Poe's P.O.V.
"I know how to fly my own damn cruiser!"
"Obviously not!" Evangeline snaps at me while readjusting levers on the control panel. Growling at her, I slap her hand away from the button before pointing at her frustratedly. "Touch one more thing and I'm taping your hand on the seat."
"Oh, I would love to see you try."
She snaps sarcastically before continuing to press buttons. A second later, the cruiser flies smoother, and she sends me a cocky expression. Rolling my eyes in defeat, I ignore the fact that she actually was helping and not just pressing buttons to sabotage me.
I should have known Han Solo and Leia Organa's daughter would know her way around a ship. In the short time I've known her, I noticed three things; she acts just like her mother when she's mad, controlling like her father and nothing like I thought a Jedi would be.
"So what's your name, hotshot?" Solo speaks up with utter sass in the silence as we cruise through space. "... Or should I just keep calling you a fool, like I have been in my head?"
"You can call me whatever you want, sunshine." I say sweetly, daring not to back down from her attempts to insult me. "... But the name's Poe. Poe Dameron."
"Well, Poe. Poe Dameron." She mocks while tilting her head and explaining. "What did my mother bribe you with this time?"
"What do you mean?" I raise an eyebrow at her while leaning back in my seat. Smirking at me, she waves her cuffed hand and answers. "Oh, you know the usual. If you get my daughter back, I'll give you this mission... This rank... This ship. It's her way of getting resistance members off her back."
"I... Uh..."
I blurt out in slight shock at her words, realizing this isn't the first time Evangeline has dealt with the resistance. She then gives me an amused expression at the sight of my surprised reaction. I did not know Leia has asked others to get Evangeline in return for something.
"Don't feel bad. At least you got farther than most resistance wide-eyed pilots. None of them have been able to get me on their ship. You did." She snorts while tugging lightly at the wrist that's attached to mine. "... Though, if the Guavian Death Gang weren't there, you'd be just like the rest of the mission boys."
"How many times has Leia sent someone from the resistance to get you?" I question while still trying to process her information. Shrugging her shoulder, Evangeline answers while staring out the windows of my cruiser. "A handful, once she even tried herself."
There's silence between us then and her words lingering in the surrounding air. I want to be annoyed, but honestly, what Evangeline is saying sounds like Leia. It's quiet between us for a few minutes as I punch the coordinates to base before something hits me in my mind.
"So... I take it you don't want to be found."
"Oh, wow. You figured that all on your own?"
Evangeline speaks up sarcastically while relaxing in her seat, unbothered by my question. Rolling my eyes at her consistent attitude, I turn to glance at her and find her still staring out the window. Even with the irritated and pouty expression on her face, the Jedi is still very cute, like a baby loth cat.
I should have known Evangeline would be like the most sassy parts of her parents.
"Tell me." Evangeline talks again casually while tilting her head to meet my gaze. "What did my mother offer you?"
"The rank of commander." I mumble under my breath and she let out a light laugh. She nods then with a snarky smirk while saying to herself. "You pilots are all the same..."
"Handsome, heroic, good with the ladies?" I pipe up while my lips form a smirk all on their own. She snorts at my words before correcting me and shaking her head. "Try arrogant, careless, and just plain stupid."
"Are you flirting with me, Solo? I dig it." I tease lightheartedly, making her roll her eyes at me. Sighing, I finally say what I've been thinking since she ran from me. "Okay, what is it? Why don't you like the resistance? Or handsome pilots trying to save you?"
"I don't have a problem with the resistance or ignorant pilots." She answers like people have asked her before. "I just don't like them roping me into their messes."
"Because you can't hack it anymore..." I say in a condescending tone, knowing it will rile her up. The general's daughter glares my way, and I chuckle while teasing her. "What can I say? I saw you do a lot of running today than fighting... Seems like you can't take the heat anymore."
There's silence again between us again and I let out a breath as if this is not how I wanted things to go between us. I thought Evangeline and I would be on better terms than this, but this isn't the Jedi I pictured taking back to Leia. However, she is acting like the daughter of Han and Leia I thought I would pick up.
"Okay. Humor me." I blurt out, not liking how the silence is making tension in the cockpit. "Why do you not like getting roped into the resistance's problems?"
"What's it to you? You're getting the ranking you want, delivery boy."
She grunts at me with a bored expression while tiredly yanking at our restraints. Evangeline sits her seat without a care in the world that she's being taken to the resistance and her mother. Watching her strangely, I shake my head and mumble.
"This is going to be a long ride."
Evangeline's P.O.V.
"Can you still do Jedi voodoo tricks?"
Poe asks and I feel my eye twitch because this man won't shut up, while all I want is some peace and quiet. Slouching in my seat, I glance around the cockpit, wondering what I can do to get out of this. Dameron is casually steering the wheel, and I can sense him feeling uneasy about my attitude.
Good.
I'm not ready to see my mother. Hell, I'm not ready for the responsibility she's going to shove at me. I know the moment I get to the resistance's base, my mother is going to tell me how much they need me and how I need to track down Kylo Ren and Luke.
