Glitter and Gold
Chapter 7
29 ABY – Core Planets
It was official. Vex was known now as the Reaper, Snoke's executioner. People within the order called her the Lady of Mercy. It wasn't said as a compliment.
Vex and her battalion only left the Supremacy if there was someone that needed to die. Her Stormtroopers – nicknamed Killtroopers with their black and red armor, were just as notorious as her. People knew exactly who they were, who she was, when they saw her troopers marching down the road.
At first, the civilians had come to aid the rebels when Vex and her battalion arrived. Not so much anymore, after a few years. They hid when they saw her Killtroopers now. Vex thought it was good. Her troopers were the only ones who had their blasters permanently set to kill rather than stun.
The numbers had grown among them over time. After their first mission, Snoke had ordered their numbers doubled. Vex had split each of her five units into ten, and added ten fresh troopers to each unit. Over the past two years, she'd continued that practice each time more troopers were added to her battalion. She had five hundred now, under her command alone. Soon they'd have to leave the Supremacy, and take the Vexation as their permanent battle station instead of simply their transportation. Vex couldn't wait.
Sin was still the commander of Unit Alpha, the unit that always accompanied Vex on their missions. He was the one she trusted most to watch her back. And she was there to watch his. In retrospect, they weren't being as careful as they should be. But keeping Sin close was too tempting.
Vex's relationship with Sin had been romantic for nearly three years now. She was nineteen now, and with Sin aging more quickly than her, he looked to be in his late twenties even though they were chronologically the same age. He spent most of his nights in Vex's quarters. And since each trooper had their own tiny set of quarters, no-one noticed.
In her quarters, they wasted no time. It was their own little world. They could pretend that they were normal, almost, and that there wasn't a guillotine hanging over their heads. It was something Vex did her best not to think about.
Kylo Ren hadn't meant to barge in on Vex's quarters. Not like this. It's just that she didn't answer the door, and it was unlocked. Snoke still required them to train together when they both happened to be on the Supremacy. She was late, and he didn't feel like waiting. So he'd barged in.
What he found wasn't what he expected. He didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't this.
Vex wasn't there. But a man was. Kylo Ren didn't recognize him, but the pile of Stormtrooper armor in the corner told him the man belonged to Vex's battalion. He'd caught him in the middle of coming out of the refresher, towel wrapped around his waist. He froze at the sight of Kylo Ren.
"What are you doing here?!" Kylo Ren demanded. He raised a hand, pinning the man in place using the Force. The man didn't answer at first, forcing Kylo Ren to use his powers to find them within his mind. "SN-2486," he spoke, closing his eyes as he searched the clone's mind. SN-2486 grunted, sweat beginning to bead on his brow.
Apparently Vex and her subordinate had a thriving romance. For a reason he couldn't identify, Kylo Ren felt agitated. "Get dressed," he growled, releasing the man from his hold.
SN-2486 quickly moved to do as asked, donning his clothes. "What are you going to do?" he asked boldly. Kylo Ren's hold on his mind still remained, telling him that the clone knew there was no hope for him. His worries were for Vex. "Please don't tell the Supreme Leader, Lord Ren. He'll kill Vex, and it's my fault," SN-2486 pleaded.
Kylo Ren paced back and forth, fists clenching and unclenching. "Your uniform. Put it on!" he ordered.
SN-2486 complied. He stood before Kylo Ren in his full uniform. "Please. I love her," he said, words filtering through his mask.
Kylo Ren paused, turning to face him. "If you loved her, you would have left her alone!" he growled.
"There must be some way that she doesn't get hurt." SN-2486 said bravely.
Kylo Ren looked at him for a long moment before resuming his pacing throughout the room. "There is only way that Snoke does not find out. You go to reconditioning, and you and Vex never speak again," He said.
SN-2486 said nothing for a few long moments. Kylo Ren could feel his torment, his pain, swirling through the hold he held on his mind. "Do you swear not to tell the Supreme Leader? To keep Vex safe?" he asked finally. Kylo Ren nodded. "Swear it," SN-2486 pleaded.
"I swear." Kylo Ren obliged. The clone gave a short nod, acknowledging his agreement. His resignation. He felt a brief spark of respect for the clone that disappeared as quickly as it'd come. "I will send you to reconditioning. You must not reveal why. If you expect this to remain secret, you must let it be wiped from your mind," Kylo Ren said. The clone nodded again.
