TESSA woke just as they were approaching a lush green planet. She stretched and yawned, catching Poe's attention.
"Oh, you're awake. I had to get clearance to land, sorry if I woke you." He apologized.
"You didn't." She replied. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. Where are we?"
"D'Qar. General Organa's Resistance Base. I'm sure the General will want to speak with you as soon as you've had a chance to rest." He answered. He was all business, his focus never straying from the task at hand.
He gently landed the Skiff on the pad outside the hangar. As soon as they had touched down, the hangar blast doors opened and a group of people walked out to meet them. Tessa followed Poe to the rear of the skiff and he stopped at the hatch, hand on the control panel.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"As I'll ever be." She answered, exhaling. He opened the hatch and stepped out. She took another deep breath and followed. As they stepped out onto the pad, she felt all eyes on her. Suddenly she realized she had forgotten to take off Poe's jacket and cursed herself for the blunder. She felt her face redden with embarrassment.
General Organa was the first to greet them. She wrapped Poe in a warm embrace and then took Tessa's hands in hers.
"It's wonderful to see you again, Tessa. Thank you for agreeing to come meet with me." She said warmly.
"Likewise, General." Tessa replied, smiling. "Though I didn't really have much choice in the matter." She added with a laugh. Poe shrugged and chuckled.
General Organa smiled and led her toward the hangar. "We're in the process of finding a private space for you to stay. I'm sure you'll be wanting to rest and clean up—" she was interrupted by a cry of dismay from a young woman working nearby. Tessa whirled around, searching for the source. She noticed several people pointing skyward, and her heart dropped when she saw it. A bright red beam of light was streaking across the sky. They watched in horror as the beam separated into smaller pulses of red light. Suddenly the onlookers were gasping and crying out as the pulses abruptly stopped and ended in multiple explosions. She assumed they had struck their targets, whatever they were. Tessa couldn't tell what she was seeing. General Organa squeezed her hand tightly and didn't let go. It took a moment for Tessa to realize what was happening.
"Hosnian Prime." Poe whispered, his voice shaking. "They destroyed Hosnian Prime." There was a moment where no one made a sound, save for the young girl who had first cried out...she was crying softly, sitting on the ground. An older man was trying to comfort her quietly.
Suddenly a shout came from behind them in the hangar, startling them all. "General! General!" A woman came running out of the blast doors as fast as her legs could carry her. "We've received a distress signal from Takodana." She exclaimed breathlessly. "They're under attack by the First Order."
"Maz." Leia said quietly. She let go of Tessa's hand and waved at Poe and the others. "Don't just stand there, scramble those fighters!" She ordered, pointing at the row of X-Wings parked along the pad. She waved another pilot down. "Prepare a troop transport. We'll follow behind to assist survivors." She said calmly. Tessa was amazed at the way she was able to remain cool-headed at a time like this. Her thoughts went back to the scene she had just witnessed, and to Armie. How could he do something like this? She questioned.
She watched quietly and stayed out of the way. Pilots and droids were hurrying to the X-Wings, preparing for battle. None of them showed any signs of worry or fear, only focus and determination. She was impressed at how ready they all were to jump in and fight back, no questions asked. She saw Poe emerge a few moments later fully dressed in a bright orange flight suit. His black and red helmet was tucked under his arm as he headed out of the hangar, heading in her direction. As he approached, he stopped a young woman who was walking toward the base.
"This is Tessa, a guest of General Organa." He explained quickly. "As soon as you can, take her to my quarters so she can clean up and rest until the General gets back." He ordered.
"Your quarters? I couldn't...I'll be fine in whatever barracks are available." Tessa protested.
"I don't have time to argue about this." He replied sharply. "It's just temporary until we can make other arrangements for you." He pulled her aside quietly, softening his voice. "Sorry to leave you like this, but I really have to go...as soon as the squadron is off Dani is going to show you where to go." He pointed to the young woman he had stopped a moment ago. Tessa nodded in agreement. She felt like there was something to be said in the moment but the words were lost on her. She watched him as he walked away, feeling a sudden strange tightness in her chest. Say something...she said to herself.
"Hey, Flyboy." She called out to him. He stopped and turned around. "Don't die." She said with a wry smile. He laughed and gave her a mock salute, then jogged off toward his X-Wing.
One by one the X-Wings took off and left the planet, disappearing into the blue sky. The transport ship carrying General Organa and other auxiliary resistance members followed after.
Once they were gone the base felt like an abandoned space. The silence was strange after so much noise and activity. Dani, the young woman Poe had introduced her to, found Tessa standing alone on the pad.
"You can follow me, ma'am." She said with a smile. "We'll find you some clean clothes to change into."
