"Rey…"

"Rey…"

The voice was calling to her, just out of reach. As soon they had arrived on Sembla, she had stowed herself away on the Falcon, away from inquiring eyes. She felt bad for abandoning everyone else as they made themselves usesful, but her mind was jumbled and she needed quiet to try and gather her bearings. The first time she had been introduced to the Resistance, she had just been a newcomer. Only Leia had really known what she was…what she could do. But now, everyone…well everyone that was left in their dwindling Resistance…had seen what she was, had seen her powers. Eyes followed her, curious and hopeful. It was a burden that she was not prepared for.

She had felt better after talking to Poe. He had been reverent of her abilities, but still talked to her as if she were just another soldier. He had his own demons to deal with, and it was nice to commiserate over perceived failings. Yet, she still felt the need to withdraw. When she used the Force to move the boulders on Crait, it had felt different. The connection had been clearer than ever before. When she had first felt the connection on Starkiller Base, it had been something new and terrifying. Then on Ach To, the connection had been tainted by Snoke, and the forced and manipulated connection with Ben Solo. But now it was different. There was a peace to it, an understanding.

She had been sitting in meditation for hours, just exploring her connection to the Force. She felt as this amazing presence linked everything around her together. But then, all of a sudden, there was a murmer. The murmer then materialized into a voice. It was saying her name, repeating it over and over. She focused on it, following it as it grew louder and clearer. It took only moments, but then she recognized it. Luke. It was definitely Luke's voice calling her name. She waited and waited, but he didn't say anything else, just her name. Her frustration grew at the unsatisfying chase, but then something happened.

It felt like invisible hands grabbed her beneath her arms and pulled her with unrelenting force out of the Falcon. All of a sudden she was floating away from Sembla and into black space, flying quickly across the galaxy. Solar systems blurred by her, but then she stopped. She was floating in space, staring at a planet she did not recognize. It was a mesmerizing swirls of blues and whites, clearly covered in snow and ice. It was beautiful and there was an instant connection to it that she could not explain. She reached out, trying to will herself closer to its surface, but then the same force that had carried her there, grabbed her around the waist and pulled her away. She was dragged backwards the same way she had traveled, until she was falling through the seas of Sembla and back into the Falcon. However, instead of arriving back where she had started, knelt down on the floor in mediation, she found herself standing in front of the bunks, where a wide-eyed Poe Dameron was staring at her in confusion.

"Poe?" She started, drawing him out of his funk.

"You were not there, and then you were there," he muttered, pointing to where she now stood. "I was asleep, but something was calling me. I think it was someone saying my name over and over. I don't know what it was. It woke me up, just before you appeared."

"I had a vision, too," Rey explained.

Poe looked at her in curiosity, while also trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. "What sort of vision?"

"I heard Luke's voice calling to me, and then I was shown a vision of a planet I've never seen before."

"What do you think that means? Did he say anything else?"

"No, just my name," Rey frowned. "I think he must want me to go there. But I don't know where there is. And then I was just physically dropped here in front of you."

"Hmmm, maybe that was for a reason," Poe responded, standing from his bunk. He reached up with both arms to stretch out his shoulders. Rey found herself staring at his exposed torso as his shirt lifted slightly, but quickly looked away when she realized what she was doing. What was it with men that compelled them to expose their bare chests to her? Luckily, it appeared that Poe hadn't noticed, because when she turned back he had reached down to pick up his jacket and holster. He squeezed past her and stated, "follow me."

Poe led them out of the Falcon and into the main hanger. Rey looked around, taking everything in for first time. As she perused the new surroundings, she found herself falling behind Poe, who was taking quick strides, and was forced to scurry after him.

"It's not much right now, but we'll get it up and running in no time," Poe remarked as he noticed her looking around. "The navigation computers down here are a little dated, but I'm hoping they'll give us what we need. If not, then we can try and plug into BB-8 or R-2." They continued on into a room that was filled with different monitors and equipment. Several other Resistance soldiers had already woken and were working at several of the computers. A couple greeted Poe, but he just waved and took a seat at an emptly workstation. "So, what do your remember about your mystery planet?"

"It was cold, all ice," Ray recalled.

"Was it anywhere in the Core?"

"I don't think so. I think I may have traveled through the Core to wherever I ended up."

"Well, that should narrow it down," Poe mused as he typed away on the keyboard. "If you traveled from Sembla through the Core worlds, then you were heading towards the Unknown Regions."

"Is there anything out there that would be an ice planet significant to Luke?"

