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"How the hell did he get two gangs up his ass?" Rika snarled as he kicked another thug out go the way, she didn't know which gang he was alleged to, and she was beyond caring. Then a green tentacle shot out, causing Finn to shriek. "And why the hell did you have to let the Rathtars out?"

Rika rolled her eyes. "Do something useful for once, nerf herder!" She growls at him, ducking beneath one of the many limbs of a Rathtar.

"Was that a Rathtar?" Rey stared curiously and stayed unmoving.

"Oh for Christ!" Rika yanked Rey's arm as another tentacle shot out to the spot where they just were. "Come on!" She shouts to Finn as they took off running. Just as another tentacle shot out and grabbed Finn.

"Finn!" Rey screamed.

Rika winced. "Damn." She cursed.

"We need to get him back!"

"Shut up Rey!" Rika barks. "Screaming isn't going to help him!" Then she glanced around.

"Wait," Rey says slowly. "What about the control panel we used to open the Rathtars earlier?"

"For once. You have a good idea."

"Hey!"

"Come on!" Rika once again yanked Rey out of the way as another tentacle shot out. They ducked down and ran.

"Found one!" Rey shouts.

"Where?" Rika asks, brows furrowing. "Shit!" She snaps as she got her right leg was grabbed. "Nasty bugger!" She hissed.

"Rika!"

Rika groaned, "I can't!" She wheezed. "You need to bring down the doors!"

"B-bu-ut I can't!" Rey panics. "You're the mechanic!"

"You have to, Rey! I can't reach it! You need to help Finn, too! Just bring down the-- Argh!"

Rey scrambled over. "Rika? Rika!" Only to see the older woman dragged through the corridor by a long tentacle, her eyes widened in horror. Rika had never looked so scared.

Rika glanced up. "You can do it, Rey! Come on!" She pointed to the control panel. "To one!" Rey nodded and ducked back quickly. "Three! Two! One!" Rika eyes were tinged with desperation.

Without warning the door suddenly slammed down, cutting through the tentacle. Freeing Rika while she slumped with a gasp.

-----

"So, where are we going again?" Finn asked for what seemed like the millionth time.

"Takodana," Han replies impatiently.

"Why?"

"To see an old friend."

Rika snorted. She rolled her eyes. "Since when did you have friends, Solo?" Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. She wasn't supposed to know about Lando or anyone else. Shit.

"You need a get the droid to the Resistance? Well, she's got contacts ya need, kid."

"Well still! We need to get out of the system! The First Order will find us! You don't know them like I do." Finn somewhat whines.

Wait a minute. What the hell? Rika's eyes narrowed. "Finn!" She called. "Can I talk to you for a sec?" She seems Rey get up then added, "Alone." She said as an afterthought.

She could feel Finn's discomfort coming off in waves from where she was sitting.

--

They walked down the hall for a couple of minuets before Finn asked. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He stared her.

She turned, and stopped. Wrapping a hand around his arm so he did too. "You're not really with the Resistance, are you." She said. More a statement than a question, she spoke again before he could. "Who are you really?" She looked at him.

Finn sighed. "FN-2187."

Rika bristled. "Great. A rogue storm trooper." She then sighed. "We should report you to the First Order." She shook her head. Then looked at him in the eye. "I'm doing this for Rey." She then walks off, and stopped and turned her head around. "But you know she's going to find out sooner or later."

-----

"I've never seen this much green before." Rey breathed in awe at the forests of Takodana.

Rika laughed. "Of course, you haven't, kid. All you've ever been to was that sandy hellhole." She shakes her head, still chuckling.

They landed, and Han looked at the Wookie. "You wanna stay not ship, Chewie?" He grinned while Chewbacca growled.

Rika stumbled in realization. "We're going to see Maz Kanata, aren't we?"

Han turned, "How'd you know that, girl?" He asks suspiciously.

Rika laughed nervously. "Nothing, just thought I recognized the forest." The lie rolled off her tongue and she winced. But thankfully, Han found it believable and returned to fiddling with his blaster.

They walked into to the castle slowly. And thankfully, unnoticed, until a certain a certain smuggler saw them.

"Han Solo!" Maz Kanata bellowed, efficiently silencing the entire castle. She walked over, the crowd parting immediately. She narrowed her eyes at them. "Where's my boyfriend?" She looked around.

"Chewie's on the Falcon," Han says hesitantly.

Maz frowned. "I like that Wookie." Rika laughed silently, causing Maz to turn to her. "Hello child," The female smuggler smiled warmly at her. "It's been a while since we have been together." Maz adjusts her glasses while Rey gazed in shock. There were much she didn't know about the older girl.

"Come along," Maz waved for them to follow.

-----

Rika chewed her bread thoughtfully, but her mind was suddenly interrupted when the sound of plates crashing to the floor.

"W-ww-what's she doing Solo?" Finn's eyes were wide with fear as Maz crawled towards him on the table.

"I don't know, but I don't like it," Han says while he continued chewing.

"I have lived long enough to see these eyes in different men." Man says, in a trance. "I am looking into the eyes of someone who wants to run."

"You don't know what I've been through! They'll kill me!" Finn snaps.

Maz points to another table. "They'll take you where you want to go," she says, as their heads turn to the two people sitting at that table. "They deliver shipments to out of the system." Maz frowns. "Though be warned. You are the only one of your friends that wishes to leave."

"They'll kill us all!" Finn turned to Rey, and Rika's brows rose. Of course, storm trooper has a crush on Rey. Then she sensed what he was about to say to Rey. "I'm sor-" He began

But Rika put a calming hand on Finn's shoulder. "Stop, listen to what she has to say," she says. "She's reading your eyes."

Maz turned and looked at her, then smiled. "You are a wise one, child. Young and intelligent." Then her face darkens. "But you are hiding from a storm you know will eventually find you." She stops.

"I am looking into the eyes of someone who's given up, Leriana Tillisk."

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