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The trio huddled in close to their campfire. It was going to be another frigid night out in the wilderness. Hannah figured that almost two weeks had passed since they’d left the tiny ski resort town. Joel was sitting off to her left and she watched as he poured over an old map. Ellie’s astute observations from earlier that day alerted him to the fact that they’d gone in one big loop for the past day or so. At first he bristled at the idea of them being lost but soon acquiesced when they’d found a mark he’d carved on a pine tree the day before. A string of muffled curses left his mouth as he shoved the weathered piece of paper into his jacket. He then produced his flask and took a long swig, he offered it to his companions but they declined. Joel let out a long sigh then leaned back on a nearby fallen tree. “Maybe one of you should be navigatin’.” 

“Maybe we should follow the river we passed yesterday.” Ellie offered.

“Do we know it was just one river?” Hannah asked. She suspected that the waterways they’d avoided either weren’t connected or they were stuck in the fork were two rivers meet. “I know its dangerous but we might have to find a safe spot to cross.”

Joel groaned at the prospect and motioned at Hannah’s bag. She knew instantly what he meant and pulled out a can of hash. Ellie’s eyes brightened at the prospect of food, she swiped the can away then used her knife to open it. Hannah watched as the kid happily prepared their dinner. Her demeanor was a nice distraction from the coolness radiating off of Joel. Waking up alone after their night together in the chalet shouldn’t have surprised her. His words just before they drifted off to sleep kept replaying in her head. But that promise of forever had evaporated the next morning when Hannah saw him in he kitchen. Joel barely acknowledged her as she bid him good morning, a wide smile plastered across her face. He’d kept his distance the last two weeks too, only engaging with her when necessary. It was as if they were back to the way things were when they’d first met almost a month prior. Hannah didn’t bother to protest, after all, they’d be parting ways eventually. She decided to file that night in the part of her brain where her few happy memories resided and grabbed the mug of warmed hash Ellie handed her. 

It was Hannah’s turn to take first watch, she spent most of it close to the fire. The forest was silent until a strange scream echoed from the darkness. When she went to investigate two foxes bolted past when her flashlight landed on their forms. She thumped back down on her sleeping bag and noticed Joel stirring in his sleep. The past few nights she’d awoken to a similar sight. Whatever was vexing him in dreams was getting worse. His arms began to flail out in front of him and his voice raised. Hannah was worried he’d bother Ellie so she tried to gently wake him. “Joel, Joel..” She repeated as she grabbed ahold of his shoulder and gave him a good shake. He suddenly shot up, eyes wild, and it took moment for him to realize where he was. Hannah was kneeling before him and he shook off her grip and scooted back. “You ok?”

Joel stared at her for a second then answered, “Yeah.”

“Ok, well I guess I’ll turn in and you can take over for me.”

Joel just nodded and rubbed across his face. Hannah rested her rifle near her sleeping bag then crawled inside. “G’nite Tex.” She called but got no response. 

A light snow began falling as the sun rose. They made their way along the narrower of the two rivers searching for a shallow spot. Providence seemed to be on their side when they found an area where the water slowed as it meandered through a patch of fallen boulders. Joel ordered the ladies out first, Ellie barely slipped as she skipped across. Hannah lost her balance a couple times but managed to make it to Ellie unscathed. Joel was taking it slow but his final step landed wrong and he found him almost knee deep in frigid water. “Fuck!”

Hannah reached out an arm and he let her pull him up on to the bank. He continued to protest under his breath as his wet boots squelched through the snow. Ellie was up ahead looking down river, her face seemed sullen and Hannah realized why as she scanned the area. Not far ahead where the river began to bend a mess of bodies were caught in an eddy. They slowly bobbed as the water swirled past them and Hannah gripped her gun a bit tighter as she stared.

“Shit..” Joel said as he shared the gruesome sight.

“They don’t look like infected.” Hannah said as she looked back at Joel.

“They sure ain’t. Look, from here on out we stay as quiet as possible, understand?” They both nodded at his order and moved away from the riverbank. A trail marker was usually a welcome sight but they were wary when they saw how well traveled it was. Hannah watched as Joel stood silent, brows furrowed, rubbing his chin. She’d since learned that face was the one he made when his brain was attempting to formulate a plan. In a lighter situation she might have smirked at how stern yet handsome he looked. 

