Coup


"You did what?" Poe almost shouted into his headset.

"Hey, chill, man. I just let her borrow it…"

If he hadn't been wearing a helmet, Poe would have dropped his face into his palm. "You just let her borrow an 18-million-credit piece of Resistance military equipment?"

"She was in a bad way. She really needed it."

"Oh, well, then, that's fine. Just fine. If she really needed it."

Snap Wexley was beginning to be glad he wasn't in the same system as Poe Dameron right then. "Well, she did."

"Did it ever occur to you that she might be working for the enemy? That she might have turned to the dark side?" Good thing his comm was heavily encrypted, Poe thought, because this was getting into 'classified' territory fast.

"Huh? No, that's ridiculous."

"Oh? And you're basing that observation on what? Your many years of Force studies?" This mission was getting to Poe, and he was, as usual, using sarcasm to deal with the tension.

"No but she…she hugged us."

"Say again?"

"I'm basing it on the fact that as soon as she recognized us, she broke into a huge grin and ran over and hugged our necks. Now, I admit I'm no expert on dark Force users, but I'm pretty sure they don't do a helluva a lot of hugging."

Poe felt himself relax a little. "Yeah, okay. I guess that's a good sign. But I'm afraid the General is still gonna rip us both a new one when she hears about this."

Snap cleared his throat. "Yeah, didn't think about that. Well, anyway, Jess is already inbound to you, and I'll be there as soon as I can scrounge up a ride at what passes for a spaceport in this sandbox. Black 4 out."

Poe sighed. "Copy. Black Leader out."


They had been in the command center all day. Leia walked over to the table full of food. She still had no appetite, but she needed energy. She poured herself a cup of caf, stirred in her usual spoonful of sweet nectar and then added a splash of cream. She blew on it for a minute, then took a sip – and almost dropped the cup. It was delicious. The caf was thick and rich, almost velvety on her tongue, and so full of life; she could almost feel the energy of the beans popping in her mouth. The sweetener blended with the bitter caf and danced on her tongue, like little sparkles of happiness.

She stared at the creamy beige liquid. Why was it so good? Certainly Threepio hadn't ordered some sort of special, expensive caffa for the command center. She looked up, and noticed other things. Threepio gleamed a brighter gold than she remembered; Finn's skin glowed the most radiant brown; Luke's eyes blazed like a summer sky. And a low-grade headache that she hadn't realized she had had for…decades?...seemed to be gone.

She felt dizzy – but a good kind of dizzy, like having a glass of wine after a long day; like when Han had picked her up in his arms, spun her around and kissed her until she couldn't see straight. The Force was singing, and suddenly, she knew why. The room started to spin, and she grabbed the edge of the round conference table to steady herself.

Major Ematt rushed over, eyes full of concern. "General? Leia? Is something wrong?"

She looked at him, blinked and then beamed. "No, Caluan. Something is very, very right." And she gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek.

He tilted his head, still full of concern, but nodded and gave a crooked smile. "Okay, then. Whatever it is, you look like you did when I first met you." He turned and motioned to Luke, who met Leia's eyes with a smile of his own. He knew too.

Leia walked over to the food table, meeting her brother there, picked up two plates and handed him one. "I think this calls for cake. How about you?"

He cut a huge hunk of glaze cake and slid it onto her plate, then another for himself. "It's not over yet, I don't think," he said, worry lines still etching his face. "But…he's gone. That I know."

"Gone." She smiled and stuffed a huge bite of cake into her mouth. She had never tasted anything so sweet.


Rey was tired down to her very bones. It was over. Done. They had succeeded. She bit her lip. Now what?

They sat on the floor, clinging to one another, for she didn't know how long. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, her head tucked under his chin, and he occasionally brushed a soft kiss against her hair, as if to remind himself that she was really there.

She nestled her cheek against his chest, glad just to feel him breathing against her. She wound her arms around his back and clutched at his robe with her fingers. She didn't want to move, didn't want to let him go, but she realized her hand was warm and wet, and she pulled it away, gasping a little when she saw blood there; bright red and fresh. She looked at him, searching his face. His eyes were haunted, dark circles underneath, his face pale, and several places on his robes were darker, shiny. "You're still bleeding," she whispered, hands trailing along his body, touching the injured places. He felt gentle power surging from her fingertips.

