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Some people say dreams are stories those in the waking word are afraid to tell. Dreams had never bothered Rey as much as they had once she started to open her mind to the Force. A few weeks ago, Rey had begun focusing her mind to recover the lost memories of her family. Ever since, she started having a reoccurring nightmare every night. The images were still hazy, but the voices were clear. It always began with the loud sobs of a girl.

“Y-you killed her!” The girl’s voice shook. “SHE’S DEAD!”

“She left me with little choice,” a man’s voice replied.

“D-don’t get anywhere near us,” she screeched.

The clang of a thrown object reverberated through the room.

“I won’t let you hurt Uncle Tony!” she said fiercely. “I’ll fight you!”

“Vivi just run away!” a different man’s voice pleaded.

“Never!” she said. “My uncle has followed all of the terms of the treaty to the letter. He has done nothing wrong!”

“I’m afraid my friends don’t exactly see it that way,” said the attacker. “So you better leave before they get here.”

Another sob escaped from the girl’s lips which was stifled as her uncle pulled her into a protective embrace.

“Why are you letting us go?” asked the girl’s uncle with heavy suspicion.

“I’ve done what I have come here to do,” said the man. “But before you go, answer one question for me. Where did you hide your daughter?”

It is at this point, as curious as it makes her to the answer to the question, when Rey usually wakes up in a cold sweat. She replayed the dream in her mind during the day, but something always stopped the memory from going further. Was she afraid of the truth? Or was her power still limited?

Rey clutched her head and sat down on a rock.

“You seem troubled recently,” Master Luke had been standing nearby.

“I just feel tired,” said Rey, not wanting to mention the dream.

Luke stroked his grey beard, thoughtfully.

“Perhaps you need to rest,” said Luke. “I have a message for my sister at the Resistance Base. I don’t want to risk it being intercepted by the First Order. Take it to her and visit your friends while you are there.”

Rey nodded.

“But don’t stay too long,” said Luke. “You still have a lot of work to do before you can call yourself a jedi.”

“Of course,” said Rey.

“And don’t get into too much mischief there,” said Luke with a twinkle in his eye.

Rey chuckled slightly, “I don’t think I can get into that much trouble at the Resistance base.”

Luke smiled knowingly. “I was around your age when I joined the Rebellion. It was my first time being on my own far away from home, and trust me, there was mischief to be had.”

Rey grimaced as she sensed the direction in which the conversation was turning.

“There was never a quiet night in the pilots’ barracks,” said Luke. “One morning, I had to report for duty with pillow stuffing stuck in my hair. You should have seen Leia’s face when Biggs told her how it got there.”

Rey coughed. “Well, I had better get ready.”

Luke’s hearty laughter followed her as she stood up from the rock and power-walked towards the house.

A few days later, Rey returned from her brief visit to the Resistance base. She inhaled the crisp breeze of Ahch-To. The island was truly in the middle of nowhere and had an ethereal aura. Her grey training robe whipped around her legs as Rey stepped towards the stone hut that she shared with Master Luke. She often alternated her time between helping the Resistance and learning the ways of the jedi from her unexpectedly laid back and seemingly done with the world jedi instructor.

Suddenly, Rey felt a surge of distress through the Force. She started sprinting towards the hut, annoying a porg that had been building a statue of another porg with rocks.

When she stormed inside, Master Luke was cornered in their small kitchen by a woman holding a knife to his throat. The woman was elegantly dressed in a burgundy gown that was trimmed with fur. She looked slightly older than Luke. The jedi master glanced at Rey, his expression was tense but not panicked. The woman looked over her shoulder without moving the knife. She narrowed her eyes at Rey.

“Put the knife down!” said Rey.

The woman looked back at Luke. “Who is the girl? She reminds me of a woman I knew back in my time. A beautiful and dangerous woman. ”

“She’s nobody,” said Luke. “She’s of no concern to you.”

“Hmm,” said the woman. “And I suppose I should tell you who I am before I slit your throat, Skywalker.”

“There is no need for that,” said Luke. “You are here to avenge your husband I know. Do you think you are the only imperial widow who has come after me over the years? But yours did not die at my hand. I know that much.”

The woman gritted her teeth. “I know. But what you have done is enough. What your cause has done only worsened the unrest in this galaxy that my love dedicated his life to stop. I hope your measly galaxy gets destroyed from your foolishness.”

“We all have our part to play in this game,” said Luke. “Unfortunately, things always seem more black and white with the benefit of hindsight.”

Rey put her hand on her lightsaber, unsure of what to do. Luke did not seem very concerned with the sharp metal angled at his windpipe.  

“You are one of very few who has managed to track me down here,” said Luke, impressed.

The woman smiled sadly and spoke with a note of pride. “I had a good teacher.”

