Star Wars: Duel of the Fates

Chapter 6

Rey stood balanced precariously at the top of a half collapsed wall lifting rock after rock. She had to focus, letting the force flow through her as she ensured that the surrounding pieces didn't shift as each new one was moved.

"I can see the book!" Maz called out, waving her hand for Rey to stop.

She carefully placed the last rock beside the others she'd displaced as Maz gingerly reached into a half covered shelf. Lying on her side, she stretched her small arm through the narrow gap.

"Shall I move another?" Rey offered.

"I can just feel the binding," she said, "I have it!"

Rey deftly hopped down as Maz slid it out and held it towards her.

She took it and turned it over in her hands: the book was old, very old.

There was no front cover as it had been cut in two by some sharp blade. Rey studied the first slightly torn page, recognising the familiar elaborate diagrams. The back was covered in some kind of brown weather beaten leather.

"...This is it," she said breathlessly.

"Well hopefully it contains the information you need."

Resisting the urge to sit down and start reading immediately, Rey placed it into her shoulder bag.

Something in the debris caught her eye: the chest she'd found Luke Skywalker's lightsaber in.

She stepped over to it and traced her finger along its broken lid. The metal braces around the edges were bowed and misshapen. If she listened closely enough perhaps she could hear the voices from the past she'd heard before, perhaps they had the answers she was looking for.

Maz came to stand beside her, "It feels like such a long time ago that we were both in this place."

"...Yes."

Rey stood slowly, brushing the dust from her charcoal grey clothes and adjusting her arm wraps.

They picked their way back to the trees. Maz paused for a moment at the edge of the forest and looked at the broken remains of her home before they started along the path.

"I never knew how you came to have Luke's lightsaber," Rey said.

Smiling, Maz felt her mood lighten, "Oh that was many years ago. I was part of the group given the job of archiving the Emperors grand collection after the battle of Endor. Many of his prized treasures were safely stowed away in the catacombs under Mount Tantiss on Wayland. It took us years to complete our task. We didn't find that until after Kylo Ren destroyed the Jedi temple and Luke went into exile. Leia wanted it kept safe and did me the great honour of entrusting it to my care."

Rey nodded.

"I always find it sad that exile seems to be the final destiny of a Jedi," Maz said, lost in thought.

"Yes," Rey whispered.

"But you, I am sure, will change that," she said winking, "Now, I want to get back to my boyfriend."