Kennera

Rey and Poe finally get their honeymoon

ORIGINALLY POSTED AUGUST 6, 2020

The ancient Sith temple on the planet Krant was not a normal destination for a group of children on a field trip, especially not for children who were Force sensitive and in training to hopefully be Jedi one day. But Rey was not a normal teacher and the galaxy she and her students currently lived in was not the same galaxy where Jedi lived by the thousands just 50 short years ago.

It had taken Rey a great deal of thought and time to prepare for this trip. Preparation had included many visits to the temple by herself, where meditation was ten times harder than on her current home of Ajan Kloss, and a great deal of discussion with her assistant instructors, Finn and his wife Rose. Not to mention support from her husband, who while still working on Naboo for the New Republic, was in contact with her at least every other day.

So, this trip had finally come to pass, and now she stood inside the small temple, watching her nine students ranging in age from 5 to 16 standard years sit in a circle on the floor in the center, with Finn standing at ease by the door. She slowly walked around the outside of the circle, feeling the tension emanating from the children. Not one of them was comfortable here, and for that she was glad, but there were a few in particular she wanted to keep her eye on more than the others. She had only given them a small amount of time to prepare for this trip, as she hadn’t wanted them to start getting anxious and worried about it. Slowly she walked, her gaze flitting from one child to the next as she talked, carefully touching their minds so subtly that they were unaware of her connection.

“Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. You’re safe here. Finn and I are here to help if you need it.” She had taught them all about the Dark Side, of course, but book learning and experience were two very different things. “The Masters of our more recent Jedi history would not look kindly on what we are doing today,” she told the children. “They believed the Dark Side should be avoided at all costs. That no child should ever be exposed to it during their training. But I believe that to be wrong. In fact, I believe that was the beginning of their end.”

She glanced over at Finn. He was a student, too, in a way. Though not extremely powerful in the Force, his connection to it was strong enough that he had been a great help to her in her training. She could tell he also felt the dark pull of this place, but his eyes when he met her glance were calm, focused. She had no worries about him. He had survived the First Order, which had been darkness incarnate. A Sith temple was not a big deal for him.

“The children that were trained to be Jedi in the later years of the Order were indeed never exposed to the Dark Side,” Rey continued. “Therefore, they never learned to recognize its subtleties. Its nuances. In and of itself, the Dark Side is easy to recognize. Powerful. Frightening. But when it’s under the control of someone with great skill, it can be very slight. Almost invisible. And very seductive. Because the Jedi of that last age had never felt the Dark Side as children, they could not recognize what was right in front of them until it was too late. Darth Sidious manipulated them and warped them and finally destroyed them.” The name of the Sith Lord came out of her mouth much easier than his given name. She refused to say that name. “What you feel in this Temple is the same subtle power that Sidious used,” Rey said softly. “Can you feel it?”

She saw nine heads nod. They were still nervous, but trying not to show it. “Now, open yourselves up to it,” she said. “Slowly. Don’t let it push inside forcefully. Invite it.” Deep breaths were taken and she felt a few powerful surges of fear. She pinpointed them and pushed her own Light toward them, offering support. “No worries, it will not drive out your own Light. Not unless you want it to.” And that was what they feared, she thought. They had heard the stories. Stories of good men and women, trained Jedi, who fell to the Dark Side. She had tried to let them know it wasn’t something that would happen all at once. It was a gradual thing. A process. While it was all the same Force, the different energies couldn’t be changed back and forth with the flip of a switch. “Now, feel it. Recognize it. It’s still a part of the Force. You must not let it control you; you need to be able to control it.” She paused. “You will find yourselves tempted in the days and years ahead. Don’t think you won’t. You need to understand that balance is achieved not by destroying the Dark, but by keeping it from controlling you. The more you ignore its existence, the more likely it will find a way to influence you in the end, either by dominating you or destroying you.”

She touched one mind after another, observing how each child was reacting to the connection to the Dark and offering support to help ease the fear of it when needed. After only a few minutes, she continued. “Now, push it out. Imagine that wall of light we talked about. Build it up between you and the dark and push. Don’t shove it. Don’t offer it any reason to resist. Just gently push.” She kept talking as she felt the gradual lightening of their minds. Taking control of the thing they feared gave them confidence. Her youngest student, a human girl named Isaias, was the first to succeed, and her eyes popped open in amazement as she looked at Rey. Rey smiled back at her. She had always known this child had huge potential and strength.

One by one, her students opened their eyes, breathing deeply in relief at having pushed out the heaviness caused by allowing the Dark Side in. Rey grinned at Finn when Temiri’s eyes opened and a huge smile spread across his face. She saw Finn take a deep breath and relax. Finally, there were only two who still had yet to come out of the meditation. Schulyler, her one Caamasi student, and Raseyn, her oldest and newest student. She let herself touch Schulyer’s mind, giving the 9-year-old a gentle push with her own Light Side energy. It was all the girl needed, and she soon opened her eyes in triumph, looking at Rey with thanks. Rey then focused on Raseyn.

Raseyn was the one student she had been a bit worried about bringing here, but she felt that at his age he needed to be pushed a little harder than the younger children. He was already 16, essentially an adult, and had only been with her for two months. His father had brought him to her, begging her to take over his studies, as he had become afraid of his son’s power and where it was heading. Rey had felt no darkness in the young man, but she had felt that power, and she knew it needed direction. While she was uncertain if she could help him become a Jedi, she knew she needed to insure he didn’t become something dangerous to himself and others.

Raseyn had had a good upbringing. Parents who loved him and cared for him the best they could while living off the land as farmers on Lah’mu. Though his mother had died when he was only eleven and he and his father had been on their own since, Rey knew that his early upbringing had been beneficial for the positive direction of his Force abilities. The fact that he was one of three of her students who had no immediate family member with Force sensitivity was also interesting. She pushed gently into his mind and found him struggling. The Dark was calling him, as it once called her, sensing his lack of experience and understanding. His ‘wall’ of Light was fading, but he was still trying. She added her own light to that wall and could feel its imaginary glow build. She felt Raseyn bolster himself and she saw the light brighten even more. She encouraged him to push, and he did. As she felt him strengthen, she backed off. He had to do this himself. She could give them a boost, but they needed to finish on their own. And he did. Breathing hard, he finally opened his eyes and met hers with gratitude.

