Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Aftermath

10: Lalo

Lalo tugged on his mothers skirt with large pleading eyes. "Mama, please, I want to go with them," he said. Jiroe shook her head. "That is out of the question, Lalo," she told him sternly before looking back up at Rey. "He.. he will not- I can't-" she hesitated.
"We understand," Rey told her. She stood up promptly, surprising everyone in the room, including her companions. She walked to the door and held it open for Amaliea and Jacen.
"Wait, you're going to leave? Just like that?" Jiroe asked.
"If we cannot convince you, there's no point in wasting your time anymore," Rey answered.
"What are you doing?" Amaliea hissed at Rey as they walked away from the house.
"Jiroe knows that Lalo is safer with us," Rey said. "If she knows it's what is right, she will stop us."
Jacen looked over his shoulder. "No ones coming," he told Rey.
"Slow down a bit," she replied. The slowed their pace, and just as they were about to enter the busy market, a voice cried out.
"Wait!"
Jiroe ran hand in hand with her son to catching up to the three. She stopped in front of them and gazed at Rey warily.
"He.. will be safer with you. He has anger from his fathers death.. I fear it will consume him.." Jiroe trailed off. Rey exchanged a look with Amaliea.
"Jiroe, I know how you feel. I know you want to protect him," Jacen said comfortingly. Jiroe shook her head. Conflict and confusion still clouded her eyes as she finally agreed to let her son go with them. Lalo looked up at Rey, Amaliea and Jacen from his place at his mothers side. He turned to Jiroe.
"Mama, stay safe," he said to her. She crouched down and kissed her sons forehead. "Sweet boy, be brave." she whispered to him. The small Mirialan let go of his mothers hand and took Jacens.
"I do hope you realize I am not in the slightest bit happy about this," Jiroe told Rey as she straightened. "But he will do better with you. He will have a better chance at a good life."
Rey nodded and held out her hand to shake Jiroe's. "We will do our best to protect him," she said to her. Jiroe stepped back and hugged herself as she waved goodbye to her son. "Do come back one day, son," she called to Lalo as they began to move away. He turned once more and nodded, once. "I will, mama," he said to her. Then Jacen lifted the small child onto his shoulders and the four of them walked off into the market together.
——
He started off quiet, but it didn't stay that way for long.
"This is the ship?" Lalo asked brightly. He jumped down from Jacen's shoulders, earning a small "hey!" from the older one. The child ran a hand along one wall of the ship, examining every crevice and dent in the grey interior.
"This ship is quite old," he observed, turning to the others. "Someone powerful owned it.."
"Uh, yes, it was my godmothers ship for a while," Amaliea told Lalo as she raised the ramp. He furrowed his brow and sat down in one of the seats. "I can also sense you.. but not quite you. So similar, but different," he described, tapping his nose. Amaliea dropped into the co-pilots seat. "Probably my parents. I don't remember my dad much, but I know he flew around in this thing a lot before I was born," Amaliea said. Lalo looked over his shoulder at the armoured Mandolorian.
"Memories are a funny thing," Lalo said wisely.
Jacen flopped onto the captains seat and lifted off the ground swiftly. "Make yourself at home, kid," he said to Lalo. Rey sat next to the boy. "You okay?" she asked as Jacen fiddled around with the control panel.
Lalo looked confused. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"
"Well, you did just say goodbye to your mother for a while." Rey lifted an eyebrow. Lalo paused, gave the sign that he was going to answer, but ultimately ignored her and jumped up from his seat as they left the atmosphere. He ran to the bow of the ship and put his face to the glass.
"So this is space?" he asked in wonder. Jacen smiled. "Yeah. I grew up amongst the stars. It's pretty cool, huh?"
Lalo nodded, continuing to stare out at the stars with wide eyes. "It's beautiful," he said, and smiled for the first time since they had met him. He sat back down in his seat and brought his legs up to his chest, never tearing his gaze away from the sky.
"So, tell me more," Lalo turned to Rey finally. When met with a confused look, he sighed in exasperation. "About you! About your mission to begin a different kind of Jedi Order, about anything!" he exclaimed. Rey laughed. "Okay, okay," she held her hands out. "Well, you must know our names by now. I am Rey Skywalker, that is Amaliea Bridger, and Jacen Syndulla." she pointed to each person in turn. Lalo pointed to Reys stomach. "And Beatrice," he added brightly. Rey raised an eyebrow. "You seem awfully interested in my baby, Lalo," she noted, meeting the boys metallic blue eyes with her dark ones. The boys gaze darted away first, then came back to settle at Reys lower abdomen again.
"The Force," Lalo said with a frown. Rey tilted her head in confusion.
"My mother says not to say that word. But it seems to be the perfect way of describing Beatrice," he scratched his nose, right underneath where four small Mirialan tattoos resided. "She will be strong with the Force. I can tell," he cocked his head, meeting the Jedis eyes again.
"You're very powerful to know these sorts of things, Lalo," Rey told him.
"I know,"
——
"So, now we must find the next child to join us on our ship?" Lalo asked with interest as the four of them now sat again on the floor of the ship. Amaliea, who sat across from him, crossed her arms. "Do you know how to use the Force in meditation, Lalo?" she questioned him.
"I bet I can figure it out," came the snarky response.
Amaliea rolled her eyes but Jacen shushed her as she was about to shoot a retort back.
"Don't let an overconfident seven year old get to you," he said to her quietly. He closed his eyes and instructed Amaliea and Lalo to do the same.
"Now, everyone, let yourself ease into the Force. It will guide us to our next Force-sensitive child." Rey said to the group. Her eyes were already closed and she let herself go, falling into the peacefulness of the Force.
Her consciousness found itself on the colourful planet of Pantora, in the Capital City. A Pantoran girl dressed in silks and expensive jewelry stood on a balcony overlooking the city. She looked about fifteen, which surprised Rey.
And then she was back in the ship. Rey opened her eyelids to meet Jacen's skeptical expression.
"Isn't she a little old?" he asked. Rey shrugged. "If the Force wants us to go get her, why don't we?"
Amaliea opened her eyes, followed by Lalo. The Mandolorian nodded. "I like her already." she grinned.