𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑-𝐎𝐈𝐃 | Kylo Ren

chapter one

Two years later

Rey and I were inside an old Star Destroyer. We had been here before, but we were desperate for parts to sell for food. I was pulling apart things in the control room with no luck. The only thing I had found was an old battery. It wouldn't be worth much, but every little bit counts. 

"Aster! Come look at what I found!" I hear Rey's shout echo through the ship. I make my way through the old Imperial ship to where the engines were stored. I find her at the big hole in the ships hull, leading out onto the sand. The only way into the ship now that it had fallen from the sky. Rey thrusts the part into my face and I have to move her hand back to see it properly. My eyes widen at the sight and a smile spreads across my face. 

"How the Hoth did we miss that last time we were here!" I exclaim. That part could be worth one or two portions. That's a lot considering it's only one small piece. 

"It's a big ship, Aster. We were just lucky this time," Rey grins at me.

"Moons, how come you always find the best parts?" I say. Rey grins widely.

"I suppose I'm just better than you in every way." I push her and she gapes at me. 

"Someones jelous." I laugh at her and motion to the sky. "We should probably be getting back. I'm not in the mood to be caught of guard my some Luggabeasts." 

"You're right, let's go."

We walk out the gaping hole in the ship and make our way to the flat pieces of scrap metal we left just outside the entrance. We both sit down on them and make a side glance at each other, grins spreading on both our faces.

"Ready! Steady! Go!" I shout and we both push of from the top of the sand dune. The cool air that blows in our hot faces cools us down immensely. It goes fast and I don't hide the smile that crosses my face and laugh at the fun of sliding down the sand dunes. Sliding down sand dunes has to be the best part of my day. I reach the bottom first and jump up, cheering at my own victory. 

"'Tis I, The might Aster Talian, the reigning victor of the sand dune races! Does anyone dare compete against me?" I look around at the empty desert in question, arms spread. "It seems that no-one does dare oppose the reigning champion". I grin at Rey's fake frowning face. She always looses the sand dune race, but she always enjoys them nonetheless. 

"Come on then reigning champion, we've got a feast to get to" Rey grins at me before we make our way to our speeder.

_______

By the time we got to Niima outpost, I was exhausted. My excitement had died down on our way back and I was starving. But nonetheless we got out the parts we had found and brought them to Unkar Plutt. Bringing the old ship parts to him was probably one of the things I hated most about being a scavenger. He always looked at me, as if I was still his. It scared me, but I refused to let him know that. Besides, it has been two years and he had never tried to get me back. He had plenty other slaves to chose from anyway.

Unkar looked at what we had brought him. I was sure we would get three or maybe even four portions altogether. I was so excited and could tell Rey was too. Having a full stomach was not an every day occurance.

"The things you have brought me today are worth....a half-portion" He looks down at us with a sly smile. Rey is quick to retaliate.

"Last week, that-" she said, gesturing to the part she had found, "-was worth two portions. I saw someone trade it".

"Today it's worth a half-portion. Take it or leave it." He grumbles, slamming the portion on the counter.

Rey stands her ground, glaring at him, so I carefully step forward and take the half-portion on the counter. 

"Come on, Rey. There's no point arguing. He's making life difficult for us on purpose. He won't change his mind." I gently grab her wrist and tug her away from the front of the queue. I don't need to look behind me to know that Unkar is smiling in victory. Ever since Rey was able to buy me of him, he's been giving us less and less food for what we bring. I can't help but feel that its all my fault, but Rey refuses to let me take the blame.

We dejectedly make our way back to the abandoned AT-AT walker we call home. The quarter portion each is hardly filling, but the gnarling sensation in our stomachs isn't anything new. 

__

I lean my head on Rey's shoulder while looking out at the nearest star setting above the sand dunes. It's golden light makes the sand appear like a glittering gold mine of red and yellow. The sky looked like it was on fire. The shadows of the rippling sand made everything seem more in depth.

"It's so beautiful" I whisper into the dusk. 

"One day, I want to see a star set like this, but over water, imagine that." Rey whispered back. One of my favorite things to do back where I lived before, was to look at the sunset over the lake, and I swore to myself I would take Rey there once. I hadn't been home since my parents sold me to Unkar, and thoughts of home, nevertheless how beautiful my home planet was, it filled me with sadness. I had lost too much there. The fleeting image of a tall, dark haired boy swam across my mind, but was forgotten when a frantic beeping noise suddenly disprupted the silence of the dessert.

Rey and I quickly stood up and ran to the dune where the noise was coming from. As we round the sand dune we see a white and orange BB- unit caught in one of the Luggabeasts nets. Rey starts giving out the the creature on horseback in the local language and I rush forward to free the droid from the net. Once he's free, the Luggabeasts curses us, but leaves in a hurry. The BB-unit beeps at us in gratitude.

"He wanted you for parts." Rey explains to the droid. The droid beeps at us again. It says its name is BB-8.

"Nice to meet you, BB-8. I'm Aster and this is Rey. May we ask what on earth you are doing on a planet like Jakku?" I ask, kneeling down to it.

BB-8 beeps back that its classified information.

"Classified?" Rey asks incredulously. " You are an odd little droid." She says, shaking her head.

"Where are you going?" I ask. The droid asnwers that he's not going anywhere. 

"Don't tell me. It's classified?" Rey asks sarcasticly. The droid says yes. 

"Well, we live over that dune, so you're welcome to come with is." I say, standing up.

The droid follows as we start walking home, and we let him follow.