“Ok, I don’t want to stray from this area but we have to be alert.” He began. “You hear anything, duck for the trees, ok?’

“Will do Tex.” Hannah answered and Ellie nodded.

The sun was almost at its zenith when they spotted a cabin. A wisp of smoke rising from its chimney heralding that it wasn’t abandoned. Joel crouched and the others followed suit as they approached. The door suddenly swung open and they ducked out of sight and watched as an older man appeared. He was armed, he looked back into the cabin and called out to someone inside then closed the door. They watched as he left, when he was far enough out of sight Joel began to inch towards the building.

“Hold on!” Hannah tried to whisper as she stopped Joel.

“Whoever’s in there might know where the fuck we are.”

“So, what, we barge in there like fucking raiders?”

“Well, not exactly. But I ain’t takin’ no chances after what we saw in that river.”  Hannah sighed at his words but understood his desperation. She doubted whoever lived here was responsible for what they saw but they couldn’t just knock and ask for directions. “Fine, let’s try not to kill anyone today.”

Joel raised his eyebrows the way he always did when words didn’t fit the situation, but knew exactly what the other person meant. He stood up and and they all slowly approached the tiny cabin.

“You're not gonna scare us.” Ellie barked at the older man sitting before them. The man’s wife had been surprised at their intrusion but Hannah wouldn’t exactly call her demeanor scared. Hell, she had even made them food then listened intently to Joel’s inquiries. But it was clear that they’d never heard of Jackson, nor Joel’s brother. If she was honest, she was a bit jealous of this old Native couple who’d stole away to the wild long before the world ended. At least they never lost each other throughout it all. 

“Sacred him.” The old man’s words rankled Joel and Hannah watched as he got up to leave. Not much was said but Hannah tried to say it with her eyes as she shot a glance at the woman. The lady nodded back with a sparkle in her eye, and Hannah emerged from the cabin to see Joel leaning on the fence. He was holding his chest as his shoulders heaved.

“Holy shit, are you dying?” Was just a taste of all the things Hannah heard falling from Ellie’s mouth as she rushed over. Joel tried to quiet her as he blamed the cold air for his sudden episode. Hannah grabbed his elbow and he turned to look at her.

“Everything ok Tex?” The softness in her gaze made him pause and he just nodded. Ellie had started on the path announcing their next moves and Hannah bristled at the prospect of crossing the river again.

The caves along the riverbank became their refuge for the night. Hannah listened intently as Ellie and Joel traded stories. She admired the girl’s hope for the future and wondered if what was left of this broken world could be saved. “What about you?”

Ellie suddenly turned to Hannah who’d lost track of the conversation. “Pardon?”

“If this vaccine thing works out, what would you do Hannah?”

Hannah took a long breath and watched the steam dissipate into the night air. The future wasn’t something she’d ever pondered much, at least not before she left home. “I guess a horse farm.”

Joel snorted loudly and turned his head. Hannah stared daggers into him and kicked a clump of snow his way. “What? It’s better than sheep, Grandpa!” 

Ellie howled at the insult and Joel glared back at Hannah. “What the hell does a city girl like you know about horses?”

“My Uncle owned a ranch, about an hour south of Chicago. I started visiting there most summers when I was young then worked there when I was older. Then the world ended…”

“I’d agree horses are definitely better than sheep.” Hannah high-fived Ellie then the they bedded down for the night while Joel took first watch. Hannah awoke to find Joel fast asleep a few hours later and decided to take second. Ellie awoke not long before sunrise and relieved Hannah who stayed close to Joel while the teenager took third watch. Hannah rested her elbows on her knees and watched as Joel mumbled and thrashed in his sleep. Ellie appeared, rifle in hand and shook her head at the sight.

“He’s still mumbling in his sleep.”

Joel awoke with a start and stared at them. “You fell asleep so we took over.”

“You should wake me if that happens. You shouldn’t do things like this.” Joel sat up straight and his eyes bounced between them.

“Well we did. I was quiet, I checked my six, I looked for tracks, I found the high ground, and I kept watch.” Hannah smiled at Ellie’s confidence, the girl was more than capable but she understood why Joel was so protective. 

“You should still wake me up next time, or Hannah at least.” Hannah was actually surprised he considered her one of the adults.

“Yes Sir…” Ellie rolled her eyes when Joel wasn’t looking and the three of them left the cave and continued along the river. 

