Author's Unworthy Praise For All Of You: Guys, seriously. You're all way too good to me. I began writing this story as a way to pass the time and maybe entertain a few people with it. I never, EVER expected this kind of traction with it. You've been an amazing audience and I can only hope I keep you happy with each chapter... even if we're all miserable right now at the current affairs of our two main characters.
Speaking of which, we're going to be entering some sad stuff... so hang in there while we trek through it together, okay?
Reviews:
Guest: I try and get things up fairly quickly. Personally, I hate waiting on chapter updates so I try not to make you guys wait either!
Soulspeak: IM SO SORRY. I BROKE EVERYTHING
Clarinetgoddess62: I'm sorry for making you cry! And I'm sorry it's not going to get any better! Grab some tissues, we're gonna need them!
Alter Ego Bob: I have a thing for destroying everything wonderful before making things okay. I might be a sadist… idk. Either way, we have time/it won't be easy. I can promise you that. Thank you for reading!
Sapphist: Thank you so so so so much! I promise, we'll get through this rough patch together!
LoveFiction2017: Poor Ash indeed. As a reminder, this will be very different from The Last Jedi so no worries there.
Maylyn14: Thank you so much! I really appreciate hearing that!
Guest: Thank you so much!
Amberuzumaki67: No more waiting! Here's another chapter! It's gonna be interesting when she does find out, I promise you that!
LexxLuxor: I know I'm sorry! Forgive me!
Aggiefan15: I'm strong with the angst as of late! I'm sorry! Forgive me!
Austin and Ally Go 1 Direction: IKNOWIMSOSORRYPLEASEFORGIVEME
Echo-Wolf: Thank you so much! I'm so happy you're enjoying it and I hope you keep enjoying it!
Ravenclauses: Oh, it'll happen, trust me. There will be some serious girl talk over that Ben Solo.
Mad-Hatter-J: Go rest! Get some sleep! The story will be here when you wake up, I promise! Even with a new chapter! Thank you so much for your review!
Guys, really. You're awesome. I love you all so much and I can't wait until we're out of this mess! Let's get through it together!
Something inside Ashlyn, that had always been there, woke; a burning of passion, fire, anger… darkness. A hidden part of her that she didn't know existed, yet it did. In some facet, it lie dormant and waited for its opportunity to break free. As Ash entered her most vulnerable state; heartache and betrayal, the beast took hold and escaped.
It happened late one evening, a few days after the dust had settled. At first, Ash thought she was going to be sick. Her chest tightened; her body ached. Something was gnawing at her; clawing its way to the surface. It was darkness. The dark side of the Force, taking the opportunity in her weakened state to come forward and be the driving force in her existence.
Ash fought it, in any sense she could. Her body now covered in a cold sweat as the shadow overcame her; ripping any semblance of light from her being and taking over. Tears welled in her eyes as she gripped the bed sheets tighter; her knuckles turning white from the pressure. A part of her wanting to keep fighting; the only sense of reason in her to try and stay grey through all of this and not let the darkness win. That little voice was shrouded by shadow as his face came to mind. What was the point in fighting it anymore?
She gave in; letting the dark side take hold. It molded to her, shaped with her inner connection. Perhaps it was better this way and maybe letting go would prove necessary in her survival. Or rather, lack thereof.
Her body relaxed into the new-found darkness that she hadn't known existed within her. The light smothering out of existence. Ashlyn Novafall fell out of grey and into something much, much darker and no one could stop it. Not even the Force Sensitive on base who began to lose just a little bit of hope in bringing the light back to those who needed it. If Ashlyn couldn't find it; maybe there was no hope to begin with.
The next two weeks had gone by and Ashlyn had submerged so deeply into a depression that no one thought she'd ever come out of. In her anger and hatred came a sadness that plunged her deeper into the darkness; her head barely above the surface. She succumbed to it; welcomed it in her desperate state.
Everything hurt. Ash would end up in their shared dream space; however, she would continue to find it empty. He was trying his damnedest to shut her out. Little did she know it was for her own good. Ashlyn Novafall was a Force User that was left on the outside, with no understanding what was happening. Yet, she still felt him. She felt the Force he brought, even when he wasn't visible to her. That was something Kylo Ren needed to perfect, and he would.
She wasn't prepared for the worst feeling that came towards the end of the second week when she no longer could feel him. Their bond was breaking, like he promised it would. She cried even harder that night.
