19. Complications

CHAPTER SUMMARY: Rey manages unexpected complications with the bond.

Head's up: This is a "no Ben/Kylo" chapter.

Rey weaves through the crowded hall of the training base, moving as quickly as she can. She glances at oncoming faces, expecting to recognize at least a few.

But they're all strangers.

She's not used to this, having so many people around. Usually, it's just her, the other instructors, and the new recruits. The base normally seems too big for them, a small, tight-knit group of about fifty people, but now there are hundreds. Hundreds.

Every member of the Resistance has come to Dorajan for the General's debriefing, and though Rey looks forward to things getting back to normal, it's been useful to get a sense of what the base will be like once their numbers pick up. After all, this place was never intended for just a handful of recruits. It was built to train an army.

But in light of yesterday's report, it will be a quite a whilebefore that vision becomes a reality.

A twinge of guilt tugs at Rey's chest. She picks up her pace, abandoning politeness to push bruskly past the oncoming traffic.

She doesn't have much time. The General will be leaving any minute now, and she can't let this opportunity to speak with her slip away. She's been itching to talk with her one-on-one for weeks now. She has a question, one that's been gnawing at her, and the General is the only one she knows who can answer it.

Then again, given her reason for asking, the General is also the very last person in the galaxy she'd want to talk to about this. Honestly, if that's all there was, she wouldn't be barreling through the hallway right now.

But she also has an idea, one she's been toying with. She wanted to think on it a little more, work out the details, but after hearing the General report their plateauing numbers, she feels the need to act now.

Because the truth is she's partially responsible for their slowdown in recruitment. It seems that the growth of the Resistance is directly correlated with the galaxy's perception of the First Order, and apparently, people in this galaxy have very short memories.

It's been nearly a year since the destruction of the Hosnian system and the New Republic, yet despite this atrocity, the First Order is currently enjoying a boost in reputation. They've made some popular moves lately.

Like starting to sweeten negotiations for resources with building projects, and not just any projects. They're rebuilding temples and marketplaces, symbols of community pride and history, often ones that were destroyed by the Empire. The entire strategy seems designed to win local support, and it's working…

Then there was the recent take down of Riker Vos and the Merdos Syndicate. The galaxy swooned over that one. One of the most hated criminal organizations in the Outer Rim, wiped out within a week.

Rey sucks in a breath, pushing past throngs of people.

She'd been thrilled when she first heard about these things. She couldn't help but interpret them as signs, signs that the bond is doing its work. It was so encouraging to see a couple of small moments have such a significant impact, to influence him to make decisions like Ben Solo would, not Kylo Ren. He's changing, slowly but surely…

Of course, it never occurred to her that in the process of doing so, he'd become a stronger leader.

And a stronger enemy.

She sighs, rounding a corner, the command center just a few paces ahead.

This process— the bond, turning Ben Solo— it's all becoming so complicated, in more ways than one.

Rey slows as she approaches, taking a deep breath and clearing her mind. She halts at the entrance, pausing for a moment to collect herself before reaching over to press a button on the comm. A few seconds pass before a response crackles through.

"Apologies, but the General is no longer taking appointments. If you'd like to schedule one, please see Lieutenant Connix in sector three."

Rey's shoulders drop.

She should've come sooner. The General's been here for three whole days, but Rey kept putting it off, trying to work up the nerve. Now, she's lost her chance…

She lingers in front of the door, trying to decide what to do. Maybe she should try one more time, say it's urgent? But it's not urgent. Not really. Then again, given the General's concerns over recruitment, maybe she'd want to hear about this idea sooner rather than later…

Rey bites her lip, vacillating between her persistent nature and hesitation to bull her way in.

Suddenly, she jerks back, startled by the comm.

"Rey, is that you out there?"

She's surprised to hear the General's voice crackle through.

"Yes." She leans to the comm.

"I had a feeling it was. Come on in."

An instant later, the door whirs open. Rey takes a breath, both relieved and nervous. She squares her shoulders, striding into the command center.

