The Last Jedi: The Spark of Rebellion

Arrival: Part Two: Take My Hand

REY (Canto Bight: City Outskirts)

The mid-day sun warms my back as we hike up a hill on the way to Canto Bight's industrial area. Poe landed the spacecraft behind the hill, which didn't seem far from the city when we were looking down at it from high above. But now that we're on the ground, under the hot sun, it seems way too far.

Poe marches on ahead, much more used to space-lag from travelling, than I am. But it feels good to be on planet again, after flying for hours.

"Woah there!" Poe stops at the top of the hill, his hands outstretched.

I dig my staff into the dirt and pull myself up the last few steps, to see what he's looking at.

"Careful, Rey," he says. "I don't know anything about the animals here."

A large, four legged animal with big ears and sad eyes makes its way towards us. Poe steps in front of me but the curious animal reaches its neck around him and puts its large face right up to mine. I laugh, sensing the poor thing means no harm.

"Awww," I say.

Poe steps aside and rests a hand on the animal's neck. It shudders and Poe frowns. "Whipping scars," he says, looking at the red, open wounds in the animal's fur.

"You poor thing," I say, taking its large face in both my hands. Suddenly I see a stable, in my thoughts, and other animals like this one, breaking free and running away. I see Finn and Rose, too.

I gasp and pull away.

"What is it?" Poe asks.

"I... I don't know." I step back. "This animal knows how to communicate with me, with the Force."

Poe gives me a questioning look.

"I saw Finn," I continue. "And Rose."

"Finn and Rose?"

"And..." I stop, not wanting to mention the little boy I saw, who dominates the beast's thoughts. There's something special about him, but I'm not sure what the large beast was trying to show me.

Its ears perk up at a nearby sound and it takes off so fast that I get knocked over into Poe.

"That was weird," he says, standing me back up.

I frown. "I sense darkness here, on this planet, and the light. Both very strong."

"Could it be all the evil gamblers here, and the good..." Poe stops, as though unsure of what could be good on Canto Bight.

"Children?" I offer.

"Sure. If there are any here." He gives me a smile then heads down the hill. "Come on! At this rate we'll be late for the meeting tonight."

I run after him, feeling energized by the encounter with the friendly animal. I hadn't expected all the nature here, when I'd agreed to come to Canto Bight. But now I'm very glad I came.

TEMIRI

The closer Temiri got to the stables and the racetrack, the more uneasy he felt.

"Come on," Oniho said when Temiri stopped all together. "You're going slower and slower."

"I don't want to go back," Temiri said. 

Oniho stopped too. "What?" He looked around frantically, like he thought they'd get caught any moment. They were on the beach now, a shortcut to the stables from the other part of town. The sun was already past mid-day and reflecting painfully off the water.

"Temiri," Oniho said. "Where are you going to go?"

Temiri's heart pounded. He was halfway from the servant's part of town, where he'd just been, and the stables, where he was headed. If he went to the stables, he sensed he'd be in danger, danger which he didn't have the energy to face right now. But if he went back to the restaurant, they'd send him off planet with the Resistance to train for fighting in a war. He didn't want to leave Star Jumper behind or fight in wars.