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chapter twenty-five: skywalker
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THINGS ON BASE ARE quiet as the high of victory ebbs away in the days following the battle of Starkiller base. Though they'd been victorious in the fight, the Resistance had lost nearly half their fleet in the battle and General Organa had lost her husband; a devastating blow that was felt by everyone. Han Solo had been a figure of legend to people everywhere. Whether they knew him as a smuggler, a general, a hero, or a scoundrel people knew of Han Solo just by his name. The fact that he had been murdered so callously was difficult for everyone — though no one had been as strongly affected as Leia and Chewie. There would be a funerals eventually, for Han and the pilots that had been lost during the battle, but for the moment there was nothing to be done except to clean up the damage that had been left behind.

Inside the medical bay, Indira studies the figure of her mother; scarcely able to believe her own eyes. Her poor mother looks like she's gone through hell and back. Her skin is pale and sickly from years spent locked away in a cell. Dark half-circles form crescents beneath her eyes, framing her haunted, unseeing gaze. Various discolorations dot her skin; purple and green and blue blotches that show the places where they had tried to break her mother from the outside.

Still, her mother has nothing but smiles for her when Indira visits her in the infirmary. Though her physical injuries are mild, the trauma that both her body and mind have endured at the hands of the First Order is extensive. As a result, Doctor Kalonia ordered her mother to remain on bedrest until she decided that she was well enough to return to some semblance of a regular life.

"I want out of this bed, Dira," Jana Beren complains when Indira comes to visit her on her fourth day of bedrest. "Tell them to let me leave."

The first three days of her stay in medical, Indira's mother had slept for nearly seventy-two hours straight before waking; leaving little for Indira to do besides hold her hand and sit by her side. Rey had kept her company for much of that time, spending hours at Finn's bedside as he slept soundly in his coma; eyes shut and mind adrift inside the bacta suit the doctors had put him into to help heal his spine. Kalonia and Cosimo had reassured Rey multiple times that Finn would survive the wound dealt to him by Kylo Ren, but neither knew when he would wake up; it would just be a matter of time.

"You're in rare form today," Indira observes, taking her usual seat next to her mother's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," her mother says. "Like I'm finally living again."

Indira feels her heart twist. "I'm glad to hear it," she replies before taking a deep breath. "Are you up to talking today?"

Though her eyes are no longer able to see due to the trauma she endured during her torture and interrogation, Jana knows her daughter well enough to picture her furrowed brow and unsure expression. "I know you must have a lot of questions," she begins slowly, nodding in confirmation.

Indira almost laughs at the understatement, but decides against it. "You're not wrong," she admits, arching a brow. "But mostly I just want to know why." Her face falls as undeniable hurt creeps into her voice. "Why did you lie to me for all of those years? Why did you make me think you were someone other than who you truly are?"

Guilt flashes across the older woman's face. "I didn't do it to hurt you," she tells her daughter, squeezing Indira's hand. "I just wanted to keep you safe. Somehow, I thought keeping you in the dark would be the best way to protect you."

"So it's true then," Indira deduces. "You were ... an assassin?"

Her mother's mouth twists slightly. "Not quite an assassin," she corrects. "But something of the sort, yes."

Indira barks out a laugh before rubbing her face with both hands. "I can't believe I actually thought you were a bartender on Tatooine," she mutters, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Hey now," her mother says mildly, raising a hand. "I was a bartender for some time. Not for very long, but bartending was actually one of my more successful pursuits."

Indira smiles wanly. "Then I stand corrected," she replies before her face grows more serious. "But that's not all you lied about, is it?"

A deep frown crosses the older woman's face. "Indira ..." She begins warily.

"My father," Indira says, voice wavering slightly. "Who was he? The truth."

Her mother sighs deeply. "Your father," she begins, filled with nostalgia, "was a farm boy from Tatooine when I first met him."

"Mom," Indira warns her, wanting the absolute truth.

"I'm not finished yet," she interrupts, slightly stern as she puts a finger to Indira's lips and effectively silences her daughter. "When I first met him, your father was a farm boy from Tatooine. I was seventeen at the time and on the run from the Galactic Empire. He had his own share of trouble with the Imperials and that's what eventually brought our paths together. Together, we both joined the Rebellion. He became a pilot in the Alliance fleet and eventually earned the rank of general. I never officially enlisted in the army, but I did serve in their ranks."

