Chapter 4: Jakku
"You'll never see what's hiding out
"Hiding out deep down"
FLASHBACK
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second there, Jaina. What do you mean you're going away? And without telling your parents?"
"Poe, please - I really don't need to hear a lecture. I've heard enough tonight from them," Jaina sighed as Poe questioned her decision to leave without informing her parents. She had successfully managed to escape her home without alerting them, determined not to remain idle while Ben was out there. "This is important, okay? I need to do this."
"What's going on?" Poe asked, confusion evident as he was unaware of the fact that his childhood friend, Ben Solo, was now a disciple of the dark side.
Once again, Jaina let out a sigh, now sounding rather annoyed. "Look, if I tell you, how do I know you won't go running to my parents about it? Because if you do, I'm gonna be really angry at you, Dameron," she said sternly. The truth was, she had called him not only to get a ride but also because she wanted him to be the last person she saw before taking off. Poe Dameron was her romantic interest, even if he didn't know it.
"You can trust me. I promise - cross my heart and hope to die," Poe pleaded with her, placing a hand over his heart. "It will be pretty hard to lie to your mom, but..."
"Ben has fallen to the dark side, Poe. And I'm going out to look for him in the hopes of bringing him back to the light," Jaina confessed, deciding to be upfront with him. She observed how the look on Poe's face shifted from curiosity to concern. Would he still keep his promise after that? "Now you know exactly why I snuck out of the house in the middle of the night. They forbade me from going out to find Ben. They're worried he's going to kill me. Or even worse, be turned as well."
A long silence hung in the air. The Resistance pilot found himself torn between allowing her to proceed with her plan and reporting back to her parents. He had great respect for Leia, who had treated him like her own son both before and after his own parents died. What to do, what to do. "You're really putting me in a tough spot here, Solo. If you go there and get killed, I don't think I could bare with the guilt of not telling anyone. Kriff sake," He ran his hands through his face, a gesture of frustration and contemplation.
"I promise-"
"No don't promise me you're not going to die, Jaina. You don't know that!"
"Fine. I don't know that. But that's not going to stop me from saving my brother. You need to understand what this means to me. I can't lose Ben like this," Jaina declared with determination, taking a deep breath to suppress her emotions. Poe was the only one she could trust with her current plans. "Please."
"Okay, okay. Obviously, there's no talkin' you out of this, is there?" Poe chuckled, reaching over with one arm and pulling her into him, catching the girl off-guard. He only pulled away when he flew with her to the shuttle bay, where they could catch a shuttle to her destination. The ride there was rather silent and awkward.
"Thanks again, Poe. You really are amazing, you know that?"
"Be safe out there, Jaina. Please just come back in one piece."
Jaina surprised the pilot by launching her whole body onto his and planting a smooch on his lips in a quick kiss. "Bye, Dameron. Take care of yourself." With that, she pulled her hood over her head and hurried into the shuttle bay, flying off the planet.
6 years later...
Jaina had been on the run for six years, uncertain whether her parents had even bothered to come looking for her. She found refuge on the planet Jakku, a desert world reminiscent of Tatooine. Despite her disdain for the sand, a Skywalker trait inherited from her grandfather, she recognized that this planet might be a place where no one would come looking for her while she gathered as much information as she could about Ben. However, so far, she had come across nothing relevant to his whereabouts. The only news spreading across the galaxy currently was about The First Order, notorious for their ruthless acts of violence. They killed innocent civilians and destroyed planets at their whim. During her time on the desolate planet of Jakku, Jaina encountered a few friendly locals who offered her shelter and food, showing kindness in a harsh environment. To avoid being reported back to her parents, she adopted a false name—Mara Jade. This alias provided her with some anonymity as she navigated her new life on Jakku.
