Star Wars
Episode VII.5
"The Smitten Knight"
Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren, has captured Rey the scavenger from the skirmish in Takodana. Believing that she has seen the map leading to the location of Luke Skywalker, the search for the BB droid unit was abandoned. The First Order fled with their new prisoner back to Starkiller Base, the new weapon with the power to destroy star systems across the galaxy.
During interrogation for the map, Rey was able to fend off Kylo Ren's torture by using the Force. Kylo reports her Force sensitivity to Supreme Ruler Snoke, the phantom leader of the entire First Order and ally to the Dark Side.
With new found power, Rey escaped her bindings and made her way towards escape from the base. Little did she know that the Resistance has made moves to counter the upcoming attack from Starkiller. Astonished by this escape, Kylo Ren and his troops moved quickly to search for their prisoner…
"How can you let her escape?!" Rage emanated from Kylo Ren as he pressed his anger onto the trooper.
"I didn't…betray you…she did some sort of trick…."
The trooper gasped in his helmet for air as it rushed out of his lungs by an incredible power. Just as he was about to black out, Kylo released him as if he accepted his answer.
"She must have an understanding of the Force," Kylo said as he turned to the trooper, who was indeed shameful but ever ready to fulfil a command.
"Report to your squadron and continue the search. She must not get away!"
He stormed off across the hangar as Stormtroopers make formations to patrol the halls of Starkiller base. Every soldier on base was called in to comb the entire facility for the Scavenger. The vast legion were highly trained individuals, donning the fierce white armor meant to strike fear in the enemy. Their ruthlessness and brutality was hardwired from years of training, but the soldiers of Starkiller Base were the most elite. Honor bound to Snoke, every soldier at base were screened and evaluated to have the right to be called the very finest of the First Order.
Kylo continued to assist in the search, which was already dense with the amount of Stormtroopers taking part. He had just encountered another Force user and yet he couldn't sense the Scavenger's whereabouts. All he can think about was how unprepared he was for this event. A strong warrior he is, but caught in a moment of weakness. His anger was growing but his might dwindles as his head fills with thoughts of failure. Kylo keeps up his pace of earnest as he passes columns of troopers moving along the halls. He figures that it was only a matter of time to fish out the Scavenger, but Kylo couldn't keep still. His arms shook at his sides.
"Sir! Scanners triggered in hanger 718. We're searching the area."
A trooper reported as she approached Kylo Ren from behind. He is still blind with the insecurity of his abilities, but he pivots in place to acknowledge her.
"She's just beginning to test her powers," he tells the trooper. "The longer it takes to find her, the more dangerous she becomes." Kylo begins to press on to the task at hand.
"I saw what happened with you Sir, so I'll do my best to find her for you," the trooper assured him with pure sincerity in her voice and a hint of genuine concern.
Kylo stopped in his tracks in response to what he had heard. It was standard for troops to accept an order with a simple "Yes sir," and most of the time the command is executed without further exchange. Yet this trooper was compelled enough to reach out to a level that doesn't exist between officer and subordinate. Kylo was merely surprised, which was enough to shake him out of his pit and back into focus with the rest of the galaxy. He turns to face the trooper.
Kylo had to look down to level with the visor of the trooper. As he gazed through the dark spectacles, he felt a tug in his chest. He obviously sees nothing through her helmet, yet he feels something from her as he looked at her. The trooper stood still, quite short compared to the Master of the Knights of Ren. Under the bulk of her armor, you can tell that her frame resembles a fox compared to the wolves of the First Order. But her deployment on the base meant that she is quite the capable soldier. It was not her features that Kylo notices, but a feeling she induces which was quite close to nervousness and similar to ease. He senses a great power from her that doesn't come from might, but it urges Kylo to become curious about her.
"I'm sorry sir…I didn't mean any disrespect to you…I," she fumbles her words as if embarrassed for stepping outside of her boundaries and bringing up the failure of detaining the prisoner. It seems she was just as surprised as Kylo for what she said earlier.
"No, that's not it. You do not have to apologize," Kylo was very uncertain with what he should say next. His focus completely transitioned from the search for the Scavenger to the trooper in front of him. He began to notice more about her, about a connection that he feels he has to her. Kylo stood and slowly tried to come to terms with the situation.
The Stormtrooper relaxed her shoulders when she saw Kylo ease up. She was relieved. Not for her own safety, but that she didn't disappoint the man in front of him. The Knight was subject to many troopers' admiration due to his strength as a warrior. This was also coupled with fear and lowliness, but that was not the case for this trooper. She had admired him from stories of his feats for a long time. These stories inspired her throughout her training in order to overcome her handicaps. Her connection to him was stronger than anyone can fathom despite never meeting. Seeing him at this moment, she soon develops a better understanding of Kylo Ren. Without fear she stepped closer to him.
