arl1619: Thank you for your review. I am really glad you liked Kuvira's admission of her own mistake. The truly great military leaders in history have always been the ones who acknowledge if they have made errors and learned from the. Sun Tzu himself said that if orders are not followed due to confusion it is the fault of the commander. As for the surrender, like you said Kuvira will do anything to deny the Resistance martyrdom. She knows defeated foes are much better then dead heroes.
Sylphi: Thank you for the review. I am glad you enjoyed the surrender moment and are looking forward to the next stage of Leia and Kuvira's dynamic. Most of it will be a surprise but I do not think mind tricks will play a part in it. At least not on Kuvira. They only work on the weak minded and the Grand Admiral does not fall into that category.
Avatarlopes: The power couple of the First Order is still very much on. Their long separation was a combination of military/Sith need and building of suspense. It also allowed them a chance to take some distance from eachother and try to figure out what the hell is going on between them. Because for all the power the two of them have. In this matter they are virtually clueless. That is why they both took the opportunity to run back to the familiar when they had the chance. But now they will be force to confront it.
As for Leia and Ben. Both in Canon and in Legends Leia seemed to always hold out hope that their children could be redeemed. Han seemed very quick to wash their hands of both Caedus and Kylo Ren. Leia was a bit more supportive. (Although not much in Caedus's case). I wanted to reflect that Leia is a marginally better parent then the useless Han Solo.
ChaosStar44: Thanks for the review. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much.
Guest: Thank you for the review. Rest assured that is my hope. I have no love for the 'heroes'. The whole point of this story is to finally add some balance to the rebel and Jedi propaganda.
Truth's Hierarch: As always I greatly appreciate and enjoy reading your long reviews. I am glad you liked my description of Leia's internal struggle and hardships. While I personally have never liked her I cannot deny her spirit and unbreakable resolve. Kuvira's is in many ways meant to be the same from the other side of the lines. I am really glad you liked Kuvira's admission of her own mistake. The truly great military leaders in history have always been the ones who acknowledge if they have made errors and learned from the. Sun Tzu himself said that if orders are not followed due to confusion it is the fault of the commander.
As for Tam she will definitely be playing a large role in the story once enough time has passed for her pilot training and until I figure out how best to merge this story with Star Wars Resistance storylines. Also I havr watched the TIE Fighter - short film" by OtaKing77077. For obvious reasons it is one of my favourite start wars animated moments.
C.E.W: Thank you for your review as always. I hope you enjoy this one. It contains some more details on why Kuvira does not see Luke as a credible threat. However her full feelings regarding the force will not be revealed for a while. Until I get the scene and the wording right. You raise an interesting point with Kuvira and Snoke. While Snoke is willing to give Kuvira ultimate control in military matters. He might be less willing of it conflicts with matters of the Force. Snoke holds his needs through the Force as supreme while Kuvira could not care less for the force. Will this lead to a conflict? Who knows?
TishaLiz: Thank you for your review as always. I am glad you liked the date the previous chapter came out. Though that was more a happy coincidence than anything else. I will have Leia and Kuvira have a proper heart to heart in the next few chapters. For now I hope you enjoy this latest part.
Sage-Faerie of The Marsh: Glad you liked the chapter. I agree with you about the Last Jedi chase scene. But we should remember that Empire Strikes Back was mostly chase scenes and a hyperdrive that failed no less than four times. Anyway. I hope you like this next instalment.
Guest: I am glad you liked the chapter and all the parts involving the surrender. I hope you enjoy this chapter as I flesh those details out.
Kksambo: No worries about reviewing or not. I always enjoy getting reviews but I don't hold it against people if they cannot. In regards to your other question. I do have the other pantheon story for the Percy Jackson series. I have four chapters ready to upload. But as I mentioned I am reluctant to upload them as I will not be updating them often while the Reclaimer is still being worked on. I don't have enough spare time to upload them both quickly. But I do not want stories to be sat there for months with no update. It annoys me when people have multiple stories that they take years to update. Still if you are interested in reading it I might look into uploading the pilot chapters.
AWriter159: Thank you for you review. I hope you enjoy this chapter and the reunion details it has for Kuvira and Kylo Ren.
Chapter 27 – Surrender on the Supremacy
The Supremacy
Kuvira POV
The hanger of the Mega class star destroyer was currently playing host to a small army. Roughly two thousand stormtroopers were standing ready with their weapons primed and ready. But thankfully not aimed to fire. Not yet anyway. The army was split down the middle to allow a thousand troopers to stand in two square formations with a clear corridor running between them.
This corridor offered the soon to be arriving prisoners a great view of the hanger entrance. If they could see that far into the distance. The hanger was truly massive. It was large enough to house TIE fighters, transports, AT-ST's AT-AT's and even several versions of the new AT-M6's heavy assault walkers. And it was not even the largest of the ships hangers. There were two special hangers to allow a Resurgent class star destroyer to undergo a complete refit. Not including the eight docking bays that allowed other resurgent class to dock.
