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Fandom The New Dawn {Closed}
- Thread starter Asteria
- Start date
Asteria
⚔️
Afraid. For the first time, in so long, Ciarra Ren – no. Not Ciarra Ren. For the first time in so long, Laelynn Solo felt afraid as she watched her brother approaching from the other side of the Oscillator structure. He was out on a hunt. With the young girl gone and the Tarkin woman following her example, Starkiller’s base was on high alert. Stormtroopers flooded the upper and the lower levels, rifles held high, searching into the darkness of the corridors and hidden corners for any sight of the escaped prisoners. Both were important. Both needed to be found. Whereas one was the key to the map of Luke’s whereabouts, the other’s name and legacy made them an important assessment. The memory of the ruthless, yet ambitious Wilhuff Tarkin wasn’t forgotten. And both possessed the Force. Snoke would not lose such an opportunity, even if it meant killing an enemy or gaining another puppet for his set of strings.
Lynn offered him a shrug, sensing his questions. She had nothing, even if sensed something else. But they could have as well left by now.
It wasn’t their disappearance that concerned her. It was an appearance that did so. She had felt it arrive, but she had not felt it leave. It was still there, somewhere, and Laelynn wanted Ben out of that closed space immediately. She would not let her concern, her fear be read, her shields raised, but it mattered little. If she sensed him, so would Ben. He sought him more than he sought the other two. A cold sweat took over at the thought – the memory of a vision that had turned her nights sleepless. It was just as dark then as it was now. Just as quiet and just as unpredictable.
A simple movement ruined the stillness of the picture and her head turned from her brother to the silhouette behind him. Ben only reached half of the length of the bridge when the sound of a voice pierced the air. “BEN!”
Ben stopped in his tracks. Lynn stopped breathing at the familiarity of the sight. Of the voice. Her brother did not turn immediately. She felt him analyzing her through the mask as if he expected anything but stillness and poise from her. She proved him the contrary, remaining in her position as though nothing happened, as a stranger had disturbed them and not their father.
Ben turned his back to her. “Han Solo,” he greeted neutrally. Cold and unnerving. “I have been waiting for this for a very long time.” He did not move forward. He did not move backward; it was then, at these words, that Lynn sought the hilts of her lightsabers.
Han did not move either. “Take off that mask. You don’t need it.” There was an authority in his tone, a stern frown upon his face. Perhaps it would have been effective when Ben was younger, when he needed the presence of a father and the authority one would have in a son’s life. It was useless now. Ineffective – for how could he dare to command him, after all, this time he had been out of his life?
“What do you think you’ll see if I do?”
His father advanced. “The face of my son.” He may have tried to hide it, but his voice cracked towards the end.
His hands were the ones her gaze followed then, finding it just as probable for him to reach for his lightsaber as reaching for his helmet. His every moment was predicted in combat by her, but now she could not know what was to come. She was unable to focus properly, unable to think of what reaction she would or should have, were this to go the wrong way. This moment – father facing son – had been envisioned so many other times before. She had thought about it and planned her reaction accordingly so many times before. It was different now though, standing alongside them. Betraying one or the other in one way. Hoping it may all turn. Her thoughts were conflicted, unbalanced and her movements were contradictory, as she gripped the hilts and then stopped.
When Ben reached for his helmet so did she, thoughtlessly. Ben's was dropped at his feet. Han gaped at the sight, his eyes not knowing to whom to look, on whom to focus. “Laelynn,” he said in pure amazement and relief, seeking to approach her and be certain she wasn’t just a phantasm. Ben’s presence did not allow him, and yet she found herself taking a step forward. “Lynn–”
“She’s not the Lynn. I am not Ben. The weak and foolish children that resembled you are gone now. We destroyed them. It is Snoke now that–”
“Snoke does not care about you. Or her. He is using you both until you will no longer be of use to him. You must realize that.” They did, they acknowledged it. Lynn expected nothing else at the end of this bargain. But Kylo… even if he knew, he would not accept. He wanted to cover his master’s intentions but Han did not allow him. “You are not weak, you are not foolish. You are my children. You are my son. You will always be my son.”
‘Where were you when he needed this? Where you before all of this were even started’ Lynn had been fed doubt and hatred for so long that impulsive thoughts such as this could not be stopped. She was taught to condemn Han, Leia, and Luke, to feed the darkness of her force with such resentment. Even with the fear of her own brother’s safety. ‘After all this time you seek him… ‘ but what Snoke wanted Ben to do them was not right either.
“It’s too late.”
“No. Never. Come home.” She could feel the conflict form in her brother. “Leave this behind. Come to me, to your mother. We miss you,” and Han’s eyes sought Lynn’s gaze as well.
When Ben turned his head towards her as well, she froze. She found her own feeling of being torn apart in his expression. Dark eyes, gazes filled with tears found one another, brother seeking sister, knowing she would be the only one to understand. She felt his doubt towards Han. The conflict between that hopeful side and the one consumed by darkness. But she felt along those emotions, his doubt towards her. Only then forming. Or perhaps only then acknowledged by her – waiting to be fed. “Lynn,” the softness with which he whispered her name was heartwrenching.
She almost gasped when she heard it coming from him. Her hands shook upon the helmet. The four letters vanished from her life when she had chosen to leave it all behind and join the Knights of Ren. She was Ciarra Ren to the First Order, even to Ben. She had always been so.
“Ben... don’t,” he could not go through with what Snoke wanted. What he felt he had to do. Lynn took a step forward. “We can leave, we can be free like I’ve promised you,” and another step.
They exchanged one more look. Ben turned only lightly, unholstering his lightsaber – the dark weapon that represented the Dark Side, the dark weapon that made him Kylo Ren – and handed it to Han to the relief of the older man. He accepted. Lynn’s shoulders slouched when she closed her eyes to remove every thought, every emotion, breathing out.
And then she felt it – the disturbance in the Force. The weakness. Her eyelids flew open. Just as in her vision, the redness of the lightsaber pierced the darkness and before that, her father’s chest, his expression a mixture of surprise and… pain. “BEN, NO! LET GO!”
She could not reach him. Ben shifted at the sound of her boots clanking as she desperately wanted to approach him and extended his arm towards her. She felt it then. The Force. Its invisible hands coiled around her throat, pulling her back. Han tried to pull the hand that held the lightsaber in a useless attempt to get him to stop. “The Supreme Leader told me you’d betray us. That you only sought a way to betray us all along. And now you– you had thought you found it, trying to get me away from what I am supposed to be.”
“I’d never bet–” The grip only became tighter. She could only sense her own hands around her throat. There was nothing she could do as she sought for air. The grip was unstable, however – one moment too tight and another gone – Ben’s hand shaking more than usual. “I’d never.”
He did not want to hear her. “You’re weak. You’re in my way. You’re an impediment.”
Her gaze moved between him and Han, the light of his eyes almost gone. Ben was forcing himself to grow angry with her quietness and unresponsiveness, with her tears. She could react if she wanted to. She could challenge him if she wanted to, and yet she didn’t as she fell to her knees. “You can’t even bring yourself to fuel your anger. To follow it. To prove me you–“
“I’d never fuel my anger or fear towards you.” The grip became weak. “I would never do what Luke did.”
Ben’s own fear was reached. The fear that no matter the promises, no matter how much one proved that they were on his side, they would turn against him in the end. That he would wake and see them, swinging a lightsaber over his head when they grew afraid of him and what he was capable of. He had that fear towards Snoke. Even towards her, despite everything she had done to prove him wrong. But hearing it… “You–” her voice became weaker and he pressed harder. He wanted her to stop, yet he wanted her to continue. “You already hate yourself for what you did… How could my hate be stronger than that?”
She could feel it. He was repulsed by his actions. Disgusted that Han’s body was still hanging from his lightsaber. “You feel the pull... you know you do.” He was weakened by it.
With one push, he freed his lightsaber as if to prove her wrong. He did not watch his father’s body fall. He only watched Lynn gasping helplessly for air. “LIAR!”
Her lungs filled with air in one moment. Kylo almost lost his balance, his focus gone as he brought Lynn over the edge of the bridge. She did not fall. Her fingers dug into the metal holes of the structure and she brought her leg atop the bridge. Ben was stunned, she noticed, as he touched his side and caught sight of the blood on his glove.
The Stormtroopers that had watched the scene dumbfounded were now firing away at unseen targets. Hell was unleashed – one explosion followed, shaking the Oscillator’s whole structure. Then another and another, six in number, rocking them. With the last one, levels fell, walls caved in and Lynn lost her balance as the bridge barely held itself. It wasn’t her that had Ben’s attention though. His mind was elsewhere.
“Black Leader, go to sub-lights. On your call.” The received order was clearly heard and acknowledged.
“Roger, base.” Setting for lightspeed, Poe commanded: “Red squad, blue squad, on my lead.”
So it started.
Poe did not know if he had ever felt his sense of duty towards the Galaxy burning so bright before. This was not a simple skirmish between X-wings and TIEs – this was it. This is what his predecessors must have felt during the destruction of the Death Star, a mixture of hope and fear and adrenaline. They all must have felt the heavy burden of the Galaxy on their shoulders and yet, they would never turn a blind eye to its suffering. They would fight to relieve it. “As long as there’s light, we got a chance.” And he would bomb the fuck out of the Starkiller until the last gleam of light.
It wasn’t the oncoming glory that was on his mind, were they to succeed. This mission may end up being the peak of their entire careers, of their entire lives even and the young Poe would be amazed by how far he had come to, but that wasn’t what Poe was thinking about just now.
They still had a long way to go. Perhaps once they will be back with their feet on the ground, and the Starkiller would be destroyed, he’d take pride in it. When all of this madness would be gone and when everyone would be able to speak freely about the Alliance, he’d enjoy hearing his name in children’s stories, as much as he enjoyed hearing about Leia and Han and Luke when he was young.
Leia. Of course that through all that mayhem, his mind still went to her. This was hard for her. Old wounds were reopened; feelings that were thought to be long-forgotten were awakened. He had felt her tension rise since the destruction of the Hosnian system and even more now, when the planet they resided on – their base became the target. The past was being repeated and it knew that it pained and worried Leia more than she let on. He could never understand how it felt to watch your home being destroyed, but he could now understand the fear at least. The desperate need to protect what they all had worked on for so long.
Perhaps that is why he found himself frustrated at the ineffectiveness of their bombing raids. They weren’t doing any real damage to the Oscillator, or at least, not enough to please them.
“We need something else. This isn’t working,” Jess’ tone expressed the annoyance he felt. They had lost two of their mates already and the TIE fighters knew no end. “Fast. The light is– shit.”
Poe frowned. “Blue Three, what is your situation?”
“I got two of these bastards right behind my tail.”
Wexley did not need more information. “I’m coming.”
They needed to prepare for another raid – these TIEs did not even need to shoot them down to get them to fail. They were already making them lose important time. “Here you are…” Poe blasted one Fighter down. Dodged another. Breathed out.
“Black Leader?” Bastian’s voice held something between confusion and surprise. “I don’t know how to explain but… we have a TIE on our side out here. Closed behind you.”
Through the mess of it all, he hadn’t even noticed. A TIE? Was it Finn then? If he was here… where were the others? Or maybe the girl he continued to speak about, the one he sought to retrieve from that base? Someone related to that Tarkin he heard about? It mattered little as long as they had it on their side. “Red Four, are you sure?”
“It got me rid of my little friends and assisted Blue Leader… we are pretty sure,” Jess confirmed Bastian’s words.
He needed to contact whoever controlled it and not only because he hoped it could assure him of someone’s safety, but because they needed whatever aid could they muster now. He needed to approach it, target it. “I’ll hail it, see wh–”
Ziff did not let him finish. “Black Leader, there’s a brand new hole in that Oscillator.”
Poe did not need to be told twice. His head turned to look at the surface of it – the explosion was small in appearance, but it was an opening all the same. That is all they needed. “I see it! They did it!” If they had managed to get that explosion going… it meant they were alright over there. He could feel the relief of all of his mates through his own. They had another chance. And they had no time to lose. “Red Six, Red Four, cover us! Everyone else, prepare to follow me on my signal! We’re going to blow it up!”
With the commands given, Poe swiftly turned around his X-wing. He needed to contact the TIE first, get its assistance. His fingers, his gestures, were more secure now as they pressed down the controls. “Beebee-Ate, we have a message to send.”
BB-8 beeped in acknowledgment. Once Poe had the TIE in sight, the request was sent. All they needed was for it to – let it through! Poe barely had time to breath. “Here is Poe Dameron, Commander of the Republic Fleet,” he still could not be certain it was someone he knew aboard. Better to be cautious than to assume they already knew who he was. “Probably if we weren’t so pressured by time, I’ll thank you properly for the assistance and exchange pleasantries and all – but we don’t have the time. See that explosion over there? Its location? We will need to reach it to finish this up, but we need you to cover us,” and TIEs were damn good at protecting. He did not know how bad the situation was down there, but explosions were a mess and TIE fighters were too voluminous to make it through most of the time. Covering them would be more than enough. He was certain of his ability to destroy it already.
He’ll expect a response but won’t remain still in waiting for it. “Everyone else, NOW! Give it everything you got!”
It was the heart of it he aimed for.
Lynn offered him a shrug, sensing his questions. She had nothing, even if sensed something else. But they could have as well left by now.
It wasn’t their disappearance that concerned her. It was an appearance that did so. She had felt it arrive, but she had not felt it leave. It was still there, somewhere, and Laelynn wanted Ben out of that closed space immediately. She would not let her concern, her fear be read, her shields raised, but it mattered little. If she sensed him, so would Ben. He sought him more than he sought the other two. A cold sweat took over at the thought – the memory of a vision that had turned her nights sleepless. It was just as dark then as it was now. Just as quiet and just as unpredictable.
A simple movement ruined the stillness of the picture and her head turned from her brother to the silhouette behind him. Ben only reached half of the length of the bridge when the sound of a voice pierced the air. “BEN!”
Ben stopped in his tracks. Lynn stopped breathing at the familiarity of the sight. Of the voice. Her brother did not turn immediately. She felt him analyzing her through the mask as if he expected anything but stillness and poise from her. She proved him the contrary, remaining in her position as though nothing happened, as a stranger had disturbed them and not their father.
Ben turned his back to her. “Han Solo,” he greeted neutrally. Cold and unnerving. “I have been waiting for this for a very long time.” He did not move forward. He did not move backward; it was then, at these words, that Lynn sought the hilts of her lightsabers.
Han did not move either. “Take off that mask. You don’t need it.” There was an authority in his tone, a stern frown upon his face. Perhaps it would have been effective when Ben was younger, when he needed the presence of a father and the authority one would have in a son’s life. It was useless now. Ineffective – for how could he dare to command him, after all, this time he had been out of his life?
“What do you think you’ll see if I do?”
His father advanced. “The face of my son.” He may have tried to hide it, but his voice cracked towards the end.
His hands were the ones her gaze followed then, finding it just as probable for him to reach for his lightsaber as reaching for his helmet. His every moment was predicted in combat by her, but now she could not know what was to come. She was unable to focus properly, unable to think of what reaction she would or should have, were this to go the wrong way. This moment – father facing son – had been envisioned so many other times before. She had thought about it and planned her reaction accordingly so many times before. It was different now though, standing alongside them. Betraying one or the other in one way. Hoping it may all turn. Her thoughts were conflicted, unbalanced and her movements were contradictory, as she gripped the hilts and then stopped.
When Ben reached for his helmet so did she, thoughtlessly. Ben's was dropped at his feet. Han gaped at the sight, his eyes not knowing to whom to look, on whom to focus. “Laelynn,” he said in pure amazement and relief, seeking to approach her and be certain she wasn’t just a phantasm. Ben’s presence did not allow him, and yet she found herself taking a step forward. “Lynn–”
“She’s not the Lynn. I am not Ben. The weak and foolish children that resembled you are gone now. We destroyed them. It is Snoke now that–”
“Snoke does not care about you. Or her. He is using you both until you will no longer be of use to him. You must realize that.” They did, they acknowledged it. Lynn expected nothing else at the end of this bargain. But Kylo… even if he knew, he would not accept. He wanted to cover his master’s intentions but Han did not allow him. “You are not weak, you are not foolish. You are my children. You are my son. You will always be my son.”
‘Where were you when he needed this? Where you before all of this were even started’ Lynn had been fed doubt and hatred for so long that impulsive thoughts such as this could not be stopped. She was taught to condemn Han, Leia, and Luke, to feed the darkness of her force with such resentment. Even with the fear of her own brother’s safety. ‘After all this time you seek him… ‘ but what Snoke wanted Ben to do them was not right either.
“It’s too late.”
“No. Never. Come home.” She could feel the conflict form in her brother. “Leave this behind. Come to me, to your mother. We miss you,” and Han’s eyes sought Lynn’s gaze as well.
When Ben turned his head towards her as well, she froze. She found her own feeling of being torn apart in his expression. Dark eyes, gazes filled with tears found one another, brother seeking sister, knowing she would be the only one to understand. She felt his doubt towards Han. The conflict between that hopeful side and the one consumed by darkness. But she felt along those emotions, his doubt towards her. Only then forming. Or perhaps only then acknowledged by her – waiting to be fed. “Lynn,” the softness with which he whispered her name was heartwrenching.
She almost gasped when she heard it coming from him. Her hands shook upon the helmet. The four letters vanished from her life when she had chosen to leave it all behind and join the Knights of Ren. She was Ciarra Ren to the First Order, even to Ben. She had always been so.
“Ben... don’t,” he could not go through with what Snoke wanted. What he felt he had to do. Lynn took a step forward. “We can leave, we can be free like I’ve promised you,” and another step.
They exchanged one more look. Ben turned only lightly, unholstering his lightsaber – the dark weapon that represented the Dark Side, the dark weapon that made him Kylo Ren – and handed it to Han to the relief of the older man. He accepted. Lynn’s shoulders slouched when she closed her eyes to remove every thought, every emotion, breathing out.
And then she felt it – the disturbance in the Force. The weakness. Her eyelids flew open. Just as in her vision, the redness of the lightsaber pierced the darkness and before that, her father’s chest, his expression a mixture of surprise and… pain. “BEN, NO! LET GO!”
She could not reach him. Ben shifted at the sound of her boots clanking as she desperately wanted to approach him and extended his arm towards her. She felt it then. The Force. Its invisible hands coiled around her throat, pulling her back. Han tried to pull the hand that held the lightsaber in a useless attempt to get him to stop. “The Supreme Leader told me you’d betray us. That you only sought a way to betray us all along. And now you– you had thought you found it, trying to get me away from what I am supposed to be.”
“I’d never bet–” The grip only became tighter. She could only sense her own hands around her throat. There was nothing she could do as she sought for air. The grip was unstable, however – one moment too tight and another gone – Ben’s hand shaking more than usual. “I’d never.”
He did not want to hear her. “You’re weak. You’re in my way. You’re an impediment.”
Her gaze moved between him and Han, the light of his eyes almost gone. Ben was forcing himself to grow angry with her quietness and unresponsiveness, with her tears. She could react if she wanted to. She could challenge him if she wanted to, and yet she didn’t as she fell to her knees. “You can’t even bring yourself to fuel your anger. To follow it. To prove me you–“
“I’d never fuel my anger or fear towards you.” The grip became weak. “I would never do what Luke did.”
Ben’s own fear was reached. The fear that no matter the promises, no matter how much one proved that they were on his side, they would turn against him in the end. That he would wake and see them, swinging a lightsaber over his head when they grew afraid of him and what he was capable of. He had that fear towards Snoke. Even towards her, despite everything she had done to prove him wrong. But hearing it… “You–” her voice became weaker and he pressed harder. He wanted her to stop, yet he wanted her to continue. “You already hate yourself for what you did… How could my hate be stronger than that?”
She could feel it. He was repulsed by his actions. Disgusted that Han’s body was still hanging from his lightsaber. “You feel the pull... you know you do.” He was weakened by it.
With one push, he freed his lightsaber as if to prove her wrong. He did not watch his father’s body fall. He only watched Lynn gasping helplessly for air. “LIAR!”
Her lungs filled with air in one moment. Kylo almost lost his balance, his focus gone as he brought Lynn over the edge of the bridge. She did not fall. Her fingers dug into the metal holes of the structure and she brought her leg atop the bridge. Ben was stunned, she noticed, as he touched his side and caught sight of the blood on his glove.
The Stormtroopers that had watched the scene dumbfounded were now firing away at unseen targets. Hell was unleashed – one explosion followed, shaking the Oscillator’s whole structure. Then another and another, six in number, rocking them. With the last one, levels fell, walls caved in and Lynn lost her balance as the bridge barely held itself. It wasn’t her that had Ben’s attention though. His mind was elsewhere.
~~~~~~~~
“Black Leader, go to sub-lights. On your call.” The received order was clearly heard and acknowledged.
“Roger, base.” Setting for lightspeed, Poe commanded: “Red squad, blue squad, on my lead.”
So it started.
Poe did not know if he had ever felt his sense of duty towards the Galaxy burning so bright before. This was not a simple skirmish between X-wings and TIEs – this was it. This is what his predecessors must have felt during the destruction of the Death Star, a mixture of hope and fear and adrenaline. They all must have felt the heavy burden of the Galaxy on their shoulders and yet, they would never turn a blind eye to its suffering. They would fight to relieve it. “As long as there’s light, we got a chance.” And he would bomb the fuck out of the Starkiller until the last gleam of light.
It wasn’t the oncoming glory that was on his mind, were they to succeed. This mission may end up being the peak of their entire careers, of their entire lives even and the young Poe would be amazed by how far he had come to, but that wasn’t what Poe was thinking about just now.
They still had a long way to go. Perhaps once they will be back with their feet on the ground, and the Starkiller would be destroyed, he’d take pride in it. When all of this madness would be gone and when everyone would be able to speak freely about the Alliance, he’d enjoy hearing his name in children’s stories, as much as he enjoyed hearing about Leia and Han and Luke when he was young.
