𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕤𝕥 ℙ𝕒𝕕𝕒𝕨𝕒𝕟 [ᴘᴏᴇ ᴅᴀᴍᴇʀᴏɴ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ]

~Chapter 9~

     "I have the faintest idea why I agreed to this," 3PO declares, the back of his head open up and wires flowing everywhere.

     "I must be malfunctioning."

     Rey walks up to him and places her hand on his shoulder for support. She then walks around him to a little creature behind 3-PO's open head, standing on top of a table.

     "Babu frik? Can you help us with this?" Rey asks him.

     The little creature starts speaking another language while using small tools to help him get through the wires in a part of 3PO's droid brain scattered on the table. Rey is confused about what he is saying, looking behind her at Finn. Finn just shrugs not knowing what he said either.

     "Zorii? Is this gonna work?" Rey stands up and walks over to Zorii who just entered the room. Zorii speaks in the same language Babu Frik speaks in and they start to have a conversation.

     "He says he's found something in your droid's forbidden memory bank. Words, translated from Sith?" Zorri points to 3-PO.

     "That's it," Rey declares.

     "Yeah, that's what we need," Finn says. Zorii looks back at Poe who is on the steps.

     "Who are you hanging out with that speaks Sith?" Zorii shouts to Poe.

     "Can you make him... Babu? Can you make him translate it?" Poe asks, ignoring Zorii and walking to the little creature. Zorii translates what Poe said to Babu and Babu speaks again.

     "Yes. But it will cause a complete-"

     "A complete memory wipe," 3-PO finishes. Rey looks at him, sadly.

     "Wait, wait, wait, we make him translate it, he won't remember... anything?" Poe questions.

     "Droid, memory go blank," Babu speaks in English.

     "Oh!" 3-PO gasps.

     "Blank blank," Babu Frik finishes.

     "There must be another way!" 3-PO declares.

     "Doesn't R2 back up your memory?" Finn asks.

     "Oh please, R2's storage units are famously unreliable," 3-PO loses hope in his best friend instantly.

     "You know the odds better than any of us. Do we have a choice?" Rey asks. 3-PO gets up and walks a few steps away.

     "If this mission fails, it was all for nothing. The death of Y/N and Chewie, the journey, the fighting. Nothing. All we've done, all this time," 3-PO turns around to face the others.

     "What are you doing there 3-PO?" Poe asks.

     "Taking one last look, sir, at my friends," 3PO says. Rey and Finn smile while BB-8 and the new droid D-O look at him.

     "Sad," D-O tells BB-8.

     Then, a muffled thudding outside of the building they are in shakes everyone. A bright light shines through the small windows.

     "Uh-Oh," Babu whispers.

     "Night raids are gonna start soon, I'll keep a lookout," Zorii walks up the stairs.

     "I'll come with you," Poe demands.

     "You still don't trust me, huh?" Zorii scoffs.

     "Did you ever trust me?" Poe asks.

     "Nope," Zorri claims. Babu started laughing.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.

     "Report General Pryde," Ren demands as he walks out of the interrogation room seeing Y/N a second time.

     "There's been a development sir. The Knights of Ren have tracked the scavenger," He explains.

     "To a settlement called Kijimi," Another states.

     "Shall we destroy the city, supreme-" Hux starts, but is silenced quickly when Ren points his finger at him to stop talking. After a few seconds, he lowers his fingers and walks away.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.

     "So, who is she?" Zorii questions, seeing Poe looking at the world below him with no interest.

     "Huh?" Poe snaps out of his thoughts, looking at her confused.

     "I've known you for a while, Poe. I see that look in your eyes," Zorii explains. "Who is she."

     "Her name's Y/N, or, was Y/N," Poe starts. "I loved her, so much, and not even that long ago we got together. The First Order took her along with a friend of ours, and my friends tried to rescue her. But the transport she was in exploded, and she's gone."

     "I'm sorry about that," Zorii apologizes.

     "No you're not," Poe admits.

     "You know, I'm trying to be sincere for once and you always blow it for me," Zorii snaps, making Poe feel a bit bad.

     "Sorry, I just, I don't know what I'm going to do without her," Poe tells her. "She's everything to me, and now that she's gone I'm not sure anymore."

     "It takes time Poe, trust me," Zorii assures him.

     "Yeah, but moving on, please. How long has it been like this?" Poe questions.

     "First Order took most of the kids a long time ago. Can't stand the cries anymore. I've saved up enough to get out. I'm going to the colonies," Zorii admits.

     "How? All these hyperlanes are blocked." Zorii takes out a badge from her pocket and shows it to him.

     "That's a First Order captain's medallion, I've never seen a real one," Poe says.

     "Free passage through any blockade. Landing privileges, landing vessel," She presses a button on her helmet as soon as she puts the medallion away. The black visor that covers her eyes and face opens up. You could only see her eyes but Poe softens a bit, remembering the time when he saw her entire face. "How come you haven't run away yet, like that time many years ago?"

     "I can't walk out on this war, not till it's over. Maybe it is. We sent out a call on the Battle of Crait, but nobody came. Everyone's so afraid, they've given up," Poe sighs.

    "No, I don't believe you believe that," Zorii says. She sees Poe's suffering. "Hey. They win by making you think they're alone, remember? There's more of us."