As the Hawk launched into the blue tunnel of hyperspace, Tali did her best to ignore the fact that her insides felt like they were trying to crawl up her throat. Don't throw up, don't throw up. She was definitely over this whole no windshield thing. Would reeeally prefer to see where the hell I'm going, holy shit.
Maybe looking at the rush of stars out the side view port instead of blindly feeling this incredible force would be better? She chanced a quick sideways peek. Nope, definitely not better.
Tali felt a light squeeze on her hand. Glancing back, she realized to her embarrassment that she was gripping Poe's knee like she was aiming to snap his kneecap. She loosened her hold, but he retained a soothing grasp on her hand.
"Hey, look at me," he urged, voice gentle. She snapped her eyes up to his face. "Remember to breathe," Poe continued, a smile slowly spreading across his features, "you're okay. …I forgot how the jump can be for the uninitiated." He tightened his grip on her hand momentarily before releasing it to adjust a few controls. "Don't worry, the rest of it'll go smoother. We'll be in hyperspace for an hour or two."
Tali nodded, letting out a shaky breath, and turned to face forward again. Just hours to traverse the galaxy… the miracle of technology. She ran her hand unsteadily over her hair. "Ah, are there any buttons I need to push?"
Poe gave a light chuckle from behind her. "You're off the hook for this bit… the navigation's locked in. I'd recommend getting some shut-eye, if you can." He tapped the side of his boot against her chair. "Those raccoon eyes of yours look like they could use it." Self-consciously, Tali brought her hand up to brush against her face before redirecting the motion towards her plaited hair (not that I can redo the braid one-handed anyway).
"Not likely," she muttered back, bringing her feet up to sit cross-legged on the faded orange seat. "This is kinda wigging me out…" She spoke over her shoulder to Poe. "And hey, if I'm tired I'm sure you are too, Commander Bleeding Head Wound. You're not gonna fall asleep at the throttle, right?"
He sighed in mock hurt. "No faith." Then his tone lightened, "been flying since I was six years old, I think I can handle this." He stretched his arms up to rest behind his head, lips stretching into a cocky grin. "Besides, we've escaped your junkyard hellscape! I'm the most excited and alert I've been in weeks about that alone."
Tali started to flip a rude gesture in his direction and he reached out to grab her offending hand with his, laughing. "Watch it," she tried to growl, but couldn't keep her lips from twitching in amusement. Yeah yeah, it is a junkyard. But it's my junkyard. Poe restrained her fingers within his own, still snickering a bit. "So feisty," he accused with a smirk, before releasing her hand with a slight squeeze. "Get some rest."
Tali restrained the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him. "Fine, Commander. Anything else?"
"Nope!" Poe responded brightly, leaning back in his chair. She sighed. Hard to argue. She hadn't slept for any length of time since… before Tuanul. Father. Has it really only been a couple of days? Part of her didn't want to sleep, didn't want to stop moving or stop thinking, out of fear that given the chance, the images of fire and death she'd shoved back would consume her mind. I burned so many bodies.
Tali leaned her head back against the worn vinyl and tried to focus on the soft sound of Poe absently humming something from his spot just behind her. Her eyelids drifted closed. His warm voice was a nice distraction from her troubled thoughts and the disquieting sensation of traveling through hyperspace.
"Hey, sleepyhead, you buckled in?" Tali was shaken out of dark dreams and back into consciousness by Poe's mellow voice and a warm hand on her shoulder. She lifted a hand to rub her face, nodding, and unfolded her legs. "Er, yeah. What'd I miss?" She asked, throat scratchy.
Poe turned back to his controls with an amused snort. "Aw, a whole lot of blue shadowy shit, it was riveting," He flipped a switch, squinting up through the view ports. "Just wanna make sure you're holding on—we're jumping back into realspace in three… two…"
The Hawk lurched out of hyperspace before Tali could freak herself out too much about it. As the streaking stars formed back into their usual flecks of light, she released a pent-up breath, staring out at the foreign space landscape.
Poe let out a whoop of excitement. "Alright! There she is!" He banked the Hawk, swooping them towards a verdant planet. So… green. Damn.
"…Should be in comlink range," he muttered, eyeing an instrument panel. "Hey, if you want to grab that communicator next to you and hold it this way, I'll let 'em know we're coming." Tali complied, unhooking the device and handing it over for him to do the talking. Probably better that way. I wouldn't know what to say… 'hey, how are you, Resistance? I'm a Jakku Militia woman you don't know but I want to join your team, we're good right?'
Come to think of it, what was she going to say when they actually landed? Would they accept her, no questions asked? Or was there some kind of interrogation, an initiation process? She didn't know anything about these people. Hope they're cool. She swallowed uncomfortably as Poe rattled off some information into the com. Secret password?
"…Black Leader, reporting back. Piloting a HWK-290 light freighter, coming in for landing in T minus, ah, two minutes… yes. It is. I am in fact alive, Lieutenant… I'm sure you did. Like those bucket heads could contain me? …Yeah, you let her know." Disengaging the com, Poe tilted the craft over a lush forest as a large concrete building and landing strip came into view. Tali, gaze glued to the side view ports, couldn't stop staring at the trees. Was that…a deer? This planet is beautiful.
