BANG, BANG, BANG!

My head swam and the banging rang throughout my ears. I immediately furrowed my brow without opening my eyes. Why was someone banging around this early? Turning away, I shielded my eyes from the minimal light drifting into my room. The light was overwhelming, even with my forearm blocking the majority of it. Darkness began to consume my vision once more.

Bang, bang, bang!

It sounded distinctly like knocking this time around, but more assertive. I couldn't tell whose door they were knocking on, but I hoped that they would answer it soon to stop the ringing in my ears.

You shouldn't have gone out drinking last night. I thought to myself. Someone probably saw you and reported you to the First Order and now they're searching for you.

"How would they know who I was?" I responded out loud to my inner voice.

You've wronged a lot of people, Thiff, she responded. The thought made me shift my arm away and cautiously open my eyes. The light was overwhelming but I remained steady through my swimming head. Slowly, I sat up and eyed the door cautiously, my body begging me to return to sleep and forget the knocking ever happened. If the knocking happened again, I'd grab my blaster and confront them myself.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Blaize? Hello?" A voice now followed the pounding.

That's your queue, my inner voice said, edging me out of bed.

I cursed under my breath and sat up fully, reaching for my blaster on a crate I put beside my bed, not taking my eyes off of the door. The floor beneath my feet felt like quicksand, but I pressed on as I held my blaster as steady as I could.

I gathered my strength once I reached the door, placing a hand to the cool metal before huffing a breath, and swinging it open. I threw myself forward, blaster in hand, almost lunging towards the figures standing before me.

"Get out of here! You're trespassing!" I demanded, jutting my weapon forward.

"Woah- hey! Blaize! It's me- don't shoot!"

It took my eyes a second to adjust to the oppressively bright morning light. As my eyes peered into focus at the two men standing outside, I furrowed my brows. "Kilian?" For a moment, I thought my eyes deceived me. Kilian Jiro, who I thought had gone missing many years ago, stood with his palms facing me and his feet pulled back, eyes scanning me over. I no doubt looked unpresentable in front of him, and my face flushed at the thought.

"Yeah? It's me, Kilian," he breathed, "Kilian Jiro." He cautiously cracked a grin while eyeing my blaster, which I still had ready to fire out at the two men. Right. There's two of them.

My gaze shifted to the shorter man, his own blaster was aimed at the ground near my feet, watching me like a hawk. He wore a distinct tan leather jacket with a red patch on his shoulder. His hair was neatly combed back and his tan skin glowed beneath the sweltering heat outside. My eyes shot back to Kilian. "Who's this?"

I shifted my blaster's aim to exclusively the stranger, and Kilian eased out of his defensive position. "Commander Poe Dameron. He's a Commander for the Resistance fleet. A pilot."

A pilot? Commander? Realization struck me and I quickly lowered my weapon to aim at the ground. Aiming a blaster at a Commander? Was I stupid? He lowered his as I did, easing it back towards its holster but not entirely. I understood his motive not to completely holster it.

I hesitated before clarifying, "Resistance?"

They exchanged quick glances and Kilian nodded. "We're from the Resistance. We've..."

"Come here to ask you a favor." The excitement in my chest dulled. Kilian Jiro. My old tall, blonde best friend that I might have secretly crushed on for years and years until he mysteriously up and left the planet has only come to visit me for a favor. For a group that I refuse to work with.

"What for?" I said. My words came out harsher than I expected.

Kilian shifted his gaze around to the street outside my apartment. There were not many people out, but I understood why he asked, "can we go inside? Somewhere more private?" First Order spies were everywhere these days, and it was already reckless of them to admit to being Resistance fighters out in broad daylight.

Eyeing Poe, and following Kilian's glances, I nodded. After stepping back inside the threshold, I paused and said, "but leave all weapons at the door."