Leia. Of course that through all that mayhem, his mind still went to her. This was hard for her. Old wounds were reopened; feelings that were thought to be long-forgotten were awakened. He had felt her tension rise since the destruction of the Hosnian system and even more now, when the planet they resided on – their base became the target. The past was being repeated and it knew that it pained and worried Leia more than she let on. He could never understand how it felt to watch your home being destroyed, but he could now understand the fear at least. The desperate need to protect what they all had worked on for so long.
Perhaps that is why he found himself frustrated at the ineffectiveness of their bombing raids. They weren’t doing any real damage to the Oscillator, or at least, not enough to please them.
“We need something else. This isn’t working,” Jess’ tone expressed the annoyance he felt. They had lost two of their mates already and the TIE fighters knew no end. “Fast. The light is– shit.”
Poe frowned. “Blue Three, what is your situation?”
“I got two of these bastards right behind my tail.”
Wexley did not need more information. “I’m coming.”
They needed to prepare for another raid – these TIEs did not even need to shoot them down to get them to fail. They were already making them lose important time. “Here you are…” Poe blasted one Fighter down. Dodged another. Breathed out.
“Black Leader?” Bastian’s voice held something between confusion and surprise. “I don’t know how to explain but… we have a TIE on our side out here. Closed behind you.”
Through the mess of it all, he hadn’t even noticed. A TIE? Was it Finn then? If he was here… where were the others? Or maybe the girl he continued to speak about, the one he sought to retrieve from that base? Someone related to that Tarkin he heard about? It mattered little as long as they had it on their side. “Red Four, are you sure?”
“It got me rid of my little friends and assisted Blue Leader… we are pretty sure,” Jess confirmed Bastian’s words.
He needed to contact whoever controlled it and not only because he hoped it could assure him of someone’s safety, but because they needed whatever aid could they muster now. He needed to approach it, target it. “I’ll hail it, see wh–”
Ziff did not let him finish. “Black Leader, there’s a brand new hole in that Oscillator.”
Poe did not need to be told twice. His head turned to look at the surface of it – the explosion was small in appearance, but it was an opening all the same. That is all they needed. “I see it! They did it!” If they had managed to get that explosion going… it meant they were alright over there. He could feel the relief of all of his mates through his own. They had another chance. And they had no time to lose. “Red Six, Red Four, cover us! Everyone else, prepare to follow me on my signal! We’re going to blow it up!”
With the commands given, Poe swiftly turned around his X-wing. He needed to contact the TIE first, get its assistance. His fingers, his gestures, were more secure now as they pressed down the controls. “Beebee-Ate, we have a message to send.”
BB-8 beeped in acknowledgment. Once Poe had the TIE in sight, the request was sent. All they needed was for it to – let it through! Poe barely had time to breath. “Here is Poe Dameron, Commander of the Republic Fleet,” he still could not be certain it was someone he knew aboard. Better to be cautious than to assume they already knew who he was. “Probably if we weren’t so pressured by time, I’ll thank you properly for the assistance and exchange pleasantries and all – but we don’t have the time. See that explosion over there? Its location? We will need to reach it to finish this up, but we need you to cover us,” and TIEs were damn good at protecting. He did not know how bad the situation was down there, but explosions were a mess and TIE fighters were too voluminous to make it through most of the time. Covering them would be more than enough. He was certain of his ability to destroy it already.
He’ll expect a response but won’t remain still in waiting for it. “Everyone else, NOW! Give it everything you got!”
It was the heart of it he aimed for.
Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
“Don’t shoot, don’t shoot!”
Those words started the pirate, Ivan Dulchellon’s, relationship with his new group on the Starkiller.
“I’m a rebel, too! Kind of – I’m looking for Moriah Tarkin, crazy woman, weird hair, probably with blood on her lips, hers and someone else’s – seen her?”
Ivan Dulchellon, pirate, aide to Governor Tarkin, was in way over his head.
He had stolen away to Starkiller base when he learned that Governor Tarkin’s mission ended in her capture. He did not have to, but through their years, they had bonded. He could have taken the opportunity to go back to being a pirate, to raid the Seswenna Sector at his leisure, but he’d developed a sense of loyalty, and more – a sense of purpose. They were both children of the Empire, in a way, and they were both too headstrong for their own good. They worked together, well, and he had seen hope in her.
He had to free her.
What happened instead, was he crossed paths with Rey of Jakku, Finn of Starkiller, Han Solo, and Chewbacca.
“I saw her. She was one of the prisoners. I set them all free when I escaped.”
It was Rey who told him that Moriah Tarkin was set free, and Ivan knew there would be no finding her then. He needed to get off Starkiller, and he elected to go with his new companions, even if that meeting had been…awkward, to say the least. He helped them set up the bombs on the oscillator to give their X-Wings a fighting chance.
He was just going up the stairs when he heard Han shout out something absolutely stupid. ‘No.’ He paused on the staircase, and looked on as the emotional scene played out. Kylo Ren – Ben Solo, and Han Solo, confronted each other. More than that, another Knight of Ren, so called Laelynn by Han, also revealed herself.
Ivan could not tear his blue eyes away from the scene. He could not stop his heart from beating in his throat, hoping for an outcome he simply knew would not occur. There was no way a man like Kylo Ren had tossed everything away, only to side with Han now. There was no way Laelynn had….
‘She has.’
The thought was realized as she seemed to plead with Kylo, and his eyes widened in surprise, and his breath stilled in the tense air. His grip on the railing of the stairs tightened, unknown to him, until the worst happened.
Han Solo was stabbed through with the lightsaber.
There were outcries, immediately – not only from Chewbacca and Rey, but from the woman with the brunette hair in black, as well, and Kylo reacted to assault her. ‘No!’ Ivan was not so loud, but he didn’t go up to follow Finn and Rey, as the former pulled the latter out. Chewbacca roared, and Ivan ran down the steps quickly, jumping from the last five and landing on his feet as Chewbacca fired and struck Kylo Ren.
Ivan pulled at his shirt, loosening it so that it would open. He had found a First Order officer’s uniform, but he knew now he needed to shed it. The cap was brushed off, the tunic hung open like a black vest, revealing a white undershirt. He looked improper enough, hardly First Order, and that was how the black-haired man needed to look right then. The game of disguises was over – he had to show himself for what he was.
Ivan was at the bridge by the time that Kylo Ren realized where the shot came from, and he could see the woman as she pulled herself up, “Hey, Lynn!” He called out to her, raising his voice above the din of explosions and angry Stormtroopers. He waved over, as Kylo lifted his murderous gaze towards Chewbacca first, “This way, if you want out!” He figured that was the only relevant comment.
She couldn’t kill Kylo, who must have been her brother. She couldn’t stay and live, either – Kylo was clearly going to kill her. That meant her option was to escape, and from what Ivan saw, she was on their side, not yet corrupted and turned into one of Snoke’s puppets, not brainwashed by the First Order.
Of course, when he shouted, others began to notice the smuggler in his Officer outfit, now disheveled. He cocked a smile, though it was hardly happy, it was more an anxious reaction then anything else, “Let’s get moving, Dame!” He didn’t wait. He couldn’t wait, as the blasters started to light the air red. He ran, seeing that Chewbacca was only just starting to head out himself.
‘Wait for me, furry thing!’ He didn’t say that, of course, just sprinted, taking the stairs two at a time and glancing back to make sure that girl was going to follow him. He didn’t want to lose sight of Chewbacca – he was his only way out of here, now. He was fairly certain he was not making it out on any other ship, just the Falcon – and Tarkin would be long gone, never knowing he was here.
Cold bitch.
Yet, it made him smile, imagining the chaos she must have inflicted in her escape.
Imagining the chaos about to go through the First Order as he heard the sound of X-Wings coming closer, and the imagined chaos as the Knights of Ren lost a member who probably had a ton of information on the organization. It would be a great asset, and they could all use that. The perfect thing to smuggle out of Starkiller base – Han Solo and General Organa’s daughter. If they couldn’t get her son…they could at least give her this.
He hoped that would be enough to make the woman smile.
He hoped it would make Tarkin smile, too. She’d always told him he was great at his job, knew what was actually significant and important – a high compliment from a woman like her.
‘We just have to get out alive. Simple.’ Hardly. Kylo Ren was definitely on the move, too, in spite of his wound.
~***~
“Thank you.”
“Come with me.”
“No, but thank you.”
Moriah Tarkin was not at all happy when she was released from her bonds. It had been by a strange woman with buns on her head, who had paused long enough to ask her to go along, something she had not asked the others. Moriah had only smirked, and declined, before wiping the blood off of her lips and putting on her bracelets that Kylo Ren had neglected to take out of the room. It stilled the Force from reacting to her emotions, which were running haywire right then – even if, outwardly, she was the picture of calm.
She strode out of her cell, and went the opposite route of Rey, hardly being careful or concealing herself. Her goal was the hangar.
The first Stormtrooper to cross her path was killed – kicked in the head, blaster stolen, and then executed. After that, she took to the shadows and hiding, until she reached the hangar as TIEs were being launched to deal with X-Wings.
Moriah was able to knock out a TIE Fighter pilot – and then kill them, before taking their suit. It was necessary to survive in those suicide ships. ‘What are you going to do with a TIE?’ Her mind asked the stupid question as she started towards one, brushing her hair back, blue strip in it making her smile briefly as she saw it catch the dying light. ‘X-Wings. Resistance. They must have a ship nearby, too.’ The TIE couldn’t enter lightspeed, it would run out of fuel before getting too far, as well – but the Resistance could help.
She had to get out there.
She had to fight alongside them – and by the stars, she wanted to.
The woman was soon pulling herself into the familiar cockpit of a TIE, clad in all black, and she slipped the helmet on over her head and started it up. ‘Just like home.’ As good a coffin as any. She licked the remaining blood from her lips and stretched, trying to work out the aches from the earlier torture, before launching the TIE forward and rushing out into the fray.
It was easy to take down the first TIE. They weren’t expecting it. Others fell easily, as she locked on with the targeting computer and shot through them, or came rushing up behind them in their pursuit of an X-Wing. They started to realize it – plenty of hailing calls came through, no doubt to ask her what was going on.
Others weren’t so polite – they turned on her, and soon enough, she was dodging TIEs, or rushing right at them to play chicken. No one did the Tarkin Rush quite like a Tarkin – and the TIEs were felled in the rush, or they swerved out of the way early, and she was able to catch them with her quick reflexes and laughter. ‘Fuck. You.’
It wasn’t until a hailing signal came through that didn’t register as a ‘friend’ that she finally let it through. A male voice spoke out, calling himself Poe Dameron. ‘The New Republic is dead.’ She wanted to tell him that. She’d seen it. She’d been forced to watch it, but she swallowed down that bitter comment. “Poe Dameron, this is Imperatrix Moriah Tarkin of the Seswenna Sector,” Imperatrix was the appropriate title.
It was her title as the military leader of the entire sector, after all.
“You have my assistance, but I need yours in getting out of here – TIEs can’t hit lightspeed.” Whether or not he knew that, didn’t matter. He knew now, “We’ll exchange pleasantries later. Let’s put an end to Starkiller.” The sun was all but gone. The weapon was charged for another planet, or another system. She knew which one, she heard enough – it was the Resistance base. It was Leia Organa.
Fuck that.
She hit a few switches on the TIE and shot forward at a group rushing for Poe Dameron’s X-Wing, scattering them as they moved to avoid being crashed into. A few crashed into blaster shots instead – the horrible thing about TIEs was they lacked shields. They couldn’t take a hit. At all. That was why they were often considered suicide fighters, and why only the best ever survived long in them.
They were great at offense, and that was all Moriah played in it.
She played with the agility of the ship and its firepower, to keep other TIEs off the X-Wing, as well as the natural hatred of the other TIE Fighters towards their ‘ally’ turning on them. They preferred to chase her to the X-Wings, letting the X-Wing team head in to complete their mission, of destroying whatever was in there, that would likely blow up the Starkiller base the same way the Death Star had been destroyed.
The weapon that had given her family their name, and their legacy.
There was going to be…a lot of explaining to do if she went to the Resistance with this Poe Dameron. She doubted she would be getting anywhere else, couldn’t ask to be dropped off back home, probably. ‘Tagge….’ The thought was briefly distracting, and she nearly took a blast to the wing of her ship, but she was able to spin it in time and then take out the one who nearly had her. ‘Don’t think about that.’
Tagge had better be alive, though. Otherwise she was returning to Hux, getting captured, and choking the fucking life out of that ginger bastard.
Right now, she’d just handle his TIEs…which were increasing in number, and increasing in difficulty. She grit her teeth and refrained from asking Poe to hurry this up, just played her role as best she could. ‘Live or die.’ That was how it always was, even on Eriadu. Live or die. She had to keep the adrenaline flowing, or she would die, because she would start to shake from weakness – hunger, blood loss, pain – no, she couldn’t falter just yet.
Keep flying.
Keep shooting.
That was all there was. Space. Stars. And life.
Asteria
Those words started the pirate, Ivan Dulchellon’s, relationship with his new group on the Starkiller.
“I’m a rebel, too! Kind of – I’m looking for Moriah Tarkin, crazy woman, weird hair, probably with blood on her lips, hers and someone else’s – seen her?”
Ivan Dulchellon, pirate, aide to Governor Tarkin, was in way over his head.
He had stolen away to Starkiller base when he learned that Governor Tarkin’s mission ended in her capture. He did not have to, but through their years, they had bonded. He could have taken the opportunity to go back to being a pirate, to raid the Seswenna Sector at his leisure, but he’d developed a sense of loyalty, and more – a sense of purpose. They were both children of the Empire, in a way, and they were both too headstrong for their own good. They worked together, well, and he had seen hope in her.
He had to free her.
What happened instead, was he crossed paths with Rey of Jakku, Finn of Starkiller, Han Solo, and Chewbacca.
“I saw her. She was one of the prisoners. I set them all free when I escaped.”
It was Rey who told him that Moriah Tarkin was set free, and Ivan knew there would be no finding her then. He needed to get off Starkiller, and he elected to go with his new companions, even if that meeting had been…awkward, to say the least. He helped them set up the bombs on the oscillator to give their X-Wings a fighting chance.
He was just going up the stairs when he heard Han shout out something absolutely stupid. ‘No.’ He paused on the staircase, and looked on as the emotional scene played out. Kylo Ren – Ben Solo, and Han Solo, confronted each other. More than that, another Knight of Ren, so called Laelynn by Han, also revealed herself.
Ivan could not tear his blue eyes away from the scene. He could not stop his heart from beating in his throat, hoping for an outcome he simply knew would not occur. There was no way a man like Kylo Ren had tossed everything away, only to side with Han now. There was no way Laelynn had….
‘She has.’
The thought was realized as she seemed to plead with Kylo, and his eyes widened in surprise, and his breath stilled in the tense air. His grip on the railing of the stairs tightened, unknown to him, until the worst happened.
Han Solo was stabbed through with the lightsaber.
There were outcries, immediately – not only from Chewbacca and Rey, but from the woman with the brunette hair in black, as well, and Kylo reacted to assault her. ‘No!’ Ivan was not so loud, but he didn’t go up to follow Finn and Rey, as the former pulled the latter out. Chewbacca roared, and Ivan ran down the steps quickly, jumping from the last five and landing on his feet as Chewbacca fired and struck Kylo Ren.
Ivan pulled at his shirt, loosening it so that it would open. He had found a First Order officer’s uniform, but he knew now he needed to shed it. The cap was brushed off, the tunic hung open like a black vest, revealing a white undershirt. He looked improper enough, hardly First Order, and that was how the black-haired man needed to look right then. The game of disguises was over – he had to show himself for what he was.
Ivan was at the bridge by the time that Kylo Ren realized where the shot came from, and he could see the woman as she pulled herself up, “Hey, Lynn!” He called out to her, raising his voice above the din of explosions and angry Stormtroopers. He waved over, as Kylo lifted his murderous gaze towards Chewbacca first, “This way, if you want out!” He figured that was the only relevant comment.
She couldn’t kill Kylo, who must have been her brother. She couldn’t stay and live, either – Kylo was clearly going to kill her. That meant her option was to escape, and from what Ivan saw, she was on their side, not yet corrupted and turned into one of Snoke’s puppets, not brainwashed by the First Order.
Of course, when he shouted, others began to notice the smuggler in his Officer outfit, now disheveled. He cocked a smile, though it was hardly happy, it was more an anxious reaction then anything else, “Let’s get moving, Dame!” He didn’t wait. He couldn’t wait, as the blasters started to light the air red. He ran, seeing that Chewbacca was only just starting to head out himself.
‘Wait for me, furry thing!’ He didn’t say that, of course, just sprinted, taking the stairs two at a time and glancing back to make sure that girl was going to follow him. He didn’t want to lose sight of Chewbacca – he was his only way out of here, now. He was fairly certain he was not making it out on any other ship, just the Falcon – and Tarkin would be long gone, never knowing he was here.
Cold bitch.
Yet, it made him smile, imagining the chaos she must have inflicted in her escape.
Imagining the chaos about to go through the First Order as he heard the sound of X-Wings coming closer, and the imagined chaos as the Knights of Ren lost a member who probably had a ton of information on the organization. It would be a great asset, and they could all use that. The perfect thing to smuggle out of Starkiller base – Han Solo and General Organa’s daughter. If they couldn’t get her son…they could at least give her this.
He hoped that would be enough to make the woman smile.
He hoped it would make Tarkin smile, too. She’d always told him he was great at his job, knew what was actually significant and important – a high compliment from a woman like her.
‘We just have to get out alive. Simple.’ Hardly. Kylo Ren was definitely on the move, too, in spite of his wound.
~***~
“Thank you.”
“Come with me.”
“No, but thank you.”
Moriah Tarkin was not at all happy when she was released from her bonds. It had been by a strange woman with buns on her head, who had paused long enough to ask her to go along, something she had not asked the others. Moriah had only smirked, and declined, before wiping the blood off of her lips and putting on her bracelets that Kylo Ren had neglected to take out of the room. It stilled the Force from reacting to her emotions, which were running haywire right then – even if, outwardly, she was the picture of calm.
She strode out of her cell, and went the opposite route of Rey, hardly being careful or concealing herself. Her goal was the hangar.
The first Stormtrooper to cross her path was killed – kicked in the head, blaster stolen, and then executed. After that, she took to the shadows and hiding, until she reached the hangar as TIEs were being launched to deal with X-Wings.
Moriah was able to knock out a TIE Fighter pilot – and then kill them, before taking their suit. It was necessary to survive in those suicide ships. ‘What are you going to do with a TIE?’ Her mind asked the stupid question as she started towards one, brushing her hair back, blue strip in it making her smile briefly as she saw it catch the dying light. ‘X-Wings. Resistance. They must have a ship nearby, too.’ The TIE couldn’t enter lightspeed, it would run out of fuel before getting too far, as well – but the Resistance could help.
She had to get out there.
She had to fight alongside them – and by the stars, she wanted to.
The woman was soon pulling herself into the familiar cockpit of a TIE, clad in all black, and she slipped the helmet on over her head and started it up. ‘Just like home.’ As good a coffin as any. She licked the remaining blood from her lips and stretched, trying to work out the aches from the earlier torture, before launching the TIE forward and rushing out into the fray.
It was easy to take down the first TIE. They weren’t expecting it. Others fell easily, as she locked on with the targeting computer and shot through them, or came rushing up behind them in their pursuit of an X-Wing. They started to realize it – plenty of hailing calls came through, no doubt to ask her what was going on.
Others weren’t so polite – they turned on her, and soon enough, she was dodging TIEs, or rushing right at them to play chicken. No one did the Tarkin Rush quite like a Tarkin – and the TIEs were felled in the rush, or they swerved out of the way early, and she was able to catch them with her quick reflexes and laughter. ‘Fuck. You.’
It wasn’t until a hailing signal came through that didn’t register as a ‘friend’ that she finally let it through. A male voice spoke out, calling himself Poe Dameron. ‘The New Republic is dead.’ She wanted to tell him that. She’d seen it. She’d been forced to watch it, but she swallowed down that bitter comment. “Poe Dameron, this is Imperatrix Moriah Tarkin of the Seswenna Sector,” Imperatrix was the appropriate title.
It was her title as the military leader of the entire sector, after all.
“You have my assistance, but I need yours in getting out of here – TIEs can’t hit lightspeed.” Whether or not he knew that, didn’t matter. He knew now, “We’ll exchange pleasantries later. Let’s put an end to Starkiller.” The sun was all but gone. The weapon was charged for another planet, or another system. She knew which one, she heard enough – it was the Resistance base. It was Leia Organa.
Fuck that.
She hit a few switches on the TIE and shot forward at a group rushing for Poe Dameron’s X-Wing, scattering them as they moved to avoid being crashed into. A few crashed into blaster shots instead – the horrible thing about TIEs was they lacked shields. They couldn’t take a hit. At all. That was why they were often considered suicide fighters, and why only the best ever survived long in them.
They were great at offense, and that was all Moriah played in it.
She played with the agility of the ship and its firepower, to keep other TIEs off the X-Wing, as well as the natural hatred of the other TIE Fighters towards their ‘ally’ turning on them. They preferred to chase her to the X-Wings, letting the X-Wing team head in to complete their mission, of destroying whatever was in there, that would likely blow up the Starkiller base the same way the Death Star had been destroyed.
The weapon that had given her family their name, and their legacy.
There was going to be…a lot of explaining to do if she went to the Resistance with this Poe Dameron. She doubted she would be getting anywhere else, couldn’t ask to be dropped off back home, probably. ‘Tagge….’ The thought was briefly distracting, and she nearly took a blast to the wing of her ship, but she was able to spin it in time and then take out the one who nearly had her. ‘Don’t think about that.’
Tagge had better be alive, though. Otherwise she was returning to Hux, getting captured, and choking the fucking life out of that ginger bastard.
