It could be a lot worse, Rey reasoned. She slid down the sandy dune on an old sheet of metal. She stood up when the makeshift sled slowed to a stop.
Living on Tatooine was significantly easier than living on Jakku. She didn't have to scrounge through destroyed Star Destroyers for parts that were hardly worth anything. Here, she could easily find food in Tatooine's markets and by hunting womprats in nearby gorges.
Rey shook sand off her boot, slipping into one of the cooler rooms. She heaved a heavy sigh, lowering her pack to the ground. She had cleared out most of the sand from this one room, making it her makeshift living area. There was too much sand elsewhere. And truthfully, Rey didn't want to spend precious time clearing out the sand.
She sat on the pile of blankets she had found and cleaned. They served as her bed in the farthest corner away from the entrance. It was cooler back there and away from prying eyes. Not that Rey had many visitors here on Tatooine.
Rey removed her flask, drinking what little bit of water was left. Even after her time spent with the Resistance with access to nearly limitless amounts of water, the liquid was still a very valuable resource to the former scavenger. She didn't dare waste a single drop, the liquid far too precious on these desert planets.
Rey set her weapon—a lightsaber—next to her. The black metal was cool to the touch, even after spending all day in the sun. She reached for her pack, removing the food she had just purchased in the market. It wasn't much, but it would probably last her the rest of the week. She ate very little of what she had bought, trying to make it last as long as possible.
When night fell, Rey powered on her portable heating generator, drawing the curtains closed that hung by the entrance to her area. She had put them up not long after claiming the abandoned homestead. In the quiet of the night, Rey sat back against the cool wall, closing her eyes. She drew her legs underneath her, clearing her mind.
Meditation always seemed to help calm her down before she fell asleep. Though, lately, it didn't seem to be doing its job. But Rey kept it up nonetheless. And today was no different.
Rey sat still, finding that she was not calm at all. The more she called on the Force in that moment to help calm her, the more frustration and fear she felt.
Rey...
She snapped her eyes open, a gasp tearing itself from her lips. Her blood ran cold and her hair stood on end.
One year.
She hadn't heard his voice for a full year and it tore her heart in half to hear it again.
"Ben..." she whispered in return, tears stinging her eyes. She never thought she'd hear him.
She could almost see his face, that beautiful smile adorning his features. His dark eyes, full of hope and longing, the scar she had given him during their first fight, his hair, dark and thick. Rey bit her lip, feeling a single tear slide down her cheek. Guilt gnawed at her chest.
She blamed herself for his death. There were so many decisions she could have made to prevent Ben from dying. What would have happened if she had chosen to let Teedo take BB-8? Or if she had accepted Ben's offer to teach her on Starkiller Base? Would he still be alive if Rey had taken Ben's hand and ruled the galaxy beside him?
But Rey wasn't like that. She never craved power.
Rey. His voice was weaker now, almost strained.
Rey closed her eyes, her heart beating heavily against her chest. Focusing only on Ben, Rey reached out through the Force, hoping to somehow connect with him again. She had been able to connect to Jedi from the past, including Master Skywalker. But, somehow, trying to connect with Ben again felt much harder than she would have liked.
Ben, it's.. it's been a while. She wasn't sure if he could even hear her. She cracked her eyes open, almost hoping to see Ben's Force-ghost standing before her. But there was nothing but empty space.
I need you. Ben whispered. Please, Rey, I need you.
Before Rey could reply, Ben continued and Rey strained to hear him.
Mortis...
Rey wasn't sure what she was expecting to find. But there was a pull, a tugging in her gut. It was a familiar feeling and she used it to guide her through the uncharted space.
Mortis was located in wild space and Rey found that there were no maps that could direct her there. But there were a few notes Luke left in a journal, describing Mortis. Rey leaned back in her seat, sighing. She was relying heavily on the Force at this point, hoping it would guide her to the planet.
Rey gripped the Millennium Falcon's controls tightly, her knuckles turning white. Her skin prickled with the thought of Ben. Why would he need her help? He was dead. But she wasn't going to just ignore his plea.
Rey's eyes widened when she spotted the black octahedron planet in front of her. Red lines criss-crossed the surface of the planet's surface and for a moment, Rey was reminded of Ben's second mask. It was black and etched with red lines, just like Mortis.
Taking in a deep breath, Rey flew the Falcon closer to the planet, feeling as though something was already trying to draw her ship in. She willingly let it pull her towards the planet.
The landing was rougher than Rey would have liked. She lowered the ramp and descended from the Falcon, eyes taking a moment to glance around the terrain. Mountains and forests covered the landscape and Rey stepped away from the Corellian freighter she had inherited from Han.
A moment of hurt made her heart ache and she pushed it aside. Now was not the time to dwell on that. She had to find Ben. Wherever he was.
Ensuring her lightsaber was clipped to her belt, Rey moved towards a mountain, not sure where she was going. But she knew she was being watched by something unseen. And she didn't like it. It reminded her of living on Jakku when she had to watch out for hidden enemies.
Rey suddenly wished she had a companion. BB-8 would have been most welcome here and Rey started to wonder how Poe and Finn were doing. Last she heard, Generals Finn and Poe were assisting former members of the Resistance on Lothal.
Rey stepped over a fallen trunk, her boots crunching the dirt and gravel beneath her feet. The feeling of being watched had grown stronger. Rey rounded a cluster of trees, disappearing into the foliage.
She ensured her lightsaber was in her hand and waited, watching with anticipation. When a figure appeared, Rey ignited her saber, the yellow blade springing to life.
She swung the lightsaber, pausing it inches from the figure's neck.
"You better answer my questions or you'll be very, very sorry." Rey seethed.