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“Captain,” Pava said as she hauled herself on board. “I vote you toss this one straight in the brig. She nearly bit Snap’s ear off, and that’s after we managed to get the knife away from her. Kun’s not gonna tell you, but she’s slashed pretty bad.”
“Noted, Pava, thanks,” Poe said, watching as his crew brought up a slim, unconscious girl who looked like she ought to be in high society courting suitors, not with her wrists tied with knotted rope. “Take her below,” he said to Snap, “and then get yourselves patched up.”
“She’s wild,” Snap said. “I’d be impressed if I weren’t so attached to having both my ears.”
“Sure you aren’t just sore because a tiny girl kicked your ass?”
“Funny, Captain. You keep your pistol close when she wakes up or she’ll kick your ass, too.”
By the look of Poe’s crew, she’d certainly put up a good fight, anyway. He watched them take her belowdecks and then oversaw the weighing of the anchor, setting their course northeast. It had been a good haul; the girl had been an unexpected complication. Poe had only been looking to steal gold from under Ren’s nose.
He hadn’t realized Ren was holding a girl, too.
What use would Kylo Ren have for a skinny girl? Well. Beyond the obvious. Ren was an ass but he wasn’t a pig; Poe was inclined to believe there was something more to it. Certainly by the way she’d fought, Ren wouldn’t be able to touch her if she didn’t want to be touched.
Poe supposed there wasn’t any use wondering. He had the answers waiting for him.
She was crouched in a corner when Poe came through her door, hands still bound. Nevertheless she spit at him, fierce as a wild dog. “Let me go!”
“Steady now,” Poe said, hands raised in front of him. “I’m Poe and this is my ship. In spite of the way you attacked my crew, I’m not here to hurt you.”
“Come a little closer and say that.”
Poe raised an eyebrow. “I imagine you haven’t been treated well of late. I like to do things a bit differently.”
She remained unimpressed. “What do you want?”
“Nothing. Just to ask you a few questions.” Poe stepped closer, eyes on her. He thought about Snap and then considered.
She would never talk to him if he didn’t give her a reason to. He needed her to believe he wasn’t the enemy, and that began with trust.
The girl startled when he moved in front of her but he showed her the flat of his blade, gesturing at her ropes. She watched him with narrow eyes as he cut her loose and then swift as a snake she had pulled his pistol from its holster and aimed it at his heart.
Poe held his hands up, letting the knife drop. “I mean, we can do it like this, but you won’t get far. If you shoot me, my crew will kill you. Believe it or not but they kind of like me.”
“I’d rather die fighting than let you have me.”
“I said I won’t hurt you,” Poe said, something pinching in his chest, “and I meant it. I’m not your enemy. I can even be your friend.”
She scoffed. “You’re a pirate.”
“Sure, but I’m not such a bad guy. I’m guessing you have no love for Kylo Ren; well, neither do I.”
Her grip wavered just a little. “He’s a monster.”
“Yes. The reason we found you is because…” Poe smiled faintly. “Let’s just say I take great pleasure in being the thorn in his side.”
The girl hesitated and then finally brought the pistol down. “He took me.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I interested him. He wanted me to join him.”
Poe suspected there was more to it than that but he supposed it would take more than a few minutes face-to-face and untying her bonds for her to trust him. “I told you my name, but you haven’t told me yours. I’d like to address you properly.”
“Rey.”
Rey. That suited her. Beneath the dirt and grime she had a beautiful face, a light that shone in her eyes.
“Rey,” Poe said. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, you didn’t exactly endear yourself to my crew so for your own safety I think you’d better stay in here for a while. But if you like, I’ll come back, and we can talk some more.”
She shrugged. “You’re the captain. You can do what you want.”
Poe smiled at her. “I’d like to get to know you.” He held his hand out. “I’d like my pistol back, though.”
“I don’t need the pistol to kill you.”
“I imagine not. But like I said, you won’t get very far.”
After a moment, Rey handed it over.
