Glitter and Gold
Chapter 8
29 ABY – Core Planets
Her world was nothing but grief now. Grief and darkness. For a brief time, there'd been a spot of light. It'd been Sin. The day after his reconditioning, Sin had reported back to his unit. When he'd looked at her, there'd been no recognition there. A swift peek into his mind told her that she'd been wiped away from his mind. All that was left was the acknowledgment of her as his commander. His original programming. Vex couldn't take looking at him. Not when he didn't know her.
She reassigned him to a different unit. Some of her other troopers noticed the change, but with her grief swimming just below the surface so obviously, they said nothing. Vex was grateful.
In less than two weeks, all the messy ends of her affair with Sin had been tied up in a pretty bow. After a mission, Vex had been reading the reports. She saw SN-2846 at the bottom of a casualty list. A rebel had thrown a frag grenade into his unit. Sin and three others were killed.
Now Sin was truly forever gone. Before, Vex had been able to take solace in the fact that he was able to take solace in the fact that he was safer away from her side. The very first mission away from her, and he was killed.
Vex was no stranger to death. But the death of someone she loved? It was her first. It was a wound she hadn't expected to be dealt. One that her cut her to the quick, and left her open and bleeding. She wallowed in her grief, only functioning when she was forced to.
Her battalion was well-trained enough that they could run exercises alone now, leaving Vex idle until a mission was assigned to her. Then, and only then, Vex rose and acted as the Reaper, slaughtering those Snoke deemed.
She'd only been on two missions in the month since Sin died, taking no more than a day each time. She hadn't seen Snoke in a while, and she wasn't about to question her good luck. No Kylo Ren, either. Vex had taught him how to shield his mind from Snoke within a few hours, or at least, how to lock certain secrets away while letting other things be seen. After that, he'd been gone on several back to back missions.
As foolish as it seemed, he was the only friend she had left now. If you'd told Vex a few years ago that she'd consider Kylo Ren her friend, she would have laughed herself silly. But now? He was all she had, even though they barely spoke. He'd contacted her twice over the commlink in the month he'd been gone. Both conversations had been brief and stilted, as if neither of them knew how to talk to the other.
It was true for Vex. She'd spent so long hating him that she didn't know how to talk to him anymore. Their relationship had been full of tension since the moment they'd met, and that was still true – but it was a different kind of tension now. Before, it'd been the kind of tension where she'd been ready to strike out, hurt him. Now, it was different, and Vex didn't know how to describe it. There was an anticipation building in her belly when she thought of Kylo Ren, but anticipation of what?
!
For the first time in more than a month, Vex had been called to Snoke's throne room. She didn't know if that was an indication of something bad or good. She took a few moments to ensure she was dressed properly – smoothing out her clothing to get rid of any wrinkles, re-braiding her hair carefully.
Then, Vex had gone. Part of her wondered if it was her death march. For a moment, as she had many times over the years, Vex hoped it was. Perhaps Snoke would finally kill her, after a long and drawn out session of torture.
Vex was unafraid of pain, not if it led to the bliss and oblivion of death. But countless miserable years serving as Snoke's minion? That was something she feared.
When she entered the throne room, her eyes immediately found Kylo Ren kneeling before Snoke's throne. Vex hadn't known he was back. He did not look up when she entered. Snoke's gaze settled on her, his misshapen face split by a nefarious grin. Vex did not hesitate to fall to her knees beside Kylo Ren.
"Master," she greeted carefully.
"It has been a long time since we have been together, my child," Snoke said.
"I hope I have done nothing to disappoint you, Master," Vex said, brows creasing in confusion.
Snoke shook his head. Her shoulders slumped in relief. Or was it disappointment? "I have noticed a change in you over the last few years, Vex. You've softened," he pointed out.
"I don't understand," she said.
"There is love in your heart. In both your hearts," Snoke said, almost pensively, as if he were confused by it. Kylo Ren's head snapped up, still covered by the mask. He braced his arms on his throne before standing, taking a few steps to approach the pair. Vex stiffened.
Snoke paced around them, arms folded behind his back. "I noticed, of course, that my two apprentices no longer warred. I thought to myself, good. Finally, they have accepted each other. But over the last few years, it's escalated. I've felt your heart begin to soften, Vex, and fill with something other than the anger and pain I've fed it," he speculated. "And you, Kylo Ren, have turned from your anger to curiosity. Do not deny it," Snoke hissed.
