Chapter Five: Decision

Three excruciatingly long days passed with no change in Constance's circumstances. No one had come to interrogate her, or check on her, or anything between. It was peaceful…. And maddening. Footsteps and food trays had been her only company, leaving her stomach in knots, unable to eat without being sick. She had been able to swallow back the bile thankfully, but nothing else had touched her insides since she had been taken from home.

Her body felt sluggish and drained of all energy, probably a side effect from malnourishment. Her mind was equally fuzzy, unable to form a completely coherent thought. She had been able to drag herself to use the fresher, but barely. She laid on the floor, noticing her vision start to fade in and out, almost like a hologram.

Maybe her suffering wouldn't be prolonged. Maybe she would pass away peacefully in her sleep.

One could hope, at least.

She softly whispered a song from her childhood, one that she and her father used to sing together.

"Minutes turn to hours, days to years then gone. But when all else has been forgotten, still our song lives on."

Maybe somewhere her father would feel her singing to him, and perhaps he could come for her. She drifted to sleep with that sole thought to cling to.

Troopers posted outside the Everdine girl's room had been sending him troubling reports for the past couple of days. She hadn't been taking food, which was something that needed to be closely monitored. When the captives were displayed to the Galactic Council through the holofeed, none of them needed to appear neglected. This plan to gain control of the Senate was shaky enough, not to mention incidents that could destroy the whole plan, such as this.

Kylo was sure that Hux had received the same reports as him, but there were nothing to show that the issue had been addressed. One course of action would yield immediate results, but Kylo once again hated having to perform the dirty work of others.

Pulling on his helmet with a bit more force than necessary, Kylo marched down to the prisoners' quarters, finding cell block thirteen. He could feel her signature resonating through the durasteel door, although it had diminished drastically. The girl was feeling the effects of isolation; depression had taken a strong hold within a short amount of time. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, Kylo opened the door and strode in, closing the door behind him.

The girl was lying on the floor, looking pale and lethargic. Her eyes were unfocused, limbs folded against her body to keep out the warmth. The curls he'd spent the last couple of nights dreaming about were spread across the floor in a matted mess. She looked horrible, and he'd wager she felt as bad as she appeared.

"Girl." His voice, as deep as commanding as it was, still wasn't enough to rouse her. "It's time to get up." Again, not the slightest bit of movement. "You're no good to anyone dead. Stop being dramatic and eat!" After biting back his initial wave of anger, Kylo lowered himself to the floor and addressed the prone figure.

"Do you want to die?" When he received no response, Kylo stood and started to walk toward the door.

"I… don't know anymore." He turned and looked back at the girl. She had sat up and turned her gaze toward him, no longer appearing afraid, but rather dejected. "I don't want to live like this."

"If you wish to be returned to your family, then you must cooperate." The girl nodded slowly, as though she were processing what he was trying to say. Kylo had seen enough and felt that it was time to go. The desired effect had been reached, and just as he was about to touch the handle, an eerie voice from behind him started to speak.

"The First Order will not see this plan come to fruition." Kylo spun and looked for the source, finding nothing but the girl. Her eyes glowed bright silver as she spoke, almost as though she were seeing through him.

"General Hux's plan will fail as the Senate refuses the ransom, and you will be left to pick up the pieces, Kylo Ren." He felt a shiver go down his spine at the sound of this girl saying his name. "Prepare yourself for a new ward, as well as an unforeseen path in your future." Her eyes closed and she swayed on the spot. Kylo ran over and caught her just before her head touched the floor, laying her down gently.

Leaving the girl on the floor, he took off out of the room and straight for the Supreme Leader's quarters. There was no way this could be written off, even if it seemed a bit fantastical.

Constance woke an hour later to a throbbing headache, as well as a small plate of new food. A single protein muffin and cup of water were waiting for her. Mulling over Kylo's words from earlier, she knew that her best chance for survival was to play along. Thinking of being reunited with her family once more, she took a small bite of the muffin, feeling her stomach turn over in protest. This was going to be a long and painful process.

Being in the same room with someone as self-righteous as General Hux was an experience all its own, but considering the two of them were being called for the same situation, Kylo could feel a bit less annoyance. He had taken care of one of the flaws in Hux's big plan himself, which was sure to earn him at least a bit of praise.

"How many of the daughters were we able to obtain, General?" The Supreme Leader's breathing was labored as he spoke; he seemed to be experiencing quite a bit of pain today. Snoke's injuries cast deep shadows in the small amount of light shining through the room, reminding Kylo of how much his master had suffered to obtain the power he now commanded.

"Four, Supreme Leader. Some of the girls were able to evade our troops once they figured out what was happening." Snoke's upper lip snarled in disgust.

"There was supposed to be a more successful headcount before we approached the Senate. How can you assure me victory now, General Hux?" The redhead squirmed in place, clearly nervous about his damaged plan.

"Numbers are not the only reliable factor in this equation. Fathers are protective of their daughters, and that will aid us, even if there are few to be used."

"We shall see if this proves to be true. One week from today, we will host a teleconference presenting the Senate with our bait. The repercussions fall on you, General." Kylo watched as Hux started to sweat profusely from beneath his hat. "You are dismissed, Armitage." Once the room was only occupied by the two of them, Snoke spoke more smoothly. "You have news, Kylo. Do share." The younger man gulped, not sure what his message would bring.