That stubborn red string.
She has to catch it and then she will tie it to her finger.
But there it is, flowing in the air, barely out of her reach. She walks through forest and desert, through snowy plains and deep water, following that kriffing ribbon. It just won't let her get it.
Kira knows that once she captures it, everything will be as it should be. Scarlet string teases her fingers, and finally, finally, she...
...woke up, frustrated and scowling. What a stupid dream.
Luckily, only a dream – Kira didn't need any red ribbons for her plot to succeed. She yawned and then smiled. Such a beautiful day – sun was shining, waves were soothing her headache, porgs were chirping outside and sweet, fresh air somehow got inside the hut...
Kira abruptly stood from the chair next to sleeping Kylo, where she spent her night. As much as there can be a night aboard the flagship of First Order. Woman stretched, checked up on the patient – first by looking at the surrounding devices that told her nothing, and then through the Force. Kylo was stable (as much as he could be), his head and torso were almost completely covered with bacta (shame) and his trousers turned out to be that horrid high-waisted type (how exactly does he plan to sway her past self to his side?). As for his signature in Force, he was a total mess. To be expected from someone who has just met his father after years of nothing, decided to kill him, got shot by another family member and then was beaten in a duel by an equivalent of newborn in Force-sensitivity (at least in his Master's eyes).
Kira rubbed her eyes. Despite everything, she felt weirdly strong, like she had a lot of time to rest in a comfortable bed. And food. Oh.
Plotting the coup later, first – food.
But it wasn't just murder that she has included in her plan, she was painfully reminded as comm from Phsama almost deafened her. After Captain has dutifully reported everything Kira had to take care of, food was forgotten. There will be transfer to the Supremacy in a few more hours, and there was someone in the medical unit who needed her help more than Kylo.
As she followed jet-black astromech of BB-series, sent to Hux from Supremacy and now to her from Hux, and pretended to listen to its (somewhat smug) binary, Kira briefly recalled the weird sensation from before.
It was so... vivid. As if she really was somewhere near water, somewhere occupied by...porgs. Only one place and one person to cause it came to her mind. Perhaps she has some connection with her past self...
By now Rey was for sure already on the Ahch-To.
That must have been it.
It was only a few hours since Chewie, Finn and Rey came back from Starkiller Base, and now they had to leave. General Leia Organa came to the hangar to send them off personally.
The map was restored, the way to her brother as available as ever.
But it cost them Han.
There was no way she could leave Hosnian Prime now and meet with Luke. She had to keep up the fragile facade, for the good of her people. She'd always thought she would feel if anything happened to him or their boy. Perhaps turning away from the Force made her less sensitive, because all that Leia felt that terrible day was cold. Maybe this was how an adult coped with loss, since it was nothing like her parents death and destruction of Alderaan.
She had a war to win, people to lead and take care of, and brother to get back.
Leia had to be strong, and strong she will be.
Chewie was already in the cockpit, Finn was talking animatedly with dear Poe and Rey... Rey was looking at them with a small smile, until Leia approached her with Luke's saber in hand. Then that smile vanished.
- I know it has chosen you – Leia said softly. – And I know you can do many exceptional things with its help. Who knows, maybe this saber could lure Luke back to us? – she joked, but the girl remained serious. She even took a step back when Leia tried to give her the weapon.
- That's not a good idea. I hurt someone with it. It's dangerous.
Leia said nothing, just looked pointedly at the staff strapped to Rey's back.
- My staff? It's nothing, just a weapon from Jakku. Never made me want to kill someone.
- Oh, Rey...
She noticed how the girl carefully avoided calling Ben anything other than 'someone' now or 'him' in her earlier report. Rey was quite tight-lipped; it seemed that in the short time she knew Han, she bonded with him and was still numbed by what happened on Starkiller.
Still, Leia couldn't help but like the little scavenger.
Rey felt strong in Force, and from what Chewie told her, she was a really nice girl.
Eh, in another world... In another time... If only Ben never left them, she would finally play the matchmaker. Things escalated quickly, at least in her head, and soon Leia's mind was filled with visions of beautiful grandchildren with freckles and adorable ears.
With a sigh, she came back to the reality and decided to let it go, at least for now. She hugged Rey goodbye (the girl froze), called Finn over and asked him to take care of the legacy saber. She didn't feel guilty that he wasn't her first choice, and he didn't seem to mind either. Ben was always the most talented when it came to saber fight, Luke said. Yes, their boy was on top of the class and if Rey managed to overpower him, even for a moment, and without any training? It meant she was certainly worthy of Luke's saber. Rey may not see it now, but she will come around eventually.
Leia felt satisfied. She was sending two Force-sensitive children to her brother, just like once upon a time. Luke would have to come back now, and with him she could defeat Snoke and avenge her family.
According to their secret correspondent (read: spy), the First Order was close to obtaining the technology of hyperspace tracking. It was almost unbelievable, but so far everything sent by that mystery person turned out to be true, and helped the Resistance greatly.
For now, the Resistance will have to lay low and remain on the Hosnian Prime, with the fleet securing the system.
She stared at the Falcon's departure with longing.
May the Force be with them.
May the Force be with her!