"Don't. You're exhausted. I'll be fine. I've recovered from far worse physical wounds."

"But I want to."

"Later," he breathed. "I'll be alright. You saved me."

"And you saved me," she whispered, "from that detonator. I didn't realize that's what it was and…" she pulled back, the remembered terror when she had felt him ripped away from her coming back, igniting a forgotten fury. She grabbed both his shoulders and glared into his eyes and shook him. "What were you thinking? You left yourself totally vulnerable! You were…I could tell you had almost…and you let him go! You let him go and left yourself helpless to protect me. You had to know he would…would…what were you thinking?"

"That I wouldn't survive without you; perhaps I would die; perhaps I would go mad, but I would not survive," he said.

Hot tears filled her eyes. "But I would have lost you," she said, her voice a tiny whimper.

He reached up with his thumb, wiped the tears that had spilled down her cheek. "And I would have been sorry to hurt you like that, but I would do the same thing again. If the choice is between you and me, I'll always choose you."

"But, the bond - what makes you think I'd survive without you?"

He sighed. "It's what you do. It's what your whole life taught you to do."

She shook her head violently. "No. I survived because I thought someone was coming back."

"I would have found my way back to you."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I felt what the Supreme Leader was trying to do." She reached up, hands roaming over his face. "Not just hurt you, not just torture you…he was trying to sever the bond, maybe even your connection to the Force. I could feel it, like it was being ripped and torn away."

"I know. I knew what letting go would mean, but I had to save you. I had to. I didn't have time to do anything but react. Rey, please understand. I have never loved anyone but you, and I love you completely. I live for you. I will kill for you. And I will die for you. That is how I love. I cannot do otherwise. Please accept that." Accept me.

She stared into his eyes, preparing to argue, but her mind was suddenly flooded with a devotion so intense it hurt as he let his feelings flow through the bond. It was the most beautiful feeling she had ever felt, to be loved like that, so thoroughly. He loved her with a depth she, child of loneliness and abandonment, could barely comprehend. She smiled through her tears. "I do. I do." She wiped her eyes. "He knew too. He wouldn't have been satisfied with just killing you. I think…I think he'd rather have broken the bond and made you live."

He nodded. "I felt him, tearing at it, clawing at it, trying to take you away. But I held on. And then you were here."

"I got here as fast as I could." She remembered bringing the X-Wing in at lightspeed to avoid having her 'enemy' ship detected by the Finalizer or whatever planetary defenses there might have been (another trick she could thank Han Solo for, Chewbacca and later Finn having both related the story of her rescue to her), remembered pulling up just in time, the blue lines of hyperspace instantly replaced by the planet, black and white and enormous, filling the viewport. Remembered hauling back so hard on the stick she had it jammed against her chest as plasma flickered over the hull of the ship and the ground came up to meet her far too quickly. Remembered the screech of metal as she touched down too hard and the lifters collapsed. "I was so frightened. That I'd be too late. I thought I was too late. I did my best to…to conceal myself, hide my Force presence, and I climbed up the wall and sneaked in through a window and…it was horrible. You were lying there, all limp and…and bleeding. From your nose and your ear and I don't know where else. There was so much blood, a pool of it and…your eyes. They were wide open but they were…blank. And he was standing over you and I could see the power, feel it…it made my hair stand on end. And every few seconds it sort of…jerked…and you'd…you'd go rigid and scream and howl, and then go limp again. I didn't know what to do. I didn't. I knew I couldn't fight him alone, not with the Force or a lightsaber. He'd kill me before I could even start. And then…then I remembered the pipe and I thought…he wouldn't expect that. He'd expect Force attacks. But I survived for years without it - or without knowing about it anyway and..." her expression hardened, anger and pride in her flinty gaze, "I'm not above fighting dirty. Especially not...well, he wasn't exactly fighting fair. I knew it wouldn't hold him for long but...I had to make it stop. I had to make it stop." That was how she loved. By doing things.

