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"My niece was a lovely girl," General Organa said, a faint smile dancing on her lips. "She loved to run around, and play pranks on people. She was always begging the chef to make sweet pies, pallie fruit pies were her favourite. She and my son were very close. Thick as thieves, those two."The Millenium Falcon was in Hyperspace, heading towards an unknown planet. General Organa had given the coordinates herself, and was reluctant to answer the inevitable question of "where are we going?" The General was now sitting at the small table, surrounded by the twelve or so remaining members of the Resistance. They were all listening to her speak, wondering what the mysterious coordinates and the General's niece could have to do with each other. Rey in particular was curious. Luke had a daughter? Why didn’t he ever mention her? "But," the General continued, getting a forlorn expression on her face. "she was not a happy girl. She was quite sad.""Why?" Rose asked from where she sat on the bunk, leaning against the wall for support. "Her father wanted her to become a Jedi." Leia's next words brought her the answer. "But, she didn't want to become a Jedi. She’d stumbled upon some propaganda from the Empire and came to believe that the Jedi were pointless and would ruin lives, hers mostly. She and Luke constantly fought about it. The harder Luke pushed, the harder she pushed back. She became sullen, short-tempered and miserable. Luke became frustrated and angry. One day, we woke up and she was gone. We never saw her again. Luke became upset whenever we mentioned her, and so we just stopped talking about her. She's been gone fourteen years.” Leia smiled again, sad and wistful. “She'd be twenty-seven by now."Leia glanced up to see that everyone, including a restless Poe, were all quiet and enraptured by this new information."I never knew you had a niece, General," Connix said from where she stood in the back."We’d hidden her away on Tatooine after it became public knowledge that Darth Vader was my father. Many people threatened violence against us."Finally, Poe couldn't stand it any longer. "Pardon me General, but what has this got to do with anything? And were are you taking us?"The General gave a thin smile. "While we never knew for sure what happened to her, I believe she headed for the planet of Hishar in the Mastujar system. She was born there, after all, and she had never been back since. She was always fascinated by it.""What about the First Order? Won’t they find us?" Someone asked."The Mastujar system is located in the Outer Rim, and has so far managed to remain neutral. We'll be safe there for a while."A beeping sounded from the cockpit, and Poe stood up straight and headed out. "We're coming up on Hishar," he said. Leia got up and followed, as did Rey."Not want to become a Jedi?" Rey said in disbelief. "I don't understand!""Neither did her father." Leia said as they went into the cockpit where Poe was in the midst of exiting hyperspace."Hishar," he said, gesturing.The planet Hishar was of a medium size, covered in a rich green dotted with blue. Sprinkled here and there were smallish groups of light, representing the cities."Where abouts do you want to go?" Poe asked.Leia pointed at a cluster of lights that was a bit bigger than the rest. "There. That's the capital city, Yamashiti.""All right."Leia turned to Rey. "Rey, I'm asking you and Finn to locate her."Rey blinked in surprise. "Me? And Finn? Why not you?"Leia closed her eyes. "She would not be happy to see me."Soon, the lights began to separate from one another, then form squares. These squares became a part of buildings, many of them squat, unartificial things that looked to be built from wood. Rey stared out the window. She had never seen such a place before, a place that incorporated so much nature into the dwellings.Poe began to descend, lower and lower. Rey didn't realise they were at a docking bay until she felt the ship hit the ground. She didn't see anything around that would resemble an air control station of some kind."Poe," Leia said softly."Yes, General?""I would like you to go with Rey and Finn to find my niece.""Really? But what if you need me to-""Manage the Falcon? No, you must worry about that. You are not required to pay for use of the docking bays here. And so we do not expect to fly again for quite a while."Poe nodded, and said "wait, we really don’t have to pay?""The planet's government believes that if it was free to land, ship owners would not be inclined to stay for shorter periods of time in order to avoid paying a huge fee. Therefore, with free use, people will stay around longer and fly around less, which in turn would help reduce air pollution.""Does it work?" Rey asked."I'm not sure. Let's go and get you and Finn prepared for your journey." Leia left the cockpit."I want to come too!" Rose wailed when told that Finn was leaving."I know. But we have a use for you here." Leia responded calmly."But...!""Please calm down, Rose." Leia then turned to Rey, Poe and Finn."Her name is Stormy. Stormy Skywalker..." she didn't quite finish her sentence before the three began giggling. She rolled her eyes."Yes, I know, it's punny. She so detested it. I honestly have no idea what in the world her parents were thinking. Anyway, she was born in an unnamed fishing village. It's located around the north side of Lake Rakou. You'll have to ask for directions. I can’t quite remember where the lake is."Then, she produced a small bag and pressed it into Rey's hands."These are some of our last few credits. Please, use them wisely.""But what about you?" Rey asked, holding the bag gingerly.Leia smiled. "Don't worry about us. We’ll find another way to get more."The four were standing on a dusty path that led from the landing field into the city. The landing field was one large open space, where multiple ships were parked. People were milling about, chattering among themselves, occasionally glancing up at the new arrivals. The smell of smoke, trees and roasting meat filled the air. The sky was coloured a pretty purple-orange."If you cannot locate her, or cannot find any leads to her current whereabouts, contact me through the holo, then come back to the Falcon, and we'll work out another plan." Leia said as she walked down the path with them."What makes you think she can help us?" Finn said, sounding almost nervous."She is powerful with the Force," Leia explained. "She has always been powerful. And she has always told up for what's right. She's also quite stubborn about that, too. Surely, she will not refuse a plea to help save the Galaxy.""Why aren't you coming with us?" Finn asked, unaware of what she had told Rey in the cockpit.Leia frowned. "She would not want to see me. You must convince her to help us before you tell her about me. It would be safer. I think seeing me would bring up some painful memories."They had reached the end of the path."Good luck, and may the Force be with you." Leia called as Rey, Finn and Poe entered the city of Yamashiti, on a mission to recover the General's long-list niece, and hopefully enlist her in their cause.
