Recommended Song(s): Break My Stride by Mathews Wilder(this song legit only makes me think of Rey, it has nothing to do with the chapter💀)
Rey's POV
"Be with me..." I whispered softly.
"Be with me... Be with me..." but I felt no changes.
"They're not with me. Ugh!"
The rocks around me fell to the ground and I flipped and landed on the soft dirt.
"Rey... Be patient." Leia said as I made my way over to her. I sighed. "I'm starting to think it isn't possible.... to hear the voices of the Jedi who came before."
"Nothing's impossible." She shook her head.
"Nothing's impossible." I repeated. "I'm gonna run the training course."
Leia nodded, handing me Luke's Saber. I took it then ran past her to the forest, smiling to myself as I felt the breeze against my face.
It felt nice to be surrounded by green and soft winds and not the hot air and sand of Jakku. Though I still kind of wish I was back there just in case.
I ignited the lightsaber as I ran past the opening and back into the tall green trees. Eventually, I got to the reveen, grabbing the helmet I had placed there and putting it over my head. When the training remote caught up I walked across the rope joining the two edges of earth blocking the shots with the saber by trusting my instincts. I jumped off the rope to the other side throwing off the helmet in a quick motion then climbing up a tree hanging onto one of the beaches for just enough time to cut the red ribbon. Letting myself land perfectly on the ground I caught the cut ribbon in my fist and held it tight as I continued to run.
Don't fall, don't fall!
I thought as I jumped over another reveen, I landed without any injury which I was pretty thankful for. I kept on running but I tripped and fell over the training remote. Full of frustration, I pushed myself up and reignited the saber but the remote shot my shoulder. And every time I swung the blue lightsaber at it I missed! Though I did cut trough multiple trees, I didn't care, I needed to destroy that droid. It was like something else took over me, something dark. I swung the lightsaber and let it fly from my hands so I could have the opportunity to pull a stick from the ground with the force and push the training remote against a tree, catching the saber in my other hand. I panted heavily.
Then different images placed themselves in my mind.
One of a dark throne.
Another with a ship flying off into the air.
And the last being a little girl screaming as she was dragged by her small arm. It was as if I had seen all of them before in some sort of dream.... or memory....
My head turned quickly upon hearing beeping and saw that BB-8 was stuck under one of the trees I cut.
"BB-8, I'm so sorry." I said, dropping everything in my hands to go help him.
********
Putting my bag down by some of the equipment, I sighed. "I didn't finish the training course." I said simply. "Got distracted." I pulled my staff over my shoulder as I stood up to face Leia properly.
"I'm just not feeling myself. I know it looks... li- It looks like I'm making excuses."
"Don't tell me what things look like, tell me what they are." She replied.
"I think I'm just tired, that's all...."
Leia almost cracked a small grin when Connix came over. "General, the Falcon still hasn't arrived. Commander's asking for guidance."
I took the lightsaber hilt from my belt and held it out for Leia. "I will earn your brother's saber. One day." BB-8 chirped as Leia took back the hilt. "No, you can't do it for me." I grinned.
"Never underestimate a droid." Leia added then walked past me.
"Yes, Master..."
**********
A Sith Wayfinder?
I wondered flipping through the pages of the Jedi texts. That's one thing I've never heard before.
"Rey!" Someone yelled for me. I looked up from the book seeing that it was Oana. "Falcon's back!"
As soon as I heard those words I closed the book and ran as quickly to I could to the landing pad only to see that... the Falcon was on fire.
Oh no.
I could hear Poe in the crowd yelling out things like "It's on fire!" While everyone tried as fast as they could to put it out.
"Hey!" I called out to Poe.
"Hey!" He answered back.
"There's a spy?" I asked.
"Really could've used your help out there." Poe came up to me putting his hands on his hips.
"How'd it go?"
"Really bad, actually! Really bad." He continued.
"Han's ship...." I said looking at the Falcon, Han Solo's most prized possesion which happened to be going up in flames.
"What'd you do to the droid?"
I looked at BB-8 quickly noticing that he had a plat missing, it probably came off when he was crushed by the tree, but that's not what I'm worried about currently.
"What'd you do to the Falcon?" I asked in return.
"The Falcon's in a lot better shape than he is!" Poe argued.
"BB-8's not on fire!-"
"What's left of him isn't on fire!"
"Tell me what happened!"
"You tell me first."
"You know what you are?"
"What?"
"You're difficult. Really difficult—"
"You, you are..."
"—You're a difficult man."
"Rey!" I heard from behind Poe.
