Poe had been summoned to command center halfway to the hangar. After saying their farewells and agreeing to meet up when they got to the new base, Finn went the rest of the way on his own and was making his way through the hangar to his transport when he saw Mara Jade following behind R2-D2, heading towards a highly modified Suwantek TL-1800 light freighter tucked away in a corner. Beleiving she was stealing him, Finn began to follow them to the ship. He knew if he lingered much longer he would miss his flight, but the thought that this woman might be going after Rey, filled him with fear for his friend. So as the ramp started to lift Finn made his choice and jumped aboard. Once he was on the ship he began to look for a hiding place. He chose one of the bunk rooms. After the ship had been in hyperspace for a while Finn thought he heard a voice coming in his direction, so heading over to the door he pressed his ear against it to listen.
"We go in, get her out and bring her back to Colstev." Mara said to Artoo, walking from the cockpit down the corridor. Artoo whistled after her. "No, I don't care if Rey wants to come with us or not, she's coming and that's final." Mara said to the droid. "Oh, and don't forget to recalculate our jumps, just in case anyone is on . . . our . . . tail." Mara said, quickly turning and hitting the panel to open the bunk room door.
"Unhh." groaned Finn as his back hit the metal grating that covered the deck. "That can't be good" Finn moaned, remembering what the doctors had told him after waking up in the Resistance med bay. Having taken a direct lightsaber blow, his back had severed some key muscles and had caused a quite a bit of nerve damage. So if he wanted to prevent permanent damage he needed to avoid any major impacts for at least a year and something told him this might have counted as a 'major impact'. Opening his eyes Finn found himself staring up at a wicked looking blaster, wielded by a very dangerous looking woman.
"Definitely not good." Finn said to himself.
"I see you're one for stating the obvious." she said with a touch of a core world accent, the blaster never wavering. "Now you have two seconds to answer my questions or I'll blast you to dust and throw you out the air lock." she said with a deadly gleam in her green eyes.
"What?!" Finn said incredulously as R2-D2 came over to him and beeped at Mara.
"What do you mean he's on our side?" Mara asked incredulously.
Artoo blatted and whistled in response, clearly defending Finn.
"Fine, welcome aboard the Skywatcher. But you do as I say or you'll regret it. I'm going to keep my eye on you. Now into the cockpit." Mara said gesturing with her blaster. Once they entered the cockpit Mara headed to the pilot's chair and sat down. Glancing back at Finn she saw he was standing there stiffly."Well, don't just stand there. We'll be coming out of lightspeed soon." Mara said placing her hand on the hyperspace levers and pulling them back as Finn cautiously sat in one of the other chairs. As the swirling light of hyperspace collapsed into starlines, a First Order blockade cruiser appeared, hovering in the viewport. "That- that's a First Order checkpoint." Finn gasped "I knew it." Jumping up and grabbing up a blaster from the rack by the door he points it at Mara. "I won't let you hurt Rey."
" Put that down before you hurt somebody,like yourself."
Finn held his ground.
Rolling her eyes she reached out with the force grabbing the blaster from his hand.
"You -You're like Kylo Ren." Finn said, jaw agape. "You're an agent of the first order." With a grimace Mara pushed Finn into a chair and pinning him there. "Sit down, don't touch anything and be quiet. I have to deal with this." Mara said as an imposing imperial voice came over the comm.
"This is First Order checkpoint 327, travel through this sector is only permitted by authorization. Prepare to transmit your clearance code."
Reaching over to it Mara replied. "Code hapspir, barini, corbolan, triaxis. Drop your gravity well. It is imperative I am not delayed any longer than I already have been."
"Understood ma'am, what is your destination?" the voice of the first order controller said.
"Did you really just ask me that?" Mara said dangerously quiet. "What's your name and rank? This will be reported."
"Major Filon, ma'am. The gravity well will be dropped immediately." the controller replied nervously.
"Very well, Major. I'll overlook it, this time." Mara said cutting off the transmission. When the readout showed that they had dropped their gravity well, Mara pulled back on the hyperspace levers the starlines streaked past the viewport, revealing the familiar blue glow of hyperspace. Turning around in the captain's chair she released Finn from her force grip and turning to face him she said. "Now what's this all about me hurting Rey, Trooper. . ."
Leia stepped into the hangar and watched as the last few crates of supplies were loaded onto the last ship, a Mon Cal cruiser called the Tantive V. The successor of the ill fated ship that carried the Death Star plans to Tatooine.
"I hope this goes better than my last trip in a ship that carried this name." Leia thought to herself as she ran her hand along the landing gear.
"Is everyone onboard, Commander?" Leia asked stepping up to Poe who was standing by the ramp.
"Yes ma'am, everyone is accounted for and all remaining supplies are on board. We're ready to rendezvous at Sullust." said Poe climbing up the ramp a step behind Leia and into the ship.
