"I'm sorry; I don't think I can do anything this time."
Rey nervously tightened the grip on her bag as she sighed exasperatedly, the words of the mechanic echoing throughout the large shop. She knew her car was doomed –it had been for months, if not years. Nevertheless, she'd still been holding onto the hope it would wait until summer to break, when she didn't have to go to school nor work.
"I can drop you off after my shift," he offered with a saddened smile while wiping his greasy hands on the legs of his orange jumpsuit.
The smile she returned wasn't as warm as she'd intended it to be, still bitter about her vehicle's breakdown. She'd been used to fixing it herself or with the help of her roommate, even more frequently for the last two months. Saying she hadn't been expecting it to croak would have been a lie: the unusual noise she'd heard coming from the hood on the way back home had alerted her enough to leave it on the side of the road and call Poe. It hadn't taken more than twenty minutes for her neighbor to show up and drag the old truck to the garage he worked in.
"No, thanks. I'll call Finn."
An subtle smile made its way to the mechanic's lips as he nodded, heading back to the other side of the shop where a colleague of his waved at him, obviously struggling with a tire.
Rey had known Poe since she'd settled in Kamino, which was about three years priot. The little house next to his had been the only one offering a vacant room and not demanding an insane amount of money for it. It could have been way worse: she had decent quarters, the university nearby and two roommates, Finn and Rose, who had become her friends in the space of two days. They were far from being the perfect collocation: Finn could spend an insane amount of time under the running water of the shower, Rose usually forgot to turn the lights off and she kept losing her keys. Rose would manage to always find a way to fix anything broken in the apartment while Finn never let them starve to death turning poor leftovers, including nothing more than pasta and cheese, into a delicious meal with an incredible ease.
It had only been a question of weeks before Poe showed up, introducing himself with a ridiculous confidence and inviting them for a drink none of them had been able to refuse; he was charming, but on top of that, extremely welcoming. The impromptus visits had become more and more frequent, until they'd reached the point where they'd gotten used to seeing him show up at least once a week, his arms either weighed down with food or video games under their amused smiles, always accompanied by the young, ginger dog that was now running towards Rey. If dogs could smile, this one would surely be at this moment.
"Hey boy-" The Labrador's paws landed on her stomach forcing her to take a few steps back, unable to repress her smile any longer as she started rubbing the dog's chin.
It took Finn twenty minutes to pick up his phone and ten more to arrive at Black Squadron Garage. Rey was still playing with the dog when the brakes of his car squeaked in a familiar sound before the door slammed, making Poe's colleague Jessika glance at them from under the car she was draining.
"Sorry, I had to gas up", he said as he got out of his car. "What is it this time?"
Rey shrugged as she watched Poe's dog welcome Finn with his usual barking, alerting his owner who appeared a few seconds later, his bright orange suit nearly glowing in the nascent darkness of the evening. Judging by the grease marks on his cheeks and hair, she would have sworn he'd just tried taming his curls.
"Finn!" He exclaimed, addressing a wide smile to the man as he greeted him with a gentle tap on the arm, the other idly rubbing his dog's head. "I'm afraid Miss Johnson's car has breathed its last breath."
"It was bound to happen," Finn replied as he landed a hand on Rey's shoulder. "I'm still impressed you managed to keep it running for so long," he added, turning to her with a compassionate smile.
So was she. This car had been both a miracle and a nightmare for the last three years, granting her a sensation of freedom until it refused to start, most of the time when she was already late for class. She had been rather lucky until now, having both her roommates and neighbors to drive her whenever this happened. But some things eventually had to stop, and today her luck had officially run out.
"I'll drive you tomorrow, and we can figure this out on Saturday" Finn added, but she was already far away, her eyes lingering in disbelief on the old truck.
