The Flame [3]

Chapter 19

Almost all of the troopers follow Wedge and Norra.  I look over and spot several starfighters.

"Hey, Dameron," I say and point to the ships. "Wanna fly?"

He smirks. "Snap!" he calls. "Bree and I are going to fly a few ships out. You get the rest to the blockade runner."

"Suralinda! You're with us," I tell her.

"Hell, yeah," she says as we start walking away.

Poe gets in his first and starts firing at the troopers.

"Hey! I want to blast some buckets!" I say and jump in mine.

I see Wedge and Norra make their way to the runner. Once they're in, we all take off. Poe leads the shuttle out of the atmosphere, and me and Suralinda fly rear. Poe banks off into the black of space.

"What is he doing?" I mumble to myself.  "What are you doing, Dameron?" I ask him through the com. 

"This flies so much smoother than Black One," he says jokingly.

"Are you saying my ship was bad? And that some First Order ship is better than my old X-Wing. How dare you," I tell him.

"You mean MY ship."

"I mean MINE."

"Sorry, lovebirds. But we've got company," Suralinda's voice interrupts our argument.

"You sound happy about it," Poe says.

"Aren't you two? I want to see what this baby can do."

"Our mission is to get the shuttle and corvette away from here. Don't loose focus," I remind her.

"Copy, Black Leader" she says, mockingly. "Going to engage."

Then it was just me behind the ships. Poe is talking to someone, most likely Karé or Snap, but the silence is nice. Just as soon as it started it was over. The shuttle and corvette jump to hyperspace.

"You should be getting coordinates to a safe house," Poe tells me.

"Yep. I got them, Commander," I say.

He adds someone. "You ready?"

"Race you there!" Suralinda says and disappears in to thin space.

"See you there, Poe," I say.

"See you there, Ree."

We jump to hyperspace.

———

When we arrived Poe, Finn, a few others, and I help the hurt and wounded ones to the safe house. Poe had given me his suit jacket so I wasn't cold. Once we made it through the false room of storage containers which has the Collective watching our every move from atop, I help them to the makeshift medbay, which is just a corner of the house sectioned off. Finn stands guard across the street and Poe goes to get another group. I offer to help but get told to stay inside where it's warm. I stand by Zay helping others through the door. Poe makes two more trips to get all the prisoners inside. Zay smiles when she sees Poe and Finn.

"Is that everyone?" I hear her ask them.

I turn and touch Senator Casterfo's shoulder. "Um. Senator Casterfo? My mother would like to speak with you. If you feel up to it. She's right there," I point to Mom who is walking up the steps. "I'm Brianna Solo, by the way. Han and Leia's daughter."

"So I've heard," he says as Mom approaches.

I watch the two interact before looking at everyone from the top of the stairs. Poe comes up behind me and puts his chin on my shoulder.