As soon as the first wave of the spectral impulse hit, the lights in the lounge blew, in a ripple of short circuits.
Kylo shot out of his seat, lightsaber ignited."Get down," he barked.
Apple obediently ducked, covering her head.
Serving droids shuddered, sparks erupting from their joints seconds before they exploded. Scraps of burning metal shot out into different directions.
Kylo threw out his hand. The metal debris froze midair, only inches before reaching them. He dropped his hand and the debris crashed harmlessly to the floor.
The dark knight waved his lightsaber, glancing back at Apple out the corner of his eye. "Are you injured?"
"No," she replied, uncovering her head with a relieved grin, "well, technically only my feet and," she lifted her bandaged fingers, "and my hands are. Other than that," she gave him two thumbs up, "I'm peachy thanks to you."
"Stay down," he ordered, "We might be under attack."
"Uhhh…I wouldn't exactly say that," Apple struggled for a good explanation that didn't sound as strange as it was, "I'd kind of recognize that temper tantrum surge anywhere."
He shifted his eyes to her, lightsaber not lowering even a bit. "What are you talking about?"
"Kylo," she gingerly felt around herself to gage how much debris surrounded her bare feet, "that was my dad. This," she made a circling motion with her hand at the room, "is my dad's trademark outburst of anger. But add a little spectral form to it and well…" she made a grimacing face, "it might just look like a battlefield."
The lightsaber lowered slightly. "Darth Vader's ghost was here?"
"And apparently," Apple lifted her eyebrows with a timorous smile, "he's really really upset about something."
Sparks erupted from the refrigerator as it exploded open.
"Here we go again!" The princess ducked as canned beverages shot out of it in all different directions.
Kylo's saber flashed, taking out a bottle of carbonated Ferio centimeters from the princess's head. Liquid sprayed the room.
Apple uncovered her head. "I know this feeling." She relaxed. "Father is upset somewhere."
"That was Darth Vader?" Kylo still held his lightsaber, scanning the area. "Lieutenant Commander," he spoke into his communicator, "Are we under attack?"
"No, sir," Ru stammered.
"Then what was that power surge from?"
"We… we don't know," the officer's voice trembled, "we were assuming it was another one of your—" he cut himself off.
"My what?" Kylo asked steely.
An audible gulping sound echoed over his commlink. "Episodes, sir," the lieutenant Commander's voice squeaks with fear.
"He has a point," Apple interjected, "You are a lot like your grandfather. And this was definitely him."
Kylo smiled despite himself then turned savagely to the communicator. "Send someone to clean up this mess now!"
"Yes, sir!" The lieutenant commander was obviously too grateful to be let off the hook, "Right away sir!"
Kylo flipped the communicator off with his thumb. "Weak-minded simpleton."
Apple chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that he's thinking of who he hates bad enough to send over here right now."
The dark knight lifted an eyebrow.
"Oh don't give me that look," Apple said not really seeing his peculiar expression but feeling his thoughts all the same, "You know they think you're on a sith-rampage right now and anyone that is sent over here is going to get killed."
The lounge's speaker blurped on with Hux's audio-filtered voice overhead, "Lord Ren, could you keep your destruction of priceless equipment down in there. We're trying to finish a meeting."
Apple bit her lip against a chuckle and opened her hand palm up as to say, 'see.'
The speaker crackled shutting back off with an annoyed slapping sound.
Aggravated, Kyo flashed the general an obscene gesture that he knew the princess hadn't seen and shut off his saber to attach it to his belt. "Good. Let them fear me."
"Way to take credit," she teased him with a laugh, then considered the situation studiously, "Something really must have ticked off my father."
"What do you suppose it was?" Kylo surveyed the mess. Shattered glass. Destroyed droids. Flickering and sparking lights. Broken bottles of drinks littered the carpet staining it red and blue. At least the tiny beverage fridge was still working, although its contents were scattered all over the room.
"I don't know," She went to make her way to him.
"Don't move!" He held out his hand as if she could see his gesture, "You'll injure yourself further."
With a flick of his wrist he mentally tossed aside the larger particles of glass, then padded over to her, his boots crunching the remaining glass and metal shards. "Can you imagine having this kind of power even after you are dead?"
"Meh," she shrugged, "I guess I've been around it so much, it seems like everyday." She called out, "Dad, if you can hear me, we're sorry we were talking about Obi Wan. If you want, we'll go find his grave and have a hut pee on it."
Kylo chuckled despite himself, "You have pieces of glass in your hair," he picked a few of them out of her blonde curls. "A hut pee on his grave? Where do you come up with these things?"
"I have a very creative imagination," she quipped.
"Very creative," he cupped the side of her face, "very creative indeed," he leaned towards her, "Are you sure that you are uninjured?"
"Yes," she replied, "you?"
"Better than I have been in a long time," his lips broke into an excited grin, "I just witnessed Darth Vader's power from the other side." He hugged her to his chest excitedly, "Can you envisage it?!" He picked her up and twirled her around. "I've been hoping for something like this my whole life. Waiting and hoping. Never before had he sent me any sign, and now," he set her on her feet to stare her in her sightless eyes, "he has finally spoken. It's remarkable."
Dizzy, she staggered. "Yes…" she mumbled dryly as she teeter, "it's really spectacular to see your dad's ghost practically blow up a room on a whim."
Apple grabbed his tunic to steady herself against his chest. "It definitely brings up the nostalgic feelings…" She puffed her cheeks against a bout of nausea. "…among other things. I take it Ben is back in charge of your body."
"Do you think he'll talk to us?" He scanned the ceiling. "Lord Vader? Can you hear us?"
"Yep, definitely Ben," she said to herself.
He looked back down at her. "How do we get him to talk to us?"
