Chapter 1: Personal Radar Technician

The motion of the thrusters powering down on the Millennium Falcon jerked Rey out of a deep, but troubled sleep. Moving out of the captain's quarters which had once belonged to Han Solo, and that featured the only bed aboard the ship - the bed that her comrades had insisted she take, she jostled past various Crait survivors to the cockpit. Looking beyond Poe Dameron and Chewbacca's piloting, Rey peered through the viewfinder to behold a lush, meadowy world down below, as the Falcon came down out of this new planet's atmosphere.

The Force within her tingled, and she didn't even have to turn her head to note Leia Organa's presence.

"Naboo. My mother's homeworld. It's on the edge of the Mid Rim, close to the Outer Rim territories. They're a very peaceful people and I doubt the First Order will follow us there."

This finally caught Rey's attention, and she glanced to the older woman. "How do you know?"

Leia offered a wry smirk, crinkled with age. "Decades ago, my mother ruled over this planet as Queen. She was just a teenager, not much younger than you, child. Her reign was so prosperous, her subjects then unanimously elected her to serve in the Galactic Senate." Leia sighed wistfully, clearly contemplating more just political landscapes gone by. "My mother's memory still commands a presence here. The Naboo will harbor us for as long as we need it."

"But what if...?" Rey stopped herself, dropping her voice down to a whisper. "What if... Ben decides to attack us here?"

Leia did not let on any surprise over Rey's knowledge that Kylo Ren was her wayward son, Ben Solo. Instead, she merely shook her head. "If I know Ben like I think I do, he won't dare set foot on the crust. He was a very studious boy in his youth. He should know well how the Naboo and the Gungans rose up against the Trade Federation's blockade. My mother and father both led the assault, assisted by two Jedi. These Jedi faced down the first Sith Lord seen in millennia. The Master was killed. The Apprentice survived and struck down the Sith, and in his old age, watched over my brother in exile."

Rey absorbed the story in raptured disbelief. She wondered who the Jedi apprentice had been. But before she had the chance to ask, the Falcon made a sharp, vertical descent and slowed, as Poe guided the old freighter to touch down in an illustrious hangar bay. As soon as the shudder of landing faded away, Poe stood from the pilot's chair and addressed what was left of the Resistance - barely 20 souls, including himself.

"We will take shelter here and begin to rebuild our forces." The Commander's voice was solemn. "All able-bodied pilots will be provided with a new ship by the Naboo, as well as a personal maintenance crew. Emissaries from the Queen's entourage are waiting for you down at the gangplank to welcome you. Dismissed."

Rey turned to follow Leia and the others shuffling towards the gangplank. Poe's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Except for you, Rey. Your maintenance crew has already been assigned."

Rey blinked at him, perplexed. "But I don't have a ship."

"Are you sure?" Poe smiled with a wink, as he gestured all around him. "Chewie is in agreement: the Falcon now belongs to you. Only you or he may pilot it."

Rey gaped at the Wookie, and he let out an affectionate, confirming howl. The young Jedi's eyes filled with tears. Her throat clogged up, and she wanted to balk at the generosity of the gift, that she wasn't worthy of such a ship, but all she could get out was: "Thank You."

"Ah, and here is your technician!" Poe was glancing over Rey's shoulder and he blew a sharp whistle with his fingers. "Hey, Matt! Come over here!"

A well-built muscular man paused at the top of the gangplank and shuffled over. "Yes, Commander?"

"Rey, meet Matt, your Radar Technician."

The technician stepped into the light, and Rey froze, eyes wide.

Her first thought was one of panic. How is he here? How did he get on the Falcon? The last time she had seen Kylo Ren had been at the base of the Falcon's gangplank as the Resistance fled, as she closed the freighter door in his face.

And except for a large, nerdy-looking pair of glasses, and a luscious head of blonde curls, Rey could have sworn that the man who stood before her was the new Supreme Leader of the First Order. If Ben had a slightly fraternal twin, this Matt would be it. A dead ringer for Kylo Ren.

Matt, meanwhile, met Rey's gaze only briefly, before averting his eyes, his creamy face darkening to red. "You want me to service the Jedi's freighter, Commander?"

"Affirmative, Matt," Poe nodded. "And now, I must receive the Queen and discuss shelter concerns. You two go ahead and get to know each other." He nudged past Rey, practically pushing the girl forward into Matt's arms. The technician caught her by the shoulders and Rey found her hands instinctively resting against his toned chest for purchase.

The pair stared at each other awkwardly for a moment, observing as Poe and then Chewie disappeared off the ship. Finally, her cheeks pink, Rey stepped away, glancing down at her feet. She only met the technician's stare again when Matt cleared his throat.

"So, Master Jedi: do you know of any immediate problems that require attention?"

Rey jaw unhinged, then closed again, as she stuttered. "Oh. Um... yes. If... if you'll just... follow me..."

Just her luck: out of all the people in the galaxy, she was assigned a practically personal valet who just had to be the spitting image of the man who shared her Force Bond and haunted her dreams. Stars, it was going to be a long recovery period in hiding...