Issue number seven of the Marvel comic book series Star Wars: Poe Dameron is Poe Dameron 7. It was released on October 26, 2016, and features writing by Charles Soule and artwork by Angel Unzueta.
- Even a dedicated Resistance fighter like Poe Dameron needs some time off to see a friend from the past.
- However, what transpires when that old friend turns out to be the well-known journalist Suralinda Javos, who possesses a hidden story about the sinister First Order?
- Chaos erupts when Poe and Suralinda become trapped with a massive First Order target painted on their backs! [2]
Poe Dameron, along with the other members of Black Squadron, successfully evaded Agent Terex and the First Order's stormtroopers in the previous issue. They have now made their way back from Megalox Beta to the Resistance base situated on D'Qar. Their mission: to deliver the crucial intelligence provided by Grakkus the Hutt to General Leia Organa—the latest clue in their ongoing quest to locate Lor San Tekka, who they believe holds information about the secret location of the missing Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. Despite this, the search is temporarily suspended because of a more urgent matter. Leia suspects the presence of a spy within their ranks, and she has tasked Poe Dameron, her most skilled pilot, with the responsibility of identifying and neutralizing the suspected leak.
Despite the importance of this task, Poe Dameron is compelled to first fulfill a prior engagement. He has been contacted by an old acquaintance who has urgently requested a meeting. Consequently, Poe departs from D'Qar and heads towards the storm-ridden gas giant of Pheryon for a clandestine rendezvous. It is there that he encounters his old friend, Suralinda Javos, formerly of the New Republic Navy and now a reporter for Galaxy Beacon. As they settle into a spacious and opulent cantina to enjoy a drink and reconnect, their reunion is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of a group of thugs who have Suralinda in their sights.
Quickly, they make a hasty escape while dodging a hail of blaster fire. Lacking his ship due to his leave of absence, and being unarmed, Poe and Suralinda "borrow" (steal) a civilian's stormsailer and take to the skies. Once they are safe from their pursuers, Suralinda reveals that she sought out Poe to provide the Resistance with intelligence of her own. She has discovered evidence indicating that the First Order is violating the terms of their treaty with the New Republic by constructing their own military installations, shipyards, weapons research facilities, and something else, "something big." She makes it clear that she is not offering this information for free, but for a reward. She wants Poe to take her directly to Leia so she can sell it to her.
Their pursuers soon catch up with them in ships designed for combat. Despite the dire odds, Poe makes the daring decision to pilot the stormsailer as close as possible to the stormsea, where the weather is at its most dangerous. His hope is that this risky maneuver will give them the speed they need to shake off their attackers for good. They emerge relatively unscathed, while their pursuers are left behind.
After landing safely, Poe decides to pause and catch his breath, remaining with the stormsailer while Suralinda ventures alone to a nearby tavern for a drink and directions off-world. Inside, a group of First Order stormtroopers, fully armored and cloaked in grey, led by a hooded officer identifying himself as Lieutenant Weel, ambush her and lead her away at gunpoint. As they arrest her, they execute all witnesses in the tavern. She cries out to Poe for help as they drag her into the streets for a "discussion." Before Poe can react, Weel orders his forces to subdue him as well. It turns out that Weel is an associate of Terex, who has issued an "acquisition order" for his rival, Poe.
Held captive separately in what appears to be a warehouse on Pheryon, Lieutenant Weel identifies himself as being from the First Order Security Bureau and begins interrogating Suralinda with a knife in hand. He demands that she reveal what she has supposedly learned about the First Order. Meanwhile, Poe tries to appeal to the egos of his captors, demanding his release and challenging them to a duel. If they win, they can boast about defeating the galaxy's most famous pilot. If he wins, he gains his freedom. His offer is quickly rejected.
Suralinda, however, deceives Weel, causing him to lower his guard. She then kills him with a corrosive spray ejected from her mouth—an inherent biological trait of her species. In his agony, Weel drops the vibroknife. Suralinda retrieves the knife, frees herself, and then rescues Poe, using Weel's blaster to take out the stormtroopers. They escape Pheryon aboard a First Order ship. Poe immediately takes her to the Resistance base on D'Qar and goes to find Leia. Forced to stay on the ship, Suralinda hacks its navicomputer to determine their location.
While waiting for Leia, Suralinda has time to contemplate her actions. We see glimpses of her recent memories, revealing her true reasons for contacting Poe. Back on Hosnian Prime, at the office of the Galaxy Beacon, her boss expresses his dissatisfaction with her lackluster work (another exposé on slavery under the Empire) and urges her to uncover something about Leia's secret military force, specifically its location. Elsewhere, she pays a group of thugs to attack them on Pheryon. Back in the present, Suralinda uses the ship's comlink to contact her boss and resigns from her job.
Poe returns soon after, accompanied by General Organa. Expecting Suralinda to offer her intel for a price and then leave, they are surprised by a change of heart. She confesses that she manipulated Poe, falsely claiming to have discovered secrets and that she was being hunted to be silenced (paying a group of thugs to attack them in order to make the ruse more convincing to Poe) so he would take her to D'Qar, where she could report her findings to the Galaxy Beacon. Breaking from the expected neutrality of journalists, she pleads to join the Resistance. Her experiences with Poe and witnessing the First Order's violence and cruelty have apparently convinced her to choose a side.