I haven't seen my brother and uncle since the day he ranked me a Jedi Knight. It's because of that stupid rank my brother became Kylo Ren and Luke disappeared. If our uncle just granted both of us Jedi Knights, none of this would have happened.
Years ago, all I wanted was to be ranked a Jedi Knight, just like Dameron here really wants to be a commander. However, my rank lost me a home, a brother, an uncle, and basically everything in between. If I go to the resistance, it will just remind me more about the old days.
"What would you like me to call you, dollface?" Poe asks another question in a playful tone and I can tell he's pulling out all the stops to get me to stop my silent brooding. "Sunshine, baby, sweetheart, honeybun?"
"Eva is fine."
Rolling my eyes, I slouch more in my seat, yanking my cuffed wrist just to remind me that's why I'm here. Out of all the pilots my mother sent, she sent the most irritating one. Can't this guy take a hint?
"That's no fun. All my girls have pet names."
He teases and I feel a vein popping on my forehead from knowing he's doing everything to get under my skin. Maybe I should have taken my chances with the Guavian Death Gang. For a moment, it's silent in the cockpit and I let out a breath of relief.
Staring out at the stars as Poe flies us through space, I feel like I'm waiting for a parent to give me a talk like they would with a kid that does something bad. Poe's taking me straight to Leia so she can work her politician words and get me to join her resistance.
Honestly, I would join the resistance; not a day goes by that I don't think about joining. Though I'm not like Poe and every other sucker joining the resistance. I'm a Jedi Knight, the General's daughter, the enemy's twin sister.
Joining the resistance isn't that simple for me. Plus, Poe has a point... I might not be able to take the heat anymore. I haven't picked up a light saber and flown a starfighter in six years, so I might be a waste of a trip to the resistance's base.
I know when I see my mother again she's going to be over the moon, but still put the weight of the world on my shoulders. Every person Leia sent to get me has all said the same thing: the resistance needs you. Though, I could get there and not be what they need.
"So, where's your light saber?"
"I. Don't. Know." I answer boredly while keeping my eyes on the galaxy outside the windows. In the next second, Poe asks with pure curiosity. "Forgot it somewhere or got taken from you?"
I stay silent and let out a breath of irritation from all his questions. Out of all the resistance, my mother had to pick the most perky one. Tilting my head as we pass a few stars, I then hear his voice again.
"You know... This I hate you attitude doesn't faze me."
My mouth stays jammed shut as he continues talking.
"I can see right through you." He hums out, and I can sense a smirk coming to his lips. "You're like an open book to me."
"How so?"
I breathe out before lifting my feet onto the dashboard. When I don't hear him answer, I glance at him and find him already looking at me. Smiling all too bubbly for my taste, I watch him say.
"You're a lot like your parents. That's how."
"Okay, tell me, flyboy." I tilt my head and smirk at him sarcastically. "What happens after you get the rank you oh so crave to have? You get all the resistance girls you want? Prove you're worth something in this galaxy?"
"I get enough ass with my looks... As you can see." Poe chuckles before nodding his head and answering honestly. "... But, yes. To prove I'm more than what this galaxy says I am."
I sit up, intrigued then at his confession, before leaning on the armrest closest to him. He looks at me nervously from my change of posture before looking back at our path route. Humming innocently, I ask in an all too light tone.
"... And when you do finally prove you're more, and the galaxy sees your worth... Will you be ready for people to turn to you to make the hard decisions?"
Poe's P.O.V.
"Yes, I will."
I answer instantly without a sparing a second and out of the corner of my eyes I see her roll her eyes. She leans back in her seat while shaking her head and smiling. Getting a better look at her, I notice her eyes aren't really looking at anything.
"... One day, your answer is going to chance." She says slowly in a soft tone with a stiff expression. "... And you're going to wish the galaxy didn't expect more out of you." I watch her tilt her head and smile sadly at herself. "You're going to wish you didn't try so hard."
"No. I won't, because I believe in what I'm fighting for."
"I did too..."
She giggles without humor before fidgeting with the restraint around her wrist. Staring at her carefully, I wonder if that's the exact reason she doesn't want to go back to the resistance. Perhaps Evangeline doesn't want the galaxy to expect more out of her.
Thinking about it now, I can remember pilots in my past units talking about how they need someone like the Solo girl beside me. They'd say we need a brilliant pilot like Han, someone who knows how to command like Leia, and a Jedi like Luke. All three of them are wrapped in one who's known as Evangeline Solo.
"How does my mother look?" I suddenly hear Evangeline speak up in the silence. Glancing at her and smiling lightly, I say in a casual tone. "You'll find out soon enough-"
Suddenly, the gas tank blinks and I glance down at the screen in confusion. I'm almost at empty but I know I had enough fuel for this trip. The tank has to be leaking because I'm sure I filled the cruiser enough before leaving base.
"I'm guessing you didn't lock your gas tank when you arrived at Daiyu." Evangeline speaks up while smirking at me and relaxing further in her seat. "Rookie mistake."
"At least I have a ship, sweetheart." I snap at her while searching up the closes system near us. "What do you have?"
"Dead weight on my wrist."