CHAPTER XIV

Finn and Udo did not have much time to worry.

As they remained in space onboard the freighter, they watched as every single transport vessel that tried to leave Hosnian Prime was blown up by the Star Destroyer. And any attempt to help from other planets in the system were also taken out. Basically, the planet had been completely blockaded. And so Finn had hung there in limbo.

But soon the help came: the vessel they had seen coming towards them was the Millenium Falcon.

"Looks like Solo found us," Finn said with a smirk, and Udo roared.

The Falcon rendezvoused with the freighter, and Finn smiled to see the familiar faces of Han and Chewie greeting them.

"There ya are, kid," Han said, "After you disappeared on Coruscant, we didn't know what to make of things. Look, if you were gonna go run off and get yourself killed, the least you could have done was leave Chewie's great-nephew out of it."

"Udo wanted to come with us," Finn said, just as Udo and Chewie reunited with a hug, each one roaring.

"I wish I spoke Wookiee and knew what the hell they were saying," Finn said, and was surprised when another voice from onboard the Falcon joined them.

"I've known this walking carpet for years," Leia said, "And everything he's ever said is right in his heart."

"Madame President?" Finn said, "What are you doing here? Don't you have an election to worry about?"

"I love my galaxy, and I've come to love the senate that represents it," Leia said, "But as a woman without a planet and without a country, what I most need to be is a mother. My son is more important to me."

"Is that what the galaxy needs?"

"I dedicated my entire teenage years to the good of the galaxy," Leia said, "All my adolescence, I was a freedom-fighter. When I met a certain scoundrel-" and she gave Han a little glare at this- "I was so wrapped up in the fight that I didn't bother to let myself realize I was falling in love with him. And even when he spent three years telling me there was a bounty on his head, I ignored that, telling him that the Rebel Alliance was more important and that he was selfish for actually caring about his life. Until a bounty hunter actually caught him because of a debt I'd personally kept him from paying. I watched him get frozen in carbonite, and I realized how consumed I'd been. I spent the next year not knowing if we'd be able to rescue him; for all I knew; he could have been dead, and I'd have effectively sacrificed the one person I ever had a chance of being in love with because I was too stupid to notice it. Well, eventually I unfroze him myself, and since then vowed I would never let my political life get in the way of my family. Except I did exactly that. I forgot to be there for my son."

"We both came looking for you," Han said, "because we know we have to confront him."

"Well, good luck with that," Finn said, and pointed out at the Finalizer, "He's there. Or he might still be down on the planet. There was a lot of confusion when they showed up."

"Where's the girl who was with you?" Leia asked.

"She's still on Hosnian Prime. All I know is the Sith Imperialists aren't letting anyone on or off the planet."

While Han looked sad and Chewie bewildered, Leia reached out. Finn realized she was using the Force, as little as we knew what that meant.

"Luke's down there too," she said, "Our son was right. He knew exactly where Luke would be."

"Is he with Rey?" Finn asked, but Leia wasn't sure.

"We're going to meet our son," Leia said defiantly, "And I have a feeling that going down there is where it will all happen."

And far down on the planet's surface, which had been almost completely overtaken by the Sith and their soldiers, one cave lay hidden and impenetrable to life-scanners. It was one of the few caves in the galaxy that produced kyber. Inside that cave was one lone X-wing, and beside it, Luke Skywalker had given a chisel to Rey. She was working away at carving out a kyber crystal from the cave walls.

"Master Luke-" she began.

"You can dismiss with the traditions, kid," Luke said, "For whatever the Jedi ways may have once been, just call me Luke." He then added with a smirk, "The only one who ever called me 'Master Luke' was Threepio. And he was a droid friend who, while I have many fond memories of, I'd rather you not remind me of."

"Okay," Rey said, "Then, Luke, what exactly am I doing?"

"You're building your own lightsaber."

"What-how-?"

"If you're going to be a Jedi, you're going to need one. I built this one myself, and it took me almost a year. I lost my first one when my hand was cut off on Bespin. I chose to make this one green, to make it my own color. In time, you'll choose your color."

Rey finally chiseled out a decent-sized piece of crystal.

"Good," Luke said, "Now, what else will you need to complete building a lightsaber?"

"Well, a hilt for one thing. I suppose that's a metal alloy-"

"Forget those things. You can find a piece of metal anywhere. But what will you ultimately need to put the puzzle pieces together and make the crystal inside it come to life?"

"The Force."

Rey closed her eyes. She still didn't understand the Force, but somehow she was getting a better handle on it.

"Yes," she said, "It's right in front of me. There's a way to control things. To find life in things. Can I turn this piece of crystal into a lightsaber? I guess I can try."

"My teacher Yoda once said something about trying," Luke said with a smirk, "But I think I'll save that anecdote for later."

Everyday, Rey continued in her training. And every night, her dreams of Kylo Ren became stronger. She'd be in different locations, yet he would always appear, always in his mask. And she always knew that even though these were dreams, the conversations were very real, and that Ren himself was truly having them on the other end, wherever he was.

"I sense you, you know. I know you're with him. I know what he's teaching you. He can't keep you safe forever."

"Leave me be! Why are you this way? Why do you hate your parents?"

"I don't hate them," he said. And she felt sadness in him.

From every dream, she awoke feeling more drained. Whatever the source of this Force-connection was, it was growing stronger by the day. She began to fear that if Kylo Ren wasn't stopped, her dreams would be the source of her death.