Star Wars: Episode X - The Rescue Mission

Chapter Four: Preparations

As Rey walked back into the compound, she spotted Poe looking for her. Once he saw her, he sprinted to her side. "Just talked to Connix. Our best hackers have been helping Lando, since his mission depends on being able to access First Order communication networks and get their messages inside. Do you want me to send a message to him?"

"Yes, let him know I'm coming and what I need. But tell him to stay where he is. I'll take the Falcon and meet him. I need to take Finn with me. I asked him to join their team for awhile."

"All right, whatever you say, boss." Poe was grinning, and it was easy to see that Rey's news and the prospect of striking a fatal blow to the First Order was causing his dauntless spirit to resurface.

"Okay, now I need to pick up the other items on my list. Do we have any First Order uniforms with Tech Repair insignia? Do we have any precious metal currencies like aurei, peggats, or zemids that will be accepted no matter where we end up?"

Poe gestured with his arm towards the main building. "Let's go see!"

On their way, Poe leaned closer and spoke in a low tone. "Hey Rey, maybe it's none of my business, but did you ever find out what Finn wanted to tell you when we thought we were going to die in the sinking sands on Pasaana? I asked him about it later when we were captured on the Steadfast, but he didn't want to tell me, even though we thought we were about to die."

"Yes, I can tell you, because you actually already know now. He wanted to tell me he thought he was Force-sensitive. He decided not to mention it to me again that day because he felt that the middle of an incredibly stressful situation with us racing to stop Emperor Palpatine and his galaxy-crushing fleet was not the time to distract me with it. He probably didn't want to tell you because he wasn't sure."

"Thanks. I'm glad he is. I think he'll really do a lot of good, especially for all the former soldiers whose lives the First Order wrecked."

"I think so, too."

Hours later, Rey was outfitted in a set of nondescript clothing and was in possession of a First Order lieutenant's outfit that had been altered to fit her, complete with a Tech Repair insignia removed from another defector's uniform. That defector, Harris, was coming with her, too, to help plan their strategy for infiltrating First Order ships and accessing their control systems. She had been supplied with a compact sack (a large bag that could be folded down into a very small packet due to its thin but nearly impenetrable fabric), as many peggats and aurei as the Resistance could spare, a few food rations, a glow stick, an adhesive facial disguise which would change her features and prevent her from being recognized, her communicator, a small concealable blaster and holster, and her lightsaber—which had two halves that could be put together to form a staff saber. Most of this was tucked into a First Order Tech Repair shoulder tote bag. She, Finn, and Harris bade farewell to Poe and their other Resistance friends, then boarded the Falcon and took off for the Rattatak system to meet with Lando.

~~~~~

With practiced ease, Rey settled the Millennium Falcon into one of the landing bays on the outskirts of the capital of the planet Rattatak. Jannah had been scheduled to meet them, and she was waiting just outside the bay. After giving both Rey and Finn quick hugs and shaking hands with Harris, she ushered them into a transport vehicle and led them further into the city to one of the area's nicest hotels.

"We're renting one of this hotel's large gathering spaces and a bunch of rooms," Jannah explained to the three of them. "Due to Rattatak's proximity to the Unknown Regions, there were many First Order raids on this planet and others nearby where they stole children. None of the three of you may realize this, because you didn't grow up in normal society, but it's typical for a child's DNA sample to be taken at birth, and a record of their genome stored at the local medical facility. Optionally, parents can choose to have that record stored with their local government, or offworld, either in records storage facilities or with the galactic government. These DNA records can be useful in diagnosing diseases and preparing medical treatments. They can also used by law enforcement when a child needs to be identified. We've taken a DNA sample from every defector who has come to us, and we're comparing them to DNA records given to us by parents who claim that their children were kidnapped.