The main room is large with white floors and walls covered in consoles, screens alive with the processing of data. There's a large, round computing station in the center and a hologram of what looks like North sector of the Outer Rim hovering over it. The General sits to the left with one of the admirals beside her and a couple of operators busy at the consoles.

At first, she doesn't acknowledge Rey, speaking with the admiral and gesturing to the hologram as they discuss in low voices. But soon, the admiral stands, pushing his chair out and extending a hand. The General takes it, giving him a firm nod and a word of encouragement before leaning over to press a button on the table. The holo disappears.

The admiral heads for the door, obviously preoccupied, not to seeing Rey at all as he walks out. The General shifts to face her, eyes crinkling into a warm smile. "Well, go on." She gestures to a chair next to her. "Have a seat."

Immediately, the nervous flutter in Rey's stomach subsides.

It happens every time. She always works herself into a frenzy before meeting the General, then the moment she steps in front of her— sees that kind smile, those gentle eyes— it all just goes away, and she chastises herself for being so silly.

Rey nods and swiftly takes a seat. "Thank you for taking the time to see me. I know you're set to leave soon, so I'll get straight to the point."

"My favorite thing." The General winks.

Rey scoots forward, clasping her hands in her lap. "I have an idea, a way we could boost our recruitment."

The General perks up.

"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday, about how the galaxy is starting to become complacent under the First Order, how they're less likely to feel the need to join the Resistance as long as they can live their lives like they always have."

The General nods.

"Well, the truth, as I've discovered it, is that there are so many…" Rey shakes her head. "So many lives in this galaxy that are so horrible, so desperate, they're almost not worth living." She leans in. "I'm talking about slaves. I'm talking about people who can't, who shouldn't, live their lives as they always have because their lives are unacceptable."

The General tilts her chin up.

"So, I think…" Rey draws out the words. "That the Resistance should get more involved in combatting the spread of slavery across the galaxy. You said it yourself— slave markets have absolutely exploded since the First Order came to power. Now that the New Republic's gone, there's no law against it."

"I hear you, Rey." The General sounds heavy. "When I was a Senator, slavery was only a problem in the Outer Rim. Now there are slave markets popping up all over. It's only a matter of time before they reach the Core Worlds."

"Exactly. So, what if the Resistance took a cue from the First Order?"

The General narrows her eyes.

"You know how they've been broadcasting those holos about gangs in the Outer Rim, trying to butter everyone up before they start an invasion?"

The older woman nods.

"Well, what if we were to do something similar? What if we could get the galaxy to actually see the conditions slaves are living in with their own eyes, this horror the First Order is doing nothing about? And what if this were to correspond with the spread of slavery into their own systems?"

The General raises her eyebrows. She's struck by the idea but also working through a problem. "That's brilliant, Rey. It really is." The General tilts her head. "Unfortunately, the Resistance doesn't have the kind of resources or even the connections to broadcast holos on the scale the First Order does."

Rey sighs, sitting back. "I figured that. But we can find workarounds, easier ways of to spread holos. And that's not where we need to start anyways."

"What do you mean?"

Rey takes a breath, preparing. "With your permission," she begins, "I'd like to lead a team of about twenty volunteers. Our purpose would be to develop relationships with organizations who work to shut down slave markets in their systems. We would get to know them— what they do, what they need— and we'd help them in whatever way we can. Not only would we be doing a good thing for the galaxy, but the Resistance would become associated with the cause against slavery."

The General's lips turn up.

"We do that…" Rey taps the table. "And I'm willing to bet our numbers will pick up, especially if the galaxy sees us taking a stand where the First Order won't, actually doing something instead of looking the other way."

"Permission granted."

Rey straightens, surprised.

"Create your team. Let me know what you need, when you need it. We've obviously got some details to work out with how to advertise our efforts to the galaxy, but there's nothing holding us back from fighting slavery in whatever way we can. I gotta tell you, Rey, I'm ashamed I didn't think of this myself." The General squints with a glint of pride.

