#Standard Disclaimer, Star Wars isn't mine#

#REVISED chapter#

Cold didn't do it justice. Ice cubes were warmer. Poe stared across the frozen expanse, the flat ice gradually turning to mountains in the distance. Mom and dad's stories of Hoth did not prepare me for this at all, he thought as he rubbed his arms through his four layers of clothing and cold weather gear. At least there weren't any snow beasts around, at least that anyone had seen or any scans had revealed. He frowned. He hoped there were no snow beasts around. Just ice and snow over rock. The planet spun around its star at the outer reaches of the system, the only planet in six that could support life as far as breathable atmosphere. Its rotation was such that the days were short, the deadly cold nights long.

He took one last look before he turned to walk back to the base. They were here to protect a senator who had insisted on coming for a look at the scientific expedition. Four fighters seemed like overkill to visit a ball of ice and some scientists, but the senator had insisted so here he was.

He walked back into the hanger. The larger doors were closed, all of the doors would be sealed soon as night came quickly here. The small area was crammed now by two shuttles and four X-Wings. He shook his head. They'd somehow managed to fit all six ships in this area. It had been necessary. While not exactly warm inside by any means, the outside turned deadly cold at night, to both man and machine. The scientist's shuttle sat at the back, now wedged in beside the senator's shuttle. The X-Wings were in front, wings almost touching. He looked at his fighter and that's when he saw her. She was kneeling down in front of his astromech, the little green and silver unit beeping away as she did something with the small tools in her hand. Her red hair was braided and wrapped around her head.

He walked up to her and stopped on the other side of his droid from her. She looked up at him from where she was kneeling.

"Oh, is this your ship?" Her bright, sky blue eyes were wide.

Poe smiled. "Yes, it is, and my droid. I'm Captain Poe Dameron."

He held out his hand. She stood and took his. Her hand was warm, in contrast to the point-of-freezing surroundings. He noticed she was actually wearing a long deep green skirt with her tunic. She smiled at him. "Nice to meet you, I'm Sariah Kallus, the main electronics engineer here."

"Nice to meet you. So, what is all this about?"

She shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I think it's supposed to be a new weapons system, but right now they're just taking a lot of readings on the sun and atmosphere. I just keep the droids and computers running. My title is a little more glorified than my job."

"It's a vital job, especially on this ice cube." He was surprised when a blush coloured her cheeks. Poe wasn't inexperienced, but at the same time he wasn't as experienced as some might think. He'd been more involved in his ship and flying than chasing girls. But even with that some experience, for some reason he felt nervous around her. "So, how's my droid?"

"Old. He's been around since, the Empire's days perhaps?" She raised one eyebrow and knelt down again.

"Maybe, but I've had him since the Academy."

"Well, if he's working for you, Captain." She finished and walked over to his ship. "May I?"

"Sure." He watched as she opened up an access panel on the X-Wing. He couldn't seem to not watch her. She was beautiful. Her light skin was unblemished, she carried herself so gracefully she was nearly floating when she walked. She worked for a moment before turning to face him. "Do you need something?"

"Um, no. I….would you like to have dinner with me?" Poe smiled at her, hoping he didn't sound too ridiculous.

"Sorry, I don't really like to date people I work with, or anyone in the military."

Sariah watched as disappointment crossed his dark eyes. Maybe his invitation had been sincere, but she wasn't used to men being sincere. Her biological father hadn't been, and she'd only dated a few times, finding the men distasteful in their behaviour. Maybe her expectations were too high, but she held on to some hope that there was some way to find a man who respected her for her brain and wasn't after her for more than she was willing to give without commitment. The man she'd known as her father, not her biological one, had set the bar high for what she expected in a man.

"I hope whoever made you say that is stuck on Jakku, permanently." He spoke quietly, a half-smile on his lips, and walked away.

She watched him walk away, surprised at the sincerity she heard in his voice.

###

Poe found himself on patrol outside again. Someone had to do it, and the cold was keeping his mind off the engineer he'd met the day before. Even with the sensors, a short trek outside to visually observe was necessary, and during the day it was simply well below freezing, not 'you can die just by breathing' cold. Well, so maybe the short journey outside was not vital, but it didn't hurt. As it turned out, it was a good idea. He saw what looked like a ship coming in low. It wouldn't show up on scanners coming in like that, at least not the scanners they had at the station. He watched through his quadnoculars for another moment before putting them away.

He turned around and ran back inside, running across the packed snow. He found his squadron mates in the hanger and motioned them to come with him as he headed to the control room. Ice encrusted rock walls surrounded them, the floor was hard packed snow. He found the senator and scientists in the control room, talking. "Senator, we're about to have company. I'm going to have to ask you to stay here until we find out who they are and what they want."

"I'm sure we don't need a military response, Captain." The senator's tone of arrogance matched the condescending glare on his face.

Poe glared back at him, senator or not, Poe was not going to back down. These civilians were his responsibility, one he took very seriously. "I hope not, but we do need to be careful." He turned to the lead scientist. Niall Delek stood there, his body tense as he looked from the Senator to Poe. Poe ignored the Senator for a moment and focused on Delek. "When did your supplies last come?"

The older, grey-haired man was from Naboo. He turned to Poe, his pale green eyes ringed by dark from lack of sleep, he exhaled sharply. "A week ago, Captain. You are correct, no one should be coming, not now." He answered quietly, casting a glance at the Senator.

Poe nodded and glanced one more time over the room of civilians. "Wait here, we'll see what they want."

He hoped they were friendly, lost maybe although that was extremely unlikely, it was the low approach made him suspicious of their intentions. They were clearly trying to avoid detection. He realised he didn't see Sariah, but he hoped she was simply working on something in another part of the small research station. He went outside, alone.

The small freighter had landed, its dull grey metal standing out against the white snow and sky around it. Six beings emerged. They appeared human, bundled in winter gear. The apparent leader was wearing black, in contrast to the light grey of the other five. He stopped short of Poe, his cold blue eyes striking against his pale skin. There was something very reminiscent of the Empire in their clothing, and it made Poe like this even less.

"We're here to see Senator Antares."

Every instinct Poe had said this was bad. "You're not on the schedule." He held his hand loose but near his sidearm.

Before anything more could be said he heard the Senator's voice behind him. He noted the surprise and slight concern flash across the man in black's eyes. He turned just enough to see that the Senator had Sariah in front of him, a blaster to her head. She only had on the layers they wore inside, she wasn't in outdoor boots and coat, she'd freeze if they were out here long. "We'll go inside and discuss this in a civilised manner."

The man in black turned his attention to him. "That sounds good."

Poe didn't like it, but for the moment, keeping anyone from getting killed was more important. He nodded. The Senator released Sariah, giving her a slight shove. Poe caught her, steadying her. They walked back inside. Sariah was beside him. "I don't know what they're up to, but it's not good. The leader, Armitage Hux, he's with the First Order."

Her whisper was barely audible, even to his ears. He dipped his head once, in pretence of looking where he was stepping.