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A tepid dawn gradually turned into a scorching day. Fortunately, the moon's limited its exposure to the massive twin suns of the Onderon system made days considerably shorter than its freezing nights, which were twice as long due to its inclination and elliptical path on its orbit around Yavin.
But, at least it had given them enough time to set up camp around the fallen shuttle and get acquainted with their surroundings before another lengthy stretch of pitch blackness.
They found just over two and a half portions of food in the ship's supply compartment. With any luck, that might feed them for three to four days at the most. Of course, there was also a massive dead Krayt Dragon a few yards from their ship, though Rey found the idea of eating such a disgusting looking creature downright repulsive. In the end, however, it was all inconsequential should they fail to find an adequate source of water. Each of their canteens was already three quarters drained, and in the dry heat of the canyon they were bound to dehydrate in just a couple of days, especially if they were to engage in intense training.
Learning the ways of the Force under the tutelage of a Dark Knight…
Rey hadn't been able to stop thinking about Kylo Ren's request for the past couple of hours. She hadn't given him an answer yet, not that there were a wide variety of options if they wanted to make it out of that canyon alive. She was well aware of how dangerous it would be to follow his instruction, how close to the edge of the Dark Side she'd be treading, but the more she thought about the alternative, the grimmer the outcome appeared to be.
The pressing need for water superseded anything else, so they had taken off at the crack of dawn and decided to head east. The place was so quiet and desolate the crunching of their boots over the gravel echoed loudly all around them. The canyon appeared to be an endless stretch of void of life. Its path of reddish stone would become wider at times and then narrow to the point where they could only walk single file for a long section, only to widen up again in a monotonous pattern that seemed to have no end in sight.
The sweltering heat weighed down heavily on them, made the air thick and heavy to breathe. Ren hadn't said more than two words since they started their journey. In fact, it had been Rey who had done most of the mindless talking, wondering about the chances of finding somebody else on that moon, how far they ought to wander out before heading back to camp, and the need to give the two dead storm troopers a proper burial. He had ignored her ramblings for the most part, leading the way without so much as a nod of acknowledgement. Rey had eventually gotten tired of her words falling on deaf ears and had just followed his lead in resigned silence.
As the day progressed, the heat became unbearable. Kylo Ren peeled off every dark piece of clothing from the waist up, hanging them from the holster below his sash, along with the now empty canteen, and two lightsabers: his own and Luke's. Rey kept stealing occasional glances in its direction, determined to find a way to take it from him. And, sooner or later, she would succeed. It was just a matter of finding the right moment.
She followed Ren along a rocky formation, careful not to lose her footing once the surface became smooth and slippery. Mildly enthralled by his perfectly toned upper body, she caught herself admiring his broad shoulders, the tautness of the skin over his flexing muscles, his lean frame, and felt more than a little ashamed to find beauty in his naked torso.
No, she thought sourly. He is the opposite of beautiful. He is perverse—a sadistic murderer! There is nothing remotely beautiful about him.
With a deep frown, Rey expelled such thoughts from her mind before he could pick up on them. She focused instead on her Jedi training and all she had learned during her brief stay in Ahch-To. Then, her thoughts travelled to General Organa—perhaps she had already sensed that Rey hadn't perished in the crash and had sent a rescue team searching for her, although that was rather unlikely, since nobody really knew she was aboard the ship…
Rey had been so absorbed by her inner dialogue, so wrapped up in her own musings, she all but gasped when the canyon opened into a clearing to reveal the gorgeous landscape before her.
It was a pond!
A vast body of water reflecting the pinkish shade of the moon's sky lay before her, surrounded by colorful bushes and short trees. There was a steady stream of water trickling down one of its walls, most likely from an underground river hidden somewhere beyond the canyon.
Unable to believe her eyes, Rey froze for a second, taking in the scene until the heat and her thirst made her lunge fully clothed into the serenity of the small lake. Kylo Ren unclasped his holster and dropped it on the ground, following her into the freezing water a moment later. They both dove completely under the stillness of the pond, welcoming the biting chill that made their tired limbs tingle almost painfully. They drank greedily from their cupped hands until their thirst was satiated, and then returned to the shore, dropping onto the warm sand, flat on their backs, less than two feet from each other.
"I was beginning to doubt we would find water on this rock," she confessed, sitting up.