"It's Tessa, please...none of this 'ma'am' business." Tessa replied lightheartedly. Dani smiled and nodded, then led the way inside the base. She regarded the exterior of the low building as they walked toward it. The hangar appeared to be the largest part. The rest of the low building looked as though it was in danger of being reclaimed by the jungle that surrounded it. Inside it was much larger than Tessa had realized. Even with all the pilots and techs and medics that had gone to battle, the base was still humming with activity inside. They passed through the corridors, often having to step aside for someone making their way past. Everyone smiled and greeted them as they went. They were all busy, each performing some individual task, all doing their part to support the Resistance. No matter how big or small their part was to play, it all mattered. She was in awe at how smoothly everything was running. There were people cleaning, others moving equipment or fixing things...a well-oiled machine in motion.
Dani made a quick stop in a small room and gathered some clothes in her size. There were racks and shelves lined up all the way to the back of the room, holding various crates and boxes and loose equipment. Dani handed her the neatly folded uniform and then led her down two flights of stairs and past the barracks to the officers' wing. At the end of the long corridor, she stopped at a closed door. The brown placard on the door read 'Commander' in white lettering. Dani opened the door and stepped aside, allowing Tessa to step into the room.
"The washroom is there, if you'd like to take a shower." Dani said, pointing to the door across the room. "If you need anything at all, please feel free to ask using this intercom." She added with a smile. Tessa thanked her and the girl left, closing the door behind her. Tessa placed the folded clothes on the table beside the door and took a look around the room. The small room was plain, no decoration anywhere. The floor was like solid stone, smooth and gray. She could tell the walls had been painted white at one time, but the color had faded over time and was now a darker tan shade. The space was clean and tidy, nothing out of place and no grime to be seen. There was a modest bed large enough for one person against the wall. It had been made up with great care. The blanket was pulled tightly across, not a wrinkle to be seen. Clearly made by a military man...she thought to herself, seeing the folded corners of the sheets. The small desk in the corner was empty, and above it were various patches and squadron insignia pinned to the wall. There was no window, which made her wonder whether she was underground in this section of the base. It felt like she was back in the barracks at her combat academy. She crossed the room to look at the patches hanging above the desk, and caught sight of herself in the mirror on his closet door. She realized she was still wearing his jacket and took it off quickly, hanging it on the chair at the desk. Strangely, it was beginning to feel like more than just a jacket.
Turning back to the mirror, she carefully regarded her reflection. Her curly hair was a tangled mess and she had dark circles under her eyes. She was sporting a light bruise at her hairline above her right eye from the fight on Batuu, and was covered in dirt. The stormtrooper's blood from Poe's knife had dried where she wiped it on her pant leg. No wonder they were all staring...you look a fright! She thought to herself. She went back to the table and grabbed the fresh uniform and opened the door to the washroom. Inside was a toilet, a small sink with a mirrored cabinet above it, and a tiny closet-like shower. She closed the door behind her and locked it, and turned the water on in the shower. It didn't warm up quite as much as she had wished, but it was clean water just the same. She quickly undressed and piled her dirty clothes neatly in the corner, and then stepped under the running water. It was chilly at first, then felt better once she was used to it. She looked around for shampoo, but only saw a single bottle of soap on the ledge. Just like a man to use one soap for everything... she mused, shaking her head. The scent reminded her vaguely of him. She forced the fleeting thought out of her mind and cursed under her breath. She did not need this distraction. She ran her fingers through her curls to try and detangle as much as she could. She turned the water off and stepped out, taking a clean towel from the shelf beside the shower and wrapping herself in it for warmth. After drying off, she put on the uniform. The shirt was white linen, loose fitting and comfortable. The fatigue pants were a thick, durable fabric in a light forest green shade. She tucked the shirt into the waistband and put her belt back on, then tucked the legs of the pants into her boots. She squeezed some water out of her hair and then braided it loosely in the back to keep it out of the way. Her bangs hung in loose curls at her temples, framing her face. She scrubbed and rinsed her own dirty clothes in the sink until the dirt and dust had washed away. She scrubbed the blood stain as best she could, but it would not come out. Oh, well...she thought, exhaling. She rung the water out and hung the shirt and pants on the towel rack on the wall.
She went back out into the larger room, picking up the vest Dani had given her. It was made from a thick, black material and had a high collar. The Resistance emblem sewn onto the left chest caught her eye and she considered what it would mean to wear it. She felt like the uniform itself was a statement, but the emblem on the vest was clearly a display of loyalty to the Resistance. She sat down on the bed, holding the vest in her hands. Her mind wandered back to the people she had seen in the base, all working diligently for their cause. She thought about the pilots that ran straight towards danger at a moment's notice, knowing that they could easily be killed. They all had a purpose, something she never had. She had always remained neutral...never wanting to join her brother, but never willing to openly oppose him. It wasn't fear, it was something else...Guilt? Love?
