The Force Awakens

Chapter One: Leaving Home

It was midday, and the hot Jakku sun beat down on my sister and me as we rode back from scavenging on our land speeders, the side pockets bulging with scraps that we could exchange for food. I'm Thalia Skywalker. I live on Jakku with my mom and my older sister, Rey. My dad, Luke, did live with us, but he left when I was eight. Before he left, though, he taught me and Rey how to fight with lightsabers, and the basics of how to use the Force. Rey and I walked to the station, where we cleaned off what we found and gave it to the irritable owner of the station, who gave us two packages of food each. We went home, made the food, and ate. After we were done eating, our mother came in. She was carrying a bag, which she set down before sitting across from us. "Rey, Thalia, you have to leave." she said. "What?" Rey asked. "Why?" "You are strong in the Force, like your father." mom said. "If the First Order gets their filthy hands on you, the Resistance won't stand a chance. The first order is coming. You must leave. The location of a Resistance base is programmed into your father's old X-wing. Rey, you know how to pilot it, right?" "Yes." Rey said. "Good." mother said. "Now, your father gave me these before he left. He told me to give them to you when you left." she handed us each a lightsaber. Rey and I both activated them. My blade was an emerald green, while Rey's was a sapphire blue. "Press the button on the side there." our mother told us. We did as we were told, and my blade drooped. My father had told me about these kinds of lightsabers, called lightwhips. The blade of a lightwhip was flexible, and could be used for pulling your opponent off balance. The handle on Rey's lightsaber extended until she was holding a lightpike. "Your father made these for you." mother said. "Now go pack. They're coming, and you must go." Rey and I went to our little rooms, and packed. We didn't have much, just some clothes, the X-wing helmets that dad had given us, and random interesting odds and ends that we'd found while scavenging. We grabbed those and ran to the small hangar that was attached to the house. We got in Luke's old X-wing, which had a double cockpit. Rey piloted the ship, I manned-er, womaned-the guns. We got into the cockpit and put our helmets on. "Ready?" Rey asked. "Ready." I said. "May the Force be with you!" mom called as we started the ship and flew off.