Disclaimer: All Star Wars characters are property of Walt Disney. Some minor characters were created by me to compliment the story.
Anticipation
"Move forward!" Poe ordered from the sky as he swarmed around the opposing TIE Fighters.
Below him, a squad of 6 rushed straight ahead. Finn felt uneasy as they ran, "Wait! Take cover!" he shouted to the squad suddenly.
"No proceed straight ahead; this is the enemy's weak side." Poe spoke to team through the communicator in their helmets.
"We need to take cover." After slight hesitation, the squad followed Finn's lead and ducked behind a large bolder.
"You're comprising our strategy, the objective of this session is to.." Poe said.
"Stay focused!" Finn shouted over him.
"What?" Poe said in disbelieve, is Finn taking charge? He thought.
Just then a TIE Fighter swept past him and he realized what Finn was saying, he was now facing a 2 on 1 scenario. For any normal pilot this would be a disadvantage, but Poe was no normal pilot. He dodged one attack an flew the opposite direction, not to escape but to lure the enemy, who took the bait. "Gotcha" he said as he dodged another attack and shot down the first enemy. He then proceeded to do the same tactic, when the TIE Fighter behind him was shot down from the ground. He was even more confused when he heard Finn's order.
"Storm ahead!" Finn directed the squad, "Poe lead!"
Poe hesitated, "Hurry!" he heard through his helmet. He then proceeded forward at full speed as the enemy base quickly came into view.
"Now, the entrance Poe, shoot!" Finn yelled in a rush.
With one shot the tower doors were destroyed leaving a giant hole exposed for easy access. Multiple battle droids left the battle field to defend the tower leaving them defenseless. "Take the base!" Finn yelled. The squad fired their blasters easily dropping the battle droids, they then charged forward into the tower completing the training session. Moments later lights flashed and a siren signaled, ending the simulator as the squad cheered in victory.
Poe exited the vehicle and approached the others obviously not as amused as they were. "Finn you disobeyed an order" silence fell amongst the group.
Finn hesitated for a moment and spoke, "Didn't mean to Poe but I had to act fast."
"There was no need; we were on the enemies weak side" Poe stated.
"You were outnumbered", Finn pointed out, "That's a disadvantage."
"I was handling them." Poe defended.
"How do we know that?"
"Excuse me?" Poe asked slightly insulted.
"What I'm saying is the First Order works in perfect sync; if you were double teamed it'd be too risky to leave you alone. We can't afford to separate; it makes more sense to take out any threats one by one until we have the advantage." Finn clarified as calmly as he could.
"It still causes miscommunication going forward." Poe stated.
"Finn was right" Blaine, one of the soldiers, spoke up "no way the enemy could stop that kind of charge." Blaine was the smallest yet loudest in the squad but normally even he wouldn't argue with Poe.
"Yeah" Jack, the oldest and strongest of the squad, followed up. "Finn knew that Jessika would recognize the flight patterns, that's why he had her direct my shot and boom went down easy." It was even more unusual that Jack would argue with Poe.
"I'm not arguing with the execution, but miscommunication will be a problem if we are not in sync." Poe stated.
"By separating?" Now even Jessika was arguing him.
"Finn communicated well" she continued. "His adjustments were perfect and that kind of quick thinking could end up saving us."
Everyone lost sight of the message. Poe was getting frustrated and Finn could see it. This had only been a practice simulation with simulated enemies, no legitimate danger. However, every simulation reflects a potential battle scenario and even though they completed the objective, their actions afterwards would suggest that they failed. Finn decided to act before things got bad.
"Poe you're right." Finn said making everyone one stop.
"I was trying to give an alternative but our original strategy wasn't compromised. I need to do a better job of sticking to the plan, which will be best going forward."
This wasn't the First Order, but one thing Finn learned there from an early age is you do not argue with an authority. Things were different here in the Resistance and while Poe was cool, he was still captain and that was to be respected.
"Good, let's just not make a habit out of it." Poe concluded.
"Man those Storm Troopers ain't gonna know what hit em." Blaine said throwing his arm around Finn. "Things are gonna change around here now that you showed up, drinks on me everyone!"
"Yea we'll toast one to Finn!" Jack said. They made their way toward the exit with only Finn hesitating until Jessika playfully dragged him.
"Come on champ don't be so modest". Finn followed but not without giving one last concerned glance at Poe, who just stood and watched.
Traveling had always come easy to Rey since she never had much to pack. Her staff, tools, and some light food covered all the essentials. Those are the only items she ever needed to survive. So naturally, when it was time to leave she was in haste.
"I can see you're excited, I figured you would be." Luke chuckled as he saw her moving at a much faster pace than him even though he was getting help from Chewy and R2D2.
"Yes however," she slowed down and turned to him, "I am curious. Why now, after all this time do you wish to go back?"
It was a fair question, with him to have disappeared for so long. It was a conversation Rey avoided since she arrived weeks ago. Through her nerves she decided it was easier to approach him professionally. His offer surprised and delighted her when he suggested she stick around for a while and train as Jedi to increase their chances once they return. That offer was too good to refuse especially because it meant he would return however, after all this time she realized she never really learned much about him. Now that she asked she wasn't sure of what she wanted his answer to be.
"The fact that you found me and brought me my saber tells me that the war has reached a turning point in which I need to evaluate new strategies." Luke replied simply.
"I see." Rey said as she picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. She took a step forward until Luke's hand touched her shoulder.
"Rey our time together has been short, but I'm glad that it happened." He offered a smile that she returned. "Ready whenever you are" she said. And with that, she walked into the ship.
