"Mom?"

I was watching in a frozen state as my mother was walking into the room, still in her white robes and using a cane. No one could even make a sound as she was staring hard at Poe, making me gulp and wonder what she was going to do with him. Finally, she lifted a stun blaster and shot it at Poe, having me whirl around and see Poen get launched back to hit the wall. He fell in a heap, knocked out cold. I retracted my lightsaber and bolted over to him, kneeling over his unconscious body.

"Poe. Can you hear me?" I whispered with a hint of worry now as I heard my mother walking over to me now, slowly with her cane and I looked back at her. I cradled Poe's head in my lap in case there was some damage to him.

"He'll be okay, the kid has a harder head than I thought he did," she reassured me, Connix, Jancon, and C-3PO still frozen in their spots not knowing what to do. I was still reeling that she was awake and walking, not knowing what to tell her now as she slowly made her way over to me. She placed the blaster away, her kind smile was showing me that things were okay, even with all that was happening.

"How did you…?" I asked, not finishing the sentence now as she knelt down very slowly. I saw her reach down to take the tracker that was on my wrist, the same one that I had to find Rey. I didn't stop her, and I didn't want it, it felt safer and better with her than it did with me.

"It's a bit of a story, but now's not the time to talk about it," She explained, having me smile since I have missed her voice terribly. It felt like years since I heard it last, almost like a whisper in the back of my head from all that was crumbling around us. She even saw the uneasiness on my face now reaching up to place her hand on my cheek, making me instantly lean into it.

"Neyli…it's going to be okay," She reminded me, having me breathe out slowly with my hands still holding onto Poe like a deathtrap.

"How do you know that?" I asked her in a low tone, not wanting to sound angry but more uncertain. She only smiled at me, reminding me of my father in how he would smile.

"Because we have a plan."


I helped place Poe on one of the carriers from the medical bay, Jancon helping me along with Connix. My mother reassured us that we weren't going to be in trouble from what Poe tried to do with Holdo, and Holdo was much more of an ally than we thought she was. I was just glad my mother was back, not fearing about her life as much anymore, though she was still getting some of her energy back.

"Neyli," My mother said to me, having me looking away from Poe's sleeping frame on the hovering carrier. I was clutching his hand that was at his side, he was still feeling alive and arm, "Come walk with me."

I paused, looking back at Poe now. He tried to take on a mutiny and now he was out cold by my own mother, the poor guy needed some kind of break. I squeezed his hand lovingly now before I released him and walked with my mother, the both of us walking in front of the group as we were making our way to the loading bay.

"Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Holdo," She explained, making me look at her with small twigs of panic.

"Mom, what Poe tried to do—" I started, but she stopped me.

"She knows what we're trying to do, trust me," She reassured me as we kept walking down the hallway, "She and I go back when I was on those diplomatic missions on other planets. She worked for me, I trained her."

"Which is why I never met her," I added, my mother nodding in agreement.

"I didn't want you to anyhow. I was never one to mix in business with my family," She informed me, "However, given the circumstances, I told her about you later on when you were getting older and making your own choices. I even told her to trust you and your judgment if something were to happen to me." I stopped my mother then, looking at her dead in the eyes.

"You knew you were going to…" I began, seeing her watch me back and not say a single thing to thing. That couldn't be the case, it would seem bizarre that my mother would know what would almost kill her.

"I knew that something would happen to me, possibly now or in the future. And I know that your head and heart are in a better place, a place that could lead this Resistance on a steady path," She explained to me in her serious voice. I gulped, still not understanding what she was telling me and yet I did.

"Mom," I started with her, taking her hand gently in my own, "Before you were….when you almost died," I paused, my mother watching me gently and carefully, "I felt something. It felt like….it felt like Ben was there. Somewhere out there, he was there."

I waited for her tell me that I was either crazy or making a joke at her since she was still mourning my twin brother. But she said nothing at first, which was a bit worse now. Did I hit a nerve with her? She just gave me a soft stare now as I inwardly cringed.

