Ani's P.O.V.

"So, what is your objective for this mission?"

"To hired a few bounties in search of the traitor who left on the tie fighter."

"We're going to a casino to find bounty hunters?" I question skeptically as I watch our ship land on a dock in Cantonica. Staring out the window, I admire all the elegant buildings in front of us. It's dark but the lights from the building seem so bright that you'd think it's in the middle of the day. I see tons of people on balconies and on the deck in such lavish clothing. Lando was right years ago, this place seems like it bleeds money. Turning off the ship, Kylo nods and explains while messing with a few switches, "Yes, these people will know who's available for the job. Only the best bounties get hired from these people. After the piss-poor job General Hux has done, Snoke requested me to find people more appropriate for this task."

"I see..." I mumble as I watch Kylo get up; he helps me out of my seat while I claim as if it's not even a question, "... And I'm just here to gamble?"

"And to keep me company." He smirks while guiding us to the back of the ship; grabbing the two bags, he teases while helping me step off the ramp, "You 're very good at that, Angel."

"I'm good at other things too you know." I defend a little annoyed; a man comes up to us and takes Kylo's bag, informing him his usual room is ready whenever he is. I frown a little, realizing Kylo must have come here before. Nodding to the man, Kylo sets a hand on my back, walking us toward the closest building. Leaning his head toward my ear he purrs out invitingly, "Oh, I know." I send him a suspicious eye his way and he mumbles playfully with a glint in his eyes, "I mean Sabacc, of course... What do you think I was insinuating?"

"Mhm." I growl out, and he chuckles as my cheeks grow pink. Walking toward two gold doors connected to a skyscraper, two men open them for us to enter. All around the room are tables and bars, it's packed with people. Scanning the room, I see many people here from planets all over the galaxy. I feel Kylo's hand slide from my back to my hip. Holding me this way, he steers me to an elevator. We get in and there's another couple. We all nod at one another before the door closes and goes up. I notice the man glancing at Kylo nervously, but the woman pays no mind. Peering up at him by my side, I notice his expression has become cold, emotionless, as if everyone in the elevator is beneath him. The elevator opens, and he escorts us out first. Glancing around, I notice fewer people on this level but just busy.

People are laughing, dancing, drinking, and gambling all over the place. Not a single person looks sober in the room, they all appear intoxicated. Strolling through the floor, I notice people glancing our way and quiet down slightly from the sight of us. I peer up at Kylo again and see the same mindless expression face on him, he's looking straight ahead without bothering to glancing at anything this room offers. I notice us heading toward a staircase, scanning the room again as I see the people glancing our way dart their eyes away from us. As we walk up the stairs, I hear a new set of laughter and music. When reaching the next level, I notice a change of atmosphere. It seems thicker with hostility and importance. I slow down my pace beside Kylo concerned, his grip on my waist keeps me walking at the same pace while speaking up. "Come on, Angel. There's nothing to fear. You've done this plenty of times."

"In scummy places, Kylo... With Han and Lando doing all the actual work..." I whisper while looking around at all the fine things surrounding us. The room had the most elegant couches and tables I've ever seen. I know no one in the room, but they all look extremely important. People are smoking and drinking, some are in deep conversations and some are dancing or playing cards. A few quiet down at the sight of us, same as in the last room. Kylo leads us through the room, passing the dance floor to a round table in the corner. The table is in a corner surrounded by glass window walls, the table has four men and one older woman playing Sabacc. The men all look uniquely different but dressed well, nonetheless. We're a few steps away when the whole table notices we're approaching them. One grins at Kylo and speaks up in a sinister tone, "Well, I'll be damn. You here to steal my money again?"

"No, but she is." Kylo nods to me, and a server immediately pulls another chair to the table for me. Another comes up with two drinks on a tray, offering it to us. Kylo takes both and hands one to me. I nod in thanks before peering back to the table and smile restlessly at the group. A few men smile back at me, and it makes the back of my hair stand up. The woman eyes me up and down, unimpressed, before putting some type of smoke to her lips before breathing it out. Looking around the group one more time, I feel something unsettling about everyone in the room, but I just can't place why. I've never played Sabacc without Han or Lando, I haven't even played it with anyone in years. Kylo notices my alarmed expression, initiating me to sit down as he whispers in my ear, "Clear that drink, Angel. It'll help with your nerves."

