Only a few short days had passed since the arrival of the Knights, yet in that time, the group had already worked themselves to the bone, training day in and day out. Today, however was of the utmost importance as they had been finally tasked with their first mission. Together, they were to perform an extraction of two very important people which were located deep within the heart of the ecumenpolis, Trantor. It had only recently come to the attention of the Order after an apparent sighting of the particular traitorous ex stormtrooper accompanied by none other than the best pilot in the Resistance had been reported. 

They were to take off any moment now, all seven of them strapped tightly into their seats aboard the small freighter. Without a fleet of stormtroopers behind them, their only other accompaniment was the pair of unresponsive pilots focused intently on the ship's controls in the cockpit. Within seconds, they shot into the atmosphere as the floor shook violently beneath them. Kylo seemed indifferent to the vibrations though as his mind was elsewhere, roaming delicately back to that of General Hux. He could hear his sharp, quipping voice clearly in the back of his head. Do try and make it back in one piece, Ren. We can't have that pretty face of yours getting damaged, now can we?

Kylo smirked to himself, not caring whether or not the other passengers saw him, even though he had also partially forgotten that he had left his mask behind on the base. In such an urban planet as Trantor, bursting in, guns blazing, was not one of the wisest tactics, no matter how much power the individuals had. This way, they could get in and out, hopefully drawing as little attention to themselves as possible. Still, their lower faces would be concealed under dark veils, though this was seen as a much more practical form of attire upon the planet where smugglers and bounty hunters alike retreated by the hundreds to seek entertainment and land job opportunities of the highest order.  

Did you just call me cute, General? Kylo retorted playfully.

Hux came back almost instantly, Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.  Either way, I mean it, asshole. 

Meanwhile, far across the galaxy in a smoky cantina filled to the brim with creatures from all walks of life, laughs echoed around the bar in thunderous fits of joy. "-and then I woke up naked in a pool of rancor saliva with nothing but an ewok foot in hand."

"I'm not drunk enough yet to hear the rest of this story," chuckled Finn, turning away from his friend to call over the Trandoshan bar tender standing idly by, bottles in hand. Finn held up two fingers to indicate what he wanted to which the orange reptilian quickly obliged. He flashed him a toothy grin and came back to face the pilot sitting beside him. 

Poe eyed the glasses cautiously, "General Organa is going to have our heads if she ever finds out that we decided to go out drinking during our peace keeping expedition." 

"The meeting isn't until tomorrow night. No harm in having a bit of fun before everything goes back to the old routine." Finn continued thoughtfully, stretching his aching spine without even meaning to do so, "Not to mention, the alcohol is truly doing wonders on my back." Poe looked to him with great sympathy and clasped his hand gently on top of Finn's shoulders reassuringly before reaching once again for the blue tinted booze awaiting them from the bar table. He pushed one cup towards his friend with a raise of his dark brow and then sent the contents of the opposite glass cascading down his throat. 

Before Poe could begin recounting his previous tale, Finn's hand shot out to slap at his chest in an almost childish fashion to grab the other man's attention. "Looks like someone's got himself an admirer," he pointed out, nodding his head across the bar to a woman sitting by her lonesome, red lips dancing up into a smirk over at the two. Poe shifted his gaze over to her and scoffed to himself only prompting Finn to widen his dark wondrous eyes in disbelief. "Are you crazy? Go over there and talk to her, man!" he gasped, pushing the pilot from his seat. 

"Look, Finn, I'm flattered, really, but even if she was my type, you know what they say about Twi'leks." He tilted his head in confusion, completely unaware at what his friend was alluding to. Poe sighed and for the first time, he appeared to host a look of embarrassment as his cheeks turned a rosy pink with the realization of Finn's inexperience with the outside world. "If a Twi'lek flirts with you in a bar, she is probably not looking for love, bud. More like...credits, if you get what I'm saying." The puzzle pieces almost instantly connected inside Finn's mind and he swallowed with chagrin as he looked back at the girl. 

Poe broke out into another ear to ear grin, "Don't sweat it Finn. Just be glad you didn't have to learn that lesson the hard way." He feigned a shiver at the apparent memory and earning himself a cachinnating laugh from his friend. As they sat back in their seats, Poe's gaze drifted over to the girl once again, but now where she sat, all that was left was thin air and a dripping glass of cherry coloured liquid. He frowned but shrugged off the disappearance as he finally continued narrating his story with Finn's full attention closed in on him. 

Hours seemed to pass and the crowd around them soon thinned out so that only a select few individuals remained. They were either oblivious to the time or upsettingly aware of the pitch black sky hanging outside. Finn and Poe were still slouched over the bar, chuckling lightly at jokes from earlier in night that decided to resurface inside their heads. "I'm thinkin' we should turn in for the night, Dameron. I'm not really in the mood to have a slumber party on the floor of a rutty old cantina." Suggested Finn, rubbing his hands across the lines of his face to stimulate at least some bit of energy.