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"Right," Poe said. "Where to from here?"Rey looked all around her. It was fast heading towards nighttime and the street lights had switched on, bathing the buildings and people in an orange glow. "Er, I guess we should ask for directions?""Who should we ask, then?"Rey shrugged. "Anyone, I guess. Like him!" She jogged a short distance over to where there was an older man leaning against the doorframe of a nearby building, nibbling on a piece of smoked meat."Excuse me! Do you know the way to Lake Rakou?" Rey asked.The man paused briefly, then resumed his munching as he spoke. "Nu-uh. Don't know my way out that area. Not good with directions." His voice was deep and gruff.Rey's shoulders sagged slightly. "Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you." She turned and began to walk away."'Ey!" the man called. Rey turned around. "Why do you need to get to Lake Rakou, anyway? It's pretty isolated and hard to get to, so I've heard.""We're looking for someone," Rey responded."Who?""Her name's Stormy Skywalker."The man didn't giggle at the name, but he wore a huge humorous smile. "Nah. Don't know anyone with that name.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he said “you should try the government building and ask to look at the census. They keep records about anything. Births, deaths, marriages, the like."Rey's eyes lit up. "Oh, thank you so much! We will!" And then she started off to join Poe and Finn."What'd he say, Rey?" Finn asked."He suggested we try the government building and look through the census records."Poe clapped his hands together. "Well then, let's go find the government building!"It didn't take them long to find it. It was the tallest building in the city. Unlike the surrounding houses, this building was built from grey stone, towering high above the trio and disappearing into the combination of smoke and nighttime mist that had formed.The sign next to the front door read "Yamashiti High Government Building" in Aurebesh. There was something else written below it in what Rey assumed was the same message in a different language. When they entered, it was pleasantly warm. The walls were a drab grey, but the carpet was a lush red. There was a woman with long black hair tied in a plait, sitting at a desk surrounded by a sheet of glass, with her head bent, focusing on something.Rey walked up and rapped her knuckles lightly on the glass. "Excuse me," she said, through the hole in the glass allowing for communication.When the woman looked up, Rey realised that it was not a woman, but a man, with light stubble all along his jaw. He smiled."How can I help you?" He asked."We'd like to access you census records. We're trying to find someone." Rey explained."Do you want access to the actual census documents, or do you just want me to search the person on the archives?" The man questioned."Oh, um," Rey didn't know about how they could just look it up in the archives, and when she didn't say anything for a second, Poe responded for her. "Archives, please.""Alright…" The man brought up a holo screen. "What's this person's name?""Stormy Skywalker."The man cracked a smile as he entered the name, and a menu came up on the holo screen. The man frowned. "I'm sorry, but there's no Stormy Skywalker in our archives."Rey's face dropped. "But!...Why?! She was born here!" She turned to her friends. They stared at her in surprise and confusion."When and where was she born?" The man asked, fingers poised, ready to enter any additional details."In a fishing village, by Lake Rakou. And about twenty-seven years ago."The man grumbled apologetically. "Those damn fishing villages...they keep their own records. They're being incredibly stubborn in handing them over to the archives, for some reason. So that means there are quite a few births and deaths out that way that don't get put in the archives. I'm very sorry.""Damn!" Rey thought to herself."How many Skywalkers are there on the planet?" Finn asked, out of curiosity.The man did another search. "Five-hundred and six, total. It's actually quite an uncommon name here, compared to others. Guess we're too Outer Rim for even Outer Rim families." He chuckled to himself."How many in the Lake Rakou area?" Poe asked."You mean the Arashi province." Another glance at the holo. "Sixty in all, twenty-five of which are dead.”"What if she changed her first name?" Finn offered."Yes!" Rey said excitedly. "Good idea, Finn!""Well," Finn said, smiling. "I try."Rey turned back to the man. "Who are the ones that are still alive in the province?""Let's see, I'll bring up their records...how old is this Stormy Skywalker, again?""Uh, she'd be about twenty-seven." Rey said, recalling her earlier conversation with General Leia."Right, so that means there’s only three possible contenders: Kokona, Mizu and Yielle.” The man's face formed a pinched expression. "That's funny...there's no birth certificate for a Mizu Skywalker.""What?"The man nodded. "This most likely means that she was either born in one of the aforementioned fishing villages, or she's legally not a registered citizen."Rey got a sudden brainwave. "What if she didn't register herself because she wanted to stay hidden? Because she didn't want to be found?"Finn began nodding enthusiastically and Poe leaned in to ask, "where does this Mizu Skywalker live?"The man looked back at the holo. "There's only one document under the name Mizu Skywalker, and that's an adoption form from six years ago. At the time, she was living in the town of Taki-no-Hinansho." The man paused for a moment, then said “Kokona and Yielle both live in Tengoku-no-Oto, which is on the opposite side of Lake Rakou to Taki-no-Hinansho.”"Where abouts is Taki-no-Hinansho?""I don't know exactly. I don't really travel around there.""Right," Rey said, standing up straight. "We'll go to this town. If this Mizu person isn't Stormy, then we'll go to Lake Rakou and look there, then move on to that other town.”"Sounds like a plan," Finn added."Here." Then man scrawled something on a piece of paper before passing it through the hole in the glass. "This is my contact link. If you don't find her, you can reach me with this instead of coming all the way back to the city. And I'll see what I can do to help."Rey took the piece of paper. "Thank you, you've been such a big help!" She said, smiling, before leaving.When she got outside, she took a deep breath and sighed."Are you okay?" Finn asked."Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just wondering, how are we going to get to the town?""Just ask someone. Like her. Hey!" Poe shouted as he jogged towards a green-skinned Twi'lek who had just exited a nearby building."Poe, wait up!" Rey called."Yes?" The Twi'lek asked as Poe stopped in front of her, breathing deeply."Hi. We were wondering if you knew how to get to, uh, Taki-no-Hinansho and Lake Rakou."The Twi'lek gave a wide grin. "It's your lucky day! I run a directions booth! Actually, wait here, I'll run inside and grab a couple of maps…" And with that, she went back inside.Poe turned around and gave his friends a slightly smug smile. "That was easy!" He said proudly."Oh yes, Mr Dameron sure knows how to charm the ladies…" Rey said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.The Twi'lek returned with two tiny bits of software. "I'm assuming you have holos?" She asked. Poe nodded."Okay, you just plug these in and it'll show you where you are and how far away, and the easiest way to get there. And you're not going like that, are you?"Poe raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, why?""Because this town is a five-day hike away.""Oh, cool...WHAT?""And Lake Rakou is another two days after that. You've got a long way to go, so I suggest finding some proper equipment, as you'll be heading through the mountains. There's an equipment shop a few streets over," she waved her hand in a vague direction, "and you should go check it out. But anyway, I must go. Goodbye.""Thank you!" Rey called. She clutched the bag of credits. She hoped the shop's equipment was cheap. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to use the credits on them and still hope to buy food and hospitality.But that wasn't her biggest worry.What if Mizu, or any of the others, wasn't Stormy? They would have travelled all that way for nothing. And what if she wasn't at Lake Rakou or that other village, either?But what if what did find her?And what if she didn't want to help?
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Rey opened her eyes to the sound of light rain pattering the large sheet of material she was sleeping under. A dull light was shining through, bathing everything in a dark blue glow. She turned her head to see that Finn and Poe weren't inside with her. She was alone.When she emerged outside, Finn and Poe were nowhere to be seen. Now that she was outside, the rain seemed to grow in volume, yet no more was falling than before.Rey opened her mouth to call out, only to find that she couldn't make a sound. Neither did her footsteps or her rustling under the sheet. And the noise of the rain grew louder still.The fat oily raindrops hit the ground and evaporated, turning into a thick mist which enveloped her feet, then her knees, then her waist, chest, shoulders, and finally, her head. By this time, the noise had grown into such a loud crescendo that it made her clutch her head in pain. She couldn't see, and she couldn't hear anything other than the rain falling, which now fell so hard and fast they felt like blades taking swipes at her skin. It stung horribly.She squeezed her eyes shut tight and dropped to her knees, pressed her hands against her ears and let out a scream that erupted from within her. Not that she could hear it, but it reverberated in her soul.When she reopened her eyes, she was back under the material, curled up under a scratchy blanket. It was dawn, and she could hear the gentle pattering of rain on the material. Her heartbeat picked up its pace when she thought she was still stuck in the hellish rainstorm, but she heaved a deep sigh of relief when Finn's face appeared next to her own."Rey, we're gonna get moving. Come help us pack up." He then retreated outside.Rey followed and saw Poe packing his own blanket into the cheap backpack they had purchased back in Yamashiti. Everything was bought outrageously cheaply - the blankets, the material, the pan they heated their food in - everything except the actual food. They'd lucked out for the most part, but their funds were dangerously low. Rey hoped they'd bought enough food to make it to Taki-no-Hinansho, and then on to Lake Rakou if necessary. But there were more pressing issues at hand.As they finished packing and headed further into the mountains, Rey's mind was a flurry of what ifs.What if Mizu wasn't Stormy? What if Stormy had also changed her last name? What if she wasn't at Taki-no-Hinansho? Or Lake Rakou? But what she wasn't in the province at all? What if she was dead? What if she wasn't even on the planet? Or in the system? Oh god, what if…"Watch your feet!"Rey registered the words too late as she felt her foot catch itself on a protruding tree root and she fell to the ground, her knee scraping against a rock.Finn and Poe immediately rushed to her aid, grabbing her by the arms and lifting her onto her feet."Are you alright?!""Ow...yeah, I'm fine." She said, raising a hand to her head."You're knee's not, though." Poe said.Rey looked down to see her knee was a mess of blood, some of which was running down her leg."Hold on," Poe said as he dug through his backpack and pulled out one of the cheap blankets, from which he easily tore off a strip and wrapped it around Rey's knee. The one thing the neglected to buy due to expenses, was medical supplies."Can you walk?" Finn asked.Rey rolled his eyes at him. "Of course I can," she said, bending her leg, albeit slowly, as it stung.Poe stood up, stuffed the blanket back into the backpack and slung it round his shoulder. "If we're all good, then let's go."They had been walking for roughly five days at that point, and the holo-map showed that they were maybe about four hours away from Taki-no-Hinansho. They had travelled uphill yesterday, so today would be mostly downhill as they arrived in the heavily wooded valley. If Mizu wasn't there, they'd have to travel over the mountains on the other side of the valley in order to reach Lake Rakou. Rey prayed that wouldn't happen. She was tired and sore from so much walking, and her scraped knee wasn't making