Kira would only admit to herself that she was a bit nervous about it.
She had to be fast, but if there was any strict Light ability she's trained in the last 6 years, it's Force Healing. Maybe her only assistant was a security droid from Snoke's nest, but according to Hux, BB-9E had also been in charge of the very machinery she was using now.
(Kira still wasn't sure why exactly Huxie called for Supremacy's medical unit to be sent to Starkiller. Did he somehow predict those outcomes of her plan she decided not to share?)
BB-9E proceeded with waking Solo Senior after the cryogenic capsule was detached and opened, the droid commanding medical ones with furious whistles and beeps that reminded her of Phasma, while Kira focused deeply on drawing from the Cosmic Force...
(She couldn't believe she drew from herself and not the Endor back on the ruined Death Star. No wonder why Ben died after such a huge transfer when he had no one to teach him better but her inexperienced self.)
... and in no time, the hole in Han's chest was healed.
Just like that. Kira may have had no practice with Force-healing humans after Ben, but Han's wound was a cleaner twin of the dreadful, future one of his son.
Ah, wait. She has only focused on the worst, but there were some still bruises and, uh, something with bones. She forgot how fragile old people could be.
Kira scowled.
Force-field was her best idea, but perhaps it wasn't the safest and most comfortable for the saved one. She continued healing her almost-father-in-law, and let her mind wander...
She got almost teary-eyed when she realised that not only she will keep Ben alive, but also his family – without Crait, the twins obviously aren't going anywhere soon. She may have had her grudge with them both and many issues with her own blood relatives – none worthy to be called a family - but that didn't mean Ben can't have people to come back to.
(She decided not to think about Rey at this moment. It was hers, Kira's, small triumph only.)
He will be happy, she realised. Not just alive – he will live. Reunite with family, fall in love (even if judging by his memorable dumbstruck expression on Starkiller, he already was), maybe get married and start his own family... He will travel the galaxy, fly ships, study all the holocrons he wants...
She would never, ever, admit such a sappy thing aloud, but for this chance that she got, Kira gladly has put his happiness above her own desires.
That was the right way.
BB-9E's nervous beeping have interrupted her lengthy inner monologue.
Thin coat of ice was melting and Han was waking up. Kira tried to ignore him, but in the heat of the moment she took off her cowl, and that's how...
- Rey? Kid, that's you?
...he recognised her.
Nobody called her that name in a long time. And apparently, five years weren't enough to distance her from Rey of Jakku.
She glared.
Han ignored her merrily, trying to sit up and mostly failing.
- Eh, last time I saw, you had none of this fancy emo make-up.
What was wrong with the Solo family? Wasn't he almost killed by his own son yesterday?! Kira has always thought that Skywalkers were to blame for some of Ben's... irrational behaviour, but it seemed there was more to all these ''his father's son" comments of Leia and Maz than she realised.
And nothing was wrong with her make-up.
- B-ben. – he murmured. – Where is...
Quick look at BB-9E's report on Solo that has brought her attention to the datapad made Kira purse her lips in disapproval and wave her hand in man's direction. He gently fell back on his bed, asleep.
That trick is always useful. All thanks to you, Ben.
Han was in no shape to ask questions now. As not-Force-sensitive, his recovery from the dangerous wound healed with the Cosmic Force would take at least a few hours. She had time to consider what she could tell him... If she decided to let him keep the memory of her face, that is.
She finally left Han in not-so-tender-care of BB-9E and loyal troopers behind his door. He will be okay – it turned out that Kylo really didn't do his best while killing his dad. What truly must have killed Han Solo in her first timeline must have been a long fall and no Sith Lady coming to the rescue. Perhaps, she wondered, walking to Kylo's ward, if the Resistance didn't blow up the Starkiller...
But if they didn't, Han would never be there to meet Ben and then...
No! These were idle thoughts. She's already created too many aberrations in time as Kira to think about the timeline that she had left behind. She just needed some rest. She entered the room, glared at the furiously beeping medical droids, and summoned a chair to sit at unconscious Ben's side and guard his recovery.
Once he awakes, once the Finalizer with the medical unit attached joins the Supremacy, nothing will be predictable anymore. She had to make sure some things won't change and Snoke will die when he's meant to, and not a day too late. Even if she had to keep Kylo oblivious, for his own sake, Kira knew it was right.
Her eyes traced the thick line of bacta, covering his beautiful face, hiding scar tissue underneath. Her past self did it to him, and Kira still could not get any revenge. She let go of Rey in the forest, just like she will have to let go of Ben soon.
Selfishness inside her cried out, Darkness tried to convince her she can still have him.
Balancing both Sides of the Force became easier recently, but they still could be seductive.
For Ben, she will resist. For Ben, she will make things right.
Before she had a chance to close her eyes, comm from Hux demanded her attention. As she listened to his grumbling about the Resistance, Kira rolled her eyes. His whining better not wake Kylo.
Despite the thought, some strange fondness settled inside her.
Kira's never expected people other than her and Ben being part of this, and yet...
She might be lonely, but she wasn't alone. She had allies, she had a purpose, and most importantly: she had a plan that could not fail.
The final act of Kira's journey began.