Over the next few days, Poe learns to get used to the sight of Troopers all over base. General Organa makes room for them in the dorms somehow, even though they're all full to bursting with Artorian refugees and Resistance personnel — probably by using the Force somehow. Poe knows from Finn and Rey that that's not how the Force works, but he wouldn't put it past the general to manipulate the Force in ways unimaginable. That's just the way she is.

But he hangs around Finn, whom the former Troopers from the Finalizer have adopted as some sort of savior, and he gets to know a few of them. Levs is twelve years old and an absolute sweetheart who won't say more than two words at a time unless her friend Jate, a stocky half-human half-Aqualian with a glare sharp enough to cut diamond, is by her side. Bebe, who is thirty-four and looks strong enough to bench-press a quad-jumper, has decided to take a leaf out of Finn's book and give herself a name: Bea. Finn had suggested Twonines for a last name, considering her former designation, and she'd eagerly accepted it. They all seem like good people: wartorn, scarred, emotionally unsure, but good people. Far from the monsters he'd been told to think of them as when he'd been a child.

After running drills with Black Squadron, Poe heads to the mess hall to have lunch with Snap, Karé and Pava (still relishing in the joy that arises whenever he remembers that she's alive and safe) when he turns a corner and crashes into someone. He opens his mouth to apologize, but his eyes suddenly catch up to his brain and what comes out instead is a slightly breathless, "It's you."

Zeroes looks like he does not know what to make of that. "Yeah," he says, cautious, like he's expecting a fight. He's wearing dark trousers, combat boots, and a skintight black shirt — the standard underclothes of a Stormtrooper, from what he's heard — and it makes Poe feel vastly overdressed in his flight suit. "It's me."

"No, I meant…" Poe wants to bury his face in his hands. What is it with him today? "I just…haven't seen you since you got here."

"Yeah, uh. I've been busy." Probably helping Slip and Finn integrate the Stormtroopers into the Resistance, if Poe has to guess. That's what Finn had told him, anyway. Zeroes's look of confusion does not abate, though if Poe isn't careful he thinks some irritation might seep in sooner or later. "Were you looking for me, flyboy?"

"What? No!"

Zeroes cocks an eyebrow.

Okay, so maybe Poe had been on the lookout for Zeroes since the Contingent of Troopers with No Ill Will (trademarked by Karé Kun) had landed, and maybe he'd asked Finn a question or two about where he could find his former squadmate, but it hadn't been because of any nefarious intentions. "Well," he amends. "Yeah. I mean, I had to thank you at some point, right?"

Zeroes's expression changes to one of mild surprise. "Why me?"

Now it's Poe's turn to be confused. "Why not you?"

Zeroes reaches up to rub the back of his neck, his brow slightly furrowed. "I figured all of the thanks would be heading to Slip."

And yeah, Poe supposes that makes sense. After all, Slip had been the one to make the decision to help them and he'd almost gotten killed for his choice. But Poe remembers being pushed out of the way of falling debris by a Stormtrooper, and Zeroes making sure Poe got on the stolen starfighter before he made a run for it at Slip's request, and Poe says, "Not all of them." He bites his lip. "You saved my life. You're a good man, Zeroes."

"Thanks." Zeroes gives Poe a hesitant smile that Poe returns at once. "You too, uh—"

"Poe Dameron," he says automatically. "You can call me Poe." He pauses. "I probably should've asked if you still go by that. I heard a lot of Troopers changed their names."

Zeroes snorts. "It's alright. I kept Zeroes; I've had it too long to switch it out for anything else. Though I did choose a last name to go with it."

"Yeah?" He's suitably interested. He heard that Slip had taken his birth surname for himself (though how he'd found out his birth surname is beyond Poe); maybe Zeroes had done the same. "What is it?"

"Turncoat."

The world around him seems to still, but shocked as he is, all he can think is that Finn is going to shit bricks over this if he doesn't know already. "That's—"

"It's what the First Order calls Finn," Zeroes cuts in, flinty-eyed like he's daring Poe to disagree. "I'm proud to claim it for myself."

"Well then, uh…" Poe clears his throat. He can feel everyone's eyes on him and Zeroes, sizing them up, and he knows that if this is going to work, if the former Troopers are going to integrate successfully into the Resistance, then he has to make the first move. In lieu of a physical olive branch, he extends his hand. "Thanks for saving my life, Zeroes Turncoat."

