Chapter Text
Temporary living quarters, Medship, Resistance Fleet
It was dark when Valara awoke, the ship’s day cycle had not yet started. Luke was still asleep; she heard his gentle, even breathing behind her, felt the warmth of his arm as it curled around her waist. She turned gently so not to wake him, and her eyes adjusted to the dark enough so she could make out the lines of his face. Valara had to remind herself that it wasn’t a dream, that he wasn’t the shadowy partner of her dreams or the object of her hatred the past years, but her husband, whose love for her had not diminished not matter how long they’d spent apart.
Of course the utter bliss of being reunited hadn’t lasted long - they were both still who they were after all. But she knew better than to think any of their long-kept love had been diminished because they had quarrelled - if anything it proved they could easily slip back into a semblance of their old lives, unafraid to challenge one another. Her love for him only deepened with the knowledge that he wouldn’t treat her like glass, afraid to upset her given what she’d been through. Pity, in Valara’s mind, was the worst thing he could feel for her.
She reached out gently in the dark, tracing his face with a light touch, as she used to do when she was blind. He was older, his body had changed and yet he still felt the same to her, tracing remembered pathways across his chest, down his back, leaning her face close to his, sharing the same air.
“And here I thought you were still angry with me,” he murmured, and she felt him smile.
“The two aren’t mutually exclusive,” she teased, shifting closer again.
“I remember,” he said, his voice low as she caressed him. Then no further words were spoken as his mouth pressed against hers and his arms closed around her.
Afterwards they lay together until the automatic lights flickered on, far too soon for Valara’s liking. Luke’s arms tightened around her slightly.
“We don’t have to get up just yet,” he told her.
“I know,” she sighed. “But we don’t have long.”
“Do you want to go and find Rey?”
“No.” Valara shook her head. “I’m not quite ready to admit I was wrong yet.”
“You weren’t wong,” Luke assured her. “And neither was she.”
Valara chuckled softly, lifting herself up on one elbow to look at him. “No, you can’t do that, Luke,” she poked him gently in the shoulder. “You can’t make everyone right, from a certain point of view. There’s going to be conflict that you can’t fix, no matter how rational your counsel.”
Luke smiled, playing idly with the loose hair that fell over her shoulder. “Rey is twice as stubborn as either of us, I just don’t want you to lose time with her.”
“I know.” Valara sighed and settled back down, laying her head on his chest as he stroked her back lightly. They lay in silence for several minutes, enjoying what might well be the last peace they would have for a while. But Valara’s mind was still troubled.
“Sometimes I think I should have died with the rest of my team getting the Death Star plans,” she said quietly. “They were all brave, honourable men, and I was a traitor. A commander who lost all those under her command. But I survived then, and a dozen times after that when my luck should have run out - Jakku, Rakata Prime, even when the First Order took me. Is there some greater meaning to it all, or just dumb luck?”
“I don’t know,” Luke shifted to face her, cupping her cheek in one hand. “I’m just grateful you did survive.”
“I am too actually,” she said, gazing deeply into his eyes. “Even after everything that’s happened, all the pain and hurt and sorrow - I’d go through it all again as long as I knew I’d end up here, in your arms.”
“When we got married you told me you’d reached your lifetime sentimentality quota,” Luke stroked her cheek with his thumb and smiled softly. “But it seems you had some left.”
“I’ve been saving it up,” she told him, and closed the space between them again.
But their bliss couldn’t last forever, and Valara felt time slipping away even as she refused to look at the chrono on the wall. She pressed herself close to him, not wanting to let go.
“Do you remember in the Rebellion,” she said, “when one of us had furlough and we’d go find the other even if it meant we only got one night?”
“Of course.”
“I would lay in your arms when morning came, the minutes ticking down until one of us had to leave.” She drew idle patterns on his chest, watching it rise and fall with every breath. “It was a strange mixture of happiness and dread, because our time together was finite, and we never knew if those would be our last moments together.”
He kissed her hair. “And you feel the same way now.”
“It’s worse now,” she said. “The stakes are higher.” It wasn’t just each other's lives they had to worry about, but Rey’s as well - and Leia, and Ben, what was left of their family.