“It is doubtful the galaxy will ever again see someone who could match his brilliance,” Luke conceded.

She pushed the knife closer against Luke’s neck. “Do you know what it is like to have everything taken away from you? Even after all of these years. To have the person who was your only solace in this cruel galaxy taken away?”

“Yes,” said Luke. “And I’m sorry. But it was a war. I had people to protect, just like you. And at least you still have your children. The generation that would have followed me was stolen away. You, on the other hand, probably even have grandchildren by now. You can still help guide them. You can probably even protect their world with what you know.”

“Yes, they are all on Csilla,” she said wistfully. “But things are different now. This would not be a good time to visit. Their human, imperial mother would be an extra complication that would only spell trouble. ”

“Go back to them,” said Luke. “Grab your heaviest bantha wool coat and don’t look back. It would bring you more peace than killing me.”

A single tear rolled down her cheek and she shook her head.

“Do you think things are really that simple, Luke Skywalker?” she demanded.

“They never are,” said Luke. “But that shouldn’t stop us from trying.”

She dropped the knife with a clatter on the stone floor. She walked to the door and turned to Rey for a moment.

“Be careful who you trust,” the older woman whispered to her before she left.

A heavy silence filled the room in her wake.

Luke exhaled heavily. “I sure need a drink. Take out some booze for us, Rey.”

“Are you okay?” asked Rey.

Luke nodded and sat at wooden table near the hearth. Rey grabbed two glasses and the biggest bottle in the liquor cabinet. When she poured Luke a glass, he downed it in one shot. Rey waited for him to speak.

“It does weigh on my consequence,” said Luke. “Everyone I killed back then. Decisions I made that hurt people down the line. But I don’t regret protecting those I saved through my actions.”

“Do you really have imperial widows coming after you?” asked Rey.

“Not as often anymore, but that,” said Luke gesturing towards the knife still on the floor, “was more of a special case.”

“You’ll have to tell me about it sometime,” said Rey.

“It’s probably a story you’ve heard before,” said Luke. “Love, war, and revenge, plus a good dose of imperial xenophobia.”

“Why did she say she recognized me?” asked Rey.

Luke shrugged. “She was distraught. She probably wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Please don’t lie to me, Master Luke,” said Rey.

Luke sighed heavily. “I’m going to bed.”

He downed another full tumbler and headed for his sleeping mat in the other room. Rey felt wide awake and shaken to her core. What bothered her the most was that she didn’t know why she felt this way. Why would the wife of a dead imperial recognize her? And why would she say that Rey had to be careful who to trust?

Later that night, Rey stared incredulously at the bright screen of her holopad. Anonymous said the field that should have displayed the sender’s name. The text was brief and written in three lines:

“I know who your parents are.”

“Come alone.”

The final line was a set of coordinates.

Rey knew it was against her better judgement, and it was likely to be a trap, but she could not help herself in wanting to pursue the slight chance that the sender might know her family. Luke was still fast asleep, so he did not notice her leaving the hut. She headed to the coastline where she parked the small ship she had borrowed from the Resistance and entered the coordinates.

Rey traveled through space for a few hours before approaching the designated location. A base orbiting a moon came into view. The outside structure was generic, and Rey could not discern the purpose of the base. Rey followed the lights directing her to fly into a tunnel which led to the ship hold inside of the base. When she disembarked, two plain-clothed staff members approached her.

“The boss has been expecting you,” said a woman with a severe facial expression. “Please come this way.”

Rey followed them through a dimly-lit corridor, and her misgivings only increased with each step. Finally, she was led through a door.

“Please wait here,” said the other staff member. “The boss will be with you shortly.”

They left her alone in the room. Rey looked around and was surprised at how different her surroundings were to the rest of the base’s interior. It appeared to be an office, but it was an extremely luxurious office. The walls were wine red and trimmed with ornate golden leaves that wrapped around the top of the ceiling. They were covered with a variety of portraits of stern-looking people. A desk displaying various strange objects was the centerpiece of the room. The rest of the space was filled with delicate vases and fluffy armchairs that looked as if they were hardly ever used. Rey cautiously lowered herself onto the chair facing the desk. She could not help but wonder what kind of base this was and what kind of person owned this office.

The door opened behind her. A young woman stepped in, and Rey did not have to guess twice whether she was the owner of the office. Her style of dress was even more elaborate than the interior decorations. She wore a sleeveless red gown with a low neckline and glittering jewels sewn into the fabric. Her arms would have been bare if not for the many bracelets clinking up and down them. Her long brown hair was loose except for a shiny hair clip in the shape of a beetle. Rey wondered what this woman would think about the drab training attire she was wearing.

“Cousin!” The woman exclaimed.

Rey balked and felt as if her heart had stopped for moment. The woman grinned and sat at the desk across from Rey.

