Hey, guys. Thanks for your comments, I love reading them and there's actually 2 things I want to answer:
I don't think Starkiller base has many cameras. Reason: there were none in the movie either watching on Rey in her cell or catching her escape. Kylo Ren was (in my mind) right to assume he was being recorded during his meetings with Rey. Plus, he had her cell specially made.
Also, Kylo Ren is sort of in denial right now, so I hope this explains the slight problems in his reasoning, but I think it stays true to him as a character: he screws up a lot too in the movie and makes rash decisions.
Finally I warn you there are more descriptions of ships and stuff I know really nothing about, I've been Star Wars obsessed since early childhood, but I usually don't care about the mechanics of ships. I tried to learn more on Wookipedia but I expect I'll be wrong about a lot of things, and if you see something really impossible in there then tell me and I'll fix it as best as I can.
Coming out of the shower, Rey was shivering. The cold air breezed under the blanket and she sneaked back to the small room, acutely aware she was naked under the flimsy fabric. She closed the door behind her, securing the improvised towel around her body. She opened random compartments, looking for some extra clothes. The ones she found were way too big for her, but they would have to do. She used an extra strip of fabric ripped from a long sleeved shirt to use as a sash, holding everything in place. She felt weird, wearing black. It was his color. But better that than a fucking prisoner uniform.
When dark spots stopped dancing in from of her eyes, she decided she was strong enough to face him and went to the front of the ship. He was bent in front of the ship's computer, his eyes riveted to the screen, really engrossed in whatever he was doing. He wasn't wearing his helmet or his gloves, tapping impatiently with his bare fingers on the computer screen, clearly aggravated. His features were so expressive, sometimes she didn't know if we was wearing his emotions, of if they were wearing him. His temper was flailing around his every mood; his actions unpredictable. she was wondering how much of a whim it had been to kill Hux and save her, and how easily it could have gone the other way.
She raised her eyebrows at his apparent lack of attention for her, or what she was doing.
Aren't you more worried I'll attack you?
He didn't even turn around. You couldn't hurt a fly in the state you're in.
She hid a pout because he was right. She fell faint again, her head swimming after just walking to the bridge. She crashed in the seat next to him, trying to figure out where they were or where they were going without letting him know how weak she really was. Anything to help planning out her next move.
How long have I been out?
Thirty hours. He'd given her something for the pain that also acted as a sedative, but decided not to tell her.
She swallowed back a gasp, keeping her next thought to herself: God thirty? They could be anywhere in the galaxy by now.
Where are we going? She asked him, putting on her brave face.
Wouldn't you like to kno—w, he almost choked on his last word as he glanced her way and took in her appearance.
Her wet brown locks were hugging her neck, his black clothes hanging loosely around her tiny frame. She was glancing about, acting like the situation was totally ordinary; like she belonged there with him, and it was simply sinful. She met his gaze head on, blinking at him casually.
But seriously, where are we going?
He groaned inwardly, completely thrown aback that she wasn't more freaked out. She'd just been filleted by a knife, damn it.
I'm not telling you.
Why not?
His lips tightened, refusing to answer her question. Was she still his prisoner? Technically, yes. How come he didn't want to remind her of that, asserting his power over her? How come he felt like she was the one keeping him hostage? Keeping him from the darkness and Snoke; from his destiny.
He was actually like a kid in front of two different but equally desired toys: unable to choose, desperate to throw a fit about it. His febrile feelings were a tangled mess hovering in his stomach. He used the ship's computer to find a close deserted system that could fit his needs and set the coordinates.
She closed her eyes despite herself, her body greedily demanding rest. She slept in the co-pilot chair for what felt like the longest time, waking up to a change in speed, immensely better. He was fast awake, still crouched in his chair. She extended her mind, following the beaten path to his, making sure she was inconspicuous enough, and just grazed at his thoughts. He couldn't afford to sleep because he was worried about being followed. By now, Snoke knew about Hux. I need to find a place for her and fast, afterwards I can take a breath and figure this shit out. God, why am I doing this?
She retreated, knowing if she stayed much longer he would notice. At least she knew for sure now this wasn't some kind of twisted game, he sounded genuinely confused.
They'd arrived in the right system. He scanned the planets and moons using the ship's sensors, looking for the right atmosphere and conditions, finding a suitable candidate rather quickly. Luke really hadn't exaggerated when he'd said there were a lot of them. He chose the tropical moon over the icy desert planet, thinking he didn't want her to freeze to death. What if he didn't come back? After all, Snoke might have him killed. Or maybe he would finally realize how bad he fucked up and succeed in erasing all traces of her from his thoughts. God, this was so insanely difficult.
