The bickering in the Senate heightened into an uproar with two distinct sides: to join and support the Resistance or to preserve public safety by joining the dictatorial First Order.
"How is joining the First Order going to help our citizens when they are against everything the Naboo system was built on?," declared young Queen of Naboo, Kaya Lavar as the room fell into a deep hush at her bold, outspoken remark.
"For starters, they won't blow up our entire planet!," countered the Coruscant representative in the Senate, "Coruscant has over a trillion people, the largest population in the galaxy. I refuse to put those people at risk for the sake of democracy!"
"How can you say that? The First Order is self-sacrificial; they could turn on your people at any moment. And do not imply that your people are worth more than mine. Naboo is peaceful and industrious and our people will not stand for anything less than the Republic's long upheld policy of democ-"
"Order!" Queen Lavar was suddenly interrupted by the meeting officiant. "I see coming to peaceful agreements are not to transcribe on this day. We must vote. All those in favor of supporting the Resistance and maintaining the Republic government, say ay."
"Ay!" screams Kaya, along with about half of the other members in the room, who share her passion for equality and goodwill towards others.
"And those opposed: in favor of turning over our system to the First Order- say nay."
"Nay!" called many others, most prominent being Senator Sangsha, the representative for Coruscant.
The shouting in the room made the counting difficult to accrue, but the protocol droids working for President Surik, officiant of the Senate, finally calculated the results which would determine the fate of the galaxy.
"The votes are in," Surik's booming voice declared. Anxiously, Kaya waited on the edge of her seat. "This system will…." he opens the envelope. "Succeed from the Republic and turn to the First Order!"
"NO!" screams Kaya in defeat, "Recount!" she calls as a last attempt to save the crumbling Republic before her.
"Accept it, Queen Lavar. It's over. We turn to the First Order at dawn tomorrow. Prepare your citizens and gather your resources."
Kaya left the room with her head held high after her outspoken defiance towards her superior. She walked behind her guards towards her transport ship to take them back to her home planet of Naboo. Not even they could sense the plan brewing her rebellious mind.
...
Kylo Ren paced his quarters on the newly built starship, housing the remains of the First Order. He paced his room as the battle within him raged on. The voice of the light called to him-
"Choose your own path. Embrace the light and repent for your actions!" The voice took the face of his former master beside him, Luke Skywalker. His voice had been growing weaker as he grew closer to the dark side, accepting the teachings of Supreme Leader Snoke and killing those closest to him.
"NO!" screamed Kylo as he drew his lightsaber and destroyed the room around him. His head pounded with conflicting thoughts, both destructive and empowering.
"Use your anger, face your hate. Finish what I started." The subtle voice of his grandfather grew stronger, more prominent. "Yes, embrace it!" The echo of Darth Vader shouted.
Kylo threw his lightsaber to the ground, clutching his face in agony as he lost control of his thoughts and with it, himself.
"I don't know who I am anymore!" he screams in agony as he furiously removes his mask and reaches up to touch the scar that forever marked him as damned. Remembering the battle between him and that Resistance girl brought on a new wave of hostility. His breathing strained as he fought to maintain his composure.
"I am losing control," he cried as his labored breaths turned into gasps for air. He felt as if the world was closing in on him, as the battle between light and dark raged on. The dark was winning.
"Breath," A new voice emerged from the shadows of his fabrication. A new face, although Kylo felt like he had seen him before. He tried to ignore its growing presence as to avoid another panic attack, but the figure grew stronger, more concrete. "My name is Anakin Skywalker. Father of your mother and mentor."
"You're one of them!" he shouts in frustration as he struggles to formulate the legacy of Anakin Skywalker. "You were once Darth Vader, the greatest Sith to rule the galaxy. The mission of the First Order is to continue his work! Why are here?"
"You don't understand the truth behind the mask. There is good in you as there was good in me. You just need to be shown it," the force ghost responded as he turned more concrete and real.
"Leave me alone!" Ren shouted in anger. He drew his saber in retaliation and aimed at the figure of his grandfather. Before he could strike him, the appearance of Anakin disapparated into nothingness.
