Excessively large, cold steel doors closed behind Kylo Ren as he entered the dimly lit chamber, the only light available coming from the grayish projection of Supreme Leader Snoke where he sat upon a great, roughly hewn throne. General Hux was already there, deep in conversation with his leader from where he stood on a circular dais before the imposing hologram.
He wasted no time as he swiftly approached the pair, black boots treading over jagged rock as he did so – the room was more like a cave, with uneven walls and floors all fashioned from stone; veins of obsidian and garnet glinted in the limited light like fresh blood against an endless, stormy sea. The room was a construct that Snoke had demanded, something of a personal taste – but Kylo wouldn't dare question it, regardless of how outlandish an idea it seemed, to have this room on a spacecraft.
Reaching the pair, he dropped to one knee on the cold stone of the dais, head bowed, and eyes closed beneath the mask.
"Forgive me master, I was not expecting your presence so soon," Kylo Ren apologized. In his mind he knew that he was actually early, but courtesy was to be given to his master at all times – regardless of an unspoken change in plans.
Hux sneered down at him as Kylo brought his gaze up to meet with Snoke's – probably over pleased that he had beaten his leaders apprentice at something. Snoke was a source of jealousy for both of them – each vying for the attention and recognition of the powerful being, neither willing to admit it.
Their leader wasn't one to dwell and contemplate though, and he glossed right over Kylo's apology to move on to other matters – Rey.
"Have you managed to retrieve the map to Skywalker from her yet?" he asked in a derisive tone, clearly displeased in his apprentice's failures thus far.
There was no hiding or stretching the truth here, so Ren replied honestly, pleading a little as he did so – "I have not master – the girl is strong and extremely resistant… but I know, that with your guidance, I can get the map from her."
Silence followed that statement as Snoke's twisted glare found Hux, whom he stared at for a moment before speaking,
"Leave us, General."
Hux didn't balk or ask questions, he simply turned around at the order and strode straight out of the chamber, a purposeful bounce in his step as he left.
It was just the two of them then, a Knight and his master, shrouded in darkness – the occasional glint of red, flashing across the silver of Ren's mask. Kylo could feel the anger seething in his direction – Snoke wasn't even trying to hide his displeasure at the man that stood in front of him. His eyes never left the Supreme Leader, knowing full well what was to come next. He waited, muscles tensed with memory, as he took in the towering, pale figure before him – milk white skin that appeared twisted and burned with deep scaring on the forehead as well as the cheek; causing his mouth to turn down in one corner and an eye to sit crooked in the flesh. It was like looking at a gnarled, ivory colored tree – how the flesh seemed to contort and twist around the bones, leaving gaps that led into some unknown darkness. Snoke appeared human in base shape and form, but the details – grotesque and twisted – spoke of some other species entirely; as if the evil within had taken root on the outside.
It came then – a darkness that travelled across space to cloud his vision, filling his mind with reminders of every evil thing he had done. Images flitted by one by one – what remained of the Jedi Order – strewn across the ground before a burning temple, writhing in agony as they died. Lor San Tekka, once a friend, cold and dead before him, the smell of burning flesh still palpable in the air. Then, the worst came, a metal catwalk stretched over a dark abyss and his fathers voice calling his name – "Ben!" – pain shot through his body – no, his father calling a dead boys name. Then he was before him, a father begging his son to come home as he drew his weapon and before he even knew what was happening, Han Solo's body was sliding off his wildly burning lightsaber, falling over the edge and into darkness.
He couldn't see what was in front of him, only the visions that Snoke was feeding into his mind, the mental hold manifesting itself in the physical realm as dark tendrils wrapped their way around his arms and encircled his torso. They were similar to what he had seen with Rey earlier, but not quite, these bands were inky black and thick – writhing with a tangible hate and anger. Before, they had been dark and encompassing yes, but there was a hint of softness, and the emotion was fulfilling – anger, joy, sadness, passion – a spectrum of every feeling.
Kylo Ren's bindings were meant as pure punishment – sinking into his skin, the armor he wore no more than an illusion, as his flesh burned at their touch.
"You disappoint me." Snoke's voice pierced through the darkness, low and steady, now devoid of any emotion or intentions.
"For years I have whispered to you, guided you, trained you – and this is all you have to show for it? Clearly, I misjudged you – … your training will have to continue." Snoke finished, relinquishing his hold on both Kylo Ren's mind and body – the snake like manifestations of the dark side of the force withdrawing to the shadows before disappearing completely.
Weakened, Kylo fell to his knees before the Supreme Leader. "Yes master." He replied solemnly, accepting his fate as he bowed his head and tried to regain his breath.
It was a dull pain by now, but irritating all the same – the pattern of burns that he could feel under his clothing, one wrapped like a ring around each arm – and one that ran from shoulder blade to shoulder blade. They only ever burned him in those same spots, like a mark of dominance, the scar tissue building with each successive lesson. The skin there was now dull, puckered, and resistant – but the wounds stung all the same as he shifted around on his knees.
