Do You Believe In Aliens? [Kylo Ren x Reader]

25- Goodbye for now

The first time your feet touch the ground, you hold your breath. The base is as same as before, people walking to and from, busy hands working on ships, officers brush past with belts full of blasters. You watch from the bushes, feeling the greenery brush your cheek, and Kylo stands beside you. 

"Organa will see you, you understand your mission?"

You nod, and look up at Kylo. He's wearing his mask, and one hand is gripped tightly around the hilt of his lightsabre. You can tell he is anxious to leave you, but you assure him you'll be fine.

"I'll miss you." You say quietly, half-hoping he won't hear it.

"You won't be gone long, I'll give you a few weeks to gain their trust, then I'll be back for you." He puts a hand on your shoulder, "In the meantime, I'll write to you, I expect regular updates."

You feel your chest tighten. He'll write to you? You wonder if that's strictly business, or something more. Kylo takes the hand from your shoulder and tilts your chin up to look at him.

"Don't disappoint me." He says, "You should go now, while it's quiet."

The sun hits you once you step out from the forest, and you turn to look back at Kylo. He's stood there, black robes against green flora, and he lifts his hand- the closest thing you'll get to a wave goodbye. You've practiced your lines, you know what to say and when to say it, Kylo was thorough in teaching you on your way there. You begin to fake-stumble across the concrete towards the door, gaining the attention of some of the people working nearby. 

"That's them," They whisper, "The prisoner."

"Someone get the general!" One says, already aiming their blaster at you. 

You raise your hands in surrender, just as you were told to. You take one last look back where Kylo was stood, but he's already gone. The Resistance hands are firm and unforgiving as you're led inside. People watch from doorways and around corners as you walk limply. You were told not to put up a fight, to be accepting of whatever they did to you. The Resistance would not harm you seriously, Kylo assured you of that, but they could be forceful when they needed to be- they were by no means pacifists. You hiss in pain as one jabs their blaster a little too far into your spine, and you tense when they pull at you too harshly, but their grip is relentless all the while. You walk helplessly to wherever they're taking you, but you wish silently that Kylo could be here with you.

~~~~~~~~

General Organa smiles when she lays eyes on you. Tea is poured and you sit in a chair across from her. You're in a room full of computers and holograms depicting maps and coordinates and blueprints. It reminds you of the bridge, but there are no windows to show the stars. You sip at your tea and watch the General as she observes you carefully.

"You're back." She says, "Why?"

"Because Kylo Ren is a monster. You were right. After I escaped, I watched him kill your people, and I couldn't stand it, so I jumped  from his ship while it was still low to the ground." It was a lie, most of it. But you had rehearsed it so many times it almost felt real. You wiped your eyes, brushing away tears that weren't there. The General hummed.

"Where have you been then?"

"In the forest, I got lost for a while. I'm sorry General, for the trouble I've caused you."

"It hurt me, too, when I found out what my son had become. And I while I tried to warn you, I suppose it still hurts you now."

"It does. But I had to get away from him, and I have nowhere else to go."

The General looked down into her cup, recollection seemed to flash in her eyes.

"Where is your home?"

"Earth. I don't know where exactly that is though."

"I understand how you feel, my home planet was destroyed, and now you are far away from yours with seemingly no hope of getting back. You must feel empty without your home."

You nod, and you can see the professional stern face of the General melt away.

"Are you willing to join the Resistance? I can give you a place to stay, but I have to know you're loyal to the cause."

"I am. Kylo Ren must be stopped. I realise that now."

The General stands, and her hand reaches out to you. You take it, expecting a handshake, but the woman pulls you in for a hug. She is warm, and her arms are tight around you. You smile, genuinely this time, 

"Thank you General."

~~~~~~~~

Your room is better than the cell you were in before, but it is nowhere near as luxurious as the sleek black quarters on the ship. You sit on your bed and it groans, making you stand up again. The window is small and doesn't open, the wardrobe is creaky and small, though you have nothing to put in there anyway. You're still in your First Order clothes, and the sight of you scares many of the people you pass. Organa promised to find you something to wear, and told you to settle in first. You look around your room and sigh. At least you're not locked in, you think, opening the door and wandering out. The communal showers are supposedly just down the hall, next to the toilet block. You try to avoid eye contact with anyone walking by, embarrassed by how different you must look to them. Your black clothes are a sign of who you were- who you still are, and while the General may believe your story, many others clearly do not. 

The showers drip with cold water, echoing out in the empty room. Everyone must shower at the same time, because the place is desolate. There are two long benches, surrounded by stalls with curtains. You undress, leaving your clothes on the bench before pulling back a damp, thin curtain and stepping into the stall. The water that drips from the showerhead is icy cold, and it takes several moments for the sputtering water to become even lukewarm. You step under the spray nonetheless, trying to imagine you're back on the ship, in your private bathroom with hot water and a plethora of soaps to choose from (Kylo had brought several kinds when he first gave you the room because he wanted to make sure there was at least one you liked). Here, the soap, shampoo and conditioner come in white bottles labeled in a plain, black text. It was the same for everybody, which made you wonder how many people went without proper haircare. The stuff is cheap, and smells like chemicals. You think about if you're washing with the same stuff they use to wash the plates, and the thought doesn't surprise you. 

When you step out of the shower, you're jumpsuit has been removed, replaced with a towel, a beige shirt and black jeans with a belt. The clothes aren't a perfect fit, but when you walk out of the showers, still drying your hair with the towel, people pay you no mind, and you can walk back to your room without drawing the attention of everyone in a 10-metre radius. 

Back inside, you look out of the window. Your room faces the forest, and you can see a bird-like creature hopping from branch to branch, it stops for a moment and you swear it looks right at you before flying off into the distance. You turn away and go out again to look for the General

"Could I have some paper and a pen please?" You ask.

Organa nods, "Of course, here," She hands you a notebook and a pen from her desk. 

You sit back on your bed, pen and paper in hand, and begin to write.