REY (Canto Bight: City Outskirts)

The mid-day sun warms my back as we hike up a hill on the way to Canto Bight's industrial area. Poe landed the spacecraft behind the hill, which didn't seem far from the city when we were looking down at it from high above. But now that we're on the ground, under the hot sun, it seems way too far.

Poe marches on ahead, much more used to space-lag from travelling, than I am. But it feels good to be on planet again, after flying for hours.

"Woah there!" Poe stops at the top of the hill, his hands outstretched.

I dig my staff into the dirt and pull myself up the last few steps, to see what he's looking at.

"Careful, Rey," he says. "I don't know anything about the animals here."

A large, four legged animal with big ears and sad eyes makes its way towards us. Poe steps in front of me but the curious animal reaches its neck around him and puts its large face right up to mine. I laugh, sensing the poor thing means no harm.

"Awww," I say.

Poe steps aside and rests a hand on the animal's neck. It shudders and Poe frowns. "Whipping scars," he says, looking at the red, open wounds in the animal's fur.

"You poor thing," I say, taking its large face in both my hands. Suddenly I see a stable, in my thoughts, and other animals like this one, breaking free and running away. I see Finn and Rose, too.

I gasp and pull away.

"What is it?" Poe asks.

"I... I don't know." I step back. "This animal knows how to communicate with me, with the Force."

Poe gives me a questioning look.

"I saw Finn," I continue. "And Rose."

"Finn and Rose?"

"And..." I stop, not wanting to mention the little boy I saw, who dominates the beast's thoughts. There's something special about him, but I'm not sure what the large beast was trying to show me.

Its ears perk up at a nearby sound and it takes off so fast that I get knocked over into Poe.

"That was weird," he says, standing me back up.

I frown. "I sense darkness here, on this planet, and the light. Both very strong."

"Could it be all the evil gamblers here, and the good..." Poe stops, as though unsure of what could be good on Canto Bight.

"Children?" I offer.

"Sure. If there are any here." He gives me a smile then heads down the hill. "Come on! At this rate we'll be late for the meeting tonight."

I run after him, feeling energized by the encounter with the friendly animal. I hadn't expected all the nature here, when I'd agreed to come to Canto Bight. But now I'm very glad I came.

TEMIRI

The closer Temiri got to the stables and the racetrack, the more uneasy he felt.

"Come on," Oniho said when Temiri stopped all together. "You're going slower and slower."

"I don't want to go back," Temiri said. 

Oniho stopped too. "What?" He looked around frantically, like he thought they'd get caught any moment. They were on the beach now, a shortcut to the stables from the other part of town. The sun was already past mid-day and reflecting painfully off the water.

"Temiri," Oniho said. "Where are you going to go?"

Temiri's heart pounded. He was halfway from the servant's part of town, where he'd just been, and the stables, where he was headed. If he went to the stables, he sensed he'd be in danger, danger which he didn't have the energy to face right now. But if he went back to the restaurant, they'd send him off planet with the Resistance to train for fighting in a war. He didn't want to leave Star Jumper behind or fight in wars.

"Good job, Oniho!" Bargwill's booming voice traveled over the breeze to them. He hurried over, hobbling in the sand. Temiri stiffened when he saw the three guards behind his task master, also heading towards them. Why had Bargwill brought guards with him? Was Temiri in some serious trouble? Guards didn't come out to apprehend a child who didn't show up for his duties.

"You've made me a lot of money today," Bargwill huffed, coming to a stop in front of Temiri. "A tourist is very interested in having you as his worker. I couldn't say why, though." He looked down at Temiri with a smirk. "Where did you go off to today?"

Temiri frowned. So either way he'd be taken off planet, if he stayed with the Rebels until the Resistance showed up, or if he returned to the stables to be sold to a tourist.

He glanced at the waters behind him. He couldn't swim, so that wasn't an option. Then he looked to the rocks on his left. He could climb the rocks. The guards would have a hard time following him with their stiff uniforms and heavy boots. It was an option. He turned to run, but Bargwill grabbed his arm in one large hand.

"You're not going anywhere," he said.

Oniho stared at them with wide eyes. "You're selling Temiri?"

"Let me go!" Temiri yelled, his heart racing. Oniho punched the task master's large arm, but the Cloddogran only laughed. He swung his other hand at Oniho, tossing him away. The small boy flew a fair distance before landing in the sand.

