Fandom Star Wars: Rising Tide [closed]

[Lucyfer]

Myka stepped in, “I’m fully covered,” she said, making a gesture down her form as if to emphasize this fact that she was covered. It wasn’t a lie, even if she knew exactly what Kylo was referring to. He might indeed attempt to put restrictions on her attire.

She would find a way to make sure he failed at every single attempt, though.

“I was able to see much of this ship last night,” she offered to tell him, “and I met some silver woman who seemed important,” best not to hide that, either. Let him know she would be willing to talk about her ventures, that it wasn’t meant as secrets. He would find out otherwise, no doubt. Somehow, she didn’t doubt that the woman would reach out to him for her own answers.

“The ship is still much larger than I keep thinking it is,” she said, before pausing, smiling, “but you called me here for a reason, which I imagine has little to do with my wanderings.”

~***~

Eventually, Poe woke. It hadn’t quite been a fully eight hours, but that was pretty rare for him, anyways. Especially in a new bed, and a new place. Their ship hadn’t been attacked while they slept, at least, and he carefully maneuvered out of the bed. ‘Hungry.’ He didn’t know about raiding the ship just yet.

Maybe once he got them into lightspeed again to Castilon.

BB-8 followed him out of the room, and to the cockpit, where he got things up and running again to put them into lightspeed. “Okay, Beebee…let’s find the food,” he said, and BB-8 chimed agreement, even though the droid had no use for the kind of food Poe was looking for.

He did at least move Poe to the area he thought food would be, and let Poe dig around in the shelves quietly. He wasn’t intending to be secretive about it, just didn’t want to wake up Azra sooner.

He’d have to reimburse her, probably.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo lifted a brow, not entirely amused by Myka’s insistence that she was fully covered. “That is debatable.” Certainly no one in the First Order would consider her covered. She would get cited for indecency.

But as she gestured down her body, Kylo’s eyes wondered yet again, lingering on curves he desired to touch, to see if they were as soft as they look. No. His eyes snapped away as he turned back into his quarters.

“I had heard.” Indeed, Phasma sent him a message about Myka’s little adventure in the training simulator. She had been curious to know more about the woman, but Kylo didn’t divulge any information about her to Phasma just yet.

He took a few more steps into his room, his eyes only momentarily leaving Myka. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Nearly three thousand meters long, the Finalizer was an impressive size, and it would be near impossible to see its entirety. “Maybe I did call you here because of your wanderings.” Not the entire truth, but he didn’t want to risk her being alone in her room, bored.

That may lead to bad things.

“I had some spare time today, so I was curious. Is there anything you would like to do? Or to learn?” Kylo didn’t know what answer his question would bring, but he wanted to see what Myka was thinking.

~~

Azra woke some time after Poe. Unlike him, she actually could get a full night of sleep. Head full of messy curls, she stumbled out of the bed and to her kitchenette area. Need caf. The bittersweet nectar of life that would help her better prepare for the upcoming day.

Poe was already there, and Azra gave him a polite nod. “Mornin’.” Immediately she started preparing her caf, opting for no cream or sugar.

She held an acquired taste for bitter drinks.

With the steaming mug in her hands, she sat at the table, taking a small sip of the caf. “So, what’s the plan for Castilon?” He still hadn’t told her anything about the planet aside from they were going there, and she figured she needed some information before the ship arrived.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo Ren still kept himself well restrained. It was almost amusing. His desire was still present, and so terribly obvious. It seemed his life wasn’t all that exciting at the moment, no orders had come down from Snoke. He had free time. “I assume you mean besides you?”

Although she did walk back to his bed and sat down on it, as she hinted at what she’d like to do. “I suppose I would like to know more about why the training simulator lacks cities, as well as more about the Knights of Ren. You aren’t Sith, or Jedi, and I don’t actually know what you believe of the Force.”

She crossed one leg over the other, deciding those were her starting curiosities. They weren’t of the same nature, but they were, at least, things she wanted to know that Kylo might be more inclined to humor from her.

“Oh, and where the silver one comes from. Her nature is curious.”

~***~

Poe hadn’t made himself caf, but he’d found some water to drink, and a ration bar to munch on by the time that Azra showed up, definitely not yet awake or put together. “Good morning,” he greeted in turn, BB-8 offering a much more chipper greeting to her in his trilling beeps.

“Okay, so, Castilon has a place called Colossus on it,” Poe said, “long story short, it’s a major fuel supplying depot, and the First Order has been taking fuel from it, leaving the residents to ration fuel, which can sometimes lead to complications since the entirety of Colossus itself runs on fuel.”

Which meant if they ran out, some areas of Colossus would be without fuel.

For some people, that could be a difference between life or death, if things started to shut down around them.

