Author's note: This is basically a set up chapter for the rest of the fic. We still have a ways to go, but we're definitely about to start racing down the hill! As always, I hope you enjoy! Writing Poe and Rey is so much fun!

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Chapter 21

"Master Skywalker?"

Rey looked up from the datapad, trying to keep her face neutral. Ever since Poe's recovery, Beph's aide, Irina, had—for lack of a better word—latched onto Poe. He was the highest ranking member of the Council now, though he'd confided to Rey that he planned to change that the moment the surviving members arrived. He didn't want that kind of role. He wanted to get the new government on the right footing and secure the peace. Then he was retiring. Rey privately wondered if he'd be able to give up his soldier's life, though she never said anything. As much as she liked the idea of them returning to Yavin for good, they would both get restless after a while. It was just who they were.

She hoped a third path would present itself.

Since Irina had dubbed herself Poe's new political aide, Rey had to deal with her. At first, she didn't mind. The woman was a little older than her, but she was far more versed in politics than Rey was. Despite the trauma of the explosion, Irina was still dedicated to the cause and enthusiastic. Perhaps a little too enthusiastic in Rey's opinion.

She'd seen more than a few women (and some men) trip all over themselves around her husband. He was an attractive man. He was also hers.

"Yes, Irina?"

"Have you seen General Dameron?"

"He was meeting with the acting Prime Minister last I heard. Why?"

"Because we've just received word that General Finn will be arriving with the other council members within the hour."

Rey laid her datapad aside. "I'll find him. He'll want to see Finn as soon as possible."

"That's what I thought…"

Rey cut her off again. "I can find him. Which landing pad will they be on?" Irina told her, sounding slightly disappointed. "Can you see that accommodations are made for the visitors?"

"I'll get right on that."

"Thanks, Irina." Rey didn't wait for her as she exited the large storage room she'd been using for training. She and Poe used the visitors' residence for sleeping, showering and meals; other than that, they'd been helping with the investigation. Jess' Blue Squadron had sent in the data they'd collected from the remains of the fighters that attacked the Falcon; samples they gathered were being tested by Rose on Yavin right now. Poe was sure there was a link; Rey learned the hard way to trust her husband's instincts. The Iutov authorities were trying to re-engineer the device based on the pieces they'd found, but it was taking time. They were also investigating everyone who'd been in the room at the time of the blast, trying to figure out who the mystery bomber was.

Needless to say, they hadn't had much luck so far.

Rey fought back a yawn; she didn't want anyone to know how tired she was. She was more than just emotionally drained; she wasn't sleeping well. Late nights, hard work, her husband's attentions… all that and she still woke up in a cold sweat, her heart racing with worry and fear. What made it peculiar was that it was the same dream, nearly every night. She was in a desolate place; not the forbidding sands of Jakku, but somewhere that had once been full of life. She was separated from her friends, alone, her heart aching with a profound sense of loss. But she didn't know why. A few times she woke up calling for Poe; he was always there to soothe her. She tried to explain the dreams, but nothing about them made sense. She just wanted them to stop.

Rey reached into the Force, searching for her husband. He wasn't where she expected him to be. Why was he in the hangar? Like Naboo, Iutov had a civilian defense force; one of the squads was based out of the capital. Rey headed for the lift; people nodded as she passed. It took her about ten minutes to get to the hangar; it wasn't exactly bustling with activity. There were a half dozen ships, including the Ghost and the Falcon. A patrol must have been flying because all the other ships were shuttles. She found Poe in one, bent over an open panel, tinkering.

"Don't they have mechanics for that?"

Poe jumped. "Sunshine! You scared the shit out of me!"

Rey smiled. "You must have really been absorbed in…whatever you're doing."

He laid the welding torch aside and tugged off his gloves. "The tech had a theory…" He studied her face. "What's up?"

"Your new friend wanted to let you know that Finn and the others will be here soon."

Poe's mouth quirked in a knowing smirk. "It's just temporary, Sunshine. Until we can find her a more suitable person to…assist."

"Which is why I'm here and not her. We don't want to get her hopes up."

Poe stepped closer and brushed a few loose tendrils of hair behind her ear. "I love it when you're jealous."

Rey tried to keep her face stern, but it was difficult with him so close to her. He looked the same way he had that morning. His fatigues had been ruined in the explosion, so he'd been forced to borrow some. She made a mental note to put some of his clothes into storage on the Falcon. In the meantime, he found something that approximated his usual clothes, dark pants, tan shirt open at the neck and a black vest. He even had his blaster strapped on, just in case.

"Can we focus?"

"I am focused, Sunshine." After hours of tedious meetings, he wanted to enjoy a few moments alone with his wife. "I'm focused on the beautiful woman in front of me."

Rey tried to roll her eyes, but instead she cradled his stubbled jaw and drew him in for a kiss. Poe growled low in his throat, sliding his arms around her waist. Rey sighed as he deepened the kiss; their tongues dueled as he twisted them so her back was pressed against the bulkhead. Rey groaned, one hand sliding into his thick curls. "Poe…"

"All I've heard today are casualty lists and half-baked theories," he said softly, kissing the sensitive spot under her ear. "I just need one thing that's solid and real, wife."

Her heart clenched; she could sense his need for some sort of sanity in this mess. She needed it too. She needed him. "Then you better shut the door to this shuttle," she murmured, reveling the feel of his body pressed against hers.

"Hmm, yes, ma'am." Poe fumbled for the button; his lips attacked hers the moment the hydraulics started to hiss. Rey arched against him, a frisson of need settling in her belly. Her eyes fell shut as he nibbled and sucked at the delicate skin of her throat; she'd probably carry some red marks from his scruff when he was done. While he marked her, she yanked roughly on the belt of his holster, loosening it so she could palm his hardening erection. "Kriff, Rey."

She worked him through the material, smiling as he swelled in her hand. "Not planning on starting something you can't finish, are you, flyboy?"

"When did my Jedi get so bold?" he said, rocking into her touch.

