This Awful Energy

Summary: It was simple: he was shrouded in darkness, and she in light. But when she discovers who she truly is, a new legacy is thrust upon her. Can Rey cope with the truth of her own past?

Author's Note: Well, hello there! Once again, I'm sorry for the delay. I found it very difficult to start this chapter. I also do apologize for the length, I realize it is somewhat short; I was going to extended it but thought better of it. It's not something I feel all too comfortable dragging out. But I have to admit, once I got going with this – it was actually kind of fun to write. Now, I have to say that has me questioning a LOT of things about myself.

Anyway, here is a general warning. There are multiple scenes of torture in this chapter.

Chapter Six: Of Hostages and Hosts

"Where are you taking me?" Rey spat at the storm troopers who had begun manhandling her. But the other trooper's previous words echoed in her mind.

This one is going straight to General Hux.

Rey's shattered wrist throbbed violently as a pair of emboldened storm troopers grabbed her by her bound arms and settled her in the pristine transport shuttle. She was thrust into the cold hard seat and her guards connected the bounds on her hands to a chain on the bottom of her seat. Ignoring the pain that radiated through her as she moved, she pulled slightly at the chains but they would not give. Now escape was next to impossible. Each trooper took a position seated at her side, armed and ready to strike should she make any attempt at escape. Rey's eyes quickly scanned the exit of the shuttle, wondering just how in the galaxy she would be able to escape. Even now, a calculation of the odds was forming in her mind. But she was outnumbered, she would not be able to physically overpower them. With her wrist swollen and now unable to move, Rey was completely useless.

The shuttle pod shook as it began to take off.

Rey focused on her injury, pouring all of her concentration to the source of the pain. She had not remained with Luke Skywalker long enough to learn how to mend her own injuries. Perhaps if she could compartmentalize the pain enough to allow for a greater focus, she could hatch some sort of plan.

But for now she focused on the pain, imagining that the radius of pain in her wrist was getting smaller and smaller until…

But Rey never got to finish her exercise. In her concentration, she did not register the storm trooper bringing a syringe up to her neck. Before she could even attempt to fight him off, the needle pierced her skin. Rey's face contorted in pain as thick liquid entered into her system. Almost immediately, her skin grew hot and flushed. Her cheeks burned as the back of her neck grow damp from perspiration. She exhaled deeply, looking to the person who had injected her for any indication of what was happening.

But the masked man did not give anything away.

"Wha - What was that?" She mumbled, her lips feeling far too heavy to speak properly.

But Rey received no answer from her captors. Her eyes fluttered with their newfound, growing heavier and heavier with each passing second. An unexpected wave of exhaustion crashed over her. Rey fought it with every ounce of strength she had. She was determined to remain alert and awake.

But the drug was far too powerful. Rey felt herself slipping farther and farther into the unknown, until she was no longer conscious of the world around her.

When Rey finally emerged from that dark unknown, she could hear the world around her before she could actually see it.

As she slowly drifted back into a state of consciousness, she could hear the unmistakable low hum of the ship that now carried her. It was distinct from the more brutish noise of the smaller shuttle pod that she had been forced onto earlier – whatever ship she was on was infinitely more elegant.

She could hear the whirring of countless machines around her. It was almost as if they were singing a lullaby, lulling her back into her eerie dreamlike state. But as she listened to their song, Rey noticed that there was the distinct absence of other sounds. There was no shuffling of footsteps, no muted breaths of anyone else around her. She was entirely alone.

Her vision returned to her next. Rey's eyes fluttered open as if she were emerging from the most peaceful of dreams. In truth, she had been at peace before she finally came to. She had seen herself back on Jakku, her skin turning the loveliest shade of golden as she baked in the desert sun. In her mind, she lay there for hours as the warm and gracious sun gently kissed her skin. She never thought she would miss the harsh heat of the planet, but her solitary life seemed more and more enticing as her life became increasingly more complicated.

But when her eyes finally opened, it was not the welcoming sun on Jakku that greeted her. Rather, the harsh light of an unknown welcomed her back into the world. Her brow furrowed as her eyes adjusted to the bright fluorescent light that illuminated the room. A cloud lifted, the fog over her mind dissipated as memories from the previous day returned to her.

Her crashing landing on a strange planet…

Scavenging parts to survive….

Running from the First Order…

Rey immediately moved to sit up, but she found herself unable to move herself very far. Her former master would have been disappointed in her, as it had taken her this long to become aware of her surroundings. Cold metal restraints bound her to a bare gurney, and she was not free to move about. Her shattered and swollen wrist throbbed within mercilessly against the harsh restraints. As she struggled against them, Rey could not help but think about that last time she had woken up in a room such as this. She had been frightened then, just as she was now. But this time, there was no Kylo Ren to greet her as she woke up.