 

[cleopat]

Did the woman ever stop making such perverse statements? Kylo doubted it, and aside from a slight flushing of his cheeks, he ignored Myka’s salacious offer, no matter how much he considered it.

And of course she just had to sit on his bed. Again.

Kylo opted for the couch, not quite trusting himself, or her, if he got near Myka. “That’s quite a few things at once,” he chuckled. Naturally, she was curious to learn as much as she could.

“The ‘silver one’ is called Captain Phasma,” he started, “but anything regarding her past is better left to ask her.” While he knew she came from Parnassos, he knew little else of her life before the First Order. It was best for Myka to find out about Phasma from the woman herself, because Kylo didn’t want to get an angry message from her.

She could be scary in her own right.

“Why do you think the training simulators lack cities?” Once again, his gaze dipped down to her legs, more skin showing with the way she crossed them, before refocusing on her face.

~~

Azra gave a small smile to BB’s own trilled greeting. “So, Colossus?” she repeated, moreso to herself, as Poe explained to her the situation. She was familiar with the station, but not through personal experience. All she knew of it was that, that it was a station.

Another sip of her black caf. Azra was beginning to feel normal again. “Who runs the station?” she wondered. Not that it mattered, if the First Order was involved. Their firepower could easily outmatch anyone defending the station.

Azra stood up, but only to grab a ration bar before taking her seat once more. “And are we meeting someone there?” She assumed so, given his contact on Athulla who showed them the files. Someone on Castilon to offer proof of the fuel being taken by the First Order.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Does it matter how I ask her?’ Myka wondered if the mind trick worked on Phasma. Or how much trouble she might get into if she just forced open Phasma’s mind to get the details. Somehow, she had a feeling the latter in particular would get her in trouble with Kylo. Perhaps Snoke.

Perhaps not Snoke.

Something to be determined later, but she would follow up with it, at least.

“I suspect it is either because the Order has no intention of conquering cities, which seems strange,” so that was out, “or that the Order has no practical experience with cities, enough to design simulations that would help them in combat with cities, which is unfortunate.”

Other reasons didn’t seem likely. Certainly they had the technology. She was also fairly certain they had the desire to go about it in the future, given all the propaganda she’d read.

That left lack of knowledge.

~***~

“Imanuel Doza runs it,” Poe answered, “Former Imperial, but he quit,” which put him closer to Poe’s good books. His daughter was also a rebel, though Poe wouldn’t be mentioning that. “And no, we’re not,” Poe might have been able to call in a favor, but in this case, it wasn’t necessary.

“From what I understand, it isn’t actually that hard to see what’s going on,” it was a world no one cared about, barely represented, if it was represented at all, in the New Republic. No one was going to care if the Colossus was destroyed.

That put Imanuel in a hard situation.

But it meant the First Order was also acting more openly there. “I know there’s a Captain Pyre who we’re likely to see there, from the Order. Apparently he’s recently been heading this whole thing.”

 

[cleopat]

Myka wasn’t too far from the truth in her guessing. She was quite the inquisitive one, and a careful eye would have to be kept on her to be sure she didn’t learn too much too soon.

Some things will remain off limits.

“Or maybe you just didn’t get a chance to see the city environment simulation,” he offered. Phasma did prefer the more natural environments for now. They haven’t conquered any true city yet, like those in the Core. Their superweapon will help with that, and the corruption they infested into the planets will as well, as it spreads to hold a tighter grasp.

Kylo wouldn’t quite tell her of their plans just yet.

“But you are half right. We do intend to conquer cities, but we also have many other goals on other worlds we hope to accomplish first.”

~~

A formal Imperial who defected. Interesting. With the First Order visiting for the fuel, she wondered if they ever verbally clashed, or if Doza gave up, knowing it was useless. But, that didn’t matter so much in the grand scheme of things.

Azra didn’t like the idea of potentially seeing a First Order officer. The odds of this officer recognizing her face from a list of wanted by the First Order was minimal, but she would have to make sure that they didn’t draw attention to themselves. Just in case.

“So if it isn’t that hard to see, should I bring along a camera? I have a camera drone, and I haven’t something a bit more stealthy.” Or if they could access the station’s security cameras, but that was far out of Azra’s league, and Poe didn’t seem the type to know how to do that either. Maybe.

“Or,” she turned and looked at BB-8, “if we see something, could you record it?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo did not deny that their weren’t cities, but he did suggest it wasn’t currently the Order’s goals to strike out against cities. They seemed to be slow moving, for now. “And what goals come ahead of cities?”

Myka could imagine plenty, mostly various sorts of resource gathering to make sure they could take on cities. Completion of various projects, with those resources, were a part of that. It meant nothing to have resources if they didn’t have the finished projects.

She was still curious about the Knights of Ren, and would circle back to that – but for now, she’d focus on this line of thought and see if she could get more about them later. When this conversation was dropped off.

