There wasn't anyone watching the inside of the warehouse that Sofie was left in, so she had time to climb into a TIE fighter and figure out how to use it.
It took some trial and error, but she finally started the ship up and prepared for take-off.
Sofie realized that there was no clear exit, but then looked straight up. Maybe a messy exit was her best bet.
She guided the fighter straight up and hit the roof with a loud bang. The fighter accelerated, and to her relief, it broke through the roof. It was dark outside so Sofie couldn't see much, but there were faint lights to indicate that the warehouse was there.
She didn't give it much thought and just focused on getting out. She wobbled a bit to get used to the ship but managed to gain control enough to leave.
Sofie's next step was to figure out where she was going. While having time to think in the box, she had decided her next step: find Leia and Han.
She hoped that Leia would recognize her, she had also spoken to Han before, but less than Leia during their visits to the Jedi Academy.
Sofie didn't want to guilt them into taking her in just because she was pregnant with their grandchild, but she also hoped she could offer something to them.
If what Sofie saw in the warehouse was any indication- an aggressive entity was forming, and not in their interests.
Sofie made sure nobody was following her first, she looked at the radar and saw nothing. She was surprised that there was minimal security at the warehouse- perhaps an indicator of how hidden the threat was.
She began to fly towards a nearby planet on her map, she recognized the name, Agaris, but she had never been there. She assumed it was big enough to have a cantina, and that's all that she needed.
Sofie gradually lowered the fighter onto the planet's docks. She was relieved to spot what appeared to be a cantina attached to the docks.
She exited the fighter and patted it gently. She was grateful for its service but also knew she probably would never see it again.
The cantina was bustling with activity and Sofie could barely make her way through the crowd filled with plenty of interesting characters.
She wasn't sure where to start but decided to try her luck with a group of people she saw sitting. She opened by asking them if any of them were looking to trade. They shook their heads at her.
Instead, she decided to approach a lone woman enjoying a drink towards the back of the cantina. She recognized the symbol on her jacket as associated with the New Republic. Sofie gingerly stepped towards her and waved, the woman eyed her suspiciously.
"Can I help you?" She asked Sofie.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I noticed your jacket and was wondering if you could help me get in contact with the leadership of the New Republic? I'm trying to get in touch with Leia Organa." Sofie inquired.
The woman kept her suspicious look. "And what business do you have with her?" She asked.
"I have valuable intel to give her that might signify a threat from the Galactic Empire," Sofie replied. The woman raised an eyebrow at Sofie.
"You do know the Empire surrendered, correct?" The woman asked her. She wasn't sure who Sofie was and had no reason to trust her, but she also knew that Leia would want any intel related to the possibility of the Galactic Empire's reemergence.
She motioned Sofie to sit across from her at her table. Sofie sat and the woman put her hand out for Sofie to shake.
"I'm Macella Finold, a pilot for the New Republic." Sofie shook her hand.
"Sofie Hulrose."
Macella asked Sofie about what she knew after their introductions. Sofie explained her training as a Jedi under Luke Skywalker and her relationship with Ben Solo. She explained her encounter with the Knights of Ren and finally the formation of Kylo Ren that she had seen with Snoke. She decided to omit the fact she was pregnant for the time-being.
"I hid in a cargo box for hours to get away," Sofie started. "They eventually took the box to a huge warehouse with tons of equipment and fighter jets. There was nobody even watching it, it was just there."
Macella rationalized out loud, "Could it have just been normal equipment? What makes you think they're going to use it inappropriately?"
Sofie bit her lip, it was difficult to explain the extent of the darkness in Ben. "Kylo Ren, he suggested we join forces to live a life of power."
Macella weighed her options and decided that Sofie wasn't a threat. "I'll take you to Leia, but on one condition," Sofie looked at her curiously.
"Please, don't tell Leia we met here of all places."
Macella suggested to Sofie that she should abandon the ship she had stolen for now, and instead ride in her A-Wing to see Leia.
While in the ship, Macella tried to gauge how much Sofie knew of current events.
"I'm sure you've heard about Leia's true parentage recently?" Macella asked Sofie. She nodded. "Then I assume you also know that she withdrew her nomination to become a First Senator?" Sofie raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"I did not," Sofie said. Her heart ached for Leia, she must have received extreme backlash when her true parentage was revealed.
"She's taking a break from her regular duties now, and she's started to dedicate her time to exactly what you mentioned: squashing any remnants of the Galactic Empire."
