1st Portion | [Video]

[floatingrocks]

[The first thing Rey did was make certain she still had all her belongings. She had her staff, the sacred Jedi texts, her bag, a few stale rations sunk to the bottom--and the hilt of the Skywalker lightsaber, severed in half.

She kept that well buried.

It didn't take her long to figure out how her newfound device worked, and she switched on the video feed, squinting skeptically into the camera.]

This doesn't look like anyplace I've ever been before. [Though that doesn't exactly narrow it down.] And nothing in this pamphlet indicates that the war is over or that it even existed.

[She lowers her eyes, giving pause before pressing onward--there was no other way to go, and if she were to be of any use to anyone, she'd have to be practical and tend to her immediate needs.]

I was informed that I would need to find a place to stay, and a means to earn my room and board. I'd rather go off any leads rather than wander about aimlessly, so if you've the need of someone good with airships or droids, even computers and the like--I've a lot of hands-on experience. I'm also an adequate pilot, if that's something that's useful here.

[Fixing the lightsaber would have to wait.]

Comments

[captain_by_the_book]

[ The New Republic. Cassian nods at that, he's heard a lot about the New Republic from Han Solo. Through K-2SO, he's heard about Starkiller, but...

All his thoughts grind to a halt. ]

What do you, doesn't exist anymore? [ His voice has sharpened to a bark, demanding answers. ]

[floatingrocks]

I mean--the people are still around, just--

[She balks, brow knit.] There's not much left of the Resistance. We've sent out distress signals but--after Starkiller destroyed the capital in the Hosnian galaxy--

--but we're still here. And we're only going to grow from hereon out. I'm certain of it.

[She has faith that Luke wouldn't have said so otherwise.]

[captain_by_the_book]

Wait, wait. I know of Starkiller and that it was destroyed. I know there is the threat of the First Order.

[ But it's all terribly confusing, all the more so since he's only once spoken to someone from that future, while he talks every day to Han Solo, who comes from a completely different future. ]

I don't know of more than one system being destroyed. What is going on with the New Republic? Why is it not fighting?

[floatingrocks]

[She lowers her eyes.] I'm...not sure. Not yet. The New Republic capital was destroyed, and--I think with the First Order growing they may be afraid.

That's where I came from--I was with General Organa on the Millennium Falcon, retreating from battle on Crait...we were going to set out and see why none of our distress signals were answered.

[captain_by_the_book]

I... I need time to deal with this.

[ Cassian's shutting himself down here, face going emotionless, tone cold. It's the second huge revelation within two days and he's fraying. ]

I need to analyze it.

[floatingrocks]

If there's any further information I can give--I'm...probably not the best option there is, but...

[Right now she's all you've got.]

[captain_by_the_book]

Nothing to be done about that.

[ And sorry, Rey, but he's terribly frustrated with it. ]

We didn't spend decades fighting to... This isn't how it should have gone.

[ Can he get a refund on this future, please? ]

[floatingrocks]

[She looks up, hazel eyes sharpening.]

Don't talk like that. This isn't over. Far from it.

[She says as she's trapped here in this...place!]

[captain_by_the_book]

[ He glares right back. ]

Well, the New Republic isn't putting up much resistance either, is it? Planets have been wiped out before and we've never let that be a reason to hide from necessary battle!

[ Sorry, Rey, he's not upset with you. You're just the bearer of bad news. ]

[floatingrocks]

I don't think they're hiding. Something must have happened. The New Republic might've thought General Organa was a war-monger at first, but after the destruction of the Hosnian system, there's no way they would just sit back and let the First Order have their way!

[Would they?] Not after we destroyed the Starkiller Base before it could happen again. [Surely they wouldn't!]

[captain_by_the_book]

They better! We didn't spend all these years fighting and dying for them to become cowards!

[ All of that war-monger talk is terribly confusing, why would anybody consider Bail Organa a warmonger, but that's filed away for now. ]

Tyranny has to be opposed, not given in to.

