PHOENIX ━ dameron

073 | vices

Rey shared a glance with Lyra. "It isn't nothing."

Finn took a protective step toward Rey, deeply concerned. She handed him her staff and slid her satchel off. "I'll be right behind you, you guys go on ahead."

Lyra saw the empty searching in her eyes, the quiet fear that had made a home in her. The scavenger took off down the side of the rocks, moving out of view.

"Head up to the ship," Lyra told Poe. She needed to stay with Rey. "See if you can get it to start."

He nodded once, and then he and Finn headed the rest of the way up. Nascha followed, slinking behind the two of them with ease.

Lyra watched Rey walk out into the open desert. The white fabric of her tunic fluttered in the breeze like the uniform of some holy saint. The sands shifted around her, dust brushing up from around her feet and into the yellow-tinged sky. Rey was waiting for something only she could sense, but Lyra could hear it.

The screech of an incoming TIE fighter. Kylo Ren's ship, finally bearing down upon them.

Chewie came up beside Lyra and both of them looked out at Rey with concern.

What's she doing? The Wookie grunted. He cared about Rey like he had cared about Han, and Lyra knew he was fulfilling a promise to Han by watching out for the girl.

"Trying to prove something to herself," Lyra muttered in response. Then she turned to Chewie. "Head up into the ship. I'll get Rey up there, don't worry."

Chewie inclined his head, but moved back up the rocks. Above the ship's boosters roared to life, and it was a miracle that the old rusted thing had started at all. But then, it was Poe, so she wasn't too surprised.

"Rey!" Lyra shouted, making her way out into the open sand plain. The flames were itching at her skin, begging to be used. But this battle wasn't hers. "Rey!"

No answer. Rey just stood, poised and ready to meet the incoming ship.

There was no stopping her, so Lyra turned around and moved back up towards the rocks. She was surprised to see Finn heading towards her, and not up inside the ship with the rest of them.

"Where's Chewie?" he asked, bordering on panic.

Lyra frowned. "He's not back up there?"

"No."

Lyra turned to her left. Not too far from where they stood, a transport ship had silently docked. A battalion of troops were standing with their blasters at the ready, all leading one lone prisoner into their ship.

Chewie. Cuffed at the hands and neck, they had Chewie. As they watched from too far away, the Wookie was led up into the ship and the door closed.

Lyra was the one who had failed to stop the loss of Han. She wasn't losing Chewie, too.

"We have to go get him before they get away--!" Finn hissed quietly, eyes darting around wildly.

Ren's ship was getting closer still. Rey had ignited her lightsaber, and was crouched.

"What the hell is she doing!" Finn asked, dangerously close to losing his mind.

"I don't know, but it isn't going to end well for Ren," Lyra marveled, watching as Rey ran in the same direction as the ship was flying.

As the ship got too close for human comfort, Rey launched herself into the air. In a perfect flip, Lyra watched as the blue light of the saber cut through the wing of the fighter. Rey was silhouetted by the sun, almost obscured by the golden brown cloud in the wake of the feat she had just pulled off.