Turning Point: A Star Wars Story

Chapter 11

The heat in the meadow amphitheater blasted Rey. She tried to pay attention, just like Leia had told her, but it was so hard to see the platform. She could barely make out Uncle Luke and Aunt Naluma, and that was only because they were in black silk robes that sparkled in the sunlight.

"Today marks fifteen years since we claimed our Independence from the Empire in the deserts of Jakku. Fifteen glorious years of the New Republic shining brightly, an icon of justice and liberty throughout the galaxy." 3PO yammered through the translation of some alien tongue Rey could not identify.

The little girl yawned. She wished she could be in the forest with the younger Ewoks. They all got to play during this boring ceremony. But not Rey. Leia had to make a speech, and Rey had to watch it. At least it wasn't this boring one.

She squirmed and looked at the thousands of different lifeforms around her in the field. "Han?"

The smuggler shifted repeatedly in his seat, rubbing his fingers over a pair of golden dice on a chain. He tossed them in the air, brushed his fingers over the carvings, and mumbled something she couldn't quite hear. 

The gold gleaming in the sunlight captivated her eyes. This time, she caught the word Falcon in his ritual.

Solo was pretty nice, she decided, even if he couldn't cook very well. Her stomach grumbled at the thought. Breakfast was a long time ago, and the aroma from the Ewok barbecue floated over the audience. Dinner was too far away.

She stood up and pointed around her. "Who are all these people?"

"Senators, their lap dogs."

Rey squinted, but she couldn't see any dogs anywhere. "Huh?"

Han rumpled her hair. "Don't worry about it, kid. This will be over in a few hours, and then we'll see the sky rockets."

"A few hours?" The little girl couldn't hold back a whine. "But I'm hungry."

He rummaged through the pockets on his black vest and pulled out a half-eaten ration bar. "All I got, kid."

After peeling back the metallic wrapper, she bit into the chewy bar. She gnawed on the mouthful for a long time. "How old is this thing?"

Han laughed. "Don't ask too many questions."

She settled back against his side on the blanket. The nettles underneath the fleece poked through her Ewok costume. She dug out her two small dolls and played with them while the speakers droned on. Why doesn't Threepio add in the sound effects, like he does for me during lessons? I get it. A lot of people died in the war. Can we talk about something else now?

She yawned and settled against Han's chest, trying her best not to doze off. Her mother had warned Rey that she could cause an intergalactic incident if she fell asleep during the ceremony. Apparently, the Neimoidians, whoever they were, took offense at everything.

A few speakers later, Rey tugged on Han's jacket sleeve. "Han."

His eyes focused on the female Twi'lek on the stage. The purple woman's lekku flowed around her body as she spoke and gestured. The traditional dress of a short skirt and chest bindings left nothing to the imagination.

Rey tugged again. "Han."

His eyes did not waver. "What?"

"I need the 'fresher."

"Didn't you go earlier?"

Rey climbed into his lap and held his cheeks between her hands. "I need the 'fresher."