Hey y'all! I churned out another one for ya. The ideas and plots are still running through my head. I just wanted to remind everyone that this is an adventure type story! And drama of course. Stay tuned for a bumpy ride!
Enjoy!
Ryloth
She hadn't taken long to return to the Falcon. Her stride was purposeful and quick— determined to head to Ryloth at the earliest chance possible. At the bottom of the boarding ramp, BB-8 spotted Rey emerging from the darkness. He chimed with relief as he whirled towards her.
"I hadn't been that long, BB-8. I'm fine, see for yourself," Rey did a quick twirl, her eyes less heavy and hollow than before.
Chewie descended down the ramp, beckoning for his company to board the ship.
"I'm sorry Chewie. I know this planet gives you the creeps," she gave the Wookiee an apologetic smile. She didn't feel that it was time to tell Chewie what she saw, who she had the chance to speak with again. The death of Han Solo was still an open wound for her furry companion, with good reason. The duo had been best friends— partners, living and fighting together for decades.
Since they were life long friends, perhaps Chewie was present in Ben's childhood? Was it possible for him to forgive Ben's betrayal? Although she was curious to know just exactly how much Chewie remembers Ben Solo as a child. Despite her questions, she knew this was not the time to ask.
Ushering BB-8 along, Rey and the droid boarded the Falcon, eager to leave the planet.
'Wait for me Ben, I'll be back soon,' she pledged in silence as she and Chewie prepared the ship for take off. She will be back with the relic. The very thought felt right— as if the Force was talking her she was on the right path. Was this what Leia was talking about? Following her instinct? Trusting herself?
Had she known that Ben was trapped here all along? So many questions, not enough time or answers. Nor did she have the right people to ask when the time allowed. Like had Leia said, she needed to trust herself— something she has done poorly at since the battle of Exegol.
This time though, she knew, without a doubt that she was on the right path. She needs to find Janthir, but first, they needed to head back to D'Qar.
-0-
"Rey!" Temiri was the first to greet her when she descended from the Falcon. His wide smile and cheery eyes always brought her own smile to her face.
"Hello, Temiri. Have you been well?" Rey ruffled his tea colored hair with adoration.
"Yes. Finn and I had gone through some of the books already. But I don't really understand it. Do I have to memorize them before you train me?" He sounded a little crestfallen, afraid that the last Jedi will refuse to teach him.
"We should burn those books! I don't understand them either," a familiar voice laughed not far from her and the boy.
"Finn!" Rey laughed at his remark, playfully slapping his upper arm. "Don't give them any ideas. There will be no book burning of any sort around here. Go along now, Temiri. I'll catch up with you in a little while."
The little boy nodded, content knowing he was still her pupil.
Finn spread his wide arms and cocooned Rey in a warm hug. "You seem... different today. And I know it's not be cause you love being the Jedi Senator at Corellia. Spill," he said, eager to know why her attitude has changed.
"Nothing ever gets past you, huh?" Rey pulled back, her smile was genuine. Light had returned to her eyes again.
"Nope. I'm Force sensitive," he grinned cheekily, wagging his eyebrows at her. "And, I know you, Rey. Something happened, and I'm dying to know what."
"Come with me," Rey nodded at the direction of the training grounds Leia had built for her. It was a course the old general had only let Rey use, for the girl's comfort to train unseen, undisturbed. Rey had mentioned to Finn that he was more than welcomed to use it when she wasn't.
She could hardly contain her excitement, eager to tell her first and dearest friend all that had happened on her journey back from Exegol. If anyone would understand her, be happy for her it would be Finn.
"Okay, spill. No one's around," he rubbed his hands together and bent forward, leaning his ear closest to her towards her direction.
"I saw him, Finn," she smiled. She watched Finn purse his lips and furrow his brow in confusion, clearly not understanding who she meant. Rey fought the urge to scoff. "Ben Solo. I saw him... spoke with him..."
Touched him, she wanted to add. Maybe she didn't need to tell Finn everything that transpired.
"Ben Solo? Thee Ben Solo?" Finn looked over both his shoulders, making sure no one was near him when he continued. "You mean Kylo Ren?"
Rey nodded avidly, her smile broadening.
Finn faltered in his step. "Okay, okay. Come on," he grasp her forearm gently.
