Saga - ST The Fading Horizon

Episode 8​

The Fading Horizon​

The Galaxy finds itself in a state of War. No longer being fought in the shadows between The First Order and The Resistance. Claiming a major victory The Resistance now strikes at the First Order hoping to avenge the losses of the New Republic.​

Political unrest now holds the shambles of the New Republic. Voices rise up on both sides of the conflict. Some urging for New Republic to join the war. Others to deny the Resistance, and open peace talks with The First Order. The remaining Senators now meet to discuss who shall be the new Chief of State.​

General Leia Organa has stepped back from her position after the loss of Han Solo. Now an old Rebellion hero, Wedge Antilles assumes command of the Resistance. Leading assaults on First Order worlds. With the hope of the return of Luke Skywalker, and Rey.....​

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Prologue


Silence. How much she had missed silence. Her ears still rung out. Echoes of the past few hours would fling themselves upon her. It would shake her to the core, and try as she might her stomach had nothing left to force out of her. She had flopped down next to what had once been a speeder bike. Not much had remained for it to ever be of use again. The tightness of her helmet had caused too much of a headache that it now laid several feet away from her. She cared little for the immense rain which was a staple for this forsaken world. Did she even remember what this planet was called? Surely it had to be something with water with how much rain continuously fell from the sky. Her armor what little white was left of it was covered in mud, and other substances she tried to force out of her thought. Her blaster had been lost early on in the battle. Knocked away due to nightmare bombing runs they had been subjected to.



“What is this world called?” Her voice sounded strange. Horse from the constant yelling. Of course no answer came to her. The lifeless helmet merely looked back. As if judging her for the state she had fallen into. She tried to stand, but the pain that fired through her left leg quickly shook that train of thought. Had her pack not been blasted she would have used a kolto pack. If she had had any left by that point. How many had she used on the front line troops? How many did she give away to the Captain who chose to keep them for those troopers who were deemed more worthy than those dying around them.



“Only reward those who can still fight Medic.” She had been able to mimic the Captain’s voice well enough by now. Not that she had dared to do so in front of him. There had never been a time when she thought Captain Tyros would care for the mockery. Was he alive? She couldn’t remember. She didn’t even know if she cared now that she thought of it. Their lines had fallen apart within moments of the attack. Once the bombing runs had stopped there was little time for them to reset their forces. The enemy had fallen upon them in droves. Countless blaster fire fell from the trees, and the shadows. She laughed at that. They had been the ones trained to fight in all circumstances. The countless hours of being blindfolded and forced to fire at targets. If not then the electric shocks would make them all want to finish the training.



“They are worthless scum. They will soon regret their course of action in this. We shall rid them of their foolishness.” Had those been the last words she had heard from the Captain? Was it an insult to her uselessness as a soldier? That had garnered some laugh from her. Though it pained her ribs. Her armor was now taking on a crushing feeling to her body. Her hands mechanically went through the process of unstrapping the bulking white armor. Relief flooded her as she tossed the chest armor aside. The rain now felt like a welcome gift. Her hands shook as she took off the gloves. Blood stained her hands, and the rain caused them to sting. Had she done enough for TO-5046? That had been the last one she had reached before being hurled back by a grenade. The odds stacked against the survival ran through her head as she assumed he was dead with the many rest. Many of them she could see still laying across the battle field. Enemy soldiers had begun the process of taking what equipment that would be of some use. Some even began to move the bodies of the dead. Not that it would have been the same the other way around. No they had been trained to leave the dead as a reminder of what standing against them cost. She had been at a few such events herself. Word had gone through the ranks of what had occurred at Jakku. How she wished this could be a world of heat instead of the constant storms.



“What is this world called?” Her voice carried more than she had intended. The footsteps followed no more than a few seconds after. He dropped down to a knee a few feet away from her. His face was covered by the forest colored helmet that the enemy wore. His jacket matched that of enemy officers.



“Krakoa.” His eyes did not move to meet hers. Instead they fell upon the helmet. The silent watcher. His blaster was gripped in a manner she recognized well. It was the same way that all of her comrades were trained since birth to hold one. The smacks their hands would receive for the blaster not being perfectly held still brought back pain.



“FN-2187….” She almost spat the name out. Yet it came off as more of a relief. The Traitor. The one who had dared to defy Kylo Ren, and had openly aided the enemy. The Resistance Hero.



“Finn.” He corrected. More Resistance soldiers were now moving about the area. Some had taken to standing watch of this conversation. Not that much would come from spectating.



“BR-4385.” He nodded as he seemed to be inspecting her wounds.



“You’re a field medic.” She tried to applaud him for his answer, but her pain held her in place. X-Wings flew overhead seemingly chasing after any First Order forces that remained alive. One black as the night sky on this world was settled down in the clearing. No Tie Fighters would fall from the sky to save her. She knew better at this point. Expendable. That was all Storm Troopers ever were for the First Order. Not that it ever affected her duty.



“And you’re the most wanted traitor in the First Order.” He laughed at that. Rare to hear any laughter. It was not something encouraged within the ranks.