This one is going straight to General Hux. The cold and hazy memory gripped Rey, sending chills radiating through her spin. She had only vague recollections of the stone faced general, from her last encounter with the First Order on Starkiller Based. Rey gnawed on her bottom lip as she considered what terrifying possibilities waited her here.

She was not left waiting in suspense for her answer very long.

Rey had not been awake for more than ten minutes when gliding doors of the holding chamber slid open. A copper haired general – Hux, Rey thought – entered the room, flanked by two pristine looking storm troopers.

Moments passed agonizingly slow, as the general regarded her stoically. Rey matched his expression perfectly, pursing her lips together into a thin line of disdain until they almost disappeared entirely.

"What is a scavenger from Jakku," The general spat out the name of her former planet with such a fiery disdain, "doing this far along the Outer Rim?"

Her expression did not change, and she made no effort to answer his question. She merely started at him, her eyes boring deep and defiantly into his.

"Did the Jedi, Luke Skywalker, send you here?" Her probed as he took a step closer to where she was strapped down. Her heat began to beat more rapidly, and as she considered what he could possibly do to her. But she only regarded him coolly; she would not dignify him with any sort of response. Hux's face contorted in anger at her non answer. His voice harder this time, the general repeated his question, "Did Luke Skywalker send you here?"

Again, Rey did not give him any response.

The general snarled, and with one fluid motion, grabbed Rey's swollen wrist and twisted it harshly to one side. Rey cried out at the unexpected pain. Hux moved so that he was next to her. She could feel his breath snake around her skin as he hissed into her ear, "Where is Luke Skywalker?"

Rey gritted her teeth, refusing to betray any information to the man before her. She was breathing deeply through her nose, trying to manage the burning of her injured wrist while refusing to give Hux the satisfaction of seeing her cry out again. This time, she was ready for the pain as Hux bent her injury back into an unnatural position. It hurt like hell, and Rey wanted nothing more than to scream and lash out at the general. But she would not give him that satisfaction.

Just as she would not give him the information he was looking for.

Rey's eyes flickered over to her injured wrist; it had now doubled its original size and turned an unsightly purple color. Hux seemed to notice her brief examination of the injury. His lips pursed together in what could only be considered a smirk as he mused, "That looks quite unfortunate."

"Go to hell," Rey snarled, her emotions finally getting the better of her.

Something resembling a laugh escaped her captor's throat, "The desert rat finally speaks. Tell me where the Jedi is, scavenger, and I will see that your injuries are tended to."

She did not respond, but shut her eyes as she tried to will away the excruciating pain in her wrist. There was no use now, as her injuries were far too severe. Hux seemed to enjoy her reaction. Tilting his head to one side, he remarked, "If you do not tell me where the Jedi is, I can do much worse than break your hand. I can do this for as long as I need to. Tell me, and no more harm shall come to you."

Breathing out through her nose, Rey only repeated, "Go to hell."

Rey could not find the words to describe the fury in the general's eyes. But along with the anger, the repulsion, that were so clearly etched into his expression, there was also a mix of excitement. With only the flick of a single finger, the general signaled to the troopers as his side. Out of the corner of her eye, Rey could see the sentinel open the sliding door.

Rey gasped as an interrogator droid whirred into the room, it many parts and probes chiming as it migrated closer to the gurney. Rey looked at each removable part on the orb-like droid, curious as to what terror it could cause her. The droid seemed to spring to life at that moment, and Rey could already hear the distinct and faint hum of an electrical current coming from the tool. Rey chewed the bottom of her lip, biting down harder as the current touched her skin. The brief tingle shot up the side of her abdomen, radiating pain as the electrical pulse transformed from mere ticklish to excruciating. Rey violently writhed in her bound position on the gurney as a blood curdling scream escaped her throat.

As her cry finally subsided, Rey noticed the slick coppery wetness that coated her tongue and teeth. In her pain, she had bitten too hard on her lip and caused considerable bleeding. She swirled the blood in her mouth, hardening her resolve against the cruel general.

"Where is the Jedi?" The question came from somewhere behind her. She watched as the general circled her once before finally meeting her at eye level, "Tell me where he is!"