Poe inhaled deeply and nodded, "Yeah, I think that would be smart. Let's go." From his pocket, Finn pulled a handful of credits, not quite caring enough to count them, then splayed them out onto the table before springing from his seat, Finn at his heels. Nearing the exit, a strangely familiar figure appeared to block their way out. "Excuse us," he muttered as he tried gliding away from them. To his shock, Poe's forearm was locked in a trap of blue fingers pressing firmly against his skin. 

"Usually, a man like you would at least dare to buy me a drink. Regardless, you have successfully caught my attention. Allow me to leave with you." the Twi'lek from across the bar purred, her azure blue eyes fluttered up to meet his own with a bleeding  tone of flirtation. 

Poe made his best effort to smile back kindly at the woman, "Sorry, Sweetheart, but I'm not like any man you've ever met, not interested." This time, he pushed past her with annoyance, Finn looking on in uncertainty, but saying nothing. 

"It's unfortunate." The two stopped in the tracks. "I really did try to make this enjoyable for you." she sighed regrettably without moving from her spot. In that moment, six black robed figures stepped out from the shadows to corner the pair as the doors in front of them slammed shut. An uneasy silence settled inside the bar, making Poe's skin crawl with dread. Well, this was unexpected.

Poe shook his head in attempt to showcase a false image of courage, "You and I seem to have very different perspectives as to what enjoyable is."

The woman rolled her eyes and took a step closer to the two, edging her face up to that of Poe's, "You think yourself funny? Well, let's see if those jokes of your's last once you've been put through the agony that we plan to inflict upon you, Resistance scum." 

Finally daring to speak up, Finn pushed Poe aside to stare at her, "You're from the Order?"

"Somewhat." Spoke a low, grumbling tone from behind them. Finn's blood felt like it had turned to ice as he immediately recognized the familiar gravelly voice. He turned and across his vision, shot clear images of the white ground collapsing beneath them, the hot iron pools of blood gathering atop it, and the tang of burning flesh lingering distastefully in the air. It didn't even seem as if that much time had passed since the last time they had met. Taking note of Finn's sudden recognition, Kylo smirked,"So we meet again, FN-2187."

Upon reflex, Finn spun around, pulling out a blaster concealed in his jacket and took a shot. He gaped in horror as the beam was sent flying across the room in the opposite direction. Before Finn could even process what had happened, the bar tender fell to the floor, dead with a smoking hole torn through his chest. "I thought you would know better than to try and face me, boy." Responded Kylo with a guttural snarl. He stopped and looked thoughtfully over to the body of the Trandoshan, "Once again, it would seem as if your efforts of valiance have lead to yet another unnecessary fatality."

Poe had to physically restrain himself from lunging at the the cloaked man, settling on the more calm approach of taking a daring step forward. "Who are you to talk? All you have ever done is bring death and ruin to this galaxy and for what? Because Daddy didn't love you?" he snarled with a daring smirk.

Unlike Poe however, Kylo was more or less unable to contain his rage. His hand shot out, contorting into a crescent shaped motion as he lifted the pilot from the ground. "Every second longer that you continue to speak, I get closer to affirming the decision to kill you right here, right now." The other six Knights tensed around him, but offered nothing to the conversation, choosing only to watch in on in awe.

Taking opportunity from the distraction, Finn spun around ducked behind a nearby booth while hurling a pint glass still filled midway with a fizzing green liquid at Ren's head. Poe came crashing down to the ground, coughing and sputtering as he clutched his throat in pain. Pushing aside the growing ache in his chest, Poe rolled passed a Knight standing guard at the door and from him, he plucked what appeared to be a type of spear/blaster hybrid from his side. He took a shot at once, successfully nicking the nearest Knight in the shoulder.

Kylo roared in anger, unleashing his saber from its casing alongside Alema. He prepared himself to go in for the kill despite Hux's clear orders to bring back the pair alive. Just then, none other than he came sounding inside his head, Ren, get out of there. The Trantor law enforcement is already on its way and they appear to be bringing with them an entire army. They are determined to spill your blood down the streets of the city for all to see.

I can take them. Kylo replied simply, his tone bleeding with agitation. 

Hux's voice came shooting back, this time more frustrated than the last. Don't be stupid, Ren. Grab them and get out, now.

Kylo considered protesting, but knew he wouldn't get far against the sharp tongue of the general. Instead, he sighed and carefully considered his options. "We need to leave. Grab the traitor and the pilot. Shoot them if they don't come willingly, I'm tired of their games." Finn beat his head softly against the booth in defeat, knowing there was only one thing left to do. They were greatly outnumbered, outgunned, out powered, out...everything. He stood, hands in the air all while eyeing Ren's shrouded features carefully. "Looks like you have finally made a smart decision tonight." He shifted his head back behind himself, "Where is the other one?"

The Knight of which received the wound to his shoulder was first to respond, "He's gone, my Lord."

Slowly, Kylo rotated fully to face the other man. "Say again?" he barked. The Knight shrunk where he stood as Kylo loomed over him. Before the situation could escalate, the blaring shriek of sirens sounded outside the bar, alerting them that it was time to make their departure. "It would seem as though your friend got lucky. You, however I cannot say the same to, traitor."