Kylo Ren went to the door and pressed the button to open it. He flagged down the first Stormtrooper patrol he saw. "SN-2486 must report to reconditioning. A memory wipe is required," he instructed, gesturing to the Stormtrooper behind him. The two others took custody of him – one taking his arm, the other pointing a blaster to his back.
"Reason for reconditioning?" one asked.
It was required. For each reconditioning, a reason must be input into the records. "He viewed messages and plans above his level. It is a matter of secrecy," Kylo Ren lied quickly.
"Acknowledged," the Stormtrooper said. The pair escorted SN-2486 away without another word. Kylo-Ren watched from the door until they disappeared.
Then he raised his commlink to his mouth and called Vex. After a few moments, she picked up. "Hello," her voice greeted, echoing eerily over the link.
"You were supposed to meet me to train," he said.
"Shit, sorry! I was in the middle of an exercise with one of my newer units. I'll be right there!" Vex said.
"Something's come up. Meet me in your quarters," he requested.
There was a momentary pause in her reply. "Yeah, okay," she said, and the link terminated. He hadn't thought it'd be that easy. Vex must have sensed the urgency, especially since she didn't ask any questions. On any other occasion, she would not have hesitated to question him until he was ready to murder someone.
Kylo Ren waited for her inside her quarters. He did not want to be seen loitering outside of them. It took nearly ten minutes, but Vex finally showed. Her expression was quizzical as she entered, stepping in carefully and looking around as if she expected an attack.
"What's going on?" Vex asked.
Kylo Ren took off his helmet, placing it on a nearby table. "I came to find you. You were late for our training," he said.
Vex's brows furrowed. "I'm sorry?"
"When I arrived," he continued, "SN-2486 was here. Unclothed."
Horror crossed Vex's face, along with multiple unidentified emotions. "Kylo-" she began.
"It was not difficult to deduce why. You were carrying on an illicit romance. For years." Kylo Ren continued, interrupting her. "You know Snoke would kill you for this," he pointed out.
Vex's hands clenched into fists. "What did you do, Kylo? Where's Sin?!" she demanded, crossing the room to check the refresher.
"I sent him to reconditioning," he answered.
Vex whirled to face him, face contorted in pain like he'd never seen before. She threw out an arm, her power freezing him in place, applying slight pressure to his throat. She still wanted him to be able to talk. "Why!?" she demanded, a single solitary tear escaping her eye. She wiped it away quickly.
"It was the only way to prevent Snoke from ever finding out. Your clone agreed with me."
Her hold on him hesitated, he could feel the waver in the Force. Her feet shifted, her expression turning to surprise. "Sin agreed to reconditioning?" she asked, voice weak and tinny.
Kylo Ren nodded. "His mind would never have been strong enough to hold the secret of your affair if questioned. You should feel comfort in knowing that his only thoughts were of you and your safety."
Her tears began to fall faster now, her hold on him completely disappearing. Vex wiped at her eyes vigorously, as if trying to make it stop. The noises that escaped her mouth were of heartbreak.
Kylo Ren tentatively approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "He will live this way, Vex. And so will you," he said, in an awkward attempt to comfort her. He left the rest unsaid. She knew it as well as he. But you can't be together.
"Why?" Vex asked finally, looking up at him.
"Why what?" Kylo Ren said in return, gazing down at her. If he had to admit it, he did find her wide blue eyes and sharp features appealing.
"Why would you not tell Snoke? He would kill me and you would be his only apprentice, like you've always wanted," Vex questioned.
"I do not want that," Kylo Ren rumbled after a few moments. His hand awkwardly fell from her shoulder. He did not know what to do with himself. "If you were dead, I would be robbed of an ally," he added finally.
Vex's brows pulled lower, tears still escaping her eyes. "We have always been enemies, Kylo Ren," she said.
He sighed. "I do not think of you as my enemy."
"Since when?" Vex demanded.
"Since we made peace. When you told me I would always be nothing more than a tool to him." Kylo Ren remembered the moment vividly. It was the moment he began to think of Vex as something more than competition. She was someone very much like him that was in pain, just like him. She was wiser than him in some ways and more naïve in others. He'd felt an odd urge to protect her ever since.
Vex stared up at him for a long few moments. "Can you truly hide this from Snoke? Even when he pierces your mind?" she asked, seeming to accept the trust he'd given her.
Kylo Ren hesitated. "You have. For years." He pointed out.
"It is not easy," Vex said.
"But you can teach me," Kylo Ren replied quickly.
Vex took another moment to answer, her piercing blue eyes seeming to burn into him. "Yes," she promised.
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