Ren kept his eyes closed, hands clasped behind his head. "Water is one of the easiest elements to sense," he said, sounding bored. "You should have trusted your instincts."
So he had been aware of the existence of this pond all along…
Rey felt a little embarrassed for not having thought of using the Force to sense a basic element. She could have probably visualized that place, allow the latent power of nature to guide her search like Ren had probably done. Turning her head, she sent a curious glance his way and couldn't help but notice the prominent scar on his side, a smaller one on his arm, another one on his shoulder and over his collarbone... Her eyes kept travelling upward, recounting every moment that had scarred his body, having been present on almost every count, until she reached the one across his face…
"You are wondering why I haven't used genetic regeneration to erase them," he said, making her feel like a voyeur. He hadn't even opened his eyes.
"I'm sure the First Order has access to the technology," she said, trying to sound casual.
"I keep them as a reminder of debts that need to be paid."
It might have been his tone of voice, or perhaps the words themselves, what made the hairs in the back of Rey's neck stand on end. She brushed off the uncomfortable feeling, figuring that if he hadn't physically harmed her up to that point, he probably didn't intend to do so. Still, she decided her vigilance never ought to falter around him.
She brought her knees up to her chest, enjoying the ebb and flow of the subtle tide, its soothing sound. Closing her eyes, she purposely emptied her mind of any fear or negative thoughts and kept it in suspension for a long while, just like Master Luke had taught her how to.
She had completely lost track of time when the rumbling in her stomach became a nagging intrusion. She slowly opened her eyes, allowing her physical self to awaken, and realized they hadn't eaten since the small portion they'd rationed earlier that morning. She turned to Ren and found him gradually easing out of a meditating state and into the physical realm, just as she'd done a second before. It didn't take a Jedi master to figure out he was probably just as hungry as she was.
"Look, we're in luck," Rey said glancing at a small bush to their right. "Those look just like Rasen Berries!"
Perfectly round and plump, the burgundy berries sprouted from every limb of the tiny tree. Rey made her lazy way over to it and began picking the bite-sized fruits from different branches. Ren did the same, devouring three or four at a time to slake his evidently ravenous hunger.
Rey observed his movements guardedly, her lips stretching into a victorious smile. "These are quite special," she said with detached composure. "In fact, you will start feeling a bit light headed in a moment. Then, the numbness will start to set in your arms and legs as your heart slows down to a crawl and then finally… stops. But don't worry," she added soothingly. "There will be no pain. It will feel like you just went to sleep."
Kylo Ren stopped chewing and searched her eyes.
"Those berries you just ate," she continued, her expression dead serious, "happen to be poisonous."
He quickly turned his head to the side and spat the contents of his mouth. Rey watched him impassively, held his stare when he spun around to face her, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, his eyes dark and dangerous.
Her grin widened at his virulent reaction and then, shrugging innocently, she simply popped a few of the berries into her mouth and smirked mockingly at him. She reveled in the pleasure of having caught him off guard for once, was unable to hold back soft laughter when the joke finally dawned on him.
"You're hilarious!" he growled, unamused.
"We used to grow these in Jakku until the great drought five seasons ago," she informed, enjoying the sweet tartness that rolled over her tongue. She was about to tell him about the elderly merchant and his wife who used to sell them by the bushel at the food market, until she realized there was no longer a market, the couple had been brutally slaughtered, and she was sitting next to the man responsible for their demise.
The affability of her earlier banter evaporated in an instant. Rey's heart clenched, and a new wave of anger and hatred began to burn in the pit of her stomach.
"We should take some of these and whatever else we could use for sustenance back to the shuttle," Ren said rising to his feet. Whether he had noticed the change in her mood, he didn't show.
They filled their pouches with all the fruits and berries they recognized as safe to eat, then dove into the lake once again in search for algae, or anything remotely eatable, but there seemed to be no sign of life in the pristine waters. After a thorough search near the shore that yielded no results, they simply gave up, though Rey could've sworn there was life inside that pond. She could feel it. And judging by Ren's expression, so could he.
Finding it pointless to dwell on the subject, they both stripped off their clothes to at least rinse the dust, sweat and grime from the garments. Rey placed hers neatly on a rock to dry, the baking heat of midday beating down hard on the extensive shore. Kylo Ren simply tossed his haphazardly on the hot sand in three different dark piles.
