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II: limitations

Captivity wasn't as comfortable as she hoped it might be.

Her cell was a dark, cold prison with very little light to reach her. Her body was aching from the rough marble she laid on, her shoulder throbbing with each breath she took. Three days into her capture and she could already feel infection starting to spread its bony fingers in her direction. She did the best she could with whatever little she had. Her very expensive fiber suit was now missing a sleeve; the carefully folded material gathered as tightly as possible against her bleeding flesh. She was forced to sacrifice half of her water the first day she was brought there to clean it. Anything to minimize chances of infection—anything to buy herself a bit more time.

She needed to find a way to escape her cell, and a way to get off the bizarre base they have brought her onto. When Kylo Ren said a base, she expected exactly that, a base. She did not expect a base that was the size of a planet.

Starkiller Base they called it. Her Stormtrooper guards were rather chatty when they felt like it, and she was all ears. The smallest tidbit of information could end up saving her life and she had learned plenty in the last three days. With her shoulder disintegrating as fast as it was, she spent her days laying still and conserving her strength. There was literally nothing in the cell she could use for escape, and while that was a bitter pill to swallow she immediately started paying closer attention to her guards.

Their names, shift changes, behavior patterns; anything and everything was carefully tucked away in her mind for later consideration.

Stormtroopers were clearly wary of her by the way they remained mostly stiff and silent throughout the first day. But with her beaten and bruised body she was hardly a threat to them, and by the end of day two they had grown bolder and more at ease with themselves. They began overlooking her history and focusing on the fact that she was just an injured and broken girl who could barely move an inch.

They were idiots. The lot of them.

With their inflated sense of superiority, she had managed to glean a surprising amount of information.

Starkiller Base was clearly run under a strict schedule. Her guards changed three times a day like clockwork. While Stormtroopers did not having names, they did have serial number that they were identified by. General Hux and Kylo Ren were leaders of the base, although all Stormtroopers reported to someone called Captain Phasma, and operated under their command as well. She was in cell Block A which meant that her escape should not be too difficult if she just managed to get out of her cell.

With their growing sense of confidence, a few Stormtroopers have taken a liking to taunting her about her predicament. Mostly about her injuries and lack of nourishment. And while food was definitely going to be an issue in the future, she was just starting to feel the pull of an empty stomach. Their mocking barely affected her.

She knew true hunger. Hunger that made your muscles grow weak, your mind cloudy, and stomach so tight that anything more than water made you want to throw up. She was familiar with shaking hands, crying, and begging for the smallest scrap—

She would not beg again. Never again. Let her die from starvation in this dark cell but she would not plead for mercy. She would not bow at Ren's feet like some beaten dog and beg him to spare her. He wasn't going to break her so easily.

Because even after she made a name for herself and began making enough money to feast like a queen each night, she always ate just enough to stay healthy. Every time she considered eating more, her memories served as a bitter reminder of how easy it would be to get used to such luxury. How easy it would be to become lazy and content with what she had now and forget who she once was.

Exhaling heavily through her mouth she heard the Stormtrooper outside shift with the sound, and her eyes cracked open to look at him. She could only see part of his helmet but she knew that it was the Quiet One looking back into her cell. He was the only Stormtrooper who remained quite through his shift; he never mocked her, he never spoke to his fellow Stormtroopers, and had a curious habit of bringing her a cup that was full to the brim. While other Stormtroopers "accidentally" spilled some of her water before they entered her cell, the Quiet One always brought her a bigger cup full of water as if to make up for the loss.

She was their prisoner, and she never expected First Order to treat her nicely, but the Quiet One was a peculiar exception. She tried to find out what his serial number was but no one ever referred to him by it. Or maybe it was a she. There were stories that First Order trained all their soldiers the same, regardless of their species or gender.

Her gaze focused intently on the Stormtrooper outside, wondering what exactly they were thinking when they looked at her. When the Stormtrooper said nothing, the Wraith allowed her eyes to flutter shut with a heavy sigh.

There is always a way out, she repeated silently to herself. Her opportunity would come.

They always did.

