Skywalker Rises

When Dinner Goes Sideways

Rey sat beside Poe and across from Finn. At the table were a variety of rich politicians, business men, and planetary leaders who had come crawling out of the woodwork after the defeat of the First Order. Finn raised an eyebrow at her and grinned. She relaxed her face. She'd been scowling at the lot of them and not even realized it. While many of them were worthless, a few had sent ships to reinforce the Resistance attack on Exegol. Her friends would all be dead if they hadn't.

Poe had asked her to learn their names, but so far she'd spent too much time in the library, absorbed in her own research and problems. These people had legitimate, galaxy shifting responsibilities. They were trying, yet again, to establish some kind of democratic system of governance. 

The man beside Finn turned his attention toward Rey. She put a spoonful of soup in her mouth and made eye contact. Never make eye contact with a predator. She had forgotten, again, that these diplomats in their nice clothing and bland smiles were dangerous in their own right, Force or not. 

"When can we expect a restored and fully functioning Jedi Order, Miss Skywalker?" said the man. 

Rey blinked. She hadn't expected them to just launch right into it so early. It hadn't been three full months yet since the First Order nearly took control of the entire galaxy. She kicked Poe under the table, and put her spoon down.

Poe grunted and cleared his throat. "That's an excellent question, Minister Vandor," said Poe.

"Not anytime soon," Rey said, cutting Poe off. 

"Rey is alone," said Finn, stepping in as always to smooth over Rey's gaffe. Rey focused on Finn, directed all of her concentration on his face. She knew she was turning red, flushing with embarrassment.

"Are not all of us alone?" said Vandor. "The leadership vacuum is vast. And yet we preserve. You, my dear, must step into your new role. We must have Jedi."

"I've been reading quite a bit these past few months," said Rey.

Vandor smiled, though the comment had caught him off guard. "Oh?"

"Mhm," said Rey. "Have you read much of recent history, Mr. Vandor?"

Finn shifted in his chair and shot Rey the 'shut up now' look. She ignored it.

"I am familiar with events of the past few centuries," said Vandor.

"Do you trust me not to call lightning and fry you where you sit?" said Rey.

Vandor sputtered. The non-sequitur had tripped him up. His inane politician's face finally slid away. Rey put another spoon full of soup in her mouth. Poe rubbed his face with both hands. This dinner had gone sideways, fast. She should have anticipated the expectation - it was, after all, how business had always been done.

"We are all perfectly safe, Minister," said Poe.

"That's the thing, though, isn't it?" said Rey. "You have no idea if we are or not. You trust me because I defeated your enemy. But who's to say I'm not worse? Remember your history. I am Palpatine's blood, after all."

Rey saluted him with her soup spoon and took another bite. This planet was starting to grate on her. She had never in her life intentionally provoked people. But after standing in front of Palpatine in a theatre surrounded by Sith, having an overpowered villain demand that she act as he willed, Rey wasn't so inclined to step in line when another powerful man tried to force her to act as he saw fit. 

"We know you," said Finn. "You aren't like them. Like Palpatine and Kylo Ren and Darth Vader."

I am the heiress of darkness and chaos, by blood and by right, thought Rey. Except my masters are dead now. What I wouldn't give for Luke or Leia's guidance. No one ever talked about after. And now I'm here, alone. Maybe that's my lot in life. At least I'm used to it. 

Could she really stay in this city and watch her friends move forward with their lives, and stand ever apart, ever outside, separated by a power that she barely understood? 

"There are others," said Finn. 

Rey's eyes grew wide in alarm until she realized he was talking in a general sense, not that he suspected Palpatine had fathered other children with too much power and an inclination toward the dark side. 

"Of course I'll help them," said Rey. "What else can I do? But I'm not sure how to train them." She turned her attention back to Vandor. She realized that every other person at the table was leaning in to listen to her speak. "I am the last of the Jedi. I cannot tell you what the future will bring. But I can tell you what it won't bring. The Jedi will not interact in any way, shape, or form with your new government. We will not hold political office or align ourselves with certain political factions. The Jedi are done interfering in politics. If you need enforcers, look elsewhere." 

Vandor nodded begrudgingly. "That's a disappointment." 

Rey couldn't help herself. She laughed. "It's not as disappointing as having a Force user turned to the dark side within your government cause galaxy-wide chaos and destroy entire planets." 

"I suppose not," said Vandor. He sounded like he might be willing to risk it for help in the short-term. One diplomat had the presence of mind to chuckle.

Poe leaned over and spoke softly, just to her. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Rey glanced up at Finn, who was frowning at her. A shimmer in the air behind him caught her attention, and she glanced up to see Yoda and another man she didn't recognize. Their ghost forms were translucent white but clear. Rey shoved back out of her seat and stood, nearly tipping her soup into Poe's lap. 

"Rey?" said Finn. He looked behind him, where her focus was, and stood. 

"This way," said the man with Yoda, and motioned both Rey and Finn to follow them. 

Finn shot Rey a panicked look, but followed the pair out of the room, Rey right behind him.

"Startled, you are," said Yoda to Finn. 

Finn just stared.

"I didn't know you could speak," said Rey. 

She'd seen Luke and Leia's ghosts on Tatooine, but had convinced herself that it could have been a play of the light in the setting suns, or her imagination. 

"We can speak," said the other man. "For at time. Come, we have much to discuss."