Right now, she’d just handle his TIEs…which were increasing in number, and increasing in difficulty. She grit her teeth and refrained from asking Poe to hurry this up, just played her role as best she could. ‘Live or die.’ That was how it always was, even on Eriadu. Live or die. She had to keep the adrenaline flowing, or she would die, because she would start to shake from weakness – hunger, blood loss, pain – no, she couldn’t falter just yet.
Keep flying.
Keep shooting.
That was all there was. Space. Stars. And life.
Asteria
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Asteria
⚔️
It wasn’t only the structure of the Oscillator that was burning from inside out. So was Ben. Lynn felt it. With his concentration gone, with the explosions multiplying – the noises confusing and ear-piercing, shouts and outcries and the sounds of blasters molding altogether – Ben found his attention split. His mind conflicted.
His unblinking gaze was raised from the bleeding wound to the upper levels, seeking the one from whom the shot came. It was one moment of distraction in which Lynn focused solely on breathing as she found stability again. Her throat burned, her lungs begged for air and nothing else mattered more. She did not think of what was to come. The painful loud sounds were muffled, her surroundings ceased to exist as the primal instinct to survive took over.
“Hey, Lynn!”
Maybe because that damned name or because everything seemed to come back to life overwhelmingly fast, Lynn flinched. Her eyes shot towards the silhouette – the unknown face, the unknown voice that in the midst of all that madness was calling out to her.
“This way if you want out!”
Out. ‘Would your death be of any use to anyone if you stayed?’ The question rang in her mind. It was the evident answers that made her rise to her feet, stumbling as she did so, and reach for the other side. She didn’t look back – didn’t dare to look back for she could not afford that a second of hesitation… for she could not look Ben in the eyes. She shot after the male, up the stairs, as Chewbacca was the one to lead them out.
Snoke would be the one to greatly benefit from her death, now that Han was gone. Not Ben, no, he would only lose himself some more. His family was a threat to Snoke’s plans and she, his sister, was right in the midst of their den. The greatest threat of them all. Even if she was gone after this, Snoke would still prefer her dead. Her presence in the Resistance would prove to be a far greater inconvenience than her presence in the First Order. Far more problematic.
And if she was out there and alive… she may still get a chance to save her brother.
The mass of fiery flames and dust that grew over the closed space made it difficult for the Stormtroopers to get any shot near their targets. Some were too high, some were too low.
It was near the exit that she gripped the back of the man’s tunic, pushing him forward and, at last, they were out of sight. Back to the surface, out in the cold air. Chewbacca did not stop, leading them towards the dense forest that encircled the structure. Only once did he look back, to make sure they were behind him, that he did not lose them. When Lynn found his gaze she could distinguish that inconsolable pain which fueled the previous outcry… and relief at the sight of her. She returned the welcoming warmth, words of apology remaining left unspoken between them.
She let go of the male, in the end, moving to join his side instead. Her eyes rested on him – officer uniform? Of course. Who else would find himself her father’s side if not someone who was reckless? Courageous. Maybe just then, she was thankful for the resemblance. She gave him an acknowledging nod, a silent thank you.
The wind howled around them, cold and startling, shifting the settled snow and carrying more in its grip. It was darker than ever inside the forest. And through this cold, wounded Ben must be hunting them. Hunting her, knowing that Snoke would never let him live it down if a member of the Knights of Ren, who carried substantial information, escaped alive. Hunting that girl, his key to Luke’s location, his key to revenge.
The girl. Lynn’s eyes widened for a moment as she looked around. She wasn’t with them. FN-2187 wasn’t with them. Lynn knew they had been there, witness to Han’s death. She had heard her cry out for him.
Her pace slowed. “That–” Her voice cracked. “That girl… where is she?” She managed to let out, voice ragged. She was almost afraid that Chewbacca would not hear her.
But he did. Her name was Rey, he said, and that she left with Finn. They knew where the ship was, so close. That they will wait for them if needed and–
Lynn stopped abruptly. Only then did she feel that she was getting tired faster than usual. “Get to the ship, Chewbacca,” she spoke as he stopped as well, worried by the sudden turn of events. Her hands worked on her own dark tunic – she needed it open. She needed room to move and breathe freely. She won’t feel the cold just yet, the adrenaline made her blood boil. “I’ll find you.”
After she would find her. It was the first time in which she felt she could hope freely. The light would guide her.
Chewbacca spoke up, unpleased – why? She had to come. He would not leave her behind. Han would never allow it. He had the impulse to just grab her and run if he needed to.
It was Lynn’s continuing to speak that stopped him from doing so. “Ben is either seeking me or her. His anger towards Luke…” She shook her head, “Rey is more likely the target.” Even if it wasn’t what Snoke wanted. Ben’s wish of revenge had deep roots. Rey was Force-sensitive, it was the truth, but she was untrained. She did not know what she could do with her powers, on what she should focus if a battle were to arise. She was still testing her powers, only then learning how to use them, even if she proved to be a fast learner.
She couldn’t let Ben get to Luke, not with the intentions he had in mind. No matter his reasons. She couldn’t let him get to Rey. ‘I have already lost father, who will follow?’
Perhaps Lynn could never kill Ben, but she could slow him down if needed. If it was her the one he followed, she could keep him preoccupied and away from the ship. They had trained together – he had trained her. She knew his fighting style and could easily predict his next move in combat. She had found it amusing, the way he was bothered by that aspect. “They can’t face him.” Yet, she had never thought she may end up using what he had taught her against him.
His presence was felt, but not too close and not too far either. She could at least find the others if nothing else.
Chewbacca argued still. He was wounded. He may not even catch up with them.
“He will use the pain to fuel his power.” The thought made her stomach turn. “We don’t have the time, Chewie. We need that ship ready.” The pretentious cape was thrown aside.
It was with shaky movements that she reached for the curved-hilts of her lightsabers. Locked them together at the base. Deep breaths. It was the dark haired man she eyed then, not Chewbacca, signaling him to just take the discontent creature with a small raise of her chin. She’ll find them. The Falcon would shine as bright as any star.
“Traitor…”
“Traitor.”
“TRAITOR!”
Kylo concentrated on that word and that word alone – he could only recall Laelynn pleading with him, the coward siding with Han in a futile attempt to get him to turn from his destiny. She ran without having the courage to look back and face him, to stand up for the choice she made.
He did not want to think about what she had said when she was gasping helplessly for air. He did not want to ponder the reason why she had not reacted with force against him. He did not want to… he did not want to consider the option that the reason he was so mad was not that he found her a traitor and a coward, but that she – his younger sister – had run away from him. He had hurt her. Scared her. An older brother’s duty was to… protect his sister, not frighten her.
Still, she abandoned him even if she had promised she would never do so. She left with that scoundrel.
‘You gave her a reason to do so. She had every reason to leave.’
He needed to stop thinking. It was his anger and pain he needed to focus on. Nothing else mattered.
‘How are you any better than the uncle you condemn if you turned against your own sister?’ Han shouldn’t have expected anything else, but Lynn… she had been faithful all this time. Trusted him blindly as she joined the First Order. He felt betrayed but it was him that wanted to betray her in the first place. Only because Snoke wanted to. Only because Snoke thought she would betray him. No. He didn’t only think so – he knew. He always knew.
It wasn’t a matter of who was better than the one. It was a matter of revenge. He hadn’t fought so long for finding Luke to just throw away the opportunity of finding out his location. He had to find Rey. Bring her to Snoke. And once Luke would be gone, he’ll get to the rest. He couldn’t bring himself to follow Laelynn then, even if he felt her still.
He had channeled all the emotions he carried against the treacherous Stormtrooper, who foolishly tried to protect the fallen girl. Kylo felt irritated that he even managed to resist as long as he did. He had fallen with a quick blow to his back.
And then Rey showed herself again, back on her feet, stealing Luke’s lightsaber right away from under his nose. She was learning, continuously learning and Kylo took his defensive position, no longer wincing at the wound. Blue and red lighted the air as the blades clashed against one another – her strikes were powerful, brutal and Kylo found himself at a disadvantage. She was leading them, he was no longer in control.
‘No. No. NO.’
It was one moment of strength that changed the situation. He advanced, pushing her back and into the depths of the forest.
But she stopped, had to stop. The ground beneath their feet shook and it collapsed at her back. Where there were once trees and soil and snow, a cliff appeared. They clashed once more but she kept her ground. All he needed to do was to push. Push harder, faster and she’ll join the fallen trees. It wasn’t that what he followed, however.
“You need a teacher!” He made out through clenched teeth. “I can show you the ways of the Force!”
He might have lost an important piece, but he could have another. The map to Luke Skywalker. A future Knight of Ren. A powerful user of the Force. It was that what she was seeking – a place to which she belonged. He could give her that.
Following Poe’s command, the X-wings dived sharply and headed towards the Oscillator. Two, along the TIE fighter, remained behind to cover them from the attacks of the First Order’s squadrons. The others knew their target and Poe knew his very clear as he eyed it – he hardly breathed. He did not blink. Each second took him closer to the end of all of this, to the moment when he would be able to return home. To the moment in which it would be certain that the safety of it and his family was no longer in danger.
The Galaxy would, at last, be free of that symbol of death and loss – Starkiller. It would no longer be enslaved by the fear it imposed.
Even though his concentration, the response coming from the pilot of the TIE fighter was heard loud and clear. ‘Imperatrix Moriah Tarkin of the Seswanna Sector.’ His expression did not show the surprise he felt. The Tarkin was an option, but he hadn’t really expected it. Perhaps a part of him even regretted that it wasn’t someone he knew.
It was Wilhuff Tarkin’s image his mind ran to then. However, this Tarkin’s actions were in contradiction with what he had in mind. She had escaped the First Order seemingly – and there she had been held as a hostage, not an ally – and she was now fighting alongside them. This couldn’t have been a sudden change of plans, a moment’s decision. She could have sided with the First Order if she wanted to, still be on Starkiller base at Snoke’s and his pawns’ side.
Yet, she was here. Perhaps he shouldn’t find it unexpected. General Une Tagge, the one that had contacted Leia, was seeking to reunite the remains the Senate. It was war they wanted… and she was loyal to the bone to the Tarkin. Her interests were Tarkin’s.
And she wanted her back.
‘Judge everyone as an individual.’ This is what Leia had taught him, following the madness in the Senate once it was discovered she was Darth Vader’s daughter. He was going to live by these words. Welcome and appreciate the Tarkin’s aide – not as he was in a position to refuse it now.
He will offer his assistance as well. The TIEs inability to jump to lightspeed was one of their many defects. “You will have it, if I get out of there.” Poe wanted to think of that possibility in an amusing light.
“Let’s put an end to Starkiller.”
The corners of his mouth pulled up at her words. Especially as he noticed the way the TIEs scattered around hers. Got blasted. “That’s the spirit. I’ll hear from you soon.”
The X-wings lowered themselves in the trench that led to the now burning structure. The escorting X-wings fired at weapons emplacements and base defense walkers. It was the ground fire that made it difficult in the crowded space, the created explosions slowing them down. They needed to resist a little more… “Watch out!” Jess’ voice called out, tone alarmed as– as an X-wing was hit and ripped to pieces following the blast. Silence fell over the others. “We’ve lost Ello.”
Poe felt his grip tighten as he heard Jess. As they were close to that damned opening. “That’s it – I’m going in! Pull up and cover me!” He had to be on his own from then on.
“Copy that, Black Leader,” Niv Lek spoke. “Good luck, Poe.” Poe could feel the sincerity and yet, the tension in his words.
“And you better come back.” Karé was not playing around.
He would. “Understood, ma’am!”
The X-wings peeled off – only Poe’s remains darting forward, into the fiery breach. A TIE fighter pursues the lone wolf in his mission, firing blast after blast as the X-wing dodges each with a fiery speed, weaving through the breach. ‘You did not find the right person to deal with today, buddy.’ The attack began and he struck the structure hard enough to leave behind him a trail of fire and metal that swirled around the TIE and engulfed it. The power of the explosion ripped the fighter apart and Poe’s path was clear. He encircled the abandoned structure, firing torpedo after torpedo into any free space that came in sight, seeking to destroy it from inside out - to set its inside on fire.
‘For Leia.’
‘For the Resistance.’
‘For the Hosnian System…. for all that lived there.’
‘For those I have lost today.’
Series after series of flashes broke out, flames lifting upwards – geysers of molten metal and unknown gases rose, eating at the structure. Whatever he hadn’t hit was now eaten by flames. It was one last torpedo, one last great gush of golden-reddish flame, which surrounded the X-wing, that made Poe pull up the starship. Pull up and turn it around, to pierce the flames.
And he made it, back to the surface, as flames rotated and rose higher and higher behind him. X-wings soared around his own once they caught sight of him.
It was almost done. But there was something else… something that bothered Poe. “Any sight of the Falcon?” Perhaps he just didn’t see it yet. Perhaps it had left that cursed planet before it was going to be split into pieces.
“None. There was no movement.”
None. His worry pulled at him and he knew that in any other situation, he would have waited. Even just a little bit more. But his rational mind, his position as a leader, as a shoulder that supported the destiny of a planet, of their people and of their own base, every second was precious. They could not lose, not now, when they were so close. Han Solo would not allow it. Finn would not allow it. “Blast it, now!” He ordered as they circled it. “It is falling!”
He would not forget the Tarkin. “Moriah, get your own piece of that bastard!” She was – is a senator, wasn’t she? Hosnian Prime must have been her second home… and it was destroyed despite her efforts to see it survive. She’ll have own part in this.
It had already started to crater underground from the explosion. It needed just one more push before it would collapse.
His unblinking gaze was raised from the bleeding wound to the upper levels, seeking the one from whom the shot came. It was one moment of distraction in which Lynn focused solely on breathing as she found stability again. Her throat burned, her lungs begged for air and nothing else mattered more. She did not think of what was to come. The painful loud sounds were muffled, her surroundings ceased to exist as the primal instinct to survive took over.
“Hey, Lynn!”
Maybe because that damned name or because everything seemed to come back to life overwhelmingly fast, Lynn flinched. Her eyes shot towards the silhouette – the unknown face, the unknown voice that in the midst of all that madness was calling out to her.
“This way if you want out!”
Out. ‘Would your death be of any use to anyone if you stayed?’ The question rang in her mind. It was the evident answers that made her rise to her feet, stumbling as she did so, and reach for the other side. She didn’t look back – didn’t dare to look back for she could not afford that a second of hesitation… for she could not look Ben in the eyes. She shot after the male, up the stairs, as Chewbacca was the one to lead them out.
Snoke would be the one to greatly benefit from her death, now that Han was gone. Not Ben, no, he would only lose himself some more. His family was a threat to Snoke’s plans and she, his sister, was right in the midst of their den. The greatest threat of them all. Even if she was gone after this, Snoke would still prefer her dead. Her presence in the Resistance would prove to be a far greater inconvenience than her presence in the First Order. Far more problematic.
And if she was out there and alive… she may still get a chance to save her brother.
The mass of fiery flames and dust that grew over the closed space made it difficult for the Stormtroopers to get any shot near their targets. Some were too high, some were too low.
It was near the exit that she gripped the back of the man’s tunic, pushing him forward and, at last, they were out of sight. Back to the surface, out in the cold air. Chewbacca did not stop, leading them towards the dense forest that encircled the structure. Only once did he look back, to make sure they were behind him, that he did not lose them. When Lynn found his gaze she could distinguish that inconsolable pain which fueled the previous outcry… and relief at the sight of her. She returned the welcoming warmth, words of apology remaining left unspoken between them.
She let go of the male, in the end, moving to join his side instead. Her eyes rested on him – officer uniform? Of course. Who else would find himself her father’s side if not someone who was reckless? Courageous. Maybe just then, she was thankful for the resemblance. She gave him an acknowledging nod, a silent thank you.
The wind howled around them, cold and startling, shifting the settled snow and carrying more in its grip. It was darker than ever inside the forest. And through this cold, wounded Ben must be hunting them. Hunting her, knowing that Snoke would never let him live it down if a member of the Knights of Ren, who carried substantial information, escaped alive. Hunting that girl, his key to Luke’s location, his key to revenge.
The girl. Lynn’s eyes widened for a moment as she looked around. She wasn’t with them. FN-2187 wasn’t with them. Lynn knew they had been there, witness to Han’s death. She had heard her cry out for him.
Her pace slowed. “That–” Her voice cracked. “That girl… where is she?” She managed to let out, voice ragged. She was almost afraid that Chewbacca would not hear her.
But he did. Her name was Rey, he said, and that she left with Finn. They knew where the ship was, so close. That they will wait for them if needed and–
Lynn stopped abruptly. Only then did she feel that she was getting tired faster than usual. “Get to the ship, Chewbacca,” she spoke as he stopped as well, worried by the sudden turn of events. Her hands worked on her own dark tunic – she needed it open. She needed room to move and breathe freely. She won’t feel the cold just yet, the adrenaline made her blood boil. “I’ll find you.”
After she would find her. It was the first time in which she felt she could hope freely. The light would guide her.
Chewbacca spoke up, unpleased – why? She had to come. He would not leave her behind. Han would never allow it. He had the impulse to just grab her and run if he needed to.
It was Lynn’s continuing to speak that stopped him from doing so. “Ben is either seeking me or her. His anger towards Luke…” She shook her head, “Rey is more likely the target.” Even if it wasn’t what Snoke wanted. Ben’s wish of revenge had deep roots. Rey was Force-sensitive, it was the truth, but she was untrained. She did not know what she could do with her powers, on what she should focus if a battle were to arise. She was still testing her powers, only then learning how to use them, even if she proved to be a fast learner.
She couldn’t let Ben get to Luke, not with the intentions he had in mind. No matter his reasons. She couldn’t let him get to Rey. ‘I have already lost father, who will follow?’
Perhaps Lynn could never kill Ben, but she could slow him down if needed. If it was her the one he followed, she could keep him preoccupied and away from the ship. They had trained together – he had trained her. She knew his fighting style and could easily predict his next move in combat. She had found it amusing, the way he was bothered by that aspect. “They can’t face him.” Yet, she had never thought she may end up using what he had taught her against him.
His presence was felt, but not too close and not too far either. She could at least find the others if nothing else.
Chewbacca argued still. He was wounded. He may not even catch up with them.
“He will use the pain to fuel his power.” The thought made her stomach turn. “We don’t have the time, Chewie. We need that ship ready.” The pretentious cape was thrown aside.
It was with shaky movements that she reached for the curved-hilts of her lightsabers. Locked them together at the base. Deep breaths. It was the dark haired man she eyed then, not Chewbacca, signaling him to just take the discontent creature with a small raise of her chin. She’ll find them. The Falcon would shine as bright as any star.
********
“Traitor…”
“Traitor.”
“TRAITOR!”
Kylo concentrated on that word and that word alone – he could only recall Laelynn pleading with him, the coward siding with Han in a futile attempt to get him to turn from his destiny. She ran without having the courage to look back and face him, to stand up for the choice she made.
He did not want to think about what she had said when she was gasping helplessly for air. He did not want to ponder the reason why she had not reacted with force against him. He did not want to… he did not want to consider the option that the reason he was so mad was not that he found her a traitor and a coward, but that she – his younger sister – had run away from him. He had hurt her. Scared her. An older brother’s duty was to… protect his sister, not frighten her.
Still, she abandoned him even if she had promised she would never do so. She left with that scoundrel.
‘You gave her a reason to do so. She had every reason to leave.’
He needed to stop thinking. It was his anger and pain he needed to focus on. Nothing else mattered.
‘How are you any better than the uncle you condemn if you turned against your own sister?’ Han shouldn’t have expected anything else, but Lynn… she had been faithful all this time. Trusted him blindly as she joined the First Order. He felt betrayed but it was him that wanted to betray her in the first place. Only because Snoke wanted to. Only because Snoke thought she would betray him. No. He didn’t only think so – he knew. He always knew.
It wasn’t a matter of who was better than the one. It was a matter of revenge. He hadn’t fought so long for finding Luke to just throw away the opportunity of finding out his location. He had to find Rey. Bring her to Snoke. And once Luke would be gone, he’ll get to the rest. He couldn’t bring himself to follow Laelynn then, even if he felt her still.
He had channeled all the emotions he carried against the treacherous Stormtrooper, who foolishly tried to protect the fallen girl. Kylo felt irritated that he even managed to resist as long as he did. He had fallen with a quick blow to his back.
And then Rey showed herself again, back on her feet, stealing Luke’s lightsaber right away from under his nose. She was learning, continuously learning and Kylo took his defensive position, no longer wincing at the wound. Blue and red lighted the air as the blades clashed against one another – her strikes were powerful, brutal and Kylo found himself at a disadvantage. She was leading them, he was no longer in control.
‘No. No. NO.’
It was one moment of strength that changed the situation. He advanced, pushing her back and into the depths of the forest.
But she stopped, had to stop. The ground beneath their feet shook and it collapsed at her back. Where there were once trees and soil and snow, a cliff appeared. They clashed once more but she kept her ground. All he needed to do was to push. Push harder, faster and she’ll join the fallen trees. It wasn’t that what he followed, however.
“You need a teacher!” He made out through clenched teeth. “I can show you the ways of the Force!”
He might have lost an important piece, but he could have another. The map to Luke Skywalker. A future Knight of Ren. A powerful user of the Force. It was that what she was seeking – a place to which she belonged. He could give her that.
********
Following Poe’s command, the X-wings dived sharply and headed towards the Oscillator. Two, along the TIE fighter, remained behind to cover them from the attacks of the First Order’s squadrons. The others knew their target and Poe knew his very clear as he eyed it – he hardly breathed. He did not blink. Each second took him closer to the end of all of this, to the moment when he would be able to return home. To the moment in which it would be certain that the safety of it and his family was no longer in danger.
The Galaxy would, at last, be free of that symbol of death and loss – Starkiller. It would no longer be enslaved by the fear it imposed.
Even though his concentration, the response coming from the pilot of the TIE fighter was heard loud and clear. ‘Imperatrix Moriah Tarkin of the Seswanna Sector.’ His expression did not show the surprise he felt. The Tarkin was an option, but he hadn’t really expected it. Perhaps a part of him even regretted that it wasn’t someone he knew.
