Author's note: I've deleted this chapter by mistake while trying to update it. Sorry for the double notification!

I wish I could update more often. Apparently, some people are getting angry at me and have PM'ed saying they would stop readind because I'm not updating as quickly as other authors, and that they're are lossing interest. Also, they say that this story is putting them off because of the slow build up. This is my story. I don't force anyone to read it, but I also don't appreciate getting blackmailed into speeding things up or else I'll lose readers and reviews (as some have stated). I have no idea if this is the product of that person who's been attacking me and other authors, but I've been loosing follows, favs and reviews. No idea why. I write for everyone. Feedback is always appreciated, of course, but never a requirement for me to update. I've received 5 guest reviews (which I deleted because they had nothing to contribute to my story) stating that chapter were too long and boring. Then I received 2 PM's stating that I write too much and don't get to the plot.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that this has been hard to handle. I like to be close all my readers, and reply to every review and PM. This is me getting this off my chest and sharing with all of you.

I, by no means, think my story is a work of art! However, every aspiring writer appreciates feedback and constructive criticism (thank you to those who have told me issues I should work on to improve!). Life hasn't been easy. It never is. I come here to write and clear my mind of things that bother me. This issue has been affecting my creativity and my ability to concentrate on my story. I've drafted up to chapter 9 still, and will continue updating, but, right now I really could appreciate some kind words and support (as you've all done in the past, helping me a lot!).

Thank you if you read the entire note.

Please enjoy this chapter!

The Struggle Within

Chapter Four - When it Hurts

Poe Dameron couldn't sleep that night, but he rarely could nowadays. Usually, the flashbacks and memories of previous events were enough to keep him awake for the past few weeks. The title of the best pilot in the Resistance hadn't been earned without seeing things no one should, things that scar forever. But, Poe's insomnia, that night, had another cause entirely.

They had been able to destroy the Starkiller Base, one of the First Order's most prized stations.

That alone would definitely be a reason for him to let himself go of his worries momentarily, while General Organa planned their next course of action.

People had died during that battle, and he was used to losing fellow pilots by now. After all, everyone knew what they were getting themselves into when joining the Resistance. Death was a possibility, an ever-growing one.

Maybe that should have made Poe accept the casualties that had occurred and move on. But, not after knowing what had happened.

Han Solo had been murdered by his own son.

One of the best pilots he ever had the fortune to meet was now no more than a memory. He had fought alongside his father, Kes Dameron, during the assault on the Death Star's shield generator on Endor.

But then he heard something else. Tahira hadn't made it back on the Millennium Falcon, which meant she had also been a fatal victim in the conflict. He still remembered the day she had been brought to them, after witnessing the death and destruction of her family and village. She was only fourteen years old. Too young to have seen that. Too young to have felt something like that.

Poe was no stranger to losing someone he loved. He had been eight years old when his mother, Shara Bey, passed away from an unknown illness. She had been one of the best starfighter pilots and had served as a lieutenant in the Rebel Alliance. She had married his father, and two years before the battle of Endor, Poe was born. He was mostly raised by his maternal grandfather while his parents fought for the destruction of the Galactic Empire, and had only truly lived with his parents afterwards.

His mother had never shared many of her stories with him, possibly afraid he'd follow in her footsteps. Even so, she had taught him to fly, sharing her passion with him, and fueling his own. His father was devastated when she died, but had promised not to intervene in any further alliances since it had already costed him so much.

It hadn't taken Poe long to look for his mother's records from the war, realizing that he wanted to pay homage to her by becoming a pilot himself and joining the New Republic. Kes Dameron had not approved of this, but understood Poe's motivation and advised him to fully commit to the cause or avoid being involved at all. Further research of those records had allowed him to gain more and more knowledge about the rebels and their cause. Later, he had abandoned his position within the New Republic and joined the Resistance, under General Leia Organa's command.

All of this had been enough for him to connect with young Tahira. He had tried to sway her into becoming a pilot, like himself, but she dreaded the idea of being locked up in an X-wing, while doing dangerous maneuvers and spins. So, as she grew up, she instead took an interest in blasters, and hand-to-hand combat, as well as medicine. Since she was close to Leia Organa, she had strived to become a good fighter, as well as a trustworthy medic, whenever needed.