"Wh—where are we going?" Rey's happiness, soured. Her face contorted with confusion.
"The medbay. Clearly, I've let you go down this path for too long. We're going to get you some help."
Rey scoffed, not in disgust but in contempt. "Finn, I'm not crazy! I did talk to him in Exegol!" She twisted her arm out of his light grasp, pausing in her steps.
"Rey, I know the past year has been really hard on you. Please, just come with me to see the doc," Finn reached out for her, his dark brown eyes pleading her to comply.
She rolled her eyes in exasperation, reaching into a small cloth satchel she tied to her belt, she pulled out Ben's kyber crystal. "Look," she nodded to the gem in her palm.
Finn tilted his head, still thoroughly confused at the conversation. He was questioning Rey's sanity. "Okay. What am I looking at?" His confused gaze darted between her face and the crystal.
The crystal didn't glow purple or swirl with red and blue. It was simply a solid black color. Perplexed, Rey held the crystal closer to her eyes, examining it. "It was glowing before... when Ben appeared in front of me. I'm not sure why it is dormant now."
Frustrated, Rey sighed with a huff. She turned her focus back to Finn, staring at him with resolve. "Look, I'm not crazy. I went to Exegol to say my last goodbye to him. And he showed up in front of me. He was glowing in a transparent white. He said he had been there the entire time since he vanished."
"Forgive me, Rey," Finn straightened, his face glowed with concern for his friend. "It's hard to believe that you're telling me you spoke with the ghost of Kylo Ren. He died, Rey. It's time to let go."
"Why won't you believe me? Of all the people... I thought you would be happy for me," she murmured, her tone hurt at his disbelief.
Finn walked over to her and placed his hands over her shoulders. "It's not that I won't believe you, or that I'm not happy for you. It's hard for me to think that my former evil supreme overlord is alive after you told me he vanished into thin air after saving you from death."
"He's not alive though. He's... like a ghost."
"You mean a Force ghost?"
Rey shook her head. "No. Force ghosts that appeared to me were glowing in blue. He was white. He can't leave that haunted place, Finn. I'm going to try to get him out. There's a relic in Ryloth that might be able to help his spirit."
"Okay, okay," he held his hands up defensively. "Let's just say I do believe you. You're telling me you saw Kylo Ren's ghost. He says he's trapped there. And you need to hunt down a relic to free his ghost."
She looked at him expectantly, as if everything he stated was a common occurrence of everyday life.
Finn's mouth dropped open, he shook his head silently. His eyes still looked to think Rey had become mad.
"Must I repeat myself again, Finn?!"
"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed. "Just, run it through me one more time. I'll promise I'll listen with an open mind."
Rey huffed, crossing her arms on her chest. "Sit," she ordered, nodding to the fallen log on the forest floor. She waited until he complied. "Close your eyes, slow your breathing... and feel what I'm about to tell you."
-0-
"Oh my god," Finn exclaimed, his face buried in his hands. "It's all true."
Rey nodded, her friend finally understood. She had projected her Force signature and glimpses of her encounter with Ben to Finn while he was mediating. "Yes, now you know. Now, you believe me."
"I still say it's insane. I can't believe this," he sighed, shaking his head in astonishment.
"Crazier things had happened," Rey interjected.
Finn agreed, somewhat mildly amused. "Yeah, I can agree to that. When are you leaving for Ryloth?"
"As soon as I finish refueling and loading the Falcon, so... tonight." She wanted to find Janthir as soon as she could.
"Have you told Chewie?"
Rey shook her head. "No. I'm afraid... he'll be upset if I do."
"Imagine his reaction when he finds out on accident Rey. You need to tell him before you leave."
She knew she had to confront her fear of hurting Chewie. She didn't think it would have to be so soon. Chewie had been her companion on her trips for months now. She wouldn't be to stomach the pain of losing him as a friend.
"Go, I'll repack the ship for you," he offered.
With a nod, Rey went to find Chewie.
-0-
"Chewie," Rey caught him loading boxes of fresh food and rations onto the Falcon.
Chewbacca gurgled a greeting, clearly enraptured in his task.
"Chewie, I have to tell you something. Do you have a moment to spare?" Rey felt nervous; her stomach bubbled and churned. Her hands fiddled with the trail of sheer cloth off of her tunic.
The Wookiee grunted, stepping into the main corridor of the Falcon.
