After a third watch, I think I have a good idea now of some backstory fill for both of our main characters. Still have the general story in-work though, and not sure how long it will be. Looking forward to building on their connection, and how badly their Masters want to either exploit or manipulate it. Thank you so much for the reviews! (tumblr is auricolet if you want to look at all of my speculations)
Sillage (n.) - a perfume's ability to permeate the room, like the wake of a boat in the water
"You have done sufficiently, Apprentice."
The cold voice resonated, the Supreme Leader gracing him with his presence. Ren's chest heaved from his exertions, the training module completed. He recovered quickly, keeping his mouth tightly closed. He felt a sort of hollow gratitude, no real happiness for this acceptance back into his fold. Adequate was not his goal. He had to surpass the girl's growing powers; or find a way to subvert them.
"We must look to other tools," The cruel smile. "There is more than strength in physical weapons. You must learn how to use the Force's power within yourself. Exploit it."
A blow from Snoke, and Ren fell to his knees. He clenched his fists and his teeth, but did not make a sound. It was not the first time Snoke had dealt him this. It was how he had learned to inflict such tactics on others. Rifling through the mind, intentionally increasing the centers that could perceive physical pain, or worse, emotional anguish. It was not difficult for Snoke this time around. There was much baggage that Kylo Ren had acquired since his last intensive.
"This will not do…" The sensation stopped suddenly, a low burning in his head and limbs, but Kylo Ren forced himself to a stand. Snoke remained his usual composed self. "You cannot guard yourself from my guidance, and I see your weaknesses, still linger, despite accomplishing your greatest test."
The humiliation was too much. After all he'd done and sacrificed, he felt betrayed. "I did as you asked!" He finally protested. His voice cracking as he retorted.
"Yes, that you did." The snide reply. "But lingering compassion… I see what you feel for the girl. I see your revulsion at the idea of overcoming her powers. You care about her."
This time the pain came with visions of her face, her wide brown eyes as she'd stared in awed horror, perplexity. The images came gently at first, a softness to them, before the bled dark, savage, as Ren's hands removed her clothes, gripping soft skin too tightly, as he pummeled her against the interrogation chair, her choked cries silenced but a blow… He doesn't stop, as she loses consciousness, until he has completed his own pleasure. Her body lies limp, but still breathing, soiled, dark bruises blooming on her skin.
He shivered, trying to remain expressionless as the vision dissipated.
"I can sense feel you disdain for this." Snoke's voice was almost disinterested. "That you feel so caring for a treacherous scavenger from the rim."
Even with this suffering, he found himself defending her. "She could be useful for us! She's got so much power, Supreme Leader."
"Doubtless, or she would not have withstood your interrogation." He grimaced. "Until you can prove that she can be controlled, she is only a danger to all of us, and she still increases in power each day. Even you could feel that I am sure, the shift in the Force has not stopped."
"I have not...sought her out." He chose his words carefully.
The Supreme Leader smiled with the unscarred portion of this thin mouth. "Do it, then."
Kylo knelt, finding a position of comfort. He closed his eyes, tentatively opening his mind to the sensation of the force. It took little time to identify that singular irregularity among the trillions of lifeforms, the one that resonated so clearly, the mind he could not breach. He could sense her, of course, but not her whereabouts, not her thoughts or cares. But there she was. He pushed his mind a little more, probing as much as he could. Snoke's own projection seemed to be following behind him, a chaperone as he delved into where he could sense her powers grow. The stirring was there.
"Interesting…" Snoke's comment instantly removed Ren from his plane of thought, jarring him back into the black chambers. "Good, good. I believe you may still hold your own, my young Apprentice. We may find a way to her yet.."
The pale shimmering beams erupted from the ends of the staff, with a synchronous, fluid movement. The blue-light illuminating off the ends of her fingertips and the flat contours of her face. Her eyes reflected the lines of blue light, mesmerized. The sensation of having her own weapon, from the efforts of her craft, was unique to using Luke's old light-saber. The saber that had belonged to Anakin Skywalker had never been hers, or Luke's in truth. The weapon in her hands hummed along with her own energy with a crystalline precision. It was an extension of her own body.
A few rounds from a blaster, easily deflected.
"Now, we do it properly…" Luke half-smiled, reminiscing of his earliest use of the light-saber. "Hide your eyes with this."
The blindfold gave a perfect darkness to her vision, and several more rounds were fired. She found herself stung as she'd failed to react quickly enough, trying to gauge with the sound of the firing of the blaster.
"Use the Force, Rey. Feel for where it is going to be." Luke's voice, disembodied, disappeared behind another round.
This time, she managed to maneuver the staff with better precision, twirling it to find the approaching discharge. The plasma beam made a short of snapping sound as it deflected the fire, scattering the energy pulse. The rounds came faster, and she found herself facing invisible opponents on several sides, twirling her staff on a constant, careful stream, the danger of the energy reaching back to her carefully noted in the back of her mind. She felt far more comfortable with the weapon in her hands, her movements more fluid as she lunged and blocked the oncoming fire. Eventually the onslaught ceased, and she deactivated the saber, the hum of its blades silenced. It sat comfortably at her side, in a handmade holster.
A ripple made her pause.
"Did you feel that, Master Luke?" Rey had trouble placing the sensation, so dim, so brief, she could barely parse it. She pressed on, trying to hold onto it, like water running from her hands.
Luke gave her a quizzical look, unsure of what she had noticed. "Describe it to me…" She tried to project it to him, sharing the link she felt. Almost instantly his face contorted to concern, and he commanded "STOP!"
The connection wavered, and Rey snapped it shut herself. Without a word, he nodded for her to follow him, and they trekked back to the housing areas. "We should prepare to leave, and find a new training ground."
"What's wrong, Master?" Rey seemed disturbed by his sudden change of mood. "What is going on?"
"They're looking for us. For you."
Ben, you are so strong. Do you not feel it?
The boy sat in his room alone, darkness cloaking him from the rest of the home. He cowered from the sound of shouted but empty threats, a slamming door, and the familiar sound of the Falcon's engines powering up, to disappear again. The voice again, in his head, here to comfort him.
Who are you? His mind reached toward the mysterious voice.
I am a friend, Ben.
The voice was soft, almost soothing.
You are a talented child, did you not know? See that doll, Ben? Look at it, think on it, bring it to you.
The boy did as he was bid, and slowly the stuffed creature rose a few inches, and began to slowly progress toward him. As the boy reached toward it, it fell to the ground. The darkness around him seemed to swallow him up, as the setting shifted, and he could see a soft form beside him, moving toward him as if to comfort him. A stirring of feeling overwhelmed him, and he felt a crushing sensation as pain enveloped him -
Pain. Like every wound from each encounter seared through him as he woke. He slammed his hand against the hard surface of the wall next to his cot, feeling the physical, controlled sensation help distract from the feelings he was edging on. He felt like he was losing his sanity. This vision… was not from Supreme Leader. Someone, something else, and stirred up some sensation from a time long ago. Snoke would find out soon enough, and Kylo Ren was not inclined to keep him waiting.