CHAPTER 5
Rey couldn't remember her family. Not really. She knew she had one, but the memories of them were like whiffs of incense on the air. They had no form or substance, and were fleeting. But Rey knew she had one, because she remembered how much it hurt when they were gone.
She'd spent a lifetime on Jakku under the burning sun, picking through the over-picked bones of star destroyers, scraping out a living under Unkar's "care", desperately hoping they would come for her. That's what families did, wasn't it? They wouldn't just abandon her, would they? Families didn't do that.
Under the criss-crossing pastel light of Ahch-To's moons, Rey hugged her knees to her chest, deep in thought. She hardly heard Luke Skywalker speaking on about tides or moon orbits. His voice seemed distant to her. Beginning tomorrow, he explained, the tides would extremely erratic. Each day the tide would get lower, allowing him to enter the deeper levels of the temple. At times, the temple would quickly fill again with a higher tide. By the fifth day, however, the tide would reach its lowest level, and at last the Jedi Master would get the answers he needed.
R2-D2's holoprojector seemed to juggle moons and various speeds.
Rey was silent, still deep in thought. If Luke Skywalker can remember his family by going in the Jedi Temple, she thought, then I could too…
"There's a mural in the second level of the temple that explains all these tides," said the Jedi Master, finishing up. "The ancient Jedi really did build it for just one use in seventy years. Not a problem if you're a Jedi who lives to be nine hundred years old, like Yoda." Luke chuckled.
Rey tried to sound as casual as possible when she said: "You'll probably need help tomorrow. In the temple. I could come with you, hold the light, that kind of thing."
R2-D2's holoprojector shut down sharply, drenching them in darkness, and Chewbacca, the Jedi Master, and even the droid, turned to look at her. His blue eyes seemed to see right through her.
Rey felt a blush rise up her cheeks. She bit it back.
"Well, why not?" she said, defensively. "It sounds like there's a lot of unpredictable tides. It's not safe with just one person."
Luke Skywalker spoke cautiously, as though testing the ground to see if it was quicksand.
"I think...normally that would be a wise decision," he admitted. "But not for a Jedi temple."
"Really?" said Rey, her face hot. "Why not?"
"Well," said Luke, "it's a Jedi temple. For those who are Jedi, or are at least training to be a Jedi. They know how to handle stuff like Force visions. Anyone who isn't ready won't...do...as well…"
He trailed off. Rey had gotten to her feet, probably a little too quickly.
"I'm ready," she said sharply. "I've felt the Force. I felt it guide me the first time I piloted the Falcon!"
"Lady Rey-"
"And-and on the Starkiller Base!" Rey hurried on. "I fought Kylo Ren with your lightsaber! I know the Force helped me then! I can be One with the Force!"
Rey ended breathlessly.
Behind her, R2-D2 gave a long, slow whistle. The Jedi Master in front of her stood unmoving, arms crossed, his face expressionless. He glanced at her fists, which were clenched.
Rey tried to unclench them without Luke noticing.
"You are not trained, Lady Rey," said Luke Skywalker.
"Well, that's true," Rey shot back, "but who would train me?"
"Even if you were-it takes time. It takes years for a Jedi to become prepared enough to-"
"How can what happens in there," Rey cut him off, motioning to the stony peak of the temple, "we worse than everything I've already been through? I can do this! Didn't General Organa say in her transmission that I would be a help to you? Would she have sent me here if she didn't think I could?"
Luke unfolded his arms, clenched his eyes shut and rubbed his brow. Mentioning General Organa, apparently, had an effect on him. After a moment, the Jedi Master fixed his bright blue eyes on Rey. A smile tugged on his lips.
"Well," he said. "You are answering me in questions. That's a very Jedi thing to do."
Rey blinked, her flaring temper fading to hope.
"All right, Lady Rey," said Luke, pulling his hood over his head. "Meet at the temple entrance at dawn, when the waters start receding." He gave a shrug. "You can hold the light."