Chapter 14 - Maz Kanata (1/2)

It has been a day since Han and company had entered the hyperspace and now they were sitting and eating together after doing basic repairs and maintenance to the Falcon. It was not optimal but at least the ship would resist until getting to Takodana. One could think that everything was going well, but Han was absolutely shocked for the scene he was witnessing in front of him. He had met many kinds of thugs and some people with lack of basic manners but they were pale in comparison with how Finn and Rey were eating now.

- ”Oh my God.... this is the most delicious thing I've ever tried...”- said Rey who hadn't finished swallowing her food- ”Have you tried this stew, Finn...?”

- ”Bo, but wu fud dry da gri weed...”- replied Finn who had even more food than Rey.

- ”Hey...”- said Han not being able to hold up anymore- ”swallow before talking, kid. Seriously... Leia would say I'm an elegant gentleman in the table compared to you... I understand now why she was so pissed with me when we went out for dinner...”

- ”Gwraaaruo”- said Chewee.

- ”Hey! I wasn't!”- replied Han very annoyed at Chewee's comment.

- ”Sorry...”- said Rey feeling very apologetic- ”but this is absolutely delicious.”

- ”I'm sorry...”- said Finn still ŀɨċkɨnġ his fingers- ”I'm not accostumed to eat so well...”

Han saw them with pitiful eyes. The dinner they were having was far from being luxurious or the high quality one could think. This made Han wonder what had these kids been eating until now so that a simple stew and piece of meat could made them this happy? Han could not stop from feeling touched by this since he also knew what hunger and despeartion were. There was also a time when a simple bowl of porridge had tasted like ambrosia. He shook his head and smiled in a very understanding way.

- There's no need to eat so fast- he said finally still mantaining his strong front- ”there's more if you want...”

The two kids looked at each other and smiled with pure joy. Han could not help thinking in his own child who had that same expression when he was a kid. His smile vanished and he felt a terrible pain in his ċhėst which normally curred every time he remembered his son and once again, he had to put his emotions under control before they were too overlwhelming foor him... even after so much time, it hurted as if it had been just yesterday.

- ”Ben...”- he said for himself the name that he and Leia had chosen for their only child.

Being a father was something that he personally had never imagined to be but when he had received this small and powerless baby in his arms for the first time and when he realized he shared his own blood and flesh, he felt the most fortunate and grateful man in the galaxy and it was a feeling that only someone who had had a child can relate to. In that moment he thought that all the credits and riches in the universe could not compare to the precious life he had in his arms. He loved his son since the moment he was born and even now that he was not here, he still loved him more than anything and he wished every day he could change the past. If he had done the things better maybe he would be here now with him and his mother... In that moment the Falcon system made a sound that indicated that they were about to arrive to their destination

- ”Grrreee!”- said Chewee and he patted Han's back and Han knew that Chewee guessed what he was thinking and he patted the hand of his loyal friend.

- ”I'm fine, thank you...”- Han said smiling- ”Ok, kids, we are here. Prepare to get out of hyperspace.”

Han rolled his eyes when he saw that the kids ate even faster than before and he just went with Chewee to the ċȯċkpit to prepare the Falcon for the landing in Takodana. After 20 minutes, they got out of Hyperspace and they were received by a beautiful planet which was extremely green due to the massive presence of jungles and forests. Rey especially was extremely taken aback and her eyes showed a dashing light when seeing the planet in front of her.

- ”So beautiful...”- she said and Finn smiled at her reaction- ”I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy.”

Finn that Rey had always lived in Jakku which was only desert, so he understood why she would feel so overwhelmed by this scenery, the truth was that it was the first time he had seen such a beautiful planet in reality. He was not so shocd jus because during his training he had been in different environments in the simulator which could immerse you completely since it could recreate even the smells and sounds of any place with absolute realism. Having said this, Finn was still surprised when he saw the gigantic building they were approaching. Finn did not know how he could have missed such tremendous structure until nowe and the truth was that the building was made in such a way that it was camouflaged and the sensors of the Falcon which were the most advanced did not detect it even when Finn was watching it with his own eyes.

- ”What kind of place is this?”- he asked with great shock.

- ”This is Maz Castle”- said Han who was finding the reaction of this kid very funny and it made him remember the first time he had arrived here- ”The camouflage systems of this building are something that even me with all my years in the bussiness can't even dream to get... but don't get surprised yet, this is just the beginning.”

Finn did not say anymore and Chewee flew down until he found a nice landing spot that was at certain distance from Maz Castle. Immediately Han ordered them to prepare and he went to the weapons deposit to grab blasters for everyone. Finn went after him making sure that nobody was behind them.

- ”Hey, Solo, I'm not sure what we're walking into here...”- said Finn whose voice showed a very apprehensive tone.

- ”Did you just call me Solo?”- asked Han looking at the boy with a surprised expression. Until now, he had been very respectful but now Han could notice his change of tone and he could detect nervousness and even desperation

- ”Sorry... Han... Sir... General... You should know I'm a big deal in the Resistance... Which puts a real target on my back. Are there any conspirators here? Like, First Order sympathizers?”- said Finn pretending to show a very confident voice.

- ”Listen, Big Deal”- said Han placing a blaster on Finn's hands and using a very sarcastic voice- ”You got another problem... Women always figure out the truth... Always!”

Han had been in the game too long to be fooled by an amateur who was pretending to be someone he was not. If he still believed Finn was in the resistance, then he would be an absolutely fool who would be a dead man by now. He just ignored the kid and got out the Falcon. Outside, he saw Rey who was admiring the jungle that was surrounding the area.

- ”You might need this”- said Han offering a blaster- ”you never know what could be awaiting us there.”

- ”I think I can handle myself”- said Rey showing the quarterstaff in her back and remembering the aversion Broom had for guns.

- ”I know you do. That's why I'm giving it to you. Take it.- said Han forcing the gun on her hands- ”You know how to use one of these?”

- ”Yeah. You pull the trigger”- said Rey and Han thought she was being sarcastic until he saw her eyes and he knew she was being serious.

- ”Little bit more to it than that. You got a lot to learn”- said Han and taught her the basics until he was sure she could at least point at the correct direction.

He smiled and then cleared his throat since he was about to do something he was not used to. Han thought that he would seem totally out of character.

- ”You're not bad... I've been thinking about bringing on some more crew, Rey... A second mate”- he mentioned trying to sound uninterested- ”Someone to help out... Someone who can keep up with Chewie and me... appreciates the Falcon.”

- ”Are you offering me a job?”- asked Rey who had heard similar words before when she was in Jakku.

- ”I wouldn't be nice to you”- said Han who still tried top put the act of tough boss- ”Doesn't pay much.”

- ”You're offering me a job”- said Rey while smiling. She could not believe that a legend like Han Solo was considering giving her a job.

- ”I'm thinking about it...”- said Han avoiding her eyes- ”Well?”

- ”If you were, I'd be flattered...”- said Rey but then her smile dimmed and a sad expression appeared in her face- ”But I have to get home.”

- ”Where... Jakku?”- asked Han thinking that it was strange that anyone could call home to such wasteland.

- ”I've already been away too long.”- said Rey without explaining more.