Chapter 2 – Jakku
The Reclaimer came out of hyperspace just a few miles from the Finalizer as they both orbited the desert world of Jakku. This was a rare sight in itself. The First Order had learned from the Empire about the danger of concentrating too much of their power in one place. Therefore, star destroyers often patrolled alone and rarely meet up unless it was for a critical mission or deep within First Order territory.
Now though, the two-star destroyers took up formation to ensure that each protected the exposed flanks of the other. Meanwhile the bridge of the Finalizer's holo communication display let up with the blue tinged image of Admiral Kuvira. On the bridge, Kylo Ren, Captain Peavey and Captain Phasma stood watching the display.
Kylo Ren's expression could not be seen due to his iconic mask, and his posture gave nothing away. However, as he watched the image flicker into life, he privately admitted his pleasure that Admiral Kuvira was helping him to oversee this critical mission.
While he had a very impressive track record of completing each mission that the Supreme Leader tasked him with, the mission always ran a lot smoother with less collateral damage when the Admiral was also a part of the mission.
In addition to that, he had a great deal of respect for her skill in combat as well as in military tactic's. His idol, his grandfather Darth Vader had been famous for his distaste for the cowardly Imperial commanders and sycophants. But he had also greatly favoured the soldiers and troopers that he fought side by side with on the battlefield.
He was confident that if Darth Vader had met Admiral Kuvira (who was known for her climb to power, her skills was a warrior and her command ability) he would have approved of her. In fact, along with Tarkin and Thrawn, she would likely have been one of the few commanders that he respected.
With that in mind he felt that his warm relationship with the Admiral was justified and would have been acceptable to his Grandfather's reasoning.
Phasma meanwhile was also musing about the Admiral as her image came into view. The first and most important lesson she had learnt in this existence, from her life on Parnassos was that there was no such thing as safety. Danger and threats were always there. They might lessen or increase based on the situation, but they never disappeared completely.
Not many people understood that. Not even among the First Order. The soldiers and officers of the First Order were trained constantly and from birth to fight and to give their lives if need be for the cause. But even they fell into the trap of believing they were safe on their massive star destroyers, in their planetary bases or on monstrous constructs like the Supremacy or Starkiller base.
Safety was life's greatest illusion.
Phasma knew this, and she had resolved long ago that she would survive no matter what. She had betrayed her former tribes to survive. She had joined the First Order to escape Parnassos and survive. And if she had to choose between the Order and her own life, it was not a contest.
Nevertheless, she felt some measure of respect for Admiral Kuvira. While she felt that her commitment to the First Order and its cause was somewhat naïve and self – destructive. She nevertheless commended her skill in battle and her strength or character.
Phasma did not respect many people. Not Hux, not Kylo Ren, not even Supreme Leader Snoke, who while powerful was almost defenceless physically. Yet she felt some measure of acknowledgement for the Admiral.
"Lord Ren, Captains. What is the situation on Jakku?" Kuvira asked as her image materialised and she stood imposingly in the blue field.
Captain Peavey stepped forward
"Admiral, we have located the village that Tekka is reported to be based. Our scans report roughly 20 – 30 inhabitants and a single Republic X-Wing is situated by the village. We have four personnel carriers crewed and ready to attack seize the village. We have also placed fighters on alert in case the X-wing manages to take off."
Kuvira nodded. "Good, I want the Finalizer to be in place to deploy a tractor beam if the need arises. I also want an envoy to be deployed to the village first to demand Tekka's surrender and peaceful incarceration."
Lord Ren stepped forward
"Lor San Tekka will not surrender to the First Order Admiral, you waste our time by trying." He said, his tone respectful, but he made is opinion of the plan clear.
Kuvira turned to Ren. "Of course, he won't. But when the villagers realise that they and their families are being placed in danger due to Tekka's action and stubbornness, they may react differently. Besides, if we offer this chance and they refuse, let none say that the Order was not reasonable to these desert vermin".
Phasma and Peavey looked confused. Well Peavey did, but Phasma's face could not be seen, she gave a subtle change in stance. However, they did not question or ask for further details.
