Fandom Fight for Control [closed]

[cleopat]

Reveille’s audacious question sent a spark of irritation through him. It wasn’t because of her presumptuous nature to get under her skin, but because some part of him did wish for that. The last person he provided use for was Snoke, and Kylo served as nothing more than his puppet.

Did he just want proof that he wasn’t useless?

A low growl sounded deep in his throat, and his grip on her tightened somewhat. Not enough to leave a bruise, but just enough to show his strength and temper.

“And why do you continue to test your luck, even in situations where you know you can’t win?” His voice belied his emotions. It was steady and calm, while his mind wished to show her her place.

Reveille was weak. Helpless under him. But yet she continued to test his mercy.

~~

Lavinia wanted to do what she could to help reassure Armitage, but all she could do, while they sat and wait, was to provide silent comfort in a way that didn’t cross any boundaries either one had. So her hand returned to his after she sent the message, and after she stroked the cat once more, only separated by their respective gloves.

Would his fingers feel warm to the touch without the gloves on?

Why are you thinking about that.

“The position is definitely a whole lot riskier than my old one.” Which could be putting it lightly, but it was expected. One should not anticipate a sedentary desk job when working with the general, or, well, who was know the Supreme Leader. “But, I do wish to remain, if you feel like I deserve to do so.”

A part of her worried that he had only tolerated her and didn’t see any further use now that Kylo was out. But Armitage’s own hesitance gave her hope that he wondered the same thing.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Because I can win.’

Kylo’s words were calm in spite of the growl that gave everything away. The grip that told her of his anger, his irritation, and she kept her own gaze just as calm, just as fixed on him, as if this weren’t some fight for her life. “Because I’m right, and you know it.”

His reaction said enough. His poor phrasing in speaking to her, as well. He hadn’t suggested she would have a use to him, after all. His words and his reaction betrayed him, constantly, and he was not playing with Armitage who could overlook such things in his frustration.

He was playing on her field. “You wanted to be someone for Luke Skywalker. A great and powerful Jedi. You wanted your parents to notice you, to give you the attention they put towards their projects. Then you wanted to be worthy in Snoke’s eyes. You think I don’t know the signs?” Her brother wanted to be more in their father’s eyes. Reveille had long stopped caring about that. “You want to be needed. You want to be useful. You wanted to help that Scavenger, to teach her, to be useful to her, and she denied you, too. Perhaps you even wanted to be useful to the galaxy. I had hoped that you would be….”

Failure, after failure, after failure, and she lifted her hand to his arm, to rest over it without intent to try and pull it away. Just a cruel touch, a gentle pressure – a reminder. “Even I gave you a chance…even I wanted to believe in you….” She tilted her head slightly, as much as she could given his grip. A hope, a vain hope, “and look what you’ve done with it.” Look how he’s failed, again.

~***~

Armitage’s gaze dropped again to her hand as Althea spoke of what she considered for the future. The fact that she wanted to stay at his side was surprising, in some respects, but wanted. He nodded, “You have done well in the position. Admirably so, given there was no training or time to adjust,” she worked well on her feet. She was quick.

Even now, she was quick.

“When we get back to the Order,” he wouldn’t phrase it as ‘if’, “I think we should have a more in-depth conversation about it, as it will be more on our terms, rather than Ren’s.” They could speak to their expectations of the role, and better define it. “I’m not opposed to you continuing on. I suspect I’ll have quite a bit more to do when we return.”

He would be the Supreme Leader. That implied quite a few more responsibilities, and he might need additional staff to help with that, even beyond Althea – but Althea would be immensely useful. He was already certain of that.

The cat didn’t seem to appreciate being ignored, though, and let out another pitiful sound as she rolled once more on his lip. He sighed and brought a hand down to her, which she pulled into a loving, clawed embrace, and nuzzled her nose against.

 

[cleopat]

Reveille cruel words stabbed him in the chest. They taunted him, and pulled at every insecurity he buried deep within him to hide from the galaxy.

But, as if she possessed the ability to read his mind like a damn book, she listed every cause of anxiety and insecurity he possessed, those that he loathed to admit kept him up at night. Those that created the nightmares.

The fear his showed during his nightmare flickered across his face. Dare he even say it, tears built up in the back of his eyes and threatened to prove Reveille right. But she was. All he wanted was to be needed. To be wanted. And his own damn anxiety and paranoia refused to let him see how some gave him that chance.

