General Dameron sat at a table with General Targo, Admiral Deltan, General Hux, General Calrissian, General Ematt, Admiral Nunb and Admiral Statura. These were the jury members of the New Republic, who would sentence the prisoner in the trial today; democracy would be reborn with this Senate. An alliance of high ranking Resistance and First Order members. Peace would last under this new regime, it wouldn't be easy, but then real democracy wasn't it was impassioned beliefs finding common ground.

General Poe Dameron felt reasonably positive about the future of the Galaxy but not necessarily about his place in it. Under Leia's tutelage, he'd grown beyond the impetuous pilot into the leader of the Resistance, but he was not a politician. Poe was grateful that the head of their side of this senate and therefore, the voice of power representing them all was General Calrissian. As a former Baron and politician within the Republic, it made sense that Lando take up Leia's mantle. Poe was a soldier, maybe politics would come, but for now, the leader of their armies was good enough for him, besides someone had to keep an eye on Hux, keep him in line. Poe wasn't entirely off the hook with regards to formal matters, but at least he would stay military for now.

"Are we ready to begin?" Poe addressed the table, and a series of nods and grim faces confirmed they were.

Poe was also not feeling particularly positive about today's proceedings. Allegiant General Pryde had not taken to his imprisonment well shouting furiously at all hours or throwing himself against the walls in apparent agony. The man had come undone with the demise of the Contingency the death of its master puppeteer Darth Sidious.

Allegiant General Pryde was hauled before the table vehemently yelling, spitting and kicking.

"Allegiant General Pryde, Leader of the Contingency you stand before this council accused of crimes against the Galaxy. How do you plead?" Calrissian spoke.

Everyone knew Pryde's plea was inconsequential to the resolution that had been decided, but the formalities had to be observed. The Senate needed to be seen to be fair and just to all if they were to move forward with no uprising.

"How dare you presume to judge me!" Pryde spat at them.

The man looked seriously deranged as though he'd been tearing at his hair and his face, red scratches were visible along with flakes of dried blood. They had provided him with his military clothing out of respect which Pryde did not deserve, but it looked mangled. All of Pryde's previous pride was gone, only the shell of the man he had once been now remained.

"Very well, Allegiant General Pryde you are sentenced to life imprisonment on Sunspot prison. May the Force grant you a short life."

Pryde was dragged away, still shouting and struggling.

-X-

Leia's quarters within the temple of Yavin Four were not like the rest of the Resistance's rooms, built into the stone temple itself there was something more harmonious about its composition, more in keeping with the temple's structure. Rough yellow-sandy stone walls, shards of natural light from slits in the wall. It smelt of the humid jungle air, and cool damp stone rather than the smell of fuel. The sounds of native creatures drifted in from outside drowning out the shouts of engineers, fighters and din of maintenance droids from below. A sanctum. Rey stood over the neatly made bed. Beside the bed, upon a table, Leia's belongings had been neatly placed. A pair of gold aurodium earrings, some gold oro-weave bracelets, two gold signet rings and a strange almost brushed bronze plaque- too heavy to be a necklace. Rey traced it's smooth cold surface absently with her finger as she recalled the woman who'd embraced her as a mother though she'd never been her family. Behind Rey, she heard footsteps; she didn't need to turn to know who it was as they approached and stood close behind her, observing the objects upon the table. Rey could feel the heat from his body as he placed his large hand over hers, tracing the metallic ornament.

"My mother gave that to my father for bravery after they destroyed the first Death Star."

Ben's hand now moved to the rings. First, the blue stones interlaced with gold then the glittering green stone that appeared to have a star system inside it, encased with golden tentacles.

"This one," Ben said, reaching back for the blue-stoned ring, "was given to my mother by my father, I think you should have it."

Rey turned to him now leaning back on the table.

"I'm not exactly a jewellery wearing kind of girl, never owned any, I'll bash it or lose it."

Ben smiled, "Well, I can't wear it."

Rey smiled, and he placed it within her hand, "Wear it about your neck on a cord." He bent his head to touch his lips to hers softly, "Are you ready?"

"Almost."

"The longer we linger, the harder it will be, and we both know I cannot stay here," Ben answered, looking at her intently.

Rey did know they'd agreed on the course of action; he'd told her she could stay, but she had no intention of being parted from him. It seemed strange to her that she had more to lose in this than he did, more attachments. Lasting peace within the Galaxy would require that they both leave or the balance they'd fought for would fail. She understood that.

