I often upload multiple chapters at a time. Chapter 22 was posted at the same time as 23.

Chapter 23

Poe continued to follow the tracking beacon. He had abandoned trying to negotiate with Gala Vash. The man would not see reason where the First Order was concerned. The leader of the Outer Rim rebellion had flatly refused to meet with Poe after their initial meeting with the First Order representatives.

No skin off his back. Poe was not interested in listening to the First Order's lies and propaganda. He would get the evidence that he needed and when he did he would prove to the galaxy that the First Order could not be trusted.

BB-8's chirps interrupted his reverie.

"Let's keep positive, BB-8. We will report back to Leia when we have something to report. She doesn't need to know about this side mission right now."

BB-8's answering beeps clearly stated that he didn't agree.

"Technically, this is still part of the mission. Once Gala Vash and everyone else sees the evidence, they will be back on our side. This is just a slight detour."

Poe hoped the detour would be slight. He didn't know how much longer he could put off reporting in to the General.

Poe's X-Wing made the final approach to land. The First Order ship had landed on the ice planet of Yakoba. Unlike Hoth, Yakoba had a large indigenous population that had adapted to the cold. Native Yakobas had snow white skin and hair. The only coloring on their bodies were their vibrant eyes which ranged in color from cobalt blue to deep purple. They could withstand the planet's freezing temperatures without any coverings. The clothing Yakobas wore was for decoration, not necessity.

Poe recalled that Yakoba was also ground zero for a recent outbreak of Zatatan fever. Most of the time, Zatatan fever was rarely deadly but native Yakobas were highly susceptible to the disease. The same adaptations that allowed them to endure the freezing temperatures left them unable to tolerate the standard immunizations used by the rest of the galaxy. For Yakobas, the standard medicine would kill them faster than the disease. They required a highly specialized blend that was difficult to manufacture and had a limited shelf life.

Poe landed the X-Wing and found a safe spot to observe the First Order without being detected. He would spy on them using his long-range visor.

BB-8 was very unhappy. Astro droids rarely fared well in the snow and ice. The little droid had put up quite a fuss about being ordered to stay behind. Poe had assured him that he would not get close enough to be detected. This mission was purely recon.

Poe settled into a large snowbank and watched the First Order set up their medical station. The efficiency in which they were able to construct the medical center was astounding. Within hours of landing, they were receiving patients. Yakobas soon filed in and out of the facility.

Nothing looked amiss from this distance, but Poe could not shake a bad feeling. Something was off. There was no way the First Order would offer aid to the Yakobas. They had nothing to offer in return.

Returning to his X-Wing, Poe lit a fire and started heating rations. Once the rations were prepared he extinguished the flames and took his food into the X-Wing. It wouldn't be the first meal he had eaten in his cockpit. Besides, the heating vents would warm his feet much faster than the pitiful fire he had constructed. They were far enough away from the First Order base that Poe felt confident the fire would not be detected, but he didn't want to risk it by starting a blazing inferno.

Finishing his tasteless meal quickly, he gave BB-8 the rundown of what he saw. The astro droid used his lack of findings to argue for returning to their primary objective.

"No buddy. There is something going on in that medical facility. I know it. Tonight, after it gets dark out I'm going to sneak into the building."

BB-8's angry beeps told Poe just how stupid the droid found that idea.

"It will be fine. I have snuck into way worse spots before."

The short response chirps were not complimentary.

"We will never get anywhere with that negative attitude," Poe responded. He tried to keep his tone joking but BB-8 clearly didn't want to let this go.

"I hear you, but we need to find something. Everyday more and more systems are requesting aid from the First Order. We can't let the whole galaxy be seduced by these murderers. I am going tonight and that is final. I will be fine."

…..

Hours later, Poe crept into the First Order's medical facility. The personal had gone to their quarters for the night, leaving Poe alone in the facility. Quietly he moved from room to room, looking for anything amiss.

On the surface, nothing appeared out of place. Everything was just as you would expect a medical facility to be. Still, something was wrong. Poe could feel it. He just had to find it.

Entering one of the back rooms, Poe found what he was looking for. The entire room was lined with body bags. Unzipping one, he found the body of a young Yakoban child. The boy looked to be no older than 3 cycles. His eyes and mouth displayed the typical black striations symptomatic of Zatatan fever. Opening another bag, he found similar marking on the body of an elderly female.

This entire room was filled with the dead. There had to be at least 70 bodies. That should not happen. The specialized medicine should have cured everyone on contact, no matter how far the disease had progressed. The First Order was not helping these people. They were just pretending to. Taking out his holo recorder, Poe documented his findings.

Hearing a noise from the hallway, Poe hid behind one of the tables as four large First Order soldiers entered the room. They began loading bodies onto a large hover cart. Poe stayed hidden but positioned his camera to document their actions. He waited a full minute before following them out of the room. Before heading outside, he used his holo camera to take footage of the medical facility including a close up of the fake medicine. He grabbed a vial and put it in one of his pockets. Once, the rebellion tested it and found it to be fake, the so-called medicine would be another piece of evidence that would bring the First Order down.

A large fire suddenly erupted to Poe's right. Going to the window, Poe saw the First Order soldiers heaving the bodies of the deceased into the flames. He filmed the horrible sight for a minute before sneaking out of the facility. Poe imagined that he would feel happy once he got the evidence he needed. Instead, he just felt grim resignation. They were monsters and Poe couldn't do anything to help these people. At least not yet. He needed to get off planet and broadcast this news.