"What's this one for?" Finn's voice asked laced in curiosity. Rey glanced down to the pack strapped to her thigh. She paused in her steep ascent, fearlessly dangling high within the shadowy recesses of the cavern. Her scavenging expeditions on Jakku had honed her free climbing skills, even as a young child she had always been confident in using her limbs to reach the unreachable; watching her home planet from high up in the trees.

"Med-supplies." Rey replied, testing her foothold. It was cool in here, deep within the planet's crust. Small slithers of light filtered in through cracks in the lofty ceiling; she squinted against the direct light hitting her pupils as she peered up to find the landing. "There!" She boisterously called, her voice echoing throughout the cavern as she continued her risky scale.

"Wow! It's incredible how much you can carry in that suit! You might not believe it but the stormtrooper suits never held much room for anything. Well.. other than a simple blaster clip." Finn prattled on; however, Rey was quite content to have her thoughts occupied by his excited babbling as she worked towards her goal.

Rey had to admit, she really loved her new attire. Although it was nowhere near as light-weight as her Jedi-training garments, it made up for the added weight in its usefulness. It was filled with pockets, and secret compartments for all her supplies, she didn't need to carry any cumbersome bags – definitely a step-up from her Jakku attire.

Back when Luke had first assigned her this mission she had nervously requested to borrow some credits for appropriate attire and supplies, something she was unable to obtain on Ahch-To due to Luke's somewhat minimalistic lifestyle. To her surprise – and joy – Luke had begrudgingly allowed her a small allowance to gather what she needed. However, after landing on a stopover planet and giving her farewells to Chewie, she was grateful to have discovered that an extra hefty sum of credits had been slipped into her rucksack by the Wookiee.

Her shared grief with Chewbacca over Han's death had brought them closer these past few months with a mutual respect growing between the pair, both as competent pilots and mechanics.

In fact, before travelling to Ahch-To, she had helped him with repairing the damages which the Millennium Falcon had sustained after the fallout of Starkiller Base. During this time she had learnt a great deal about the man Chewie had met and grown to become companions with. The tales of their smuggling adventures were seemingly endless, inspiring her imagination every night before she fell into a slumber.

It comforted her, using her imagination to bring to life the people she cared about. It was one of the coping mechanisms she had developed on Jakku, imagining her family exploring the galaxy, her parents joining the resistance, or even just pretending they were having dinner with her, congratulating her on her hard day's work.

Even now, Finn was just a figment of her imagination, someone to keep her company during her solo expedition. The real Finn was back on D'Qar, recovering from the injuries he had sustained on Starkiller Base.

Finally, Rey had reached the ledge, thrusting her arm up to grab hold of the edge. She pulled with her upper body strength, the Finn of her mind silenced in anticipation. She slowly released herself from her foothold, ready to heave herself vertically.

However, as she pulled upward, her fingers slipped, scraping against the rocky wall. An audible gasp infiltrated her ears, and time seemed to slow as Rey realised it was her own.

She was freefalling.

Friction tore through her gloves and burns began developing on her hands as she tried to use the rocky wall to slow her descent.

Eventually though, she lost her hold on the wall, her breath catching in her lungs. She felt fire everywhere. Snapping into action, her instincts kicked in - panicked as she called an onslaught of force energy inwards. Drawing all she could from the air around her, she didn't even know what for.

She could no longer consciously place herself in time or space.

All noise and feeling ceased and she went numb. Her eyes fluttered shut as an array of images infiltrated her mind, sharp flashes of moments in time filled her thoughts, similar to when she first held Luke Skywalker's lightsaber. Though she was unable to even make this connection, all she could focus on was the images.

Each indistinguishable from the other, indiscernible in meaning.

It was too much.

The barrage of visions became more violent, her ears beginning to ring.

Death and the dark. Life and the light. The longevity of the experience pulling Rey into a more severe pain. Hopelessness encapsulating her within her own mind.

She wanted it to stop.

She begged for it to end.

Her current predicament all but forgotten, all she knew was the visions and the noise and she couldn't take it anymore.