Ellie couldn’t keep her mouth shut most of the way and Joel’s responses to her got more and more terse. Hannah kept quiet most of the way, taking up the rear keeping her eyes peeled on their surroundings. The sound of rushing water became louder and they soon came upon a old hydroelectric dam. They paused and Ellie just couldn’t help herself. “Dam”

“You’re no Will Livingston.”

“Yeah, yeah, but who is?”

“Shit, this explains it…”

“Explains what?” Joel and Ellie turned to look at her.

“The ski town, why it had power. Somebody’s kept this place running.”

Joel nodded then hurried them along, the prospect of other humans bristling his nerves. Another river, with waters clearer than the sky above came into view and Ellie asked if this could be the one the old couple had called the “river of death.” Hannah looked north and was the first to see the group on horseback barreling down on them. She ran to Joel and grabbed his arm and he gazed at her in terror as they were surrounded. Hannah fell to her knees and dropped her weapon to comply with the man currently barking orders their way. She closed her eyes when they brought out the dog and prayed they would make it out of this.

__________

Jackson couldn’t be real. Hannah had decided the past few hours must’ve been a dream, surely a place this normal couldn’t exist. She wandered along the well lit street replaying the events of the day in her head. The patrol had bid them passage into the commune, Hannah was still trying to make sense of the word Maria, Tommy’s wife and one of the people in charge, had used to describe the place. It had been tense but seeing Joel’s face when he finally laid eyes on his brother made it all worth it. The town looked and worked almost like the world before, people were pleasant and the food alone made Hannah never want to leave. Ellie seemed annoyed yet fascinated by Jackson and Joel while happy to find his family, was even quieter than he’d been on the road. So Hannah spent most of the day exploring everywhere she could until she was exhausted.

She turned a corner and stopped to stare at the massive Christmas tree. She could barely remember the last time she’d decorated for the holidays, her mother always made a big deal of it. The whole family would drive out to the sticks and cut down a tree every year. The emotions bubbling up in her almost exploded to the surface but a soft snow began to fall and snapped her back to the present. She recalled Maria’s directions to where they’d put the group up for the night. Hannah took two lefts then turned right, the house was huge and she noticed a light on in one of the bedrooms. She considered knocking before she went inside but thought better of it. 

The sounds of an argument welcomed her, she stood at the base of the stairs and listened. Hannah couldn’t make out what was being said but Ellie sounded upset. Suddenly, a door slammed then another, she took a breath as she ascended the stairs. The hallway was dark and she heard someone shuffling across the floor in one of the rooms as she passed. She decided to take the room at the end of the hall and just as she went to reach for the knob a door opened. Hannah turned and saw Joel standing in the doorway to his room. He tilted his head in a gesture that beckoned her over. She came to him and he took a step back to make room for her to pass. 

(EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD!)

Hannah entered the room then let her pack fall to the floor. She heard the door close and barely had a chance to turn around before Joel was on her. His mouth slammed into to hers with a fury unlike any she’d experienced before. Hannah did her best to keep up as his tongue locked with hers. He broke away and shoved her down to the bed then landed on top of her. His kisses continued as he fumbled with the buttons on her flannel. Hannah assisted the best she could and soon her shirt was flying across the room. Joel stood up on his knees and relieved himself of his shirt as Hannah unbuttoned his jeans. He shucked his pants off then wrenched hers down her legs, then suddenly stopped. Hannah’s chest heaved as he stared at her.

“You ok Joel?” Her words seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he was in and he crawled back on to her. This time his kisses were slower and deeper, and Hannah let her hands trace along his back. He pulled away again and stared into her eyes. He looked so lost and she wanted to ask why, but his kisses continued along her jaw and neck until he reached her chest. Joel lifted her slightly and reached around to unhook her bra. The undergarment joined the rest of her clothes on the bedroom floor as he sucked and nibbled at one of her nipples. Hannah withed beneath him, trying not to make too much noise. 

“Go on darlin’ I wanna hear you.”

“Joooel…” She went breathless as his hand rubbed along her center. He shoved the fabric of her panties to the side and found her clit. Hannah’s back arched as he rubbed circles into the pert little nub between her legs. 

“You know, I was surprised at how eager you were before.” 

Hannah looked up him. 

