Fandom Star Wars

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin couldn’t help but overthink Alsen’s Force-sensitivity, or lack of. Perhaps it was ridiculous, but she hadn’t even known about her own Force-sensitivity. Kylo didn’t sense it. Mira did, somehow. She also knew about Finn. She wouldn’t be surprised if Alsen was, too, amongst all the strange people in the Final Order. But mostly, her thoughts drifted to Mira.

What was it about her that detected these things? How did she recognize something that others didn’t?

Well. It didn’t matter, she supposed.

Gnaeus almost made it sound like every other holocron was so casually a scheme to cheat the natural end to life. “Is it so obvious?” Paquin wondered, “Maybe something did work and they’re just...laying low. Though, I guess that wouldn’t make much sense,” she waved off. If there was some immortal Sith, surely they’d be flaunting it. Parading around the galaxy. It was a big galaxy, but not that big. She didn’t really know anything about Sith, so she’d trust Gnaeus’s judgment on the matter. He was the one who’d gone through all these holocrons.

Perhaps she wanted there to be something, just so she’d have something to go off of. Paquin sighed. “I do wonder how it would work. I’m sure it would be nothing more than a bacta patch over a much bigger problem. Something always gives out, that’s just how the body works.” She waved her hand. That was enough of that.

She set aside the holocron for Gnaeus to make note of like he had the others. She didn’t reach for another one, as curious as she was. “You should take a break, too, you know,” he’d been at the holocrons as long as she’d been with Alsen. “It’s not good to stare at holos too long.” Maybe she wanted to recruit him into doing some snooping around this place, too.

-

Ariel pulled herself out of her TIE, hopping onto the solid landing pad. There was a bit of standing water, residual from rain or waves, but other than that…Kamino was dry. Or, it wasn’t raining. It was cloudy, dark, but no active rainfall. Ariel couldn’t recall a time when it wasn’t raining. Ariel looked to Kylo, briefly looking over him for any signs of injury. Not that he could really get injured in a TIE without it being seriously damaged. “Do you think Snoke really did control the weather here?” Ariel asked after Kylo encouraged caution. She certainly let her theory be fueled, as silly as she knew it was.

Her steps caused light splashes as she moved for the entrance. It was quiet. No one was coming to greet them. Usually there was a native or, hell, even a clown. Were they hiding? Were they dead?

The birds were quiet, too. “I hope they didn’t kill those birds,” Ariel mused. She wasn’t sure if it was because she secretly liked the living alarm clocks or if because she wanted to kill them herself. Mostly, she figured, it was just because the quiet unnerved her.

It wasn’t as bright as Ariel knew it to be, the inside. It wasn’t pitch black, but it certainly seemed like they hadn’t been busy for a minute. There were walls made of clear Maybe Tarkin’s people forced production and work to be stopped. Or maybe they stopped because they hadn’t heard from Snoke. Maybe they’d find out soon enough.

No one was coming to kill them yet. “Hello?” Ariel called out, maybe not following Kylo’s advice so much. She felt like she’d seen this, in one of those scary holomovies once. “The blockade is over, they’ve all gone.” Ariel was tempted to say Kamino had been liberated, as a joke, but she’d wait until they found anyone alive.

At her words, some lights began to flicker on. Whether that was good or not, Ariel wasn’t sure. She didn’t feel anything terribly off, and the kaminoan poking their head and part of their long neck around the corner was confirmation enough.

-

Mace took the chair from Poe with a nod in thanks, dragging it along with him as he appeared to pay little attention to what was being said. Appeared, anyway. The chair was nudged in the space between Rey and Finn, the two of them scooting their own chairs in one direction to make room for the man. They exchanged glances at each other as Mace set his things on the table.

Finn could only shrug his shoulders at Mace’s actions, but Rey seemed to find it amusing enough, and neither asked why Mace decided on such a positioning.

Though there was certainly a strategy to it, sitting next to two people Mace was less likely to get annoyed with. One person between Mira and one person between Luke. Though, he would admit he didn’t really know Rey. Not that Mace intended to cause any physical harm to any of them. Distance just made these things easier to not get as annoyed, though he knew he’d be plenty annoyed by the end of it.

He was in a room with two Skywalkers, his own long lost son, a Kenobi, and Mira.

Poe returned to his seat as Mace settled into his. “So, you’ve figured out nothing, then,” Mace summarized in his own words, having listened despite his visual apathy.

Immediately, Hux questioned why Mira invited him, but he said nothing along those lines. “We’re in the process. These things take a bit of discussion, I’m sure you understand.”

Mace said nothing to that, but instead inquired about the topic of Force-sensitives, from before he’d entered. “So what exactly was figured out as far as Force-sensitives go?”

Leia spoke to that, “Nothing, really. It was simply mentioned that perhaps the peacekeeping aspect could be reintroduced.”

“Because that’s worked so well in the past,” Mace sipped his tea. He was bitter, certainly, but it came from several sources. Skywalker, of course, came to mind. He knew he could hardly hold the father’s actions to the children, especially when they’d reportedly made an effort to right that wrong. But he was petty. Another source of distaste came from his own failure. But there wasn’t much he could do about the past now, except avoid it repeating itself. Though, history definitely did seem to find a way to go in circles.

A couple sets of eyes landed on Mira, as if to remind her she had invited this man. Well, Finn had. For Mira.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus didn’t know how it would work, either. He had seen enough holocrons to discern that no one had figured it out, even though he’d heard a lot of good theories. This Essence Transfer was certainly new, but no more new than the thought of just constantly healing. Immortality through transfer didn’t seem to be the thing most would want.

Most were attached to their bodies.

Healing an arm seemed a bit more reasonable, and people still didn’t know how to do that. “I think if any Sith were hiding out with this kind of knowledge, somehow, we’d know by now,” if only because their existence would leak through in other ways.

Gnaeus took the holocron and set it aside in the pile of lessons, a bit off to the side since, technically, he didn’t have one about immortality schemes yet. He was sure he’d have a few by the end of this.

