Star Wars Rebels: When Hope Is Lost

Chapter 13: Living Hell

His first conscious thought was, Ow. And then, Where am I?

He was lying on a metal bench. He sat up and saw dark, grey walls and floors. A metal door. No doubt. He was in an Imperial cell. Damn.

Then he realized. Where are Mel and Ezra? Oh Force.

Dev jumped slightly as the door to the cell slid open. (Bet you thought it was Ezra. :) -LRUF)

His face must have given him away. A dark chuckle emitted from Darth Vader's mask. "You weren't expecting me."

Dev shook his head. "No."

He wasn't going to lie to himself. He was terrified of the man—slash mechanical monster—that towered over him. But he had to be strong. For Mel. For his newfound friend Ezra.

"Where are my comrades?" He demanded.

Another chuckle. "Who are you to make demands in my presence? Or even at all? You are my prisoner."

"Oh no, really? Didn't notice by the Imperial cell or the lack of my friends." Dev said sarcastically. That was a big mistake. His fingers clutched around his throat as he rose into the air.

"I would watch your tongue, young man," Vader warned. "I am forgiving, but only until a point."

Dev snorted through his pained breathing. "You... You wouldn't... Kill... Kill me. Valuable..."

"Expendable," Vader corrected. "So if you want to stay alive to see the next sunrise, you'll be answering my questions."

"No," Dev gasped. He was then dropped to the ground, and landed painfully on his face. He grimaced and spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling it drip down his chin. He tasted the acidness of the red bodily fluid and gagged. He took deep breaths, ignoring the steady stream of blood from his aching mouth. Well, as best as he could. It pooled in his mouth, leaving him with the sour taste of desperateness.

Then he felt it. The iron grip on his mind.

"No!" He clutched his head, on his knees, desperately trying to rebuild his mental barriers that had fallen so painfully. Pain is a powerful motivator. But it was too late. Vader was inside his mind.

A lightsaber struck his wrist where it lay over his head, distracting him from his mental defences. He instantly felt the lethal weapon's burn. He screamed and pulled the injured body part down to the ground. He fell to the ground again, in a small pool of his own blood, from both his mouth and his wrist. He stared at up Vader towering over him. He had never felt so helpless. He had heard of the Sith's interrogation tactics before, but this was worse than the stories and rumours that had found their way to Lothal.

His sight began to blur and become spotty as a vision overtook his mind. Vader's figure blurred and faded away.

You are alone, said the voice. Vader.

Dev whirled around, but there was nobody there. He was in a completely dark room, apart from the spotlight shining on him.

Give in to the darkness, said the soothing tone of Vader.

Dev instantly felt calm. No. I can resist this! I'm strong! I was trained by a Jedi himself! I can do it. He pushed the fake calm away.

How can you? Pitiful little boy, playing a grown man. You are pathetic, snarled the voice.

Shut up, he growled. I've learned plenty.

You are barely a teenager. How can you expect to survive this?

Maybe I won't. But I sure as well won't fall to you. I won't become your pawn, your slave, your mindless well of information. I won't become a traitor. When my time comes, I'll die for the cause of freedom. I won't give up. I won't fall to the dark side.

You are so sure of yourself. Your confidence is your downfall. Who do you think you are, a Jedi? Your meager Force-sensitivity is nothing compared to the power of the dark side. Your attempts at any mischief will be futile here.

Not likely. I'm stronger than you know. How did you know I was Force-sensitive?

A loud booming laugh from the Sith. You petulant little brat. Son of a Jedi. How could I not? And I took the liberty of taking a blood sample while you were unconscious.

Grrrrr. Stop trying to use me!

You can join the dark side and be spared, or be broken and killed. Give in or die, Dev Dume. It's your choice.

The latter.

Fine then. When I'm finished with you and have gotten what I've wanted, I will personally execute you in front of your rebel comrades. Slowly and painfully, giving you every kind of pain imaginable. I'll take your weapon to add to my personal collection of trophies, after I stain the hilt with your blood. And when I'm done torturing you, I'll slit your throat.

Your threats are empty to me, my Lord.

Are they really?

Then he was pulled from the vision aggressively, his head throbbing. But before he could fully process again his surroundings, a crimson blade swerved down towards him. It lightly touched his cheek and drew a line up the side of his face to the top of his head. He screamed louder and in more pain than he had ever experienced before. Even when he was shot a few months ago in the leg, it hurt less than this. This was hell. Plain and simple.

When the blade left his face, he stared up dazedly as the Sith, feeling blood run down his face. Oh God the pain.... His uninjured hand slowly reached up to trace the blade mark on his face. It came back stained with fresh, crimson blood.

"Did you really believe I would show you mercy just because you are nothing more than a teenager pretending to be a Jedi? I admit, you are strong and show courage. You have quite a resolve and a strong will and are to be admired for that. But in the end, all of that it worthless. I always get what I want."

He left, cape swirling around his legs and ankles. Leaving a broken Dev, locked away in the endless grey darkness, with blood and bruises and burns.

Just more battle wounds.

Just another set of scars.

My personal opinion: I think that that's the best interrogation scene I have ever written. :) I worked super hard on this so please go give it like and a comment!

Question: Who do you guys like better? Ezra or Kanan?

Personally, although it's close, Ezra. He's just plain awesome and he has a strong will and resolve. Like Dev.

And let me know in the comments who's POV to do for the next chapter!

-LothalRebelUltraFan