It might have been a piece of junk, but it was her piece of junk; and despite her constant complains, she'd grown attached to it. A very bad habit of hers, she knew it. She couldn't help keeping everything, unable to throw any of her stuff away, resulting in her room being an absolute mess. Even the slightest change in her daily life felt unbearable: she kept buying the same washing powder, the same shampoo and the same ready-prepared dishes, driving both Finn and Poe crazy whenever they went to the supermarket together. Rose didn't appear bothered by it, although she had her opinion on the ready-prepared dishes.
"You need a drink," Poe stated, arms crossed as he followed her gaze.
If someone could understand her attachment to the vehicle, it was most likely to be him. The idea was appealing, but she hadn't planned on being out tonight. Truth be told, she hadn't planned anything -but this wasn't planned.
"I don't-" she started, shortly cut by the mechanic.
"Come on, if not a proper burial, you owe it at least a goodbye drink!"
Running low on excuses, Rey turned to her friend in hopes of finding an ally in him. A great mistake of her's, she realized, when she saw his eyes leaving hers to meet Poe's, and his shoulders slightly shook by a helpless shrug.
"He's right. Carcass deserves a goodbye drink."
She rolled her eyes at the name they'd all given to the car, doing her best not to show her amusement. "One drink-" gesturing with a finger in the amount that she had meant what she said.
"Hugs!"
"Dameron, for fuck's sake."
Arms wide open as if he was going to embrace the bartender, Poe stepped into the place as if he owned it, ignoring the man's flustered gaze as he leaned an elbow on the marble counter.
"Animals are not allowed in here!" he spat, scowling at the silent dog wagging his tail, looking at him with the same excitement he bestowed upon anyone laying eyes on him. Unflappable, Poe pretended to look ignorantly around him for a few seconds before innocently pointing to the dog with a thumb above his shoulder.
"That's insane, Baby's right here!"
Poe's lips curled up in a grin, waiting for the other man to burst in the same laugher engulfing Rey and Finn. Ignoring the joyful bark of the dog at his name being called, the man closed his eyes and let out a loud, exasperated gasp.
"You named it Baby."
It was more of a statement than question; a weary, disbelieving statement Poe met with the same huge smile that hadn't left his face for the last few minutes as he nodded proudly. An incontrollable snort escaped both Finn and Rey as they watched the scene from a few feet away. They'd moved on from the embarrassment they once felt every time the mechanic idolized his dog, now accustomed to it. Even Finn, formerly afraid of every animal, had grown attached to him after spending a lot of time with his owner.
"Anyway, I'm just here for a drink with my squad." He beckoned the two students to approach with a wave of his hand, still leaning on the counter.
"We're not his squad," Finn hastened to clarify with a frown, shortly cut by Rey landing a hand on his shoulder.
"I think we are," she admitted, hardly repressing a laugh.
The place was a rather peculiar one: halfway between an old diner and a modern bar where neon lights met vintage seats, all rhythmed by a remote background music that sounded like a soundtrack from an epic science-fiction movie clashing with the jukebox secluded at the other side of the room. A diner from the future, Rey thought as she grabbed her drink and sunk into her chair. A diner in space, she corrected herself as she noticed the small bulbs on the ceiling recreating a perfect night sky.
"To Carcass," Poe solemnly declared as he raised his drink among them.
The three glasses clinked against each other, and so did the second and third they ordered. Rey thanked herself for sticking with lemonade when Poe's glass landed a bit abruptly on the table as he finished his third margarita, eyes fixed on the neon sign hanging above a door near the counter.
"You know what I haven't done in a long time?"
Finn turned to Rey with an inquiring look as she followed Poe's gaze. It took her a few seconds to adjust to the neon light's brightness and decipher the words it was shaped in.
"Laser tag?" she asked, incredulous.
"Laser tag." He confirmed with a mischievous grin.
They had already been away for too long, Rey thought as she turned to Finn. Rose would probably start wondering where they were or worse, feel left behind.
"I'll help you get you a new car if you win."
The offer awakened a spark in the young woman's eyes before she could begin to decline. Poe wasn't even drunk, which meant he was more than serious. Judging by Finn's smile behind his glass, her driver wasn't opposed to the idea either.
