Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. Just my Oc, writing for fun as always.
Chapter Thirty-Three: Lament
Aljan Kloss
Commander D'Arcy stood by the Resistance Base with Kaylee in her arms, and Luca by her side. The younglings were itching to see their father again, and hopefully their mother. She'd missed Elle more than anything since the girl departed on her own.
She always loved seeing the Falcon in view, even if it was a piece of junk, it was the best piece of junk in the sky. As soon as it touched down, and the ramp lowered onto the dirt soil, Luca broke away from D'Arcy.
"Luca!" She cried after him as he ran to see his father who was already well on his way out of the Falcon. Poe grinned seeing his boy and scooped him up into his arms.
"Buddy! My favorite man! How are you!" he knelt down to his height and hugged him tight.
"Good! Did you…" he was almost afraid to ask. Poe knew what Luca wanted most, and he looked down a bit, chewing his bottom lip. He was about to answer when-
"Mommy!" Kaylee gasped excitedly at the sight of her as she popped her head out from underneath the underbelly of the ship. A bright smile across her face, one that Poe had not seen in a very long time and that warmed his heart. D'Arcy put Kaylee down and she ran to her mother's arms.
Elle was almost caught off guard by her little one, and would've fallen if it hadn't been for Poe helping her. She hugged her tightly.
She knelt down to Luca and he hugged her, pulling them in for a much needed group hug.
Poe smiled warmly at his family, and let the two twins hug their mother, as he stood up, looking for Leia. Finn was well on his way down the ramp, followed by Chewie.
"I'm going to find Leia," Poe said to Elle, and he walked away before Elle could say anything, as she was engulfed within the hugs of her children.
"Poe," D'Arcy called out to him as he made his way past her. "Something's happened. Finn-"
"This can't wait," Finn said.
"We gotta see the general," Poe added.
"She's gone," D'Arcy said, not wanting to say it, but how else could she say it to him?
Poe stopped short in his trek. A strange stillness fell over him. Elle picked stood up from the ground after hearing D'Arcy speak to Poe. Her twins hugged the side of her tight, watching worriedly unsure of what was happening, too young to comprehend and to young to understand. But they shouldn't have to.
Hearing this, Chewie let out a loud roaring moan that tore in the skies and well into Elle's heart. She wanted to go out to the Wookie, and Finn tried to, but he waved him off, wanting to be alone.
"Come on my loves, I think it's time for a nap, have you had your nap today?" Elle asked. She looked to D'Arcy. "Commander?"
"They have not. It's good to see you, Elle, even with the circumstances," she said and Elle swallowed hard, nodding. She kept her feelings bottled up, having to be brave for her kids. "I can show you where Leia's been keeping them, safe and sound."
"Thank you, D'Arcy," Elle said. "Come on," Elle said, and they walked out of the way. Elle wanted to be there for Poe, but she gave him some space, and decided to tuck in her little ones.
"But we're not sleepy!" Luca said, fighting a yawn.
"Yeah, wanna, help, Uncle Chewie," Kaylee yawned in between her choppy sentence.
"I'm sure," Elle said with a small smile on her face and tickled her gently, making Kaylee giggle.
~*SW*~
Elle could feel Poe's heart. The raw ache inside of him, she felt it inside of her. She put the twins for a nap in their cribs, a separate makeshift room right next to Elle's old room before she left.
She leaned against the wall rock's edge, and crossed her arms. She hadn't bothered to change. She was still in her black velvet dress. She hadn't bothered to really take care of herself. She was just worried about Poe. They'd just lost their greatest defense against the First Order.
There was a wave of heaviness around camp. No one could escape it. It was a deep loss, something that ached in Elle's heart more than she could probably bear. It was right up there with her father's death, her uncle's death, practically her whole family was gone.
She didn't want her little ones to feel it, so she was glad that they were able to sleep today, at least for hopefully a good hour or two. They shouldn't have to deal with such things at one year's old.
She watched silently as Beaumont took care of his blaster wound from one of the stormtroopers.
"We came so close," Poe whispered. "I'm sorry."