All in all, the Resistance had lost valuable pilots, and Han Solo, but he'd also lost someone he considered family. A sister, even.

So, Poe Dameron had little reason to rest, and, as a result,he resorted to one of the few things that utterly calmed him.

Fixing things.

The screwdriver in his hand squeaked as he tried to repair the jammed cockpit flight controls of his X-wing, Black One. Sweat slid off his bare back, and torso, before he took BB-8's advice to wear a shirt. The night's cold breeze could prove to be more than an annoyance to his health if he insisted on fixing his ship in such frigid weather

As he threw the tool inside his repair kit, Poe slid off the stairs and grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, before sliding into a black shirt. His droid told him to take some rest, but he chose to ignore BB-8's advice entirely.

Instead, he looked at the horizon from Hangar 2. The soft morning light was streaming through the treetops, spreading along the surface of D'Qar. He'd seen the sun rise many times, but what usually was a spectacle to behold, had little effect on him this time.

He took the water bottle from his pocket, drinking the content as he heard footsteps approaching.

Jessika Pava, a fellow pilot, stopped short in front of him, blocking out the rising sun. "You never change, do you?" she remarked, her lips curved into a wistful smile.

Without missing a beat, Poe said quite blandly, "Sleeping is a waste of time."

"Pushing yourself to the limits isn't a better option, Poe," she retorted, adamantly. "But I get it. This victory has a bittersweet taste to it."

He ran a hand through his wavy, dark hair, sighing. "Victory? At this rate, our whole fleet will perish before we can really destroy the First Order," he pointed out, crouching to grab the screwdriver again, and hopping inside the cockpit.

"Is this about Han Solo?"

His jaw clenched. He wanted to focus on those who were still alive. "How's Finn doing?"

She took a deep breath. "Dr. Kalonia says he's stable for now. We tried to reach you through your comlink."

"I turned it off."

Maybe that hadn't been the wisest decision, but he hadn't wanted to be disturbed for a while. As it turned out, he would have been if he hadn't done that.

There was a grunt coming from her, and he couldn't help but smile inwardly. Jess was a fairly young recruit. She had joined the Resistance not long ago, however what she lacked in experience she made up for in ambition and determination. Those were traits he valued greatly.

"Why did you want to contact me for?" Poe decided to break the silence, adjusting some wires and cables, while avoiding trying to avoid electrocution

"I reckon you don't know yet."

He rose an eyebrow. "Know what?"

She took a deep breath. "Tahira might not be dead."

"What?"

"Everyone thought she didn't make it – I mean, we still don't. Her tracking device was offline. However, one of the communication techs received a brief signal from it, not two hours ago," Jess informed, visibly choosing her words carefully. "It was only for two seconds, but it was enough to track its location."

The tone in her voice was enough for him to figure out Tahira was not somewhere safe. How could she have survived? Chewbacca hadn't managed to save her in time, and her tracking device gave no signal…

Poe rose from the cockpit at once, stepping out of it to glare intensely at Jess. "Does the General know of this?"

"Of course."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Poe started pacing rapidly across the Hangar. "Come on, BB-8."

The droid didn't need to be told twice as it quickly began rolling beside him.

Predictably enough, Jess raced to join his side as well. "Where are you going?"

"To see the General. To know what options we have to save her."

The pilot grasped his shoulder abruptly, halting his steps. "Poe…the signal is coming from the Main Station…she might not even be alive."

His many years as a Resistance pilot and commendable leader had taught him that these pilots looked up to him as an inspiring figure. Rushed decisions weren't his specialty, but they sure did the trick once in awhile.

The way Jess was looking at him made his heart clench. She feared he'd do something foolish.

But, Poe Dameron was anything but foolish, so he let a reassuring smile spread across his lips. "The General will know what to do."

And he meant it. General Organa was an excellent leader. If there was a way to get Tahira back, she'd figure it out.

Wasting no more time, they moved along the corridors, occasionally greeting personnel on their way to the communication center. Poe spotted the General standing by Major Ematt's side, both looking worriedly at a control panel.

