The Spark Of Hope And Fire

Death and Dying

     Shortly after the woman left, a food tray slid from under the cell door. A chunky looking slop spread across most of the plate, and two flaky pink squares of bread sat on either side. Ben stood up and walked over to the tray, the chain bolted to his ankle clinking with every step.
     He tentatively knelt beside Rey, balancing the tray of not necessarily appetizing food with one hand.
     "I don't know how to do this, Ben."
     He remained silent, hoping she'd elaborate. After a short moment, she continued. "I've been alone almost as far back as I can remember. I've had friends before. But even then, I couldn't really get close to them because we had to compete for food. My only focus was to survive. I never had time for lo- … for emotions."
     "I understand. I'm not... I'm not asking for anything, Rey. I just... wanted you to know." He offered her one of the pink squares, and hesitantly took a bite of the other.
     Rey took the bread, and finally found the strength to look at Ben. He had looked away,  mouth full of bread, staring into nothing, unsure of whether the words he used were the right ones.
     "But I... love you, too." She said delicately.
     Ben moved the tray that he had previously set between them, and scooped Rey into his arms. Her small frame felt like almost nothing in his embrace, completely contradicting what he felt in his heart.
     "I didn't get to finish saying it before..." Ben spoke softly. "I love you. I love you, Rey." He felt the heaviness of sleep overcoming him, but kept her in his arms as he succumbed.

     As they were walking, Leia felt cold ripples through the force. It was very similar to what she felt when she last saw Darth Vader. Of course, she only recognized it as the force in hindsight. It was unmistakable, though. The feelings were the same.
     "Luke." She said. "I have a bad feeling..."
     "Like we're being watched." Luke finished her thought. A moment later, several shadowy men appeared from what seemed nowhere. Two grabbed Luke, one at each arm. A third took hold of Leia from behind. Out of sheer reflex, Leia leaned forward, then threw her head back, smashing into the man's mouth and nose. He let go of her, now clenching his profusely bleeding face. Two more attacked. They were able to overpower the woman, and bound her hands behind her.
     Luke broke free of one, and with his free hand, grabbed the other. Then, with a powerful twist, he pulled down, flipping the man to the floor. But instantaneously, three more of the hooded figures appeared, one with his hand up, paralyzing Luke through the force.

     Ben woke to the sound of shuffling feet. He opened his heavy eyes to see a cloaked figure grabbing Rey by one arm, and dragging her out of the cell. She was clearly unconscious.
     "Hey!" Ben tried to scream at them, but his voice came out barely above a whisper. He struggled to raise himself from the ground. "Hey." It was merely a whisper this time. His arms buckled, and he crumpled to the floor once again unconscious.
     "She is quite pretty, isn't she?" Asked Malgus, stroking Rey's face.
     The knights of Ren, General Hux, and Lord Riyec's new guests said nothing. "Put her over there, and bring out the other." Two hooded men bowed, and immediately left.
     "As you can see, ladies," he paused to sip a dark heavy drink. "… and gentlemen. I have planned a wonderful evening for us." He then replaced and locked the breathing apparatus back over his face.
     General Hux nearly gagged. Snoke ws ugly, but Malgus was disgusting. The stench alone from his open mask was horrendous. But what resided under the mask was worse. Wreaking dead flesh, moist from the constant humidity within. Parts of bone were exposed on his jaw, and his tongue was green and thick with slime. The small amount of skin remaining was dangling, fluid like, and threatening to drop.
     Amrik stifled a cough. The sight was horrific, yet not too different from being kissed by a lizard woman with a forked tongue, he thought to himself. Provoked by the thought, he glanced at Nataya. She was, not urprisingly, unphased by the grotesque scene. Rather, the duchess was focused on the red headed man with a white face, who ws about to puke. She stared at General Hux as if she were a child, and he was a two meter high mountain of Transdoshan ice cream.

     Two men returned, dragging an unconscious Ben Solo between them, stopping in front of Malgus.
     "Thank you, servants." He said, dismissing them. Ben dropped to the ground at Malgus' feet. "Ah, The heir. The very last of the jedi line, walked right in to my hands." He utilized the force, tossing Ben next to Rey across the large room.
     Luke and Leia sat, bound and gagged on one of the red leather couches. A ysalamir was in a small cage a few meters behind them, preventing either from using the force.
     General Hux could not hide the devious grin on his face at seeing Kylo Ren so helpless. "Would you let me do the honor of killing him, Lord Malgus, sir?"  On hearing the question, the tall cyborg stood up, enraged.
     "Absolutely not! I did not reunite with these detestable people and come all this way, just to watch some puny, red puss pocket take vengeance from beneath me!"
     "Vooktu!" Nataya commanded.
     Though it was unnecessary. Malgus flashed to standing directly in front of Vooktu, and ripped the wiring from his main circulatory computer. The cyborg fell to his knees, after which Malgus grabbed his throat and crushed it with one hand. He unceremoniously dropped him, and ordered his servants to "clean up the mess."
   "Any more questions?" The Sith Lord asked his visitors.

     Rey came to and opened her eyes. Ben was slouched over, still unconscious. His lip was busted and bleeding, and his right eye was swollen, and quickly turning purple. She sat up and reached over to make sure he was still alive. Her body seemed much heavier than she remembered. Through immense effort, she managed to pull herself closer to Ben. Her hands shook as she took hold of his face, checking for life.
     Ben opened his eyes at her touch. The relief she had overpowered the muscle weakness, and she wrapped her arms around his neck as if for her life. Ben's arms were heavy, but they rushed around Rey with with mirrored tension and velocity.
     "Whaat happened? Are you hurt?" Ben whispered.
     "No, I'm ok. But there was something in the food they gave us. We were poisoned." She returned.
     "Sedated, would be the more appropriate term." Lord Malgus stood towering over them. "You see, the presence of the ysalamir cancels out the use of the force. But the blood.… well, it cancels out the force itself when digested."
     "What do you want, Malgus?!" Luke spat, expelling the remainder of the gag from his mouth.
     "What do I want?" Malgus laughed. The sound of congested death echoed from his breather. "I want absolutely nothing from you. As I've already told you, this is our evening's entertainment."