Copper for the Charlatan

Machinations of Ghosts

Nightmares, Arguments, Phasma is so patient bless her, Kylo is being kind of awful

Chapter Text

The first vial broke, and now the second one wasn't even there she grumbled as she crawled under the covers. Orgida assured her she had ordered it and was questioning those who may have had access to the shipment on her end, but Ichara was half convinced she didn't send it at all to force her into action. Increasingly power hungry after taking over the entire block in her area on Canto Bight, she'd set her eyes on loftier goals; one of which she was convinced she needed the Supreme Leader in her pocket for.

A smile crossed her face at the thought of her cousin's naivety. Ichara wished he was even a fraction as simple as most men, it would make everything so much easier. She had learned much about the scavenger girl he was obsessed with through Ruxinn's tireless digging, thinking she could sway him with a similar woman. Kylo would slice her down the middle on the spot at the presentation of a knock-off Rey.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, exhausted from constantly guarding against attacks- both those real and imagined.

"I'll probably be fine tonight. At least there's liquor." she said aloud, as if hearing the words would bring more reassurance. The nightmares had all but disappeared during her stay on Bakura, but she was afraid the bizarre events of the night might summon them from the depths of her memories once more. There was a moment that she couldn't center herself, as if the force was slippery and hard to hold; it made her feel helpless and shook her more than she had realized.
-

Always a deep sleeper, it took a lot to rouse her. It wasn't till the smell of burning was thick and the sound of screams echoed through the night that she woke. She ran out of the hut, eyes watering, coughing and choking on the smoke. She stumbled and almost fell, but was caught by someone tall and lanky- she couldn't see for the ash burning in her eyes.

"You have to come with me, we're going. There is nothing here for us." The voice was familiar.

"What? I... I don't know what you're talking about, I have to-" she motioned back to the quarters she had just left, but she was cut off before she could finish.

The voice went cold. "There is no time for this."

A sudden jolt shot through her core that was so intense she couldn't tell if it was burning or freezing. She fell to the ground, gasping, trying to get her bearings through the waves of searing agony shooting through her body. In the torment time was abstract; she had no idea how long it took, but she summoned every ounce of effort available to stagger back inside and retrieve her saber. All she could do was look up as the support beams above her, now riddled with crackling embers, fell. She tried to throw herself out of the way, but it wasn't enough- her leg was trapped, and the smell of her own flesh burning assaulted her senses.

Between the pain and the smoke and the flames she didn't even know if her screams made a sound.
-

Kylo could feel pure terror across the force, waking him from his sleep. Without even taking a moment to think he grabbed his saber and raced to her quarters. He came across two troopers running from that direction and threw them out of his way. The feelings intensified as he neared her location, and he was almost certain someone or something was trying to kill her.

"Get up! Ichara!"

The voice from the fires beckoned to her, and her eyes shot open. Panicked, she headbutted Kylo Ren right in the face.

He stumbled backwards, cursing, blood pouring from his nose. Reality was fighting to pull the fingers of the night terror from her perception as she sprinted past Kylo to grab her saber.