     She pauses and sighs, tilting her head towards the ceiling before dropping her voice to a low whisper. "But your father wasn't just a farm boy or a pilot or a general. He was more than that."

     Indira inhales sharply before forcing her lips to say the words she knows to be true. "He was a Jedi," she states, looking at her mother's face. "Wasn't he?"

      Shoulders sinking in defeat, her mother nods. "Yes, he was," she admits and Indira closes her eyes for a moment. "His name was Luke. Luke Skywalker."

     Though she had known the information to be true before asking, hearing it confirmed by her mother is still a shock for Indira. A million different questions run through her head, as well as a myriad of emotions, but she finds there is only one question that she really wants to hear the answer to.

     "Why didn't you tell me?" She whispers, swallowing past the lump in her throat. "All my life, I was raised to believe a lie. Why? I had every right to know."

     "For the same reason I kept my past hidden from you," Jana replies defensively. "I did it to protect you. Bearing any relation to your father would have placed a target on your head. For your sake, we both agreed that it was best to keep you in the dark."

      "That wasn't your decision to make!" Indira explodes. Her chin quivers for a moment and she bites her lip to contain her emotions before speaking once more. "I spent my whole childhood thinking that my father was some deadbeat pilot who didn't want me! I used to waste countless hours searching through military records trying to figure out who he was. When they took you and I thought you were dead, I was left all alone with no one else in the world. I had family out there — real family — but you never told me!"

      "And that's exactly why I did it," her mother says sharply. "You were safer not knowing. The First Order nearly killed me because of who your father was to me, Indira. It makes me shudder to think of what they might have done to you if they had ever gotten their hands on you."

      Indira runs an agitated hand through her hair. "So I should be grateful that you lied to me for twenty years?"

      "I don't want you to be grateful; I just want you to try and understand," she replies firmly. "You don't have children of your own, so you don't know what it's like, but I only did what I thought was necessary to keep you safe. Believe me, Indira, hurting you was the last thing I intended to do."

      Her mother reaches for her hand once more, squeezing it in hers. "I know it won't fix what's happened, but I am sorry. I wanted a better life for you than this."

      Indira sighs, but doesn't remove her hand from her mother's. As hurt and upset as she might feel, her mother is still her mother and Indira loves her more than anyone else. "I know," she replies, accepting the apology after a brief moment of silence. "It's just ... a lot to take in right now. Give me some time."

     "Take as much time as you need," her mother reassures her before pausing and frowning. "But perhaps don't tell anyone the truth right away. While the First Order still reigns supreme, the less people who know, the better."

     Indira frowns, but doesn't argue. "Alright," she agrees reluctantly. "I won't."

     "Good," her mother exhales in relief, looking far more at ease. "You never know who you can and can't trust around you."

     Leaning back in her chair, Indira sighs and rubs her face once more before glancing over at the woman beside her. "Any other family secrets I should know about?" She asks in an attempt to lighten the mood. "A long-lost twin sibling, perhaps?"

     Her mother grimaces. "Gods, I hope not," she replies before pausing for a moment. "But, there is one more thing you should know."

      Indira's eyes widen. "What is it?"

     "Nothing bad," her mother assures her, eyes growing heavy as sleep begins to creep over her. "It's a story for another day, but I'll tell you all about her someday; my older sister — your aunt, Niobe."

      DINING IN THE MESS HALL with her friends is a strange experience for Indira. In some respects, it feels like nothing has changed; the food is still disgusting, Kali and Jess are still with her, and outside of the base, the world still spins. But at the same time, there are things that are different. Now, as she sits at the table with her friends, Poe is at her side; his hand twined with hers and his shoulder to lean on if need be. New friends have joined their group as well; Rey, Snap and Karé, Connix, and Rose and Paige Tico, too. None of them talk about the empty chairs at the table; the ones that were once filled by pilots like Ello Atsy or the others who hadn't been fortunate enough to survive.

     Still, every once in a while Indira will see Poe look around as if searching for a friend who isn't there, wanting to tell them a joke or ask them a question before realizing the ugly truth; that whoever he is looking for is already gone. She'll see his brow furrow — first in confusion, then in sadness as he remembers — and his shoulders will sink as he grows quiet and stares down at his food. In those moments, Indira does her best to remind him that her shoulder is there for him to lean on, too.

      "Guys," Jessika announces, calling for everyone's attention at their table. Most of the people ignore her, continuing to talk amongst themselves. "Hey, guys! I have an announcement to make."

