Welcome to my experiment of a story! While searching for "frozen" planets on which my OC could live I stumbled across the planet Atoa, which has its own backstory set out in a comic called Darth Vader and the Lost Command. Inspired by this planet's backstory, the plot I had in mind changed drastically. There is no need to read the comic to understand this story - since all will be explained here anyway. However, for the sake of transparency, I did not make up the characters of High Priestess Aketra and Lady Saro mentioned in this chapter. Kylo Ren, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Snoke, and Darth Vader are obviously not mine either. Dalia is, however, entirely the result of my own imagination.
After the destruction of the First Order's planet-killing weapon, the First Order seeks out a new alliance with an independent planet in the Ghost Nebula. The planet of Atoa is home to a near-human race, among whom sensitivity to the Force is not rare, but common. Fallen to the Dark Side of the Force, High Priestess Aketra, the authoritarian leader of Atoa, agrees to supply the First Order with an army of Force-sensitive warriors in exchange for the protection and alliance of the First Order. Unbeknownst to her, Aketra's own daughter, a disciple of the Light, plots the end of her mother's reign with help from the Resistance.
Dalia watched from the warmth of her bedroom on the east wing of the Caushan High Temple as the First Order ships broke through the atmosphere. They seemed to grow as they approached, bringing with them a chill that had nothing to do with the snow that covered the city of Angarath's Fist. Dalia turned away from the window, checking to make sure that all of her hairpins were still in place before leaving the room.
Her high heels clinked along the marble halls of the Temple as she walked, the only sound audible in her part of the eerily quiet building. As she descended towards the main floor, the sounds of the Temple life rose up to meet her. Only they were more hushed - more anxious - than usual. The anticipation in the air was palpable even without the use of the Force. Dalia slowed her breath to calm herself. She would appear calm and at ease no matter what happened - it was what she had been trained to do after all.
Only now, for the first time, there were actual stakes involved. This was no longer a training exercise.
Dalia reached the ground floor and nodded to her fellow Priestesses and Priests as she joined them in their walk towards the High Chamber. Entering the room, Dalia left the others behind, walking down the long aisle that led to a raised platform. She kept her eyes trained on her destination as she heard the others settle into the rows to either side of her.
On the platform sat three chairs - the center most of which was already occupied by her mother Aketra, the High Priestess of Atoa. Dalia met her mother's eyes as she approached before wordlessly taking the seat to her right.
"You certainly took your time." Aketra whispered under her breath as soon as Dalia was seated.
"I'm certainly earlier than Jorah." Dalia replied, nodding toward the empty chair to her mother's left.
"Yes, well, that isn't exactly an accomplishment." Her mother sneered. "It is hard to be slower than Jorah."
Dalia rolled her eyes, breathing slowly to calm herself. She could feel the Darkness rolling off her mother and off of others in the room. It licked at her skin, irritating her and putting her on edge. It called to her but she had long since stopped responding. It was nothing to her now but an annoyingly constant feature of Temple life that she had to deal with.
Dalia tightened her grip on her chair as Jorah arrived, as sullen-faced as ever, and took his seat next to her mother. She glanced over at him briefly, knowing the torture he would face at the hands of her mother for his tardiness later. She gritted her teeth, turning back to the room at large. There was nothing she could do for him but sit still in her pale blue dress and pray to Ashla that Kylo Ren was a poor judge of character.
However, Dalia mused, if he was anything like his mother he would not be. Then again, from what she knew of Leia Organa, she couldn't imagine the woman shared many traits with her murderous snake of a son. She certainly was nothing like her mother. Genetics were rarely determinative of character in her own experience.
Dalia's thoughts scattered as the hall fell silent and a quiet chant began, recited by all. Dalia closed her eyes, joining in the chant as she heard her mother and Jorah do the same from beside her. It was an ancient Atoan chant - a welcome song for a newcomer.
With her eyes still closed, Dalia heard the doors at the end of the hall open and felt the air of the room become colder the closer the footsteps came. She didn't have to see him to feel him through the Force. He felt like pain and misery incarnate, less angry than she had imagined but just as far gone to the Darkside as she had expected.
The chant ended and Dalia opened her eyes, taking in the sight in front of her. Kylo Ren stood in front of her mother's throne, robed entirely in black but missing his signature helmet. A fresh cut traced a line down his cheek and into his shirt and the dark circles under his eyes made Dalia wonder when he had last slept.