"About the time I realized I was hopelessly in love with you."

He grinned. "Good." He kissed her again, hungrily, as they worked on each other's clothes. His holster clanged on the floor alongside her belt and saber. She helped him unwind her wraps, even though he was quite good at it already.

Before he could peel off her tunic, she laid a hand on his chest. "Is that cockpit window shut?"

"Yeah, why?" Then he realized her plan. "That's my girl." It wasn't quite the same as his fantasy of them on the Falcon, but for the moment, it would do. Poe grabbed her hand, tugging her the short distance to the cockpit. She pressed him against the back of the pilot's seat, kissing him deeply. More clothes found their way to the floor; Poe groaned as she worked his pants open. He was stunned speechless as she dropped to her knees and peeled his pants down. His shirt was long gone; he had an unimpeded view of his beautiful Jedi as she ran her tongue over his aching cock. "Oh kriff."

Rey smiled to herself; she loved making him incoherent. She took her time, thankful for the extra padding in the knees of her leggings. Long licks, short licks, wet kisses, teasing nibbles. In a few minutes, Poe was already breathing hard and trembling. Rey clenched her thighs, trying to ease the ache in her core. She'd imagined something like this more times than she could count; she wanted to make the most of this chance.

Poe hastily tugged the ties out of her hair, groaning as she took him into her mouth. She sucked him steadily, her mouth hot and wet and perfect. His fingers sank into her soft chestnut tresses, not guiding her, merely an anchor to some sort of sanity. Never in a million years could he have imagined this would be his life. Married to a stunning, strong, capable woman—a Jedi no less—that craved this as much as he did. Force, he was lucky. "Rey…gods, that feels amazing," he mumbled. "Don't stop."

Rey hummed around him, which caused his grip to tighten in her hair. The flash of pain made her core clench; she moaned. "Poe…"

"Kriff, I bet you're soaked," he continued, humming in pleasure as she resumed her worship of his cock. "Wet and hot. Do you need me inside you, sweetheart?"

She released him with a soft pop. "Yes. Please."

"Get up here." Rey stood, her legs a bit wobbly. Poe crushed his lips to hers, distracting her while he stripped off her leggings. The space between the seats was narrow, but Poe managed to get them into the pilot's seat with Rey in his lap. She cupped his face and kissed him deeply, her slick sex grinding against his straining erection. "Hurry, Sunshine," he panted.

"Why such a hurry, husband?" she teased, rolling her hips.

"Someone will probably be looking for us?"

"Hmm, don't care." The seat was just wide enough for her to straddle him; she wanted to enjoy this. She braced one hand on his shoulder as the other slipped between them. Poe held her steady as she guided him to her; their loud groans echoed in the tiny space as she took him in to her body. Rey wet her lips, breathing deeply until he was fully seated. She loved how incredible this felt, their bodies locked together like this. She leaned over, kissing him deeply. "You feel so good, Poe."

She was slowly killing him with those tiny swirls of her hips, but he couldn't help but agree. "You're perfect," he growled into her chest. He pressed wet kisses to her breasts as she rode him; Rey arched as he sucked one pert nipple into his mouth. She grabbed at his hair, hanging on as she moved faster and harder, their skin slapping together.

"Poe…kriff…so good."

"Lean back for me, sweetheart," he breathed. "Brace your hands on the console." His fantasies always imagined them doing this in hyperspace with the stars whizzing by, but they had time for that.

Rey did as he bid, her back arched. Poe gripped her hips, holding her firmly as he drove up to meet her thrusts. Rey cried out as he hit that perfect spot inside her. "Poe," she panted. "Right there, oh kriff…" Her words were lost in another wave of pleasure; her whole body was on fire. Her husband knew her body well now; he knew exactly what she needed to fall over the edge. One hand held her steady while the other circled her aching clit. Rey scrunched her eyes shut as she climaxed; colors burst behind her closed lids. She whimpered and moaned as Poe dragged out her high until he followed her, crying out her name. She trembled and shook as he spilled himself inside her; she felt every twitch and spasm of his cock.

Poe held her as she collapsed against his chest, both panting for air. Rey buried her nose in the crook of his neck; her heart still hammered in her chest. Poe caressed her lower back gently with his fingertips, thankful they had a few minutes to just enjoy the moment. They would have precious few moments like this in the days to come. "Still with me, sweetheart?"

"Mmhmm." Rey raised her head, her lips brushing her husband's sweaty brow. "Everything you imagined, flyboy?"

He grinned. "Almost."

"Yeah, me too."

"Next time."

She raised a curious brow. "The Falcon or your X-wing?"

"The Falcon," he said as if it were obvious…then what she said fully registered. "Wait. An X-wing? My X-wing?"

Her cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink. "Nevermind."

But Poe pressed a finger to her chin, coaxing her eyes back to his. "You don't have to hide anything from me, Sunshine," he said softly. "I just…I'm sure you've noticed, but it's kinda cramped in there."

"So, you've never…?"

He shook his head. "Should I have?"

"How would I know?" She didn't like the sour feeling in her belly; she had no reason to be jealous. Poe loved her. He married her. He wanted to have children with her. And yet, the mental image of him with someone else played on her insecurities. She'd never been enough for anyone before. They always left her or wanted something from her. It was never her. Never just Rey. "Look, it's not important. Can we just leave it?"

Poe curled his hand around hers and drew it to his lips. They'd come a long way in a short time, but he knew that there were only some things that only time could heal. For both of them. "Everything about us is important, Rey. And for the record, there are plenty of things that I've never done. I'm looking forward to doing them with you."

She felt silly, but Poe never made her feel anything less than completely loved. "Maybe we should start a list."

"Maybe we should." He kissed the tip of her nose. "We should probably get dressed."

She knew he was right, but it made her sad anyway. She longed for the days when they could leave all their responsibilities behind them. For a little while. She kissed him tenderly, telling him without words how much she appreciated his patience with her. She felt like the luckiest person in the galaxy.

