Rey felt like she was walking through a mist. Everything was hazy. Her surroundings, her emotions, even her own thoughts. She had never felt so confused before. Despite it all, she didn't regret what happened with Kylo. No, she couldn't bring herself to regret that.
That moment was the only thing that was clear in her mind. She kept replaying it back over and over again The way his hands felt on her body. The words he used. The way he had made her come apart in his arms. It was seared into her memory.
She couldn't bring herself to focus on much else. She barely heard the words Kylo's subordinates chattered on about. Too lost in her own mind. Besides, it was hardly stimulating conversation. It was all supply chains this and inventory levels that. Hardly the plotting of an evil organization bent on the subjugation of the entire system. Honestly, this was not what she had pictured the First Order to be like. Where was the wanton destruction? Where was the maniacal plotting?
Kylo seemed right at home. He led with confidence and issued his orders with a decisiveness that belied his age. It was a side to him that she had never seen before and it did nothing to quell the uncertainty of her mind and heart.
As if sensing her gaze upon him, Kylo turned to stare back at her before ordering everyone else from the room. As soon as they were alone he spoke.
"Something you would like to say?"
"This is not how I pictured you spending your time," she replied in a droll voice.
One corner of his mouth twitched up in a cocky smirk.
"Pictured me often, did you?"
At his borderline flirty remark, Rey pushed herself angrily back from the table and stood up. Her emotions suddenly coelesed into frustration. Frustration at him, frustration at the situation and most of all frustration at herself.
"That is not what I meant and you know it."
The only response that Rey received was the lifting of one of Kylo's eyebrows. Rey knew that she was behaving in a borderline hysterical manner but she couldn't stop now. The only way out was through.
"What are you really doing here Kylo? All that blood and death had to mean something. You don't just go from someone willing to burn entire planets to nothing and then suddenly decide to play the savior."
Rey expected him to lash out at her in anger. To fight back, not just with his words but with his fists as well. That was how it had always been between them.
Instead he merely looked disappointed in her.
"That is exactly what it means," he replied. "I overcame my past, Snoke, and even the First Order to shape the galaxy into something worthy of existence. I didn't just walk through a river of blood, I created the river all so that order could be restored."
When Rey looked like she was going to interrupt him, he held up his hand.
"I am not a saint. I never pretended to be. Who I am is the leader who will ensure prosperity for all. You grew up with nothing. A child cast out and left to the cruel will of others. No one intervened when you suffered. No one came for you. I can and will build a world where that is unimaginable."
"You can dress it up in whatever pretty words that you like but we both know that you are a monster."
Kylo didn't flinch at her accusation but he did rise and stepped closer to her.
"Sometimes a monster is exactly what is needed. Don't be naive Rey. No one is all good or all bad. We are all capable of great good and shocking evil. I just don't hide what I am."
Rey swallowed hard at his defense. As she gathered her thoughts to reply, they were interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a First Order soldier.
"My lord, apologies for the interruption but I have urgent news concerning the prisoner Poe Dameron."
Kylo held up his hand to keep the soldier from saying any more. Watching his calm expression only stoked Rey's rage. Kylo Ren was a monster and he would take her to her friend and release him or so help her, she would tear this entire building down around them.
"Transfer the data file and leave," Kylo ordered.
The soldier did as he commanded and Kylo turned to face her once again. No ounce of remorse or guilt played on his face. He merely lifted the data pad from the table and held it out to her.
"See for yourself," was all he said.
Rey didn't want to look at the blasted data pad. She wanted to save her friend.
"Take me to Poe now," she ordered.
"I don't have commander Dameron." His reply only agitated her further.
"Enough of your games. Toy with me all that you like but leave my friends out of it."
"This has nothing to do with me, I am afraid. Your friend was arrested for the deaths of innocent citizens of the planet Yakoba."
"Lies," Rey spat back.
"See for yourself."
Snatching up the data pad, Rey furiously devoured every word on the page. Each word only angered her more. There is no way that Poe would ever harm an innocent. This was just more lies designed to hurt the rebellion. Tossing the data pad down on the table, Rey snorted out just how little she thought of the report.
"Poe would never do that."
Sighing as if dealing with a belligerent child. Kylo transferred more information onto the screen before them. Poe's image and data history lit up the wall.
"How much do you really know about the spice runner you call friend?"
"Poe would never sell spice. He is a good man."
"Still so naive. I told you, people are not all good nor all bad Rey. Before he joined the rebellion, Poe Dameron was a notorious spice runner on Kijimi. He joined when he was in his teens. It doesn't appear that he had a lot of other opportunities available to him. Another forgotten child, but he made quite a name for himself alongside his partner Zorri Bliss. He appeared to have cut all ties with the organization when he joined the rebellion but his former partner just assisted in breaking him out of jail alongside two other members of the rebellion. FN-2187 and a female resistance member who piloted a speeder on Crait."
As Kylo spoke, video footage of Poe, Finn, Rose and a helmeted woman walking out of a large sewer drain played on the screen.
Confusion cut through Rey's anger. While she still did not believe the charges against Poe, she could detect no lies in Kylo Ren. He was opening his thoughts to her as he spoke, hiding nothing. Still, he didn't believe that Poe would ever be guilty of killing innocents.
"The First Order was not in custody of Commander Dameron. He was captured by the rebel leader Gala Vash, so that he could stand trial for the charges. He was being held by the local magistrate before he fled."
Rey stared hard at the screen. Watching the looped footage of her friends over and over again.
"The First Order is monitoring the situation but will take no further action. Poe Dameron and his confederates are fugitives but their fate is in the hands of the local authorities. I won't order our resources diverted to chase them down, we are already spread too thin assisting those planets who have come to us for aid."
"You hunted me down," was all that Rey could retort.
"Yes, I did," he stated. "You are the only person I would stop at nothing to obtain."
Rey didn't have a response to that. The possessive waves emanating from Kylo were testament to his feeling on the matter. She suddenly felt exhausted and slumped into a chair.
"I would like to be alone," she requested.
At that, Kylo snorted. "Not to be. Or did you forget that we will not be separated?"
"Really, Kylo. I need to think."
"No. Now get up. You can work out your anger on me in our sparring session but we need to get moving. The galaxy has more pressing matters than your friends."
As much as Rey would like to resist, she knew it would be futile. She was over her head and needed to pick her battles with much greater care. Besides, a sparring session might help clear her mind. Punching Kylo in the face a few times would certainly improve her mood.