Battle Scars

Chapter IX

Diana slept soundly that night after having to convince Mae that nothing happened that night after dinner.  But, the next morning wasn't so calm. During the night, a pilot radio in the location where his scanners picked up several life forces in the middle of an asteroid belt. General Organa immediately suspected the Frist Order had some type of installation there. 

Poe and Diana stood in the command room stealing glances at each other as the general pulled up the data. "It seems odd to have that strong of a signal in the middle of an asteroid field," Poe commented. 

Diana looked around to make sure that no one was in the room other than the three of them. "There are some installations that the First Order can't move. It would make sense if they were to hide one in there. I just don't know what it is." Diana tried to remember what would have been in that sector, but she was not aware of every location that the First Order had a base. 

"So, you can easily assume that whatever is out there is First Order?" The General and Poe looked at her for an answer. 

"Yes, there is no other faction, that I am aware of, that would build anything in such a dangerous area." 

"What do you want us to do General?" Poe turned his gaze from Diana to the General. 

"This is a recon mission. Find out what's out there but do not engage." The General gave a hard stare at the commander. 

Diana smirked. Poe was known for getting into trouble on recon missions. This would be the first time she would be by his side instead of the opposing side. 

"You two leave out immediately. Poe, don't take your ship. We don't want to become an obvious target." Poe looked a little sad. He loved his custom T-70 but he did paint it black while the rest was a greyish white. 

Poe and Diana walked next to each other as they headed toward the hangar. Their closeness wasn't missed by many of the people who they walked by. While many were just curious, some were jealous. The pair ignored them. 

Diana's fighter and Poe's temporary fighter was just about done being prepped as they got to them. 

"You ready for your first mission?" Poe asked as he was putting on his vest. 

"I would hope so. This is just a recon mission. Shouldn't be too bad." 

"It always starts out as a recon mission..." Poe started to say. 

"General Organa said to not engage Poe." Diana eyed him. 

Poe opened his arms in protest, "I never start it, but I do finish it." 

Diana laughed and shook her head as she climbed up her fighter's ladder. In no time, the pilots were off heading straight up to break atmosphere. 

"Plotting coordinates," Poe informed Diana and the command center. 

"Preparing for the jump to hyperspace." Diana made her preparations taking a deep breath. A recon mission was good first for a rookie. Even though she was no rookie when it came to missions. But, it was her first as a Resistance member. Her first on the other side of the fight. 

"Engage jump," Poe commanded. Within seconds, the two pilots were flying in hyperspace. The silence didn't last long since the installation wasn't very far compared to most First Order bases which raised a lot of concern. 

They came out of hyperspace near the asteroid field.  "I'm picking up that signal our scout got. Let's just fly slow until we see anything." 

Diana flew next to Poe as they weaved through the field. "We're speaking on a private channel now. So, feel free to talk about anything. Although, anything pertaining to the mission gets relayed back to the General." 

"Well, of course," Diana responded, "Too bad we can't see who the better pilot is here. It's a perfect place for a race." 

"Oh, so you want to challenge me? It's on rookie... you know after we complete this mission." Poe laughed. 

"If this goes badly, we may be racing out of here," She commented as she scanned the area. 

"Hopefully we can get out of here in one piece. Still seems weird to put something out here..." 

"It's a good place to hide something you don't want to be found... Bouye to our left," Diana caught the floating marker out the corner of her eye. She found the next one and followed them through the field until she saw something that struck fear in her. 

"We have to go now," She said hoarsely. 

"What is this place?"

"It's a conditioning station. This is where they bring the stolen children to raise them in the ways of the First Order. They must have built more since I was in one..." Fear racked her brain. It wasn't pleasant memories she had from her time at her own. "Poe we have to go. If we are spotted they won't hesitate to shoot us down." 

"We haven't been spotted. Why do you sound like you've seen a ghost?"

"Because Elrik is here." Just as she said it, Poe spotted the red intercepter rounding the cone-shaped installation that was suspended between seven asteroids. 

"Ok, so we've been spotted," Poe swallowed hard as he quickly began to turn his x-wing. Diana wasted no time in retreated knowing full well that a squadron would be following Elrik. Poe and Diana weaved in and out of the asteroids as Elrik and his squadron followed chase firing at the pair.

"I can't shake em off!" Poe said between his teeth. 

"That's his specialty. That fighter is one of the most advanced fighters in the fleet. It'll be hard to shake them!" 

Poe hugged an asteroid causing a T.I.E. fighter to make a fatal move. The First Order fighter clipped the asteroid causing it to spiral into another asteroid before exploding.  

"CB, move power into thrusters and forward shields," Diana scanned for an opening. 

"Are you crazy? If we go any faster we would run into something!" Poe's voice sounded panicked. 

"I'm looking for an opening so we can get out of here alive. We're not gonna be able to outmaneuver them all in here but we can outrun them if I can just..." Diana spotted a small opening that was opening up, "There!" 

"I see it! BB buddy transfer power to main thrusters and forward shields. Let's loose em." 

Diana focused on the opening waiting for the perfect moment when the opening was just large enough for them. 

"Now CB!" Diana blasted through the small opening with Poe right behind her. The two cleared the asteroid field. 

"They won't be too far behind. Let's get started on our hyperspace jump." Poe began to enter the jump coordinates. Before the First Order squadron could reach them, they jumped into hyperspace heading back towards the Resistance base. 

Once they were in hyperspace, Diana was able to take a breath and process what had happened. She was trying not to think about all of her memories of her own time at a conditioning station. That was where she met Elrik. She was finishing her flight schooling and had caught his eye then took her under his wing. 

"You ok over there?" Poe's voice came through loud and clear through the coms. Diana cleared her thoughts before answering. 

"Yeah. At least, I think I am. I don't know. Seeing that installation is bringing back memories I'd rather forget." 

"Wanna talk about it?" Diana was silent for a moment after the question. She wanted to process her feelings after seeing the conditioning camp and Elrik with his squad following behind. She trained with some of those pilots. Knew them since they were kids. Now, they chased after her with the intent to capture or kill.

"Not yet. I have a lot of things to sort through first." 

"Fair enough."

The two pilots spent the remainder of the time in hyperspace in silence with the full knowledge that the conversation wasn't over, but neither was this mission. 

Sorry, it took so long to write this chapter! I find it hard to write combat sometimes and plus I've been having back issues making it hard to sit up. But here it is! I'll get the next one out soon!