CHAPTER 18

On board the Millennium Falcon:

"Are you sure this thing works?"

"Stop panicking, Finn!"

But Rose had to admit that she was not very reassured either. She was now regretting putting Kylo Ren out of commission before he could explain how to use the cloaking device. The energy field generated by the object was nothing more than a portable version of the Haven base shield that had allowed them to fool the lookout droids' detectors. Fastening it on the outside shell of the ship had therefore made sense to them.

"And what if we lose it in hyperspace? Or when we land?"

"That's enough, Finn!" Rose shouted. "Just before going back to sub-light speed, activate the command and we should become invisible. Then we stick to the plan: get down to the surface of Naboo with no one the wiser, go to the coordinates sent by Leia, and once there we get in touch with Beccar Dugg."

"You make it sound like child's play!" Finn grumbled. "And what if there's a problem? What if, when we exit hyperspace, we find ourselves totally exposed in the middle of Hux's armada? They'll think they've won the jackpot! How long is this thing supposed to cloak us on enemy radars?"

"Kylo Ren said it depends on the size of the ship …"

The young man still looked unconvinced. "Honestly, Rose, I have a bad feeling about that. And what has Rey been doing with him this whole time?"

"Finn, let her breathe a little, OK?" Rose sighed.

But the former stormtrooper scowled once more.

"I'm sorry, you're asking too much of me! And I thought you would be on my side on this one! All this guy wants is to be rid of us! Rey believes he'll help us without complaining, but she's wrong. You said yourself that he was ready to leave with the shuttle on Berith!"

"Yes, that was his intention…"

Finn glanced questioningly at his girlfriend, who seemed lost in her thoughts ever since they had taken off.

"Rose ... What is it? Did he tell you something when you were both alone? Did he threaten you? If that bastard did anything to you, I swear …"

"No Finn, stop it. He didn't do anything to me. It's just…"

"Just what?" Finn asked, more and more intrigued.

"Kylo Ren will help us, that's all."

Finn let out a half-amused, half-disenchanted hiccup. He had absolutely no faith in what she had just said. "And since when do you trust Kylo Ren?"

The young woman took a deep breath and turned to face him.

"He will help us because he's in love with Rey."

Finn's jaw dropped and he was looking at her now in shock, as if he had just been hit again by good old Phasma.

OoooooO

Ben was lying in the bunk of the common room. His black locks covered his eyes, and his chest was rising and falling at the slow pace of his breathing.

Rey stood in the doorway for a few seconds and then walked silently across the room to sit next to him. He was still unconscious but she was not worried. She took a moment to contemplate once more his dark, atypical beauty. Now, every time she looked at him, she thought back to their passionate kiss aboard the Falcon. She could no longer be objective — her feelings for him were stronger than ever. She was already panicking that he might leave her. She had no idea what she would do if he decided to flee again. She hoped he wouldn't be too angry with Rose and her when he woke up. He certainly wasn't going to be happy when he learned that they were on their way to Naboo to try to save Maz and the queen. He might react violently, but she could be wrong. Ben had changed so much in four months. Rey knew he had let the Light come back in little by little, and she couldn't be happier.

She reached out her hand and brushed his hair off his face with a soft gesture. Her forefinger slid gently down his scar and lingered on each of his moles as her thumb traced the outline of his full lips, and she remembered how good it had been when their two bodies had been pressed together passionately. She also imagined how much better it would be without any clothes on them and she blushed.

She wanted him. She was not ashamed of it anymore.

Her hand went up again and she left her palm pressed against his forehead. Curious, she wanted to try something. She closed her eyes and cast her mind toward his. Her intention was not to force her way in, as he had done with her on Starkiller. She just wanted to see if it was possible to make contact while he was unconscious, and maybe even try to wake him up. But she ran into the closed door of his spirit.

She understood then why Ben had waited for her to awaken in the interrogation room of the icy planet before he tried to force his way into her head.

She removed her hand and let out a sigh.