Finn was the first one down the ramp, wrapping his two best friends into one of his bear hugs. Rey felt the relief emanating from him in waves. "We're okay, Finn," she said into his shoulder.

"You guys gotta stop scaring me like this," Finn said, his voice thick with emotion.

Poe gave his friend an extra squeeze. "Sorry, buddy. But it's not like we sought out trouble."

Finn chuckled dryly. "Trouble is practically your middle name, Poe."

"Everyone's safe," Rey said firmly. "That's what matters."

Finn gave each of their shoulders a squeeze before letting them go. "Any idea on who did this?"

Poe shook his head. "Not yet. We were hoping you might have some answers."

Finn glanced behind him. "We should get the Councilors inside. This place is secure?"

"Our hosts run security sweeps every couple of hours. No one wants to take any chances."

Poe took a few moments to greet the other new arrivals; this was his first time meeting some of the other Councilors in person. He preferred meeting face to face rather than holograms. It was easier to get a read on someone if you could look in their eyes. The half dozen beings looked around warily, clearly skittish about being here. With some luck, they wouldn't need to be here long. Just long enough to sort out their next steps.

Poe, Rey and Finn led the Councilors from the landing pad into the complex. The billowing smoke Rey had seen when she arrived was gone now, replaced by the giant crater near the center of the building. Much of the debris had been cleared; the search for remains was ongoing. The casualty lists were constantly revised as bodies (or more precisely, portions of bodies) were identified. The Iutov facilities were overwhelmed with caring for the injured. Those who were well enough were discharged, questioned thoroughly, and given permission to return to their respective systems.

They couldn't risk another large gathering of the galaxy's leaders until the perpetrators were brought to justice or destroyed. Poe hoped this meeting would be brief; he planned on tackling this problem himself. He didn't even care that they'd come after him. Someone tried to kill Rey—again. He wasn't going to rest until this was done.

Once again, Iutov's Prime Minister was lending them the use of his facilities. He even graciously granted Poe his seat in the center of the large conference table. Rey sat to Poe's right, Finn to his left. Rey didn't want to get involved in politics, but this went beyond petty politics. If their suspicions were correct, then whoever did this was not only a threat to the formation of a new government, but a threat to her new Jedi Order. She needed to be a part of this.

Force, had it only been a few weeks since their visit to Naboo, sitting around a table like this? It felt like a different lifetime.

Poe stood, calling the meeting to order. "First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming so quickly. It is imperative we move swiftly to find the people who did this, so we can get back to the important work of creating a functioning government."

Fortunately, everyone at the table at least knew of each other, so there was no reason to waste time on pleasantries. Poe turned to the Prime Minister. "Minister Thirunett, is there any update on the investigation?"

Poe sat while the man gave his summary of events. Poe wanted to make it clear that despite his apparent seniority, he was committed to having the civilians run things. He didn't have the temperament to be a politician. He and the Resistance were there to keep the peace and hunt down the rest of the First Order. That was all. During the war, they'd found an old cache of documents from the Rebellion. At Leia's request, he'd looked through it, studied it, jotted his observations down. The most important thing he learned was completely de-militarizing was a mistake. Not yanking out the Empire by the root was a mistake. Yes, it was the creation of one man, but he had plenty of true believers in his cause. If they had all been arrested and tried, how might things have been different? If the New Republic had kept a more substantial force at their disposal, would that have stunted the rise of the First Order? So many what ifs. It made his head hurt.

Poe glanced to his right; Rey looked as pensive as he felt. He couldn't imagine doing any of this without her. So many choices, so many pieces had to fall in exactly the right order to bring her into his life. He knew that—as painful as some of those choices were—he'd do it all again, just to have her by his side.

"Our scientists have completed their analysis of the explosive device; it seems it was based on an old Imperial design. Unfortunately…"

Finn interrupted. "Wait, did you say Imperial?"

"Yes, General Finn. Is that significant?"

Finn placed a datacard into the slot at his seat and pulled up a schematic. Rey recognized it instantly. "Finn, that's the ship that attacked the Falcon!"

"Rose found it, after analyzing the pieces Blue Squadron brought back. It was still experimental at the end of the Civil War, so there weren't many made. These are either left over from then or the First Order got these plans and built new ones."

"I recognize that ship," Poe said. "That's a TIE Defender." He'd studied them at the Academy; Wedge used to tell them war stories during class. It was the best education he could have had, learning from someone who'd actually been in combat.

A TIE Defender had three solar panels instead of two, like the standard TIEs. Each panel had two laser cannons. The fighter was equipped to shoot missiles and proton torpedoes. Worse, it was shielded and had a hyperdrive, unlike standard Imperial TIEs. Wedge had a close call against one; he'd confided to Poe that it was one of the few times he'd really thought he wasn't going to make it.

Rey and the Falcon had shot down four of them and outrun two more.

Damn, she was good.

Poe resisted the urge to boast about what a fantastic pilot his wife was. He could do that later. In private. "We have reason to believe that the Emperor founded a legion of assassins during the first war that were then absorbed into the First Order," he explained to those who looked confused. "They've already tried to kill Rey. We found a list of potential targets at their abandoned facility on Caedia."

"And you believe they've made another attempt?" someone asked. "Do you believe the two attacks are connected, General Dameron?"

Poe nodded. "I do. I didn't have any proof, but now we might."

"General, I can have my scientists coordinate with the Resistance," Thirunett said. "I believe it is in our best interest to pool our resources?"

Poe was impressed with Thirunett so far. He wasn't much older than Poe, maybe five or six years? His predecessor was older, in his early fifties, just young enough to not have fought in the Civil War. Shonn Thirunett had sandy blond hair, green eyes and a full beard. He'd stepped in quickly and efficiently in the aftermath of the explosion; Poe liked what he'd seen so far. "I agree, Prime Minister."

"I'll lead that," Rey volunteered.

Poe nodded. "Good idea. You might spot something everyone missed."

