After crash-landing his T-70 X-wing starfighter on an desert planet, Poe Dameron, BB-8, C-3PO, and N1-ZX flee Terex's "Uglies" into a cave. Poe even carries C-3PO while N1-ZX carries his missing right arm. Poe and his companions flee deeper into the cave in an effort to evade Terex and his Ranc Gang.
Meanwhile, aboard the Carrion Spike, the Resistance technician Oddy Muva reunites with his wife Sowa Chuan, who had been stolen by Terex. Sowa explains that Terex owns several alien slaves, whom he uses as leverage against people he thinks might be useful. Muva expresses his desire for vengeance against Terex but Zumgi reveals that Terex is not aboard the ship but has gone down to pursue Poe and the droids.
Terex orders his Ranc gang to capture Poe alive to use as leverage against the First Order and the Resistance. They are ambushed by BB-8]], who collapses a stalactite on top of the gangsters. After a firefight, Terex shoots BB-8's cable down, causing the astromech droid to fall. After N1-ZX and Poe argue about the reliability of the former's data, C-3PO volunteers to stay behind in order to hold Terex back and reassures Poe that he can be rebuilt. When Terex arrives, C-3PO uses his mastery of seven million languages to tell the fjor-bats inhabiting the caves that Terex and his gang have come for their younglings.
This succeeds in slowing down Terex and the Rac gang. Terex questions the rival spymaster and removes his memory unit. Continuing the pursuit, Terex splits the Ranc Gang. With the enemy closing in, Poe tries to force N1-ZX to fight but the BX-series droid commando's self-preservation software prevents him from helping. When all seems lost, Poe is contacted by Temmin Wexley, who has brought the rest of Black Squadron to the desert planet's system. Terex's lieutenant orders his "Uglies" to destroy Black Squadron while the Ranc Gang closes in on Poe and N1-ZX.
- Star Wars: Poe Dameron Vol. 2 — The Gathering Storm