“You look just like the holos of her when she was your age,” said the woman.

“Who?” asked Rey.

“I’m getting ahead of myself,” she said. “My name is Genevieve. I am your cousin. I meant that you look like my uncle’s late wife.”

“Late?” asked Rey, struggling with which question to ask first.

“Your mother died shortly after the Battle of Endor,” said Genevieve. “But my uncle, your father, is still alive. His health is failing, though, which is why I refocused my efforts to find you.”

Rey narrowed her eyes at her. “And why should I believe anything you’re saying?”

“Well,” said Genevieve with a sigh. “I have spent the better part of a decade trying to track you down. Who would believe that a tip from crazy old Lady Persie would turn out to be right?”

“The lady who is going to visit her grandchildren on Csilla?” asked Rey. “Am I related to her, too?”

“Good riddance,” Genevieve snorted.

Rey blinked in shock. Genevieve rolled her eyes.

“No, of course she’s not related to any of us,” Genevieve continued. “All of hers have red eyes and blue skin. It was always hard for me to believe when I looked at that soft-spoken old woman that she . . . did you-know-what with an alien. An alien! How utterly bizarre. But my uncle told me all about it, and it’s true. I guess you can never tell what freaky shit some people are into.”

What is wrong with her? thought Rey. She decided not to voice the sharp retort that had come to mind since she still needed Genevieve’s help.

“But anyway, we can confirm everything with a simple DNA test,” said Genevieve.

Rey tapped her fingers on the chair. “Can we do that now?”

“I am afraid I do not have the facilities here,” said Genevieve. “This is one of my smaller points of operation. But I was going to invite you to a social that my husband and I are hosting at one of my properties in Coruscant.”

One of her properties? Rey looked at her incredulously, and her eyes darted to the massive gemstone ring on the woman’s left hand.

“Just what is it you do for a living?” asked Rey.

“I’m a business woman,” said Genevieve. “And a socialite.”

“What kind of business?” asked Rey.

“Oh, lots of things,” said Genevieve. “I keep myself busy.”

Rey looked at her with suspicion.

“I will send the invitation to your holopad,” said Genevieve. “You can even bring a date with you if you’d like. How fun, right? I hope to see you there!”

“Fine,” said Rey harshly. “But I better not find out you are lying to me.”

Genevieve smiled warmly as if accustomed to having staredowns with her guests.

“Would you like me to walk you back to your ship?”

“I can see myself out, thank you,” said Rey.

Her mind was reeling as she left the glittering office. She turned the corner only to collide with a man. He caught her and gasped in shock.

“You,” he said with surprise.

“You!” said Rey.

Rey looked at his face. It was Kylo Ren. She frowned and pushed him away from her.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“Business,” said Kylo Ren. “But I am more interested to know what you are doing at the base of the galaxy’s biggest weapon smuggling operation?”

“What?” Rey clutched her hand to her chest.

“You can’t stay out of trouble for one minute can you?” Kylo Ren’s intense eyes studied her with interest.

Rey felt her head spinning.

“Or perhaps it is the Force leading you to your destiny,” he said.

Rey shook her head despite feeling that he was right.

“This Genevieve person who runs this base said that I was her long-lost cousin, and that she would prove it when I went to her party in Coruscant,” said Rey, reluctantly.

“Interesting,” said Kylo Ren, his eyes glittered as if he had much more to say. “Sounds like those pricks want to fill out the guest list.”

“Is she trustworthy?” asked Rey. “Not as if I can trust you to give me a straight answer, but you’ve obviously dealt with her before.”

Kylo Ren frowned.  “She likes to play tricks on people. But she is loyal to her family. So it all depends if you are actually her cousin.”

Rey studied him. It did not seem like the man dressed in head-to-toe black was lying. But what was in it for him for helping her?

“I would not go to her home by yourself,” said Kylo. “She has a heavy advantage when she is surrounded by her supporters who can get quite fanatic. Take me along with you.”

Rey stared at him blankly for a second and then realized he actually did say the words “take me along with you.”

Rey chucked. “And what use would you be to me? For all I know, she put you up to this to trick me!”

“She is no friend of mine,” said Kylo, scathingly. “She tolerates me at most.”

“But why would I trust you to help me anyway?” Rey demanded.

“Because you are strong in the Force and we can do great things together, Rey,” he said. “I don’t want these idiots to take advantage of you.”

“Why? So you can do that yourself?” said Rey furiously.

“No,” said Kylo Ren, nervously.

Rey shrugged. “Well, you seem to know these people, so you can come with me.”

Kylo Ren nodded smugly.

Rey grabbed the collar of his robe. “But if I find out you have been trying to trick me, I will gut you on the spot and give your entrails to the Resistance base’s kitchen for their next Mystery Goulash.”