But his mind wouldn’t allow him to believe that. He only saw the actions as an attempt to undermine him.

The fear shifted to pure anger, as the blood began to boil under his skin. His grip lowered to wrap around her slender neck, fingers tightening to show his intent. Wordlessly, he lifted her by his grip, and only then did he utilized the Force in throwing her to the opposite wall, uncaring in how hard her head may hit the durasteel.

“You just don’t know when to shut that damn mouth of yours, do you?” His words came out in a harsh whisper. His hands trembled as they reached out to lift Reveille, this time only allowing a Force grip on her keeping her from falling. "You know nothing of what I feel."

And yet she did. She knew more than anyone else. Not even the Scavenger figured him out so well.

~~

The praise was somewhat surprising, but also welcomed. She nodded, turning her gaze to the cat in an attempt to hide the slight embarrassment she knew was evident on her face. “Thank you, sir.”

She had learn to be quick on her feet over the years, but he had to have been the first one to actually say anything about it. Naturally given the high risks in the First Order, it was a needed trait. Lavinia just didn’t expect Armitage to give out praise.

Yes, he will have a bit more work for him once they’ve returned. If she recalled correctly, Armitage was the second-in-command, and with Kylo Ren out, that made him the new Supreme Leader. With the role came many more responsibilities.

“And I will be there to help you where you need it.” Her hand lightly squeezed his, a sign of her support. The cat soon drew all the attention towards herself. Lavinia let out a huff of laughter at the antics of the kitten. “Seems like someone else will also be there to help you out.”

A loud thunk sounded on the other side of the door. Her eyes quickly landed on the door as her mind already began to process the possibilities. While she may not have exactly cared for Reveille, she still didn’t want to see anyone killed by the hands of Kylo Ren. Subconsciously, her hand tightened in his as a wave of fear washed over her.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille hit all the nerves. It was apparent in the fear that showed, in the watery eyes, but she knew he wouldn’t break into tears. She hoped he would break down, to find some way to realize what was wrong with him, but he didn’t. Of course he didn’t. His hand left its place on her jaw, to her neck. He didn’t choke her, though.

She was left off her feet and before her hands could scramble to wrap around his arm, she was thrown into the other wall.

The Force aided him, Reveille was certain of that as her head glanced off the durasteel and she felt dazed. She would have just slumped down to the ground, but Kylo couldn’t even allow that, drawing her right back up with the Force as her vision swam. He didn’t seem to be holding her effectively – at least, not still.

She was able to lift a hand to her head and cover her eyes for a few moments as Kylo ranted, vented, angered.

She should have shut her mouth, but as Kylo said: she really didn’t know when. “Your anger says otherwise. You wouldn’t be this upset if I wasn’t right. You’re just a scared little boy who wants someone to accept him, who wants someone to praise him for how good he is, for how hard he’s trying,” she swallowed hard and lowered her hand from her eyes. “If you’d accept it, you could figure out how to get what you want.”

~***~

Armitage just sighed, “I don’t know how to take care of a cat,” he wasn’t sure he even wanted it. He didn’t know the first thing about taking care of a pet. He had never craved one. A cat, or any sort of pet, would just be made a target by association. Only a cat couldn’t tattle on whoever hurt them. He couldn’t imagine it would have a good life in the First Order, even without Ren.

Speaking of Ren.

The thud caused him to rise, the cat falling out of his lap, the squeeze of Althea’s hand just maintaining enough contact to not let him go to the door. That wasn’t a datapad; that was a body. He couldn’t hear anything being said from within the room, he wasn’t sure if anything was being said, or if Reveille was dead.

He needed to do something.

But what could he do?

He looked down to Althea, “How close are we to those coordinates?” If they were close, Kylo would have to go back to the cockpit soon enough to land. He could at least drag Reveille back….

If not…he wasn’t sure what, but he wasn’t just staying in this room.

 

[cleopat]

His jaw clenched as the damn woman just wouldn’t stop talking. She continued to poke and prod at the monster within him, and with every additional word, she opened the wound and poured salt into it.

“You just don’t know when to shut up, don’t you? Always have to get the final word in, always have to make sure everyone around you knows you’re there.” Even when she did bite back her words, her thoughts were loud. A woman who thought her opinions were of the upmost importance.

His grip on her with the Force shifted, now wrapped around her throat. He stepped forward until his form stood directly in front of her, yet not touching her. “But no worries, I’ll make sure you don’t have the chance to make that ludicrous mistake again.”

