I typed my destination into the navigation unit and was immediately given a set of coordinates and a red target point on the radar screen. There was also a blue pulsing dot on the radar screen that I took to be my position in relation to the coordinates.
I slowly pushed forward on the throttle and began my trip to The Resistance's base, leaving The First Order and Kylo Ren behind me.
_____
It took me a few hours to reach the planet that held The Resistance's base. The Resistance moves their base so frequently, so I was naturally afraid that The First Order's ship wasn't programmed with the right coordinates.
But when the planet came into view, I made the connection that the coordinates were correct. The planet was clearly filled with greenery and it's nature was thriving, which was how I remembered the base as I walked through it with the guards.
Now I had to locate the base on the massive planet without scouring every inch of the land. I first descended through the atmosphere, wondering if the coordinates would become more detailed and lead me to the exact location of the base, but no such thing.
I then picked up the radio and began speaking into it.
"Hello, this is Nira Leven looking for The Resistance's base." I wasn't sure if it was safe for me to announce that I was there or why, but I did regardless of the dangers because I knew that's how I was going to find the base quickest.
I continued to repeat that statement as I circled the planet and finally received feedback after an hour of static silence.
"Nira, this is The Resistance's main communication center. We are sending pilots into the air to come locate and retrieve you. Remain airborne." It was a man's voice, and my heart fluttered with excitement at his words. Everything in my plan was falling through.
"Copy that!" I exclaimed, struggling to keep the thrill and joy out of my voice.
I was a little afraid that when I landed on the base I would be taken prisoner again, but it would be worth it if the treaty could be made.
I floated in the air for a few minutes, but it did not take long for The Resistance's pilots to find me. Soon enough I heard the roars of their X-wing engines and they herded me back to the base.
I suffered a horrible landing from lack of never landing a ship before. I jolted about in the cockpit and I'm pretty sure I broke the ship, but it didn't matter. I slowly climbed out of the cockpit and surveyed the surroundings.
Again, people on all sides were gaping at me as if I was a strange alien life form (not like that would be too unfamiliar in this galaxy).
I jumped out of the cockpit and landed with agility on the ground. I stood up straight, dusted off my combat gear, and looked at the pilots who slowly came up to me.
"I'll take you straight to the General," One attractive man with wavy dark brown hair and tan skin offered. I nodded in agreement and began to follow him, ecstatic that I wouldn't be put into a holding cell. I would be treated as a guest.
"I'm Poe. Nice to meet you." The pilot introduced himself.
"Nira." I replied nervously -- even though I had come here voluntarily, I still felt like an outsider and an intruder.
"I know who you are, kid. You're a legend." He laughed, and I smiled and chuckled uneasily.
We walked into a short stone building. I glanced around and noted that the General was reviewing a turquoise square hologram. The hologram was filled with radars, graphs, and omitted beeping noises of all kinds consistently.
"General. Here she is." Poe announced, standing proudly. Leia looked up at him with a kind smile, nodded, and said, "Thank you, Poe."
Poe turned around and left. The General turned to me.
"Nira. What is it? I'm sorry that our last conversation was . . . Cut short." She nodded and smiled.
I looked around the room for a few seconds, debating what to say. I finally burst out, "I came here to work with you. I want to work with you more on the peace treaty and I knew that wasn't going to happen if I was on The First Order."
A serious countenance shone over the General's face and she looked at me serenely. "That's great, Nira. While at their base, did you get a chance to converse with Kylo Ren about the treaty?"
I felt a sinking sensation in my gut. I then knew that I should've done that, and I was annoyed with myself for not thinking of it.
"No, I didn't." I admitted ashamedly. The General nodded curtly and replied, "That's fine. We'll just have to contact him again from here. I don't think it'd be wise for you to return to their base at the moment."
I swallowed nervously, realizing what I had done. I had turned against The First Order. I didn't know if it would ever be safe for me to return there. Now I was beginning to feel a bit of regret about my decision of betrayal.
"How do we get him to work with us?" I asked her this because I hadn't a single clue on how to make this treaty work.
"Well, did you leave discreetly or was he involved?" Leia returned with another question.
I raised my eyebrows and looked around the room awkwardly, not wanting to be looking Leia in the eyes when I released the bad news on her. "He felt me trying to escape with The Force and chased after me in a ship. He only gave up on the chase when I told him to repeatedly."
The General looked mildly amused and quite surprised. "Well we will have to deal with those circumstances, but it will be fine. You will just have to be a little more, ah, convincing."
I nodded determinedly, ready to take on the task.
