Kyber Heart - Poe Dameron

Chapter 9

Finn and Rey backed up against the wall, staring down the barrel of Han's old blaster in shock.

"Where are the others?" Han asked sternly. "Where's the pilot?"

"I'm the pilot!" Rey stammered out.

"You?" he raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

Chewie gave a groan, sharing in his companion's scepticism.

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

"You can understand that thing?" Finn gaped at her from behind his mask.

"And that thing can understand you too, so watch it," Han warned. He stepped back, lowing his weapon. "Come on outta there."

The trio climbed out, all of them too nervous to say a word. They stood in a line – Finn and Rey still wide eyed in terror, Nova looking anywhere but her father.

"Where'd you get this ship?" Han demanded, looking between them expectantly.

"Niima Outpost," Rey answered, unblinking.

"Jakku? That junkyard?"

"Thank you!" Finn exclaimed. Feeling validated, he turned to Rey with a smug look. "Junkyard."

"Told you we should've double-checked the Western Reaches," Han muttered to Chewie before continuing his questioning. "Who had it? Ducain?"

"We stole it," Rey supplied. "From Unkar Plutt. He stole it from the Irving Boys, who stole it from Ducain."

"Who stole it from me!" Han said, indignant. "Well, you can tell him Han Solo just stole back the Millennium Falcon. For good!"

"This is the Millennium Falcon? You're Han Solo?" Rey called, eyes lighting up like a child on Life Day.

"I used to be," he replied tersely, disappearing to check out the rest of his ship.

"Han Solo? The Rebellion general?" Finn asked hesitantly.

"No, the smuggler!" Rey exclaimed, half indignant at Finn's ignorance, half in admiration of the man before them.

"Wasn't he a war hero?" he pressed, looking to Nova and the Wookiee companion.

Chewie groaned a response, paired with a shrug.

"Yeah," Nova nodded, significantly less enthusiastic than her comrades. "Everyone on base knows the stories."

"This is the ship that made the Kessel Run in fourteen parsecs!" Rey continued, undeterred.

The younger girl's enthusiasm brought a bitter feeling to Nova's chest. There was a time she too looked at her father like that – mystified by the stories of the old war. Of daring heroes and blowing up deadly super weapons despite all odds of failure.

But then she grew up. She was forced to live the reality of such a war. Face the truth and consequences.

She became disillusioned with such legends and stories.

"Twelve!" Han shot back, sounding both indignant and insulted.

A natural silence fell over the ship, which Nova used to retreat to a corner without being noticed. She was thankful to not be recognised yet; the idea of a family reunion made her uneasy.

"Hey!" Han grumbled, returning from the cockpit. "Some moof-milker put a compressor on the ignition line!"

"Unkar Plutt did," Rey supplied. "I thought it was a mistake too, it puts –"