The grip tightened, effectively cutting off any hope of sucking in much-needed oxygen. It was obvious he made a mistake. There was no reason to keep them around.

~~

Lavinia didn’t know anything about taking care of cats either. All they needed was food, right? But she wanted to see this cat stick around, and she was about to offer to help him with the cat. Surely two people can figure out how to care for an animal.

But she didn’t get a chance to voice her thoughts before the thud and subsequent reactions in the room occurred.

The cat dashed under the bed, and Lavinia stood as well, releasing Armitage’s hand soon after. There was no need for that.

She sprung into action when Armitage inquired about the coordinates. She picked up the datapad to see if she could find the information. “It seems that we have about five more minutes until we exit lightspeed.”

Would Reveille last that long? What scene awaited them when they finally arrived?

Lavinia couldn’t even offer him a comforting word. She didn’t want them to find the opposite on the other side of the door, but what else was there to do besides wait? Neither one could stand up against Kylo Ren.

 

[Lucyfer]

The Force moved from her limbs, encircling her neck, and only her neck. The pressure came with his words, so annoyed with her words. ‘Weak.’ She knew he might be reading her thoughts at her end. ‘To be so afraid of words. Of your truth.’ And it might cost her end, but she had accepted that already, hadn’t she?

He would never reclaim the Order, and he could curse her name to the end of time.

In spite of the thought she was prepared to die, that didn’t mean she had to make it easy – and as survival started to override thoughts of dignity, she found a thousand thoughts swimming through her head in an effort to find one that might make survival possible. It was muddled mess even for her to wade through – dignity, survival.

‘You have knives, you have knives, you have knives.’ It was an alarm that blared in her head, as if they’d do any good against Kylo Ren, even if he was standing so close.

So close, and still just using the Force. ‘All you're good for…aren’t you….’

White spots. Dark spots.

Reveille’s knees hit the ground as her vision blurred, her hand finally rising to her throat as if it would do anything. She knew the gesture was pointless, but instinct was overriding her sense of dignity. Her other hand balled into a fist on the ground. She didn’t feel the tears starting to prick her eyes. ‘You could have been so much more.’

Herself?

Kylo?

She heard a door open, a shout, and a blaster.

~***~

Reveille would not last that long. Armitage was fairly certain of that. It didn’t take that long to choke someone to death. It certainly didn’t take that long to break their head against a wall. A minute, two, he might have considered waiting, thinking Kylo would be aware of the time, thinking he’d go back and leave Reveille alone to make sure he landed – but five?

Five was too many.

“Stay here,” pointless as it may be, trapped in the same ship as they all were, he still wanted Althea out of sight and out of mind. He was certain to draw Kylo’s ire as soon as he stepped out and into sight.

He reached for his blaster, glad he hadn’t yet lost that, and he walked out.

The scene was a bit worse than he anticipated – Reveille had dropped again, and he could see the strain on her face, bent over as she was, her hair couldn’t obscure it with how short she kept it. His fingers wrapped tightly around his own blaster, “THAT’S ENOUGH!” He wanted Kylo’s attention, for once.

He wanted to break his focus, and so he lifted the blaster and fired, intending to fire until he couldn’t any longer, intending to make sure he had to let go of Reveille to deal with the new threat.

With any luck one of the shots would actually hit, but Armitage suspected that wouldn’t be the case. Kylo would prioritize his life and block the shots. Pull the blaster out of his hands.

No matter.

 

[cleopat]

He would enjoy snuffing the last bit of light out of her. That fiery temper subdued once and for all. Her last thoughts didn’t escape him. As she couldn’t release any air, her thoughts would be louder than normal, and Kylo could him them just as easily as he could if she was talking.

Reveille offered nothing new, but repeated the same infuriating words from earlier. The same ones that riled his anger to begin with.

He will enjoy extinguishing that anger. This isn’t you. You know you are meant for more than that. Stop it. It was similar to what Reveille was thinking, and he scowled as he continued on. It wasn’t true. None of it was. Kylo knew what he was worth, what he wanted. And he was going to get it.

The appearance of General Hux pulled him away from the woman now kneeling on the floor. The words didn’t stop him, but it was what Hux did next.

