Kyber Heart - Poe Dameron

Chapter 50

The pursuing speeder was left blinded, driving over a section of rock in the confusion, leaving its weaker parts exposed – a fact the rebels were quick to capitalise on.

Rey swerved the speeder around, and together with Nova and Chewie landed enough shots to turn it to smoking debris.

"Good job, buddy!" Nova praised.

"Never underestimate a droid!"

Chewie managed to land a killing blow to their persistent jet trooper, sending him bulleting to the ground. They sailed on smoothly, reaching further into the endless desert of the Forbidden Valley.

Before long, they came upon another outcrop of stone, atop which was a freighter. An old one, most likely dating back to a time between wars, maybe older. Regardless, it looked to have been abandoned for some time. No doubt it was their target.

"Ochi's ship!" Rey exclaimed, though the delight on her face was short lived, replaced by something akin to dread. "I've seen that ship before..."

Nova frowned, but before she could pass any comment, a blast upended the speeder, sending its occupants flying forward weightlessly. A second blast followed, rendering the second speeder to the same state as the first.

Nova groaned as she landed on her back amidst her companions on a patch of black sand. She pushed herself to her knees, muscles aching from the shock. With gritted teeth she retrieved her blaster, leading the others to do that same.

The final jet trooper circled around them as they opened fire, remaining relentless until a hit was finally landed. The jetpack sparked into malfunction, sending its wearer careening through the air to collide with the side of a cliff, exploding on impact.

The relief it brought was short lived.

Below them, the ground began to shift, sucking them down under the surface. It felt claustrophobic as their bodies were overwhelmed by the black substance, with no way of telling what lay beneath.

"The hell is this?" Poe snapped.

"Sinking field!" Rey supplied. "Try to grab something!"

"Bit late for that!" Nova grumbled loudly, fighting against the pull of the ground in vain. Before long, she was engulfed over her head, completely buried.

And still sinking.

---

Poe was among the first to fall through the bottom, surprised to find himself in an open space of winding passages. The softness of his landing was also a surprise. Until he heard a groan from beneath him.

"Poe, I'm not a mattress."

Through the darkness he managed to make out Nova's face. Shifting to remove his weight from her upper body, he could not help but smirk at their position and her slightly murderous expression. "I don't get this view often."

"Keep this up and you never will again," she grumbled, pushing against his shoulder. "Get off."

Poe complied, helping her up along with him. "Thanks for breaking my fall, sweetheart."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, you?"

"I'll live," she shrugged, grimacing as she felt the sand fall from her ponytail and down her shirt. "Where are the others?"

"Uh –" Poe looked around them, only spotting BB-8. "Rey? Finn?"

"You didn't say my name, sir, but I'm all right," C-3PO said dryly from behind them.