Ash began to loathe the Force then, even more so than she had ever done in the past. This time, her detest in the Force felt warranted. If she used it, she would find herself suffering more and more. It was an ugly reminder of him; an ugly reminder that her life was out of control. Yet, unbeknownst to Ashlyn, the more she fought it, the deeper she sank into troubled waters.
She refused any visitors, anyone that came into the room was met with uncertainty of an angry Ashlyn or a sobbing one. People were warned of the darkness that enveloped her living space. She was unpredictable. It showed in the days when Ashlyn would lose control and nearly take off the head of anyone who dared arrive at her door. Some days were better than others.
On better days, brave Resistance members would deliver her a tray of food twice a day, she could sense their fear. The fear of the unknown; would Ashlyn become like the only other Force User they had known? Would she become Kylo Ren?
When food was delivered, Ash ate only enough to keep herself alive and that was by Leia's request. For two weeks she simply stayed in her room alone. A part of her knowing that she had become dangerous and out of control. A part that maybe still harnessed the light; a part she swore would never come to surface again. It wasn't until the end of that second week, something had changed.
She almost expected the first tray of food to be awkwardly brought in by some Resistance member. She had been doing well that day, no outbursts or deep pulls to the darkness. Yet, when the door opened, instead, a familiar orange and white BB unit rolled in. The door closing behind him as he rolled into the room.
Ash had been lying on the floor, yet the moment the droid came in, she sat up; wiping her tear stained cheeks as she looked at him. "What is it?" Her voice harsh. She had seen this droid in her dreams before; she wasn't sure if that was comforting or anger inducing. Either way, the droid beeped. "What does it look like? Of course, I'm sad." Ash replied angrily as he beeped again. "Oh, you're just trying to be nice. That's helpful. Real helpful." She retorted.
The droid beeped and clicked furiously before calming down. Ash pursed her lips, unhappy at the response before she replied. "It's Ashlyn. I'm a mechanic-" she paused before rephrasing her answer. "I was a mechanic for the First Order. The best, in fact." The droid beeped frantically. "Calm down! I'm not dangerous or anything. Jeez." Even though that was a debatable response at the current moment. She didn't feel so violent or angry when the droid arrived. She looked at the BB unit before finally giving in to the temptation. "And who are you now?" He beeped proudly. "BB-8? Alright, BB-8, why are you here?" The BB unit beeped more. "Curiosity? You're here because you're curious?"
BB-8's beeps turned somewhat sadly again as Ashlyn listened to him. She sighed regretfully at his comment. "You heard me crying." She answered with some degree of annoyance as BB-8 beeps again. "Well thanks for your concern, but I don't need it. I'm fine staying here." He blipped, Ash rolled her eyes. "I'm fine!" She stated once more. BB-8's head drooped ever so slightly, causing Ashlyn to feel a little bad for yelling at the droid. "I'm sorry, okay?" She muttered. "I'm just not feeling quite myself anymore." She sighed. "Then again, did I ever?" She questioned it often as of late. Was any of it real? Were the last seven months really a lie? It sure as hell felt like it.
Ash was suffering from not just heartache, but abandonment. She trusted him. She trusted the Force… and now here she was. Sitting on the floor of the Resistance base with a little droid that was adamant about being overly curious and in her business. Granted, she'd rather the droid over an actual person. At least hurting the droid if she were to have an outburst would have less of a consequence.
He was a funny little droid; this BB unit. He had personality and spirit. Something guided him to Ashlyn, and even though he was but a droid, the Force wasn't exactly too picky on its subjects. BB-8 unknowingly would play an important role for not just Ashlyn, but for the entire Resistance operation. For now, he was the comfort and interaction Ash needed, and for the next week, he continued to visit her randomly throughout the day.
The droid was the unadmitted highlight of her day; that one glimmer of hope and happiness Ashlyn found in her existence lately. He even began to bring her little gadgets for her to play with and fix while he kept her company for a short while. It worked in distracting her. For that brief time, she'd forget about Kylo Ren, the Force, and everything else and do the one thing that always kept her distracted; work. Even if the work was silly things the droid brought her.
It had taken three days for the cleanup crew to undo the damage he left in his wake and Kylo Ren felt nothing after he mutilated Taka. He wasn't sure what he had expected. It wouldn't bring Ashlyn back. She was gone and with her the only piece of light that Kylo Ren had held on to. It killed him just as much to let her go, to break her heart and leave her stranded. Yet, he knew he had to. He had to keep her safe by any means necessary with maybe that small shroud of hope that everything would work itself out.
