The trading market on Gargon is hectic with activity, even in the night hours. Endless rows of trading booths line the lower streets of Gargon's major city. Heads turn our way as we walk down the center of the narrow street, Hux at my side and the three officers behind us. Above the dusty trading lane, the lights of their Sky City shine, the metal buildings gleaming in the moonlight. The upper class citizens live above and the working class remain below. The planet is rich in resources and I'm glad Hux knows enough about the trading we do for metals, to have warned me in advance not to make any unnecessary trouble with the Mandalorians.

The pirates are already here, somewhere, doing their trading. Our battle cruisers haven't arrived yet. Hux ordered them to stay out of sight on the outskirts of the Mandalore sector when they arrive, so as not to alarm the rulers of Gargon.

I stop and turn to Lucas who is behind me, looking down at his bioscanner. "Where are the Jakku families?"

"They're scattered throughout the trading market... But there's a concentration of them in that direction." He points and I step aside to let him lead the way. I don't recognize many of the alien species that are buying and selling in the market, and speaking different languages. They make way for us as we walk and I think some of them can sense that I'm Force sensitive.

Rey... I try to call out to her but there's no response, no sense of her here. Is it because of the large crowd of diverse species? I hate the thought of her being here, in all this chaos, for sale as a child slave in a scummy place like this.

Lucas stops in front of a large cage with people in it, dressed in desert clothes.

"Interested in some slaves?" a large Crolute man says to us. I recognize him right away, from Rey's thoughts. It's Oktar, the junkboss Unkar's brother, from Jakku.

"Oktar," I say in a low voice. I reach for my red light saber, which Snoke gave me before leaving us to do this mission on our own. Hux grabs my arm to stop me.

"Where's the little girl, Rey?" Hux asks Oktar.

"Do I know you, Commander?" Oktar says.

"We want to trade for the girl from Jakku," I say. "You know her... personally, I'm told. A friend of the family, they say."

"He's not a friend," someone from the cage yells.

"Quiet!" Oktar turns and snaps a whip in the direction of the cage. The man who spoke moves away from the metal bars. I reach out my hand and grab Oktar in a Force hold. He stiffens, his eyes widening in surprise.

I read his mind quickly, before we draw too much attention. He knew the Skandrei were coming to Jakku and he made deals with them, including selling Rey's parents. They're not here but were already sold and he doesn't know who bought them or where they went, he only cared about taking the money. Rey was not taken from Jakku. He wanted to keep her for himself now that her parents are gone, for when he returns to Jakku so she can be his slave. He left her with his brother.

"You won't be returning to Jakku," I say to him. A few heads turn our way but they keep going. I hold Oktar in a choke hold, cutting off his air. He struggles to breathe and his face turns red.

"I would have enjoyed making you suffer more," I say to him. "But I don't have the time for scum like you."

Oktar's body spasms as he holds on to life for a few more seconds, then he drops to the ground, dead.

* * *

"We've got affiliates in Jakku who have reported seeing the girl. She is living in an abandoned All Terrain Armored Transport vehicle near Niima Outpost and Unkar Plutt the junkboss of Jakku is taking care of her needs," Anthony says. He looks different now that he isn't sick anymore, all cleaned up and in uniform. He has proven himself very useful in information gathering and I'm glad I kept him alive.

"That will be all," I say to him.

"Yes, Master." He bows. He's the only one on board calling me Master, although I am worthy of that title now. And I like hearing it.

"Anthony," I say to him through my mask. He stops. I move closer and he looks up, his expression turning fearful as I approach. I like sensing his fear too, it feeds my Force power somehow. "You're very obedient." I raise a gloved hand to his face. "And submissive, too."

Anthony swallows hard and doesn't answer. I sense more fear, like an energy traveling through my hand to the rest of me. His fear will be useful to me.

"I'm reassigning you to different quarters, on Deck Five," I say to him.

"M-may I ask why, Master?" Anthony stammers.

"I want you closer to my quarters." I watch as the fear in his eyes grows. He looks into my mask but I know he can't see my eyes.

"You're dismissed," I say, dropping my hand from his face and stepping back from him.

He bows and wipes sweat off his forehead. "Yes, Master," he says, then quickly leaves.