A/N: I own nothing you recognize. I only own a pair of whacky llama socks...they were a gift, okay?

I apologize for my absence and the severely late chapter that finally came in. I have no excuse, I merely lost inspiration for a few weeks, and got it back only slightly enough to write this. Hence, I hope that this chapter isn't... odd. My beta assures me it isn't, which is great-but I just hope coherence makes sense. Next chapter will finally get into the TFA timeline, and begin to actually be active and move forward plot wise. Just an FYI, differences between the EU version of events mentioned in this story and what you'll see are purposeful. I apologize if any of it is confusing, but I like giving my own spin on things :)

Here's to hoping it doesn't take 4 weeks to do it. ehe.

Without further ado, here we go :)

The base of D'Qar was much different than Poe was used to, the bases of Coruscant and Hosnian Prime usually teeming with life and buzzing with activity from pilots and training all over the place. But on D'Qar things were slower, there was something more civilian about the place than Poe was used to. The military pace was lacking, and as Poe gave his first looks around D'Qar, he wondered briefly if there was more to this than just what he saw.

'Resistances start slow,' he recalled Senator Organa saying. 'it's a little underwhelming at the moment. But we'll soon have more to work with. With your help, as well as others, we'll be able to hold back the First Order.'

Heading toward the barracks with his bag of belongings, he took the time just to become acquainted with the path from the hangar, his training already making small calculations to figure out the fastest way between them. As he crossed the threshold of the barracks, he heard a chipper voice greet him with an excitable "Hi Poe!" and turning he saw the grinning face of a young Amelia Solo staring back in all her childish happiness from the top of a set of stairs.

It took him a moment to remember who she was, the recognition that Anakin had a daughter having yet to fully cement itself in his mind.

"Hello, Kid. What are you doing up there?" Poe returned with a wide smile.

Amelia shrugged. "Nothing much. Just waiting for Korrie. We're heading for Hosnian Prime as soon as grandma is finished debriefing her.." she said casually, her childish way of sharing information causing Poe to be momentarily confused.

"Korrie?"
"Commander Korr Sella." A blonde to Poe's left interjected as she entered the room,, casually scrolling through a datapad. "She's our special envoy to the Republic, since we're not technically sanctioned yet by them, we are in essence a paramilitary organization which needs a voice. Commander Sella gives us that." She rattled off, looking up with half a smile and an outstretched hand. "Sergeant Kaydel Ko Connix. Commander Dameron I presume?"

Poe met her hand with a wide smile and a nod. "I am, indeed. I'm afraid I'm a little lost on where to report to at the moment. So I figured I'd get my stuff dropped off here at barracks, and then figure that out." He admitted, recognizing well enough that such procedure was not usually the way of things. But instead of any chastisement, Kaydel merely nodded with an understanding look.

"I got you. You can drop your dunnage off here if you like, and I can take you over to Commander Verlaine when she's free. In the meantime, I'm sure Amelia could give you a little tour of the base, help you get acquainted with it." Her hazel eyes slid over to the child who beamed at the very idea. Poe noticed it too.

"If she wouldn't mind..." He trailed off, giving Amelia a look of request, which she gave a childish contemplation about before she nodded vigorously. Poe grinned, and looking at Kaydel who watched with amusement, he announced: "It would seem the little lady is quite happy to do so."

"So I see." Kaydel replied with light teasing in her voice toward Amelia. "Let him drop his stuff off first, and then you can drag him around. I'll let Commander Verlaine know you're here, Commander Dameron—here—" She disappeared into the office near the entrance of the barracks and emerged with a comlink in her hand. "When she's ready for you, I'll give you a buzz. Amelia can show you the way from there."

In her youthful excitement, Amelia seized Poe's hand and started leading him out with a gleeful 'C'mon Poe!' which he laughed at and waved quickly to Kaydel who just shook her head in amusement and left the barracks herself.

What were they going to do? Jaina thought as she looked toward the skies, the multiple ships heading down upon Yavin IV sending a thousand thoughts through her mind. For years, the warnings of some extra-galactic species coming to attack had been questioned and not given the full thought of anyone—'But now,' Jaina now thought—'They can't ignore it now.'

