Chapter 1: Accident Prone

Beep...beep... I rolled over and turned off the alarm on my datapad. Is it seriously time for work already? With a sigh, I swung my feet over the side of the bed, stretching. With a yawn, I got up and grabbed my clothes for the day. I quietly headed to the refresher, trying not to wake up my sleeping roommate. After using the toilet and getting changed, I stepped up to the mirror to wash my face and fix my hair. I studied myself in the mirror; skin as pale as usual, face looking much too sweet, and big blue doll eyes. Ugh! No wonder no one finds me intimidating! The fact that I'm only 5'5" and petite with naturally bubble gum pink hair probably doesn't help. With yet another sigh, I pulled my colorful locks into a bun, straightened out my technician vest, and left the refesher to go start my day on the Finalizer.

I met with my lead technician to receive my orders for the day. "Ayane, you will be working on some malfunctioning BB units then fixing a door lock scanner located near the brig." I grabbed the datapad containing my job information from Domni before thanking him and heading towards the repair room to work on the droids. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't putting off working on the door lock... I just hate the stormtroopers! They always love to harass me. These things combined tend to always gets me in trouble, which then gets me sent to the General. So far I had been really good and not had any incidents this week, which would be a first since I joined the First Order.

Hours had flown by, lunch had ended, and I could no longer put off working on the door lock scanner. Crap... was all I thought as I rounded the corner to the door in question. There were a few troopers milling about paying me no mind, Maybe I'll be lucky today! A little perkier at the notion that I might be able to work in peace, I started removing the scanner face panel so I could run diagnostics on my datapad. I went to reach for my tool bag when a familiar unwanted voice broke the air. "Well, well if it isn't pinky!" The trooper laughed as he kicked my tool bag down the hallway. "What's your problem?!" I yelled at the man, causing his two friends to snicker. "You're nothing but a dirty Nerf herder, and that's where you belong. You're not fit enough to work on the Finalizer. I can smell your stench down the hallway." He started to walk away with his buddies chuckling behind him. I was so enraged I didn't even register what I was doing until it was too late. I had a wrench lying next to me on the ground, which I picked up and threw it at the trooper hitting him in the back of the head. The sound of the wrench hitting his helmet resonated throughout the hallway. Oh shit... The realization of my actions hit me like a TIE Fighter.

"YOU BITCH! I'LL TEACH YOU YOUR PLACE!" He was storming my way, when a familiar voice stopped the trooper dead in his tracks. "That's enough!" I didn't even have to turn my head to know General Hux was standing behind me. "But Sir..." the trooper started, but was swiftly cut off by the General. "How feeble are my troops that they get bested by a girl with no military training? And how pathetic to harass a technician? Now report to Captain Phasma for discipline or I will send you to reconditioning. Do you understand?" The General had his hands behind his back and a scowl that sent shivers down my spine. With that, the troopers quietly departed. "Miss Suzuki, when you have completed your task you are to report to my office. Is that understood?" The General, looking down his nose at me, sounded exacerbated."Yes. Sir." I replied dejectedly, looking down at my hands to avoid the General's gaze. "And do not throw anymore wrenches at people." He turned on his heel and departed. I rested my forehead against the wall, I almost got through an entire week without incidence... damn! I peeled myself from the wall and got back to work, sighing like a sulking child.

After I finally found and remedied the glitch in the scanner, I started my weekly walk of shame to the General's office. Not paying attention I ran face first in to my roommate Triella, causing me to fall solidly to the floor. The blonde woman looked down at me and laughed as she helped me up. "What did you do this time Aya?" She asked as her eyes danced with mirth. I rubbed my bottom, which was sore from colliding with the floor, and jokingly replied, "Your boobs are dangerous woman, they literally knocked me on my ass." "Aya, stop trying to change the subject, why are you going to the General's Office this time?" Triella folded her arms refusing to move until I answered her. Groaning I confessed, "Well I threw a wrench at a stormtrooper and hit him in the head sooo..." "What the hell Aya?! You're lucky they didn't hurt you!" Concern filled the now serious eyes of my friend. "The General kind of appeared and saved me," I wanted to allay her fears but it also bothered me that no one believed I could handle myself. "God Ayane! I thought you were going to be good this week! It's a miracle the General hasn't shipped you back to Arkanis! Or worse!" Triella was pointing her finger while lecturing me. I shifted on my feet, "Yeah, I know. I didn't mean to... I just wasn't thinking. Sorry, but I need to get going. I don't want to upset the General further." "Fine, I'll see you later then. Please don't get in to anymore trouble, ok?" Triella hugged me before continuing down the hallway.