"I felt him too," my eyes went wide as she said this, my stance shifting a bit now as she nodded her head slowly at me.

"How?" I asked her.

"I just did. I knew he was out there, and I knew what he was feeling too," She explained to me, having me drink that part in now as she squeezed my hand, "It's part of our family: The Force. You have it, same with your brother, same with me."

"And I also heard something else, when I was watching over you. Mom, I heard Uncle Luke," I explained, seeing her scan my eyes, "It was like he was in the room. I think he was trying to talk to me. Do you think he's alive?"

"I do," She answered, sounding so sure and so confident about it. I smiled at her, not wanting to hear about it. If my mother had that belief, it was enough for me,"Let's make sure Poe doesn't miss the transporter."

"I'm going on with him," I said as we both walked again.

"I'll join you."


Holdo touched his cheek one more time, her smile was evident on her face as I was watching with a confused look next to my mother. She changed into new clothes, finally looking like her old self now while the transporters were getting ready to leave the cruisers. Jancon, Connix, and I were back in good graces with her, since my mother filled us in with the plan that was going to work after all.

"Okay, help me push him up guys," I said to the group of pilots around me, 5 others including Jancon grabbed the piece of the hovering carrier and started getting him up the ramp.

"That one's a troublemaker. I like him."

"Me too," My mother and Holdo were talking to each other in front of the transport. I was walking up the ramp with Poe, still unconscious, next to me and Jancon on the other side. While we were walking, I eyed Jancon now with a raised eyebrow.

"That could have been worse," I mentioned to him, seeing him roll his eyes as we got Poe in a spot on the transport.

"It could have, but was it?" He asked, having me smirk at him, "I don't think so."

"Good thing my mom was there," I said in a huff, looking down at Poe now and watching his chest rise and fall. Jancon chuckled, making me finally look back at him. I felt a bit proud that Jancon stuck with the plan, my best friend in the Resistance other than Poe and someone whom I trusted with my life. He liked me as a friend beyond the fact that General Leia was my mother.

"You know, Poe didn't want you to get caught in this whole thing," He explained.

"I know," I replied.

"And as poetic as this sounds, I know he would take on a lot for you," He reminded me, in which my heart tugged a small bit. We both already said we loved each other, and yet in those dark times we that we were in, I wanted him to be awake so I could tell him myself. We had to come back to the start, the both of us really, and a peaceful feeling was washing over me again. I looked back out to my mother and Holdo, the both of them talking intensely to each other. Looking back at Jancon, I pointed to Poe.

"Keep an eye on him," I instructed him, walking back out to the opening to the transporter. Q2 beeped behind me, having me look down at ym fthful droid, "You need to stay too."

"Like I'll let him do anything else stupid," Jancon called out to me, making me grin now as C-3PO was making his way up the ramp. I felt like I was intruding on a serious talk with my mother and Holdo now, making me pause at the entrance to the transport and watch.

"Someone needs to stay behind and pilot the cruiser," Holdo explained, my mother pausing and I could tell this was going on a steady course that we couldn't fix. It all had to do with Holdo.

"Too many losses. I can't take anymore," she reminded Holdo with a hint of pain in her voice.

"Sure you can. You taught me how." Holdo reassured here with her own smile. It pained me, seeing that Holdo was about to do for the sake of the Resistance. She was going to sacrifice herself, to let us have a chance at survival, This was her plan the whole time, but just for everyone to leave the cruiser, but for her to stay behind.

"May the Force be with you, always," She said to my mother, the both of them holding hands in a gentle manner. I knew they were saying goodbye, and I was about to turn around and leave when Holdo caught me first.

"Commander Solo," She called to me, making me reluctantly walk down the ramp over to her and my mother. Holdo had her gentle smile back on her face, the same smile she showed when she was introduced to the Resistance.

"I'm sorry for any trouble I caused, Admiral," I apologized to her, seeing her just smirk at me.