things any easier. On the contrary, she found herself lagging behind the others, who would get a little ways ahead before realising she wasn't with them, then wait for her to catch up. Then the cycle would happen all over again as soon as they resumed walking. The scrape was right on the top of her knee, and it hurt terribly everytime she bent her leg. She wished she hadn't rolled her eyes at Finn.This cycle added an extra hour or two into their walking time, and so they were all visibly relieved when they finally burst onto the main road via one of several muddy paths that branched off into different directions and led into the woods. Immediately, Rey spotted a woman dragging a screaming toddler into a nearby building, and hobbled over to her."Excuse me, but could you please tell me where Mizu Skywalker lives?"The women didn't even give her a glance, just said "the House of Arabashi" quickly before closing the door between them."What's she say, Rey?" Finn asked, jogging over to her.Rey was a little confused, and it showed in her tone of voice. "Um, she said the House of Arabashi. I don't even know what that is."They went back to where Poe was standing and told him what the woman had said. He was just as puzzled as the others and said "maybe it's a shop?""Who lives in a shop, Poe?" Finn scoffed.Rey had to remind herself that Finn had been with the First Order for pretty much his entire life, and didn't know that people sometimes lived above their shops. "Some people live in the rooms above their shops, Finn."Finn looked almost embarrassed. "Oh," he said quietly.The trio headed further up the main road, looking at the shop signs with no luck, as almost all of them were written in another language.Finally, Poe spotted a young woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat dripping with gentle rainfall, carrying a basket of tomatoes."Hey, do you know where the House of Arabashi is?"The woman tilted her face up to see him, revealing wide eyes and straight, white hair that came to just above her shoulders. "Of course! It's just up those steps." She smiled and gestured behind her towards a set of wooden steps leading into the trees.Rey and Finn headed towards them immediately, but Poe hung back. He was instantly drawn to this woman, those wide eyes and that friendly smile. "I'm Poe Dameron," he introduced himself.The woman's smile grew wider. "I'm Sister Clarith."When Finn reached the bottom of the steps, he let out a massive groan of disappointment and frustration. When Rey caught up to him, she did too.Looking up from the bottom revealed that the steps extended really far up amidst the trees. It would take ages for them to climb them all."Let's just get this over with…" Rey sighed.It took close to twenty minutes of non-stop huffing and puffing to reach the top, where they were greeted by the sight of a large, regal wooden building. It was surrounded by small individual bushes, some with flowers, and a gravel path, which was lined with small trees with thin trunks.Rey limped up onto the porch and over to the front double doors, which she knocked on several times. Ten seconds later, one of the doors opened to reveal a small blonde boy no older than about five or six.Rey leaned down and smiled at him. "Hello there, we're looking for Mizu Skywalker."The boy's eyes widened as he turned around and took off down the hallway, shouting "Mummy! There's a lady and a man at the door for you!"Rey and Finn looked at each other before giggling."I'd forgotten she'd adopted." Rey said."So did I." Finn replied."Yes?" A third voice asked.Rey blinked once at the voice's owner and nearly crumbled with relief because it was her.Mizu had golden-brown hair that reached to her breasts and curled up inwards. She was tall and very slender. But her face was a dead giveaway to her true identity. She had the same shaped eyes as her father, though they were green, not blue, the same jawline, the same mouth set into the same hard line. Looking at her face brought Rey back to Ach-To, back to the memory of her standing on top of the hill, holding out the lightsaber to the last of the Jedi, only for him to toss it over his shoulder as if it disgusted him. Would his daughter toss her out in a similar manner?Rey was enthralled and intimidated. She was in the presence of one of the only Skywalkers that hadn't yet gone insane with power or grief. She wanted her to like her, to listen to her pleas and come back to help them win this bloody war.But then Finn blew it all by suddenly blurting "your aunt needs you!"Mizu disappeared behind the door, which slammed in their faces.
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“Nice, Finn!” Rey said as she tried to open the door. It was heavy and Mizu must have locked it. Poe and Clarith arrived then, Clarith’s hat dripping with the gentle drizzle of rain. “Are you alright?” she asked as she put one hand on the door and pushed. Her expression changed to one of annoyance. “Oh for goodness sakes, Sister Mizu! Open up!” From the other side Rey could hear Mizu’s son asking “Mummy, what's going on?” Clarith banged her fist against the wood. “Sister Mizu, please! Open up, it's raining and I'm cold!” Then, “Where are you going, Mummy?” accompanied by the sound of two pairs of footsteps heading away from the door. “Well, that was rude,” Finn remarked. “You had to open your mouth,” Rey retorted. Clarith shook her head. “She won't want to help. I'm afraid you're wasting your time with her.” She gave a sideways glance at Rey and Finn’s confused faces and clarified. “Poe told me everything.” Rey focused her gaze on Poe, who shrugged. “Is someone at the door?” came another female voice. “Yes, Sister Mizu locked us out!” Clarith called. A sigh. “That woman, I swear…” There was a soft click as the door was unlocked and it swung open to reveal a Twi’lek with light purple skin. Clarith took off her hat and shook the raindrops off of it before stepping inside. “Thank you, Sister Jami,” she greeted the Twi’lek. Jami turned to the others. “And who are they?” she asked. Clarith smiled. “This is Poe,” she gestured with a smile, “and Rey and Finn. They’re from the Resistance. They’ve come to ask Sister Mizu to help them fight!”Jami raised her eyebrows. “Well, I-”Rey interrupted. “You see, it’s because she’s Luke Skywalker’s daughter - the Luke Skywalker - and she’s the only one who could possibly help us!” “I already knew that,” Jami replied, “and I was about to say that you’re wasting your time. Sister Mizu, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, is notoriously stubborn. You’d be better off convincing a tree.”