It seemed as though Snoke was about to say something more – but if he did, Kylo wouldn't have heard it, for at that exact moment he heard a gut-wrenching scream. No, his mind quickly corrected him, it had come through the Force, through an emotional link. Rey, his mind told him, the one screaming was Rey.
Forgetting the bitter annoyance of the burns, and ignoring whatever Snoke was about to say – Kylo quickly rose to his feet and turned his back on the Supreme Leader – only one thought on his mind as he quickly left the room without so much as a glance behind.
It hadn't been long since Kylo Ren left her cell when Rey heard footsteps outside – too many to just be him – and the sound of buttons being pressed on a keypad. The lock released, and the metal door slid away on it's track, revealing a barrage of white armored stormtroopers – a redhead in sharply pressed clothing at their front. The soldiers wasted no time as they filed into the small room, fanning out around the platform where she lay, enclosing her in a circle – the one with elaborate clothing stopping in front of her.
He kept his eyes on anything but her - observing the walls, the floor, the troopers he had brought – as he began his speech.
"It seems as though my colleague has proved quite – inept – when it comes to you. The Supreme Leader was so confident in his abilities and yet, here we are," he paused, cold blue eyes quickly scanning over her before returning to their original position - locked on the plain, empty floor.
"You, still in perfect condition and us, still devoid of the map to Luke Skywalker. Our Leader grows impatient, and, it has become apparent that Kylo Ren, despite all that supposed power, is useless when it comes to getting information from you, scavenger" – he added that last word to emphasize his distaste with the meaningless girl before him.
Rey had wished for an interruption to her thoughts, but her stomach dropped as she listened to this man, with clear hatred on his face, speak of her condition like it was more than she deserved. She eyed the storm troopers that had surrounded her – each one as impassive and statue-still as the next.
"I may not be able to take the map from your head, but I can make you want to give it up. Honestly, it pains me to provide any assistance to that man, but at this point it has become a necessary evil." His gaze slowly returned to face her then, a cold, half smile, pulling at the corners of his thin lips as it did so.
"I'll give you one chance." He spoke in a deadly quiet tone – "will you surrender the map?"
Rey had come this far without giving in and that wasn't about to change anytime soon. She met his gaze with a cold stare of her own, resolved not to betray her friends, to not give up. She'd managed thus far, living the harsh and lonely life of a scavenger – this man wouldn't break her, and she conveyed that through her silence.
A twitch at the corner of his eye as his gaze left hers to rest on one of the stormtroopers beside her.
"General Hux?" the man asked as he stood up a little straighter. So that's his name, Rey thought as she waited for a response.
A silent nod from Hux was all she saw before her vision shifted sharply to the right. Her cheek throbbed, and she saw stars as it registered that she was now staring at the boots of the troopers where they stood around her. He punched me, was all Rey had time to think before the next blow came – forcing her head in the other direction this time. She felt her nose break with the impact, warm blood trickling down her chin and neck.
Looking up, she was met with Hux's silent stare and she – smiled. Lips spread to show bloodstained teeth as she met his gaze, unwavering in her convictions.
"Is that all?" She goaded him, knowing full well that they had no intention of stopping so soon – but she refused to show weakness.
Another silent nod and the abuse continued – another gloved hand striking her lower jaw, an armored elbow driven into her ribcage. It seemed every inch of her face was throbbing by the time Hux's hand came up in a silent signal to halt. Rey's vision was blurry, and the eyes that stared back at the general were bloodshot and wet with tears. The mind probe had been painful to resist and emotionally draining but this hurt was wholly physical, and it took its toll on her body.
"Care to change your mind?" he asked, a cruel indifference in his tone.
When she still refused to speak he dropped his hand and that was all his men needed to continue their assault. Rey had known what the First Order was capable of and she'd heard bits and pieces as she grew up about the damage the Empire had wrought before – but she hadn't expected this. Such a brute show of physical force and torture – it seemed they were at wits end when it came to retrieving what lay inside her mind.
She barely even noticed as they removed her restraints and shoved her off the platform; her body hitting the cold stone below with a smack that took the breath from her lungs. An image of Kylo Ren flashed across her mind as she struggled to regain control of her breath. A whole new wave of loathing and betrayal flooded her emotions as she recalled what Hux had said – that they were making it easier for him to dig around in her mind – weakening her physically so she would have no strength left to fight him mentally. She fought back tears at the thought that he was willing to go this far, her throat tight with anger and the taste of her own blood fresh on her tongue.
"Remove those bandages" – Hux's voice again from, somewhere above her, "they're an unnecessary kindness." His words were followed by a sharp pain in her wrists and ankles as the faceless men simultaneously ripped the cloth from her skin – re-exposing the raw flesh to the cold air in the cell. Her mind flashed again, this time with the image of Kylo hunched over her, carefully tending to her wounds – it incited a whole new wave of hurt and confusion that he would do this to her now, but was quickly forgotten when the first booted foot connected with her abdomen.