Having reached the General's office I quietly knocked on the door. "You may enter." The General's voice sounded from the other side. Tentatively I placed my hand on the scanner watching the door slide open with a hiss. "Sir?" I stepped in front of Hux's desk hanging my head. Not bothering to look up from his datapad, "Suzuki, I thought you were going to try and not have any incidents this week." Trying to defend myself I retorted, "Sir, I really did try! But the stormtrooper kicked my tool bag then told me I was only fit to be a Nerf herder! That I don't belong here!" Looking up from his datapad, he sighed, "If I did not deem you worthy of working on my ship, do you believe I'd still have you in employment?" Meeting the General's gaze, "No Sir." "Also, you should not allow the mention of being a Nerf herder bother you. Your family are Nerf herders are they not? Why should you be ashamed? It's the truth, not to mention your family is very prestigious on Arkanis. You are 26 years old, you need to learn to think before you lash out." The General was right, I can't keep acting like a petulant child. I just hate when people look down on my family for their profession. "Now then the means of your punishment for your actions." The General leaned back in his chair, "The garbage chute in sector seven has been malfunctioning recently, you are to go fix it when you leave this office. Also, you are banned from any recreational actives for a week. Do you understand?" With a deflated sigh, "Yes, Sir." "Now then, leave my office. I have important matters to attended to." The General went back to working on his datapad. I made my way out of the General's office dragging my feet the entire way down to the malfunctioning trash chute.

Begrudgingly, I started working on the control panel for the trash chute. It had not been opening or closing properly due to a short circuit. After replacing the fired wires, I tested the chute door's functionality. Being satisfied with the results, I opened it one more time peering in to the chute making sure nothing on the inside was jamming the door. As I leaned in to the chute someone came up behind me and roughly shoved me in. The next thing I know, I falling down towards the trash compactor! With a thud I hit the rancid garbage below, "Ow, ow, ow!" Cringing, I rubbed my backside which cushioned most of my fall. With how much I land on my butt it's a miracle I haven't broken my tail bone yet! I looked around the slimy walls of the compacted, gaging from the odor. You'd think having grown up with the putrid smell of Nerfs would have prepared me for something like this. Easing myself off the trash, I looked at my datapad to make sure the compactor wasn't about to start going and crush me. Seeing that I had two hours before the compactor was to go off, I started towards the door. Once I made my way across the garbage, I opened the control panel, attached my datapad, and began to override the door controls.

After 20 minutes of fighting with the door, I succeeded in getting it open. The smell of the trash had seeped in to my clothes, my hair, and basically every part of me. Slumping my shoulders, I started to head to my room to get a change of clothes and sit in the shower until I either melted my skin off or I got all the smell out, which ever comes first. As I made my way to my room I heard snickering behind me, "Well at least now she smells like she's supposed to! Haha!" "She truly is nothing more than a pathetic Nerf herder!" "That girl is disgusting." I drowned out the multitude of voices making snide remarks. I refuse to get in trouble and disappoint the General yet again!

Reaching the door to my room, I was grateful when it slid open revealing Triella had not yet arrive. I really didn't want to explain what had happened. I grabbed a towel, change of clothes, and pair of slippers. Once in the refesher, I stripped off my clothes throwing them in the dirty laundry chute, as quickly as possible, trying to reduce my stench. Thankfully, no one else was in the refesher with me, but just in case, I took the farthest possible stall, setting my clothes on the bench outside of the shower. I can't even count how many times I scrubbed my skin with soap and washed my hair! I'm pretty sure I had been in the shower for at least an hour, based on how pruney my fingers and toes were. No longer able to smell garbage on my skin, I wrapped my towel around my body, wrung out my hair, and reached through the curtain to grab my clothes. The thing is, my clothes were no where to be found. You've got to be kidding me! I angrily ripped open the shower curtain revealing that indeed my clothes had been stolen. The only plus was they didn't steal my favorite slippers. Grabbing my slippers, I walked over to the dryers to dry my hair. At least I don't have to walk too far down the hall like this...