"Very well Admiral, the envoy will be dispatched immediately. Shall we order the ground forces to hold until he was received their answer?"
Kuvira's holo flickered for a moment before she gave her answer.
"No."
BB-8 came rolling into the hut that Poe and Lor San Tekka were seated in chirping and beeping incessantly.
Poe looked up at his droid in alarm, then quickly turned back to Lor in regretful acceptance. "We've got company."
The two men exit the hut fast, while Poe moves to the centre of the village and raises his quadnoculars to his eyes, frantically scanning the horizon. In the darkness of Jakku's desert night the light is easily visible.
The single ship is heading towards them at a speed and course that leaves no doubt that the ship is heading for the village with a purpose in mind. However, the fact that it is a single ship, and not even an assault lander catches Poe by surprise. In fact, it looked like an Xi-class light shuttle. Poe knew those ships were not designed for combat, and had not enough space for a practical number of Stormtroopers
Poe lowers the quadnocs and frowns in confusion. "First Order defiantly, but its not an assault craft, it's a diplomat or officers personal shuttle." He turns to Lor who looks slightly more hopeful at that news.
"Perhaps they don't know we are here. The First Order's territory has recently expanded to the edge of this system. Maybe it's a routine survey. Or maybe the New Republic has ceded control of Jakku to the order?"
Poe wanted to retort that the New Republic would never give away a member world to the First Order. But he found that he didn't quite believe it. After all, Jakku was on the frontiers of the known galaxy, near the Unknown regions (the First Order heartlands). It had no wealth, no resources, no influence in the Senate. And if not for the Battle of Jakku 30 years ago, almost no one would know it existed.
With all that in mind, the idea that the New Republic would give the First Order Jakku like a used speeder was very possible.
The shuttle continued to close, and Poe knew they needed to decide quickly. He turned back to Lor
"You have to hide."
Lor continued to stare at the shuttle which had started to descend.
"You have to leave. Go!"
Poe turns to him, conflicted, but finally nods and hurries off. BB-8 followed him as fast as he could roll on the lose sand. He ran as fast as he could to his X-Wing that was parked just over a small rise. But before he reached it he paused.
He didn't know what the First Order shuttle intended with Lor's village, but he hoped that it was not intending to attack them. He felt that was unlikely given the First Order's usual style. However, he knew that if they saw his X-wing flying away, they would know the village was helping the Resistance and they would defiantly become hostile.
He couldn't let that happen. Right now, there was still a change that the village would survive. And he was curious to learn what the First Order was doing here, if it was not due to Lor San Tekka. It might also prove useful information for the General.
Ignoring BB-8 disapproving chirps and beeps, he turned and slowly crept back to the top of the rise that (hopefully) hid his X-wing.
Lor stood in front of the other villages who had gathered their weapons and grouped together in front of the landed shuttle in front of the village.
The ramp had descended, and a black clad First Order officer stepped out onto the sands, accompanied by four stormtroopers in escort formation. The officer strode forward with purpose and came to a stop a few feet away from the village when some of the people levelled their weapons at him.
The stormtroopers also raised their weapons, but the officer raised his hand and motioned for them to lower their weapons back to their previous position.
The officer turned back to the village and looked directly at Lor.
"Lor San Tekka, of the Church of the Force?" He said, but it was clearly not a question.
Lor did not deny the identification and simply nodded.
"I am Lucius Varro, of the First Order Diplomatic Corps. I have been sent to find you and request that you accompany me back to my superiors. They want to ask you a few questions about Jedi Lore, which we understand is your area of expertise." The officer stated, in a polite but clearly rehearsed tone.
Lor took a moment to respond. His last encounter with the First Order wasn't nearly so civil. Then again he had heard that they had taken a more moderate approach in recent years. Perhaps this was an attempt to change their image to the galaxy.
"I thank you for the invitation, but I must regretfully decline. I have a number of responsibilities here that I must attend too." Lor stated in an equally polite but clearly distrustful and disinterested tone. He felt the people around him shift as if expecting combat.
