CHAPTER VI

Finn was up bright and early, and was chatting happily with Udo as the Resistance gossiped around the breakfast table. Commander Pik was worried, but the mood was overall happy.

Rey stood apart from all this. She had spent a long sleepless night, her mind racing to a thousand places. She had spent years looking for signs of her parents, her family. She had wanted to know who they were, and by extension, who she was. Now she knew. And it petrified her.

So-her name was Rey Palpatine. History's greatest monster had been her grandfather. The millions he had ordered murdered. The entire population of Alderaan, and the subjugation of so many planets. The entire Jedi Council. All the blood that had been on his hands; was it now on her hands? Could she ever look herself in the mirror again and not see genocide?

But wait, why did she have to think that way?

Everyone had said he was a monster, talked about how horrible life had been under the Empire. But did they know? Who decided what was right and wrong?

She thought of her time on Coruscant, where she had watched President Leia Organa, a good and decent woman, strive her entire life to create the New Republic, only for it to slowly lose its way, and for her to be voted out of office by dirty tactics. Tyk Zyr was now the democratically-elected president, and he was far from a saint.

Might the galaxy be better run as an Empire after all? And if so, could she lay the claim to be its Empress? Was that her right?

As she was processing this, suddenly a signal came in that alerted the entire base.

"What's going on?" Pik asked.

Veep was plugged in to the base's control stations, and said:

"A Star Destroyer is in range."

Finn stood up and grabbed his blaster.

"They've come for us. I'm ready to fight!"

But Rey only felt a dark premonition. She was less concerned with fighting whoever was on that Star Destroyer as she was with finding this Kur Wendar. And she had to go alone.


Less than an hour later, the entire base was up in arms, preparing their defensive. Rey realized she had to say goodbye to Finn, as there was a strong possibility she might never see him again. And he deserved to know the truth.

As he was prepping for battle, she pulled him away.

"What is it, Rey? We need to get ready-"

"I'm not joining you all, Finn."

Finn was incredulous.

"What?"

"I'm leaving to seek the young Jedi. I need his help."

"But we're-"

"Finn, I may not see you again, so I want you to know the truth: you know how I was looking for my parents?"

Finn's confusion now turned to anger.

"What does any of this have to do with that? Are you gonna tell me you found your parents after all?"

"I found out who my family is. Emperor Palpatine-I'm his only living descendant."

Finn stopped, as if all the air had been let out of his sails. She was serious. He had no idea how she knew what she had found out, but it was clear she knew it, and was very resolute.

"Rey, you-you really need to keep that a secret. People will kill you when they find out. They'll blame you for everything he did. They might even say you'll try to claim the galaxy for yourself as an Empress. Zyr would be the first in line to have you assassinated. Actually, so would a ton of bounty hunters, just for the sport of it."

Rey said nothing, and somehow Finn thought he sensed contempt in her. For the first time, he wondered: did she believe she should be Empress? It was as if it she had acquired a God complex overnight.

"Why are you leaving then?" Finn asked, "If what you say is true, what is this Jedi going to do about it?"

"I learned what I learnt from the glassforest in the mines."

"What?"

"The mines! The Force is really strong with this planet, and he has something to do with it."

Right at that moment, shooting was heard! The Resistance members exited the base and looked up at the Kessel sky. Several tie-fighters were dropping down from the Star Destroyer and were landing on the planet.

Kylo Ren is here! Rey thought, but she bit her tongue. She knew how much Finn feared that name, and hearing it now would only set off his anxiety further.

The tie-fighters began shooting their blasters into the spice-covered surface of the planet! The Resistance members all ran in every direction! There was chaos and confusion!

For a moment, Finn was lost, only able to see clouds of spice.

"Rey?" he called out.

But after a silence, only a familiar Wookiee cry was heard.

"Udo!" Finn called, and was then reunited with his friend. Wherever Rey had disappeared to, she was on her own. Finn could only think of the danger ahead.


Rey had run as fast as she could during the confusion. She could hear the battle behind her, but she forged on ahead, feeling where the Force was leading her.

Alright, Kur Wendar. I'm going to find out who you are.