He did arch a brow at Paquin requesting he rest. He may be bored with these, but he wasn’t exactly tired, or needing a break. “Why?” He knew there had to be a motive behind the request. He’d half expected she would want to look at more of the holocrons and sate her own curiosity about them, rather than take any sort of break.

Then again, Alsen might have given her quite the headache.

~***~

“No,” Kylo answered flatly as he also, carefully, approached. He did not think Snoke truly controlled the weather, though once or twice he’d let his thoughts get away from him regarding what Snoke was capable of. It seemed now, with Snoke gone, and many mysteries left in his wake, that he still wasn’t quite that powerful.

‘I hope they did kill the birds.’ Kylo didn’t say that. He didn’t think of the way it made him briefly reflect on Kevan, with his damnable meditation tricks.

It was definitely unusually dim inside, while usually he was nearly blinded by the white walls and the lighting. He looked around, and caught sight of movement. Ariel called out and he did shoot her a glare for it, but relaxed a bit as he caught sight of the Kaminoan. “Come forward,” he demanded.

Slowly, they did so, “Did anything happen here, on the surface level?” Ground level felt odd to say, given there wasn’t any ground to Kamino.

“No, Command—Supreme Leader,” the woman corrected herself as she came around the corner. “The forces remained above Kamino only, so far as I am aware, none of our facilities were ever infiltrated.”

That was good news to Kylo, at least, though he wondered why they hadn’t.

This at least proved more and more that Galli was probably right – Tarkin didn’t care much about this target.

~***~

Mira wasn’t the least bit upset with Mace’s bluntness on the matter, nor bothered by the eyes that came her way. This was also why they had August here, wasn’t it? People who knew what they were doing, and how to organize things.

“It has only been a few minutes,” August allowed, something close to wryness touching both his tone and his expression. He wasn’t happy with Mace being present, no, but he could work with this. If nothing else, maybe Mace would actually help things get done faster.

Not the way August would want, but…an improvement to the system. “Not that I’m necessarily opposed to destroying the entire system outright, we’ve found that also, doesn’t, work.”

As soon as the Senate was destroyed, the Empire itself fell within three years.

“That’s why I wanted you here,” Mira did speak to Mace, “You’ve seen what’s failed, and what’s worked, to some degree. You were a part of the Old Republic, as well. If Force sensitives are to have a place in any system, then I want your help in figuring that out, so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.” She wasn’t necessarily keen on being involved at all, but she was somehow still fairly certain that was going to happen.

If only as a check against others.

Luke sighed, but he wouldn’t put up a protest. He was never the political sibling, and never wanted to be. That was Leia.

So August was the one to pointedly ask, “What would you see done, Master Windu?”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin did want to investigate the holocrons for herself, but they could also wait until later, if they wouldn’t go anywhere. Even then, she could probably request them. She might, after dinner or before bed sometime. But for the moment, she wanted to get out of the room. Or stray from Alsen for as long as she could. Gnaeus seemed to pick up on her ulterior motive.

She didn’t bother with skirting around it. “I want to explore this place,” she hadn’t done any real exploring with Kylo the previous night, he’d done that on his own. “Find what this place has, maybe a way outside.” If the atmosphere was breathable, which she assumed it was. But perhaps, above all, she wanted to find something. Something they withheld, something off, some sort of flaw in the Final Order.

Paquin just felt...unsettled here. She wanted a reason to explain why.

And as much as she couldn’t wait for Kylo and Ariel to return safe and sound, she was more likely to uncover something without Kylo around to be sucked up to. They hadn’t been nearly as forthcoming with any of them as they were with Kylo. Of course, she’d manage her expectations. She knew it was unlikely she’d find anything other than a rec room.

“And looking at holos too long is genuinely bad for your eyes,” not that a few hours would do much, if anything. Paquin shimmied off of her chair, “It’s okay if you want to stay here, though. I can venture on my own.” She just thought it would be nice for the both of them to take a break, occupy themselves with something else.

-

It was probably a problem, how amused Ariel was by Kylo’s annoyance. It was a dangerous game, really, given Kylo was ready to bully her or any of them at any second. If Force-choking classified as bullying and not full blown assault. To be fair, though, she probably shouldn’t have called out into the dimness, exercised more caution. But it all worked out in the end, as a Kaminoan woman emerged and informed them there had been no infiltration of the facilities.

Ariel’s brows furrowed. “Why is it so dark in here, then? And where is everyone?” The other Kaminoans, the clones?

“We picked up the battle going on above. It was thought best to go dark, lay low in case it traveled down to us. We’ve spread across the facility. Mostly in the lower levels,” she explained. it gave them time to prepare in case things had...gone poorly. “If it is safe, then we can make an announcement and resume operations if it pleases you, Supreme Leader.”

Ariel left that decision to Kylo, while she wondered exactly what the point of the blockade was. It seemed Galli was right in the fact that Tarkin didn’t seem committed to Kamino. So what was the point? A show of power? To draw them out? “Did any of them say anything? Or anything strange to you lot?” She asked, but the Kaminoan only shook her head that rested upon her long neck.

The redhead hummed. Something to think about, she supposed, as she wordlessly maneuvered around the alien. She had two goals in mind before they left Kamino. Go through Snoke’s shit and gather up her own belongings from her room. Not that she had much on Kamino, but she’d like to have her things where she’d be staying now. Korriban would be a future project.

-

“I was waiting for someone to ask me that.” Mace took a sip of tea before letting it rest on the table. His hands folded in his lap. Mace didn’t know if any of them would like what he had to say, nor did he care whether they did or not. They asked him here, Mira asked him here, so they’d get what they wanted out of him. If they didn’t find it helpful, that was on them at this point.

“Nothing, really.”

Eyes did look at him with confusion, some annoyance. Luke and Rey’s eyebrows furrowed in an almost identical way. Luke wasn’t really sure what he’d expected from Mace–can’t really expect something from someone one didn’t know–but it certainly wasn’t that. Finn was the one who opened his mouth, to begin to ask Mace to elaborate, but Mace continued on himself.