“Couldn’t stop thinkin’ bout it all the way here. Now I can fucking do somethin’ about it.” His hand slipped lower and he sunk a finger into her. This time Hannah moaned loudly and he smirked. He pumped deeper into her and used his thumb on her clit. Joel watched as she grabbed at the bedspread and her back arched. A second finger dove inside and she lifted off the bed.

“F-f-f-fuuck!”

Joel was getting impatient, he angled his fingers and thrust harder, watching as Hannah began to fall apart. She fluttered around him then her body went tense as her orgasm crested. Joel left the bed, and Hannah watched through bleary eyes as he removed his briefs. She sat up suddenly and grabbed his hardened length. Her actions took Joel by surprise and he almost tumbled back as she took him in her mouth. “Shit, darlin’…”

Hannah hummed as her mouth slid along his shaft. His size had amazed her the first time they were together. She took him as deep as she could and he helped her along as he slowly rocked back and forth. He growled when her hand cupped his balls and slowly massaged while her tongue circled around his prick. Hannah went to take him into her mouth again but he pulled away. “Lay back, don’t wanna finish like this, I need to fuck you.”

Hannah listened and shimmied herself up the bed, pulling her panties off along the way. The old bed creaked as he positioned himself above her. She clutched his hips as he slipped inside her. He kept his pace slow to start, peppering her neck and chin with kisses. Hannah ran her fingers through his hair, then gently guided his mouth to hers. Joel sighed as they kissed, he could feel every inch of her. Goosebumps pricked along his skin wherever she touched. He wondered when she'd begun to affect him so, as he hooked his arm around one of her legs then threw it over his shoulder. Hannah gasped at the change of position and cried out when he lunged deeper into her. 

“That’s it, I said I wanna hear you.”

And hear her he did, even if her moans were almost drowned out by the sound of skin on skin contact.    His back ached as he pounded into her, but he ignored it, then pushed in so deep her head lolled to the side. He was close, he slid a hand between her legs to hasten her climax. Hannah pounded a fist against the headboard and held on for dear life as she came. A string of expletives fell from Joel’s mouth as he hunched over and released inside of her. 

Joel rolled off to the side and laid next to her, his hand rubbed across his face as his high began to subside. He felt a hand tussling the curls behind his ear and turned to look at Hannah. She smiled then leaned in for a kiss. “Can I sleep here tonight?” Joel nodded once and she snuggled in next to him. The old comforter smelled a little musty, but Joel was more enraptured by her aroma as he buried his nose in her hair. It wasn’t long before sleep overtook them both.

The sun was just threatening to rise as Joel laid there in silence. Hannah was fast asleep, her long reddish brown hair covering half her face. He gently moved it aside making sure not to wake her. There were things he wanted to say, but he worried he’d get it wrong. Just like with Ellie, it never came out quite right and he just ended up feeling guilty. Pawning her off on his brother seemed like the right idea but now he realized he’d regret not finishing their journey. Bringing Hannah would probably be a wise decision, but they hadn’t talked about what would happen after finding this place. He saw how her eyes lit up when they first saw the town and all its amenities. She should settle here, meet someone her age, play around with the horses. 

Circling buzzards were usually a bad sign. This time Char welcomed the sight of the large carrion feeders. They liked to ride the thermals rising off the heat of the volcanic vents in the tar hills. Seeing them meant she was close to her destination. The old temple was known to most on this tiny dusty moon, but not many would venture near it. Old stories of the strange feats performed by the stewards, long dead but still feared, kept the tiny population away. Char wasn’t thrilled to be standing under the hot afternoon sun that close to the lava fields but she needed the credits. The man that propositioned her at the cantina was old, too old for a trek through the desert. He assured her that the job would be worth it and that the item he wanted was buried there. 

A hot breeze licked her nose and she pulled her scarf back up. The hills were upon her now, it was just a matter of watching her step along the narrow obsidian walkways. Her speeder was back a ways, using it on this terrain was folly, as some of her childhood friends learned many rotations ago. The hills weren’t mountainous but as she ventured slightly uphill her feet slipped on the black glassy surface. She cursed as she fell to her knees and took that as an opportunity to rest. The canteen attached to her hip felt warm in her hands, she brought it to her lips and was thankful the water inside was still cool. 

A doorway was up ahead, the entrance shimmered in the heat rising from the ground. Char never understood what all the fuss was about. It was just a door in the side of a black sooty hill. Maybe in the past something more significant stood in its place, after all the empire had been here long ago. Ruins were scattered across the desert, signs of the evil that had once plagued this small moon on the outer rim. 

