Star Wars: Division
I want to dedicate this chapter to the four people (really, it's six, I think, but two are guests) who have left me comments. I really really appreciate it, even if you think your comment was short or silly or whatever - honestly, getting comments from readers is a huge motivation, but also a huge reward for hard work. Thank you very much.
Meshale, ACourtofDarkandLight, ClumsyAme, Roacharoo
Back to a Thursday update! I'm pleased.
A little perspective on this chapter and the next: this one is mostly from Rey's side, and the next will mostly be from Kylo Ren's side. I wanted to give some dedication to setting up for future battles and conflict as war once again breaks out between the Resistance and First Order, and thought giving some solid set-up information was important. Although, Kylo Ren has a new problem - we'll learn about that next week!
Chapter Nine
As always, the steady hum of a lightsaber beam had a calming effect on her mind. Running through a new Jedi form, it took all her concentration to take the right steps, and angle her blade in just the right way. This was something she didn't have experience with, this new form. Honestly, it was still a bit of a mystery as to how she had knowledge of any of the forms, though past conversations and revelations were leading her to the conclusion it was because of that one interrogation that had changed everything.
Yes, changed everything. Their first meeting. Now look at them. She didn't know what to make of whatever situation they had put themselves in. They often acted like enemies, but spoke as friends. And then, interspersed between those moments - as if they weren't perplexing enough - they'd have extremely intimate moments that felt too good to be true, but they were also corrupting, like she was being engulfed by him.
It was a confusing thing, to be half naked on a man's bed, flushed and wanting, only to be interrupted by the sound of a smooth, sexy woman requesting said man over his intercom. Confusing because she wasn't entirely sure what she felt was jealousy, though it was perhaps the expected reaction. Somehow, she didn't think she was getting two-timed with some other woman; call her crazy, but if she knew him at all, he wasn't that kind of person. But she did feel something, and that was the part that was really bothering her, because she hated thinking she was acting like a jealous girlfriend, when that was the furthest thing from what she was.
Girlfriend, she snorted. How ridiculous.
She may not know what to make of anything, but maybe she wasn't supposed to. Maybe the Force was leading them both on an intangible journey.
"What's on your mind, Rey," intruded Master Skywalker's voice on her thoughts.
She lowered her lightsaber, frozen in the middle of her Form III training. "Nothing, Master Luke. Why?"
He gave her a piercingly knowing look, his chin dipped down to his chest so he was looking at her from under his eyelids and furrowed brow.
She sighed, averting her eyes, before shrugging under the penetrating weight of his gaze. "It's just stress, Luke. The Resistance, my Jedi training - "
"Ben Solo."
She froze mid-swing and swallowed. She avoided his gaze, but felt it on her all the same. Did he know? About the connection she shared with Kylo Ren? He'd seen them that night on Ahch'To, when they'd touched hands, and he was one with the Force, now, so surely he must know.
"I don't know what you saw, Rey, that night," Luke said with a world-weary sigh, "but you cannot base your actions or expectations off of one vision. 'Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future,'" he quoted from his own early days of training, decades ago on the boggy, murky planet of Dagobah with Yoda. That was a lesson he should've learned then, especially after hurrying off to face Darth Vader when he wasn't the least bit ready. He'd lost more than a hand for that decision. And yet, he had grown so wary of his own nephew, and the power growing inside him, that visions and mixed feelings had nearly convinced him to murder Ben in cold blood; just a teenager, caught in sleep, emotional and at-odds like any teenager would be.
"Master Skywalker," Rey questioned lowly. So, he hadn't meant their Force connection. He was talking about something else, ready to impart Jedi wisdom. "But I thought visions were to help guide the Jedi?"
With an exhale, he nodded his head, "Yes, yes, visions can certainly provide guidance. But guidance only, Rey. Do not accept what you see as fact or truth. Visions are a possible outcome in an array of many. The future is constantly in motion - it cannot be predicted. Not even by Jedi."
