A Rose Watered with Vinegar
Chapter 2
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The galaxy was like a great pond to him. The surface tense and unbroken, the undercurrent of dark pulling the clear surface of the light taut against itself. He could see almost a line at the barrier where the two met. A fuzzy and vibrating ray of white, the point where all things exist without want or discord. He longed to touch it, to submerse himself there. Let it ease the violence in his bones. But he couldn't. It evaded his every attempt.
He tried now, though he knew it was useless. There was only one way he could get there. He could feel its ebb as his mind drew closer to it, inching its way toward the peace. It was so close; the tension in his body released a bit, and the dark was slowly dissipating—
And then there was a flash of light, somewhere on the horizon of the Force. It pierced his mind, and he smelled briefly the soft aroma of a desert rain and dandelions. Her. He pulled back from his trance, breathing hard, and cursed. He shouldn't have been taken so aback. He should have grabbed on, taken the opportunity to drop into her presence. Fucking hells.
Deciding to try again, he resumed a meditative posture, putting the arms of his mind out into the deep, searching—
A sudden Signature behind him. It was earthy and solid, like a grounding rod. Hyperion. He could feel the man standing behind him respectfully, forsaking the interruption of Kylo's meditation.
You need to work on your stealthiness, he said into his second's mind.
Hyperion chuckled. "I've never been one for the sneaky side of things."
Kylo rose to his feet, his knees producing a couple little pops like hot rocks thrown into ice water. He walked to the corner of the training room and poured himself a glass of water from a crystal tureen that sat upon a small ornate table. He sipped it lightly and turned to the big man.
"Where are the others?"
"Coming." Hyperion laughed lightly again. "I believe Theia and Ophion got into a bit of a disagreement over breakfast."
"That's going to carry over well in here," said Kylo with a smirk. He finished the water and replaced the glass upon the table, looking back to find Hyperion looking at him curiously.
Kylo grimaced. "I suppose I'm going to get some mysterious adage or a pointed question, so which is it?"
Hyperion didn't mince words. "I could feel the depth of your concentration when I came in. You were looking for the girl, weren't you?"
Kylo held his black eyes for a moment before turning around and focusing on a dent in the wall. They were going to know eventually. Most of them understood her importance, her skill with the Force. They knew she had bested him, once. Perhaps they thought he wanted to kill her. He felt disgusted at that, to his own surprise, before dismissing it. He was the Emperor, now. If she was an obstacle, then she'd be treated as such.
He let out a pursed breath. "Yes."
"And what if you find her? Will you sway her? What if she doesn't see our purpose, Master? What if she tries to rebuild and thwart us?"
Kylo took an edge to voice. "Then I will destroy her."
Hyperion simply stared for a moment, before bowing his head lightly. "You know I trust you, Kylo." Hyperion and Rhea were the only ones who dared to privately use his given name. "The vision we share is going to shape the galaxy. I have faith they will come around to it."
"More faith than I."
Kylo ran a hand through his long hair, turning back as he felt the rest of the Knights fill the room. They were missing their usual robes, instead clad in combat gear. He ran his eyes over Rhea momentarily, drinking of her figure, the leather that clung like a second layer of skin to every curve, before quickly glancing away. Shame ran through him like a waterlogged arrow.
If she noticed, she didn't show. He grabbed his mask swiftly from the floor and affixed it to his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hyperion do the same.
"Theia, Ophion, and Atlas," he announced, cutting right to the chase. "Time to reckon with your master." He smirked. "Attack me at your leisure. Live sabers."
The three glanced at each other, and then Theia roared, the three Knights igniting their weapons at once. Atlas with his saberstaff, Theia her dual short sabers, Ophion his cutlass. She took the first opportunity, launching herself at him in the Force, twin sabers held blade down toward the ground, assassin-style. She flew like a bird of prey through the air, her form small and lithe.
Always the reckless one, he thought.
He juked her at the last second as her blades came down. They pierced the floor, holding her fast, and he delivered a quick kick to her side. She was sent tumbling across the room with a yelp, swords still stuck in the floor.
"Your thoughtlessness will get you killed. Next." His voice was bored, even.
Atlas came at the command, charging, his red saberstaff held in a neutral position across his body. He swung low with the bottom of the staff, and Kylo leapt, chopping down. Their weapons met in a loud, sparking clash, and Kylo pushed him back. They exchanged blows, the top of Atlas' staff coming close to nicking off the top of one of Kylo's ears, before the latter managed to dislodge Atlas' nearly immovable stance with a sweep and send him toppling to the ground, saber at his neck.
He barely had time to react as Ophion's sword came singing past his head and cleaving into the far wall. He turned back to the incoming sight of the youngest Knight's fist barreling into his face, sending him stumbling back. Kriff. The little pest might have broken his nose.
