The next day, she brought him along with her to the worksite, as instructed. She just had him watch her tether, make sure that she was tied on strongly enough. Kylo was a little more friendly with her, trying to at least be what could pass for nice.
"Try not to fall so fast this time," he warned as he tightened the rope to the post. Rey just laughed, a melodious laugh that was like water on this desert planet. Before he could reply, she jumped down wordlessly.
She loved the fall. She loved the feeling of flight, the dread in her stomach, the scream of her nerves, and the freedom of her mind as the world rushed around her. She let the rope unfurl, enjoying the ride to the bottom as she waited for the jerk that would end her wild ride.
Kylo watched and panicked as he saw the rope start to uncurl from around the post that was supposed to be securing her. His hands darted out to try to pull it up, but the pulling of the ropes irritated the burns underneath the bandages, and he gasped in pain as he let go.
She was tumbling faster, with no idea that she was falling for the last time.
He reached out in the Force, and focused on making contact with her, stopping her in midair, and pulling her up, slowly, gently.
She gasped as she hit what felt like a floor- her eyes snapped open. She was hovering in midair, and was starting to slowly rise. It was a strange sensation, and it frightened her. What was going on?
She was set down in front of Kylo on the side of the Star Destroyer.
"You did this? There's no way," she said in disbelief.
"Of course I did," he replied, a bit miffed. "It's the Force."
"But the Force is just a myth!" She protested.
"You believe in the Jedi and the Sith," he pointed out.
"It's true that they exist," she said as she sat up. "But they just believe in a hokey old religion."
He stared at her for a minute. "Your lack of faith is disturbing."
She shrugged. "Still, whatever it is you did to save me, thanks."
"Anytime, Scavenger Princess."
He didn't see her smile.
Shira Ren paced the length of the interrogation cell. This prisoner was proving to be very hard to penetrate. General Hux already reported that he had resisted the probes, and she had been called in. Even though she had used her. . . Methods several times, he had only screamed for her.
She turned to Poe Dameron, trying to make sure her frustration didn't show.
"I ask you again," she said in an ominous voice. "WHERE IS THE REBEL BASE?"
Lightning surged out of her fingers, black lightning. A bit different than Palpatine's, but it still matched close enough to her mentor. Poe screamed, but it didn't show as much as it should have.
With a fury, she realized that he was somehow shielding himself from her. This was no ordinary man, she was figuring out fast. She would have to consult Snoke on how to interrogate from here.
"FN-2187!" She shouted, and a stormtrooper whose fear she could feel oozing off of him. He snapped to attention and stepped forward with shaky steps.
"Take the prisoner to his cell," she ordered coldly.
He nodded wordlessly, and took Poe Dameron away as quickly as possible. She turned to Hux, who started.
"I will be back once I have consulted with our leader," she said. "When will you be sending Kira Ren down to the surface of the planet you believe Kylo Ren to have landed on?"
"I-It will be done as soon as we have a ship ready, Lady Ren," he said, barely able to keep eye contact with her intense yellow eyes.
"Good," Shira replied in an icy voice. "Your thoughts betray you and your feelings for our missing Knight, General."
She could feel the fear, could feel his heart racing, and a predatory smile spread across her pale face as she exited the room. She began down the corridor to communicate with Supreme Leader Snoke.
Rey began working on fixing things for the market and began running her errands. She sighed as she saw the sky with the tempting blue calling to her. Her shoulders slumped as she worked on the parts so maybe one day she could get her own ship, or make it, and she could leave.
A boy of seventeen, the colony bully by the name of Jovi walked up to her canvas-covered work area. Kylo stiffened at the thoughts that were coming off of Jovi.
"I see you're being useless, as always, dreaming about stupid things like space," he taunted. "Why don't you get up and do something, like maybe entertain me and a few of the boys."
An anger flashed in her eyes. "I'm quite fine being useless," she said through gritted teeth.
"Don't tell me you've finally found someone. Like anyone would want a plain thing like you," he drawled.
"Hey!" Kylo barked. "Talk to her with a little more respect, or I will end you, do you understand?"
"Really, Rayna?" Jovi demanded. "Did you really choose the boy who crash-landed on the planet and has no choice but to be with you. Man, you must be desperate."
"Not as desperate as you'd like to think," she said in a quiet voice, and she looked down to the engine she was rebuilding.
"Stand down," Kylo ordered.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Jovi sneered.
As if to answer, Kylo activated his trisaber. The fiery blades sparked to life, and Jovi paled visibly in fear.
"J-Just a trick of the light," he protested, mostly to himself.
"Oh, you haven't heard of the stories of Darth Vader?" He snarled, stepping forwards. "Because they're true. All of them."
"Kylo, no!" Rey jumped to her feet and stepped between the fiery blade and Jovi.
"Move out of the way, Rey," Kylo ordered, in an irritated and furious voice that usually got results.
"No, you'll get into huge trouble. I think you've scared him badly enough. Put the lightsaber down!" She cried.
"He insulted you!" He shot back.
She just shook her head in reply. "You'll have to cut through me first."
For a moment, Kylo hesitated. But then the blade died, and Rey relaxed. She turned to Jovi. "Go along and bother somebody else for a while. Go!"
The boy ran off without a second thought.
Kylo stared at her. "I-I-"
"Save it," she snapped, as she returned to her work. "I don't want to talk to you."
He stared down at the rusted, ragged lightsaber that he'd made on his own. A junk-saber, if he were to be honest with himself. What had he done? He felt like he was constantly walking a thin line with her. Sometimes she would be cold, and sometimes she irritated him, but sometimes she was alright. He wanted it to be alright between them again.
He sat down next to her, as she actively ignored him. He just waited, until a sigh of exasperation escaped her pink lips. She looked a lot like the old holos of Padmé Amidala, Kylo realized with a jolt. She looked over to him.
"What do you want?" She demanded.
Before he could answer or she could change her mind, he grabbed her gently by the chin and kissed her. Rey was shocked by the action, and found her hands leaving the machines and tangling into his hair.
She felt tension leaving her, and a warm feeling spread into her. It had been a long time since she had felt loved or wanted, and as stupid as it was, she wanted to be wanted. It was just coincidental that she wanted him.
The Vicar stared at the new couple from inside the darkened room made from an old shuttle. He had seen that lightsaber, and an old fear had awakened inside of him. The last time he'd seen a saber like that. . . He shuddered. Thirty years ago, stationed on Endor, he had seen Vader once, with that terrifying red lightsaber. It had haunted his nightmares afterwards, and he remembered the Force vividly.
He loved the Empire, he'd gladly say that, but he was grateful when Vader was gone. Force-sensitives made him nervous. In the absence of them for the past nineteen years, the others had forgotten, and the children didn't believe in the Sith or Jedi, or even the Force. Rey believed most of it, although like her famous father, she believed the Force was just religion.
The Vicar paced within. The young man was violent, and he could be a danger to them all. He remembered watching Vader choke an officer that had failed him. He could now visualize the same happening, starting with him.
He let the curtain swing close. He would do everything in his power to get rid of this dark-sider before harm could come to the Jakku settlement.
