The World between Worlds

Chapter 7- The Accord

Packing up the belongings of a few years on Bogano had taken less time than Rey had thought it would; the Mandalorian and his infant charge were ready to leave for Ahch-To the very next day. She'd given the Mandalorian the coordinates for Ahch-To along with a copy of the navigational star chart.

"How can you trust I won't just take the child and hide again on another backwater planet?"

Rey had merely smiled at him knowingly.
"I've found you now. Finding you again would take me a lot less time, besides, what have you got to lose by coming with me? You cannot hide the child forever, especially not from me."

The Mandalorian had nodded. Rey found him surprisingly easy to read despite never seeing his face. As he and the child boarded his ship and Rey wandered back to the Falcon, she reached out with her feelings to be sure. He intended to join her, and she heaved a grateful sigh before boarding the ship. Within the cockpit, Rey found Chewie lounging casually in the co-pilot's chair.

"Sleep, OK?"

The Wookie growled at her that he'd had many a worse night's sleep.

"Let's go home."

Chewie punched in the coordinates as Rey began to get the Falcon in the air. Ahch-To wasn't Chewie's home, but like General Dameron, Zorii and Maz, he was always nearby should Rey need to go somewhere far. As the Falcon exited Bogano's atmosphere and made ready to jump to lightspeed, Chewie yipped a question about her now having everything she needed.

"Yes, Chewie, I believe I do."

-X-

Rey felt a surge of relief flow through her at the sight of the ocean-blue orb of Ahch-To floating in the black vastness. She missed that feeling of relief. Every time her bond with Ben had opened, she'd felt it, and it had been years, seven in fact since Ben had stopped visiting her in her dreams. She missed the feeling; she missed him. As she flew into Ahch-To's orbit and down through the low-lying cloud, she savoured that momentary feeling- relief, home.

Those seven years had passed much as the weather on Ahch-To did; sometimes despairing, cold and lonely, other times bright, optimistic and hopeful. During that time, Rey had built her saber. Initially, it had been but a single shaft of golden light emitting from a section of her quarterstaff from Jakku, which was salvaged from the Rebellion and Imperial ships scattered upon the planet's surface. Over time, and much as she had always envisioned, it became a double-pronged weapon. She liked the flexibility of choice, having trained and become accomplished with both a single blade and staff. So, if she wished, it was a single-bladed sword but with a nasty surprise of a second blade to any tricky adversary. Business at both ends, Finn called it. She'd made a pilgrimage with the Falcon and BB8 to Tatooine, the birthplace of Anakin Skywalker, to bury his children's sabers together. Rey folded the lightsabers gently in a piece of cloth, tying it neatly with a leather cord. She wondered to herself if the Skywalker twins had stayed together, or their places switched, or their father had never fallen; how different things might have been. One could lose much time wondering about such things, but it would change nothing now. Reaching into the Force, Rey had moved the sand like water, creating a hole into which the package lowered. The sand moved from beneath to cover them until they were gone. The sand settled, and as Rey watched the sunrise with BB8, she considered returning once Ben was back. Perhaps they'd come back here together and dig the weapons back up. Maybe that time was fast approaching, Rey mused to herself as she landed the Falcon on the saddle of Ahch-To.

Departing the freighter, Rey was rushed by a small brigade of youths. Alien, humanoid and human of varying ages and sizes all dressed in similar dark, beige and grey tunics, along with a weary-looking Finn.