[-]

She awoke from pain. Then, as her mind cleared, she noticed commotion outside of her cell.

"—has requested to see her immediately."

She wheezed, her blurred vision clearing slightly as she tried to beat away the feverish haze. Five days and no medical attention made a nasty infection set in her shoulder, causing her to run a high fever and distorting her senses. The only way she could tell time was passing anymore was the regular guard change. And even then, in the last twelve hours her condition had deteriorated to a point she didn't even have enough energy to touch the fresh cup of water beside her. Every last shred of strength she had, she was desperate to hold onto for her escape.

With a loud whirl, her cell door suddenly opened and her gaze snapped to what appeared to be two medics rushing inside. They appeared almost frantic as they looked over her, sharing quick glances. Two Stormtroopers accompanied them as well, though their weapons were almost insultingly lowered to the ground.

"What have you been doing to her?" one of the medics questioned, her shrill voice grating to the ear.

"Nothing," the taller Stormtrooper answered snippily, "She's been here under Master Ren's orders. I think she was badly injured before she came here."

A medic with soft, orange skin approached her with measured steps, noting the way she tensed. Her hands hovered over her injured shoulder and she pulled back after a second as if afraid of being near the Wraith.

"She'll need an injection," the orange skinned medic muttered gently. "She has a serious infection from a severe shoulder wound. If not treated, the infection will spread to her blood, and she'll die."

She looked towards the Stormtroopers after she said that and the taller one simply shrugged, "That's not our problem. We've been instructed to not interact with her unless she asks for help herself."

More like beg for help, a cold voice growled in her mind.

The medic with shrill voice pushed past them, and with a well-practiced arm stabbed something into her neck. There was a soft hiss, a rush of something cold racing through her body, and then sort of numbness that made her whole body relax.

After few seconds all traces of pain that pulsated hotly through her shoulder faded, and the Wraith flexed her hands in a way that made the taller Stormtrooper hoist his blaster up in warning. When her eyes cracked open, she fixed her gaze on the medics that were still observing her with critical eye.

"Don't start getting any ideas, Wraith," the shrill voiced medic snapped coldly. "Master Ren has instructed us to get you decent. That injection will not last you very long."

Master Ren.

Her stomach curled in fear at the thought of him, but she crushed the feeling of weakness immediately. She hated him; hated how easily he could control her with a power she couldn't even begin to explain, how easily he could tear into her mind, but she refused to fear him. She would not give him the satisfaction.

If she were to die by his hand at least she would die with her pride still intact.

The Stormtrooper who still stud quietly on the side approached her with his blaster raised and took a hold of her arm. His grip was firm but not painful, and she looked at him with keen interest. The Quiet One. She should have amassed that sooner.

She noticed that two medics were chatting quietly between themselves as the taller Stormtrooper aimed his blaster at her head. "Any funny business and I blast your head off, girl," he warned seriously.

She didn't react to his threat—there was no point in trying and pull anything anyway. Not yet at least. Even if she had to see Ren again, this chance to explore the base more was too invaluable to pass. She needed to escape as soon as possible and she couldn't mess it up by upsetting an antsy Stormtrooper. She also couldn't afford to waste any energy she still had left.

Her shoulder felt pleasantly numb, and while her fever had gone down in mere minutes, she could still feel illness lingering in her veins. Just like the medic said, it was far from a permanent solution. It was simply to take the edge off before she had to see Kylo Ren again.

Two Stormtroopers ushered her out of her cell, leaving the medics behind as they lead her through an endless maze of corridors. Her eyes flickered like mad across all the paths, memorizing as much as she could but even for her it was difficult.

Starkiller Base was literally a maze. An endless, dark maze and she knew immediately that she would need more time to study the layout. One limited walk—two, if she counted the backwards trip—were not going to be enough. Grinding her teeth together in ire, she allowed the Quiet One drag her across another dark corridor before they stopped in front of a dark automatic door.

The metal slid open with a quite hiss and she was ushered in the room with urgency that spoke of fear. Fear of Kylo Ren. Fear of what he would do if he was displeased with them.

