Star Wars | Episode X: The Edge of Destiny

Chapter 24: The Key

"I thought I'd find you here," Finn says as he walks down the stairs into the secret library. 

I look up from the cosmic chart scroll on my desk.  I wasn't studying it---just distracting myself.  So I don't think about what occurred hours ago.

I give a reluctant smile as I follow him crossing the room over to the table.  

"Finn..."

He comes up to the front of the desk and stares at me with a sad look. "Rey, what's happening to you?"  His face draws that tender-caring look. 

I breathe in deeply and turn my face downward in shame. "Finn, I have been lying to you---to everyone."

He tilts his head, "When?"

"More like, where do I start," I stand up and slowly walk around the desk and lean against the front of the table next to him.

He turns but still gives me that loving stare.  "It's ok, tell me."

"I didn't learn Sith from Exegol," my eyes slowly meet his stare.  

He remains silent. 

"When we defeated the emperor...I'm not sure what happened but part of his power latched onto me---his memories and thoughts.  Not full pictures but broken images and sensations.  Part of what downloaded into my mind was the Sith language and...history," I look at him and wait for his response but he stays silent. 

"Rey..."

"Trust me, I was frightened at first but it became quite useful.  When I went back to Exegol, I discovered something..."

"What, tell me," Finn turns closer and places his left hand softly on my right shoulder.

"Exegol isn't just a Sith occupied planet. It's a map of the Chain Worlds Theorem.  I finally see it now.  All the pieces are connecting from what was in the Jedi texts I took from Ahch-To."

"Chain World...what are you saying?"

"This relic we won on Hutta was just a trap and I knew it all along.  They wanted me to have this," I point to the relic on the table.  I had retrieved it right after the confrontation with Beaumont Kin to reaffirm my suspicions.  "They just wanted the Darksaber the whole time.  They knew that the creature who gave me this saber wouldn't reveal itself to them---only me." 

"So, they wanted you to have this why?"

"I wanted to have this. It's the key. They want it too."

"Uh, I..." He scratches his head and looks at the ground.

"When I went back to Exegol, I was able to read the markings all around the temple and in the caverns. The temple describes the World Between Worlds and how to access it---Exegol is the template.  The emperor wanted to control it to maintain his power---he failed.  I looked over every piece of information in this library for months and discovered something that has been missed for centuries and this relic proves my theory."

Finn's eyes widen and his mouth parts open with anticipation. 

"Darth Vader attempted to bring this Padme back from the World Between Worlds but failed.  He failed because he didn't have this key or the right location," I grab hold of the Darksaber hilt at my waist and raise it for us to look at.  

"This relic showed me his mistakes---the enemy didn't anticipate that.  Padme did not become one with the Force.  Mustafar is not a doorway that you can access the World Between Worlds with.   Our enemy thought I would be desperate enough to follow Darth Vader's plan without hesitation; most likely going to Mustafar.  I let them think I was an emotionally wasted person who would do anything to find out the secret to bring someone back.  They fell for my trap and revealed their wild card---the Dark Force user.  That's why I had to use the Force to persuade Poe to win the bidding.  I couldn't let them think they had the advantage.  Little did they realize, they just gave me what I have been searching for the whole time.  And now, I know where to use this key."