“You mean to tell us,” Finn began, “that we came all this way for absolutely nothing?!”“I’m afraid so.” Jami looked at the rugged, drenched trio. “But of course, you’re perfectly welcome to stay for as long as you need…” “Really?” “Provided you help with chores. Ara Bashi was hospitable, but she was not a slob, and neither are we. Now, come with me and I’ll show you our guest bedrooms.” And with that, Jami turned around and walked down the hallway. Finn followed, then Rey, then Poe with Clarith, the dark panelled wood walls and floors creaking as they went. On the way they passed other women, some wearing headdresses of sorts, all wearing similar silver dresses and stockings with white and grey detail. As they turned a corner, Rey looked behind her and swore she saw the little blonde boy peering at them shyly from a nearby room. Jami stopped abruptly and Finn bumped into her. Unimpressed, she opened the door she had stopped at and let it swing open to reveal two wooden beds with a table between them, also made of wood, and a window that looked out to some bushes. “This is your room, boys,” she said. “Rey, come with me.” And she was off again. Rey obliged. They went a little further down the hallway and turned around another corner before entering another room. It was decorated in exactly the same way, except the window showed off several rain-soaked trees instead. “And this is your room.” Jami said. “Thank you.” Rey sat on the bed closest to the window and stared at the other one. “Will I be sharing with anyone?” “No. Hardly anyone uses this bedroom.” Jami’s wandering gaze landed on the strip of blanket material tied around Rey’s knee and the red streaks that ran down her lower leg. “What happened to your leg?” “Oh?” Rey looked down. “Oh yeah, I scraped it.” Jami nodded and spun around to leave. “Okay. I’ll be back with some supplies.” She left the door open and her gentle footsteps echoed against the wood. After that, it fell silent. Well, almost silent. The faraway sounds of women walking, talking and clattering about came at her from all directions, but the rain was louder. This room is rather plain, Rey thought. Not a whole lot of colour, is there? Just brown this, brown that...why does everything have to be made of wood? That can’t be good in a fire. There was a loud creak and Rey looked up to see Mizu leaning against the doorframe, legs crossed at the ankles, one hand on her hip, staring at her blankly. She’s actually really pretty, Rey thought. Was Luke this attractive at this age? If so, then the years had not been kind to him. “Come a long way?” Mizu asked. “Yes. From Yamashiti.” Rey said cautiously, not liking the way Mizi was speaking to her. There was a certain nuance to her voice that Rey couldn't quite put her finger on. “Did you walk or something?” “Yes. We came in from the mountains.” “You must be really desperate, then.” “Well, yeah. You're our last hope!” “Sucks to be you, then.” “Sister Mizu, what are you doing here?” Jami bustled into the room carrying something. “Aren't you supposed to be helping Sister Fumio and Sister Megumi with the sweeping? Go on, shoo!” She swatted her free hand and Mizu slunk back down the hallway. “Sorry about that,” Jami said as she got down on her knees and began peeling off the tatty piece of blanket material. “She just annoys me so much sometimes.” She grabbed a piece of white cloth and upturned a bottle of clear liquid onto it until it was damp. “It's fine.” Rey hissed as Jami suddenly pushed the damp cloth against her wound. Whatever that liquid was, it stung horribly. Jami gently cleaned off the rest of the blood and dressed her knee in a clean bandage. “There we go!” “Thank you.” “Now come on. Let's get you a nice hot drink.” Jami stood up and gestured towards the doorway. “That sounds great,” Rey grinned.
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The kitchen was brightly lit by small circular lights, which also lit up the golden hair of the nun standing by the bench, peeling root vegetables. She looked up as Rey and Jami entered through the adjoining dining room, which contained a long table surrounded by approximately thirty chairs, all made of wood. Jami sat Rey down in a chair and turned around and walked over to the bench. She filled a metal pot with water and set it over a primitive-looking stove top. “Could you pass me the tea, please?” Jami asked the blonde nun, who obliged, handing a small tin with a faded rainbow of colours. She took out a small handful of leaves and sprinkled them into two chipped mugs. As she prepared the tea, Rey looked around the room. It wasn't very wide but it was long; beyond the kitchen were shelves stocked with dried food and raw ingredients. At both ends of the room were large windows that were being pelted with big, oily raindrops. The stinging sensation from the dream came back to her, and she shivered before pushing the feeling down. The wall in front of her was lined with woven tapestries, considerably worn but still vibrant in colour. They showed scenes of people - the lower classes, Rey assumed - at work in fields, standing in groups and glancing at one another, feasting and drinking, and kneeling in prayer. Rey had seen and heard of praying before, and she thought that the idea of someone begging some mythical being for good fortune honestly sounded kind of stupid. Had people worshipped Jedi like that once upon a time, she wondered idly. She noticed one recurring figure in the tapestries: a woman wearing a thin grey dress that dipped in the front to partially reveal her breasts, and had reddish-gold hair that floated about her. She popped up everywhere: in a field, on a beach filled with people drinking, above a family kneeling before her. She was always in a similar pose - her arms outstretched with her palms facing outwards and her legs pressed together with one foot slightly in front of the other - and her body was accompanied by a ring of soft light. Sometimes, she had her hands pressed together on her chest, and in another tapestry, she held one hand out to a kneeling woman, as if she was offering something. “That’s Arabashi,” Jami said as she carried the mugs over to the table and sat down in the chair next to Rey. “And who exactly is Arabashi?” Rey questioned. “She's our goddess - part of the Seiiki family. They watch over our world.” Jami stared wistfully up at the tapestries. “Arabashi looked after those with...ahem...vices, shall we say, and those outcast from society because of them. She often partook in such vices herself, something her family members always disapproved of. Especially her older brother Utau, and that has carried over into our relationship with the House of Utau…”“There are other houses?” Rey asked. “Yes. There is one for each family member; the parents, the grandparents and ten children. Arabashi is the second-oldest sister.” At that moment, Finn came into the room. He spied Rey at the table and sat down next to her. “How’s everything going?” he asked. “Fine,” Rey nodded. “Jami’s made us a drink.” Finn caught sight of the tapestries and squinted at them. “Who’re they? Who’s that woman in the grey dress?”