Fragments in itallics are used to dive into specific characters' heads throughout the narrative.

Chapter 18: "The Word Spreads"

The skyline falls apart on Coruscant. Twenty Star Destroyers surround it and, for hours, have fired on its surface, neutralizing any possible opposition. Decades ago, this was the center of the Old Republic, and now the First Order was conquering it. In the damaged remnants of the Senate Building, a hooded man uses the Force to open up a hole and make himself a giant balcony. He walks out to it, surrounded by the flames of the First Order's fiery invasion, and gently puts a wide-reaching hologram projector at his feet. Thousands of people down on the ground, wounded and running away from the ongoing chaos, look up to see the incredible feat of power.

The hooded man lifts both of his hands, and the attack halts. The Star Destroyers stop firing. The city continues to fall apart, though. The man then takes off his hood, revealing a scarred, grey face.

"Today, a new age begins…I am Supreme Leader Sidious, and I am here to take the First Order to its rightful place. Coruscant was once the capital of the Old Republic, and now, once more, after decades of history trying to find its footing again, it has taken back its place as the center of the First Order," his shape is projected all around the galaxy, as well as inside Star Destroyers. His words are heard everywhere, "To those who are with us… I applaud your brave service, and assure you that our time is just beginning," his face is projected even in warzones, as Stormtroopers annihilate people and sack villages to establish more training academies, "To those against us, I warn you… fight as hard as you can… we will fight back. We will end you," in Oldocia, Leia and a few high-rank Rebels somehow receive the message through their projectors. She shakes her head in desperation and denial.

"Sidious?" one Rebel high-rank asks.

Leia closes her eyes for a quiet moment. She focuses... then opens them again, looking crushed.

Stormtrooper RX-2005 sees the transmission while on a training session with fellow troopers. He's masked, but the confusion and wonder are evident. The session continues around him. They're on a vast, rocky field with fragile structures to simulate buildings and obstacles, practicing shooting each other in two teams. RX-2005 sits down behind a rock, leaving his blaster on the ground. His breathing intensifies. Where is Kylo Ren and what happened to him? Who is this new idol they're supposed to rally behind? Is the First Order even the First Order without Snoke? Is there a point in continuing to fight for the First Order?

Minutes later, the troopers enter the land base beside the field to shower. In the dressing room, RX-2005 remains quiet, with a look of shock, while sitting down and putting on the under-armour. Troops around him talk about mundane subjects, but then, TT-7020 says something that changes the tide.

"So, who is this guy?" TT asks, "Sidious? I didn't know the Emperor had family".

"And he shows up right after Kylo Ren's reported betrayal and execution?" trooper UB-1923 asks, as he dries his hair, "Kinda suspicious… but I hear he can literally bring down a Star Destroyer all the way to the ground… I thought Snoke could do something like that too, didn't he?".

"He looked somewhat like a hooded man I received the other day," GR-3091 comments, "Last I saw, he was talking with Hux… that guy's skin wasn't grey, though, and I think this guy's was".

"You think it's a fake?" TT asks.

"No, Hux did let us know we'd get an announcement today," BE-1779 responds.

"No, but this guy…" GR adds, "A little suspicious that some guy called Sidious who didn't initially look like him shows up at this specific time… it's been an eventful few weeks".

RX absorbs all of this information, and remains quiet, letting the conversation vanish into thin air, but just before it's too late to add anything, he speaks up.

"Who are we loyal to?" RX asks, "Who do we serve?" other troopers dressing up around them now also turn to the conversation. No one knows how to react. RX turns to look at all of them in the eyes.

"The First Order," TT says, "The creed we were taught… no matter who sits down behind us," he nods, as if asserting how obvious and natural his response is. Some troopers around him rationalize it and nod agreeingly.

"If we were ordered by Hux to kill this new guy," RX says, while standing up, "Would you do it? Hux leads our division, after all, and he's been there longer". TT opens his mouth, as if ready to respond instantly, but then realizes he doesn't know what he would do.

"Let's assume this Sidious guy doesn't have powers," GR says, "For the sake of argument".

"So we obey Hux, right?" BE proposes. Many troopers around him agree.

"Sidious tells you not to shoot him, and to shoot Hux instead," RX says, "What do you do?"

"Simple," Stormtrooper GL-5002 says, among the outer crowd, "We die. If we disobey one, he kills us. If we obey one and fail to kill the other, we're also killed. If we kill one of them and survive, we'll still die fighting for the First Order eventually, in one way or another". RX finally feels like someone understands him. Other troops remain quiet, almost feeling shame, and trying to move past the subject and go on.

"It's what we're here for," RX says, "To die as faceless gunmen with no will of our own". GL nods at him.

Galaxies away, Rey, Rose, Poe, Finn, Cade, Terr, Waldenhur, and BB-8 follow Viera through a cold, seemingly uninhabited, rocky region.