I heard a huff then the clank of several metal objects hit a crate that was placed beside the entryway. The slight mess of my small apartment made me wish they had sent a letter ahead or something so I'd know to straighten up. To be fair, what would they expect from a smuggler's home anyways? The layout of my apartment was minimal, after all, I wasn't home most of the time. All that filled the modest space was a small kitchen and sink to the right of the door, with a dingy white leather couch occupying the other side. On the in-between wall was the cot that I slept on while I stayed here and another crate sat beside it that I used to hold any weapons for self-defense. My neighborhood wasn't safe, per se, so it was only necessary to leave it there. Additionally, First Order soldiers weren't exactly keen on knocking, so I wanted to at least stand a chance in case of a midnight home invasion. In the middle of it all was a table with three mismatched chairs to accompany it. Papers were spread out across it, along with my canvas bag slung haphazardly over it. I gestured to the two seats at the table furthest from the kitchen expectantly. Kilian and Poe shuffled into the farthest seats from the door, careful not to disturb anything resting on the table in the process.

"Out with it," I said, walking into the kitchen, towards the refrigerator. I pulled out three green globe-shaped bottles with small necks and corks. One bottle took a whole hand to hold, so I held one under my arm and the others in my hands.

Killian began, "we need your help." He paused. I shut the door to the refrigerator with my hip, and I gave him an expectant look before setting the bottles down on the counter. He took a breath and continued, "with a smuggling job."

I furrowed my brows. "For the Resistance? I didn't think they worked with smugglers." I popped the corks out of the bottles with a small kitchen knife that was left on the counter.

"We don't, typically," Poe said while shifting in his chair. I brought the bottles over to the table, giving one to each of the men, then taking a seat of my own across from them. I bent my leg and placed my ankle over my left knee, leaning back in my chair.

"So you're desperate, then?" I resisted a grin while I took a sip of my drink. I winced a little. It wasn't a particularly strong brew but it tasted like Wookie piss.

"We're willing to offer you a lot of money," Kilian said candidly, avoiding my claim entirely.

My grin faded. "I don't do Resistance jobs," I said. The last time I smuggled something for the Resistance I ended up with a new scar over my hip and a bounty over my head with the First Order. "Not anymore."

Poe's eyes softened and he took a drink from his bottle, while Kilian's gaze only hardened with what looked like determination. "We'll pay double." Poe nearly spit out his drink (from the taste or shock I wasn't sure) and turned entirely to Kilian with a wild expression.

"Double?" I crooned.

"Well I don't know about double," Poe tried to pull Kilian back down. They say anyone will do anything if offered enough money, and this was certainly that kind of case.

I held a hand up to Poe to cut him off before leaning in on my fist at the table. "You have my attention."

Kilian brushed Poe off and leaned forward, steepling his fingers. He began, "an old ally of General Organa's has what we believe to be a..." he closed his eyes, scrunching up his face before continuing, "a map to Luke Skywalker." I snorted and let out a laugh of disbelief. Luke Skywalker? Surely they were joking. Their faces didn't change though and they still looked determined. Realization panged through me and my face fell. 

"You're serious?" They nodded at me, Kilian's eyes still closed and Poe taking a sip of his drink.  "Luke Skywalker is a myth, a morale booster. They tell his story to junkyard kids so they don't give up on their dreams of being a hero." They still didn't budge. I took a swig from my bottle and scoffed once I put it down again. "You really think that this is going to lead somewhere?"

Kilian shifted as if he wasn't quite sure, and Poe assumed his position of explanation. "With the First Order on the rise, the Resistance needs every chance we can get. General Organa believes that Luke Skywalker is out there and that we can find him." I placed my head in my hands. This was too much. Far too much. "Like Kilian said, we can pay... double," he said dubitably, "we just need your ship and services to get you and Kilian there. In case something goes wrong, you're our getaway." 

I glanced up through my fingers. "And what about you?" 

"I'll get closer to the village in my X-Wing, and talk to him directly. It's my mission to retrieve the map, you two just need to make sure that it gets into the right hands." This was suicide, truly. 

"Look, I don't like the First Order either, but this wild chase you're sending me on sounds risky. Too risky." I slouched back once more. With a sigh, I reached for my drink. Kilian gazed up at me with a desperate expression. I locked eyes with him but then darted away. This could not be happening. 

