Chapter 1

It's dark.

Rey breathes hard, listening to the frantic pounding of her frightened heart. She sees nothing, feels nothing. It is a dead, cold place.

She glances down. A small ripple appears below her as she anxiously shuffles her feet. Water. She looks up again, closing her dark brown eyes. With a deep breath, she calms herself. As if in response, a small circle of light forms around her. As she walks, it spreads.

Turning her head, Rey wonders where exactly she is. Something in her is nagging at her, as if she should know, but she truly has no idea. In spite of this, she is not afraid. Her light has illuminated the scenery, or lack thereof. She is balances on an endless ocean under a dull grey sky that had probably never seen the sun. A gentle, stale breeze blows her hair around her face, but that is all. As if the world is holding its breath.

She turns about herself, looking. Searching, but for whom she knows or what she has no idea. She is not afraid, she realizes. Merely curious. It is as if she has discovered a new, untouched wreck.

"Little scavenger. You have not changed"

A deep voice cuts through her, sending a wave of emotion down her spine. Fear, distrust, anger, and pleasure. She shivers under the weight of it all.

Slowly, Rey turns, locking eyes with the dark figure who stands a few feet away. His eyes shine with their usual fire and passion, the stale wind blowing his tousled hair about her face. Her eyes land on the scar across his face. It is only a thin pink line now. It suits him. The though rushes to her mind unbidden, and he smiles.

That suits him, too.

"Where are we, Ben?" she demands, feeling a surge of power as she steps closer to him. His face is cold, but his eyes are flaming.

"We are in a dream, Rey" he says. A shiver runs down her spine as he says her name. He seems to savor it, savor the taste it leaves with him. "A dream we are sharing" he adds.

Rey does not know what to say. Instead, she continues to gaze defiantly at him, refusing to be intimidated by his formidable nature.

"Why are you here, then?" she says suddenly, like an eager child. His lip curls into another smile.

"I bring a warning, Rey" he says. She doesn't care what he says, as long as it involves her name. "You and I will meet again, very soon. Have you felt it?"

Rey swallows. She has no need to say anything. He knows.

He glances away, out at the calm waters and grey skies. His eyes are calm in the cool light.

"And when we do" he says softly, turning to gaze at her once more. She feels her heart jump at the rekindled blaze in his eyes. "It will be a new beginning"

Her light goes out, and she screams.

Rey shot up in her cot, shaking. She gripped her thin sheets tightly, gasping for air. Her eyes fluttered about the room, seeing the same industrial walls, the same desk piled high with scraps of metal and various parts.

No doubt about it. She was still on Yondu Base.

She blinked, trying to remember her dream. It had no exactly scared her, she knew that. Rather, she felt as though energy was pouring off of her in waves, evaporating into thin smoke and floating away.

A new beginning, Ben had said. Rey chewed her lip. Had it really been all a figment of her imagination? Or was it all true?

She took another breath, throwing back her covers and standing. She did not bother with shoes. If there was one person to ask, it was Luke. He always seemed to know. Twenty years in isolation doing nothing but meditating probably had something to do with that.

Rey clipped her lightsaber to her belt. She always felt a bit better, having it by her side. It was new, having been made by her. Doubled bladed, far better suited to her style than Luke's.

She waved her hand to deactivate her lock and walked briskly out into the dimly lit hall.

"Come in, Rey"

The door slid open with a hiss. Luke gave Rey a small smile, gesturing for her to sit across from him. She did so, feeling suddenly unsure.

You are troubled" murmured the old man. It wasn't a question. Luke was a great mystery to Rey. How he could read her like a book sometimes.

"Yes, Master. I had... a dream. A vision" said Rey, stumbling over her words. She was unsure where to begin.

Luke smiled again. "Which was it?"

"A dream, Master Luke"

Luke closed his eyes and nodded briefly. Not opening them, he questioned her softly. "And what troubles you about this dream?"

Rey chewed her lip again, wondering she was just being dramatic. "There was a dark ocean. I was on it. And I saw Ben, Master Luke"

The old man nodded. He did not seem worried. "Perhaps you are simply anxious about your mission tomorrow?" he inquired. Rey swallowed hard, and Luke relented. "Forgive me, Rey. I know it troubles you greatly. Please, continue"

Blinking, Rey stumbled over the last bit. "He told me... we were sharing a dream. He had warning. A warning that when we met, there would be a new beginning"

Luke was listening intently. His face was a mask of concentration, and when she finished, he did not react. At last, he looked up at her.