"One game," she warned as the three of them got on their feet, heading to the counter.
"Another drink, I suppose."
The red-haired man behind the counter greeted them with a bored glare for the second time of the evening, already grabbing three glasses when Poe stopped him by raising a hand in surrender.
"We'd like to join the game, actually."
The way his eyes suddenly lingered on Poe betrayed his surprise, but Rey remained stunned by the man's ability to stay calm and composed under any circumstances. Pushing the glasses aside he took a few steps to his right, running his fingers along the computer's keyboard for a few seconds before he looked up to them. "Names?"
Only Finn wasn't able to pick his own name due to its popularity and ended up with FN-2187, his initials followed by his student ID number.
"Alright, anyone's first time laser tagging?"
Rey timidly raised her hand, already feeling the judging eyes of the bartender examining her as he pressed a walkie-talkie in his pale hands.
"Three players, one novice" he announced in the small black device.
"Copy," replied a voice from the other side.
A few more hits on the keyboard later, he seemed to remember something and looked down on the silent labrador as if he was searching for his words.
"The dog can't go inside."
"Of course!" Poe agreed, kneeling next to his dog while muttering a few words to him. Baby almost immediately headed behind the counter, under the annoyed eyes of the owner.
"Your garage is literally next door. Can't you just leave him there?"
"No," the mechanic replied with a serious face as he got back on his feet. "You know why?"
"Please don't say it-"
"Because nobody puts Baby in a corner."
This time, Rey hadn't anticipated the giggle that escaped her at the sight of the man's deadpan expression as he handed them three little red badges, clearly fighting the impulse to roll his eyes. He silently pointed to the door behind him above which she'd read the 'laser tag' earlier, beckoning them to enter as he inhaled deeply, avoiding Poe's insisting gaze.
As soon as they passed through the doors, Rey felt as if she'd stepped into a far, far away world: the dark room was faintly enlightened by black lights highlighting her shoelaces and white shirt, red and blue dots originating from hanging uniforms dancing on the walls and ceiling before her intrigued eyes. Poe and Finn were already heading towards the equipment when a deep, modulated voice echoed between the heavy walls of the Briefing Room.
"Welcome to Starkiller Base. Put a jacket on and grab a blaster."
Imitating the boys, Rey grabbed the first jacket within easy reach, inserting her red badge into the slit above the gun hanging at her side. Her name automatically appeared on the small screen, accompanied by an instruction: connect earpiece.
"Earpiece?" she asked aloud. The game hadn't even started, and she was already lost.
"For beginners. Right there." Poe pointed at a basket in the corner of the room, not bothering to turn around as he helped Finn adjust his jacket.
The young woman furrowed her brows as she placed the small device in her right ear, more and more ill at ease but slightly curious. A series of small beeps rang into her ear, inviting her to wait for whatever tutorial she was probably going to hear. A rousing music started as the doors opened on a gloomy maze; the lights went down, the only one left being another neon sign above their head signaling that the game had begun.
"Turn right."
Rey almost jumped at the voice echoing in her ear, but did as she was told. The artificial smoke hovering above her head blinded her even more, but she trusted the tutorial and kept running on her right.
"Go on the bridge."
"The bridge…" she mumbled to herself, narrowing her eyes as she looked around her. "Where the f-"
"On your left," the voice specified on a less formal tone that made her frown.
"Thanks," she whispered, immediately feeling like an idiot for thanking a device as she turned left where a footbridge appeared behind the foggy wall.
"You're welcome."
The voice's quick answer made her freeze in the middle of the bridge: this was definitely not an automatic device. Taking a deep breath, Rey focused on the game, recalling why she'd accepted to play this game as she scanned the area before her. She was way too far from her comfort zone, even more with a stranger's voice in her ear. However, this stranger seemed to be her ally; a fact that encouraged her to speak again.
"What should I do, now?"
