Author's Note: Hello all! Thank you for tuning into this new story of mine, I'm very excited to share it with you all! I've wanted to a Hunger Games crossover for a whole now, and I finally figured out how to work in the Star Wars characters into Panem. I hope you all enjoy this story, and please let me know what you think by reviewing, following, and favouriting if you feel inclined to do so!
I hope you guys are staying safe, washing your hands, wearing masks, and social distancing.
Enjoy!
Please note: Leia is referred to as "Leia Skywalker" as opposed to "Leia Organa" in this story - she and Luke were not separated at birth.
From the Treaty of Treason:
In penance for their uprising, each district shall offer up a male and a female between the ages of twelve and eighteen at a public "reaping". These tributes shall be delivered to the custody of the Capitol. And then transferred to a public arena, where they will fight to the death until a lone victor remains. Henceforth and forevermore this pageant shall be known as "The Hunger Games."
The train was late.
Rey would have thought that after nearly twenty of these Victory Tours, Mayor Skywalker would elect to have the speeches done inside a building somewhere, instead of having the people of District 6 risk the chance of hypothermia waiting in the town's square for the person that had just murdered their children six months ago. Granted – with a total population of almost thirty thousand and seven thousand alone in the main town, there was no possibility of holding the speeches indoors. Still, simply imagining it was a distraction from the bitter cold that was already turning her thinly gloved fingers blue. She gazed up at the concrete stage in front of the massive Justice Building. Even Mayor Skywalker – who always managed to maintain a sense of decorum no matter the situation – was starting to look annoyed. Her husband beside her looked outright murderous, and their son was nowhere to be seen. That was typical. His parents were probably worried he'd fly into a fit of rage and attempt to murder the victor – that sort of behaviour wasn't out of the question. Not for Ben Solo.
This year, it was probably for the best. The victor, Augustus Braun of District 1, had been personally responsible for the deaths of the District 6 tributes – his tributes. Even though it was technically required for him to be present at all Games-related functions, Rey was sure Head Peacekeeper Hux would let this one incident slide – if only to protect his otherwise spotless reputation. After all, how could he get transferred to a more prestigious district if he couldn't even control the residents in this one?
Rey rubbed her hands together in a feeble attempt to warm them, but all it did was irritate her skin from the scratchy wool of the gloves. Instead, she opted to tuck her hands under her arms, which again brought her only meager relief but at least it wouldn't result in bloody scratches. For what felt like the millionth time, she gazed backward from her spot in the square to Rose, who was on a raised scaffold dais. The face of her older sister was displayed on the massive screen behind her – a motioning picture of her smiling softly and shifting her weight from side to side. It was like she was almost there. Almost. Rose was shaking, and if it were any warmer she would probably be crying. But the current frigid air had likely frozen any tears onto her skin. The other terrible thing was that she didn't have anyone else on that dais to warm or comfort her, not like the boy tribute's dais which must have had at least seven family members standing atop all huddled together. Rose was Paige's only family, and though Rey would have gladly volunteered to be there with her, she doubted that sort of thing was allowed.
Some motion on the stage caught her attention, but it was only Mayor Skywalker getting up from her designated seat to talk to Head Peacekeeper Hux. After a bit of inaudible back and forth, she motioned broadly at the rest of them huddled in the square. It was in moments like these when Rey understood President Snow's logic in choosing a Games victor as mayor of a District. Leia Skywalker was a natural leader, respected, and perhaps the only person in the whole of District 6 that could quell any sort of unrest from the lot of them. Hux no doubt knew that and seemed to calmly – if not firmly – get Mayor Skywalker back to her seat.
The two screens on either side of the Justice Building flashed to life with the Capitol emblem, and finally the sound of a train whistle screeched as it neared the station.
At that point, time seemed to pass a lot quicker for Rey, as a convoy of black vehicles made its way towards the steps of the building. She could almost forget about the blasted cold for a moment. But she gazed back up at Rose again out of habit, and the girl looked weak in the knees. The very sight of the boy who had murdered one's sister would send anyone into a fit of tears or rage, but Rose was strong. She wasn't looking ahead at the stage, but instead was clutching the two gold medallions around her neck. One had been her sister's – her token she had brought into the arena, and the other was her own.
