FREE FALLING ━━ p. dameron ✓

twenty four

Connix and Lula were the least surprised out of everybody. They had both assumed that Holdo would try to pull a stunt like this.

"We have to tell Holdo." C'ai says in his alien dialect.

Poe shakes his head. "We can't. She'll never agree to it."

"But what choice do we have?" Riley asks. "Holdo will load the transports thinking there's no other way. The Resistance will die."

I run a hand over my face. Both Riley and Poe are right.

As the others continue to bicker, I begin to form a plan. I glance behind me at my mother. She's going to kill me for committing mutiny.

"Alright here's what I got." I say. Everyone turns to look at me. "We tell Holdo. But-" I say quickly, seeing Poe open his mouth. "But, if she doesn't comply we force her to."

"How?" Connix asks.

"We hold all the Generals and Holdo somewhere. At blaster point. Stun of course, we're not murderers."

Everyone mulls over what I've proposed.

Lula is the first to speak up, per usual. "If this works...this is mutiny. We'll be considered traitors."

"I know. But it's the best I've got. This way we're telling Holdo. If she doesn't agree then we save the Resistance." I say. I lean forward on the holotable.

"The Resistance either lives or dies today." Jess says. "We protect it or we are at fault." She looks up at our group.

"Long live the Resistance." Nien says.

We all echo his words. Long live the Resistance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our group leaves bit by bit. Connix, Lula, and C'ai leave first. Then Jess, Riley, and Nien.

Finally Poe and I head down to the hangar.

Poe is muttering under his breath. I squeeze his hand. Not three times, just once.

"This will work."

"I believe you." Poe says. We arrive at the hangar and find Holdo in front of us.

"Vice Admiral Holdo!" Poe says.

She turns and rolls her eyes.

"Flyboy. What do you want?"