The hum of the Falcon's engines filled the air as they cut gracefully through the heavy air, the hull of the ship dipping low enough to cut through the fog and reveal the lush green forest that dotted the planet to those in the cockpit.
Having fully entered into D'Qar's atmosphere, Rey had taken her seat at the reigns of the ship and was now guiding her low across the lush treetops, Chewie at her side.
Sage hadn't said anything since then either, having chosen to instead stand behind the two pilots in their seats, arms crossed over her chest as she watched the colorful yet entirely familiar landscape pass by them.
D'Qar was right... most definitely so.
The heavy fog that blanketed the terrain; the way the few looming trees and craggy mountains rose up out of it. The white birds that flew in flocks across the sky were new but they seemed to be peaceful in the way that they would sense the oncoming ship and maneuver around it.
Everything was familiar to the young Jedi's mind.
Eventually, though, there was a blip on one of the various screens on the council and each of the inhabitants of the cockpit perked up slightly as a soft ping filled the air.
"Looks like we've got company." Rey dropped her eyes to the radar but when Sage reached out to the Force, she didn't sense the prickling sensation warning her of imminent danger. Instead, she unfolded her arms and then leaned forward, resting her hands on the headrests of the chairs. She maneuvered around her padawan and was able to stick her head out far enough over the console so that she could see the cause for the blips on the radar around the side of the Falcon.
When she did so, a slightly awed smile lit her face.
"What is it?" The brunette asked, glancing up at her master's face, her curiosity peeking when she saw the mild delight on her features. She herself leaned forward so that she could see as well.
Sage released a soft laugh; more or less a gentle huff through her nose, "X-Wings."
Sure enough, when she was able to, Rey's hazel eyes also fell upon the aforementioned aircraft, two of them on the left side of their ship. Chewie also yodeled from his own side and both women looked and, sure enough, there was a matching pair of the ships on their other side as well.
"Well, would you look at that..." She mused, straightening up once more. "Looks like we've got an escort."
The young brunette looked back at her over her shoulder, "We should radio them, shouldn't we?"
Sage hummed softly, "If you want to but I don't think that there is exactly a lot of Correllian YT freighters running around the central Resistance base."
For a moment, Rey weighed her options and instead chose the safer route, "We're getting close to base as it is." The brunette reached for the comm system, turning a knob to make sure it was on the correct, designated channel and pressed the call button. "Alderaan, Alderaan. Come in, Alderaan."
"Oh."
Rey released the button and turned back around to face her master, "What?"
"That's painfully ironic."
"Why?"
The blonde's lips twitched with the want to smile but then she sighed before shaking her head, "Well, before the fall of the Empire, earlier in the war—"
"Alderaan here, copy."
Their attention suddenly swiveled back to the comm system, the Jedi's story forgotten for the moment. Rey hesitated for a moment, biting her lip gently before she was reaching back out to press down on the call button once more.
"Uh... Alderaan base, this is Rey piloting the Millennium Falcon, requesting clearance for landing."
It was silent for a long moment, static filling the quiet in the cockpit, "Reading you loud and clear Falcon. Clearance granted. You have permission to land in Outer Landing Dock C."
Just then, in the far distance, the spires began to emerge up and out of the fog, glistening in the midday light from the nearby star. And, like in her dream, all of it materialized before her eyes. The foggy valley, the forested and gently rolling hillsides, even the black streak that made up the tarmac landing strip as it stretched out across the ground and valley.
Rey pulled back on the throttle, the humming of the engines growing softer as they slowed. The ship easily sailed over the base, the shorter, squat buildings passing by rapidly beneath them before the girl was pulling on the controls. The Falcon that tilted slightly on its side as they circled back around and began to drop in altitude.
It was intriguing to watch both the pilots work, how rapidly their hands and fingers moved across the dashboards and control panels, all the while maneuvering the ship towards a large, open space outside of the ground base. Landing Dock C, evidently.
Her padawan eventually lowered the throttle entirely so that the Falcon was simply hovering in the air above the cement slab before she was pulling back another lever. As she did so, the ship began to drop in altitude as they made their descent. Chewie hit a button and there was a loud hum that came from back beneath the ship. Sage could only guess it to be the landing gear as it extended from the bottom of the hull.
The ship then rattled ever so slightly as it touched down, Rey's landing surprisingly smooth in comparison to others Sage has bared witness to.
"Alright," the brunette sighed, still working on flipping all the controls so that the engines cut off and the ship began to cool down. When the only sound around them was the hissing of the hot air escaping the various vents across the ship, Rey rose from her seat and turned back to look at her master, only to find that the woman was nowhere in sight.
When she looked to her co-pilot for explanation, he simply shrugged his shoulders and yodeled softly.
Nonetheless, she took a moment to gaze out the large viewports at the sight of the planet around them, her lips pulling back into a large grin as she turned and nearly leapt from the seat, her arms doing half the work in hoisting herself up out of her seat so that she could throw her legs over the side.