She smiled and nodded. “Perfect,” she said softly, so as not to disturb the silence that surrounded them. “That was only an inkling of what the Dark Side can do if you let it in. Control. That is the key. Not ignoring it. Not pretending it’s defeated and gone. It will always be there, but you can master it. And that is far different than letting it master you.” She paused, then clapped her hands suddenly, making everyone in the room, including Finn, jump. “Let’s get the hell out of here!”

Laughing with the sudden ease of tension, her students jumped up and headed for the door, where Finn stepped aside and ushered them through. Just outside waited the Millennium Falcon and her owner Chewbacca, as well as Rose and R2-D2, ready to take them all back to Ajan Kloss.

“That went well,” Finn told her as the last student passed through the door. “It looked like Raseyn was having some issues, though.”

She nodded. “More from lack of experience than anything, I think,” she agreed. “He was still fighting it when I helped. And I only helped a bit. He finished on his own.”

“Good,” Finn said with a grin. He liked the kid. Raseyn reminded him of himself.

“Thank you for being there to help me if I needed it,” Rey told him.

“Yeah, I don’t know what help I could have given you, but I was ready for anything.”

Rey laughed. “Well, my experiment was a success, I think,” she said as she turned and used the Force to close the temple door behind them. “I hope my theory is correct and it helps them avoid falling to the Dark Side in the future.”

“I think it will definitely help,” Finn said.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea came over Rey and her gut clenched. She stopped short and hunched over. Finn turned toward her, startled.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, a bit panicked. After all, they were still next to the Sith temple.

The wave passed and Rey stood straight. “Nothing. I’m okay.” She started walking again. “Probably stress from this trip,” she told him softly, as they were nearing the Falcon’s ramp.

“Well, you’re going home now,” Finn said with a comforting hand on her shoulder. “And now you can get ready for your honeymoon. Finally.”

“Yes,” Rey said with a smile. Only three months after the wedding, she thought sarcastically. “Finally!”

******

Rey met with her students the next morning after they arrived back on Ajan Kloss. She talked with them all individually to start, then they all sat together in one of the jungle clearings and talked about their experiences. When one child would mention a certain thought or feeling, another would inevitably say, “Me, too!” It was a great confidence boost and gave them all a certain level of comfort knowing they were not alone in this unique aspect of their training.

Around mid-morning, confident that they were all mentally okay after their visit with the Dark Side, she released them for their three-week holiday. As they all lived here on Ajan Kloss with one or more family members, the planned vacation time would be used in a variety of ways. Some would be going back to their home planets to spend time with other family. Some were planning fun trips elsewhere. And a few would be staying here, relaxing and enjoying the mild weather the ‘dry’ season had to offer. Rey would be heading out for her own vacation, only the second one she’d ever had, as soon as her husband arrived from Naboo.

After dismissing the class, she headed for the Falcon. Chewie had offered to loan her the ship, something he often did as he considered her a partial owner of the old beast, for her honeymoon trip to Kennera. Rey wasn’t about to refuse, as she loved the ship and was always happy to take her out whenever she could. When she got there, Chewie was already at work checking systems and tightening nuts to insure she was good to go. Rey helped finish the job and was late getting to the mess hall for lunch, which she was okay with as that meant less people. While she loved this base and considered most of the people on it her friends, she was still very much an introvert and was happiest alone or with only one or two of her closest companions.

It was while she was making a sandwich at the food counter that a familiar voice came from behind her. She had felt the presence of the person, but never thought anything of it, as she always knew she was safe here on base. So, the voice surprised her as being someone who wasn’t a Resistance member.

“I know I’m late, but I thought it best to offer you my congratulations while I’m here.”

Rey turned with a smile. “Zorii!” Rey would always remember the day she met Zorii Bliss on Kijimi. Of course, it had been a memorable day for many other reasons. Zorii had helped them several times over in those last few extraordinary hours that lead up to Exegol. She had helped them get the translation that had led them to the Sith Wayfinder, she had given them access to the Star Destroyer Steadfast so they could rescue Chewie, and then she had participated in the Battle of Exegol, taking out a couple of Sith Star Destroyers with her Y-wing the Comeuppance all on her own. All these actions made her, in Rey’s mind, an ally of the best sort. But as she looked at the lithe woman in her custom-made flight suit/armor, the visor of her helmet raised only enough to show her eyes, Rey also remembered how she had been introduced to Zorii in the first place. “What brings you back to Ajan Kloss?” she asked the former spice runner with a little more coolness.

“I had to meet up with Commander D’Acy about a possible courier job to the Outer Rim,” she said, her green eyes flashing. “I saw you over here and thought I would say ‘hi.’” She glanced around. “I see you’re alone,” she stated, but there was a question in her voice.

“Poe is on Naboo,” Rey responded, answering Zorii’s unasked question.

Zorii nodded. “So that’s why I met with D’Acy.” Larma D’Acy was second in command of the Ajan Kloss base, which meant she was in full control most days with Poe working for the New Republic on Naboo. However, she was in contact with him daily, and neither he nor anyone else on the base worried about her competence. Finn, who had taken the title General for the Battle of Exegol alongside Poe, had given it up after the final mop-up. “I’ve been a soldier literally my whole life,” he had told them. “I just want to be a man for a while.”

“Would you like to join me?” Rey asked Zorii, indicating the table where there were still several food choices available, even this late in the afternoon.

Zorii seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Sure,” she finally said. “I could eat.”

Rey waited until she made her choice, then lead the smaller woman to a table. She watched curiously as Zorii removed her helmet, and for the first time Rey saw the smuggler’s face. She couldn’t help feeling a bit resentful when she saw Zorii Bliss sans helmet. She was beautiful. Rey had to be at least 15 years younger than the woman, and she indeed felt almost like a child seated across from her. Or a screerat next to a Loth-wolf, Rey sighed. And this woman had once been her husband’s… what? Girlfriend? Lover? She wasn’t even sure how close the two had been before Poe had left the spice trade.

