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Chapter 20:
The Curian female, the Shistavanen male, and the Zabrak male all had their lightsabers pointed at Kylo and Phasma's backs as they walked behind them. The Twi'lek female and the Arkanian/Sephi hybrid male led the way through the impressive base. The long hall was lined with rebels of all kinds, including the defectors from Jasmenerth. They all had weapons drawn though not all of them were pointed at the pair.
Kylo's fists were balled at his sides but he managed to keep his face neutral. Phasma on the other hand was blushing bright red with anger. Kylo totally understood her anger. She was a captain and then a general of the First Order; she was no one's prisoner.
Hurry, Rey, Kylo shot to Rey as they approached a lift that would take them down to the level where the cells were. I know, she said.
The Twi'lek and the hybrid stepped through the gate and onto the metal platform. Kylo stopped outside of the gate and Phasma did the same. The three beings behind them moved close enough that they could feel the heat coming off of the blades.
The Shistavanen growled menacingly at the pair. Neither Kylo nor Phasma were particularly afraid of the wolf man but when he brought his yellow bladed lightsaber even closer to Kylo, he had to take a step forward. The Zabrak moved to the side of Phasma, holding his purple blade near her face. The Curian stayed at their backs with her double-bladed lightsaber at their backs.
Kylo could feel the Force thrumming through all 5 of them. They weren't as strong as he was or even as strong as Rey but together the 5 of them were probably formidable opponents. He was tempted to test them just to see how strong and well trained they really were.
Don't do anything stupid, Kylo. We don't have any doctors here and not much bacta so if you seriously injure someone I don't know what would happen, Rey's voice came in his head and he knew that she was holding the bond open to keep an eye on him. The sooner I don't have untrained Force users pointing lightsabers at me the sooner I won't be tempted to do something 'stupid', Kylo sent back to her and he felt her chuckle.
"Move," the zabrak said in a strange tone. "Please," the Curian female said in a singsong voice that was more childish than anything that should have come from a grown woman. "Don't make my companions ask again," Shistavanen said in a smooth, deep, cultured voice.
Kylo took a step onto the platform and just like before Phasma followed his lead. The Twi'lek and the Hybrid stood near the rear of the lift while the Zabrak and Shistavanen stood on the sides facing Kylo and Phasma and the Curian stood before the gate watching Kylo and Phasma with wary, alert eyes.
Kylo stared at the woman until she looked away awkwardly. Kylo was used to making people uncomfortable, he was more comfortable with it in fact but he hadn't made the Curian uncomfortable until he started staring back at her. She seemed interested in his face like she was trying to figure out who he was. He had thought his mother would have wanted posters with his face plastered all over this base. It wouldn't do for her soldiers not to recognize the enemy. Though the all black outfit should have given it away.
When the lift stopped the Curian stepped out first and then Kylo and Phasma were directed to get out. Then the other four got out and surrounded them. As they walked down the long stone hall a draft blew through that chilled Kylo. He reached into the Force and drew energy from it to keep his temperature up.
Kylo couldn't help but notice that the numerous cells all seemed to be empty. Not that he had expected his mother to be capturing criminals and throwing them in her dungeon. More than likely she would be gathering them up to join her cause. Kylo shook his head in disgust. Finally after walking for about 5 minutes there was a loud buzzing noise and a set of bars slid down into the floor.
"Inside you two," the hybrid said in a harsh, gruff voice.
Phasma walked in first and checked the cell out like she was expecting it to be booby-trapped or something. The Zabrak grew impatient and pushed Kylo into the cell and the bars slid up into place before Kylo could do anything to the bastard that reminded him so much of the traitor Darth Maul. He wanted to rip open his mind just to make sure it wasn't him.
Kylo stood at the bars, scowling out at the male. The Zabrak stared back with equal intensity, his orange eyes locked on Kylo's face like he was trying to stare a hole in it. The tension could have been cut with a knife. Kylo was going to react when the wolfman came over and put his hand on the Zabrak's shoulder.
"That's enough Zer-o. I thought you wanted to meet Rey officially," he said. "Yes, let us go," Zer-o the Zabrak said in an unusually calm, sly tone. "Yay! Let's go meet Rey," the Curian said extinguishing her blades so that she could throw her hands in the air to cheer. "Calm down, Essie. You don't wanna scare the poor girl off," the Twi'lek said. "Oh, sorry, Taliki," Essie said.
