Hidden Malice

Chapter Fourteen

Glancing out the ship's window, Malice noticed that the other ships, containing regular troopers, we're headed down before them. Were they not going to see any action?

"They will round up who we need to talk to. Maybe even find what we're looking for. We will be right behind them." Kylo assured, reading her thoughts again. She nodded in response, still disappointed with not getting to actually do anything.

A small buzz came from within Kylo's cloak, and he revealed it to be a small comm device.

"Sir, we've rounded up all the villagers. No one was able to escape. We're ready." A voice recited on the other end.

"Excellent. We will arrive shortly."

With Kylo's permission, their ship began to lower, heading through the planets atmosphere and touching down in the village. When the door hissed down, Malice took to Kylo's side, walking down the ramp together. What greeted them was far more than she expected.

True, the villagers and natives were rounded up, but everything was on fire it seemed. This didn't displease her in the slightest, just surprised her that the troops could have done so much within the short amount of time they had.

Kylo approached someone who seemed to be the leader of the village, an old man being held tightly by two stormtroopers. They walked right up to the man before Kylo stopped, looking him in the eyes.

"Look how old you've become." He sneered. Malice tried not to show her surprise. Did Kylo know this man?

"And something far worse has happened to you." The old man replied almost sadly. Kylo paid his comment no mind.

"You know what I've come for."

"I know where you come from. Before you called yourself Kylo Ren."

Malice felt her anger rising. How dare this old man speak to him so disrespectfully. The old man got his first good look at her, and his eyes widened in fear.

"It can't be-"

"The map to Skywalker." Kylo continued before the man could finish. "I know you found it. And now you're going to give it to the first Order." He turned, taking a few steps in a different direction.

"The first order rose from the dark side," the man replied. "You did not."

"I'll show you the dark side." Kylo promised.

"You may try. But you cannot deny the truth that is your family."

Kylo regarded him for a mere second.

"You're so right."

He activated his lightsaber, raising it high and bring it down to cut the old man in half. From over the top of a nearby hill, a blaster fired. It's beam soared towards them before freezing, a combination of both Malice and Kylo's strength. The man also froze, the work of solely Kylo.

Keep that blaster shot right there.

Malice nodded as she felt Kylo release the fired bolt and focus on the man. She hardly even had to focus to keep the beam of light hovering in the air.

Two troopers rushed to the man, punching him in the gut and taking him into custody. They marched him past the suspended blaster shot and right in front of Kylo. One of them kicked him down, so he was kneeling. Kylo crouched down, becoming eye level with the man.

"So who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?" The stranger asked. Kylo ignored him.

"The old man gave it to you." He said suddenly.