𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐎𝐏𝐋𝐄 ── poe dameron

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

D'QAR.
ILEENIUM SYSTEM.

THE SUN BEAT DOWN HARDER ON ANAYA'S NECK AS SHE HEFTED THE BLACK CRATE TOWARDS THE NEBULA. She'd been outside long enough that she could sense that her skin was growing redder, as her once protective jacket had been discarded after hours of working to load and reload a multitude of different crates into the ship's belly. 

Some of the older boxes, primarily filled with cases of weapons, were too small to have anti-gravs which made for time spent with only physical labor and the lack of planning had delayed Kestrel Squadron's departure. She felt the steady ache in her arm growing from the amount of time she had spent carrying as many of the crates as she could.

She could feel blisters growing, but she didn't even try to stop her work. The faster that they were able to load up, then the faster that they would be able to evade the First Order. That day would be the evacuation of the majority of non-essential Resistance fighters in smaller ships and a few of their little fleet of X-Wings and A-Wings. 

That meant that most squadrons, aside from their commanders, would be gone. The following days were to be spent loading up the cruisers with the small amount of personnel they had left and preparing for the next few months of fleeing. 

Rey was already gone; she had left the day after they had finished the map. Anaya had never gotten to say goodbye. Finn was still in bacta every hour of every day and night, and Anaya realized that, very soon, she was going to be incredibly lonely. 

Her crew was leaving, Rey was gone, and Finn was injured. Most of her friends that she had made in the Resistance either left or were too occupied with their work for her to even try and talk to them. 

She could bury herself in work for as much as she wanted, but it wouldn't fix the hole in her heart that would appear the second Kestrel Squadron left. 

Anaya looked around at the slowly disappearing base and felt a wash of sadness. This place had become her home. But running around, hopping from planet to planet, attempting to settle down? It was familiar, but unwantedly so. 

Seeing this place that she had so many fond memories fade away made her feel a jumbled mess of emotions that she couldn't even name. Watching her crew- her family- leave it as well made it simply feel like it had when she had first arrived. A pretty planet, to say the least, but nothing more.

"Ruadri!" she heard someone yell. Anaya whipped around, hearing the clatter of the spare parts of the crate she held. 

She saw Kasovah, draped in a multitude of layers so as to ease the burden of carrying clothing for deserts and snowy fields. Kas held out her hands, offering her aid. Anaya gratefully placed the box into her friend's open hands. 

"Kas," Anaya started slowly as she transferred the crate, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry about everything. I trust you, you know. I've always trusted you. I just want you to be safe." 

Kasovah smiled, as though she had already forgotten about what had happened before. Anaya knew that she had not, but it was nice of her to pretend.