A Peacekeeper opened the door of one of the cars, and Augustus Braun stepped out, all smiles and waves. The Capitol might have dubbed him "Panem's favourite son", and there were a few scattered applause in the square, but it was clear he had no love from District 6.
He took a seat beside the mayor, who got up and approached the microphone. Her speech was the same every year, and was almost unchanged from the speech she gave on reaping days save for the added part congratulating the victor, and bringing honour to his district. When her speech ended, she motioned for Augustus to rise from his seat.
He made his way up to the microphone quickly, and his hulking figure seemed to tower over both the mayor and her husband. If it was possible, he might have actually gotten bigger since his time in the arena. He tousled his bright blond hair and began his speech. At least there were no notecards, as some of the more unstable victors had to use – less likely of fumbling his way through the speech. Then again, he was a Career tribute, a volunteer. He probably had his victory speech memorized before he stepped foot in the arena.
The speech consisted of the same Capitol-approved drabble about how Paige and the male tribute – Snap was his name – had been worthy opponents and brought honour to their district even though it didn't seem like Augustus meant a word of it, and ended with more of the same "Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever," nonsense that was tacked on to the end of all victory speeches. He shook the Mayor's hand, and then the Head Peacekeeper's, and finally the crowds were released for the remainder of the day.
Rey didn't waste any time, and clutched her shoulder bag nearer to her body and rushed through the crowds towards the northern end of the district, where a sprawling forest lay just before the lake. The forest was not technically beyond the district's borders because of the need for access to the lake that resided beyond but hunting and poaching was still illegal. Even so much as picking the berries could result in summary execution. That didn't stop Rey, since wild turkeys provided a much better meal than anything her meager wages could supply at the market. She had already used the last of her week's earnings to purchase a fresh loaf of bread that morning along with some of those chocolate cupcakes from the bakery to make Rose feel better, and now she just needed protein to go with their potatoes and corn that had frankly seen better days.
Once she had safely slipped into the woods, Rey pulled down her bag and assembled her quarterstaff. It was a fine piece of machinery, made from the scrapped parts of the high-speed trains she worked on at the rail yards, along with whatever Rose could find as well. She took the protective cap off the top of the staff, so that it revealed a clean spear head. Slinging the dirty and oil-stained bag over her shoulder, she made her way further into the woods, near the stream that connected to the lake. That was wear turkeys or other types of fowl might be. A light dusting of snow covered the forest floor, making it easier to spot and follow animal tracks.
The late afternoon sun was just starting to peak out from underneath dark grey clouds when Rey finally spotted a pair of large turkeys. With silent steps, she aimed the spear-end of her quarterstaff towards the pair. With the soft press of a release button, the silver spear shot through the air and found its target in the bird's neck. Before the second could get away, a second spear head replaced the previous and Rey shifted her aim and pressed the release button. The second bird stopped moving not a metre from the first. Between her, Rose, and Finn, at least there would be plenty to go around.
The sound of a snapping twig made her heart stop, and she gazed up at her surroundings.
Nothing but trees and snow.
Suddenly anxious to leave, Rey trotted over to the pair of turkeys and removed the spears from their necks, wiped them off with a blood-stained cloth, and put them back in her bag. Next, she removed a bundle of twine and tied both turkeys together and slung them over her shoulder. She would need to conceal them in plastic so as to not get caught by the Peacekeepers – or other District 6 citizens who were eager for some extra supplies without resorting to taking out tesserae, but that could wait until she was closer to town.
That was when Rey heard the sound of another twig snapping, and she whipped around at lightning speed to make sure no one was following her. But no one was there.
The sound of more steps followed, and Rey's gaze shot around the forest wildly until it settled on a dark figure closer towards the lake. Against her better judgement, she approached the figure, and stopped still in her tracks when she discovered its identity.
Ben Solo.
Rey ducked behind one of the larger tree trunks and kept her breathing as still as possible. The sounds of screaming and shouting filled her head – of the nights she could hear him go into one of his rages across the street. They had seemed to fill the entirety of Victors' Village, and even though they had managed to subside in recent years, Rey didn't want to take the chance of potentially triggering one. Still, she couldn't blame him one way or the other – becoming a Victor at the age of thirteen after a particularly brutal Games would take its toll on anybody. Rey herself had only been an infant of two at the time, and still in the custody of Luke Skywalker, but she hadn't needed him to tell her Ben had become a particularly troubled young man.
