The Flame [3]

Chapter 18

Karé had given us a rendezvous point where we had to meet Wedge's team. We run through the Engineering building, guns in hand. Someone waves. We move to intercept. Once we met them Wedge embraces Poe in a hug. I smile at the two, before hugging Snap and Norra.

"Why are you wet?" Snap asks me.

"We kinda jumped into a pool," I tell him.

He laughs. Wedge comes over to us, and hugs me.

"We're sure glad to see you," Poe says. "Thought we'd lost our ride for a while there."

"What happened?" Wedge asks looking us up and down.

"First Order caught wind of the auction and raided the party. Shut down the port and weren't letting anyone out. We lost Charth's ship."

"It's a small thing," Charth says. "We got what we came for."

"The list?" Norra asks.

Poe motions to Nifera. "This is Nifera Shu. She has the list. We get her off the planet, she gives us the list."

Nifera nods.

"Do you know there's a water serpent on your neck?" Nasz asks her.

"Yes," Nifera smiles.

"Okay," Nasz says. "Just checking."

"Everyone accounted for," Norra tells us. "Time to get the hell off this planet."

"And how do we do that?" I ask them ready to leave.

"Stormtroopers ahead," Snap tells us.

"How many?" Poe and I ask in unison.

"Sixty. Maybe more. They're guarding the entrance to the shipyard."

I see Poe grimace. "Like we were expected?"

"Our luck was bound to run out. Yama!" Wedge calls over his shoulder.

A small girl, most likely in her teens, steps forward not moving far from Nasz's side. She reminds me of myself when I was that age. I was constantly getting picked on by the kids at the academy. I was small and scared, so I never left my best friend, Bumeta's, side. She was a Torgruta, but she died at the hands of my brother and his fellow monsters.

"Is there another way around?" he asks her.

"We can go through the building," her voice is soft as she points behind her at a skytower. "But the halls are narrow and there's a lift and a checkpoint."

"So our best bet is entering here," Wedge tells us, "only we need a way to get past the troopers?"

"I can create a distraction," I tell them. "I have my lightsaber, they would all be focused on me. Because my stupid brother wants me in the brig."

"No, Wedge and I will distract them," Norra tells me.

"No guarantee they follow either one of you," Snap says.

"We'll make it worth their while," she tells her son. "And Bree, you can go with the others to protect the others from the rest of the troopers."

"I can't let you do that," I tell Norra.

"And I can't let your mother loose another child."

"And I can't let Snap loose his parents. I have much better chances out there then you two do."

"Mom..." Snap says.

"We only need to split them. If we can get half..." Norra replies. 

"That's still two against thirty," Snap counters.

"Or one who has the Force and a lightsaber," I say.

"Bree," Poe says, quietly. "It's not a bad idea."

"Wait, you're siding with Norra?" I ask him in disbelief.

"Son.." Wedge starts.

I pull Poe to the side.

"You're really siding with them? I have much higher stakes then them. And you know that," I say.

"I can't loose you, Ree. I've lost so many people."

"You won't. I promise."

"Still a no from me. As your commanding officer, I do not grant you permission to create a diversion."

"And as your commanding officer, I deny. Since when have we followed the rules?"

"Since never."

"Exactly."

"Brianna," Wedge calls me over. "I think it's best if you go with Snap, Poe, and the others."

"But..." I start.

"We'll be okay," he says before I can protest.

I stare at Wedge. Norra sighs and my eyes flicker over to where she is. She is looking at Snap.

"Okay," Poe says breaking the tension between us all. "Go. We'll make our move when we see the troopers split." he pats Wedge on the shoulder. "See you on the other side."

As Norra walks past me, she stops. She grabs my left hand and puts her other hand on my cheek. "You still have so much to life for dear. You're young, and still have your whole life ahead of you." She briefly glances at Poe. "You aren't even married. I'm married and old. Let me do this." A tear falls down my cheek and she wipes it away. "Thank you," she says and continues walking.

Force.