Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Lucasfilm/Disney

A/N:

DanGuy96 - Once again, Dttf is busy with his work, but he and I are both working hard on fleshing out the outlines and ideas for VIII and IX. I hope you all can understand. Anyway, when we last left our heroes, our main trio was finally united, and they managed to just narrowly escape being captured by the First Order by using the Millennium Falcon to escape. Now they're figuring out what steps to take next before meeting up with New Republic officials to deliver the valuable data inside of BB-8. This will be a shorter chapter than usual, with less action, but I feel that our heroes have earned a little downtime before they get involved in the next big action sequence.

Without further ado, let's get on with the show!

Chapter 6- Awakening

In the blue stream of hyperspace, alarms were blaring throughout the Falcon's innards. Blasting out of Mos Eisley and dogfighting against the First Order had put a strain on the aging vessel. As Finn trudged into the cockpit, he was met by the sight of Poe, Rey, and BB-8 all doing their best to silence the racket. Finally, the alarms went quiet, everyone slumping into whatever seat they could reach first. After a moment, Poe began to chuckle, patting the Falcon's control panel. Finn joined in, amused by their survival and his own fatigue. Soon, it became raucous laughter that left the pair out of breath. Rey, however, was silent as she looked back and forth between the two men. "Stop that!", she snapped.

At once, both men went silent. Rey's face had gone red, caught between embarrassment and anger. Poe coughed and leaned forward. "I forgot that this was your first time in a fight. You're not used to it." He stood up and walked towards the main cabin. "Still," he began. "You did pretty good. You kept your cool." Finn smiled as he raised his eyebrows. "And what about me?", he asked. Poe looked at the young trooper and smirked. "You're trained. What? Do you want a medal?" Before Finn could say anything, Rey giggled softly. As Finn turned to look at the mechanic's newfound sense of levity, Poe left the cockpit. "I'm gonna try to contact the Republic," he called back. "Try and figure out where we are."

Rey's smile faded again as she looked around the cockpit. To Finn's relief, her face took on a look of wonder instead of anxiety. "This is the Millennium Falcon," she breathed quietly. "Han Solo and Chewbacca's ship!" She looked over at Finn again, her eyes wide with childlike glee. "Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia traveled on this ship!" Her hands were balled into fists as she regarded every bulkhead, screw, and switch with excitement. "Where are we?", Finn inquired, gesturing towards a screen. Rey looked confused before she snapped back to reality. Her cheeks were red as she slid over in her seat. Still, she spared the cockpit one more look as the corners of her mouth curled upwards.

As she studied the navicomputer, she murmured to herself. "You're in luck," Rey said quietly. "We've jumped near a border system. You guys can make it to Republic space in no time." Finn frowned as he leaned over her shoulder. "You mean we'll make it Republic space, right?" Rey looked back at the trooper. "I said 'you guys' for a reason. I can't leave Tatooine." Rey sat down in the pilot seat, cross-legged. "If you can drop me off near the farmlands, I can lay low until this all blows over," she said with finality. "They've seen your face," Finn said, shaking his head. "If it isn't a stormtrooper team that gets you, it'll be one of the probe droids that the First Order leaves behind." Rey's eyes shut as her brow furrowed and her lips pursed. At her feet, BB-8 warbled worriedly.

After a moment, Rey smiled and rubbed the astromech's head. "This isn't how I was expecting today to go, but I've always wondered what was beyond Tatooine." Despite her energized smile, Finn couldn't help but to notice Rey wringing her hands together. The young woman was terrified and overwhelmed. "So you're a Resistance fighter?", Rey asked, quickly changing the subject. Finn's enthusiasm came to a screeching halt. Rey just stared at him with earnest eyes and smiling softly. "Not exactly," he murmured to the scavenger. "My name isn't Finn. Well… it is now, I guess. It's complicated." Rey's expression changed to one of confusion. "What's so complicated about it?", she asked. Finn couldn't see any reason to lie to the young woman. She didn't have a side in the fight and she didn't seem the type to betray anyone for her own benefit. "My name... my designation was FN-2187. I was a stormtrooper, at least, until yesterday." Rey's face barely moved. Slowly, her face eased as she processed the new information. "I helped Poe escape in exchange for amnesty in the Galactic Republic," Finn continued. "I'm no Resistance fighter. I'm just a defector, trading myself for the information contained in this BB unit and my own account of… of what I've seen."

