Please see my notes after this chapter!

XXXXXX

"You're going to Exegol."

Poe frowned at Leia. The name sounded familiar. "Is that the planet in the Unknown Regions Damon was talking about? The one he was worried might have a secret First Order base?"

Leia nodded. "Yes. It's so far away from any First Order activity, and it's difficult to get to, due to its location near a nebula, so I wasn't too worried about it. But I just found out yesterday from Luke that it's considered the homeworld of the Sith."

Sith. Just the word caused Poe to feel nervous. "Who do you want me to take as my team?" Did he dare hope he could bring Rey?

Leia shook her head. "No team," she said softly. "You and your X-Wing and either BB-8 or R2. You're just doing reconnaissance. That's it." She looked out of the entrance to the cave she was using as her office, and Poe turned his head to see what she was looking at. Rey was talking to Luke, a smile on her face. "Luke is taking Rey to Sandurk, a planet he believes may still have Kyber." She looked back at Poe. "She may already have a lightsaber built by the time you get back."

Poe looked back at her, his heart starting to race. The Sith homeworld, with no back-up but a droid. Leia didn't have to say it. He knew how dangerous this was going to be.

"I know you have a better chance of slipping in and out without being seen than any other pilot," Leia continued, her voice low. "But if you don't think you can do this, let me know now."

Poe swallowed. "I can do it."

Leia watched him for a long while, her expression concerned. "I know you're doing better, especially since you've been with Rey, but you're still not 100%."

"Is anyone?"

"Point taken." She took a deep breath. "I expect you to leave as soon as possible." She grasped his shoulder and squeezed it. "May the Force be with you."

Poe nodded, then took a deep breath of his own and left the cave, heading toward Rey, who was finished talking with Luke. She had a brilliant smile on her face, and the sight made his heart ache. He tried to smile back, but she could read him like a datapad. Her grin dropped as she met him half-way.

"What's wrong?"

He grabbed her elbow lightly and turned her toward the edge of the camp, toward their home. "I need to talk to you." He stopped as they reached one of the trees by the lake and turned to face her once more. "I'm going on a recon mission," he told her, trying not to let her worried eyes distract him. "It's not gonna be easy."

"You never do easy," she responded. "This is something else. I can feel your anxiety."

He licked his lips. Leia hadn't said this mission was top secret, and even if she had, he trusted Rey. "I'm going to Exegol."

Rey's brows furrowed. "Exegol? Luke just mentioned that planet yesterday."

"So Leia said."

"I remember reading about it in one of the texts. I guess I didn't think it was real, or that it existed anymore."

"It's real. And Leia thinks something is going on there we need to know about."

"Ren?" she asked. "He's not Sith, nor was Snoke." She paused. "But his grandfather was. Our grandfather was."

"I don't know if it's the First Order or something else," he shrugged. "That's why I'm going to check it out."

Rey stared at him for a long moment, then she nodded. "You'll come right back?"

"Well, not directly," he said, smiling for the first time since Leia talked to him. "I'm not gonna lead them here, whoever they are." He stepped closer to her. "But, yeah, I'll be back as soon as I can." He watched her for a moment, then took a deep breath and reached for the chain around his neck. He pulled the ring out from underneath his shirt and lifted the chain over his head. Without hesitation, he slipped it over Rey's head.

She gasped softly, her startled expression telling him she knew exactly how important his action was. "Poe?" she whispered.

"Keep it safe for me," he told her softly. He paused as she bit her lip, her eyes filling with moisture. "I'm going to leave BB-8 with you, as well. R2 has more knowledge of Sith and Jedi lore; he may recognize things and know what's important and what's not important."

Rey nodded, his more businesslike tone helping her to gather her emotions. "Okay," she breathed. "But this time I'm not waiting if you don't come back," she said, her voice firm. "I'm coming after you. I don't care what Luke or Leia say."

He huffed a soft laugh, knowing she was telling the truth. He cupped her face in his hands. "I love you, Rey Skywalker."

She smiled as he said her full name, one of the few who knew what it was now. She reached up and gently grasped his wrists. "I love you, Poe Dameron." She leaned forward to kiss him, whispering as her lips touched his, "Come back to me."

He sank into her kiss, wondering what he had ever done to be loved by this woman, but not doubting for one second that it was true.

Within an hour, he and R2-D2 were lifting off from the surface of Ajan Kloss, several people on the ground watching them go. Only a handful of them knew where he was going. His eyes scanned the group, which included people he loved like family, and promised himself he was going to see them again soon.

It was over seventeen standard hours to Exegol, with two stops to reset coordinates and avoid specific anomalies. While in hyperspace, R2 powered down to save energy, and Poe either dozed or read. He did what research he could on Exegol; Leia had downloaded all she knew about the planet, and Rey had quickly thrown in the information she had gleaned from the Jedi texts, which wasn't much. He knew the nebula he would have to traverse to get to the actual planet was going to be treacherous, but it should also hide him from whomever was using the planet for whatever reason. There was no equipment out there that could detect ships in gas or plasma clouds. Unless they had far superior tech, of course.