But that was exactly the reason why the orders had been issued to bring the surrendered Resistance fighters from the Raddus into this hanger on the prison transports. The first thing they would see when they exited the prison transport would be the hangers immense contains of weapons, troopers and fighters. Here the entire power of the First Order was on display.
The prisoners seeing all this would immediately realise just what manner of enemy they had been fighting. They would see the power and resources of the Order and compare it to the ragged assembly the Resistance had put together. They would see that they were hopelessly out matched and the idea that they could have ever won this war was nothing short of lunacy.
Along with the surrender of their legendary General, this would be the final blow to their hope and they would face despair. Not all of them would break, but most of them would. They would then become reluctant but compliant prisoners. And compliant prisoners were always preferred in the long run.
All this and more was considered by Grand Admiral Kuvira as she stood in front of her assembles soldiers and made her orders clear.
"The prisoners will arrive shortly. You are not to harm them or demean them in any way. If they resist you are welcome to use force. If they attack you are authorised to respond lethally. But you are only authorised to fire if first fired upon. Anyone who disobeys this order will answer to me." She proclaimed. The threat obvious despite the casual tone of her voice. That somehow seemed to make the threat even worse. "Am I understood?!" She called.
"Sir, Yes Sir!" The troopers called out with their affirmative echoing across the cavernous hanger. The First Order's soldiers received intense training from birth, adolescence or joining. But even without that they would have known better then to question such an important order.
Kuvira nodded her approval and turned back to face the hanger bay entrance. She stood in the front of the central corridor between her two contingents of soldiers. To either side of her stood her two personnel red armoured Praetorian guards. Their vibro weapons ready. Also to the side of her was her trusty Nephitina with her data pad in hand and a small hold out blaster on her waist. On the other side was Captain Yago who was here as was his right as Captain of the Supremacy.
Together the assembled group waited with their soldiers as the transports began to move from the captured and derelict Raddus to the Supremacy.
The First Order had sent in their elite shock trooper battalions to the Raddus to undertake the task of subduing any lingering resistance and securing the ship and the prisoners. It was a difficult task even with a ship that had formally surrendered.
After all while General Organa might have bowed to the inevitable he soldiers might not be as wise. Soldiers tended to only view the immediate picture rather than the overall reality. This might make them only consider that enemy troopers were coming to take them captive and nothing else. This could drive them into a death or glory mind-set.
This was a situation Kuvira would like to avoid as it would needlessly endanger the lives of her soldiers. And it might risk the loss of valuable Intel from the prisoners. Beyond that they held no value for her. But she was eager to maintain the dignity of both the Resistance and the First Order in this historic moment.
She did not want this clean and flawless surrender and victory to be tainted with un-needed violence.
As she mused she saw the first of the transports coming through the hanger shield and lower to the ground. Quickly followed by others as the line of shuttles moved from the Raddus. The transport lowered and the first rank of stormtroopers readied their weapons but did not take firing position.
The ramp opened and the shocktroopers exited first with their Resistance prisoners moving behind them. Steadily the troopers shooed the Resistance soldiers out of the transport and moved them in a steady stream down towards the assembled First Order forces.
Kuvira stood to the side as the assembled ranks past them, as did her guards, Yago and Nephitina. The soldiers led the captives through the gap between the stormtrooper forces and led them towards the entrance at the end of the hanger some distance away.
She had no real interest in these rank and file soldiers. But she did make a careful study of their faces as they filed past. They were staring at their boots as they walked forward. Glum and miserable. They did not even bother to look up at their enemies as they were marched off to prison.
There was the occasional enemy that showed a spark of defiance in a harsh glare or a back straight with pride. But for the most part they simply trudged across the hanger. With their shoulders slumped and their faces drawn.
They looked beaten.
Kuvira witnessed this with approval and no small satisfaction. The Resistance might linger own in some small scattered cells across the galaxy. But the organisations spirit might have already died. If so, it was a death Kuvira could celebrate.
The defeated soldiers made their way past the assembled ranks of the First Order. The Resistance soldiers looked dejected as they walked past in their mottled green and brown uniforms. Standing so close the flawless white armour of the stormtroopers. They looked extremely woebegone. They moved back out of the hanger under guard. They would be escorted to the holding cells in the detention centre. There they would remain until the surrender terms where finalised and they could be sent to a prison colony.
Soon the Resistance rank and file gave way to droids and other electronic equipment. The droids had been fitted with restraining bolts and the equipment was begin carried on servo lifts. The droids and the equipment would be taken to the analytics labs and searched for any data that might prove to be useful.
It was unlikely as the Resistance would never be so stupid as to not have wiped their archives clean before being boarded. But there was a chance the data could be recovered or that something had survived the purge.
After the droids, finally came the Resistance leadership surrounded by the most elite of the shocktrooper battalions. The leadership moved out of the transports with clearly more dignity then their rank and file followers. They moved with their shoulders squared, their backs straight and their eyes staring forward with a look of stern impassiveness.
Among them was Niel Numb, Lieutenant Guila Angira, Sergeant Derham Boyce, Major Nossit Cicer, Commander Larma D'Acy and Admiral Gial Ackbar.
