Kyber Heart - Poe Dameron

Chapter 14

The X-Wings broke formation as they reached land, S-Foils locking into attack position as they took to the skies. Some aimed for the troopers on the ground, while others chased down the scrambled TIE fighters, sending them crashing to the ground in flames.

The blasts scattered their captors, leaving Han, Chewie, Finn and Nova free and exposed in the dust and smoke.

They grabbed their weapons back from fallen troopers and split off into pairs, re-joining the battle with renewed hope and resolve. With the cover of the entire Resistance defence squadron, they had little to fear – the battle was as good as won.

Finn had been able to procure a blaster, putting him back into his comfort zone as he took out any straggling stormtroopers.

Nova joined him; the pair covering each other as they moved through the field, doing their best to outrun TIE fighter fire. One particularly heavy blast brought them to a stop, the dirt before their feet kicked up sky-high.

The fighter banked around for another attack it would never get to make.

An X-Wing, painted strikingly in black and orange, chased it down and destroyed it, almost as if it had personally offended him in some way. It was left to fall to the lake without a second thought.

The X-Wing continued its arc across the sky, impossibly tight in its manoeuvres. The flight path was smooth. No movement second guessed. Every turn and spin deliberate. Every shot finding its mark.

Only one person could pilot that ship. Only one person could pilot like that.

Nova gasped in relief, feeling like her heart skipped a beat.

He was alive.

"That's one helluva pilot!" Finn whooped, watching on in wonder.

"Great!" Han yelled from behind a fallen wall. "Now how about you two get your admiring selves over here before you get shot?"

The young pair followed his orders, running back to cover.

Nova winced with every stride; the spike in adrenaline doing little to dull the pain anymore. Too much strain on an already battered and bruised area – still with no telling how bad the injury was.

"You good, kid?" Han asked, catching her as she stumbled.

She nodded. Her eyes were watery, but shining bright with joy.

Soon enough, the First Order were pulling out – conceding their loss. Any remaining troops returned to their transports, the last few TIEs circling them like birds as air support.

Only then was the command shuttle revealed – the same one from Jakku. The long, rigid wings stretching up to the sky. And walking towards it, the monster himself.

Han's face fell, while Nova's turned cold.

In his arms was Rey – unconscious but alive.

Nova's heart sank as Finn took off running in a desperate attempt to reach her, but to no avail. The ramp closed, and the ships took off, clearing the atmosphere to jump to lightspeed, away to a location unknown.

Han sighed, tightening his hold on his daughter; whether it was to provide or seek comfort did not matter. He just needed to know that she was still there in the face of another tragedy.

"He took her!" Finn skidded to a stop; voice hoarse. "Did you see that? He took her, she's gone."

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Han was distant in his response, suddenly quiet and shaken.

Above them, another ship was coming into land – a Resistance transport, fashioned out of an old B-Wing bomber that had seen better days. Just like most of the resources at their disposal.