She then dashed out into the front hall and looked down towards the lounge, half expecting to find the other female there. Instead, she found that it appeared to be empty but when she looked the other direction, she found Sage standing just a ways down from boarding ramp. Arms clasped behind her back, she had her lower lip gently trapped between her teeth, her eyes distant as she remained where she was, her robe swaying slightly as she gently rocked back and forth on her feet.
She then raised her head high and took in a deep breath, her hands leaving one another behind her so that she could adjust the front of her cloak.
Rey began walking towards her and the Jedi turned her head in her direction, taking another deep breath before offering her a slight curl of her lips. "Are you ready for this?"
The brunette herself returned her smile, "Are you?"
For only a beat, there was apprehension in her eyes but then it was gone in an instant. She simply faced forwards once more and again, adjusted her cloak.
"Yes, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
Despite how level her voice may have sounded and how stoney her resolve was now, Rey was not buying into her ruse.
The smile on her face grew into one far more devious than the last, her eyes wrinkling up slightly as she did so, "Are you...?" She angled her head slightly to better see the other female's face. "Are you nervous?" The question sounded far more mischievous than it was originally meant to be due to the gentle lilt of her accent.
"What?" Sage turned to look at her, one brow raised in question. She scoffed at her padawan's question and shook her head slightly. "I'm not nervous."
Still, Rey beamed, "Yes, you are!" She insisted, her eyes beginning to sparkle with mirth. She placed her hands upon her hips and then stepped in front of the other woman. "I may not... know people... but you are the one person in my life that I've spent considerable time around. I do know... you." She allowed her lips to relax and her eyes to soften slightly as she told her this. "I can feel it. Can see it. But... it's okay." She reassured the older woman with a nod of her head. "Everything will be fine."
Inhaling deeply, Sage accepted her words and nodded along with her.
"It's just... It's been a long time." However, she shook her head to clear her mind. "But, I've been trained for situations like this. For politics. For diplomacy. It's all a part of being a Jedi Knight." She frowned softly. "This shouldn't be bothering me."
"You're going to do fine..." Before she could hardly stop herself, Rey was stepping forward and reaching out with both hands to tug on the front of Sage's robes to adjust them further, the act causing her master to rock forward slightly.
Both females stared down at the padawan's hands as they fidgeted with the heavy brown cloth. However, when they both looked up, both blushed considerably, neither of them realizing how close they were until just then. For a moment, they remained that way, eyes locked while their faces heated up.
But, then Sage was jolted from the trance, her subconsciousness jolting towards the added weight upon her hip foreign so she decided to address it.
"Oh... Uh. I have something. For you." She took half a step back so that she could snake her hand into her robe, her eyes dropping as her hand searched blindly inside the fabric. "Master Luke, uh, gave it to me to look after. Given that he doesn't really need it anymore and that... It's... Well, it's technically mine—"
Rey watched with curiosity as the familiar silver canister was pulled from the depths of her robes, the metal gleaming brilliantly in the low light of the Falcon's corridor.
The object that had started it all. That had awoken the Force in her.
Luke's old lightsaber. His father's lightsaber.
"I thought you should have it, you know. To protect yourself... if the need ever arises." Holding it in her palm, she gazed down at it reverentially for a moment before she was extending her arm towards her student.
Rey carefully accepted the saber into her palm, the metal slightly warmed from her master's own skin.
"Keep it safe for me, will you?" She said, her eyes holding a strange softness in them.
The brunette didn't say a word but tore her eyes away from the blues of the Jedi's own irises so that she could look down at the lightsaber, her thumb gently stroking over the cool steel.
She nodded as she spoke, "I will." She lowered her hands so that she could clip it onto her own leather belt. "Thank you, Master."
Sage simply nodded her ascent before she was smiling slightly as she took in another deep breath as she squared her shoulders. "Well, we've kept them waiting long enough, haven't we?"
Rey huffed her own laugh, "I suppose so. Or rather, you have." She stepped forward and hit the button to lower the boarding ramp, the technology hissing and spitting out steam. "Ten bloody years, Master."
Sage shot her a look, one corner of her mouth still curling upwards, "Hush."
Daylight crept up the now fully opened ramp, tempting both women with its enticing warmth. It was accompanied by the dull roar of a conglomeration of voices that could be heard, alerting both the Jedi to the crowd that had no doubt gathered. It was only just then that Rey took notice of the anticipation in the air, for it was no doubt stronger and more palpable now that the ramp had lowered.
No wonder Sage had been nervous about the entire situation. She no doubt felt the crackling energy in the Force of all the people waiting to meet them on the base, not to mention that it was more potent to her thanks to her extensive Force training.
The poor woman was probably overwhelmed.
"I should go down first, shouldn't I?" She asked Rey, mild panic prickling the air between them.
