Star Wars: 30 Years Later The Real Story - Chapter 5

Rey advanced as fast as she could to the origin of the sounds and after some minutes she saw the scene of a Teedo scavenger who was mounting a mechanic walker with two bodyguards who had captured an astromech droid who looked like an orange ball and who was trying to escape from a net that had been used to capture him.

– “Release him!”- she said while getting closer and calculating the distance in which would be better to attack if necessary. Broom had not only taught her to fight but to think analytically during battle.

The two bodyguards had machetes but only one of them had a laser gun. She could not see any gun on the Teedo scavenger but she ȧssumed that he had one and started to plan his tactics in case of a fight.

– “Dont get into this”- said one of the bodyguards getting in front of Rey- “we are just recovering our droid so get into your own bussiness.”

The small droid beeped furiously saying that it was not true and that they were not their owners. Rey analyzed the bodyguard and she knew that he was good so it was better to solve this without fighting.

– “He disagrees”- she said slowly circling them around and placing the sun on her back and getting a small high ground using a dune- “maybe I should say Unkar Plutt that some people are stealing other people’s properties.”

The trio shivered to her words. Unkar Plutt was very clear about stealing in his territory and even if they could convince him that the droid was theirs, they would have to pay a huge sum for wasting his time.

-“He’s a just droid”- said the Teedo scavenger- “why do you care?”

– “I just care”- she said with a confident voice- “I like that droid and I dislike you. Simple as that”

The three people looked at each other and were at loss of words when they heard Rey’s words. She simply disliked them and she was doing trouble only because of that. She was truly shameless.

– “So”- Rey said looking at the leader of the group- “how are we going to do this?”

– “I can also say to Unkar Plutt about this and say that you steal the droid from us”- the Teedo scavenger said. Two can play the same game.

– “Go ahead, I know the guy”- she said grinning in mockery at his words- “I work for “Blobfish” so let’s see who he believes more.”

The teedo scavenger was shocked when he heard about this. He was very good at finding people telling lies to him but the way she spoke was of absolute certainity and he could not find any sign of falsehood in her words. How could he be so unlucky. He had come from another post to try luck in this part of the planet and until now it had been a terrible quest with no profit. And then when he had found a practically new droid to sell, this crazy girl had just appeared trying to steal his property. He could not let this droid go so he would have to play hard. He signaled his thugs to get her but before they could even react, Rey had already moved extremely fast catching the first bodyguard by surprise.

– “This girl…”- said he trying to reach his gun but Rey used her quarterstaff to cover the distance between them and hit him on the forehead. He roared in pain but soon his voice was silenced when Rey gave him another hit on his belly and finished him and immediately followed with a circular swing to his jaw.

The bodyguard fell to the ground unconscious and the other two were so shocked that they could not react for some seconds. Rey did not lose a second and she ran towards the next threat who was the Teedo scavenger.

– “Block her” – said the scavenger while moving his hand to reach what Rey presumed was a gun so she tried to close the distance as fast as she could.

– “Wanna continue?”- said Rey recovering her breath- “Maybe I should just finish this and leave you here to rot and dissapear in the sand. I think I can sell the mechanic walker for a good price!”

Her voice was cold and showed not a tinge of doubt. The teedo scavenger and the bodyguard knew that she was serious and that a careless move would mean their end. The Teedo scavenger looked at this girl who seemed innocent and fragile but in his eyes she was the incarnation of death itself.

– “Ok! Ok! You win! you win!- shouted the Teedo scavenger in fury and frustration- “keep the stupid droid.”

Rey let the scavenger rise but she continue pointing at them. She also picked up the gun of the unconscious thug and moved her head to the other party to go. They picked up the other bodyguard and made him react. He was still dizzy and could only follow while swinging roght to left. The Teedo looked at Rey with great fury and wanted to shredded her into pieces but he knew he could only swallow this bitter pill and go before she changed her mind and take more of their possessions.

– “…”

Rey only lowered her gun when she saw that they were at a safe distance and then she sighed and watched the pistol on her hands. Broom had taught her how to use the quarterstaff but he had always rejected teaching her how to use guns. He hated these dishonorable toys who any idiot could use. She saw the thugs in the distance and she knew that it would have been safer to just kill them to avoid future problems but killing in cold blood was something that Broom had prohibited clearly to her many times.