The strange group wandered off away from the entrance of the cell and Kylo felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to Phasma staring out the way the group had gone. A slight shiver went through her. It was amazing that a planet with such a hot exterior would be so cold below the surface. Sure the pair was used to the coldness of space but after spending time in the sun and humid air the chill seemed more pronounced.
"Well Supreme Leader, what now," Phasma asked and Kylo could hear a hint of annoyance. "Now we wait for Rey to talk some sense into my mother," Kylo said retreating to one of the scarcely padded mattresses and plopping down.
Phasma sat on the one across from him and crossed her arms over her chest. Kylo lay back on the bed with his hands folded on his chest. He tried to appear at ease but he was feeling caged in and he hated it. He really hoped Rey got them out of there soon. If not he might be tempted to blow the bars right off of the cell.
"I get that Rey was one of them, but she's spent the last 4 months with the First Order. Hell she has no qualms about dressing in all black or the fact that you alone took out 40 Stormtroopers like they were nothing. What if her so-called friends decide that she is too much like you now and throw her in the cell next to us," Phasma asked. "Together Rey and I could get us out of here but I doubt that is something we have to worry about. My mother would be able to sense if Rey had fallen to the dark side," Kylo said with conviction.
The pair fell silent for a while and it was a comfortable silence. Phasma had been his only true companion over the last 6 years with the First Order and she knew him probably better than his own mother ever would. She was like his big sister.
"You really do love her, huh," Phasma asked out of seemingly nowhere. "Why does that matter now that we are sitting in this cell," Kylo asked without opening his eyes. "It matters because Hux was able to get this coup off right under your nose. If you hadn't been so distracted we would still be running the First Order and not rotting in this freezing cell. I like the girl. I even think she's good for you but rotting away in this cell isn't going to help us rescue our men still on board the Vengeance or figure out who Ozoroth and Zroyais really are. And the fact that you are content to just sit here is unnerving," Phasma said.
Kylo turned his head and opened his eyes just enough to see her. Phasma wasn't usually this worried. It irritated him slightly. It was as if she didn't think he had a plan.
"One, I am not content to rot in this damn cell, I'm just giving Rey a chance to handle this her way. Two, it wasn't just under my nose that Hux pulled off his little coup, so don't act like it was all my fault. Three, if Maatis, Nikkinem and Datoo weren't dead when we escaped the Vengeance, I doubt Hux will kill them right away. He'd prefer to torture them for information or ransom them back, probably in exchange for me," Kylo said and turned so that he was once again staring at the ceiling of the cell. "So, I assume that you have a plan," she asked.
He let out an aggravated sigh.
"Get out of this cell. Convince Rey to get some of her people to help us rescue anyone who doesn't want to work for Hux. Find someone to stay behind and spy on Hux for us and hopefully figure out what the hell is going on and what this new evil is up to," Kylo said. "That's not a plan. That what you want the outcome of a plan to be," Phasma said.
Kylo finally sat up. He glared over at Phasma.
"Do you have a plan or are you just going to criticize me," he asked angrily. "I have a plan. I just don't know if you would go along with it. I mean after all this is your mother and her people," Phasma said.
Kylo just stared at her until she began to squirm under his gaze. His brown eyes had darkened with anger until they appeared black. He didn't mean to be angry with Phasma but right now above their heads, the woman he loved was risking everything by trying to convince her only friends that their enemy was now their friend because the enemy of my enemy was supposed to by my friend. He couldn't imagine how she was going to convince the general that Kylo and Phasma were on their side without telling everyone that they were something like a couple. He couldn't let Phasma jeopardize what Rey had with her friends if she could convince them to work with Kylo.
"Well keep it to yourself until Rey tells me otherwise," Kylo said and Phasma frowned at him. "I was just trying to help," Phasma said. "I know, and I appreciate it but for now let's give Rey a chance. Besides the fools didn't even think to take my lightsaber. We will give her time." "And how long do you plan on waiting," Phasma asked but Kylo was already fast asleep.
…
Kylo drifted in and out of the dream a few times before he realized that it was a dream. Yet it was so familiar that Kylo wondered if he had dreamed it before. He wondered if it was Rey's dream.
He and Rey were sitting on a beach with white sand and blue, blue water. She was doodling in the sand with a stick while Kylo just gazed out over the water. He had a sense that they had already accomplished everything they had set out to and now they were able to relax and enjoy life in a way that his parents never were able to. Suddenly a sharp cry broke through the peace.