The intense heat drove them to the cool waters once again, and curiosity pulled them away from the shoreline. Despite the freezing temperature of the pond, their naked skin and aching muscles welcomed the sharp contrast to the moon's scorching surface. While Ren swam over to the wall of the canyon where water continued to bleed incessantly from a nearby rock, Rey made her way towards a tiny island that peeked out from under the depths of the lake, hoping to spend some time alone. She moved effortlessly through the water, unsure as to when she might have learned how to swim, the ability coming to her rather innately.
She was getting close to the island when she felt something brush past her leg. Startled, she turned around, but could not see anything moving below the surface. Rey kept swimming towards the small stretch of land and, as she was about to reach it, a slick lump slithered along her ankle. It suddenly curled around her leg and pulled her down harshly.
She barely had time to let out a small yelp of surprise before she found herself thrashing under the water, fighting viciously to free herself from the unyielding grasp of whatever it was that was trying to drown her. It took all her strength to propel herself upwards, managing to emerge from the depths of the lake for a brief moment, just enough to cry out once again and get some air into her lungs.
Another violent yank to her ankle and Rey sank deep once again. Panic was beginning to consume her. She kept threading water, kicking with all her might, desperately trying to get away from the unyielding grasp to no avail. Her strength was depleting fast as she twisted and turned, fighting to survive, and quickly losing the battle.
Something that she faintly identified as relief struck her when she felt two arms holding her from behind, stopping her from sinking further down as they grappled to pull her up to the surface. She rotated her body and held onto those strong arms for dear life, but her limbs were beginning to weaken, her body growing lethargic.
A few seconds later, there was nothing but blissful darkness.
The island was quiet and serene, carpeted by a smoky mist that shrouded it in mystery. At the very top, a lonely man sat, meditating on a flat rock, his face hidden under the hood of his cloak. She made her approach, wordlessly asking him for guidance. But she got no answers from him, only silence.
A soft light shone through the trees, beckoning her to the woods behind him. Slowly, she walked barefoot past the quiet man and followed the path to where the light kept getting brighter, a glowing orb with a pull impossible to resist.
At first, she believed to have seen a shadow moving through the light, but as she got closer, the figure became more defined, perfectly recognizable.
Rey smiled.
A young Han Solo stood before her, a crooked smile twisting his lips. Feeling a wave of pure joy washing over her, Rey picked up the pace and began running towards him. But, no matter how fast she ran, she didn't seem to get any closer. Frustrated, she eventually stopped, her eyes locking with his, an open question lingering between them.
Then, his deep voice rose above the quietness of the forest:
"Bring him back…"
She frowned, uncomprehending. Her lungs tightened painfully and she began to cough. She saw Han Solo fading into the glowing light.
"No, wait!" she cried.
Coughing uncontrollably, she tried to run after him, but light quickly turned into darkness.
"Don't go! Please…!"
Rey kept convulsing. Her chest was tight with the effort of expelling the water that had inevitably seeped into her lungs. She blinked tiredly several times and found a blurry figure hovering over her, his deep voice not really registering in her brain.
"Han?" she called out weakly, her mind still foggy.
Her eyes kept fluttering until the face a few inches above her own was brought into focus. Damp black hair curled around flushed cheeks and over creased brows, as two dark eyes appraised her, searching hers.
"Ben…" she whispered hoarsely.
Rey saw Ren's mildly worried expression turn cold.
He rolled off her and stood up, bending down to snatch his clothes from the sand and giving them one harsh, potent shake before putting them on in a haste. He hadn't been wearing any clothes for most of the afternoon and yet, Rey pondered, she had only seen him truly naked for less than an instant.
Had that shadow of concern been for her? For the prized prisoner he'd almost lost? Or had it simply been a figment of her imagination?
"Get dressed!" he ordered harshly, his back to her as he clasped the holster around his waist. "The sun is already going down. We need to make it back to camp before nightfall."
Still weakened from her ordeal, Rey struggled to her feet and began to put her clothes on. Their pouches were replete with fruits and herbs, and both their canteens had been filled to the brim. The suns were already making their slow descent behind the walls of the canyon, causing the temperature to drop with every passing second.
As cold as it could get on that rock, Rey thought, it was a warm, toasty paradise in comparison to Kylo Ren's soul.
[TBC…]