The envoy appeared unflustered and continued. "My superiors have instructed me to assure you that you will be very well compensated for your time and aid. You must know that the First Order is very wealthy. And, forgive me for saying so, but surely you and your people would enjoy better accommodations then this."
He gestured to the village with a dismissive hand motion. At this the villagers bristled at the implication. Lor meanwhile seemed to grow in confidence at the situation.
"I am afraid my place is here, where I am needed. As you have already pointed out Jakku is a harsh and difficult world. And here all must pull their weight and make their contribution to the community if the community is to survive. If I were to leave it would be a selfish action."
Varro nodded rather eagerly instead of becoming annoyed with the stonewalling he was facing.
"I understand completely Mr Tekka. After all, that is the entire principle behind the First Order. Ensuring that all work together to ensure that the unified whole prospers as one. We too take a heavy stance on those who would seek individual profit instead of aiding to help the unit.
With that in mind, I have a final offer that I am sure you would agree is mutually beneficial.
My superiors have confirmed that if you were to aid us in this endeavour. You and all you fellows in this village would be offered residence on one of our newest and most idyllic worlds, possibly Urdak. There you would live comfortable lives together, you could continue your studies, and you would enjoy the full protection of the First Order. In addition, within 20 years, you and all your colleagues would also be granted citizenship, with all the rights and privileges thereof.
Varro looked at him as if he could not even fathom that he would refuse such a generous offer, to remain on this dust ball. However, Tekka had no intention of aiding them in the hunting and killing of Luke Skywalker. Even if they offered to give him his own planet to rule.
"I would rather toil in the burning sands of this planet then aid the First Order in its quest to plunge the galaxy into darkness." He proclaimed proudly. At this the Stormtroopers raised their weapons again and this time the now scowling diplomat did not order them to stop.
"Yes, because you are too attached to the dying, sputtering, flickering 'light' of the New Republic." Varro snarled, all signs of cordiality between the two evaporating in an instant. "My superiors are determined to have the information they needed Tekka, are you prepared to expose you fellow villagers to the consequences of your refusal?"
Poe heard the conversation taking a nasty turn and prepared to fire his blaster rifle if need be.
For a moment Lor hesitated and briefly scanned the faces of the villagers around him. They were his disciple's, but he would not expose them to danger without their understanding. However, he saw nothing but resolve in their faces as they glared at the First Order troops.
He turned back to Varro. "You have my answer. And you would do well to abandon the First Order here and now young men. You could remain here, do some actual good for the galaxy.
At this Varro laughed. "What?!, That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard. I will be out there uniting the galaxy and bringing peace and security to countless worlds under one banner. Meanwhile all you can expect out of life, is that the animals don't eat you bones when you di….ARRGH"
Before Varro could finish one of the villagers, feed up with the insults to their teacher, or home world, or both, fired his blaster into Varro's chest. Before his body hit the ground, the rest of the villagers fired as well, and the four Stormtroopers were also laid out.
Lor and Poe were both stunned at what had happened. Both understood that the First Order might have been willing to come back later or even leave them alone eventually. But with their envoy and soldiers killed without acceptable provocation, they would ensure deadly retribution.
Poe ran down to the scene and before Lor could stop him bolted into the shuttle and took down the pilots before they could finish relaying a report to their base. But once he exited the shuttle he saw he was already too late.
Four AAL-1971/9.1 Troop Transports were already charging towards the village, two from the west and two from the North. The First Order clearly wanted to flank the armed villagers without risking too much in friendly fire.
"You should have left already, go NOW!" Tekka shouted at Poe. "We will try to hold them off."
Poe was about to respond, but before he could force words from his mouth an explosion rocked the village and the blast wave nearly sent him to the ground in his unprepared state.
Turning he saw his X-wing was burning and another explosion made it close to unrecognisable. In the sky he saw in the darkness the telltale lights and noise of a Tie-Fighter squadron as it completed its strafing run.
"Well this mission did not go as planned!" He quipped, but Tekka did not look amused. It was a defensive mechanism of his. But he could not deny that this situation was rabidly going from bad to infinitely worse.
All he could do was make sure it wasn't a complete mission failure.