The two women began eating, but the tension between them was palpable. Rey was mad at herself and her appetite seemed to be suffering because of it. She had never been jealous of anyone since before she and Poe had started dating almost a year ago, and even then, the guarded feelings she had had were mild, as she hadn’t admitted to herself she had any attraction to him back then. After they had started dating, she had never had any cause to feel jealousy; Poe never even seemed to notice any other women outside of professional interest. But Zorii was before that. Zorii was before her.

She might as well acknowledge the Bantha in the room. “Are you still mad at Poe?”

Zorii looked surprised. “For what?”

“Leaving Kijimi,” Rey answered. “Leaving you?”

Zorii shook her head. “No, that bitterness disappeared long ago,” she said. “I understood why he did it. I just didn’t want to admit he was right.” She gave Rey a sad smile. “Smugglers and spice runners aren’t supposed to care about causes. They’re only supposed to care about themselves.” She cocked her head. “I guess that’s why I knew Poe would never last in the business. He always cared too much about everything.”

Rey nodded. “I know. I think that’s why Finn and I were so shocked when we found out what he used to do.” She smiled softly. “Scavengers are supposed to be like that, too. Everyone for themselves.” She shook her head. “I am much happier where I am now.”

Zorii looked at her for a long time. “A Jedi. A teacher. And now a wife.”

“I hadn’t expected I would love being all of those things,” Rey told her. “But I do.”

Zorii looked down at her plate. “I’m sorry. I have to ask this.” She looked back up at Rey. “How? How in the galaxy did you and Poe end up together?”

Rey was startled into laughter. “That’s a long story,” she told the other woman. “Let’s just say that it’s always best to start off as friends.”

Zorii’s expression looked clouded for a moment. “I guess,” she replied softly. “I wouldn’t know much about that.”

Rey looked at her. “You don’t have friends?” she asked tentatively.

Zorii focused on her again. “Well, I guess I do, now. A couple of the pilots I’ve been working with since Exegol have become people I’m happy to call friends. But, no,” she shook her head. “Back on Kijimi, I never trusted anyone that much.”

“Not even Poe?”

“Especially not Poe,” Zorii said emphatically. “Like I said, I knew he wouldn’t last. I knew he would leave eventually.”

“Then why did you get so mad at him when he did leave?”

Zorii stared at her. “You want the truth?”

“Of course.”

She sighed. “I was falling in love with Poe. And he gave every indication that he wanted more from me, too.”

Rey felt her heart lurch at the words, but she wasn’t surprised to hear them.

“I kept him at arm’s length,” Zorii continued. “By the time I was ready to commit, ready to say ‘yes’ to his constant requests for more, he left. Just like that. One day he was the same happy-go-lucky Poe he’d always been, then we stopped at Falucia and saw the First Order massacre there, and then he was gone.”

Rey knew about Falucia. Poe had told her that story early in their relationship. Her heart ached, not just for the people of the village that was destroyed by the First Order so long ago, but for Zorii.

Zorii looked at her. “No worries. When I talk about his constant requests for more, I don’t mean anything other than something physical. Everyone there knew Poe Dameron was not going to settle down.” She smiled. “Only he did. And with a Jedi.”

She looked down at her now empty plate. “I better get going.” She stood and picked up her helmet, then looked down at Rey. “I don’t know which one of you is more fortunate. You for finally catching that impossible man, or him for finding an amazing woman like you.” She smiled and nodded at Rey. “Tell him congratulations for me, will you?”

“I will,” Rey nodded back.

With that, Zorii walked away, putting her helmet back on as she did so.

Rey sat for long while, smiling to herself. She couldn’t wait for that impossible man of hers to come home.

******

Rey jerked awake from a deep, dreamless sleep. She blinked, struggling to orient herself, sitting up searching the darkness around her. She was in her bed, in her apartment on Ajan Kloss, and the chrono next to the bed told her it was still a couple of hours before dawn. So, what had awakened her?

She reached out with the Force and found the answer easy enough. She relaxed and lay back down with a smile on her face.

He was home.

It was a good thirty minutes before she heard the apartment door open. The footsteps that followed were quiet, and the whirring sound that accompanied them was also quiet, though it got a bit louder as it came closer to the open bedroom door. BB-8, she knew, checking on her first as he always did. She heard a whispered, “Hey, don’t wake her,” that made her smile. “Go charge,” Poe said to his droid quietly. She heard more sounds and her mind imagined her husband removing his flight suit and boots while BB-8 moved to his charging station for the night. Soon, she heard him walk into the bedroom and move quietly toward the fresher.

“You don’t need to sneak,” Rey said quietly. “I’m already awake.”

“Damn it,” Poe responded. “Will I ever be able to come home and slip into bed without you waking up?”

“Unlikely,” she said with a smile. “Go take your shower and then I’ll tell you why.”

He sighed and moved into the fresher, turning the light on and closing the door. Rey reached over to the nightstand to grab an illuminator and lit the candle next to the bed with it. Poe would lose his night vision temporarily in the brightly lit fresher, so the candle would help him once he got out. Plus, she just wanted the soft light. She lay in bed, waiting patiently for the shower water to quit, but even when it did, he didn’t come out right away. It took a moment for her to realize why and she smiled. He must be shaving.

Poe’s beard came in fast and it came in thick. The last time he came home, also arriving late at night, Rey woke to a serious case of beard burn the next morning. Poe had felt horrible and had promised he’d keep up on the shaving before joining her in their bed from then on. Rey had teasingly told him she didn’t mind it, as long as he refrained from giving it to her in places that were visible to the public. She took great pride in making him blush with that statement.

Finally, the fresher door opened, and before he switched off the light Rey saw his clean-shaven face. And his nakedness.

She sat up and got to her knees, shuffling to the edge of the bed where he walked to meet her. “Welcome home,” Rey whispered before their mouths met. He reached down and grabbed the edge of her night shirt, then pulled it up and off of her, breaking their kiss only briefly to get it over her head. They continued kissing and touching for a minute or so, but then Rey pulled away and slid back onto the bed, laying down without losing eye contact with him. He followed, crawling forward on his hands and knees until he was straddled over her, bringing himself down onto his elbows once his body was aligned with hers, caging her underneath him. They both knew that she could easily flip him off of her and pin him if she wanted to, and she wouldn’t even need to use the Force to do so, but she was quite content where she was.

