"What is our course of action, General?" Cordella asked from where she sat on her throne.
"Is it smart to get involved in this?" Emila said from where she stood on the side of the Queen. Cordella didn't glance back at her, but Finn's eyes went to the teen who looked scarily similar to the queen. "We've finally had all of the people who evacuated from the last attack placed safely back into their homes. They are not going to want to uproot again."
"They are loyal to me and will do as I ask."
Finn couldn't help but wonder what exact position Emila was in so that she could be so forward with the queen while all of her advisers were present. And none of those old crotchety men seemed at all concerned with the way Emila was stepping in.
"There is no reason that we should further our-"
"Naboo has always been a strong presence in any matter that involves the will of the people," Cordella interrupted, hand up to silence Emila. "This has not changed and will not change as long as I am the elected official. We will do everything in our power to offer help to those willing to fight for their voice." Though she hadn't bothered to look at Emila, Cordella's focus returned to Finn. "What resources are you looking for, General?"
"We only ask for provisions to help us reach Ahch-To. We will take care of everything once we reach that point," Finn explained. "Just some food, water and some light medical supplies."
"And when do you wish to depart?"
"Tomorrow if at all possible."
"I still don't think that this-"
"Emila, I have spoken," Cordella said with a bit more of a harsh inflection to her tone. "You would do well to remember your place. You may have permission to make small decisions when I am away, but when I am here, you would do well to remember not to speak out of turn."
Finn glanced between the two women, Cordella's face was just as still as ever, but Emila's jaw was clenched tightly, obviously upset, but silent after the harsh reminder of her position.
"I will make sure you are ready to depart tomorrow morning," Cordella continued, rising from where she sat, her beaded headdress swaying with her movement. "How is Master Skywalker fairing?"
"She's resting now, Your Grace," Finn explained, eyes not leaving Emila. "Dameron is currently attending her."
"Will she be fit to travel?"
Finn smiled, eyes finally returning to the queen. "I don't think anything will stop her from going. She's a little stubborn." Finn could see a flash of a smile that quickly made way for the normal straight face.
"I would expect no less." Finn nodded in agreement. "I will stop by later this evening to check on her."
"I'm sure she would be more than happy to see you," Finn said, rising to his own feet. "Thank you once more for your kindness."
"Please return to your crew, General. I will be in touch."
Finn gave a bow and Cordella watched as he left the throne room. She waited until the doors closed behind him before finally glancing behind her at one of her many handmaidens, straightening her shoulders with the conviction of a queen.
"I only carry the concern of our people, as I always have," Emila explained to the expectant look that was shot her way. "They do not want to be part of this war that you are dragging them into so ungracefully."
"If we do not fight this war there will be nothing to fight for," Cordella shot back, pushing some of the long lengths of beads over her shoulder so they were out of her face. "If we do not take this stand then we will fall to the power of the First Order. Their ideals are twisted. One person does not control the universe and those who are in it. It is up to the people to govern themselves. We must not lose this idea. If people can not decide for themselves, then we have failed each other."
Ben let out a deep breath as the door shut behind Wayzac, his shoulders heaving as he let himself fall apart now that she was gone. He couldn't stop the whine that came with every exhale.
He looked around the room that was bright with the lights still left on, unsure of what he was looking for.
With all the consciousness he could find within himself, he released his hold on the chair arms, his fingers burning from how tightly he had been holding to the arm rests. He stretched out the fingers on his good hand and then glanced over at the new metal fingers. He straightened them curiously. He couldn't feel anything through them, but they moved as fluid as his hand did before, but for some reason there was a small hint of sadness that this hand would never again feel Rey's.
It was hopeless. He had pulled at these restraints for what felt like hours as he had waited for Wayzac to return and finish her job. Why was he so weak? Why couldn't he be better? Where was the force to help him now? Like it had ever done much before.
He shook his head. No. It had always been a help to him. He had just chosen to ignore it. Maybe it would be kind this once and help him. If he just asked it for help, maybe he could get out.
"Be with me." Ben inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to call the force to flow through him. "Be with me. Be with me. Please!"
"Why did you never use the word please at the dinner table?"
Ben's eyebrows furrowed. He knew that voice. So well. His eyes slowly opened and he felt his heart pound in his throat.
