she still couldn’t open one eye. It felt like it was sewn? Mira started to sit up, panicking, the monitor starting to beep more rapidly – but there was a medic nearby, the one from before, who was quick to step in. “Vallens,” Mira let her gaze shoot over to her, and the medic greeted her with a smile, and both hands up – palms towards Mira. “You’re all right.”

“I can’t open my eye.”

“No, you can’t.” The medic agreed, “That’s necessary for now, it is healing, and we need to keep it shut during this process so that you can keep it.” The woman stepped in, “However, the news isn’t entirely good.” She hadn’t yet briefed Leia, although she intended to.

“The damage to your eye’s globe was significant. We have managed to save the integrity of it, but at this time, we do not believe you’ll recover the ability to see as well as you have in the past, in that eye, if at all.”

It was certainly not the news that Mira wanted. “We’re not certain of the repercussions yet, we want to see how your eye will take to the current treatment. There are some eyepatches you can wear,” a small gesture was made, and Mira noticed that there were indeed some that had been brought into the room, on the table nearby. Mira picked up one black one, and turned it mutely over in her hand.

“The rest of you will be fine. Your ear had a perforated eardrum, but that has been healed. There is some…cosmetic damage.” Mira lifted her gaze from the eyepatch to the medic. Scarring, she meant. Damage that wasn’t debilitating to anything but her vanity.

‘Maybe it’s for the best.’ As if a few scars were going to bother Hux enough. Well, maybe if she was lucky. “Is there a mirror? I need it to put on the eyepatch.” She didn’t. She could use the Force for that. The medic didn’t need to know that. It was likely obvious enough that she wanted to see the damage, and she was trying very hard not to react or suggest that she wanted to cry just at the news.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“Right away, sir,” the officer stood, swiftly exiting to call Brendol. It was figured that would be better than a comm message saying ‘your son has escaped’.

Pryde knew that family. The Huxes, few and difficult. “An unfortunate loss,” Pryde commented. “But not irretrievable. Given ample warning, I’m sure General Hux can handle his son accordingly.” He glazed over. Well, given the situation, the younger Hux was rather elusive, wasn’t he? Pryde didn’t say as much. He hadn’t been present at their chosen meeting destination, wasn’t privy to the circumstances.

Pryde had a feeling it wasn’t a matter to pry into too much. Given the admittedly hasty nature of it.

More on that later. And if Supreme Leader Ren didn’t give any further details, it was safe to assume it wasn’t a matter that was wanted to be known. For the moment. “The stone that you mentioned? If it’s available,” To prove its existence. As well as, “We’ve many skilled individuals amongst our ranks. If granted, we might track down its origins. Or find a way to utilize it.”

“Of course, we don’t expect you to make any decisions yourself. If you would relay our offer to the Supreme Leader for his consideration, we’ll make sure to have those who can answer his questions when he’s ready to meet with us. At his earliest convenience,” once again, Alsen sweetened much of what was said. Almost over explaining. Overly compliant.

“We appreciate your cooperation. It is vital,” Pryde lifted himself from his seat at the head. “Is there anything we can do for you, Gnaeus Ren?”

-

Paquin had simply mentioned his shirt to break the silence and break it without bringing up the subject they both wanted to avoid. However, she did grow a bit concerned when he mentioned getting to his own clothes. Kamino hadn’t crossed her mind. She hoped he didn’t mean Korriban, and the look she gave him said as much. She didn’t think Kylo to be that irrational.

She sighed. Ariel was alive. She knew that. But for how long? ‘Until her liver is what kills her.’ That woman had more drinking to do. Paquin was almost certain Kylo’s offer would keep Ariel alive of her own will.

“The officer you were talking with, the one that said something about the Force being with us when we left,” Paquin specified. She didn’t know his name. “He was talking with Gnaeus when I left him.” She wouldn’t have time to explain anymore before the medic returned.

“Ariel Ren is stable. She’s resting now, in a bacta tank. It’s best if she spends an adequate amount of time in there, but I can inform you of when she’s out and ready for visitors?” The medic offered.

They knew Ariel was alive, but it was a great relief to know she’d been stabilized. And a bacta bath would do her some good. Paquin exhaled a breath and nodded. “Yes, that would be good. Thank you.” Even if these medics weren’t as persistent as Paquin thought they should be, she could at least appreciate that they took care of Ariel.

The medic nodded and offered a small smile before disappearing.

-

“Hey, Poe,” Finn smiled just a bit at the sound of Poe’s voice. Refreshing, even if Finn could tell that cheer in his voice wasn’t entirely genuine. Given, it seemed he knew the situation by asking if Finn was still on the base. He wasn’t surprised, given his closeness to Leia. Connix probably told him, the both of them often sharing in their concern for the general.

“Yeah, I’m still on the base,” walking to the hangar as they spoke. Better to waste as little time as possible. He heard BB-8’s beeps, chuckling just a bit at the droid’s concern for Mira. It was interesting how droids developed attachments of their own. He supposed if they weren’t programmed not to, there was nothing stopping them from doing so. “Mira’s alright. She’s hurt, pretty bad, but she’ll live.” He reassured.

BB-8 let out a droid equivalent to sigh of relief and then asked if they could see her when they landed. “Not yet, BB. She went under for a little bit of an operation,” the droid panicked at that. “I’ll tell you all about it when you get here. But, hey, Poe. You got any more room in the X-wing of yours?” He was joking, of course.

“I need your help on a little trip of mine. I’ll explain everything, I promise.”

-

The medic hesitated for a beat, torn as to whether or not it would be a good idea to let Mira see herself so soon after waking up. The medic sighed, giving up the debate. Perhaps looking at herself would be enough of a distraction until Leia got down there. There seemed to be some sort of relationship between the two, perhaps a friendly face would do Mira a bit of good as the anesthesia completely wore off.

So a mirror was handed to Mira.

And the medic had just begun to draft a comm message when the woman herself walked in, a mug of tea in hand. She looked cleaner than before, a change of clothes and a looser braid was worn. She still looked tired, but no one in the Resistance would be stupid enough to point that out, lest they get an earful of Leia’s finest annoyance.

“I thought I asked to be alerted when she woke up,” Leia frowned when she noticed Mira sat up, mirror in hand. She wasn’t upset with Mira, of course.

“She just woke up, General. I was right about to send you a message, I’m sorry.”

Leia waved it off. “It’s alright. WIll you give us a minute?”

“Do you want to be briefed first?”

“Has Mira been briefed?”

“Yes.”