General Organa then shifted her gaze to the pilot. There was sadness in her eyes, even though she tried to hold a sincere smile. "Poe..."

But he couldn't stop himself. "I've heard the news. Is there any plan yet?"

The woman in front of him sighed, her sadness deepening her features. "Not yet, Poe."

"Is she alive?"

"We don't know," she answered, truthfully.

That wasn't good enough.

"So, what do we do now?"

The Major exchanged an aggravated look with her. Silence fell between them for a moment before the older man spoke, "We have no way to check if Tahira is alive. Our main focus is to ensure no more attacks come from the First Order for now," he approached Poe, placing a strong hand on his shoulder. "We have lost many in that assault, Poe. We cannot risk sending a squad to that system."

Poe didn't even know where to begin with the unfairness of that comment, although it was to be expected. No one there was going to place the entire resistance at risk because of one person. As much as it pained him, there was not much he could say to change their minds.

The hand on his shoulder slid away, and the Major walked away to another sector, leaving him face to face with General Organa.

"So, we sit here, and do nothing?"

She was shaking her head. "No. I care about her as much as you, but we cannot be reckless."

"If she's alive, he might be the one holding her hostage," Poe said, staring at her.

"Before heading out to find my brother, Rey told me he was left gravely injured," her eyes shook, and Poe expected her to start crying at any moment, but that moment never came. "He might be dead, and even though something inside me tells me he's not, I could be wrong."

"So, we'll just assume she's dead?" Poe inquired.

"If she is still alive, there is a chance they might use her as a bargaining chip," General Organa stated, taking a few steps towards him. "But, that is a slim chance. We all know how they behave when it comes to one of us."

He did know, yes. No life was spared. There was no reason she'd be kept alive.

"I see," Poe said, suddenly feeling the exhaustion of the past several days catch up to him. "Please, inform me if anything changes, General."

"Don't worry, Poe. We'll be quite busy recruiting new pilots and members, but I will not forget her. Not until we know for sure what happened."

She'd gotten very good at controlling her emotions. Over the years, her despair and sadness had been replaced with hope and determination. He couldn't really blame her for feeling this gloomy. Han Solo was dead. Her son might be dead. A girl that she treated as her daughter might be dead. Beneath that tough exterior, stood a woman whose world was slowly crumbling at her feet.

Finn and Rey had brought her some hope in finding Luke Skywalker. Poe could only wish Rey would do that sooner, rather than later.

After being excused from her presence, Jess approached him from the entrance of the communication center. "There's not much we can do but wait."

With a sudden sigh, Poe nodded, but he only did that to prevent any further arguments. BB-8 knew him too well and had noticed something was off. Thankfully, Jess didn't understand Binary, so BB-8's beeps meant nothing to her.

"Well, I think I'm going to rest now," Poe feigned a yawn, gathering a more relieved look from her. "All of this took a toll on me."

"You deserve some rest." Jess's smile widened. "See you later."

Parting their ways, Poe began running towards Hangar 1 where he'd find what he needed. He still had some tricks up his sleeve

BB-8 was constantly harassing him to get an answer, and even threatened to shock him if needed.

"All in due time, my little friend!"

Some pilots were gathering by their X-wings, originating a buzzing noise in the background. There was no doubt the majority weren't feeling particularly pumped up after yesterday's events, but they all had to stick to the schedule. Flight training filled most of their days, so it wasn't hard for Poe to find Ello Asty, a member of the Blue Squad and a close friend of his.

He was an Abednedo, the only one within the Resistance. An interesting species, no doubt. Ello was a faster learner than any human, which made people think he was arrogant and cocky.

He already had his training suit on, when he noticed Poe approaching. "Black Leader! Already up?"

"Didn't even sleep, my friend," Poe grinned at him, patting him on the back. Their callsigns were reserved for in-flight situations, but Ello insisted on addressing him like that. "How are you?"

"Ready to blow the First Order up. You?"

Poe didn't hold back a laugh. "Feeling pretty much the same, buddy."

BB-8 scolded him. The droid knew he had other intentions rather than just holding an innocent conversation.

Ello noticed this. "What's up with it?"

The droid rolled his head in the Abednedo's direction, emitting more beeps. Poe merely waved a hand dismissively. "Possible malfunction. I'll bring it to maintenance later."

