"Find the troops the Resistance were fighting and bring them here to be integrated into our squadrons," Lt. Vex'Morand ordered. "Continue aerial observation," she told the TIE squadrons flying over head.

"We shall pacify this area by whatever means we must before moving on. Travel in standard fire team patterns and shoot any who resist. They are either Resistance or will serve to send a warning to those who are. Maintain radio contact at all times. Move out."

She brought up the sensor suites that showed her the location of all of her forces and kept them up in her armour's HUD. She would know where to send troops if her squads ran into trouble. "I want the FWMB-10Bs set up pointing in either direction. Jump troops take the high ground and destroy any who dare open fire on you."

Once her orders had been given she opened a channel to the Tempest. "The Resistance vanished in the night once we landed, Captain. I have our forces out securing the area and bringing the Final Order troops that were being attacked to me to integrate them into our squadrons. We shall flush out these Resistance traitors and end them. Do you have any additional orders for me, sir?"

"This war isn't going to be won in a single night Lieutenant," a chastising voice responded from the other side. "Your orders are to ensure the safety of your soldiers and to get everyone back. The only way to ensure your position is secure and free from Rebel incursion is to encamp yourself and your team, which is not what you are being tasked to do. If you lose a soldier because you went outside your direction, it will be your head. Captain Faze out."

As soon as you hear the noise of the communication channel shutting, you hear another voice.

"Lieutenant!" One of your sergeants calls, running up, pointing to the battle-scarred building "Through the lights in that building, we can see people gathering up towards the top, but we can't make out what they're doing. Given this is the problem child of the street, they may be preparing an attack. We could end this if we send a few men in."

Arianna nodded once the comm link with the Captain closed. She had thought to use this area as a forward operating base but she recognised the wisdom of staying mobile. "Heavy gunners are to report to their squads. Transports maintain aerial overwatch and engage any hostiles. My squad with me. We move out and begin our own work rooting out these rebels."

She turned to listen to the report her Sgt. gave and looked at the building. "My squad will link up with yours and together we will end this problem before it begins. Move out and get into the battle!"

She keyed a different comm channel and looked at the overlay in her HUD that displayed the squads sent to locate the troops that had been fighting before they arrived. "Have you located the Final Order troops we came to relieve?"

"We have Lieutenant" replied your senior Gunnery Sergeant "I'm not sure what all the fuss was about. No casualties, no injuries to report. Seems to me like they came under fire and just bunkered down for someone else to solve their problem. The Emperor deserves better. We'll lead them to the scheduled extraction point and let you know when they're away."

Your squad forms up outside the main door to the apartment. "Ready and able Lieutenant. What's the orders?"

"Understood, Sgt. Include that in your report. We don't need cowards in the Final Order. Cpt. Faze may need to send them for retraining. Lt. Vex'Morland out." She cut the line to the Sgt. and checked her overlay to make sure both squads were in position.

"Half your squad goes in and moves to the left, the other half in and to the right. My squad goes right up the middle. If there's any resistance shoot them and we'll interrogate any survivors. No resistance then we'll search the area and the people inside for weapons and data whilst we question them. If they refuse to cooperate then make a few examples to loosen their tongues. Get into position, we move on my mark."

She nodded to the Sgt. to get his troops in position and held up a hand, three fingers up. She counted down and made a fist. "Go, go, go!"

The storming of the apartment building took a sudden halt. The moment your first soldier crossed the door jam, a chill ran up your spine as you heard a foreign voice. Not through your helmet, or someone shouting at you, but inside. Like you heard that other voice before, but this seemed much more urgent.

"Stop!" It cried out.

"Hope you have your hiking shoes on Ma'am! The buggers completely severed the lift. Nothing for it but to climb!" The rapid advance up the building is halted, drastically, but the squad leaders are able to adapt and overcome on their own. Effectively, each squad covered the other as they climbed a flight of stairs. It was a long, difficult way of getting up to where the rebels should be, but it kept everyone safe. None of the lower floors made any show of resistance, so the climb continued to where the rebels were known to be gathering.

About half way up, you hear that voice again.

