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TAKODANA
Ceren tossed and turned during her time with being unconscious. The nightmares plagued her.
***
"B-Ben?" Ceren called for her friend, she had woken up to screams and she was now outside of her living compartment looking at the destruction around her. Her mind was racing, and she feared for her friend.
"Ben!" Ceren called once more, "Where are you?" Tears began to prick her eyes, she called for the boy she loved and feared that whatever had happened...she had lost him. She could feel the tremor in the Force and could sense that her friends and fellow companions were dying.
"Luke!" Ceren cried out this time, "Master Luke!"
"He's not coming to save you," said a voice, Ceren jumped at the sound and turned around and came face to face with Ceren.
"Ben? Thank the Maker, that you're okay," Ceren says relieved, "Do you know what's happened?"
"Yes," Ben says plainly. Ceren gives him a look confusion, but she could feel the darkness that surrounded him. The Dark Side of the Force.
***
Ceren jumps awake, with sweat beading down her face. She looked around in a confused haze and could hear chatting going on closer to the front of the ship. She goes to stand up, forgetting about her leg injury, she groans quietly and manages to stand up on her own. It was still painful, but she could ignore the pain. The pain definitely had simmered down since when she had first been shot. Walking up to the group that she had been with she catches the end of a conversation.
"Crazy thing is, it's true...the Force, the Jedi, all of it...it's true," Han tells Finn and Rey, "you have proof back there too." After Han finishes talking, he finally sees that Ceren is up and about. "You should go sit back down," Han tells Ceren pointedly.
"I wanted to see what was up," Ceren shrugs casually. Just then an alarm rings on the control station which drags Han's attention away. Chewie also tries to get up to help but Han motions him to sit back down.
"No, you rest," he tells Chewie and then turns to Ceren, "you got rest too, I have all the help I need so go sit down and relax." Ceren sighs and goes and sits next to Chewie. Chewie and Ceren make eye contact and she shakes her head.
"Unbelievable, right?" She tells Chewie who responds back agreeing and giving off sort of what would be a laugh.
"Well, here's me helping you guys out, getting the droid back to the Resistance base, this is our stop," Han says and goes towards the cockpit and Rey and Finn behind him. Once they get out of lightspeed, a gorgeous green planet comes into view.
"This is Takodana," Han tells the group, he turns to see Rey looking out of the window with awe.
"I-I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy," Rey says in amazement. Han gives her a small smile and continues landing the Falcon. Once the Falcon lands, and doors open, Rey is the first one off the ship with BB-8 behind her. Ceren gets up and makes her way over to Han and Finn while Chewie stays back to work on the Falcon. She walks with a slight limp, ignoring any pain that shoots up her leg. She catches the middle of a conversation between Han and Finn as Han rummages through the storage units on his ship.
"Did you just call me 'Solo'?" Han asked Finn with irritation.
"Sorry...Han—Mr. Solo," he apologized before trying to gain back his confidence, "You should know...I'm a big deal in the Resistance, which in turn puts a real target on my back...are there any conspirators here? First Order Sympathizers?"
"Listen big deal, you've got another problem...women always figure out the truth," Han says seeing through his lie.
"He is not a big deal in the Resistance," Ceren says jumping in.
"See," Han says pointing to Ceren while he hands Finn a blaster, "women always find out...always." Han turns to offer a blaster to Ceren, but Ceren just shakes her head.
"So uncivilized," Ceren tells Han.
"I know you don't like blasters," Han starts, "but it would be good for you to have one."
"I don't need one...I have my lightsabers," Ceren tells friend.
"Ceren, you don't want to give yourself away," Han starts but before he could finish Ceren cuts him off.
"Like Bala-Tik said...there are bounties on us, the First Order is looking for me...they know who I am and what I am, there is no point in trying to hide who I am anymore," Ceren tells him sincerely. Han signs and gives Ceren a pat on the back before going to offer Rey a blaster.
"Who's Ben?" Finn asked as soon as Han Solo is out of hearing distance, causing Ceren to splutter.
"I-I—what did you say?" Ceren tumbles over her words.
"Who's Ben?" Finn asks repeating himself, "You were saying his name when you passed out."
"He-He was somebody that I used to know...he's gone now," Ceren tells Finn before changing the subject, "Who are you really Finn?" Now it was Ceren's turn to catch him off guard.
"I-I don't know what you mean," Finn tries to play it off.
"Cut the act Finn," Ceren tells him sternly, "I can sense that you're lying."
"Because of the Force?"
"And intuition," Ceren shrugs, "I know that you don't mean any harm though...which is why I didn't say anything earlier when we first met...the Force moves darkly around those who wish to cause harm."
"I was a stormtrooper for the First Order," Finn admits. Ceren was not expecting that and was a little taken aback.
"Was?"
"Yes, I was there when Kylo Ren came to that village on Jakku...they ordered us to kill the village and Kylo Ren had killed that old man, the same place where Poe Dameron was caught, I didn't see him get captured because I was rounding up the villagers," Finn finishes and the look of guilt crosses his face. Ceren sucks in a breath...not expecting him to say that either.
"I was there that night," is all Ceren replies back with.
"I helped Poe escape...and then we had crashed..." Finn finished.
"Well...I'm glad you're on our side now," Ceren tells Finn with a small smile.
"Come on! We're going to go find your guys help!" Han called for Finn and Ceren.
"Solo, why are we here again?" Finn asked as the group made their way up towards the castle.
"To get your droid on a clean ship," Han answers.
"Clean?" Rey asked.
"Wait—You're not coming with us?" Ceren asked stopping in her tracks, momentarily.
"I'm sorry kid...Do you think it was luck that Chewie and I found the Flacon?" Han asked, "If we can find it on our scanners, the First Order's not far behind...want to get BB-8 to the Resistance? Maz Kanata is our best bet." Ceren knew that Maz was here, but she didn't know that Han was going to pawn them off to her.
"We can trust her, right?" Finn asked hesitantly.
"Yes, Finn...she's a great friend," Ceren smiles as she remembers visiting Maz when she was a kid.
"Relax, kid," Han says agreeing with Ceren, "She's run this watering hole for a thousand years. Maz is a bit of an acquired taste...so let me and Ceren do the talking—And whatever you do...don't stare."