      When the group continues to pay no attention to Jess, Poe frowns before cupping his hands over his mouth and using his Commander Voice to call for their attention. "Hey, assholes!" He shouts, silencing the table. "Quiet down! Testor wants to talk."

      Jess beams at Poe before reaching over for Kali's hand, locking their fingers together. "Kali and I have something to tell all of you," she says, glancing over at the other girl before looking back at her friends. "We chose to keep it between ourselves for a while, but we decided that we are ready to let everyone know the truth."

      "Jess and I are dating," Kali finishes, looking out at the group expectantly to see their shocked reactions.

     Much to the disappointment of both Jessika and Kali, the only person at the table who looks remotely surprised is Poe. Karé arches a brow at the two younger girls. "Was that supposed to be a secret?"

     Jessika gapes at her, mouth falling open. "You knew?" She cries. "For how long?"

     The blonde woman snorts. "From the beginning, Jessika! We're roommates. How did you think you could hide something like that from me?"

      "But you never said anything," Jessika protests.

      Karé points an accusing fork in her direction "And neither did you."

      "Well, who else knew?" Jess demands.

      "Everyone," Snap replies, not looking up from his plate of root vegetables.

      "We all knew," Connix chimes in agreement from the end of the table.

      "I knew and I've only been here a few days," Rey supplies. "You guys weren't subtle at all."

      "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait just a minute," Poe interrupts, slamming his hands down on the table in mock outrage. "My own squadron members were fraternizing with one another no one decided to let me know?" He looks at Indira with disbelief. "Did you know about this?"

      The gray mush on her plate is suddenly very appetizing and Indira shoves a spoonful of the disgusting substance into her mouth before shrugging. "Can't talk," she says, mouth full. "'M chewing."

       "You did know," Poe says accusingly before turning towards the rest of the table. "Why didn't anyone tell me?!"

     "Because we knew you'd go all Dad Mode on us," Jess replies, arching a brow at him in a silent challenge.

      "Dad Mode?" He repeats, offended. He brings an indignant hand to his chest. "Me, go Dad Mode? I would never —"

      "Poe," Jess begins, but he doesn't stop his tirade.

      "— frankly, I'm not even mad; I'm just disappointed —"

      "Poe!" She tries once more, unsuccessfully attempting to disrupt his self-righteous rant.

      "— at least tell me that you guys are being safe, alright? That's all I ask —"

       Indira nudges him in the side. "Poe, you're doing it right now," she interrupts him and his mouth flies shut at the realization, causing everyone at the table to burst into laughter.

       Poe crosses his arms, grumbling into his plate of Kodari rice. Indira pats his shoulder sympathetically before focusing on her food as the conversation around the table picks up again; small groups breaking off into separate conversations. From of the corner of her eye, she sees Rey clear her plate quickly and leave the table; undoubtedly returning to the med bay to sit with Finn.

       "Indi, how'd you get that bruise?" Kali asks Indira from across the table, nodding at the ugly discolored splotches littering her knuckles. "Did that happen on Starkiller?"

        For a moment, Indira instinctively tenses up as she thinks back to the endeavor she had gone through on the First Order's base. Kylo Ren's vicious face flashes through her head, causing her to grimace. Poe puts a hand on her knee under the table, squeezing gently to help draw her out of her memories and she shakes her head quickly before turning back to Kali.

       "I think I might've punched someone," she says, wracking her brain to remember the moment. Much of what happened on Starkiller had become a blur to her; only vivid flashes of particular moments. "The First Order has a Force-user," she explains, shuddering slightly as she remembers the masked man. "He found us when we were trying to escape. If Rey hadn't been there, he would have killed us all. She's the one who defeated him in combat. I barely managed to hit him twice before he took me down."

       "Hit him?" Kali interrupts, raising her eyebrows in disbelief. "With your hand?"

      Indira lifts her bruised knuckles to give them a better look at the ugly combination of purple and blue-green splotches dotting across the skin. "All thanks to Jess for teaching me how to throw a good punch," she says teasingly.

       Poe looks over at her with surprise. "You never told me that! Did you really hit him? Like, in the face?"

      She nods, pulling her sleeve back over her hand to hide the bruise and he grins widely. "That's my girl," he says approvingly, nudging her shoulder. Indira ducks her head to hide the blush on her cheeks, biting her lip as she looks down at her plate.

      "Indira, you fucking legend!" Jessika crows, looking immensely pleased with herself. "All those assholes who told me that I couldn't teach anyone how to fight can fuck right off —"

       "I'm one of those assholes," Kali interrupts, raising a brow at her.

