Fandom Star Wars

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel was mostly unfazed by Kylo’s harsh gaze, largely used to them, at that point. Did he ever look at her with anything other than annoyance or severe anger? Probably not. ‘This is my thing, Kylo!’ What was the point if he didn’t heed what she said? This was probably what Paquin felt like when they ignored her advice. But this was different than ripping an IV out of her arm. This could have serious consequences.

Her relief was only momentary when Kylo let himself be distracted by the closets. She caught Gnaeus’s look and all she could do was shrug and sigh. Kylo wasn’t patient. If they didn’t find something else or something to answer his questions, he’d seek answers himself.

What would he do if they snuck in later and got rid of them?

Ariel followed Kylo to the closet, “Green is usually my color, but I think I could make this work.” She reached in, picking a gray one. It was silky, a light swirly pattern shining in the light. “I might need to tailor it…” Ariel was tall, but she was far from being seven feet tall.

Paquin didn’t take interest in the robes, but opted to wander the room. There wasn’t much to look at, really. There had to be more…”Oh!” Paquin was startled by a door whooshing open. Nothing exciting was held, just a refresher. A very large one, at that. ‘Bathtub!’ What drew her attention next, though, was a box on the counter, full of an assortment of rings made from various metals and stones. ‘Hm.’

-

Finn wondered if the Force-thing would follow them back to the base, or if it was something that was supposed to remain on Korriban. He supposed the only way to find out was take the crystal back and see if he ever got a response or not.

BB-8 expressed relief that they were leaving and Finn chuckled. “Thanks for coming with me, guys. Couldn’t have done it without you.” Well, maybe he could have. But he didn’t want to. BB-8 beeped an excited ‘you’re welcome’, happy to be included. Even though it wished his master and Finn hadn’t come here in the first place.

The ship was fine, and they were back in the range of that unfortunate void stone. But it was intact and so were the lightsabers. That would make Mira happy, at least. Finn gathered everything into the on drawer, so it would be easy to carry when they got back to the base. He did, however, select a couple of Kylo’s audiochips and brought them into the cockpit.

“Bring me to life....hello...what even is this stuff?” Finn chuckled as he looked through them. There were a few more that raised some eyebrows. Well, he figured he might as well pick one, and he did as he sat in the co-pilot’s chair. “Let’s try this one…,” He said as he settled in for the ride back home.

-

Leia couldn’t be too upset about sides, not when Mira had never given her the impression of otherwise. She was just caught in working together and then the dramatics of her own son deciding sides. There wasn’t any more for anything like that, anyway. There was no such thing as black and white.

“If a room’s empty, a room’s empty.” She was a guest, and there would be no overstepping. But Leia didn’t push it. “You know Finn doesn’t mind at all,” Leia thought Finn rather liked having Mira around. Someone who could relate to him in a way no one in the Resistance could. “I’ll have someone bring another cot in,” she was sure there was only one bed, and it wasn’t really big enough for the two of them.

With a final scratch to Millicent, Leia passed them. The cat squirmed, and Hux set her on the ground before she attempted to leap out of them instead.

Hux turned with Leia, but his brows furrowed, “Broke your datapad?” He was tempted to ask how, because no, he didn’t know about what had happened after he’d been kidnapped. But he didn’t press. “Yes, I’ll make sure you have another,” it was kind of important that she had her own means of communication, that was on Hux’s mind more than the planets or anything that she’d had information on. Data could usually be recovered, depending.

Millicent trotted after Leia, who waited for them. “I can see you to Finn’s room,” Hux offered, mostly for an excuse to linger. He didn’t want to not have a reason to stay around. “Phasma, could you contact the base, let them know to send Mira’s things here.”

“Of course, General. I’ll be in the ship.”

Hux nodded to her confirmation, “I’ll meet you soon.” He turned to Mira then, “After you, Admiral.” Well, after Leia, but Hux would let Mira set the pace. Leia was short and couldn't go fast, and Mira was half blind, so he didn't think they'd be speedwalking.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus shivered as Ariel reached out for a gray one, “Really, you want to wear something that Snoke wore?” He was still thinking on the lack of underwear, and those robes. It would haunt him. He’d want them all burned, or at the very least, thrown into a ton of bleach. A literal ton of bleach.

He let himself be distracted, willingly enough, by Paquin. He saw her excitement over the bathtub and chuckled, “I think you should let Paquin have this room, Kylo.” He hadn’t forgotten her delight with the Korriban tub, either. Or Kylo lingering before realizing she wanted to use it immediately.

Before they all got drunk.

And saw Anakin.

‘Oh.’ He had a feeling Anakin wasn’t around anymore.

Kylo didn’t speak to that, but he did notice what else Paquin saw. Rings. “Hm.” He didn’t imagine there was much to see in the rings, but nonetheless, he approached, and started to sort them out, putting them down on the counter around the sink in the refresher.

One symbol he was familiar with, was among them – the 4 Sages – but he didn’t dwell on that, continuing to just piece them out.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to start wearing obnoxious rings now, Kylo.”

“No,” that wasn’t the plan, and he supposed that was all they might be – obnoxious rings, like the obnoxious golden robe – but it was worth looking through.

~***~

“Hey Miss Murder can I
Hey Miss Murder can I
Make beauty stay if I
Take my life?
Ooooooooo~”

The first lyrics from the audiochip had at first a scandalized look cross Poe’s face, before he just burst into laughter. It didn’t surprise him that Kylo listened to this – on the contrary, this was exactly what he expected Kylo to listen to, and something about that was all the more hilarious to Poe.

He wasn’t supposed to be right.

“This is what I always thought Kylo listened to, but honestly? I did not think I’d be right. AFI has some jams, though,” Poe wouldn’t deny that. Even this song was a bit of a jam. “We probably shouldn’t tell Leia that he was listening to emo music, though.” At least, not immediately.

That might just make her feel sadder.

BB-8 just sounded exasperated that Poe could think any of this was good. “Hey, I said some. I was a teenager, once.”

~***~

Mira nodded, nonetheless glad that Leia didn’t press the issue. Someone who had to share a room might want a spare room. Mira didn’t know how it all worked – she wasn’t likely to understand it anytime soon, either.

She also nodded to Hux’s question. Yes, broken datapad – and she didn’t explain. ‘Why not? Because then he’ll remember, too, that you can’t do emotions?’ She ignored the thought that called her a traitor. “Of course, General,” she didn’t mind him coming along, and she would follow after Leia – who she already knew could move significantly faster than she was.

Mira’s eyesight, apparently, wasn’t being overlooked by anyone.

She followed along well enough, keeping closer to the side she could see when it came to doorways to avoid hitting her shoulder again. No incidents on the way, thankfully, and she was able to step into Finn’s room. He had one all to himself, it seemed. One bed. She’d get a nice cot.

Mira knew Finn hadn’t been there long, but already she thought the room had a bit more personality than any space she claimed. It was…comforting, for that alone. “This will work,” quite well.

Millicent had already jumped up on Finn’s bed. Rolled around on it. Apparently the fact it belonged to Finn did not at all bother the cat.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“Well, I’d wash it, duh,” Ariel defended her desire for keeping one of Snoke’s robes. It was nice! And there was no doubt they were expensive, more expensive than anything she’d ever worn for sure. “I’ve been covered by worse things than Snoke’s robe,” no underwear or not. Maybe she’d cut it in half, make it into a sexier robe. Not that she had anyone to show it off to.

Paquin didn’t want Snoke’s room. She didn’t want anything to do with Snoke and the room felt of him far too much. Not to mention the strange masks that lingered in the corner. “Kylo can have it. I just want the tub.” Kylo would let her come and steal it for a little bit, wouldn’t he?

Gnaeus asked Kylo about the obnoxious rings, if he’d wear them. Paquin scrunched her nose at that. That didn’t really suit him, she didn’t think. But he said he wouldn’t and Paquin watched over his shoulder–well, around him–as he sorted through them. Some of them were obnoxious, a lot of them were. Ugly and jagged. But some of them had potential to be pretty, glittery rocks and shiny metals.

“What are we going to do with his stuff?” Ariel’s voice sounded as her arm reached past Paquin, looping her finger through the ring with a familiar sigil. It was much too large for her finger, but she picked it more to examine it than steal his fashion. “What was he into?” A lot they didn’t know of. A variety of things.

“Appearances, it seems,” Paquin mumbled, but didn’t answer what to do with it. She didn’t know what most of it was.

-

Finn could only furrow his brows and tilt his head as the first song played. He wasn’t sure what he expected for Kylo to listen to, but he also wasn’t surprised by what played. Emo music indeed. He couldn’t say he was familiar with this AFI, but he was surprised that Poe was familiar with it. “So, is emo a phase all teenagers go through and Kylo just didn’t grow out of his?”

BB-8 beeped, a question.

“No, we weren’t really allowed to go through phases in the Order.” It was the Order after all, and chaotic teenage thoughts and feelings, teenage rebellion, that was all against the rules. “I was never allowed to listen to stuff like this,” well, they weren’t supposed to listen to music at all, but there were some rules they ignored. Some that their superiors were a bit more lenient on.

BB-8 beeped again, long and then short beeps. Sad Finn didn’t get to experience phases, but optimistic he could now. “I think I’m a little old for phases,” he chuckled as the ship tinted blue around them, rocking from the jump into hyperdrive. “I don’t want to end up like Kylo.”

BB-8 beeped. ‘Fair’.

“Yeah, let’s definitely not mention this to Leia.” It would make her sad.

-

“Good, I’m glad,” Leia did want Mira to feel comfortable here. And as Leia looked around Finn’s room, it felt comforting in itself. Finn had that quality about him, probably why so many were drawn to him. Leia chuckled as Millicent hopped on Finn’s bed, rolling around in it like she owned the place. “I hope Finn’s not allergic to cats.” Because Leia could already see little orange hairs all over the bed.

“He’s not. He was a Stormtrooper, the Order tests for allergies.” Hux commented. Leia looked at him blankly. “And he was there when we found her…” Hux added.

Leia nodded, “Right. So is…Millicent, was it? Is she staying here, too?” Once again Leia wondered if they shared ownership of the cat. Leia wasn’t sure what accommodations they could offer the thing. Water, a string to play with. She didn’t think they had any cat food laying around.

“No,” Hux shook his head. Millicent froze on the bed, stopping to stare at them like she understood what he said. And then she went back to flopping over, exposing her stomach. Daring anyone to pet her so she could sink her claws into them. “She’ll come back with me.” Unless Mira protested it. He didn’t mind letting Mira borrow Millicent, long as she took care of her.

“Speaking of, I shouldn’t linger,” and yet, here he was. “You know how to reach me if you need something.” Like a ride back to the Finalizer. Hux felt like that goodbye wasn’t good enough. Like there were things that still needed to be done, or addressed but….they wouldn’t be.

 

[Lucyfer]

“You can have all the robes, Ariel,” Kylo allowed, “I have no plans of wearing any of them,” she could do whatever she wanted with them. Hells, if she wanted the rings, she could have the rings, too. Kylo wasn’t seeing anything notable among them. They just seemed terribly gaudy.

Gnaeus snorted at the answer Paquin gave. She wasn’t wrong.

“We need to find out if they have any relevance,” Kylo said, sighing, “We’ll have to let Pryde have access to whatever none of us are keeping. If they have Force projects here, they may be able to assess what’s here.”

Although his eyes still went back to the masks, “You two never learned methods for…reading the masks?” Kylo knew that wasn’t the best word, but he thought it got his point across.

“Snoke just sent us to get items, discern what they were, and bring them back,” at least, in Gnaeus’s case. “That’s how I know Momin’s mask is in there, and a few of the others, but I don’t know all of them. With time, I could probably figure some of them out, but they’re not safe,” he and Ariel might have to insist on that for a while. “They don’t have a purpose, Kylo, except to hold the imprints of their former master, and to try and exert that will onto anyone who puts them on.”

And couldn’t resist.