Luke shifted to face her, hands trailing down her back as he pulled her close. “Don’t you think that after everything that’s happened to us, and everything we’ve been through, it proves we will always find a way back to each other? That our family is stronger than anything they can throw at us?”
She smiled and stroked his cheek fondly. “I forgot how much of an optimist you are. I hope you’re right.”
“I usually am,” he grinned, and she drew him down for a kiss.
Council Room, Resistance command ship
The chamber were bursting with people; the word had spread throughout the fleet and they had come to witness the testimony of the First Order defector, the wife of the great Jedi Luke Skywalker.
All the seats were taken so Rey stood leaning against the far wall, trying not to draw attention to herself even though that was impossible. Most gave her curious looks and others avoided her gaze, but everyone gave her a wide berth. Rey wasn’t used to attention like that, on Jakku she’d been just another face in the crowd, another scavenger almost indistinguishable from the rest of them with nothing to draw someone’s eye.
It was the complete opposite in the Resistance fleet, where everyone seemed to know who she was, or rather who she was related to. It grated on her, and the attention had increased tenfold since the Battle of Chandrila and her mother’s return, no doubt unsure of where her true loyalties lay or what Rey and Luke would do if the day went badly.
She saw Finn enter the chamber, talking animatedly with Poe who had recently returned from Coruscant. Finn’s eyes scanned the room immediately and Rey smiled to signal him over, relieved to have him by her side no matter what happened.
“Rey!” Poe gave her a charming grin and a bear hug which she accepted with only a slight reticence. “Don’t worry, they’ll all be looking at me now,” he whispered in her ear, and winked as he pulled away.
Finn leaned against the wall beside her, mimicking her posture. “Poe’s been telling me about all the fun he’s had on Coruscant.”
“Yeah, hiding in sewers, running from stormtroopers, jumping from safehouse to safehouse...including those that turned out not to be so safe...” Poe grinned, clearly exhilarated. “It’s been a blast.”
“But are the people with you?” Rey asked, remembering the valiant forces of the Coruscant Civilian Defence making their last stand against the First Order invasion. They’d been slaughtered, with only a few surviving when the retreat had been called. They’d returned with the Resistance forces, and had sought Rey and Luke out to thank them for fighting by their side. It had been difficult for her to accept the praise, knowing she’d abandoned the space fight halfway through to follow Kylo down to the planet’s surface, but her father had told her that when thanks were given they should not be deflected, even if they were misplaced.
“It was fear that let the planet fall,” Poe said, smiling fading as he shifted into soldier mode. “But now they know the Jedi have returned, and that the First Order are shedding troops.” He clapped Finn on the shoulder. “Thanks to Finn here - they hear the stories of the stormtrooper who defied a lifetime of commands, and they’re starting to believe they can do it too.”
Rey felt her heart swell with pride for Finn, happy that others were beginning to see the hero she had sensed the first time they’d met. But she couldn’t help but think perhaps he should have been there with Poe on Coruscant helping fuel the underground movement and bring more First Order troops to their side - instead he’d stayed with her, vigilant by her side until she awoke from her Force-induced coma. She was beyond thankful he had, that they’d had the opportunity to spend time together, act on their feelings that at least on Rey’s side were quickly blossoming into love. But the guilt remained, she knew how important the fight was, and the sooner it was over, the sooner their lives could really start.
“Do you think we could win,” she asked, “if we launch an assault?”
“It’s the one of the only planets they still fully control, at least militarily.” Poe hooked his thumbs through his belt loops and rocked back on his feet. “But I think we’d be in for a fighting chance.”
A murmur went through the crowd, and Rey craned her neck to see the entrance where her parents appeared, Luke in his Jedi robes and Valara in green fatigues, hair pulled back from her face and braided down her back. She did not look around but held her head high as the crowd parted for her and she walked slowly to the middle of the chamber to stand on a round platform. As she stepped onto it the platform lit up in neon blue and a railing rose from the floor to surround her. Valara was unconcerned, resting her hands lightly on the railing and keeping her gaze on the raised bench which presently held four empty seats.