Elle tightened her lips together and looked down. That hit her right in the heart. Poe felt like he let her aunt down. And for the longest time Elle had once felt the same. She'd been pushed from the Emperor and Snoke to kill her but she didn't. She resisted.
And now she was truly gone. And Rey was god only knows where right now…
"Poe. You need to see this," D'Arcy said, walking up to the pilot. Elle looked up at the woman and locked eyes with her. Then she looked over at Poe who looked up from Leia's makeshift bed.
Poe looked over at Elle as if pleading with her on what to do. She looked at him worriedly, but nodded just the same to go on.
She followed him over to the communications console.
"Kijimi's been destroyed," D'Arcy said.
"How?" Elle asked.
"A blast from the Star Destroyer," she replied, giving Elle a grave look. And if her heart wasn't sinking any lower, well it just did.
"Any survivors?" Elle asked.
D'Arcy's eyes flickered nervously a bit. "It's…unlikely."
"Impossible. It would take…." Poe struggled with the very thought of it gone, taking Zorri with it. "No. No way a Star Destroyer..."
"The Emperor sent the ship from Exegol," Beaumont said. "Does that mean all the ships in his fleet?"
"Have planet killing weapons," Poe swallowed hard. "OF course they do. Every one. This is how he finishes it."
Elle furrowed her brows together, suddenly feeling ill. A beep sounded upon Rose's console. She rushed over. "Listen. It's on every frequency."
"The Resistance is Dead. The Sith flame will burn. All worlds, surrender or die. The Final Order begins."
They listened to the static sounds coming from the console. And everyone faced Poe.
"Leia made you acting general," Rose reminded him. "What now?"
D'Arcy could see him struggling to respond, to act, as everything seemed to be happening so fast. Even Elle noticed this.
"We await orders," D'Arcy said.
Poe walked away from the remaining resistance members, and Elle quickly followed him. "Poe," she cried after him, but he didn't listen, he just walked down the corridor. "Hey. Poe!"
He paused, and turned to face Elle, who slowed in her trek. "I think I just want to be alone."
"You know I'm here for you, if you need me," she said.
Poe nodded at her. "I know."
Elle watched him walk away, making her lower her head.
Maybe she failed him. And if she failed him, it was possible she failed the rest of the resistance.
"Ah, young love," a voice startled her from behind. "There was a time I thought it was possible for me to love such a princess. Too bad she had eyes for a scruffy-looking smuggler."
Elle lifted her head and turned around. A wide grin spread across her face at the familiar face. "Lando!" She rushed over to him and threw her arms around him for a deep hug. He pulled her against him and hugged her back. "Oh, it's so good to see you!"
"It's good to see you too, kiddo. All grown up!" he chuckled. He pulled apart and eyed her up and down. "Well, let me take a look at ya. Black garment, huh? Never would've thought I'd see that on you."
Elle grimaced. "It's a long story."
"I bet."
"But, uh, maybe it can wait. I think Poe could use a little wisdom of yours," Elle said.
"And what about you? D'Arcy says you're a mother of two twins? What do you make of that?"
Elle shrugged and smiled. "Another long story, but one I love very much."
"And right there is all that matters," he winked at her. Elle blushed slightly.
"He's just going through a rough time," Elle said.
"I'll see what I can do," Lando said with a nod of his head.
"Thank you."
"Hey, Lando?" Elle asked.
Lando turned around.
"Did you know?"
"Know?" Lando asked.
"About my real dad."
Lando nodded. "Yeah I knew. I was one of the few people that kept it under wraps so no one would find you."
"That was the big secret? To keep me away from the Emperor?"
"He's more challenging than you know," Lando said.
Elle grimaced. Oh she knew all right. She nearly died under his hand if it hadn't been for Ben stepping in when he did, well Kylo Ren, but she felt a little of Ben still within him.
It made her wonder if Ben was still trying to survive. At the very least she hoped.
~*SW*~
A/n: Another updated chapter! Hope you all like! Follows, favorites, and reviews are welcomed and loved. Thank you all for reading! Hope ya'll are staying safe and okay! More updates soon.
