Every Once in a While
1.
I walked briskly, a little concerned, also a bit nervous. It isn't every day that the General calls you into the commanding quarters. I was starting to think I had done something wrong, maybe I hadn't done my job efficiently. Was she calling me because I wasn't good enough to work at med bay? I shook my head a little, as if that would get rid of all my negative thoughts. I rubbed my sweaty palms on the front of my shirt, I needed to take a deep breath and calm my nerves.
The base was a little hectic at times, the med bay was much calmer than the main part of the base. It was understandable, though. There was always a wave of amusement that washed over me as I passed the x-wings. They were fascinating, big and compelling. Excitement always turned into apprehension. Every time a ship left our base there was a huge chance that it wouldn't make its way back. I wasn't necessarily close to any of the pilots or droids, but losing anyone that you could consider a peer was definitely discouraging.
The inside of the commanding quarters might just be as hectic as it was outside on the platforms. You had Admirals, Commanders, and of course, The General. I would be lying if I said I wasn't feeling uneasy inside. Thanks to my nerves, I was sure everyone was looking at me. I kept my head up, scanning the large room for General Organa. I spotted her, whispering to Admiral Ackbar. The droid, C-3PO, standing close by, nodding every once in a while. Should I go over and interrupt or shall I stand around and look like a fish out of water. I dawdled over, hoping one of them would notice and address why I was here. General Organa spotted me, smiling softly, the other two scattered away.
"Isla." She nodded her head once as a greeting.
I smiled, not feeling any less restless. "General, Hi." I couldn't get anymore words out. By the looks of it, I was sure the General knew I was nervous.
"Thank you for coming over, " She had a hand on my upper arm, steering me away from the room, we walked into a small corner, stopping in front of a door, "I wanted to ask a small favor." A favor, oh. Favors weren't bad. I was feeling fidgety for no reason at all.
"Now, I've got a stubborn pilot on my hands. My best pilot," She sighed a little, " He's been sick for a few days, won't go over to the med bay. I need to know that he's alright, if he's good enough to fly."
I only nodded, listening intently. It wasn't very quiet in the resistance base.
"Like I said, he's stubborn. He won't go to the med bay so I decided to bring the med bay to him." She had a sly smile on her lips. I wanted to protest, only because I wasn't an actual doctor. The droids were the doctors. I was just a nurse. I didn't know how sick this pilot was, what was I supposed to do if I didn't know what was wrong with him? So much for thinking my nerves had finally calmed.
"General, I- The droids-"
"I'm not asking you to perform surgery, Isla." She patted my arm, "Our medical droids are busy, you're the closest thing I have to a doctor right now." I nodded, feeling a little foolish for even trying to get out of it.
"Right," I gave her my best confident smile, "Where is this stubborn pilot?"
"Right in here," She tilted her head in the direction of the door next to us, she pushed it open quickly, making her way inside. I followed in leisurely.
"Poe. I don't want to hear one word out of you, got it?" She spoke sternly. The General was only slightly shorter than I was. I couldn't see who she was talking to, I stood up straight trying to see over her head. The General turned quickly, surprising me. I took a couple steps back, she walked past me.
"I'll leave you to it. If it's serious I'd like to know before you whisk him off to the med bay, alright?" I nodded quickly.
"Understood." She was already on the other side of the door, she looked past me sternly. I turned away from the door, looking over at the pilot. He was sitting at a table with a couple other people. Also pilots, all of them staring at me curiously. Should I say something? Before I could argue with myself on what to do, a man stood up.
"I guess you were sent to check me out." He walked closer over to me. He was right, I was here to check and see if he was alright. But I might have also been checking him out. He was taller than me, but not as tall as most guys. He had dark, curly hair, it was a bit messy but it was working for him.
Don't stare at him, Isla. Don't make this weird.
"Y-yeah." I cleared my throat. "So, what is it that's-"
"I'm Poe." He stuck his hand out, holding it in front of me, "Poe Dameron." I glanced down at his hand for a second before bringing my gaze back to his face.
"I'm Isla," My hand reaching up to shake his, "Isla Malek." I could have been imagining things, but it felt as if he held my hand in his for longer than most do when they shake hands. I gently dropped my hand, glancing behind him and at the table. I could still feel eyes on me.
