Poe's life revolved around loyalty and trust. He was used to leading a team that relied on each other's, especially his, judgment absolutely in potentially life-and-death situations. They all put their lives on the line for the Resistance with every mission they undertook. General Organa trusted him implicitly. That was why the nagging feeling of disloyalty after he spilled Resistance secrets to the enemy under Kylo Ren's (Ben's, he reminded himself) mind control was so hard for him to bear. And it was why he felt… touched, that Tali had handed over her blaster to him. His jaw clenched. Even after I tackled her like a psycho. Again.
To Poe, that gun signaled trust. And trust in one's partner, however temporary their alliance may be in this instance, was critically important. He looked over at Tali's hooded form, a small smile tugging at his lips. And he really wanted this oddly delicate-looking but fierce girl to trust him. She seemed to clutch that staff a little too tightly, like her life had been filled only with people she had to be prepared to use it on. He reasoned that policing a remote planet populated by galactic riffraff wouldn't exactly be a job for a naïve cream puff… her characteristic wariness and aggression clearly kept her alive.
Poe also felt guilty about his bad reaction and the subsequent throw down/chokehold move that afternoon, which doubtless hurt her healing arm and definitely didn't help with his whole trust-building agenda. His admission of Ren's mental invasion seemed to help relieve some of her (very legitimate) concern, though naturally explanation did not equal justification. Still. She's not the only one who wants revenge against the First Order. They could agree on that much.
Poe eyed Tali's scarf-covered head. When she'd removed the coverings in the downed Walker, he'd discovered that her hair was a few shades lighter than her dark, expressive eyebrows. Naturally, her hair was bound tightly in practical desert fashion, but a wave or two had gotten loose during their scuffle that afternoon. Sort of a generic slightly blondish brown, but it was like burnished bronze in the amber setting sunlight. Whatever color it was, he sort of missed seeing it, along with the rest of her now-invisible face. It was… pretty. She's pretty. It was a strange word to associate with someone who'd threatened him with multiple weapons and added (not insignificantly) to his head trauma. Still a bit of a disagreeable hellion, he mused fondly. Honestly, compared to the near celebrity treatment he tended to receive around base as the Resistance's star pilot, Poe found her coolness… refreshing.
The sun slipped past the horizon as the pair picked their way over terrain that was gradually growing more rocky. Cresting a dusty ridge, Tali hesitated, tugging her scarf down to her neck and peering over the valley below. Poe came to a stop beside her as she adjusted a dial on the side of her goggles, breathing heavily from the lengthy climb. Zooming lenses?
"What's up?" Poe asked, slightly winded. Tali frowned, removing her goggles and handing them to him. "Literally up. See those circling shapes?" She responded, rubbing at the reddened lines the goggles had left on the bridge of her nose. "They're ripper-raptors, and they're carrion eaters, which means someone or something down there," she pointed to a stretch of valley leading to a steep butte, "is having a bad day."
Poe strapped the goggles over his face, eyeing the leathery-winged creatures in question. Reptilian… gross. "You sure do live on a lovely planet, my friend," he murmured sarcastically.
Tali gave a bark of laughter, shaking her head. "Come to the Niima Outpost bazaar, or better yet, Ergel's for some Knockback Nectar. I'll show you lovely." Poe met her eyes with a playful grin, handing the goggles back over. "Can I take a rain check for that tour until after we destroy the First Order?" When her hand met his to retrieve her goggles, he held on to the eyewear for a few extra seconds, prolonging their contact.
Tali swallowed convulsively, and Poe thought he saw some color rise to her cheeks in the growing darkness. Do I make you nervous because you're afraid of me? Or because—Tali's voice cut off his racing thoughts, "I suppose that would be acceptable." Did she sound flustered? She definitely sounds flus—"Anyway, what I'm worried about isn't the raptors, it's what they're after. They don't always circle things that are already dead, they also circle things, and people, that are going to die." She peered through her goggles again. "Looks like there might be a campfire glowing down by that butte and there's a small chance it belongs to some unfriendly natives. Uthuthma raiders operate around here." Her eyebrows drew together worriedly.
Poe squinted towards the butte, adjusting the pack on his shoulders. "So, what, you want to skirt around em? …Do they tend to travel in large groups?" Poe wasn't afraid of a few menacing local residents, but he had a botched-up mission to complete. In as timely a manner as possible. When Tali didn't immediately respond, he let out an exasperated breath. "Spit it out."
