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WITH LEIA'S RETURN to the ranks of the Resistance, everything seems to fall back in order. All the chaos that had formerly surrounded the ship fades away in the presence of their fearless leader. If anyone seems to notice how pale General Organa is or how heavily she seems to be leaning on her cane, they don't mention it. They're all too damn happy to have her back with them to let it dampen their newly lifted spirits.
The transport shuttles are filled to the brim with the last of the Resistance's troopers. Indira watches from a distance as people board them one by one. Her focus is split between the ships and her aunt, who had pulled Vice Admiral Holdo aside for a few moments prior to have a private word with her before the ship's final evacuation was complete.
Their voices are too low for Indira to hear, but she does her best to not appear to be eavesdropping even though that is exactly what she is trying to do. When both of the women look her direction, she quickly turns her head the other way and pretends to be focused on something else. However, her appearance must be unconvincing. Leia waves her over with a knowing look and Indira ducks her head sheepishly, dragging her feet as she approaches.
"Indira," Leia says, "I think it's high past time that I properly introduced you to my good friend, Amilyn Holdo."
Indira looks at the vice admiral with a wary expression, watching as the older woman outstretches a hand. "Lieutenant Beren."
"Vice Admiral," she responds with a stiff nod of her head. She doesn't reach out to take the other woman's hand and instead chooses to shove her fists into her pockets.
Holdo drops her hand and clears her throat. "I owe you an apology," she begins. "And an explanation. I know I've been very hard on you these past couple of days."
Indira resists the urge to glare at her. "Understatement of the century."
"It's no excuse, but I wanted to see what you were made of," the woman continues, fixing Indira with her piercing blue-eyed stare. "War is hell. It pushes you to your breaking point over and over again. As a soldier, you either choose to get back up and continue the fight or you stay down when the get are hard. I needed to see if you would stand and fight and you did. Through it all, you kept fighting — a true soldier."