Truly all useful prisoners and their capture was defiantly something to celebrate. But they all paled in comparison to the prize catch of the day. General Leia Organa
Her capture ensured that this would be a day long remembered. It would also ensure that the Resistance and their supporters across the galaxy would receive a blow to their morale that would likely never recover. It would also boost the morale of the First Order and their constituent worlds. It would make them see their victory as all but assured.
It would not affect the New Republic as much as she would like. To the majority of the New Republic, Leia Organa was a disgraced Politian known best as being the secret daughter of Darth Vader. She was regarded as a radical trying to relieve her glory days in the Resistance who had been ousted from the public eye for years. Her capture would need little to those in the New Republic who held such opinions.
Of course there was a chance that those opinions might have changed with the destruction of Hosnian Prime. Certainly some people in the New Republic navy would be devastated by the news. A number of them having been in the Rebellion.
Regardless of how this victory would be received across the galaxy. It was still a victory. And Kuvira was more than ready to take advantage of it.
But she noted that Leia was not walking like a prisoner. She strode between the flanking stormtroopers as though they were her own chosen royal guards. She walked down the transport ramp and marched towards Kuvira as though she was an invited guest who had come of her own accord.
Though she made no show of it. Kuvira was pleased. To accept defeat with grace and dignity was the difference between a true General and a short-sighted warlord. It was important for a true leader of men to claim victory with restraint and accept defeat with propriety.
It was one more piece of evidence that General Organa was an enemy worthy of respect.
But that did not mean that Kuvira would be hesitant in her surrender terms to the older woman.
When Leia arrived at the head of the Resistance leadership the Praetorian guards moved in front of their Grand Admiral and crossed their weapon staffs in an unmistakable gesture ordering them to halt.
For a moment Leia and Kuvira stared at each other between the crossed red lances of the praetorian guards. Warm chocolate brown eyes, stared into cold emerald green eyes. Each set of orbs containing immense power and resolve.
Like their eyes the two women could not have been more different in appearance. Leia with her grey hair, lines face and noble demeanour against Kuvira's black hair, tanned skin and military bearing. Their clothes separated them too. While both wore black, Leia wore Alderaanian morning garb in respect for Hosnian Prime with a number of decorative jewellery on her wrists and ears. Kuvira meanwhile wore her First Order uniform with her Grand Admiral greatcoat adorned only with her military ranks and accolades.
After what felt like an eternity, but was just a few minutes. Kuvira broke the silence as she waved her guards back to their previous positions at her side.
"General Organa." She said simply in greeting.
Leia did not seem surprised as she responded quickly. "Grand Admiral Kuvira." She responded in much the same tone as Kuvira. Neither quite knowing how this meeting would go and not sure what the tone of it would be.
Silence fell again for a few moment before Kuvira began again. "I have long wished to have the pleasure of a face to face conversation with you General. There were times when I contemplated going to Hosnian Prime on a state visit for just that purpose. But I never had the time." She said as what might have been called a smile creased up her lip. "The burdens of military life as I am sure you understand." She stated rather than questioned.
Leia responded coolly to Kuvira's remark. "I am flattered you found me such an interesting study Grand Admiral. I am sure there are many people across the galaxy who lament that they did not visit Hosnian Prime when they has the chance."
Kuvira did not even flinch at the implication. "To defeat an enemy you must know them General. And it was the Republic's inability to answer a simple question that led to the destruction of Hosnian Prime. Not even mentioning the role your Resistance played in starting this war."
Kuvira waved her hand as if it ward off any further argument between the two of them. "But we are here to arrange the formal surrender of the Resistance to the First Order. We should not waste time with recrimination." Kuvira said.
Leia hesitated for a moment before she responded. "You should know Grand Admiral. That I accepted the surrender offered to the Resistance soldiers on the Raddus. I did not speak for the rest of the Resistance out in the galaxy. Nor do I speak for the free people across the galaxy who will continue to resist you. This is the surrender of Leia Organa. Not the surrender of the Resistance." Leia replied waspishly.
Kuvira regarded her with clear scepticism. If she was a more vindictive woman she might have asked the General if there was truly a difference between the two.
As it was she simply replied. "As you say." With no further comment on the matter. "Then let us proceed with the formal surrender of this particular army of the Resistance. Shall we?" Kuvira asked as the stormtroopers behind her shuffled as they braced themselves for combat if the Resistance leadership refused this demand.
Leia nodded however and Kuvira turned to Nephitina and held out her hand expectantly. The faithful Twi'lek quickly pulled out a datapad and typed a few keys before she handed it to Kuvira.
Kuvira regarded the datapad for a few moments. Leia saw her green eyes moving quickly but carefully across the details laid out on the datapad. Clearly Kuvira had some skill in speed reading. Either that or she was simply skimming the details.
Finally she looked up at Leia, her face a professional mask. "I have drafted out an official document to validate the surrender terms I offered via the hologram. To begin, I propose to receive the surrender of the army of the Resistance under the command of Leia Organa on the following terms."