A loud shrieking sound echoed in the Hangar as BB-8 called him something really ugly.

Poe shrugged innocently at Ello. "What brings you here, Poe?" He asked, adjusting his suit and putting on his helmet. "Taking the first morning training?"

"No, I actually need to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

Poe kept his smile on. "Don't some bounty hunters owe you a couple of favors?"

"Yes. A lot of favors, actually," he said with a shrug. "Why?"

"Well, I need you to do me a great favor, Ello."

At this point, BB-8 had ceased its inconvenient beeps. It knew exactly what Poe Dameron had in mind.

"They're here!"

Tahira grunted as she rolled out of bed, as if she had been whipped. The scene before her slightly blurry eyes was enough to make her heart skip a beat: Her father had a very aggravated look on his face; her seven year-old sister, Jana, shook mildly as their mother tightened her grip on the little girl's shoulders.

She had waited for that sentence to be said for a while. Every child in her village knew that this day would eventually come. The day when the First Order demanded younglings to be willingly surrendered to them, so they could train them to become a part of that organization. Even so, many years had passed since Tahira had first heard that warning from her father. Many children had grown into adults, slipping through the First Order's grip.

At the age of fourteen, she truthfully thought she would not live to see this day.

"We must hurry." Her father moved to grab three coats before handing one to her. "The longer you stay here, the more chances they have to get to you."

Her mother, Ahra, made the best effort to remain as calm as possible, but Tahira could see the way her face wrinkled in worry and fear.

"Jana, Tahira, grab your bags."

Tahira did as she was told, still trying to process what was happening. She almost tripped twice as she paced around their tiny hut, grabbing a few of her belongings and throwing them inside a small bag. Jana, however, seemed too in shock to even be able to pack anything, resulting in their mother hurriedly doing that for her.

Her father's voice startled her. "You all remember the plan, right?"

Escape far away from their village in the mountain planet of Jelucan in the Outer Rim Territories;

Find shelter inside a cave;

Obey their mother;

Survive;

Only return when their father assured them it was safe.

She nodded, putting on her coat while tying her hair away from her face. That was when her mother saw two tears rolling down her cheek. "Tahira, we'll make it. Nothing will keep us apart."

Those words had little effect on her, but time was running out. Already she could hear some sort of commotion coming from outside their home.

"Karl, you should come," her mother said in a desperate whisper. "What if they kill you? What if they kill everyone?"

The tall man took their mother's face between his large hands. "My dear Ahra, this is a risk I'm willing to take. I will not be able to live knowing that my two daughters are going to join them."

And, with that, he shared a last kiss on her forehead, before kneeling on the dusty floor, embracing his two daughters. Tahira didn't think of this as a goodbye. They would all see each other again.

Her father released her from his grip, pushing them out through the backdoor.

"Go now. Don't look back!"

She felt her right hand being swept inside her mother's as they started running quickly between several huts. The atmosphere was agonizing. The sound of ship's engines roaring filled her ears, leaving a buzzing sound echoing in her brain. What really made her flinch away in horror were the desperate screams and cries of the villagers. People she had grown with.

Tahira looked behind her shoulder as an unknown sound came into the scene. Men in white and black uniforms, with matching masks, had begun firing their weapons at men and women alike.

"Tahira! You have to run faster!" Her mother screamed loudly, overlapping the deafening sounds around her. "Don't look back!"

Her legs moved as fast as she could, but there was only so much her body could take under these circumstances. There were people running in every direction, and some almost knocked Tahira to the ground as they bumped into her. The shrieks of children filled the air, twisting her furiously-beating heart.

Her sister was the first to falter, forcing them to stop and find a place to hide, as they recuperated.

An abandoned hut seemed fitting, and her mother shoved them inside. "Whatever happens, don't leave until I come back."

"Where are you going, mama?" Jana asked, shaking uncontrollably with fear, refusing to let go of her hand.

"I saw a gun not far from here. I'm going to get it. I'll be quick."

With time pressing on her, the older woman kissed her children in a rush, and then vanished through the door, shutting it close behind her.

"T-Tahira?"