"And if this terrorist attack was the work of assassins?" someone else asked. "What then? They may be in our midst, as we speak!"

Poe glanced at the representative from the Lothal sector. "Vellu, everyone left has been vetted and accounted for. There's no one in this complex that shouldn't be here. Besides, we've never seen them strike the same place twice. If I were them, I'd wait until we let our guard down to try again. Which we're not going to do. As soon as we have a plan in place for the continued function of the Council, all of you will return to more secure locations."

"Under your leadership?"

"Come on, Nex, you know Poe better than that," Finn chided. "You heard his speech. We want to hand over control to the government as soon as possible. But we can't do that if there is no legitimate government. This Council—no offense—is hanging on by a thread. We need to get this done now."

"Thanks, Finn." Poe nodded gratefully to his friend. "None of us want to be here. None of us want to be hunted. But that is exactly what we will be if we don't find these assassins and put an end to the threat. We need to work together, all of us."

They decided to take a break from the discussion, then return when everyone was more levelheaded. Rey touched Poe's arm. "Hey, I think I'm going to get started on that analysis," she said quietly. "You don't need me for this."

"I always need you, sweetheart."

She smiled softly. "You'll do just fine, General." She ignored the indiscreet stares of the beings around them and brushed a kiss to his lips. "I'll let you know if I find anything, okay?"

"Sounds good." Poe knew she was right; she didn't need to be there for the messy politics bit. And she wouldn't be far away. Poe would have Finn by his side; together, they'd work something out. "Dinner later?"

"Hmm, maybe we should enjoy it with other people this time," she teased gently. When they weren't working, they spent every spare moment together. Away from everyone else. The knowledge that they'd nearly been separated for good was still a bit too fresh for them.

The room had mostly cleared out as people went to get some air. Poe took advantage, wrapping his arms around his wife's waist. She ran her hands over his arms and along his shoulders as she leaned her forehead against his. "You know, I doubt anyone would miss us," Poe mused quietly.

"Finn would," Rey pointed out. Moments like this their nearly equal heights were a wonderful thing; they could get as close as they wanted quite comfortably. She toyed with his curls, carding her fingers through the soft strands. "Besides, someone has to convince all these people to cooperate."

"Because I'm known for my patience and cooperation," Poe deadpanned.

"Hey, don't sell yourself short," she scolded gently. "You'll find a way to make this work. I know you will."

"How?"

"Because I know you. I know how badly you want all this to be over so we can go home."

"Home." Poe leaned in and kissed her, a soft brush of his lips on hers. Rey sighed and leaned into it, savoring these last few moments before they parted. "You should go."

"Yeah." She kissed him one last time, then she forced herself to step back. Poe held onto her hand until she was too far away; Rey smiled at him one last time before she finally left the room. He knew his behavior might seem needy to someone who didn't understand everything they'd been through, but he didn't care. Poe had already lost too many people he loved; he couldn't lose Rey too. Given the close calls they'd both had, it would be a while before the anxious feeling in his stomach would go away whenever they were apart.

Force, he was tired.

Yet, he hardly knew any other life. His life had been one dangerous adventure after another since he was sixteen. Even after he returned home from his brief time as a spice runner, he knew that farming wasn't what he was meant to do. Wanting to do better and honor his parents' legacy, he'd enlisted. He didn't know how to stay in one place and just live. Maybe that was why the Force had put Rey in his path. Then he could have both. Adventure and home.

He just hoped they lived long enough to enjoy it.

Rey moved swiftly through the compound; she was anxious to see what the Iutovian scientists had found. As terrifying as Poe's theory was, it would make their mission easier. Perhaps the assassins were getting sloppy? Desperate? With the First Order and Palpatine destroyed, they had no leader, no real mission, aside from causing chaos. Chaos could very well be their mission now. Her grandfather used it in the final years of the Republic. It allowed him to use fear and instability to consolidate power in his hands.

The First Order was in shambles. But not eradicated. Until the survivors were caught and brought to justice, it gave Operation Python something to fight for.

They were using another empty storage room as a laboratory; it wasn't far from the hangar. After making a quick stop for her datapad, she headed that way. She passed workers taking a break from searching the rubble; she could sense the frustration and anger in the air. A peaceful convention on a peaceful planet had been brutally attacked; she understood why they felt as they did. For Rey, it was personal; her husband had likely been one of the intended victims. But she'd allowed her anger to overcome her once; she couldn't afford to let it happen again.

One of the techs looked up as she entered. "Master Skywalker. We weren't expecting you."

"After talking with the Prime Minister, it seems we may be able to help each other," she said. She explained about the possible link to the Empire regarding the twin attacks on her and the convention. "I've been studying the data sent in from the Resistance; I'd like to compare it to yours, if that's alright?"

The young woman nodded. "Yes, yes, of course. Our lab, such as it is, is at your disposal, Master Jedi."

Rey chose a corner removed from where everyone else was working. She didn't want to get in their way. She wanted to compare their findings to the data Rose sent. While she uploaded the data into the system, she plugged her portable holoprojector into a dock. A few moments later, Rose's image appeared. "Rey? Is that you? Oh my gosh! How are you? How's Poe?"

Rey smiled, relieved to see another friendly face. "I'm okay. Poe was stable when I got here, but he's better now. He and Finn are meeting with what's left of the Council right now."

"When Finn told us what happened…everyone was really worried, Rey. We just lost Leia…"

"I know, Rose."

"Well, I know you didn't holo me to catch up. What's going on?"

Once more, Rey explained Poe's conviction that the attack on her and the convention were connected. She was willing to trust his instincts. He'd been right about Caedia, more than she had been. Her gut had only gotten them into trouble. They needed to work together.

"It's plausible," Rose conceded. "Two leaders of the Resistance targeted at the same time? It's what I would do."

"Rose, is there something you're not telling me? Are you some sort of secret agent?"

"No! It's just…after so many years of fighting them, you start to think like them. It sucks."

