Rey Skywalker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thatwaslucky) wrote2019-11-10 12:54 am
thatwaslucky) wrote2019-11-10 12:54 am
The Millennium Falcon- Saturday late night
Rey had been here a couple days, prepared to do whatever was needed of her. That mostly meant working on the Falcon. It hadn't been that long since Crait, and the ship had spent years on Jakku just wasting away from disuse, and aside from the time Finn and Chewie has been in Fandom, there hadn't been much time to make repairs. This meant Rey was spending most of her time helping Chewie, and continuing to work even long after he'd retired for the night.
When she'd finally stopped, the ship seemed silent aside from the normal white noise of mechanics, though she did hear voices. Rey followed them to the space by the communications board, where Leia was still awake and on a call.
There was a talk Rey needed to have with her. There were a couple. She didn't want to have them. She could be helpful, though, and so she headed to the galley, and then returned a moment later, only speaking when she was sure the call was done.
"General Organa?"
Leia looked up at her, and Rey recognized a little bit of pain in her face, and she hoped she wasn't interrupting something. "I brought you a cup of Gatelantan tea," she explained.
Leia smiled. "Do you read minds?"
Rey blinked. "What, no. I'm not-"
"I was just thinking about how much I would love a cup of tea," Leia said gently, and motioned her in. "Nothing Jedi about it. Just a welcome surprise. Thank you. And please call me Leia."
Rey obeyed and stepped inside the room, carefully handing her the cup. "I could get you something stronger if you like," she offered, nodding back towards the galley. "I think Chewbacca keeps some caf in there."
"I'm surprised he had this," Leia admitted, and the smile faded, replaced by an expression Rey saw on her more than she wanted to.
"And I've made you sad," Rey said, frowning.
"Not you. Life. This war," she corrected. "You're a light in the darkness." She gestured to the seat across from her.
It felt odd to be called that, and to know that Leia meant it. "I didn't mean to stay," Rey told her. "I just heard your voice in here and thought you might need the tea."
"Well, you were right, and I insist you stay. I could use the company, and you're making me nervous standing there. Please."
Rey sat, not sure what to do with her hands all of a sudden. This wasn't the first time she'd talked to Leia alone. She'd had some really difficult conversations one on one with her. That was probably why she was so nervous about potentially starting another. Rey stuck her hands under her thighs so she wouldn't have to worry about them.
"There," Leia said, smiling again, like she was hoping to put her at ease. "Isn't that better?"
Rey nodded, but she didn't know what to say, so she glanced around the room, focusing on the communications board. When something needed to be done, she never hesitated. When she needed to say something…. That was harder.
"Why aren't you asleep like everyone else?" Leia asked.
"I haven't slept much recently," Rey said, like she'd ever really slept well at all. "Too much on my mind."
"I know the feeling. Rey-"
"I heard you talking to someone," Rey said. "Did you finally get through to our allies?"
"Not yet. That call was from a couple of pilots I have scouting, but, and I hope this doesn't come out wrong, we need more than pilots. We need leadership. Pilots are crucial, but the First Order took Holdo, Ackbar, others." She sighed. "We need strategists, thinkers, those with the means and will to lead us forward. To inspire others to do the same."
"I didn't know them," she said. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"We've all experienced loss," Leia said.
It was only now that Rey looked at her directly. "Kylo Ren," she said, not sure how else to start, or whether this was a good idea. But Anakin has encouraged her to ask… "He's your son..."
Leia nodded, and sipped her tea.
"What happened to him? I mean, how did he turn to the dark side? He started in the light, didn't he? He told me a story about Luke, about his training. I guess I just want to understand."
"I do, too," Leia said quietly.
"So you don't know?"
"I think you would have to ask Ben what happened to him."
"He wanted me to join him," Rey admitted, and she hadn't said this to anyone here before. "I couldn't. I thought I could help him, but he only wanted me to become like him."
"Ben has made his choices," Leia said gently. "No one can save Ben but himself. And I don't know if that is what he wants."
Rey nodded, but kept her head lowered, still not wanting to look at her. "I know that. I mean, rationally, I know, but I guess I held out hope."
"Hope is good. Hope is important, and sometimes it is all we have. But, what does hope have to do with being rational?" She smiled, and held out her hand for Rey, squeezing it when she accepted it.
"I don't know how I'm going to do this," Rey said quietly, almost a whisper. She didn't even know what this was. Be a Jedi? Face Kylo? It could be so many things and they all felt impossible most days.
"But you will do it," Leia told her. "And you won't be alone. We will be here with you."
And when Leia said it, Rey could almost believe it.
Rey would have turned this around, but the moment was ended by the crackling of an incoming transmission, which Leia answered immediately. "Hello? Identify yourself."
"General Organa!" came the voice of a clearly very relieved male. "It's Poe!"
Leia was relieved right back. "Poe. Where are you? What's your status?"