"Turn back now, or be haunted in your sleep forever!"

Shortly after, one of your Sergeants holds back "Lieutenant? The rebels can't not know we're coming. There's going to be a lot of firepower going both ways down a narrow P-way. What are your orders?"

‘I’m already haunted in my dreams by what I saw on Exegol. Hundreds of thousands dead. Ships that were unable to move or raise their shields or even properly target or fire back. Get out of my head!’ She snarled at the voice.

She listened to the details her Sergeant gave her and thought for a moment before clicking on comms for her two squads and waving her heavy gunner up. “Form up into your fire teams. We’ll advance three by three on the right. I want the heavy on the left. We won’t have cover so if they attack drop prone and pour blaster fire on them. We’ll force them back into the room and advance on their position. If there are too many in the room and they have cover we’ll use grenades. I’d rather take prisoners and gather intel but if we have to kill them to the last then so be it. All squads ready? Let’s move!

Reaching down the narrow corridor, the fighting starts the moment the doors are opened. The rebels improvised a barricade to fire behind. Your men took appropriate cover as a storm of blaster came through. True to the seargent's words, mounting an effective counter was difficult. The rebels were brave, that much couldn't be denied. Pinned into a corner with no escape, they fought with everything they had.

Everything they had, wasn't enough.

A grenade was thrown in to distract as the heavy guns were set up in the gap. From there and the torrent of firepower that went back that way, it was all over. The rebels suppressed, the enemy nuetralized, everything went as well as could be hoped. Or so one would would think at first. In the few seconds after the heavy guns stopped whirring, a faint noise could be heard down the hall, from behind the barricade.

The faint, agonizing cry of a dying child. It was as undeniable as it was unmistakable.

Your soldiers all turn towards you. None go into the hallway. In the stillness, you hear the mysterious voice again

"Only now do you understand..."

She opened fire with her men, fighting as fiercely as they did. Standing in front to set an example of what bravery should look like amongst troops of the Final Order and the Sith Eternal. Commands were shouted over their comm channel and, as she fought, she watched her troopers move and was proud. She was serving alongside brave men and women who would have made the Emperor proud.

"Well done," she said once the fighting had ended. "That is how we deal with rebels." She was about to say more when she heard the crying of the child and stopped. She saw her men turn towards her and Lt. Vex'Morland had nothing to say.

She walked towards the barricade and looked over to see the state of the crying child.

Your eyes were invaded by an unwelcome sight. There were at least ten children in the room, and half as many women, either as mothers or caregivers. Either the grenade got further than it meant to, or there were were second order affects, that caused shrapnel and debris to fly everywhere.

All, but one, were dead, as were the men who had fought to protect them. The one child living, a young twi'lek girl, would not have to suffer much longer.

Her gaze took in the scene before her and she went utterly still as she first felt cold travel up and down her spine and then heat. Arianna Vex'Morland wasn't an unfeeling monster and this did not have to happen but neither she nor her troops were the cause.

"All of you, in the room, now!" She yelled over the command channel. When her soldiers had gathered she pointed to the dead children. "Take a good look at this and remember it. The rebels opened fire on us knowing these children were in the room. Did they think they were protecting them by firing on us? Or were they using them as shields as only cowards do? Had they laid down their arms and surrendered these children would still be alive but they are dead by the actions of the men who attacked us first! This is the kind of chaos and evil we are here to end. The First Order: First, Order. Now we are the Final Order and we will continue our battle to end the chaos and disorder in the galaxy that was encouraged by the Republic!"

She was furious but her voice was cold. She pulled out a heavy dose painkiller, walked over to the child and gave her the full dose. She couldn't save her but she didn't have to let her suffer.

"If anyone is unable to commit to the battle before us now is the time to speak up." She gave her stormtroopers a moment before throwing the empty injection down. "Let's go. We have work to do."

'I understand,' she snarled at the voice.'I understand the rebels caused this and now I truly see them for who they are: a plague that I will eradicate and, if I have nightmares of what just happened, add them to the rest. Now stay out of my head, damn you!'