He kissed her again. “So, want to tell me how I can never sneak in here at night?” he asked. “Some Jedi super-hearing or something?”

She smiled and shook her head. “No. I would need to focus that to use it and I don’t do that in sleep,” she told him honestly. “I just knew you were here. Probably when you entered atmosphere, this time.”

His eyes widened, then he furrowed his brow. “You mean, you can sense me?” They had talked about things like this back when they first became a couple, about how strong Force users could sense those they cared about, even if that person had no affinity for the Force.

Rey nodded. “I’ve been able to sense your presence since before we married, but it’s gotten stronger and stronger every time you come home,” she said. “It wakes me up, lets me know you’re here.” She grinned. “You’ll never be able to run or hide from me now, Dameron.”

He grinned back. “I think I’m okay with that,” he told her.

She reached up and started to caress his naked shoulders. “Zorii was here today,” she said softly.

Poe nodded. “Larma told me. It’s good we finally got her doing legitimate work.” He closed his eyes and threw his head back. “Geez, that feels good.” Rey’s hands had worked their way down his back.

“She wanted to congratulate us on our marriage,” Rey continued, watching him carefully.

Poe looked at her again, starting to suspect she was doing more than seducing him. “Let me guess, she told you I wasn’t to be trusted and wouldn’t be faithful to you, right?”

Rey stopped what she was doing and looked at him in shock. “What?” she exclaimed. “Why would she say that?”

“Because I was an egotistical flirt back then and tried, unsuccessfully, I might add, to get her in my bed several times.” He grimaced. “She accused me more than once of going after other women while I was going after her and that she could never trust me. That was her excuse for saying ‘no,’ anyway.”

“Did you know she was on the verge of saying ‘yes’ when you left?” Rey asked tentatively.

Poe cocked his head. “No,” he told her, looking contemplative. “It wouldn’t have kept me from leaving,” he said sadly. “Because she was right. I wasn’t looking to make a real relationship. I never wanted a real relationship.” He sat up suddenly, sitting back on his heels, her legs still locked between his. He reached down and grabbed her left hand. “I never really thought I would ever find someone to wear this,” he said, his expression serious as he gently touched the ring on her finger. “Until I started imagining it on you.” He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed the ring, touching it suggestively with his tongue and making Rey’s breath quicken. “So, what else did Zorii say?”

Rey swallowed and licked her lips, trying to get moisture back into her mouth in order to speak. “She said I was lucky to have caught you,” she whispered. “And you were lucky to have found me.”

“Damn right,” Poe said softly. He leaned over toward the nightstand and blew out the candle Rey had lit earlier. “And don’t you forget it,” he told her as he lowered himself down and began kissing her again. Only this time, he wasn’t kissing her mouth.

Oh, yes, Rey thought as she began to float in pleasure. She was so very glad to have this impossible man home.

******

They set out for the planet Gundula the following afternoon. They had discussed whether or not they should bring BB-8 when they planned the trip, and they still hadn’t made a decision yet that morning. Poe argued that if he was a child he would stay home; honeymoons were for the couple, not their children. Rey had actually laughed at him. “Not if he was a toddler,” she argued. “Babies stay with their parents!”

“BB-8 is not a baby,” Poe argued back. “He’s a working astromech droid…”

“That you have always treated like a child,” Rey finished. “He knows to stay out of the way. He has always been more help than hinderance. And he knows to stay out of the bedroom.” BB-8 actually had trouble understanding that last directive, but he obeyed.

“Rey, we don’t need him!” Poe hissed, not wanting the droid to overhear. “I wanted it to be just us.”

Rey folded her arms and glared at him. “You’ll miss him,” she said. “You know you will. Two weeks is a long time.”

Poe hung his head and sighed, admitting defeat. “Fine. But he’s gonna get so bored.”

They set out in the Falcon, Rey in the pilot’s seat, Poe in the oversized co-pilot’s seat, and BB-8 happily chittering away behind the center consol. He’d never been on a vacation before.

Gundula was not a very nice planet overall. It was mostly ocean, and the ocean was teeming with huge predators that made sailing even large craft precarious. The few islands that dotted the ocean surface were also full of less than pleasant carnivorous residents. But Kennera was the exception.

Kennera was a large island set near the equator. In its center was a tropical jungle, full of life, but nothing of the dangerous sort like the other islands on the planet. White sand beaches stretched all along the kilometers of shoreline, and the predators that cruised the ocean depths elsewhere never came close to Kennera. No one was sure why, but the native Kennerans had long ago taken advantage of their island’s uniqueness and beauty and created a city sized resort that catered to hundreds of different species throughout the galaxy, and there were many that enjoyed warmth, sun, and sand. Poe had contacted the management a month ago, after he and Rey had finalized their time off, and reserved a bungalow on one of the private beaches. It wasn’t far from the city center, but far enough from the main hotel and resort entertainments to give it an isolated feel. Neither he nor Rey liked large crowds for any extended period of time.

Upon arriving at the Kennera landing field, a resort speeder met them and took them through the city, past the many shops and entertainment venues, and the dozens of beings happily strolling about on vacation. The Kennerans themselves were tall humanoids, with pale luminescent skin and hair that ranged from silver grey to solid white. It was rare to see a Kenneran not smiling or happy, and as the speeder went along, Rey understood why. While the resort itself was beautiful and the staff was super friendly and competent, there was an air of joy throughout the whole island. Rey felt it and recognized it for what it was: the very strong presence of the Light Side of the Force.

This was why Ben Solo had never wanted to leave.

They arrived at their bungalow and Rey was very impressed by its location and its design. The whole back side of the building, the side facing the beach, was open, but a forcefield could be used to ‘close’ it, still allowing the view without the weather. The forcefield could be darkened, too, so as to allow privacy, though their porter assured them that access to the beach was controlled so well that the odds anyone would be able to look in on them were very slim. Poe tipped the man, with the assurance that neither housekeeping nor food service would come unless requested.

