Kyber Heart - Poe Dameron

Chapter 48

Frustration was dangerously rising within Nova as she strode off the burning Millennium Falcon onto the lush jungle surface of Ajan Kloss. Her features were drawn into a frown, and she avoided eye contact with any member of the small crowd of Resistance personnel that had already gathered to see mess of a return they had made – many already setting about fighting the flames before they could reach the surrounding trees.

Nova quickly spotted Rey, wearing a similar frown to her own. Dressed in all white – somehow still pristine – she stood apart from rest. BB-8 rested loyally by her ankles, watching everything unfold with her with his own skittish curiosity.

"It's on fire! Everything, it's – it's on fire!" Poe rambled to everyone around them as he caught up to his girlfriend on the ground, then turned his attentions to Rey specifically. "We could have really used your help out there!"

"How did it go?" She asked, looking between the pair of pilots expectantly.

"Really bad, actually." He rested his hands on his hips in an exasperated stance. "Really bad."

"I'd say that's an understatement," Nova admitted in a mutter, earning her a glare.

Rey raised her eyebrows at them, looking to the flames coming from the Falcon. "Han's ship?"

"What did you do to the droid?" Poe asked indignantly.

Nova looked down at the round orange and white droid, noticing the gaping hole where one of his panels was missing – a fact that did not seem to phase him as he looked between his friends, following the conversation that was rapidly turning into an argument.

"What did you do to the Falcon?" Rey shot back.

"Falcon's in a lot better shape than he is!"

"Beebee-Ate's not on fire!"

"What's left of him isn't on fire!"

Nova sighed heavily at their childish bickering, deciding to leave them to tire themselves out without her interference that had the potential to only add fuel to the flames.

"Nova!"

She turned at the familiar voice, smiling a little as she saw her second in command approaching. "Bastila."

Bastila was younger than she was, around twenty standard years, but carried herself in such a way that many mistook her for older. Her dark skin almost seemed to glow in the light that was able to break through the trees, and her deep brown eyes shone with life and a small flare for mischief. Her pilot's uniform was not zipped up all the way, showing off the black tank-top she wore underneath.

BB-6 accompanied her – the blue and white droid having taken to supervising her when they were not needed for missions with Nova.

"What the hell happened out there? Are you okay?" Bastila asked, gesturing to the chaos playing out around them.

"I'm fine. The Falcon, less so. I need you, Lel and Haken to get to work on her. Chewie will give you the diagnostics."

"I can manage Lel, but Haken's still out on a supply run with Viado."

Nova ran her hands over her face and groaned. "Fine, Thessa then."

"You're trusting Thessa to work on your dad's ship, The Millennium Falcon?" Bastila said, raising an almost amused yet concerned eyebrow.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures."

A loud growl from Chewie caught her attention, and Nova knew she had to get back to Poe and Rey before one of them ripped the other's head off. "Just, keep an eye on her. Get Rose too, I trust her to know her way around by now."