Author's Note
I sincerely hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. It moves a little faster then the last. Thank you all for reading!
Chapter Two: Torn
Time seemed to slow down as Rey weaved her way through the forest path in front of her. Lightly she trailed her hand along the rough bark of the trunks of the trees she passes. The light filtering through the canopy above her was slowly dissipating as the suns of the planet were setting. The chirping of what she assumed to be some sort of insect resonated around her. Creating a low cascading melody beneath the sound of her footsteps. A slight breeze lifted her normally bound hair, now loose around her shoulders. Gently tickling her neck and cheeks almost as if someone had reached out and caressed her. Calming her nerves. Rey was not fond of the dark but the thought of wandering around the cool musky beauty around her did not frighten her.
"Never have I seen such a beautiful place", in this forrest she was serene. Untroubled. A rare commodity for her these past few weeks and months. As she continued on down the path a new sound intruded into her mind. A low rumbling sound that was getting stronger and stronger. Curious, she followed it to an opening cut in the foliage around her. As she passed through the small outcropping of trees, Rey could she see was in some sort of meadow. The noise she heard coming from a large waterfall directly in front of her. It's waters cascading down the craggy surface of the cliff face to form a small lake at its base. The gushing water disrupted the otherwise peaceful surface of the lake by sending rippling waves that disappeared at the edge of the shore.
Rey strode forward, eager to touch and feel the coolness of the water. Once at the edge she dipped down to run her fingers through the gently lapping waves there. Relishing the refreshing dampness on her skin. Standing and glancing around, Rey could see dozens of different varieties of flower. Giving the air a sweet lovely scent. She closed her eyes and listened to the melody of this strange beautiful place. Feeling out with the Force to sense the energies around her.
As Rey did this she could feel a new disturbance in this otherwise serene nook. Reaching further she could feel it or whoever it was approaching. In an instant she knew who it was. Who he was. Rey felt her stomach drop as she whirled around to the entrance of her sanctuary. He was too close. She could feel it. There was no escape.
Frantically she searched for her light saber usually clasped to her hip. Only to realize she didn't have it. It was split in two somewhere laying useless. She now could hear his steps tromp through the forest floor. Kylo Ren came from the shadows of the inky darkness. The light almost completely gone by the suns lowering to the horizon. He seemed to detach from the shadows as if belonging there. His black robes and cloak softly flowing softly around him. Creating a slight whisper. Such a non threatening sound for such a powerful dangerous being. His mask was over his face. Hiding any emotion there to her view. As she gazed at him a strong quiver went through her body.
"Was she actually eager to see him?" She shied away from the thought. But the insistent thrum of her body betrayed her.
Ren stopped when he saw Rey. Cocking his head slightly as if studying her. She hoped he couldn't feel the tight eagerness rolling through her body. Rey frantically tried to slow her racing thoughts, "How did he find me?". At that moment she could feel Ren brush against her consciousness, " There is no place in this universe where you can hide from me, little scavenger. I can feel you wherever you are."
Rey instinctively backed up a step at his words. She could feel the truth in them. Hadn't she felt him numerous times? On Ach-To and since then?
"What do you want Kylo Ren?" Already knowing the answer but still dreading his response all the same. She could feel his hate for her, crashing against her body in waves.
"To end this", he snarled. Drawing and igniting his lightsaber. Rey's meadow was awash with the red crackling, hissing, light of his saber. Throwing the once beautiful place in a harsh ugly contrast of its formal serenity. Rey knew she was defenseless. She threw her hand up as if to freeze him but was stopped when she herself was held immobile by his will.
Slowly he came toward her. His saber dragging in on the ground leaving a scorched path in his wake. Rey's heart leaped to her throat. She tried unsuccessfully to loosen his hold on her. The frustration of being unable to break free from his unrelenting hold, brought tears. Kylo Ren was less then a foot away when she closed her eyes. Not wanting to see his progress but to instead calm herself. She felt him come to a stop right in front of her. The heat from his body permeating her clothes.
He leaned forward to whisper in her ear, " We could have ruled together, Rey. You and I could have been unstoppable. Defeating our enemies and ruling the galaxy, side by side."
"Enemies? You mean the innocent people you slaughter to continue your perverse vision of what the galaxy should be? I don't think so, Ben." She couldn't help but use his true name. She knew it infuriated him but wanted to get one last barb into his defenses before the inevitable.
He sighed, " Still so blind. Still clinging to the false ideals of the Jedi." Ren sounded almost sad as he said this.
Rey could feel him raise his saber above his head. Her eyes snapped open to look into his face. Conjuring up in her minds eye the deep chocolate brown of his eyes, the scar she gave him and his full lips. She did not want to die looking at the monster in the mask.
"Goodbye, my Rey" and with that he swung the saber down.
(((())))
Startling awake, Rey sat straight up in her bunk. Her chest heaving as her labored breaths rushed through her lungs. She could feel sweat trickle down her back as she fought against the twisted sheets around her legs.
Grasping her sweating head in her hands, "It was just a dream". She told her self slowly concentrating on bringing her breath back to its normal pace.