"Kylo Ren will have to be in agreement with the treaty for it to be successful and official. I'm beginning to see that nothing over there can get done successfully without him or his approval." Leia observed comically. I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Of course we have espionage missions in action on their base. To be able to conquer the enemy, one must be affiliated with the enemy." The General wisely advised, and I was supremely impressed.
General Organa then asked, "You know what you'll have to do to be most persuasive, don't you, Nira?"
I was fearful of what she was going to tell me to do. "No, I don't." I cautiously answered.
"Even though it won't be smart for you to return to The First Order's base, that's what you're going to have to do. At this point, any communications with The First Order from this base will be impracticable, or else I would be thrilled to have you remain here where you are guaranteed safety."
At her words, my heart froze. I had come to The Resistance's base set on making a temporary residency until the entire treaty was sorted out. I hadn't planned on arriving only to be told fifteen minutes into my stay that it would be necessary for me to go back to my origins.
I didn't want to go back. I was afraid of what would happen to me upon my return.
But I was determined to get the idea of the peace treaty fulfilled. I needed to restore tranquility where I had disrupted it.
"Of course." I agreed to return to The First Order willingly, but in fear.
"Would you like one of our most skilled pilots to return you?" The General offered, and I thought about it for a few moments before replying, "Sure."
"We'll have your flight arranged in the morning. For now I can afford to let you stay in a more comfortable cell and you can have dinner if you like."
I shrugged. "Why not? Thank you."
"Alright, we will have everything set in stone immediately. I will contact you again before nightfall to ensure that all the plans are in place. Thank you for cooperating with us, Nira." With that, the General left me alone in the room.
I began to debate my decision. Was coming to The Resistance's base a good idea? I had never even see proof of the treaty, so why had I been so willing to jeopardize the only life I knew at The First Order for some idea that may not even be successful or real? What if this was all a plot to overthrow The First Order?
If the treaty was a trick, then I would have to deal with that problem when I reached that point. For now, I had to trust my instincts to aid the creation of the peace treaty.
The doors to the room opened several minute slater. I whipped around to see Poe, the man who had escorted me to the General. He came and sat on the dusty metal bench across the large hologram display from me.
"Hey, First Order," He nicknamed me in his strong, confident voice, and I didn't particularly enjoy that nickname, "I heard about your planning session with the General. Have you met the best pilot here? He can take you back."
I scrutinized him from across the display. He was grinning at me, and I was surprised that he was so outgoing to someone who had been working with his enemy for so long. I mean, I wasn't sure that The First Order was Poe's personal enemy, but he worked with The Resistance so I naturally assumed so.
I glanced at his bright orange suit with several foreign symbols, then to his short black vest, then up to his brilliantly glowing face. "No, I haven't met the pilot. Why?" I questioned suspiciously.
"I'm not important enough to meet the pilot, but the talk around town says that the pilot is one of the most attractive people in the galaxy. By far." Poe seemed to be bragging, but I was confused and suspicious as to why he was telling me this. So I asked.
"Why do I care?" I asked, not caring how much of my accusing uncertainty leaked into my words.
"Well, isn't he flying you back to The First Order? I figured you'd want to know who you're dealing with. I heard that the pilot is one of the smartest people with The Resistance, too." Poe sat back, looking quite satisfied with himself.
"Okay," I answered slowly, "I still don't get why you're telling me this. They're only giving me a ride."
Silence ensued. Poe's grin only grew wider.
"I'm sure the two of you will get along great." At these words, Poe stood up and smacked his palms onto the table, causing me to jump with fright.
"What -- how do you know that?" I asked quickly as he began to stride out of the room. I rotated my body as he walked to continue firing questions at him. "If you've never met him, how do you know we'll get along?"
Poe stopped right before the threshold and turned his torso so he was looking at me. His blazing smile never seemed to diminish.
"I guess I just have a feeling for these sorts of things."
With that, Poe left me.
I turned back, confused by that entire interaction.
I was never left alone for too long. A few guards came in soon after Poe had departed. They took me to a wonderful cell with a window facing the mountains, a lamp, a desk, and a bed. I got comfortable. The sun was setting on the green planet and I was aching with exhaustion.
My meal was brought to me by a guard and I wolfed it down easily. I had been suffering from stabbing pangs of hunger previous to my dinner, but my gut jutted out after the meal. I laid myself gently on the bed and fell asleep uneasily, afraid to return to The First Order not a full day before I had betrayed them.
_____
Author's Note
Sorry I'm camping up north gotta go to save my data!