I've been watching The Force Awakens basically on repeat for the last week and Poe is officially my new boyfriend. Don't tell my real-life boyfriend.
I'm not sure what this actually is, but I was just daydreaming and reading lots of fanfiction and had a little plot bunny. I'm genuinely not sure how I feel about it but figured, hey. No kriffing reason not to. Unsure about writing more, so a one-shot for now.
Rymer Keen is actually a name I got from a Hunger Games name generator that I Star Wars-ified.
I don't own Star Wars. Consider yourselves disclaimed.
Finn watched the proceedings anxiously. He had bluffed his way into getting planetside, now he just had to hold it together until he could find Rey. He looked at over at Poe and a pang of guilt hit him. The pilot was his first friend, and he felt bad lying to him.
Poe bit his lip as he looked over the plans to Starkiller Base, then brought his eyes to the general's.
"It's a solid plan, General, and I know my squadrons are up for the task, but I just don't think we'll have enough sheer firepower."
General Organa nodded, seeming to contemplate this for a moment, before going still. Her eyes slowly lit up, and she smiled at her favorite commander. "How does a little back-up sound?"
Poe's brow furrowed. "Back-up?"
"Officer Skall, please patch through the incoming transmittion," the general asked her communications officer, who looked confused.
"General, what transmi-" his eyes snapped to his datapad as it beeped, and his eyes furrowed further before pressing a few buttons. A female voice rang clearly from the pad.
"Alpha Base, this is Gold Leader flying in with Yellow and White Squadrons, requesting permission to enter airspace. Do you copy."
Finn glanced around curiously as a few people in the crowd around them gasped, and smiles were exchanged all around. Poe straightened, a disbelieving grin splitting his face, and even BB-8 rolled back in surprise. General Organa gestured for the pad.
"Copy that. Permission granted, Gold Leader. Welcome back, we're all glad you're home."
The woman was clearly smiling as she answered. "We're glad to be home, General. Entering airspace, landing in approximately two minutes. Gold Leader out."
Finn grew more confused as excited murmurs broke out around the room, and another glance at Poe looked like it was taking every ounce of discipline he had to remain in place. He watched the pilot take a deep breath.
"General-"
"Go, Dameron." General Organa's voice was amused and affectionate as she waved a hand towards the door. Poe smiled brilliantly, clapping Finn once on the shoulder as he turned and sprinted from the room, BB-8 zooming after with a series of excited whirs and chirps. Finn stared after them, now utterly lost as more people followed, before noticing the general at his elbow.
"Walk me to the tarmac, Finn." The ex-Stormtrooper stared at her a moment before nodding, letting her lead the way even as a contingent of her advisers and officers followed behind them.
"I take it you haven't heard of Commander Keen just yet?" she asked him as they made a brisk pace through the halls. Finn shook his head. "I've had her stationed with her squadrons on the other side of the galaxy for the last six months, limited communications, working hard on defense and recon while the Resistance establishes a stronger foothold. I didn't send for her, but I'd wager her sense of duty had them at lightspeed in record time as soon as she heard of the destruction of the Hosnian System."
Finn nodded, though he wasn't quite sure why she was telling him all this. "She sounds like a good soldier," he said, unable to think of anything else.
"She is that, and a good woman. As some people around here know better than others."
By now they had stepped onto the sunlit tarmac. Poe's haste had been unnecessary, as he stood bouncing on the balls of his feet as the X-Wings came into view over the mountains, BB-8 spinning and chirping at his side. Cheers began to erupt as the roar of the engines came into range, and the lead ship, painted black like Poe's but with a gold stripe instead of orange, did a single loop-the-loop before coming in to land some 300 yards from where they stood. Finn watched Poe take off like a shot as the pilot climbed out, dropping her helmet in the cockpit before jumping to the ground, dashing forward to meet him halfway. She leaped into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist as their lips crashed together, both hands coming up to grasp his face. Finn blinked as his jaw dropped open, and he looked down at the general for confirmation. She nodded, chuckling.
"Let's just give them a moment." They waited patiently, averting their eyes even as a few of the other pilots cat-called their commanding officers. The couple ignored them, taking their time - it had been six months, Finn told himself, shrugging. When he glanced back over, the commander was back on her feet, being greeted enthusiastically by BB-8. She laughed and knelt down to throw her arms around the little droid. When she straightened, she caught sight of the general, and visibly steeled herself before walking over, Poe and BB-8 at her heels.
"General, I-"
"Don't apologize for abandoning your post, Commander, we're lucky you showed up when you did. You've done good work for Admiral Nil'Sor, but we need you here now. And...I'm sorry about your brother. We lost a lot of good souls in the Hosnian System." Commander Keen softened with relief and a little sadness, smiling at the older woman.