Kylo let go of Reveille as he quickly pulled out his lightsaber, igniting it to deflect the blaster bolts aimed his way. “And here I thought you didn’t possess a backbone,” he growled. When he finally got the chance to focus on the man behind the blaster, Kylo sent him careening into the wall

~~

Lavinia wanted to protest Armitage’s decision, to convince him that going out there would only result in his death. But she knew there was no use. He wanted to save his sister, and she simply nodded at his instruction.

Although she didn’t want to face Kylo Ren’s fury, she also didn’t want to simply stand by, idly twiddling her thumbs. But what more could she do?

Lavinia stepped out of sight once Armitage opened the door, and she simply listened. Listened to the blaster bolts and the yells. What chance did they have at besting Kylo?

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille’s forehead touched the floor as air returned, the cold floor helping to quicken her senses. ‘Armitage.’ Not good. Not good at all, she wanted him to stay out of this, the damned idiot! There was a reason she’d stepped out, even if Armitage could have very well used the console to get the information.

The sound of the lightsaber wasn’t encouraging. Blaster bolts scarred the wall, and then there was another thud as her brother was thrown back with an insult hurled at him.

Some certainly considered her brother cowardly. It wasn’t unknown – even if it was untrue. He just had far better survival instincts. Apparently, those instincts decided to take a holiday.

She could hear Hux shifting to get up, “That makes one of us,” Armitage snapped back at Kylo, ruffled but not really down. He hadn’t hit the wall too hard. He’d thrown out his hand in time, and he still had the blaster, by some miracle.

Not that a blaster was much against a lightsaber, or the Force. Still, he held it pointed at Kylo, a silent threat, as Reveille pushed herself up a bit. At least so her head wasn’t on the floor any longer.

‘You could stab his leg.’ Reveille briefly considered it, but didn’t – no, she just set her hand on Kylo’s leg. “Don’t…please.” Hoarse, damned hoarse voice, but she didn’t think that was going to be a mark against her right then. Kylo did seem to love the impact he had on others, if his smile at Althea’s suffering was any indication.

Armitage didn’t fire. He knew his odds, and they were not good. Reveille was breathing. Reveille was alive. And Kylo was, for a moment, still.

There could be room to negotiate here – or he could wait until Kylo decided to act again, and hope he had enough time to put a bolt through Kylo’s head.

 

[cleopat]

The rabid cur continued to provoke him, even though it was clear Kylo held the advantage over them. Reveille was down, and while Armitage held a blaster, the push into the wall shook him.

He could take the blaster away. Yank it from his grip and destroy it, leaving Kylo with the only weapon in the room. Then he could assert his dominance over them, or decide to end their life and no longer be a nuisance to him or his goals.

However, before he could say anything more, a slight pressure on his leg distracted him. His head snapped down to where the hand was, surprise evident on his face. Surprise at the touch. Surprise that it wasn’t an attempt to harm him.

His mind blanked momentarily. The hoarseness in Reveille’s voice sent a wave of...guilt? Regret? He didn’t know why. And Kylo didn’t know if he wanted to know.

He was, for the moment, quiet and still, although his chest heavily rose and fall as the body tried to relax his rapid heartbeat. His gaze maintained its intense focus on Reveille, fury no longer marring his face. Just...bewilderment.

 

[Lucyfer]

The stillness unnerved Armitage more than if Kylo had reacted. Reveille’s voice wore at his frayed nerves. He wanted her to get away from there, to return to what limited safety being out of Kylo’s line of sight meant, but she was drawing it back to herself, intentionally so.

He didn’t like it. Not the touch, not the way her head dropped and she seemed to take in another gasping breath, or the way her fingers curled around Kylo’s leg, but what could he say? What could he do? He felt his own voice might break Kylo’s distraction, and make things worse.

Did she have things under control before?

She didn’t try to get up, and finally, Hux did interrupt, for better or worse, the silence, “Reveille,” he spoke to her rather than Kylo, “Come here. There’s no need for this.” His gaze flickered briefly to Kylo. Likely, in his mind, there was every need for this, Reveille was behind his expulsion from the Order, but he was momentarily stilled.

And it wouldn’t be long before they were at the planet….

Reveille lifted her head to look at Armitage, and then retracted her hand from Kylo’s leg, and leaned back to press into the wall, to use that to help get back up again.

 

[cleopat]

At the complete silence, Lavinia peered around the doorway to see what was going on. Kylo was staring down at Reveille, completely unmoving, with the Hux siblings looking a little worse for wear. Just what exactly was going on?