Tali looked over at him, biting her lower lip. "They might have captured somebody. I'm supposed to be helping police this planet, I can't just ignore a potential murder." Poe eyed her narrowly. "You seemed awfully keen on giving up your militia duties in favor of the Resistance yesterday, partner."
Tali's expression hardened. "We're still on Jakku, partner, and until we leave this rock, I have an obligation to its law-abiding citizens." Her fierce eyes shifted away from his, "and, um, there's also what appears to be a ship around the corner of the butte, which I thought you might be interested in." Aaand there it is. Being a bad liar himself, Poe recognized the signs.
He crossed his arms over his chest, raising an eyebrow at Tali. "Thought you said you had some mysterious favor to cash in for a ride, partner." She guiltily raised her eyes to meet his. "I… may have slightly exaggerated my potential influence in Blowback Town," she admitted stiffly. Knew that story seemed awfully convenient. "…It's not as if you've been open and honest about everything, either!" Tali continued in protest, "I don't even know where this vague map of yours goes or why it's so bleeding critical!"
Poe sighed, running a hand over his jaw agitatedly. Fair point. But the fate of the whole damn galaxy might rest on my information. "Must've really wanted to tag along with me, huh?" He muttered with exasperation, before clapping his hands together in front of him in mock excitement. "Well, looks like we're fighting bandits then, doesn't it?"
Tali's stance relaxed only slightly at his words. "…Yes?"
Poe eyed her critically. "Then let's get a plan of attack laid out. We don't have time to waste on getting killed or captured ourselves. …And as for the map; if you must know, it leads to Luke Skywalker, who can help the Resistance end the First Order for good."
Tali's face snapped up to his, eyes wide. "The Luke Skywalker? The Jedi?" She gave a low whistle, continuing under her breath, "those Force worshiping nut-jobs had it right all along?" The corners of Poe's mouth curved up involuntarily. "Pretty much, believe it or not." Tali shook her head in wordless amazement.
He resignedly turned his attention back to the valley below, fingering the blaster at his belt. Now that the sky had darkened further into night, he could make out a tell-tale orange spot of firelight against the butte. "Now let's go pay our new friends a visit, and relieve them of their transport."
Tali schooled her still shocked expression, nodding sharply, and started down the embankment. "Right. Yes. Uthuthma usually travel in small groups… I couldn't make out much movement. They've probably got a couple on guard, maybe more if there's a prisoner. How about we split up and attack from either side of the camp? With the stone at their backs, they'll only have one direction to go. And they usually can't see that well in the dark…" she shuddered. "Small, shadowed eyes."
Poe nodded grimly. "Reasonable enough. And I know you're attached to that pointy stick of yours, but I think considering the arm situation, you should take the blaster. Even if your aim's off, any shooting will be close range. I'd recommend just clobbering 'em over the head though, of course. Less likely to rouse the whole camp… and we already know you're good at skull bashing." He shot a pointed look in her direction. My skull can attest. Tali gave him an apologetic glance in the darkness, securing her scarf around her face and checking her armored gauntlets before reluctantly handing her staff over to Poe and taking the proffered blaster from his hand, placing it at her side.
They trod a circling path through the valley, and as they neared the far side of the butte, Poe dropped the pack from his shoulders quietly. He signaled Tali to cover the side of the camp where the ship was parked, creeping around in the other direction himself. Just a lovely raider-hunting side trip on an ass-backwards, no-name planet. The glorious adventures of ace Resistance pilot Poe Dameron continue. Wonderful night for it, really. No fucking problem at all.
So caught up in his mental grumblings, Poe almost missed the first guard. He drew back against the stone wall of the butte quickly at the sight of it's pale, skull-like head. Were those… chains… it's wearing around its neck? He bided his time against the outcropping until the tall, thin Uthuthma passed near him, its (…his?) attention focused on the open valley beyond. Poe brought Tali's solid staff whistling down on its temple before the being could turn in his direction, and the metal made contact with a sickening crunch. He caught the creature before it crashed to the ground, knees nearly buckling under its weight before he lowered it noiselessly. Wouldn't do to ruin the element of surprise. He grabbed the Uthuthma's blaster as he stepped over the body. Time to feed the raptors.
