Sulit [ Ben Solo ]

II.

CHAPTER TWO
[ the pilot! ]

Salōmē did not, in fact, wake her hours before they were to leave. She woke her minutes before they were to leave, sending her into a rant about how she should have been woken. Yet still, Salōmē had been right not to. She'd been exhausted. An hour later, Asteria stood alone on the transport to the Resistance, staring into the galaxy.

There had been something strange in her dreams, and her mind couldn't leave it. A voice, a man's voice, and a shape in the distance. She wanted to find him, to go to him, but she could never reach him. She had no idea who he was, but he felt close. Familiar, almost. And sad, lonely. She felt for him, whoever he was.

"Highness." She was pulled from her thoughts by Nascha, who stood in the doorway of her room. Her room was small, just a bed and a drawer for her things. Just enough for a journey, even if it was long.

"Yes?" She turned to face Nascha, and her friend smiled at her.

"We've arrived." She had hardly noticed. Had she been seeing out of the window, or had she been only looking?

"Is she. . . ," she began, hoping.

"Yes, the General is waiting for you."

She couldn't stop the grin that pulled her lips upward. She brushed past Nascha to run to the door of the ship. It was lowered for her, and she walked off.

"Highness!" Voices yelled after her, reprimanding her for leaving without protection. She didn't care. She had her lightsaber on her belt, and that was enough protection. Still, she needed none. She walked off of the ship and into Leia's open arms.

"Leia," she breathed. "Oh, I've missed you."

"I've missed you, too, Asteria."

"How are you? How is Han?" She asked after pulling away.

"I'm fine. Han is. . . not here."

"Oh, no." Her face fell. "You fought again, didn't you? Well, what about your son, how is he?"

"He died."

"Oh, Leia," she sighed. She'd never gotten to meet him. "I'm so sorry. What happened?"

"He was killed. By Kylo Ren."

"Kylo Ren," Asteria repeated, "the Sith in the First Order, yes?"

"Yes."

"The Apprentice, I assume? And Snoke the Master." Leia nodded, confirming her thoughts. "Your son will have justice. I promise."

"Come inside," was all Leia responded with. "Meet the others."

The Resistance was as strong as the Rebellion ever was. And Leia, once again, lead them faithfully. She was older after all the years since she'd last seen her, but still the same as she ever was.