Rey inhaled sharply before releasing her fury on the general before her. Without giving any hint of action, she spit directly in Hux's face. A mix of blood and her saliva now coated his forehead, unceremoniously sliding down towards his brow. Hux, for his part, seemed shocked at Rey's audacity. But any surprised quickly vanished as anger once again etched his features. With one fluid motion, the back of his hand struck her harshly across her cheek.

The sting of his hand burned her skin, and she could feel the heat rising to the spot where he had struck her. But, in truth, the pain was nothing compared to what the rest of her body felt. Her muscles gave out when the electrical current had radiated through her system, and she felt herself physically weaken after the contact. A mere slap was nothing compared to that.

At the general's command, the droid moved closer to her. The hum of the electrical current that pulsed throughout the torture device was back, and Rey struggled against her restraints. But it was futile to try and escape. As the droid inched closer, she could have sworn that she saw the corners of Hux's mouth turn upward in a smile. How sadistic. He's actually enjoying this. Rey thought, I do not think I have ever met a more disturbed -

But her train of through was interrupted by the jamming of the electric probe once again into her abdomen. Before she could restrain herself, a cry escaped her lips. Shock rippled throughout her body, and she could no longer make sense of what was happening to her.

Luke Skywalker….

Moraband…

Words and images flashed in her mind, but they no longer made any sense to her. Rey struggled to find anything to hold on to, anything to keep her centered as she tried to withstand the incessant flow of electricity and agony. She closed her eyes, hoping that she could fixate on something other than her own anguish.

The Force…

General Hux…

Marka Ragnos…

But trying to hold on to her thoughts was like trying to catch the wind. She found her mind begin to slip, her fleeting thoughts disappearing entirely. She hazily opened her eyes, as if the fluttering of her lids took far too much energy. Her gaze landed on the general and his droid, and she tried to choke out a plea for mercy. But no sound came out of her dry throat. At the general's command, the interrogator droid moved closer to her once more, ready to strike.

Rey did not know how long she lasted in the interrogation chamber before she finally lost consciousness. But she did know that one moment she was being questioned by the copper haired general, the droid anxiously waiting to fulfill its purpose, and the next, she was waking in an entirely different room. When Rey finally opened her eyes, her mind registering what happened – hours? days? – before, she initially panicked that it would immediately happen again.

But she was relieved to find that she was alone, and she was no longer restrained. She peered around the room. With the exception of her bare cot, her room was basically empty. A door to the cell stood across the room, but there were no controls on the inside. A small tray, with only a small cup of water and what looked like one eighth of a portion of rations, lay carefully placed on the floor next to her. Careful not to put any weight on her injured arm, Rey dove for the portion of food. Her throat was dry, and her lips were cracked from dehydration. Without any hesitation, she downed the water in two large gulps. Immediately though, she wished that she had more. She turned to the food next, using her fingers to greedily shovel the tasteless portion into her mouth. She ate sloppily, and when there not enough left to spoon out, she brought the bowl to her lips, and licked any lingering remnants of the gruel, hoping to satisfy her still grumbling stomach. All too soon, her meager meal was over.

At least the edge of her hunger and thirst curbed. She was, at the very least, no longer ravenous. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. She had apparently not rested at all, despite her unconscious state. An involuntary yawn escaped her lips, and she shifted around on her austere cot to get comfortable. She did not like the idea of letting her guard down enough to sleep while she was held by the First Order, but the wave of exhaustion was almost too much bare.

As if on cue, the overhead lights in her small cell began to dim…

Rey started to wonder if the entire ship was on a timer to regulate night and daytime hours for the crew. But she could not find the energy to give it very much thought. Despite the immense pain in her arm and all over her body, Rey could not fight off the exhaustion. Her eyelids began to flutter closed once more, and she found herself drifting into sleep's welcoming arms…

Only seconds later, a piercing screech broke Rey from her restful reverie. Her eyes shot open at the squawking noise, which sounded all too much like an intruder alert. The lights in her cell, dim only moments before, began to flash brightly. What is happening? Instinctively, unthinkingly, Rey propped herself up to get a better handle on the situation and be ready if anything came through that door for her.

She almost immediately regretted the action as a sharp pain shot through her swollen wrist and radiated through her arm. Rey cried out, but the sound of it was lost amidst the deafening alarm. Her eyes were wide, and her heart was beating rapidly with a mix of adrenaline and pain. She was desperate for something – anything – to happen. Rey could only sit in her cell, helpless as something happened just beyond her door.

But just as suddenly as the alarm had sounded, it stopped.

Rey blinked around her cell, curious as to what had just happened. She eyed the door cautiously, as she half expected someone to burst through the door at any moment.

But no one came.

