hyperspace! → star wars ✓

viii. the end of the beginning

⋆☆.* ✧✰ .✦⋆*☆

NOVA WAS GRATEFUL as the base on D'Qar came into view; it brought her some much-needed comfort, even when she knew they would soon have to leave it behind.

They landed the Falcon and Chewie went to bring Finn out to the medics, leaving Nova to power off the ship. She did so quickly, but after she finished, she couldn't make herself move right away. Her gaze fell upon the dice hanging haphazardly from above; her father had always called them his "good luck charm". Next to the Falcon, they were his most prized possession—next to the Falcon, they were the only piece of him they had left. Nova took a shaky breath, closing her eyes momentarily, and it was then that she heard someone approach. They stopped in the doorway to the cockpit.

"Are you all right?" Rey asked her carefully, and Nova reopened her eyes. Finally, she stood, then turned to face the girl with the faintest of smiles.

"I will be," she replied before walking past her and heading for the ship's exit. To no one's surprise, Poe Dameron was waiting just outside, and she had barely even set foot on the ground when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace—one she gratefully returned. As they pulled away, he looked upon her with great concern.

"We all saw you go down, we-we thought—"

"I'm all right," she interrupted reassuringly, though he could tell she wasn't entirely telling the truth. He had so many questions, but most of them would have to wait.

"Your dad, is he..." Poe trailed off and she nodded solemnly.
"I'm so sorry." She didn't reply, and he didn't expect her to. They stood there in silence, merely finding comfort in each other's presence, though Nova's attention soon fell upon her mother as the woman worked her way through the crowd. She turned back to Poe.

"Go be with Finn, I'll be there in a bit." He glanced back at the general, then gave Nova a nod and went on his way just as Leia emerged from the group of fighters. The two stood there, the looks they wore telling each other everything they needed to know, and then they too enveloped each other in a tight embrace. Despite usually being one to hide her emotions, Nova made no effort to wipe away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks, not even as she and her mother pulled away from one another.
"It was Ren," she murmured, and Leia nodded.

"I know, I could feel it."

"I saw him, after I crashed—he showed no remorse, mom. None. He-he wanted to, I think, but...he's so far gone at this point."

"That doesn't matter right now," the general replied before Nova could say anything else.
"What matters is that you made it back in one piece." The girl made to say something else, but decided against it and let out a sigh.
"Go to the medical bay, get yourself checked out and go see Finn. We'll be leaving soon, it's best you get yourself fixed up before then." With one last lingering look at her mother, Nova nodded and did as she was told.

The medical bay was nearly empty, for most people were in the command center or out in the landing field, and Nova was grateful for that. She found her friends easily; Finn was being worked on by several medics, Poe standing just outside the glass observation window (for he had been denied entry) and BB-8 sitting at his feet. When they saw her enter, Poe nearly smiled and the droid was quick to roll up to her, beeping frantically. Nova chuckled, crouching down to meet him.

"Hey, buddy. Yeah, I'm fine, just a little scraped up." He continued to beep, and she stood again, looking to Poe.
"How's Finn?"