AMARA SAT on a crate inside Babu Frik's place. She kept glancing over at the golden droid being tinkered with.
A frown escaped her lips.
If this is success they'll find Exegol and be able to defeat the Emperor, but at the cost of C-3PO. Sure, Amara recalls how annoying the droid was to deal with growing up, but to her, 3PO felt part of the family. Amara grasped herself, pulling herself in tight. Hugging herself. She feels it in her core that she can't handle saying goodbye to another friend or family. She doesn't think she can handle it.
"Wanna tell me what's on your mind?" It was Finn.
Amara glanced at him.
Finn had moved his way over to Amara, probably sensing her feelings with his new fond Force sensitive ability, either that or based off Rey mediating, he was bored while Babu worked on 3PO.
"I- I don't know how my mom does it," Amara manages to say.
Finn raised his eyebrow in confusion.
Amara kept her eyes on Finn, "War." She then looks at the ceiling, "My mom spent her entire life basically righting in wars. She commanded men and women into battles and some didn't return."
Finn frowns.
"I- I know how much it pains me with the loss I've endured in the war," Amara's gaze moved to Finn, "But I can't comprehend the level of pain my own mother has endured over her life."
Finn gestures for Amara to scoot over on the crate. She glanced at the crate and then did so. She scooted over to allow Finn to sit next to her, which he does.
"How does anyone comprehend their pain from loss?" Finn asks her.
Amara says nothing.
Finn glanced at her, "Clearly being in the Resistance wasn't your goal in life," He says, "What did you always want to be when you grew up?" He asks.
Amara shrugs, "I- I never considered any future pathway," She says, "I- I assumed my mom would've groomed me into politics, I guess."
Finn gives her a small smile, "Nah, I think Leia is too smart to throw you into that." He let out a small laugh.
Amara also laughed at his comment, "Why did you ask?"
Finn shrugs, "Well, for me having the choice in life is so amazing but also- also scary." He says, "My life I was groomed by the First Order and I assumed that I was either going to die in battle or at the hands of the First Order."
Amara frowns.
Finn lets out a small laugh, "Who would've predicted this," He grins, "A former Stormtrooper, scavenger, daughter of war heroes, and a former spice runner out to stop the First Order."
Amara gives a small smile, "I bet if my dad were here-,"
Finn looks over when she heard him mention Han.
Amara kept the smile on her face, "He'd probably bring up how this remind him of when he, mom, Chewie, and Uncle Luke faced off against the Empire." She smiles, "It was always the four of them, together."
Finn placed a hand on top of her hand, the one that wasn't injured, that rested on her knee. Amara looked from the hand then to Finn.
"They became family and I know we're all close like family but-," Amara frowns, "I don't know if I can handle another loss."
Finn frowns, "No one can just deal with death like it's nothing," He says, "I don't expect us all to make it in this war, but I know we'll all try out best to make it."
Finn then does something that he never has done with Amara in the time they've been friends, he pulled her in for a hug and held the woman in his arms.
"We'll be okay," He says, "Because I have a feeling we'll be okay."
All Amara does is nod.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
THE NIGHT sky of Kijimi was dark. Poe and Zorii stood close, but not really close as they were keeping watch. There were some small explosions and screams in the distance from the night raid.
Poe frowns, "How long has it been like this?" Poe asks.
Zorii watched as the pilot of the Resistance looks from the city below towards her. She frowns under her helmet, but despite Poe not seeing the frown he knew it was there.
"First Order took most of the kids a long time ago," Zorii says, "Can't stand the cries anymore. I saved up enough to get out. I'm going to the colonies."
Poe looks at her, "How? All those hyperlinks are blocked."
Zorii kept her attention on him. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a coin. Poe looks at her and then to the coin, there was a sudden realization as to what it was.
"That First Order Captains medallion." Poe almost chuckles at it, "I've never seen a real one."
Zorii looks at Poe, "Free passage through any blockade, landing privileges through any vessel."
Poe and Zorii kept their gaze on one an other. Zorii lifts her other hand, the one that wasn't holding the medallion and taps something on her helmet. This action caused the visor to slide away on her helmet revealing to Poe her eyes.
"Wanna come with me?" Zorii asks.
Poe sat there hearing that question from her. He glances away for a moment and rubbed his hand over his stubbly chin.
