The following days went by in a blur. Poe and his team had intercepted encrypted messages detailing the fact that the First Order had regrouped and started to gather forces again. After all, they only had lost one (very gigantic) weapon, not their whole fleet. It looked a lot like they were targeting D'Qar. The plans to relocate the Resistance headquarters to a different planet had to be moved up. Both Rey and Poe were involved in the tasks. Finn had been assigned to General Organa directly, once he was discharged from the med bay. He was in lengthy debriefs in order to get every little glimpse on the workings of the First Order.

One evening they were all in the mess together, eating silently. Rey let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes, fighting not to fall asleep. But she was hungry and wanted to fill her empty stomach before retreating to her quarters.

"How is the loading of the equipment going." Poe tried to keep her awake by asking about her day.

"We're getting a lot done. But it is just a huge amount of machinery that needs to be put on different cargo vessels. The little freighters run several times a day to the orbit to unload everything onto the big ships." No trace of the former scavenger could be noticed when Rey spoke about her daily duty she had been assigned to do. "The downside is of course, that Master Luke and I don't train anymore. But he was assigned to freighter duty as well." The prospective Jedi took a large gulp from her teacup and finished off the remaining slices of bread on her plate. "Is the location of the new base still need to know? Or can you share it with us?"

Poe sighed. "We're splitting up. One group is going to Hoth and another group is going to stay afloat for a while. I have no idea if we all end up in the same group and which one it will be at all."

Finn raised an eyebrow and explained: "I'm pretty sure I'll be staying near the General." Being reminded of his remark of being a big deal in the resistance, Rey chuckled and added: "Yes, we know. You're the Big Deal. Of course you're staying with General Organa."

"Will you ever let this little lie go?" Finn asked her.

"No, I don't think so." Rey retorted laughingly.

Poe observed the banter between the two with a little suspicion. He envied them slightly for their easy friendship. He befriended both Finn and Rey, but what the two had lived through had bonded them together in a way that he had missed out. Ever since Finn had woken up, the pilot hadn't been able to spend as much time with Rey as he wished. And Finn was no longer the insecure defected Storm Trooper who had saved Poe's life. He was sort of a hero to everyone on the base.

"I'll let you two dwell in your war stories." Poe got up from his seat and took his tray with him.

Rey watched him leave with a little bewilderment. "It must be hard to split up the squadrons for him. I've never seen him like that", she mused, which earned her a chuckle from Finn. "I don't think that this is his problem."

"Poe, can I talk to you?"

The pilot looked up from his chart and met the gaze of his friend. "Sure, Finn. What's up?"

Finn walked over to the black X-Wing and softly touched the metal hull. "No wonder you aced at flying that TIE-fighter. This ship is beautiful." Even though Finn was neither an expert in these things nor particularly interested in space ships. But he wanted to find an easy topic to discuss before asking about the thing that really was on his mind.

"Are you sure you came here to discuss my X-Wing?" Poe knew that something was up and he feared that Finn would ask about Rey. Chewbacca had told him all about the bravery that Finn had shown on the Starkiller Base. And he himself had known that Finn only had gone there to save Rey.

"Actually, no. But I feel strange asking you this." Finn sighed. "But since it is likely that our paths will soon lead us into different directions, I'd simply like to know one thing."

Poe stared down at his shoes. This could get uncomfortable. And he usually wasn't in a situation like this. He looked up and saw the sadness and frustration in his friend's eyes.

"Is it about Rey?" the pilot asked.

"I know that she only sees me as a friend." Finn sighed. "She told me often enough. But I see how you act around her. And I wanted to know if, well, if there is something going on between the two of you."

Poe grinned. "We seem to share a destiny here. She very bluntly told me some time ago that she only hangs out with me because she wants to fly my X-Wing."

Finn smiled with relief. "So, there's nothing going on between the two of you?"

Sadly Poe shook his head. "Nope, we're only friends."

"But you wish it were differently?" Finn wasn't done yet with his questioning.

"It doesn't matter. I'm too old for her anyways. And I suspect she'll be in the group with you and the General. I'm used to being on long term missions in space. So it's likely I won't end up on Hoth with you. So, don't worry. I'll be out of the picture soon. Maybe she changes her mind about you." Poe got up and threw the chart on the chair he had been sitting on. He grabbed a tool and started working frantically on his X-Wing.

"I don't think it works that way, Poe. This is not something we can decide among ourselves." Finn laughed. Even though he had been raised as a weapon, not only a soldier, he had a basic understanding of relationships between people. Having spent an intense amount of time with the fierce and independent Jedi, he didn't think Rey would agree to what Poe had just suggested. "You see, she would kick both you and me in the butt, if she knew what we are discussing right now. And you should not decide these things without even talking to her."

Poe was taken aback by the lecture his young friend just held him. "You're right. But we are leaving D'Qar in a matter of days. This truly is not the place, or time for romance or silly big announcements. She made it clear before, that she wants to be my friend. And I won't risk this friendship by telling her that I like her a little more than a normal friend." He grabbed the toolbox and started to walk away. "Let it go, okay?"

Finn and Rey were sitting on the lawn near the hangar. They had discussed what had happened on the Starkiller Base and were now gazing into the setting sun.

"Would you have ever thought to see something like this?" Rey asked her friend reflectively.

Finn looked at her and let out a small sigh: "Nothing that happened to me in the last six months was anything I ever expected to do in my life. It all happened because I witnessed Kylo Ren murder a village full of innocent people."

"I know what you mean. None of us would be here today, if it weren't for you and your conscience." She beamed at him proudly. "I think you're the most noble person I ever met."

"But you haven't met a lot of people in your life now, haven't you?" Finn joked. But he couldn't hide the proud smile that graced his face.

Rey playfully nudged his shoulder and said: "I have met many people while you were sleeping. There are in fact a lot of nice people here on the base. I will miss them, when we are assigned to different teams."

Finn watched her closely. Should he address the most obvious person she could be talking about? He decided against it. It wasn't his job to play matchmaker after all. "What do you think, will you end up in the group going to Hoth?"

"I don't think so, Master Luke will probably have different plans than being on an ice planet."

In this moment, BB-8 appeared behind them and let out a series of chirps.

"What did he say?" Finn asked, still not able to understand the little droid.

"General Organa has called everyone to a meeting. I guess we'll find out where we are going very soon."