Spark of Hope

Chapter IX

Electricity popped and cracked, light flickered, and the acrid smell of burned rubber and plastic filled the room. Glowing red slashes marked the walls, his utterly obliterated bed, horribly hacked chair, and table sliced in two—the newest victims of Kylo's fury. His lightsaber bathed the strobing room in a crimson light.

He panted under the rage still smothering him and from the energy spent to annihilate his chambers.

Seeing that fighter pilot again with Rey, and her leaving with him... Kylo had to release his rage, so he came here to spare the life or lives of any Stormtrooper or First Order officer unfortunate to cross his path.

All he could see was what he had come across in the hangar when he connected with Rey: those two close, much too close for comfort. That Poe Dameron's intention was written plainly on his face—he wanted to kiss her.

Kylo had no ownership of Rey, but he couldn't deny he felt possessive of her. This was just him being protective, ensuring that his 'apprentice' wouldn't become distracted... No. That wasn't a strong enough word. This was...

Damn it, he would admit it! He was jealous. There was no other word to describe what he felt. She was his. Only his.

If he saw that Poe again, he'd be feeling a lot more than just the heat of his anger. Kylo would try to kill him through his Force Bond with Rey.

Removing his thumb off the button, the red beam of his custom yet crudely made lightsaber receded; with it sheathed, he clipped the saber back onto his belt. He still had too much anger boiling in his soul; he needed to let it out...

Kylo marched out of his chambers and headed for the Bridge. The large room had wide windows looking out at space, many computer panels set lower than the floor with officers stationed at each one, and lanes so those walking the floor could access each station. Or, as in the pompous General Hux, appear higher than all those officers.

The ginger General stood in the center of the Bridge, hands clasped behind his back and looking out at space like he owned it.

"Hux," Kylo began when he approached him. "Where have the Knights gone?"

The man turned. "Oh, Supreme Leader. The Knights are carrying out your instructions—hunting down and killing every Force user."

His hands clenched—Kylo came close to Force Choking the man. "I know what they're doing; I asked where they were."

"Why, you cannot reach them through the Force?" Hux asked smugly.

His smug expression vanished into fear when Kylo began to Force Choke him. The man's polished boots dangled in the air as he rose, hands clawing at his neck. He gasped for breath.

"Actually, I can, but I came to you. You are to relay information to your Supreme Leader when asked, not smart-off to him. Now, are you loyal to the First Order, or are you a traitor?"

Hux's face had begun to turn blue.

"Iri... Iridonia," he choked.

Kylo released his Force Choke. Hux dropped to the floor, gulping and choking on air. The dark knight turned and walked away from the man on his hands and knees.

"Have my chambers fixed before I return," he called over his shoulder.

***

Screams reverberated through the night. Cries of horror and anguish. Red streaks of light illuminated the dark village. The noises matched this barren, desolate place—Iridonia looked to be wide open with a craggy, unforgiving landscape. To ignore the sounds and sights of murder, Kylo Ren lifted his face toward the black sky and closed his eyes.

He didn't care about the screams. Killing the Force-users—old or young—was credential to him staying in power as the Supreme Leader. The First Order needed to establish order in the Galaxy. For that to happen, there couldn't be the chance that someone could rise up against their rule and equal his strength. Right now, he only had one enemy; one person who could match his power in the Force. It had to remain that way.

"Rey," he said her name softly, carried away on the slight breeze.

His anger at seeing her with that fighter pilot had subsided. Knowing how disappointed she would be in him right now made him feel guilty. He would have to keep this from h—

What the hell? Why was he thinking like that? He didn't care how others saw him. He didn't care what she thought. Rey hoped she could change him. He couldn't be changed; he had too much Dark in him...

He huffed.

Infuriatingly, she was changing him. Even though Kylo had his eyes averted, the cries of mercy, the distraught wailings, and the buzzing of ignited lightsabers would not leave him be. He now wished he had not come; he could've stayed in his broken chambers, blocked off from everyone, so he didn't need a façade. With Rey, he didn't have to pretend he had no feelings about killing innocents.

With her, Kylo didn't need a mask. She so easily could see under it anyway and wouldn't judge what she saw underneath. Rey was gentle, understanding, and caring; not to mention beaut—

"Supreme Leader."

The voice made him jump; making sure his emotionless mask was on and any thoughts of Rey blocked, Kylo opened his eyes and looked down. One of the Knights of Ren, Dexen, stood before him. Like the rest of the Knights, they wore head-to-toe black and a mask different from each other so each could be identified. A whimpering woman had been thrown to her knees in front of him—she kept her eyes down on the dirt beneath Kylo's boots.

Kylo lifted an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.

"This woman is the girl's mother. She refuses to give up her daughter's location."

He turned his eyes down at the woman, impressed that she had withstood Dexen probing her mind. Out of all the Knights of Ren, he was the best at probing. But even as superb as he was, Kylo was better—none had resisted him, except for one. And she was a powerful Jedi.

For appearances' sake, the dark knight outstretched a hand, and the woman gasped as she tensed; seizing her, the Force raised her up to float before Kylo—determined eyes were now level with his as her feet hung two feet above the ground.

He didn't waste time before beginning; her face twisted in pain as he forced his way into her head. She continuously pushed back at him—trying to knock him out—but he effortlessly broke through her mental walls, making her cry out in pain.

The mother put up quite the resistance, but Kylo was able to see the memory of her urging her daughter to flee south with her uncle. Because he had no other choice, he twisted his hand, snapping the woman's neck as her head jerked to the right. Releasing his Force Hold, the lifeless body dropped to the ground.

"The girl has fled south with her uncle on a speeder," Kylo told Dexen. "If you do not catch up with them, check a cave in the northwest mountain—there is a hole covered by a false rock."

Dexen nodded once, then went over to a house, got on a speeder, and took off south.

The night air had grown quiet and still with the ending of the screams and sheathing of the buzzing lightsabers. Sensing no other life save his own and the five Knights of Ren, Kylo turned for his ship. He would not be joining them on another mission.