Light shone from overhead, through the thin skin of your eyelids and into your pupils. Your head ached incredulously from it, but you couldn't look away. Your neck couldn't move left or right. You couldn't shield your eyes, either; your hands were as heavy as lead. So you endured the light.

Until you were awake enough to open your eyes.

For a few moments, the glare blinded you. Your head was burning with pain, and you felt nauseous. A metallic smell hung in the air. Each breath was more unpleasant than the last and made your mouth drier and drier. When you adjusted to the light, you were able to take in your surroundings: an empty, white, glistening room, with only a light and some sort of torture chair for decoration. You were on the chair, and you noticed the heavy feeling on your arms and head was actually metal restraints. You were still in your jumper, which was covered in dirt and a little bit of blood.

Panic hit you as memories slowly began to flood back into your head: Delmi and Kiera. Making your rounds. The Command Shuttle. Kylo. Loss of breath. It was painful to remember these things, but you held onto them, afraid that they would be wiped from your memory in just a few hours. You knew that you weren't being held for your orange jumpsuit; he would interrogate you to the point of driving you insane.

You squeezed your eyes shut, searching through your mind, trying to see if you had missed Delmi or Kiera in the crowd of pilots. All you could pick from the image at Takodana were dead bodies, Stormtroopers everywhere, and rubble and rock scattered across the ground, standing for what once was the Pirate Castle. You wanted to know if they were safe; you wanted to justify running away from the battle scene, but you couldn't. They were more than just your comrades, and you had deserted them for your own safety.

As you reprimanded yourself for leaving them, you heard a door open. Instantly, you tried to wipe away the tears, but your hand wouldn't budge from the restraints.

Two Stormtroopers marched into your field of vision, followed by a man, completely dressed in black. Even with his helmet on, you recognized him as Kylo Ren. You remembered your last encounter with him, when he nearly choked you to death, before he tore your consciousness from you.

Kylo walked to your left side, looming over your face. His mask mad him look soulless, empty - you were able to loathe him even more.

He noticed your watery eyes. "I see that we've given up already."

You managed a small scoff. "Never."

"Not yet." he said. His voice was distorted by his mask. Slowly, he removed it and inhaled deeply, as if it was suffocating him.

You saw his face in pure light now; his eyes were glaring daggers at you, though you knew he found no enjoyment in watching you suffer. He only looked confused, and partially vanquished. His facial stature was hardened into an unsatisfied cover, and his nose told you that it had been broken in many fights.

He continued with his persuading lull. "Maybe you will at least tell me a few things, if we start small. For instance; your name?"

Your name. That wasn't anything that would harm the Resistance. In fact, it was useless information. You could tell him, and let that be the only information that ever escaped your lips...

No! you caught yourself; he was messing with your head, making you give into him. You couldn't even trust your own thoughts anymore, not with him around.

He saw you at war with yourself. "If I were to make things easier, possibly?" He removed the metal restraints around your head.

Relief instantly washed through your sense of the world around you. The impressions made by the restraints ached with freedom, and you tilted your head side to side. It felt good, to crack your neck and stretch the hardened tendons underneath your skin - still, you kept your mouth shut tight, and glared at him with harsh resentment.

Kylo nodded to your response. "I see then." He hovered his hand over your eyes, almost grazing your forehead.

You were tugged into his reach, stuck staring at the center of his black glove. Surprise had overcome you, going from the calm motion of stretching your muscles to being sucked into a sharp mind trap. The same question flooded your head: What is your name? Tell me your name. Say your name. You couldn't focus on restraining yourself as your concentration was fixed on his hand. Before you could stop yourself, the words of your name were slowly torn from your mouth in a scream.

He released you from the capture; you threw your head back against the chair, panting and sweaty. Your mind was frantic to collect itself back in order as you cursed yourself and your weak spirit.

"You shouldn't shun yourself." he spoke.

You looked at him with a swelling rage.

He continued: "It was only your name, and nothing more. I wasn't seeking anything else from you. But it was painful, wasn't it? As painful as leaving your friends in the rubble on Takodana?"

You were fuming. "You know nothing!" you spat.

"I know much more than you think!" he was gripping the sides of the chair now, inches from your face. "You aren't very secretive in your subconscious - none of you are! You dream everything you know!"

Again, you screamed at yourself in your head. How much had you dreamed that he had seen?

