Across a Million Stars
Chains
The ship bounced off the sandy ground, sending Kaya flying out of her chair and right back in it. Her butt slammed against the hard chair and she released a curse. “Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?” She shouted at him, not thinking her butt could take another blow like that.
“I got this. Just give me a second.” Poe yelled back as he twisted a sharp turn causing Kaya to be thrown to the side of the pit, her head missing the side of the wall by only a few inches.
“I want a seatbelt!” She yelled back at him, glueing her hands to the controls ready to catch herself.
“Oh cry about it. I’m starting to get the hang of this.” Poe laughed, “You concentrate on shooting down those TIE fighters.”
Kaya turned her attention back to the task at hand figuring out how to fire the weapon. Seeing a trigger, Kaya pulled seeing the laser shooting through the air hitting the ground below. Moving the stick, the seat moved along with it. Something she wasn’t used too. Most were stable seats not moving with the controls.
The TIE fighters fired at the ship, one making a direct hit causing the ship to shake from the force. “What are you doing down there?” Poe shouted down to her.
Pulling the trigger she began to fire at the TIE fighters who evaded the fire easily. “I would like to see you try to do this!” Looking down, a small red button sat on top of the stick. Kaya pushed and was pleasantly surprised to see a missile shoot down one of the TIE fighters.
“Now that is what I’m talking about.” Kaya smirked beginning to get a hang of the controls. One down, two more to go.
Poe hadn't been lying when he said he was an excellent pilot. He maneuvered the ship with ease avoiding most of the enemy fire. Kaya could see that the ship was heading to a massive ship, remnants of a war long ago. “Do you trust me?” Poe shouted to her and Kaya felt her stomach drop already knowing what he was planning.
“NO!” Kaya yelled back at him only to hear his laugh—he was having way to much fun. The bright sun quickly disappeared as they entered the ship and Kaya was able to easily destroy another of the TIE fighters—the shot had been lined up perfectly. Her thumb slipped and the next thing she knew a missile was being fired straight into the ship.
“Uh oh…” Kaya mumbled watching as the ship began to fall apart in front of her. “Any way you can make this thing go faster?”
“No, why?” Poe asked as he quickly turned the ship to the side, the TIE fighters in pursuit doing the same. A loud explosion sounded and she could see a ball of fire heading straight towards them at a concerning speed. “What did you do?”
“I think I fired a missile into the ships fuel supply.” Kaya replied, her palms beginning to sweat as the flame began to engulf the TIE fighters behind them. At least it took care of that problem.
“That’s just wonderful.” Poe said his voice full of annoyance. “That’s what I get for allowing you to take control of a weapons system.”
“Excuse me?” Kaya exclaimed offended by the comment. “Would you like me to shoot another one?”
“No!” Poe exclaimed. “We’re almost out!”
“That’s what I thought..” Kaya grumbled to herself as she gripped onto the controls watching as the flame descended upon them. The light of the fire blinding her. Kaya sat in the chair for the burning to begin but nothing happened only heard Poe cheering from the cockpit. Slowly opening one eye she watched as the giant spaceship exploded into fire. “We’re alive!”
After leaving Jakku’s orbit, the spaceship entered light speed and Kaya flew from her chair up the ladder and right into Poe. Her arms wrapped around his firm body. His strong arms wrapped around her lifting her from the ground spinning her in the air. “We did it!”
“That was some amazing flying!” Kaya said as he sat her back on the ground both still holding onto each other shoulder.
“You were great on the gun when you weren’t trying to sabotage us.” Poe said with a wink.
“Oh hush.” Kaya laughed punching him lightly in the arm the familiar clatter of chains filling the room. She had almost forgotten about the them, they seemed to be a part of her. She can’t remember a moment of her life where she hadn’t been wearing chains.
Poe grabbed her arm examining the chains on her wrists, “What are these?”
“They’re nothing…” Kaya mumbled turning away from her. The flush of her cheeks from the embarrassment of him finally noticing she was slave.
“They’re on your ankles too.” Poe mumbled, it clicked in his mind than. “You’re a slave.”
“Was.” Kaya said harshly, she would never be called a slave again. “If you’re going to turn me in, I will kill you or I’ll kill myself. I’m not going back.”
“I’m not going to turn you in, I swear on my life.” Poe said his voice sad watching the young woman in front of him. He could see that around her ankles her skin was red—he could only imagine what it would like when the chains were finally off. “Let’s get those off of you.”
Kaya turned to look at him, her eyes showing her distrust. Poe walked away leaving her in the hallway looking for a torch of some sort. The chains were made of a thick metal and of high quality—she must have been a valued slave.
They sat across from each other, Poe held her hand gingerly as he slowly began to remove the first cuff. Kaya watched intently, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She was about to free of status that has burdened her entire life—it was exhilarating and terrifying. Kaya looked at Poe his brows furrowed in concentration, he was trying not to burn her with the torch but she didn’t really care. She just wanted them off.
Poe looked at the woman in front off her, his mind wandering to thoughts of her path. He didn’t know anything but he knew that she was strong. Probably one of the strongest people he had ever met. The thing that surprised him was her clothing, most slaves were dressed in rags while she was dressed in a fine silk adorned with a jeweled belt.
He could see why she was favored—Kaya was beautiful. Her hair was thick, a golden bronze that fell to her mid back with deep blue eyes and tanned skin. He pushed those thoughts away only working on getting the chains off her beautiful skin.
The skin underneath the chains was raw and was painful just to look at. Kaya looked at with a bored look, it was pain that had been there all her life. She was used to it. Poe examined the wounds with concern before turning away searching the ship until he found what he was looking for.