"Ikkrukk. It was close, but Black Squadron pulled through. No injuries, though Jess and Suralinda are pretty banged up. But I can report that Grail City is secured. We sent the First Order running."
"Wonderful, Poe. And the prime minister, Grist? Is she well?"
A moment of static, and Poe was back. "Can confirm that Prime Minister Grist survived. She's invited us to a party."
Rey smiled, and saw Leia looking at her. That had to be good, right? They'd saved a city and got a celebration? Maybe they finally had some allies here.
"Poe, can you do something for me?" Leia asked.
"Anything, General."
"Go to Grist's party and tell me what the attitude is among the guests towards the First Order."
"Well, considering the First Order attacked them, I imagine they're none too happy right now," Poe replied.
"Maybe not publicly. But you'll need to look past their words, Poe. Be on the alert for subtler things. Note who won't criticize the First Order, or who criticizes them too loudly, as if to prove their loyalties. Notice who's not at the party. Did anyone declare themselves openly with the separatist faction?"
He seemed to be speaking to someone else for a moment, and said, "Cannot confirm. But I'll keep an eye out."
"You do that. And see if Grist is willing to commit to the Resistance. That was why Black Squadron was there to begin with," Leia continued. "Your timing was fortuitous. See if that buys us anything."
"Okay. Anything else, General?"
"Yes. Have fun," she said. "You survived the battle and you're still alive for another day. Make sure to enjoy it."
"Flying's all the joy that I need, but I hear you, General. Copy that."
"And let me know where Black Squadron is headed next. Grail City is a good start, but we have so much further to go."
"Copy that," he repeated. "Poe out."
The transmission ended, and Leia sat back in her chair with a sigh.
"Well, that's good," Rey said.
Leia startled, like she'd forgotten Rey was there. "Yes, it is. But it's barely a drop in the bucket of what we need."
"But every drop counts, right?" asked Rey, the eternal optimist. "A drop here and there, and before you know it you have an ocean."
"I like the way you think, Rey," Leia told her. Yes, you're right. No need to minimize what Poe's Black Squadron has accomplished. Now why don't you get some rest?"
As if on cue, Rey found herself yawning. "Yeah, maybe I should. I was working on the compressor. The humidity on Ahch-To caused the condensation to build up in the casing. I need to find the leak, clean it out, and seal…" She trailed off, and said, "I'm sure you don't care."
"On the contrary," Leia smiled. "I'm glad you're taking such good care of Han's ship." She lifted the cup. "Thank you for the tea."
Rey stood, feeling a little better, if not in the way she'd expected. They'd finally gotten a win. That was something. One drop in the bucket.
[Taken from Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhouse. Spoilers for a book released on Tuesday, which will be continued later because I'm not that fast. NFB, NFI, OOC okay.
Also technically, having visited Galaxy's Edge I am now part of my own canon. TECHNICALLY.]
When she'd finally stopped, the ship seemed silent aside from the normal white noise of mechanics, though she did hear voices. Rey followed them to the space by the communications board, where Leia was still awake and on a call.
There was a talk Rey needed to have with her. There were a couple. She didn't want to have them. She could be helpful, though, and so she headed to the galley, and then returned a moment later, only speaking when she was sure the call was done.
"General Organa?"
Leia looked up at her, and Rey recognized a little bit of pain in her face, and she hoped she wasn't interrupting something. "I brought you a cup of Gatelantan tea," she explained.
Leia smiled. "Do you read minds?"
Rey blinked. "What, no. I'm not-"
"I was just thinking about how much I would love a cup of tea," Leia said gently, and motioned her in. "Nothing Jedi about it. Just a welcome surprise. Thank you. And please call me Leia."
Rey obeyed and stepped inside the room, carefully handing her the cup. "I could get you something stronger if you like," she offered, nodding back towards the galley. "I think Chewbacca keeps some caf in there."
"I'm surprised he had this," Leia admitted, and the smile faded, replaced by an expression Rey saw on her more than she wanted to.
"And I've made you sad," Rey said, frowning.
"Not you. Life. This war," she corrected. "You're a light in the darkness." She gestured to the seat across from her.
It felt odd to be called that, and to know that Leia meant it. "I didn't mean to stay," Rey told her. "I just heard your voice in here and thought you might need the tea."
"Well, you were right, and I insist you stay. I could use the company, and you're making me nervous standing there. Please."
Rey sat, not sure what to do with her hands all of a sudden. This wasn't the first time she'd talked to Leia alone. She'd had some really difficult conversations one on one with her. That was probably why she was so nervous about potentially starting another. Rey stuck her hands under her thighs so she wouldn't have to worry about them.
"There," Leia said, smiling again, like she was hoping to put her at ease. "Isn't that better?"
Rey nodded, but she didn't know what to say, so she glanced around the room, focusing on the communications board. When something needed to be done, she never hesitated. When she needed to say something…. That was harder.
"Why aren't you asleep like everyone else?" Leia asked.
"I haven't slept much recently," Rey said, like she'd ever really slept well at all. "Too much on my mind."