Ophion swung again, his other fist connecting with Kylo's side. His master growled at the pain, grabbing Ophion's hand as it pulled back and bending back the wrist. The young Knight barked, and his hand shot out to grab Kylo's neck, but the move was dodged, and Kylo pulled his momentum back to swing Ophion over his back and to the ground. He dropped a knee into the chest of the squirming knight, who tapped the ground after a few seconds.
He released him and stood, chest heaving. Ophion rolled away, and Kylo removed his mask. He poked at the numb mass in the middle of his face. Broken. He pushed it back into place with a grunt and set it with the Force.
"Oh, did I ruin that pretty face, Master?" crowed Ophion, his hands up innocently.
Kylo would have burned with anger, but the release of combat energy felt good, and he smirked. "Even with a broken nose, you'd still look like a Rancor compared to me."
Ophion guffawed, and the others joined him.
Kylo grinned.
"Now for the fun part: let's work on stance."
The laughs turned to groans.
They had changed rooms now, the bright metal of the command center glinting imperiously as Kylo entered. After he had dismissed them from training, he had gone to meet the military elite. Unsurprisingly, they had all agreed to his demands; apparently, being in the New Order was preferential to a new home on a sun. Hux hadn't even spoken, refusing to acknowledge Kylo the entire meeting. Eglus and the others had been overly grateful, almost sycophantic, and Kylo wondered how long that act would last. Hux he would have to deal with sooner or later, but his current acquiescence would suffice.
The Knights were already seated around the table. Cronus cleared his throat as Kylo sat at the head.
"Any news, my lord?"
"I consider it bad news, Cronus," said Kylo easily. "Sadly, we aren't going to get to play pirates with escape pod cannons any time soon."
"I was really looking forward to that," came the theatrically sad voice of Theia, her auburn hair hanging as she hung her head, and Kylo chuckled. In their presence, he could almost relax, be the organic leader he wanted to be. That image would be difficult to cultivate. It probably couldn't be done. He was evil to the rest of the galaxy. And maybe that was for the best.
"We'll have to keep an eye on them," delivered Atlas, the ocean of his Signature washing over the room as he spoke. When he projected, it was like a swollen blanket laid upon their minds, dispersing panicked thoughts. A strange power but very useful in frenzied situations. It had saved them from their own destruction on quite a few occasions.
"Agreed," chimed Ophion. "I have a feeling like the tiny wheels are already moving in Hux's ginger head."
"The others are barely capable of firing their own blasters," posited Rhea in accord. "The start of any drama is bound to start with him."
"They'll be monitored," assured Kylo. "Especially our good friend Armitage."
Theia grinned wickedly.
Kylo clapped his hands together. "Talking too much about Hux leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I want to tell you about our first move."
Cronus leaned forward. "I smell a radical institutional change."
"Good nose, Cronus." Kylo smirked. He wasted no time. "The first act of the Council will be to abolish the practice of slavery."
They all glanced at him in shock, except for Hyperion, who simply cracked a small smile.
Kylo elaborated. "It is a deplorable institution, and furthermore, I despise it. The Outer Rim is plagued with it, and it is hindering any sort of possible economic development there. The Old Empire sanctioned it, but we are not them. If we want the change the minds of those against us, we have to upend those policies. And, do not forget, the Force recognizes the dignity all sentient beings."
They did not have to know the real reason for his hatred of slavery. The fact that some bug with a developed brain thought he could own Rey, thought he could keep her forced in his employ was enough to distend the darkness in his breast. He made a promise to kill that bug - Plutt - the disgusting creature he had seen in her mind on the Finalizer so long ago.
A moment, and then Cronus' voice. "My lord, this will not sit well with the crime syndicates. The Hutts especially will take offense."
Kylo's fury flared. "I will kill every Hutt worm that goes against me!"
"Did you not want to end all wars, Master?" interjected Rhea scornfully. "You said yourself that after we did away with the Resistance, there'd be no more bloodshed."
"I will seek the most peaceful options!" Kylo grit his teeth. "But advancement waits for no man, and I won't let the kriffing crime lords think they can prevent progress. If they refuse to break the chains, I will burn the bastions of their corruption to the ground. Starting with Nar Shaddaa."
"Perhaps, Master, we can offer them recompense," offered Hyperion. "They will no doubt suffer heavy losses from the release of such labor."
"To offer them recompense would be to legitimize them. I will not have the Hutts be recognized under my rule in any way, shape, or form. They comply, or they are ruined."
The Knights looked at each other, eventually all nodding.
It was Rhea who finally spoke.
"If this is your will, Master, we shall enforce it."
He was in the 'fresher, now. The hot water ran over his flesh, coaxing the muscles of his neck and shoulders to relax. He ran a finger over the angry seam that snaked down his face. Her work. A token of her memory. He felt the dark rumble of possession in his belly.
He finished washing and dressed in his sleeping clothes. He laid down and closed his eyes, willing his mind to shut off. But something was suddenly amiss.
He opened his eyes and shot up in the bed.
She was standing there. In his rooms. Looking petrified.
He hated how hoarse his voice sounded.
"Rey?"