"We'll go down together." The brunette reassured her as she looked over at her, pushing back as much comfort as she could muster towards the knight. "Everything is going to be okay. Remember, we're on the same side as them."
She sighed through her nose and nodded her head, "We are."
However, a traitorous voice whispered in the far reaches of her mind. But, then again, are we?
Shaking herself both mentally and physically, she closed her eyes for a long moment as she squared those thoughts away and pushed them back to the depths where they belonged. Right.
However, before either of them hardly had a chance to move, Chewbacca was yodeling as he brushed between the two of them with a few bags over his shoulder, lightly teasing both females and telling them that they should just get it over with. He was followed closely by R2, the little bot trilling excitedly as his domed head swiveled to take in his surroundings as he wheeled down the ramp before them.
Sage couldn't help but laugh softly, "Never underestimate the courage of a Wookie."
"Or an astromech, evidently."
With smiles both lighting their faces, both women simultaneously stepped forward, the heels of their booted feet clicking on the metallic ramp as they made their way out of the bowels of the ship and into the waiting sunlight.
However, about five steps down the ramp, Sage nearly paused in place as she took in the sea of faces awaiting their arrival; some of them pilots in their orange jump suits, some technicians, some medics. There were even a few officers and ground soldiers that stood in the crowd. And all their eyes were upon them.
When the two women were on the ship, there had been the buzzing lull of voices before. However, when then came walking down the ramp and emerged into view, everyone had gone silent.
Because they were witnessing the arrival of a true Jedi.
The anticipation felt before was now replaced with a sense of awe, their thoughts loud with their wonder. So much of the potent emotion hung in the air, it nearly made Sage dizzy. However, she was trained for this—was stronger than this—and so she pulled the Force around herself to create a block around her mind to filter out the roar pounding against her skull.
Even Rey felt mild discomfort at the overwhelming sensation but when she furrowed her brow and concentrated, she was able to filter out some of the potency as well and at least make it bearable for herself.
Rey continued forward, a proud smile lighting her face as she walked down the split in the crowd that had been created for them, the experience much more pleasurable now that she could hear her own thoughts once more. However, when she went to look over at her master to gauge her own reaction, she found that she was instead alone. Stumbling suddenly to a stop, she turned back sharply to find that the woman had stalled a few feet behind her.
Her back was absolutely ramrod straight and her eyes were staring passed her padawan, ahead of the both of them.
Following her gaze, Rey turned back and watched as the crowd shuffled a bit as they parted ways to reveal none other than the rather short yet distinguishable figure that been plucking her way through the midst of her soldiers. When the gray haired woman made it to the front, she offered Rey a soft smile but then got that same distant look in her eyes that Rey sometimes saw devour her master's gaze.
It was then that her eyes found the knight.
Rey looked between the two of them for a brief moment, recognizing that they had met each other's gaze. She couldn't help but take notice of the resolve on her master's face as well as the new softness reflected in the older woman's eyes, a new glimmer that Rey failed to understand.
Yet, she found it inappropriate to question it at the time.
After a moment of simply standing there, Sage continued forward once more, striding forward and passed her student, her cloak billowing out as it trailed behind her. Rey quickly fell into step with her, the two of them proceeding towards the lady.
"General Organa." Sage addressed her, bowing at the waste before the woman, her padawan following suit. The blonde was ever aware of the set of eyes watching her.
She looked good, the blonde decided, despite all that had happened. It seemed as though the weight of war had not weighed too heavily upon her all these years. She was not as young as Sage once remember but was still beautiful regardless, her poise and elegance still retained after so long. Her hair was still twisted back and arranged beautifully at the crown of her head; the clothes she wore were less like the gowns befitting her disused royal title and more like that of a proper militant officer.
No doubt, it was more convenient to run a rebellion in pants rather than a skirt.
It was quiet for a moment then as they maintained their pose before the older woman decided to speak from her place above them, "Alright, everyone. That's enough." Both females straightened and righted themselves as every head in the crowd turned towards her. "You can all ogle and admire the Jedi later. But, standing around isn't going to win us a rebellion."
"Wait!" Before anyone could hardly move, the knight spoke up, her hand raising to stall the General's orders. Once more, all eyes were on her. The knight herself was looking back at the older woman, as if seeking her permission. "There is something I wish to say."
The General simply nodded her head in ascent, gesturing with her hand that the floor was open to the knight.
Taking in a deep breath, Sage swiveled and turned back to face the majority of the crowd, her eyes sweeping once more over their faces, a tendril in the Force reaching out to brush fleetingly over their thoughts.
They seemed openminded enough.
