The Flame [3]

Chapter 2

We wait until Suralinda finishes her musical number, then depart to a round of applause. I walk out and close my eye. Fresh air is wonderful thing.

"Not your scene?" Snap asks. I look over at him, but he was looking at Poe.

"I love a party," Poe slaps Snap's shoulder, "but we've got work to do. Let's get back to Jess and the ships and I'll fill everyone in."

"And tell you something else we need to, too," I say looking at Poe. He looks me in the eye and nods.

"Yeah, that too," I give a him a tight smile and look down. Kriff. I sigh.

Snap nods, and we walk back down the path to our ships. Suralinda and Karé talk as we walked. I was focusing on my surroundings. Grail City is celebrating, colorfully. Music and laughter drift through the air. I look at Poe and see him looking out across the night sky, at Grail City

"It's a nice place, I'm glad we could help them out." Snap is quiet as he spoke.

"Yeah," Poe says. I start falling behind and watch the two men talk, and the two woman talk.

We reach the landing strip and I immediately start looking for Jess. I locate her sleeping between, what I assume, was the food and fuel Grist promised. Poe starts walking towards Jess.

"Hey, Jess," he says as he approaches. There was no reply. "Wake up, Pava, we got a mission brief."

Jess sits up and Poe helps her stand. They're having a conversation as I approach.

"I need you whole and healthy, Pava. Truth is, it's only going to get harder from here."

"What do you mean?" she asks after she frowns.

"Come on. Let's gather the others."

Poe waves over the other three as I walk up to Jess. "All good in your corner of the galaxy?" I ask.

"Could be better," she smiles a quick smile as Poe starts to talk.

"Brianna, and I have something to tell you," he starts and I step to stand beside him. CB-23 and BB-8 roll over to us.

"The truth," I say as I look at him.

"The truth," he nods and begins.

We tell them everything. D'Qar's evacuation, the loss of the Resistance bomber squad, the chase across space with the First Order, Rose and Finn's mission to Canto Bight, how we went against Admiral Holdo's order, the Battle of Crait, and how many we have left.

"I don't understand," Jess says voice cracking. "They're gone? The fleet is gone?"

"They can't all be gone. Can they?" Karé counters.

"I'm sorry," is all Poe says head hanging.

"Oh..." she covers her mouth and turns into Snap. They both are crying.

"The people, too?" Jess asks. "Are you sure?"

"Jess, what's left of the Resistance is us, and the Falcon," I say quietly, tears brimming my eyes. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault. My brother, he found us."

"No, it's not," Poe tells me. Silence engulfs us. It's such a punishment. But, I guess that's what we deserve.

"We understand if you want to leave. I mean, if you want to leave without us. Black Squadron seemed to be doing fine without our presence. But if you stay and allow us to to lead you. We both will do everything in our power to make it up to you. That, I promise."

"I promise, too," I speak quietly. Now, we're waiting, waiting for an answer.

"That's some heavy stuff, you two," Snap says, voice serious. "And I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me."