Lose Control

Chapter 15

Kylo walked up behind his apprentice as she meditated on the red crystal in front of her, though a dark glint around her neck caught his attention. "Where did you find that?"

Skurn jolted from her spot at his voice before mentally cursing herself judging by her expression. "Find what?"

"You have a Kaiburr Crystal around your neck, where did you find it?" His voice turned more demanding as he stared at the black crystal.

"It was a gift." She tucked it under her shirt and glared at him.

His eyes narrowed and he pulled it off her neck, ignoring her struggles, before using the Force to hold her still as he observed the crystal... the last Kaiburr Crystal like this to create a Darksaber had been destroyed. "Who gave it to you?"

"My mentor said a cloaked man." Skurn lunged at him as he released her. "Give it back!"

Kylo grabbed her and held her to the ground. "You are my apprentice now, which means you will show your master a bit of respect."

"At least I'm not hiding behind a mask all the time." She snarled; hiding the pain he was causing her wounded shoulder.

He ignored the barbed comment and stared at the crystal in his gloved hand. "I can sense the connection it has made with you... Though you seem to be unaware of it, this is what you will use to finish you saber, only the Kaiburr Crystal with the strongest pull towards the user will work best... make you stronger."

She took the black crystal back, her cold eyes still boring into him. "Whatever."

"Be quick about it. I'll be waiting outside, once you're done I want to question our prisoners." He responded briskly before turning and leaving the room.

His wait turned out to be a bit longer than expected, though a half hour wasn't too bad, especially since the last Storm Trooper he'd sent to check on the prisoners said the two were still unconscious. Kylo turned and watched Skurn come out of her room; her cloak was on instead of her bounty hunter gear, minus the boots and under shirt of chainmail armor. She was really starting to fit the part of a Knight of Ren... the thought sent a strange feeling through him; it was close to pride but... not exactly. He shook the thought from his mind.

"Follow me." He commanded before walking in the direction of the cells. "We will visit the Jedi first."

She just nodded silently in response as they continued down the hall. Kylo easily navigated the similarly designed halls before coming to a stop in front of a door guarded by a Storm Trooper, who moved aside to allow them to enter the cell. The door slide open and shut as he entered the room with Skurn at his side and he took in the thin form of his brother... he looked so helpless... no, Alder deserved it.

"Something wrong brother?" Alder coughed weakly and looked up at them with dull eyes.

Kylo scowled from under his helmet, destroying the flicker of doubt in his mind. "Your brother died by my hand. Now tell me what the map said!"

"No." Alder's voice grew cold, a dark flicker of frustration passing through his eyes. "You'll have to kill me first."

"Can't you just go into his mind?" Skurn questioned quietly to him.

He glanced down at her, he could do that, it would be so much easier... but he needed this to inflict pain on this Jedi. Kylo couldn't admit the other memories he might find could hurt him instead of Alder. "That would be mercy, I don't show mercy."

"Of course you don't." Alder snarled and tugged weakly at the metal restraints.

Kylo held up his hand and watched his brother's face contort as he tried to fight off the attack and get oxygen into his lungs. "You will tell me what I want to know."

"Don't try... try... t-that... me..." His eyes were already glazing over and Kylo released his power on him.

Instead, he took out his lightsaber and activated it, the red blade stopping just before it could touch the skin on Alder's throat. "Speak to me... unless you don't value that scavenger's life."

He had the satisfaction of seeing his brother's eyes widen in fear before Alder began thrashing around again. Blood began to drip down onto the ground as his brother's wounds reopened... Kylo would have to have a word with who ever had been ordered to heal him. Having Alder bleed out before turning him, and gaining a useless Jedi, or getting something useful, like the map to Skywalker was unacceptable.

"Take him back to the infirmary." Kylo ordered Skurn. "You wounded him and I can't have someone with information keeling over before they speak."

Skurn didn't argue with him as he spun around to leave, it was time to see that scavenger girl. He glanced back at his brother before giving his apprentice a new order. "On second thought... let's make him listen to the screams of that friend of his before he heals. Perhaps that will make him talk."

"No..." Alder's whispered plea reached his ears before he spoke louder. "No, you c-can't! L-leave her... a-alone!"

"I can and I will as long as I get the information I want." He retorted before spinning back around and stalking out the door.

"...I'll... I'll t-talk... J-just l-leave... her... her a-alone." Kylo smirked under his helmet and turned back around slowly to see his brother's body wrack with coughs... blood staining his mouth. "P-please..."

He looked over at his apprentice, was that doubt he felt coming off of her? Kylo walked over to her side and stared at her until she shifted uncomfortably, staring back into his mask. "Perhaps you would like to torture the girl while I have him treated... unless you can't handle this?"

Her eyes flashed angrily. "Of course I can handle it. I just don't think your prisoner can. Look at him, the fool is about to keel over as you put it."

"Our, prisoner." He corrected before staring at his brother. "And he can die as soon as I get my information... Go tend to the scavenger. Kill her if you like, as long as it's slow and painful. I will be judging your work and joining you shortly... I doubt this will take long."

He watched Alder grow pale as Skurn left the cell, satisfied with the fear coming off of his brother. "Y-you... s-said..."

"So I did." He acknowledged. "But you forget, I'm a Knight of Ren, not one of your pathetic Jedi. They died for a reason and that reason was because they were weak! How you survived is a bit interesting... but it won't matter for long. You'll be dead soon, right after you talk."

"If I... I d-don't t-talk... you... y-you can't... k-kill... k-kill m-me." Kylo felt a prick of pain as he brother shuddered and closed his eyes but shook it off.

"Then we can just get it from the scavenger." He growled before grabbing Alder by the throat and slamming his head against a wall. A pain shout echoed through the room followed by a cry of rage and pain came from the other cell. "Hear that? Unless you tell me where Skywalker is, she won't stop. Your friend will die or betray you before I tell my apprentice to stop."

"You ruin people." Alder's voice stopped stuttering, though his voice was still shaky. "There's good in her... and you brother."

"Shut up!" Kylo tightened his grip until Alder's struggles ceased. He motioned for the Storm Trooper guarding the door to approach. "Get a medic down here. Keep him alive but don't have him healed completely."

"Right away Kylo Ren." They responded before hurrying off.

He glanced back at his brother; the fighting had made the neat black hair fall to the side so he could faintly see the blaster scar on his skull. Kylo reached out and fixed it; hiding the old wound before drawing back... he couldn't show kindness to a prisoner no matter who they were. With a scowl, Kylo left the cell to join Skurn with the scavenger.

The prologue to Predator and Prey  is up now as well if you want to check it out!