She stalked down the stairs and into the Coruscanti night to continue the mission they were here for.

"Did they now?" The voice challenges in your head. A flash fills your eyes, seeing the room again, frozen in time. In the moment, you leave your own body.


"They barricaded themselves in. From here, they had neither the means nor the desire to attack you. The preconceptions of you and your bloodthirsty men simply a group gathering and assumed hostile intent. They fought and died to defend those children from the likes of you. To prevent those children from becoming you."

Another flash, and you find yourself back on the streets of Coruscant, as if nothing had happened.

"Is the indoctrination of the First Order so severe that you forget your own life? How your cries and screaming for your own parents only stopped when your voice gave out, your captors deaf and numb to your pleas for mercy? has so much of your soul been stripped away that, even in private, you do not grieve at the sight of dead children? Can you truly justify this as the grim realities of war? A war that you were conscripted into; that you yourself wanted no part of."

"No, I do no believe that you can. Crawling like a warm in your heart, will always be the fact that the only reason those children are dead is because of you, because you came here wanting to kill. That worm will gnaw and feed on you until it drives you mad."

"That is, if there is a heart still in that armored shell to feed on. If there is, than I would show you a different way."

'Do not do that again,' Arianna growled once the vision faded. 'Who are you to show me anything? A different way? What different way? You judge me as if you know me. The Sith Eternal took me from my family but they gave me purpose. Something to fight for beyond the empty love of fighting of the people I was born to. When I was young I may not have wanted to go to war but I grew and set aside childish things and yes, this is the grim reality of war. How many died on Exegol? And I don't mean the Final Order forces in the ships but all told?'

She directed her men to fan out as she walked, looked at the overlay of all the troops under her command and spoke to the damnable voice.

'How many were in the Temple? Men, women, and children all died when the Temple was destroyed. Millions died in the skies above and the ground below. Do you mourn them or celebrate their deaths because they believed differently than you? Who are you? What are you besides a voice that won't leave me alone?'

She stalked the streets, alert for enemy troops or spots that might scream out "Ambush!"

'The death of those children bothered me,' she conceded. 'Because it didn't have to happen. They assumed we were going to attack but we would not have had they not opened fire first. We're not here to conscript their children. Our orders were to rescue the stormtroopers under attack and secure this area. I have a heart and it pounds right now with anger because those children were killed because of preconception but not ours. My anger burns and it is a righteous anger. I will not go mad because of what just happened. What I saw on the planet I grew up on was far, far worse. Ponder that as I continue to do my duty.'

"Do not play that game with me, child" The voice refuses to be ignored. "The Fleet of the Final Order was designed to eliminate entire planets. Not a single regard for collateral damage or innocent life lost. The violence there was necessary to prevent galactic genocide. Had your Emperor not created the fleet, the battle would not have taken place. Had the First Order not forced themselves on the people of this planet, your crime against all that is decent would not have had happened."

"The Galactic Civil War. The Clone Wars. The Great Purge. The Jedi Civil War. Every great conflict that has spanned the stars has been because of the forces that stole away your freedom, and who in return you have pledged your undying loyalty. The Sith."

"I am one who has grown tired of the bloodshed and the violence. For a moment, I thought that one such as yourself had potential. I see that was the foolish wishes of an old woman. You can either aid me and be remembered as a redeemer and a liberator, a person of consequence as well as strength, or you can stand against me and fall into an unmarked ditch."

"Nothing will remain. Not your memory, or name. It will be as though you never lived."

'The battle between Jedi and Sith is needed. The wax and wane of light and dark has been the same since the beginning of time and will be the same until the end. If you think you, or me, are going to end forces as inexorable as gravity or time then you are a fool, old woman.'

She checked her HUD to make sure her troops were moving and none had been lost. 'I asked you who you are. Are you a Jedi? One who escaped the Emperor and Vader so many decades ago? You who would have me be redeemer and liberator when that is already the task I have been given. A person of consequence and strength when those are traits I already embody and shall even more when I light the flame of the Sith yet again? Are you the counter to the one who has already spoken to me and told me of a destiny that could be mine had I the strength to take it? Are you the Voice of the Light? Have you taken an interest in me because you are afraid the Sith will rise once more through me? Who are you?'