      "Not you, of course," Jessika says quickly. "The other assholes."

       Indira laughs at the exchange before shaking her head. "It was all Rey," she says, still a little awestruck when she thinks about the powerful scavenger girl. "She kicked Kylo Ren's ass before Chewie found us. They're the real heroes here. Them and Han — Finn, too."

      "And you," Kali finishes, raising an eyebrow at her. "You were, too, Indi. Don't sell yourself short."

      Indira frowns, pursing her lips slightly. "Well, I certainly didn't feel like a hero," she says, thinking back to how terrified she had been. Nothing felt particularly heroic about that. "I was scared out of my damn mind."

      "Kali is right. There's a lot more to being a hero than just being unafraid," Poe tells her, bumping his knee against hers under the table before shooting her a mischievous grin. "Like having excellent hair. I'll tell you all about it some time —"

       Indira groans and rolls her eyes as Jessika throws a used napkin at his face before BB-8 comes rolling up to their table, beeping frantically. Indira frowns, listening to the little droid's message before looking at Poe.

      "R2-D2 is awake," She repeats, brow furrowed. "Who is R2-D2?"

      Poe shoots her an incredulous look. "You don't know who R2-D2 is?" He demands and she shakes her head, causing him to stifle a groan. "Indira, we have got to work on your Rebellion era history."

      "Not all of us were raised by Rebellion war heroes," Indira says defensively, though she knows that statement is technically untrue now. Poe doesn't need to know that just yet.

     "R2-D2 was the astromech droid that belonged to Luke Skywalker," Jessika supplies from across the table and Indira stiffens automatically. "But after Skywalker disappeared, the droid went into low-power mode. It's been in that state ever since."

      BB-8 lets out another agitated series of beeps and Poe turns his head at the droid sharply. "Alright, we're coming," he snaps, clearing his tray from the table and the others follow his example. "And watch your language! Who even taught you to say that?"

      The round astromech gives him a short response and Poe barks out a laugh. "Right, of course; R2-D2 did," he says, rolling his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

      IN THE COMMAND CENTER, a crowd has gathered around the blue and white, dome shaped astromech droid by the time Indira, Poe, BB-8, and the others enter the room. Indira spots several familiar faces in the room already, spotting Rey, C-3PO, Chewie, and Leia. A luminescent blue map is being projected onto the ceiling, covering nearly the entire surface. Indira stares at it for a moment in wonder before noticing the piece that is missing from the center of it.

      BB-8 spots the hole at the same time as Indira and rolls over to Poe, letting out a quiet stream of beeps. Recognition dawns in Poe's eyes and he nods quickly. "Alright, buddy, hold on," he says, turning towards one of the command tables and pressing a button to retrieve a data chip from it.

     He crouches in front of the BB-unit, inserting the small piece of tech into the droid's socket before stepping back. The round astromech rolls to the center of the room and fires up a projection of its own: the missing puzzle piece from the map. Holding her breath, Indira watches as the piece is placed into the hole in R2-D2's map, fully completing the picture.

      "The map!" C-3PO cries. "It is complete!"

      "Luke," General Organa breathes, her eyes shining with hope as she stares at the map illuminated above her head.

     Indira feels her necklace pulse with energy against her neck and she touches it absentmindedly, looking up at the projection above her. As she turns her gaze onto all the earnest, hopeful faces around the room, everything begins to truly sink in for her. The weight of her parentage weighs heavy on her shoulders as she realizes that this larger-than-life legend — the most powerful Jedi to have ever lived — is her father. He is more than just a man to the Resistance; he is a symbol of hope, a radiant sunrise after the darkest of nights, a spark strong enough to ignite the most powerful of fires. It's a legacy that Indira isn't sure she's prepared to bear.

       "Kriff," she mutters under her breath, rubbing her forehead in disbelief.

      Poe glances over at her. "You okay?"

       She nods quickly. "I think I just need some air," she replies quietly, flashing him a quick smile.

      "Want me to come with you?" He offers and she shakes her head.

      "No, I'm alright," she tells him. "I'll see you later, okay?"

     He nods in agreement, squeezing her hand briefly before letting go and she slips out of the room unnoticed, disappearing in the midst of all the excitement. Her heart pounds quickly in her chest as she makes a detour to the outer grounds of the base, following her memories to the path beside the stream in the forest Leia had taken her to on her first night on the base. The spot is the same as it had been the first time Indira visited it; untouched and unchanged in her absence. She takes a seat on one of the smaller boulders beside the river, threading her hands into her hair before resting her elbows on her knees and taking deep breaths in and out to remain calm.