Finally, Poe reached the unnamed nebula. From what he had read, the gas cloud was full of the long dead bodies of giant space-faring creatures, such as the almost mythical purrgil. He would have to be careful. R2 was awake and alert and ready to help him navigate, and after a brief stop to eat a ration bar and hydrate, he was ready.

The going was slow, but the T-85 listened to his commands with absolute precision, and with R2's occasional alert, they flew through the reddish-colored space graveyard without any trouble. Forty-minutes after entering, Poe did a micro-jump and arrived at Exegol.

The first thing he saw were the Star Destroyers. Dozens of them, docked motionless in the atmosphere of the dark, foreboding planet. There were no lights that he could see on the ships, letting him know they currently were not operative, but they looked complete and fully functional, so their launch couldn't be far away. He swung around, keeping the ship angled so that the light from the rather dim sun wouldn't flash off the hull, while R2 took holopicture after holopicture of what they were seeing.

He moved closer to the planet surface, his sensors giving him faint readings of a large structure almost directly beneath the ships. He couldn't determine what it was and he wasn't about to get any closer, if only because of the odd lightning that flashed near the surface, but R2 confirmed he had zoomed in and gotten some fairly clear images of it.

"First Order or not, this is not good news," Poe said, and R2 confirmed with a trill. "Let's get the hell out of here." While everything in him wanted to shoot away from the planet as fast as he could, he maintained a steady pace, once more keeping at a forty-five degree angle to hopefully prevent any reflections. He wasn't sure what kind of sensors that building had, or if any were currently working in the ships above, but because his own readings were faint, he assumed the strange lightning was preventing efficient use of tech, and that was okay with him.

He was almost out of atmo when the ships appeared. TIE fighters, he thought, but their design was different. New? Or old? It didn't matter, because they were heading directly toward him. "R2, get ready," he said. He winced as he heard the slight tremor in his voice. "We've been spotted." He stopped trying to be stealthy and directed the fighter directly toward space, but away from the Star Destroyers; he still wasn't convinced they were harmless.

He would have outrun them, but a bolt of lightning caught him. It only touched the tip of his wing, not enough to do damage, but it created a brief surge in power, and Poe had to concentrate on keeping control as the surge died. R2 screamed behind him, and Poe worried he might have blown a fuse. Or several.

"You okay, buddy?" he called back to the ancient astromech. There was a pause, but then the droid beeped a quiet affirmative. Poe turned his attention back to their escape, knowing that their speed had decreased while he worked to get control of the ship, and that the TIEs had caught up. "Kriff."

With a grimace, he turned the fighter around to face his opponents.

XXXXXX

Rey sat at the table looking at the parts before her. She had to admit that this situation kind of reminded her of her past on Jakku, only she hadn't scavenged these parts, Luke had. And she wasn't cleaning them to sell.

She was attempting to make a lightsaber.

She took up what she planned to use as the grip and began to piece together the items before her, careful to leave room inside for the conduits and wiring needed to focus the energy from the Kyber to make an actual blade. The grip was, in fact, the only part she had scavenged, years ago on Jakku. When she had pulled the piece off of her staff and added it to the pile, Luke had given her a smile and a nod.

The Kyber crystal had been her find as well, and Luke was still looking at it with what she thought was a bit of awe. There had been a few crystals left in the cave they had searched on Sandurk, but many had been broken or were irregular. Luke had told her not to worry, that the Force would direct her to the one she was supposed to have, and even if it was imperfect, she would find a way to make it work.

The Force had led Rey to a crevasse in the rock wall, and when she had reached in, she had pulled out a half-dozen clear crystals. She held each one in her hand, then set it aside when it didn't give her that tingly feeling she was looking for. When none of them connected, but she was still feeling the call, she reached in again, this time pulling out a crystal that almost seemed to sing to her. As she held it, feeling it warm up in her hand, it changed color.

"Yellow," Luke had breathed.

Rey had looked at him. "Does that mean something?" she asked.

"The sentinels in the Jedi temple had yellow blades," Luke had told her. "I guess it only makes sense that you, the guardian of the new Jedi, should have yellow."

And so, Rey was making her first lightsaber.

She had pieced most of the parts together when she felt another pull, this one as strong but different than the one the Kyber had given. She set down the lightsaber and looked to the sky.

"Rey?" Luke asked, concern lacing his voice.

"It's Poe," she whispered. "He's back."

Luke also looked up, searching the skies. "You can feel him already?" Was he really that surprised she could sense the man she loved so strongly?