Rey did not know how long she waited there, staring mindlessly at the door. Seconds, even hours, could have passed for all that she knew. Her concept of time seemed to fade as her exhaustion mounted. Her heart rate finally began to slow down, and she could breathe at a normal pace. Once again, she could feel the temptation of sleep gently pull her down…

And just as she reached that blissful state of sleep, a combination of the screeching alarm and flashing lights violently pulled her awake. Her heart rate jolted up, and her eye widened expectantly. She stood up this time, the adrenaline that coursed through her veins refusing to let her sit. She paced around the room idly until she found herself at the door. With her good arm, she banged on the heavily reinforced doors, hoping that some poor storm trooper would take pity on her and let her know what in the galaxy could possibly be going on.

But all of her attempts were in vain, and she was left on her own until the sound of the alarm abruptly stopped.

Rey slumped once again onto her cot, frustrated by a lack of both knowledge and sleep.

When she was satisfied that once again no one would come into her room, she began to drift off to sleep…

Until the sound of the alarms started up again…

Hour passed, and Rey could count on her hands the number of minutes of rest she achieved that night. It was evident after the first couple of cycles that the sound of the alarm meant nothing other than to deprive Rey of some much needed sleep. She tried to remain awake, to use the meditation that Luke had taught her to drown every distraction out. But it was no use, she was far too exhausted to self-regulate. Exhaustion pulled at her, but she was never given even a moment's rest while she was held captive.

She ached all over, and her weakened muscles were never given the proper opportunity to heal that came with a good night's rest. Her once aching arm was all but numb, although it turned a deep black color overnight. Rey was sure that the shattered wrist was infected now. She had seen similar injuries in other scavengers back on Jakku – without treatment, the infection would spread to her blood stream and poison her.

Without any help, Rey was going to die.

And so Rey sat, contemplating the idea of her impending death when she heard the door to her cell slide open. She was unsure of what time it was when the storm troopers came and fetched her. Grabbing her arms, they dragged her from her cell and through the empty hall of the starship. Rey had no energy to put up a fight, until she saw that they were dragging her back into the cold interrogation chamber. As they entered the room, Rey could only hazily make out a newly erected tank in the corner of the room. A small part of her knew she should be worried, but she did not have the energy to occupy herself with more than one thought.

"No –" Rey weakly protested, trying to resist as the troopers clumsily locked her into the gurney again. The idea of fighting back flickered momentarily across her mind. But the troopers easily overpowered her, as she lacked any energy to properly fight them off. The storm troopers only chuckled at her pitiful attempts as escape before they secured the restraints and took their posts at the door.

Almost immediately as she was secured, General Hux entered the interrogation chamber followed by another interrogation droid. Without any greeting or introduction, the cruel officer demanded, "Tell me, scavenger rat, where is Luke Skywalker?"

The only sound that crossed Rey's lips was the groan of exhaustion. Her body was not her own anymore; a sensation of numbness swept over her. The general, however, seemed once again displeased with her non-answer. His lips pursed into a thin line, and he motioned to the troopers, "Prepare the bacta chamber."

Rey's eyes involuntarily raised when she heard the words come out of the general's mouth. She did not quite believe it. She watched as the storm troopers prepared what appeared to be a small tub filled with the healing gel. As she was watching the storm troopers, however, General Hux was eyeing her. He seemed to notice the sense of relief that flooded over her, and he smiled. He took a small step towards her, "Do you know what the bacta tank is for, scavenger? You'll be placed in the chamber, and all of your ailments will slowly begin to heal. And that is when an electrical current will be passed through the tank."

Rey's mouth hung agape at the general's callous explanation as to what would be done to her. That would be enough to kill her.

"You won't die," Hux mused, as if he could read her thoughts. His previous scowl turned upward into a sadistic smile, "You will beg for death, of course. But the bacta gel will keep you alive, so that the process will begin all over again. That is, of course, you tell me the location of Luke Skywalker."

And then Hux let out a small chuckle.

A chuckle.

A wave of absolute repulsion washed over her. No, she decided almost immediately, it was not repulsion. Rey felt something much stronger for the red headed general that stood before her. Hatred.

A memory, coming from somewhere in the depths of her mind, wisped into her thoughts. She could vaguely recall Luke having said something about hatred being the antithesis of the Jedi Code. But she could not help herself. What kind of man would take such pleasure out of the unyielding and barbaric torture of someone else?

No, Rey most definitely hated General Hux.

Upon that realization, Rey felt as if energy had once again returned to her body. Where she had once been weak, Rey now gathered strength. It was her indignation - her hatred of the man before her - that powered her now.