"You did, my love. You did." He ran his fingertips along her cheekbone, her jaw, her chin. Her lips. He leaned down until his lips brushed against hers. She dropped her head back, let her eyes fall closed as he kissed her, delicately, like she was made of glass. It wasn't about desire; it was something beyond that. It only lasted a few seconds, but it calmed the raging emotions inside her. She leaned into him, savoring his warmth.

Then the doors swung open, and they both leapt to their feet. Rey unclipped her lightsaber from her belt; Kylo held out a hand, calling his from where it still lay across the room. They dropped into a fighting stance, backs angled together, Kylo instinctively placing his body just in front of hers, facing the doors as several dark shapes pushed their way through in a rush.

The chamber was dim and it took a few seconds to recognize the six Knights of Ren. Oh, crap. She had completely forgotten about them. Would the fighting never end? She just wanted a hot bath and the energy to heal his wounds and then she wanted to crawl under a blanket with him and tuck her face against his chest and inhale the scent of him forever. But that wasn't going to happen yet. Her face hardened, and she called on the Force to give her the strength and energy she needed to face the fight again.

The tallest knight – Dala Ren, she remembered - stopped, held up a hand, halting the others behind him. They stood there, weapons raised, heads moving, tilting, taking in the scene in front of them: Kylo and Rey, battered but fierce, lightsabers purring and hissing. The Supreme Leader nothing more than a crumpled heap on the stone floor. The red and blue glow of the lightsabers flickering against the icy stones in the chamber. Kylo stepped forward, stood taller, menace radiating off him, daring any of them to challenge him, to try to touch Rey, making it clear that he would cut them down where they stood if they threatened her.

No one moved; no one breathed. Time seemed to stop, the Force itself seemed to hold its breath.

Dala Ren made a hand gesture, and all the knights deactivated and lowered their weapons. Then he dropped to one knee and bowed his head.

"The Supreme Leader is dead. All hail the new Supreme Leaders," he said.

The rest of the knights dropped to their knees, bowed their heads as well. "The Supreme Leader is dead. All hail the new Supreme Leaders," they repeated.

Rey's eyes widened. "Wh-why are they doing that?"

She heard Kylo exhale. "Because that is what protocol demands."

Her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly. "You mean because…that means you're…"

He shrugged a shoulder. "Not me. Us." He said this loudly, making it clear to the knights that she was his equal – and their superior. Rey could feel their deference. To her. Something swirled around them, dark and heavy, but muted. Respect. Resentment. Submission. Yes, especially that last one. She could almost taste it, and it was thick and sweet, like nectar.

"And yes. The rules of succession are exceptionally simple in our organization. It was…part of my original plan, of course. Before our goals were - revised. But that does not change the way things work."

"But I…I don't want to be Supreme Leader." Still, there was something gratifying about standing over these knights, all strong Force users themselves, trained warriors, willingly submitting themselves to her. Something satisfying about knowing they would serve her, would do her bidding, would do anything she asked.

The darkness had been waiting in the chamber, waiting for an opportunity, a crack it could squeeze through. It had found it.

She lifted her chin as this new feeling washed over her. This was what it felt like to be powerful. It felt good.

"If you don't like the title, we can choose a different one. I always thought 'Supreme Leader' was a bit ostentatious and contrived. I prefer something more traditional."

He felt it too, this feeling of dominance, of supremacy, and he liked it, she could sense it. She could feel it radiating from him, and apprehension and excitement surged through her. "You're going to accept this…leadership?"

"It's either accept it or die. There is no abdication."

She bit her lip. Maybe this was good? After all, it would be easier to end the war as leaders of one of the sides. That was what she wanted, wasn't it? To end the war? She was having trouble remembering. Yes, something whispered, yes, accept it. It is your destiny. To rule.

She wondered if he heard it too. She looked up and knew that he had. And in that moment, she knew it was true. Even battered and bloody, there was something regal about him, regal and beautiful. Something in the way he stood, the way he moved, the way he held himself. He was meant for this – to rule. His eyes were dark and deep as he looked at her. Murky power swirled around them, almost hypnotic, drawing them closer together. He reached out, ran a fingertip along her cheek. It sent shivers down her spine, through the center of her body, all the way to her toes. "We were meant for this," he hissed, voice raw and rough. "People were meant to bow to us. You know it. You feel it."