The answer was quick to come.
"Shoot them, then go hide in the corners. Aim for the shoulders."
"Alright, thanks Voice."
Much to her surprise, the game appeared to be a rather enjoyable one. Finn and Poe kept chasing each other in the maze giggling like children while she hid behind the thin walls, shooting them and heading towards a new hiding spot instructed by the voice in her ear.
"Is that cheating?" she asked as she shot Finn for what felt like the tenth time in the space of two minutes.
"Only if you get caught," he replied. It was a he, of that she was certain: his deep voice had betrayed him from the very first minutes of the game.
Five minutes later, the lights turned back and they all came out of their hiding spots with childish smiles on their faces. Breathless, the trio headed back to the counter where the barman handed them their respective scores.
"I won!" Rey exclaimed as she took a look on Poe's paper.
"You did." His eyes kept looking incredulously back and forth between her paper and his. "You're not far from the highest score."
"Which gives you a free pass for next time," the barman stated without even glancing from his computer screen. "Do you want to use it now or later?"
A smirk appeared on the friends' lips as they looked at each other, disheveled but definitely keen on going back to the maze they'd just left.
"Welcome back, and congratulations on your last score."
Rey smiled as the voice greeted her, nearly relieved to notice it was the same that had guided her twenty minutes ago.
"Thanks! Maybe I won't need you, this time."
"We'll see."
Both of them were right: it appeared she was naturally skilled with a laser gun, but the voice was a great help when it came to finding her way through the maze. She nearly suspected him for starting one of the smoke canons when Finn had been chasing her, but hadn't dared ask. Five minutes before the game was over, Rey cast a glance at the score appearing on the small screen of her blaster.
"Hey Voice, what's the highest score, again?"
"6,536"
Rey risked a glance at her own score. 6,198. She wasn't far from it.
"I'm gonna beat it," she announced with a confidence she didn't suspect she had.
"I doubt it."
"We'll see," she replied with an irrepressible smile he would anyway not see from wherever he was.
She shot Poe in the shoulder and started running to one of her previous hideouts, when the same beeps announcing the end of the communication echoed in her ear.
"Voice?" she breathed as she threw herself on the nearest wall, not expecting to be left alone so soon, unwarned.
"6,236."
A few more shots would do, she thought as she stepped out of her hiding spot and headed towards the bridge. A rush of smoke erupted from a canon on her right, catching her by surprise while masking the path she was about to take.
"Seriously?!" she groaned as she nonetheless sunk into the hazy curtain. She'd never been a bad player, but winning something had literally brightened her day after her car's breakdown. Another small victory wouldn't be too much.
She'd nearly reached the bridge when a tall, dark figure emerged from the smoke, catching her off guard. Neither Poe nor Finn was that tall, she realized as the figure kept walking towards her, blaster pointed on her shoulders. A small beep followed by the lights of her jacket turning off indicated her she'd been shot, but she couldn't help stare at the figure still walking towards her.
"Voice?" she asked again, tapping on her earpiece in hopes for it to help her as she walked backwards, vainly firing at the dark figure who idly avoided her shots. "I take back what I said; I might need your help on this one."
Her back hit a wall, stopping her movements as the incessant beeps kept ringing in her ear. Now only inches from her, the tall figure leaned to reach her height. Her whole body froze as she felt the stranger's breath brushing the skin of her neck. Their jackets bumped into the other and a shiver ran through her spine.
"Game over," the voice whispered in her ear.
She felt something touching the front of her jacket and a new shot echoed, deactivating her lights once again. Breathless, Rey stood still as she watched the stranger disappear behind a wall she hadn't noticed until now. When her jacket reactivated, she remained motionless, letting Finn shoot her when he passed by, chased by a giggling Poe.
The beeps she'd grown accustomed to suddenly stopped, bringing her back to reality.
"How's that score going?" asked the voice in a detached tone.
She didn't reply, running a hand along her neck as she watched the maze relight under her stunned eyes.