Star Wars Episode IX: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 27: Goodbye, Dear Princess

Tensions were high in the Resistance base. Only a few stayed behind with General Organa to keep tabs on what was happening in the battle. Leia was surrounded by Rose, R2-D2, C3-PO, and a few other of the more elderly members of the Resistance as they listened into the communications between the pilots, all the while sending out more and more signals to anyone that would listen that their attack was happening.

Leia could not afford to cast doubts on the galaxy; she needed to have faith and hope that they would aid the Resistance in their time of need. She had won one war already, she would not lose this one. "Princess, the fleet has appeared to have arrived on Exegol." C3-PO said robotically as she turned her attention to the radio that was now crackling to life.

"Black Leader, what are your orders?" A pilot's voice rang out. "I've got a bad feeling about this," Poe mumbled to himself before speaking over the radio. "Focus on the control ship. We take that down, we strand the fleet here permanently. Don't hold back, give it everything you got. Rose, find any weak points in that armor." Poe instructed. "I'm on it." Rose responded as she leapt from her seat into action, quickly looking over the file on the Final Order star destroyers. They didn't have much information, but Ben was able to provide a few base schematics of their structure.

"Alright Poe, it looks like there is a main control tower on the top of the ship. The guns underneath are not reinforced as well as the rest of the ship. Copy?" Rose called into the radio. "Copy that, base." Poe responded. "You heard her; focus fire underneath and at the tower." The personnel on Crait all couldn't help but show their nerves on their features as they listened to the sounds of battle. They could hear the blasters of ships, the trill of droids, the pilot's communications with one another. All seemed to be going well for the first few moments of battle.

That was until the Final Order realized they were there. After a few relatively uneventful minutes, sounds of panic began to echo through the radio. Shouts of duress and painful screams as their ships were being blown to bits cracked through. The diagnostics of all of the X-Wings began to turn red at a rapid rate on the monitors next to the small group of people on Crait, signalling the death of another person. "Poe? What's going on?" Rose asked into the radio.

"There are too many of them." He said solemnly. His eyes scanned over the battlefield in front of him as he whipped his ship around expertly. His friends and allies were being torn apart by the endless fleet of TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers. His throat seemed to clench as he swallowed. "I don't think we're going to make it guys." He responded to the endless flow of questions coming through his earpiece. "I thought people would come. I'm sorry." His voice broke with emotion as he thought of all of the people he failed, of all the people in the galaxy that would succumb to the harsh rule of the Final Order because of him. He thought of Finn and his smile. He would never hear him laugh or feel the warmth of his embrace. He would never see his love again.

Leia felt tears forming in her eyes as she heard the defeat in his tone. She watched as more and more ships turned red, leaving only a handful left. She too felt her throat close. This mission had failed. The Resistance was dead. They had lost. The hopelessness was palpable as Rose looked around the room. She felt like crying herself, but she knew they needed her strength. Acting quickly, she moved back to the communication station where she sent out signals of distress to check if anyone had responded. She couldn't help the smile on her face as she opened the Resistance communications to anyone close within range of a Resistance ship.

"General Dameron, you have people awaiting orders." Rose's voice filled his ears as he was brought out of his hopeless mindset. Confusion washed over him as he turned his ship around to face away from the fleet. His eyes widened as he looked at the scene in front of him. Ships of all shapes and sizes met his eyes. There were as many of them as there were stars in the sky as a smile formed on his lips. More and more ships jumped out of hyperspace as he heard confirmations of their arrival.