No doubt, Kylo wouldn’t give her a full answer.

More research on her own would have to be done.

~***~

BB-8 chirped out that it could do that, but Poe noted, “BB-8 is…pretty well known,” he was one of the few, if not the only, orange astromech droids of his kind. The design was based off therapy droids, which usually didn’t have such colorations.

Kind of like himself, BB-8 had become quite well known. “Getting him into areas where he could record isn’t impossible, but if you have something more stealthy, we might want to plan on using that, too. Otherwise we might just have to throw a box on BB-8.”

BB-8 was not happy about that possibility, at all.

“Look a moving box is less noticeable than you.”

Which was true – but BB-8 still did not like the box plan. Other droids were likely to notice that for what it was.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo shrugged, relaxing some on his couch. “There is much we still wish to accomplish beforehand.” Such as other planets, with resources they need for their weapons and ships. Money. But they were gaining, and growing, and soon enough everyone in the galaxy would fear them.

And Kylo needed to be the one to lead them when that day comes.

“I’m afraid for now, I can’t reveal much more to you.” He wasn’t the least bit apologetic. Myka was new. She had no right to their plans just yet, except for any mission that may concern her.

“Your curiosity to know more about that must be left unsatiated for now. What was the other question you had asked?” She had spewed off several at once, and while he remembered it was about the Knights of Ren, he needed her to repeat, while he gathered his thoughts.

~~

Azra rose a brow, but remained silent. No, she hadn’t seen any other astromech droids with his color scheme before, and if Poe Dameron’s reputation was quite infamous, she’d imagine the droid’s would be too.

She lightly chuckled at the droid’s protests, but then nodded. “Yeah, I have a small vidcam I can bring along and hide it in my clothes, though I think throwing a box on Beebee may also be a good idea to do.”

The droid did not like the idea.

“If you are noticeable as Poe says, then I don’t want to risk too much attention on us when we could potentially run into First Order officers.” She just wanted a quick trip. Go in, find evidence she needed and record it, then leave. That shouldn’t be too hard.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka was not surprised to be denied, even if she was disappointed. “Thankfully, I can be sated in many ways,” Myka allowed with a chuckle, as she considered how to rephrase her query on the Knights.

“Well, I’ve never heard of the Knights of Ren before.” She let her hands slide back over the sheets, leaning with them, until she ended up laying back down on the bed, “I am curious how many they are, and what the Knights stand for. What ‘Ren’ is – is it some person? Some belief? Some relic? I do not know anything about it,” Myka offered, “from a Sith perspective, it’s always interesting to meet other dark siders.”

The Nightsisters were interesting. Not her style, but interesting. There weren’t that many darksiders left in the galaxy, which was a pity. Sure, most of them did things wrong, like the Nightsisters, but nonetheless, they were more right than the lightsiders.

She turned her head to look at Kylo over on the couch, “Certainly you can tell me something on that, can’t you?”

~***~

BB-8 still wanted the box to be a last resort, “All right, all right, only if we feel like we need to. Promise, buddy,” Poe said, “besides we have to look for new clothes for me, first,” he said, “so you may not be the only one dealing with a make-over.”

BB-8 insisted Poe not be put in orange.

Poe rolled his eyes as they finally came out of lightspeed above the watery world, and he began to navigate the ship down towards the surface, seeking out the Colossus station so he could find a place to actually land that wasn’t water.

Thankfully, that didn’t take too long – the Colossus worked out as a home for a reason, after all. He was able to hail the surface and get a spot in a hangar soon enough. “Do you think we’ll need to fuel up here?” He asked Azra as they started to settle into the hangar.

 

[cleopat]

The hidden intent in Myka’s words did not go unnoticed by Kylo. He cleared his throat, but wouldn’t allow any flicker of emotion to cross his face. Or any coloring in his cheeks.

But she had to follow that up with laying back on his bed. Her smell had still lingered on his sheets when he slept last night, and now it seemed he would have to deal with it again. Kylo almost made a comment on it, but he didn’t dare to think of what she would say in response.

He distracted himself with the many questions she had about the Knights. “The Knights of Ren are composed of seven, well I suppose now it’s six, Knights.” Six now because of the woman on his bed. “Ren refers to two different things. The one who created us, and the relic that symbolizes our philosophy, his lightsaber.”

Already anticipating her next question, Kylo continued, “The nature of the Ren was that it just existed. It had no conscience, neither acknowledging or expressing concepts such as morality, regret, or concern for what it might destroy.” And similarly, the Knights acted the same, attacking with no regard for right or wrong, but only for what accomplished their goal.

Kylo paused, allowing Myka the chance to process and ask any more questions.

