The Dark Side

~18~

Neri'el sat up, staring defiantly at the man while Olga and Astrid sank back into the shadows of the room.

His silver mask glittered in the light of the light of the medical bay, his eyes like slits of utter darkness.

After returning her stare, Kylo Ren turned to face Olga. He was before her in two brisk strides and towered over her.

Neri'el had to give the older woman credit. She didn't buckle under the fear or stress or cower in the corner like Astrid. No, Olga did the opposite. She straightened her posture even more than she usually did, which seemed impossible because the woman had the posture of a rod.

"Yes, Commander Ren? What can I do fo-"

"Why is she here?" Kylo Ren interrupted.

Even through his mask, Neri'el could hear his anger. She could sense it as well. It was filling the room rapidly, along with Astrid's fear.

"Sir?" Olga asked.

"You heard me, Officer," Kylo Ren said, fury filling his tone.

The slight screech of leather echoed in the room as Kylo tightened his fists.

"Sir, we were told that you requested her to be brought here," Olga said utterly bewildered.

Kylo Ren seemed to be holding his anger in and forcing himself from striking down the woman before him. His fingers unrolled and itched for his lightsaber.

"By whom?" the man said through tightly clenched teeth.

"I-I am unsure," Olga said, stuttering for the first time. She glanced over at Astrid, who was so pale, she had turned from her normal blue to a color close to sea foam.

"My Junior Healer, Astrid, was the one who oversaw her admission."

Astrid looked terrified as Kylo Ren turned his gaze upon her. She trembled and tightly clutched her arms around herself.

"Astrid," Kylo Ren repeated slowly as though he was testing the name out on his tongue.

Astrid squeaked, her green eyes wide with fright. The orange patterns on her face stood out starkly against the paleness of her skin.

"Yes?" She repeated in a tiny voice before correcting herself, "Yes, I-I s-saw h-her com-m-me in, C-C-Commander."

Kylo Ren tilted his head to look at her and held up a hand.

Astrid squeaked again and quickly turned away, squeezing her eyes tightly shut.

"Stop!" Neri'el gasped as she forced herself to stand.

Kylo Ren ignored her and held his palm close to Astrid's head.

She screamed in agony and fell to her knees, clutching her head. Silver tears streamed down her face, leaving behind opaque lines.

Neri'el hobbled over towards her friend, trying to relearn to use her metal foot after a week of disuse. She struggled, tripping several times.

Kylo Ren removed his hold on the girl's mind and she collapsed to the floor, whimpering.

Neri'el shoved past him and slid her metal limb beneath her as she sat beside her friend. Upon wrapping her arms around the girl, Astrid quickly buried her head into Neri'el's neck, still sobbing in agony.

"You didn't get the storm trooper's number or identification," Kylo Ren snarled, still not finished with the poor girl.

Astrid continued crying and gasped for breath.

"I-I for-forgot," she cried.

"Forgot?"

The word was spat into existence. It rolled off of Kylo Ren's tongue like a drop of pure acid. The mechanical voice changer only helped to make the word sound even more sinister.

Astrid quivered in Neri'el's arms, refusing to look up.

"Well perhaps this ought to teach you not to forget anything else," the masked man snarled.

Astrid suddenly began to cough. She clutched her throat, gasping. Her eyes began to stream and she stared at Neri'el, silently begging her for aid. Slowly, she was raised in the air, held up by an unseen force.

"Leave her alone!" Neri'el screamed at Kylo Ren.

The man ignored her and continued to lift his hand.

Astrid was making horrible choking noises. Her fingernails dug into her throat as she scratched at the invisible hand that was killing her. Little scuff marks marred the white tiles beneath the toes of her shoes as they scraped the floor.

"STOP THIS!" Neri'el shouted at the man, forcing herself to stand.

Kylo Ren barely glanced at her.

"I hope you didn't forget how to breathe," he hissed at the floating girl.

Her eyes were bloodshot as he let her go.

Astrid collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Her fingernails clawed the ground as she continued to suck in oxygen.

Neri'el glared at Kylo Ren and stood in front of her fallen comrade.

"You, are a monster," she stated coldly.

Kylo Ren stared at her. His mask hid any emotion he was feeling.

"And what does that make you, Neri'el Aspenstra?" he finally replied.

She refused to answer him, her lips pursed in a firm line.