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ashxllbey · 2 years

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Starman - Poe Dameron x fem!reader - Chapter 18: Back In Black

GIF by found here, but not theirs

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Word count: ±15.3k Warnings: canon-typical violence, swearing, knife wounds (nothing graphic).

Y/N looked at her reflection. She sneered. Even in the old, blurry mirror Kit had in his room, she could see every detail of her outfit. The years hadn't erased them from her mind. How ironic - she wished they had, like the rest of it all. Her hair, tied into the two usual intricate braids, was topped with a third one, for once, making a crown out of her wavy strands. She had applied the makeup Klana had found - darkened eyes rimmed with black and winged out in a smokey, geometrical liner. Her lips were red and shiny as if coated in blood. And, of course - her outfit. The half plastron still fit her upper chest, metal shining under the room's dim light. Her right pauldron, as red as her lips, adorned the sigil of the order. They had purposely left the marks of battle untouched, a testimony of her work for Ren. One she could have gone without. The rest of the outfit was made of tight, fitted leather, thick enough to protect her from brutal weather or knives. On her forearms were her trusty bracelets. They went from her wrists to her elbows, metal protecting her limbs from attacks and her blade. She had tested the commands on her right bracelet earlier, and they worked perfectly. As for her weapons... The various straps on the armor were all occupied. Two knives in her boots, one on the left thigh, one on both arms. A dagger strapped to her back and the holster for her blaster hanging from her left side, its butt pointing forward. But, of course, the main attraction... her sword. It was powered down, resting inconspicuously against her right thigh. A simple blade, slightly thinner than the handle led to imagine. But it was made for the electro plasma energy filament and the force field it powered. Ren had made sure she could hold her own against a lightsaber if needed and had tested the function himself. She smiled unwillingly at the memory of that particular training. He had scared the living shit out of her that day. But now wasn't the time to think about that. As much as Y/N wanted to stay behind and think of happy memories, she was on a mission. She gulped down the bile in her throat. What would Poe think? What would they all think? With shaky hands, she tied the cape around her shoulders. Done. She could stall all she wanted but couldn't delay the inevitable any further. Might as well get it over with. She took a long breath in, then out. Then in again. The ritual she always went through whenever she had put the armor on. Raising her chin and straightening her shoulders, she marched out of the room, cape whipping at her heels. Once she was in the hallway, she could hear everyone's voices. Kit was seemingly talking about Gideon. She didn't catch Poe's answer, but she recognized his voice. There was no turning back now. Before she could talk herself out of it, she pushed forward and entered the room with confident steps that didn't match her state of mind at all. They fell silent, as expected. All of their eyes were on her. "Y/N," Klana gasped. "You look..." She trailed off, unsure. "Merciless. Like an angel of death," Kit finished. He wasn't wrong. But it wasn't his opinion Y/N wanted. Her eyes tentatively went to Poe. He hadn't said a word yet. When he noticed her staring, he leaned forward. She tensed, awaiting his judgment. "You really make red lipstick work," he stated with an approving nod. ...Wait. That was it? She noticed his eyes trailing up and down her silhouette as he took in her uniform, but he didn't comment on anything else. Kit stood up and walked up to her. "It's weird to see you wearing it without your mask on," he said with a smile. "For what it's worth, you look incredible. Like a Sith Lord, 'cept for the lightsaber. You'll have no problem convincing him to give you what you want. Hell, even I wouldn't want to get on your bad side." She laughed earnestly. "That's because you know I can kick your ass." He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Okay, you two, the armors are in the room next door. Get dressed. As for you, Klana, you're leaving with Torro. Good luck out there. Watch your backs. " She gave him a stern nod and jumped to her feet, walking toward Y/N. "Hey. Be careful out here, okay? You've got this. " She hugged her friend briefly, and Y/N smiled. Yes, yes, she did. "Take my jacket. You're gonna freeze outside with nothing on your back. And it'll bring you luck. " "You sure you trust me with that? " "Yeah, go right ahead. Just don't put blood on it; it's a bitch to clean up. " Klana laughed but nodded, taking the piece of clothing from the chair it was on. She threw her code cylinder at Y/N, who caught it and put it in her belt, and off she went, Torro holding the door open before closing it behind them. She realized now she was pretty much alone in the room. Kit had gone to his room to change into something more casual; Poe and Skylen were in the guest room to get dressed. The apartment was quiet. Outside, Y/N could hear the occasional honk or clatter, but it was otherwise dead silent. She allowed herself to think about what was at stake. Poe's life was on the line. If they couldn't figure out who had put the bounty on his head, or better, have it canceled, he would be walking with a sword over his head, and she simply wouldn't have it. Not if she could help it. She knew all too well what it felt like to have the entire galaxy looking for you. She sighed and walked to the armory, finding it tidier than she would have thought and filled with ex-First Order weapons. Kit had undoubtedly raided the Finalizer before he had left. It was just their luck. She found a sharpening kit for her blades and sat down on the couch with it, making sure the knives were sharp and shining. Those gestures had become second nature to her, and she found herself drifting off, eyes staring in the distance as she recalled her years as a runaway. "UP! " She jolted awake as something hit the side of her bed in a metallic clatter. Her hand flew to her blaster, and she aimed it at the moving mass next to her before her eyes were even fully open, adrenaline shooting through her veins. Had they found her? Had they- "Dank Farrik! You don't need to point that at me, young lady. You were sleeping like a dead bantha; I couldn't wake you up. " Y/N rubbed her eyes and put the gun away with a grunt. "Sorry. Rough night. I was up 'til four with Alaric spying on the pirates. " The woman smiled. She was perhaps older than she should have been considering the life expectancy around here, but her mind was as sharp as ever. She handed Y/N a bowl of soup she almost burned her tongue off with. Herbs, as usual. At least, it meant the kids had eaten the meat they had brought back earlier that week. "You two are going to get into trouble, " she sighed. "I don't like that. If I was twenty years younger, I would fight you two, so you'd stay here. " Y/N gave her a throaty laugh. "I have no doubt you would. But you know they will never leave you alone if we don't get rid of them. " She pushed the bowl to the side and stood up, popping her back. Outside, the children were running and laughing. The day was sunny and warm, enough to make her skin tingle as the sunshine made its way inside the hut. There still was a hint of wind, so Y/N grabbed her leather jacket. "Just… Be careful. We have lost many to their wretched hands. " Y/N couldn't help it- she snorted. "I'll be damned if those scumbags are the ones who put me down. " "Language! " She laughed as she went out, grabbing her staff on the way out and putting it on her back. She waved at the two kids playing outside her door. "Marshall! Look at the shoes mom got me! They're so shiny! " "They're fantastic, Kalo. Hey, have you seen Alaric this morning? " The kids pointed at a hut nearby. "Yeah! I heard he found something in the forest. You should go talk to him! " "Marshall! Can you teach me how to fight when you're done with your work? " Y/N laughed, ruffling the kid's hair. "You're a bit young for that, honey. And your mom would kill me. " She bid them adieu and went on her merry way, waving at the townspeople she crossed paths with. It had been a few months since she had landed (okay, crashed) on that planet she couldn't remember the name of. The townspeople were at war with local pirates, and Y/N had offered her help for food and a roof over her head. She had become friends with several of them. They treated her kindly and didn't ask questions. She hadn't told them anything; it was better that way. When she stepped inside the hut, she found Alaric deep in discussion with the local nurse. His face lit up when Y/N stepped in. "Ah, you're here. You're gonna want to know about that. " He was older than her, probably old enough to be her father. Alaric was gruff and wasn't much of a talker. From what Y/N had gathered, one night he