Finally, Rey got her wish. And darkness took her.

The last thing she remembered was the feeling of dread.

Her mind felt fuzzy, like static slowly clearing.

Eventually the space around her became apparent, she was lying on a hard uneven surface, a cool draft nipping at her exposed neck. Then there was the pain, a dull throbbing in her head.

A small moan escaped her lips as she reached up and felt the back of her head. Thankfully, there was no blood, a few abrasions were scraped over her palms but the most intense pain coming from her head appeared to be internal.

The pain, the dread, the images, what came before? What had she been doing?

A sharp image flashed in her mind. Maz Kanata! She had just landed on Takodana with Han, Chewie, and Finn to visit Maz's cantina. But there was a voice, a feeling, something had drawn her to the vault, to the lightsaber.

Rey sat up with a start, the lightsaber! She blinked a few times, her eyes trying to adjust in the dark space she was in. Slowly but surely, dim light illuminated her surroundings. She was in a... cave? This wasn't right... she had just been in Maz's basement. Hadn't she?

She frantically looked around for the lightsaber, one hand unconsciously grasping her head at the site of pain. Her wriggling movement caused the dim light to catch the hilt of the saber. It was strapped to her waist. Strange.

Cautiously, Rey reached for the saber, silently hoping the flash of images wouldn't invade her mind again. Slowly but surely, she withdrew the saber from its hold, rotating it in her hands as she inspected the weapon. She had only heard about the weapon in tales and legends, to have one in her hands, strapped to her waist, was extraordinary - yet terrifying.

Unwilling to test it out quite yet, Rey returned the saber to its holding place. Taking in her surroundings again. Rey knew lightsabers were connected to the force, but the force couldn't transport people... could it?

Noticing a tunnel in one of the far walls, Rey stood. Stretching out her stiff limbs. A grumble emanating from her stomach. Just how long had she been down here?

Rey strode over to the tunnel entrance, catching her reflection in a crystalized patch of wall on the way. She paused in her steps, further investigating her appearance. Her unfamiliar attire was not the only unusual thing she noticed, running a hand along her exposed skin, she felt and saw old scars that were new to her. She also noted her hair was shorter by a few inches and her cheeks were more full. Even if transportation was possible, this kind of change couldn't be.

She was in an unfamiliar place, in unfamiliar clothes, with unfamiliar changes in her own body and a constant pang of pain in her head. Rey wasn't slow-witted, her time on Jakku had rendered her a quick and intelligent thinker.

There was only one plausible conclusion, but what could have happened to bring this extent of memory loss? And just how long it had been she could only guess at, weeks? Maybe even months. She prayed it wasn't years.

She had to know what had happened, a plan quickly formulating in her mind. She had to find her new companions, if they were the last ones she remembered then surely finding then would be the most logical place to start.

Han Solo. He had a reputation galaxy-wide, making him her best bet. How hard could it be to track down one of the most famous smugglers, war hero and his walking-carpet companion? And if that didn't work she could always find a way to get back to Takodana, although she reserved that option as her last resort. The scavenger wasn't sure how much she trusted the residents who frequented Maz's cantina.

Had Finn already reached the outer rim? Or had the First Order recaptured him or worse? A shiver ran down Rey's spine. Despite the betrayal she had felt when he confessed to his lies, she couldn't bring herself to hate him. Somehow in the short time she had known him a bond had developed between the two, one stronger than any she shared with the inhabitants she had known on Jakku.

Maybe, just maybe... a voice whispered in the back of her mind. Maybe Finn returned, maybe they all did.

Rey continued on in the tunnel, unsure whether she was heading towards an exit or going deeper into the cave. To pass time (and ease her nerves) she began formulating a conversation with her new friend in her mind.

"So you've forgotten the past few weeks?" Finn's voice asked, audibly gaping. "You mean to tell me you forgot how you forced me to return to Jakku with you? I know, I know you didn't actually force me. I was just... upset that I wouldn't get to see you again. Anyway, eventually I agreed to escort you back to Jakku. Only escort! Well, that was until you showed me that Jakku isn't actually that bad."