Behind him stood the Knights of Ren, masked and armed, and behind them stood three rows of white armored stormtroopers.
"Kylo Ren." Dalia's mother began, a wild and dangerous smile spreading across her face. "I have so been looking forward to your arrival."
"The pleasure is all mine." Kylo Ren responded, the lack of emotion in his voice making the words sound as empty as they most likely were.
Aketra laughed, "Oh I would imagine it is." She agreed, leaning forward in her chair. "I have what you need to win, don't I, blood of Vader?"
"Your contributions to the First Order army will be much appreciated." Kylo Ren replied, unmoved by Aketra's theatrics.
Aketra pursed her lips, and Dalia could feel the anger growing inside her like the wild tempest it was.
"Appreciated?" Aketra asked, standing up. She took a few steps forward, her red dress shimmering as she walked towards Kylo Ren. "Is that all? I was under the impression you needed us."
"An army of Atoan warriors trained in the Dark Side of the Force will make the First Order unstoppable. That is true." Kylo Ren replied, clearly choosing his words very carefully so as to exert his own power and authority without raising Aketra's ire.
"True it is, indeed." Aketra agreed, descending the steps until she was in front of him. He towered over her, nearly a foot taller, but she smiled up at him, unintimidated.
"So much raw power in you. If the fates had been different. Perhaps you could have been my apprentice. How wonderful that would have been." Aketra said, tilting her head as she examined him.
Dalia felt Jorah stiffen beside her, hurt by Aketra's words. It was no secret that Aketra was unsatisfied with her apprentice Jorah and she often threatened to replace him. But to be compared to the infamous Kylo Ren was something else. Compared to him, Jorah was nothing but a fumbling child attempting to wield the Force.
"But no matter." Aketra continued when Kylo Ren did not respond. "We will work together now. And together, we will rise to untold heights."
Aketra turned, looking up at Dalia. "I present to you, my daughter, Lady Dalia."
Dalia stood up, forcing a smile onto her face as she bowed her head respectfully. She felt Kylo Ren's eyes land on her face and so she met them with her own, feeling his surprise as he realized she was not aligned with the Dark Side of the Force. She knew it was uncommon, outside of Atoa, for Darksiders and Lightsiders to work together. Still, she felt a flicker of amusement at just how surprised he was by her allegiance to the Light.
"Lady Dalia will escort you to your quarters. You will have time to freshen up before my daughter will return for you, to escort you to dinner. While you are here, you are our honored guest and Lady Dalia will be here to attend to your every need. She will accompany you on all your official business and you will keep her informed of all major developments. In turn, she will report to me your progress on our shared endeavor. Does this suit you?"
Kylo Ren turned to look back at Aketra, his eyebrows knitting together. "I appreciate your hospitality but I do not require an escort at all times." He said, his distrust of Dalia permeating the Force.
Dalia descended the steps, stopping next to her mother, who promptly turned to place a hand on her shoulder. "Nonsense." Aketra said, "This is how we treat all our guests. Someone of your status should not be entitled to any less."
Kylo Ren hesitated, clearly wanting to argue further. Before he could say anything else, Dalia reached out a hand, offering him the warmest smile she could muster.
"A pleasure to meet you." She said, watching as his attention snapped back to her. For a split second, he did nothing but stare at her, confusion and suspicion evident in his gaze, before he took her hand and shook it.
"A pleasure." He replied, and Dalia nodded, internally amused by his obvious apprehension of her.
"Jorah!" Aketra called, not even bothering to look back at him as she did so. "You will escort the Knights of Ren to their quarters and show the stormtroopers where they will be stationed."
Dalia let go of Kylo Ren's hand, turning to watch as Jorah descended from the stage and walked up to the nearest Knight of Ren. With a nod, he gestured for them to follow him, leading them back out of the hall. Once they had gone, Dalia returned her attention to the man in front of her, feeling his uneasiness at being separated from his Knights and stormtroopers and left in a room full of Atoans he didn't trust.
"Well go on then." Aketra said, and Dalia nodded.
"If you will follow me." Dalia said, leading Kylo Ren back down the long aisle to the doors at the far side. As they walked a quiet chant started up around them, growing louder until they reached the doors and left the High Chamber.
