Across a Million Stars

"This hunk of junk is the Millennium Falcon? Now you're just messing with me." Kaya laughed not believing the old man. She looked into his eyes and saw Han was not joking around. "Oh my, you're not joking."

Han slammed into his chair, Kaya flying into the co-pilot seat already flipping switches assisting in the Falcon's takeoff. As the ship began to rise, a Rathtar jumped onto the glass surrounding the cockpit. Kaya and Han getting a deeper looking into the Rathtar's mouth. Thousands of sharp pointy teeth trying desperately to break through the glass.

The ship shot forwards the creature being ripped to shreds from the speed. As they jumped into light speed a light began to beat setting off an alarm. "Make it stop!" Han yelled the sound annoying him throughly. Kaya jumped from the seat quickly pulling a part from the ship—the noise completely stopping.

The object was dropping into Han's lap and Kaya took back her seat, "There you go."

Han smiled before yelling to the back of the ship, "Chewy, how are you doing back there buddy?"

A loud yell flew from the Wookie's lip followed by Poe's voice, "Can you make him stop? He has tried to kill me nine times!" A second past, "Make that ten!"

"Knock it off, Chewy. Let the man help you!" Han yelled backing hearing the annoyed replies of Chewbacca that only made him smile.

Kaya looked around the cockpit realizing she had no idea where they were headed. "Where are we going?"

"To an old friend." Han said another smile on his lips as he thought of whom they were about to see, "We're headed to Takodana."

A few hour passed, Han dismissing Kaya from the cockpit. "Go get some rest, get food, go do something else. I've got this."

"What if you need help?" Kaya asked Han seeing him quite comfortable in the chair watching the stars.

"Then I'll call for you." Han replied waving his hand at her in dismissal. Kaya walked towards what she considered the wreck room, every step sending pain shooting up from her side. Touching her side lightly, pain spiked and she bite her tongue trying to ignore it.

Walking into the room, Poe sat around a round table little figures illuminated upon the table. Small monsters attacking one another—a small game. When she walked into the mess, Poe turned off the game a look of concern flashing across his face, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, why?" Kaya asked lying through her teeth as she began scouring the small kitchen for food.

"You're lying." Poe said as he moved to stand beside her. Kaya ignored him reaching overhead for a plate, wincing as she did so. "You're in pain."

"It's just a bruise." Kaya replied standing on her tip toes trying to grab the bowl. Poe reached up easily grabbing the plate and placing it into Kaya's waiting hands. "Thank you." She replied as she grabbed one of the ration packs opening it onto the plate. Dropping water onto the small octagon, it rose up to form a grayish bread that didn't look to appealing.

"How did you get it?" The chocolate brown eyed man asked looking at Kaya still with concern.

"Well the Rathtar got tired of me holding onto you so it slammed me against a corner." Kaya said as she moved to sit at the round table.

"Can I make sure it's nothing serious?" Poe asked as he moved to sit beside her, still watching her.

Kaya grabbed the grey bread taking a bite out of it. It was hard to chew and made Kaya's jaw hurt. "Poe it's just a bruise." Kaya said taking another bite, "It's nothing to worry about."

"Fine, if you say so." Poe said as he looked away from her. The two sat in silence neither saying a word. It wasn't an awkward silence—it was just quiet and peaceful.

"That reminds me," Kaya said placed the grayish bread on the plate, "How did you end up on the wasteland planet of Jakku?"

"Now that is a long tale." The man replied a smile on his lips, "Are you sure you have enough time to listen?"

"Well this thing called food takes forever to chew so I'm going to go with a yes." Kaya replied picking up the bread and taking another tough bite.

"General Organa sent me to Jakku to pick up the piece of the map and return it. I traveled to the small village and got the piece of the map. As I was leaving that's when the First Order showed up." Poe said as he thought back to the series of events that had led up to him being on this ship. Kaya was leaning on her elbows, all thoughts of food vanished from her mind as she sat listening to him speak. "I was trying to get my X-Wing into the air when the stormtroopers shot at it—destroying the thrusters. They rounded up the entire village, the ones they didn't shoot, into the middle of the village."

"That's when Kylo Ren killed my friend, the man who gave me the map. Lor San Tekkaf was his name. I was hiding in the sand dunes, sending BB-8 away. I shot my blaster at the bastard but he stopped it and me." Poe said his voice showing his confusion at what he saw.

"You mean he stopped the laser? Is that even possible?" Kaya asked confused by what he was telling her.

"I didn't think it was but he proved me wrong." Poe replied, "I was then taken aboard Kylo Ren's vessel where he dug through my thoughts finding all the information he needed."

"But how did you escape?" Kaya asked eagerly wanting to know more.

"Calm down now. I'm getting there." Poe said laughing lightly, "I was actually helped by a stormtrooper that didn't agree with the First Order. His name was Finn but I have no idea what has happened to him. He disappeared after our ship crashed and then I stumbled into you." Poe looked into Kaya's eyes a smile gracing his lips just looking at her.

Everything about her was beautiful. It made Poe's heart pound wildly in his chest whenever he was near Kaya. She irritated the hell out of him but that's what made Poe like her so much more. Poe glanced down at Kaya's lip, thanking whatever forces that had him stumbling into her life.

"We're here!" The shout of Han Solo disrupting Poe from his thoughts as he sat up straight up already beginning to head to the cockpit leaving a confused Kaya in his wake.