"To begin. The weapons, armour, and military property of the Resistance is to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers of the First Order to be appointed by Captain Yago to receive them. The private soldiers of no rank higher then Sergeant will be paroled after an incarceration period of no more than three years. They each man will be allowed to return to their homes, so long as they observe their parole and the laws of the First Order in force. They will also be expected to make routine follow ups on their parole status with a First Order representative to be assigned to them upon release. Violation of this parole will be met with resumed imprisonment or execution."
"In addition, they will also swear to not take up further action against the First Order in any form. Including but not limited too. Acts of Terrorism, political movements, larceny, piracy and open combat. Any violations of this stipulation will revoke any protection they have under First Order law and they will be executed on sight."
"The officers of the Resistance of a Lieutenant's rank or higher will be incarcerated indefinitely until such time as their extent of their actions against the First Order can be determined. The ranks of the Resistance command shall also be subject to this sentence until such time as their final sentence can be enacted."
"If the members of the Resistance Command Council accept these terms they will be spared from the sentence of execution. Failure to do so or any further acts of defiance will be met with lethal force."
Kuvira finished reading the datapad and turned it over so that Leia could see the end of the document and the thumb scan that Kuvira had imprinted on the biometric signature section. There was an identical biometric scanner on the other side of the data pad. Waiting for Leia to affix her own acceptance of the surrender terms.
Leia hesitated only for a moment before she took the datapad. As hard as this moment was she had made her decision and would not hesitate on it now.
She paused as her finger hovered over the biometric scanner. Her eyes quickly skimming over the terms and conditions of the surrender. After a few seconds she looked up at Kuvira. "There is no addendum demanding that I or the Resistance command council swear never to fight the First Order again. Is that deliberate or an oversight?" She asked curiously.
Kuvira eyed Leia with something that resembled sardonic humour. "If I had added that into the agreement. Would you have abided by it?" She asked pointedly. Upon seeing Leia's defiant expression she nodded. "Exactly." She said then gestured once more to the datapad.
This time Leia took the pad and pressed her thumb to the screen. Within a moment the scanner beeped and the surrender was signed.
Kuvira took the datapad back and handed it to Nephitina. "Have that transmitted to the Supreme Leader and then sent to every ship, fleet and planet in our dominion." She then turned to the escort guards on either side of the captured Resistance leaders. "Escort these prisoners to the maximum security detention wards. They are to be treated with all respect unless they resist. Ensure that they are comfortable. Secure, but comfortable." She ordered.
The guards nodded and moved into position to begin walking while Kuvira and her group began to move out of the way of the procession.
Suddenly there were the sounds of a commotion behind her and the unmistakable sounds of a struggle and a body falling to the floor. Before Kuvira could turn around or even fully register what was happening back there. The familiar sound of a blaster shot rang out through the air.
Kuvira's muscles tightened as she reflexively prepared to dodge. But before she could do so she was forcibly thrown to the floor by a sudden push on her shoulder. She came down in a crouch as she regain her balance from the sudden push and instinctively pivoted on her feet so that she was crouched down with her blaster pistol drawn from her belt.
As she aimed down the corridor of men that the Resistance prisoners had moved down and saw what the commotion had been caused by.
A Resistance soldier was standing apart from the rest of the column of prisoners with a blaster rifle in her hand. Said rifle was aimed squarely at Kuvira. The downed and clearly dazed stormtrooper on the hanger floor clearly showed where she had gotten the weapon from.
The woman human, shorter than normal, with a stoutness about her that gave her the image of a mechanic rather than a trained solider. She had dark eyes with tanned skin and black hair but not in the same manner as Kuvira herself. She also seemed to have a great deal of dirt a grease smeared across her face.
As Kuvira took stock of the situation she realised that her guards had been the ones to push her to the ground. She could only assume that meant that the original blaster bolt had been aimed at her. Based on the fact that the unknown soldier was aiming the rifle at her and the intense look of hatred in her eyes. That seemed a logical assumption.
As Kuvira watched the woman took aim again and fired. Screaming with incandescent rage as she did so. But the guards were ready and one of them threw themselves in front of their crouching Grand Admiral. Their iconic red armour with its unique shielding allowed the blaster bolt to be absorbed with no clear damage.
By now the rest of the First Order troops had woken up to the attack in their midst. The escort guards aimed their weapons at their assembled prisoners to make sure they did not get any ideas. The assembled army also closed ranks and aimed their weapons. And Kuvira's guards stepped to her one in front to guard against the would be assassin. The other took up position behind her to guard against attacks from Leia and the other Resistance leaders.
The woman soon found herself facing down the barrels of over two thousand blasters. She looked frenzied and desperate as her eyes darted in every direction. The Resistance soldier had clearly been relying on surprise to hit her target. She had acted with no plan or coordination with her comrades. Now that her attack had failed she was floundering in a hopeless situation with no way out.