Dalia led him through the empty Temple in silence, the sound of their footsteps the only sound around. The tension in the air was palpable - a physical thing. She needed to break it and find a way to make him trust her if she was going to get anywhere at all.
"You don't trust me." Dalia said at last, turning to look at him. He raised his eyebrows in surprise, taken aback by the directness of her question.
"Did I say that?" He asked, evasively and Dalia smiled in amusement.
"You didn't have to." She replied.
A beat of silence passed between them before Kylo Ren finally spoke. "You are aligned with the Light Side of the Force."
"Yes." Dalia agreed, nodding.
"But your mother is aligned with the Dark." He continued.
"That's right." Dalia said.
Kylo Ren frowned in confusion, opening his mouth to say something and then shutting it again.
"Did you not know anything about Atoan culture before coming here?" Dalia asked.
"No, I did." Kylo Ren replied. "I knew your Temple contained both Light and Dark Force users. I knew both sides were accepted but I just didn't realize..."
"That they could be related?" Dalia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well...yes." Kylo Ren replied.
Dalia looked at him curiously, deciding to try her luck. "It was my understanding your mother is aligned with the Light."
At this, Kylo Ren blanched. Dalia felt the pain her words caused him momentarily before he put up a wall around his mind, effectively blocking her from sensing anything from him. "She is."
"So then why are you so surprised I did not choose the same side of the Force as my mother?" Dalia asked.
Kylo Ren clenched his jaw, making no reply. They walked in silence for another while, even more tension in the air than when they had first left the High Chamber.
"Most Atoans are aligned with the Light." Dalia said after a while. "But my people value respect for authority above all else. My mother is the rightful ruler of Atoa, an incarnation of the rightful rulers of the past. No one will ever disobey her even if they privately disagree with her philosophy."
Dalia stopped outside a door, reaching into her purse for a key. "The Lightsiders I know would never follow a Darksider." Kylo Ren said, suspicion still evident in his voice.
"The Lightsiders you know are not Atoan." Dalia replied simply, unlocking the door.
She pushed open the door, revealing a large and luxurious living area. She turned on the light, stepping into the room.
"There is a pager here if you need anything." She said, pointing to the wall. "My personal number is 9382. You are to call me, and no one else, if you need anything unless it is an emergency. These are the numbers you may call if it's an emergency." Dalia said, pointing to a piece of paper on a side table.
"You have your own private fresher, closet over here, bed, dresser, washing droid, nice view of the city...does this seem suitable?" Dalia asked, turning to look at him.
Kylo Ren stood in the middle of the bedroom, his black outfit standing out starkly against the pale hues of the room. "Yes." He replied simply.
Dalia looked him over, her eyes trained on the wound on his face. "I could heal that for you." She said, after a moment. "The cut on your face."
Kylo Ren recoiled as if she had slapped him, and Dalia immediately regretted asking. She knew Darksiders valued their injuries for the power they could draw from them and that they viewed any act of healing as weakness. But she always offered when one was injured anyway. Force-healing was a power only the Light could give you and sometimes Darksiders would accept her offer so that they could get back to training a little sooner.
"No." Kylo Ren said quickly. "It's fine."
"I understand." Dalia said, walking past him towards the door. "It gives you power. I know."
Kylo Ren's eyebrows knitted together, clearly surprised she understood the rationale behind his refusal. Or perhaps he was just surprised she didn't protest it or condemn it.
"I'll be back to get you for dinner in an hour." Dalia said, pausing at the door. "Someone will be up with your personal items soon enough."
Kylo Ren nodded wordlessly and so Dalia turned her back on him and closed the door, locking it behind her.
Kylo Ren heard the girl lock the door behind her and he ran to the door, attempting to open it. Finding it unlocked, he sighed in relief before closing it again and locking it from the inside. He wasn't a prisoner here, he was a...guest. Apparently. Still, this wasn't the reception he had expected. Not that he had had much time to imagine what Atoa would be like before he arrived. He had more or less been shipped off to the Ghost Nebula unceremoniously and with little notice.
Nothing but a child in a mask. Too much of your father's heart in you. The act split you to your very core.
Snoke's words still rattled inside his skull, haunting him despite the vast distance that was between him and his master. For the first time in years, he couldn't actually hear Snoke's voice in his head. He was simply too far away. But he didn't need to physically hear Snoke's voice to know what he would say. His master's voice had long since become an indistinguishable part of his own internal thoughts. At this point, he couldn't separate what came from Snoke and what came from his own mind - not that he had ever really tried to.