She directed some of her stormtroopers to check the mouth of an alley as they continued forward. "All squad leaders check in."

"All Good here "Lieutenant" The walk back was painfully quiet, save the voice in your head.

"You would not know my name. My story is not one your masters would know, or be willing to tell you."

"I fought in war, and for all of my callousness and all of justified crimes I never acted as you just did. I was a Jedi. I trained some of the greatest Knights in all of history, only for them to fall to the ways of the Sith. I was punished for fighting in the Mandalorian Wars, and again for having a child. That child helped rebuild the Jedi Order, led by another former pupil of mine."

In a single second, you see the body of the voice that has been speaking to you this whole time.


"I am Jedi Master Arren Kae, and you are my descendant, torn from both your people, your culture, and your true purpose".

‘That was over four thousand years ago. You fought in the Great Sith War again Exar Kun and Ulric Qel-Droma,” Arianna said as they walked. ‘You knew Darth Revan when he was a Jedi, didn’t you?’ She asked, no small amount of awe in her voice.

’I didn’t throw that grenade,’ she said, sounding troubled as she spoke. ’And I wouldn’t have allowed it to be thrown had I known there were children there. I’m a soldier, not a monster.

She fell silent for a moment. The voice that claimed to be an ancient ancestor troubled her. She had no idea of her lineage, the family she had been taken from. She knew well who raised her and whilst there was no love there was duty. She was raised to be unquestionably loyal to the Emperor and the Sith Eternal and now this long-dead Jedi would have her betray everything she knew and all that she was? She knew hundreds of Xyston-class Star Destroyers had survived the Battle of Exegol and part of her duties included finding a way to free them from the atmosphere so the Final Order could truly begin their work.

“Air units: anything suspect going on?”

She turned her attention back to the Jedi. ’Who was it that spoke to me before, during the Battle of Exegol? It wasn’t you.’

<i>"I was Revan's mentor, one of many. His failings was my own. In our hubris to fight the evil of the Mandalorians, we could not see our own descent. One action is justified by another, the semblance of morality abandoned by the necessities of war."

"There is a lesson to be learned here, descendant. You did not wish for the children to die, yet your impulsive desire for battle still caused it. In this, you followed my own Legacy. In fighting the Mandalorians, in wishing to bring an end to the violence swiftly, we destroyed a planet at Malachor, we led ourselves to the Dark Side, and my brightest pupil became the vanguard of the Sith's resurgance upon the galaxy."

"All things are connected, descendant, and any action may cause further actions beyond ones control. What further actions may you yet commit in the name of a dead Emperor?</i>

'Malachor...yes...that's why you know nightmares. You killed Jedi, Sith, Mandalorians there. I hear it's a dead, barren planet covered still by the petrified remains of your victims. You did evil in the name of good and attempt to justify yourself to me? Unlike you I won't turn my back on the oaths I swore and the people who took me and molded me into what I am today. I will not betray my word or my people!'

She hit her wide comms. "All squads form on me. Transports come in for pickup, TIEs keep air support. We have done what we came here to do: relieved the First Order soldiers and destroyed a rebel incursion. Time to return to the Tempest. First round is on me."

She turned her attention back to the spirit. 'You may be my ancestor but I do not know you. I know Captain Faze, I know my men and can trust them to have my back as they trust me to have theirs. I cannot know the future because, as I have been taught, it is always in motion but I know this: you fear me because you know the Sith Flame yet burns and it is my destiny to seize it and bring it forth once again. I was raised by the Sith Eternal. I bowed before the Emperor and swore my loyalty to the Sith. I am a Lt. in the 3rd Revan Legion of the Final Order and I. Will. Not. Betray who I am, who I was raised to be, and who I will become. Ponder that, ancestor and watch from the netherworld of the Force as I become a galactic power! Now get out of my head!'

With that she bent her considerable will - the will that had seen her excel in her training and earn a commission at her young age - towards shutting the spirit out.

