KC-3998 had a difficult first week in Kylo Ren's unit. She was used to being the best of the best, but now she was surrounded by Stormtrooper's who were superior to her in every way. She enjoyed listening to their tales of battle, but it just reminded her more of her inexperience. Even worse, she had the lowest score in the unit during blaster practice. Ever since FN had told her about his simulation scores, she had been distracted. She wasn't sure if it was jealousy, hurt or a mixture of the two. Kylo Ren was right. Friends did disappoint you. But why did it feel like she was the one who had disappointed FN? She knew she should have reported him for his treasonous comments, but how could she? He was the most important person in her life and had been for a long time. In an occurrence that was becoming far too common, KC found herself unable to sleep. Deciding to put her time to good use, she went to the blaster range to practice whilst the rest of the unit were sleeping. Once again, she hit all the targets bar one. She wasn't sure how many attempts she made, but after an hour she threw her blaster to the ground in anger. She frowned when she saw the weapon stop in mid-air, just before it could hit the floor. Her head snapped up to see Kylo Ren standing in the doorway, his hand outstretched.
"I'm beginning to think you enjoy destroying property of the First Order" Kylo stated, as he approached her, the blaster still hovering in mid-air.
"And I'm beginning to think you're stalking me" KC retorted, biting her lip once the words left her mouth.
She really needed to learn to think before she spoke. Luckily for her, Kylo Ren didn't seem offended by the accusation and instead used the force to bring the blaster to lay on his palm.
"Your anger is very…deafening. It's hard to ignore" Kylo explained, as KC felt a little embarrassed.
"…My apologises, Commander. I did not mean to disturb you" KC replied.
"You should be asleep" Kylo pointed out.
"I wanted to practice whilst there was no one around…save myself the embarrassment" KC informed him, as Kylo looked down at the blaster and could see how many times it had been fired that night.
"You're very stubborn" Kylo Ren stated.
"I'll take that as a compliment" KC smirked.
"Remove your helmet" Kylo announced, making KC frown.
"Why?" She inquired, liking the safety the helmet gave.
"I gave you a direct order, Stormtrooper" Kylo insisted, as KC reluctantly placed her hands against the helmet.
After a sharp twist, she was able to pull the helmet away from her face, looking away from Kylo as she did so. She hated how vulnerable she felt without the barrier. Almost every time she met her superior, she found herself without her mask one way or another. But this was the first time he had requested for her to remove it. She was distracted from her thoughts as the blaster was thrusted in front of her, her forehead wrinkling at the action.
"You're angry because of your failure. But you are only failing because of your fear" Kylo explained, as she reluctantly took the blaster from his hand.
"I'm not afraid" KC scoffed, still looking away from Kylo's mask.
"I don't need to use the force to know that is a lie. You are letting your thoughts distract you" Kylo went on.
"Well, thoughts will do that" KC mumbled, with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Close your eyes" Kylo told her, making KC look up at him.
"No" KC shook her head.
It was one thing asking her to remove her helmet, but closing her eyes? That would leave her far too vulnerable against the powerful man.
"You don't need to see to hit the target. You're a good enough fighter to let your body take control" Kylo insisted, as KC looked at him unsurely.
Seeing that he wasn't about to let it go, she placed her hand in front of her eyes, and raised her arm toward the target. She wasn't surprised when her hand fell away, seeing that the blast had hit the wall, far from where it needed to go. Suddenly, Kylo's hands were on her shoulders, turning her to face the target. She felt a blush rising up her face as he touched her wrist and pulled her arm up, using his other hand to cover her eyes. It was a strange feeling for KC, she couldn't remember the last time she had been so close to a person. Contact wasn't necessary for Stormtroopers.
"Take the shot" Kylo told her, his face close to her ear.
