I make our way away from the planet and the First Order starship that's orbiting the desert world. Keeping the power low so they shouldn't detect us on scanners.
"Nice shooting" I hear the woman say from the hallway to which the gunner replies.
"That was some flying"
"Thanks"
"How did you do that?"
"I don't know"
"No one trained you.."
"I've worked on ships but I've never left the planet"
"That was amazing"
I hear them both talking excitedly. I chuckle a little, I can understand their excitement but I don't share it. I'm in too much pain, my best friend since childhood is dead. I could care less about the blaster burn on my arm, while I can feel it, the
pain of loosing a friend is worse.
I hear a loud metal clunk and what sounds like gas spewing out of a tight space as an alarm starts to go off.
"Help me with this quick" I hear her say
"What's going on?" He asks.
"What was that?" I call In to them wondering what's happening. After a few moments of no response I put the ship into auto pilot and get up to find out what's going on.
The man is on the floor facing BB8 with his back to me when I stand in the door way.
"-I'm just trying to get away from The First Order, but you tell me where your base is and I'll get you there first, deal?" he asks, I can just make it out over the sound of the gas.
BB8 tilts his head to look at me.
"Droid please!"
The woman pops up from down a hatch and asks for a tool
"So where's your base?" She asks not noticing me.
"Go on BB8 tell her" The man says
It sounds like he wheezes a little bit but in BB8's camera I see him mouth something.
BB8 looks at me standing behind the man and I nod, I can't remember where it is, it's making me wonder what else I have forgotten and it's not a pleasant feeling.
BB8 tells her where the base is and as if it was on the tip of my tongue I remember as she says it.
"The Ileenium System"
"Yeah, the Ileenium system that's the one" he says throwing a tool to her before sticking his thumb up to BB8 who pulls out his welder trying to imitate the gesture "Get us there as fast as you can"
This strikes me as odd, he's not resistance, that much is obvious. I'm guessing that is why he had to beg BB8 to tell her. The mouth motion makes sense now, he was pleading. I decide to watch them both to see what else I can find out about them. I find
it easier to get to know someone by watching them, how they hold theirselves and interact with others.
"I'll drop you three at Paneema Terminal. I need the bonding tape, hurry" she says simply.
"What about you?" He asks.
"I've got to get back to Jakku"
"Back to Jak- Why does everyone want to get back to Jakku? That place is..." He doesn't get chance to finish his sentence because he picks up a roll of tape causing her to say
"It's not that one"
He picks up another roll of tape
"No"
Another
"No. The one I'm pointing to"
He reaches for every roll of tape scattered around the floor with her annoyed responses of no each time.
"If we don't patch this up the propulsion tap will overflow and flood the ship with poisonous gas" BB8 shows him the right one.
"This?"
It looks like everything is under control, more or less, so I go back to the cockpit and just look out at the stars leaving the ship on autopilot.
The lights go off and the backup lights switch on illuminating the ship in a red glow.
"What did you do?" I call in to them as I press buttons trying to figure out what's happened. Then I realise and press more buttons to try and regain control of the ship, I curse, nothing works. The three of them come to find out what's happened.
"Someone has locked onto us, all controls are overridden. I can't do anything to get us free."
There's a loud sound above as though something unclamped. The man stands up on the co pilot's chair trying to look out of the window to see what's going on.
"See anything?" Rey asks
"Oh no..." he says sounding worried.
"What do you see?" I ask looking up.
"It's the First Order" He says sitting down on a seat.
We're being pulled inside a large ship that closes around us stopping our escape.
"What do we do? There must be something" she says looking concerned.
"We have a blaster..." I suggest shrugging
"You said poisonous gas..." He says to the woman.
"I fixed that"
"Can you un fix it?" He asks. She seems to cotton on to what he's saying and they get up and head back to the hatch, I follow them not really sure what's just been decided, grabbing my rifle as I head after them. They grab gas masks so I do the same.
I realise what they're doing as they throw their's into the hatch. I look into the small enclosed compartment and realise.
"There's not enough room for all of us in there" I point out. This means one of us will have to take on the Stormtroopers and since I have the only weapon and the other two are civilians I'm the only logical one to defend us.
"You three get below" I say simply without hesitation.
"What?" the man asks as the droid also protests.
"Don't argue, if I don't survive this, you make sure you get BB8 to the base" I say to Finn, he did promise the droid that he would.
He looks worried but nods and jumps down the hatch.
"Who are you?" She asks suddenly looking concerned about me.
"Amara. I'm a Pilot with the Resistance" I reply. "And you?" I ask, can't keep mentally referring to them by their gender after all.
"I'm Rey, and I'm sure you know Finn, he's resistance too" she says smiling.
