It was impulse, which told you a fair amount about Mara when you learned her first instinct when being called an obnoxious nickname by a guy who saved her life two years that she thought was dead was to hit/push him. Yet, her palms forced the speaker back a few steps, to which then she turned to the other man next to her, in quite a state of utter bewilderment.

"He's alive." She looked at Finn, who shook his head as she dumbfoundedly tried to process the situation she was currently experiencing.

Her friend shrugged, a huge grin spreading on his face as he gestured back at the pilot across from him, "Apparently he is."

"Well 'he' is standing right here." Poe Dameron spoke again, causing Mara to spin back on her heel to face him.

She brought up her pointer finger, trying to articulate some quick quip and ultimately failing. For maybe the fifth time in her relatively short life, Mara was speechless. Staring at a man she hadn't seen in years whom she'd accepted to be dead, her mouth opened and closed, eyes wide as she pressed her lips together tightly. One second more, she let it sink in, blinking. Confusion was her most prominent emotion, the rest of her head filling with questions and doubts.

Finally, she did what she usually resorted to, said the first thing that came into her head, "You're supposed to be dead."

Poe appeared like he was going to say something, but was caught off guard by her brash words. Mara backtracked, clasping her hands together before rephrasing her previous statement, "I mean, we thought you were dead. But you're not and that's good. That's really good."

The wide grin that broke over the pilot's face made her expression soften from surprise to something warmer. He was in a similar state of marvel, mouth forming half-words never given voice. The man looked like he had walked straight out of the memories Mara had from Ratakka; same silly flight suit, wide eyes, and that nice smile. There were maybe a few scrapes and scratches that must have been newer, but here Dameron was, alive in front of her.

He tentatively reached out to touch her arm, neither knowing what reaction was appropriate after such a long time apart. He was enthusiastic, tone surprisingly lively despite the disbelief, "I'm the dead one? What happened to you? Two years ago, I saw you blown out of the sky above Ratakka by my people-"

"Is there anyone who doesn't think you're dead?" Finn arched up an eyebrow, the question friendly in a way that found amusement in the blonde's habit of surviving constantly.

Mara gave a careless shrug before continuing, her lips mirroring the smiles of the men around her, "Happens with everybody, one time or another. About the whole blow out of the sky thing, remember that whole bit about me being an astounding pilot? Though I did end up crashing over Jakku, terrible hellhole by the way-"

"You were on Jakku?" Poe cut in quick, "Were you in the village with Lor San Tekka where the battle took place? Were you there the whole time?"

"I was a few miles west of that settlement." She answered, before pointing down to BB-8, who was positioned in between them all to listen, "Found this guy the morning after the attack."

"You were on Jakku for two whole years?" Poe questioned, trying to picture the woman who'd sworn to hate deserts staying on a planet full of sand for an extended period of time. Yet when he looked at her longer, he saw how tanned her skin was by a scorching sun and threaded clothes meant for hotter climates. She had a few more freckles than he'd noticed the first time around. Her face had thinned, features sharped by age and the harsh environment.

At this Mara halted her thoughts as her friend's face materialized in her mind, "That's a longer story. But, me and Rey met Finn a few days ago."

The quieter of the trio now told his part of the story, elaborating where she left off, "I found them and BB-8, so naturally we decided to keep going and get the map to the Resistance-"

"That is after we beat you up." Mara playfully nudged his shoulder, making sure the tale he told was accurate.

Poe moved his eyes from Finn to her, cocking his head to the side, "I do remember you having a thing for hitting people."

Mara's smirk widened at the comment, gaze going back to Finn as he rolled his eyes at the blonde, "Long story short, BB-8 has the map to Skywalker, but we need your help."

"Our friend was kidnapped by the First Order." Her tone matched Finn's urgency, a light-hearted reunion now turning back into reality. Rey was still in the hands of Ren and her brother, but at least now she had help to retrieve her, "We need to speak with any superiors, general maybe?"

Poe nodded immediately, seeing both of the desperation in the pair's eyes, "Yeah, yeah no problem. They just sent my friend on a recon flight to check out the base that blew up the Hosinian system-"

"I know about that!" Finn interjected, bobbing his head as it resonated in his memory. He expectantly grabbed Mara's forearm to relay the idea he'd gotten, "They would've taken Rey there. It's the main base of operations now, it'd make sense."