Kylo Ren nodded less smugly this time.

The notes of refined music poured out of the windows of the aristocratic Coruscant townhouse. Even though it was evening, the house seemed to glow under the ever-present city lights. The exterior sparkled, and when she got closer, Rey noticed that glitter must have been mixed in with the paint covering the dwelling. Rey sighed and looked over at Kylo Ren. He had kept on his usual black robes. Rey was wearing a blue-beaded dress which she had hastily purchased from a space station vendor on the way to Coruscant.

“Rey,” said Kylo Ren, before they entered.

“What?” said Rey.

“I need to tell you something about Luke before we go inside,” said Kylo Ren. “This may be difficult for you to hear, but I fear they may try to use it against you.”

“Well,” said Rey expectantly.

Kylo Ren exhaled heavily. “Luke killed your mother. I am fairly certain.”

Rey narrowed her eyes. “At least buy me a drink before you start feeding me lies.”

“Rey,” said Kylo. “Wait!”

Rey rushed inside. Kylo tried to catch up with her, but she quickly disappeared into the crowd of First Order officers and Coruscanti political scum. Rey pushed her way through the mass of people to get as far away from Kylo as possible. She scanned the room to make sure he was out of sight and stepped backwards.

“Excuse me,” said a man she had stepped into.

“I am sorry,” she said, turning around.

Her face turned sour when she realized it was General Hux. He was dressed in his crisp First Order uniform. He gave her a slight smile.

“I have been looking for you,” said Hux.

“Why?” asked Rey with annoyance.

“A brief word if you don’t mind,” he said.

“Fine,” said Rey.

Rey sat in the black leather chair across from Hux’s desk.

“What do you want from me?” Her eyes flickered furiously.

Hux exhaled and leaned forward. “I just wanted to give you some information and see what you will do with it.”

“Well, you better make it fast or I’m leaving,” said Rey.

Hux chuckled softly.

“Did you know that my wife’s aunt was a dark force user?” asked Hux casually.

“I don’t see why I would care,” said Rey with exasperation. “But I’m not surprised that scum breeds more scum.”

Hux’s lips turned up slightly and his cold eyes flickered in a way that made Rey’s stomach turn.

“Did you also know that her aunt and uncle put their only child in hiding shortly before her aunt was killed by a jedi?”

Hux did not even blink as he studied Rey’s reaction.

“My wife was there with her uncle when it happened,” said Hux. “Unfortunately, he was never quite the same after that incident.”

The dream . . .

“No,” Rey shook her head in denial. “That has nothing to do with-”

“I ran some tests with the information we still had on file from your last encounter with the First Order. And it turns out that there is a match between your Mitochondrial DNA and that of my children,” said Hux.

Rey froze in place when she finally made the connection. She felt her skin crawl with disgust.

“You’re Genevieve’s husband,” said Rey scathingly.

Hux nodded.

“You and my wife are cousins,” said Hux. “You are my kinswoman, it seems.”

Rey shook her head slightly. “No, no, no. You made it all up.”

“And you are the offspring of a sith and her imperial husband,” said Hux, barely containing his glee. “What was it you just said about scum breeding scum?”

“Why should I believe a word you are saying?” said Rey, angrily.

“Because it makes complete sense,” said Hux. “I am sure Kylo Ren already knew and was just too sentimental to tell you the truth.”

Kylo’s words rang through Rey’s mind. Luke killed your mother . Could it be true? Could it actually be true? And Rey’s mother had been a sith? Rey’s eyes burned, and she struggled to not cry in front of the smug redhead.

“I see that it’s starting to sink in now,” said Hux matter-of-factly. “But what I would like to know is what you will do with this information?”

Rey grimaced.

“Will you leave it to your cousin to avenge your mother?” asked Hux. “Can you deny the legacy that is coursing through your veins? Can you deny your destiny?”

“Our parents do not determine our destiny,” said Rey.

Hux chuckled. “I don’t even think you completely believed that even as it was coming out of your mouth.”

Rey met his gaze heatedly. “Well, my parents don’t determine my destiny.”

“Even Kylo Ren could not run away from his lineage forever,” said Hux. “Family is everything in this war, Rey. And if you keep denying that, then one day it will be Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber through your back when you aren’t looking.”

A loud sound filled the room, and Hux’s ears were ringing. It took him a moment realize that sound had been Rey slapping him. Rey stormed out of his study, her head reeling. The murmur of the revellers’ conversations slowed into a distorted sound. Panicked, she walked further in the crowd.

“Rey,” Kylo Ren’s hands were on her shoulders.

She kissed him hard on the mouth, and now he was the one whose head was spinning.

“Oh,” he said, his face becoming flushed.

“Just get me out of here,” she said.