One slipper in each hand I exited the refesher. Not even 5 seconds after exiting, I ran face first in to a mountain of a person! "Ow!! What in the seven hells?!" I rubbed my nose with the back of my hand still holding my slipper. I looked up to see I had run in to none other then Commander Ren. Freaking out, I went to wrap an arm around my chest to make sure my towel didn't fall. Unfortunately, in the process of covering myself, I threw the slipper in my hand which managed to hit the Commander's helmeted face. This is it! I'm going to die! Oh shit, oh shit!! Please let him kill me quickly and not painfully slow!! Shaking and fumbling over my words, "Co... Commander... I... I'm so sorry!! See... see my clothes were stolen and I wasn't paying attention! And... and..." The Commander didn't say a word, he just tilted his head down staring at me with his emotionless mask. He opened his balled up fist using the Force to make the slipper that hit him in the face fly into his hand. He regarded the slipper for a minute then me, before leaving without a word. I was still shaking and had to steady myself against the wall. Holy shit! I'm still alive?! He... he didn't kill me?! Pushing myself off the wall, I went to slip on my slippers before realizing the Commander had walked away with the one that hit him. "Aw man... these were my favorite pair though." With a sigh, I walked barefoot in just a towel back to my room. If looks could harm you, I'd have holes all over me from all the stares I was getting.

Upon entering my room, I fell face first in to bed not bothering to put on any clothes. A few minutes later Triella came in. "Uh, Ayane, what's... going on?" Not removing my face from the mattress I gave a muffled response, "Mmhust mme hmone..." Triella sat on the bed next to me, "I can't understand you with your face in the mattress." Sighing, I turned on to my left cheek to look at her, "I said, just leave me alone. I wish to wallow in my despair praying the heavens will grant me a swift death!" Triella patted my head, "Aren't you being a little over dramatic?" I told her everything that happened, being pushed down the trash chute, having my clothes stolen, and hitting Kylo Ren in the face with my slipper. Triella's mouth hung open, "No wonder you want to die. Honestly, how the hell are you not dead?! I mean the Commander is known to kill people just for looking at him wrong!" I sighed, "I have no idea... unless he's going to kill me later on! Oh God!!!!" I slammed my face back in to the bed. "Ow!!" "How about this? I'll go get us some food from the Cafeteria before the dinner cycle ends, that way you can just hang out in here and not have to worry about anyone. Ok?" I turned on my cheek again, "Ok... thanks. You're the best." "I know." Triella patted my head before leaving.

I laid on my bed still unable to motivate myself to get dressed. The violent buzzing of my datapad forced me to sit up. I went to my inbox to retrieve the message, freezing when I saw who it was from. "Oh shit..." terrified, I tapped on the message from Commander Ren.

Technician,

You are to report to my training room tomorrow after the breakfast cycle to fix the faulty door. You will not be late or I will punish you further for today's indiscretion. I have already notified your superiors. You will be assisting me these next few days as punishment for the hallway incident.

Should you fail to comply I will have you sent to reconditioning.

The blood in my veins ran cold. I... I have to work for Commander Ren... as punishment... I'm surely going to die now! I can barely make it down the hallway with out making a fool of myself! There's no way I won't do something stupid in front of the Commander! I responded to the message with a simple "Yes, Sir" and collapsed on my bed staring at the ceiling. Good bye world... it's been nice knowing ya... I pulled my pillow across my face and screamed. When Triella returned, I filled her in on the message. "Bloody hell Aya... this is very very bad!" I poked at the food on my plate, after finally managing to get in my pjs, "I'm dead. This is it. This is how I die." "Well... maybe not... maybe your clumsy aloofness will endear you to him so he won't kill you right away." She said with a smile. Groaning, I once again fell backwards on the bed staring at the ceiling. "Yeah maybe..." "In any case, you need to get some sleep. You're worse the less sleep you get. That's how you fell face first out of the TIE Fighter you were working that one day, remember?" Triella snorted. "Yeah... yeah..." I got up and placed the dirty dishes outside our room for the droids to collect, then slunk back in to bed. "Good night..." I shut out the lights. "Good night Aya. Don't worry too much, ok?" I drifted off in to one of the worst sleeps I ever had, having nightmares of all the ways the Commander could kill me.