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Luke Skywalker has vanished. The seemingly peaceful First Order has chosen this time as prime to come into power. While they are still majorly unknown, there are plans to change that soon. At the helm of this organization is Supreme leader Snoke, aided by his faithful apprentice, the mysterious Kylo Ren, and his loyal General Hux.
The Resistance stands against this, now under the control of General Leia Organa, but are reaching the end of their rope. Their allies throughout the galaxy are limited and they are running out of supplies. General Leia has sent her best pilot on a mission to the desert planet of Jakku to retrieve a map that she hopes will lead them to her missing brother. Meanwhile, Snoke has sent his apprentice on a mission to investigate a possibly untrained powerful force user on the mid-rim planet Naboo in hopes of increasing the First Order’s Strength.
~~~
The afternoon was dry and sunny on the lush planet of Naboo. As the sun rose in the sky, the marketplace became abuzz with activity. Gungans and Nubians alike filled the streets as the pleasant hum of life arose. While regarded by those who knew the lore well as the homeland of Luke Skywalker's mother, many locals simply called it home. Years had passed since Queen Amidala had died, and a new Queen had come into power.
Her name was Ambrosia Kelosai. She was the third in line since Amidala’s passing, the third in a line of absolute monarchs. She had become quite attached to the citizens and had made it a personal mission to interact with them often. She was the poster child for a perfect queen, with eyes the colour of a summer sky and hair the colour of straw. Her smile brought calm to any issues that she faced. Which, of course, led to her being a target often.
Among her guards were you, the head officer. You were the most trusted amongst them despite your slight frame and young age. You were quick to draw but easy on the trigger, and you were well versed in everything from Court Etiquette to Ship Repair. You’d grown up alongside the queen and were willing to die for her if that’s what it took.
As you watched the queen, you tried to ignore the deep-set feeling of anxiety that had been hanging over you since you’d woken up that morning. You were an extremely empathetic person, and often you could swear you could sense things that were going to happen before they did. Your father, a kind man with vast knowledge spanning every topic possible, had told you it was because you were something called ‘Force Sensitive’. He’d spun you stories of Jedi and Sith, some fiction, some truth; your father had been a pilot in the rebel alliance and had seen Luke Skywalker firsthand. Suddenly, the anxiety reached a crescendo and you inhaled sharply. You knew this feeling all too well and knew that what followed was far from good.
“My queen,” you whispered and, Kelosai turned to look at you. Her face fell, she knew what was coming.
“What ails you, Officer?” She asked, blue eyes saddened with the premonition of your reply.
“Something is wrong, My Queen, I can sense something dark and bad. I do not like it at all, and I recommend you return to your quarters until we can ratify this claim,” The fellow guards became tense. The last time Jun had had a bad feeling, there had been an attempt on the Queen's life. Luckily, she had been protected and they knew Jun was not to be taken lightly.
“Tell the citizens I am not well,” Kelosai directed and turned towards the castle. You hesitated, hanging behind as you felt your attention pulled towards the forest rimming the town. Your pulse quickened and you felt something- or someone pull you- it was like a magnet and you fought the urge to investigate. Someone was here, filled with a power you didn't know was possible. It lured you towards them, but you kept your composure and turned to follow Kelosai’s entourage.
---
Kylo stood at the ramp, pulling his robes around him. He knew this mission time was limited but crucial. His ascension to the place of Lord Vader would not be complete without an Amidala by his side- he was sure of it. Snoke had only approved this mission because he believed the Queen was strong in the force. The Supreme Leader had sent his most trustworthy apprentice to investigate. Kylo Ren made sure his lightsaber was at the ready, but out of sight. He stepped off onto the cobbled walkways of the port and his breath caught for a moment. He could feel raw power, strong and intense pulling him towards the capital. It made his pulse race and a feeling like an adrenaline boost kicked through his veins.
“Oh, that will do nicely,” He turned to the few stormtroopers manning the ship, “Prepare the shackles, I’ll make this quick,”
“Yes sir,” they replied, door closing and Kylo turned towards the castle, robes swaying lightly in the wind.
