Six:

Alendo Tai was like a thousand space ports-grimy, dangerous and mostly lawless with only small pockets of civilisation. There were a couple of bosses who ran local rackets and a selection of bounty hunters, smugglers and general low level criminals mixed in with the rest of the population who were just trying to get by. Somewhere, you could buy most supplies or barter for what you needed-provided no one killed you before then.

The Millennium Falcon limped into the port and settled down as far away from the commercial centre as she could, trying to attract no attention. Fortunately, there were a score of beat-up freighters of all shapes and sizes docked so no one spared her a second glance as she settled creakily. It was only when she landed that a cloud of acrid smoke billowed from the exhaust and merged with the drizzle that kept the port clammy and miserable. The sky was overcast with grey, green and purple clouds that blocked the sun and reddish lamps burned hesitantly in all the arches and in the covered walkways that meandered between stone and metal depots, the cramped shops and plentiful cantinas.

Three cloaked shapes emerged from the Falcon into the gloomy afternoon, heading straight from the ship though Finn was carrying a pad with the precise components they required. Poe was carrying a blaster and watching Ben carefully, his eyes still suspicious. Chewie had known which spares they would need and most seemed pretty standard-except for a specific VR-1W97 power flow transformer that had burnt out beyond repair and was going to be a challenge to locate. What had also been a challenge was where they would leave the fugitive while they went out on the mission with everyone having a different opinion. Poe was all for hitting him over the head or drugging him to insensibility and leaving him locked up and shackled in a smuggling compartment while Finn had wanted to leave him locked in the cabin. Chewie wasn't that happy at having him on the ship at all because it meant the Wookiee would have to act as jailer as well as engineer so after a lot of argument, they had decided it was safer to take Ben with them.

The generally inhospitable climate meant most people tended to wear warm clothing-and hooded cloaks were the best option and reportedly the most popular. At least the Falcon was well equipped with a wide variety of protective clothing in various sizes so all three men were swiftly kitted out in the all-encompassing cloaks. However, Poe shook his head as they headed for the nearest walkway to the centre of the port, glancing back at the familiar saucer shape of the ship.

"This isn't going to work," he realised. Finn sighed.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Ren," Poe hissed. Finn gazed at the tall man, walking quietly concealed under the hood and cloak.

"Yeah?"

"This isn't a disguise. All it does is make him look like...Kylo Ren!" he hissed.

"And how many people have seen him in action?" Finn asked, his mind sliding back to his first encounter with the man on his only deployment as a stormtrooper on Jakku before his defection.

"More than you would think," Ben murmured. "They tended to keep me busy. I got around. Though to be fair, I always wore my mask-except occasionally on the Finalizer. Pretty much everyone who saw Kylo Ren in battle is dead anyway. Almost no one would recognise my face."

"And the fact that you look exactly like him but without a mask isn't going to fool anyone!" Finn retorted.

"Well, at least could you stop striding around and looming," Poe hissed at him. Ben stopped.

"I don't loom," he protested.

"Uh...yes, you do," Finn told him, his tone almost apologetic. "Everything about you screams LOOMING and MENACING. Can't you be a bit...smaller? Or less...intimidating?" Ben turned to look at him, his brow furrowed..

"And how am I supposed to do that?" he asked, mind treacherously sliding back to the persona he had adopted in becoming Kylo Ren. His new identity had been Snoke's apprentice, the Supreme Leader's enforcer and he had needed to exude power and menace. And he was angry, roiling with hatred and pain and he had liberally spread those around. His rage had boiled over more times than he could count and every instance spread through the Stormtrooper corps like wildfire, enhancing his legend further, so he had no impetus to change. He was used to eyes turning to him when he walked into a room or onto a battlefield and those eyes were always filled with fear. And none of that would help right now when he was trying to leave the past behind and sneak into this Force-forsaken backwater.

"You could hunch," Poe suggested. "And maybe shuffle a bit."

"Oh kriffing hell," Ben murmured and tried to hunch a bit. "Better?"

"No," Finn said honestly. "That just looks weird. Just...try to keep behind us." Shaking his head, Ben followed the pair as they started down a narrow covered walkway, rather like a small tunnel. The roof was only a couple of inches above his head and he had to duck to avoid hitting his head on a few dangling lights and uneven stones in the arched roof. There was the constant drip of water and the echo of the feet. There were also scrittering noises coming from the other ways at intersections and unconsciously, he tried to stretch out with the Force...but there was nothing there-except a brutal stab of pain behind the eyes as he met the chemical barrier of the suppressing drugs. Briefly, he wondered how long the effects would last before they wore off-but he would find out and already knew that neither of his companions was likely to offer such information. And he was feeling distinctly uncomfortable, unarmed and in an unfamiliar port without anyone he could trust.

