Confronting Fear

Reflection

When darkness turns to light
It ends tonight

It Ends Tonight - All American Rejects

Rey wandered around the base's main hangar which had been transformed into a makeshift cantina. With preparations complete on both the ground and in the air, Resistance members had brought out every bottle they'd been saving and the party was in full swing. Stormtroopers in plasteel armor stood awkwardly at the edges, clearly confused at what they should be doing. Did they join in? Go back to their ships?

It was the vulptices prancing through the crowd that finally brought the troopers out of their metaphorical shells with their antics. It wasn't long before drinks were passed to them, the alcohol finishing the integration process with a surprising efficiency.

She scanned the crowd looking for Finm but instead found Seirien and Poe near the orbaks, deep in conversation, Poe looking at Seirien as though she hung the stars.

Didn't take him long to move on from me, she thought sardonicly. In truth, she was happy Poe had found someone else. It made things easier.

As Poe was occupied she wandered through the crowd, stopping to shake a hand or slap a shoulder when she encountered some one she knew, or even someone she didn't. She finally found Finn surrounded by a rather interesting and eclectic looking crowd consisting of four men she did not know, two Zabraks, three members of the Singing Mountain Clan, and Rose.

Once spotted, Finn waved her over. He had clearly been into someone's bottle.

"Hey, this is my best friend Rey," he slurred slightly. "She's a Jedi."

At this proclamation the small crowd went silent. Rey felt a blush reach her ears. "Rey, this Axe, Gage, Jake, and Chase. They're the defectors we met on Dathomir. And this is Mangle and Claw. We also met them on Dathomir. They decided to join up too! Can you believe it?" Finn stumbled a bit. "And this is Derwin, Eirny, and Nesta. Derwin and Nesta will be with me on the ground, Eirny is a Force healer."

A Force healer? That the older woman was a healer was an interesting development indeed. She could sense her strength in the Force as she could the other witches, but with her scale armor wouldn't have immediately placed her as a healer.

Rey bowed her head low. "It is an honor to meet you, all of you."

The collected group returned the gesture. "As it is to meet you, Jedi," Eirny said.

"When this is all over I would ask you give me some lessons on Force healing. I know the gist but to learn from a true master healer would be a dream come true," Rey said with the same reverence she had reserved for Master Luke.

"Of course, Child."

After a bit more small talk Rey was back to wandering, too restless to stay still. With the turning in her stomach drinking didn't seem wise. BB8, clearly a bit miffed being ignored by Poe spun his way over to her. "Hello BB8!" she said with more cheer than she felt.

BB8 picked up on it, asking what was wrong.

"Just nervous about tomorrow is all. It's not every day you take on a fleet of planet killers!"

BB8 beeped out a string of reassuring words that actually made Rey feel a little better.

"Me too, BB8."

Several hours, a hundred hugs, and a few thousand unshed tears later, Rey made her way back to the Equinox. As much as she adored her friends, she couldn't stand the thought of sleeping anywhere other than Ben's arms this night.

She watched the green planet grow smaller as the hulking form of the Equinox grew larger. Or at least she would have had she not been lost in her thoughts.