Lost Hope

Chapter 15

Rey heard the sound of lightsabers smashing into each other and glanced at Chewie who was walking along beside her. "Come on!"

She started running towards the sound with the Wookie right on her heels. Taking out her own lightsaber she turned the corner and didn't think twice about attacking when she saw the red blade arc down towards Alder's head. Rey shoved into her opponent and used the Force to knock the lightsaber out of their hand before holding her own blue blade under the escaped prisoner's throat.

"Did you really think you would get away?" Rey growled down at the other woman.

Alder came over next to her. "Rey no, she's fine, we were training!"

"With a person who wants us dead?" She glared at him in slight betrayal, didn't he care, what if his trust was misplaced?

"We reached an agreement. She helps me train, and we don't torture her." Alder stated simply.

"I could train with you." She stated the obvious fact.

"The thing is Rey..." He refused to meet her gaze. "I know the Jedi skills, I'm looking beyond that now."

She barely noticed as Skurn moved away from her lightsaber and got back to her feet. The shock of Alder's words hitting her was much worse than any real wound could. "You're learning things from the Dark side? Alder, you know it's forbidden! How could you do this after everything I did to bring you back?"

"I appreciate that but I realized that despite the evil these tactics are used for, they could also be used for good." Alder finally looked back up at her, his gaze daring her to challenge his words. "I hate the Dark side as much as you Rey, but after experiencing life on both sides... I don't find the Jedi's goals to my taste either, nor their rules."

"So you're going to be a rogue?" She asked, worried she was losing him once more.

"Of course not. I'm still with the Resistance right?" He moved closer to her, his hand now resting on her side reassuringly. "And I won't abandon you or the others, I'm not my brother."

"Yeah, sure." Skurn muttered as she leaned against the wall watching them. "That's why you killed your own father."

Chewie gave a growling roar of anger but Rey was relieved the Wookie didn't go for Alder and instead went for the prisoner. She stood back as Chewie locked Skurn in a death grip while giving growled threats the entire time... until Alder pulled him away.

"Chewie stop!" He stood in front of the once bounty hunter. "I know what I did, I know I should have tried fighting the poison harder, but I can't change the past. I'm over it, her words don't affect me, don't let them get to you... It'll encourage her."

Skurn gave a cough. "You tell that shag carpet."

"You aren't helping." Alder snapped at her.

Rey glared at Skurn as the woman regained her breath. "Stop defending someone who doesn't deserve it."

"I need her alive to train me." He repeated his earlier words. "After that, Chewie can do what he wishes."

Chewie made a sound of grudging agreement, though Rey was sure the Wookie would attack Skurn again once Alder wasn't around... and she wasn't going to stop him. Rey wished Skurn had died when she'd fallen off the side of that cliff, perhaps then none of this would be happening. So, she said the last thing she could try in hopes of bringing Alder back to her side.