(sadly I couldn't think of a song for this one😕)
Days after TLJ:
41 days/one month and ten days
I held the bridge of my nose and sighed deeply. It's been two weeks and there still hasn't been any progress with the Troopers. Well, except for some. Phasma and I have been switching out each day. Today is my turn. While working with them, I have realized that they have no respect for people like me. I mean, they all have respect for Phasma of course but none for
me. Apparently to them, I'm a virus.
"Again." I ordered the Troopers. They all raised their blasters and shot them until I held up my hand for them to stop. I walked past each of their targets and checked them to see if they hit it at least close to the middle. Only one got it in the middle.
"JW-1200." I called. A Trooper about a foot shorter than my height walked up to me. "Yes, Commander, Miss." He saluted me. I could sense his fear but surprisingly he hid it very well. "I see you have hit the target. Well, done. I'm impressed."
I could tell he was stunned by what I said but nonetheless, he thanked me and went back to his spot. I heard a few of the others snickering to themselves.
"I hope you all will learn from 1200." I said pacing back and forth in front of them. "Not only does he know how to shot a target but he actually knows how to respect his Commanding Officer as well. 9222, 6375, stop laughing or you will have to learn the hard way." They immediately shut up and stood up straight. I smirked.
"That's better. Now, again."
I quickly moved out of their way as they held up their blasters and shot them.
I raised my eyebrows, astonished at the Troopers' accomplishment.
Each and every one of them hit their targets!
"Wonderful... You are dismissed."
They bowed before leaving the training room.
I sighed, we were finally done for the day.
Finally done after working with six sets of twelve troopers.
'Good Afternoon, Stargazer.'
"Afternoon Daddy!" I said cheerfully despite my tiredness as I leaned on one of the targets.
'How've you been, love? You haven't talked to me in a while.'
"Oh, I'm good! And I haven't been doing much, just a lot of training that's all. And I'm sorry I haven't been talking to you, I'm just really busy these days." I explained.
'That's terrific, Stargazer! I'm glad you're ok...'
I grinned softly.
"And I'm glad that I still get to talk to you, Dad-"
"Who are you talking to?" I heard behind me.
I almost jumped in surprise but I remembered that I'm not supposed to show vulnerability to anyone so I simply turned around. I'm surprised that I didn't sense him at first...
"Oh, um, no one." I said quickly.
Supreme Leader Kylo Ren smirked and walked closer.
"You can tell me, Nova..... I don't bite...."
"Oh, really?" I said, my voice laced with sarcasm. "I could have sworn you did! Or was the night before last just a dream?"
Kylo smirked again and I rolled my eyes at him. "I was talking to myself." I said with a humph. He raised his eyebrow, slightly. "My sense in the Force says something else." He said slowly, drawing out his words, a little bit unsure. I smirked back.
I thought the Great, and Powerful Kylo Ren was never questioning...
I said, keeping my mind open to tease him.
Kylo's face turned a little red as he narrowed his eyes at me, trying to control his anger. That however changed once I walked up to him and gently trailed my fingertips over his shoulders, making sure that I went slowly as I looked up at him innocently. His breath now became slightly shallow in anticipation, leaning down to be closer to me and apparently, he thought to kiss me. I had other plans though. Our lips were so close to touching that I could feel his fresh breath on me. I smirked and chuckled.
"Oh, was my Supreme Leader having a temper tantrum?" I egged on just above a whisper and Kylo didn't answer as his eyes were still on my lips. "I am not telling who I was talking to." I said, backing away and walking over to the exit. He huffed a laugh, most likely disappointed. "Oh, so you were talking to someone." He said finally and I turned around, saying: "I don't have to answer to you!" with a wider smirk than I had before.
****~**~****
"Captain Phasma." I started and bowed to the Silver Trooper. She bowed back. "Squadron 246 did wonderful today.... All of them shot their targets in the middle."
"Great work, Commander, I will take the Squadrons tomorrow to see how the rest are doing." Phasma replied.
I grinned and set off to my own Quarters and to see if I could find BB-7A along the way.
Well, finding 7A didn't take long. She rolled up in front of me and started beeping so fast that I could barely even understand her!
Something about 6C-SN and-
"Woah, Woah, Slow down!" I said stopping in my tracks and crouching down to her level. "What happened?........ WHAT?!..... I swear if they don't leave you alone I will hurt those little droids, believe me!...... Stormtroopers too?!.... Why shouldn't I do anything?! They hurt you!..... I did that with Ben, and look where it got me!" I moved my hair to show her the small scar on the side of my right eye. "...... Fine. I'll let it pass today. But if this happens again then they'll have to answer to me." I got up and paced down the hallway with her following at my heals.