With eyes that were wide in manic hysteria the woman took aim at Kuvira for a third time. Even though she must have known on some level that it was a wasted effort. Tears of grief, anger and rage burned within her eyes and her teeth were gritted as her lips pulled back in a snarl.
But before she could fire her stolen weapon again. A blaster bolt shot from the ceiling and buried itself in the Resistance attackers back. The woman cried out in pain and dropped to her knees as another blast flew into her side.
The impact send her to the floor, her weapon falling from her suddenly nerveless fingers as she curled in on herself. Screaming as a third blaster bolt slammed into her stomach.
She was quickly surrounded by five troopers who picked up her weapon and proceeded to beat the prone woman senseless. Raining down fists and kicks as she shouted in pain.
Kuvira stood back up as her guards fell back into position but kept their weapons activated. As the situation dialled back down, she glanced up at the hanger walkways. Standing up from her firing position, her sniper rifle still smoking, Captain Phasma stood to her full height on the walkway. When she saw Kuvira regarding her she saluted and readied her sniper rifle to fire again if need be.
Kuvira also saw the large number of snipers and troopers on the walkways above the assembled Resistance and First Order personnel.
She would have been foolish to not have some additional forces on hand when the Resistance soldiers came aboard. Having them in such an advantageous elevated position would have ended any potential battle that much faster.
Kuvira brushed herself off from her sudden push to the floor and regarded Leia Organa quickly. As she suspected there was not sign that the General had approved or known about this assassination attempt. That made sense. She knew that if Leia Organa had been involved in a plot to kill her. It would have been a lot less pathetic then that.
"I trust that you remember the terms of our treaty General?" She asked Leia suddenly.
Leia seemed to come to herself as she looked away from the moaning woman on the ground to face the Grand Admiral. "The prisoners will be treated well and cared for dependant on them offering no Resistance and never again taking up arms against the First Order." Kuvira elaborated as the General came to understand what she was implying. "I think we can all agree that her actions violate this agreement." She stated.
Leia looked like she wanted to protest. But looking into Kuvira's eyes must have shown her that it would be a waste of time. Instead she turned her gaze to the soldier on the floor as she twitched and sobbed from her injuries. Whether she was trying to catch her eye to offer some consolation or comfort. Kuvira did not know, nor care.
She turned her back to the General and made her way towards the downed assailant. The troopers quickly hurried the prisoners out of her way as they cleared a path. As Kuvira approached the Praetorian guards moved ahead of her and made their way towards the prisoner.
The two praetorian guards came to a stop before the sobbing bruised woman and took up their positions. One reached down and pulled the woman to her knee's bringing forth more cries of pain as her many injuries were jostled and irritated. The soldier then very ungently through her to the floor so that she was sitting forward in a kneeling position wither her torso splayed on the hanger floor. Her head hidden behind her sweating splayed hair.
The first guard stood behind her and took hold of her arms and held them behind her in a vice like grip. He hauled her head off the floor and kept it positioned in front of her. Keeping her in position as she knelt on the floor. It was unlikely that in her current condition she would have been able to fight off a loth cat. Let alone a member of the elite Praetorian guard. But given her recent assassination attempt it made no sense to be careless.
The second guard stood beside the prone woman and activated his vibro-voulge. The red energy blazing into life along the razor sharp blade.
He raised the weapon above his head and held in position ready to swing it down on the woman's neck. As he did so Kuvira watched the scene impassively while her soldiers kept the Resistance troops under guard. She could see that many of them were watching the scene unfold in horror. Others were looking on with outrage in their faces. And still others were looking away or closing their eyes. Either to not watch the grizzly scene or to pretend it did not exist.
The Resistance commanders along with Leia were watching the scene with grim stoicism.
A flash of light in the corner of her eye drew Kuvira's gaze. Turning back to the condemned woman on the floor she noticed something. A pendant of some kind was hanging down from a chain around her neck. It seemed to be made of some kind of golden material.
It seemed familiar to her. As it swung back and forth with the motion of its beaten wearer. There were clearly symbols etched into its crescent shape. Symbols which again struck her as familiar.
The guard adjusted his grip as he prepared to bring the weapon down.
"Hold." Kuvira ordered as she stepped towards the prone prisoner. The guard drew back and the second one kept his hands firmly on the woman's arms to keep her immobile. The woman herself raised her bloodied head at the word and stared at Kuvira through bleary eyes.
Kuvira bent down and took the golden pendant in her hand. The woman growled and started struggling at the sight. The second guard jabbed the butt his weapon staff into the woman's side and forced her to desist.
Kuvira studied the pendant very carefully. It was not gold as previously thought. But it was a metal that was very familiar to her. The inscriptions or glyphs were clearly intricate and very thorough in their layout. It was also clear that the pendant's crescent shape was intended to be placed with an identical one to produce a united whole.
That little cultural clue suddenly made her observation click. These were known as Otomok medallions. A cultural icon from a planet in the far outer rim near the unknown regions. The medallion was a stylized ensign of the Otomok system, representing the planet of Hays Minor. That also explained what the material was. It was known as Haysian smelt. And excellent conductor among other uses.