Rey chuckled, "You were so stubborn! You vowed to never return to Jakku, though it didn't take long to win you over though did it?"

Finn tried to hide a grin, but Rey knew the corners of his mouth were pulling up.

"I was finally glad to leave that planet. I basically kissed your parent's feet when they arrived to take us away from Jakku. You can't tell me you forgot what it was like returning to your home planet. We climbed the trees every night after your family had gone to sleep. Watching the stars together. Surely you haven't forgotten that?"

Rey sighed, her own daydream having made her slightly home sick. She thought of the stars, the constellations her mother had shown her when she was a child. Still etched into her memory. They often frequented her daydreams of being returned home; however, for the first time she could add a friend to her fantasised return.

She knew although her fantasies were a sure way to lighten her mood, they often tip-toed the line between productive and counter-productive. She couldn't let the idea of being brought home distract her from her current objective, which was always to survive.

Rey rounded a corner and her ears perked as the faintest of voices echoed within the rocky hall.

"What was that?" Finn asked before vanishing from her mind. Freshly alert to her surroundings, Rey tuned in her senses, listening to what the voices were saying. She tried to muffle her steps as she approached the source of the sound.

"... an attack"

"Not yet! ... Jelde's orders."

"... First Order! We should be providing all available troops, not twiddling our thumbs in some cave. They need us Wen-Tek."

There was a silence before the second voice answered.

"Vu'inh, you've known Jelde almost as long as I have. Have faith in his strategies. The First Order won't expect such a delayed second wave. We will attack them when they think they've already won."

Rey's stomach turned at the mention of the First Order, were they nearby? Were Finn, Han and Chewie in danger?

The two voices were silenced as a set of hurried footsteps approached the pair.

"Admiral, we received contact from the first platoon." Rey finally had the three in sight, observing them from a distance. Her presence still undetected. The people before her wore no distinctive clothing; however, they were definitely some sort of military. Were they part of the Resistance? It was hard to believe given their dishevelled appearances.

There were two females and one male, the male anxiously watching one of the females. He had to be of a lower rank, and the owner of the third voice who had arrived on scene. He shifted on his feet, nervously awaiting for his superior's order before continuing.

"What's the news soldier?" The female finally responded, bringing a temporary relief to the soldier as he delivered the message.

"The second platoon is to stay-put and await further instruction." The unaddressed female was obviously irritated by this. The first holding better patience and control over her emotions.

"Was the message from Jelde himself?" The calmer female replied.

"Yes." The soldier affirmed.

"Then we have no need to worry." The female replied with a smile. "Vu'inh and I will be returning to the troops shortly. Tell them of this new development."

The trooper nodded and headed back the direction he came. When his steps were no longer audible, Vu'inh turned to her companion.

"Are you sure it is wise to tell the soldiers, Wen-Tek?" She snapped, trying to gauge her companions response.

Wen-Tek simply smiled at Vu'inh and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"The Resistance keeps no secrets from its men. Have faith, in Jelde and our troops."

The mention of the Resistance suddenly excited hope within Rey. The Resistance... Han, Chewie! An overflow of joy prompted her to rush over to the two women. Rey all but stumbled into the pair, obviously startling them as they raised their blasters at her sudden appearance.

"A-are you the resistance?" Rey asked, grinning almost childishly.

The two appeared to ignore her question, Vu'inh moving to stand behind Rey, blaster still pointed.

"First Order?" Vu'inh asked her companion, jerking her chin towards Rey. She felt a pressure against her back, Vu'inh's blaster.

Rey suddenly realised the rash stupidity of her actions, seemingly ambushing two military leaders in a cave. How thoughtless could she be? Uneasiness swirled within Rey's stomach, hoping the woman would judge her correctly as a friend and not foe.

Wen-Tek studied Rey with poise, eyes tracing every surface of her face, looking for any signs of a threat. Her earlier calm smile replaced with calm calculation, a flicker of recognition as her eyes caught Rey's saber.

"No." Wen-Tek replied, a friendly smiling returning to her face, instantly bringing relief to the scavenger. "This one's a Jedi."

