A Throne Amongst the Stars

Desponsata

[A/N: Hello my lovelies! I apologize for the late upload as time simply got away from me yet again. These past few days have been significantly busy and overwhelming for me personally. I love you all and hope you enjoy! -K 🖤]

[🌌This chapter contains light swearing and slight angst.🌌]
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I mindlessly hummed in contentment as I added a few minor details, perfectly capturing the glimmer of the animal's fur just as I had witnessed it while observing the pond on Cor-Al. The paintbrush glided easily over the drying paint, blending seamlessly beside the extravagant display of the peacock-like fowl that were idly playing in the rippling water as well.

With a satisfied smile, I wiped my cheek with the back of my hand, attempting to usher my hair that had become plastered to my skin.

A strange sound echoed down the corridor and drifted through my open door.

I furrowed my eyebrows curiously and gently placed my paintbrush into the small water pot as I maneuvered around in my provided chair at my desk within the room that had been prepared for me.

The whirring sounds were rapidly approaching, accompanied by a trilling shriek and bounding, echoing footsteps. I turned my body towards my open door, breathing heavily as the sounds increased in volume and intensity.

With a shrill scream, BB-8 rolled into my room, hurriedly looking behind him as he sped towards my legs in fear. He was completely covered in a dark substance that was trailing from his spherical body onto the floor of my room.

"Oh, BB!" I worriedly cried out in bewilderment, kneeling to the floor as he shrieked again and rolled into my open arms. "What happened to you, darling?" I wondering, petting his trembling head as he eyed my door fearfully, nuzzling his face into my chest and dirtying my shirt.

"BB!" An upset voice bellowed, followed by pounding and reverberating footsteps. "Get back here, right now!" BB-8 immediately rolled behind my kneeling figure as Poe angrily revealed himself outside of my doorway. "I am so unbelievably disappointed right now!"

I covered my mouth and silently blinked in disbelief as Poe, like BB-8, was also camouflaged under a layer of a sheen, black substance. He was breathing irately as he shook his head in sheer frustration. His hair was drenched with the strange composition, as well as nearly every part of his exposed skin.

He was wearing his orange flight suit, but had removed his arms and tied the portion around his waist so he could freely move, and apparently, labor on mechanical affairs. He sported a white, sleeveless shirt that revealed his biceps that were also dripping with the residue.

"Hey, sweetheart." Poe greeted, dropping his rapid smile as he wiped his forehead free of the shiny medium, yet still smearing his skin from what remained on his hand. "BB-8." Poe spoke sternly, flexing his fingers as he opened his closed hand. "Come here." He directed, entering my room and peering around me as I heard BB's chattering of his technological components. "I have chased you all the way down here. Don't expect her to protect you, young droid." BB whimpered as I faced him, using my sleeve to wipe his lens free of what appeared to be some form of oil.

BB slowly exposed his position as he slightly rolled out from behind me. "Poe, what happened?" I wondered in concern, standing as BB shivered behind my legs. "What are the two of you covered in?" I glanced between the both of them as Poe sighed in frustration. "And how?"

Poe tightened his jaw and motioned over his shoulder. "I was tasked with changing out the oil for one of the larger fighter ships, and BB-8, knowing that he shouldn't have been in the hangar," Poe vindictively pointed at BB with a frown, "Knocked my damn ladder over as well as the several gallons of new oil that I hadn't yet switched into the ship." He explained and finished with a huff, crossing his arms as he neared me. "General Leia is going to be absolutely pissed with me, BB-8."