Salvation

Chapter 1

"I'll come back to you sweetheart! I promise!"

Reys mind drifted away with the man she knew to be her father's words calling to her. She can never see him clear, but she can always hear those words, even when she didn't want to. Anytime she was in absolute silence they would echo in her head. But at the current moment, the voice was beginning to fade away, which meant that she was starting to wake up.

Her eyes snapped open, she shook her head lightly to clear out the slight remains of the empty promise she still heard. She made an attempt to raise her hand to her head but it didn't move. This suddenly seemed to make her wide awake and look down. She was strapped down to a stretcher like board that held her in a standing position. She pulled at her restraints that held her arms and legs tightly in place. No budge.

She started to panic. How did this happen?

How did I get here?

She raced through her mind. She was in the forest. She was afraid.

He was there.

She tried to recollect her thoughts. She remembers the chase. She shot at him with a blaster, each time he blocked the attacks with his red lightsaber at ease. Like he was just brushing off an annoying fly buzzing at him. As he blocked, he pressed towards her, stalking her like a game of cat and mouse.

But as all games come to a end eventually, he was done with his game and reached out his arm, sending some kind of power through his fingers, causing her arm with the blaster to swing backwards and her whole body frozen in place.

What is this? What is happening?

She remembers the fear of losing control of her body, paralyzed completely with the exception of her trembling. She was trying to fight against whatever hold this creature in black had on her but to no use.

He spoke to her, his voice distorted with the mask he wore. She couldn't hear him. She was in her own head, trying to fight what was happening, trying to make sense of this. She never answered him or acknowledged him and within moments, she felt a sharp pain slice at her mind. It was brief but painful. She pushed back at whatever it was and the pain ceased. Tears streaming down her face.

A storm trooper approaches speaking to the dark creature. She remains in place as he stopped to listen to the trooper. She refuses to accept whatever fate awaits for her and will not stop fighting. But within seconds he walks behind her, muttering something that puts chills down her spine.

"We have what we need."

She didn't have time to comprehend what he meant when he cupped his hand over her head and everything went black.

The sudden feeling of being watched snapped her mind back to reality. She was captured and whatever had taken her was in the room with her in that moment. She looked up and saw him, kneeling down before her.

"Where am I?" She swallow her fear and spoke firmly to him.

"You're my guest." His distorted voice spoke through his black helmet. Crouched down he appeared like a dark mass, sitting so still.

"Where are the others?" She feared for everyone who she had began to care for, the only thing close to a family she ever had and would ever know.

"Do you mean the murderers, traitors and thieves you call friends? You'll be relieved to hear that I have no idea."

She glared at him. How dare he. He knew nothing of the kindness they showed her. She had no one. She was nothing. Just a scavenger. They saw past that and welcomed her. They all knew little of each other but it didn't matter.

"You still want to kill me." He spoke to her again.
She almost snorted. "That's what happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask."

I'm response, he lifted his hands to his helmet and clicked two buttons. With woosh of air being released from the helmet, the front opened up and he removed the helmet. He rose up, showing his full height, along with his face. She stated blankly at him. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. Perhaps a hideous twisted face with cold eyes staring back at her. She thought maybe what would be behind the mask was more terrifying than he appeared.

But no, that's not what was there. He was handsome in a different way than most handsome men are. He had a light complexion with dark chocolate brown eyes. They were dark, but not cold. They were almost warm with a curiosity feel behind them. He had black soft curls that fell loosely at his shoulders. We if he sensed she was taking his appearance in, a small crooked smile appeared on his full lips but quickly faded.

He walked in her direction slowly, making his way passed her.
"Tell me about the droid." His deep voice spoke clear.

A sarcastic smirk was on her lips, playing with her tongue in her cheek. She was feeling spiteful and wanted to aggravate him. She spoke quickly. "He's a BB unit with a selenium drive and a thermal hyperscan vindicator-"

"Its carrying a section of a navigational chart. And we have the rest. Recovered from the archives of the Empire,but we need the last piece. And... Somehow, you convinced the droid to show it to you... You. A scavenger."

Rey reacts, taking a breath in. How could he know that?

He then takes a step in front of her. "You know I can take whatever I want." He says cooly.

Trepidation flashes across her eyes. He moves closer, his hand rising toward her. She recoils, but has nowhere to go. His hand nearly touches her face. In a moment, they're both surprised! They react to a feeling that passes between them; an energy that passes through both of them that they have never felt before. And then it's gone. Adversaries again. She can't move, quietly she strains in agony, trying to resist what he is doing.

"You're so lonely... so afraid to leave..." He smiles lightly. "At night, desperate to sleep... you imagine an ocean. I see it -- I see the island..."

Tears stream down her face as she resists. She tries to break free, but can't budge.

How is this possible?

"And Han Solo. You feel like he's the father you never had. He would've disappointed you."

His hand now lightly placed on her face, her eyes fierce through the agony. She needs to fight this. She needs to fight back.

"Get out of my head!" She spoke through gritted teeth. Her breathing getting heavier. But this just makes him lean closer.

"I know you've seen the map. It's in there... and now you'll give it to me. Don't be afraid. I feel it too."

Where her strength comes from, she doesn't know, but she won't allow her fear to be presented to him.
"I'm not giving you anything." She shook her head at him.

"We'll see." He peers into her eyes intensely. She meets his gaze.

Despite the pain piercing through her, which she is now aware it is coming from him reading into her mind. Shes finds every ounce of strength inside herself to fight back. His confidence begins to melt away. He has slammed up against a barrier in her mind. He looks less certain by the moment as she seems to grow in strength. The ferocity of confrontation builds until it hits critical mass and she does the unthinkable. Something no other aside from his own master has been able to do.

She is now pressing her body forward, looking back into his eyes with no fear. She pushed back so hard, she finds herself breaking into his head. Seeing images blurry around quickly like a twisted of memories and thoughts. It's distorted and fast until she finds one thing. Fear.

"You... you're afraid... that you will never be as strong as... Darth Vader!"

He suddenly withdraws his hand, breathing fast as if her face were fire hot. He stumbles back, confused and rattled. Her body is released from his hold and she breathes deeply, her powerful eyes still on him, who starts to leave.

What did I do?