Lifting her gaze she tried to figure out her surroundings through the confusion, the room she was in was sparse. Only having the bunk she sat on now, a stand up closet on one side and a small desk in the corner. The desk had her light saber, still broken in two, laying on its surface. The previous evening Rey and threw her hands up in frustration when her attempts at restoring it failed. Resolving instead to just go to sleep. Moving her eyes from the offending thing she lifted her gaze to the one solitary window. The window filtered soft dappled light into her room. The only redeeming quality of the space was that it was her own. The Resistance had found a new planet to slowly build their forces back up. Known as Amores. It was a perfect location being in the outer reaches with very little traffic disturbing its atmosphere.
Wanting to be somewhat secluded from the rest, Rey had chosen the space furthest away from the hustle and bustle of the base. This was, in part, because she liked her solitude. Having plenty of it on Jakku had made her into a somewhat solitary creature. This warred with her internal need to belong to a group of people. To be apart of it. To be someone important to those around her. The other part was to keep any prying eyes away just in case she had another visit from him.
Those visits had been less frequent recently. Both seemed to be avoiding the other as much as possible. Only creating a shadow of the link they had on Ach-To. Rey could sometimes feel his emotions as strongly as if they were her own. But she would quickly pull away before he was alerted to her presence.
Sighing, Rey swung her feet to the floor in preparation for another day. Still rubbing the sleep from her eyes she went to her closet and swung it open. Knowing she would only find a few articles there. Her clothes she had worn on Jakku were hung neatly next to the outfit she had garnered to meet Kylo on The Supremacy. Reaching a hand out she slowly stroked the blue and black ensemble. Bringing a flood of memories to her. Rey shook her head and instead reached for her usual Jakku attire. Changing and showering quickly she slipped into the hall. Passing Resistance fighters who would wave a greeting to Rey as she made her way to the cafeteria.
Smiling she entered the mess hall to see her friends all sitting at one table. Rey contemplated the rather canevorous space around her. The mess hall was a natural cave on the planet. It's walls were a mixture of gray slated rock and brown clay. You had to guard your food sometimes from any stray beads of moisture that would seap out from the clay and land on your food. Making the texture soggy if it happened too many times. Since Amores was covered mostly in trees, the Resistance did not want to bring attention to themselves by creating a base of the surface. Opting, rather, to creat the base from the natural caverns and tunnels around them. Of course it had all been reinforced and some places added. Like Rey's room with the window. It was one of the few places in the base that had one.
Finn must have sensed her presence because he glanced up to see her in the entrance. Returning her smile he waved her over to come join him and the others. Finn was seated next to Rose. Rose was barely healed from rescuing Finn from certain death on Crait. Once Rey had heard the tale she quickly came to like Rose. Sometimes visiting her in the infirmary to tell stories of their childhood. Remarkably similar in some ways. Moving across the table she could see Poe and Chewie. Chewie was gulping his food with one hairy arm hovering over his plate to ward off any offending drops of water from the craggy sealing. Poe and Finn seemed to be having an earnest discussion when she reached them.
"Good Morning!" Rey chirped to them all, a chorus of greetings assailed her as she took a seat next to Finn.
" We have to act quickly" Poe slammed his fist into the table to accentuate his point, " We need to strike the a First Order before they realize we have their outpost coordinates."
Rey whipped her head around to Poe, " We know where one of their outposts are?" A strange surge of adrenaline and excitement went through her.
"We do", Poe answered, "It's also a very important one according to out sources. We gathered that it holds the First Orders plans to create a new Star Killer. One bigger and more dangerous than the previous."
Rey's eyebrows lifted in an expression of deep worry,"Does the General know?"
"Yes. But she is reluctant to send a squad out to try and cripple the base. We still don't have the resources she believes we need before instigating an attack" Poe's face was stormy as he said this.
"Poe wants us to go and disable the base discreetly. Just a small enough squadron to sneak into the base and destroy it from the inside out" explained Finn. Trying to discern Rey's reaction to their plan.
All faces turned to Rey. She was not so certain she liked the idea but agreed something had to be done. Too many lives had already been lost because of the Star Killer. It was in part why they were in the predicament they were.
"I will speak to Leia and see if I can't get her to let us go. I don't feel right about sneaking behind her back. However, destroying the plans would be worth more than having to deal with her displeasure", Finn and Poe both raised their eyebrows at her words.
"So you're going with us then?" inquired Rose. Speaking up for the first time. Finn's head snapped back to her face, alarmed.
" There is no way you are going with us! You're barely healed! If you think that I would consider you going on this mission you're crazy!" Rose looked at him calmly even though his aggravated tone drew a few curious stares to their table. "Yes. I am going with you. You didn't ask my permission to drive your speeder into that cannon and yet, you did. So I don't think I need your blessing" she finished her speech and got up to leave. Finns gaze following as she exited the cafeteria.
Poe tried to stifle a snort behind a very unconvincing cough, "Yes. Well including Rey that leaves the four of us".
"AAAAARRRRGGGHHH" replied the indignant Wookie to Poe's statement.
