Steady On.

Chapter 63.

The ride to the base was tense.

Chewie and Ben seemed to have said what they needed to back on Naboo, though with their emotions still high, tension was still followed.

Rey and Flora talked for a while, catching up with how things were with the Resistance, and how everyone was doing.

Finn and Rose seemed happy, though it was hard to stay that way with the war still surrounding them, and Poe was as busy as ever while he helped Leia try to keep things calm.

With Hux catching them off guard, they were scrambling to for resources, to regain their own composure the best they could as they rallied their allies for the final battle that seemed imminent now.

The girls sat at the table in the lounge, speaking in hushed tones.

"You're scared." Flora stated.

Rey noticed that she didn't ask her if she was, instead she picked right up on the feeling that flitted through her, causing Rey's brow to quirk.

"You're getting stronger..." Rey mentioned with a small, proud smile.

"I do have you as my teacher after all." Flora returned the smile as her head pressed back against the booth.

They looked at one another, tired and satisfied that they were in each other's presence now. They stayed quiet for a moment before Flora spoke.

"Caleo of Naboo... You're sure he's-"

"Saw it with my own eyes." Rey murmured as she replayed that event over in her head.

"And... Snoke? Who killed-"

"He killed him too."

Flora's eyes quickly flickered to Rey's face and watched for a long moment before she slowly nodded her head.

"Is it true?" She whispered, her gaze falling to the floor.

Rey had no idea what she was referring to, though she felt the heaviness in Flora's heart when she continued. "Kai came to me... Like a dream... It felt so real... She said she was laid to rest. That Kylo gave her a resting place, that he took her from the throne room..." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Is that true?"

A wave of grief washed over Rey as she remembered the sight of a shirtless Ben Solo shoveling into the dirt in a bed of flowers on Arrowmada...

Gulping, hoping that she could hold back from spilling the tears that threatened to appear, Rey sadly nodded her confirmation to Flora, who inhaled sharply and nodded back.

A few moments later, Ben appeared after taking some time for himself, still trying to grasp the reality that he was on this ship, and struggled to tame the memories that floated to him.

Awkwardly, he shifted over to the kitchenette, choosing to sit at the stool with his gaze on the ground, and his jaw set sternly.

Watching him, Rey wondered how she could explain all the goodness that he has within him to the Resistance.

( X )

The moment they arrived, the air immediately thickened with tension. Chewie decided to land the Falcon far off from the base, which itself was small to begin with, but the choice allowed them to make a long, quiet hike to the meeting area with Leia, who was anxiously waiting for them.

Only a few people knew of their arrival, most of them on the Falcon already. However, both Poe and Finn knew Rey was coming back soon, though they did not know of the company she kept.