He no longer clung to the simplistic ideals of right or wrong, nor good and evil. He understood better than anyone that darkness and light were intertwined in strange, complex ways."
"KYLO REN failed."
Snoke grimaced at the voice of the wavering blue hologram that had dared to appear before him. Settling on his throne, The Supreme Leader placed a pallid hand underneath a ruined chin.
"The failures of Kylo are borne from something much larger at work, Sendrik Esso. Be mindful of your place amongst the Ren." Snoke susurrated softly. Sendrik's horned mask dipped in derision.
"You allowed General Hux and Kylo to play Galactic Empire. Now look at us, 'Supreme Leader'. Starkiller base is gone. The Galactic Alliance has pushed their offensive into our remaining systems. The First Order is crumbling." Sendrik's anger was almost palpable, even across stars.
"The First Order has played her role. You know Sendrik, as much as I do, the fluidity of the Force. You have seen the visions, haven't you? The same ones that brought us together- the same ones that created the Ren." Snoke said softly.
Sendrik's shoulders lowered as Snoke washed over the Ren's mind with his own thoughts.
"I understand your anger. Your confusion. I promise you, and I promise the rest of the Ren that we will prevent the coming darkness."
Snoke stood from his throne then, removing the hood that obscured his face as Sendrik was forced to his knees.
"We will bring balance to the Jedi, a lasting cure for a blighted religion."
CORUSCANT
GRAND DIRECTOR GUILMÉTIA SELLA would never forget the first time she exited hyperspace above the diamond world, resplendent in wealth and corruption. The Kasshern, her personal Galactic Alliance Defender, hung overworld with a cadre of ships that looked more like a museum than an actual fleet.
Clone Wars era Venators and Imperial Star Destroyers took up space beside the newer Defender class vessels, similar in appearance to the Imperial craft of yore, but with a larger, wider wedge shaped hull that was split vertically from the tip of the craft all the way to the Hightower command. E-wing fighters flew in formation beside large behemoths, and below senators from a thousand worlds debated on the future of the Galactic Alliance Defense Force.
It had been one year since the destruction of Starkiller Base.
The resulting hysteria over the loss of the Hosnian system sprung the slumbering Alliance into action- the Galactic Alliance Defense Force was created almost immediately.
Systems who were covertly allied with the First Order announced themselves as the Central Federation of Ren, a new religion that seemingly sprung from the ashes of the dark side.
Now, it was being debated if the Galactic Alliance should attack the Ren as well.
After all, the First Order was all but destroyed.
"It's a different war in the senate chambers."
A voice called behind Guilmétia, and she turned on her sharp heels to see Director Avade Pellaeon, son of the late Gilad Pellaeon.
After the fall of the remnant, Imperial warlords ended up being recruited as mercenary armies employed by private worlds, as there was no standing military in the fledgling New Republic. In this atmosphere, the military autocracy of the Empire lived on.
The Galactic Alliance was now dependent on the Empire's vast residual resources.
"Chancellor Holdo is no stranger to Realpolitik. If there are still Ren sympathizers in the senate- she will snuff them out sure enough."
"Much to the chagrin of Organa." Avade said conversationally. Guilmétia winced at the name. Her younger sister, Kor, had died on Hosnian Prime, serving Organa and her military junta, the "Resistance."
"Leia didn't want to cooperate with the New Republic, choosing instead her own personal war in enemy territory. The loss of the Hosnian system is on her head, and that of her followers. The Galactic Alliance will not tolerate such impunity." Guilmétia said.
Avade chuckled as he stepped in place beside her. His dark brown eyes stared at Coruscant as a lumbering medical frigate orbited the Kasshern like a Kaminoan sea calf.
"I suppose that's why there's a warrant for her capture. She will be brought to justice soon enough." Avade clasped Guilmétia's shoulder.
"But that's not why I'm here. He's awake." Avade said.
Finn.
"Take me to him." Guilmétia said immediately. After one year.. they may finally be able to get some answers on the First Order, and the elusive Ren.
His mind was still swimming in a jumble of thoughts and concepts- images and voices intertwining with the messages his optic nerves sent to his brain. He could tell he was in some sort of medical bay, though his body was restrained. He closed his eyes as the flashes he saw in his mind grew more violent- a dark figure, a flaming blade that spat sparks and ash. He had followed this figure, loyally, learning from it. It was then the other came-
What happened?
Pain, darkness.
It was cold.
Ice seeped through his clothing as his spine melted and sloughed off burned skin. He saw her, the other, take up that Jedi weapon and fought off the monster.
She was weeping.
Suddenly, plasteel doors opened and two humans entered his room. One was male, dressed in the blue uniform and kamas of a Fleet Director within the Galactic Alliance- and the other female- she was dressed in the garb of a Grand Director- entirely black with a white line traveling from the base of her breast to the hem of her trousers. Colored buttons adorned her sleeves, and a mechanical eye whirred as it focused ahead.
"What is your name?" The woman asked.
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
What is my name? He had one before.
Fintos? That was it. Before Her. When he still fought under him. But she changed that.
"Finn," He said breathlessly, feeling the same level of liberation he did when she first christened him.
"You fought bravely during the battle of Starkiller base, and on Takodona. You killed a being that you called a Ren, wielding powers similar to a Jedi. I understand you have these abilities as well."
Killed?
Gremat Nuvo. I did kill him. I had to.
Gremat was after Her.
Rey.
Finn saw Germat's face then, the surprise written over it as he crushed the man's chest within his own armor.
"Your Intelligence lead to the destruction of Starkiller base, and the information we found in their emergency black caches were instrumental in finding systems supporting them."
The woman approached Finn, stepping closer to him and lowering herself to his level. He stared into her mechanical eye, entranced by the thousands of gears that swirled simultaneously to create a facsimile of a pupil.
"But that's not enough. We need to know where the First Order got their resources. And now, we need to know what this 'Federation of Ren' is planning."
REN.
Finn suddenly straightened as pain went shooting through his head. He doubled over then, his mind scrambling as a thousand knives scrapped across the spiritual plane that resided within him. He saw the visions, the visions they all saw- the visions that lead him to Snoke.
Blood dripped from his nose, painting vermillion flowers on the white sheets that were wrapped around his legs.
"Finn?" The woman said. He was no longer there. He could hear her, but he couldn't respond. He didn't dare to. Not yet. He wasn't entirely free yet.
"Maybe it was too soon." Another voice said as Finn lost consciousness.
"No. Holdo will be happy about this. He was able to confirm at least one thing- if he does have this power- Holdo will be able to use him just as she had hoped."
"To find the girl."
"Precisely."