"Nice name. It's good to meet you." I looked back up at him, his brown eyes gleaming.
"Likewise." I nodded, "So? The General tells me you haven't been feeling well." I wanted to do this as quickly as possible. Everything about this was uncomfortable for me.
"I'm fine, "He waved his hand, motioning towards himself, " Got a fever, that's about it." I instinctively reached over to rest the back of my hand against his forehead. He was definitely feeling hot.
"You are hot." I blurted. He chuckled softly, I dropped my hand. Realizing what I had said, I took a small step back.
"Because of the fever, you know." I added quickly. His chuckling came to a stop, leaving a small smile on his face.
"Of course." Poe replied softly.
"He's got a cut." Someone grumbled from the table, I peeked past Poe. A girl was looking dead at me, a look of annoyance etched across her young face. Poe caught my attention once more, he let a low sigh. I focused my attention back on the pilot in front of me. He unzipped the top of his orange jumpsuit, revealing his neck. There indeed was a cut, and it was deep.
"It's infected." I stated, I didn't have to look at it long to know that. The skin around the wound was red and it was starting to swell. I took a step closer, reaching over to gently touch the skin around the wound. It was puffy, definitely needed a good cleaning. I reached down to grab his wrist, resting two fingers on the inside of his wrist.
"Your heart beat is a little high. You have to come back with me." I looked up at him, expecting to see a look of annoyance at the fact that he had to come down to the med bay. He was staring at me down at me, he looked intrigued?
"Whatever you say."
With that, I let go of his wrist, "Alright, let's go."
"Have fun." The same girl who mentioned the cut said as we walked towards the door. Poe walked ahead of me, holding the door open for me.
"Oh, I will." He called back as I walked past him. I turned around, ready to tell him that I had to find the General before we left. He was closer than I assumed, I bumped straight into his chest. Like I said, he wasn't much taller, so my face ended up inches away from his.
"Oh," I stumbled, his hands were on my upper arms, steadying me, "I'm sorry. I didn't know-" I was flustered and it didn't help that he was still holding onto me. He was chuckling once more, he gave my arms a squeeze before letting go.
"Don't worry about it." Before I could say anything else, Poe was walking away, towards The General. He motioned over to me and she nodded, looking a little disappointed. Poe came back looking sheepish. I'm sure she wasn't too happy that he had ignored a wound especially now that it was infected.
The walk to the med bay was quiet, but it wasn't awkward. Mostly because, there was a few people who would come up and speak to Poe. There were hellos, praises, and even some hugs. I had seen Poe around and I knew that he was one of the best pilots the resistance had, but that as far as it went.
"You're pretty famous, huh?" I joked. Earning a hearty laugh out of the pilot.
"I just have a lot of friends." He winked. This time our walk wasn't interrupted by a person, but by a droid. Poe's droid. I personally thought, he was the cutest droid on the base. He was one of a kind.
"Buddy!" Poe exclaimed, I watched his face light up as he looked down at the white and orange droid. "Just a little cut-" The droid was beeped frantically, "I'm fine, my new buddy is gonna fix me." He motioned towards me. Buddy? Me? I felt a flutter in my stomach. What was going on? Why was this stranger having an affect on me? The droid turned his head towards me.
"This is Isla." Poe smiled. The droid beeped and rolled over to me.
"Hi." I waved.
"That's bb-8" Poe spoke, smiling so hard that it reached his eyes.
"Good to meet you, bb-8" I giggled. He beeped happily, and then turned back to Poe, his beeping tone changing.
"I'll get it fixed. I'll see you in a bit." Poe patted the droid on his head and walked towards me, jerking his head towards the med bay.
The med bay was quiet, as it always was. It wasn't busy, which was a relief to everyone. The droids were performing surgery on a pilot who's ship had been shot down, luckily his leg was the only body part that needed repairing. I lead Poe to an unoccupied room, telling him to take a seat.
"Can you unzip your suit, please?" I asked as I washed my hands and dried them off.
"It is unzipped." He replied, looking a little confused.
