THE HUNT

Thirty Four

"Give them the order to stand down unless I signal otherwise." Kylo says, not looking towards me. He hasn't spared me a glance since last night's outburst. I nod, turning and lifting my hand in a gesture I learned from my time undercover as a stormtrooper.

The troops don't know who I am. They know I follow Kylo around to everything, but they know nothing of me.

But they follow my orders without question.

Or rather, without audible question. I know that plenty of the First Order's soldiers know that what they do is wrong. Most of them don't see a way out. The others don't care.

Kylo, I need to tell you something. I think, hoping that he's listening. I haven't had the chance to speak to him about Hux's admission. He wasn't in his room when I went to see him after the General left.

"How important is it?" He asks. I feel no emotion in his words, which is weird. I almost always experience some form of feeling from him.

Pretty important.

"It can wait."

    I roll my eyes under my helmet, but say nothing else.

"Supreme Leader, their ship has touched down half a mile from here, in the forest." The same Lieutenant from when Kylo offered me his legion steps up, helmet tucked under his arm as he gestures to the east. "When should we begin the advance?"

"We don't." He says, staring the trooper down. "They'll come to us. Send a transmission and tell them that we're waiting."

"Sir-"

"Just do it." Kylo snaps. The man stiffens, nodding.

"Yes sir." He salutes, then turns on his heel and strides back into the ship. I bite my lip, hesitating to say something. I decide against it as I notice his gloves flexing in and out of fists.

He's anxious. I realize

"No I'm not." He shoots back in my mind. My face burns. I didn't mean for him to hear me, which is often the case.

Sorry.

He doesn't reply, and I don't mind. I fight to keep my feet steady, resisting the urge to rock back and forth on my heels.

General Organa. I let my mind wander, not caring if he hears. I always looked up to her, and now we're on opposite sides of this war. I turn, hearing shouting from behind us. Poe and his friend are being dragged roughly from the ship, their protests unaddressed.

They have cloths knotted over their eyes and the stormtroopers holding them shove gags between their lips, tying them tightly behind their heads. I step away from Kylo, who doesn't protest as I gesture for the soldiers to push them to their knees in front of us, so they're the first thing, other than us, that the Resistance sees when they get past the edge of the forest we're facing.

Suddenly, after what seems like an eternity of waiting, Kylo unhooks the lightsaber from his belt, handing it to me. I take it hesitantly.

"What's this for?" I ask quietly.

"To show that I have no intent of attacking without provocation." I nod, hooking it to my own belt.

"What do I do? While this is all going on, I mean."

"Just stand there." He shifts on his feet as several figures emerge from the forest's edge. It's too soon to make out who leads the troupe, but I can only assume that Kylo's mother is at the front.

    As they approach, I find myself searching for a familiar face.

    No. Imrie's face.

    Kylo offers me the first glance since last night, eyes narrowing slightly.

    "Don't get distracted, Hunter."

    Of course not. I lift my chin as they stop twenty feet away from us.

    "Ben," General Organa steps closer, eyes uneasy. "Thank you for agreeing to this meeting."

    "Talking was never a part of this deal." He snaps, hand reaching for the absent weapon on his belt, the action almost habitual. Her gaze follows his gesture, then slides to where the saber rests with me. Kylo watches the girl standing beside his mother carefully. "Rey." He stretches a hand towards her. She glares at him, but takes a step forward.

    "Rey?" Finn struggles against his bindings. I hadn't realized that his gag fell. I kick him in the back, and he falls on his face. "What's going on?" The girl says nothing, taking the Supreme Leader's hand. Immediately, the stiffness in his shoulders softens as she takes her place next to him. Kylo steps back, letting several Resistance members scramble forward and drag the prisoners forward. I roll my hands into fists at the hypocrisy of it all.

They never did this for me. My heart aches and I step behind Kylo, awaiting instructions.

He ignores me, eyes on Rey. I turn to walk back towards the stormtroopers, but a sudden pain in my right arm stops me. I cry out, finally gaining Ren's attention. He shoves Rey back, moving to grab his lightsaber, but it's still on my belt. He reaches out a hand, and the hilt flies into his hand just in time to block the bright blade of her own saber.

I crumple to one knee, holding my arm for a moment before turning to see a stormtrooper with his blaster trained on me.

After I was shot the first time, Kylo made my entire set of armour blasterproof. I lift my chin, stepping towards him. The other troopers have their blasters angled at him, awaiting orders. I grit my teeth.

    "Take him!" I snap. Immediately, a trooper steps forward to restrain him, armour muddy.

    It shouldn't be muddy.

    I take a glance back at Kylo before giving the order for the stormtroopers to engage with the Resistance soldiers. The muddy trooper leads the one who shot at me back up the ship's ramp, not looking towards the battle. I grit my teeth, following him silently once he disappears. I slowly draw my sword, just barely able to duck and dodge the shot fired at me. Both troopers have their helmets off, and I pause.

    "Imrie?"