"Very good, let's leave and may the Force be with us." Leia said looking over the base she had called home for the past six months one last time as the hatch sealed.
"General Hux, checkpoint 327 is checking in. Major Filon reports that a knight's transport was permitted passage through the Skellig sector." Petty officer Paze reported coming up the the general and handing him the report.
"What was that about a knight's transport?" Kylo Ren asked menacingly, coming up behind the hapless petty officer.
"A Suwantek TL-1800 light fr-freighter p-passed through ch-checkpoint 327 at 1700 transmitting an old knight's code and p-permission to enter the Skellig s-sector was g-granted." the petty officer stuttered nervously.
"Was it tracked? What was its vector?" Kylo Ren demanded, leaning threateningly towards the frightened officer.
"Y-yes it was, it's vector was11.38." The young man responded.
"General Hux, set our course to match theirs. Look for a planet with a nominal population, large lifeform readings and no technology. Comm me when you've found it. I will be preparing my troops." Kylo Ren said storming off the bridge.
"Rey, Rey, where are you?" Luke called out looking over one of the many coves on the island.
"What?" Rey said from above.
"What are you doing up there?" Luke scolded with panic in his voice.
"It's no big deal." Rey said calmly.
"'No big deal'?! You're four meters high. Get down here right now." Luke ordered.
"Fine." Rey said climbing down.
"Are you okay?" Luke asked, checking her for any injuries.
"Really I'm fine. I've been climbing like that since I was seven." Rey said, pulling away.
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Luke asked.
"No." Rey said with a smirk.
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath Luke pinched the bridge of his nose said sadly. "You're a lot like your mother."
"What was she like?" Rey asked.
"Ask me that again some time. Come, it's time for lightsaber training." Luke said leading the way out of the cove.
"That seems to be your answer for everything." Rey mumbled.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke said, a note of caution in his voice.
"What I mean is, every time I try to bring up the past, you suggest training." Rey stated.
"Some things are better left buried." Luke said quietly, as they stepped into the large cavern that doubled as a training area.
"I know, I can see how much you loved her and that it still hurts. But apart from that recording, I have no memories of her and it feels as if a part of me is missing." Rey explained sadly.
"You're right, I may have no memories of my mother, but if I can share my memories of your mother with you it might give you the peace I was never able to find myself." Luke said gently.
"Thank you." Rey whispered, glancing over at him she saw the grief still weighed heavily on his features. "I can tell you still need some time, so how about you tell me after some training? Deal?" Rey suggested, holding out her hand.
"You negotiate just as well as Han ever did. " Luke said with a wistful tone in his voice. "Deal." he said with a smile, reaching out his hand and shaking Rey's. "You're going to make a great jedi." Luke said picking up his old lightsaber from its stand and out handing it to Rey. "Here, take it and let's begin our training."
"I don't know." said Rey apprehensively. "I'm still not comfortable with it. Isn't there something else I could use instead? Another lightsaber perhaps?"
"If you're going to learn how to deflect blaster bolts, you're going to need to use a lightsaber and until you make one of your own this one will have to do. You are strong in the force, but not that strong, even if you are a fast learner." said Luke, a wry smile peeking through.
"Fine" Rey said reaching out her hand and pulling the hilt towards her with the Force.
"You've gotten very good at that, it took me three years to learn how to do it." Luke remarked warily.
"Like you said, I'm a fast learner." Rey remarked activating the blade, giving it a little twirl then angling it across her body and settling into a battle stance. Closing her eyes Rey reached out to the force.
Nothing happened.
Opening one eye Rey saw Luke standing with his head cocked like he was listening to something, his eyes glazed over with a look of disbelief spreading across his face.
"Master Skywalker, what is it?" Rey asked opening the other eye and walking over to him.
"I sense something, something I've not felt since. . ." Luke whispered to himself more than anyone. "Can it be? But that's impossible." He said, taking off towards the flat outcropping that doubled as a landing pad.
"What are you talking about? Hey, wait!" Called Rey running after him.
More than halfway down the massive stone staircase they saw an incoming ship.
"Is it the First Order?" Rey asked nervously.
"I don't think so." Luke said slowly, not daring to hope it might be who he thought.
"Then I'm going to see who it is." Rey said determinedly, running ahead.
"Rey, wait!" Luke called after her. "Maybe she's more like me after all." Luke murmured to himself, following at a more sedate pace.
Luke and Rey arrived just as the ship touched down.
"Wait here until we know who it is we're dealing with." Luke said, putting his arm out to stop Rey from going any farther as the boarding ramp lowered and a familiar face appeared.
"FINN!" Rey screamed with joy, pushing past Luke, running towards the young man who rushed down the ramp and throwing her arms around his neck.