“Then she can tell me. Thank you,” the thanks was a dismissal, and the medic took it as such. There was a mention of the medic staying near, in case there were any questions. Leia pulled up a rolling chair, sitting beside Mira’s bed. She placed her tea on the nearby table, noting the various eyepatch options that lay upon it. “Is this a permanent accessory?” Leia asked, picking one up to idly inspect it.

Leia noticed what would inevitably be scars. Those were often hard to accept, Leia didn’t think she’d do well to comment on those. Arguably, her eye situation would be harder to accept. But Leia at least hoped for good news on that one.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus nodded his agreement with Pryde’s statement. Yes, certainly Brendol – it was hard to think of him as ‘General Hux’ – could handle his son. He could kill him now, after all. No one wanted Hux alive. His use expired the moment Mira decided she wasn’t going to return to them. ‘Why did Kylo think she would?’ A question for another time.

Gnaeus’s sense of having fucked up only increased as they asked for the stone. The stone he threw out of a ship. On Korriban. Which was, hopefully, covered up and lost to the sands, because he never wanted to see it again – which was now needed to prove that someone could kill Snoke.

Why was this his life? “The stone was lost with Hux,” convenient. He knew how convenient that sounded.

Or maybe only he knew because he was a goddamn liar. Every other face seemed relatively passive. Calm. Accepting of the answer as if it were the Truth. “I am not certain if Kylo—Supreme Leader Ren intends to retrieve it or not.” Should he say it was on Korriban? Should he say it went with Hux, directly?

All answers seemed like bad answers.

And then there was a blessed interruption after Pryde asked if he needed anything. He was starting to think he needed a drink. No, what he needed was Kylo – and there was Kylo on his comm, on his good arm. “Ah – the Supreme Leader,” he offered, and took a step back, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to answer this.”

~***~

‘Oh. That one.’ The weird one that Kylo needed to get the name of so he didn’t end up just calling him Pryde’s Dog. He didn’t know that for sure, for one. Two, so far, they hadn’t done anything offensive. Just…been weird. Officers didn’t wish people that. It was a Jedi thing. It was a Rebel thing.

It hadn’t felt wrong, exactly – the Officer had been wholly comfortable saying it – but it was still strange. Perhaps strange that it didn’t feel wrong.

There was a report on Ariel.

Stable. In a bacta tank. Kylo nodded. He wanted an update when she could have visitors, but for now, he knew it was better to leave her like that. The medic left with that command in mind, from Paquin, not him. It didn’t really matter who, not to Kylo, not right then, as his mind returned to the distraction of Gnaeus.

“We should find him.” Where? How?

Kylo almost hit his head as the answer came to mind, recalling his comm on his arm. The one that connected him to Mira. If he called Kevan again, would he get through? ‘Would Kevan speak again?’

Best not to try that. He could just call Gnaeus, and so he did.

~***~

Poe hadn’t heard much about Mira’s state. Hadn’t asked. The thought of putting a Knight of Ren under, though, wasn’t encouraging. He supposed the situation may have been more serious than Connix led him to believe – not that she’d told him much. He still needed to go see Leia for that, but as the hangar came into sight, and Finn’s question rung in his ear, he laughed a little.

Maybe it’d be easier to get it from Finn.

And then he might at least know why he was confronting Leia, later. He had a feeling some space might be good before he barged into her office and demanded to know why he wasn’t informed. Time and space weren’t usually his expertise – but he had a distraction, and a promise for information.

He didn’t answer on the comm, but waited until the ship had landed, and powered down, before he threw up the top and popped up and over it, “Not in the X-Wing, but they’re not going to stop me from taking a slightly larger ship,” he said, as he slipped down the side of it and to the ground, BB-8 exiting by being lowered down from his own port in the ship.

He walked forward to greet Finn, slapping a hand over his shoulder, “Let’s go see what’s available, huh? You can tell me what’s up as I ransack the keys,” he said, hand leaving Finn’s shoulder as he started to walk ahead, taking note of the ships in that hangar, BB-8 rolling along behind him, also very curious about this mission.

“Finn you really should just get the stone and lightsabers and run. Okay, maybe there’s something in my room that could be useful…aaagh, no one can hear me, this is bullshit, I knew I should have bothered Mace instead.” But no. Kevan was bothering Mira’s padawan, because Mira was out of it. Didn’t need him around right then.

~***~

It wasn’t good.

Obviously, Mira was spared a direct look at her eye, which she knew she ought to be grateful for, but there was still a notable little line across the lid of her eye that must have been where the crystal lodged itself. She was realizing, then, she couldn’t move her eye, either, beneath the lid. It was likely numbed terribly, or secured – the more Mira thought about it, the more she didn’t want to think about it.

She was able to redirect her attention to the other lines across her face. It was reserved for that one side, mostly horizontal lines cutting across her upper cheek, the bridge of her nose, cutting near her eye – none went so high as her forehead, and she moved hair back to get a look at her ear.

It wasn’t bound up; it was easy enough to see there was gap in the upper cartilage. ‘Well, you could get a piercing to hide it.’ The thought didn’t cheer her as she brushed her fingers over the new lack to her face. She hated it.

She also clearly needed to get a haircut or…something. They had at least rinsed her hair of blood and sand, but the explosion hadn’t spared her strands. That, at least, was fixable – didn’t stop her fingers from moving from ear to strands that were split and cut off short and choppy by the kyber. It wasn’t most of her hair…she didn’t know how she’d make it work.

The ‘don’t know’ was building, though – and thankfully, interrupted by a squeaky wheel of a rolling chair, and Leia’s presence. She hardly noticed Leia when she entered, entranced instead by the changes she hated.

Leia had taken one of the eyepatches and Mira managed a resigned sigh as she lowered the mirror and pulled up the one she’d chosen earlier with the Force, and moved it into place, tying off the string behind her head. Deep breath. “I don’t know.” That was the simple answer. The only honest one, as she stilled the way that statement wanted to continue to reverberate and ripple through her. Wanted to bring her to tears, or worse – always worse, when emotions were involved.

She moved the mirror to the table, facing the glass down. “The medic said I was likely to have permanent damage to my eyesight. The extent of that isn’t known yet. The rest is merely cosmetic.” Trying to convince herself it didn’t matter. She’d lived in a mask long enough; she could go back to that.

‘Except you were starting to….’ Move into a light. Step into sight.

Her fingers still itched to trace lines that didn’t belong, but she drew them back into her lap.