Rey's face was still impassive. Wordlessly, she smiled at Finn and walked towards the main cabin. Before Finn could say anything else, she turned and gestured for him to follow her. "I could use your help with the power relays," she said, still smiling. Together, the pair made their way around the ship, smiling at the distant sound of Poe's grumbling as he fiddled with the comms. The young mechanic opened numerous compartments as she muttered. Finn thought she was troubled until she giggled again, remembering the legendary ship in which they traveled. Finn reached into one of the drawers, collecting a jacket and a pair of pants. There was no sense walking around in a sweat-stained bodysuit. Finally, Rey laughed in triumph. "Let's get to work," she said proudly as she hefted a toolkit. As Rey dropped into an alcove in the floor, Finn plopped down on the edge, letting his legs dangle. BB-8 rolled up next to him, whirring in suspicion as he observed the defector. Finn's kindly expression dropped. "Hey, Poe… your droid is staring at me." BB-8 let out an offended blurt at the accusation.

"Just ignore him!", Poe called back.

"I'm trying to but-"

"I was talking to BB-8."

The droid whistled in victory as he looked back at Finn. Rey shook her head in amusement as she kept working. "So," she began. "The information in this little guy must be pretty important." Finn nodded softly at the stout astromech. After a moment, BB-8 returned the gesture. "The stolen information is too important to fall back into the hands of the First Order. It could prevent a war." Rey's head rose slowly. Once again, oil was smudged across her forehead and cheeks. With her eyes wide, she swallowed heavily. "I hope the Republic can look after me, too," she said worriedly. "What kind of information is it?" Finn unconsciously kneaded one knuckle into the palm of his other hand. BB-8 started chirping and beeping, slow enough so that he wouldn't be misunderstood. Rey's eyes narrowed as she listened. "What did he say?", Finn inquired. He could understand some of what the astromech had said, but he missed most. "He said that it's about a weapon. A planetary battle station," Rey answered. Suddenly, her eyes went wide as panic marked her face. "Is he talking about another Death Star?!"

Finn struggled to find the right words as he looked at the outright terror in her eyes. "We called it Starkiller Base. I was stationed there while they underwent the initial test firing. They destroyed an entire star system. It's worse than a Death Star." Finn looked haunted as he remembered the sight.

As he went to continue, he stopped himself. What more was there to say? Rey placed a hand on his knee, gently. "Please. Go on," she said. Finn, again, sought to find the right words. "I... I thought I could hear screams when the planets were hit. When it was over, it was quieter than I've ever heard." He looked at Rey to see if she was off-put or scared. To his surprise, she was looking back at him, sadly. Turning back to her work, Rey flipped a series of switches. One by one, the deck lights came on, illuminating the old craft. "Thank you!", shouted Poe from the next room. Finn laughed softly at the pilot's yell. "I was wondering when you were gonna smile!", Rey said as she perked up, her earlier fear gone. Finn's laughter died out as he was hit by self-conscious thoughts. As a lifelong stormtrooper, he wasn't up to the task of casual interaction. His brief time with Poe had made it clear that he was very mission-oriented, unsuited for small talk. "Hey," Rey said, snapping him to his senses. "You defected and escaped a Star Destroyer! You have every right to feel happy." Rey grinned a wide smile that Finn picked up himself. Rolling his shoulders, he realized that there was still a layer of sweat and grime under his bodysuit. A shower would do wonders for him. "I have to find a refresher on this ship", Finn said as stood up. As he did so, BB-8 rolled out of his way.

For the next hour, Rey conducted repairs along the length and width of the Millennium Falcon. Every so often, a light would flicker or a nozzle would whine. Rey was even zapped once or twice. She was entranced by the old ship's atmosphere as she walked down the circular deck. She thought of Han Solo piloting the ship with Chewbacca at his side. Of Leia Organa operating the very same holo-emitter that Poe was speaking over. She felt goosebumps as she imagined Luke Skywalker meditating in one of the out of the way rooms. She stopped near the hyperdrive and listened to its steady hum. If he wanted to find some time alone, that's where he'd do it. With a giggle, the mechanic continued her repairs.

