The Other Solo - Part II A Shadow of Hope

Chapter8

Raddus - Leia's Quarters

I'm here, Mother. Whenever you're ready to open your eyes. I'll be here. Jaina strokes her mother's hand as she lay unconscious.

Poe stands by the door watching. He bites his bottom lip thinking of what to do next. Outside the First Order's constant assault offers no peace.

There's a knock at the door. Poe opens it to find Lt. Connix.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, How is she?" She asks.

Poe shakes his head. "No change."

Connix nods somberly. "The commanding officers from the other cruisers are calling a meeting. It's on the emergency bridge in the lower ventral. "

"All right. We'll be there shortly." Poe says closing the door.

Jaina keeps her eyes on her mother. "What did Connix want?"

"She was checking on the General." He strokes her hair comfortingly. "She also said there's a meeting on the emergency bridge."

"Ok." She sighs. "You should go."

"Perhaps you should take a break." He suggests.

Jaina takes Poe's hand still looking at Leia. "I don't want to leave her. She might wake up and I don't want her to be alone."

He leans down, "It could take a while. She took quite a blow and needs time to recover. You'll be able to sense when she wakes."

Jaina sits forward closer to Leia."No, I want to be here. I almost lost her today."

"Ok." He whispers. "If you change your mind..."

She hears him exit the room and sits back in her chair. The door opens again.

"Poe, I didn't change my mind..." She turns toward the door.

Instead of Poe, a slender woman dressed in taupe with purple hair stands in the doorway.

"Hello, Jaina."

"Amilyn." Jaina stands smiling. "It's so good to see you made it."

Holdo embraces her. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you. As if you haven't been through enough."

"Thank you." Jaina sniffs. "I was hoping I would get to talk to you. Mother told me you were promoted to Vice Admiral after I left the Senate. I'm just glad you got off Hosnian Prime before..." Jaina can't finish the sentence. Thinking about Korr still makes her heart ache. Amilyn squeezes her hand. She too feels the loss of their friends.

"Listen, there isn't much time. I want to talk to you about something." Holdo pulls a chair next to Jaina and sits. "I don't know if she told you," She hands Jaina a tablet. "but Leia sent out a message before the attack about the chain of command should anything happen to her."

"Oh..." Jaina reads the message Leia sent out to all the cruisers. She always thought if something were to happen to her mother, Ackbar or Statura would be in charge. Since they are dead now she assumed it would be Poe.

"I will be taking over as Leader of the Resistance, however I know you probably were expecting yourself to be put in charge." Amilyn continues gently. "I completely understand if you want to take over. I can suggests this and stay on to help you anyway I can."

Jaina glances at her mother. "I don't know that I will be able to concentrate while she's like this." She squeezes Holdo's hand. "Besides, you are the senior officer now."

"Are you sure?" Holdo leans forward.

"Yes. You knew mother best and would do what she would. "