The corner of Zeroes's mouth quirks upward (in a way that absolutely does not fill Poe's stomach with warmth, no way, not at all). The tension dissipates as he shakes Poe's hand, replaced by something new. "You're welcome, Poe Dameron."

It's the first time he's said Poe's name in the entire conversation, and yet Poe thinks upon wishing the other man farewell that he could have listened to the way Zeroes had said it a thousand times and never tire once.

The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity, and even if he's exhausted from helping Finn and Zeroes integrate the former Troopers into the Resistance (and overwhelmed from meeting so many new people and being able to go around base armorless), Slip wouldn't trade any moment of his newfound freedom for the world. Though he will say it's strange being looked at by everyone with respect and open admiration and not disdain or pity. He's not sure he'll ever get used to that.

Since there's hardly any room on base now, he shares his quarters with everyone in Zeta Squadron, including Jate, Levs, Bebe (now Bea), and Zeroes, so there's a steady stream of people going in and out at all hours of the day. Mostly everyone is at lunch, so Slip takes advantage of the empty room to relax a little — something that gets spoiled about five minutes in when there's a knock on the door. Sighing, he gets up from his cot and heads across the room, pulling the door open to reveal—

"Hi," Rose says. She's not in her mechanic uniform today; she's wearing simple dark pants and a loose grey shirt, and her hair is tied back into a messy bun, and the sight of her standing before him makes his heart beat a little faster. "I, uh — is this a bad time?"

"What? Oh, uh, no. No, it's fine." Slip shoves his hands into his pockets, wondering what the proper response would be to something like this. "Uh, do you want to come in?"

"Sure," Rose says. Slip moves out of the way as she walks into his quarters. If she's surprised at the twenty cots shoved near each other and the slight disarray, she doesn't show it. "Um. Nice place. I like the…the wall color."

"Thank you." Slip worries at his bottom lip. "Uh, so…you didn't get in trouble, did you?"

"For — oh, for letting it slip where the base was?" Slip nods, and Rose shrugs. "I mean, General Organa was a little peeved with me, but nothing serious. She said it was lucky for us it was you guys who heard and not someone we couldn't trust."

"That's good," Slip says, relieved. "Listen, I…I wanted to thank you for that. Well, not just for letting us know where your base was, but…for trusting Zeroes and me in the first place. If it hadn't been for you, I — well, because of you I got to do the right thing for the first time in my life. I don't know what made you decide to trust us, but…thank you. For that."

Blushing, Rose ducks her head for a moment before she meets his eyes again. "My father used to say that the best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them," she says. "There was something about you — about both of you — that made me want to take that chance. And I'm glad I did."

His heart beats a little faster against his ribs. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Rose says, like it's obvious. "And…I'm really glad you're alright. All of the Troopers, I mean," she adds hastily. "But…you know. After everything you've been through, I'm glad you're alive and here."

"I'm glad I'm alive and here too," Slip says honestly. "And that I got the chance to see you again."

Rose's blush deepens, but before she can say anything else, Zeroes shoulders the door open and stops midway, staring at the two of them with his eyebrows arched. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Rose says. "Well, I should get going. Will you — you're both going to the war council meeting tonight, right?"

Zeroes nods, and Slip says, "Are you?"

"I'll be there," Rose confirms. "So, uh. I'll…see you there, then. Bye, Zeroes. Bye, Slip."

He feels a little lightheaded, but manages to say, "Bye, Rose."

Before the door closes behind her, Rose turns, waving goodbye to him with a small smile when he looks her way. Slip automatically waves back, dropping his hand down to rest on his chest once she leaves. He's having trouble taking his eyes off the place where she was standing.

"I saw that," Zeroes says under his breath when he moves past Slip, elbowing him gently in the side.

"You saw nothing. There was nothing to see," Slip answers, far too quickly and breezily to be the truth.

"Yeah, yeah. Sure. I'm watching you, Slip." Zeroes smirks like his next sentence might be a contender for the best joke of the year. "Watching you watching her, anyways."

Slip is entirely unamused, but somehow he ends up grinning anyway.

"This seat taken?"

Rey looks up, a smile already curving her mouth. Strange how much easier it is to smile now, especially around the right company. "By you," she says to Finn, who grins and joins her on the rooftop, his legs dangling over the edge. From here they can see everything, and the few people left scurrying on the launchpad below look like tiny ants amidst the great, green rolling hills in the distance.

"What's on your mind?"