“How long has it been?” One way of seeking to know how much may have already passed, and to turn it away from what she didn’t know.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin wasn’t about to object to finding Gnaeus. She wanted them all together and for them all to rest. Just for a moment of calm. She didn’t think it would be hard to find him. Everyone seemed fairly helpful here, maybe they could just ask around…

Or the simpler solution would be just to call him, as Kylo did.

Paquin huddled beside him to watch the comm. It rang a few times, Paquin growing senselessly worried in that time. ‘Just because he doesn’t answer in three seconds doesn’t mean anything is wrong with him.’ They were safe, on their newly acquired base. She was just on edge, unsettled in this foreign place. Everything just seemed…a little off kilter. Maybe she was just going insane. That was likely, too.

But Gnaeus answered, and the holo didn’t allow them to see any of his surroundings. But if it had, she didn’t think it would help. Interiors usually looked the same. Though, this particular facility was a bit unique to ones she’d been in. “Hi Gnaeus,” she greeted happily when his face popped up. “Ariel’s doing well,” she thought it might be good to start with that, in case he worried they were calling because she was going downhill.

“Where’d you go?” Why did he go? Though, she supposed the more important question was where was he now.

-

Finn knew they wouldn’t actually be packed into the X-Wing, but Finn couldn’t also help but think there could be worse people to be packed into a tiny ship with, if they had to be. But there were plenty of idle ships in the hangar, surely no one would mind if they stole one for an hour or two. Poe slapped his shoulder in greeting once they connected, Finn returning it in a similar fashion.

And BB-8 beeped a greeting as the little droid rolled past him, following after Poe. “Hey, BB-8.” Finn greeted with a small as he, too, fell in line with Poe.

He thought he heard his name, though, so he stalled just a moment, looking behind him. No one seemed to be running after them…’Hm.’ He continued on after his buddy and the droid, but he felt like someone was trailing along with him, too. He disregarded that feeling, though, as they took shelter in the structure off of the hangar. People bustled around, voices carried. They were too busy to notice them rifling through the keys.

“We’re going to Korriban, to get some things. We had a bit of a scuffle. Leia, she tried to talk to Kylo Ren, but he…he tried to kill her, but she’s fine! Physically, at least. Not a scratch on her, Mira kept her safe.” It was probably good they’d have the distraction of Korriban, because Poe would probably have a lot to say to Leia. “Ren did something with the crystals Mira wears—wore. She’ll live but...her eye...some scarring...we’re not sure about any of that.” BB-8 beeped, expressing a desire to visit Mira.

“Not yet, bud. She’s gonna be out for a while. And I left her lightsabers there when we were leaving. One of the things we have to get.”

-

Leia fiddled with the eyepatch only a moment longer before she set it back down. Her hands came to rest in her lap as she listened to Mira’s briefing on the extent of her injuries. Noted how Mira set the mirror face down. ‘Merely cosmetic my ass.’ Leia could tell Mira was only trying to play it off as no big deal. Whether she was trying to convince herself or not show vulnerability, Leia wasn’t sure.

“Well, likely isn’t a guarantee. I trust my medics, but there’s still much to be explored out there.” Leia suggested. The galaxy was vast. Maybe some specialist or something could take a look at her eye. Of course, Leia didn’t want to get her hopes up. There was a sick reality to this that her eye would never recover. And her face, well…that was another matter.

That was not ‘merely cosmetic’. It was something she’d have to look at everyday, a constant reminder. A source of insecurity, even in someone who might not have been insecure before. She’d seen things like this in her time. In her friends and fellow rebels. Leia didn’t say this, though. Mira didn’t need to think of that right then. And there wasn’t anything encouraging Leia could offer, other than her support. Her shoulder to cry on.

Mira asked how long she’d been out. “A few hours, give or take.” The actual operation had taken a while, Leia had received a message once it was done. “No one’s returned yet. I did receive an update from Phasma, some good news. The right Hux has the Order under control, but they don’t know when they’ll be back.” Much to fix of what Brendol had done, apparently. Orders to cover, communications to deal with. “Finn went with Poe to Korriban, not quite sure when they left.” She’d hope for an update from them soon, before she got worried.

Leia held her mug again, raising it in acknowledgement. “And I made tea.” A great accomplishment, wasn’t it? Leia had found it difficult to focus on a lot of things. She’d move forward. She always did, but...for the moment, it was hard. “I can get you some, if you’d like. I didn’t expect you to be up yet.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Unbeknownst to Kylo and Paquin, Gnaeus had stepped out of the room for privacy, and was now simply in a hallway, much the same way Kylo had stepped out when he got his call from Mira.

He did smile, relieved, to hear that Ariel was okay. For now. He wanted to see her, but suspected she wasn’t ready for that, just yet.

“Um, Colonel Alsen, the ‘Force’ guy,” apparently this was how he would always be described, “said that Allegiant General Pryde wanted some information, so—”

“—You went to talk to them without me?” Kylo sounded offended.

Gnaeus glared, “Yes, I did, just to catch them up. They’re trying to keep everything moving – they didn’t know Hux had escaped, so now they’re able to give General Hux a head’s up. Maybe we’ll keep the Order that way.” Necessary seconds? Maybe.

Kylo still didn’t look happy, so he added, “They want to speak to you. Are you at the medbay?”

“Yes.”

“I can let them know you’re better, and someone can bring you here.”

Kylo nodded, considered a moment. He was tempted to ask how Allegiant General Pryde was, but decided not to do that to Gnaeus right now. They could discuss it afterwards. “Yes, have someone bring me there.” It was probably going to be Force—Colonel Alsen.

~***~

Poe was digging through the keys, looking for one for a corvette or a skiff – some sort of small, quick ship, that would let them carry a few things back. He did pause to look at Finn as he said Korriban, and his brows shot straight up when he went on to talk about Leia going after Kylo Ren.

He turned right away from the key rack, clutching one set he decided would suffice, to place his hands on Finn’s shoulders. “What the hell were you thinking? Letting Leia go….” Of all places…of all people…didn’t she know? He had tried to kill Han. Kylo tortured him, and would have killed him, were it not for Finn.

A moment later, he was stepping back, and pulling his empty fingers through his hair as BB-8 was chastising him in beeps. “I know, I know – they couldn’t really stop her—I know.” It didn’t mean he was happy about it. Or liked it. “I should…I should probably not see her yet, huh?”

Wane smile.

His hand fell back to his side as his smile fell off his face.

He wanted to kick something. He should have been there!

