The Chosen One: A Reylo Story

Chapter 7: The Spark

Chapter 7: The Spark

Streams of bluish-white light fly by her, seemingly through her. There's almost too much brightness for her eyes to take in at once, but she doesn't dare close them. She loves this... the way the shining bursts of light seem to create patterns before her, forming and then un-forming just as quickly.

In an instant, the beauty of hyperspace is gone, replaced by dim twinkles in the great blackness and her destination looming ahead. A large brown planet, its mostly light, ruddy colors occasionally deepening into chestnut... Cantonica.

A desert planet, not dissimilar from Jakku. The difference being, of course, that Jakku is not home to one of the most luxurious casinos in the galaxy.

Canto Bight.

Finn and Rose have been on this planet for months now. They designed their own mission. General Leia simply gave her approval. Something about this place changed Finn... after Crait, she heard the story. They had only been on the planet for a few hours looking for some master codebreaker, but it had been quite an adventure. Got arrested. Broke free. Escaped with a herd of fathiers, riding one of them (she was jealous of that one). But something else had happened too... something between the lines.

Finn and Rose were adamant about returning. "For every rich high roller visiting the planet there are ten slaves trapped there for life," Finn had told the General. "You say the galaxy needs hope, that hope is how we'll take down the First Order... well this place needs hope most of all." Their plan was simple. Quietly minister to the slaves on the planet... make sure they have access to basic necessities, provide medical care when their masters would not, talk to them, get to know them, organize them.

The report Rose gave to Resistance leaders a couple weeks ago had been glowing and confident. They had managed to help many slaves escape and establish hidden villages for them in desert. But they weren't just hiding out... they were planning. Rose assured the General that a slave rebellion on the planet was brewing... and if it came to fruition, then the planet could soon serve as an important base of operations for the Resistance.

To Rey, Rose had revealed something else. Finn had befriended a boy, a very special boy. Rose told her the boy demonstrated incredible Force abilities. Once, when Finn was injured trying to help a slave escape the casino, the boy had run up to him... and healed him completely.

A boy. With no knowledge of the Jedi other than legends and stories. A nobody, just like her. A nobody who performed a Force ability Maz told her is one of the most difficult to master, an ability Rey has yet to learn herself.

Rose was very clear. Rey must come to Cantonica and meet this boy, and not only because Finn can't seem to free him from his master. Though that's a pressing reason as well. According to Rose, Finn refuses to leave the planet until the boy is free. He's developed a bond with him. Rose tells her he thinks of the boy as a brother, perhaps even a son.

She couldn't come immediately. The General needed her help searching for the Darkstaff. Not that they are any closer to finding it. What little information she'd been able to skim through the Force bond lead to nowhere... a Lorridian in Corellia, a self-inflicted explosion that destroyed him and his home. By the time they got there, the First Order had taken everything worth taking.

Spying for the Resistance through the Force bond had proven more difficult than she anticipated. Last time, he was determined to keep her out of his head. She couldn't pierce past the surface of his consciousness, those half thoughts and emotions that quickly come and go in the moment. What little she had picked up made no sense... an amber stone like a small sun, six crystals, the Darkstaff as a living thing, fear of her involvement, dual wielding?