When she reached the door she realized she wasn’t exactly sure how to enter. She and her friends had never tried to get in, too scared by the stories the adults had spun about the place. The doorway was circular, and the door itself was made of stone. There had to be a mechanism in place to roll the thing open. Char traced her hands along the rim feeling as she went. She could see writing, in a language that was foreign to her, the symbols swirled along the doors edge. Maybe it was a riddle, she thought, as she took a step back to reassess.

A whisper tickled the back of her mind. The sun was still high overhead but the area around her suddenly felt dark. This was just her mind playing tricks and she shook her head until her scarf came loose. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep. Feelings like this had washed over her before. Ever since she was little she would feel things, or see things that weren’t there. Her minders told her to block it, or lock it away, because the unknown could hurt you. The whisper grew louder and she was running out of ideas.

“Fine.” Char gave the unseen voice permission. Her hands moved without thought, guided along the ridge of the door. At it’s apex they suddenly slid down until they sat at the center. She felt the urge to step forward, when she did a circular indentation appeared. A soft click sounded and the door began to open. Not in one smooth motion, no, it slowly deconstructed itself. On segment slid one way and another went the opposite until a long dark corridor stretched out before her.

The darkness around her had vacated and her wits returned. She pulled a glow rod from her pack and stepped inside. The coolness was a comfort and she took a moment to take off her visor. She attached it to her pack and began to walk. Her light reflected off a black surface that matched the terrain outside. The ceiling was arched and she could see more writing and what looked like murals etched into the rock. There was no time to examine further so she hurried down until she reached a large opening. 

Beyond the opening was more darkness. Char wanted to turn back, tell the old man he was wrong, but she’d made it this far. She thrust her light source ahead of her and moved forward. It took time for her eyes to adjust as she shuffled deeper into the room. The whisper returned and this time it told her to stop, when she did the room came alive. Channels began to open along the floor, light bursting from the lava that flowed along them. Her eyes followed the rift closest to her, it ended near the center where a raised area rose up from the floor. A creaking noise sounded from above and she looked up to see a chain lowering from the ceiling. There was a small metal container suspended from its end. 

Char stood silently, too afraid to move. There was a clear path ahead but her feet were stuck in place. Again the strange voice slipped into her mind. It beckoned her onwards, with a deep breath she rushed to the pedestal. A thin moat of lava surrounded the platform, she jumped it easily and gazed up at her prize. The container was just beyond her reach. She searched around the floor hoping to find a button or a lever. Instead the voice instructed her, she raised a hand and closed her eyes. 

Char didn’t see the metal box begin to vibrate, nor did she see it click open. When she felt something touch her palm she opened her eyes. It wasn’t what she expected, the pyramid shaped box was made of a clear glasslike material. She tapped it, it definitely wasn’t transparisteel. Maybe some sort of crystal, she thought. Char almost dropped it when it started to glow. The pulse faded in and out, and she twisted it under the light of her glow rod. She opened her pack and shoved it in, as fascinating as it was, she wanted out.

This time the voice screamed in her ear, run!  The room, and the whole temple it seemed, began to shake violently. Of course, she thought, the one thing anchoring this place was now resting in her backpack. Char leapt over the channels and launched herself through the arched doorway. She landed in a crouch and turned to see the room collapse into the void. The shaking continued so she heaved herself up and ran down the corridor. The light up ahead began to dwindle, kriff, she thought, the door was reconstructing itself. Char had no intention of being sealed inside a desert tomb today. She pulled out her blaster and aimed at the entrance. It was mostly folly but she had to try. One of her bolts broke off a section, she jumped then slid through just as the hallway began to fall away.

Sunlight invaded her vision and she scrambled to her feet. Without looking back she sprinted down the hill, avoiding lava streams and heat vents as she escaped. That old man owed her twice what he was offering. Char was a good distance away when she stopped to rest. The doorway was gone, replaced by a pile of rubble and smoke was rising from the spot. No doubt any further visitors would blame volcanic activity for the mess left behind and village children would have to find another phantom aberration to sneak off to. Char wrapped her scarf around her face and put her visor back on for the long trek back to her speeder.

“Did you feel that?” The young apprentice was bouncing back and forth on her tiptoes. Her lekku bounced along with her, and Rey placed a hand on her shoulder to cease her fidgeting.