Rey still couldn’t believe her earlier actions as she sat back in a chair inside Kylo Ren’s room on the medium-sized ship. Surprisingly, Kylo Ren’s crew didn’t bat an eyelash when she was led by him aboard and into his private quarters. She did not touch the glass of water he had placed on the table in front of her in case it was poisoned. He sighed and sat in the chair across from her. He grabbed her glass with one black-gloved hand and drank a big gulp of water. He set down the half-full glass back in front of her.

“So you were telling the truth,” said Rey. “Earlier.”

He nodded.

“Let me be frank with you, Rey,” he spoke.

Rey crossed her arms. “I’m listening.”

“The Force is strong in both of us,” said Kylo Ren. “We are connected by fate. I have seen it in my visions. The two of us will bring balance to the force.”

“No,” Rey shook her head. “Luke Skywalker brought balance to the force.”

“Really?” asked Kylo Ren, angrily. “When he tried to rebuild the Jedi Order by repeating the failures of his predecessors?”

“Yes,” said Rey.

Kylo Ren exhaled heavily, “No, Rey. How can there be balance in a galaxy filled with power-hungry jedi who forbid their students from understanding the power that exists in both the Light Side and the Dark Side?”

“Because the jedi do not seek power for its own sake but to protect those who need to be protected,” said Rey with conviction. “The jedi work to become one with the force without merely seeking to harness its power.”

Kylo Ren chuckled. “You have been brainwashed well.”

“And whoever brainwashed you must have only had half a brain,” Rey said venomously.

Kylo Ren snickered.

“You might not agree with me now,” he said. “But you have to admit that you would benefit from training with me.”

“I doubt it,” Rey said.

“But you don’t doubt the connection between us,” said Kylo Ren, seductively.

He looked deep in her eyes, and she knew he was right. Something inexplicably drew her to him like a magnet to its polar opposite. After the time they had fought on Starkiller Base, his presence in her mind had only grown stronger as the months passed.

“Rey,” said Kylo Ren. “Before you go, maybe you would like to explore that connection a little more deeply?”

Rey took a sip from the glass.

“Yes,” she said.

Kylo Ren smiled darkly. He held his hand out to her. She took it.

The next morning, Rey decided that she had to go back and face her cousin before she left Coruscant. She put her grey robes back on, since her evening dress was in quite a sorry state thanks to her activities with Kylo Ren the previous night.

“Are you sure?” asked Kylo as she stepped away to leave.

“I have to get to the bottom of this,” said Rey.

“Very well,” said Kylo. “Until next time, then.”

She thought she could see him wink for a split second before she turned away from him.

The exterior of the Hux household was just as glamorous during the day as it had been at night. At least now it was much quieter with all of the guests gone. When Rey knocked at the door, a silver protocol droid led her inside without even asking who she was.

Rey followed it up a spiral staircase and into a sitting room where the droid gestured her towards a balcony. Rey stepped cautiously on the spacious balcony. The whole city lay spread before her. This was definitely a view for someone who needed to feel powerful.

“Kira!” A woman’s voice shouted out. “Good morning!”

Rey turned around and General Hux and his wife were standing there. The General looked as crisp and stern as usual. Genevieve was wearing a very low-cut blue dress made out of a delicate-looking fabric that had long sleeves that started just above her elbows. Her long dark hair whipped around in the wind. Rey exhaled nervously.  

“Don’t get your hopes up, Vivi,” said Hux. “The Resistance got to her before you did.”

“Yes,” she said. “But perhaps things will change once she hears everything.”

Rey took a step back as the woman took a few tentative steps towards her.

“Kira,” she held out her hand. “You can come with me. You will be safe with us.”

“My name is not Kira,” said Rey.

“Well, it was,” Genevieve said sadly. “Your name was Kira Angelica Motti before you were separated from your parents.”

Rey’s breath caught in her throat.

“Armitage confirmed it for you. But if you need to take a sample from me to confirm it on your own, so be it. ” The woman stretched her hand towards Rey.

Rey did not move.

“But this is the truth,” said Genevieve. “I am your cousin. Your father is Admiral Conan Antonio Motti. He is like a father to me because I was the only family he had left after Luke Skywalker came to kill us.”

The dream . . .

The realization that what Genevieve was saying may be at least some version of the truth flooded through Rey, and a panicked sensation filled her chest. She stood on the balcony frozen in place. Genevieve also remained with her hand intently open. Hux crossed his arms and looked at the scene with fascination. Tears poured from Rey’s eyes as she shook her head miserably.

“If this is true,” said Rey. “Everything I thought about myself was a lie.”

“This is good news, is it not?” said Genevieve. “Don’t think I didn’t notice who you left the party with last night. The Knights of Ren are still our allies. If you are on our side, then there is nothing to prevent you from being with your lover, Kylo Ren.”