Mara racked her own brain for information on a base, a weapon, anything with the capability to erase a whole star system from existence. Her mind wandered to reports she'd read years ago, to old defensive strategies she would've made. Her knowledge of the First Order was outdated, but something with that much firepower would take years to build, perhaps decades. She had to remember something, but her own consciousness came up blank as another shoot of pain slashed through her thoughts.

"Okay," She finally said after a moment, Finn letting go of her arm as she agreed with him, "That's got to be our best bet."

The two faced back to Poe, who clapped his hands together before starting to backtrack towards what appeared to be the main building, "Okay, I'll take you guys to the General. Your info on that will help us a lot."

Before the group could go on, Dameron stopped in front of them, still wearing a ridiculously huge smile. Arms wide, he patted both of his former enemies' on opposite shoulders, "It's so great both of you are alive."

"Same goes for you." Mara commented, her and Finn trailing behind the pilot as he led them through a maze of ships. BB-8 rolled behind the pair, dodging other Resistance members as the milled around the tarmac.

A quick remark surfaced in the women's head, and she almost chuckled at her own observation. She kept her quick gate, but moved her position so she could tell her companion, "Damn, that guy has a problem when it comes to attracting defectors."

Finn surprised her when he burst out a laugh, making Mara's smug grin break into a giggle. The astromech following them overheard, offering up Apparently he has a type.

This made her snicker more, shaking her head at the droid when Poe himself turned around in front of them a few yards away, calling back, "What's so funny?"

Finn and Mara shared a quick look, one that practically screamed of mischief before both hollered back to him, "Nothing!"

They caught up to him, Mara taking one last glance at the rolling hills before they disappeared into the building. The sun's light peeked in through the opening, but the inside was dimly lit. Soon she was surrounded by intelligence and science officers instead of pilots, these soldiers wearing dark olive uniforms alternative to the orange jumpsuits.

The earth followed them in, vines and roots snaking their way between cracks in the walls. The three went around a corner, stairs taking them deeper into the base. More lights caught Mara's attention, as well as star maps. The sounds of various orders from comms filled the space, a plethora of people gathered underground. Her eyes darted every which way, taking in the unfamiliar place. Most appeared to be officers or technicians, regular ground soldiers and air men still on the surface.

Both her and Finn took a second to observe, knowing well they were outsiders here. She was sure he would be more welcome here than herself, considering he broke Dameron out, but bias were hard to break. She stepped closer to the rogue stormtrooper, not feeling entirely welcome in a place that once sought to kill her.

"General Organa!" Poe called towards a cluster of people who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation. The shortest of the group turned to the pilot, who quickly apologized, "Sorry to interrupt."

Organa? The Leia Organa? Mara found herself indeed looking upon a woman who matched the legend's description, the same one her aunt had praised. Her father practically spit at that name, cursing it while her mother would roll her eyes. No matter what accounts the blonde had heard of the woman, all told of her being one of the foremost driving forces that brought the Empire to it's demise. She was a famed military leader, and no matter what Mara had ever believed, she respected her immensely.

"This is Finn." Poe pointed to him, the general following it to rest her eyes on the man, "he needs to talk to you-"

Leia cuts him off, beginning to speak directly to Finn, "And I need to talk to him. That was incredibly brave of you, what you did. Renouncing the First Order, saving this man's life-"

Mara resisted a smile when she saw how startled the man next to her was, knowing well he was surprised to be congratulated by someone, that someone being a famous rebel. Still, she was even prouder when he kept on topic, "Thank you ma'am, but a friend of our's was taken prisoner-"

"Han told me about the girl. I'm sorry."

Finn stopped talking at this point, unsure of what to say. Mara was about to jump in his place, but Dameron shot her a quick glance. She didn't mean to meet it, but she understood- The general wouldn't be too happy to know the sibling of the man who just blew five planets was standing so near.

So she kept her lips together, setting her jaw as Poe continued, "Finn's familiar with the weapon that destroyed the Hosnian system, he worked on the base."

Leia grasped for Finn's hand after she nodded at Dameron's words, going back to the other man, "We're desperate for anything you can tell us."

"That's where my friend was taken. We need to get there fast." He kept his voice laced with urgency, expectant for the general to authorize a rescue mission. Mara leaned closer to hear her final response.

