Chapter 30.

The room was muggy, no cool air drifting in, and with only one person being held in the single cell, it was dreadfully quiet, raindrops echoing as they hit the roof.

As Rey slowly made her way down the stairs, she looked around the large room, separated by bars, each cell empty and dirty. Walking towards the last cell, she found Melo sitting on a stool in the empty cell, staring off into the distance. With a quick nod to the guard behind her, he left her alone with Melo.

He sat there, refusing to look at her, but knew that it was only a matter of time that he would be meeting her face to face. In a cell that echoed every sound within a mile radius, he heard the whispers and praise of the young jedi girl that was rebirthed, the one that fought off Sano's attack.

Melo shook his head and readjusted himself on the small, rotting stool he sat on, smirking at her.

"I knew you'd be here one day." His groggy voice called out.

Rey slowly made her way towards him, eyeing him to ensure he had no weapon. She knew it was silly, he was locked away behind these bars after all... However, nowadays Rey felt she couldn't be too safe.

At the front of the cell now, she watched him wordlessly, and after a minute, the silence forced him to turn towards her, locking his dark, cold eyes with hers.

"Well? I can only assume you're here for a reason, girl." He beckoned.

Rey's brow raised as she nodded.

"Ha. I'll never give any information for free. There's always a price." Melo said. Rey stared at him for a moment, debating if she could mind trick him into speaking with her, which she was sure she could do. Just to prove the point that he had no other choice, she moved the side of her cloak back around her hip, exposing the lightsaber that hung at her hip.

Melo's gaze drifted down, resting on the saber. His hooded gaze showed that he was stubborn, yet understood the threat, thought he still narrowed his eyes.

Rey gave a quick nod, and reached to her pocket, taking out a long, golden leaf cigar that she stole from one of the merchants that traveled to Pyron with them. She watched as Melo's eyes lit up, accepting the bribe.

She watched as he stood, listening to the bones in his legs crack and pop when he moved, making him grumble and stretch. He made his way to the door of the cell where she stood, and they both took each other in, him wondering how such a small thing became the center of the whispers of power and strength, and her thinking about how a large, tall man came into the grasp of the resistance.

Sighing, she handed the cigar and single match over to him, her hand sliding easily through the bars. He quickly took them both, and Rey realized that he was actually scared of her, and for some reason she was not able to pinpoint, it satisfied her.

She watched as he struck the match against the stubble on his cheek, and lit the cigar, taking a long drag from it. The musky stench filled her nostrils, making Rey clear her throat.

Turning back to him, she saw he was back on his stool, facing her now and studying her.

When he met her eyes, he shrugged. "Well. Go on."

"Cinnon'Ra. What do you know of it?"

The name of the dark city made him freeze for a moment, until he realized again that she was now studying him.

"That... is not a place you want to find yourself." He said, exhaling a heavy cloud of smoke.

"Why is that?" She asked. She knew it was not a safe place, with it being the home of thieves, killers, and tricksters, but any other persons perspective was crucial at this point, with the challenge day nearing so fast.

"You already know that, jedi." Melo called out, as if he read her exact thought.

It hit her then, that they were on even playing field. He was not going to waste his time with the questions she knew the answers to, regardless of his perspective or not.

Stepping closer, Rey narrowed her eyes at him.

"What does Sano want in Cinnon'Ra?"

Saying his name filled the air with disgust from both Rey and Melo.

"Depends."

"On?" She bit.

"If he wants power, he'll be pursuing the Challenge trial for Supreme Leadership. If he wants gratification, he'll seek out his father. If he wants revenge, he'll be stocking up." Melo explained.

The words made Rey think, exploring every possibility. It scared her to think that the outcome would not be in her favor, and at the end of the day, if Sano was out for power, gratification and revenge, he could get all three in the city she was going to.

"Who is his father?" She asked.

Melo sighed, admiring the lit cigar that rested between his fingers.

"A man who has no fear. A man that fights for nothing. That is the type of person you avoid." he said, winking at Rey. Though his expression was playful, she saw fear in his own eyes.

"Well, Sano will be dealt with." Rey muttered, pride striking her into a tall stance. The stretch in her muscles reminded her of her training with Flora and Kai, two of allies Rey would not have met if it weren't for Melo. "So will you." Rey added.

The threat made Melo bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that the topic would be brought up sooner or later.

"You kidnapped Flora and Kai when they were so young. Why?" Rey asked, heat striking her cheeks as her anger boiled. She couldn't help but feel as though she were talking to Unkar Plutt, the junkboss on Jakku that ruled her life since she could remember.

Melo's eyes fell as he pursed his large, chapped lips. "They were a great tool in the business." He shrugged.

The way he casually referred to her friends made Rey's hand drift towards her lightsaber, almost eager to end this herself. However, that felt like an easy way out for him, and that was something she did not like. So, she made the decision to let him stay there, rotting his days away in the cell, and vowed to show the twins a better life after their mission was done.

Nodding her head, Rey turned on her heel to leave, climbing nearly to the top of the stairs when Melo called out from behind her.

"Jedi," he called, and Rey turned her head to the side, refusing to look at him. "If Sano is in Cinnon'Ra, Vi isn't far away." Melo said. Rey assumed Vi was Sano's father, yet she didn't care for the information. "And remember! There's always a price to pay..." his voice trailed off as she left.

Rey's mind was set.

She would go to Cinnon'Ra, and Sano chose to get in her way, she would deal with him or anyone else that stood before her.

( X )

The following morning, Rey met Flora and Kai at their usual training spot within the forest, clouds of fog and dew filling the area. By this time of the morning, the twins were usually talking each others ears off, or stretching in preparation for the days training.

This day, however, Kai stood against a large boulder off to the side of their training area, and Flora was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Rey went up to Kai as she looked around for the other twin.