She swallowed again, and noticed how dry her throat was. It was sound advice; she had put so much of her faith into that vision, believing Ben Solo could be saved, that she'd launched herself directly into the Supremacy's path, in order to be found by him. And look how that had turned out. But it wasn't a complete loss, she thought to herself. Even though their relationship was an indefinable, entangled mess, still - Kylo Ren as new Supreme Leader of the First Order had yet to instate any oppressive law, or make any drastic decisions. Having finally reached the throne, one might expect the hot-tempered Kylo Ren to go wild, cutting an angry swath across the Galaxy on his journey to conquest and power. At the very least, made some kind of public announcement or display declaring the First Order the new government, with him as its recalcitrant tyrant, eager to lord over lesser beings and enact his plans for 'peace' and 'harmony.'
But he had done none of those things. It had only been a few weeks, but still - Kylo Ren was making no mad-dash for the power vacuum his own Master had created upon the destruction of the Hosnian System and half the Galactic Senate along with it. Sure, it was clear he had things going on, plans in the works so to speak, but he still had made no major shows of power, no major claims to the government, and given no indication he'd be assuming any kind of Emperor Palpatine-type role.
Sometimes she thought she believed in him too much, and yet other times, when she sat down and thought about his words, his actions - or inactions, in this case - it was hard not to believe in him.
What about Batuu, prodded a cynical voice in the back of her mind. He wasn't too shy about his intentions, then, was he?
That was true. It was clear he'd been intending to wipe the Resistance off the board once and for all. And if she hadn't been able to intervene like she did, she was sure he would have succeeded. Is that what he was waiting for? For the Resistance to be gone? For the war to be officially over? No, she thought, agonizing over the situation. Leaders have stepped into ruling positions in the middle of war before, that's nothing new. And with the Resistance so small and cornered, there's nothing to stop him. So? What was he waiting for?
"Rey?"
She startled and nearly dropped her lightsaber right out of her hand. "Sorry, Master Skywalker, I was just, well, thinking," she said wiping a shaky hand across her brow. If she'd had dropped her lightsaber just then, it was very possible she'd be without any toes. With a bit of nervousness under Luke's strangely heavy gaze, she deactivated the saber and clipped it to her belt. "Perhaps a break would be a good idea," she suggested lightly.
With a nod of his head, he conceded. "All right. I'll return to you when I can. In the meantime, practice your forms," he wagged a finger at her. "I want to see some improvement on the fluidity. A fault in your transitions can be the difference between a deflected blaster bolt, and a direct hit. You're too rigid. Soresu is all about precise movements, remember that."
She smiled a little, nodding, enjoying the deepening of their relationship as Master and student; it was certainly an improvement over whatever they'd had on Ahch'To. "Yes, Master Skywalker."
The blue aura of his earthly form faded and returned to the Force.
The next couple hours or so were spent getting cleaned up, eating lunch, and relaxing with a few games of cards with Poe, who had seen her pull some mean tricks during an evening of Dantooine Double-Hand that had really spiked his interest. As a pilot, Poe had always thought of himself as pretty sharp with card games; when pilots weren't flying, there usually wasn't much else to do except play cards, so he had years of experience. The thing that had caught him off guard was realizing Rey did, too. The deserts of Jakku had their fair share of thieves, smugglers, gamblers, and layabouts. Over the years, she'd picked up some useful things.
"We should be playing for credits," Poe mumbled in good humor as he shifted the cards around in his hand.
"I'm not afraid," Rey said with a quirked eyebrow, as she mimicked his movements with her own cards.
He looked over the tops of his cards, eyes narrowing. "Are you copyin' me?"
With a sideways look she feigned innocence.
"Oh, yeah, Jedi," he said, gaining momentum towards his big play. "Let's see what you think of this." And he laid down his cards.
But as ever, Rey was a step ahead, and countered the play with a few moves of her own. Open-mouthed, Poe could only stare at the table, his eyes practically ready to pop. She laughed, and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Just think, if we had been playing for credits, I'd be a rich girl."
"You'd be a card shark, is what you'd be," Poe muttered in disgruntled poor sportsmanship, folding his arms as he fell into his seat and leaned back against the chair. "You could make a really good hustle, doing that," he said, motioning with his chin to the cards.
"Yeah, well, I think I may have a higher purpose than hustling people at cards," she said with a cheeky smirk.
He grinned. "Oh, you think you're so hot, huh? Go again, come on, come on." Impatient, he gestured for her to hurry up and anted back up to the table.
Finn walked up, smirking, while he polished off a ship part. "Still trying to beat her at cards, huh? You'll never win."
