Buddy
"Well, look who made it back in one piece," General Leia remarked jokingly as Poe Dameron wandered through the entrance way of the base's conference room. His clothes were charred, stained with blood, and dusted with sand.
"Barely," Poe laughed. He ran his fingers through his thick, dark hair in an attempt to remove the sand he felt clinging to each strand. "It's quite a crazy story actually. You may not believe it."
Leia smiled, causing the wrinkles in her skin to become more defined, showing her age. "Oh, I'm sure I would. I've heard some rather crazy stories in my life, and been a part of many of them. So, tell me all about it."
"After obtaining the map, which I gave to BB-8, I was captured by the First Order," Poe explained. "They tortured me for information. I tried my hardest to withhold it from them, but Kylo Ren..."
Leia's joyful expression fell at the mention of the name. "What did he do?" she asked solemnly.
"He got in my head; it's hard to explain in a way that makes total sense. It's like he was tearing my brain apart bit by bit. A stormtrooper came to escort me to what I assumed would be my death, but instead he offered to help me escape. He didn't agree with the First Order and wanted to get as far away from them as he could." Poe paused momentarily, remembering Finn. Though their friendship had been brief, Poe felt like he had known the man for a lifetime. "We stole a TIE fighter," he said with a light laugh. "The First Order shot at us like crazy, until we were hit and crash landed on Jakku... I don't know if he survived. We got separated."
"I'm guessing you hit your head in the crash," Leia commented, pointing out the rather large blue and purple bruise bulging on Poe's forehead.
"Yeah, I was a bit dazed and wandered away from the crash," he continued. "I eventually came across a Blarina scavenger in a speeder. I told him my story; he was convinced I was a madman, but still took me to an acquaintance that could get me off the off the damn planet. Long story short, I made it here alive. Unfortunately, I lost the map and BB-8. I can't apologise enough, General. I failed my mission."
Leia placed her hand on Poe's shoulder. Her soft, gentle gaze reminded him of his mother. "You did all that you could," she reassured him. "As for the droid, I know you are rather fond of him. We'll get him back, don't worry."
Leia spoke the truth. Poe had grown very fond of BB-8. The little rolling droid was a loyal companion and more intelligent than people gave him credit for. The way he bobbled along with such speed beside Poe constantly made him smile. So, yes, the man missed his droid. However, it wasn't just BB-8 he missed and worried about; it was Finn. Though the likelihood was slim, Poe hoped Finn and BB-8 somehow managed to cross paths on Jakku, if Finn had in fact survived the crash.
Come on man, he pleaded silently. Find your way here and bring my little buddy back with you.
To keep his mind off his lost friends, Poe kept himself busy. He was tinkering away at his X-wing when General Leia came up to him, a smile spread across her face. "I can see you're busy, but I come bearing good news. We've located BB-8," she informed him joyfully.
Excitement buzzed through Poe's body, wiping away the feelings of loneliness and depression. "That's amazing!" he exclaimed. "How? Where?"
"We received information through one of our networks, that BB-8 is presently within the castle of Maz Kanata on Takodana," Leia explained. "I thought you would be very pleased with the news. Unfortunately, there's no doubt that the First Order have also been informed of the droids location. We must get to Takodana as soon as possible."
Poe suppressed his excitement and got himself into a more serious mindset. No more failing missions, he told himself. My little buddy needs me.
oOo
Sitting in the seat of his X-wing, looking ahead as he accelerated towards the blue sky and burst through the atmosphere into the vast blackness of space, Poe piloted his X-wing with a new sense of determination and purpose. This mission gave him a chance to redeem himself, and to save BB-8. He wondered if perhaps Finn was there too, with BB-8. Then I could get both my friends back, thought Poe excitedly.
Poe felt a tingling rush of adrenalin as he and the other Resistance pilots entered the Takodana atmosphere. As they neared Maz's castle, he noticed thick black smoke choking the lush green vegetation, and swarms of stormtroopers crawling around the castle's structure like ants. He lowered his X-wing so it skimmed along the water, and fired continuously at the parked TIE fighters until they exploded into a burning wreckage. He fired, with precision, at a white cluster of stormtroopers; the blast knocked them all to the ground, their armour tainted with black char marks. He looped tightly, cheering triumphantly as he headed for another attempt.
When the battle was over, they all headed back to D'Qar. Every time Poe arrived back from a mission, he always found himself in awe at the beauty of the planet's flourishing vegetation. From a distance, the tops of the trees looked like soft green sponges. However, as he neared the planet's surface, they seemed more like brushes with fine green bristles. Poe skilfully parked his X-wing and climbed out of the cockpit.
"Any damage?" asked a Resistance technician as he approached the landed vehicle.
"Not sure. I think I did a pretty good job of dodging attacks, if I do say so myself," Poe answered jokingly. "But it would be great if you could have a look anyway."
The technician laughed. "No problem."
It was then that Poe heard a pleasantly familiar sound, like a wheel whirring as it rolled along ground, accompanied by high-pitched beeps and blips. He turned around to see BB-8 rolling at top speed through the crowd, heading in his direction. "Buddy!" Poe yelled out excitedly to the droid. BB-8 rolled to a halt at his feet, and Poe crouched down to the droid's level. "I'm so glad to see you!"
BB-8 beeped in response, which Poe could clearly understand. "He said you were dead."
"No, I'm perfectly fine, buddy," Poe assured him. "Wait. Who said I was dead?"
BB-8 beeped and rolled his ball-like head to the side, gesturing for Poe to glance in that direction. "Look up, silly."
Poe glanced up and the sight immediately filled him with a bubbling mixture of joy, excitement, curiosity and relief. Finn, the friend he thought he'd lost forever, was standing just metres from him. Smiling, he rose and gestured for Finn to come over.
"Poe," Finn said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Poe Dameron, the best pilot in the Resistance. I can attest to that, because I got to see him in action. Hell, I was in action with him!"
"Finn!" Poe exclaimed, a cheerful grin spread across his face. "Bravest trooper... sorry, ex-trooper." The two wrapped their arms around each other in a firm hug. Poe couldn't have been happier. Both his friends were safely back with him. He couldn't wait to hear the story of their grand adventure.
Author note: I got the information on how Poe got off Jakku from the film novelisation, since the movie didn't really go into detail.