Evangeline's P.O.V.
What do you want from me?
Everything.
The words my brother and I spoke to one another repeat in my mind as if it's taunting me. Kylo Ren wants to break me; take everything I love from me. I can sense he's not done with me; he has more plans for me in the worst ways.
I'm sitting on my bed, facing the light saber on my desk in my bunker. They have released Poe from the medical sector, and he's talking to my mother about what our next move should be. I know we can't go back to Jakku to search for BB-8; Kylo Ren is waiting for me to go back there.
The time to be on Jakku has come and gone; we missed our shot. I don't know if the stormtrooper, Finn, is still alive, but I might never find out now. Watching the light saber on my desk, I hear the words Poe said last night:.
The resistance will still have at least one Jedi.
I haven't used my saber in over six years; I'm no match for Kylo Ren now. At one point in time I was, which is why I was given the rank of Jedi when Ben wasn't. Maybe that's one reason he turned to the dark side; so he could grow in ways I wouldn't.
The truth of the matter is I won't stand the chance if Kylo Ren finds me again. I was at his mercy the moment he saw me in Jakku; and it will only get worse with time. If I face him again, I must be prepared, but that would mean picking up my light saber again.
I rub my face tiredly; if it was anyone else, I would easily pick up my light saber again. I would have never let it go to begin with, but this isn't anyone. Though, whether I want to or not; I will have to use my saber against my brother.
Standing up, I shuffle towards my desk, watching my weapon like it will jump out at me. Gulping, I know what I must do, but I don't know if I have the strength to do it. There's only one way for me to find out; I have to at least try.
Picking up my old light saber, I lift in my hand and try to rise above the pain I feel from holding it. My brother's face flashes in my mind before turning into the mask of Kylo Ren. When he saw me without my saber, I could sense disappointment but also a sense of amusement.
It disappointed him I lost the way of the Jedi, but amused that I let it happen. My brother wants me to put up a fight only so he can strike me down in all his anger and prove he's more powerful than me. If fighting me is what my brother wants, then so be it.
I will do what I must.
Poe's P.O.V.
"What's going on?"
I speak up to Sereina in trouble as I notice people all over going to a spot outside the hangar. There's a group of people dead silent, watching something off to the forest beside the docking bay. I can't even see what they're looking at from the amount of people piled together.
"It's Evangeline!"
Sereina answers to me before striding to the group. Concern floods into me and I walk faster to where everyone's standing. When reaching the crowd, I find them all trying to stay as still as possible while watching the scene in front of them in awe.
Pushing people out of my way, I search for Evangeline and what has happened. Getting in front of everyone, I catch Leia also standing in the crowd, observing. Turning toward where the General's gaze is going, I find what everyone is looking at.
My heart skips a beat and my mouth hangs open slightly. Eva's in clothing I've never seen on her before; she's wearing a dark brown dress that ends at her knees. The cloth of her dress is thick; it's tight around her chest but loose below her waist.
The dress has wide straps on her shoulder and a wide black belt around her waist. She has on black boots and her hairs in a low bun. There's a blindfold covering her eyes, and she's holding a green light saber.
There are three training remotes flying around her. One by one, the remotes shoot a small blast at her. She's swinging her saber to block each blast without looking.
Staring at her in astonishment, I see her moving the weapon with ease like it's a secondhand emotion. I doubt she even knows everyone is around her from how focus she is fighting off the training remotes. She's moving in ways that look elegant and reserved.
Eva blocks three most blasts before jumping in the air over a remote and I hear people gasp around me. Slicing one in half, Eva lands on her feet and spins her saber behind her to stab another remote. There's only one left and Eva's turning slowly to find out where it is around here.
In the following second, her free hand raises and I see the last training remote stop moving in the air. Realizing she's using the force on it, I watch as she makes a fist with her hand and breaks the remote without touching it. I let out a breath in shock before clapping fills my ears.
Glancing around, I see people clapping and holler for Evangeline. She takes off her blindfold then and finds us all watching her, making a blush come to her cheeks. I'm sure she came out here on the hangar purposely not to draw attention from people inside the base.
Grinning ear to ear, I meet Eva's gaze, and she deactivates her saber. Not waiting another second, I come out of the crowd and walk toward her. Clipping her saber to her belt, Eva tries looking anywhere else than the people surrounding her.
"Alright everyone! Get lost." I shout at the crowd while keeping my eyes on Eva. "This isn't a peep show."
I hear people mumbling things behind me as they walk back into the hangar. Eva goes to pick up the destroyed training remotes as if she's ashamed. Picking a half of a remote, I then say in a softer tone to her than I did with the group.
"I guess you found her."
Picking up the last destroyed remote, Eva turns to me with a sheepish expression. I can tell she understands what I'm insinuating, which is making her blush grow bright red. Evangeline Solo just found the girl she lost six years ago.
"She was never lost." I hear Leia's voice speak up, making both Eva and I turn to look at her. She's smiling proudly at Eva with her hands on her hips. "... She's been in the shadows... Waiting."
Eva smiles at both of us before glancing down at the broken remotes in her hands. Glancing back to Leia, I see her wink at me before turning around and walking back into the hangar. When I look back at Eva, she's glancing up at the sky and has a conflicted expression.
"Everything is going to work out, sweetheart."
I blurt out in a lighthearted tone to reassure her, and she peers back at me. She smiles at me lightly, but it doesn't reach her eyes. I can tell she wants to believe me, but doesn't.
When her smile drops, I open my mouth to say something else to break the tension. Though Eva walks past me into the hangar without saying a word. Turning around to watch her leave, I let out a breath with a remorseful expression.