She smiled up at her friend. "How're the repairs coming along?" Some of the X-Wings they'd received had minor damage that they were taking the time to get in order. Nothing major; nothing that kept any of the fighters from flying or functioning in any way, but it certainly wouldn't have been smart to ignore them. Considering they planned to be on Vrogas Vas for a little bit, they'd taken to going over the ships and making sure they were at 100 percent.
Finn worked on a smudge that was clinging defiantly to the curved surface of what looked like a compressor. "Good, real good. That new pilot? She's a whiz with repairs. Probably better than you."
"I just wish Leia would let me near them," she said with a small pout as she dealt the cards.
"You've already got enough going on," Poe mumbled as he picked up his cards and started arranging his hand. "You don't need to worry about some minor ship repairs when you've got more important things to do."
"Poe's right, Rey. For a week you barely slept at all. Let the rest of us worry about the ships."
She huffed, but it was mostly for show. She understood why they weren't allowing her to play mechanic on top of all the other things she was dealing with - some of which they weren't even aware. Leia had all but forbidden her from being near the ships, let alone work on them; once or twice, when Rey scooted near one of them, other Resistance members had jumped out of nowhere and shooed her off. She'd given up after the second attempt, seeing as it looked like they could just materialize at a moment's notice. Like everyone was just sitting around waiting for her to approach. "Fine," she said, as she watched Poe play his first card.
Finn nudged her shoulder with a grin. "Kick his ass?"
"You know it," she replied, and smiled good-naturedly at her opponent across the table.
"I don't like it when you two gang up on me," Poe mused with a frown. "It's not nice."
"Finn!" called one of the mechanics from behind a freight box. "I need that part!"
"Coming," he yelled, and hurried over.
"You're going down this time," Poe taunted, but Rey only grinned as she looked down at her hand.
Needless to say, he lost every hand, and when he finally got fed up with losing - no matter how much he tried to be cocky about it - he climbed into the cockpit of his fighter and took off, possibly to shoot up some of the surrounding rubble as a means of blowing off steam. Finn had a good laugh about it as he watched his friend buckle himself into his seat, grumpy and grumbling.
After that, Rey joined Rose at their impromptu mess table, but awkwardness quickly descended between them. She looked down into her mug, unsure of what to say. Things hadn't exactly been good between them, not since Rose had walked in on her, well, panting and sweating on the floor. Though 'Jedi-this' or 'Jedi-that' often worked as an excuse for a lot of things, seeing as an ancient Order outsiders knew very little about just sounded mysterious and important, Rey was pretty sure Rose was unconvinced with her lie, so she'd taken to avoiding her a lot, recently. Honestly, Rey couldn't blame her; it was probably a very weird, very strange scene for someone to walk in on, and even worse to think that your friend was lying about it.
She tried to think of something to say to break the silence, but there wasn't a whole lot that could remedy things. And to be fair, she didn't know very much about Rose; they'd been hanging around each other for the past weeks, but because Rose worked on the ships and with Finn most of the time, and Rey had to deal with her Jedi training - and other things - they hadn't spent a lot of time together. They'd been on friendly terms, sure - everyone fighting for a rebel cause felt some kind of common thread that tied each member together. But on a deeper, more personal level? Rey was kind of lost. She liked Rose. She wanted to call her a friend. It didn't seem like they were on those terms, though.
"So I hear," Rose cleared her throat and stopped to work her mouth around her bite of food. "I hear your training is going well."
If Rey were the type of person to blush, she might have - Rose's statement, although flippant in nature, sounded more like an accusation and innuendo than some innocent attempt to break the ice.
She coughed a moment and took a drink to clear her own throat. "Yeah, it's going well."
"That's great. Finn tells me - "
"Everyone, quick! To the war room. We've made contact with Republic forces."
Everyone assembled in the area promptly dropped their things and rushed for the room. Leia was already there with C-3PO, R2-D2, and BB-8 by her side, as she stared up into the broadcasting image on the holo-display.
"Senator Organa," said the figure. "It's good to see you alive."
"And you, Senator. What news do you have? What remains of the Republic?"
"The remaining Republic Senators and their homeworlds have been banding together these past weeks, and we've been trying to figure out a way to contact you. I see you were on the run, there, for a while."
"It was touch and go," Leia said with a grin. "But we survived."