Temiri looked Bargwill in the eyes. "Let me go," he said.

Bargwill froze, but didn't release him.

"You want to let me go," Temiri said. Bargwill relaxed his hand and Temiri pulled his arm out of his grasp, then he ran.

"Hey!" A guard yelled. The other guards began to shout as well. A lazer blast flew past Temiri's ear and he screamed, jumping behind the first rock he could reach. It wasn't as large as the others, but he could fit behind it. He covered his head with his arms, tears streaming down his face. He'd used his last bit of Force energy on Bargwill. He had no power left. They were going to kill him. Laser blasts ricocheted off the rocks, making Temiri shake all over.

"Enough!" A voice shouted. Temiri recognized the voice and it paralyzed him with fear.

Everything stopped and the only sound was that of the waves washing up gently against the rocks. Temiri didn't want to look up. He didn't want to see the leader of the First Order. Maybe if he focused hard enough, he could become invisible. He waited for the command he expected to hear, the yell from the leader demanding that Temiri come out of hiding. He waited for the choke hold and scary look in the leader's eyes. But none of that came, only the sound of his pounding heart and the gentle waves against the rocks.

Temiri slowly lowered his arms and looked up. The man looking down at him didn't have anger in his eyes, only a calm patience.

"I've sent them away," he said, sounding normal, like any other man. His black cloak and black hair moved in the breeze. His skin was white like those tourists who are off planet all the time and never see the sun.

Temiri looked down the beach. Bargwill and the soldiers were gone. even Oniho was gone. 

Temiri blinked back tears, confused.

"I don't want to go off planet," he said, coming out from his hiding place. He stayed behind a row of rocks, ready to jump to the higher ones behind him. But he was no match for the leader of the First Order. Even if he tried to run he wouldn't get far.

The dark leader reached out a gloved hand and looked Temiri in the eyes. "I know you're Force sensitive," he said. "I saw how you influenced that Cloddogran's mind just now."

Temiri swallowed hard but didn't reply.

"I'm not going to influence your mind," the man said. "I'm not going to force you to come with me."

"I can't leave Star Jumper," Temiri said under his breath.

"May I?" the dark leader asked, turning his hand, palm down this time.

Can I read your mind? he said into Temiri's thoughts. So I can understand what you mean? 

Temiri had never had anyone enter his thoughts before. But the dark leader wasn't trying to fight his way in, he was only asking.

Something inside Temiri relaxed, something he'd held onto his entire life, protecting the secret he had, the secret which would only be used by the money hungry task masters and gamblers to do bad things, if they discovered it. He smiled at the leader. They had the same gift. And he understood the deep loneliness that came with it.

Temiri nodded and the man came closer, setting his hand lightly on Temiri's forehead.

"The fathier," he said softly, getting the information with so little effort that Temiri was impressed. "We can take him with us."

The leader stepped back, not taking any other personal information, when he so easily could have. "I'd like to train you," he said, offering his hand again. "You can become stronger. Then no one will hurt Star Jumper. No one will force you to do anything you don't want to. You'll rule over them, for good or for worse, it will be up to you. This gift is freedom, once you know how to use it. You'll be free."

He waited. "I'll help you. And Star Jumper, too."

Temiri knew this leader was powerful and could force him to go with him, or trick his mind to do what he wanted him to do. But he wasn't doing that. He was giving Temiri the choice. And he had the power to save Star Jumper, too. In their brief mind exchange Temiri saw that the dark leader fully intended to bring Star Jumper onto their ship, if Temiri went with him. The ship had a garden and animal area, for food and milk. It was a big ship which they planned to steal from a greedy Trade Master.

Temiri took the man's hand and stepped up onto the rock in front of him.

A look of surprise crossed the dark leader's face, as though he hadn't actually expected Temiri to accept his invitation. His pale face filled with emotion for a brief moment, then was quickly replaced with an unreadable look again.

Temiri made up his mind. The Resistance only wanted him for their war. This man wanted to help him have his own power, to be whatever he wanted to be. He'd go with the First Order leader. He helped Temiri off the rock. "You're tired," he said.

Temiri nodded. No one at the restaurant had asked him if he was tired or hungry. They just talked about their plans. 

"We'll get you food. And find your fathier," the dark leader said.

Temiri gripped his hand tighter, borrowing from his strength, a strength that he too would have some day.