"I'd feel better with a weapon," he commented.

"And I feel better with you not having one," Poe shot back and stalked off. Trying not to wince at the tone, Ben turned to Finn.

"Is he ever going to get over what happened?" he asked the former stormtrooper. Finn shrugged.

"Maybe in a hundred years, he may consider forgiving you a bit for torturing him," Finn revealed. "Maybe. Possibly. Slightly. Though if you help us get out of this mess, it wouldn't harm your cause."

"This is going to be a long day," Ben murmured as they vanished down a wider passageway. Immediately, an insectoid head popped out from behind a narrow door that none of them had even noticed. The creature absently rubbed its iridescent antennae and compound eyes reflected the three receding shapes. Then it lifted a small com and chittered over the link. A human voice responded.

"Interesting. We'll watch out, Ch'il. Umto out."

-o0o-

Poe Dameron was in his element. Deliberately obscure about his past when he had joined the Resistance, his life before had been a patchwork of low level criminality, smuggling and bad and outrageous choices that he had navigated through with fearlessness, fast talking and a lot of luck and skill. He had never been to Alendo Tai but it was the same as a thousand other miserable ports and in many ways, it was like being at home.

Finn was a good friend and had been at his side through a number of adventures-including the last battles of the War against the First Order. The former stormtrooper had proven himself to be a good companion, a man who wasn't afraid to do what was right and necessary but who still showed an endearing naivete and wonder at the things he had never gotten to experience as a stolen-child-conscript-turned-stormtrooper. Poe knew he could count on Finn through thick and thin-but he couldn't understand why his friend was helping Kylo Ren. To Poe's mind, the prisoner had found a way to subvert his friend's grief and guilt over Rey's death and was just waiting for an opportunity to betray them for his own ends. Finn and Rey were-had been-very close and the pilot knew he would have to be the voice of reason and watch over their companion for the inevitable betrayal.

It hadn't taken long to find some salvage shops and he had thrown himself into bartering for the components they needed with gusto while the others waited outside, keeping watch. Alendo Tai was remote but even here, news of the fall of the First Order had trickled through...though to the inhabitants, it had made precisely no difference to everyday life...except perhaps no more stormtroopers patrolling the town. Offering a broad grin, Poe had shaken the shopkeeper's tentacle and handed over the required credits before pocketing the relay and heading for the door. Just as he was on the threshold, he paused and peered back into the dark and crowded space.

"I don't suppose you know who would have a VR-1W97?" he asked almost casually. "I need a spare for a run I'm planning and don't wanna leave without one." He gave a slight chuckle. "I mean, what idiot doesn't keep a back-up for such a critical component?" The shopkeeper gave a loud honking noise-his version of a laugh.

"The only one who would keep such an obsolete component is Oo'o'lo," he growled, his four bug eyes swivelling with consideration. "He services the junk market."

"Junk?" Poe replied in mock outrage. "My ship made the Kessel Run in twelve parsecs." The scornful snort told him his listener was unconvinced. "But thanks for the head's up." Then he flipped up his hood and stalked out, walking straight past the others and heading straight for the nearest cantina. They shared a look and then followed him.

"Hey-wait up!" Finn protested as he caught up at the door. Poe shook his head and stalked on, arriving at the bar and sliding into a vacant seat. Shoving his hood back, he gestured to the barkeep as the others managed to find spaces at the bar. "Poe. What's wrong?" Grasping the drink, the former pilot took a large slug of the greenish liquid.

"Oo'o'lo," he murmured, his eyes unfocussing. "It would have to be Oo'o'lo." Finn waved at the barman.

"Who's Oo'o'lo?" he asked as the barman pushed glasses of the same beverage in front of him and Ben. Poe shrugged.

"An old buddy from my days before the Resistance," the pilot revealed.

"When you were a smuggler?" Finn hissed. Poe nodded. "And when you say 'buddy', you don't mean buddy, do you? Not like you and me buddy…" Ben inclined his head and listened, though he was also trying to maintain awareness of the people milling around him. With his connection to the Force blunted, he found the ability to track and assess enemies in this crowded environment gone. He looked to his other side and saw eyes on his shape. Carefully, he grasped the container and took a small sip of the acrid liquid, managing not to gag.

"Not exactly," Poe admitted. "He stiffed me for a load of Gathelian Purgols."

"What?" Finn looked confused.

"Little fluffy creatures that are considered delicacies in some of the more indulgent systems," Ben murmured. "They are also hallucinogenic, addictive and illegal."

"Guess the First Order didn't approve of anyone having fun," Finn commented.

