Cold Heart - Book One

Chapter One

DISCLAIMER: this was written BEFORE The Last Jedi came out.

After the battle aboard the Starkiller, Kylo Ren is furious. He plans an immediate attack on the Resistance, which is very ill-prepared for. Kylo Ren is captured and the First Order is forced to retreat. After multiple attempts at interrogation, he still will not talk.

Meanwhile, Rey is being taught to use the force by Luke Skywalker. She is growing stronger by the minute. Master Luke has revealed that he is not her father, she is a descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi. She is shocked by this news but somewhat pleased to hear that her real family did not abandon her. Rey is now preparing for her hardest battle: she must use her powers against Kylo Ren to find the truth about the first order.

~~~~~

"Rey," Luke spoke gently to his young padawan. "You must focus on the task at hand. Do not dwell on distant thoughts."

Rey huffed and the rocks that were currently hung in midair dropped suddenly to the ground. "I'm sorry, master. It's just hard." She shook her head. "That shouldn't be an excuse," she mumbled to herself, closed her eyes and began focusing on the rocks.

"Rey, stop." Luke commanded swiftly. "Tell me, what is it that is that is bothering you?"

Rey stood up, brushed some stray dirt off of her hands and stared sternly at Luke. "It's nothing important. I shouldn't even be focused on it right now. It doesn't concern me."

Luke sighed. "That is not what I asked. Please, tell me what's the matter. I can see if I can help."

Grudgingly, she spoke. "It's Kylo. I... heard he's been captured." She looked down, blushing. "I know that I shouldn't know but-"

Luke crossed his arms and yelled to the Droid located a few yards away. "C-3PO, what did I tell you? Giving her information about the Resistance will only distract."

"It wasn't his fault, Master Luke," Rey interrupted. "I asked about the Resistance and he refused to answer at first. I wouldn't leave him alone. I apologize."

Luke sat down on the nearest boulder and motioned for his student to sit near. "I suppose I might as well tell you the whole of it. Although next time, do not bother the droids, okay?"

Rey nodded and sat on the ground in front of him.

"It's true. We've captured him. To be more specific, a small band of fighters did, including Finn." Her face brightened at the mention of him. "Yes, Finn's doing just fine now. Him and Poe and taken up a liking of each other." Luke paused and composed his next train of thought.

"Kylo Ren is a danger to everyone at the base. His powers are unbelievable. Almost as wild as his temper. He knows not everything about the First Order but he knows a lot. A very large amount of information could be drawn from him if only we could get him to share it with us." Luke gulped. "After he murdered his father," Rey's expression fell. "He seems to only have grown closer to the dark side. Next to no one believes that he has a chance to turn to the light."

"Do you?" Rey cut in.

"Excuse me?"

She hesitated. "Do you think he has a chance to become light? Do you think there's even a fraction of a chance that he could redeem himself?"

Luke pondered on the question. "Rey, you have to understand the thin line between good and evil. It's extremely easy to cross. No one is born good, just like no one is born evil. Right now, you are good. I am good. We are the light. And right now, Kylo is the darkness. But after darkness, always comes the light. He just needs an awakening."

"I want to help. I need to help, Master. I cannot just sit here while all my friends are in danger," Rey spoke with passion. "The First Order must be planning a rescue mission, one that will hurt us greatly. They need us. They need you."

"Rey, your training has not been completed. You are not strong enough to go against him. Not yet," Luke said sternly. "As I said before, he is extremely powerful."

"I beat him once, didn't I? And that was before any training! I'm stronger now, more prepared. I can talk to him. I can get inside his mind," she yelled. "Master, I mean no disrespect, but the Resistance needs us. Now more than ever."

Lukd wearily sighed, thinking for a moment. He glanced at C-3PO. "Pack our things," he said. "We're heading to the base."

~~~~~~~

"You're going to talk," the soldier demanded. "Or else we'll have to get rid of you."

"Empty threats." Kylo laughed, amused at the soldier's pure stupidity to think that he would fall for such a lie. "You need me, you resistance scum need me to survive. If you get rid of me, you will have no hope of winning your uphill battle."

"If we get rid of you, it's one less First Order member to worry about, actually. It would help us, killing you." Kylo knew all of this to be lies.

"Leave." He demanded sharply. "Leave, now. I need time to think through your deal." This was another lie, but this would be benefiting Kylo.

The soldier shrugged and left the room. Kylo knew he was underground. The floor was dirt and he couldn't see any natural light through his cell. It was barren and cold. Bleak, too. But Kylo was used bleakness. He had tried to escape, use the force to bend the bars keeping him captive but there seemed to be something protecting them. He knew he wasn't at the Resistance base, either. Even the Resistance, basked in all their idiotic glory wouldn't do something as foolish as storing him at their base. If Kylo were to break free, he would destroy everything in sight.

They had taken away his helmet. His powers. He was furious, to say the least. His once clean shaven face was now patchy and uneven. His hair had grown from messy to trashy. Instead of a sleek black suit, he wore tattered brown pants and a light blue tunic. It had been 3 months. 3 dissappointing, utterly boring months.

He hated every second of it.

A knock sounded from outside the steel door barricading the chamber of cells from the outside world. The current guard peeked through the slot and opened it, letting in Finn. He came about twice a week and tried to get him to spill the secrets of the First Order. That was never going to happen. Kylo didn't know why the happy-go-lucky, ex-stormtrooper even thought he had a chance.

"So, Ben,"

"Do not call me that. My name is Kylo Ren."

"Alright, drama-queen. You know the usual. You can just fess up now, or you can have another long talk with me about where your alliance should stand." Finn smiled, "I mean, if you like spending time with me, you can just tell me your secrets and we can chat afterwards." He crossed his arms and looked at Kylo expectantly from across the bars.

"And as I said before, I will not tell you anything. If I am to talk to anyone, it will be the girl."

Finn grabbed a bar. "Why do you only want to talk to Rey?" Finn had asked this question many times. Over and over, he had gotten the same response.

"She is the only one worth my time." There it is.

Finn was angry. Kylo did not get to see Rey. He didn't deserve to see Rey. "She's not worth your time, you arrogant monster."

"I wouldn't be so soon to assume who's a monster and who's not, Finn. Lines like those are surprisingly, easily crossed.

"You killed Han. Your own father. I think that's a good way to tell who's a monster," Finn snarled. "You may have been able to change before that, but now? You're heart is black. You've turned yourself into a monster, Kylo." And with that, Finn stormed out.

This is what Kylo wanted. He wanted to be the icy, cold-hearted man that his grandfather was before him. And he was well on his way. There was only one problem.

The girl.

He had feelings about the girl.