Glitter and Gold
Chapter 35
34 ABY – The Supremacy
His face still burned. After rushed treatment aboard the Supremacy, Kylo Ren's wounds had been cleaned and covered with thick bacta bandages. He was expected to go straight to Snoke and answer for his failures, but first he'd found her.
Vex. In the medical bay. Floating in a bacta tank, eyes closed in almost peace. She was bare except for a nude colored singlet, and of course the Creel collar. Kylo had caught sight of her and hadn't been able to tear himself away.
She was changed. Her long hair shorn away, short locks floating about her face. A face that boasted scars where they hadn't before. Just like him. A line from chin to forehead, sealed by a bacta bandage.
Kylo supposed that it was to be expected. He knew she would be punished. But there was something else. Something he hadn't been able to put his finger on at first.
Kylo Ren knew Vex's body, and something was different. Missing.
"She's a beauty, isn't she? The procedure was a success," a voice said from behind him.
Kylo turned to find a man behind him, with slicked back blond hair and cold blue eyes. He recognized him, faintly, as if he'd seen the man in some sort of vision.
"Procedure?" he questioned stiffly, looking back to Vex to see what could have been done.
"Her scars, Lord Ren. I had the doctors remove them," the man answered.
"How?"
The man smiled, looking somehow more chilling for it. "They had to remove the disfigured skin. And then attach new skin grafts in their place,"
"You… skinned her?" Kylo Ren questioned, catching a glimpse into the other man's mind. A glimpse of Vex – writhing, screaming – blood everywhere. His fists clenched.
After a few moments, he became aware of the man talking. "Who are you?" he said, cutting him off.
The man stared at him for a long moment, mouth falling shut. "James Creel, of course. Lady Vex's teacher, before you arrived,"
The name rang a bell. Kylo Ren remembered him. From his force-bonds with Vex, where he'd seen just what Creel had done to her as a child. He turned the full force of his glare to Creel. The other man barely seemed to notice, his greedy eyes fixed on Vex.
"Why are you here?"
Creel turned back to him. "The Supreme Leader asked me to bring Vex back to heel. Apparently, she needed a hand firmer than yours," he taunted.
Kylo fixed his unrelenting gaze on the other man, catching another glimpse of the mind in his cold eyes. A flash of Vex's terrified face – blood – her bare body splayed across a bed – Creel raping her.
It wasn't until Creel's voice rang out again that Kylo Ren realized he'd begun to advance on him. The other man had stumbled back a few steps, fear clearly written across his features. "-is done, Lord Ren. Snoke gave her to me, and I've shown Vex her place. In time, she'll accept it," Creel said, seeming to regain his arrogance once Kylo had paused.
The blond glanced to the side, beckoning over one of the doctors. "Wake Lady Vex," he ordered.
The woman's mouth dropped open. "But, sir –"
"Now!" Creel barked.
Kylo watched in silence as the doctor scurried to the Bacta Tank, punching something into the display. He watched as the liquid drained from the tank and she was moved to a cot as she woke. He watched as the pain returned to her and silent tears left her eyes, mouth opening in a silent scream.
When Vex's eyes found Creel, she began to sob in earnest. The doctor hovered over her, eyes wide and pitying. "How do you feel, Lady Vex?" she asked kindly.
A strangled noise left her throat. "I feel –" she began, abruptly cutting off when Kylo stepped into her line of sight. "Kylo," Vex choked out, a hand weakly reaching out to him.
He couldn't help himself. Kylo stepped past Creel, who watched with great interest, and took Vex's shaking hand in both of his. Her brows furrowed in concern once she saw the new scar marring his face. "Y-your face-e," she stuttered.
"It's nothing," Kylo dismissed quickly. "How do you feel?"
"L-like I'm on-n-n fire-e," Vex confessed, her body beginning to shudder. Her eyes slipped past Kylo to find Creel. Her face creased with fear, her gaze turning back to Kylo. "P-please – please!" she began to beg, her hand clinging harder to him. He was beginning to tremble himself, with ill contained rage.
"I'm afraid it's not his choice, my dear," Creel said, stepping forward to stand beside Kylo Ren. "Your father, the Supreme Leader, has placed you in my care. Lord Ren has no say," he continued with no small amount of smugness. "You should go, Lord Ren," Creel said without looking away from Vex's frightened features.
Vex's eyes immediately shot to Kylo's, and he could feel the desperation within. How she was pleading with him to rescue her, how she knew he wanted nothing more.
But Creel was right. Kylo Ren had no say. After a long moment, he dropped Vex's hand and stepped away. A nasty sob left her throat and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to weep with her.
"Bring a covering!" Creel barked at the doctor. She returned reluctantly after a few moments, with a thin robe that she helped Vex into. Then the man was dragging Vex from the cot and towards the door, all while Kylo Ren stood idly by, hands clasped behind his back.
As the door slid open, Vex snuck one last glance back. Her expression was filled with betrayal – and pain. Kylo made a quick gesture with his fingers, the movement hidden behind his back.
Vex's eyes went wide with surprise, taking in a deep gulp of air as the Force rushed back into her, filling her with strength.
I cannot help you, Kylo's voice echoed in her mind. You must kill him.
Vex had no time to process the warning before Creel had pulled her from the room and out of Kylo's grasp.
Kylo Ren inhaled a shuddering breath.
Now she had a chance.
x
"How did this happen?!" Snoke raged, pacing back and forth in his throne room. Kylo Ren was on his hands and knees before his master, eyes fixed on the floor. "You are nothing but a failure, Kylo Ren! You failed to kill Han Solo! Failed to capture the girl!"
Kylo drew in a deep breath. "I am sorry for my failures, Master. I will not fail you again,"
Snoke paused in his pacing. "And yet, you would ask a boon of me," he growled wearily. He dragged a hand down his misshapen face. Snoke sat upon his throne, leaning a heavy hand on his knees. "Go on…if you dare," he said in warning.
Kylo lifted his head to meet Snoke's milky-eyed gaze. "Please, Supreme Leader. Return Vex to me."
"Why?" Snoke questioned flatly. "Why should I reward your failure?"
"Because Creel has destroyed her! You did not see what I saw, Master! He will break Vex beyond all repair, beyond returning her to your side! Creel only wants to despoil her, he cares nothing for your word!"
Snoke stared at him dully, unimpressed by his outburst. "Or, perhaps, that is exactly what will return my child to my side," he said coolly in return.
"Please, Master," Kylo begged.
"It interests me how Lord Creel's presence has undone you, Ren," Snoke said suddenly, his eyes alighting on the door behind him as it slid open. "When it has so clearly returned Vex's strength," he continued, as figures appeared in the doorway.
Kylo Ren was on his feet in a flash as Phasma, in her blood-spattered chrome armor helped Vex limp into the throne room.
Review, Please.
Thanks to my reviewers last chapter - Mstngsali1, guest, and Victoria Pontmercy!
Thoughts?
Much love, Suz Singer.