Resisting // Poe Dameron

1

"What's your code, trooper?" I ask.

"FN-2187. You?" They respond.

"DL-0253" I say. 'Is this your first mission?"

"Yeah, I'm usually in sanitation, but I guess they were getting desperate." FN-2187 tried to joke. I saw through it though.

"Everything's gonna be fine, just remember the side of the war we're on," I say. I'm hoping that this will get into his head. Maybe get those gears turning to finally click into the right way, the one that shows him how wrong this side of the war is.

With this we turn back to our stations as the transport approaches the planet of Jakku. As the metal doors open I think back to my family, my reason to keep going. I hope that my secret meaning sinks into the other troopers' minds and goes out into battle.

------

I think it's safe to say that this mission was less than a success for the First Order. Whatever we went there to receive we didn't get, but we did get a prisoner from the Resistance, and apparently he's like some really good pilot or whatever. I could care less.

Honestly after this mission I felt so exhausted by everything that I just wanted to go back to my lumpy, uncomfortable barracks and take a nap, something most troopers don't usually do after missions, but at the same time most troopers aren't actively trying to inconspicuously conspire against the First Order.

In any case my plans for a nap were spoiled as I ran into FN-2187 in the hallway, looking frantic but very much alive and challenging the death statistics.

"Woah there," I say as he almost comes barreling into me.

"DL-0253, I figured it out." Even though I couldn;t see his face under the bulky helmet of the stormtrooper uniform I could definitely tell what he was saying. So I Grab his arm and head down to my barracks, where no one ever is after a mission.

Once we get there I remove my helmet which prompts him to do the same. " I realize now that I don't want to be here and either you don;t want to be either or I've just signed my death warrant."

"No," I say. "No, no. I don't want to be here either. I've never wanted to be here. I've wanted to leave for my entire twelve years here, I just never felt strong enough to do it on my own. But now maybe we can."

"Leave, like" FN-2187 pauses. "Like leave this base?"

"Yes." I say, "Don't you see. This program is the absolute worst they treat us like crap and all we do is kill innocent people. I thought you just realized this?"

"I mean, yeah but I didn't think you meant we would be leaving the base."

"What were we just gonna take them down from the inside. Of course not, now here's the plan."

———

And that's how I ended up standing outside the prisoners holding area the next day, FN-2187 inside, hopefully fooling the other troopers that are standing guard and getting the prisoner.

This prisoner is a resistance pilot, and apparently a really good one. If we can get him out of here he might just fly us off this wretched ship. We also know that whatever is in his head is something that Kylo Ren wants really badly. So it makes sense when FN-2187 says, "Ren wants the prisoner." To the trooper assigned to protect the prisoner.

Not too long after, FN-2187, the prisoner and I are walking down the hall. "Turn here," I say, turning into yet another supply closet. From here I let FN-2187 do most of the talking.

"Listen carefully." He starts. "You do exactly what I say I can get you out of here."

The prisoner looks slightly dazed, and very confused. "What?"