Either from your force of will, or having deemed you as a lost cause, the voice of Arren Kae subsides.

The soldiers under your command, the men and women who witnessed the collateral damage, are also quiet. Not knowing what had happened before, one would think this was cause of expert drill and discipline, only communicating when necessary for the mission. You know better; they're all haunted by what they saw, though none would dare say it. This is what is expected of them; to handle the grim necessities of war, or get out of the way.

Everyone returns to base without incident, but also without celebration. Most of the Battallion was away in barracks or on official duty. It's home, or at least as much of a home as you have ever had.

"Detail and stow equipment. Guard details are posted so make sure you know your assigned section and times. Get your after-action reports to me so I can get them to Captain Faze in the appropriate time. If you are off-duty then your time is yours but I expect everyone to be ready to deploy at a moment's notice."

She looked at all and them and sighed softly. "This was our first actual combat deployment and it was a hard one but you all did very well. We relieved those First Order troopers and took out a rebel cell without a single loss. This is what we trained for: to do the hard jobs and we proved ourselves tonight by fire and blood. Train, drink, sleep or do whatever you need to do for the next mission because there will be a next one. And one after that and one after that until we have secured the galaxy for the Sith Eternal. We are the 3rd Revan Legion and we will make the Emperor proud. I'm going to report to Captain Faze so do what you need to do. Dismissed!"

Arianna turned smartly on her heel and walked to the Captain's office.

The Captain's office is a borrowed space; being a Naval officer, rather than the Army of the First Order. Moving about so much, she didn't really see the use or the luxury of an official office space. Most of the operations and interoperability between the Star Destroyers overhead and the ground forces was under her command and purview, giving her a great amount of responsibility, as well as power. You had heard in the Ward Room that she was being strongly considered to be picked up for Commodore, effectively an Admirals position.

"Hold Fast Lieutenant" You hear behind you. Clinking steps behind you come closer, only for them to slowly reveal the Captain herself. Her uniform is pristine and sharp, but her overall demeanor is calm and relaxed. "Glad your team came back all in one peace. Would you accompany me for a small stroll? There's someone I'd like to introduce you to."

Lt. Vex'Morland stopped, turned and came to attention. "Yes, ma'am. The operation was successful though I was not impressed by the First Order troopers we were sent in to rescue. All of that will be included in my report unless you wish to verbally debrief as I walk with  you," She said respectfully and folded in beside her Captain as they walked. Her rifle was attached to her upper leg armour once again and her helmet was still on. She carried the smell of battle with her but was unashamed for she was, after all, a soldier and soldiers lived and died on battlefields.

"I have heard of your malcontent" The Captain said as she began a slow walk through the base "In the future, it would be wise not to express your displeasure over channels that can be overheard and intercepted. Praise in public, chastise in private. One of best lessons I ever took from the Imperial Academy. As for the soldiers themselves, don't be too hard on them. They behaved judiciously, if perhaps not bravely. You don't have to lose a life to figure out you're pinned down. We have numbers on our side Lieutenant, but we can't trust that will win us the day."

She stopped for a moment, to explain a point "This planet, for all of its importance, will become a meat grinder. We lose five men, we are entrenched and committed to make those deaths mean something. We kill ten of theirs, and now they dig in even more to avenge and justify those losses. The longer we fight, the harder it is for the fighting to stop, and I suspect the Battle For Coruscant will become a war in of itself by the time it's all over."

The Lt. matched her stride to the Captain's and listened as she spoke. She nodded as the Captain gave her what was sage advice. "Thank you, ma'am. That is wisdom I shall carry forward from here on. I am grateful for your leadership."

She stopped when the Captain did and turned to face her. She knew the Captain's own reflection showed in the black of her visor but she had not been given permission to remove her helmet so she kept it on in the presence of her direct superior. "I had the same thought, ma'am. A world-spanning city that runs some four thousand levels from the core to the surface? Even if we drive the rebels underground, and not in a figurative sense, the amount of places they will have to hide are infinite. This may well be the longest, most hard-fought battle in the war. Not even our Emperor faced a mass insurgency here."