NIEVIDAL exhaled, cool breath passing between white teeth. Beside her, two Galactic Alliance Sondercommandos strode. Ahead of her, rank and file Alliance Guard soldiers pounced from room to room, rounding up waiting Vanguard members.
She smiled.
It was a rather good day.
Her grin warmly grew as she passed Vanguard officers being shackled. Surprisingly, they looked upon her with admiration, not anger or even fear.
Nievidal moved with an almost godly grace. Dreaded hair, deeply lilac, fell from her head to the tips of black pauldrons. Segmented grey armor revealed jedi robes underneath, marching from breast to the edge of a thin waist.
All of this was contained in a flowing dark mauve cloak that moved listlessly in the air around her like a floating sea.
"Chancellor Holdo," a tittering voice called. Nievidal's green eyes flexed to Isdo Fen. Yellow hair shone under the Endured's emergency lights, crowning a thin face that broke into a smile.
Isdo broke away from a circle of cloaked Alliance fleet Directors.
"Pretor Director Fen." Nievdal nodded politely to her guards, resplendent in white armor. Their segmented T-shaped visors dipped from view, vanishing into the commotion around them.
"The ship is secured, Chancellor."
Isdo's face softened somewhat.
"Not much of their fleet remains."
Nievidal strode ahead, passing stretching rectangular viewports that bled to the graveyard floating in dead space.
Star Defenders gloated beside crumbling Vanguard cruisers, ferrying surviving prisoners into their maws. Corpses floated between stars and jagged spears of plasteel, visors crusted over with sparkling ice.
A body drifted right beside her, staring into Nievidal's pale green pupils. As she spoke, she stopped and held the dead pilot's gaze.
"More deaths due to Leia's folly. Imagine spending the last painful moments of your life wondering if you made the wrong choice."
The Chancellor began walking anew, using the Force to gather a wavering cloak closer around her body.
"We are not yet sure who attacked the Vanguard. I have assigned several technicians to analyze the wreckage of enemy craft."
"I was suspecting the Order, or perhaps even King Prana."
Isdo shook his head.
"The technology is too different. The weapons employed... they're unlike anything we've ever seen."
Holdo paused.
"I can sense your apprehension, Fen. What is it you're stalling to tell me?"
Isdo swallowed sharply, gathering gloved hands behind the short of his back.
"They held no communications systems. No drift charts. No navigational protocols. Even with advanced weapons, they wouldn't have been able to preform such a devastating attack without organization far beyond even our own capacities."
Nievidal remained silent.
Fen paused, then continued.
"To inflict this much damage with only single fighter craft is unheard of. No frigates, no cruisers. No command."
"So the maze grows deeper still, it seems." Nievidal said coolly.
She gifted Fen a brash grin.
Fen dipped his head.
"With all due respect Chancellor, these are grave findings. I have arranged a council so you may confer.."
Nievidal tensed. A wisp of air parted her locks as Fen collar tightened- but only for a moment. Isdo's eyes widened as he fell short of step with the Chancellor.
"I am sure that my presence is unneeded. I have trusted graver things to you, Pretor."
Nievdal turned to Fen, clasping him tightly on the shoulder.
"I know that you will discover the meaning of this attack. And I know you won't fail. For our sake."
Isdo's expression hollowed as Nievdal's eyes bored into him.
"Of course Chancellor."
Holdo spun away from him, joining Fen's side once more as they continued.
"It was good of you to form a council. Your presence there will be necessary. I must speak with Organa."
Isdo chuckled as color returned to a pallid face.
"To think she would be skirting around the outer rim.."
Isdo lead Holdo through the Endured's weeping halls. Circuits cackled from exposed panels, blasted off by ravenous fighters. Multiple wounded, unable to stand, lined the walls. They curled into what remained of the main control room.
Two Alliance guards saluted as Holdo entered. Multiple officers hawked Vanguard ensigns, watching as the newly made prisoners transferred sensitive data to Alliance databases.