"I know the feeling. Rey-"
"I heard you talking to someone," Rey said. "Did you finally get through to our allies?"
"Not yet. That call was from a couple of pilots I have scouting, but, and I hope this doesn't come out wrong, we need more than pilots. We need leadership. Pilots are crucial, but the First Order took Holdo, Ackbar, others." She sighed. "We need strategists, thinkers, those with the means and will to lead us forward. To inspire others to do the same."
"I didn't know them," she said. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"We've all experienced loss," Leia said.
It was only now that Rey looked at her directly. "Kylo Ren," she said, not sure how else to start, or whether this was a good idea. But Anakin has encouraged her to ask… "He's your son..."
Leia nodded, and sipped her tea.
"What happened to him? I mean, how did he turn to the dark side? He started in the light, didn't he? He told me a story about Luke, about his training. I guess I just want to understand."
"I do, too," Leia said quietly.
"So you don't know?"
"I think you would have to ask Ben what happened to him."
"He wanted me to join him," Rey admitted, and she hadn't said this to anyone here before. "I couldn't. I thought I could help him, but he only wanted me to become like him."
"Ben has made his choices," Leia said gently. "No one can save Ben but himself. And I don't know if that is what he wants."
Rey nodded, but kept her head lowered, still not wanting to look at her. "I know that. I mean, rationally, I know, but I guess I held out hope."
"Hope is good. Hope is important, and sometimes it is all we have. But, what does hope have to do with being rational?" She smiled, and held out her hand for Rey, squeezing it when she accepted it.
"I don't know how I'm going to do this," Rey said quietly, almost a whisper. She didn't even know what this was. Be a Jedi? Face Kylo? It could be so many things and they all felt impossible most days.
"But you will do it," Leia told her. "And you won't be alone. We will be here with you."
And when Leia said it, Rey could almost believe it.
Rey would have turned this around, but the moment was ended by the crackling of an incoming transmission, which Leia answered immediately. "Hello? Identify yourself."
"General Organa!" came the voice of a clearly very relieved male. "It's Poe!"
Leia was relieved right back. "Poe. Where are you? What's your status?"
"Ikkrukk. It was close, but Black Squadron pulled through. No injuries, though Jess and Suralinda are pretty banged up. But I can report that Grail City is secured. We sent the First Order running."
"Wonderful, Poe. And the prime minister, Grist? Is she well?"
A moment of static, and Poe was back. "Can confirm that Prime Minister Grist survived. She's invited us to a party."
Rey smiled, and saw Leia looking at her. That had to be good, right? They'd saved a city and got a celebration? Maybe they finally had some allies here.
"Poe, can you do something for me?" Leia asked.
"Anything, General."
"Go to Grist's party and tell me what the attitude is among the guests towards the First Order."
"Well, considering the First Order attacked them, I imagine they're none too happy right now," Poe replied.
"Maybe not publicly. But you'll need to look past their words, Poe. Be on the alert for subtler things. Note who won't criticize the First Order, or who criticizes them too loudly, as if to prove their loyalties. Notice who's not at the party. Did anyone declare themselves openly with the separatist faction?"
He seemed to be speaking to someone else for a moment, and said, "Cannot confirm. But I'll keep an eye out."
"You do that. And see if Grist is willing to commit to the Resistance. That was why Black Squadron was there to begin with," Leia continued. "Your timing was fortuitous. See if that buys us anything."
"Okay. Anything else, General?"
"Yes. Have fun," she said. "You survived the battle and you're still alive for another day. Make sure to enjoy it."
"Flying's all the joy that I need, but I hear you, General. Copy that."
"And let me know where Black Squadron is headed next. Grail City is a good start, but we have so much further to go."
"Copy that," he repeated. "Poe out."
The transmission ended, and Leia sat back in her chair with a sigh.
"Well, that's good," Rey said.
Leia startled, like she'd forgotten Rey was there. "Yes, it is. But it's barely a drop in the bucket of what we need."
"But every drop counts, right?" asked Rey, the eternal optimist. "A drop here and there, and before you know it you have an ocean."
"I like the way you think, Rey," Leia told her. Yes, you're right. No need to minimize what Poe's Black Squadron has accomplished. Now why don't you get some rest?"
As if on cue, Rey found herself yawning. "Yeah, maybe I should. I was working on the compressor. The humidity on Ahch-To caused the condensation to build up in the casing. I need to find the leak, clean it out, and seal…" She trailed off, and said, "I'm sure you don't care."
"On the contrary," Leia smiled. "I'm glad you're taking such good care of Han's ship." She lifted the cup. "Thank you for the tea."
Rey stood, feeling a little better, if not in the way she'd expected. They'd finally gotten a win. That was something. One drop in the bucket.
[Taken from Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhouse. Spoilers for a book released on Tuesday, which will be continued later because I'm not that fast. NFB, NFI, OOC okay.
Also technically, having visited Galaxy's Edge I am now part of my own canon. TECHNICALLY.]