The suns beat down on the back of her head. Sweat trickled down from her hairline, restlessly she wiped it out of her eyes. Her skin prickled with the heat, her clothes sticking. The girl was no stranger to either heat or hard work but today she was struggling. Pressing the back of her hands into her burning eye sockets, she attempted to will the headache away. Up before dawn every day for meditation and training, followed by long days helping construct a new base had left her too busy to dwell. Only at night, she felt her thoughts ripple out of control, dragging her feelings this way and that. So she pushed herself even harder during the day. Sometimes, she was so exhausted that she fell into a dreamless oblivion the very instant that she lay down on her makeshift bed – but not always. In the dark, she could almost believe that it was his arms and not the blanket that cocooned her. She could almost feel the warmth of his breath in her hair, smell his skin warm and compliant against her. In that split second between being asleep and awake, she felt his sigh in the crook of her neck, his thick hair entwined between her long fingers.
Squinting across the clearing she watched her comrades. Some were working, others were stealing a moment of rest in the shade of the trees. Her tolerance to the heat had earned her a grudging respect from the crew, she had toiled harder than anyone else. But today she struggled, every muscle and sinew creaking and complaining with every movement. The headache had developed into a buzzing sensation behind her eyes. Reluctantly, Rey discarded her tools and sought refuge under a tree. Only intending to rest for a moment she found that once her back sank into the cool support of the trunk then her head fell forwards onto her knees. The darkness behind her closed eyelids was bliss and Rey imagined how wonderful it would be to dwell always in the shade of this particular tree.
Later, a pair of arms clad in a brown leather flight jacket gently lifted her from the ground. Assuming that Rey had merely succumbed to exhaustion her friends had left her to sleep. But now evening was drawing in and she had not stirred. Attempts to wake her proving unsuccessful, Poe and Finn were now carrying her towards their medbay. A simple structure housed the med droid, basic supplies and equipment. Carefully, they placed the girl on a bed. Poe checked her temperature with the back of his fingers pressed against her forehead.
"She's burning up", concern in his voice. The two men exchanged worried glances, in the time that they had known Rey she had never shown any sign of illness. She always exuded strength and energy, to see her lying there so vulnerable was difficult for them both. They reluctantly left her side, to allow the med droid to run the necessary tests.
At the far side of the galaxy, a fleet of stormtroopers marched unchallenged through the main town. With the Resistance busy rebuilding the new base, the First Order were also busy trying to reassert themselves. The humiliating destruction of Starkiller Base had left Hux keen to prove himself. Whilst Kylo Ren's mysterious absence had allowed him more room to manoeuvre, his relief had been shortlived. Without explanation, Ren had abruptly returned and resumed his previous command, resentment rankled his composure. It was so unjust. Why couldn't The Supreme Leader see that it was he, Hux who had remained loyal and steadfast. Unlike the former Jedi, he always followed orders. He never allowed his personal feelings to interfere with this duties. He had worked ruthlessly to drag himself up through the ranks and now that he was here he certainly was not going to let Ren ruin it for him. Out of habit, the agitated general smoothed his red hair down with his pale hands. Then once satisfied that his coiffure was sleek, he crossed both hands behind his back. Assuming a posture as composed and uncompromising as his hair, no one would suspect the turbulence brewing beneath that white brow.
No one would suspect that is except for the tall man standing in the shadows. He felt Hux's fury rolling through the Force and it exhausted him. Hux's resentful anger seemed to know no bounds, he even hated Ren in his dreams – spending most of his time fantasising about the best way to kill him. Yet, it was nothing in comparison to the raw rage of the Dark Side. Snoke's punishment for Ren's absence had been all encompassing. The young man could still feel the chill of Snoke's Darkness within every fibre of his body. Despite the bright sun, he allowed himself the luxury of a self indulgent shiver.
He knew he was now under constant observation. Snoke's spies were everywhere. He saw himself through their curious eyes. He did not like what he saw. Fleetingly, the image of him through her eyes flashed before him. Instantly, he crushed it and attempted to focus on channelling that familiar Darkness. But too late, he felt her laughter, muffled as she buried her face into his chest. Her breath warm against his bare skin. Cupping her face in his enormous hands he had felt that his entire fate rested between his palms. A hundred lifetimes of love and light stretched out between them. Exhaling, his breath was jagged, his teeth clenched with exertion.
"A local pathogen" – the med droid crisply announced to the waiting figures. "The patient needs rest and fluids to make a full recovery."
"Can I see her?" Finn was instant, needing to check on his friend with his own eyes. Pushing past the droid he rushed to her bedside. Gently, he took her hand in his own, he had never seen her so still. Her fingers, normally so busy, were limp against his own. Tentatively, he brushed a tendril of damp hair away from her face. Her face was flushed, beads of sweat speckled her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered as she furiously searched the darkness of her dreams. Her brow suddenly furrowed into a frantic frown.
"It's ok, it's Finn. I'm right here". The young pilot wanted to wake her up so that she could look at him with those clear eyes of hers. It tore at his heart to see his best friend so lost. Abruptly, the equipment by the bed hummed as a sedative was administered. Almost instantaneously Rey's forehead smoothed and the rapid eye movement ceased.
"The sedative is affective to five hours", the med droid dismissed Finn, and reluctantly he left the med bay. Poe was lurking around outside and quickly bustled his distressed friend over to the campfire. Finn's report of Rey's situation was greeted with grunts of sympathy. She was in good hands now and would they reassured him that she would soon be on the mend. Luke and Leia exchanged an anxious glance of their own. Leia had already berated her brother for working the girl too hard. He had argued that although he knew there was a lot for Rey to learn, but that it had been the girl who had set the gruelling pace. After so many years alone, he had found himself struggling to keep up with her demands. There was so much life within the girl, a potential to touch so many lives. The Light to Ben's shadow, yet in so many ways Luke could see similarities. He must not fail her the way that he had failed his nephew.