Glancing at him, I sniff the drink before knocking back into my throat. It tastes unusual, but it has a hit of a lemony taste to it. I cough lightly and I hear the table chuckle around me. I feel heavier in the body, yet lighter in my mind immediately after swallowing. I've never had an alcoholic beverage before because Luke forbids it during train and it's only now that I know why. Kylo helps me out of my fur coat then while standing behind me and the dealer speaks up to me, "How much?"

"How much of what?" I blurt out off guard from his vague question as the table watches me in amusement. Setting my fur coat on the back of my chair a moment later, Kylo takes out a card. He lifts his arm over my head and to hand the dealer the card, answering him, "A million."

"What? Kylo? I- You- How do-" I stare up at him, stuttering in utter shock before glancing back to the dealer sliding me a sizeable amount of stacked chips. Kylo puts a hand on the table and lowers his head beside me, whispering, "Anakia, it's the First Order money. You can blow it all and it won't matter... But I know you won't." Winking at me, he speaks up in the same low voice, "Have fun and relax. I'll be close around here. If you need me just tell a server. I'll come back once I've finished doing business." Kylo then grabs my chin and kisses the corner of my mouth before standing up straight again. He motions for something and a man comes back with another lemony drink. Grabbing it, Kylo hands it to me and takes my empty one. Looking back to the other players at the table, Kylo speaks up to them with authority, "Be good to her."

"Oh, we will." A make chuckles out while leaning back in his seat, "This will be fun."

Kylo sends them a pointed look before peering down at me, offering a half smile before he then turns around and saunters away. I see him disappear in the crowd of people before staring back at the table. I find everyone studying me with curiosity or amusement. Coughing slightly, I watch the dealer pass cards around to everyone. As he does the woman speaks up, bored, "Do you even know what we're playing, sweetie?"

"Yes." I let out and grab my cards to hold. "When I was younger..."

"When was that?" She smirks with her smoke just an inch away from her lip. "A month ago?"

"Try 7 years ago." I snap at her knowing what she's insinuating, all she does is make a impressed surprise expression from my irritation. A man beside me then offers in a nicer tone, "I can help you this round if you like-"

"No, thank you though." I glance at him, giving him a brief smile before looking at my cards and stating, "I think I'll be able to pick it up again."

"We'll see." Another man smirks and sends me a wink before informing me, "Mr. Ren picked the toughest table in the house for you to play... I just hope you can handle it."

"Well," I tilt my head raising a single eyebrow his way, "I can handle Mr. Ren, that should say enough about what I can handle."

Everyone lets out low sinister laughs and agreeing mumbles from my statement. Seconds later the game begins and all the grins die from the group.

~An Hour and A Half Later~

"Are you kidding me? Again, really?"

"You're all bluff. That's your weakness." I chuckle proudly while the dealer slides all the chips in the middle to my part of the table. A man across from me shakes his head in shame at losing half his chips to me. Smirking at him and taunting him with a wink, I finish another glass. A man instantly comes to my side with another and takes my empty one. I'm not sure anymore how many I've had, but my body feels numb enough that I could just keep drinking more. I nod in thanks to the server before turning back to the table as the dealer deals another round for us. The man beside me grins at the man across from us, mocking, "Ren was right about her, she's going to steal everything from you if you don't watch it."

"Oh, hush. We don't have the time for her to steal everything."

He jokes back at him as he takes out a cigar for himself. The older woman watches the men in amusement before glancing at her hand and setting them back on the table. I do the same before taking another sip of my glass. I feel the effects of the drink and know I barely can control my body anymore if I were to stand up. My mind is working in overdrive to think and use the force at the same time. It's the only way I can tell when someone's bluffing and it's the only reason I keep winning every other round. I lost half a million the first few rounds but since then I've won a million and a half. My pride is growing with each turn. Han and Solo never won this much, but they also didn't bet as high as we are. As the table throws chips in the middle, I glance behind me, reaching the room for Kylo. Earlier I saw him at a booth talking to a man, but now he's gone again. A man then speaks up directly to me, forcing my eyes away from the room and back to the table.

"So what do you call yourself, dear? I think it's about time we know."

"I'm Ani." I answer with a smile at him before adding, "Anakia Kenobi."

"Well, Anakia." The man beside me lifts his hand for me to shake while grinning. "It's about time we got someone to bring something new to the table."