Leia watched the remnants of her army float by in space, surrounded by Alliance Fleet Directors. The old Princess rested her hand on the viewport before her, blankly staring into her reflection as Holdo approached.
"It has been quite some time, Leia." Holdo said softly.
Leia turned, glaring at Holdo's brass.
Nievidal smirked.
"Leave us." She ordered.
The other Directors distanced themselves.
Holdo's eyes narrowed towards Isdo Fen-
"Of course," He said finally, pacing away with a furrowed brow.
Nievidal turned her attentions to Leia.
"First Rhen Var.. now this. It begs to be questioned why the Vanguard was formed. Relying on Alliance assistance..."
Leia drew her brows together.
"You know why, Holdo. You speak as if you didn't see for yourself what Rhen Var was. If the First Order had-"
Nievdal raised a gloved hand.
"After Hosnian was destroyed, we were able to vector in on the Order's relative location. Transfixing their attack triangulations with surviving Old Republic star records was purely successful guesswork, I'll concede to that."
Leia froze.
"You knew.. then why didn't you.."
"Attack? We were. But you forced our hand with your preemptive strike. My goal was to search the records of the Forge, secure it- see if there were others."
Organa was silent.
Holdo didn't need to finish.
Poe defied orders directed by Alliance Command. He led black squadron to destroy the forge, destabilizing Rhen Var's core, and imploding the planet.
The Vanguard's armada was able to escape relatively unscathed- but Holdo's forces suffered mass casualties in the ensuing confusion.
"If you had simply cooperated from the beginning Leia. Both our wounds could have been avoided." Nievidal spoke almost as if scolding a child.
Leia balked- opening her mouth to speak. But it was Holdo who spoke for her.
"There is not much you will be able to tell me, I'm afraid. Once we search your encrypted transcripts your information will be quite unnecessary."
Leia smiled darkly, crossing her arms with a raised eyebrow.
"Then why are you here, Holdo? Waiting to escort me to my prisoner's quarters personally?"
Nievidal laughed genuinely in good humor.
"No, at least not yet. The girl. I know you sent her away."
"What a brilliant assumption." Organa said, leveling her eyes on Nievidal.
"Before we continue any sort of charade of hidden knowledge, I'll tell you that I am not opposed to the girl playing Jedi with my former Master."
Leia's face fell faster than a Kurge frigate's outdated shields. Nievidal couldn't help but smile at her surprise.
"I suppose I am here to tell you that even though we know where they are- I have no desire to seek him out."
Leia was silent, unspeaking while unease crept down her spine. Nievidal began pacing around her, dreadlocked hair swaying before haunting green eyes.
Nievidal paused at Leia's shoulder. She crept down to Organa's height, tanned cheeks brushing against the Princess's ear.
"But we know how elusive Luke is. That is why, in due time, we will use you to beckon him."
"Beckon?" Leia's anger was palpable. Nievidal could even feel slight reverberations of the Force acting in concert with the fallen General's emotions.
"You know what Snoke did to Luke. You were there when it happened, Nievidal. He can't leave, even if he wanted to." Leia hissed.
Nievidal rose to her full stature, backing away from Leia while two guards marched towards the Vanguard General.
"You have fulfilled your terms, Leia. For that, you have my thanks. Most of your lower ranking officers will be given the option to be integrated into Alliance infrastructure. Your pilots will be pardoned. Though your continued freedom within Alliance space is entirely dependent on your... continued cooperation." Nievidal began to turn.
"Wait," Leia called.
Nievidal stopped.
"Please don't hurt Dameron."
The Chancellor offered Organa a soft smile, nodded, and continued on her way-
cape billowing behind her.
FASTER!"
Rey ducked, her neck burning as Luke's saber crossed only inches above. She snarled, rolling backwards across an airy stone plateau while deactivating her weapon.
Luke advanced, seemingly unbothered by Rey's actions. His green blade swam through the air with a dancer's grace, steady hand gripping hilt with orthodox mastery.
