Balance | Star Wars

= 1 || The Spark =

Rey stood by the left corner of the bridge window. In front of her stretched the dark expanse of star-studded space . . . but she wasn't here to appreciate the view. Her eyes were fixed on the freighters under attack by several Star Destroyers, their laser cannons battering against the weakening shields of the weaponless ships.

"Shields are fifty percent and dropping fast!" came the crackling transmission from the besieged freighters. The voice belonged to Rose Tico, her words carrying a high note of panic. "There's no way we'll make it to the base at this rate."

At the command console behind her, Rey felt her friend Finn's worry like an oppressive blanket over his mind, clouding his judgements.

"We gotta do something," the ex-stormtrooper said, glancing over as Rey turned away from the window to face the gathered leaders in their new flagship. "We've got enough fighters again to cover the freighters into our hanger."

"I agree," Admiral Salwa Taffi added, their voice garbled through the breathing apparatus over their amphibious features. "The supplies on those ships are too important to give up."

"The people on those ships are important, too," Finn shot back.

"Forty percent!" Rose reported, accompanied by a staticky explosion that effectively cut through the tension between Finn and Admiral Taffi.

"Scramble half the fleet," Poe Dameron decided firmly, pointing at Captain Connix who monitored the transmissions. "And keep the rest standing by in reserve in case things get real dicey."

"Yes, sir," Connix said, and set about completing her assignment.

"I'm going to come with you," Rey said, falling in step with Poe as he and Finn left the bridge and headed towards the internal hanger. Her repaired lightsaber at her side hit her thigh with every step, but it was useless in a fight like this. "You need good pilots in a fight like this, and I'm tired of doing nothing. I want to help"

"We can't spare you, Rey," Poe retorted, sparing her a momentary glance as they entered the organized chaos of the hanger as X-wings revved to life, pilots racing to their respective fighters. "You know you're more than just a pilot. If Ren finds us, you're the only chance we've got."

The matter apparently finalized, Poe sprinted for his waiting fighter, BB-8 already in position behind the cockpit. Finn took a moment to offer Rey an apologetic shrug before he, too, climbed into a fighter. As the squadron took off, Rey was left behind to stand and watch.

Again.

-=-=-=-

"All right everyone," Poe said as the skeleton squadron of nine X-wings approached the Star Destroyers and their just-deployed fleet of TIE fighters, "here's the plan: Finn, you and the two Blue-wings guard the freighters – you're their shields. The rest are with me to draw fire and keep those fighters busy chasing us. This isn't an attack, it's an extraction – got it?"

"Copy that," Finn replied.

His response was echoed by Blue Two and Three before they peeled off to flank the freighters. The others gave their own affirmations a moment before the oncoming swarm of TIE fighters began firing.

From then on, it was a familiar scene of swooping maneuvers, green and red laser bolts flashing through the vacuum of space, and a flurry of communications between the rebel pilots as they fought once more against the oppressive might of the First Order.

The rush of battle was something Poe still flourished in, but after the unfortunate loss of General Leia three months ago, he'd found himself numbed to the fierce joy he'd taken from flying. Each aerial battle now seemed routine copies of the previous: defend against staggering odds, gain perhaps a scrap of victory, and then on to the next.

Poe was tired of running, even though he knew it was an unavoidable tactic if the Resistance had any hope of survival. He wanted to win. He wanted to see the First Order brought to its knees and erased from the face of the universe.

BB-8 chirped a warning right as Poe saw two TIE fighters lock onto his tail, their green laser bolts flashing past his peripheral view.

"Yeah, I see 'em!" he responded to the droid, pulling up on the joystick as he did so.

He looped and spun, his cannons catching other TIE fighters in front of him as he attempted to shake the ones behind. As he came out of another horizontal roll, Poe saw that the freighters were successfully out of range from the Star Destroyer's heavier artillery and halfway to the waiting flagship.

"All right, guys, just a few more minutes," he said while diving away from a fresh assault. "We can do this. How you doing, Finn?"

"A lot better now that we're out of range of the Destroyers," came the reply. "Freighters took a lot of damage, but no causalities."

"That's good to hear," interjected Admiral Taffi from the flagship.

"Need a hand with those tails, commander?" asked Gina Boa, one of their new pilots. There was a cheeky tone in her voice as she dropped from the left, firing at the nearest of the two TIE fighters behind Poe.

"Who, me?" He grinned and then accelerated forward, twisting up and around in a jarring movement. He fired on the remaining TIE fighter, his grin shifting into grim satisfaction as the enemy ship detonated in a halo of burning debris. "I had it under control."

"Whatever you say, commander," Gina said, falling in behind him as the rebel fighters rejoined those guarding the supply freighters, the flagship guns also lending support now that they were within range. Soon, the mission was a success, and the Resistance disappeared once more into the labyrinth of hyperspace.

-=-=-=-

"They . . . got away?"

The pixelated blue form of General Hux quivered with both static and anger in front of Commander Bel Taylor. His trademark scowl was settled firmly across his sharp features, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.

Hux had every right to be furious with Taylor. This had been the First Order's strongest lead on the Resistance since Crait, it had slipped through her fingers.

"Yes," she replied stiffly, lifting her chin. "We didn't expect the rebel fleet to appea–"

"No excuse is worthy of your error, commander!" Hux snapped, his scowl deepening. "The Resistance is all but extinct. They are desperate for resources, so they cannot hide forever. You will find them, and you will crush them."

"Yes, sir," Taylor saluted, grateful for the general's leniency. She'd heard the grim stories of other commander's failures and the following punishments allotted to them. "I will not fail you and the Supreme Leader again."

Hux smirked mirthlessly. "See to it that you don't, commander."

And then he was gone.

Taylor exhaled, her shoulders slumping under the thick, stiff material of her gray uniform. Her orders from the general weren't new, only reiterated. The First Order had been hunting the galaxy for the Resistance for years now, and she doubted success would ever be fully possible.

Rebels tended to keep fighting no matter how many times they were beaten.

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Things are going to move a little slow in the beginning as I set up the story, but don't worry . . . there's gonna be lots of action and fluff and angst soon. Vote and comment, please!