Jana had burst into tears, sobbing loudly. They were both sitting in a corner, trying to stay away from prying eyes. In her best effort to control the situation, Tahira held her sister closely. She could feel both their hearts pounding furiously inside their bodies. She wanted her mother back. She wanted this to be over.

With each laser shot and scream, Tahira gripped Jana even more tightly as if her body could protect her from all of this. Not long after, she heard a voice drawing closer to where they hid.

This sent Jana overboard with fright, and her cries intensified. Tahira had no choice but to clasp a hand over her mouth.

"Shh, Jana. They'll hear us…"

Hot tears moistened her hand, but her sister's sobs had become less aggravated. The same voice was now closer than ever.

A woman's voice with a strong accent was heard, "Sir, we have counted twelve eligible boys and seven eligible girls, though I'm fairly certain there might be more hidden."

"Bring those children aboard the shuttles at once. I want the rest of this village searched until every single child is found!"

"What about the adults and elders?"

"No survivors, Captain Phasma. You know the protocol."

"Yes, sir."

With this, Jana began shaking violently against Tahira's body. Several minutes had passed since her mother had left, and she was beginning to accept the painful truth that she might not return at all.

"I… I w-want… mama…" Tahira made out the words that came out of her sister's mouth in a muffled cry.

What could she do? This place would be invaded soon enough, and both of them would be taken away.

Her worse thoughts came true as the wooden door was cracked open and two soldiers stepped inside, guns pointed at them.

"We've got two more girls here, Captain," One informed while the other approached them slowly.

"We won't hurt you," he told, in a very non convincing way.

Jana had surpassed her limits, pushed her hand away from her mouth and began screaming at the top of her lungs, never letting go of her sister.

Tahira was in shock. Too much to even mimic her sister's reaction.

Her mother was dead. Maybe her father, too.

They were all alone, at the mercy of the First Order.

When one of them tried to grab Jana, she did the last thing Tahira thought her sister could ever do. She kicked him hard on the knee, earning a grunt of pain.

In a split second, Tahira heard a deafening blasting noise coming towards her accompanied by a flash of light.

And then… silence.

Jana had stopped screaming and squirming.

Jana was dead.

Tahira was holding her dead sister who now fell limp against her, long beautiful curls hiding her blank face.

"NO!" she screamed, as tears rolled down her face.

"You're not supposed to kill one of them!" aA voice screamed. "Phasma will punish us for this!"

Tahira didn't care which one had spoken. In fact, she didn't know how to feel about this. Her heart had skipped several beats by now, and she wondered how long it would take for it to eventually stop.

She wanted it to stop, because then she would not feel any pain.

Still holding Jana in her arms, more loud noises rang around the hut. Her eyes squeezed shut, expecting to be killed at any moment.

But the pain never stopped.

Her heart kept on beating against her ribcage, and tears continued to slide down her face.

Eventually, she opened her eyes, wondering why they had stopped talking.

A very beautiful woman appeared before her eyes, holding a blaster. She seemed older than her mother, yet sharper. She was dressed in a very weird uniform, with her hair pushed into a very complex updo. The woman's eyes were glistening, and Tahira couldn't help but to flinch back, fearing it was a dream.

"Don't fear me, child. My name is Leia Organa." She smiled kindly, taking a few steps in her direction. Her voice was sweet, almost too sweet to be true.

Then Tahira noticed a man standing beside that woman, in a white and orange, baggy uniform and holding a helmet in his hand. There was no smile on his face, however.

"General, we are outnumbered," the man spoke in a serious tone. "They will have reinforcements in no time. We have to get back to your ship."

The woman, called Leia, ignored his remark, and crouched in front of her. She could still hear exploding sounds coming from outside, but the screaming wasn't as bad.

"What's your name, little one?"

"Tahira."

Tahira saw her reach out to remove the auburn curls from Jana's impassive face. For a while, the woman gently stroked her sister's face as if she was putting her to sleep like her mother had done, so many times before.

"General…" The man pressed, turning his head to check the movement outside the hut.

The woman blinked twice, appearing to have come out of a trance-like state, and stood up, taking Jana into her arms. Tahira offered no resistance. "Poe, take Tahira to my ship." She then vanished out of the door.

