Star Wars IX- The Rise of Skywalker

Chapter 16- Deciphering

Rose Tico stood at one of the terminals with Commander D'Arcy and Lieutenant Connix. Rey, Finn, Chewie and Poe, along with the droids BB8 and C-3PO, had been gone for days. It wasn't that long in the grand scheme of the Resistance's reconnaissance endeavours, but she missed Finn. Now he was a Commander; he spent more and more time away from the base, away from her. Rose knew what Finn did was important, recruiting and reconnaissance, and she was proud of him, but that didn't mean she didn't wish he was with her.

"Rose, they're back," Connix informed her.

Rose looked up, and sure enough, Finn, Rey, Poe and Chewie were striding through the command centre with 3PO struggling to keep pace and BB8 wheeling enthusiastically alongside. She rushed to Finn, and they embraced warmly, pulling back from each other to eye each other and check the other was okay.

"How was it?" Rose asked, eyeing a nervous expression on Finn's face.

"It wasn't great," Poe interjected as he walked off. Rose eyed Commander Dameron uneasily before turning back to Finn.

"Sandy and," Finn paused, "Kylo Ren turned up and Rose, something is going on between him and Rey, it's like, it's like they're... I dunno allies? No more than allies- friends. Like they know each other. It was as though he knew her more than I knew her. He was different, too, less scary."

Rose listened to everything he said intently and guiltily. Rey had confided in her on multiple occasions about a man. After Crait Rey had struggled, her ability with the Force diminished. To Rose, Rey had admitted it was due to blocking a Force bond, a bond with a man. Rey had been lost without her ability; she'd felt as though she was letting the Resistance down. Rey had openly admitted to Rose how lonely she was without this man who'd helped her. Through Rose's careful probing, Rose had come to the conclusion the man in question was Kylo Ren. There was no one else who used the Force whom Rey could know. Luke was dead, and Rey hadn't broken any bond with him. You only broke something like that for a reason, like if the person you have it with is supposed to be your enemy! Rose had suggested to Rey that she stop blocking this bond, that the Force had created it for a reason. Rey had followed her advice, and her abilities had returned when she'd reopened it. Rose's conclusion had been proved valid during the meeting where Rey had admitted her bond with Kylo Ren. Rose couldn't say she understood Rey's link with Kylo Ren. From what she'd learnt about Kylo Ren, he was an awful person; a villainous demon, dark, abusive and cruel. The opposite of Rey.

Finn looked at her, running a hand over his confused face; he saw a lack of reaction in her face. Rose was a terrible liar, and Finn knew it.

"You knew, and you didn't tell me!"

"I wasn't certain until the meeting before you left for Pasaana. Rey told me in confidence, like a sister. It was not my place to share that confidence."

Now, it was Finn's turn to look guilty at the accusation.

"Finn, I know you think the Force brought you together, that your friendship is stronger than anything, but Rey isn't like us; Kylo Ren is. She was alone, and the Force bonded them; she tried to fight it, cut herself off from the Force and made it worse. Whatever is going on between them, be her friend, support her, trust her."

Finn paused for a moment, considering before he sighed, "You're right; I know you're right. Why are you always, right?" he said as he smiled at her, taking both her hands in his.

"Cos I'm amazing!" she exclaimed, kissing him sweetly.

"That you are," Rey joined them from having debriefed Commander D'Arcy, "and I need your help with something."

"Shoot."

"Can you write a deciphering programme?" Rey asked.

"Depends what I'm deciphering."