"If your idea of fun is imagining your flesh is melting and borers are burrowing through your brain, knock yourself out," Ben replied, glancing to his left once more. "But dealers tend to also sell weapons to undesirables…"

"Otherwise known as us," Poe grumbled.

"...and generally undermine the rule of law. Which the First Order really didn't tolerate," Ben murmured. He frowned. "Does Oo'o'lo bear you a grudge?"

"Not that I'm aware," Poe admitted. "I may have kept some merchandise to cover my losses but I'm sure he would barely even register such a small amount…"

"You stole from this guy?" Finn hissed. "You actually stole from some dangerous smuggler boss?"

"You wanna say it louder so everyone can hear?" Poe shot back. "Yeah. And now he's the only one who has the part we need…"

"Of course he does," Finn grumbled rolling his eyes. And then he glanced at Ben, who was tracking three bulky pig-like humanoids that seemed to be having a heated discussion while glancing frequently in their direction. "So is this going to be a problem?"

"I'm sure he won't bear us a grudge-not when we can pay handsomely for the part from Resistance funds," Poe decided.

"What us? We didn't steal from him! You did!" Finn reminded him as Ben rose, grabbing their shoulders and wrenching them from their seats. Both had no chance to protest as he steered them directly to the door, using them as a ram to push through the milling patrons. "Hey!"

"We're going," the former Supreme Leader told him bluntly. "I don't need the Force to tell me that situation is going to turn ugly in less time than you can imagine."

"What do you mean?" Poe protested as they burst out the doors into a small street in front of the cantina. There was no roof here so the cobbles were slick with drizzle, a few drab brown awnings covering baskets of wares: food, weird breads and dried roots and meats that Finn didn't even like to consider the origin of. Ben narrowed his eyes as he glared at the pilot-turned-general after he released his bruising grips on them.

"Kylo Ren would have his lightsaber out and would already have killed the three aliens who were planning to attack us," he hissed. "But Ben Solo doesn't have a saber-or even a gun-and he can't sense where their friends are. Because they will have friends…" The doors behind them burst open and the three porcine aliens emerged with a roar, caught sight of them and charged-just as four more of the same species wearing similar uniforms swung round a corner and spread out.

"There they are," Finn noted grimly, reaching for his gun. Immediately, the whine of blaster fire filled the space, echoing off the stone walls as the various combatants dived for cover. Hunkering down behind a basket of roots and gourds, the defenders snapped off shots as the aliens chose their spots. "Exactly how much did you steal from this guy Oo'o'lo?" Finn yelled. Poe glanced at him.

"Approximately the entire load," he confessed as a blaster exploded by his head.

"The whole load?" Finn repeated, taking down another alien. The thing shrieked as it died, green blood, seeping under the box of cooking implements. Another six aliens surged into the little street and took up stations. "I hate to say this-but we could really use Kylo Ren right about now…"

Frustration and anger welled up in Ben's chest, skewing his vision with red. The words had just underlined his feelings of helplessness, uselessness and incipient failure. Since he had hauled himself out of that pit, his entire existence had turned to a nightmare of failure, tossed from pillar to post at the will of everyone else. His fists creaked as he balled them, his shape rigid with fury. It would be so easy to slide back, to become the creature he had been, all rage and fury and hatred and cruelty...but Rey was convinced that he was better than that. He focussed, forcing the emotions away. His saber was at the bottom of the sea on Kef Bir but he had been trained as a warrior, trained to use whatever was available to defeat the enemy...trained to kill. He broke.

Leaping forward, he snatched a pole used to hold up one of the awnings and flung himself on the nearest pair of aliens. A blaster bolt whiffled past his face and he twisted, the pole being swung like a staff and crashing across the alien's face. He landed, used his weight to batter the alien down while snatching his gun and blasting his partner without hesitation. Then he hunkered down, shooting the groaning alien for good measure before glancing around the battlefield and seeing a trio pinning Poe and Finn down. Without hesitating, he snapped off a couple of shots, taking down two. Then he glanced around.

He was right by another of the covered walkways and if he wanted, he could dive through and make a break for it, abandoning them. He knew he would be able to find a ship and once his connection with the Force was restored, he could take command and head out on his quest without any further fear of being tied up or drugged. Without having to justify every breath he took to people who almost certainly would never forgive him.

But the two men were Rey's friends, people who meant a great deal to her-that much he had felt through their Bond-and betraying then would be a betrayal of her. And he was done with failing people, with every time confirming what Snoke had made him believe for years and wasted years. So he raised his blaster and shot away the awning over the nearest trio of aliens, watching it flap down over them and blind them. Poe and Finn were blasting away as his head snapped round at the staccato sound of steps. He lurched sideways to lunge into the nearest doorway…

...and came face to face with a patrol of stormtroopers.