Stargaze [Star Wars Sequel Trilogy] ✔︎

XXI. Out of Range

I could sense Kylo Ren getting closer as Leia instructed us to go out there and fight. I glanced at Poe awaiting his permission. "Ok" he said. "But you fly with me." I nodded as I ran to change, throwing the jumpsuit on over the old clothing. Chaos flooded around us as BB-8 broke in. Poe and I met in the hall, running after the droid. " Don't wait for me! Jump in and fire her up!" Then I sensed it. Danger! A blast headed right for the hangar we were heading to. I thrust out my hand and tried to stop Poe from running in. I could only stop the blast for a millisecond with the force only for it to hit anyway. The force of that blast blew us back. The one's in the hangar weren't so lucky. The doors closed as x-wings and their pilots' burned.

"Are you guys ok?" Finn asked as he helped us up. I shook my head. I had failed to save them. I'll never be a Jedi. The force just leads to destruction. I was better off never knowing all of this at all. Finn shook my shoulder. My ears were still ringing.

"Lillian, did you hear him. We need to get out of range." Finn said. "Of the star destroyers.' Poe finished.

...

Kylo Ren flew in his tie silencer. His attention turned to me briefly. "Lilly." He whispered. "Ren." I mumbled back. Then another presence was felt. Leia. 

Reaching out to her son. Kylo's thumbs fell from the triggers. I could tell what he was about to do. Call off the strike. But it was no use. Other tie-fighters slid past him firing at the ship and the control room Leia was.

I saw the explosion first hand, sucking all of our leaders out to the cold vacuum of space. I felt pain and loss. I was huddled against one of the walls of the ship. "Lillian." Poe began. But he had nothing to say. "Oh Maker!" Connix said. I felt Poe squeeze my shoulder. All of us and Finn looked out the window to see Leia, force pulling herself back to the door. The airlock shut behind her and we pulled the general's unconscious body inside. "Make way! Make room!" Poe shouted as fighters crowded the hallway, getting her to the medbay. She was weak but alive. But the feeling of loss lingered. I turned away to see Finn pick up the beacon bracelet that fell from Leia's wrist. Moments later the entire resistance returned to another control room.. Our numbers were low. Larma now stood in front of us.

General Organa. Leia. Is unconscious but recovering. This is the only good news I have. Admiral Ackbar, all our leadership, they're gone." Larma said. "Oh dear!" C3P0 said in worry. We were lost, hopeless. "Leia was the sole survivor on the bridge. If she were here, she'd say save your sorrow for after the fight. And to that end." I noticed Poe sit up straighter. Leia was grooming him to lead the resistance one day. He wanted to volunteer to lead but I could tell that wasn't going to happen, not now. Larma continued. "The chain of command is clear as to who should take her place. Vice Admiral Holdo of the cruiser Ninka." A purple haired woman walked in to stand next to her. She was tall and was adorned in silver jewels. "Thank you, Commander." The admiral said briefly glancing around the room. "There are four hundred of us on three ships. We're the very last of the Resistance But we're not alone. In every corner of the galaxy the downtrodden and oppressed know our symbol and they put their hope in it. We are the spark that will ignite the fire that will restore the Republic. That spark this Resistance, must survive." She seemed to dance around a possible plan. "That is our mission. Now, to your stations. And may the Force be with us." Poe then leaned over to whisper to me. "That's Admiral Holdo? Battle of Chyron Belt, Admiral Holdo?" He asked. I didn't know. I had never understood the battles of the past like he did. "I guess." I replied. "Not what I expected." He grumbled as he walked over to introduce himself to her.

I proceeded to stand up and walk away. "Miss Hopbett." A voice said. I turned to see Holdo staring at me. "It has come to my attention that you are force sensitive." I nodded. I had only ever called the Skywalker saber to me. Alas, Rey had taken it to Luke. I noticed Poe looking at me sympathetically. "I am. I have the force. I don't know how to use it." I said. "Well learn." Holdo said. "We need all the help we can get and it doesn't help coming from trigger happy fly boys." She said before marching back off to talk with more soldiers. I noticed Finn begin to walk off. I wanted to go after him but I wanted to see Leia. After all this, it was certain we were most likely doomed. Poe and I walked down to the medbay after changing back into our clothes.

The room she was in was bleak. The only color coming from the holographic monitors over her head. We pulled up chairs by her bedside.

"It's going to be fine. "Poe lied. "No it isn't. What did she tell you?" I asked. He sighed. "She blamed me for the loss of our fleet and expected me to follow her orders but I don't know what those are. She didn't even tell me the plan." "They have to have something but why ask me. I am not a jedi. They'll get that when Rey comes back with Luke." I said. "That's about the only hope I have left." "Hope is always here." He said. He took my hand and I laid my head on his shoulder.

Perhaps he did feel something for me. "You're one of the strongest people I know besides my mother, Lillian. You faced me down after getting your hand cut off a week ago. Pulled from everything you knew just to help me." Poe said. "You've already thanked me for that." I said. "You're a good person." He spoke. I didn't feel like it. I wasn't strong enough to stop a blaster. I abandoned the last place my mother was but for what. Rey immediately left. I had no one. I pulled my head off his shoulder and he touched my face, wiping away tears that I didn't realize fell. I then felt his face get closer to mine. Could this be happening? I had no one, perhaps this new person was him. I began to close the distance when there was a noise behind us. We jerked apart to see Finn and another woman. C3P0 wandered in as well. I recognized her as Paige's sister Rose Tico. They had a plan.