"Yes," she whispered, leaning closer, dark tendrils licking at her feet, creeping up her legs and curling into her belly, but she didn't recognize it for what it was – the dark side, deprived now of its focal point, was determined not to lose them, too. It held on, grasping and desperate, tempting them. Luring them.

She looked at the knights, kneeling before them, heads bowed in veneration, their Force signatures small and weak compared to his. To hers. Of course they were meant for this, meant to have lesser beings bow to them. It felt so right, so good, she wondered why she had ever argued against it. She stepped even closer, pressing against him, wanting to feel his power pressed against hers, wanting to show the knights what they were, together.

The dark side clung to him to, perhaps even tighter than it did to her. He had, after all, belonged to the dark. It would not let him go willingly. His eyes were black as he bent his head toward hers. "The things we could do together. The power. The strength. My love. My equal. My empress."

He cupped her chin with his large palm and pulled her to her toes and kissed her, his mouth hot and demanding, his tongue plunging between her lips, his other hand at the small of her back, yanking her body against his. Darkness swirled in her mind, and she found its match in his, only deeper – bottomless and unfathomable. She whimpered and held on to his robes as the room swam around her, her body filling with dusky desire. She wanted him, wanted him to drag her to the stone floor and fuck her right there. The knights could watch if he liked; she had no shame. She was his and he was hers and they could do whatever they wanted.

He growled into her mouth as he caught the thought, considering and then rejecting it. No. Then I would have to kill them all, for having seen you. You are mine, mine alone.

He turned to the knights. "Leave us. We have much to discuss. Morda Ren, Pano Ren, remove the former Supreme Leader's remains to the outer chamber."

Two of the knights stood, bowed and moved to do as ordered.

Once they were gone, he grabbed her again, pulled her to him roughly. "Mine," he murmured, lips nipping along her neck, her shoulder. "I can see it – the future, what we could be. Do you want to see?"

"Yes," she gasped, hands clinging to him.

They were in the same chamber, but it was cleaner – the blood on the floor was gone, as was all evidence of the fight.

'Why here? I don't like this chamber.'

'We can change it.'

The walls were suddenly covered with rich tapestries, the floor with plush rugs that her feet sank into, the room lighted by dozens of flickering sconces. A fire roared in the fireplace at the other end of the room, pushing the cold away. It was sumptuous, opulent, exquisite.

Kylo sat on the stone throne, resplendent in black leather trousers and a soft black shirt, a black cape clasped at his throat with silver fasteners. His hair gleamed in the moonlight – it was night, she noticed – his pale skin shone against the high collar of his shirt, the scar only adding to his beauty, proving that he was human. She wondered what he had seen before she joined him in the vision.

'Us, together, in battle, leading armies, bringing order to every system, laying waste to any who dare oppose us, watching them burn until the galaxy lays at our feet. And then endless nights together as we rule.'

Rey walked toward him, flowing skirts swishing around her ankles. She looked down at her dress – it was the same shimmersilk as the dress he had bought her, but black, shot through with wine and silver threads that gleamed in the moonlight as she moved, clinging to her form, moving sinuously as she walked. She stared at herself, surprised at how fetching she looked, how sensuous. The knights were there, lined against one wall, and they bowed low as she passed. She stopped in front of the smallest. Ahsha Ren.

'If I told you to, would you go back to Jakku and kill Unkar Plutt, the junk lord who rules that junk planet? Who once made me grovel and beg for every scrap of food I ate? Who looked at me like he had thought my body the night before while he touched himself? Would you slit his vile throat?'

'Without hesitation, Supreme Leader. And with pleasure.'

She sucked in a breath and turned to Dala Ren.

'Would you find the scavengers who stole the freighter I restored when I was seventeen and bring them before me for punishment?'

'I'd pursue them to the ends of the galaxy, my lady, and deposit them at your feet.'

Along the other wall stood the senior officers of the First Order. She walked across, stood in front of General Hux. 'Would you conquer planets for me? Destroy planets for me?'

'As many as you asked for.'

She nodded, her lips curving up into a vicious smile as she faced Kylo. 'And what would you do for me, my love?'

'The Finalizer. It is yours, as I promised.'

