Notes: Trigger warning.
As I've said the story will take a darker turn.
Thank you to everyone reading this story.
As always reviews are greatly appreciated.
Happy Holidays!
The Finalizer's Bay
Kylo Ren's command shuttle entered the bay easily as he brought the ship down for a careful landing. Flipping off a series of switches, he waited as the Stormtroopers helped to dock his ship. Raising himself from his chair, he continued down the open ramp. He was surprised to see a pudgy officer nervously wringing his hands at the bottom of it. Tiley looked up at the descending figure and immediately stiffened. "Sir," he squeaked, "Officer Tiley. Might I have a word with you?" Kylo Ren had already been making his way past the man. He turned his masked face to him and waited. Tiley took that as a response and walked slowly over to him. He stared up at the mask, unable to articulate his report. "Tiley, my time is very important. As you can see I have very little of it, as well as patience." Kylo Ren's voice filtered through the modulator menacingly. Tiley gulped and stammered, "Sir, what I have to report to you is in regards to General Hux and your…" Tiley began spluttering, his eyes bulging slightly out of his head. Kylo Ren stepped closer to him, fist raised and clenched, breathing heavily through his mask. "What of them?" He growled.
Kylo Ren stalked to the Supreme Leader's cavernous holoroom, radiating unchecked rage. How could this have happened, he thought to himself. He had failed Snoke again. He swallowed hard as he thought of what the consequences would be. It was a simple task he had been handed. She was stronger than he had thought, clearly having hidden the truth from him even in her weakened state. He punched the keypad and strode into the room as the hologram began to appear.
"Kylo Ren," The Supreme Leader's voice rasped. "I sense…great anger stirring within you." Kylo Ren genuflected and then lifted his mask, "I have failed you, master." Snoke leaned back against the chair and brought a hand up under his deformed chin, "What has happened…my apprentice?" Kylo felt panic race through him as he stared at the floor. "The Scavenger girl has tricked me. She was fertile. I had made Hux take her while I thought she wasn't. I wanted to break her. It would seem that he has impregnated her." His chest constricted as he waited for the ramifications. Minutes of silence passed, Kylo finally gaining the courage to glance up at Snoke. He froze when he saw that Snoke was looking back at him.
"Kylo Ren…you have not failed me. It seems as though…our plans have merely changed." Kylo Ren stared back confusedly, "Master?" "I want an army of force sensitives…one unwanted pregnancy won't be of concern. We will simply wait…until in a few months we can know for sure…that the babe will be sensitive to the force." "It will be tainted," Ren said weakly. "Tainted or not…force sensitive is what matters, Kylo Ren. You had your chance." Snoke rang out. "What if it isn't?" Snoke smiled wickedly, his deformed face making it all the more sinister. "By then the child will have quickened in her womb. She will…have become attached...her motherly instincts blossoming. If the child isn't…we will rip it from her womb. Then…she will be broken." He felt unease ripple through him, "What of Hux?" Snoke leaned forward, "Ah, yes…our disgraced General." Snoke mused aloud. "He will be kept alive…to live his torment as a failure, and then…to see his child perish or become enslaved."
Hux woke with a start. Banging rang out from the door to his quarters. His comm link crackled as orders to open the door flooded the space. Rey sat up, staring at the main room in terror. She looked to Hux, who gazed back at her. "This is it, I should say." He ran his knuckles down her face, "The Resistance will be here soon, you will be ok." Rey started to cry, "They'll bring you too. They'll get us both." Hux shook his head, sadly. He grabbed her face and kissed her roughly, his hands coursing through her loose hair. Rey lifted her hand to cup his face. Releasing her, he stood and pulled her up from the bed. As he pulled on his uniform, he looked at her. "Stay behind me," he ordered, as he finished dressing. She intertwined her fingers through his as they walked into the main room. Just as they reached his door, the unmistakable sound of a lightsaber filled the air from just beyond. It slowly opened on its own revealing a heaving Kylo Ren.
Hux let go of Rey's hand and pushed her back. Ren looked at the two of them, his unstable blade still drawn. He lifted his hand and curled his fingers. Hux's hands flew to his throat as he tried to peel unseen fingers from his neck. Rey thrust out her own hand as she tried to manipulate the force to stop Kylo Ren. Kylo swung his masked face to look at her. He let go of Hux, who fell to the floor gasping and clutching his throat. Kylo moved to Rey as Hux rasped out, "No!" Kylo flicked his wrist which sent Hux flying into the wall near his kitchenette. He crumpled to the ground unmoving. Kylo moved his hand to caress Rey's face, but was stunted in midair. He grunted as he tried to push forward through the force. Rey's forehead began to glisten with sweat. "You are much stronger than I previously thought," Kylo admitted. "You will leave this room and allow Hux and me to leave this ship." Rey commanded, her voice laced with the force. "Why would I do a thing like that?" Kylo smirked through his mask. She was losing this battle of wills. She glanced at Hux, trying to keep her concentration. He was still unconscious on the floor. "He can't save you," Kylo murmured as he gained a step forward. Rey growled in frustration as she tried to push harder. It was as if something shattered then, as Kylo moved right in front of her. She gaped in horror as he lifted his hand and suddenly the world went black.