"Definitely," Rey agreed. The two friends went through the data together, trying to find a link. Barring that, Rey would settle for a clue. Ships and bombs didn't appear out of thin air. They had to be made somewhere. If they could find that out, it would bring them one step closer to ending the threat. She pulled up the mock up of the device that the Iutovians created. "This is what they think the bomb looked like."

Rose studied it at her console. "I've definitely seen ones like this before. Old Imperial stuff."

"According to what we found at the Temple, Operation Python originated with my…" Rey paused; she couldn't mention her connection to Palpatine here. "The Emperor," she corrected. "Caedia was an old Imperial facility."

"How could they have gone undetected by the New Republic?" Rose mused quietly. She knew ending the Empire was a good thing, but New Republic seemed to have been more interested in peace than getting rid of the circumstances that led to the Empire in the first place. She hoped they didn't make the same mistakes this time around.

"I don't know, Rose. But we're going to find them and end this."

They spent the next several hours doing a thorough metallurgical analysis of the components of both the explosive device and the remains of the TIE Defenders. Most of the data didn't make sense without some idea where metal had been. However, Rey did find out why Poe had been in that shuttle; they were having trouble narrowing down the explosive accelerant from the device. It had been vaporized in the explosion. One of the techs' partner worked as a mechanic in the hangar and mentioned that one of the shuttles had been tampered with. Poe had volunteered to check it out, since they needed to keep the number of people looking into the bomb as small as possible. Plus, Poe knew his ships.

Rey discreetly did not mention that she'd interrupted him before he could finish.

They were still running tests when her comm started blinking. "Skywalker."

"Hey, Sunshine." She smiled at her husband's voice. "How's it going?"

"We haven't found anything definitive yet."

"Ready for a break?"

"Does it come with food?"

"You know it."

"On my way."

Poe breathed deeply, just like Rey taught him. He couldn't allow his frustration to get the better of him. He really thought things had been going well. After Rey left, the Council reconvened and—at Poe's insistence—chose a new leader. Bryn Has had long been Beph's unofficial second in command; he was chosen almost unanimously by the remaining members to lead. A communication was drafted to ask systems that had representatives killed in explosion to nominate replacements as quickly as possible. In the meantime, Poe nominated Prime Minister Thirunett to be added to their ranks.

Once that business was over, they broke for dinner. Poe tried to enjoy some quiet time with his wife and best friend, but no one else seemed to care. Realizing that he was unlikely to get away any time soon, Rey slipped away after she finished eating, much to Poe's chagrin. He and Finn spent the next five hours reviewing troop deployments with the rest of the Council, trying to figure out the best way to accommodate the still incoming requests for assistance. They'd scored several more victories over the last few weeks, helping local forces capture and arrest numerous First Order stragglers. Any officers that were captured were kept securely in prisons on Corellia, but the stormtroopers were posing a problem. Poe and Finn were committed to freeing anyone who could overcome their brainwashing and reuniting them with their families if they chose. Finn and Jannah had made great strides in that area, thanks to the information obtained from Mon Cala.

You could always count on a bureaucracy to have a paper trail.

Unfortunately, not all of them were like Finn and Jannah. Either they'd been reconditioned too many times, or they'd truly embraced the First Order's ideology. At the moment, it seemed to be an even split; that left them with a lot of former stormtroopers to imprison. No one seemed to want that on their doorstep. The debate went on for a long time; there were moments where it got heated. Finally, his patience snapped. Poe asked that the topic be shelved for the night. Hopefully, cooler heads would prevail in the morning.

He was mentally exhausted; he just wanted to hold his wife and get some sleep. He didn't need their connection in the Force to know she would still be working. He headed in the direction of the lab; the halls were almost completely deserted. He heard a loud beeping sound as he approached the door; what was that? The room was mostly dark as he entered, save one lamp in the far corner. Rey was asleep in her chair, hunched over her worktable with her head buried in her arms. As he got closer, she was whimpering and twitching, caught up in the throes of a nightmare. Poe reached out his hands and gently shook her shoulder. "Rey? Sunshine, wake up."

Rey jerked awake with a gasp. Her eyes were slightly wild and panicked; she sagged with relief when she saw him. "Poe."

"You okay?"

She started to nod, then she stopped. "It's always the same," she replied, sounding annoyed and exhausted. "Why won't it stop?"

Poe wrapped his arm around her shoulders and coaxed her to rest her head on his shoulder. She'd explained the dream to him, but he didn't understand it any more than she did. "I don't know, mi amor."

Rey inhaled his familiar scent; his warmth soothed her. He held her until her heart returned to a more normal rhythm. "I didn't mean to fall asleep in here."

"I didn't think the meeting would go so late. I think it's time for us to turn in."

Rey left his embrace and went around switching off the machines. She turned off the light too, bathing them in darkness. She found Poe's hand and led them back into the corridor. It was a warm night on Iutov; the walk to the visitors' residence wasn't long. Light from two of Iutov's moons illuminated their way. "How did it go?" Rey asked.

"They chose Has to be in charge."

"That makes sense." Rey wasn't particularly fond of him, but she didn't need to be.

"Then we got into another discussion about the stormtroopers."

Rey squeezed his hand. "You and Finn didn't hurt anyone, right?"

"No, but it was close." Poe understood their reluctance to see the stormtroopers as human beings, worthy of compassion and a fair chance. He'd been that way once, before a stormtrooper saved his life. But he didn't want to rebuild the galaxy on a foundation of injustice and broken families. That wasn't right. "Whatever the First order did to them…it's hard to break, Rey."

"They were kidnapped as children, Poe. It's all they know."

"You were left with a bastard like Unkar Plutt, but you don't go around blindly following orders and killing people, Rey."

"It can be done. Finn did it. He's our best friend. For everyone like him, we need to give them a chance."

"I hear you. I've been trying to explain that to people who've never been in combat or held at blasterpoint. It's a difficult situation."

"Sometimes, all it takes is a little kindness." She squeezed his hand. "What about Yavin?"

"What about it?"