Macella approached D'Qar and began to land on the base.
The ship was immediately surrounded by greenery and a building sat in the distance.
Macella led Sofie inside to the operations room. It was fairly empty except for a couple of people and Leia herself.
"Hello!" Macella called out as they entered the base. Sofie looked at the various equipment that was scattered around the room and then saw Leia and the others huddled near the middle of the room. They all turned towards Macella and Sofie.
"Macella!" Leia called back to her, "It's good to see you." She walked towards Macella and Sofie. "Have you brought a visitor?" Leia inquired.
Sofie stepped towards Leia, her heart beating nervously. She wasn't sure why she was anxious to see Leia. They had met many times before, and she knew they were friendly. Maybe it was in anticipation of what she was going to tell her.
"Leia-" Sofie started. Leia looked at her inquisitively. "Have we met before?" Leia said abruptly.
Sofie nodded, "Yes, yes! On Luke's Jedi Academy." Leia's face lit up.
"Sofie, was it?" Sofie nodded excitedly. She felt a weight lift off her shoulders, but it was quickly replaced by a new weight. Macella also felt relief knowing she didn't bring the wrong person to the base. Leia's face was still lit up, but it suddenly turned soft.
"I think I already know what you've come to tell me." She started.
Before Sofie could tell her more, Leia instructed Macella to give her updates to the others and had Sofie follow her to a small kitchenette on the base. She gave her a bit of something to eat and drink, and they sat down together at the table.
"I sensed it," Leia started. "Ben's fall to the dark." She looked at Sofie with immense sadness in her eyes.
Sofie looked back at her, sharing her same grief. "The whole academy went up in flames," she explained. "Luke had sent me off the planet, but I came back because I sensed something too. But by the time I had arrived, it was too late. Ben was gone, and Luke was leaving. He said he was too ashamed of what he had done." Sofie sighed. "I tried to ask him where he was going in his ship, but he just told me that I should know since I'm his student." Sofie slightly laughed.
Leia smiled faintly. Sofie continued her story. "I went back to my home planet Nexa, but then had help tracking down Ben. I actually found two other students from the academy, but-" Sofie felt tears forming in her eyes. She felt guilty, like she had a responsibility to help Tai and Voe, but had failed them.
She took a deep breath, "They were killed by Ben and the Knights of Ren, and they took me." Leia seemed slightly intrigued at her statement.
"They took you but killed the others? Why?" Leia asked her. Sofie felt her mouth go dry, her news should have been exciting to share, but she was nervous.
"Well, I'm not sure if you ever knew, but Ben and I might have had a romantic relationship at the Jedi Academy…" Sofie could feel her face warming up. Leia gave her a 'look'.
"Either way, I took a test, and it said I'm pregnant." Leia looked at Sofie, mouth slightly agape. She laughed slightly.
"You're pregnant? With Ben's child?" She asked Sofie in disbelief. Sofie nodded, smiling. It seemed like it was a pleasant surprise to Leia.
"With my grandchild?" Leia continued. All Sofie could do was smile and nod.
"To tell you the truth, I did sense something between you and Ben at the Jedi Academy," Leia said. "But I always felt like Ben was lacking the guts." Sofie laughed, enjoying hearing about Ben from his own mother.
"I think he has charm from his father, but he was always so serious." Leia laughed at her own reflections.
"Also," Sofie started, her face turning more serious again. "I needed to tell you that I escaped from the planet where they were keeping me. I hid in a cargo box, I had to wait a long time but they dropped me off in a suspiciously-stocked warehouse." Leia listened intently.
"I think whatever they're planning to do with Ben and all of that equipment, it's not good. They had so many ships, Leia, and so much ammo. And I think where I was, it was only a small piece. They dumped it and left it. I escaped extremely easily and abandoned their ship when Macella helped me."
Sofie could tell that Leia was deep in thought.
"Do you think that Ben still has any light inside him?" She asked Sofie. Sofie bit her lip.
There were times when she was sure that any light inside Ben had ceased, like when she watched him kill Voe and Ren, and when he had threatened her life for calling him Ben instead of Kylo Ren.
But also, something inside her, and she couldn't quite place what it was, told her to keep hope.
"I do think he can be redeemed. He's done some things- and I'm sure he'll do more things that make him seem completely lost, but I can feel it, he still has a light inside him." Sofie told Leia.
Sofie watched Leia's eyes tear up and a warm smile appear on her lips.
