Independent

Chapter 24: Listen

Weeks passed by and I found my appetite growing smaller and smaller with each day. I isolated myself in the room I detested and cut off anyone who tried to communicate with me. Only Kylo tried to approach me, but I refused to listen to him. Nothing, he would've said was going to justify what I had seen, what he had said and what he has allowed to be done.

The trust that was sprouting in my heart for this place all crumbled and died, leaving my soul empty and my mind buzzing with thoughts and questions that couldn't be asked.

I was left to wonder if the plan Hux told me about was to try to bring Kylo back to the lightside, or just stop him from exploiting and killing all those people. Either way they had to be done. But, I wasn't sure how or if I was even the right person to do it. Hux, even said that I would die trying. However, if this was I could stop Ren, then I was to take my chances, regardless of the consequences.

I heard a knock on the door, but I tried to ignore it. Only, it was growing louder.

"Go away Kylo," I grumbled.

"Mala? Are you okay? I haven't heard of you in weeks," it was Gavin. I got out of the bed I haven't left in days and slid the door open.

"Come in Gavin," I gestured towards the chair.

"Oh my g...what happened to you did anyone try to hurt you?" He held my face in both of his hands, and examined my slimming down hands.

"No... it's nothing its just-"I found myself crying for the hundredth time this week, "I-I don't know what I am doing here Gavin. Am I... Am I a bad person?"

"No Mala your not, your the bravest person I've seen in the first order," Gavin pulled me into a tight embrace. My cheek was lying against his uniform's white shoulder blade.

"Have you ever gone on a mission Gavin?"

"No, I work to guard the starkiller. I've never really been good with shooting, and heavens forbid I use the guns I carry around, I hate ths sight of them". I sighed with relief, I wasn't going to be able to look at him the same way if I found out that he helps the first order harm and kill people.

I stayed with my head resting on his shoulders for a long time. He didn't mind it though. The warmth and kindness radiated from his body, they instantly drove away any pain.

"Lets get you something to eat," he offered. I didn't protest. After all I had to admit that I was starving. As I turned my head towards the door, I could've sworn on my own lige that I saw Kylo's shadow on the ground.

"Come with me," Gavin said yanking me up.

"Ouch! Your grasping me too firmly,"

"sorry I didn't mean that," Gavin loosened his grip. But his hands were still around my arms. He led me into the starkiller base's corridors. I recognised all of them easily. But, soon we were so deep into the base, that I didn't know where we were anymore.

"Where are we?" I attempted to ask, but got no answer, he was acting so weirdly.
After a ten minute walk through the uncommon corridors Gavin punched in a code to a room I had never seen before and practically dragged me inside it.

The room was completely empty. It looked abandoned. In the centre of the room was Kylo, he stood with his hands behind his back waiting for my arrival.

"YOU SET ME UP!" I couldn't believe it. Gavin had betrayed me. Gavin stood motionless, as I ranted. This wasn't him, it couldn't be. Then I remembered Phasma standing motionless when I ordered her to leave us alone.

"YOU MANIPULATED HIM," I was spitting as I confronted Kylo, "how could you?"

"It's the only way I could've gotten you to listen, please let me explain," he sounded desperate.

"I don't care about anything you say anymore," just I was about to leave, I found every muscle in my body tense up. He was forcing me to listen to him again.

"Listen Mala, I know you're angry and you have every right to be. I should've told you what I was getting you into from the very beginning. I might've treated you badly, and I am sorry for doing so, I really am. Those deaths that happen I am not responsible for. Yes I admit that I have killed people before and caused them harm. But now, I am trying to minimise that, I just couldn't say that straightforwardly in front of all those men in the meeting".

I listened. But, I didn't know how to respond, I couldn't anyway as he was still not allowing me to move or speak. I sensed the tears rolling down my cheek voluntarily.

He let me down and I choked on my own words. I felt so lost. I looked over at Gavin who was staring at me through his helmet emtionlessly.

"Why should I trust you?" I demanded.

"Give me a chance to prove myself," he pleaded.

"MALA!" another voice came from across the room. Gavin was sprinting towards me. Kylo took out his lightsaber and ignited it.

I screamed as the blade pierced Gavin's shoulder. I directed all the sudden energy surging through my body, flinging Kylo to the other end of the chamber.

Gavin lay on the ground, he grunted in pain and I tried to see how bad his wound was. He was bleeding out horribly and was losing consciousness. I felt his heart rate start to slow down.

"Stay with me soldier stay with me," I grabbed his helmet and took it off. My hands were trembling at the sight of blood and the memories it triggered. His eyes were already closing, "look at me, don't shut your eyes, we'll get you out of here, just please stay with me!"

But, he fell into the darkness anyway. He was still alive, but was dying, he was losing huge amounts of blood, I sensed him fighting got his own life.

"Mala, I-" I force choked Kylo, silencing him.

"You liar! " I hissed, then I let go of him and ran out of the room to look for help.

"You! Yes you two come over here," I called out to two stormtroopers to carry Gavin's body to the infirmary.

I listened, I gave him a chance and he ruined it.

Why isn't anybody updating the books I am reading? I really want to know what happens in their books. Anyway... did anyone see civil war yet?