The general moved towards her, ready to begin the barbaric interrogation technique that he enjoyed so much. He was still laughing to himself, and Rey could see the bob of his Adam's apple as he laughed. A part of her wanted to crush it, to prevent him from ever laughing at her expense ever again. Rey involuntarily clenched her hand into a fist at the thought of it.

It would be so sweet to give him a taste of his own medicine.

A small coughing sound interrupted Rey's thoughts. She looked to the general, who seemed to be grabbing his throat. He seemed to be trying to pry invisible hands from his throat. Rey watched, a mixture of both horror and awe, as Hux futilely gasped for air. Retribution, she mused to herself from her spot on the gurney.

The storm troopers who were standing guard rushed to the aid of their commander, hoping to find the source of his ailment. It almost made Rey laugh at how helpless all of them looked, just like she had been hours ago.

"Please," Hux managed to choke out. He looked to Rey, his blue eyes pleading with her, as if she had the power to release him from his misery.

Rey blinked for a moment. Could she be the cause of this?

Her eyes trailed from the choking general to her own clenched fist. Her knuckles had turned white, and she could feel her nails pressing deep into the skin of her palm. She had not released she had been clenching her fist so tightly. It was only then that she became aware of the power radiating through her. The Force. Rey did have the power to stop this madness.

But did she want to?

She thought of the past few days, of being locked up and sleep deprived to the point of pure exhaustion. Hux's sadistic laugh echoed in her mind. The thought alone sent her once again reeling. And Rey had her answer.

She definitely did not want to stop this.

If at all possible, the invisible hold on Hux's throat seemed to grow tighter. The pathetic sputtering sound of his gasps for air ceased entirely. Slowly, the general's face began to change from its health pink color to a more putrid looking purple.

But all Rey could hear was the echo of the general's small laugh.

Purple turned to blue, and the general's movements on the floor of the interrogation chamber became more sporadic, more volatile. His eyes were closed, and a small part of Rey wondered just how close the man was to death. Rey blinked, momentarily surprised by the cruelty of her own thought.

Hatred is the path to the dark side. The words surfaced from her memory, from a conversation she had ages ago with her master. Rey had been telling Luke one day about her childhood, when she professed hatred for Unkar Plutt and the way that he had treated her. Do not give in to your emotions.

The words echoed in her mind, and Rey emerged from the haze of hatred like a child from the fog. A wave of guilt washed over her as she realized what exactly she had done. She released her clenched fist and watched the general carefully for any signs of life. But the man with the still blue face did not move. One trooper knelt by his commander, trying to revive him. The other turned his blaster towards her, "What did you do, scavenger?"

"I-"

But Rey did not have any opportunity to defend herself as the doors to the interrogation chamber opened before she could respond. A masked figure, clad in all black, briskly and purposefully entered the room. Despite the opaque helmet, Rey felt eyes behind it boring deep into her.

"Why was I not informed of the capture of this prisoner?" Kylo Ren asked, his voice distorted from behind the mask. He turned towards the storm trooper with the blaster aimed at Rey, "Under whose orders was this information kept from me?"

"General Hux demanded that she be brought directly to him, sir," The trooper explained. "But she managed –"

It was only then that Kylo Ren turned his gaze towards the crumpled heap on the floor. But before the storm trooper could finish his sentence, the knight turned back towards Rey, "You did this?"

Rey nodded once, scared to admit to any more than that. She had seen – had been on the receiving end – of Kylo Ren's power. She did not know what he would do to her as a punishment.

"Why does she look like that?" The mechanical voice posed the question to the storm trooper. Rey swallowed, although the action was painful. Now that her adrenaline rush had ended, the pain returned to her in full force. She could only imagine what she looked like after days of no sleep and being half-beaten.

"The general thought it best to interrogate her on the whereabouts of the Jedi, sir."

Kylo Ren did not say anything other than, "Take our guest into the medical bay. I want the droids to look at her arm."

"Yes sir," One of the troopers responded as he began to remove the metal restraints that had bound Rey. For the briefest of moments, Rey contemplated fighting – running – anything that would help her to get away. But she was still very weak, and she would not make it far with Kylo Ren on her tail. Even as she was removed from the restraints, she could find she could not walk far without any support. The storm trooper to her left guided her, and she had no choice but to rely on him.

Rey let the storm trooper lead her out of the room. But as the doors slid closed behind them, she swore he could hear the sound of a lightsaber violently striking the bacta chamber.

Author's Note: Well, there we are! We finally have Rey and Kylo in the same room!