The Rise of the Final Order - A Star Wars Story

Chapter 17

Lyra Solo

As Lyra glided across the dance floor in Hux's arms, she had to admit, he was a great dancer. He knew just where to put his hands and how to move his feet as they performed the Alderaanian waltz, a popular dance Lyra had learned from her mother.

He twirled her around in time with the music, the skirt of her dress billowing around her, then caught her hands again, in one elegant movement.

They continued to dance, moving with expert steps around the dance floor, and Lyra was acutely aware of Ben and Kaia dancing nearby. She smiled to herself.

Hux noticed her smile, and even though it wasn't directed at him, he smiled back, but it wasn't a cold, calculating smile that a First Order officer would wear. It was warm and soft, something Lyra had not expected to see on him, and she felt her cheeks turning pink.

Now she was smiling at him as they continued to waltz around the dance floor, her heart fluttering in her chest. She didn't quite know how these feelings had manifested so quickly, but she didn't bother trying to fight them either. Besides, she was having too much fun to question it anyways.

Of course, that didn't last for long. Margo suddenly came onto the dance floor, her steps quick and purposeful despite the fact that she needed to use a cane, straight towards Kaia and Ben, who stopped in the middle of dancing-and right before what appeared to have been a kiss-as soon as she approached.

Hux saw what she was looking at and they stopped dancing, instead moving to stand beside Kaia and Ben so they could hear what Margo was saying. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Merrin, Greez, and Chena had caught on too, and they were coming over as well, BD-1 toddling along beside them.

"Someone is here to see you," the old Imroosian told Kaia. "They're from the New Republic. They said it's urgent."

Still in Ben's arms, Kaia replied, "OK, I'll speak with them now." There was concern written on her face, since whatever was going with the New Republic must have been pretty bad if her help was needed.

Margo nodded and hurried away, presumably to retrieve the New Republic visitor, returning a few moments later, a familiar redhead following close behind.

Kelsa Antilles stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw them, her mouth agape, as Ben and Kaia quickly released each other. Beside her, her little droid companion BB-11 let out a surprised tweedle.

"What the hell is going on?" Kelsa demanded, eyeing everyone up and down. "This is what you've been doing instead of helping us out?"

"Listen, I can explain," Kaia said quickly, trying to diffuse the situation before it had the chance to escalate. "This is a Crimson Dawn thing."

"Oh, and I suppose whatever you were doing with him is a Crimson Dawn thing too," Kelsa snapped, waving a hand in Ben's direction.

"No that's-" Kaia started, her face red, then shook her head with a sigh. "Nevermind. We can talk about this later. What was it you had to tell me?"

Although it was apparent from Kelsa's expression that she would very much like to continue discussing what she had just walked into, she yielded and said, "We kind of have a problem. A big one."

"What kind of problem?" Kaia asked warily.

Kelsa rubbed the back of her neck, clearly not excited for what she was about to say. "Well, uh, apparently Cora is a Sith now."

"What?" Kaia and Lyra both cried in unison. Lyra couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could Cora be a Sith? It didn't make sense. That wasn't her.