Almost done.

The monitor station next to the hangar door was small and crude, but serviceable enough. The screen showed the object as it was drawn into the hangar, while a series of bars showed the air mixture and pressure. All the bars were empty, indicating - as if it were not obvious - that the hangar was depressurized.

Standing at the station, Thexan watched as the icon representing the object slid little by little over the threshold. It was a circle, with what might have been a pair of mandibles extending in one direction, and a small protuberance of some kind to the side of and just behind the right mandible.

A ship of some kind; though not one he had ever seen.

"Is she in?" It was Han, hurrying down the corridor towards him. All the age and weariness seemed to have drained out of him, leaving an energy and sprightliness he had not seen there before. Chewbacca was behind, clutching his bowcaster, eyes glancing from Thexan to the door and back again.

"Coming into land...now," replied Thexan. He felt the slight jolt as the tractor beam deposited the ship on the deck. "Sealing the hatch...the hatch is sealing...sealed and locked."

Another jolt as the hatch closed and locked. Threxan keyed to begin pressurization, keeping his eyes on the air gauges and the hatch.

"Hangar is repressurizing...seal is holding...forty percent...fifty percent...air mix optimal...seventy..."

The gauges filled, and turned green. The hatch also showed green.

"Hangar is locked, sealed, and pressurized..." Thexan went on, standing up from his station.

"Seems like you know your stuff," Han said, giving him a slightly odd look. "You ex-military? Aside from being royalty, I mean?"

"Yes..." Thexan paused a moment. "I...was trained as a soldier and an officer, among other things. This was a simple enough task, once I worked out the controls."

"Yeah, that's the killer," mused Han. "They must've tried to standardize these things a thousand times, but it never works out. Believe me, I lost six months of my life to a committee try to do just that!" He patted Thexan on the back, and the young man looked back, seeing Han offer a small old smile. "Nice."

He sighed, and for a moment Thexan felt the weariness return, and a sense of regret. Loneliness, sadness, a terrible aching regret.

"I recognized the layout of the controls," he went on, hoping a change of subject would distract the older man. "It's somewhat different to how I remember, but the overall layout is similar to Corellian ships from my era."

"Is that so?" Han perked up a little, seeming to weigh up what he had said. "Well you're right. Eravana here's a Balleen class, by none other than the Corellian Engineering Corporation." He sounded very proud, and Thexan could sense a warm glow of nostalgia. "My father used to work for them, back in the day."

He turned his head back towards the door, and drew his blaster.

"We're on," he said, a hard edge to his tone. "Chewie, watch my back. Thexan...uh..." He paused awkwardly, seemingly remembering that Thexan had no weapon. "Just...stay behind Chewie, and if something bad happens, run for it. Hide. Armory is by the cockpit."

Chewbacca chuffed a noise that might have been a laugh.

"Yeah well if we'd found him last month, when we had that gunrunning job, it wouldn't have been a problem now, would it?" retorted Han testily.

He pressed the door control. The door slid open, and Han poked his head around it. A moment later he stepped inside, gesturing for them to follow. Chewbacca did so, and Thexan did likewise, following Han to crouch behind a heavy equipment crate standing a few meters from the door.

The ship sat on the hangar deck before them. Though not exactly like any ship Thexan had ever seen, the shape and layout were distinctly Corellian. An image popped into Thexan's mind as he regarded it; an image of a ship, shown to him when he was a child. One of legend.

Ebon Hawk.

"Need to be a little careful," Han said. "If they've found the controls for that underside blaster, we're in for a firefight."

Thexan paused a moment, making sure Han's attention was fixed on the ship, then reached. He focused…

Two of them, flickering in the Force like distant stars. Young, nervous, fearful of their lives.

But one of them...something...something not quite right...

"I'll go first," he said. "I can reach the hatch and open it."

"You sure?" Han looked doubtfully at him. "The hatch is on the underside, just over there." He pointed to the starboard docking ring, just behind the off-set cockpit. "If that thing pops out when you start, you'll have a couple of seconds at the most before you're full of plasma."

"I can do it."