"Chewie, I— I want to go to Ryloth. There is a relic there that can concentrate the life Force of a spirit. It- it's actually Ben, Han's son, that I want to use the relic on," Rey finished her statement, stammering towards the end.
Chewie's nostrils flared, bellowing out in anger. He growled and paced angrily up and down the corridor.
"I'm sorry Chewie. I know what he did to Han. I— I know he has done unforgivable deeds. But Chewie, he saved me. He used his own life to bring me back from death. Don't be upset with me, please."
He shook his head, snorting and groaning.
"No, he's changed. I can feel good around him. Even more so than before. Believe me, Chewie. If he was still Kylo Ren, I wouldn't be so eager to help him." She wondered how much of that last statement was true. Kylo Ren or Ben Solo, she knew he was a part of her. She did heal him after she stabbed him with her lightsaber before he became good again.
Chewie huffed, still angry, although his anger had dampened somewhat.
"Do you remember him— as a child?" Perhaps this time was as good as any to ask about Ben's childhood.
The furry Wookiee nodded, chortling a series of sounds, his anger nearly disappeared with reminiscing of the happy past.
"Did he now? He was a mischievous little boy, wasn't he?" Rey laughed at Chewie's memories of Ben as a child. "You're fond of him, aren't you? Before all the craziness happened... before Kylo Ren appeared."
Chewie nodded, a depressed croon sounded from deep within his chest.
"I saw his spirit, Chewie. I felt the good around him. He's still Leia and Han's son. We can't leave him trapped in Exegol. He may not deserve peace for all the wrong he has done. But he deserves peace because he has helped us win the war, because he brought me back."
Rey watched his broad shoulders sag, as if he was surrendering to an internal battle. He walked over to her she stood and engulfed her into his arms, towering over her as he embraced her. He grunted with a soothing tone.
He wasn't upset at her at all. He said he understood, though he hated what Kylo Ren had done to Han, he too, loved Ben as a child. He could never truly hate him.
"Thank you, Chewie. For everything. I am so grateful for you," Rey sighed into his fur. The Wookiee, BB-8, and Finn had been her supporting pillars in the past year. Between the emptiness of Ben's Force signature leaving a gaping hole in her soul, to reeling with the task to train more Jedi, they had been there for her every step of the way.
She pulled back and flashed a toothy grin up at Chewie, "Now let's go to Ryloth."
-0-
"You didn't have to come Finn. Poe—," Rey started, feeling guilty that Finn stopped his work for Poe to come along on this trip.
"Poe," Finn interrupted in an admonishing tone. "Can take care of himself. He's surrounded by people who can help him. You, on the other hand, can take care of yourself too. But you're too good to some extent. I don't want anyone taking advantage of you."
"I am not too good," she retorted, somewhat miffed at his assessment of her. "I've handled myself and everyone else just fine in Jakku."
Finn nodded. "Yes, in Jakku. Rey, I'm not trying to be rude by any means. I just think you see the good in people when sometimes, there isn't any."
"I saw good in you," she said defensively.
He hissed and flinched, as if struck by a punch to his gut. "Fair point. I'm sorry, Rey. I just wanted to help."
"Fine," she surrendered the battle. She hated the thought of bring a burden to someone. She understood her friend's concern- but she was not a child. With the Force strong at her side, she could handle herself. But, Finn did make a fair point. She experienced little of the galaxy while she grew up in Jakku. The past year had been eye opening for her. She had learned much from Chewie and her friends. Even from little Temiri, was now waiting for her to patiently return to train him.
Life was just filled with surprises— it kept her on her toes, that's for sure.
They landed on Ryloth just moments ago. Thankfully, the Resistance base at the Ryloth Defense Authority was intact, although a bit dusty and some machinery ransacked when the First Order attacked the base.
Being here brought a wave of nostalgia to Rey. Leia was still training her at the time they found refuge in this cave. The older woman's blinding courage and wisdom had inspired her to fight for the light as much as she did. Leia had trained her to follow the light, to fight for those who can't defend themselves. To be the resistance against corrupt, the light in the darkness. She will not let her teacher down. She will free her son's spirit, no matter how arduous the task.
"So, do you have an idea where we should be looking?" Finn broke her out of her thoughts.
