Rey could hear someone outside the door. She quickly stowed the glass cup she had taken under her lumpy, blood stained pillow. She was now able to levitate the glass in the air. She had been practising the force ever since she had stolen the cup, she knew she had to get stronger if she wanted to escape but she knew for a fact that her captor Kylo Ren would not allow her to train, not unless it was under his teachings.
She sat with her hands in her lap and began picking at the grime under her nails as if nothing had changed, as if she had not been training with the force, as if she had been sitting like that for hours. She looked up at the sound of the two heavy steel doors sliding open to reveal a Stormtrooper and a droid. The droid carried a tray with bread, cheese and water on it, laid it down in front of her before retreating to stand beside the armed Stormtrooper.
She leaned down and picked up the bread (the food was little better than the rations back on Jakku) all the while keeping her dark eyes focused on the gleaming white faceless mask. She placed the tray on her lap and continued to eat hungrily. For a while the only sound was her chewing on her food. The Stormtrooper did not move once, he simply kept his masked eyes on her face. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle as he stared at her. She gulped down her water and felt instant relief as her throat was softened with the water. The Stormtrooper started towards her. She quickly slipped the tray under her so if he was to try and retrieve it he would have to man-handle her, and she knew that all the Stormtroopers were under explicit orders from Ren not to harm her.
"Do you agree with what the First Order are doing?" She asked matter-of-factly, as if they were discussing it over dinner. She could see him physically tighten at the question.
"Yes." He answered in a tone that should convey that the conversation was over, but Rey was not going to give up that easily.
"Destroying planetary systems? Murdering innocents? Torturing people who disagree with their Order? Do you really agree with that?" She asked.
The trooper could see that she was crippled with exhaustion. He could see dark bags under her eyes. Her skin was pale, somehow having lost its tan in the days since she had left Jakku. She looked almost ghostly. He knew that this was a feeble attempt at escape and he could not allow it. But at the same time somewhere in his trained, controlled brain he could see her point, he possibly even felt some empathy with his former friend FN-2187. He looked at the girl who sat before him, even in such a dire situation, she was defiant. He could see why Ren liked her so much.
His demeanour seemed to soften slightly as he replied "Even if I didn't agree with the actions of the First Order, there is nothing I can do about it. I am stuck here. We all are." After a moment of thought he resumed his upright stance and continued, "Now give me that tray." He held out his hand.
"It's not impossible to break away from the First Order, my friend Finn showed you that. We could escape, we could both be free, you could drop me at D'Qar and then the Resistance would arrange for you to go to the outer rim and form a new life for yourself." Rey could see the hand on his weapon loosen slightly as she suggested this, she hoped he was imagining himself away from the restrictions of the First Order. The Stormtrooper looked at the girl, he could not deny the plan had its merits, but he knew he would be killed on sight if he was seen with the prisoner outside of this room. "Please … think about it" she added.
Rey knew she was breaking; she knew that she would not be able to go on if she didn't sleep. But she couldn't sleep because if she slept she was vulnerable, her mind was vulnerable to being intruded. She knew that if she slept the First Order would have the map and be on the way to Luke Skywalker before she would even wake. She looked at the Stormtrooper, she could not see his facial expressions so she did not know how effective her pitch was.
"Give. Me. The. Tray." The Stormtrooper said slowly and clearly, as if he were talking to a child. Rey did not move.
She watched as the Stormtrooper came towards her, almost in slow motion, he pulled the tray out from under her. Despite knowing the unlikelihood of the plan working she couldn't help but feel devastated and, in frustration smashed her head down on her pillow, which in turn smashed the glass hidden under it. Fortunately, the pillow muffled the sound of glass breaking. The Stormtrooper walked from the room with the dull red and black droid shuffling beside him.
Her head was spinning, she could feel sharp shards of glass just under her head, poking through the grey fabric just waiting to pierce her head. She watched the door for a second before she felt the overwhelming exhaustion overcome her, she could feel her eyelids begin to close but felt powerless to stop them. The room slowly disappeared into the darkness.
(===||===)
Kylo had been summoned by General Hux earlier in the day and had made his way to the meeting room they had assigned. He stood opposite the seated Hux in the dimly lit, dark grey room. Kylo could see Hux's beady eyes going from his own dark eyes to his scar. They sat in silence for a minute before Kylo chose to break it.