"Of course you're coming! I meant to say five!" came Poe's sheepish reply to his blunder.
Rey stood up from the table. Forgetting her breakfast in lieu of speaking with General Organa, "I will see you all in a little while. I'm going to go speak with Leia. If I cannot convince her then I will go with you." Poe's face lit up, "When do we leave?".
"We leave at 1300 hours", that was only three hours away. Rey had the feeling that Poe did not think she was going to be very convincing in changing the Generals mind.
Rey nodded,"All right. I will see you at 1300 hours."
(((())))
Rey took a deep breath as she stepped out of the base into the cool damp air. Her meeting with Leia had gone as expected. Leia would not sanction a mission to destroy the outpost. Gazing at the tree line around her, Rey decided to head down a familiar path into the forest. Hoping to clear her buzzing mind. The forrests of Amores were similar to the forrrest in her dream. But this one had far more moss growing from the trunks and very few flowers. A stark contract to the dry woods and flowered scent of the forest in her dreams. The planet always seemed close to rain. Causing a light dripping pattern from the leaves and branches above her.
Rey peaked at the sky from underneath her hood. It looked like it was going to downpour. This however did not stop her trudging along the path to replay her conversation with General Oragana.
"Rey, I can't just send out my best fighters and pilot to a First Order outpost. I need you all here. Helping me rebuild what was lost! You all are far too valuable," Rey could sense the loss in Leia as she said this. Leia did not want to loose anyone else. She understood this but also understood the necessity of destroying those plans.
Rey went to Leia and crouched in front of her. Leia was sitting on her command chair in the war room, over seeing the Resistance. Her diligence made Rey think of a med droid, diligently checking the pulse of their patient. Making sure there was still life. That there was still a spark.
"Leia.. I understand what you are feeling more than most," she gazed compassionately into the eyes of the woman who had taken a role as a mother to her, "but this needs to be done".
Leia gazed steadily back into the earnest, hazel eyes, in front of her, " I can't do it Rey", her voice catching slightly.
Rey took her hand and squeezed it tightly. Trying to let her know everything would be fine through that small pressure. She then stood and walked out of the room, in search of Poe.
After finding Poe to tell him to ready preparations, Rey and come here. To gain some calm before the impending mission. She stopped in a small clearing in the path. Gazing at the scenery around her. Her nostrils were filled with the damp rotting scent of the foliage. Her mind was so lost in itself that she didn't even notice the first drops of rain as they landed around her. Rey raised her face to the sky not caring if she became soaked through. She sighed deeply and gave small laugh as the rain tickled her cheeks as it slid off.
"I never knew a simple rain storm could make someone so happy."
(((())))
Kylo stared at Rey's upturned face. Drinking in the sight of her. For some reason, after many weeks, their bond snapped them together again. Ren did not want to admit it but he was relieved. He had been secretly keeping tabs on her. Feeling what she was feeling but never letting her sense his presence. Always in the back of her mind. Telling himself that the reason he did this was to find out information about the Resistance. He knew the truth of it. He wanted to be near her in some small way. It infuriated him. He tried to call his anger and malice toward her like a cloak around himself. But her light would always intrude. Making him weak. He kept the bond superficial on his side so she could not gleen anything from him. Keeping his distance. Until this very moment.
She obviously did not know he was near. Rey would never stand so relaxed and happy if she knew he was mere feet from her. He tried to savor it for as long as possible. Ren hated that she had this hold on him. Hated her. Hated their bond. He wanted to be rid of her. However, the thought of truly being rid of her sent an ache through him that he did not want to acknowledge. So instead he covered it with anger. With malice.
When she sighed and laughed up to the sky it pulled at Ren. Stirring him. He wanted to see her dreamy eyes as they opened from her moment of tranquility. Yanking himself from that thought he called out sarcastically,
"I never knew a simple rain storm could make someone so happy".
Instead of the slow ascent of her eyelids that he had hoped for, her eyes snapped up to his. Becoming alert, not dreamy when she looked at him. Ren could not figure out why but this irritated him.
"Aren't you going to say hello? I figured you would have missed me, seeing as how we haven't spoken it quiet some time", his voice was dark and low. His helmet gone. Revealing the man beneath.
Reys eyebrows snapped down as she scowled angrily back at him," You flatter yourself too much Kylo Ren".
He smirked, " I dint think so. I can feel your emotions remember? There is apart of you that is glad to see me... eager even".
He noticed the slight widening of her eyes as he said this, hitting his mark.
" Good. She has missed my presence then."
"You know nothing about me... Ben", he could see her outline becoming fuzzy and distorted as she pulled away from him. But not before he could see her tremble. Whether from fear or something else he could not tell.
The use of his given name brought a snarl to his face," Stop. Calling. Me. That."
Rey had her own smirk for him as she whispered back, "Make me."
Her image died away with those last few spoken words. Ren clenched his fist and brought it down on the hologram in front of him. Destroying the replica of his new death machine. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Reminding himself that the chance for vengeance was close at hand.
"You'll eat those words soon Rey", he smiled to himself. Relishing their impending meeting.