Rey immediately walked out the open back and down the steps of the beautifully crafted wooden deck to the beach. She removed her shoes and walked out onto the hot sand, enjoying its warmth, and continued on until she reached the water. She glanced down the beach both directions, but was happy to see no one. Ben Solo may have introduced her to this place in a vision, but she knew he wouldn’t be showing up here in person. She stood with her face up to the sun, feeling the cool ocean waves flow in around her feet, trying to take the sand she was standing on out from under her. She laughed when a particularly large wave splashed up against her thighs. She felt Poe come up behind her.

“So?” he asked.

She knew what he was asking and turned around to face him. He had removed his boots, but the cuffs of his trousers were already getting wet from the waves. “It looks like it did when I first saw it,” she told him. “And the Light Side energy is out of this world!”

“Even I can feel it,” Poe said. “It’s like every worry or concern I’ve had for these last few months is gone,” he told her. “It’s crazy.” He looked back behind him at BB-8 who had stayed on the deck. Though he had no trouble with sand, it seemed as if he knew not to bother them right now. He turned back to Rey, who was smiling at him. He grinned back. “This is gonna be awesome!”

She laughed at his enthusiasm. “Let’s order something to eat,” she said and headed back toward the little house. “I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Poe responded as he turned to walk along with her. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to one of the restaurants? Get a feel for the place? Maybe get an idea of where that energy is coming from?” He knew one of the main reasons Rey wanted to visit was due to her curiosity about the Light Side power here.

“We can worry about that tomorrow,” Rey told him. “Or even later. We’re here for two weeks, after all. We have plenty of time.” She looked over at him with a sly grin. “Besides, it is our honeymoon. Shouldn’t we be focused on other things?”

Poe laughed. “Okay, okay. Here I am, trying to be a good husband and help you do what you said you wanted to do when we got here, and all you want to do is eat and have sex.” He shook his head. “Have I mentioned how much I love you yet today?”

Rey giggled as they skipped up the steps onto the deck, but as they entered the little house again, Poe stopped suddenly and Rey turned to look at him. “What?”

“Uh, problem,” he said. “There is no bedroom to lock BB-8 out of.” The droid had followed them inside and tilted his head up toward Poe at his statement. “I’m not locking him in the fresher!”

Rey glanced at the expressive droid, who had moved his head to look at her, and shrugged. “I guess we’ll just have to get used to an audience.”

“Rey!” Poe exclaimed, aghast and yet trying not to laugh at the same time.

She smiled down at the droid. “If we tell you to switch off when you see us getting amorous, would you?”

BB-8 beeped, “Of course I can, but then who will guard you while you are totally oblivious to everything else going on around you?”

Rey looked at Poe. “He’s got a point.”

Poe sighed and shook his head and Rey moved up to stand close to him.

“You do know he doesn’t care, right?” she whispered. “He’s not gonna sit there and watch us.”

BB-8 heard her comment, squealed, and rolled back away from them. “Ick! Why would I want to?”

Rey grinned down at him, then back up at Poe, who rolled his eyes and nodded. “Fine, but it’s not gonna be easy for me to…” he looked down at his droid. “I may find it hard to…”

Rey snorted. “Trust me. You’ll forget he’s even there.” She brought her mouth close to his. “I’ll make sure of it.” She turned away suddenly and headed for the front of the room. “Now feed me, Dameron.”

He chuckled and followed her over to the comm center to order dinner. “Yes, ma’am.”

******

It turned out that Rey was right. It didn’t take long for Poe to forget they weren’t alone in the bungalow. It helped that BB-8 was totally unobtrusive. He spent most of his time while his ‘parents’ occupied themselves ‘hooking up their power couplings’ at the comm center, either linked in to the galactic news service or downloading all the free info the resort provided. When he knew Rey and Poe were sleeping, he would change his connector and charge himself. They didn’t seem to do a lot of sleeping when they were together, but since they hadn’t really spent more than 3 or 4 days in a row together since their wedding, he supposed they caught up on sleep when Poe was on Naboo. BB-8 was anxious for Poe’s job to end on Naboo. He loved flying in the X-Wing, but he felt his master was much happier when he was with Rey, and when Poe was happy, BB-8 was happy. BB-8 also missed Rey terribly when they were gone. However, the pilot had renewed his contract as flight instructor for another 6 months shortly after the wedding, so he had another three months to go. BB-8 knew they were tentatively planning on moving the Resistance base, and Rey’s Jedi school along with it, to another planet shortly after that, though he didn’t know yet what planet they were considering. He would miss Ajan Kloss.

It wasn’t until the fourth day of their vacation that Rey and Poe even thought about leaving the bungalow. They spend a great deal of time on the deck, where a dining table and two chaise lounge chairs provided comfort, and often walked on the beach, but other than that they had been quite content just to be alone together. Last night they had headed out toward the beach well after midnight, Poe asking BB-8 to stay and guard the little house, and they hadn’t returned for a couple of hours. Both were giddy and breathless upon their arrival back, wet and covered in sand. BB-8 had assumed they had spent the time copulating on the beach, which must have been uncomfortable, but what did he know? He had long ago stopped trying to figure out humans.

This morning it was raining. The clouds that had moved in shortly after sunrise were the first they had seen since arriving here, and the rain that fell was hard and the wind that blew with it was strong. They closed the forcefield for the first time due to the brief storm, but within an hour the sun was back and the rain drenched land seemed to glow. Shortly afterward, Poe called for a transport, and the three of them headed for the main resort.

BB-8 followed his humans contentedly as they strolled through the many shops and venues of Kennera. They purchased a few knick-knacks for each other, stopped for food on occasion, and by evening had settled in a lovely outdoor café within sight of the beach and watched the sun set over the ocean. They talked of everything and nothing, and BB-8 was impressed with the lack of bickering between the two. Since they had met, his two favorite people had always argued, and it had just become normal for him to see it. They never got super mad at each other, though BB-8 remembered Finn stepping in on more than one occasion to try and ease the tension in the past. Since they had been married, Finn had let them have at it. Probably because he knew the two would probably end the quarrel in bed. So, to see them so happy and content these last few days was a bit of an oddity in BB-8’s world. He assumed it had something to do with the Light Side that Rey talked about.

