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[ Akobi goes quiet. He gives a slow nod. ] Your parents were Rebels. [ A simple statement of fact. No judgement behind it, not any that's spoken, anyway. They walk in silence for half a block as Akobi processes that new information.

What was the son of Rebels doing joining the military? What was the military doing flying X-Wings? Unless it wasn't the Imperial military. ]

I think I need to hear about that future now.

[ Poe sighed, running his free hand through his hair. Yeah. He'd known it was inevitable. ]

Yeah. They were.

The Empire was gone, by the time I was 6. When I joined up, it was into the New Republic Fleet.

[ Akobi does the mental math. Poe was born 2 years after TK-622's last memories, which came a day after Akobi's own. 6 years on from that, and... The Empire has 8 years left in it.

Akobi nods again. Chewing on his bottom lip as he factors that new truth into his understanding of his place in the universe. This ceasefire that's been put in place, between the Rebels and whatever Imperial remnants exist on this world... It's because the Imperials are fighting a battle that's already been lost. It's not just the DS-1. Rebels will tear down the entire institution that Akobi has dedicated his life to.

They will win, using the underhanded and violent tactics they employed on Ralltiir.

Akobi doesn't want to accept that, but if everything 622 has told him about the way this world works is true, he has no choice but to. ]

Alright. That's fine. That's... Okay. Fine. What next? Where does the... What was it, the "First Order?" Where do they fit in?

[ It wasn't fine. It was obviously not fine, and Poe found himself actually feeling sorry he had to deliver that information.

He wasn't sorry for the loss of the Empire. He couldn't be.

But he could be sorry for Akobi and for 622 losing their way of life. Their homes.

He could feel sorry for that. ]

Well - slightly long story. In the final weeks of the Galactic Civil War, some of the Imperial forces fled - out into the Unknown Regions. I think the idea had been to regroup, strike back, but. Didn't happen.

Instead, they met something else, out there.

[ His frown deepened. ]

Someone else. A man - a being, anyway - named Snoke. Honestly I don't even know what he is, or why, but he took the wisps of Imperial Forces and turned them into his own private army. They call him the Supreme Leader. Hux - the man who told 622 he was the emperor? - he's one of his Generals. Built weapons for him. Big ones.

They might have some of the same genes that made the Empire, but... they aren't the same thing. [ He paused, looking conflicted. How much more should he even say?

In the end, he had to continue. He couldn't meet Akobi's eyes while he spoke, but that wasn't because of Akobi. ]

... We went to war with them. A day before I got ported here. When they destroyed the entire Hosnian system. Billions of Civilians. The entire senate. Almost the entire fleet.

[ Poe had been here for over a year, and he still wasn't over it. Could barely spend ten minutes thinking about it. It was too great a loss for him to process. ]

They aren't - it's not the same.

No. It's not the same.

[ Sure, the Empire had been built around the Emperor but it was about more than that. It was about order and stability in the galaxy. Yes, the DS-1 had been built to destroy planets, but that was only because of the escalation of war. That was never the opening shot. ]

The whole system? I can't-- [ He sighs, rubbing at his face. ] No, I can believe it. I don't like it, but I can believe it. You take the worst the Empire has to offer, give them a new figure to unite around, and they would go and wreak such destruction.

[ That wasn't his Empire. That wasn't what he fought for. What he joined for. What he died for. ]

I'm sorry they twisted things in such a way. I don't... I can't offer anything for that. But I'm sorry.

[ He still couldn't look at Akobi, didn't know what to say. He relaxed, a little, but this wasn't a topic he wanted to dwell on. ]

They'll pay for it. [ There was a dark surety to his voice. Like a solemn vow. ] Soon as I'm back home, it's back to the war.

[ He ducked his head, brow furrowing as they walked. ]

But not here. There's no point, here. As much as he deserves -- there's no justice to be found. Just a never ending cycle of violence, if we let it start up again. So I-- I appreciate the sentiment, but you can kind of see why the future just--

It's not happy for anyone. There isn't a single person from the past that would be happy to hear about all of it.

[ Akobi can definitely sense that this is a topic that won't lead anywhere good to dwell on. ]

So you're still--?

[ He chuckles darkly, throwing his head back to look up at the sky as he walked. ]

I had wondered if everyone here was... You know. Like 622 and me.

[ He's begun to think of this place as some sort of weird afterlife. ]

[ A stab of guilt passed through him and he stopped walking, pausing in the middle of the street and waiting until Akoni followed suit. He looked a little silly, standing there with a rolled up carpet under his arm, but his expression was anything but. There was a fierceness to his gaze when he met Akobi's eyes, and he didn't look away. ]

No. Not all of us. Just most of the people I care about. But that's why it's important.

Me - this is a holding cell, for me. A limbo. But for you and for 622 and Bodhi and Kay - I'm well aware of what this place is for you. The chance it offers. And I'm going to do everything in my power to ensure that you get as much of a chance at a new life as you can, here.