[floatingrocks]

[She knows it in her heart, but it's reassuring to hear someone else say it with such conviction.

She can't help but smile.] I agree. And the First Order will be stopped. People deserve to know peace.

[captain_by_the_book]

Good. You should speak to Han Solo, don't expect me to explain how that is possible, but he comes from a future where the New Republic stands strong and the remains of the Empire have been neutered into being little threat. He will give you hope for what your future can be. He gave me hope, too.

[floatingrocks]

[She pauses, appearing to grow somber again.]

I've met with Han Solo. [Her voice goes quiet and soft.] The one here--is from a time before I was born, I think. He's a father of a man a bit older than me where I come from.

[captain_by_the_book]

I know. He told me a lot about his children. He is very fond of them.

[ Jacen, Jaina and Anakin, the other children, that's who he is thinking of. Han is talking about them all the time. ]

[floatingrocks]

[Start confusion in three...two...]

Children? Multiple?

[That can't be right. There was only one. Leia would've said something otherwise.]

So he...but...[She staggers a little, bringing a hand to her temple, muttering to herself.] But what about Ben?

[captain_by_the_book]

Who is Ben? He thinks for a moment, brows furrowing. [ No, wait, I think he did mention a Ben once... ] Ben Skywalker? I thought that one isn't one of his children?

[ This is so confusing why is this confusing, and he's still stuck on the New Republic, too. But trying to figure out the Solo family tree is an excellent distraction from, you know, having a breakdown over the future. ]

I have never met any of them.

[floatingrocks]

[She shakes her head rapidly.] Ben Solo. Kylo Ren. He's the Commander of the First Order.

Or...[She pauses in thought, eyes lowering.] He was. I'm not entirely sure what he is now, with Snoke dead.

[captain_by_the_book]

[ Recognition sparks in Cassian's eyes. ]

Kylo Ren! Why didn't you say so right away?

I ran into him on my first day. We only spoke briefly once, but I believe Kaytoo Esso has interacted more often with him; he arrived earlier than I did in Genessia. I have also met another First Order officer briefly, a General Hux. Kay knows more than I do about him, too.

[floatingrocks]

You mean he's here, then?!

[Rey visibly perks up, but quickly swallows that excitement at the mention of Hux.] I assume they were working together, then.

[captain_by_the_book]

[ Sorry, Rey, Cassian has absolutely no excitement for this, he looks like he's bitten into a lemon. It's more due to Hux than Kylo, though, he has a bias against people who fanboy planetkillers. ]

No, he vanished soon after my arrival, which was last February. Hux had been here prior to my arrival. He returned for a shorter time in summer, along with other Imperials, all of which are long gone.

[ Good riddance! The cities are theirs again, as they should be. ]

[floatingrocks]

[Rey's visibly relieved by this news.] Good. I heard that there's no war going on here. I'd hate for that to change.

[Itching for a fight? Not exactly, but Rey's not one to back down from one, either.]

[captain_by_the_book]

[ He nods once, grim-faced. ]

The war from our world has fortunately never come here. When the Emperor was here, he tried to reach for it, he tried to slander us while gaining an office himself, but he didn't stay long enough to be successful.

[ He would like to think this means there is no danger, but he remembers his own alternate self, determined to turn the cities into an Imperial colony. ]

We remain ever vigilant.

[floatingrocks]

As we must. For our sake as much as everyone else's.

[She can only hope that the other Jedi here are doing the same.]

locked

[captain_by_the_book]

[ He looks a little surprised, pleasantly so, when Rey speaks of doing it for the sake of others. After a moment of thought he finally locks the conversation. ]

Indeed. Many powerful people have been brought here, many of them far more powerful than anyone from our galaxy, but the Empire is our problem and thus our responsibility. Just because we are no longer at home doesn't free us from our duty to oppose them.

So, as I understand it you're one of ours... or of a future rebellion against a future Empire, anyway. [ Same difference. They still like to use Death Stars. ] What can you tell me about your role within the rebellion?