Underneath it all

No way out?

Kylo was hiding in the laundry room, the steam causing his hair to stick damply to his face.  He had heard troops running past endlessly and now he was trapped in here and Rey would be trapped here too if he didn't warn her.  He squeezed his eyes shut, hunting and locating her light quickly and rushing towards it.  He stopped when he saw her.  She was stood facing away from him, talking to someone that he couldn't see. 

"Thank you Rose, you're a good friend" Rey said, turning then and gasping as she saw him.  Rey quickly checked over her shoulder and then came towards him, stopping with a frown on her face as she took in his disheveled appearance.  "Ben are you...".  "Rey listen to me.  That transmission I sent, it's a trap, don't come here".  Rey frowned, her head shaking slowly, "Why would you set a trap Ben?".  He shifted impatiently, "I've been captured.  When I returned to my base it had been overtaken by a friend of Hux, the general you killed on Eadu. He wants you to come here. He's going to kill all your friends and then hurt and eventually kill you too". Rey stepped closer to Kylo, her eyes glassy, her hands reaching up to touch his damp face, "You're sweating, where are you?". "I'm hidden in the laundry room, I got away but I'm trapped. I know how heavily this base will be patrolled now". "I'm coming to get you" Rey said determinedly. Kylo shook his head, "Rey stay away, I don't want to have to worry about you too". Kylo blushed as he realised what he'd said but Rey's lips were on his then. She pulled back and looked in his eyes, "I'm going to save you" Rey said firmly. Kylo stared at her for a moment knowing that there was no point arguing with her and as the force bond ended he heard himself whisper, "You've already saved me".

After a while it became quiet and Kylo opened the laundry door just a crack, peering out into the now empty corridor. He edged out, his heart thumping, blaster in hand. As he approached the corner he heard voices and then boots marching. He looked around desperately. There was only one place he could go, Hux's old quarters. He stepped inside, listening to the boots marching away, his forehead pressed to the door, trying to steady his breath. "There you are" came a voice behind him, he turned just in time to see General Rantana and then a flash of light as a bolt of electricity shot into his body, knocking him unconscious.

Kylos eyes shot open, a gasp escaping his lips.  He was lying on the ground in a room he recognised as the room that they torture traitors in.  He tried to stand but his legs buckled and he fell down again, weak and disoriented. 

The sound of a door opening and he lifted his head quickly.  General Rantana walked in flanked by two storm troopers, a torture droid hovering above them.  The two troopers pinned Kylo down, one one each side of him.  He struggled but his mind was swimming, he felt so weak, what had Rantana done to him?

The General touched the top of the droid and it lit up, a bright light shining from it as it advanced on Kylo.  When it reached his neck a sharp pain caused a grunt from him.  He knew what was happening, he'd seen these used before.  He had just been given a truth serum.  No level of force power would protect him now. 

The droid moved down to his stomach, it's little mechanical arm cutting away the fabric before a small rotating blade appeared.  Kylo braced himself for the pain as the blade cut his now exposed skin.  He bit down hard, trying not to cry out, his eyes open and fixed on General Rantana, unwilling to yield.  He felt a warm trickle of blood run down his side as the blade moved away again.  Rantana laughed. 

He shooed the droid away before kicking Kylo firmly in the fresh cut, releasing a deep groan of pain from him.  ""Right, question time.  How long have you been talking to the enemy?"he asked crouching down next to Kylo.  Kylo turned his face away, biting his lip, the pain in his stomach throbbing furiously.  He knew that if he spoke he would have to tell the whole truth.  "Still not feeling chatty?" Rantana said with a smirk.  Kylo met his gaze and held it.  The General laughed and signalled to the torture droid.  It came down to the other side of Kylo now, this time a red hot poker appearing from it.  As it got closer Kylo could feel the heat.  He squirmed under the troopers grasp as the poker burnt his top away at the shoulder.  Searing pain shot through him and he screamed out, gritting his teeth, his body shaking under the troopers hands.  "Let's try again, how long?"Kylo growled at Rantana, his teeth still locked together, fighting the pain but he didn't answer. The truth serum would mean that he would condemn Rey and then when she was caught, which she would be, she would die a horrific death, the thought of that made Kylo more determined than ever not to speak and he squeezed his mouth shut.

