"Now what do we have here?" Lando's melodic voice carried from across the crosswalk that led to the landing station.
Ben tried not to cringe at the site of his 'uncle', this surely was his worst plan yet, but he knew Lando would help them. Well, at least he's help Rey, Poe and the others not necessarily him. Calrissian was well dressed, perhaps over dressed, and as always a cape draped across his shoulders.
Rey walked slightly ahead of him greeting Lando with a polite smile. "Hey Lando, we need your help."
A grand smile plastered itself onto his lips as Calrissian took Rey's hand and kissed it in welcome. "The lovely Rey we meet at long last. Leia had nothing but good things to say about you."
Ben forced himself to look at his uncle. "Lando, I believ-"
Lando met his nephew's solum eyes and offered him his hand. Ben took it questionably as Lando proceeded to speak. "It's good to see you Ben." Calrissian looked Ben over then back up to his eyes. "You're mother caught me up on everything." With his free hand Lando punched his not so little nephew right in the face, then patted him on the shoulder, not missing a beat he continued. "No hard feelings. Your friends arrived just before you. They are in the dining hall. This way."
Ben rubbed his chin and shrugged when Rey gave him a look that he couldn't quite make out. Shock? Humor? Following them he looked around Cloud City and the massive super Center they walked into. Han and Leia had taken him to the floating city many times. He used to run through its winding halls pretending to shoot down imaginary ships, play hide and seek with his father, and late at night Lando would sneak into his room and give him pointers on women and the like. Even went things got tough at home Lando was always there to help. Even now he clearly knew everything that had transpired and he did not seem to care. No he cared he just didn't act on it.
Entering the lavish dining room a protocol droid motioned them to their seats across from Poe and Zay while Lando sat at the head of the table, an empty seat beside him.
"You made it." Poe said, leaning against the back of his chair comfortably. "When I saw that knight of whatever show up I was wondering if you made it out okay."
Ben smirked, "You were worried about us because of one knight?"
"I was talking to Rey and if I remember correctly the last time you encountered one of your own knights she," He pointed at Rey, locking eyes with Ben. "Had to go save your ass."
"Nice to see you too." Ben looked over at Lando and the empty seat beside him. Lightening his tone he attempted a semi-normal conversation. "How is aunt Kaasha?"
"Fine as always. She'll be along shortly." Lando's eyes flicked between Rey and Ben, flashing his winning smile.
Ben felt his stomach twist into knots, suppressing a cringe, he knew that look from his uncle, it never lead anywhere good.
"Now, lets discuss the reason you're all here." Lando said.
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Dinner felt never ending, though he knew it had only been at most two hours. Two hours of back and forth head-butting between himself and Dameron. Two hours of headache inducing planning and picking his brain for information. Two hours of Lando and Kaasha sharing unspoken words with glances at their nephew and Rey. The later, if he was being honest, is what made the whole event unbearable. Lando has a reputation of being overly... charismatic and that was before he married Kaasha. Put the two of them together and there was bound to be trouble.
Why do they keep looking at us like that?
Ben pushed his chair in close to the table when they were done and went to follow everyone out of the dining hall when someone cleared their throat behind him. He froze, hairs on the back of his neck standing on end, he knew that sound all too well. Turning he faced Lando and Kaasha arms intertwined.
With a smile Kaasha placed a kiss on her husband's cheek. "I'll make sure everyone gets to their chambers."
Lando watched as his wife walked past Ben, his eyes trailing over he body. "Mmm mmm." A lopsided grin curled at the edge of his lips.
Ben rolled his eyes then looked expectantly at his uncle. "You wanted to speak with me?"
Lando waved a hand in the air. "Yes, yes. We did not get a chance to properly catch up." He worked around and walked over to a counter on the other side of the room.
Ben followed slowly behind. Lando grabbed a bottle of some type of alcohol and poured the amber liquid generously into two cups then handed one to Ben. Taking the glass he examined the liquid and watched as his uncle took the first sip. From the looks of it the liquid couldn't be bitter. Taking one last look at the glimmering substance Ben took a sip then winced as he forced himself to swallow. It burned his tongue and the back of his throat.