Phasma had finally returned to the base and was immediately intercepted by Hux. She had wanted her first day back on base to be a peaceful one without much fanfare. That immediately changed when she saw Hux's demeanor. He unwillingly had to catch Phasma up to speed at the ongoings of StarKiller and the overhaul.
The two sat in his office, Phasma had a look of disbelief on her face as neither one spoke. Hux held his head in his hands; his hands gripping his slicked back ginger hair as he inhaled sharply.
"So, what does this mean?" Phasma asked. "What happens now?"
Hux shrugged, sitting upright and smoothing his hair back in place. "It means we have a ticking time bomb on our hands. It means that Kylo Ren is even more unpredictable. It means-" He was getting himself worked up. With a sigh, his shoulders slumped. "It means, you and I have more work to do."
Phasma didn't care if it made her look week, she was truly concerned over a lot of things. One of those things being Kylo Ren. "How is he?"
"Exactly how we predicted he would be." Hux admitted. "Miserable, at best."
Phasma nodded. "And Ashlyn? Do we know where she is?" Hux merely shook his head. "Do you think someday she'll come back?"
Hux frowned, not in anger or annoyance, but in more thought than anything. "Do we really want her to?" He asked. "She's safe. She's safe and far away from this chaos. Should we bring her back into all this?"
"You know he won't let her go." Phasma said, somewhat hopeful and fearful. "If he wins this-" She rephrased her sentence. "When he wins this. He'll just drag her back in."
"Our Commander is selfish." Hux agreed. "Whatever may come, I fear we are going to stray from the original course and that Kylo Ren will lose sight of it all by the end."
"Don't say that, Armitage." She rarely used his first name. Yet, in that moment, they were both feeling the loss. Not just of Ashlyn, but the impending doom that loomed over them. Kylo Ren could not be reined in when allowed to rampage without something to hold him back. Ashlyn was that something. Now, without her? What was to become of their Commander and more importantly, what was to become of them?
BB-8 had a brilliant idea one day; he knew how to get his new friend up an about. He entered Ashlyn's room and began beeping as though his life depended on it. Ash stared at him curiously, trying to get all the information in. "You need my help?" He beeped in confirmation, he wanted her to leave the safety of her room. "I really don't think so." He blipped dejectedly. Ash groaned in reply. "Fine, take me to the ship." BB-8 chirped in excitement as he began to roll to the door. Ash stood from her spot, stretching her legs in what felt like forever. She figured she owed him this one favor seeing how he kept her company.
She grabbed her work belt and wrapped it around her waist, pausing for a moment before ultimately deciding to not bring her lightsaber with her. She was leaving that part behind her for now as she reluctantly left her room and followed after BB-8.
Ash followed BB-8 outside where the ships were stationed, she never knew she could hate sunshine and warmth so much. She also never thought she'd miss the freezing cold of StarKiller. Granted, most of that was missing him. She hated that thought, it brought up a feeling of nausea and anger when she thought of it.
As she walked, she heard grumbling by one of the X-wings. "Come on…" The frustrated voice said, followed by the excited beeps of the droid next to her. The two made their way over to the ship and the clearly frustrated man working on it. That man was Poe, she realized as he came around to the front of the ship and looking up at it in somewhat frustration. The ship had smoke coming from the front end, in a certain area of the engine Ash could immediately recognize.
"It's the internal stabilization track." She said in passing. "It's overheating your engine."
Poe looked over at her, his face changing from annoyance, to shock that Ashlyn was up and about, back to that slight annoyance. "And you know this how?" Then BB-8 began beeping loudly. "Pal, I can fix it myself, alright?" He argued with the droid.
"I'm a mechanic." Ash chided dryly, ignoring his ignorance. "Fixing things is what I do."
Poe took a moment as his lips slowly curled up to a grin before looking down at BB-8 then to the ship. "Alright, First Order." He approved, moving out of the way and holding out the wrench he was using. "Show me what you got."
Ash frowned; he was so easily willing to trust her with his ship. It seemed odd. She peeked into his mind; checking for any ulterior motive and coming up disappointedly empty handed. "You can't be serious."
"My buddy here says you're really good. I'm inclined to believe him." Poe nodded to the BB unit. "But you break my girl; I break you. Got it?" He was only half joking.