"Well, as you know, the Chancellor and several of our allies in the Senate perished on Hosnian Prime. Some of the more even keeled Senators, who wanted to stay out of confrontations, have shrunk back to their homeworlds with their tails between their legs. Worse," he said with a rising urgency, "most of the Centrist Senators have been in talks with the First Order. Eurodo Ro, it seems, was not the only Senator working behind the Republic's back," he said grimly and frowned.
Leia tightened her jaw - and her fist. "So? We have names?"
"Giller, Mortan, Apolin, Bevicard, Fatil, Madmund, Arbo - they were all spotted taking private ships to the First Order flagship, the Finalizer."
Rey froze. So, Kylo Ren had been meeting with Senators? Right, she thought, giving herself a mental kick for forgetting. He mentioned it when we were - No, do not end that thought.
"And of course, Leia, your long time friend - Carise Sindian," the man added at the end.
Leia huffed, and banged her fist down on the edge of the table. "That snake? Why am I not surprised," she grumbled through the corner of her mouth. "That woman never could make good decisions for anyone other than herself. She probably sold out Arkanis a long time ago, to be in Snoke's pocket."
"Yes, it appears that may be the case. Now, she is trying to strengthen her relationship with the new Supreme Leader. Reports are that the Centrists are going to push forward a vote for First Senator. They're claiming a strong, leader figure is needed for the Republic, especially after the loss of the dear Chancellor."
"Pah!" Leia said, waving her hand in agitation. "They all thought Villecham was a fool. Which," she said with a reluctant shrug of her shoulders, "he was. All that postulating on the Senate floor about how the First Order wasn't a concern. Then he dies to their death machine."
"He certainly was blinded to what was going on. All the same, remaining Populists want to rally behind you and the Resistance, Leia. Many homeworlds are beginning to recruit for the cause. Vicly has already begun armament efforts, and Anib Ney is supplying the funds. And there are some ships remaining that you should look over. I'll transfer the data to your Lieutenant. Take your pick for a new flagship."
Leia broke into a smile, a real, genuine smile. "That's some good news. I've got some X-Wings that need a home."
"You'll have it," the man said with a smile. "Soon. We should set up a rendezvous route to the Outer Rim, somewhere."
"Actually, we're already bunkered down in the Outer Rim. I'll send encrypted coordinates shortly."
"Excellent. Our forces won't be able to join together all at once - that'll risk too much suspicion. We can't draw attention to ourselves or you. The Senate and Republic are in disarray, so the First Order hasn't begun hunting down remaining Senators who aren't completely onboard with their cause just yet. I wouldn't want to give them a reason to start."
She nodded. "Noted."
"We'll have to trickle in little by little on a timed schedule, which I'll arrange with the others. Stay put and expect us."
"We'll stay as long as we can," she said. "If we have to pack up and leave, we'll get a message to you and go from there."
"Good. I'll contact you again once the schedule has been established and send times and dates. First priority will be to get that flagship to you, so don't delay on picking one out."
The General smiled. "I'm looking forward to it."
The two nodded to each other in farewell and the transmission ended.
Poe was pumped up. "This is exactly what I was hoping for! Once we get that flagship, we'll be back in space and ready to start taking the fight to the First Order."
"Rey," Leia called behind her.
She turned and regarded the older woman. "General?"
"Come with me a moment," she said, and without delay began retreating to the rooms they'd set up for her private quarters. Poe and her exchanged a quick look, all raised eyebrows, before she hurried to catch up.
It was a short walk, but felt long because of the silence. Once they were inside her room, and the door was shut, Leia sat down with a sigh and got straight to the point. "If war breaks out anew, Rey, I'm going to need you to help me lead our forces."
Rey stood by the door, frozen. Speechless. Me? Lead forces? Suddenly the lightsaber clipped to her side felt enormously heavy with responsibility and obligation.
The woman was nodding, "I know what you're thinking - me? 'Why me? I can't do that.' But you can, Rey, and I'm going to need you out there on that field. I won't give you any official titles - your current one is title enough," she muttered, but grinned. "But you must know what your presence out there will mean to people. And it may sound daunting, but leadership from a figure like you will be followed, listened to. You'll inspire our soldiers."