"What was it you wanted to talk about, General?" He asked darkly, whatever it was it would either be bad news or work that was of little significance compared to his own work. The blue eyed General looked at him for a second, as if considering his options.
"We have lost five tech's working on the hyper-drive and the hyper-drive itself is extremely unstable. If we use it, I believe it will be a fatal error." Hux said as he read through some paper work. "We are down to just over four-hundred Stormtroopers, that is not even a fifth of what we have on Star Killer." Hux flicked to the next page of paper work with a bored expression on his face. Kylo's hand tightened around his lightsaber in anger. Hux's eyes flickered up to look at Kylo, he could tell instantly by his posture that this was not the news that he had hoped for.
"Keep calm, Ren." Hux said as he looked at the man in front of him. As soon as he had said this he knew it had had the opposite effect on his co-worker.
"Anything else?" He said through gritted teeth.
"Well, it seems we may be stuck on the Finalizer for a while, I have ordered the remaining techs not to work on the hyper drive but to concentrate on a hologram chamber, so we can at the least communicate with the Supreme Leader." Hux said as he placed his files on the table separating himself from Ren.
Kylo could feel a lump in his stomach form. He had failed. He had not defeated Rey, he could not get the map from her. He would have to tell the Supreme Leader that he had failed.
Hux looked at Ren. He was perplexed as it appeared Ren's air of wanting to murder someone had gone, it seemed to have been replaced with something similar to anxiousness. Hux rolled his eyes and gave a little cough that brought Kylo out of thought.
"What about the girl?" Hux said inquiringly.
"What about her?" Kylo said, he was still deep in thought about the Supreme Leader.
"Have you got the map from her yet?" Hux said, irritated.
"Not yet." Kylo said half-heartedly. Hux gave a large sigh. "She is strong with the force, Hux, and I believe that I understand the situation more than you do." Kylo said, his rage bubbling just beneath the surface.
"Then wait until she sleeps! From my understanding of your illusive force you should be able to go into her scavenger mind and take what we need." Hux said agitatedly, he threw his hands in the air in an exasperated manner.
"Careful, Hux, it would be very easy to make a lightsaber wound look like a droid malfunction." Ren said as he held the lightsaber in question. Hux's features hardened.
"Are you threatening me?" Hux said, his eyes darting from his co-worker to the red lightsaber.
"I suppose I may be." Kylo said as he held the lightsaber in his hand, twirling it around his fingers idly.
"I would suggest, Ren, that you go and attend to your prisoner." Hux said as he gathered up his papers and stood up, his steel chair scraping loudly across the floor.
"Of course, General." Kylo said in a sardonic tone.
(===||===)
He reached the room as a Stormtrooper was just leaving it carrying an empty tray. The trooper stopped and saluted before carrying on. Kylo walked into the quiet room. Ahead of him was Rey, who was laying on her bed, sleeping peacefully.
He stood just over the threshold for a second, watching her sleep. She was peaceful. She snuffled a bit in her sleep. Her chest rose and fell evenly. She rolled onto her side. The door shut behind him and that brought him back to reality. He was Kylo Ren, leader of the Knights of Ren. He would not get infatuated with a girl, especially not of her lowly standard.
He walked quietly into the grey room, fearing he would wake here, though she was in such a deep slumber that was very unlikely. He stood at the foot of her bed (though you could hardly call it a bed), she looked beautiful. He had never seen her look this peaceful.
He knew that he could quite easily gaze at her all day but he had a job to do. He had to do it. He held out his hand and began to search in her mind. He was surprised at what he saw first.
He was in a desert. A young girl was crying, screaming at the sky, yelling. A humanoid was holding onto her small arm. The sun was blazing hot. The girl was screaming for her parents. The humanoid was trying to pull her away. Kylo looked up at the sky, a ship was flying away, it hit light speed and vanished. When he looked back at the girl, he noticed her distinctive hair, the three buns. He realised that this was Rey. She had been abandoned by her parents. He was watched as she was dragged down to Niima Outpost. She was screaming all the while. The scene changed.