Of course, he hadn’t truly meant nothing. “As far as Force-sensitives go. The Jedi had many fatal flaws, political involvement was among them.” Mace had never approved of the Jedi’s involvement in the Republic, in politics. Even if he’d made something of a diplomat on occasion. And his distaste for such mingling had been proven right by Anakin Skywalker. But even despite Mace’s unpleasant feelings harbored for the dead man, Mace knew whether Anakin had been the final straw or not, it would’ve only been a matter of time.

“If Force-sensitives, Jedi, whatever, are to be peacekeepers, they must be their own entity. Not a part of the political chain, not hired. It needs to be an individuals own decision,” Mace firmly believed the Jedi were supposed to keep peace, keep people safe. He’d failed at that, but he knew his mistakes now. No politics. And maybe some rules had to be changed. Which admittedly, Mace was curious about Mira’s take. And Luke’s, now that he had another padawan.

If he’d change from what hadn’t worked.

“So with that in mind, I’ll leave the decisions regarding the Republic to all of you. Unless those decisions are stupid ass decisions.” Though, he was almost certain all of them would be.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus did not want Paquin wandering around on her own. Whatever else happened, that was not something he thought would be a good idea here, although he could at least confirm, “There are a few ways outside,” not that he was much interested in it, but he’d taken some time to glance at a map while he was in his room.

While Gnaeus suspected there was plenty to see, he did wonder if it was really going to be worth an exploration or if it would just be more like any other First Order ship. Lots of barracks, lots of laboratories, and lots of gyms and cafeterias. Standard things.

There could be more going on in laboratories, as had been hinted at in the meeting, but that would require file digging, rather than roaming around.

He wasn’t sure they’d get away too easily with much of that, given they weren’t Kylo.

Still, he sighed, and got up, “You know holocrons aren’t the same as holovids, right?” He wasn’t sure if their holograms were even the same sort, for that matter, given one was powered by the Force and always felt like more of a ghost left behind, rather than a screen. Sure, they had a similar glow, but holocrons never felt like a projection to him.

Then again, maybe that was his bias.

“I’ll go along with you,” he said, “I can return to these after,” and he meant to. Perhaps he’d drag Ariel into the tedium with him, just to get this done with. There was a lot to do, after all.

~***~

There was nothing that the Kaminoan said which seemed suspicious. The actions they chose to take in light of a battle above were rational enough. There was no need to draw attention or risk lives by keeping things on, or by being near the surface.

“Yes, make the announcement and resume operations. We will make sure that Kamino has more suitable defenses from now on,” they were no longer the only source of clones or operations for additional forces that the Final Order had, but they were still useful, and they didn’t want to advertise weakness to allies.

He was annoyed that the Kaminoans seemed to know nothing.

He would have to interrogate Galli more for further information, but he noticed Ariel walking off already. He wasn’t keen on leaving her, so he chose to move around the Kaminoan and follow her further into the depths of one of their old homes.

One that would likely not serve that purpose again.

‘Ah.'

Some realization hit him then as he recognized they weren’t heading towards their old rooms, but down a path only too familiar.

He opted to lower his voice, “Do you think he left much here?” He had been the one to move hurriedly…it was possible he left something behind in his wake. Something the Final Order couldn’t yet take, and possibly hide away from them.

~***~

‘Stupid ass decisions’ did earn a scoffing laugh from August, in spite of himself. No, he didn’t like Mace – but that was more because he saw the threat inherent in Mace’s presence, and in the possibility of the various Force orders having power outside of the political scheme. He’d agree, of course, that they hardly belonged in politics, but to put them too far outside of it, or out of that control…that had the potential to be even worse. “I assure you, the only stupid ass decision we’re making is that we’re still attempting to unify everyone. It’s a trial in futility, but it remains a necessity.”

That did mean just about every decision was going to be stupid.

Leia sighed and dropped her head into her hands. Already she had too much of these people, but nonetheless, she went on, “Someone bring up a map of the galaxy so we can actually start talking and sorting through ideas like reasonable people.”

Luke leaned forward to bring up such a hologram, but he spoke a bit softer to propose, “Perhaps we should convene the Force users elsewhere,” he looked to Mace, to Rey, Finn, and Mira. Leia lifted her head, “Everyone else here has an idea of what the future looks like, which is some form of splitting the galaxy into governable parts,” Luke understood that, “the rest of us aren’t certain what our future looks like right now, nor have we had time to talk amongst ourselves.”

Time, and desire, had both been lacking.

He imagined it still was in the hesitation he saw in Mira at that moment, but this couldn’t be put off any longer. For the sake of the galaxy, for the sake of the future of people like them, they had to figure something out.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Rey said. It wasn’t like she had much to contribute here.

Mira glanced to Finn a moment, as if looking for an answer in her padawan that she knew wasn’t actually there. He was just good for encouragement towards ‘right’ decisions, usually. “I think that could be useful,” she allowed.

August gave a nod of concession, “If it is what you all want, I am certain we can manage to get through some of this easily enough,” it was just figuring numbers and divisions, arguments between Leia and Hux inevitable with those things in mind. August would have to play mediator for that, but he didn’t imagine that’d be too difficult. Both of them were rational, if a little idealistic.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin didn’t suspect they’d truly find anything interesting. She had a small hope, she supposed, but really...it was better if she didn’t find anything suspicious. Maybe that would even make her feel a bit better. At the very least, a way outside would be exciting. Having spent so many years in space, she was at least liking spending more time on planets. With any luck, the terrain would allow her some space to walk in nature.

“I don’t know anything about holocrons, Gnaeus,” she reminded him. Other than that they opened with the Force and held little holos. Which, she suspected, had to be recorded via something. Projected by something. So she assumed it worked like holovids did, rather than think it was somehow filmed with the Force or possessed some sort of spirit of whoever recorded it.

Gnaeus agreed to go along with her to which Paquin was happy. A pleased little smile graced her face as she turned to fetch her datapad—for the map, in case they got too lost. And to give them a bit of a guide on where to start their adventure. “I won’t keep you too long, I promise,” if she did, well, it was like she said. She could wander on her own. She was used to it, at one point.