'What else?'

'Anything. Everything. Burn entire worlds, annihilate armies…personally make anyone who has ever hurt you suffer.'

He held out a hand and she joined him on the throne, settling herself on his lap…

'Why don't I get my own throne?'

He dismissed the knights and officers, and they seemed to melt away. 'Because then I couldn't do this whenever I wanted.' And she felt his fingers slide up her thigh, graze against her silky underclothes and push them aside to stroke between her folds, plunge inside her, then thrust against her clit, making her arch off his lap against his fingers, making her whimper and whine.

'I want more than that, you know.'

'Oh, I know exactly what you want, my love.' And he spun her around so that she was sitting on the throne and he was kneeling in front of her, his hands sliding up her thighs, pulling her underclothes down, spreading her legs wide as he knelt in front of her. 'You were meant to be worshipped,' he murmured, leaning in, biting the sensitive skin of her inner thigh until he reached the apex of her legs and then licking, sucking, tasting, his tongue flicking against the throbbing nub at the top of her folds, pulling it between his teeth, delving his tongue in deeper, finding a place that sent her spiraling out of control, holding her down with his large arm, the tension building until she felt herself explode, her screams echoing off the stone walls.

'I still want more', she said, her voice breathy and low.

His lip curled up in a snarl and he stood up, unzipping his fly and pulling out his cock, pumping it in his fist. 'Greedy girl. You want this?'

'Yes. Yes, please.'

'On your knees.'

She obeyed, the power of his words compelling her to do as he said.

'Open your mouth.'

She did, and he slid his cock in, one hand twisted in her hair, moving her head to the rhythm he liked, bumping against the back of her throat as she struggled to keep up and not gag. Finally she jerked her head away and stared up at him viciously, eyes blazing.

'More', she demanded.

'Then bend over.'

She did, leaning over the stone chair. He pushed her legs apart with his knee, gripped her hips and slammed into her, knocking the air out of her lungs, pounding into her relentlessly, his fingers working her clit ferociously as she gasped and shuddered. He came, hot liquid spurting inside her, so much, as she clenched around him, her back arching and her head slamming back against his shoulder, spasms racking her body for what seemed like hours as they floated in that dark power that filled the chamber, a voice whispering, 'there is only passion, and power.'

Passion, yes. They had that, but there was something else, something more. She struggled to remember what, but her thoughts were hazy, floating away from her like vapor, and she couldn't quite catch them.

'Don't you see? You are meant to rule, together.'

She wasn't sure what that voice was – it wasn't her. It wasn't him.

The vision faded.

Then he was kissing her again, not in the vision but in reality, his lips insistent against hers, hot and demanding and full of darkness, dragging her down, down into an abyss of lust that she was glad to sink into. One of his hands clasped her throat, squeezing just enough, just enough that it sent a thrill down her spine as he sucked hot kisses down the side of her neck, biting down at the curve of her shoulder. "Rey. My Rey. Be my queen. Be my empress. Be my wife."

He moved to her mouth again, sending dark tendrils of desire through her until all she could do was cling to his hair and feel. He pulled away, and she whimpered.

"Say yes. Say you'll be mine. Marry me," he said – a command, a plea. And then his mouth was on her again, tracing a hot path down her throat, sucking at the delicate skin so hard she knew it would leave bruises.

What…what had he said? She felt sluggish, her thoughts slow and blurred, shadowed whispers about passion and power and strength still floating through her mind, but…she opened her eyes, and the darkness receded from her vision. "Did you just propose?"

"Yes. I want you by my side forever, my love."

Something more, more than passion. Maybe he could tell her what it was. "Why?"

"What?" he panted, kissing his way down her arm.

"Why do you want to marry me?"

He pressed a kiss against her palm, then looked up at her, eyes wide, pupils blown, blinking slowly as if trying to recall something of great importance. Then his eyes cleared, and the shadows around them receded. "Because I love you."

And she remembered. There wasn't only passion. Not for them. They had that, they would always have that - but they had so much more. Warmth flooded her, and light, bright and beaming, pushed out the darkness. He loved her. And… "I love you too! Oh, yes, yes!" she said, pulling his mouth to hers again, smiling and laughing between kisses.

