Chapter 7: From the Land Of Waste And Death
Luke Skywalker, Master Jedi of the Light Side, left his nephew and apprentice behind as he took off in his X-Wing Fighter. It had been his companion for many years. Once again it would save his life as he fled his haven of Dicio, and search for his friend Lor San Tekka.
Part of the Church of the Force, Lor San Tekka has traveled most of the known galaxy in search of fingerprints of the Force. He himself did not feel the Force, yet he respected it greatly and was constantly looking for help during the reign and tyranny of the Empire. He and a handful of others saw what the Dark Side was capable of first hand and knew that there had to be a balance of the Dark and the Hidden Light. He wanted answers.
When the Emperor was extinguished, Lor approached the twins and the pilot, Han Solo. Luke and Leia, his sister, were the last of the Force-sensitives, but only Luke became a Jedi. He and Lor began to search for the history of the Jedi; maybe this would help bring balance to the Force. They traveled everywhere searching, but finding little, until a hidden fact was uncovered while researching an abandoned library that the Empire had sealed up. Lor stumbled over a small tale mentioning a Jedi Temple. It was the first place Jedi were seen.
Both men wished to pursue this information, but Leia and Han had called Luke home: their son, Luke's nephew, was about to be born.
The friends put the search and trail on hold. Luke returned to his family to witness the birth while Lor went back to his town of Tuanul on the barren planet, Jakku. The planet was so far out of reach from the rest of the galaxy it served its purpose and kept everyone safe. Neither realized that in a few years it would become a hiding place for a little girl.
Now it was time to use that research and history to save a life.
Lor and Luke met up on the nearby moon Roohun. The two discussed quickly what needed to be done to save Rey's life. She was the last padawan of the Light Side and would be needed if the Dark Side indeed had Ben. There always had to be a balance. With quick plans the two set off to meet Rey and her family on Dadorium.
Once there, Luke sent a quick message to Reygoric Plorium, Rey's father. Reygorgic met the two at the local quarry with a worried expression. Introductions were made, and Luke began.
"Sir, I have some unfortunate news for you to hear, and it does involve your daughter. My school was attacked by a group of Empire attackers who laid siege to it. All the children are dead. They consisted of stormtroopers and blasters, both used by the Galatic Empire years ago."
He withheld the important detail of his own flesh and blood leading the raid.
"Your daughter is the very last Jedi padawan left, and with that knowledge she is in great danger."
Reygorgic remained silent for a moment, thanking the Force for the timely arrival of the baby that kept Rey safe and unharmed. He looked up at the man he had come to respect as a friend and teacher to his little girl. He still trusted that this man would keep Rey safe. The Force was strong with him.
"What must we do then?", was Regorgic's reply. That was not what Luke expected: he was prepared for the father to shout at him for not taking better care of the others. But Reygorgic was a perceptive man of honor and trust. He instinctively knew the tragedy had been beyond the Jedi's control. Luke had pushed forward to make everything better for others, and that is what Regorgia saw when he allowed Luke to train his daughter. He saw her helping others.
"Well, sir," Lor spoke up for the first time. "Our plan is to get Rey somewhere safe for the time being while General Organa and General Solo find these raiders and eliminate them. The mission should only take a few weeks at most. Then she can come back and be with her family." By the end of the explanation Reygorgic was nodding. He understood he must trust and sacrifice again.
"I see your logic behind the plan, get Rey into hiding because she is a Jedi in training, but do you really think that these assailants will come look for her?"
Luke did not want to bring in his nephew but knew that something had to be said for this father to understand. "I think they might; while at Dicio there was a spy who was watching us. It was unknown to us until the raid. I think that the raiders might come looking for her because of the spy." It was so hard for him to admit that Ben was working for this group. He felt like his soul was wrenched in two.
"So she is in danger?"
"We believe so, sir. Your daughter must be put somewhere safe. She spoke often of her planet and they might try here first after destroying Dicio."
Reygorgic remained still for a moment…how was he going to tell Rey? How was he ever going to look at his wife or baby again if something happened to her? He had to trust this Jedi again. He and his friend were going to save the galaxy by saving his little girl.
"What did you have in mind?"
May-Lisa was furious.
That is an understatement. She was livid, she was heartbroken, and she was scared. Not for herself, but for her baby girl. No one knew that this was going to happen, no one predicted the deaths of those children. She was about to hand over her little girl to men that could protect her, something that she could not do. She was her mother, but even a mother could not protect Rey in this case.