When the surface of the planet came into view, his mind was reeling. If he was to leave her here for an unknown amount of time, he needed to make sure of three things. She had to have clean water, food to eat and shelter. He didn't even have to lie about the presence of First Order scouts in the area to explain their landing on an inhabited planet, because they were actually there, canvassing the system methodically. Still, he was hoping she wouldn't see right through him.
He also needed to explore the ground a little, so he said:
"As long as we're here, we should get more water, you practically drained our supplies with that long shower. There is a stream there going down the mountain but the trees are too close together to land near it, we'll have to hike."
He landed the ship near a rocky cliff, but close to the forest, thinking this would be a perfect place to build a shelter. It was protected from the winds, dry.
"I'm still a bit weak, can't I just stay here?"
He chuckled darkly: "Yeah, like I'm leaving you alone with the ship."
She narrowed her eyes at him, not moving from her seat.
"Come on, or I'll just carry you," he threatened.
She rose quickly to her feet. "No, it's fine, I can walk."
As soon as she stepped out of the ship, she was struck by the suffocating humidity of the planet, so different from Jakku and the climate controlled environment she'd grown accustomed to. Sweat gathered of her forehead in the matter of minutes, and she wondered how Ren managed to bear the heat in his stuffy black tunic.
They hiked about 2 kilometers from their landing point, through the eerie forest. It was layered by gigantic trees that grew up and up to where she couldn't see and smaller ones, bringing shade to the area that allowed a dark green moss to grow into a thick layer that felt very cushy. Rey's left leg was stiff, but she refused to be carried, and suffered through each step.
When they reached a rocky cliff, they knew they were close to the stream they'd seen from above. They found a little trail going up, apparently made by small animals. The wide stream was the only hole in the canopy, the rays of the sun caressing it. The trees started almost right at the edge of the water and casted beautiful shadows on each side.
Ren kneeled next to the water, submerging a little device that beeped happily after a minute. "It's perfectly drinkable," he declared, filling both 20 liters pouches he'd brought and drinking huge gulps of the precious liquid.
She realized all of the sudden why he was playing this charade. He'd talked about unloading her somewhere, to regain his focus. He needed to make sure she could survive in his absence, and most likely couldn't escape. This was a small inhabited moon, perfect place to hide someone. She made a mental list: yes, she'd seen edible plants, signs of animal life, and now water. He had everything he needed to make this planet her new prison. "I have what we need, we can go back to the ship," he announced.
Her mind scattered to find a reason to stall. She listened to her body, cramping up for real, and showed her exhaustion.
"Can we take a break? I'm not 100% yet and the humidity is killing me," she complained, letting her actual pain surface on her features.
He seemed to hesitate but ultimately nodded in agreement. She removed her boots and sank her feet into the water with a sigh of contentment.
He removed his tunic, leaving only his pants and undershirt on, and she noticed it was drenched in sweat. He was as tired as she was.
She laid down in the moss and closed her eyes. She slowed her breathing, praying that maybe, maybe he would do the same. He hadn't slept in at least two days after all. Half an hour later, she finally asked, her voice soft as a feather: "Ren?" She concentrated hard on his thoughts but they were blank. She figured he'd fallen asleep as well. Her heartbeat quickened. This was her chance. She quietly rose to her feet and searched for some kind of weapon with her eyes. There were small non-threatening rocks and huge ones she couldn't lift. The only thing remotely deadly in sight was his saber at his hip. Could she do it? Use his own weapon? She'd never used one, but it seemed simple enough. She stepped lightly until she was leaning over him.
He looked young, innocent. Dramatically different from the shadow that had hunted her dreams and cursed her days. She begrudgingly admitted to herself she couldn't do this, she had only killed a couple of Stormtroopers in her life and it still haunted her. Also, in a twisted way, she owed him her life.
It scared her, but she kind of could related to his motivations for keeping her alive. The link between them, it was addictive. It had a mind of its own. She thought about what would have happened if anyone but him from the First Order had kidnapped her, almost feeling guilty for even considering attacking him in his sleep. Sure, probably no one else would have succeeded in taking her prisoner.
Her lips pressed into a firm line as she turned on her heels, grabbed her discarded boots quietly and hurried to the ship.
Maybe by now some of you will have figured out where I'm going with this, and I really, really hope you'll like it. Elmo13