Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

Chapter 1

Ben Solo entered Hanger 2 and smirked as he caught sight of a familiar head of hair peeking out from over the top of the wing of and X-Wing T-70. A messy ball of black curves gave away the whereabouts of his sister, probably elbow deep in the mechanics of the fighter knowing her. Quietly, the younger Solo snuck around the X-wing, his sister not noticing. She was too concentrated on her work, Ben could tell by the slight furrowing of her brow. Holding his hand out in front of him, Ben focussed on levitating the wrench to his sister's right up in to the air.

Breha smirked, finally spotting the loose connection and went to grab the wrench, only her hand didn't find the wrench merely the cold metal of the top wing of the X-wing. Dark eyebrows drew together in confusion as she looked for the wrench, frowning as she spotted the item hovering 2 feet above her head. Narrowed eyes immediately found her brother.

"Ben," Breha frowned holding out her hand for the wrench.

"Do I have your attention?" He asked. Breha rolled her eyes, he still hadn't forgotten the time he'd spoken to her for three full minutes before realising that she was too engrossed with the insides of a droid to register any of what he was saying. She nodded. Ben lowered his hand and the wrench fell into Breha's hand. She jumped down from the ladder she'd been using to access the panel into the wing and walked over to her brother. Being only 16 she still had a head of height on him, but that gap was quickly closing.

"What's up?" Breha asked, wiping her hand on a dirty rag to try and rid them of some of the grease.

"Wanted to see if you'd seen the newbies mum was greeting?" Ben asked. Breha paused in wiping her hands, eyes narrowing.

"Pilots?" She asked.

"Not sure, but three of them arrived in three X wings, wearing jump suits." Ben replied. Breha inhaled slowly and exhaled with the same control.

"Any sign of more mechanics?" She asked. Ben shook his head. Breha swore under her breath and threw the wrench she'd been holding with enough force and accuracy to knock her case of tools over, tools and small replacement parts scattering across the floor.

"Bree?" Ben raised a concerned brow. Breha's jaw was locked, teeth clenched. Sparing him a glance, she shook her head lightly.

"Thanks for telling me Ben." She placed a hand on his head of thick black curls before turning and briskly walking out of the hanger. Ben frowned at the retreating back of his sister.

Breha entered the central command centre and spotted the General almost immediately, she was such a presence in the room it was hard to miss her. The mechanic's hands then tightened around the data pads of jobs she'd been handed on her way to the command centre at the sight of three pilots, still in there Republic jump suits. Her eyes scanned the room – not a mechanic in sight. Shaking her head, Breha approached the General.

Leia spotted her daughter first over the shoulders of her new Commander, Poe Dameron. Her face broke into a smile despite her daughter's obvious ire. The three pilots followed the Generals gaze to see a young, scruffy looking girl ignore them and keep her eyes trained on the General. Leia beat her daughter to speaking first.

"Breha, perfect timing to meet our three new pilots, Commander Poe Dameron and Captains Karé Kun and Iolo Arana," Leia smiled. "Breha here is one of our best mechanics," Breha turned to look at the three pilots.

"Hi, welcome to the resistance," She said and before they could reply she quickly turned her attention back to Leia, "A word please?" Breha raised a brow. Leia eyed her daughter before nodding. "Tomas," Leia called, a young ginger haired boy appeared at her side, Breha put him at about the same age as her, 17-18. "Would you kindly show the three pilots here around?"

"Yes General," Tomas nodded.

"I'll join the three of you later," The General assured the three pilots. The three saluted to her before following Tomas's hand gestures and moved away from the General. Poe Dameron lingered a little longer than the other two, his interest peaked but the mechanic didn't even hint at talking any more whilst he was stood there. The corner of his mouth quirked upwards as he finally turned and left the two women. Poe paused again in the doorway and looked back at the pair. The mechanic was certainly talking now, her bare arms gesticulating passionately. His eyes looked her up and down, scruffy boots, dirty green overalls tied at her waist and an equally dirty grey vest top – she didn't look important. Yet there she was ranting to the General of the resistance.

"Poe, get your head out of the stars," Karé called as she realised he'd fallen behind.

"I'm coming," Poe grinned boyishly at his comrade as he caught up with them.

Breha had waited until the curious commander had left her and her mother before she began. She even tried to keep her voice low.

"More pilots, and yet again no new mechanics?" Breha shakes her head in disbelief, daring her mother to prove her wrong. Leia's face is nothing but apologetic as she looks to the face of her daughter. It wasn't hard to see the darkening circles underneath Breha's eyes – under the eyes of any mechanic on the base for that matter.