It was also very useful in the constructions of many things.
It explained why the pendant had looked familiar to her.
It also explained why the woman hated her so much to be willing to commit virtual suicide in a hopeless attack in the middle of the hanger.
"Hays Minor?" Kuvira asked the woman. Though it was more of a statement then a question.
The woman's head snapped up as her eyes blazed in fire. She stared at Kuvira and spat a glob of bloody saliva from her mouth. The glob of bodily fluid splattered against Kuvira's cheek. The guard slammed his spear shaft into the woman's gut and then slammed the end of the shaft down on her head.
The woman groaned as pain once more racked her body for her disobedience.
Kuvira moved her gloved hand across her face and removed the offending residue. She showed no sign of anger or even of offense. She simply stared at the tiny piece of metal in her hand.
For a long moment she said nothing as the entire hanger stared and waited for the hammer to fall. Finally Kuvira looked back at the woman.
"Hays Minor. In the Otomok system. Rich in mineral wealth, containing a passive society and brought under the control of the First Order by General Brendol Hux." Kuvira said as she stared at the pendant. And then to the woman on the ground.
"I read the reports of what happened to that planet while under Hux's administration. I can see that you survived and escaped to the Resistance. That would explain your actions here and now." She stated.
The woman looked up at her again. "Are you going to gloat at how you used the weapons my people were forced to build to conquer other planets like ours? After you used them on us for target practice." She hissed in contempt.
Kuvira remained un-daunted. "No, in fact I was going to offer my apologies." She said flatly.
The hanger seemed to thrum with energy as the silence became truly oppressive. The First Order soldiers were too disciplined to react. But many of them were glad they were wearing fully covering helmets as their eyes bulged in amazement and their jaws almost unhinged themselves.
They had just heard Grand Admiral Kuvira, one of the ruling triumvirate for the entire First Order, apologise to a Resistance grease monkey that had just tried to kill her!
Even the officers were in shock though trying to conceal it. The only person who did not seem surprised was Nephitina. She was simply smiling as she typed into her datapad. But then, the Twi'lek spent a lot of time with Kuvira. More than anyone else in the entire First Order.
The Resistance members were also looking surprised. The woman herself looked up in shock before her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Kuvira allowed her a few moments to collect her thought before she continued.
"As I said. I have read the reports on what happened on Hays Minor." She said as her lip curled in distaste. "It was a travesty. A monument to the sadistic, brutal, short-sighted methods that Brendol Hux lived by. It was the only way he was capable of. The only way his limited barbaric mind could comprehend. It is a primal mind-set that I came to associate with him and later his equally vicious son Armitage Hux." She ranted as she kept a tight lid on her stronger emotions. Keeping her voice cool an analytical.
"Instead of overseeing its administration and annexation properly. He went in with brute force and turned a populated vibrant world into a polluted and depleted penal colony. If he had overseen the planet properly, Hays Minor would be a thriving world. Protected by our armies and fleets and with your planets minerals exchanged for advances in technology and off world opportunity." She explained as the woman's eyes never left her face.
"I wish I could have rectified the situation but I was not in command back then. At the time I was a Captain serving under Grand Admiral Rae Sloane. If I had been. I would have had Brendol Hux shot for his actions on your planet and the damage he did to the First Order. But by the time I was promoted to Admiral Brendol Hux was dead and the damage had been done."
"I can understand that sometimes we must do bloody and unforgiving things for the cause. I have commanded and been responsible for more deaths then I can begin to count. But it always has a purpose. It is always with a greater good in mind. What Brendol did to your people was simply a mindless act of savagery. There was simply no need for it. That is something I cannot abide."
Kuvira stood up straight and regarded the woman with an expression that was not pity but held a clear sincerity as she looked down on her. "I Kuvira, Grand Admiral of the First Order, and commander in chief of all its armies. Formally apologise for the suffering of your world." As she spoke she gestured to the waiting Praetorian guard.
The guard stepped forward and raised his vibro-voulge, the red energy bursting back into existence as the blade came back up. But the woman did not seem to notice. She was too busy staring at Kuvira.
The Grand Admiral could see the emotions warring on her face. Rage, confusion, hatred, sadness, understanding, regret. But she could not seem to select one to embrace in this moment.
Kuvira continued as the Praetorian Guard readied himself. "I cannot restore your world to life or bring back those that Hux's stupidly condemned. But I can promise you that now that I am Grand Admiral, with the support of Lord Ren and the Supreme Leader. No world under our rule will face such unnecessary horrors again."
Kuvira took a step back as she spoke. It was subtle and the woman seemed not to realise what the purpose behind the move was.
(That Kuvira did not want to get blood on her boots)
Kuvira turned to the woman for a final time as she held her undivided attention. "I am truly sorry. For what happened to you." She said sincerely before she gave a small nod of her head.
The guard reacted instantly. With the speed and strength in perfect combination he brought down his weapon on the Resistance engineer. The blade hitting its intended target (her neck) flawlessly.