This was a punishment. Kylo Ren knew this. Snoke had shipped him off to oversee the alliance between Atoa and the First Order and the training of the new army of Force users because he had failed. He had killed his father but he had failed to kill the only thing that really mattered - the Light. If the murder of his own father couldn't stamp out the Light then what could? Was he doomed to be torn apart by conflict forever? Had Snoke given up on him too? Is that why he had been exiled to this strange alien planet?
Kylo Ren slammed his fist into the wall, cracking the pale beige paint. He just wanted it to end.
Pacing back and forth, Kylo Ren jumped as the door opened to admit two Atoans, carrying his luggage up from the ship. They nodded to him politely, an unmistakable look of fear in their eyes, before they quickly left again. Kylo Ren let out a sigh and went to the window, opening the blinds to reveal the city beyond.
It was beautiful, that much was undeniable. The city of Angarath's Fist was like something out of a fairytale with its lavish palaces topped with spirals and domes made of gold and silver that glittered in the cold air. If the planet wasn't so frigid all the time, it would be a nice place to live. But instead, a thin layer of snow coated the city for most of the year and the ground remained permanently frozen.
Kylo Ren closed the curtains and began opening his luggage. He pulled out what he needed and then entered the fresher, his eyes landing on the unmistakable cut that now traced a line down his face. It would scar and would serve as a permanent reminder of what he had done that day. Of who he was. He hated to look at it and that was good. He had to remember.
That girl...Dalia. She had wanted to heal it. Why? Why would she offer something like that to a complete stranger...one she had undoubtedly heard terrible stories about. She was aligned with the Light Side but she had not questioned the notion that he might derive some sort of power from the pain inflicted by his wound. Every other Lightsider he had known had hated the Dark - had been afraid of it. But she had seemed to understand it - accept it almost.
Was that how she could maintain what seemed to him to be a functioning relationship with her mother? The High Priestess had touched her daughter's shoulder, looked at her with something that looked like affection, and Dalia had not shown any kind of resistance to it. Was it just an act? How could they have anything but animosity towards one another? His own family-
Kylo Ren pushed away the thought, inhaling sharply as he tried to focus on Dalia. It was something peculiar about Atoan culture. That was all it was. It was the culture. But still...how could she sit up there, next to her mother, and watch her planet be handed over to the First Order? If she was truly of the Light, and Kylo Ren had not sensed any Darkness in her, then how could she be okay with this takeover diplomatically referred to as an alliance? How could she follow her mother blindly while at the same time disagreeing with everything she commands?
There was something suspicious about it. It was simply too...unbelievable. The Light and the Dark had always, and would always, be at odds. They couldn't work together and no amount of...what was it she had called it...respect for authority could change that.
"Well? Is he settled in? Did you make a new friend?" Aketra asked, running a comb through her long black hair.
Dalia stopped behind her mother, "He's anything but settled and I don't think he trusts me at all." Dalia said. "I told you this would happen."
Aketra's hand stopped mid-brush and she paused for a moment before snorting. "He'll come to trust you in time. I'm sure of it. He is human and he is male...surely your looks alone will be enough to win him over."
Dalia let out a laugh that was half a sigh. "It's not my looks he has a problem with." Dalia said. "He's not used to working with Lightsiders. He doesn't trust them. His own mother is a Lightsider. She is at war with him and...well you've heard what he did to his father..."
"Now, honey, we don't know why he killed his father and it's best not to speculate. And besides, none of that will matter if you bat your eyelashes a few times and wear one of those dresses of yours with the low necklines-"
"Mother!" Dalia cried.
"Oh you know it's true." Aketra replied, a terrible smirk on her face. "When I was your age, I didn't even need mind tricks to get men to do what I wanted."
"For Ashla's sake, please just stop." Dalia begged, running a hand over her face.
"I rather think Ashla agrees with me." Aketra said, raising an eyebrow as she put away her brush. "The last time an Imperial officer came to Atoa he fell in love with Lady Saro. He didn't care so much about his allegiance to the Empire after that."
"The last time a Skywalker was here." Dalia corrected her, "Your parents ended up dead."