He called BB-8 over to him, even as the Troop Transports began to puke stormtroopers into the village. The civilians opened fire as soon as the doors to the transports opened and managed to gun down several the white soldiers before they got out of the vehicle.
But the Stormtroopers were not trained from birth for no reason. They quickly left the transport and took up assault formation as they returned fire. Their superior training quickly beginning to tell as the villagers were gunned down and their bravery began to waver in the face of the firestorm.
Lor San Tekka moves sadly through the village as Stormtroopers wielding flame throwers destroy structures and use the flames to force the remaining villagers to panic. Surrendering villagers are rounded up and quickly brought to the centre structure of the village.
Back at the outskirts of the settlement, Poe kneels beneath and pulls from the leather sack a small, old artefact which he inserts into BB-8.
"You take this. It's safer with you than it is with me. You get as far away from here as you can. Do you hear me? (BB-8 beeps and hesitates) I'll come back for you! It will be alright." Poe urged, then he turns and runs back to his position on the rise near his X-Wing, his rifle drawn and gunning down what Stormtroopers he can.
BB-8 watches Poe run off. He whines nervously, then turns and heads off. As he moves beyond the village he turns back once to look at Poe one final time. Then he turns toward the endless eternity of sand in front of him and rolls away into the darkness.
The troopers and villagers continue to fight as the battle drew to a close. As one trooper is hit and goes down another kneels to help. The hit trooper raises a torn, bloody glove his hand visible in a gesture of friendship, pleading, fear? Whatever it was would forever remain unknown as his life slipped away and his discarded shell ceased to function.
His hand came down across his comrade's face and marks the stormtrooper's mask with blood just before he dies. The trooper, stands and appears momentarily overwhelmed by the battle. As he turns every which way, as if seeking meaning or some purpose in the battle that has left bodies all around him.
As the battle came to a final close and the Stormtroopers assumed a formation around the amassed and disarmed villagers, another sight appeared in the sky above the burning settlement. An Upsilon-class command shuttle, appeared from the smoke and the darkness to hover over the village like a demonic bird of prey, before It slowly landed on the sand. Its slow and imposing descent almost seemed intentional, as a way to cause further terror among the inhabitants of Jakku.
The shuttle craft door opens and through the dusty wind and smoke of the planet and the battlefield Kylo ren exits the ship, a tall, dark figure, he strides through the chaos toward San Tekka. Behind Kylo Ren, exits another figure. This one flanked by two Stormtrooper commander guards.
She is a woman, Poe can see that very clearly, and (while he hates to admit it to himself) she was in fact quite striking. In a military, no nonsense, warrior princess kind of way. Her hair is black, her skin a light tan hue and a pair of the most vibrant green eyes he has ever seen stare out at the world in a look that promises nothing but cold calculation.
He knows immediately who she is. He as seen her image often enough in the display holo's on D'Qar. This must be Admiral Kuvira. The reason behind the First Order's sudden increase in territorial expansion and public opinion.
There was a time when he would have happily given his left hand for a kill shot at her. He had heard the General talk about her. How she was one of the greatest threats to the Republic within the First Order. He remembered a particularly gruelling session when she had been informed that the Republic would no longer be providing military hardware due to a diplomatic protest by Admiral Kuvira.
The reason for this had been a Resistance attack against the First Order on one of their training camps for children. Their aim had been to capture the base and rescue the children.
However, Admiral Kuvira had instead documented the entire incident (carefully ensuring no children were visible) and had sent an envoy with a message to Hosnian Prime to address the senate. She had shown the recorded evidence and declared that the Resistance had suddenly and deliberately attacked their territory and their citizens. She declared it a 'cowardly and unprovoked attack' and that if the Republic did not disavow the Resistance 'terrorists'. Then the First Order would consider it an act of war.
Naturally the Republic Senators had spines made of Hutt slime, and the brains to match. They had immediately backed down at the threat of war and proceeded to cut off all 'official' support to the Resistance, along with most of the 'unofficial' support as well.
The General had been stating loudly that it was not Kuvira's military skill that made her so dangerous. (Although that was defiantly an important factor). It had left their entire strike force destroyed, with nothing gained.
