Destinations {Poe Dameron}

II: Kou

Everything stopped. Everything was frozen. Or at least I was as the fight continued on. I didn't even cry. I couldn't, not after this. My only thought was of Cain. Was he in there? I prayed he was with his friends. I could feel my parents, their souls leaving this planet. Through the force that binds us all together.

Moments passed. The firing had ended as the rebels retreated. Losing men on both sides. My stare at my burning home was broken when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My heart raced.

"Cain!" I shouted leaping up. But it was not him at all. In the place I hoped to see my brother stood an imperial pilot. I couldn't see his face due to the helmet. But his words rang in my ears.

"I'm sorry Ms Paki, about your family. We heard that rebels were coming to attack the city of Naboo. And rushed to its defense. I'm sorry we couldn't defend your family." His voice muffled and robotic like. I cracked, I began crying falling to the ground.

But the pilot caught me, holding me up. I have nothing. No mother, father, brother. No home. No security. Nothing. I would die. But fate had other plans for me.

"I want to kill them." I whispered. The trooper slightly moved so he could, as I assumed, look down at me.

"Excuse me ma'am?"

"I said; I want to kill them. All of them. They did this. They'll pay."

And this was the beginning to how I became the best bounty hunter the First Order or the Empire has ever seen.

Years passed since I joined the First Order. Three years I trained relentlessly, I was feared by those on both sides. Darkness consumed me, and I won't deny it. Nor will I try and say I'll send it away at this point. I was known across the galaxies, not by my name though. My bounty name was Kou. One thing I've learned as a young girl from Naboo, never give your real name to anyone. Nothing close to it.

My brother when he was very little couldn't pronounce "cool". And had tried saying he wanted to be "cool" like me. As cool as an 8 year old could be, despite I was in fact not. Instead he pronounced it "coo", and when asked to spell it. It was "Kou", therefore. A name, that honors what I've done to avenge my late family.

Walking through the corridors, I was suited up. It was the typical bounty hunter uniform. But all black, my cape was a deep maroon. With a single maroon stripe down the right side of my helmet. My mother's favourite colour. Everything I did, everything I'm doing it for them.

Quickly, yet calmly I made my way to my room. Upon reaching it, I typed in my code and the door slide open. Once inside, door closed, I began to dress down. Despite how sleek, and cool my uniform was. It gets uncomfortable. With my helmet off, I took out my long blonde hair. And removing my armor.

I looked in the mirror in my room at myself. Looking at the scars, and bruises that accumulate from this line of work. It obviously isn't fabulous. But I was damn good at it. One scar, from a knife, ran from my right shoulder down the back of my arm. Ending inches above my elbow. Another, crossed diagonally from thigh to thigh.

Even a scar from being burnt from a blaster shot on my torso. And so many more. I was lost in thought examining the last three years of life on my skin, when a knock was at my door.

Snapping from my trance, "one moment!" I called out. Quickly walking to my wardrobe, and slipping on black tight pants. And a white long sleeved shirt. Rushing back to the door, I opened it.

Not much to my surprise, stood FN-2187. I smiled gently at him. Welcoming the trooper in. As he sauntered in, he removed his helmet. His dark skin glistened with sweat.

"Kou, we have a problem." He muttered. I was curious as to what today's gossip was among the base. FN sat on my bed, setting his helmet besides him.

"And what can mama Kou do for you today?" I chirped. Now, mind you, I may be a killer. But I am still me. Just, altered. FN sat there staring at the floor, at a loss for words. Rolling my eyes, I pulled up my chair from the desk that had lists of names. Crossed out, and uncrossed.

Patiently waiting he finally spoke, "I'm going out in the field today." He looked up at me.

"FN, that's great! Haven't you been telling me how you want to get off the ship? Adventure?" I teased him. During my time here, the troopers are always so serious. FN-2187 was more relaxed, more human like. Not robotic.

He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Kou, even you know. I suck at shooting, I'm sanitation! I clean up, I don't shoot down." He explained, but all I could do was laugh.

"One, the saying is 'shoot em up'. Two, I never said you're bad at shooting! Just under pressure." I nudged him. "Besides, I'm going to Jakku with you guys. I have a body to collect down there."

He flopped the top half of his body backwards onto my bed.

"You don't understand. Captain Phasma is on me about everything I do. Sometimes, I wish. I wish I could just shoot her in that stupid shiny tin can of hers." He lurched forwards off the bed head down.

That was the thing I loved about this clone. He spoke his mind. Sighing, I picked up his helmet. Walking towards him.

"FN-2187. I believe in you. As the most known, and feared, and best looking bounty hunter the galaxy has known for ten centuries. I believe in you." Smiling up at my friend, I handed him his helmet.

"You're so full of yourself." He muttered in disgust, but shortly flashed a smile. Awkwardly, like always he shook my hand and disappeared out of my door.

Closing my eyes for a short moment, I collected myself. Not my true self, not the one I was just being as I was with FN. Rather the killer.

I am death. I am fear. I am Odessa Paki.