Kylo snapped out of his silence and concentration on Reveille after Armitage broke the silence. He glanced at the man as if he forgot he was there, and in that moment, he was completely lost. Lost for what to do. Lost in his mind.

A minor beeping from the cockpit drew his mind towards the noise. A signal that they would need to exit lightspeed soon. Wordlessly, he marched back to the pilot’s sea, where he resumed control of the ship, bringing them out of lightspeed

A lush, green planet appeared before them. Endor, a small, forested moon home to the Ewoks, and where he was to meet the Knights of Ren.

Kylo truthfully didn't know what he was going to do anymore. Should he kill the officers present on the ship? Let them go? Attempt to regain control of the First Order with the Knights backing him up? Establish their own rule? His mind filled with too many questions, and no answers.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo’s attention withdrew from them with the beeping, and Reveille was able to gain her feet. Armitage held out an arm and she did move to him, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulders and draw her back into the room, once Althea had moved out of the doorway. He shut the door again.

Again, the desire to demand information, or bicker, arose, but he quelled it.

Later – when they got back to the Order. Later, there would be time to argue about this entire mess, and not before. “We got the coordinates. Lieutenant Storax has done the rest,” Armitage indicated instead.

They would be out of this mess, soon. He glanced to Althea to see if she had any information – any details, now that they had moved out of lightspeed, for how to advance from this point. Kylo’s daze wouldn’t last. Soon he’d be murderous again.

Knowing what was waiting for them – at least, what might help them – would be of some use. Though, he didn’t know if Althea even knew that, or if they’d be winging it.

He wasn’t sure how well any of them were going to be able to wing anything, right then.

 

[cleopat]

As the ship approached orbit and the outer layer of atmosphere, Kylo was distracted by piloting the ship towards the planet. They would have a moment to further discuss things as needed.

Lavinia stood there, somewhat awkward as she watched the siblings attempt to recuperate from Kylo’s attacks. But at the mention of the coordinates, she moved to pick her datapad back up.

“What happens next will depend on Kylo Ren’s next course of action.” She scrolled through the latest message Borran had sent her, and it seemed luck favored them. He hadn’t been too far away from Endor, and so they wouldn’t have to wait long for him to arrive. “If he decides to finish us off, then all I’ll have to do is to give a signal for a pretty big distraction to occur.” And he was good at those.

“Or maybe Kylo will simply lock down the ship so we can fly off, while he’s off doing whatever it is he’s here for. In that case, we may have another ship we can take back to the First Order.” All in all, she would owe her friend a massive favor.

 

[Lucyfer]

Armitage and Reveille shared a look at the thought of Kylo simply locking down the ship. That seemed unlikely. Him attempting to kill them all seemed much more likely than him just leaving them in a ship. He had to know they’d be able to steal it out from under him. He wasn’t that stupid. And, they doubted he’d be that distracted, even if they didn’t know why he chose their location.

“I would say be prepared for a distraction,” Armitage said, though he didn’t quite like to consider that, it was the likely option.

The cat crawled out from under the bed then, a chirruping, questioning meow rolling out from her. Reveille stepped away from her brother, though she didn’t sit, tempting as it was. She didn’t think she’d get back up.

She just went to lean against the wall near the door, as Armitage knelt to offer the cat his hand again. Once she had stepped closer, he lifted the cat up into his arms, determined now that the cat got out with them. He only needed one hand for the blaster, after all.

The cat started to crawl further up, though, “Hey,” he grumbled a bit of a complaint as she pulled herself up onto his shoulder, claws digging in deep to his coat, not that he could feel them. The coat was thick.

Reveille cocked a slight smirk, but held back any comment.

 

[cleopat]

The ship landed in the trees, right outside a small village. They would be waiting in a nondescript cantina, perfect to ensure word of their arrival didn’t spread. And if it did? A village like this one would be all too easy to wipe off the map.

But Kylo’s attention, once he landed and stood from the seat, focused on the door in the back of the ship, where the three officers stood behind. He didn’t know what to do with them. Killing them was his first thought, but, for reasons unknown, he couldn’t bring himself to do that.

Until he could figure that out, he would have to ensure they stayed put. Reaching a hand out, the Force willed itself into the mechanism box for the door, where it locked it and prevented any attempts in an escape.

Kylo could only hope it would keep them there. As he descended the ramp and locked the shuttle behind him, he hoped that any of his plans would work.