Han paused, and Thexan felt the conflict within him; competing feelings warring for dominance. There was fear...no, more than fear, a honed instinct for survival, an instinct keeping him safe behind the crate. But there was something else there too...a feeling of...protectiveness, tinged about with pain and sorrow.

Eventually, Han nodded. Thexan nodded back, and glanced cautiously over the crate. Still no movement, still no signs of life, or reaction. The ship was quite still.

Thexan leapt the crate and sprinted towards the underside hatch. His heart hammered, his legs ached, his mind alive with the thrill of danger.

He reached the hatch. Still no sign of life. He turned back, and saw Han and Chewbacca hurrying towards him. His lungs were burning, and his legs were masses of pain. How weak had he become during his stasis? He closed his eyes and gasped, taking in deep breaths.

"Nicely done kid!" proclaimed Han as they arrived. "Now if you don't mind doing the honors?"

Remembering himself, Thexan tapped the hatch control. With a clunk and hiss of pressure, the ramp came down. Hardly able to contain himself, Han darted up the ramp, Chewbacca close behind. Thexan watched, shrugged, and followed them.

He found the pair of them standing in the curving main corridor a little way along from the hatch. Han was glancing around, a smile on his face, and a warm and happy glow in the Force.

"Chewie..." he said, nodding in satisfaction. "We're home." The old wookie roared his approval. Thexan had never seen a wookie smile or even knew if they could, but the expression on Chewbacca's face was probably the closest thing he would ever see.

The wookie went away, his head on a constant swivel while Han went to a control panel on the side of the hallway. Thexan watched Chewie for a second, the wookie glancing around, only to jerk his head towards Han. The older man smiled as he looked over the controls.

"This is… home?" Thexan inquired.

The smile seemed plastered on Han's face because it only lit up even more.

"Yeah, it's better than-"

The sound of metal clashing against metal cut off whatever story the old smuggler might have started. It was small, nothing more than a mistake, but a mistake was all the three of them needed.

Thexan's head was already looking at the grate by the time that Han managed to fully react, with Chewie's reactions not too far behind. On instinct, Thexan reached once more.

They were there, just under the grate. They still flickered, but the fear was so thick that one could drown themselves within. Chewie lumbered forward, and as he reached down, Thexan held up two fingers. Han's expression instantly morphed. One of curiosity, but also… familiarity? But his blaster and Chewie's bowcaster was primed.

Whatever questions might have come, the Force willed them to wait as the wookie nodded once, gripping the edge of the grate.

Thexan took a step back, he didn't have a weapon after all, and Han had his blaster at his side in the blink of an eye. He was out of danger, but not too far away not to see the occupants. With a casual grunt, the grate came free and Han pointed his blaster down into the smuggling den.

Just as his feelings had shown him, there were two. Or at least, two humans and a spherical droid. A dark skinned young man, and a female in scavengers robes. Both had gas masks over their faces, but they did little to stop the fear shining in their eyes.

Almost as one, both Han and Thexan used that fear. The two of them stepped forward, Han's blaster moving between the three of them without any discrimination while Thexan crossed his arms, glaring. He bore down the full authority of the Eternal Empire with nothing more than a stare. The droid ceased it's insipid beeping as it's processor regarded him. The young woman flinched back for a moment before she managed to contain herself. Impressive, admirable even, considering the weapon trained on her. His eyes went to the other stowaway.

But the man, he was frozen.

A hundred different nightmares flashed through him, and all he had to do was look at Thexan.

"Where are the others?" Han demanded, "Where's the pilot?"

"I'm the pilot," the woman answered.

"You?"

The disbelief was evident to everyone, not that Thexan disagreed. Chewie gave a roar of his own, making the scavenger regard him.

"No it's true, we're the only ones on board."

Years of war and training stopped the surprise from showing, but Thexan couldn't stop his mind from wandering. A scavenger knowing shryiiwook? The thought alone was absurd, but here it was, happening before him. The man's confusion snapped him out of the trace that Thexan's presence put him under, shooting a look at the woman. She gave him an almost comical shrug in response, and the sight of it was enough for Han to roll his eyes.

"Alright that's enough, get out of there."

The two of them disregarded their masks and quickly jumped out of the hole.

"Where did you get this ship?" Han asked.