“How many things are we picking up?” Poe shifted gears, walking from the keys, and moving towards a corvette that he figured would work. Bit bigger than he wanted, but maybe they’d need that. At least the shielding would be good.

~***~

No, likely wasn’t a guarantee – but Mira couldn’t find a smile for Leia’s hope. It did little for her. She knew what hope was likely to do, if she let it get too high, only to have it dashed. Was she not here, now, because of high hopes?

So was Leia.

Leia, with her cup of tea, while Poe and Finn were somewhere on Korriban, and Hux had reclaimed the Order. Mira nodded. A twitch of a smile threatened at the news of Hux, but she fought that down, too. At least other things seemed to be proceeding well. The good news was welcome, but it certainly cast a light on Leia’s situation, too.

She had tea.

For the moment, it probably was a good thing. To settle, to digest what had happened. Far healthier than what Mira could imagine some people would do. “I think tea might be better than coffee right now,” Mira acknowledged. She’d have something else to do with her hands. A small, other focus. A taste.

And it would set her into Leia’s zone, a bit easier. She had to stay calm, as well, in looking forward and addressing what they were both not yet speaking of.

Kylo, and the future of this war.

 

[KyloGlenn]

There was an obvious tension between Kylo and Gnaeus. Or at least, tension coming from Gnaeus. The glares back on the ship, the glares now. She wondered if going with this Alsen character was as simple as he said, or a way to spite Kylo. Paquin couldn’t blame Gnaeus for being upset with Kylo, she supposed. But she hoped he wouldn’t be upset for long.

Paquin wouldn’t get in the middle of it. Maybe when Ariel was awake, they’d all settle.

But the ‘Force’ guy had a name. Colonel Alsen. Paquin didn’t recognize the name like she had Pryde, but of course she didn’t know every officer to ever have been in the Order. And it seemed Snoke had quite his own operation outside of the Order, anyway.

What more did Snoke have that they didn’t know about? Maybe it was something to snoop into. Maybe Pryde had the answers.

She had waved goodbye to Gnaeus, opting to sit and let her body rest until whoever came to retrieve their new leader showed up. And as expected, it was Colonel Alsen who was all too swift to make his arrival. “Supreme Leader Kylo Ren,” there was a brief nod to show respect. Briefly, Alsen looked to Paquin. “Paquin Ren, was it?”

Finally someone knew her name! She only nodded in confirmation, and Alsen was happy to look back to Kylo. “I know who all of you are, but I’ve not yet introduced myself. Colonel Alsen. I’m here to show you to Allegiant General Pryde, he’s anxious to meet you.”

-

Finn knew how Poe would react to what he told him. Finn, nor Mira had any intention of letting Leia go along, but once she saw Kylo, once she talked to him...there’d been no stopping her. It was understandable, that was her son. And she thought she’d manage something. But she didn’t. It was no fault of her own. “Ren killed Snoke, Leia thought there was some sort of change, but there wasn’t.” BB-8 had already chastised Poe enough, so Finn left it alone.

He shook his head. “I think it might be good to let her have some space,” he confirmed. Good for both of them to have some space, for Poe to relax and try to understand where Leia had come from before he went in there, guns blazing so to speak.

It was why Leia had given Connix the coordinates, not Poe. He’d have jumped in his X-Wing, shown up, and made everything worse, even if his intent was to protect all of them.

Finn was quick to keep up his pace with Poe’s. “Well, at least three. Two lightsabers and a stone, but...I want to look around.” The three of them filed into the corvette, Finn taking up the passenger seat. “Half of the Knights of Ren are injured, they’ll have to be gone for a while. We might never get an opportunity like this to snoop around their stuff again.” Finn didn’t tell Poe about his intent to help Mira with Force stuff, worried he’d protest it simply because it was Mira.

Maybe they’d have something Poe would be interested in. Parts or something that he could take a look at while Finn searched everything else.

-

“I think tea’s a better choice for you right now,” Leia smiled. A small one, and a little bit forced, but she offered Mira one nonetheless. “I’ll get you some. I’ll be right back.” Leia offered a pat to Mira’s knee. She was tempted to take the mirror with her, just in case Mira thought to dwell on her physical appearance, but she didn’t touch it. Rising from her rolling chair, the thing squeaking as she did so. Maybe it was time to get some new chairs for the medbay...An issue she only thought of for the sake of thinking of something.

Leia didn’t have to go far. There was a break room in their little medbay, set up with all that was needed to make a cup of tea. Leia herself had made a simple tea, leaves and a mix of flavors from the planet’s own flora. She avoided putting sugar or anything in Mira’s tea, to avoid any additional energy or caffeine. Leia didn’t think that would be a good idea, for her to be terribly alert or for her heart to race. Especially given their inevitable conversation.

A mug of boiling water and steeping tea, Leia still brought Mira some options for tea accessories, should she want them. She drug over that little table so it was easily accessible to Mira. But then it hit her, Mira could use the Force. Whatever.

She’d allow Mira a few moments–or rather, herself a few moments–to gather. Leia gave her tea, cooler than Mira’s, a few sips before she set it away from her. “I’m sorry, Mira. I asked too much of you, I realize that now,” Leia never should have asked Mira to keep her son alive, especially because it came at the cost of Mira’s own health. “Kylo...whatever it comes to, with him, I’ll understand.” Leia would never give up on him, never push him away. But he made his own decisions, ones she could no longer blame Snoke for.

Her entire life, Leia had worked to bring peace and stability to the galaxy, at the cost of her own self. Why stop now?

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren did not sit, but stood, waiting, for whoever was to arrive. He was not surprised to see it was this Colonel Alsen, who introduced himself this time. Kylo nodded, arms folded across his chest, as he tried to assess this individual.

He couldn’t help having a desire to dive right into his mind and figure out what was going on the easy way.

However, he resisted it.

In theory, he wasn’t going to rule entirely with fear.

But fear might be useful. He had to see about this Pryde. “Good. I want to meet him, immediately.” Now that Pryde had overstepped a boundary of sorts by isolating one of his knights. Kylo let Alsen lead the way, and found that Gnaeus had stayed outside, this time, to wait for him, rather than stay in the room with Pryde.

Kylo was at least glad for that. He cut off any further questioning on his own, for a bit, but he stepped in with Kylo Ren, and Paquin.

Pryde hadn’t sat back down either, but remained standing to greet Kylo. “Supreme Leader,” he inclined his head, his body forward, a bit, “I am Allegiant General Pryde, facilitator of this base, and operating manager of many of our late Supreme Leader Snoke’s other operations.”