If he had been asked this five years ago, maybe three years ago, he would've jumped at the chance to go with Zorii. He had such a strong connection to this woman when he was apart of the crew.
"I can't walk out of this war," Poe says, "Not til it's over. Maybe it is. We sent out a call for help at the Battle of Crait, nobody came. Everyone is so afraid. They've given up."
Zorii watched as this man, this man who captivated her by his charm has fallen. His charm and pride has disappeared into this sad and depressed man.
"Nah," Zorii spoke, "I don't believe you believe that."
Poe kept his gaze toward the city. He had been dealing with the guilt he still is haunted with from the Raddus and from Crait for a year. He knows he is forgiven from the mutiny, but it doesn't change his action. It doesn't bring back all was lost because of his leadership.
Zorii placed a hand on his shoulder, "Hey," She gains his attention, "They win by making you think you're alone. Remember."
Poe nods.
"There's more of us." Zorii says.
Poe nods again and moves his gaze away.
Zorii kept her hand there, "Besides, I'm certain your Jedi girlfriend would be telling you the same thing."
Poe let out a sad chuckle, "You noticed that?" He asks.
Zorii nods.
Poe glanced over at her, despite not seeing her mouth, he could tell through her eyes that Zorii was smiling.
"I'm happy you were able to find love again, Poe." Zorii says.
Poe shakes his head, "No you're not."
Zorii then shoves him, "You're right, I'm not." She says, "I wish you could just run away with me and forget about all of this, but I know that I'm not what you need anymore. I probably never really was much to you besides a distraction."
Poe glanced at her, "No- No, you weren't a distraction for me, Zorii. You meant a great deal to me."
Zorii scoffs, "Which explains how you left one night out of the blue without saying goodbye." She says.
Poe scratches the back of his neck, "Y- Yeah it wasn't the smartest move, but at the time-." He sighs, "It made sense."
Zorii's gaze moved away from him, "I understand, Poe. You were just an angry teenager just trying to find something in this galaxy." She glanced back at him.
Poe gives her a small smile.
"Poe-!" It was Finn's voice.
Poe and Zorii turned toward the stairs where they got to the roof. Below them was Finn standing at the bottom of the steps but in visible site.
"Babu got it." He tells them.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
POE AND Zorii followed Finn down the steps. Below, there was Rey and Amara standing in front of 3PO. Poe noticed the frown on her face, so he went over to her to comfort her. He didn't realize until now that 3PO has been in her family for years, and despite how irritating the droid makes Poe, he knows she cares about C-3PO.
Poe held onto her hand, the one that was injured. Amara glanced from the hand interlocked with hers to him.
"The droid is ready-!" Babu Frik exclaims.
From behind 3PO, Babu activities the droid. The droid's once dark eyes turn on and turn red instead of it's usual color. C-3PO leans up to stand and his head shakes a little.
"The Emperor's Wayfinder is in the Imperial Vault," C-3PO spoke, "At Delta 3 6, Bearing 3 2, on a moon in the Endor System. From the Southern shore, only this blade tells."
3PO repeats the line, "only this blade tells" about three more times before Babu Frik pulled the plug and shut off C-3PO. Babu made like an excited shout.
Finn looks from the droid to Poe, "Endor System, where the last war ended?"
Before anyone could speak the sound of what could be a large ship flew overhead. Poe knew ships, he knew them well. He looked up at the ceiling as did everyone else.
"A Stardestroyer." Poe says.
As it still shook inside the building as the Stardestroyer was passing over top, Rey had a feeling. She moved to the stairs, then Amara felt what Rey seemed to be feeling. Amara released Poe's hand from his grasp and ran after Rey.
"Amara-," Poe calls out.
Finn followed after Rey and Amara, but stopped at the bottom of the steps.
"Rey-," Finn says.
Amara and Rey looked at the Stardestroyer in the sky. Despite how dark the sky was on Kijimi that evening, both Amara and Rey knew it was a Stardestroyer and knew who's Stardestroyer it was.
"Ren's destoryer," Rey calls out.
Poe stepped next to Finn at the bottom of the steps.
"He's here?" Poe calls out.