It was Wilhuff Tarkin’s image his mind ran to then. However, this Tarkin’s actions were in contradiction with what he had in mind. She had escaped the First Order seemingly – and there she had been held as a hostage, not an ally – and she was now fighting alongside them. This couldn’t have been a sudden change of plans, a moment’s decision. She could have sided with the First Order if she wanted to, still be on Starkiller base at Snoke’s and his pawns’ side.
Yet, she was here. Perhaps he shouldn’t find it unexpected. General Une Tagge, the one that had contacted Leia, was seeking to reunite the remains the Senate. It was war they wanted… and she was loyal to the bone to the Tarkin. Her interests were Tarkin’s.
And she wanted her back.
‘Judge everyone as an individual.’ This is what Leia had taught him, following the madness in the Senate once it was discovered she was Darth Vader’s daughter. He was going to live by these words. Welcome and appreciate the Tarkin’s aide – not as he was in a position to refuse it now.
He will offer his assistance as well. The TIEs inability to jump to lightspeed was one of their many defects. “You will have it, if I get out of there.” Poe wanted to think of that possibility in an amusing light.
“Let’s put an end to Starkiller.”
The corners of his mouth pulled up at her words. Especially as he noticed the way the TIEs scattered around hers. Got blasted. “That’s the spirit. I’ll hear from you soon.”
The X-wings lowered themselves in the trench that led to the now burning structure. The escorting X-wings fired at weapons emplacements and base defense walkers. It was the ground fire that made it difficult in the crowded space, the created explosions slowing them down. They needed to resist a little more… “Watch out!” Jess’ voice called out, tone alarmed as– as an X-wing was hit and ripped to pieces following the blast. Silence fell over the others. “We’ve lost Ello.”
Poe felt his grip tighten as he heard Jess. As they were close to that damned opening. “That’s it – I’m going in! Pull up and cover me!” He had to be on his own from then on.
“Copy that, Black Leader,” Niv Lek spoke. “Good luck, Poe.” Poe could feel the sincerity and yet, the tension in his words.
“And you better come back.” Karé was not playing around.
He would. “Understood, ma’am!”
The X-wings peeled off – only Poe’s remains darting forward, into the fiery breach. A TIE fighter pursues the lone wolf in his mission, firing blast after blast as the X-wing dodges each with a fiery speed, weaving through the breach. ‘You did not find the right person to deal with today, buddy.’ The attack began and he struck the structure hard enough to leave behind him a trail of fire and metal that swirled around the TIE and engulfed it. The power of the explosion ripped the fighter apart and Poe’s path was clear. He encircled the abandoned structure, firing torpedo after torpedo into any free space that came in sight, seeking to destroy it from inside out - to set its inside on fire.
‘For Leia.’
‘For the Resistance.’
‘For the Hosnian System…. for all that lived there.’
‘For those I have lost today.’
Series after series of flashes broke out, flames lifting upwards – geysers of molten metal and unknown gases rose, eating at the structure. Whatever he hadn’t hit was now eaten by flames. It was one last torpedo, one last great gush of golden-reddish flame, which surrounded the X-wing, that made Poe pull up the starship. Pull up and turn it around, to pierce the flames.
And he made it, back to the surface, as flames rotated and rose higher and higher behind him. X-wings soared around his own once they caught sight of him.
It was almost done. But there was something else… something that bothered Poe. “Any sight of the Falcon?” Perhaps he just didn’t see it yet. Perhaps it had left that cursed planet before it was going to be split into pieces.
“None. There was no movement.”
None. His worry pulled at him and he knew that in any other situation, he would have waited. Even just a little bit more. But his rational mind, his position as a leader, as a shoulder that supported the destiny of a planet, of their people and of their own base, every second was precious. They could not lose, not now, when they were so close. Han Solo would not allow it. Finn would not allow it. “Blast it, now!” He ordered as they circled it. “It is falling!”
He would not forget the Tarkin. “Moriah, get your own piece of that bastard!” She was – is a senator, wasn’t she? Hosnian Prime must have been her second home… and it was destroyed despite her efforts to see it survive. She’ll have own part in this.
It had already started to crater underground from the explosion. It needed just one more push before it would collapse.
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Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
There was a pull at the back of his tunic, and though Ivan nearly tumbled backwards, the pull turned to a push and he was back on target to keep running after Chewbacca, even against the cold wind that picked up when he escaped the oscillator where they’d all been, setting up to destroy the First Order. He winced at the sensation when it slapped against his face, before looking back to see the one who grabbed him, and smiling a bit at the woman who followed. ‘Lynn.’ He repeated the name to himself, hoping to commit it to memory. She had turned her back on the First Order, then. On the Knights of Ren.
She would go home to her mother. Leia hadn’t lost everything, then.
She let him go, and smiled, after exchanging a look with Chewbacca. His own widened a bit and he gave her a nod. He couldn’t speak the words of acceptance, or congratulations – not yet. They weren’t out of the woods yet. Literally. They were still in the woods, and they had to find Rey and Finn, too, before they could get off the planet that was hopefully going to be destroyed by the X-Wings he saw fighting in the atmosphere. ‘Moriah….’ He had to keep hoping she found a way out.
He didn’t want to work directly under Une Tagge!
Their pace slowed once outside, and Ivan scanned the trees for signs of silver, for a ship, but heard Lynn start to speak and ask about their companions. Chewbacca was able to answer for her, and then she decided that she had to go and save them. “Hey, no, they’ll—” he started to protest it, just like Chewbacca, but Lynn was determined. Ivan was more concerned that Lynn may choose to stay, or return to Kylo, or worse – harm Rey or Finn. They only met a moment ago, and in a volatile situation. He was too used to people switching sides, and he couldn’t say he trusted this stranger yet, no matter how pretty she was.
Pretty people were usually the most dangerous. He was a perfect example of that, even if only he said that.
‘Kylo was kind of pretty.’ He abolished that thought quickly, immediately, because that was not something he needed to be thinking of. Kylo was wounded, he couldn’t catch up, right? Wrong. ‘You know Moriah.’ Pain only seemed to piss her off. He’d never seen it slow her down, and Kylo was quite possibly the same way. He could understand that, the Force was weird in how it helped others. Or hurt them. “She might be right,” he told Chewbacca, as he bent to pick up the abandoned cape, while she stalked off with hands on her lightsabers, “We should get back to the Falcon, and bring it over to them, or…,” he trailed off, noting that Lynn had disappeared into the treeline. “You get the Falcon, and I’ll get Lynn.”
Chewbacca protested that just as much, while Ivan wrapped the cape around an arm, “I know, I know – but I can’t just let her go out against him on her own. She won’t hurt Kylo, we saw that! I’ll get them all back. You’re my ride, after all, and I want off this planet before it blows up,” soundly logical. He had no other way off the planet. Betraying them wasn’t in his favor in the least, and Chewbacca let out a whining protest. “Thanks buddy,” it was enough, though, to let Ivan go and he took off after the path of footsteps in the snow, soon coming to a more open area where he saw Finn on the ground. ‘Shoot!’ Good thing he grabbed the cape.
He rushed over to the unconscious man’s side and wrapped it around him, looking up for Lynn. “Hey, I think we should—” The ground splintered more around them, and Ivan did his best to stay at least on his feet. It was hard, even crouched down. He was going to have to carry Finn, wasn’t he? He wasn’t sure he was quite that strong. “We need to get Finn to the Falcon, we can come back for Rey!”
Of course, as he said it, he started to hear unsteady steps, and then saw Rey hurrying back to them, all but tripping over herself. “Finn!” The cry escaped her lips and she barely seemed to notice Lynn as she rushed to his side.
“Where’s Kylo?” Ivan found himself asking, perhaps more for Lynn than himself. Or because he was afraid Kylo was following.
“Back there,” she gestured, “Help me with him,” her hazel-green eyes shot up, and Ivan nodded, moving his arms beneath Finn’s back to help lift him as Rey went to help at his lower half.
“Alive?”
“I think so,” she said, “he doesn’t deserve it,” that came with a glance at Finn’s face, closed eyes, and as she got to her feet with Ivan, she only then noticed Lynn was there, “Oh…I’m sorry,” her words were hastily spoken in her anger and frustration, at witnessing Han Solo die, and so much more. Since leaving Jakku, she hadn’t had a moment to rest or sort through her emotions. She only had time to feel them, not make sense of them. “You’re….” The name was forgotten.
“Lynn,” Ivan offered. “We need to get back, Chewie’s—”
Apparently with the Falcon, which shown its light through the trees for them. “—ready! Yes!” Ivan all but cheered, and looked back to Lynn. No doubt, she wanted to run after Kylo, to see if he was alive as Rey said, or make sure he got off the planet alive, but Ivan hoped to draw her from that with, “I could use some help with Finn, he’s heavier than I thought.” Anything to draw her back from running off and to Kylo Ren himself. Anything to keep her with the group, and get them all off of the planet and back to the safety of the Resistance.
~***~
Moriah could only do so much as one fighter – she couldn’t protect everyone, and in the end, she’d protect herself more than the other pilots. Still, she did what she could, weaving through the TIEs to shoot them down, or encourage crashes and reckless driving. They had all seemed to register her ship as rogue now, so she wasn’t having much luck actually tricking the TIEs any longer, but she was at least still doing a damn fine job of destroying them. ‘They’ll keep coming.’ That was the problem. They were right by a base. There was no time to rest. The TIEs would be endless. Moriah had seen first-hand how many they had.
Their hope lied in destroying the base. That would take many with them, and send many others fleeing to be out of range when the planet destroyed itself. They wouldn’t care about fighting at that point, which meant that protecting Poe Dameron was also second on her list of priorities, because he was the way to stopping the endless TIEs from coming up from the surface of the planet and killing them all through sheer numbers. Not skill.
They definitely didn’t have skill.
The First Order spoiled them by giving their TIEs shields.
Moriah heard the command for others to pull up, and glanced down to see other X-Wings pulling up and away, as Poe zipped away to set off the oscillator. It became obvious when he hit it, as there were plenty of explosions, and some of the TIEs started to pull away. They would need to find a ship to duck into, since they, too, lacked the hyperdrive. Moriah smirked a bit, “Well done, Dameron,” she commended, following after one of the TIEs that stayed to fight and weaving around it, spiraling ever up, before pulling off the thruster of the TIE and simply…dropping.
She dove down, and was quick to hit the propulsion before dropping to the planet’s atmosphere, and turn right back up to send a few shots into the confused TIE’s ship, before turning hers towards the grouping of X-Wings that was going about one last bombing run.
She heard Poe call for it, after recognizing what must have been his ship pull out of the flames. She chuckled, “Sorry Dameron, I’d rather stay above a planet about to explode. Debris isn’t nice,” but she’d let them have their fun and keep a watch for any TIEs that wanted to come back and fight. It didn’t seem like that was going to be the case any longer, they were peeling off in droves and waves, many ships launching from the surface to escape.
Moriah did, briefly, consider chasing down some of those ships, but thought better of it. ‘Many with the Empire were innocent.’ Working because they needed to. Working because they believed in it, without knowing what it was – or believing in some of the goals of the Empire that she still believed in to that day. It would not be prudent to lash out at them, when they could become political allies in the future, even if right now they were definitely military enemies.
The future changed many things.
“Don’t suppose you want to fill me in on that plan of yours to get me out of here, do you, Commander?” She let her ship slip back.
No one was fighting anymore as a pulse rippled the ground of the planet beneath them, and it started to crack and break, revealing the sun that was at its core, no longer contained by the planet. It would soon overtake it, and become a sun all on its own. Moriah wanted to be no where near that. A TIE didn’t exactly have the best cooling processes, either. It was really a cruddy ship for anything besides fighting in.
But at least the others were having fun breaking Starkiller apart, as if they needed to do more. The quaking of the planet opened up more and more vents in it, and soon, Moriah knew, it would be no more. She just hoped Hux was still on it. Kylo. ‘You aren’t that lucky.’ Hopefully that girl, Rey, was able to escape. ‘Perhaps she got to the Falcon.’ She had heard Poe mention that. The ship was almost as legendary as the Carrion Spike.
Perhaps more legendary – but Moriah’s ego would never accept that. She let her own eyes trace over the planet, seeking something that didn’t look like an Imperial design leaving the planet. She didn’t really know how the Millennium Falcon looked, but she knew how First Order ships looked.
Asteria
She would go home to her mother. Leia hadn’t lost everything, then.
She let him go, and smiled, after exchanging a look with Chewbacca. His own widened a bit and he gave her a nod. He couldn’t speak the words of acceptance, or congratulations – not yet. They weren’t out of the woods yet. Literally. They were still in the woods, and they had to find Rey and Finn, too, before they could get off the planet that was hopefully going to be destroyed by the X-Wings he saw fighting in the atmosphere. ‘Moriah….’ He had to keep hoping she found a way out.
He didn’t want to work directly under Une Tagge!
Their pace slowed once outside, and Ivan scanned the trees for signs of silver, for a ship, but heard Lynn start to speak and ask about their companions. Chewbacca was able to answer for her, and then she decided that she had to go and save them. “Hey, no, they’ll—” he started to protest it, just like Chewbacca, but Lynn was determined. Ivan was more concerned that Lynn may choose to stay, or return to Kylo, or worse – harm Rey or Finn. They only met a moment ago, and in a volatile situation. He was too used to people switching sides, and he couldn’t say he trusted this stranger yet, no matter how pretty she was.
Pretty people were usually the most dangerous. He was a perfect example of that, even if only he said that.
‘Kylo was kind of pretty.’ He abolished that thought quickly, immediately, because that was not something he needed to be thinking of. Kylo was wounded, he couldn’t catch up, right? Wrong. ‘You know Moriah.’ Pain only seemed to piss her off. He’d never seen it slow her down, and Kylo was quite possibly the same way. He could understand that, the Force was weird in how it helped others. Or hurt them. “She might be right,” he told Chewbacca, as he bent to pick up the abandoned cape, while she stalked off with hands on her lightsabers, “We should get back to the Falcon, and bring it over to them, or…,” he trailed off, noting that Lynn had disappeared into the treeline. “You get the Falcon, and I’ll get Lynn.”
Chewbacca protested that just as much, while Ivan wrapped the cape around an arm, “I know, I know – but I can’t just let her go out against him on her own. She won’t hurt Kylo, we saw that! I’ll get them all back. You’re my ride, after all, and I want off this planet before it blows up,” soundly logical. He had no other way off the planet. Betraying them wasn’t in his favor in the least, and Chewbacca let out a whining protest. “Thanks buddy,” it was enough, though, to let Ivan go and he took off after the path of footsteps in the snow, soon coming to a more open area where he saw Finn on the ground. ‘Shoot!’ Good thing he grabbed the cape.
He rushed over to the unconscious man’s side and wrapped it around him, looking up for Lynn. “Hey, I think we should—” The ground splintered more around them, and Ivan did his best to stay at least on his feet. It was hard, even crouched down. He was going to have to carry Finn, wasn’t he? He wasn’t sure he was quite that strong. “We need to get Finn to the Falcon, we can come back for Rey!”
Of course, as he said it, he started to hear unsteady steps, and then saw Rey hurrying back to them, all but tripping over herself. “Finn!” The cry escaped her lips and she barely seemed to notice Lynn as she rushed to his side.
“Where’s Kylo?” Ivan found himself asking, perhaps more for Lynn than himself. Or because he was afraid Kylo was following.
“Back there,” she gestured, “Help me with him,” her hazel-green eyes shot up, and Ivan nodded, moving his arms beneath Finn’s back to help lift him as Rey went to help at his lower half.
“Alive?”
“I think so,” she said, “he doesn’t deserve it,” that came with a glance at Finn’s face, closed eyes, and as she got to her feet with Ivan, she only then noticed Lynn was there, “Oh…I’m sorry,” her words were hastily spoken in her anger and frustration, at witnessing Han Solo die, and so much more. Since leaving Jakku, she hadn’t had a moment to rest or sort through her emotions. She only had time to feel them, not make sense of them. “You’re….” The name was forgotten.
“Lynn,” Ivan offered. “We need to get back, Chewie’s—”
Apparently with the Falcon, which shown its light through the trees for them. “—ready! Yes!” Ivan all but cheered, and looked back to Lynn. No doubt, she wanted to run after Kylo, to see if he was alive as Rey said, or make sure he got off the planet alive, but Ivan hoped to draw her from that with, “I could use some help with Finn, he’s heavier than I thought.” Anything to draw her back from running off and to Kylo Ren himself. Anything to keep her with the group, and get them all off of the planet and back to the safety of the Resistance.
~***~
Moriah could only do so much as one fighter – she couldn’t protect everyone, and in the end, she’d protect herself more than the other pilots. Still, she did what she could, weaving through the TIEs to shoot them down, or encourage crashes and reckless driving. They had all seemed to register her ship as rogue now, so she wasn’t having much luck actually tricking the TIEs any longer, but she was at least still doing a damn fine job of destroying them. ‘They’ll keep coming.’ That was the problem. They were right by a base. There was no time to rest. The TIEs would be endless. Moriah had seen first-hand how many they had.
Their hope lied in destroying the base. That would take many with them, and send many others fleeing to be out of range when the planet destroyed itself. They wouldn’t care about fighting at that point, which meant that protecting Poe Dameron was also second on her list of priorities, because he was the way to stopping the endless TIEs from coming up from the surface of the planet and killing them all through sheer numbers. Not skill.
They definitely didn’t have skill.
The First Order spoiled them by giving their TIEs shields.
Moriah heard the command for others to pull up, and glanced down to see other X-Wings pulling up and away, as Poe zipped away to set off the oscillator. It became obvious when he hit it, as there were plenty of explosions, and some of the TIEs started to pull away. They would need to find a ship to duck into, since they, too, lacked the hyperdrive. Moriah smirked a bit, “Well done, Dameron,” she commended, following after one of the TIEs that stayed to fight and weaving around it, spiraling ever up, before pulling off the thruster of the TIE and simply…dropping.
She dove down, and was quick to hit the propulsion before dropping to the planet’s atmosphere, and turn right back up to send a few shots into the confused TIE’s ship, before turning hers towards the grouping of X-Wings that was going about one last bombing run.
She heard Poe call for it, after recognizing what must have been his ship pull out of the flames. She chuckled, “Sorry Dameron, I’d rather stay above a planet about to explode. Debris isn’t nice,” but she’d let them have their fun and keep a watch for any TIEs that wanted to come back and fight. It didn’t seem like that was going to be the case any longer, they were peeling off in droves and waves, many ships launching from the surface to escape.
Moriah did, briefly, consider chasing down some of those ships, but thought better of it. ‘Many with the Empire were innocent.’ Working because they needed to. Working because they believed in it, without knowing what it was – or believing in some of the goals of the Empire that she still believed in to that day. It would not be prudent to lash out at them, when they could become political allies in the future, even if right now they were definitely military enemies.
The future changed many things.
“Don’t suppose you want to fill me in on that plan of yours to get me out of here, do you, Commander?” She let her ship slip back.
No one was fighting anymore as a pulse rippled the ground of the planet beneath them, and it started to crack and break, revealing the sun that was at its core, no longer contained by the planet. It would soon overtake it, and become a sun all on its own. Moriah wanted to be no where near that. A TIE didn’t exactly have the best cooling processes, either. It was really a cruddy ship for anything besides fighting in.
But at least the others were having fun breaking Starkiller apart, as if they needed to do more. The quaking of the planet opened up more and more vents in it, and soon, Moriah knew, it would be no more. She just hoped Hux was still on it. Kylo. ‘You aren’t that lucky.’ Hopefully that girl, Rey, was able to escape. ‘Perhaps she got to the Falcon.’ She had heard Poe mention that. The ship was almost as legendary as the Carrion Spike.
Perhaps more legendary – but Moriah’s ego would never accept that. She let her own eyes trace over the planet, seeking something that didn’t look like an Imperial design leaving the planet. She didn’t really know how the Millennium Falcon looked, but she knew how First Order ships looked.
Asteria
Asteria
⚔️
‘Don’t think. Just feel.’
Lynn could hardly see at a distance. Darkness, trees, heavy snowfall – they all obstructed her view. She considered igniting her lightsaber but to what use? It would only attract unwanted attention and scare those she truly wanted to find. So, instead, she lowered her eyes from time to time, seeking any left footprints that weren’t yet hidden by a new coat of snow. She stopped at the sight of blood, dark red drops surrounding noticeable steps. Kylo?
It was in an open space that they became more chaotic, joining another pair of footprints. Or perhaps two, but she could not tell. They must have resisted him and if so–
The sight of Finn lying down in the snow got her to stop. She hurried towards him but she did not join his side, not yet. It was Rey she thought of as her eyes found the cauterized wound on his back. The lightsaber has cut through the leather jacket and his tunic and burned them at the edges. If Kylo had reached Finn… he must have reached Rey as well. There was no sight of her, just more damned footprints that led deeper into the forest.
She almost ignited her lightsaber as she heard approaching steps. She turned abruptly, prepared to face anyone else but he again. As he came to Finn’s side and covered him, she bit her tongue on asking what was he doing and why did he leave Chewbacca alone but… felt some comfort in his presence. Him calling out to her, through all that madness of noise, blasts, and explosions – that image would forever remain associated with a feeling of hope. A sense of escape. A reminder she had a way out. She didn’t even know his name.
They had to bring Finn to the ship and then find Rey. They might not get the chance though as the ground shook underneath them. The footsteps may not lead far, if only they…
Lynn did not get to share her thoughts as another pair of footsteps approached. As a cry parted out someone’s lips. It was relief she felt as she saw the girl, untouched by nothing else except worry for her friend. She pulled back, left her space to join Finn’s side. Looking at her, at them, she almost felt like an intruder. She didn’t know them, they didn’t know her and yet here they were. They had far more reasons to doubt her than she had to doubt them.
