The Other Solo

Chapter 28

Ovanis

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Jaina says to Poe from her X-wing.

"You always say that before a mission." He replies.

"And I'm usually right." She scoffs.

"You have nothing to worry about Commander Solo..." Temmin "Snap" Wexley, Jaina's second in command of the Blue squad, reports to both. "There are no signs of the First Order."

"I'm fully aware of the recon report Snap, but..." Jaina continues.

"But her Jedi senses are tingling." Poe jokes.

"Very funny." Jaina rolls her eyes. "My Jedi senses as you call them, usually keep us out of harms way so maybe you shouldn't mock them."

"We're here." L'ulo, Poe's second in command, calls over the comms.

All the X-wings of the Black and Blue squadrons drop out of lightspeed. The planet looks grey with heavy cloud cover. No First Order ships were in sight.

"I'm going down there." Poe alerts the squads.

"We'll all go." L'ulo suggests.

"No, I think it would be better if only one ship goes. We don't want to alarm the Creche people. The rest of you patrol the planet." Poe orders.

"If you think I'm letting you go down there alone, you're mistaken." Jaina asserts.

"Fine...But just us." He huffs knowing he wouldn't win the agrument. Jaina smiles inwardly as she commands Snap to take the Blue squad to the otherside of the planet. She follows Poe closely through the atmosphere.

They use their scanners to do a quick search of the many caverns. The civilization prefers to live below the surface in caves rather than exposed on top. This is their own defense as they prefer to be non-combative but it also makes finding them nearly impossible.

"I've picked up a strong signature in that cavern just ahead." Poe declares. "Cover me."

Jaina starts to protest but Poe stops her. "Jaina, Please... Just keep a look out. Use those Jedi senses to keep us safe."

"All right." She gives in circling the area while Poe zooms in.

She tries to focus on him willing his safe return. Every once in a while the squads check in to report "All clear." Poe tells her he has landed to explore a tunnel by foot. Suddenly, she feels a disturbance in the force, but the squads still report no sign of the First Order.

"Poe..." She calls. "Poe, Do you read me?" Only static can be heard from the other side.

"Commander Solo..." Snap calls over the comms. "We've picked up a First Order signature advancing from our side of the planet. Should we engage?"

"No... Head back to this side of the planet to rendezvous with the Black squadron. I'll get Poe."

"Yes Ma'am." He responds.

Jaina tries to get a hold of Poe one last time before heading into the cavern herself. Once she sees his ship she lands near it and runs down a path.

"POE!!!" She yells frantically. The tunnel gets darker and darker the farther she goes in.

"Jaina?" His voice echoes. "What are you..."

"Where are you?!" She can barely see anything in front of her.

"I'm coming."

They slam into one another in the dark tunnel with Jaina falling on top of Poe.

"Ow!" He groans landing on the ground.