They really need to stop this. 7A is really the only friend I have besides Kaitlin but she's always busy and we rarely talk as friends, not business partners. I don't want anything happening to her. I don't want anything to happen to either of them. Not that I'm only worried because I need someone to confide in but they are the closest things I have to a family. Yes, they do try to help but they don't really get it.
I wish I had someone to talk to who would understand better-
I thought before I was cut off.
"I know how you feel." I heard behind me. I recognize that voice. That sweet and soft voice that I hate.
"You don't know me." I spat, turning around to face Rey. She looked a little more put together now; her three buns tied perfectly at the back of her head, her robes now a creamy white instead of black and gray.
"You're right I don't know you entirely...." said the Scavenger Girl. "But I know what you are feeling."
I rolled my eyes. "And what do I feel that you understand? What makes you think you are equivalent to me, Rey from Nowhere?"
Rey sighed. "You feel like you have no one. That no one loves you. Even though you are surrounded by people who care you still feel... Alone, and abandoned. I've felt that way all my life. My parents left me when I was young and your father did what's best for you by letting you stay at the Academy. We were both left behind. That's how I know."
I huffed a laugh. She really thinks she can get to me, doesn't she?
"Yeah, your parents are never coming back and my dad should have just taken me back to my Grandfather if he didn't want to deal with me." I hissed. "He didn't do what was best for me. He did what was best for him. If my father hadn't left me at Skywalker's Academy then I wouldn't have gone through all of the years of abuse from Ben. And look... That boy grew into the man who became my enemy. You don't even know half of the pain and suffering I've gone through."
Rey took a step closer to me and I took a step back. Despite what sort of connection she may have with Ren, I don't trust her, and I most likely never will.
"Eclypse, you say I don't know but I do. My parents were nobodies and sold me just to get more drinking money. I spent years waiting for them to come back, hoping that somewhere out in the Galaxy they would be looking for their daughter. Turns out I was wrong. They're never coming back for me. Why should they? My whole life I've wanted someone to show me my place in the story, when really, I don't have one. You know what Kylo said to me after you passed out when he killed Snoke? He said 'You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You are nothing.' Now I'm really starting to believe him. But when he asked me to join him I didn't know what to do. I ran. But running from the truth will-"
"Will never solve anything." I finished, sighing and turning my head away from her.
"So you see? I do know you and how you're feeling. You just have a hard time accepting it."
At that I glared at Rey. "No. You don't. And I'm tired of everyone claiming that they know me!" I dictated, pointing my finger at Rey. "No one knows me and no one ever will."
I walked past her without saying another word.
**********
The elevator door to the red dome room opened wide, revealing exactly who I was looking for, alone as he sat on his throne. I walked quickly up to the throne with my hands closed tightly behind my back, my eyes narrowed.
Kylo smirked.
"Commander Nova-"
But I cut him off. That's not what I came for. I came for answers. "You asked her to join you?!" I shouted.
Ren stood abruptly and glared at me. "Who told you about what I said to the Scavenger?" He asked, attempting to be calm as his jaw clenched.
"Why the f*ck does it matter?! That fact is that you didn't tell me anything! And obviously you thought I wouldn't find out!" I folded my arms and looked away.
"Well, do you want me to tell you everything so you have the satisfaction of knowing my personal affairs?" Kylo huffed, holding the bridge of his nose with his gloved hand.
"Yes, I would like that very much." I said and started tapping my boot in anticipation. If I wasn't tapping my foot then it would have been so silent and tense that I could've heard a pin drop.
"I told her that she was nothing and that she has no place in anything. But that if she joined us then she would." He explained.
I laughed mockingly. "Oh, so there's an 'Us' now?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
"Don't change the subject, Eclypse." Ren hissed and walked closer to tower over me. "You and I both agree that she doesn't belong anywhere. I only offered to 'train' her. Show her what she can do with her power." Like many times before he was trying to intimidate me, and he should know by now that it will never work. No matter how many times he's touched my body.
That feeling from when I saw him and Rey touching hands returned, making my blood boil and my heart clench. Especially seeing the way he looked at her so full of longing... It made me sick.
"Of course you did. I've seen the way you look at her. The way you two act together. It's clear you have some sort of thing in the Force. Why don't you go be with her? You are such a prick. I wish I had never slept with you. Not only once, but twice." I sneered then turned around to leave.
Ren grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back to him. "Don't walk away when I'm talking to you." He warned.
"I already have, Supreme Leader." I replied spitting his title out like venom then pulled my arm from his grasp.