He didn't sleep a wink that night. He hadn't spent a night apart from her since he woke up on Takodana. All he could do was toss and turn and hope he was right in his assumptions about Calrissian, or else he would have an impossible time explaining himself.

He certainly did not want to leave her alone with Rando for the inspection, frankly the thought of the leering governor anywhere near his Rey alone sickened him, but he needed her to keep him distracted while he investigated what was really going on behind the scenes.

Rey woke up to a knock at her door. When she opened it one of Rando's staff entered with a laden serving cart filled with exotic and tantalizing food for her breakfast, the most shocking thing she found was several long-stemmed roses and a card addressed to her.

Rey,

I hope you slept well last night. I am very pleased that you are here in Cloud City and I look forward to meeting with you for today's inspection. I assure you that you will receive my utmost cooperation. I will arrive at 900 hours to personally escort you to the loading docks where I keep the freighters. I assume that your large friend shall be joining us, but perhaps you can join me tonight, alone, for dinner?

Yours

-Rando

Rey was not used to open flirtation and wasn't quite sure of what to make of the situation. She assumed it would be apparent to others that she and Ben were together, but she began to think that maybe they hadn't fully given that impression the other day, what with his stand-offish behavior, and the fact that they had been given, and slept in, separate rooms.

The food was delicious, but she ate it rather hurriedly as she wanted to see Ben alone before Rando arrived.

She hadn't slept much that night and had even cried a little. Was he so jealous that he could act so childishly as to just automatically assume the worst about someone simply because he didn't like them? Clearly Rando was being a bit amorous, but she would set the record straight with him as soon as she saw him; that Ben and she were together. What hurt her most was that it seemed as if he had lashed out against her for having defended Rando. She could not deny that there wasn't something that felt suspicious about his operations, but she had purposely searched him for deceptions and had no evidenced that he wasn't telling her the truth.

She had been angry with Kylo Ren constantly, but being angry with Ben felt different, it felt wrong and she wanted to try and appeal with him to be sensible one more time before she had to leave for the inspection.

She knocked at his door and felt a pang of hurt and rejection again as he refused to answer it. Finally in frustrated anger she used the force to pry the lock and barged in.

"Ben Solo, you are going to talk to me before…"

He wasn't there.

She saw that he had barely touched his breakfast, which had not been nearly as extravagant as her own, and that his bed covers were all mangled as if he had a fitful sleep, or lack thereof. She could tell he hadn't left his clothes or saber behind.

Suddenly a wave of panic and terror struck her. "He left me!" she thought as her heart-rate shot through the roof. "Had he really been that mad?"

Ben? Ben? Where are you? I'm sorry. Don't leave me! I'm so sorry.

She cried out across the bond.

Suddenly she felt him.

What? I haven't left you! I would never leave you! Why would you ever think such a thing?

You're not here, in your room I mean, and you told me to go alone…I thought you left me because you were angry.

He was relieved that she had let down the barrier and hurt that she would assume that he could ever leave her.

Rey, listen to me. I will never leave you! I'm so sorry that I hurt you last night. I swear I didn't mean for it to come off that way. I need you to go to the inspection alone because I need you to keep Rando distracted while I investigate his operations base here. This isn't just me being jealous! I swear! You once told me being Grey was being able to set your passions aside. No matter what my personal opinions of that man are, I do believe he is hiding something. I have been further in the darkside than you have ever been and I know something doesn't add up with him. If I'm wrong then I will personally apologize to you and even to him.

He said the last part with a cringe.

Please Rey, cover for me. Just keep him busy.

You're not going to hurt anyone are you?

She asked, referring to his guards and staff who would be undoubtedly watching everything while Rando was away.

I give you my word. I will harm no one.

Where are you now?

His personal offices are at the top of this building, I'm breaking in.

Ben, please be careful.

I'm more worried about you. If that lecher puts a hand on you, cut it off! Better yet, tear it off!

He knew Rey could protect herself against any man, even against himself when he had been Kylo Ren, but that didn't mean he still didn't feel viciously protective of her.

He asked me to have dinner alone with him tonight.

She confessed, not wanting to keep secrets, and cringed as she knew his reaction would not be good.

She felt an explosive volcano of rage erupt across the bond and swore she heard a crash from an upper story.

Ben?

I'll clean it up, they won't notice!

He replied, and she could feel that he was still furious but trying his best to regain composure.

Guards had been notified of a loud disturbance on the eighty-second floor, but when they arrived on the scene everything appeared okay.

