Chapter 1: Poe Dameron
Real gravity felt strange again as his boots ground into the coarse rust red soil of the giant moon.
"Master Tekka, this is Poe Dameron. I repeat, this is Commander Poe Dameron for Master Lor San Tekka. If you read me, please acknowledge this communique." The pilot said into his communicator. The air was hot and he cuffed at a runnel of sweat running down his nose as BB-8 was disconnected from his ancient X-Wing.
"Come on, old man." He thought, taking a sip of water from the drinking tube protruding from the collar of his flight suit.
A rapid set of clicks and beeps came from the optical assembly on what approximated BB-8's head.
"I've noticed. It makes sense as a hiding place, I guess. Oxygen this low and gravity this high make it a pretty good hiding place." Poe turned from the X-Wing and climbed the scrub-covered mound. The gas giant around which the moon orbited was huge in the sky and the star of the system – nameless except for a serial number in the Republic archives – barely brighter than the stars had been on his home planet, so many years ago.
Taking another heavy, slow breath he raised the communicator again. "Master Tekka, this is Poe Dameron. I repeat, this is Commander Poe Dameron for Master Lor San Tekka. If you read me, please acknowledge this communique."
The scrubland was silent, eerily so. There air was so still and dry he could feel the sweat drying on his face. After almost a decade spent in space, seeing so far as to only be limited by a horizon was dizzying.
"Master Tekka, this-" he started again, stopping mid-sentence.
There was someone there.
He turned, his hand on his blaster as BB-8 started to squeal a warning.
"Woah, easy." Said the boy leaning against the fore landing strut of his X-Wing. He held his hands up placatingly, apparently unarmed.
"Who are you?" Poe asked, taking a few steps back down the dune.
"You seek the Tekka?" the boy asked, still leaning against Poe's beloved antique fighter.
"I've been sent to talk to him. He is needed."
"He has taken great pains to be hidden these nine years. Commander Dameron. I fail to see how he can help you against this gathering darkness." The boy was human, his face covered in a heavy veil. All that was visible of him was a pair of huge brown eyes surrounded by sunbeaten skin.
Why can't these people just deal straight? Poe thought, reaching into a pouch on his belt. "She thought Tekka's people might say something like that. She gave me this to prove my intentions and the importance of my mission." He held out his hand to the boy, a small thumb-sized stone resting in the palm.
The boy stood up from the X-Wing and took a step forward. "Is that?"
Poe nodded.
The boy pulled the veil away from his mouth, revealing a face more worn, scarred and tired than someone as young as he should possibly have gained in twice his years "Well, I guess that changes things." He said, picking up the small, green crystal.
"What does it mean?" Poe asked, getting impatient.
"That a debt incurred must be paid. I'll take you to him."