She couldn’t see it being much of a concern as Gnaeus did. If she got into any trouble, she didn’t think it would be terribly serious. She was a Knight of Ren, after all. They might want Kylo to slap her on the wrists or something for going where she wasn’t supposed to, but they couldn’t do much to her. Not if they were truly as dedicated to...whatever it was they were dedicated to.

Paquin didn’t think of the situation if they weren’t. She slipped her hand around Gnaeus’s arm to bring him along with her. “Let’s work towards the bottom and come back up from there,” all the scandalous things would likely be on the bottom, and the ways outside would likely be up on the surface level. Paquin was less focused in going outside, as that would be a simple find.

-

The walk to Snoke’s throne room, wherever he’d set himself up, was always scary. Tense. Especially this one, on Kamino. The descent further into the base, under the water. The darkness, the shadows from the water outside of the viewports bouncing off the walls along the hall leading to the doors. Of course, there was nothing to be afraid of this time. Snoke was dead.

And yet, she still felt unsettled. She knew things lingered after death. Especially dark things.

Kylo asked if she thought Snoke left anything, to which Ariel couldn’t be sure. She figured Kylo’s train of thought, that maybe Snoke left things behind in his rush to leave Kamino. It was probably the best situation for them to find anything he didn’t want found. Aside from his sudden death, of course. “I don’t know, maybe. Since he had to leave so quick, there’s a decent chance. But it’s also Snoke.”

Would he have left anything behind that he didn’t want found? Ariel didn’t think so, but she didn’t know how much time Snoke had to leave.

As the doors to Snoke’s throne room slid open for them, the silvery voice of the Kaminoan could be heard over the speakers, announcing that Supreme Leader Ren had secured the planet, that it was safe to resume their business. Excluding the announcement, the room was quiet. Empty, dark. Ariel didn’t think Snoke used the Kamino base much, which would explain why his throne room wasn’t as extravagant as she’d known some to be. She supposed this was all Kylo’s now.

She bypassed the front room itself, scanning for the door for another room, like the one back on their new base. That’s where the good stuff would be. “So how’s it feel being the big boss now?” Ariel asked, though it wasn’t a question she really wanted to ask. She had quite a few she did, now that they had no one and nothing up their ass. Like how he’d decided to kill Snoke, though maybe that wasn’t a good question in their environment. And really...she wanted to ask how he was doing. But this was an ice breaker of sorts.

-

Mace could agree with Skywalker’s suggestion strangely enough. The Force sensitives present didn’t have the slightest clue what to do or where to place themselves. They were far from figuring anything out, too, let alone agreeing upon anything. Considering half of those present likely knew little of the Force and mostly wanted to sort the rest of the galaxy out, this wasn’t the place to hash out their place in the galaxy just yet.

Finn would have to agree, too. He noted Mira’s look to him, as if looking for an answer. She answered before he did, but he gave an approving, encouraging nod. It needed to be done, even if some of them didn’t want to confront some things. They were all capable of thinking beyond that.

Really, Mace didn’t have much business to remain. He was a part of the Force aspect. Another conversation to have. He thought about leaving, not wasting any more time here, but...he stayed. Like he said, he had to call out their stupid decisions. Even if he’d been a Jedi, hated politics, he at least knew something good from bad. Since he was living in this galaxy, his son, billions upon billions of people...he thought he ought to monitor this.

“We’ll have to reconvene after the Force users have their own discussion. Since I think we’re all in agreement about that,” Leia spoke up, ready to move on to something productive. Not that Leia thought ill of the discussion, but it was clear nothing would get done regarding it then. They were talking in circles. And while Leia wasn’t really a part of the Force user discussion, some in her company regarded her words as a part of a unanimous agreement among them to discuss it elsewhere. Leia gestured to the holo map, “Shall we?”

One thing Hux and Leia would agree on, and probably the only thing of the day, really, was getting back on track with their little plotting. Hux sat up straighter in his chair, having leaned back during the discussion of the Force. He didn’t know enough to contribute meaningfully. “We shall.” Hux went straight to it, pointing out, “The Outer Rim is the best place to start.” Likely the most difficult, too. The one with the most chaos. The Core would be the most straightforward, if they had to touch it at all.

“There are some planets under great influence from certain crime lords that we ought to think about separating from whatever sectoring system we come up with. As well as whether or not we should organize these planets based on similar resources or resources they could offer each other. Eriadu is settled in the Outer Rim. Governor Tarkin, I’m sure you have your own insight, no?” Hux questioned. “Some idea of where you’d want your own planet to fall?” He didn’t ask to know what Tarkin wanted in order to cater to it, but to form an idea of what someone involved in a planet would find beneficially. Not that Eriadu was representative of many Outer Rim planets, but that was besides the point.

 

[Lucyfer]

A smile pulled onto Gnaeus’s lips at the sight of Paquin’s, and though he rolled his eyes a bit at her enthusiasm, he was still willing to get up from the holocrons and prepare to follow her out. “Hopefully you’ll never have to learn as much as I do about holocron,” he said as he stepped away from them.

Her plan to head down was as good as any, though he did wonder at the logic of anything ‘good’ being further down, and not further up. ‘Note to self, if I ever make a base, put everything on a middle level.’ He didn’t say that, just let a wry smirk come upon his lips at the thought.

He probably wouldn’t ever have his own base.

Gnaeus did glance down at her hand as she grabbed his arm, and had a momentary thought of whether or not that would annoy Kylo. He wouldn’t retreat from it – they all knew Paquin was still the most ‘touchy’ of the Knights. That didn’t make it less strange, given he and Ariel had tried to make her and Kylo jealous, once upon a time.

Not even all that long ago.

He used his other hand to take out his datapad and bring up a map, “We should head left then, to get to a lift that goes all the way down,” not all of them did, he’d noticed that there were a few throughout the facility that only seemed to go through ‘main floors’. Not as many went through every single floor.

