Fandom Fight for Control [closed]

[cleopat]

Kylo couldn’t help the snort that left his mouth. Not at Reveille, but at their seemingly ridiculous situation. Of course they couldn’t communicate with anyone. They had the capabilities to travel from one end of the galaxy to the other in the matter of hours, but they couldn’t send a message through a sandstorm?

Maybe it was just another sign that he shouldn’t have ventured to the planet. No, it was worth it. It will be worth it.

“Agreed. That is simply unacceptable.” Hell, they were able to track other ships through light speed. The thought that there was more to Korriban than meets the eye crossed his mind. The planet was a graveyard of mass executions and powerful beings. Certainly that played some role in the mysteries held beneath the sands.

He nodded in acknowledgement regarding the datapad. He wasn’t a heavy sleeper anyways, nor did he sleep that much, so the noise likely wouldn’t bother him. He did raise an eyebrow at the sudden declaration of sleep. “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you’re trying to avoid me.” The tone hinted at sarcasm, almost jest. “I couldn’t possibly imagine why.”

Kylo took his own spot on the bed. While he wasn’t tired just yet, he could try and relax, meditate to chase away the voices from the temple that threaten to invade his thoughts again. With another person sleeping so close to him, he wasn’t sure how he would instinctively react, should that happen. Should he actually lash out at his hallucinations.

~~

Lavinia smiled at the assurance of Kos’tel’lanni, although she wasn’t entirely sure if it was genuine. Nevertheless, it felt as such, and it further played up her image in Armitage’s eyes.

She looked down as her datapad indicated a new message. “He’s willing to meet tonight,” she announced, slight surprise evident in her tone. She had almost expected the governor to throw a fit at the last minute arrangements and deny them until morning. Truly he must have been desperate to reap the benefits of what the First Order could provide him and his planet.

“When should I tell him we’re leaving?” She’d imagined that it would be soon, to allow them to travel to the planet and to get the meeting over as soon as possible. And she didn’t want to be on the planet any longer than they had to.

Honestly, Lavinia just really wanted a nice sleep

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille was, in part, hoping to avoid Kylo more in sleep. She was also hoping to let the bacta do its work without any additional stress. She wasn’t as tired as she should be. Perhaps struggling through the sand would have aided that. Still, she wasn’t sure if Kylo was actually joking or not. She opted not to comment on that.

Best to be silent. She didn’t need to be killed before sleep.

Well, except for the obligatory, “Good night, Ren,” after she’d drawn her legs up onto the bed and grabbed enough covers for herself to lay down. She laid on her side, facing away from him, and kept her space as close to the side as possible. She’d slept in far smaller beds, and in far more uncomfortable circumstances.

The only benefit she’d had as a cadet was her brother.

That, and learning to sleep in plenty of uncomfortable situations. Reveille was aware of Kylo’s presence, but forced herself to think of Schaeffer, instead. Dangerous, difficult, and completely untouchable.

It didn’t take long after the forced shift for Reveille to start to fall asleep.

~***~

“We’re leaving now,” Armitage said, surprised himself. He hadn’t wanted to meet that night. He still hadn’t slept, for one, and two, he hadn’t heard back from Reveille. He couldn’t fault Althea for her initiative, but he wished she had at least asked. He would have preferred tomorrow morning. He thought as much was implied, given they had another party to work with.

“I’ll go ahead and have the ship prepared to leave once more, and I’ll call Darrin,” hopefully he could make it on such short notice.

For mining access, certainly he’d find the time.

Armitage rose, but did decide to add, “Next time, clear time with me.” He wasn’t going to collapse any time soon, and he knew the meeting wouldn’t take all night. He’d remain close to his usual schedule, but he couldn’t say he was pleased with this.

“I’ll keep everything in order. We won’t move to any attacks in your absence, General,” in the absence of him, Reveille, and Kylo, it’d be simply foolish. They’d have to remain at this irksome standstill.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo looked down at Reveille, mumbling his own good night after hers. He didn’t lay down for a few more minutes, as he struggled with exactly what the fuck he was doing. Did he have a chance to even be a shadow of those who came before him? Could he ever hope to be like Darth Vader? You’re afraid...that you’ll never be as strong as Darth Vader.

It took Kylo a while to fall asleep, thoughts still buzzing with questions ranging from why he decided to come to Korriban to if he was worth of the name he carried.

Nightmares plagued his sleep. Prominent in his dreams was the disfigured face of Snoke. I cannot be beaten. I always know what you’re thinking. I always know your truest intent. He felt his breath caught in his throat, as if something cut of the air supply. I know who you truly are. Snoke’s voice invaded his thoughts, but the image of the sith from the holocron was the one that appeared in his dreams. Fulfill your destiny.

A hand from the figure reached out, and white-hot pain filtered over Kylo’s body, and a loud scream erupted from his lips before he could stop himself. The man shot up in the bed, the Force pulsing around him and attacking the nearest person to him and settling around her neck. Kylo didn't recognize where he was at first. All he could see was the suffocating darkness and the nearby presence of someone he couldn't identify at first.

~~

Lavinia felt the slight shame of insinuating a time without alerting the general first, which surprised even herself. But it shouldn’t matter. If the deal with Lothal fell through, why should she care? It only allowed the Resistance to weave their way in and potentially gain another ally, if they were smart about it.

The lieutenant followed Armitage and rose as well. “I apologize, sir.” Her apology was quick, as what done was done, and there was nothing more she could do about it. She would prefer sleep as well, but Armitage wouldn’t let such simple needs to interfere with his work ethic, right? At least, Lavinia wanted to be petty and ask him such, but she stayed silent. She needed to not antagonize the man so much and have reason to eliminate her.

Nor did she need to give him reason to complain to his sister about her.

“Do we need to go back to the Finalizer for any reason before we head to Lothal?” Lavinia felt she already knew the answer, but she thought it better to ask him, in case she needed to make sudden arrangements for his arrival.

