The Shadows of the Past Trilogy
Episode 9: Nemesis of the Force Part 9
On the Restoration, in Poe’s private chambers, Poe runs his hand over his face. Rey and the others are there along with Leia, Jacen, Aritra and Golrit. Poe eyes Jacen with contempt and suspicion as he says, “So let me get this straight. Snoke is alive, and he is some sort of immortal entity called a…a what now?
“A Whill,” says Rey.
“A Whill, ” continues Poe. "And he doesn’t really want galaxy-wide conquest. He just wants war. Kylo Ren is no longer Supreme Leader of the First Order but, for some reason, is here on my ship roaming free.”
“We made him leave his lightsaber on the Falcon,” Finn adds weakly, trying to point out that they at least did that much.
Poe nods, clearly unhappy. “At least we have that.” He then pauses and allows silence to fall between them for only a moment. Rising to his feet from sitting on the edge of his desk, he says, “Does no one see anything wrong with all of this?”
“Listen,” says Rey. “I know it’s hard to believe, but…”
“But nothing, Rey!” Poe snaps. Then realizing that he obviously blew up a bit too much, he adds, “Listen. I have the utmost respect for you, Rey - and Finn, you know I love you - but this…this is too much. I’ve got an ambassador who just defected from Zyn space telling me there’s a disease about to kill everyone in the entire galaxy that ISN’T a Jedi, that they’re producing clones by the millions, to replace everyone who isn’t a clone - I’ve got a New Sith Order we’re dealing with, Hutts demanding we make some sort of peace agreement for trading purposes, Black Sun Vigos trying to undercut the Hutts, we just lost a ton of people rescuing the Chancellor, who YOU were supposed to be protecting.”
Then, realizing he overstepped a boundary with that last part, Poe tries to just move on as if he hadn’t. “I just…No. The answer is no. We are not taking our fleet off to some planet in the Unknown Regions in an attempt to kill a guy who already died years ago - or close some mythical gateway, or whatever.” He throws his hands up, completely fed up. Then he storms for the door, but Leia catches him by the arm.
“Sit down!” she says, using the Force to shove him into a chair. “Now you listen to me, General,” she says, standing over him with a dominating presence. “You are out of line. First of all, it was MY orders. That’s why Rey and her companions weren’t in that room to help me on Corellia. I told them I'd be fine. Then, when everything went wrong, they did what they had to, and they barely escaped alive - even risking their lives for MY son.”
“Secondly, they're not asking you to take the fleet off to the Unknown Regions. They're just asking for your help. Rey even said that they are not sure, right now, what they're supposed to do or where they're supposed to go, GENERAL, so they are simply hoping maybe we could all decide this together like adults.”
“Thirdly, the whole reason they wanted to discuss this in your chambers was because it’s crazy. They know no one would likely even believe any of it."
"Shoot!" says Rey. "I don’t even know what I believe.
"But that’s beside the point," Leia says, resuming her scolding. "Get your head out of your after burners, Flyboy, and stop acting like you’re now better than everyone because I gave you that nice little promotion to General.”
Poe, utterly paralyzed by shock, simply stares back at her, unsure how to respond. Finally, he takes a deep breath, calming himself. Slowly, he gets to his feet. “All right, look. I’m sorry I said that thing about what happened on Corellia. That was wrong. However, with all due respect, Chancellor - and I mean that sincerely - you are also out of line. You promoted me to General, that is true - and I still think that I am in no way prepared for that - but that in no way gives you the right to treat me like I'm two. The fact that you promoted me to General means that I have earned your respect, and that means you need to start giving me that respect. You can't be doing...this." He waves his hand around to indicate the Force.
It is Leia's turn to become subdued, and she sighs wearily. Her expression softens. "You're right. I suppose we're all a bit on edge. I'm sorry, General."
Poe nods out of respect. Then he relaxes and turns to address everyone present. He is still strained. "Now, Leia's - er, the Chancellor's right. You did simply ask that we try to work together to develop a solution here. I shouldn't have lashed out."
"But anyway, fine. Let's say I believe that Snoke is alive and he's an immortal Force being on a remote world in the Unknown Regions - AND we know where it is and we need to go there and take him out and destroy this gateway thing. How in all the stars am I going to convince the rest of what's left of the New Republic Senate and military that this is a good idea? Keep in mind, too, that we also have to try to coordinate a lightning strike against the Zyn Empire to try to cripple them as well IF we truly believe that Ambassador Cordasi ISN'T luring us into a trap."