      She isn't sure how long she stays out there on her own — it could have been minutes; could have been hours — but eventually a familiar presence joins her at the water's edge and takes a seat on one of the rocks beside her. Leia puts a comforting hand on Indira's shoulder and squeezes gently as the two of them watch the setting sun go down together in silence.

      Only once the sanctity of the sunset is over does Leia speak. "Hey, kiddo," she says, voice low as she glances at Indira. "I think it's time we talk about your father."

      Indira looks at her wearily. "Did you know the whole time?" She asks and Leia sighs.

        "Never for certain, but I had my suspicions," she admits after a long pause. "There were some secrets even Luke kept from me."

       The younger girl exhales at that, letting it sink in. "What was he like?" She asks hesitantly. "My fa — Luke?"

       A genuine smile crosses Leia's face. "Well, he was incredibly stubborn when he wanted to be," she begins, listing the traits off on her fingers one by one, "impulsive, far too optimistic for my taste." Her expression softens to something fonder. "He was the kindest soul you'd ever meet, caring, wise beyond his years. I used to say he was the better half of me."

      The general's eyes grow misty and she blinks repeatedly, doing her best to force the tears away. Indira turns her head away for a moment, giving her time to compose herself. When the moment passes, she glances back over at her general. "Will you go to him now that you have the map?"

      Leia heaves a heavy sigh. "No," she says. "As much as I want to, my place is here. The Resistance needs me with them now more than ever; I can't leave. I'm sending Rey and Chewie and..." she pauses hesitantly, "if it's something you want, I'm sending you."

       Indira looks over at her sharply. "No, thank you," she says immediately, though for the briefest of moments she does consider the possibility before shaking her head. "I know my place."

      Whatever fantastical Jedi adventures Rey would be going off to, Indira wants no part in them. Her place is with the Resistance; with her mother and Leia and her friends and Poe. There is still a purpose for her to serve within the Resistance. She has no reason to leave.

      General Organa looks relieved at her answer. "I was hoping you'd say that," she admits, giving Indira half a smile. "I'm already losing one of you; I would hate to lose anyone else."

       Though Indira knows she is talking about Rey, the young woman can't help but feel a bout of sorrow as she thinks of the double-meaning behind the general's words. She hadn't had the opportunity to speak with Leia one-on-one about Han since returning from the mission. The general had thrown herself into her command, refusing to pause her work for even an instant, but Indira knows that she must be hurting far more than she has let on.

       "I'm sorry about Han," Indira says quietly. "He was a good man."

       At the mention of her husband's name, Leia stiffens momentarily. "I'm sorry, too," she admits, chin quivering slightly before she steels her face into its composed mask; all iron grit and sheer resolve. "But all it's done is given me more of a reason to fight."

      "Ren will pay for what he did," Indira swears, gripping the general's hand with hers. "All of them will. Han will get the justice he deserves. We won't let his death go unaccounted for."

       The mention of the commander's name makes Leia freeze briefly before her eyes darken. The expression so intense that it takes Indira aback for a moment. "Our fight isn't over yet," the general agrees. "Justice will be dealt to all those who have committed crimes against us." Her mouth falls into a hard line. "Including my son."

      For a moment, Indira feels nothing but confusion before she realizes the true meaning behind the general's words. Her mouth drops open in horror and she shakes her head quickly, realizing why Ren had seemed so familiar to her in the forest.

      "No," she says, feeling sickened by the mere thought. "You can't possibly mean —"

       "I do," Leia replies, shoulders sagging in anguish as she closes her eyes. "Years ago, my son — your cousin — was seduced to the Dark Side by Snoke. He betrayed my brother and slaughtered his fellow pupils before joining the First Order. I only knew him as Ben Solo, but you know him as —"

     "Kylo Ren," Indira finishes faintly. "Does anyone else know?"

     Leia shakes her head. "No," she says sharply. "Rey, maybe, but nobody else. And it must stay that way. The damage it might do to the Resistance if anyone were to discover the truth is unthinkable. Do you understand that? Nobody can know."

      Indira's web of family secrets seems to be growing more and more complicated by the second, but she is determined keep them all. She can do this — and even if she can't, she has to. For the sake of her family, she will bear the weight of this truth so that others might not have to.