"My fellow Resistance fighters," she addressed them, her voice ringing out clearly across the airstrip. Not a single person dared to speak. "I know that I am probably not what you were expecting. No doubt, a number of you were anticipating Master Luke Skywalker's arrival; hoped that he would be the one to walk down that ramp, to show up and save the day." She glanced back over her shoulder at Rey for a moment who nodded her encouragement. "Obviously, I am not him. But, needless to say, the Jedi are here." She sighed, her shoulders heaving a moment. "We have been missing... for some time now—"
"Ha! Ya think?!" A single voice rose out of the crowd to mock her yet Sage could not find the one who had said it.
For a brief second her resolve faltered, guilt prickling at her skin before she leveled herself once more and decided to ignore them. There was still more she had to say. "But, I can assure you, it was all with due cause. We have been waiting for the balance in the galaxy to shift to come out of hiding, biding our time. However, I must ask something of you. Of all of you." She allowed her gaze to sweep around silently across the crowd, trying to make eye contact with as many people as she could manage. "For the sake of the Resistance, I implore you to keep our return secret."
Rey was no doubt one of the few to notice it but there was a strange undertone to her voice. It was a hushed whispering of a silky timbre that echoed around in her own head for a moment before she realized what was happening and broke from the trance.
Soft murmuring broke out across the group and Sage turned back to look at the General, the woman herself observing her fighters before she was looking back to the blonde female.
"There are few of us but those who have survived are strong. And yet... we do not wish for the galaxy to know this. Not yet, anyway." She once more turned back to the crowd. "That is why I cannot tell you my name but I will tell you that I am a Jedi Knight and will be here to help. But... please, you must tell no one, for all our sake. Only tell those who wish to know that hope still exists—"
Rey heard it again, that same melodic bell like tone between her ears. But, then, again, the brunette broke from her stupor and back into her own mind. Her brow furrowed softly as she sent a mildly accusing look to her master who was still speaking. Was she...? Is that...?
"—and, when time is right, we will be here to help restore peace and balance to our galaxy." Sage pursed her lips and bowed her head slightly, signaling the end of her speech with a small nod.
"You're all dismissed!" The General called out, her voice easily heard over the still silent crowd. "Return to your posts!"
Rey glanced around at the crowd then, taking note of the empty look in a number of people's eyes. However, like a wave, they fell back into their own bodies and then everyone slowly began to disperse then, each of them regretfully turning away and heading back to their stations until the tarmac was empty, their voices a quiet lull as they absentmindedly discussed what had just taken place.
The young padawan couldn't help it when her eyes roved over the disappearing crowd, searching for a very particular face amongst the many present. However, she felt her anxiousness increase when she could not find the one she was seeking.
"General Organa," she bowed politely once more before the woman, aware of the two sets of eyes on her person, "If I may ask, where is Finn?"
The older woman smiled at her kindly, "He's inside, probably finishing up his physical therapy in the med-bay."
Rey hesitated a moment before she was slowly turning her head to look at the knight. When she saw the hopeful glimmer in her student's eyes, Sage felt her resolve slowly crumble. She sighed but then offered her a small twitch of her lips, "Go ahead. Go see your friend."
"Thank you, Master!" Unsure of what to do, she bowed rapidly before the two women once more as an afterthought. Without another word, the girl straightened and raced off, grinning from ear to ear.
"But, come find me later!" The Jedi called after her. "Just because we're not back at the temple doesn't mean we can just squander your studies!"
"Yes, Master!"
Both Sage and the General were quiet as they watched as the girl disappeared into the large open doors of the ground base, only to suddenly turn sharply right down a hallway.
After watching her go, the knight was aware of the other woman's eyes upon her but did not face her, the area around them silent, save for the sounds of an X-Wing as it spiraled down out of the sky to land on a distant docking station on the tarmac.
"Sage..." The way Leia breathed her name had the Jedi turning her head and looking back at the woman. Her eyes were carefully scrutinizing the blonde's face, her eyes slightly narrowed as she softly shook her head as if in disbelief. "It's really you."
She bowed her head slightly, "Yes."
"Everyone thought you..." The General trailed off, her eyes closing for a beat as she shook her head once more. "Everyone thought you were killed. When news reached us of the massacre..." She was quiet for a beat before she was lifting her head, a slight smile playing upon her features, a teasing sparkle in her eye. "But, I always knew... I knew that you were alive. Out there, somewhere." She then huffed a soft laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. "I always knew that you were a tough one."
Sage herself couldn't help the slightly smile on her lips at the woman's words, "General—"
The blonde was cut off suddenly as a gentle trill filled the air and Leia's attention was suddenly stollen from her as she unclipped a comm device from her belt. After looking at the small display at the top of the advice, the woman huffed and rolled her eyes, her exasperation evident.
"If you would please excuse me, Sage. I wish we could speak further but I have an unfortunate meeting to attend." Her words caused the knight to smile ever so slightly once more, her head dipping down so she could attempt to hide her amusement. "Also, would it be too much to ask that you attend a council meeting with my other officers later?"