"Well, people like your parents decided to settle there after the war. Maybe we could start another settlement. You know, for the stormtroopers. Let them decide their own fate."

Poe blinked. It would take some negotiating with the local government, but Poe thought it was a great idea. The Resistance wouldn't be on Yavin forever. Once a new government was instituted, they would probably want to move things into a more central location. Then Rey could open her new training temple. "What about the hard cases?"

"Well, they'd have to face justice, I think. This new government is going to have courts, right?"

"I certainly hope so." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "They didn't teach this sort of thing at the Academy."

"Hmm, maybe you should fix that in the new one."

"You think there's going to be new one?"

"There'll have to be, won't there? And didn't you say you could be a flight instructor?"

He chuckled. "I did. Though it sounds like you're trying to get rid of me, wife."

"Why would I do that? I like you right here." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I know you'll be brilliant at whatever you decide to do."

"Beph said it was my destiny to lead."

"There are a lot of ways to lead, Poe."

"I know. The work we're trying to do now—I mean, aside from trying not to get killed—is important. I just never imagined myself doing it." He always assumed Leia would be there to lead them into the future. She always seemed to know what came next.

"You're doing the best you can. It's all any of us can do."

Their temporary home was quiet; the staff that looked after the place had long since gone to bed. They took turns getting ready for bed; Rey found Poe out on the balcony, staring up at the stars. He did that when he was deep in thought. The moonlight turned his bronze skin silver; his hair looked inky black against the star-studded sky. Carefully, she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Everything okay?"

"Just thinking."

"I noticed. You wanna talk about it?"

"We should get some sleep."

"Maybe I'd rather talk to my husband."

Poe smiled to himself. He did love that word on her lips. "I was thinking about the future."

"Well, I definitely want to talk about that," she said, smiling. "It does involve me, right?"

He laughed. "Of course, it does." He turned, drawing her against his chest. He wore no shirt; his skin was warm under her cheek. "I think…no, I'm damn near certain they're going to ask me to lead the…whatever the Resistance turns into."

"I know."

Of course, she did. "Until a few days ago, I was going to refuse."

"You were? Why?"

"A lot of reasons. I'm so kriffing tired of fighting, Rey. It's all I know, but I don't enjoy it. I used to think I did, but now…I'm just tired. And then there's you. Us, I guess. I mean it when I say I would love nothing better than to travel the galaxy with you. Now we're building a home of our own; we're gonna have kids one day."

"Poe, I'm home wherever you are. It's not just a house we build on Yavin."

"I know. But if I take on the role they want, we'll be apart. More than I would like. I don't want our life to be like that, us snatching moments here and there. I want to wake up beside you, do all those ridiculous things happy couples do. All the things my parents never got to do."

"Poe, it's going to take time to rebuild the Order. Yes, I want to start a temple on Yavin, but I still have no idea what I'm doing. Even with Ezra and Jacen to help me…it's so scary. Luke tried and failed. I don't have any formal training. I'm learning about the Force as I go. What kind of teacher would I be?"

"A good one. Look at Finn. He held that door open on Caedia so we wouldn't get crushed. You helped him do that, Rey."

"Poe, our life can be whatever we want it to be. You can have a role as General and I can be a Jedi. And it wouldn't be forever. They want you because they know you'll do a good job. The galaxy needs someone like you to get things off to the right start. Then, if you decided you want something else, we can figure that out then. Though, I will need a co-flight instructor at the temple," she finished with a teasing grin.

"Co-flight instructor, huh?"

"I mean, I could always ask Jacen…"

Poe silenced her with a kiss. "I'll take the job, sweetheart."

Rey blinked hard against the bright light. Just moments before, she'd been caught up in strange dream, following two large winged beasts as they flew over head. The land around them was lush and green with huge floating rocks and a palace in the distance. She walked along a narrow road following a tall Jedi with brown hair and a scar on his right eye. Rey wasn't sure who he was, but she instinctively trusted him. Behind her was another Jedi, also tall, with red hair and a beard. Her mentors. Her friends. She knew as long as they stayed together, they would be safe.

Rey shook her head; she had no idea where such a dream came from. All of Rey's mentors were dead. And she would definitely remember a place with floating mountains. The more she tried to remember the more the dream slipped through her fingers.

At least this one was more pleasant than the nightmares she'd been having lately.

She felt bad for Poe, being jerked awake at all hours the last few nights. He never complained, always there to comfort her until she fell asleep again. It was so frustrating, reliving the same dream night after night. It was like someone was trying to tell her something, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

She turned on her side, expecting to find her husband beside her. But the bed was empty. Empty and cold. She ran her hand over the place he should have been, wondering what time it was. She raised her head enough to look at the chrono. She blinked. That couldn't be right! It was well after noon! No wonder Poe had already left for the day. Why had he let her sleep?

She held the sheet to her chest as she sat up. A piece of flimsi sat on the table beside the bed. It was a note from Poe.

Hey Sunshine,

I got called early to meet with the Council, but you looked so peaceful that I knew I had to let you sleep. I hope you can forgive me; I know how hard you've been working. I also know how tired you've been. You can't hide from me, mi amor. Come find me when you wake up; you'll probably save me from punching someone.

Love you,

Poe

She wanted to be annoyed with him, but she couldn't, especially when he was right. This was the most refreshed she'd felt since they left Yavin. A night of uninterrupted sleep was exactly what she needed. She'd have to thank him properly later.

She did have work to do, so she forced herself to start moving. She showered, dressed, brushed out her hair. It was getting longer, longer than she'd ever worn it before. Keeping her hair to a manageable length was habit; she was used to spending long hours scavenging old Imperial wrecks or doing her Jedi training. She started to pull it up into her customary three buns, but then she changed her mind. Instead, she twisted it all into a knot, similar to one she'd once seen Leia use. She liked it.

She quickly discovered the Poe had done more than just let her sleep. Once she was dressed, she found a tray of exotic pastries and savory treats in the main living area. Rey loved trying new things; if they had time, she made a point of trying the local cuisine everywhere they went. It was so like Poe to remember. Everything smelled delicious, so she decided to appease her rumbling stomach before she found her thoughtful husband.