It was her understanding that the true war was won in the hearts and minds of the people of the galaxy.
It was a lesson the Empire never learned. Instead they relayed solely on brute strength and intimidation. It made its power effective but also brittle. So that when the Empire was shown to be vulnerable, there was no inherent loyalty to fall back on. Instead world after world had fallen to uprisings, further weakening the Empire.
In the end, this had been almost as much of a reason for the fall of the Empire, then the battle of Endor.
The General had declared that if the First Order had learned this lesson. Then their fight had just gotten a lot more difficult.
But for now, he couldn't ponder the what ifs of Admiral Kuvira. His attention was brought back 100% to Kylo Ren. Who was even now advancing on Tekka.
Kylo Ren stops before the outraged Lor San Tekka, dwarfing him. Only now does it become apparent how imposing Kylo Ren can be when he wants to be. He looms over Tekka and the rest of the villages like an ancient spirt of death, come to take a tithe of lives.
Even in the face of this overwhelming power that even those not attuned to the Force could feel, Tekka never flinched once.
Nor did he react as the women (who was clearly in command here) came to stand at Kylo Ren's side. She faced him directly, one arm by her side, the other resting horizonal behind her back. She stared at him and he felt as if he was being studied like a germ under a microscope. Her stare also seemed to hold the pressure of a glacier.
It took all his strength not to look away.
Kylo Ren stepped forward and faced Tekka directly.
"Look how old you've become." He stated. The tone of his voice both mocking and strangely philosophical.
Tekka never missed a beat in his response. Almost like he had been rehearsing it for some time. "Something far worse has happened to you."
"You know what I've come for." Kylo Ren declared.
"I know where you come from. Before you called yourself Kylo Ren." Tekka answered. His gaze never leaving the imposing masked face.
"The map to Skywalker. We know you've found it, and now you're going to give it to the First Order." Kylo Ren stated this as if it was as much as fact as stating that the stars would shine in the sky tonight.
Tekka seemed for some reason to take strength from this statement. "The First Order rose from the dark side... you did not." He almost seemed smug. He was smiling even as his life was hanging by the increasingly fraying thread of Ren's patience.
Kylo Ren whirled around and matched back to stand right in front of Tekka in a posture that anyone would see as threatening. "I'll show you the dark side." He whispered. The tone was so dangerous it would have been better if he had shouted.
Tekka seemed to know this for his smile disappeared and he suddenly seemed to sober. Nevertheless, he continued to speak. "You may try, but you cannot deny the truth that is your family." He stated with concluding finality. Almost as if this was his chosen epitaph.
"You're so right." Suddenly Kylo Ren raises his lightsaber and ignites it. The red beam of energy with perpendicular smaller blades at the hilt crackles and sparks. A unique buzz emits from the hit as if the beam of energy is too passionate and hateful to remain as a straight pure beam of light. Instead it's constantly spitting sparks and smoking like a blade of actual fire.
And as he rips it down across Lor San Tekka. The old man's corpse falls to the ground amide screams and wails of his bereaved followers.
Poe, running, sees this and yells out in anger. He aims his blaster and fires at Kylo Ren! Instantly, Kylo ren raises his hand, calling on the Force and bending it to his will. Poe's blast freezes in mid-air, the bolt of energy straining and vibrating as it tries to continue its journey but cannot break through the invisible force holding it back.
Poe, just like his energy blast also cannot move. He struggles to move his frozen limbs to action. His efforts increase when he sees two Stormtroopers advancing on him, but he might as well have been frozen in carbonite.
He is grabbed by the two Stormtroopers, and after a vicious blow to his stomach leaves him winded. They then take hold of his suddenly free limbs and drag him past the vibrating, frozen blast, to Kylo Ren.
A Stormtrooper begins a brutal pat down, searching for weapons while Kylo Ren moves closer. Poe just glares at the dark figure that just killed a man he greatly respected. He was already planning how to spit so that it hit the bastards spooky helmet. However, the stormtrooper kicks out Poe's legs and he lands hard on his knees.
