For trope_bingo
Jun. 4th, 2019 10:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladyofleithianTitle: Chasing Destruction
Summary: What if Starkiller Base hadn’t been destroyed in time
Prompt: AU: Apocalypse
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Warning for torture threats.
They barely managed to escape the wipe out of the Ileneum system. Even as they sit around, Poe’s trying to take in the damage. Finn, and the girl accompanying him, sitting together like they still need each other. Snap’s rubbing his temples like he can’t believe what happened. Poe still can’t believe what happened. Too many people, including the General, wiped out in an instant.
Hux is going to pay for what he did. Poe knows that much. At least they have Kylo, who was apparently on the snow planet with the girl, Rey, and Finn when they were finally picked up by the Resistance. Even looking over him unmasked, Poe hadn’t been able to understand how exactly that sweet, genuinely well-intentioned young man had grown to become a monster.
He supposed he’ll never understand.
He breaks the silence after a while. “Well, people,” he said, “We’ve suffered a devastating defeat. But we’re not going to give up. We lost a lot of good people, but we’re going to fight on in their name.”
“Fight on?” Rey, this time. “How are we going to build a Resistance out of what’s left?”
Poe can’t say he blames her. They’ve lost a lot of good people. Kaydel Ko Connix, General Organa, the Tico sisters...just to name three. Poe’s going to have a funeral for them. There’s no bodies to bury, but at least he can memorialize them the best he can.
***
“Guess it’s karma,” Snap comments even as they pass Kylo Ren's cell.
Poe wishes that the “karma” didn’t feel so empty, in the end.
“Yeah,” he says dully. “I guess.”
Kylo is completely quiet. Even as Snap taunts him, calling him an “unfeeling, worthless piece of bantha fodder”, it’s like he doesn’t even hear Snap. Even as Snap calls him “Snoke’s pet", Kylo doesn’t even flinch. Snap graduates to grabbing Kylo’s hand through the bars, and removing his vibroblade. Kylo doesn’t even fight back.
“I ought to cut off every one of your kriffing fingers,” Snap says. “Just for everything you’ve done. To Poe, to that poor girl, to your own father, to the Hosnian system and Ileneum system...”
Kylo doesn’t even try to defend himself.
“Snap,” Jess says, her voice shaking, “Don’t go this way. It’s not going to ease the pain.”
“It’ll be hella therapeutic.”
Poe takes a deep breath. “We’re not the First Order,” he said. “We’re not committing war crimes.”
“He kriffing tortured you!”
“I know,” Poe says. He takes a deep breath. “But this is the part where we don’t become like them. We’re not them, Snap.”
“How can you even compare us to these fascists?”
“You’re coming close,” Poe said. “Please, Snap...you’re grieving for Kare. But torturing Kylo isn’t going to bring her back.”
“He killed her,” Snap said.
Kylo doesn’t even say anything.
“I know, Snap,” Poe said. “But we’re not war criminals. Please.”
After what seems like too long, Snap lowers the vibroblade, looking absolutely ashamed of himself.
“He can still kriff himself,” Snap says.
“I know, Snap. I know. I’m sorry.”
Even considering it later, Poe knows that even if it were Hux there, he wouldn’t torture him. The Resistance (or what’s left of the Resistance) don’t torture their prisoners. No one deserves torture. Taking the high road distinguishes them from the First Order. Maybe the First Order never knew compassion. But that doesn’t mean that Poe’s incapable.
And whatever it takes, he’s going to take care of the last ragtag scraps of the Resistance to the very last.
Summary: What if Starkiller Base hadn’t been destroyed in time
Prompt: AU: Apocalypse
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Author’s Notes: Warning for torture threats.
They barely managed to escape the wipe out of the Ileneum system. Even as they sit around, Poe’s trying to take in the damage. Finn, and the girl accompanying him, sitting together like they still need each other. Snap’s rubbing his temples like he can’t believe what happened. Poe still can’t believe what happened. Too many people, including the General, wiped out in an instant.
Hux is going to pay for what he did. Poe knows that much. At least they have Kylo, who was apparently on the snow planet with the girl, Rey, and Finn when they were finally picked up by the Resistance. Even looking over him unmasked, Poe hadn’t been able to understand how exactly that sweet, genuinely well-intentioned young man had grown to become a monster.
He supposed he’ll never understand.
He breaks the silence after a while. “Well, people,” he said, “We’ve suffered a devastating defeat. But we’re not going to give up. We lost a lot of good people, but we’re going to fight on in their name.”
“Fight on?” Rey, this time. “How are we going to build a Resistance out of what’s left?”
Poe can’t say he blames her. They’ve lost a lot of good people. Kaydel Ko Connix, General Organa, the Tico sisters...just to name three. Poe’s going to have a funeral for them. There’s no bodies to bury, but at least he can memorialize them the best he can.
***
“Guess it’s karma,” Snap comments even as they pass Kylo Ren's cell.
Poe wishes that the “karma” didn’t feel so empty, in the end.
“Yeah,” he says dully. “I guess.”
Kylo is completely quiet. Even as Snap taunts him, calling him an “unfeeling, worthless piece of bantha fodder”, it’s like he doesn’t even hear Snap. Even as Snap calls him “Snoke’s pet", Kylo doesn’t even flinch. Snap graduates to grabbing Kylo’s hand through the bars, and removing his vibroblade. Kylo doesn’t even fight back.
“I ought to cut off every one of your kriffing fingers,” Snap says. “Just for everything you’ve done. To Poe, to that poor girl, to your own father, to the Hosnian system and Ileneum system...”
Kylo doesn’t even try to defend himself.
“Snap,” Jess says, her voice shaking, “Don’t go this way. It’s not going to ease the pain.”
“It’ll be hella therapeutic.”
Poe takes a deep breath. “We’re not the First Order,” he said. “We’re not committing war crimes.”
“He kriffing tortured you!”
“I know,” Poe says. He takes a deep breath. “But this is the part where we don’t become like them. We’re not them, Snap.”
“How can you even compare us to these fascists?”
“You’re coming close,” Poe said. “Please, Snap...you’re grieving for Kare. But torturing Kylo isn’t going to bring her back.”
“He killed her,” Snap said.
Kylo doesn’t even say anything.
“I know, Snap,” Poe said. “But we’re not war criminals. Please.”
After what seems like too long, Snap lowers the vibroblade, looking absolutely ashamed of himself.
“He can still kriff himself,” Snap says.
“I know, Snap. I know. I’m sorry.”
Even considering it later, Poe knows that even if it were Hux there, he wouldn’t torture him. The Resistance (or what’s left of the Resistance) don’t torture their prisoners. No one deserves torture. Taking the high road distinguishes them from the First Order. Maybe the First Order never knew compassion. But that doesn’t mean that Poe’s incapable.
And whatever it takes, he’s going to take care of the last ragtag scraps of the Resistance to the very last.
