Star Wars: 30 Years Later The Real Story - Chapter 2

Planet Jakku, Village of Tuanul.

Poe Dameron had accepted this mission knowing the great importance of the task. He had been in many dangerous missions and many times he had been surprised to be alive. Even though he was just 32 years old, he was considered by many in the Resistance as a veteran and sometimes he felt that each of his years weighed by two. Since his parents had been fighters of the rebellion it could be said that he was born as a rebel and he had started his service in the New Republic at a very young age and later he had joined General Leia Organa, the Jedi Master and Republic General Luke Skywalker and General Han Solo in their fight against the First Order.

Many would think that these heroes who were literally responsible for creating the New Republic and reach peace after the war finished with the signing of the Galactic Concordance on the Core World of Chandrila after the Empire was defeated in the battle of Jakku in the year 5 ABY would spend their final years in a well earned retirement to enjoy of the new galaxy they had saved. They did for some years at least, General Organa and General Solo got married and they had a child who was able to see a new era where freedom and hope were the motto.

General Skywalker started a new Order of the Jedi, who were legendary warriors that were once protector of peace and freedom and he dedicated to the noble task of rebuild this group of people to retake such responsibility. For more that twenty years he had started to collect forgotten and lost Jedi knowledge traveling across the galaxy while also finding people who were “sensitive to the Force” or something like that. For twenty years the peace was abundant and all sentient beings in the galaxy could heal and thrive. However, something so marvelous could not continue indefinitely.

Ten years ago, the renmants of the Empire started to move again using all their old contacts and sources and they began to plan their return. The truth was that even when they had signed the Galactic Concordance, they had really never surrendered, it was just a ruse to get time and reorganize their forces. After twenty years, while the rest of the galaxy were celebrating and enjoying peace, the vestges of the Empire were preparing in the shadows to launch their counter attack.

They started in secret and with care. They started to convince people who were still loyal to the Empire and those who unbelievably considered that things were much better under the Imperial rule. They slowly but surely gathered resources, troops and weaponry waiting for a chance. They also invaded the New Republic politicaly and they used politicians who were in their favor to distabilize the still young democracy from inside. They paid senators and representatives to create discord in the senate and they created alliances with the gangs and other terrorists groups to keep the New Republic distracted while they continued with their plans.

The first one to notice that something was amiss was General Organa who in that moment was a Senator that represented the New Republic of Alderaan who was formed from the survivors of the doomed planet destroyed by the Empire. She noticed the strange movements the Empire which had now ȧssumed the name of “The First Order” was doing and the connections between this organization and the last distabilizing events ocurring across the galaxy so she started to make investigations and uncovered many disturbing facts that she presented to the Senate.

-“We cannot ignore the threat the First Order represents”- he had heard General Leia Organa say in the senate when she presented amply evidence of the illegal activities of the First Order- “We have received informs that indicates that the First Order had broken the armament treaties of the Galactic Concordance by building starships and weaponry in secret bases in the systems near the Unknown Territories. We have witnesses who have reported the erradication of complete communities, the silencing of voices against the First Order and even the kidnapping of children to be trained into killing machines. We cannot tolerate this!”

– “The First Order is not a threat”- had said other senator once General Organa had ended her participation- “they are just a bunch of delusional fanatics who believed they can bring the times of the Empire. However, their military force is nothing in comparison with the might of the New Republic.”

– “Senator Woxles, I did not remember you being this short sighted”- had said General Organa interrupting the senator- “are you suggesting then that we ignore this evidence and let the First Order arm themselves until they have enough strenght to be a threat? Many would say you are frightened of the First Order.”

– “Supreme Chancellor, I call for a motion of censorship to Senator Organa”- shouted Senator Woxles who seemed to have been hit in a sėnsɨtɨvė spot- “I respect your heroic feats from the past, Senator Organa but me and many others think that the only reason you are trying to bring up this to the senate is to start a new war in order to bring back your days of glory.”

– “Senator Woxles, facts do not care for feelings nor rhetoric”- replied General Organa- “the evidence is in front of you and unless you are blind or you do not want to admit it for some dark reasons, the truth is evident. The First Order is preparing for a war and now the Republic must choose what to do in the face of this danger.”

– “This so called evidence is based only in personal ȧssumptions and in the obsession of certain people to start unnecesary violence”- said Senator Woxles- “I recommend Senator Organa to enjoy her well rewarded retirement and let the new generation deal with the issues of the modern times.”

– “I thank your worries fro my situation, Senator Woxles”- replied General Organa with a bright smile- “I would leave the issues of this time in the hands of capable people but I must show my concerns when many senators including yourself receive exorbitant donations every month from anonymous sources in their bank accounts.”