Kylo Ren kneeled to look at Poe, while Kuvira stepped towards him so she could observe him.
After a few seconds of tense silence as Poe stared from the haunting mask of Kylo Ren, to the searching eyes of the Admiral he decided that if they were going to kill him they might as well get one with it.
"So who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?". Poe asked. He knew he was likely making Ren even more angry and therefore not helping his life expectancy. But he knew that if he managed to buy BB-8 even a few additional seconds to vanish into the desert, then it would be worth it.
Besides, he knew that he was almost defiantly dead already. And while this was defiantly not the way he had planned to go out. He would rather go here and now then face what ever the First Order did with Resistance prisoners.
Kylo Ren studied him, and Poe got the impression of being a bug beneath a magnifying glass.
"The old man gave it to you." He whispered, more to himself then to Poe. It was also not a question but a statement.
"It's just very hard to understand you with all the…apparatus." Poe continued, only to be interrupted by the two Stormtroopers hauling him to his feet. The Troopers roughly pull Poe away and one of them begins a brutal pat down. His clothes and pockets, every limb is roughly searched for anything that he might be concealing on his person.
Kylo Ren moves closer and continues to observe in silence. Meanwhile Poe just glares as the pat down ends.
"Nothing, sir."
"Put him on board." Kylo Ren turned and began to move back to his shuttle. As he turned Phasma began to make her way forward from the rear of the Stromtrooper formation, where she had been observing the situation.
"Sir, the villagers?" She questioned, the light of the fire causing her chrome armour to glow and ripple in the darkness, while her captain cape billowed behind her.
Kylo Ren turns around to regard the assembled villagers. Some of them are trembling as they await his verdict. Others are glaring back defiantly, and others still have expressions of pleading on their faces as they clasp small children to their chests.
Ren only takes a few seconds to come to his decision.
"Kill them all." He states with an air of finality. Phasma nods and steps forward. The villagers began to scream and whimper while others tried to face their death with dignity. Poe tried to struggle even as the Stormtroopers began to drag him away to the shuttle.
"Hold". All eyes turn to Admiral Kuvira, who up until that point hand watched all the goings on with mute silence and her eyes being the only sign of her interest in the situation.
Kuvira stepped forward and slowly walked toward the group of desert dwellers. Her steps were measured and paced, and she walked with all the confidence of a queen. It was as if she was enjoying a stroll along a beach instead of walking through a battlefield.
She stopped at the edge of the Stormtrooper corden line. She paused for a moment with her hands clasped behind of her back.
Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out a standard holo projector. With a quick flick of her flinger, a massive display appeared above the assembled crowd. The projection consisted of an almost solid block of text displayed in galactic basic.
The actual contents of the projection were lost on the villagers. While they could all speak basic, most of them could not read it. The education system on Jakku was literally non-existent. In fact, only Tekka could have explained it to them. Now that he was dead, that duty fell to Kuvira.
However, all of them recognised the symbol of the New Republic side by side with the symbol of the First Order, displayed underneath several signatures.
"For those of you who cannot read basic, I will explain the situation. This is a copy of the agreement that was passed on the floor of the New Republic Senate two rotations ago. This documents states and confirms that the New Republic formally cedes all authority and jurisdiction over the entire Jakku system to the First Order. This transaction was carried out in return for the payment of three million credits from the First Order, to the New Republic."
She paused as she let the news sink in, then continued. "The New Republic gave away your entire planet for less money then that shuttle costs." She stated in an emotionless voice as she gestured to the Upsilon-class shuttle behind her. Her tone was not mocking or arrogant. It was simply stated as if she were discussing the weather.
However, the reaction of the crowd and Resistance pilot was nothing close to emotionless. The crowd was stunned and began discussing this news between themselves in semi whispers.
None if them had any great loyalty to the New Republic. But they had supported their cause and they had believed the Resistance operatives, and Tekka, when they had championed its value. They knew that they owed nothing to the New Republic. After all they had never received any aid from them, and they survived on their own.
But to hear that the cause that they had supported, killed for, and would likely die for had sold their entire world, just like that….it caused many viewpoints to shatter.