622, too.

I promise.

[ Akobi stopped, turning his body to face Poe fully. He didn't look away either, taking in the full force of that gaze. ]

You strike me as a good man, Dameron. [ A smile cracks onto his face. ] For a Rebel.

[ A very real relief washed over him, though he couldn't quite bring himself to smile. Not because of the sentiment or the words but just remnants of the last conversation. ]

I had a fairly good idea already that you were. From what 622 had told me about you.

[ There was a slight pause before a decision was made. Perhaps less made than it was triggered - something important that now couldn't go unsaid. Still holding Akobi's gaze with a determined earnestness, he added: ]

I care about him. A lot.

More than - more than friends.

[ Oh. Well, isn't that an interesting development? Akobi raises a skeptical eyebrow. ]

I see. Does he know this?

[ A slight heat rose under his skin, darkening his cheeks. He didn't move, or look away. ]

I'm - I'm not sure. Sort of. I think so. It's not - I am well aware it's not exactly something covered in regulations or-- -- --

[ Translation: He had no idea if 622 actually understood how he felt, but: ] I'm working on it.

I just- I know what you mean to him. I know how much he's needed you to be here. And Rebel or not I have no intention of breaking that or taking it away from him. He needs you.

So I - I thought you should know.

I'm fairly sure developing feelings for a Rebel pilot is against regulations.

[ But he says it teasingly. ]

622's a grown man. His mind doesn't work the same way as a natural-born human would, but he's an adult, and capable of making his own decisions.

[ That said, he levels a stern finger at Poe. ]

You know that if you hurt him, I'll be on your ass, right?

You'd have to get in line until after I kicked my own ass first, but yeah.

I wouldn't expect anything less. [ There's no joke to his voice. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself for hurting 622. Still hasn't forgiven himself for the first time.

But after a second he looked embarrassed and glanced down, rubbing his head. ]

... Yeah. I'd want you to.

But let's - let's get that caf.

Fine by me.

[ He claps Poe on the shoulder and keeps walking. Though he does give a lingering glance to the rolled up carpet. ]

Do you have an errand to run to an interior design store or something?

What?

[ He sounded honestly and completely confused - until he followed Akobi's eyeline to the carpet. ]

Oh. No, sorry. I uh - I told you I could fly anything, right?

[ He shrugged his shoulder with the carpet in it, making it wiggle. ]

This is just the most portable. [ There was a slight pause, and then - for the first time in several minutes, cracked a small smile. ]

You wanna see?

Yeah, you said that. Still not sure I completely get it...

[ A demonstration would go a long way. ]

Go ahead.

[ Poe's smile widened slightly, lopsided, and he pulled the carpet out from under his arms, shook it out, and laid it on the ground.

He then sat on it, uncerimoniously, and a second later it rose, hovering three feet in the air directly in front of Akobi. ]

Well.

Want a ride?

[ Akobi's eyes widen, and he takes a half step back when the carpet rises into the air. ]

But-- How--?

[ He drops to a knee, bending to look underneath the carpet as though Poe has hidden an engine on its underside. ]

It doesn't have any propulsion ability... It's just a carpet!

[ Poe looked amused, tilting his head. ]

Yeah. It's just a carpet. It's not the one flying.

Powers, remember? This is mine. Anything I can plant my ass on, I can fly.

Nothing like trying it out, so. Hop on.

[ Still in a certain amount of disbelief, but coming to the conclusion that this is just something he's going to have to accept, Akobi gets back to his feet, then walks around behind Poe and-- carefully and awkwardly because it's a hovering carpet not a fucking sensible mode of transportation like a landspeeder-- climbs on. ]

I feel ridiculous.

You'll feel a lot better in about twenty seconds. Promise.

[ He flashed a smile back at him, before leaning over to grap the edge of the carpet. ]

Feel free to hold on if you need to. [ Which was about as much warning as Akobi got before the carpet rose suddenly and rapidly straight into the sky. ]

[ Yeah, see, Akobi was Imperial Army, not Navy. He was much more suited to being on the ground than up in the air in a ship or-- on a carpet, as the case may be.

He absolutely grabs hold of Poe, one hand gripping his shoulder and the other fisted in the carpet to keep from falling off. ]

Are you a madman?!

[ Poe laughed, genuinely, but slowed the carpet down until they were just floating gently above the city. ]

If you want to head back to ground, we can, but - I mean. You gotta admit.

That's a hell of a view.

[ Yeah, yeah, the view is nice. Akobi spares it a glance. Maybe two glances. ]

Yeah, set me down. I think I'm good.

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apparently i half wrote this tag on my phone six hours ago and thought i sent it

UGH the worst

me, excitedly waiting for a tag, like an idiot

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i can show you the world

they're space latino, not space arabic

look if the carpet fits

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