“Yes, Ehlyna. I felt it.” The shift in the Force was unmistakable. Someone else had found their target, but it was no matter, it would be delivered to them soon enough. This place, it reminded her of Jakku, but more beautiful. The desert here was bursting with color, no plant life could survive where she grew up, but here the cacti were covered in flowers. Her young charge was admiring one of those blooms while she used macrobinoculars to scope out their surroundings. The small speeder they’d found most likely belonged to person responsible for the shift they felt earlier. She hoped they wouldn’t have to resort to violence to retrieve it. Not that she wouldn’t if the need arises but she wanted to set a good example for her newest pupil. 

The small group she’d amassed in the last few years were quite the assortment. Most of them were younger then her, Ehlyna being the current youngest. Rey had encountered a couple Force sensitives that were much older, but none of them wanted to join and she respected that. She was following in her former Master’s footsteps the best way she knew how. The Jedi and the Sith had left a lot of seeds across the universe. Thousands of years can’t be completely erased, so she and her apprentices and a few friends were doing their best to retrieve what they could. 

Holocrons were especially helpful, so when an old friend learned there was a collector aiming for one they quickly traveled here. The old man was odd, but thankfully a stack of credits were enough to sway him. Many of the cantina patrons craned their eyes when Rey slid the money across the table. So far no one had followed them but she knew how these backwater worlds worked. A figure suddenly popped into view through her viewfinder. She could sense how exhausted they were. Rey held out a hand and a canteen floated out of their landspeeder, she grabbed it and gave it a shake. “Looks like its time to welcome our visitor.”

Great, Char thought, someone was waiting for her. She could see a large landspeeder parked near her tiny bike. There was always a possibility this was a benign coincidence, but she knew better. Most people had a reason to be out in the desert, otherwise you kept to the settlements. She clicked the safety off on her blaster and approached slowly. There were two, one was just a kid. The short Twi’lek had a ruddy complexion, the older woman was human, dark hair. The robes they were wearing seemed somewhat official looking. But there was no New Republic in this corner of the outer rim, so she doubted they were cops. 

The kid started waving at her. Well this day was getting stranger and stranger, she thought. Char stopped about twenty feet away and kept her hand on her sidearm. The older woman approached, holding one hand in front, in that hand was a large canteen. Bigger than any Char had ever seen, she stifled the swallow her parched throat requested. 

“You must be thirsty, please.” The woman jiggled the container and Char stared her down.

“No funny business, really, you can take it.” Char took a quick step forward, snatched the canteen, then took a few steps back. She ripped her scarf and tossed her visor to the ground. The water was cool and she tried not to gasp as she sucked it down. After she had her fill she wiped her mouth and stared at the woman.

“What’s the catch?” The woman smirked then took a step towards her. 

“No catch. I grew up on a hot planet like this.”

“Look, no one comes out here unless there’s a reason. I bet you were waiting for me.” Char took another swig of water then threw the vessel back. The woman caught it without a problem and handed it over to the girl who was now beside her.

“Did you get what you were searching for?” Char tried not to glance down at her pack. 

“Look, that old coot promised me twenty, you better—“

“Only, twenty? I gave him at least fifty to pay him off.” Char rolled her eyes, the kriffing guy had sold her out to these two robed weirdos. 

“Great, so again I ask, what’s the catch?” The woman pulled a satchel off her belt, when part of her robe moved Char saw a shiny metal cylinder hanging on her belt. She wasn’t sure what it was but bet it was some sort of weapon. 

“I can pay you what he owed and you give me the item. I would rather not take it by force.”

There was always a catch. Char weighed her options and sized up the person before her. The kid wouldn’t be a problem but she couldn’t be sure about he guardian. 

“I want fifty, and you can have it.” Char could’ve bartered but it was sweltering out and all she wanted right now was a dip in the salt baths. 

“Deal.” Char was surprised but waited patiently while the woman counted out the credits. The different types of currency she pulled from the bag was startling. Who carries that many different types of credits, she thought. 

“Hand the item to Ehlyna, then you get your money.” The young Twi’lek stepped up and held out her hands. Char took her bag off her back and reached inside. When she pulled the little crystal pyramid out the kid’s eyes blew wide. It had stopped glowing, in the light of day the interior was a deep crimson. Char hadn’t noticed the gold inlays along it’s edges and she twirled it in the light for a moment. Ehlyna loudly cleared her throat and Char dropped it into her hands. The kid swapped the pyramid for credits then dropped the money into’s Char’s hand. 

