The man

Author's note: And now that we had a good look at the beast, let's have a glimpse at the man. : )

"The Governor requests your presence in his rooms."

Rey glares at the messenger, the skittish assistant who is tasked with organizing the man's inhumane schedule.

"Tell him he can go to hell!"

It is the most polite thing she can say this early in the morning at such a demand, after having tossed and turned all night in her vastly soft and too comfortable for her likings bed, because of who must be the most malevolent man that has walked this galaxy. Ever.

She shuts the doors at the poor girl's face and stomps back to her bed to continue shoving the rest of her stuff in the small worn out back pack that she's had since the beginning of time. She will take one last shower under actual running water, she will comb her hair and get the last tangles out, dress back into her freshened white outfit and find a way out of this planet. Even if she has to steal a vessel to do it.

Because nothing in this galaxy could ever convince her to stay.

There is another chirp at her door.

Can't they get a hint?

There is a man standing there this time around, roguish looking with dark brown curls and a charming smirk. He is leaning on the metal beam of the entrance with his shoulder.

"Hi, I'm Poe Dameron," he offers his hand to her which she only stares at. He retracts it soon enough. "Right. Well. I'm Leia Organa's personal pilot, and all around the man for every job, and I was pretty much ordered by her to beg you to come to Solo's rooms."

Rey hesitates for a moment. It is after all Luke's sister that's asking. A Senator and Rebellion hero.

"No."

She punches the closing mechanism but the guy is swift, setting a foot between the doors.

"Look. I don't blame you for not wanting to come. But they just want to talk to you. And after that, you are free to decide what you want to do," he shrugs. "No pressure."

Yeah, right. Until that vindictive man decides to take her head in his next fit of rage.

"I said no."

Rey uses the Force to push him back, and her door shuts once again. Now if she could only find her saberstaff and hit the shower.

But she's searched everywhere for it. It's not under her bed, not in any of the empty closets, nor sitting discretely in any of the room's corners. She remembers carrying it back from the Senate and setting it at the entrance of the Governor's…

Shit.

Rey buries her face in her hands. This cannot be happening to her. She straightens her back and takes a deep breath. She must have brought it back. It has to be laying around here somewhere. The universe cannot be that cruel.

She falls to her knees looking under her bed for the millionth time. Even if it were there she would have to use the Force to reach it. This bed is ridiculously huge.

There is another chirp at her door.

Maybe if she conjured some kind of a distraction in the hotel, like a fire in the kitchen or a collapsing staircase then she could slip into the Governor's room and…

Damn that door.

She sits up and glares at it and its incessant chirping. She will actually murder whoever is standing there if they don't leave her be.

Rey stomps her way back and shoves her thumb on the opening button to the point of fracture.

The next visitor is not someone she expected to see.

"You," she utters at the sight of the Governor looming at her entrance. His hands fly to the automated doors as she punches the mechanism to have them close in on him, but they are blocked with a sickening screech, and just like that he is inside her room.

Rey steps back.

"You have no right coming in here."

"I am the one paying for your accommodations."

"You really have no respect for anything, do you? I want you to leave the room and come back when I am gone."

"You're not leaving."

"Oh yeah? Watch me."

Screw the shower.

She'll take one when she… finds one again.

Rey turns around but he grasps her by the arm to stop her.

"Don't touch me!" She hisses.

The Governor's grip is firm around her arm but oddly soft enough not to hurt. She stares him down with the fiercest look she can pull together, and it must work, somehow, because those black eyes of his waver to the side and his hand loosens its hold on her. Rey shakes it off easily.

She hurries to her bed, gathering her last things in her back pack. She hears his heavy pace approach her and feels his presence in back of her with that dark gaze following her every movement.

"This is important," he says and there is something unguarded in his voice that nearly stings.

Rey pushes down that traitorous little part of her that always jumps to the rescue of every suffering soul. This is definitely one soul that does not deserve it. She tosses her back pack over her shoulder and turns around.

"Nothing is more important than me getting as far away from you as possible," she says.

And then Rey makes the stupid mistake of glancing one last time directly at his face. He looks absolutely ragged. All unruly hair and rumpled shirt. This is the most unkempt she has seen him up until now.

The man takes advantage of her distraction reaching for the strap perched on her shoulder and pulling it down.

"It will only take a few moments." He flicks his eyes at her.

There is something very raw about the way he says it that weaves itself around her chest and squeezes her breath out. Or maybe it's just his bloodshot eyes. Whatever it is, she resents the power it has suddenly gained over her.

"You really have to start taking no for an answer," she states a little more weakly than she had meant it to sound. In fact, she should have been shoving her way out, right about now.

He is definitely curling his lips at that. "I never do."

Of course not. Force help him, if he does one single decent thing in his life and actually respects another being's wishes.

"This is a good day to start, then." She reaches for her back pack but he sets it down on the floor with a thump of finality to it.

"I haven't said yes," she objects.

"Luke is here."

Oh…Crap.

"But I never got in contact with him."

"Neither have I."

"Then why is he here?"

He lifts his brows ever so slightly at that, looking rather smug. "Care to find out?"