Kriffing! Kriffer! Kriff!
He swore internally then slammed the glass back down on the counter. During his training he was never allowed to partake in anything that resembled alcohol. Not with Luke. Not with Snoke. It dulled the senses they had both said in one way or another. Lando let out a laugh that reverberated off the golden walls of the dining room, holding his free hand to his stomach and lifting a singular finger with the hand that was struggling to hold onto his own glass.
Glaring Ben angrily stride back to the dining table and grabbed the unfinished mug of caf from the table, downing it in one gulp. The hot fire that roared in his mouth simmered enough for him to return his gaze to Lando who was doubled over in laughter.
"It seems I owe Kaasha a few hundred credits." He said still trying to compose himself. Ben just stared at him, greatly annoyed. "I bet that you would be accustomed to strong drink and she had bet you abstained from it all."
Gritting his teeth Ben glared at his uncle, finding another half empty cup of caf he sipped it cleansing his palette from the lingering fire. Taking a long drawn out breath he focused on not choking, throwing, or otherwise harming Lando.
Composing himself, Lando shook his head and then pulled a small locked box from a drawer under the counter. Ben watched as his uncle traced his hand over the lid before turning to him and opening the box.
"I had this made for you when you were," He paused a small solemn grin pulled at his lips."Well when you were too young to have it. Han was supposed to give you the key to the locker it was in, but I guess you got shipped away before he could give it to you." Lando's nose wrinkled as he mentioned his nephew's shipment to Luke. "Anyways, I think you're going to need it now more than ever."
Ben closed the gap between them and gazed into the box, a lump formed in his throat causing his breath to catch. There it was. A blaster similar to his father's but newer with golden accents. He took the weapon out of its container slowly and looked it over. It was well made, Lando had definitely had a say in how it was decorated, and there on the barrel etched in small golden lettering: Starfighter.
His childhood nickname Lando had given him. He couldn't help but grin.
Holstering the weapon at his side he met Lando's eyes his own softening a bit. "Thank you, uncle Lando."
"You're most welcome but," He raised a finger at Ben. "It's Uncle Wando to you." That earned him a classic eye roll from Ben which only seemed to amuse him even more. "I am sure you're exhausted from your travels. You're quarters are just down the hallway on the left, second door."
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Ben removed his shirt as he walked into the lavish chambers Lando had assigned to him, tossing the garment on a nearby chair before placing his new blaster on the table. He had begun to unbutton his trousers when he noticed someone was in his bed. A shiver of dread ran down his spine. He was in the right chamber, wasn't he? Down the left, second door. Yes he had followed the instructions perfectly. Then who was in his bed? Moving ever so carefully he hovered over the sleeping figure. Rey.
Of course.
Lando and Kaasha must have something to do with this. With a heavy sigh he strode to the door, he would find another place to sleep for the night. Throwing his shirt back on he approached the door and activated the button. Nothing. He tried again. It still would not open. It seemed that someone had locked him in with Rey...and one bed.
Kriff.
Clenching his fist he looked behind him at the snoring, all too comfortable ex-scavenger. She was sprawled out among the many pillows and blankets surrounding her. He grinned. She was adorable in this state. Noticing a couch against the far wall Ben went and laid on it. It was bigger than the small twin 'bed' he had endured while with Snoke, he would make it work for the night and in the morning... well he would have words with Lando.
Things were awkward enough between him and Rey, never mind the dream he had had of her that morning. He cringed as he grabbed a small pillow and pulled it to his chest getting comfortable. They would have decided to force him and Rey into one chamber.
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Hi everyone! I want to apologize for waiting this long to post again. Life has been crazy and I'm going to try and get better at posting more frequently this summer. After I kill this ear infection that I was cursed with this week. We will probably spend one more chapter maybe two on Bespin before things start to speed up a bit!
Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting! It truly makes my day.
May the force be with you!