"What happened to that fancy marble end-table?" one of them asked.

"Maybe Governor Calrissian had someone move it?" the other speculated. It was far too large and heavy for someone to steal without being noticed.

Ben had already made his way up to the ninety-fourth floor without being noticed. He had used the force to levitate the broken marble pieces into the nearest incinerator and was passing by most personnel in a nonchalant manner that avoided drawing attention. Many people seemed to be doing business on the upper floors and most were scurrying around the halls. As long as he didn't act suspicious, most paid him no attention.

Rando Calrissian's speeder was souped-up and fancier than anything Rey had ever seen. They were heading to the far-side of Cloud City and she was trying to act interested as he prattled on about pod-racing, apparently he owned stock in several pods and drivers and it was one of his more passionate hobbies.

He had been surprised but openly pleased when he had arrived to pick her up to learn that her tall companion would not be joining them for the day. She had wanted to tell him right away that her 'tall friend' was more than just her friend, but she was concerned that if she put him off right away he may not want to spend too long with her during the inspection, and she wanted to keep him preoccupied and buy Ben more time. She wasn't worried, nothing would happen, and she knew she could take care of herself.

When they arrived at the docks, she couldn't deny how impressed she was at the amount of cargo ships. All of the ships belonged to Lando Calrissian, but most of them were used for legitimate commerce, only a select few were secretly appointed to deliver resources to the resistance. She had known the Calrissian's were wealthy, but every time she assumed she had a handle on the concept, something else ostentatious seemed to come up in association with their name.

They began by inspecting the first freighter, and Rando was surprised to learn that Rey had an impressive amount of knowledge about star ships. The first thing she did was ask to see the navigation deck, which was small as it was not built to maintain a living crew and mostly consisted of computer navigation terminals and a few manual controls as back-up. She opened a panel, and borrowing a flashlight from Rando, began examining the inner workings to see if there were any signs of tampering of tracking devices.

Once Ben made it past the hundredth story there were far less people to blend in with, and it was clear the higher he went the more restricted the access. Soon there were only the occasional patrolling guards. He was able to sense them approaching through the force and concealed himself in corridors or within empty rooms. He used the force to scramble the surveillance equipment long enough for him to pass unseen. At last he was able to reach the floor with Rando's personal office, and noticed two armed guards standing just outside.

He purposefully stalked up to the guards.

"Halt! How did you get up here? This floor is restricted!" barked one guard, but Ben simply waved his hand and the two lowered their weapons and stared at him with glazed eyes.

"You will open this door," he commanded, and watched as one of the guards turned and swiped a card-key to the lock, which flashed green and the door whooshed open. "Sleep," he ordered with another wave of his hand, and the two guards sunk to the ground and fell unconscious.

He would not have much time so he went straight for Rando's desk and began pulling open drawers. He found several datapads and recognized one as being from the First Order. He switched it on and watched a short holovid, then stuffed it in the inside pocket of his coat.

Rey, I have something. There might be danger, where are you now?

Under a navigation control panel.

No, I mean where is the dock?

Head straight south-east. There are signs everywhere leading up to it, you can't miss it. What's happened?

I'm coming, be on your guard.

He said, as he made his way for the fire escape. He had to get down to the Falcon.

"So, Ben Solo eh? I heard my father tell me that Luke Skywalker and most of his family are force-users. Is he one too?" asked Rando, as he sat waiting for Rey, who had crawled deep under the navigation control panel.

She had been unable to detect any signs of internal tampering and as far as she could see there were no tracking devices anywhere, but she pretended to keep looking once she heard Ben's warning across the bond.

General Organa had told Rando that she would be sending a couple of her staff to discuss the blockade in person and to help inspect his operation, and that one of them would be a Grey Jedi. He knew a little about Jedi because his father had served in the rebel alliance, but he was curious to know why the general had seemed to omit so much information about her own son. He knew little of Ben Solo, only that he had once been a troubled boy who disappeared when Luke Skywalker's Jedi academy was destroyed, and that perhaps he had died in the massacre. As he had never had the opportunity to personally meet him, he had never thought much about it.

"We both are," she confessed, seeing no point in hiding that truth. She was aware the Solo's and Calrissian's went way back.

"Wow, that's amazing! I didn't even know there were Jedi still left in the galaxy…well aside from Luke Skywalker. Listen, I don't mean to pry, but I heard there had been a massacre, how did he not die?"

"He ran away before it happened," she said offering the truth, but not the whole truth.