– “Every life is precious Rey”- he has told her one night while resting after the traiing- “Remember that everyone has someone waiting for his return.”

– “So… I should never kill even when they attack me?”- asked Rey with a confused look

– “If you must kil to defend yourselfl, then you must do what you have to”- he said with a serious voice- “if you have no choice, then you must attack fiercely and decisively without giving them a chnge”

– “Then…?”

– “What I mean is that sometimes killing is unavoidable”- Broom looked at her eyes as if he wanted to imprint something- “However, you must never permit that the act of killing becomes natural or worse… something that makes you happy. If you allow that, you could lose yourself into the frenzy and lose your heart and soul. Power without control is just madness. Killing is something that is necessary but it must never be something that you feel proud of.”

She never understood completely since she had grown in Jakku which was a merciless and cruel place where people died every day and where the strong consumed the weak. She only understood when Broom died and she felt that sharp pain in her heart. He had died and he would never return… Rey would never speak to him again and she would never sparred or see that annoying grin that he used when they trained. She could never see those beautiful and kind silver eyes that she loved so much. Only then she understood his words…

– “Every life is precious”- she repeated feeling depressed once again- when a life is lost, there may be someone who cries and feels sad for that person… just like me…”

Since then, she was careful about taking lives and she would not do it easily. Of course, in Jakku it is impossible to have clean hands and she still had to do so when it was necessary, there are people who simply will not listen nor stop and who she had to put down for good but it was always the last resort and the few times she had to, all of them were evil people who had done terrible things, so her concience was clear.

– “Beep, beep, wiu wiu”- the small droid moved inside the net and Rey got near to it while putting away the laser gun and taking a dagger that she used to cut the net.

– “What are you doing her?- asked while working with the dagger.

– “Briun, beep, quank, beep”

– “Confidential, eh?”- said Rey smiling sarcastically and thinking that someone should be more grateful in front of their saviours- “Yeah, me too”

She finally freed the small droid and pointed in direction of the way it should go. Since the droid had confidential things to do, then it was better not to meddle on them since it could be problematic.

– “Niima post is over there”- she said and then she thought that she could give extra suggestions since it would be a waste that the droid was destroyed after being rescued- “Avoid Kelvin mountains and stay away from the quicksands or you’ll be under the sand forever.”

After these words, Rey just turned around and started to walk back to her house. It had been too much for a day and she just wanted to take a bath and sleep.

– “Piun, beep, gronk, grok, qik”- Rey saw behind her and she noticed the droid rolling some meters away from her.

– “Dont follow me”- she said with an annoyed voice- “The post is over there.”

– “Beep, beep, pweun, beep, wen”- replied the droid with what could be interpreted as a pleading voice.

– “No”- said Rey ignoring the pleads of the small droid and waling away. She had enough problems already to be taking care of extra baggage.

– “Win, beep beep, wowwww!”- pleaded BB8 while doing sounds similar to the purring of a cat.

Rey looked at BB8 and thought that since she had rescued the droid, it would be a waste if it were to get lost so she nodded and indicated the little droid to follow in an annoyed way.

– “Quiii, beep beep”- replied BB8 seeming very happy.

– “You’ll go by the morning”- she said with a serious voice.

– “Ben, piu”

– “You’re welcome.”- said Rey thinking that at least she would have company and someone to chat with until tomorrow when she will have to return to her monotonous and always waiting existance.

“…”

FN-2187 was extremely worried and he had good reasons. The previous day when he had returned from the mssion in Tuanul he felt very dizzy and felt his stomach would not resist anymore. He wanted to breathe, so he went to the back of an empty transporter and took out his helmet to have some fresh air. His breathing was accelerated and he could not calm down. The screams and the voices of the murdered people was still ringing in his head. His black skin was permeated by sweat and his eyes were injected with red veins that went all around his dark brown eyes which now seemed to be extremely terrified.

– “I need to get out of here”- he thought in panic- “but now the question is…”

– “FN-2187”- said a cold and strong voice behind him.

He turned to the voice in sw in horror that Captain Phasma was right there watching him with a blaster rifle in her hands. 2187 knew that she would kill him if he did any surprising move so he just lowered his head signaling his submission.

– “Submit your blaster for inspection”- she said with a calm voice as if she knew she had the absolute control over 2187.