It was yet another hot day on Jakku, nothing out of the ordinary. Jaina ventured out to assist the family in scavenging ship and weapon parts, a way to repay them for their hospitality by contributing to their livelihood. In the far reaches of the desert, remnants of old Empire ships lay scattered, often inaccessible due to intense sandstorms. However, Jaina managed to navigate these hazardous conditions with the help of the entity residing within her, casting a Force shield to keep her safe as she braved the elements in search of valuable salvage. On one of her scavenging expeditions, Jaina stumbled upon a BB-8 unit, which belonged to an old friend. The droid had nearly become the victim of scavengers looking to sell it for scraps. "Luckily, I was here to save you in time, BB-8. What are you doing all the way out here? You're definitely a long way from home, my friend," she remarked, reaching over to fix its bent antenna with a single movement. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Wait, is... is he with you?"
BB-8 replied with a series of beeps and boops, explaining the situation to her. He knew he could trust her since she was a trusted ally according to Poe, and given her familial connection to the leader of the Resistance. "You have a map to Luke? This is... this is great news! We really need him right now. I need him right now," Jaina sighed, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon her. She remembered the night when Luke expressed his desire not to be found, but given the dire circumstances facing their world, his assistance could be invaluable to the Resistance, to her mother. However, facing Leia after all these years, especially after running away from home without a word, would be difficult. As for her father, he likely returned to his smuggling jobs. It was crucial to deliver BB-8 to the Resistance Base as soon as possible. "Come on then. I have to find a way to get us off this planet and get you to my mom. She'll be delighted by this news." Jaina escorted BB-8 back towards the Niima Outpost Junkyard, keeping him close to prevent any other scavengers from attempting to claim him for themselves. "But I still don't understand, how did you end up-"
Her thoughts were interrupted when BB-8 started beeping frantically, alerting her to something amiss in their surroundings. "What's the matter?" Jaina scanned the area, trying to discern the source of BB-8's distress. She eventually located the cause: a dark-skinned man wearing a tan-colored jacket that seemed oddly familiar. With quick thinking, Jaina quietly snuck up on the unsuspecting individual and pressed the butt of her pistol to the back of his neck. "I wouldn't move if I were you. If you even think about running off, I will not hesitate to stun you. Now, tell me where you got that jacket? It doesn't belong to you."
"Listen, I-"
"This droid and I know the owner of this jacket. Why do you have it?"
"Can you just let me explain?"
"Go on then."
The man took a risk and turned around to face Jaina, hands remaining in the air. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about Poe, would you? Poe Dameron?" he asked, acknowledging the droid accompanying Jaina.
BB-8 lit up at the mention of his owner's name, emitting happy beeps and rolling around in circles.
"Yes, Poe Dameron. Now that we've established that you know him, WHY do you have his jacket?" Jaina pressed even further, her concern growing as she wondered if this person had harmed or killed Poe.
"I was helping him escape The First Order when our ship unfortunately crashed onto this planet. He..." His face turned somber as he prepared to deliver the next piece of information. "He didn't make it. I tried to help him. I'm sorry."
Both Jaina and BB-8 were left in a state of shock upon hearing the news of Poe's apparent death. The droid dropped his head in sadness, rolling away from the pair to be alone. Jaina, meanwhile, felt a pang in her chest. No - he couldn't be gone. A skilled pilot like Poe wouldn't just crash and perish like that, "Wait...you said you helped him escape The First Order? Are you by chance with The Resistance?"
At the mention of The Resistance, the male froze for a second, clearly caught off guard. He couldn't reveal his true allegiance, or at least his previous one. He gave her a nervous nod. "Obviously. Yes, I am with The Resistance," he affirmed, quickly fixing his jacket and dusting off any sand caught on it.
"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I'd have recognized you..." Jaina paused mid-thought, realizing that perhaps it wouldn't be wise to reveal her own affiliation with The Resistance. She decided to tread carefully, not wanting to give away any information that could jeopardize her own safety. "Never mind you. Listen here - this droid. He has some very important information that needs to be taken to The Resistance. Like now," Jaina asserted, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"I know. He has the map to Luke Skywalker. Everyone is after it-"
"How do you..." Jaina began, but then figured that Poe might've mentioned it to him. "Again, never mind. My mo - I mean, General Organa, needs to see this. Luke Skywalker is her brother. And no doubt that she needs him more than ever right now. With the whole First Order going around with its nonsense - he's the only one who can stop all of it," she explained, carefully holstering her pistol. "I'm Mara Jade." She hesitated to give her real name, wary of the possibility that he might report back to Leia, unaware of his true identity, at least his past one.
