Let the Light In

Chapter 65: Conviction

Chapter 65: Conviction

"What'll it be, lady?" a surly voice startled Rey, causing her to spill the pazaak deck she was shuffling all over the glassy countertop.

Rey looked up at the Neimoidian server, "Two juma and two juri, thanks."

The server squinted his seemingly blind eyes at her, "Bit much for a lady alone at this hour don't you think?"

True, it was the early hours of the morning, and those hours were unsafe anywhere, never mind Cato Neimoidia.

She offered him a small smile, pulling the cards toward her, "I'm waiting for someone, don't worry about me."

He shrugged in response, "Just don't want no incidents, girl. Had enough trouble with 'em First Order convoys already, an' don't want to see some young thing get caught in their miserable works." The server shuffled away after that, and Rey watched him leave, a wry smile on her lips.

Certainly. The bar was almost completely empty now, but that could change at any moment. For the time, the clientele consisted of only her and two Trandoshan. Trouble with the First Order indeed, she chuckled, the poor server had no idea...

Rey went back to aimlessly shuffling the deck Poe had given her so long ago, staring at the lights of the Neimoidian bridge cities, and speeders flying by. She was sitting in the same place she had been last time, except then it had been dusk, not early dawn, and she hadn't been waiting for him that time.

Rey remembered it like it was yesterday, even though it felt like a lifetime ago. She had been scared and alone, fearful of her mission, and one that took her to the isolated worlds of the Outer Rim no less. She hadn't enjoyed the trip much, and even found herself hating all the green of those never-ending forests. But Master Luke had been right, as usual, and she had found useful holocrons in the pits of Dromund Kaas.

And more.

She had just been so alone.

Who else would have found her sitting in a bar before her final jump, afraid and at her most vulnerable, but Kylo Ren? Ben Solo. Rey should have left when he sat down beside her, not let him deal her cards from the self-same deck she had been so nervously shuffling then as she was now.

Admittedly, he hadn't really acted much like the Kylo Ren from their previous physical encounter, but more like the one who kept echoing across their infantile bond, and the safety of the illusions. There had been no malice and no intimidation, that is, until she started goading him once the shock had worn off. In hindsight, Rey was even more shocked that he managed to hold his temper at all, and that neither emotions of anger were directed at her at all. She had hardly been tolerant, with Han's death still raw in her mind even after those few months...

Rey shook her head, amazed that his feelings for her had run so deep so early on. The man who was now only Ben Solo to her had never wanted to hurt her, even when she practically spat in his face. Now, now it was she who would have to keep from breaking apart. Rey was both anticipating and dreading his arrival. He needed to have information that would keep him useful. He needed to come home. Rey would not let him go again.

The Neimoidian placed four cups on the countertop in front of her, and the Trandoshan pair had left.

She stared at the cups, still shuffling the cards.

"Two juma, two juri." He had asked the server. "Every spacer needs their staple, I'm told juma and juri are available on all worlds. I guess, with the amount travelling I have no doubt you'll have to do, you should probably find your favourite?"