Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"THE NEW PILOTS ARE hopeless," Poe announces, dropping himself onto the hull of his beloved X-wing Black One and sliding down the surface into a slouched seated position next to BB-8 and EV-1, who had been keeping Indira company while she made some improvements to the T-70's design. Indira pauses her welding to shoot Poe a dirty look from behind her goggles, setting down the torch in her hand so she can shush him.
"They might be nearby!" Indira scolds. "What if they heard you? You can't hurt their feelings like that; they're only just starting out. This is all brand new to them!"
"I know, I know," Poe says hastily, lowering his voice. "But I'm worried, Indira. Seriously! Half of my pilots were taken out on Starkiller and the other half were sent out by the General on recon missions, which has left me with a bunch of junior pilots who have absolutely no clue what they're doing! A majority of them haven't even seen combat before — gods forbid they get into any dogfights with the First Order anytime soon — and I just ..." he heaves a sigh, rubbing his hands over his face. "I miss my team. I miss my friends. I want Black Squadron back."
BB-8 affectionately bumps against his master's knee, letting out a trill of very thoughtful beeps. "Thanks, Bee," Poe says half-heartedly, though his expression stays miserable. "You are my friend and I'm glad you're still with me, buddy. I just miss my other friends, too. Yeah — like how you had fun when you were with Finn and Rey while we were separated, but still missed me. It just doesn't feel right."
"I know," Indira agrees, fidgeting with a loose bolt. "Things have felt off ever since they left."
Although that in itself could be entirely Indira's own fault, seeing as she had been the one who had gotten herself onto Leia's bad side by being a loudmouthed hothead. It was entirely possible that her sense of unease could have nothing to do with the absences of her friends and everything to do with her own unremarkable yet uncanny ability to fuck shit up.