The tall man nodded, crouching in front of her. What surprised her even more, was how widely he smiled. It was the same smile Tahira would wear on her face whenever her father offered to take her out to get candy.

Why was he smiling?

"Hello, Tahira. My name is Poe Dameron," he informed, before handing her his helmet. Her eyes met his for a moment, not understanding what he meant with that gesture. "It's yours. Put it on."

She took the cold metal piece between her shaky hands. With his help, she placed the helmet on her head. It was far too large and she had to keep a hand on it so it didn't slid to the side, but she didn't have time to worry about it, as he grabbed her hand, walking her out of there.

"Don't worry, Tahira. We'll take care of you."

The optimism in his voice was enough to make her heart slow down briefly. His hand clasped hers with such strength, her fear began to evaporate.

But, the pain was still there.

And it only grew stronger at the sight of dead bodies everywhere.

Why didn't the pain stop?

It had taken Tahira a long time to turn the pain inside her into something more productive, like combat and medical training. The first weeks after losing her family had been too hard. It was not uncommon for her to have horrid nightmares, only to wake up drenched in sweat and tears. No other child had been rescued that day. Her village in Jelucan had been wiped from existence.

She had been the youngest member of the Resistance ever and, as exclusive as that might have sounded, she was still seen as a child.

A child filled with pain.

Leia Organa had done everything in her power to help her bury that feeling, and she had briefly succeeded when Tahira was ordered to take flight lessons with Poe Dameron and Ello Asty, which she ended up dreading. Being imprisoned in a tiny cockpit, while flipping through the air, didn't present itself as a viable option, and as distracted as she might have been during those lessons, Tahira decided they didn't suit her.

Han Solo was also around for two years before going back to his old ways. Those years had been enough for her to slowly build a wall around herself, keeping the pain at bay. Whether it'd be from his patient hand-to-hand combat lessons or from the constant need he had to ensure she had everything she needed.

He had also been an integral part in her recovery, even when he said: 'The pain will never actually leave, kid. Just try to busy yourself with other things. It stops hurting for a moment.'

So, to be looking at the son of that same man, witnessing his attempt at bringing that pain to an extreme level, was ironic to say the least.

The recording playing before her eyes, triggered that old feeling inside her. Crying would not spare her from this, so she decided it'd be best for her to stop and save herself from further humiliation.

It was now crystal clear, to her, that Kylo Ren was cruel. Not that she doubted that before, but this was the ultimate confirmation.

What person would go as far as showing this to her? Only him, surely.

For once, Tahira was relieved to know the recording had no sound, but the visual part of it was enough to make her sick to her stomach. Kylo Ren clearly thought it was in his best interest to show her this, so she could see her village being burned to the ground for a second time.

But, there was something else that had been shown to her this time. Something she dearly wished she'd seen wrong. After all, she was extremely tired, and there was the possibility it had all been a product of her exhausted mind.

The emotional pain eventually mixed with the physical, and she felt her head pounding so heavily that she had no idea how she hadn't fainted from that headache yet.

"Stop it."

"What did you say?" His voice was heard.

"Stop it!"

For a few seconds, his mask turned to gaze at her, even though he said nothing. But much to her astonishment, he then spoke, directing his voice to the woman sitting near him. "File the archive again."

The images that had been playing on the display, suddenly vanished.

"Why did you do this?" Tahira managed to ask, trembling with frustration.

The tall figure laced his hands behind his back. He had enjoyed his trick of terror, no doubt. "More importantly, have you seen what I wanted you to see?"

"And what was that?"

"Your dear rebel friends, shooting innocent children."

Tahira had truly hoped she had not seen things correctly. That maybe it had been the stormtroopers' blasters that had killed the innocent children and that, somehow, the recorded images were faulty. That made much more sense in her head. However, he had just confirmed her worst fear.

"Is that disappointment I feel in you?" His amplified voice made its way into her ears. "I thought you'd said the Resistance never attacked without cause."

She clenched her fists. "And we don't! That was an accident! There is no way any of us would do that."

By now, he had begun circling her like a predator, making her tremble each time he disappeared behind her, only to reappear with the same slow and torturous pacing.

