Author's notes

If you haven't read "Dress, Dinner and Dance" and "Darkness Rises" please do so and review the chapters. This story will make more sense if you read the former and latter.

I will try to reveal answers I left in the final chapter in "Darkness Rises" as much as I can in this chapter

I note I used "real world" swear words in "Darkness Rises" (something which I detest to use in fanfiction but they were needed). Having discovered Star Wars curses and swearing, especially "kriff", it will appear in this and future Star Wars fanfictions of mine

PS: Am not a medical doctor, so the stuff described in the first part may be inaccurate.

PPS: My heartfelt condolences to the family of the later Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.

Medical Centre

Main Resistance Mon Calamari Cruiser Audacious

Several Standard Days later

Poe Dameron burst into the medical centre his hair all uncombed despite having just used the refresher minutes ago. Tapping a nearby panel, a barrier drew up to expose a Bacta tank. Drawing closer, the tank was filled by a single figure, clad in a loose one-piece white, slightly translucent gown. Poe moved even closer to the tank and pressed his lips then his whole face again the Plexis glass.

"Jess, Jessika," he called out to the figure inside the tank. "Jessika Pava." The young starfighter pilot remain unconscious and her body just moved at a slow pace in the healing fluid. "Jess…Lieutenant Commander…"

"Commander Dameron," a new voice called and Poe spun around to see Major Harter Kalonia in a medical gown. "Did I give you permission to be here?"

"Uh no…but…." Poe turned slightly red with a guilty look.

"You may out rank me and may be the leader of all Starfighter pilots, but this is my sanctuary," Kalonia continued with her stern voice. Then suddenly, she relaxed, walked over patted him.

"How is she Doc? How long more before…"

"Poe, she fell unconscious, most likely due to excessive lethargy or due to some mistreatment during her captivity. She responded were to the drugs I gave her but Bacta treatment takes time…" Suddenly the panel next to the Bacta cylinder started beeping, shocking the two of them.

"Oh Force!" Poe yelled. "What's going on?!" Doctor Kalonia ignored him as she punched numerous button and pulled levers on the Bacta tank controls but the lights still flashed and the machine beep. Just as Poe started sweating profusely, they both noticed Jessika floating upward in the tank without any movement of her limbs. Suddenly, that young female Starfighter pilot eye's started to blink. "Oh my…" Poe couldn't help but drop to the ground in relief.

A while later…

Having showered and properly combed his hair, Poe entered another part of the medical centre. Flashing a card to the medical droid, it punched in a code, allowing him to enter the ward, which had just one occupant.

"Jes…" before Poe could complete his call the figure on the bed stared at him with a blank expression. "Who are you?" she said in a robotic voice?

"Hey, it's Poe Dameron, remember me? I'm you senior commanding officer."

"Who are you…"

"Oh Kriff, Doc!" Poe called then suddenly Jess' head shook and she called, "How ya doin' sir, I mean Poe."

"Jessika Pava, don't you dare try that on me ever again," Poe shook his finger at her. He then reached over and gave her a hug. "Glad to have you back safe and sound."

"Yeah…ow, Poe, my arm still aches," Jess replied. Suddenly, a rotating sound came and then a series of beeps. "BB-8!" both of cried as the spherical droid extended a tripod to lift itself up. "Beewowbep!"

"Aw, I'm fine BB-8," Jess patted the droid's head, although she wasn't sure of the dorid's questions. BB-8 then turned to Poe and whistled a couple of beeps before the little droid rolled out of the room.

"What…ahem, was that?" Jess asked with a cough.

"Oh, nothing much," Poe replied, sitting down next to the bed and passing her a cup of water. "Just really glad to have you back. Did they…"

"If you want a whole story Poe, maybe later. To cut it short, yeah, I got banged up a bit but am ok now."

Snoke's Hideout

Unknown Location

The same time

At that moment, Kylo Ren, born as Ben Solo, was literally being banged up by dozens of Dar Side Force-induced aggressive pushes again super hard stone walls. The young fallen Jedi was not only being thrown about but was hurled insults such as "worthless scum", "cretin" and "nerf herder". The source of this physical and verbal assault was none other than the Supreme Leader Snoke. "You worthless space junk," he hissed as he Force assaulted his apprentice once more. "You failed to bring me that Jakku girl. Not only that, but you got nearly blow up and out smarted by some NON-JEDI Starfighter GIRL!"

"Master…" Kylo tried to form words but Snoke used the Force to levitate the young Dark Jedi up. "Cretin, you are unworthy to be the leader of the Knights of Ren, no, you are unworthy to be called a Knight." Snoke raised his hand, ready to fire a Dark Side-powered Force Lightning Strike.

Medical Centre

Main Resistance Mon Calamari Cruiser

Jessika suddenly jolted up. "Oh, wait where's Rey? Rey, she was in some kinda coma when I found her. Re.."

"She's still out but stable," Doctor Kalonia said entering the room. "How are you feeling Jess?"

"I'm much better. Where's Rey, can I see her, can I see her," Jess exclaimed loudly and started to get up from her bed when the Doctor waved her hand.

"Jess, you're still recovering. No, no, you can see Rey but after I check on you."