Their situation was so complicated. She was leading her friends in a risky undertaking and, of course, Finn and Rose were ready to follow her unconditionally. But Ben had not asked for any of this. She knew very well that he had only one desire: to run away as far as possible from the First Order, from the Resistance, which meant from her too ...

Suddenly, she felt the irresistible urge to kiss him. She leaned over slowly and tasted his lips. They were so warm, so soft ... She made the pleasure last and took the opportunity to engrave this delicious moment in her memory. But soon she felt Ben's body quivering against hers. He grabbed her waist and opened his eyes while she was half lying on him. By reflex, he pushed her back and straightened up abruptly.

"What happened?" he asked, disoriented.

"Please, stay calm. Everything is fine. You started screaming earlier and Rose freaked out. She knocked you out with her electric prod."

Ben remained frozen for a few seconds before returning to sit next to Rey and pass his hand through his hair. He could still feel the imprint of Rey's lips on his mouth and the smell of warm sand floating in the air. But very soon he remembered the conversation in the cockpit and cast a furious and resigned look at her.

"I guess we're on our way to Arbra?"

"You guess wrong. We're going on Naboo."

Ben went from anger to incomprehension when she told him she was planning to rescue Maz and Megarana with the help of Finn, Rose, C-3PO and R2-D2.

"It's madness ..." he grumbled.

"I'm not letting Maz down. Not after all she did for me."

"Rey, Naboo is currently occupied by Hux's troops! You have no chance of landing without being detected!"

"We can succeed thanks to your cloaking device and… if you help us."

The young woman then explained her plan to him. Before Poe interrupted them, Leia had sent them the coordinates of the secret Gungan base in which the refugees were hidden. They would go there and consult with the people in charge about the possibility of breaking into the palace.

"I need you, Ben. Please," she begged.

But the tall, dark man just continued staring at the control panel in front of him thoughtfully. Rey knew that she had to convince him — it was vital.

"Why did my mother send us these coordinates?"

Rey couldn't repress a smile.

"She knows me well. She knows I won't stand by while Maz is in the hands of Hux."

"So Dameron and the other rebels are not aware of what you're going to do?"

"Unless Leia has decided to tell them, no, I don't think so."

"So let me sum up the situation. No reinforcement. Just the four of us, two droids plus a few survivors, huddled like rats in a zone controlled by the First Order's army. And you want to find those rebels and ask them to help you to break into the palace. With your plan, we have at least a ninety percent chance of being captured or killed. Are your friends OK with that?"

Their eyes met and Rey nodded.

"What makes you think that I'm going to accept?" he added.

He had asked the question with a hint of defiance in his voice, but the young woman had no desire to play his game. She knew deep down in her heart that he had changed, that he was no longer the ruthless and cruel Kylo Ren.

"Because I'm asking you to …" she whispered, holding her breath.

Because I cannot bear to lose you again ...

Ben's eyes started to shimmer and she wondered if she had thought too loudly. Rey felt that he was weighing the pros and cons, that his reason was trying to take precedence over his desire to say yes.

"We make planetfall in a short time, right? So, do I really have a choice? But I think you've forgotten one tiny detail. Your friend Finn hates me: he will be happy to shoot me in the back as soon as he gets the chance. And if he doesn't, the other rebels on Naboo will do it for him. I am far from being welcome in the Resistance…"

"Don't worry about Finn. And I don't think the other rebels have ever had the opportunity to see you without your mask, have they? They won't be able to recognize you."

The scavenger felt that the game was almost won. So she insisted.

"I just want to save them, Ben, and take them to a safer place."

"On Arbra…" he sighed.

Of course she was planning to return to Arbra. But she knew that could only be without Ben. A wave of sadness swept over her and she tried as best she could to keep an impassive expression in front of him.

"You have my word that once Maz and Megarana are released, we will drop you on the planet of your choice before going back to Haven."

She had said these words bluntly, yet she struggled to suppress the urge to cry that rose up her throat. Ben seemed disappointed too. But, against all odds, he announced:

"If I have your word, then OK. I'll help you."

