Cosmic || Poe Dameron

Prologue

Vera Torreto woke with a start, her lungs burning as crisp air rushed into them for the first time in several days. Every inch of her body ached. Cuts and bruises of every size covered her from head to toe, the worst of them hidden beneath great white bandages. Her mind was a haze as she struggled to open her heavy eyes, baffled as to why they seemed to weigh as much as a small droid. Vera mulled this over in her mind for a while, and finally, with a groan, she managed to crack them open very slightly. She blinked rapidly as she became temporarily blinded by the stark whiteness of the room, taking in the sterile nature of it with a frown.

And then it hit her.

Her body jerked itself into a sitting position, the deep wound in her abdomen burning. Bolts of searing pain rocketed through her body and panic seized her as cruel memories came flooding back.

The First Order. The attack. Her family. So many dead.

Vera frantically ripped out the tubes and machines attached to her body, and stumbled onto the cold marbled floor. She cried out in pain as she hit the ground, every injury she had sustained flaring up all at once. Her striking blue eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape as her breathing became more and more hyperventilated.

All she could see was the angry glow of flames as they greedily devoured everything, and the crimson smear of blood on the husks of burning ships.

The blood of her family, her friends.

"We need back up in here!" an unfamiliar voice shouted from what seemed like galaxies away. Firm hands grabbed at Vera, desperately trying to guide her back to her hospital bed and prevent her from opening more of her wounds. But in her panicked state of mind, Vera believed them to be the hands of the enemy, and began to violently thrash and scream.

Tears streaked down her face, her dark auburn hair a wild mess as she fought tooth and nail to escape their hold on her. Despite her state and small stature, she was extremely strong, and soon the medical staff of the Resistance had to resort to sedation.

Outside, Han Solo and Leia Organa listened on with heavy hearts and deep sorrow. Though Vera didn't know it just yet, her late parents, Hellene and Miles Torreto, had been close friends with the former smuggler. Han and Miles had first met on Tatooine, both young outlaws searching for a good adventure and quick cash. By the end of their first job together, a strong bond of friendship had formed between the trio, Chewbacca included. 

They first met Hellene several years later at a cantina in Kala'uun. She was a young bartender at the time and soon fell in love with Miles' charm, later marrying and raising three sons and a daughter. The quartet eventually went their separate ways, though never lost contact with each other. Han and Chewie became swept up in the Rebellion against the Empire and the Torreto's established their own smaller rebellious operation, freeing hostages and smuggling supplies from under the Empire's nose, and later, the First Order's.

All went quiet in the hospital room. Vera lay on the white expanse of the cot, her pale face coated in sweat and tears, crimson stains seeping through the fabric of her bandages and gown.

In her dreams, she was home again. She stood in the shallows of the nearby lagoon, the cool water lapping at her waist as she cooled off after an intense morning of combat training. She watched with a grin as her older brothers and friends splashed each other in the depths, play-wrestling and laughing as if the world wasn't on the brink of falling apart. Vera tilted her face up towards the warmth of the sun as she laughed along with those she loved, never wanting the moment to end.

Her youngest brother called out to her, waving his arms to get her attention. Her curious eyes met his and he began to wave at her, a fond smile on his face. Vera's brows furrowed in confusion as she watched him, noticing her older two brothers and their friends had also begun to do the same. She felt herself begin to wave back and their smiles grew.

Her body began to turn and once she faced the sandy shoreline, she was surprised to see every member of her parent's organisation waving back at her, the same fond smile on each of their faces. Her parents stood proudly in the middle, her father's arm securely wound around her mother's waist. They both grinned at her and her mother blew her a kiss, their eyes filled with undying love and pride. Vera felt herself waving back at them, the smile on her face growing as she gazed at the two people she adored most in the world.

She touched her cheek, suddenly aware of the warm wetness settling there, trickling from her eyes. Vera pulled her hand away, tears lingering on her fingertips.

And then the darkness came.