Chapter 4 - The Scavenger Girl (2/2)

- ”The Republic is weak”- said his companion- ”only the Resistance can stop the First Order.”

- ”Shh! Don;t say that”- said the scavenger looking around very nervous- ”we don't know if they are here. Let's talk later.”

Rey had listened with attention and she felt very sad for the victims of the Village of Tuanul. She had passed over there some years ago and the people seemed very nice, especially the leder who seemed to have a very kind and noble aura. This was the fifth time he had heard tha rumour so she knew this news was true. She felt anger for the First Order and wished that the Resistance would make them pay.

- ”If I could fight too...”- she thought but then she shook her head and dismissed the idea- ”I have to wait for my parents... after that, maybe I can help the Resistance.”

She smiled knowing that the odds were practically non-existent and decided to return home in her speeder. After some hours she arrived to her home which was the remains of a destroyed ATAT Hellhound-Two left after the battle of Jakku. At beginining she thought it was not a good place since the Goazon Badlands where it was was known as a dangerous barren land where nothing could grow. However, when she inspected the place, she had discovered a green spinbarrel flower just some milimiters of height, but for Rey it was a shocking discovery and one that gave her strenght. After all, if such a weak and small flower could survive in such a harsh environment, then she could also.

- ”Big or small... life always finds a way no matter how difficult it is”- She said like a mantra while watering the plants that she kept as a reminder of this notion- ”Even in this barren place, I'll thrive if I'm strong...”

She was not always so positive. As you can imagine the life of a small girl surrounded by thugs was harsh and many times cruel and to survive she developed a very cold and unemotional attitude towards life and other people. She was a pessimist and thought that everything permitted in order to survive. She literally could see someone dying in front of her and she would not feel anything whatsoever. And then he arrived.

- ”You'll be in charge of the girl while not in service”- said one day Unkar Plutt when she was just 7 years old- ”follow his orders, girl.”

Rey just looked at the new arrival with uninterested eyes. She could not see his face since it was covered by a hood, but he was big and Rey could tell that he was very strong.

- ”What's your name?”- he asked and his voice more like a growl but it was not threatening.

- ”Rey”- she had said then with curious eyes- ”and you?”

The man got closer to her and he took off his hood. Rey opened her eyes in surprise when he saw his face. She had never heard of this species before but later she would learn that they were called Shistavanen and they were a warrior class. He was very hairy and his eyes were of silver color with very sharp teeth. He had claws in his hands and legs and the muscles were still visible under the thick hair that covered the most of his body.

- ”My name is Biron Hovrak”- he said looking at Rey with those hypnotic eyes- ”I'be been hired to be a bodyguard and also as your protector.”

And like that Rey met the most important person in her life. Biron or ”Broom” as she used to call him was a veteran and the strongest fighter Rey had seen. He was able to handle three enemies at the same time and Rey had seen people running in terror after he just glared at them. He was powerful and honorable but at the same time, he was very kind with her. Broom was more than a protector for Rey. He was a master, friend, confident and had a good balance between care and discipline. He was very strcit but he was never cruel and he always made her feel safe and protected. Rey would even say, he was the father that she was always waiting for.

- ”How many time do I have to repeat this?”- Rey had asked one day when Broom had taught her how to fight with the quarterstaff- ”I'm tired.”

- ”Just 200 times more”- had said Broom grinning at her- ”you were the one who asked me to teach you how to fight... remember?”

- ”Yes...”- replied Rey who felt her small muscles cry in pain- ”but I thought you would teach me those moves you did yesterday...”

- ”You're still green for that”- said Broom laughing at her- ”if you want me to teach you, I'll teach you correctly... you must have strong fundaments to be a powerful warrior. There are no shortcuts... so continue with the forms or just give up. You choose!”

And Rey continued with those ridiculous movements again and again while calling Broom many names in low voice. The warrior just grinned and corrected her when she made a mistake. Something that people didn't know was that Shistavanen were warriors that followed a very strict code of honor and Broom passed those values on Rey since the moment they met. He taught her how to fight hand-to-hand and how to use a quarterstaff but more importantly, he gave her values and taught her how to be a responsible person. After 8 years under his guidance, Rey had reached what Broom had called a ”Not bad” level.

- ”Not bad?”- she asked indignantly- ”I can defeat people who are older and stronger than me.”

- ”Thats why I said you're not bad”- he said with his usual grin while he hit her forehead with his finger- ”You're unmatched... against thugs and mad scavengers. But you wouldn't last even three moves against someone who has been trained... Never try to fight against a trained soldier. That's only asking for an early death.”

Broom had died after he was ambushed while transporting some goods for Unkar Plutt. 6 attackers were necessary to take him down but he took all of them with him and in the end he protected the goods. He died doing his duty and it could be considered an honorable death in his opinion.

- ”I'm a warrior so i know I'll die in battle”- he had said one day while drinking and laughing totally drunk- ”I don't expect to die in peace. I just hope it's a satisfactory battle.”

Rey cried until she felt she had no more tears and she felt as if her heart had been ripped apart but Broom had taught her to be strong and he went on. Rey never stopped practicing with her quarterstaff and now after 4 more years, she had gotten a level where not many could defeat her one on one in Jakku. She would never forget Broom or his teachings and she would always live honoring this Shistavanen warrior who changed her life.

She sighed and tried to cheer up while marking the wall of her house with a new scratch to remind her of the days she had been here. She prepared the food she had gotten from the parts she had exchanged by dissolving the portion of food in water until this inflate in a kind of bread that she could eat. It was bland and not very delicious but it was nutritious and it was all she had apart from some sour vegetables that she managed to interchange with merchants from out of the planet.

She went out to eat while watching the horizon and saw a ship flying out of the planet. She smiled to this and put on a helmet she had found in a wreckage from a starfighter.

- ”Systems ready, Captain!”- she said in a playing tone.

According to the name on it, this Helmet used to be from Captain Dosmit Raeh. she always played with the helmet inventing stories where she and the captain flew across the galaxy saving innocents and fighting the evil and wicked. She found it inside a starfighter wreckage along with what she considered her most treasured finding. It was a computer display from an old BTL-A4 Y-wing ȧssault starfighter/bomber. This old system not only had helped her in learning alien languages, but it had also provided her with schematics of Republic and Imperial starships, and a basic level training program for beginner pilots.

- ”What's the next destination, Captain?”

She always dreamed to escape from this planet and fly but she had to wait for her parents. In moments like this when she didn't have anything to do, she started to feel lonely and depressed. She missed Broom so much and she wished she could talk to him again.

Why did their parents have to go?

Why have they not returned?

Will she stay alone until she is like that old woman she saw in the cleaning facilities?

Will she die alone pretending to be a pilot and a hero knowing that she is just a powerless scavenger?

Is this really all that there is for me?

She felt a huge sadness and depression while watching at the horizon where more ships were abandoning Jakku and dissapearing into the stars. In that moment, she heard some beeping sounds and she understood them. There was a droid asking for help. She stood up and heard to find the source of the sounds. She took her quarterstaff and ran on that direction feeling that at least now she had something to distract her from her bad thoughts. Little she knew, this moment would change her destiny forever...