In either case, he’d turn them that way. “What are you hoping to find?” Perhaps that wasn’t what one asked in this kind of situation, but he was still going to. He was a Knight of Ren…in theory that meant he wasn’t going to get in much trouble, either, for finding things.

~***~

Kylo wasn’t terribly certain if there was much to find in Kamino, either. Apparently this wasn’t Snoke’s hub for Force experimentations. That didn’t mean there was nothing to be found here. There could be more that related to other facets of his activity and his plans for galactic takeover. In either case, they wouldn’t know until they actually had a look around.

That didn’t make the walk less foreboding.

This wasn’t Snoke’s main location, but it was, in some ways, the creepiest, given the darkness of descent and the way the shadows of the water played on their downwards walk.

He mostly tuned out the Kaminoan as he walked into the Throne Room, and took a glance around. Much like Ariel, he doubted there was much to find in this room, but it would be worth a look over before they left the area entirely.

Kylo frowned at Ariel’s question. More, the way it was phrased.

“It feels right.”

That much was certain. He’d been tired of dealing with Snoke for a while, and although he had fought to convince himself it was worth it in the long run, he knew now that was wrong. Snoke needed to go, for them to achieve their ends.

They came to the more personal quarters, with a bed that looked as if it had never been slept in, and the trappings of what might be ‘normal’, in cases, closets, and drawers. The room was too clean, though. Too untouched.

Nothing looked out of place, or messed up from a rush to leave. Whether or not that was a good sign, was yet to be determined.

“I just wish I knew more of what was going on. What had been going on,” which was true. He still felt…terribly out of the loop with all of this Final Order business.

~***~

Mira was willing to leave to speak of other matters, and she rose to do so, passing a momentary look to Hux after he spoke his agreement with the idea. She didn’t enjoy the thought of leaving him to all of this on his own, but this part had to be handled, too. And it wasn’t going to get handled in the larger meeting, that was clear.

Though Mace seemed to be staying behind. Mira did consider that a bit strange, but wouldn’t speak to it.

Mace was more their guide on where to be in all of this, and he’d made it clear he wasn’t much of a fan of them being back in politics. “Finn,” she spoke softly to call him along, as Rey and Luke were also moving.

“My ship,” Luke offered. Perhaps not the most official place, but then again, when had any of them actually been official about much of anything?

Mira didn’t argue. It wasn’t as if she had a better idea. At least Luke’s ship would be closed off.

~***~

As the Force Sensitives made their way out, except for Mace, who’s presence continued to annoy August, conversation returned to sectoring. By the sound of Hux, it seemed like the idea of space was in play, if they were starting not on the whole, but with the Outer Rim. He would see how that played out.

“I’ve done fine with the idea of the Empire’s sectoring and what is known as the Seswenna Sector,” August answered. “Given, the Outland Regions Force that I operate does go beyond those borders to assist, I’ve found little reason to extend my actual influence, or need. Eriadu is a fairly self-sufficient planet, and anything we don’t have, we can trade for.”

That was the problem with planets like his own, and Coruscant.

They didn’t really need anything. They had gotten too big for that – anything they needed, they could buy.

“I don’t quite understand the idea of separating out the planets under certain crime lords, though,” he noted, “if anything, shouldn’t those be in discussion to put under more powerful, legal operations? Something that could steady them and remove that influence?”

“I suppose volunteering Tagge Corp to operate on those planets would be in bad tastes?” Sieg knew that, but still made the comment.

“Yes, Sieg, yes it would,” August was still amused. “Stay in the Core.”

“You can’t actually make us.”

“I know.” Corporations were just as bad as crime lords.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin let Gnaeus guide them to this lift he spoke of. Its very existence only fueled her conspiracy that there must have been something of interest in the bottom levels of the base. Why only have a few lifts with access if there was nothing to hide? Of course, Paquin also knew very well that different levels of clearance were a thing in these places. Stormtroopers weren’t allowed in some places, certain ranks of officers had restrictions.

She sighed. Maybe she was going a bit overboard with her thoughts. She probably needed to sleep properly, eat properly...something.

“I don’t know.” She answered Gnaeus as they slipped into the lift. She let go of his arm to press a button for the very bottom floor, assuming that the last button was, in fact, the last floor. Maybe it went even further beyond that. There was no end to the conspiracy. “Nothing in particular, just...something off, I suppose.” Paquin shook her head. She probably sounded like she’d fallen off the wagon.

Her voice lowered, as if she needed to, as if what she’d already said wouldn’t have been heard already, “Doesn’t everything seem so easy? The people are so strange, too.” Maybe it was just Alsen, really.

Or perhaps it was her. Perhaps she was struggling to adjust. “I don’t know,” she repeated. “I’m not counting on it. Maybe we’ll find something interesting or useful instead. If nothing else, I’ll at least have managed to avoid Alsen for a bit.” She thought she might just request Alsen to send her any files and materials he had so she could study on her own, ask questions if she had to. Later, she would see what could be done about that.

-

Snoke’s room was just as unused as she thought it would be, if he used it at all. The one on the new base, that one had evidence of use. Clothes, accessories, artifacts––more of a Snoke flair. Snoke hardly used this base and it showed in his room. That didn’t necessarily mean there was nothing there. With that thought, Ariel went for the drawers of the bedside table.

Empty. Apart from dust. “Well, I certainly like you better than Snoke.” She didn’t live in constant fear of Kylo, worried she’d done something wrong to warrant her death in his mind like she had with Snoke. Kylo could be cruel but Ariel liked to think they all cared about each other too much. Which, of course, could be dangerous, but they weren’t in danger of each other.

“I wish we knew more, too. Snoke clearly didn’t want us to know about it for some reason.” Maybe Snoke knew that if they knew, the Knights would realize they had no need for them. But at the same time...Snoke had certainly felt confident enough that he had the Knights, Kylo, on a leash that he’d allowed them all in his presence when he was deprived of the Force. Or maybe he’d been overly confident in the Praetorian.

Either way, he’d made a mistake.

“Even with how forthcoming the Final Order has been...it feels like we’re missing so much. Something big. Maybe we should just ask…,” she didn’t think Kylo would agree to that. The Final Order very well could have been testing all of them, waiting for some sort of show of weakness.