Leia meets his gaze and sets her jaw. "We tell them the truth, but we leave out details that they don't need to know; details that will only confuse things and scare people. For starters, we did, in fact, receive what we believe is reliable intel that Snoke is alive. Our intel also details where he is and how to get there." She gestures to Aritra. "They don't need to know she is a Whill who we hardly know. But if they ask, we tell them she is Rey's mother, and she is powerful in the Force. That right there will undoubtedly sway many. They will instantly assume she is a Jedi who has come out of hiding at our hour of need. We don't need to correct them on this assumption."
"But do you REALLY believe she is to be trusted?" Poe asks Rey directly, ignoring the fact that Aritra is standing right there behind her.
Rey shrugs. "To be honest, Poe, I can't give you any guarantees. I FEEL this is right, but I'm still new at this. I could be wrong."
Poe closes his eyes, trying to steady his nerves. "I can't believe I'm the one hesitating to take risks here."
Leia smiles. "It's amazing what having all that responsibility will do to you. When you have other people's lives hanging in the balance, it's hard to simply pull the trigger, isn't it?"
He laughs a little at that to relieve his pent up stress. "So true." He then tries to read the faces in the room. "So what are we suggesting? Let's cut to the chase. Does everyone in this room think this is a good idea? And what about Cordasi and her intel and the strike against the Zyn." He turns to Leia again. "I mean, the only reason I was trusting her in the first place was because of you, Leia. I'm putting a hundred percent of my faith in you and the Force here, and now I'm having to do the same with you, Rey. All this is a shot in the dark, from my perspective, and a LOT of people could die here if both of these ventures are traps. This could literally be the end of the New Republic."
Leia nods. "Sometimes the only thing you can do is have faith."
Rey steps forward. "I honestly don't know what else to do, Poe. If what she says is true," she gestures to Aritra, "Snoke has taken a new form and will still be on this planet in the Unknown Regions near his gateway. He knows we'll be coming to destroy it, for he will have sensed that my mother has returned. If we go there and destroy him and it, he will no longer be a threat to the galaxy. IF she is right, he is the reason for ALL of our hardships ever since the Clone Wars. If we don't stop him now while we have the chance, he will slip away into the shadows again, and we may never find him. He will continue to manipulate events in the galaxy to incite war and pain and suffering."
"And the Zyn Empire is the same," says Leia. "If we don't take this risk, this one chance, we may not get another one. It may be worse in the long run."
Poe nods in acceptance. "Seems like every step of the way, the Light Side has only won by taking such chances. So fine. I'm in - BUT on one condition." He points at Jacen. "We will NEVER gain the support of the New Republic military and government if Kylo Ren does not stand trial to pay for his crimes."
While this is happening, back in the briefing room, Zelia and her companions wait around, quietly discussing the situation. Elyani is standing by herself, trying desperately to think about how to proceed. She is clearly downcast. The rest of Poe’s command staff is also there. Like the mercenaries, they are quietly discussing the situation.
Suddenly, a young man approaches Kika, a curious look in his face. Kika eyes the aide for a moment, before saying, “Can I help you?”
The aide replies, “I was just wondering...” His voice is low, and his tone is uncertain.
Kika seems a bit uncertain herself as to how to proceed. “Just spit it out,” she says a bit bluntly. “I’m not gonna hurt you or anything.
“The Force,” the young man whispers so that only she can hear, eyeing her as if he is afraid she might attack him at any moment. “Do you…have it?”
Kika is taken aback. Instead of answering, she asks, “And who are you?”
“I’m Oniho. I’m one of…of the aides here. I’m from Canto Bight. I used to work in the stables there when Commanders Finn and Rose showed up. When the Resistance came and liberated us months later, I came here with my friends Temiri and Arashell Sar. I think Temiri has it too, but it’s different for him. It’s like it helps him do things. You know? I see visions and such, and I can sense things. But Temiri can do all sorts of crazy flips, and he’s really skilled at shooting and melee combat. He serves as a soldier, now, for the New Republic and is in the barracks aboard this ship. Arashell is an aide too. She’s over there.” He seems to be quite fond of her as he talks about her, and he points in her direction. She is talking to Hera.
He then turns towards where Elyani is standing, staring out a viewport at open space. “I think she has it too.”
Kika smiles. “You think so too?”
Oniho looks back at her, his expression brightening. “So you DO have it.”
“Shhh!” Kika whispers, putting her finger to her lips. “I’m a secret Jedi, one of the only ones to escape Master Luke Skywalker’s academy.”
“I knew it!” he says, keeping his voice low but still being too loud for Kika's tastes. “I saw it in a vision. You fought with Kylo Ren. He thought you were dead, but you hid from him with the Force.”
