Chapter 26

Rey sat for a long-time contemplating what she should do next. It was clear that she needed to escape. The situation with Kylo Ren was beyond her understanding. Something had changed dramatically. He was not the same person that she fought with in Snoke's throne room.

Their situation was escalating, and Rey feared where it might take her. She no longer felt like she had any control and she no longer had confidence in her ability to handle Kylo. There had always been darkness in him but there had also been light. Before, if she had to use one word to describe Kylo, she would have said "conflict."

She no longer sensed the roiling pull between light and dark within him anymore. While there still was some light, it seemed to have settled into the background. It was as if the war within Kylo Ren had finished and the darkness had claimed the majority of his soul.

That in and of itself confused Rey. She expected that all dark side users would feel like Snoke. When she was in Snoke's presence it was as if a chill settled into her very bones. The former leader of the First Order was like a living wound to Rey's senses. Every part of her recoiled at being near him.

But she didn't feel that way about Kylo. Despite being solidly on the dark side, she still felt drawn to him. The most disturbing thing was that the connection felt right. It didn't feel like some sort of sick emotional manipulation, it felt like being whole.

She needed to get away.

Rummaging through the room, she didn't find any spare weapons lying around. Not that she seriously thought there would be. Kylo wasn't stupid.

The rooms were spartan at best. Nothing decorative or superfluous. In fact, there was nothing personal at all. Even Kylo's wardrobe only had a few changes of clothing and everything was either a uniform or training outfit. Apparently being the Supreme Leader of the First Order didn't come with many perks.

Even on Jakku, Rey kept a few personal items. The rebel helmet, a dried flower and a small ragdoll. She even marked the walls to highlight every day that passed. These things that made the Imperial Walker feel like home. But there was nothing here to signify that this was Kylo's home. Nothing personal at all. With a shudder she realized that she was wrong. There were two personal touches. The first was the all-consuming connection with the dark side that permeated every inch of this place. The second was her.

Rey shuddered when she contemplated that. For a man that eschewed all material things and sentimentality, he still came for her.

Rey didn't want to focus on that. It felt too much like being back in the cave. Instead, she continued her search for anything that would help her get out of this mess. She did another lap around the rooms before kicking over one of the dining room chairs in frustration. It hit the ground with a solid thunk. Considering the chair, Rey lifted it back into position. It seemed to be constructed out of solid metal. Looking at the legs of the chair, Rey got an idea. The metal was much too thick for her to bend using her physical strength but maybe if she used the Force, she could pry off one of the legs.

Focusing all her energy on one leg, she imagined pinching the metal in on itself. Sweat broke out on her forehead but eventually the metal collapsed in on itself. Even this was exhausting. Still it was progress and there was no going back now. She doubted Kylo would be pleased and there was no way to know how long he would be gone.

Rey only gave herself a short break before trying to use her physical strength to bend the chair leg back and forth to break it free from the rest of the chair. It was working but the leg still had not detached. Taking a big breath, Rey once again tried with the Force. Finally, the leg ripped free and crashed into the wall.

Picking it up, Rey tested its weight and found it to be reassuringly heavy. She smiled to herself, it wasn't the worst tool she had ever used. Lifting the leg, she brought it down on the control panel for the door. The gash it made was not large, but it was enough to allow her to use the Force to rip the cover panel clear off. Once that was done, it was just a matter of rewiring the door and she was out of the room.

Rey paused before entering the hallway. She halfway expected for an alarm to sound once the door opened. She needed to be fast. There was no guarantee that she had not triggered a silent alarm. For all she knew, soldiers were on their way. Or worse, Kylo was coming. She needed to move.

A sense of déjà vu filled Rey. This was eerily like her escape on Starkiller base. She was alone in enemy territory with no idea where she was or how she was going to escape. However, unlike Starkiller base, Rey had a much better command of the Force this time around.

Moving quickly and silently down hallway, Rey retraced the path she and Kylo had taken earlier. There didn't seem to be anyone around. She could sense the presence of other people in the area, but none were in her immediate vicinity.