Luke took a seat nearby which someone vacated for him, and crossed one leg over the other. His face was impassive; it was clear he was there to support his wife, but not interfere with the proceedings. He seemed unconcerned but Rey felt a small tug of dread in the pit of her stomach.
“What are they playing at?” she whispered to Finn. “I thought they were just going to ask her for information on the First Order.”
“They usually use this room for court martials,” Finn explained, reaching for her hand and squeezing it lightly. “Have you talked to her?”
Rey shook her head. She’d told Finn about the fight they’d had, and he’d been sympathetic but had urged her to try and reconcile with her mother quickly, pointing out just how much it must have hurt Valara to argue so soon after their reunion. But Rey had still been too angry, and afraid that instead of finding a common ground the argument would start anew and she’d say something even worse. But looking at her mother standing alone, she wish she’d taken Finn’s advice.
Valara hadn’t turned to look for Rey, even though she must have known she was there. Finn squeezed her hand again.
“It will be okay,” he assured her. “And no matter what happens, I’m on your side.”
That comforted her, and Rey wanted to return the sentiment but her attention was drawn to the front of the room where the Resistance council members entered; Admirals Antilles, Statura and Ackbar, followed by Leia. They took their seats and the crowd fell silent.
“Valara Skywaker.” Statura addressed her first, as always the image of calm. “Firstly, we wish to thank you for attending us today. We are mindful of the trauma you have suffered and the time you have taken from your convalescence to address this council.”
“Indeed,” Antilles spoke up, unusually formal. “How are you, Madam?”
“Quite well, thank you Admiral,” she replied with an amused smile, drumming her fingers along the railing which surrounded her. “I don't at all feel like I'm in a dock awaiting trial.”
“Madam Skywalker, I think you quite mistake the purpose of this assembly,” Statura cut in, seemingly anxious. “We welcome defectors from the First Order, and are mindful of your...particular circumstances.”
“Nor do we forget your contribution to the Rebellion during the Galactic Civil War,” Ackbar said in his watery voice. “We understand that your time in the First Order was not of your own free will.”
Wedge cleared his throat. “Still, Madam, we do need you to allocute.”
“Admiral, I don't think that's necessary.” Leia spoke up for the first time, and pierced him with a hard look. Rey remembered the tension between Admiral Antilles and her mother, who had refused to tell her the reason why. It was however quite easy to find someone to who knew the story, or at least a version of it - that when Valara had been an Imperial she’d somehow been involved in the death of Wedge’s family. Rey clutched Finn’s hand, worried that the Admiral had nurtured a vendetta against her mother he was finally able to prosecute.
“No, I'm happy to.” Valara held up her hand, and fixed Antilles with a smile. “I think you'll be pleased to find my time in the First Order was less exciting than you'd think, but I will tell you anything you wish to know.”
What followed was several hours of questioning, led mostly by Antilles on the nature of the treatment that she remembered receiving in order to condition her mind, the training she’d given to First Order stormtroopers, details of the armed forces and fleet, any First Order sympathisers she was aware of throughout the Core, and whether she knew of a way to circumvent the reconditioning process.
Rey kept hold of Finn’s hand throughout, especially when Valara willingly described the battles she’d been part of under Snoke’s command, and she hoped that no one in the room had any loved ones on the planets that had been conquered by the First Order. Eventually though, even Admiral Antilles was satisfied, and even thanked Valara for her candor.
“Your information will no doubt be invaluable to our strategy to defeat the First Order,” he said. “And with any luck, we will win the war sooner than we would have otherwise.”
“You’re quite welcome,” Valara said, and almost seemed amused. “If there’s one thing people have always said about me, it’s that I’m here to help.”
Leia smothered a smile with her hand, and there was even a few titters among the crowd from people who probably had known her during the rebellion. The Admirals, however, did not seem as entertained.
“We hope you are,” Statura spoke up. “In fact we would like you to accept a commission.”
For the first time Valara looked surprised. “I’m sorry?”
“You were a fine commander during the Rebellion, Valara,” Ackbar said in a tone that seemed almost affectionate. “We would be grateful to have you fight with us again.”
