Star Wars Episode 9: A New Order by J.R.Wittig

Chapter 2 Past the Past

They run through to the other side of the building before the others can catch them. Rey takes the lead and lightsabers seem to appear at every turn. Maz and Finn do their best not to get sliced. One Knight grabs Rey by her hair, which she instinctively slices off to escape. Maz attempts to trip quite a few and succeeds. Finn carries Rey's staff and accidentally gets it sliced in half; she frowns at him.

They narrowly escape as Finn calls Chewbacca to come for them. They jump to enter the Millenium Falcon running, and take off before the door is closed. Rey uses the Force to ground the black X-wings that begin to pursue them from behind.

The alien woman gasps, "Did you do that?"

"It's kinda her newest trick," Finn answers.

Rey glances in the cockpit and feels the place where her hair was severed as she leans to get bandages for Maz's wounded arm.

"Who were all those others with lightsabers?" "Potential Knights of Ren," the alien woman answers.

Finn and Rey exchange concerned looks as the alien woman examines Maz's neck. She tries to look at Finn's knuckles but he pulls back his hand and she hands him the cloth. Rey leaves to the cockpit to check on Chewbacca. Finn holds the cloth against his scathed hand and looks on as the alien woman touches Maz's forehead.

"I'm Finn. That's Rey."

"I know," The alien woman watches carefully as Rey comes back from the cockpit.

"I'm fine." Maz motions her away.

The alien woman sits comfortably at the table, but gingerly. She places two lightsabers on the table top and leans back glancing at the cockpit again. Rey and Finn join her uneasily. Rey places her weapon on the table too. It is crude looking compared to the alien woman's, which have identical hilts.

"So, how'd you end up with this ship?"

Rey is leery of the alien woman's familiarity, "A dear friend of mine—."

"Han Solo?" She seems to know more than they do.

"Sorry, who are you?" Finn is more than suspicious of her, if Maz is their connection.

"Heretia. Nice to meet you. It's not every day you run into a couple of real Galactic heroes. Don't worry, I don't bite."

Chewbacca moantalks from the cockpit.

"Come on Chewie it was one time! I was 10, let it go!"

Finn's eyes grow wide and he does a double take sitting back as far as he can from her. Rey can't shake the feeling that Heretia seems familiar.

"Have we met before?"

"You may know my brother. Armitage Hux."

Finn jumps up in disbelief and slight panic.

"Wait, you're General Hux's sister!!"

"Half-sister," Heretia clarifies. "A fact he doesn't appreciate very much, and quite frankly neither did his mother."

"But you're a trained Jedi?" Rey marvels.

"A gift from my mother's side."

"Everyone has a story to tell," Maz smiles wearily from her bench.

"So, are you some kind of evil Jedi spy? I saw the red saber. Kinda hard to miss." Finn folds his arms and takes a step back.

"A long story. Better left for another day." Heretia winks at Finn. She indicates Rey's saber, "Your lightsaber, did you make it from Master Skywalker's?"