Rey bit down on her tongue. This change of circumstance had mattered less to her than Genevieve thought. Rey and Kylo Ren had already found each other despite being on opposite sides of the conflict. Rey shrugged, and Genevieve balked.

“You don’t care about him?” she asked, incredulously.

“He is already mine, regardless of whose side he thinks he’s on at the moment,” said Rey.

Genevieve put her arm down and sighed.

“I don’t care if you’re my cousin or not,” said Rey. “I don’t trust you at all. You’re clearly wrapped around General Hux’s finger. You’d just use me in whatever way he told you.”

General Hux chuckled and finally chimed in.

“Perhaps, you would be willing to have a drink with us and let Vivi tell you what happened to your parents,” he suggested.

“Fine,” said Rey. “But if you try to take me anywhere, I’ll slice both of you in half.”

Genevieve frowned sadly, but Hux just nodded impassively.

Hux left the room with the recently drained tumblers. Genevieve scooched sideways on the soft cushions and patted Rey’s hand. She smiled gently at Rey, and the contact made Rey’s stomach turn.

“You know,” Genevieve said. “Us girls have to stick together.”

Rey could not hold back the involuntary huff of breath that escaped her lips, and Genevieve tilted her head inquisitively at her cousin.

“I’ve made it on my own long enough to know that women only stick together for as long as it is convenient for them,” said Rey.

“But-” Genevieve began.

Rey continued, “And they will almost always choose their husbands over their ‘sisters.’”

Genevieve shrugged her shoulders in a conciliatory way. “There is no need for an either or in this case. We are a family, and we can protect you.”

“For a price,” said Rey scathingly.

“Of course not,” said Genevieve.

“So I’m free to return to the Resistance?” Rey asked.

“Why would you want to go back to the Resistance?” asked Genevieve, the color starting to rise in her cheeks.  

“Because I belong there,” said Rey.

“I understand that you have been heavily conditioned to feel this way, but you must understand that you belong with your family, and the people who murdered your mother are at war with us,” snapped Genevieve.

“And what would you have me do?” asked Rey. “Fight the people who took me in when I had nothing?”

“No,” said Genevieve. “I would advise you to go to your father. His health has been deteriorating, but seeing his long-lost daughter might be what he needs.”

“I see,” said Rey. “That’s why you were being so nice to me. You want me to ease your dying uncle’s conscience.”

Genevieve flinched. “Your father-”

“Who I have never met,” said Rey. “Who left me alone for years.”

“He loves you,” Genevieve said with agitation. “The jedi would have killed you if they had found you back then. Luke Skywalker was trying to find you on that night! He would have put his lightsaber right through you!”

“No, he wouldn’t have,” said Rey.

“You were a sith’s offspring to him,” said Genevieve. “Nothing more. And if you think that has changed at all, then you are horribly naive. Your father is the one who loves you. Luke Skywalker will use you for your powers and then end your life when he deems you too dangerous.”

Rey stood up furiously, and Genevieve grabbed her wrist.

“Let me go,” said Rey with an icy glare.

“Not until you listen to reason,” said Genevieve. “At least talk to Uncle Tony if you don’t want to listen to me! Please!”

General Hux re-entered the room with a platter that had an assortment of tiny cakes. He did not react to the heavy tension in the air and calmly set the platter down on the tea table. Genevieve looked over at him, and the distraction made her loosen her grip on Rey’s wrist. Rey pulled away from her in a swift motion, stuffed three cakes in her mouth, and stormed out of the room. Genevieve burst into tears, and her husband quietly handed her a crisp handkerchief.

She couldn’t bear to go back to Ahch-To. She couldn’t bear to face anyone at the Resistance base. She landed on the first uninhabited planet she could find, and just ran and ran into the thick forest that covered most of it. After she had worn herself out, Rey leaned against a tree, trying to ease the agony in her mind.

Suddenly, she heard heavy footsteps stomping through the brush. An excited anticipation filled her chest as she felt the familiar presence looming behind her.

“What are you doing here?” asked Rey.

“I followed you,” said Kylo Ren. “I was worried. I remembered the fear and uncertainty of discovering an unwelcome truth, and I did not want you to feel alone.”

Rey smiled feebly. “Thank you.”

“And why did you come here?” asked Kylo Ren.

Rey turned to meet his gaze. Kylo stood straight with his shoulders squared and his fists clenched.

“I’ve come to get some fresh air,” she said. “This planet’s forests are beautiful.”

“I’ll tell you something else that is even more beautiful,” said Kylo Ren. “You.”

He kissed her hard and wrapped his arms around her. Her heart fluttered when she remembered what it had been like to be in his arms the previous night. She stood there in his embrace until Kylo broke the silence.

