The Other Solo - Part II A Shadow of Hope

Chapter 23

"He's doing this for a reason." The gears in Poe's mind are rapidly turning.

"He's stalling so we can escape." Jaina opens her eyes back in the mine.

Poe nods in agreement.

"Escape?" Finn questions. "He's one man against an army. We have to help him. We have to fight."

"No, no. We are the spark that'll light the fire that'll burn the First Order down." Poe recites. "Skywalker's doing this so we can survive."

Finn and Jaina follow Poe as he walks further into the mine.

"There's gotta be a way out of this mine. Hell, how did he get in here?"

"Sir," C3PO speaks up. "it is possible that a natural unmapped opening exists. But this facility is such a maze of endless tunnels that the odds of finding an exit are 15,428..."

"Follow the force." Jaina mumbles to herself.

Poe shushes the droid. "Listen."

Everyone looks around. They don't hear anything.

"My audio sensors no longer detect the..."

"Exactly." He searches Jaina's face if she understands what he's thinking.

"Where'd the crystal critters go?" She and Finn say at the same time.

One of the ice foxes yips before disappearing down a large cavern. Jaina immediately takes off running.

Poe calls to the rest of the group. "Follow us."

They all look to Leia.

She shrugs. "What are you looking at me for? Follow them."

Poe smiles and runs after Jaina.

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The Falcon zooms across the powdery white valleys of the planet. Inside the beacon pulsates rapidly. R2D2 beeps excitedly.

"If the beacon's right beneath us, they've got to be somewhere." Rey answers. "Keep scanning for life forms."

The beacon on Leia's wrist begins vibrating and beeping. She knows Rey is close.

Jaina follows the jingling sound of the glittery fox deeper in to the cavern. It's completely dark but she feels it moving ahead. Behind her the group hurries to catch up. Their flashlights are too far to give any real light to her. She stops suddenly sensing Rey's familiar presence.

Rey.

Jaina. Rey lets out a sigh of relief. The beacon is going crazy but I can't find you. Where are you?

We're close, underground. Trying to find another way out of the mine. Follow the force. We'll find each other.

A porg's frantic call pulls Rey's attention. Down in the valley she spots the foxes spilling out of the cliff's face.

Jaina reaches a dead end. The fox stands on a rock waiting for the others to approach. Poe joins them.

The fox slithers it's way through a small crack in the wall disappearing to the other side.

"No. No, no, no." Poe cries stepping in front of Jaina.

He and Finn climb up the boulders. A tiny hole lets in some sunlight. Poe looks down at Jaina. Her face doesn't betray her. She's oddly calm.

"We have to move the rocks." Finn suggests. "Hurry."

He begins lifting a rock at the bottom. A few fall down and the crowd steps back.