Hope Remains - A Reylo Story

⭐Eighteen⭐

"Okay folks, we all know the plan. When we hit the ground Naara, Fraser and myself will get the plans along with BB-8 and Max will lead ground assault. Snap will have our backs from the sky. We good?" Finn reiterated to the ground squadron seated in the Freedom, perhaps a foolish name for a freighter but that's what the dream was, freedom from oppression. A chorus of whoops and cheers exploded around Finn in a war cry of agreement - the man and women who had volunteered for the Resistance and participated in the riots had waited through many previous political wars and experienced colossal losses all for this fight. To end it and save the dream!

Finn walked up to the cockpit where Naara was piloting, the Togruta was Captain of one of the many squadrons in flight but she had volunteered to help on the ground: it was a well known fact that Naara had ample skill with a vibroblade ground staff as well as blaster or canon controls. BB-8 trailed after Finn closely often bleeping out idle conversation in an attempt to calm Finn's mind, alas there could be no comfort found in the binary encouragement of an astromech droid. "Made any contact with Poe in ground control?" Finn enquired nonchalantly.

"Rose is fine, Finn. No matter how often you patch through nothing will change." Finn furrowed his brows in irritated submission.

"And Lira?" The name felt odd on his tongue but he had Rey to blame for that if he ever lived. No, he thought to himself, if he lived he would offer Rey his ear to explain all of this and forgive her. Freedom would offer that much up after the war. But for how long?

Naara turned her head slightly to gauge Finn's countenance. "She is sat with Rose in ground control. Apparently after the Minister was detained to a quiet cell, Lira wouldn't stop ranting on about being near 'uncle Poe'." Finn smiled and laughed halfheartedly, so Lira was definitely stubborn like Rey. "We should be dropping above Scarif any minute now, Commander." Naara added before Finn was given half the chance to ask.

"Good. Be ready to dive low." He instructed Naara. The winding halls of Corellian steel were sturdy and strong fixed with divots of magnetite iron ores from the mines of Mustafar and the laser canons went on thorilide from Cynda and Gorse. It was a strong freighter the Freedom, one of the largest in the Resistance so holding a battalion of armed grounds men and explosive baradium bisulphate. It was highly combustible and famous for its usually in mines but it would prove just as efficient in raising the new database to the ground.

Soon enough they dropped into Abrion Sector and approached Scarif drawing in audible gasps from the crew members peeping out the viewports at the vast oceans, rocky archipelagos and expansive volcanic island chains. Aye, such a beautiful utopia that harboured the key to freedom for all. Finn stepped back into the communal area where people seemed to be fidgeting nervously or sweating profusely. Either or, they were petrified: comrades would die today and more losses would be counted. They didn't know what would await them when they stepped onto the sandy dunes or how large in numbers the opposition would be. "Remember the stories: Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor and the rest of Rogue One. Or the Blue Squadron that favoured the most minuscule of chances. We can do this, they don't have some planet killer or Death Star to trap us. They don't have a dark Sith Lord to murder and subjugate. Yes they will have numbers to match ours or even more but we have something they do not. We have hope." Finn encouraged the weary faces around the room.

Max stepped forward from the dim at the far entryway of the communal area that led to the gun turrets. "We fight for our children and our loved ones, we fight to free generations worth of people who don't have the chance we do. So let's do this and May the Force be with us!" Max added proudly. The fighters jumped up ready and prepped for the fight that was to come with a new ambiance of enthusiasm. They could do this, they could do this.