And perhaps they had all the right to doubt her – she doubted herself when she heard Rey mention Kylo. She had escaped him somehow. No. No, he wasn’t dead or she would have felt it. Her grip tightened on the lightsabers at Rey’s words but when she looked at her, when she apologized even, Lynn found her own split moment of anger stupid. Foolish. It was her friend that was unconscious in the snow, fallen at Ben’s hands. Rey had all the right to be angry and to spill venom… and despite all that, she became considerate of her presence. “Don’t think of it,” she said and meant it.
As Ivan mentioned going back, her eyes lingered on the place from which Rey came. Kylo was there, close and yet so far away. Snoke wouldn’t leave him here, would he? He wouldn’t, at least, not yet, and despite how much Hux despised Kylo, he would follow Snoke’s orders. They wouldn’t leave Kylo Ren, the image of the First Order here.
She still wanted to make sure they wouldn’t leave him behind. She still wanted to make sure he was safe… after everything.
The Millennium Falcon’s lights and the male’s now so recognizable voice swayed her attention. She still held on to the lightsabers. She still seemed prepared to run at any given moment. Her troubled gaze moved from the starship and Chewbacca to the other three – Rey, Finn, he. It may be her chance of saving Ben and perhaps, even a part of her. She disconnected the lightsabers, attaching them back to her belt and without looking back, she hurried to assist them as Chewbacca prepared to land so they could embark.
Lynn did not think she was truly back on the Millennium Falcon, the starship of her childhood, once the boarding ramp was raised behind them. She did try to not concentrate on that aspect, holding tight to Finn. Perhaps if her eyes wouldn’t have traveled around the interior of the Falcon, seeking a spot they could comfortably lay Finn down, she would have managed to not think of it.
It was when they passed by the access tunnel to the cockpit that Chewbacca could lay eyes on them. He was calling out for Rey, to join him, as the ship was back in the air. Lynn offered an encouraging look, “He’ll be fine. Come on, go, I’ll take him from here.” It was important for them to get out of there as soon as possible. She made sure that the dark-haired male held him well before she moved to the legs.
A nearby bunk drew her attention first. “There,” they needed to lay him on his stomach. Once she would see him settled down, she would remove her own tunic, remaining in the tight fit turtleneck shirt, before folding it and placing it under Finn’s head.
“They must have a medpac or a medkit here,” she imagined it would be a medkit with her father. He always needed medical supplies, a medpac would never be sufficient.
She didn’t want to think that her father wouldn’t need it anymore. She didn’t want to replay the scene of his death or think of Kylo and the marks he must have left on her neck. She hardly wanted to look around her surroundings and think of how it was to enter the Millennium Falcon as a child – of how Han taught her to pilot and repair a ship or how she played dejarik with Chewie. Of how… she was heading back to her mother. Of how she would look at her. She would break sooner or later, when she would let it all sink in, that she knew. Even as she dragged a found medkit closer to the bunk she was shaking.
Disinfectant spray and bacta patches, that’s what she needed to keep him stable until they would reach the base. That’s all she knew to do for him for then. “I don’t even know your name.” She didn’t even thank him properly.
“If you stick along for a while, we may get you an X-wing. You’ll enjoy yourself far more in one,” Poe offered as a solution so she would not have to give the chance in the future. Her skills on a TIE fighter have been impressing, to say – for a political figure, even if Leia would murder him for having that thought. The general herself was a good example of why senators shouldn’t be underestimated. Moriah Tarkin’s family name and military title were proof enough that there was more to her. He didn’t know how long she would remain though, once they got back to the Resistance’s base. “I’ll put in a good word for you.”
He was curious seeing her skills at work in an X-wing in truth, after witnessing what she could do with a TIE fighter. An X-wing was much more than a defender, after all – so much more to work it.
Even if it wasn’t for a starfighter, he’d still put in a good word for her in front of Leia. They all would. With the New Republic turned to ashes… the Resistance needed all the support they could muster. A Tarkin as an ally would not hurt. Despite the past, Leia hadn’t been opposed to the idea. And now, that she had escaped the First Order, they could work on it.
Poe felt pride swell in his chest, his heart thumping with each hit the First Order’s base took. Crack after crack appeared, the light and the heat of the sun underneath exposing itself through them. In such moments, nothing else mattered except the sweet taste of victory but he knew it would not last for long – they won today, they may win tomorrow and the day after but the First Order would somehow rise once more. More prepared.
But now, as he watched it all burn, he hoped they would not make it off of the planet. That their Supreme Leader would no longer have his brainwashed followers after his tail. It was too much to hope for and it was a small chance for what he wished to happen to truly happen, yet he hoped all the same. Hoped for the Falcon and its crew to make it out of there as well, as the X-wings encircled the planet once it became clear it was going to erupt. Encircle it and then rise above it.
It was Moriah Tarkin’s voice that reached out to him. The plan. “Traction cables,” simply said. “We always need to have an alternative to us, in case something happens to our own hyperdrives.” Most of the time though, there was nothing left to be saved from a ship. That was another thought for another time. “I’ll have you connected to my ship soon enough.”
“Poe!” Jess shouted then, to interrupt him, but the pilot already saw what was to be seen. As they came up, as they parted from the planet… the Millennium Falcon appeared from the continuous explosions!
Poe’s smile could not be controlled – it grew with each moment in which he stared at the beauty. “I see them! All squadrons, we’re going home!”
“I like the sound of that, Commander,” Bastian sighed deeply. They had lost men today, good friends and pilots… but it hadn’t been in vain. They had avenged them. The Resistance would live another day as the First Order was brought to ashes.
Poe knew he had to make a stop though, retrieve the TIE fighter and Tarkin before he could do anything else. As the X-wings moved after the Falcon, Poe’s headed towards the TIE. He approached as much as he could. “Snap, see if you can contact the Falcon and check their situation. Explain our own as well,” they might wonder about the TIE fighter. He hoped everyone was safe though.
“Got it.”
With that said and done, it was time to focus on the transportation of the TIE. “Come on, buddy, come to the rescue. Be careful.” It would know what needed to be done.
Poe was relaxed momentarily. At peace. Thinking of it, he felt that someone else could feel joy at the thought they had someone waiting for them. That they had the chance to see someone dear to them. “I do hate to disappoint generals and senators, believe me when I say that, so it is in my best interests to get you out of here as soon as possible. It usually ends up bad for me when I do disappoint them and anger them.” Leia may trust him and care for him, but that meant nothing when he screwed things over. He was lucky he didn’t get demoted yet, even if he wasn’t far from it.
“It was General Une Tagge that contacted Leia and informed us about you,” Leia couldn’t promise anything at the time. Even Poe himself wouldn’t have been rescued from the First Order if he hadn’t escaped along Finn. He hoped that Finn had found his friend. “She’s safe. I’m certain she will like to have you back.”
He made a pause. “And a certain Amilyn Holdo would like to hear about what you’ve been up to lately.” Leia trusted Holdo – he did trust her, for Leia did, but it was a weird feeling that she gave him. It could only be in Tarkin’s favor if Holdo trusted her as well though.
BB-8's beeps were heard then. “All done?”
It gave an approving beep.
“Now, Moriah, try to not bump into me. And prepare to meet the Resistance.” He would catch up with the rest of the X-wings. Prepare calculations for the jump to lightspeed… and home, at last.
Lynn could hardly see at a distance. Darkness, trees, heavy snowfall – they all obstructed her view. She considered igniting her lightsaber but to what use? It would only attract unwanted attention and scare those she truly wanted to find. So, instead, she lowered her eyes from time to time, seeking any left footprints that weren’t yet hidden by a new coat of snow. She stopped at the sight of blood, dark red drops surrounding noticeable steps. Kylo?
It was in an open space that they became more chaotic, joining another pair of footprints. Or perhaps two, but she could not tell. They must have resisted him and if so–
The sight of Finn lying down in the snow got her to stop. She hurried towards him but she did not join his side, not yet. It was Rey she thought of as her eyes found the cauterized wound on his back. The lightsaber has cut through the leather jacket and his tunic and burned them at the edges. If Kylo had reached Finn… he must have reached Rey as well. There was no sight of her, just more damned footprints that led deeper into the forest.
She almost ignited her lightsaber as she heard approaching steps. She turned abruptly, prepared to face anyone else but he again. As he came to Finn’s side and covered him, she bit her tongue on asking what was he doing and why did he leave Chewbacca alone but… felt some comfort in his presence. Him calling out to her, through all that madness of noise, blasts, and explosions – that image would forever remain associated with a feeling of hope. A sense of escape. A reminder she had a way out. She didn’t even know his name.
They had to bring Finn to the ship and then find Rey. They might not get the chance though as the ground shook underneath them. The footsteps may not lead far, if only they…
Lynn did not get to share her thoughts as another pair of footsteps approached. As a cry parted out someone’s lips. It was relief she felt as she saw the girl, untouched by nothing else except worry for her friend. She pulled back, left her space to join Finn’s side. Looking at her, at them, she almost felt like an intruder. She didn’t know them, they didn’t know her and yet here they were. They had far more reasons to doubt her than she had to doubt them.
And perhaps they had all the right to doubt her – she doubted herself when she heard Rey mention Kylo. She had escaped him somehow. No. No, he wasn’t dead or she would have felt it. Her grip tightened on the lightsabers at Rey’s words but when she looked at her, when she apologized even, Lynn found her own split moment of anger stupid. Foolish. It was her friend that was unconscious in the snow, fallen at Ben’s hands. Rey had all the right to be angry and to spill venom… and despite all that, she became considerate of her presence. “Don’t think of it,” she said and meant it.
As Ivan mentioned going back, her eyes lingered on the place from which Rey came. Kylo was there, close and yet so far away. Snoke wouldn’t leave him here, would he? He wouldn’t, at least, not yet, and despite how much Hux despised Kylo, he would follow Snoke’s orders. They wouldn’t leave Kylo Ren, the image of the First Order here.
She still wanted to make sure they wouldn’t leave him behind. She still wanted to make sure he was safe… after everything.
The Millennium Falcon’s lights and the male’s now so recognizable voice swayed her attention. She still held on to the lightsabers. She still seemed prepared to run at any given moment. Her troubled gaze moved from the starship and Chewbacca to the other three – Rey, Finn, he. It may be her chance of saving Ben and perhaps, even a part of her. She disconnected the lightsabers, attaching them back to her belt and without looking back, she hurried to assist them as Chewbacca prepared to land so they could embark.
Lynn did not think she was truly back on the Millennium Falcon, the starship of her childhood, once the boarding ramp was raised behind them. She did try to not concentrate on that aspect, holding tight to Finn. Perhaps if her eyes wouldn’t have traveled around the interior of the Falcon, seeking a spot they could comfortably lay Finn down, she would have managed to not think of it.
It was when they passed by the access tunnel to the cockpit that Chewbacca could lay eyes on them. He was calling out for Rey, to join him, as the ship was back in the air. Lynn offered an encouraging look, “He’ll be fine. Come on, go, I’ll take him from here.” It was important for them to get out of there as soon as possible. She made sure that the dark-haired male held him well before she moved to the legs.
A nearby bunk drew her attention first. “There,” they needed to lay him on his stomach. Once she would see him settled down, she would remove her own tunic, remaining in the tight fit turtleneck shirt, before folding it and placing it under Finn’s head.
“They must have a medpac or a medkit here,” she imagined it would be a medkit with her father. He always needed medical supplies, a medpac would never be sufficient.
She didn’t want to think that her father wouldn’t need it anymore. She didn’t want to replay the scene of his death or think of Kylo and the marks he must have left on her neck. She hardly wanted to look around her surroundings and think of how it was to enter the Millennium Falcon as a child – of how Han taught her to pilot and repair a ship or how she played dejarik with Chewie. Of how… she was heading back to her mother. Of how she would look at her. She would break sooner or later, when she would let it all sink in, that she knew. Even as she dragged a found medkit closer to the bunk she was shaking.
Disinfectant spray and bacta patches, that’s what she needed to keep him stable until they would reach the base. That’s all she knew to do for him for then. “I don’t even know your name.” She didn’t even thank him properly.
********
Moriah Tarkin did not take part in the final blow given to the planet, remaining above it. Indeed, debris wasn’t something one could enjoy from inside a ship – from inside TIE fighter, especially. The others did not need to be told twice, assaulting the planet with all they had to give. Whatever TIE fighters had remained sought to retreat once it became clear they would have nothing to protect anymore. Starkiller would no longer exist.
“If you stick along for a while, we may get you an X-wing. You’ll enjoy yourself far more in one,” Poe offered as a solution so she would not have to give the chance in the future. Her skills on a TIE fighter have been impressing, to say – for a political figure, even if Leia would murder him for having that thought. The general herself was a good example of why senators shouldn’t be underestimated. Moriah Tarkin’s family name and military title were proof enough that there was more to her. He didn’t know how long she would remain though, once they got back to the Resistance’s base. “I’ll put in a good word for you.”
He was curious seeing her skills at work in an X-wing in truth, after witnessing what she could do with a TIE fighter. An X-wing was much more than a defender, after all – so much more to work it.
Even if it wasn’t for a starfighter, he’d still put in a good word for her in front of Leia. They all would. With the New Republic turned to ashes… the Resistance needed all the support they could muster. A Tarkin as an ally would not hurt. Despite the past, Leia hadn’t been opposed to the idea. And now, that she had escaped the First Order, they could work on it.
Poe felt pride swell in his chest, his heart thumping with each hit the First Order’s base took. Crack after crack appeared, the light and the heat of the sun underneath exposing itself through them. In such moments, nothing else mattered except the sweet taste of victory but he knew it would not last for long – they won today, they may win tomorrow and the day after but the First Order would somehow rise once more. More prepared.
But now, as he watched it all burn, he hoped they would not make it off of the planet. That their Supreme Leader would no longer have his brainwashed followers after his tail. It was too much to hope for and it was a small chance for what he wished to happen to truly happen, yet he hoped all the same. Hoped for the Falcon and its crew to make it out of there as well, as the X-wings encircled the planet once it became clear it was going to erupt. Encircle it and then rise above it.
It was Moriah Tarkin’s voice that reached out to him. The plan. “Traction cables,” simply said. “We always need to have an alternative to us, in case something happens to our own hyperdrives.” Most of the time though, there was nothing left to be saved from a ship. That was another thought for another time. “I’ll have you connected to my ship soon enough.”
“Poe!” Jess shouted then, to interrupt him, but the pilot already saw what was to be seen. As they came up, as they parted from the planet… the Millennium Falcon appeared from the continuous explosions!
Poe’s smile could not be controlled – it grew with each moment in which he stared at the beauty. “I see them! All squadrons, we’re going home!”
“I like the sound of that, Commander,” Bastian sighed deeply. They had lost men today, good friends and pilots… but it hadn’t been in vain. They had avenged them. The Resistance would live another day as the First Order was brought to ashes.
Poe knew he had to make a stop though, retrieve the TIE fighter and Tarkin before he could do anything else. As the X-wings moved after the Falcon, Poe’s headed towards the TIE. He approached as much as he could. “Snap, see if you can contact the Falcon and check their situation. Explain our own as well,” they might wonder about the TIE fighter. He hoped everyone was safe though.
“Got it.”
With that said and done, it was time to focus on the transportation of the TIE. “Come on, buddy, come to the rescue. Be careful.” It would know what needed to be done.
Poe was relaxed momentarily. At peace. Thinking of it, he felt that someone else could feel joy at the thought they had someone waiting for them. That they had the chance to see someone dear to them. “I do hate to disappoint generals and senators, believe me when I say that, so it is in my best interests to get you out of here as soon as possible. It usually ends up bad for me when I do disappoint them and anger them.” Leia may trust him and care for him, but that meant nothing when he screwed things over. He was lucky he didn’t get demoted yet, even if he wasn’t far from it.
“It was General Une Tagge that contacted Leia and informed us about you,” Leia couldn’t promise anything at the time. Even Poe himself wouldn’t have been rescued from the First Order if he hadn’t escaped along Finn. He hoped that Finn had found his friend. “She’s safe. I’m certain she will like to have you back.”
He made a pause. “And a certain Amilyn Holdo would like to hear about what you’ve been up to lately.” Leia trusted Holdo – he did trust her, for Leia did, but it was a weird feeling that she gave him. It could only be in Tarkin’s favor if Holdo trusted her as well though.
BB-8's beeps were heard then. “All done?”
It gave an approving beep.
“Now, Moriah, try to not bump into me. And prepare to meet the Resistance.” He would catch up with the rest of the X-wings. Prepare calculations for the jump to lightspeed… and home, at last.
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Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
Ivan was relieved when Lynn came to join them, to assist in getting Finn to the ship. He did not know how he would explain this story to Leia otherwise, that at one moment, Lynn was with them, and the next, she chose otherwise. He would likely let Chewbacca do the explaining. It would not be necessary, though. They worked together to get Finn onto the lowered ramp, over a planet that was becoming increasingly unsteady and unstable, managing to keep their balance all the way to the ramp and up into the ship.
Chewbacca hollered at them, for Rey, and Rey left with Lynn’s words. Ivan gave an encouraging smile, “We gotta get out of here or we’re all dead,” and Rey left easily, to get them out, to save not only herself but Finn.
It was his job then, and Lynn’s, to take Finn over to a place where they could lay him out. “Mm,” he would make sure to lay Finn on his stomach so the wound could be accessed easily, cleaned and treated as best they could on a ship. He chuckled at the gentle gesture made to set Finn’s head up, before he started to remove the jacket that Finn wore, and the shirt, as well, so that it would be easier to treat his wounds. Lynn was looking for just that.
He folded up the jacket and shirt neatly nearby, but didn’t let them be used for a pillow. He wasn’t sure the leather jacket would be good for that. Still, he imagined the jacket important. He couldn’t say why, but it looked worn in and well-loved. Finn might want to try and repair it, later, when he came back to consciousness. ‘He will….’ Ivan barely knew them, but he liked Finn. His energy was…intoxicating.
A medkit was found. Ivan noticed the shaking hands. He didn’t know the cause, but he doubted it was wholly singular. Exhaustion and emotions had to be in play right now. Lynn had been a Knight of Ren not even ten minutes ago, and now she was on a ship, after seeing her father killed by her brother. She was holding it together through work, and Ivan was not about to stop that.
Nor leave her without distracting thoughts, so he purposefully answered, “Well, I don’t know what my name is,” a statement to allow one to wonder how he couldn’t know his name, “but everyone calls me Ivan Dulchellon – he was a character I liked from the Cantata of Cora Vessora,” he told her, another bit to put her attention on, to help her think of anything else besides where she was and where she was going, of what she’d seen and who she’d been, before returning to being Lynn.
“I was only here for Moriah Tarkin,” he added, “I ran into them in Starkiller and we started to venture together, after Rey told me that she released Moriah,” he added, to fill in details as he would let Lynn work to patch up Finn. It would keep her eyes on something besides the ship, and keep her hands busy, too. “I’m her aide, more or less.” Less, probably.
He didn’t make that joke, it didn’t feel appropriate, as the ship shuddered into lightspeed, only to drop out of it not long after, several X-Wings in the air with them. Not that he could see that from where he was, he only felt the shudders, before the ship started to descend into the atmosphere of the Rebel Base.
“I think it’s going to be all right,” he told her, hesitantly, “I don’t think they’re going to throw you in a cell or anything,” that probably wasn’t really her concern, but maybe thinking of something petty would help as the ship came to a stop, and the ramp lowered again, calls for medical staff outside reaching their ears before he heard the sounds of new steps and new people came on board with a hovering stretcher to take Finn – no doubt, Chewie or Rey had called ahead to make note of his condition, so that he would be seen to immediately.
Ivan got to his feet quickly and stepped back so they would have the space to take Finn. He reached for the jacket and tunic, and laid them over Finn once the team had him on the stretcher, so they’d know to keep those near to him, before rushing him out.
Chewbacca and Rey were still on the ship then.
There was a deep tension in the Falcon, as all of them seemed to know what was waiting outside. News. Reunions. It could go so many ways.
~***~
Moriah had scoffed aloud at Poe’s comment of getting an X-Wing. ‘I have my own ships.’ Better than this one. She didn’t need a single fighter. She didn’t say as much, though, the tension of the situation not easily letting her form words as she waited to know how she was getting out of it. Fortunately, the answer was the one she expected – cables. “That sounds like a good plan, Commander,” she allowed.
News came soon of their friends planetside getting up into the air. Even Moriah recognized the Falcon, though she’d never seen it. It was a legendary ship, after all.
That was when Poe pulled his X-Wing ahead of her ship, and the astromech began to do its work, shooting out the cables to latch onto the wings of the TIE. Moriah did a check on her own to make sure they were stabilized, before the droid beeped out its confirmation. And while Poe was talking of upsetting generals and senators, citing two others – General Tagge, and a name she hadn’t heard in quite some time, Amilyn Holdo.
That brought a wry smile to her lips. Amilyn Holdo, while not a friend she saw often, was a friend all the same through their shared love of nature and adventure. The bracelets she wore were based off designs from Amilyn’s own, though instead of reflecting Gatalentan constellations, they reflected Eriadu’s, particularly, the Orrinewsa constellation, so named after a mythical water dragon that made up the Orrinewsa River in the Carrion Plateau – the very challenge she overcame, and the very Zodiac sign she was born under.
The last day of the year.
Orrineswa Born was something of a title.
“I will look forward to seeing Amilyn,” Moriah noted, confirming knowledge of her, “Thank you,” the news was good. Une was acting, reaching out – she always had faith in her General. She may not be the best politician, but she was by far a great strategist. It was tact she lacked, but if one got around that, her mind was sharp. “I’ll stay off your ass,” she said, figuring the slight joking comment and vulgarity might throw the pilot for a moment, before they were off into lightspeed.
It did take some focus and concentration to make sure the TIE wouldn’t bump into the X-Wing, though. Moriah had to keep fiddling with the controls, and make sure the cables were neve pulled too taut that they’d snap. She didn’t want to be abandoned here. That…would not be a fun death.
