"...our souls may be consumed by shadows, but that doesn't mean we have to behave as monsters." — Emm Cole, The Short Life of Sparrows
Hidden monsters lie.
Rey gasps, her chest rising. She glances around her surroundings, her mind swirling.
How long had she been here?
Soft hums from the generator rang in her ears. The spotlight in the middle of the room swings from side to side, illuminating a steel table in front of her.
She tried stretching her legs, but she could barely move an inch. Looking down, she grits her teeth. Long chains confined her to a steel chair, restricting her movement.
Approaching footsteps clomped outside the room, alerting Rey. A door opens, revealing the same blonde woman from earlier. The woman sets down a tray of food on the table and takes the piña colada from it.
She runs her eyes over Rey, inspecting her with an approving smile.
"So you're the girl who's caught his eye? Not too shabby," the blonde gushed.
Rey narrowed her eyes. The restraints were digging into her skin. She sneered, her jaw clenched.
"More like he caught mine," she cringed.
The woman's eyebrows raised up, her smile growing wider. She drums her fingers against the interrogation table and sips her piña colada before pausing.
Laughter erupts from her mouth. She coughs, pressing her hand against her chest. The coughing fit continues as tears roll down her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry. I just...couldn't imagine Kylo fucking Ren catching a lady's eye. Especially a fair maiden like you," the woman cackles.
Rey opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak. She blankly stared at the woman.
"You must be hungry from all of that travel. How do pancakes sound to you?"
Rey grunts, staring at the woman.
"Are you sure?"
Rey's stomach grumbled with a loud roar, causing her to wince. Her cracked nails dig into her sweaty palms as she swallows. The spotlight kept swinging, blinding her.
Pull yourself together, little one. You'll waste your energy if you try to fight.
The blonde woman opens up the covering, revealing hot spongy pancakes. The warm, buttery, and sweet smell filled the air, spreading around the room.
"How about now," the woman teased.
Rey's focus drifted, the numbness spreading throughout her body. She couldn't register the words coming from the woman's mouth.
"Are you listening?"
The woman puts her hands on Rey, checking for her pulse. She grabs a walkie-talkie from her pocket, speaking into it.
"I need a wet cloth in Section F, Hall N, room 2187. Bring the Boss in. Ensure that things run smoothly."
She turns it off after getting confirmation. Two people in white suits with helmets enter the room and deliver wet towels in a container to the senior officer.
"You're free to go."
They leave promptly on her instructions.
The woman unlocks Rey's chains and brings the food closer to the girl. She damps her forehead and neck with the wet towels.
After some moments, Rey blinks.
"Miss Rey, can you hear me?"
She puts up a shaky thumbs up, her eyes dull.
Cutting a piece off from the pancakes, she grabs Rey's jaw and opens her mouth. She inserts a piece of the food into the girl's mouth.
"Chew it slowly."
Rey chews, swallowing. The woman leans in, whispering gently. Rey nods, listening to the words she said. The woman pulls back, raising her hand.
"Call me Phasma. And you must be," the woman hummed, "Miss Rey of Jakku."
Rey shakes Phasma's hand, but she doesn't affirm the woman's statement. She remains silent, her throat constricted and burning. She rubs her wrists, red marks forming already.
"I'll leave your restraints off so we can begin the interrogation. Eat up and drink slowly."
Rey scowls, her eyes weighing heavy on her.
"Unfortunately, I won't be the one who's questioning you. That'll be the Boss."
Phasma frowns, placing a hand on Rey's shoulders.
"Remember what I said. Quell thy temper before it annihilates you," Phasma warned before walking out of the room.
We're fucked because of your naivety. For once in your life, stop being such a fuck-up!
Rey licks her lip, holding her knees tightly. She stared into space, her eyes threatening to combust. She rocks back and forward, shaking.
"You fucked up one too many times, girlie. Because of your mistake, I lost a lot of money!"
He jabs his finger on her chest, spurting onto her face. He bared his teeth, his veins throbbing on his head and neck. His ugly oily face flushed, and he squinted his eyes.
Everything flashed before her eyes. His meaty hands clamp around her throat, cutting her voice off. Lines of welts scattered her body from the hits and blows of his legs and pipe. They bloomed, opening up and revealing the dark liquid in their pods. Her malnourished body laid limp on the dirty floor. He drags her into the special room, his scowl growing.
Dirt flowed through her veins. She was dirty, uncleaned filth. A waste to those around her, especially Finn. She hadn't even thought of how Finn or Poe were.
She jabs her fingernails into her skin, requiring the feeling of warmth again. If she hadn't fucked up, she wouldn't be stuck in this cage. If she had gone on the trip with her friends, everything would have been perfect. If her parents cared enough, they would search for her.
She shakes her head, her nose crinkling. Now was not the time. She let out a shaky breath before cracking her knuckles.
Rey starts eating, filling up her stomach. She gulps down the water, her tongue's dry spell ends. She places the tray onto another table.
