Disclaimers: All right reserved of the originals "Star Wars" Characters, Names, Places, etc., to George Lucas / Disney. I pledge to return all characters after the story is complete.
Warning: Major Spoilers of TRoS.
Note: This is a Reylo FanFiction (slow-burn)
「Act 40: Finding Omii」
Yavin 4 - Colony, 36 ABY
Rey wore a face like she was expecting anger from Finn, anger that didn't exist. All Finn had for her was love; all he wanted was to keep her safe. She wouldn't accept it just yet; she felt so much misplaced guilt. But he was tolerant of her standpoint. He just wanted to reveal her, his true feelings for a long time now, but he waited and waited. However, after hearing Rey kissing Ben again, he couldn't stop and exposed his feelings to her.
She gasped, and after a deep breath, she tried to reply, but she was not sure what answer to deliver. Finn had always been her friend, a close friend that followed her from Jakku until now. "Thank you," Rey said, "I can't believe how you felt all this time. But Finn,"
Finn stopped her. "No, Rey, I don't want an answer, not now. You don't have to like me back the same way, neither to apologize about this." He explained as he was still holding her arms, "Are we good? I don't want this to ruin our friendship."
"Yes, of course," Rey responded, now being able to breathe again. Honestly, she didn't mind if Finn was in love with her; she only was scared that with her denial, their friendship could be lost, "I'd not want to lose a friend like you." Rey shared with him a hug; both now seemed calmer; they broke the hug and went to find Poe and Ben.
Meanwhile, Ben and Poe had walked close to the colony entrance after they heard Finn confessing that he was in love with Rey; neither Ben nor Poe wanted to stay around to hear the answer. Ben, because he insisted that it had nothing to do with him, Rey was a kind soul, and she would have people falling for her. As for Poe, it still was confusing how Finn could fall in love with more than one person. He ignored his own thoughts as it would only cause more trouble.
That's how all four ended up finally walking inside the colony, agreeing that Finn's confession should be forgotten.
Rey looked around at them as they have stopped and scanned the area. "Do we know where we can locate Omii?" she asked a question that everyone wanted to ask Ben.
Ben was also looking around, trying to figure out where they were supposed to start their search. He knew on which planet Omii could be found, but where exactly he didn't know.
"So we start with on here," he pointed ahead of them, "and see what we can find."
"Not just yet," Finn complained, "We could split up in two teams and search, or we can hope that he will fall from the sky..."
Finn never finished his phrase as a local bartender rushed out of his pub, dragging him a shorter male. He threw him against the ground and threatened him, "You are welcome here, after you pay what you owe, Omii!" He glared at the group of four and walked back inside.
The man slowly stood up, dusting off his clothes, his eyes had a familiar brown, and his skin was browner, more deeply wrinkled. There was a seriousness about him that unnerved them, and they seemed alarmed. He was familiar with the colony because a few strangers who passed him by didn't gaze at him at all, but they turned and looked at the four friends.
"Finn, why didn't you wish for something better?" Poe said, revealing his surprising face. "Omii?" he added and caught the man's attention.
"Do I know you?" Omii stated in a deep tone, sounding dangerous, and he should be after one of Palpatine's assassins like Ochi.
"You don't know us, but we need some information," Rey said, taking a step forward towards him.
The man cast a glare towards them and then ignored them. "I don't know him," he answered as he turned around to leave.
"Wait," called Rey as she tried to reach him but was stopped by Ben. Ben grabbed her arm and yanked her behind him as he walked towards Omii and pulled him by the shoulder.
Omii pulled away, observing Ben in detail. "Kylo Ren?" the man recognized him. "I heard you died in Exegol. I have nothing to offer."
Ben's reactions change a bit; he didn't step away, he remained next to Omii, and his voice came like a thread: "We'll see." He never explained to him who he was or how he ended up being alive. That part had nothing to do with Omii. Ben just tugged him back at the pub that he was earlier. He paid for his drinks and gave him a great number of credits. Ben had sworn he would never use the credits that Kylo Ren had earned while working in the First Order. But today, it aided him to make Omii talk to them.
Omii was an assassin; he would never give up any information without a good reason. Now he had a reason. Ben paid him, Palpatine was dead, and he agreed to answer their questions. He guided them a few alleys away and into his small flat he was renting, "What do you want to know?"
The four took a seat around the table; they seemed to have a lot to ask. Back in the day when Ben was Kylo Ren, he wouldn't wait. He'd have already asked the right questions and gotten the right answers. But today, he was not in charge; he was a criminal who was given the amnesty to aid the Resistance. So, Ben remained in his seat, just observing Omii and the others talking.
"Palpatine used to have a secret temple," Poe asked drily. "Tell us what you know?"
Omii examined the group of four; he already noted that Kylo Ren was not in charge or kept himself contained for a reason. He sighed and grabbed a bottle of wine, and poured a drink for himself. "Palpatine's secret temple?" he repeated and gazed at them. "Why do you need it?"
Poe leaned forward, resting his hand against the table. "He had hidden there a stone, Sith's Soulstone, we need it?"