The weight on Rey's chest suddenly lifted, and without even thinking, she rushed forward and kissed him. Ben welcomed her embrace with astonishment. But soon, his tongue mingled with hers and he groaned against her mouth. When they ran out of oxygen, they parted reluctantly and Rey, still panting, put both hands on either side of Ben's face.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking him straight in the eyes.

As with every time they touched each other, the atmosphere was electric. Ben's brown eyes were shining with desire and pleading with her wordlessly. The force emanating from him enveloped her all over and she heard the words flow in her mind like water:

I cannot stand to lose you either ...

Rey felt her body and heart melt again, and she shivered as Ben's hands descended slowly from her shoulders along her arms. She was attracted to him like a magnet, and it was becoming harder and harder to give up the touch of his skin on hers, to stay deaf to the call of her senses. But unfortunately she had to do just that, because they had no time right now to explore what lay between them. They would reach Naboo soon, and she had to ask him one last thing.

"Ben, if we have to go there, I have to learn to hide my aura so that Viri Pax does not detect my presence. Would you show me how to do that?"

Leia's son then smiled. "Finally, I've succeeded."

"Succeeded at doing what? Rey asked.

"Becoming your teacher."

OoooooO

Rose tugged at the controller in front of her and shouted to Finn.

"Now!"

The former stormtrooper pressed the square remote control. At the same time, the Falcon finally emerged from hyperspace, surrounded by two huge destroyers of the First Order, a siege dreadnought and two light cruisers. Scanners were just a formality: the entire planet was surrounded by enemy ships.

The two young people held their breath. The cloaking device had better be effective, or they were dead.

Ben and Rey burst into the cockpit, and Finn's icy look went from one to the other before settling once again on Hux's armada just in front of them. They were standing behind the cockpit seats, too busy contemplating the spectacle of the well-aligned First Order war machines to notice the dark expression on Finn's face.

He still couldn't believe what Rose had revealed to him a few minutes earlier.

Kylo Ren had feelings for Rey. It was impossible ...

"It's working. They didn't spot us," Rey rejoiced.

"Yeah well, let's get out of here!" Rose hastened to push the engines as hard as she could to reach the surface of the green and blue planet.

OooooO

Base Haven- Planet Arbra :

Poe Dameron arrived at Leia's door. He stared at the metal wall for a long moment and began to think about what had happened a few hours earlier.

He was so sorry that things had come to this point. Leia was the one who had kept the Resistance together all these years. Her strength, her tenacity, her sense of sacrifice ... She was the soul of the Rebellion. She had always been.

But deep inside him, today, Poe was sure he was right. Leia was too personally involved to make the decisions now that her son had left the First Order. Kylo Ren remained a threat, perhaps an even bigger one than Hux or Elias. Leia's son was a monster. Spending four months isolated on a forgotten planet in the far reaches of the galaxy couldn't change this state of affairs.

Poe took a deep breath and finally announced himself by giving three small raps against the door. In her clear and strong voice, the princess invited him to enter. Once in the center of the room, the pilot saw she was sitting at her desk and cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Come on Poe, say what you have to say."

She was quietly consulting her datapad. There was not an ounce of anger in her voice, and the pilot felt all the more embarrassed.

"Leia, I don't want to stay in conflict with you. We all need you here, and you cannot imagine how hard it was to do what I did. You know very well how much I appreciate you. There's no one more loyal or dedicated to the cause than you. But please, you must realize that it's difficult for any of us to believe that redemption is possible for your son."

The older woman took the time to close all the files on the screen one by one before finally raising her chin to him.

Leia Organa, pillar of the Resistance, had regained that glimmer in her eye announcing that her determination was still intact, and that it would take more than a small setback to make her give up the fight.

"I would do it again without hesitation, Poe. I'm truly sorry if I made you all feel that I was untrustworthy. But I guessed right. If I had exposed our plan to you, you would never have let her go."

"Probably not," the pilot retorted, looking down.

"You and I are both too stubborn for our own good. And I am so very fond of you," Leia added.