Valara looked over at Leia, perhaps for support, or an explanation. But none was given, Leia was remaining neutral although she no doubt agreed with her colleagues. Rey was relieved but despite herself hoped her mother would refuse - a command in the Resistance forces would take her away again, put her in danger of being killed or worse - recaptured. Rey had declared that her parents couldn’t stop her from doing what was right, and she had to accept that the reverse was also true.
“Are you alright?” Finn whispered, ducking his head close to hers.
Rey nodded, angry at herself. “I think I understand how she felt now,” she grumbled, her righteous anger of the previous night all but evaporating. Finn put an arm around her and she leaned into him gratefully, looking at her mother who had thus far remained silent.
“You do not need to give us an answer now,” Leia said smoothly. “But please, think about it.”
The railing sunk back into the floor and Valara was dismissed. A seat next to Luke was vacated for her and she seemed quite weary as she sunk into it. He took her hand, and Rey was certain she was the only one who saw the tremor that betrayed either concern or relief - perhaps both.
“Well that’s a tough act to follow,” Poe murmured as she straightened the lapels on his jacket. “But I think I’m the man for the job.” He winked at them as he strode to the centre of the room and took up the place on the platform. The circle around him lit up but the railing did not rise, and Rey saw her mother smirk.
He gave his report of the underground movement on Coruscant, and the council seemed pleased with the intelligence. There was a general discussion about the merits of liberating Coruscant sooner rather than later, whilst the First Order were scrambling following the capture of Kylo Ren and Phasma. Leia hid her distress well, no one who did not already know that Kylo was her son would not have suspected based on her part of the discussion. She argued in Poe’s favour for the attack, but Statura and Ackbar urged caution, seeking to draw more to their side before they launched an assault on the capital.
“The Jedi have returned,” Ackbar argued, nodding to Luke where he sat, and the other Jedi who were located around the room. Rey saw Laisha and her partner against the far wall, smiling with pride as people turned to glance at them. “Perhaps, Master Skywalker, you could give us your counsel?”
Luke rose from his seat and a hush fell over the room. Rey had to admit he looked just like she’d imagined from the stories when she was young, told to her by the Church of the Force - commanding the attention of all present as if they were unable to look away.
“Just like when we fought against the Empire, we do not simply face a cruel regime intent of subjugation,” he said. “But the dark side itself, and I believe we cannot win against the First Order unless we concentrate our efforts on defeating Snoke. But he has been defeated before,” he glanced very briefly at Rey, “and with the Force as our ally we have hope of destroying him once and for all.”
“So surely an attack on his stronghold will give you that chance,” Leia spoke up.
“Perhaps.” Luke stroked his beard, and Rey could sense his hesitation. “But we must not underestimate him, or believe him at all weakened simply because he has lost allies. He is an ancient evil, older than the Sith or Jedi, and far more dangerous a foe than the Emperor ever was.”
Finn squeezed her shoulder. “I have to say something,” he whispered to her before making his way to the centre of the room.
“General Organa,” he said clearly. “If I could address the Council?”
A murmur went through the room, but Poe ceeded his spot on the platform to Finn, and Luke sat back down with an encouraging nod. In fact her father’s smile was so warm that she wondered if he knew exactly what Finn was going to say.
“Well Sergeant?” Antilles addressed him by his new rank. “What do you have to tell us?”
Finn clapped his hands behind his back and looked nervous, but when he spoke his voice was full of confidence. “I have been thinking about my former comrades in the First Order. As Valara told you, many of them are essentially slaves, conditioned into believing that they have no choice but to obey. I was able to break free from their hold, to escape, and I believe that others should be given the chance to do the same.”
“What are you suggesting Finn?” Leia asked, her voice soft.
“Poe said that there have already been defectors on Coruscant,” he explained. “I believe there could be many more, if they given help, if they are shown that it is possible to escape the First Order. I’d rather free people than kill them.”
“As would we all,” Leia nodded, but Rey could see that she was nervous - her aunt had grown so fond of Finn, and now he wanted to go back into the belly of the beast. Rey also felt her heart sink as Finn outlined his plan - to return to Coruscant with Poe and build the resistance from there, and if he could, infiltrate the First Order forces on the ground and try and encourage mass defection. It was bold, and dangerous, but his argument was convincing and the council was swayed - even Leia - granting approval for the mission to begin as soon as possible.
