Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 25

The repairs on the cruiser had been going on for over a day now as the new parts were distributed and fitted.

Rose was leaning over the side of a waist high manifold in the engine power regulator when Finn came in.

"I don't have time to talk," she muttered not even looking up from her work, "We just barely got the short-range communications system operational again and there's still a very long list of things to do."

Finn came beside her and placed a full cup on the edge of the frame.

She pulled her head out, saw it and drank eagerly.

"Thanks," she said, "I don't remember the last time I had anything."

"I thought that might be the case," Finn said, "Has everyone else had a break?"

She selected a tool and positioned a circuit board inside the manifold, "It doesn't work like that Finn."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Everyone but her," Maz said as she passed them.

Rose gave her a stern look.

"I am well known for my honesty, child," Maz said as she turned and flashed a smile before disappearing behind the hyperdrive.

Shaking her head, Rose looked back at the circuit board which refused to sit snugly, shifting and making it almost impossible to secure.

"Damn it," she mumbled.

"What's wrong?" Finn asked.

"Well I have you and Maz distracting me and this stupid circuit board doesn't fit."

"Is it upside down?"

Rose screwed her tired eyes shut and looked at it as carefully as she could. Flashing Finn a quick glance she turned the circuit the other way and it slotted in perfectly.

She shook her head, "Since when did you become an engineer?"

"Since I got a few hours of sleep on the Falcon and you've gone over a day without sitting."

Taking a slow breath in, she straightened her back and stared ahead.

"You need to rest," Finn said, "I'm sure someone can keep an eye on everything for the next couple of hours."

She was struggling to stand as fatigue nearly got the better of her, "One hour."

"One hour," Finn agreed, starting to lead her away.

"You need to tell them that the thermal cells have to go in after the circuit boards or the feedback will take both out."

"Thermal cells second, I got it," he reassured as he walked her down the corridor towards the living quarters.

"And for the disrupter...one of them needs to start making a framework now that we have the dimensions for the parts. Something that will fit in front of the drive system array."

He opened the door to their room and sat her on the bed. Sliding off her boots, he gently took her ankles and turned her entire body so that she was lying down.

"Did you get that?" she yawned.

"Make a framework for the disrupter that can go in front of the drive system array."

She nodded, "Only an hour."

"Only an hour," he said smiling softly, brushing her hair from her face and kissing her forehead.

Gently, he closed the door behind him and approached the soldier marshalling this section.

"Everything ok with the children?" he asked.