 

[Lucyfer]

There was a scream. It definitely woke Reveille up, and the source of it was clear after a moment, but she couldn’t discern any reason for it. “Re—” and there was a pressure at her throat, again, before her vision could fully accept the darkness.

Naturally, her hands went to her neck – to the nothing – and she internally cursed. Ren had sat up, and from what little she could make out from the shadows and the way he was breathing, he was distressed.

And choking her.

But distressed, not actually angry – Reveille had seen that often enough as a Cadet, mostly from those who couldn’t hack it, but occasionally from her brother. He woke from a nightmare, and perhaps he didn’t even know what he was doing just yet.

Not that Reveille intended to let him choke her because he was distressed, but it meant she’d at least give him the benefit of the doubt…later. In the moment, she wished she was wearing her own shirt because this one had no daggers hiding in it. She couldn’t rise to get them, either, there was a pressure that seemed to be pushing her down, making breathing all the more difficult for the weight on her chest.

A weight that wasn’t there, not physically.

‘Give him the benefit of the doubt, just this once.’

Just this once meant grabbing a pillow instead of a datapad, and batting it at Kylo’s head.

~***~

Armitage gave a nod, accepting the apology, and daring to add, “I do appreciate your sense of initiative, but next time, do ask,” there would certainly be next times, and she did learn relatively quickly. “We don’t need to go to the Finalizer,” he denied.

“But you do need to call Darrin. Lieutenant Storax, would you go ahead and see that the ship for the General is prepared?” Kos’tel’lanni added, “It’d be in poor tastes to call him from that ship or while you’re walking,” and Kos’tel’lanni did understand that if Armitage and Lavinia continued to travel together, there was the chance his suspicions might grow on his own.

He wouldn’t be surprised that Reveille had been annoyed enough with ‘Althea Storax’ to have her investigated, if he wasn’t already aware. It would be easy to tell him that she was cleared.

It might help her to relax some, and Kos’tel’lanni made a note to find a way to send the message to Althea before Hux rejoined her, so she’d know what was said.

 

[cleopat]

You’ll forever remain weak. No matter how hard you train, no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be enough, boy. Kylo lashed out at the voice to try and quiet their harsh words. The harder he tried, the louder the voice became. Breathing became a struggle until he felt like he was drowning, gasping for air that would never come.

There was a pressure in the back of his head, and that voice faded. There was the pressure again, and the voice was no longer heard. Kylo’s eyes opened, taking in the dark room as he gasped for the air he struggled to obtain. He recognized that he had a grip around something – someone – with the Force, and he immediately let go.

Kylo was gasping for air, chest heaving as he struggled to breathe in much needed air after the night terror. His fingers settled in his air, elbows leaning on his knees as he struggled to maintain control over his own body. The night terror wasn’t anything new, and he knew he should’ve expected one, but to be so obvious about it in front of Reveille? He felt weak.

His hyperventilation slowed down until his breathing was back to normal. Kylo was painfully aware of the woman awake next to him, and for once he struggled for what to say. There was no ignoring what happened. “I’m sorry.”

~~

Lavinia nodded, first at Armitage, then at Kos’tel’lanni. She understood the risks present with leaving Kos’tel’lanni alone with Armitage, but if the Chiss was a woman of her word, nothing would happen in her absence. She had to believe that, for her own sake. “I will see to it immediately.” With that, she left the room, now on her own to navigate the unfamiliar ship.

Fortunately for her, the ship had a similar set-up to the Finalizer, although she still wasn’t entirely familiar with that ship yet. She did sent a quick message off to the hangar to start preparing General Hux’s ship for immediate departure. With help from a map she pulled up on her datapad, Lavinia quickly found her way back to the hangar.

An officer she didn’t recognize stood at the foot of the ramp. “Is everything prepared for General Hux?” she asked without hesitation, assuming he was the one who received her message.

The officer nodded. “Yes, Lieutenant. As soon as you send the word, the ship is able to depart.”

“Thank you. That will be all.” Both officers nodded, once more to politely signal the end of their brief exchange, and Lavinia boarded the ship. Once there, she took her usual spot on the bench, pulling out her datapad in order to check messages to pass the time.

 

[Lucyfer]

The bops with the pillow had worked, without injuring him, without making it worse, and the grip released. Reveille took in a deep breath and stifled her coughing with that same pillow, bringing it back as she tried to get her bearings, but not too obviously.

Kylo was getting his own, after all.

She wasn’t going to return the pillow to him.

She wanted to yell at him.

She wanted to slap him.

The thoughts faded away as he spoke an apology, and Reveille glanced up, face still touched with red from the anger and the after-effects of lost air. The words weren’t insincere. He looked shaken still, and Reveille couldn’t help but be reminded, again, of those accursed days as a Cadet.

It had broken all of them. And Kylo had been broken in his own ways, by Snoke. Reveille didn’t know the details, but she didn’t need to, to be certain of it.

She was too sleepy, and too lost in those past memories, to really consider what she was doing as she sat up. She didn’t reach a hand out to slap him but to place it over one of his hands, tangled up in his hair as it still was. It was better than putting it over his elbow, or his knee. She wanted to bring it down. To relax him. “It’s okay,” it was murmured more than spoken, “You didn’t open the wound. Didn’t move around that much.”

She was still angry, but she could set that aside when he almost looked, well, innocent. Tortured, and innocent. It was too familiar a look.

~***~

Armitage did watch Althea go, before his attention returned to Kos’tel’lanni. Before he could so much as ask why she wanted him alone, she spoke, “Your sister had me look into her,” he straightened a bit, and she raised a placating hand, “I have. Records show she is from Coruscant. There was plenty there about her. Everything checks out, though. I have not found her tied to anyone we should worry about.”

Armitage frowned a bit.

“It seems she really is just annoying – to Reveille. I rather like her. She’s offered to teach me Bocce.”

“Really now?”