Poe raised his head, unable to hide his emotions any longer. It was the first time he had heard the general acknowledge her affection for him.

"Leia, I'm sorry, I…" he stammered.

"You are not only a brilliant pilot, Poe, but you also have the makings of a great leader. I always knew it. I could not have dreamed of a better successor to keep the spark alive in the hearts of all these people. My son has done horrible things, and I don't know if I can ever forgive him for Han's death and Luke's sacrifice ... But no matter what you think about it, Luke, Han, and I also have our share of responsibility for allowing Snoke to come in and corrupt him. We made mistakes ... terrible mistakes. And you're right: even though I have devoted my entire life to the cause, to fighting everything that the First Order represents, I am still his mother. I want to believe that he can be brought back on the right side. Please, Poe, keep hope with me."

The general smiled and Poe's heart sank.

"Alert! Alert! An unknown ship has just entered the atmosphere of the planet and is heading towards us!"

Kaydel's voice echoed through the intercom, and Poe and Leia exchanged a stunned look before leaving the room to reach the command post.

OoooooO

Planet Naboo

The Falcon landed among the trees, disturbing the tranquility of hundreds of birds. The small clearing was near a large, peaceful lake under which the Gungan shelter village was hidden. Theed was a few miles to the south. The First Order's army had established its headquarters in the capital and taken over the spaceport. From the cockpit, the rebels had seen that mobile bases had also been installed around the main cities of the continent. A huge number of AT-M6 armored vehicles and quadripods, as well as squadrons of troopers, were patrolling the Nabooan countryside. But Ben's device allowed them to reach their destination without any problems. Moreover, they had almost been hit by a flotilla of TIE fighters as they passed over the palace to make a first a first reconnaissance of the area. Getting into this place would be extremely complicated, but Rey understood now why all the merchants and travelers passing through Jakku had said that Naboo was one of the most beautiful planets in the galaxy.

The Falcon ramp lowered and the scavenger got off first. She had asked C-3PO and R2-D2 to stay in the ship and warn them via their comlink if Hux's soldiers came a little too close to where they were stationed. The cloaking device would scramble the radar and make it invisible for some time but it would not last forever. They had to hurry up.

Finn pointed to the shore of the lake they could barely see between the broad trunks and the thick vegetation. "Is it here?"

"Yes, let's go," Rey said, tightening her hold on her staff and checking once more that her brooch was still hung under the fold of her tunic.

She exchanged a knowing glance with Ben, and he followed her. He had put on a dark jacket in which he had concealed his lightsaber. Finn and Rose were simply armed with blasters. They moved cautiously between the bushes and the falling branches, their eyes sharp and ready to respond to the slightest threat.

They emerged on a bank facing an expanse of deep blue water reflecting the massive silhouettes of the mountains all around.

As Rose took a few steps to get close to the edge, Ben's whole body tightened. "I feel that there is …" He stopped in the middle of his sentence when a multitude of small bright red dots appeared on Rose's back and chest, and they heard a series of rattling sounds. They were surrounded by blasters ready to fire.

Ben tried to quietly reach the inside pocket of his jacket, but Rey shook her head to beg him to stop. She dropped her staff on the floor, raised her hands and Finn and Rose did the same. When she gave Ben a new glare, he finally decided to raise his hands too.

Suddenly, a strange creature with huge, dangling ears emerged from behind a large rock and cautiously advanced in their direction. Two globular yellow eyes at the top of a beak-shaped elongated face were staring at them with curiosity.

"Who-sa are yous?" he asked, aiming at them one by one with his laser rifle.

In their turn, two individuals of the same species, as well as four men, heavily armed, emerged from the forest. They weren't wearing uniforms. Rey relaxed when she realized that they were part of the survivors.

"Don't fire! We're members of the Resistance!" she exclaimed.

The group surrounding them lowered their weapons. The Gungan creature introduced itself as Ferr Cox. With his team, he was inspecting the lake's surroundings daily to be sure that the shelter had not been discovered. Rey explained how they had found them, and asked if they could be led to King Miggi Tan.

