Star Wars: I Am a Slave ✓

Chapter 50 - Reunion on D'Qar

As the Falcon approached the blue-green planet of D'Qar in the Ileenium System, Rey grieved for the loss of her father. Chewbacca was silent, occasionally moaning in grief himself. Rey reached out and grabbed his hand, communicating as much empathy as possible to him. The Wookiee roared in grief again. Tears spilled down Rey's face.

And then there was Finn. Rey wished she could do something for him right now, but with re-entry into the atmosphere, she was required in the co-pilot's seat.

Rey wondered where her life would lead next, as she fingered the lightsaber in her lap. When she had fought with it, it had felt so natural, it had felt like it was made for her.

Chewbacca moaned, *Prepare for atmospheric re-entry. On my mark, angle the deflector shields to the forward hull. Three, two, one, mark!"

Rey reached up behind her and adjusted the shields as the Falcon streamed through the atmosphere, the shields sending the heat from the hull. Finn moaned in the back as gravity changed. The straps on the medbay bed were putting pressure on his wounds. Hang in there, Finn. We're almost there.

After the Falcon landed on the landing strip, it seemed that the entire base raced for the ship. There were pilots in red flight suits, and ground crew in brown and green uniforms. Before the ship had even finished the shut-down sequence, Chewie had already grabbed Finn from the medbay and carried him down the ramp. Rey followed him closely.

Two medics approached them when they were barely off the ramp, taking the injured man from Chewie's arms. Rey reached out her arm to touch Finn one last time, hoping it would not be the last.

Rey stopped on the tarmac as they drove Finn away, confused, not sure where to go next. Her grief overwhelmed her, and she was sure she must be hallucinating. It can't be. I won't let myself believe it. It can't be her, thought Rey as the crowd parted, leaving a lone, small woman. She was older than Rey remembered, her chestnut hair streaked with grey. She was dressed in the green uniform of the ground crew with a brown vest and belt. But if her heart and the Force had not confirmed it, the ring on her right hand would have. Rey remembered that ring. She remembered when her mother had bought that ring. The bottom stone was for her, for her precious Rey.

The feelings overwhelmed them both. Rey could sense hesitation. Her mother was afraid Rey would not remember her or would reject her. Rey did not care about the past. What mattered was now. And now, she just wanted her mother.

As her mother slowly approached Rey on the tarmac, by passing her old friend Chewbacca, Rey took a few small steps toward her in unbelief. When they met, her mother almost said something. Rey could feel through the Force how sorry she was, how much she loved Rey. And then her mother took her in her arms and hugged her like Rey had longed for during the last 14 years. She held her like she would never let go again.

Her mother buried her face in the crook of Rey's neck as Rey bent down to pull her face next to her mother. Both wrapped their arms around the other, as Leia kissed her daughter's neck. They shared their love for each other, and they shared their grief for Han. Rey stood there together, enjoying her mother's embrace while the rest of the base celebrated the victory a few meters away, oblivious to the reunion.

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Ani watched silently as his daughter and his granddaughter reunited. He wished his Padmé could have known them both. O for my family to be whole again . . . the Dark One, the Bereft Woman, the Hermit, and the Scavenger.