Armitage supposed he wasn’t surprised, and he started to bring up Darrin’s number. He had it. He preferred Sienar to make first contact, regardless. It tended to help, no matter the tense relationship between father and son. “She seems to have a rather decent amount of hacking skills and the ability to find information herself. Are you sure she hasn’t masked her trail.”

“It’s possible, but she’d have to doctor several photographs. Not that some people aren’t so determined. I can continue to look into it if you like,” she offered easily.

“Only if my sister insists,” he would take this for what it was, and let his sister determine how much of a threat she thought this woman was. For the moment, he was inclined to believe Kos’tel’lanni.

People could have many skillsets. Not everyone was raised in the First Order, after all. Life experiences could create interesting opportunities, unlike the rigorous training he and others had gone through that focused their skills.

“Very well,” she inclined her head, “I’ll leave you to the call with Darrin.” With that, she would make her own exit.

And send her own message.

You owe me a Bocce lesson when you return, Lieutenant Storax.​

Perhaps it didn’t say it…but she thought the spy clever enough to understand that meant there was going to be a return. That meant her cover wasn’t blown.

 

[cleopat]

His eyes stared at nothing, even as he felt the soft touch of Reveille’s hand over one of his own. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill as he fought away the images and taunting words of Snoke that still lingered in his thoughts.

Kylo didn’t even consider how weak he appeared to her. Come morning, he would most likely find himself furious that he allowed such a thing to happen.

But Snoke broke him in many ways. He wormed his way into the very soul of Kylo, and even in death, he still insulted the boy like he did during their training sessions. He would never be rid of him. I made you who you are today. I made Kylo Ren.

He gripped the hand in his tightly, but not to bruise, He gripped as if he was afraid of being alone. His hands relaxed and moved away from his head. He didn’t let go of Reveille just yet.

At the sound of her voice, Kylo was shaken from his deep thoughts. He turned to look at her, and for a moment, the name Kylo Ren was forgotten. He was Ben Solo, the boy scared of his own abilities. “Are you sure?” The voice was wispy and soft, his throat parched. You’re a monster.

The force in his breathing picked back up as the voices threatened to resurface. His grip tightened around Reveille’s hand a fraction before he relaxed once more, eyes closed as he willed away the monsters.

~~

Nothing of interest had popped up for Lavinia in her time on the ship. After making note of the information she came across in the most recent meeting, she grew bored of playing the waiting game for Armitage to make his appearance. There was only so much she could do on the shuttle.

A light buzz from her datapad indicated a new message. She glanced down and opened the new message from Kos’tel’lanni, a woman she still felt very conflicted about. In her mind, there was no telling when she would decide to alert others of the spy lurking within the ranks of the First Order, which made her the enemy to Lavinia.

A light smile graced her face. It was easy to determine what the message meant.

I think I owe you a lot more than that.

And if Kos’tel’lanni continued to play along with the facade Lavinia created, then she would certainly owe a huge favor to the Chiss. Bocce lessons was the least she could do, even if they were there for appearance sake.

 

[Lucyfer]

It was hard to see, but Reveille was quite certain she saw water in Kylo’s eyes. Tears. It wasn’t until he had taken her hand and lowered his own that it became clear. When he looked right at her, and spoke, his voice airy. Light.

Scared.

The Supreme Leader she had known would never care so much to ask that kind of question. And Kylo likely didn’t actually care, but there was something in his head worrying him, and she was the only source of contact he had right now.

Rather than flinch away at the pressure, she forced her hand to offer a gentle squeeze back, “I’m sure.”

She lifted her other hand, the pillow dropping to her lap, and she reached for Kylo’s other hand, brushing some stray hairs he'd messed up back, before lowering her hand to his other one. She intended to bring it over to the hand she already held. Closer. “Everything is all right,” she kept her own voice low, but it was losing some of its murmuring quality. She was becoming more lucid, and more familiar with the situation. She had to draw him out of his head, Away from whatever nightmare he’d had, away from the fear that lingered. “We’re just on your ship. I’m okay. You’re okay. There’s no one else.”

~***~

Darrin, of course, wanted to be difficult. He argued with Armitage for a bit, but eventually consented that he would get to Lothal ‘as soon as possible’. Armitage took that to mean that evening, and left it at that, soon heading to his ship. Though the Exigency wasn’t as familiar as the Finalizer, he still knew his way around it fairly well.

He remembered where he left his shuttle, and returned to find it prepared, and new pilots, having relieved the older crew. With a nod, they stepped up into the ship before him, and he followed.

They took their turn towards the cockpit, and Armitage saw Althea there, on the bench. He didn’t hesitate to take his seat, and as the door lifted, he opted to share, “It seems you did truly upset my sister,” he said, adding, “however, Kos’tel’lanni has not found anything on you.” He was relieved, in a way.

Kos’tel’lanni was as good at this job as Garmuth. As Reveille. “I thought you might be relieved to hear that.”

If only Armitage knew the half of it.

 

[cleopat]

The gentle pressure of her hand relaxed him. Her hand was soft against his own calloused one, and Kylo wanted to wrap both arms around her frame before attempting to fall back asleep. Even if she didn’t hate every fibre of his being, Reveille still had that stomach wound to be mindful of.

He was aware of another hand over his other one, and he allowed his hand to drop from his hair. Muscles relaxed as her voice drifted. Nothing had been able to relax him so soon after a night terror as much as she did, and he didn’t dare dwell on that meaning. He would take it for what it was right then.

“He will always be there.” The words were only a whisper, but obvious against the stark silence of the room. He gentle squeezed both hands before laying his body back down, hands still firmly clasped around her own, though his eyes remained unfocused, staring at the ceiling. Then, in an echo of her reassurance, he murmured, “There’s no one else.”

~~

Soon Armitage joined Lavinia in the ship, and she offered him a small smile before he took his seat. She waited for any indication that Kos’tel’lanni spoke to him about her background check, and when he did, she let out a breathy laugh. She could trust the Chiss for now.

