A Refreshing pace


Disclaimer! I don't not own star wars or any of its content. If I did there would be Ewoks everywhere.


Poe had just walked away leaving a speechless Rey behind. She was about to turn around when Rose seemly came out of nowhere. "What was that about?" The maintenance tech came up to Rey with an inquiring brow.

"I'm not really sure at this point. A lot has happened in the last few days." Rey said opening her door and letting Rose follow her in. Rose walked over to her friend and gave her a once over look. Rey was on the verge of crying and she was biting her lip so hard it looked as if she might draw blood.

"Finn said that you got hurt. I was on my way to see how you were doing when I saw you leaving with Poe. I was going to come find you later but I'm glad I didn't." Rey couldn't stop the tears from slipping down her cheeks. "Hey now, don't cry. It's going to be okay. Why don't we have a girl's night? Huh?"

"I really don't feel like talking about mechanic parts right now." Rey sobbed. Her eyes were becoming puffy and swollen.

"What?" Rose internally face palmed but decided that right now was not the right time to correct the poor girl. "Why don't I make us something warm to drink and you can tell me all about your adventure and what is happening with commander Dameron instead?" Rey nodded and began to tell Rose everything.


A week had passed and Poe had not come to see Rey. Not that she would even let him find her. She avoided him, making excuses when Rose or Finn tried to get her to go to the dining hall with them to eat.

Rose helped Rey understand that some of the women around the base had an infatuation with Poe. They were even known to go as far as lie about going on dates or even having sex with him to make others jealous. Rose explained that unless Poe tells you himself you can't listen to what is being said.

She was mortified. He must think that she was nothing more than a silly girl with insane jealously issues. She was a little jealous. She would be lying if she said she wasn't but she felt hurt more than anything. After finding out that it was all probably just some girl lying to her friend, Rey didn't think she could face him again.

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts. Grabbing her bag that was sitting on her bed, she called out. "I'll be right there!" Today they were leaving for Naboo and Finn was going to walk with her to the millennium falcon. Opening the door, Rey felt her smile slip from her face.

"Where is Finn?" She asked looking both ways down the hall and then finally over the man's shoulder.

Poe had that coming. He should have come to see her sooner. He wanted to tell her about how it was all just a jumble of misunderstandings, lies, and a failure of correcting people. The pilot waited to catch her at a meal or while doing one of her tasks but she never left her room unless she was with Rose, Chewy or General Organa. Finn asked him to pick Rey up and walk with her to the ship for him. He jumped at the chance but now was unsure due to the look Rey was giving him.

"He got caught up doing something for Leia. He asked me to meet you instead. You're…You're not mad are you?" He really didn't know what else to say. How long can she be like this with him. At this point he just wanted to be around her, as much as he wanted more, just being with her as friend was better than nothing.

Realizing was sending him a mean look she instantly turned away. "No. No I am not mad. I just ..I .. um.. are you still going with us to Naboo?"

Rey started walking down the hall, stopping for a few seconds while waiting for Poe to join her. "Yes, it's going to be the general, Chewy, Finn, BB-8, you and me. The smaller the crew the less chance we have of alerting the First Order. Considering that Leia's mother was once the queen and a beloved senator, the people of Naboo are not going to alert anyone. For the most part I think this trip will be a safe one."

They were almost to hangar bay now and Rey was starting to relax with him nearby. Poe slipped his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together and leaning in just a little bit. "I need to talk to you about everything but until we can I just want you to know that you don't have to feel uncomfortable or avoid me. I never want you to feel that way." He leaned closer and kissed her cheek tenderly.

"Guys hurry up! We are leaving in three minutes!" Finn yelled from the ramp as BB-8 came to greet them.

Pulling away from her, Poe let her go and gave her a little space. Rey's face was burned red. She pressed her hands against her cheeks and walked past him following the little droid up the ramp.

Leia greeted them in the main hall. She put a hand on Rey's shoulder and led her to the holochess table. "I am very excited for you to see Naboo. While we are there I have arranged a surprise for you and I know that you will love it." Leia looked down at the characters. "It's been a while since I've been in here, sitting at this table. Han loved playing with Chewbacca. Although he would always let Chewy win. He would say that he didn't want to be torn limb from limb when he lost." A sad smile rested on the older woman's face.

Rey leaned in and gave her master a hug and rested her head on her shoulder. Leia was still hurting after Han's death and Ben descent into the dark side. Luke's death made everything worse. She and Chewy were the only ones left and it broke Rey's heart.

BB-8 came up to Rey, telling her that Chewy needed her in the cockpit. Leia gave her a reassuring nod and patted her leg. "Go." She said. "I will stay back here for our journey."

Rey gave her one last hug and departed.


Finn was leaving the cockpit as Rey entered. "Reporting for duty sir!" She said standing up straight, saluting.