I sighed a little, "More than that. I don't anything to get on your suit, just in case I have to drain it." He complied, unzipping his suit quickly. He shrugged his shoulders, slipping his arms out. All I needed was for him to unzip, I didn't ask to see his muscular arms. I cleared my throat, hoping to clear the silly thoughts in my head.
Jesus, get it together, Isla
The base was a little hectic at times, the med bay was much calmer than the main part of the base. It was understandable, though. There was always a wave of amusement that washed over me as I passed the x-wings. They were fascinating, big and compelling. Excitement always turned into apprehension. Every time a ship left our base there was a huge chance that it wouldn't make its way back. I wasn't necessarily close to any of the pilots or droids, but losing anyone that you could consider a peer was definitely discouraging.
The inside of the commanding quarters might just be as hectic as it was outside on the platforms. You had Admirals, Commanders, and of course, The General. I would be lying if I said I wasn't feeling uneasy inside. Thanks to my nerves, I was sure everyone was looking at me. I kept my head up, scanning the large room for General Organa. I spotted her, whispering to Admiral Ackbar. The droid, C-3PO, standing close by, nodding every once in a while. Should I go over and interrupt or shall I stand around and look like a fish out of water. I dawdled over, hoping one of them would notice and address why I was here. General Organa spotted me, smiling softly, the other two scattered away.
"Isla." She nodded her head once as a greeting.
I smiled, not feeling any less restless. "General, Hi." I couldn't get anymore words out. By the looks of it, I was sure the General knew I was nervous.
"Thank you for coming over, " She had a hand on my upper arm, steering me away from the room, we walked into a small corner, stopping in front of a door, "I wanted to ask a small favor." A favor, oh. Favors weren't bad. I was feeling fidgety for no reason at all.
"Now, I've got a stubborn pilot on my hands. My best pilot," She sighed a little, " He's been sick for a few days, won't go over to the med bay. I need to know that he's alright, if he's good enough to fly."
I only nodded, listening intently. It wasn't very quiet in the resistance base.
"Like I said, he's stubborn. He won't go to the med bay so I decided to bring the med bay to him." She had a sly smile on her lips. I wanted to protest, only because I wasn't an actual doctor. The droids were the doctors. I was just a nurse. I didn't know how sick this pilot was, what was I supposed to do if I didn't know what was wrong with him? So much for thinking my nerves had finally calmed.
"General, I- The droids-"
"I'm not asking you to perform surgery, Isla." She patted my arm, "Our medical droids are busy, you're the closest thing I have to a doctor right now." I nodded, feeling a little foolish for even trying to get out of it.
"Right," I gave her my best confident smile, "Where is this stubborn pilot?"
"Right in here," She tilted her head in the direction of the door next to us, she pushed it open quickly, making her way inside. I followed in leisurely.
"Poe. I don't want to hear one word out of you, got it?" She spoke sternly. The General was only slightly shorter than I was. I couldn't see who she was talking to, I stood up straight trying to see over her head. The General turned quickly, surprising me. I took a couple steps back, she walked past me.
"I'll leave you to it. If it's serious I'd like to know before you whisk him off to the med bay, alright?" I nodded quickly.
"Understood." She was already on the other side of the door, she looked past me sternly. I turned away from the door, looking over at the pilot. He was sitting at a table with a couple other people. Also pilots, all of them staring at me curiously. Should I say something? Before I could argue with myself on what to do, a man stood up.
"I guess you were sent to check me out." He walked closer over to me. He was right, I was here to check and see if he was alright. But I might have also been checking him out. He was taller than me, but not as tall as most guys. He had dark, curly hair, it was a bit messy but it was working for him.
Don't stare at him, Isla. Don't make this weird.
"Y-yeah." I cleared my throat. "So, what is it that's-"
"I'm Poe." He stuck his hand out, holding it in front of me, "Poe Dameron." I glanced down at his hand for a second before bringing my gaze back to his face.
"I'm Isla," My hand reaching up to shake his, "Isla Malek." I could have been imagining things, but it felt as if he held my hand in his for longer than most do when they shake hands. I gently dropped my hand, glancing behind him and at the table. I could still feel eyes on me.
"Nice name. It's good to meet you." I looked back up at him, his brown eyes gleaming.