had had too much to drink, Alaric was an ex-rebel. He had lost his entire family to the war and had retired after Empire fell. Now, he was watching over his people, but it was a difficult task to do alone. The pirates were brutes, but they were well-armed and outnumbered them. They were chipping at their number, but it wasn't easy. Y/N had never seen Alaric so excited before, though. "Lily, tell her what you told me, " he encouraged. The young nurse nodded. "So, I was in the forest, trying to find herbs to take care of the kids. There's a flu going around the town. Anyway. I got to a clearing I had never seen before. I was going to turn around with the plants, and then I saw it… metal. Like, some sort of metallic part. " Alaric waved his hand to get her to talk faster. "I looked up and realized there was no grass. I climbed up some rocks and found a crevasse. And in it… There's a ship—a spaceship. One the Order uses. " Y/N's heart stopped. A TIE? They had found a TIE?! She sneaked a glance at Alaric, who merely nodded. He knew them all too well. "You told me you know how to fly. If that is true, I think we've just found our winning ticket. " The walk to the TIE had been longer than she had anticipated, and Y/N was glad she had Alaric with her to guide her because this forest was a damn maze, and the fuel on her back was weighing her down. Alaric carried some tools with him, and Y/N hoped whatever damages the TIE had suffered from could be fixed by her limited skills. When they reached the area, she realized the crevasse wasn't as deep or narrow as she had thought. Good. The wings were fragile; having them damaged would have been an issue. Instead, it seemed like the ship had crash-landed inside the mountain, finding itself stuck by its wing spars, which were entangled in vines. It appeared to have suffered limited injuries, and Y/N smiled. "The canons look intact. But we're gonna have to climb up here. " She put her jerrican of fuel down and started climbing the rock. The ship wasn't too high, but it was still too high for her to reach easily. She just hoped the vines could hold her weight. After a few minutes of grueling effort, she finally reached the top of the eyeball, which was upside down, and kicked the trapdoor open. The pilot was still inside, long gone. Judging by his uniform and the ship, he must have been serving at the beginning of the war. Y/N unclasped his safety belts and dragged his lifeless corpse to the opening. "Watch out! " She screamed at Alaric before ejecting the Buckethead. Judging by his smashed helmet lying on the floor and the blood on the seat, he had bled out on the spot. That was good for her. Trying to do her job upside down, Y/N bent backward, turning the ship on. She hit the ignition button- And the reactor roared to life. The low fuel alert was flashing on the screen, covered in dust, but it was working. "HELL YEAH! She's still alive! " "How's it going up here? " Alaric's voice asked, and Y/N put her head through the opening, hanging upside down with her hands against the ceiling. "According to the checkup that I ran? No critical damages! There's a bit of strain on the wings because of the vines. Fuel's low, too, but other than that, we should be good to go. I'm gonna need you to come up here, though. " Alaric cursed but did as he was told, bringing the fuel with him. Y/N filled the ship up as it dangerously swayed with the added weight. "Okay. I need you to take cover. I'm gonna turn the engines on to break the vines. It's gonna get heated in here. Be careful. " He gave her a thumb up and made his way down, hiding behind some rocks. Y/N hauled herself up, trying - and failing - to sit upside down in the pilot seat. Okay, well, she would have to improvise. With expert fingers, she turned on her engine, directed its power forward, and took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing, " she mumbled as she tilted the joystick toward her. The engines roared, and the ship was catapulted upward, the vines holding it back for a second before giving out. Y/N was thrown against the wall as the TIE rose toward the sky. With great effort, as it slowed down, she kicked the buttons to the side, activating the auxiliary motors that stabilized the ship with its head up. This sent her against the floor, and she hit it with full force, her ribs crying in protest as she pushed herself up. Good thing nobody had seen that. With grunts of pain, she sat in the pilot seat and made her way down the planet's surface, landing the TIE in the clearing Lily had told them about. Alaric was quick to join her. "Son of a blaster! Never thought I'd be this happy to see one of those! " He screamed at her when she powered the ship down. Y/N laughed. "Yeah, me neither. Come on, come inside; I'll fly us both to the village. Tonight, we get rid of those scumbags. " "Hey, Y/N, uh… Mind giving me a hand? " Poe's voice asked, taking her out of her reverie. She liked that memory, even though that day hadn't been a happy one. Y/N had left that night after killing the pirates, taking the ship with her. Such a vessel would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention, and she didn't want to endanger anyone. They were still after her. Shaking away the memories, she stood up and put the kit where she had found it as she made her way toward the room Skylen and Poe had disappeared into. She knocked politely and pushed the door open. Poe was sitting on the guest's best, his armor on, but it was clear to Y/N that something was amiss. The parts weren't where they were supposed to be. A look around the room and the sound of water told her Skylen was under the shower. Poe's hair was damp as he had already taken his. "Yeah? " "Do you have experience with this thing? I can't figure out how they kriffing tie everything up. " She laughed and sat down on the bed with him. His pants and lower body armor were correctly attached; that was a start. "Yeah. It's a bitch to get right the first time. I'll give you a hand. Just… Don't move. " She got started on his arm pieces, fingers working quickly and efficiently. He stayed silent and still, watching her work. "It's not too tight? " She eventually asked. He shook his head no. "Nah, funnily enough, it's my size. Kit either got very lucky, or he was planning to have me wearing this. " She giggled. Kit had always been a lucky guy, in more ways than one. "You'd make a good death trooper, though. Looking good in black, General." Poe snorted. "Don't laugh at me. It looks better on you. " He appeared to realize his mistake when Y/N's hands stopped for a second. "Kriff, I didn't mean to- " "It's… it's okay. You know, I actually like the armor," Y/N added as she moved to the chest piece. "I hate what it stands for, yes. But the craftsmanship? How it fits me? I like that. Kylo made sure I was comfortable. He did a great job. " "Can't argue with that. " She smiled. "I make evil look good, don't I? " Poe considered it for a second, his eyes searching her face. Kriff. He had a way of looking at her that guaranteed she would be ill at ease. "I'm not saying you're right, just... if Ren had looked like you, the First Order wouldn't have had to torture the information out of me. " Y/N burst out laughing. "Yes, they would have! You'd never give BeeBee up! I'll tell him you said that. " "No, you won't. " "Yes, I will! How dare you speak about your child like that? You know what, I think I'll take full custody of him. He'll live with me, be fed quality oil, and-" …Oh, no. Y/N had just made a BIG mistake. She fell silent and stopped moving as Poe's eyes went wide. "It was YOU?! Maker, Y/N! Do you have ANY idea how hyper he was?! Took him twelve hours to get down his high! I had to manually power him down! " "Hey, that was my way to thank him for looking after me! " She tried to defend herself, but Poe merely groaned. She couldn't hold back her laugh and snickered as she attached the last pieces together. "He deserves all of the love. He's been so kind to me ever since I came here. " Poe smiled to himself. "That's because you're nice to him. Not because he's my droid, but because that's what you do. He knows. And he appreciates it. You should've heard him fanboying about your run against Tarsen. " She laughed. Spending time with Poe was precisely the break she needed before her big mission. He had a way of making people feel good about themselves. She found herself staring into his eyes. He was a bit tired and worried, and she was surprised to realize how easy it was to read those things about him. Had she become fluent in speaking Poe Dameron's language? "You're staring. " She jumped back. "Sorry! I… Sorry. I'm done. It's correctly secured. You're just missing the helmet, and you'll be good to go. " He observed her for a second and didn't say anything. "You're more jumpy than usual. And I'm not just talking about the mission. Are you sure you're feeling okay? Is it about what happened in the cantina-" Oh, MAKER NO- "Alright! You kids ready? " She had NEVER BEEN happier to see Skylen in her life. Or glad she would have an excuse to be someone else for a little while and forget about everything else. "Yeah! I'll