A Reylo Romance: "Don't be Afraid, I Feel it Too"

An Unexpected Visitor

Niima Outpost is a welcomed sight. I've been avoiding the place since my return to Jakku. I'm the one who stole the Millennium Falcon from Unkar Plutt after all and he's not going to be happy to see me. But I need food and I need to be around civilization, even in its lowest forms.

As I near the tents and merchants, I see that things have changed. The signs of the battle that was fought here weeks ago are everywhere, broken tents and tables, debris from destroyed machines still lying around, outside the outpost station, burn marks on wooden posts from the shots fired by the Storm Troopers. 

I smile as I walk, remembering how I met Finn,  smacking him in the chest with my fighting stick because BB-8 called him a thief for stealing Poe's jacket. The look on his face was priceless. I'm actually not sure where Finn is now. 

My smile fades. Since the First Order is after Finn for treason he's no doubt in hiding. It's probably best I don't know where he is, although he did promise to come visit me on Jakku. It was the kind of promise you know someone intends to keep. Another reason why I have to remain on Jakku. One day my family will come looking for me and they'll start here, with this planet. I refuse to let go of that hope.

BB-8's beeping finally registers in my brain "Watch out, Teedos are surrounding us!"

I grab my fighting stick, almost too late, as three Teedos come for me all at once. I jump up, kicking one in the head and smacking the other two with both ends of my stick. But there are more than just three. Unkar must have sent every last one that works for him after me. More and more of them grab onto my fighting staff and I can't pull it out of their grasp. BB-8's beeps have become frantic. I turn to see what is happening. They've got her in a sack and are scurrying away.

I drop the staff and throw my arms out wide. The Teedos around me fly in all directions, landing hard on the sand, a good distance away. I reach out my hand to the escaping Teedos that have BB-8 and they freeze, dropping the sack. 

For a second my resolve waivers and I almost lose my grip on them. I've never used the Force in this way before but it reminds me of when it was used on me. Kylo Ren, throwing my arm holding the gun behind my back and freezing me in place. I was afraid then, afraid because he had power unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I'd lost control of my body, my movement, and it terrified me. 

But he didn't strike me down. He never once struck me down when he had the upper  hand. That's why I didn't kill him when he was down, in the snow, when we fought in the cold, dark woods of Starkiller Base. I hesitated, then the ground split in half and we were separated.

I blink, returning to the hot desert of Jakku. The Teedos I overpowered and scattered around me have long fled and those that captured BB-8 are still frozen in front of me, my arm still outstretched. They look just as terrified as I did the first time this power was used on me. BB-8 has rolled out of the sack and is now bumping me with her rolling body, as though to shake me from my thoughts. 

I drop my hand and the Teedos begin to move again. They run off and I almost feel bad for them. They're just doing their job. Yes they're despicable little creatures but they aren't inherently evil. Not like those on the Dark Side.

"He didn't want to use the weapon," I say to BB-8.

"Who?" she asks.

"Kylo Ren. It was General Hux who was intent on destroying everything with the Death Star, the new one, the bigger one. I saw it in Kylo's eyes, the tension between the two of them and their ideas of how to use the Force and run the Dark Side."

"Kylo? You're on first name basis with him now?"

"Very funny. He's dead now."

"Not to you. You see him every day."

I sigh. This robot is too smart for her own good. A shuffling around me catches my attention. I'm being surrounded again, this time by bigger and stronger locals. Unkar himself has come out from his trading post to challenge me. There may be too many to focus on all at once. I could try the explosive thing I did with my hands, that sent all the Teedos flying in all directions. But Teedos are small and light. I frown as I see weapons being pulled out and aimed at me. I may be in over my head.

"We just want a word with you," Unkar says. I fight the temptation to take control of his mind, and see exactly what he wants. I'm not that person, I don't want to become a person who would abuse her power to invade another's mind. I'm not on the Dark Side. 

But even those on the side of the Light use self-defense. I raise my hand and the battle begins. The Teedos on foot are easy to dispel but those on Luggabeasts are closing in on me, the large animals heavy with their metal exterior. I don't fear the Luggabeasts, they're gentle giants, I fear the weapons opening fire around me. Does the Force give me powers to shield myself? Why didn't I take Finn's advice to go study at the Jedi Temple?

I stop the first shot fired at me, but when I try to freeze the second laser beam, the first one unfreezes and almost takes my ear off.

"Stop!"

The shout is so commanding that I do stop, we all do. Everyone's attention turns to the man who yelled the words. He's dressed in temple robes the colour of sand, his hood flapping in the wind, his face concealed. But I know who it is. I can feel his presence and the light saber beckoning to me from beneath his cape. I push back the urge to hold out my hand and have the weapon fly into my grasp. It isn't my weapon. It belongs to...

"Luke Skywalker," I rush over to him. He raises his hand.

"Please, don't announce my presence," He says. I look back over my shoulder. The others are watching curiously but already returning to their work. Luke has come in a large ship that I'm only now noticing in the near distance. The scavengers think he's got an army with him, no doubt. And maybe he does. But for now they've conceded the fight.

"Come," Luke says before I can ask him why he's here.

To my surprise we don't walk towards the ship but off in a different direction, out into the hot desert. I listen to the sounds of the scavengers following us. Luke doesn't say anything so he is either ignoring them or unconcerned. 

We don't talk as we walk. The scavengers, all Teedos I think, slowly drop off. They tire out easily without Luggabeasts to ride, and head back to Niima Outpost, most likely to get water. I could use some water too.

"You can't use your powers," Luke says, stopping. We are alone now and he looks right at me.

"I was being attacked, it was self defense. Surely the Jedi rules allow for self defense."

"He'll find you if you do."

"Who? Snoke?"

"No, he's already found you and is sending the First Order to retrieve you."

BB-8 makes a comment but my mind is too distracted to decipher it. I'd forgotten she was even here with us.

"You must come with me," Luke continues, "to Anch-To. The First Order doesn't know where it is yet and you can train, with me, like you should have done from the start."

"We discussed this. I want to stay here, on Jakku. I can train here-"

"It's too dangerous now."

"I won't use my powers here, I promise." I can hear the desperation in my own voice.

"If Kylo Ren finds you-"

"Kylo Ren?" My breath catching in my throat. "He's alive?" I manage to whisper.

"Yes."