Author's Note: In honor of Star Wars Day, I began writing this chapter on May the Fourth. And I just finished it a few weeks before Christmas. I apologize for being a spotty fanfic writer and not giving y'all an update sooner. I truly put so much into writing this story so far, and I hope that all of you like reading it just as much as I do writing it. I only own Alida and this story. Disney and Lucasfilm own everything else!

Chapter 4: Heated Debates and Calm Propositions

"Wedge. I'll ask the question everyone here is wondering. How do we know that we can we trust your niece? Are we sure she is not a First Order spy?" Turning from where he was poring over battle plans, the retired pilot stared at the major who had spoken with a careful glare.

"Major Brance. I would trust Alida with every single life on this base," he stated matter-of-factly.

"That is a decent amount of faith. I do not need to remind you about what happened to her mother…"

"Do not think of speaking of my sister in such terms. Need I remind you who saved your arse during the Battle of Endor?"

"That was back when we were all young and naïve, Wedge. Look at what has happened since. I'm simply saying…we need to be careful. That young woman has that same blood running through her veins."

"As do I. Have I been swayed by the Dark Side?"

"Not yet…anything could happen..."

"Speak of my niece again, and I'll knock you right-"

"That is enough, both of you. There is enough tension in the galaxy. We do not need any here. If Major Wedge says we can trust Miss Salk, then I have the utmost faith in her. Our good major has never steered us wrong yet." General Organa stepped forward, a stern frown on her usually kind features as she glanced between the two arguing men, who both nodded respectfully and fell silent. Poe stood in the corner, observing the conversation with a studious expression as he contemplated the words both of them had spoken.

"Commander Dameron." At the sound of his general calling out to him, he straightened up off of the wall on which he was leaning against and walked over to where everyone else stood.

"General?"

"You spoke with the young woman. You have been spending time with her the past few days. As you are not family, you would have a more unbiased opinion. What are your first thoughts on Miss Salk? Is she someone we can rely on?" Leia asked him, her voice soft yet still holding an air of command that resonated deep within each person inside of the room. Poe reflected back on his exchanged words with Alida and his not so professional thoughts of the blonde. His opinion may be a bit biased already, but he figured he'd at least give his honest opinion to his general.

"I believe that she was willing to die for a Resistance fighter whom she had no previous contact with before this week. And she did not even care that she could have died, as long as Snap was all right. I believe Alida is a woman who is selfless and kind. She is determined to follow through with a goal to the point of being reckless, but that can be worked on." As he spoke, he shot a small glare at Major Brance as though daring him to continue bad-mouthing the newcomer. The general noticed a touch of admiration in Poe's voice as he opined, and her brow arched up. This could be an interesting development if Miss Salk remained at the base.

"That reminds me of a certain pilot, does it not?" When Poe turned a shade of pink, the general actually smiled to herself. "Well, then. You all heard Commander Dameron. Miss Salk is one to trust. And perhaps, with Poe's guidance, she can be one to train to fly as well?"

"Yes, General. I think she truly has the heart and drive to be quite the pilot with some training." Nodding at his own words, Poe folded his arms and glanced down at the plans, trying to hide the excited smile that wanted to make itself known.

"That settles it. No more rude remarks about her or her family. Is that clear, Major Brance?" At the explicit order towards him, the older man hung his head in shame.

"As you wish, General Organa." He turned and walked out of the room, exchanging a short glance with Poe before he disappeared down the stairs. Poe turned back to his general with a small smile.

"I know Tas means well…but should we watch him around her just to make sure?" Poe suggested softly, just loud enough so that she alone could hear him.

"He is just trying to protect the Resistance, Poe. I do not believe she is in real danger, as long as she continues to prove that she is genuine and truly wishes to help us." Leia pursed her lips and began to pore herself over the plans on the table. "If it helps put your mind at ease, however, you could remain close to her as she heals. I will be by to meet her this afternoon if she is feeling up to it."

"Of course, General." Bowing respectfully, Poe took that as his cue to leave and walked down the stairs. The first place he headed was her bedside, noticing that Alida was sitting up in bed alone. She was fiddling with her fingers, looking bored out of her mind, and his eyes danced with amusement. He knew the feeling all too well...sitting in a bed in the medcenter, unable to do much of anything save for people watch and wait for meals.

"Want some company?" he offered as he stepped a little closer. Glancing over, Alida took in the sight of the commander in his green outfit and seemed to exude relief as she nodded and gestured for him to sit.

"I'd love some," she responded when he moved over and took up residence in the chair that was beginning to feel more comfortable than his own bed. "This is the fourth time this week, Poe. I'm starting to think you're skipping out on commander duties to come see me." He heard the teasing lilt of her voice and laughed aloud, happy that she was in good spirits amidst everything she had been through.

"Only at the general's behest. She wants you fully healed, and she wants me watching over you until you do so."

"Any word from Yavin IV yet? From my father?" Poe knew it must be worrying her, not having heard anything from her father since leaving their planet, but he could not let her stress over it. It was not good for her current condition to worry unnecessarily.