"How far are we, Viera?" Poe asks, while wiping sweat tears off his face, "I think my back is about to forget what it's like to be straight".

"We're almost there," Viera responds, looking much more relaxed and used to walking in these conditions, "Hang on".

Finn casually looks back and notices something up in the sky.

"Is that First Order?" he asks, pointing at an ascending black shuttle. The group turns to look at it.

"That looks like a messenger," Terr says, "Not too weaponized; just plays sound or images or both".

"I wonder what it'll say," Poe says, "What's happened?"

Rose turns to Rey, who seems like her heart has stopped beating in anticipation of what she's about to hear. The messenger projects the image of Ducan onto the sky, and his speech given in Coruscant is echoed.

"Sidious?" Finn yells at Poe, "Are you kidding me?!"

"No word on Ben," Rey says, exhaling. She's not sure if she's relieved or even more worried.

"What would they say about him?" Poe asks.

"Why are you asking about Kylo Ren?" Finn asks Poe, "Somehow Palpatine's returned and you're asking about him?!"

"Can't be the real deal," Cade says, looking at the ground like he's still trying to put together what he just saw and heard, "He definitely died, didn't he?".

"Maybe it's his son," Waldenhur says, "Or grandson…".

"Or someone else entirely," Rose adds, "There's no proof he's actually who he says he is".

"Hey, guys," Viera says to everyone's back turned on her. They turn to see her and also see behind her a group of six people in bulky clothing and covered faces.

"Rebels, I hope," one of them says in a woman's voice, "Right, Viera?".

"And not just any Rebels," Viera responds, "The Rebels. They know General Leia," she then holds and shakes the other Rebel's forearms, while smiling in excitement, "And Luke Skywalker!".

"Luke?" she asks, then taking off her visor and mouthpiece and kissing Viera on the lips briefly. She looks to be about Rey's size; her skin is reddish brown, and has what seem to be a few burns.

"Who's gonna tell her about Luke?" Poe whispers to Finn.

"So this is the Rebellion?" the Rebel woman asks, approaching Rey, "I'm Lyn".

"I'm Rey…" she responds, shaking her hand. Other Rebels behind Lyn take off their masks.

"I'm Jut-Ho," says the tallest man among them, a human with beige skin and a tattooed face.

"Loré," says a woman about half of Jut-Ho's size, who has a bald head and something resembling scales on her orange skin.

"Ward Junior," says a green-faced, robust man with three eyes on his face and three fingers on each of his hands, "A pleasure".

"I Kotto," says a grey, furry, short, mild-mannered man.

"And I am Ruppe," says a woman with warm brown skin, who wears several layers of clothes and carries two backpacks, "Your local translator".

"It's good to meet you, Rey…" Lyn says, "We need to talk about that", she points to the messenger ship, which is now descending back into place.

Far away, in Mustafar near what was once Darth Vader's castle, the Knights of Ren kneeled, forming a circle around the transmission of their new master. The transmission ends, and the eight warriors stand up.

"So, Kylo is dead?" Flurr asks.

"He is of no consequence anymore," Cardo responds, as he stands up, "He should be dead, but even if he isn't, there's no way he's leaving Neast". The other Knights stand up as well.

"Master Ducan won't like the uncertainty," Nima adds, scratching his forehead, "I knew this was a bad idea; I tried to warn you!" he says, pointing at his partners.

"Let's not turn against each other," Meorb intervenes, breaking the circle by walking toward its center, "Ducan doesn't hate Kylo. He was a liability as the Supreme Leader. We needed him out of the way, but if he is to come back, Ducan will understand".

"I, for one, agree," Norret says, "As long as Kylo is willing to take the place he had before betraying Snoke, Ducan will allow him to come back. Kylo becomes the Vader to Ducan's Emperor".

"That is true," Meorb concedes, "As long as it feeds into the cycle he talks so much about, I think it'll work".

"Good, so all we would need is for the Solo kid to willingly accept his place as an underling once more," Jedd adds, "Shouldn't be a problem, right?".

"If he's alive," Aldon adds, "And if he makes his way back… and if he becomes a problem… we'll deal with it".

"Agree," Meorb says, "Today is a day to celebrate. The First Order is on its way to restoring itself, and we are safely back within its lines". The Knights nod in agreement. Then, Meorb looks at Vader's castle and turns back to his partners, "It's time to pray". Slowly, the Knights form a line and walk to the inside of the castle.

Back in Fegwet, the seven Rebels welcome the seven visitors and the droid BB-8 into a moist cave. The visitors sit down on a table, while two locals bring them modest food.

"Must be hungry after so much travelling and fighting", Lyn says, as she sits down in front of them, "May I ask what brings you here?"

"It's okay, love, they're trustworthy," Viera, who's standing up near the table, intervenes, "I was with them for a while already".