"All-n yous follow us." The Gungan headed for the sparkling, silver-glinted waters of the lake.

OooooO

Surrounded by darkness, Rey had the uncomfortable sensation once again of diving into the abyss at Ahch-To. Clinging to Ben, her staff firmly attached to her back, she focused on her breathing made possible by the small device she had wedged between her teeth, and the throbbing sound of the seascooter pulling them to the depths. But soon, she saw a multitude of small spheres floating in the heart of the lake. It was an underwater village, and Rey could only be amazed by the particular architecture of the houses and spans connecting them to each other. Each compartment was inserted into a root structure made of carved columns with delicate curves, and Rey marveled at so much beauty.

They finally arrived in front of the translucent membrane at the base of one of the hydrostatic bubbles. Ferr Cox pushed them in, and the scavenger was finally able to set foot on firm ground again. She was surprised to find herself completely dry. By what miracle were her hair and clothes no longer wet?

"Unbelievable!" Rose exclaimed in turn. "The whole frame is organic!"

The technician, as fascinated as Rey, was expertly scrutinizing every detail of these unusual constructions.

"Come and follow mesa," Ferr Cox said. "Yousas going to meet Boss Miggi Tan and others refugees."

They took one of the bridges leading to the center of the small city. About three hundred people had escaped the takeover of the First Order, mostly citizens of Theed, but also some from Otoh Gunga. Along the way, many inhabitants carrying food or equipment stared at them in amazement, delight, or imploring. Ben was miles away from being serene. His face was closed and his jaw was tight. He was following Ferr Cox without looking around at the Gungans and Naboo who were whispering as he passed. He looked to Rey for support, and the young woman gave him a nod to reassure him. As they approached the bubble where King Miggi Tan, his emissary, and the Naboo council members were waiting for them, the crowd became more compact.

Curious people were beginning to invade the bridge. "Move aside!" a Naboo soldier ordered.

Suddenly, a little girl came and stood in the middle of the walkway just in front of Rey. She was holding a rag doll against her heart.

The young woman gave her a big smile. "Hello."

Then the child looked at her from head to toe and exclaimed:

"Are all Jedi as pretty as you?"

Rey heard Finn and Rose giggle behind her, and the crowd opened to let someone pass. "Sorry ... Excuse me ... Thank you, thank you. Pameline, here you are! I told you to stay close to me!"

Rey froze immediately when, just in front of her, there emerged the old woman from her dream, wearing the same beige dress and white braid.

OooooO

Base Haven- Planet Arbra

Poe and Leia arrived together on the tarmac. The defensive turrets were armed and about thirty resistance fighters were waiting in front of the hangar, ready to fire on the PB-950 patrol ship which was landing in front of them. When it touched the ground in a cloud of dust and smoke, the tension rose a notch in the rebel ranks. Obviously this ship didn't belong to the First Order. But how did its occupants know about a base here?

Poe and Leia exchanged a cautious and worry-filled look as the ramp lowered in a squeak of metal with the hiss of the hydraulic compressors.

All gazes and laser guns were aimed at those who were about to come out. Against all odds, one man slowly descended the bridge, looking pleased and confident.

"Well! What a welcome committee!" he bragged before taking a look at the scene.

Poe left Leia, crossed the row of rebels, and cautiously walked toward him. At first sight, this man was not armed, and the pilot had the vague impression of knowing him. He was wearing a blue cape-coat, an impeccably trimmed mustache, and purple velvet gloves.

"Ah! You must be Poe! Nice to finally meet you!" Then Leia approached with an expression of total surprise on her face. "Oh, and here's the most beautiful woman in the galaxy."

"Lando? What are you doing here, you scoundrel?" she exclaimed, dumbfounded, before coming to snuggle into the arms of her old friend.

"I'm coming to help you, Princess," retorted the old smuggler, embracing the princess tenderly. "And to present you my condolences ... For Han. I know he wouldn't want me to feel sorry for him, but I will miss that damn rascal so much."

