Rey

xiv

Jase's cough got worse.

Rey figured it was the cold, and decided to go into the outpost for more blankets for him.

He insisted that he was fine, but she was doubtful.

So he stayed back at the AT-AT while she took the speeder to Niima Outpost.

She walked into Freghad's cloth dealing tent.

The wizened creature was ecstatic to see her.  She ran around the line of boxes she had set up, and embraced the girl.

"My dear, dear girl," she said. "How is your brother?"

Rey shrugged. "He's worse, but it's probably the cold."

Freghad nodded and went to a pile of thick cloth.  Rey dropped the portions she had taken from the AT-AT on the boxes in payment.

The cloth dealer handed her three blankets, with a piece of beautiful scarlet satin laid on top.

Rey shook her head.  "Freghad, I don't need that."

"Who else do I give it to?  Take it, my dear girl."

She sighed and took the stack.  "Alright.  Goodbye, Freghad, and thank you."

Rey turned around and ran into a very tall man.

Hirich smiled down at her.  "Hello, girl.  How is your boyfriend?  Are those for him?"

She scowled.  "He's my brother, sick fool."

"What did you call me?"

"I called you--"

"I didn't ask you," Hirich said, snatching up the cloth.  "Are you gonna make yourself into a pretty princess?"

The dirty man draped the beautiful cloth over his head, grasping it below his chin and batting his lashes.

Freghad appeared by Rey's side.  "Give that back to her.  Do whatever business you've come for."  The cloth dealer eyed the gang nervously.

Hirich flung the cloth at the tall girl.  It hit her in the face and she clawed at it to get it off.

"Our business?" Hirich laughed. "To destroy yours."

His gang laughed. The youngest, a boy Rey recognized as Jorl, flicked something in his hand and a flame sprung up.

Out of the corner of her eye, Rey saw Freghad do something she didn't catch and the light sputtered out. Hirich's taunting face melted into rage.

"You," he yelled, pointing at Freghad, "sit here in your tent, giving out cloth for more food than the rest of us have."

Only slightly scared, Freghad blinked at him. "So it's a matter of jealousy, right?"

He struck out at the short cloth dealer. "It's a matter of fairness!"

Rey cried out as her old friend fell to the ground. She dropped her blankets and the cloth and knelt beside her.

But Freghad was already struggling to her feet.

Rey helped her up and wished she had her staff.  If she did, she could knock out these men quickly and report them to Unkar Plutt. But, as it was leaning against the wall of the AT-AT, it was doing Jase more good than it was her.

She pushed the cloth dealer behind her. "She's done nothing to you."

"She's done nothing for us either," Jorl said.

"She would've, if you'd stepped down from your self-proclaimed pedestals to ask for help. Not even she can sense when someone needs help unless they come to her," Rey protested.

"I have!" Jorl yelled.

Hirich stepped back to watch the two teens as they faced off.

"I came to her, a year ago, starving and weak. She pushed me away," Jorl motioned to the dealer, who was now cowering behind her. "Instead, Hirich took me in, fed me, and gave me a job." His voice dropped a few octaves. "So who's the real villain here?"

Rey glanced back at her old friend, who refused to meet her eyes.

Then she sprinted out the door, the gang splitting apart for her.  She heard their laughter behind her.  She didn't have much time.

She hadn't left the staff!  It was on her speeder.  She snatched it and ran back, knocking out one of the other gang members as quickly as she could.

Hirich turned with a grin.  "She's returned!  See, she didn't leave you forever.  Unless you've come to join us instead?"

"Never," Rey hissed, raising her staff again.  Hirich caught it easily and pulled it away, nearly yanking her over.

He threw it to Jorl, who caught it clumsily, dropping the little firemaker.  Rey started to lunge for it, but she was held back by two other gang members.  The final lackey was attending to the one she'd knocked out.

Freghad had fallen back to the ground.  So it was one against six.

And she was the only one unarmed.

But Rey was bony and strong.  She somehow she wrenched her left arm free and drove it upwards into one of the men's jaws.

He cried out in pain and Hirich whirled around.  His large hand wrapped tightly around her arm and she bit her lip to keep from whimpering.

"Unless you want us to hunt down Jase and make you watch him fight four of my men, I'd recommend you stop."

She glared at him.

He shoved her back into the hands of the two lackeys.

They dragged her outside, along with Freghad. The two watched helplessly as a gang member lit the tent on fire. Jorl was still holding Rey's staff.

He went to stand near her.

Rey struggled to her feet, wanting to try and stop the fire.

Then it all went black.