I didn't stay in the bacta tank as long as the doctors had ordered. Not even as long as they suggested. And, they'd loudly protested when I stood, having to use the Force to steady myself, and limped out of the med Bay.
My wound didn't matter. I had to save Rey.
We searched the encrypted files in the data bank, the transport history of the shuttles, I or one of my Knights had interrogated every contact in Hux's data pad, and there was nothing.
I completely tore his office apart. When I found nothing again, I did the same to his private rooms, growing more desperate with each passing moment.
I called for a conference with the highest ranking officers, who filed in to stand in front of me.
"Where did Hux get the poison?" I demanded, before the door was closed and listened to their minds as confusion crossed their faces.
"Dismissed. " I barked when I again found nothing.
This went on for hours. An endless parade of black and grey uniforms, and a blur of thoughts.
Then…
That ten-thousand credits won't be worth it if I have to answer to Kylo kriffing Ren.
I froze, scanning the minds around me, trying to find the right one.
They shut down escape pods as soon as the interrogations started. Maybe if I just tell him the truth.
I held up a hand locking the Force onto their mind, and they started screaming in panic immediately.
Then, I started walking as quickly as my still healing leg would allow, until I was staring at a pair of wide, frightened eyes.
He gasped as soon as he saw me and began trembling.
He was a recruit, a slave boy who'd signed his life to me for three hot meals a day and a soft place to lay at night. And his mind was an open book, replaying meetings with Hux, and the details of their agreement.
Five-thousand credits when he went to get the poison before the battle of Hoth, and five-thousand when he went to get the mutated poison after Hux's encounter with Rey.
"Where?" I growled.
"Please, sir. Have mercy." The boy sobbed "I didn't know what he planned to do with it, I swear! I didn't know, I swear!"
"Where?" I repeated, and a ripple of the Force rolled off of me and crashed into him.
I saw a cargo freighter to Kessel, a trading post not far from the port, and a spice runner named Attyr.
I released the boy and turned from him, calling my Knights to me.
Kuruk had us at Kessel within the hour, and I followed the landmarks I'd seen in the boy's memory until I found the post.
The spice runner paled when he saw me.
He tried to run but I caught and suspended him with the Force.
He watched me approach, panting as he struggled against the restraint.
"You gave poisons to Armitage Hux." I refreshed his memory. "Where is the antidote?"
"Fuck you, murderer." He snarled. "And fuck your whore wife." He spat at my face.
I hissed, baring my teeth, and sent the Force crushing down on him, with all of my rage and anguish.
Attyr started screaming.
I flexed my fingers, and heard bone crunch.
His right arm went limp.
"Where is the antidote?" I repeated.
He stared at me, his eyes glowing with a hatred I'd grown used to. "I dont know! I don't know!"
I curled my finger. Another crunch, another scream of pain.
"Before you lie to me again." I warned. "Know that I will rip you apart bit by bit and keep you alive so that you feel all of it." I added gradual pressure to his other arm.
"Okay! Okay! Okay!" He yelled.
I stopped.
He sighed. "There's a village to the North, a Zabrak named Eriven. He keeps those tree lizards as pets. He made the poisons, he has both the antidotes. Hux didn't want anyone else knowing where to find him. I was just the runner!"
While he was talking, I went into his mind, rummaging from one vile thing to another. Shockingly, he was telling the truth.
I released him back onto his feet, then punched him in the face for what he'd said about Rey.
He hit the ground with a satisfying thud.
We found the village just as the sun was sinking into the horizon, and the town folk there steered us up, into a long abandoned mine shaft where the Zavrak was known to live.
Two Force shields were thrown around me when I approached the entrance, and I fell forward, unable to use the Force to support my leg.
My Knights rushed forward.
"No!" I bit out through clenched teeth. "I'm fine."
They fell back.
I pushed myself up, and limped inside, holding the now open and bleeding wound on my thigh.
"Oh," I heard a male voice grumble, stopping me. "You are a desperate man."
"I need the antidote." I told him, pain making my voice quake.
A man stepped into view, the hood of his cloak pulled back to show his horns, and a face free of the identifying tattoos. His red eyes looked me over.
I unbelted my lightsaber, and he smirked.
"You look as if you'll topple over at any moment." He observed. "You're in no condition to fight."
"I'm getting that antidote." I vowed, and ignited my saber. "One way or another."
His smirk faded. "Who did Hux poison?"
"My mate." I answered, pointing my blade at his throat.
He held up his hands to show that he was unarmed. "And you killed him for it?"
"She killed him." I corrected.
He looked down, considering. "Are you in the mood to bargain?"
"No." I growled, immediately
"My son is Force sensitive." He blurted anyway. "He was kidnapped, taken by Hux along with a handful of others from that village there." He pointed over my shoulder, to where we'd come from. "I'm a scientist, I've dedicated my life to the study of ysalimiri. I would not have made his poison, but he assured my sons safe return after the target was eliminated."
I sneered, driving my blade closer to his throat.
"I'll give you the antidote." He yelled, throwing his hands back up. "I'll give it to you. I only ask that you save your mate, and bring back my son."
He reached out a hand, and uncurled his fingers, revealing two glass vials in his palm. "Please."
If I'd seen even the slightest waiver in his thoughts, the smallest inclination of deceit in his mind, I would have cut him down where he stood. But, his unshielded mind verified his claim, and I extinguished my blade.
I took the vials from him. "You have my word."
He sighed, closing his eyes. "Thank you." He whispered, but I was already out of the cave.
