"General Ullyn, Captain Raan, we're thrilled to welcome you to the Finalizer and to the Coalition," Shree offers in greeting to the first delegates. Ullyn is an older man, having served in the Empire previously and looking every inch the part. Raan is a diminutive woman with dark skin and short, tightly curled red hair. The combination is at odds with her staid, withdrawn air.
There had been such an influx of ships that it was decided that each group would elect a representative, as they'd often arrived as small clusters of ships and transports. They're expecting another 16 delegates.
All told, 12 Star Destroyers, two dreadnaughts, and numerous support ships have joined the cause. Analyst Bast has calculated that this leaves the First Order with only four Star Destroyers and one dreadnaught. They're vastly outnumbered and could be taken in battle, but Shree and TL still hold out hope for a peaceful solution.
Ben, however, he's convinced that this will have to end with bloodshed and the utter destruction of what remains of the First Order. Shree's dreams of a bloodless change in leadership is likely to end up nothing but ash and bodies.
He hopes to determine the current state of Samuel Bren. Is there any chance he might decide to follow his brethren, put aside his anger? Again, Ben finds it highly unlikely, but he'll wait to hear from the other delegates. If they're very lucky, someone close to Bren will have joined the exodus.
More former First Order personnel arrive, at least half of them are stormtroopers and the introductions are a bit confusing as they all have designations as well as new names. One in particular, TZ-8253 stands out.
Tazzy, as she prefers, is brash, confident, rude and utterly charming. In the short time since they'd left the First Order, she's managed to dye her hair a shocking bright pink and even the reserved Captain Raan has smiled at her antics.
The meeting has only just begun when Tazzy breaks in with, "We need to know one thing before we get started officially." She winks at Captain Raan who actually ducks her head.
Ben would have once found this woman infuriating, but not now. Now he finds her tremendous presence to simply be a relief. If this kind of personality could survive the stormtrooper program, then there's so much more possible than he'd ever dreamed.
"And what is that?" Ben asks, genuinely curious.
Now her face grows dead serious, belying her outrageous hair, and she holds his eyes intently. "Are we going to have to kill civilians if we stay?"
The question pulls him back into the massacre on Jakku and he breathes in sharply. He'd only killed Tekka, but he'd given the order and he's certainly killed innocents in the past. His throat closes and his head fills with the screams; his heart beating rapidly through the icy fear.
It's not fear of danger, it's fear of the nothingness that used to fill him. The way he would draw himself deeply into the dark side, blanket his humanity, then flog himself with how the light still called to him. Now he knows it was never the light, not really. It was just basic decency asserting itself. His conscience. That vestigial part of him that was always his parents' child.
Rey's hand grasps his thigh under the table and she strokes back and forth, her warmth somehow freeing him from the cage of memory and the room comes back in focus.
Tazzy is still looking at him with a defiant sort of expectation. Finding his voice, he proclaims, "You will never again be asked to kill the innocent as a direct course of action. In war, things happen, I cannot promise you that civilians won't die. I sincerely wish that I could."
Tazzy and several of the other stormtroopers, including their own Kes, sit back in their seats, looking troubled and conflicted. Poe frowns, but nods his acceptance; he knows the way of war. Finn and Rose share glances and Ben sees them shift to hold hands under the table. The officers remain stone faced while Shree and TL simply look resigned.
He's losing the newcomers already, he can feel it. "What I can tell you is that this new alliance, this Coalition, will save far more lives than the First Order ever took."
Analyst Bast breaks in with, "My apologies, sir, but with the Hosnian System, that would mean 2.279 trillion lives."
Ben would talk to Bast about when one doesn't need to offer data, but he knows it would be useless. "Yes, thank you Analyst Bast. It will take time, but there is an entire galaxy suffering right now. I don't mean we will save them from death. I mean we will save them from misery. From slavery and destitution. We will harness the might of what was once the First Order and we will right the wrongs we all helped create."
Looking around the table he sees a great deal of remorse and quite a bit of denial. But they don't disagree with him.
Tazzy eyes narrow, looking deeply into Ben's gaze. Then she grins brightly and exclaims, "Sounds good to me. Let's go save the galaxy, Tops."
Ben blinks and hesitantly asks, "Tops?"
"Oh, yeah, my crew started calling you Top Dog, Tops for short. Supreme Leader is stupid."
The officers around the table gasp, but every single stormtrooper and Resistance member burst out laughing. To his surprise, it's Rey who is laughing so hard she starts to hiccup.
"Rey?" he asks in a voice meant just for her.
Between howls of laughter, she chokes out, "I've never known how to tell you!"
"Tell me what?"
"Supreme Leader is stupid!" Then the whole table is at least chuckling and Ben finds himself wanting to laugh with them.
"You know what, that's what I thought when Snoke first took it," he admits as he joins in with his own guffaw.
Eventually everyone settles down and Shree again takes control of the room. "Well, while I had already thought it would make sense to start with chain of command, it sounds like we'll be starting with you, Ben. It would appear you need a new title." Shree's eyes dance with mirth.