“Thank you,” Poe said, and holstered it, stuffing his knife back into his boot. “See you soon, Rey.”
He felt her eyes on him as he crossed the room, all the way until the door closed behind him.
-
When Poe returned, he brought a tray of food with him.
Rey watched him with wide hungry eyes and Poe set it on the rickety table. “You look like you haven’t eaten in a week. Go on.”
She fell upon it like she genuinely hadn’t eaten in a week, shoveling it down with the unselfconsciousness of the truly hungry. Poe wondered again where she came from, what Ren had been doing with her.
He let her eat before he asked, “Don’t you have a family looking for you?”
Rey licked her fingers and swallowed half the glass of water he’d brought. “Don’t think so. At least, I don’t remember them. Thought they’d come back for me but they never did, and now they wouldn’t know where to find me even if they tried.”
An orphan. Poe’s heart panged. She looked so young, young and tiny and alone. She fought like a person who had had to learn to defend herself; how many horrors she must have seen.
“I hope you’ll feel safe here,” Poe said, and let himself out before he embarrassed himself.
Pava said he was too soft-hearted for this business. Sometimes he was inclined to believe her.
-
Poe spent the next days convincing his crew that Rey deserved their kindness, despite their introduction, and personally bringing meals to Rey. He wouldn’t flatter himself enough to say she was warming to him, but she at least wasn’t trying to kill him anymore and she returned his conversation easily enough. She watched him like he was a puzzle, a mildly intriguing unknown that she sought to understand.
It was a week since they’d found her when Poe said, “The sea’s calm and the sun is out. You’ve been cooped up here long enough. Have some fresh air.”
Rey gaped at him. “You do know that when you have a prisoner you don’t let them wander free, don’t you?”
“You aren’t my prisoner,” Poe said, and opened the door, gesturing to her. “Coming?”
She moved with quick grace and then settled into step beside Poe, letting him direct her. The crew gave them a wide berth and Poe ignored them utterly; he knew his lieutenants thought he was crazy and were preparing to come to his rescue if and when Rey attacked him.
Poe knew that wouldn’t happen.
Rey struck when she felt threatened. Poe wanted to give her a place to belong.
They stood at the rail, the ship skimming through the sea. The wind whipped Rey’s hair around her face and she smiled, bright and beautiful, as if startled by the simple pleasure of sailing. Poe found he was quite unable to look away; her face was freshly scrubbed and she was beautiful.
He leaned his hip against the rail, brushing his hand through his air. “You’re an impressive fighter.”
Rey glanced to him, eyes slightly narrowed against the glare of the sun. “I’m sorry about your crew.”
Poe laughed. “They’ll get over it. I mean it; you’re something special.”
“Thanks,” Rey said, weirdly shy, sweet in her surprised acceptance of his praise.
“I’m going to keep going after Ren; I wonder if you wouldn’t like to help.”
“Help you?”
“I know you said… you didn’t have anyone. A lot of my crew, well, they don’t have anyone either.” Poe looked around, his ship, his beautiful Black One , and his crew, loyal to the core. Pava and Snap were carefully watching nearby, giving Poe space but clearly ready with pistols and knives if it turned out Poe was wrong.
“Maybe,” Poe continued, “you could find a place here. With us.” Me. Poe drew his knife and flipped it around, presenting the hilt to Rey.
Pava and Snap moved; Poe held up his free hand. No.
Rey was looking at him with wide, wide eyes. “You want me to join your crew? You’d trust me with this?”
“I told you, Rey, you aren’t my prisoner, and I’m not going to hurt you. I’ll take you wherever you want to go but I’m hoping you’ll want to stay.”
A moment more of hesitation and then Rey took the knife, her fingers sliding over Poe’s. The sun shone on her skin and her smile was even brighter than that. “Aye, Captain. I’d like that.”
Poe brushed his hand down her arm, smiling just as big. Maybe he was a bit soft-hearted, but he liked to think he knew what he was doing anyway.