Stardust ━━ Star Wars

━ 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘅𝘅𝘅𝗶

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chapter thirty-one: the perfect night
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    "SO, TODAY'S THE BIG DAY," Poe says, voice filled with false cheer and forced optimism as he sets his breakfast tray down on the cafeteria table in front of him with a loud clatter. Everyone at the table winces at the volume of the sound — especially Kali, who is sporting a nasty hangover from the previous evening's farewell festivities. "Tonight, you all leave us."

    The words make Indira's stomach drop. She'd done her best to ignore the fact that this day had to come, but the reality is right in front of her. She can't ignore it any longer: today her friends — and her mother — would be leaving, indefinitely, until circumstances allowed them to reunite once more. For her friends, it hinged on their ability to find allies somewhere in the galaxy to aid the Resistance cause. For her mother, it depended on one monumental and seemingly impossible event: the Resistance winning the war.

     "Don't remind me," Jessika groans, burying her face in her hands. "Even thinking about it makes me want to cry. Can't we just pretend that it's a normal day?"

     Poe frowns at Jessika's obvious distress. "Aw, come on, Testor," he coaxes, putting on a brave face for his younger teammate. "This is huge — your first solo mission! You should be excited; I mean, look at just how far you've come!"

     Indira can only imagine just how difficult this must be for him as she watches him play team leader to a team that will soon be leaving him behind. Black Squadron was more than just a team to Poe Dameron; it was his family. And now, every single member of that family would be gone, leaving Poe on his own. Even so, he does his best to keep everyone's spirits up; he jokes and laughs and encourages his teammates as best he can in spite of his own stinging disappointment.

     "But what about you?" Jess asks, still sounding considerably miserable. "You're going to be stuck here. It's not right!"