----
You stood guard outside Kelosai’s quarters, hand tight around your blaster. Your sword hung at your side, all but forgotten, and your pulse began to escalate.
“He’s here,” you muttered into her comlink and then the hallway filled with tension. You’d always been sensitive to emotions and intentions- to life forces in general, so you felt the tension rising from the floor below, where the castle entrance was. It felt like a muscle being extended, and then: something new came into your metaphorical crosshairs. It was a being of raw power like you’d never felt before. It was a mix of power, strength, and a battle between darkness and light. It felt like a shot of adrenaline after an act of rebellion.
“We have sights on a male individual in what appears to be First Order Robes, wearing a helmet. Permission to fire?”
“Permission denied, reluctantly,” Commander Snipe said, “Search him,”
“Don’t! I don’t like this,” you said, “There’s something off about this, and I don’t think we should give him a reason to-” you hesitated, “Retaliate,”
“Disregard my previous statement. Lead him to the throne room and prepare a droid for tea,” the Commander’s voice was clipped through her clenched teeth.
“Copy that,” The voice replied, crackling to life through the comlink before it went dead again.
“What are you doing?” Snipe turned to you, “The first order is evil !” you pursed your lips, agitated already. Snipe had never liked you, that much was true, and you knew snipe would throw you under the bantha as soon as the opportunity presented itself. She locked you into an intense glaring contest and it was only broken by the sound of Kelosai's door opening.
“Following my instincts, it’s got me this far,” you replied curtly, hand moving to your sword as you stepped out of the Queen's way. Kelosai hesitated between you two, and the tension was palpable. Then she nodded and you escorted Kelosai to the throne room. The stranger stood in the centre, about 6 feet from the dais. Something about him was magnetic- attracting you to him. He was tall, with a broad, strong chest and shoulders, cutting an imposing figure swathed entirely in black. His looks weren’t what pulled your attention to him, as his face was obscured by a helmet- one that was eerily reminiscent of Darth Vader. His energy was easily discernible and made an unease ripple through the guards like a wind in the treetops. It was an aura of strength, of power.
“Her Majesty, Queen Kelosai,” Snipe announced and you watched with apprehension as he bowed slightly to the queen. You felt anxiety twist your already knotted insides. He was a blank slate- not a single emotion and your heart pounded.
“Good Afternoon, Your Majesty,” he spoke, voice hid by a modulator, “I have come here on the behalf of supreme leader Snoke,”
“And your name is?” Kelosai inquired, not unkindly.
“Kylo Ren, your majesty,” His name was like a match to gunpowder. The shock exploded silently through the room, overtaking you and everyone around you- except for the man speaking, “The Supreme Leader has sent me here to simply request your alliance, and to test your ability with the Force,” Everyone knew Kylo Ren- the powerful apprentice of the Supreme Leader, who was so strong in the force rumours circulated that even Luke Skywalker was scared of him.
“Pardon me?” Kelosai looked startled, “isn’t the force but a power for the Jedi?”
Oh come on, you thought to yourself. I’ve taught you better, Ambrosia.
“Permission to speak, Your majesty?” You asked before she could stop yourself
“Permission Granted, Officer,” Kelosai permitted and you stepped forward under the intense gaze of Kylo Ren.
“The Force- according to the Jedi religion- is a field generated by the power of all living things. To say the Jedi are the only ones who can use it would be, with all due respect of course, incorrect,” You felt all eyes on you and fought a rising blush, “The Jedi are simply those who have trained in the art of manipulating it to their will, but anyone who is Force Sensitive can learn to manipulate it.”
“Ah,” Kelosai began, a small smile painted upon her lips, “But I have never shown special abilities of any kind,” she tilted her head slightly to the side, “not that there’s anything wrong with that of course.”
“As users of the force,” Ren began and you felt confusion further twist the knots of anxiety in your stomach, “The Supreme leader and I have sensed a build in the force, centred around this planet. Has anyone you know of exhibited particularly unexplainable behaviour? Seeing the future perhaps?” You didn’t know how he knew but you were positive he’d found you out. He was giving you an out but you refused to yield. Of course, Snipe saw the opportunity to get rid of you once and for all in these words and the triumph she exuded had you fighting the bile rising in your throat.