"Niima outpost."

Han actually blinked at the answer.

"Jakku? That junkyard?"

"Thank you," the man agreed, whispering the assumption to the woman next to him.

She looked almost offended, but Han paid it no mind.

"Told ya we shoud've double checked the western regions."

Chewie grumbled, the wookie equivalent of saying 'Yeah right,' Thexan assumed. The banter didn't stop Han from rounding back on the two of them.

"Who had it? Ducain?"

"I stole it, from Unkar Plutt. He stole it from the Irving Boys who stole it from Ducain."

Thexan almost chuckled, the woman had all the answers Han needed it seemed. She must have known this Plutt well enough for this man to be a braggart.

Curious.

"Who stole it from me," Han finished, "Well you tell him that Han Solo just stole back the Millennium Falcon, for good."

Han started to make his way towards the cockpit, and as he left, his one declaration lit a spark that Thexan couldn't see coming. The fear and nervousness on the two of them disappeared, to be replaced by a startling realization from the man, and awe from the woman. Her face lit up faster than a lightsaber.

"This is the Millennium Falcon? Your Han Solo?"

Now, Thexan couldn't stop the confusion from showing, even if it was nothing more than a single eyebrow. The girl spoke with a reverence that was familiar.

His people once cheered his and Arcann's name with that same reverence.

The reverence only deserving of heroes.

While it might have once brought a smile, the disgust on Han's face shown through.

"I used to be," he stressed.

The man seemed to ignore it, the realization finally coming through.

"Han Solo, the rebellion general?"

General?

The woman's head snapped back.

"No the smuggler," she corrected.

"Wasn't he a-"

The words die in his throat as his eyes land on Thexan, the woman blissfully unaware of the fear that began to retake her companion.

"This is the ship that made the Kessel Run in 14 parsecs!"

"12!" Han shouted back.

The woman's smile still hasn't gone away, and for a second Thexan felt another wave of happiness shine through the force.

Only to be snuffed out by a tidal wave of annoyance.

"Hey!" Han shouted, his footsteps clanging against the floor as he made his way back, "Some moof milker put a compressor on the ignition line."

He leveled all of his suspicion on the woman, as did Thexan. Any technician worth his credits would know not to make that kind of mistake, but she was quick to shake her head.

"Unkar Plutt did, I thought it was a mistake too, puts too much-"

"Stress on the hyperdrive," Han and Thexan finish in unison.

He stops, looking at both Thexan and the woman with something resembling approval. He walks over, slapping Thexan on the shoulder.

"I'm liking you more every hour now kid," he whispers.

Thexan nods his thanks, glancing at the two nerf's in the room.

"What about them?"

Han's approval sours into a small scowl.

"Help Chewie throw them into a pod, we'll drop them off at the nearest inhabited planet." He said, staring down another corridor.

Thexan nods once more and Chewie's face morphs into something resembling a frown.

"Wait, no! We need your help!" the woman exclaimed.

"My help?" Han asksed.

"You're not in a position to demand anything from us Mis..."

"Rey," the woman answers indignantly, "And you don't understand this droid has to get to resistance base as soon as possible."

Thexan folded his arms once more. "What could it have that this… Resistance would need?"

"A map to Luke Skywalker," the man bit out.

Han froze like the entire grip of the Force surrounded him. Luke, that was the name of Han's friend if Thexan remembered correctly. Han leaned against the wall of the Falcon, looking older than Thexan had ever seen him. His head dipping low, which only seemed to harden the man's resolve.

"You are the Han Solo that fought with the Rebellion. You knew him."

Han turned, a smile of blissful remembrance taking over. It lasts for a heartbeat as more take its place. Pride, respect, and most of all, gilt.

"Yeah... I knew him...I knew Luke."

The moment's cut short by a clank ringing through the compound.

"Oh don't tell me the Rathtar's got loose," Han grimaced.

He dashed out the door, leaving the remaining occupints no choice but to follow him.

"Wait, what!? Rathtars! Don't tell me you're carrying Rathtar's on this freighter," The man pleaded.

"Then I won't tell you," Thexan said as the group met up with Han in front of one of the security panels.

"I'm hauling Rathtar's," Han answers anyway.