They were all attuned to the Force, they’d likely have better resistance than most, but still…Gnaeus wasn’t about to put a mask on anytime soon.

~***~

“I guess I can keep the music to myself. Or maybe loan it to you,” Poe chuckled, “I was never an emo, but I did like some of the music,” he liked a lot of the music, “and still had my phase of teenage angst,” not his best days, but he came out of it. Kes was always there for him, even when he was being a stupid kid.

But so much happened then. His mother passing, Luke’s school being destroyed, the frustrations of the New Republic that he eventually joined, and then defected to the Resistance. No one could blame him for a little Linkin Park now and then.

“But you could be a rebel. Have a phase now. Go through your mid-life crisis right after,” Poe joked, “get a sweet red speeder,” he laughed.

Given their lifestyle and the war, who could really say when their mid-life would be? Poe was hoping for a significantly longer life, but all the same, he knew the reality of things. A part of him wanted to add on something about experimenting, dating, but he would not.

He was pretty sure Finn had a thing for Rey.

~***~

When Leia asked if Millicent was staying, Mira did look a bit startled, and shook her head as Hux answered. She had on idea that Leia was already imagining they shared the cat. It was Hux’s cat. Mira was just there when it was found. And liked Millicent.

Who needed to stop rolling around on Finn’s bed and get ready to leave, because Hux wasn’t lingering. In spite of the danger, Mira did reach down to pet Millicent, and smirked, just a little, as the cat immediately launched its trap. Mira played into it, even if the claws did actually hurt, and eventually picked her up, eliciting a surprised outcry from the cat as she did so.

Still, she cradled the cat, and kept one arm in the trap of claws, even though Millicent had shifted to licking her hand. It’d be back to clawing and rabbit-kicking soon enough, no doubt. “I can walk back to the ship with you. I’ll bring Millicent.” Until Millicent decided she didn’t like that anymore, of course.

“Looks like I missed a few things….” The void kept Kevan from watching Finn, so he shifted gears.

Mira. Mira with an eyepatch, and a cat, and a ginger she was still fawning over. Kevan really wished he was alive for this, too. The teasing.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel couldn’t help but feel bothered by Kylo’s curiosity regarding the masks, his persistent interest in them despite both she and Gnaeus telling him they weren’t safe. Ariel sighed, putting the ring back on the counter. “If there was any other purpose Snoke discovered, I’m sure it would be somewhere in his stuff.” She hoped that would discourage Kylo from looking into it himself, until they exhausted their options or he forgot about it.

She didn’t feel confident Kylo would leave it be.

“I’d bet you credits that I don’t have that the only reason Snoke kept them around is because they’re so imbued in the dark side history. They have no use otherwise. But, if you want, Gnaeus and I could look into them,” Ariel offered, more of a plot to keep Kylo from doing something stupid in a rash moment. Because that was what Kylo did best.

Paquin reached beyond Kylo, picking one of the few rings she thought wasn’t hideous. A trend amongst Snoke’s rings she noticed was a largely unaltered stone and a thick band. The one she picked up was no different, but it was at least pretty. A blue crystal, she wasn’t sure if it was kyber or not, and discolored band. It was much too big for her, but she thought it could be a project of her own. She could do something with it.

“There’s still much of Snoke’s stuff to go through, when they bring it,” Paquin reasoned. “But, for now, maybe we should all rest,” she suggested. The only room they had was Snoke’s, with no bed. The only change of clothes any of them had were Snoke’s robes. Maybe that should be their new uniform.

-

“I would pay to have known you when you were a teenager,” Finn chuckled. “Teenage angst at all,” he thought it would be interesting to see how Poe had grown. Finn wished he could’ve had a normal upbringing with phases and the like. Been able to go through favorite music artists like nobody’s business, change his style just as much. Hell, he even wished he could’ve had fights with his parents.

There was a lot for him to make up for now, though he wasn’t sure how much time he had, as Poe mentioned midlife crises. Finn had experienced a lot of loss of life in his time. His fellow troopers, his fellow rebels. “Why wait? Maybe I’ll get on the holonet and buy myself a red speeder when we get back. Live in the moment, Poe.” Finn would not be buying a speeder. But maybe he’d take some time to appreciate things some more.

Maybe share those sentiments with Mira, after the stint with Kylo.

As soon as they rocked out of hyperdrive, Finn grew a sense of anticipation now that they were so close to Mira. He was anxious to see how she was doing, anxious to show her all the things they’d gathered.

The hangar was quick to come into sight not long after that and Finn spotted something familiar landing itself. “Hey, is that Luke’s ship?” He supposed it wouldn’t be strange for Luke to show up, after what happened with Leia.

-

Hux was more than happy to be accompanied by Mira, “You can try to bring her,” Millicent was feeling frisky, that much was obvious. Her licks turned into soft bites that didn’t threaten to pierce the skin. Hux reached, scratching the top of her head between her ears.

“I’ll leave you two to it, then,” Leia allowed. “Mira, I’ll be in the command center if you need me. Safe travels, General Hux. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Leia’s smile was quick and small, but genuine. She gave Millicent her own goodbye, stroking back Millicent’s ears as the cat tried to turn her head to catch Leia’s hand.

“Goodbye, General Organa,” Hux responded, refraining from saying anything along the lines of ‘sorry about your son trying to kill you’. Hell, it was something they could relate to, their own relatives wanting them dead. But, Hux didn’t think it was appropriate to mention that. “Thank you for looking after Admiral Vallens,” he did say that, at least, as he was appreciative of that.

Leia nodded with that small smile of hers, her hand patting Mira’s shoulder as she moved around her and out the door.

Hux didn’t follow far behind, but again he kept his pace slow. Not just to accommodate Mira, but simply because he didn’t want to go anywhere fast. At least he had an excuse to be slow, other than his own foolish wants. “I hope Skywalker shows. For General Organa’s sake.” Despite her attitude regarding her brother’s absence, Hux could tell she just wanted to have her family around her.

Hux tried to navigate back to the hangar by following rebels. They seemed to know where they were going. Hux did ask, now that they were alone, “Will you be alright here?” It wasn’t too late for her to hop on his ship with him.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo watched Paquin pick out a ring. He arched a brow at the choice, but wouldn’t speak immediately to it, as all of them seemed to want to caution him. Still, he wanted more to do, now. He wasn’t good at the patience thing. He wanted to move forward.

He knew, he had to wait.

He had meetings in the future, and he would have more of Snoke’s things to look over, as Pryde had them brought here. He could, of course, wander the base and try to get a feel for it, but part of that would be finding rooms where they could actually sleep. Unlike Snoke, they did need to sleep. .’Was it because of the Force, or because of what you were?’ Something which Kylo would now, never know.

Snoke resembled no alien he knew.

They were, probably, all right. “I suppose there isn’t much to do until we have the rest of Snoke’s items, and the meeting arranged, except to rest and learn the make-up of this base,” Kylo allowed. He did want to claim this room, but that would take more effort than he wanted to put into it.

“So should we go find another helpful officer?”

“Is there anyone else here?”

“Do medics count as officers?” Gnaeus asked, then looked to Paquin, “I’m actually serious, I don’t know how this works.” Had Paquin been an officer?

~***~

Poe groaned, but it was mostly in jest, as Finn claimed he would have loved to know him as a teenager. Poe would have probably enjoyed Finn’s company, though Finn also, probably, would have been a kid. Maybe he could have been less angsty if he had someone looking up to him, though.

He did laugh a bit at the thought of the speeder, “You do that, and I’ll get one. Or a pod-racer. Always wanted to try one of those out,” he figured he could handle it. Not many humans raced them, but he was the best pilot in the galaxy – he could do pod-racing.

Still, he probably wouldn’t. At least, not until the war was over. He would have some free time, then.

For now, he had to stay focused, and he frowned a bit at the landing pad which was more occupied than he’d left it. “Yeah…I think so,” he didn’t recall Luke’s ship well, he hadn’t been in it that long, but he received an answer when he saw Rey pop out onto the landing pad, and look back into the ship, “And it looks like Rey’s with him!”

Poe was happy to see her, even if he could imagine what circumstances drew both her, and Luke, here. He knew Finn would be happy, too, so he didn’t delay in getting them down to the landing pad, and making sure the door would be unlocked so Finn could go out and see them while Poe wrapped up officially shutting the ship down.

~***~

Mira followed Hux, offering only an agreeable hum to his mention of Skywalker. In truth, she still didn’t want him to show up – but for Leia, she supposed, she would tolerate it. She would tolerate much. Perhaps that was part of the problem she and Leia shared; they tolerated too much. Compromised.

Millicent hadn’t yet tried to fight her for a true escape yet, though Mira suspected that was partially because she was enjoying having a hand to nom on, even if she wasn’t drawing blood. “I will be,” Mira said, before she felt the small shift in the Force.

Rey.

And then, reaching out, Mira felt who was with Rey.

She reconsidered immediately, not expecting Luke to show up this soon. She heard the creak of metal as the surge of anger hit, likely some pipes above, and quickly stopped walking. Took a breath. ‘Calm down.’ Millicent jumped from her, and Mira didn’t stop her.

She had tolerated him last time, dead tired and desperate. He’d still had nothing to give her, except ‘meditate’. Back when Qui-Gon talked to her.

Now, there was no one talking to her. Her guards were back, and Snoke was gone. She would be fine, in that department. No more dreams, no more voices – but still all the damn emotional reactions.

But, she felt Finn, too. And relaxed, “Sorry,” she resumed walking, “Luke’s here.” Millicent had trotted ahead, but paused to wait for them, apparently annoyed.

 

[KyloGlenn]

At least Kylo let them pressure him into not doing anything, for the moment anyway.

Paquin giggled at Gnaeus’s lack of knowledge. “Well, technically, no. Medics go through a lightened version of physical training and for all intents and purposes have the same power as a junior officer–though in an emergency we can rescind superior officer’s orders,” something Paquin had loved to remind her superiors of, “but we have no rank. Unless you all want to sleep on a cot in the medbay, they can’t give us a room. But, it wouldn’t be a bad place to start.”

As a medic, Paquin had access to everyone’s schedules. Who was on shift, where. They could probably get a visual of the base’s layout, too.

“How much money did you make?” Unrelated to their current goal, but Ariel was curious.

“Um. A bit.” Paquin twirled her claimed ring between her fingers, her brows furrowed.

“Being a Knight is a real downgrade, isn’t it?” Because they didn’t get paid at all. “Anyway,” Ariel folded the robe over her arm, “C’mon, maybe we’ll run into one of those super friendly officers on the way to the medbay. This place gives me the heebie jeebies,” not just the room. The entire base. The people. And of course, she spared an unconscious glance to the masks in the corner.

‘Don’t mess with them, Kylo.’ Ariel looped her arm through Gnaeus’s again, but led more than she leaned. “If this is gonna be our new home, I think we deserve double beds. I’m tired of sleeping on hard, skinny rectangles. Now that our own Supreme Leader isn't trying to torture us."

-

Finn snorted at Poe’s podracer idea. Finn remembered huddling in a corner, watching recorded podraces on a datapad with his squadmates. Now that would be a midlife crisis purchase. But Finn did have an idea. Maybe one day, when they were free...or when this war was over, maybe he and Poe could go watch a podrace. It was illegal, but...Finn felt they were allowed a little bit of rule breaking. Maybe the new order would change some of those laws around.

Just so long as Poe didn’t intend to enter in any of them. Poe might be the best pilot in the galaxy, but those games were dirty. And Poe was just a human.

Poe seemed to think it was Luke’s ship, too, and above all, that meant one thing to Finn. ‘Rey!’ Poe confirmed that she was, in fact, with Luke moments after. Finn knew why they were there, or at least, he thought he did. But he was still excited to see Rey. Luke...Finn didn’t feel any certain way about Luke. He knew Mira wasn’t fond of him. Knew Rey, so far, was.

Once they landed, Finn stood and clapped Poe on his shoulder, passing him on his way out. Finn grabbed his drawer of stuff and marched out with a purpose, though, halfway he thought it wouldn’t be the best idea to accost Rey with the void stone, so he abandoned the drawer. Who would steal it? Poe was behind him anyway.

