Charisma~ Poe Dameron

Welcome to Crait

Aria kept her post between the two pilots as she watched them near the old Rebel base. The entire planet was white, but she couldn't tell if it was snow, sand or salt. Whatever it was, it looked course and she already knew she wouldn't like it. 

She didn't even see the base until they were right on top of it. The old metal doors almost completely blended in to the side of the giant mountain. Either the metal was painted white to match, or it had been posted there for so long it had become weathered to match the planet's tones. 

"It's... beautiful." Aria whispered as she leaned forward to put her hands on both pilots' chairs. "I mean... not really. But all the history inside those walls... all the lives lived and wars fought... that is beautiful."

"You had a unique point of view, Commander Solo." The right pilot looked up to tell her. 

Aria gave a crooked grin as she watched them slowly lower and slide into the open hangar. "It's not Commander anymore. Just Captain. I was demoted." Aria patted the pilot's shoulder before she stood up to take a step back. She staggered her footing to keep her balance as they landed within the hangar. As their transport powered down, Aria realized how dark it was inside the hangar, even with the wide, open door. "Good job, you two. You saved a lot of lives today." She nodded respectfully at the pilots before she turned to exit. She stopped as she saw Leia watching her with a cunning smile. "What?" Aria gave her a strange look as she walked passed her. 

Leia turned to fall in step beside Aria. Aria had to slow down to account for Leia's limp. "Why can't you be like that with everyone else?" Leia asked as they slowly made their way to the off ramp. 

"Because then everyone will think I'm a giant, sensitive leader who they can walk all over." Aria hufffed at the mere idea of going soft. "I am perfectly fine with the way people think of me." Aria paused to give Leia her hand to help her step down off the ramp. Aria thought nothing of it, but once agian it proved her caring disposition. 

"Look at this place..." Poe let his head fall back as he turned in a circle and looked up at the ceiling. Aria and Leia watched him in mild amusement. He reminded Aria of herself when she was first allowed in Leia's office. He held the same whimsical look on his face. 

"This was known was Base Four in the days of the Rebel Alliance..." Leia spoke loud enough for all surrounding officers to hear, even over the other landing transports. "It was heavily armored in case of an attack. All surrounding bases would come here for protection." Leia looked directly at Poe next as she said, "This is where your mother and father met..."

Aria's eyes widened as she looked over at Poe. Instead of surprise like she anticipated, a sort of realization dawned in Poe's wide, brown eyes. He looked away from Leia as he moved further into the hangar to explore. 

"I need to get this place up and running." Aria dropped her hand that was still holding on to Leia's. "We need that door operational before the First Order get here." 

Leia nodded. "I will stand watch." 

When Leia left, Aria turned to try and find the main controls. The hangar was vast, filled with old, abandoned equipment that she found was extremely outdated as she peeped into the boxes. A thick layer of dust coated everything she touched, and as she dropped a lid back down on one box all the dust flew up in the air and made her sneeze. 

She covered her mouth and nose with her elbow as she looked through more boxes. Each one held a history that she would love to dive into, but she knew there were more pressing matters- like getting the door ready to close. 

Further back in the hangar, closer to the doors that lead deep into the mountain, she found the control panel. It was more like an old communications desk. It stood four feet tall and about ten feet wide. There were computers older than Aria herself, but when she flipped their switch they burst to life as if they were installed just yesterday.