~~

Azra wanted to argue with Poe, that it shouldn’t be a last resort. It should be a first resort, as a safety precaution. But she didn’t say that. It was just easier in the meantime to go along with Poe and BB-8 in what the droid wanted.

“Oh yes, I agree with Beebee. No orange for you, please. There are better colors,” she teased with a smile, moving from the table as they came out of lightspeed. She still needed to dress, and so while Poe navigated them down to the planet and into a hangar, and went to her room to change her clothes and fix her hair.

She came back out as Poe settled the ship into the hangar. “I doubt it. The ship should be good.” It really depended on where he planned on going next, but they were in no danger of running out of fuel.

Azra’s little vidcam was already hidden on her, and having everything else she needed, she began to descend from the ship. “Do you know which way the marketplace is from here?”

 

[Lucyfer]

The boy was too easy to fluster.

Myka enjoyed it too much, too. Her grin twisted coyly as he still strove to answer her, and not focus on anything else. At least he was good at that. He might not be if she were closer, but she wanted answers…so she’d stay right over here, on the bed.

“Sounds fairly pointless,” Myka noted. Perhaps that was why his knight was such a poor fighter. They had no reason to be, no conscious, nothing at all to them. At least the one in front of her did not seem so terribly hollow, “Is this Ren still around – the one who created you all – or his Lightsaber? I am rather curious how he got this idea into his head.”

Somehow, she didn’t think Ren was, though.

Otherwise he’d be the acting leader, wouldn’t he? Unless Ren became Snoke, but that seemed…unlikely.

~***~

“There are not better colors,” Poe said, “but I’ll humor you both anyways,” orange had a special place in his heart, but he knew that for some reason, so many people didn’t like it. At least, as clothes. He was convinced it was because they couldn’t pull it off.

At least they wouldn’t need more fuel, for now.

He would accept that, as he got up from his seat. He wouldn’t really be changing into anything, he’d be keeping on the paint-stained shirt and orange pants, for now. He would probably change into whatever they found, though. “Nope,” he answered, “I’ve actually never been here before, but I imagine it shouldn’t be too hard. We just ask someone and they’ll tell us, I’m sure.”

BB-8 was surprised by his attitude – his confidence.

“What? Yeah this place has some First Order troops, but it’s not like they’re running security or anything.”

 

[cleopat]

Myka looked too much like the predator teasing its prey, with her coy grin plastered on her face as he spoke. Kylo was usually the predator, not the prey. He just focused on his words, as he answered her questions, instead of thinking about anything dealing with this woman.

“You only find it pointless because you don’t know better,” he scoffed. They had their purpose, and they did what they could to achieve their goals.

“But no, that Ren is no longer still around, neither is his lightsaber. I killed him several years ago.” His killing had been the last step into leaving behind Ben Solo and becoming Kylo Ren, the powerful Force user he was today.

“So if you wanted to ask him about the Knights of Ren, I’m afraid you’re just a little too late,” he said with slight sarcasm.

~~

“There are so many better colors,” Azra scoffed. Maybe a darker orange would look better, but she hardly wanted to see him in his fluorescent orange jumpsuit any longer.

Too bad. He was wearing it until they found him new clothes. And her paint-stained shirt.

Azra had to agree with BB-8. “Well, you don’t want to capture their attention unless you want those few to multiple into a problem.” But, stepping into the hangar, she couldn’t see any officers. So far, so good.

She did see someone who looked like he worked in the hanger, an older man with a blue jumpsuit. Azra walked over to him, a friendly grin on her face. “Hello there.”

The man had been working on a panel on the wall, but he paused and looked at Azra when she spoke to him. “Hey,” he greeted with a short nod. “Can I help you?”

“Yes, actually. I just arrived, and I’m completely lost. Can you tell me where the marketplace is?”

The man considered for a second. “The closest one would be two floors up. Once you exit this hangar, just continue down the hall until you see the lifts. It will be hard to miss the marketplace when you get off them.”

“Thank you so much for your help.” Azra gave him a grateful nod and started in the direction of the exit, motioning for Poe and BB-8 to follow her.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka's grin remained at Kylo’s assessment, “Not necessarily,” she said. There were still ways to reach out to the dead. Someone like Ren may have left enough of an imprint. She may consider it another time. Right now, she didn’t really care all that much. He was dead, to Kylo Ren. “I will consent that I do not understand.”

Not in the least.

“Couldn’t you elaborate so that I would?” It wasn’t difficult for her to explain the Sith, and why their teachings were superior, after all. She assumed if Kylo saw a point to this consciouslessness, this hollowness, of Ren, he could explain it in more detail. Or perhaps the knights could, although more and more she doubted their abilities.

Still, they would have their understanding of it. That was useful enough, to know what drove them to follow such a teaching. It might not mean it made any sense to her, or was any less pointless, though.

