A.N: Hey all!
I hope you will enjoy this chapter…Last chapter only got a few reviews and I wonder if you are enjoying it. Anyways let me know what you think *using force to convince readers* Aloso thank you Edy for reading this chapter and advise me on some changes.
Steffy2106
Chapter 3:
"Takodana?" Finn half shouted after Rey told him the plan. Rey nodded. "Takodana?" He repeated turning to Poe who shrugged dismissively. "Seriously?" He looked from one to the other. "Am I the only one to see how stupid and suicidal this plan is?"
Rey knew how dangerous this mission could be and if there was any other way she would have done it, but they needed funds, they needed backers, they needed weapons, they needed to make a deal with the devil. Over time, we all commit acts with intentions, either good or bad, that require forgiveness and Rey knew she would need to seek that forgiveness.
She also didn't miss the look Finn directed to Rose, who was gnawing at her thumb nail with clear nervousness.
"You don't have to come Finn." Rey soothed. "You can stay, I understand why you'd want to stay." She looked at Rose again. "You have a reason to stay."
"No, I-" Finn looked at Rose again. "I want to come." He stood straighter in a clear attempt to show his certainty.
Poe clapped in on the back. "I knew you would buddy." He turned to Rey. "How many people do you need?"
Rey couldn't help but throw another guilty look toward Rose. She never liked the idea to endanger Finn but now it was worse, now he had find a reason to stay. She took a deep breath. "Limited team, there is no point to jeopardize the team anymore than necessary. Finn Chewie and I in the millennium falcon."
Finn winced. "The Millennium Falcon is probably the most hated ship in the galaxy Rey. I know how much this vessel means to you – To all of us but it is making us even more of a target."
Rey turned to Poe, not able to deny Finn statement. "There is the Outrider…" He trailed off
"The Outrider? Dash Rendar ship?" Rey knew of the story of the smuggler, always a step below Han Solo, also trying but never succeeding to be half as good as the legend. A pang of pain shot through her as she was reminded of his death to Kylo's hands. "How did you get it?"
"It was a present from a junk lord from Taris, they still hold a strong allegiance to the Republic even if it has been destroyed. Sadly, they are quite poor themselves and their help, even if welcome, is still limited."
"That ship…It has to be a pile of garbage now." Rey noted as she tried to remember how long it has been since Rendar had disappeared.
"I remember you saying the same thing about the Falcon." Finn bumped her shoulder with her in an attempt the lighten the mood.
"The mechanics checked it and even if it is not prime, it has commands similar to the Falcon and for just a trip from Voss to Takodana. It will be fine. Beggars can't be choosers"
Rey nodded adjusting the lightsabre on her belt. "Perfect, I will go train – let me know when Maz has organize the meeting." She took a deep breath. "And Finn if you-"
Finn raised his hand to stop her. "I'm coming and its final." He turned briskly and walked away before she had the chance to finish her thought.
It took Maz less than two days to organise the meeting with a very short notice of six hours to meet.
When Rey joined Chewie in the Outrider command she noticed Finn and Rose standing in a corner, she was clearly worried, and Finn rested his hands on her shoulder in a soothing gesture.
Chewie growled with exasperation, reaching for his com.
"No don't." Rey rested her hand on his arm. "Just give them a minute, they deserve it."
Finn gave Rose a chaste kiss before turning toward the ship and noticing Rey and Chewie looking his way. He bided his goodbye and left a blushing Rose by the Bay door.
"You could have called me." Finn complained breathlessly as he closed the door and Rey started the Outrider before entering the coordinates provided by Maz in the console.
"Why for?" She asked as the ship left the base. "We had some time left."
Chewie roared, and Rey rolled her eyes. "Yes, why not you go check the engine."
Finn took the empty seat as soon as Chewie left it.
He scratched his neck. "You know…Rose, it's-"
"She is perfect for you Finn. I'm so happy for you." She marvelled, meeting his eyes to show him she meant every word. "She is lovely, kind, brave – She is everything for you, she is what you deserve." Rey reached out and squeezed his hand. "I want my brother happy and I see she makes you happy."
"I care for her very deeply." He admitted with a shy smile.
Rey felt a pang of jealousy. It has not been the blossoming relationship between Finn and Rose that made her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. It has been the tender gesture of Finn adjusting the blanket on her. A gesture which was not requested, it was instinct. It was just a subconscious act of tenderness, something that Rey had never received, something she didn't realized she craved until she witnessed it.
You're nothing but not to me. She heard Ben in her head. These words affected her more than she thought she would. She knew it was only mind game, but she was still shaken, she wanted to mean something for someone – even if it was the Supreme Leader of the Supreme Order.
They landed as the sun started to set on a hidden landing strip in the forest and met Maz who gestured to them to follow her.
"I've managed to get some of the best we can find, they don't know they are about to meet the emblem of the Rebellion." She added quickly looking at Rey.
"I'm the emblem of the Rebellion?" Rey asked following Maz down a humid and musty tunnel.
"Of course, dear, you killed Snoke and his guards."
Rey looked away under Maz scrutinizing eyes. "Who came?" She asked maybe a bit too abruptly, too desperate to change the subject. "We have a Surgi, as you know Surgis are the best arm dealers in the Galaxy and they have no alliance both to the Republic or the First order – Money is their religion."
"But we don't have money!" Finn whispered urgently.
Maz swatted his comment with a hand gesture. "Technicality my boy…technicality. We have Gundark and his gang of arm dealers– we also have a representative of Coruscant and Muunilinst which we know are the richest planets."
"That's it?"
Maz turned and faced Finn, clearly offended by the comment. "It? Do you even know how hard it was to get these people into the same room? Do you even understand the different they can make to your cause?!"
Rey glared at Finn before smiling at Maz. "We're sorry Maz, we don't mean that, and we are grateful for your help."
