My Brother's Keeper

Chapter Four

It's a couple of days later when Poe makes his way back to the Resistance. His face is scratched and bloody.

"Poe!" I cry, running to embrace him. "You're here! You escaped! But... I saw him torture you."

"Hey, it's ok, I'm ok," he assures, wrapping his arms tightly around me.

He tells me all about how a stormtrooper defected and helped him escape. He had nicknamed him Finn, because the Order hadn't given him a real name. Then, he had to find someone willing to give him a ride here, to the Ileenian system.

"Now we just have to hope BB-8 makes it back to us," Poe says. "He has the map."

"He will," I answer. "He's a smart droid. Smarter than you, at least."

Poe grins, playfully shoving my shoulder.

Shortly after, however, the Resistance has another mission. And for once, I get to go. Well, I get to ride along.

We're headed to a place of a First Order attack, where intel says we'll find BB-8. Poe and the rest of Black Squadron go, too, to provide air support. By the time we land, the First Order is retreating. But I feel Ben's presence leaving with them, along with another Force sensitive.

Mumma and I exit the transport, and immediately I see two people I never expected to see again. Dad and Uncle Chewie. I freeze.

"Goodness," Threepio states, getting in Dad's face. "Han Solo. It is I, C-3PO. You probably don't recognize me because of the red arm." He turns to Mumma. "Look who it is! Did you see who... Oh, uh, um... Excuse me, Prin... General. Sorry. Come along, BB-8, quickly."

Threepio leaves, and we all just stare at each other.

"You changed your hair," Dad says to Mumma.

"Same jacket," Mumma sighs.

"No, new jacket," Dad insists.

Uncle Chewie, however, walks straight up to Mumma and hugs her, then me, then enters the transport, growling an apology as he goes.

"Adalee?" Dad asks, looking down at me. "You've grown..."

I can't help the tightness in my throat. No words come, so I do the one thing I can think of. I walk up to my father and slap him in the face as hard as I can. He winces, his face turning, but he doesn't make any other move.

"I deserved that," he sighs. "Adalee-"

"No, don't," I interrupt. "Please. Just... please leave me alone."

As I walk away, I hear Mumma saying, "She'll come around. Just give her time."

Once back at the Resistance base, I find Poe getting out of his x-wing, where BB-8 rolls up to greet us. We both immediately drop to the ground to pet the droid. The droid says that Finn, the defected stormtrooper, saved him. That's when I see a dark-skinned man wearing Poe's jacket running up to us.

"Poe," he calls. "Poe Dameron, you're alive?"

"Buddy, so are you!" Poe laughs, hugging the man.

"What happened to you?" the man questions.

"I got thrown from the crash," Poe explains. "I woke up at night. No you, no ship, nothing. BB-8 says you saved him."

"No, no, no," the man admits. "It wasn't just me."

"You completed my mission, Finn," Poe trails. "That's my jacket."

"Oh..." The man starts to take the jacket off.

"No, no, no, it suits you," Poe smiles. "You're a good man, Finn."

"This is Finn?" I ask. "The guy you told me about? The stormtrooper who rescued you?"