However, they had underestimated the capabilities of the General Organa. She created a group that was called the Resistance and General Leia Organa had called many veterans of the legendary Rebel Alliance for help. It hadn’t been too long before dozens of these war heroes had answered for her call. His husband General Han Solo and his eternal partner Chewbacca were obviously with her since the beginning, and her brother Jedi Master Luke Skywalker also joined since he believed that the First Order was not just a terrorist group and he sensed there was something darker behind it. Other figures like Admiral Ackbar, Nien Nunb and Wedge Antilles, Lando Calrissian and many more also joined the Resistance in order to maintain the First Order in check. And like this, the Cold War between the New Republic and the First order took its climax. Many senators who believed in General Organa funded the group so they could have the military power to oppose the First Order.

It was during this time that Poe Dameron was contacted by the General Organa and joined the Resistance and for some years the status quo was mantained even though both organizations clashed from time to time in the shadows, it was never a big scale battle until 10 years ago when the first big battle ocurred after twenty years of peace. The place was Yavin 4 where the New Jedi Order had been rebuilt. That day special forces from the First Order which included an army of stormtroopers led by veterans attacked the Jedi temple while General Skywalker was away in a mission.

The First Order led by a mysterious commander under the name of Kylo Ren and his knights of Ren destroyed the temple and reduced it to ashes, killing all the Jedi which included the son of Generals Organa and Solo. Even though the call for help was sent immediately by the time General Skywalker and the Resistance reinforces arrived, it was already too late and they could only see powerless how the Jedi had been once again exterminated.

However, they could not mourn since a great number of ships from the First Order arrived behind the Resistance forces and started to attack mercilessly. The attack of the temple had just been the first part of their plan and now they had decided to give a decisive blow to the Resistance. If not for Admiral Ackbar great experience and commanding skills, the battle would have been lost in matter of minutes. No one could imagine what General Skywalker may have been feeling in that moment. All the effort and hard work of twenty years had been lost and reduced to nothing in a day. However, he did not allow that to stop him or break. When he received the call for help from the Resistance fleet, he took his eternal partner R2-D2 and boarded his X-wing starfighter AA-589 and went into the battle.

– “We lost Blue leader!”- the situation was really bad and the First order TIE fighters were decimating the Resistance fighters at an incredible speed.

– “I need help! I have two on me!”

Poe was about to be shot when the two enemy ships were destroyed and he could breathe once again.

– “This is Red leader”- Poe remembered listening the voice of General Skywalker which sounded clear and ominously quiet- “Teams Yellow and Green go to vector 34 and the rest of the Red Team follow me maintaining an open formation on my both sides”

Poe was confused since that meant that General Skywalker would be left alone in the center as the only attacker. This would obviously attract the enemy fire. However, General Skywalker was already on the move. Poe had always heard his parents praising the flying skills of General Skywalker but this was the first time Poe could see his performance for the first time. What happened next was something he could never forget for the rest of his life. When he saw General Skywalker in action with his X-wing, he had just been so mesmerised that he ended up wondering if what he did could even be considered flying in comparison. He had seen personally how he had destroyed an entire fleet of TIE fighters and had forced a Star Destroyer to flee to avoid complete annihilation. The way he maneuvered his fighter was something he could not understand and he made the TIE fighters looked as if they were in slow motion.

General Leia Organa’s skills in diplomacy, negotiation, political games could put any professional politician to shame and he had seen many of so called dignataries bend their will to her cause after what she used to call a light negotiation. She was the main reason why the Resistance could maintain a regular source of funding and fighters from different systems.

General Han Solo’s skill were the opposite of General Organa. If she was the light, General Solo was the shadow. His knowledge of the underground world and black market was second to none except maybe Lando Calrissien who was his right hand along with Chewbacca. Many times he had been able to get weaponry that could be considered not much legal without anyone, including General Organa knowing how he had got them and more importantly how he had transported them to their different bases across the galaxy without being detected. He had taken the responsibility of doing the black operations and much dark bussiness that none else could pull off.

The General Luke Skywalker was the soldier and militar strategist in charge of facing the First Order directly and he was like the sword of the Resistance. His leadership and commanding abilities were superb and enhanced by the experience of Admiral Ackbar who always was there with him and together created plans and strategies so brilliant that for Poe they were impossible to even ponder about. Once General Skywalker took action, the enemy had no chance to even retaliate. Poe had heard that he was part of an ancient group of warriors with strange abilities that came from something called the Force. He had never been a believer of magic and those things but sometimes Poe could swear that General Skywalker had predicted the future and even read the minds of people.

Each of these characters had left a memorable impression in his heart. When he was just a kid, his parents would tell him stories of these three heroes who had freed the galaxy of the tyranny of the Empire after great sacrifices. He could not believe that now he was working under these legendary figures to once again free the galaxy from the evil First Order. These three legendary figures were the columns that supported the Resistance and were their contributions what had stopped the First Order from advancing to more systems from the Republic. Poe Dameron had been lucky to work with all of them in different missions and he had learned all what he knew from them and he was only grateful to all of them.

However, two years ago, General Skywalker had completely dissapeared and not even General Solo with his infinite connections was able to get any result but one. He had managed to follow General Skywalker’s last research and the man that had talked to him for the last time.

– “Wait here for a minute”- said the man in front of Poe while going to the back of his tent.