“What is that thing?” The woman smiled at Char’s question.

“A holocron. It holds information.”

“Like a data spike?”

“Sort of, tell me was it easy for you to acquire?”

Char snorted. “More or less. Everything was going fine until the temple collapsed around me.”

“Sounds about right.”

Char snickered has she secured her winnings inside her bag. “Nice doing business with ya, I guess.”

She began to walk over to her speeder and noticed the girl was whispering something to the older woman. Char had just made it to her bike when it exploded. The blast threw her a few feet, she was laying face up and her ears were ringing. The face of Ehlyna appeared above her. “Are you ok!”

Char nodded as she was helped to her feet. “Let’s go!” The woman ordered and the three of them jumped into the landspeeder and raced off. As Char’s head became clearer she turned around to see a group of speeders on their tail. It was one of the gangs that operated out of her home town. This place wasn’t exactly core world material so she wasn’t completely surprised. She let out a sigh for her little bike, it had taken her a few rotations to save up for it. That anger was channeled even deeper as she pulled out her blaster and aimed.  A few shots glanced off the lead thug’s vehicle but it wasn’t enough to slow them down. A barrage of shots came barreling their way and they all ducked down as bolts ricocheted around them.

“Can you take the wheel?” The woman yelled over the fire.

“Uh, I guess.”  Char hopped into the driver’s seat, she kept the speeder steady as more bolts erupted around them. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the other two jump up on the trunk. A loud crackling sound startled her, so she turned to look. Lightsabers, she’d only heard about them in stories. The woman’s gold sword twisted and turned as she blocked a volley of blaster shots. The kid’s green saber did the same, one shot was reflected back and Char heard the explosion as one of their pursuers were taken out. Who were these two? 

Char didn’t have time to ask, a narrow canyon was up ahead. The way around would take too long so she smashed the gas pedal. They had to weave between spires of rock, Char kept the speeder level as they rounded a sharp turn. One of their speeders was now beside them, the two riders tilted towards them and rammed into their side. The woman raised her hand and one of them flew off and tumbled to the ground. She hopped over to the empty seat and plunged her sword through the driver and the handlebars. Char watched as she flipped back to her original position while the speeder careened away. Kriff, she was glad these two were on her side. 

The remaining two in pursuit were almost on their heels. The woman nodded at Ehlyna, then launched herself off the back of the car. Char should’ve been looking ahead, but the sight of that woman straddling two speeders while she blocked their blaster shots at close range was too wild to miss. The Twi’lek called out a warning and she turned back around and steered the speeder just shy of another column of sandstone. When she looked back a speeder was spiraling to the side and burst when it hit the canyon wall. Only one left, a second later the woman landed back onto the large landspeeder. Char heard another explosion and figured the job was done.

The woman settled beside her, Char pulled back on the throttle and slowed down. “Who the kriff are you guys?”

The old Corellian freighter wasn’t in terrible shape, but she was quite out of date. Char was standing in the space port staring up at the two Jedi’s method of transport. Jedi was the word that Rey used earlier. She had heard the stories, everyone had, even in her remote corner of the galaxy. Ancient tales adults used to placate children. She remembered hearing about the Republic almost falling again, but most there had paid no mind since the First Order’s evil never reached their tiny moon. Rey said they were on a quest to rebuild the Jedi order. The tiny crystal pyramid was but one of many pieces to a puzzle she was trying to complete. Ehlyna was her student, or padawan, as she explained. She had a few students back at their home base, and others spread out across the galaxy. 

Char was currently contemplating an offer. Rey wanted to hire her, they needed another crew member and it came with some perks. It had been a long time since she’d been off world. She wasn’t born in this backwater, that she knew, when her parents died she’d been sent to distant relatives. They weren’t the best guardians but she made the best of it. It sounded kind of enticing, jumping around to different worlds, seeking out treasures. Char wasn’t sure she was cut out for it, but what did she have to lose?

Rey was chatting with the one of the port attendants. Her little rollie astromech was at her side chirping at the pit droids doing repairs on the ship. She turned to her as Char approached. “So have you made a decision?”

Char had, and she surmised that the Jedi probably already knew what she was going to say. “Yeah, I’m in, if you’ll have me.”