BY-Universes: Star Wars - Book 1. The Kyber Surfaces

Chapter 9. Falcon Reclaimed

Hayley's eyes opened. She looked around, her jaw dropping as she realized where she was.

Jakku.

Next to her, Finn was waking up. Hayley realized that, in the next few minutes, Finn would assume the worst. 

He'd think that his new friend, Poe, was killed in the crash.

Hayley knew better. Poe and Elena had to be alive, just like in the film. She couldn't tell that to Finn, though. She had to keep up the ruse.

Finn looked around wildly. "Where... where are we?" He looked into the distance, seeing a large plume of black smoke. "Where are Poe and Elena?"

He started running toward the smoldering TIE-Fighter remains, Hayley following close behind. Finn grabbed Poe's jacket just before the ship disappeared in the Sinking Fields.

"They can't be gone... What will I tell Cassie if I see her?" Hayley said, her face falling.

"I'm not sure- wait, who's Cassie?"

"Elena's sister, and one of my best friends. She's somewhere in the galaxy."

"Maybe she's here. If we see her, I'll do the talking. I don't want you to break the bad news to her," Finn said.

Hayley smiled once more. "Thanks, Finn. Let's head to Niima Outpost. I hope someone has water there."

Finn nodded. "That would be great."

- ♆ -

"So then I said, 'This was my grandmother's necklace. I couldn't possibly part with it. It's so beautiful, and it must be worth a fortune!' Plutt gave me a year's supply of full portions for it," Laiken said, flashing a grin.

"And it was worth nothing!" Cassie laughed.

"Absolutely not. He put it together with scrap metal. A total hunk of junk. Laiken's just very persuasive," Rey giggled. BB-8 let out a few beeps that sounded like laughter.

Cassie smiled. She hadn't even spent a full day with the scavengers and BB-8, but it felt as if she had known them forever. The honey brown scarves and wraps that made up most of her outfit flowed in the small breeze. Fortunately, Jakku and Arizona didn't have a huge difference in temperature. She felt at home in the heat.

Rey looked at Cassie and smiled. "Ready to show Plutt the things you scavenged, Cassie?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Cassie said. They approached Plutt's stand. Cassie gave Plutt her pieces, followed by Laiken and Rey.

Plutt gave Cassie and Laiken full portions. He examined Rey's pieces again.

"Hmm... these five pieces are worth one half portion."

"Last week they were a half portion each," Rey retorted.

Cassie watched the scene play out, recognizing the conversation.

Plutt leaned forward. "What about the droid?"

"What about him?" Rey asked, glancing at BB-8.

"I'll pay for him."

Rey raised an eyebrow, curious. What would Plutt offer for BB-8?

Unkar Plutt loaded portion after portion onto the stand.

"Sixty portions."

Rey was stunned. Her stomach rumbled, literally hungry for this amount of food.

BB-8 noticed her interest and beeped furiously, not liking the conversation at all.