“What did you find out?” asked Kylo.

“My mother was a sith,” said Rey. “Does that mean that I will go to the Dark Side, too?”

“No,” said Kylo. “Your mother was strong with the Force and decided to utilize the Dark Side. One is not born jedi or sith. A person can be born strong with the Force, but what defines them is what they do with that power.”

Rey nodded with relief. “That makes sense.”

“So, what are you going to do now?” asked Kylo.

“I don’t know,” said Rey. “What are you going to do?”

“The Knights of Ren have some work,” said Kylo. “If you are looking for something to occupy yourself with.”

“I won’t join the First Order,” said Rey.

“I never said anything about the First Order,” said Kylo. “Our alliance has been wearing thin as of late, anyway.”

“What?” asked Rey.

“There is a darkness deep in the outer reaches,” said Kylo Ren. “I been trying to discover where it is located for many years now.”

“Isn’t that Snoke?” said Rey.

“No,” said Kylo. “I am talking about entities with even darker Force energy than Snoke. I have been using the First Order as a base of operation given its close proximity to wild space.”

Rey looked at him incredulously.

“But I have recently found another contact who has offered me an even closer point to study these dark entities along with meticulous records of previous studies on them,” said Kylo.

“Wait,” said Rey. “Are you trying to find them to utilize their dark powers or to destroy them?”

“Most likely destroy them,” said Kylo Ren. “That amount of dark side energy can only bring imbalance to the galaxy. Plus, my contact gave me the condition that I will use what I learn to protect the inhabitants at risk from these entities.”

“I see,” said Rey.

“Let me know if you decide to come along,” he said. “I am not leaving until I have finished all of the preparations.”

“Who is your contact?” asked Rey.

“An old friend,” said Kylo Ren. “You may have met her before. She’s heading to Csilla, and I am catching a ride on her ship.”

Rey rested her head back on Kylo’s chest and closed her eyes.

Luke did not turn to look at the ship landing on Ahch-To. He did not turn around as Rey made her way up the meandering path where Luke waited. He could already feel the storm of her emotions as he turned to meet the conflicted sorrow and fury in her eyes. Her fists were clenched at her sides. Her young face and small frame were unchanged, but the woman who stood before him now had drastically matured from the girl who had anxiously returned his lightsaber on their first meeting. He knew what she was going to ask.

“Is it true? You killed my mother?” she asked, though little doubt remained at this point.

“Yes,” said Luke.

Rey nodded and clenched her jaw.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner,” said Luke. “I just wanted to give you a chance to train as a jedi and that you didn’t feel forced to follow your mother’s path.”

“And what path was that?” asked Rey.

“She was a dark force user who was heavily involved with remnants of the Empire,” said Luke. “I have no idea who trained her or where she came from. She married into a powerful family, but before that there are no records of her. I’m not even sure if her own family knows. She got in a fight with some of my apprentices. I protected them, and she gave me no choice but to stop her.”

Rey inhaled heavily.

“Unfortunately, her husband and young niece witnessed her death and swore to have revenge,” Luke continued. “I don’t know if it was a coincidence or not, but a few years later the Knights of Ren became allied with the First Order and my nephew led them to destroy my academy and murder all of my students.”

“That’s not your fault,” said Rey. “I do not blame you for any of your actions. I am just shocked that I am-”

“You are what?” asked Luke.

“One of them,” Rey spat.

“Are you?” Luke raised an eyebrow.

“I am one of them even more so than Kylo Ren!” Rey exclaimed. “The Knights of Ren are starting to pull away from their alliance with the First Order! I am the one with the imperial father and the dark side mother.”

Luke looked at Rey thoughtfully.

“The Knights of Ren are pulling away from the First Order? This is encouraging news,” said Luke.

“What?” asked Rey.

Luke beckoned Rey over to a large flat rock, and they sat down.

“The First Order may be winning the war,” said Luke. “But the Dark Side is not.”

“I don’t understand,” said Rey.

“You will have to decide what to do now,” said Luke.

She turned back to Luke, and her chest tightened at the heavy look in his blue eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“The Resistance might lose,” said Luke.

“No,” said Rey.

“The scales of the universe are in a constant cycle of tipping on one side and rebalancing,” said Luke. “When the Empire became too powerful, the galaxy became dissatisfied and it was defeated. The New Republic peaked more quickly it seems; support for the First Order throughout the galaxy is rapidly growing.”

“But that’s because they destroyed the Hosnian system,” said Rey.

“And just as many systems have looked the other way as have sworn vengeance,” said Luke.

Rey shook her head in denial.

“The same is true in the struggle between the Light and Dark side of the Force,” said Luke. “When the jedi become too powerful, dark force users always seem to appear, often from the jedis’ own ranks, to strike them down. I wanted to deny this, but I could not after I lost Ben to the Knights of Ren.”