So she was relieved when they finally pulled out, even if it was jarring. BB-8 disengaged the cables then, and Moriah was able to fly down with the rest of the crew, though she stayed near to Poe’s ship, figuring that would be best if any issues arose. ‘Ow. Ow.’ The jarring stop had caused her to slam her head back against the seat, though. The headache that she’d been ignoring had returned with a vengeance, thanks to the adrenaline dying off. Kylo Ren’s invasion was not forgotten in those moments as her head swam.
She thus didn’t move to get out of the TIE immediately, but leaned her head back against the seat and shut her eyes, counted to three, and then moved.
The TIE opened up and she pulled herself out, fortunately to no blasters aimed at her. She nearly fell forward when her feet touched the ground, but a steadying hand caught her, falling on her shoulder and pushing back.
Moriah tilted her helmeted head up, and smiled behind it as she saw the purple-haired Amilyn. She straightened up, and pulled off the helmet, tossing it back towards the seat of the TIE. Amilyn’s expression faltered, and Moriah could only chuckle, “Let me guess…there’s more than a bloody lip, isn’t there?”
Amilyn sighed, “Let’s just get you to the medbay, Moriah,” she greeted with familiarity, moving a hand around Moriah’s back and placing it on her back to lead her on under her protection. Someone dressed as a TIE Fighter wondering alone would cause a ruckus, no matter the warnings that the base received. That was why Holdo stepped out, to find her first. “And yes, it is more.” Black eye, mostly, but Holdo imagined quite a bit more under the black flightsuit considering Moriah actually stumbled. She’d been a hostage of the First Order. She knew what happened to Poe. It must have happened to Moriah, too.
Asteria
Chewbacca hollered at them, for Rey, and Rey left with Lynn’s words. Ivan gave an encouraging smile, “We gotta get out of here or we’re all dead,” and Rey left easily, to get them out, to save not only herself but Finn.
It was his job then, and Lynn’s, to take Finn over to a place where they could lay him out. “Mm,” he would make sure to lay Finn on his stomach so the wound could be accessed easily, cleaned and treated as best they could on a ship. He chuckled at the gentle gesture made to set Finn’s head up, before he started to remove the jacket that Finn wore, and the shirt, as well, so that it would be easier to treat his wounds. Lynn was looking for just that.
He folded up the jacket and shirt neatly nearby, but didn’t let them be used for a pillow. He wasn’t sure the leather jacket would be good for that. Still, he imagined the jacket important. He couldn’t say why, but it looked worn in and well-loved. Finn might want to try and repair it, later, when he came back to consciousness. ‘He will….’ Ivan barely knew them, but he liked Finn. His energy was…intoxicating.
A medkit was found. Ivan noticed the shaking hands. He didn’t know the cause, but he doubted it was wholly singular. Exhaustion and emotions had to be in play right now. Lynn had been a Knight of Ren not even ten minutes ago, and now she was on a ship, after seeing her father killed by her brother. She was holding it together through work, and Ivan was not about to stop that.
Nor leave her without distracting thoughts, so he purposefully answered, “Well, I don’t know what my name is,” a statement to allow one to wonder how he couldn’t know his name, “but everyone calls me Ivan Dulchellon – he was a character I liked from the Cantata of Cora Vessora,” he told her, another bit to put her attention on, to help her think of anything else besides where she was and where she was going, of what she’d seen and who she’d been, before returning to being Lynn.
“I was only here for Moriah Tarkin,” he added, “I ran into them in Starkiller and we started to venture together, after Rey told me that she released Moriah,” he added, to fill in details as he would let Lynn work to patch up Finn. It would keep her eyes on something besides the ship, and keep her hands busy, too. “I’m her aide, more or less.” Less, probably.
He didn’t make that joke, it didn’t feel appropriate, as the ship shuddered into lightspeed, only to drop out of it not long after, several X-Wings in the air with them. Not that he could see that from where he was, he only felt the shudders, before the ship started to descend into the atmosphere of the Rebel Base.
“I think it’s going to be all right,” he told her, hesitantly, “I don’t think they’re going to throw you in a cell or anything,” that probably wasn’t really her concern, but maybe thinking of something petty would help as the ship came to a stop, and the ramp lowered again, calls for medical staff outside reaching their ears before he heard the sounds of new steps and new people came on board with a hovering stretcher to take Finn – no doubt, Chewie or Rey had called ahead to make note of his condition, so that he would be seen to immediately.
Ivan got to his feet quickly and stepped back so they would have the space to take Finn. He reached for the jacket and tunic, and laid them over Finn once the team had him on the stretcher, so they’d know to keep those near to him, before rushing him out.
Chewbacca and Rey were still on the ship then.
There was a deep tension in the Falcon, as all of them seemed to know what was waiting outside. News. Reunions. It could go so many ways.
~***~
Moriah had scoffed aloud at Poe’s comment of getting an X-Wing. ‘I have my own ships.’ Better than this one. She didn’t need a single fighter. She didn’t say as much, though, the tension of the situation not easily letting her form words as she waited to know how she was getting out of it. Fortunately, the answer was the one she expected – cables. “That sounds like a good plan, Commander,” she allowed.
News came soon of their friends planetside getting up into the air. Even Moriah recognized the Falcon, though she’d never seen it. It was a legendary ship, after all.
That was when Poe pulled his X-Wing ahead of her ship, and the astromech began to do its work, shooting out the cables to latch onto the wings of the TIE. Moriah did a check on her own to make sure they were stabilized, before the droid beeped out its confirmation. And while Poe was talking of upsetting generals and senators, citing two others – General Tagge, and a name she hadn’t heard in quite some time, Amilyn Holdo.
That brought a wry smile to her lips. Amilyn Holdo, while not a friend she saw often, was a friend all the same through their shared love of nature and adventure. The bracelets she wore were based off designs from Amilyn’s own, though instead of reflecting Gatalentan constellations, they reflected Eriadu’s, particularly, the Orrinewsa constellation, so named after a mythical water dragon that made up the Orrinewsa River in the Carrion Plateau – the very challenge she overcame, and the very Zodiac sign she was born under.
The last day of the year.
Orrineswa Born was something of a title.
“I will look forward to seeing Amilyn,” Moriah noted, confirming knowledge of her, “Thank you,” the news was good. Une was acting, reaching out – she always had faith in her General. She may not be the best politician, but she was by far a great strategist. It was tact she lacked, but if one got around that, her mind was sharp. “I’ll stay off your ass,” she said, figuring the slight joking comment and vulgarity might throw the pilot for a moment, before they were off into lightspeed.
It did take some focus and concentration to make sure the TIE wouldn’t bump into the X-Wing, though. Moriah had to keep fiddling with the controls, and make sure the cables were neve pulled too taut that they’d snap. She didn’t want to be abandoned here. That…would not be a fun death.
So she was relieved when they finally pulled out, even if it was jarring. BB-8 disengaged the cables then, and Moriah was able to fly down with the rest of the crew, though she stayed near to Poe’s ship, figuring that would be best if any issues arose. ‘Ow. Ow.’ The jarring stop had caused her to slam her head back against the seat, though. The headache that she’d been ignoring had returned with a vengeance, thanks to the adrenaline dying off. Kylo Ren’s invasion was not forgotten in those moments as her head swam.
She thus didn’t move to get out of the TIE immediately, but leaned her head back against the seat and shut her eyes, counted to three, and then moved.
The TIE opened up and she pulled herself out, fortunately to no blasters aimed at her. She nearly fell forward when her feet touched the ground, but a steadying hand caught her, falling on her shoulder and pushing back.
Moriah tilted her helmeted head up, and smiled behind it as she saw the purple-haired Amilyn. She straightened up, and pulled off the helmet, tossing it back towards the seat of the TIE. Amilyn’s expression faltered, and Moriah could only chuckle, “Let me guess…there’s more than a bloody lip, isn’t there?”
Amilyn sighed, “Let’s just get you to the medbay, Moriah,” she greeted with familiarity, moving a hand around Moriah’s back and placing it on her back to lead her on under her protection. Someone dressed as a TIE Fighter wondering alone would cause a ruckus, no matter the warnings that the base received. That was why Holdo stepped out, to find her first. “And yes, it is more.” Black eye, mostly, but Holdo imagined quite a bit more under the black flightsuit considering Moriah actually stumbled. She’d been a hostage of the First Order. She knew what happened to Poe. It must have happened to Moriah, too.
Asteria
Asteria
⚔️
‘I’m sorry.’ That’s all Lynn could think of as she started to patch up FN– Finn’s wound, the mark that her brother’s lightsaber had left behind. ‘We’re both traitors now. We’re both… free?’ Common ground. Yet, she felt as Finn had taken more risks than she did with his decision to leave the First Order. She had a life before the First Order, the Knights of Ren, whereas, for Finn, the First Order was everything he had ever known. He had been just a child when they recruited him and everything he had come to learn about what the outside was had been filtered by what the First Order wanted the outside to look like. Even she had come to question what she had known then and what she knew now. ‘You’ve been brave,’ her thoughts trailed again. ‘For leaving everything behind. For facing Ben.’
It was the young man’s voice, his words, the answer to her statement that that turned her gestures more slow-paced. Her eyebrows furrowed as well, in confusion. And then they untensed, in realization. He had a name, of course he did – Ivan Dulchellon – but it was a name he gave himself. It wasn’t his birth name and she imagined that if he didn’t know his name… he might as well not know where he came from. His life. His parents.
She had always thought that it may have been easier to not know Laelynn Solo. Just Ciarra Ren. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been at all. Perhaps she would’ve only remained awake at night, wondering who she should have been.
The bacta patches were in place but she still moved her fingers over the edges, smoothening them as he continued speaking. An Ivan had to have Cora Vessora and Moriah Tarkin was his. She found it fitting, the resemblance. A woman who wasn’t nor light, nor darkness. It had been a surprise really, not just to her but to Ben and Hux as well, that the Tarkin wasn’t what they wanted her to be. She wasn’t Wilhuff Tarkin. She was a stubborn and unstable woman with unknown loyalties, in their words.
She was strong, in hers. She had gone against the tide. Changed the tide. She and Rey had caused quite a ruckus among the men of the First Order, before and after their disappearances.
Lynn remained silent though, as the ship entered lightspeed abruptly. Just as abruptly it dropped out of it and she gripped the edges of the bunk tightly. She had questions, but it was her father she thought of. How was he… before everything? It was when she caught her off-guard with the mention of the cell that she wanted to speak out, but this time she was interrupted by the quick movements – noise, medics, hover-stretchers. She moved aside as well, but not before mentioning to one of the medics what she had done before they landed.
It was when she watched Finn being taken away, Chewbacca and Rey close behind him, that she realized where she was, where she was going and to whom she was returning. She felt her long before the ship came to a stop.
But there was time still. And she focused on responding to Ivan to keep the other thoughts away. “It may not be all right,” she didn’t say it hesitantly – she had learned to expect the worse with a cold calmness, “but I don’t think they are going to throw you in a cell either,” added more softly. “Even if we don’t have the best reputations to not expect that.” She was Laelynn Solo, but she also was a Knight of Ren. She had spent years as a part of the First Order. Her arrival was questionable, no matter its circumstances. And he was an aide to Moriah Tarkin… Tarkin wasn’t a name those from the Resistance welcomed with open arms. Her mother never said it out loud easily.
She looked from the hallway that led to the exit ramp to Ivan though, after a moment of silence. “Thank you, Ivan.” And she meant it. “And I’m sorry for… Moriah’s state.” She hadn’t been a part of it, but she had seen the results. She didn’t know if she would be out there or somewhere else, but she wanted to apologize all the same.
Her gaze lingered a moment longer on him before she walked away, not truly waiting for a response. Or expecting one. It was the light she followed then.
And dazzling light greeted her – no, not just simple light. Daylight. Lynn’s now ungloved hand instinctively shot up to shield her eyes as she moved forward unusually slow, hardly leaving the Falcon’s ramp behind her. It wasn’t her surroundings, the Rebel Base, the mass of bodies which swarmed the landing areas that caught her attention; it was the simple rays of light, brushing against her palm that her mind tried to comprehend. Warmth. And she welcomed it, hesitantly so, first by spreading her fingers and then by fully dropping her hand. There was a slight pang of guilt she felt in her heart, for she had never truly appreciated daylight when she had it and scarcely had she thought of it when it was replaced with artificial light and pitch darkness or it was simply obstructed by perpetual clouds. But when she felt it again, she realized that even the simple light had become a distant memory for her as a Knight of Ren. She realized how much she needed it.
She lowered her eyes then, to let them wander over her surroundings. Shades of green and orange and grey and white they found, a buzzing energy that was almost contagious. The air was filled with words of happiness and victory, and those who did not speak them expressed them through their expressions, through their gestures – smiles and laughter and hugs and encouraging back pats.
This was what the First Order lacked in. Everyone was dispensable; every life that had pledged to fight for the First Order’s interest was replaceable. The Resistance was united. It wasn’t just a military force, it was a family. It was the need to protect the other, to protect their own family that kept them going.
This was what their mother had been building all along. ‘We could have been a part of this, Ben.’ The intruding thought could not be helped. ‘Everything could have been different now.’
An overbearing shadow threatened to eat her whole then, as an X-Wing cut across the clear sky and the darkness of her eyes followed it for a moment too long.
She wanted just a little more time on her own, among them all, as they didn’t yet acknowledge her strangeness, as they didn’t want to know who she was and from where she came and how she reached them. Just a little more time before questions would arise. Just a little more time before–
“Lynn?” The voice that reached her was not confident. There was a mix of melancholy and hope and warmth and… worry in its tone.
And she recognized it. She had felt her mother through the Force long before, yet she had chosen to turn a blind eye to it. Lynn closed her eyes and breathed in, painfully so, as she lowered her head. It was fear she felt as well, for when her eyelids flew open and her sunken eyes met her mother’s, she didn’t know what she should expect. But despite her expression that had been darkened by the past events, her mother's eyes were loving, inviting– and Lynn broke.
“I’m sorry, I–”
Her mother took a step forward. She took two steps backward.
“I’m sorry.”
Leia did not allow her to repeat her words. She moved forward and embraced her daughter without notice, her arms encircling the willowy figure. She was thinner than she recalled, taller even and Leia sensed that if she would not hold on to Lynn tight enough, she might as well collapse. Due to the shock, the abrupt change or exhaustion – Leia did not know, but she felt her flesh shake in her arms, beneath the dark material that covered her whole. She just knew she had to hold on to her. And she did so, her hands seeking to bring her closer. They moved up her back, to her shoulders, to her arms. Even her smell wasn’t recognizable. No orchid perfume, just sweat, and smoke.
And all this time, between her mother’s bold approach and the silence that fell over both of them, Lynn didn’t know what to do with her hands. It was as Leia pulled her closer that her hands moved. Barely touched her back before her arms moved around her mother’s shoulders, around her neck.
She felt Leia’s relief then, despite the strong hold that held her up. “I know. I know,” she whispered. “But you’re here now. With me. With us.”
Lynn realized she was crying. Not just tearing up and forcing herself to hold the tears back, but truly crying as her head fell down and her forehead rested against her mother’s shoulder. And Leia left her to do so, in silence.
Yet, she acknowledged the change, her fingers lightly brushing against the soft edges of her hair as they tried to soothingly move up her back. “You’ve cut your hair.”
A subdued sob. “That sounds like something father would say in such moments.” He always found it hard to remain silent or to start a conversation after he was gone for long periods of time. He always noticed tiny changes as a way to break the ice.
Leia smiled at the words, the reminder. ‘You’ve changed your hair.’ It was melancholic. Tired. “He never liked silence. Not for long. It made him nervous when it came from us.”
“Yes… yes, it did.” A pause as she breathed in. “I’m sorry.” For leaving. For not stopping Ben. For Han… all he had now was silence.
“I know.”
Chewbacca, who had remained aside until that moment, approached the two women. He had made sure before that Finn was… stable and that Rey was… well, alright, at least, after everything that had happened. But he didn’t follow them to the medbay, not when he saw Leia. That’s all Chewbacca had left from Han – the Falcon, Leia and now his daughter, a part of him. Lynn. Not Ben. Han wouldn’t want him to hate Ben, no, but at that moment he could not help the bitter feelings that overcame him. So he moved to them and embraced them both, held them tightly in his furry arms. He was hopeful for the future, even if it was a faint sound of sadness that came first.
The news he thought good was, indeed, good and Poe was glad for the confirmation. It was always good to know that someone was waiting out there, somewhere. Even if she didn’t have Une Tagge at the base, she had Amilyn Holdo. “You’re welcome.”
He remained silent though, hearing her next comment. The vulgarity of it. “I’ll be forever thankful for that.” His expression held something between surprise and amusement and he lowly chuckled then. ‘Senator, eh?’ Not just any senator, but a Tarkin even. After seeing her skills on a TIE and especially during such a tense situation, he shouldn’t be surprised. It reminded him of Leia. She had used to be a Senator and now she was a General and, despite those titles she carried, she still shared a drink with them, shared stories and vulgarities.
‘You two might get along at the end of the day, after all.’
He entered lightspeed chuckling. He exited it relaxed, at last, the Resistance Base now in sight. Home. And he was bringing someone important with him, another hope for the future.
After such a mission, a smooth landing was all a pilot needed. Once back on the ground, Poe removed his helmet and his gloves, letting his fingers to untangle the curls that have stuck to his forehead due to the sweat. It was peacefulness that greeted him then, looking down. Happiness.
BB-8’s beeps were heard.
And Poe smiled at their sound. “Yes, buddy, we did it.”
Vice Admiral Holdo was the first he noticed from the mass of orange and dark green. Her purple hair was standing out as she moved past his X-Wing and towards Moriah’s TIE. It was a nod he gave her, from his now open cockpit. He had never known what to make out of the woman. He respected her though, as many around him did and he acknowledged and admired the ingenuity of her strategies from the past and the present – she wouldn’t have occupied such a high position in the Resistance otherwise. And yet, he found her too odd, too quirky, and too eccentric at times. ‘It’s just the first impression.’ Leia had repeated to him, multiple times, even if she had found her just as odd.
No matter, Poe hadn’t moved far from that first impression. Each time he heard Holdo’s tongue roll around the word ‘flyboy’ – one she so easily threw at him due to his ‘dashing bravado’ – he easily returned to his first impression. He felt his hair rise every time he heard the way she accentuated it.
He wanted to see if Moriah was alright as well though. He imagined that Holdo would take care of everything and Poe would not fight it. It was good, in such times, to have someone who was close to you even closer. The woman who contacted them was not there, and nor the other man she mentioned. She only had Holdo. Him, maybe. And Leia, he hoped, once the situation was cleared up, amends were made and they overcame the past. Through Leia, she’ll have the whole Resistance at her back.
And so he got up and out of the cockpit, back on the ground with a thump. He was tired, exhausted really, but when his comrades and friends came at his side – Snap, Niv Lek, Bastian, Jess, Karé, Iolo – Poe forgot about the signals his body transmitted him. He embraced them, laughing as he did so, glad that… most of them were still there. Still alive. They could take joy in their victory at the moment. The heroes who fell today would not want them to do anything else.
It was when he saw Moriah’s state that his mood dampened. The black eye, the bloody lips. She needed Holdo for support, meaning there was more than what was seen on the surface. He recognized the look she had in her eyes though, for he had it when Kylo had roamed through the guts of his thoughts. ‘Kylo.’
She was holding herself bravely up, however. Unbothered, even, by what came upon her. And Poe could not help the faint smile as he shouted: “Good fight, Imperatrix!” And he saluted, childishly so, two fingers pressed close to his forehead. “Thank you!” The others saluted as well, following the words of gratitude.
Jessika could not miss the occasion, and once Holdo and Tarkin moved along, she teased Poe with a raised eyebrow. “Trying to be charming, Dameron?”
Poe tried to seem bothered by her words with a roll of his eyes. “What do you mean by trying?” He was always charming.
The others laughed then and he laughed as well until his gaze found the Falcon. It was a hover-board that exited first, before Chewbacca and the girl that must have been the friend Finn spoke so fondly of. He frowned in confusion before he realized – where was Finn?
Poe moved past those who gathered around him then, earning some worries looks. “Poe, is everything–”
He didn’t wait. Couldn’t wait, as he noticed the dark skin from underneath the material placed above him and he darted towards the hover-board. He squeezed between those who transported him and looked upon Finn; his eyes were closed, his back covered with bacta patches. Poe’s gaze softened once he caught sight of the jacket he had offered him, now torn along his tunic. “Is he–”
“No.” A medic was quick to answer, his eyes fixated on Finn as well.
A quick glance he gave the young girl with buns atop her head – how? He had saved his friend, he had helped in destroying Starkiller and now…
“Poe!” A voice broke from the crowd behind them, loud and alerting. He paid it no attention though, his head shaking suddenly at the sound as if he wanted to shake it off. As if that would be sign enough to the one that called out to him that he did not want to be disturbed – that he had more important matters to consider. His mind rotated around numerous questions – why, how, who. Who, more importantly. ‘Kylo, who else? Of course it would be Kylo!’ And his hand tightened on the surface of the hover-stretcher. First all the mates he had lost up there, and now… Finn.
The voice did not stop in trying to reach him. If anything, the yell became louder. “POE!”
He felt a hand gripping his arm, pulling at his sleeve. His gaze hardly broke from Finn’s unconscious body, but it did and when it traveled to his side he was surprised to find Iolo Arana. He was trying to keep up with him as he had no intention to stop or leave Finn’s side. He even heard him mumble a quick apology to one of the medics he bumped into. He remained stuck though when his eyes fell on the one they transported – his lips remained parted in shock as if he forgot what she meant to tell him in the first place.
He didn’t know Finn that well. Stars, the First Order hadn’t allowed them a moment of peace between his arrival and his departure for the Starkiller; he wouldn’t have had the time to get to know him even if he wanted to. But he liked him, respected him for his courage to escape the First Order. For helping Poe. For returning on Starkiller to help them, to save his friend.