“I’m sure your sister will be devastated to hear that news.” And she hoped Reveille wouldn’t demand any further look into her files or background, and that Kos’tel’lanni’s words would be enough to placate her. Lavinia would just have to do better to not anger the wrong people. “Thank you, for telling me.”

Eager to change the subject, she followed up with her own question. “Is Darrin Sienar able to make the meeting tonight? Did he provide you any difficulty when you told him of the short notice?” While Lavinia herself didn’t care much about the short notice, her tone indicated she had some regret in scheduling the arrangement for the evening.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille didn’t have a script for this particular scenario. She knew how she had aided her brother with his nightmares, when it would have brought about his end, or further mockery. She didn’t need to ask who Kylo meant.

She’d never needed to know who ‘he’ was when her brother had spoken, either.

For Kylo, it could only be Snoke. “No one else,” Reveille echoed as Kylo laid down, keeping her hands in his. She couldn’t really take those back. She wasn’t sure if she should lay down again, though. “You can go back to sleep,” she continued, deciding not to lay down just then.

Kylo seemed far too vulnerable, and it was easier if she stayed sitting up a bit. If she laid down, she’d have to lay quite close to him to keep her hands in his. Not that she wasn’t already sitting fairly close to him. “There’s no one else here.” She knew better than to say Snoke wasn’t there.

She didn’t want his thoughts to go back to that.

Just to the peaceful thought.

~***~

Reveille would likely be devastated, but she would move on. She had plenty of targets and far more important things to hold her attention than Lieutenant Storax. She knew that. She wouldn’t hold a grudge longer than necessary – or let it interfere. She had let Phasma go, after all, though Armitage was aware that grudge never wore off.

It was why she rarely let any soldiers trained completely by Phasma onto her ship. She didn’t trust them.

“I thought you deserved to know,” he indicated as she expressed her gratitude, “I cannot say it will be the end of it, but it should be, for now.” He had that much faith in Reveille staying on track, anyway.

At least, when allowed.

“Darrin indicated he would be there as soon as possible,” he still assumed that meant that evening, “but he was not pleased with the short notice,” he managed not to say ‘either’. Althea already knew she had messed that up. She didn’t need further reminder of it. “Nonetheless, he knows the importance of this, and time sensitivity.” They couldn’t allow Tarkin to hear of it too soon, and intervene.

 

[cleopat]

For a moment, Kylo just laid there, his breathing evening out as his gaze never wavered from the ceiling. It’s all he could do to prevent the thoughts from creeping back. Some nights, he wouldn’t even fall back asleep, and others would prove to be a turbulent night cycle. But with someone there to help him, a woman he didn’t quite realize he threatened earlier that day, he could feel his body relaxing.

“Lay down with me,” he urged with another gentle squeeze on her hands. His dark eyes, devoid of the anger that normally dwelled in him, looked to her. He may hardly remember this in the morning, and if he did, no word would be said of his brief vulnerability, but for now, he acted like the scared child he felt.

“Please,” he added, voice barely above a whisper. Kylo Ren never begs, and the extent of his actions did not register with him. All he knew he wanted was the comfort that promised to chase away the nightmares.

~~

Lavinia expressed her thanks again, glad that the issue was taken care of. At least for the moment. If she did her best to not piss off Reveille again, then maybe it would be dropped altogether, and she will be in the clear. There was the matter of the potential for Kos’tel’lanni to expose her secret, but if Lavinia told her what she needed to hear, then maybe that won’t be an issue.

She nodded with the news that Dirren would be joining them at the meeting. “That’s good to hear, that he’ll be able to make it. I can’t imagine he was very pleased with the information. He...seems like someone’s who’s not very easy to get along with.” She struggled to find the right words to describe the man, based on the conversation she overhear between him and his son.

And she thought she had family issues.

Lavinia considered commenting on the time of the meeting again, making light apologies for not confirming the time by Armitage, but she decided to keep quiet on the matter. Bringing it up again would not fix the situation. The man didn’t seem terribly upset, at the very least. But maybe they all just needed a little bit of rest.

 

[Lucyfer]

No, Reveille definitely had no script for the Supreme Leader looking at her like that, and begging her to lay down with him. Her mind didn’t quite blank, but it definitely tried to find reason, reason that she soon gave up on because she was tired and finding reason in this was impossible.

Perhaps in the morning, she’d think of it differently, but right then Kylo was little more than a scared child, and she knew she wouldn’t soon forget that. She didn’t really know how to help him, not in the long run – though she had suspected it. Had suspected he could turn out well, like herself, like Armitage.

That hope wanted to return, and she decided not to squash it as she pulled one hand out of his grip and lowered herself. “Just this once,” the murmuring tone returned with her tiredness. She wanted to add in some comment of how they needed to travel with a different ship next time, so he didn’t strangle her in her sleep, but she left that out.

She just brushed more hair out of his face, a lazy recollection of how she’d try to fix Armitage’s hair. He was always so particular about it. “Now go to sleep. It’s okay. Nothing is going to hurt you.” More soothing murmurs to lull him, though Reveille suspected that in spite of her exhaustion, she’d be up a little while longer before sleep would claim her.

The oddity of this was…just too much.

~***~

Armitage snorted a bit at her deduction of Darrin, “I wonder how you could have possibly come to that conclusion,” His son was difficult to work with, but in an entirely other way, and Armitage almost felt it wasn’t deserved. “Darrin has an entire business to look after, and more children than Valles,” he used his first name for clarity, “The stresses of a business and family life may make him difficult, but one can hardly fault him for finding flaws in this plan or trying to make sure he is able to maintain his business and family.”

Armitage didn’t. It was why he was even willing to offer Sienar Fleets the mines on Lothal without issue. They were, more or less, loyal thanks to Valles, but they were still an industry. That meant they would sell to others. Sometimes, those others could be enemies.