Rey can't help but grow a little self-conscious. "I—" She stops, not sure what to say.

"You're a leader, Rey." The General dips her chin. "I've seen it in you. I'm glad you're starting to see it too. Tell me— what inspired you to step up like this, ask for more responsibility?"

Rey parts her lips. She's silent a moment, considering her answer. "I just… I've had a chance see slavery with my own eyes these past few weeks, and I've been wanting to challenge myself more lately, push my limits. I want discover what I might be capable of, and this seemed like a good place to start."

"I agree." The General leans in. "To start." She lingers before sitting back. "I have a feeling that you have a very important role to play in this war. Keep following your gut, Rey, and you'll find your place in all this soon enough." The General never looks away, a glimmer in her dark eyes.

Rey stares, transfixed. For a moment, she can't stop the thought from flashing.

Her eyes… they're so much like his.

She shakes her head, snapping out of the trance. "Thank you, General. For everything— your encouragement, your support." She rises. "I won't disappoint you."

"I never had a doubt."

Rey exhales, not realizing she was holding her breath. She nods, then turns for the door.

"Is there anything else you need before you go?" The General asks casually.

Rey halts. She waits a moment before twisting back, shaking her head. "That was all. Thanks again for making the time." She lingers awkwardly, then makes her way slowly to the exit.

"Rey."

She stops at the sound of her name.

"Are you… sure?"

She takes a breath, trying to remain calm. She turns to face the General. "Yes, I'm—" She catches herself.

She can't lie. The General will see right through her.

She looks down, rubbing a thumb and finger together nervously "Actually," she hedges. "I did have… a question. But it can wait until a better time. I don't want to delay your departure any more than I already have."

"Nonsense. I don't even know if the ship is ready to leave yet." The General turns to an operator working at the console.

"Departure's in five minutes, ma'am," he informs with a slight bow.

"Make it fifteen." She turns back to Rey. "Take a seat."

Rey hesitates, standing in front of the door. She shuffles her feet before moving forward, slow and careful. The closer she gets to the chair, the more her stomach churns.

She shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't have even considered doing this.

It's not too late. There's still a chance to back out.

"Actually…" She halts. "On second thought, it's a silly question, not at all relevant to the Resistance. It's just personal."

"Rey, do you think I'm only interested in your involvement in this war?" The General tilts her head. "Because I'm not. I care about you. As a person. Now take a seat." She nods to the chair.

Rey gulps. She forces herself to take one step, then another, sinking slowly onto the chair when she gets there. She looks down, clasping her hands in her lap.

At first, she doesn't speak. She just stares, feeling the General's eyes on her. She needs to approach this indirectly, ease in to what she really wants to ask so it doesn't appear obvious…

"I have a question…" She starts finally. "About the Force."

The General's curiosity peaks. "You know I'm not a Jedi, Rey," the older woman reminds gently. "I'm not trained in the ways of the Force."

"I know." Rey keeps her eyes down. "But… you have this power inside you, maybe a power you don't quite understand?" She glances up.

The General nods softly.

"And you can do things through it, things most other people can't, like…" Her face is careful. "Sense other people's emotions?"

The General smiles. "How do you think I knew you had something else to ask me?"

Rey relaxes, unclasping her hands. She starts running through all the ways she's imagined this conversation, multiple options for getting to what she wants to know. "I thought about lying to you, but I figured you'd be able to sense it." She hesitates. "Can you…? Sense a lie?"

The General grunts. Her eyes grow distant, like she's caught in a very old memory. "My father used to say I could smell a lie, just sniff deception right out of the air." She smiles, losing herself in nostalgia. "It wasn't until many years later that I realized I could feel the lie, sense the deception in my heart." She pats her chest.

"And what does a lie feel like to you?"

"It feels like… a kind of sinking, but the grating kind like something that should be going up is going down."

Rey nods before the General finishes. "It's similar for me, but it's not always very strong. It depends on the person, I think."