The sound of steps stopped, and Rey risked a peak from behind the tree, only to find Ben closer than he was before, perhaps only a few metres, and staring directly at her.
She froze, unable to speak. His grey eyes pierced into hers, like he knew everything about her from one look.
The silence stretched out between them, tense and thick, until Rey found it in herself to move her mouth. But Ben wasn't speaking either, only staring at her with a pointed gaze and a tightly closed mouth. At least he was blinking, it made the whole thing less terrifying, she couldn't help but think.
"I won't tell the Peacekeepers, if that's what you're worried about," Ben said suddenly.
His voice shocked Rey, it wasn't rough or grating as his screams might have otherwise indicated. His voice was soft, perhaps even gentle.
Rey tried to find the words to speak, but nothing but silence passed her throat. Instead, she simply nodded and took off towards town, the turkeys and her bag in one hand and her quarterstaff in the other.
Rey's home – or set of rooms, rather – was at least warm when she arrived. The harsh winters of the district had the tricky habit of freezing up the generators, and even though the fireplace and the great room it belonged to was one of the only rooms of Luke's Victors' Village home that was still suitable to live in, the fireplace alone couldn't reach the kitchen, hall, or bathroom.
Since Luke's disappearance, the Capitol had allowed the home to fall into a great state of disrepair – it clearly didn't matter that Rey still technically lived in the home. Their victor was gone, and with him any notion that regular maintenance had to be done. A rather harsh winter storm two years ago had resulted in the roof completely collapsing into the second floor on the eastern side of the house, rendering that entire section unstable. Now, five years after Luke's disappearance, she and Rose – who had moved in after her sister had died – were confined to the great room, the kitchen, a bathroom, and a small study.
Rey's stomach growled as she entered the kitchen and set the pair of turkeys down on the large wooden island. Rose was already back from the square, preparing their potatoes and corn.
"I uh…" Rose started, not looking up from the pot, "I wanted to get started in case you couldn't get anything."
"Well, I couldn't disappoint you," Rey replied, trying to smile. "Not today, anyway."
"The cupcakes helped," Rose said, obviously sniffling back tears.
"You don't have to do that," Rey said, shucking off her bag and approaching her. "You don't have to pretend to be alright around me."
"I thought it would be easier…" Rose mumbled, turning towards Rey. Her eyes were red and swollen, her dark hair coming undone from its two buns by her ears. "The first weeks after the Games were hard, but I thought it would get easier. Seeing her face on that screen… I honestly don't know how I made it through the speeches without completely breaking down."
Rey hugged the younger girl, pulling her in close. "I know," she soothed. "But it's done now. You don't have to worry about Augustus Braun or anything." She knew nothing she said would truly mend her. Paige had been Rose's only supporter, and when she died Rose had been forced to move out of their apartment because she no longer had enough without her sister for rent. That was when Rey had offered her a place in her home. It wasn't much, but at least Rose wouldn't end up on the streets. Those first days after the Games had been hard – Rose barely had the strength to rise for work in the morning, but slowly she got back to her old ways, and even started doing small repair jobs on the side. It wasn't enough to pay for her own place, but it at least managed to put food on the table.
"Come," Rey said after a long silence, "help me prepared these turkeys so we're not having them for breakfast."
The turkeys were skinned and in the oven, seasoned with herbs from their garden by the time Finn finally arrived – not in his uniform, but in a plain black shirt, black cargo pants, and a heavy overcoat. His expression seemed more dour than usual, but he brightened immediately at the smell of their cooking.
"Tough day?" Rey asked, setting the small circular table with Luke's Capitol-issued china and silverware.
"Victory Tour days are always tough, but Hux had us working from dawn until dusk," he replied, shaking off his coat and sinking down into his usual seat at the table. "I swear, the man was born ram-rod straight. He had inspections conducted three times before the victor even arrived. He had us arrest people stealing cans and glass out of the trash."