"Likewise." I nodded, "So? The General tells me you haven't been feeling well." I wanted to do this as quickly as possible. Everything about this was uncomfortable for me.
"I'm fine, "He waved his hand, motioning towards himself, " Got a fever, that's about it." I instinctively reached over to rest the back of my hand against his forehead. He was definitely feeling hot.
"You are hot." I blurted. He chuckled softly, I dropped my hand. Realizing what I had said, I took a small step back.
"Because of the fever, you know." I added quickly. His chuckling came to a stop, leaving a small smile on his face.
"Of course." Poe replied softly.
"He's got a cut." Someone grumbled from the table, I peeked past Poe. A girl was looking dead at me, a look of annoyance etched across her young face. Poe caught my attention once more, he let a low sigh. I focused my attention back on the pilot in front of me. He unzipped the top of his orange jumpsuit, revealing his neck. There indeed was a cut, and it was deep.
"It's infected." I stated, I didn't have to look at it long to know that. The skin around the wound was red and it was starting to swell. I took a step closer, reaching over to gently touch the skin around the wound. It was puffy, definitely needed a good cleaning. I reached down to grab his wrist, resting two fingers on the inside of his wrist.
"Your heart beat is a little high. You have to come back with me." I looked up at him, expecting to see a look of annoyance at the fact that he had to come down to the med bay. He was staring at me down at me, he looked intrigued?
"Whatever you say."
With that, I let go of his wrist, "Alright, let's go."
"Have fun." The same girl who mentioned the cut said as we walked towards the door. Poe walked ahead of me, holding the door open for me.
"Oh, I will." He called back as I walked past him. I turned around, ready to tell him that I had to find the General before we left. He was closer than I assumed, I bumped straight into his chest. Like I said, he wasn't much taller, so my face ended up inches away from his.
"Oh," I stumbled, his hands were on my upper arms, steadying me, "I'm sorry. I didn't know-" I was flustered and it didn't help that he was still holding onto me. He was chuckling once more, he gave my arms a squeeze before letting go.
"Don't worry about it." Before I could say anything else, Poe was walking away, towards The General. He motioned over to me and she nodded, looking a little disappointed. Poe came back looking sheepish. I'm sure she wasn't too happy that he had ignored a wound especially now that it was infected.
The walk to the med bay was quiet, but it wasn't awkward. Mostly because, there was a few people who would come up and speak to Poe. There were hellos, praises, and even some hugs. I had seen Poe around and I knew that he was one of the best pilots the resistance had, but that as far as it went.
"You're pretty famous, huh?" I joked. Earning a hearty laugh out of the pilot.
"I just have a lot of friends." He winked. This time our walk wasn't interrupted by a person, but by a droid. Poe's droid. I personally thought, he was the cutest droid on the base. He was one of a kind.
"Buddy!" Poe exclaimed, I watched his face light up as he looked down at the white and orange droid. "Just a little cut-" The droid was beeped frantically, "I'm fine, my new buddy is gonna fix me." He motioned towards me. Buddy? Me? I felt a flutter in my stomach. What was going on? Why was this stranger having an affect on me? The droid turned his head towards me.
"This is Isla." Poe smiled. The droid beeped and rolled over to me.
"Hi." I waved.
"That's bb-8" Poe spoke, smiling so hard that it reached his eyes.
"Good to meet you, bb-8" I giggled. He beeped happily, and then turned back to Poe, his beeping tone changing.
"I'll get it fixed. I'll see you in a bit." Poe patted the droid on his head and walked towards me, jerking his head towards the med bay.
The med bay was quiet, as it always was. It wasn't busy, which was a relief to everyone. The droids were performing surgery on a pilot who's ship had been shot down, luckily his leg was the only body part that needed repairing. I lead Poe to an unoccupied room, telling him to take a seat.
"Can you unzip your suit, please?" I asked as I washed my hands and dried them off.
"It is unzipped." He replied, looking a little confused.
I sighed a little, "More than that. I don't anything to get on your suit, just in case I have to drain it." He complied, unzipping his suit quickly. He shrugged his shoulders, slipping his arms out. All I needed was for him to unzip, I didn't ask to see his muscular arms. I cleared my throat, hoping to clear the silly thoughts in my head.
Jesus, get it together, Isla