Rey gives Thexan a look, earning a raised eyebrow from the prince.

"I said nothing. He asked for it." The spherical droid gave off several beeps, and Thexan could have sworn he saw the small red light in it's mono-eye roll.

"Oh great, Guavian Death gang, must've tracked us from Zakuul. Kid, you're with me, we need to check on those charges."

Thexan said nothing but grimaced as his legs continued to scream at the prospect of movement. The pain stung, but it was still bearable.

"What's a Rathtar?" Rey asked.

"They're big and they're dangerous," Han answers, leading the growing group down a maintenance corridor.

"Have you ever heard of the Trillion Massacre?" the man asked.

"No," Rey and Thexan breathed.

"Good."

"I've got three of them going to King Prana," Han continued.

The man's eyes bulged out of his sockets.

"Three? How'd you get them on board?"

Han sends a guilty look back at Thexan and Chewie.

"We used to have a bigger crew."

Everyone bar Han all seemed to glance back at Chewie for confirmation. The wookie roared his agreement, and the spherical droid beeped in concern. The group turned another corner, stopping at a three-way intersection. Without a word, Chewie pulled open a grate eerily similar to the one of the Falcon. Thexan cracked a sliver of a smile. Old habits die hard with Han apparently.

"Get below and stay there. Thexan you're with them, make sure they don't try taking the Falcon."

"What about BB-8?" Rey asked.

Han gave the small ball a spare glance.

"Stays with me until I get rid of the gang then you can have him back and be on your way."

"What about the Rathtar's, where are you keeping them?" The man asked.

Thexan glanced around and inclined his head towards the wall.

"There is one right behind you."

As if on cue, a slimy eyeball slammed against the small green tinted glass separating the two of them. The man jumped back, almost tripping into the hole to below. He was close enough for Chewie to reach out and gently lower him into the hold. Thexan gestured to Rey and she climbed in soon after.

"And you?" Thexan asked.

The old smuggler gave wry smile.

"Don't worry, I'll do what I always do."

"And that is?"

Han looked almost hurt.

"What I do best, talk my way out of it."

Chewie roars his disbelief, making Han snap a finger at him.

"Yes I do, every time."

Thexan wasn't convinced. He waited for Chewie to do something, but the wookie simply gestured with his bowcaster down the hole. He didn't like it, leaving Han alone to talk his way out of dealing with a group that had the title of Death gang felt as stupid as giving a Hut the primer to a flag ship.

Nevertheless, he couldn't argue with them.

He went down the hole, wincing as his knees were forced to bare the weight of his body. The grate shut, leaving him alone with Rey and the man. The three of them turned their heads to the sound of a door opening. Footsteps echoed through, with one step managing to ring out greater than all the others.

The gangs.

"Here they come," Rey whispers.

"He knows what he's doing," Thexan consoled.

"Han Solo," A new voice drawled out, "You're a dead man."

…

…

Well wasn't that just a spectacular start.

"Bala-Tik! Welcome abord. Always good to. See an old business associate. What's the problem?" Han spoke out. Bala-Tik did not sound as enthused as Han.

"The problem is we loaned you fifty thousand for this job." Thexan noticed the man craning his head around, trying to hear. "I heard you burrowed fifty thousand from Kanjiklub." And he rolled his eyes. His new employer and the closest thing he has to a friend in this new galaxy… ripped off several dangerous gangsters it seems.

This was going to be special.

"Can you see them?" Rey asked anxiously, Thexan trying to keep an ear on Han trying to dissuade the Guavians and an eye on the stowaways.

"No." They crawled forward, Thexan doing his best not to make any noise. These two clearly were in a rush, and if Thexan were in Bala-Tik's shoes, he would be on the look out for any other crew as well, given the size and scope of the ship.

"They have blasters." Rey stated, the trio now with a good view of the Death Gang in the grates above them.

"All of them?" The man asked.

"They wouldn't be called a Death Gang without any would they?" Thexan remarked.

"We want our money back now." Bala-Tik demanded.

"Hunting Rathtars ain't cheap, I spent that money!" Han defended.

"Kanjiklub wants their investment back too."

"I never made a deal with Kanjiklub!"

