Chapter One - Now or Never
6 YEARS BBSB (Before Battle of Starkiller Base)
Auralee was nervous.
Her heart was racing, her palms were sweaty and she felt like she might lose the breakfast she had eaten that morning at any second. She prayed she wouldn't. Throwing up all over General Organa's shoes probably wasn't the best way to make a good first impression.
"Auralee, calm down," said the older figure next to her as if she could sense the girl's nerves. "The General is a very nice woman - there's no need to be nervous."
"That's easy for you to say. You've been in the Resistance for years now, Zella. You're used to it," replied Auralee, making her way through through the halls with shaking legs. "But me? This is my first day." She sighed. "What if you're wrong and General Organa doesn't want me here? I don't want to go back to Tiisheraan. There's nothing for me there."
"You won't be going back," Zella answered simply. "Your skills are needed here. General Organa knows that."
A beep came from next to their legs and Auralee managed a small laugh as she glanced down at her purple and white droid. (That was made with her own two hands, no less.) "Thanks, buddy. I appreciate it."
CI-4 trilled happily in response at her appreciation and zoomed forward as the distance between the trio and their destination slowly closed. Auralee felt her heart begin to quicken its pace once again.
"Go ahead," said the tall guard outside the door as they approached. "The General is just wrapping up another meeting. She should be finished in a few minutes."
Auralee nodded briefly in acknowledgement and turned to look at Zella, her hand resting on the handle of the door. "Now or never?"
"Now or never," Zella repeated. "I'll wait here for you."
Sucking in a deep breath, the budding engineer pushed open the door and was met by the sight of General Leia Organa herself. Instead of being rude and interrupting the conversation that was still ongoing, Auralee and her droid chose to stand back and wait instead.
The General's hair was wrapped up in a neat crown braid and under the dim lights, the younger girl could see the shines of grey showing through her usual brown colour. She wore a brown vest over her light green coveralls that were tucked into a pair of brown boots and her face was attentive as she listened to the other resident in the room speak. Auralee and CI-4 watched closely.
"Congratulations, Commander," the General smiled and held out her hand. "You've earned it."
"Thank you, General." The man grinned, just as Auralee took a small step back to lean against a desk and accidentally knocked a pen off to the floor. Swearing under her breath, she bent to pick it up and place it back on the desk quickly, praying that somehow, the others hadn't noticed.
No such luck.
Hands still clasped in a celebratory handshake - though why they were celebrating, Auralee was unsure - the pair turned towards the noise. Even CI-4 looked at her with a hint of embarrassment. The man - the Commander - rose his eyebrows in surprise while General Organa let a smile spread across her lips.
"Auralee Oswin, I presume?" She said turning from the Commander and facing the blushing girl instead.
"Uh, yes, General," Auralee nodded. Good job, genius, she told herself. Now their first impression of you is that you're clumsy... which wouldn't be inaccurate. "Zella Retriga just brought me here."
"Zella spoke very highly of you," General Organa noted. "Just twenty one years old and you're already capable of making droids... Imagine what you'll be able to do in the future."
"Actually, I made CI-4 when I was nineteen," Auralee corrected before wincing slightly. "Not that I'm bragging or anything -"
"And this is him, I'm guessing?" The man smirked, cutting her off - Auralee thanked him inwardly - and gesturing towards her beloved droid. "Hey, buddy."
CI-4 beeped in greeting and General Organa smiled.
"I suppose I should introduce you two while we're at it," she continued. "Commander Dameron, this is our newest recruit - Auralee Oswin."
"Wait," Auralee said. "So you're definitely taking me?"
"Of course," the General said with a hint of confusion as to why she would ask such a question. The answer was obvious, after all. "The Resistance welcomes all, especially those with your type of skills."
Auralee grinned in relief. "Thank you, General Organa."
"It's my pleasure," she answered. "Now, if you two -" She was cut off by an indignant beep. "Forgive me - three will excuse me, I have to check on something with Admiral Ackbar. I'll check in on you soon, Auralee, just to see how you're doing." And with that, she took her leave.
Once the door had closed behind her, CI-4 let out a series of unhappy noises at being left out initially. Auralee sighed.
"Don't worry, Cipher, she didn't mean to leave you out. You're just small, that's all. She probably forgot you were even here because you were so well behaved." CI-4 stopped and looked up at Auralee, thinking over her words. Deciding he was happy with the girl's obvious compliments, he chirped.
Commander Dameron let out a laugh at the pair's interaction. "You two seem to have a good relationship."
"After I worked on him for the better half of a year, he has no choice but to like me now," Auralee replied jokingly.
"The full name's Poe. Poe Dameron." Despite General Organa introducing them briefly before, he held out his hand and Auralee placed her own in his, giving it a firm shake.
"Pleasure to meet you, Poe, Poe Dameron," she replied with a grin. "I'm Auralee. Auralee Oswin."
Poe rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Are you always this sarcastic?"
"It's one of my better traits," she quipped back. "If you don't mind me asking, what were you and the General celebrating when I, you know... announced my arrival?"
"You mean when you knocked that pen off the desk and looked like you wanted the ground to swallow you up?" Auralee rolled her eyes, giving a resigned nod as Poe grinned. "I've just been promoted to Commander of the Blue and Red squadrons."
"You're a pilot," Auralee said, impressed.
"You seem surprised."
"Not at all," she replied, finally taking a moment to truly see the man in front of her. A square chin with a jawline she was pretty sure could chisel granite, soft chocolate-brown eyes that had a warmth to them that reminded her of a fire crackling, full lips with the top looking just slightly puffier than the bottom and a tall build that gave him quite a few inches on Auralee, while simultaneously making him appear confident even when at ease. Yeah, she could see him being a pilot.
"Well, that's good then," Poe chuckled and Auralee found herself wondering whether or not she had said that last sentence out loud. She glanced down at CI-4 in questioning and he gave a few beeps that told her yep, you said it. "I should probably head out now," Poe continued. "Gotta run some drills with the rest of the squadron."
"Of course," nodded Auralee. "Have fun out there, Commander. And congratulations on your new position."
"Thanks Oswin." He answered politely as he made his way towards the door. Just before he left, however, he turned back to the pair still in the room. "I'm sure I'll be seeing you and your droid again very soon."
And with a wink, he left.
A/N: Gah, first chapters are always the hardest. Hence the short length and the overall blehness of it all. The fact that I haven't written anything in over 6 months doesn't help either. Nevertheless, here it is! The first chapter to Here Comes The Sun. (It will get better, don't worry.)