"I feel it, too." She said to Sofie.
They shared a hug, and Leia looked at Sofie with an emotion that she couldn't quite place.
"Feel free to stay here for the time being. We will need to warn others quickly of the threat, but don't do anything too physical while you're pregnant." Leia told Sofie.
Sofie thought that they might actually have a chance at helping Ben, and in turn, the whole galaxy.
Sofie and Leia spent the next months making their case to the New Republic while simultaneously developing the Resistance.
Their fears finally gained a name as well: The First Order. Leia was skeptical of the Centrists that either supported the movement or did not care enough about their potential.
Sofie became more obviously pregnant as the months went on as well. In the first few months, she tried to continue her Jedi training, but it eventually became cumbersome to move around.
She couldn't move around easily but found that she could still train in the Force. While meditating she could feel some sort of light in her child, one that was different from her normal connection to the Force.
Then finally, the day came. Sofie was in her ninth month and while at the base on D'Qar and was woken up in the middle of the night from contractions.
Sofie tried her best to stay calm, but couldn't help panicking. She made her way to Doctor Kalonia as quickly as she could.
Doctor Kalonia had Sofie lay down in one of the operating-type rooms. Sofie sat on the bed as Doctor Kalonia reassured her that everything was going to be okay.
Doctor Kalonia started up a droid to help her with the process and got Sofie comfortable.
"I'll let General Leia know that it's finally happening!" Doctor Kalonia said and then disappeared.
Sofie laid back and tried to relax, focusing on getting through her contractions one at a time. She took slow, deep breaths and closed her eyes.
I wish Ben, at least, the Ben Solo I remember could be here, Sofie thought. It was slightly bitter because Ben was obviously unavailable, but Leia had also explained that Han continued his smuggling operations with Chewie. She wasn't sure where they were. It was just going to be her, Leia, and Doctor Kalonia. Maybe Macella- if she had any interest at all.
It's happening again. Ben's voice echoed inside Sofie's mind, just like it did when she was in the cargo box.
"Ben?" Sofie asked out loud, startled. "What is this?"
I think it's the Force, Ben stated. It's like when I tried to probe your mind.
"Are you probing my mind now?" Sofie said to Ben.
What? I heard your voice first, Ben huffed.
Sofie wondered if her longing for him to be here might have accidentally been transmitted.
Where are you? Ben asked her. He tried to push aside his feelings and remind himself that tactically, she would be extremely useful and Snoke wanted the child.
Sofie frowned, "Why would I ever tell you that? I know what you want me for."
We want the child, but if you cooperated with us, you'd be a powerful ally. Ben proposed.
"Fuck you, you threatened my life." Sofie cursed.
Just consider it. Ben urged her. Sofie decided to end the conversation there.
Great, She thought. Now I'm in a terrible mood to give birth.
Sofie was immediately distracted by an enthusiastic Leia as she walked into the room. Her mood was lifted up when seeing how excited Leia was for her.
"It's finally time, then?" Leia said happily, coming to her side. She held Sofie's hand tightly. "I believe in you." Sofie smiled at her.
Sofie thought about her family often, and what they might say if they saw her now. Maybe she could have shared this moment with her mother, or have seen her sisters as aunts. The thought hurt her heart, but she was grateful to have Leia by her side.
Sofie's labor progressed and became more intense as time went on. The pain was overwhelming but finally came to an end after 12 hours of labor that had begun in the evening.
Finally, after her 12 hours of hard work, Sofie was rewarded with a baby girl. Leia was overjoyed upon seeing her granddaughter, and Doctor Kalonia shared their moment of pride.
Sofie happily watched them fawn over her. She was exhausted, but also too impressed with what she had done to sleep.
"Is it bad I can see Ben in her already?" Leia remarked to Sofie and Kalonia, a hint of sadness in her voice despite her happiness. "Sofie, did you think of a name?"
Sofie nodded. "I did. I think I knew when I was pregnant, actually." While training as a Jedi, Sofie loved to read about Jedi history. She found it inspiring, hearing about their accomplishments and experiences. She was fairly certain they were real people at some point but also had a suspicion that others were myths or folklore, due to how old the texts were.
"Ailana. She was a Jedi I read about a lot, her adventures were always so interesting. Her name means 'light-bearer'." Sofie stated,
"Ailana Solo," Sofie said it out loud, trying out the sound. She thought it fit well.
Maybe, just maybe, she could be a light-bearer for Ben.