Selfishness in Silence

Walk the Path

She dreamed of her parents. A restless and bitter dream.

.

.

"I don't like this idea." Rose murmurs. "I should be going with you."

Rey sighs, glancing to the three moons lighting the night sky. "None of us should be going."

They share a long silence.

"You're different." Rose finally says, tilting her head in concern. "I wasn't sure in the beginning, because I'd only just met you, but you're..." she trails off.

"Everyone thinks they know me." Rey mutters, her words stolen by the wind.

"Finn certainly does." Rose smiles softly. "He's worried about you, says you seem sad. Hesitant."

She turns from Rose to face the fields of white grass. The residents of this planet call it the Dead Sea; an appropriate name. "I have my secrets just like everyone else."

Rose moves closer, her hand resting on the balustrade next to Rey's. "Leia told me something once. It seemed like such an obvious thing to say at the time, but I think I understand, now."

Rey looks to her, lips parting.

Rose swallows, expression hardening with determination. "She told me to trust you, Rey. You."

Deep thunder rumbles from somewhere across the mountains, a building storm, a harbinger of things to come, and the two women fall still.

.

.

The stormtrooper who gave them the information, RE-0019, walks in front, Poe following close beside him and Finn at the man's opposite flank. Apparently, both he and Finn share a history from within the First Order. More than once the man has referred to Finn as Eight-Seven, a shortening of Finn's original serial identification, while Finn refuses to use his entirely, instead calling him by the nickname fellow troopers dubbed him: Fortune.

Rey doesn't have to guess how he acquired that name. Her eyes flit to his profile as he glances at the huddle of structures beside them and the hair at the back of her neck stands on end. He wears a cagey smile, one that doesn't quite reach his eyes, but Finn trusts him. Everyone deserves a fair chance, her mind drones. Until they stab you in the back, a darker side smiles.

She grips her saberstaff, reassured by its cold weight in her hand as their robes bellow in the storm winds. Lightning casts the planet's morning in an eerie glow of pink and fire gold as the group ascends a set of steps leading away from the town's main square. A slight drizzle wets their stony faces and Rey glances behind her. Kay follows closely, blaster ready in her hand beneath the folds of her cloak. The town moves along sleepily, few residents here and there milling about with the day's first tasks.

At the top of the steps, Fortune leads them down a cramped alleyway lined with countless empty barracks. Another impoverished mining camp, one of many on this planet. The overseers, rich associates of the First Order, live in the mountain side several tiers above them. No town exists on this rock without them. They monitor and control all persons, all labor and all exportation of goods, giving General Hux forty percent of the cut for protecting their freighters from sabotage.

A shock of knowing suddenly runs down her spine and she pauses, breath hitching. He's here.

"Rey?"

She blinks, glancing up to Finn's inquiring eyes. "It's nothing." she shakes her head awkwardly. "Let's keep moving."

Finn's face suggestions more questions, but he eventually turns and continues on. Rey steadies her breath as she monitors the other reactions of her teammates. Poe is too fixated on finding their target to notice much else, but Kay is as shrewd as ever, her watchful eyes piercing into Rey's back. In the shadows around them, Rey can feel the restlessness of the much larger backup team and her throat works painfully, swallowing the thorny lump forming there.