Chapter 17

The Millennium Falcon dropped out of hyperspace to the beeping sound of the sub light engine alarm. Reaching over the empty co-pilot seat, Rey switched off the alarm and exhaled as she sat back. The ship orbited the planet Kabaan. It was a distant planet on the outer rim, inhabited mostly by human and aquatic species. It was a semi-oceanic planet with large lush patches of land. According to the data-computer, its one source of trade was its high quality metal mining. However, since it was so far out, the mining federations had ignored it. Because of this, it was a poor planet. But peaceful.

Rey guessed that the populace were simple farmers, away from the wars and problems of the rest of the galaxy. It made sense that Ben had come here, but still it was puzzling. Rey had not thought that he would hide away like this forever. It didn't seem to match his spirit. Yet Rey had followed his light here, making several stops along the way.

The man didn't respond to her quiet searching. Either he was ignoring her, or he simply couldn't tell that she was seeking him out. He seemed…content. Not necessarily happy. There was a sense of urgency in his spirit, as if he was working hard at something and yet questioning every move he made. But he was not as tortured as he once was. There wasn't a constant pain she remembered from the years previous. But still, the light inside him remained the same.

Steadily, Rey honed in on the bluish green planet and carefully brought the falcon down through the crystal blue atmosphere. She landed outside a larger city. It reminded her of Jakku in a rustic sort of way. There were several other ships in a junk yard, and three mines that she had seen from space. Whatever mining operation was going on, it was small.

Rey shut down the engines and walked out of the rear hatch, throwing on a jacket as she did so. She had landed on the outskirts, so it took about thirty minutes for her to walk into town.

There was a large wall built of earth-brick around the major city. Rey walked through it slowly, feeling multiple eyes on her as she passed into the marketplace. The entire city was suspicious of her. Rey touched her lightsaber at her side as she walked past the venders and small shops. Everyone was watching her. What was going on? She understood this was a backwoods planet, but surely these people had seen Offworlders before.

Turning to look around her, Rey stopped beside a junker's store. The parts hanging in the store were old and outdated. Pre-Rebellion pieces of A-wings, mixed in with Clone War blaster parts sat in shelves lining the main road. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe these people really didn't see Offworlders all that often.

There was a small tug at the hem of her jacket, and Rey turned to see a little girl standing beside her. She was small, with blonde hair matted to her face. Judging from the holes in her clothes and the dirt on her face, Rey guessed she was a street urchin.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking up at Rey with bright blue eyes which shown through the dirt and grime.

"My name's Rey," Rey answered, getting down on one knee to be at eye level with the child, "What's yours?"

"My name's Avery," the little girl responded, "Did you come in a ship? Are you from offworld?"

Rey smiled, "Yes. I came all the way from Naboo."

Avery's eyes widened, and she took several steps back. Taking in a deep breath, she then let out a high pitched scream that pierced through the entire market place.

Rey's mouth dropped open. What was going on? "No, no, it's okay. What's wrong?"

Turning on her heel, Avery took off running. "Offworlder!"

Getting up, Rey moved to chase the little girl. Something was very wrong here, and she was determined to figure out what it was. But she didn't take a step without realizing that every villager who had been carefully standing and watching her had now turned and was pointing a blaster at her. Avery had been an informant. The entire marketplace had now produced weapons and were pointing every single one of them at her.

These blasters were new. Rey could see the cold black metal gleam in the sunlight. First Order make, and without a bit of rust on them. The villagers would plow her down without a second thought. Rey could feel it.

Rey raised her hands, "I mean you no harm." She called out.

A large man stepped forward, holding a blaster at his side, "We'll see, Offworlder. But you're not going anywhere, not until you've talked to the Machene."

Squinting up at the bulk of a man, Rey frowned, "Machene?" She didn't know what the term meant. She guessed it was their word for boss or interrogator. "I am Jedi. You have no right to hold me."

The large man let out a grunt, "Our world, our rules," he shoved Reys shoulder hard with his huge fist, making her spin around, "March, Offworlder. We'll find out what you really want with Kabaan soon enough."

Rey frowned, moving forward as she felt the nozzle of a blaster in her shoulder blades. Ben Solo must have something to do with this. He must be up to something, controlling these people somehow. Perhaps he had gone back to his old ways after all.

To be Continued!

(More coming soon, promise! Plz review!)