~***~

Poe followed Azra, a few steps’ distance as she approached someone else. He waited a bit for her to find out where the market was, and grinned as she got the information easily enough. ‘See? Not that hard.’ It wasn’t like they were hiding out from anyone here. There was no sign of the Order now.

Poe had a feeling they wouldn’t really be coming out into sight until the evening or night, when most people wouldn’t be out. This wasn’t a place like Coruscant, after all. This place actually slept, now and then.

Down the hall they went, and to the lifts. Two floors up, and it was pretty obvious this area opened right out into a marketplace, and there were plenty of the citizens out in that area, shopping and eating. Poe gave a satisfied nod, “This’ll do,” certainly he could find something here.

BB-8 rolled a bit ahead, stating that he would find the place, and urged them along to follow.

 

[cleopat]

No, she still wasn’t satisfied. Kylo wondered if a woman like Myka could ever be satisfied. Unlikely.

He’d humor her though, and he would try to explain further, but if she still asked for more, he would just let her figure it out through observation over time. “We live the way we desire, take what the galaxy gives us, and consume what the dark side sends us.”

His ultimate goal: letting more of the dark side seep into his very essence, erasing what light still lingered and tugged at him.

“Because of this, the Knights have become fearless warriors, feared by those who know our name. They’ve been known to be ruthless and powerful in battle, until recent.” His eyes glanced over Myka as he spoke. She had been the only one to defeat one of them, and even now, though he brought her to the Finalizer, he wouldn’t so easily forget it.

~~

The marketplace seemed like any other markets, with food vendors of delicious smells and various clothing stalls. Poe shouldn’t have any issue finding what he needed there. And I’ll kill him if he picks out orange.

If just out of pure pettiness.

She followed after BB-8, who then stopped in front of a place that carried a variety of clothes for both men and women. “Think you can find something that fits?” she asked, half-teasing. If he didn’t, Azra would call him out.

“And remember, nothing orange.” Only BB-8 could pull off the orange look.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Take what the dark side gives, consume what is sent….’

Myka didn’t quite stifle the laugh that bubbled onto her lips, though she did try. “I see. A fairly passive organization, then, not seeking your own way, but taking what is offered. Interesting,” she saw how it differed from the Sith, at least.

The Sith weren’t waiting around for the Dark Side to bestow its gifts upon them. They were actively taking what they wanted, pursuing their desires even if it was contrary to what the so-called Dark Side may have wanted for them. Such a thing as the Will of the Dark Side did not matter compared to the Will of the Sith. The Will of the individual.

Only that mattered.

Only that ever would matter.

“If you’re looking for an apology, it is not coming, Ren,” she noted, for his pointed remark. “Your Knight should have stood down.”

~***~

BB-8 absolutely could pick out something that fit Poe. The problem was that all the tags were too high up for the droid, which it did complain about. Poe chuckled at that, but came closer and started moving through the clothing racks, “Beebee, find me pants, that should be more on your level,” they had a bunch that were folded in lower areas, so he could look around there.

BB-8 gave a flaming salute, before hurrying to do that, letting Poe search through the racks of clothes, eventually deciding on a cream shirt he could just throw on – it’d go with anything that BB-8 found.

It didn’t take long for the droid to be calling Poe over for a pair of brown slacks, anyways.

“There, nothing orange,” Poe said, while gathering clean socks and underwear. He probably should get some extra shirts and pants, too, but he wanted to change into this first.

He really didn’t feel that clean.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo raised his head a bit, and his eyes showed no anger or irritation with Myka’s words. “I do not expect an apology from you. That would just be a waste of my time.” He hardly believed she could actually apologize for anything, but the death of his Knight?

No, she saw it as a just sentence. Kylo would still be bitter about it, but he wouldn’t hold it over Myka for now. Not if he could get her to truly help him not only train in the dark side, but in his mission for his inherited right as the true Supreme Leader.

And while he didn’t appreciate the not-so-hidden laughter upon his explanation of who the Knights of Ren are. Kylo wouldn’t call her out on that, and he swallowed some of the rising anger from her mockery. “Oh, but we do take what we want.”

His gaze flickered over her at that sentiment. “And it seemed my Knight was doing just that, when he met his untimely demise. That is why I’m curious to learn more about what you know.” Not the only reason, but he did desire to see her in action.

~~

Azra couldn’t help but to smile at the droid as it helped Poe pick out new clothes. Even the little flame salute was cute, and she chuckled a little. She let them peruse through the clothes, while she absentmindedly looked through the women’s clothes, not looking for something to buy, but just something to pass the time as Poe and BB-8 looked for new clothes.

And soon they found a new outfit, a cream shirt and brown slacks. “Good,” Azra nodded. “Those clothes will look good on you. Much better than orange.” And he would blend in better, as his orange pants and paint-stained shirt weren’t exactly unnoticeable.