Rantana pursed his lips in irritation and then stood. He half turned away from Kylo and then ran at him, kicking him full force in the shoulder where the poker had scorched his skin, narrowly missing a troooers hand. Kylo grunted through gritted teeth, the pain causing a cold sweat to break out on his brow, his eyes closing and then opening again in quick succession. The General stood over him delivering punishing kick after kick, some to his wounds and some to his ribs. He was using him as a punchbag to get rid of his frustrations now. Kylo knew that and despite the searing, aching pain that his body was in, his mind was clear. If this was how he was going to die then he had died protecting her. Rey.

A knock at the door caused the searing pain to halt and Kylo coughed, blood spilling out of his mouth and pooling on the floor next to him.  "Yes?" "Rantana said irritatedly turning to the door.  It opened and Kylo saw the blurry outlines of two white figures, more stormtroopers?  "Sir we've been sent to relieve these two troops" came a male voice, distorted by the helmet. Rantana looked back at the troops holding Kylo down and then at the two by the door, "Is that really necessary?"he asked frowning.  "Those were the orders we received from our squadron leader" came the male voice again.   Rantana nodded, "Fine, just get him held down, I'm not done, I will get the truth from him".  Kylos wrists were pinned down by new hands and he shifted, his whole body aching, closing his eyes at the thought of more. Once the other troopers had left the torture droid was brought back over to Kylo, the small, rotating blade coming out again, this time cutting away fabric from his chest.  Kylo grunted through gritted teeth, readying himself for the pain. 

But it never came.  A loud smash and Kylo looked to see the droid in bits on the floor.  Confused now he turned his head to look at the General, he was staring open mouthed at the troopers who were holding his wrists.  Kylo looked up at them then, his brow furrowed, feeling thier weight lift off his arms.  "What the hell is this, who are you and how did you get in here?" Rantana stammered.  The first trooper stood, removing their helmet. Kylos eyes became wide at the sight. It was the traitor. FN2187.

He was breathing heavily, sweat beaded on his forehead. "None of that's important now. Give us the clearance codes for one of your ships or we will execute you right here, right now". Kylos eyes went slowly across to Rantana.  He was stood silently, his face grim, "If you kill me without that code then you'll never get away". "We'd figure it out" came a females voice. Kylos head swivelled quickly and, although his vision was blurry, he knew he would know her anywhere. The second stormtrooper had taken off their helmet.  It was Rey. A mixture of fear and relief filled him then. She was here, of course she was here, but what if she didn't make it? Kylo swallowed hard just as Rey's eyes swept down to him, her gloved hand sweeping against his cheek tenderly. General Rantana laughed and Rey stood then, her blaster aimed at his head, her hands sweeping over him, retrieving a pistol and a dagger. The traitor hadn't looked at Kylo once and Kylo was pretty sure that that was because he didn't want to be there, he was just doing this for Rey.

Rey pushed her blaster against his throat, "The code, you have till the count of ten. 1, 2 ,3 , 4,5,6......". Kylo watched Rantana.  His features tightened as she counted but he never faltered. Rey stopped counting suddenly and the traitors head spun to look at her, "Rey come on, we don't have time......". Rey held up her hand, stopping the traitor and walked slowly towards General Rantana.  Kylo watched, his stomach flipping with the thrill of watching her use of the force. Rantana moved towards Rey and then suddenly stopped dead, his arms twitching violently at his sides. Rey placed her hand near his face, his eyes bulging as she pushed roughly into his head, ignoring his moans of pain. For a moment she stayed like that and then she turned to FN2187 "The code is 6914. Also we need to execute him now, he has plans to hunt us down, if we let him go he'll never give up hunting us". Rantanas eyes were wide as Rey spoke, only his eyeballs swivelling in his pink face. Kylo watched the traitor step forwards then with a nod, "My pleasure". A moment later there was a bang and Rantana slumped lifelessly to the floor, his eyes still open, his head landing only a foot away from Kylos.

A hand on his cheek brought Kylo away from staring at Rantanas lifeless eyes, "Ben are you ok?". Kylo looked up at Rey, "No. I'm in such pain. Everything is hurting and I'm so weak. I'm so glad you're here, Rey I love you". As the words left his mouth, one unbelievable word at a time Kylo felt his face flush but he couldn't stop. Rey stared, open mouthed, her cheeks colouring and then she turned quickly to FN2187 with a frown, "He doesn't seem right.....the way he's talking...". The traitor seemed disgusted by Kylos affection towards Rey, his face in a sneer, "Truth serum, he's been injected with truth serum, it's what the first order do. Now the shoes on the other foot huh?" He spat, his eyes now on Kylo.  Kylo held his gaze coldly but then he felt Rey's hand on his face again and his eyes automatically shifted to her, "Ben can you stand?".