"Some are definitely better at hiding their lies than others." The General widens her eyes. "I've found the best liars convince themselves of the lie first. It can be difficult to detect a lie from someone who makes a habit of deception, even in their own mind."

"Has there ever been a time when you weren't able to feel a lie?"

"Many times." The General lips twist grimly. "I've found out the hard way that sensing others' emotions isn't an exact science. For me, at least."

Rey nods, thinking about all the times she hasn't been sure what she was feeling in another person. "In your experience, what's the most difficult emotion to sense in someone?"

The older woman quirks an eyebrow. She brings an index finger to her lip, considering for several moments before dropping her hand. "I've found that anger is a very complex emotion. It's easy to detect but there's usually something at the root of it, all kinds of things— shame, fear, jealousy, or even compassion, honor, love. The problem is that anger is such a strong emotion, it tends to swallow everything else, so it can be difficult to feel what's lurking underneath."

"Yes." Rey looks down. "Yes, I can see that." She grows quiet. "So… do you think anger is the strongest emotion?"

"Oh no." The General scoffs. "Definitely not. Love is the strongest the emotion."

Rey snaps up, her heart skipping a beat. She takes a slow breath, trying stay calm. "So… what does… love feel like?"

The General's eyes flash with amused suspicion. "Well, there are many different kinds of love, Rey. It's a complex emotion too. What kind of love are you interested in hearing about?" Her lips tease up. "Romantic love?"

Rey just shrugs, drawing on all her willpower to keep her face even.

The General looks down, her smile deepening. Her eyes soften, memories flickering across them. "Love feels… heavy. It weighs you down. In a strange way, it's a combination of every emotion there is, intensified. All of that coursing through you at once…" She tsks. "It can drive you crazy. It's even painful, but… a good kind of pain. It makes you feel alive, driven. There's no better sense of purpose than caring about another person so deeply, especially when the feeling is returned."

Rey listens intently, so focused that she's surprised when the older woman snaps up.

"It doesn't always feel so heavy, though." The General shakes her head. "Sometimes it's the other extreme. It's just a warm ball of light inside you— steady, strong, peaceful, like a second heartbeat."

Rey sits quietly, appearing calm and composed, but her mind is at lightspeed, greedily taking in the General's every word.

"Of course…" The General leans back. "Sensing love becomes much more complicated when the love is returned. It's is such a strong emotion that it's difficult to distinguish what someone else is feeling from what you're feeling." She looks at Rey slyly. "Have I told you what you wanted to know?"

"Uh…yes. More or less." Rey remains still, intensely uncomfortable under the General's scrutiny. She eagerly searches her mind, looking for a way to derail her interest. "You don't…?" She starts before she knows how she'll end. "Talk about this much, do you?"

The General blinks. "No…" The question surprises her. "I don't. But…" She nods slowly. "I should. Ask me about the Force any time you like, Rey. It'll good for both of us."

"I agree." Rey sits straighter. "I know I can learn a lot from you, even if you aren't trained. In fact, maybe that's better because…" She looks down. "You're like me."

The General instantly reaches for Rey's hand, taking it into hers. "Rey, you are not alone." Her eyes brim with compassion. "There are people all around you willing to talk to you, listen to you, help you. I'm just one of them." She smiles.

Rey swells, a warmth in her chest.

She's glad she did this after all. It was useful in ways she didn't expect and more importantly, it reminded her that no matter how she feels sometimes, she isn't alone. Not really.

The General squeezes her hand, then withdraws.

Rey rises with a flush of accomplishment. "I won't take any more of your time. Thank you for everything— for answering my questions, for giving me an opportunity to lead my own team. I'm going to make you very proud, General. You'll see."

"I can't wait." The General folds her hands in her lap, beaming.

Rey feels her surge with certainty, and her spirits lift from the woman's confidence.

Now she just needs to live up to it.

Rey stands a little taller, then nods. She turns, striding for the door.