"Tell that to Kanjiklub." Bala-Tik retorted to Han. And the sound of doors opened followed by footsteps. and Thexan felt his heart fell, biting his lower lip.

"It's Kanjiklub isn't it?" He asked rhetorically, feeling Rey and the man's eyes on him. He heard Han call out a 'Tasu Leech', saying it was good to see him. And Leech responded back in some language didn't understand, but it didn't sound good.

"It's Kanjiklub." Two gangsters, armed to the teeth, ready to gun down Han. And this day just started so well too.

"Boys! You're both gonna get what I promised you. Have I ever not delivered for you before?" Han sweet talked, and Thexan hoped he had some credit to his name. Rey and the man moved once again, and Thexan followed.

"No." And then Leech speaking some non-affirmative answer.

"Then what was the second time?" Now he sounded like a confused old man, and it took all of Thexan's will not to let out a frustrated groan.

"Where are you going?" Thexan asked sternly. He can feel the man tense up in nervousness, while Rey continued on.

"Every ship has a motherboard that has access to door functions. I'm trying to find it." Rey whispered back. "You've been on this ship right? You his first mate?"

Thexan paused. "Well… Chewbacca is the co-pilot, and I'm a First mate, yes."

"Then do you know where it is?" She asked, looking hopeful and turning to face him. Thexan looked back directly into her eyes, opening his mouth.

"I… I just started this job…"

"Yes…?" The man asked.

"About… twelve hours ago." And Rey's face deflated like a popped balloon, and the man bit his lip. "And over half of that was spent sleeping."

"Are you serious?!" The man bit out. "You gotta be kidding me…" The continued scooting forward, Thexan feeling offended and glaring.

"Don't look at me," He felt the man tense up again at his words. "I just started this job and-"

"That BB unit." Bala-Tik spoke out. "The First Order is looking for one just like it. And two fugitives." And Rey and the man stopped.

First Order? What is that?

"First I've heard of it." Han stated, and Leech spoke out with footsteps sounding out. They were searching the ship. To their luck, they finally found a control panel and Rey got up next to one.

"If this is a flow panel for this corridor, I might be able to manually disrupt the programming. That would trip the emergency sequence and drop all the blast doors in this section. We can trip both gangs!" Rey said excitedly as she began to inspect the wires.

"Shut the blast doors from down here? Won't that trap Han and Chewbacca up too?"

"We have the grates." Thexan spoke out. "Right now, we should trap the gangs, and then focus on saving Han. We will cross that bridge when we get to it. You, girl." He spoke out, Rey focusing on the flow panel. "How do you know all of this?"

"Tinkered around." She muttered. "On Star Destroyers… and Mon Cal Cruisers. They all have flow panels." She even gave a shrug. "Even trapped some hostile scavengers with this… I'm an expert. Trust me."

"You know your way around a ship then Scavenger." Thexan mused.

"That's life on Jakku. You either scavenge, find an oasis, or die." Rey muttered as she finished the modifications and pressed… something.

"We're going to take that droid, and you're going to give us our money back." Bala-Tik commanded, and Thexan could hear the sound of them priming their blasters until he heard something click and the lights began to flicker.

In the distance, he heard a roar and Thexan's heart sank.

"Uh oh." Rey said, and two sets of eyes were on her. "Wrong fuses."

"Thank you, Miss Expert." Thexan growled as they heard the gangs prime their blasters.

"Kill them! And take the droid!" And then the roars magnified with the Rathtars now upon them, roaring as both the Gavin Death Gang and Kanjiklub yell out in terror, blasters firing. Thexan followed after the crawling fugitives.

"This was a mistake!" The man called out.

"Huge!"

"Will you both shut up and get moving!" Thexan barked, hearing the Rathtars move about as they can hear more of the sounds of dying gangster up on top. He hoped Han didn't get eaten or blasted. His hand instinvicely went back to his hip, but found no lightsaber there. He cursed mentally.

They finally made it to a hatch and climb out, running.

"What do they look like?" Rey asked as they turned the corner, right into some gangsters being mauled, and eaten by the bulbous, red, scaly and aggressive massive of tentacles of teeth that is a Rather. Rey covered her mouth with her hand in shock.

