The League of Assassins: Nova

Kylo Ren II

THE TRUTH:

She's happy, but something's not right. The closer that she draws near to the completion of her pregnancy, she's becoming withdrawn. My mother's allegation that Nova's contracted with the League, to give them my son haunts me daily. I want to ask her, but i'm afraid to. I'm afraid of the response. Sleeping she slowly rolls to her side, touching her stomach I get a strong kick from the baby. Her eyes opening, she smiles. I've made the decision to ask her, I need to know.

She's retired to the estate outside of town, when the child's decided that he's ready to see the world. Her screams of agony, forces an outburst from me. "Can't you give her something for the pain!" I yell. "You're not helping!" Says the midwife's helper. Panting in between pushes, another ear piercing scream rips from her. My back to her, I can't watch this and then there's silence. Nova's breathing is controlled, normalizing. A small wail causes my anxiety to lessen, turning the midwife has him bundled in her arms. "It's a boy." She says, placing him in my arms. "It's a boy." I repeat, to a weakly smiling Nova. Taking the baby from me, he's placed in her arms. "Come now, we have to clean up. Let the mother have her time with him." Says the midwife's helper, leading me from the room. I've finally found some joy, true happiness, a real purpose.

He shatters all that with a visit. Khan... his name uttered from the domestic helper's lips, causes my anger to rise. "I thought that she had taken ill, and started to talking to herself. But it was a man's voice in the child's room." Silencing her with a raised hand, I can hear what she heard. "He has his father's features."

"He's a handsome child."

"He could have had our features. I wasn't good enough?"

"I took an herb to prevent it, because I couldn't get pregnant while in the League."

"You're going to do it aren't you, give him up to the League. For him."

"I think you should leave, you've seen him and can report that he's healthy."

"If he knew..."

"Leave..."

The truth hurts, more than words can convey. Dismissing the domestic with instructions to have Nova meet me at our home in town, I come to terms with what I have to do.

THE REVERSION:

Standing over his bed, he's watching me. Playing with his tiny fingers a sadness hits me, which causes me to lash out. "I'm not weak!" I yell. Causing him to cry out in alarm. "Love is something that one must deny, the cause of such a dangerous drive, must be eliminated." Taking my child, I head to the ship. Upon taking off, Nova's arrived. I can't hear her, but her lips form my name repeatedly. Looking away from her, I leave her there on the ground.

I've returned to Mustafar, to finish what my mother started. Taking control over the stormtroopers was effortless, being my grandfathers apprentice I was accepted back without any problems. The plan is to make one last siege upon the League, I'm going to end them all. I can feel her energy before she's landed, and have her brought to my quarters. Masked, I stand before her waiting for her to speak. I receive controlled angry breathing instead. "Leave us, and take her weapons" I command the troopers.

"Don't. touch me." She says, through clenched teeth. "The lady has spoken, go." Leaving us, I remove my mask and the fire in her eyes diminishes. "Where's my son?"

"He's here and he's safe."

"Take me to him."

'So that you can take him to the League?"

"You don't understand."

"I don't understand what, that you're too weak to stand up for your son?"

"They want him when he comes of age, at ten years."

If he's anything like his father, he's going to resent us."

"Khan's going to torture and dismember you. Arro's going to kill me, and still take him."

"I'm glad to hear, that you have faith in my ability to protect him, and you."

She's quiet, listening... I know that look. "What is it?" I ask.

"He's here."

The door opens to Khan, and we both draw our weapons. "I've come to collect on your contract." His gaze directed at me, he draws his weapon. "I'll kill you, and be tasked with rearing your child." His words send me into attack mode. Striking at him, he easily blocks my attacks.

Nova stays out of it, letting us hash it out. Blocking his hit, he draws a dagger and stepping aside it misses my heart. Adrenaline raging, I go for his throat, missing it by an inch. Drawing back, his sword slashes my shoulder. Cutting deep, the pains tolerable but maddens me. Yelling, I strike his leg, and would have put my saber through his heart, if Nova hadn't of blocked my hit.

Stormtroopers rushing into the room, he's outnumbered. Then the inconceivable happens... Nova attacks the two stromtroopers closest to him, slashing the throat of one, and stabbing the other in the stomach. Taking her lead, he removes the head of one. They fight their way through the small gathering and for my love of her, I allow them to leave.