“Speaking of just asking…” she began as she moved to find something else to search. “How are you feeling? After yesterday,” after nearly killing his mother, his last parent. Somewhat officially losing Mira, getting stabbed by her, and injuring her to an unknown extent. Ariel felt Kylo had some hope for Mira, for Leia too, with Snoke gone. Ariel amused herself with the fact that she had been the one on the brink of death and yet she was asking Kylo how he was.

-
Finn stood with Mira’s soft call for him, even though he was a bit hesitant to leave Mace behind. He wasn’t sure if it was because he felt Mace should be a part of the Force-sensitive conversation, or more because Finn was worried Mace would cause trouble with the other group. It was already clear August wasn’t fond of Mace, and Mace wasn’t fond of anyone in relation to a Skywalker.

Or fond of anyone, really.

But it seemed like Mace had a plan of his own, and Finn figured he must know what he’s doing. He’d made it this long. And so Finn fell into place behind the rest of them, briefly catching eyes with Poe and giving him an acknowledging nod. It was returned, and behind the actions were mutual, silent wishes of luck. They would both need it.

There wasn’t much to say on the trek to Luke’s ship. All they had to address was the position of the Force-users in this new arrangement, though Finn wondered if the conversation would drift into more...personal matters. This would be the first time Mira and Luke were really in any sort of position to have such a discussion.

Once they did shuffle into Luke’s ship, Rey seemed to know exactly what to do. The pilot and the co-pilot chairs had the ability to swivel and Rey dragged a spare chair and a trunk for the two guests to sit. Finn would give Mira the more comfortable chair, taking the trunk. Rey took what could only be assumed as her usual spot in the co-pilot’s chair. Luke, of course, dropped into the pilot’s chair with a sigh.

“So…” Rey glanced around, “Where do we begin?”

“Good question,” Luke mumbled.

“Well, we all must have some idea of what we’d want or like...or what we fear Force-sensitives involvement might become?” Finn offered up. “And we’ve noted Mace’s suggestion, about keeping politics separate.” Finn wasn’t sure about that one. It felt like politics was needed to get things done, but at the same time...well, look what happened to the old Jedi Order.

-

Mace did stay behind, for he knew the Force-sensitives plan, whatever they came up with, would have to be repeated when they all came together again. He'd be able to interject on that again, but anything they said here...he'd have much less say in if he wasn't actively there. He could tell Finn was hesitant, but his son left nonetheless.

Hux caught Mira’s look to him before they’d all up and left. Hers was momentary, but his lingered a bit too long, really. Even though his ears were tuned into the conversation, his eyes followed her until she was out of sight. He hadn’t really wanted her to leave, either, and he didn’t want to, in a way, leave her. This meeting with these people, they were all terribly frustrating and having Mira somewhat in his corner would be nice, but he could handle it.

Her meeting. With Luke? That could be a bit more of an emotional strain on her. And she already had quite a bit of that in barely twenty-four hours. But she had Finn, at least.

Hux didn’t think they were hardly twenty minutes into this meeting and his face had already been set into a frown for most of it. With Sieg’s suggestion, it only grew into furrowed brows and a disapproving look. Yes, they needed to stay in the Core. Not to say they couldn’t be involved in some expanded business in the far future, but for now? That would be messy and this was not a meeting to execute personal benefit.

Though Hux was certain the Tagge family would never have to worry about money for generations.

Hux did note August’s content with his current sector structure and put a pin in it. Instead, “Putting them under legal operations could be a discussion, but...crime usually exists because it provides something more than operating within legality does. And not everyone knows what’s good for them.” Hux was certain most of them had experienced that. He continued, “Grouping them together could create an entire region of criminal activity. Planets at war with each other, rather than aiding one another. Or at odds with the rest of the galaxy.” It’s happened in ways before. Places like Hutt Space, under the control of a clan. Home to dissidents, unaccounted for wheeling and dealing. Messy in its own way.

“First we should think of why some of these planets are under heavy influence of crime lords. Before we separate them or have corporate interference.” Leia suggested, figuring a lot of it could be lessened by better trade options and routes, or availability of jobs. They would be silly to think that crime would ever stop, of course. Leia was more concerned with removing criminal activity as a necessity to survive on some of these Outer Rim planets.

 

[Lucyfer]

It was the same complaint that Gnaeus heard everywhere, it seemed. It was ‘too easy’. Although Gnaeus acknowledged this, and did feel a bit weird about it, he still wondered if maybe they weren’t all imagining it. “I’m sure things were this easy for Snoke,” and Kylo was now Supreme Leader. Shouldn’t it follow that things would still be this easy?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

He couldn’t shake his own uneasy feelings, either.

“The way you all talk of Alsen I’m starting to wonder what’s up with him, though,” Gnaeus chuckled, forcing some humor into the situation, “Is he really that bad?” of course Gnaeus knew it wasn’t that, and Alsen’s overly helpful demeanor was just the off-putting part. Did anyone ever have a decent life before the Knights?

He was starting to doubt it.

He had thought maybe Paquin did. Once. Now he wasn’t so sure about that assumption. Or maybe most people with regular lives still didn’t encounter this kind of…niceties?

As the lift stopped on the last floor, and opened up, he did move forward to step out. The initial area didn’t appear all that abnormal, really. Another hallway that branched out, a few signs indicating repair bays, mostly. “Well, let’s start walking,” he wasn’t sure what there was to find beyond the repair bays, but they wouldn’t get anywhere standing around doing nothing.

~***~

Kylo scoffed at Ariel’s comment of liking him more, going towards the closet. Not empty, it did have more of those robes, and a couple more sets of the slippers that Snoke was so fond of. Kylo moved through them, making sure there was nothing in any pockets of the robes, and nothing else to be found in the closet, before giving up and closing it.

Ariel was apparently done with her set of drawers by then.

He went to another closer to the closet, aware he might find things he didn’t really want to find as he started to open them. ‘I don’t know what to ask. Hello, Final Order, tell me what you’re hiding?’ So far his questions had been answered, and his requests had been listened to and moved forward.