"Jaina! Jacen!" Luke's voice brought her back, her uncle's mechanical hand grabbing her shoulder and pulling her toward the Jedi Praxeum, Jacen firmly grasped in his other, the ships landing as they crossed the threshold of the Praxeum. There stood Mara's red hair flashed from the corner of Jaina's eyes and she turned to look, the sight of their younger brothers firmly in the former assassin's hold.

"Where's Ben?!" Luke shouted in panic to his girlfriend, confusing his nephew as he referred to his son instead.

"He's safe with Lowbacca, don't worry." Mara replied calmly as she reached for Jaina and Jacen. "I have him with some of the others. Come on, you two."

"We're staying with Uncle Luke." Jacen answered for both of them, Jaina's stubborn eyes reflecting his announcement.

"Like hell you are!" Luke replied emphatically. "You're going with Mara, this isn't up for debate."

"But—"

"LUKE!" The shout of Corran Horn came from the entrance, and Luke's head snapped in his direction in worry, before he ran toward his friend a swear of frustration, saber ignited as he took on one of the Yuuzhan Vong who had cornered Corran at the door.

"Jade..." A disembodied voice came through, and Mara didn't react at all, causing a little confusion in Jaina before the glass of one of the windows smashed to pieces, screams of the few Padawans that still were inside causing Mara to turn, violet saber ready to defend with no hesitation against the mix of men and horrifying creatures.

Jaina grabbed Ben, and Jacen seized Anakin, pulling the young boys away from the ensuing fight to find their cousin. Lowbacca found them, instead, his tall figure clapping a hand over Jaina's shoulder and shaking her before he pulled her and Ben away. "Lowie!" Jaina exclaimed in relief, the wookie roaring in a greeting which was edged. "Mara said he was with you!" Lowbacca responded, and Jacen grumbled.

"Why is our cousin such a Skywalker?" he asked rhetorically, his saber gripped tightly in the hand that didn't hold onto Anakin. "We gotta go get him."
"I'm going with you." 12-year-old Ben said bravely.

"Me too." 9-year old Anakin added.

"No you're not. Neither of you." Jacen replied.

"Agreed." Jaina threw in. "Mom and dad would kill us if you came and something happened to you."

She was shaken again. "Jade!"

Things became vague suddenly, and the sound of breaking glass reached their ears again, closer, all of their sabers ignited as a group of hideous humanoids came toward them—

"JADE!"

Dark eyes snapped open and Jaina blinked to look at the face of Bala-Tik, his hand on her arm shrinking away as if he'd touched something repulsive. "About time you woke up." He said with little preamble as he moved away from her and sat down. "We arrived five minutes ago. I'd say you sleep like the dead, but you were moving around a lot and mumbling to yourself."

Jaina pushed herself up to a sitting position, her head tilting from side to side as she attempted to stretch her neck, her left side having a painful stiffness. It had been some time since she'd been bothered by anything remotely reminiscent of her past in her dreams—or rather, the more negative part of her memories. Nightmares often had haunted her during the war, masquerading as memories with a horrible dark twist... she only hoped it wasn't a permanent fixture. "Arrived?" She repeated at last. "Nantoon?"

Bala-Tik nodded. "Yeah. One of our guys is out looking for Solo. He'll let us know when he finds him." he informed, his eyes mildly unsettling in their piercing gaze as she stood up and stretched her legs. She ignored them, though she could feel the staring keenly.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to stare?" She snapped quietly, raising a brow and locking gazes with him. He raised his head a little, challenging almost. His eyes were too beady to her, too examining.

"...You aren't what you seem are you." he stated, earning his own stare from the Jedi.

"Are any of us?" She replied.

Bala-Tik stood, towering over Jaina by at least a foot. "You have more to hide than us. From us, rather. You're here for something that we aren't."

"I'm here for Solo." Came her answer. "And I intend to get him if I can." She pushed past him, her blaster which she'd taken off before she slept reattached to her hip as she readjusted her saber which was under her loose shirt. "I'm going for a walk. Let me know if your boys find anything out there." If she stayed around him, she was going to do something she regretted just so that she didn't say something which exposed her. She turned at the door, throwing on her jacket. "Try not to kill him before I get there, okay? I gotta get something of use from him."

Bala-Tik didn't respond as she left, though the suspicions he felt was stronger now than it was before.

