Charisma~ Poe Dameron

We go after our own

"Take him back to base and put him in a cell. General Leia will want to talk to him." Aria told the commanding officer of the vessel. "Make sure he doesn't get loose. He's a slippery one." Aria handed the disgruntled Xav off to Commander Kims. 

"Will do, Commander, good work." He saluted her. Aria nodded but didn't return the gesture. 

As she turned back to the refugees on Yavin 4, she noticed their tense hostility. Unlike when she first landed, there was no simple curiosity or acceptance, now she was met with glares of distaste. 

It took her less than a day to burn her bridge with the people of Yavin, it had to be some sort of record for her. 

She should have probably said something to mend the damage she set with the people, but she couldn't think of anything to soothe their worries. Instead, she turned back to her own fighter and focused on placing R-8 back in his seat. 

The transport vessel took off, and its thrusters gave out a hot wind that pushed Aria's bangs back off her forehead. She had to squint against it just so it didn't dry her eyes out, but even still it was hard to watch what she was doing. 

With fumbling hands and narrowed eyes, she somehow situated R-8 in his seat and locked the hatch so he stayed tight. When he was ready to go, Aria climbed on the wing of her fighter and climbed up into the cockpit. 

With one foot on her seat, she turned back to look back at Yavin. The beautiful temple stood in all its glory, even thirty years after its destruction. She found it awe-inspiring, but she knew she could never come back, not when the people viewed her as a traitor. 

With the beauty of the moon in mind, she lowered herself into her fighter and closed the dome above her. 

She slid her helmet on and immediately connected her commlink. 

"Black Leader, this is Black Two, heading back to base." 

Aria wasn't sure whether to expect a reply from Poe. If he was already back at base he wouldn't have his headset on, and so he wouldn't hear her. However, if he were flying back too, he'd hear her and respond. 

No response meant he wasn't in his x-wing, and Aria had the low feeling that she lost her bet to him. 

"Come on, R-8, let's go home." 

After a full three day mission, Aria was relieved to be back at base. The humidity of D'Qar was nothing compared to Yavin 4 and as she dismounted her fighter, she embraced the warmth. 

A deck officer approached Aria to help her set her fighter in place. 

"Can you call for Commander Dameron? I have some news for him." Aria asked as she stretched out her back. An entire day being cooped up in her fighter wore through her back. Her tense muscles pleaded for a massage, or some yoga. 

"Ma'am, Commander Dameron has not checked back in." The Deck Officer told her after he finished placing the blocks around her tires. 

Aria stopped stretching as she processed what he said. "What do you mean he hasn't made it back yet?" She unzipped her jacket as she headed further into the hangar. Her eyes zipped from fighter to fighter looking for Poe's signature black X-wing. "Have you heard from him?" She looked back at captain as he shook his head. "Has anyone heard from him?" She stopped walking to give him her full attention. As he shook his head again she scoffed. "What does that mean?" She mocked his head shake. "Use your words, Officer. Articulate!" She demanded. 

The Officer flinched at her harsh tone, but didn't know how to reply in a way that would appease her. Instead he opened and closed his mouth as he tried to think of something.