go and see if Kit is, too. " She stood up, cape whipping at her heels, and walked out of the room without a second glance. As she pushed the door, she heard Skylen asking: "Maker, what did you say to the poor girl?" And prayed Poe wouldn't say anything. It turned out Kit was ready as he stepped out of his room. He had changed into more formal clothes, with a simple shirt, some fitted slacks, and a leather jacket thrown over his plastron. His helmet would stay there, though. "You guys ready to head out? " He asked as he put his blaster in a holster. Y/N nodded, and the two pilots joined them in the living room, helmets on, carrying automatic rifles. Kit gave an approving nod. "Alright. It's showtime. We'll take the shuttle. " He stepped toward the door, but Y/N's voice stopped him. "Kit. Got some Jawa juice on hand? " Kit walked back inside the room with a quizzical look, opened a cabinet, and grabbed a bottle by its neck. He handed it to Y/N, and she opened it, took a swing from it, and gave it back. Kit stared in silence. "Trust me, if you want me to do the job, I better have some of that in my system. " He chuckled lowly and put the bottle back where he had found it. Y/N glanced around the room. The two troopers stood behind her, guns in hand. They looked perfect, their sleek armors shining under the led lights. Y/N gave them a sharp nod. "Let's get this over with. " With a practiced flick of her wrist, she pulled the hood of her cape up, and out they went, back into the narrow alleys. It took them half an hour to make it to the city center. Kit had to leave the shuttle outside the city; from there, it was a ten minutes walk. The sun had started to set, but it didn't matter - the town was busier than Y/N had anticipated. The streets were gloomy, narrow, and decorated with so many signs, lights, and street vendors that they looked like a less high version of Coruscant's ill-famed neighborhoods. Everything around here screamed "mafia "to her. It was apparent they had built themselves a small bubble of modernity and power on a planet that initially had none of that. The death troopers drew a lot of attention as they walked between the shops, the flashy neon lights catching every angle of their armors. Eventually, Kit stopped in front of a building. There were speeders parked next to the door and various creatures hanging around them. A thick cloud of smoke hung in the air, and Y/N was convinced she had seen the glow of death sticks in one of the thug's hands. "This is the place. Radio communications are jammed inside, so we won't be able to contact the others. Once we're in, we're on our own. Are you ready for this, Y/N? " Her head whipped to the side. When she spoke up, her voice had grown a tad lower. "It's Captain to you, Lieutenant. Did you forget your manners on the shuttle? " Kit grinned. "There she is. " Squaring her shoulders, Y/N walked past the thugs without sparing them a second glance and stepped inside, not bothering to turn around and check if the rest of them was following. The club looked precisely like the ones on Coruscant. A massive bar in the middle, flashy lights everywhere, neons coloring the room, and glasses of alcohol everywhere. There were smaller booths here and there, some with walls around them, some without. In some spots, huge glass tubes protruded from the ground, with half-naked women dancing languidly. A low, bass-boosted tune had the ground shaking. Down a flight of translucent stairs, they could access the underground area. As she took a glance, Y/N noticed there was a pit down there. Probably made to host illegal fights- Her observation was cut short by two guards. Armed to the teeth, both of them humans, they blocked her view and her path. "Stop right here. Guards aren't allowed inside. " Kit stepped forward with a smile on his face. "Relax, Drogo. They're with me. I'm here to see Gideon. " One of them - Drogo - pursed his lips and shook his head. "Sorry, Kit. Rules are rules. If she wants to have a drink here, they stay outside. " Y/N took a step forward. "I don't think you've listened. We're here to see your boss. " The guard sighed. "Listen, lady. That's one more reason to not let you come in with these two-" The sound of guns getting cocked made him turn his head, and Y/N raised her hand, signaling for Poe and Skylen to stand down. On the inside, she smiled. They were good pretenders. "Drogo, was it? " She interrupted. He fell silent. She took her hood off and stared him dead in the eyes. "Let me be clear. Where I go, they go. And I will get in with my guards. So you can be a doll and show us the way, or I can break your neck and find it myself. I'll let you make a choice. " She smiled. Oh, she had pissed him off. Hopefully, not enough to start a bloodbath so early in the mission. The guard clenched his jaw, and his hand moved toward his blaster. "Who exactly do you think-" Y/N pushed her cape aside, revealing her pauldron with the First Order's sigil and the hilt of her sword. "She's not joking, my dude. And I promise we won't be long. " He looked at Kit, then back at Y/N, and finally stepped back with a long sigh. "Get out of my sight. " She nodded, winked, and walked away. Kit quickly joined her side as she reached an empty booth. "You trying to get us killed so soon? " "It worked, didn't it? " He snorted. They sat down, with the fake troopers on both sides of them. A skimpy-dressed Togruta came to take their order, but Y/N sent her away. "Where is Gideon? " She asked Kit as the music changed. The pilot took a look around. "I don't see his guards. He's probably still in his office. It won't take long; he's usually punctual. " Y/N nodded and took the opportunity to look around the club. The backdoor was guarded, but she could see it from where she was, which was good. She hoped Klana and Torro hadn't run into any trouble, but they would have heard about it if they had, wouldn't they? The music got quieter suddenly, and the crowd turned to the other side of the club, where a red Devaronian stood. Dressed in a long leather jacket with two blasters on his hips. His horns, shiny and pointy, menacingly stood as he stepped out of what must have been his office. "Hello, my friends! I hope you're enjoying your night. Drink, dance, and don't forget that tonight, we're having our Sunday special. Get ready for the show later tonight!" The crowd of partygoers cheered for him and made way for him and his bodyguards. The two guards stopped him, whispered something in his ear, and waved in her direction. "We've been spotted," Kit stated casually. Great. The sooner they met with Gideon, the sooner they'd be out of here. Y/N didn't look away, watching as the Devaronian made his way toward their table. He stopped a server on the way here, barked some orders at her, and went on his merry way. When he finally reached the booth they were at, he found Y/N with her arms sprawled over the back of the couch, an unimpressed look on her face. "Kit! Long time no see. Rumor has it you had your hands full with a bounty on Coruscant. How's business treating you? " "You know me, " he shrugged. "I can handle whatever is thrown at me. I'm not here for more pucks, though. " Gideon's eyes went to Y/N, and he eyed her up and down. "Yes, I can see that. Who's your friend? " He said, sitting down across them. Y/N stared back at him. "You can call me Y/N. " He repeated her name a few times and shot her a toothy smile. Eventually, after a few seconds, he extended his hand for her to shake. She complied, and he brought her hand to his lips, kissing it. Seriously, what even was this guy? "Care to tell me why someone dressed as a First Order officer is in my club with two death troopers?" Gideon asked Kit. The Devaronian didn't sound pissed, rather curious, and the bounty hunter shrugged. "She has something to ask you; she's here on business. I can vouch for her, too. But she didn't tell me what she wants, so you're gonna have to talk it up with her. " Here, he had cracked the door of the negotiations open. Gideon hummed. "Is that so? Tell me… It's been a long time since I last saw someone like you around. Your kind is almost extinct. I don't notice any rank on your uniform, but I recognize that sword. Who are you exactly, Miss Y/N? " She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. Gideon towered over her by at least twenty centimeters, so she had to crane her neck a little. Maker, she was going to be stiff-necked by the end of the night. "Thunderbird. Captain Y/N Thunderbird. If you're half as good as Kit mentioned, that must be enough for you to know who I am. " She consciously started playing with the hem of her cape, patiently waiting as he mulled over her word. The server returned with drinks and put them on the table as Gideon nodded thoughtfully. "That's a name I haven't heard in a long time. Last time I heard, you were in exile after you'd betrayed the Order. " That was… yeah, okay, he was well-informed. Y/N shrugged. "I'm glad to hear that rumor spread around. No, I wasn't in exile. I was on a mission. I've been for a while now. " Technically, she wasn't lying; she had been on a mission… to get the hell off the Order's radar. Gideon smiled and took a sip from his colorful drink with a shrug. "I have to say, I always wondered who was the woman under the armor. Makes sense it was you… " He toyed with the edge of his drink as Kit grabbed his, taking a sip from the cocktail. As for Y/N, she didn't make a move to grab it. She just stared at Gideon, waiting for his next move. He hadn't asked about her business here yet. Perhaps he was just biding his time, but she wasn't convinced. She felt Kit's free hand on her knee under the table and realized she had started to move her leg as she waited. Fortunately, Gideon didn't seem to have noticed. "There's still one issue, though. " Ah, here it was. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Poe tensing up. She smiled, crossing her fingers in front of her and resting her chin on them. "Oh, is there, now? " He hummed, downing the rest of the glass and sliding it to the side. "Yes. Nobody has seen or heard from you in years, and you show up to my club with two troopers, with an armor I haven't seen in years, worn by someone nobody has seen the face of. Forgive me for being a bit suspicious. " Ah, so Kit had been correct in his assumption. She leaned back against the couch. "Understandable. " She went to grab her code cylinder, but both of Gideon's guards raised their guns, which caused both Poe and Skylen to raise theirs. Y/N chuckled. "They a little trigger-happy, huh? Easy there, I'm not grabbing a gun. " She produced the tiny cylinder from her belt and pushed it toward Gideon, who picked it up. "Here you go. " The Devaronian picked it up and handed it to one of his guards, who disappeared behind the bar. He came back a few moments later, whispering something in his ear. Gideon nodded. "Story checks out. I'm still not convinced, though. " Kit groaned audibly. "Seriously? We served together for years. You have her cylinder. Do you want a DNA test or somethin'? " Y/N raised her hand to silence him. "I understand the caution. But you're asking many things, and I don't even know if you have what I'm looking for. I wouldn't appreciate you wasting my time. I've proven my goodwill, but I won't humor you any further if you don't do the same. Sounds fair to you? " He laughed earnestly. "Ha! You're smart. Okay. I don't need you to tell me anything, though. I know why you're here. " Y/N snorted and turned to Kit, who watched the exchange in silence. "You didn't tell me your friend was a psychic. " He rolled her eyes at her but smiled. Gideon shook his head. "I wish. No. It's easy to understand the reason behind your presence, though. A bounty issued on a Rebel, reports about his presence in the sector, and an Imperial officer pops up here. You're after the General. " It was hilarious to listen to that, considering the said General was standing literally a few meters from them. Y/N knew he must have been laughing behind his helmet. She smiled. "You're smart. Yes. I'm here about Dameron. " Realizing she wouldn't touch her drink, Gideon grabbed it and drank the second cocktail. Well. At least it wasn't poisoned. "Then, chances are I have the information you're looking for. " "How can I be sure of that? " "You're just gonna have to trust me, " he answered with a laugh. So he wouldn't budge. What had Kit told her? He liked money, power, and a good show. If he wanted money, he would have asked already. She had given him the power of knowledge, so there was only one thing he could want from her… Ah, she didn't like where this was going. Gideon must have sensed it because he grinned smugly at her. "Alright, I'll bite. What is it that you want me to do? Clearly, there must be a way for me to put your worries at ease. Then, we can talk business. " He seemed to be thinking about it for a second, but Y/N was sure he already knew what he would ask of her. Her impression was confirmed when Kit leaned forward. "C'mon, Gideon. I know you know what you want already. Let's get it over with. We don't have all night, eh? " He turned to Kit, and for a second, Y/N was sure he had said something wrong. His smile faded away, replaced by a frown. "You seem in a rush, Kit. Something the matter? " True to himself, Kit kept his cool and merely shrugged. "Listen, my guy, you're fun and all, but she ain't in town often, and I would hate to spend the night here with y'all. If you know what I mean." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Y/N had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes. Seriously? He had to go there? She smiled regardless, feeling someone's eyes on the side of her face. Poe's. Yikes. But the Devaronian, being the pig he was, merely snorted. "Ah, yes. I wouldn't want to keep you kids busy for too long. Well, you see, Miss Y/N, I pride myself on two things: being true to my word and providing my patrons with quality shows. I was going to have two gamorreans fighting tonight, but it would be much more entertaining to have you instead, hm? After all, if you are who you pretend to be, and this sword truly belongs to you, then you should have no problem handling yourself, shouldn't you? " He… He wanted to see her FIGHT?! Yes, of course, his reasoning was correct. Y/N had to give it to him; he was smart, which wasn't to her advantage. Sure, she could handle herself… But it had been years since she had last used that sword. She could feel Poe losing his mind next to her. This wasn't what she had signed up for. Being used as the freakshow of the night. But hey, if that was what it took, then so be it. "I don't know if that's a good idea, " she started, leaning back casually. "After all, I would hate for you to throw me out because I mangled half of your men. " Gideon laughed. "You're cocky. We'll see how you handle yourself on the ring. Come on, let's go. I'm actually excited to see how it plays out. " They rose from their seats, and Y/N followed after him, purposely ignoring both Kit and Poe's eyes on her. Her focus was already on her upcoming fight. She had to win. If not for her sake, for Poe's. And if not for Poe's… For Ren's, who would kick her ass from beyond the grave if she dishonored his teaching like that. Poe was losing his kriffing mind. Why? Why did she say yes? And why didn't Kit look at least worried for her? Wow, leaving him had been the best decision she had made in her life- Skylen elbowed him slightly, and he realized last second he had almost walked into a drunk partygoer. He had to focus. But how could he be focused on pretending to be a bodyguard when the person he was supposed to protect was risking her life? Maker, it was simpler for him to do his job when she wasn't here. They followed Gideon to the club's lower level, and he told Kit to sit down while he took Y/N backstage. Before she followed him, she gave her partner in crime her cape, letting the armor shine under the neon lights, then nodded and disappeared. Poe dashed to Kit's side as he took his spot on the couch. "What the hell are you doing? " He hissed from behind his helmet. Kit didn't turn to him, but he moved his head slightly to the side. "Letting her do her job, Dameron. You should try it sometimes. " Oh, he was SO punching him after all of this was over. What did Y/N even see in that guy?! He did a quick assessment of the room. Many armed guards, some getting ready for a fight. Okay. She wasn't going against random people; those were hired mercenaries. There was one of her and too many of them. She knew what she was doing, but the odds weren't in her favor. "They're her opponents? " He asked. He needed confirmation. Kit nodded slightly. "Yeah, looks like it. " And he still didn't look worried in the slightest. Skylen leaned forward too. "Listen, I'm all about letting her do her thing and all, but this isn't looking too good. " "If I could go and take her place, I would. But trust me, she is our best shot at getting the information we need. " Trust him? Oh, yeah, sure. Poe bit back the sarcastic comeback he wanted to hurl at his face. Instead, he checked his gun. "If they hurt her, I'm going out there. " And Kit- Laughed. What the actual- He turned to the pilot, a grin on his face. "Maker, you genuinely have NO idea who you hired, do you? " He chuckled to himself as the referee stepped out of the ring. The crowd gathered around the ring, hungry for some blood. Poe didn't listen to his speech. He was mulling over Kit's words. He was right. He had no idea. And he genuinely wanted to know. Maybe Kit was correct. Perhaps he needed to trust her. "I worry for her too, Dameron, " Kit mumbled. "You have no idea how fucking stressed she had me every time Ren called for her. But I've seen her walk through hell and back. I used to joke with her, telling her she'd make one helluva Sith. You'll see what I mean in a moment. Trust the process. I bet my right hand she's gonna kick all of their asses. " Okay. Yeah, okay. He'd better be right. Shiiiit. There were a LOT of people. The roars of the crows were deafening. They were out for blood. The lights were on, shining brightly on the ring. Faint smears of blood painted the floor, and Y/N knew before the referee even announced it that the fights wouldn't stop until one of them was dead or