“I can cover some of the cost, if you want,” Azra offered. It was because of her that Poe had to buy new clothes. Granted, he didn’t have to offer to show her the different places of First Order treachery for the next few days, but she still felt like she should help some.

And no doubt he would be needing more clothes than the ones he had in his hands.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘Good.’

At least Kylo wasn’t fishing for an apology. What he was fishing for, exactly, in bringing up the demise of his knight was uncertain, but at least it wasn’t an apology. She did not feel guilty, in the least, for what happened. The Knight stepped into her home, into her territory, and tried to steal from her.

She was justified in killing him.

And when Kylo tried to say that they did take what they wanted? She tried not to laugh. She was more successful, this time, at any rate, and just kept that amused look on her face. She didn’t fully believe him.

But, she’d let him have that delusion, for now.

“Then tell me what you want, Kylo,” she said as she rolled over to face him, lifting up a bit, but still reclining. She couldn’t claim to need to hold anything over him for answers. He’d offered her plenty without their game of trading information in play that morning.

And she’d taken other tidbits without him.

~***~

Poe smirked a bit as Azra said he would look good in it, “Well, I do have to look at least somewhat decent since I’m hanging around a pretty woman for a week,” he said, hearing BB-8 beep the equivalent of ‘oh brother’.

He shook his head at the offer to buy clothes, “Nah, just…make sure to feed me later if I run out of money,” which was possible, given he hadn’t prepared for this mission, and might run out of funds before Leia was willing to give him any more of an allowance for it.

“I’m going to go put these on real quick, just to make sure they fit,” he said, and went on towards the dressing room to change.

Thankfully, they did fit – BB-8 really did know his sizes – and he was able to walk out in the new clothes, and then grab a few extra things for the upcoming days. He probably needed new clothes anyways, it had been a while.

He was, thankfully, able to afford them.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo felt one eye twitch. Myka was both irritating and deeply fascinating, which he was sure she knew. She just had to, with those amusing smiles and the way she moved on his bed like it was her own.

And you’re not even bothering to stop her.

No, he didn’t want to.

Kylo stood from the couch and slowly strolled towards his bed. “I want you to show me everything you know. Teach me everything.” His voice came out in a harsh whisper with the thought of learning more and to fully embrace the dark side.

To no longer be the boy Snoke calls him out to be.

~~

Azra rolled her eyes at Poe’s flirtatious nature, but the light tint on her cheeks betrayed her true thoughts on his words. Yes, he was pleasing to look at, and she still thought about how he felt when she sat on his lap in the X-Wing, but he was only going to be in her life for a week. Nothing will happen in a week.

“That’s a deal,” she agreed. Azra could easily cover their next meal, as she expected nothing in there was terribly expensive. And it was the least she could offer.

Azra stood by as Poe changed into his new clothes, idly fiddling with a few scarves near her. When Poe walked out wearing the new outfit, her eyes lingered on him a second too long, cursing the damn jumpsuit for hiding his figure so much.

But she had felt him in the X-Wing. She knew it was there. Just focus on why you’re there.

“Are you ready?” Azra asked when she saw a few more things in Poe’s arms.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka liked that sound, too. That whisper, harsh, nearly broken by that need to stay both quiet, and express his desire. The way his voice could rattle was enticement enough, really, and she pushed herself all the way up to sitting properly once more.

Where did she even begin with him, though?

His form suggested he was accustomed to learning things the hard way, through practice, rather than observations or meditations. Both were terribly boring anyways, but the dark side wasn’t simply about practices. There was a mindset that one needed to reach, which Kylo didn’t have, no matter how he protested it.

Of course, he wouldn’t really have that until he killed Snoke.

‘Until he kills you.’

Definitely her least favorite part of the Master-Apprentice relationship was that inevitability, although she never had to take him on as an apprentice. Not truly. That may not stop him from viewing things as such. And if she were to teach him everything? Then it would be truth, wouldn’t it?

“We’ll see if you’re worthy of that,” Myka said, “I haven’t taken an apprentice before.” And had little desire for it, but there was one goal for him to grasp at, to make himself worthy of her attention in that way, rather than solely as an object for her to want for her own. To make himself stand above all her other objects.

“But I have had students,” she lifted from the bed, “so let’s see where you stand with them first with your capabilities.” She had sensed a spark of surprise before, and so, she opted to test that.

With a flick of her wrist, she illuminated it in electricity, making it seem effortless to hold that power there, between them. “Are you capable of producing lightning?”

~***~

Poe was definitely looking for how Azra’s eyes lingered, after he’d caught her earlier blush. He was pleased to see that her gaze did linger on him, and in a satisfied fashion. He knew how to dress, when he wanted to. He knew he could dress up better than this, but this was what he was allowed to right now. He had to stick within budget.