~~

“He has planned for both.” Lavinia smiled as she watched the cat decide she wasn’t high enough already and climb onto Hux’s shoulders. “Looks like the First Order will have a new mascot.” She stepped over and reach out one hand to let the cat sniff, but the cat merely glanced at her before turning her head away.

She frowned and lightly huffed. How rude.

A subdued click was heard from the other side of the door. Head snapping to the door, she held her breath, a subconscious reaction, but nothing more happened. Her brows furrowed and arms crossed over her chest.

“Did he just...lock us in here?” A minor setback, yet a little surprising they all believed a bloody battle would happen. Not this.

 

[Lucyfer]

Reveille and Armitage heard the click as well, confusion crossing both of their expressions before Althea spoke to their thoughts. Did Kylo Ren actually just lock them in the room? “He’s an idiot,” as if that needed to be declared. Armitage still said it, as Reveille moved from her place and to the wall.

She opened the panel besides the door easily enough. Hux, after all, was more concerned about the privacy within his room. She examined the situation calmly, running her finger over the pad to bring up commands, planning to bypass the system she knew by heart.

She didn’t say a word, still not comfortable with how her voice sounded. Or the pain.

Armitage was silent as well, waiting for the anticipated unlocking of the door as Reveille played around with the system as she had with the console before. “Do we need dynamite?” He did eventually ask, sounding a touch impatient, worried Kylo might return.

Reveille shook her head.

The system was frustrating her, but it was just a matter of undoing code. She didn’t know how he managed it, but he’d screwed with the system in seconds in a way that didn’t seem likely, making overriding the lock a bit difficult through traditional means. Still, she knew the loopholes of the system.

She had to, if she wanted to keep her own room protected.

The screen flared brightly a moment, and then there was a click. The door opened, and stayed that way. It wouldn’t be closing again soon.

“Get the door locked and ramp up,” Armitage directed, “I’ll get us out of here,” he saw no reason to go meet Althea’s friend if it wasn’t necessary – and right now it didn’t seem necessary. He could just get the ship back in the air, and get them back to the First Order. He offered his datapad back to Reveille, “Call Kos’tel’lanni.”

She took it with a nod.

 

[cleopat]

Lavinia grew antsy as Reveille took longer than she thought to open the door. She almost pitched in to assist, fearful that Kylo would come back at any moment. After all, they didn’t know why he decided to come to this planet, of all places. Did he even know why?

But Reveille soon bypassed the systems, and there was the sweet sound of the door opening before them.

She frowned at the orders Armitage gave, but she had nothing to say against them. If they could take the ship and leave, what reason would she give to still see Borran?

“Well, it seems you already have a co-pilot.” She motioned to the cat still perched on his shoulder. The site was rather amusing, although Lavinia was prepared to grab the cat should he request it.

She drew close to the viewport to see the planet she hadn’t stepped on before. Endor was just as she had thought. Green with colossal trees. Not much else where they were. She did a quick glance down at the cockpit, but at the sight of a minor inconvenience, she frowned.

“Sir, it looks like we won’t even be able to make the jump into lightspeed.” The fuel gauge was near empty, an enormous oversight on Kylo’s part. Looks like they’ll need to meet her friend after all.

 

[Lucyfer]

Armitage sighed and he did nearly request the cat be taken from him – but it nuzzled his head, and he opted not to, going to the cockpit to take a look at things. Almost as Althea said it, he realized the situation, “Damn it,” he cursed. There was no way Kos’tel’lanni or anyone else would get there in time to refuel the ship.

That left Althea’s friend. He didn’t want to leave his own ship behind, but better his ship than his life. “Where’s your friend?” He asked, stepping out of the cockpit as the hologram of Kos’tel’lanni appeared above his datapad in Reveille’s hand.

“You’re alive,” the relief was palpable in Kos’tel’lanni’s tone. Armitage stepped aside to tune in more to Althea than Reveille. “I have a lock on the coordinates of the datapad. Endor, it seems. Why are you there?”

Reveille shook her head.

“I’ll send someone to find you immediately.” Kos’tel’lanni didn’t need the order – that was obvious. Retrieving them was necessary, and they might need help.

Reveille thought a moment, then shook her head. “Not yet.” Better not to send more to their deaths if Althea’s friend could help.

 

[cleopat]

Lavinia spared a quick look to Kos’tel’lanni when her hologram appeared above Reveille’s datapad, but she looked back at Armitage before answering his question. “Hopefully nearby.”

