Battle Scars

Chapter I

Poe stood at the hangar bay door watching as new recruits were walking out of the transport that had just landed.  He was watching for someone. The one pilot who could best him. One who had bested him many times on the battlefield. 

"If you're looking for that T.I.E. fighter pilot, she hasn't gotten off yet." General Organa walked up next to the pilot. 

"You know who she is?" Poe gave the general a concerned look as he crossed his arms. General Organa shifted her weight waiting for the last of the new recruits to get off of the ship. 

"She risked her life contacting me begging for a role in fighting the First Order. She'll be the only one with nothing but the clothes on her back."

"Why?" Poe almost felt stupid asking the question. Stormtroopers in the First Order didn't keep personal belongings since most of them were taken from their families at birth. 

"To make sure she's not being tracked. Plus, she didn't have much, to begin with." 

"You mean to tell me that the best pilot in the First Order wasn't allowed a day off to go shopping?" 

"Remember Poe," The general gave Poe a stern look, "She is not viewed as a person. Merely an expendable pawn."

"A very talented pawn." Poe shifted to face towards the princess turn general, "You are aware that some of the members of the Resistance may not give a very warm welcome to her? She did kill some of our pilots in skirmishes." 

"I am aware but, she has since broken free of the First Order's brainwashing. Think about the last fight you were in with the First Order. Do you remember a T.I.E fighter that was able to evade you at every turn but seemed to purposely miss every shot?"

Poe thought for a long moment. It had been a week since his last skirmish with the First Order, but he remembered getting frustrated at one fighter who he could never get a lock on. "Yes, I do. Did seem odd at the time..."

"That was her," Leia gestured to the last recruit that left the ship. She had on a tan, long-sleeved shirt, black tight-fitting pants, and black leather boots. Her red hair was pinned up in a tight bun befitting of the hairstyle of the First Order. Poe could tell she was nervous. He would have been too. "What she did at that last skirmish was her signal to me that she was ready to leave." 

"Does anyone else know who she is?"

"Not that I know of, but you know how secrets don't stay secrets for long around here. But, for her sake, keep it one for as long as you can." 

Poe nodded in agreement. He watched as she followed the rest of the new recruits into the building. General Organa left his side to meet with them in the meeting hall to give them her "Welcome to the Resistance" speech. Poe followed making the decision to look in on their first meeting. 

There was about fifteen of them. All wide-eyed and ready for a fight. Except for one. She sat in the back with her head down hoping no one would notice her. Hoping that no one knew who she was. But, he knew. Finally, she looked up and noticed him staring at her and she quickly looked away in embarrassment. She knew who he was. She had fought against him several times. The ex-First Order pilot looked towards General Leia and seemed to relax a little bit. A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes making Poe relax a little. 

"New recruits," The General began. She looked around across the room making eye contact with each one of them, "Today you take your first steps as members of the Resistance. You have decided that you wanted to join the fight against the growing threat that is the FIrst Order. Many of you have left behind family and friends to join this fight. Some, have left behind a checkered past."