"Anything but Tops," he groans and the room again descends into laughter.
"Then we're all agreed, Jakku will be our first planet to rehabilitate?" Ben confirms.
Around the table, heads nod and Rey is absolutely beaming.
Kes clears her throat and says, "I know we're wrapping up, but I wondered, Prime Magistrate Solo, may I put forth one last item?"
Ben is exhausted. They've been hashing things out for hours, from how the fleet will be organized down to increased leisure time. Poe has worked magic with the remaining Resistance allies and new supplies are due to arrive as soon as next week. The last issue on the agenda had been Rey's plan for Jakku and he's eager to congratulate her … properly.
However, the quiet Kes rarely speaks, only participating in votes for the most part, so he's curious to know what would bring her to interject now.
"Please, what is it, Kes?" he asks.
"Our families, sir. I would like to begin a program to locate our families."
The jubilant feeling of the room sweeps away, leaving melancholy on the stormtroopers' faces and guilt on the officers'.
Ben swallows once, facing again the brutality of the stormtrooper program. "That … that's an admirable idea."
But TL surprises him when he says, "Kes, I know how important this is to you … you were older when you were taken. But we have to focus on the remains of the First Order and righting our wrongs, at least for now."
"Couldn't we start small?" Rey breaks in.
"It would be fairly easy to run a cross-reference on the known data," the ever-helpful Analyst Bast offers. "We could certainly provide everyone with their home planets."
"But what if they leave?" one of the more pugnacious officer's almost whines.
Back and forth the discussion goes until finally Ben speaks. "They deserve to know whatever we have in our archives. If some choose to leave, we must respect that. However, I believe most will want to stay, at least until the First Order is well and truly handled. Let's take it to a vote."
It passes, narrowly. However, an official program for further research is put on hold, for now. Ben flinches when he sees Kes wipe her eyes. Then the stormtrooper sits up straight and appears herself again. Ben decides he needs to learn more about Kes.
"Well, my love, everyone was quite enthusiastic about your plan for Jakku," he says into her hair before nuzzling her neck. They've just returned to their quarters and they don't have a great deal of time before they must dine with all of the new delegates.
She turns to look at him, thwarting his access to her throat. He grumbles but she just laughs at him. "Do you really think it will work?"
"Of course it will. You know Jakku best and your plan about disrupting the markets is perfect. We'll have to tailor it for each system of course, but it's an excellent test case."
"I wonder who's taken Plutt's place?" Rey muses.
"We'll find out soon. Now, we have less than two hours until we must return and watching you command the room like you did … well, I think you deserve a reward," he purrs.
"It sounds like you'll be the one getting the reward," she teases.
"That's the beauty of my plan," he rumbles as he throws a shrieking Rey over his shoulder.
Her wild giggles turn quickly to moans.
"Hmmm, I love your skin," Ben murmurs as he strokes along her naked back. She's languid and sated, laying on her belly with him on his side next to her. He shifts slightly so he can begin to drop kisses along her shoulder while he continues to draw his fingers along her warm flesh.
"That feels good," she mumbles into the pillow.
"I still can't quite believe I get to touch you."
"Well you'd better. No one else is going to touch me like this but you. It would be a shame if you got tired of it."
"Oh, I don't think that's likely to happen."
Watching her lay out her ideas for how to help Jakku had revealed another part of her, this warrior he does not deserve. She'd clearly been thinking about what could be done for her home planet for a very long time. He's so proud of her.
And that he gets to make love to her, with her … that she's agreed to be his wife … he never imagined he would ever be so lucky.
She turns over and smiles at him, running a hand through her hair, trying to flatten the absolute mess he'd made of it earlier. But he rather likes the way she looks right now. Flushed, glowing, and clearly well … seen to.
Lando will arrive with the dresses tomorrow and while he's eager to marry her as quickly as possible, he hasn't actually talked to her about it.
"Rey?" His voice is cautious.
"What is it?" she asks, suddenly worried.
"Nothing bad. I just … I … I would like for us to get married … soon."
She stretches, giving him an absolutely marvelous view of her breasts, and responds, "Whatever you want, Ben."
"So … you wouldn't mind if it was … say … next week?"
He half expects her to be shocked but he should have known better. She just shrugs and says, "Whatever you want. All that will change is that I get to call you husband."
That goes straight to his cock and he grins. "Oh, I like that."
Rey eyes his growing length and says with a raised brow, "Obviously."
Then the little minx hops out of bed, calling over her shoulder, "Pity we don't have time for round two. Husband," as she disappears into the 'fresher.
He rolls onto his back and pouts.
Ben is in an awful mood. The last thing he wants to do is host dinner for the fledgling leading body of the Coalition. He's grown somewhat comfortable with their little group and now it's trebled in size, bursting with people he doesn't know.
He recognizes some of the officers, but the stormtroopers are blanks to him. They've taken to wearing their undersuits with white jackets. It makes it clear they're from the stormtrooper ranks without the anonymity and discomfort of the armor.