"I heard a lot about you Sir, so it is so surreal for me to finally be in your presence."
Kylo literally sees a smile in her. Her voice was very excited, almost playful yet with a humbling characteristic that made him forget to see her as a mere soldier. He was too curious, to the point where he unconsciously dropped his persona as the Master Knight. His spirit comes down to level with her as he sees her through the eyes that didn't belong to Kylo Ren.
"What is your name?"
"My ID number is QT-3141, and my squad acknowledges me by that as well."
She was beaming under her helmet as she fulfilled his request. The idea of talking to Kylo Ren was still a dream to her, so she was enjoying as much as she can from this exchange.
"Kyu Tee…That must be the prettiest I have heard."
Kylo had no grasp of what he was saying. Words were coming from his mouth on their own, but he let them flow as they liked. All he could think about was the feeling that kept tugging in his chest. It was a small pain, but he was very comfortable with it. All it did was urge him to stay with Kyu Tee as long as he can. Just to keep her in front of him so he can better understand why.
Kyu Tee was also getting a certain feeling from Kylo. She knew she had an admiration of him, but being with him then made it feel like there was more to it. She also feels a connection that bound her with him. Kyu Tee was curious about the person behind the stories. She thought she understood him better than anyone else. Despite all his accomplishments, she knew that he felt alone. The driving force of her adoration was also her feelings of loneliness. Kylo Ren among her peers was a figure of great power making him capable of performing the most gruesome deeds, which he most certainly did. However for Kyu Tee, Kylo was not made out to be a monster. His comment on her name strengthened her opinion that he was more than a warrior, and it also caught her in a sense of extreme happiness.
"No one would ever expect for that to come from you Sir. But thank you for saying that."
Few words have been spoken, but the two of them began to understand each other better than anyone else did. Kyu Tee was at her happiest moment, and Kylo at his most certain. He knew then that he wanted to protect her. They are physically closer now, and he senses spots of emptiness within her. It was as if there was no one there for her all this time, which was very true. Kyu Tee was as alone as he was. Even if their circumstances were different, their ordeals were one in the same. No one else would comfort them. He reaches towards her and she takes his hand. Together they started to move away from the open space of the hallway and walked down by the wall, still facing each other.
"I can see you, and I feel something for you too," Kylo said with an assertiveness as soft as he can make it. "I know that I want to be there for whenever you need me."
Kyu Tee heard this and accepted his resolve. She also sensed a pain within himself, and she is compelled to relieve him of this pain. They continued to walk down and then into an alcove, out of sight from the middle of the hallway.
"I can see you too."
There was a lot of meaning within those words that Kylo understood. Kyu Tee knew then that they were both standing in the same place. They were the only two people in the entire galaxy sharing something that no one will ever understand.
"I want you to see me," Kylo said as he removed his helmet, revealing a man with strength, torn within, but very certain at the moment.
Kyu Tee returned the favor, forgetting about everything she has ever known. She took her helmet and lifted her arms, letting her mousy hair fall and reach down above her shoulders. Her face was very kind and bright, and her eyes were dark and shining. She looked up into Kylo with wonder and trust.
"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life," he said with great confidence.
"Thank you," Kyu Tee said. "No one has ever said that to me, and it makes me very happy."
The two gazed into each other's eyes, and then Kylo comes close towards her lips. Kyu Tee had barely contained herself and then pounced, wrapping her arms around him. She went ahead and kissed Kylo. They both indulged into each other with great passion, as if making a promise that will last a lifetime. For a while they embraced and kissed, unaware of everything happening around them. They slowed down to catch their breaths and reconnect with reality. Kyu Tee's smile warmed Kylo Ren's spirit, which prompted him to laugh a little about what they just did.
"This isn't how I thought my day would go," he said as he swept Kyu Tee's hair over her forehead.
"I love you, Kyu Tee."
Her smiling face had already smitten the hardened knight. Kyu Tee reached up to feel his cheek. She buried hers into his chest and listened to his heart. After a few seconds, she brought both arms around Kylo's waste and then looked up at him.
"Thank you for saying that. I never thought that I would be able to experience something like this. Being here with you now makes me happy. I love you too." She had tears in her eyes as she said this, which Kylo wiped away in a smooth motion.
