Cheering and laughter were unusual sounds for Gorothad. To Hux, they might as well have been nails down a blackboard. The Palace rang with them, polluting the silence of the great halls.

They'd come for him some time after the sounds of fighting had subsided. The prison guards had yielded with disgusting speed when the Resistance broke down the doors and told them their Supreme Leader was no longer among the living.

There were a few rebels held under Gorothad, along with political prisoners of other kinds. Almost all of them had been set free. Hux, however, had remained locked away until a hulking Kaleesh warrior hauled his cell door open. He hadn't done anything about Hux's restraints, and dragged him from the cell without a word.

There were still fallen Stormtroopers all over the Palace. Hux's handler was obliged to step over and around them as he led him through the corridors and hallways. There was a steady stream of Stormtroopers and First Order officers in restraints, being herded in the opposite direction. The First Order had been beaten into submission in the very heart of its domain. Hux's chance to sit on the throne would never come. It all added up to a gnawing, hollow feeling in his chest.

A more visceral horror was waiting outside in the morning light. As he was marched down the steps by the Kaleesh, there was a flash and rumble from atop one of the towers. The great stone carving of the First Order's symbol had been blown up – not just blown up, vaporised.

Hux stared in shock, a feeling which only deepened as everyone around him hollered, clapped and punched the air.

"Ah," growled the Kaleesh, following it with a ruk-ruk laugh. "Prettiest firework I've ever seen. Come on now Hux." He dragged Hux onward. "Best we get you to the Commander, I think."

This was what it had all come to. Ren and Pryde dead, but Hux could hardly take credit for that. The First Order fallen. Rebels and civilian trash dancing – dancing! – in sight of the Palace of Submission. Everything Hux had ever worked for, torn down and mocked. He let his head sag, staring glumly at the ground as he was led forward. He couldn't imagine anything fouler than this.

And yet something even worse was waiting for him. Because when the Kaleesh finally dragged him to his superior officer, Hux raised his eyes to find...

"No," he protested. Then: "You?"

"Funny," Finn replied. "Ren said something similar. So he didn't finish you off, huh?"

Hux found his lips were moving, protesting against the wrongness, the unfairness of it all, but somehow he couldn't make a sound. Worst of all, when his victorious enemy saw it, his expression was not of scorn, but pity. Pity for the man who had ordered the destruction of the Hosnian System! Was this truly what Armitage Hux had been reduced to?

The traitor turned to the Kaleesh. "Appreciate the thought, Olesin, and believe me I'm tempted. But it's probably best we stick him back in the cells. The general here has a lot to answer for, and the whole Galaxy to answer to. We'll want to keep him cooped up until then."

The Kaleesh glanced at Hux. "I'd prefer to settle it like we do on Kalee, but by your word, Commander."

"Good call." Then Finn turned back to Hux. "You might want to wash while you're inside, Armitage. Best you look good for your trial." And with a light pat on the cheek, just where Hux had once struck his own face, he dismissed the onetime general.

/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯\

Poe had his feet up when Finn and Rose entered the strategium, a cheerful gesture of disrespect to the defeated enemy. A few other officers milled around the chamber, repurposing the holo displays to show the wider city as well as communicate with the commanders up in orbit, like Farrun.

"It's all a bit messy up here," Farrun admitted, favouring the newcomers with a quick salute. "We've still trying to do a headcount of everyone trying to surrender. How's it on the ground, General?"

"Big old clean-up down here, too." Poe spotted them and waved them over. "Pull up a chair, guys!"

Rose took a seat. Finn hopped up to sit on the table itself, which prompted an amused smile from Poe. One of the junior officers, after a brief hesitation, pulled out a camera and took a quick shot. That would be an iconic image within a few weeks of the battle.

Poe leaned forward. "So Hux is still alive?"

"Uh huh."

"Not that he deserves to be," Rose pointed out.

"True, but this way he gets to be condemned by the whole Galaxy."

"Not gonna be much of a trial," Finn said. "Exhibit A was broadcast all over when they did Hosnia."

"It'll still be satisfying. Same as sitting here." One of Poe's boots thumped a little on the table, making the holos flicker briefly. "You know, guys, I think Leia would be proud of us."

"Han and Luke too," Finn returned. "Even if Han would be kicking our asses and telling us to make ourselves useful."

Poe laughed, getting up. "And so we should. I'm gonna get over to the Inquisition's fortress and see what we can salvage. How about you?"

"We'll head into the city. Rey's got our people here working smoothly, so I'll take Phoenix Company and go lead the clean-up somewhere else." Finn looked up at the dome above them, somehow still intact after all that had happened to the Palace. He felt elated, a sensation of freedom the like of which he couldn't recall feeling before.

They'd come to the heart of the First Order's power, and they'd blown it wide open in the name of the Galaxy. He almost wished Phasma was here to see it.

Poe had more immediate concerns, and pointed to the dressing on Finn's shoulder. "You good to lift with that?"

In truth, Finn's body was a mess of aches and his wound from Ren still throbbed a little, but he shrugged it off. "I'll try, and if I can't, I can still direct others. We're in this to help people, no?" Poe nodded. Rose had never looked prouder. They stood to leave, but something made Finn pause at the threshold and turn back to Poe. "Wait. You said the Inquisition fortress. What are you after there?"

"Well, intel to get the planet running again," Poe said, "but they've also got archives on the whole Stormtrooper program, details on every single conscript. Including the worlds and families they were taken from. I want to give all of that back."