Poe hefted Tali's staff appreciatively as he crept further along the rocks. Might not even need a gun, though. Well-balanced, this thing… A short, startled cry tore through the still night, followed by the unmistakable sound of blaster fire. Fuck. Was that Tali? So much for the element of surprise. Grimacing, Poe rushed headlong towards the distressed noises of the scrambling Uthuthma, three of them rising from where they cooked Bloggin meat over their fire. With the raiders' attention drawn wholly toward the commotion on the other side of the camp, Poe was able to shoot two out of three from behind before they could react, or even fully realize he was there. Surprise, boys.
He dodged a blast from the third raider, flattening himself against the rocky cliff wall. Shards of stone flew from the Uthuthma's assault, one nicking Poe's jaw. He swore vividly, dropping into a fast crouch and firing at the raider from the ground, taking it out with an unapologetic shot to its skull-like, socket-eyed face. But not before feeling the burn of blaster fire a little too close to his own head. Was that the smell of singed hair? God fucking damn it. Mouth drawn in a thin line, Poe rose and strode through the camp, blaster at the ready.
He didn't need it. An apparently unhurt but very displeased Tali stood over the singed body of a fifth Uthuthma with her characteristic scarves pulled down to her neck, scowling at a small, pink-skinned Blarina in chains to her left. Poe spied at least one more downed raider several feet behind her. He came to a halt before Tali, sinking her staff into the sand. Poe stuck the recovered blaster into his belt and wiped at the rivulet of blood leading from his jaw down the column of his throat. That went about as well as it could have, I suppose, despite the fuck up. "Well?" He demanded.
Tali frowned, grabbing her staff. "Well, that would've gone smoother if this guy," she glared down at the Blarina captive, who babbled frantically in a language Poe didn't understand, "hadn't squawked and alerted the whole damn camp at once." She sighed, apparently listening to the creature's distressed ramblings. "Yeah, yeah," she informed it testily, "uh huh. Well you just tell them and anyone else who asks that Niima Outpost Militia Officer Taliya Zev believes in upholding the fucking law." It continued less frantically, and Tali crossed her arms, looking at the Blarina with raised brows. "No. But what you can do is lend us your ship. This man is an important Resistance commander and needs to get back to his base." Poe's mouth twitched. Important? Aw. "…No. I'm going with him. No. Yes. No, it's secret. Yes. …What?! Ugh." Tali turned from the small creature in frustration, grumbling.
"Well, the ship is his and he's willing to let you take it. But we'll have to—" Tali cut herself off as she finally took in Poe's appearance. "Oh damn, are you alright?" She breathed, bringing her hands towards his throat, eyes focusing on the bloody smear with concern. The movement of her right arm made her flinch in pain, and Poe carefully laid his hand on the injured limb, immobilizing it at her side.
She gently brushed at his jaw with her good hand, then lowered it to gingerly prod at his neck, her hand soothingly cool against his flesh. Poe fought the urge to close his eyes and lean into her light grasp like a cat. "It's not bad," he intoned quietly, "just some shrapnel." His throat worked under her hand as he swallowed. "Cuts to the face tend to bleed a lot, look worse than they are."
Tali nodded and her eyes ran over his features, her brows drawn. "Your poor face," she murmured lowly, before seeming to realize what she was doing and hastily pulling her hand away from him. She cleared her throat, backing away a step. The coolness of her hand slowly faded from his throat.
"This Blarina, his name is Naka lit, he'll help us fly to your base. But unfortunately we'll have to fix his ship first, as it was damaged by the raiders… and we'll probably have to fuel up in Blowback Town," Tali explained quickly, motioning to the vehicle in question. Having been absorbed in the fighting and in Tali's concern for his face, Poe hadn't yet taken a real look at the craft, and he surveyed it now. …With mounting concern. Was that…?! You've got to be fucking kidding me.
He let out a strained, incredulous breath, motioning towards the starship. "If this… I'm going to be real kind and go with the word 'antique'… bucket of bolts can even make it into town, let alone across the galaxy! Tali, that freighter's a damn HWK-290. I think my grandfather flew one of these. Hell, it was probably old when he flew it—they stopped making these things before the Clone Wars even started," he took a few halting steps towards the ship then turned back, rounding on the Blarina. "Where'd you even manage to dig this piece up, Naka… whatever?" The creature snapped at him indignantly, but Poe immediately shushed him with a hand, running the other through his hair in agitation.
"Ah, forget it, forget it, I don't speak that," Poe muttered grouchily. He turned to Tali with a look of resignation. "Well partner, I hope you've got something useful in that bag of parts I've been lugging around. Like maybe a miracle. I've got a feeling this rig's gonna need it."