Sounds like Luca is awake, Rey said into his mind and he immediately remembered their son, named after Luke. Do you want me to get him, Kylo asked…no, not Kylo, he was Ben. No, you got him last time. Just try not to enjoy the view too much without me, Rey said and stood.
For the first time Ben got to see the front of her body and was more than surprised to see that she was heavy with child again. He reached out and rubbed her belly. She smiled down at him before waddling off toward a house he couldn't quiet see.
Ben Solo let out a content sigh. He closed his eyes and leaned back in the sand. Normally he hated sand but not right now, not the soft white sand that felt too good to be real. He was comfortable lounging around waiting for her to come back, hopefully with their son. This had to be the best dream he'd ever had.
He stayed that way for a while before he felt the sun disappear. He opened one eye to peek out to see what had blocked the sun so quickly and immediately the other followed. He startled and jumped to his feet as a stardestroyer took aim in the direction of the house where his whole world resided. Everything slowed to slow motion.
The canon from the stardestroyer fired and the house exploded. Ben screamed out for Rey and tried to run for them, but he couldn't move. He was trapped by the sand and then from the water Ozoroth, Awhimjon, and Kaishyuz appeared. They were dressed in their black armor with their lightsabers held at the ready. Behind them appeared 20 more men dressed the same way with the same red blades.
Ben Solo was not prepared for them in his causal clothes, his hair tied back away from his bare face and his feet bare. He didn't even have his lightsaber with him. When did he become such a fool? He tried to compel the Force around him and found that he could not.
You have always been a fool Ben Solo and now everyone who has ever cared for you is DEAD and its all your fault, came a voice so vile and evil that it would have made Snoke cringe to hear it.
The voice came from a tall man dressed in midnight black armor so dark that it seemed to suck in the light around him, extinguishing it and creating shadows in it's place. He was standing a ways back as though the other men were his frontline, there to strike first before he came in to finish things off.
Ben felt his darkness emerge from wherever it had been pushed to. Suddenly the light disappeared, and it was night. His clothes darkened until they were as black as the sky above them. His bare feet became covered in hard black boots. His pants black and perfectly pressed. His tunic and undershirt tucked in. His finger covered in black leather. His cape fastened, and his helmet was in place. Ben Solo was dead once more as Kylo Ren removed the lightsaber from his hip and ignited it.
NO, Kylo shouted out as he ran for the men still standing in the water.
Just as quickly as it all began, the dream faded and Kylo awoke in his cell with Phasma staring at him like she'd seen a ghost.
"What," Kylo barked, his breath coming in short pants.
His hair and clothes stuck to him from the fear sweat that had soaked him to the bone.
"You…you were gone. This whole place started shaking and then just appeared again," Phasma said amazement and fear in her voice. "What do you mean I was gone," he asked, now more afraid and curious than angry. "You disappeared, Ren! Right before my very eyes. You've been gone for hours. The only time I've ever seen you disappear is when you've gone to wherever you go when you and Rey open you're weird Force bond," she explained.
Kylo's heart was hammering in his chest. He had disappeared. Did that mean the dream wasn't a dream at all or did it mean that Zroyais was much stronger than Kylo and Rey had realized? Did he really have the power to pull people into their dreams?
Rey, Kylo reached out in a panic. I can't really talk right now. I'm still talking with Leia, Rey said back. I know sweetheart, but I need you to hurry. I just met Zroyais.
Kylo felt Rey's heartbeat quicken, even with their bond only open a fraction of a bit. He hadn't meant to panic her, but this was so not the time for him to be sitting in a cell. His mother would either listen to reason or he would cut his way out of this cell and make her listen.
Wait, what!? When could you have possibly met Zroyais, Rey asked. He came to me in my dreams, the way Snoke used to when I was younger, Kylo said, but this was different. Phasma said that I disappeared like I was visiting you through the bond. Rey asked, How is that even possible?
Kylo shook his head as though she could see him. He knew she could feel it, but it was more habit than anything else. He tried to send that he was okay through the bond, but it didn't seem to be helping her any.
I don't know and that is why I need you to hurry up and get me out of this cell. The sooner we get everything out in the open the sooner we can start preparing for war. Because it is coming, and it will be like nothing we've ever seen before, he said grimly.
So Zroyais makes his first appearance! And in Ben's dream no less! How long will Leia keep them locked up? Will Kylo break out of the jail or wait for Rey to do things her way?
Don't forget to check out my companion story Star Wars the Last Hope! Thanks!