All she had was a vague answer, for there had been no response yet on her datapad from him. She made her way to the door leading out, and as Kylo didn’t mess with its locking system as he did with the bedroom, opening it took no time at all.

The humidity may have been a little higher than what she enjoyed, but the area seemed peaceful. Serene. But she couldn’t immediately see Borran, which slightly frustrated her. Where was that man?

Lavinia stepped off the ramp onto the ground, and a sharp whistle sounded off to her side. A wide smile crossed her face when she saw Borran sauntering her way, as well as another old friend she did not expect to see. “Shit, Tanis, what are you doing here?” She started walking in their direction to meet them a few feet away from the entrance.

“You know how to make an old friend feel welcomed, don’t you?” A smile was on both of the women’s faces, and Tanis was quick to gather Lavinia into her arms for a hug, which she eagerly reciprocated.

Borran spoke up next. “That uniform doesn’t suit you at all. It’s too...boring.” He was next to draw her into a hug, albeit a quicker one than the two women shared.

Lavinia waved off the comment. She would prefer color as well, but it wouldn’t happen. “So why the hell are you here?” She nodded at Tanis, quite confused as to why she was with Borran, but didn’t complain how she was able to see an old friend.

Neither said anything. The way Borran wrapped an arm around Tanis, and how she reciprocated? They didn’t have to. “Fucking knew it. Anyways, I hope you are able to spare some fuel, or maybe you brought us a lovely ship we can use?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Armitage had followed Althea without a thought, though he paused on the ramp, not yet willing to give up the ship if it wasn’t necessary, nor leave the path into the ship. It would be his luck that he’d step aside or venture too far and Kylo would return. Reveille, apparently hadn’t decided to follow. He’d heard conversation shift to the state of the Order.

So he was there to see the approach of not one friend, but two. He could guess which one was Borran by the reaction to the appearance of a Tanis, and he couldn’t help but scowl as they talked of her uniform being unflattering.

He considered it looked quite good on her.

He stepped forward as Althea shifted the topic to what they needed. “We’re in a bit of a rush,” he noted, glancing back briefly at the ramp, not bothering to introduce himself. “I’m willing to leave the ship behind if you can simply get us back to First Order occupied space,” and recalling what Althea had said of them, not really being First Order or Resistance supporters, he added, “You’ll be compensated, of course. There’s a third with us, as well.”

Who finally stepped onto the ramp. “Fourth. Your cat.” Reveille managed to call down, her voice not as strangled as before. She was eying the newcomers suspiciously, but willing to trust her odds with them over Kylo Ren.

Kos’tel’lanni was no longer on the datapad. She’d apparently finished her conversation and she offered the pad back to Armitage.

 

[cleopat]

The two eyed the man, as well as the cat with him, but given the aura of command that emitted from him, neither decided to poke fun at his expense.

“Compensation, you say?” Borran repeated, an impish smile donned on his face. “Well, in that case, I think we have exactly what they need to get back in no time, isn’t that right?”

He looked over at the woman beside him, whose own expression mirrored his. “Yes, I think we do. Our ship isn’t too far away, just through those trees over there.”

Lavinia released a sigh of relief. “Thank you, you two. You have no idea how much we appreciate this.”

“You’ve saved our asses enough times in the past, Thea. It’s the least we can do.” Lavinia groaned at the conjured nickname Tanis made up for her alias. It was horrid, and she could only hope it didn’t stick.

“I’ll ignore that for now. Please, leave the way. We really are on a time limit right now.”

“Of course, but we will talk once we’re on the ship.” Borran led the way, throwing Lavinia a look as he spoke. She figured they would have a few things to discuss. Hopefully neither Armitage nor Reveille will get too nosy on the damn ship.

 

[Lucyfer]

Things were finally looking up, though Armitage still cast a glance back to Reveille. She didn’t seem terribly worried, which likely meant she didn’t know who these two were. For now, Armitage would consider that a good thing, and hope the compensation was enough to keep them honest.

He certainly meant it. Right then, the pair were saving their lives.

Though, he did arch a brow at the nickname and how, apparently, Althea had saved these two before. He had his own curiosities, but he’d save them for the return to the First Order and some privacy. He didn’t need Reveille getting suspicious again.

So, he followed silently, Reveille walking along as well, neither of them daring to speak or ask further questions. The possibility that this could be all ruined was still present. Until they were off this too-humid planet, neither of them would truly feel comfortable.

