Star Wars IX- The Rise of Skywalker

Chapter 12- Welcome to the Resistance

Kylo stood silently at his desk, within his quarters, when he felt the bond rippling into effect. It didn't fully connect, the surroundings silenced, and in his mind, he could hear her.
"We need your help. Pasaana."
The connection closed as quickly as it had opened; they both knew to open it properly, given their plan was too dangerous. Kylo immediately activated his communications and told Captain Peavey to head for that sector of the galaxy, not Pasaana exactly, but close enough for him to fly there independently.

On Pasaana, Rey sat with Chewie, Poe and Finn, watching the festival; dusk was falling, and soon it would be night. Fires had been lit as dusk began to fall and the night air chilled, but still, the Aki Aki danced while their fabric kites and flags fluttered in the sky. They had managed, through talking with the humans and C-3POs interpretation to gather that it was a festival to the ancestors, a prayer to the Force rather than a celebration. The Aki Aki were Gatherers like those on Batuu. They were keepers of the Force and lived their lives in harmony with all, dedicating their lives to balance. Their dances told the stories of the ages, light and dark, war and peace, passing the knowledge from generation to generation through movement and song. As Rey sat smiling, enjoying the elaborate dances and colours, she felt the bond flicker.

"I'm coming."

A single phrase uttered, one only Rey could hear. She knew it would take some time for Kylo to arrive, but he was coming. The tribe had kindly offered shelter for the night; all she had to do was wait. Waiting, despite her general lack of patience, was something she excelled at. She'd know when he was nearer she'd feel his presence.

Within Pasaana's system, the Finalizer sat in the vastness of space. Their leader had given no further instructions. It was never desolate or silent on board a ship of this magnitude; shifts were taken for sleep, but nothing was left unattended. There were times when less crew manned the hangars, and having just arrived at their location with no further instruction, the main bridge and instrument panels were quieter, the principal officers and crew taking a well-earned break. Kylo left the Finalizer in his Tie Interceptor. He'd informed no one; the hangar hadn't been empty, but he'd required no help from those on duty and given who he was, no one questioned him or approached him. His reputation for being spoken to or interrupted proceeded him. Kylo exited the hangar and headed to Pasaana; all tracking devices were disarmed, and he couldn't take any risks. He had no sector coordinates, no specific point he could aim for bearing wise, just a feeling, a feeling of where she was. Dawn had just come to the section he flew towards. As he flew, the grey twilight sky was left behind, and he entered a brightening horizon, hues of yellow, mustard, white and brown. Slowly, he made his way across the sand dunes towards a rockier landscape ahead; she was nearby. He knew it.

A beam of dawn sunlight glimmered across Rey's face from within her tent shelter. She opened her eyes slowly as it glinted through the fabric opening of the tent as it swayed in the light desert air. She felt his presence; he was close. She left her tent, informing Finn, Poe and Chewie before heading out of the shelters away from the valley. The further she moved away from the settlement, the faster she moved until she was sprinting towards the open dunes. She stood now, breathing hard, stilling her mind. As Leia had instructed her to when meditating within the Force, she visualised the ship he piloted, his gloved hands upon the controls. She could hear it in the distance, but in her mind, she could see it speeding across the flats, close to the ground.

How much could they test just how connected they were, she wondered? She knew he could see her as she saw him. She unclipped her lightsaber from her belt. The roaring of the Interceptor increased as he raced towards her; he was not reducing his speed, and she saw no sign of him doing so. It was like training, testing how far they could genuinely see the intentions of the other. She ignited her saber and turned to look away, challenge herself further, give herself over to the Force, and trust in it. She started running. It was difficult on the sand, so dry and soft it shifted beneath her feet, but these were only physical sensations. Her physical strength and her physical surroundings were inconsequential to what the Force could provide. She could run faster and jump higher if she allowed it to flow if she allowed herself to be its conduit. Behind her, she could hear the Tie Interceptor screaming as it raced up behind her. She didn't need to turn to know how close it was behind her or how close it was to the ground. He wasn't reducing the speed or changing his course, but if he thought he would hurt her, he could do something, but they both knew that wouldn't happen. As the Interceptor was about to mow her down, she summoned all her might and flew into the air. Her drawn lightsaber was giving her balance and momentum as she spiralled over the top of the Interceptor. As she drifted over the top, she caught a glimpse of the skilled pilot in the cockpit. She landed lightly in the soft sand behind the Interceptor and watched as the Interceptor looped up to avoid an oncoming rock formation, spinning skywards to reduce the speed before returning gracefully back to the dunes and disappearing between two cliffs.