"Master Ren, the Supreme Leader has requested your presence," the relegated Stormtrooper announced.
Kylo Ren's anger and fear dissolved as he remembered his true leader and mentor. He reattached his mask and scowled as his duty beckoned him to continue. His emotion was smuggled to the back of his head as it lost importance.
Little did he know his war with emotion was just beginning, for the voice of the light had changed to a very conflicting character- his former inspiration, Anakin Skywalker.
...
"Poe Dameron, I can't believe it! It is you! What are you doing here?" Kaya ran to meet her friend in a tight embrace, trying to make up for the years apart as adults.
"Well as head pilot for the Resistance, I figured I should stop by to celebrate the destruction of the Starkiller!" Poe responded with a general answer warily with a fake smile plastered on his normally smug face.
Kaya could sense his uneasiness and invited him into her palace, where they can be greeted by warm drinks and privacy. She hushed inside, "Let's talk in here."
Once they were both behind closed doors, Poe revealed his true purpose of arriving on Naboo, a far cry away from his home (or the rebel base at least), "I'm here to prevent the Naboo system from seceding from the Republic."
"How do already know about that! The Senate adjourned less than an hour ago!" Kaya responded with a twinge of embarrassment at the obvious implication hung in the air: that she may be obliged to support those her dear friend has fought so hard to destroy.
"We have our ways," the "we" clearly referring to the Resistance, "and we need your help. If you declare independence from the Galactic Order and the Senate, you can decide for yourself the actions of Naboo and its neighboring systems." Poe announced with desperation, matching the desperate measures he is calling on Queen Lavar to pursue.
"Poe! You know that is not within my power or jurisdiction to do! Doing that would be turning my back on the efforts of those wronged so long ago in the war! How can you say-"
"Haven't they already turned their backs on you?" Poe interrupts as Kaya instantly stops, as his words ring true and register across her face. "Haven't they already disregarded those efforts and tarnished the democracy of the galaxy?"
Kaya turns from him as his words resonate. Her mind is battlefield between she knows is right and what is easier to accomplish. Her planet had suffered so much and had barely entered a new era of peace and prosperity. To put her people through the pain of war all over again… But to turn against the Republic, democracy, the Resistance... No. She knew what she had to do.
"You're right," she whispered to Poe, before breaking down right then and there, in the arms of her oldest childhood friend, as the pressures upon her heightened with an impossible task before her.
Behind closed doors however, loomed an unforeseen threat.
"Kaya Lavar is going to secede from the Galactic Senate. Naboo is supporting the Resistance."
...
"You requested my presence, Master," Kylo Ren says whilst bowing before the figure of Supreme Leader Snoke. Despite being just a hologram, his presence still hung in the air and struck fear to the hearts of many.
"Yes my young apprentice. I come bearing great news," he announced with his domineering tone. "The Galactic Senate, including our goal outposts on Naboo and Coruscant, has voted to dissolve the Republic and establish ties with the First Order."
"That is great news, as our empire is now headed towards total domination." Kylo Ren's eyes shone with excitement at the possibilities around this latest development.
Suddenly, General Lotus burst through the doors of the quiet meeting room.
"Supreme Leader. We have just received word of the future separation of Naboo from the Galactic Senate. Queen Kaya Lavar intended to draw from the First Order and set up Resistance support. Sir, we are losing the Naboo system."
Snoke banged his fist on his throne and groaned ferociously in outrage. Naboo is an important system that the Order had sought after for years. There lies a "gateway to the galaxy" with strong population counts and trade outposts. Losing Naboo could be a potential downfall to the success of the First Order.
"What jurisdiction does she have?" Ren responded in outrage.
"It appears she has been swayed by a Resistance member himself, Poe Dameron. She is said to be declaring the independence of Naboo on the grounds of preserving democracy and the Republic."
Kylo screamed in outrage, as he began pacing, trying to weigh the possibilities of these actions. Snoke finally spoke: "Well, it appears obvious what we must do…" Snoke turned to Kylo Ren with a menacing glint in his eye.
"Kill her."