Finn is positive he's going to lose his mind. It's not years of rigorous training or skirmishes with Chrome Dome but being stuck with Solo and his bizarre friend in the Millenium Falcon that'll be the end of him. It's pure torture. Not only is he limited by his situation, as Sidon Ithano bailed not long after the Order showed up, but also weighed down by immense guilt.
The young trooper failed. His stupid heart told him to run and not look back. Even though he meant well all that transpired was truly horrendous. All those people, innocent or otherwise, slaughtered… And for what? He should have just grabbed Rey, drowned that annoying voice inside his head telling him she'd hate him forever, and disappeared. Started over. Screw the fight. Screw the Resistance and their heroes. But, how could he have known?
Feeling like a complete fool, Finn apologized to Maz profusely. She'd given him a roof over his head, fed him and provided him with safe transport, after all. She dismissed the young man's protests but he knew she was displeased. The castle lies in ruin, completely destroyed by both First Order and Resistance aircraft, smoke still rising from the rubble. There are bodies strewn with dead bodies and the stench makes him sick. Another victory for the rebels…
And there had been Ren, too. No amount of perseverance could've stopped him from obtaining information about Luke Skywalker. And boy, did he really want to find out… But why would he take Rey? She knows nothing. She is nothing to him. Is he baiting him to come for her? Whatever the reasoning is, it doesn't matter. Finn will come for her regardless. He'll find a way. He owes that to her.
The young man is wretched away from his musings by Chewbacca's large paw shaking him violently. He winces. The brute must have forgotten about his injured shoulder. Probably. "We're here."
The three men exit the lorry with Bebe right at their feet. They are greeted by the ever busy D'Qar base. The area is riddled by small emerald hills, tall trees and mountains shielding the place from prying eyes of the enemy. The skies are clear and light blue. Finn would've considered settling here were it not for the chaos surrounding him caused by the war.
Pretty much everything is in disarray. The personnel are running around, their voices mingled, like bees in a hive. Each and every member has a task and even those with less significant positions are busy following orders. Droids and other non-organics do their job flawlessly in step with their human superiors. That doesn't stop them from greeting the famous smuggler turned hero and his comrade the moment they see him. It's bizarre.
"Come on, bigshot," Solo's gruff voice urges Finn on. They cross the concrete walkway and enter a room nestled inside one of the hills. "You see the stairs? Yeah, there. Go down till you reach level -1. Ask for Harter Kalonia and get yourself patched up. I'll see ya soon."
Chewie and Han turn right and leave him without another word. He just stands there for a moment, hopeless and lost, unsure where to go exactly. The deserter wanders further down, deeper below the surface of the hills, circles around a couple of times but eventually he finds what he's looking for.
The Medicentre is by no means grandiose. Scanning his surroundings, he recognizes some of the equipment. Bacta patches, syringes, scanners. Majority of it looks outdated. It's nothing like the hospitals at First Order bases. While troopers and other personnel are privileged to use the state-of-the-art items, the rebels are forced to make do with makeshift supplies. The contrast is stark and he wonders if he'll be even helped. His fears, however, are pushed away the moment he sees an area separated by a screen in the centre of a huge room. There is a big desk with a circular screen in the middle with beds used for patients with minor injuries placed in a row nearby. On the other side, there is a section with more beds and medical apparatus where some are resting. The medicentre is not full and Finn feels relieved. He wouldn't be able to stand the staring otherwise.
He approaches a tall middle-aged woman doing an inventory check. He clears his throat in order to get her attention. "Are you doctor Kalonia?" When she looks up from her work, it takes her only a brief moment to size him up before springing to her feet. The woman gets right to the point and Finn relaxes. He doesn't think he can spin another made-up story.
"Take off your jacket and shirt please," she instructs, already holding tweezers and a tool he doesn't recognize in her small gloved hands.
Feeling self-conscious, does as he's asked and sits on the edge of one of the beds. The doctor approaches him with a comforting smile. Next, she brings the tool close to the wound on his shoulder, which she spreads with the tweezers. The thing beeps twice and illuminates his flesh yellow.
"So, what do I call you?"
"Huh?"
"What's your name, kid?"
"Oh. Uh, Finn." Maker, why does he have to be so damn awkward?
Eventually, the tool ceases to make noise and doctor Kalonia hums approvingly. "I got good news for you, Finn. No infection. Have you cleaned the wound?"