Like Tarkin.

Though he did wonder what Darrin would do if it actually came to war. He hoped that an answer wouldn’t be needed…and that it wouldn’t be the wrong answer. “He is not malicious like some, however. Not in matters of business. Just cautious. He still believes in a capitalistic system. His mind will change, going forward.”

When things changed throughout the entire galaxy, Sienar fleets would also have to change.

 

[cleopat]

An emotion he couldn’t quite understand flickered in his mind when Reveille pulled her hand away. He was afraid. Afraid that she would leave him in the moment he needed grounding the most. But he still held her other hand, and Reveille soon proved that she wasn’t trying to get away. She laid back down beside him, and Kylo relaxed almost instantly.

“Thank you,” he mumbled. In his right mind, Kylo wouldn’t have tolerated the comforting motions of how she gently brushed his hair. He wouldn’t have tolerated anything going down, including how vulnerable he made himself seem in front of her.

Kylo started to drift off, his eyes closing the more Reveille stroke him. “I wish I could believe that.” It was a soft whisper, something he slipped out the more he drifted back off to his dreams. What plagued his nightmares would always be there, lurking in the shadows and waiting to strike. Maybe it wasn’t a physical entity. Maybe it was his own mind that would imprison him. But his life would forever be a war ground.

As Kylo fell asleep, for once he felt complete serenity and actually believed that no harm would occur.

~~

Lavinia smirked at Armitage’s offer of sarcasm, as it felt a refreshing change of pace. The smirk was quickly wiped away though when he continued to describe the issues facing Darrin beyond simple deals. The explanation reminded her of her own father, yet he and Darrin remained different in many regards. Her father never considered his family when talking business deals.

She and her father had moments together, but he always concerned himself more with whatever business deals he involved himself in.

Lavinia tried to not dwell on her thoughts too much. The past was the past, and it should stay there. “Or rather, his mind will need to change?” If Darrin did care about his family, Lavinia imagined that the man would do what is necessary to continue to balance business and family.

“Nevertheless, we still depend on how Governor Pandion will accept all this. I’d imagine if he didn’t agree to meet on such short notice, then he wouldn’t be truly interested in what we have to offer.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille intended to clear away the hair from his face, but reconsidered when she saw how his eyelids seemed to flutter and he relaxed. It was a gesture he liked, then, so she continued the light strokes, adjusting his hair back, as he murmured, and started to drift off.

His hair was still ridiculously soft. It wasn’t fair.

A foolish thought to cross her mind, along with plenty of others, as she wondered if she was going to wake up to an actual hand around her throat. Kylo Ren might wake up lucid, but oblivious, and recognize how close they were.

‘Well, I didn’t steal his innocence.’

Finding it was somehow stranger, though.

His breathing slowed. His heart rate slowed. Reveille knew when he was asleep, and when she could have stabbed a blade in him. If she’d had one. Of course, she didn’t, but she did debate if she should move away. The concern that he’d wake stilled her from doing so, and so she finally laid all the way down, not letting her elbow hold her up any longer, and laid on her side facing Kylo, letting him keep hold of her hand…even if that hold wasn’t much of a hold any longer. That hand remained over his chest as she drew the other one back, and finally, shut her eyes.

It wouldn’t be a peaceful awakening when next it occurred – the datapad blared to life with several messages.

~***~

Armitage offered a nod at Althea’s statement. Yes, his mind would need to change, but in Darrin’s case, he was certain it would. The man stood to gain much if he was on the right side, even if it would be in a changing world. He could still live a good life, and have much to his name and to his family’s name. He would likely become one of the foremost in the industry of ships, when all was said and done.

Perhaps Darrin was a cynic and didn’t really believe anyone would win.

It was the only decent thing about his son – Valles believed in the First Order, and he, at least, would run Sienar industries how they needed it, when it came time for him to step up and step into that role. He might prefer to avoid it, but one day, he would operate it, or find someone who would.

“I’m of a similar mind. Haste in this matter suggests he is interested in our deal, and has a similar understanding of Governor Tarkin,” he didn’t speak of Darrin, but of Pandion, “though I do not know much of Pandion on any personal level. He has never been one to make waves in the Senate. I think that is entirely due to Governor Tarkin. He always votes in line with him.” Seeming to have no other opinion.

The sway Tarkin had on those in his ‘court’ was…immense.

 

[cleopat]

The rest of his dreams were devoid of anymore nightmares. For once, he slept peacefully, with a soft, comforting voice reassuring him in the background. He didn’t know who the voice belonged to, or why it was there, but it didn’t bother him. Not when he actually slept.

Harsh reality came crashing down on him with the irritating blare of the datapad. He jerked away, hyperaware of the woman laying beside him. Kylo glanced down briefly, noting how their hands were linked and how his body seemingly curled around hers in his sleep. A moment of weakness, one he would force himself to forget about.

He abruptly sat up and left the bed before Reveille could see their position. The less she figured out, the better. Already he cursed himself for letting her know of the night terrors and subsequent weakness he showed. It wouldn’t happen again. He doubt he could convince her that it was only a dream she had, but maybe he could convince her from telling anyone else.

Wordlessly he grabbed his worn clothes from the previous day and moved to change in the bathroom. No doubt the messages would awake Reveille soon. She had already seen him vulnerable, no need to add to that.

~~

Lavinia frowned. The Tarkin family had been a force to be reckoned with for decades now. If the family sees something they want, they take it. “Are we certain that Governor Tarkin does not already hold any sway over Pandion?”

Or maybe her own personal bias over the name swayed her into believing what wasn’t true. “But then Governor Pandion wouldn’t have agreed to the meeting, right? Unless he believed that the best future course of action would to stray from Tarkin?”