She was scavenging on an abandoned star destroyer. She was walking down to her speeder when a group of people came up from behind her and grabbed her. The group was compiled of mainly men. They were grabbing at her, whispering in her ear. Her face showed fear and anger.
"Oh, aren't you pretty?" A man said in a low husky voice.
"Get. Away. From. Me." She said through gritted teeth. A man cackled behind her. She began to wriggle and squirm.
Kylo felt anger rise in him towards the men, he wanted to hurt them, he wanted to torture them. He began to start walking towards them when Rey started kicking and biting at them, she was like an enraged animal. A few moments later and the scene changed.
He did not like what he saw. He saw her on her bed, in what looked like an old AT-AT from the Imperial days. She was sleeping, she had been crying into her pillow. She was so lonely. So frightened. But she kept hope even in such a dire situation. He admired her for that.
He no longer felt comfortable looking into her mind. He didn't want to be there anymore. He no longer wanted to see her torment. He drew back and stood up straight. He was breathing heavily. His chest rising and falling. He knew he should continue looking into her mind, trying harder to find it. He did not care. He stood up quickly and strode to the door in long strides.
Once he heard the doors slide closed he leaned on the wall. He couldn't help but recall the day his mother sent him to Luke for Jedi training.
"You're going to be fine, Ben, you know that right?" Leia was crouched before her son. Han stood behind her with his hand on Leia's shoulder.
"I'm just going to miss you and daddy." He said quietly, a streams of tears were running down his face.
"We can talk every month, I promise. And remember that your uncle Luke will be taking special care of you!" She said this with a small smile on her face that did not reach her sad eyes.
"He's going to be fine, Leia. Aren't you son?" Han said confidently. "You little nerf herder." Leia gave a small laugh, Han ruffled his son's hair. Ben gave a small nod. "That's my boy." Han smiled.
"Princess, it is time for Ben to go." A pilot called from the ramp of a ship. Leia nodded softly, forgetting to tell off the pilot for calling her Princess.
"You be good, okay?" She smiled. "Come here." She brought him into a tight embrace. "Remember that mommy and daddy love you, okay?" Her voice cracked as she said it.
Ben pulled away and gave a small smile. He turned and walked up the ramp holding a small suitcase in his hands. He watched his parents as the ramp closed. Leia was hugging Han and while he stood there the ramp closed tight so he was staring into darkness.
(===||===)
Poe was sitting next to Finn's bed for the night. He had reported to Leia when they had returned earlier, she was not happy but she did not yell. She just was silently disappointed. Poe was slumped in a seat sleeping. BB-8 was next to him watching Finn.
BB-8 looked closer at Finn and then saw his eyelid twitch. BB-8's head swivelled from Poe to Finn multiple times. Finn began to stir. BB-8 began beeping quickly and loudly. Poe started to wake.
"Wh-what is it?" Poe stifling a yawn as he said it. BB-8 swivelled his head to Finn who was beginning to sit up, groaning incoherently. "Finn!" Poe flung himself forwards and looked at his friend. "You're okay..." He felt relief flood his body.
"What… what happened?" Finn looked drowsily at Poe.
"That nerf-herder Ren sliced you up with his lightsaber… you're lucky to be alive." Poe said calmly and quietly, still in shock about his friend. Finn looked around the room.
"Where's Rey?" Poe felt his heart sink. He looked at his friend solemnly. "Poe… Where's Rey?" He said sternly.
"Ren took her. A ravine formed between you and them and he took her." Poe said as he looked at the floor.
"That… That…" It was like Finn could not find a bad enough word to describe Kylo Ren. "Poe, we need to get her back."
"I know, buddy and I have a plan. You just rest up now and then when you're ready we can put the plan in action." Poe said as he plumped his friends pillow briefly.
"No, we ne-" Finn began to say but he was cut off.
"Rest." Poe said seriously. "Don't make me tell them to put you into another coma." He said in a sardonic tone. Finn looked like he was going to argue but he did not, he just laid his head down on the pillow.
(===||===)
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this instalment!
Is it just me or do you think that John Boyega will get a Bafta tonight? I think so, at least I hope so because I would love to see his acceptance speech.
Happy valentine's day everyone! See you next week!]
Days until Rogue One: 306 days
Days until Episode VIII: 669 days