The surge of emotion that Finn felt almost rocked him back on his heels. "You'd do that?"

"No question, pal. If not for you, and everyone else who renounced the First Order, we'd never have made it here. Don't imagine that I'd ever forget that."

Finn grinned broadly. He just had one thing to add before he left. "You're right, you know. Leia would be very proud."

/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯\

There was, it transpired, still lots to be down after the battle. The first thing on the list was undoing the damage which the First Order's brief civil war had inflicted, clearing the lower levels of debris and rescuing people who'd been trapped in the chaos. Rey, Chewie, Kaydel had left Finn, Rose and Poe to deal with matters in the Palace and headed down to help out with the relief and repair efforts.

Kaydel moved through the throng, handing out medpacks, food and drink to those in need while Rey and the Scrappers leant their efforts to clearing away the wreckage and rubble. It was hard going but, aided by soldiers and civilians, they were making good progress. There were even Stormtrooper conscripts who'd deserted during the battle, and were now helping out with the relief effort.

"I'm going to need another massage when this is done," Rey told Kaydel when she caught her for a brief gulp of water. "A Jedi's work is never done."

"They're still cheering when they see us," LM commented, somehow managing to sound amused as he lugged away another piece of scrap. "Never been applauded for just lifting things before."

"Is that a good change?" Ki'rii asked, handing out ration packs to the cluster of children which had gathered around her.

LM reflected for a moment. "Yes, I like it. Just hope Nyzar and Cylarei can see us now." Rey caught his eyes and nodded, clapping him lightly on the shoulder.

It was while they took a break, sat on the remains of a TIE Fighter, that Rey caught a little girl looking at her. More specifically, looking at the saberstaff which jutted slightly over her shoulder. Rey followed the child's eyes to it, then back to the girl. She seemed ready to shrink away until Rey smiled at her. That was enough to coax her forward, and Rey crouched down to greet her.

"Hello."

"Hello. You're… you're the Jedi."

Rey nodded, but held up a finger to correct her. "I'm one of the Jedi. There are two of us now, and we're going to find more."

"But you're the Jedi, the one who beat Kylo Ren."

She felt sorrow at that, but she didn't let it show. "Yes. But I don't think I caught your name, Miss…"

"Teika," the girl beamed. "Teika Beratan. What's yours?"
"Rey." She saw the question forming in the girl's mind, and smiled softly. "Just Rey – or rather I was. Now I'm Rey of the Resistance, and Rey of the Jedi. Now, Teika, is that your mother over there? Yes? I think she'd like you back."

Once she was confident that Teika was rejoining her mother, she turned back and found Kaydel before her.

"Now you're wearing the name right," Kaydel said.

"Thanks. Still," she added, putting her arms loosely around Kaydel's shoulders and resting her forehead against hers. "I feel like Rey Connix might have a nice ring to it."

"Hey, all in good time," Kaydel replied, hugging her back. But she couldn't hide her happiness even if she'd wanted to, and bobbed up on her toes to kiss Rey. "I love you, scavenger."

/¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯\

Several hours later, she entered the throne room alone. Well, not entirely alone – a blue glow appeared in one corner by the gate and became Luke.

"The conquering knight. How's victory treating you, Rey?"

"I'm ready to lie down," she said. "I'm ready to lie down and not get up again for a very, very long time."

The heavy bombing which had presaged Kylo Ren's attack had even damaged this place. There was a hole in the high ceiling, letting light spill into the throne room and dispelling the gloom which had suffused it before. Nor had the throne itself been spared. A great chunk of the ceiling had come loose and dropped right down on it. The high-backed, carven seat had been obliterated, smashed into fragments of black marble. The largest were as big as Rey's foot. The remains of stone plinths also lay around her, any objects they had supported all crushed or shattered.

The sum effect was almost farcical, she thought. After all they'd been through to get here, the First Order's own infighting had taken care of the throne.

"Pity," she remarked. "Finn was looking forward to smashing it up." It was only a symbol when all was said and done, but these things mattered.

"We never really get everything we want," Luke responded. "What matters is, there's no longer anyone on the throne." He must have seen her face fall, however slight the change in expression was. "It hurt to end it, didn't it?"

She nodded. "Yes. But Ben Solo's finally at peace, isn't he Master?"

Sorrow tinted Luke's expression a little at that. "There's a lot for his spirit to reckon with, but he repented in the end. That alone counts for a lot."

"It's still…" she felt her throat tighten before she carried on, "wrenching, to see the Skywalkers and Solos end like this."

"I know." Luke bowed his head a little. "But it's only the end from one perspective. From where I'm standing, the Skywalker and Solo legacies are alive and well in you and your friends. The compassion, the will to do what's right, just that dash of recklessness…"

Rey laughed a little at that, and she felt a surge of pride and happiness in her heart that beat out the sorrow.

Luke returned her smile. "The same goes for the Jedi. A thousand generations live in you now – and in Finn."

Rey inclined her head a little. "I'm very aware of that. And on that note…"

There was a wry, knowing look in his eye. "You don't mean to stay here long, do you Rey?"

"We've got two Jedi now," she replied, "but I only call that a start. Finn and I need to begin building in earnest – or at least we should start figuring out how. I mean," she added, "neither of us are close to being masters yet. We've still got plenty to learn."

"That never changes for anyone, Jedi or not." Luke winked. He was already slipping gradually out of sight. "The trick is to not forget that, even when you're a master. That, and remembering that the Force is with you all. Be seeing you, Rey."