He pulled away, blinked a few times, and smiled back. "Yes? You mean it? You want to marry me?"

"Oh, yes, I do. I do want to marry you. I want to climb into bed with you every night and wake up beside you every morning. I want you to make me those muffins I like for breakfast. I want to lie in the bed and braid your hair. I want to spend weeks naked, and later, I want you to make me pregnant so many times, and we'll have a family, a real family, that we'll love so, so much."

"Truly?" He looked young and vulnerable, his eyes a soft brown, veiled by impossibly long lashes.

She nodded, grinning.

He broke into a wide, almost goofy smile, and blushed, and peppered her face and hands with kisses as sweet as nectar. The last of the darkness slithered away, defeated, and they were left, standing in the cold stone chamber, leaning against each other, smiling. At peace.

"What happened?" She asked.

"The dark side…it's strong here, stronger now than ever, and it wants us. Badly. Especially now. And it obscures everything, plays mind tricks."

"We should leave," she said, and he nodded.

"We're still the Supreme Leaders, you know," he said finally. "Unless you want to run away and find that blue and green planet and live in a hut naked. Because I'll do that, if it's what you want."

She grinned as he took her hand. "No. I think…I think we're not done yet."

The corner of his mouth lifted, and he nodded. "We have a responsibility. To end this. And then," he leaned down, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, "I'm going to keep you in bed for months."

"Promise?"

"Yes. Now let's leave this wretched place," he said, lip curling in disgust. And they swept out of the chamber, through the entrance hall, past the knights, who he bid follow them, back to the command shuttle, and back to the Finalizer. Rey was glad to be back on the Star Destroyer. Odd as it seemed, it felt normal; it felt like home.


Luke and Leia watched the command shuttle leave the planet as they finished their cake. She had a bit of sugar high, in addition to the wonderful feeling brought on by Snoke's absence from the galaxy. "I haven't felt like this since Endor," she said, and for a second, her smile was bittersweet, remembering. Then, there had been fireworks and parties that lasted for days, and every night she and Han had scurried off to one of the Ewok tree houses, barely waiting to get inside to tear off their clothes. She remembered how he had made her body tremble, over and over again. And then, the last night there, they had gotten married. There had been cake then, too, a wedding cake made with ingredients brought in from one of the ships.

Luke smiled. "Everything seemed so hopeful then. So bright. So full of possibilities."

"I feel hopeful again," she said, dimples dancing.

"Uh, guys, you might want to take a look at the holoscreen," Finn said.

All eyes turned to look, and saw two, four, six Star Destroyers coming around the planet, moving into position to surround the Finalizer.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Luke said, glancing at his sister. "Why are you smiling?"

She turned to him, eyes shining. "Because for years, I was helpless. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't find it, couldn't fight it. I couldn't help Ben, and I lost him to Snoke. But Snoke is gone now. And this?" She gestured at the holoscreen, at the Start Destroyers flanking the Finalizer, at Black Squadron, hiding in the rings of the gas giant, poised and waiting for the order to engage. "This is what I do."


Am I putting off writing the big space battle? A little bit. But I promise, next chapter Hux will finally see some action (the military kind) and the Resistance will get to do something other than watch and wait. But I didn't think you'd mind a little slice of lemon, even if it was just a vision…it's been a while. Plus fluff!

Thanks to JuliaAurelia for mentioning in her comment that Leia and Luke would probably feel Snoke's death in the Force. I agreed and decided to include that. But I thought it wouldn't be a 'disturbance in the Force' feeling exactly – more a repair to the Force? The opposite of a disturbance, that Leia would especially feel in a personal way. But I didn't think they would necessarily be aware of Rey and Kylo's ongoing struggle with the dark – after all, Leia sensed something was wrong with Ben for years, but not specifically enough to do anything about it, so I let them stay happy and hopeful, enjoying the fact that Snoke is gone while our space bunnies struggle with the dark side trying to hang on to them.

Thank you so very, very much for continuing to read. This story has grown into something so much bigger than I planned, and I've had so much fun writing it, and knowing you're out there, somewhere, reading it is just the coolest thing ever. So thank you! And of course, reviews are appreciated more than you know!