Belonging. Star Wars story. Episode 10 X. Sequal to TROS.

5. The Mission

The days went by slowly. In the morning Rey had woken up from a dream that was full of darkness but she couldn't quite remember anything specific. She was left only with the feeling of loneliness, pain and loss.

Most of the her companions were helping fix other ships or doing politics, and Rey was left alone in Falcon tinkering with hyperdrive. Chewie had left for another diplomatic mission to wookies. As in the dream, the same in reality her loneliness stuck out it's ugly head.

Finn still wasn't back from Canto Bight, and Rey hoped it was because of positive debates. These days everything was about politics and broken ships. It was actually quite amazing how these ships were breaking down even without flying into the battles. "Magnificent. The fleet is so old." At least Falcon was in top form since the fire (Poe was crazy with his lightspeed skipping). Actually, Rey was even thinking of more upgrades for the ship. Maybe even some remodeling in the captains quarters. Anything to spend time while Finn still wasn't back.

Rey had decided that it was time to move along and take Finn with her. "When Finn will be back, we'll leave for Tuell."

Since Finn told Rey about how he feels things, how he can read people, Rey was ecstatic, her friend was force sensitive! They had talked all of the night and into the morning, until Rose told them to go to sleep. In the next days, Rey told Finn a lot of things about the Force, about her training with Luke. She was thinking of training Finn herself, they even started the lightsaber combat training. Rey gave Finn a homework in meditation and then left for Mustafar. That's as far as they got. But it was new beginning, a new hope.

It felt good to teach and to listen, even without the Force. Since the training with Leia on Ajan Kloss, Rey felt homesick without a master, a friend. She wanted to learn more about Force and she wanted to teach about it too. Sometimes she got the feeling about this being weird- her teaching her friend. Could she even do it properly? But the new title, that Luke has given her the last time they spoke, gave her motivation to move forward. The Jedi Knight. He told her she'd shown great courage and exceptional control over the Force in the battle with emperor on Exegol, so she earned the title of Knight.

Future was still uncertain, because of her own mission. New Jedi Knight felt it was so true: what Luke had told her- that thousands of generations of Jedi lives in Rey now, but this is her fight. Rey wasn't sure if Luke understood the deep meaning of it himself. And Rey wasn't sure if coming back from Tuell didn't mean stripping her of the new title. But this was the way. She will finish this.

Nevertheless the consequences, she remembered Leia's words in one of the training missions back on the Ajan Kloss: "The day will come and the night after, and the Force will always be at your side." She knew that was true, no matter her title- scavenger or Jedi Knight.

Someone knocked on the wall.

-"Hei, Jedi girl! It's time for a snack! Have you been eating at all?", it was Hulle the new resistance member. He had joined them not long ago. Originally coming from Hosnian system, he had escaped destroying of planets just by chance, when coming back from another smuggling job.

-"Sure, I guess I have some time to spare", Rey smiled. Hulle has become good friend at first moment they met. Hulle was somewhere around thirty five, but still he reminded her of Han. Maybe because of the smuggling and knowledge about ships, maybe because of his sarcastic wit. Or maybe because he'd fallen in love with Falcon from first sight. He possessed great courage that could almost be called foolishness and he never ceased to amaze Rey.

They walked to cafe chatting, Hulle was very excited about Rey's plan to remodel captains quarters- he told her that she'll need to let him help her. Rey was happy for chance to spend time with her new friend talking about plans for future.

-"Missions lately have been so boring. Always that politics, all about how to let this system to govern themselves and how to help this planet in political debates to get rid of bandits and slave markets. But no real action. It's really not what I thought we'll do here when I joined Resistance. And by the way, have you noticed- the name doesn't even fit anymore. What exactly are we resisting? Those fat politicians we're meeting at Canto Bight? Or lizards that eat our stuff from cantine?! Or maybe they're the same!?"

Rey laughed: "Yes, I know what you're talking about and I fell the same, but I also understand why this is what we do now. We have to stabilise the situation in galaxy. We cannot do the same that Republic did and we cannot become an Empire. We have to forge our own path, make new choices, difficult decisions. We have to be something more now- even if it means to become politicians. We have to think smart and help people. The war is over now and galaxy has to stop destroying and start building!"

-"You are one hell of a Jedi. You should be the General."

-"No, I don't do this because I want to become a leader. Almost opposite- I want to help people that have no connection to politics, those that don't even know how to read or write. Because everyone matters and Poe is doing great job helping masses. I will stand up for the individuals.
But cheer up! At least when we'll find those First Order followers that have escaped and are gathering somewhere, then maybe we'll have some action.
And about those slave markets- I have some thoughts. We could really shut them down, if we did something. Since Poe and Finn are always on those diplomatic missions, we could slip out and save some slaves, what do you say?"

Now Hulle looked really cheered up: "Lets do it! Just call me, Jedi girl! I'm ready for action anytime!"

After the meal, they split up. Rey went to the caves and Hulle to living quarters. Halfway to the caves she was almost brought down from her feet with hug. She didn't saw Finn running from the side in time. They laughted and Rey was curious how the mission went.

-"It was amazing! Absolutely too slow, but great! We got them to decide about the new government structure on Cantonica system. Rey, I took your advise and stayed calm and let the Force guide me. I really think it worked. I felt in tune with the Force!"

-"I'm so happy for you, Finn!", Rey sadly smiled.

-"What's really wrong, Rey? It feels that you haven't been yourself for some time. It is as even.. I cannot feel you, Rey. Not like before. I cannot feel you in the Force.."

-"It's been a long days without you my friend. There is something I have to ask of you, next mission, a trial, another path.
We have come a long way from where we begin. I am so happy that we have this friendship and that now you've grown in the Force."

-"I feel it sometimes in the Force around us- the friendship that binds us. I focus, just the way you told me." Finn became serious.

-"Damn, who knew, all the ships we flew and good things we've been through, and that I'll be standing here and talking with you about another path. A path that only Force sensitive can help me take. A path to the future. A path to light and a path to the life."

-"Is it a Jedi path?"

-"It is, in a way. It is path I must take, but cannot take alone."

-"Than you can count on me, Rey! I will stand with you!"

-"It will be difficult and possibly deadly.."

-"Don't even start, everything we're doing is deadly and difficult.
But this means a lot to me. You know I want to know more about the Force.
But what really is the mission?"

-"I need you to help me bring someone back from the dead."