They didn’t seem to be hiding anything, but that feeling did linger.

Ariel went on to ‘just ask’ how he was as he did find the underwear drawer, and closed it. Hard.

Her question wasn’t about his ascension. It was about his failure with Leia and with Mira, that was obvious in the way she trailed off. His jaw clenched. He hadn’t really wanted to think of the dual rejection. “Fine.” That was a blatant lie. “We’ve learned the resolve of our enemies and we know it has little to do with actually bettering the galaxy.”

They wouldn’t listen.

They wouldn’t see him. Leia still saw him as some misguided child, and Mira…he didn’t even know. She was off doing her own thing now with the Gray Jedi. “We’ll crush them next time.” It completely moved his thoughts away from Final Order shenanigans.

But not from the irritation of finding nothing in the wardrobe. It was knocked to the ground after the last drawer was no more useful than the first.

~***~

Mira didn’t argue about seating as Finn took the trunk. She took the other chair, and felt the awkwardness of his as clearly as she felt the Force once more. Then again, maybe both were for the best right now, given the subject matter.

How had it come down to them?

Of course she knew the answer – she’d been an active participant in narrowing down the field of available Jedi. ‘Where do we begin?’ was, indeed, the question. “We don’t know what they’re doing, yet,” Mira noted, “It will be hard to determine where we fall in that, if we don’t…outline our goals, and what we are to each other.”

Mira had no interest in being a Jedi, or in seeing the Jedi become the predominant, reigning power in the galaxy once again. In theory, that made them enemies, but things weren’t that black and white any longer. “I just want a place for people to learn about the Force,” Mira sighed, “What they do with it, that’s on them. If they want to be a Gray Jedi, fine, but that’s not the most important thing.”

She wasn’t out to create a cult – just give them a learning space. She would be a Gray Jedi herself, but, “I don’t really know what I want as a Gray Jedi, beyond that.”

Rey bit her bottom lip, “I know we’re—Master Luke and I—set on…well, getting rid of the Knights of Ren now, I guess,” now that Snoke was gone. It was still strange to think of all that had happened, “After that, I wasn’t sure what was next,” all she knew of Jedi, really, were their battles, but, “Peacekeeping, I guess,” but how they went about it, she wasn’t sure.

And that’s likely where things got complicated with politics, and what Mira might oppose.

~***~

“Oh I can tell you plenty of reasons why,” August said, as Leia noted that, “though it tends to boil down to lack of opportunity and resources. Planets like Tatooine don’t have much in the way of either,” the cause for crime did stem from a need. There weren’t really enough legitimate jobs to survive in a place like it.

Partially because of the crime lords, but also because it was a planet no one cared about it. It did nothing for them. “Planets such as that would benefit from non-resource related opportunities, be it engineering locations or academies.”

“Academies?” Sieg wrinkled his nose.

“Where else are we going to throw the poets? Naboo? Give them a taste of a sand and maybe they’ll write something that isn’t an utter waste,” August scoffed. “But things like humanities, languages, and those sorts of things could bring in opportunities, resources, and interest, on planets like that, to quickly make them legitimate. Of course, it requires funding, and, well,” he waved a dismissive hand.

They all knew how that went.

The New Republic didn’t care. That was why they were here, after all, trying to fix it and force its hand into caring. That was why they had to make sectors, that would support each other, too.

“Some of those areas would be good for flying schools,” Poe said, “The New Republic also has need to rebuild a military, for some reason.”

Though his comment was pointed, August made a point not to rise to it, and cut in before Hux could, “That, they might be willing to spend money on,” he chuckled. “I suppose the main question may be how many of the crime lords we want to involve, and how many we find convenient ways to execute and replace in the power vacuum while we’re at this. We have to involve the planets somehow…so we may as well consider their actual leadership.”

Maybe they’d even find actual help.

“So, Lord Terex, if he wanted to work with us—” Sieg started.

“We flay him alive.”

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin followed Gnaeus’s lead out of the lift, terribly underwhelmed by the entirely normal scenery. Clean, well lit, clear signs. Her little conspiracy theory faded, but nevertheless, she felt they ought to explore anyway if this was to be their new base. Paquin had memorized most of her previous bases. Some of Starkiller, the little time she spent there. The Finalizer she knew like the back of her hand.

Though, Paquin wasn’t certain this base would be long term.

“He’s not bad,” Paquin sighed. “Alsen is just...a bit much. I know it sounds strange but he’s just too helpful. In my experience, no one’s that helpful unless they want something. At least it’s that way in the First Order,” Paquin probably did have the most decent, uneventful life out of the Knights. But she did work for the First Order for a long time. Of course, it was her job to be helpful. But there was a difference with her helpfulness and others.

As a medic, she didn’t have much sway as far as rank went. But she’d had easy access to a lot of information and places that most didn’t. Not much, but enough for people to think they could get something out of her. Alsen reminded her of it, was all.

Maybe he wanted to get in good with the Knights, with Kylo, secure himself a position or something. It wasn’t working very well, of course, considering Ariel hated him and Paquin was mildly annoyed with him. “Maybe I’m too caught up in the First Order. The Final Order could be different I suppose,” she mused as they wandered, looking through viewports into the repair bays they walked by, seeing people and machines working away. Nothing out of the ordinary. Yet.

“I don’t know what Ariel’s issue with him is, though.” Ariel disliked him before he’d said two words to any of them. “What are you feeling about all of this?” She asked, though she referred to a broader scale. Not just about the Final Order but everything that had transpired recently. The death of Snoke, the showdown with Mira and Kylo's mom, Ariel's near death experience. Gnaeus wasn't doing the best before all of it, surely so much so soon didn't help either. Not to mention, she wanted his opinion on it all.

-

Ariel didn’t actually need Kylo to answer honestly. Not verbally, anyway. Even though his choice of words and tone gave away how he felt, too. At this point she wasn’t sure how much of it was a method–repressing his emotions to draw further from the Force–and how much of it was just the lack of coping skills. Not that Ariel could really talk about coping skills, but that was besides the point.