"Thank you, ma'am. So what are we going to do about these sons of banthas?"
"I'll let Commander Dameron fill you in. We've got a few hours before it's time to head out. Welcome home, Rymer." The younger woman nodded at her as she turned and left the little group. Poe took the opportunity to angle the female pilot towards Finn.
"Buddy, this is the one, the only, the beautiful Commander Rymer Keen. Gold Leader of the Resistance, second best pilot in the galaxy, and my exceedingly better half. Ry, this is my new friend Finn."
Rymer's eyes widened. "Finn? As in the Stormtrooper defector who saved you from the First Order?" At Poe's nod, Rymer threw her arms around Finn's neck. "Thank you," was breathed fervently into his ear. Finn chuckled as he hugged her back, Poe grinning on happily. She pulled away, telling him, "I owe you every drink you ever want for the rest of your life. I mean it." Finn's eyebrows shot up, and he looked at Poe, impressed.
"I like her."
Poe looked like he couldn't stop smiling, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Me too, buddy." There was a heavy nudge to his legs and an indignant beep, and they laughed. "We know you like her too BB-8!"
Rymer squeezed his waist once, then pulled away. "I need to take care of my ship, then I'll meet you in the canteen and you can catch me up while I eat something. I'll see you both there!"
Finn watched Poe watch her jog back towards her ship. "I don't have to go with you guys if you want some time alone."
Poe grinned shamelessly at having been caught staring, and shook his head. "No way, my friend. Let's go." He clapped a hand over the back of Finn's neck, tugging him along. "I never did tell you about Ry, did I?"
"In your defense our ship was crashing." Both men laughed. "How long have you been together?"
"Just about as long as I can remember." Poe's laugh echoed through the halls at Finn's raised eyebrow. "Really. We grew up together on Yavin-4. There was never any question of being together or not, we just were. We flew for the Republic together and then defected together. Honestly, these last six months is the longest we've ever been apart." His happiness was obvious and infectious and Finn found himself smiling with the ace pilot.
They reached the canteen in short order, gathering enough food for the three of them. Finn was disbelieving that Rymer would eat as much food as Poe seemed to think she would, but the other man just winked and said he'd be surprised. It had been nearly twenty minutes when Rymer walked in, voice slightly raised at the white and green BB unit that was trailing her and beeping angrily.
"Oh stop it, you! You were in low power mode, I was letting you sleep!" She looked around the room, spotting them, and pointed them out to the droid. "There!" she said exasperatedly. "There they are! Go say hello!" The BB unit whizzed away, now beeping with excitement as it approached.
Poe grin was as perpetual as ever, and he knelt quickly to greet the little droid. "Hey there BB-4! Did you take good care of our Commander while you were away?" BB-4 spun and chirruped with affirmation. "That's my girl. I knew I could count on you." BB-4 gave a pleased whir, nudging him once with her round body, before rolling away to greet BB-8.
Rymer reached them, shaking her head. "I let her charge for a few extra minutes and I'm the bad guy. No good deed, I tell you." She had clearly managed a shower in the short interim, and her damp hair had fluffed up without the layer of sweat and grime. The dark shaggy waves shot with vibrant orange were shortest in the back, the right side angling to her chin and the left reaching down to her shoulder. Poe grinned, looking her up and down, taking in the thin straps of the tunic that slit at her hips and trailed to her knees in the front and back, the thin leggings underneath and the flat, short boots, all in soft shades of brown. Finn noticed for the first time that her eyes were the same vibrant green as her BB unit.
"Your hair's gotten longer," Poe said, reaching out to curl a lock around his finger as she sat in the chair scooted close to him. "It was shaved in the back last time I saw you. I like it."
"I didn't have time to maintain it," she shrugged, tearing into the plate he slid in front of her with gusto as he tucked her securely under his arm.
Poe raised an eyebrow. "You didn't have time to cut it but you had time to keep putting orange in it?"
Rymer winked at him as she chewed and swallowed a bite of bread. "It's your favorite color, Commander." Poe grinned back, a little lewdly.
Finn chuckled from across the table, finishing the last of his meal. "Are you sure I'm not in you guys's way right now?"
Poe actually looked a little embarrassed as Rymer laughed, only taking another large bite, this time of a purple fruit. "Sorry, buddy. I actually do need to brief you, Ry." The couple slid apart, Poe's arm coming back to his own chair. They both sat up a little straighter, stepping into their roles as Commanders, even as Rymer smirked at the two men.
"So tell me about this shiny toy we get to go blow up."
I feel the need to say I'm sorry.