FORTUNA / POE DAMERON

₀₃ the gruelling debate

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    "POE DAMERON," LEIA Organa said the second he walked through the door to her office. "What did you do now?"

    Poe looked so tired. Black Squadron just returned from Megalox Beta, which housed one of the highest security prisons in the galaxy. They were retrieving information from Grakkus the Hutt on Lor San Tekka's trail after her brother vanished. Based on both the look on his face and the way his shoulders slumped, he was ashamed. The mission almost failed.

    "Terex got there before we did. He out-bid us to Warden Luta and we got screwed." He sat in the chair across from her and ran his hands over his face. That small action reminded her so much of Han. His fingertips rested against his mouth for a second. "We were right, General."

"I was afraid that was going to happen." Leia stared over his shoulder for a second. Her stomach dropped, surprisingly so, since she was nearly anticipating this. The two of them had talked about it when Black Squadron had returned from Ovanis to talk to the Crèche tribe about Luke Skywalker's last known location. A tracker had been placed on Poe's X-Wing before their departure from D'Qar. Agent Terex of the First Order had found them before Poe could retrieve the information safely. Now, they were chasing breadcrumbs. "Terex knows now, right? That we're looking for my brother."

    Poe didn't even have to answer. He just gave her a knowing look and he slowly blinked.

    "I figured." Leia sighed. "What now, Commander?" Her hands folded on the table in front of her as she laid back in her chair. Her eyes bored into Poe expectantly.

    "Sorry, General, but what?" Dameron's eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you asking me?"

    Leia shrugged. "What do you think we should do? Because I know for a fact you're not the spy, Commander. Do you have any suspicion as to who it could be?"

    Poe was frustrated. You could see it in his posture. His team had been foolproof, until they weren't. "No." He locked eyes with Leia. "I have no idea who it is or what we should do now. Is that the answer you want?"

    "Sure." Leia paid no attention to the bite in his words which he should've known better than to use against her. She tapped on her desk with her pointer finger. It was dusk, meaning that the commotion outside of the base was at a minimum, which led Poe to stare outside the window behind her. "I have a question for you."

    "Shoot."

    "Would you have chosen anybody from Fortuna Squadron when you initially formed Black Squadron if I had allowed you?"

    Poe thought about it for a second. "Honestly?" He raised his eyebrows. Leia nodded in response. "I would've chosen that entire squadron if I could. They're all extremely trained pilots." He said, but he knew that wasn't the answer she was looking for. He gave her a cop-out. He didn't want to answer it exactly. Based on the look Leia gave him, Poe sighed and rethought his answer. "I would've chosen Commander Astalles if I could've. In a heartbeat."