"Don't be alarmed. With the First Order penetrating the planets and spreading their darkness, we all must be careful sending and receiving messages. Your father knows that. If he's gotten word about your status, I'm sure he will try to make it here as quickly as he is able." Covering her hand reassuringly, Poe smiled, which helped her to smile a little in turn.

"I'm sure you're right…" she assented. "I just…"

"I know. I'm the same way with my own father at times," Poe assured her.

"What about your mother?" she wondered with a frown. He stared at their hands for a moment in silence before he could answer her.

"My mother died when I was eight."

"Oh..Poe…I'm so sorry…"

Insert foot into mouth…Alida thought in frustration. She placed her free hand over his and squeezed his fingers, and he returned the gesture before gazing into her eyes.

"It's all right. It gets easier year after year to speak of her. You did not know," he answered her before she could say anything more. She gave him a smile filled with warmth that seemed to ease the ache in his heart from recalling memories of his mother.

"I lost my mother when I was young as well. I remember how brave and good she was…" Alida's eyes filled with a sadness that made Poe even angrier at the First Order for taking both of their loved ones away.

"Your uncle told me that she was an X-wing pilot." He watched as her glum frown turned upwards into a softer smile.

"Yes. Both of my parents were…until she passed. My father never flew another ship after that." Poe could understand that amount of grief from losing his mother. It was unimaginable…losing a parent when you are a child who looks up to them more than anyone else. "So, Poe…tell me. When will I be able to walk out of here? I think I'm going to die from sheer boredom."

"That may be a touch exaggerated, but I get your meaning." Poe laughed again and stood up, tapping playfully on her leg until she scooted over in the bed to make room. Sitting down on the bed, he faced her as her eyes roamed across his face. "I'll be here whenever I can to keep you from being too bored. Maybe I can bring you something to read?"

"I love reading," she replied emphatically. "Lyechusas is one of my favorite dramatists. But I love hearing the poems of Shawn Valdez."

"The Rebel captain who helped to evacuate Hoth during the war against the Empire?" Poe was surprised that she knew of him, and when she nodded, his smile grew. "I enjoy listening to the tapes of his speeches and his poems about the Rebellion. I grew up on them." Alida began to softly quote one of her favorite poems, and he joined in, both of them enjoying the simplicity of the peaceful moment. When they had finished, their eyes had locked upon each other, their bodies seeming to move ever closer without actually touching.

"You know your poetry, Mr. Dameron," she finally breathed, her cheeks flushing lightly. Admiring her for a moment, he grinned before leaning back on his hand.

"Thank my mother for that."

"Thank you, Mrs. Dameron."

"Actually, her surname was Bey. My mother's name was Shara Bey."

"By the stars…" she gazed at him in awe. "You are the son of Shara Bey? THE Shara Bey? She led Operation: Cinder with General Organa and Queen Soruna…" Poe practically glowed with pride as she began listing his mother's accomplishments with nothing but respect and adoration on her attractive features.

"I am," he finally affirmed, watching her sit back onto her pillows with an incredulous smile. "I'm happy to know that her name lives on."

"It always will, Poe. Your mother was one of the bravest women I've ever heard of besides the general."

"Our general said she wants to come visit you today, by the way. Do you think you'll be ready to meet her?"

"I will never be ready enough for her to meet me," Alida mumbled as she lowered her head. Poe took her chin in his hand and tilted it up so she could look at him. With his other hand, he tucked a stray piece of her bright blonde hair behind her ear, prompting her to blush again.

"Alida…you're beautiful, selfless, and you have a good heart. The general will be pleased to meet you. I promise you do not have to worry." He found himself looking over her pink cheeks and the sparkle in her eyes and tried to ignore the sudden racing of his heart.

"Thank you, Poe." Her voice had dropped significantly, and he found himself unable to release her just yet.

"Is this a bad time? I can come back later, if you'd like." Hearing his general's voice behind them, Poe's hand froze after tucking her hair behind her other ear. Alida's blush darkened as she glanced over his shoulder and up at Leia Organa, the universe's most powerful and respected woman standing in her general vicinity. At least, she was in Alida's eyes.

"General Organa…n-no…I…" Moving out of the commander's touch, she swung her legs over the bed and attempted to stand up. Having done so too fast, she immediately began to sag to the floor. Poe's reflexes caught her just in time, and he wrapped his strong arms around her, settling her back onto the bed with a scolding frown.

"You need to be taking it easy. Do not concern yourself with protocols and bowing, dear." Leia's calming, motherly voice rang out as she stepped forward towards the young woman's bedside. "If anything, I should be bowing to you, after what you did for our pilot and for the Resistance. You have our utmost respect and gratitude, Miss Salk."

"B-But I…" Alida's mouth opened and closed a few times as it tried to form the right words, but hearing such praise was bringing only a speechless smile to her face. "Thank you, General."

"You have shown fortitude and righteous honor above what we see in normal civilians. Miss Salk, I would like to extend an offer to join our Resistance, which I am certain Commander Dameron here would support."