Rey startles at the question. Yet another thing she still isn't used to: having someone around that cares about her, what she's thinking. "When I was on Ahch-To," she says, "I…saw who I could be if I let the Dark Side of the Force influence me." She struggles to find the right words to express what she's feeling. "Skywalkers have always been strong with the Force, Finn. Both the Light and the Dark. Kylo Ren chose the darkness, and I…" She shudders at the memory of Kylo Ren — her cousin, she supposes, though she refuses to think of him as anything but the monster he is — murdering Han, hurting Finn, torturing her, almost capturing the Millennium Falcon on Artorias. "I don't want anything like that to happen to me."

"Nothing like that will happen to you," Finn says, quick as a flash. "You're not anything like him, Rey. You're good, and kind, and strong, and you're — you could never succumb to the darkness like Ren did."

"What if I do, though?" Rey clasps her hands together to keep them from trembling. "The darkness, it…it calls to me, sometimes. It's in me, somewhere. I know it is, and I understand it. What if it gets the better of me?"

Finn lets out a breath. "Remember what Skywalker told us during our first lesson?" he says. "For there to be peace, there has to be balance between the Light and the Dark. The Light in you balances the Dark in you — and you can choose which one you want to pull from. There's always a choice."

"And I choose the Light," Rey says. Just saying it out loud makes her feel stronger and chases away the late afternoon chill.

"So do I," Finn says. He nudges her shoulder and offers his hand. "And if you ever feel conflicted, I'll be your light in the darkness. As long as you promise you'll do the same for me. Deal?"

A smile spreads across Rey's face, and she takes Finn's hand in hers. "Deal."

Much like the urgent, messy gathering of personnel that had convened to plan before the destruction of Starkiller Base, the war council assembles in the largest conference room on base, a solemn sort of determination filling the air around them. General Organa stands at the head of the table, flanked by Admiral Ackbar, Admiral Statura, Major Ematt, Colonel Brance, Lieutenant Commander Nien Nunb, and the members of Black Squadron. Rose and Paige stand beside Kaydel, the communications officer with blonde hair in twin buns, C-3PO, R2D2, and BB-8, Chewie, and Maz Kanata. As the de facto leaders of the former Troopers, Slip and Zeroes (now with the surnames Maisy and Turncoat, respectively, and the latter makes Finn feel lightheaded) are there, along with their three friends (who'd also taken new surnames): Levs Canto, Jate Goodshot, and Bea Twonines. And of course, Finn, Rey, Luke, Ffion, and Velle round out the crowd.

"According to the intelligence obtained from Lieutenant Mitaka, the First Order was weakened considerably by the destruction of Starkiller Base," Kaydel is saying. "But they still outnumber us more than a hundred to one in terms of manpower and firepower, and now they're looking to expand their allies by taking over planets that declared themselves neutral, like Artorias."

"Ryzka told me that the First Order is calling this plan the Last Resort," Ffion says. "That they'll invade the neutral planets and reward everyone who is loyal to them, and dispose of everyone who isn't. He was talking about building…building labor camps to house the undesirables until they either recanted or died."

"We need to liberate Artorias," Velle says, her voice hard from determination. Nods ripple through the crowd. "And every other planet that they will inevitably take over, if we want to save millions of innocent lives."

"Oh dear. With the destruction of the New Republic, if the First Order gains more allies, the odds of the Resistance's victory are over fifteen million, five hundred and seven thousand, two hundred—" General Organa's glare could melt paint, and 3PO quits while he's ahead. "To one."

"Thank you, 3PO," General Organa says wryly. R2 beeps at 3PO, who scoffs, offended. BB-8 makes a chirping noise that could be a laugh. "The odds are against us. I won't lie. But that has never stopped us before, and it shouldn't now." She leans forward, and everyone leans in, almost subconsciously. "We can expand our manpower and our firepower. We have old friends we can call upon for help, and still others to reach out to." She punctuates this statement with a glance at Slip and Zeroes, who both nod firmly.

"You have my forces from Takodana, and the loyalty of all I have come in contact with," Maz promises. Chewie moans something that might be a promise to bring in allies of his own. "We will help you fight the First Order to a standstill every step of the way."

"And what about Kylo Ren, General?" Major Ematt says, almost gently. "He is strong in the Force, and with time, he will only grow stronger. What are we going to do about him?"

General Organa's expression falters. Skywalker sums up all of their feelings. "He and Snoke might be strong in the Force," he says. "But so are we." He glances over at Rey and Finn, who feels himself straighten imperceptibly. "Leave him to us."