"Just out of curiosity…"

Rey stops at the sound of the General's voice, shifting to face her

"Who is it?" The older woman sits back with a teasing twinkle.

Rey knits her brow.

"The man who has you asking what love feels like?"

A cold pang of fear shoots through her. Suddenly, Rey finds it hard to breathe, frozen in terror as she stares dumbly. A lifetime seems to pass as she stands, unable to speak or even move.

"Never mind." The General shakes her head. "Just do an old woman a favor and enjoy your youth while you can, alright?" She dips her chin.

Rey nods weakly. She turns to the exit, scurrying to panel and darting into the hall the moment the door opens. At first, her pace is slow but she shifts on a time, breaking into a full-on run. She weaves through the thin crowd, whipping around a corner. She passes blurred faces, one of them calling her name, but she ignores it, racing around another corner and straight for the barracks door. She slaps the panel and barrels down the stairs, head down, hoping most everyone will be out and about.

She slows as she enters a long, narrow hall, rows of doors on both sides. One of the new recruits approaches, but Rey only looks up for a brief, then scurries past him.

She continues swiftly until she reaches her room, stopping to key in the code. She slips in as soon as the door opens, immediately turning to press the panel.

Then, she just stands there.

She lets out a long exhale, like she'd been holding it in for days. She straightens, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, slow and mindful, feeling every molecule enter her lungs. She does this again, then again, until her frayed nerves stop humming.

Finally, she steps to the counter above the lower compartments, sinking onto a chair just in front of it. She props an elbow, burying her face in her palm.

She sits in silence, trying to clear her head, soak in the comfort of solitude.

But her mind will not slow.

Rey sighs, a wave of exhaustion overtaking her, both physical and mental.

What a mess.

What a mess. What a mess. What a mess.

She slides her palm over her face.

At least now she has an opportunity to make things right. Or try to. She's thrilled the General was so supportive of her idea, and though there are a lot of details to work out, it gives her a place to start.

Rey nods, straightening.

She is the one responsible for causing their recruitment problems. Now she is the one who's going fix them, and she's going to do it in a way that will give hope to the most desperate people in this galaxy. If the Resistance can become associated with the fight against slavery, they'll attract new members, alright. All the more if they can draw attention to the First Order's callous indifference towards it.

At this, Rey sighs, her face sinking to her palm again.

The First Order has proven to be quite the cunning enemy. They've shifted gears from senseless, wanton destruction to a more practical, calculating approach. They slaughtered their way to the top, and now that they've reached it, they've changed their face, from ruthless warmongers to just and reasonable sovereigns.

They're two-faced, really. They can change modes on a snap, all fire and fury in one instance, generous and considerate the next.

Much like their leader.

Rey drops her palm. She leans back against the chair, drumming her fingers on the counter.

Their leader…

He's becoming more Ben Solo, little by little. The changes are small but significant. She can feel it. Destruction isn't his only interest anymore. There are other desires, other parts of him emerging.

But he's still Supreme Leader of the First Order.

And this is the part of approaching his conversion as a process that she did not fully consider. The end game is for him to abandon the First Order. Once he embraces being Ben Solo, he won't want the same things he did before, that manic desire for power and control. He'll leave it weak and leaderless, vulnerable to ultimate defeat.

But what about the meantime? What about the fact that he will still be Supreme Leader while he's becoming Ben Solo? How will this influence his leadership of the First Order? And how will that affect the Resistance in their efforts against them?

Build things, she told him, just like Ben Solo would.

And he did.

Now nearly every negotiation the First Order makes for a planet's resources comes with a building project. By all reports, he's doing an excellent job. He's choosing projects that are culturally symbolic, giving locals a large degree of input in the construction. He's providing access to raw materials that would otherwise be out of reach. And he's footing the bill for all of it. Very generous.

The Supreme Leader. Of the First Order. Generous.

A year ago, people would have laughed if those words were uttered in the same sentence. But now…?

It's not so far-fetched.

