Flyboy - Poe Dameron

Prologue - Just a Bunch of Gossip

Chess sat with Paige, Lieutenant Connix, and Tallie. Paige's younger sister, Rose, the shyer one of the group, sat off to the side.

"Can we talk about something other than the war?" Chess had requested. The others gladly agreed.

"Hey Chess, I heard that the new guy likes you," stated Connix. Chess shot her friend a look. "What? You wanted a topic other than war, so I gave you one."

"Which new guy?" clarified Paige.

"Poe Dameron."

"Oooo! The new pilot! He's cute," grinned Tallie, a pilot herself. "I could help you with that!"

"It's just a bunch of gossip." Chess rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. And blushing, her friends were quick to notice.

"Well I heard it."

"So did I."

"Me too! And General Organa even thinks so," added Connix. "She seems to have a soft spot for Poe."

"I heard it too! From lots of people." The others turned to Rose, who had suddenly piped up. She blushed. "What? Sound travels well through the pipes, I've learned." This made the others laugh.

"Okay, yes, I admit, Dameron is very charming. And handsome. And sweet-"

"And not to mention he has that adorable droid," reminded Tallie. "What's his name again?"

"BB-8. But he's also cocky and reckless, or can be."

"Who, the droid?" joked Paige.

"No silly! Poe!"

Paige just winked. "What is it you call him?"

Chess smirked. "'Flyboy'."

"How did you two meet again?"

"Oh yeah, tell us!" urged Tallie. "It's a good story."

Chess rolled her eyes again, but obliged and launched into the story for her friends.

She had been wandering around the base a few days after the new pilot's arrival. She hadn't known his little droid was rolling down the hall and had unknowingly stepped out in his path - only to moments later be knocked from her feet, her legs literally knocked out from beneath her. She had fallen hard to the ground in the middle of the hall with a surprised cry.

BB-8 had, of course, been mortified, and had rolled right back over to her and had begun beeping apologetically, spinning around her checking to make sure she was alright.

"BB-8? Where are you, buddy?" Poe had then come around the corner moments later in search of the droid. "There you are! Hey, what happened?" He came over just as Chess was getting back to her feet. BB-8 beeped in response. "You tripped her?"

"It was an accident," Chess explained. "I'm fine, little guy, really."

The little droid gave a beep that sounded a lot like a relieved sigh, making her chuckle.

"Hey, sorry about that," the man chuckled, slightly awkwardly.

"No problem, really."

He then pointed at her as if in recognition. "Did I hear that you're the General's daughter?"

"Yes, you heard correctly."

"Ah, so the great daughter of General Leia Organa and Han Solo, and my droid runs her over."

She chuckled. "Well I don't know about 'great' but I am their daughter, adopted daughter. I'm Chess."

He swept a curl of dark hair out of his eyes before firmly shaking her extended hand. "A pleasure, Chess. Poe Dameron, pilot extraordinaire."

She chuckled at his cockiness. He was obviously flirting. "Okay, Flyboy."

"Hey, 'Flyboy', I like it!" He winked. "So Chess, what do you do around here?"

She gave a little shrug. "A mix of things. Whatever needs to be done - computer maintenance, machine repairs, mapping, medical help..."

"Very nice, a woman of many talents I can tell." He winked again.

Yup, definitely flirting. Normally, Chess would be weary of this, careful, but here she felt he was being genuine. "I've never thought about it that way before."

"Well now you have! Tell me, Chess, do you like ships?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well I guess with the famous Han Solo as a father you'd have to! Maybe once I'm all settled I can show you my X-Wing - she's a real beauty."

"Sure, I'd like that."

"So you already have a date with him?" Connix grinned when Via finished with her story.

"It's not a date-"

"He wants to show you his prized ship! Do you know how proud of it he is?" said Tallie. "Has he asked you yet?"

"Not yet, he hasn't mentioned it again. He probably forgot."

"Yeah right! He wouldn't just forget!"

"He's been busy settling in."

"You should go remind him," said Paige.

"Why?"

"Well you want to, don't you."

"Yeah, but..."

"Oh come on, Chess. This is exciting! We don't get excitement like this very much - take it!"

She saw their point - the only real excitement they got was not the good sort: First Order attacks, captures, that sort. Not really exciting at all.

So she took the chance.

"What's your dad going to say about you dating a pilot?" Poe asked following their first kiss a few months later.

She chuckled. "I don't think he'll be too happy about me dating anyone, but the pilot thing will definitely help, or at least so I hope."

"Well, at least we have your mother's approval."

"Yes, at least we have that. See you later - Flyboy."

(Whew, that chapter took me a lot longer than I hoped, but there we go! :) I hope you enjoyed so far, thank you so much for reading - let me know what you think so far! Thanks!)