She was halfway through the plate when she heard a door open and close. "Rey?"

"Here, Poe!"

The sound of his boots got closer and closer, then he was there, a smile tugging at his lips. Rey felt the weight on his shoulders, but his focus was on her. "I wondered if you were going to sleep the day away," he mused, leaning over to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"You shouldn't have let me sleep."

"Why not?"

"I have work to do."

"I talked to Rose this morning. She still going through the results of the tests you ran yesterday. If there was something, I would have woken you." He leaned against the table beside her. "If anyone needed a good night's sleep, it's you."

"I do feel better," she confessed. "Thank you."

"Just doing my job as your husband, Master Jedi."

She stood, curling her fingers around the crystal that hung from his neck. She tugged gently, meeting him halfway in a kiss. His hands slid loosely around her waist, keeping her close. Not that she wanted to get away. Their lips continued to dance for several minutes, each content to soak the other in. Poe needed her calm soothing presence; dealing with all the political debate and posturing was exhausting. Some of the Council members were starting to question the need for a new constitution, given what happened to the convention. Poe, Finn and others were against that, obviously. Representative government might not be perfect, but Poe had no intention of trading one would-be dictatorship for another.

With a new leader chosen and new members being selected, they'd done what Poe set out to do when he invited them all there. They should disperse. But Has wanted a solid plan on how to deal with the assassins before anyone went anywhere. Until they had a solid lead, Poe didn't feel like it was his place to force them. They were better than that.

But their bickering was giving him a headache.

"You okay?" Rey asked, carding her fingers through his hair. As always, it relaxed him.

"Part of me wishes I'd stayed in bed with you," he confessed. "I don't know how Leia dealt with all that. After about an hour I was ready to bang my head against the wall."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"Finn likes your idea for the stormtroopers, by the way."

"It seems he's found another cause to fight for."

"Yeah. He understands what they're dealing with. None of us can. I'm proud of him." Poe and Finn had been through a lot together; it was no surprise to Poe that his friend would advocate for his former brothers. For decades, the First Order stole children from all over the galaxy; it was their job to make it right if they could. "He and Has were talking about it when I left."

"That's a surprise."

"I think Beph really changed his mind. Now that Beph's gone, he's trying to follow his example. It's one of the things giving me hope that this isn't a waste of time."

"There are still people who care about the fate of the galaxy, Poe. Look how many came to Exegol."

"There were times when I had my doubts. Like Crait. If you hadn't been there…"

She quieted him with a kiss. "Hey, we made it. We won. If we could do that, then we can do this. Together."

"We have to find Operation Python," he said seriously. "They've already come after you twice."

"And I'm okay, Poe. Safe and sound."

"I've lost so many people, Rey. We both have. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Rey squeezed him extra tight as he hugged her to his chest. She felt the same way about him. They had so much more to lose now, but they had to be strong and face it together. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Poe tipped her head back and kissed her. Rey sighed and melted against him, sensing how much he needed this. He'd been the one in the bacta tank, but he was more upset about them coming after her. There hadn't been many people who cared about her that much; it meant the world to her. To be loved like that. A surprised sound caught in her throat as he picked her up and twisted them, so she was perched on the table. Rey cradled his face in her hands as he deepened his kiss, his tongue sliding sinfully against hers. "Missed you," she murmured, as his lips slid down her throat.

"Missed you too, wife," he replied, groaning as she wrapped her legs around his waist, trapping him against her. The idea of losing her felt like lead in his gut; here, she was warm and soft and alive. He could taste the sweetness on her lips from the treats he left for her, which only reminded him of somewhere else that was sweet. He could feel her through their clothes; he was rapidly losing what was left of his good sense. "Rey…"

"Shhh." She kissed him again, not wanting to think about anything but him. She could still see him in that bacta tank when she closed her eyes; he wasn't the only one afraid of losing the person they loved most.

Poe was about to throw caution to the wind and make love to her right on the table, but the moment was broken by his beeping comm. "Kriffing hell," he cursed.

"You should answer that."

"Don't want to." He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, earning him a low moan.

"Poe…"

"I know, I know." He took a deep breath, then he switched on his comm. "Dameron. This better be important."

"Well, hello to you too, Poe."

Poe bit back his groan at the last second. "Zorii. How did you get the frequency for my comm?"

"A lady never reveals her secrets, flyboy. You know that."

Rey inhaled sharply; her hands tightened instinctively around Poe's neck. Flyboy was her nickname for her husband. Hearing someone else use it—especially Zorii Bliss—set her nerves on edge. And Zorii, of course, noticed.

"Am I interrupting?"

"What do you want, Zorii?" Poe asked, ignoring her question. He pressed a soft kiss to his wife's lips; Rey relaxed a fraction. Love you, he mouthed silently. Rey replied in kind, making Poe smile. Why would he want anything else when he had her?

"I believe you asked me for information on some First Order assassins."

Poe rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for games, Zorii. Just spit it out."

"You're no fun." There was a pause, then Zorii spoke again. "You owe me big time for this, Dameron. The hoops I had to jump through for this…"

Poe realized that Zorii not only knew Rey was there, but that she was deliberately trying to make Rey uncomfortable by being overly familiar. Yes, Poe once had feelings for Zorii. But he wasn't a naïve kid anymore. He was happily married to the love of his life. Zorii would just have to get over it. "Yes, I owe you. Can we just get to the information now?"

"Fine. From what I can piece together, that base you found on Caedia? That was the primary base of operations."

"We kinda figured that out, Zorii, since they went to all that trouble to remove it from the maps."

"Well, apparently, they made dozens of old Sith temples into safe houses. All over the galaxy."

"And could they be using one of these Sith temples now?" Poe felt Rey shiver; the Sith were a sensitive topic for her.