“Rey!” Finn broke into a jog as he got closer, excited to see his friend again.

-

Mira claimed she’d be alright there, and Hux had no choice but to believe her. She knew how to reach him if she reconsidered, he took comfort in that much. Though, as she claimed it, she almost instantly contradicted it in her actions. He knew it was her, the creaky of metal from above. Hux wasn’t Force sensitive, but he could feel her tension, though he wasn’t sure why at first.

‘Ah.’ Luke.

Hux shook his head at her apology, “Don’t be.” She didn’t have much control of it, he knew that much at least. And at the same time, she had every reason to feel some type of way, the right to. He knew what she could do with her emotions, of course, but he didn’t want her to feel she had to hide anything around him. They were friends, after all.

Very good friends.

She resumed walking, so Hux did as well. Once Millicent saw them following, she continued to trot. She seemed to know where they were going despite being a cat. Curious. “You know, you can avoid him. Luke, I mean. You don’t have to deal with him. Not until tomorrow, at least.” She owed Luke nothing. And Luke was there for the meeting, and presumably Leia. That would keep him busy.

Though, it was his turn to be contradicted as they stepped outside with a clear view to Luke. “Well. You still don’t have to talk to him,” he offered. Just engage in some awkward eye contact and move along. But Finn was there, too, Hux noted. Jogging towards that dreaded scavenger. Hux supposed he couldn’t hate the Jedi anymore, either. But he was just as annoyed as Millicent had been.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Ah…huh.” Gnaeus supposed he wasn’t surprised by this detail, but he still found it strange they had no ranking within the system that seemed to love ranking. He wouldn’t assume it was any different here, given how oddly this seemed to be akin to the Order – likely because Snoke once helmed both.

He reached out to Ariel as she reached for him to adjust to her, once again, leaning on him – but he still let her take a bit of a lead as they all made their way out.

He noticed where Ariel looked.

Kylo noticed where Ariel looked.

Neither commented on it, but Kylo was soon to steal the lead from Ariel. Surprisingly, there were officers outside the Throne room when they stepped out. Kylo frowned a bit at this, “What are you doing here?”

“Supreme Leader,” one greeted. Not Alsen. “Allegiant General Pryde thought it would be a good idea to make sure no one trespassed.”

‘Do we not have guards?’ In armor, like troopers? Again, the oddity of the number of officers – and now officers serving as guards – struck him. “Why didn’t he do this earlier?” Kylo folded his arms over his chest. They hadn’t been stopped entering.

Wait, should he encourage Pryde to act without direction? “Never mind,” maybe not. “Who can we contact about spare rooms?”

“Colonel Alsen would probably be best,” the other guard piped up, notably younger. He barely looked over sixteen, though Kylo was certain he was likely at least in his twenty, just cursed with a baby face. “I’m not sure where he would be, but I could reach out on your behalf, sir?”

Did Colonel Alsen care about messages from Major Baby Face? “Do so,” Kylo said, mostly because he was morbidly curious what sort of rank he had to call on Colonel Alsen and expect his message to be looked at with any degree of haste.

~***~

“Finn!” Rey called out almost as soon as she saw him, and broke from the ramp where she was waiting for Luke, to run to Finn, and throw her arms around him. Poe could only chuckle a bit as he observed, from a safe distance with the drawer in his hands. He had seen Mira, so he thought he may as well pick it up and deliver it.

Although he frowned a moment as he heard BB-8 let out a shriek and roll away, chased by an orange cat.

He stared after it, wondering if BB-8 was playing with the cat or if he was actually afraid.

“How are you?” Rey asked, pulling away, hands staying on Finn’s shoulders, “We heard what happened—some of it—how is Leia?”

Poe left them for the moment – he had that very same question but knew he was only going to get answers by finding Leia. Maybe heading off Luke to see her first.



Mira had paused as they entered the hangar, and couldn’t help the slight chuckle as Hux had to backtrack. “Maybe.” Luke wasn’t out of the ship yet. Perhaps she could still avoid him. Though, she was happy to see Finn and Rey reunite, even if it came with a sudden pang of jealousy that she immediately loathed herself for.

And then, the Force was gone.

Calm.

Mira had just folded her arms over her chest when she felt it, and her posture relaxed, before the answer came as Poe was holding a drawer out to her – and, notably, not looking at her face. She’d missed his expression, his momentary surprise, and pity, “Here. We found these on Korriban.”

Mira took the drawer, noted the void stone. That answered that. “Thanks,” she at least didn’t need the Force to hold the drawer, and Poe was able to safely release it to her.

“Do you know where Leia is?”

“Command center.”

“Thanks,” Poe wouldn’t linger, although he hesitated a moment, then, “Hey, look—thanks. For helping Leia.” He hadn’t forgotten what Finn said. “BB—come on!” And the droid came rolling after him, Millicent chasing a bit, before pausing, to look up at Hux and call to him.

Stars knew why.

Mira let him run off, before balancing the drawer in one hand, taking the void stone, and offering it to Hux.

He still needed the protection.

He just had to avoid getting poisoned in the future. “I don’t need protection from Snoke anymore.”


Kevan, who had been lingering near, was pushed out. He went to the areas that weren't yet impacted by the Void. Complained. "Of course I can't hang around when your favorite teacher is here."

Luke stared in the direction of the voice. That wasn't Qui-Gon, but it was another disembodied Force ghost. He didn't know this one. He heaved a sigh.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“Right away, sir,” the baby faced officer nodded before dipping, leaving them with the other guard.

“Isn’t he a bit too young to be an officer? Or a guard?” Ariel couldn’t help but ask. Was Snoke in the business of kidnapping kids to be officers, too? Since he didn’t seem to be using kids as troopers. Or even clones for that matter. Ariel wanted to ask that, but she didn’t want to seem clueless in front of these people. The Knights had an unspoken reputation in the First Order. They were feared. But here?

Ariel didn’t detect any fear from them. They had been eager to interact, if anything.

They could ask Kylo to get the information later. Where were the clones, what was with the overly excited officers. And all the red?

“No.” The guard only offered a simple answer.

There were a few minutes of silence, full of Ariel staring at the guard and the guard avoiding Ariel’s gaze. Baby face came back, but he wasn’t alone. Ariel supposed she wasn’t surprised. If Kylo had been mentioned in Major Baby Face’s message at all, she was sure anyone would come quick.

“Supreme Leader! Forgive me for overlooking the boarding arrangements for you and your Knights. There's no excuse, but If you’d come with me, I can get this sorted right away.” Colonel Alsen was all too pleasant, too eager to please, ready to fix things. It made Ariel sick. It wasn't out of fear, so what was the angle? A promotion?

Before they left, though, Baby Face asked, “Would you like us to continue guarding the throne room, Supreme Leader?”

-

Finn’s arms happily wrapped around Rey, squeezing her just a bit in greeting. He pulled away as she did, his hands resting on her waist as hers remained on his shoulders. “I’m good,” and he was. He’d been unharmed. He was happy everyone was okay, for the most part. “Poe and I have been out, I haven’t seen Leia in a bit, but...I don’t know how alright you can be after your son tries to kill you.”

Finn sighed, his hands falling from Rey. “It’s good you’re here. You and Luke, I think Leia would do well to see you guys.” Luke was Leia’s last living family that hadn’t tried to kill her, and Finn knew Leia had taken a liking to Rey. “We can find her together,” if Luke would ever come out.

“How have you been? Your training?” Whatever Luke had been teaching her.

Speaking of Luke, he could hear the man grumble as he made his way down the ramp. “What am I, a magnet for Force ghosts? I don’t even know you,” Yoda, Old Ben, Qui-Gon, even his father–those ones he could understand why they’d approach him. But who was this voice? Ah, he didn’t have time for that. “Finn,” Luke greeted the man, spotting him with his padawan.

“Master Luke, it’s good to see you,” wait until Mira heard about Luke showing up. He didn’t think she’d be happy about that.

And he’d be right. And Mira was already there, he noted. Across the landing pad. “Mira’s awake!” He couldn’t help but exclaim. She was standing! Should she be up? He noted the eyepatch, though he couldn’t see scarring details from his distance.


Hux and Poe exchanged no words to each other. They had no reason to. His droid and Hux’s cat seemed to be playing around, but other than that, Poe left silently. However, his droid didn’t, beeping up at him. Hux could only quirk a brow at whatever the thing wanted. As soon as it was gone, Hux clicked his tongue at his cat, nodding his head in the direction of the ship.

Millicent seemed to get the hint, looking in the direction, but ultimately turned back to them, weaving herself between Mira’s legs and rubbing herself against them. ‘Silly cat.’

Hux did spare a glance at the drawer she’d been handed. Curious. What was even more curious was the collection of things that didn’t include just the lightsabers Mira had requested before she’d been put under. Books, holocrons, an orb-like thing. And a dead plant. Why did they bring back a dead plant? He couldn’t question that before Mira extended her hand, offering the endless darkness that was the void stone.

“Are you sure?” Not questioning if she needed protection or not, Hux knew Snoke was dead. But did she not want the lack of Force? “I don’t need…,” he trailed off. Of course, Hux also recalled back on Korriban, the grip Kylo Ren had on him before they had escaped. He reached out, his gloved hand covering the stone, covering Mira’s hand. He lingered a moment, before they curled around the stone itself, “Right, thank you.” Hux pulled it back, slipping the stone into his pocket

Hux snapped out of it, straightening. “I’ve much to attend to. I’ll ensure your clothes and a datapad arrive before the end of the night. Until tomorrow, Admiral.” Finn was here, Leia was here. Mira would be fine, for the night.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo knew he shouldn’t be surprised, but he still was, a little. He hadn’t expected Baby Face to come through and actually bring Alsen to them, but there he was, in the flesh. And apologizing. And being accommodating. Immediately.

“Good. We need four rooms,” no sharing. No shoving them all into one.

“Of course,” the Colonel said, as if he hadn’t thought otherwise. Perhaps he hadn’t. He stepped ahead to lead the way, as the officers behind asked about the Throne room.

Kylo supposed he had no issue with it. “Continue guarding. Keep to the instructions the Allegiant General gave you,” at least they were very clearly willing to upset those instructions without question on it, it seemed. Kylo should be satisfied with that.

They left the area, the Colonel speaking into an earpiece as they walked, working out logistics even then. They were able to walk through more of the base, and into areas that more closely resembled Starkiller or a First Order starship, so far as design went. Still just officers, though.

‘Wait a—’ Kylo’s head turned as he saw a Stormtrooper, but not white.

Red.

He glanced to Gnaeus, who’s own wide-eyes confirmed the oddity. “Colonel.”

“Yes, Supreme Leader?”

“Are there Stormtroopers in red armor?”

“There are, yes,” he confirmed, “They aren’t clones, but they underwent another sort of training. Supreme Leader Snoke saw fit to separate them from the clones, and the soldiers of the Order, by red armor,” Alsen offered.

“What sort of training?” Kylo asked.

“The Stormtroopers of the Order relied heavily on Jedi training of non-attachment. These rely on training of the Sith. They lack the Force, but their devotion, their zeal, if you would, makes them talented combatants nonetheless.”

~***~

Wait, Luke heard him? Kevan supposed that shouldn’t really be a surprise. He answered, though. “No, you just happen to be around the person I’m watching. Kevan, by the way. Or Ivan. I don’t know which I like better.” Probably Ivan, but he was rather attached to Kevan, because others were attached to Kevan.

Luke thought he’d heard the name, but he couldn’t place it right then. He’d stayed out of the business of the Knights of Ren as much as possible. He opted to ignore it for now.

He had no ill will towards Finn, no matter his choices. He gave him a nod, supposed it was pleasant enough to see Finn, but he was there for Leia, who hadn’t arrived in the hangar.

Mira was there, though. It shouldn’t surprise him, he’d felt her anger, but he realized he couldn’t feel anything from her. Not even her presence, nor that of General Hux.