The force from the blow sent her backwards into the base of the restraining platform – the cold metal slamming against her back, its corners digging into her skin. Every part of her was screaming in pain but she refused to give in to it, she wouldn't give these people the upper hand – she couldn't.
A few more kicks to her abdomen before there was a slight pause – presumably Hux giving some new directive, but if he did Rey couldn't hear it. Her ears were ringing, and her vision was blurred – it was all she could do not to scream out in agony.
She wasn't really sure what happened next; from the corner of her eye she could see something white moving through the air, and then a sickening snap echoed through the room – followed by a scream that stung her ears and rattled her brain. Not even fully conscious anymore, it barely registered in her mind that the scream was her own. Everything was a blur – a red haze covering her vision, sound muffled and contorted, and fresh red tears flowing freely from her swollen eyes.
She couldn't respond to Hux now even if she wanted to – her mind was too muddled, her thoughts too hazy. She tried to lift her head off the ground, but the muscles wouldn't respond. Another flash of white in her limited vision as the stormtrooper's boot connected with her leg again to confirm the injury. White hot pain shot through her veins as she let out another scream, barely holding on to her consciousness, hoping it would end soon.
It was too much for her to take, her hazel eyes - now tinged with blood - could barely register the world around her. The opening door looked like a moving dash of grey, the soldiers a mass of white and then –
The world lit up around her – bright and burning, with the color of blood.
The great doors shut fast behind him as Kylo Ren stormed out of the audience chamber, mind reeling as he absorbed her pain. He'd been oblivious to what was happening until she screamed – her agony ripping through the Force and pushing itself into his mind – it seemed to form a link and now he could feel every blow, every injury as he raced towards her.
If anyone witnessed the uncharacteristic act, they were smart enough to keep themselves hidden – anger was rolling off him in waves, barely under control – no one would escape his wrath in this state.
A second, piercing scream inside his head threatened to drive him to his knees, but the echo of that same sound against his surroundings pushed him forward. He was close enough now that he'd heard her both mentally and physically. Swiftly pulling the lightsaber from his belt as he approached the locked door of her cell at a near sprint, Kylo proceeded to run the metal through with his blade rather than enter a simple code. The searing metal fell around him in chunks, as he stepped over the threshold.
The first thing he saw was Rey, barely conscious and covered in her own blood – crumpled where she lay on the floor – surrounded by stormtroopers. His first instinct was to go to her, but the shaking of the man in the corner pulled his attention. Kylo Ren was not one for holding back and he swiftly approached the clearly frightened General Hux where he stood cowering; there was no hesitation in his movements as he raised the lightsaber and ran him through. Flesh sizzled, and torso separated from legs as he drew back the weapon, both halves falling to the floor, vessels instantly cauterized from the intense heat and not a single drop of blood was spilt.
Satisfied, Ren turned on the soldiers that still surrounded Rey – frozen in place as they watched his movements with fear. He didn't bother using the Force when they tried to run – his movements with the lightsaber were too fast, too lethal. Anger swirled within him as one after the other, the troopers fell, each one dead before they hit the floor as he relentlessly cut through them with his flaming saber.
He extinguished the blade as the last man fell behind him, wasting no time as he moved to Rey's side, ripping the mask off his head as he did so. Her eyes were barely open in their swollen sockets as she blinked up at him – each one slower than the last as he gingerly lifted her broken body in his arms. He made to leave the cell and this time her eyes stayed closed – breath slowing and barely audible from where she lay suspended in his hold against the layers of dark fabric.
Darkness gathered around Snoke like an old friend as he sat upon a throne not unlike the one aboard the Finalizer. The only difference being its reduced size. He pondered the actions of his apprentice – how he had ignorantly turned his back and left after feeling the scavenger girls pain. Being highly sensitive to the Force, Snoke had sensed the girl as well, not that he wasn't already aware of her situation. The fact that she was able to reach Kylo Ren's mind, despite the barriers he had woven to try and blind his apprentice from what he had requested of General Hux, was indicative of the power that Kylo professed she had.
If he had really wanted the map to Luke Skywalker, he could've requested that the girl be brought before him; ripping the image from her mind would've been an easy task for the Supreme Leader. He had different intentions however, knowing that the Resistance had already located the Jedi, he sought to use the girl to search out any weakness or apprehension in Kylo Ren. The boy had always drifted between the two sides of the Force, but he would make sure that the light within him remained buried.
Snoke's hand came to rest on his gnarled chin as he contemplated. If the girl was truly as strong as she appeared to be then he wanted her power for his own. He had stated as much thus far to Kylo, but this was the first time when he truly meant it for himself. Resolved, Snoke set his sights on twisting the girls light until it was as dark as his own and as malleable as Kylo Ren's.