However, there are still too many strange faces and Ben does not feel like being charming. He'd made them late for dinner, pouncing on her in the shower. He'd happily lost himself with his face between her thighs.
Rey's relaxed smile tells him she didn't really mind.
Stilted conversation surrounds them, as the seating had been designed to force the stormtroopers to sit with the officers. At their table is Tazzy, Captain Raan, and two stormtroopers he doesn't yet know.
Tazzy is flirting outrageously with the captain and Ben can't tell if there's any real intent behind it or if it just delights her to make the officer uncomfortable. "So, what's it like commanding a dreadnaught? Those great … big … cannons …" Tazzy's eyebrows waggle suggestively.
Coughing, Captain Raan sits up straighter. "It's quite a responsibility."
"Oh, I'm sure it takes one hell of a woman to know how to handle something so … large." Then Tazzy's focus shifts to Rey. "Something you probably know all about, eh, Jedi?" She winks at Ben and Rey chokes on her food.
Ben is torn between preening in pride and hiding under the table. His face just remains blank.
"I mean, those sabers are pretty thick," Tazzy continues on her ribald streak.
Clearing his throat, Ben gives Tazzy a stern look. "If I might change the subject away from weaponry and on to more sober topics. We need to know what we're dealing with. Did any of you serve with Samuel Bren?"
One of the stormtroopers, whose name he's yet to learn, pales and nods only slightly. The man is long and lean, with light skin and even lighter hair and eyes.
"What can you tell us?" Rey asks.
"I only served under him briefly. But that was enough."
"Yes?" Rey prods.
"He's … he's not sane. I heard from others that he used to be the consummate officer, most of the time. But … he was always off. After his brother-" He stops himself and looks between Ben and Rey. "After his brother died, he became almost unhinged. But … the remaining leadership thought his ties to General Hux … plus he's a mesmerizing speaker … they thought he was someone the troops would rally behind. Some did. Most of us, though … most of us were just afraid of him."
Ben sits back in his chair and rubs his chin for a moment. "That means the people who've stayed behind are the faithful and the terrified."
"And the trapped," Tazzy interjects.
"How so?" Ben asks.
"We were on one of those Star Destroyers that remained … loyal." She says the last word with a sneer. "About a hundred of us, troopers and officers, we had to fight our way off to make it here." Her normal careless manner has left her, she's steely eyed and Ben sees why she was chosen as a representative.
The nameless stormtrooper has grown quite withdrawn, and Rey gently touches his upper arm. "What's your name?"
"LM-192, ma'am."
"What do you prefer to be called?"
He looks back up and says, "LM-192. I'll select a true name once we're all free." There's a core of strength to this man that would be easy to miss.
"If you were serving under Bren, how did you get here?" Rey asks softly. The whole table is listening intently.
"I escaped, stole a TIE and found other stormtroopers coming here. I left before the first broadcast. I couldn't … I couldn't stay, not with what was happening," he admits with a hollow voice.
"And what … what was happening?" Captain Raan asks, her face tense and concerned.
LM-192 just shakes his head.
"We've been hearing things," Captain Raan says quietly. "I didn't … I didn't give them any countenance."
"Us too," offers Tazzy.
With growing horror, Ben asks, "What kinds of things?"
Rey paces their quarters. "We have to stop them."
"I know. I know …" He's sitting with his shoulders hunched and his head in his hands. It's so much more horrific than he'd ever contemplated.
She keeps moving back and forth swiftly. "I didn't think the First Order could be any worse, but …"
"I know!" Ben exclaims.
"They're stealing women, forcing them to, to ... "
"Men too," he reminds her, his voice tinged with revulsion.
"And no implants … assigning them to the loyal … breeding them … they'll take their children!" Rey yells.
"Yes, they will," he agrees flatly. It's probably seen as the true purpose of this reprehensible turn of events.
"And the raids … why don't they just kill them, why do they … the way they're torturing them to death …"
Ben rubs his eyes and whispers, "It's as if every depraved thing the First Order did has been multiplied. I know … I know I've killed, but it was always quick and clean. And rape was strictly forbidden. It was a capital offense! This … I never imagined …"
Rey comes up behind him and wraps her arms around his neck. "They've descended into madness, keeping the worst in line through depravity and avarice. We have to stop them," she says again.
"And we will. We'll find them and we'll stop them."
He stands, turning to her, holding her close. Oh, gods, she's trembling … how could he have ever served with men like this? He'd never thought Snoke's rot could spread so far.
Ben lifts her face and kisses her softly.
He whispers against her lips, "I promise. I promise."
A/N: Thank you ArtemisBare, who has been both an amazing editor as well as supportive friend this week. Thank you, luv.
Thank you readers! I want to say that your reviews are helping me so much right now. It's always hard to finish a story, and knowing that folks are still invested makes a huge difference. I'm ridiculously grateful to everyone for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing.