The session ended soon after and the room became a mill of activity and discussion. Rey wasn’t ready to speak to Finn, too shocked by his plans and a little hurt he had not first discussed them with her. He was deep in conversation with her father and aunt in any case, so instead she made her way over to where her mother was speaking to Laisha.
“Ah, Rey,” Laisha greeted her with a smile. “I was just telling your mother how well she spoke, how brave she was to be honest about what had happened to her.”
“Laisha was shocked I had it in me,” Valara said with amusement. “When I first knew her she had to pry each scrap of information, and I was hardly forthcoming.”
“But that didn’t stop me trying,” Laisha laughed, and touched Valara on the arm. “But I’m grown now, I know when to keep silent, and when to leave.” She turned to Rey. “Your father tells me you’re quite the duellist, I hope we can spar together sometime.”
Rey promised her that they would, and Laisha excused herself but they were alone only moments before Admiral Antilles wandered up, an easy smile on his face. It was one Rey did not return - she glared at the Admiral, folding her arms over her chest.
“Do you want to interrogate my mother further?”
To her surprise, Antilles laughed. “No, I was going to thank her for playing her part.”
Valara touched her arm lightly. “Don’t hold it against Wedge, he did what he had to do,” she told her. “Otherwise people might think I was getting special treatment.”
Rey frowned, looking from the Admiral to her mother. “So it was all an act?”
Wedge chuckled again, and gave Valara a teasing look. “Well I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it, but to an extent. With any luck today’s events will reach those in the First Order, and anyone thinking of defecting will know that no matter who they are, they will be treated fairly, that they can speak freely and it will not be used to trap them, but rather they will be embraced.”
“And you knew?” Rey asked her mother, unsure of how she’d misunderstood things so thoroughly.
“No, but I had an inkling,” Valara said. “I’ve known Wedge a long time, he always liked his little games.”
“Not games,” Antilles said more seriously, and touched her shoulder. “Strategy. Think about the commission, V.”
Valara made a noncommittal sound, but smiled as he walked away and there seemed to be no more tension between them. When she turned back to Rey she seemed somewhat lighter, less burdened.
“Come on,” Valara said, winding through the crowd and beckoning Rey to follow her. They made their way back to the convalescence quarters, the scene of their argument the night before.
“I’ve been official cleared, medically speaking,” Valara said, sinking down onto the couch. “Ready for active duty,” she added, with a note of distaste.
Rey kept her feet, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Were you really involved in killing Wedge’s family?” she asked softly, unable to look her mother in the eye.
Valara sighed. “Well I promised I would tell you, I suppose it’s pointless to keep putting it off. Please…” She held out her hand and Rey crossed the room to sit down beside her.
“I was involved in killing the families of many people,” Valara said, taking Rey’s hand in her own. “I’d already defected when Wedge lost his, but I knew who had done it - the Inquisitors who I had once fought with. He came to me seeking information, and I refused him his revenge.”
“So he blamed you?” Rey shook her head. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
“It wasn’t fair of me not to share all the information I had about the Inquisitors with the Rebellion.” Valara cast her gaze down. “I should have gone after them myself, stopped them before they hurt anyone else - if I had, maybe Wedge’s family would still be alive.”
Rey didn’t know what to say - she knew there dark things in her mother’s past, not only from her forced servitude to Snoke, but in her youth that her father had only told her briefly about. She still shuddered thinking about the orphanage they’d visited on Coruscant with the derelict rooms and propaganda posters on the wall.
“Sometimes people never really forgive you for doing awful things,” Valara added wistfully. “But they learn to live with it, and you with them.”
She wondered if she’d ever feel the same about Kylo Ren - whether she could forgive him as Luke and Valara had, despite all the pain he had caused them. Could she live with it, if it meant he renounced his dark choices and sought redemption? But Kylo was no longer her concern, and Rey didn’t want to get distracted.
“But they offered you a commission,” she pointed out. “So he must trust you at least.”
