A Star Wars TFA Prequel: "Why Aren't You Scared of Me?"

"Attachments Are Your Weakness"

I throw myself onto my bed, my boots and clothes still on. The room is cold and dark but I'm too tired to light candles. My chest hurts as I take in a deep breath. I didn't realized how tired I was until now. I feel the way I do after crying for hours.

I won't go to Rey's room tonight, even though my cloak is still there. I'm too on edge to play rocks now, with the Elimination Games being announced. I want to be part of the First Order. It's what I've always wanted. I know it's going to be the true leading order of the Galaxy. Playing rocks with Rey reminded me of why I want to do this, to have commanders following my orders, to be the leader of the First Order, like Master Snoke said I will be, and to show my parents that I'm not just some freak of the Force that will never amount to anything.

Master Snoke understands me, and so do Hux and Phasma. We all want the same thing, to accomplish what my grandfather was trying to do, bring a ruling force into the Galaxy that will keep order. My dad is nothing but a space pirate that makes unfair trades with aliens. He only cares about himself, and Chewbacca.

I close my eyes and begin to drift off to sleep, wondering what Rey is up to.

A light knock on the door wakes me and I get up from my bed. The knocking goes on and on.

"I'm coming!" I go to the door and open it. It's Hux.

"Something's happened," he says, his voice is so monotone that it scares me.

"Happened?" I say.

He steps aside and I see a small coffin behind him. The name carved on the top says 'Rey.'

"No!" I yell.

I sit up in bed, my heart pounding so hard that my chest aches. It was just a dream, but it felt so real.

I jump out of bed, still dressed and with my boots on. I don't know what time it is but I have to go check on Rey.

-------

"Rey?" I say in a loud whisper, knocking again. She isn't opening even though I keep knocking. I look down the hall in case anyone comes out of their rooms. No one's around.

I turn the door handle. It's unlocked.

Rey's room is dark but I can make out the silhouette of a bundle of blankets on her bed. I walk over and gently move the blankets aside. She isn't in her bed.

The room is empty. All the rocks are gone and my cloak is gone too. My pulse pounds in my ears. Where is she? Who can I ask? If I ask anyone they'll wonder why I'm asking.

I walk out of the room and quietly close the door. Hux mentioned her grandfather's name. What was it? Master Dakar? I lean my head against the door and close my eyes to think. What was his name?

Rey, where are you?

Suddenly I can sense someone watching me and I open my eyes. In the corner of the hall is Master Snoke, hidden in the shadows, only his eyes gleam from beneath his hood. I jump away from the door.

"Master," I say.

"Ren." He moves forward. "I sensed something was wrong. So I came to see."

I shake my head. "Nothing's wrong," I say, my breath coming out in fast gasps now. "I just thought I heard something coming from this room. I don't know whose room it is."

"Perhaps you need to do a confession? It cleanses the mind."

My heart beats so strongly that I think I might faint.

"Yes," I say. "I will, Your Supreme Leadership. In the morning. I'm just so tired right now. I had a bad dream. I think I was sleepwalking. I don't know how I got here."

Master watches me curiously. "Is it the Games that that have you so troubled?"

"Yes," I nod. "A little..."

"You will pass," Master says. "I have foreseen it. You have my permission to use the Force in any way you deem necessary."

"Thank you, Your Supreme Leadership."

"You should take your rest while you still can."

"Yes, Your Supreme Leadership." I bow then walk away down the hall, my heart hammering in my chest.

------

Hux's door is partially open and I walk right in. The room is lit with candles and there are books and papers everywhere, diagrams and instruction manuals on everything from weapons to spacecraft layouts. I step on a few of the papers as I walk to his bed. He's asleep with a book in his hand, but stirs at the crunch of paper beneath my boot. He blinks and sits up slowly.

"Ren?"

"I need your help," I say. "I can't find Rey."

"What?" Hux gets out of bed and stands up, still rubbing at his eyes. He's not wearing a shirt but thankfully has his regular pants on. "It's the middle of the night." He runs his hands through his disheveled hair.

"Yes, and Rey's missing."

"What?" He blinks at me, his eyes still hazy with sleep. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Come help me look for her in the forest. She might have sleep walked there or something."

"She probably went to your room." Hux rubs his face with his hands.

"No, she isn't there. But we can check again. What did you say her grandfather's name was?"

Hux sighs loudly. "You can't wake her grandfather up in the middle of the night. Grand Master will find out that you're spending time with her."

"I think he might already know."

"Then she's probably already dead."

"Don't SAY THAT!" I yell.

Hux jumps and looks scared for a second, then angry. "Get out!" he yells back. "I don't care about Rey or you."

I turn to leave.

"It's just like Master said," Hux calls after me. "Attachments are your weakness."