You gazed back at him. "Then why are you here? If you saw everything or anything, why are you tormenting me?"

He smiled. "The secrets you dreamt were vague - I don't have everything I need. You seem to be a weak target, and I'm sure you will aid me in any knowledge of the Resistance."

"Or what?" you said in a low voice.

Kylo met your gaze with daggers. "Or I'll rip your soul from your mind."

"Go ahead!" you cried. "You're wasting your time with me!"

Once more, his hand returned before your face. You were tugged into his palm again, this time with more force and pain. Different questions were being asked. Where is the Resistance base? Where is the droid? Where is the piece of the map? Will more Fighters come to lay siege on Starkiller?

You couldn't think. You could only dwell on his leathery, black hand, ripping apart your intellect. You bit hard on your tongue and screamed through your teeth, letting the pain and noise distract you. The scent of metal filled your nostrils, and your mouth was warm. The answers to the questions danced on your tongue, but you would not release the clenching hold you had on it.

Kylo's face twisted into rage. He was so close to your knowledge, to your answers - but you were too smart. You knew how to not focus on holding back, but distract yourself using some other source of pain. You were not as strong as the other girl, the prophetic 'new jedi,' but you were strong enough.

He let go of your thoughts, just as blood began to trickle from your mouth. When you leaned your head back, it filled up with the warm liquid, making you want to vomit. You could only breathe through your nose, which was dry and cracked on the inside. You had avoided his threatening words and questions, but you didn't feel any better than before. You now had two locations of pain, both in your head. A sense of languor washed over your mind.

Kylo breathed heavily. "You posses a strength uncommon among the Resistance member's I've seen."

"Call it ADHD." you responded coldly through sharp breaths.

He smirked. "Very well, then. I'll bring in my friend - maybe he can convince you, in the more old-fashioned way."

Without another word, Kylo turned on his heels and left, with the Stormtroopers behind him. You sighed, relieved to have him out of your head, at least for a while. You didn't care who this 'friend' was, as long as he couldn't invade your thoughts.

In truth, you were amazed at yourself for having rerouted your focus. It wasn't something you had trained to do, nor something you even knew was possible. However, you did wonder if Kylo had found the information on BB-8 in your dreams, along with the section of the map to Luke Skywalker. You couldn't imagine it coming from anyone else on the Resistance - you had the weakest spirit out of the whole base, fighting your own emotions daily. It didn't make sense, nor did anything else anymore.

Your thoughts switched back to the base. You wondered if General Leia knew your whereabouts. It was possible that she was informed about the attack on Takodana, and was sending X-Wing Fighters to get you now. But what if no one had heard about it? You'd be stuck on Starkiller Base for who knows how long, tormented until you spat out whatever Kylo wanted. However, an attack as big as that wouldn't fly past Leia's head; she must have known something about it... Maybe she just didn't care. You were an unlicensed bunch of pilots, only sent on this scouting mission to act as decoys. She had plenty of educated pilots back on base - why would she need back the unimportant pieces of the game?

You knew Leia was a good woman. She was strong-willed, stern, and kind. It was hard to imagine her leaving behind members of her community. However, a small part of you wished she would. You didn't want to have her risk the better for the lesser; it was pointless. As long as you were able to keep your mouth shut, you could bypass Kylo's threats and mind tricks. Any physical torture you might be able to bear.

Once again, the sound of the door interrupted your thoughts. You returned to the real world, watching a man stride in. He was wearing a commander's suit, all black, and behind his back he held a small gun... a blaster? You couldn't tell.

He stood at the far end of the room. "You're one of the rebellious ones, correct?"

You craned your neck to meet his eyes. "I didn't know there were more than one."

A smirk danced upon his lips. "I'm sure you've heard of me as General Hux."

"Maybe - I don't really give a damn."

Slowly, Hux approached you. He pulled the gun from behind his back, displaying it to you in a mocking manner. "Do you know what this is?"

You examined it briefly. It resembled that of a blaster, as far as you could tell. You looked back at him. "You're here to kill me? Fine."

He laughed. "That's where you're wrong;" he pulled the trigger towards you, making you flinch. However, all that the gun emitted was a small, electrical current. It buzzed threateningly, closer to your face than comfort would allow.

"I'm not here to kill you; I'm here to break you."