•LEGACY - A Reylo Story•

EPISODE LXIX - ADVICE?

"You think Dameron and Wexley have really been successful?" questions Major Ematt.

"He says they have," Luke answers, glancing at Finn with a smile. "As successful as they're going to be at this point."

"He also says they found something that they'll need to debrief us on," Jess says. "What could that be?"

"Whatever it was, he clearly thinks it needs to be said in person," Finn points out.

"Do you think this could be it? We could actually wipe out the First Order for good?" asks Ematt.

"We'll never be able to do that," Luke insists. "Even if we do... something else will rise in its place."

"But we could buy a few years of peace," Ackbar counters.

"True." His father nods.

Finn shudders as he remembers his time with the First Order. How many more are like him? What would he think, if he was still a stormtrooper, if he heard Snoke and Hux and Kylo Ren were all gone?

He's not sure he likes the term wipe out when it comes to dealing with the First Order. It sticks in the back of his throat like a slimy lump of food that he can't cough away.

"I'll notify you when they're landing," Ackbar confirms, and the room disperses.

"No kidding evil will rise," mutters one of the pilots, a blue creature named Shiv whom Finn remembers all too well from his attack on Ben months earlier as they leave. "We've got that monster and his spawn here."

"Don't talk about them like that," Finn snarls. "The General and Luke are the children of Darth Vader, and they're—"

He turns to Finn with a sneer. "Yeah, but they weren't raised by him. With that man raising her, poor baby's got no chance. She'll—"

"Excuse me?" Rey's voice interrupts. She crosses her arms, glaring at Shiv. "Don't ever talk about my daughter that way. Or my husband."

"Rey—" Finn starts.

Chewie lets out a roar from behind them. The blue alien slips away from the enraged Wookiee.

Rey offers him a trembling smile as she slips by. "I've got to get Padmé from Leia's."

Luke sighs from behind Finn.

"I wish we could change their minds," Finn says to his father. "I changed. Ben has too. And Padmé—she's completely innocent."

"Prejudice isn't unique to the First Order," Luke comments, his hand on Finn's shoulder.

"Yeah, but it makes me wonder. Do they see me that way, too?" Finn thought they trusted him.

Luke shrugs. "You've proven yourself."

"So has Ben." And has he, really? Just because Ben's crimes were more well known and more severe than Finn's... "It's not fair." And he's scared for them. Not Ben or Rey so much, but for Padmé—if Ben's stories, the little Finn knows, about his childhood are true, isolation was key to pushing him into Snoke's arms. Do these pilots want to create another Dark Force user? Because with their hatred, they might do just that.

No. Finn won't let that happen to his niece. He loves her too much, the way she giggles, the way she recognizes him now, the way Ben and Rey dote upon her, terrified of parenthood though they still clearly are.

We'll figure it out. We have to.

"Any advice, Grandfather?" Finn wonders out loud as he heads away, not that he expects the ghost to answer. Anakin's not entirely reliable or predictable in terms of showing up.

"Surprise, I'm here," comes Anakin's voice.

Finn yelps. Anakin crosses his arms. "Only briefly."

"Well, do you? Have advice? For Ben and your great-granddaughter?"

Anakin frowns, sorrow in his eyes. "Ben needs to figure that out himself."

Finn groans.

"He will, though," Anakin reassures Finn. "I believe it. So will you."

"So will I what?"

Anakin shrugs. "You'll see."