It also led many of them to bitterly regret what they had done up until now. Why should they have risked everything for a government that had literally sold them to the First Order, like an old droid they didn't want anymore!
Many of the villagers began to turn angry and betrayed eyes towards Poe, who had a look of shame and sadness on his features. He had known better then most that the level of corruption, inaction and selfishness in the Senate was greater then ever. He had also known that the worlds in the Outer-Rim, without resources or value, were typically viewed as worthless rocks on Hosnian Prime.
Naturally he had never mentioned these facts to the people of those worlds as it would naturally decrease their already fragile view of the New Republic and the Resistance.
Still, the news that the Senate had simply sold the entire system to the First Order, was a heavy blow to his view of the New Republic he and others had fought so hard to defend. And the nation that he would most likely die for.
He had recognised several of the names on that treaty. Senators who had been known to be powerful members of the Centrists faction. It only made sense that those Palpatine worshipping bastards would be happy to give the entire galaxy to the First Order if they could.
In fact, the Resistance had been fairly certain that a number of the Centrist senators were not only sympathetic to the First Order. But openly aided them in their cause by supplying them with information and aid for their polices in the Senate.
But he also saw several Populist signatures as well, which also made some sense as they seemed to be from members of the radical faction that advocated the complete dissolution of the Republic and basically every system for itself.
He tried to remember that the Republic was not the Senate. It was not the Senate that the Resistance, Tekka or himself was fighting to defend. It was the people that made up the Republic. It was the people that lived their lives free, and who would suffer under the tyranny of the First Order if they failed.
His thoughts were broken as Kuvira continued talking.
"As of now, this world is under the control of the First Order, and you are all subject to its laws. You have harboured enemies of the Order, killed an official envoy without provocation, and killed loyal soldiers with deliberate intent."
She paused as she talked but she began to pace back and forth along the crowd. She ensured that all eyes followed her movements and made certain that her body language displayed nothing but truthfulness and resolve.
"Because of these crimes, I could quite easily have you all killed right here and now. Do you understand that? I can end you all here, and no one would question it or care. Not the New Republic, not the Jedi and certainly not the Force." She said with a brutal, biting tone.
As she spoke many of the villager's defiance seemed to be leaving them as they bowed their heads and prepared to accept their fate.
"However, this does not have to be the case." Kuvira said, while raising her hand to emphasise her point. The villagers looked up. "If you all, kneel and pledge your loyalty, your lives, your future to the First Order, here and now. Then on behalf of the Supreme Leader, himself. I will grant you amnesty for this offense."
The villagers were now listening with rapt attention. There was now some tentative hope that they might actually make it out of this situation alive.
"You will remain on Jakku and be a part of our first outpost on this world. You will assist our people in setting up their headquarters, and influence on this world. You will help us in bringing this world to some semblance of order, and eventually civilisation. Your children will be placed in our training program. They will remain in contact with you, but they will spend most of their time, among our fleet and they will in time, rise above their origins.
I myself came from such a world and background. And now I have the most powerful fleet in the galaxy at my command. Your children will have the opportunity for a similar future as well. A life, I think you all know is beyond what they can dream on this world. And certainly, more than the New Republic will offer you.
But I make this offer and for this one time only. Refuse, and you will all die here, and the First Order will march on to greatness without you. Choose, Now!"
For a moment nothing happened.
Then a man in the front of the crowd sank to his knees. After the first domino fell, the rest began to follow. Slowly the crowd of villagers knelt to their Admiral and in doing so, pledged their loyalty to the First Order.
Finally, only three villagers remained standing defiantly.
Kuvira took a few steps forward. "This is your last opportunity to join us." She stated, the threat now clear in her voice.
After it became clear that the people were not going to bow, she signed. "Hmmm, very well then."
Suddenly Kuvira stepped forwarded. She quickly pulled out her personal blaster pistol and before the trio could even raise their hands, she fired, shooting them in their heads.
The kneeling crowd screamed as the bodies fell. And Poe yelled out as he was roughly pulled on to the shuttle.