"You are so forgiving to them, yet so quick to judge us," something in his voice had changed. "It doesn't sound very just to me, young rebel."

A few hours ago, she might have rebuffed that statement, but her patience was wearing thin. His mind-games were having an extreme effect on her. She was walking on thin ice now. Kylo Ren wasn't as subtle as he probably thought he was when it came to placing his bait.

Seeing that she remained silent, he resumed his assault, never ceasing his pacing. "You have no idea what foul things the Resistance has done over the years," the tone in his voice remained irritatingly calm, but with a noticeable layer filled with taunt. "What Leia Organa has done."

Tahira felt hot anger tingle down her arms to her fingers. They itched to clamp themselves around a certain person's throat and squeeze until something cracked. Maybe that had something to do with the fact she finally understood his intentions.

"You're trying to turn me against the Resistance?"

It wasn't a question, and he didn't take it as one, but that statement had made him stop in front of her. "You're quite observant."

"And you're quite foolish to believe that archive would change anything," she said bitterly, noticing Hux shifting closer to her from the corner of her eye. "I'm sure there must have been a valid reason for them to have done that."

"Stop parading that tough attitude around me, girl," He spat, no longer bothering to hide the anger in his voice. "I can sense your disappointment. It's not as strong as your hatred, but I can almost taste it."

She sighed. Exchanging insults and accusations wasn't going to swing in her way. After all, she was in the enemy's lair. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want."

"Rey," Tahira said, shortly.

Her sudden cooperation seemed to have surprised him. "Are you willing to facilitate that for me?"

"You do realize I've never met her, right?"

"You haven't?"

She nodded. "No. I only met Finn. I was sent on the Falcon with him, Chewbacca and…," her voice failed her briefly. "…Han. Rey was captured by you before I got the chance to meet her."

Kylo Ren said nothing. He was merely stood there, gazing at her behind that dreadful mask.

"So, I won't be able to help you convince Rey to go anywhere. She doesn't know me, and wouldn't be stupid enough to trust me, knowing that I'm a First Order prisoner," she informed him, ignoring the strong headache. "Because the only way I could have survived the Starkiller Base destruction was to have been captured by someone either from the Resistance or the First Order, so…," she let the implication dangle. He was smart enough to figure where she was going with that statement.

"Who said anything about bringing her anywhere?" He asked, taking two steps towards her. "No. My objective is far less complex than that."

Tahira couldn't think of anything clever to say.

"What I want you to do, Tahira, is to return to D'Qar and act as our spy," Kylo Ren said.

Her mouth dropped open. It was safe to assume the ice on which she had been treading was cracked, exposing the horrors beneath. Kylo Ren was no longer toying with her. His chasing phase had come to an end, promptly followed by the stage in which he exposed his trap to her.

He then resumed his pacing around her, making her flinch heavily and cringe away from his closeness. "I won't do it. I'd rather die."

"Yes, you've said that before. There's no need to repeat yourself," he mocked her. "You will do it, yes. Have no doubt."

Tahira slid him a venomous look. "Your tactic to turn me against the Resistance failed."

"Yes, sadly. It would have spared me further efforts," Kylo Ren agreed, feigning annoyance. "It seems that other measures must be taken."

By 'measures' did he mean… "Mind-controlling me? Is that what you'll do?"

She saw his hand reach out to grasp her chin, and even though she stepped backwards, Tahira was still caught in his grip. His gloved fingers pressed tightly on her skin, making jabs of pain gather around that area. "That would be too much effort, Tahira."

Now she was lost. Then what did he really mean? What other measures were left for him to explore?

Realizing how faintly she was now trembling under his touch, he spoke again, "I will turn your emotions against you."

"What?"

A low chuckle was heard. "Do you know what ultimately disgraces us as humans? Our emotions. Our feelings. Do you want to know how I know you'll obey my command?" Tahira tried to jerk her chin from his grasp, but it was all to no avail as his other hand came to the back of her neck, forcing her to stare at the blackness his mask offered. "Because you won't risk the lives of everyone on D'Qar for this."

Her eyes widened, partially due to the realization that he wasn't entirely wrong. Something else stirred inside her. "And how am I supposed to appear in D'Qar all of a sudden? The Resistance isn't stupid."