Amara and Rey never broke focus from the destoryer. What they were sensing, wasn't a what but a who. Rey's eyes widen at the realization at who it was, but didn't look to Amara. Amara, however, had moved her hand to cover her mouth as tears began to slide down her cheek.
"Chewie," Rey spoke.
"What about him?" Finn asks.
Both men look to their female Force user friends to see their facial expression, it was a mixture of relief and shock.
"He's- He's on the ship," Amara's voice cracked a little, "He's alive."
"What?" Poe asks, "How?"
Rey finally turns to face them, "He's alive. He must've been in another transport."
Finn glanced to Poe, "We gotta go get him."
Zorii glanced to Poe, "Your friend is in that skytrash?"
Poe was relieved too, "I guess he is," He says.
Babu flicked a switch and then C-3PO came back on, he sat up and his eyes were his normal colors. Not the red they were before.
"Might I introduce myself," 3PO says, "I am C-3PO, human cyborg relations. And you are?"
Poe points to 3PO, "Okay that's going to be a problem."
Babu goes and talks to 3PO, which leads to Babu and C-3PO talking and introducing one another.
However, Rey's attention turns to Amara. Amara hadn't moved an inch since sensing Chewie's presence on her brother's Stardestroyer. Rey moved over to her friend and placed a hand on Amara's shoulder.
"Amara?" Rey spoke, "A- Are you okay?"
Amara rubs her good hand over her eyes. She had some tear stains on her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy.
"I- I just- I'm just so happy he's okay," Amara looks at Rey.
Rey gives Amara a small smile, "Me too."
Then Rey pulls Amara in for a hug. The two Force users hug it out, but in their hug they both look up at the Stardestroyer once again.
Both knowing who would be expecting them on that ship.
Kylo Ren.
{RISE OF SKYWALKER}
GETTING TO that Stardestroyer was the only important thing to them at that moment. Saving Chewie was the single most important thing in the galaxy. They were running from Babu's place, through the snow. Zorii lead them with Finn and Amara behind her, then Rey, and lastly was Poe with 3PO. The other two droids, BB-8 and D-O were near Rey.
"3PO move your metal ass," Poe yells, "We're almost there!"
"How dare you!" C-3PO yells, "We just met!"
Zorii had stopped and as Poe reached her, she grabbed his arm forcing him to stop.
"Poe-," Zorii says.
Poe halts and spun around to face her. Rey, Finn, Amara, and the droids, minus 3PO who was still moving down, had also stopped.
Zorii holds up the medallion, "Might get you on the Capitol ship."
Poe looks at the medallion in shock.
"Go help your friend," Zorii says.
"Zorii, I don't think I can take this-," Poe was cut off.
"I don't care what you think," Zorii says.
Zorii grabs his arm and pulls it out. He was then given the medallion into the palm of his hand. Poe looks at the medallion now resting in his palm then to Zorii. The sound of a TIE Fighter from above gained Rey's attention. She looks over at the TIE Fighter and then turns to Poe.
"We have to go," Rey says, "Now!"
Poe starts to move but halts, "Come with us," He says.
Zorii looks at Amara and then to Poe, "Poe," She shakes her head, "Go."
She slightly shoves him forward and then two part. Poe running towards his friends as Zorii runs back in the direction of Babu's place. They quickly rounded the corner and there was their ship. One by one, they all got on. 3PO being the last one on, no surprise. When the droid was fully on, Amara shouted back to Rey and Poe, to lift the ramp.
The ramp was lifted and the ship took off seconds after that. The ship flew in the air and as Poe and Rey piloted the ship towards Ren's Stardestroyer, Poe finds the spot to insert the medallion into to grant them permission to land on the destroyer.
Poe flicked a few switches and then turns to Rey, "Medallion's good."
Rey looks at Poe and nods.
"Prepare for entrance in the hangar 12." Poe says.
Finn and Amara, who were sitting behind the pilots, nodded at Poe.
"Hang on Chewie," Rey says, "We're coming."
C-3PO turns to the group in the cockpit, "Whoever this Chewie person is," The droid spoke, "This is madness."
Amara looks at 3PO, "It might not be logically but this is what family does," She says, "We don't leave anyone behind."
Amara's gaze moved from C-3PO to the window to see the Stardestroyer getting closer and closer.
"We're coming," Amara says in a whisper.
(re-uploaded: 7/18/21)