Chapter 3
A series of bright flashes and ghostly whispers swirled in Rey's head as she slept. She could feel cold earth beneath her as rain poured relentlessly around a barren wasteland. In the distance lightning flashed, illuminating a dozen dark figures shrouded in all black. Rey stumbled back and the slick earth turned into frozen snow. She spun as the loud whir of lightsaber static started behind her. The red glow faded once more the black. Rey was left alone in a dark forest, the screams of her past filling her head. She could hear the shrill screams of a lost little girl, the anguished cries of her friends and the loud crash of trees around her. The crashing grew louder and louder and louder until…
Rey jolted up. Her breath coming in ragged jolts and her heart felt as if it was going to beat out of her chest. She held her head in her hands and took a deep breath.
“It was only a dream.” She reminded herself.
A sudden crash ripped through the air and Rey jolted out of bed, fully expecting the infirmary around her to melt into the dark wasteland of her dreams. A wave of relief flooded over her as she realized the bright infirmary was there to stay.
Another crash and the murmur of people made Rey suddenly realize that all was not as well as she would of hoped. She slipped her boots back on and began running towards the source of the noise.
She skidded up to a small crowd of people, most of whom were other patients, trying to find the source of the sudden commotion.
At the center of the small circle of people, Rey saw Phasma, still bloody and dressed in black yelling at everyone around her. She had one arm fully bandaged and the other cuffed to the small bed. In her free hand she was wielding an IV pole like a weapon, slashing and stabbing at anyone who got close.
“Ma’am! You need to sit down this instant!” A medic tried, attempting to calm the furious woman. Rey recognized him as the medic who had moved Phasma in the first place.
“Like hell I will!” Phasma reared back, striking the medic square in the nose. The man fell heavily on the floor, blood running down his face like a waterfall. Another medic swooped down and pulled him up, quickly ushering him out of the way of Phasma’s rage.
“I demand that you release me!” She shouted again, tugging at the cuff around her wrist. Her attempts to pull it off had only left her wrist raw and bloody.
Rey stopped the injured medic as he shoved his way through the crowd. “What in the world is going on?”
“That bitch you brought here is going crazy!” He huffed, blood spilling from his nose. He yanked himself from another medic and stalked away, swearing.
Rey glanced at the man’s wouldbe escort, searching her face for answers.
“We received orders to restrain her.” The medic started, “We got the first arm shackle on, but then she woke up and went hysterical.” She motioned down the hall. “He wasn’t the first person she’s hit. And he isn't the worst either. We need to find someway to sedate her, or she's going to take out the entire medical staff.”
Rey thought for a moment. She knew the only way Phasma could be sedated was if she could be distracted from the medics. Rey explained to the other woman that she would draw Phasma's attention in order to let the medics get in and sedate her. After Rey was done explaining her plan she sent the woman off to prepare. Rey then began to shove her way through the crowd, the closer she got to Phasma, the faster her heart beat in her chest. The Captain had taken down a few grown men before her, and Rey couldn’t help but imagine what would happen to her.
She shoved a few nurses and onlookers out of the way and pushed forward, making direct eye-contact with her target.
Phasma glared for a moment, as if she was trying to remember Rey’s face. “You!” She spat menacingly, jabbing the IV pole in Rey’s direction.
Rey stepped back and looked around, the medic motioned for her to keep the Captain.
Phasma took a step towards Rey, the bed sliding forward with her, and continued. “You’re that scavenger girl Lord Ren was looking for!” Phasma yelled as she leapt forward, swinging the pole at Rey.
Rey ducked and jumped back up, yanking the pole from Phasma’s hands. The taller woman huffed and took a series of swings at Rey; each time she missed, she seemed to get angrier. Her anger, along with her injuries and the bed, seemed to slow Phasma down, but only slightly.
Rey knew she had to get Phasma down somehow. Another swing and another duck and Rey was in the perfect position. She swung the IV pole around and knocked Phasma’s feet out from under her, the woman's face twisting in confusion as the pole made sudden contact with the back of her legs.
Phasma growled in pain and tried in vain to stand back up. The arm attached to the bed kept her in an awkward sitting position. Rey dashed forward and pinned Phasma’s other hand to ground as the medic rushed in and administered the sedative.
Phasma stared at Rey and Rey stared back. As the larger woman fought to keep her eyes open, Rey could tell the drugs were starting to work. With the help of the other medics, she pulled the Captain to her feet and laid her back in bed.
Once Phasma was safely in bed, sedated and secure, Rey felt a strange pang of regret. Knocking the troopers feet out from under her probably only exacerbated her injuries.
Rey glanced at the woman one last time before nearly running out of the infirmary. She wasn't sure where she was heading, but she knew it had to be anywhere else but there.
She wandered aimlessly down the semi-familiar halls of the base and found herself in a small dining hall. She was about to leave when her stomach growled in protest.
Rey opted for a small breakfast, not really hungry after the events of the day. As she sat, poking a fork at new sort of fruit, a figure flashed into her peripheral vision.
She glanced up and was greeted by the firm, tinny voice of a familiar gold droid.
“Hello miss Rey,” the droid chirped. “The General has requested your presence in the mission room.”
Rey nodded and stood, “Thank you C3-PO.”
“Would you like me to escort you to the General?” The droid asked.
Rey shook her head no and began walking out of the dining hall. Her thoughts raced as she meandered down the bright white halls of the resistance base. As she neared the mission room, a vision of a furious General Organa slipped through her mind and she shuddered.
As she entered the large room she was greeted, not by the red faced, shouting woman from her imagination but rather by a stern woman who spoke in an even and authoritative tone.
“She has to go.” General Organa spoke as soon as Rey was close enough to hear her.
“But…” Rey started.
Leia held up her hand and stopped the younger woman mid sentence. “No buts!” She quipped. “That woman is a menace and has caused enough damage already. We have a war to fight and I need everyone focused on the task at hand. I can't keep wasting medics on her when so many others desperately need their attention!”
Rey started to retort but stopped herself. A wave of guilt crashed over her as she thought back to the medic with the broken nose.
Leia continued, “I know you want to help her, but I simply cannot justify spending valuable resources on a woman who wants nothing more than to harm this operation.”
Rey stood quietly for a moment, “I know.” She finally whispered. “But, I just couldn't leave her there. Finn…”
“I know, Finn told you to get her.” Leia finished. Her features softened and she sighed. “I just don't know what to do with her. I can't waste medics on her and I can't waste men guarding her.”
There was an awkward silence as both women stared at each other.
“Unless,” Leia started, “You watch after her.”
“What?” Squeaked Rey.
“You're the one who brought her here, and you want her to stay. Either you look after her or she's gone.”
The matter of fact tone of the General's voice made Rey realize very quickly that she had no choice in the matter.
“She will be allowed to stay in the infirmary until her major injuries are manageable and then she will be placed fully under your care. I don't want any more trouble from her. Do you understand?”
“Yes ma'am,” Rey replied, nodding in agreement with the General.
As Leia nodded and returned to her duties, Rey began her walk back to the infirmary. Halfway down the hall, she wondered how in the hell she was going to tell her friends about her new found position, and more importantly, how she was going to explain the situation to Phasma.