"I understand," Lyn responds, then turning back to her guests, "Why are you here?"

"Hey, we just want to run away," Cade replies, before anyone else's mouth opens, "We three were Stormtroopers, and we thought we'd get out of this!" Lyn's eyes widen, feeling a hint of treason, "You can't count on these guys!" he says, pointing at Finn.

"Stormtroopers?" Lyn asks, faking a calm attitude. Every local Rebel except Viera looks concerned. Lyn quickly and silently pulls out a blaster and points at Cade's face, "What trick is this?!" Everyone is alarmed by this.

No! That can't happen!

"Please forgive his insol-" Finn tries to settle the situation, but before Lyn can pull the trigger, Rey pulls the blaster towards her hand, disarming the young Rebel.

"Please, Lyn," Rey says, holding on tightly to the weapon, "Do not let this man distort your idea of who we are. I implore you; listen to us…".

"They deserted, Lyn, it's true," Viera adds.

"They don't belong here, then," Lyn responds, coldly, "These people have no morals, goals, hopes, or will, I imagine. Even trying to talk to them is futile".

"Hey, look, we had this chance to escape and we want to take it," Terr says, "We know the First Order is responsible for terrible things and… well, we're a part of why… but that's why we're running. We're tired of being part of the horrors. I never even thought we'd get the chance to live!".

"Well I'm glad you were able to run away!" Lyn replies, "Some of us never get the chance to do so, and that's why we fight!"

"Fine by us!" Waldenhur yells.

"Guys, relax, please!" Poe tries to settle things down.

"This isn't even a wise decision for you three!" Lyn adds, hushing everyone else present simply with her open palms, "Surely you must know that you've gone from being a disposable, nameless gun to being a target!"

Cade stands up after a moment of silence, "I'm leaving". Terr and Waldenhur stand up as well and the three prepare to walk away.

"No, you're not," Lynda stops them. A fellow local Rebel comes back with food and gives the deserters their meals, "Eat that. Give the dishes back. Then you can leave to support the First Order with your apathy and cowardice". Looking like three scolded children, the three Stormtroopers walk away with their hands full. They sit down right outside the cave.

"I hate the way they think… but they're people," Lyn adds, "You gotta give them love even when you hate them… and hopefully some of it will rub on them… or their conscience won't let them sleep unless they feel worthy of it… or something".

"I was a Stormtrooper as well," Finn adds, "But Rose here, taught me the importance of fighting against the First Order as opposed to just running away from it… it's gonna be tough, but I know they can change".

"I don't know that," Lyn says, looking hopeless and tired, "It feels like this war has been going on forever. If they were capable of change, you'd think they would have changed already".

Rey and Rose turn to each other, thinking back to their recent, private conversation.

"Look, I agree kind of," Poe reasons with Lyn, "But it's our best shot! The First Order being torn apart from the inside! That could work".

"Rey and I talked about this," Rose adds. She'd remained quiet the whole time, "The truth is we haven't seen them change because the galaxy is kind of… stuck, we think," she turns to Rey, lifts her eyebrows, and shrugs her shoulders, "It's like… collectively, the way we live and the way we treat each other… it just creates things like the Empire and the First Order, and allows them to survive. And we're a part of the problem too… It's just that… in a galaxy where violence is so… normal… it becomes almost inevitable, instinctive, and we keep the wheel spinning".

Everyone remains quiet, but contemplative, as if thinking to their own actions and lives, and how they may be part of the larger problem.

"… I agree," Lyn says, "Though that certainly complicates things…".

"With all due respect, Lyn, I don't know where to start with this, either," Poe says, shaking his head, "This isn't at all the galaxy that I know! Or, I guess, that I thought I knew… so… I don't know how…". Rey hears this and again recalls her conversation with Rose. Something comes to mind.

"There's a way to figure out what to do," Rey says, looking inspired and hopeful, "It might be difficult but I think I know what it is".

"What's that?" Rose asks.

"I guess we take a hard look at our past…" Rey echoes Rose, "A critical look…see where we went wrong… where we didn't… decide where we want to be, and then trace our way…" Rose smiles. "But, to do that, we need to really know the history of all of this… as far back as possible… we need to study how we got to where we are… find the roots of all this, and only then will we know what we have to do".

"That's a good idea, I guess... " Lyn says, "But sounds a little tricky, doesn't it?"

"Has any of you ever done something like that?" Viera asks, gesturing at their visitors. Poe looks dumbfounded. Finn and Rey shake their heads. Rose looks deeply focused. Suddenly, she has an epiphany. .

"So we try it out here first," Rose figures out, "We do it small scale, here in Fegwet… we take down the Empire, we turn the Stormtroopers, we change the way things work in here from the top down… and if it works…" Rose takes a deep breath, "When it works… then we go out there and do it on a larger scale".