Cosmic || Poe Dameron

Chapter Nine

AN: Hey there and welcome back! Thanks so much for sticking around 😋 Firstly, I want to apologise for my hiatus... it was waaaay longer than expected. Secondly, updates will be staggered for a few weeks yet, but I'll hopefully upload a new chapter every fortnight or so 😁 And lastly, some of you may have noticed I've changed the title of my story from 'Stardust' to 'Serendipity.' Yes, everything is still the same, but I recently came across another Poe Dameron book with the same title and didn't want there to be any confusion/potential issues (by the way, it looks hecking amazing). Anyway, thanks again for bearing with me and I hope you enjoy this chapter! ♡

Also, wishing you all a very late Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays) and I hope this New Year brings you the very best of everything!

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"Again!" Nixon shouted as he reset the timer, spurring the two females into action. Vera and Quinn circled each other once more, their movements precise and gazes calculative. A predatory glint shone in the depths of both their eyes - brown on blue - as they stalked one another like prey, toned bodies poised for a fight.

Five weeks had passed since Vera's incident on Balmorra, and after a fortnight-long recovery and many hours of debilitating boredom, she had finally been released from her medical confinement. Since then, she had tirelessly thrown herself into her training, ruthlessly working to regain the strength, speed and stamina she had lost, beyond eager to return to her post as the Commander of Alpha Unit; a revered Resistance warrior.

As Vera narrowed her focus, time seemed to slow, her blood drumming in her ears and coursing through her veins as rapidly as a TIE Fighter through space. Her adrenaline was at its peak, sending pulsating jolts of energy through her tiring body. She had long lost count of the number of sparring rounds the pair had faced, though judging by how eagerly her body begged for rest, it had been quite a few.

Searing frustration itched at her skin as her anger flared, fuelled by how easily her body became spent. If there was one thing Vera hated more than the growing threat of the First Order, it was her own vulnerability - the feeling of weakness - and since her incident, that was all she had felt. She despised its dense, icy grip on her, and how it seemed impossible to shake.

Or so she had thought.

As her eyes remained trained on Quinn's movements, a sudden surge of exhilaration rushed through her veins. A familiar sense of strength began warming her body, easing her aching muscles and thrusting the exhaustion away. A toothy grin spread across her face as she welcomed the heated flush, thankful beyond words for the diminishing helplessness she had worked so hard to forget.

Vera's attention was instantly drawn to the sharp steel of a tiny dagger gripped in Quinn's hand, the blade glistening as it caught the light. She recognised it immediately, having gifted it to her many years ago, never dreaming it would one day be used against her. She smirked at the irony.

Quinn suddenly lunged towards Vera, swiping her arm at her throat, but the Commander was ready, easily catching her wrist and diverting the blow. Vera delivered a quick jab to her ribs, sending her companion stumbling back a few feet, but the ex-bounty hunter expertly caught herself before losing her balance.

Sweat coated their skin as several quick jabs were thrown back and forth, the pair appearing to be equally matched. Vera grunted as Quinn landed a hit to her side, but she quickly retaliated with another hard blow to her friend's abdomen, easily knocking the dagger from her hand with one striking cut to the wrist.

As Quinn took a heartbeat to regain her stance, Vera quickly ducked low and swiped her leg into her opponent's, sending her crashing to the floor with a thud. She pounced on her the minute she hit the ground, one knee digging into her chest while her forearm pressed up against her throat, pinning her down.