She laid down, staring up at the ceiling. Seeing this place and all the work they were doing stirred something inside her. She wanted a purpose. She knew what she had to do, but didn't know if she had the courage to do it. She knew Leia would ask her again, it was only a matter of time until that difficult conversation would come up. Could she still say 'no' after what she witnessed today? The First Order couldn't be allowed to possess a weapon like that...how many lives could be saved if she put aside her own feelings and joined the Resistance? She knew she was the best option...she knew Armie would accept her if she went to him willingly. She did worry about what she might have to do to prove her loyalty...she was certain that she would be tested. She remained there for a long time, weighing the options in her mind. After some time had passed, the intercom by the door beeped and Dani's voice came through the speaker.
"Tessa, the squadron is returning. I thought you might want to know."
"Yes, thank you Dani. I'm on my way up." Tessa said quickly. She jumped out of bed and pulled the vest on. Her mind was made up, and she needed to see the General immediately.
POE and his Black Squadron had successfully fought off the enemy tie fighters and managed to take out their ground support at the same time. Adrenaline coursed through his body, making his heart race. They had won the battle with no casualties, though Maz Kanata's castle had been destroyed by the enemy before they arrived. The General's transport had landed safely on the ground to tend to survivors while Poe and a few of the black squadron X-Wings waited just outside of the planet's orbit to escort the transport back to the base. The rest had already been sent back to D'Qar. A fleeting thought of having someone back on D'Qar waiting for him crossed his mind, but he pushed it away. He needed to stay focused, and knew realistically that those feelings were all in his head. Once all the survivors had been patched up and loaded onto the transport, they left Takodana and headed home, accompanied by Han Solo's Millenium Falcon, which Poe was surprised to see following the General's transport. One by one they jumped to light speed for the short trip back to base.
As they landed back on D'Qar, his comrades were all greeting and hugging one another, happy to see that their friends had come back safely. They were all fueled by the thrill of the fight. He opened the hatch and climbed down the ladder beside his X-Wing, removing his helmet when he reached the ground. He glanced around, a small part of him hoping to catch a glimpse of her, but she was nowhere to be found. He was a little disappointed by her absence. Suddenly he heard a familiar beeping and chirping and spun around to find BB-8 barreling toward him on the landing pad.
"BB-8! Buddy!" He exclaimed happily, kneeling to greet and inspect the droid. BB-8 chirped animatedly. Finn? Here? Poe thought, trying to interpret the excited beeping of the droid. He rose to his feet and looked around and saw his friend and rescuer standing not far from him. They locked eyes and Poe nearly burst with happiness. They ran and embraced each other warmly, happy to see the other one alive.
"I thought you were dead!" Poe exclaimed, clapping a hand on Finn's shoulder.
"I though you were dead!" Finn answered.
Poe looked over his friend, seeing that he wasn't injured from the crash and suddenly recognized his own lucky flight jacket. "That's my jacket!" He exclaimed, laughing. Finn started to take it off, but Poe stopped him. "Keep it, buddy. Looks good on you."
"Thanks." Finn said appreciatively. The pair walked into the hangar together, Finn recounting his journey from Jakku to Han's smuggling ship, to Takodana, and then to the base. BB-8 followed behind them into the pilot ready room. Poe listened intently to Finn's account while he took off his flight suit and gear. The other pilots in the room were doing the same, chatting excitedly as they stuffed the thick flight suits into the lockers along the wall. Poe sat down beside Finn on the bench, taking a minute to breathe.
"You completed my mission. You brought BB-8 back home. I don't know how to thank you." He said, relieved to have both his droid and his friend back.
"It was nothing." Finn quipped jokingly. They both laughed and left the ready room. When they stepped into the hangar, Poe caught a glimpse of red hair out of the corner of his eye and his heart warmed when he saw her. She was wearing a Resistance uniform and had her hair pulled back in a loose braid. She was talking with General Organa, her back to Poe and Finn. He started to approach, but stopped suddenly when the General saw him and shook her head inconspicuously. Tessa noticed and glanced back to see what the General was looking at, and when she saw Poe she gave him an awkward, almost pained half-smile and turned away again. The pair walked away from them and went into the base. He had a bad feeling about whatever they had been discussing. He wanted to follow, but he knew better than to meddle. He took Finn to the mess hall to eat a quick meal. Soon after they finished eating, they were called to the war room to discuss the new weapon the First Order had used on the Hosnian System. Finn had inside knowledge of the weapon and its location. Poe led the way to the war room, silently wondering if she would be there.