"We don't," she finally managed to steady herself, "he'll appear when he wants to. And talk to us when he wants to. I never ask."
Kylo opened his mouth.
"No," she pointed her index finger at him, cutting him off, "no conjuring the dead. No pendulums. No trips to the Mandalorian-mart for spirit boards. Things don't work that way."
He closed his mouth then opened it to somberly ask, "What do you truthfully suppose he was trying to tell us?"
Apple searched the room, only able to visualize sparks of energy on the surface of the furniture and flooring. She replied with a quirky smile, "That he was… uh…upset?"
"Humorous," he said, hardly impressed then chuckled despite himself.
With a chuckle, Apple took a pretend marching step. "How about I make us a pot of tea?"
"We have servants for that." He caught her waist, pulling her back away from the glass she was about to step on. "Apparently, you must really want to injure yourself more. Pay attention."
She squirmed in his arms, turning to glance back up at him. "One, princesses make tea for their equals, it's a court ritual. And two, I," her voice softened with her tiny pout, "have you to keep me safe from things."
He found himself hesitant to release her. Instead, he lifted his commlink to his lips. "Lieutenant Commander, have someone bring the princess a teapot and cups when you send the cleaners."
She blindly swiped for his wrist, bringing the communicator to her mouth, "My personal one please, the from my shuttle…" she smiled, whispering to Kylo, "I bet I can see Hapan porcelain," then spoke back into the mike, "and could you please include some different types of teas, thank you so much. You are much appreciated."
"Yes, your highness," the man stammered almost too delighted,"I'll bring them myself. Your highness, I am such a big fan, could you sign my—"
Kylo shut the communicator off. "Oops, the signal dropped."
—
Meeting adjourned, the officers holograms shut off one by one until true silence reigned.
General Hux leaned onto his elbows, wrenching his fingers against his mouth for a long moment. He reached for his glass. Empty.
"Another drink." He wagged the dry glass in the air before setting it aside… to rub his palms against his face.
A faceless-officer-as-far-as-Hux-was-concerned poured him a glass then left the new pitcher beside him before disappearing into the background.
Hux snagged the glass, throwing the drink back in a gulp.
"That went well." Commander Rokens plunked in the chair beside him with a shudder.
"Perfectly," Hux grumbled flatly, "Half the reports are missing. We're down two-thirds of our stormtroopers, not to mention technical personnel. One-third of the fleet is destroyed and unless we suddenly become galactic space pirates, we're not going to acquire the financial resources necessary to rebuild fast enough." He dropped his head. "The Grand Admiral is going to seek a full report tomorrow at 1700 and I can only imagine what the Supreme Leader is expecting. Failure is most certainly not an option."
"That does put the pressure on," Rokens rubbed the back of his neck and stretched his upper back against an apparent ache. "Too bad the Emperor didn't leave the princess an inheritance, because that would have been an enormous advantage at this point."
Hux lifted his head in an instant. "What did you say?"
"The Emperor didn't," Rokens repeated cautiously, "leave the princess an inheritance?"
"What if he did?" Hux felt a smile tug at his mouth. "Or perhaps her parents." He hit his comm, "Lieutenant Dez."
"Yes, general?" the information officer's audio-filtered voice sparked over his communicator.
"Perform a subspace review of all banks and financial establishments that have ever had any connections with the empire. Search for anything that would be associated with any member of the royal household, including Darth Vader, Celestine Palpatine , and the Lady Dea'ev of Hapan."
"I'll get right on it, sir," Dez replied in a tone that hinted of a little more than a bit of doubt.
"Good. I want the report in my inbox by tomorrow morning," the general said, "End communication." He shut the comm device off then tossed it on the conference table. "I hope this works."
"With all due respect sir, I think I have as much confidence in this avenue as Lieutenant Dez does. This might just be a Pwi'lep dream," Rokens commented as he tugged at his nostrils.
He sniffed loudly then rubbed his nares again. "Must we continuously keep this room so frigid? My nose keeps running like a faucet in here." He cleaned the snot with the back of his fingers.
Hux made a face at him. "Don't touch me with that hand… ever." He pushed his upper body back against his seat, returning to the previous subject matter, "We always have options, Commander. Some are just easier then others."
"Easier?" Rokens knit his brow. "The temperature controls are right there on the wall behind us. How much easier could it possibly be?"
Hux slowly shifted his eyes to him.
Rokens withered under the heavy glare. "Oh, you meant the financing." He grimaced then rubbed the outsides of his arms, "But seriously sir, it's like Thoth in here. I think I'm catching a viral infection," with a big snorting-sniffling-sucking of snot, he spoke with a nasal edge and heartily wiped his nose. He sneezed loudly into his hands then glanced into them, "Yes, definitely viral."
The young general exhaled. "Fine. Increase the temperature," he massaged his temples, "I need a drink."
Rokens sniffed loudly and rubbed his nose again. "Of course, sir." He grabbed the pitcher and cup.
"No!" Hux called out to him, reaching out his hand to stop him.
Rokens stopped mid-pouring. "Something wrong, sir?"
With a disgusted grimace, Hux retracted his hand. "Just…" His exhaustion set in with a vengeance. "…get someone else to bring me a new drink and cup."
The Commander regarded him quizzically then sniffed the liquid in the pitcher. "Is something wrong with it?" He sneezed into it, then grit his teeth apologetically. "I'll have a new batch sent, sir." He hurried out.
Hux called out over his shoulder, "And make it strong." With an exhausted groan, he laid his head down on his arms. Things couldn't possibly get worse.
*** I had to cut this chapter into four parts. Thank you for your reviews and continued reading. I really appreciate your reviews and enjoy reading them in return.****