The young man nods. "The blaster shot went straight through. No residue. Minimal bleeding."
"You're lucky, kid. Can't imagine the damage had it bounced off a bone or an organ."
The wound would have probably festered. Then, toxins would enter his bloodstream, causing a fever and poisoning his whole system, which on top of necrosis and organ failure would mean a slow, painful death. But he would rather not think about that right now.
Doctor Kalonia grabs two small bacta patches and presses them on both sides of his shoulder. His stitching work is not too shabby so she won't have to redo it. The sensation of the cold liquid coming into contact with his burning skin makes the young man cringe.
"You're a newbie, I'm guessing?" the woman murmurs.
"This is my debut, yes."
"Oh, it shows. Don't worry. You'll get used to it."
"What, getting shot at?"
Doctor Kalonia smiles and pats his knee. "That, too."
Finally, Finn is able to put his jacket on after having his wound wrapped in a cotton bandage. He'll have to dispose of the shirt though. It's all dirty and soaked with sweat and blood. Too bad, he's almost grown used to the colourful fabric.
"Let me give you a piece of advice because you look truly horrified." he hears Kalonia say.
"Okay?"
"So many folk are coming and going it's hard to catch up. They all have their reasons for joining the cause and they don't always stick around. Make your decision fast. We need you fools on your feet, not daydreaming in the clouds. And there goes your BB unit."
This damn dog is going to drive him crazy! Finn springs after it, being watchful not to break any equipment, steering clear of the personnel and patients. The dog is running towards one of the halls leading even deeper underground and the young man almost trips over a crate and falls on his face. He's huffing, exhausted, blinking away sweat dripping down on his eyes. He's getting tired of the constant pursuits and lectures. He just needs to catch the bloody dog and tell Solo that he can shove that attitude of his up-
The next few seconds are the definition of chaos. In a blink of an eye, the dog runs up to a stranger, leaps straight up on his back and causes the man to stumble forward. The ex-trooper fails to stop in time and he ends up tumbling down onto the concrete floor. Finn is about to start apologizing but he freezes instead because the man he knocked down looks strangely familiar. The stranger is wearing an orange fly suit unzipped to the waist, which reveals a white undershirt. His skin is tanned and there's a mop of mussed jetblack hair on his head. He beams, showing off his white teeth. "Bebe? Finn?! Maker in the skies, you're alive!" he exclaims, all flushed and excited. And it's as if a spell has been broken as if he has woken up from a horrible dream. Funnily enough, the men's expressions match each other quite perfectly. It's uncanny, really.
Seeing the Resistance's fly boy's tanned face brings back painful memories. Quick scenes flash before Finn's eyes. Them sneaking around the Order's Finalizer naval base, stealing one of the Special Forces TIE fighters, flying back to Jakku, getting separated from each other under the shower of blaster fire. Poe's vehicle exploding into a ball of smoke and debris. He shudders but his friend doesn't seem to notice a thing. Instead, the man steers his attention to Bebe, hugging him, ruffling his shiny golden fur, mumbling some endearing phrases to him.
A pair of dirty boots appear in front of Finn. He startles, looking up, and finds a young girl staring down at him. Her round face is scrunched in a frown and it worries him. How many people have I pissed off up to this point, he wonders with astonishment.
"Had I known that this is what you called me here for, I would've bailed on you, chief," the girl comments with accusation in her voice. Her expression softens when Bebe pounces on her.
Poe springs to his feet and offers Finn his hand. Then his arms snake around Finn's frame in a tight embrace. They stand like this for a long moment, just relishing in their closeness, before Poe pulls away to beam at the other man. "How'd you end up here?"
"I got a ride from Han Solo."
"Wai- What? The Han Solo?"
"Long story."
Untangling herself from Bebe's clutches, the girl sighs softly. "Poe, what's going- yes, Bebe, I'm happy you're back, too- can you explain what's happening?"
"Jess, this is Finn. He got me out of a nasty situation. If he hadn't, I would be very much dead right now."
"Wow. A fugitive stormtrooper coming to the rescue," she shakes his hand uncomfortably tight but he can tell that something akin to gratitude is radiating from her. "Can't say I've heard that one before."
Poe laughs. "Well, he's a special one."