Curious.

Rey looked over at Finn’s exclamation, spotting the woman – the eyepatch. She sucked in her bottom lip a moment. She must have been badly hurt to need that. “She’ll probably know where Leia is,” Rey deduced, though realized that maybe Master Luke and Admiral Vallens should maintain some distance. “We can go find out, and make sure she’s okay,” a look to Finn.

She was certain Finn wanted to go check on her, too.



It only took Hux a few seconds to realize that he might be better off with the stone. Mira wanted it. Stars knew she desired it, to keep her connection to the Force minimized, but she also knew that in fights, it was better if she had it.

It was better if Hux had the stone, to even the odds a bit against people like Kylo Ren.

It protected him from her, too. And, for a moment, allowed her to enjoy the moment of lingering without worrying, even if he did, abruptly, shift. Not unexpected, and oddly enough, it didn’t hurt. It was confirmation, at least to her, that he was also working on moving past that. That they had both quietly acknowledged that the night ended.

“Thank you, General. I will see you then,” and for now, she would let him go, as Finn let out an exclamation and she looked towards him instead, and lifted her hand in a slight wave – before quickly bringing it down to steady the drawer.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“Again with the fucking red,” Ariel grumbled under her breath. Red uniforms, red rooms, red stormtroopers. Alsen claimed it was to separate the troopers from clones and the First Order troops, is that also what the red trimmed uniforms symbolized? Separating them from the First Order? She supposed it made sense. There had always been an association of red with the Sith, too.

Ariel’s brows furrowed, “How were they trained in the way of the Sith?” If they weren’t Force sensitive, what was the point? What did Snoke see in it?

“With the Sith ideals, a reverence for what’s come before them, and an emphasis on loyalty,” that sounded incredibly too scripted to Ariel’s ears. “They know their place in all of this.”

‘What does that mean?’

Paquin was the one that spoke next, “This isn’t a branch of the First Order,” a statement, not a question. These weren’t officers who had once been a part of the First Order, as far as Paquin knew. Save for Pryde. And the Stormtroopers, she’d never seen them before. “So...what is it?” Did it have a name? Like the Empire or the Order?

“Supreme Leader Snoke coined it the Final Order. Of course, he is no longer with us, and the Final Order falls to Supreme Leader Ren's discretion. Ah, here we are!” Alsen turned them around a corner, a hall of doors with things being moved in and out of the rooms Paquin assumed would be theirs. “I hope your arrangements will be to your liking. I assumed you would all want to be near each other," hence the moving in and out of officers. "If not, we can work out whatever adjustments we must.”

-

Finn was anxious to check on Mira, and he appreciated that Rey thought to mention it as well.

“You two go ahead,” Luke allowed. He knew better. He’d felt Mira’s anger. He’d heard about her injuries, saw them from the distance he was at. He didn’t think now, of all times, would be a good time to speak with her, to stir the pot, not that it would be his intention. It was just a progression at that point, one that Luke wasn’t sure he’d be able to fix. That would be something to consider later.

For now, he was here for Leia, above all. Luke couldn’t tell who he’d failed most of all. Ceres? Ben? Though he knew better to call either of them that. Or had he failed Leia and Han the most? “I’ve got something to occupy me,” this new ghost. “You can come back when you know something.” He figured Rey and Finn could handle it, probably make Mira feel at ease with him not there.

Finn nodded, “C’mon, let’s go,” he put his hand on Rey’s back to guide her along at first. Though, all he wanted to do was sprint to Mira and hug her, much like he’d hugged Rey. He wasn’t sure if Mira would appreciate it.

As they approached, Hux seemed to linger for a few moments of silence before he picked his cat up and turned. Finn nodded to the ginger as he passed them, resisting the urge to reach out and pet his cat. Hux offered a brisk nod in return. And then Hux was gone, and so was the Void stone.

Mira waved at them, and Finn did so in return happily. He didn’t avoid looking at Mira’s face like Poe had. In fact, it was all he could look at, his brows knitting together in concern, a softness to his eyes. He didn’t mean to, but he couldn’t help it. Just like he couldn’t help just throwing one arm around her, pulling her into a gentle one armed hug, avoiding the drawer of stuff that Poe had delivered to her. “I didn’t expect you to be awake so soon, let alone walking.” He commented, pulling away.

He didn’t yet ask her how she was, he wanted to ask her when they were alone. When he could get her to tell all of the truth. “I see Poe gave you all the stuff we found. I brought your plant!” He pointed it out enthusiastically, gesturing to the dead thing.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus wanted to nudge Ariel for her comment, but he resisted. He just gave her a warning look instead – friendly enough, but wanting to caution her a bit. They still didn’t quite know what they were in for with this…Final Order, apparently.

Kylo arched a brow at the name, and ideals. From the name alone, he imagined it was Snoke’s eventual goal to merge them, and let the Final Order supersede the First Order. Oh, Hux would hate that. Brendol was going to hate it, once he found out. Or at least, if Kylo stuck to the plan. He did want the First Order brought more into the fold.

Perhaps putting some of the Final Order officers in control or commanding positions would help with that.

“Final Order is as good a name as any,” he wasn’t going to get caught up in semantics even where it ‘fell’ to him. It was also likely going to piss off both Huxes with that name, so that was pleasant – even if Younger Hux was going to die before he ever knew about it.

A shame.

Almost.

They were brought into a hallway where officers seemed to be moving out, Kylo noted that, and let them move about. These would do. Alsen had the right idea, “What is this area near?” He inquired, “Amenities, that is. We will need to know where things like the cafeteria, gym, refresher, and other things are.”

“Of course,” Alsen said, “I can offer a tour now, or I can make sure that this information is sent to your datapads – a full mapping of the base.”

“I would like the map,” Gnaeus spoke up.

Kylo didn’t really want more of a tour with Alsen right then, “Maps,” he said. Better to explore at their leisure and not with a tour guide who might obfuscate certain things. Even if he didn’t seem to be. “If we have further questions, we can reach out.”

~***~

Of course, Mira’s gaze followed Hux. How could it not? When next she’d see him, it would be tomorrow, for a political meeting, and she would worry a little until then. Worry for the Order. Worry about Brendol – she still needed to have a chat with Phasma about that.

But for now, she would turn her gaze away and greet Finn. She started to smile, but it faltered. Not because his attention bothered her – in fact, the softness of his gaze was somehow exactly what she wanted right then, more than the anger she’d seen cross Hux. It was somehow a better understanding. A better look.

And so she rebalanced the drawer to hug him back, with one arm. “I’m stronger than I look,” which was true. The Force helped with that, just a bit. Mira released Finn first, rebalanced the drawer again, and looked at the plant. “This isn’t my plant.” She didn’t know it was Kevan’s plant. “I’ll take care of it,” because it was there.

And because she let Millicent leave with the flower.

Her gaze went over the items, spotting the astrium.

She didn’t comment on that, but the hint of surprise and recognition were there.

Rey cleared her throat, and Mira let her attention return to the people, not the items.

Rey bore a similarly concerned look. A bit anxious. A bit embarrassed, too. She wasn’t so close to Mira, even if Mira had broken the news about her heritage before Luke did. She had gotten more out of him about that, now. “What…happened?”

Mira wondered if that was for Leia to say, or for her, before answering. “Kylo killed Snoke, and Snoke had Hux kidnapped. We met him on Korriban. We thought…we thought we could negotiate with him, but he just wanted our surrender.” Which they wouldn’t give him, of course. “Leia’s…physically well.” That seemed important to note.



Kevan was glad that Hux’s path didn’t take him near himself and Luke. Not that he knew, right then, who had the stone. Not until it was away from Mira and h could sense that she didn’t have it any longer. It was obvious who she gave it to.

“What? Leia? ‘Cause you should definitely go see Leia.”

Not that Kevan knew Leia, or had ever gotten to know Leia – much, outside of an interrogation room.

“She’s mean, but she’ll be worse.”

Luke wanted to ask what Kevan knew of Leia, but decided he didn’t need to. “I will.” Rey was, in theory, going to ask Mira where to find Leia.

And he had seen Poe go.

Perhaps Poe deserved a few minutes alone with her, first.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel caught Gnaeus’s warning look and could only resist rolling her eyes. At his warning, at Alsen, at the Final Order. All Snoke did was change a word, couldn’t he have come up with something that wasn’t a First Order rip off? She almost protested Kylo’s settling with the Final Order, but she wouldn’t. She let them be doomed to be the Final Order, even if she could’ve come up with something better.

The gym was the last thing on Ariel’s mind. The first was alcohol. The second was sleep. But of course, Kylo always made use of gyms. Ariel usually did too, to be fair, when she wasn’t having holes shot through her.

“There are datapads in your rooms, the maps of the base will be sent to each one at once. Supreme Leader, whichever datapad you claim as your own, I will have all the information discussed in the meeting sent to it as well. If any of you think of anything else, I’m available. Rest well,” Alsen offered a quick bow of his head before he departed, much to Ariel’s relief.

Alsen annoyed her, unnerved her. He was too agreeable and Ariel didn’t know why. No one was like that unless they have a motive to be. “You can fire him, can’t you?” Ariel asked Kylo once Alsen was gone. Of course she knew they couldn’t fire someone just because she didn’t like them. But she ought to try.

“Ariel?”

“Hm?”

“Why don’t you pick a room?” Paquin predicted they were all the same in size, probably lacking much of a layout. Just like with the First Order. But it would give Ariel something to do other than glare at the space Alsen had taken up.

Ariel pointed to the second door on her left. “I have decided.”

-

“Well then whose plant is it?” Finn couldn’t help but ask. He supposed it was the medic’s. Funny, how a medic had such a dead plant. Well then he brought Mira a plant. He could only wish her luck in taking care of it. He wouldn’t blame her if she threw it in the trash right after.

Finn caught her look. He wasn’t sure what she eyed, but he saw recognition in her eyes. Well, eye. He wouldn’t bring it up right then

Leia was physically well. Finn didn’t think anyone expected Leia to be mentally well. How could someone process their own kid trying to kill them? After successfully killing their other parent no less. It made Rey loath Kylo Ren all the more. How could he do such a thing? Han, Leia, they’d always been so kind to her. In their own ways, of course, but Rey could still appreciate it after growing up with so few nice people.

“And...what about...you?” Rey wasn’t sure if she should ask, but she did anyway.

“Kylo attacked her, too.” Well, Mira acted first but… “She got a good stab in, though.” Finn mentioned with a nudge. Rey would be glad to hear it. Mira...maybe Mira wouldn’t be so glad, but Finn was proud of her nonetheless. He knew he shouldn’t think such things, especially about Leia’s kid...but he couldn’t help it after all Ren had put him through. Put everyone he cared about through.

Rey wanted to know more details. What happened to Mira’s eye? And the scars on her face? Maybe she could ask later. Perhaps Mira would’ve been open with it, but Rey asked something else instead. “Where is Leia? Luke,” Rey gestured behind her, “Leia called him here.” Left quite the messages too. But Rey didn’t think Leia was actually angry at Luke, more upset by the situation and was being her Leia self. Rey figured it was better not to waste time. Maybe Luke would let her hang out with Mira and Finn in the meantime.


Luke settled with idea that he’d be waiting to see Leia, after Poe. After Rey told him where she was. Luke wondered if Leia felt him as he felt her. He was surprised she hadn’t marched out to confront him for ignoring her messages for hours, even if she was occupied with Poe. That wouldn’t have stopped her. But Luke knew she wasn’t as angry as much as she was sad.

That’s what killed Luke the most.

He never could have anticipated that. He’d never seen that.

Luke sighed, opting to lean against his own ship as he waited. He watched Hux retreat into his ship and leave. “So, what are you doing here? Kevan, was it? Or Ivan. Whichever you like better,” Luke echoed the Force-ghosts words. “You said you were watching someone?” Why wasn’t he with that person in that moment instead?

