𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

𝟎𝟐𝟒. 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐦

024. A LITTLE HELP FROM FULCRUM

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"Is no one going to explain?"

Leia's question broke the silence that had been ongoing for the past half hour. Evangeline looked around the room. Poe seemed to understand that he was on thin ice with the general and didn't wish to take the risk. Finn was in a similar situation. BB-8 was a droid. Rey didn't fully understand what was going on. And Ben refused to look up from the ground much less speak to his mother. The dead people certainly didn't plan to speak up either.

Evangeline sighed, "It's a long story if you're willing to listen."

Leia looked at her as if she had just noticed her for the first time, "Out of everyone in the room, you're the only one that I don't know."

"I'm Evangeline," she simplified things by introducing herself.

"And how did you get dragged into all of this?"

"Your son dropped a building on me ten years ago," she replied, "Should I continue?"

Leia looked at her son appalled before nodding her head, "Someone might as well."

Evangeline proceeded to explain her side of the story. She didn't fully understand everything pertaining to the resistance, but she did her best to include what she did know. When she mentioned that Finn and Poe just about managed to blow up The Supremacy from the inside while still aboard, Leia shot them a strong look that needed no explanation. They immediately flinched but remained quiet as Evangeline continued without a second thought. Once she had finished, Leia sat quietly, deep in thought.

"How are you holding up?" Luke asked softly.

Evangeline flinched as he spoke, but did her best to act as if nothing had happened. She had tried her best to ignore her former master; however, his constant presence and attempted apologies certainly didn't help. She didn't want an apology because she didn't want to forgive him. She wanted nothing to do with the man in fact.

"It's a lot to process," Leia responded.

"Well take all the time that you need, General," Poe said as he stood to exit the room.

"Now wait just a minute, Dameron," Leia ordered, "I'm extending your suspension, flyboy."

Poe sighed but didn't argue. Finn followed him from the room and kept his eyes trained on the ground to try and avoid a punishment as well. Evangeline had temporarily stopped listening, but she knew that he hadn't escaped the inevitable either. She slowly became lost in her own thoughts as she tried to figure out where to go with the information that she knew. She needed to do research... a whisper reached her ears. It was familiar, but she quickly realized that the whisper belonged to the chorus of voices that had messed with her mind on Florrum. They overwhelmed her suddenly and she was unable to sort her thoughts from theirs. She started to panic.