"The Force can take many forms, Rey. Often, when we receive messages through it, it takes the form of someone who has a strong influence on us. Someone we care about"

"I care nothing for Ren"

The words came too quick, to defensively. Rey felt her cheeks redden as Luke chuckled. He rose to his feet, and she did also.

"For that very reason, I know you do" he said. She felt something twist inside her gut. She could not seem to place the feeling, however.

Luke lay his good hand on her shoulder. "Sleep now, Rey. You're going to need it"

Rey nodded, feeling foolish. Luke knew the dream had meant nothing. She wondered why she'd let it bother her. A small voice in her mind murmured why, but she ignored it.

"Of course. Thank you, Master Luke. I'm sorry to have disturbed you" muttered Rey hastily, almost jogging back to her quarters.

Luke watched her go, his face an unreadable expression. Then, he shook his head, and turned back to his room.

"Oof!"

Rey smacked right into a figure who had been running down the hall with the same urgency.

"Sorry..." she muttered, glancing up at the figure. Her eyes met brown ones, and she sighed with relief.

"Poe! What are you doing?" she asked, crossing her arms. He smirked, as if she ought to have known.

"Rey, the mission is almost ready to leave. 0600 hours, remember?"

Startled, Rey's mind reeled as she tried to recall. Yes, she had almost forgotten her mission.

"Right. Let's go" she said, hurrying off after Poe. They passed several other pilots along the way, all headed to the hanger.

Leah was waiting for them, along with Finn and BB-8. She gave them a tired smile when she saw them, quite unmatched by Finn's wide grin.

"Hello, Rey. Poe. I expect you are prepared?"

"As I'll ever be" said Poe, but Rey only pressed her lips together and have a sharp nod. Leah was no Jedi, but she could sense the uneasiness Rey was feeling. Her forehead wrinkled slightly in concern.

"Poe, hurry to the pilot briefing" she said, not taking her eyes off of Rey. He nodded, grabbing Finn's hand as he went.

Leah put a hand on Rey's shoulder. "What troubles you, Rey?"

The taller girl shook her head. "Nothing. Just... nerves is all"

Han Solo had once said women always know. He was right.

"It is Ben, isn't it?" said Leah softly, her eyes filled with sadness as she spoke the name. Rey felt an unpleasant jump in her stomach. She hated to see Leah so hurt. After all, she was the closest thing Rey had to a mother, after discovering her own was long dead.

"Yes" she sighed, looking away. She felt ashamed, bringing Leah a burden she didn't deserve. But the general only patted her shoulder, reassuring her softly.

"You can bring him home, Rey. You two have been at it for months, now. I know he cares for you" said Leah, causing Rey to jump a bit. "Bring me back my son"

Rey pressed her lips together. "I will" she promised. Leah gave her a warm smile.

"I know. Now hurry. You don't want to miss the briefing"

Rey turned and left Leah and Threepio at the console, a sick feeling in her stomach. She had already lied to Luke, and now to Leah. Her gut twisted at the thought of her unfulfillable promise.

Poor Leah. She deserved to know about the dreams, too. But Rey didn't know if she could handle breaking the old woman's heart any further.

" - three pilots on the ground" Sergeant Yang was saying, spinning the holographic projection of the small moon of Yego. Rey wriggled her way to the front, eager to hear the rest of the speech.

"Then, Rey and her men will lead a charge on the main bunker here" said Yang, indicating the flashing red beacon. "Once they have hold, Poe can fly in the troops to finish the base"

Yang looked very solemn as he gazed at the small circle of pilots. "This mission is our turning point, men. A victory here will be the beginning of the end for Snoke and his armies"

Rey listened to the other pilots murmurs. The beginning of the end. She chewed her lip as she remembered Kylo's words.

"Any questions?" asked Yang. A gloved hand went up. It belonged to a dark faced ensign with dreadlocks.

"What about Kylo Ren? Won't he be an issue?" she asked, her accent thick and strange.

Yang shook his head. "General Organa has informed me that he will be taken care of" he said. It did not escape Rey's notice that he glanced in her direction.

"Anything else?"

Silence. Yang smirked.

"Then let's go get 'em