The door scraped across the floor, revealing Ren, the vile man himself. Rey curled her lips, glaring. He checks the clock, his arms crossed.
"Are you ready to start," he asks.
"Get on with it," she growls.
He pulls out a tape recorder, placing it on the table. He presses the red record button, the wheels turning.
"My name is Kylo Ren, and I'll be the lead interrogator for the 17-year-old case involving the missing Alderaanian princess. Miss Rey of Jakku, everything you say in this interview is admissible to the High Council. Are we clear?"
"Crystal."
Kylo digs into his coat, retrieving a series of pictures. He slides them to the middle of the table, the light reflecting on the photos. A man is pictured at an airstrip, receiving a strange package from a younger man.
Kylo looks up at Rey, leaning forward, his chin up.
"Do you know of a man named Lor San Tekka?"
Rey raises an eyebrow, her face neutral.
"I know of a Mr. Tekka who livesin my neighborhood. His poor health affects how often he can travel, yet he ignores it," Rey asserts, "He's a courageous and generous man in Jakku."
Kylo smirks. He steepled his fingers, raising an eyebrow.
"A courageous man may be a good term, but generous….unlikely."
He pushes his chair back, standing up. He saunters around the room, his eyes locked onto Rey.
"Mr. Tekka holds a respectable position in your community, but that's a facade. You know it is. After all, you seemed a little on edge when you saw the photos. Care to explain why?"
Rey snorts, smiling.
"I'd imagine it would be unpleasant if someone watched your every move, snapped pictures, and investigated you. Albeit the photos seem suspicious, there's no purpose to engaging in such practices, unless the person committed a horrific act. I'm assuming that's why I'm here to give information."
Mostly useless information.
Kylo narrows his eyes, smiling. He drums his fingers against the table. His piercing gaze stunned Rey, giving her chills down her back.
Strange.
"Examine the picture on the right closely."
She looks at the photo, her breath halting. Rey bites the inside of her cheek, sweating.
"Even if he was a shining beacon in your neighborhood, he has exhibited suspicious behavior. Hasn't it alarmed you how things have changed? Everyone else is gone, and you're left alone with nothing but yourself."
Rey leans her head, resting her chin on her hand.
"Change happens for a reason. It is a natural part of life that we cannot alter. Interrupting it only leads to more grief and despair."
He clicks his tongue, his posture more straight. Kylo walks over to her, grasping Rey's chin with his gloved hand. Their faces grew closer together. Rey glowers, biting her lip.
"If we should not interrupt or shift change, then is it because we must be different? Is it fine for humans to deviate from the accepted route, even if it means becoming a monster?"
Rey purses her lips, her eyes burning a hole.
"Depends on your definition of one. Perhaps, you see Mr. Tekka as a potential one while I..."
"While you what?"
Rey smirks, her eyes crinkling.
"You hold a high rank in this organization, yet you falter when necessary actions need to be done. Am I right or am I wrong?"
"..."
Her smile turns into a smirk.
"I don't believe this contact is appropriate for an interrogation. May I advise you to take your hands off me," Rey whispers, pressing her lips.
He retracts his bony fingers, placing it onto the table. He remains by her side, a frown planted onto his face.
"Now, Mr. Ren, may you question me further?"
He sighs roughly, returning to his seat.
"The picture on right differs from the rest because of one key reason. Both faces of the men are visible and you recognized them. One of them is Mr. Tekka. Who is the other one, Miss Rey?"
"A mutual friend me and Mr. Tekka share supposedly."
Kylo hums, staring. He lifts his head, his annoying smirk firmer than ever.
"That's a distinct bomber jacket, isn't it? Looks designer."
"Your point being?"
"It makes you nervous, doesn't it? I can imagine seeing someone you know partaking in potential illegal practices is damaging."
The door opens with another person in that strange white suit holding a stack of files. Kylo takes the folders, placing it onto the table. He closes the door, putting his hands into his pockets.
"Take the first one from the stack."
Rey grabs it and saw the words Resistance on the label. Flipping through it, she freezes. Her face scrunched up as her hands shivered.
"Miss Organa is..."
"A terrorist? Keep flipping."
Rey covered her mouth, her skin turning porcelain.
"You're lying!"
"If I was lying, how would I be able to get photos like these?"
"How do I know that you're telling the truth?"
"You don't."
Rey pressed a hand to her chest, her mind becoming liquid by the second.
"If you want to know the truth, tell me."
"I want to know," Rey says after a moment of silence.
Kylo takes three files from the stack, opening them to reveal extensive logs. Rey glances over them, raising an eyebrow. He clears his throat, opening his mouth.
"Once, there was a prominent order of special knights who oversaw the land of Alderaan. To the public, they saw them as righteous figureheads that promoted peace. The Jedi were far from that."
Kylo leans against the table, his eyes trained on Rey. He flips a page, pointing at a picture of a man named Anakin.
"My grandfather was a Jedi Knight with great power and favor. The Jedi Council envisioned that he would fall to a darker path. They suspected he'd be treasonous and usurp control of Alderaan."