"I'm Finn," Finn stated, using the name he'd been given by Poe during their rescue operation. "So, uh, should we get going and get him to where he needs to be? I'd say we go now before-"
Both Jaina and Finn turned towards BB-8, who began emitting warning beeps. They hurried over to where the droid was calling them from, only to notice a pair of Stormtroopers questioning the locals about the whereabouts of a droid. The locals pointed in their direction. "Oh kriff. I have a bad feeling about th-"
"Come on! We have to get out of here!" Finn grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the incoming Stormtroopers, with BB-8 following closely behind. Shots filled the air, sand and debris flying everywhere. The two managed to navigate through the maze of tents, dodging continuous fire from the Stormtroopers. They found temporary shelter in an empty stand.
"I don't understand. Why are they shooting at us?" Jaina questioned, taking a quick breather. She and Finn had done nothing to make the Stormtroopers suspect them of having an alliance with The Resistance.
"They saw you with me. You're now marked," Finn remarked as he rummaged through piles of scavenged goods, hoping to find a weapon to defend himself with.
"What...what are you on about, Finn?
"Now's not the moment to talk about it, okay. We just need to get out of-"
"Shhh. Wait... be quiet for a sec..." They fell silent momentarily before the air filled with the unmistakable sounds of TIE fighter jets flying above them. "Are those..." Jaina recognized the sound immediately, and Finn's horrified expression confirmed her suspicions.
"Yep! Let's keep moving. We have to find a ship or something to get off this wasteland," Finn suggested as he took hold of her hand once again, and they began to run away from the TIE fighters, with BB-8 trailing behind them. They managed to dodge a few of the incoming shots, but one hit too close, knocking them down to the sandy ground. Jaina quickly composed herself, standing up and rushing over to check on BB-8 and Finn, who had been briefly knocked out. "Hey, hey. Are you alright? Can you stand?"
Finn groaned from the light impact he suffered from the blast. He seemed more concerned about Jaina than himself when he asked, "I'm fine. Are you okay though?"
Jaina gave him a nod, relieved that he hadn't suffered any serious harm. "It's nothing - I've suffered worse, believe me. Come on. There's no time to waste. Follow me." She held out her hand for him to take. They continued onward, despite the danger that still lingered around them. More shots continued to come their way, both from the Stormtroopers and the TIE fighter jets above them. The situation was growing more perilous by the moment, with explosions erupting all around their path, and they narrowly dodged them as they pressed forward.
"There's no way we can't outrun them, Mara Jade!"
"We just might! We need to find a ship - Ah!" Jaina spotted a squad jumper straight ahead. "That'll do! Better than nothing," she thought. "Keep up, BB-8!" She noticed the droid falling behind and gestured for it to hurry as they raced toward the squad jumper.
"But we need a pilot!"
"Oh, you've got one!"
"Huh?! You?!" Finn questioned in surprise. He'd never known a female who could fly a ship - after all, he'd been taken away from his family at a young age and only knew very little of what was out there. His eyes caught sight of a large freighter right beside them. "W-Wait! What about that one?!"
Jaina's heart skipped a beat as she stared at the legendary ship before her. The Millennium Falcon, her father's ship. She couldn't believe her luck. But what was the Millennium Falcon doing here on Jakku in the first place? Han would have rather died than give up his precious ship. Without hesitation, she grabbed Finn's arm and pulled him toward the ship. "Finn, we're taking that one!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with determination. "We can't let this opportunity slip away." With a surge of adrenaline, she raced towards the Millennium Falcon, her mind already planning their escape. "Come on!" As they raced up the ramp of the Falcon, Jaina's heart pounded with a mix of excitement and nostalgia. Memories flooded her mind as she entered the familiar cockpit of the ship. She could almost hear the echoes of laughter from her childhood, the voices of her parents, and the presence of her brother Ben.