severely knocked out. Okay. The pilot didn't have to pull back. Before she stepped on the ring, she handed her blaster to Kit, as per the rules. No gun. Just knives and fists. She would manage. Blasters were so uncivilized anyway. She heard the referee say her name but didn't register it. Standing in a corner, she focused on her breathing, as Kylo had taught her. Focus. Focus. She searched for Poe's eyes behind the crowd, behind the helmet. She knew he could see her. She winked. "Let the fight BEGIN! " Two guards were against her, armed with vibrodaggers. They looked between themselves, trying to understand if they should push forward or not, considering Y/N still didn't have her blade in hand. They took a tentative step. Y/N grabbed the hilt of her sword, unhooking it from her belt, biding her time. They shared another look of uncertainty, and then, electrified by the crowd's cheers, they pushed forward. Y/N turned the blade on. The hum of the microfilament vibrated through her hand as the red blade crackled to life. It hadn't changed a bit. It was just like she remembered it to be. Years of training and fights had forever engraved the feel of the weapon in her palm. Focus, Y/N, said Ren's voice in her head, coming from her past. Yes, Master, she'd answer. One step. Two steps. They attacked. The first one raised his blade above his head to hit her, and the other went to strike her legs. With little to no effort, Y/N leaped forward, plunging headfirst into the spot between the two, rolling on her back, and standing back up behind them. Their blade hit the air, and she smiled. They were strong, but she was way faster than them. She swung her sword around her wrist with practiced spins, showing off a little. They were quick to turn around. "Oh, you're gonna have to do better than that, " she taunted. They did. The first one threw one of his blades at her, and Y/N spun to the side, only to be stopped by the second one. Their weapons clashed in a metallic clatter, the electricity in hers buzzing close to her ear. She grinned and pressed the side of the hilt with her thumb, sending a shock through the metal. The man recoiled in surprise, and she took advantage of it, slashing his wrist and making him drop his blade- Something moved in her peripheral vision. Without even thinking, she swung her blade right in time to divert the dagger that had been thrown her way. Two points for her. Okay, this was too easy- The guy on the ground produced a smaller knife from his boot and hurled it at her. Y/N didn't have time to move away; it hit her plastron, bouncing off with a ping. She grimaced. "You assholes are going to ruin the paint job. " He snarled and stood back up, blood dripping on the floor in tiny droplets. Truth be told, Y/N could have killed both of them with a throwing knife, but she was pretty sure that wasn't what Gideon wanted. She had never fought for a show before but had seen some… She would entertain them if it meant getting the information she needed… Besides, they weren't real threats. At least not for now. "My turn, " she threw their way with a smile. She parried the first guy's attack with her blade, spinning on herself out of his reach and elbowing him square in the face. As he recoiled in pain, she dodged the other one's attack by ducking, rolled out of the way before he could react, and slashed the back of his knees, making blood gush out of the wounds and making him fall down yelping. The crowd gasped as she hit him across the face with her metallic gauntlet, and he fell down, knocked out cold. She threw one of her knives with practiced accuracy, knocking the one the other guy had picked up from his hand. Defenseless, he didn't have time to react as she sent a roundhouse kick his way, hitting him in the jaw. Heh. Y/N would have to thank Poe for teaching her that move. Calmly, Y/N picked up her knife and cleaned her powered-down sword from the blood on it. Then she turned to Gideon. "Is that the best you can give me? " She shouted his way, arms extended. It was apparent provocation on her part, but he didn't seem to mind. Quite the contrary, he grinned and gestured for another guard to step in the two's place. It was a woman, around her age, with a single sword- wait, no, it was a katana of some sort. She was slimmer than the two guys (dragged out of the ring by some of their colleagues) and bid her time, observing Y/N. She didn't have any throwing knife she could see; glorious. Finally, she stepped forward, slicing across the length of her body. Y/N blocked it quickly, but she knew it was a test. One she could have failed if she hadn't seen the flickering sparkle in the woman's other hand. Y/N raised her gauntlet, and her smaller blade hit it. She smiled. "Nice try. "

Y/N pushed on her sword and forced her to step back as she attacked. Hit by hit, she made her opponent step closer to the edge of the fighting space, relentlessly hitting her with her blade. She evaded the blows, though barely; when they reached the ropes of the ring, the other woman used their momentum to swoop past Y/N, and the pilot barely had time to spin her sword, raising it behind her back. It clashed against her opponent's blade, saving her right on time from a nasty blow. She couldn't, however, avoid the hit that came right after, and she was slapped across the face, losing her balance temporarily as her head rung and the world spun for a second. Ah, she wasn't half bad. Perhaps it was time to stop playing. She recovered from the hit right on time to avoid another attack, parrying it swiftly. Her vision was a bit blurry, but at least she wasn't seeing two of her, so there was a bright side. Still, she would have a bruise the following day. Ah, whatever. Time to change her tactics, though. Hoping her body would cooperate, she bid her time, avoiding the attacks that came her way while stepping back slightly. She found herself two steps away from her opponent; perfect. The guard slashed in her direction horizontally, stepping forward, and- Y/N jumped. She took one step and propelled herself upward, spinning sidewards in the air for a second before sticking a quite wobbly landing. Welp. Fair enough. The other woman, surprised, didn't react fast enough to avoid Y/N's sword slashing her back. Y/N spun the blade in her hand and hit her across the face with a nasty blow. The woman fell to her knees, unable to get back up. 2 - 0. The crowd's ruckus was growing impossibly louder as they understood precisely the ride they were in for. Credits went from hands to hands, people were raising their glasses, and the light caught on various pieces of clothing as the spectators moved around excitingly. It was too loud, too bright, too much. Her head was pounding from the overload of sensory triggers and the hit she had received. How many rounds would she have to go through before Gideon was entertained enough to grant her an audience? Kriff, Poe owed her one. As she pranced around, playing her "cocky officer "role to the best of her abilities, she heard the referee call for the last fighter of the round. Great! Just one more to go- "Ah. Fuck. " Here he stood, the guard she had all but insulted earlier, with light armor on and his hand firmly holding a resonator mace. The two clubs were powered down, but it looked ominous enough to have Y/N focus. She spun her blade, observing him. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed Kit leaning forward when the lights were kind enough to point away and give her a window to actually see her friends. He didn't look too confident. Welp. If Kit was stressed out, it meant the guard -Drogo- would give her a run for her money. They had undoubtedly saved the best fighter for last, and the mere sight of his weapon (which wasn't easy to master, she recalled) was enough of a warning. The referee yelled out his catchphrase, and the fight started. Drogo was savvier than the others. He wasn't watching her blade but her body. He had, undoubtedly, been trained in melee fights—just her luck. But, hey, he hadn't been Ren's student, right? She could take him. When he pounced on her, she ducked out of the way right before he hit her. Kriff! He was fast and robust. That was a bad combo for her. Also, that weapon of his could trap her blade; she had to be careful. She tested his defense by spinning around and making her weapon clash against his, her arms groaning under the effort as he pushed back. The hits flew around like a flock of X-Wing at full speed, and she had to focus hard to follow the dance. Parry, parry, duck, step aside, attack, slash. The precision of her movements and her attacks' speed made Drogo retreat toward the edge of the ring. He was starting to lose focus, and Y/N thanked her mentor for spending so much time building her stamina. She landed a couple of hits on his arms, not enough to overpower him but enough to make him lose focus. And then- She screwed up. It was bound to happen at some point- she was so busy trying to put on a good show, pretending she wasn't rusted up by years of absence of training, and trying not to die, that Y/N forgot the first observation she had made… …Her blade could get caught. And it did.