"Your mother would have appreciated it, you know?"
"Dad," Ben choked out, feeling a smile spread over his lips.
Han stood before him just as he had on the Death Star. Wrinkled and grey, but just as big of an asshole with that cocky half smile that Ben had inherited. "How ya been kid?"
Ben scoffed, but couldn't stop smiling. "It's strange that I can say that I've had worse days."
"Be trapped in carbonite and then we can talk about bad days." He never stopped teasing. Han had never been able to not tease. His words were always sarcastic in some way or another, something that had always been an identifier with his father. He could pick out his father's voice lightyears away.
"I've missed you dad," Ben whispered, his smile falling. "I'm so sorry-"
"I do not want to hear it," Han interrupted, causing Ben to meet his father's eyes once more. "Now is not the time for sorrys. There will be plenty of time when I see you again later. Hopefully not for a very long time." Han's smile was kind and warm, but slowly fell away as he glanced over his son. "You've gotten yourself into quite the predicament, haven't ya kid?"
"Maybe a small one."
"And what are you going to do about it, kid?"
Ben exhaled through his nose and glanced around himself before returning his gaze to his father who had folded his arms over his chest, expecting an answer. "It's her. She's going to use the Netherworld to..." Ben trailed off. "If her idea works, then there is no way we could stop her."
Without hesitation, Han repeated the same words. "And what are you going to do about it, kid?"
Ben was quiet for a moment before finally finding his voice to answer. "I know what I have to do and I think I finally have the strength to do it."
Ben pulled at his wrist against the strap that held it down. He wasn't sure if Wayzac had done something specifically to somehow make the strips of leather stronger or if it was just how tight she had made them, but it took all of his strength to finally hear the material tearing.
Ben's arm ripped free and he grimaced as the sudden jolt sent pain to all parts of his body. He unlatched his other arm and then leaned over to work on his legs. When he was finally free, a new found ache set into his muscles as he rubbed at his raw wrist.
The room was empty once more, his father gone, leaving Ben with a new feeling of endurance to keep moving.
He pushed himself up from the chair, but kept a firm hold on it until he was sure he had balance and then reached for his discarded jacket. He pulled at one of the sleeves that was already torn and shredded the fabric into pieces. One went around his arm where the blaster bolt had hit him, using his teeth to tighten the knot.
The next piece he placed between his teeth, holding it firmly in place. He ripped a larger strip free and placed it around his thigh. He pulled across the scissor's stab wounds and ground his teeth into the cloth with a moan. His hand shook as he tied off the makeshift patch. That would have to do for now. He didn't have much else in the way of options.
He limped his way to the door, barely able to put any weight on his leg. He placed his hand and let the scanner read his print. There was a beep of dislike from the machine and the door stayed shut tight. He tried once more only to come up with the same rejected sound and the door staying shut tight.
"Shit," Ben hissed as he stepped back slightly. Wayzac must have removed his prints from the system. Ben nodded and licked his lips, eyes flickering over the length of the door before he placed his palm against the metal face and closed his eyes. "Please," he whispered, relaxing the best that he could. The warmth of the force licked his fingers as it passed through him and into the door.
The airlock let out a breath and the door slid open. Ben limped out, hand resting against the wall for balance, a handprint being smeared as he stumbled along.
It was strangely quiet, Ben noted as he turned down yet another empty hallway.
Where was everyone? He had to have been picked up on the cameras, so where were the groups of ill-trained soldiers to drag him away? Where was the shattered woman with the fiery gaze? Where was his execution block?
Ben stopped, leaning against one of the pipes in the walls to catch his breath through gritted teeth. He needed to find something to use as protection. The force was one thing, but you had to work with it. Use your strength and Ben wasn't sure how much of that he still had left.
His best bet would be to find his saber and he was pretty sure he knew where it would be. Would she be there? Would she be waiting for him? She had to know that he would try to get out sooner or later. She had to know that once he had enough strength back he wouldn't sit there and let her torture him.
He pressed on, each hall as empty as the last. Ben scraped all of the corners of his mind to try to come up with a reason as to why they were empty, but nothing gave him an answer. As far as he was aware, there weren't any all-inclusive meetings that were planned and it wasn't like a ship full of hundreds of people had suddenly risen up and vanished.