“I’m glad to hear that Phasma misses me. How is her smell?” Her vision was beginning to blur. Perhaps her time was coming? Was she afraid of death? She had not given it much thought.



“Will you kill me now FN…..”



“My name is Finn.” His face was now nothing more than a blur. Yet the rain still felt a gift to her. His voice was strong. Resilient. They had been told how FN-2187 had blatantly betrayed them, and didn’t deserve any mercy if he was to be found. Some had even erected target practices with his image. It did not seem to have done them any good with the current predicament.



“Your name is just a lie. A charade you’re choosing to follow.” Again he gave no reaction to her words. If they did sting him he would not give her any satisfaction visibly. He moved close seeming to examine her wounds.



“Bold words coming from someone who goes by nothing more than letters and numbers.” Her pain rose to new levels now. She clutched her ribs wondering if perhaps death was now coming for her. Had she done enough for the First Order? Would others be proud of the service she gave?



“You need to get those looked at.” Finn rose to his feet motioning to two Resistance Soldiers. They ran over quickly as he spoke to them. “Get her to the base camp.” Their silence made it clear they did not agree with that decision. Something which Finn seemed to pick up on as well.



“Tell them I gave the order for it. She needs bacta treatment.” Both gave a curt nod, and removed the field stretcher. The Sullustan looked her over for a few seconds mumbling something in his native tongue. His comrade Mon Calamari merely grunted back. Apparently the argument was on who had to lift her up by the arms.



“If you dump me in the nearest ditch I won’t argue. One of you could loan me a blaster, and we won’t need to worry about any of this.” That garnered merely silence once again from the two as she was lifted in the stretcher.



“Don’t give these two any sort of opportunity.” She turned away from Finn deciding that the pain was a more suitable friend to have. Finn watched as the two seemed to make her voyage a rough one taking the long route back to base camp.



“Making new friends?” Poe Dameron’s sarcasm came off in waves. The ace pilot walked about as if he owned every place he came across. He ran a hand through his hair shaking out the rain as it continued its downpour.



“Figured I could expand to finding people I haven’t crashed in a ship with.”



“Let’s not forget whose fault that was buddy.” The finger Poe waved was enough for BB8 to chime in what seemed like an agreement.



“We all cleared up on your side?” Finn had learned quickly not to press an argument with these two. Both seemed to always back up the other, and usually ended with some new joke being formed from it.



“Snap’s chasing the remaining Ties space side. Didn’t give much of a fight once you hit the Command Post.” It had all gone perfectly to plan. Hitting the First Order with random raids throughout the last week. Forcing them to close in their lines night after night. The Commodore had agreed the plan would work effectively.



“Seemed too easy.” Poe sighed at the grim tone.



“That we’re actually getting some wins?” He patted Finn smirking. “We’ve got momentum going on right now. Morale is high, and we’re hitting the First Order. You’ve got to take these good times, and enjoy them.”



“We’ve been hitting small outposts. I get the feeling they’re letting us push them off.” The feeling had been eating at him since the last raid nearly two weeks ago. He had tried to shake it off to his Stormtrooper mentality, but it just ate at him.



“The Commodore’s a smart one Finn. If he thought the First Order was playing us then he would be on top of it.” Poe’s admiration for the Commodore was something well known to everyone in the Resistance. Finn’s few interactions with the man made it clear to him that he was someone who knew war, and knew the steps needed to be taken. Since General Organa had taken a step back after the recent events of Starkiller Base.



“Still wise for us to keep on our toes Captain.” Both did an immediate heel turn. The Commodore walked at a steady pace towards the two. Commodore Wedge Antilles flanked by two Bothans whose insignias identified them from the Shadow Guards. Which meant that there was at least four more of them around watching.



“Empire played the same mind games with us. I won’t let myself be bit twice by stupidity.” The stories alone about the Commodore made him a legend to those in the Resistance. Especially to Poe who had been ecstatic when the Commodore had been elevated to acting General. Rumors had said Wedge had been working on obtaining ships and resources for the Resistance within the New Republic. That had all changed once Starkiller base had annihilated the capital. Poe had sworn that the Commodore had wanted to fly with the attack on Starkiller, but the General had ordered him not to.



“Which is why I need to speak with you two.” He motioned to the two Bothans to stay back. Not that they couldn’t hear what he would say anyway. Finn had had to step in quickly once when Poe had made a poor joke.



“I’ve gotten word. It might just be rumors at this point. Either way it’s enough for me to not want to sit back on it.” Poe looked eager for whatever was about to be presented to them.



“When we get back to base I’m having a briefing. I won’t say anymore now, but you two will be there. Effective immediately you two are now part of the reformed Rogue Squadron.” With that he turned back to his waiting guards.

 

Well, this is a promising start! Finn seems much more sure of himself now. I'm sure his training as a Stormtrooper will come in handy. I hope he'll be able to deprogram BR-4385. Although I didn't think Finn knew how to fly a ship? Will he be an adjunct/ground forces type for the Rogues, or is Poe going to give him a crash course in how to be a pilot? Or maybe 'crash' course is a poor choice of words...