Chapter 3
Rey was among the first the next morning to report to the downed Vulture for intel analysis. C-3PO, R2-D2, and other astromechs had scanned and interrogated the remaining First Order droids for information the entire night and it was C-3PO's profound joy to waddle to Finn and Rey to give a full report.
"Captains Finn and Rey, so wonderful to see you this early in the morning! I have excellent news to report,"
"I hope so, 3PO," Finn yawned, covering his mouth after a glance at Rey, "We need it."
"Indeed, oh most tragic news! My circuits could hardly bear it. I've known General Organa for so long, and to believe that she will no longer be with us!" He touched a metal hand to his forehead and whimpered, making Rey's heart ache more. "Oh, but, come with me." He gestured with a stiff wave and turned back to the emergency entrance ramp the droids were using to get into and out of the gigantic, drafty dreadnought. Once inside, Rey immediately looked upward, smiling at seeing a completed and modern dreadnought on its side all for the taking. Had she still been a scavenger, she would have had to have fought off at least a dozen other scavengers to get to the valuable parts that could be sold for food. Now she looked at it in awe that the Resistance could use it finally get ahead in the war. One hundred portions, She thought, smiling.
C-3PO led them to a makeshift table that was a cabinet from one of the upper floors that had fallen onto it's side and swept a stiff hand over various holopads and loose leaf papers. "From what you can see here, the Vulture was a humanitarian cruiser, delivering promises the First Order made to other systems for their loyalty. Through this means, we estimate at least two thousand planetary systems have claimed some loyalty to the First Order,"
Finn groaned and C-3PO turned to him, "But don't worry, sir, according to their logs, only about a fifth of these systems have received their promised goods so there is a good chance that they will not honor their agreement."
"Well, that's something," Finn agreed.
Rey reached up to the fluttering loose leaf papers and stroked them. She had never held paper before. "What are these, Threepio?"
"Ah, those…" C-3PO waddled to them, smoothing them out with stiff fingers. "Well, we don't know exactly what these are. We are finding them in various places, almost like a hidden cache. I have given orders to the droids to find and collect as many as are intact as they can gather."
"Can we salvage those supplies, Threepio?" Finn asked, "Several of the Republic systems have been asking for proof of conquest. It could help our allies have a bit more faith in us."
"We are waiting on more assistance in assessing that question, Captain Finn." C-3PO answered. "But we did come up with this," He turned around to where R2-D2 waited patiently, "Could you show them, R2?"
R2-D2 rolled forward, his movement causing Rey to look up and see Kaydel Connix kneeling before a panel of circuits, her usually tight buns drooping on either side of her head. She turned away from her, seeing R2-D2 shoot out a blue beam of light that formed white words almost like a book moving from the floor to the ceiling in slow rotation.
"What's that?" Finn frowned, turning his head as he squinted at it.
"We don't know," C-3PO told him. "It seems to me as though the First Order has used some sort of encryption to hide these files."
"The First Order would sacrifice itself for a handful of encrypted files?" Rey asked, shifting her weight.
Finn straightened his head, "Can you decode them, Threepio?"
C-3PO twitched to the hologram then to R2-D2 who beeped, "You're quite right, Artoo." He twitched back to Finn, "It is quite impossible without the encryption code."
Finn looked at R2-D2, "Not even you, Artoo?"
The droid beeped and moved its domed head from left to right.
Finn turned to Rey. "It will take time," She told him.
"Time we don't have," A voice called from the recesses of the ship. They looked up to see Connix rise, and come towards them, her eyes rimmed in red, "The First Order has made contact with Poe and the rest of command. They are willing to negotiate a ceasefire to allow us to hold a funeral for General Organa."
"Really?" Rey chirped, stepping toward her.
Connix stopped, eyeing Rey's excitement with a raised eyebrow. "Yes…?"
"Sorry," Rey told her quickly, "It's just um, they've… never done this before. Contacted, for peace."
Connix looked at her, her eyes moving over her frame, "Have you made contact with him?"
Rey's eyes widened, "What? How do you mean? What contact?"