I smile at her and look at Finn curiously. He is resistance? I thought he was just a scavenger. So why is he wearing Stormtrooper boots? No time to ask now. If we survive, then I'll ask.
"Get down there and stay quiet" I say politely. I put my gas mask on as Rey passes BB8 to Finn who collapses under the weight of the small but very heavy droid before Rey jumps down.
Power comes back on and I help them put the grate over them before hiding.
I see Finn pop his head back up and motion for him to get back down. He does, just as the door is about to open. I stay hiding around one of the hallways. I'm not going to jump out unless I have to, no need to get myself killed too soon.
I hear people board and there's a short silence until I hear a recognisable voice.
"Chewie, we're home" which doesn't sound like a Stormtrooper. Then I hear a wookie.
I peak around the corner and see a grey haired older man and a big hairy wookie. The big furry creature is walking in my direction but stops as a sound comes from below. I look at the hatch and mentally curse, I told them to be quiet. They walk over to
the hatch and the wookie pulls the heavy grate off with ease.
I step out from where I'm hiding and point my riffle at them.
"Drop your weapons"I say from behind them. Much too close than I would like to be to a Wookie. It turns around back handing me and knocking me to the floor taking my riffle off me before picking me up and throwing me near the other two, then it looks
at me curiously, so does the elder man.
"Where's the others? Where's the pilot?" He asks.
"We're the pilots," she said pointing between the two of us "Her and I"
"You?" he says in disbelief looking at the both of us.
The wookie becomes vocal and she seems to understand it.
"No, it's true we're the only ones on board"
"You can understand that thing?"
"And that thing can understand you too so watch it, come on outta' there."
They climb out quickly, taking their masks off. I stay on the floor still dazed by the giant hairy back hander.
"Where'd you get this ship?" He asks
"Nima outpost" Rey replies.
"Jakku, that junkyard?" The man sounds surprised
"Thank you, junkyard" Finn says as if continuing a conversation from while I wasn't there.
"I told you we should have double checked the western reaches" he says to his companion "Who had it? Ducain?" He asks turning back to us.
"We stole it. From Unclar Plutt. Who stole it from the Urving Boys who stole it from Ducain" Rey replies.
"Who stole it from me. Well you tell him from me that Han Solo just stole back the Millenium Falcon for good" the man says walking towards the cockpit.
"This is the Millenium Falcon? You're Han Solo?" Rey sounds star struck.
"I used to be" he says sounding regretful
"Han Solo? The Rebelliion General?" Finn asks
"No, The Smuggler" Rey says matter of factly
"Wasn't he a War Hero?"
"I heard they were the same person" I add from on the floor as I start to get up. Finn helps me to stand asking if I'm alright. I nod a thank you to him.
"This is the ship that made the Kessel Run is fourteen parsecs"
"Twelve!" Han says from down another corridor. At the same time I mumble it. I've heard it before, I'm not sure where. Both Finn and Rey look at me curiously.
The Wookie hands me my weapon back while saying something I don't understand.
"I'm guessing you were being gentile?" I ask as I take my rifle with one hand, holding my face with the other.
He sounds like he chuckles a little and looks amused.
"Hey" comes an angry voice from the cockpit. Han walks back to us looking unimpressed.
"Some moof-milker put a compressor on the ignition line!" He says.
"Unkar Plutt did. I thought it was a mistake too, puts too much"stress on the hyperdrive" Rey and Han say overlapping each other. I look at her and him curiously who look at each other a mix of confusion from Han and admiration from Rey.
"Chewie, throw 'em in a pod, we'll drop them at the nearest inhabited planet."
"Wait! No - we need your help!" She starts and we follow him.
"My help?"
"This droid has to get to the Resistance base as soon as possible!" Ray states
"He's carrying a map to Luke Skywalker." Finn says.
I look at him surprised, if he's not resistance who is he to know that? Now I know he's not a civilian or a scavenger. But what? Could he be... A Stormtrooper? I look at Finn scrutinising him.
Han stops in his tracks.
"You are the Han Solo that fought with the Rebellion. You knew him."
I look at Han surprised. The General's husband? Somehow I'm sure I already knew that now that I think about it.
"Yeah, I knew him. I knew Luke."
"I know you too, what are you doing out here?" He asks me.
"I'd like to know that myself. I crash landed on Jakku and hit my head, my memory is fuzzy at best" I admit.
He looks at me a little curious but also what looks like concern?
There's a metallic clunk from outside which echoes through the ship.
"Don't tell me a Rathtar's gotten loose" he says hurrying to the door.
"Wait... A what?! Did you just say Rathtar? Hey!" Finn asks sounding very concerned As we rush after him, exiting The Falcon into a giant freighter's hangar. Han moves to a control panel and we all follow him.