 

[Lucyfer]

New datapads. That was a good thing. Kylo Ren suspected he might even get rid of his arm communications with that information. He didn’t need Mira calling him again, through Kevan’s comm. He didn’t need to wonder if he’d see Kevan again, through that. So, he nodded, but spoke no gratitude. Only understanding.

He’d have a chore for the night, at least, in setting it up just how he wanted it.

Kylo did roll his eyes at Ariel’s question. He wasn’t going to fire Alsen. He didn’t say that. He let Ariel have first dibs on a room.

“I’ll take the one besides it,” Gnaeus said. Better to let Paquin and Kylo be on the same side of the hall, besides each other. Another day, he might have made a joke about it, but he was tired, and too much had happened that day for it to come to mind immediately. The thought of a room, of a bed, and turning in, was exactly what Gnaeus wanted to do right then.

And so he walked to his room and opened it.

It was plain, although, he smirked a bit, as he saw how much of the red hue seemed to be on the trim of things. On the trim of the blanket and pillowcase. On the trim of the walls. “You’re going to love it, Ariel.” He bet it was on the back of the datapad, and he walked in to go retrieve that and start messing with.

Kylo gestured out, “Which would you like, Paquin?” He figured he may as well take the last choice, since Ariel had already been given first choice. Though, he did attempt to steal a look into the doors that Gnaeus and Ariel opened, he couldn’t see much from his current angle.

Nothing spectacular, anyways.

~***~

Mira honestly wasn’t sure how to feel about the whole stabbing Kylo thing. She wished she’d done worse, at the same time she wished it had never come to it. Of course, it had. ‘And you should have killed him.’ It would be difficult.

Unlike Kylo, who so easily took the lives of Han. Kevan. Likely, it was easy for him to even take Leia’s.

Still, she allowed a slight smile under Finn’s pride. It was the proper reaction in his company, perhaps. To allow that there was a part of her that was glad to have stabbed Kylo. “Leia’s at the command center,” she answered Rey. Rey probably had no idea where that was, and perhaps Mira should have been the bigger person and offered to show them, but that involved showing Luke.

She could at least ignore him for a while longer.

“Finn knows the base better than I do,” which was probably true, “He can probably show you and Luke the way.” Even if Leia likely wanted to see Luke most of all, she might not mind a moment with Rey. “I need to unload these things, anyways.” Which really meant drop them on her cot and start going through them.



Kevan remained so relieved someone was actually engaging him. He had a feeling he might have given up the effort, with too long of no successes. Faded into the Force. Into the Void. Except, no – he wasn’t destined for the Void. He was certain of that, now.

“They’re right over there ,by your padawan. Mira and Finn. I was watching Finn on Korriban. He can’t hear me. Mira obviously can’t hear me, but I figured since she couldn’t watch her padawan, I’d try.” Not that he could do anything if Finn got himself into trouble, except flash a crystal.

At least that had gotten his plan here. “Well, I did save my plant. I guess that counts as something. I don’t think they understood that was what I wanted them to do, though.”

Which was fine. They found something useful, anyways. “I’d go watch the ginger but he has a damn stone that means I can’t watch him, so I have to hope he doesn’t get poisoned again.”

Kevan could be…chatty. And he had some time now of not talking to anyone who could hear him.

 

[KyloGlenn]

“They’re all the same, Kylo,” Paquin assured him, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as he attempted to look into the rooms Ariel and Gnaeus decided on. Still her hand found his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze, a little sign of appreciation, even if Paquin would’ve been fine if he left her with the last choice. “I’ll take the one across from Ariel,” Paquin gestured, her hand slipping from Kylo’s arm.

She moved to take the room across from Ariel, who did not love it.

“Bite me, Gnaeus.” Ariel frowned at all the red trimming. The walls, the blankets, the pillows. It wasn’t that she didn’t like red. It was one of her favorite colors. But the Final Order’s obsession with red rubbed her the wrong way. She knew the first thing she was doing was taking her newly acquired–and red–datapad and ordering some new bedding. If this would be her room, she had to start personalizing it anyway, right?

Paquin was right about the rooms being similar. Hers was just as plain, the same size. Though, they were more spacious than she anticipated. There was a bed, a closet, and a desk shoved off to the side. But there was still enough room for a chair, maybe a table, too. Paquin thought that might be nice. But that was a thought for another time.

Paquin wanted a shower, maybe something to eat, and then sleep. She hoped she could find some clean clothes before any of that, though, so she went to the datapad that rested on the desk just as it dinged. The map, as Alsen promised. Paquin set the ring down in its place. She wouldn’t get acquainted with her room, then. There’d be time for that later.

She thought she should probably let her companions know she intended to wander off in the strange base.

-

Finn wasn’t keen on leaving Mira so soon after he just greeted her, but she was right. Finn did know the base better and knew that Mira probably didn’t want to interact with Luke. “Yeah. C’mon, let’s go get Luke,” he didn’t mean to rush, but the quicker they delivered Luke to Leia, the sooner he could get back to Mira. Besides, Finn wanted to check on Leia, too.

“Leia didn’t ask for me, I can wait with the ship,” Rey started, even as Finn shook his head. Rey wasn’t sure she’d be able to offer Leia any comfort, if she saw her. “I don’t know if she’d want to see me.”

Finn furrowed his brows, “What’re you talking about? She’d love to see you!” Finn threw an arm around her shoulder. “C’mon, you’ll see. Mira, we’ve got some catching up to do when I get back,” she could expect an amateur therapy session. Or interrogation. Depended on how she wanted it to go. But also, “And I’ve got some questions about the stuff we found,” mainly the orb. That had actually been in Mira’s room.

The rest was all Finn’s personal project.

Finn turned himself and Rey, letting his arm fall from around her shoulders as they set their eyes on Luke. Who seemed to be talking to himself. Was Luke okay? Perhaps he hadn’t snapped out of his lonely island tendencies yet.


But really, Luke actually was talking to someone other than himself.

Luke almost regretted opening a conversation. This Kevan was very chatty, but Luke supposed he could deal with it. Kevan hadn’t had anyone else to talk with, it seemed. Certainly not the people he’d tasked himself with watching. “I wouldn’t call that plant saved. That thing’s about as dead as you. No offense.” It was true.

Either way, “So you’re watching Mira, then?” Luke deduced. Kevan had said Mira and Finn, but mentioned Hux, too. The people surrounding Mira. “Why? Is she in danger?” Did Kevan know something but have no one to tell? With as chatty as Kevan was so far, Luke thought it would’ve been the first thing the ghost would mention. Perhaps he was just watching in the same way Obi-Wan or Yoda did.

Luke wasn’t sure if he’d get a short answer, or one in time before the kids reached them, as he saw them turn and head back.

“Master Luke, Leia’s in the command center. Finn’s offered to show us,” Rey informed as the two approached.

 

[Lucyfer]

Gnaeus could only laugh as he went to his bed, and sat down, drawing his datapad. Ariel’s dislike was at least funny to him. He waved his hand at the door to close it, though. No need to continue to interfere or comment to Ariel – he was sure that, soon, her room would be different.

So would his.

Maybe Paquin’s.

He wasn’t so sure Kylo’s would change much, though. Unless he did actually move into Snoke’s room, which, Gnaeus anticipated.

And which Kylo was still considering, given proximity to the Throne, and the fact there had been a personal bath, and more space even in the room. This, he decided, was just temporary quarters, so he wouldn’t get too attached to it. He brought the datapad into his hands with the Force, and took a seat on the bed.

He needed to clean up.

He needed to back-up his communications.

He needed….

‘Leia.’

No.

But she came to mind anyways, that last look on her face as she realized the action he was about to take. It left him sitting there inert, as he digested that action. As he digested where he was right then, and what he’d failed to do. What he was considering doing, in removing the communications device at his wrist.

It was more than removing the ability for Mira to contact him, and he knew that.

It would be removing a chance to reach out, and attempt…what?

He sensed Paquin leaving her room, and pushed the thoughts back. He could decide later. He did, however, remove the device at his wrist for now. Left it on the bed, as he decided clothes, and a shower, were in order sooner than later.

~***~

Even Mira couldn’t help but give Rey a bit of an incredulous look as she tried to deny it, “Leia wants to see you,” she said flatly. If only to see that Rey was alive, Leia would want to see her.

She also gave a nod to Finn, “I know,” that much, she was only too aware of. There would be questions about the things. About how she was. She didn’t need to ask to know he’d not said much, due to Rey’s presence. She was grateful for it, even if she didn’t feel a need to hide much from Rey.

She still knew Finn better.

Mira wouldn’t wait after they turned, but shifted to using the Force to hold the drawer ahead of herself, and walked back the way she’d came to find Finn’s room, and her temporary quarters. ‘Just until my eye is…as good as it’s going to get.’ She wasn’t even convincing herself of that. She’d probably leave with him that evening, and plan to return to the Resistance base when it was time to get it checked.

Well…she’d see how things went.

And get the plant some water. Sun. She couldn’t recall if there was a window in Finn’s room.

She was pleased that there was, on returning. It made some sense – having been a Trooper so long, he probably wanted a window out into nature.

~***~

“Oh, no more danger than any leader in war, so, no danger at all.” Kevan was, obviously, being sarcastic about that. It wasn’t the danger inherent in Mira’s situation, though. He just…wanted to be around. Wanted to help. He had always wanted to help, it was why he’d tried to convince her to go with him.

But that didn’t work.

Their lives spiraled after that – his to death, and Mira…well, Mira had risen rather well, in spite of it all. And he was worried for that, too. Worried she might be doing too much, worried she was making herself a bigger target.

Worried she would snap.

“I like Finn.” A comment, after Rey came to them. “Bit hard-headed.” But nice. Genuine. He worried about him, too, for all that he was.

Luke wouldn’t respond to his comments about Finn, or to his earlier sarcasm. He saw little point. He nodded to Rey, and walked forward, looking ahead to Finn, “I’m ready.” No, he wasn’t, but he was as ready as he was going to get for this tragedy.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Ariel sensed Paquin leaving her room, too, so she poked her head out. “I’m heading to bed,” Ariel had been washed up in the medbay and she wasn’t really hungry. She didn’t need clothes to sleep either, so she was content with passing out for a good few hours. If anyone tried to wake her up early, she’d be mad. But for now, “Goodnight, Paq. Don’t stay up too late,” Ariel shot the girl a wink across the hall.

“Oh, I won’t. I’m just going to shower. I’m pretty tired,” Ariel’s suggestive comment went right over her head. “Goodnight, Ariel.”

The redhead could only blink. Kylo joined them in the hall, so she turned her goodbye to him. “Goodnight, Kylo,” A lot of things that Ariel wanted to say to Kylo ran through her head at once, but she said none of them. “Goodnight, Gnaeus!” She yelled at the other man through the wall before retreating into her room, the door swooshing closed behind her.

Which left Paquin and Kylo in the hall.

Paquin’s attention turned to him and she smiled. A tired one, but a smile nonetheless. “Hi. I was just going to find some clothes. And the shower,” she raised her datapad in a gesture to support the statement, the map on the screen. Paquin stepped closer, lessening the distance between them. They were alone. Mostly. There might’ve been a camera feed or something.

Paquin felt the urge to reach for him, for his hand. Hold it. But she refrained. She could now, couldn’t she? Even in the open? But she didn’t want to overwhelm Kylo. They’d all been through a lot, and she wasn’t sure how to process all he’d been through. All he’d done. Snoke...his mother. Paquin exhaled. “Do you want to come with me?” She didn’t mention that she thought he should shower. Get the sand off of him. Blood probably, too. Just as she planned to clean herself of.

-

Luke was ready. He claimed to be. Rey wasn’t, but that didn’t matter. She only nodded as Luke stepped ahead, towards Finn. She followed after him. She didn’t fail to catch the reassuring nod Finn gave, directed at the both of them. Finn knew Rey well, but he didn’t know Luke. He didn’t need to, though, to tell that this was a tough situation for everyone involved.