"That must have really hurt his parents," he said, and Rey could feel that he felt a genuine sense of sympathy for what Han and Leia must have gone through. She had a hard time believing that Rando was not a good person deep at heart.

"It did, they were kind of estranged for many years, but he's back now. They're slowly patching things up," she said.

"So, what about you? Where did you come from?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"I was just a scavenger on Jakku when one day a little droid asked me for help, next thing you know I'm running for my life from the First Order and wrapped up in an intergalactic war, and studying the ways of the force from the legendary Luke Skywalker, believe it or not, things just got crazier from there."

"Wow! Did you have any family back on Jakku?"

That question never stopped hurting. "No. I was abandoned there. I think they intended to come back for me, but the First Order murdered them before they could."

"I'm sorry, Rey, really I am. I didn't mean to pry. I hope you don't mind my asking, why would the First Order target your parents?"

"Probably because they were force-sensitive, just like me. The First Order hunts and murders any and all force-sensitive's who don't swear allegiance."

He grew very silent and she could sense overwhelming pain and sadness coming from him and she slowly crawled back out from under the navigation terminal. He was standing at the deck staring out the window, and she watched as he quickly tried to brush away his tears.

Ben had mentioned he suspected Rando may be hiding force-sensitivity. She suddenly wondered if it could be true. Perhaps Rando's mother had suffered the same fate as her family.

Suddenly they heard a commotion outside as the Falcon blew over the dock, landing and lowered its ramp. Rey could tell by the wobbly landing that Solo was struggling to operate the Falcon solo.

She rushed outside to meet him, with Rando trailing behind her.

"You! Who taught you to mask your lies?" demanded Ben the moment they were close enough.

Rando looked mortified at the accusation. "I don't know what you're talking about!" he countered.

"Then explain this!" proclaimed Ben as he pulled a datapad out of his pocket and held up the playing holovid for both Rando and Rey to see.

They watched as a grainy video played and there on the screen was an injured and tired looking Lando Carissian.

"Son, I'm begging you; don't worry about me. I've lived my life. Please don't betray the resistance on my behalf. They need our help…" he pleaded as a barely visible guard in the background cuffed him in the back of the head.

Suddenly the masked visage of Fresza Ren appeared on the screen. "If you want to see your father again, don't do anything stupid, boy!" she demanded through her mechanical filter and the holovid ended.

Rey was shocked, but Rando had a look of defeat on his face.

"I think you need to explain yourself," demanded Ben.

Rey watched as Rando's eyes grew red and moist with unshed tears. "Please, not out here, they're always watching."

Rey and Ben ushered Rando inside of the Falcon and sat him down.

He looked hesitant, but Rey could feel the barrier between them crumble, and suddenly she was hit with a torrent of his panic and fear. "Rando, please, what happened?" she asked, showing more sympathy than Ben.

"I didn't want to betray the Resistance, please believe me, but they took him. They said they would kill him if I didn't give up every freighter bound for the Resistance. I had no choice, he's my father! He's all I have. I love him!" he sobbed.

Ben was forced to soften a little as the truth finally began to come out. He couldn't help but sympathize. If he were in Rando's place, he would do almost anything to have his father back.

"You have the force. How much do you know?" asked Ben, referring to whether or not he had any formal force training.

"Almost nothing. That female Knight of Ren…Fresza, she forced me to learn how to hide it when I lie so that the resistance wouldn't catch on to me, in case they ever tried to send someone like Luke Skywalker."

Rey's suspicions about Rando's mother were suddenly making sense. "Rando…did your mother have the force too?" she asked.

"Yes. She and father considered sending me to Luke Skywalker's Jedi academy, but then she disappeared. A few years later the academy was destroyed, and I never saw her again. You told me the First Order hunted force-sensitive's, maybe that's why she never came back," he mused.

We have to help him.

She pleaded to Ben through their bond.

Fresza Ren does need to be destroyed. Any ideas?

"Rando, we're going to get your father back," she offered.

"How?" he asked, a moment of hope brightening his face.

"We'll trade; myself for your father."

A note from your humble author: Whaaaat? Don't worry; she's got a plan! Next chapter should be lemon-time again, as these two have some 'making up' to do.

You think naming a character Rando is bad? Yes, I went there – I made a Solo flying solo joke! Thank god you don't need a license to write, or I swear mine would so be revoked!

Big thanks to all my readers. I hope I can get more feedback. Please don't make me sad :*( all I want is love