Taking a deep breath, KC pressed the trigger and heard a loud bang a second later. Kylo's hand fell away from her face, as she saw she had hit the target. It wasn't a perfect shot, but it was closer than she had gotten all day. A smile grew on KC's face at the achievement, as she heard a noise of approval from the man behind her. KC turned around to look up at him, and for the first time she wondered what he looked like underneath his mask. There were rumours that he was some sort of disfigured beast, but KC doubted these were true. She wondered how old he was. His experience and pure strength led her to believe he was far older than her. KC's gaze fell on the lightsaber attached to his hip, as she tried to theorise how it worked—
"Do you want to hold it?" Kylo's voice boomed, almost making KC jump.
KC's mouth fell open at the rare offer, as she knew she would probably never get another chance to hold such a fascinating weapon. Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded simply. Kylo took the lightsaber out of its holster, as the weapon instantly came to life. KC took a step back as he held it out in front of him. She could feel the heat from the lightsaber, the power that radiated off it. The weapon was an intoxicating sight. She reached out to place her hand higher up the handle but was shocked when the light retracted the moment her fingertips touched the lightsaber. She could tell that Kylo was also confused by this reaction. KC took her hand away, her frown deepening when the red light suddenly reignited. Kylo's hand shot out a second later, bringing her hand to touch the weapon, as the light quickly retracted once again.
"What're you doing?" Kylo Ren asked, trying to use the force to reignite the lightsaber.
Nothing worked. Not until KC removed her hand, the lightsaber bursting to life immediately.
"Why is it doing that?" KC exclaimed, feeling a strange urge to touch the weapon again.
Kylo gave her no response, as he quickly holstered the weapon and turned on his heel. KC could tell he was as disturbed as she was by the effect she had on the lightsaber. What did it mean?
Kylo Ren avoided her after the late-night incident, almost seeming uncomfortable whenever she was around. As the weeks went on, the troops became more restless, wondering when simulations and training would finally be over, and they would learn what their real purpose was. They were longing for a battle. LK-0999, one of the Stormtroopers who transferred with them, was getting particularly itchy feet. He had no problem making this clear after one simulation which had lasted almost five hours.
"I haven't participated in simulations in over five years. I'm a warrior! This is a waste of my time!" LK-0999 exclaimed, earning a few nods from the other troopers.
"Well, maybe it's a good thing you're doing them now. You're not exactly top of the class" KC pointed out, noting how the older trooper wasn't doing much better than her.
"Says the girl who can't even hit a target" LK-0999 scoffed, as KC rolled her eyes behind her mask.
"KC, don't get involved" FN whispered from behind her.
"I'm not! I was just…pointing out a fact" KC shrugged, as she heard FN sigh.
"Well here's another fact. You're only here because Ren wants to make you his bitch" LK-0999 told her, making KC bristle with anger.
"The only little bitch here is you…whining like a baby-" KC began, as LK-0999 took a step forward so that he was looming over KC.
"What did you say to me?" LK-0999 hissed, as FN saw how his hand was edging towards his blaster.
"What? Has old age made you deaf already?" KC mocked, as LK-0999 shoved KC back roughly, as she stumbled to stay upright.
"Don't!" FN warned, as he came to stand in front of KC protectively.
"Look, we're all just restless from the simulation, let's not-" FN began, ever the peacemaker.
"My point exactly! I thought Ren would be leading us into battle against the Resistance! Now I realise he's too scared to even leave the base" LK-0999 announced, angrily.
"You'd like to leave the base?" A voice boomed from behind the trooper, making everyone jump.
LK-0999 slowly turned around to see Kylo Ren standing only a few metres away, clearly angry from the way his hands were balled into fists. He stormed over to the trooper, coming to stand only inches away from him.
"That can be arranged" Kylo went on, as he pulled his lightsaber from his hip.
"S-sir…I…" LK stuttered, his confident persona disappearing in seconds.
Before he could say anything else, Kylo had raised his arm out and slammed the handle of the lightsaber against LK's helmet, knocking him out cold. LK flopped to the ground, as the rest of the troopers looked to each other with concern. Kylo leaned down and grabbed LK by his shoulder and started dragging him from the room, as they all followed him. KC's eyes widened when she realised where Kylo was leading them to. The Airlock. Opening the panel on the wall, Kylo typed in a few numbers causing the large metal doors to the airlock to open and threw in the unconscious trooper. This seemed to wake LK up, as he rolled onto his back with a groan.
