text » un: fathier

[starfortress]

I've never seen so many animals in all my life. Where I'm from, there's no wildlife. None. This place is amazing. [ playing the part. be calm, paige. you'll find your way.]  Although, I'm feeling wobbly as a mother Gorgybird.

[ it's the best thing she can think to say, that might attract the attention of anyone in the Resistance. it's not quite the most accurate signal but it's good enough for this situation.]

Does anyone know where I can see or find more?

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[volitaunt]

[ ABRUPT AND TOTAL DELIGHT. ]

Paige! Where are you? When did you get here? Are you all right, you have somewhere to stay?

[starfortress]

[ She laughs with her whole body, wincing slightly at the twinge in her back.]

I'm a little sore, if I'm being honest. But I'm okay. They let me out of the hospital today so I'm at the place they told me I live. I've been here a day or two.

I'm still having a hard time believing this is all real.

[volitaunt]

Yeah, that doesn't go away. The whole not believing it's real thing.

[ The delight is gone tho. ]

Today? How long were you in there? Which floor, which room--the housing building I mean not the hospital.

[ He's already getting up and heading out his door, carrying the comm. ]

[starfortress]

Since I got here. [ Because a fall like she had should have killed her. But instead, an explosion had to do it. She's also a little surprised that he doesn't seem more shocked to see her but... Poe Dameron is one of those guys who can be hard to read, truly. ]
Communal Housing; Floor 1, Bed 7. [ she says it like it was recited to her more than a few times.]

Where are you going, sir?

[volitaunt]

To Communal Housing, Floor 1, Bed 7. Come on, Bee, hurry up.

[ CLICKY CLICKY CLICKY if the elevator doesn't hurry up also he's going to take the stairs. ]

[starfortress]

I could have found my way to you, you know. [ she honestly looks a little relieved.]

[volitaunt]

As your CO and as someone who's been here longer, it's my job to find you.

[ BING GOES THE ELEVATOR. In he gets. He's also simultaneously really worried and really trying not to be. ]

When exactly did you get here? Paige, what happened?

[starfortress]

A couple of days ago. I was in medical. [ Because being vague about what happened to her will really work with him, I'm sure.]

[volitaunt]

[ UH HUH. HE'S HAD TOO MANY FRIENDS WHO SPENT "A COUPLE OF DAYS" IN MEDICAL. ]

Why were you in medical?

[starfortress]

I had a bit of a fall before it happened... [ You know. The Thing. The thing he doesn't know about but she thinks he knows.]

I fell from the bombardier's pedestal to the platform above the bomb bay doors.

[volitaunt]

Kriffing hell, Paige.

[ His horror is not staged, and it's a pretty clear indicator that... yeah. He does not know about The Thing. ]

...Before what happened?

[starfortress]

[ She looks at him, confused. His was the last voice she heard before, how could he have not seen? ]

Commander... my bomber exploded after I dropped the payload.

[volitaunt]

[ There's a long, long silence, where he just stares at the screen, into the eyes of this girl that he trained, and can't say a thing. ]

What?

[starfortress]

You were there... [ She looks even more bewildered.] How did you not see... [ Her eyes widen and her heart shatters.] Please don't tell me they get you too...

[volitaunt]

See... [ Holdo. She wouldn't tell him what he'd missed, or what he couldn't remember, or what was coming. Was this why? ] I don't....

[ Think. Focus. ] The last thing I remember is the order to evacuate.

[starfortress]

Evacuate? Don't you remember the attack you led on the Fulminatrix?

[volitaunt]

[ The elevator doors chime. Open. Poe keeps staring at the device in his hand.

He hears the doors slide shut without registering that's what happened. BB-8 beeps a question, and Poe's too far out to even really hear it.

Barely there: ]

No.

[starfortress]

[ She's just learning about time discrepancies but Poe is from her time.]

Oh.

[volitaunt]

[ Another beep from BB-8. They're in the elevator. They're going to see her.

Poe pushes the button to open the doors, stepping out into the hall. ]

I'm about to--I'm almost to you.

[ He shuts off the comm and walks into communal housing. ]

[starfortress]

[ She makes sure to be at her bunk, standing close to the number so he can see her.]

[volitaunt]

[ He stops when he does. She's there. She looks alive, she looks perfectly and entirely alive.

So does Cassian. So does Jyn. He's just never had to think about leaving one of their own behind. Leaving someone he knows behind. Not when they haven't...

But she has.

Poe crosses the room quickly and then hesitates right in front of her, like closing that last gap and hugging her will turn her to dust. He reaches out instead, tentative, and rests a hand against her cheek. ]

[starfortress]

[ Despite the troubling revelations they'd just tripped over, she can't help but smile at him. And when he touches her cheek, she doesn't hesitate in moving to pull him into a hug. ]

It's good to see you.

[volitaunt]

[ He hugs her back, still in shock. He wants to say it's good to see her, too. He wants to be able to mean it. But there's too much going on inside his head. The conflict between being glad she's here, given a second life, running up hard against the mourning he's not sure he's allowed. He feels like he's talking to a ghost, but maybe that's all either one of them is. ]

Yeah. [ Again, the word is barely there. Then he hugs her back a little more firmly. ] Yeah, you too.

[starfortress]

[ She lets him hug her tighter before she speaks, she can sense his shock and she wants to lessen it somehow.]

Poe, it's okay.

[volitaunt]

It's not okay.

[ Her being dead is not okay. Her trying to comfort him, when he should be the one comforting her, is not okay. He draws back a little, brushes her hair out of her face. ] Rose...?