"Better do as the Doc says. Nice to have back, Testor."

Snoke's Hideout

"Master…I…can...redeem myself," Kylo croaked as he tried to counter Snoke's lightning strike.

"Really? What do you junk have to say?"

"There's…the special troops…I have the item in production. As for that girl, I will…" for the first time in the hour, Snoke ended the punishment and listened carefully.

Main Resistance Mon Calamari Cruiser Audacious

Hours later

Jessika Pava was finally out of Kolonia's lair and back changed back to normal clothes. Everything seemed the same, well, her clothes were there, her meagre accessories and jewellery were there, her private finances weren't missing. She found herself wondering down the cruiser's main corridor with many calls of "welcome back, glade you're safe" and lots of pats on her back.

"Hey Jessika," she looked up to see Yolo Ziff. "Hey, it's…"

"Hi Yolo," Jess shook his hand.

"Oh yeah. It's nice to have you back around. Say, the others are in this room.." Jess found herself in a larger squadron room and almost every Starfighter pilot was she knew was there.

'Jess," the deep voice of L'ulo called and she embraced her former Black Squadron mate. "Really good to see you back. They didn't hurt you bad did they?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle, L'ulo," she replied.

"Jess, thank the Force!", Zari Bangel, a Y-Wing pilot exclaimed. "So good to see you again! It been so empty while you were captured. Now at least I don't have to put up with Karé's talk…"

"Hey! My stories are interesting. Rey, great to have to back safe," Karé Kun, Stiletto Squadron's young leader said. "Heard you also brought some big-shot Stormtrooper…"

"Oh yeah, that Phasma lady," Jess suddenly remembered the whole series of events. "Where is she anyway?"

"Still with Major Brance," Iolo Arana, now a A-Wing pilot answered. "That was an amazing break out you made Pava."

One by one, other pilots like Joph Seastriker, Niv Lek, Nien Nunb, Greer Sonnel, and Teffer all welcomed her back. Theo Meltsa was on patrol while Jess learned the sadden new that Yolo Ziff was killed in the Starfighter battle meant to rescue here. "And Snap? Any news of him?"

"No news Jess," Nien Numb replied in his mother tongue. "We're sorry to…

"Attention on deck!" Someone called and they all snapped to. "Lieutenant Commander Jessika Pava, front, centre!" Jess raised her eyebrows as she did so. "For heroism in the face of countless adversaries, we award you the Valour medal Second Class," Poe read out, pinning a medal to her left chest. Then unceremoniously, he gave her hug. "Well done Testor!"

"All I did was dodge blaster fire, boss," Jess remarked blushing.

"Whatever, ok, continue your party people!" Poe called.

"Jess, hungry? I betcha, they probably really drained you there. Come on, chow's fresh," Karé dragged her to the galley.

Hours later…

Technically there was no evening or day in the cruiser, but the sudden silence indicated it. The good doctor ordered her to turn in early, but Jess didn't feel it was right to hit her bed yet. Something else was still missing. It could be Rey still in a coma, it could be Snap's long-term absence, or it could just be your brain, Pava, she scolded herself. Jess was walking around aimless when she found herself in the senior officer's quarters. Hey wait a minute, isn't this door to my left…

"Jessika Pava, what the Force are you here?" As if on cue, Poe stuck his head out of door.

"Err…"

"Get in, unless you what to be marked down for unauthorised presence here." Silly rule, Jess thought, but quickly snuck in. Despite the larger size room for senior officers, Poe's quarters was only filled with the basics and the only picture she saw was a younger him with his parents on Yavin 4.

"Jess, Doc told you to get an early rest."

"And clearly I'm not. Do you want to make that an order sir?"

"Oh stop in Pava, you know better." Then, he again unceremoniously hugged her, giving her two deep kisses on her cheek. "Oh Force, I thought you were a goner."

"It takes more than any Imperial garrison or fleet to make me a 'goner', Poe," she gave him two pecks on his nose back.

"What did they do Jess? Did that scum Kylo touch you? Did he…"

"Poe, it wasn't anything I was trained for. And if you are too scared to mentioned the 's' word, no he didn't do anything."

"He's still a kriffing asshole," Poe replied, remembering his own torture under that spoilt brat Dark Jedi and how Finn suffered.

"Yeah, permission to sit?"

"I said sod the formalities here Jess. Wanna drink? Commander's privilege," Poe pointed to a small cabinet of alcohol.

She shook her head. "Wanna watch a holo? I've got 'Spacey, the giant space slug', 'To Kessel and back' and 'Mon Calamari's dreamin'"

"Ha, nah."

"Then what's troubling you?"

"I dunno Poe. Rey, Snap, or maybe…" Jess eyes blinked rapidly. "This whole escape..."

"Don't get you."

"I mean, one moment I was strapped to that horrible torture rack. Next, I think I killed or nearly killed a Stormtrooper. Then, I became like an invincible girl and go through a maze. Next thing I knew, I saw Ren fighting with Rey and…" Jessika snapped back. "I'm not making sense am I?"

"Come on, I'm taking you back to your room," Poe said. "You need rest."

"I need…" Jessika Pava blurted out. "You."

TBC