Jakku.
At one point Rey had thought that she would only leave this place with her parents … with her family. Now … now she was coming back with a new family. It wasn't the family that lonely girl had dreamed about all those lonely years of exile, but it was the family she needed.
Even so, she felt a twinge of fear. I know they would never abandon me here … and that if something happened Ben would come for me, but it's still hard to let go of that lost little girl …
Leia had insisted they make a stop at Rey's old AT-AT home. As Rey had expected, there wasn't much left- anything of value had been stripped by other scavengers. Even so, she was pleased to find that her Rebel Doll had survived. She picked it up and held it.
Okay. It smelled worse than she remembered.
"It can be cleaned," Leia told her in her new monotone voice from the Darth Vader helmet that she wore. It wasn't his voice any longer- it was female- but it definitely did not sound like Leia. "You should save it to give your own children some day and tell them the story about the brave girl who saved a prince in distress."
"We saved each other," Rey murmured. Nevertheless, she tucked the doll into her supply pack.
The others looked at her old home with varying degrees of sympathy and pity. Poe hugged her. "You're amazing, Rey."
Rey blushed. "I did what I had to survive."
"You didn't just survive," Leia told her. "You became what all of us needed."
Poe and even Brea nodded silent agreement.
Rey felt her blush grow deeper. "You guys … let's go get some ships."
"I'm glad Ben wasn't here to see this," Leia murmured softly. "He would not take it well."
Rey stopped. "He's stronger than you give him credit for."
"He has his father's heart."
That left a silence between them all as they made their way down to Unkar Plutt's shanty town.
Rey was saddened but not surprised to see how many of the scavengers she had known before she left were already gone. It had only been weeks, but Jakku was a hard world; you fought to live or you died.
She glanced at the fleet of ships that Unkar Plutt had assembled. None of them were in the Falcon's class- none of them were true warships- but they were a few freighters that would serve to carry their Battledroid army once they had assembled it.
Ben, she whispered into the Force.
Yes, Rey? He practically purred her name into the Force.
We're on Jakku. We're about to get the ships. Have you made it to Alderaan yet?
Not yet. We found the Slicer. But we have to stop by Kenobi's cave before we head off to Alderaan. Seems that dear old Uncle Luke wants us to pick up a map-
Really? Her frustration spiked through the Force causing Leia to look at her even though the older woman couldn't perceive exactly what Rey was saying to Ben.
Yes. It won't take that long. Once we have the map, we should be able to reach Alderaan in plenty of time. I miss you.
It's only been a few hours, she reminded him. But … I miss you too. I should probably get my mind back on my business.
All right. Talk to you soon, love. Goodbye.
Goodbye.
"Well, well, look who the Jawa dragged back," Unkar Plutt drawled. "Little Rey the Nobody."
Rey flinched in spite of herself.
Chewbacca growled. "I'll tear his arm off."
"You know, I kind of wish Ben was here," Poe said in a conversational tone of voice. "I have a feeling his old training could come in quite handy."
"Enough, children. Rey knows her value." Leia walked towards Unkar Plutt. She was an intimidating figure in her new armored form. "We have come to make a deal with you, Unkar Plutt. But if you insult my daughter in law one more time I will help the Wookie tear your arms off."
"Daughter in law?" Unkar Plutt asked blankly. "Who would ever marry her?"
"The Prince of New Alderaan," Leia said. "Rey is a Jedi Knight. She saved my son from the First Order, and they fell in love. I am Leia Organa. I represent the Resistance. We have come to buy your ships."
"What will you use for credits?"
"You have my word you will be repaid for your generosity."
"I can't eat words. I can't feed words to my scavengers. You have no idea."
"Then we'll take the ships," Rey said. She resisted the urge to gloat.
"You can't do that!" Unkar Plutt protested.
"We can and we will. Poe, Brea, check them out. Make sure to pick the most reliable. Chewbacca, if he moves, tear his arms off. Rey, come with me." Leia gathered her cloak and walked away from the anguished Plutt.
Rey followed her. "Why did you tell him that story?"
"It's true … from a certain point of view."
"Ben came to help us of his own accord."
"Listen to me, Rey." Leia took her daughter in law's hands. "The Galaxy cannot know that Ben was once Kylo Ren. We did not reveal that information in the Resistance, and for reasons of his own Snoke made sure not to broadcast it as well."
"What harm can it do now?"
"We need allies, Rey. How many do you think we would have if it came out that Kylo Ren is now part of the Resistance?"
"He came back from the Dark Side! It's a sign of his power! If Ben can do it, then so can the rest of the Galaxy!" Rey glared at her. "You want to make him sound like a victim! You want to make him- to make us- live a lie!"
"Saving the Galaxy isn't all roses and song, Rey. We have an obligation- and people won't trust Ben if they think he's been the monster threatening them all this time. I'm his mother. I only want what's best for him."
"What's best for him- or what's best for your Resistance?"
"We all have to make sacrifices, Rey." Leia paused. "Lando suggested it to me."
"And of course Lando is wise."
"You don't like him."
"He doesn't like Ben."
"He has reason. He and Han were the best of friends. They had their moments, but in the end they were like brothers. He's finding it very hard to forgive Ben."
"I'm not entirely sure you have either."
"Ben is my son. I love him."
"That doesn't mean you've forgiven him." Rey sighed. "I'm sorry, Leia. I know that I'm being a bit of a she-bantha here. It's not a bad strategy, but I wish you had told me about this before you just blurted this out. Have you talked to Ben about it?"
"No. Lando is taking care of that. I think that's why he went along with Ben."
"Lando is very … fond of you, isn't he?"
"We've known each other a long time." Leia's modulated voice did not betray emotion, but Rey thought she sensed something. "What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing, Leia. Nothing." Rey smiled. "Nothing at all."
Both Brea and Poe went over the ships, searching for two that would fit their plans. It didn't take long after that for them to lift off.
"A pleasure doing business with you, Unkar Plutt," Leia said. "For your own sake, I suggest you consider having more equitable dealings with your employees in the future. One never knows when w may make a return visit."
Chewbacca growled at the man. "We should kill him."
"He's not a good man," Rey said. "But we're not monsters. We can't just kill him. It wouldn't be right." Rey looked at the man who had tormented her for so long. "But I will come back, Unkar. I will return to see how you treat these people. And if I don't like what I see-" She ignited her light saber and held it under his nose. "We will have words."
She turned and walked away. After a moment, Chewbacca and the others followed her.
Unkar Plutt watched her go with a burning hatred in his heart. He waited until he was certain they were gone, and then went inside his hut to his com unit. He flipped through the frequencies until he found the one he needed.
"This is Unkar Plutt of Jakku," he growled. "I want to make a deal with the First Order. I can tell you how to find Leia Organa and the Last Jedi."
And after a moment, he got an answer.
Author's Note: The deleted scenes say that Chewie DID rip off Unkar Plutt's arm in Maz's cantina, but I'm not sure if that should considered be canon. It seems to me the the risks of leaving would outweigh the gain of getting a ship back and revenge on Rey. He just seemed too small time for that.