Evangeline may be trying again, but she still doesn't have hope... And hope is everything.
- A Day Later -
"R2?"
I hear Eva's voice coming from a room I'm passing by in the hall. I'm heading to the battle plans sector when hear her faint words. Halting my steps, I listen to Eva murmur in pity.
"Oh, R2... What happened to you?"
Not being able to help myself, I peek through the doorway and find Eva slowly walking toward the droid. R2-D2 is in the room's corner, that's cluttered with freight boxes. He's been inactive since Luke and Eva disappeared; Leia has kept him on Base waiting for him to wake up.
"He's in some sort of hibernation."
I speak up and shuffle into the equipment room here on base. Eva stops walking towards R2 and turns to meet my eyes, startled. I guess she didn't expect anyone to respond to her question.
She's alone in the room, and I see boxes all over a table opened. Perhaps, Eva is looking for something and just stumbled upon the blue droid. Stepping toward her and putting my hands in my pockets, I comment lightly.
"R2 hasn't been awake for over six years now..."
"I... I always assumed Luke took R2 with him..."
Eva mumbles while going to a table in the room and leaning on the edge. She's staring at the shut down droid while crossing her arms over her chest. Coming to her side, I tilt my head and think out loud.
"No one knows why he won't wake up, but... Leia still has hope he will."
I watch her staring at the droid with a serious gaze and thin lips. My eyes dart from the droid to the Solo woman, noting this isn't just any droid to her. Sighing, I move to lean on the desk beside Eva and mention.
"Leia thinks Luke left him for a reason."
"My mother thinks everything happens for a reason." Evangeline snorts while watching R2 with sad eyes. Raising an eyebrow at her, I nudge my shoulder with hers and ask. "... And you don't?"
"For a time... I did."
Eva lets out a breath while keeping her eyes on the droid. Looking at her, I see a regretful expression on her face. Glancing away from R2, Eva shakes her head slowly while running her fingers through her hair.
"Now... I'm starting to believe the force doesn't do anything for a reason. It's just a few simple tricks and mumbo jumbo." Eva murmurs, before a smirk crosses her face. Shaking her head and looking at the ground, she chuckles while saying to herself. "I sound like my damn father..."
Han Solo's P.O.V.
"Han Solo. You're a dead man."
"Bala-Tik." I hold in a groan and turn my head to face the Guavian Death Gang. "What's the problem?"
Chewie and I stand in the Millennium falcon side by side with BB-8. Finn and Rey are hiding under the floors of the ship where I usually smuggle cargo. I just got the Falcon again when Guavian Death Gang made a surprise visit.
The two kids, Finn and Rey, say this BB unit holds a map to Luke Skywalker. They're trying to bring it back to the Resistance and practically begged Chewie and me to help them. Though, if I can't talk my way out of this situation with the Guavian Death Gang, I don't know how much of a help I can be.
"The problem is we loan you fifty thousand for this job." Bala-Tik announces down the hall from me. "I heard you also borrowed fifty thousand from Kanjiklub."
"You know you can't trust those little freaks." I call out while sending him a look and waving a hand between us. "How long have we known each other?"
"Not long." Bala-Tik answers boredly with his gang members surrounding him. "We want our money back now."
"You think hunting Rathtars is cheap?" I blurt out in shock while waving my hand at all the caged animals. "I spent that money."
"Kanjiklub wants their investment back, too." Bala-Tik declares while nodding to me. Frowning and shaking my head, I defend myself, knowing it's a damn lie. "I never made a deal with Kanjiklub."
"Tell that to Kanjiklub."
The head of the gang says just before I hear a door from the other side of me open. Turning my head, I see the Kanjiklub group at the threshold. Both gangs are standing on either side of me at the ends of the hall.
"Tasu Leech." I speak up while pointing at the leader of Kanjiklub. "Good to see you."
"Wrong again, Solo." Tasu Leech announces while glaring at me. "It's over for you."
"Boys, you're both going to get what I promised." I sigh while looking back and forth from the gangs. "Have I ever not delivered for you before?"
"Yeah."
"Twice." Tasu Leech spits out, making me scrunch my brows. Trying to think of the second time I screw them over, I ask, confused. "What was the second time?"
"Your game is old." Tasu Leech says with no amusement in his tone. "There's no one in the galaxy left for you to swindle."
"That BB unit." Bala-Tik states while nodding at the droid at my feet. "The First Order is looking for one just like it... And two fugitives."
"First I've heard of it."
I shrug my shoulders, trying to act like I don't have a clue. Glancing at BB-8 and Chewie, I send them a look that this isn't good. A second later, Tasu Leech takes a step toward me and suggests all too casually.
"Tell you what... You give us the droid the debt will be paid." Tilting his head and lifting his blaster slightly, Tasu Leech adds. "... Better yet, if you tell us where your daughter is, we'll let you live to see another day."
"Evangeline?"
I mumble in surprise while glancing at Chewie and we both think the same thing. We assumed she was in hiding with Luke for the past six years. Though, by the sounds of it, she's been following in my footsteps for the last six years instead.
The first two years after the destruction of the Jedi Temple, Chewie and I looked for Eva. Along the way of searching for her, we lost the Millennium falcon. After that, we both just accepted that if Eva wanted to be found, she'd leave a trail for us.
So we stopped the search and did the only thing to distract us. Smuggle and get the Millennium falcon back, hoping Eva would find her way back. Letting out a breath, I put my hands on my hips and announce to the two gangs.
"Listen... If my daughter owes you money, it's your own fault for giving it to her in the first place. You should have known she'd use you for all you're worth."
"I wonder who taught her that, Solo?"