Saving the Monster

Chapter 25

The warmth of his hand on hers was the last thing Rey thought about when she closed her eyes that night and the first thing she thought about when she woke the next morning.  Such a simple touch and yet it caused her heart to flutter each and every time she thought of it. 

The base was awash with life as Rey walked to the mess hall.  Everywhere she looked were new faces, bustling busily around, carrying weapons, boxes and engine parts. 

"Hey Rey!", Rey turned to find Connix sprinting up behind her.  "Isn't this great?"  she said excitedly as she reached Rey, matching her strides so they were walking side by side, "You guys did good, with this number of members we have a shot, we might even take the First Order down, if we're clever enough"

"We certainly have a shot, but you need to praise Zorri, not me.  Have you met her?" Rey asked, her eyes roaming the crowds. 

Connix nodded enthusiastically, "She's just the sort we need to help us win this war, she's found four more x-wings, her, Poe and some of the others are tasked with fetching them today.

"Has Leia given you a job?" Rey asked, wanting to change the subject.  It was getting harder and harder to talk about waging a war on the First Order with him there in he middle of it all.  Rey knew it was wrong, traitorous even to think like that but she just couldn't help it.  She'd seen glimpses of what he could be and it was becoming far more difficult to see him the way everyone else did. 

"I'm scanning the information we have so far, going through it, looking for weak spots, chinks in the First Orders armour, you?" Connix said, pausing to hold the mess hall door open for Rey.

Rey nodded her thanks and the two women headed over to the counter where they collected their breakfast rations, "Leia wants me to continue my training". Rey said, setting her food down and sitting heavily, her body feeling as weary as her mind.

"And you're ok with that? You don't want to be involved?" Connix asked, frowning, Rey shrugged,

"Leia wants me here".

After breakfast Rey ran the course that her and Finn had set up a couple of days previous.  It was a tough course, filled with near impossible jumps and sheer climbs but Rey enjoyed the challenge.  She set off from the start point, running as fast as she could, lightsaber in hand, weaving through the undergrowth until she reached a sheer mud slide.  Rey locked her legs and slid down, landing on one bent knee and then pushing off, back into a sprint.  She jumped ravines, climbed trees and traversed narrow ledges before finally reaching the finish line, panting and sweaty, but rejuvenated. 

The sound of crafts above her head and Rey looked up just in time to see the four scavenged x-wings that Connix had told her about pass over the trees.  The war was coming.