Drogo angled his mace right as she slashed forward, catching the sword between the two clubs precisely as he powered them up. He tried to yank the blade from her hands, but Y/N followed it, not trying to untangle it forcefully but rather trying to free it naturally. And she managed to do it, the two powered-up weapons separating- She realized too late she had let her guard down. He hit her square in the chest with the mace. While her armor took the brunt of the hit and protected her from the electricity, it sent her flying. She hit the ground and tumbled down, her ribs screaming in protest. They had suffered enough of a hit the day prior, and Y/N was still healing. Her fall knocked the wind out of her, and she saw stars. The lights above her were dancing, her vision was blurry again, and Y/N tried to catch her breath. At least she hadn't lost her sword- A shadow moved above her. She rolled out of the way right on time to avoid a deadly hit from above as he smashed the mace against the ground. She tried to get up, but he lunged at her with the tip of the buzzing weapon, and she fell back to her knees with a wince. Ah, shit, it wasn't looking too good. She raised her blade to block a hit, but the fall had weakened her, and her damn shoulder failed her. The sword was kicked out of her reach, and she found herself weaponless. Welp. Fortunately for her, no amount of strength could compensate the weight of a mace like that, and their difference in speed allowed her to recover and finally stand up, jumping to her feet. Her chest was hurting really badly, and she was pretty sure it would be bruised as hell the following day; she struggled to breathe, and her arms were killing her. But she would be damned if she gave up now. So she grabbed two blades from her stash, falling into a defensive stance with her two daggers raised. She couldn't outsmart him, but she could outmaneuver him. Summoning her last ounces of strength, she waited for the mace to miss its mark before she ducked underneath it and slashed at his arms, coming closer to his body with the shortness of the blades. It was risky; if he caught her, she was as good as dead. He left her no time to pause and didn't give her a break. She eyed the discarded sword; it wasn't too far away from her but still too distant to grab it. If only she could activate the- Drogo had anticipated her attack and his arm blocked her dagger, kicking it out of her grasp. She didn't have time to grab another one; he was already attacking again. She couldn't hear the crowd anymore- only the blood rushing to her ears. She had to find a way out. Wait… she had an idea. One she hoped wouldn't give Poe a heart attack. She let him kick the second blade out of her hand. After such a long fight, having her defenseless was bound to get him to relax a bit, and that was precisely what happened. Y/N pretended to fall back until her back was -quite literally- against the wall, or rather, the ropes. She had nowhere to go… …But the sword was on her right side. As Drogo raised the mace to hit her with it, she grinned. He frowned but didn't react fast enough. Y/N pressed a button on her gauntlet, and the blade flew toward her, summoned by the magnetic pull. She grabbed the hilt and raised the sword right on time to parry Drogo's hit, the strength of it making the tip of the blade hit her other gauntlet. But it also made Drogo lose his grip, and Y/N slashed at his arm before he could recover. The mace fell to the side, and she hurriedly kicked her opponent's legs. Drogo landed on his back, desperately crawling to get his weapon, but Y/N stopped him with the tip of hers, pressing the buzzing blade to his throat. She wasn't hurting him, but should he move at all, he'd be dead before he raised his hand. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. The crowd was deafeningly loud around them, chanting and screaming and booing. As for Y/N, she was dead silent, her chest heaving with effort as she tried to catch her breath. It hurt to breathe. It burned everywhere; she needed a drink. Her eyes were on Drogo, but she could feel Poe's glaze on the back of her skull. "Alright, alright!" Gideon's voice boomed. "We have a clear winner. Now, what is it that you want to see?" A chorus of incoherent chants rose from the mass, and then, their words became more evident. "Kill him! Kill him!" Were these people for real?! A hint of fear appeared in her opponent's eyes. Y/N didn't look away, and her blade didn't move either. Gideon silenced the crowd and stood up, attracting everyone's attention. Y/N glanced up at him as the silence settled. "It looks like the crowd has spoken. End him." What? No! She looked down at Drogo. He wasn't saying anything, but he was livid. He had done nothing wrong.

Y/N had killed people, yes. Captain Thunderbird had killed people while she executed orders, but this was different. She wasn't that person. And she had never taken a life freely. Still, she knew it was a test. She knew Gideon wasn't kidding. If she refused, she could very much ruin the mission. But if she carried through the order, she wouldn't be able to live with herself, let alone face Poe. She dropped the blade. "Nah. I don't think so." The suspicion was evident on the host's face, and his guards made subtle moves, grabbing their guns. Y/N knew she had to tread lightly, now. "I thought the infamous fighter you are would have no issue following orders. Did you grow a soul while you were on your mission?" She laughed. "Oh, no. I don't care about him. But there are only two men I've ever willingly taken orders from. One of them is in this room... and it's not you." And she very obviously turned in her friends' direction, sending a wink she knew he would think was for Kit. It wasn't.

Kriffing hell. She was going to be the death of him. First of all, he wasn't convinced Ren didn't have a tiny teeny thing for her because he wouldn't have dressed her like that if he didn't. As much as it pained him to think it out loud, Kit had been right. She was terrifyingly skilled with that blade of hers. They never stood a chance. He did jump a bit when she had lost it, though. Then, he had smiled like an idiot when she had grinned and pressed the button, calling it back to her. The face of the goon had been priceless. Still, Poe would clench his jaw whenever someone hit her, and he had to use every ounce of his self-restraint to stop himself from jumping on the ring with her. But now that she had won, dodged Gideon's request and managed to stay in character while doing so... Kriff, okay, he was proud of her. And grateful for the helmet because he was smiling like an idiot. With her skin glossy under the neon lights, a bright smile on her face, she had turned to them and- She had winked. What? Okay. It was him she had winked at, right? Not Kit. Well, it was supposed to look like it was for Kit, but it wasn't, right? Because she took orders from him, not that idiot. And she had been the one giving him orders anyway back in the day, so he wasn't too sure what she could mean by that if she was actually winking at him- Okay, no, actually, he had an idea, and he would try his best not to think about it because, ew. No. But- Kriff. Okay. She had been winking at him. She was a damn tease. Poe knew he wasn't thinking straight. But no one could blame him. After the days they had had... and what had happened in the cantina... He had tried to talk to her about it, but the way she had looked at him made him glad Skylen had interrupted. Was she embarrassed? Had he gone too far? He had made sure to be mindful, but he might have gotten carried away. Was that the reason why she was nervous around him now? Was she even really nervous around him and not just focused on the mission? Ah, Dank Farrik, he felt like a teenager again. Being trapped in that armor, doing nothing but emulating a potted plant - which he hated, by the way - not the plant but its emulation - gave him a plethora of occasions to drift off in his thoughts. That wasn't wise. Y/N climbed down, making her way toward them with a calculated slowness. It gave Kit plenty of time to bitter Gideon up. "I'd warned ya," he laughed. The mob boss snickered. "You did." He watched her thoughtfully, spinning something in his hands. The damn helmet made it difficult to see what it was. Probably something of no importance. "It's too bad she's here with you," he said. "A woman like that... I'm sure we could get along. She's a feisty one." Okay, now, Poe wanted to punch him. Skylen tensed up by his side, and so did Kit. His pursed lips quickly relaxed into a smirk, and he took a sip of his drink to hide his clenched jaw. As much as Poe disliked him, he had to admit he was a good actor. "My man, she'd break you in half in less than an hour. It takes a special kind of man to handle her." He snuck a glance at Poe. On that, they could agree. He leaned forward. "Also... she's coming home with me tonight. Don't forget that." The joke did nothing to hide the thinly veiled threat in his voice. Gideon laughed. "Alright, I got the message. She's all yours." No, she was her own person, thank you very much- "I hope you boys didn't miss me too much," Y/N's voice interrupted. With a grin, she sat down on Kit's lap, and if Poe weren't staring at her, he would have missed how she tensed up while doing so. But Kit, being the respectful man she had argued he was, put his hand on her back. ...That was his spot.