Quick flashback...
"Alright, Jaina, Ben. Listen up, you two," Han addressed his young daughter and son with a warm smile. "One day, I'm going to hand over the Falcon to both of you. Whether you choose to become Jedi, smugglers, senators, or anything else, this ship will be yours." Seated in the main cockpit seat with Jaina on his lap and Ben beside Chewbacca, Han continued, "Now, let's start with powering up this beauty. First, you need to press these little buttons here. Chewie..."
Chewbacca let out an affirmative howl, signaling his readiness to assist in the process of powering up the Falcon. As the ship hummed to life, Ben and Jaina watched in awe, absorbing every detail.
"There are a lot of buttons here, Daddy. How did you figure it out the first time?" Jaina inquired, feeling the rumble of the Falcon beneath her.
Han chuckled affectionately at his daughter's question, always eager to share his knowledge of the ship. "It just takes curiosity and experience, little one. It may seem overwhelming at first, but you only need to remember a few key buttons and switches."
"Piloting runs in our blood, Dad. You, Uncle Luke, and our grandfather were all great pilots. It's only fitting that we continue that legacy," Ben remarked, his enthusiasm evident as he mimicked the motions of flying. His actions elicited laughter from everyone in the cockpit.
"Mara Jade!" Finn called her out of her flashback.
"Huh? Oh... Listen, Finn. I need you on the turrets down below us! They're not going to let us leave in peace, so we need to be ready to defend ourselves. Now go. BB-8, you stay up here with me, alright?" Jaina directed Finn, urging him to head to the lower turrets. As he moved to follow her orders, she turned her attention back to the controls, preparing for liftoff. While she had some experience flying X-Wings in the past, piloting the Millennium Falcon was an entirely new challenge for her. With trembling hands, she reached for the controls, her fingers finding their places as if by instinct. The familiar layout of the cockpit felt like a comforting embrace, grounding her amidst the chaos outside. Despite the urgency of their situation, Jaina couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the flood of emotions that being back in the Falcon evoked. "We're almost ready to take off," she called out to Finn and BB-8, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of feelings inside her. With a deep breath, she pushed aside the memories and focused on the task at hand. It was time to fly. "Hold on!"
Finn made his way down the ladder and entered the cramped space where the controls for the Falcon's turret rested. He felt a surge of nervousness as he settled into position. They never really trained him for this, but he'd have to trust both Jaina and his instincts to get through it. Calling Jaina over the headset, he said, "Bring them on." With determination, he gripped the controls, ready to defend their escape with whatever firepower the turret could muster.
Jaina skillfully lifted the Falcon off the ground, closing the ramp just in time before they sped away into the Jakku skies. As expected, a pair of TIE fighter jets soon appeared in pursuit. "Get ready, Finn. They're right on our tail. I'm going to try to dodge their fire, and you lock onto them for the kill," she instructed, her voice focused and determined. With Finn manning the turret, they engaged in a high-speed chase through the cluttered junkyard, weaving between the derelict Empire ships. The plan was to lead the TIE fighters through the maze, hoping that one of them would make a fatal mistake.
Despite some initial struggles, Finn managed to lock onto one of the TIE fighters, unleashing a barrage of blaster fire that tore it apart. "Nice shot!" Jaina exclaimed, impressed by Finn's quick reflexes.
"Wooo!" Finn cheered, feeling a surge of exhilaration at their success.
"Don't get cocky just yet. There's still one more we have to deal with. Stay focused!" Jaina's voice cut through Finn's jubilation, bringing him back to the task at hand. With practiced precision, she manipulated the Falcon's controls, executing sharp turns and maneuvers to evade the pursuing TIE fighter. Taking a moment to assess their surroundings, she formulated a plan. "Alright, hold on. We're gonna lose them for good this time!"