"Wholeheartedly," he agreed joyfully, giving Alida a charming smile. Did she just hear them correctly? They wanted her, Alida Salk, an engineer, to be a part of the Resistance?

"So…you are in need of an engineer on base?" she asked with a furrowed brow, and the older woman just grinned down at her.

"No, Alida. I believe that she means that she wants you to join us as a pilot."

"Poe is correct. I would love for you to join Poe and the rest of the pilots. It's in your blood."

"I-I can't…I was terrified the entire time I was up there flying that X-wing!" she protested as she shook her head at the both of them.

"Alida. We were all afraid the first time we flew."

"I was afraid the first time I sat on the throne as princess. I was afraid the first time I gave an order as general." Leia placed a hand against Alida's arm and waited for her to look up before she continued. "We are at our bravest when we are afraid."

"You made it here with another pilot while you were both bleeding out in the cockpit. That requires an endurance that one does not learn. It's something that you were born with." Something inside of her seemed to surge upon hearing Poe's words, and the both of them shared a momentary gaze of an intensity that Alida had never felt before.

"How do you know I have what it takes? Your pilots are…"

"Exactly like you. And we all started where you are…maybe not necessarily in that way…but trust me. You have just what I look for in each and every one of the men and women who fly with me." Alida fell silent as the daring commander spoke, attempting to persuade her towards their cause, to fight for something much bigger than herself and her work fixing smaller ships on Yavin IV. How these two people who had just recently met her could place so much faith and trust in her potential, and yet, her hesitance and fear of the unknown kept her from instantly jumping on the offered opportunity…she could not see it for herself.

"Commander, will you give the two of us a few minutes please?" The general asked gently without taking her eyes off of the young woman.

"Yes, General." With a nod and an encouraging glance over at Alida, he turned and walked out of sight, allowing them the privacy that Leia had requested. In that short time, the blonde's nervous energy seemed to multiply as she gazed up in awe and trepidation at her inspiration.

"Since it is just the two of us, I hope that you do not mind that I call you Alida," the older woman began, and when Alida shook her head, she continued on. "I know the anxiousness you are feeling right now. That indecisiveness of whether or not to involve yourself with such a dangerous purpose…I have felt what you are dealing with before. When I was captured by the Empire, I was forced to watch them destroy my home planet. My parents, my friends, my home…all of it was gone in an instant. And I went from being a princess at the edge of a rebellion to becoming a leader thrust into the middle of it. And while I showed everyone that I was brave, on the inside…I was utterly terrified." Pulled into the truth of the general's past, hearing the calm yet melancholic lilt of her voice, Alida felt sympathy for the woman who was pushed into a fight that had taken everything she had loved from her.

"I am so sorry. If I may ask, General Organa…after they had taken everything from you…you still chose to continue to fight for the Rebellion. You chose to fight those monsters knowing the risks. Why?"

"Let me counter that question with one of my own. If you were older when you had lost your mother, and you had a choice to sink into the shadows and hide or to face the enemy and fight for justice for what you lost, fight for your people that are screaming out for help…which would you choose?" Alida paused as a line formed in her brow, and she broke eye contact for a moment. There was no contest, as she would have been willing to sacrifice anything for the chance at retribution against the First Order.

"How did you know about my mother?"

"Our good commander has told me a few things about you. From everything that we have learned so far, you do not seem prone to cowardice."

"My father has been petrified that I would join the Resistance since I was a child. He lost his wife…he does not want to lose his daughter," Alida reasoned in a rational mind, though the temptation to tell the general yes was eating at her insides. "I could not, with a clear conscience, dive right into battle with the same people who murdered my mother without thinking about the advantages versus the disadvantages. I already have blood on my hands from confrontations with troopers. I do not know if I want to spill more."

"You are holding back for him. That is considerate of you to think of your family before yourself. And I admire that you are thinking with your mind, as I have done so for most of my life."

"There seems to be a small but in there somewhere…" Alida jested slightly, eyes rising back up to Leia's face, which softened considerably at the statement.

"The moments in which I've allowed my heart to lead the way have led to some of the greatest decisions of my life."

"Like when you decided to go into enemy territory to rescue Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt? I've heard that story so many times," Alida guessed with a light smile, and Leia seemed to frown at that, as though Alida was broaching an uncomfortable subject.

"All I am saying, Alida, is that you at least consider it. You can be in the wrong place at the wrong time and be braver than even the strongest of heroes. When the path before you is unknown, yet you still willingly walk towards it, is when you truly become a hero. And you did not just walk into the unknown, Miss Salk…you flew. You have true potential to turn an ordinary life into something extraordinary. You just need to trust and believe that you can do so." Resting her hand comfortingly against the young engineer's leg, the general watched the conflicting emotions crossing her face for a minute before turning to leave.

"I'll leave you to your thoughts. No matter what you decide, whether engineer or rebel, may the Force be with you in your choice." With a soft bow, General Organa disappeared from sight, trapping Alida in a perturbed silence that was more deafening than the roar of the loudest ship engines.