"I wouldn't expect any less from the daughter of Leia Organa Solo here," She reminded me, "And I'm glad to have met you. Your mother spoke highly of you: your bravery and kindness. Not to mention your heart." I smiled at her widely now, no longer any kind of pain or resentfulness of what she tried to do for the Resistance. It all floated away from me.

"Thank you," I thanked her, seeing her grin at me and nod.

"Of course, keep that spark within you going," She instructed me, patting my hand on her own now. I felt a small tug of defeat that she was staying behind and not coming with us. But if this was part of the plan, who was I to disapprove since they both knew what they were doing.

I only hoped they did.


After watching the cruiser go far off from our eyes, I was resting my head against the window of the transporter, my mother on the other end of the seat and was watching me carefully. My one hand was resting in my lap whereas my other hand was laced in Poe's hand, holding it gently and delicately. We were off into space out, picking up speed and making our way to a new base: a remote planet named Crait that was used as a Resistance Base back in the day. The planet was coming close to the window where we were, whereas the cruiser was drifting away on the other side of the transporter.

"Last time I saw that look," My mom said to me, having me look from Poe over to her now, "Was when you were the one recovering and Poe was where you are." I gave her a small smile, a flutter from my own stomach gave way a bit from the memory back at our old base. Right after my father died and I realized that my twin brother was still alive.

"You care about him, much more than you dare to say," My mother went on, "I felt the same way towards your father when we were young. As stubborn and dim-witted that he was at times…I still cared for him."

"I love him," I said simply, feeling lighter than air when I said it out loud between the both of us, "I don't know when it happened, or how it happened. I just….do." For me, it was hard to really describe what I was feeling how I loved Poe. The words that I would want to use wouldn't have existed or even come close to me using. But all I could think about was a place or a world that Poe didn't exist, and yet I couldn't.

"I know I haven't told you in the past, and I think I should have. Mostly I was in denial and I thought it would blow over," My mother started to explain, having me watch her in confusion now to see what she was talking about. But she gave me her stare that I would rarely see, something within her was making her spread the warmth all over her body and within her face. Pure happiness. Something I haven't seen in years.

"I like the two of you together," It made me smile widely at her now, having me wish that time would stop for this moment that we were having together. It felt like we were in a normal setting, not running for our lives from the First Order. I never thought I would get her blessing with Poe and me, and hear it. Then again. I didn't think I would need her blessing since I was content with where I was. Given all that happened, it was a seal for me.

"Never thought you would say that," I gasped at her, "Ever."

"Me neither," she snorted back at me, the quiet going back to the both of us now as we were slowly going farther away from the cruiser. I leaned my head back against the window again, seeing the stars scattered out and around the blackness of the galaxy. Q3 bumpbed against my leg, having me shake out of my thoughts now as my droid was beeping at me in a whiz of communciation. I rose my eyebrow.

"You have what?" I asked him, my mother perking up.

"What is it?" She asked me now, seeing the confusion on my face. My own heart froze a moment now as I looked over at her for a brief moment before looking back at Q3. The driod beeped once more now as one of the compartments on the front slowly moved open, showing me what seemed to be a medal.

It was medium sized, golden and amost heavy looking now as I slowly reached in and took it within my hands. It was in mint condition, having me look at it in shock. The ribbon was floating in the air attached to the golden material within my grasps.

"Maz told me she had something that belonged to Dad," I explained to my mother, "But this is a-"

"Medal," I whirled my head at her now, seeing her look at the object within my hands now with fondness and almost melanchony. She reached out, touching it with her fingers and it felt like I was watching her heart break there next to me, "It was given to your farther years ago when he helped destroy the Death Star, along with your Uncle Luke and Chewie."

I looked back at the medal, having me wondeirng if I could have some kind of sense of what my father was feeling when he got this. Was he young and reckless like me? Full of adventure and life? I traced the patterns on the medal as well, another round of sadness was within me and it made me miss my father even more now. But nothing was more heart wrenching then what my mother told me next.

"I gave it to him, back when we first met."

Maz knew this was important to my father and now it was going to be important to me. I had to protect this, not only for the sake of remembering my father but remembering what we were fighting for. He got a medal for doing something what he thought was right, and it made me wonder if he really wanted this medal. From how upkepted it was, I could tell he did.

