Flying Through the Flames || Poe Dameron [The Force Awakens + the Last Jedi]

One of the Reasons

Nyssa's POV

"Poe!" I cried as the ship's alarms announced the damage. I glanced to my left. Poe had a gash but the corner of his eye already oozing blood and he wasn't moving, his head limply hanging to the side. "Finn, are you okay?" I shouted over the roar of the panicking engine and damage.

"Yeah! Are you?"

"Yeah! Poe hit his head and he's knocked out."

I began a wild attempt to get us to stop spinning, pulling up on the throttle as hard as I could and flicking all the switched for the drag strips. Stars whirled by us in a blur of movement, and based on the reaction I was getting from the spacecraft, I knew it was damaged beyond repair. Or beyond any repair I could attempt while in space.

I swallowed hard as we broke through Jakku's atmosphere, spiralling closer and closer to the surface. I could eject but I couldn't leave Poe. I would never leave him. I had to stay and try to minimize the damage that the crash could do.

"Finn!" I shouted over the noise. "I need you to eject in a minute, can you do that?"

"What?! What about you and Poe?" Finn yelled back. "H-how will I find you again?"

"I don't know man, I'm just trying to make sure we don't die!" I snapped back. "Can you do that?"

"Fine!" Finn replied.

"Are you strapped in properly?"

"Yeah!"

"Okay," I said, the specks on the surface of the planet getting clearer as we whirled closer. "There should be a red button over your head that says 'eject'. Do you see it?"

"I see it!" he confirmed. "Do I press it?"

"Obviously!" I snapped, squinting at the harsh light reflecting off the sand. "Hit it and try not to die. I'll try to find you on the planet but if I don't, try hitching a ride out at some outpost. Got it?"

"Okay," he replied. "I'm gonna do it." And then my ears popped as the top of the ship flew open and sent him flying, sealing shut as soon as he was gone. I barely had any time to hope he'd be okay before I had to go back to trying to make sure we didn't die.

We were dangerously close to the ground now, and from what I could see, it looked rocky. Of all the places we could have crashed, fate decided on the most hazardous spot.

"Please," I begged no one, flicking every switch I could to create the maximum amount of drag. If either of us died... I couldn't finish the thought. I only knew how horrible and devastating it would be for the Resistance. We still had so much left to do.

I tried steering towards more sand, but it did little to alter our course. The Force inside me was humming, wanting release, but I didn't know how much I could help stop a ship from crashing. Until it hit me: protect the people.

I had seconds left to make a decision. I cast all my power into a bubble around us as we crashed into the sand, golden particles flying up around us like water. The crush and screech of metal on rock shredded the air as we slid to a stop. Poe was still sitting limply, his head bobbing in front of him. I prayed he wasn't badly injured. I had nothing out here to help him.

"Poe?" I said softly, releasing my Force-bubble.

No response. My heart rate sped up as I unbuckled my restraints holding me in place. I leaned over and shook him. "Poe!"

He inhaled sharply, and his eye cracked open. He groaned, not lifting his head.

"We need to get out of here," I said. "Can you stand?"