Kyber Heart - Poe Dameron

Chapter 47

Nova leaned forward over the engineering station, hanging her head with an agitated sigh. The tool in her hand rolled between her palm and the surface below, its warm, smooth handle rattling as it moved.

The Falcon was living up to her 'hunk of junk' title to an infuriating degree. One of the sub-alternators was on the blink – despite Nova's best efforts to fix it – the landing gear was barely clinging to life and Maker knows what else was about to crack.

Defeated, she dropped the tool back into the toolbox before collapsing into a seat. She wiped her hands on her trousers, adding to the myriad of smears with more grease and oil. Her hair clung to her forehead and the back of her neck where it could reach, having been tied back tightly into a simple style. Two braids fed into high up on either side of her head, both having been abandoned halfway through to instead be pulled into the straightforward ponytail.

Her eyes wandered over to where Poe, Finn and Chewie were sat around the holochess board, silently scrutinising the game laid out in front of them. From what she could see, it was Chewie's turn to move, and he was winning.

He leaned to get a closer look at the beasts in play, carefully analysing his next move.

Poe also leaned forward, staring at the Wookiee thoughtfully before breaking the silence. "You ever gonna go?"

Finn sighed, shifting in his seat. "He can't beat us every time."

"Yet apparently he does," Poe shrugged.

"How does he do it?"

"This guy right here? It's cause he cheats."

Nova stifled a laugh as Chewie roared in protest at the pilot's not untruthful accusation.

"We're kidding!" he quickly reassured. "You're two-hundred and fifty years old, of course you're better than us!"

"You're taking forever, and that's why we think you're cheating!" Finn added under him.

Chewie looked to Nova and groaned, hoping that she would back him up. The boys followed his gaze, waiting expectantly for her answer.

"I'm not getting involved," she said, arms folded across her chest.

The trio collectively rolled their eyes and turned back to the game.

"That's only because you also cheat," Finn muttered.

"Where do you think I learned?"

Again, Chewie protested.

"Watch your arms, boys," she warned over her shoulder, turning back to face the array of lights shining and flashing from the engineering station in various shades of red.

The shrill beeping of the nav-computer broke the carefree atmosphere, alerting the group of their imminent arrival.

Chewie was the first to rise from his seat, growling in a cautionary manner before trudging towards the cockpit.

"Don't worry," Finn said.

"We're not gonna turn it off," Poe finished.

The Wookiee grumbled to himself as he disappeared around the corner.

Finn shook his head as soon as he was sure he was out of earshot. "He's cheating."

"Definitely," Poe agreed, turning the board off before standing up to also move to the cockpit.

"Or, you two just suck," Nova suggested, following her boyfriend.

A loud scoff was heard from the back of the ship – undeniably the ex-stormtrooper – while Poe chuckled, draping an arm over Nova's shoulders as she reached him.