Rey weaved between his blows, rolling to Luke's right as she pounced, activating her saber. Skywalker dipped into the force, using it to strengthen aging muscles as he spun on his heels.
Their weapons met with sparking shrieks.
"This isn't good enough." Luke said simply. Rey furrowed her brows, pushing against a lethal beam of green energy.
"I'm not trying to be good enough." Rey hissed between white sparks that bit from her lightsaber's azure gleam.
Luke chuckled, betraying his kindness for just a moment.
But it was exactly that, a moment.
He pushed Rey towards the edge of the plateau, dust rising from the harsh stone. She disengaged, ducking as she rolled past him.
The girl twirled on the balls of her foot, wincing as rock butchered her naked soles.
Her lightsaber met Luke's then.
An exchange of blows vortexed between them as their weapons crossed. Luke moved in a semicircle, adding his whirring, metallic palm to his hilt.
Rey buckled at his added strength and precision. She sidestepped an executioners arc that glassed ancient rock, sending particles of ash over Rey's feet.
The initiate opened her palm towards Luke, goading the force to reject her call.
It didn't.
A wave of air pulsated from Rey, who winced as she felt precious strength leave her. Luke grunted in surprise, crossing his arms-
he held himself from falling into crashing waves below.
Rey advanced, swinging Anakin's lightsaber across her body in an flashing flourish. Luke skirted around Rey's disastrous strike.
Foolish.
With a flick of his finger Luke sent Rey sliding across the rocky precipice. She snarled, rolling with Luke's attack.
Luke raised his brows, impressed by Rey's spontaneity. She easily pounced into a run, deactivating Anakin's lightsaber once more.
Luke held his own weapon straight ahead, still as stone while Rey feinted a blow with a half stop kick. Unfettered, she leapt back-
With speed Luke was unaware Rey possessed, she instantly ignited Anakin's weapon, azure blade screeching to life seconds away from his eye.
With genuine earnest Luke deflected the near killing blow, their weapons interlocked within a roaring, sparking flame.
Rey pressed against Luke-
The weight vanished with a disengaging hiss.
Luke stumbled forward-
He felt heat claw upon his exposed neck- the roar of a saber uncomfortably close to burning ears.
Without looking, Luke grabbed for Rey's wrist. He spun the girl around, twisting her arm behind a rigid back as Anakin's lightsaber harmlessly whimpered to the stone floor.
"You're too reckless, Rey." Luke said sternly. He released her as she broke away from him.
"Reckless?" Rey repeated.
"Your fighting is unbalanced. This is why Jacen almost killed you. You-"
"I'm fighting like this because you aren't teaching me!" Rey shouted.
"Not teaching you? What have I been doing?!" Luke retorted.
"You tell me, Luke Skywalker. I thought.. this would lead to something. But all you've done is give me more questions. The teachings.. true oneness with the Force.. it doesn't mean anything, does it?" Rey chuckled.
"You came here to die-"
Rey's speech paused at the sight of Luke's eyes instantly darkening.
For the first time, she was afraid of the man.
"I didn't come here, Rey. I don't care if you resent me. I don't care if you hate me. But don't you dare even think I came here on my own."
Rey looked away.
"I'm sorry. It's just..I've been here for a year. A year, Luke. A year and he's still..."
Her mind remembered Finn's screams of pain as Kylo brutalized him. She saw the Ren's savage blue blade as it dug through Han's back. She then saw Kylo himself- a maddened specter of rage and hatred, driven by neigh fanatical fervor.
But then she saw Luke. She saw his eyes. She felt his hurt.
"I just wish I didn't feel so helpless." Rey finished bitterly.
"You're not going to lose me. I know I can learn. I have to. I won't fail. We won't fail." She said with finality.
Luke looked at her, then away. He smiled, warmly but distantly.
Rey then realized how often Luke had heard those very same words, only to find them to be empty truths.
They stood together in silence, watching the setting twin suns of Acht.. a rare commonality in this vast and treacherous universe.