“Funny, I’ve never heard of you until now,” Kylo noted. “Why would that be?”

Gnaeus already felt a headache starting. Of course, Kylo would start with a bit of hostility.

~***~

Poe couldn’t help the arch of his brows, or the impish look he gave Finn as the man confessed to wanting to snoop around. Poe was down for that. He understood that could be on Korriban well enough, how useful it could be for the Knights not to have these kinds of things. “All right. I’m game. But we’re out of there the second anyone else shows up, got me?” Poe asked as he settled into the pilot’s seat.

“Uh, I don’t suppose you have the coordinates, do you?”

Poe did not.

He did not know that Connix had them, either, and he could just ask her. Korriban wasn’t exactly a well-mapped world, even in the Resistance, and he figured there was an exact spot that Finn wanted to get to.

And just as soon as he had it, he’d get them on track to Korriban.

~***~

Mira wasn’t about to argue with the thought; she agreed with it, after all. She remained patient, listening, breathing, as she waited for Leia to return with the mug. It didn’t take long, and Mira smiled as she saw the things that she had brought with her. She did use the Force to add a bit of cream, a bit of honey, before she floated the mug to herself.

It warmed her hands.

She didn’t take an immediate sip. It was much too hot for that. The flavor hadn’t steeped long enough, either.

That left it up to Leia to speak, after her sip, about Kylo. The unavoidable subject. Mira could at least drop her gaze into the tea, to watch the way the cream mingled with the amber hue. “You didn’t ask too much of me,” Mira denied that. “It was my own foolishness that led to what happened. I know what kyber is, and I know what Kylo can do to kyber,” it was how he had his crackling lightsaber, after all.

That was on her.

Even if she’d also held back to keep Kylo alive. She wouldn’t confess that. Leia knew it.

Mira did look up as Leia tried to speak of acceptance. She believed her. That didn’t mean she wanted it to come to that – even if, at the same time, she did. Her own fury was likely not to abate anytime soon. Especially if her eye did remain permanently damaged. “I’m sorry. I was angry with him. I could have done better to temper that on Korriban.”

She didn’t know if it would have helped, but she had brought the Resistance and the Order together, damn it! Why couldn’t she bring a mother and son together?

“I won’t make any promises, but I still hope the same as you, in the end.”

In the end, she didn’t hate Kylo. Not yet. But she knew how to kill what she didn’t hate, just as well as he did. If it came to it…she’d defend her own life over preserving his, next time.

 

[KyloGlenn]

A headache was just one of the many aches Paquin was feeling as they finally met this Pryde fellow. She wasn’t at all surprised the meeting began with a bit of confrontation on Kylo’s part. Was that really a good idea given their situation? Given their lie about Snoke’s death and their hasty mission. They were on shaky ground, was it wise to start off with hostility?

Paquin supposed she wasn’t the Supreme Leader or been in command of things like this. She shuffled herself over, to grip the back of one of the intriguingly designed chairs to ease the strain. She didn’t sit...no one else was sitting. Well, no one that was actively involved, anyway. Would it reflect badly if she was the first to sit? She didn’t know about these things.

Pryde took Kylo Ren’s attitude in stride, not so much as blinking at the man’s tone. “Well, I worked officially under the First Order for only a brief time, much of my rank I’ve earned working with Supreme Leader Snoke,” he was largely involved in Snoke’s...extracurriculars as opposed to the regular chain. It wouldn’t be unheard of for Ren not to know someone who hadn’t climbed the ranks of what was within his command.

“And I cannot presume to know the inner machinations of the late Supreme Leader’s mind. However, I would believe information that is known or isn’t is at the behest of Snoke.” Perhaps Snoke didn’t want Kylo Ren to be involved in his other projects.

Colonel Alsen did not speak up to sugarcoat anything. Alsen knew Kylo Ren would see through it. Pryde would handle it as it should be, he supposed. He'd known how to communicate with Snoke.

“Of course, his desires aren’t pertinent any longer. Command has fallen to you,” conveniently. “Whatever information you’ve missed is available to you.”

-

“Got you.” Finn agreed. He didn’t want to stick around if anyone, Knights or otherwise, showed up, either.

Finn also had the coordinates. Well, he messaged Connix and she sent them their way. And before Finn knew it, they were on their way to Korriban. There was an anxious energy to Finn as they traveled. Not only did the memory of what had happened on that planet make him nervous, but there was something that tainted the atmosphere of the planet itself.

Despite his anxiousness, he didn’t let Poe in on any of it.

When they reached their destination, Finn guided Poe to land a bit away from where the whole scene had taken place, just in case anything had moved or shifted by nature. As they drew closer, Finn could see a glint in the sand. It could’ve been a number of things. Crystal, lightsaber, anything, but he felt good they’d recover the lost items. It didn’t look like anyone else had been there, but sand covered much.

“BB-8, you have any way to find metals in there?” Finn asked, patting the droid on the head. BB-8 beeped happily, a mechanical arm shooting out. The little droid spun, rolling to the door. Finn stood to follow, but waited for Poe. “Hey, buddy. I know you can handle yourself and everything, but keep close until we know what’s up?” Until they were sure there were no enemies lurking, especially in the stone structure that Finn was itching to get into.

-

Mira apologized for her anger, and Leia shook her head. Had Leia been a bit frustrated by it? Yes. Did she think it likely influenced the outcome? Yes. But no more than anything Leia had done. The way she’d shown she didn’t even know her own son anymore, that probably didn’t convince him. But how could she? She hadn’t spoken to him in over a decade.

“Don’t be sorry, Mira. You have every right to be angry with him. Hell, I’m angry with him,” she’d just been caught up in the moment. In the desperation and the emotions. Maybe if she’d slapped him like she wanted to, he’d have recognized her a bit more. Maybe she’d have slapped some sense into him. Stabbing was a bit too extreme, but Leia understood where Mira came from.

Where Leia hadn’t talked to her son since he’d destroyed Luke’s academy, Mira had been there the whole time. Had all that time to harbor anger, especially from more recent events.

“I don’t want you to make any promises. If it comes to that, I won’t hold it against you. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to give up on trying to bring him home, but I know what happens in war. At this point...maybe it makes me a bad mother,” or one of the many things, apparently, “but I don’t know what to do other than go against him.”

She had to try to keep the Order and the Resistance united with that goal as they figured out how to fix the Senate, the New Republic. “I can’t wait around doing nothing. Not when he’s made decisions like this.” Like trying to kill her. Had she been doing that this whole time? Had she not fought against Snoke hard enough because of Kylo’s affiliation? Leia wasn’t sure. It was hard to look back and see it clearly.

