Will of the Many~ Poe Dameron

Spilt blood

In the end, everyone is aware of this: nobody keeps any of what he has, and life is only a borrowing of bones...

-Pablo Neruda

Serena had a new purpose that drove her through the halls of Starkiller Base. She felt it with every pulse of blood through her veins. She knew the Resistance's attack was inevitable and that promise kept her moving. 

She followed the deep rooted sense of looming danger in her chest and knew it would carry her the entire way to Kylo Ren. She remembered telling Poe that she felt his presence just as much as she felt Kylo Ren's, but now she understood it better. It wasn't because Poe would be her downfall, it's because she cared for him and so she was more sensitive to his presence. The same still stood for Ren, though that part of her that cared for him shrunk with every interaction they shared. Still, it was enough for her to feel him across the base. She praised the stars for the feeling, without it she would waste valuable time, and she hated wasting time. 

"Ren!" Serena called out as she spotted his billowing cape right as he turned a corner. She groaned and picked up her brisk pace to join him down the other hallway. 

As she turned she saw him with several Troopers and Officers. Whatever they were talking about, it created a heated anger that flowed around them with a heavy gravity. 

She slowed her pace as she approached them to hear the end of their conversation. 

"Sir, she was not found in hangar 718 but all troopers are on alert."

Serena squinted as she looked from the officer to Ren. 

"Put every hangar on lock-down. She's going to try to steal a ship-"

"You've lost the prisoner?" Serena asked as she stepped around Ren's right shoulder to peer up at him. A surge of joy spread over her as she discovered her means to stall him. She wanted to start a fight and what better way than to talk about his little pet project- the prisoner he was entirely too fond of. "What are the chances that we both lose a prisoner within the same week?" She mocked him as she looked over at the Officers and Troopers. She ticked her head to the side so they knew to get lost. 

When they listened to her, she strode to the same spot the officer just stood and looked up at Ren head on. "I'd say there is either an extreme hole in our defense system... or you let her escape."

"Like you let the pilot escape?"

Serena pursed her lips as she felt his anger growing. She tried to hide her enjoyment so he couldn't sense it. 

"We aren't talking about my shortcoming, Ren. Besides..." Serena smirked behind her mask. "Your prisoner is Force Sensitive. Our Supreme Leader wanted to speak with her... how convenient that she escapes right as he requests her-"

Ren lunged towards Serena out of anger. His hands lifted towards her throat, but she stepped to the side and pushed her hand out towards him. Her Force wrapped through her fingers before it slammed against his shoulder and pushed him against the wall. She dropped her hold on him and staggered her footing in case he came for her again. 

"I will not let you bully me into submission, Ren." She gritted her teeth as she snarled at him. "I was gone a whole year without you. If that time taught me anything it's that I can live without you." Her chest heaved as she kept herself ready for another strike or lunge. "We were friends first... or did you forget that?" Her voice cracked as she let her emotions take control of the conversation. "For thirteen years we were best friends, inseparable..." She shook her head as she watched Ren slowly pull himself up from the wall. "But now... now I don't even know who you are. I'm trying to find remnants of the old you, but every day it's like that piece of you dies out. I'm holding on to a memory but even that is fading."