“Yes.” Valara looked back up at her with a sad sort of smile. “You know, I’ve never fought in any war I thought I would live to see the end of - or really wanted to. Back in the Rebellion I was willing to do anything they asked of me, anything I thought would cause as much pain to the other side as possible.”
Rey bit her lip. “And now?”
Valara reached out to stroke her hair. “Now I want to be wherever you are, Rey. I want to fight to protect you, and your father, so that when peace comes we can enjoy it together.”
“I want that too,” Rey said, her voice trembling. ‘I’m sorry for what I said yesterday.”
“You were right,” Valara sighed. “Sometimes when I look at you I see the little girl who needed me, and who I failed to protect.”
“I still need you,” Rey said plaintively, tears forming. “I love you.”
Valara drew her into an embrace and Rey held onto her mother tightly, like she used to do when she was small and woke up from a nightmare. Valara would rock her in her arms and sing the lullaby that had stayed with her even when she’d lost her memory. The song about finding someone again, no matter how far away they were, or how long they’d been gone.
When she pulled back Valara was smiling more broadly than Rey had ever seen, and she laughed self-consciously, wiping away the tears that had spilled onto her cheeks.
“Now that’s what I like to see,” Luke’s voice came from the doorway, and Rey blushed as he entered the room. Finn was on his heels looking unsure of his welcome, so she jumped up to greet him with an embrace.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before,” he explained, holding onto Rey tightly. “I hadn’t completely decided until that moment what I was going to do.”
“I think you should go,” Rey told him as she pulled back. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“We’ll see each other again,” Finn’s dark eyes glistened as he repeated the words he somehow must have heard in his coma. “I believe that.”
Rey kissed him forcefully, not caring that her parents were close by, simply wanting to make every moment they had left together count. Thankfully Luke and Valara were at least pretending not to pay attention to them, since when Rey led Finn to the couch they were deep in conversation about how best to fight Snoke.
“I think we should take your advice Mum,” Rey said as she sat down. “And act cautiously.”
“Really?” Her mother looked shocked. “So what do you think we should do?”
“Well, while Finn and Poe are building the resistance on Coruscant, we should find out how Snoke was imprisoned the first time.”
“Always wanting to go back to Jakku,” Finn joked, rubbing her arm.
“At least it’s for a good reason now,” Rey grinned at him before turning back to her parents. “I’m trying to sort out Nellith’s memories in my head, maybe if I’m back there…”
“It’s a good idea,” Luke said. “I spoke to the other Jedi, they all want to fight with the Resistance forces, or at least help spread support for us against the First Order.”
“So you’re all leaving again?” Leia entered the room, and although her voice was light there was a note of sadness. “I’m trying hard to be surprised.”
“Leia.” Luke rose and embraced her as she crossed the room. “I promise, someday when all of this is over, we’ll all be together again.”
“No we won’t,” Leia pulled away with a pained expression. “Not all of us.”
Rey’s heart ached for her - to have lost Han and no guarantee that her son would ever come back to her must be an unimaginable hell, especially to see her brother reunited with his own family. But Leia had never shown any resentment, and Rey only hoped she could show the same strength in everything she did.
“There’s hope for Ben at least,” Luke said, leading his sister over the the group. “There’s conflict in him, I’ve felt it - a pull to the light he can’t ignore forever.”
“Do you really think so?” Rey asked, flexing her prosthetic hand.
Leia settled down beside her. “He’s my son, I won’t give up on him.”
“Of course,” Rey nodded and reached to grasp her aunt’s hand, hoping that she was right. Hoping that she had the key to defeating Snoke locked away in her mind, hoping that she truly would see Finn again, that none of them would die in the war to come, that she would become a Jedi worthy of her heritage, and live to see days of peace with her family.
Valara started the flight cycle of her X-Wing, and the sound of the ship whirring to life gave her thrill she’d not felt in decades. The controls were slightly different than she remembered, the Resistance had gifted her the latest model with all the improvements in technology that entailed - Luke, of course, had stayed loyal to the T-65 model they’d somehow found for him, and as Valara took off from the hangar into the starscape of space she saw him on her wing.
“I’m impressed you got that antique moving,” Valara teased him over the comm, and heard Luke’s answering laugh.