"Like that." Thexan said, and he and the man yanked her away, with another rathtar barreling down the hall! "And that!"

"This way!" The man shouted as they ran but the man got pulled by one of its tentacles, pulling him away.

"Finn!" Rey yelled in distress as Thexan leapt into action, his hand reaching out. The roaring rather froze and Thexan focused, eyes narrowed as he reached out, deep, into it's mind. And he squeezed.

The beast wasn't pulling the man, named Finn, into it's mouth, more or less wiping the floor with him as it thrashed about, clearly in agony as Thexan took step by step.

"Remember my sons… pain can be a tool." His father spoke, with two Bog rats in cages presented before them, the little critters clawing at them. "A tool to empower you… and a tool to demoralize your enemy."

He remembered alright. Causing pain through its organs wasn't enough. Too slow. So he targeted the one thing he knew best, what he had done to best even the most potent of Sith Lord or Jedi Master.

He targeted their very mind, their brain. And Thexan glared, and the beasts roars turned into cries of agony and pain, with Finn still yelling at being swayed around. He took a step forward, the beast shuffling back as it felt its mind being split in two one moment, then being crushed the next.

To target the brain was hard. It was far more easier to close the wind pipe around a target and make them choke, but to stimulate the brain was another matter entirely. Strangely, the brain wasn't as big on the Rathtar as he once thought.

Turns out it was rather small.

Thexan grunted as he felt his strain on the Force wither, he can't keep this up, so he reached out with both hands, and the beast let go of Finn, howling in agony as Thexan pushed the beast using the Force. The Rathtar rolled away, roaring in pain and fear. He panted, staggering to his feet as he looked back, feeling two sets of wide eyes on him. This was nothing before… His connection with the Force was still weak.

"How did you…" Rey asked. Finn was dead silent, breathing hard. Thexan took in deep breaths, and offered his hand to the dark skinned man.

"Later. Come on. We have to get out here." The roars of Rathtars and blaster fire rung out in the distance, and they did so, Rey and Finn sprinting down the corridor from whence they came, with Thexan following from behind. He feels like he has ran an entire marathon.

While his muscles haven't atrophied, he hasn't honed his body in a while, meaning after Arcann sliced him, he had to be healed in a bed first before being Carbon Frozen. That was the conclusion Thexan came to, and it drove the bald man mad. They followed the sound of blasters and they entered the hangar, seeing Han… with Chewie leaning on him as they got on the ramp leading into the Falcon.

"Han!" Rey yelled, Han pointed back at her.

"Close the door behind us!" He ordered, handing Chewie to Finn. "You take care of Chewie!"

The man took the massive wookie, and brought him over to the side. Thexan came over, supporting Chewie from the other side as he brought him aboard the Falcon. Thexan noticed how… dry and crusty it smelled inside the Corellian freighter, but he didn't care.

"Can you handle him? Chewie?" Thexan said, going on adrenaline at this point. He eyed his arm, seeing blood pour from it.

"I know First Aid." Finn spoke, the two of them breathing heavily as they could hear yelling outside, but Chewie was writhing.

"Me too." Thexan could hear the chip whirring but stalling. He growled as he heard the door close and ran to the cockpit.

"Hey! Don't leave me!" Finn yelled as he tried to find a First Aid kit in the central lounge.

"What's the hold up?" Thexan got into the cockpit, seeing Han and Rey at work flipping switches and buttons.

"Unkar Plutt installed a fuel pump too, if we don't prime that we're not going anywhere."

"I hate that guy." Han muttered, checking on the systems.

"Check the Compressor and fuel lines, if anyone would meddle with a ship's engines its there." Thexan suggested.

"I've owned this ship for decades I know that! Rey, check the fuel lines and Compressor!" Han barked. "And take care of Chewie kid!"

"Don't you need a co-pilot?" Thexan asked.

"I got one, he's back there."

"I can fly this. I did." Rey suggested.

"I can fly too." Thexan added, Han turned around, giving him a look. With Chewie's roar and the sound of a Rathtar plopping itself onto the cockpit windshield startling all three, Thexan nodded.

"I'll leave it to you then."