Her blue eyes widened in surprise, "Oh... General Organa...? I'm not... sure. I—"
"You know my brother well enough, don't you? He's raised you with his Jedi ideals. And you yourself are a wise girl." She reached out and lightly touched Sage's arm. "Please, speak on Luke's behalf. I'm sure you have all his faith and trust to do so." Leia smirked softly as she allowed her hand to fall from the other woman's arm. "I will send for someone to collect you when it's time."
Evidently, she wasn't taking no for an answer.
"As you wish, General." She bowed once more as the woman turned to leave with nothing more than a nod of her head and a tight lipped smile.
When the older woman was gone, Sage simply remained in place a bit longer, taking in a steadying breath now that she was alone and able to ground herself. The dull buzzing of the emotions and thoughts across the base was now finally manageable; no longer so potent in its concentration and instead spread out.
She allowed her mind to drift to her surroundings, the silence itself now comforting.
The air itself on D'Qar was heavy like that of the southern islands back on Ahch-To, the foggy precipitation clear evidence as it blanketed the valley. Yet, that same earthy stench lingered there as well, just like in her dreams. It made her skin prickle lightly with paranoia at the fact when she considered how realistic the vision had been; how close the Force had gotten everything when it blessed her with its gift.
She turned back to look at the Falcon, unknowing of what she should do until she was summoned. She took a step towards the ship, considering boarding once more and meditating a bit to clear her mind, to maybe contact her master. However, when she glanced off and to the side, she noticed a figure climbing down a ladder hooked to their X-Wing, their bright orange jumpsuit contrasting sharply with the onyx hull of the ship.
There was a whirling noise and moments later, an orange and white BB unit was ejected from its hold in the rear of the ship and gently deposited on the ground.
The Jedi watched with curiosity as the figure removed their helmet as they bent down onto the droids level, revealing a head of soft dark curls. He—the figure was now obviously male, if the curve of his strong jaw was anything to go by—was speaking enthusiastically to the little mech as he whirred and chirped happily, his owner no doubt offering him praise for a successful flight.
However, after a moment, his workmates came towards his X-Wing and began tending to it, one of the workers taking his helmet from his hand as he rose back up to his full height. He then chatted animatedly with his associates for a moment before he was patting one of them on the back, only to then turn towards the base to no doubt rest up after his mission.
Instantly, she felt something sharp twist in her chest as her eyes fell upon the man's face as he strode confidently across the tarmac, paying neither her nor the looming form of the Falcon behind her any heed. Could it... be...?
"Poe?" She called out to the man and felt her heart stutter when he paused, the droid by his side rolling to a stop. He turned back to look at her then, his lips drawn back in a familiar boyishly cocky smirk. However, when his eyes landed upon her and he took in her face, the smirk dissolved. "Poe Dameron?"
He stood there for a moment, absolutely dumbstruck, "S... Sage?" He breathed out, his his tilting to the side slightly, his eyes wide, the man wondering if he was seeing things correctly.
It was silent for a moment, the wind rushing through the trees seemingly the only sound on the planet. It gently tousled their hair and caused her long cloak to billow and flutter around her form.
He began to walk cautiously towards her then, as if he would scare her off should he move too fast. However, Sage wasn't skittish in the slightest.
She just continued to watch the man as he came closer, the BB unit rolling silently along behind him, its domed head tilting slightly to observe her from its place behind its master. He came to a stop about a foot away and unabashedly looked her over, no doubt taking in her attire as well as her physical being and health.
"Are you really real?" He asked, the question more directly aimed at his own conscience than at the blonde. Slowly and carefully, he reached out and wrapped his hands around her upper arms, grounding both of them in this surreal state. He gently squeezed, his thumbs brushing along the heavy fabric on her arms as they continued to gaze at each other.
Kriff... she hasn't hardly aged a day.
He then began to pull her towards him but Sage new what was pending and planted her feet, resisting his want to embrace.
I'm sorry, Poe.
His brow furrowed softly as he gazed back at her, the gentle words having appeared in a blank space in his mind. She then turned her head away from him but he could still see the remorse and the guilt in her blue eyes.
I can't.
She then took a step back and he didn't fight her as she removed herself from his hold, his hands releasing their grip so that he could return them to his sides, his fingertips aching to take hold of the wooly fabric of her cloak once more.
Not now, anyway.
He watched as her eyes darted towards his teammates working over on Black One and noticed that a few of them would pause every once in awhile to watch their exchange.
"Oh." He said softly as he turned back to face her as he understood. He cleared his throat and raised one of his arms to scratch awkwardly at the back of his neck. "No attachments, right. Sorry."
Her lips twitched up slightly for a brief moment before she hummed softly, "Actually, this is a matter of professionalism more than anything."
