Those Before Us ⤇ Finn

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The ternary beacon blinked on her nav computer as she approached the First Order ships. She turned directions to avoid their detection, but someone caught her signature.

Padme? The voice rung in her head like the echo in a cavern. I can barely reach you. Come closer, I want to talk.

"No, you need to come with me," She said back to him. "It's Leia, shes -"

I know. I was there.

"You - you were there? And you didn't try to help her?!" Padme would have slammed on the brakes had she been in a cruiser.

You know I couldn't do that.

"Oh bullshit, you could come back to her. To us," Padme fumed. "Can't you see what you've done? Come back! You're fighting for the wrong side, wake up!"

No, Padme you are. Come join me, we could overpower Snoke and rule together, by our rules.

"I won't. Ben come back to the light, I can sense you want to," She couldn't, but she wanted to instill doubt, that would hopefully blossom into his return.

You sense nothing, Ben is gone.

Padme's fury licked at her heart, threatening to break out at his comment.

He must have noticed. We're the same, Padme.

"How's that?" She snapped.

There's a darkness in you.

Padme stayed silent at that. He knew as much as her what was in her heart, she knew that. But for him to call her out on it, that was another thing entirely.

Let it out.

Padme turned off cruise control and sped off, out of his range without a word. Ben was returning, he just needed time. He was trying to get Padme on his side. Maybe, just maybe, Padme thought, if I convince him I'm on his side, I can save him from the inside.

She could see the resistance ships ahead of her, but they weren't trying to escape. Why weren't they trying to escape?

Padme reached out to Finn or Poe as she neared the rebel ship, hoping someone could hear her, but neither responded.

Instead, she tried comms. Connecting to the rebel channel, she spoke up. "Rebel command, this is Padme Skywalker, I felt trouble and thought I'd join in on the fun. Permission to dock?"

The line was silent for a second while they processed her request. "Permission granted. Welcome back, Red."

Padme smiled, recognising the nickname immediately.

As soon as she docked, Poe was waiting a few steps outside her door.

When she pulled the pressure release and hopped out, Poe was already wrapped around her in a tight hug.

Padme laughed, hugging him back. "Hey, Poe," She said, his new jacket wrinkling against her. "I see we have a tail, what's that all about?"

Poe let go of her, stood at arms length, and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. "We're fucked."

"Oh?" She laughed a bit, but quickly realized he wasn't kidding.

"Come on, I have a lot to explain."

"Trigger happy flyboy?"

"Yes!" Poe exclaimed, entering the nest hallway.