She felt a sharp shove forward, and her eyes swirled towards the taller Stormtrooper. She knew that if they hadn't taken all of her weapons away, her dagger would be buried in his neck right now. He shifted backwards a little as if finally remembering what she was capable of, but before she could say anything to him the Quiet One nudged her forward and sat her down on a large chair.

They then moved to stand on opposite sides of the room, both keeping her in their line of sight as she glanced around the room. Just like every nook and cranny of this base, it was dark, almost miserably so. Funnily enough, she couldn't help but to think that the sheer darkness of every corner reflected the man who prowled the corridors of this base on daily basis.

She was seated behind a long table that was cut from beautiful dark granite, and her chair—while undoubtedly beautiful—was incredibly uncomfortable for her sore muscles. She could feel faint tremor in her legs from the little walking trip she just did. Hunger twisting her stomach grotesquely, making her realize just how weak she had grown over the last few days.

Then door at the opposite side of the room hissed open and Kylo Ren himself flew into the room like a dark storm. His dark robes billowed from the speed of his movement, his hood absent, but his helmet still gleaming proudly around his head. His gait was odd though. The last time she saw him he was almost ridiculously controlled, but this time he stomped into the room—something angry and unstable in every step he took. Another two Stormtroopers rushed in the room behind him, taking their positions before Kylo sat himself down on the chair opposite to her.

Her dark gaze focused on him before door on her side of the room hissed open once again and two attendants rushed into the room. At first she had no idea what was happening before plates were hurriedly placed around her, the fresh scent of food filling the room. Her stomach twisted violently at the smell, he throat closing up when she glanced down to see fresh soup placed before her with a main course and dessert waiting as well. It looked just as delicious as it smelled and her hands trembled briefly from strain. She wanted to devour it all one gulp but she forcefully pushed herself to sit back, her angry gaze sliding back to man before her.

Sick bastard. He was probably going to enjoy seeing her struggle after five days of complete starvation.

"Eat."

It wasn't a request.

She stared at him blankly, her gaze sullen. It took every last shred of self-control to not devour the food before her. Her glare sharpened with every second he continued waiting for her to finally break down and submit.

For at least five minutes neither of them spoke. She noticed Stormtroopers begin shifting awkwardly in their positions, clearly uncomfortable with the palpable tension in the room.

"As you wish," he finally conceded. "Feel free to indulge at any time though. I assure you that it's not poisoned."

She was going to kill him, oh yes. Him and Hux. Both of them. Very slowly, very painfully. She was going to take her sweet time with them. She had no idea when or how, but it was going to happen.

"I must admit, I'm impressed," he spoke after another pause. "Five days of no food or medical assistance. I expected to hear you begging after day three, but according to my soldiers you didn't make a sound."

The low, mechanical distortion of his voice unsettled her almost as much as it set her nerves on edge. Hearing him "complementing" her was even worse. There was too much silk wrapped around his words—so much of it in fact—that his words sounded almost truthful. But she recognized his verbal maneuvering for it was. A dangerous yet thrilling little game.

Two could play at this game though.

She licked her cracked lips slowly, her eyes locked on the dark space where his should be, "I never would have thought that Master of Ren would be so quick to underestimate people."

A slow breath, perhaps surprised. "A mistake, clearly."

"Clearly."

"Although a doubt that is not entirely unfound," he spoke lowly. "If assessment the medics have provided me with is anything to go by."

They did say it was bad, but Kylo's words made her realize that it was probably even worse than she suspected. He appeared calm though, a bit too calm for her comfort. His temper was legendary. He was known for it. She thought he would be at least a little irritated by her resilience. And although she felt anger in him when he entered the room, now his icy power seemed more like a slumbering beast; calm and peaceful, but ready to pounce at moment's notice.

"I've had worse," she finally choked out, her voice rough from lack of use, and her bruised cheek throbbing each time she spoke. "I'm no stranger to pain."