Ash rolled her eyes before walking over to Poe and the X-Wing. She took the wrench from his hand and examined the engine. She hadn't worked on one of these in a while, but she knew she could fix it. So, she began to do the one thing she knew how to do, and worked.
"So, a mechanic, huh?" Poe mused, watching Ash as she worked. Ash hummed in acknowledgement as she continued to work. "What made you choose to work for the First Order?"
"I didn't choose anything." Ash claimed, pulling at a panel that lead to a small motherboard. "I'm freelance."
"But you still chose to work with them?" He asked again as he folded his arms over his chest.
Ash glared. "Listen, Pal. If you want me to fix your ship-"
Poe laughed. "Relax, I'm kidding." Ash rolled her eyes and returned to her work. "Where did you learn your trade?"
"I'm a Force User from the First Order and all you care about is the credibility of my mechanic trade?" Ash asked, her tone sarcastic but light.
"I don't really care for all that Force nonsense." Poe answered honestly. "I'm interested in how you learned to fix things."
That was a first in a long time. "I was taught young, my early teen years." Ash explained, unsure why she was telling him all this anyway. "I worked for Laynor Gal-Far in a very reputable shop on Lothal."
Poe nodded in recognition. "I know of it." Ash looked at him, giving him a yeah right look. "No, seriously, I do!" He laughed. "It's a pretty well-known place to get a lot of parts you can't find outside the black market. I prefer to stay out of that scene."
"Such a noble hero, are we?" Ash said, smirking.
"Ah, see? She has humor!" Poe exclaimed joyously. "We're getting somewhere." Ash tried to focus again on the ship as Poe continued. "It's hard to find parts for this thing, Laynor was really good at getting them in the most reputable way possible without angering any crime lords."
Ash hummed. "You're piloting a T-70. These things are as rare as they come, but I do remember getting in parts for something like this. Where did you get it from?" She asked. "Steal it from some traders?"
He grinned. "Negative, First Order." Poe explained. "I fly under the callsign of Black Leader, The Republic thought I needed something just a little more powerful for my piloting skills."
Ash smirked. "Best pilot in the galaxy or something?" She was egging him on.
He didn't take the bait. "So they say."
"Why a pilot?" Ash asked with genuine curiosity she couldn't tame. Damn that Poe Dameron, he was too easy to talk to. "Don't Commander's typically hide behind the ranks and give orders?"
Poe smiled thoughtfully. "My mother was a pilot. She was a lieutenant in the Alliance to Restore the Republic after the Empire fell."
"Well, that's exciting." Ash mused dryly, trying not to give him any credit. "You must make her proud."
Poe was quiet for a moment. "I wouldn't know. She died when I was eight."
Ash bit her lip, not taking her eyes from the ship. "I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's a very common thing during war." Poe explained. "It changes people for better or worse. I'm choosing to make the best of it."
Ash could understand that, perhaps better than anyone. Her family was killed due to the remains of war. It had changed the way she saw things and handled things. Poe Dameron was just another child affected from the end of the galactic war. Now, here he was fighting in another one. Did it make a difference in the end? History just seemed to repeat itself over and over again.
Ash tightened a few loose couplings in the internal stabilization track; the moment she finished, the smoke began to stop almost immediately. "Hey, looks like you do know what you're doing, First Order." Poe grinned. "Thanks for your help."
Ash looked to the orange and white droid; ignoring the praise from Poe. "I did what you asked, can I go now?"
BB-8 beeped and buzzed a few times, receiving a look from Poe. Ash began to nervously shut down at the suggestion, Poe quickly tried to amend that. "I think that's a great idea." He said looking to Ashlyn. "Why not join us in the mess hall; take a break from moping around and eat a hot meal for once." He couldn't have known that the meals brought to her were cold by the time she eventually got to them, right?
"I don't think so." She said, brushing stray red locks behind her ears. "I'm the enemy remember?"
"What happened to being freelance?" Poe asked teasingly. "C'mon, I don't know how else to thank you for fixing my ship." She hesitated again. "I promise it'll be painless."
Her reluctance showed on her face, she had no plans to hide it. She was already out and about doing more than she had planned all thanks to BB-8. In doing so, she was a hazard to those around her. It would be better for her to sink back into oblivion and hide. Ash wouldn't be so easy to convince and she made that clear as she sighed. "Another time."
