Stormtrooper, DN-1967, on his first assignment is sent out to massacre a village in search of…he doesn’t know. All he does know is that there is blood pulsing in his ears and he won’t… no, can’t kill for the Darkness, the massive totalitarian regime trying to control the galaxy. He needs to get out



The “best damn pilot in the resistance”, Cas Seraphin, is only steps ahead of the Darkness before the village he’s in gets ambushed. Amara Ren takes him captive, but not before he stows a vital map in his droid, GB3, and send it off into the desert wilderness of the planet.

DN-1967 springs Cas from the torture chamber and, when Cas asks why, the only reason he can gives is “It’s the right thing to do.”

They steal a ship and shoot their way out, but before they can celebrate their escape, they crash land on Jakku. DN-1967 (dubbed “Dean” by Cas) wakes up alone next to the fiery wreckage of the ship. He calls for Cas and tries to search inside the flaming cockpit, but he’s only able to grab Cas’ jacket before the remains of the ship sink into the sand.

Dean is guilt-ridden, holding himself responsible for Cas’ death as he makes his way across the desert in search of a village. He stumbles across (read: gets the shit kicked out of him by) a scavenger called Char and a GB unit, whom Dean recognizes as the one Cas was trying to retrieve when they were shot down.

He teams up with Char (who believes him to be a member of the Resistance) and they steal a ship, outrunning and outgunning the Darkness. Dean mans the guns while Char expertly maneuvers the craft out of harm’s way.

They find their way to the Resistance base, with the help of a salty old smuggler called Bobby and his giant, hairy co-pilot, Sam. There, they meet General Jody Mills, leader of the resistance who clearly has a history with Bobby.

When Dean sees Cas, alive and unharmed, he can’t control himself. Dean runs toward him, yelling out his name. Cas’ face breaks out in a smile and they embrace like long lost friends (GB3 is at his feet, a tad offended, he’ll let you know). Dean can’t stop grabbing at Cas, like he’s not sure he’s real. Cas explains how he woke up alone, in the desert, the ship nowhere in sight. He can’t take his eyes off Dean, this man who not only saved his life but completed his mission for a man he barely knows. There’s a swell of pride and affection in his chest, which only doubles when he notices that Dean is wearing his jacket (“Keep it,” Cas insists with a small smile, when Dean offers to give it back.)

The Resistance is in the middle of a battle against the Darkness; they need to take down the Star Killer, a weapon capable of eviscerating a planet in seconds. Cas and his garrison of pilots are charged with taking out the main cannon, but the shields must come down first. Dean, with his knowledge of the ship’s layout and workings, Dean is tasked to lead the team to dismantle the shields from the inside (all while avoiding Amara Ren and his former commander, Captain Abaddon).

Cas tamps down the urge inside of himself to scream out “No!” He wants Dean to stay here, out of danger and not risking his life. Just because he didn’t want to kill for the Darkness doesn’t mean he should die for the Resistance. Dean is determined though, bolstered by the fact that Char was taken captive and they need to get her back.

Before they both leave on their missions, Cas and Dean meet up one last time.

“Be careful out there,” Dean says.

“You too,” Cas replies. They stand their for a moment, awkwardly, before Cas reaches out and pulls Dean in for a forceful hug. Dean holds on tight, pouring all of his worry and fear into the embrace. As they reluctantly pull away, Dean moves in and kisses him. It’s such a brief, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it action, but it sets Cas’ pulse thundering in his chest and his adrenaline skyrocketing.

Dean licks at his lips as he pulls back and gives Cas a brief smile as he turns and makes his way back to Bobby and his ship. Cas watches him walk away, still wearing his jacket, until GB3 lets out a low whistle. Cas rolls his eyes, dons his helmet and climbs in the cockpit, ready to face the fight ahead of them.