May-Lisa was the one to protect her when the lights went out and Rey thought there was a creature in her closet, and when the storm got too strong all she had to do was hold her little girl to let her know she was fine, or when she scraped her knee May-Lisa only needed to kiss it to make it all go away. But she could not kiss this situation could not hold her little girl and make the problem disappear.
Dread sat in the pit of her stomach and listened to what her loving husband was saying. Tears slid down her face silently, not caring what her face looked like. Her heart broke with the news of the children's untimely and terrible deaths. May-Lisa knew later she would cry over each one, because their families were hurting too. But her heart and soul shattered at the news that her little one, her Rey of sunshine, was in danger.
Her daughter was being hunted for her life, and no mother wanted to hear or prevent that.
Quietly and without disturbing her sleeping children, she began packing up a few bags, one for each member of the family. The plan was for Luke and Lor San Tekka to sneak Rey off the planet when the moons were down and before the sun rose, the darkest part of the night. The Plorium Family would join them in a day or two and to get to the other side of the universe. If all went as planned, the family would have a new name and be looked after by the Jedi Master. He would be near, but not too close as to draw attention.
While rifling through her daughter's room, she glanced over at Rey. She just stopped and looked at her. Rey was strong and independent, but had a loving heart, caring for others. My little girl will change the world…she will be a sight to see.
May-Lisa shook her thoughts free and returned to gathering clothes. After a silent moment she emerged from Rey's room with a small bag, She handed them to the Jedi Master. "I will bring Rey, but I want a moment with her first."
Luke gave her a nod of approval and a smile. He would have it no other way.
May-Lisa walked quietly back to retrieve the sleeping girl. She tried to wake her with a shake of her shoulder, but that just made the little one turn over and cuddle up to her mother. Finally a slightly stronger nudge woke her up. Rey sat up with hair going in every direction and blinked several times to clear up the view of her smiling mother.
"Yes, ma'am?" Rey rubbed her eyes and almost rolled back over.
"My little one, you must wake up Master Luke is here to see you. You are going on a journey." May-Lisa tried to sound excited but failed to her own ears. Thankfully the little girl did not know what sadness truly sounded like and did not pick up on the tremors.
"Master Skywalker? A trip? Where?" Her yawn could have been heard on the star nearby. "Is Ben here? Where is Ben?"
"Yes, Rey. A trip, and you should not keep him waiting. Everything is packed expect for your fighter." At these words, Rey instinctively reached for her stuffed doll of a Rebel Fighter. This doll was made by May-Lisa herself; Rey was quite proud of it. It was a dream of her's to be a part of the Rebels, though they have not really been needed in the past ten or twelve years.
Rey dressed sleepily with the help of her mother. But before they stepped out into the living area, her mother stopped her. May-Lisa sat her down on her bedside and in small words tried to warn her of what was to come.
"Rey, you are about to go on a trip with Master Skywalker, and he is going to take good care of you. I am not sure where you are going, but I do know that your father and I will be following you very soon. You must be on your best behavior for me, okay? I love you so much." She hugged her daughter tightly and kissed her hair before releasing her. "You will do great things with the Force, just remember that. You will help so many people in the galaxy, so always help others."
Rey looked up at her with confusion. Confused at why her mother was being so cryptic. She would ask her Jedi master many questions as soon as they took off.
The two women exited her bedroom one last time. Jedi Luke Skywalker was no stranger to their home, but the man standing next to him was a mystery. Introductions were made and Rey met Lor San Tekka for the first time. He would play an important role in her life from this day forward.
With quick yet tearful goodbyes from her parents, the young girl set off for a new adventure.
Once in the blackness of space and Rey sleeping soundly again in the hold, Luke and Lor discussed what would be needed next. Luke was worried that if they stayed in a populated area for long, someone would recognize him. He had been an ambassador for his sister and brother-in-law across the galaxy. The two decided on a more desolate planet just to be safe. Lor suggested his home planet, Jakku.
It was not his birth planet, but the place that he hid his group while the Emperor ruled and was a good place to stay for a short period of time. Luke almost grimaced when he thought of Jakku's sands. It reminded him of his own planet of Tatooine. Some days he missed the place. Others he wished he had a Death Star to blow it up; so many memories.
They would stay in the town of Tuanul, there San Tekka's people would hide and protect the girl. Lor San Tekka would watch over Rey and would keep her from trouble. Luke had decided he would only stay until her parents arrived. Then he would go to mourn the death of his padawans.