He’d turned to lead them back into the base. Mira was already gone by that time. Luke thought to ask Kevan, later, if he wanted to tell Mira about him. Or tell Finn to tell Mira, that might go over better. Perhaps if Mira knew someone was trying to speak to her, she’d be more open to receiving communication. A thought for another time, though.

Luke Skywalker’s presence never seemed to go unnoticed. Members of the Resistance all stopped to stare when they saw him, but Finn kept their pace quick. He knew Rey could keep up, at least.

He weaved them all the way to the command center, where Leia in fact was. She was accompanied by Poe, who leaned against the holotable Leia sat at. Poe noticed them first and seemed to understand to wrap up the conversation. There was a point in their direction, Leia following Poe’s finger. Leia stood, but made no move to meet them.

She looked tired. Finn hoped she’d at least take a break from working sometime soon. Rey pushed ahead of them, “Leia,” she began a greeting, but she didn’t know what to say. All she could think of was getting justice for what Kylo had done, but she didn’t think Leia wanted to hear that. But it became apparent that no words were needed from Rey as Leia embraced the girl. Rey was happy to bend to accommodate Leia’s height in the hug and Leia breathed in. Rey was a comfort. So were Finn and Poe, even Mira.

Leia pulled away first, but kept her hands on the girl’s arms. Finn hated to interrupt, but he saw that Leia was okay. She’d be okay with Luke and Rey. “Hey, I’m gonna go keep an eye on Mira. Do you know where she’d have gone to, General Organa?”

“She’s staying in your room, Finn.”

“Oh.” Finn was a bit surprised by that.

“Is that alright?”

“Yeah, of course! I’ll see you guys in a bit,” Finn smiled, his hand gently squeezing Leia’s shoulder before he began to back up. “Maybe we can hang out later, yeah?” Finn directed that at Rey. They had a lot of catching up to do. He wanted to tell her all he’d learn since he last saw her, because there was a lot. But he’d reunite with Mira, first.

 

[Lucyfer]

“Good night, Ariel,” Kylo felt the smallest twitch of a smile as she bid her good nights loudly to everyone – especially Gnaeus, who’s response was muffled. Kylo wasn’t even sure if it was ‘good night’.

His gaze left her room, to drop down to Paquin. His smile grew a bit under the warmth of hers. He felt a similar longing to reach out, but the anxiety of it all – the new base, the new situation, even his new position, had him hesitating. Not to mention – new relationship.

“Yes,” he agreed, “I was hoping to find more clothes tomorrow…and we could probably bring some back for Gnaeus and Ariel,” once they had found clothes.

He still made a gesture towards their rooms. Drew it back. Thought to draw it forward to at least touch her shoulder, but failed at doing that. “A shower was also on my plans.” He needed to try and just…cleanse himself.

A shower would help him start to hit the reset button on his mind. Let it all soak in, in those minutes he was alone. Pull together. Sort out where he was now, and what came next. Even if he knew what came next – meetings, and war. The usual things, but no longer framed in the usual manner.

It was now all on him, not Snoke.

“I’m sure I could do with a bite to eat, as well.” He wasn’t hungry, he realized, but he still thought it might be good to eat so he wasn’t ravenous when he woke. “I think the clothes would be first on the list.” They’d have something to change into after showering, and then they would be clean for anything else.

He wanted to ask how she was, but thought first they could get on the way. Maybe even wait until after the shower.

~***~

Luke was somewhat relieved to see how Leia took to Rey. How even Poe was, before he moved away from the table, assessing the situation a bit, and opting to make his way to ducking out before he got in the way of Leia having time with people she didn’t see so much. Not before he set the picture down, face down, on the table, though.

Luke couldn’t help but doubt Leia wouldn’t be so keen to accept a hug from him.

His apology would likely ring hollow, even if that would be the most sincere.

He had failed Ben.

He had failed Leia.

He would not move to interrupt Leia and Rey, not immediately, but he’d let their exchange linger, even into Finn’s question. Rey’s smile bubbled up quick, bright, and she gave a single, firm nod. “Mm. Definitely.” She wouldn’t leave until she’d actually gotten to sit and talk with Finn.

Luke had already accepted he’d be staying here. On his ship, if not on the base.

“Leia….” He finally spoke. His voice felt too quiet, and too hoarse, at once, and he realized that since laying eyes on her, he’d started to choke up. No tears, though his eyes may have threatened to water. He tried to clear it, that gruff sound only seeming to mess up any idea of what he might have said to her.

Not that there was anything to say, except apologies, again, for leaving.

He’d had to protect Rey. To hide her from Snoke, to hide himself from Snoke, and now…Snoke was gone, too. Snoke was gone, and Ben had chosen the dark side.

~***~

The plant was set in the sunlight, the curtain pulled open. Mira was able to find a sink, and she didn’t bother with a container. She just floated water into an orb, and brought it along with her. She should stay in practice, or that’s what she told herself, even if a bit of her was a little amused with the few shocked glances she got for carrying a floating ball of water from the nearby refresher, back to Finn’s room.

The soil was dampened. Some bits of water caressed leaves. ‘What even are you?’ Mira wasn’t familiar with the plant. Not that she would be; she had catalogued the looks of many in Wild Space, found out the hard way some were poison, but that didn’t mean she knew them.

It was still alive, though. That much, she could feel, however dim that life was.

She wondered if it had been Ariel or Gnaeus’s plant, before deciding it definitely wasn’t Ariel’s. ‘Kevan.’ She supposed it could have been his. Kylo was impossible. Could Paquin have found and nearly killed a plant that quickly?

No matter.

She returned to her cot, and started to sort through the items. Holocrons. Astrium. Books. She made piles.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin liked listening to Kylo speak. She liked hearing his voice, even though he just spoke of the simple things he planned on doing. She was giddy that she could freely think of all the things she liked without being afraid of having such thoughts. “First things first. Clothes, then.” Paquin’s gaze left him for only a moment to consult the map on her datapad.

“They have to have a laundry around here somewhere,” she mused as she tapped away at the map. She paused a moment to orient herself with which direction the map wanted her to go. “This way, I think.” Paquin nodded her head down the hall before she got them on their way, keeping the datapad handy for any additional directions.

Paquin similarly wanted to ask him how he was. Let him know that he could talk to her. But she didn’t want to put him on edge, or make him feel like he was being pressured or judged. She hoped he knew by now that her door was open for him, if he ever needed it. If it felt right, she might ask him out of her own concern. But she opted for a different question, “How do you like your room?”

Her arm bumped against Kylo’s a bit as they walked. It would be so easy for her to capture his hand in his, but the most she did was let her fingers brush against his hand, “Mine is nice. Bigger than the rooms I’ve had before, especially when I was with the Order,” there’d been room for a bed and that was about it. She wondered what they’d done with her personal effects. Thrown them out, probably. She hadn't had much. Just clothes and books, her certificates and things, which she was a bit disappointed to not have anymore. And some pictures, but she could always get more copies.

She missed that dead plant more than anything, though.

“I might get a new plant.”

-

Both Leia and Rey watched as Finn disappeared out of the command center. Rey squeezed Leia’s arms once he was out of sight, releasing the woman as Luke spoke up. Rey was a bit surprised at the tone of his voice, the wateriness of his eyes. It wasn’t something she’d expect from Master Luke, and she’d been too occupied to feel it through the Force, she supposed.

Rey backed away as Leia stepped forward.

Whatever apologies Luke was prepared to pour out would mean nothing to Leia.

They’d mean nothing because Leia didn’t blame Luke for Ben. Above all, she’d felt she’d failed Ben the most. She’d sent him away. Luke had only tried his best, what he knew. Leia should’ve known better, she was his mother. Had Ben needed a teacher, or had he needed his parents more? Maybe if she’d spent more time with him, with him and Han…

The only thing Leia had been angry with Luke about was that he’d left, back then. When she’d needed her brother the most. But she understood why he’d left, even if it hurt. Leia of all people knew there were some actions that needed to be taken, no matter the cost. But he was there now.

Leia’s own eyes mirrored Luke’s watery ones, and at the sound of his voice Leia was close to releasing all the emotions that had been building to that moment. But she couldn’t, not in front of everyone there. “Luke–” Her own voice was too quiet, choked. Holding back a cry that threatened to spill out. She rushed forward and embraced her twin. “I’m glad you’re here.” All she could do was whisper.

-

Finn was quick to weave through the halls he’d been through so many times, to his room. He’d shared rooms before, in the Order and the Resistance. But he’d had his own on the base, for the first time. He enjoyed it, enjoyed having his own space to make his own, his own window to look out of. But sometimes it was a strange adjustment, being all on his own. Partly why he was more than happy to have Mira share his with him.

Even if he suspected it was just for the night.

He turned the corner and then turned again into his room. The door swooshed open and he was quick to observe the open curtain and the plant that rested in the sunlight. He couldn’t feel the life in it like Mira could, not as attuned, and wondered if there was any hope to Mira’s actions. But he said nothing. He’d let her have her little project. Maybe she’d bring it back to life.

He noted her separating of piles.

“Making yourself at home already, I see,” he teased as the door closed behind him. He plopped onto his own bed, a bit more of a permanent fixture than Mira’s temporary cot. He thought to offer her his bed for the night, instead, and pushed the thought aside to suggest later. For the moment, he had a lot of questions for her, wanted to know everything he’d missed. Wanted to know how she was doing. And what all the stuff they’d grabbed even meant.

“Poe and I didn’t really look through any of the stuff, I don’t know what’s on the holocrons. And I can’t read the books. But we just grabbed whatever we thought might have some use.” Finn noted that Mira hadn’t pulled out the picture Poe mentioned. He figured Poe must’ve taken that to Leia. Finn would bring it up, in case Mira would want to look at it. “Poe found a picture of you, Kevan, and Kylo. He thought Leia might like it, since it had Ren smiling.” Mira could bring it up with Leia if she was interested.

“So, how are you doing?”

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo fell in step with Paquin. He didn’t attempt to lead. He wanted to walk at her side, to enjoy that closeness, even if there was still space between them. Even if it was still uncertain. How much space to leave? How much to take?

Her arm bump brought him out of the thoughts, and to her question – her statements about her own room.

And the plant he still wished was dead for being Kevan’s plant, even if now it was Paquin’s. He’d forgotten the name that it was given. Still, a new plant would be fine, he supposed. “A new plant would be a good idea,” better than trying to get the old plant back, although he knew they would, eventually, have to go back to Korriban. Sooner than later. Kamino, as well.

“The room is sufficient – larger than almost all my previous ones,” his room on the Finalizer had actually been larger than this. “I still think I’ll take over Snoke’s old room, though,” he figured some of the reasons for that were obvious, “It has enough space for a bed,” and he could outfit the rest of it to his liking. Remove everything that had been Snoke’s from it. Make it his, completely.

“What kind of plant do you think you’ll get?” Flowering? Bushy? Kylo didn’t know much about plants.

He didn’t even know if Kevan’s plant could have flowered, if it was a tiny tree…he didn’t know, at all.

He didn’t care about Kevan’s plant. Paquin had a choice now. And, he realized, she’d also have to make a new lightsaber, too. Another choice. He bent his wrist a bit to let his fingers reach out to her own hand, to trail the back of it.

Should he just grab her hand?

‘This is a military base. No.’ Right. People didn’t do that. ‘But I’m the Supreme Leader!’ So yes?

He was once again, overthinking it. And as usual with overthinking, he went with an action, and would at least try to wrap his hand around Paquin’s – see how it felt. See if it was too awkward. Or if it was okay.

~***~

Luke Skywalker had not expected the embrace, and yet, he did not respond with surprise. Once Leia reached him and embraced him, his arms automatically wrapped around her, and his head bent to touch her own head.

Leia’s guilt. Leia’s pain.

If he could have taken it from her, he would have – but it was as impossible a task as his own guilt, and his own pain, leaving him.

Luke wasn’t glad to be there. He wasn’t glad for the circumstances. He couldn’t repeat Leia’s words when he wished this were all different, when he wished instead that Rey had killed Snoke, and they were bringing back a repentant Ben to Leia. Or….

