Manipulation (Kylo x Reader)

Chapter 16 - Home

That night, when I couldn't sleep, I got dressed and left Kylo's quarters aboard his flagship.

Trudgen and Ap'lek were on duty. I walked past them, but Ap fell into step behind me.

Glancing over my shoulder, I debated telling him to stay, but figured he would come anyway, so I remained quiet. They found themselves in this position occasionally; Kylo or I would insist on being alone, but the Knights had standing orders from the other to remain with them at all times. We were never without at least one Knight. I trusted them to protect Kylo when I could not, and Kylo trusted them to protect me.

Plus, Ap has been by my side for almost a year now.

I walked into the cockpit, and to my satisfaction, Ap sat in the co-pilot seat without commenting on where we were going.

The flight began to get rough, and it took both of us working fast and in sync to be able to keep the ship up. It took way longer than I'd anticipated, but finally, we made it to where our troops had marked.

I'd never seen anything like it. I hit record on the ship and flew slowly through the green dust—dust that we did indeed have samples of, thanks to Lieutenant Joff and his squad.

I closed my eyes and reached out as much as possible, but felt nothing. No Palpatine, no survivors at all.

"Do you feel anything, Ap?"

"No my lady." Ap was the quietest of the group. He rarely spoke, and I rarely heard his thoughts. But I felt his discomfort. I sighed, then began moving the ship slowly around.

"I want him to be gone, I want to believe it."

"Me too," he said.

"I don't even feel the dark energy."

"Me either. The only thing I feel in this system is you."

I tried again, and again, reaching out for anything or anyone. We stayed for almost three hours, searching with our eyes and our feelings. There wasn't even debris. I didn't know what I was looking for. A sign that he wasn't gone? Proof that he was? A battleship still lurking? Whatever it was, it didn't look like I'd be finding it.

"You said he had a whole fleet. Did they all have planet destroying capabilities?"

"It appeared that way."

"How did he build it?"

I shook my head. "When it as destroyed, I felt them die. Thousands of people."

"How did that many people go missing without being noticed? Luke's report made it sound like the planet wasn't habitable."

I looked at him, my thoughts racing.

"Snoke, perhaps. It would have been easy for him to help. But also, he began this while he was still alive. Many, if not all of them, were Sith cultists." He nodded, gazing back out into the chaos.

I sighed. "Should we head back, Ap?" He nodded again.

We flew in silence, but I listened to him debate it in his head. He was following the same thought patterns I was.

"Ap?" I said after a while.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Thank you for your service."

"It is my pleasure," he said. I heard a small smile dancing on his lips. "Though, my life has gotten a bit less exciting." I chuckled, relaxing into my chair. I never did understand why he chose to stay with me—the one who rarely drew her saber—instead of Kylo.

"I don't have enough adventure for you, Ap? If I recall, we killed the Supreme Leader less than a year ago, and Palpatine less than a day ago."

He chuckled, making me smile.