Vu'inh hesitated before releasing her blaster from its spot on Rey's back.

"No way. Is she? Are you?" Vu'inh gaped, returning to Wen-Tek's side.

Rey looked at Wen-Tek, there was something in her eyes, something Rey felt she could trust.

"No, I'm not." She admitted. "At least, I don't think so?"

"Oh?" Something else flashed within Wen-Tek's eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it came. "What is your name, not-Jedi?" Wen-Tek asked, mouth curling up at the sides.

"I'm Rey."

"It is very nice to meet you, Rey. I am Admiral Wen-Tek, and this is Lieutenant Vu'inh." The lieutenant gawked at Wen-Tek.

"You gave her our real names?" She hissed.

"This woman poses us no threat Vu'inh, and I quite suspect she has already overheard our names." The admiral continued to smile, sliding a hand on her companion's shoulder.

Heat rose to Rey's cheeks, feeling slightly guilty for eavesdropping.

"Sorry." Rey apologised, hoping she could still gain what she desired from these women.

"You already know why we are here," Vu'inh almost grumbled accusingly, "it's only fair we know why you are here."

"I'm looking for Han Solo." Rey stated outright, gauging the women's responses.

Wen-Tek's eyes widened, as did her smile.

"Han Solo? Known affiliate of the Resistance? In here?" Vu'inh asked incredulously.

Rey knew honesty was her only way out, although she still felt hesitant to share everything with these strangers. The ghost of Vu'inh's blaster still hovering against her back.

"I'm lost, and I need to find Han Solo." She cocked her head to the side, something in Vu'inh's earlier question irked her. "You... are the Resistance, aren't you?"

The two women exchanged a quick glance, one Rey couldn't quite give a name to. However, before Rey could pick apart it's meaning, the admiral moved to place her hand on Rey's back, in the same spot Vu'inh had held her blaster.

"Of course." She chuckled. "So, you want to find Han Solo? Well, we have ships."

"Wen." Vu'inh begged, the admiral dismissing her with a wave of her free hand.

Rey gulped down a hard lump in her throat and anticipated whatever these women would ask for back. Resistance or not, nobody ever gave without expecting something in return. She'd learnt that the hard way on Jakku.

"We can offer you a ship, we can help you find Han Solo. But of course we need something from you first." She stared deeply into Rey's eyes. "In return for fighting one battle with us, we will give you a small but sturdy craft."

Rey had never fought a battle in her life, she'd won and lost a few scuffles back on Jakku. However, the closest the Jakku scavenger had ever come to a real battle was limited to the last few days.

The last few days you remember. A small vexing voice whispered in her mind. Rey tried to push the voice to the back of her mind, she knew she wouldn't get any offer better than this one. It was dumb luck she had even found the Resistance.

She held out her hand.

"Deal."

Wen-Tek's smile almost increased further - if only it were possible - as she shook Rey's hand. Rey winced at the tingling pain in her palm, causing Wen-Tek to turn Rey's hand over in her own, exposing damaged gloves and burns on Rey's palms.

"We will have a medical officer look at that."

Vu'inh held back her protests this time, opting to silently follow the admiral when she turned on her heel and headed toward where the male soldier had earlier come from. Rey trailing not far behind.

"I believe our army could do very well with someone of your talents." She made another pointed look at the lightsaber at Rey's hip. "Let's go introduce you to the others."

Heyyyy guys~ Long time no see *finger guns*

I actually started writing this 18 months ago and had planned to have it all finished long before the release of the new film... sooooooo one broken laptop later and here it is!

Just want to clarify that in this fic Rey and Kylo Ren ARENT related~~ (This is my first time boarding a sinking ship but as the saying goes "We have dressed in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen.")

Also this first chapter was SUPER LONG and the others will be less dense.

Also also I'm a huge fan of badass!Rey and crybaby!Kylo (basically cannon) so thats gonna be the mood for the story hehe

So enjoy this really strange tale of two idiots (the third idiot being me who cant resist a memory loss fic).