They reached the planet a few days later and promptly tried to make do with what they had. The planet was hot and dry with very little vegetation. Rey found she hated the planet immensely, for it was nothing like her home Dadorium or the planet that Dicio had been placed upon.
Rey practiced with Luke when it was safe, but no one really knew who to trust. Jakku was overflowing with unsavory characters in the nearby towns like the Niima Outpost. They had to stay in Tuanul for most of the time since the majority there were not likely to turn them over to the assailants.
Luke left a couple of times to tend to errands and messages that came from his sister, Leia. He went back to Dicio to bury the dead with the help from Loro, the grounds keeper. Loro had surived the attacks on Dicio; the day of the attack was his day off and was visiting other planets.
After going over that day in his head possibly a thousand times, he still could not figure out when everything went wrong. He had seen the signs but pushed them away to deal with another time. That was his fault and would haunt him til the day he died.
A few weeks past before news arrived from the outside world concerning Rey's family; they were to be arriving within the next day or so. Rey was ecstatic. She could hardly wait. She ran around telling all that would listen her family was coming soon. Luke had to settle her by practicing her training.
But after a couple of days, then a few more days…nothing; her parents did not arrive. Something did not sit well with Luke. Their arrival was taking too long. Not an hour later a message arrived from the Rebellion.
The Empire Raiders were not just supporters of the Old Empire but a new organization altogether. They were calling themselves the First Order, and they had taken over the work the Empire had started those years before. The First Order was being led by a creature named Snoke who had taken to calling himself Supreme Leader.
But the shocker was that Ben Solo, Jedi Luke's nephew, was Snoke's apprentice, and he was now known as Kylo Ren.
And the reason Luke and Rey had not heard from her parents, Reygorgic and May-Lisa Plorium was because the First Order had captured Dadorium, mining it once again for its metals and minerals. Her family was killed trying to escape. Rey was an orphan, just like Luke.
Luke Skywalker was floored at the news. How had I been so blind to the making of this Order? Should I have known or at least noticed something through the Force? What happened? Luke pondered on this and consulted with the Force spirits Obi-wan Kenobi and Yoda. Each came to the conclusion that it had been clouded for him by a great being with the Force.
The only one who had been capable of that was the Emperor, but he was dead. Was there another? Possibly the pale one who helped Ben take over Dicio? Skywalker did not know the answers to these questions, but he did not have the time to find them out right now. He needed to tell Rey the news.
Telling a little girl her parents are no more is probably the lowest feeling one can have. Luke tried to think of anything else he wished to be doing at this moment. He called Rey into the house and sat her down.
"Rey, I have some unfortunate news for you." He was trying his hardest not to break in front of this sweet young girl. "There is a new enemy out there now. They are like the Galactic Empire, but they are calling themselves the First Order. Do you remember all those stories that your parents and I told you about how the Empire worked? How they would take over planets and use what they wanted?"
Rey nodded her head in understanding. All children are taught that the Empire was feared and loathed by all for what they had done. She just could not figure out what it had to do with her and her family. Where is my family? She kept wondering.
"There is no way to say this gently though. Your planet Dadorium was overtaken by this new tyrant and the First Order. Your parents were killed during the raid of your planet. I am so sorry. They were trying to get away but did not get very far before ..." Luke could not finish that sentence because Rey was no longer sitting in front of him.
Rey ran outside and looked to the sky, the blue sky that held so much. The blue sky that hid the other planets and stars from view. She was looking for her parent's ship. No they aren't gone, they promised to be here. Mother promised she would be here in a few days. Where are they? They are not gone. Master is lying. He has to be.
Her legs couldn't hold her up any longer, they were weak with stress and grief and she fell to the hard sand. Luke was there in a second lifting her up and putting her in his lap to hold. She cried large sobs, uncontrollable cries into the afternoon sky, kicking him trying to get free and find them. But he held her tight until she shattered, clinging to him for support. What she did not know was Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Knight of the galaxy, was crying too, silent tears, breaking for the little girl who he had come to care for like a daughter of his own.
The two sat there for hours til she had cried herself to a fitful sleep. The Jedi picked her up from the dust and carried her into the house to bed. He tucked her in with her stuffed Rebel doll and trudged to the lounge where he found Lor San Tekka awaiting him with a warm cup of something strong.