“That’s Arabashi, she watches over people with vices,” Rey explained, happily passing on what she had learned as Jami smiled at the two of them. ~*~“She’s here,” Poe said to Leia’s blue wavering form over the holo, “but she's not very happy to see us.” Leia closed her eyes. “I should have expected as such.” She paused for a moment, then reopened them. “Come back to the Falcon. We've been trying to reach out to other cells and gather our forces again. Looking for Stormy was a waste of time, just come back.” Poe nodded. “I'll go tell the others.” He waited until Leia’s form disappeared then slipped the holo back into his pocket. “Poe?” It was Clarith, half-leaning against the doorframe, like she was unsure if she was allowed to come in. “Are you settling in okay?” Poe rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Yeah...but we're going to have to leave soon.” Clarith's eyes betrayed her quiet disappointment. “Oh? But you just got here…” “Yeah, I know, but this was a waste of time, Mizu clearly doesn't want to help us, and the General told us to come back to Yamashiti.” Clarith gave a slow, sad nod, said “oh, okay,” then melted back into the hallway. ~*~“We just got here!” Rey exclaimed when Poe shared the news. “Aw man, I really don't want to walk all the way back…” Finn whined. Poe shrugged. “Me neither, but the General wants us to go back. She said this whole thing was a waste of time. And I'm starting to agree.” “So we came all this way for nothing?” Rey said, still dumbfounded by the whole situation. “Apparently so.” Poe turned to face Jami, who was still sitting at the kitchen table, watching everything unfold. “Thanks for your hospitality, but-” “No!” Rey stood up. “We can't just leave! Not without her! We need her!” “What makes you say that? We barely know her, but I can't say she's particularly selfless. In case you've forgotten, she locked us outside in the rain not thirty minutes ago.” “But…!” Rey desperately searched for a way to convert her thoughts into a convincing rebuttal. She'd hoped for days that Mizu would help them, and she wasn't willing to let go of that hope so easily. She decided to take it upon herself to bring Mizu back with them, no matter how long it took. Not that she particularly liked Mizu, but the Resistance needed another powerful Force-user, one that could fight alongside her (or maybe even talk Kylo Ren into joining the light, they were very close after all. She must have known him well. But Rey knew, deep down, that that was mostly just wishful thinking). Luke had eventually come around in the end, and she couldn't see why Mizu wouldn't either.Actually, that last point could convince them to stick around for a little bit…“Luke changed his mind, didn't he?” Finn and Poe both fell silent. Rey had told them all about how the last of the Jedi had hidden away to fester in his own guilt and shame, but they had seen him return, one last time, to make a stand. They had seen him with their own eyes. “I am not leaving without Mizu,” Rey continued through clenched teeth. Her skin felt cold and her knee twinged, the desperation and dread of what might happen amplifying those physical sensations. “I can change her mind, I know I can! She’s a spark of hope for the Resistance - and maybe the Jedi too! And I came too far to let this spark of hope die! You can leave for all I care, but I won't! Not without her. I don't care if I have to physically drag her back to Yamashiti, but I will if I have to! I need...we need that...that hope...” Rey trailed off as she felt tears of frustration - and maybe disappointment, too - spring into her eyes and she scrubbed at them with the back of her hand. “Rey,” Finn moved towards her. “Rey, we, um…” He thought of their long, tiring journey and of Mizu slamming the door in their faces, leaving them in the cold rain like unwanted animals. But then he thought of Luke Skywalker, the man of many legends and tales of bravado, stalling the First Order’s forces, and it wasn't until when Rey told him later on that she felt him die through the Force, did he realise that Luke gave his life so the Resistance could live to fight another day. Even though he'd had a major fall from grace, he was still a hero at heart. Maybe Mizu was the same: a lonely soul beaten down by the universe who just needed a spark to ignite her heart. He wasn’t about to abandon hope. Or Rey.“I’m staying with you.” And then they both turned to Poe. His face split into a smile. “I guess I’ll go tell Leia we’re staying, then.”~*~The rest of the nuns came and went during lunchtime, so it wasn’t until dinner that the trio were able to properly meet most of them. Jami introduced them, making them stand up so everyone could see the new arrivals. She didn’t gloss over what they were here for, and quite a few looks were thrown Mizu’s way. Then, everyone said a prayer of thanks and began eating with relish. Poe had managed to score a seat next to Clarith, and a brunette nun chattering away excessantly into a holo. He blocked out her voice as best he could and turned his attention to Clarith. A blush crept along her cheeks, in stark contrast to her snowy-white hair. Poe could feel his own face heating up too as he gazed at her. They’d meet each other’s eyes, then look away, then do it again. They continued awkwardly like that until Clarith broke the silence. “So, you're a pilot?” “Yes.” “So you fly around in space and shoot down bad guys?” “There's a bit more to it than that, but yeah, pretty much.” Clarith's brow furrowed. “Isn't it scary, being in space, surrounded by enemies, nowhere to go, wondering if you'd die?” Poe paused to consider her words. “Well, yeah, but it's also pretty exciting. And, if there aren't any enemies around, just simply being in space is really relaxing. It's beautiful and quiet and mysterious.” “That does sound relaxing,” Clarith said with a small smile. “You want to know about another place that's beautiful and