“I know.” He almost realized how terrible a phrase that was to say. Almost wanted to take it back.

Except, he couldn’t. And he wouldn’t.

Han would always be between them, too – and Han had taught him, too, that sometimes just acknowledging the situation was enough.

Rey didn’t leave. Not quite. Though she did move to take a look at what Poe left behind, curious, and as a way to look away from the moment she was not a part of.

~***~

Mira glanced up from the separation, giving Finn a bit of a smirk as he teased, before looking back down. Of course, she could only sort the holocrons by Sith or Jedi. The books, well, she couldn’t read that language, either. It might be something to ask Luke about. Or Mace. Mira still preferred Mace. Lack of history helped, no matter his particular opinions.

“It may have use,” Mira confirmed. She would find out with the holocrons, one by one. It gave her something to do, at least.

Which, she might need.

She wasn’t sure how easily sleep would come.

Her expression shifted as he mentioned an image of Kevan, herself, and Kylo…together. Smiling. How long had it been? ‘When could it have been?’ Seeing it, no doubt she’d remember when. Their ages would be apparent to her. The location, the event—she knew they wouldn’t be in knight armor.

She had started to smile, and then it fell off, thinking of those better times. It did make her sad. It would likely make Leia said. It would be some time before the memories were more nostalgically pleasant.

“I don’t know, Finn.” She answered, looking back down at what was there, rather than at Finn. “I’m alive,” that was one positive, “but Kylo tried to kill Leia,” and that was still hard to accept. Him killing her was much easier to accept. They’d hurt each other. They were going to continue to hurt each other…but Leia was another matter. “And my eye may be permanently damaged. It’s likely. I just don’t know how extensive that damage is yet,” she reached a hand up to touch the eyepatch.

“I’m not…really a fan of the scars, either.” Cosmetic. Cosmetic. Cosmetic.

Well, she cared, damn it. Cosmetic or not, she cared. “I know I’ll adjust. I know it’s pointless to worry about what I am not certain of, or to be concerned with scars.” But it had barely been a few hours, and she was.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin enjoyed this, talking about nothing and simply reveling in each other’s company. She was even happy with the light brushes of their hands together, content to leave it at that. But his hand wrapped around hers and she felt a fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. Her hand closed around his. Despite the fact that they were holding hands in the open, it felt nice to her. It did occur to her that maybe they shouldn’t, that this wasn’t the place.

But Kylo was the Supreme Leader, wasn’t he? And she was a Knight of Ren. What would any of them do? Tell them to stop? Not that there was hardly anyone loitering in the halls at that time.

Paquin had expected Kylo to take Snoke’s room. There was good reason to, it was bigger, had its own refresher, and was right behind the throne room. It made sense for him to take it, as the new Supreme Leader, which was still very strange to Paquin. Yet, she felt a bit apprehensive about it, not that she’d stop him. She just liked all of them being in the same hall. A comfort thing, she supposed.

“I can help you decorate,” she offered, jokingly of course. She didn’t think they shared the same sense of interior design. But speaking of decorations, “I’m not sure yet. I think flowers might be nice, for color.” Red wasn’t exactly one of Paquin’s favorites, she’d thought some other colors would be nice. Maybe pink. Paquin wasn’t sure what kind of plant Kevan’s had been, or if she’d want one of them. “Maybe honeyblossoms. They smell nice,” they were used to make incense. She did have to consider the lack of sunlight in her room, given they were well within the base.

What was also deep in the base was the laundry room. A wide door served as an entrance, whooshing open when they got close. Paquin didn’t let go of Kylo’s hand, but her grip was light enough for him to slip free, if he so chose. Not that there was anyone waiting for them, just a few droids whirling about. Tall and a dark gunmetal color, nothing unusual about them except the hint of red on the chest plate. More red. An insignia Paquin hadn’t seen before, a red diamond looking thing.

-

Leia was both pained and comforted at the same time. Comforted by the phrase Luke uttered as they were tied to a familiar feeling of love, comforted by his embrace. Pained by the words all the same, pained by the situation that brought them there. Her eyes closed to stop the tears that burned at her eyes from spilling over, even if they would be silent.

“I don’t know what to do, Luke,” the words were hardly above a whisper. And they weren’t true. She knew exactly what she had to do, she had to go to war against her son. There was no Snoke to fight, to blame for manipulating or holding her on with fear. He made his choices. But Leia didn’t want to fight him. And even though she knew what she had to do and exactly what goal she’d aimed for her entire life, she felt aimless.

She knew she’d be fine in time. Back to normal, at least.

She held Luke there for a good few moments until she felt she was composed enough to pull away.

She wondered when she’d finally reach a breaking point. That night, when she was alone and couldn’t sleep? A week from then at a terribly inconvenient time? Or when this was all over? Leia was awfully good at holding things in. Would this be an exception.

“Come on, I kept some rooms available for you two,” if they wanted them. Really, Leia just wanted to get out of the command center. She knew she and Luke should talk about things before the meeting tomorrow...eventually. “Rey?” Leia looked at the girl.

She looked perplexed, brows knitted by what she was looking at. Because she was, in a way. Rey had never seen Kylo Ren smile before. Not in a way that wasn’t condescending. This looked genuine. Mira’s too, and Rey wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen the blonde smile. And then there was a third man, who she didn’t recognize. When was this?

-

Finn was relieved by Mira’s answer. Well, he wasn’t by the news of her eye or that she wasn’t sure how she felt, but relieved that she hadn’t lied or tried to say she was fine. He knew Mira was entirely too good at shoving her emotions aside, of course mostly out of fear of what could happen if she didn’t. Which Finn was partly hoping to avoid having her doing, by talking about it.

This wasn’t an easy situation, not a single way of it.

“It’s okay to be upset.” She didn’t need to find positives in the situation, though he was happy she at least found one in her being alive. “It might be pointless, but it’s still okay to be worried. I won’t lie and say scars aren’t a big deal. Maybe to others they aren’t, but I get it.” And he did.

The scar on his back haunted him.

He hated being reminded of it. He’d catch glimpses of it in the mirror, sometimes. Or he’d feel his clothes brush against it. Finn wasn’t the type to walk around shirtless, but when he did find himself in a position like that, he made quick work to cover it. It was an insecurity. He hated when people asked about it. He hated what it reminded him of. He hated that Kylo had left a mark on him. He was lucky, at least, that he could cover it.

Mira’s wasn’t like that.

Even if no one was bothered by the scars. Even if people looked with pity rather than repulsion. Even if loved ones didn’t care, there was still a personal effect scars had. And her eye? What kind of scar would that be? Definitely a mental and physical one. Altering, if it truly was permanent.

Maybe there were options, though. Her scars weren’t completely healed, neither was her eye. “It is still early. If Leia’s taught me anything, it’s to have hope. And you’re not alone. I’m always here for you. If you need to talk or for when you see the medics...anything.” Finn offered the most supportive smile he could. “Y’know, after Coruscant and Korriban...hell, after the lives we’ve lived, I think you and I can handle just about anything.” They were a team.

 

[Lucyfer]

Kylo doubted much that Paquin and he had similar tastes. Her want of a plant was one of the reasons for that, and then a flowering one, at that. He was definitely still more of a minimalist, though he thought he might prefer a color change.

Dark grays, blues, blacks – those would be more comforting in a room where he was supposed to be sleeping. Not this red and the bright silver of everything. He could do without that.

At least honey blossoms didn’t have an offensive scent, per Paquin. He’d have to find out. “I don’t know those,” not that, he supposed, Paquin expected that. “What do they smell like?” He did find his hand leaving Paquin’s as the door opened to the laundry room which only seemed to have droids.

Apparently, there did remain a concern of being caught, despite moving through a hallway.

‘Who would you find in a laundry room, who’s opinion you would care about?’ Kylo wasn’t going to humor the mental question.

The droids also had that hint of red that Kylo was going to have to get used to being around everywhere. “Excuse me,” he raised his voice. Talk of flower scents would have to resume later.

A droid turned its head towards him. “Supreme Leader,” it assessed, apparently already aware. “We are preparing a delivery of clothing to your room, and the rooms of your knights,” it stated in a monotone that sounded…exasperated? Perhaps that was just Kylo reading more into it than necessary.

“Who told you?”

“Orders came down from Allegiant General Pryde.”

Was there anything Pryde wasn’t overlooking?

“Should we terminate these plans?”

“No – I need something now. So does Paquin Ren.” Had they talked about her being a Ren? Somehow, he didn’t think so….

~***~

‘Yes, you do.’ Luke did not say that, because the next thing was war with Kylo. Leia knew that, but Leia wanted any other alternative. Anything, of course, except surrender. Luke knew that, as difficult as it was, Leia would not step down from her position. He could suggest it, and he might be slapped for it.

Suggest allowing someone else to step up, and lead.

It would be a morale victory for…Kylo.

Shattering, for the Resistance.

‘Why can’t you be more like your grandfather, Ben?’ Vader had stood down, eventually. Killed the Emperor. If he could have, he would have come back to the light. Likely, Leia would still have not forgiven Vader, and many in the galaxy wouldn’t, but still…Luke wished Kylo could have chosen that.

He let Leia break the embrace, silent, and nodded as she spoke of rooms. He could take one, if it was already prepared. Far better than arguing with her. And it let them leave this area. It wasn’t heavily populated now, but he knew a command center could be. It wasn’t private.

His own brows knit a bit as he saw that Rey had something in her hand. “Rey?” He echoed Leia’s inquisitive tone, and Rey looked away from the picture.

“Poe left this,” Rey said, and hesitated a moment, before extending it towards Leia, “I…I’m sure he left it for you.”

Kylo saw it, over Leia’s shoulders, and he almost wanted to tell Rey to turn it away. The faces…they were older than when Kylo had known them. Somehow, he hadn’t expected to see them…happy…when he knew at that time they were with Snoke. A trio, squished together close, for a picture.

And who was the third one?

“Kevan….” He barely realized he’d spoken the name, but it came to him with dawning realization that it had to be Kevan, the one who spoke to him. There was something to the energy of him, and in that picture.

He could tell he was chatty at a glance, an arm thrown around Kylo’s shoulders, clearly holding a datapad, or a camera – something – to take the picture. And then to go to the effort of printing it out, something so archaic….

~***~

This was why Mira didn’t mind talking to Finn. There was no criticism here, there was just a certain sort of…endearingly honest concern, with an optimism behind it, that Mira wasn’t certain she’d known in anyone. Not even Kevan. It wanted to choke her up – the gratitude, mingled with her own sorrow and her anger at the situation.

She didn’t, of course.

She was suppressing the feelings again, and quite well. “I know you are,” and it was another of the reasons she stayed there tonight, besides the need to stay near medics, and even distance herself from Hux. Stars knew if she wanted to just call this a sleepover, grab ice cream from somewhere, and binge feelings before the meeting tomorrow, Finn would be game.

It might have even been a good thing. It certainly wasn’t something Mira was invited to partake in as a child. “I might want you when I see the medics,” she wouldn’t say anything definitive. She didn’t know how things would be. Everything seemed to have turned on its head in just a few hours.

“But otherwise…I don’t have a pressing need. Just being here is enough, right now.” Being there, knowing Finn was there, and able to help on a whim…as he’d done at Tarkin’s, when he was wholly unprepared. She was calmer now. Wounds to herself were easier to deal with, apparently, then the threat to Hux’s life.

“I just have to prepare myself to go back to…everything.” A night here would help. “Once I know what the actual situation is…it’ll be better. It’s the uncertainty that bothers me.” When it came, it may be devastating, but then she knew what she was dealing with. Just as with her emotions, she knew the best thing to do was keep them suppressed. She just needed to know what to do with her eye. How the scars were going to look.

What the hell she could do with her hair. “I’d honestly rather be told that I’d have to lose my eye than…wait.” Perhaps this was, in some ways, why she’d never quite managed with Resistance teachings. Jedi teachings. Hope was good, but certainty was better.