He shouldn’t die like this. He didn’t deserve to die like this. He was breathing but…
“Iolo?” Poe tried to reach out to him but he could not focus on him well. His eyes lowered back to Finn immediately.
Iolo seemed to escape his daze, but he was no longer looking forward to telling Poe what he had seen. “Laelynn is back," he whispered. Before all of this, before joining the Resistance, Iolo had known Lynn closely and so did Karé. They had teased Poe endlessly about her in their younger years until everything turned serious.
His friend tensed underneath his hand. When he turned to look at him, Poe’s gaze inspired something between confusion and harshness. Iolo did not give him the opportunity to speak yet, for he knew that his reaction would not be positive. “I think something happened on Starkiller, to Kylo maybe, I don’t know, or maybe Ha–”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” There it was – almost a snap. Poe broke from the hover-stretcher, remaining still at Iolo’s side. The Keshian male did let go of his arm.
“Laelynn is– ”
“Gone.” Poe finished his sentence, oddly calm. “SHE’S GONE!”
“SHE’S BACK, POE!”
His mother’s ring, the ring which used to be hers as well, felt unusually cold against his heated chest. Poe was in disbelief still as he looked the other way, one hand on his hip and another through the sleek curls. He was trying to calm himself, Iolo noticed. The sudden outburst of anger and annoyance did not fit him. “I don’t know what you’ve seen, but–”
‘Are you really going to question my eyesight, Poe?’ His eyes were his most prominent feature. They stood out, through their size and color. It was his eyesight that saved them, more than once. “Look towards the Falcon.”
He didn’t want to.
But he did look. Through the silhouettes swirling around, it was hers – her black suit, her short hair – that stood out… in Leia’s arms. He could not see her face and perhaps it was for the better. It may not be her, maybe Iolo was wrong.
He knew the bastard was never wrong and even he could feel that it was her. After all this time…
It was when a group obstructed his view towards the Falcon that his gaze broke from the reunion. He remained stuck for a split moment before he abruptly turned around. He was cursing himself for leaving Finn’s side, the one who needed him, to look upon a phantasm of the past he had sworn to forget. Iolo did not follow him, nor did he yell again.
It was the young man’s voice, his words, the answer to her statement that that turned her gestures more slow-paced. Her eyebrows furrowed as well, in confusion. And then they untensed, in realization. He had a name, of course he did – Ivan Dulchellon – but it was a name he gave himself. It wasn’t his birth name and she imagined that if he didn’t know his name… he might as well not know where he came from. His life. His parents.
She had always thought that it may have been easier to not know Laelynn Solo. Just Ciarra Ren. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been at all. Perhaps she would’ve only remained awake at night, wondering who she should have been.
The bacta patches were in place but she still moved her fingers over the edges, smoothening them as he continued speaking. An Ivan had to have Cora Vessora and Moriah Tarkin was his. She found it fitting, the resemblance. A woman who wasn’t nor light, nor darkness. It had been a surprise really, not just to her but to Ben and Hux as well, that the Tarkin wasn’t what they wanted her to be. She wasn’t Wilhuff Tarkin. She was a stubborn and unstable woman with unknown loyalties, in their words.
She was strong, in hers. She had gone against the tide. Changed the tide. She and Rey had caused quite a ruckus among the men of the First Order, before and after their disappearances.
Lynn remained silent though, as the ship entered lightspeed abruptly. Just as abruptly it dropped out of it and she gripped the edges of the bunk tightly. She had questions, but it was her father she thought of. How was he… before everything? It was when she caught her off-guard with the mention of the cell that she wanted to speak out, but this time she was interrupted by the quick movements – noise, medics, hover-stretchers. She moved aside as well, but not before mentioning to one of the medics what she had done before they landed.
It was when she watched Finn being taken away, Chewbacca and Rey close behind him, that she realized where she was, where she was going and to whom she was returning. She felt her long before the ship came to a stop.
But there was time still. And she focused on responding to Ivan to keep the other thoughts away. “It may not be all right,” she didn’t say it hesitantly – she had learned to expect the worse with a cold calmness, “but I don’t think they are going to throw you in a cell either,” added more softly. “Even if we don’t have the best reputations to not expect that.” She was Laelynn Solo, but she also was a Knight of Ren. She had spent years as a part of the First Order. Her arrival was questionable, no matter its circumstances. And he was an aide to Moriah Tarkin… Tarkin wasn’t a name those from the Resistance welcomed with open arms. Her mother never said it out loud easily.
She looked from the hallway that led to the exit ramp to Ivan though, after a moment of silence. “Thank you, Ivan.” And she meant it. “And I’m sorry for… Moriah’s state.” She hadn’t been a part of it, but she had seen the results. She didn’t know if she would be out there or somewhere else, but she wanted to apologize all the same.
Her gaze lingered a moment longer on him before she walked away, not truly waiting for a response. Or expecting one. It was the light she followed then.
And dazzling light greeted her – no, not just simple light. Daylight. Lynn’s now ungloved hand instinctively shot up to shield her eyes as she moved forward unusually slow, hardly leaving the Falcon’s ramp behind her. It wasn’t her surroundings, the Rebel Base, the mass of bodies which swarmed the landing areas that caught her attention; it was the simple rays of light, brushing against her palm that her mind tried to comprehend. Warmth. And she welcomed it, hesitantly so, first by spreading her fingers and then by fully dropping her hand. There was a slight pang of guilt she felt in her heart, for she had never truly appreciated daylight when she had it and scarcely had she thought of it when it was replaced with artificial light and pitch darkness or it was simply obstructed by perpetual clouds. But when she felt it again, she realized that even the simple light had become a distant memory for her as a Knight of Ren. She realized how much she needed it.
She lowered her eyes then, to let them wander over her surroundings. Shades of green and orange and grey and white they found, a buzzing energy that was almost contagious. The air was filled with words of happiness and victory, and those who did not speak them expressed them through their expressions, through their gestures – smiles and laughter and hugs and encouraging back pats.
This was what the First Order lacked in. Everyone was dispensable; every life that had pledged to fight for the First Order’s interest was replaceable. The Resistance was united. It wasn’t just a military force, it was a family. It was the need to protect the other, to protect their own family that kept them going.
This was what their mother had been building all along. ‘We could have been a part of this, Ben.’ The intruding thought could not be helped. ‘Everything could have been different now.’
An overbearing shadow threatened to eat her whole then, as an X-Wing cut across the clear sky and the darkness of her eyes followed it for a moment too long.
She wanted just a little more time on her own, among them all, as they didn’t yet acknowledge her strangeness, as they didn’t want to know who she was and from where she came and how she reached them. Just a little more time before questions would arise. Just a little more time before–
“Lynn?” The voice that reached her was not confident. There was a mix of melancholy and hope and warmth and… worry in its tone.
And she recognized it. She had felt her mother through the Force long before, yet she had chosen to turn a blind eye to it. Lynn closed her eyes and breathed in, painfully so, as she lowered her head. It was fear she felt as well, for when her eyelids flew open and her sunken eyes met her mother’s, she didn’t know what she should expect. But despite her expression that had been darkened by the past events, her mother's eyes were loving, inviting– and Lynn broke.
“I’m sorry, I–”
Her mother took a step forward. She took two steps backward.
“I’m sorry.”
Leia did not allow her to repeat her words. She moved forward and embraced her daughter without notice, her arms encircling the willowy figure. She was thinner than she recalled, taller even and Leia sensed that if she would not hold on to Lynn tight enough, she might as well collapse. Due to the shock, the abrupt change or exhaustion – Leia did not know, but she felt her flesh shake in her arms, beneath the dark material that covered her whole. She just knew she had to hold on to her. And she did so, her hands seeking to bring her closer. They moved up her back, to her shoulders, to her arms. Even her smell wasn’t recognizable. No orchid perfume, just sweat, and smoke.
And all this time, between her mother’s bold approach and the silence that fell over both of them, Lynn didn’t know what to do with her hands. It was as Leia pulled her closer that her hands moved. Barely touched her back before her arms moved around her mother’s shoulders, around her neck.
She felt Leia’s relief then, despite the strong hold that held her up. “I know. I know,” she whispered. “But you’re here now. With me. With us.”
Lynn realized she was crying. Not just tearing up and forcing herself to hold the tears back, but truly crying as her head fell down and her forehead rested against her mother’s shoulder. And Leia left her to do so, in silence.
Yet, she acknowledged the change, her fingers lightly brushing against the soft edges of her hair as they tried to soothingly move up her back. “You’ve cut your hair.”
A subdued sob. “That sounds like something father would say in such moments.” He always found it hard to remain silent or to start a conversation after he was gone for long periods of time. He always noticed tiny changes as a way to break the ice.
Leia smiled at the words, the reminder. ‘You’ve changed your hair.’ It was melancholic. Tired. “He never liked silence. Not for long. It made him nervous when it came from us.”
“Yes… yes, it did.” A pause as she breathed in. “I’m sorry.” For leaving. For not stopping Ben. For Han… all he had now was silence.
“I know.”
Chewbacca, who had remained aside until that moment, approached the two women. He had made sure before that Finn was… stable and that Rey was… well, alright, at least, after everything that had happened. But he didn’t follow them to the medbay, not when he saw Leia. That’s all Chewbacca had left from Han – the Falcon, Leia and now his daughter, a part of him. Lynn. Not Ben. Han wouldn’t want him to hate Ben, no, but at that moment he could not help the bitter feelings that overcame him. So he moved to them and embraced them both, held them tightly in his furry arms. He was hopeful for the future, even if it was a faint sound of sadness that came first.
********
The news he thought good was, indeed, good and Poe was glad for the confirmation. It was always good to know that someone was waiting out there, somewhere. Even if she didn’t have Une Tagge at the base, she had Amilyn Holdo. “You’re welcome.”
He remained silent though, hearing her next comment. The vulgarity of it. “I’ll be forever thankful for that.” His expression held something between surprise and amusement and he lowly chuckled then. ‘Senator, eh?’ Not just any senator, but a Tarkin even. After seeing her skills on a TIE and especially during such a tense situation, he shouldn’t be surprised. It reminded him of Leia. She had used to be a Senator and now she was a General and, despite those titles she carried, she still shared a drink with them, shared stories and vulgarities.
‘You two might get along at the end of the day, after all.’
He entered lightspeed chuckling. He exited it relaxed, at last, the Resistance Base now in sight. Home. And he was bringing someone important with him, another hope for the future.
After such a mission, a smooth landing was all a pilot needed. Once back on the ground, Poe removed his helmet and his gloves, letting his fingers to untangle the curls that have stuck to his forehead due to the sweat. It was peacefulness that greeted him then, looking down. Happiness.
BB-8’s beeps were heard.
And Poe smiled at their sound. “Yes, buddy, we did it.”
Vice Admiral Holdo was the first he noticed from the mass of orange and dark green. Her purple hair was standing out as she moved past his X-Wing and towards Moriah’s TIE. It was a nod he gave her, from his now open cockpit. He had never known what to make out of the woman. He respected her though, as many around him did and he acknowledged and admired the ingenuity of her strategies from the past and the present – she wouldn’t have occupied such a high position in the Resistance otherwise. And yet, he found her too odd, too quirky, and too eccentric at times. ‘It’s just the first impression.’ Leia had repeated to him, multiple times, even if she had found her just as odd.
No matter, Poe hadn’t moved far from that first impression. Each time he heard Holdo’s tongue roll around the word ‘flyboy’ – one she so easily threw at him due to his ‘dashing bravado’ – he easily returned to his first impression. He felt his hair rise every time he heard the way she accentuated it.
He wanted to see if Moriah was alright as well though. He imagined that Holdo would take care of everything and Poe would not fight it. It was good, in such times, to have someone who was close to you even closer. The woman who contacted them was not there, and nor the other man she mentioned. She only had Holdo. Him, maybe. And Leia, he hoped, once the situation was cleared up, amends were made and they overcame the past. Through Leia, she’ll have the whole Resistance at her back.
And so he got up and out of the cockpit, back on the ground with a thump. He was tired, exhausted really, but when his comrades and friends came at his side – Snap, Niv Lek, Bastian, Jess, Karé, Iolo – Poe forgot about the signals his body transmitted him. He embraced them, laughing as he did so, glad that… most of them were still there. Still alive. They could take joy in their victory at the moment. The heroes who fell today would not want them to do anything else.
It was when he saw Moriah’s state that his mood dampened. The black eye, the bloody lips. She needed Holdo for support, meaning there was more than what was seen on the surface. He recognized the look she had in her eyes though, for he had it when Kylo had roamed through the guts of his thoughts. ‘Kylo.’
She was holding herself bravely up, however. Unbothered, even, by what came upon her. And Poe could not help the faint smile as he shouted: “Good fight, Imperatrix!” And he saluted, childishly so, two fingers pressed close to his forehead. “Thank you!” The others saluted as well, following the words of gratitude.
Jessika could not miss the occasion, and once Holdo and Tarkin moved along, she teased Poe with a raised eyebrow. “Trying to be charming, Dameron?”
Poe tried to seem bothered by her words with a roll of his eyes. “What do you mean by trying?” He was always charming.
The others laughed then and he laughed as well until his gaze found the Falcon. It was a hover-board that exited first, before Chewbacca and the girl that must have been the friend Finn spoke so fondly of. He frowned in confusion before he realized – where was Finn?
Poe moved past those who gathered around him then, earning some worries looks. “Poe, is everything–”
He didn’t wait. Couldn’t wait, as he noticed the dark skin from underneath the material placed above him and he darted towards the hover-board. He squeezed between those who transported him and looked upon Finn; his eyes were closed, his back covered with bacta patches. Poe’s gaze softened once he caught sight of the jacket he had offered him, now torn along his tunic. “Is he–”
“No.” A medic was quick to answer, his eyes fixated on Finn as well.
A quick glance he gave the young girl with buns atop her head – how? He had saved his friend, he had helped in destroying Starkiller and now…
“Poe!” A voice broke from the crowd behind them, loud and alerting. He paid it no attention though, his head shaking suddenly at the sound as if he wanted to shake it off. As if that would be sign enough to the one that called out to him that he did not want to be disturbed – that he had more important matters to consider. His mind rotated around numerous questions – why, how, who. Who, more importantly. ‘Kylo, who else? Of course it would be Kylo!’ And his hand tightened on the surface of the hover-stretcher. First all the mates he had lost up there, and now… Finn.
The voice did not stop in trying to reach him. If anything, the yell became louder. “POE!”
He felt a hand gripping his arm, pulling at his sleeve. His gaze hardly broke from Finn’s unconscious body, but it did and when it traveled to his side he was surprised to find Iolo Arana. He was trying to keep up with him as he had no intention to stop or leave Finn’s side. He even heard him mumble a quick apology to one of the medics he bumped into. He remained stuck though when his eyes fell on the one they transported – his lips remained parted in shock as if he forgot what she meant to tell him in the first place.
He didn’t know Finn that well. Stars, the First Order hadn’t allowed them a moment of peace between his arrival and his departure for the Starkiller; he wouldn’t have had the time to get to know him even if he wanted to. But he liked him, respected him for his courage to escape the First Order. For helping Poe. For returning on Starkiller to help them, to save his friend.
He shouldn’t die like this. He didn’t deserve to die like this. He was breathing but…
“Iolo?” Poe tried to reach out to him but he could not focus on him well. His eyes lowered back to Finn immediately.
Iolo seemed to escape his daze, but he was no longer looking forward to telling Poe what he had seen. “Laelynn is back," he whispered. Before all of this, before joining the Resistance, Iolo had known Lynn closely and so did Karé. They had teased Poe endlessly about her in their younger years until everything turned serious.
His friend tensed underneath his hand. When he turned to look at him, Poe’s gaze inspired something between confusion and harshness. Iolo did not give him the opportunity to speak yet, for he knew that his reaction would not be positive. “I think something happened on Starkiller, to Kylo maybe, I don’t know, or maybe Ha–”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” There it was – almost a snap. Poe broke from the hover-stretcher, remaining still at Iolo’s side. The Keshian male did let go of his arm.
“Laelynn is– ”
“Gone.” Poe finished his sentence, oddly calm. “SHE’S GONE!”
“SHE’S BACK, POE!”
His mother’s ring, the ring which used to be hers as well, felt unusually cold against his heated chest. Poe was in disbelief still as he looked the other way, one hand on his hip and another through the sleek curls. He was trying to calm himself, Iolo noticed. The sudden outburst of anger and annoyance did not fit him. “I don’t know what you’ve seen, but–”
‘Are you really going to question my eyesight, Poe?’ His eyes were his most prominent feature. They stood out, through their size and color. It was his eyesight that saved them, more than once. “Look towards the Falcon.”
He didn’t want to.
But he did look. Through the silhouettes swirling around, it was hers – her black suit, her short hair – that stood out… in Leia’s arms. He could not see her face and perhaps it was for the better. It may not be her, maybe Iolo was wrong.
He knew the bastard was never wrong and even he could feel that it was her. After all this time…
It was when a group obstructed his view towards the Falcon that his gaze broke from the reunion. He remained stuck for a split moment before he abruptly turned around. He was cursing himself for leaving Finn’s side, the one who needed him, to look upon a phantasm of the past he had sworn to forget. Iolo did not follow him, nor did he yell again.
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Lucyfer
Said you'd die for me, well -- there's the ground
Medics filled in, and Ivan let Laelynn do the talking to explain how Finn had been treated. It was good that she was there to offer it, and to help Finn out. Ivan found he almost wanted to hide amidst so many of the Resistance in front of him, and moving about so chaotically. He had learned how to handle these situations, but there was still a part of him that preferred working in the shadows, unknown and hidden.
He was getting better at not hiding away.
The others left the ship, before he or Lynn did. She addressed him then, about a cell, and he couldn’t help the curve of his lips up into a smirk. ‘They wouldn’t dare.’ Tarkin would make sure he didn’t spend any time in any cells. He wasn’t the enemy here. He was an ally. He wouldn’t be treated as such, at least, not for long.
The apology caused the smirk to fade, and he canted his head briefly at it. He couldn’t imagine Moriah was in a good state, but it was still strange to hear an apology for it. He realized then that Lynn must have known exactly the state of Moriah. Had she contributed to it? Ivan certainly hoped not. He couldn’t say forgiveness was the norm for her.
He offered no response to it – there was no time, before Lynn was out the door. He watched her go, and then looked at his surroundings. He took a breath. ‘Find her.’ He had to. He knew he had to, and that meant trying to blend in while dressed as a First Order officer.
Well, fuck.
He was quick to shrug off his First Order tunic, leaving him in the black slacks and white tanktop. He tied the tunic around his waist, having seen plenty of rebels with such a fashion, particularly the pilots with their orange jumpsuits tied off at the waist. He made sure to push his hand back through his hair to mess it up, so he didn’t seem nearly as proper, and then he idly scuffed at his boots so they wouldn’t seem so clean.
Small things, but he hoped it would be enough to let him move without questions.
Ivan was nearly as blinded by the light when he stepped out and lifted a hand to shield his blue eyes from it, and keep going forward, down and off the ramp. He could see the chaos of it, and couldn’t help a smile. This almost felt familiar. The Imperial bases were this active, though not quite this chaotic. The only colors were shades of gray, from white to black, but the energy seemed the same.
That same optimism.
That same confidence.
His eyes moved over the crowd of cheerful people, but paused upon Leia and Lynn, embracing.
He knew he shouldn’t look, and yet, he did. He found himself relaxing at the happy sight, even if there was sorrow in it. It was hopeful, in a way, that they could be reunited so easily, so immediately. There would be adjustment, but he wouldn’t get between that – especially not as Chewbacca joined them. That was when he looked away, the smile still lingering on his lips, and went to go and find Moriah Tarkin.
It didn’t take long. Running about and acting a little panicked was enough to get answers from those who knew, who indicated they’d seen her being taken to the medbay by none other than Amilyn Holdo. The two of them would make for quite a sight – unmissable with Amilyn’s usual attire, and the strange strip of blue hair that Moriah had. Amilyn always looked so formal, though, with her purple hair.
‘People wouldn’t be this quick to give information in the Imperial bases.’ Though there they would know him. The chaos of the moment let the stranger slip by and get information just by acting important and rushed, and he was thankful for the lax security as he made his way to the medbay.
He first saw Finn, and he paused by the man’s bed, touching the edge of it lightly and noting Rey there – and another man not far, who seemed intent to catch up, in orange. Rey looked up at him, brows knitting together, and he just put a finger to his lips to ask her silence, as he would leave her be with Finn. ‘We’ll have to move soon.’ The First Order knew the location of this base, after all.
He hoped it would be safe to move Finn.
Hoped Moriah was in any state….
He lingered further away when he saw her, internally wincing at the sight. It wasn’t uncommon. Moriah had scars for a reason, was sitting upright for a reason, but it looked painful. Not to mention she just looked exhausted, particularly with Amilyn, so brightly colored, right besides her.
~***~
There was a shout, the title ‘Imperatrix’ used, and Moriah glanced over towards the stranger who had helped her from the X-Wing – Poe Dameron. Of course, that was how she’d introduced herself to him, wasn’t it? Military title, over her preferred one. It brought a slight smile to her lips as his salute was followed by more, the twist of her lips turning wry with that.
She must have fought alongside all of them – strangers no longer. She tried to commit each face to memory as she heard the light laugh of Holdo at her side. “Imperatrix, hm?”
Moriah found herself sighing along with the inquiry, gaze turning away as she was led into the base, “It fit the situation.” Fighting in a starship. “My preference stands.” Governor. “How are you?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” She asked, but of course, she didn’t. That answer was obvious, and her smile softened a bit as they came under the lights of the medbay, where Finn had been brought already, “I am well, Moriah. We were all pleased to hear from General Tagge,” she noted. It wasn’t entirely true, not at first, but those issues and questions would be dealt with later.
They were glad to hear they had allies.
