A Soldier's Secret

Part 22

"I really don't understand," Skywalker said. For once, I was grateful he didn't care about me

"Why thank you, Kelish, for opening that door" I smirked, then yanked my hands from the bonds and shot my arm out for the helmet, grabbing the edge and slamming it on my head.

"Oh no! I've been bamboozled!" Kelish sighed, then pressed a button on the remote, attached to his left arm, and an electric buzzing ran up my spine. "I can make it harder, if you wish" He rotated a tiny dial, and the buzzing turned to a dull, pulsing throb. Skywalker felt it too, by the trembling of his arms. Kelish fingered a second dial, and Skywalker suppressed screams as the electric shock travelled through him.

"Oh no! My old General turned psychopath is electrocuting me!" I drawled. Kelish's fingers brushed against the second dial, and Skywalker stopped needing to scream.

"It's saddening to hear that, Cedar" Kelish smirked, and he twisted both dials off. Skywalker breathed a tiny sigh of relief. With a snap, the metal wall slammed down again. Kelish walked to me and clamped a hand on my shoulder with a steel grip. He kicked something, and I fell from the suspension, into Kelish's arms. I fought to free myself, but his grip was more mechanical than human.

"Freak" I murmured

"Now, Cedar. You know how much words can hurt, don't you?" Kelish whispered to me. I wriggled again, and he let me onto my feet. "Well, I'll leave you here then," He said, and moved back a step, setting a ray shield between us. The shine of red light ripples across the floor, and I stare at him through the shield

"You're an a------" I said

"I don't care, Cedar," Kelish whispered "Because now that you're here, you'll never want to leave again" He smiled softly and walked away

"---- you, you -------!" I tried to shout, but I coughed again

"Cedar?" Skywalker asked. He was in the cell next to me

"Yeah?" I said, pressing my ear to the wall

"Well, we can communicate now," He said

"I nearly freed myself" I added "I got my hands free and grabbed my helmet. I can free my hands, but I can't get through the shield."

"The shields are the problem and these Force blockers, too" He complained

"We don't need the Force to escape, dummy. I'll get my hands free and figure something out from there" I said, then pulled away from the wall. I wriggled my hands free from the cuffs and sighed, running my hands along the back of my neck.

There was a bump on my neck. Further examination made me realise it was the source of our electric shocks.

"I know how he's shocking us," I said, standing closer to the wall "He's put a thing in the back of our necks"

"Great" Skywalker sighed

"We need to get these off," I said "Then we can plan an escape" I scrambled around until I found an edge, and I yanked on it, to find a screaming pain ram through my spine "Don't-try-to-pull-them-off" I panted

"Why?" I heard him try too "Yep, that's why" I pried at it slowly, and I felt a dull throb 

"Further pulling at it makes me think that we can't just yank these things off. We'll need a medical person to remove these" I slumped against the wall "Also, Kelish doesn't have your lightsaber anymore. He's stashed it somewhere else"

"Amazing" He sighed "But rescue might come" He added

"They won't be able to get past Kelish. He was the one to empty that base I scouted" I scoffed

"How'd you know?" He asked

"He's the only guy with a lightsaber who's obsessed with me," I said

"Fair" He groaned "I guess we're on our own," he said

"Yep" I popped the 'p' But we're not helpless. We just need to find your lightsaber and an exit" I said

"And a ship" He added

"Yep, that too" I corrected "First, the shield"

I threw my handcuff at it, and they got electrocuted and bounced back. I didn't have my blaster, so I couldn't shoot it. I think Skywalker tried getting his chains off and tossing them in the shield, but he failed. I kicked the wall separating us, but it was solid metal. Eventually, I curled up and fell asleep.

A soft pressure on my face woke me up

I almost believed it was a pillow, until I heard a soft clicking. I shot my eyes open and saw Kelish's face inches from mine. His thumb was on my lips, stopping me from shouting, but not biting. I bit his thumb, making him recoil

"Cedar" His voice was soft "I'm so glad you're awake" He whispered, and his left hand was on my shoulder "I have something to show you"

"No thanks" I snarled, and he sighed

"I will not go against your wishes" He murmured, then walked away. I tried to get through the door, now that it was open, but I ended up getting shocked by the shield

The pain was ripping through me, into my fingers, my bones, my eyes. There wasn't even a barrier up. I fell backwards, and the device in the back of my neck burned. It was the source of this. I growled, and Kelish looked back at me. His helmet couldn't show me his face, but I could feel the sadness radiating off him.

"Fine" I growled, then heaved out a breath and smiled "What did you want to show me?" I asked

Kelish turned back to me "You want to see?" He said

I nodded "It can't hurt" I grinned. He came back to my cell and deactivated the shield, offering a hand to help me up. I took it, and he pulled me up from the floor. Smoke rolled off my shoulders from the electric shock, and Kelish put his left arm around my shoulders. A loud sound echoed through the base, but Kelish ignored it and led me through another door.

We walked for a few minutes, and we came to an even larger door "My dear" he whispered, and it opened to

An atrium

With trees tall enough to scrape the glass dome that showed the cold exterior of Hoth. Shrubs were splattered along the ground, and it was real dirt. Had he prepared this, just for me?