BB-8 had long since left her side to help Poe. The pilot was visually tired, doing his best to be civil as he sifted through a network of clerks and assistants. Haggardly, he'd repeat his name, rank, and half a dozen authorization codes, just to reach anyone of importance. "I know, buddy," Poe murmured to BB-8. "I should've just stayed on that Star Destroyer." The droid cooed softly at Poe's exasperation. Rey walked through the room, smiling sympathetically. Poe was about to speak when he was transferred to another clerk. In the cockpit, Finn was sitting alone. He'd traded in his First Order uniform for some casual clothes and a flight jacket. While he was sitting in front of the navicomputer, he was clearly not paying attention. "I want to apologize. You don't deserve to be mixed into the mess that we've started," he said without looking at Rey.

The mechanic settled into the pilot seat across from Finn. "Well, it's over now," she said. "If what Poe says is right, we shouldn't be shot at anymore." Finn turned his head to look at the young woman. She didn't seem nervous anymore. "You got over everything pretty quickly," Finn said slowly. Rey looked back at him. "Tatooine builds us up tough, Finn," she explained, mildly. "There's not much to keep you going in the armpit of the galaxy. You take what you have and take everything in stride." To her surprise, Finn sat up. "Those days are over," he said with determination. "You'll have a comfortable life on Hosnian Prime or Thyferra or Chandrila." Rey smiled warmly. "Okay. Just so long as there's running water." Finn pointed towards the door. "The refresher is all yours if you need it,'' he said chuckling.

As Rey was getting up to leave, a series of excited beeps caught her attention. Before either she or Finn could say anything, BB-8 rushed into the cockpit. "I don't speak that," Finn said, hearing the droid's frantic noises. Together, the pair followed BB-8 into the main cabin. The lighting was dimmed as Poe spoke to a woman's hologram. She was older, her graying hair pulled into a high bun. She wore a dress that was ostentatious enough to show that she was important, but conservative enough to show she was there for business. Her face was instantly recognizable despite her new creases and wrinkles. Finn and Rey stopped cold as Leia Organa looked away from her agent and over to them.

"It's just a minor detour, ma'am! We got away clean!", Poe explained. "I made a couple of jumps to throw them off and I have the information on hand." Leia looked away from the pair of new faces and over to BB-8. "Well done, Commander," she said in a measured tone. "That's not all!" Poe said, grinning madly. "You're never gonna believe it! It's amazing!" Leia's eyes turned back to Poe, scrutinizing the man. "And I'm waiting to hear what it is." Poe stood upright, breathing and calming himself. "Ma'am. We were able to escape in a stolen frigate. The Millennium Falcon." Leia's eyes went wide in surprise. "Well I'll be...", she murmured with a smile growing on her face. "Now, how did you manage to dig up my husband's old ship, Poe?" Poe turned and snapped his fingers at both Finn and Rey, gesturing for them to meet the senator. "I'd like you to meet Finn and Rey, ma'am. Without them, I'd still be in a cell and this mission would be a bust." With a genuine smile, he pulled his new friends into the emitter so that Leia could see them properly. The pair stood there, unmoving, while the senator looked them over. Finally, a matronly smile broke out across her face. "The Galactic Republic owes you a debt of gratitude. It's not an exaggeration when I say the very survival of everything we fought for depends on the successful delivery of that information." As Rey attempted to form a sentence, Finn stepped forward. "Thank you, ma'am," he said professionally as he stood straighter.

Poe winced slightly. Leia would be able to tell that Finn was a soldier. He'd have to explain that he was assisted by a defector. That talk wouldn't be fun. "Commander Dameron," Leia said, snapping him from his troubled thoughts. "You'll be setting a course for Takodana." Poe looked down at the woman, confused. "Why are we doing that? There's nothing there except a bar and trees." Leia's expression changed, silencing his protests. "Han and Chewie have been there, acting as a liaison between the Republic and smugglers acting in the Neutral Territories," she said. "You can all rendezvous there and return to Hosnian Prime together." It was Poe's turn to stand straight as he saluted the senator. "Yes, ma'am," he said, his face set and focused. "May the Force be with you," Leia said as she deactivated the transmission. As the hologram faded and the lights grew brighter, Rey was positively giddy with excitement.