Still stuck to the door like a shy teenager, Rey remained silent. She understood what Leia was asking of her - and honestly, she'd fully intended to do the fighting part, out on the battlefield - and everything about it made sense, but she didn't know if she was ready for something like that. Not when she was still very much the novice, caught in the middle of her Jedi training, having only just learned how to make a lightsaber! To suddenly become a leader? Giving orders? Commanding soldiers? That wasn't something she had experience with, and she didn't think she'd be very good at it. Fighting, yes - she enjoyed battle. But leading?
"I want you to promise me, Rey, that you won't run off." Suddenly, the General's voice sounded faraway and lonely.
She heard the unspoken part of that sentence - like my brother, Luke. Considering the last Jedi she'd put her faith in had disappeared for nigh on a decade, it made sense Leia was seeking reassurances from the new one. Still, she didn't know if that was something she could promise.
"I'll… I'll think about it. Really. Just give me some time. You know I don't have any experience with leading or telling people what to do. Not like you," and she gestured at the woman herself.
"It doesn't mean you won't be good at it." The woman smiled briefly, then acquiesced the point. "Think about it and get back to me."
The Jedi swallowed nervously. "I will."
When she returned to the common ranks, Poe and Finn were kicked back with a card game of their own, and two glasses filled with amber liquid. She smirked and sat down at the table to spectate.
"Hey, go grab yourself a glass," Poe said while he shuffled; he jerked his head in the direction of their makeshift kitchen area.
"All right. Be right back," and she left again.
"Where did they put - " she mumbled to herself. But the sound vacuum cut her off, and froze her in her tracks. The connection rarely happened when she was so close to people; why did it have to be then? What if someone walked in and caught her? She had already had so many close calls. Not to mention Luke actually did catch you, she fretted.
"I want you to know," he began without preamble, "that I didn't want to leave things like that."
She straightened up and turned to face him. Somehow, she felt their expressions were reversed. While her own felt hard, and impassable, his looked oddly expressive and open. Concerned.
"I never intended to put you in a position like that."
That was true, of course, because he had told her he couldn't, and she'd persisted. It was her fault she'd ended up like that; she didn't blame him. All of her issues lay in the sultry voice that had so casually, and intimately spoken to him over his comm.
"You're jealous," he said lowly, reading her as adeptly as ever.
She huffed a little, irritated. Why did he have to be so perceptive? "I'm not jealous. And this conversation is going to have to wait," she said in a hushed tone. "I'm not exactly alone."
As was his habit, he ignored her and pushed onwards, anyway. "You should know Sindian is a coward, and I don't care about her. Not like - " then he cut himself off.
They stood looking at each other and an understanding of pain passed between them; pain at being separated. Pain at leading lives that were incongruous and constantly at odds. Pain for caring, but not being allowed to care if they truly wanted to accomplish their goals. Always pitted against each other, like two fighters in a ring that were secretly lovers, going round and round in dizzying circles that left them both disoriented and hazy. Unable to tell up from down. Or right from wrong. Sometimes, it seemed like they only knew one thing, anymore - each other. The ethereal moments they were bridged between space and time - and warring politics and warring sides - that everything suddenly aligned itself and became whole, and all the haze and dizziness melted away like a morning fog on the ocean. These brief moments, shared through the Force, when it was okay to admit truths to themselves that they weren't allowed the luxury to believe in anywhere else.
If she could just hold him then - maybe, just maybe - things would be all right. So she did. She threw whatever petty emotions she had been feeling over their last encounter away and went to him, and put her arms around him. Totally and completely, and held on. She pressed her cheek into the space just between his neck and shoulder, and inhaled. Around her back and waist, she felt the weight of his arms - protective and strong and dear.
This was exactly what he needed. To just hold, and be held, and for a moment let his fears and anxieties go to the deepest corner of his mind and stay there; just a moment's reprieve. And to see she was safe. He'd long for their moments together even more, now; he'd tear himself up inside waiting for them, to get confirmation she was all right.
I can't protect her, he agonized, as his arms tightened around her and his chin rested in her soft, brown hair.
As he'd emerged from his rooms after his time with Rey, Sindian had been waiting with the kind of smile that could slice someone's heart open, all devilishly sharp and knowing.
Before he could do or say anything, she had her palm pressed to his chest and was whispering, "So, our Supreme Leader has a paramour."