TESSA hurried along behind one of the General's close advisers. She had agreed to spy on her brother for the Resistance and was being taken to the landing pad by a less-traveled path to avoid being seen. They had first stopped off in a secluded equipment room where she had been given some things for the journey: a black cloak with a hood, a blaster and a holster, and a small black wrist link communicator to send news back. Dani had met her there with the clothes she had left in Poe's quarters. She changed quickly and returned the uniform to Dani. She was wearing the cloak now with the hood pulled up to hide her conspicuous hair in case they were spotted leaving the base. As they hurried along, she recalled her brief conversation with Leia:
She had found the General in the hangar and told her that she had decided to help the Resistance. Leia was clearly happy to hear this news, but she couldn't hide the worried look in her eyes when she looked at Tessa. She told the General that she wanted to leave as soon as possible, and she didn't want anyone else to know she was going. It was imperative that she left without learning too much about their plans, in case things didn't go well with her brother, and Leia agreed. After seeing Poe in the hangar, Leia had moved their meeting to a private place. There they discussed all the details about her mission: her cover story, where she would be dropped off to turn herself in to a First Order patrol, how to get the messages back to the Resistance, what to do if she needed to escape, etc. The plan was for a small transport ship to take her to Akiva, an outer-rim planet that was known to side with the First Order. The pilot was to drop her off in an uninhabited area and she would go on foot to the city of Myrra from there to seek out a First Order patrol. From then on she'd have to figure things out as she went. Before she left her, Leia had hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, "may the force be with you." She had never understood the sentiment before, but in that moment it made her feel stronger somehow. The two shared a warm smile and then she was ushered out by the man who led her up to the hangar now.
POE looked around for Tessa when they entered the war room. He was met with disappointment again, finding that she was not in attendance. The General called Finn over to the command center and asked him to tell them everything he knew about the weapon. He obliged, going into great detail. Poe's attention was elsewhere. The little details didn't mean much to him, as long as he knew what to hit he would get the job done. As his mind wandered, he heard the faint yet familiar sound of the hangar's blast doors opening from above them. He glanced at General Organa, who was staring at him with a worried expression on her face. Suddenly he realized what was happening. Tessa was sneaking away to fulfill Leia's mission.
"Is that what I think it is?" Poe asked angrily, interrupting the briefing. The General eyed him warily and didn't answer, but he saw all the answer he needed on her face. Before she could yell out his name to stop him he had turned and left the room, breaking into a run in the corridor. People jumped out of his way as he ran, seemingly confused at his hurry. He made it to the hangar door and burst through it. He noticed the small transport parked on the pad, hatch open. He ran across the hangar, dodging droids and techs to get to the pad. Finally he saw her walking up the ramp to board the transport.
"Tessa!" He called out breathlessly. She spun around and pulled the black hood off her head when she saw him. She had a pained look on her face. He ran up to the transport and she walked down the ramp to meet him. "You were just going to sneak away?" He accused, his voice harsher than he meant it to be.
"I have to do this. I thought leaving quietly would be best. I'm sorry." She explained calmly. Her brow was furrowed with concern, but her voice gave nothing away.
"What happened? What made you change your mind?" He asked in disbelief. Her green eyes regarded him uneasily.
"I don't understand why you're angry. You brought me here for this very purpose!" She said, her voice raising.
"I didn't realize the danger before...after seeing what that weapon can do, I don't think it's safe for you to go to him." He replied. Her eyes narrowed suddenly.
"To hell with the danger." She yelled back. "He can destroy whole planets. Multiple planets simultaneously. He has to be stopped."
"And you're the one who has to do it?" He asked incredulously. She sighed heavily and grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the noise of the transport.
"Think of the lives that can be spared if we succeed." She said softly. "You know I'm the best option we have at this point." She watched his face as he thought about what to say. He didn't want her to go.
"Tessa, I—" he started. She put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.
"I know. Please don't say it." She said quietly. He dropped his gaze, unsure how to navigate this situation. Wordlessly he pulled her in and hugged her. She returned the hug, wrapping her arms around his middle and resting her head on his chest. Neither of them spoke. They stayed there wrapped in each other's arms for a time. Suddenly, the transport pilot called out to her, and she slowly let go and backed away.
"I'll see you when this is all over." She said with a pained smile. He nodded and watched as she walked back up the ramp.
"Hey, Tessa," he called out, stopping her. She turned around and looked at him. "Don't die." He said, forcing a smile.
"I won't." She replied, laughing. She entered the vessel and the hatch closed behind her. He backed away and watched the transport take off, wondering if he'd ever see her again.