Stardust ━━ Star Wars

━ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝘅

      "Kylo Ren — he's done something terrible," Rey says, choking on a sob. "He saw where we are. He knows we're here. We have to go, now, before it's too late."

      And then it's chaos.

      People begin shouting and screaming as they clamber over one another in their haste to disappear. Indira's first thought is to find her mother. "Mama!" She cries, elbowing her way through the crowd to reach her. She clings to her mother's hands like a frightened child when she finds her, ignoring the sound of Leia barking orders over the din.

      "Soldiers, ready yourselves for evacuation and report back here in five minutes. Take what you can carry; leave everything else behind. Pilots, come and see me. I'll assign you to your ships," the general commands.

     Her aunt turns to Poe's father. "Kes, you know the plan we discussed. Take everyone from the compound to the old Jedi temple and hide yourselves in the catacombs. They won't think to look for you there and once they realize that we're gone, it should draw them away from this place."

      Indira tightens her grip on her mother's hand. "Come on, Mama, I have to get you to safety —" she says, but her mother stops and shakes her head.

      "No, sweet girl," Jana replies with a sad smile. "You have to leave."

      Indira freezes in her tracks. "No," she breathes, shaking her head back and forth. "Not again. I won't leave you!"

      "Only until the war ends, right?" Her mother asks, repeating words that Indira had spoken to her months ago. "Isn't that what you told me the last time we said goodbye?"

     "I can't," Indira struggles to get the words out, terror making her chest feel tight; as if freezing water has filled her lungs. She can't leave her mother behind — not after she'd lost ... not after her father had just — no, she can't allow that to happen. "What if you — what if we never — Mama, I can't!"

      Her mother cups her face in her hands, cradling her cheeks between her warm palms. "Breathe, sweetheart," Jana coaches, gentle and calm. Indira does her best to listen, inhaling and exhaling shakily. "Just breathe. We will see each other again — I know it in my bones," she promises, pressing a kiss to Indira's forehead. "This isn't goodbye forever."

       Indira's face crumples. "I can't do this without you —"

       Someone sets a hand on her mother's shoulder. "Jana, we need to leave," Kes Dameron says quietly, his expression regretful as he looks between the two of them. "We've got a long walk ahead of us."

      Jana nods, waving him off subtly before returning her focus to her daughter. "Indira, listen to me," she says firmly, smoothing some of the flyaway hairs back from her face. "I am going to be just fine, sweet girl, and so are you. And when all of this is over, we will find each other — no matter how many stars and skies are between us — and we won't ever have to be apart again. Do you hear me?"

       Her limbs feel like lead. "Mama —"

      "I promise, Indira, we are going to make it through this." Her mother pulls her into a fierce embrace. "I love you so much, my brave girl. And I will find you on the other side of the war."

      Indira can't say the words back; nor can she make herself let go. She clings to her mother for as long as she can until a hand tugs on her shoulder and she's torn from her mother's embrace; unable to do anything but watch as her fleeting form disappears into the forest with Kes and the others from the colony. Kali and Jessika steer Indira away, guiding her in the opposite direction towards where the Falcon is waiting.