"Ilum," Poe responded immediately. He typed in the planet's name and on the screen Rey was confronted witht the image from her vision.

"That's it," she confirmed. "What's significant about it?"

"It was important to the Jedi," Poe explained. "There was a temple there at one time, and the Jedi used to retreive crystals there for their lightsabers. Although, I thought the place had been ransacked following the Clone Wars. I can't imagine there is much left there."

"Well, evidently Luke wants me to go there," Rey stated, still staring at the monitor. The image of Luke's broken lightsaber in the Falcon immediately popped into her mind.

"Luke wants you to go where?"

Rey and Poe turned to see Leia standing in the doorway, accompanied by a few of the remaining Resistance officers. She looked better than she had the previous day, and walked over to them steadily. Rey took time to carefully explain the entirety of her vision to the General, and the ensuing research that she and Poe had undertaken.

"If what you say is accurate, then I think you need to go to Ilum. For Luke to contact you so quickly, must mean that it is of great importance," Leia surmised. She turned her sights onto Poe. "And, for whatever reason, it seems you need to go with her. I'd say it can't be coincidence that you were hearing a voice calling you the same time as Ray."

"Why would I have to go to Ilum?" Poe questioned. "What could possibly be there for me?"

"I won't deign to understand my Brother, but the Force was calling to you. I think it would be wise to answer," Leia advised, giving a look that indicated there was not actually a choice to be made.

"General, I'm needed here," Poe argued, stubbornly. "We're barely operational at the moment. Not to mention we only have a single ship. It would be suicide to take the Falcon into the Unkwown Regions. We would pop up on every single First Order scanner within seconds."

Leia nodded. "I agree. Our lack of a fleet is an immediate problem. We can't send out emissaries for aide until we have the means of moving around the galaxy. This means exploring every possibility we have to."

"What are our options?" Rey asked.

"In my years serving in the Alliance and the Resistance, we've had to widely allocate out our forces across the galaxy. We never knew when we would be found and would have to abandon one of our bases on a moment's notice. We've left behind countless resources over the years."

"Ships included, I'm guessing?" Poe questioned.

"Likely," Leia confirmed. "We can only guess as to whether they were destroyed or stolen. There's also no telling how old some of the technology is."
"Something is better than nothing," Poe asserted. "I'm assuming you have a plan."

"You assume correctly, Commander Dameron," Leia affirmed. "There was a rebel base and A-Wing factory on Cardooine years ago." She moved past Poe and brought up an image of the planet on the navigation computer. "It was attacked by the Empire, but chances are there are still ships and supplies left in the hangar. I want you to lead a team there to explore the remains of the base. If you find adequate transports, you and Ray can continue on to Ilum, while the rest return here."

"Will there be any locals to worry about?" Poe asked, scrolling through the planetary data on the screen. Rey stood behind him, looking at the green, forest-covered world.

"There aren't any large citites, only smaller settlements. It's mostly commercial timber operations. They'll likely have small security forces, but stay out of their way and there shouldn't be any problems. Offer them credits if you must."

"Got it, bribery is approved," Poe responded. "I think we should take at least twenty, including whatever pilots we have left. We should also, go incognito. No uniforms or insignia. We can make something up for why we're there if we have to. Do we have an schematics on the base?"

"Possibly," Leia pondered. "R-2 may have them stored in his memory. I'll have him plug in to the Falcon and upload them."

"I still don't feel right leaving you stranded here," Poe fretted.

"It must be done, Commander," Leia countered, laying a hand on his shoulder. "The truth is, right now we pose little in the way of a threat to the First Order. With Snoke dead, Ren is going to have to estalbish his authority as their new leader, something that he will need to do quickly, or risk losing control of systems. We aren't going to be his priority."

Several hours later, Rey found herself in the crew quarters on the Falcon, packing a bundle of thick clothing into her satchel. She had managed to locate some cold gear in the mining facility that would be useful for the trip to Ilum. The idea of all that ice already gave her the chills. She tucked the broken halves of the lightsaber into the bag, and then sealed the bag. The only thing she needed for the trip to Cardooine was her staff.

"Rey."

She turned around and saw Poe standing in the doorway. He had exhanged his normal outfit for more nondescript clothing for their upcoming endeavor. She had also exhanged her tunic for a dingy shirt and flight jacket. Poe was grasping something in his hands, which he held out to her. "I figured you could use this. We have absolutely no idea what we're about to walk into. Better safe than sorry."