There wasn't much for medical supplies on the vessel but he lightly bounded her wrists and ankles with gauze so the wounds would avoid infection. Poe opened his mouth to say something, when lights began to flash red and a deafening alarm filled the ship.
“I got this. Just give me a second.” Poe yelled back as he twisted a sharp turn causing Kaya to be thrown to the side of the pit, her head missing the side of the wall by only a few inches.
“I want a seatbelt!” She yelled back at him, glueing her hands to the controls ready to catch herself.
“Oh cry about it. I’m starting to get the hang of this.” Poe laughed, “You concentrate on shooting down those TIE fighters.”
Kaya turned her attention back to the task at hand figuring out how to fire the weapon. Seeing a trigger, Kaya pulled seeing the laser shooting through the air hitting the ground below. Moving the stick, the seat moved along with it. Something she wasn’t used too. Most were stable seats not moving with the controls.
The TIE fighters fired at the ship, one making a direct hit causing the ship to shake from the force. “What are you doing down there?” Poe shouted down to her.
Pulling the trigger she began to fire at the TIE fighters who evaded the fire easily. “I would like to see you try to do this!” Looking down, a small red button sat on top of the stick. Kaya pushed and was pleasantly surprised to see a missile shoot down one of the TIE fighters.
“Now that is what I’m talking about.” Kaya smirked beginning to get a hang of the controls. One down, two more to go.
Poe hadn't been lying when he said he was an excellent pilot. He maneuvered the ship with ease avoiding most of the enemy fire. Kaya could see that the ship was heading to a massive ship, remnants of a war long ago. “Do you trust me?” Poe shouted to her and Kaya felt her stomach drop already knowing what he was planning.
“NO!” Kaya yelled back at him only to hear his laugh—he was having way to much fun. The bright sun quickly disappeared as they entered the ship and Kaya was able to easily destroy another of the TIE fighters—the shot had been lined up perfectly. Her thumb slipped and the next thing she knew a missile was being fired straight into the ship.
“Uh oh…” Kaya mumbled watching as the ship began to fall apart in front of her. “Any way you can make this thing go faster?”
“No, why?” Poe asked as he quickly turned the ship to the side, the TIE fighters in pursuit doing the same. A loud explosion sounded and she could see a ball of fire heading straight towards them at a concerning speed. “What did you do?”
“I think I fired a missile into the ships fuel supply.” Kaya replied, her palms beginning to sweat as the flame began to engulf the TIE fighters behind them. At least it took care of that problem.
“That’s just wonderful.” Poe said his voice full of annoyance. “That’s what I get for allowing you to take control of a weapons system.”
“Excuse me?” Kaya exclaimed offended by the comment. “Would you like me to shoot another one?”
“No!” Poe exclaimed. “We’re almost out!”
“That’s what I thought..” Kaya grumbled to herself as she gripped onto the controls watching as the flame descended upon them. The light of the fire blinding her. Kaya sat in the chair for the burning to begin but nothing happened only heard Poe cheering from the cockpit. Slowly opening one eye she watched as the giant spaceship exploded into fire. “We’re alive!”
After leaving Jakku’s orbit, the spaceship entered light speed and Kaya flew from her chair up the ladder and right into Poe. Her arms wrapped around his firm body. His strong arms wrapped around her lifting her from the ground spinning her in the air. “We did it!”
“That was some amazing flying!” Kaya said as he sat her back on the ground both still holding onto each other shoulder.
“You were great on the gun when you weren’t trying to sabotage us.” Poe said with a wink.
“Oh hush.” Kaya laughed punching him lightly in the arm the familiar clatter of chains filling the room. She had almost forgotten about the them, they seemed to be a part of her. She can’t remember a moment of her life where she hadn’t been wearing chains.
Poe grabbed her arm examining the chains on her wrists, “What are these?”
“They’re nothing…” Kaya mumbled turning away from her. The flush of her cheeks from the embarrassment of him finally noticing she was slave.
“They’re on your ankles too.” Poe mumbled, it clicked in his mind than. “You’re a slave.”
“Was.” Kaya said harshly, she would never be called a slave again. “If you’re going to turn me in, I will kill you or I’ll kill myself. I’m not going back.”
“I’m not going to turn you in, I swear on my life.” Poe said his voice sad watching the young woman in front of him. He could see that around her ankles her skin was red—he could only imagine what it would like when the chains were finally off. “Let’s get those off of you.”
Kaya turned to look at him, her eyes showing her distrust. Poe walked away leaving her in the hallway looking for a torch of some sort. The chains were made of a thick metal and of high quality—she must have been a valued slave.
They sat across from each other, Poe held her hand gingerly as he slowly began to remove the first cuff. Kaya watched intently, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. She was about to free of status that has burdened her entire life—it was exhilarating and terrifying. Kaya looked at Poe his brows furrowed in concentration, he was trying not to burn her with the torch but she didn’t really care. She just wanted them off.
Poe looked at the woman in front off her, his mind wandering to thoughts of her path. He didn’t know anything but he knew that she was strong. Probably one of the strongest people he had ever met. The thing that surprised him was her clothing, most slaves were dressed in rags while she was dressed in a fine silk adorned with a jeweled belt.
He could see why she was favored—Kaya was beautiful. Her hair was thick, a golden bronze that fell to her mid back with deep blue eyes and tanned skin. He pushed those thoughts away only working on getting the chains off her beautiful skin.
The skin underneath the chains was raw and was painful just to look at. Kaya looked at with a bored look, it was pain that had been there all her life. She was used to it. Poe examined the wounds with concern before turning away searching the ship until he found what he was looking for.
There wasn't much for medical supplies on the vessel but he lightly bounded her wrists and ankles with gauze so the wounds would avoid infection. Poe opened his mouth to say something, when lights began to flash red and a deafening alarm filled the ship.