He remembered the ship falling. They'd been attacked. The ship was spiraling, crashing. Everyone tried to get to an escape pod, but they'd malfunctioned. There was nowhere to go.
But down.
Kylo Ren awoke with a start, but kept his eyes shut. Every movement hurt. Breathing tore at his ribs, twitching seared his muscles. There was no respite from the agony. A bright light hit his eyes, and he remained motionless. A search party could be from either side, better to air on the side of caution for now. He couldn't fight anyone in his present state, much to his annoyance.
That damn girl. She'd gotten lucky, but he'd make her pay for what she'd done. He would make her pay.
The light on his face began to feel warm. His right eye twitched, and the gash down his face made him groan. He heard a shuffling to his right and tried to lie absolutely still, but he shifted involuntarily when the light was blocked from his face. Suddenly, a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he wrenched his eyes open at the sensation. His vision was blurred, but a figure leaned over him, their hand holding him down. He sensed no malice, just a warmth, a curiosity.
"You're awake," a voice said. Kylo could feel himself fading into unconsciousness, and did not welcome the thought. The voice was soft, a gentle accent that he could not quite place. He tried to shift upwards, but the hand kept a firm pressure on his shoulder. "You're very hurt," it said. "I found you in the woods, fractured ribs, lacerations, burns." There was a pause. The voice continued in an even softer tone. "I don't know what kind of hell you've been through, but you're safe now." A pause. "Sleep, you're safe."
He knew he shouldn't. There was no reason to trust this figure. He needed to find the rest of his fleet, get back to his Master. He tried in vain to rise once more, but the gentle hand on his shoulder was enough to keep him in place. He could not deny his body's exhaustion, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
When Kylo Ren awoke for a second time, an awful stench was the first thing to greet his senses. He coughed and sputtered, which didn't help the state of the rest of his body. With a groan, he turned on his side, doubling over in pain. He heard running footsteps, and this time a hand on each shoulder returned him to his back, causing his body to straighten again.
"I know it smells terrible, I'm sorry," the voice said. "I'm sorry, but it's helping, I promise." He took a moment to compose himself, but then opened his eyes slowly and looked around. Above him was a creature far less remarkable than anything he'd seen before.
A woman stared back at him, dull and unimpressive. Her white hair was pulled up behind her head, and her skin had a gray tinge to it, like someone forgot to give her color. Her face was angular, and her dark irises filled out her entire eye, making her eyes black and huge. In a complete picture, she looked almost monochromatic, with no luster or shine anywhere in her appearance. Nonetheless, she smiled at him, though it did nothing for her exterior.
"How do you feel?" she asked. Her voice was far too melodious to match the rest of her. He remained wary, but found himself unable to move.
"Let me go," he said, and immediately the woman removed her hands. She stood up and took a step back, sitting on a chair a few inches behind her. The smile was replaced by a look of deep concentration as she studied him. "Take me to my ship." Her eyebrows rose slightly.
"I didn't find a ship anywhere near you," she said. He could feel his anger surging, but forced himself to stay calm. He didn't know anything about her. "Did you crash here?" she asked. Kylo nodded, and the woman looked out the window. "I must've walked for miles around where I found you, but I found no evidence of wreckage." Kylo lifted his head up slightly at the news, but groaned as pain shot through his stomach. He tried to lift a hand, but found himself unable to do so.
"Why can't I move?" he asked, and the woman did not leave her chair.
"I gave you a large dose of pain medication. Your injuries were substantial enough that I had to extensively work on you before I could let you wake up. I can give you more if you're uncomfor-"
"No," he cut her off. He needed the pain. The driving reminder of what he was to avenge. The woman tilted her head to one side but said nothing on the subject.
"What's your name?' she asked, standing up and turning her back to him. An unwise decision he could use to his advantage once his strength returned.
"Kylo," he stated. No reason to lie, she'd be dead by morning. Her shoulders rose and fell a couple times as a soft chuckle filled the room. Kylo blinked a few more times, and the surrounding area came into view. The building he was in was wood, and it was warm. A fire burned on the wall opposite him. He was laying on what looked to be a long block of wood, cushioned to resemble a bed.
"Kylo," said the woman, and he turned at the mention of his name. That voice, that voice was so full of color, but coming from the muted specter that stood before him, he was no more moved than had a droid said it. "That's a nice name." The woman reached into a cupboard and drew a glass, filling it with water from a carafe. She approached Kylo slowly, kneeling down by the bed he was on and holding it out. "Are you thirsty?" she asked. He warily eyed the cup, looking between her and the water. For a moment, the woman looked confused, but a sad realization crossed her face. She looked at him intently and drank a sip from the glass, as though that was to dissuade his suspicion. Kylo searched her heart for evidence of spite and, finding none, nodded. The woman gently put her hand behind his head, but he shook away from her grasp, despite the pain it caused him. Instead, he lifted his head on his own and allowed her to lower the glass to his lips. The action was excruciating, but he would soon overcome that weakness.
He laid his head back, holding back a groan as the woman's watchful eyes studied his every move. She held very still, looking like a statue when she wasn't fully in motion. Even her breathing seemed to cease when she held still, her large eyes unnerving in the low light. But she stood up and put the cup back on the counter behind her.
"Where did you find me?" Kylo asked. The woman pointed out the window.
"Two miles that direction," she said, turning to look at him. "I'll take you there once you've recovered, if you'd like. You were the only thing there though; I don't know what you'd find." Kylo cursed his body, unable to move. As soon as whatever drugs she'd given him wore off, he would be gone, and she'd be lying in a puddle of her own blood on the floor. No one could humiliate him like this and survive.
Against his better judgment, Kylo lifted his head again, assessing the damage. To his increasing fury, he wasn't wearing all the clothing he'd fallen in. Instead, his bare chest was wrapped in various bandages around his shoulder and ribs. He still had his pants on, though she'd ripped through the fabric on one side to bandage his injured leg. She'd at least had the courtesy, and misfortune, to leave his saber attached to his hip. The stench under his nose was unbearable, but he put his head back and stared at the ceiling.
"Can I get you anything?" the woman's small voice asked. Kylo didn't answer, didn't look at her, didn't give her any indication that he'd heard her. She was quiet for a few moments, allowing the silence to sour the room. "All right, I'll be in the next room if you change your mind." She walked to the doorway, stopping for a moment. "Rest easy, Kylo." And with that, the unremarkable woman retreated.
Kylo closed his eyes, focusing his energy on regenerating his broken body. He would be well by morning. That was assured.