"That was a kriffing good show you put, Princess," Kit said. Y/N shrugged. "It was no big deal." Truth be told, it was. They had gotten way too close to a bloodbath. Y/N's heart was still hammering in her chest, and Kit's hand on her back did nothing to help. It made her feel awkward. Far from the effect Poe had on her. He was just so... soothing. He gave her her blaster and cape back, and Y/N put them back in their place, lazily waiting for Gideon to speak up. He was merely observing the two of them. "It appears you were telling the truth. And you have thoroughly entertained my crowd. " Oh, yeah, so glad to hear that. "As enjoyable as the workout was, it's not why I'm here, " she simply answered. Gideon nodded. "Yes… I suppose it's not. Come with me. " He took his time, walking toward a raised area with a small staircase. Probably a VIP area, as the booth's walls were higher than the others. It would provide them with some intimacy and mean she would be trapped should things go awry. Ah, no, it would go smoothly; she was sure of it. Although Gideon wasn't too pleased, judging by the face he was making, he let the two troopers stand watch outside the door with his own guards. However, he turned to Kit. "Get yourself a drink; this is between the two of us. You know I don't talk business in front of people that aren't involved. " He glanced at Y/N, and she gave him a quick nod. He was displeased. "Alright, alright. I'll wait outside. " With one last long look, Kit stood up and walked away. Y/N could sense his worry from where she stood. She shared it, to some extent, but Kit had never been the witness of her wits in action. With her friends standing watch outside of the booth, too far to be able to jump in should something go wrong, she was pretty much alone. But hadn't she proved she was capable of defending herself? In a rather flashy manner, nonetheless? They settled down on the plush seats of the booth. Y/N leaned back against the back of the couch, legs propped on the table, her boots shining under the dim lights. Gideon leaned forward and offered her a cigarette. Y/N never smoked; she hated the smell of it. But she knew it would add to her mysterious aura and badass vibes, so she grabbed it gingerly. Putting it between her lips, she let the Devaronian light it. The flicker of the flame vanished as quickly as it had been summoned; a small cloud of smoke went up in the air, hiding her face in a blurry mass for a second. She exhaled, and it went away, swirling into emptiness. "Alright, alright. I guess you've held up your end of the bargain. What is it you want to know?" Gideon asked, opening his arms in fake surrender. She took her time to answer, pretending to enjoy her cigarette. Y/N knew she had to tread carefully. "I wanna know more about that bounty. The one you put on Dameron. Who paid for it?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. Of course, she should have known he wouldn't answer straightforwardly. "Why does it matter? Your people have been trying to get rid of him for a long time. It should come as a relief that someone is willing to pay so much to help you out in the matter." She hummed, resisting the urge to look at Poe, who stood idly by the door. Could he hear them? She supposed he was trying hard to. He didn't appreciate being sidelined. "Usually, I would agree. But not this time. Dameron is the new leader of the free world, and he has some pieces of information I need. I need him alive for now. He's useful to me. So I need to know who wants him dead so bad because they're a pain in my ass." Gideon considered her answer for a second, then nodded. "Fair enough. I can't tell you, though. Not because I don't want to," Gideon corrected when Y/N frowned, "but because I don't know. The man who contacted me did so anonymously. I received a hologram with a modified voice. We have never met in person, and I can't contact him." "So you're wasting my time," she answered coldly. She would squeeze every last bit of information Gideon had if she needed to, and insulting his professionalism was sure to elicit a reaction from him. Gideon shook his head. "Not exactly. I can't tell you who he is, but I can tell you who he works for." He paused, savoring his effect, and then: "He is from the Senate." Kriffing PARDON?! Y/N couldn't help it - she raised both of her eyebrows, barely managing to turn her shock into a look of surprise. No. It couldn't be! They had been betrayed from the inside?! No, no, no! It was starting all over again! Her blood ran cold. How was she supposed to break the news to Poe? He would be devastated. "A Senator wants the general of the Resistance dead?" She repeated, doing her best to hide the terror threatening to seep through her words. It worked efficiently enough. Gideon looked at her thoughtfully. "You seem surprised," he stated. Try "kriffing shocked"! She shrugged it off, forcing a smile on her face. She felt sick. "Hey, separatists don't exactly wear a badge on their sleeve. I'm pleasantly surprised to see the Empire still has powerful allies." He nodded. "I don't know if he's a Senator for sure. But he does have access to quite a lot of resources and money. Untraceable." That complicated things. Perhaps Rose could take a look anyway? She sincerely hoped he wasn't a Senator because that would be bad. Also... the last time a Senator had conspired against the Republic, the Galaxy had gone to war for years. The wound was still fresh in her mind, even more so in Poe's. Kriff. Poe wasn't going to like that. She took a puff from her cigarette and instantly regretted it but managed not to choke conspicuously. Technically, her work was done. She had gotten the lead she needed. ...But maybe she could try to push him. Y/N leaned forward slightly, and it caught his attention. "I appreciate it. Though... There's something else," she said casually. Gideon stiffened a bit; clearly, she was stepping into uncharted territories as they had not discussed anything else. He remained quiet nonetheless. "I want you to call off the bounty." He burst out laughing. Pretty much the reaction Y/N had been expecting. "Are you kidding me? I don't think so. You're not in a position to-" She raised her hand, silencing him. "I'm going to tell you exactly why it's in your interest to do it," Y/N added patiently. Inside, she was shaking. If he sensed she was bluffing, she was as good as dead. "You got a VIP bounty on the loose. Two million is a lot of money. This means everyone you have is after Dameron. So, until he's been caught, or the bounty is off," she counted on her fingers, "you won't be making any money from bounties. Now, I assume you have other sectors of interest, but still; it'll make a dent in the finances. This underlines a major problem... none of your guys are remotely skilled enough to go after him. It takes a special kind of skill set to go head to head against a pilot like him." "A skill set you happen to possess?" He asked, somewhat sarcastically. Y/N shrugged nonchalantly. "I do. It's only natural that it would take the best pilot of the First Order to terminate the Resistance's finest, isn't it?" To terminate him... the word sounded so dirty in her mouth. She had to remind herself none of this was real. But still... uttering the syllables out loud tarnished her very soul. "While you are correct regarding the money I make from the bounties... restoring the status quo hardly makes up for the twenty percent commission I will make from his capture. Unless you want to make me a counteroffer, this discussion is over." He went to stand up; classic move. Y/N merely raised her cigarette. "I have something better. You're going to stop broadcasting the information. When the buyer contacts you to enquire about it, you'll tell him you have the mission to me, and only me. I will capture Dameron. Take what I need from him, and deliver him as promised. And you can cash in the full bounty. I don't care about the money." He observed her for a second, weighing his options. Y/N didn't waver under his scrutinizing gaze. "The probabilities of him