It makes sense when she thinks about it. He's becoming more Ben Solo. Ben Solo is generous. He's the Supreme Leader. So now the Supreme Leader appears more generous.

It's obvious. Now. Yet she did not see this coming…

But it's happening and she has to deal with that. She has to deal with the fact that as the bond changes him while he's still Supreme Leader, he'll temporarily become a stronger enemy, and she'll need to rise to the challenge.

She can do that. She has a plan. She has approval, access to resources. Next, she needs to build a team. She'll meet his stronger leadership with her own. So, it's a problem, but not one she can't handle.

The other problem, however… That one is very much out of her league.

Rey darkens. A sick feeling creeps in her gut, nausea mixed with coldness. She leans over to rest her forearms on the counter, eyes fixed on the surface.

Another complication with the bond, with this process, that she most definitely did not see coming. Except in this case, she doesn't have the slightest idea what to do about it, if there's even anything she can do about it. She'd been hoping that she was wrong, that what she was feeling from him wasn't what she thought.

But, no. She was right. Talking with the General confirmed it. What she described… about love…

That's what she's been feeling from him.

Rey swallows, fighting a tightness in her throat.

She's not at all prepared for this. She's not even prepared to acknowledge it. Part of her just wants to ignore the fact and hope it goes away.

But that's not an option. Denying the problem will only make it worse. She'll have to face it sooner or later.

Rey sighs, closing her eyes.

She doesn't even understand how this happened in the first place. The only thing she can figure is that it's been so long since anyone felt compassion for him, just saw him as a human being and not a monster… Sometimes she gets the feeling that before her he hadn't had a real conversation in a decade. He's just so lonely, so desperate to connect with someone, to be seen.

She can understand that. In a way, this is a good thing, one more sign that he's changing. He needs to make room in his life for emotions other than anger, especially love. She wants him to experience love, both giving and receiving.

It's just… terribly inconvenient that she's the recipient.

Rey feels heavy with burden, like crates stacked on her shoulders. She shifts, sliding forward to fold her arms over the counter, burying her face in them.

She doesn't have the slightest clue how to deal with this. Because the truth is…

She has very little experience with love. She needed another Force-sensitive just to help her identify the emotion. It's not that she's never experienced love. A lot has changed in the past year. She's grown close to people in a way she never has before. What she feels for Finn, Rose, Daja, and even Poe… that must be love, in a way. She's certainly never felt so devoted to people, so willing to sacrifice everything to defend them. But the love one has for family or a partner…?

That's a kind of love she's never experienced. No one's ever loved her like that.

Until now.

And if she's honest with herself, if she draws back all of her pride and all of her fear, she's grateful to finally know what it feels like. On her worst days on Jakku, she was certain she would die without ever knowing love, without ever knowing what it feels like to have someone care for her, actually want her, want to be with her and never leave. Her worst fear was that she'd live her whole life alone among the dunes, waiting, waiting, waiting, interminably waiting.

But now… well. At least she knows. It may not be under ideal circumstances, but at least she knows.

That's when it starts, the involuntary montage, like holos in her mind. She wishes that she could stop herself from doing this, but she just can't, no matter how hard she tries. They flash by— the words, the images, the emotions.

His eyes in the firelight, the way he looked at her when he told her she wasn't alone. The throne room, hitting the floor and twisting around to see Snoke in two. His gloved hand extending towards her, his voice, barely above a whisper.

"Please."

Laying a flower on her parents' grave. Returning the Falcon to Denash. Building a fire, holding her to keep her warm. Showing her how he felt about his father. His hands at her elbows, teaching her not to be afraid of the lightening.

The kyber cave, the light of the crystals all around them, his dark eyes lost in hers, the first time she felt it… that weight, that surge of emotion, so painful yet so beautiful. Carrying her through the halls of the dreadnought. Stroking her hair back and kissing her forehead. Leaning over the card table, black eyes so expressive they speak more powerfully than his words.

"You do have a place, somewhere you belong."