"With Kylo Ren?" Connix demanded, "Of us all, you are the one who could possibly connect to Ren."
"Connix," Finn warned.
"Did you?" She demanded, her face tightening. "Did you talk to him?"
"Lieutenant!" Finn barked, forcing her to look to him. "That's enough. There's a ceasefire, let's just hope that the First Order will honor it."
Connix gave one last glare at Rey before turning her heel and moved away from them out of the dreadnought. Rey stood stock still in the silence, her last interaction with Ben a ghost upon her lips.
"Upload these files to the Protestor," Finn commanded C-3PO, drawing the droid's attention back to him. "See if we can't get Maz or some other encryption genius to decode them."
"Of course, sir." C-3PO answered, turning back to where Rey stood.
But she had already gone, along with the loose leaf papers.
SWSWSW
Rey and Finn worked together tearing through the interior of the Vulture, following the recorded testimony of several of the officers who agreed to release information in return for easier sentences. While Finn spoke with R2-D2, about some of the new data found, Rey climbed, fastened to a real harness beside BB-8 who -unlike Rey- shot out cords that pulled him against the metal panels to highlighted outlets.
"Hey Rey!" Poe's voice called, pulling her from her holopad where she was guiding BB-8. He was suspended from one of the main lines that had been established for descending important files to the droids below. He now climbed up to her, a satchel used for sending down metal files slung over his shoulder.
"Hello, there!" Rey grinned, "Come to aid in the pick and plunder?"
"Not exactly," He sighed, twisting to look at her better, "But, I'll serve as messenger boy, for now." He did look attractive, she had to admit as she removed her own satchel and traded it for an empty one. "Um, we've had contact with the First Order about General Organa's funeral."
"Connix told me," Rey replied, half of her face turning up, "She wasn't exactly pleased about it."
He cocked his head to the right, "Well, I'm not blaming her. But, I'm telling you. We've been allowed to take Leia's body to Naboo along with a small contingent of Rebels to host a funeral and cremation. I'm inviting all our top officers, and I want you front and center."
"All officers?" Rey asked, handing her holopad to BB-8. "Is that wise?"
"They're assigning replacements and all units are to be combat ready the moment something happens."
"That's why you want me there," Rey responded, half smiling.
"Partly," Poe told her. "I want you to take the general's body on the Millennium Falcon. Her journey began with that ship, it's fitting that it should end there, too."
Rey froze, her brows rising and her eyes widening. "Me?"
Poe smiled softly, and nodded. "Yeah, you meant a lot to her. She let you know that in her will. You tried more than anyone to reunite her family."
"I didn't see that," She breathed.
"You should. You're going to be leading the pack, Captain Rey. Chewie's flying in to be your first mate." He looked down to Finn and then back to Rey. "Finish up here, then you're excused to prepare."
He began to descend, but Rey called to him, "Wait!" He paused, looking up at her. "Does this make you commander of the Rebellion now?"
He grinned, "Yeah." Then zoomed down.
SWSWSW
Ben washed his face and inhaled, feeling the breath rattle through his chest down to his hips. He opened his eyes through his fingers, seeing his reflection in the mirror, then dropped his hands. He was hungry, but didn't have the will to eat. His body was still tired, the weight he had lost pulled his skin against his muscles.
He turned away from the mirror and opened the closet with his hanging tunics. All were black, save those to the far right which were silver robes trimmed with black. He took the third tunic from the left, knowing that it was completely unworn as opposed to the other two which had at least one wear on them each, and the fourth one had a stain on it that he had forgotten to leave out for the cleaning droids to pick up.
Ben held his silver robe in his hands, feeling the silk beneath his fingers. Of all the garments he had ever worn, he absolutely hated this one. It slid over his shoulders thoughtlessly, the first couple of times he wore it the cuffs shot to his armpits and he had to adjust quickly. But the sight of him in that robe was what the empire yearned to see: a supreme leader. It gave him power over the Knights of Ren, and fear into the Storm Troopers.
