I'm really excited about where this chapter leads.
As usual enjoy and tell me what you think.
Disclaimer: I do not own star wars or any of the amazing characters!
Chapter 10:Kylo
Vodran was an awful planet. It was hot and murky and most of the land seemed to be either dense rain forest or swamp. Kylo had set the shuttle down more than a few kilometers from the compound that used to be Harra the Hutt's stronghold, which the First Order had restored and settled as its base once the vile hutt creature, had fled.
Kylo reasoned that that's where Falbell and Nikhoah would be. They'd always liked to live in style. Kylo could just imagine what they'd done with the place now that Snoke was no longer having lording over every little detail.
Kylo led the group with his old lightsaber held out before him. Phasma walked behind him with her blaster rifle pointed to the left watching for anything that might attack them while Datoo did the same on the right side. Rey brought up the rear of the group keeping herself open to the Force so that nothing could sneak up on them.
"Are you sure this is the right way, Ren," Phasma asked.
"The compound is only a 30 minute walk from here. I saw it before we landed," Kylo said.
"I can feel them, can't you," Rey asked.
Kylo nodded.
He could feel them and could tell that they were much stronger than the last time he'd seen them. A strange sort of excitement came over Kylo at the thought of seeing his old friends again. He hadn't realized how much he actually missed them until he was able to feel them again.
Kylo began walking faster. There was urgency added to the purpose that guided his steps now. He moved through the jungle-like-swamp as though he were on his own.
As he hacked through a vine and then stepped into a pool of standing water a large group of dianogas, which were carnivorous cephalopods with a single red eye and seven tentacle like legs that it used to propel itself through the water, jumped out at him and Phasma who had just stepped into the water after him. Rey moved forward to grab Datoo to keep him from walking into the feeding frenzy that was about to start at any second.
"We have to help them," Datoo cried.
"They don't need our help, they need us to make sure nothing comes up behind them while they are getting rid of those creatures," Rey said, keeping her eyes peeled for anyone or anything that might try to ambush the group from behind.
Kylo sliced through the angry creatures with ease and Phasma got whatever ones he missed with her rifle.
Once the movement below the water ceased, Kylo held his hand up to silence the group. He used the Force to search for anything out of the ordinary to indicate that they were going to be attacked again. When he was sure that it was safe to move again, he motioned for Datoo and Rey to move quickly through the pool of water without causing too much commotion. He didn't want them to rile those cephalopods up again.
They weren't hard to kill; it was just a pain in the ass when there was this many.
"It looks like once we reach that hill, we should find paved road," Datoo said after checking the datapad he'd brought with him.
"If we are that close to civilization, I'm surprised that we haven't seen any Stormtroopers or Vodran," Rey said stepping out of the pool with Kylo's help.
"Falbell was never fond of the Stormtroopers. Apparently, something about the brainwashing put him off," Kylo said sarcastically.
Phasma and Datoo both laughed.
They had been around when Kylo and the others had first arrived at the First Order. Which means they got to see all of the horrible things Snoke made them do to prove their loyalty. Whether it was killing innocents or torturing enemies of the First Order, they were there for it all.
He could feel Rey's disapproval down the line of the bond as the memories flashed through his own mind. Kylo chuckled.
"Don't judge them before you meet them, sweetheart. After all I was the one who corrupted them," Kylo called back to her.
Doesn't change the fact that they seemed to enjoy it, she said through the bond.
I enjoyed almost every kill I've ever had except my father, Rey. Don't for a second think that I am somehow better than them just because you love me. That's not fair to them, he said and Rey flinched.
You've never told me that before, even in his mind her voice sounded small, unsure.
He'd never thought about it before. He never thought he would have to explain that to anyone. He had fully embraced the dark side as much as he could for more than a few years before Rey came along and the conflict within himself became too much for him to deny any longer.
I'm sorry Rey. I thought you had accepted the fact that the dark is just as much a part of me as the light. Grey can't just mean dabbling in dark Force techniques sometimes, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes. I'm not saying that you have to enjoy killing just the fact that sometimes it is necessary, Kylo said.
I know, Rey said. It's just…killing for pleasure is something far beyond anything I can comprehend.