Rey awoke to find herself strapped to a very familiar chair. She pulled against the straps furiously, only stilling when she heard a slight hiss. She searched for the source of the sound, and was met with Kylo Ren removing his helmet. He slammed it down on the pedestal of ashes next to him. They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity. He came nearer to her and gestured back to the pedestal, "It would appear I'll be adding another pile to this soon enough." Rey gulped and bit back tears. "We could've ruled the galaxy together," he spat, "Instead you chose this foolish path." Rey looked away from his simmering gaze. "I'll give you another choice, Scavenger. You can come with me to the medical wing, and we can terminate this unfortunate accident." Her eyes widened in surprise before narrowing into anger. "I'll do no such thing," she seethed. He punched the seat just above her head. "You know I could do it myself, don't you? I could make you lose it, right here, in front of us both." She unleashed a sob, somewhere between pain and rage.
He held his hand above her face and entered her mind. She fought valiantly against him, but she had already tired herself with the efforts of trying to fight him off earlier. He played back the last weeks for them. He saw the absolute hatred she bore him, when he had again captured her and announced that she'd be a slave. He saw the uncertainty of Hux's kindness. He watched the budding relationship between herself and Hux, bordering on... He flew back from her, shaking. Eyes full of disgust, he thrust his hand up and began to choke her with the force. "We could have had everything!" He yelled. "You would continue to choose this…this no one, over me!" He squeezed harder, bruises already taking form on her slender neck. Her eyes fluttered as her face started to turn purple. He felt her pulse slowing, but was perplexed when another faster pulse began to resound within her. He stopped abruptly. Rey tried to suck in air. She gasped and gulped over and over again, tears falling haphazardly. He blinked at her and she watched as he appeared lost. He spun around, grabbed his helmet and left the room.
Hux was sitting upright in the cell he had been brought to. He had had to be sedated when he regained consciousness. He had tried to fight off the two Stormtroopers that attempted to cuff and restrain him. One trooper had managed to stun him with their blaster. They had called for backup and a medical droid. Now, he waited. Screwing his eye shut, he slammed his head back into the wall. Rey, he thought. His cell door was thrown open unexpectedly, Kylo Ren filling its frame. Hux made to stand, but Ren gripped his shirt and hoisted him the rest of the way. Kylo's gloved hand balled into a fist and smashed sickeningly into Hux's face over and over. Hux tried to grab on to him, to fight him off, but couldn't. His legs gave out as his features became a bloody pulp. He gurgled in pain. Kylo let him fall to the floor as he continued his onslaught. He kicked him hard in the ribs, and Hux curled into fetal position to try to minimize the damage and pain. "Traitor," Kylo hissed. "Let Rey see what she has chosen. A man who can't defend or protect her, who could never save her." He strode back out of the cell, using the force to shut the door.
Rey watched nervously as the door opened to admit Kylo Ren. He had force bands in hand. He pressed a button to release her hands. She immediately tried to use the force against him. He staggered back a few feet before righting himself. Thrusting his hand forward, her head slammed against the chair's back. She tried to steady herself, blinking back the spots that clouded her vision. He cuffed her wrists roughly, then released her ankles and cuffed them as well. "We're going to see what's become of the man you love." She stumbled as he yanked her to her feet. Pulling her out of the room, he turned and dragged her along. They made their way through a heavily guarded portion of the detainment area. Stopping in front of a cell, Kylo waved his hand. The door opened and he pushed Rey in. She fell hard on her shoulder, twisting so that she didn't fall flat on her stomach. Pushing herself up on to her knees, she was suddenly immersed in deep pain. She realized it wasn't her own. She was feeling Hux. He was curled away from her. "Hux," she whispered. He groaned as he rolled towards her. She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. Kylo watched the exchange, his anger and jealousy boiling. Hux watched her out of his good eye and tried to crawl over towards her. He reached out an arm for her, his fingers grasping at the space between them. Rey sought them with her own hands, leaning forward. Kylo Ren howled as he grasped his lightsaber, igniting it and swiping down on Hux's outstretched arm.
Hux gaped in shock at the nub where his arm used to be. The stump immediately cauterized by the lightsaber. Rey screamed, tears spilling from her eyes. Finally grasping what had occurred, Hux lifted his left hand to hover just above the nub. His eyes met Rey's as he fell forward whimpering uncontrollably. Rey attempted to scoot closer to him, but Kylo Ren grasped her by her hair and pulled her up to him. Shuttering his lightsaber, he shook her violently. "See how unworthy he is. He's tainted you!" "You're a monster," she croaked, her voice hoarse. He lifted his hand as if to slap her, but was knocked off balance as the ship shook dangerously beneath them. He stumbled over to the comm, "What's going on?" He demanded. "Sir, rebels!" A voice shouted back. He looked back to Rey and Hux. Rey had moved over to him while Kylo was distracted, attempting to cradle Hux's head. He trembled with anger. "You think you'll be saved? I'll kill every last one of them," He sneered. He waved his hand and the door opened. He ran out, sealing the door behind him.