After their dinner and sunset, Poe and Rey stayed to watch a show put on by the native Kennerans. The music and dancing were interesting even to him. These people were truly a wonderful, mysterious species, and he didn’t think he had ever seen one before coming here. He had overheard that they rarely left their planet. They had been unusually attentive to Rey, which BB-8 appreciated, and he wondered if they knew she was a Jedi. Finally, he could tell his humans were starting to run out of steam. It was almost midnight before another transport brought the trio back to their bungalow, and for the first time since they arrived Rey and Poe showered and went right to sleep, with no coupling first. BB-8 was happy to charge up himself; it had been a long, busy day, but the little droid was so very happy to be here with his humans.

Though not ‘alive’ in the biological sense, even BB-8 felt the Light of Kennera.

******

Rey woke the next morning slowly, her eyes opening to the bright sunlight shining on the beach outside, the sound of the waves soothing and almost tranquilizing. She sighed, shifting slightly so she could bring her arm out from under her body where she had been laying on it long enough for it to have become uncomfortable. She could feel the heat of Poe’s body behind her and heard his easy, rhythmic breathing, letting her know he was still sleeping. She lay there quietly, allowing her body and brain to wake at their leisure. She didn’t remember ever feeling so lazily content before. Her life never really allowed it, either before or after she left Jakku. It was wonderful.

However, as she continued to lay there, she felt her stomach start to churn and make gurgling noises, and it wasn’t hunger she was feeling. As the nausea grew stronger, she quickly jumped out of the bed and ran to the fresher. BB-8 turned his head sharply as she passed him, and quickly unplugged himself from the charge port. He followed her carefully to the fresher. Rey leaned over the commode, expecting to empty the contents of her stomach, but her gut soothed itself before anything could come up. She stayed put for a while, breathing deep, her mind going over everything she had eaten the day before and wondering what of the many foods she had sampled had decided to rebel in her stomach.

She was getting a drink of water when she heard Poe’s voice from the bed. “Rey?”

“In here,” she called and peeked around the doorframe. BB-8 was in the doorway, having watched the whole episode with concern. She looked down at him and smiled, not wanting him to be concerned and pass that worry to Poe. She stepped out of the fresher and walked back to the bed, feeling her body heat as her husband’s eyes raked over her naked form. Would she ever not blush when he looked at her like that? She climbed back into the bed, making him move over as she had exited from the other side, and curled up against him. He held her, tucking her head under his chin and stroking her hair. For a long time, they just lay like that, content to just be.

Finally, Rey spoke. “I figured it out,” she told him.

“Figured what out?” Poe asked sleepily.

“Where the Light is coming from.”

Poe’s hand stopped his stroking. “You found it?” he asked, surprise in his voice. “When?”

“It took almost all day yesterday,” she said. “I would feel it surge and I would move in that direction, and it would fade.” She shook her head. “I was so confused for so long, but then I started to wonder.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “The show last night confirmed my suspicions.”

Poe looked at her expectantly. “Well?”

“It’s the people,” Rey said with a smile. “It’s the Kennarans themselves. They are the Light.”

Poe looked at her in shock. “All of them?”

Rey nodded. “Yes. That’s why it’s so strong here. Every one of them carries an enormous amount of Light energy. They spread it and share it without even knowing it.” She shook her head. “It’s amazing, because they don’t really seem to be sensitive in the Force itself, like I am, but they do seem to be aware of that natural power they carry.”

She sat up, excited now to tell all she had learned while subtly watching the native people the night before. “That’s why this island is the way it is compared to the other islands on this planet. That Light energy makes the larger, more dangerous predators uncomfortable, so they stay away. It’s not that they’re Dark, really, it’s just that the Light is too much for them. I have noticed that almost every native animal we’ve come across since we’ve been here has a powerful Force presence, and it’s as if they are drawn to the Light.”

“That’s crazy,” Poe told her, his expression fascinated. She felt her heart expand, knowing he truly was interested, that he wasn’t just humoring her. “I thought they were all deferring to you yesterday because they knew who you were, but I bet it’s because they feel the Light in you, too.”

Rey drew back a bit, startled by his statement. “You think so?”

“Rey, they probably think you belong here with them.”

Rey shook her head, “Well, that’s too bad. Because I don’t,” she stated. “I belong with you.”

Poe shrugged. “So maybe we should consider moving the base here.”

Rey was already shaking her again before he even finished his statement. “I think the last thing they want here is a resistance base with weapons and ships and warriors.” She smiled at him. “I still think Yavin IV is our best choice right now.” She cocked her head. “However, this might be a good place to bring my students for a field trip. To counter the trips to Sith temples.”

“Whatever you say, Mesh’la.”

Rey narrowed her eyes at him, unsure if he was serious or not, as he had never used that endearment for her before. But as she looked at him, he brought up his hand and started stroking her cheek softly with his thumb. She relaxed into his touch, closing her eyes and thinking to herself that she would be quite okay being called ‘beautiful’ by him as often as he chose to do so.

“Now that we’ve solved the mystery of Kennera,” Poe continued, “what do you want to do today?”

“I think I want to go out on one of those schooners today. I’ve never been out on a calm ocean before.” She grinned, making light of what had to have been one of the scariest moments of her life, when she had taken a skimmer out into the insane waves on Kef Bir in order to get to the Death Star wreck and the Wayfinder that was hiding there.

“Oh, geez,” Poe groaned. “Don’t remind me of that day.” It had been one of the scariest moments of his life, too, watching her out on that ocean. He nodded. “I think I would enjoy a nice, smooth boat cruise, though.”

Rey grinned at him. “But first things first…”

“Let me guess, you’re hungry?”

“Yes,” she answered as she threw her leg over his and straddled his lap. “But not for food.”

If BB-8 could have rolled his eyes, he would have, but instead he just turned and rolled back to the comm center.

******

Three nights later, Rey woke in the wee hours of the morning and made a swift run to the fresher. This time her dinner from the night before did come up. As usual, BB-8 had left his post and followed her. But he stayed silent, and for that she was grateful; Poe was still sleeping and she wanted to keep it that way. After her roiling stomach finally calmed, Rey brushed her teeth and grabbed one of the resort’s robes from the back of the fresher door. Putting it on, she walked on silent feet out of the bungalow and onto the deck. Two of Gundula’s three visible moons were shining brightly over the ocean tonight, and Rey stood admiring them, breathing in the fresh air of this amazing place, hoping her thoughts would settle as quickly as her stomach had.