– “Yes, Captain!”- replied 2187 trying to sound as natural as possible and begging so that Phasma did not guess his defection plans.

Just when Phasma seems to be on her way, she turned around and saw him again with a questioning gaze. 2187 gulped and knew immediately that something was wrong.

– “And who gave you permission to remove that helmet”- she asked calmly but 2187 knew that it was a serious matter. He only had permission to remove his armor in the barracks after returning the pieces to the store room.

– “I’m sorry, Captain”- he said trying to calm down his racing heart and his trembling. He had comitted a serious brea in the protocol and he did not need more problems than the ones he already had.

– “Report to my division at once!”- Phasma said and then she just turned around and went away.

– “Damn!”- 2187 sweared knowing that he was in big trouble.

The last time he had gone to the FN division was after he had disobeyed her orders. The FN division had multiple areas which include a medical and psychogical wings. There was a conference room where the FN corps discussed the strategy and tactics to use before a mission. The last time, 2187 had been checked physically and tested psychologically and he had been interrogated and questioned by an inspector who tried to make him notice the gravity of his actions and encouraged him to rectify himself and to make use of his talents in the name of the peace and order.

– “Welcome, FN-2187”- said a female nurse who received the people in the division- “please change your clothes in that room and prepare for the physical and psychological tests and please leave your blaster with me.”

2187 could only nod and gave his blaster to the nurse. After that he removed his armor, took a shower and changed his clothes and passedfor the tests. It was similar of what he experienced the last time, but this time he noticed that something was wrong. Staring from the attitude of the female nurse who took his blaster, she was very professional and composed and she even smiled to him, but her eyes were not smiling. They were showing contempt and even disgust and it was the same with the rest of staff that attended him. 2187 was very worried and his instinct was crying out in alarm, especially when the inspector did not show the same passion about using his talents for the First Order and gave him a short and apathetic counseling before letting him go.

– “Do your best”- he had just said but his tone showed very clearly that he did not really meant it.

He knew that they should have confirmed that he had made shots to destroy the starfighter turbines so his blaster would show those shots so there should be no problems but he knew that Phasma had been monitoring so she knew he had not shot the villagers. He could not sleep that night trying to think in a way to escape.

– “I need to do it in the next mission”- he thought while rolling on his bed being incapable of sleeping- “I have to run as soon as I get out of the transporter. I still have time… I need to create a good plan… I still have time…”

“The subject will be sent to reconditioning the day of tomorrow at 1700 hours, please be present at that time to start with the process.”

2187 gritted his teeth and knew that he had to escape now or he would just be erased. Reconditioning did not sound like something dangerous but 2187 knew better and he knew that that term was just a nice word that camouflaged the reality. When they said reconditioning meant that would play and reestructure his brain and conscience. They would brainwash him and break his spirit until he was a blank canvas where they could overwrite whatever they wanted to write. It was a long and dangerous process which made sure that the subject would become a perfect soldier that did not disobey orders under no circunstances, but the process would diminish the abilities of the subject which would have the same thinking process of a AD-W4 droid which was the reason why the First Order preferred not to do it.

– “It seems they have given up on me”- 2187 said while sweating and feeling that he had been condemned to death- “I have no time… I must act now!”

2187 got up and went to the armory to get an combat armor and a blaster. He was terrified and worried but he was trained to act under pressure and to take decisions in the heat of the moment. He would not go to the slaughter house like a ship, he would fight and for this he needed someone to help.

– “I need a pilot”- he thought while getting out to the hall in direction of the prison area- “and I know where to find one.”

“…”

Poe dameron had been interrogated and tortured for hours since he had been captured. He tasted the blood in his mouth and felt the blood also running down his face. He had not been fed and the lack of sleep had weakened him greatly. However, he did not say a thing. This was not his first dance and definitely he had had it worse in other ocassions… so much that he could say these people interrogating him could be considered cute. He was a veteran and he was a hard bone to chew. He had fainted in the last interrogation session but he was forced to wake up and he saw a tall and intimidating person dressed in black with a metallic helmet that made him even more threatening.

– “I didn’t know we had one of the best pilots in the Resistance on board”- said Kylo Ren who used a very calm and deep voice which sounded robotic under the modulation of the helmet. Poe breathed deeply and prepared himself knowing that this interrogator would be more challenging that the others- “comfortable?”