And hopefully you never will know that feeling, but now is not the time to discuss this in depth, he reminded her as they began moving toward the paved road up the hill.
Just promise me that one day we will talk about this, she said firmly.
We will, he stated.
The group fell into silence again as they finally got close enough to see the top of the compound.
"That place is massive," Rey said in a hushed tone. "It's even bigger than the base on Olara. Are you sure that it's just the two of them here," Rey asked.
"You're all fools if you think you could come here without anyone noticing," a voice said just as Rey felt a blade press against her throat.
The voice was mechanical just as Kylo's was every time he'd worn the helmet he'd modeled after his grandfather's design. Kylo turned around slowly to see that several Vodrans, the sentient species native to the planet, were standing with blasters pointed at Datoo and Phasma. He dismissed them quickly as his eyes landed on the being that was holding a knife to Rey's throat. His eyes narrowed as he fell into his fighting stance.
The being holding Rey was dressed in black and silver armor.
The black helm was rounded with a closed face, covering up to the eyes. Attached to its sides were two silver horns which curve backwards, one of which is partially broken. The silver shoulders were squared, very wide and yet small in size. They were decorated with a black scythe like blade on each side; the blade starts near the neck and curves outward. The upper arms were protected by black squared rerebraces that sit nicely under the shoulder plates. The lower arms were covered by black vambraces, which have a silver metal snake curled around them that left her hands bare.
The silver breastplate was made of one large piece of metal, which sat perfectly under the shoulder plates. It covered only the front, the back was where the black leather attachment straps were but they offered no real protection. A skirt of several layered black metal sheets that reached down to the knees covered the upper legs. The lower legs were protected by silver greaves, which have a layer of black chainmail covering the outer sides. On her feet were high heeled black boots.
Kylo began to advance toward them.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," another mechanical voice came from behind Kylo. "Not only will my partner slit your lover's throat, my Vodran friends will most certainly shoot your friends as well."
Kylo hesitated.
"Your friends are just as welcoming as I remember, Ren," Phasma said.
You don't think that Zoroyais and Hux have already been here, Rey asked calmly despite the fact that the armor covered being held the blade even tighter to her throat.
No, more than likely this is Falbell's way of testing me, Kylo said.
He turned to see another being covered in armor. This one's armor was silver and black, offsetting the other's armor very nicely.
This one's silver helm also was rounded with a half face guard shaped like the eyes of a tiger. Attached to the forehead area were two tall black spikes. The shoulders were rounded, long and large. They were black and decorated with three small silver horns on each side that were curved inward. The upper arms were protected by silver chainmail rerebraces that sit perfectly under the shoulder plates. The lower arms were covered by silver vambraces with several black arrowheads attached to the outer sides as if arrows had pierced the arms. The hands were covered in silver gloves.
The black breastplate on this one was made from many layers of rounded metal sheets. It only covered the front; the silver leather attachment straps crisscrossed across the back but again offered no real protection. A silver skirt of several layered metal sheets that reached just below the groin covered the upper legs. The lower legs were protected by black greaves, which have several large, sharp silver spikes on the outer sides. On his feet silver boots.
Kylo had to admit that his old friends looked pretty badass.
"What do you want from me Falbell," Kylo asked.
"Fight me you traitorous swine," Falbell said in his mechanical voice.
Are you sure they haven't been turned, Rey asked as a thin line of blood trailed down her lovely tanned throat.
It's a test, Kylo said with certainty as he turned back to Falbell with his lightsaber at the ready.
The two men circled each other carefully for a little while before Kylo grew impatient. He grabbed Falbell with the Force and began pulling him closer. Falbell broke out of the hold and flipped away from Kylo. He let out a frustrated growl.
"You threaten my mate to get me to fight you and now you're running away. Falbell, I never thought of you as a coward," Kylo called out.
"Right now, I'm just seeing where you are power wise. You never know, I might be stronger than you now," Falbell said trying to pull Kylo's lightsaber from his hand.
Kylo broke his connection easily and sent out a wave of Force energy that knocked Falbell to the ground. Without all of the heavy armor that Falbell was wearing, Kylo was much faster. He was on Falbell before the male could fully get to his feet.
