Venus & Mars

Chapter 2 ~ Through the Flames

The smell of smoke filled the air and his lungs, but Kylo Ren was relentless. After the entire ordeal with the scavenger girl and his father, Kylo was more determined than ever to prove himself capable of the power he was being offered. Supreme Overlord Snoke had said that there was a Force-sensitive living in this part of Naboo, and Kylo was going to find him, no matter what it took. A blast of lasers went flying from a nearby waterfall, catching Kylo's attention. He began to stalk towards the commotion, igniting his lightsaber as he went toward the battle. So far he had fought ten men from the Resistance, and he had effortlessly won each time. What was another? He rounded another large tree, only to pause mid step at the scene in front of him.

At least a dozen stormtroopers were sprawled out in different positions for a good five yard radius around the front of the waterfall. As for whether they were dead or just unconscious, Kylo was unsure. However, his gaze was captured by a single girl standing amidst the fallen stormtroopers. Fire was blazing all around her, her skin gleaming with a sheen of sweat and water droplets. He took her appearance in. She was an average height for a female, roughly 5'2 or 5'3 and somewhere around his age, possibly younger. She appeared to have long dark hair, which blew carelessly in the breeze. But the feature that truly captivated him was her eyes. They were the brightest pale blue he had ever seen, and they flickered with a passion unmatched by any of the flames surrounding her. He unintentionally stared at the exhausted young woman for longer than he anticipated. With a jolt, he realized that she must be the force-sensitive that Snoke had spoken of.

Swallowing, Kylo stepped forward into the light where the girl could see him. Now he could feel the residual Force energy covering the area and originating from the girl, confirming his suspicions. "Stay back! I'm warning you! I'm not afraid to hurt you!" She shouted, voice full of courage but shaking nonetheless. As Kylo got closer to the girl, he could make out the shapes of women and children hiding in a cave between a boulder and the waterfall. "I am Kylo Ren. Master of the Knights of Ren and Commander of the First Order. You needn't be afraid of me, girl." He announced, his mask disorienting his voice. "You! Why should I trust you! You're a monster, a murderer, a traitor, and I'd rather die than stand by and let you kill these people!" She hissed. Kylo frowned, knowing he needed to convince this girl to join him.

Snoke was clear that Kylo needed an apprentice of his own if he was going to defeat Luke Skywalker and Rey. It wouldn't do him any good to just kidnap this one, he needed her trust. "If you come with me, I will let them live. No one else needs to be hurt." He told her. "Give me your word that no harm will come to anyone else here, and I will go with you." She replied bravely after a moment of thought. Another brief silence passed. "So be it. You have my word." Kylo conceded, thoroughly annoyed with the girl already. How dare she order him around. Him! Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren! The girl looked sorrowfully over her shoulder before taking a deep breath. "Alright. I'll go with you. But call off your troops first. You've already won." She said, stepping toward Kylo. Kylo glared down at her, forcing himself to hold back a scathing comment. "Very well. Come." He told her, signaling for Captain Phasma to stand down and motioning for the girl to follow him.

To his surprise, the girl didn't fight anymore. She clearly cared about the wellbeing of her people more than herself, but she obviously didn't trust him. He kept quiet, trying to read her mind but having difficulty listening due to the fighting still ceasing around them. His troops were slowly retreating, leaving destruction in their wake as the once flourishing forest was engulfed in smoke and fire. Kylo glanced back at the girl every now and then as they walked, noticing her sad eyes and odd pace. He realized that the problem must be the difference of their heights and strides, but decided against slowing down for fear of showing weakness toward her. She must respect and fear him if she was to serve his needs correctly. When they arrived at the ship, Kylo stopped and watched the girl stare at the large vehicle. Better be safe than sorry. He thought, and touched the side of her head while she was distracted, using the Force to knock her out. She collapsed into him, sound asleep, and Kylo wrapped his arms around her, carrying the limp girl onto his ship proudly.