At this, Aketra's eyes flashed, affording Dalia an unwelcome glimpse of the inferno that was never far below the surface. "And that is why I will not let the First Order destroy us as the Empire did." Aketra practically snarled, all trace of her previously good mood gone.
"I know you won't let that happen." Dalia agreed, more to calm her down than anything.
Aketra didn't acknowledge her, beginning to pace up and down the room. Dalia could feel the Darkness building, swirling around her mother like a physical storm. It was time to leave.
"I'll see you at dinner." Dalia said, turning to leave.
Dalia nearly made it to the door before her mother grabbed her arm, pulling her back around to face her. Dalia looked up into her mother's dark eyes, wishing she would loosen her grip on her arm.
"The First Order is nothing more than a poor imitation of the Empire and this boy - Kylo Ren - pales in comparison to Darth Vader. They think we are fools. They think they have control over us, but they don't. This army we are creating will be loyal to me. Not Kylo Ren or even his master. Me."
"I know, mother." Dalia said, putting a hand on her mother's hand, which was still tightly wrapped around her arm. Gently and slowly, Dalia pulled her mother's hand off her arm. "I know."
"I know you know." Aketra breathed after a moment, seemingly coming back to her senses. Although, with her mother, Dalia could never be too sure when she would snap. She could be fine one moment and then raging the next.
"It'll all be okay. I'll see you at dinner." Dalia said again, squeezing her mother's hand once before quickly leaving the room.
A knock sounded on Kylo Ren's door, jolting him out of his thoughts. He grit his teeth, reluctantly moving to open the door. Lady Dalia stood outside, as expected, still dressed in her elaborate pale blue dress. Her white blonde hair, however, had been unpinned and now hung loosely around her shoulders. Kylo Ren frowned, realizing she was the only Atoan he had ever seen with hair that wasn't black or dark brown.
Dalia smiled thinly. "Are you ready?" She asked, taking in his black robes - nearly identical to the ones he'd arrived in.
"Yes." Kylo Ren said, noticing her eyes shift to land on something behind him. He glanced behind himself, realizing she had probably spotted the part of the wall he had punched. Luckily, the cuts on his knuckles were hidden by the black gloves he wore.
If she cared that he had broken the wall, she didn't show it. "Great, let's go." Dalia said, moving to allow him room to exit the bedroom before locking the door behind them.
"Do I get a key to my own room?" Kylo Ren asked, not bothering to hide the irritation he felt.
Dalia paused, looking almost surprised by the question. "Oh sure. I can try to get you one."
Kylo Ren frowned, wondering how this question could possibly come as a surprise to her. Wasn't it expected that guests have the ability to lock their own door by themselves? Was he really going to be babysat to the point that he wasn't able to leave his room by himself? The thought of having to spend 24/7 with these Atoans he now shared a Temple with was suffocating.
"They've decorated it for your arrival, you know." Dalia said, "The hall I mean."
"Do you always eat together?" Kylo Ren asked, privately dreading the thought of having to force conversation with these people three times a day every day for Force knows how long.
"Yes, of course." Dalia replied simply.
"Do you not usually eat with others?" She added after a beat.
"No." Kylo Ren replied curtly, causing Dalia's eyebrows to knit together ever so slightly in what Kylo Ren thought might be confusion.
"And that is not lonely?" Dalia asked, the question irritating Kylo Ren way more than it should.
"I fail to see how that is any of your concern." Kylo Ren replied sharply.
If Dalia was affected at all by his change of tone, she didn't show it. Instead she simply nodded, letting it drop.
They walked in silence until they reached the dinning hall. The hall was arranged like a banquet hall with long marble tables running the length of the hall. The room was decorated, as Dalia had said it would be, with velvet streamers hanging from the high arched ceiling above. Dalia led them through the room of Atoans, ignoring the whispers and covert glances that followed them. She stopped in front of a table that ran perpendicular to the others and which was much smaller. Her mother, the Priest from the welcome ceremony and a few other Atoans Kylo Ren did not recognize were seated at the table. They rose as he and Dalia approached; all, except the High Priestess Aketra, bowing respectfully.
"Welcome!" Aketra cried, grinning as she spread her arms. "You must be famished but I'm certain you will enjoy Atoan cuisine."
"Thank you." Kylo Ren said, taking a seat next to Dalia as the others also retook their seats.