"Ladies, gents, wookiees, droids, whatever the heck ya are its all good here! It's all good at the Resistance, cause that's what we're about, love for all and kicking trooper butt!" Blaine yelled as he stumbled on the bar stand. His brown curls covered his eyes as sweat covered his fair skin, but that wasn't going to stop him from one of his world famous speeches. "And we're gonna kick more butt than ever thanks to the champ!" He used his bottle to gesture toward Finn.
"Think it's time to cut him off?" The bar tender asked Jessika.
"Wait for it.." she replied.
"For he's a jolly good fellow" Blaine began to sing into the bottle.
"Ok, now cut him off" Jack said as he stood on the bar stand. The light shined through the dark skin of his shaved head as he put his large arm around Blaine cutting off the singing. "Enough Blaine" he then raised his glass high to the crowd, "To the Champ!"
"The Champ!" Everyone cheered before downing their glasses. Finn was just laughed.
"Hey Champ." A familiar voice said. Finn turned to see Poe posted up on the wall behind him.
"Hey Poe" Finn began to scratch his head, "Look about earlier.."
"Don't sweat it, it's all good, the training was a success." Poe said.
"Yea but.."
"It was a judgement call but it was a good one." Poe concluded.
Finn couldn't help but chuckle. "You've gotta be the coolest dude I've ever known."
"Hey, one thing I learned, life is too short to stress over everything, sometimes you just gotta focus on the positives."
"Speaking of which, I never thought I see a celebration for a training session." Finn gestured toward the crowd of people behind him.
Poe laughed. "Yeah well we don't get too much to celebrate about these days."
"By the way about this 'champ' stuff, that going to stick?" Finn asked slightly concerned.
"Na don't worry about that. I think at least half the people here have been called that at least once." Poe said to which Finn raised in eye brow. "Like I said, we don't get much to celebrate. Enjoy it for the night." He patted Finn on the shoulder and moved into the crowd.
"Yeah, I'm working on that" Finn muttered as he looked back to the crowd slightly amazed, slightly nervous as people kept coming up to him greeting him and giving him high fives.
Finn found it to be flattering but weird. In the First Order, people didn't really socialize as much as they tolerated each other. Since waking up from the comma, Finn had met and interacted with a lot of people in the Resistance and he was proud to call Poe and Jessika his friends. Still, times like this he felt out of place, Poe and Jess were cool but there was no one he could really relate to.
After an hour Finn decided he had enough of the Bar. Before leaving, he made his way over to his friends. He maneuvered through the crowd to see them engaged in a conversation full of laughter.
"Hey guys, I'm about to take off." Finn said.
"No drinks and no groupies, what kind of champ are you?" Jessika joked with her friend.
"A respectable one! Tell her Finn." Poe answered on Finn's behalf.
Jessika continued to tease her friend. "Yeah well whoever this mystery girl is I hope she's shows up soon. We've been anticipating her return."
"What?" Finn stumbled. " I'm not..I never.." he came to a realization and gave an accusing glare at Poe who avoided eye contact as he sipped from his glass. "Whatever, I'm leaving."
"Goodnight Finn!" Jessika yelled as he walked off. "Gotta love that kid" she said to Poe.
"Everyone does" Poe agreed.
Jessika looked around before leaning in to whisper, "Are the rumors true?"
Poe shrugged his shoulders and looked away. "Oh come on" Jessika pleaded, "They don't just let anyone do light saber training."
"You know" Poe leaned closer, "We might be getting a little too close for a captain pilot relationship" he said with a grin.
Jessika leaned even closer; "I ain't take no oath" she spoke smoothly and stood up to walk away. Poe stayed in the same spot with his grin still in place.
It was a long flight, longer than Rey remembered as the Millennium Falcon glided through space. It had been a couple days since they left for D'Qar but Rey had been nearly restless with anticipation for when they land. So many thoughts raced in her head as she wondered how differently life would be once they arrive, some thoughts good some thoughts bad.
Most of all she thought of Finn. The only one to come back for me and I turn and leave him, she thought. She knew that wasn't necessarily true but she couldn't help but feel guilty. That strike to his back was vicious, what if he didn't fully recover.
Not all of her thoughts were as negative. She thought of the best case scenario where he did recover in which she actually felt envious of Finn. Life in the Resistance with other fighters and the beauty of D'Qar, must be adventurous" she wondered.
Finally, her destination was in sight. After weeks of wonder and anticipation her new life was about to start. And maybe she would get some answers to her other questions as well…
"I have to hand it to you Finn. You are more patient than I was at your age." Leia said.
They were sitting in her office across from each other. It wasn't the liveliest training session but Leia found it important to build Force Awareness.
"Believe me you're a lot more engaging than my previous teachers. I'm good with this." Finn said with his eyes shut as he tried to focus.
"What do you sense?" Leia asked with her eyes also shut trying to get in sync with him. "I sense a lot." Finn said trying to stay calm and remove his mind of any distractions. "Focus on one thing at a time." Leia said simply.
Finn did as instructed, "I feel the land and the wind, it carries a nice smell. I feel the water, I can taste it."
"Good, now why do you sense them?" Leia asked.
"There's movement. On the ground people are walking, talking. In the water, fish are swimming. In the sky, a ship is flying." Finn paused for a moment before he continued. "I recognize this ship, it's.."
Both their eyes shot open and locked on to each other in shock. "They're back" Finn nearly shouted, "We have to go see them."
"You go ahead I'll meet you there shortly" Leia said quietly.
Finn was confused by her reaction, "General?"
"Go there's no time to waste." Finn listened and ran off to the landing.
Leia quickly grabbed the communicator on her desk. "Poe, gather a conference."
Author's Note: Thanks for the early reviews. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well; it was difficult to write because it's more of a setup chapter and I didn't want to give too much away. However, some important moments happen here that will show as we go forward.
Till next time, later