Kuvira turned away as the body fell to the floor and the severed head began rolling away before one of the soldiers stopped it with their boot.
Kuvira briefly regarded the pendant lying in a growing puddle of blood that was still spurting from the severed neck of its previous owner. She was sure the cleaning crews would either find a use for the valuable metal or dispose of it. Either way it was not her concern.
As she made her way out of the hanger she saw the train of Resistance prisoners begin to continue their journey to the cells on the detention levels. They were carefully trying to avoid the blood and the corpse that was being dragged away by cleaning crews. It would be thrown in the incinerator later.
For now she had to report the evens of today to the Supreme Leader.
The Throne Room
Kuvira - POV
"Hahaha, well done Grand Admiral. My faith in you has been rewarded ten fold." Supreme Leader Snoke chucked as he sat on his throne. His golden robes draped around his desiccated body as he laughed out his mirth. The rest of the Praetorian Guard stood around him while the two guards assigned to Kuvira re-joined their fellows.
The message was simple but clear. They might be assigned to protect the Grand Admiral. But their ultimate loyalty was to the Supreme Leader
Kuvira remained where she was as she knelt on one knee with her head bowed. Her black greatcoat splayed on the floor around her. She kept her eyes to the ground as she accepted the praise from her Supreme Leader.
This was the only situation when the Grand Admiral's knees touched the ground.
"The Resistance base destroyed. The Resistance fleet ravaged and most of their leadership captured. These victories are only surpassed by the crowning achievement. The capture of Leia Organa. With her as our prisoner the Resistance is leaderless and devoid of their figureheads to inspire them. Our victory has become considerably closer due to your efforts, Grand Admiral." Snoke proclaimed as he raised his hand in a gesture.
Kuvira felt an inviable presence take hold her body and soon she was slowly rising of the floor. Soon she was gently deposited off her knees and on her feet as the Supreme Leader displayed his power along with his congratulations.
Kuvira considered it a waste of effort as she was perfectly capable of rising to her feet on her own power. But she understood that subtle reminders of his immense power in the Force was one of the Supreme Leaders preferred methods of reminding his subordinates just who ruled. It was probably also intended as a gesture to show his appreciation.
Tedious though it may be she could understand the usefulness of such grandstanding. After all one did not remain in command of such vast armies commanded by ambitious generals without an occasional demonstration.
"The Resistance is scattered and their morale is demolished. Now is the time when their desperation will force them to seek out skywalker with greater intensity. He will sense his sister's plight across the galaxy. And this will be the perfect bait to draw him out into the open. We must prepare to move on him and the rest of the Resistance." Snoke proclaimed.
Kuvira was too disciplined to roll her eyes. But she was unable to have the stray emotions run through her mind. When faced with a being as powerful as the Supreme Leader. She might as well have shouted her thoughts to the sky.
"Your thoughts are laid bare, Grand Admiral Kuvira." The Supreme Leader said softly as Kuvira met his gaze. Her emerald eyes meeting his cobalt blue orbs. "You feel that my priorities are misplaced." The words were spoken with no malice or accusation. They were simply a statement of fact.
Kuvira never lied to the Supreme Leader. There would be no point. Despite all her mental discipline and her intense focus. She was unable to conceal her mind from him. Against neophyte force uses like Rey she would protect her mind quite well. But against Snoke's power her mind was an open book.
Besides she knew that unlike Darth Vader. The Supreme Leader would not kill her for simply voicing her opinion. Snoke had no use for yes men and sycophants. He needed those who would speak honestly to serve him. And he knew that.
"Forgive me Supreme Leader. But I must once again state that we waste far too many resources on matters related to skywalker. The coward fled into the dark of the galaxy to live the life of a hermit years ago. He clearly does not intend to come back. And even if he did. For all his power, for all his achievements, he is one man. We have an entire galaxy to conquer and reorganise into a new and stable state."
"Our concerns and tasks are legion. We have the Resistance to mop up and the New Republic remnants to defeat. We are still at war. Despite the destruction of the senate we have had no official surrender from the New Republic government. Until we receive one we must remain fully committed to our goal of retaking the galaxy. The concerns of one man are irrelevant compared to that. Regardless of who he is." Kuvira said flatly and without any hesitation.
Snoke was silent for a moment as he regarded Kuvira. Kuvira felt tension but not fear. She knew that the Supreme Leader would indulge her arguments. And if he provided her with an answer she would understand in terms of military and logistics. So much the better.
"Do you not feel that the Emperor and Lord Vader might have felt the same thing as you Grand Admiral. And yet that one man brought about the death of Palpatine, the ruination of Lord Vader and the collapse of the Empire." Snoke asked.
Kuvira's rebuttal came at the speed of light. "A situation that was only allowed to happen due to the Emperor and Vader's foolish determination to bring skywalker in alive. They had him at their mercy on Bespin, Endor and a dozen other places. If either of them had simply driven their lightsaber into his chest or snapped his neck, the Empire would have prevailed." She expressed with a small amount of disgust in her voice.