I placed it back within the possesion fo Q3, looking down at my droid and giving it a stern look.

"You guard this with yoru life, understand me?" I asked, Q3 beeping in agreement. It felt like my own droid even understood what was going on and how much it meant to me. Suddenly, Poe woke up in a jolt and shot up from his spot. I released his hand since he was so close to pulling me off from my seat.

"Poe?" Jancon asked from his spot, looking concerned. Poe sat up completely, looking out the window across from us and seemed like he was about to panic. Shooting up and off from his carrier, he rushed over to the window on the other side.

"No no no!" he gasped out, seeing the cruiser there through the window. He sighed in defeat, resting his hand on the window and hanging his head. He didn't know the whole plan, that much was enough to have me sit there and not know what to do.

"Poe," my mother called out. Poe finally looking back at the both of us. My mother motioned him over, having me watch him carefully now as he crossed the way and stood in right in the middle of the both of us, seeing the planet there where we were heading. When he was close enough, he grabbed my hand and held it tightly, and I wasn't going to let him do anytime soon.

"What is that?" He asked in shocked.

"The mineral planet, Crait," D'Arcy explained to him nearby, "An uncharted hideout from the days of the Rebellion."

"That's a rebel base?" Poe asked her.

"Abandoned, but heavily armored. Enough power to get a distress signal to our allies scattered in the outer rim," D'Arcy answered him.

"Holdo knew the First Order was tracking our big ship. They weren't monitoring for little transports," My mother explained to him now as he slowly sat down near me, mostly in front of me and still holding my hand.

"So we can slip down to the surface, unnoticed, and hide until the First Order passes," Poe thought out loud, planning it in his head. He looked at Leia intensely now, "That could work."

My mother nodded her head with her smile back on her face, another good sign, "She was more interested in protecting the light then she was seeming like a hero," I could tell Poe was thinking about what she said, then slowly looked over at me now, it made me give him a warm and small grin.

"We're gonna be okay," he reminded me, having me nod my head in agreement.

"I know," I replied, "I know we will." My mother got up from her spot to give Poe and I some space, I could tell that's what she was doing. Poe looked back out at the Cruiser as we were getting farther away from the massive ship. He sighed in defeat.

"I wish I should have known…" He said almost in a mourning tone, beating himself up over not knowing the full plan. I stroked his hand with my thumb across the top of his skin.

"You did what you thought was right," I reminded him, seeing him still shake his head, "Your intentions were good….and the delivery was a bit…off," He looked back at me from hearing the sad attempt at a joke that I tried to give him. I eyed him, seeing him finally give me a small smile on his face. He took his spare hand and cradled my neck and jawline with it, stroking my skin there and I leaned against it slightly.

"I know what I asked of you, back there when I did that to Holdo…that wasn't fair of me," he explained, having me shake my head slowly.

"Technically you didn't ask me to help you in a mutiny. I chose to on my own," I reminded, keeping it light when I knew he wanted to be serious about it. He scooted a bit closer to me now as I kept going, "It's like I said back there, I go where you go, no matter what."

He sighed, pulling me into his arms and hugging me there for a brief moment. I just help him, thinking this is what he needed in the moment. I felt him press a kiss into my hair and I clutched his jacket tightly in my fingers.

"I love you," He said against my hair, having me grin against his hold on me now. It didn't sound desperate, nor did it sound passive. It sounded more sincere, full of assurance and an abundance of goodness laced in his tone, "More than anything I do."

"I love you too, Poe," I reminded him, "I always have and always will. We're gonna get through this, one way or another, okay?" I had to be the strong one in that moment since Poe was feeling more defeated than he would have in the past. Hope was still on the horizon for us, though it was hard to see it. I had to believe in hope, even in times of loss and uncertainty. I had to believe it in. Pulling away from me, Poe gave me a reassuring look as we both gazed at the cruiser, wondering what will become of us next.

What will become of the Resistance?