Lavinia thrummed the fingers of one hand against her thigh, thinking over what the meeting could potentially bring. Given its sudden arrangement and that it was in the evening, she hoped it wouldn’t last terribly long, and they would be back on the Finalizer before it was too late in the night cycle. Kriff, she needed some sleep.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille had woken at the first sound of the datapad, but she was somewhat accustomed to ignoring it when it suited her. She tensed, but didn’t move, sensing Kylo moving first. He was closer to her now. Almost curled into her.

It didn’t last, of course. He seemed to realize, and when he moved, she rolled over towards the datapad. It could have been mistaken for a move of one still sleeping, but any question of that would certainly be lost when she sat up – as Kylo was vanishing into the bathroom – and reached for the datapad.

Several messages had come in from Kos’tel’lanni and Armitage. She skimmed them, trying to pull herself back into the present and forget that she was still in Kylo’s shirt, still in Kylo’s bed, and still clinging to the warmth left by the sheets she hadn’t completely abandoned.

She shot a message out to both Armitage and Kos’tel’lanni to let them know she was alive, and to Kos’tel’lanni about meeting her in the hangar with her uniform, when she did get back. She wasn’t going to change into the shirt she’d taken off – she had used that as a wash clothe and hadn’t forgotten.

So, she simply ran her fingers back through her hair, glanced at the bathroom, and mentally bemoaned the fact she hadn’t prepared nearly well enough for this trip. She went to her bag to try and dig out at least a stick of gum that would do the job of a toothbrush for now, before combing her fingers through her hair.

She intended to leave the room behind and go to the cockpit, rather than wait for Kylo to finish up in the bathroom.

Best not to linger here and think too long about the warmth that was absent.

~***~

“I am certain that Governor Tarkin does hold sway over Governor Pandion, but it is not a sway that Governor Pandion enjoys,” it was more an iron fist than anything else. He held sway, because he had power over Pandion. He could threaten his world, he could threaten his people, his life, and much else, if he saw fit.

And so Pandion had to rely on whatever scraps he could take.

At least, that was how Armitage imagined it. Tarkin was not known for his generosity towards Lothal, or even his like of it.

Even though there was an entire town called ‘Tarkintown’.

It was a grim reminder of what Wilhuff had done to Lothal when they supported the rebels, and a scar on Lothal itself to remind them who they owed anything to.

“We’ll know more when we get there, but I think Governor Pandion wants to shake Tarkin’s influence.” If that didn’t turn out to be true, perhaps they were flying into a trap. He didn’t want to consider that, though. Tarkin was known to be cunning…but he hadn’t trapped Reveille or Kylo Ren.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo knew when Reveille moved in the bed and soon departed it. Not that he heard her, but he just knew. He could feel it. The datapad woke them both up, and brought both of them back to reality. And he will act as if last night never happened.

He did a basic routine of brushing his teeth, splashing his face with some water, and changing out of the clothes he slept in. The routine took no time at all, and Kylo soon made his way back into the bedroom, soon to the cockpit when there was no sign of Reveille.

And she was where he thought she would be. The sound of the storm no longer battered against the ship, and a glance out the viewport displayed a much clearer view of the planet than the previous day. Sand still blew through the valley, but he could actually see. They could get off the planet.

“And did the First Order burn in our absence?” he sardonically questioned, sitting in his pilot’s seat to start the shuttle for departure.

~~

“Do you think Governor Pandion hopes we could scare off Tarkin?” Tarkin had many resources, and if there was something he wanted, he was bound to get it. Anyone would be foolish to deny him. Did that scare Pandion in to considering allying with someone who could potentially fight him off?

They were bound to find the answers soon enough. The shuttle headed straight for Lothal, no short stops along the way, and soon they would get this meeting behind them. And then they could deal with Tarkin as needed.

She had no positive associations with the name. The family had always been a name whispered at parties and gossiped about, her mother one of them. They were cunning and one step ahead of everyone.

Which was why she felt slight unease with attempting to negotiation with someone who already had ties to Tarkin. Maybe it was nothing though. Maybe they could easily fight off Tarkin.

“It’s just us and Darrin Sienar that’s suppose to be there, correct?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille was not pleased with what she was reading on the datapad. Did the First Order burn? “Maybe.” Maybe someone was about to burn if what Kos’tel’lanni said about her brother going to Lothal was accurate.

Why didn’t Kos’tel’lanni stop him? Certainly she had to realize that Tarkin didn’t need a reason to attack them when he already had one, right? ‘No, she probably doesn’t.’ She hadn’t been there. She hadn’t been to meet Tarkin. Perhaps she had enough messages with Tarkin to get an idea…then why?

They could just pay Sienar Fleets what they wanted and have the ships! They had enough money!

She didn’t bother to elaborate, though, just shifted a bit in her seat, “It’s best we return to the fleet as soon as possible,” she didn’t know if she could intervene before Tarkin could do anything or not, but she’d have to try.

At least this was a good distraction.

~***~

“Yes.”

At least, that was how Armitage was going to imagine it. Could they, in truth, scare Tarkin off? That was more doubtful, but he was certain they could hinder his control over Lothal and start to free up the world from his influence.
Eriadu and the Tarkins would come over to their side, eventually, by force or alliance. Like those in Sienar Fleets, they would have to learn to adapt to the galaxy, or perish.

The shuttle hit lightspeed, and as it was coming out of it, Hux arched a brow at Althea’s query, “As well as Governor Pandion. I imagine Darrin will bring one of his usual assistants as well, and there may be others with viable interest in Lothal’s mining and city construction that Governor Pandion invites, although on such short notice, I doubt many will be there.”

Would he dare to invite Tarkin? The thought suddenly occurred to Hux as he felt the ship shift when it hit the atmosphere.

“Why?”

 

[cleopat]

Kylo wasn’t amused by what he assumed was Reveille’s sarcasm in answering his question. In his mind, still reeling from the previous night and the vulnerabilities he exposed in front of her, she was merely playing a child in order to rile up Kylo’s ire.

So he would only take her answer with a grain of salt.