Leia sighed, taking another sip of tea. She’d be making another cup soon, at that rate. Is this how Luke felt? About Vader? “I think you know him better than I do, at this point. I don’t expect you to know what it would take to change his mind, but is there any point in hoping?” If Mira knew what to do to bring him back to the light, she was sure she’d do it. But was there even a way? “You did it...,” or at least, she wasn’t so dark anymore. She’d made a change.

 

[Lucyfer]

The Allegiant General had an answer. An answer that was believable. Snoke had kept much of his operations separate. The First Order knew little of his clone operations. The Knights knew of it – but Kylo hadn’t known of this base.

Snoke was keeping plenty of secrets, from plenty of parties. Pryde was charged with one of these secrets, and Kylo wondered how many he might be aware of, himself.

And he didn’t seem to be arguing for position. Or trying to take it. Quite unlike Hux.

Kylo didn’t quite relax, but some of the animosity dissipated. “You are correct, Snoke did like to keep his things separate. I need to learn precisely how much he had. I know of Kamino, and I am now aware of this base. I am not aware of the particular functions of this base, or of the personnel here.” Kylo stepped forward to the table.

Gnaeus, perhaps sensing Paquin’s hesitation, moved to another of the empty seats, and pulled it out to sit.

No one looked at him askance.

“This particular facility was utilized for research, more than anything else. Particularly into the Force,” Pryde offered, “We are aware of the Kamino facility here, and others that the Supreme Leader utilized for his projects.”

Kylo arched a brow. It wasn’t a surprise that Snoke had a facility for research into the Force, but still. “What sort of projects?”

~***~

Even without a sense of the Force like Finn, Poe felt ill at ease as they came onto Korriban.

“Yeah, this place still sucks.”

Poe followed the coordinates to an area that looked like it might have been a temple at one point. At least there was a landing pad, that was empty. He landed the ship, not really noticing much of anything, although he didn’t know what to look for besides lightsabers.

He had no idea about this stone.

Poe still got up to follow, “Hey, don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me twice,” well, not yet, anyways. Poe was likely to start wandering a bit once they had what they were looking for, and the point became exploration, but first things first, he supposed.

He would step out after Finn and BB-8, but he wouldn’t lock the ship up. Just in case they had to make a quick for it.

“Ick, yeah, that stone thing is here. Damn it. I mean. Oh yaaaay, the stone thing is here.” Kevan’s energy wouldn’t hover in that direction.

No, he felt the pull of his own Force.

His own lightsaber.

It lit up, right where it was in the sand, causing Poe to jolt backwards in shock, and look around, looking for the source of that.

Kevan cackled.

~***~

It was no surprise to Mira that Leia was mad – but Mira still thought she could have acted better. Then again, being around Kylo always brought it out. Old lessons died hard, and he had tried to teach her, so many times, how to have emotions without wrecking everything around her. Didn’t work. But she still found herself able to emote better around him.

For better, or for worse.

‘You will hold it against me.’ It wouldn’t stop Mira, but she knew if she took Kylo’s life, things would never be the same between them.

She wouldn’t blame Leia if she faded out of Mira’s life.

“If Kylo Ren has taken control of what Snoke had…we have no choice but to act against him.” He had come to demand their surrender. He made himself perfectly clear.

As Leia asked if there was hope, Mira brought the tea to her lips. It was still too hot, but she drank a bit anyways. It was a way not to answer immediately. A way to truly think about it, and not answer for Leia’s sake, or for her own.

“There’s always hope, Leia. Isn’t that the terrible thing about hope?” It was always there. “We can’t get rid of that.” And they never would. “I don’t think it’s likely. He killed Snoke, and he’s set on his path to do what he thinks is right. He’d have to be convinced it isn’t, and we…both know what he came from.”

What he saw of the Senate. What he saw of the Republic. Leia’s dealings with it likely only soured him to the thought of it, the way that Mira’s parents had soured her to the thought of it. But…she had turned. Discussion with Leia, with Hux, about ways to potentially modify the system…that was her hope.

But Kylo hadn’t been willing to humor anything but a single, supreme ruler. “It’s not impossible, Leia.”

‘I almost wish it were. It’d be easier if it were.’

And Mira stared into her cup with that thought. Everything was easier when it was black and white.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“The Supreme Leader dabbled in many of his own projects. Clones, the Force,” clones and the Force, such experiments. Did Ren know there were clones of himself out there? “I’m sure you’re aware of his affinity for Force related artifacts, and most recently his particular interest in a holocron.” Pryde followed Gnaeus’s example, moving to sit himself. Gesturing to the opposite head of the table, if Kylo so desired to sit.

Paquin did, and she was thankful Gnaeus had moved first. She felt silly for overthinking it, especially as she leaned back and relieved some pressure from her stomach. She really should’ve taken something for pain, but she could at least take comfort in knowing the bacta would have done its job by the time she woke up from the long sleep she planned to take.

But for now, Pryde occupied them. And Paquin did perk up at his following words.

“He was quite intrigued with a prophecy uncovered. He had us dissect the holocron and it led us to quite a spectacular planet. A Force nexus, Snoke had begun to construct a base to house his collection of artifacts. The Three Sisters…,” Pryde turned to one of the officers that sat at the table with them. “Major Viggo, will you get the Supreme Leader a compilation of our occupied planets?”

“Of course, sir.”

-

Finn was startled by the sudden ignition of the lightsaber, the red of it glowing against the sand. Finn tensed, his hand flying to Poe’s shoulder, looking around. He tried to feel, to search for any potential adversaries. He didn’t feel anything threatening. He could distinctly feel Poe’s presence in the Force...and something else. But, Finn dismissed it. It was Korriban, after all. The planet was strange. “We’re okay,” Finn assured, his hand dropping.

He approached the saber with caution, reaching to pick it up, turning it off. He inspected it, briefly, to see if it was broken. He raised it up for a second, “Mira stabbed Kylo Ren with this!” Finn exclaimed. Surely Poe would think that was cool of Mira, right? “And then he...yeah. Anyway.” Finn looked to the ground. Mira’s couldn’t be far now, could it? And no, it wasn’t.

He picked up the curved saber, stowing the objects away in the much too small pocket in his jacket. Maybe he shouldn’t, if it was prone to going off at any time...but he was distracted from that thought. From a sparkle not far off. Not the stone, something else, but as he approached it, he fell into the range of the stone. ‘Good. It’s close then.’ Finn would leave it in the ship while they investigated the former temple.