"Did she mean the Captain Han Solo and Chewbacca!?", she blurted out, advancing on Poe. "That's right," he replied, stepping back. "I'll go get the coordinates set in the navicomputer". BB-8 followed Poe into the cockpit, whirring happily at the thought of finally returning to Republic space. Rey looked around, smiling and unsure what to do. "Refresher," Finn muttered, helpfully. Rey grinned wider and nodded in thanks as she jogged off, ready to finally bathe. Alone, Finn collapsed into a seat at the game table. He'd not only met a Republic representative. He'd met Leia Organa, herself. Nervously, he remembered that a few generals in the First Order wanted a "kill-on-sight" order for the former rebel leader. When he met her, the news of his defection would inevitably come out. He hoped she'd be accepting of him. With so many questions, Finn was content to lose himself in thought.

A/N:

DanGuy96 - And now our heroes are on their way to Takodana to meet up with Han and Chewie, along with other members of the Republic and Resistance, so that they can finally deliver the plans to New Republic's capital. I decided to cut out the scene with the Rathtars because I personally felt like there were just a few too many action scenes in a row in TFA, and not enough time for the characters to just talk with each other and be themselves. It's something the OG trilogy was notable for utilizing, and something I felt the ST could've used more of. I still have plans for Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang later down the line, just not for this installment.

And yes, you heard that right; Han and Leia are still married. There's been troubles, but they're still sticking together through a situation you'll learn more about later on. I believe I also mentioned this before, but Leia's political career, though having taken some hits, isn't completely in the can, and she's currently a senator of New Alderaan. However, she's still working with the Resistance, with Han also currently working directly with both them and the Republic. What that role currently is will be revealed in due time.

As for our heroes, we finally have our first real conversation between them, with the highlight being Finn and Rey's first conversation. Like in the movie, Rey wants to go back to the dust bowl of a planet she was on (albeit for slightly changed reasons, which we'll delve deeper into later on), but now she's considered an accomplice by the First Order for aiding an enemy and a traitor. Finn is also finally able to open up and confess that he's really a defector from the First Order, and this time it's much earlier than in the movie since he has Poe with him this time. We also once again get a glimpse of Finn getting some kind of "feeling" whenever something happens, in this case, Starkiller Base destroying a star system. Once again, you probably know what this is building up to, but I hope you all are still enjoying the ride.

Oh, and the outfit which Finn is currently wearing in place of his old bodysuit I figured would actually be similar to the outfit Han wore in "Solo: A Star Wars Story". I figured that since Han took something from Lando's wardrobe, Finn could take something from Han's. As they say, "It's like poetry", it rhymes".

And it seems like Rey is still in fangirl mode over being in the Millennium Falcon, and getting the chance to meet three heroes of the Rebel Alliance, but she seems a bit more apprehensive than she wants to let on. She finally gets some action and excitement in her life, but now the poor girl is wanted fugitive.

Sorry I didn't give Poe too much to do, outside of helping our heroes get in contact with the help they need right about now. Don't worry, we'll be giving him plenty of stuff to later on.

Anyway, it seems like our heroes have gotten the First Order off their tail, and will finally find help in the form of Han and Chewbacca (not to mention they'll also get the assistance of a certain diminutive Pirate Queen on Takodana). Though, next time we'll be checking in on the bad guys' situation, as we'll not only see the aftermath of the First Order failing to capture the droid they seek, but we'll also finally see the regime who's been aiding the First Order in their proxy war against the New Republic; the United Galactic Confederation.

As always, please be sure to follow and favorite for future updates, and leave a review, if you can. Oh, and I hope this isn't too much to ask, but I'd appreciate it if a TV Tropes page for this story would be set up soon, because I'd like more people to know about this story. Until next time, stay safe, and have a good one everybody!