Holdo let Moriah go so she could ease herself to sit on a cot. A single glance brought a doctor over to check on Moriah, and Holdo remained near, hands clasped in front of her, as she let the doctor work and kept watch on Moriah to make sure she didn’t snap off at the medical team. It wasn’t unlikely, and she could see the growing agitation in those blue eyes as the doctor shone a light in each eye to try and check for damage.
Symptoms were asked for, and each of Moriah’s answers grew shorter and more curt. Holdo had to set a hand on her shoulder to remind her – allies.
Eventually, it was decided that a dunk in a bacta tank would be enough, and nothing less. Moriah waved it off – let the others see to it. She just needed sleep. She’d go to a bacta tank when she got to one of her own ships, which she assumed wouldn’t be long.
“No, she’ll use one of ours, I insist,” Holdo said, before the doctor accepted the stubbornness. Her nails curled into Moriah’s shoulder. She knew why Moriah was doing it, it wasn’t so much a matter of toughness as a dislike of feeling indebted to others. “You can pay us back for the bacta later,” Holdo glanced down. That would remove the feeling. It wasn’t a mercy being offered.
“…fine.” Moriah allowed. She hated bacta tanks, too.
“We’ll get it set up,” the doctor noted, and Moriah glanced to Holdo.
“Shouldn’t this be in a ship? Shouldn’t we be leaving? The First Order is going to pursue.”
Holdo let her brows knit together at that. The Empire hadn’t pursued immediately after the Death Star. “What gives you that impression, Moriah?” She did not laugh it off, nor doubt it. Moriah had been with the First Order. Not to mention, she knew of Moriah’s capabilities with the Force, even if she had sealed those off with the bracelets.
Holdo had them, too – not so much, more on the level of Leia, a certain intuitiveness…and it told her to listen.
“Starkiller was never their only means or their only plan. They have several contingencies. When I suggested to Hux he would be nothing without Starkiller, he noted them,” arrogantly, as ever, “they have powerful dreadnaughts still, and they know this location. It will not be long.”
Holdo considered it, and then, abruptly, rose. “I will speak to General Organa, and I will have the medbay in the Ninka alerted. Stay here for the moment, please,” she inclined her head slightly to Moriah, before turning to leave, passing by Poe with only a moment’s glance, before continuing on.
Moriah let out a breath, but that did relax her.
Staying here on a doomed base would not be to anyone’s benefit, no matter how much they wished to celebrate their victory. She didn’t allow her posture to falter when left alone.
Asteria
He was getting better at not hiding away.
The others left the ship, before he or Lynn did. She addressed him then, about a cell, and he couldn’t help the curve of his lips up into a smirk. ‘They wouldn’t dare.’ Tarkin would make sure he didn’t spend any time in any cells. He wasn’t the enemy here. He was an ally. He wouldn’t be treated as such, at least, not for long.
The apology caused the smirk to fade, and he canted his head briefly at it. He couldn’t imagine Moriah was in a good state, but it was still strange to hear an apology for it. He realized then that Lynn must have known exactly the state of Moriah. Had she contributed to it? Ivan certainly hoped not. He couldn’t say forgiveness was the norm for her.
He offered no response to it – there was no time, before Lynn was out the door. He watched her go, and then looked at his surroundings. He took a breath. ‘Find her.’ He had to. He knew he had to, and that meant trying to blend in while dressed as a First Order officer.
Well, fuck.
He was quick to shrug off his First Order tunic, leaving him in the black slacks and white tanktop. He tied the tunic around his waist, having seen plenty of rebels with such a fashion, particularly the pilots with their orange jumpsuits tied off at the waist. He made sure to push his hand back through his hair to mess it up, so he didn’t seem nearly as proper, and then he idly scuffed at his boots so they wouldn’t seem so clean.
Small things, but he hoped it would be enough to let him move without questions.
Ivan was nearly as blinded by the light when he stepped out and lifted a hand to shield his blue eyes from it, and keep going forward, down and off the ramp. He could see the chaos of it, and couldn’t help a smile. This almost felt familiar. The Imperial bases were this active, though not quite this chaotic. The only colors were shades of gray, from white to black, but the energy seemed the same.
That same optimism.
That same confidence.
His eyes moved over the crowd of cheerful people, but paused upon Leia and Lynn, embracing.
He knew he shouldn’t look, and yet, he did. He found himself relaxing at the happy sight, even if there was sorrow in it. It was hopeful, in a way, that they could be reunited so easily, so immediately. There would be adjustment, but he wouldn’t get between that – especially not as Chewbacca joined them. That was when he looked away, the smile still lingering on his lips, and went to go and find Moriah Tarkin.
It didn’t take long. Running about and acting a little panicked was enough to get answers from those who knew, who indicated they’d seen her being taken to the medbay by none other than Amilyn Holdo. The two of them would make for quite a sight – unmissable with Amilyn’s usual attire, and the strange strip of blue hair that Moriah had. Amilyn always looked so formal, though, with her purple hair.
‘People wouldn’t be this quick to give information in the Imperial bases.’ Though there they would know him. The chaos of the moment let the stranger slip by and get information just by acting important and rushed, and he was thankful for the lax security as he made his way to the medbay.
He first saw Finn, and he paused by the man’s bed, touching the edge of it lightly and noting Rey there – and another man not far, who seemed intent to catch up, in orange. Rey looked up at him, brows knitting together, and he just put a finger to his lips to ask her silence, as he would leave her be with Finn. ‘We’ll have to move soon.’ The First Order knew the location of this base, after all.
He hoped it would be safe to move Finn.
Hoped Moriah was in any state….
He lingered further away when he saw her, internally wincing at the sight. It wasn’t uncommon. Moriah had scars for a reason, was sitting upright for a reason, but it looked painful. Not to mention she just looked exhausted, particularly with Amilyn, so brightly colored, right besides her.
~***~
There was a shout, the title ‘Imperatrix’ used, and Moriah glanced over towards the stranger who had helped her from the X-Wing – Poe Dameron. Of course, that was how she’d introduced herself to him, wasn’t it? Military title, over her preferred one. It brought a slight smile to her lips as his salute was followed by more, the twist of her lips turning wry with that.
She must have fought alongside all of them – strangers no longer. She tried to commit each face to memory as she heard the light laugh of Holdo at her side. “Imperatrix, hm?”
Moriah found herself sighing along with the inquiry, gaze turning away as she was led into the base, “It fit the situation.” Fighting in a starship. “My preference stands.” Governor. “How are you?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” She asked, but of course, she didn’t. That answer was obvious, and her smile softened a bit as they came under the lights of the medbay, where Finn had been brought already, “I am well, Moriah. We were all pleased to hear from General Tagge,” she noted. It wasn’t entirely true, not at first, but those issues and questions would be dealt with later.
They were glad to hear they had allies.
Holdo let Moriah go so she could ease herself to sit on a cot. A single glance brought a doctor over to check on Moriah, and Holdo remained near, hands clasped in front of her, as she let the doctor work and kept watch on Moriah to make sure she didn’t snap off at the medical team. It wasn’t unlikely, and she could see the growing agitation in those blue eyes as the doctor shone a light in each eye to try and check for damage.
Symptoms were asked for, and each of Moriah’s answers grew shorter and more curt. Holdo had to set a hand on her shoulder to remind her – allies.
Eventually, it was decided that a dunk in a bacta tank would be enough, and nothing less. Moriah waved it off – let the others see to it. She just needed sleep. She’d go to a bacta tank when she got to one of her own ships, which she assumed wouldn’t be long.
“No, she’ll use one of ours, I insist,” Holdo said, before the doctor accepted the stubbornness. Her nails curled into Moriah’s shoulder. She knew why Moriah was doing it, it wasn’t so much a matter of toughness as a dislike of feeling indebted to others. “You can pay us back for the bacta later,” Holdo glanced down. That would remove the feeling. It wasn’t a mercy being offered.
“…fine.” Moriah allowed. She hated bacta tanks, too.
“We’ll get it set up,” the doctor noted, and Moriah glanced to Holdo.
“Shouldn’t this be in a ship? Shouldn’t we be leaving? The First Order is going to pursue.”
Holdo let her brows knit together at that. The Empire hadn’t pursued immediately after the Death Star. “What gives you that impression, Moriah?” She did not laugh it off, nor doubt it. Moriah had been with the First Order. Not to mention, she knew of Moriah’s capabilities with the Force, even if she had sealed those off with the bracelets.
Holdo had them, too – not so much, more on the level of Leia, a certain intuitiveness…and it told her to listen.
“Starkiller was never their only means or their only plan. They have several contingencies. When I suggested to Hux he would be nothing without Starkiller, he noted them,” arrogantly, as ever, “they have powerful dreadnaughts still, and they know this location. It will not be long.”
Holdo considered it, and then, abruptly, rose. “I will speak to General Organa, and I will have the medbay in the Ninka alerted. Stay here for the moment, please,” she inclined her head slightly to Moriah, before turning to leave, passing by Poe with only a moment’s glance, before continuing on.
Moriah let out a breath, but that did relax her.
Staying here on a doomed base would not be to anyone’s benefit, no matter how much they wished to celebrate their victory. She didn’t allow her posture to falter when left alone.
Asteria
Asteria
⚔️
When Leia guided her daughter back aboard the Millennium Falcon, by resting a comforting hand on her back and pushing lightly, Lynn did not show any signs of resistance. She was numb, above everything else – above the exhaustion and hunger, above the additional uncertainty. Her expression turned to stone. Her eyes were cold, distant – perhaps her helmet, the concealer of her emotions, the barrier between her and the world, had burnt along the Starkiller Base, but it did not matter. She had many others, well-carved and hidden. Invisible to the outside. If it were not for the spilled tears, one would not have guessed she had been crying, in her mother’s arms, some mere moments ago.
Chewbacca had followed them, but he moved for the cockpit instead of the main hold. He had to make sure that the ship was in a good state. He did not want to continue being surprised when something was not functional, especially in moments that required fast decisions and actions. And he also knew that Leia needed her alone moment with Lynn, no matter how much he wanted to be at their side.
Lynn also understood that there were certain reasons to Leia’s decision to go aboard the ship – to keep her away from prying eyes, she imagined, as it must have not been easy to give an explanation about her whereabouts and also… a more sentimental reason. This was Han’s. He was a part of this ship as much as it had been a part of him. Despite knowing they could not remain for long on the planet, no matter that they were victorious, Leia still wanted to steal a moment inside the Millennium Falcon.
She had wanted a family, one that she could call her own. Her planet’s destruction, her adoptive parents’ death, had only accentuated that want, but also the fear of having one and losing it again. Of being unable to protect the ones she loved.
And she had it, she had it all for some time: she had her brother and Han and her two children. She had peace, a balance she did not think she would ever achieve in her tumultuous life. And she had lost it all, one by one. Lost her balance when her real father’s identity was discovered by the Senate. Then she lost Ben and with him, she lost her brother, her husband, and her daughter. One loss was truly permanent – Han’s – but the others felt just as permanent. Even Lynn’s…
“I’m sorry too,” Leia spoke then, after they settled in front of the Dejarik table. Even if Lynn felt as she should reassure her, as her mother had done for her, she couldn’t bring herself to do so – she remained silent, her eyes resting on her own hands. The apology only amplified her shame, guilt, and disgust with herself, with her actions.
She felt suffocated in that ship. She just wanted to… disappear. “I think we should–“
Leia interrupted her attempt at changing the subject. There was a softer tone to her voice, a mother’s worry, something that Lynn did not expect. “Is he–“
“Alive. Yes. He must be.” Silence. “They didn’t ignore the possibility of things going awry,” no matter how bold and proud they were. “There is an evacuation plan, as well as–“ a backup plan, Lynn would have continued if it were not for her mother reaching for her hand. She knew why. She sounded robotic, as if she was not there and her voice had been registered long before – she was quick in pressing her lips tight together then, leaving silence to take over them again.
The question that followed was enough to stir it, to turn the air cold. “Why, Lynn?” No.
“Would it make you sleep better at night if you knew that it wasn’t you at fault, or your decisions, but something else?” Her voice remained emotionless, but her anger could not remain unnoticed. It shone in her eyes, it burnt in her palms. With such unanswered questions she had fueled her anger over the years, but regret seemed to follow it now as her mother’s grip softened.
Lynn shook her head. “We’ve let him down.” Her voice grew weaker as she took the blame as well. It was not fair to blame them completely: Leia had sent Ben to Luke because she had thought it to be the best decision at the time – not for them, but for Ben. He needed help that they could not offer. And Han… he tried. It was one of his tries that brought his end. “We’ve all let each other down.” They had split across the Galaxy and abandoned each other.
Leia’s grip seemed to regain some of its strength but there was no time to add anything else on the matter. Measured steps echoed down the hall and just as Leia’s hand left Lynn’s, Amilyn Holdo stepped into the main hold. Whereas the young girl’s eyes remained glued to the Dejarik table, her mother’s attention was caught. “Amilyn?”
“SHE’S BACK, POE!”
These words, the sight of her so close to all of them, had been enough to reopen a wound Poe had thought closed, to stir a war between his rationality and sensibility. As a Commander, a part of the Resistance, he could acknowledge the benefits of her return – it meant that they would have some well-needed insight into the First Order’s doings. And, most importantly, as Leia’s friend, he was happy that she would be reunited with her daughter. Leia may never openly express her feelings, her regrets or her fears, but he knew how the loss of her children had affected her. Such a loss would affect any parent, but the circumstances surrounding Ben and Laelynn’s disappearance, their decision to join the dark side, made the situation hardly bearable for Leia. As the leader of the Resistance, she had to go against her own blood. Her inability to find another solution bothered her, Poe knew.
“If I had been less of a general, a war hero, a leader and more of a mother…” She had wondered out loud once.
He too had wondered: what if he had been less of whom he was more and more of who he should have been? He had been angry at himself, at Ben, at Leia even, but never truly angry at Lynn. For once though, right then, he wanted to be selfish and hold her responsible for her decision. He wanted to be angry.
Yet, it did not last. It never really lasted. The tremor in his fist subdued and his gaze softened as he managed to catch up with the hover-stretcher and those that surrounded it. A new face was present among those he already knew. He recognized it immediately, for he had seen it more times than he would like to admit – medic Vilha Niedra. Her expression betrayed no emotion as her gloved hand picked at one of the bacta patches.
She must have already received the wanted information. She lost no time in directing those under her command. “Have a bacta suit prepared. It will make it easier for us to transport him during the evacuation. We can’t lose time.” They needed to stabilize him above anything else. Drawing a bacta bath would only make them lose time that they did not have. “We’ll take him from here.”
Poe’s reluctance in letting go did not remain unnoticed. Vilha’s green eyes found his own, determined in their decision and with a nod, the man did let go.
He was restless though, despite what he had been through. He wanted to enter that room, then he thought against it. He almost wanted to turn around and see Moriah’s state for himself, as he had managed to catch a glimpse of her on his way to Finn. He thought against that as well. He could not leave, yet he could not quite stay.
It was then, as he debated what his next move should be, that he got to look at the girl that had been at Finn’s side for as long as he had been. Rey. She was alone. Lost. Far more lost than him.
Poe came behind her then, resting a hand upon her shoulder as his eyes focused on the doors Finn had gone through.
“It is a little bit strange, huh? How we are all brought together. That one there approached me while I was a prisoner of the First Order and he was a Stormtrooper. I need a pilot, he said.” The thought of it still amused him. It had been unexpected. “He spoke of you. Briefly, but he did. The scavenger that attacked him on Beebee-Ate’s behalf. I should thank you for that, I think. For taking care of my droid and what he carried. And my friend.” His grip tightened upon her shoulder. “He did not hesitate in coming to rescue you, even if everything was uncertain. And he will come back for us. He survived the First Order once, he will again,” he tried to reassure her and himself as well.
His lips curled into a soft smile as he looked down at her. “I’m Poe Dameron. You’re with the Resistance now. And here, we have hope.”
Chewbacca had followed them, but he moved for the cockpit instead of the main hold. He had to make sure that the ship was in a good state. He did not want to continue being surprised when something was not functional, especially in moments that required fast decisions and actions. And he also knew that Leia needed her alone moment with Lynn, no matter how much he wanted to be at their side.
Lynn also understood that there were certain reasons to Leia’s decision to go aboard the ship – to keep her away from prying eyes, she imagined, as it must have not been easy to give an explanation about her whereabouts and also… a more sentimental reason. This was Han’s. He was a part of this ship as much as it had been a part of him. Despite knowing they could not remain for long on the planet, no matter that they were victorious, Leia still wanted to steal a moment inside the Millennium Falcon.
She had wanted a family, one that she could call her own. Her planet’s destruction, her adoptive parents’ death, had only accentuated that want, but also the fear of having one and losing it again. Of being unable to protect the ones she loved.
And she had it, she had it all for some time: she had her brother and Han and her two children. She had peace, a balance she did not think she would ever achieve in her tumultuous life. And she had lost it all, one by one. Lost her balance when her real father’s identity was discovered by the Senate. Then she lost Ben and with him, she lost her brother, her husband, and her daughter. One loss was truly permanent – Han’s – but the others felt just as permanent. Even Lynn’s…
“I’m sorry too,” Leia spoke then, after they settled in front of the Dejarik table. Even if Lynn felt as she should reassure her, as her mother had done for her, she couldn’t bring herself to do so – she remained silent, her eyes resting on her own hands. The apology only amplified her shame, guilt, and disgust with herself, with her actions.
She felt suffocated in that ship. She just wanted to… disappear. “I think we should–“
Leia interrupted her attempt at changing the subject. There was a softer tone to her voice, a mother’s worry, something that Lynn did not expect. “Is he–“
“Alive. Yes. He must be.” Silence. “They didn’t ignore the possibility of things going awry,” no matter how bold and proud they were. “There is an evacuation plan, as well as–“ a backup plan, Lynn would have continued if it were not for her mother reaching for her hand. She knew why. She sounded robotic, as if she was not there and her voice had been registered long before – she was quick in pressing her lips tight together then, leaving silence to take over them again.
The question that followed was enough to stir it, to turn the air cold. “Why, Lynn?” No.
“Would it make you sleep better at night if you knew that it wasn’t you at fault, or your decisions, but something else?” Her voice remained emotionless, but her anger could not remain unnoticed. It shone in her eyes, it burnt in her palms. With such unanswered questions she had fueled her anger over the years, but regret seemed to follow it now as her mother’s grip softened.
Lynn shook her head. “We’ve let him down.” Her voice grew weaker as she took the blame as well. It was not fair to blame them completely: Leia had sent Ben to Luke because she had thought it to be the best decision at the time – not for them, but for Ben. He needed help that they could not offer. And Han… he tried. It was one of his tries that brought his end. “We’ve all let each other down.” They had split across the Galaxy and abandoned each other.
Leia’s grip seemed to regain some of its strength but there was no time to add anything else on the matter. Measured steps echoed down the hall and just as Leia’s hand left Lynn’s, Amilyn Holdo stepped into the main hold. Whereas the young girl’s eyes remained glued to the Dejarik table, her mother’s attention was caught. “Amilyn?”
********
“Laelynn is back.”
“SHE’S BACK, POE!”
These words, the sight of her so close to all of them, had been enough to reopen a wound Poe had thought closed, to stir a war between his rationality and sensibility. As a Commander, a part of the Resistance, he could acknowledge the benefits of her return – it meant that they would have some well-needed insight into the First Order’s doings. And, most importantly, as Leia’s friend, he was happy that she would be reunited with her daughter. Leia may never openly express her feelings, her regrets or her fears, but he knew how the loss of her children had affected her. Such a loss would affect any parent, but the circumstances surrounding Ben and Laelynn’s disappearance, their decision to join the dark side, made the situation hardly bearable for Leia. As the leader of the Resistance, she had to go against her own blood. Her inability to find another solution bothered her, Poe knew.
“If I had been less of a general, a war hero, a leader and more of a mother…” She had wondered out loud once.
He too had wondered: what if he had been less of whom he was more and more of who he should have been? He had been angry at himself, at Ben, at Leia even, but never truly angry at Lynn. For once though, right then, he wanted to be selfish and hold her responsible for her decision. He wanted to be angry.
Yet, it did not last. It never really lasted. The tremor in his fist subdued and his gaze softened as he managed to catch up with the hover-stretcher and those that surrounded it. A new face was present among those he already knew. He recognized it immediately, for he had seen it more times than he would like to admit – medic Vilha Niedra. Her expression betrayed no emotion as her gloved hand picked at one of the bacta patches.
She must have already received the wanted information. She lost no time in directing those under her command. “Have a bacta suit prepared. It will make it easier for us to transport him during the evacuation. We can’t lose time.” They needed to stabilize him above anything else. Drawing a bacta bath would only make them lose time that they did not have. “We’ll take him from here.”
Poe’s reluctance in letting go did not remain unnoticed. Vilha’s green eyes found his own, determined in their decision and with a nod, the man did let go.
He was restless though, despite what he had been through. He wanted to enter that room, then he thought against it. He almost wanted to turn around and see Moriah’s state for himself, as he had managed to catch a glimpse of her on his way to Finn. He thought against that as well. He could not leave, yet he could not quite stay.
It was then, as he debated what his next move should be, that he got to look at the girl that had been at Finn’s side for as long as he had been. Rey. She was alone. Lost. Far more lost than him.
Poe came behind her then, resting a hand upon her shoulder as his eyes focused on the doors Finn had gone through.
“It is a little bit strange, huh? How we are all brought together. That one there approached me while I was a prisoner of the First Order and he was a Stormtrooper. I need a pilot, he said.” The thought of it still amused him. It had been unexpected. “He spoke of you. Briefly, but he did. The scavenger that attacked him on Beebee-Ate’s behalf. I should thank you for that, I think. For taking care of my droid and what he carried. And my friend.” His grip tightened upon her shoulder. “He did not hesitate in coming to rescue you, even if everything was uncertain. And he will come back for us. He survived the First Order once, he will again,” he tried to reassure her and himself as well.
His lips curled into a soft smile as he looked down at her. “I’m Poe Dameron. You’re with the Resistance now. And here, we have hope.”
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