"W-Wait, what are you planning?" Finn's voice trembled with uncertainty.
"Just trust me on this!" Jaina replied with determination. She executed a sharp U-turn, guiding the Falcon into a large opening in the wreckage of a downed cruiser. The pursuing TIE fighters followed, still firing at them but missing their marks.
As Finn realized her intentions, a mixture of fear and disbelief crossed his face. "Are you really doing this? You're definitely insane!"
"I am my father's daughter after all!" Jaina exclaimed proudly, invoking the legacy of her skilled pilot father. Despite Finn's lack of context, he couldn't help but be impressed by her piloting skills. The chase continued for several tense minutes until a blast to the Falcon's rear caused the controls to malfunction. Jaina's heart sank as she realized the gravity of the situation. With an incoming lock from the remaining TIE fighter, she closed her eyes and reached for the control switch, hoping for a miracle.
In a split-second decision, she engaged the ship's speed boost, propelling them out of harm's way just as the TIE fighter fired. With a dangerous maneuver, she positioned the Falcon for Finn to take the shot, and with expert precision, he landed the decisive blow. The TIE fighter spiraled downward, defeated.
With the threat neutralized, Finn couldn't contain his excitement, cheering in triumph. Jaina joined in, celebrating their victory. With the immediate danger behind them, she set the Falcon on autopilot, allowing them a moment to catch their breath and regroup. As they reunited in the main area of the ship, Jaina and Finn shared a heartfelt hug, relieved to have emerged from the danger unscathed. BB-8 joined in their celebration, emitting cheerful beeps, glad to be out of harm's way. The trio basked in the moment of victory, grateful for each other's support and the safety of their newfound companionship.
"That was some good shooting./"Now that was some flying." Their words echoed in sync, both expressing admiration for each other's skills in their respective roles during the intense chase.
"Thanks," Jaina responded with a cheerful tone, her grin widening at his compliment.
"How did you know that was gonna work?" Finn asked in amazement, still processing the daring maneuver they had just executed.
"I just trusted my instincts... For a moment, the Falcon shut down on me, but I didn't give up," she explained, reflecting on her quick thinking during the crisis.
"You've done this before?" Finn inquired, intrigued by her piloting prowess.
"I have flying experience, but never in a situation like this. And, well, I come from a long line of pilots. It's in my genes, you could say," Jaina replied with a hint of pride in her heritage.
"That was amazing! It was pretty good," Finn grinned, clearly relieved to have escaped the danger.
"Again, thanks. You're lucky you found me when you did - otherwise, I think you'd have been captured," Jaina joked, eliciting a nervous laugh from Finn as they shared a moment of camaraderie in the aftermath of their harrowing escape. Their conversation was interrupted by BB-8, who carried an urgent message that needed to be delivered to Leia immediately. Jaina knelt down to reassure the droid, giving him a tap on his domed head. "You're okay now, buddy. You can trust him too - he's with The Resistance. We're gonna get you to the base. Home," she assured BB-8, casting a smile toward Finn.
Finn nodded in return, feeling guilty about his lack of honesty with Jaina. He knew he needed to come clean. "Mara, I-"
POP! They both jumped at the loud sound and the burst of steam from under the grating. "Oh, kriff! Help me with this, Finn," Jaina exclaimed, reaching down for assistance in lifting off the grating.
"Woah, what's going on, Mara?" Finn asked as he approached to lend a hand.
Jaina quickly assessed the problem, recognizing it as a familiar issue her father had fixed before during their travels. "It's the motivator. Quick - in that box over there, hand me a harris wrench," she directed him, pointing out the location of the toolbox.
Following her instructions, Finn located the harris wrench and handed it over to Jaina to begin repairs. "You can fix it, right? I mean, we're not in any danger or anything, are we?" he asked with concern.
"No, no. Relax yourself - it's a quick fix. Just give me a bit to do it," Jaina reassured him, focusing on the task at hand.
