A New Force

Chapter XII: A Moment to Breath

When the crew touched down in Naboo, they quickly parted ways. 

 Poe claimed that he needed to go into the city and find supplies, although the well-stocked closet in the back of the Millennium Falcon said otherwise.  He refused company from Rey and, to the droid's dismay, even BB-8.  Chewie had decided to tinker with some things around the ship, asserting that he didn't need any help aside from allowing his new droid companion to follow closely behind.

Feeling helpless, Rey found herself sitting in the tall grass of the expansive field where they had landed.  In the near distance lay the city skyline, a beautiful arrangement of complementary stone buildings that littered the horizon and hugged the edges of multiple tremendous waterfalls.

It was a sight the girl had never witnessed before.  With years of war under her belt, and a lifetime of desert roaming before that, she had never explored the galaxy for its wonders. 

Nothing she had seen before could compare to the beauty of Naboo.  

The little of the planet she had seen so far was oddly majestic and calming all at once.  Everything from the creatures of the air to the metropolis in the distance seemed to work all together in harmony, and it was in stark contrast to the kind of atmosphere Rey had become accustomed to.  Even the air smelled sweet, although she wasn't sure if she was simply glad to finally be grounded in one place.  Being cooped up in the Millennium Falcon for almost a month could make the surface of Lotho Minor sound desirable.  

Rey hugged her knees, admiring the way that the breeze danced through the grass.  She closed her eyes for a moment and allowed herself to take in her surroundings and feel the Force ebb and flow through her. 

It was only a few seconds before she was staring directly back into Finn's yellow eyes, the haunting sensation of his invisible grasp around her throat still lingering.  Her eyes flew open and her head fell into her hands.  Rey didn't know what to make of the situation.  

Whatever was happening, it was tearing Poe apart and had put Rose in imminent danger.  Since the pair had experienced that vision, neither of them had slept past a couple hours.

Rey didn't know if the galaxy had ever been at peace.  Maybe they had just been distracted and ignorant.  Swept up in the planet-hopping adventure, entranced by the idea that their lives were finally secure, and their safety was no longer threatened every second of the day.  It seemed that had all been a façade.  A beautiful mirage that served as a distraction just long enough for darkness to slip in through the cracks.

She blamed herself.  However, she was also sure that every member of her tiny crew blamed themselves in some way.  It had happened under all their own noses.  

Sometimes,  in the fleeting moments when Rey allowed herself to think selfishly, she wondered if she would ever live a life without constant battle.  If balance in the Force was a myth, and she was destined to live the rest of her life sacrificing everything for good.  

Answers.  They all wanted answers.  The mounting anxiety of Rose's hopeful arrival grew with every second.  Of course, she hoped that her dear friend would make it to Naboo safe and unharmed.  However, the news she would bring with her was dreaded almost as much.

Rey's cacophony of emotions was threatening to rip her apart inside at any minute.  It had taken her sleep, her peace of mind and the congruity within her crew.  

"Can you try to think a little quieter?"

She looked up to find Ben Solo, standing at an even more impressive height above her.  His eyes bore into hers, a playful yet tentative smile playing on his lips.