Lando pressed his lips into a thin line, and when Leia raised her head, he caressed her cheek affectionately.

"You're right. Best not to lament what we cannot change," she retorted, her eyes suddenly a little too wet. "Let me introduce you to Poe Dameron," she added quickly, pointing to the pilot. "He's the one in charge here now."

Poe shook Lando's hand with enthusiasm.

"Nice to meet you."

Leia's old friend cast a mocking look in her direction.

"I never thought you'd hand over the reins one day, Princess …"

"I'm making way for the younger generation, Lando," Leia smiled back.

The former smuggler then signaled to his men to disembark, and a dozen fellows got off the ship. Two of them were dragging an unshaven handcuffed stranger, who was squirming and moaning listlessly. One of the sleeves of his too-large jacket was ripped, and his worn, filthy hat sat crooked on his head.

"We found our new friend here on Chazwa. I think you'll be thrilled to meet him too," Lando announced.

Once the man was in front of him, Poe noticed the big amber ring he was wearing. Rose and Finn had told him about this famous piece of jewelry, and more particularly about its owner, who was the worst scum in the galaxy.

"You…. you're the hacker," Poe whispered, incredulous.

This man had sold them out to the First Order. Because of him, the majority of the Resistance shuttles had been destroyed before reaching Crait.

The ragged man then flashed a contrite smile and shrugged, raising his shackled hands in front of him as if expecting a beating from the pilot.

"I know what I d…d…d…did was very bad," he stuttered. "But m…m…m… maybe I can find a way to be forgiven?"

OooooO

Gungan Refuge - Planet Naboo

"You were right, they didn't recognize me."

Ben had joined the young woman who was now standing a little apart in the room. She was staring at a fluorescent batrachian who was swimming peacefully on the other side of the transparent wall.

The meeting with Boss Miggi Tan, Beccar Dugg and the remaining members of the Naboo Council had gone well. They were willing to help them and put all of their meager resources at the disposal of Rey to try to save Maz and Queen Megarana - even though they agreed that the venture was risky or downright impossible. A pleasant surprise was learning that one of the Queen's maids had stayed in the palace as an informant for the rebels. She was contacting them regularly to keep them informed of Hux's actions and could help them once there.

It was now necessary to develop a solid strategy to break into the palace without being caught. For Rey or Rose it would not be too much trouble. They could easily disguise themselves as maids so that they could move inside the building without being disturbed if they were careful. For Finn and Ben, on the other hand, there were no options. Each trooper of the First Order must have memorized the face of the traitor FN-2187, and Ben, built like a wampa, would hardly pass unnoticed.

But that was not what was upsetting the young woman right then.

"You seemed distracted during the meeting," Ben asked. "What's happening?"

Rey sighed before deciding to tell him everything about the old woman who had appeared in her dream and whom she had seen in the flesh a few minutes earlier on the bridge.

"It was her, Ben. How is it possible? On the Falcon, could I have had a new vision of the future? Do I have to find her and talk to her? Maybe she knows something …"

Ben approached her and was about to put a hand on her cheek when Rose and Finn's voices rose behind them. He immediately took a step back and rolled his eyes angrily.

"We were given quarters to rest a bit," Finn announced. "I think it's been twenty-four hours since I slept. Rey, you should sleep a little, too," the rebel added, glaring at Leia's son. "You look tired."

Finn was right, she was exhausted. This unexpected encounter had deeply troubled her. Exactly as in her dream, the old woman had stared at her brooch and then at her face with dismay. She had not had time to ask Ferr Cox anything before the grandmother had disappeared into the midst of the crowd, pulling the little girl by the arm. Rey was convinced this woman was the key to her past. She had to find her and have a little conversation with her.

A young Gungan came to meet them and lead them to the lower floors. There, other bridges served smaller bubbles acting as dormitories. Each compartment, more spacious than it seemed from the outside, was furnished with two small beds, a table, chairs and a shower room. Of course, through the transparent wall of the sphere, one could still admire the ballet of fish and the mysterious shadows of the picturesque creatures inhabiting the depths of the lake.