It wasn't a 'yes', but it also wasn't a 'never in a million years' in Poe Dameron's eyes. "I'll take you up on that, First Order." Ash waved him off before turning and heading back to where she had come from. It was then Poe Dameron decided he was going to get Ashlyn Novafall to open up and come back to the living world.
Grim and the twins sat in Sid's office; uncertainty filling the room as Grim finally spoke. "We're going to be joining forces with some of the crew on the Finalizer." Grim was now in charge, against all reasoning. He was technically next in line after Taka…. And Taka? Well, he had been brutally murdered. While the remaining group didn't really know the entire story, Grim had had a feeling buried deep within his gut that Taka had done something to provoke the disappearance of Ashlyn.
The twins didn't argue against that little belief either. Now, it was just the three of them, fixing any power outages or rebooting systems when needed. StarKiller was finished; yet there had been no word on any testing as far as they knew. Something was up, Grim understood that when the lack of fanfare from the higher ups over his new promotion happened. Grim also knew it was better to not get involved; he'd end up like Taka or worse. If there could even be a worse.
He saw what Kylo Ren had done to him. After the man in the mask stormed out of Taka's room, Grim snuck in to see. Taka had been mutilated; torn apart limb from limb. He had lightsaber burns all over his body; the room was a mess. There were signs of struggle, of Taka trying to get away. He had done nothing to help. That inkling in the back of his mind that Taka had deserved what was coming to him.
Now, Grim had to pick up the pieces left in the wake of Ashlyn's absence and the death of Taka. He could only hope that when the arrival of the new recruits from the Finalizer arrived, he could keep the band together without much of an issue. That was easier said than done on StarKiller as of late.
Ash had expected the orange and white droid to enter her living quarters, but not accompanied by Poe Dameron. When the door slid open to reveal the excited droid and the somewhat-nervous-to-be-overstepping-his-boundaries Poe, Ash froze. "I could use your help."
Her arms folded across her chest. "With?"
"You're a mechanic, right? Mechanical stuff." Poe joked, looking passed Ash to see the mess her room was in. The lightsaber burn marks in most of the walls and furniture. "Yikes, everything okay in here?"
Ash frowned. "Are you here to make fun of my room too?"
Poe raised his hands defensively. "I promise it's all good intentions. One of our communication systems is on the fritz. I figured, if you weren't busy…"
She quirked a brow before looking down at BB-8. "You put him up to this, didn't you?" BB-8 blipped in denial. The temptation to work and keep busy was all the more prominent for Ashlyn lately. It was her only escape from overthinking things. Also, she was hopeful that this would maybe make Poe go away finally. "Alright, take me to it."
Poe beamed in victory. "You're the best, First Order."
Ash scoffed. "You know I have a name, right?"
"Ashlyn, right?" He wasn't dumb, he knew that. She knew he knew that.
With a huff, she grabbed her belt. "Just call me Ash." It was progress in Poe's mind as he lead Ash to the main communications room.
Ash hadn't worn her First Order jumper since her arrival on the Resistance base. It was an ugly reminder of what once was, which was fine. She didn't want the stares from the Resistance members anyway. Instead, she had her basic blank top with a faded, brown utility jumper with her black combat boots. If it weren't for the fiery red hair and new-found temper, she'd blend in with the background.
The communications room was busy with all different forms of life engaging in their own conversations. That was something she found interesting; the First Order never had different species on their side, only humans. Then again, humans were monsters. It made sense and Ashlyn was bitter.
Her eyes happened to lock on the only person in the room who seemed to notice her arrival with Poe. The General. Leia offered a warm smile as she walked over to them, much to her dismay. "I'm happy to see you out and about, Ashlyn." She was sincere, Ash could sense as much. She held no contempt for the girl; regardless of how unpredictable and unstable she was as of late.
"Poe said you needed my help with something." Ash admitted.
Leia gave Poe a quick look, unsure of what Ash had been talking about. "The third hub communicator is down, I know Ashlyn is really good at fixing things. She helped with my X-wing yesterday. Thought she could help now." Poe explained.
"We could always use more help." Leia insisted. To be honest, she was just happy Ashlyn was alive and out of her room. Surely, her son would have been pleased to know that. Her smile never faltered as she said once more. "It really is good to see you up and moving around." Leia sensed the light in the girl, she knew the importance of her. She also knew that Ashlyn was the key in perhaps bringing her son home. Maybe not now, but someday. She wasn't just any source of light, but his light. That meant more to Leia than Ash could ever understand and she wanted nothing more than to help the girl in finding her place in all of this.