“So you are saying there is nothing I can do about this?” Rey asked heatedly.

“No,” said Luke. “Quite the opposite. You are in a very unique position.”

“What do you mean?” asked Rey.

“If the First Order takes over the galaxy,” said Luke. “who will have the power?”

“Probably Snoke and General Hux,” said Rey.

“Who is married to General Hux?”

“My cousin,” Rey said, bitterly.

“Then if you think you are powerless and will have no influence over the fate of the galaxy, you are gravely mistaken,” said Luke.

“But what can I do?” said Rey with exasperation.

“Soft power is often mightier than brute force,” said Luke. “Do you know that your cousin took over an entire planet for the First Order just by crying in front of some guards?”

Rey’s mouth dropped. “Really?”

“I do pay more attention to these things than you might think,” said Luke.

“I really doubt that I could have any influence over those two,” said Rey.

“You’re forgetting about someone,” said Luke.

“Who?” asked Rey.

“Your father,” said Luke.

Rey looked down uncomfortably. “Motti . . .”

“Rey,” said Luke. “You can make sure the jedi arts survive the next wave of imperial rule.”

“So I should just let them terrorize the galaxy?” said Rey, angrily.

“No,” said Luke. “I am just suggesting that you do what is in your power to do. You have the ears of some of the most powerful people in the galaxy.”

Rey exhaled heavily. “I just have a lot of thinking to do.”

“That’s okay, Rey,” said Luke. “Nobody said any of this would be easy. But your path is yours alone.”

“And how do you know I won’t fall to the Dark side like my mother?” asked Rey. “I could kill you right now.”

“You would have already done it,” said Luke. “But I won’t stop you if that is what you decide to do. That would not help your position as much as you might think, though.”

“Of course I’m not going to-” said Rey in shock.

Luke smiled at her.

“Is Kylo Ren well?” he asked.

“Y-yeah,” said Rey, surprised at the change in subject.

“It will be interesting to see what happens now that you two seem to have formed an alliance,” said Luke.

“You don’t seem worried,” said Rey.

“You don’t either,” said Luke.

Rey was not expecting this response, nor Luke’s nonchalance and could not think of anything else to say. They both looked towards the horizon and watched the ocean waves sloshing in the distance. She knew what she had to do next. It was time to make a visit to her father.

The frail old man sitting in the bed did not look like how Rey had imagined the imperials she had read about. Surely, they were vicious and defiant, even in old age. They were monsters. How could they be anything else? But this was certainly not the case with the man she faced now. His thin hair was grey and the circles underneath his eyes were sunken in. He was propped up with a pillow and looked like he would certainly collapse if someone were to pull it from behind his back. A thick blanket was tucked over his waist and a holopad lay to the side of his hand. Conan Antonio Motti’s eyes widened when his daughter walked into the room.

“Kira?” he said in a weak voice. “Is that you?”

“My name is Rey now,” she said, sitting down next to him on the bed.

“Rey,” he said. “For a second there, I thought I had already passed and your mother had come to collect my pitiful soul. You look so much like her. Beautiful and fierce. Ready to chase her foes to the edges of the galaxy.”

She didn’t know what to say. How was this man a part of the destructive terror that was the Empire? She took his hand.

“I’m sorry,” said Antonio. “I always wanted to come back for you, but it was too dangerous. And I was worried that if I tried and failed, the ones who killed your mother would come after you, too.”

“Why Jakku?” asked Rey.

“The jedi were less likely to look for you there,” said Antonio. “And Unkar Plutt owed me a lot of favors from the Empire turning a blind eye to much of his dealings.”

Rey nodded. That explained a great deal.

“I am really sorry,” said Antonio, a tear rolling down his cheek.

“It’s alright,” she squeezed his hand. “I forgive you.”

She hadn’t been expecting it to go like this at all. The harsh words she had practiced beforehand faded away as she looked into the weary eyes of her father.

“I feel like it was all such a waste,” said Antonio.

“What was a waste?” asked Rey.

“All of that fighting and struggling,” he said. “And to what end? Now your generation has been dragged into it as well.”

He shook his head. “Part of me is glad I won’t live to see how it all ends. But it doesn’t make me feel any less anxious.”

Some people say dreams are stories those in the waking word are afraid to tell. However, dreams were no longer a concern to Rey. She was awake now, and she was not afraid anymore.

“Father,” said Rey.

Antonio squeezed her fingers slightly when she said the word that he thought he would never hear again.

“Yes, my darling,” he said.

“Tell me everything,” said Rey.

“It’s a long story,” said Antonio. “It might take a while.”

“I’ve got time,” said Rey. “Start from the beginning.”

Antonio nodded and began to speak.