There were two rooms. They were four.

After rough negotiations, Rey decided to take the first, of course, with Ben, while Rose and Finn would share the second. Finn protested, cursing the fact that she was about to be in a closed space with a murderer and that she was wrong to always trust him. But he capitulated when Rose offered to take Rey's place.

Now alone in their underwater cocoons, Rey went to put her staff against the little table and dropped heavily onto one of the beds. In the neighboring bubble, Finn and Rose were also taking possession of the place. The transparent walls offered no privacy.

Ben saw Rose stand in front of a small lighted panel mounted onto one of the pillars and start to tap on it. Suddenly, the entire surface of their bubble opacified.

Ben went to the door of their room and did the same. The translucent membrane all around them began to vibrate and the indicator light on the panel turned green.

Interesting. They seemed to have become invisible from the outside, but they could still admire the underwater landscape.

He then sat down next to Rey, and the poor little bed bent a little under the weight of his colossal body.

"Why don't you try to talk to this woman?" he suggested. "It shouldn't be very difficult to find her in a place like this."

Rey didn't take her eyes off the sculpted ceiling, and she forced herself to focus her attention on the plasma channels converging at the apex of the sphere.

"Rey, what are you afraid of?"

Ben's deep voice ruined her plan to evade the question.

The young woman got up and sat down next to him, but was unable to look at anything but her feet.

Yes, what was she afraid of? She had been waiting four months for this moment. For four months, she'd been dying to discover the truth about her family. Just learning what had happened to her father and mother wasn't enough for her. She had so many more questions now. Where were they born? Where did this brooch come from? And especially, why Naboo?

And now, here she was. Maybe now she had the opportunity to get some answers.

But all of a sudden, something was holding her back. What if what she discovered was worse than what she had learned about Jakku? What if she ended up with parents still alive somewhere in the galaxy?

After being alone for so long, lost, abandoned ... After meeting Finn, Poe, Leia and Rose ... After finding a family, a family she had chosen, a family she loved from the bottom of her heart ... How would she react if she learned that someone sharing the same blood was waiting for her out there? If she learned that finally, she was someone?

OooooO

A group of women was sorting and storing food stocks when Rey stepped through the doorway. She did not want to rush things and was not sure how to approach the old woman sitting quietly on the small bench.

Ben had been right: it hadn't been difficult to find her. She had closed her eyes and extended her perception of sounds, colors, smells, tiny changes in the air all around her. She had first perceived Ben's aura. It was an incandescent tornado impossible to ignore, so close, so attractive, a hotbed of energy surrounded by a multitude of other presences - the survivors. So she'd breathed, as Luke had taught her, and had followed the Force current that had dragged her inexorably toward the one she was looking for.

The gnarled but still agile fingers of the octogenarian were braiding the soft fibers of reeds that must have been collected on the banks of the lake. Rey saw, close to her, several finished baskets containing grain and dried fruit. The scavenger advanced into the dim light of the bubble and the grandmother finally looked up at her. Then, as if responding to the call of a mysterious signal, the workers left the room one after another to leave the two women alone face to face. Rey was surprised and began to apologize.

"I'm sorry, I did not want to …"

The old woman interrupted her in a soft, gentle voice.

"My name is Isbé."

As Rey struggled to find the words to answer, she went on:

"And you are the young woman that everyone is talking about. The one who killed Snoke and faced Kylo Ren. The one who found Luke Skywalker and saved the Resistance on Crait. You are also Tark's daughter. And you've come mostly to ask me how and why I know your father's name, haven't you?"

"It's because of the jewel, isn't it? You've seen it before."

"Even without your brooch I would have guessed who you were. You look so much like her that it's troubling."

"Troubling to whom?"

The wrinkled lips of the old woman were now strained with a sad smile.

"To your grandmother. Tark's mother."

Rey's knees gave way suddenly, and she found herself sitting next to Isbé on the bench.