Rey knitted her eyebrows, examining hidden correspondences between some Jedi Masters. They detailed a great calamity prophesied by Master Yoda. She runs through the file, digging her head deep into the list of Jedi protocol.
"In the order, they forbade any familial connection, but my grandfather didn't listen. He wed a queen, and they were expecting. However, no semblance of happiness appeared."
Rey glimpsed at a photo of a woman named Padme. Her hair came down in natural dark curls with earthly hues for eyes. Her rosy lips were lifted, her dimples showing.
A simple lacy white ball gown hugged her body. Her hands, covered by silk white gloves, gripped onto a bouquet of gray flowers.
"They killed my pregnant grandmother and burnt my grandfather. He could no longer breathe without being in a specialized suit for the rest of his life. He was betrayed by the cause he fought for so many years."
Rey looks at Padme, seeing the joy in the woman's eyes. How could they kill her? She didn't seem like a threat. All Rey saw in the young woman was a streak of pride. She boldly wore her wedding garments, beaming at the camera.
"After all those years he suffered in agony, he became a feared leader with a senator. That senator convinced him to stage a coup together. The senator became the Emperor while my grandfather became Darth Vader."
Darth Vader stares back at Rey in countless photos, his pose striking. He stood firm near a cloaked figure perched onto an exquisite chair.
"They amassed control of Alderaan, transforming it into a military regime. Under them, Alderaan experienced a golden age clouded by systemic issues. Rebels easily exploited these issues."
"These rebels had a secret weapon and used them against Darth Vader. The secret weapon was his children," Kylo grinds his teeth together, cringing.
She inhaled a sharp breath. The file ended there.
"No. How could they?"
"They raised them in secret places with no knowledge of their father, corrupting them with radical ideals."
Kylo curled his lips, icy contempt behind his eyes.
"And when they met, my uncle murdered my grandfather in cold blood with help from my mother. Darth Vader never got the chance to raise his children in peace. Instead, they were snatched from him and hidden away to be made into his enemies."
"If what you say is true, how does this relate to Leia Organa? How does this relate to me?!"
He clicks his tongue, crossing his arms.
"You're the blood heir to the throne of Alderaan. Only you have any real political sway if you take your rightful destiny."
"Can't you use someone else to take it? I'm sure anybody would be royalty if asked."
He walks forward, gripping her chin. His breath tickled her skin, sending goosebumps all over her.
"None of them will be like you."
"What do you mean?"
"Those who desire royalty are those who don't possess good characteristics."
She slaps his hand away, narrowing her eyes.
"You, my dear, respond with humility and you have the bloodline for the throne."
Rey blinks before opening her mouth.
"Does that mean you and I are relat-"
"No."
"But-"
"No," he growls.
She rolls her eyes, groaning.
"Then the Emperor is related to me and you're related to Darth Vader. Doesn't this mean you also have a claim?"
"My claim is not acknowledged by a portionable section of the government. They wish to install Leia Organa to the throne."
He clamps his gloved fingers into tender flesh, his eye twitching.
"She's a terrorist, helping to bring down my grandfather for her own gain. If only I had seized power earlier on, everything would be simple."
"If you don't want her to be installed, why not abolish the royal system? Or rather, have royalty be only mere figureheads."
"It's not that simple."
"You claim it isn't simple, yet you claim things would be simple if you gained power earlier. I'm not some pawn for you to use. I'm a person."
"I'm not doing it for my sake. I'm doing it for Alderaan. They desire change."
Fury blazed in his eyes, his eyebrows lowered.
"We've lost many lives for a stupid conflict started because the Jedi didn't want my grandfather to have emotional attachments. All of my life I've been told my grandfather ruined Alderaan. All he ever wanted to do was to protect his family."
Rey flinches, turning away.
"The Jedi stood by as they enslaved countless people! Yet my uncle continued to go on, preaching their ideals. Look at what happened!"
He shouts, screaming to the top of his lungs. He slams his fist down onto the table, yelling at Rey.
"More conflict! More bloodshed! Because of a man's arrogance! He failed Alderaan and me! He made a colossal mistake that he ran from it! He's a worthless son of a bitch!"
His face burnt a bright red, his teeth bared.
"My mother wanted me to be just like him! He's a screw up just like my so-called father!"
"How does this relate to me?"
"What?!"
"How does your ranting and family drama have to do with me? You're making entirely no sense. Miss Organa helped me get out of jail. Where were you?"
"I-"
"Where were you when my life was in danger? You saved me, but you put me in a worse situation."
"But-"
"Save the bullshit, Kylo. I don't want to help you. Nothing you say can change anything. Keep your melodrama out of my life."
Kylo narrows his eyes before exhaling.
"Phasma, direct Rey to the exit."
Phasma enters the room, cuffing Rey. Rey protests as Phasma leads her out of the room. Kylo follows them, stopping when he sees Hux.
"Why did you let her go?"
"In due time, Hux, you'll know."