Poe beamed at her response, the grin nearly splitting his face in half, "Yeah, 'cause look at you!" He reached out again and gently tugged on either side of the front of her robe before releasing it. "The big bad Jedi has to keep her reputation. Can't be seen having a soft spot for Poe Dameron." He smirked and winked at her. "But... seriously, though. What are you now? Like a Jedi Master or somethin'?"
"Only a Knight," she said softly but smiled nevertheless, her eyes flickering over his own suit.
"You look good, though. It really suits you." He gestured at her person, causing her cheeks to warm. She lifted her eyes from his chest so that she could hold his gaze. One corner of his mouth pulled upwards slightly, that wry smirk upon his features once more. However, the playfulness didn't reach his eyes and was instead replaced with a familiar softness. He gestured towards her once more. "You're finally where you want to be."
All she could really do was nod once, her eyes falling for a brief second before she decided to move on in their conversation. "And what about you? You seem to be doing well yourself."
"Yeah... I'm doing pretty okay." He huffed out a laugh slightly and shifted his weight on his feet, his thumb brushing against his lower lip as he cocked an eyebrow. "And, actually, It's Comman—"
"Miss Sage!" Poe was interrupted by a new voice. "How marvelous it is to see you again!"
Both of them turned then to look at the cause for interruption and simultaneously, they both groaned softly as they watched the golden protocol droid waddle towards them.
He's still functioning? The blonde grumbled lowly in her mind.
There was a warm bark of laughter that resounded in her head. Unfortunately.
"I don't know if you remember me, Miss Sage, but I am C-3PO, human cyborg relations—"
"Yes, hello, 3PO." The Jedi turned away from the pilot to completely face the droid, having dealt with him numerous times in the past and knowing that her conversation with Poe was without a doubt over. "What is it that you need?"
The droid looked startled for a moment, taken aback at her forwardness.
"Um, the General sent me to show you to your room so that you may unpack and rest if you so wish."
Her blue eyes flickered back to the dark haired man at her side, "Well, uh, 3PO, I was just having an interesting discussion with Mr. Dameron and—"
"Actually, Kiddo, I'm teaching a piloting course and am already a few minutes late." He drew back the sleeve of his jumpsuit to reveal a wrist chronometer. He bit his lip nervously and slowly began to back away from her, the droid at his feet rolling out of his way. "I gotta get going but I'll catch up with ya later, Kid." He then pointed at her, his face serious. "That's a promise."
She opened her mouth to protest but the words died on her lips as she watched him go, the pilot breaking into a light jog as he too disappeared into the maw of the open blast doors.
Stars, how she hated to watch him leave.
"Um... Miss Sage?" She was snapped from her thoughts when the nervous droid spoke. She blinked a few times to center herself in reality once more as she turned to face him. "If you would like I can show you to your room now?"
"Sure," she nodded and the droid dipped forward slightly as if nodding.
"Excellent. Right this way, Miss Sage." He then turned and began to waddle back toward the base, the blonde having no other choice but to follow him.
Shrugging out of her cloak, she laid it across the pale gray comforter adorning the mattress. Also unclipping her saber from her belt, she took a seat at the foot of the bed on the rug coincidently placed there. Situating her legs so that they were crossed, she held her hand out then and with a few, easily constructed tendrils of the Force, lifted and kept her lightsaber aloft, hanging weightless in the air before her.
Her eyes lingered on it for a moment before she gently nudged it with her mind, causing it to begin to slowly rotate.
She allowed her eyes to slip shut.
In her mind, she first saw her borrowed room around her, small and modest as it was. The queen-sized bed lay off to her right, the door to the refresher on the left. R2 sat quietly beside the wall in sleep mode. The entrance and small sitting space were behind her while the doors to the balcony before her were pushed open and faced the hazy mountains.
She could see all of it, as well as her self and her own entity as it glowed in the artificial kyber crystal in her lightsaber.
And then, she was breathing in deeply and all of it was melting away around her, her borrowed room, the soft lull of the base's noises in the background, the muggy air as it tried so desperately to cling to her skin. All of it fell away until there was only herself and her saber as it continued to lazily twist through the emptiness now before her.
Master.
She reached out into the Force, gentle tendrils star systems away manifesting, reaching towards the familiar break in the ripples of the universe. She found him easily enough; for he was a familiar beacon to be seen in the dull gray matter of the rest of the galaxy despite the distance separating them.
Waiting for a long moment, the blonde breathed deeply once more and her brow furrowed as she pushed a little more insistently.
Master Luke?
For a moment, worry began to tug at her mind but then there was the press back, the confirmation and reassurance that the master was there and ever prepared to reach back for his padawan.
Sage.
We're close to the new signature. Share the same planet.
Where did you end up?
D'Qar. At the Resistance Base.
It was quiet for a long moment, the connection thrumming between the two of them despite the stars in between.
Leia?
Sage couldn't help the slight twitch of her lips. She's fine. Good, actually. Wants me to sit in on a council meeting on your behalf.