And there was little to ask their would-be savior, anyways. They seemed to have silently agreed that the less they knew, the better. Knowledge was only getting them into trouble right now.

 

[cleopat]

The journey to their ship didn’t take terribly long, and for a large part remained silent, even between Lavinia and her friends. The occasional comment was spoken, but both Borran and Tanis realized the seriousness of the situation, and how they just need to focus on getting off the damned planet.

Their ship wasn’t as large as Armitage’s shuttle, but it had enough space so that no one would feel claustrophobic, plus there was a spare room that was well-lived in. “You got a new ship,” Lavinia commented. There were actual chairs and cushions instead of the hard, cold benches of the First Order shuttles. That she was grateful for.

“He kind of lost the other one.” Tanis gave Borran an accusatory look, and the man raised his arms defensively.

“At least I got us a new one! Won it in a bet. Was it risky? Yes, I admit that, but it’s bigger than my old one!” Tanis just scoffed at him, settling in the cockpit to get the ship started.

“I’m surprised you haven’t bet your life away yet.” Lavinia headed to the spare room, and she could hear Borran muttering an agreement behind her. “We’ll be right back out. Tanis will take good care of you.” The woman mentioned threw a thumbs-up symbol over her shoulder, her focus largely on getting the ship off the ground.

They both walked into the room, the door sliding shut behind them.

 

[Lucyfer]

Armitage sunk into a bench as soon as he saw an open one, the cat crawling down from his shoulder and into his lap. Reveille didn’t join him, taking a wall with access to see through the viewports, so she could at least have some view outside to make sure nothing went wrong, or be aware if something was about to.

Would it be good to mention they were fleeing a Force-sensitive maniac? A glance to Armitage showed he didn’t seem that worried now that they were in a ship, and he had a cat in his lap. Reveille remained worried.

“Coruscant or Lothal would be the best locations to go,” she said that to Tanis, the one they were left with. She was curious what Althea had to say to her friend, but right then she was too paranoid about what was outside the ship to venture back and try to overhear anything. “I’m not sure how close we are to either or your current fuel reserves. If you can’t get to either, just take us to the nearest planet. We can call for a pick-up from there.”

She wouldn’t assume that Tanis knew where all First Order space was. It had, after all, just recently acquired Lothal and the Core. Someone had to let her know – and Armitage seemed apparently willfully distracting himself with the cat.

 

[cleopat]

Tanis glanced at the red-headed woman when she began to speak. She immediately knew Coruscant would be off the table. Lavinia would not be happy to go anywhere near the planet, so Lothal it is. “Our fuel reserves are decent right now, so I can take you to Lothal.”

She had momentarily considered just dropping them off at the nearest planet. The quicker she could get rid of the First Order officers, the better. But she owed Lavinia a huge favor, and the whole endeavor would be easier if they brought them directly to where they needed to go.

“You can sit in the copilot’s seat if you need to.” The ship lifted into the atmosphere, and the signature enormous trees of Endor become smaller as they flew away. “You seem like you need a minute to breathe.”

~~

“I have some information for you concerning the Resistance.” Borran’s voice was no more than a whisper, even as a durasteel door separate them from everyone else.

Lavinia raised one brow and crossed her arms over her chest. “Straight to the point, are we?” Her voice was similarly soft. “But I appreciate it.”

He only gave a nod before continuing. “They’re fractured right now, various members across several planets. Poe Dameron is temporarily back on his home planet, trying to recruit and plan. Last I heard of General Organa, she was attempting to secure some funds from the Mon Calamari, but I’m not sure how that is going along.”

She nodded at the information. Not many had survived, so it was of no surprise that there wasn’t much information of those who remained. They were scattered for a reason, but prepared to unite at a moment’s notice.

Things remained quiet between them for a moment, but Borran spoke back up. “I hope you’ll reconsider this mission. It’s dangerous, foolish, and I can’t see you risk your life like that.”

Lavinia sighed. He spoke some truth. It was dangerous. There was a chance she wouldn’t survive. And she didn't have much of an argument to counter with. “And you know you could never persuade me to do something I set my mind on.”

In a brief moment of lightheartedness, Borran smirked. “I managed to convince you to sleep with me, did I not.”

She scoffed, thumping him on his shoulder. “As much as I would love to catch up with you, we need to get back out there before they grow suspicious.”

He agreed and said nothing more, only following Lavinia back out into the main hub of the shuttle.