"I didn't go with the intention of recruiting anyone Breha," Leia tried to explain.

"Your intentions don't matter now, the issue is that there are three new pilots and their X-wings." Bree snapped before inhaling and exhaling slowly. Her right hand, running over her temple and back, sweeping away a few loose curls from her face. Leia watched as her daughters shoulder relaxed and the tension that has been holding them rigid left. "We're spread too thin," Bree sighed, "We don't have enough mechanics."

"Breha, I'm sorry." Leia tried to reach for her daughter but the younger woman easily side stepped her and disguised the action as her picking up the three data pads for the new X-wings.

"When are the newbies going up?" Breha asked. Leia didn't respond causing Breha to look up at her mother's face.

"As soon as possible," Leia replied. Breha barked a bitter laugh as she added the three data pads to the three she had in her arms. "Breha-"

"Unless it's vital I've got work to," Breha apologised, Leia sighed before nodding sadly, dismissing Breha. She watched as her daughter turned and left the command centre as quickly as she'd entered it. Breha flicked through the data pads as she walked, the three new ships would be lengthy jobs but flicking through the other three they seemed simple enough. She looked up as she entered a small side room, enough space for a couple of couches, a fridge, sink and kettle. Sprawled out over the furniture she found three fellow mechanics.

"Oh no, she has data pads." Mareep tried to joke, but it was hard to joke about the work load anymore. Bree sent the man an apologetic gaze, Mareep was only a couple of years older than her and yet this work load had him looking a decade older.

"How bad?" Iivan, the oldest among them asked as he leant against the counter, steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

"Good news, these three seem to be simple enough droid repairs," She sifted the bottom three data pads out and put them on the table. Lara picked up one and scanned over it.

"I've got a few other medical equipment repairs today so I'll take this med-droid," She said. Breha smiled thankfully at the petite blonde woman.

"Thanks Lara," Bree nodded. "Bad news, I've got three new 70s here that need full diagnostics and matching to flight data."

"You're kidding?" Jak deadpanned.

"Unfortunately no," Breha sighed. "They're top priority,"

"Of course they are," Mareep rolled his eyes.

"I can take one," Iivan announced, "Everything else I have can be pushed."

"Thanks," Breha nodded as she handed him the top pad.

"Pass one this way," Jak sighed as she raised a hand. Breha thanked him as she passed the pad his way.

"I'll take these two," Breha took one of the droid repairs and kept the final X-wing for herself.

"So this is mine," Mareep said as he picked up the last droid repair. "Iivan got anything you were going to push you want to send my way?" He asked.

"Well since you asked." Iivan smiled slyly as he handed Mareep a data pad.

"Sanitation!" Mareep exclaimed causing the rest of the room to laugh, "Iivan, really? I was being kind!" Breha shook her head at their antics.

"Thanks for this guys," Breha smiled before turning and making her way out of the room.

She entered hanger 2 and was surprised to see Ben still there. His head was down, staring at the floor, letting his growing curls fall forward as he sat on a crate near the X-wing she'd been working on. He looked up as she neared him, either hearing her or sensing her. Bree smiled softly at the amount of concern in his large brown eyes.

"I'm okay Ben, I promise." She sat down next to him. He looked down at his hands. "You've been waiting here for me?" She asked. Ben nodded, still looking and his hands. Breha's heart swelled, "You're a good brother Ben," She smiled softly at him, he looked up at her this time, his own heart swelling at her words. "But honestly, I'm fine." Ben studied his sister's face, her light brown eyes were focussed and alert but that was all that remained of the carefree teen she used to be. Her cheeks were beginning to hollow out, probably due to her not eating properly. And those dark circles under her eyes, they just got darker and more pronounced every time Ben saw her.

"You don't look it," he raised a brow at her. A short laugh escaped Breha's mouth before she could stop it. Ben relaxed as he saw all of her tired features lift for a moment as she laughed.

"Wow, thank you so much." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, but the corner of her lips tugged upwards in amusement. Ben grinned at her.

"Do you think you'll be able to make dinner with mum and me later?" He asked. Bree sighed, running a hand over her forehead to pull her curls from her face.

"I do always try to be there Ben," She began as she looked at the floor. Her eyes then met Ben's, "But I won't lie to you, the chances of me being there tonight are pretty slim."

"I'll see you around then," Ben smiled sadly before getting up and leaving.

"Bye Ben," Bree mirrored his sad smile as he left. With a sigh she turned back to her work load, adding her two newly acquired data pads to the stack of 7 she already had.