Hope Remains - A Reylo Story

⭐One⭐

The gentle sound of water trickling down the rock walls could be heard everywhere and the constant buzzing of millions of aquatic and airborne species hummed in the busy caverns. The Resistance had taken the beautiful but equally isolated planet of Pillio for themselves as their new base. They had built within the rocky caverns above the surface of the water as to not disturb the corals and other fauna outside. They were well hidden and had managed to build a hangar and satellite beacons to receive and send out transmissions, interrupt passing First Order messages and welcome many new recruits who hoped to free the Galaxy from the tyranny of the First Order.

Yes, they had survived for five years in secret here but as Poe Dameron looked at his holopad reading the reports coming in of unrest within the Galaxy, he knew the real fight would begin again soon. Riots! So many of them, it had started a month ago on Kessel, a mining planet and had begun to spread across worlds and systems at a rapid rate. The First Order was losing control.

"General?" A voice awoke Poe from his wondering thoughts over the riots.

"Yes, Connix." Poe responded gruffly.

"We've just received word from Finn and Rose en route from Scarif. It would seem General Hux has reopened it as an imperial database. They have two Knights of Ren stationed there with a battalion of troopers." Connix explained to Poe. His face contorted in confusion at this information as he tried to suss out why the old database had been recommissioned.

"Summon the council to the war room. Anything else, Lieutenant?" Poe asked as he stood from his chair behind the desk. It had been very difficult at first to fashion rooms out of the numerous caves and caverns. What was worse had been getting sufficient power to generate light and the computers in the data room.

"There is something." Connix paused and Poe nodded at the blonde girl to continue, "Our scouts have found the hideout for the remaining Knights of Ren. Its on Nathema."

Something clicked inside Poe's mind. Of course no one has been able to locate them before now, Nathema was toxic to individuals without the Force said to drive them close to insanity and no one had ever travelled to that region of space. It all made sense now. But the question remained; how did the Resistance track them down to Nathema? "How were we able to accomplish this knowledge, Connix?"

"I believe we had an anonymous tip off. Someone with security clearance and knowledge of our scouts in those regions of the Outer Rim." Connix informed the weary general.

"Very well. That'll be all then. Have the council ready for ten minutes." Poe ordered and Connix nodded her head before retreating from his makeshift office. Poe rubbed the palm of his hands across his face, an action he had acquired over the years since Leia Organa stepped down as leader of the Resistance soon after they had settled on Pillio, handing the beacon down to himself. It was tiring carrying the 'spark' on his shoulders and he had implored Leia to stay and help finish the fight but she had insisted that Poe was ready. Of course she had stayed in contact with them for a few months whilst Poe adjusted to his new position but he soon grew beyond what she had become. It was a few months after this that news reached the Resistance that Leia had died and a grand state funeral was held for her on Naboo. It wasn't safe for the entirety of the Resistance to attend as there was every chance the Supreme Leader would. As a result of this, only Poe, Finn, Rey, Commander D'Acy and Connix attended representing the new fledgling Resistance. The procession was large and although the Galaxy had chosen to submit, the turnout was many as the Galaxy paid its respects to the legendary Princess of Alderaan, leader of the Rebellion and Senator of the New Republic. Poe had watched remorsefully as Leia was interred with the former queen of Naboo, Padme Amidala, her biological mother. Two powerful women resting together eternally. Poe swore to Leia then and there that he wouldn't let her down and he had kept that promise thus far and would continue to until the day the Galaxy was free again.