"Oh don't worry, I'll tell you everything. I think you have the right to know after all. You seem to have been searching for these answers for too long."

Rey nodded silently, and her heart began beating wildly. The old woman continued her weaving and started her story:

"Your grandmother's name was Nalea. Her mother, Ryaki, and mine, were friends, and both worked at the palace, serving King Veruna. Unfortunately when Ryaki gave birth, there were complications and she didn't survive. My parents decided to adopt Nalea and we were raised as sisters. We were the same age and growing up, we became inseparable. When the Clone Wars spelled the end for the Galactic Republic, Nalea and I were fifteen years old. My mother had found us a maid's place at the court of Queen Jamillia. It was at this time that Nalea discovered that she had certain… abilities.

Rey stared at her with wide eyes.

"The Force?"

The old woman nodded.

"She was able to move objects without touching them. She said she could feel things, vibrations, the energy of living beings all around her. She sometimes had dreams of events which later happened. So she was scared. She knew very well what all that meant: she was sensitive to the Force. During our childhood in the palace, we had many opportunities to rub shoulders with Jedi masters. She feared that they would come and take her into one of those padawan academies …"

Isbé let out a small laugh before continuing:

"I tried to reassure her that she was too old for that. That Padawans were recruited and trained only as children. And more, that she was too lazy and stubborn to make a good Jedi."

The anecdote made Rey smile and the atmosphere relaxed a little.

"Queen Neeyutnee then succeeded Jamillia and Nalea was chosen to be her decoy, to take her place during events and public ceremonies …"

The scavenger remembered all the details of her dream clearly and precisely: the beautiful woman with a painted face, her sumptuous outfit and her hand extended towards her, calling her "my child."

"And then, one day, she met a pilot at a gala held in the palace. His name was Korin. He was very attractive and kind. They fell in love and got married. A few years later, she gave birth to your father, Tark."

Rey was listening attentively. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly assembling themselves.

"The Empire controlled everything for about ten years. The Jedi purge was going on all over the galaxy and Nalea was scared, afraid of them finding out she had powers. She was afraid that her son had inherited her gift. And she was right to be. When he was four years old, your grandparents discovered that your father had skills too. They didn't know what to do. Then my mother got sick and the night she died, Nalea decided to leave Naboo with Korin and their child. My heart broke that day, and hers too. But she had no choice. I never saw them again."

Listening to Isbé relating her story, Rey had unknowingly put her hand on the brooch affixed to her chest. The old woman noticed this and added:

"This jewel is the only thing your grandmother Nalea kept from her biological mother. Nalea's father had given it to Ryaki, before he knew she was pregnant."

Rey felt slightly dizzy with all these revelations. Her parents, Tark and Iona, her paternal grandparents, Nalea and Korin, her great-grandmother Ryaki… All these names that were unfamiliar to her and that she should have cherished since childhood were swirling in her head. She suddenly felt like she was losing ground.

"It's a royal jewel," she said haltingly. "You said Ryaki was in the service of King Veruna. Does that mean that ... that he was …" The young woman was struggling to formulate her question. She decided to go straight to the point. "Who was Nalea's father? Tell me."

Isbé lowered her head sharply and one of the reed stalks escaped her fingers as her hands began to shake. She couldn't go back now. Rey had to know everything.

"Someone who was, at that time, serving the king too, and who had the right, because of his position in the court, to wear that kind of jewel. Someone who seduced Ryaki, promising her a wonderful life, and then abandoned her when he was not interested in her anymore . Someone she caught plotting against her sovereign, and from whom she had to hide her pregnancy and the birth of her daughter. My mother finally revealed everything to Nalea on her deathbed. I was there. I discovered with her who her father was. That night, we finally understood a great many things, most of all that she had to flee Naboo and hide far away, where nobody would come to find her. Especially not him …"

"Who was my great-grandfather?" Rey insisted, her eyes now close to tears.

"At the time, he was only a Senator. Then he became Emperor …"

Rey froze in horror.

"Your great-grandfather was Sheev Palpatine."