Han groaned, his age having finally taken its toll on his body over the last several years. No matter how much he tried, he just didn't have the endurance he used to—and catching a group of Rathtars was at his limit. Additionally it came with the cost of his crew, which Han never liked, some keepsakes for the few loved ones who his crew had now secure in his pockets. He couldn't help but blame himself, losing men was not what he was here to do.

"Chewie?" he called through the ship as he checked on the smuggling compartments, the valuable relics he'd snagged being enough to pay off some debts he was pretty sure. He just needed to get a good price on them, and he'd be fine. "Chewie, where are you?"

His friend was surprisingly silent if he was on the ship, and Han went to the cockpit to see if he just couldn't hear him.

"Chewie is currently out trying to find you, I'd imagine."

Han's hand found his blaster with the speed of decades of practice, his age still not touching the finely tuned reflexes which he had acquired over the years as he spun around and aimed it toward the voice. Thankfully, with the years, he'd also learned not to fire first and ask questions later.

There, in all her Solo attitude, sat Jaina, an arm casually slung across the back of her seat as her brow raised and dark eyes looked in amusement at the blaster in his hand. It felt like an eternity since he'd seen her last, and though he tried to look nonchalant, he couldn't help but do a mental scan of how she looked to gauge things. She looked well enough, he decided, not as haunted as she had been the last time he'd set eyes on her. Now she just looked... tired.

And every fatherly part of him became instantly worried.

"...are you intending to put down the blaster, or are you just going to stare at me for the rest of eternity, dad?" Jaina playfully asked, the quirk of her lips reminding him of Leia in that moment.

Eyes sliding to his hand, he realized she was right, and as he re-holstered the blaster, he took a few steps toward her. "I thought I told you before not to sneak up on me like that."

Jaina smiled and giggled softly. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. Besides, I was in no real danger."

"I could've shot you." Han replied curtly, but his daughter just shook her head.

"I would've deflected it. Though..." She waved her hand around the room. "I wouldn't be responsible for any rebounding damages."

Han smirked. He wouldn't say it aloud, but he'd missed her.

"It's been a long time, Jaina. You been with Luke?" Is what he responded with instead.

A shrug came from her, and she propped her legs up on the table in front of her. "I've been off on my own little adventures, I'm afraid. Uncle Luke is more...stationary." she replied. "And before you ask, I can't tell you where he is."

"But he's alright?" Han needed the confirmation, the absence of his brother-in-law having worried him a little. After thirty years of being unable to shake Luke, Han didn't like how his being gone was settling.

Jaina nodded. "He's fine, dad. Well... as much as Luke can be under the circumstances." She dropped her legs and leaned forward, her casual air lost as she focused on Han, his expression shifting when she'd ceased to talk, doubtless thinking on just what circumstances she referred. "But you aren't, I hear."

Han's thoughtful look ceased, and he settled his hands on his hips. "Can't imagine where you heard that. I'm doing just fine."

A distant screech from a Rathtar sounded as if on cue.

Jaina raised a brow again.

"I'm fine." Han insisted.

Running a hand through her hair, Jaina stood, matching his stance with a look which clearly said that she didn't believe him. "You're a hundred-thousand credits in debt to some dangerous people, not including Lando, and that's just who I know about. You're carting Rathtars around. And from the looks of things, you lost the Falcon—though, I will say, this is an upgrade..." She motioned to the ship around them. "So maybe not everything is bad."

Han opened his mouth to speak—

"And you're carting around relics which you have no business even touching, let alone selling; and may I mention that it's just you and Chewie? Dad, c'mon." Jaina continued on, forcing Han to stop whatever was going to come out of his mouth. "Dad..."

The elder Solo sighed. "Not everything works out the way we want, kid."

Jaina resisted the urge to say anything else on the subject, and instead gave a conceding nod. "Well, maybe I can help you out. You've got some open spaces in your crew now and I—"
"No." Han interrupted sternly. "You're not getting involved in this."

"I'm already involved." Jaina countered quickly. "How do you think I found you?"

Han was silent, the gears in his head turning. Finally it clicked. "Don't tell me you got involved with one of my creditors." The sheepish look on his daughter's face was enough to confirm it. "Jaina!"