She shook her head, "No. All I know is that there is a man by the name Janthir, and he was a Moff in the old Galactic Empire. He had stolen a ship with the relics and fled here, to Ryloth."
"So, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack. Alright, where do we begin?" He shook his arms, and loosened his shoulders, ready to tackle the seemingly problematic scenario before them.
BB-8 rolled up besides Rey, gesturing to the metal portal towards the jungle outside.
"Well, BB-8 said there's a cantina not far from this base, maybe we should start there," Rey suggested. Witb no leads, a public establishment worked best.
Rey, Finn, Chewie and BB-8 exited the base and stepped into the humid jungles of Ryloth. The warm, thick air was heavy, making it harder to breath deeply. The jungles of this planet differed from their base in D'Qar. The ground vegetation grew thicker, wilder. The trees above twisted in multiple directions, long spiny vines wound around the trees, from the trunk up to the canopies.
It was strangely quiet. They had yet to see any natives around. Chewie grew anxious, beginning to question BB-8's sense of direction.
"Yes, BB-8. How did you know that there was a cantina off of the cave base?" Finn asked, somewhat concerned with the droids source of information.
BB-8 beeped defensively. And whirled forward at a faster speed, ignoring the bumps and dips of the forest floor.
"Wait for us BB-8!" Rey called out, hurrying after the spherical droid. Just ahead, she spotted BB-8, and sighed. "BB-8, you can't run ahead of... us..." she stilled in her steps, her words fading from her lips.
"Oh sh—," Finn exclaimed behind her, finally breaking into the small clearing. His hand flew to his blaster at his hip. "Rey," he warned. Chewie hollered an agreement, his bowcaster ready to fire.
Before the group stood what seemed like an army of Twi'leks, male and female of varying blues and greens aiming their blasters at them.
"We don't want any trouble! We're just passing through!" Finn called out behind Rey.
Rey stepped forward, shielding BB-8 with her body. "We're just looking for someone. Please," she pleaded, holding her empty hands up placidly.
"Who?" One of the older, darker blue hued males barked, his blaster aimed steadily at her, unconvinced.
An unease set upon her. She had a feeling no amount of reasoning would stop the Twi'leks from firing on them. Steady her arms to her sides, she spoke with resolve, unwavering. "We just want to talk someone. He should be an old man now. A human male by the name of Janth-" before Rey could finish, the male Twi'lek fired his blaster, aiming directly at her heart.
A surge of power coursed through her veins like lightning. Her right arm shot up in front of her, sprawling her fingers apart and grounding her legs into the floor, she willed the plasma bolt to a stop a few feet in front of her.
"Fire!" A shriek echoed through the tension. A fire fight from both sides ensured.
She dived onto the ground, barely avoiding the onslaught of plasma bolts firing towards her and her friends. Thankfully, they were able to take fire before the Twi'leks bombarded them. The sheer number of bolts attacking her friends made it difficult for then to return fire. It was a massacre.
"No! Stop!" Rey demanded, jumping in front of the treeline that protected her friends. With a slow breath, she willed the Force to her. Everything slowed around her, as if time itself was on her side. Concentrating her power, she let the power of the Force overtake her. She lifted both her arms, her fingers spread.
Focusing her sight on the dozens plasma bolts, she willed them to stop. Time returned to normal around them. "I said, stop!" She hissed, her brows furrowed with anger. With a sweep of her left arm, the frozen plasma bolts were let loose to the left of her, blasting into the canopy.
"Wait, no! Stop! That's the last Jedi!" A young female Twi'lek burst through the front ranks, her eyes wide and eager. She ran towards Rey, ignoring the concerned cries of her fellows. Her pastel green skin glistened with sweat, her clothes were tattered and worn, though her eyes... her eyes were hopeful.
"My name is Anh'rai. And I know why you're here," the little Twi'lek girl whispered with admiration. She entwined her little fingers around Rey's, cover her other green hand over hers. Her bright blue eyes were gleaming with anticipation.
"Rey Skywalker, you're here to liberate us, aren't you?"
.
.
Now we're getting somewhere! I promise there's a reason why I'm detouring from Ben's storyline for a bit. I just feel like the character of Rey is a freedom fighter, putting the needs of others before herself.
And truthfully, it's no fun if Ben gets freed in a chapter or two. Lol
Thanks for reading! Please review and/or follow!