The way he looked at her after she healed him in the training room, so shocked and yet so grateful. His hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him, pulling her in and wrapping his arms around her, enclosing her in his warmth.

Rey squeezes her eyes shut.

Then, she starts to cry.

At first, she fights it— tenses her body, squeezes her eyes tighter, trying to seal the tears.

But they burst through anyway, and once they start, she can't stop them.

They pour out of her, streaming down her cheeks, her chin, her neck. They gather at her jaw and drip onto the countertop, creating a salty pool. They pour and pour and pour, like they'll never stop, like they've been waiting a lifetime to be released.

They pour until her body is exhausted from sobbing, until her eyes are hot and weary, until all she wants to do is just sleep, just fall asleep right where she is and slip away from it all— from the bond, from Ben, from this whole mess.

Finally, her tears slow down enough for her to breathe normally, in and out, satisfying inhales that nurture her lungs. Tears slip down her cheeks but fewer now, enough to forget. She takes in a breath and holds it in, preparing to let it out and drift away…

Until she hears a series of hard knocks on the door.

"Hey, Rey!" Poe calls from outside.

She snaps up, twisting around.

"Rey!" Poe bangs again.

She straightens, wiping the wetness from her cheeks. For a moment, she considers ignoring him, but then—

"Rey, I know you're in there. Come on."

She rolls her eyes, rising from the chair with a grumble. She charges to the door and slaps the panel.

"Finally!" Poe stands in the hall. "What are you doing in here? Why aren't you—" Suddenly, he jerks back. "Wait…" He tilts his head, studying her. "Have you been… crying?"

Rey rolls her eyes, turning away.

"What's going on? What do I not know about?" Poe follows her into the room.

"Poe, it's nothing." She keeps her back to him. "It's personal, nothing to do with the Resistance, so calm yourself, alright?" She doesn't turn around, taking a moment to feel her cheeks with the backs of her hands.

"Oh." He sounds surprised. "Sorry. I just assumed. I didn't realize…" He trails off. He waits a moment, then steps towards her. "Do you… wanna talk about it?"

Rey grunts, turning to face him. "Thanks, Poe, but if I need to talk to someone, I'll go see Finn or Rose."

He immediately scoffs, offended. "Hey! You can talk to me about personal stuff. We're like friends, right?" He gestures between them.

"Yes, we're friends." Her eyes flit up. "But Finn and Rose are much better listeners than you are."

"You don't know that." He shakes his head. "You know why? Because you've never tried. Can't judge a ship you've never flown, Rey." He leans in with a glimmer.

She rolls her eyes, but her lips turn up. "Maybe next time. What are you doing here anyway?"

"What do you mean? X-wing demonstration. Hanger C-5. You said you'd meet me there ten minutes ago."

"Oh!" Rey's eyes fly wide. "I completely forgot. Give me five minutes and I'll be there, ok?"

"Alright…" He knits his brow. "And you sure you're ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine." She reaches for his shoulder, ushering him to the door. "Better than fine, in fact. I just got approval from the General for a new project."

"Really!" He whips around as they reach the door. "What project?"

"I'll tell you and some of the others later." She turns him around, guiding him to the hall. "If you're lucky, I might even let you be on my team."

He turns to face her, eyes narrowed. He studies her a second. "You know what?" He points at her. "I like it when your cheeky."

"Oh, get on with you." She shoos him away. "I'll meet you in five minutes."

He lingers a moment, eyes twinkling with something like admiration. Then he turns, striding down the hall with his signature swagger.

Rey shakes her head, smiling to herself as she walks to the washing station. She turns it on, splashing cool water over her face. Her eyes hurt a bit, but the flush is subsiding, red stains disappearing from her cheeks. She reaches for a towel, patting herself dry.

As she cleans herself up, her mind drifts, wandering back to the images that flooded her mind only a few minutes ago. She sinks, a deep sadness overtaking her.

But she shakes off the feeling, casting the towel to the side and charging to the door.