"Hey, Lando couldn't tell me where you were, I had to find a way to go about it. They had more information on you than I did, don't worry though they have no idea who I am. If they did I doubt they'd have helped me." Jaina explained, smiling playfully at Han. "I did learn a thing or two from you when it comes to talking my way out of things."

He didn't like it. Not one bit. It was one thing for him, he'd been in it for years, he knew how to maneuver in and around the crooks he involve himself in. He was Han Solo, he could talk himself out of anything. But it was another thing when his own daughter was involved, caught in the world of the criminals, playing at something she was never born to play—he didn't care that she could fight her way out if she had to, it didn't settle well, and every single protective instinct blustered.

His thoughts had to have played on his face, as when he finally looked at her again he could see her pursed lips of agitation. "I'm not a child, dad. I'm thirty years old, I know what I'm doing."

"You have no idea what you're doing!" He snapped, his finger pointing at her, seeing more his little girl than any thirty year old. "Whatever ties you have with them, you cut them now!"

"Well that's going to be a little hard, I told them I was part of Zann's gang. But if I just become part of your crew then—"

"Zann?!" Han exclaimed, not listening past the name. "What the hell do you think you're playing at, Jaina? Zann has been out of the criminal classes for years, and everyone knows it. You think they think for one second that you're one of them? You've got too much of your mother in you for that. You cut ties while you're still breathing, now."

Jaina finally gave an exasperated eye roll, and grit her teeth. "Dad, I know what I'm doing!"

"You clearly don't!"

Chewbaccas roar suddenly cut through their growing argument, and both stopped and turned to the wookie with a curt: "WHAT CHEWIE?!" Which was promptly ignored by Chewbacca. After years of being around Solos, the Wookie had grown used to how the family could act, and by his very stance was fully prepared to pull them apart physically if he had to. However, as the looks he gave both father and daughter seemed to help them to reconsider their decision to fight, it became clear that such decisive action wouldn't be needed.

Though Han still was in a huff, he pointed his finger in his daughter's face once more, the fatherly tone one which had been carried through all of Jaina's life coming out as strongly as it had the last time she'd done something reckless and was rebuked by him. "You're not going back to them, and that's final. Chewie, make sure she doesn't leave, I'm going up to the cockpit so we can take off."
With that, he disappeared down one of the corridors, and Jaina looked up at Chewbacca with a sigh. "...Hi Uncle Chewie."

Chewie gave a chortling sound, and opened his arms, leaving the small woman to happily snuggle into his embrace. He gave an affectionate noise, and she chuckled.

"Yeah, I missed you too."

Night over D'Qar reminded Poe of Yavin IV in a way, the greenery rustling in the light breeze, and nightly animal noises filling the air making things quite relaxing. It was the ending of the first day on base, the first of many he was quite sure. Amelia had dragged him all about the base, every inch of the field had covered (save for the places where Amelia was strictly not allowed) and he now had a good layout of the place in his mind. It was odd having a child show him about, there was a certain view which the girl had put on it all, something more exciting in the tour itself, which had rubbed off on him a little.

Childish innocence gave it more glamour than it probably deserved.

Although quieter, D'Qar was just like every other base, with a mess hall, barracks, hangar, and administrative buildings where all the missions would be posted from. People filtered in from each in their turn, just like everywhere else—the only difference, perhaps, was in the command itself.

Which, in Poe's opinion, was rather... loose.

Though militaristic in structure, the relaxed air that everyone had made it all too painfully clear how many were originally just civilians. Most of the commanders themselves were supporters of Leia Organa, whose backgrounds were everything from smugglers to politicians, with little actual tactical training. Military men themselves came few and far between, and something about that was unsettling to him. He believed in this resistance, that was for sure, but every bit of training in him was slowly building on what he could suggest that could be of some assistance. They'd need all the help they could get if they were ever going to be successful in this.

Blinking up at the innumerable stars and planets, he let the matter drop in his thoughts, focusing on the simple beauty of the expansive sky above him. Wherever his mother was, whatever afterlife she'd gone to, he'd always hoped she'd be looking out for him, a childish belief that it was so still playing every once in a while in his imagination... he hoped she was proud of him. That his decision to join this Resistance was something she'd want. Despite her death in his childhood, he wanted nothing more than to make her proud.

Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, relaxing entirely. Tomorrow was when his time would fully begin here, tomorrow he'd do everything he needed to get his feet moving on this shifty ground.