“It’s one of my spesh-ee-alities, along with using computers,” Kika replies. “The Force actually guides my hands when I’m slicing stuff. But yeah, I can hide pretty well from other Force-users. He had hurt me pretty badly - cut me clear across the back. Still have the scar. I’d show you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Oniho seems taken aback but realizes she’s just joking when she laughs. “I hid aboard his own starship; the one he and the other Knights of Ren took to leave the planet. First chance I got, I slipped away. Started a new life for myself, living on the streets, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor; that kinda thing.”
Oniho seems immensely impressed. “Where are your parents? Did you ever try to find them?”
Kika shakes her head. “No parents. Master Luke found me on the streets of Nar Shadaa.”
Oniho still seems very impressed, but he becomes serious then. “I had another vision recently.”
“Really,” says Kika. “About what?”
“We were all there. It was a huge battle; an all-out war between many sides. It was above a dark planet. I was on the planet - and Temiri - and so were you and your friends. The woman that had just entered, Rey - she was also there with her friends. There was a shining lady all in white, and a terrible red man all in black. There were nightmarish creatures. We were fighting those horrible, monstrous creatures. It was...awful.”
Kika smiles at him and pats him on the shoulder. “There was a student at the Academy who could see visions. Master Luke said, ‘The future is always in motion…it’s always changing based on the decisions that we make. So don’t put too much stock in them.’ Of course, if Master Luke had maybe listened to that boy, well… I mean, he foresaw Jacen Solo’s betrayal and warned us about it.”
Then seeing that she had now unwittingly undone her own argument, she tries to correct herself. “But that’s beside the point. My point is, not all visions come true, and some visions come true only because we try to make them not come true. So long and short, don’t believe every vision you have.”
Oniho seems a bit more concerned now than before. “Thanks...I think.”
Seeing him now worse than he was, Kika adds, “I’m not very good at inspiring speeches, but listen. This much I do know. I’m still alive, and that WASN’T a part of that kid’s vision. So don’t be too anxious because of them. WE still have a say in how it all turns out, no matter how grim it might seem.” Oniho then nods, accepting this and feeling comforted.
Suddenly, Elyani seems to have come to a decision about something, and she approaches with haste. Seeing her coming, Oniho slips away, fearful of the serious look on the woman's face. When Elyani is within a few feet of Zelia and Bannick, she looks around to make sure no one is listening. Then she says, "Forgive me. I never meant to deceive you, and I hope at this point you will believe me. It is true, I am not Elyani Cordasi. I did not want to tell you the truth because as hard as this may be to believe, I am the Empress Amelia Zyn."
The group exchanges glances, certainly not expecting this. "YOU are the Empress Amelia Zyn - THE Empress of the Zyn Empire," says Li. "And you expect us to believe this why exactly?"
"Chancellor Leia Organa has known from the beginning who I am," she replies. "She has known me for years back when the Zyn Empire was the Zyn Monarchy and a part of the New Republic Senate. Organa was like a mentor to me, like the mother I always wanted - for my birth mother, Darth Saydra, refused to appear in public. She didn't want to alert the Chancellor or Master Skywalker that she even existed. At that time, I was the face of HER Empire, and quite frankly, I still am."
"I am nothing but a token ruler," Amelia continues passionately. "I am a pawn in my mother's grand schemes. I was the good and righteous figure that everyone believed was so pure and sweet, convincing the galaxy that the Zyn Monarchy was not a threat to anyone. Meanwhile, secretly, my mother created our clone empire and labor force, and my mother quietly built her Sith Order on worlds once ruled by Sith in ancient times."
"But now, I am sick of being my mother's tool. I want to change things. I want to wipe out the clones and the Sith and restore that region of the galaxy to the New Republic. I don't want to be empress. I want to be free of all of it."
"Wait," says Li. "Did you say Lady Saydra is your mother?"
"Yes," says Amelia. "Unfortunately."
"I don't think she's lying this time," says Kika, hardly believing the words coming out of her own mouth.
Zelia gives her a surprised look, but she returns to a more stoic expression as she looks back at Amelia. "So you're actually trying to help your own rebellion overthrow your own empire. Is that about right?"
"It is," says Amelia firmly. "I am, in fact, the rebellion's secret leader. And this is why I desperately want to help the New Republic attack these cloning facilities. As of right now, my mother is not fully aware of where I have gone and what I am doing. She may have suspicions, but I highly doubt she will expect me to help the New Republic attack those facilities. Up until now, I have never directly disobeyed her. I believe this will blindside her. We have a very small window to make this happen."
"That is why we really need you to agree to this mission. If we strike now, we might just bring the Zyn Empire to its knees before it is able to unleash its full might - especially the Nemesis Disease." Her expression becomes even more pleading. "So tell me, what can I do to convince you to do this?"
Just then, the door suddenly opens and Poe walks in with the rest of those who were with him in his chambers. He stops and meets the gazes of his entire command staff before he says, “Listen up. We have new intel.”
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