But for the moment...Finn knelt down. The remnants of a lightsaber, Paquin’s. He thought Hux had destroyed it–and he had. But not the crystal, which twinkled, tainted a dulling color. He pulled away the remaining encasing, pocketing the crystal. Maybe he could use it.

And then he looked for the stone. The endless inky blackness of it couldn’t be covered by the sand, it sat not far from where the Knights of Ren had landed their ship. He pocketed that, too, and turned back to put the newly acquired ship. And get into the real business. Snooping.

-

Mira almost didn’t have to answer after her sip of tea, Leia understood the message in that. The avoidance of answering. They both knew that Kylo had set himself on the path he wanted, that he thought was right. And just how Leia thought–knew–she was right, she was stubborn. She couldn’t be swayed, not too far. She’d bent enough to allow compromise, something that actually had the potential of change, but…

She could never accept what Kylo wanted.

“That is the awful thing about hope,” Leia agreed. It was always there, even when one knew the reality of a situation, as she did with her son. She knew Kylo was pulled too far to the dark. That he was too set in his ways of believing he was the right side. And yet, Leia would never be able to let him go. To just give up. And she hated that she wanted too. It would all be so much easier if she could.

But that wasn’t what she did. That wasn’t what mothers did.

“It’s not impossible. But it’s not likely.” She settled. “Not likely isn’t a guarantee…” she mocked her own words from earlier. “I can look forward to the future, though.” To the galaxy’s. To Mira’s, to Rey, Finn, and Poe’s. They had so much ahead of them, and she preferred to think of that. To how she might better their futures.

Leia cleared her throat, taking another quick sip of tea. “When Hux has settled, we need to talk about that. All of us,” her, Mira, Hux, Tarkin. “We have to have a concept to propose. It doesn’t have to be solid, but something to work towards.” Now that Snoke was gone, it was the perfect time. Snoke’s hold on politicians would be loosened, uncertain. They all needed to capitalize while Snoke’s forces regrouped.

And it changed the subject from her son. To better thoughts. Hope that wasn’t guaranteed to be squashed.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren was certainly aware of that. He was aware of the prophecy that Pryde mentioned, as well. Snoke had played out that holocron in front of them. Kylo noted others moving to sit, and so, with some hesitation, he moved to do the same, taking the seat at the head of the table, as Pryde had done on his side.

Apparently, Snoke had found something.

More than that, he’d already started to set something up there. Another thing Kylo hadn’t known, and his jaw clenched in frustration. He had a lot of catching up to do, it seemed.

Viggo rose, but he did not go far. When he returned, he slipped a datachip into a projector in the center of the table, and what arose was a mapping, with certain planets highlighted. Kylo couldn’t help but notice how many were planets Mira had had traversed, and that some of them were highlighted. This was among them, of course.

The markings were different, and Viggo began his explanation, “The green markings are known Force nexuses, such as Coruscant, Eriadu, and others,” he gestured to the named ones, “those in red are bases, as Kamino, and here, and our Three Sisters – orbited by three moons,” and also, a Force nexus – there was a light of green around the red planet. “We have not yet found the Valley of the Jedi, but we believe it may be on one of the moons, rather than the planet itself.”

“This is in the Mid-Rim.” Gnaeus couldn’t help but point out. “We have a base in the Mid-Rim?”

“The planet is not inhabited by much more than scavengers, pirates, and their ilk, it’s not considered useful to the Republic, so the Republic has been ignoring it.” And their presence on it. “It’s called Ruusan. Historically, where Darth Bane changed the path of the Sith, forever.”

Pryde was rather well-informed, Kylo noted. Odd, for an Imperial sort, to care enough. “We have begun operations on the First Sister to discern if there is anything of note there, but one thing that Snoke left out was his interest in this particular prophecy. With his death, we are at a loss for what we may be seeking, beyond this Valley,” Pryde noted, “or if it is worth continuing to pursue.”

“It is,” Kylo said, perhaps too hastily, but he still had a curiosity in this prophecy. ‘Between them, all that has been built, will fall.’

That was what was needed. A fall of all that was, to have something new. “It’s how we’re going to change the galaxy, for the good, at last.”

~***~

“Well I’m getting better. You’re not, padawan. Catch up!” Not that Mira could teach Finn how to talk to a not-Ghost, ghost. Kevan was working on it, though. He’d be a Ghost. Eventually. For now he was a disembodied voice that no one was attuned enough to hear. Didn’t help that Mira was naturally closed off to such influences to avoid them, well, influencing. She didn’t like to dream, she didn’t like to hear thoughts not her own, didn’t want a mental breakdown.

He didn’t fault her.

But he was definitely annoyed with it.

Especially now that Snoke was dead.

He wanted to flare the saber again at the mention of it stabbing Kylo. But, he behaved, as Poe just raised an eyebrow at it. “Doesn’t seem like much.” Of course, it didn’t seem as fancy as the curved one that he’d watched Mira make with Finn some time ago, when they were all paranoid of her being on base.

He stayed near enough to Finn, sensing when the atmosphere changed due to the Void but not realizing that was the reason. He just thought Korriban was weird. “Found it?” Finn seemed to have, marching back to the ship.

He chuckled a bit, but stayed right outside, as BB-8 trilled a desire to just leave. “Come on, BB, where’s your sense of adventure?”

There was a low, worried sound from it. “We’ll be out as quick as we hear anything.”

BB-8 didn’t sound convinced.

BB-8 had been on enough missions with Poe.

Poe at least waited for Finn to come back before he’d start towards the actual temple-academy structure. “So, any idea what kind of thing we’re looking for? Or you’re looking for?”

“Magic life stone. Magic. Life. Stone. Come on, if there’s a death stone, there should be a life stone!”

~***~

Leia, who made her life on hope, likely understood far better than Mira ever could about how absolutely atrocious hope could be to hold on to. It was so hard to let go, though. Even then, Mira held on to many hopeless hopes, and would, until she couldn’t. That was likely going to last with Kylo Ren, as well, until one of them was dead.

Would she hope after death?

She wasn’t sure. Ghosts were possible, although she didn’t know how to go about that.

Neither did Kevan – but that wasn’t stopping him, much to her obliviousness. Mira might have groaned at the change in topics to politics, of all things, but she didn’t. It was strange that for once, politics was the better topic.

