The air on Pasaana is a lot drier as Ajan Kloss', and my eyes start to sting as soon as we exit the Falcon. As I look around, I realise there is nothing on this planet except miles and miles of desert. "Are you sure this is it?" I ask 3PO.
"These are the exact coordinates that Master Luke left behind," he replies.
The sound of upbeat music reaches my ears and as we turn around a large, brown boulder, my jaw drops. The valley in front of us is filled with people, decorations, colours, music and a whole lot more. "What is this?" Poe retorts.
"The Aki Aki Festival of the Ancestors," 3PO replies. "This celebration occurs only once every 42 years."
"Well, that's lucky," Finn replies sarcastically.
"Lucky indeed!" 3PO chimes. "This festival is known for both its colourful kites and its delectable sweets."
While this is the last thing we need on our search for Exegol, the Festival in front of me is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The child inside me wants to go down and explore, but the Jedi part of me knows there are more pressing matters at hand.
We travel into the valley and while the crowd around us performs a ritual dance, we weave our way through. An inevitable smile is on my face as I look around, smelling a hundred different scents at once and seeing colours I've never seen before.
"I've never seen anything like this." Rey comments.
"I've never seen so few Wayfinders," Finn replies.
"There's always random First Order patrols in crowds like these so keep your heads down!" Poe calls. "Chewie."
The Wookie roars softly before crouching down until he's about the same height as the people dancing around us.
"Let's split up. See what the locals know," Poe suggests. Rey and 3PO go in one direction, Finn and Chewie in another, and Poe, BB-8 and I take the last. While Poe commences a conversation with one of the locals standing by a market stall, I look around.
Several colourful kites fly over my head as a gentle, warm breeze plays with my hair. The sun beats down on us, but I barely feel the heat. My eyes scan the crowd for possible threats, but all I discover are locals dancing, talking, laughing, and celebrating. The Force-Energy is nothing but peaceful and serene, but when I turn around, my heart drops.
An all too familiar head of dark brown hair pops out in the crowd, but their back is facing me. I throw a glance over my shoulder and see Poe is still talking to the local. I soundlessly escape the scene and chase after the figure I spotted. BB-8 chirps inquisitively but remains with Poe when I hold out a hand to quiet him. The figure begins to move into the crowd and I pick up my pace.
"Jaz?" I call without thinking and she turns around. It feels as if my heart stops beating as my throat goes dry. A person passes, momentarily blocking my sight, and Jaz is gone. "No," I whisper. "Jaz?"
"Raven?" her voice sounds and I turn around, my breath stocking in my throat as I see the gash down her torso. Blood seeps from the wound as she falls to her knees. I try to fight a way to her, but a hand grips my arm, holding me back.
"Rave, what are you doing?" Poe asks, pure confusion clouding his dark eyes.
"N-No, let me go." I struggle against his grip but he just pulls me close. I call Jaz's name and he clasps a hand over my mouth. "Quiet, you're going to draw attention." He hisses, pulling me with him. "Jaz isn't here. It's the Dark Side. You have to fight it." he tells me. "Close your eyes." I hesitantly do as he says and let him take me away. He sets me down on a rock and I open my eyes.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
"Don't apologise. This wasn't your fault," he says, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
Where the sun once warmed me, a wave of freezing cold washes over me. I sit upright when I feel a presence that is all too familiar. "Where's Rey?" I ask, jumping to my feet. "Poe, where is she?"
"Wha- Why?" he asks, but I already take off to find her. "Rave!"
My heart pounds in my throat as I try to find Rey, but all I keep seeing are locals having the time of their lives, until I spot her running in my direction. "Raven!" she calls, coming to a skidding halt in front of me. "We have to go. Back to the Falcon. Now!"
"What happened?" I ask.
"It's Ren. He knows we're here," she says. Her eyes hold panic and fear, something I haven't seen in a long time.
"Okay, let's go find the others," I say.
Within minutes, we've located Finn and Chewie, and with them on our heels, we make a beeline for the Falcon, but when we pass one of the huts, a robotic voice calls, "Freeze! Hold it right there!"
A First Order stormtrooper holds us at gunpoint and we all stop in our tracks. "I've located the Resistance fugitives. All units report-" He is cut off as an arrow pierces his left eye. He drops to the ground and we whip around, seeing a cloaked and masked man standing in front of us, holding up a crossbow.
"Follow me," he says in a deep voice.
The four of us shoot each other a glance before we decide we don't have much of a choice since the First Order already knows we're here. We follow him into what appears to be a moving hut. As we step inside, he says, "Leia sent me a transmission." A frown makes its way onto my face before I realise who he is.
"How did you find us?" I ask.
He takes off his mask. "Wookies stand out in the crowd," Lando Calrissian says with a broad smile. Chewie roars excitedly, rushing forward to lock the man in a hug. "Good to see you, old buddy!"
His eyes turn to me. "Raven Solo," he grins. "I forgot how much you look like your dad." He pulls me in for a hug which I happily reciprocate. "It's been years, how have you been?"
"I've been all right, uncle Lando, thank you," I say with a chuckle.
"It's an honour, General," Finn speaks up.
"So what are you kids doing out here?" Lando asks.
"We're looking for Exegol," I tell him. His bright smile from earlier falls.
"Of course you are," he mutters. He taps a button on his watch and a hologram appears. "Only two were made."
"A Sith Wayfinder," Rey says. "Luke Skywalker came here to find one."
Lando chuckles. "I know. I was with him. Luke and I were tailing an old Jedi hunter." He presses another button appears and the hologram changes from the Wayfinder to a creature with round, black eyes. "Ochi of Bestoon. He was carrying that could lead to a wayfinder. We followed his ship halfway across the galaxy here. When we got to his ship, it was abandoned. No clue. No wayfinder."
"Is Ochi's ship still here?" I ask.
"It's out in the desert, where he left it," he replies.
"We need to get to that ship. Search it again," Rey says, catching up on my thought process.
The sound of ion engines appears in the far distance and Lando peers out the window. I follow his lead and my eyes widen at the sigh of the many TIE-fighters approaching.
"I got a bad feeling about this," Lando and I mutter at the same time and he grins crookedly at me. I chuckle softly.
"Ochi's ship is out past Lurch Canyon," he tells us. "Go."
"Thank you, General," Poe says.
"Raven!" Lando calls before I can leave. "Give Leia my love."
I smile. "You should give it to her yourself," I say before giving him a quick hug and jumping after Chewie out of the vehicle, the others following quickly.
YOU ARE READING
Across The Stars // Star Wars (Sequels)
Fanfiction"They say home is where your heart is. Mine is among the stars, across the universe." The Force is a beautiful, amazing thing that no one truly understands. But it is also dangerous, especially when it is whispering in your ear every second of every...
