Star Wars: A Resistance Story. Book 2

Chapter 23: Mutiny.

The situation aboard the Raddus couldn't be more critical. The fleet's ships were destroyed one after another and Holdo was still keeping the crew ignorant about her plan.

Poe turned his pain into a burning anger and he was aiming the Vice Admiral. It was the only way he found to keep going on. Taking his old habits, don't bond with anyone, create a strong barricade around his heart and his feelings and go on, fight again and again until the end. He knew that if he was thinking about all the people he had lost these past hours, if he allowed his feelings to take over his reason, just like he did after Ly'ra and Jay's deaths, he would go down. And with the few people still alive in the Resistance, he couldn't allow himself to mourn. The survivors needed someone strong to show the example.

Earlier, Finn and Rose might have found a way to save the survivors and they had left the Raddus with BB8. They would try and find a codebreaker on Canto Bight, then sneak aboard the First Order's Destroyer and deactivate the tracking system. Dameron, with Connix's help, had covered their getaway. The pilot kept his thoughts for himself, but he knew that the young Bango would have been totally capable to do this mission. Unfortunately, he had been killed during the attack of the Raddus and Poe was now doing the only thing he hated most: waiting. 

"Finn, Rose... Where are you guys?"

It was during these moments that he was starting to cogitate and think about this lost friends. He was thinking about Jay who will never know how right he was about Ly'ra. He was realising how much he was missing the young mercenary, her smile, her bad temper and her amazing emerald green eyes that would have really helped him to not fall down into his sorrow right now.

"Still nothing?"

Dameron turned his back on the window and faced Snap. As a prevention, he contacted the other members of the Black Squad, just like his most faithful allies, about the on-going plan. They all thought that the lack of actions and even more the lack of informations from Admiral Holdo was unacceptable, and the Commander was starting to feel himself burning of a need to do something. He couldn't stay like this any longer. He shook his head slowly before sighing.

"Nope..."

Snap could feel that his friend was about to explode with a raging angst and, to be honest, he couldn't blame him. He quickly glanced around them before stepping closer to Dameron and lowered his voice. Intrigued by his sudden suspicious behavior, Poe frowned and stepped closer as well.

"A lot of us think that having Holdo at the head of the Resistance is not a good idea... So... Of course it's not the time to make politics. Even more when the First Order is on our ass but... You need to know that we're ready to follow you."

Dameron stayed silent, fixing his friend into his eyes. A mutiny? Indeed it wasn't the best moment but... On the other hand... Holdo was leading them right into a catastrophe and the pilot must admit that it was an idea he had to keep in mind. He looked around as well, allowing D'Acy walked through them and staying silent as she glanced suspiciously at them, before nodding softly.

"Not yet. But when Finn and Rose will deactivate the tracking system, we might need to use this plan. The new Leading Lady would probably not like the idea and we'll need to take some measures..."

Snap nodded and stepped away. Poe noticed only then that several other pilots had gathered, waiting for the orders. A very light smile appeared quickly on his face, happy to see that he still had allies and that they all weren't following blindly the orders.

*******

The atmosphere in the flight deck was not any better than in the rest of the ship. The Resistants were fully aware that, without a plan or help coming up quickly, they were lost. Suddenly, a voice echoed in Leïa's personal comlink.

"General Organa? Erm... It's Bango. Somebody's here? Hello?"

After a second of pure surprise, Holdo quickly grabbed the communication device.

"It's Admiral Holdo, we're listening Bango! We weren't waiting any news anymore... We thought you were dead!"

Aboard the Fire One, the young man was fighting to send the coordinates while he was trying to fly in the same time. It wasn't an easy task knowing that he was usually only a copilot and that most of the buttons and controllers in front of him were totally unknown to him!

"I... Erm... I'm trying to send you the coordinates of Crait. Myrkr... Well... Let's say it's not a good idea..."

"We're receiving them right now. Join us there. Oh Bango? Where's the rest of your team?"

There was a silence, the young man didn't really know how to announce the news.

"They won't come..."

*******

At the same time, the last support ship of the Resistance was destroyed. This time, Poe couldn't hold back his anger any longer and he hurried into the flight deck, hoping he would force Holdo to tell him about her plan. Unfortunately, the Vice Admiral didn't say a thing. Worse, she was even planning the evacuation of the Raddus.

This time it was the end of the Resistance. They all fought for nothing and all their friends were dead in vain and this was something Poe couldn't bear. Once he was thrown out of the flight deck, he headed towards Snap. The pilot noticed the rage in Dameron's eyes and understood that the moment had come.

"What is she doing?"

"She's preparing the evacuation of the ship. We're doomed, the transports will be atomised!"

Dameron started pacing before sending his fist in the wall in front of him with a raging yell. He then leaned on it, placing his hands on each side of his face, eyes closed, trying to calm down. After several deep breathings, he opened again his eyes and his look fell onto his mother's ring. Ly'ra. She couldn't have died in vain. He then turned and faced Snap and the rest of his Squad. They were waiting for his orders and Poe nodded.

At this moment, an alarm rang out on the Raddus and Connix's voice could be heard in the speakers.

"All the crew must immediately head to the transport shuttles."

The evacuation. Holdo, D'Acy and other Officers of the Resistance appeared few minutes later and Dameron tried one last time to reason them and talked about Finn and Rose's plan.

"So a Stormtrooper and a who now are doing what?"

The pilot tried his best to stay calm.

"They are trying to save us, this is our best chance to escape. You have to give Finn and Rose all the time that you can..."

"You have bet the survival of the Resistance on bad odds and put us all at risk. There's no time now, we have to get clear of the Cruiser..."

She turned to face the crew and said:

"Load the transports!"

"Right away Admiral!"

"Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that..."

With a sigh, Poe nodded slightly at his men and faced her again, pointing his blaster on the Vice Admiral and he was quickly imitated by the other pilots.

"Vice Admiral Holdo, I am relieving you of your command for the survival of this ship, its crew and the Resistance."

Seeing her reaction, Dameron's superior didn't see it coming and sighed.

"I hope you understand what you're doing."

"Yeah... I'm going to the bridge."

Poe ignored her and headed towards the flight deck with Connix, while his men were keeping the High Commandment of the Resistance at gunpoint.

"If they move, stun them."