She nodded, "I know, after the ceremony."

He gave a sympathetic smile, and he reached past her for the other objects on the table. The medal he placed in the pocket of the black flight jacket he now wore. Still garbed all in black but no more gloves, no more helmet and no more cape, the one he'd discarded in his fight with Palpatine had remained on the Death Star. No more restrictive black tunic just a plain black shirt. Ben seemed more comfortable in his own skin; free. The facades were gone, and only the man beneath all that costume remained.

"What will you do with the other items?" Rey asked.

"Place them by the tribute, but the ring I'll offer to Poe. She wore it as a sign of her office, last Princess of Alderaan, seems fitting that he has it. Though I don't imagine, he'll wear it either, not exactly his style," Ben said with a smile.

-X-

A crowd of Resistance fighters, First Order troopers and officers both First Order and Resistance alike stood in the clearing outside the temple. All intermingled with each other; they were all just people now. You could no longer tell them apart, except for those few who hadn't managed to acquire something else to wear and were still in the everyday black undergarments of the stormtrooper. They were all stood waiting; it was time to begin. Beacons had been constructed spires of metal that shimmered. Each metal cone was ornate and intricately carved as it spiralled up to its point. There were several, one particularly big and several smaller ones. The largest one would be lit, a flame burning brightly as a memorial. Rey, Ben, Lando Calrissian, General Ematt, Finn and Rose, Poe and Chewbacca stood in front of the gathered audience. The crowd waited, and it was Poe who stepped forwards.

"The war is finally over, and we have all lost people we loved. We now commemorate everyone who gave their lives for peace. They are gone, but they are not forgotten." Poe stepped back and nodded.

"Paige Tico," Rose said as Finn squeezed her hand.

"Admiral Holdo," Poe said.

"Admiral Ackbar," General Ematt stated.

"Han Solo," Lando stated and next to him, Chewie howled.

"Luke Skywalker," Rey said.

"Princess Leia Skywalker Organa Solo," Ben said.

Poe now ignited a torch and stepped towards the tallest beacon the flaming torch in his hand. As he did so, a murmur of the names of countless loved ones was spoken within the crowd. Lowering the torch Poe ignited the beacon, it's metal surface shimmering, iridescent with a hue of colours as the flames heated the metallic exterior. Bearing the light in his hand, Poe turned back to the crowd.

"May the Force be with them, always."

"Always!" the gathered crowd responded.

-X-

Rey stood at her bunk packing the ancient Jedi texts, her lightsaber, blankets and some clothes into a large bag. She had very few personal belongings, and she would take what she knew was needed from around the base, where they were going Rey had been before she had a good idea of what they'd need. She heard steps behind her, Poe, Finn and Rose were at the doorway to her cot.

"Hey, packing?" Poe asked, around his neck on a leather cord was the green and god tentacle ring that had belonged to Leia. Rey smiled, she'd fashioned the one Ben had bestowed her with similarly. The ring hung from her neck on a leather cord, low enough to be kept safe beneath her clothing. Poe's eyes were twinkling again, no more fighting he was once again a charming rogue. Rey felt a mild tug in her chest; he was a good friend, and she was going to miss him terribly. She was going to miss them all.

"Yeah," she took the pillow from her bunk and rolled it into her bag.

"So where is it you're going?" Finn queried brightly.

"Tatooine." Ben and Rey wanted to go to the home of the Skywalker's both Anakin and later his son to bury the Skywalker lightsaber.

"So you'll be back in... what.... a week?" Finn asked.

Oh no. Rey looked at his beaming face and watched it change as he read the expression on hers. She was biting her lips, and her eyebrows were furrowed together.

"What? Rey, what?" at Finn's side, Rose knew all to well the plan and squeezed his hand.

"We're going to Ahch-To after Tatooine," Rey said steadfastly holding Finn's gaze hoping he'd understand the intention.

"Ok, so a month?" Finn questioned, but the doubt in his voice was evident, he knew that wasn't the answer he just hoped it was. Poe's previously cheerful demeanour now changed as he lowered his head grimly running a hand through his hair. Rey didn't answer just looked at Finn till the truth of the situation sunk it.

"No! Rey, you can't. Don't do this," he pleaded her as he reached for her hands. Rey let him take them.