Maz grumbled something under her breath apparently still annoyed by Finn comment.
"No seriously I understand why you did that – less people, less risk of leaks to the First Order. And it might be easier to try to convince."
Rey stood straighter as she walked in the room, trying to give herself more composure.
She saw the surprise in a couple of faces and resignation in others.
As decided she started to present the elements they had discussed with Poe, the numbers – the hope, the weakening of the First Order since Snoke died, the consequences of letting the First Order win and the reward that would be provided for such support if the Rebellion won.
The Surgi sighed and leaned back in his chair. "No offence Jedi Girl but I am not in a business of charity. Your odds of winning are almost inexistent which I don't really care about, but dead don't pay… Once you pay, you get what you want."
"Odds?" Rey leaned down, resting her hands on the table. "We were less than 100 and escape the mighty feared First Order. What were the odds?"
"That's also another issue." The tall caramel skinned woman representing Coruscant stated pointing to Rey and Finn. "The Resistance has been almost smothered."
Rey shook her head. "Our number quadrupled in the last two months." She didn't need to specify that they only went from 50 to only 200. "I-"
Suddenly everything went quietly, a deafening pressing silence and she realized with horror what was happening.
"No" she whispered turning around to look at a frantic and pacing Kylo.
He finally saw her and took a couple of steps toward her. "Thanks Maker! Rey listen you have to leave now." He panted with urgency. "They are coming, they will kill you. Go now!"
She skewed her eyes with distrust, before shaking her head. He just wanted to know where she was to send his men to kill her.
"Doubt me whenever you like but you have to leave Takodana now. We have new Stealth ships, they go undetected – They might already be there. Don't let my betrayal be for nothing." He pointed away. "Rey Go!" He roared making her wince.
"Rey?" Finn shook her, breaking the connection.
Rey turned to him blinking. "The First order…We have to go they are on their way to kill us."
"Impossible" one of the arms dealer got a radar of his jacket.
She shook her head. Please Ben don't betray me again. "No, they are stealth ships, new ones." She turned to Maz who was looking at her as if she was a jigsaw needing to be solved.
Maz nodded gesturing them to follow her out. As they ran to the ship Maz ran beside Rey.
"You share a force bond with him." She asked but it didn't sound like a question.
Rey nodded.
"You didn't kill Snoke." Maz whispered once more as they reached the ship.
Rey looked away and shook her head.
Maz gripped her hand before she got into the ship. "You go sweet girl but remember, your feelings are not shameful – You saw the boy, the young man with his father heart and his mother sense of Justice. Justice, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Some see an innocent victim. Others will see evil incarnate getting exactly what's deserved. You both think you're fighting for what's right. I told you one day that someone could come back to you with your help and it might very well be Ben Solo but child you can't keep this secret much longer."
Rey smiled with relief at the absence of judgement.
When they arrived back on the base in Voss, Finn was waiting for them a beaming smile on his face.
Rey frowned in confusion. The meeting had been cut short, she didn't convince anyone and yet…
Poe pulled Rey into a hug. "We did it! I don't know how you did it but damn it is done! I just received a message from Maz. Coruscant decided to back us up with 30 million credits! 30 million!" He shook his head. "The endorsement will of course remain secret, but" He beamed. "The tide is turning!" He turned toward Finn who was holding Rose against him. "They will also provide us with some soldiers, the number is still to be determined."
"Why?" Finn asked curiously. "I mean no offense to Rey, but we can't say we were stellar."
Poe shrugged, "she didn't say, and it doesn't matter." He looked at Rey. "Rey, while Finn and Rose go over the ship, could you please follow me to my office to discuss the funds?"
Rey nodded as her heart started to hammer in her chest. She knew she was not going to like whatever as going to be discussed in his office.
As soon as he closed the door, he leaned against it. "I'm going to talk, and I just want you to listen. Coruscant decided to back us up because they think we have an edge, a spy high in the First Order." Poe chuckled, shaking his head dismissively. "I confirmed we had but we both know we barely have enough men to make it here – leave alone spare a spy." He took a few steps toward her. "When I asked how they guessed, they told me about the warming you gave them about the Stealth ships which landed mere minutes after your departures. Ships with General Hux and over 30 stormtroopers. They believed you were warned by the com in your ear – but there is no com, no spy so Rey let me ask you, how did you do it? "
Rey shook her head, no matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't share the bond with Poe or anyone yet. They didn't know the force – They might think it was a danger, a liability when it wasn't, at least not really. Kylo or Ben she wasn't sure anymore had just saved her, he just betrayed his own people and she wanted to know why – she had to know why. "The Force." She replied.
"The Force?" Poe frowned with confusion. "How did the Force do that?"
Rey shrugged, adjusting the leather cuff on her wrist to give herself something to do under the eyes of her friend. She never so shamelessly lied to someone she cared for and trusted, but she had to. How could he understand something that even she couldn't when she was the one experiencing everything? She understood now the reason of a necessary evil…a lie but she swore to herself to tell the truth as soon as possible. "I have been warned by the Force. How I cannot say."
Poe detailed her for a few seconds before relaxing, seemingly accepting her words. "Maybe the Force is trying to tip the scale." He smiled. "It is good Rey- so good."
Rey smiled, "Yes." She looked down at her dirty tunic. "Well I will go refresh."
Poe sat behind his desk. "Yes, go and rest you deserve it. Could you please send me Finn if you see him in the way of your quarters? – unless he is too busy with Rose."
Rey chuckled, pleased to concentrate on something other than Ben for a minute. "I will do my best."
"Ben why?" She whispered as she entered the privacy of her quarters. "Why save me?" She closed her eyes trying to connect with him, it was the first time she was trying but the only thing she found was profound loneliness.