He ran back as he heard blaster fire outside the ship, and the ship coming to life and movement.

Finn is trying to wrap some bandages and disinfectant, but Chewie is snarling at him as he had his paws around the dark skinned man's throat. "Help." He squeaked, and Thexan ran over to him, staying by Chewie's side.

And the ship roared to life, and Thexan could swear that they… just jumped into hyperspace?! From within the hangar bay?! And they weren't dead?!

Han may be a cheating smuggler, but his gumption and daring along with his skill as a pilot weren't to be questioned.

"Chewbacca. Chewie." Thexan spoke, putting his hands on Chewie as the wooke looked at him dead in the eyes, squirming in pain as he let out an audible growl of distress. "Look at me… this will sting…" He said, getting the disinfectant, and the wookie whimpered but shook his head. "Let me see it… can you turn?" He asked, and the massive beast shuffled, showing the bloody wound on his shoulder. Thexan moved some fur, making Chewie growl in pain.

"I know I know it hurts… trust me. I've gotten my fair share of scars…" He held out a hand, looking at Finn who was rubbing his throat.

"Clothe and disinfectant." He asked, then he widened his eyes, and nudged his head towards Chewie. Finn finally got the message.

"R-Right!" He sprang up, getting the medicine and Thexan took it, watering up the kerchief and dabbing Chewie's arm. He let out a roar.

"I know I know it's gonna sting. But this will be all better okay?" Thexan breathed, feeling Chewbacca's other arm on him, his hands digging into him. "Just like that," he winced. His grip was hard, but he's suffered worse.

He had to stay by his brother's side feeling his hand be cursed when Arcann got battlefield surgery to get back fighting the Empire's Wrath and the Dark Council back in Korriban. After they installed a prosthetic and robotic mask on him, Thexan was able to handle the Dark Council Sith Lords while Arcann dueled the Wrath himself.

And triumphed over her and many Sith Warriors, despite all odds, injured. Maybe that was the first clue of Arcann truly embracing the Dark Side. Using the pain combined with the resentment towards father to further his abilities allowed him to reach a height in power not even Thexan had known possible.

"It's gonna be okay." He continued to clean the wound, then he extended his hand.

"Bandage."

As Finn handed him the bandage, this was the end to a wild day. He had just woken up hours ago too.

"Did you find the Compressor!" Thexan called out, chest heaving as he finished tightening the wrap around Chewie, who had released his grip on his shoulder. He let out a whimper, a sympathetic one given Chewie looked at the red marks on his arm.

"Trying to!" Rey yelled.

"Great, there's an electrical overload!" Han yelled.

"I can fix that!"

"Coolant's leaking!"

Thexan let out an audible groan. "Try bypassing power to the secondary tank!" He yelled.

"That's not working!" Rey replioed. Thexan got up and pointed at Finn.

"Take care of him." He said, sprinting to the cockpit as Han and Rey were frantic to turn off the warning klaxons sound off.

"Can't you remove the Compressor?" He asked, Rey looked up from the engine board.

"I can't it's too engrained!"

"If we remove it now, we're going to be spread out over three systems." Han spoke fast as he did his past to turn off the alarms.

"Then go around it! Bypass…" Suddenly it dawned on him, and the girl too, their eyes widening. He snapped his fingers and she went down below, and removed… something.

And the sirens stop, making Han confused.

"What'd you do?" He asked, looking down at Rey, who beamed.

"I bypassed the compressor." She looked back at Thexan, holding up the gadget and pointing at him. "He suggested it and it... came to me."

"You did the job and finished it through." He panted, gesturing towards her with a hand as the all three of them let out a laugh. They looked at each other, eye to eye and they felt satisfied. And Thexan felt it again, that warmth in the Force he had felt when he sensed her just minutes ago...

What a day this has been. Thexan had spent most of it sleeping, already trapped in carbonite for three millennia.

Yet he already felt so spent and exhausted.

But… they all made it out alive.

Sorry for the wait here. Took a bit.

Allowed Rey to get a little bit dunked on in GotG fashion with snarking, and a little explanation on her knowing the ins and out of starships(she does look around ruined ships for a living after all).

Hope you all enjoyed!