They sat in silence, but Luke had had enough with just sitting there. He was used to being in the field and doing something, but he did not know what to do now. He had failed so many. He had failed Rey and her family, they were dead and she was alone. He had failed his students, his padawans, they were slaughtered. But most of all he had failed his own flesh and blood, Ben.
He had failed to see that his nephew was changing, hurting. He failed to stop it. He was a failure.
He needed to leave. Luke needed to start over. The parchment that he and his friend Lor had discovered mentioning a temple from years ago slithered back into his mind. Maybe it was time to start looking for that again.
"Friend, do you still have all your research from our travels years ago?" Without looking up from his cup Luke began to consider his options. Staying here with Rey was too risky, but returning to his sister Leia and Han was going to be too painful. He wouldn't be able to bear their disappointment and grief also. Skywalker had already dispatched a missive to them regarding what had happened, but he could not bring himself to tell them in person.
It was time to disappear.
Lor looked over at his friend of many years with understanding. "I have what you need over here. Will you tell anyone where you are going?"
"No, I need to do this myself."
"The map is not complete; I don't have everything. You will have to search by yourself, but I will certainly give you what I have collected." The next few hours the men poured over the scraps and parchments discussing all possible routes. Like Lor said, the map to the temple was flawed and incomplete.
"When I get there, I will send you the coordinates, but do not try to find me. I want to continue in the ways of the Jedi and the Force, in solitude as Master Yoda did. I will find clarity through peace, and peace is what I seek."
After a few days of preparation Luke was ready to begin his trek for the Lost Temple. He saw that Rey was taken care of but did not get too close. He felt she would do better if he stayed away from the Force. The next morning Luke was packed and began his walk to the space craft outside of the village. He did not say good bye to Rey; it was just too painful.
But as luck would have it, Rey was up and about before the sun had risen. Since the news of her parents and baby brother's deaths, she had woken early just to check the skies, watching every morning for their arrival. So when she saw her Master walk towards the village edge, she became scared.
Rey ran out of the house as quickly as her little legs could carry her. She failed to hear the shout for Lor to not follow Luke and kept running. Lor grabbed her arm trying to hold her back. The little padawan began kicking and screaming, scared she was being abandoned once more.
Luke stopped in his tracks when he heard her approach. Her cries ripped at his heart, but he knew that leaving her here was the safest she could be. She was safe away from him. He would just fail her again, and he could not deal with that. But there was one thing he could do.
Slowly he turned to the little girl struggling to get free and run to him.
"Rey, I have to go now. You will be safe here with Lor on Jakku. No harm will come to you now." He tried to remain calm because she would only get worse if he raised his voice. He sank to his knees in front of her, and the child threw herself at her master and friend hugging his neck, not letting go.
"No, don't go. Don't go. You can't leave me. I will go with you." She kept repeating this over and over becoming a mantra. "You are all I have left. You are my family now."
At these words Luke's heart broke even more.
"Rey, look at me." He pulled her back to look her in the eye directly. He was hating himself for what he was about to do. He raised his hand and placed it upon her cheek, wiping away her tears. With a heavy heart he pushed the Force into her memory.
"Rey, you will not remember me. You will grow up safe here on Jakku, and no one will hunt for you. You will forget about your training of the Force and of Dicio. Everything will be wiped, including the padawans and Ben. I will erase your grief for your family. You will keep some of your memories, feelings for your family, but only vague memories will linger. Lor San Tekka will watch over you. You will grow up strong and courageous, you will help others, and when the time is right, you will remember."
When he pulled his hand away, Rey stood stock still. Her brain was trying to process what had happened. Luke used this lapse to climb aboard and begin his ascent.
Rey watched the mysterious man walk away. A feeling like something important was missing sat in her stomach like a stone. But it called to the person who was walking away, something inside said to stop that man. He had all the answers and he was getting away. She needed to stop him, now.
She cried out to stop the craft from taking off, but no one paid heed to a little girl. Lor tried to hold her back again from jumping on the ship. She watched with a heavy heart as it took off, never to return to the sands of Jakku.
"NO!" She reached to the sky hoping to grab the ship.
She was alone. She was alone in a land of waste and death.
A/N - Hello and welcome back all my lovelies! This is my longest chapter yet and am quite excited about finally getting into the rest of the story. I don't own Star Wars just this little tale! I have posted my stories on Archive of Our Own so if you see FHS there it's fine. I will be linking my two accounts together. Thanks again for everyone's support on this I really appreciate it! Have a great week and see you next time.
-Music