"Sir! You…you can't-" FN began, but was cut off by Kylo Ren.
"Remember your place, trooper" Kylo retorted, as he typed in the code to shut the airlock doors.
FN looked to KC for support, as Kylo continued to type on the panel, as they heard a countdown start. He was going to open the airlock with LK-0999 inside and he certainly wasn't bluffing. KC bit her lip, as she mulled over her options and wondered whether Kylo would even listen to her. He did seem to have a strange interest in her, but he seemed almost as stubborn as she was.
"Commander, he has disrespected you…surely you want him to be properly punished?" KC suggested, as Kylo turned to her in confusion.
"You should send him to re-conditioning. They know what to do with insolent troopers" KC explained, as Kylo considered her words.
"Four…three…two-" The computer countdown stopped just in time, as Kylo pressed a button on the panel.
KC could hear FN sigh in relief from behind her, but her eyes stayed locked onto her Commander's. The Airlock doors slowly began to open, as they could hear LK-0999 sobbing quietly, making KC grimace at his pathetic form on the floor. Kylo seemed to sense her emotions once again, as he walked over and grabbed LK underneath his shoulder. He dragged the terrified man to KC's feet, who looked at him with confusion.
"He disrespected you too. Punish him" Kylo told her, as KC could see FN tense from beside her.
"…How would you like me to punish him, Sir?" KC replied as Kylo made a sound that seemed to show his approval of her statement.
"With your hands" Kylo exclaimed, a dark tone to his already distorted voice.
KC looked down at the trooper on the floor, as Kylo leant down to remove LK's helmet. He was younger than she had been expecting, his eyes red-rimmed from the tears falling down his cheeks. She had never seen anyone look at her with such fear in their eyes before.
"KC, don't" FN hissed, placing his hand on her shoulder, when he saw she was considering following the order through.
"Unless you want to join him in re-conditioning, I suggest you step away, FN-2187" Kylo warned, his head snapping towards the younger man.
With a guilty expression, unseen by the rest of his unit, FN reluctantly removed his hand from KC's shoulder. He turned his back to her, not wanting to see what she was about to do. He flinched when he heard the first punch, and LK's pained fill cry a second later. FN scrunched his eyes shut as he heard her fist connect with LK's face again and again, mercilessly. What was happening to his friend? KC kicked the crying trooper onto his back once she was done with his face, as he laid at the feet of Kylo Ren. FN was unable to see his superior's face due to the mask he always wore, but he was sure Kylo Ren looked proud.
That night they were finally told what the purpose of Kylo Ren's unit was. To find Luke Skywalker. They weren't told much, but it seemed that Kylo had heard rumours of where they could find where the Jedi was hiding. They were able to fully join the rest of the unit, but the dark cloud of what had happened that day hung over them all. KC quickly excused herself that night, stating that she was still tired from the long simulation. When she shut the door to her quarters, she finally allowed herself to look down at her hands. Blood covered the gloves that she wore, as she tore them off angrily, not wanting to look at them any longer. A small amount of the red substance had leaked through the glove onto her wrist, as she rubbed at it. When she heard a knock at her door, she quickly turned to open it, expecting it to be FN. She froze on the spot when she saw it was Kylo Ren.
"What are you doing here?" KC blurted out before she could stop herself.
Kylo seemed to think about this for a moment as if he wasn't sure why he had knocked on her door himself. She wished that she could see his face once again.
"…You left early" Kylo pointed out as if that was answer enough.
"I'm tired" KC shrugged; the motion hidden from the large armour she was wearing.
"Do you feel guilty for what you did today?" Kylo asked, as KC tried to think carefully how to answer the question.
"For what I did? No…" KC trailed off, but Kylo could tell there was more that she wasn't saying.
"You enjoyed it" Kylo stated, as KC frowned when she realised he was right.
"I shouldn't have. It's…wrong" KC exclaimed, looking back down to her bare hands.
"Life isn't black and white. You had a taste of power today, there's nothing wrong with liking that" Kylo explained.
"Aren't you mad at me for talking against you?" KC suggested as she heard Kylo chuckle lightly.