She just knew he was manipulative like that. Rey sighs. She rubs her forehead feeling frustrated at the turn of events. The Governor makes his way to her busted door and stands at the entrance, extending his hand for her to precede him. She's not left with much of a choice. Luke's here for a reason.

Rey slips past him making sure not make any kind of contact with his body, and is surprised to see that the Governor stays behind her at a safe enough distance. He is at least a couple of paces away but Rey can still, literally, sense this man's overbearing presence raising the hair on the back of her neck.

"She's here," he declares as they enter his rooms.

The morning sun is absolutely glorious as it rises over the sleeping city, bathing his spacious quarters in its warm colors. There are three people standing inside.

Rey's jaw drops.

"Nyxx?"

Her friend turns around and sends her one of his wicked smirks. "Hey there, beautiful! Heard you brought down the Senate in just a day. If Palps were still around he'd be dyin' to meet you."

She's in his arms in a blink of an eye, and he's lifting her off the ground as if she's made of feathers. Stars, she's missed him. Her hands grasp his grey robes tightly. They smell like sand and sun and freedom.

Out of the corner of her eye she catches the Governor watching them with narrowed eyes behind a mug of caf. He takes a sip of the steaming drink, scowls at the taste, and sets the mug down briskly.

"Can I have a decent cup of caf today? Or is that too much to ask around here?" He grumbles.

A droid comes whirling in.

Rey wants to snort. She's heard the Governor snarl. She's heard him snap and rumble orders around. Has even heard him seethe between clenched teeth. But grumbling is actually kind of…

Funny.

His eyes meet hers.

Rey snaps her attention back to Nyxx who is setting her back on the ground and studying her bemused. He looks as carefree as ever, and she is so happy to see him that not even the Governor's volatile personality can ruin this moment.

"Ben," Senator Organa says approaching her son. "We might have a lead."

The Governor wipes at the spilled caf on his hand. "I've heard that before."

Leia sets her hand on her son's forearm waiting patiently for his attention. He finally relents and looks at her.

"He might be the one behind that organization we have been trying to uncover. The First Order."

"Who? The assassin?"

"No. The creature."

He stops cold at that and whatever little color is in his face seems to drain away. Rey looks at Nyxx curiously who winks at her and raises a finger not to say a word.

What creature?

Suddenly she feels privy to some great big family secret. One that she is not so sure the Governor would be too happy about sharing with her. He removes his hand from his mother's grasp and goes to stand by the large window. He sets his hands in his pockets and looks out at the waking city. It is such a similar image to yesterday's that Rey realizes with sudden clarity that he is trying to compose himself.

He must really hate seeming vulnerable in front of others. Even if those others are his own family.

"What kind of a lead?" He asks hoarsely after a few moments tick by.

Leia glances at Luke who nods at her to continue.

"Your father came across a man in Takodana who claims to be a defecting Stormtrooper."

"There haven't been any Stormtroopers since the Empire."

"Precisely. Which is why it's something we can't just brush aside."

"He might be delusional," he opposes. "Some fanatic of the old days who has trouble distinguishing between fantasy and the real world. Force knows, there are plenty of those around."

The Governor continues to have his back turned to them, even though, Rey can see the tension on his shoulders. She looks back at Nyxx hoping he'll be willing to share some more information about this but he just narrows his charcoaled green eyes at her. His way of chastising her eternal curiosity.

Rey barely contains a huff.

Luke is the one who takes over. His groveled voice smoothing the edges in the room.

"He claims he was part of the First Order. There are a lot of things that this man has to say which sound legitimate and seem to verify what we have been trying to put together in years. Their Leader is called Snoke."

He pauses and approaches the Governor, heavy robes bristling on the carpeted floor and comes to stand next to him. "The defector describes him as a grotesque man of mystical powers. Ben…" he sets his hand on his nephew's shoulder and continues a little softer. "I believe he must be the one we've been looking for."

The Governor's head turns to look at his uncle who has his intense blue eyes trained on him.

"What will you do?"

"Nyxx and I are leaving for Maz's castle to meet with Han and the young man. I'll let you know what comes out of it. In the meantime…"

Luke glances at Rey and sends her one of her all-time favorite smiles. The kind that makes him look like the selfless young man that had brought an Empire down decades ago, and never stopped dedicating himself for what it good and honorable in this world. It warms her heart and fills her with courage. Nyxx wraps his tattooed arm around her and squeezes her shoulder.

She can do this.

Luke's attention has returned to his nephew. "In the meantime, Rey will watch over you. She is strong in the Light which is one of the reasons I chose her for you. Let her help you, kid."

The Governor takes a few moments before he answers back. And when he does, his voice is deep and hoarse and cracks bitterly at the end. And Rey can barely hear it.

"No one can help me with the nightmares…"

Her Master pats him affectionately on the shoulder. "You're not alone, my boy. You've never been alone on this."