"Finn! Oh, you made it back." I gave him a large hug then backed out, keeping my voice low. "So, bad mood?"
"Me?" Finn asked in disbelief.
"Him." I pointed back towards Poe.
"Always." He mused.
"Do we have a spy?" I asked but Chewie roared and I whipped my head to look at Poe.
"You lightspeed skipped?"
"Yeah, well, it got us back here, didn't it?" Poe's answer was sassy as he bent down and tended to BB-8.
"Poe, the compressor's down." I reminded him, probably for the millionth time.
"Oh, I know, I was there!" He spat.
"Every time." Finn sighed.
"You can't lightspeed skip the Falcon!" I shouted.
Poe stood up saying; "Actually, turns out, you can!" then walked in the other direction.
Finn and I followed closely after him. "All right, guys, we just landed, okay?" Finn said but I continued my questioning.
"What happened?"
"Bad news, that's what happened." Poe replied.
"No spy?" I tried to comfirm.
"No, spy." He shrugged.
"Did we make contact with a spy or not?"
"There's a mole in the First Order, and they sent us a message." Finn answered which I was thankful for. Poe stopped then turned to face us with an angry look.
"You dropped a tree on him?"
"You blew both sub-alternators?"
"Well, you know what maybe you should've been out there with us!"
Finn was trying to cut in but neither of us let him.
"You know I wanna be out there with you!"
"Yeah, but you're not. You're here training. For what? You're the best fighter we have. We need you. Out there, not here."
Poe walked off and I gave Finn a look of disbelief. "It's true." He shrugged.
I shook my head, we don't really have time to be arguing right now.
"What's the message?"
************
"We've decoded the intel from the First Order spy and it confirms the worst." Poe started then sighed deeply. "Somehow, Palpatine returned."
Everyone gasped and started talking amongst themselves. However, I thought...
Does Eclypse or Ben have anything to do with this?
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Leia glance at me but she turned her gaze to something else.
"Wait, do we believe this?" Rose spoke out.
"It cannot be!" Aftab added. "The Emperor is dead!"
"Dark science. Cloning. Secrets only the Sith knew." Mack said. "I suspect Darth Nova is behind this."
The others murmured in agreement but I cut in immediately. "Nova can't be. Look at her family history. Though most of her family was Sith, they were against Palpatine and would have passed that hatred down to her. She would want to kill him a billion times over before bringing him back."
"Anyway, Palpatine's been planning his revenge." Poe continued. "His followers have been building something for years. The largest fleet the galaxy has ever known. He calls it the final Order. In 16 hours, attacks on all free words begin. The Emperor and his fleet have been hiding in the Unknown Regions. On a world called Exegol."
R2 beeped and shifted rapidly, 3P0 spoke for him; "Exegol does not appear on any Star Chart. But legend describes it as the hidden world of the sith."
An idea popped into my mind and I ran back to my quarters, searching for the books and as soon as I found them I ran back holding two of them in my arms. "General?" I said though I interrupted the conversation already happening. "Can I speak with you?"
Leia nodded then I lead her back to my quarters. I sat down immediately and opened one of the books. Then I looked up at her when I found the page I was searching for.
"I know how to get to Exegol."
"Tell me." She said calmly.
"Luke searched for it. For a long time. He nearly found it." I stood up, holding the book in my hands to show her. "There are ciphers in here I can't read. But he said to get there, you need one of these. A Sith Wayfinder." I pointed out the picture with the pyramid to Leia. "They're compasses that lead the way to Exegol. To stop what we both know is coming.... I need to finish what Luke started. Find Exegol. Find the Emperor."
"No." Said Leia immediately.
"I don't want to go without your blessing, but I will........ I will. It's what you would do."
***********
I starred out into the deep green forest with my packed back and staff just taking it in for the last time. I'll miss this place. And I don't know if we'll return, all that matters is that we find Exegol and Palpatine. I heard footsteps and turned to see Poe. "Hey, we should get going." He said. Poe looked from the forest then back to me with a worried look. "What is it?"
"Nothing." I shook my head slightly. Poe and I walked back to the main area where I spotted Leia giving orders to the others.
I should say something to her before I leave.
I thought as I went over to her quickly.
"Ah, Rey." she started. "Is there something you need?"
I sighed before saying: "There's so much I want to tell you..."
"Tell me when you get back." Leia told me. I gave her a slight nod then looked down to see that she was handing me Luke's saber. I hesitated before taking it into my own hands then hugged her tightly. Leia returned it all the same, hugging me as if I were her own daughter.
"Rey... Never be afraid of who you are."