– “Not really”- Poe said using his more apathetic voice and trying to collect his strenght. Never show weakness and never give the opponent the psychological upper hand.

– “I’m impressed…”- said Kylo Ren advancing slowly to Poe with a very relaxed but firm stance and Poe felt a huge pressure coming from the man- “nobody has been able to get it out of you.”

Poe had dealt with many dangerous people including gangsters and even crazy murderers but none had given him this pressure before. Just who the hell was this guy and how could he threaten him so much with just his mere presence?

– “What did you do with the map?”- Kylo Ren asked casually and his tone showed great confidence like a king who had asked a question to a commoner who was bound to answer.

Poe felt a great dėsɨrė to speak… he was panicking inside. Why was he starting to think in telling him everything he knew even before asking? What was happening to him? Poe did not let anything in his face to show his great concern and he saw Kylo Ren into the eye.

– “You might want to rethink your technique”- he said using his most sarcastic tone. He needed to show that he was stronger than the man in front of him and made him believe he had the control. There was nothing he could do to him that made him talk.

However, when Poe thought that he had regained control, Kylo Ren quietly raised his hand. Poe thought he was going to punch him but he just kept it in the air. Kylo Ren showed no anger nor violence and he kept his calm demeanor as if trying to say that Poe’s tricks were of no use against him and that he would talk.

– “What is he…”- thought Poe before feeling something strange. He did not know what was happening at the beginning and he just felt this nauseating sensation that was increasing gradually.

It started as a small disconfort that extended all over his body, then it started to concentrate into his head as if something was trying to enter in his brain… soon after the feeling grew stronger and Poe felt a terrible headache that was increasing by the second. Poe did not know what was happening but he knew he had to resist somehow.

– “You will not enter into my head, monster”- he thought and Kylo Ren let a small “humph” out as if he could read what he was thinking and Poe had the horrible idea that he was really reading his thoughts.

Kylo Ren pushed his hand and Poe’s head tilted back without being touched and it was as if the last trace of resistance had gone away. Poe felt his mind recalling memories without his permission and he saw Kylo Ren who calmly stood there slowly moving his hand as if passing the page of an interesting novel. It was then that Poe understood that his mind was an open book for Kylo Ren and he would get the information without touching him… torture? Interrogation? get away with fancy words? skill? What a joke! It was all meaningless in front of the magical power that Kylo Ren possesed.

– “Where is it?”- said Kylo Ren with a bored voice. It was obvious that he was just trying to make Poe recall the information by reaction.

– “NO!”- thought Poe trying to recal useless information about other missions and false plans he had studied to resist interrogation- “The resistance will not be intimidated by you!”

Kylo Ren did not say anything but Poe could swear he could see him mockingly smiling under the helmet and then he felt the terrible feeling increase in intensity and now he felt as if someone was using a drill directly in his brain and then he felt something break and he knew that he could not hide anything from Kylo Ren anymore.

– “Where… is it?”- repeated Kylo Ren and the memories that he had stubbornly tried to protect appeared in his mind against his will and Poe that Kylo Ren could also see it.

– “AHHHHHHHHHH!”- Poe roared in rage and frustration trying to resist one last time but the information ran in his head as the water that flowed out of a broken dam.

“…”

Soon after Kylo Ren got out from the cell and found General Armitage Hux who as usual showed a cold and sharp conduct proper of militar officers. He just waited for Kylo Ren’s news as if he knew that the information was already theirs. He knew none could resist Kylo Ren’s interrogation methods.

– “It’s in a droid”- he said in his typical an collected behaviour- “a BB unit of orange color.”

– “Well then”- Hux said not impressed while thinking in the orders he would give next. He did not like to waste time and was always thinking in advance- “If it is still in Jakku, we will soon have it.”

– “I leave that to you, General”- said Kylo Ren who spoke to Hux with the same superior tone that he used with Poe- “Just let me me know of your success.”

And without more words he walked out of the area in the same relaxed and confident manner as if he knew that all would go according to his plans and that there was nothing that could stop him. Hux secretly looked at him with contempt but he was careful of showing this even in his thoughts. After all, Kylo Ren could read his mind and Hux knew that if this dark lord wanted, he would not last even enough to say the word “monster.”