The Redemption of Fate ~ A Reylo Story

33

The early beginnings of dusk were pooling their way into the midday sky, and Poe was relieved that it wasn't as humid as it used to be, otherwise, his patience would be cut even shorter. He drew in a long breath; it was back to those unorganized assemblies yet again. At least now he had Ben, Rey, Commander D'Acy, Finn, and Golo Ancros--the short Sullustan who was more than thrilled, despite his stoic disposition, to help contact his comrades from Coruscant, and carry on the mast plan Rey had devised--to help speak to the hundreds of Resistance members who rallied around for the second mandatory meeting that week. 
Rey took over the explaining, which Poe was fortunate for. He was mainly there to snap his fingers and yell for order when their agog listeners became boisterous and uncouth. Which is nearly always, Poe thought. 

Inside, Rey was a mangled knot of nerves. She had absolutely no hint how everyone would take her proposition, humans and near-humans alike, but as she wrapped up speaking on behalf of her proposal to the hundreds of faces of the assemblage, she only witnessed stupefaction amongst their expressions. 
Ben took Rey's hand in his. A subtle wave of comfort rushed through her. "Rey is right. I know I have only been on this planet for a few days, and I know you still find it difficult to trust me, and that's okay. But you must trust Rey and I now. She has seen the future, she knows what can and will happen to this galaxy without our intervention."

Ben hated to admit, but he sounded like he was preaching to them, and their perplexed faces radiated his confirmation. He refocused his gaze out into the throng, "The Force has called us to do this, not our own selves. And I'm not sure why, but . . . well, no one is. Not even Rey. But more or less, this is the option we have to take--" he turned to Golo Ancros, and gestured for the crowd to focus on him --"Golo here has the ability to help us gain access into Coruscant."
Golo nodded simply, and began speaking his native Sullustese tongue. Ben struggled to translate at first, having not honed the Sullustese language since he was a young man in New Academy, but he willed his brain to comprehend Golo's fast-paced orating.
"Golo says he has friends--higher officials--on Coruscant who . . . stayed behind during the Battle of Exegol to keep the . . . planet safe--what was the last part, Golo?"

The Sullustan replied yet again in another quick slur. Ben blinked, trying to put the sentence together for the sake of his competence. "Right, he says that Coruscant's people would be honored to have other Resistance members join them. And that they are in need of authority willing to serve."
Golo nodded, quiet but content with Ben's statement. He went on, speaking even faster this time. Ben sighed; any more of this and he might develop a headache.

"Coruscant wants redemption from their past ties with Palpatine . . . Their planet has lost a lot, including their neighboring planets in the Hosnian System that were destroyed. Coruscant is not the same as it used to be, but it will eventually be rebuilt, refurbished, and so will its government--with the Resistance's help."
"How can you be so sure?" A woman asked from the crowd suddenly. Ben had never seen her before, but she appeared to wear a look of fearlessness when she addressed him, unlike some of the other timorous eyes around him.
"Of?"
"All of it. This entire plan. Of course we trust Rey, she saved us, but is this necessary?"

Rey filled in before Ben could. "It is. The Force has directed this, and I can't walk away from it. Not now. I was scared of it at first, but now I see that this is our only option. Wars will arise soon, I can see it. Anarchy, rebellions--" Rey shook her head, if only they knew how tangible her vision was --"the First Order doesn't rule the galaxy anymore, there's no one to regulate anything. No government to guide humanity--not that the First Order did, but . . . What I'm saying is that this is not a coincidence. We have someone right here, with us in the Resistance, who has offered to establish us on another planet--the one, in fact, that I predicted through the Force. You can't make it up."
Her statement worked wonderfully; the congregation stood still, compelled and absorbing everything Rey had just said. She looked to Ben and he nodded, communicating with his hazel eyes that she had done well.

Commander D'Acy stepped forward, looking amongst the crowd. "Rey knows better than all of us, and we must accept the truth of it all. We have to trust."

Poe nodded, a fire of motivation suddenly burning inside his chest. "Listen, we're the Resistance. We've lost, yes, but we have also won. And with this plan, we can win over the galaxy, just like we've always wanted, right?"
The crowd remained still at first, then heads nodded, and some verbally agreed. To Rey, it seemed that there was light peaking through the weariness of the unknown.
"That's damn right," Poe agreed, "once we get to Coruscant, and establish a government under our alliance, the Resistance won't just be a spark anymore--it'll be an inferno."