Fallen Remnants (A Jedi: Fallen Order Story)

Chapter 8

Greetings, readers, and Happy Valentine's day! I hope you enjoyed Chapter 7 because, I must admit, it was the most intense chapter I've written so far. The attack at the BRC, Samena getting caught by her parents, and being taken into custody BY Krennic? But trust me, Samena, the fun's just beginning. As for publications, I will try to publish at least one chapter every month due to my schedule, so I genuinely appreciate your patience. With that aside, I introduce you to Chapter 8!

A loud ringing in my ears stirred my mind from its dormant state. It was so quiet otherwise. Why couldn't I hear any wind or wildlife from outside my window? And why was my bed so hard and cold? Despite my throbbing head criticizing me, I groaned, and my eyes fluttered open. Everything was so blurry. After squinting a few times, my sight cleared, and I noticed I was lying on my back in what was not my bedroom. I slowly sat up and looked around the room, confused. 

"Where am I?" I wondered, then it all came flooding back to me. The Imperials took me... I'm in a detention cell!

My mind snapped awake, and I bolted upright. 

"No, no, no, this can't be happening!" Panicking, I dashed up the small stairs to the cell door, attempting to open it. Eventually, after straining my arms to no fruition, I settled down and accepted that it was useless. I lowered my hand from the door and scanned the chamber over my shoulder.

I couldn't have been out for more than a few hours, but there was no way of telling. I wore the same clothes as when they arrested me; they didn't even bother to provide me with a pair of shoes. The room was dark, apart from the floor's red and the wall's white light panels, and there were no windows. The air smelled like sanitation chemicals and metal. A chrome vacc tube and the sink were placed in the corner, and a metal cot was built into the far wall. Then I noticed something else; my cell's atmosphere felt different but familiar; I couldn't put my finger on it. 

Suddenly, the door slid open, startling me and resulting in my falling onto the cold floor. Right in the entrance was Krennic, looking down at me with that same prideful smirk from our prior encounter, with another pair of Stormtroopers standing beside him. He strode into the room as I scrambled to my feet and hardened my gaze, trying to retain what dignity I had left.

"Trespass and bombardment of private property?" He tsked while circling me like a predator. "And here I thought we would all get along." He didn't sound surprised; it bothered me, but I couldn't tell him that. Instead, I focused on the pain from my landing. Wait, that was it! The fall. Gravity. The gravity here doesn't feel right. It's dense, almost unnatural, but this only occurs when... Oh no, I was in space! 

"How long have I been on this ship?" The words flew out before I could stop myself.

Krennic scoffed in amusement. "Only a couple of hours, Miss Calican. I see your observation has not dwindled completely in the last year." The emphasis he had on the word "completely" made me shiver.

"What's that supposed to mean, Krennic?" He stopped before me after I said that, pride never leaving his face.

"Since our first supply runs were ambushed, the Empire had sent me spies and probes to investigate and apprehend the thief; a waste of resources. After a while of studying the attacks, I took notice of the thief's pattern. They never struck during the day, always took a speeder bike, always set weapons to high stun instead of kill, and from what the trooper reports say, attacked from the trees. They also went for our critical shipments like fuel and munitions, an expensive target for certain buyers, which made me wonder, "How does this someone know where and when to strike and what items are substantial?" Then I recalled our partnership with the CCS."

He took a step closer. "I thought about how these events occurred soon after the official merging and how one could effortlessly obtain such vital information if they were on the inside. But to confirm my suspicions, I needed to draw the insurgent out. Make them attack recklessly and catch them in the aftermath."