THE HUNT

Twenty Five

    "Did you two make up?" Bazzra asks, pulling Vicrul out of his seat, ignoring his protests as she takes his place. I shrug.

    "I had a change of heart." I glance at Ren's empty chair at the head of the table. We've been waiting for him to arrive for some time, and the food feels to be growing cold. The steam is beginning to cool, and his mug of alcohol is untouched.

    I see Ushar eyeing it, though.

    Then, I jump as the door slides open and Ren strides in, jaw tight. The chatter ceases immediately, and he slumps into his seat.

    "Don't stop on my behalf." He grumbles, waving his hand. "And eat. I've told you a million times that it's alright to dine without me." A moment passes before they begin to talk again. Bazzra shouts across the table to Massif, who shouts back. I focus my attention on my plate, but feel eyes on me. I look up, seeing Ren studying me. "Not hungry?"

    "No, I am." I promise.

    "Then eat." He raises his mug, taking a drink. He makes a face, and I snort. He shoots me an incredulous look. "What's funny?"

    "Different kind of booze?" I ask. He shakes his head.

    "It's not alcohol. I remember that it made you nervous last time I drank." He says in my mind. "I'd rather you be comfortable than consume something that will probably end up killing me one day." There's amusement, but also a tone of genuinity.

    Thank you. I think. That's very considerate.

    "Are you two speaking in your minds?" Bazzra leans over, a toothy, fanged grin tearing across her face. "What about?"

    "Bazzra, don't lean over Hunter." Ren says smoothly. She pulls away with a laugh.

    "Massif has been trying to get your attention, Ren." She gestures to the girl sitting across from her, who glares at him with her arms crossed. Ren sighs.

    "How can I help you, Massif?"

    "I'm still concerned about your new friend." She gestures to me, refusing to use the name she knows I have. "She has no right to dine with the Knights of Ren."

    "She is not a Knight of Ren," The Supreme Leader says. "But she is part of this now." He nods to me. Then he stiffens, making a sound of contempt as the doors slide open, and in strides the man Ren makes a point of threatening any time he can. "General Hux." He snaps. "How many times-"

    "There's a rebel presence on the ship." He grits, expression softening as his gaze catches on me. "We've managed to capture him, but I fear there are more."

    "And once again you have interrupted my dinner to inform me of a situation that is un-" He shoots to his feet, chair falling backwards as he throws out his hand. A blaster shot freezes inches from my face. I nearly fall out of my chair, breath catching in my throat. With his other hand, he uses that power to pull a vent covering from the ceiling. A man falls from it, but before he can hit the floor, he stops in the air, hovering above the ground. He gasps, hands flying to his throat.

    Ren stalks towards the man, jaw clenched. The blaster shot changes direction and slams into the wall. I stand, heart racing.

    I recognize him.

    We trained together in the Resistance. To be spies and infiltrate the Order.

    But he wasn't assigned.

    "Supreme Leader, I can escort her back to he-" Ren holds up a finger, which quiets the general fairly quickly.

    "She stays." He doesn't turn from the spy, who still struggles to breathe. "Leave, Hux." He orders. "Everyone but Ushar and Hunter, too." The Knights of Ren stand, pulling their helmets on and gathering their weapons. Bazzra grabs two extra rolls of bread, tucking them into her robe. She lifts a finger to her lips with a grin before fastening her mask over her face. She bounces from the room, lekku trailing behind her. Ren drops the man, who immediately lunges towards me. I step to the side, kicking him in the back. Guilt tears through me.

    Give me a cause, and I will fight for it.

    The man rises to his feet, and Ushar grabs the collar of his black stormtrooper body glove, pushing him against the wall roughly.

    "Who are you?" The Knight demands.

    "His name is Marcellus." I say, knowing that he won't volunteer the information himself. "We grew up together." I step forward. He doesn't meet my gaze. "Why are you doing this, Marc?" He doesn't say anything, which is expected. I turn to Ren. "He was trained the same way as me." I tell him. "He won't break."

    "Let Ushar have his fun, sweetheart." He rests his hand on my lower back, stooping to speak lowly into my ear. "It's not every day he gets a challenge like this." He keeps his eyes on Marc, who watches us carefully.

    "Hunter." Ushar doesn't turn. "Have you ever been stabbed?" I scoff. Of course I have. I was tortured for months.

    "Yeah. Several times."

    "Marcellus, have you ever been stabbed?" The man refuses to meet Ushar's gaze. After a moment, the Knight slams Marc's head into the wall he's pushed up against. "Have you ever been stabbed?" He asks slowly, each word clipped.

    "N-no."

    Are you kidding me? I frown.

    "What is it?" Ren asks in my mind.

    I spent months without saying a word, and he starts talking right away.

    "You're strong."

    No, Ren. He's strong too. There's something off about this.

    "Sweetheart, I'm sure it-" He pauses, and my mind goes silent. After a moment, he grabs my waist, pulling me tight to him. I gasp, moving to push him away, but the ship shakes violently, throwing Ushar and Marc to the ground.

    Once the ship stops shaking, Ren lets me go, looking away as he clears his throat. Behind him, I see Marcellus rise, standing above Ushar, who seems to be dazed. He takes one of the detonators off of Ushar's bandolier, activating it.

    "Ren." I grab his arm.

    "My mission is more important than my life." The Resistance fighter says, holding the bomb close to his chest. Ren uses his invisible power to pull Ushar across the floor. The beeping stops for a moment, and I grab Ren's hand.

    Instead of the heat and pain I expect as I shut my eyes, I hear Marc's scream as Ren captures the blast with his power until only his charred corpse and the blackened floor remain. Ren pulls me close, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as Ushar collects himself.

    "Are you okay?" He asks, eyes gentle. I nod, and he does the same. "Good." He glances to Ushar. "Come. Let's find out what just happened."