Ben looks out the window again and Luke makes his way towards his sister. They don't exchange any words but they may have just said everything there is to say in this galaxy, simply by looking at each other. He places a tender kiss on her forehead and then takes his leave, signaling for Nyxx to join him. Her friend ruffles her hair playfully and next thing she knows they are both gone in a whirl of thick cloaks and muffled steps.

Rey suddenly feels very numb. Leia Organa walks up to her and takes Rey's hands. Her eyes are red-rimmed and there are tears pooling there but she smiles, and her whole face lights up with hope. "Thank you for doing this, Rey. I'll see you later at the Senate."

She disappears as well. And Rey is left only with the Governor and that annoying droid rolling around without a care in the world, preparing a new cup of caf for him.

She stares at his back for a few long moments before she nods to herself.

I can do this.

Rey picks up the mug from the droid's mechanical hand and comes to stand next to the Governor. She was very silent in her approach, not wanting to disturb him from his thoughts. She extends the mug in front of him and waits.

Surely that delicious smell must be very tempting. Rey has never had caf in her life. But maybe she could try some, later on. Along with those mouth-watering muffins and fresh fruit piled on the small breakfast table. When he's not paying attention, of course.

His hands wrap around the steaming mug, cold clammy fingers brushing against her calloused ones.

And then he turns to look at her.

Rey sucks in a breath. Sunlight is caressing his pale face, simmering on his dark strands and illuminating his eyes. They are rich and soft under the morning light and she cannot believe they are the same eyes she has been seeing this whole time.

Because they are not the bottomless black color of his heart. They are a striking and unmistakable…

Brown.

Rey can't stop looking at him. Especially now with the rising sun warming his features in colors of gold.

It brings her back to years and years ago. To a teenage boy with a mop of black hair and soft curious eyes, lifting a rag covering the entrance of an upturned crate to peek at the little girl huddled in a corner. The sun had fallen on his face the exact same way as now.

"Hey, there…"

The echoes of the past still drift in her mind once in a while.

Ben blinks lightly, hands still wrapped tightly around the mug of caf she had offered him. He doesn't say a word. Simply raises the cup to his lips and takes a sip, squinting at the sun's powerful rays.

It settles heavy in her stomach.

"We have a long day ahead of us," he says, turning the other way to walk towards the breakfast table. Rey straightens her back. "I'll have Jeff get in contact with you and tell you what today's schedule is."

She stands by the window. Watching his black-clad form make his way around the room, feeling a little dejected. No. Scratch that. She feels very, very upset.

"What? That's it?"

He snaps his head up at that.

"Did you expect something more?"

"I don't know. Should I?" Of course she was expecting for him to say something more. Brushing this whole situation under the rug is not something she'll just let go.

She clenches her hands into fists. "You owe me an apology."

That heavy gaze is a little startled at her words. It's disheartening to see how difficult it is for him to grant her even that. An apology. Ben has changed so much. But she won't let it just pass. Last night's words had been vile.

"An apology?"

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about."

"I thought things were settled between us."

"They are very far from being settled."

Now she isn't just upset. She is beginning to feel angry.

The man sets his mug back on the table with a smirk. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and looks at her. "Very well. I was out of line. I should have never spoken to you that way," he manages to say. Rey should probably feel satisfied at that. But she doesn't. It doesn't even come close.

"I still haven't said if I'll stay." She raises her chin.

The smirk falls from his face, instantly. "What is that supposed to mean? This meeting seemed to convince you otherwise."

"It wasn't enough."

"It wasn't enough?" His voice rises and is starting to sound incredulous. "And what exactly would be enough for you?"

She doesn't know, though. That's the problem. She doesn't know what to ask of this man. So she remains silent. The Governor runs a hand through his hair and grunts. He actually grunts in frustration and Rey wants to laugh and cry at the same time.

"I'm not the boy you remember."

"You couldn't have made that more clear."

He tosses his arm in the air and that unruly hair falls in his face. "Then what more do you want from me!"

She crosses her arms and looks to the side. How can she ask for someone to return when they no longer exist? There's a long exhale from him and he walks around the table, those heavy steps pounding in tandem to her heart. He comes to a stop in front of her. But Rey refuses to look at him.

Her vision starts to blur.

"Rey?"

Gods…

"Look at me."

There's a soft touch under her chin and she flinches away realizing a little late that it had been his curled fingers. His hand falls to the side. And she knows he won't be touching her again.

"Let the past go," he says in a low voice. "It will only hold you back."

She still senses his eyes on her but she can't master the courage to look at him. Rey feels like she is holding on to a ghost. There is a little sigh that escapes him but it is so light and fleeting that it blends with the shifting of fabric as he moves away. He goes back to the breakfast table to pour himself another cup of caf.

"You have an hour to decide if you want to remain in my service," he clips. "You may go."

Rey nods while staring at some painting on the wall that hangs a little further away from him. It's been bugging her since the moment she walked into the room. It depicts a boy under the oppressive shadow of a mountain, reaching for the sun.

She turns around and leaves, barely remembering to snatch her saberstaff resting at the doors.

Author's note: I've been dying to write about that pair of pretty brown eyes...And, yes, this man can be tender. On occasion.
Next chapter he realizes he has an adversary ; )