With her added statement, he did wonder if there was something else there that he should know about. But, he also figured that she just wanted to put distance between them and forget that the trip ever happened.

Which reminded him of the parts of the holocron he still needed to watch. That would have to wait until later.

“And why is that?” he asked, his eyes never leaving the dash as he carefully navigating the ship off of the planet. It was difficult in some aspects, as the wind still buffeted against the side of the ship, but at least he was able to see. “Something did happen while we were away, didn’t it?”

~~

The approach of the planet drew closer, but that minor detail did not go noticed by Lavinia. Fingers lightly toyed with the starch fabric of her pants. Lothal had always been a hot bed for contention between the Rebellion and the Empire in the past, and it seemed nothing much has changed since her parents’ generation.

“Oh, I’m just curious,” was the only answer she gave. Curious to see if anyone she knew, or to be wary of, would make a visit, but that hardly seem the case. Still, she didn’t wish to linger on the planet for too long, although it would be better than trapped on a First Order ship.

Her hands lightly braced against the bench as the ship jolted and approached the planet. If all went well, assuming there were no arguments or petty discussions, then they would be back off the planet in time for her to actually get some rest.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille did glance up to see out of the viewport as the ship started to lift. There was still a bit of a gust outside, still sand and wind that pounded into the ship, but it wasn’t nearly so bad, now. She glanced back down at Kos’tel’lanni’s message.

‘Last night. The meeting was delayed to this morning.'

Reveille resisted the urge to tell Kylo to fly to Lothal. She resisted the urge to call her brother right then, aware that she didn’t want to do so with Kylo right besides her. “It seems my brother has taken initiative to make a move for Lothal. After our meeting with Governor Tarkin, this is a very foolish idea,” she answered, “We risk causing Governor Tarkin to declare war on us immediately.”

Which, she was indicating to Kos’tel’lanni – a reminder that Tarkin didn’t need a reason.

He already had a reason. This was a matter of convincing him that reason wasn’t good enough to act on. The decision to go after Lothal was going to hinder that.

~***~

Armitage couldn’t fault her for that. Knowing who they were up against was useful information. He could not predict who else might show up beyond those, unless Tarkin caught wind of it. Then, he supposed, Tarkin, or one of his allies, would show up to try and sway Pandion away from this terrible decision.

The ship soon came to Lothal City, an uncreatively named capital city on the planet. They went to the governor’s home, and slid into the private hangars there. Armitage did notice that a few figures stood outside. Some were obviously guards, but two others were not.

One he recognized as Governor Ryse Pandion. The other, he didn’t recognize at all, though he seemed older than the Governor, and from the way he held himself, more imposing.

‘Shit.’

Armitage had a sinking suspicion in his gut that he knew at least how this individual might fit in, but he tried not to believe that as he rose, and motioned for Althea to do the same as the ramp was lowering.

He stepped out first and Governor Pandion stepped forward, reaching for his hand. Armitage allowed the contact, strangely grateful for his gloves as his hand wrapped around the Governor’s, “General, it is good to have you on Lothal. Darrin Sienar has not yet arrived, is he with you?” He glanced beyond the aide.

“No,” Hux shook his head, “he indicated he would be here as soon as possible.”

 

[cleopat]

That was a problem, indeed. Kylo didn’t care for Tarkin at all, and in his view, the man was waiting for any reason to declare war on them. Did he perhaps plan this setback, then?

“We need Lothal,” Kylo declared. He was aware of the resources the planet provided, as well as its historical importance between the Rebellion and the Empire. It always served as a dividing point, and today wouldn’t be any different.

“Sure we can easily defend anything Tarkin throws our way.” Maybe he didn’t explicitly know the extent of Tarkin’s military might. It was one man against the entire First Order. How threatening could he be?

But his family have held important titles throughout the years. With titles comes alliances built out of fear. He probably had a whole army built from that fear that they weren’t aware of. “Do we need to pay a visit to Lothal?”

He couldn’t risk General Hux ruining any chance they had at securing something with the Tarkins.

~~

Lavinia knew one of the figures who stood outside, waiting for their arrival. Unfortunately, it was not Governor Pandion she recognized. Rather, it was the man next to him, Tybalt Vosh, she recognized from her childhood and earlier years attending the parties her parents also attended.


Fuck, would he recognize her?

If he did, she would have to play dumb. Pretend she had some look-alike in the universe.

The man had his hands clasped behind his back, posture straight as a ruler. He knew how to introduce himself and make an impression, which Lavinia suspected was entirely intentional.

She rose with Armitage, as instructed. Her heart pounded in her chest, but her external expression did not betray her thoughts. She feared he would say something to her, yet she acted as if everyone in front of her was new.

And for Lieutenant Althea Storax, they were.

The older man soon introduced himself after Armitage spoke. “Pleasure to meet you, General Hux. I’ve heard so much about you. My name is Tybalt Vosh, and my family have longed lived on Lothal. Now, we’re working with Governor Pandion to determine the best course of action to stimulate our economy and determine the future of our planet.” After the end of his introduction, the man extended a hand to the general, only sparing a quick glance in Lavinia’s way. Either he knew about her, or he had something else planned.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘You’re all idiots. I’m surrounded by idiots.’ Reveille resisted the urge to palm her face at Kylo’s declaration. No, they did not need Lothal. They needed Tarkin far more than they needed Lothal. “We do not need another enemy at this time. We would have Lothal, in time, and easier with Tarkin’s alliance.”

Instead, they were going to have another foe, stronger than the Resistance, thrown into the mix.

And they wouldn’t get Lothal.

The fact Kylo asked, perhaps meant he was considering the risks. “No. If we’re all there, Tarkin has us all in one place.” The leadership of the First Order. It was not a risk they could afford to take, given they didn’t know if the meeting had begun yet, or what Tarkin was doing. The hour was still early. “If we return to our ships, we may be able to speak with Tarkin before he does something, or meet him elsewhere.”