"We are not hindered by the same idiocy. If Skywalker returns we will not waste time trying to 'turn' him. And I have no interest in a dramatic lightsaber duel. As soon as we have a location I will order the entire fleet to turn the planet he is on into a smoking cinder. I doubt even the great Jedi Master can survive that." Kuvira stated a bit tersely for her own liking. She normally never speak with anything even approaching disrespect. She must be tired after the events of the last few days. She would need to rest soon.
Snoke rose from his throne and 'walked' towards Kuvira, his movements jerky as he moved his half crippled body with his golden slippers designed to limit the pain of walking on his feet. The gnarled appearance of his body belied his power so much that Kuvira could not help but wonder if it was an intentional trap.
She bowed her head as he approached but did not kneel again.
Snoke stopped in front of her as he began to speak. "You have often impressed upon me the need for our war on the New Republic to be more than just simple conquest, Grand Admiral. You have often made certain that we proceed with hearts and minds in consideration. Not all of your fellow commanders have agreed with you. But I think we can agree that results have vindicated your decision." The Supreme Leader stated as he stood before the Grand Admiral.
Kuvira nodded. "The worlds in our territory quiet and mostly pacified. The centrist worlds seceding to us each day. War guilt laid at the feet or the Resistance. I think the results speak for themselves Supreme Leader." She agreed.
Snoke nodded. "Indeed. But you fail to realise that Skywalker must also be treated with the same considerations in mind. Skywalker is one man as you say but he is also more then that in the minds of the people across the galaxy. To them he is more then a man. More then a Jedi. He is a symbol. A symbol of defiance, or rebellion. As long as he lives, hope for our destruction lives in the galaxy."
"Even if he is dead, people will continue to believe in him. They will continue to be inspired by him. They will continue to hope that he will come to save them." Snoke paused as he allowed the weight of his words to gather. "And that is why we need to show the galaxy his bloodied and beaten corpse. To show them his body hung from our flagship and his head mounted on my wall. Only then will we kill both luke skywalker the man, and luke skywalker the myth."
Snoke turned and made his way back to his throne and sat down with care. "That is why we must ensure that we continue to pursue Skwalker. Because as soon as we kill him our control over the galaxy is that much more secure." He finished.
Kuvira considered for a moment. She saw the logic in the Supreme Leader's plan. But she was not convinced that this was purely a logical move and not the Supreme Leader trying to settle the ancient grudge between the light side and the dark side.
Still she knew when she had been given an order.
She bowed her head in acknowledgement. "Understood Supreme Leader, we will continue the search. In addition to the campaign against the Republic." She tacked on to the end.
Snoke nodded and made a gesture with his hand. "You are dismissed Grand Admiral. Continue your work against our enemies."
Kuvira offered a crisp salute, spun on her heel and began to move down the walkway towards the turbo life that would take her down to the command deck. From there she could oversee preparations and then make her way back to the Reclaimer to launch their next advance into Republic space.
As he walked down the walkway he noticed that a figure was making their way down the opposite way towards her and the Supreme Leader.
A figure dressed all in black.
Kylo Ren strode down the throne rooms walkway with a commanding self-confidence and commanding bearing that was becoming more and more obvious in his manner these days. His black cloak billowing out behind him. His iconic mask firmly in place.
As he and Kuvira made their way towards each other a thousand feelings rippled through the Force. They were both too disciplined and focused to turn their heads to face each other. At least not in the presence of the Supreme Leader and the guards. But their eyes did turn towards each other as they came within reach of the other.
As they passed by each other on the walkway the tension became almost palpable in the air.
Unaware of the storm of emotions.
Or possibly because of them. The Supreme Leader immediately called out to his apprentice. With a barely noticeable hesitation in his step. The dark apprentice continued towards his master. While the Grand Admiral made her way out of the room and into the elevator without a backward glance.
Later
Kylo Ren - POV
Kylo Ren rode the elevator down from the throne room with his emotions roiling inside him. It was bad enough that his mother…..
That General Leia Organa was on the Supremacy. But he had finally seen Kuvira again since Starkiller base and they had not even managed to exchange a word to each other.
He was still contemplating the situation he found himself in when the door to the elevator opened and he found himself face to face with Kuvira.
She was standing with her arms folded across her chest, back straight and her eyes boring into him.
Kylo was allowed a brief moment to wonder how she had known when he would arrive or what level he would get out on. Before she cut of his previous thoughts completely.
"We need to talk, Lord Ren. My quarters. One hour" She said in a voice that allowed no argument.
Without giving the dark lord a second to reply she turned and strode down the corridor. Leaving Kylo Ren glad that his mask covered his stunned expression.
Authors Note
200,000 words! Wow I need a drink.
Anyway my apologies that this chapter took so long. I had it written almost a month ago and was nearly finished. Then my computer crashed and I had to have it professionally fixed. In the process I lost all my files, including this chapter.
I was really pissed off and did not start it again for a while. Then I had a medical matter that laid me up for a while.
But I finally managed to get this uploaded. I hope you enjoyed it and found it worth the wait. As always reviews are always appreciated.