Saving the Monster

Chapter 16

"So where to next?" Finn asked after they had lifted the Falcon safely into the sky. They had food and spare parts, the final thing that they needed were people.

Rey felt Poes eyes on her before he spoke, "Zorri knows people, good people who she thinks are looking for a way out"

Rey, still feeling Poes eyes on her face, shifted impatiently, "Where?"

Poe took a deep breath, "Jakku"

"What?" Finn and Rey said at once and Chewbacca roared his own protest. 

Rey dropped her eyes as tears threatened.  For Rey's part she had no wish to go back there, no wish to be reminded of the never ending days and nights spent waiting for the parents who never came home. 

When Rey raised her eyes she realised that Finn was watching her and when he saw the pain that Poes suggestion had caused his brows furrowed and his jaw became set.

"No way, that place is not somewhere any of us want to go, least of all Rey, be sensitive man!" Finn demanded, his hands raised in frustration. 

Poe stood from his pilots seat, allowing Chewbacca to take over, "This is not the time for being picky, I didn't want to go to Kijimi...but I made myself"

"Gee thanks, real smooth talking" Zorri hissed from where she was stood at the door to the cockpit.

Poes head spun to look at her and then to Finn, finally coming to rest on Rey's glassy eyes.  He threw up his hands in frustration, "So as usual I'm Mr bad guy am I?  Told off by everyone, hated by all!"

Rey's head turned at the squeaky little alien voice of their newest friend, Babu Frik.  He mumbled something unknown and laughed.  Zorri laughed too,

"Well Babu says he likes you..." Zorri said stifling a giggle.  Rey managed a smile, she liked Zorri's sense of humour.

Rey excused herself from the cockpit, going to sit by the hologame table, she could see where this was going and she for one was far too tired to become involved in a brawl.

Poe meanwhile had gone into his usual mode of ranting wildly, his cheeks becoming red, "I'm just trying to get us into a better position, if that means stepping on some toes and upsetting people then so be it...."

Finn had joined in, arguing with Poe, his hands waving about in the air, but Rey was no longer listening.  A deep well of sorrow was opening up inside her, spreading from her stomach up into her chest.  She gasped a breath and heard it shudder in her throat.  What was happening? 

She was snapped back to the present by a hand on hers, "Hey, you ok?  Looks like you kind of spaced out there?"  Rey looked up into the green eyes of Zorri.

"I, yes sorry" Rey stuttered, Zorri crouched down next to where Rey sat,

Zorri eased off her helmet, her soft hair tumbling around her face, "Don't apologise. I know that look, your chest just went tight right? Like you can't breathe? Happens to me all the time, well since my father passed anyway"

"I don't remember my parents...besides they're still alive, I'm sure of it, I ......". Rey broke off as realisation hit her, it wasn't her own pain she was feeling, it was his.