Sanctuary - The Story of Saraya Ophil

Chapter 43

"I don't know how to do this. What you did... I'm not ready."

When Saraya heard his voice, she hesitated. It felt wrong to disturb him at such a moment. She would have preferred to stay outside with Finn, but now she found herself at the entrance of the Falcon. She weighed her options briefly. If she left him alone now, it would only make the situation worse. He needed her now.

Bravely, she took a few steps into the common area. "Hey," she said gently as she entered the open space. Poe was leaning against the holo-table, staring blankly at the holo-figures that moved waiting on their positions. "Are you okay?"

Poe removed his hand from his head and looked up at her as she approached and sat down beside him on the bench.

"Forget Finn. He doesn't know what he's saying," she tried. She searched for his gaze, but Poe skillfully avoided her. He turned his side to her and looked at the game board. However, he wasn't looking at the figures. He seemed to look through them, beyond them. "You're doing a damn good job and he could never..."

"He's right," Poe interrupted Saraya. He heard her hold her breath and swallow her words. She listened to him. After a few seconds, he turned his head back to her. "I'm not Leia."

Something inside her broke. In the past years, she had seen many sides of Poe Dameron. But she had never seen him this desperate. It was as if the weight he carried on his shoulders was burying him beneath it. Encouragingly, she took his hand in hers.

"You're not Leia," she repeated Finn's words. With a gentle smile on her lips, she shook her head. "No one is like her. But you're so much more than just not Leia."

Poe looked up and finally met her gaze.

"You're Poe Dameron. Leader of Black Squadron, Commander, and a damn great pilot with a huge ego." So many other things came to her mind. She couldn't even list them all. "The members of the Resistance look up to you."

"Do you look up to me?"

At first, Saraya was confused, tilting her head slightly. But as she drew breath to answer him, she saw the slight mischievous grin on his lips. "Are you trying to flirt with me?" she asked, surprised, and had to laugh lightly.

Innocently, Poe shrugged. "Yes. Is it working?" Her words had lifted his spirits, and he knew she was right. No one expected him to be like Leia. His only task was to make the right decision.

Saraya felt a surge of determination as she made her way down the cliff. The stormy sea roared below her, the powerful waves crashing against the jagged rocks. The once daunting ascent now seemed like a distant memory as she focused on her goal.

She reached the bottom and sprinted towards the skimmer, its sleek, impervious hull waiting at the edge of the water. She hopped in and started the engine, the vehicle's engines roaring to life as it prepared to cut through the turbulent sea.

As she approached the metal structure jutting out into the water, the fierce wind whipped her hair around her face, making it difficult to see. But the flickering lights of the lightsabers were unmistakable, cutting through the chaos of the storm like beacons guiding her way.

The skimmer moved with remarkable speed across the waves, each crest and trough threatening to send it spiraling into the ocean. The skimmer, designed to handle rough conditions, managed to keep its course as Saraya navigated towards the metal platform.

The metal structure loomed closer, and Saraya could make out more details. The lightsabers were not just flickering; they were actively in use, clashing against each other, creating a stunning display of combat. The turret at the end of the platform stood ominously, and the TIE fighter was partially submerged, almost as if it were guarding the structure against intruders.