“If I may, your highness,” she interrupted to a confused look from the queen, “doesn’t the Head Officer exhibit qualities like that? She did foresee this young man coming to visit you,” Your mind began to race. shit. You practically screamed in your head. Snipe had never liked you, and if this was any evidence, she was willing to do whatever it took to get you out of the picture. Ren turned to look at you, and your heart dropped.
“Well- yes,” Kelosai began, “but I don’t see how my si-” she stumbled over the word and your heart dropped even further, Come on don’t slip up, you urged her internally, “my guard could be of any use to them,”
“She would receive the best healthcare, amenities, and training in the galaxy,” Ren responded, “It would benefit your planet immensely to have a member of the Nubian royal family in one of the highest positions in the First Order,” You felt the shock ripple off of your sister- quickly shifting from panic to fear.
“Well, I think that maybe it would be unwise for me to leave the queen’s guard,” You said, grasping at straws. You refused to leave the only family you had left for a bucket-head space wizard and his over-glorified flashlight.
“We would be fine, officer. You should go.” Commander Snipe said, trying not to smile. You could feel the menace behind her words and see it in her eyes. You wanted to grimace.
“As an ally of the First Order, you would have the best legions of troops protecting you, and the highest intelligence officers monitoring any threats against you or your people,” his emotional silence slipped away for a moment and you felt a glimpse of something, of a resolve. He would be taking royalty with him, even if he had to kill everyone in the room to do it. The ice-cold bucket of fear washed over you again.
“I’ll go.” You said and your sister turned to look at you, her face practically asking What are you doing? “If he knows about my force sensitivity, I should go. This might prove beneficial later,” you nodded, convincing yourself too, “I could be stronger,”
“Well, I guess that settles it then,” Kelosai said with fake enthusiasm, “We will form an alliance and my sister will go to train with you,”
“Wonderful,” Ren turned to look at you and you felt mixed emotions, “I will leave at sundown. Pack only the necessities, the rest will be provided for you on the main base,”
“If you don’t mind,” Kelosai said to the man swathed in black, “I would like a word with my Head Officer,” He said nothing but nodded, allowing it. She stepped down from the throne and locked eyes with you, calm but the fury rolling off of her in waves of heat. “Officer? A word,”
“Yes your Majesty,” You bowed, locking eyes with your sister. As you passed one of the guards you whispered, “Guide him to the front of the palace.” The soldier nodded and you exited. As soon as you were out of the throne room, Kelosai whipped around, eyes flashing angrily.
“What are you doing ?” She asked incredulously, voice low but filled with anger.
“I’m saving you, Ambrosia! He was going to take one of us whether we wanted to go or not, so I offered myself!” you looked at your younger sister, hands balled into fists.
“Stop trying to be a martyr!” Ambrosia hissed.
“I’m not!”
“Really? Because it sure as hell seems like it!” She threw her hands up, “If mom were here-”
“Moms not here, okay? And I don’t want to hear about what she would want me to do in this situation because I don’t care! I will not allow you to endure the same crap that-" you stuttered, thinking of the queen of the past- the one whose tale was built on hush whispers of if only it'd been different , "That Queen Amidala dealt with, and that’s final!” you turned and walked away.
“You don’t get to tell me that! Just because you’re older doesn’t mean- where do you think you’re going?” you didn’t respond to your sister’s cries. You stalked down the hallway, pissed off and giving off a level of irritation that sent servants scampering away. You entered your quarters, where a protocol droid of some sort, was packing your things neatly. Your droid, a BB unit rolled excitedly over to meet you, chirping excitedly. It brought you your casual guard wear and you stepped into the restroom to change. You returned your belt, equipped with your sword, your commlink, and two blasters. You re-entered your room and passed the now-folded armour to the protocol droid.