But to him, he looked like Snoke. His former master had gone to great lengths to secure golden robes, even taking over an entire cluster of planets for their silk thread to make such a garment. He slid the silk over his shoulders and fastened it with the black obi, then turned to look in the mirror. In his mind, he was his former master; cunning, malicious, and cruel.
"She'll never recognize me," He told his reflection, his voice barely above a whisper.
A knock rang on his chamber door, turning his head. He cocked his head, unlocking the door and allowing it to admit the caller.
"What the hell happened to you?" Ben demanded, leaning away from the sight of Koita Mathe, half of his face painted with blood.
Koita Mathe's blue eyes ran over Ben's frame, his eyebrow rising. "Ditto."
Ben set his jaw and stepped back, bringing Koita Mathe into the room. He held out his hand, showing him the broken recording beacon. Ben frowned, looking at the destroyed device to the man who held it. "Where did you get that?"
"It was situated beneath the throne," Koita Mathe told him, looking from master to the guard who stood half hidden behind the door.
"Who put it there?" Ben demanded, glaring at Koita Mathe.
"Give you one guess," He answered, turning back to him. "I killed the throne room's cleaning staff to make them think I'm that stupid."
Ben glared at him, waiting.
"There's an entire operation in order. They're lying in wait to see what I'll do next, called it Operation White Star." He swallowed, "The coup is closer than we thought."
The guard reached for his lightsaber, wrapping steady fingers around it as he moved to turn his back to the men, looking out for any threats to his master.
"What do you recommend?" Ben asked, his stomach tingling with fear and excitement.
"Haul in Hux for interrogation, bring the brothers in to help. You must be kept safe, Kylo, from your own people."
"We focus on a massive internal investigation we lose focus on regaining the plans for the central systems, our future Empire base."
"Didn't anyone think to make a copy?" Koita Mathe asked, rolling his eyes.
Ben stared at him. "Yes."
Koita Mathe lifted his chin, "Where are they?"
Ben couldn't stop his smile if he had all the strength in the galaxy. He cocked his eyebrow, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Koita Mathe smiled, then began chuckling under his breath. "Where indeed?"
SWSWSW
It took approximately one week to travel back to the Resistance's flagship the New Dawn. The Millennium Falcon had been deemed too risky for independent travel and so had to be concealed within an even bigger freighter supplied by one of Maz Kanata's nearly unlimited resources. On top of that, Poe and the rest of command had declared that the presence of First Order ships had nearly doubled, making the transportation of General Organa's body an even greater risk to the already fragile Rebel Alliance.
But, at long last, Rey sat in the pilot's seat of the massive freighter, the body of General Organa secured in a carbonite sarcophagus, thawing slowly until they could reach Naboo. Beside her Chewbacca moaned, holding his head.
"Han was frozen, too?" Rey asked, frowning at him.
He nodded his head and made whimpering noises. A long time ago, He said.
Rey exhaled, looking out at the Rebels flying next to her. "You think they wanted to be buried together?" She looked back at him.
Chewbacca shook his head, Better this way. Han couldn't see Leia die first.
"You're probably right," She agreed. "I'm sorry, that you have to see this."
He lifted his head off his paw.
"You've seen them since they were very young. You saw Ben…" She trailed off, his name echoing in the distance between herself and the Wookiee.
Chewbacca nodded and placed his hands on his knees. I didn't see much of the brat. Han and I were gone too often. But you're right, I saw them both when they were younglings.
Rey hesitated, "Did you see the fall of the Jedi?"
Yes, He wailed. I knew Master Yoda. Helped him get away.
"You deserve better than this, Chewie." She told him softly.
Chewbacca shrugged, I probably do. But then again, who doesn't?
Rey smirked, then looked away. From behind, Finn entered the cockpit, rubbing his eyes. "Hey," She called, her shoulders dropping at the sight of him.
"Hey," He sniffed, standing tall and lifting his chin. "She ugh, she looks so peaceful."
In one move, Rey got up from her seat and slid her arms around Finn's neck. "She does, doesn't she?"
Finn squeezed her waist and back with his arms, his body shuddering. "I'm going to miss her," He sobbed. "She was… she was more than a general to me."