I tossed the thought over in my head like a rock that I was about to throw across a shimmering lake. On the one hand, I could not go and everything would work out just fine for me, no danger involved. However, there was no guarantee that I had any jobs available for me if I didn't take it. With the First Order's increasing presence throughout the galaxy, smuggling did become riskier and riskier with every new job, and people were more hesitant to hire anybody to do their dirty work. The First Order was still searching for me and if I stayed in one place for too long they might figure out where I am. If I went with them and became associated with the Resistance once again, then I would be putting myself in more danger with the First Order. It didn't matter in the end though, they'd kill me just for being a smuggler, regardless of my Resistance affiliation. Unless they'd take me prisoner... I had no loyalty to anyone, they could have all the information they would like. I took a breath and decided to throw the rock across the lake. 

Shifting my gaze to Kilian once more, I said with a heaviness in my voice, "I need collateral. And it has to be good." Kilian's face cracked into a grin. 

"Collateral? We're already paying you double!" Poe said in disbelief. I stood up, crossing my room over to my cot, and sat down on my knees, kneeling over and searching under it. 

"I'm not talking about money, Commander," I strained, throwing my arm around until my hand brushed a dense, heavy box. I retrieved it from under my bed and stood up once more. The box was about a foot in length and half a foot in width, and only a few inches deep. It was made from dark, rich wood and had an iridescent inlay across the front with a simple clasp to keep it shut. I added an additional lock looped through the clap with a padlock on it for extra protection. I set it down on the table. The men looked at me quizzically and I continued, "the collateral I need is a personal object. It can be anything, it just has to be personal and important." 

They looked at each other in disbelief, but while Kilian reached for his bag and began sifting through it without questions, Poe didn't budge. "Why something personal? What is it to you?"

"The thing is Poe, if you just give me money, you're likely to feel less inclined to finish the job if something goes wrong. But if it's something personal," I glanced over at Kilian who produced a small necklace from his bag hesitantly. It had a thin, black rope for a chain, and on the bottom of the necklace lay a small jade figurine. "You're more likely to come back for it." I took the necklace from his hand and set it down on the table in front of me, putting in the code for the padlock and swiveling the box open. The inside was covered in a dark green velvet that perfectly matched the necklace that I laid gently inside. 

Poe locked eyes with me and I gave him an expectant look, putting my hand out for his object. "Something from each of you, please," I feigned politeness. He looked at Kilian who gave him a shrug. Poe begrudgingly reached into his jacket, retrieving a small medallion. It was gold on the outside but black on the front with an X-Wing design on the front, and a black and gold striped ribbon suspended atop it. He hesitated before placing it in my hand, crossing his arms, and slumping back. I took the medallion and placed it carefully in the box as well, shut it, and locked the padlock. I slid it back under my bed. 

Walking back to the table, I looked between the two men. "Now the actual payment. I require half the payment now, half the payment you can pay later since you're so graciously paying double." Poe's face contorted a bit. Kilian reached into his bag, producing a hefty burlap drawstring bag, placing it on the table with a soft clink. Taking the bag I felt the weight, then peered inside. Gold metal chips were all stacked together neatly. I slid that under my bed as well, turning to face the men once more. "We're all set. We'll venture out tomorrow morning-"

"Tomorrow? Eh eh, that was never a part of the deal, Thiff, we leave right now," Poe stood, pointing down and his shoulders squared. Kilian stood with him. 

"Now?" I drew my gaze to Kilian who gave an agreeing shrug. 

"The sooner the better, and it isn't smart for Resistance Commanders to be out for extended periods of time. They're... kind of important," he said with an unsure grin. I huffed, picking up my almost-finished drink and downing the last bit of it. Yep. Still Wookie piss. 

"Fine. I'll be ready in twenty minutes. Meet me in the shipyard and do not be seen. I don't want to deal with any First Order ships while we're on this run, got it?" 

"Got it, your highness," Poe made his leave, taking his blaster along with him on his way out, Kilian following him in his tracks. 

As I turned to begin packing what little clothes and items I had in the apartment, a psst at the door made me swivel towards it. Kilian leaned on the threshold with a cheeky smile plastered across his face, "thank you, Blaize, truly." Giving me a quick wink, he left my apartment and shut the door behind him.

I've got a bad feeling about this.