Falling for the Order

The Traced

He comes back and sits placing the antenna on the small tabletop that sticks out from the transmitter. He clicks a certain button and a hushed beeping noise comes from the screen.

You watch as he holds the antenna rods and moves then around in circles, facing them in different directions around the room. Tracking the transmission direction.

The transmitter soon beeps a long higher pitched sound. He reaches forward and switches another switch, clicking one more button before sitting still in the chair. Not moving. He's done.

A sounds to the left of you makes you jumps. Another box shaped machine starts making noise and flashing it's lights. You watch as a single piece of paper gets printed out of the box, fluttering down and landing on the floor.

You draw towards it and pick it up. Reading the page you realise it gives the coordinates of where the message was sent from, the model of transmitter it was dispatched and the distance between that transmitter and this one that stands before you know.

You gaze over the words, your brows drawing together as you read the page. Then you realise.

There's no way. That can't be right...

You jolt to the sound of Kylo entering the room again. His helmet back on his head.

"We've got company." He draws into the room in quick steps "We can't let them see us."

He stands beside the worker that tracked the message and pulls him up from the seat. Again, Kylo waves a hand in front of the man's face.

"You will forget what happened here. Go back to your work."

The worker returns him with a dazed look. "I will forget what happened here. I will go back to my work."

Kylo satisfied with his job, rushes out of the room and you follow. As you pace out, you realise that the door to the electrical room is open. Someone must have come out.

In front of you Kylo paces his steps, steadying his speed. He creeps quietly to the door on your right, the one that leads into the passageway.

You cast a glance over your shoulder and see another worker out of the room and operating on a box of different electrical wires with a data pad in hand.

You and Kylo creep past him, the workers gaze fixated in the opposite direction of your presence. Kylo halts at the door and opens it, letting you trail in first.

You pick up your pace once in the passageway, your mind too corrupt with the realisation of the tracked message that you don't think twice about the height of the landing your walking on.

You feel a hand grip around your upper arm and pulling you back. Kylo points to a set of thin squared poles sticking out of the wall. A ladder.

You trace your gaze up the ladder and perceive how it runs up the wall at some height. You look at Kylo's mask. And shake your head.

"This is our escape?" You ask, swallowing the fear you have of climbing up the damn ladder. You give him a questioning look. "Can't we take the elevator?"

His answer is short and quick.

"No."

You let out a loud sigh. There must be chance we'll be seen if we take the elevator.

You eye the ladder, hating the tremble that starts in your hands. You look at Kylo again.

"Okay listen, you know how I denied being scared of heights before,"

He doesn't answer.

"Yeah well I lied. I can't do this."

He grips your arm again and pulls you closer to the ladder. "It's either this or get caught." His voice is monotone and harsh through the mask. "I'll be right behind you. You won't fall."

You hate that his reassurance makes you feel a little better, but the thought of Kylo climbing the later behind you makes you feel weird.

But there's no time for that. You grip your fingers around the ladders steps. Heaving a breath and beginning to climb.

You keep your eyes ahead of you, never daring to look down. You can hear Kylo climb behind you at close distance. You continue to climb until you reach a floor. The level is unrailed but like any other landing of the ship.

From beneath you Kylo grabs your ankle. His intention is clear. You hear footsteps walking past where you are gripping onto the ladder. After a moment you peak your head up at eye level with the floor. Noting it's all clear you continue to climb up and onto the floor.

Kylo only moments behind you, you make way to the elevator. It's the same elevator only you're getting on at a different floor than the one below where the electrical room is.

The elevator doors open and a few people are already occupying it. Not moving giving them time to get out of your way this time, you and Kylo pile in with them. They stick to the walls allowing Kylo plenty of space in the middle of the elevator.

Your silent.

Thoughts of the message still swirling in your mind. You know Kylo can sense it. Your discover and your confusion. You quickly exit the elevator at the right floor and make your way to the residence side of the ship.

You don't know why, but it just seems to be the most suitable place the go and talk about this. With no prying eyes or open ears.

Walking through the corridor toward your quarters Kylo keeps up the pace behind you. Never in the whole of your life time would you think you would be working and helping Kylo fucking Ren with anything. Especially something like this.

You hit the panel beside your quarters door and it slides open within moments. You draw into the room and run your hand through your hair.

You hear the door slide closed and you turn to the sound of Kylo pulling his mask off again. He stands there a moment. Just silent and unmoving. You can hear his breaths coming in short quick waves.

"So?" He says plainly.

You take the paper that you had folded and placed in the pocket of your pants out. And you hand it to him.

He snatches it greedily and your eyes remain on his face as he reads the page. At a moment he pulls the paper closer to his face looking at it more attentively.

After you see him peruse it, he looks at you. His brows furrowed. His eye twitches and he scans your face while scanning his mind. Thinking. Realising.

He speaks aloud as if just to speak to himself.

"The message came from within only a short distance."

You nod at his words, taking a step toward him.

"The message was sent from on this ship."