“You can’t beat a classic, V.” As if to prove his point he overtook her and barrel-rolled his ship. She pushed her own into acceleration, perching on his wing as he came out of the maneuver and for a few moments they flew in tandem - two X-Wings amid a starry sky, perfectly in tune with each other. It felt like coming full circle.
Of course neither used the ship they’d once shared, the X-Wing she’d flown on the mission to obtain the Death Star plans, and he to destroy it. That was crashed on Coruscant, she’d blown him out the sky and almost killed him - her husband who loved her more than anything, she’d shot him down in the ship they’d rebuilt together. But it was just a ship, she reminded herself, a collection of metal and bolts, one among thousands of wrecks that littered the galaxy. What it represented had not been destroyed - that was stronger than ever.
“I promised one day you’d fly again,” Luke said softly over the comm, and she felt him touch the back of her mind. She welcomed the caress, and returned it.
“You did,” she acknowledged, pulling her X-Wing into a spin. “And now I finally have the chance to outfly you, Red Five.”
Luke gave a hearty laugh, following her into the spin and pulling into his signature move, the Skywalker Swoop. “You can try, Rogue One.”
A Wookiee growl came through the comm as the Millennium Falcon came into view on the periphery.
“Chewie wants to remind you that this is an open comm,” Rey said, “so keep the flirting to a minimum, please.”
“Sorry Rey,” Luke answered with a smile in his voice. “You’re just going to have to get used to it.”
“Ugh,” she grumbled in response. “Finn, Poe, is it too late to come with you?”
Poe’s Black Squadron was flying in formation nearby, preparing to leave on their own mission to Coruscant. Of course it had a new member - Finn had joined the team and flew his own X-Wing. He’d quickly taken to it despite his lack of piloting experience, Valara had spent the last few days with him in the simulator giving him a crash course - of course her efforts had been somewhat hampered by Rey who quite understandably wanted to spend time with Finn before they went their separate ways. Valara had allowed them as much time alone as she could, although her main concern was giving Finn sufficient training for him to survive any battle they would encounter - so her daughter would see the man she loved again.
“Sorry Rey,” Poe’s easy voice came over the comm. “I’ve got your boyfriend now, and I’m not giving him up.”
Finn laughed. “I’ll see you on the other side of the war Rey, I promise.”
“I know.” Rey sounded as if she wanted to say more, but didn’t wish to do so with have the Resistance listening in. They’d all said their goodbyes earlier, just in case. Laisha and her partner were accompanying Black Squadron to Coruscant to aid the ground resistance and stormtrooper liberation, and while Valara was sad to separate so soon, she knew her place was with Luke and Rey - it had always had been.
“Time to go,” Luke said, as Artoo warbled in the background. “Poe, Finn, may the Force be with you.”
“Good luck, Skywalkers. What exactly is a group of Skywalkers called anyway?” Poe mused. “A murder of Skywalkers, a parliament of Skywalkers. Oh I know, a flamboyance of Skywalkers!”
“A force of Skywalkers, surely,” Finn interjected.
“You know, I like the sound of that,” Rey said, and Valara wondered if one day Finn would take up the name as she had - but that was for when there was peace, when the battle was one. “I’ll see you on the other side, Finn.”
Black Squadron disappeared into hyperspace, and Valara reached out to her daughter in comfort, letting out a sigh of relief as Rey allowed her in.
“A force of Skywalkers huh?” Valara mused, pulling her own ship into formation alongside Luke’s and the Falcon. “Enough to destroy Snoke once and for all.”
“That’s right,” Rey said. “He only had to deal with one before, but with all of us? He doesn’t stand a chance.”
“Well as a wise man once said, overconfidence can be a weakness,” Luke spoke up. “Let’s not make it ours.”
“To Jakku then?” Valara asked, inputting the coordinates into the navcomputer.
“To Jakku,” Rey agreed, and Chewie roared his approval.
The stars swirled around Valara as she pushed her ship into hyperspace alongside Luke and Rey. She knew the battle ahead would be difficult, and it may be long, but at least they would be together, and surely together they would prevail.
A force of Skywalkers.