She nodded, then frowned. "Something's wrong." She jumped up from her seat and headed for Command, Luke following. Suddenly, a sonic boom sounded over the jungle and Rey stopped and looked up again. Poe's X-Wing was coming in fast, smoke trailing it like a comet. She watched it for a moment, gauging its trajectory and determining where it was going to land, then took off running in that direction. Luke followed, talking into his commlink.

The X-Wing's speed decreased significantly as it reached its destination, one of the few areas that was completely clear of trees next to the lake. She realized why he had gone for that spot as soon as she neared the ship, and she heard Luke shouting into his commlink behind her as he saw the same thing. "Fire crews! To the east side of the lake now!"

Rey watched as the canopy of the burning ship rose and Poe pulled himself out, swinging over the side and somehow looking graceful as he dropped down to the ground, hanging onto the side of the cockpit to assist his controlled fall. "R2!" he was shouting.

"I've got him!" Luke said as he rushed past Rey. He reached forward and grabbed his droid with the Force, pulling the squealing astromech up and out of the socket, then lowering him to the ground. R2 was smoking a bit and looked a little singed, but otherwise seemed to be working fine. Just more scars to add to his already battered body, she thought.

She looked at Poe again. "Are you okay?" she asked as he moved toward her, his whole demeanor radiating tension. Both fire crews passed her on the way to the burning ship, and began spraying fire retardant on it. Rey heard BB-8 rolling up behind her, also demanding to know if Poe was okay. "What happened?"

Poe shook his head, then rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "They spotted me just as I was leaving," he told her. "I took out a squad of TIEs, then made a run for it, but they followed." He looked past her, and Rey turned to see Leia making her way toward them. Poe continued, including the General and Luke in his story. "When I cleared the nebula, I jumped, but when I got to my first stop, they showed up behind me. Then it happened a second time." He shook his head again, frustration and adrenaline pouring off of him. "They kriffing tracked me through hyperspace!"

"That's impossible," Rey said, knowing as she said it how wrong she was. Poe wouldn't have told them that if it wasn't true.

"But they did," Leia nodded.

"How did you get away?" Rey breathed, her eyes once more on the X-Wing. The fire crews had gotten the flame put out, but the ship would never be the same.

"I lightspeed skipped," Poe answered.

All three of the Skywalkers stared at him.

"You… you lightspeed skipped?" Luke finally asked. "In an X-Wing?"

Poe shrugged. "It was the only way I could think to get them off my tail." He looked back at the ship. "The last stop I made before I jumped here was clear, but the ship…" He looked back at them, this time focusing on Rey. "I wasn't sure I was gonna make it."

Rey realized she was shaking. Not only had he fought off TIEs, but then lightspeed skipped, which was incredibly risky… She rushed forward to hug him, closing her eyes as his arms wrapped around her. "Force, Poe," she whispered.

"Well, now I know I chose the right pilot for this job," she heard Leia say behind her. "I don't know any other pilot that could lightspeed skip an X-Wing. Not even you."

Rey opened her eyes to see who Leia was talking to and saw Han walking up to them, his eyes wide as he looked at Poe's ship. "Damn, kid," he said. "I'm impressed."

Rey felt Poe give a soft chuckle. "Never thought Han Solo would be impressed by me."

"We all are Poe," Luke said, resting his hand on the pilot's shoulder. "And we're glad you're back safe." Rey watched as Poe looked at her father, his expression surprised. It was the first time the elder Jedi had ever been anything but cool and judgmental toward Poe.

Poe took a deep breath and looked at R2. "R2, is everything you recorded on Exegol still intact?"

The astromech tweedled an affirmative.

Poe looked back at Leia. "They're building a whole fleet, General. I counted at least 30 Star Destroyers. It doesn't look like they're on-line, yet, but they're close."

R2 beeped an addition, causing Luke to frown. "The Sith Citadel is the base?" His expression turned contemplative. "So, is it the First Order, or some other derivative of the Empire?" He looked at Poe.

Poe shrugged. "I honestly don't know," he said. "The TIEs were different than what the First Order is using now, but that doesn't mean anything. If they were built at the same time as those Star Destroyers, then they could be using upgraded tech." He looked at Rey. "I think there's only one way to find out if Ren is involved."

Rey swallowed. "You want me to try and connect with him again, don't you?"

"Do you think he would tell you the truth if you asked him?" Leia wondered.

"If I told him we know about what's happening on Exegol, just his reaction should tell me," Rey answered. "Don't you think?"

Poe nodded. "You wouldn't need to stay in contact with him for very long."

She sighed, but then looked at Luke. "Can I finish first?"

Luke grinned. "I'd recommend it. If you talk to him with that on your hip, that should catch him off guard again."

"Finish?" Poe asked.

"My lightsaber," Rey told him with a smile.

