Bonded in the Silence: A Reylo Fanfiction

Chapter 6: Recruits

"So, are you in?"

Rey blinked twice. "Is that a serious question? Of course I'm in."

Poe Dameron nodded carefully and glanced sideways at Finn seated next to him.

Finn nodded in turn. "Alright, see you guys in one standard hour." Poe and Finn turned to slide off the mess hall bench.

"I just have one question..." Rey started.

They froze, and stiffly turned in unison to face her.

"Why has General Organa not called this to a meeting as a formal assignment?"

Finn shuffled from side-to-side, and Poe took a look around the people sitting near them before he shot her a warning look.

It was the evening meal in the small base underground on Takodana. The mess hall was dark, but busy and loud.

"Just meet us in the bay, and we'll explain it all" he answered quietly as he turned away quickly and strode off with Finn.

Rey tipped her head toward them, then leaned her elbows against the table next to her food with her head in her hands.

The nearby tables were clanging with dishes, cups smacking the hardtop, and filled with chatting men and women. These were most of the sixty rebels they had accrued in the last three months via stealth missions on various planets.

After the battle on Crait, the remainder of them had nowhere to go but a place the First Order had already been.

Takodana.

Normally neutral, all bets were off once the First Order had attacked Maz's palace in order to acquire Rey. Maz got in contact with the Rebellion shortly after the union dispute had ended, and agreed to hide Princess Leia and her colleagues in an underground cavern, with a deal that included a no-fly zone for rebel ships; only one of Maz's vessels would be permitted to leave the atmosphere, with advance permission only.

One man or woman at a time, they were rebuilding a Rebellion that would be strong again.

The new cook was getting better, judging by the smell wafting from her plate. It was a dark stew or goulash of some kind, served with a large, golden bread roll. Her stomach growled as she snatched the roll off the edge of the bowl, breaking it in half. She drudged it eagerly into the brown juices, and bit a large chunk clean off.

Rey closed her eyes as she savoured it; a bit salty, but divine compared to eating the same meal every day on Jakku. She didn't care one iota who was watching her completely enveloped in this single, small pleasure of her existence.

When the bread was gone three bites later, she was regretful not having asked for a second roll. The stew would suffice..for now.

*

Rey ran into Rose on the way to the bay and stopped for a quick catch up before carrying on. Rose mentioned she needed to inspect some equipment that was repeatedly breaking down.

As Rey walked through the underground facility, she kept thinking about Rose. She almost mentioned that she was meeting Finn and Poe, but chose to avoid the topic all together. The way Poe had looked around when they finished their conversation in the mess hall spiked a feeling in her gut that whatever this was about, he didn't want anyone to overhear.

Did Finn and Rose not talk about everything? Was everything just grand when they spoke? Rose didn't seem like there was anything to be concerned about in her day, so she could only guess that she wasn't aware.

She was almost to the bay, when she stopped in her tracks in the corridor, and peered ahead. The bay appeared completely black, but there was usually lights left on in the corners.