"Please tell me you're not serious?" I ask also worried, I know what a Rathtar is and it is a thing of nightmares.
"You're not hauling Rathtars on this freighter, are you?" Finn asks
"I'm hauling Rathtars." Han replies
"Rathtars? Plural? Not just one which is a bad idea to begin with" I ask.
He watches the control panel for the source of the sound. It's a ship docking with this one.
"Oh great. It's the Guavian Death Gang... They must've tracked us from Nantoon" Han says not too pleased
"What's a Rathtar?" Rey asks as Han leads us down a long narrow hallway lined with cargo containers.
"They're big and dangerous..." Han says simply.
"You ever heard of the Trillia Massacre?!" Finn asks Rey
"No." She replies
"Good." Is all Finn says
"They're big, ugly creatures with tentacles and a lot of teeth, they kill anything they see. They're fast because of their ball like shape and deadly, if you ever see one run, and hide it the smallest, most secure space you can find and close the door."
I say giving her a straight answer.
"I got three of 'em going to King Prana. He want's them for his menagerie. No one has even one Rathtar so he wants three" Han explains.
I look at him like he's insane
"THREE?! How'd you get them on board?" Finn asks
"Used to have a bigger crew."
Chewie groans, agreeing.
Han stops at a service hatch in the floor and Chewie opens it.
"Get below deck and stay there until I say so. Don't even think about taking the Falcon." He says warningly.
"What about BB-8?" Rey asks
"He stays with me until I get rid of the gang, then you can have him back and be on your way."
"You mean he's an insurance policy so we don't take The Falcon" I say somehow knowing his game.
He grins at me amused I'm guessing that means I am right.
"What about the Rathtars... where are you keeping them?" Finn asks.
A loud, heavy thud sounds behind us and we jump away as we turn, Rey screams and my heart stops for a moment even BB8 backs up from the wall that was pounded as we instinctively turn to look at. A window behind Finn, with a Rathtar licking the glass with
its sucker-like tongue is what we're faced with.
"There's one." Han points
"I really dislike you right now" I say still looking at the creature but directing my words to Han.
"What are you gonna do?" Rey asks
"Same thing I always do. Talk my way out of it." He says simply as we start climbing down the hatch.
Chewie moans loudly in response
"Yes, I do. Every time." Han says stubbornly as the hatch is closed behind us.
Han starts walking down one of the halls and I crouch crawl quietly after him wanting to see how he deals with the gang. When he comes to a cross section a door opens at the far side.
"Han Solo. You are a dead man."
Han smiles innocently, friendly. BB-8 nervously looks back and forth between the gang and Han.
"Bala-Tik. What's the problem?" Han asks still playing innocent.
"The problem is we loaned you fifty thousand for this job."
We look up, trying to get a view on this gang but unable to see them.
"Can you see them?" Finn asks
"No." Rey replies.
They start crawling down the crawl space. And I silently follow the shuffling pair.
"I heard you also borrowed fifty thousand from Kanjiklub."
"You know you can't trust those little freaks! How long've we known each other?" Han asks
When underneath the gang we can see they're heavily armed and armoured.
"They have blasters..." Finn points out
"A lot of 'em." Rey adds.
"That's gangs for you" I say looking through the gaps at the red outfitted guards and the leader in a black suit.
"Don't worry, you two have me" I say smiling reassuringly and a little playfully.
"The question is how much longer will we know each other? Not long. We want our money back now."
"Ya' think hunting Rathtars is cheap? I spent that money." Han says simply.
"Kanjiklub wants their investment back, too." Says the man known as Bala-Tik.
"I never made a deal with Kanjiklub!" Han say sounding like he believes it. But Tik's reply is not fooled.
"Tell that to Kanjiklub."
The sound of a hatch opening at the other end of the hall catches our attention.
"Tasu Leech. Good to see you."
'Wrong again, Solo. It's over for you.' He says in hislanguage, fortunately it's one I know.
"What is he saying?" Finn asks
"It doesn't sound good, I'll say that much" I say as we start to move towards the opposite end of the walkway to see this other gang.
"Boys. You're both gonna get what I promised! Have I ever not delivered for you before?" Han says trying to keep the peace.
"Yeah." Says Tik simply.
'Twice!' Comes the response from Leech.
"What was the second time?" Han asks trying to feign forgetfulness I assume.
"Your game is old. There's no one in the galaxy left for you to swindle." Tik says threateningly
'Nowhere left for you to hide.' Comes another threat from Leech.
"That BB unit... the First Order is looking for one just like it. And three fugitives." Comes the calm yet accusing voice of Bala-Tik.
Finn and Rey stop crawling hearing about us being fugitives.
"That makes sense..." I say surprisingly relaxed about it. The other two not so much.
"First I've heard of it."
