This cat of the slum had a mind, wasn't dumb...

[jedi_librettist]

Ben kept to the least reputable areas of Republic City. It was easier to find the parts he needed there and, more importantly, to avoid notice. It wasn't just that he didn't want to be recognized as Prince Ben Organa-Solo. He needed to avoid notice since he had no money of his own.

He smiled slightly when he saw the power core. It was exactly the kind he needed. It was far too small for a ship but clearly more powerful than any speeder had a right to be. He walked casually over to the shop. "Which model is that?" he asked, easily drawing the dealer into a conversation.

Several minutes later, he picked up the part. "You were already paid for this," he murmured. He waited just long enough for the togruta to repeat the phrase back before he left, prize in hand.

Comments

[girlandherstaff]

Rey tended to visit the least reputable areas of the City as she was more likely to find the parts they were in desperate need of there faster than she would through the more reputable sellers. That, and half of those sellers were over-priced and she knew that they were giving better prices in the less visited areas. She would go, bag slung over her shoulder, and make trades and deals and always return with better than she set out with. No one questioned it, just accepted that's what she did.

She didn't expect to see who she saw, especially with not what she saw him doing.

"...Ben?"

[jedi_librettist]

Ben spun around at the familiar voice, fighting the urge to hide the power core. "Rey?"

She couldn't prove anything, he reminded himself. Acting suspicious would simply get him caught. "What are you doing here?"

[girlandherstaff]

She tapped the bag around her. "Shopping for scrap to use on the ships," was her answer, frowning in his direction. "What are you doing here?" She looked around. "Where's Ani?"

[jedi_librettist]

He nodded, still somewhat surprised that she would choose scrap when he knew anyone connected to his family could get good parts elsewhere.

"Ani's with Mom. Taking a nap. I just came to get a few parts. I'll be back when he wakes up."

[girlandherstaff]

"Right," she nodded slowly, looking around at the shops. "So, I know why I shop here. But... I didn't see you as coming to these places?"

[jedi_librettist]

He shrugged. "It's easier to find what I'm looking for here. Why are you here instead of getting your parts new?"

[girlandherstaff]

"New doesn't mean better," Rey replied. "I'm working on Bail's junker and new really won't work there." There's an eye-roll, but the strain of affection is clear in her voice. "Pretty sure I'm going to end up stripping that thing from top to bottom."

[jedi_librettist]

"New would last longer, though." Ben sighed, thinking of the Falcon. "Dad should get you to work in his ship sometime."

[girlandherstaff]

"Not on that junker, new doesn't fit," she said with a shrug. Then there was a grin. "I'd love to work on the Falcon, but he's so protective of it. Won't let me near it."

[jedi_librettist]

"He won't even try to use new parts, either," he said with a smile. "At least, he wouldn't before Bail and I left. I'm pretty sure that's why it keeps breaking down."

[girlandherstaff]

"For older models like the Falcon, the newer parts need so much rigging, you're better off buying used," she said with a shrug. "They don't make them to fit the older ones, and the newer stuff might increase speed but you're losing the movement that the Falcon has so beautifully." She gives a look as if to ask why people do not think on that. "So instead, I'm trying to get Bail's junker up to scratch. You know it doesn't even have a working escape pod?"

[jedi_librettist]

"I did discover that." Ben couldn't meet her eyes. He had found out when he was planning to leave once his brother's ship left hyperspace. "I'm glad we never needed it on the way here. It needs a lot of work."

[girlandherstaff]

"You're telling me," she said. "I need to rip out and completely replace the fresher because Bail decided to take his temper out on it." The tone of her voice made it clear this wasn't the first time she was making repairs thanks to Bail's temper. Frankly, she wasn't all that surprised; people who fought in the pits did worse, and they had met when he was fighting in the pits on Jakku.

"What you shopping for?" She asked. "Maybe we'll be able to help each other out."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben had to look away when she brought up the fresher. That wasn't Bail's doing but he wasn't sure admitting to it would be a good thing. "That and one of the bunks."

He shrugged. "Just... parts. I'm trying to find what I need for a podraces."

[girlandherstaff]

"I was planning on replacing those anyway," she said with a shrug. "They wobble a lot when he hits hyper and you don't need that."

She brightens. "Podracing? I haven't worked on a pod-racer in years."

[jedi_librettist]

"I liked that," he admitted. "Bunks never do that on land."

It helped him sleep and stay asleep. There was no fear of waking up to find it had all been a dream. Well, it helped until Bail had figured out about Ani.

"They're about all I've worked on."

[girlandherstaff]

"Are you working on one now?" She was curious.

[jedi_librettist]

He nodded, growing more confident with this subject. There was nothing to hide about pod-racing.

"I haven't started building it yet."

[girlandherstaff]

"Are you going to need any help?"

She would love to work on something like that again, it had been so long. It was some of her first experience, really, with fixing something that was expected to be able to move again, not just be ready to re-sell.

[jedi_librettist]

"I don't know about needing help but if you want to..." He trailed off, biting his lip. "It might be nice to not do it all myself."

[girlandherstaff]

"I would love to!" She beamed, and then remembered what Bail had told her about Ben not being too good around people. "I mean, if you're okay with that."

[jedi_librettist]

He nodded, biting his lip. "You mean a lot to Bail. I suppose I should get to know you. And it will be different to have some to work with."

[girlandherstaff]

"All he ever talked about was how he was going to find you," Rey said, feeling as if she should make it clear that while she might mean something to Bail, his twin did mean more. "And now he has... I think he's a bit lost for what to do."

[jedi_librettist]

Ben frowned at that. Did that mean Bail might be better if he left again? He didn't think that was what she meant but he'd suspected that his presence was destined to make things harder for his family, not easier.

"What do I do, then?"

[girlandherstaff]

"Nothing, he's just being an idiot," Rey said, in the secure tone of the partner who has seen the moods. "He's just... He's so happy to have you back and it's just going to be a few moments till his mind catches up with him."