She took the holster and sidearm from Poe. It wasn't anything fancy, just a standard blaster pistol. She took the holster and attached it around her right thigh, high enough that it was a comfortable reach down, if necessary. "Thanks, Poe," she said as she looked back up.

"No problem," he answered. He looked like he was about to leave again, but hesitated.

"Everything alright?" Rey questioned.

He ran a hand through his hair before turning back to her. "Listen, I didn't mean to be so combative earlier about going with you to Ilum. It wasn't anything personal. It's just the Republic and this Resistance has been my life. Leaving it when it's so vulnerable isn't easy for me."

"It's fine, Poe," Rey assured him. "I don't think Luke would have us going to Ilum if it meant sacficing the Resistance. He came back when we needed him because he believed in it, believed in us."

"You're right, of course," Poe grinned. "Let's go get this mission done, then we'll go freeze our butts of on Ilum."

"Sounds like a plan, Commander."

"Anyway, you should probably follow me. I'm about to brief the crew."

Rey nodded and followed Poe's retreating form into the center of the Falcon, where the rest of the their crew was gathered. All together, there were twenty four of them. Finn stood next to Chewbacca and BB-8, who was situated at their feet. In the middle of room, Poe stood with R-2 next to him. Poe held up his hand and the room immediately went silent.

"Good morning, everyone," Poe began, his voice carrying through the Falcon. "You've all been given a short synopsis of our mission, but I wanted to go over some specifics. R-2, if you would?" R-2 gave an affirmative beep, before leaning back and projecting an image of Cardooine into the center of the room. The image zoomed in to a small facility on the planet's surface. "This is a schematic of the rebel base as it existed on Cardooine during the rebellion against the Empire. It's been abandoned for decades, so we don't know it's condition or whether its been occupied by others during that time. I won't lie to you, we're going in blind."

Poe walked closer to the projection and pointed below the base. "There's a small clearing here, a short trek south of the base. This is where we are going to land. From there, we are going to split into two teams. Finn and Chewbacca will lead the first team northwest to the rear of the base where the hangar is located, and Ray and I will lead the second team northeast to the front of the base. If there is anyone there, we'll come at them from both sides. Any questions?" When no one spoke up, Poe continued. "Remember, if we run into locals, no mention of the First Order or the Resistance. We're traders who have been forced to land due to mechanical difficulities and are looking for parts to repair our ship. That's our story. Now check your weapons and get ready to move out."

Rey followed Poe, Finn and Chewbacca into the cockpit. She took a seat behind the wookie as he began to prepare the ship for take off. Meanwhile, Poe had activated the ship's communications. "General, this is Poe. The crew has been briefed and we are ready to go."

"Copy that, Poe," Leia's voice sounded. "We are raising the tunnel now for your exit. Good luck, Commander. May the Force be with you."

"Thank you, General. Poe out." Poe turned to Chewbacca. "Okay, Chewie. Let's do this." Chewie growled in acknowledgement. The Falcon's engines roared and it began to raise from the ground. He maneuavered the ship in a circle, until the front of the ship was facing the tunnel. Rey sat back in her seat, gripping it as the Falcon accelerated quickly through the passage and out into the atmosphere of Sembla.

Kylo Ren stared down broodingly into the charred remains of what had been the First Jedi Temple. Someone had already done his job for him. As soon as he had left the nightmare that had been Crait, he had led a small force to the planet, Ahch-To. He had only ever seen glimpses of the oceans and island through Rey's mind, never knowing its exact location. That was until he exploded Skywalker's old lightsaber through his master's torso. As his Master died, Ren had reached into the man's mind and extracted what he had learned from Rey.

Now he stood on an emptly island. He looked around at the bare rock, at the green, slaughtered forms of the guardian creatures who had watched over this place for centuries. He had used his lightsaber to eviseracte them, the only pleasure he had taken from the visit. Luke's presence taunted him with ever step. The legend was dead, but he could feel the man's imprint everywhere through the Force. It was mocking him, to the point where he could barely contain his rage. Being on the island was physically painful.

He turned and walked back to his ship. Hux, the pathetic sycophant, was standing at the bottom of the gangplank, surrounded by a unit of stormtroopers. "Destroy it," Ren whispered, as he walked by them.

"Excuse me, Supreme Leader?" Hux questioned, confused.

Ren turned around, his eyes burning red. "I said destroy it, General. I want this island blasted away until there is not single speck of rock remaining. I want every part of this island that Skywalker ever walked on or touched gone from existence. Do I make myself clear!"

Hux nodded, quickly. "Yes, my lord. It shall be done."