"Well, they're probably sending in more troops out here to track us down. We've got to get out of this system and out of their scanning range," Finn remarked, feeling the urgency of their situation.
"Hang tight, kid," Jaina replied, inwardly noting her unintentional resemblance to her father. Great, I'm sounding more and more like my dad.
As Finn approached BB-8, he felt compelled to confide in the droid. "Listen, between you and me. I'm not who I said I was before. I'm not with The Resistance," he admitted quietly, noticing BB-8's alert reaction. "I'm just trying to get away from The First Order. But don't tell Mara Jade this, alright? We'll get you to the base, then I'm out of here - deal?" BB-8 considered Finn's proposal, remaining skeptical. "Droid please!"
"Pass me the plex driver, Finn," Jaina requested, gesturing towards the tool she needed. Finn promptly retrieved the correct tool and handed it to her. Returning to her task, Jaina quickly got to work on repairing the motivator. Moments later, she called for the bonding tape, swiftly patching up the propulsion tank to prevent a leak of poisonous gas from flooding the Falcon.
Mid-repair, Finn attempted to strike up a conversation, his tone slightly nervous. "Hey, Mara. Do you have any family? A boyfriend, perhaps? Just curious," he inquired, hoping to maintain a friendly rapport with her.
Jaina chuckled at his question as she finished the repairs with Finn's assistance. Climbing back to the surface, she replied, "Yes, I have family. As for a boyfriend, no. I was hoping that—" Her sentence was abruptly cut off as all power on the ship suddenly shut down. Tension filled the air as everyone, including BB-8, reacted nervously.
"That doesn't look good, does it?" Finn remarked, his voice tinged with worry.
"No, it doesn't," Jaina agreed, leading them back to the cockpit to investigate. Despite her efforts, none of the controls responded when she attempted to activate them. Panic began to set in as she realized their situation. "Someone has locked onto us. All controls are overridden. This isn't good, Finn."
In a state of panic, Finn looked up and spotted a red light above them, signaling imminent danger. "Oh no. It's the First Order. They've found us," he exclaimed, unable to comprehend how they had been caught despite their efforts to evade detection. "What do we do?"
"Stay calm. Panicking won't help us," Jaina reassured Finn, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Suddenly, an idea struck her. Rising from her seat, she pulled Finn up with her. "The gas, Finn. As much as I hate to do it, I need to undo the repairs. We can't risk anyone getting hurt. Come on, BB-8!" With determination, she dashed towards the main area of the Falcon, ensuring Finn and herself were equipped with gas masks before proceeding.
As Finn lifted the grating to provide access, he climbed down followed by BB-8, assisting Jaina as she descended. Just before Jaina could join them, the Falcon unexpectedly powered back on, catching her by surprise. Without hesitation, she swiftly closed the grating, concealing them from view. Immediately, she began to reverse her earlier repairs, focused on the task at hand. "Do you think this will be effective against the Stormtroopers?"
"It should. Their masks are designed to filter out smoke but not toxins, however," Finn answered, peering above them cautiously. His heart raced faster with each passing moment, anticipating the worst. "Please hurry, Mara."
"I'm going as fast as I can," Jaina whispered back, her fingers trembling as she worked to undo her previous repairs.
Finn gasped as he saw the Falcon's door suddenly slide open, causing him to slip back underneath. Someone was coming in. "Shhh, they're here."
A few moments later, Han Solo and Chewbacca burst into the room, weapons at the ready. Han's smirk was unmistakable as he surveyed the scene, reclaiming his precious Falcon. "Chewie. We're home," he said with a sense of satisfaction, his partner roaring in agreement. "Scout the place, Chewie..." Han motioned for Chewbacca to search the ship for any other occupants. Meanwhile, Han conducted a routine check of the Falcon's systems, until a clinking sound caught his attention. He quickly lifted the grating to reveal Finn and... his daughter. "Jaina?!"
"Hey... dad."