"I'm very aware," was his immediate and sharp response, almost as if he was waiting for an opening like this. "A brief glimpse into your memories proved to be rather fascinating. All that pain and suffering…"

Every muscle in her body stiffened. Her expression turned to pure ice, and her fists curled gently into loose fists, something hot and familiar stirring in her chest. This was not a conversation she wanted to have. Nor would she ever.

Kylo's head turned slightly to one side as he leaned forward—like a poisonous snake ready to strike.

"The woman…" he began, "She was your mother, correct? She was very beautiful. She died didn't she? To save you perhaps? Something very terrible happened to you when you were younger."

"Don't."

Her voice was pure ice and fury. There was a low buzz in her ears as she curled tighter into herself. His body seemed to curl with hers as she felt his scorching stare concentrating on her despite her warning.

"Yes, something very terrible. Something that twisted you beyond any recognition," he said with unhurried deliberateness, carefully assessing every single twist of her jaw and tremble of her frame. She could feel her shoulder starting to ache again, but her fury was overpowering every other emotion, slowly pushing her to that dark corner of her mind she only ever visited once before. "Type of rage I have never felt before."

If he didn't shut up right this second, she would reteach him the definition of the word rage.

"But what about the girl with golden hair?" he asked smoothly and she jerked in her seat as if physically struck. "Your little sister, I assume. So much love from those memories. So very much. But then nothing but pain and blood. Did she die too? Did you hold her cold, dead body, I wonder. Are you completely alone in this universe, little bird?"

It felt like something snapped deep inside her chest.

One moment she was sitting with her head bowed, her breath ragged as she clenched her hands till her fingers ached. Next moment her vision was red, and the blunt serving knife in the far corner of the table was in her hand and soaring through the air straight at Kylo Ren's throat.

Few things happened simultaneously. Muscles in her shoulder cramped at the sudden movement, making a searing hot pain slash through her body as she grasped onto her now bleeding wound, blood pooling around her palm. The four Stormtroopers present in the room all immediately aimed their blasters at her with clear intent to end her. And lastly, the knife she had thrown in her rage froze midair as if held up by an invisible string. Only a few inches from Kylo Ren who sat calmly in his seat.

He stopped a knife thrown at him without so much as twisting a muscle.

"Stand down." he ordered coldly, and blasters were immediately lowered at his command.

She gasped in pain as blood ran down her arm, her body half collapsing against the dining table in her agony. Her hands shook violently as she tried to stop the blood flow. For few moments she was a shaking mess before she managed to push the pain back and raise her head, sweat covering her skin, her lips trembling from strain.

"At long last," he remarked coolly, "I was beginning to think that I had a spineless idiot at my table and not the Wraith."

He released his grip on the knife still hovering between them and it clattered loudly on the table. She stared at him with something close to shock as his power slowly grumbled around her as a reminder of what he was capable of.

"Don't look so surprised," he said with something close to frustration in his voice. "This would have been a complete waste of my time if you hadn't tried and kill me at least once."

Why wasn't he angry? Why wasn't he taking out his lightsaber and slicing her in half or crushing her bones with the Force till they were nothing but dust?

It was almost like—

Oh Gods—

No. She never even considered the possibility. But she should have.

He told her to consider his proposition of joining the First Order, but he was also considering her.

Because nothing—absolutely nothing—since the moment she was caught was a punishment, or torture of any kind. It was a test. This whole thing was nothing more than a goddamn test.

To see how quickly she would break. See what made her tick, where her weaknesses laid, what it would take to push her over the edge.

Give her no food and no medicine for five days, watch her get worse and wait each day to see if she was going to break down and beg for help. Place food in front of her to see if she would give in to temptation and fear. Drive venomous words straight into her blackened heart to see what would make her lose her sense.

And now he knew her weakness. He knew that he could use every memory of her mother and sister against her. How very easy she had made this for him. Too easy. Because she never considered the fact that he might be interested in what dwelled in her head beyond the superficial matters.

"Type of rage I have never felt before."

Her rage saved her from being executed by Hux before—all because Kylo took some sick interest in it.

"Are you completely alone in this universe, little bird?"

Or perhaps it wasn't random chance at all. Perhaps he saw something in her that he recognized too well in himself and wanted to tear apart her defenses to see if he was right.