Despite her best efforts, Jaina found it hard to relax in the silence of the room Han had given her, her meditation in the Force having left her more disturbed than content. It wasn't that anything was wrong, per se, but there was a tension which put her on edge, and caused her to start wandering around the ship in search of her father. Though the cockpit was the most likely place, she avoided it until last, becoming well acquainted with the other corridors before she finally went to see him.

It was bigger than the Falcon's, that was sure, the pilots seats at the far end looking much smaller than she thought it would've. It was strange looking at her father from behind, somehow he seemed...older in spirit from the back. Perhaps it was his shoulders: broad and normally strong looking, which were bent down a little, as if weighted by an invisible burden, the grey hair combined with it making him seem much different than she remembered. It wasn't that Han never had troubles in her childhood, she could remember seeing him for years have the same shoulders from behind on numerous occasions—the most memorable being after she returned from her fight with Jacen. Losing a son had never fully healed, she suspected.

And she was fairly certain losing his second went worse because of it.

The sound of her mother's voice beside him caught her attention, and she came a little closer, craning her neck ever so slightly to see the top of an image of her mother coming from the screen in front of him. A recording from years ago was playing, when she had informed him of Jacen's child existing, and Tenel's request that she be brought to them for safekeeping. Jaina's lips twitched into a slight smile at the sound of the baby's voice coming from beside her, the recording something she'd been there to witness firsthand.

How was the kid now? She wondered. It'd been five years since she'd seen her niece, she'd be... eight? Nine?

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Han's voice broke her from her mind trying to picture the girl now, his chair swiveling to face her as the recording turned off, a glint of understanding in his eyes which she couldn't help but sigh and nod at. Han nodded in reply. "Funny thing about being a parent. When you were kids you used to hop in our bed when you couldn't sleep... I suppose that never changes, though beds turn to chairs instead." He motioned to the co-pilot seat. "You're welcome to join me. It's a little lonely up here."

Jaina approached the chair and sat down, letting herself melt into the chair as somehow her body decided it was going to take the opportunity to rest despite herself. "I'm surprised Chewie isn't up here." she commented, looking over the various panels and buttons.

"He's checking up on our passengers. This old thing isn't used to transporting such... rambunctious creatures." Han answered, tucking the pad away so he could give her his full attention.

"Of course. Though it'll be outweighed by the fact that you'll be able to pay off debts, so that's a plus." Jaina added, almost wishing he hadn't put the recordings away. She missed her mother, though she didn't allow herself to speak that out loud. "So where are we headed anyway?"

"Jakku." Han answered. "I've got a few things to unload before going off to deliver them to Prana. At that point, I'll pay off the gangs, and then figure out what next."

A slow nod came from Jaina, the information being more to make conversation than actual needing to know it. It wasn't that she didn't care, she did, but it was low on her list of need-to-know.

"What's bothering you, sweetheart? You still dreaming about the war?"

Her eyes snapped to his in a little shock, surprised he'd bring up her dreams, though she shrugged in reply. "I don't think I'll ever stop dreaming about it, to be honest. I had enough fuel for a few decades worth of nightmares I'm pretty sure. Between that and..." Jacen's death, she almost said. It was cruel how often her subconscious made her relive that night. "Anyway, it wasn't that which bothered me. I can't really explain it, I just... needed to do something other than try and relax."

Han nodded, he heard the silence, though let it go. He may not know the inner workings of his daughter's mind, but he had a good idea what it meant. "Well, I was just going over some old stuff. Found the datapad in a heap of stuff I forgot I had that's just gone from ship to ship, so I figured I'd find out if there was anything on it worth saving."

"...Like recordings of mom?" Jaina attempted, watching him closely as she reached her hand out slightly and made the pad move, as if in request for him to let her see it. His hand waved in permission and the device floated into her palm, allowing her to see where he'd paused it.

"There's a lot of them on there. I'd forgotten how many of them I'd saved over the years. You can go back a good fifteen years or more that somehow managed to stay on there from trips around the galaxy." Han explained, nostalgia taking over his features, distance in his eyes growing as he allowed himself to go into memory. "There's even one in there from Ben asking me when I was going to come home..." he trailed off, leaving Jaina to explore the various recordings in the device. "It was a long time ago."

