Technical Error

Chapter Seven

Showers: You Take Too Many

You could hardly believe how things were running their course. Suspension meant that your privileges of having a droid of your own were temporarily revoked—thankfully TE-1346 was willing to take on Squeakers for the time being. You wrapped your blanket around yourself, sitting on your bed and glowering at the wall. You had cried a few times already despite only one and a half working cycles had transpired. Swore up a storm more than a handful of times, contemplated the benefits of making a Kylo Ren dart board and then ultimately decided it would be better for your mortality if you did not. You spent the majority of your time, when you were not sulking, reading through various manuals. All in all, you were bored.

Andel had dropped by to visit you on the third day. She lingered in the doorway for several minutes before you at last waved her in. You had contemplated sending her away for the sole purpose of not wanting a prolonged visit to risk her job as it had Tom's. You hoped people would not start up a rumor that you and Andel were fooling around as well.

"Sorry I didn't respond to the messages," the other technician said as she took a seat on a chair that one of your roommates had insisted on having in the room. It was serving its purpose, and so you found yourself regretting those handful of times you had thought it to be a waste of space. "I've been fighting off being transferred to a different vessel. I like it here." You nodded, wishing you could say the same; up until that run-in with Kylo Ren in the men's refresher, you would have been able to. "I've secured another half year at least."

"I'm glad," you said, and you meant it. It was refreshing to know that there was at least one person you could speak to candidly like this. One person, that is, who was not above you in rank to where Kylo Ren would again reprimand you having any sort of contact with them. The two of you spent the day together until she had no choice but to leave. She had work the next day, whereas you... You had nothing to do.

Thus, on the fourth day of your suspension, you were taking your third shower of the day. There was not much else to do, and you spent only a part of the time actually under the spray. You mostly sat cross-legged on the floor, allowing the warm water to hit the edge of your legs. The steam filled the room, helping you to relax. You ducked into the spray once more, standing and allowing the warmth to spread further through your body. You reached over, shutting off the water and remaining there, your body dripping for a few seconds.

You reached a hand outside, past the curtain, and pulled your towel inside after having wrung out your hair. You wrapped yourself up, moved aside the curtain and stepped out. Then froze up completely, a loud yelp escaping you. Dark robes greeted you. Kylo Ren was not wearing his helmet, which further threw you off. He was leaning against the wall on the opposite side, his legs outstretched so that he was at a bit of an angle. You took him in, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the next.

"S-sir," you stuttered out, clutching your towel all the more tightly. His brown eyes traveled along your body.

"Technician." Emotionless, matter-of-fact. As though he wasn't standing there in the women's refresher with you covered by nothing more than a towel. "You're abusing your suspension. It is not a time in which you should be...indulging yourself." Your mind shot back to when he and Captain Phasma had been in an argument over the showerhead. You cleared your throat, a protest on the tip of your tongue. "You weren't," he stated calmly. He was outright smirking at you, dipping his chin and staring at you through the amusement shining in his eyes.

You lowered your gaze to the floor. "Sir, I..." You had no excuse for your actions. You thought on some of your conversations with Andel. Remain level-headed.

You could see his boot press firmly against the ground as he pushed himself off the wall. Kylo Ren stepped closer to you, and you felt your muscles tensing. As though they were ready for you to spring, or else were about to give out on you. There was always something so predatory about the way he walked. As though he would lunge in for an attack at any given moment. It made perfect sense, given who he was. He stood so close to you that you could feel his breath puffing over your wet hair.