Rise

Summary: In which Rey has always known just who and what she is. Jakku was the best place to hide from her past but when the Force reveals it has other plans for her, Rey has no other choice but the stop running and start remembering.

This is a rewrite of the sequel trilogy and quite AU in some areas. While it will include spoilers for all three movies, it will also have significant changes so while the spoilers might relate, they aren't 100% correct in this story.

This story will also include characters that don't appear within this trilogy but are actual characters.

Like most of my unsure stories, this is a tester piece to see if people would read.

(Chapters will typically range from 2000-4000 words.)

Note: Rey has also had an appearance overhaul to fit with her new backstory. Distinctly her left arm, as you've likely sense from the cover. The arm IS relevant to the plot, but won't get there for a lil' while.

[Crossposted with AO3]

Chapter 1: Start of a New Beginning

She pried the metal plate open, the rusting screws squeaked as a light cloud of dust was disturbed; the dust caused no problem, her goggles and face mask protected her from inhaling it.

Rey peered into the now open compartment and beamed as she dislodged pieces of the Star Destroyer's HyperDrive. The tall pillar had sat untouched because of the grand height, most would not risk the climb to get it, even if the pieces would get them plenty of food rations that would last them for an extended period of time without the worry of when their next meal would be.

The notion excited her; in fact, if she explored the Star Destroyer well enough, she would find plenty to scavenge. She knew a plethora about Star Destroyers and she had noticed over the three years she had been on Jakku, that despite how resourceful these ships were and how much they could offer someone, that the other scavengers all stayed the hell away from them.

There were daring—desperate—ones, but they were far and few between.

Rey could comprehend why; even now, almost four decades later, she could feel the pain and death that lingered from when this ship still soared in the void above that even a non-Force user would feel wary of this place. Up until now, she too had taken to avoiding the ship with her own set of worries, far different from the other scavengers. She only ventured here finally after some persuasion.

Rey pushed the thought aside as she had no desire to linger on them for too long, and stuffed the pieces of hardware into her bag.

Comfortable that everything was secure and nothing would escape, Rey pushed off the pillar and caught the long, thick and loose dangling wire. Her right hand was protected from the sting by a well-made and durable glove.

The thud echoed throughout the empty and sand-filled ship bay when she landed and Rey exhaled as she pulled her faceguard away and her goggles up to take a sip of cool water.

The brunette rubbed her forehead, trying to ignore the way her brain pulsed against her skull. She'd had the headache since she was startled awake last night; there had been a massacre on planet. This wasn't the first time it had happened because lamentably some scavengers just took and slaughtered others to get what they wanted.

Unfortunately, last night something new had happened—there had been another Force-user on planet. It worried her; if frightened Rey into closing her connection to the Force further, she feared that if she used even the slightest bit of her power, then they would sense her.

While the user was not on planet anymore, they were close—within the system and in range of Jakku that if she expanded her senses too far they'd sense her.

It scared her.

She'd left that life behind.

She never wanted to be a part of it again—it was the reason she'd chosen Jakku, a remote and unlikely planet to find a Force-user.

It was the perfect place to hide.

"Hmm, ten portions." Unkar Plutt dumped said number onto the counter.

Rey worked her jaw side to side—knowing everything she had brought was worth more, far more, but Unkar was stingy on occasion. She didn't bother trying to argue; she knew he was just going to lower the number if she did.

So the brunette took the portions, stuffed them into her bag and said nothing more; instead, she returned her to Speeder to collect her water tank, intending to refill the thing. She lingered at the water fountain to just have a good drink in hopes that it would help further ease her headache. The pain had slowly been ebbing away as the day had dragged on, she would be fine by the evening.

Shaded from the scorching heat, Rey eyed the sky as TIE fighters flew in the near distance. It made her nervous because she had no idea why they were on Jakku. It was unlikely, but her brain whispered traitorously that maybe they knew about her.

Ochi had been the only person who had known and he had hunted her for a long time before she had finally lost him; honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if he had gone to the First Order with the information about her.

Rey sighed and lugged her water tank back to her Speeder. The sun was on the decent and she wanted to get back in time to watch the sunset while she ate her dinner.

"Troubled?"

Rey sighed and shot the Force Ghost an exhausted look. She was not in the mood to humour him tonight, unfortunately.

"That bad?" His eyes crinkled, voice touching light amusement but no smile appeared at he watched the young woman. She knew him well enough to know that the expression meant he was worried. He had undoubtedly been watching over her during the day. Being so close to her, he would have sensed the slaughter last night too.

Rey at first didn't answer her Force Ghost guardian, instead, she peered skyward and stuffed the final mouthful of her dinner into her mouth. Only once she had swallowed the food and she ran a hand through her hair, did Rey reply. "Worried is all." She took a swig of her water.

"Of what?"

"The Frist Order are snooping around on Jakku, no idea why but there was a Force-user on planet." Rey answered and screwed the cap of her bottle on. "I just hope it's not related to me."

His expression tightened at her words. Rey saw it and felt a sense of foreboding wiggle its way into her chest, but when she opened her mouth to question him, a distress beeping of a droid snatched her attention. She stood, tuning into the sound.

[Let go! Let go!]

Rey grabbed her staff and rushed towards the distressed droid, who she spotted was caught up in Teedo's net when she made it over the sand dune. She narrowed her eyes, watched for a beat and silently acknowledged as her ghost companion appeared beside her. He smiled and tilted his head toward the commotion.

"Tal'ama parqual!" Rey bellowed.

Teedo and the droid go quiet, attention turned onto her.

"Paraqual zatana!" She continued.

A half a beat and Teedo yelled back with a threat but the threat is empty when it came to her—they both knew it.

The droid silently swivels to look at Rey, then Teedo, then back to Rey.

Rey pulled her knife free as she approached, sawing the net that held the round, white and orange droid. Teedo shouted in protest.

"Noma." Her voice was stern and non-negotiable.

Teedo cussed at her and nudged his beast to start moving, he knew he wasn't going to beat the human female.

[That's right, leave!]

Rey shushed the droid, who fell silent instantly and they watched as Teedo put distance between them and himself.

Finally, Rey knelt. "That's just Teedo. Wants you for parts. He has no respect for anyone." She considered the round droid for a moment and he titled his dome head curiously. She jutted her chin. "Your antenna's bent."

He offered his head and Rey removed the antenna and began to straighten it.

She eyed the droid. "Where do you come from?"

[Classified!]

"Classified. Really?" She teased with a smile. "Me too. Big secret." She winked.

He beeped happily.

Rey twisted her body so she could point to the north-west with her quarter-staff. "Niima Outpost is that way, stay off Kelvin Ridge. Keep away from the Sinking Fields in the north, you'll drown in the sand."

Rey stood and turned, ready to return to the AT-AT she claimed as home when the droid beeps wordlessly and followed her. She turned sharply and he stopped.

"Don't follow me." She pointed in the direction of Nimma Outpost again. "Town is that way."

[Can't you take me?]

"No!" Rey huffed and continued her short journey.

[Pretty please? What if someone else comes? No one else is going to help me like you did, miss!]

Rey sighed this time, damnit. She waved him on. "C'mon. In the morning, I'll take you there."

[Thank you!]

"You're welcome." Honestly, why is it always her that gets into these situations?