The older of the four acknowledged the concern, "And I will do everything I can to help, but first you must tell us all you know."

Finn grinned at that answer, looking back to Mara with a hopeful grin. She returned it, but the expression died quickly when Leia questioned, "And who are you?"

Mara felt her own heart stop in her chest, swallowing anxiously as Organa crossed her arms over her chest, awaiting a name of some sort. The blonde's eyes darted towards the two men beside her, who's faces seemed to share her panic. She bit her lip, thoughts blank as she tried to think of something that wouldn't automatically label her as an enemy in this place. Her memory of all past aliases seemed to slip away, so she blurted out the same thing she had days ago when asked a similar question, "Well, lately I've been Third Wheel."

Mara regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. The woman's stare alone made her stomach twist in an unending knot, and she felt as if the wrappings around her wound were suddenly too tight. No wonder the Empire fell under this gaze, it practically seared right through you.

Finn was the first to go to her defense, not any better of a liar than Mara, and it showed, "She's a friend, good friend-"

"Great person," Poe quickly followed up, stepping nearer to her, "We go way back-"

Mara nervously chuckled, scratching the back of her neck before attempting to try and explain, "Yeah, I know them. Both of them. Great guys, nice looking. You yourself, ma'am are nice looking. Hell, we all look great-"

"I know her from, um," Poe stumbled over his next words, meanwhile the general seemed to be buying none of it.

"We just met, me and her," Finn nodded a little too fast for it to come off natural, "but she's totally loyal. All good-"

Leia put up a hand to silence the three young liars, all of which were still frantically trying to come up with more incoherent words to bail Mara out of this situation, "No need, I think I know an Estoni when I see one."

Mara's brows knit together at the name, one she hadn't heard in an extremely long time. While Finn and Poe seemed to remain baffled, she swore the general smirked as she tentatively asked, "How do you know?"

"The batons gave it away." Leia gestured down to the twin staves hanging from her belt, "And the hair. Your family always were blondes. Now that I think about it, you share so much of your mother's features."

General Organa turned back to the officers behind her, dismissing them while Finn leaned in to whisper, "She knows your mom?"

"Apparently." Mara shook her head, still caught off guard and in shock. She looked back up at him, not knowing what this could turn into. The blonde's gaze met Poe's, another question surfacing, "You didn't tell her about me, right?"

His eyes answered her before his words did, filled with a sense of guilt, "I'm sorry-"

An anger accompanied her rising panic, the emotion bringing back a bit of Mara's confidence she'd lost in the next few minutes. She whispered so no one would overhear, but her words were fierce, "I thought we discussed this-"

"We never really did-"

"It was implied!"

"You saw how trying to lie to the General turned out. I'm sorry Mara, but she was going to find out one way or another. A key pilot of the enemy just disappearing without confirmation from me of death raised too many questions." He apologized, Mara running a hand through tangled hair as she saw Leia come back their way.

The woman stepped up right in front of the three, first speaking to Dameron and Finn, "Commander, take BB-8 to 3PO. He'll make sure the data device gets into the base computer so we can see the map. Finn, I suggest you go with him."

"Yes General," Poe responded, fleeting glances going over to Mara. Finn's eyes moved back and forth between the two, hand gently resting on the small of her back as an act of reassurance. He understood the fear, it was why he'd lied to her and Rey in the first place.

The two men did finally oblige, the woman not glad to be alone to face the repercussions of her past. Rey's absence felt heavier now, wishing for her friend to be next to her. She felt as though half her strength was gone with her, stuck somewhere on a First Order base being interrogated.

"Commander Marana Hux." Organa's voice was hushed, not containing the malice the woman expected, "That's your name, right?"

"I just go by Mara these days." Her fists were clenched at her sides, thumbs rubbing against her white knuckles as she managed to not sound quite as scared as she felt.

Leia halted her words a bit, the quiet only fueling the tension the former-Order officer felt. Yet, she went on, "How'd you get caught up in this, Mara?"

"I've been on Jakku the last two years, since Ratakka with the girl Finn talked about, Rey. I haven't had any contact further with my family at all, I swear." She tried to keep a constant stare with the superior. She couldn't gage the General's expression, which seemed to just be studying her.

"Han told me you've guarded the BB-8 unit well. You fought against General Hux's men on Takodana?"