She could almost hear him sigh, for he knew that she constantly questioned herself. You'll be fine.
Yes, Master. Again, she was quiet and despite her not having a physical form in this other, higher plane of existence, she slowly nodded her head. How are you, though? Are you okay?
She could feel his amusement and could hear it despite that in his voice when he spoke. Yes, Sage. I am fine.
Well... good, then. She sighed. I get anxious when I'm not—
Her thoughts stuttered to a stop when there was a gentle chime that sounded at her door. She released a soft huff, her brow furrowing in the physical world.
What is it?
Someone's at the door. They probably want me for the council meeting.
Go, then. And good luck. May the Force be with you, Sage.
Be safe, Master. May the Force be with you.
The door chimed once more and the young Jedi felt herself fall back into her body. She allowed her eyes to slowly open and she stared at her floating saber for a moment before she released her hold on the weapon, allowing it to fall through the air and into her waiting palm.
"Come in!"
She uncrossed her legs and rose to her full height, her saber still held in her hand.
As the door hissed open, she turned to look at her visitor only to nearly groan out loud at the sight of the gold protocol droid.
"Miss Sage, General Organa has requested your presence."
"For the council meeting?"
"Yes, Miss."
"I figured so." Sage nodded her head slightly before she was lifting her cloak off her bed, only to slip her arms into it so that she could heft it up onto her shoulders, "Might as well get this over with." She looked at the little droid who was sitting near the wall and, upon hearing his master's voice, his systems booted to life. "Come on, R2."
C-3PO then led her out into the hall, the dark chocolate of her coat swirling around her and the astromech on her heels.
As she strode through the halls behind her guide, she could feel the numerous sets of eyes following her through the base. Sage also couldn't help but wince slightly, having reopened her mind to the full brunt of the Force to reach for her master and was facing the swirling mass of the Resistance fighters' thoughts again. But, within the complex structure of her mind, she was able to easily filter and seal those thoughts out, restoring the tranquil calm in her mind once more.
Eventually, thought, the protocol droid came to a set of double doors which hissed open as they stepped closer.
Once opened, they revealed a spacious chamber, a rather lengthy table splitting the room straight down the middle. Upon hearing her arrival, those all seated in the chairs lining it turned their heads towards the door. At the very head of the table on the far side of the room, General Organa lifted her head, a spark lighting in her eyes when she realized that the young Jedi was now present.
She then rose from her seat, all others in the room doing the same.
Sage felt herself freeze for a moment then, mild panic setting in as she began to shrivel beneath their heavy gazes.
Breathe. You'll be fine.
A new voice in her head whispered, the accented timbre soft and soothing. There was something strangely familiar about it.
"My good people, I would like to introduce you to this fine Jedi Knight. She is a student beneath Master Skywalker and will act as representative of the New Jedi Order for the time being." Leia spoke, a hint of pride glowing in her eyes as she looked directly at the blonde across the way.
"Thank you, General." Sage bowed ever so slightly.
Leia nodded in response. "Please," she motioned to an empty seat beside her, a small smirk on her face, "come and sit." She allowed her gaze to flit about the room, bak across the faces of her advisers. "Let's continue."
As quietly as she could, Sage moved through the room, still fully aware of the eyes that still rested on her person. There was a prickling in her mind and she happened to glance to the side and her eyes fell upon a younger man, his dark gray hair cropped short and his scowling face entirely clean shaven. She held his gaze a moment longer, his foreign, near-glowing green eyes narrowed as they followed her.
However, she brushed off his actions, knowing full well that all inhabitants in the room were no doubt curious about her in general as the newcomer.
As she approached her seat, she softly waved her hand behind her, silently telling R2 to stay where he was while she took her place beside the General. She eased herself down, mindful of her robe as she placed her rear in the seat. She breathed in deeply once she settled.
"Now that we are all present, we can begin to speak of the true matter at hand." The older woman pressed her fingertips into the table top and allowed her eyes to drift across her advisors' faces. "We have received news from multiple allied sources claiming that the First Order has been increasing their planet-side conquests especially now that Starkiller has been destroyed." She tapped her index finger on the table top and a holographic map suddenly lit up and expanded throughout the room. "Despite the loss of their super weapon as well as a substantial mass of their army, they still are determined to take every star system that they can..."
In the projection, a multitude of the star systems began to glow red instead of the once docile blue, a pattern spreading outwards from a now empty spot on the map where Starkiller once lay.
"They still have numerous Star Destroyers at their use and no doubt plan to utilize them to the fullest extent now that they are scrambling to recover resources. However, the truly concerning fact is the substantial change in the commanding officers in the Order as well as the ever increasing frequency in which we see the mysterious Force-users known as the Knights of Ren."
The General tapped once more on the table and the mapping around them disappeared, only to be replaced with low quality color images of numerous heavily clothed figures dressed all in black, some of the figures alone while others were accompanied by squads of stormtroopers.