It was probably both. But Ariel didn’t think now was the time to get into it. ‘When would the time to get into it be? Ever?’

But Ariel knew he wasn't handling the rejection well. “Right…” There was still a part of him that didn’t want to hurt Leia or Mira, Ariel was sure. But he would. He’d proved that. “Is that what happened with Snoke?” She asked, referring to his comment of learning the resolve of their enemies or whatever intense thing he said.

She’d moved on to something that resembled a desk, but it had such a thick layer of dust on it, she didn’t think Snoke had ever used it. She’d only just opened the first empty drawer when Kylo knocked something over, “You know, if you keep banging around like that, people are gonna think we’re doing stuff in here,” she suggested, knowing it would irritate him. But hopefully in the mood-lightening way. But as she turned to look, she did notice something where the wardrobe once was. “Oh, hey, you found something.” A safe of some sort, built into a wall. It was likely empty but, still, she wandered over.

She did comment as she prodded at the screen, investigating how to get it open. “You know Kylo, you don't have to be so...private anymore,” to put it nicely. Snoke was gone. “I think you should try drinking sometime. It might do you some good.” Ariel probably shouldn’t be pushing her own poor coping mechanisms on others, though she was serious. Not that she thought Kylo would go for it. But hey, he had a lot of repressed emotional issues, alcohol could bring them out. Or push them away temporarily. Depended on what kind of drunk he was.

-

Finn couldn’t speak much on the goals of the Grey Jedi or Mira’s. He knew of Mira’s desire to educate others on the Force, and he was along for this Grey Jedi ride, but he couldn’t say what else Mira had in that pretty little mind of hers. Finn himself was still learning, hardly in a position for him to have his own dreams for any of this Force stuff.

So he watched the others. Probably the best one out of them to try and keep things civil should it come to that. Rey, too, but Finn was observing the body language, awaiting something that would need to be calmed. Luke was interesting to watch. He seemed to be attempting to keep his face neutral, but Finn noted the subtleties. The way old Luke’s eyebrows furrowed just a bit at Mira’s explanation of what she wanted.

Finn interpreted it as judgment, maybe. But that would be wrong.

Rey spoke on what she thought was their goals, at least for the moment. She wasn’t wrong. There were far too few people in the galaxy who could take on the threat of the Knights of Ren. But beyond that? Was solely peace-keeping a correct assumption? “I don’t know.” Luke answered his own thoughts aloud, but he supposed it fit into the conversation well enough. “I’m not certain what my goals, our goals, are beyond protecting the galaxy from Kylo Ren and the Knights.”

Rey looked at Luke with her brows furrowed, mouth opening to question him, but Luke continued on, “I mean, I suppose I know what I want to do. I just don’t know what form it will take."

“Well, what do you want to do?” Finn asked, not that he could offer much suggestion, but he could at least keep the conversation going. They needed to talk this stuff out. Maybe Mira would have something to help…

Or not, considering she didn’t like the traditional Jedi anymore.

“I simply want to pass on my knowledge, and more. Keep the Jedi as I know it alive. The texts, the history. Peacekeeping...that’s a part of it, even if I’m not sure how it would fit in,” or if. He knew Mira nor the reformed Republic or whatever it was, would be too thrilled to accept Jedi Peacekeepers again. “I’m aware it’s not perfect. I’m not perfect, I went wrong somewhere,” Luke couldn’t help that his eyes went to Mira. He’d failed her. Failed his own nephew. He wasn’t sure how or where it went wrong. "But I suppose everything requires a bit of trial and error."

Luke did hope that was the purpose he served. Trial and error. He'd fix his mistakes and leave the Jedi and the galaxy in a better place. Leave Rey in a better place to hopefully expand on his idea of the Jedi, of what he was trying to teach her. He wouldn't live forever, and he wanted Rey to use her judgment, but she wasn't ready for that yet.

-

Hux was always waiting for someone to bring Starkiller up. It was quite a contentious subject for something that had almost solved all of their problems, if the Resistance wouldn’t have blown his beloved planet killer up. There’d be no New Republic or Senate that they’d have to present to! Hux was more than happy to put in his two cents, but August spoke before he could even open his mouth.

Probably for the best. Hux didn’t think saying he’d do it all over again, even do it admittedly a bit better than he had, would go over very well with his new allies.

Though, at the mention of Terex, Hux’s brows furrowed, gesturing at Sieg with a gloved hand, “Why is he here?” Hux did get to question. What had he genuinely offered so far? Coffee?

At least August agreed Terex would be swiftly executed. There was much deeper ties to that rivalry than there was with Hux and Terex. Or even Poe and Terex. But, at least, it didn’t seem like anyone here had good relations with the traitor. Hux only wished he’d listened to Phasma’s distaste for the man from long ago, long before any of this had a chance to happen. But alas, now he knew better.

“Comedic relief?” Leia suggested, unenthused.

“Well, he’s not very funny.” Hux mumbled as if Sieg wasn’t in the same room.

“And you know what funny is?” Poe snarked with a raised eyebrow. But he wouldn’t earn more than an irritated look from Hux.

Hux continued on as if nothing had been said, “Perhaps you have a point, Governor,” involving some of these crime lords. “There’s going to be some that won’t be so easy to get rid of and replace,” Hux thought of the Hutts. They probably should be rid, but the likelihood of that was slim. The likelihood of working with them was slim, too, considering he was fairly certain they enjoyed slavery, having people indebted, the thrill of illegal dealings. "This topic might require further research into," Hux knew the First Order dealt with a few crime syndicates, but not enough for him to be sure of who would be so willing or useful. "But as it is, it's a reasonable suggestion."

"Obviously I don't think that would go over great with the Senate," Poe interjected. Their little crime reform plan would have to either sound prettier for the Senate...or they'd have to do that work behind the scenes. But pitching it straight out? Poe didn't believe anyone would think it sounded good to work with criminal overlords. Not to the majority. Or to the loud ones, anyway...