15 The Hard Truth (1/2)

Maz Kanata heard the account from Han last adventure with interested eyes. She had of course received the information through her sources but it was another story to hear it from the person who was there.

- ”So you found him...”- said Maz when Han told her about the coordinates- ”he'll be back.”

- ”I dont know if Lando was able to trasmit the information to the Resistance”- explained Han taking a cup of Corellian ale- ”seriously... this ale is amazing... Leia would love it.”

- ”She's always welcome to visit”- said Maz smiling- ”so you want me to retransmit the coordinates too?”

- ”Yes... but I'd prefer to get this droid to Leia to avoid interceptions.”- said Han

Maz sends a nod to one of the her assistants who takes some notes on her tablet and immediately gets out.

- ”It will be prepared soon but it will still take some time”- said Maz and Han finally relaxed with a long exhalation.

- ”So this is it...”- said Han- ”I hope Luke returns as soon as possible. If possible just after the veto so we are prepared for what comes after.”

- You're right...- said Maz drinking along Han with a very big mug which seemed to big for her- ”we all know they won't go in silence.”

Rey looked at Finn and he also returned the confused look she was giving him. It was obvious they had lost track of the conversation.

- ”Who?”- finally asked Rey and Han and Maz exchanged looks before Maz started to explain.

- ”General Leia has been convincing people in the senate to veto the First Order for years”- explained Maz- ”And after long and plenty negotiations, she's finally opened the possibility of defeating the First order politically.”

- ”I dont understand”- said Rey whose knowledge in politics was nonexistent.

- ”In simple words... the senate will announce that the First Order is a terrorist group and will order its immediate dismantling”- explained Han who seemed to be smiling codly- ”Politically they are dead and they will lose a lot of connections and power.”

- ”They will not go down so easily”- said Finn who could not stop himself from feeling a little tickled by his confident voice.

He regretted his impulsiveness and he could feel the sharp gazes of Han and Maz in his direction. However, he knew very well that the First Order would fight to the end. If they believed the veto of the Senate was enough to take them down, then they were definitely underestimating the First Irder since it was more powerful that they could imagine.

- ”Of course they won't!”- said Han smiling with a cocky grin- ”I'd be utterly dissapointed if it were like that.”

- ”What?”- said Finn with shock

- ”We know perfectly they will fight ferociously after the veto”- said Maz who seemed very relaxed- ”we count on that and with master Skywalker back we'll continue the big fight, I assure you.”

Finn sighed but he didn't say anything. He had heard a lot of things about Luke Skywalker, but even of all of that incredible things were real, he was only a man, so he could not understand where they have such great faith on him from. A man could not defeat an army.

- ”What fight?”- asked Rey whose reaction could not be more different from Finn.

- ”The only fight... Against the dark side...”- said Maz speaking with a voice which could only be described as religious- ”Through the ages... I've seen evil take many forms: The Sith, The Empire, Today, it is the First Order.”

Finn noticed that Maz started to look at him with more attention and he got nervous for the way those big eyes were directed at him as if he was being analyzed throughly.

- ”Their shadow is spreading across the galaxy”- continued Maz with a very decisive voice- ”We must face them... Fight them... All of us!”

- ”There is no fight against the First Order...”- said Finn who was getting more and more nervous by the minute- ”Not one we can win... you know the First Order is on their way right now and you act as if... What's this? What are you doing? General Solo, what is she doing?”

Finn had been shocked when Maz had walked over the table to where he was and she was now touching and examining his face at a distance where he could feel her breath.

- ”Heh! You know what I see, boy?”- asked Maz smiling to the stunned Finn.

- ”I don't know”- replied Finn with a weak voice since he felt a very powerful aura exuding from this small woman, one that could be compared to Captain Phasma herself- ”But I don't like it.”

- ”If you live long enough...”- explained Maz with a tone of mock in her voice- ”you see the same eyes in different people... I'm looking at the eyes of a man who wants to run.”

Finn got annoyed by her tone and he knew that she considered him a coward. Finn could not deny the fact that he wanted to run but what she did not understand was that even if he stayed to fight, it would be for naught. The same as Skywalker, he was just one man and even if he could be considered a good warrior, he would be stupid if he believed he was ready to fight hordes of Stormtroopers, Phasma or Kylo Ren. It was just suicide.

- ”You don't know a thing about me... Where I'm from... What I've seen...”- said Finn with a very strong and serious tone- ”You don't know the First Order like I do. They'll slaughter us. You say that I want to run but the truth is that we all need to run!”

- ”Hmm”- Maz grinned even more to his words and took a card that gave to finn- ”go down to the Cantina and look for Yukkar and Guetto. They'll trade work for transportation... to the Outer Rim. There, you can disappear.”

Finn seemed surprised and looked at Han who just shrugged his elbows and gace a small nod. Finn then looked at Rey and after an apologetic gaze he took the card and after a nod he immediately dashed out the room as fast as his legs allowed him.

- ”Finn!”- said Rey who did not understand what was happening and she just followed him trying to asking him what was happening.

- ”You shouldn't bully the young ones, Maz”- said Han sighing and serving himself more ale.

- ”I'm just providing an election”- said Maz who was still looking where Finn had going as if she could see him running away the hall- ”that young man is strong, but his doubt and fear chain his potential... He needs to get rid of them to do so. I'm just giving him an opportunity. Its up to him to take it.”

- ”You sound like Luke” - said Han smiling- ”It's unfair, though. They are still so young...”

- ”We all were once”- said Maz looking at Han with a naughty grin- ”and remind me how old you, Leia and Luke were when you fought the Empire?”

- ”Well... we weren't as green as they were...”- said Han feeling the grip of nostalgia for those days long gone- ”except for Luke I had been in the bussiness for years and Leia was already an accomplished senator.”

- ”And look how far Luke has gone”- said Maz returning to her seat and taking her mug again- ”have faith in them... I feel they both have great destinies to accomplish. Maybe one far greater than yours.”

Finn had finally arrived to the Cantina after asking many people for directions and started looking for the men Maz mentioned.

- ”Hey, have you seen Yukkar and Guetto?”- he asked an alien that was enjoying a drink.

- ”Graake!”- he violently told him to go away so he asked another person and after ten fails he finally managed to be pointed to the smugglers that would give him the opportunity to start again.

- ”I was told you can get me to the Outer Rim.”- said Finn when he was in front of them- ”I can work for transportation. I can shoot and I have militar experience...”

They talked for some minutes and had a deal when he was grabbed by the arm and he saw Rey who had caught up with him. She had eyes that showed absolute confusion and Finn felt a terrible sense of guilt since he knew that she would ask for an explaination and he was absolutely sure that she would hate him afterwards.

- ”Finn”- she said and Finn felt her voice was as heavy as a mountain- ”what are you doing?”