Sage couldn't help it when she sat forward in her seat slightly, her eyes rapidly flicking across the images.
"We think that the increase in their appearances could be due to the fact of the shift of power in the Order; some are commanding squadrons and are holding leadership on the Order's governed planets. Other times, they seem to be simply raiding planets, almost as if they're—"
"They're hunting Force-sensitives."
All heads turned once more to the Jedi.
Leia blinked a few times, her brow furrowing softly as she gazed over at her, "Pardon?"
"The Knights." She nodded back towards the images. "They're not just holding the seized planets or raiding the poor ones but they're looking for Force-sensitive beings." She stood from her chair, her form towering over the smaller woman. "Both Master Skywalker and I have experienced the phenomena of detectable awakenings in the Force when, for instance..." Sage waves her hand to displace some of the images so that she could reveal one that had been buried; a young boy around the age of fourteen being dragged away by a mass of black clothing, his parents held back by a pair of stormtroopers as they struggled to free themselves. "The Knights themselves are creatures of the Force as well. Can manipulate it, are in tune with it. They no doubt can also sense these awakenings."
"So... You suspect that the First Order is building an army of Force-sensitive children?" It was the man who had been staring at her before.
She held his gaze a moment, the cool blues of her irises unwavering, "I have every right to believe so." She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes once more roving over the pictures. "That... or they are simply exterminating them to keep them out of our hands. Perhaps putting them in the Stormtrooper Program and stomping down their innate abilities at a young age."
His brows rose in response to her answer, "You truly think that the Order would kill children?"
"Please," Sage frowned and pursed her lips for a moment, "They blew up an entire system of planets or have you already forgotten?" She growled softly, unable to keep from feeling annoyance flicker into her system at his naivety. "So... would it really be so hard to believe?"
"She's right," an older man spoke up, nodding along, "The Order would either way benefit from collecting these children whether it be keeping them or disposing of them."
"Besides using them as soldiers, what other use would the Order have for them?" The green-eyed man asked.
The blonde sighed heavily and rocked slightly on her heels, her cloak swaying around her legs, "There's been significant research done in the past studying every single basic race and those of the species who have a high midichlorian count. In every test, Force-sensitive individuals have always been, in every way, physically superior to their counterparts even without proper training in the Force." Looking around the room, numerous heads of the other advisers were nodding in both understanding and agreement. "So, why wouldn't they utilize that extra advantage over the Resistance?"
"But, what about the Knights?" A woman spoke up, her hand lifting to gesture at the images. "No doubt the Knights and Kylo Ren himself are interested in increasing their numbers. We are in a time of war and soldiers do fall and need to be replaced."
"Yes but what of Kylo Ren?" Another dark haired man spoke out. The Jedi looked his away but was ever aware of the watchful but nonetheless curious gaze of the woman at her side as she scanned her features. Sage made sure that she showed no indication or emotion whatsoever.
"He has not been seen since the destruction of Starkiller..." It was a green-eyed male who spoke this time.
The blonde female turned back to look at the images, scanning the numerous different helmets covering their heads. From what she could tell, there seemed to be six different figures based on their appearance alone.
She recognized a few of them but did not find the one she was looking for.
"...we have reason to believe that he perhaps did not survive the planet's explosion if the scavenger's report of his wounds means—"
"No. He's alive." All heads turned back to the young Jedi when she spoke, the blues of her irises hardening into ice while her voice was eerily level and absolute. "There's no doubt in my mind that he is."
"And how do you know?" It was green-eyes once more.
Sage slowly turned her head towards him so that she could focus her haunting gaze upon him, "I just do."
Hey, guys! I'm back!
Sorry it took so long for an update. I had a con this past weekend and had a massive chunk of this chapter already done but I wasn't able to have it done in time before I had to leave. That and not to mention that I had about eighty other things going on.
But, yeah! We're finally at the Resistance! Finally, some of the character tags will be fulfilled.
There's definitely going to be further interaction in the next chapter (like a shit ton, guys, just hold on) but I didn't want this chapter to get too long so I cut it short.
Let's just say, many reunions.
And not the bullshit that happened in this chapter. Like, characters actually get to talk to each other.
Anyway, beyond that, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed and favorited/followed. You guys seriously light up my life. When I get emails for a review or another notification, I literally scream with joy.
Anyway, thanks again, guys.
So... YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO, READ AND REVIEW!
Love,
Blue
P.S. Quick side note again, I'm still going back and updating/fixing errors that I missed when I was first writing them (I think I'm on like chapter 7 or 8?). Also, there might be slight plot altercations as well so if you want the whole experience, you might want to re-read things but I probably won't have all the errors fixed until at least the next week or two. Thanks again, guys :)
P.S.S. Also come bother me on Tumblr: blueeyedwolf33