And the pants really did fit well.

None of it was half as baggy as the jumpsuit could be, but he needed that loose for movement.

“Yup,” Poe agreed, finishing stuffing his things in the sack he’d been given, “Though maybe we want to go put these things back in the ship so I’m not carrying them around all day. I can’t imagine carrying around an orange jumpsuit looks good, either,” given they were trying to avoid him being an obvious Resistance pilot.

It seemed like it might be better if he wasn’t carrying around the get-up.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo’s gaze followed Myka as she sat up, as he waited for an answer he hoped to hear. That she would teach him what she knew, what she learned from her own Master in the line of Darth Vader.

And she wanted him to prove himself worthy. He was worthy. Even if no one else saw that, and one day, Kylo would make sure that no one would ever doubt him or underestimate him.

Myka produced lightning right before him, and Kylo stared into the air where the lightning passed through for just a second, before he shifted back to her. With her very first question, Kylo may disappoint her, but he wanted to know. He needed it.

“No,” he responded, “none of my training had dealt with producing lightning.” He was eager to learn how, and he could imagine the fear he could instill if just a flick of his wrist could produce that same lightning. What would Snoke say to him if he saw Kylo demonstrate those abilities?

He knows what Myka is. He agreed for her to stay. There should be no disappointment from the Supreme Leader, but Kylo still doubted.

~~

Poe had a good point, and Azra easily agreed with him. “Yeah, let’s do that.” That way no one had to wonder why Poe was carrying around a bag or an orange jumpsuit, and if, for some reason, they had to make a quick escape, they wouldn’t need to worry about running with the bag.

Or accidentally drop it and leave behind some of the clothes Poe had just bought.

Azra turned and started to lead them back in the direction of the lift. “How many things did you get, by the way?” she asked, curious. She saw him pick out a few items, but she didn’t see exactly what he got (and Azra totally wasn’t too distracted by how he looked in those pants).

She knew he got enough for at least a few more days, but she wondered, was it enough for a week? Did he anticipate something longer? No, she doubted that. He had the Resistance to get back to, and Azra recalled that he mentioned another assignment he had been working on.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka had expected just that. She would have made Kylo prove it on the spot if he could do lightning, because he hardly felt dark enough for it. There were no signs of corruption to him, either. The lightning was…draining. Difficult to control, and difficult not to lose oneself in, as well.

Myka had learned that control better, but in her early years, it was certainly among the reasons her hair had lost its color – along with her eyes.

She flicked her wrist and it vanished.

“I cannot teach you that, yet.” She said, “I just wanted to know where the bar was. I have an idea now. Force Lightning will require you to overcome the will of the Force,” which she did not believe he knew how to do with his own talents in the Force. He was still torn by the Force, “And it’s obvious that the Force still wishes to use you. You’re still torn apart by it.”

The light pulled at him, much as the dark did.

He had no mastery over either. Over himself.

~***~

“Bag of socks, bag of underwear, and like…two pants, and three shirts, I think,” Poe said. It obviously didn’t mean a new outfit every day, but he could get away with wearing the pants more than one day in a row.

The shirts might need a day or two to air out between wears, but it was good enough for him right now. Plus he still had the orange jumpsuit! He was doing good, by his own standards, at any rate. Of course, he was far more used to this rebel life and moving around without any opportunities to get changed in the near future.

Not that he liked it, but he knew how to manage it.

“Or I can wear more painted shirts,” he shrugged. “Maybe I should have bought more pants.”

BB-8 just seemed exasperated as they got onto the lift.

 

[cleopat]

Just as easy as Myka made the lightning appear, she made it disappear. She had asked him about it, yet she couldn’t even teach him how to produce the lightning. Then what was the point?

His jaw tightened with her assessment, but was she wrong? Kylo knew he was still torn by the Force, that the light still called for him as easily as the dark. And in his training with Snoke, the pull had hardly disappeared.

“I know this,” he said. “I have been training with Snoke in the dark side, but even still, I can still feel the call of the light.” How he wanted it gone. When he killed Ren, he became Kylo Ren and took over the Knights. Maybe if he could kill Snoke, or finally find Luke Skywalker and end him, his transition would be complete.

Still, Kylo asked her, “How do I get rid of it, this conflict inside of me?”

~~

Azra chuckled at BB-8’s behavior, agreeing with its seeming exasperation towards Poe. “Sometimes I don’t know how you put up with him,” she whispered, knowing the man in question could hear her.

BB-8 didn’t know whether to agree to disagree with that statement.

The lift stopped on their floor, and BB-8 rolled off first, with Azra following right after it. “So, I know you mentioned you haven’t been here before, but do you have any place in mind of where we’re going to look first?” she asked Poe.

