Episode IX: Legacy of the Chosen

Chapter Two: Saudade

Rey stood atop the cliff's edge, letting the breeze sweep her hair.

She should have been scanning Saudade's horizon for ships and troopers, but instead, as the dawn broke, she couldn't help but watch the rising light.

The mornings here were more beautiful than anything she could have ever dreamed on Jakku. Vivid purples and pinks streaked between the rocky crags, and orange-rimmed clouds hovered over the rising sun. Native Pawaki birds sung the dusk into dawn, their shrill calls echoing through the canyons. Creatures like the ground-crawling Mumbayen and the rock-burrowing Opalon stirred in the brush.

Rey closed her eyes and drew a breath.

It all felt... alive.

For a blissful moment, she forgot her duties.

But a chime startled her out of her thoughts and she snatched her commlink. "Yes?"

A small voice piped, "Commander Rey, you didn't check in. Is everything alright?"

She shook her head. Blast it—my post. I've not been paying the least bit of attention.

"Sorry. Yes, everything is fine, Zandis," she returned. "Thank you for checking."

"Is it safe to do our exercises?"

"Already?" Rey muttered, glancing at the sky.

The sun was almost cresting the horizon. More time had passed than she'd thought. She paused to scan her surroundings before answering. "Yes, we're clear.  Tell the others to come as well."

"Copy that."

Rey returned her comm to her belt with a sigh, staring to the sunrise again, lamenting the lost moment. It seemed like years since she'd had a chance to simply be.

She would never willingly forsake her role in the Resistance, but sometimes she did miss the easier days of scavenging. Back when her biggest problems were food or water or plotting a salvage run.

Not having the burden of the galaxy's fate on your shoulders... and fighting a losing battle every day.

Since Kylo Ren had seized power, the First Order had become more of a terrorist regime than a dictatorship—sending small pockets to burn villages, cities, sometimes whole provinces to flush out any trace of rebellion. Spies were everywhere, and a single whisper in the night was enough to bring destruction on your whole village. Now, an entire galaxy cowered in paranoid terror under Ren's fury.

Of course, a stubborn few still clung to hope, letting themselves believe in the awe-inspiring tale of one man standing alone against evil.  Hushed whispers had spread Luke Skywalker's legend across the galaxy, breathing life into the desolate reaches.  Yet, just as the spark of hope ignited in a town or province or star system, just as everyone dared to believe that a hero would rescue them any moment, a First Order attack brought a wave of cascading darkness to wash it all away.

Now, Luke's legend had all but disappeared. It had been at least two months since Rey had heard anyone ask about the mythical Skywalker.

Instead, there was a new proverb, created for this new era.

Nothing dies like hope.

That was how dark the galaxy had become.

Rey didn't want to believe it, and adamantly denied its truth every time someone repeated it, but something about those words bothered her. And tugged at the corners of her mind in moments like this.

Nothing dies like hope.

Rey clenched her eyes, trying to center herself like Luke had taught her. Unfortunately, the stress of the last few months made it harder every day.