A volatile mix of emotions swelled in her chest at that thought. He wanted to see just how twisted she could be? He would not like the end result.

She felt the Force stir around him as he exhaled softly, "If you allow that rage to guide you, it will take you far."

Make your heart steel.

She straightened, realizing that she must have looked like a frenzied animal ready to pounce. Her blood was still hot against her hand as pushed brutally against the wound to slow down the bleeding. She forced her expression into blankness, her dark gaze still locked onto Kylo's still frame.

For a long moment she was silent, simply gazing at his mask, silently wondering what kind of man hid behind that horrifying thing. Was there anything human even left behind that mask? She doubted it.

"Maybe, maybe not," she responded warily and she could hear something equally as dark and cold in her voice as she could in his. She chose not to linger on that thought. "But you will not be the one to show it to me."

He suddenly grew all around her like he was filling every corner of the room they were in. She felt something hot and fierce press all around her, almost chocking her in its intensity. Her first thought was that he was trying to get inside her head again, but she knew what that felt like, and this was something else entirely.

Then with a sudden rush she knew exactly what it was. It was his anger; his rage, and it felt delicious.

In a span of few seconds he went from sitting calmly behind a table to standing on his feet, aggression plastered on every inch of his body. Stormtroopers shifted cautiously as if fearing the worst, but she simply kept her eyes fixed on him.

Two can play at this game you bastard, she thought indignantly.

He turned sharply and was already halfway out of the room when his words reached her ears, "Get that wound bandaged, then give her another week," his words were a snarl of anger as he disappeared. She felt his power go with him and it was suddenly easier to breath.

One of the Stormtroopers' grabbed her arm, twisting it painfully as he started leading her back to her cell, but she did not care.

Even with her wound bandaged, she was not going to last another week. She knew her limits and if she wanted to run she had no choice but to do it soon. She was weakened. But she was not a weakling. She could still wreck havoc. She could still escape.

Her time was running out, and dead or alive, she was going to get out of Starkiller Base.

AN: First of all, a big thank you to everyone who read/favorited/alerted/reviewed chapter one. You guys were super encouraging and I'm lucky to have you as my readers. I hope this chapter did not disappoint since we got to see some manipulative Kylo Ren come out and play. It seems like I'm only capable of writing him at 2am in the morning and dead tired. Funny that.

Review Replies:

sonsofdurin: Four years?! Holy moly, that's so long! It boggles my mind to think that I've been on this site for so long (despite my often spotty activity), but thank you so much for sticking with me for so long! It's completely overwhelming.

LoveToTheFandoms: Thank you very much. Every single time someone says that they enjoy my writing I get the silliest smile on my face!

Fragile Dream: Your review just...wow. I was blushing and blubbering like an idiot in a middle of a cafe with my parents staring at me like I was crazy. Thank you so much for writing that review, it was definitely inspiring. Also, while I'm not against Reylo, I can't say that I ship it either. Rey's character was a tiny bit too perfect for my taste as well, although I did like her overall. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only Kylo Ren trash around though! He's just so wonderfully complex...

JolieFolie: Kylo and Hux are my two trashy children and I love them. This story is going to have plenty of them both. Hahaha. :)

Susan Drakian: *cries* *hugs you* *cries some more*

Blue Eyes At Night: Well I like Reylo, but I don't love it. And neither Rey nor Phasma would have worked well enough in the context of this story. So OC was the next natural choice - besides I love writing/creating OC characters, they're always so much fun.

A big thank you also to: SaintsFan1, Lola, NanamiYatsumaki, Jay, bbjay, Goddes of Mischief, alpha wolfstar, Guest, sarahmichellegellarfan1, CaptainAmericanna. Thank you all so much for your support. *smothers you all in love*

AUTHOR'S QUESTION: Do you guys think that at this point in time Kylo is getting a redemption arc in the next two films, or do you think he's going full-on dark and destroying everything in his path? I've been thinking/talking about this with all my friends and I was wondering what you guys thought.

See you all soon!

A.