Kuvira turns and begins issuing orders to get the fires under control and to begin the long process of setting this primitive village into the foundation for the First Order's planetary outpost. As she passes Kylo Ren and Phasma on her way back to the shuttle she stops and turn to face them, a small smile playing on her lips.
"This war isn't so much a fight as a campaign Lord Ren. Hearts and Minds. That is how the rebellion stole the galaxy. And that is how we are going to take it back."
With that she walked up the ramp and into the shuttle, with her two Stormtrooper guards falling into position at her sides.
Kylo Ren also turns and heads back toward his ship. But then he feels something in the Force. He turns and looks at a stormtrooper with a blood-stained helmet for a long moment. Kylo Ren then heads off, passing the frozen blast, which, after a beat, goes free and slams into a nearby structure.
The blast causes some fresh screams from the villagers, who had begun to put their settlement in order. Ironically helped by the white soldiers who minutes earlier they had been battling.
Meanwhile, BB-8 continued to flee into the desert, looking back occasionally, but only for a moment or two. Then he continued his journey, even though he had no idea where he was going.
After a short trip, the shuttle and all but one of the transports, arrived back into the hanger of the Finalizer, while the Reclaimer remained close by.
Poe, shackled, is ushered from the transport through the hangar. He stops and stares in awe at the imposing space. He realises that this hanger probably contains as many people and resources as the entire Resistance base on D'Qar. And he can even look out the launch bay and see another of the monster Star Destroyers orbiting the planet.
He had known that the First Order had not been ideal during the 30 years since they fled to the Unknown regions. But this was hard to process. And he was starting to have doubts about the Resistance's chances. Even if the New Republic joined them in full scale war against the First Order, he was not certain what the outcome would be.
However, he was certain what his chances and treatment would be while in the First Order's gentle custody.
He was not disappointed.
"I had no idea we had the best pilot in the Resistance on board. Comfortable?" Kylo Ren lurks in the shadows of the interrogation chamber. Poe tries to focus in on him, but his vision is blurry. He cannot tell if that is due to the drugs they gave him, or just the blood leaking into his eyes from his gaping head wounds.
Still he manages to move his battered lips. "Not really."
Ren begins to move closer, almost like a stalking animal moves towards its prey. "I'm impressed. No one has been able to get out of you what you did with the map."
Poe cannot help making a joke, even if he was pretty sure he was going to deeply regret it. "You might wanna rethink your technique."
Kylo Ren says nothing, reaches out to him. Poe flinches in the chair as Kylo Ren reaches for his face but stops without touching him. Poe is soon in agony, he feels the presence in his mind, rifling through his memories and thought like a man flicking pages on a holopad. He tries to resist but he can't fight the overwhelming force.
"Where is it?" Kylo Ren asks in his low and dangerous voice.
Poe feels like his head is being split in half, he has now words that accurately describes the pain he is feeling right now. It is not physical pain, it somehow goes deeper than that. Still, he tries to remain defiant.
"The Resistance…. will not be intimidated… by you." He gasps.
Ren increases the pressure even further. "Where... is it?" Poe can't take it, and he begins to scream.
A few minutes later, Kylo Ren strode out of the interrogation cell and made his way to the bridge. Once there his footsteps caused Admiral Kuvira to turn around from her conversation with the captain.
"Its in a droid. A BB unit." He stated flatly
Kuvira turned around fully and considered for a moment.
"Droids of that make and advanced technology are rare on Jakku. We will dispatch scouts to the planet to come the area around the new Outpost Tilus V (Tekka's village). In the meantime, we will send our contacts on the surface the instructions to spread the word to the scavengers. Once news of a substantial reward becomes known, they will do all they can to return the droid to us."
Kylo Ren nodded and turned away "I will leave that to you Admiral."
Kuvira also nodded and turned back to the captain. "The planet is under blockade until the droid is found. No ships leave or enter without our permission. Make sure everyone knows that any who try to break this blockade will be destroyed immediately."
The captain nodded and turned to begin issuing her orders. However, before he could one of the bridge crew spoke up.
"Captain, there is a security breach in the main hanger."