"It's almost like you're a general, Dameron," Zorii replied sweetly. Poe ignored her and remained quiet until she continued. "Friend of mine, Duro bounty hunter, got contacted during a job, warning him to back off. Got his bounty paid in full for not doing the job."

"What was the job?"

"To kill the head of the Mining Guild."

Poe cursed. "Tell me he knows who contacted him."

"Almost as good. I can tell you where the signal came from. Tushus system."

"I've never heard of it."

"I have," Rey said, speaking for the first time. "It was listed in one of the books we burned on Naboo."

"Sunshine, are you sure? We only got a quick look at that stuff."

She nodded. "I'm sure, Poe." Of course, her grandfather would have a list of Sith temples. She couldn't say so in front of Zorii though. Back in the days of the Empire, the assassins were most likely some of Palpatine's Sith acolytes. The First Order liked to pretend the Force wasn't real; it made sense that they would pluck recruits out of the stormtrooper ranks.

Poe nodded. That was enough for him. "Alright then. Thanks, Zorii."

"That's all I get? Thank you?"

"Like you said, I owe you. You can collect if I'm not dead." He switched off the connection and focused on Rey. "You okay, Rey?"

"I don't understand what you saw in her."

Poe chuckled. "I was young, far from home. She was different from anyone I'd ever met. She was nice to me, kept me from doing too many truly stupid things. She wasn't always like…that." Poe leaving the crew so abruptly probably contributed to Zorii becoming the woman she was today, but he couldn't help that.

"She was trying to flirt with you."

"Because she wants what she can't have. She always has. It's got nothing to do with me, Sunshine."

"Sure about that?"

He kissed her firmly. "Hey, I have everything I want right here." He grinned. "Nothing to be jealous of, sweetheart. I promise."

"I'm not jealous."

"That the Jedi talking or my wife?"

"Careful, husband."

"Yeah, not getting tired of you calling me that any time soon."

Rey rolled her eyes; then she kissed him to shut him up. It was a much better way to spend their time then talking about Zorii Bliss' intentions.

"Poe, where have you been?" Finn demanded. He spotted Rey at her worktable, examining a star map. "Oh hey, Rey."

Poe felt the heat creep up his neck, but he ignored it. He had no reason to be embarrassed. True, his break had lasted longer than he expected, but it wasn't entirely his fault. Rey played a part too. The knot that her hair had been in was gone now; she wore it down, partly to cover the mark at the base of her neck. Poe wasn't sad about that either.

Rey shared a look with her husband; she smothered her smile at the flush on his cheeks. Finn definitely didn't want to know what they had been up to. "Hey Finn."

"Any luck yet?"

"Actually," Poe said, "we do have some news. I heard from Zorii."

"Zorii? As in the woman who nearly blew your brains out? That Zorii?"

"Yeah. She's got contacts in the underworld; I asked her for help."

"And we trust her now?"

"She did fight on Exegol, Finn," Rey scolded.

"Fine. What did she have to say that was so important that you were gone for three hours?!"

Poe ignored that, choosing instead to explain what Zorii had told them. Armed with that information, they could finally make some progress. The readings from the metallurgy tests hadn't made sense before; both the ships and shards from the bomb carried residue of unknown origin. At least, it had been unknown until they knew what they were looking for. The Tushus system was on the edge of wild space; it had only been charted in the last thousand years. There were samples from its surface that had been in the Jedi archives, which had later been taken over by the Empire. After Poe, Rey, Finn and Jannah left Coruscant Poe had ordered a team to return and retrieve whatever information the Empire had tried to bury.

Apparently, his foresight had paid off.

"Tushus has six planets and almost twenty moons," Rey explained. "According to Beaumont's research, the Sith temple is on the fifth planet. The atmosphere has a corrosive effect on some metals; that's what we found in our tests. Both the TIEs that attacked me and the bomb here have that same corrosion. It's microscopic, but it's there. That's where they are."

Finn looked impressed. "They definitely made a mistake, coming after both of you," he said.

Poe nodded. "They did do some significant damage though." It would take some time to recover. In the meantime, they could make the galaxy safe from those who would seek to destroy them.

"So, when do we leave?"

"What?"

"We're going to Tushus, right? This our chance to take out Operation Python, Poe!"

"I know, and we're going to, buddy. But I don't want us to go in blind. We know they have some TIEs, so they're not defenseless."

"You're usually the shoot first, ask questions later type, man."

Poe huffed. "I know. It's weird for me too."

"Poe's right," Rey said. They'd talked about it before Finn arrived, trying to come up with a coherent plan. With the TIEs a factor, they couldn't just take the Falcon and go. They needed to bring the full weight of the Resistance down on Operation Python, end things once and for all. Poe had already ordered a couple of probe droids to the sector to gather some much needed intelligence. He'd also ordered a few squads of ground troops and Blue Squadron to meet them on Iutov. He wanted to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

"The Falcon's too recognizable," Finn said, after they explained what they'd done so far.

"Agreed," Rey replied. She didn't like it, but they needed another plan.

"At the Battle of Endor, my dad was part of the landing team to take down the shield generator," Poe said. "They got there on a stolen Imperial shuttle."

"There is plenty of First Order equipment out there," Finn said, understanding immediately. "Reva would be happy to send us one."

"You wanna take care of that, buddy?"

"Who's flying the shuttle?"

"I am," Rey and Poe said together.

"That is my cue to let you two lovebirds figure that out without me," Finn joked. "Poe, you'll need to help explain this all to the Council, alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be there, Finn. I will," he said when his friend arched a brow at him. "Get outta here!" Poe turned back to his wife. "Should we flip for who gets to fly the shuttle, sweetheart?"

"You're not serious!"

He grinned. "Nope. Depending on what kind Finn gets us, it'll most likely be a two seater, like the Falcon."

She shoved at his shoulder. "You like being difficult, don't you, flyboy?"

"Only for you, mi amor." It was such a relief to finally have a plan of action to focus on. Anything was better than sitting around here, listening to politicians bluster and argue. The sooner they got to Tushus, the better.