The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

32

"Okay, we're all here. Let's talk." Poe Dameron said, casually, eyeing Ben and Rey. They sat at the opposite end of the rickety, dilapidated conference table hidden near Commander D'Acy's quarters. Rey glanced around at her peers who had been called together in an urgent assembly: Commander D'Acy, Poe, Finn--who had more or less talked his way in--and Lieutenant Connix. All high officials in the Resistance, hearing out her mind-boggling proposal. She just hoped they would understand, because she was bursting to get everything off of her chest--
"Rey?" Finn questioned as he shifted in his tottering chair. He was squished uncomfortably against Poe and D'Acy at the undersized table that was constructed to hold no more than three people--and it hardly allowed four, let alone the six that were cramped there. 

Rey focused on the warmness of Ben's arm caressed gently around her shoulder and forced herself to relax. "Right, sorry . . . I called you here because this is a situation I can't erase from my mind. It came to me as an epiphany while I was sleeping the morning I brought Ben back. It had to have been from the Force--it just felt too real . . . too vision-like."
Poe tilted his head in a perplexed manner, but the other faces around Rey seemed to anticipate what she would say next. Rey took in a deep breath, then exhaled; she would just have to spill the truth out in one simple sentence. "Ben and I will . . . rule the galaxy."

Perhaps it wasn't as convincing as she had intended inside her head. Poe pulled back, baffled, and Finn chuckled with amusement. D'Acy stared, wrapping her brain around it. Connix looked about ready to elbow Finn, if only she had been seated next to him.
"Uh, can you say that again?" Poe finally replied.
"It's unbelievable, I know," Rey quickly added, grimacing at her own inability to lessen the awkwardness that hung in the damp air, as thick and prominent as the humidity outside. "I understand your confusion--Ben and I, we--"
Ben interjected before Rey could flounder any further, "We will lead a new Jedi order. Of course, that will take time. We still need to establish allies with a safe planet, such as--"
"Whoa, whoa--a planet?" Poe interrupted, and Ben restrained from rolling his eyes. If only Poe would let him finish--

"In my vision, I strongly sensed one planet in particular, for some peculiar reason. One that Ben and I would rule in as king and queen." Rey replied. She felt mortified as she searched everyone's faces. They were all blank, all just as confused as the next. Even Finn was muddled. Was it the fact that they couldn't imagine Ben and Rey as rulers, or was it that the entirety of such a sudden plan? Rey imagined both. It did sound ridiculous, but the galaxy was in terrible need of leadership, and without guidance, its outcome would prove erroneously unrepairable.
"What planet are you talking about?" Connix chimed in just before the silence became unbearable.
"Coruscant," Rey replied, letting the word sink in like the sand in Jakku. The conference went silent. She continued on.

"I have seen the effects of what will happen without leadership in the galaxy if Ben and I don't step up--" she closed her eyes briefly, becoming overloaded with glimpses of war and suffering, even a new diabolical order --"the galaxy would become disastrous."
"How disastrous?" Poe muttered, too puzzled to care if he came off condescending.
Ben filled in, "As disastrous as you can imagine: tyranny, anarchy. I could list more, if you wish."
Poe narrowed his eyes. Anxiety was finally beginning to creep in past the incredulity. He laid a pair of arms on the unsteady table and blew out a breath. "Okay, alright. I got it--tyranny, all that crap--but the problem is, what will we do with the rest of the Resistance?"
"Poe's right," D'Acy agreed, "what can we do with everyone here?"

Ben nodded, sensing their concern. "They move with us. The entire Resistance base does. We have the ships and we have the supplies to do it."
D'Acy seemed to heavily consider this. Rey almost sighed in relief. She pressed on, "Trust me, Ben is right. We are capable of moving to another planet. We have to."
"Suppose we do," Connix said, contemplating it herself, "suppose we follow through with this plan, we can't just fly into Coruscant without warning, and what if they reject our statement?"
Rey exhaled more audibly than she expected. She was more than aware of the possible impediments that could hinder their objective. But it's worth the risk, she assured herself, because it will happen. Something inside me knows it--

"Wait," D'Acy exclaimed so abruptly that Rey's heart rate sped up. "Golo Ancros, the Resistance strategist--he joined us in the Battle of Exegol from Coruscant. In fact, he brought us a third of the militia that gave us our victory . . . I bet he even has some kind of communication with higher-ranking officials on that planet. That would allow us access."
There was a tinge of excitement that permeated the room. Even Poe bit at his cheek, suppressing a grin. Rey sensed inside his spontaneously curious side was beginning to peak through his haughty one.
"That could work!" Rey replied. The sudden turn of news was relieving.
Commander D'Acy nodded, a small, triumphant smile on her face. "It very well could. I think it will."

"We'll talk it over with the rest of the base, see what they have to say. We can't give any definitive answers just yet." Connix informed in her monotonous lieutenant-trained voice.  
"No, we can't," D'Acy nodded, "and the Force may not be my stronghold, but I know for you Rey, it is. If this is something you say is dire, well, all we can do is trust you. I have to agree, the galaxy is in desperate reshaping after all the trouble it's been through." D'Acy waved her hands, and Rey thought back to every devastation the dark side had ever unleashed in her lifetime. It was time to take a stand before the galaxy lost more than it already had.

Finn clapped too loudly for the small space they were in. It echoed, even frightening some birds from their nests above in the jungle trees. "D'Acy's right. Rey, you're one of the best friends I've ever known--besides you, Poe. And Ben, you're alright, man--" Finn flashed a smile --"I trust you guys."
"It's time," Commander D'Acy agreed, "to become what fate has predestined for you two."