being captured when everyone is after him are higher than the ones of you doing that all by yourself. I'm not really sold..." She smiled. It wasn't her friendly smile. "Oh, I think you know that isn't true, Gideon." He raised an eyebrow and leaned forward; his horns caught the light. "Really?" She hummed. "Really. I think you know I'm your best chance. I'm offering you a deal you can't refuse, and I think you already know you're gonna take it." Y/N fully turned to him, leaning both forearms on the table. She stared at him, hoping her unwavering gaze would drive the point home. She took another breath of smoke. "You're going to accept, and you're going to call off the bounty," she repeated. In her head, she was sending vibes in his direction, focusing all of her brainpower and hoping that her despair would, somehow, be transferred to him and convince him- "I'm going to accept. And I'm going to call off the bounty," Gideon repeated in a low voice. And he- Wait. It had worked? Gideon shook his head slightly as if coming out of a trance. "We have a deal. I'll take the money. You can do whatever you want to Dameron. But I warn you, Miss Y/N; do not fail. I don't have patience with people who do not meet their end of the bargain." Hah. If only he knew. She scoffed, more so at the irony of the situation than at what his words implied. "I'm a woman of honor, Gideon. " Hahahaha. Y/N also was a good liar. Poe would argue the opposite, though. It seemed to ease his mind for some reason, however. He shrugged. "Alright. Come back with me to the main room; I'll have to make a few calls. Then, I'll give you a puck. " He stood back up, and Y/N followed, extinguishing her cigarette in the ashtray on the table. As they were about to leave, Gideon stopped her. "Is Kit working with you on this one? " Why would he be asking? Y/N barely suppressed a frown. She wasn't aware of the degree of his interest in Kit, and she didn't want to blow his cover should he wish to keep working with him. "Kit and I do our best to keep work out of our relationship. But he has made it clear several times that he doesn't like getting involved in the war stuff. " She gave a small laugh for the sake of it. "The closest he will ever come again of the First Order is when he's laying next to me. " Gideon laughed, too, and Y/N relaxed. He owed him one for that joke. "I see. " He didn't add anything; instead, he merely walked out of the booth and headed toward his guards. The plot thickened. Y/N had no idea what the reasoning behind this little interrogation session was. She shrugged it off. Gideon had a plan of his own; she was sure of it. Perhaps he wanted to make sure Kit wasn't part of it. They walked past the two troopers outside, and they both turned to follow after her. Gideon stopped right before the staircase and turned around. "My guards will give you a puck. In the meantime, wait here, and enjoy yourself. I'll be back shortly. " She smiled politely, and off he went, leather cape whipping at his heels. Y/N watched him go, waiting for him to be out of earshot- Kit appeared by her side as soon as he had reached the ground floor. He snaked an arm around her waist as Y/N noticed two guards standing a few meters away. With the club's noise, they wouldn't hear them, but they could see them… and showing no display of affection even though they were supposed to be together would definitely trigger their inner alarm. "How did it go? " He asked lowly, making sure the two pilots behind him could hear. Y/N smiled as if he had just told her something sweet. "We'll debrief when we're alone. I don't have a name, but I've learned a lot about who put the hit on Poe's head. What matters right now is that he's gonna call off the bounty. I talked him into assigning it to me and me alone. " "What? " Poe whispered, barely speaking loud enough for her to hear. "How did you pull that off? " Well… that was a great question. "I'm not sure, " she hummed. "I turned on the charm, and it worked. Offered Gideon a deal he couldn't refuse. " Kit snorted. "Seriously? Just like that? " She gave him a sly smirk. "Why is it so hard to believe? It worked on you, Kit, didn't it? " Before he could try to argue -uselessly, might she add, because he knew damn well she was right- one of the guards approached her. He handed her a puck. Y/N took it with a curt nod. "Is it done? " She asked. "Yes. Boss asked you to stay here for a little bit. He needs to talk to you before you two leave. " Y/N frowned. Hadn't he said he would be back shortly? She bit back her question, and the guard walked away. Downstairs, the music had changed to a more upbeat tone. "Well. I guess we gotta stick around for a bit, or it'll be suspicious. " Great! She sighed but faked a smile nonetheless. "Then let's enjoy the amenities. " Kit led her down the stairs, and the four soldiers took a spot in an empty booth, ordering non-alcoholic beverages to avoid looking out of place. It was palatable a best. Kit went on to pay and chat with the bartender, leaving Y/N alone to nurse her glass. The two guards were right behind her. "Something's not right. Gideon accepted to give up on the bounty? " Poe asked quietly. Y/N hummed negatively in her drink. "Not exactly. I told Gideon I would handle it myself. Bring the bounty to the buyer and he can cash in the full prize. Argued I'm the only one skilled enough to go through with the mission. " He let out a faint snort. Y/N could feel the grin from behind the helmet. "Keep dreaming, Keebler. " Time dragged on; minutes went by. The music changed again; Gideon was still nowhere to be seen. Her now finished drink in hand, Y/N looked around for Kit. He was, conveniently, just walking back to her. …He didn't look happy at all. "Kit? Something the matter? " She asked sweetly. He went right for her ear, leaning until his breath tickled it. "Pretend I'm telling you something hot. But we have a problem. " She giggled. "What's going on? " Y/N took a look around the room. The guards had started to move, looking more alert than before. More of them had come out of the rooms they couldn't access- the ones in the direction of which Gideon had disappeared. "Apparently, something fishy's going on outside. I didn't hear much. But I have a feeling it's got something to do with our friends. " Ah, crap. "Do we need to get out? " "Preferably as fast as possible, yeah. Before Gideon's lapdogs have the time to make it hella harder for us. " Perhaps they had spotted their friends? Maker, Y/N certainly hoped they weren't in trouble. She casually stretched toward the backdoor that was a couple of tables away, subtly hinting at a swift escape- But some guards beat her to it, the door opening to let in a couple of them. Dank Farrik. Okay, think, Y/N. Think. There were only two entries, minus the one in Gideon's office they would never reach in time. Plus, it would be heavily guarded, and as much as she was skilled with her blade, she wasn't particularly fond of confrontation for the sake of it. The main entrance it would be, then. Y/N confidently started walking toward the door they had come in through, pretending to admire the dancers on her way out. She wasn't walking too fast and not too slow either. Kit's voice came from her side. "They're looking for someone. " Kriff. Okay, they weren't too- "KIT! STOP RIGHT HERE! " Someone shouted. Y/N's head whipped toward the entrance. A guard had irrupted in the club, gun aimed at her friend by her side. She didn't even think about it. Y/N unclasped her knife from her left arm and threw it across the room at a dizzying speed. It lodged itself blade first in the guard's chest, who collapsed, accidentally firing his gun on the roof in the process. People screamed. Time felt like it slowed down. Kit kicked a table up, using it as a shield, and grabbed his blaster as both Poe And Skylen raised their rifles. The first blaster shots missed them by a hair, and Kit dragged her down with him, taking cover behind the table. "Well. So much for a swift exit," Y/N groaned.

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