"Finn," she held his hands firm and looked directly at him, he might not understand, but she would make him accept it. "I've been alone my whole life. Would you truly ask me to spend the rest of it alone regretting what I'd lost?"

Finn looked incredulously at her, "You're not alone, you have Poe, Rose, Chewie, Maz, Lando, Jannah, Altor, Zorii.... me. You are supposed to be here, with us, I know it. Don't ask me to explain it, it's a feeling an instinct. The Force brought us together. You cannot leave."

There it was again that pang in her chest speaking of a life that couldn't be, but it hadn't been the will of the Force; it wasn't her destiny. She smiled at him sadly, "You're my best friend, but I am alone." She looked from Finn to her other friends, "I'm apart from you all because I'm different. Ben is like me; he understands me. I know you think you know me, but he's the only one who really does."

"You are nothing like him." Finn insisted, but she could tell Finn didn't honestly believe that as he said it, not anymore.

"We're bound; from the moment the Force in me awoke and before that, I felt him, we were bound to each other; till death and beyond." She sighed as she continued, "I would rather one life in exile with him than spend the rest of my day's alone yearning for him, only seeing him across the stars."

Finn removed his hands from hers; he was accepting what she said, and he didn't like it.

"You love him, don't you; it's not just this bond through the Force."

Rey looked at the floor embarrassed she had said it to Ben but confirming it to others was something else. Her head lowered; she looked up at him through lowered lashes; she took a painful breath, "Yes. He is my soulmate."

Poe was shaking his head, "What do you guys need?"

She looked up and smiled at all three of them.

"Thank you. I can't tell you how much I'm going to miss you, all of you."

"Oh hey, you can't get rid of us that easily we'll be visiting," Poe responded.

"You'll be lucky if Finn doesn't stow aboard the ship!" Rose quipped

Rey laughed.

"Come on let's get you some rations and... what else do you need?"

They left Rey's quarters together bumping shoulders joking together as they went off to raid the Resistance supplies.

-X-

Finn stood hand in hand with Rose, his emotions leaping in and out of his throat as he watched Rey and Ben say their farewells to Lando, Chewie, Jannah, Altor, Maz and Zorii. A small crowd had come to say goodbye to the last of the Jedi. Poe put a reassuring arm around his shoulder.

"You ok there, buddy? Keeping it together?"

"I don't like this Poe," Finn didn't look at him just continued looking at the crowd around Rey and Ben as everyone wanted to shake the two Jedi's hands.

"Yeah, me neither," Poe replied.

Rey and Ben finally approached the three of them; Rey stepped towards them as a group smiling kindly. As a mass, they embraced her from all sides. Finn could hear her laughing, but he could also feel her tears on his cheek. As they pulled back, Rey was wiping her tears from her face. To his right, Rose was doing the same.

"We'll be seeing you, Rey," Finn affirmed.

She nodded and smiled and allowed a few more tears to fall across her face.

"May the Force be with you," he managed just holding his emotions in check as he did so.

"And also with you," she gave a sad smile etched with tears and placed her hand on Finn's shoulder then turned to join Ben who'd stood behind her, his face utterly impassive. Ben gave Poe a curt nod of respect and Poe nodded back.

"Take care of her Solo," Finn advised Ben.

"I will," he replied as Rey reached for his hand. He took it is his, and together they turned from the group towards their ship. Rey and Ben walked through the crowd up the ramp. At the top Rey turned and waved at the crowd and slowly she disappeared from sight as the boarding hatch rose. The engines ignited, and the craft hovered above the ground and then to whoops and cheers the ship turned and exited Yavin Four's atmosphere.

Finn stood watching the empty sky with Rose and Poe long after the crowd had dispersed, clutching Rose's hand tightly. He turned to her.

"I love you, you know."

She smiled at him, "Course I know dummy. I love you too." She grasped his face and kissed him, "And I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Finn smiled back at her.

Poe grabbed them both around the shoulders, rolling his eyes.

"Come on love birds I can't cope with any more of this, I've got a bottle of firewater in my quarters, and you're gonna help me drink it." Over his shoulder, he gave Zorii's helmeted figure an eyebrow raise of a question while tilting his head to the side to ask her to join them. Her head slanted to the side and she sauntered up behind them as he beamed knowingly back at her.

The four of them walked to the base entrance, arms around each other as the sun on Yavin Four began to set turning the lush jungle world outside grey.