Keep him from Lothal, or try to arrange for his understanding.

In theory.

Either way, it kept the heads of the First Order from all being in the same place, and making them an easy target. “I may be able to speak to Armitage before he makes any deals, just as well.” To talk him out of it.

~***~

The one near Ryse was all the more imposing than Ryse, though he’d done nothing to indicate it. Armitage could guess he was old enough to have been in the Empire. Old enough to have old friends and old ties. The name revealed nothing to him – it was not a name he knew, by surname or otherwise.

He took the hand, though, and tried to presume it was just as Tybalt said, that he was an interested party on Lothal’s behalf, and nothing more. “I am certain we will be able to come up with agreeable plans for Lothal’s future,” he couldn’t quite parrot that it was a pleasure to meet him, when he knew nothing about him, though.

“Yes, I believe that we shall,” the governor indicated, “Although, I do apologize, the meeting will have to wait until morning. A few…things have come up,” he hedged on saying what, specifically, because it had everything to do with Tybalt and who Tybalt worked with. “However, we have set aside rooms – three, but one is reserved for Darrin Sienar when he arrives. The other two can be divided between yourself and your crew.”

Armitage furrowed his brows. He didn’t like this. He could also just come back in the morning, and he considered that, but Darrin would be less that pleased with that if he came here and found Hux wasn’t already there.

“And why could you not inform me of this earlier?” He ground out, irritated that he’d come all this way when it could have waited.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo still wanted to question the possibility of Tarkin possessing enough firepower to threaten the First Order. Surely a man with that much weaponry should be brought down? He was too dangerous to be trusted, even as an ally. Sometimes, allies betray.

But Reveille was right in one aspect. The entirety of the First Order leadership couldn’t be in the same place as him. Normally he’d argue against that; he could handle the man just fine. But after witnessing the devices created to stop the Force from touching him? Kylo wasn’t so sure.

He was just as happy to be friendly to Tarkin long enough to gain Lothal, then discard the man like the dog he was.

The stars blurred in the viewport as the ship entered into hyperdrive. “Can you go ahead and contact either one?” Given that she received the messages, Kylo presumed whatever interfered with their system had long passed.”It may be easier to speak with the general, assuming their meeting hadn’t begun yet.”

~~

Lavinia clenched her jaw, equally displeased with the new information thrusted upon them on such short notice. She almost dared to ask Governor Pandion what exactly came up so suddenly, and she already had a theory on what that could be, with the unexpected presence of Tybalt Vosh.

It would be a theory she wouldn’t express to Armitage. That would just lead to questions directed at her. Instead, she decided to remain quiet on the issue and listen to the complaints expressed by the general.

But the room situation? That may just be something she’ll complain about later. Would Armitage expect his own, private room, with her and the crew stuck into one? That was a question she didn’t particularly wish to ask in front of the others.

“I do apologize for the inconvenience, General Hux.” It was Tybalt who spoke up. He appeared as apologetic as his words, and Lavinia was quick to see through any facade he threw up. “It was an issue that arose not that long ago, and I will take full responsibility of this situation, but everything should be ready by tomorrow morning.”

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille could, of course, attempt to reach out to either of them. She didn’t want to. If Armitage was in the middle of a meeting, that would just be in bad tastes. If Tarkin wasn’t yet aware, it wouldn’t be a good idea to make him aware. “I would rather gather more information on the situation first, and call them from the Exigency, Supreme Leader. If Tarkin is not yet aware, there is no reason to make him aware.”

If.

He probably was, but there was that miniscule chance….

“If my brother has already begun the meeting, interrupting him would only sour things,” he could ignore her call, of course. “It would also be better to call from channels I can secure a bit better,” and she could have the calls be quite secure from the Exigency. That would be important even in calling her brother, given he was on a potentially hostile world, or near a hostile situation.

~***~

It did cross Armitage’s mind to take one room for himself and delegate the crew and Althea to another. However, as soon as it came, he was dismissing it. He could split between them evenly, the question was how to do so? He could leave Althea with one pilot, and himself with the other, or keep the pilots together, as well as himself and Althea.

He wasn’t unaccustomed to sharing space, but it had been a long time since he’d needed to. He wasn’t thrilled with this, in the least.

His eyes narrowed just a bit on who chose to apologize. It wasn’t the Governor.

He would certainly hold Tybalt responsible. “I hope that it will be.” He glanced over his shoulder to the pilots and gave them a nod, so they knew they wouldn’t be sleeping on the ship. “Take us to these rooms. I do not suppose it would be too much to ask for a meal, would it?”

“Not at all,” Governor Pandion shook his head, “There is service in that wing, you’ll just need to call out for something,” he indicated, “I can show you the way,” he offered that much, at least.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo scoffed. If their meeting proved anything, it was that Tarkin was one step ahead, given how he wore Force-blocking technology. The man most likely already knew, but on the small chance he was still unaware, then Reveille was right. It may be best to not let him know.

And if he did, “He may have planned this ordeal.” Or that may be giving the man too much credit.

But, Reveille was right. Unless they were to provoke something much larger than what was potentially happening, they needed to wait. Get back to the Exigency, and plan from there. “Fine. We’ll head back to the Exigency and determine the next course of action from there.”

~~

Governor Pandion seemed apologetic over the unexpected setback, but the lies were easily seen through. Lavinia knew when someone was playing the diplomat, and she suspected that Armitage was able to do the same. At least they would be provided a meal.

Was she expected to sleep in her uniform? It didn’t matter. That wasn’t a pressing concern for the moment.

“And if there is anything else you may need, do not hesitate to ask. It’s the least we can do for this inconvenience.” Tybalt appeared sincere, but Lavinia gathered there was much more going on in his mind. Much like Governor Pandion, Tybalt played the role of the diplomat quite well. She didn’t trust his words at all.

Lavinia bit her tongue to fight off any retort she had the urge to make. Best not to sour any potential alliance.