CHAPTER ONE
The snow had begun seeping through his clothes. If the damage from the Wookie's bowcaster didn't kill him, hypothermia surely would. The only bright side to his current predicament was that the sting of the cold helped to numb the gaping wound in his side. His current attire had been designed to withstand cold temperatures, but provided little protection from water or snow. He would have to change the design of his next uniform. If he lived, that is.
At this point, he wasn't sure what would be worse; dying or having to face the supreme leader in the wake of his failure. He had succeeded in killing his father. Han Solo was dead by his hand. He had done what he needed to in order to snuff out the light in him. He had done what the Supreme Leader had asked of him without hesitation. But, in the end, he had been bested by a wookie, a defected stormtrooper, and scavenger. He could feel the heat rising to his face just thinking about that desert rat. Kylo knew that if he went before the Supreme Leader he would pay greatly for his inadequacy. Despite having enough Darkness in him to strike down his own father, Kylo knows the supreme leader will call him weak.
Tears sprang to his eyes, as he forces himself to cough up some blood. It was an embarrassment. He had trained in saber combat most of his life only to be humiliated by a girl who had never held a lightsaber before. It wasn't fair. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help, but wonder if Snoke would attempt to replace him with this child. She has been the only person he's met who force capabilities parallel his own. He realized she was powerful when she was able to resist his mind probe and force herself into his mind. He didn't truly realize the extent of her powers until she called Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber into her outstretched hand. When she stood there, with the blue glow of the saber illuminating her face, he was in awe of her.
He remembers how to force moved through her. So natural. So light. Even the darkest of force users could not help, but be drawn to her light. She was able to easily tap into the light side of the force. He could only imagine what she could do with the dark. At the time, Kylo knew he was fighting a losing battle. He was losing a lot of blood and while he was stronger, the girl was quicker. He had offered to teach the girl. She is young and naive. He assumed she would be easily persuaded. She looked back at him and for a moment he thought he might have her. Then, she kicked his ass.
He lets out a howl of frustration. His voice echoes throughout what's left of the deteriorating forest. It's only a matter of time before the destructing planet swallows him whole. He imagines Hux is taking his time collecting him. He can picture the smirk on his smug face and he spouts off all of Kylo's failings to Snoke. Meanwhile, the scavenger was probably already off planet, flying away in the Millennium Falcon. She's head back to the resistance base where the will hail her a hero. Then, she'll find Skywalker.
The next time the girl won't be so lucky he vows. He will snuff out the her light with the same saber his grandfather used to extinguish the light so many years ago. Or, he will bring her bleeding and broken to the Supreme Leader. He can decide what to do with the desert filth. If he's lucky, he will make her a Knight of Ren and she will spend the rest of her days answering to Kylo Ren. He can humiliate her as she did him.
"This isn't over between us, Rey," Kylo Ren shouts even though he knows she is too far away to hear.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
The sound of the heart monitor is the first thing that Kylo Ren notices when he regains consciousness. Kriff. Guess this means I lived.
He waits before opening his eyes. He can't stand the thought of Hux's ugly mug looking down at him. He takes stock of his injuries and is surprised to find he doesn't feel as terrible as he assumed he would. The wound to his left flank should have been an excruciatingly painful injury and he is pleased to find he doesn't have any pain there at all. He moves his hand to brush his side. There isn't even any dressing there. I guess Snoke allowed the medics to put me in a Bacta Tank. I must have really been on death's door. He couldn't bring himself to assess his facial injury yet. He assumes it isn't pretty.
He tries rotating his right shoulder to see if the scavengers sloppy hits had done any lasting nerve damage. However, he finds he is unable to move it. Not because of any physical damage, but because someone is lying on it.
Kylo's eyes shoot open. He has clearly been taking to a medical center following his injuries. That much is clear. However, that did not explain why the scavenger is lying in his bed. She is lying on her side with her head tucked in his shoulder and her leg thrown over his. He watches her chest rise and fall with each breath she takes. What was happening? Had he been captured by the Resistance? He yanks his arm out from under her, causing her to jolt awake.
She looks mildly confused at first. However, when she notices Kylo looking at her a breathtaking smile cuts across her face.
"Ben, you're awake." She reaches her hand up to run her fingers through his hair.
Kylo Ren does that only think he could think of at the time. He calls to the force and throws the scavenger from his bed. With a yelp, she flies into the nearest chair and skids into a wall. She has the audacity to look surprised at his outburst.
"Where am I?," he demands. "Is this a Resistance base?" Kylo moves to pull the leads connecting him to the heart monitor from his chest. He swings his feet over the side of the bed. Apparently his body wasn't ready for this change in position, because he suddenly feels like the room is spinning.
"Kriff, Ben. What was that for?" The girl winces as she picks herself up from the floor.
"Am I being held prisoner, because, if not, I will be leaving now. " He tries working through his dizziness and manages to pull himself into a standing position. All of the sudden he finds himself being force pushed back into the bed. The girl.
"Ben. What are you talking about?," the look on the scavenger's face was one of genuine concern and it unnerved him. Where was her concern for him on Starkiller?
"Stop calling me that. Ben Solo is dead. That name means nothing to me. Now, where am I?" With that, the scavengers face pales and she takes a few hesitant steps towards him. There has been a drastic change in her behavior.
"What is the last thing you remember?" She demands.
"What do you mean? I'm asking the questions here, scavenger," he barks.
"What is the last thing you remember?" Her voice is quieter this time as if she is afraid of what his answer might be.
"You and the resistance scum blowing up an entire planet. You cutting my face open and leaving me for dead." He rises from the bed and steps forward.
She steps back as he advances and presses an emergency button on the wall. Before she can make any further moves, Kylo has the girl in a force choke. Her hands fly to her neck as he cuts off her airway. The look on Rey's face is complete disbelief and he is unable to understand why. She said it herself. He's a monster.
"Seven years.." she chokes out as medical personnel start filing into the room. Before he can fight back, someone has slapped a force suppression cuff around his wrist and pushed him back onto the bed. He has no idea why this is happening. If this is a Resistance base, why hadn't they restrained him in the first place? Why was he in a fancy hospital room and not in a cell?
"What are you talking about?"
The scavenger collapses in a chair, struggling to catch her breath, after being released from his choke hold.
"Our fight on Starkiller Base was seven years ago, Ben."