"Yes. While I may have proved myself not very trusted with the galaxy's safety before, I ain't gonna jeopardize it now." She added a small smile at the end of her statement. Leia didn't seem to appreciate it, so the blonde closed her mouth back up, awaiting another question.

"Why are you here?"

Rey.

Mara figured that answer wouldn't suffice, so thank the Maker that wasn't her only reason, because the only way she'd win Leia over would be through honesty, or at least she hoped, "To get the map to the Resistance, maybe do something about the deaths of billions of people, get my friend back. Strike the people who decided to kill me."

At this, Organa pursed her lips. Mara couldn't decide if that was a good sign or not, but she found herself continuing to talk, letting her emotions speak for her, "General, I know you have very little reason to trust me, it might even be illogical to. But the First Order just murdered a countless amount of people, then they took the only thing I care about. I've done terrible things, things that shouldn't allow me the privilege to mourn over something I've helped create. I've used up my second chances, but right now, I don't care. I will get Rey back, and I will help the Resistance anyway I can."

Mara swallowed afterward, still under a judgmental eye of one of the most feared women in the galaxy. The pause in conversation filled the blonde with more doubt, fearing her small burst out had done more harm than good.

Leia still appeared partially unconvinced, her head moving slightly to the side as her eyes narrowed, "And that little speech is supposed to get me to trust you after you willingly aided an enemy?"

"You don't have to trust me. Trust my anger."

Her anger at the First Order. At the monster who pried into her head. At her brother and her family. At herself. She was dangerous when enraged, sometimes stupidly so. Now, she prayed it would work to her advantage.

Your anger is not your strength, Maz's voice crawled into her head, warning her. Mara ignored it, but her teeth gritted together at the thought. Be damned what mumbo-jumbo an ancient prophet spewed. Her own rage would serve her now.

The General was quick to talk after that, her face almost changing all together after the younger woman's statement, "Commander Dameron spoke well of you all those years ago, almost as much as he's babbled about that Finn. Han says your good in a fight, but mentioned something about a stolen starfighter?"

Mara couldn't help but crack an amused smile at Solo's preoccupation with her small act of teenage rebellion, "That's a longer story."

"It always is with him," Leia's hardened state seemed to soften ever so slightly, "but, on the other hand, I owe your family a great debt. The least I can do now is allow you to rescue your friend."

An all too relieved sigh passed through Mara's lips, her entire body relaxing as the General let her off, but her curiosity had sparked once she mentioned her family, guessing she met her mother's side, "Thank you ma'am, but how do you owe the Estoni's?"

At that one, she swore Organa snickered, actually laughed at the thought, "Your aunt and grandmother served my family for generations. The Rebellion would've never succeeded without them in it."

Mara was amazed at this, wary but wanting to ask more questions. Her father had fed her lies since she was a child about the Imperial era, but the weapons on her belt were enough to inform her she didn't just descend from the Empire. She'd heard from varying sources that in fact, her maternal side was somewhat famous among the 'good guys'.

Mara wanted to ask more, she honestly did, but an officer approached the two, "General, we're about to survey the map."

"Thank you Satura." Leia responded as he walked back to his post. Her eyes once again analyzed the blonde in front of her, who's face still bore dried blood from the fight hours ago. Blue eyes matched that of her ancestors, one's who'd given their lives so that so many could live. Though this one's motives were questionable, Leia had decided to do just as Mara proposed; trust the young girl's anger. It had already burned all over her features, reminding the General of so many passionate soldiers, including herself.

Mara had begun to back away, sensing the conversation was over and that other matters were to be attended to besides an ex-Order pilot. Still, Leia's last sentence delivered all that needed to be said, "I'm taking a chance on you Mara. Don't make me regret it."

The amount of release the blonde felt was immeasurable. Her whole body slumped down as she breathed in, as if the weight that had drug her down the minute she stepped foot in here had been cut off. Her hands relaxed, moving her fingers after she unclenched her fists. She wouldn't be fighting anyone here.

Mara moved through the swarm of people that milled throughout the makeshift command center. Her eyes caught glimpses of known First Order outposts, possible locations for the Resistance to expand, system charts displayed that reminded her of her own days as a strategist. She tried not to get dazed, going towards the only people she actually knew on the planet.

Finn was caught off-guard when the woman tapped on his shoulder, surprised at the outcome, "The General gave you a free pass?"