"I was impressed. Again. Most people wouldn't dare" Kylo replied.
"I have this problem with speaking before I think. Or at least that's what everyone keeps telling me" KC joked.
"Supposedly I have anger problems" Kylo huffed, making KC giggle.
"You think?" KC scoffed, as Kylo let out an amused sound.
"You did well today, KC" Kylo stated, a moment later, as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
The younger girl felt her heart flutter slightly at him using her name, joined with his touch. She felt immensely proud at that moment. She nodded to him, as he took his hand away and started walking away. There was more to Kylo Ren than he allowed people to see. A lot more.
"Since when does the 'Commander' make room calls?" A voice questioned from down the corridor.
She turned to look at FN, hearing the venom in his voice when he said 'Commander'. With a huff, KC quickly pulled him into her quarters before he could say anything else that would get him in trouble. FN quickly shrugged away from her touch, as it seemed like he didn't even want to be in the same room as her.
"We talked about this, FN. You can't say things like that" KC insisted, as she pulled off her helmet.
"Do you really think your in a position to judge me after what you did today?" FN accused, as he too removed his helmet.
KC had never seen him look so angry, especially not when it was directed against her. She had disappointed him again.
"I saved LK, didn't I?" KC retorted as FN scoffed in annoyance.
"Yeah, you're a real saint" FN muttered, darkly.
"If I didn't beat him, Kylo would have and he-" KC began, but FN quickly cut her off.
"Oh, it's Kylo now, is it?" FN mocked, as KC rolled her eyes.
"Now you're just being immature" KC stated, crossing her arms.
"At least I'm not turning into a monster" FN mumbled, his eyes widening when he realised what he had said.
"No, you're just a coward instead" KC spat out, as she shoved him the chest roughly.
"Because I wouldn't have beat a defenceless man?" FN scoffed.
"Because you're too afraid to realise your full potential. I've seen what you can do, FN! You could be the best trooper in this unit, but you don't even try. You just want to stay in simulations for the rest of your life" KC explained.
"It's better to kill in a simulation than kill in real life" FN pointed out.
"You work for the First Order. Eventually, you'll have to kill" KC insisted.
"No. I won't. I'd rather die than murder someone in cold blood" FN informed her.
"Being a pacifist isn't as noble as you'd like to think, FN. My parents used to think they were…and look how they turned out" KC warned.
"It always goes back to them with you, doesn't it? You won't admit it, but they broke you. And no matter how hard you try; you'll never be able to pick up the pieces. You'll always be this…this shell" FN went on, seeing the anger grow on KC's face at every word.
"Get out" KC exclaimed, as FN took a step back when he saw just how furious she looked.
"I said get out!" KC screamed as she pushed him into the metal door so hard, FN wondered whether his armour would be dented.
He quickly slid the door open, refusing to turn around as he rushed out. As he stumbled down the corridor he wondered whether he had taken things too far. KC lost all reasoning whenever her parents were brought up. It was a low blow, FN knew, but he hoped it might be enough to wake her up. His thoughts were distracted when he suddenly saw none other than the man who was causing problems between him and his friend on the floor. He quickly rushed over to Kylo Ren who was hunched up against the wall, clutching at his chest.
"Sir? Sir, are you okay?" FN frowned, reaching out to touch his arm.
"I…I'm fine. I'm fine!" Kylo insisted as he brushed FN's hands away.
"What happened?" FN inquired, as Kylo slowly pushed himself up the wall, to stand.
Kylo frowned at this question and wondered himself what had caused the pain that pulsed through his body. Something was affecting the Force. Something new.
Author's Notes: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! It seems like the closer Kylo gets to KC, the further away she gets from FN. Will he turn her to the dark side? Please leave a review:)
The Gnomist: The rift between FN and KC seems to be growing more every chapter, we'll have to wait and see whether their friendship will survive. Thanks for the review:)
thatfanboi: KC's not going to report him yet, but eventually her hand is going to be forced one way or another. Thanks for reviewing!
LoveFiction2019: I'm glad you are! Thanks for the review:)