Rey tried to let the Force guide her, but the dark side was so strong here. It fogged her senses. Eventually, Rey came across two guards. Glancing around the corner, she took a deep breath and threw the chair leg with all her might. She backed up her with the Force. The leg knocked the first guard unconscious, but it merely stunned the second guard. She had to launch herself at him to keep him from radioing for help. Their struggle lasted a few seconds before Rey knocked him out as well.

Looking down at the fallen guards, Rey eyed them both critically. The one on the right was much closer to her size. Stripping down, Rey replaced her clothing with the guard's uniform. It was too big for her but if she walked with confidence, she thought she might be able to withstand a passing glance.

Unfortunately, there was no where she could stash the two guards. Sighing, she would just have to take her chances. Rey walked briskly. She rounded several corners and was distressed to find she was getting nowhere fast.

She needed to find a hanger soon. The longer this took the more likely it was that she would be discovered. She had no idea how long Kylo would be gone and one of those guards could wake up and raise the alarm. Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to stay calm, Rey kept walking.

….

Kylo received the notification that his door had opened the second that it happened. He knew he should feel angry about Rey disobeying him, but he was looking forward to her punishment too much. Besides, it was expected that that she would try to escape. He would be a fool to think she wouldn't.

This would be an invaluable lesson for Rey. There was no where for her to go. Her place was with him.

Still, Kylo had to admit that Rey was very resourceful. He could not take any chances. No precaution was too severe, especially at this point in her training. The fortress was already sparsely populated. His Grandfather had made sure that everything could be maintained by the minimal amount of intervention. Still, Kylo had ordered ninety percent of the staff to withdraw to space. They took every ship capable of leaving except for his personal fighter.

Kylo left the command center to begin the hunt. Anticipation flooded his veins. Using the force, Kylo reached out to find Rey. She was close.

Moving quickly through the fortress, Kylo closed the distance between them. Entering the East wing, he spotted her at the end of the hallway. His lip quirked when he saw her weapon. Where had she gotten a hunk of metal, he mused. He thought he had removed everything that could be used as a weapon from his chambers. She was nothing if not resourceful.

Rey didn't pause in her flight. The second that he entered the hallway she broke into a flat run. She was very quick. Still, Kylo had the advantage of height. She could not outrun him. This would be over soon. Or so he thought.

Without looking behind her, Rey tossed the hunk of metal over her shoulder. Instead of dropping to the ground, it rocketed towards his head, clearly driven by the Force. Kylo didn't break stride as he applied a subtle amount of the Force to alter the its trajectory just enough not to hit him. He was so focused on her that he didn't notice that the metal had reversed course after him. It struck him hard on the back of the head. The blow dropped him to his knees and left him stunned for several moments.

Now he allowed his rage to fill him. It practically hummed in his veins. He gave a small grunt of aggravation and pushed himself back up. Reaching behind his head, he found that it came away bloody. It had been a solid blow.

Rey was now out of sight but Kylo could hear her own scream of frustration. She must have found the hanger. The sight of the completely barren room must have been quiet the blow to her plans. Good, he thought.

Entering the large chamber, Kylo spotted Rey in the center of the room. Clearly, she was more than a little aggravated to find the hanger empty. Rounding on him, she used that frustration to push him back with the Force. It was a solid attempt. Given more training, she might have been able to keep him at bay, but she still didn't know how to harness her anger effectively. No matter, she had plenty of time to learn.

He returned her assault with one of his own. She fell to the ground and he used her stunned state to pull her towards him. Once she was close enough, he reached down and gripped her hard on her upper arms. He spun her around to look out at the hanger and lowered his mouth till it was brushing her ear.

"I took the precaution of ordering all of the ships off planet."

Rey didn't respond with words. She viciously whipped her head back at him. Clearly, she intended to bash his nose in. If he had not expected her move, he would be in a world of pain. She could be a savage little thing. Kylo loves her fire. Someday soon, that passion would be his to savor. But first he had to tame her.

"Tsk, tsk," he says with false sympathy. "I told you what would happen if you disobeyed me Rey. What comes next was your choice, not mine."