Chapter 2: Nine Months After Exogol

In a broad conference room in one of the finest high-rises on Chandrila, Poe Dameron tested the microphone at the podium, surveying the crowd around him.

After their victory, the Resistance had moved their base of operations to Chandrila, to begin to process of erecting a functioning government that would be known as the Final Republic. Their organization itself was in the process of being modified into the Constubulary, a voluntary police force that would keep the peace throughout the worlds of the galaxy who wished to join the new, democratic regime.

"OK... first item today..." Poe began as the room quieted down. "Oh, yeah: has everyone picked a scouting buddy?"

"I didn't know we were supposed to have one already!" Jannah Calrissian cried.

"Do we have to hold hands?" Beaumont Kin drawled with mockery, to snickers.

"Oh, right, you guys think this is a big joke!" Poe scolded. "We have been sitting on our laurels, but we've still had First Order remnants tracking our patrol movements. I don't want any soldiers left behind! A scouting buddy: if you don't have one, get one!"

The Co-General turned back to his notes. "Second item: Tuesday night's Durasteel Corrosion Awareness Meeting was, I think, a big success, and we want to thank our Technician-in-Residence, Rose Tico, for putting that on for us. Thank you, Lieutenant Tico!"

"You're welcome!" Rose called from the back.

"Next up - black marketing dealings... as if I need to say it again: the illegal purchasing of any contraband items from nomadic Jawas is strictly prohibited." The pilot thought he saw a few credits guiltily change hands.

"Lost and Found: Lieutenant Connix has misplaced a few power converters, so please be on the lookout for those." Squinting at the fine print of his scrawl, Poe tried to conclude as causally as he could, "Oh, yes, and uh, one minor note here: Rey arrived on-world today... so, I -"

"WHAT?!" The entire Resistance had picked up on Poe's mumbling, the meeting dissolving into excited chaos.

"What do you mean Rey arrived on world today?" Wedge Antilles cried. "She's been off the grid for nine months!"

"What's going on with that girl? Did the Jedi isolation finally get to her?" Beaumont demanded.

"Well, obviously, she wanted to have some time alone to study the Force," Poe concluded. "I'm not worried; you shouldn't be worried -"

"Of course Dameron ain't worried!" C'aii Threnalli pushed to the front of the throng, scoffing. "He's been singing that girl's praises ever since Crait!"

"Hey, lay off, Threnalli!" Poe's Co-General, Finn, chided. "If Poe says that Rey is ready to come back, well, kriff it, that's good enough for me! He's never steered us wrong before!"

Out of sight of the dark skinned man, Beaumont made a show of making kissy faces while tapping his butt. "Ha! - Ha!" D-O laughed from next to him.

"Come on, guys, every holiday and on Yuletide and Rey's birthday, we went through this! It was the same questions - where's Rey? Is she alive? No one needs to get their blasters jammed - this is Rey we're talking about. It doesn't matter how much time she's taken for herself. What matters is that we're here for Rey when she needs us - that's what friends are for, right?"

"Well, I hate to break up the staff meeting," Jannah's grin was gleaming, "but look who it is!"

For who should stride into the room right then, cradling some kind of bundle in her arms, was the Jedi hero herself.

"Rey!" The crowd of Resistance fighters rushed to greet her en masse; Poe Dameron might as well have not even been there. The Co-General shrugged, chuckling.

"Uh... meeting adjourned."

The crowd was now peppering Rey with questions.

"Where have you been?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Why weren't you answering any of our holo calls...?"

"No, no, I'm fine, really, honest," Rey smiled weakly, shifting the bundle in her arms towards the light. "It's just that I got a little bit... sidetracked."

A collective and unified gasp went up, people recoiling a little in flabbergasted shock, gaping at the little baby wriggling amidst the blankets. For a moment, no one knew what to say.

"Well, it's very... I've never seen such a striking..." Rose fished for words.

Standing on a chair, a little stable boy by the name of Temiri Blagg wrinkled his nose as he studied the new arrival. His assessment was blunt and delivered without filter.

"It's freaky looking, OK - that's what it is!"

"Temiri!" Rose scolded.

"Well, it is!" the seven-year-old whined. "I mean, what the heck is it, anyway?"

Rey giggled. "It's a baby," and she held up the little infant in front of Temiri. The young boy reached out a hesitant hand, petting the fine little tufts of black hair on the baby's head. "So... are you his mama?"

Blushing, Rey nodded. "Yes... I am."

Eyes wide, the Resistance fighters parted as a dark figure drifted through them, coming closer, his coal-shaded eyes only for Rey. Seeing Finn approach, Temiri smiled nervously.

"Rey's gonna be its mother."

If Finn was as shocked as the rest of his brethren, he didn't show it. Rey just regarded him gently. "Finny: I gave birth to him on Tatooine."

Finn opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, closed it, then swayed back on his heels, brow furrowed in churning thought. Before him, Rey's eyes pleaded.

"He needs me."

"Yeah, but, I... Rey, look at him: he's not our kind." Finn heaved out a breath, shaking his head. "No: you have to give him up."

Rey's expression shattered. "Give him up? But he'll die!"

"If the Force wills that it wants him..." Finn droned with his back to her.

"I want him," Rey countered sharply.

Finn spun back to his best friend. "Rey, I can't allow you to put our family in danger!"

"Does he look dangerous to you?!" Rey challenged, teeth bared.

There was a sudden movement as Finn summoned his blaster from its holster and moved with threatening intent towards mother and child. Standing firm, Rey's lightsaber ignited so that the golden blade pointed mere inches from Finn's face, blocking his blaster from getting a clear shot at the child.

Everyone froze, the tableau of ex-Stormtrooper and Jedi in the center holding a strained detente. Rey glowered.

"Are we really gonna do this again?" she questioned.

At last, Finn lowered his gun, and Rey deactivated her laser sword in kind. Her best friend stared at the floor for a moment. Finally, he willed himself to meet her gaze.

"Is there no other family?"

Rey shook her head. "There's nothing to fear, Finny. Sidious is dead."

"Are you sure?" his brow furrowed.

"Yes," she gasped. "There is no dark threat."

Finn let out something that sounded like a rumble from deep in his throat, a shaky sigh. "Then you may keep him."

Rey beamed gratefully. "Finny, I know he'll be a good nephew -"

"I said he could stay. That doesn't make him my nephew," Finn cut across her darkly. A pause, and then he addressed the room, "We will book rooms here for the night." As the crowd dispersed, he prowled back over to Poe, who had been watching the scene from a distance with an equally wary expression. Rey paid it no mind, as she bounced her baby son in her arms.