MONOCHROMATIC [A POE DAMERON X READER STORY]

part 3; chapter thirteen

Finn transferred the information from D-O to the equipment. While he, Poe, and Rose examined what D-O had, you knelt by the droid, offering him a smile of encouragement. Despite his eagerness to help, he still found human contact nerve-wracking. 

"All the information you need for an airstrike on Exegol," Finn said. 

"Yeah, except how to get there," Poe said. "Have you seen these atmo readings?"

"It's a mess out there," Finn agreed. He shook his head. "Magnetic crossfields..."

"Gravity wells, solar winds," Rose added. 

"How does a fleet even take off from there?" you asked, and Poe shook his head. 

"Terribly sorry---" You stood up as C-3PO waddled over with R2 at his side. "I'm afraid Artoo's memory bank must be crossed with his logic receptors. He says he is receiving a transmission from Master Luke."

"Impossible," Poe said, but he connected R2 to the equipment nonetheless. "That's an old craft ID," he said. You moved behind him and peeked over. He pointed. "See? That's Luke Skywalker's X-WING."

"It's transmitting course marker signals," C-3PO told him, "on its way to the Unknown Regions."

"It's Rey," Finn said. 

You beamed, "You're sure?"

He nodded. "She's going to Exegol. She's showing us. She's showing us how to get there."

Poe smiled. "Then we go together."

*  *  *

"As long as those Star Destroyers are on Exegol, we can hit them." You stood in the center of a crowd of every single Rebel on base, right between Poe and Finn. Your arm was around Poe's waist, and his around your shoulders. 

"Hit them how?"

Rose looked to Poe as she said, "They can't activate their shields until they leave the atmosphere."

He nodded. "Which isn't easy on Exegol. Ships that size need help taking off. Nav can't tell which way's up out there."

"So how do the ships take off?"

He continued, "They use a signal---"

"From a navigation tower," you finished. Poe smiled proudly and flipped on a holographic image. "Like this one right here."

"Except they won't," Finn said. "Air team's gonna find the tower, ground team's gonna blast it."

"Ground team?"

"I have an idea for that," Finn assured. 

"Once the tower's down, the fleet will be stuck in atmo," Poe continued, "for just minutes. With no shields, and no way out."

"We think hitting the cannons might ignite the main reactors," Rose said. 

Lando nodded. "That's our chance."

"We need to pull some Holdo maneuvers. Do some real damage."

"Come on," Finn said, "that move is one in a million. Fighters and freighters can take out their cannons if there are enough of us."

"There aren't enough of us!" 

"He's right," Connix said, "we'd be no more than bugs to them."

"That's where Lando and Chewie come in," Finn said. "They'll take the Falcon to the Core systems. Send out a call for help for anybody listening."

"We've got friends out there," Poe said. "They'll come if they know there's hope." A murmur rose out of the crowd. A few scoffed in disbelief, but most were afraid. "They will. First Order wins by making us think that we're alone. We're not alone. Good people will fight if we lead them." You looked up at Poe and smiled. Your grip around him tightened for a moment.

Finn said, "Leia never gave up. And neither will we. We're going to show them that we're not afraid."

"What our mothers and fathers fought for, we will not let die! Not today. Today, we will make our last stand. For Leia. For everyone we've lost."

"They've taken enough of us," Finn said, shaking his head. "Now we take the war to them."

No one got any sleep for the rest of the night. Every second was spent preparing the ships, the weapons, packing in everything available for use. And as the sun began to rise on the horizon, you knew that it was time to go. Morning would be here in less than an hour. People were already having tearful goodbyes with their loved ones, their friends, their family. And you watched the sun rise between the trees until Poe walked behind you and said your name softly. 

"That was quite the speech, General," you said, turning around. "You and Finn were made for this."

"It was pretty good, wasn't it?" he joked with a slight smile. He walked up to you and you wasted no time. You threw your arms around his middle roughly and pulled him against you, crushing yourself against him. He held you tightly, cradling your head against his chest as he shut his eyes. "I won't lose you. Not to them. Not today. Not after everything we've been through."

You sighed. "I don't want to lose you either, Dameron, but nothing is guaranteed. So if---"

"No," he said, holding you tighter. 

"Poe, please---"

"No. I refuse to lose you."

You pulled back and looked up at him. "Saving you was the best decision I ever made. You gave me something to fight for. And if I don't get to see you again, please just know that---"

He covered up your mouth with his hand and shook his head. Despite the tears in his eyes, he smiled. "You are going to wait to tell me all of this when you get back safe and sound. You're going to be right beside Finn on the ground, right? Is that what you decided?"

"Actually, I'm going with Chewie and Lando," you said. "I figured I need to gather up as many people as you can, like you said. And I know people will come if they hear that it's you calling for help. You meant so much to Leia, Poe. People will come for the Resistance. They'll come for Leia. But they'll also come for you. You are carrying on her legacy, you know. You. Finn. Rey---"

"And you," he finished. "C'mere." He kissed you on the forehead and wrapped his arms around you again. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, princess."

You shut your eyes. "I love you too, Dameron."

The sun was shining bright over the forest now. You packed up the Falcon with Chewie and Lando. Chewie told you how happy he was that you were coming with him. You hugged him tight; the loss of Leia was still real and recent and so incredibly painful. It helped Chewie and it helped you to just know that all of this was for her, and that the two of you weren't alone.

As you handed Chewie the last bit of supply, you felt a weight on your shoulders. You turned and caught the jacket as it slipped off of your arms. Poe stood there smiling. "Didn't I ask that you never stop wearing my jacket?" 

"Sorry, General," you said. You slipped it on and he bent forward, his right hand cupped around your chin. He kissed you for a long moment, eyes squeezed shut. "Make sure you remember me while you're out there on the front lines, so you don't act like an idiot and get yourself killed before I get to kiss you again."

"Yes ma'am." He kissed you for the second time. 

"We'll find people, Dameron," you said with a nod. "And we'll be there to fight with you soon."

"I know you will." He touched your face for the final time. "I'm not going to say goodbye, because... I know I'll see you soon." 

"Yeah," you choked. You blinked hard and smiled. "In just a little bit."

"In just a little bit." 

"Take care of yourself, Dameron. I love you."

"I love you, princess," he said. "I'll be careful. You be careful too. I want to marry you pretty soon, you know."

"I know." You boarded the Falcon with tears in your eyes, and you finally learned what all those people meant when they said that if you loved someone and left them behind, you would leave your heart with them.