Within moments, Poe was taking R2 to Command, where Rose and her team would download the data from Exegol and analyze it. Poe would then get cleaned up and grab something to eat, but he asked Rey to hold off on her attempt to connect with Ren again until he was done. Rey, meanwhile, headed back to the table and continued working on the lightsaber under Luke's supervision.

Her body still thrumming with the left-over adrenaline from watching Poe's burning ship come in, Rey focused on the task at hand, and before Poe could even get back from his break, it was done. Nervously, Rey stepped out into the clearing and turned it on.

The yellow blade was startlingly bright, and Rey thought it was beautiful.

"Well done," Luke told her.

"It's gorgeous," Poe said from behind her. Rey spun around to see both him and Leia watching her, identical looks of awe on their faces.

Leia took a deep breath and tilted her head. "Are you ready, Rey?"

Extinguishing her saber, Rey nodded. She clipped the new saber to her belt and looked at Luke, who smiled back encouragingly. She then focused on Poe, who had moved closer to her, his exhausted eyes watching her intently; his presence not only comforted her, but she felt as if, should something go wrong, he would be the one to reach out and support her.

She closed her eyes and searched for the now familiar presence of her cousin. He wasn't hard to find, and it quickly became apparent that he was already seeking her in the Force.

"Ben?" she said quietly. He was facing away from her, wearing the horrid mask she had only seen in holos until now, but he turned quickly at her voice.

"It worked," he said, almost to himself.

Rey couldn't help but laugh. "You think you did this?" she asked him derisively. "How long have you been trying to find me? I literally just opened myself up moments ago." She couldn't see his expression, but she felt his frustration. "You found me because I allowed it," Rey concluded.

He was silent for a moment, his head tilted. "Why?" he finally asked. "Why did you allow it?"

"I have news," Rey told him.

"You also have a new lightsaber," he interrupted. "Does it work?"

She ignored him, knowing he was trying to get a rise out of her. "We know about the fleet at Exegol."

As she expected, his reaction to her statement told her the truth. She felt his surprise, then his anger. He didn't just know about the fleet, he was in charge of it.

"The X-Wing," he breathed. "That wasn't you, was it?"

Rey shook her head. "It was an old friend of yours," she told him. "Poe Dameron."

Ren lifted his chin. "He took out over a dozen of my pilots," he growled. "Do I dare hope he didn't make it back alive?"

Almost instinctively, Rey reached out to her left and felt Poe take her hand. "He's just fine," Rey told him.

Ren was silent for a long moment. Then he said softly, the anger in his voice palpable, "Exegol is just the beginning."

XXXXXX

Hey, everyone. I never thought I would have to write this, but here we are.

Those of you who have been reading my stuff for a while know that I've been through the ringer these last several years. Three personal losses combined with simple bad luck created clinical depression (on top of a lifetime of anxiety) and suicidal ideology. I discovered that I am mostly likely high-functioning autistic and now I'm dealing with age-related health issues. Writing, especially Damerey, has been my escape, but it hasn't been easy. Dealing with chronic pain and chronic fatigue takes its toll.

Recently, my boss decided that everyone must be independently wealthy like she is and reduced my hours significantly. I have a horse and a cat the need their teeth worked on, another cat and a dog that need vaccinations, a car that needs repair, a house mortgage, car payments, debt from a previous vehicle, and now medical bills. So, for the first time in my life, I had to get a second job just to make ends meet. With my health issues, this is going to make life rough, and I don't foresee having the time or energy to write anytime soon.

I have the outline for a new long-fic, but the odds of me actually getting it written are slim to none right now, which is why The New Recruit may be my last one. I gotta admit, I'm so damn tired of keeping this ship afloat.

Last week on my birthday, I was reading through several old Damerey fics, stories written during the height of the ship. As someone who came into it late, I often wonder how my stories would have fared if I had written and posted them back then. Would they have gotten 50 likes? Would they have 20 comments per chapter? I'll never know. I struggled to complete The New Recruit. I love it and I'm proud of it, but it kills me seeing it struggle. The reader count is respectable, but the feedback is… well, I rarely get a lot of comments. Those that do so regularly have become friends, and I am grateful for that, at least. But feedback literally feeds a writer, and not having much leaves me feeling starved and unable to write, especially when I'm already physically and emotionally exhausted. (If anyone is really, super shy, you can find me on Tumblr and send an anonymous Ask!)

I love this ship and I am not leaving it, so anyone else who posts Damerey stories or artwork, I WILL BE THERE! I will support it with everything in me. I still have stories galore in my head, including that one that I've never had the guts to write, but they are going to have to stay there for a while.

Maybe something wonderful will happen in the next year and things will get better. In the meantime, I hope you continue to enjoy this story, and if you've just started reading this one, I've got over four years of stories for you to read! And if I do come back, I hope that my regulars will still be around, ready to join me on a new adventure with Rey and Poe.

Thank you all so much for reading!