It was then she felt a familiar presence behind her. She heard BB-8 start to rock in agitation and quickly turned to face him. “It’s okay, BB-8!” she whispered. “I’m sure you recognize a friend.” Then she looked over toward the woman in question.

Leia Organa looked like the Princess she was, dressed in fine robes and surrounded by the mystical blue light that helped her achieve solid form through the Force. She stood looking at Rey with a bemused smile on her face.

“Master Organa,” Rey said softly with reverence.

“Master Skywalker,” Leia responded with a nod. She started walking forward until she reached the railing of the deck that Rey had been standing at. “So, you found Kennera.”

Rey nodded, moving to stand next to her former mentor, the woman whom she had loved as a mother. “Thanks to your son,” Rey said quietly.

Leia’s smile grew and she nodded. “I had wondered if he had managed to speak with you, yet. Your connection while he was alive was so powerful, I never had any doubt he would find a way.” She looked over at Rey with wonder. “Dyads are still not well understood, even in this realm.”

“Do you see him?” Rey asked. “Can you speak to him?” She would feel so relieved knowing he was back with his mother.

“Our contact is limited, but yes,” Leia responded. “As time goes on, I feel we’ll be able to connect with each other more.” Her smile grew sad. “He actually sees his grandfather more than anyone, I think. They share more than blood, now. Guilt is a powerful thing, though it eases with time.”

Rey felt a shiver run up her spine. She couldn’t even imagine the remorse and shame Ben must feel. She often felt that had he lived he never would have been able to have a normal life with the stigma of his past as Kylo Ren to endure. She had hoped that in death that regret would be erased.

Leia seemed to read her thoughts. “It will be. Eventually.” She sighed. “He’s in a sort of purgatory right now. Which is why Anakin can help him more than anyone; he’s already been through that.”

Rey looked at her with wonder. “You speak of your father with compassion,” she said.

“He’s earned it,” Leia told her with a wry twist to her mouth. “But enough about us. I came to talk about you.” She turned toward Rey. “I’m assuming you have learned the secret of this place?”

“You mean that it’s the Kennarans themselves that are the bearers of the Light?”

Leia smiled. “Yes. How long did it take you to figure that out?”

“Too long,” Rey answered. “We played tourist around the whole resort for most of the day while I tried to solve the mystery. It finally all came together that night.”

Leia laughed. “So, a day? That’s how long it took you?”

Rey nodded.

Leia shook her head. “Oh, Rey. It took me half a dozen visits to this planet before I worked it out. You just don’t understand yet how powerful you are, do you?”

Rey blushed at the combined compliment and chastisement.

“You are still so innocent, just like Luke was, though you had a much rougher upbringing than he did.” Leia looked back out over the ocean. “Don’t ever change, Rey. That innocence is what keeps the Light so bright inside you. You aren’t afraid of the Dark; you’ve defeated it too many times to fear it. I think it fears you,” she added wryly. She turned toward Rey again. “I just wanted you to know how very proud we are of you. And how much we are all still in your corner. Don’t ever forget that, even when things get tough.”

“Are you telling me they’re going to get tough?” Rey asked with worry. She knew this happily-ever-after couldn’t last.

“You will have some rough moments ahead, yes,” Leia nodded. “But you’ll have more than enough moments like you’ve been having here on Kennera to make up for it.” She grinned. “At least you’ve found yourself a worthy partner through it all.” She looked over at BB-8. “And I’m not talking about the droid, no offense BB-8.”

BB-8 had been following their conversation intently, and was a bit surprised when the ‘ghost Leia’ spoke to him.

Rey looked back as well, into the darkened room beyond the droid. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I have.” She looked back at Leia. “Did you know?” she suddenly asked. “Did you know he watched me back then?”

“Why do you think I always assigned him as your protection whenever you had to go off world?” Leia replied mildly. “Finn and Chewie were more than capable of looking out for you, but I always tried to make sure they were doing something else whenever I sent you on an errand.”

Rey laughed softly. “He always complained about it, too. Saying he was more than a bodyguard.” She shook her head.

“At least you both figured it out.” She stepped back away from the railing and started walking away. “And you’ll figure this out, too.”

Rey frowned. “Figure what out?”

Leia turned back to her and smiled. “Congratulations. It’s a girl.” With that, she faded into the night.

A feeling similar to a mild electric current shot through Rey at Leia's parting words. Her hands shot to her belly. “Oh. Wow.” It wasn’t something she ate after all. She reached out tentatively with the Force, focusing it on her body in a way similar to when she healed. And there it was. There she was. Waiting and growing and living. An individual presence in the Force already, her tiny heart beating a steady rhythm.

Her daughter.

******

Poe turned over onto his back, throwing his arm off to the side, sprawling himself on top of the bed as he slowly woke up. He was aware of two things immediately. One, his arm had not landed on his wife. And two, he could hear BB-8 next to the bed on his other side. He turned his head to the right, looking at the empty space next to him. Nope. No Rey. That wasn’t unusual, as she was often awake and up before him. So, he turned his head to the left, giving his droid a glare. BB-8 was rocking back and forth, something he only did when he was either excited or agitated, but he was silent. The later part was odd, and concern immediately washed over him.

He sat up in the bed and searched the room for Rey. The fresher door was open, the light off. She wasn’t at the comm center or the kitchen area behind it. He looked outside at the deck, which was lit up with early morning sunlight. There. In the chaise. He scrambled out of bed and padded across the floor, heading outside and directly for his wife, who was curled up asleep in one of the resorts robes. He squatted down next to her, his concern unabated by the relaxed look on her face. He touched her arm gently. “Hey. Rey?”

She opened her eyes, blinking sleepily at him, and smiled. Then she seemed to realize where she was. “Oh!” she gasped as she sat up. Poe leaned back and grabbed one of the chairs next to the table behind him, pulling it toward him so he could sit down. “I was asleep!”