Jaina started playing one, a message from her mother from before the war... "It was a better time." she commented softly. "I miss it."

"So do I." Han replied, looking at Jaina despite the fact that she was distracted with the screen. "How is your mother?"

She was quiet, the sounds of the recording filling the space for a few moments. "You know as much as I do." she answered. "I haven't seen her in five years—I haven't... talked to her much either. I only know what I've heard through general sources, and a little from Anakin yesterday."

Han's brows furrowed. "I thought you would've been in contact with her. I thought she might have sent you." His musings were aloud, and she finally lifted her gaze as the voices through the datapad ceased.

"I have been in contact with her, in a manner of speaking. I gathered information for her, though kept my distance—I'm not entirely sure she knows it was me, to be honest. Either way, she didn't send me at all. I came to get you because I think she's gonna need you soon." She answered slowly, leaning as far into the chair as possible. "I don't want her to have to face this stuff on her own. She doesn't deserve that."

Han grew serious. "'This stuff'?" he repeated. "I have a feeling you're not sharing everything."

Jaina chuckled softly as she toyed with the edge of the pad. "A feeling huh? Is it a 'bad' feeling, dad?"

"Easy, kiddo." The warning in his voice was too light to be taken seriously. "My bad feelings have kept me alive all these years, be careful what you poke at."

"You sure you're not force sensitive?" Jaina queried, earning a groan from Han, which she proceeded to giggle at.

"I'm pretty damn sure I'm not force sensitive." he replied. "To begin with, it seems like most Force-sensitives don't tend to follow their guts like they should."

"Guess I take after you, then." Came Jaina's follow-up reply. Han hummed in agreement, turning to the control panel as Jaina returned the datapad to where he'd put it. It hadn't passed his attention that she'd not answered his earlier question, but he knew well enough that she'd answer... eventually. And he wasn't wrong—folding her hands in her lap, Jaina cleared her throat a few minutes later. "When was the last time you saw mom?"

Well that wasn't where he thought she'd go.

"A year or two ago she was investigating some kind of... political tip and we ran into each other. Apparently some of the senators were being bought out by some third party that was a dead end, she didn't know who." Han answered. "Why do you ask?"

Jaina shrugged. "Just curious. You left not long after I did from what I can tell, so it made me wonder..." She trailed off, sighing as her mental wheels began to turn at the mention of a 'third party'. Her mouth opened to ask, but she stopped herself, sighing again as she stood from her seat. She knew already who this 'third party' was, if she thought about it. It wasn't hard to connect the dots to what she already had put together... she just wanted to know a little more. "Chewie is on his way back, so I won't take up your time anymore."

"You don't have to go." Han said quickly, turning to look at her. "I'm sure your uncle Chewie isn't going to mind a third person in the room. It gets pretty quiet up here, and while we're used to it it'd be nice to have a change of pace."

It was tempting, and she nearly sat back down, but shook her head instead. "I gotta get some kind of sleep. Maybe next time?"

Han's look dropped a little but he nodded and agreed. "A'right. Sleep tight, kid."

"'Night, dad."

On Hosnian Prime, Anakin was in the middle of a PR party he truly wished he might have avoided sooner when he felt a buzzing in his pocket, a small transceiver he carried with him in case of emergencies informing him of a new message. With the high alert he and his squadron were on, alarm bells rang in his mind, and he quickly excused himself, withdrawing the device, half expecting to be ordered back to base as quickly as possible—or to see some kind of message from his mother which would have to be addressed with urgency.

What he didn't expect was a quick message from Jaina which read as such:

'Don't ask where I got the specs on how to get this, you won't like it. But I need information when you have a chance— no rush, of course. Just a few quick questions.

J'

He smiled, chuckling softly to himself as he felt a thrill of excitement course through him briefly. Information needed? It felt like old times, and the familiarity put a smile on his face when he hadn't felt like smiling five minutes ago.

There was only one problem: He had no solid excuse to leave the PR party. It wasn't that he was needed, but disappearing might be problematic. Perhaps he could tell them he 'had some reports to fill out.' Finding the host, he realized he might just have to be... persuasive. It was the nicest way to put mind tricks.

Twenty minutes later he was in his speeder returning to base, grateful that the host was relatively weak minded—well, at least intoxicated he was.

How was that? Please let me know. Until next time, guys.