This mission in the village of Tuanul was critical since it involved the only clue of General Skywalker whereabouts. He had come looking for the man who had seen him for the last time and who was the only one who could have the answer that all in the Resistance were waiting for.

Lor San Tekka, if you were to see him, he would not give much of an impression. He was very old and his build was not very impressive. However, he had a dignified air around him typical of those who had great experience and his blue eyes seemed tired but transmitted much strenght and resolve. They were the eyes of someone who had seen many terrible things but was not broken by any of them.

He was the Spiritual leader of the Church of the Force and he had made sure much of the Jedi knowledge wasn’t destroyed by the Empire and later he had personally helped General Skywalker to gather the Jedi holocrons to rebuild the New Jedi Order. Even though Poe was not a believer, he certainly respected the man. He had gone to the back of his tent and he had brought a little poach which he paced on Poe’s hand with great care.

-“I think this will make the things right”- he said with a soft voice while looking to Poe with tenderness- “I have traveled too far and seen too much to ignore the despair in the galaxy. Without the Jedi, there can be no balance in the Force.”

-“All because of you now we have a chance”- replied Poe smiling at him- “The general has been after this for a long time.”

The truth was that the dissapearance of Luke had been a heavy blow for the Resistance and his absence had permitted the First Order to grow stronger and increase their number of victories over them as a result principally of the leadership of General Hux, Captain Phasma and the mysterious Kylo Ren, the same who had destroyed the Jedi temple. After the dissapearance of General Skywalker, these figures had taken a more active role in the battles and had became a synonym of terror and doom for the Resistance. They really needed their principal warrior and strategist back to balance the war and have an opportunity to stop the First Order.

-“The general?”- Lor San Tekka smiled smuggly getting Poe out of his reverie- “for me she’s a royalty.”

-“Well”-said Poe placing the pouch he received into his pocket- “”she’s certainly still that.”

In that moment a little orange droid who was very similar to a ball entered the tent beeping worriedly. Poe’s smile vanished and his expression turned ugly.

– “We’ve got company”- he said standing up and going out the tent while reaching his binoculars and watching into the direction the little droid had indicated him.

He clearly distinguished the forms of many transporter ship getting closer to their position and he knew they didn’t have good intentions.

-“You’ve got to hide”- said Poe to Lor San Tekka knowing that the time was short. However, when he turned to see the man, he saw a firm expression which told him he had decided not to run.

-“You have to leave”- he said and Poe knew that nothing he could say would convince him to leave with him- “go!”

Poe’s respect for this man soared and he just looked at the little droid and made a gesture to indicate it to follow. He turned and ran in the direction of his X-wing starfighter and the last things he heard before going was the voice of Lor San Tekka saying to all to prepare to fight. The previously calm and pacific village turned into a boom of activity and people started to come and go with great order and efficiency which convinced Poe that they had been preparing for this situation.

Poe ran to his X-fighter and not long after this he started to hear the sounds of blasters and he knew that the transporters had landed and that the fight had started. He wished he could help but his mission was of great importance and the information he had had to arrive to the General Organa no matter what.

-“Come on, BB8! hurry!”- he said to the little droid who was just behind him.

He jumped into the cabin of his ship and initialize the systems as fast as he could. Meanwhile, BB8 ran towards the back of the X-fighter and was picked up by the mechanic brace which accomodatd it into the ship to strart operations. Noticing that BB8 was in position, Poe started the sequence to take off when he was shaken due to some laser shots that had impacted the ship. Immediately the system showed him the damage and canceled the take off sequence. BB8 beeped warning him about the threats that were coming from behind.

-“I see them!”- replied Poe activating the weapon system and aiming at the rear of the ship. He quickly dispatched the attackers before jumping out from the ship to check the damage taken. It was really bad and he had to accept the facts that he wouldn’t be able to escape in this X-fighter.

Meanwhile the situation in the village had turned against the locals. Even though they had presented a valiant and strong resistance, they couldn’t stop the highly trained forces of the enemy. The stormtroopers were quickly advancing into the village putting it to flames while eliminating the few brave souls who sstill tried to resist them.

– “Take this, it’s safer with you than it is with me”- said Poe taking out device with the information that he had to protect and placing it inside BB8- “You get as far away from here as you can. Do you hear me?”

BB8 beeped in disatisfaction and asked what would be of him. Poe feel very touched for its concern but he knows this is not the time for this. He must ensure the safety of the information so it doesn’t fall into the hands of the enemy.

-“I’ll come back for you”- he ȧssured the little droid who had been with him in so many missions and who was more reliable than many organic beings- We’ll be alright!

He hold his blaster very tightly and ran in the direction of the battle pratying for the safety of his partner who also started to move in the opposite direction. He found a good location and readied his weapon. Since he could not escape,he would help the villagers who were still fighting to give them the opportunity to escape and maye slip away with them. He started to aim and gun down as many stormtroopers as he could and for a moment he thought that they could still turn the tables to victory but then he saw a very familiar ship landing in the middle of the vanguard transporter and then he knew that all was lost.