“Yeah, you were,” Poe responded, still worried. He glanced at BB-8, who had followed him outside and was still rocking back and forth. Still silent. This was not normal. “Are you okay?”

Rey nodded. “I just sat down to think and I must have fallen asleep.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“What were you doing out here?” he asked.

She focused on him and suddenly smiled. “I saw Leia!”

“Leia?” Poe repeated. “You talked to her?”

Rey nodded. “Yes! It was so wonderful to hear her voice again. It’s the first time she’s really ‘talked’ to me since… Well, you know.”

Poe took a deep breath. It wasn’t every day someone you loved told you they had just had a conversation with someone else you loved, who just happened to be dead. But that was the crazy life he was living, now. “What did she say?” he asked. In his experience, Force ghosts only seemed to appear to give warnings.

Rey took a deep breath. “Did you know she intentionally had you take me on the rally missions back on Ajan Kloss? The ones you always complained about.”

He gave a snort. “Why am I not surprised?” He gave her a small smile. “I’m guessing that means she approves?”

“Of course, she does,” Rey said with a smile. “She called you a ‘worthy partner.’”

“Well, I’m not so sure that’s true, but I’m trying,” he told her with a wry smile. He remembered back to those days, the first few months after they had settled on Ajan Kloss. He had done everything in his power to be a worthy leader, knowing Leia expected him to take on more and more responsibility while she focused on training Rey. Those few times she had requested he accompany Rey on visits to other Resistance cells were always something he dreaded as much as he looked forward to. While he had seen Rey for the first time on D-Qar immediately after the destruction of Starkiller Base, he had not had the time to get to know her. That day on Crait, when he had been in the midst of full on panic after finding their escape route blocked by literally tons of boulders, only to feel shock and awe as those boulders were moved aside as if they were dust by that same young woman both Finn and BB-8 couldn’t stop talking about, was a day he would never forget.

He’s pretty sure that was the day he fell in love with her, too, never once believing she would even give him a second glace. Her shy smile on the Falcon only a couple of hours later gave him hope. It had only taken a few days, however, to realize that shy smile was a cover; she was as wild as a Loth-cat underneath it. And that just made Poe want her more.

“What else did she say?” Poe asked. “What dire warning did she give you?” He was only partially joking.

Rey sighed and looked at BB-8, who was still doing his little silent dance. The droid knew something, and he had been told, probably by Rey, to not say anything. It was making him nervous.

“Well,” Rey began. “We talked about Ben.” Of course, Poe thought. That was a given. “And we talked about the people of Kennera and their secret.” Poe nodded. That made sense, too. “And…”

“And?”

Rey stood up suddenly. “Can we get some breakfast?” she said, heading inside. BB-8 squealed at her indignantly. Rey ignored him. “And maybe you could put on some pants?”

Poe laughed. He hadn’t really been concerned about the fact that he was still naked. But he guessed having a serious conversation required at least some semblance of decorum. He turned to follow her inside, BB-8 following him, beeping angrily to himself. “Don’t worry,” he told his droid. “She’ll get there.”

He found a clean pair of trousers and put them on while she ordered their meal over the comm. It would come quickly, as the Kennerans were amazingly efficient. He grabbed some Meiloorun Juice from the cooler and got utensils set up at the table outside while Rey used the fresher. Once their food had arrived, she was dressed and seemed a bit more controlled. She wouldn’t, however, look him in the eye. They sat down to eat, but Rey picked at her food, and BB-8 finally squawked at her, “Hurry up and tell him, already!”

“Yes, please,” Poe said with a smile, folding his hands in front of him and resting his chin on them.

Rey took a deep breath. “Remember how we talked about having children on our wedding night?”

Poe sat back in his chair. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “We talked about how you were scared but willing.”

“I had had a depo shot about two weeks before the wedding, which supposedly lasts about four weeks,” she told him, still not meeting his gaze. “Because of our discussion, I didn’t bother getting another one.” She finally looked at him. “Apparently, the Force didn’t want us to wait.”

Poe stared at her. He could feel his heart beating harder and faster. “So, what you’re saying is..?” He knew. But he needed to hear her say it.

“I’m pregnant.”

Poe took a deep breath, utter joy battling with absolute terror as his heart started racing. BB-8, now that he didn’t have to stay quiet, starting spinning around, beeping in delight. Poe started laughing, running his hands down his face and trying to still their trembling. “A baby?” he queried. “You’re having a baby?”

“We’re having a baby, yes,” Rey smiled. “A girl, if Leia and my sense in the Force is to be believed.”

“A girl?” Poe said with a grin. “You’re having a baby girl?”

Rey laughed. “We’re having a baby girl!” she corrected. “Don’t you dare try to get out of responsibility for this!”

Poe laughed again, jumping out of his chair and grabbing her out of hers, picking her up and swinging her around once before setting her feet back on the wooden deck. “No worries about that. I’d be shouting it from the rooftops if you let me!”

She smiled at him, shaking her head. “This is going to change things, Poe. You realize that, right?”

“Hell, yeah,” he replied. “I for sure am not renewing my contract, we may have to wait to move the base now, and I’m going to be a father, damnit!” He shook his head, the fear still there, but the excitement he felt was overwhelmingly more powerful. “Rey, this is… this is huge! This is what the Resistance is all about! Moving forward. Living. Creating.” He swallowed suddenly. Damnit, he wouldn’t cry. But his eyes weren’t listening. “Family,” he whispered. “Our family.”

Rey’s smile grew, and he noticed tears in her eyes as well. “Our family,” she repeated. “That sounds beautiful.”

Poe was happy to have a few more days on Kennera. They could keep this secret to themselves for a while, processing it internally, and start planning for the future without the stress of their current jobs on Ajan Kloss and Naboo interfering.

He had known a life with Rey would never be boring, but now they were going to add a third person to the mix. He envied Rey’s ability to sense the child within her already, but the fact that he could not did not prevent him from loving her already. He couldn’t wait to meet her! A daughter! He was going to be a father! He grabbed up Rey into another hug, then settled back on the chaise that he had found her sleeping on earlier, bringing her with him.

As she lay back against his chest, he found his hands moving down to her belly, touching her almost reverently. She placed her hands on top of his and smiled.

Let the future begin.

The End