"We have more than the Force on our side," General Organa says. "We have hope. We believe in ourselves, and we believe in each other. When the war arrives at our doorstep — and make no mistake, it will come — our unity will help us prevail. No one among us will stand alone."

"Damn straight, General," Poe echoes, and all of Black Squadron says the affirmative.

"I'm glad we're all in agreement," General Organa says. She keeps her chin up, and clasps her hands together in front of her as her gaze swivels around the room. "May the Force be with us all."

"You have failed me, Kylo Ren."

Snoke's voice — cold and quiet — echoes throughout the throne room, which is packed to the corners with their allies. General Hux is here, and all of the highest ranked men and women of the First Order, and Captain Phasma, and the newly promoted Captain FN-2199, who had led the loyalist Troopers on the Finalizer after General Kilson was killed. Kylo Ren forces himself to kneel in front of his master, to make eye contact. "Master, I didn't—"

"You disobeyed my direct orders," Snoke says, as though Kylo Ren hadn't even spoken. "You traveled to Artorias when you should have been completing your training. And you were bested by the same scavenger and Stormtrooper who defeated you in combat on Starkiller Base! You failed." He scoffs. "I thought you had grown to be a worthy heir of your grandfather, but it seems you are still the same foolish boy with delusions of grandeur that you were when I found you."

Something deep within him frays and snaps. "Supreme Leader," he says. Calm, collected. "Have you ever heard the story of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"

"What are you—"

"Darth Sidious told the story to Darth Vader," Kylo Ren says. He slowly rises to his feet, casting off his master's attempt to make him kneel again. He will be subservient no longer. His time has come. "How Darth Plagueis was wise in the Dark Side of the Force. Powerful in the…unnatural abilities that were granted to him. He became powerful, and had everything he had ever hoped for. But secretly…he was afraid of losing power. And eventually, of course, he did."

"You dare to—"

"Darth Plagueis put his trust in his apprentice," Kylo Ren says. "That was his fatal mistake." A dark smile curves his mouth. "Ironic," he says. "He could save others from death, but not himself."

Snoke seems to realize then what will happen a second before it does, but it is not fast enough to stop Kylo Ren from summoning Force lightning to his hands — and casting it directly at his master.

What happens next comes in a series of snapshots, snippets that Kylo Ren's mind barely understands. An explosion, a tidal wave, a whirlwind of power. A howl of pain. The acrid stench of burning flesh and blood filling the air. Nothing but blue light. He is a piece of flotsam thrown free by a million tons of pressure and energy, tethered to nothing and no one.

When Kylo Ren opens his eyes again, Snoke has fallen from his throne to the floor, a small, pathetic thing in a golden robe. His internal organs are crushed. His eyes bleed. His skin has curdled and crackled like charcoal. And still, somehow, the remains of his mouth form a smile. "My apprentice," he rasps. "If you strike me down in anger, I will always be with you."

Kylo Ren smiles. "I'm not angry, Master," he says.

Summoning his lightsaber to his hand, Kylo Ren slices Snoke's head off, and his master moves no more.

I'm worthy, Kylo Ren tells himself. The world is silent around him. None of his allies dare to move, dare to breathe without permission. The power at his fingertips, surging through his veins, is intoxicating. I never needed to kill them to unlock my true potential. He was holding me back all along. And now I can take the victory that is rightfully mine.

The Supreme Leader is dead. Long live the Supreme Leader.

The Emperor takes his throne.

Once again, thank you to all of my readers. Here's the summary for the next part:

Made of Stardust

Six months after the events of The Stars Walk Backward, both sides struggle to maintain the upper hand. While Supreme Leader Kylo Ren continues to implement the Last Resort, Finn and Rey complete their Jedi training, old friends offer aid to the Resistance, and Poe, Rose, Slip, and Zeroes continue to spread the sparks of rebellion far and wide. With the future of the galaxy at stake, the final battle between the Resistance and the First Order begins.

I plan on releasing Made of Stardust this summer, if not much, much sooner — there's still a lot of editing and reworking that needs to be done until then, and I want to make sure all of the characters will be treated properly. (And as with this fic, I want to make it clear that this fic will not follow the plot of The Rise of Skywalker at all.)

If you have any questions or comments about this fic or the series as a whole, I'm on tumblr at thescavengerandthestormtrooper and am available to be ranted at at any time.

Until next time, this has been boasamishipper, signing out.