 

[KyloGlenn]

Paquin wasn’t upset by Kylo’s release of her hand, though she did miss the warmth. She understood it, at least she thought so, anyway. Instinct. Uncertainty. The thought, the wonder of whether this should be something she should expect, if this would be a constant, was only fleeting. Was she thinking too far ahead?

Pryde sure did seem to be on top of things. Clearly he was meticulous. Paquin felt the need to note that, as if she might need that later. Maybe she would, if she ever had to deal with Pryde herself. Paquin didn’t dwell on it though, her gaze snapping to Kylo as he said her name followed by Ren.

Was that the first time he’d called her that? Others had called her that and she’d allowed it. Paquin wasn’t sure how she felt. On one hand, it warmed her. Like she’d really been accepted into the little group that she’d already considered her family. On the other, she questioned it. Was she a Ren? Did it fit her? Was she worthy of it? Of course, she said none of this to Kylo. Her thoughts were interrupted by a heavy, electronic sigh.

“One moment,” the droid wandered off, deeper into the laundry room.

“They smell...warm. Sweet, yet still earthy. Amber-y, I suppose.” A more common smell, to compare that of honey blossoms to. “I used to have one, when I was younger,” a gift from her mother. They were from her mother’s home planet, not that Paquin had ever been there herself. But it was much of the reason she hadn’t expected Kylo to know them.

The droid came back, clothes folded in its grasp. Paquin took what was handed to her, simple. Black pants, a grey shirt. Though, a cloth bag rested atop her folded clothes and she peaked in. ‘Now how’d they get those measurements…’ The Order, she supposed. But still. She didn’t think the Order would have her bra size on file. It wasn’t mandated. She wasn’t a trooper. She decided not to think it to be strange, for her own sake. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job." Paquin wondered if they programmed the droid to be like this.

-

Leia’s brows furrowed as Rey said Poe left it for her. Leia hadn’t noticed and she felt bad for not giving him her full attention then. But those thoughts dissipated from her mind as soon as she caught sight of the image. Any and all thoughts were gone from her mind as soon as she laid eyes on it. All thoughts except how much pain she was in. How sad the image made her.

Rey felt it, and she wished she’d never shown it to Leia. Not in the moment, anyway.

Ben was older, in the image, than when she’d last seen him before the academy's destruction, but younger than when she saw him hours ago. He didn’t have a scar yet. And he was happy. She liked seeing him smile, he had a sweet one. She missed that, too. She had an idea when this could be, within the Snoke timeline. He was happy then. Was he happy now, too? He didn’t look it when she’d seen him.

Leia hadn’t noticed any tears had slipped from her eyes until Luke’s voice pulled her out of her head. Quickly, she wiped them away, sniffled. “Kevan?” Rey asked. Luke knew him, had he been at the academy? Rey supposed she didn’t remember her time there. “You know him?”

“Kevan was one of his names, anyway,” Leia looked over the other two figures in the picture then. She didn’t know Kevan’s real name, but knew he went by a few. “He was a spy for the Knights. And then he wasn’t.” Complicated situation. Kylo had killed him, too. Leia held the picture close to her chest with one hand, the other running an anxious hand over her braid.

Leia looked around, before turning, wordlessly beginning the journey to the rooms readied for Luke and Rey. She was tired of Kaydel looking over at them with concern.

-

“Whatever you need, Mira.” If she needed a companion to the medbay, he was there. If she just needed a presence, well, he was already there. Would be all night, too. Hell, he was tempted to go and get some ice cream unprompted. He’d never had a traditional sleepover, either. Of course, he’d always shared his rooms. And there was that one night on Jakku, with Hux and Poe. Did those count?

He hoped not. Hux was a dreadful sleepover buddy.

Finn couldn’t help but think it was interesting how Mira, someone who used the Force which was full of mystery, things no one understood, wanted certainty. But he could make sense of that, too. With so many things Mira didn’t have control of, it was understandable to want something to be sure of. Especially with things like this, where hope could build up just to be shattered.

Finn really was becoming an amateur therapist, wasn’t he? Of course, he could be entirely wrong.

“Maybe your answers will come sooner than you expect,” there was always something to hope for. “I think we’ll be getting some tomorrow, at least.” Not the ones she wanted, anyway. Maybe if she checked in with the medics she would. Finn wished he could help with that aspect, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know anything, the medics didn’t know anything yet, either.

“Normally I wouldn’t recommend distractions, but…” Maybe Mira would do well with them. To not think about what she didn’t know, couldn’t know. If she were Leia, he’d suggest the opposite. All Leia did was distract herself. She never confronted her feelings, never allowed anyone to comfort her. Poe told him much about that. Finn slinked off of his bed, scooting the short distance over to Mira’s cot. “I may not be as good a dancer as Hux, but I come bearing other gifts,” he gestured to the things around them, and then he remembered.

“Oh! Guess what I found,” and had a quite interesting story to go along with. He dug in his pockets for the crystal.

 

[Lucyfer]

Amber-y, warm, flower? It was strange to Kylo, who only knew flowers to have the typical floral scents. Not that a rose could be compared to others, he supposed, but he still considered it fairly floral. He wondered if honey blossoms would really be that different, or if his sense of smell simply wasn’t as attuned as Paquin’s.

“Well, perhaps we can find some to add to your room,” he didn’t know if they needed much sun. A lamp could always be bought for that.

The droid returned, and he accepted his own bundle of clothes. He was too used to measurements being needed for his armor that he honestly wasn’t surprised at all. He wasn’t surprised with it by Paquin, either – they had taken measurements for armor back at Kamino, or he thought they had, anyways.

The droid was annoying, though.

He was 90% certain it wasn’t programmed this way, just developed this. Droids were hard to program for personalities. Rather like people, they developed almost autonomously within the parameters of their programming.

So, Kylo didn’t thank the droid.

“Let’s just go see to the showers.” And away from the newest annoyance that, in theory, he’d never need to see again since his wardrobe would soon be stocked.

Actually…. “Wait, is there going to be armor crafted or just these kinds of clothes?”

“My job isn’t to make clothes. I don’t know the status of any armor, Supreme Leader.”

“Who does make the clothes here?”

~***~

Luke shook his head at Rey’s query. He didn’t. Not really. And it seemed that he wasn’t around him any longer, either. Luke could assume he went back to Mira.

Neither of them pressed Leia further on the photo, and Luke was quietly glad she seemed to be keeping it. Not immediately tearing it to pieces. He would follow, as would Rey, through the halls of the Resistance base, that was so much like a Rebel base. Of course it was. They followed the same ideas and tactics that beat an Empire.

He still knew he’d get lost a few times on his own.

Unlike the Empire, their bases didn’t have a rhyme or reason for much – just whatever worked, wherever it worked.

He was pretty sure that once the showers had been right behind the kitchen. People in towels would be eating cereal in the mess hall.

At least there seemed to be an empty room for them. Beds were in it, but not yet filled from what Luke could tell, and he stepped in, “This will do fine,” there was more than enough space for him and Rey.

~***~

Mira did know there would be answers tomorrow, about how they would move forward with implementing governmental changes, on the galactic scale. Further talk of how to engage Kylo Ren and what he now held power over, would continue tomorrow, as well. Leia would not enjoy that subject. Some parts of Mira would, those parts that wanted revenge.

They would see how disparate groups could get along in peaceful debate.

‘And you. And Luke.’

That reminded her of Mace, but she didn’t let that thought surface as Finn moved over to show her something else. “A kyber?” Mira asked, looking at the stone that Finn revealed. It wasn’t large, but it was large enough.

A knowing smile grew. “You want to make a lightsaber, don’t you?” Which, she still thought he wasn’t ready to learn, but the holocrons would actually prove to be useful tools for bringing him to that point. Stepping stones to learn how to control and focus the Force in an area.

She had no idea the further story related with this particular kyber. She also wasn’t soon to deny the distraction of it. Finn needed a lightsaber of his own, not just Ariel’s. Plus, he’d brought a wealth of scrap metal along with him that could be used in the construction.

 

[KyloGlenn]

She could bore Kylo with her talk of flowers for hours, she figured. Not that she’d had a collection of plants of her own, but she’d read much about them. Some were used in medicine. There were a lot more strange foliage and flower species across the galaxy than that of her honey blossoms. Like sentient ones. Ones that killed people. Paquin would not be getting any of those.

Paquin was content with the clothes she’d received, but Kylo had further inquiries. There was a beat of silence before the droid answered, seemingly as annoyed with Kylo as he was with the droid. But Kylo was the Supreme Leader and could have it decommissioned, so it answered. “Captain Gideon and his team of droids make the clothes. He also has experience in designing armor, it may do well to consult him on yours.”

Paquin, despite her dislike for wearing the armor, was curious about this. Given the fact that both she and Ariel had been shot at recently, which could have been fatal for either one of them, she wondered if there was room for improvement. “Is he in?”

“No.” The droid offered no further information. Until her datapad beeped and she shuffled her collection of things in her arms to look at what she’d received. “You may use this information to contact him. Now that we’ve established who does and does not make the clothes, is there anything else I could have the pleasure of helping you with?” Or would they let it go back to its actual job of washing, folding, and sorting clothes?

This droid was the first reluctantly accommodating entity they’d come across and it felt normal. Maybe Paquin would mention it to Ariel, who was most creeped out about the friendly officers. She could have a droid friend.

-

If Leia hadn’t been lost in her own head, she might have made a remark. Something about how it better be fine or he could sleep on his ship. That this wasn’t a hotel. The thought did occur to her to say it, but it was far too delayed. “Good. It’s not much, but it’s a place to sleep.” Maybe they could figure out better arrangements, if they wanted to stay longer. Which Leia didn’t count on, even if she wished they would.

She hated not hearing from Luke for days, weeks, whenever.

And she missed Rey. She was sure they all did. Her, Finn, even Poe. BB-8, too.

“There’s refreshers and laundry at the end of this hall, and the canteen down the hall to the left. They’re hard to miss. Command center’s back the way we came,” hopefully they were paying attention to that, because Leia wasn’t going to explain it. Luckily, this base wasn’t as complicated as the one with a mess hall and showers as neighbors. All the big things were central, mostly, or easy to find if one walked long enough.

“Leia, do you know where Finn’s room is?” Rey asked. She wouldn’t go see him yet, she’d give him time with Mira. But while she had Leia here, she thought she’d ask.

“Down the hall, second turn you come across, his door is right there.” How Leia remembered any of this was unknown.

-

“That was kinda what I was thinking when I grabbed it,” Finn admitted with a grin. He wanted his one to call his own and he took the opportunity when he saw it. Of course, he didn’t know that technically the crystal had been Mira’s once. And then Paquin stole it. And then he stole it back. A lot of stealing going on. Finn unhooked another stolen item, Ariel’s lightsaber, from his belt. “Red’s not really my color.”

He didn’t want red. He knew red lightsabers were usually made with synthetic crystals, at least. He didn’t know how it would work with the crystal he stole from Paquin. It was clear now, but it had been blue. And it had been orange.

“It served another purpose, too. It was weird, after Poe and I had finished going through everything, it started glowing, orange,” it kind of reminded Finn of Mira’s hair crystals, but he didn’t mention those. “I don’t really know what it was...it was probably stupid to follow it but whatever was on the other side–the Force, maybe–led us back into your room. Or what we thought was your room…,” it was all very complicated, wasn’t it?

It was empty, and seemed like Mira’s room. But the plant in it hadn’t been hers.

“I thought it took us to BB-8, who had the metal scraps, but it kept glowing so we looked around a bit. It led us to that,” Finn gestured to the astrium. Or at least, that’s what Finn thought it led them to. Finn didn’t know that the thing behind the crystal was Kevan and that all it had wanted was for the plant to be saved. Whatever the case, it had been a win.

“I thought, since we assumed it was your room, that you’d know what it was.” But maybe she didn’t….maybe they shouldn’t have brought it back. “Are there such things as cursed items?”