They couldn’t just walk around the station blindly, hoping to eventually run into something incriminating that would help verify what he had told her.

That could take a long time.

 

[Lucyfer]

‘I don’t know.’

Myka did not want to tell Kylo Ren that, but it was the truth. She didn’t know anyone else who had only the dark, or even, only the light. She was not sure it was possible for anyone who had been brought up normally to truly be rid of it, but she knew he could quell it. He could overcome it, and use that for his power, too.

“The Sith have a code, as the Jedi have a code,” she said.

“Your conflict is not inherently bad, for you, or your future power, but you have to master it. The first tenant is simple: understanding that Peace is a Lie. Your own conflict is proof of that. The nature of the galaxy is proof of that. It is only through destruction, that there is creation – only through obstacles, that we advance. Friction, tension, conflict, problems – this is how we gain.”

If there were no problems, there would be no advancement. That was the nature of reality, something the Jedi tried to hide.

“But you still want it to all come naturally, to all just…settle. Don’t you?” The passivity of the light, that hope that with a nap, or an epiphany, it would all go away.

~***~

“I can hear you,” Poe knew that Azra wasn’t really trying to hide it, and he sounded more amused than annoyed as he called her out on that. Still, he chuckled as they walked out of the lift and back towards her ship.

“I have some ideas,” he said, “I thought we’d figure out where more of the blackouts, or brownouts, due to fuel rationing, are occurring,” he said, “usually the discontent will have information about why it’s happening, and when,” so they could figure out where to look from there.

People were likely talking in the areas most impacted. Some of them would have good leads. At least, he hoped so. It was also possible they were being fed false information and conspiracy theories to keep them in line, but he thought it was better to start there, at any case.

Trying to start at the top seemed unlikely to garner many results.

 

[cleopat]

Kylo had his doubts that the conflict wasn’t inherently bad. It constantly distracted him and wanted to pull him from his training that Snoke led him through. And nothing was enough.

“No, of course I don’t want it to simply come naturally.” He moved away, opting to sit back on the couch, staring at the floor for a moment. When he spoke next, he looked back at Myka, “I have faced many obstacles, friction, conflict, and yet I feel like I am no closer to silencing the light.”

If anything, it just tore at him more. Sometimes he could still his parents’ faces, urging him back home.

“I want to do anything I can to master this conflict.” What Snoke had put him through, while aiding him in the dark side, was never enough for Kylo. But maybe this Sith could help.

~~

Azra nodded with Poe’s plan. “I guess we’ll just ask around. If these blackouts are frequent, then it should be easy to find someone who can tell us a thing or two.” Or direct them somewhere, or to someone, who would be of more help.

They approached the ship, and Azra gestured for Poe to go in. He was, after all, the one with the bag. There was little activity in that hangar, a few people walking to and from their ships, and the same worker moved on to another panel.

They may not be likely to get any help in there, but the marketplace had a lot of people, both customers and workers. That might be a viable place to start, if Poe didn’t have a specific location in mind to head to first.

Azra would wait outside the ship for Poe to put his bag away. It should hardly take him any time, and she would think more on the station situation while she waited. Of what kind of evidence she could keep an eye out for, and how to keep a low profile should there be any First Order officers.

 

[Lucyfer]

Myka observed him, and wondered at what sort of training he had gone through, with both Luke and Snoke. It was obvious that what Snoke was doing was not helping Kylo. ‘No, you want it to be easy.’ Myka did not say that.

He wanted to deny it, for now, he could hold to that. She was not going to lie to Kylo, though.

There was no quick cure to this. “What causes your conflict, Ren?” She considered going to join him on the couch, but decided that would be more distraction than helpful. She took a seat on the bed, facing him. “Why do you doubt the dark? What is not being provided to you?”

There were things in the Light that called to him.

Myka had never truly understood it, though she’d seen it, in her own Master. She’d watched her master seem more and more drawn to the light at her end, and knew, somehow, that Myka was behind that fall from grace.

A pity.

~***~

Poe headed up and into the ship quickly, though BB-8 stayed behind with Azra. Not that it took Poe long at all, he more or less just tossed the bag into the bedroom and came back out, offering a quick thumb’s up, “All right, let’s get on the way,” he said, gesturing back towards the lift.

He wasn’t thinking of going to the marketplace, though.

Mostly because he imagined that wasn’t a blackout hotspot. “Let’s go check in with the racers of Colossus. There’s a race track here. They’re probably the most impacted by fuel shortages, who are likely to be pretty vocal about complaints,” and know where else it was happening.

If Poe knew one thing, it was that other flyboys and flygirls were going to be hotheaded, and probably, complaining a lot.

BB-8 asked Poe if he knew where the racetrack was.

“I do not, but I’m sure the market does.” He’d assume they were close, for business reasons, actually.