Dropping the Hawk incrementally into lower gear in a low, slow approach, Poe instructed her when to release the landing gear and engage the reverse thrusters. They pulled up into an easy landing, and Tali breathed a sigh of relief at the renewed contact with solid ground. Guess flying's not really my thing. She gratefully unfastened the seatbelt strapping her in.
Her relief didn't last long, as with their landing she immediately noticed the growing crowd of people in uniforms hastening in their direction. Tali bit her chapped lip. These people look… serious. Probably noticing her wide-eyed stare, Poe pulled her gently towards him with her good arm. He ducked his head, forcing her to meet his dark eyes. "Hey, you okay? …The Resistance are the good guys, remember." A slightly crooked grin formed on his face, and he lifted a hand to brush a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "And for what it's worth, I'm glad you decided to come with me and join us."
Aw. I think I might be, too… guess we'll see. She felt the corners of her mouth lift, but raised an eyebrow at him. "Says the man who told me to go home and keep babysitting pirates." Lips tightening, Poe gave her a sideways look, stepping away and swiftly pulling her by the hand with him towards the exit. "Not my exact words," he grumbled, "…and I've since amended my position. Now come on, meet my people."
Breaking away from him to grab her staff, Tali followed Poe out of the Hawk, squaring her shoulders resolutely before climbing down. She sucked in a breath when her booted feet made contact with the pavement, taking in the imposing buildings and hangar of starfighters. And… quite a little crowd of Resistance fighters, all with neat hair and sharp uniforms. Damn. She shifted uncomfortably in her own bloody, dirty tunic, wishing that she'd thought to wrap her scarves back around her face. She didn't like feeling so exposed to these strangers.
Except… she surveyed them. No one seemed to be paying her much attention anyway. The crowd (well, what, six-ish people? That's a crowd to me) was focused on Poe, concernedly asking questions and greeting him, but moving around him in a way that was almost… formal? Like they were all deferring to him... she felt a strange sinking in her gut. Wait… is he actually a big deal? Or are they just very regimented here? Tali wasn't exactly sure what Poe's position in the Resistance was, but these people's body language was making it seem like he might be more important than she had realized. …Shit. The thought made her uncomfortable. What am I doing here? Was he going to immediately leave to go and do important things? Unbidden, an unpleasant knot formed in her throat at the prospect of losing contact with him.
A new group of people marched their way over, joining the group around Poe. They were led by an imposing woman in a dark jacket. She was obviously in charge, and the crowd of fighters parted for her respectfully, the group dynamic changing as she came to stand in front of Poe. Her brown hair was braided intricately, and though she looked to be a few decades older than Tali, she retained an imperious beauty. Tali eyed her curiously.
Poe stood at respectful attention. "General Organa," he greeted lowly. General? Wait, father had talked about a female Rebel leader…
The General's drawn face relaxed a bit as a small smile formed on her features. "Commander Dameron. I'm so glad to see you've returned safely." They clasped hands briefly, before General Organa turned towards the Hawk and Tali. "Although it appears you are a bit worse for wear, and under unfamiliar circumstances."
Poe gave a rueful laugh. "You could say that, General. I crash landed on Jakku after escaping the First Order. Luckily, Militia Officer Taliya Zev here found me, led me through the desert, and got us a ship out." Well, that's a generous way of describing it… "But my mission… has BB-8 been located?"
General Organa's mouth tightened. "Yes and no. Come with me, we'll talk about this in the briefing room." She took a step or two back but then stopped, turning to meet Tali's eyes. The General's piercing gaze made Tali want to shrink away and disappear into the background of the bustling hangar. What was she thinking, coming to join forces with these people, imagining they'd welcome a nobody policewoman from a junkyard backwater? This lady is a freaking General? And she's personally concerned about Poe?
But to Tali's surprise, General Organa approached her, and the older woman's features softened slightly as she studied Tali's face. "Officer Zev, was it? Thank you. The Resistance is indebted to you for your aid to our Commander. Now please, follow me," she reached out as if to shake hands, but then the General's gaze shifted to Tali's stiff arm and the blood staining her sleeve. "…And we'll get you patched up in the medical bay."
General Organa didn't wait for a reply before turning on her heel and leading the way towards the command building. Tali swallowed thickly. The General just… thanked me. She wordlessly watched Organa take a step or two before the fleeting grasp of a hand on her shoulder snapped Tali out of her dumbstruck state. Poe brushed past her with a sideways smile, gesturing forwards with his chin. His long strides soon brought him in step with the General, and they conversed in low, serious tones as Tali followed behind, still feeling out of place.
She could sense a growing number of eyes watching her, which wasn't helping to ease any of her discomfort. The crowd, some of whom dispersed but most of whom followed towards the building, had begun to pay Tali more attention after the General had acknowledged her. It seemed like being connected (in however ultimately fleeting a way) to Poe Dameron, apparently a Big Deal Commander, invited some curiosity as well. Ugh.
Tali looked resolutely ahead, taking in the imposing building, and tried not to stare back at the multitude of uniform-clad fighters they passed. So, this is the Resistance, huh? She only hoped that with these disciplined people, she could see her father's murder avenged. In the meantime, she couldn't keep her eyes or thoughts from returning to the straight-backed pilot in front of her.