Meet Me in the Grey (Reylo fanfiction) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7: Dogfight

  A note from your humble author: Hold onto your butts! 

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BB-8 was happy to see Rey and R2D2 again. He rolled around excitedly as Rey and R2 made slight adjustments to her X-Wing, which she also called Grey Wolf. As soon as the scouts returned the resistance would plan their next move and she wanted to be ready. She had flown earlier that day with Poe's squadron testing out the controls of her ship. It hadn't felt as initially intuitive as the Falcon, but by the end of their practice Poe was convinced he was going to have some friendly competition for title of "best pilot in the resistance."

BB-8 belonged to Poe and would fly with him when the time came in Black One, but she was thrilled that when she needed a droid R2 had readily beeped and volunteered his services. Of course she had asked Luke if it was all right with him.

"Being in low-power mode for so long and then cooped up on the Flacon this past year, I know he's been bored and itching to see action again. You couldn't ask for a better co-pilot!"

Chewie roared in disagreement.

"Well, I mean in a droid," Luke corrected.

She wore a mechanics jumper over her clothes to keep them clean while she worked under her ship, propped up by a mechanics gurney. Her face and hands already smeared with grease as she adjusted the torque on several bolts. R2 sat inside making adjustments to the computer's navigation system. Suddenly, she heard BB-8 roll up again beeping frantically. One of the scouting ships had returned...only one. She threw down her wrench and joined the gathering crowd at the tarmac. Something had gone wrong.

She watched as the pilot was helped out of his X-Wing. He looked pale, and shaken. The medics wasted no time whisking him away. Once he was seen to there would undoubtedly be a meeting in the war room. She turned and headed for her quarters to clean up.

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By the time Rey entered the war room most everyone had already gathered. All senior officers and pilots were expected to attend. Poe and Finn had saved her a seat. There was a hush as Admiral Ackbar made the announcement.

"Captain Roeding has returned safely to us. We regret to report that First Officer Kibet was last seen being captured by the enemy. Knowing the First Order's previous protocol when dealing with our pilots, he is now presumed dead."

Everyone in the room grew uncomfortable. There was one unspoken truth that also went along with the way the First Order conventionally treated their pilots – torture. Most resistance pilots would rather die fighting than allow themselves to be taken alive. Every pilot taken alive would be tortured and interrogated until all their secrets were laid bare. Nobody knew this better than Poe and Rey; they also knew who was behind most of the interrogations. Every time a pilot was taken alive, the base had to be moved - fast. Even if the pilot didn't give up their information, they took no chances when it came to the security of their base.

"We now have reason to suspect that the secured location of our base has been compromised, and that our planned attack on the First Order's salvaging operations around Endor have been revealed. General Organa?"

General Leia Organa, small, but imposing, picked up where the Admiral left off. "Thank you, admiral. The base will immediately be relocating to Takodana, preparations are already underway for our departure. Maz Kanata has kindly offered us intelligence that the planet has since fallen out of the First Order's interest since our last confrontation with them there, and it should only be until we can set up a more permanent location elsewhere. A third of our squadrons will be going out to launch an attack, on a different target. This should help keep the First Order distracted while we move our base."