The Base Command centre is located on the same level as the Medicentre. It's a huge open area and the vine roots are more prominent, curling around the columns, walls, floor. It's dimly lit by a few weak beams of light up on the ceiling, which pales in comparison to the monitors of various stations that paint everything in a sapphire blue hue. Thick cables weave in between consoles that connect the devices to hefty generators. In the middle of it all, there is a circular table where the top brass is gathered, deeply invested in the discussion.
Poe, along with his girlfriend and Bebe, has led Finn there through passages. The two friends chat while the ex-trooper tags behind. They joke around, exchange playful japs and they move onto talking about Takodana. Dameron commends Jess on her efforts and she suggests hosting a celebration later as if destroying and killing is something to rejoice about. Finally, Jess mentions Mrs Temmin Wexley, he asks whether the girl has spoken to her and she responds with 'you know how newly weds are.'
The four of them arrive just on time as most of the people leave the central command, leaving Solo, Chewbacca, the regal looking lady and a man with short hair and almond shaped eyes at the Console. Once Han spots the group of youngsters standing to the side, he excuses himself.
Dameron greets him, using his rank, with obvious adoration. It's better than 'uncle.' Next to him, there is Pava, the perky fly girl who has a crush on Luke, then Dameron's Canine Unit, and, finally, Finn.
The kid's appearance has something to desire. He's missing his shirt and it seems as if his face has aged five years during those tumultuous couple of days, but there is also a spark in his eyes that says he hasn't given up just yet. This is good news. Han had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that he was worried about the boy after that fiasco back at Maz's castle. Nobody felt particularly happy after that chaotic event. Well, except for the Resistance. They're all feeling jolly, alright.
Some painful memories flood his mind the moment he sets his eyes on young Dameron. But then again, when are his thoughts not preoccupied with Ben?
Then there is this Starkiller business on top of that. Only Chewie and Leia have kept him sane through these shitty times even if things are not the same anymore.
"Hey, kids," Han addresses the kids back with an awkward wave. He needs to get rid of them, and fast. "I see you're getting to know one another. Why don't you give your new friend a grand tour. Got some stuff to talk over." It doesn't look like Finn's interested in that idea as his eyes are glued to something behind Han. The boy's expression freezes in a mask of surprise.
"General Solo!" Threepio's annoyingly posh voice calls out and the old man swears he has a headache coming in. "We require your assistance!"
"No luck regarding your mission yet, sir?" Dameron enquires in a worried voice.
"We got sidelined."
"General!' Threepio is getting closer.
"I thought we'd have something by now," Pava chimes in. "Weren't there those two guys-"
"Nope, they bailed as soon as the Order's lackeys caught up with them, remember?"
She sighs. "Right. Didn't they get chased all over to Dantooine?"
"That was the gang folk."
"This is rather urgent, sir-" Threepio interjects.
"Is this the Starkiller base?" Finn blurts out, completely deadpan, with that same distracted expression.
Complete silence envelops everybody as each of them cease to speak at once, startled by the young man's question. Even Threepio has the right mind to stop yapping. Because, really, what the hell? Han would've laughed, were he under different circumstances, were he not involved in a bloody cold war with one of the most dangerous militia organizations in the country.
Before Solo can combust, Poe puts his arm around the other man's shoulder, concern written all over his tanned face. "Finn, buddy, what's on your mind?"
"You people are trying to get inside Starkiller," he states in disbelief. "Seriously, do you have a death wish?"
That's a given, the ex-smuggler thinks. "Alright, end of the scene. Get him out of here."
"Wait! Hold on," Dameron raises his hand up in a silencing gesture, which annoys the hell out of Han. "Let him talk. How do you know about the Starkiller base?"
"Yeah, boy," Solo drawls out, squinting at Finn, trying to keep his temper in check. "How do you know about the Starkiller base?"
Han has known there is something off about the kid. Him being so attached to the girl Rey, not speaking much, looking over his shoulder as if there was someone after him. At first the man figured the boy was on a run from a gang of thugs after agreeing to a questionable deed, that sort of thing. Something Han might've done three decades ago. Now, him recognizing the structure of a First Order base that's supposed to be top secret? That's different entirely. Just how much does he know?
"I worked there for a while."
"You did?!" both Poe and Pava exclaim, his voice tinted with awe, hers with astonishment.
And suddenly, the overpowering frustration of his mission surrounding Han vanishes and is replaced with exhilaration. They say hope is the mother of fools and him and this band of rebels seem to live off of it. Perhaps not everything is lost, the old man ponders as he orders Threepio to inform Leia that she'll have one more individual for an audience.