Close to Me {Poe Dameron}

twenty-two

R2-D2, who had been close by, whined softly making Kat look up. "Oh, Artoo." She sniffled. The droid rolled around to her and Kat wrapped her arms around one of the droids she had known all her life.

After a few moments, she let go and stood so she could drape a sheet over Leia. "Will you go ask Maz to gather everyone here? I've got an announcement to make." Her voice cracked once more as she asked the astromech droid to fetch everyone.

Rose ran the moment she heard Artoo's message to Maz, immediately engulfing her friend into a hug. "I'm so sorry. What do you need?"

Kat held onto her friend tightly as a few more sobs wracked through her body. "I need you here with me as I make the announcement."

"Of course. Anything you need." Rose squeezed her.

As if on cue Maz spoke up, alerting both women to hers and the rest of the Resistance's presence. "General, we're all here."

Kat sniffled and wiped her tears as she pulled away from Rose. She nodded her thanks towards Maz and stepped forward to address the Resistance. "During this fight, we have lost many but today is an especially hard loss. Leia Organa is no longer with us. She fought her entire life for what was right and led us all to where we are today about to face our biggest battle yet. I hope to be half the General she was. We will continue forward for those who cannot fight against the First Order but we will also continue in the light and the hope, the legacy that Leia leaves behind." She wiped some more tears away before continuing. "We will take a few moments of silence to honor her but then we need to bring the Falcon back home so we can get to Exegol and finish this once and for all."

She felt the cold metal of Artoo nudge her hand. She smiled down at the droid who led her back to Leia's bedside. D'Acy and Maz each hugged her, telling her how proud Leia would be which made Kat cry even more. Rose took Kat's hand and squeezed it, reminding her that she wasn't alone.

The sound of the command center chiming broke things up. Kat looked towards it, prepared to go when D'Acy told her to stay. The rest of the group dispersed then, going back to preparations.

"I need to go back out there," Kat whispered. "Have you gotten any new information?" She turned to ask Rose.

"Not anything that we didn't know before. I just know those ships inside and out now."

Kat nodded. "Good. We'll need that for our plan of attack." She let out a sigh, wiping away her tears once more. "Alright, back out there I go."

✧☆✧

"The Falcon will be returning soon. They said they had a dire message for the General." D'Acy informed Kat once she got to the command center.

"Did you tell them?"

The other woman shook her head. "I figured I would tell them when they got here."

Kat nodded. "So what has your team been working on?"

D'Acy soon explained what the ground control had been working on in regards to the Destroyer specs. How they could attack against the First Order's communication and how that could assist with the Navy. "Kat, I also would like for you to think about promoting someone else for the military side of things. I think I'd rather finish my time with the Resistance at the command center, be the commander directly under you."

"Oh. You sure? I was planning on bringing you to General as well."

D'Acy smiled and squeezed Kat's arm. "I appreciate it, General but it's what I want. I'm starting to get a bit too old to lead the army out into a battle."