"I promise you that this is what I feel," he said as he went for another kiss. But Kylo paused as his euphoria drains by another upcoming feeling. This feeling swept over his whole being. He was very familiar with it, so he knew exactly what it meant. He comes out into the hallway with his helm by his side. He looks back over to Kyu Tee, who has shaken herself back to her senses. Kylo looks down to her feet and then back up into her eyes, his expression pained by the disturbance of the atmosphere. He knows that something is wrong. Kyu Tee figured that it was time to get back into duty, so she gave him a final smile and hurriedly adjusted her helmet in place while she made her way down to continue her patrol. Kylo watched her for a few more moments until she comes away from his sight, yet he can still feel her in his heart. He placed himself back into action for the search, but also expects to find his past making an appearance. He was about to face a difficult trial.
Kyu Tee reported by telecommunications to her squad about trekking the lower levels of the base. She was still a bit giddy about her encounter with Kylo Ren, but her sense of duty forced her to contain herself. Soon she was back as a soldier of the First Order. Kyu Tee continued deeper into the utility floors of the base where fewer squadrons were present. By then it had been an hour and still no sign of the Scavenger by any trooper. She was still diligent with her efforts in the search, scanning areas with great care. Another hour has passed when she reaches the basements. Kyu Tee felt that she was bound to find something here.
As she marched through the disposal block of the base, her scanner picks up a distress beacon. This unique signal is only translated between channels shared by the issued equipment of the First Order. The beeping became more frantic as she ran down the hallway, hugging the wall as she went along. She stopped in front of the blast doors that lead to the compactor when the beeping transitioned to a continuous note, indicating the epicenter of the distress beacon. She also heard the sound of grinding metal, as if the gears of the compactor were tumbling in an awkward position. Kyu Tee opened the blast doors and sees figure clad in chrome, pushing at the compacting walls that failed to crush its victim. She deactivated the compactor through the control panel and grabbed an arm, pulling a trooper out into the open.
"Captain! What is going on here!?" Kyu Tee was shocked to see her commanding officer in such a state.
Captain Phasma was crouched, breathing heavily as she tried to compose herself. Then she stood up straight to tower over Kyu Tee, her armor glistening as trauma began to blend away. She was truly a giant compared to her, with an intimidating modification to standard Stormtrooper armor and a black cloak draped like a shadow.
"QT-3141, I must admit that I am glad to see you right now. I did not know how much longer my armor could have taken the beating." She puts a hand on Kyu Tee's shoulder as thanks, but she dares not say it.
"How did you get in there? What is going on?"
"FN-2187 is here." The Captain prodded her onward and they both marched back up from the disposal block.
"Ma'am, the traitor?! Is there anything we are to do about it!?"
Kyu Tee said this with a great distaste for FN-2187. Her boundless loyalty was a quality that convinced officers for her deployment to Starkiller Base. She could not forgive any act of treachery, much less the perpetrator.
"The whole base is compromised," Captain Phasma said. "The Resistance will make their attack soon." She was walking even faster, much so that Kyu Tee had to break into a run to catch up with her. They entered an elevator in which the Captain floored acceleration to the starfighter hangars. Within seconds they reached their destination.
"We should then prepare for a counter attack! I will go ahead with a report. If we…"
The hangar shook suddenly, followed by alert sirens. Stormtroopers broke away from formations and began to occupy starfighters and defensive positions. The Captain takes Kyu Tee's arm and urges her towards the main deck. The shuffling of feet was loud, and the sounds of bolts being fired and cannons bursting echoed throughout the hangar. Many TIE fighters started up in unison and zipped away into battle. Power generators were wheeled in as more Stormtroopers rushed to fulfill protocol.
Then, two damaged Resistance starfighters rushed through the hangar doors and spiraled towards a few TIE fighters preparing for takeoff. They collided and catalyzed a large explosion, blowing away many troopers. Shrapnel flew in all directions. The Captain and Kyu Tee both ducked to avoid the debris but were still caught by the perimeter of the blast. Their equipment did end up becoming slightly toasted, otherwise they recovered quite unharmed. The roof overhead had been blasted away. Kyu Tee looked up and saw swarms of TIE fighters engaging the Resistance.
"The shields have been deactivated," Captain Phasma stood up and brought Kyu Tee to her feet.
"If the oscillator gets blasted then it leads to a chain reaction that will crumble the whole planet."
"What should I do now, Captain?!" Kyu Tee assumed an attention stance in front of Phasma and awaited her order.
The Captain walked over to a collapsed trooper and squatted down. She lifts him up and supported his gait with her shoulder. The trooper thanked the Captain as she helped him away from the wreckage. She looked over at Kyu Tee, who was now surrounded by other Stormtroopers who survived the explosion. Phasma looks around and then up to the dogfights above. She had come to a decision.
"We all need to evacuate the facility."