Dawn of a new Force

Chapter 41 - The sixth.

The filtering light through the cockpit woke them up almost at the same time. Ben was astonished at having slept so well, and he felt Rey stick to him a little more. He got up slowly not to disturb her and went to take a shower to cool off. It was already hot in the shuttle, while the sun was not at its zenith.

She heard the flowing water and guiltily thought of her privileged habits which she tended to appropriate herself as well. Ben could have lacked love, confidence, tenderness, but never comfort. She wondered how many families could have been drinking during one of his showers. She dressed quickly, combed her hair with a coarse bone comb she kept with her, and grabbed the lightsaber Ben had given her.

She opened the access ramp and rushed out, already narrowing her eyes under the harsh light. Her night had given her the energy she needed.

She knew she was not far from Niima, and felt the need to go there without delay. Listening for the last time the sound of the water, she rushed into the dunes without wasting time. She wanted to see Unkar, but she wanted to do it alone. She must have had a discussion with him, and her independence was telling her not to wait for Ben. He would find her shortly.

She smiles all alone, thinking back to her solitary wanderings of plunderer. If she had long suffered from loneliness, in recent years, the old woman and Unkar had been enough. She enjoyed being alone, she had to learn to appreciate it more exactly. She enjoyed all the freedom she wanted, and her reputation as a strong girl had been around Niima. Few people dared to come to bother her, and the men had learned, at their expense, to be wary of her.

She caught herself running under the sun, sweating in big drops. Soon the old market was in sight.

Arriving in the center, she saw Unkar repairing an old speeder behind his counter.

- Hey, look who's back ...

- Unkar.

- Rey.

- Always hands in grease, to what I see.

- What brings you? asked Unkar dryly. You came to steal another ship? Where is it? I want to take it back, it's mine.

- You're a dirty thief. Technically, the Falcon has never been yours. And anyway, it was destroyed.

- Noooooooo! lamented Unkar. You filthy little girl ... he threatened, raising his big fist in the direction of Rey.

She blocked his fist with her hand and stared into his eyes.

- I will not do that if I were you.

Unkar glared and lowered his fist. He went back to work, rolling his eyes. Seeing that she did not move, he continued.

- Well, if you told me what you want. You did not come back here for hospitality, I suppose.

- No, I didn't. I want you to talk to me about Kyde. Kyde Kenobi, exactly.

He put down the key he had in his hand and stood up, dismayed.

- You said...

- I said I want you to talk to me about my father. Yes, I know who he was. But I want to know why I am here.

- Not here, he pointed. Follow me.

Unkar led her to an old speeder, he went up and motioned for her to follow him. She hesitated, thinking of Ben. She could feel from here his anger that she had left without him. But the curiosity was stronger, and she ended up climbing. The speeder started, and it soon left behind Niima, his motley fauna, and Ben Solo who roared like a thunderstorm in formation.

The speeder led Rey to a few houses blackened by fire, some others razed. Rey recognized the carcass of what had once been a village, sheltered by the shadow of a huge dune. The village had to be abandoned for a long time, because the dune engulfed it little by little and made disappear the small oasis and the few palms which bordered it.