"I can't believe it, you're here and you're okay. I was so worried about you when I saw you lying in the snow on Starkiller Base. I know the medics said you would be okay, but there's a large difference in what they think is okay and from what most people think is okay." Rey said, the words coming out of her mouth faster than the Millennium Falcon in hyperspace.
"Whoa, hang on a second Rey, slow down." Finn said with a chuckle "it's good to see you too."
"Come on." Rey said grabbing Finn's hand and pulling up the stairs, a wide grin splitting her face. "I can't wait to show you around."
Watching them go off exploring Luke's face held a wistful smile remembering his own past, when a shadow of a slim familiar form appeared on the ground before him.
"Mara." Luke whispered disbelievingly as he turned to face the woman he once thought lost to him stood before him. He looked at her as if she might fade away like dew in the summer sun.
"It's been a long time, Skywalker." Mara says, walking down the ramp "Although I'm not quite sure about the beard."
"Why don't you come in Mara. We have a lot to talk about." Luke said with a smile, gesturing towards the old temple.
"Whoa!" Finn exclaimed, as his feet came out from under him. He was just about to land face first on the unforgiving stone steps when he suddenly stopped two inches from the ground. Looking up he sees Rey with her hand outstretched towards him.
"Careful, Finn." Rey said, coming over to help him up.
"So it's true, everyone was saying you were a jedi. I couldn't believe it, I'm sorry I ever doubted you." Finn said getting up and gazing into Rey's eyes.
"Finn, I'm not a jedi. Not yet at least, I still have a long way to go and to be honest I've had doubts myself." Rey said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Come on, my friend, do you want to see the jedi reflecting pool?"
"What's that?" Finn asked as they continued to climb.
"Master Skywalker calls it 'The Wellspring of the Force'. The jedi texts say that it can show a person a vision of their true self." Rey said leading Finn into an arched cavern and stepping up to a shallow tiled pool. Sitting down next to it, Rey brushed her fingers against the surface of the water, causing ripples to spread across the pool. "I've been trying but I haven't been able to see anything yet. . ." Rey trailed off looking down at the pool.
"Rey, are you okay?" Finn asked cautiously.
"Finn, do you see that?" Rey asked quietly.
"See what?" Finn asked, glancing around.
"That!" Rey said, grasping his arm and pointing to her reflection.
"Rey,, I don't . . . whoa." Finn started to say before he saw Rey's image morph into a woman with glowing features and flowing green hair. As they continued to watch the woman transformed into a convor with cream, light green and gold feathers which then flew off and landed on the shoulder of a slightly older Rey clothed in robes of the same colors.
"What was that?" Finn gasped out.
"I believe that was the Daughter, the personification of the Light side of the Force. I read about her in the jedi texts Master Skywalker gave me." Rey said shakily bringing her hand up to wipe the perspiration from around her mouth.
"Okay, but why did I see it as well?" Finn asked, rubbing his arm self consciously.
"Maybe it has something to do with the fact I grabbed your arm?" Rey speculated. "I don't know, there's so much about this whole thing that new to me." She said, wrapping her arms around herself. Finn scooted closer to her, putting his arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him.
"You'll figure this out, I'm sure of it. Rey, you're the strongest person I know, if anyone can do it, you can." Finn said confidently.
"Thank you, my friend." Rey said, leaning forwards and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. Standing up she asked. "So do you want to see the rest of the island?"
"You haven't told her." Mara said, stating a fact rather than asking a question, watching Rey leading Finn around the temple ruins from above.
"I didn't have to. She found an old recording Artoo took of us in the temple from when she was little." Luke said wryly.
"I bet that went over well." Mara said sarcastically.
"She took it better than I did." Luke said.
"Of course she did. For one thing you didn't cut off her hand." Mara said sitting down on a stone bench.
"What happened, Mara. " Luke asked sitting down next to her. "All of a sudden you were just . . . gone."
"We had just about made it to the ship when he appeared. I hid Kiré and we fought. I sensed others were coming our way and I knew I couldn't defeat all of them and keep Kiré hidden. But there was a barrel of rydonium against the far wall so I pulled out my blaster and fired. It distracted him long enough for me to get away but it destroyed the ship. I shielded Kiré and myself with the Force so we could get away and but knew I had to get her someplace safe, so I took her to Karrde. He had pieced it all together by that time, Skywalker." Mara said looking over at him.
"That doesn't surprise me." Luke said wryly "I think Han had his suspicions about us as well."
"Anyway, I left her with him on the Wild Karrde and I went back to find you." said Mara gazing down at her hands. "But when I got there everyone was dead and you were gone. I had nothing left so I went back for her, but I was too late. When I arrived the Wild Karrde was drifting in space around Abregado-Rae all but destroyed. I had failed and lost everything again. So I resumed my place in the Blazing Suns organization, took control and stayed quiet. You know, I really thought, with my past, I could have helped him." Mara said sadly.
"You probably helped him more than any of us." Luke said putting his hand on Mara's shoulder.