When Jenny awoke the following day, her head still throbbed painfully but not nearly as bad as yesterday. She sat slowly up in bed, noting the thin, worn blanket lying on top of her. Early morning sunlight shone through the chamber's open doorway, giving the place a homely feel.
The girl who had rescued her was gone.
Jenny placed her feet on the floor and climbed gingerly out of the hammock, doing her best not to aggravate the pounding in her head.
She walked through the odd chamber to the exit, observing the curved walls, worn cabling, and alien machinery.
When she stood in front of the exit, she put her hands on her hips and gazed out at the expanse of sand and dunes. Despite the barren sight and the dry heat already encroaching on her, she grinned.
Jenny still hadn't tired of exploring new planets, even after a year of knocking around the universe. This life, the life her father also lived, invigorated and intoxicated her like lunar wine from the fields of Ama Neld. Gratefully, she breathed in the harsh, brittle air.
"Mmm!' she moaned. "Marvelous!"
Sand shifted and crunched nearby as the girl from before stepped into view.
"So you're awake," the young woman said to Jenny.
Jenny's casual glance traveled up the girl's body. She stood taller than Jenny, though that wasn't hard to do. She wore an assortment of off-white, beige, and taupe clothing that resembled pieces of robes. An overdress covered a close-fitting undershirt that hugged a lean, slender body. Arm wraps covered portions of her arms. The staff she'd used so formidably the night before rested on her back. She wore boots suited to this sandy climate and a pair of short pants that showed off athletic, toned calf muscles. Her suntanned skin and angular, sculpted face gave her an air of solitary beauty, and Jenny found herself staring in fascination.
"Here, drink this."
She handed Jenny a full canteen.
Jenny brought the jug to her lips and chugged. The water inside tasted metallic and grainy, but she was too parched to care.
Only after she'd trained two-thirds of the canteen did it occur to her they were in a desert and perhaps the other girl might like some water too. Self-consciously, she lowered the canteen, wiped her mouth, and held the canteen out to the other woman.
"Thanks," Jenny said. "Better take your share soon, or I'll drink the whole thing."
"Go ahead," the other woman said. "I'll be fine."
Jenny gazed at the girl's weathered skin, her lean build, and her stoic posture. Yes, she would probably be just fine.
Without a second thought, Jenny downed the rest of the water.
"How are you feeling?" the girl asked after taking the canteen from Jenny.
"I think I'll get quite the lump," Jenny answered, gesturing to the cut on her forehead. "Moving about doesn't feel too great. But I think I'll live." She felt a warm smile of gratitude spread across her face. "Thanks to you. You saved my life, and I don't even know your name."
"My name's Ray."
"Ah, what a nice name. Like from the sun?" Jenny asked, already noting how well the name suited her.
The other girl's face scrunched up. "No, not quite."
She strode past Jenny and stood in front of a wall where hundreds of tally marks had been scrawled. She rose on her tiptoes, muscled calves flexing, and pointed to a spot high in the corner.
"See, like this," the young woman said to Jenny.
Moving closer, Jenny squinted at the spot. Scratched in teeny tiny letters was a word. The translation circuit Jenny had implanted in her scalp took the alien writing and shifted it before her eyes:
Rey.
"Ah. Well, nice to meet you, Rey. I owe you one for saving my life." She eyed the rows of tally marks. "Can I ask what all those are about?"
Rey adjusted her staff and looked away.
"Just keeping track of time," Rey answered. "That's all."
"Alright," said Jenny, dropping the subject even though she wanted to know more.
Now, I..." Jenny continued. She glanced around in mild embarrassment before asking, "Is there a toilet nearby?"
Rey nodded.
"There's a refresher station out back," she said. "I'm not sure where you're from, but it's not much of one. I bought it in place of a day's rations years ago. I have to fix it every other day, and it's extremely hot inside."
"I'll manage," Jenny assured her. "Be right back."
She could practically feel the other girl's eyes on her every movement as she turned and headed outside.
In an attempt to distract herself from her growling stomach and thirst-ridden mouth, Rey wore the old pilot's helmet she'd found years ago. As usual, she imagined sitting in the cockpit of an X-wing starfighter, flying over Jakku, escorting her parents home.
She heard Jenny return from the refresher. Rey yanked the helmet off and shoved it into a corner.
"So...the ship I found you in was quite unusual," Rey prompted quickly.
"Yeah," Jenny agreed, strolling through the room with her hands behind her back, surveying the chamber's furnishings. "It used to be even more boring. I've had to make some...modifications."
"Where did you get it?" Rey asked.
Jenny idly nudged a stray power converter on the floor with her foot. She glanced up mischievously at Rey. "I...borrowed it. The current owners were too busy with other things and didn't have much use for it."
"Okay..." Rey didn't fail to notice the odd way Jenny said 'borrowed.' "Where are you...?"
"Do you live here all by yourself?" Jenny interrupted.
She was staring at the tally marks again.
"What if I do?" Rey questioned, squaring her shoulders.
"Out here, in the desert, all on your own?" Jenny pressed.
"I can take care of myself."
Jenny's eyes flicked up and down Rey's body, and she smirked.
"I don't doubt that. I just mean it seems sort of lonely."
Suddenly Jenny put a hand over her mouth.
"Oh, I'm sorry, was that rude?" Jenny asked. "I'm still...not very good at conversations."
Rey's ire subsided quickly at the embarrassed expression on Jenny's face.
"Don't worry about it. I've heard plenty worse at the Niima Outpost on a good day."
"An outpost, huh?" said Jenny. "Why don't you live there?"
"Not a chance," Rey said, not bothering to hide her disgust as she thought of Unkar Plutt, the Outpost's lumpy, leering boss. "I prefer to keep to myself."
"Well, what about your family? Are they around?"
Rey's muscles tensed and she looked at the floor.
"They're away right now. They'll be back soon, though."
She clung to her own words and willed them to be true.
Jenny watched her closely.
"Rey...I said I owed you for saving my life, but I really do need to get back to my ship."
Hating to be the bearer of bad news, Rey slowly explained, "I'm sorry, but your ship's probably been picked clean by now. This place is full of scavengers...people like me, who salvage downed ships and sell the parts."
"What?" Jenny exclaimed. "Then we need to head out there now!"
Rey didn't like that idea. Interrupting other scavengers when they'd claimed a find was against the rules.
"Like I said, your ship's probably been pulled apart."
Jenny strode over to her. Rey stiffened instinctively when the other woman placed her hands on Rey's shoulders.
"Rey, I know you're not going to believe me, but there's something on my ship that's special. Very special. Hard to come by. It's called a vortex manipulator. Or it used to be. I've modified it a bit."
Rey was transfixed by the sincerity and worry on Jenny's petite face.
"Vortex manipulator," Rey said, testing the words on her tongue. "What is that?"
Jenny paused before answering, "Well, Rey, it lets me travel through time."