Mara dug her hands into her pockets, giving a small shrug as her grin returned, "Surprised, I know. It's the first time in a while I addressed authority and they didn't throw me in a cell or try to shoot me."

The man tried to hide his own amused smile at the amount of times he'd heard her mention various instances she'd ended up in jail or worse, "I'm starting to sense a theme here."

"So am I," Mara once again briefly surveyed the room, still addressing Finn, "Everyone we run into has good things to say about you. Hell, one of the key leaders of the free galaxy, and that was just off what she heard-"

"Mari?"

The blonde and Finn turned to the voice behind them, each shooting the other questioning glances. When they did see the speaker, Mara once again said a few swears under her breath. Was there anywhere she went someone didn't know her?

She faced a woman slightly shorter than herself, clad in the olive uniform that matched dozen other people in the room. Dark hair was kept neatly to the side in a braid, but a piece had escaped to frame her face. Her expression showed how shocked she was, but her tone suggested otherwise, "As I live and breathe, it is you."

Mara herself was again shaken by the sight of another old acquaintance. She managed to pull her lips into a weak smile, but her anxiety again shot up. The last time she'd seen this person, it hadn't ended well, "Hi, Callisto."

The dark-haired of the two had a tight stance, and her voice coated with a tone that wreaked of fabrication and sarcasm, "I overheard Han Solo saying something about a woman with batons, and I thought who could that be? Last I checked, you went over to the dark side and got shot by your own people. Well, then by us after that whole fiasco on Ratakka."

Mara visibly got more tense, mustering up what she could to combat Callisto, gesturing with her arms towards her, "Oh, you knew about that. Well, surprised?"

She watched Callisto bite her lip, watching the gears turn in her head as the facade she put up began to fade. More contempt showed over her face now, "Not shocked. You've been dead before, that never stopped you. I mean, rumors said that death gang got to you, but literally days later I learn you joined the enemy."

Finn had watched the two's exchange, not quite understanding what was going on, "I'm sorry ma'am, who are you?"

Mara almost scoffed at how quickly Callisto changed her appearance to be more friendlier, extending a hand, "Major Leneller, Resistance Intelligence. You must be the Finn everyone keeps talking about. Broke out Dameron, delivered the droid back to us. Some are saying you even wielded a lightsaber?"

The blonde noticed how he seemed to light up at the praise, but she wanted to laugh at the fact Callisto had ended up a spy. It was too fitting for her persona as a whole.

"I really should get going, but I'm glad I ran into you guys. Always good to make friends, new and old." She brushed back a loose tress of hair behind her ear, gaze going over the two defectors. Her eyes went back behind their shoulders, walking away before she addressing the man behind them, "Commander."

"Major." Poe nodded to her as she left to go to one of the many displayed star maps. The pilot approached the other two, who's eyes followed Callisto; Finn out of sheer bewilderment and the want to know what he just saw, Mara out of shock at seeing her ex-girlfriend for the first time in almost four years.

"The map BB-8 has is apparently only a piece, so we aren't getting a jedi's help on this one. We'll start planning once Wexley gets back from recon." He explained to the both of them, who had to snap out of their brief trance from the last encounter. Dameron was quick to notice, "You two know Leneller?"

"Once, very long time ago. Lengthy, messy story." She sighed, crossing her arms and working her jaw as she tore her stare from Callisto. Once again, she briefly had to double-take at seeing Poe, but slid that thought aside, "But now we wait, I guess? See what it takes to destroy a base and rescue the girl-"

"You mean the planet." Finn corrected her, to which she gave an odd look.

"He's right," Poe confirmed, watching as Mara's face morphed into a more cynical expression as she raised an eyebrow, "From the first basic information we're getting, that things huge. It's pretty much a weaponized planet."

"Okay, both of you are pulling my leg on this one. The First Order is dramatic, but they aren't that extra."

ah yes let's update our other stories for a change rose

*sees that ep vii is titled 'the last jedi'*

and here i am and i am hyped. what even is a update schedule (tho stardust and unknown enemy are getting a new chapter in the next 1-2 days)

also, considering callisto, yes, you may not like her now, but her relationship with mara will be an interesting one to explore. she knew a teenage marana hux, who is considerably different from the one we see now. a few life threatening experiences will drastically change a person. but back to the point, cali has a very good reason for acting like a complete prick at the moment.

until next time my loves!