This earned her a snort and a chuckle from Poe. He turned around in the chair. He was sitting behind her pilot seat. The young man took every opportunity to try flying the millennium falcon but this time he was just content watching Rey take control of the ship.

She took her seat and suddenly everything felt right. Rey loved flying the falcon. It brought her peace that she had never really known besides when she was with a certain charming pilot. Flipping switches and taking a breath, Rey started to lift the space craft into the sky. Her co-pilot roared as they started to leave the planet's atmosphere. "I'm excited too big guy." She agreed putting the craft into hyperspace and jetting off toward their desired destination.


The trip only took a few hours. Poe seemed to get restless half way through their journey and decided to sit in the lounge area with Finn and general Organa. This left her and Chewy by themselves. Rey enjoyed the time with her friend. He hardly spoke, both enjoying the silence and never once making it uncomfortable.

They just landed and were greeted by the people of Naboo. Leia hugged old friends and started on with conversations as if they had never stopped. Rey had to hand it to her master, Naboo was beautiful. Most of the buildings were covered with vines and foliage. She was getting used to the green planets but the first time seeing a new planet still made her heart full.

"Come now Rey. I have the surprise that I promised you waiting in your chambers." The general grabbed Rey's hand and started following some handmaidens to where they would be staying.

"What about the others?" Rey asked as she turned her head to see Poe watching her walk away. He was staring with such intensity that it made her stomach tighten.

"They will take care of the supplies and meet up with us later. Don't worry, you will see commander Dameron soon, I promise." Rey's eyes widened. "I may be old but I see how you two look at each other. I even have a poll going with Lieutenant Connix." Leia let a giggle past her lips when she caught the look on the young woman's face.


They were shown to a huge room that was filled with flowers from the ceiling to the floor. It had two open balcony windows that were framed with thin long white curtains. There was a big bed that could fit six people and a fire place on the opposite wall. The colors where pale pinks and blues with small golden flower designs along the frames of the walls and furniture.

Leia walked over to the closet and looked thoughtfully before pointing at something and asking one of the hand maidens to pull it out. She walked back to Rey and smiled warmly.

"Tonight we are attending a ball. They had started it as a celebration to honor my mother after she died and it has now become an annual event." Rey had never been to a ball before. She didn't even know what it was.

"Not to be rude general but what is a ball?" Leia forgot that the scavenger next to her was just that, a scavenger.

"It's okay child. Sometimes I forget about your childhood. A ball is a celebration were we dance and converse with people." The hand maiden signaled to Leia that she was done preparing the items that she retrieved from the closet. "Now I know you don't have anything to wear for the occasion so I-"

"Oh I can just wear this, I don't need anything fancy." The general eyed the girl.

"Rey the point of a ball is to wear something fancy. Now I have the perfect dress for you." She led Rey over to the bed and touched the fabric. "I never met my birth mother. Through the years I was told stories about her bravery and kindness. Along the way I had also acquired some of her things, including her dresses. I am too old to wear these now and I was saving them for my daughter or granddaughter. I thought that day would never come until now." She looked and Rey and placed a hand on the girl's face. Tears were now streaming down both their cheeks but neither of them seemed to notice. "I can't imagine anyone else wearing these. I want you to have them and I want you to wear this to tonight's ball."


After taking a long bath and being scrubbed down to every inch of her body, Rey was sitting on her bed looking at the beautiful gown before her. Leia had left to get changed herself and them she was going to come back to give her approval. Rey had never worn a dress before. There was never a need to and to wear one on Jakku was just asking for trouble. To say she was nervous was and understatement.

The handmaidens returned to help Rey put on the dress and do her makeup and hair. Rey had slipped on the dress noting how the yellow at the top darkened into a pink hue and then again into a purple. The material along the edges was silk and there were metal arm cuffs holding the dress in place. A metal clasp around her neck kept the top up. It certainly was beautiful but the back had a plunge that reaches just above her butt. She didn't know if she liked that. The dress was very different then what she usually wears. Her clothes were worn out of necessity and were meant to be modest.

A light shade of blush and pale pink eye shadow were applied to Rey's face. Leia choose that moment to come in and stopped in her tracks. "You look beautiful my dear." The hand maid doing Rey's makeup stood and walked over to Leia. The two walked back over to Rey. The maiden joined the other in doing Rey' hair and Leia sat down in front of her and leaned in with a color stick. "I think we are just about ready to head down to the ball room." She put the finishing touches on Rey's lips and leaned down, moving a pair of dancing slippers in front of her.

The hand maidens backed away and left the room, notifying the two that they were all done. Rey stood up and looked in the mirror. She couldn't believe that the woman in the glass was her. Her lips were a light purplish pink color and her hair was curled in loose ringlets with small purple ribbons weaved throughout. She slipped her shoes on and looked at her mother figure.

"Thank you, for everything."


Hey everyone! Hope you all enjoyed today's chapter. Please leave a review and tell me how I am doing.