Ben's hand reached out to the door of his old room and he forced the door open before stepping inside. He stared, eyes wide at the mess that was once a very pristine room. The bed was ripped apart, sheets and blankets in tangled messes. Clothes littered the floor, thrown haphazardly every which way. And that mirror. That mirror that Wayzac liked to do her hair in. That mirror that once stood, polished like the purest crystal was nothing more than a broken cup. Mirror pieces scattered across the floor, Wayzac's footprints present within the shards.
Ben had always known that Wayzac had carried her own demons with her, but she had always been so untouched by anything of the sort. What had happened now? She had everything she had been wanting. Then why was she cracking just like this mirror?
Ben had to tear his eyes away from the mess and look around the room. His eyes stopped on a particularly familiar object and he moved to it, taking the hit of the saber in his hand. He ignited it and the sunny yellow comforted him just the smallest bit. There was something that just felt natural to hold Rey's saber that had been taken when she had been captured.
He let the blade return to the hilt and strapped the saber to his belt. Wayzac most likely still had his on her and he didn't want anything to do with attempting to get it back at this moment in time. She would kill him on site if she saw him. There was something so unhinged, so terrifying in her eyes.
He forced the door open once more and stepped out into the hall.
Once upon a time these meetings had taken place on the Death Star and one Starkiller Base, but those places were ancient history now and until Exegol's throne room could be rebuilt to its former glory, and it would be rebuilt, Wayzac had to rely on holograms to send out her message.
The display before was one of the largest holograms she had seen before. It filled the whole transmissions room around her and though the stormtroopers that stood at attention looked no larger than chess pieces, there were millions of them. Each one is loyal to a fault. Each one waiting for her order.
Wayzac inhaled deeply, plastering a large smile onto her lips, doing her best to ignore the pull on her scarring that had finally been tended to.
"Things have not been easy since we lost Snoke and our reign was betrayed by Jedi Master Rey Palpatine. We are all more than aware of the pain she has inflicted from having cut down our brave Emperor. But that pain has not gone unnoticed."
She felt like she was rambling, not sure anymore if her words held the conviction that they needed to. She wasn't sure if anyone was listening to her, if any of them cared. How many would revolt? How many were already planning her downfall? How many of them wanted her dead?
"Sadly, we have recently been informed of Kylo Ren's whereabouts" Wayzac put on a concerned look. "He is currently in alliance with the fraction of Resistance that is still active. As the Supreme Leader, I have been working endlessly for a way to help bring the First Order back to the forefront of this galaxy's mind and I believe that we finally have the answers that we are wanting."
Her previous conversation replayed in her head. Some planet called Ahch-To was what her spy had said. Some uncharted planet deep in the Unknown Regions. Ben hadn't been lying after all. Maybe Ben never lied, but Kylo did.
"I know that some of you have heard of a place called The Vergance Scatter and some of you have not. We have been able to pinpoint the location of this place and intend to use it to our benefit."
There was a stillness in the room around her at those words, the crew making sure the transmission stayed open, looking at her curiously. Some eyes were wide and others were confused.
"I need all working ships ready to depart and all able-bodied men ready to fight by my side. The First Order will reign with the strength of armies never seen before in all of time and space and they will know our name for generations."
Wayzac stepped away from the small platform she stood on and the crew ended the transmission, the millions of chess pieces disappearing. There was a tap on her shoulder and Wayzac turned with a frown. "What?"
"Kylo Ren is no longer on board, M'lady," the woman answered with a squeak, shaking with eyes avoiding Wayzac's gaze.
"Perfect." Wayzac couldn't help but smile at the news.
"We're just letting him go?"
"It's killing two Convorees with one blaster bolt," Wayzac explained as she went for the door. "They lead me to the door for Vergance Scatter and then I can get them out of my way once and for all."
A/N: Hey peeps! Quick update. I got my surgery rescheduled finally. Hopefully they don't cancel this one. So, fingers crossed. Should be happening around the 13th of April I believe. Luckily, I have all the chapters written out and I am just waiting for my beta to proof them.
Also the next chapter or so will be a bit shorter than normal, I kinda hit a bit of writer's block during this time period. But the larger chapters will be back eventually!
Thank you so much for your always kind thoughts!
Thanks again to my sister and my wonderful beta, PitaGonzalezMe on twitter.