"I must introduce you to the members of my esteemed High Council." Aketra continued. "This is Lady Kaia." She said, gesturing towards the elderly woman to her right. "She was an advisor to my mother, the High Priestess Saro, before the Imperial occupation."
Kylo Ren examined the woman, feeling the Light emanating from her plainly and clearly. It called to him, threatening to break his composure, and so he focused his attention back on Aketra, letting her Darkness fuel him.
"This is Sir Jorah." Aketra continued, gesturing towards her left. "He is my apprentice."
Kylo Ren eyed the man, remembering him from the welcome ceremony. Jorah nodded curtly at him, his expression a mixture of fear and hostility. He wasn't quite sure what he had done to make the man dislike him, but apparently Jorah had already decided he hated him.
"And finally, this is Lady Ina and Sir Loren" Aketra finished, gesturing in turn towards the woman who sat to his left and the man who sat to the left of Jorah. "They oversee the training of our Temple's padawans. Lady Ina instructs in the ways of the Dark Side, and Sir Loren, the Light. My daughter, Lady Dalia, was Sir Loren's apprentice before obtaining the rank of Priestess."
"I see." Kylo Ren replied, glancing down at the food on his plate and immediately regretting it. Whatever meat they had served him looked like it had been already half digested and thrown back up.
"You are not used to working with those who use the Light Side of the Force." Aketra commented, and Kylo Ren looked back up, meeting her gaze.
"No." He replied. "The Jedi and Sith have never worked together."
"But you are not a Sith." Aketra said, raising an eyebrow.
"No." Kylo Ren agreed. "The Sith are gone."
Aketra snorted, taking a sip of whatever strange alcohol they had been served. "I wonder why."
At this, Kylo Ren felt a flicker of anger and clenched his fists under the table. "What are you insinuating?" He snapped.
Aketra set down her glass with a loud clink, leaning back in her chair. "The Sith and the Jedi destroyed each other until there were none left." Aketra said. "The Empire's mistake was making an enemy of the Jedi Order. It was the cause of their downfall."
"You don't know Jedi." Kylo Ren replied sharply. "No Jedi would have ever joined the Empire willingly. They wanted democracy."
"No one really wants democracy, dear." Aketra sneered, taking another sip of her drink. "Oh sure people say they want to be free, but they don't. All they really want is order."
"I agree." Kylo Ren replied. "But the Jedi are stubborn. They put their ideals above all else." Even family. He added silently.
"You will find that our friends here, who follow the Light, are not so stubborn." Aketra said, her eyes landing on her daughter. Kylo Ren glanced over at Dalia, who up until now had been silent.
"Tolerance is a virtue of the Light." Dalia said, meeting her mother's eyes. "Non-attachment is our mandate. We cannot be attached to anything - including democracy or peace." She finished, turning to look at Kylo Ren.
Kylo Ren stared at her, certain his suspicion must be written clearly across his face.
"Lady Dalia speaks the truth." Sir Loren agreed. "Our religion is not incompatible with our devotion to our High Priestess. We were a broken people after the Empire destroyed our world. High Priestess Aketra rebuilt this society from the ashes of the old and we owe everything we are to her."
"You see, blood of Vader?" Aketra asked, leaning forward ever so slightly. "We are your allies. You can trust us."
"I do trust you." Kylo Ren lied, the words tasting sour on his lips.
Aketra smiled predatorily, taking another sip of her drink. "Good."
Dalia sat through the dinner, smiling and nodding on cue like the trained monkey that she was. She made pleasant small talk, participating in the superficial conversation with only half her attention present. She let her mother do most of the talking, allowing her own mind to drift.
After the dinner was over and Kylo Ren had been returned to his room, Dalia returned to her own room. Alone at last, Dalia ran a hand over her face, sinking into her desk chair. She rummaged in her desk drawer, pulling out an old and tattered book. She looked out the window at the city beyond and opened the book, finding the page on which she had begun her drawing of the cityscape.
Flipping past her drawing, she pried open the back of the book, sliding out a holographic device into the palm of her hand. Opening the channel, Dalia spoke freely, unseen and unheard by anyone but the holographic image that hovered, translucent, in front of her.
"General Organa." Dalia said. "He's here and everything is going according to plan."
So here is the first chapter! Please let me know what you think - any feedback is useful feedback.