"Glad to help." I tease while taking another sip of my drink, setting down the glass I throw a few chips in the pile before noticing the older lady. She's observing me now before her eyes dart to another man. I glance his way and find him with the same expression as her. It's only a second later the lady coughs out a little, as if it's small talk. "I've heard of a General Kenobi before... He wouldn't be a relative of yours, would he?"

"Obi-Wan? Yes, he was my grandfather." I answer without a thought while watching the table. She nods before speaking up again in a lower tone than before. "Your name, Ani... Sounds very familiar as well. It reminds me of the name... Anakin."

"Does it?" I oppose out not knowing where she's going with this. I can feel the men around the table grow stiff in their seats by the name. The woman hums before looking down to her drink and states too casually for my liking, "Anakin, well, Anakin Skywalker was once a powerful Jedi... I presume your named after him. His wife would call him Ani, and a few friends before he became Darth Vader."

"How..." I frown slightly at her and tilt my head curiously, "How do you know that?"

"I heard rumors during my Empire years. Things get around when you've been there long enough."

"You worked for the Empire?" I blurt out, feeling out of place of a sudden. Smiling sickly, she nods and informs me with pride, "We all did, dear."

Staring at her I feel as if time slowed down; glancing around me, I realized what made me anxious and unsafe earlier about the aura in this room. It's filled with people who joined the Empire decades ago; I felt sick to my stomach. Peering down to my cards, I don't respond to her from not wanting to continue this conversation. All I want now is for Kylo to come back as quickly as possible. I recognize now why I feel out of place here. I hear her chuckling lightly from my change of heart about the topic and assure me, "None of us dabble into politics anymore though. You do your time and don't die, it pays off as you can tell. It's serving you well too, as we can see. I presume your Knight of Ren is making sure of it so for when it's your time to serve for the First-"

"How'd she do?" Kylo's voice announces over the table and I lift my head up, instantly almost jumpy. He offers me a thin smile as he comes beside my chair. Taking his hand into mine, I tug him lightly, trying to signal that I want to leave now. His free hand pets the back of my head while he leans down to kiss my forehead. The man who lost most of his money to me answers Kylo in a more playful tone than the woman's was before. "Splendid, you weren't kidding earlier. Why don't you join us for a round and find out yourself?"

"Not yet, but maybe." Kylo answers in a bored tone when his lips leave my skin. He stands up straight again and peers down at me with his hand still resting on my hair. Staring up at him with a restless expression, I listen to him say, "I'll be back in half an hour, Ani."

"No... Kylo." I murmur out quietly pleading dropping my hand from his; rising to stand in front of him, I wobble a little and grab his arms to steady myself. His hand comes to my back for extra help as I whisper for only us to hear, "Please, I want to leave this table."

"Why? Did something happen?" He lets out in a hushed tone in surprise. Shaking my head, I answer in the same low tone, "No... I just don't feel safe..."

"Angel..." He sighs just loud enough for me to hear. Watching my expression, he relaxes his own. Kissing the corner of my mouth, he pulls back, encouraging me with no doubt in his voice, "I won't be much longer. I'll be back before you know it and then you can leave this table. I don't want to leave you anywhere else but here without me."

"Kylo..." I tilt my head, running my hands down his arms. Catching his eyes, I see his honesty behind them and bite my bottom lip. His thumb rubs lightly on my back and I have to stop myself from groaning at my situation he's putting me in. There's a silent pause before we hear a man behind us speak up carelessly, "We're still playing, sweetheart."

Breathing out, I turn my head away from Kylo's and see them all waiting for me now. Sitting back down in my chair, I let go of Kylo and pick up my cards hostile. Checking my hand of cards, I throw a few chips in and glance back up at Kylo indifferently. Leaning down then, Kylo informs me and I can tell he's hoping this will settle my nerves, "You see that door?" He points to a door beside the bar yards away from the table, "If you need anything and I mean anything you come get me. I'll be in there."

"Fine..." Nodding shortly before pecking at his lips, I urge him to do what I'm about to expect. "Come back as soon as you can."

He matches my nod before standing up straight and leading toward the door he informed me of. Watching him leave again, I grab my beverage and take a large gulp. Glancing back to the table to see who's turn it is I find everyone's eyes on me. Some look entertained once again, others look a little dazed, and one looks intrigued. Coughing, I speak up innocently, "What?"

"Oh, nothing. Tonight is just full of surprises..." A man blurts out before staring back at his cards. "Let's continue, shall we?"

"Yes." The woman speaks up, raising an eyebrow at me. "Shall we, Ms. Kenobi?"