Heated

1

Hey everybody! I just wanna give another precursor warning and say in this book there are explicit sexual scenes and very triggering scenarios. This should not be romanticized nor should it be an example or influence to real life. Vader is an asshole! When I say this is enemies to lovers, I really mean enemies. Okay! Enjoy :) 

P.S. First few chapter are a tad shorter as they set up the story.

I wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of being stationed at Starfighter.

I also didn't exactly have a choice considering my home was now destroyed, by none other than the man I am going to work for. My stomach even churned at the thought of being in the same radius as him. I've heard rumors of the psychopath that runs the place and none of which are exactly positive.

"I heard he killed someone just for bumping into him" one boy exclaimed "No way dude, that's not as bad as him using the force to strangle someone for breathing too loudly near him" his friend countered, "That man has a serious temper" and they both nodded their head in agreement, "he's just mad he looks like Jabba the hutt" the boys giggle before getting back to work.

To be considered to work under one of the most powerful people in the galaxy should fill me with pride, but I'm filled with nothing but dread as I pack my small backpack preparing for the end of my life here on Tatooine and the start of mine on Starfighter. It's not like I will miss much. Matter of fact I don't have much to miss in my life anymore. I was a work engine the second I was old enough to hold tools. 

My planet was beautiful once, before it dried out and a wasteland of endless desert, sand dunes and crime. My dad is nothing but a blur of a memory before the Ektopos war broke out, killing off half of the population and enslaving the other half. I worked on Sandcrawlers day in and day out with no days off.

This wasn't living, this was surviving.

That is until they came. Hundreds of troopers came either killing people or throwing them into their shuttles. Anyone they deemed as somewhat valuable was given a second chance. I was in the shop working on the circuit board of a Jak-Machine when they came into the shop. Everyone was scared and silent. You could hear the wind whistling. I looked down at my shaking hands to avoid eye contact with any of the soldiers invading our workspace.

With blasters in hand, they slowly walked around our shop, eyeing our work. A mechanical voice of a trooper broke out, "Are you an experienced engineer?" They questioned a colleague of mine who was nearly the color green from how fear-stricken they were.

With a shaky voice he responded "I-I've only been here a year."

The trooper showed no mercy to my shaking acquaintance and brought the blaster to his face.

"Please no I a-" A loud boom echoed through the building as his lifeless body crumpled to the ground, and I clenched my eyes shut and suppressed a cry at the sight. A lump formed in my throat.

The mechanical voice spoke again, "Sorry, Vader's orders." but he sounded like anything but sorry. Time moved slowly before they reached me. I felt sweat trickle down the back of my neck and I kept looking at the ground.

Suddenly, the cold feel of a metal blaster under my chin caused my heart to jump. They tilted my chin up with the blaster forcing me to look up at them. "What about you?"

As confidently as possible I said, "Since I was six years old sir, I am a skilled engineer and architect."

"A pretty one too," the trooper released a sinister laugh.

I had to clench my teeth to avoid screaming out at them.

"Alright you are coming with us. See to it you pack your belongings and meet us here."

Out of shock I just sat there. They want me to leave and go with them? Not that I wanted to be on this planet anymore, but I don't know any life other than this one. 

"What are you doing, go get your shit before you end up like that guy over there." They pointed at the limp body with their blaster, and it gave me a moment of clarity before I stood up on shaky legs and scrambled to the door to my hut to pack.

Which leads me here. Blurry vision full of tears shoving all my belongings into one small leather bag. I didn't have much to pack other than the essentials like underwear, some socks and toiletries. Shoving my stuff into the bag I remembered something important.

I run over to my bed and lift my pillow grabbing a crumpled piece of paper, and I open it up. It is a drawing of a yellow flower that my dad drew for me right before he died. Growing up in Tatooine, it's been nothing but sand dunes, but my dad told me when I was older he was gonna take me to another planet where they grow flowers and trees. He drew this to remind me to stay hopeful. I fold the paper before hiding it in a sock, just in case my bag is inspected.

Suddenly, there was a strong grip on my arm and I was being pulled up and dragged from my bed. 

"When we said meet us back there, we meant now, not an hour from now, we can't keep Lord Vader waiting," The trooper yelled at me, "We won't hesitate to kill you," he seethed.

My heart beats erratically from panic. 

I was dragged by my arm outside approaching a dark space shuttle. The grip on my arm was hurting so I yanked my arm out of his grasp, "I can walk myself," I snap.

Without warning, a striking hand came down and backhanded me across the face. My jaw opens to hiss out and pain and I bring my hand to my cheek to soothe the stinging sensation. My eyes rim with tears from fear and pain. 

"There is no place for attitude on this ship, this is your final warning before we leave you on this planet with all your dead friends," He screamed at me. 

I decide to keep my mouth closed until further notice. I had no idea what was ahead of me and I didn't want to ruin any chances of survival. Besides, this could be a great thing, a new life with opportunities to hone my skill and make something of myself. Maybe.

Tepidly, I step into the cold and sterile looking ship, full of unfamiliar colorful buttons. There was a whooshing sound from behind me, causing me to flinch and turn at the noise. The door closes not only sealing it shut, but sealing my fate. 

There was no going back. As we left the atmosphere of Tatooine I stared out the window, watching my planet fade into nothing but a small dot in the void of space.