They heard the soft shuffling of padded feet, then felt the warm fur of the giant Wookiee surround them both, Rey's scalp dampening suddenly.
She was a princess to me, Chewbacca moaned. But then again, I remember my mother.
SWSWSW
Naboo
Midday began to rise over the planet of Naboo when they approached it, Chewbacca opening the great landing bay doors of the freighter to allow the Millennium Falcon it's grand exit. Rey pushed the speaker on her commlink, "You sure you don't want to come with us, Chewie?"
A muffled roar resounded over the speakers, No. I have too much allergies.
"Suit yourself," Rey told him. "See you in thirteen hours."
"Twenty-four hours begins the moment we enter Naboo's atmosphere," Finn breathed, eyeing the green planet streaked with clouds. "We shouldn't see any members of the First Order until then."
Rey inhaled, feeling the breath travel down to her belly button. "Right," She exhaled. "Exactly."
"You think he'll show?"
"What?" She yelped, heart beginning to pound.
"Kylo Ren?" Finn asked, gesturing to Naboo. "Think he'd come to his own mother's funeral?"
"I-I don't know. I can't account for his actions. Why would he? Unless someone told him. No I don't think of Kylo Ren… coming here."
"Rey," Finn breathed, his gentle hand taking hers.
"Mmm…?" Rey looked at him, her face flushed. Could he tell she was lying? Could he tell she had lied to the entire Resistance?
"It's okay," He cooed, rubbing her hand with his thumb. "I get it."
"Do you?" Rey asked, eyes widening and heart skipping beats.
"Yeah," He breathed, smiling. "It's okay. Our family is getting a lot smaller. But that's alright, I'm here for you."
Rey inhaled, her shoulders relaxing and she smiled. "Thank you, Finn."
"Blue Millennium this is Blue Leader, we are ready when you are." Poe's voice was clear and precise, and a perfect relief to Rey.
She dropped Finn's hand and pushed the speaker button, "Blue Leader this is Blue Millennium, we're ready to fly."
"Roger that, Blue Millennium."
She grabbed the controls and lifted the Millennium Falcon off the hangar floor, then eased the ancient ship forth, bathing it in a swathe of sunlight. Rey had flown this ship at least a dozen times before. She knew how to look at the ancient gears and indicators and knew what they all meant. But this time, this flight, she couldn't help but grin, remembering the first time Han had taken the helm and flew them to Takodana, into a brand new life.
"She's here," Finn breathed, calling Rey's attention.
Rey nodded, feeling that warmth and severity that came over her whenever she was in General Organa's presence. "She's here."
They pushed into the atmosphere, orange flames lapping against the windshield, shaking the ship until suddenly all was quiet and Rey's eyes were hit by a mass of green that she never thought possible.
"Wow," She breathed, her eyes widening. She had seen green on Takodana, when Han first took her there. But this, this was a different type of green. It was grassy, and had hills interspersed with forests and their rich green. The buildings were domed wonders topped with brass in delicate weave work. The cities were yellow sandstone, and the glass was either clear or had a blue hue -perhaps from the dozens of waterfalls and fountains- so that the brass finish stood out like treasure. "This is so beautiful," She breathed.
"I never knew cities could look like a work of art," Finn breathed, turning around in his chair as they flew around a great palatial looking building.
Rey's smile hurt her cheeks, "I'm still getting used to them not covered in sand or made of ship parts."
"Blue Millennium this is Blue Leader," Poe's voice rang out, "Natives have given us the outer landing pad. It's a patch of grass, but it'll hold us all. Over."
Finn took the radio, "Roger that, Blue Leader. Blue Millennium pulling around. Over."
Rey gently turned the steering wheel, bringing them back around the city where hundreds of humanoids moved about in their daily lives. "What would it be like to live here?" She asked, looking at Finn. "Fresh vegetables, clean water each day."
"House lit by the sun all day," He added, smiling at her. "Real wind cooling it down each night. That's-that's living down there." He turned to the scenery as it blurred past.