“Make sure to pack my armour,”
“As you wish, Master,” the droid stated, turning back to your bag. With a nod and a gentle repeat to your BB droid that it couldn’t come along, you cracked your neck and walked to the entrance of the palace, where Kylo Ren stood, looking over the marketplace. He stood in that same way he had before, tall regal- reminiscent of an omen of death. Shaking off the thought, you stepped forward and coughed to announce your presence. He didn’t strike you as the type for pleasantries so you skipped them and began to walk through the city. You two were a strikingly different pair, you were sure: you were clad in the oranges and blues of the royal guard and he was adorned in what seemed like 700 layers of thick black clothing.
“Your city has grown prosperous since the joining of the two cultures,” He observed, hands clasped behind his back. Was he trying to make small talk? You thought to yourself, I thought he was supposed to be mean-?
“It has been many years since then,” you replied and looked up at him.
“How do you understand them?” he asked, “the Gungans, that is.”
“They have made an effort to speak our language, it is only fair we make an effort to understand them,” you replied, ever the diplomat.
“You are the eldest, correct?” He continued and you hesitated, not entirely enjoying this question.
“Yes, I am,”
“Then why don't you rule?” he didn't even spare you a look and you were grateful as you were sure you looked as tired of this question as you felt.
“Honestly?” You rarely, if ever, got an opportunity to speak freely about your passions, and you weren’t quick to assume this masked marauder would want to hear about them.
“I’d enjoy an honest answer,” He replied, still stoic and you rolled your eyes internally. Come on man, you thought, a little emotion would be nice .
“It’s boring. After they switched back to a Monarchy, people began to find peace in the stability… The monarchy started with my grandmother, who ruled fairly,” you sighed, “But peace and stability and safety have never really been my friends. I want to create something, do something, and I’m never comfortable sitting still. My people, while wonderful and kind, are simple and make simple lives. There are rarely domestic disputes, and when they are, they are aggravatingly petty. There is no real conflict in this world, and I can’t stand it. That’s why I let my sister become the Queen. She has the right mind for it,”
“A simple mind?” He asked and you burst out laughing. His modulator made a sound akin to a brief, breathy laugh- but you weren’t sure if it was a huff of amusement or annoyance- or even a malfunction, “Is that not what you meant?”
“No, but it's true,” you grinned, “My sister often only looks at what is happening here and now, and never what is ahead.”
“Sounds like the opposite of someone I know,” he murmured, and you weren’t too sure if you were supposed to hear it or not.
“I struggle too much with worrying about both, if I'm being totally honest,” You looked sheepishly to the side, "Or just worrying in general,"
“I can see that, why else would a person bring a sword along on a casual outing?” He gestured to the scabbard at your side and you blinked. Was he… bantering? With you?
“Hey! My sword goes where I go,” you defended and he looked down at you, “It's the one thing people never expect me to use, so I use it when needed… which is often,”
“So you are skilled with a sword?” he inquired and you realised he was most definitely bantering with you, “You don’t look it,”
“I would say so,” you smiled a little, “but I'd be willing to test my luck on you,”
“Perhaps another time,” He said, and then went quiet.
“I'll hold you to it,” you said amusedly. After a moment, you remembered something else you’d want to bring along, “Do you mind accompanying me to get something real quick?”
“Lead the way,”
You led the way through the city, sending quick, furtive glances at your counterpart, sizing him up. He was tall, stoic, and from the little conversation, you'd had with him, well educated and eloquent. He had an almost regal air about him, and he dressed like, well, like he was in a high position of power. All black robes, with black leather gloves. He was dark, mysterious, and something about him worried you. His eyes seemed full of conflict as if there was something that troubled him. As you looked closer you noticed the telltale signs you often exhibited; dark circles from lack of sleep, fists clenched just a little too tight, stiffness in posture. It hit you then, and you glanced away before he caught you looking. You waited a moment and then looked back. He was under extreme duress. While you knew next to nothing about Kylo Ren, you sympathised with him and knew there was something that bothered him.
“You're staring” He murmured and you went red, “Are you still thinking of fighting me?”
“Maybe,” you said dismissively
“In the recreational sense, I hope” his voice was devoid of all emotion- any semblance of intonation robbed by the modulator.
