Dorn: A Star Wars Story

43. Resurgent

Ren found his wayfinder not long after we made it to Exegol. He insisted on being the first to set foot on the planet, and soon after he did, we were made privy to a rather interesting bit of information.

Palpatine was alive.

"The Emperor is alive?" Sevens asked, his voice giving away the disbelief we all felt. "How?!"

"A fair question," Thesh muttered, his eyes wide as we listened to the announcement, "but he has a fleet. A huge fleet. Our firepower just got upgraded exponentially in a way I don't think any of us were expecting."

"How are we manning these ships?" I asked as I walked forward and joined him at the front of the Apalis' control tower.

"The Allegiant fleets led by Pryde are supplying the manpower here. The First Order barely has enough men to keep going with what we do have, with all the desertions... Our Stormtroopers never would have left us like this. It's embarrassing," Thesh snorted, but I could see the cusp of doubt on his face.

"Thesh, talk to me," I stepped closer to him and dropped my voice. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that we are walking into a mistake that we won't be able to walk out of. The handwriting on the wall is not in our favor, and though the Resistance is weak, I cannot help but feel like we are underestimating the scope of their network once again," Thesh also stepped closer and lowered his voice. He looked sideway at me and our eyes met, "Dorn, I do believe that we should begin discussing what happens in the event that the First Order falls. We cannot be caught unawares again. We saw what happened last time."

"I agree," I flicked my eyes back his way at the same time that he did to me. "Let's assemble on the Summa with whoever you think needs to be involved in a few hours. We need a contingency if we're making it out in one piece."

"Let the fleet go down in a blaze of glory if they must, but I will not be joining them," he nodded. "I'll be there with my command staff. I trust them."

I nodded and bumped him with my shoulder before I turned and made my way from the bridge, soon finding myself back on the Summa. I called the meeting in. I wanted to get my crew on the same page before Thesh arrived later, and as soon as they had all gathered, I sat down at the main table and looked around.

"What's going on, General?" Robin turned to me, concern creasing his features as Hipshot nodded beside him. 

"Must be important if we have the whole crew here," Carmine looked around the room before she turned to look at me.

"We're talking exit strategies," I sat back in my chair and looked around the room, "in the event that this little solution that Palpatine has devised goes completely south." That made everyone exchange nervous looks. "Let me put this simply: I followed Palpatine through one war and he failed us all, got some of his finest Commanders killed, and felt that the solution to all of it at the end of the day was burning loyalist planets in recourse. The Empire was almost a total loss due to him, and it was only kriffing good commanders that kept the Remnant somewhat cohesive. I am not going to have us caught unprepared for a worst case scenario a second time. If this whole thing collapses, I want us to be ready."

"If it collapses this time, I'm giving up," Rook snorted and crossed his arms. "Not sticking around for another one."

"What should we do, then? We'll likely be wanted criminals..." Randd sounded nervous at the prospect, and she made a fair point. However, I did have an ace up my sleeve for that.

"If trends hold, the Republic will likely do another rehabilitation program for ex-First Order members. A number of their soldiers were kidnapped conscripts, not willing recruits. Freis, Randd, and Jag can easily fit that bill, and that is exactly how I want you to sell it. You three will go to the Resistance in the event of a collapse and put on the best show of your lives, understood?"