quiet and mysterious?” ~*~Finn really didn't like tomatoes all that much, so he was disappointed when most of the dishes contained the damned thing in some way, shape or form: it was in the sauce, sliced on top of bread, chopped up and stuffed in the hollow of the meat. It was inescapable. He signed as quietly as he could as he watched everyone else eat, searching for something that didn't have tomatoes, and trying to bear the rumbling in his stomach. “Aren't you hungry?” It was the blonde nun he was sitting next to; he vaguely remembered seeing her in the kitchen when Rey was telling him about Arabashi. The nun smiled down at him, awaiting an answer. Finn rubbed the back of his neck. “To be honest,” he lowered his voice to a whisper. “I really don't like tomatoes.” The nun continued to smile as she said “you picked the wrong time to come here, then. Tomatoes are in season and we've got an abundance of them.” She reached her arm across the table and lifted over a bowl of salad. “Here. This doesn't have tomatoes in it.” Finn took the bowl gratefully. “Thanks.” “You're welcome.” She was still smiling. It was a nice, friendly smile. It lit up her whole face and made her look so youthful; her eyes were lined with wrinkles and her hair was wiry, indicating that she was much older than she seemed. “It's Finn, right?” “Yeah, it is.” “Well, I'm Sister Soleil.” She held out her hand. “Nice to meet you.” Finn took it. “Nice to meet you too.” He couldn't help but smile as well. ~*~Rey watched with a mixture of awe and disgust as Mizu practically inhaled everything that came into contact with her plate, seemingly without stopping to chew or even breathe. Before long, the dishes surrounding her were practically empty and she had to stretch out her arms to reach more food. Rey turned back to her own plate, piled high with meat and bread. She made a point of eating slowly, daintily, hoping it made her look more civilised while avoiding the urge to wolf everything down. She was still so unaccustomed to seeing so much food all at once, and it was a luxury she didn't want to take for granted. Like what Mizu was doing. Mizu’s son, on the other hand, was a lot calmer, chewing slowly on a piece of meat. He was so tiny that he had to sit on a cushion in order to reach the table. He seemed like a doll sitting at a real-life table. He even sort of resembled one, with wavy blonde hair that fell into his eyes and an ill-fitting silvery-gray robe with too-long sleeves that he kept rolled back. His name was Ayn. Rey had overheard Jami talking to him earlier: “Ayn, would you please go and check if your mother’s actually helping with the sweeping and not just leaving it to the others again?” Rey remembered that he had been adopted. She wondered where he came from - this planet? Or a different one? Corellia? Chandrila? Jakku? The pang of envy drove itself into her heart almost as hard as Mizu drove her elbow into her side. “Ow!” “Sorry,” Mizu said, sounding more annoyed than apologetic. As Rey massaged her side, she noticed Ayn staring at her, evidently still curious about the newcomers and what they want with his mother. Rey felt envious again, envious at his innocence, unable to properly comprehend the precarious situation they were in, envious that he probably won't have to pull himself up by his bootstraps and grow up quickly, like she had to. She turned away, annoyed with herself. A child! She was jealous of a child! She didn't think of herself as the type to get jealous of others easily, yet here she was. She watched Poe talking with Clarith and Finn talking with Soleil, and suddenly felt lonely. No one sitting next to her seemed to want to talk to her. They just enjoyed their dinner. Rey sighed and picked up her fork, deciding to join them, feeling apart from them.
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Rey awoke early the next morning to the sound of shuffling and muffled talking from outside her room. She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, trying to focus on what was being said. It only sounded like one or two people were speaking, yet way more pairs of feet padded past her door. She got up and, being mindful of her sore knee, hobbled over to the door and opened it to find the entire superfluity of nuns heading down the dark hallway, to a part of the building she hadn’t yet seen. One nun was talking into a holo, until Jami whisper-shouted at her to put it away. When the nun complied, the soft blue light disappeared and the hallway was almost completely dark, save for a few other nuns holding candles. Clarith was one of them, and as she passed by, Rey called her name to get her attention. Compared to all other sounds, her voice seemed as loud as a boulder crashing through the building. Clarith raised a finger to her lips in response and whispered, “What is it?”“What’s going on?” Rey whispered back. “It’s time for morning prayers. We’re going to the church. You can come, if you want.” Clarith hurried forward down the hallway, candle flame waving with the movement. Rey hesitated. She still thought praying sounded stupid, but if she was going to accomplish what she came here to do, she could use a favour from Arabashi. Speaking of the devil, she spotted Mizu. The candle’s dim light made her features more eerie and solemn as she stared at Rey with prickly eyes. The feeling of water droplets pelting her skin came back and Rey felt herself shrink from it. Mizu turned away. Ayn followed close behind, stealing a glance at Rey. Yes, she could definitely use some good fortune. And, all right, she was curious as to what a church looked like. Religion was almost unheard of at the outpost on Jakku where she lived. She’d thought it bizarre, but after meeting a religious person when she was a child (such encounters were rarer than stumbling across a pond on that planet) she’d heard of churches and praying and the air of community. Air of community...the outpost had had an air of community, well, more like a vague whiff of one. Most business there revolved around trying to impress Unkar Plutt with whatever they managed to salvage from god-knows-where. She’d stood in countless lines with the same faces, with a mutual understanding that they were all just trying to survive. Here, though, there was no animalistic survival instinct in play. Everyone was here because they worshipped a deity. They weren't starving, dehydrated or exhausted after having to stay up late every night to guard all they owned. They probably didn't know what hunger felt like. Her decision was cemented when she saw Finn and Poe trailing by. Poe gave her a nod and Finn stopped in front of her. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Rey whispered, “Are you going to the church as well?” “Yes. Thought I might see what all this praying business is about. Are you coming too?” Rey didn't even think about it. “Yes, I'm coming.” ~*~ The church was a separate building situated on the edge of the tree line, connected to the main building and gardens by a cobblestone path. The sky was a dark blue and there were no stars visible. It had stopped raining but the air still felt damp and cold. The church loomed over the nuns as they approached. Rey thought it looked quite drafty and uninviting. She stepped through the door and into the main room, then stopped and looked around her. Rows of wooden benches lined much of the rug-covered floor, with an aisle in the middle leading up to an altar, on which stood a small table and several large, elaborate gold candleholders. Right behind them was an elegant stained glass window depicting Arabashi kneeling on a grassy bank, cupping her hands in a stream of vivid blue water. The candles in the holders lit everything up, the glow making Arabashi’s eyes and the stream sparkle. Rey couldn't take her eyes off the stained glass. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. “Isn't that gorgeous?” She whispered to Finn. “Yeah! I wonder how they do that?” He, too, was entranced by it. “Rey, Finn, come sit!” Jami ushered them onto a nearby bench and then sat down next to them. As she did so, a hush fell over the building. Soleil stood up from the front bench and stepped quietly into the altar. “We are here this morning to thank Arabashi for all that she has done for us and many others: helped us, accepted us, loved us. We are here to thank her for everything she has done for us personally. Let us pray.” Soleil sank into her knees and clasped her hands in front of her chest. Everyone else followed suit. Jami did the same, and motioned for Rey and Finn to do so as well. “Close your eyes and thank Arabashi for something she has done for you.” Rey wanted to ask what exactly she meant by that, but the Twi’lek had already turned away, silently mouthing her gratitude. She shut her eyes and tried to think of something. This wasn't quite what she was expecting; she'd thought that you only prayed when you wanted something. That religious man she met at the outpost certainly didn't tell her otherwise. So, what had Arabashi done for her, personally? Let her into the House? Jami did that. Let her find Mizu? That was debatable. Accepted her? Well, she hadn't really done that yet, had she? Why was this so difficult? Rey opened her eyes and quickly glanced around the room. No one else seemed to be having any trouble with this, not even Poe, next to Clarith, not even Finn, with his hands pressed together tightly, not even… Mizu was opposite the aisle from her and a few benches ahead. Her head was bowed, her hair falling about her shoulders and gleaming in the candlelight. Ayn, seated next to her, mimicked her position. Was Mizu thanking Arabashi for giving her a son, someone to love? Rey drew in a deep breath to try to quell the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes. Finn heard and turned to her. “Are you okay,” he asked. Ayn. Something about that kid made her feel the seeds of loneliness sprouting from within her. But she knew exactly what that ‘something’ was. She knew she did. “Rey?” Now Jami had noticed the lone tear rolling down her cheek, the candlelight reflecting from it turning it into a golden orb, an embodiment of her misery in this beautiful building. “Hey, are you alright?” Finn asked worriedly. Rey blinked. “Yes.” She paused. “No…” Another golden orb trickled down her face. ~*~Kaydel Ko Connix sat on the ramp of the Millennium Falcon, watching the mist above the city give way to the first blinding rays of dawn. She could hear distant noises from the city, but out here at the landing bay - if you could call it that - it was silent. Ships of all makes and models sat peacefully, dotted about with no real order to them. She sighed. It had rained the previous couple of days and she was glad to steal a moment to herself outdoors. She may never get another chance again. Death could spirit her away at any moment. The thought made her dig her fingers into her legs, then she relaxed. She was being a bit silly. The First Order wasn't coming any time soon; they didn't even know where they were. They were safe here. “Hey.” Kaydel jerked suddenly with a gasp. She turned around and realised that it was just that mechanic, that woman who'd gone with Finn to find the master codebreaker. She'd sustained some damage back on Crait: she walked with a limp and had a burn along one side of her face. She had been looked at by a medic the government had sent their way and was healing a lot quicker now, though she was still advised to take it easy for a little while. Yet here she was, at the crack of dawn with heavy bags under her eyes. Once Kaydel recovered from her initial shock, she asked, “What are you doing?” “I couldn't sleep. You?” Kaydel turned away and shrugged. “Just wanted some peace and quiet.”“That sounds fantastic.” The woman limped over and sat down next to her. “There's a couple of people in there snoring loud enough to wake the whole city.” Kaydel leaned backwards and listened carefully. Sure enough, someone was snoring. “Thank goodness you can't really hear it from out here,” the woman continued. “Next time I think I'll just sleep out here.” “Wouldn't you get cold?” Kaydel asked suddenly. “What if it rains, or you get attacked in the night or what-” The woman thought for a moment, then responded. “I'll take a blanket, sleep under the Falcon and keep a blaster with me.” Kaydel smiled a little bit. “It's good to be prepared.” The woman nodded, then just stared at her. “Hey, uh, what's your name? I've seen you around but could never catch your name.” “It's Kaydel. Kaydel Ko Connix.” “That's a nice name. I'm Rose Tico.” Rose extended her hand and Kaydel shook it. Then Kaydel sat awkwardly, silent, not knowing what to say or do next, until Rose spoke again. “So, what's your ranking?” “Lieutenant.” “Ah. Lieutenant Connix. That has a nice ring to it.” Kaydel blushed. “I'm glad you think so. What about you?” “Me? Oh, I'm just the mechanic. Nothing too important.” “Well, someone has to make sure all our machinery’s up and running,” Kaydel said, gesturing towards the Millennium Falcon. Rose beamed at her and Kaydel felt herself smiling back.