The Other Solo - Part II A Shadow of Hope

Chapter 6

Raddus

General Organa sits in her private office contemplating her next move. The cruiser rushes through space at lightspeed. The hum helps her concentrate. She replays the death of Han and the deaths of all the Resistance fighters. When will the death end?

She senses her time may be up soon. What will happen to the Resistance then? Who will lead them?

Her mind wonders to her children. Anakin was the charismatic one, the born leader. He was so sure of himself even as an infant. He walked sooner than his siblings did and talked quicker as well. Children always followed him around and did whatever he said. He would have been a brilliant leader.

Ben was uncontrollable. As a baby he was the most needy. His moods shifted quicker than the seconds passed. He always craved attention from both his parents and often Jaina was passed over so they could tend to him.

Jaina, sweet Jaina. She was the nurturer. She always soothed Ben when their parents couldn't. Anakin loved spending time with her as well due to her calming nature. She could be stubborn just like Han but she consistently could be relied on.

Leia sighs thinking about Jaina. She could be exceptional. She would be able to rally the troops and stir to action at a moment's notice, but was she able to lead? 

Leia worries Han's death and confrontation with Ben was too overwhelming for her daughter to bear. She seems so fragile lately, too much has scarred her. Poe is her security blanket. Can she function without him?

Poe, he is like another son to her. He was fearless and headstrong. Always able to get out of a tight squeeze. So much like Han, but... he was too big of a risk taker and until the present it paid off. To be a leader though you can't be so brash. He needs Jaina to balance him and keep him grounded.

"It's time for both of them to be who they should be." Leia opens her eyes. She knows what she must do.

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Raddus Bridge

Poe enters the bridge and bee lines over to General Organa. Jaina follows behind a safe distance. She is still trying to shake what just happened between her and Poe.

"Well we did it!" Poe greets Leia trying to sound jovial.

Leia looks cross. He waits for her congratulations. Instead she slaps him across the face.

"You've been demoted."

"Whoa! Wait, what?" He blocks her from walking away. What is with the Organa-Solo women today? He wants to say but doesn't.

Jaina is also shocked by her mother's physical reaction. She knew Leia was pissed but didn't think she would actually strike him. A very firm lecture is what she expected. What is with the Organa-Solo women today? She says under her breath.

"We took down a dreadnought." Poe defends.

"At what cost?" Leia scolds.

"You start an attack, you follow it through." He reasons.

Leia shakes her head from the immaturity of his defense. "Poe, get your head out of your cockpit."

Poe turns away. He can't believe what he is hearing. He's always been the hero, the golden boy. They succeeded and got away from the First Order. Why aren't Leia and Jaina more supportive?

"There are things that you cannot solve..." Leia pulls him back. "...by jumping in an X-wing and blowing something up!" Her tone becomes tender. "I need you to learn that."

She steps away from him but he stops her.

"There were heroes on that mission."

"Dead heroes." Her words are laced with sorrow. "No leaders."

The weight of her words hit him. He looks to Jaina who shakes her head and looks down. She feels his grief but doesn't move to comfort him.

"I can't believe you both." He gruffly whispers taking a step closer to her. "Neither one of you had a problem with the plan when I suggested it to the whole counsel."

"You're right, I didn't." Jaina admits. "But I didn't think it would cause so much loss. "

"Come on, Jaina." Poe growls. "You knew that was a risk. It's always a risk when you go on a mission or when confronting an attack."

"Of course I know that." She hisses. "But you had a direct order to retreat. We had all the transports and were able to leave with everyone but YOU chose to continue. YOU chose to up the risk. YOU wanted to be the victor at all costs and it cost us everything! You're lucky all she did was demote you!"

The moment the words come out of her mouth she regrets them. She can feel his anguish over losing his friends, disappointing Leia and now her. But they're out there now, she can't take them back.

A few officers stop what they're doing to look at them.

"Go on..." Poe waves them off. "Go about your business. Nothing to see here."

He guides her toward a window further away from others.

"Poe, I love you but you can't expect me to side with you because I love you." Jaina says softly.

"You know what I didn't expect?" He moves closer so only she can hear. "I never expected you would use who I am against me. I'm the same man I've always been, the same man you fell in love with. You act like all of sudden I'm some how different, that I take risks for the wrong reasons. I take risks to insure our survival. I take risks to protect the people I care about. I've always done that and yes it's pretty much worked out for me. And yes, today was a rare time it didn't work out completely the way it was supposed to but don't you dare put that all on me. I feel the pain of losing them too. They were my close friends, my family and I won't let you diminish their sacrifice because you feel guilty."

She swallows hard. "My guilt?"

He nods somberly. "You didn't stop Kylo Ren. At every chance you let him go. You never do what you know you have to, what you should."

"And what's that?" She asks.

"You want to save him but he can't be saved. I've seen what he's done first hand. He killed innocent people, your own father. He's not your brother anymore. He hasn't been a very long time. The more you try to bring him home the more he only hurts you and the whole galaxy. What's worse, you know this about him. You pretend there's still good but you know deep down there isn't. YOU are the reason we are in the predicament we are in. YOU choose him over all of us all the time."

Tears pool Jaina's eyes as she tries to maintain eye contact with Poe. His words cut deep into her the way he wanted them to.

"So that's how you really feel?" She mumbles wiping away a stray tear.

Poe doesn't answer. He knows he's wounded her and he can't take it back. When did we start hurting each other? The last thing he's ever wanted to do was hurt her and he knows she doesn't want to deliberately hurt him either. He knows she didn't mean to push him in the hall and she is just lashing out over all the things she's lost, her father, her arm and now their friends.

They both stand next to one another unable to utter another word, too afraid to make things worse.