Venus & Mars

Chapter 6 ~ Inner Strength

Weeks have gone by. Every morning begins the same as the last. Kylo sends someone to make sure I am up and ready, and then I meet him in one of the training rooms. After we train for a while, we head to the dining hall and go our separate ways. Then I go walk around the Starkiller and think. Quietly, I observe the people around me. Stormtroopers mostly. I wonder what it must be like for them, not knowing who they really are. Nameless. Unknown. For them, there is no such thing as individuality. Kylo introduced me to one in particular. The next in command behind General Hux, Captain Phasma. She was one of the only females on the ship besides me.

I also got to meet my tailor, Orusa Taku. She's become my closest friend here. Her home planet was Mirial, but she doesn't remember much of it because she had been enslaved by some of General Hux's men as a young girl to become a gift to Supreme Overlord Snoke. Unwanted, she was handed over to Kylo to serve as a tailor for everyone under his command.

The rest of the time I don't spend with Orusa or aimlessly wondering around, Kylo and I continue to train. I've begun to pick up on some things about the brooding Sith. Around his superiors, I can feel traces of nervousness, most likely because he's afraid I'll do something stupid. Other times, he goes off by himself, the persistent loner. Every once and awhile he'll start throwing what I like to call "temper tantrums" when he's heard what I can only assume to be bad news about the Resistance. Or should I say, bad news for him but good news for me. These temper tantrums usually consist of Force throwing objects and using his lightsaber to destroy rooms effortlessly. I will say though that he's never hurt me, which really has surprised me. This whole time I've been waiting for someone to kill me, or to be maimed at the very least. But no. Nothing has happened. Whenever Kylo is getting ready to have an outburst, he orders me to leave. The destruction doesn't occur until I'm gone. I know he doesn't care about me, at least not in a good way. Most likely, it's because of how useful I am to him, and if I die then he'll have to start training someone else all over again.

On the bright side, I actually have been learning a lot. Even though Kylo and I aren't friends, I have to admit he's a good teacher. I've learned how to move objects, no matter how big or dense they are. I've also started to learn how to control the Force to read people's minds, though I try not to do that unless I have to. And my lightsaber dueling has improved tremendously. He's not exactly patient, but he is careful and deliberate, making sure I know what I'm doing and pointing out the things I've done well and the things I can improve on. I try to be a decent student, but I know that there are times when we irritate each other to the point of near insanity. We're like fire and water. Venus and Mars. And even if I hate to admit it, we make things work. Don't ask me how, but we do. As much as I want and try to hate him, I can't anymore. Don't get me wrong, I don't like him, but I can tolerate him.

The weirdest part of this whole thing is that I sense something around Kylo. It's strange. I've never experienced anything like it before. At first, I didn't really notice it. But the more time that passes, the stronger the feeling is. It's hard to explain. It's as if...we're connected...in some sick, twisted way. I feel drawn to him, as if I've known him in a past life or something. I can't figure it out. I want to ask him about it, but I don't think even he'd know. He'd probably think I'm crazy, or worse, that I feel attracted to him. Ugh, as if...

So here I am, awaiting word from Hux about which room to meet Kylo in for training today. I sat patiently, playing with the fabric of my skirt while exercising my mind. "Miss Kalane?" The ginger haired man called, appearing in the doorway of my chamber. "Yes General?" "Ren requests your presence in the east wing training room." He said. I nodded, getting to my feet. "He also said something about bringing your lightsaber." Hux added. I nodded again, grabbing the metal cylinder from my bedside table. Hux bowed and left, heading off in his own direction while I went on my way to the training room he had mentioned.