Lose Control

Chapter 11

Phasma didn't seem too pleased to be running errands for him as she walked out of the sandstorm and dropped Zeh Skurn's newer armor on the floor of the ship. "Is this all Kylo Ren?"

He nodded and dismissed the Storm Trooper, listening to her go back to her own ship and leaving this ball of dust, wishing he could too. But Zeh Skurn still had time to complete he task, to leave without her would mean losing an ally, not that she was needed. Kylo grabbed the armor off the floor and tossed it into her seat before freezing in his tracks and turning his head to look outside... something wasn't right. As if on cue, his holographic transmitter went off and Snoke's flickering figure appeared.

"Supreme Leader." He tilted his head to the side. "Your meeting is unexpected."

Snoke didn't seem pleased as he responded. "Have you felt it? The awakening is wavering... someone powerful is dying. Where is the bounty hunter?"

"Retrieving a Kaiburr Crystal for a test, as you permitted." Irritation flashed through him.

"She is in danger!" Snoke's anger washed through him as if his master was really standing a few inches from him. "If she dies, the outcome looks bleak for you."

"The First Order needs me." Kylo snarled.

"I can always get another apprentice." His master countered.

He looked away. "I will get her, Master."

"Good." Snoke nodded. "The droid with the map has been located on Takodana, do not let this opportunity to end the last Jedi slip away again."

Kylo stared at the empty air after the hologram disappeared; he had never felt his master so... furious before. He turned to the door and took off his helmet, if he had to go out there he needed to stay cool, even with a sandstorm it would be hot, and his hood would protect his face well enough. Casting his senses out ahead of him, Kylo stepped into the whirling sand and started walking in the direction the Force led him. Skurn had better be alive when he got there... otherwise no one would reach a happy ending when he got to StarKiller base.

Without the Force to guide him, he would have become lost within the first minute of his search, luckily the path never wavered or weakened as he trudged through the stinging sand that obscured his vision as much as any blizzard. Then he reached his destination and came to a stop, if Skurn was in the area then where was she? Kylo narrowed his eyes against the sand, wishing he had risked all this blinding heat to bring his helmet. With a growl he cast his mind out, probing for any life sign until he brushed against one.

Images flashed through his mind in a rush and Kylo felt the panic Skurn's mind as a bounty hunter in green fought with a young Jedi padawan in the sands, the blasters easily finding their target despite the young one's attempts to deflect them with a blue lightsaber. Then the child wasn't alone. A purple glow erupted from another padawan's lightsaber as they jumped in front of their friend and deflected a shot back at the bounty hunter.

"Boba!" Skurn gave a shout of alarm as her mentor was hit, not expecting the attack to be deflected.

"Get Master Skywalker!" The new boy shouted as he started to retreat.

Kylo's breath caught for a moment, he knew that voice; it was Alder... This was when he had left for a personal training session. He shook the memory aside just in time to see Alder raise his hand and push Skurn to the edge of the Sarlacc Pit with the Force before spinning his lightsaber around in a circle to drive Boba backwards... then a blast slipped by his defense and skimmed his skull.

"No, help me!" Skurn's plea was desperate as the young bounty hunter was dragged down towards the Sarlaac's beak. "Boba Fett!"

Boba Fett turned towards her, using his jetpack to hover above the ground as he shot the tentacle holding his apprentice. "Go start the ship!"

Skurn nodded and activated the rockets on her boots as she gladly got away from the Sarlacc... though she wasn't far enough away to miss it when Boba was force pushed into the pit as Luke Skywalker ran over the sand, his green lightsaber out ready for a fight. Anger surged through Kylo and Skurn at the sight of the Jedi.

He pulled himself from Skurn's mind as a piece of black cloth caught his attention. Kylo ran towards it and looking down into the pit to see Skurn's figure trying to climb out, sand sticking to the blood on her cloak. She didn't seem to be aware he was even there as she fought the losing battle against the loose sand, easily causing her to slid backward more than she could climb upward. Behind her, the Sarlacc had retreated into its hole to wait out the storm. He watched as she once again slid down, this time not moving as she came to a stop.

"Well don't make it too easy to save you." Kylo muttered before carefully making his way down the steep sandy slope, he better not get stuck down there too. When he reached Skurn's side he gave her a nudge in the ribs. "Get up."

"I can't." Her voice was barely heard over the wind as she tried to get back up, her body trembling.

Kylo recalled what he knew about Sarlaccs, they had a poison to keep their prey still, perhaps she actually couldn't move very well. He scowled and forced her to her feet. "Come on!"

Skurn stumbled a few paces before sinking back to her knees, her chest heaving as she collapsed onto her side. He stared at the Sarlacc, it was starting to move again, that meant the storm was going to be ending soon... they had to leave. "Just go..."

So she had sensed the creature's stirrings too. Kylo stared at the top of the slope, he could leave now, tell Snoke the Force had warned them too late... His gaze went back to Skurn and he picked her up. She wouldn't be left for that creature to get a free meal from, not after the training he'd given to her... that would mean his time had been wasted. A glint of red in her hand told him she'd completed the task and he took the synthetic crystal from her to put in a safer place until they got to the ship.

"Can you hold onto me?" He questioned as he placed her arms around his neck.

Kylo felt her nod before concentrating on using the Force as he jumped into the air, missing the exact top of the slope but even with the extra person he was able to move fast enough to avoid falling back down. Skurn's grip had tightened around his neck in those few seconds and he pulled her off once they were a safe distance away.

"You have to walk back to complete the trial." He growled, trying to sound angrier than he felt, he was actually just relieved to be getting off this planet.

Her eyes were glazed as she stumbled along behind him,trying to keep up with him as he purposefully made it a bit easier by blocking some of the sand and wind. They did have a place to be soon and despite him wanting to get there fast he wanted to see if she could complete the task... to prove to him she wasn't just a worthless bounty hunter. Though her skills admittedly were enough to prove that, it didn't mean he'd go easy on her unless she earned it.