STAR WARS EPISODE VII: Forces of Retrograde

TEASER

THE GOOD...

Belated Leia realized most of the others standing in groups or strolling down this stretch of hallway, few that they were, had trailed off into silence. Leia reopened her connection to the Force bit by bit, and though she didn't sense the cause immediately, the awe emanating from the delegates was enough of a clue. Brightening despite herself, she stepped back out into the open and inclined her head.

"Lady Tano," she greeted the newcomer.

The tall Togruta woman smiled that knowing, almost mischievous grin she seemed to reserve solely for Leia, and strode over to link arms with her.

Dressed in complex sleeveless robes of grey and white completed with an off-white cape, she made such an impression that even the most seasoned of politicians were struggling to contain their reactions. But the aura around her was more than her clothing, or even her stately bearing; she projected serenity in waves, to the point where even Leia was left to wonder if anything ever ruffled her – and Leia knew her better than most.

She was making a very public statement about where her allegiance lay by walking alongside Leia now, but that was just her style. Lady Tano was nothing if not steadfast, and that cheered Leia more than she could put into words. She felt herself straightening up without conscious thought, walking with longer, more confident steps.

Beside her, Ahsoka smiled. "That's it, Leia – keep your head high," she murmured. "Don't show them they've gotten to you."

"I know. I learned that before I was ten."

"Even royalty can use reminding, occasionally."

"Hmph. So, tell me, my Lady: what possessed you to visit this particular hive of scum and villainy?"

"Ahsoka, please. You've certainly known me long enough. Besides, if you call me by my first name in public, what's the worst they can do? Gossip?"

Leia had to snort at that. "If you were anyone else, I'd tell you that was in bad taste."

"But it got a laugh out of you, didn't it?"

Leia conceded the point with half a shrug.

Poe folded his arms behind his head and made a good show of studying the swirling whites and blues of hyperspace outside the viewport. Truth be told, he'd never seen the appeal in spreading his thoughts out on a calming backdrop to try to make sense of them when he jumped to the next thing in the time it took to pin down the first. But Lady Tano didn't know that.

Unless the Force had told her, of course. Poe swallowed.

Lady Tano sat down in the copilot's seat and cued up their flight plan on the nearest display screen. She studied the counter calculating their arrival time in the Tatooine system at their present speed with what felt to Poe like a suspicious degree of fascination; miffed he hadn't even gotten a hello, he crossed one leg over the other and leaned further back in his seat, ignoring her right back.

Abruptly her gaze slanted to the steering yoke. Poe followed it, and realized that just beneath it his leg was bouncing. Kriff, he thought. Well, there goes the nonchalant approach.

"Something I can help you with, my Lady?" he asked, taking a chance and addressing her directly in the hope of drawing her out. "Forgive me if I'm making assumptions where I shouldn't be, but it looks like you've got something on your mind."

It was a relief to finally break the silence, but Lady Tano stayed quiet long enough to make Poe nervous. He uncrossed his leg and clasped his knee to keep it rooted in place.