"I would love to have a home of my own," Rey whispered, looking at the city and remembering her hovel in the cockpit of an expired AT-AT on Jakku. To have a room dedicated to a bed, another for a toilet and bathing, one for cooking, and one for simply meeting and entertaining one's friends was still a baffling concept for her. An ache settled into her stomach, a reach that she hadn't yet extended towards called to her. A home.
The grassy plain was outside of the city walls, highlighted by brown leather and maroon dressed guards who waved her down with blue lights. Rey watched as the grass flapped around the Millennium Falcon, seeing dots of yellow and purple wildflowers shiver violently against the landing space ships.
"Alright, then." Finn announced as soon as the ship thudded to a soft landing, "Let's get the general ready."
They moved to the interior of the ship where her sarcophagus lied in wait, the customary bumping and thumping of the landing crews securing the ship resounding around them. Aboard the other ships was wood and oil along with a special urn made of shimmering bronze. Their orders were clear: build the pyre, set General Organa's body on top, burn it, then collect the ashes and get out of this system before the First Order fired upon them. Rey's and Finn's jobs in all of this, was to stay close to the sarcophagus.
The gang plank lowered, exposing them to the smell of bright sunlight, and fresh cut grass so powerful Rey thought she could bare her teeth out and bite it.
"This place is so beautiful," She whispered, too afraid to speak aloud.
She stepped onto the grass, longing to take off her shoes and shoot off like she was a dragonfly over the daffodils and wild lilies. Finn sneezed beside her, then sneezed again, the core of his chest seeming to reject the idea. "Do we, ah," He scrunched his nose and flattened it, moving his lips around to scratch an itch his hands could not reach, "Do we have tissues?"
Rey stifled a laugh, "Yeah, and haring root if you want to chew it."
"Good, good, I'm just going to…AH-CHOO!" His head flew into his hands and stayed there, his eyes moving to Rey in apology before he moved, hunched, back into the ship.
Rey nearly leapt off the gang plank, absorbing the sun and the sound of water falling close by as officers and various engineers unloaded their cargo and began the task of preparing a funerary pyre. She moved away from them, the grass hitting against her shoes like little dusting brushes, and flying insects hovered and bobbed in a great circle away from the ships.
She picked a daffodil, pressing the silk petals to her lips and inhaling. The flower itself was scentless, but the surrounding green made her smile at the flower and tuck it into her belt. If Finn couldn't smell it, then she could probably wear it around him. She frowned, looking down at her black shoes. They were dusty, but it was a fine white powder that covered her toes and the sides.
Perhaps this is a Naboo thing? She thought.
"Having fun?"
Her head shot up, and at once, she saw Ben standing tall in his black attire, a glossy black and white hallway surrounding him. His look was soft for her, his eyes travelling from her eyes to the daffodil in her belt. "Suits you." He looked back at her.
"Naboo is so beautiful," She told him, her smile coming forth for a moment before fading. "Will- will you be coming?"
"Naboo is one of my favorite places." He told her, "I was pleased when it came under the First Order's control."
"You don't see it," She replied, "When I was flying overhead, there weren't many, if any, traces of the First Order."
"I know," Ben smirked, "It was one of their agreements with us. They get to live as though we did not come into their every day lives and yet call us their superiors. I didn't mind. I like it the way it is."
"You didn't answer my question," Rey remarked, looking him over. He had slept, but he was still a far cry from healthy.
Ben walked to her, each step purposeful and slow. "Do you want me to come?"
It wasn't a taunt, it was a test. He was asking if Rey wanted him to come for visitation's sake rather than to mark a somber event as a funeral. She inhaled, "Yes."
"Why? I'll only bring chaos with me."
"Not always."
He stopped, and she internally squealed that her answer caused his confidence to falter. "You're so sure?"
She smirked, "You're the Supreme Leader, aren't you? Chaos happens when you order it, not by your arrival alone."
He chuckled, and looked away. "Not too late to come with me." He turned back to her.
"I'll see you tonight, Ben." Rey smirked, turning her back on him and walking away.
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