Finn and Rey were clearly having a heart to heart when Poe got back. But the joy he had felt at seeing them happy together was dead to him. He felt like the world had turned to grey. He felt like he had suddenly been devoid of emotion. That was why she didn't want him to go with her. This was to be the end of them. If she had no emotion anymore, she would feel nothing for him. She was trying to spare him. Like a fool, he had fallen in love with her. But he knew the legends about Jedi. Knew the stories. Jedi were not allowed to love. Because of sacrifices like this. They would always choose the galaxy first. And he could not fault her for that. Would he not do the same if it came down to it? A tight lump in his throat stopped him from considering that question any further. In his heart he knew that no, he wouldn't put the galaxy first. She was his priority. He was crazily in love with her. But he didn't expect the same from her. He didn't want that. She was important and powerful, and he was proud of her. But he wished that there was some other way.
He continued to look at Rey and Finn laughing quietly, and he felt a terrible aching in his heart. He could not take Finn away from this happiness. He couldn't think that this would end up the same way as he and Dara. Even just thinking her name brought a stinging to his eyes. He decided he would leave Finn here. Finn, very bravely would insist on coming with Poe if he told him that he was being left behind. Poe took one last look at their happiness and slunk away, hoping he wouldn't be noticed. Before he got too far out of the Temple, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
"You can't get away that easily." It was Rey. Poe turned to face her. There was warmth in her eyes as always. Finn sat a ways off, trying not to look obvious in the way he was staring at them both. He thought he was sweet for trying. "Poe, why don't you ever talk to somebody?" There was real care in her voice. Poe thought he would just come completely undone. He thought his stiff upperr lip routine would crumble at these kind words from the young woman. He could feel his resolve waver. "You don't have to be alone all the time." That brought him down at last. He threw his arms around Rey, who held him close and rubbed his back. He didn't cry, or shake, but in that one embrace, he felt some of the sorrow and worry he'd been holding in pouring out of him.
"She's run away to be a big goddam hero. She'll never feel emotion again if she does this thing." He didn't know if he was making sense. His words sounded slow and garbled to him.
"You're going to catch her. And Finn is going to help you. I think Master Luke will let me go too. We're your people, Poe. You're not going there on your own." There was such fierce determination in her voice that he felt he didn't have it in him to argue. She held him at arms-length, and felt like a younger man again. A young and scared man. Rey had obviously opted to do the pep-talk, but he knew these words of kindness were coming from Finn as much as they came from Rey. At least the sentiment did.
"You guys are really good friends." was all Poe could think to say. Rey gave him a small smile. She took his arm in a firm but gentle grip, and guided him back towards Finn. "Explain it all to us." Finn patted Poe's shoulder awkwardly when he sat down. Poe nodded his thanks and appreciation to the man before he launched into his tale.
Dara was dressed all in white. It was quite a stark change from her usual drapes of black, but it was an advantage here. Yavin 8. So close to where she had been born. So close to where it had all begun. She would be perfectly camouflaged in the snowy plains dressed like this.
"Chewie… You should stay here." The wookie protested loudly, throwing up his arms. He was a dramatic furball. He always had been. Chewbacca sat watching something on that entertainment thing in the Millenium Falcon's passenger hold. "I'll be fine, I promise. I just need to do this on my own." He protested some more, complaining that he was her uncle, and he had to take care of her. He wasn't going to lose anybody else. She felt a little bad at that. Chewie had been her dad's best friend for a long time. He had helped to raise her and Ben. He was very much a part of the Solo-Organa family, and he had suffered all of their traumas. "I'm going to come back." she said. But I won't be me anymore… She swallowed back tears for what she was about to do. The wookie bleated one last time. "I love you too." she said, her voice cracking with despair.
Stepping out into the harsh winds, she pulled a scarf up around her face. Her hair whipped wildly. That would be impossible to untangle. That's future Dara's problem. she thought. She nearly laughed. Future Dara wouldn't care. She could see the massive temple in the distance. Sand drifts had pushed up against the monumental walls. She thought that it was a miracle that it wasn't covered over entirely. She clutched the branch of the Force tree taken from that man's garden on Yavin 4. He must have been Shera Bey's husband. In her other hand she held the face mask she had found in Rey's home. The Force had been strongest around this object. Rey was powerful, different from how Dara was powerful, but she had power that Jedi like Luke didn't have. She must have something of the Old Force within her. The ritual would take some time. It was a miracle she came upon the information at all. An errant thought from her mother had escaped about this Temple, and Dara had researched furiously. That had been why she had left for Coruscant. Where she left the note for Poe, who would surely follow her trail. The wind howled ferociously. Even without its help she would have had tears streaming down her face, freezing on her skin and in her eyelashes. Sweet Poe. Her heart was broken that she must leave him like this. Without a goodbye. Without an explanation. But if she tried to say goodbye, he would beg her not to do what she was going to, and then she would never have done it. Poe had power over her. Too much power to allow her to do what was necessary. She could never have coped with having to see the pain in his sweet doe eyes. Dara pushed on through the snow blasts, gritting her teeth against the cold. She knew he wouldn't stop. He would find out where she was going somehow. Probably by asking Uncle Luke about the Temple she mentioned. She wondered even now why she had written that. Some part of her wanted to see him again. Wanted him to stop her.
It took her hours to walk to the temple. They couldn't fly the Falcon in any closer. Dara felt the strength of the place pulsing from space. So she walked through the maelstrom, freezing her buns off. When she at last reached the temple, the winds and snows died down. The area around the temple entrance felt warmer. She relished in the relief. So much so that she didn't see the figure all in black standing before her, staring silently. She jumped. Masked and helmeted. It was a Knight of the First Order. She felt faint. Was it Ben? She looked them over. The Knight was too short to be Ben. Too slender. There was something feminine about the curve of this person's body. They were the same height and build as herself.
"Who are you?!" She called, dropping the branch of the tree and the mask to clutch for her lightsabre. The person walked forward with a familiar step. She took the helmet from her head, releasing a fall of long white hair. Her own hazel eyes stared back at her. "What is this?!" she yelled, as though she actually expected someone to answer.
"Light side and Dark side meet in the middle to create the truly Grey one. You must embrace me. Your Dark Side." It was her voice that spoke, but it was not from her lips. A wicked smile curved the lips on the face staring back at her. Evil Dara looked different. She had no scar. Her hair was longer and wilder, her skin paler, her eyes brighter. She looked malicious.