"Well, lucky for you there were no Peacekeepers scouring the forest," Rey smiled. "I managed to catch two turkeys."
Finn's eyes lit up.
"For real?" he asked, and then inhaled deeply. "That's what smells so good."
"Should be done any minute now," Rose said, peaking into the oven.
Finn eyed her cautiously, and then shifted his gaze to Rey, leaning in close to her. "How is she?" he asked quietly.
"As well as to be expected," Rey replied. "It was tough for her at the speeches, but she seems to be holding up alright."
Finn nodded, and didn't bring the subject up again.
Rose had probably heard the phrase "Are you alright" more than anything else since the reaping last year – and she didn't need to hear it anymore. She had her medallion as a way of remembering her sister, and the act of simply holding it seemed to get her through the day.
"This is the best meal I've had in weeks," Finn said once dinner was well and truly underway. "You should see the stuff they serve at the Peacekeeper barracks."
"For us, too," Rey replied, digging into her turkey. "More and more Peacekeepers are crawling around the forest that it's becoming hard to go and hunt. And none of them dare buy anything from us because of Hux."
"They won't even let me repair their radios for them," Rose added softly.
"Hux is just trying to look good for the higher ups in the Capitol," Finn sighed. "Everyone knows he's gunning to be Head Peacekeeper in Two, perhaps even captain of Snow's personal guard."
"I say let him," Rose said, finally looking up from her plate. Despite her grief, she'd already gone back for seconds. "At least then he would be out of our hair and hopefully we could get someone less strict."
"Maybe you," Rey eyed Finn playfully, taking a sip of water from her chipped glass.
Finn let out a loud scoff at the prospect. "Definitely not. You know I want to get out the first chance I get."
"And leave us behind?"
"Yeah, you'd be the best thing to happen to this district," Rose said.
"No, that would be Mayor Skywalker," Finn said. "At least she can stand up to Hux. Back in Two Mayor Prestor was as complacent to the Peacekeepers as a pet dog."
Rey swallowed, remembering her encounter in the forest. "Speaking of Mayor Skywalker," she began, taking tentative bites of her potatoes, "I saw her son in the woods when I was hunting."
The sound of the silverware clattering against plates rung in her ears like a scream.
"You what?" Finn asked, eyes wide and mouth agape. Rose shared an equally horrified expression.
"I don't know what he was doing… just walking, I guess. But we locked eyes for a long while, not saying anything. He obviously saw the turkeys in my hands, I thought he was going to rat me out to Hux. But he said he wouldn't."
"And what did you say?" Rose asked.
"Me? I didn't say anything. I ran out of there as fast as I could," Rey replied.
"He probably was there having his bi-yearly meltdown," Finn said almost light-heartedly. "Probably would have killed the victor had he been to the speeches."
Rey nodded. "I thought so."
"I didn't," Rose said, almost a whisper as she looked down at her plate again. "I thought I would want to tear Augustus Braun limb from limb, but when he waved at the crowd, I didn't feel anger towards him. I was angry at the Capitol for letting it happen."
"As you should be," Rey said, reaching across the table to hold her friend's hand. "Don't feel bad about your feelings, they are well-placed."
Rose smiled at her, a warm, genuine smile. Finn reached across the table and held her hand as well. "Those Capitol bastards took Paige Tico, but they won't take Rose Tico as well."
Rey smiled, fully appreciating the company of her friends. The months after Luke first disappeared, it had been so hard on her own as a girl of thirteen. The reaping days had been the worst – being alone amongst the other girls terrified of her name being on that slip of paper in Stacia Brew's hand. But after eating everything that was left in Luke's cupboards, she had started to venture into the woods in search of food. But it wasn't until she had started working at the rail yards – and met Rose, that she no longer felt like she was alone. Her friendship with Finn had started off as an accident, but he was never going to get anywhere selling stolen weapons in the back alleys of the district. Rey had brought him to the Station – their underground black market – where they had started a tenuous business partnership that had blossomed into a true friendship. She hadn't even discovered he was a Peacekeeper until a few months in.
It was at times like these when Rey could feel Luke's missing presence, but she was with her friends – her family. And that was all she needed.
"Now, who wants cupcakes?"