He nodded. "That's debatable, but the point is that you'll not be dropped in D'Qar." At her raised brow, he continued. "We'll make you a war hero: against all odds, Tahira managed to escape our grasp with the help of some friends."

"Friends?" She asked, fighting the urge to kick him away from her.

The hand on her chin moved to point at something to her right. "General Hux, will you do the courtesy of telling us of the latest news of the Resistance?"

Tahira turned to see the man approach them with his distinctive smug grin. It made her want to strangle him with her bare hands. Kylo Ren finally released his grip on the back of her head at once, stepping slightly away from her.

Hux cleared his throat. "It appears one of our most trusted bounty hunters knows, for a fact, that a certain Resistance pilot is charging favors in order to get into our system unnoticed. One pilot isn't much of a threat to us as you realize," he said, widening his smile. "The information we have is that he wants to know if there is a certain prisoner on board."

She strived to look calm and controlled, with an adequate amount of revulsion that would be fitting for someone who'd just heard something like that.

Inwardly, she felt nothing but frustration. She knew exactly who that pilot was.

"Your friend, Poe Dameron, just doesn't know how to avoid trouble, does he?" Kylo Ren spoke, with a mocking tone. "He's as persistent as he is reckless"

"Don't harm him!" Tahira finally found the strength to speak, her voice tainted with despair.

"Harm him?" The masked man inquired, making Hux let out a vicious chuckle. "You missed the point entirely, Tahira. I'll be kind enough to let him rescue you."

Hux spoke next. "You'll carry a tracking device with you, as well as a comlink to allow communications."

"Why should I do this? It's not as if the First Order has another Starkiller Base ready to blow up D'Qar," Tahira tried to be reasonable, exposing their plan's obvious flaws.

Kylo Ren shortened the distance between them yet again. "You are right. But the First Order has me, and I'm an excellent asset."

"So you'll wipe out the Resistance on your own?" Tahira found herself taking a turn in mocking him. At this point, she couldn't care less if he was offended by her words.

Hux's nostrils flared, but he said nothing. The other man merely bent slightly to eye-level with her. "Don't push your luck, rebel. Your failure to go through with this plan will result in something far worse than you can imagine."

He could be bluffing. The First Order was currently weak. They didn't have the firepower to attempt an assault on D'Qar.

Kylo Ren returned to his previous pose. "Believe me when I say that Leia Organa is an easier target than you think."

Her expression must have spelled horror, because he only cocked his head to the side and said, "Some people will go to extreme lengths to protect the ones they care about. See this as a way to redeem yourself from not being able to save your sister."

Tahira impulsively lunged towards him, ignoring the obvious consequences. Both her arms were caught in Kylo Ren's hands, and she felt Hux's blaster glued to her temple. "What do you know about going to extreme lengths to protect those you care about? Is that what you did to your family? Your friends? You know nothing about losing those you love!"

Unfortunately, Tahira was far too exhausted to stop him from gripping her forearms with excruciating pain. His dangerously masked face closed in on her own. It was utterly hard to feel anything but hatred towards a man that preferred to hide himself like a coward. "You assume too much, Tahira. Too much," he said in a low voice, dripping with poison.

Next chapter: A Test of Courage

Thanks for reading!

I've seen the movie three times now, and I'm positive there is a female stormtrooper (a reviewer said it was Captain Phasma, but it wasn't) that communicated something to Kylo Ren (can't remember what exactly, but it was when he was looking for Han, Chewie, Rey and Finn inside the base). So that is why I don't think only boys were taken from their families.

Also, I'll most likely update once or twice a week. I wish I could update more often, but these chapters take me some time to write :p This chapter was revised by Random Riter11 since my beta, SpyderByte, is undergoing surgery.

Getting to 200 reviews, 300 favs and almost 600 follows is more than I could have hoped for. You people are more important to me than you realize. Thank you for making my days so great. Unlike some people, I don't mind asking for feedback (be it reviews, follow, favs or PM's). So, I really need to know I'm walking on steady ground to move on without doubting myself. Don't be afraid to criticize (as long as you're not rude) or leave a word or two. It will jelp a lot. Thank you!