Lose Control

Chapter 10

"You don't have to do this!" A familiar voice shouted from the darkness of pain and chaos that had taken over her mind.

Skurn was about to respond but jolted awake and sat up to find herself in her assigned room with the lights on and Kylo walking in through the door. She glared at him, remembering why she was probably here in the first place.

"Follow me, we're going on a trip."

"Trip?" She glared at him, still slightly disturbed from the voice in her dream. "You almost killed me and now that I'm finally awake you want me to travel on some trip!"

"You were out for a day, you're fine!" Kylo growled back. "Now change into some lighter clothes and meet me outside... leave your suit here, you won't need it."

"Sure I won't." Skurn muttered as he left, though she did as he instructed and only put on a new outfit that resembled a Jedi's only, of course, black in color. She had to admit, it was comfortable and easier to move in.

Kylo started walking again as soon as she stepped out of the room, which forced her to pick up her pace to catch up. "Mind telling me where we're going, you know, since we work together?"

"To find a special crystal, a Kaiburr Crystal so you can make your lightsaber." He responded, not looking at her. "Though, if it were up to me I would say you aren't controlling the Force enough to make your own weapon. Perhaps the trial to get one will prove you're worthy."

She scowled at him. "I already have a lightsaber."

This time he did turn to stare at her, fury behind his mask. "That is my grandfather's not yours."

"It isn't like he needs it." Skurn snapped back in frustration.

Kylo slammed her against the wall; glaring at several Storm Troopers who paused until they went on their way, before turning his masked gaze back to her. "Never say that again, just because he's dead does not mean that weapon belongs to you!"

She lifted her hands up and shoved him back with the Force, all her concentration put into hurting him. With satisfaction she watched as he went into the wall, though not hard enough to do much damage. Skurn then realized what her rash action could make him do and her hand went to her throat as the memory of being choked came back.

But this time he stood up and stared silently at her, the feeling of pride and frustration in his gaze, though it was hidden behind the black visor. He walked past her, grabbing her wrist to pull her along behind him. "Come on, we're wasting time."

Tatooine

As soon as Skurn walked out into the desert she felt the heat beating down on her. Suddenly she was glad she hadn't been allowed to wear her armor, that would have caused her to overheat for sure despite how light it was, not to mention possibly get cooked alive in that metal, though the most the cloak she wore now did was keep the sun off her face.

"I sent Phasma to hide the Kaiburr Crystal somewhere on this dreaded planet after your training accident yesterday, you are to use your senses to find it... you have until tomorrow." Kylo informed her, staying inside the ship where it was cooler.

"And if I don't?" She asked, furious he was blaming her for the 'accident'.

"I'll leave you here." He shrugged as if the matter didn't bother him. "You're wasting time."

"You can't just leave me on Jakku!" Skurn exclaimed, not wanting to be stuck here again.

"This isn't Jakku, it's Tatooine. Now like I told you, go find it." He commanded.

Skurn grumbled under her breath as she took in the scorching landscape around her... she couldn't describe how much she loathed desert planets, especially this one. But it wasn't like she could just turn back around and demand that they go back to base, Kylo would probably have another fit over any comment like that.

"I wouldn't leave you alive." His voice echoed in her head, making her wince and stumble in the sand.

She glared back at the ship. "Stay out of my head!"

There was no response, though she was sure he was amusing himself with her annoyance. Skurn turned back sharply to the desert before her, feeling the dry air blow her cloak a bit as she started walking... How was she going to sense a Kaiburr Crystal if she didn't even understand how, let alone what one 'felt' like. Her frustration grew by the minute as she lost sight of the ship behind hills of sand. It didn't take her long to realize where her feet were taking her, it made her pause in her step and stare at the dip in the ground about three miles or so ahead, a shudder went through her. She should try a different direction, spread out her search a bit... but something... It was like she needed to go that way.

Skurn tried to throw the feeling aside but it kept scratching at the back of her mind, almost more annoying as when she had been 'inflicting mental pain on herself'. She stopped walking and turned back to stare at the spot where the Sarlacc Pit was sitting, still there after all those years, she had never thought she'd be walking to see it again let alone without her mentor at her side. His death on this wretched planet was the day she'd vowed never to set foot here again... it had caused too much pain and anger. But here she was with something pulling her feet in that direction, a sense of dread starting to fall on her with every step she took.

A few hours later, judging by the two suns' positions overhead, Skurn was drenched in her own sweat and barely staggering forward as she walked the last few yards to the edge of the Sarlacc Pit, it looked the same as ever except for one small fact... There was a bright red crystal near the edge of the pit, right above some of the spines, or teeth, that led to the Sarlacc's beak. She edged closer to the pit, wary of the tentacles that could reach out and grab her... they didn't move. Something about that fact made her even more cautious, the Sarlacc could sense vibrations in the ground; it should know she was here so why wasn't it attacking?

"Something isn't right..." She murmured to herself as the dreading sense of doom increased along with the wind overhead.

Moving closer into the pit she tried her best not to slide down and become food for the strangely still creature, a bit hard now that sand was starting to blow into her eyes, was it dead? By the Force she didn't want to be getting so close to this monster, Skurn swore there was a tattered piece of cloth from her mentor's uniform stuck to the side and felt her body tense even more. Her movements became jerky with her nerves and she felt her foot kick one of the tentacles, which was followed by a screech, as the Sarlacc started moving to attack. Skurn gave a panicked shout of alarm and lunged towards the glowing red crystal as the Sarlacc started to wraps its tentacles around her ankles.