Kylo swung his lightsaber at Falbell who was able to roll out of the way and remove his lightsaber pike from his back. The weapon was new and looked nothing like the blade Falbell'd had when they'd all fled Luke's school. He ignited the maroon colored blade and blocked the next strike that Kylo threw at him.
The two stared at each other as they both fought to knock the other back as their blades clashed. Falbell used the pike's long handle to push Kylo back long enough for him to strike out at Kylo. Kylo blocked every strike as Falbell switched from short thrusts to long sweeping swings.
Falbell swept the pike up under Kylo's wrist and knocked his lightsaber out of his hand. Falbell pulled it to him using the Force and Kylo knew enough not to start a tug of war with Falbell over the thing because he didn't want it to explode like Luke's had back on the Vengeance. He let him take the lightsaber because he didn't need it to win this fight.
Kylo leaned back as Falbell swept the pike over his head. As soon as Falbell pulled the pike back to him, Kylo concealed his presence with the Force to seemingly disappearing from sight. When he reappeared, he was right in front of Falbell. He lifted his leg and kicked Falbell right in the center of his chest, sending the other man flying backwards.
Kylo stopped Falbell before he could hit the ground and held him suspended in the air using the Force. He walked over and took his lightsaber from Falbell's belt. The other man struggled in Kylo's hold but his strength combined with Rey's made him way stronger than he had been the last time he and Falbell had sparred.
"Enough, Falbell. I didn't come here to be tested by you," Kylo said in a harsh tone as though he was not asking for help. "If Nikhoah doesn't slowly remove that blade from Rey's throat I will kill you both," Kylo warned.
"Fine, fine. Let her go, Nik," Falbell called to Nikhoah and then spoke to the Vodran in their native language telling them to take their blasters off Phasma and Datoo.
The woman holding Rey reluctantly let her go. As soon as the blade was away from her throat, Rey turned and used the Force to throw her into the nearest tree, which she hit with a sickening crunch. Rey actually cringed at the sound.
Kylo let Falbell go and he ran over to where Nikhoah was. He removed her helmet and checked her vitals while Rey threw herself into Kylo's arms. Together they watched as Falbell looked Nikhoah over. After a few seconds, he helped her to her feet and together they walked over to Rey and Kylo.
"I see you haven't lost anything hiding out amongst the rebels," Falbell said in a teasing tone.
"I told you he was going to kick your ass and be pissed that you had me hold a knife to his woman's throat," Nikhoah said in a slightly strained voice.
"I know but since when has that ever that ever stopped me from picking a fight with the mighty Ben Solo," Falbell said with a grin.
He came over to Kylo and held his hand out. Kylo gripped his forearm just below the elbow and they embraced in what could only be called a warrior's greeting.
"No one ever accused you of being smart, Falbell," Kylo said with a slight grin on his face.
"I still love him though," Nikhoah said as she hugged Kylo.
"I know you do otherwise you would have left him right here a long time ago," Kylo said. "Bell, Nik this is Rey of Jakku, my soon to be wife," Kylo introduced Rey to his best friends.
Rey smiled shyly and held her hand out. Falbell curtsied and then kissed her hand.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Rey of Jakku," he said with a grin on his face.
Nikhoah rolled her eyes and then moved to hug Rey as soon as he was out of the way.
"It really is good to meet you. We never thought Kylo would ever find a woman to tame him, so it's no surprise that he had to go find someone even stronger than him," she said with a smile.
"I don't know about that," Rey said modestly.
"Beautiful, powerful, modest and no doubt smart…I like her," Bell said with a smile.
"As fun as it is watching you guys catch up, I'd love to get out of the heat and sleep," Phasma said with a frown.
"Yes, yes, forgive us for being bad hosts. We will have plenty of time to catch up in the morning, Kylo. Let me show you all to where you will be sleeping," Falbell said.
"You say that like you were expecting us," Rey said, suspiciously.
"My dear girl, I've been waiting for Ben Solo to show up here ever since Hugsy told everyone who you really were," Falbell said laughing as he led them toward the compound.
So what's your first impression of the captains of the Knights of Ren and what do you think it means for the rest of the crew? Find out next time.