Finn and Rey look at each other, afraid.
'Search the freighter.' Leech tells one of his goons and one of the Kanjiklub members begins moving down the corridor, aiming a torch down between the grates. In silent panic Finn and Rey start crawling back the opposite way and I follow behind them carefully
not to make a sound.
Rey crawls over to a junction box and looks at the controls.
"Wait wait wait wait. If we close the blast doors in that corridor, we can trap both gangs!" Rey suggests
"Close the blast doors from here?" Finn asks unsure how
"Resetting the fuses should do it." She explains
"How do you know that would work?" I ask
"I'm a scavenger, I know these things" she says sounding a little insulted. "But usually I'm working with powerless parts" she adds.
Rey begins resetting the fuses, pressing large buttons turning the lights on them from green to red. I look up pointing my riffle defensively in case any gang members get too close and find us. I look over at Rey who smiles optimistically and then Finn
who looks hopeful. The lights switch off leaving the ominous red backup lights on..
"Is this supposed to happen?" I ask concerned. There's a loud beep that echoes through the ship.
"Oh no." Rey says sheepishly
"Oh no, what?" Finn asks
I look at her with a silent question on my face
"Wrong fuses."
Suddenly all the lights switch back on.
"Kill them! And take the droid!"
Something roars at the end of the hall and the gang starts screaming and shooting.
"Oh no" I say knowing exactly what that means. Finn and I share the same expression of fear.
"What?" Rey asks before paling, looking like she's realised.
"We need to leave..." I say starting to make my way back to the hatch.
We hurriedly crawl through the space below decks.
"This was a mistake!" Finn says
"Huge!" Rey agrees
I open the hatch and jump up with my riffle at the ready before jumping up and helping Rey and Finn climb out, quickly. We run down a corridor and turn
"What do they look like?" Rey asks as we turn another corner. We stop abruptly as we see gang members fighting a rathtar and failing, screaming and shooting it.
"They look like that." Finn says just before a Rathtar eats one of the gang members. Rey covers her mouth and Finn drags her down a corridor and I run close behind them. "this way" I say turning down one corridor and running fast as we hear something
behind us.
"This way!" Finn calls turning down another corridor.
"Are you sure?" Rey asks running in front of us.
There's a slight growl from behind and I feel something trip me slightly as it tries to grab me I realise there's only one thing it could be and it puts the fear of God into me. Thankfully I'm able to stay on my feet but I hear Finn fall to the floor
I turn quickly and jump to try and grab him before before he's dragged away.
Despite my fear I'm not going to abandon him to a Rathtar. I grab his hand which causes me to get pulled with him as the creature starts to roll away. The the tentacles flail around and hit me causing me to let go of Finn but it grabs me, curling tightly
around my left wrist.
Finn keeps shouting for Rey as we're pulled down the corridors I'm thankful I still have my riffle so I try shooting the creature that's shaking us around, I keep missing. I curse and try again, this time I take my time I aim for the tentacle that was
holding Finn. As I concentrate It feels as though everything slows down and I shoot it cutting the limb clean off and dropping Finn. It shakes violently causing me to drop my rifle as it slams me against the wall. I curse and see a door and a panel
next to it. I try to reach for it to close the door but I can't. I try to reach, mentally pushing the button in my mind and without having to touch anything the door closes and cuts the tentacle holding me and I drop heavily as the the tentacle also
falls and flails around letting go of its grip on me.
I look back as I hear Rey rush over to Finn.
"It had me! It had me!" He shouts pulling the tentacle off his leg.
"It had me! But Amara, she shot it-!" He says before looking at me as I lie there on the floor, heart racing and silently panicking but more than a little relieved that the door closed, but how did it close?
"That was lucky!" She says to Finn before they both help me up asking if I'm okay. I nod.
"Let's just get out of here" I say my head still in panic mode.
We run through the corridors towards the Falcon.
"Where's Han and the Wookie?" I ask hopping them and BB8 are okay. We turn into the hangar and see Han helping the injured Wookie up the ramp.
"Han!" Rey says as she sees him
Finn and Rey race past Han.
"You, close the door behind us!" Han says to Rey
"You take care of Chewie!" He says to Finn
"What happened to him?" I ask looking at the wound and noticing he was shot. Gang member start shooting at us so I start to shoot back covering us from fire.
Han and Rey race up the ramp as Finn heads up with Chewie, who yells in pain. Once they're aboard I get on behind them putting my blaster rifle down.
"Hold on back there" Han calls from the cockpit.
I sit in a chair and grab BB8 so we don't go sliding around like the first flight in this ship.
After a few moments we jump into light speed sending my already funny feeling head a little more dizzy. At least we're away from the gangs and the Rathtars though. What's next? Rancors?