It was obvious why they needed August for that. He was the only one on the Senate. He could call it, he could be the proponent for change among the Senators themselves. ‘What role do I have?’ That thought, of slipping back into shadows, was nagging at the back of her head.

But she knew what role she had, that somehow, her place would be set in all of this, even if the Gray did not have an official position within their new construct. People would still want to know about it. She’d stepped up, stepped in – there was no leaving the light now. Not easily. Not without compromising a few structures.

“We’ll have to draft enough for August to propose it, amongst the remaining Senators.” Mira noted. She still recalled with some fondness the tentative beginnings on Cimarosa, when Leia and Hux broke down their goals, their hopes, for a better galaxy. How different they had seemed before that moment – until they talked. Truly talked about what peace could look like, and what government could look like under that. “I recall some talk of you and Hux disagreeing about elections, whether in the Senate, or of the people, and how many representatives would head things….”

A triumvirate idea, that wasn’t quite right. The need to elect senators, and to elect those who would stand above the senators, so they would be capable of acting. Of making sure the Core didn’t have too many representatives – keeping the number the same, for each planet.

“Nothing with regards to the Jedi was decided.” Her place, or Luke’s place, or anyone’s place. “I suppose that is something we’ll need in the draft for August.” And August may be better at refining their ideas to make them actually work in practice, and not just in theory.

It was starting to come back to her, though. She sipped the tea again. It felt like a lifetime ago. Before the clones. Before Tarkin. Before she even knew Finn had the Force…and yet, it wasn’t that long ago. So much had happened. “I can’t believe you’ve gotten me into politics.” She tried, for a moment, at light humor. Something to take her mind off of the ‘all’. Of going back into the shadow and avoiding it.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Not even Paquin was as informed as Pryde, we she felt a bit ashamed about. She was a Knight of Ren, a Force user. Pryde was an imperial officer, not the sort to care much about the Force. Yet, he knew more than her. She didn’t know Darth Bane or the planet where he apparently changed the way of the Sith...She looked to Gnaeus. She remembered Gnaeus might have mentioned this Darth Bane once, something about a joke. As if he could explain it to her right there, in the middle of the meeting. She held back a sigh.

She didn’t know anything. The more she sat there and listened, the less she knew. She found herself growing frustrated. She couldn’t do her job. She wasn’t good at being a Knight…

“Is that so? Very well then. We won’t cease to pursue it, but once we’ve located it...Snoke desired to build a base upon it, house his artifacts there. He claimed it would be a stronger nexus than those already discovered. We’ve not discovered the valley yet, but we’ll be swift to find it. Perhaps use that time to discern what the best use for it would be.” Snoke wanted to mine it, pick it apart, live in the energy of it.

“I have a question.” Too many eyes turned to Paquin then and her cheeks tinted. Pryde’s eyebrow quirked, encouraging her on. “There was a man in the holocron. And he spoke of an apprentice. Was it ever found out who they were?”

“I’m afraid not. We’d hoped the Valley itself would hold more information.”

“The holocron and the rest of Snoke’s collection. Would it be possible to view it?” Paquin, admittedly, had motives outside of simply solving decoding the secrets of this holocron.

“Well, much of it is dispersed, but...if the Supreme Leader so desires, that can be remedied.” In other words, she could only look if Kylo let her. Snoke had held the Knights at a distance. Would Kylo do the same?

-

Finn heard BB-8’s beeps, chuckling to himself at how well the droid knew its master as he approached. He and Poe fell in step as they began to approach the former temple. He asked if Finn was looking for anything in particular. Well, the only thing he had any solid idea about was the lightsabers and the stone. Already there was an added bonus with the crystal, but besides that...he had no idea what he was looking for, not really.

“Something to solve all our problems?” Finn threw out there as they approached the door, and Finn reached out. To test it, with the Force. Poke around for any traps or guards, but there didn’t seem to be any. So he pushed the doors open. “I don’t know what I’m looking for, really. Just...something to help Mira…,” he didn’t elaborate on that, though it did cross his mind that Poe could help look.

But would he? He knew Poe and Mira weren’t the best of friends, albeit not as rough as they once were.

The temple was cold. But as they ventured further, it certainly looked lived in. A kitchen, food that had been abandoned. Finn didn’t know where to start.

“Maybe books or trinkets...anything that looks like it could do something. And if you see anything you want, might as well take it.” Finn began to wander. “Stay close. I mean, explore, but...don’t go where I can’t help you.” He cautioned as he took to a hall full of doors.

Bedrooms, he assessed, as he opened the first one he came across. He could guess whose room it had been, based on the bottles that littered the table, the ground. Ariel, who he wondered if she was dead by now. She was an interesting character. ‘Hot Tamale.’ He recalled the nickname, and the one she'd called him.

-

“Yes, there are some details we still need to iron out. Much of it will have to wait until Hux returns,” because they couldn’t come to an agreement on how things would be represented. They could agree on elections, she supposed, by the people of each planet. Hux had wanted one head, while Leia thought that was unreasonable. One person with ultimate control over the galaxy? That had gone so well before, hadn’t it?

Three, she supposed, sounded better. One for each rim. That didn’t include regions beyond that, though. Not that those regions had ever, really, been represented. Was that part of the problem? But how could they be represented when much was still unexplored.

Leia still believed in the idea of the Senate. Of a collection of people representing their planets. But something needed to change about it, to stop it from being muddle. To stop the rich, the Core from having the loudest voice. She and Hux would have to agree on that much.

“And speak with Luke and Rey, discuss what they want to come out of their Jedi Order,” well, not quite the Jedi Order. But their reinvented version that would never have the same influence as it once did. But there were Force users out there, ones that needed a way to seek guidance. From the Jedi, or the Grey, “And yours, as well.” They’d face wariness. Luke’s Jedi and Mira’s, simply because of history. But it was something that, at that point, needed to be represented.

This was an entirely collaborative effort, now. For something fresh. Something against Kylo. “I do believe it might be time to get us all together again. Draft something up, August will know how to frame it, present it. I’ll work on getting a hold of Luke,” easier said than done, now that he’d embraced his unreachable hermit lifestyle. She could reach out, with the Force. Maybe he’d answer then. He sure as hell better.

Leia did laugh at Mira’s attempt at humor, a small chuckle. She shook her head, “I wish I could take credit for getting you into politics. Maybe I helped. Hux, too,” and no doubt some of her upbringing, “But you did that all on your own. It's not as glamorous as it looks, is it?” Leia scrunched her nose, a small grin on her face.

And then she heard a meow.