“And why should I be deterred from otherwise?” You retorted, somewhere in between joking and threatening. You weren’t sure if the lighthearted turn the conversation had taken was still around, or if it had died with that line of questioning.
“Because I would easily defeat you,” He replied coolly and you couldn't tell if he was amused or irritated with you. Possibly both.
“I doubt that,” You said, trying to maintain your cool, and not panic at the notion he was irritated. Kylo Ren was notorious for what happened when he got angry. If you were on the receiving end, then you’d likely not make it back to the royal guard.
“Why is that?”
“I’ve spent years in training, and enough time studying foreign invaders to know how to handle myself against any opponent, any weapon,”
“I doubt you could hold yourself against any weapon” He raised an eyebrow and you turned to him, “Could you hold your own against a lightsaber?”
“You’re shitting me,” You replied, “A Lightsaber?” You tried to hold back your excitement, but you doubted you were successful. When you’d been younger, your father and you had studied everything you could get your hands on and tried to construct a lightsaber. By the fact that you carried a sword instead, you’d obviously failed. He simply stared at you and you realised an explanation would be of use, “When I was younger, I tried to build my own. I still have it, nearly constructed,”
“You’ve piqued my interest,” he said and you could feel the genuine curiosity- one of the first emotions you’d been able to read. You turned off a road before the entrance and he followed you, interest rolling off of him. You came to a stop before a green-domed house, and he watched you as you lifted your fist to the door to tap out a familiar pattern. You knocked twice, paused, knocked once more, paused again, and knocked twice more. After a long beat, the door opened to reveal a frizzy-haired Pandoran. She smiled upon seeing you, and you smiled back. She was an old friend of yours, and you’d known her your whole life.
“Hey-” her smile faltered as she caught sight of your intimidating company, “You brought a guest..?”
“Mika, hi!” you greeted as she cautiously let you both into her home, “I have a lot to tell you, but long story short, I’ve been chosen to go train. This is-” You hesitated, your eyes darting over to Ren, who had tensed. Mentor popped into your mind, and you practically heard it in his voice. He stood stock-still, staring out the window. For a moment, you were transfixed by the way the warm sunlight outlined his frame.
“This is...?” Mika asked and you huffed out a breath, coming back to focus.
“He’s my new teacher.” You explained.
“You sound like you’re convincing yourself,” She whispered in reply and you hesitated.
“Well,” you sighed, looking at him, “there were some initial… doubts, but I’ve decided to overlook them in favour of optimism,”
“You really must be desperate,” Mika whispered back and you looked to the side.
You have no idea what I'm going through. You thought to yourself but kept a brave face.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” You defended, trying to seem enthusiastic about the circumstances.
“You’re not one for optimism…” Every sentence so far had been punctuated with an uneasy glance to your companion, “especially since I can tell you don’t trust him.”
“Well, you’re not wrong, but I don’t trust a lot of people,” you defended. Just let it go, Mika. You thought and you saw Ren turn from the window.
“As much as I would like to sit here in silence for longer, the sun is going down soon and we must leave at sundown,” Ren’s voice crackled through the modulator and you feel the discomfort wafting off of Mika, “We must meet with the supreme leader upon our reunion with the main ship,”
“Oh, my bad,” Mika smiled and Ren turned, gesturing for you to lead the way. You nodded and sent a reassuring look to the panicked Mika.
“Come on,” You directed, waving for him to follow you as you trudged up the stairs to the domed room at the top of the house.
---
Kylo followed behind her, watching closely and finally taking the moment to put the mental analysis he’d been making together.
She was far from short but not tall, and rather basic in her appearance. Her hair was pulled back in a simple braid. She walked with a steady stride and confident posture, but her eyes betrayed her. She was anxious, nervous, and seemed to lack purpose. He’d seen the way she’d sacrificed herself for her sister. There was something about her that unnerved him, from the way that she arrogantly stated she could beat him, to the way she’d smiled when he revealed he owned a lightsaber.
And most of all, it was the way he saw himself reflected in her.