      Nodding quickly, she meets the general's gaze with wide eyes. "I understand," she tells her. "Your secret is safe with me."

     "Thank you," Leia exhales with relief. The tension that had made her body rigid slowly leaves her shoulders as she opens her arms to her niece. "Now come here, kid. Give your aunt a hug."

      Indira almost laughs at that, but finds the situation to be a bit too surreal to find any humor in it. Instead, she allows herself to be folded up into Leia's embrace and takes the moment to just breathe in the midst of everything, squeezing back tightly.

      "I'm glad it's you," she says, voice muffled in the older woman's shoulder before pulling back. "I know I never thanked you for bringing me here and looking after me, but I am grateful." She pauses for a moment as her breath catches in her throat. "If I'd been able to choose a family for myself, I would have chosen you."

     Leia's eyes brim with tears and she reaches out to touch Indira's cheek before pulling her into her embrace once more, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I would have chosen you too, kiddo."

     THE HALLWAYS ARE EERILY quiet the next morning when Indira steps outside just after dawn. Even at such an early hour, people are already shuffling around the base; still half-asleep as they begin their daily routines. There is work to be done everywhere on the base and no time to waste. A war is still brewing in the distance and the First Order is out there somewhere, biding their time until they can strike again. The Resistance would need to be ready when the time came.

      "Indira!" Someone calls her name, stopping her in her tracks as she passes the medical bay. The technician spins around on her heel, finding herself face to face with the scavenger girl she'd gotten to know better over the past few days.

       "Rey!" She says in surprise, giving her a smile. "You're up early."

      "So are you," Rey replies, arching a brow at her before frowning slightly. "I'm leaving."

      Indira's stomach drops at that. "So soon?"

       The scavenger nods again. "The general wants me to find Skywalker and return with him as soon as possible."

       "Right," Indira says faintly, shaking her head to clear it. "Makes sense."

     Rey worries her lip between her teeth. "Could I — could you do a favor for me?" She asks unsurely. "Please?"

       Indira nods quickly. "Anything."

      Rey glances behind her, peering into the windows of the medical bay. Her eyes lock on Finn's sleeping form for a moment before she looks to Indira again. "While I'm gone," she begins, voice faltering slightly, "watch over him for me."

       Indira's heart softens and she nods again. "I will," she promises. "He'll be well looked after. You don't need to worry."

     "Thank you," Rey says; still unused to receiving kindness from others without being expected to give something in return. "If he wakes up before I return, tell him that I'll be seeing him soon."

       "I promise," Indira vows, intending to keep it.

      The two girls walk outside of the base together to where the Millennium Falcon is waiting. A small crowd of Resistance fighters have gathered around the ship, waiting to see Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 off as they begin their journey to Anch-To. Several familiar faces mill about the area, but Indira only has eyes for one of them.

      Turning towards Rey, Indira embraces the younger girl and Rey squeezes back tightly. "Good luck," Indira says in her ear. "Stay safe. And, " she hesitates for a moment before pulling back from the hug to meet Rey's gaze, "when you see Skywalker, will you tell him hello for me?"

      If Rey finds this request odd, she doesn't show it. The scavenger nods in agreement, squeezing Indira's shoulder gently. "I will."

      As the two girls step apart from one another, Leia comes forward and pulls Rey aside to speak with her for a private moment. Indira takes that as her cue to leave, making her way to where Poe is standing amongst the other Resistance members. She tugs gently on the back of his shirt and he spins around quickly, surprise etched onto his face when he sees her.

     "Hey, you," he says, slinging an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to press a kiss to her cheek.

      "Hey," Indira replies, wrinkling her nose slightly at the scratch of his unshaven face against her skin.

      "You disappeared yesterday," he observes, looking down at her. "Everything alright?"

      Indira casts her eyes towards the Millennium Falcon as the ship begins rising in the sky, climbing higher and higher with the light of the rising sun. As the ship disappears into the atmosphere of D'Qar, Indira watches the sun break over the horizon in a brilliant display; all hues of soft pinks and blues and golds. Indira sighs, taking the sight in for a moment before looking back at Poe.

      "It will be," she says confidently, filled with nothing but hope for the coming future.

END OF ACT I

a/n: thank you all so much for reading, commenting, voting, and sharing this fic! this journey has been wild but it's nowhere near over yet. i'll be seeing you in act ii!!!

EDITED ON:
10.15.19