"I don't understand," Vex said again, frustration filtering into her voice.
Snoke paused in front of her. She flinched as he cradled her face in between his hands in a mocking gentleness. "Of course not, my child. What would you know of love? Perhaps it is simply nature," he surmised. "But you, Kylo Ren. You have been loved. You know its allure,"
"We have done nothing, Supreme Leader," Kylo Ren said stiffly.
A menacing chuckle escaped Snoke's lips. "Oh, I'm very aware of that," he said. "I have taken time to consider what to do with this information. Where I have failed in training you. But then, I wondered if this development could benefit the First Order," Snoke suggested.
His pacing resumed, releasing Vex's face from his grip. "We must think of the future, my apprentices. When I am gone, when you are gone, who will lead the First Order? We must carry on the ideals I have passed down to you. Who better than the child of two of the most powerful bloodlines in the galaxy?" Snoke said.
A look of alarm passed between Vex and Kylo Ren. "Kylo Ren, descended of the Skywalker line. Your grandfather, Darth Vader, was conceived by the Force itself. Vex Valorum, your family has a long history of politicians as well as Force-users. The product of your union would assuredly be a force to be reckoned with," Snoke continued, finally settling back on his throne.
"Master?" Vex asked in a trembling voice.
Snoke's gaze settled on her, piercing her mind swiftly in a psychic attack. Vex cried out, crumpling to the floor as pain began to burn along every nerve of her mind. Kylo Ren began to stand, but found himself frozen. Snoke began to laugh. "I can feel your urge to protect her, Kylo Ren. Your partner," he snarled.
"Master," Kylo Ren began, unsure what to say amidst Vex's cries of pain.
"Will you do as I order, Kylo Ren?" Snoke growled. He swiftly nodded, and Vex was released from the torment. She slowly dragged herself back up to her knees. "Together you will produce a child. You will not leave your quarters until Vex is with child," he ordered.
"If we cannot?" Vex asked, voice hoarse.
Snoke leaned forward, expression shifting into something of rage. "You will," he snarled. "Go now," he ordered.
"Kylo Ren, help your beloved," Snoke said as his elder apprentice stood. Kylo Ren held out his hand to Vex. After a moment of hesitation, she took it, allowing him to lift her to her feet.
In silence, he escorted her out of the throne room, hand tight around hers. "There will be no leaving your quarters for either of you until a child is conceived. No matter how long it takes," Snoke called as they left.
Kylo Ren and Vex did not slow down until they reached the elevator. "Your quarters or mine?" he asked gruffly.
Vex did not answer at first, lost in the chaos and horror of the situation. It was a squeeze of her hand from his that brought her back. "Mine. Please," she said. He acknowledged it with a dip of his head, pushing the button for her floor.
They rode the elevator in silence, walked down the corridor to Vex's quarters and entered, all the while still holding hands. Vex collapsed into one of the chairs, covering her face with her hands. "Is there any way out of this?" she asked helplessly.
Kylo Ren sucked in a deep breath, removing his helmet and placing it on one of the tables. "I don't think so," he admitted.
"He wants us to have a child so he can torture it as he does us, Kylo," Vex said, lifting her head to look at him.
His hands clenched into fists, and then slowly forced them to relax. Finger by finger, he removed the gloves covering his hands. "Our child will know love as we never did." Kylo Ren said, sitting down opposite her.
Vex stared up at him. His eyes were earnest. She sensed no deceit. "Who says we'll ever see that child after it's born? Who says Snoke will let us see it?" she asked. "You heard him, Kylo. He wants only anger and pain in our hearts. It makes us easier to control! He will do the same to this child,"
Kylo Ren winced, running a hand through his shaggy hair. "We don't have a choice here, Vex," he reminded her. Vex slumped back, sighing. "Trust me, please," he held out his hand out to her. Vex took it, looking uncertain, their bare skin touching for the first time.
"Do we start now?" Vex asked awkwardly. Kylo Ren hesitated for a moment before nodding. Vex sighed again before standing, pulling him along with her. She led him into the bedroom without another word.
Review, Please.
Chapter feels sort of awkward, but it's supposed to be. Kylo Ren and Vex aren't lovers, they're barely friends. They barely know each other at this point.