Poe noticed the girl beginning to hesitate slightly; he took action. "Hey, let's go fix that hub, shall we?"
Leia nodded. "Yes, please. Don't let me stop you."
"Thank you, General." Poe smiled nervously as he directed Ashlyn to the third hub station, hoping she wouldn't freak out and book it for the nearest exit. To his surprise and relief, she didn't. "Alright, here it is."
Ash looked at it skeptically, while it was off, there was no obvious answer as to why it wasn't working. Cautiously, she walked over to the hub and after pressing a few buttons, a hologram popped up containing a map. However, the map was warped and upside down. Something was messed up in the wiring.
"Can you fix it?" Poe asked.
"Piece of cake." She insisted as she tied her red hair back in a ponytail and immediately got to work. Ash lowered herself under the console and began removing the three panels that made up the wireframe. She began to pull out a few wires that Poe was certain would blow up the base at first. To his relief, it obviously didn't.
After about ten minutes in, Poe was leaning over the main hub, looking down through the center as Ashlyn worked; he was mesmerized by her discipline. "You really learned all this working beside Laynor?" Poe asked incredulously.
"I had a knack for it." Ash explained as she loosened a few screws. "It kept me busy and I liked it." She then exhaled sharply. "The Force also apparently helps, or so I'm told."
"That voodoo magic stuff helps?" Poe asked.
Ash couldn't help but smirk at the comment. "Do you know anything about the Force?" Ash asked. "Isn't the General sensitive or something?"
"She is." Poe grinned at her insinuating tone. "She says you do a little more than just feel the Force around you. You can actually do stuff."
"Now you're interested in my Force abilities?" Ash scoffed.
"I'm just curious." Poe explained. "You have something a little extra than what General Organa has."
Ash grunted as she ripped out another wiring panel. "Extra how?" She asked.
"For one, you have a lightsword."
"Lightsaber-"
"Whatever."
"That it?" Ash asked in annoyance.
Poe shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know." He chuckled at the ridiculous conversation now. "What can you do?"
He was investigating her as politely as possible. Granted, it was sheer curiosity. Yet, he also wanted to know if Ash was a ticking time bomb ready to explode. She wasn't. At least, they both hoped that.
With an exasperated sigh, she reluctantly focused on the panel, moving it with only the Force. Poe's eyes lit up in shock and awe. "Well, that's definitely different."
"I'm not here for your entertainment and to perform parlor tricks." Ash snapped.
"I didn't say you were, First Order." Poe agreed with a wink. BB-8 beeps. "What? I'm not bothering her!"
Ash grinned. "He's right you know, you are bothering me."
Poe frowned. "Good to know you've taken sides, buddy." BB-8 chirped. "She's nicer than me? Really?" He said incredulously, causing Ashlyn to unwillingly laugh at the argument. Poe smiled then. "She can laugh too."
Ash rolled her eyes, of course she could laugh. It wasn't like she lacked feelings. Okay, perhaps lately, it seems that way. She finished up the wiring, reworking the inner system to hopefully fix the problem. "Make yourself useful, hero; turn it on."
Poe's brow quirked ever so slightly at his new nickname. "Hero?"
"If I'm the First Order and you see me to be the evil in this galaxy, then I guess that makes you the hero. Doesn't it?" Ash quipped as Poe chuckled in reply. He followed her instructions, turning the unit on. The hologram appeared once more, this time in working order. "How's it looking?"
"Perfect." Poe exaggerated playfully. "It's running better than before."
Ash groaned at his comment, ceiling the panels once more and crawling out from under the hub. She brushed off her pants; removing any dirt before looking at Poe. "That it?"
"I'm sure I can find more work for you." Poe said.
"Aren't you the Commander?" Ash asked skeptically. "Isn't there someone else you can boss around to tell me what to do?"
He beamed. "I like being direct when asking for help." Ash tried to hide her smile as best as possible. Poe Dameron was annoying, but by the stars, he was quite charming. "Want to grab something at the mess hall tonight?"
The sinking feeling came back as Ash denied him once more. "Not today." She stated bluntly before heading for the door; only to hear the quick conversation between Poe and BB-8.
"Don't worry, buddy. She can't say 'no' forever." But she'd try.
Final Thought: See? It wasn't all awful? Maybe Ash can pull through with the help of our pilot friend and his little droid? Maybe? Idk, let's see how dark we can get. Remember to review and see you next time!