"Black leader, there's too many!" Poe gritted his teeth, "Stay in formation, we've got to clear a path for the Falcon!" X-wings and TIE fighter s whirled past each other wildly. They had been detected shortly after they had come out of hyperspace, TIE's already spilling from the Finalizer. Poe maneuvered sharply to the left as alarms rang out, signaling he was being targeted. "Cover me," he yelled. He brought his ship into a free fall, the TIE following him. He pulled back on the thrust slowing the ship and turned the controls hard left. The TIE was unable to follow his rolling ship. He pushed the thrust coming out of the spin, and locked onto the TIE, successfully shooting it down. "Alright guys, let's get them in there!" The pilots followed his Starfighter and aimed themselves right at the open bay of the Finalizer. The Falcon was just behind them, Luke holding her steady while Finn was in the gunner's seat. He shot down a fighter that was trying to lock onto them, whooping loudly with glee. "We're about to pull up, Luke. You have a clear shot in!" "Right," Luke said. He watched as the X-wings pulled up and he slammed them into the bay, the landing gears skidding into Stormtroopers that had been waiting for them. Luke punched the ramps button. Lightsaber drawn, he ran down the loading ramp, deflecting blaster fire. Chewbacca came after him with his bowcaster and Finn with his blaster. They fought their way through the bay and into an open corridor, Luke using the force to seal a blast door behind them.
"Luke, can you feel her?" Finn asked urgently. Luke sought her force signature, "I can feel her, but somethings wrong." He said. He continued down the hall as another series of Stormtroopers appeared. He flicked his wrist and sent them flying into the wall next to them. They turned down another series of corridors until they finally came to the detainment wing. "She's down here," Luke said. Chewbacca stood guard at the end of the hall while Finn and Luke continued down. Luke halted in front of a cell door. Using the force, he opened it, revealing Rey and an unconscious first order officer. "Luke," she gasped surprised. Luke came over to her, crouching down he released her bonds. "Hello, padawan," he said gently, eyes glistening. She threw one of her arms around his neck, hugging him close. "Don't forget about me," Finn joked. "Finn," Rey smiled through her tears. "Who's this?" He asked. "It's Hux," she said, her other hand still holding his head. He was slipping in and out of consciousness, as she ran her fingers lightly through his hair. Luke studied her closely, Rey meeting his eyes. "That's Hux?" Finn asked incredulously. "Yes, we need to get him out of her too." Finn was completely baffled. "Why would we help him?" Luke stood up, "Let's go, we don't have time for arguments." He leaned out of the cell, "Chewie, we need your help." Chewbacca huffed as he jogged down to where they were gathered. "Chewie, can you carry him?" Chewbacca looked at Luke and growled in complaint, but lifted Hux anyway. Finn helped Rey up. "Come," Luke called.
They were making their way back to the bay when Rey abruptly stopped. Luke touched her arm, "What's wrong?" "The other women," she said, staring down a hallway. "We don't have time, Rey," Finn said hurriedly. "They're slaves," she pleaded. Finn rubbed his face in frustration, "How many?" "About twenty." "There's no way the Falcon could hold that many." Luke shut his eyes in concentration, as Chewie shifted next to him. He grabbed his commlink, "Luke to Black Leader." He waited for Poe to respond. "Black leader, here." "We will have a shuttle following us." "A what? Luke we don't have much time. We're getting pounded out here." Luke faced Rey, "We will take as many as we can, and Chewbacca will pilot their shuttle." Chewie roared next to him. Rey led them to the Women's quarters, using the force to open the door. Some of the women screamed at the sudden intrusion. Rey sought Ylenia. "We're leaving," she announced. Ylenia gaped at her in surprise, then nodding slowly said, "Everyone up, now." Some of the women refused to move, needing to be heavily coerced. Finn tapped his foot impatiently. "Come on!" He shouted.
They began filing from the room, running towards the bay. As they turned the corner to load the Falcon and a nearby shuttle, they heard the crackle of a lightsaber. Everyone froze to see Kylo Ren pacing back and forth behind them. "Chewie load up Hux and the girls. Get out of here," Luke said. Chewie growled and the women followed him to the shuttle. Luke, Rey and Finn turned as one to face Kylo Ren, not noticing the one little woman lurking behind them. Anara picked up a blaster and pointed it directly at Rey's back. Luke picked up the vibration in the force, and quickly tried to deflect the shot. The blast ricocheted back and hit her squarely in the chest, her lifeless body falling to the ground. Rey stared, finally looking back to Luke and nodding.
"We aren't finished yet," Kylo Ren said as he tossed aside his helmet. "Ben," Luke began. "Ben Solo is dead," Ren shrieked, "Give me back the girl, and I will allow you to leave." "That's not going to happen," Finn asserted, lifting his blaster. Kylo Ren took on a fighting stance. Luke mirrored him, as Rey and Finn could only watch.