Omii put down with force the glass with his drink and gazed at Poe back seriously. "The Sith's Soulstone, I don't know who told you about the black stone, but no one can touch it, even Palpatine himself couldn't; what makes you think you amateurs could." he laughed.
"Where is it?" Ben suddenly said in a monotonic dark voice, winning Omii's attention.
"Fine," he agreed. "The temple was located in the Imperial Palace, under it, though be aware that there not only traps and sith guards surrounding it, no one can enter," he looked at the group of four " only related to Palpatine could open the entrance."
"We will figure our way in," Finn answered, "But how are we going to find the way to the Imperial Palace?"
"That is the easy part; the way is well known," Poe assured him.
"Maybe he has hidden another Wayfinder," came Ben's mocking voice.
"I'll never go in search of another Wayfinder ever again," Rey added, shaking her head, trying to forget the memories from Kef Bir moon of Endor; it had already been one year, and the dark version of herself still spoke to her.
"It was the seat of power of Darth Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith who ruled the Galactic Empire as Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine. But what a few knew he had his own secrets chambers, under the palace. And there his own secret Temple, all his secret belongings are there. You will find the black stone among them." Omii explained as he grabbed his glass again and sipped.
"What do you know about the North Unknown Regions?" Ben asked him. Finally, he had already figured out the Emperor had only a few men that did secrets missions like those. Ochi was one of them, and the other was Omii, and he remembered Rey's memories that Ochi died around the time after she was left in Jakku, which meant the only one left doing Palpatine's dirty work would be Omii.
Omii sighted "I have heard about you, Kylo Ren from the Emperor, I can see why he had high hopes for you," he gave an evil smirk towards Ben.
"What do you know?" Ben questioned again as his deadly gaze now fell on Omii, almost making the man backing off before he finally spoke.
"Fine," he said, "The emperor had sent me once in the North parts of the Unknown Regions, for a delivery. The coordinates were saved in my ship, I went and returned, and then they were deleted. I don't know the way there, and no one does."
The group of four looked at each other; their worries started to become now real. "What did you deliver and to whom?" Ben added as he stood from his seat.
"A clone to the ruler Delkor," Omii revealed, "In case the Emperor plans failed, he wanted to have a back plan."
"Then there was a clone," Poe disclosed, "one of his abominations?"
Omii shook his head. "No, nothing like that. You see, for the clones to dissolve, they need a sith spirit to possess them. Why did you think Palpatine was so rotten?" he went on. "It was a similar clone as his son; I believe, a female clone."
"A female?" Rey asked, puzzled as she stood up as well from her seat.
Finn tried to pull her back. "Rey... wait," as he and Poe stood up as well.
"Yes, Dark Rey, that's how he called her. A few years older than you, but she looked similar to you. Any Sith did not possess her since his granddaughter was still alive, so he sent her in the North Unknown Regions to keep her hidden, and there she could train. I don't know anything else about the clone." Omii affirmed and made the group of four looked so confused.
Rey almost collapsed at the seat behind her. "Then back in Kef Bir; she was not a dream; she was real?" More questions arose.
Ben let his hand rest against her shoulder as he almost felt her uneasiness through the Force. He hadn't seen the Dark Rey in Kef Bir, but only noting how angry and unsteady Rey was, he knew she was a serious burden to Rey and a threat to everyone. "And Delkor, who is he?" Ben asked him because he somehow seemed more worried about the unknown man than Dark Rey.
"No idea," Omii disclosed. "I hadn't seen his face; Palpatine said that he is the ruler in the North Unknown Regions and someone he feared."
"And you don't know the way there?" the acting General asked him again to make sure.
"No one does, I think it was Palpatine's undertake, for him not to be able to escape from the North Unknown regions, and no one else to travel there," Omii responded.
The group of four had finally found the answers they were seeking. Their next stop would be now the Imperial Palace; before that, they would inform the Resistance base if something went wrong. They left Omii's residence and walked back to the Falcon; this time, they were not talk active; they were troubled by the new information they had received.
For Poe, it meant that the war wasn't over yet, his worries that new darkness was rising were confirmed, and he honestly didn't know what they would face and how they would manage cross paths with it to fight it. Finn seemed bothered about the same reasons.
Rey was worried about the new threat that was rising and the clone that looked like her. A year ago, when they had met, how did she manage to appear in front of her. She felt her mind almost shutting down from all the new data they now had.
As for Ben, he seemed rather calm than the others. But he already knew the odds didn't look good. He had already connected the dots, and if they found the way to the North Unknown Regions, it would mean the only thing, new unbeaten darkness.
"I'll inform the base, then we are heading to Imperial Palace to find the Sith's Soulstone," Poe announced as they had reached the Falcon.
"Find it, and find a way to destroy it," said Ben as he gazed at them disturbed.
「Upcoming Chapter: Act Forty - One」
Okay, guys, that's all. I hope you enjoyed reading the 40th chapter.
Thank you all so much! Stay awesome! Stay sweet!
And be nice to each other, see you soon, in the next chapter!
Feel free to Review and Follow the story!
Feedback is always appreciated!
LozzieEliza05: Thank you ^_^ Yes, I hope things will get better for everyone. This chapter still needs editing; it could be much better.
amyunder: Yes, more problems will arise, ^_^