Theodosia

Chapter 17

When they landed on Jakku, Theo pulled up her hood and covered the bottom part of her face with a white cloth in place of the red bandana she had lost. She watched from the ship's window as the first few batches of Stormtroopers exited their own ships, blasters blazing even before they stepped off the platform.

She watched with a sick feeling in her stomach as countless bodies of the villagers fell to the ground after meeting their fate at the hands of the blasters.

"Commander Hale," a robotic voice said, startling her from her place at the window.

Kylo was looking at her, waiting at the opening of the ship.

"I'm coming," she said weakly, sighing as she grabbed hold of her lightsaber hilt.

When they got off the ship, the Stormtroopers had already brought ahead an old man who went by the name Lor San Tekka. So long was his history fighting on the side of the  New Republic and the Resistance, that seeing the monster of a son of two people he fought alongside with all those years came like a slap to the face. He remained courageous nonetheless.

  Kylo Ren approached him. Theo stayed a few steps away from him, lingering in the background as she usually did since her decision. She scanned the area. Some houses were on fire. Bodies were littered on the ground. The smell of burning flesh reached her nose. She tore her gaze away from the ghastly scene.

"Look how old you've become," Kylo said to the man.

"Something far worse has happened to you," the man replied, unafraid.

"You know what I've come for,"

"I know where you've come from," the man countered. "Before you called yourself Kylo Ren."

"The map to Skywalker," Kylo said. "We know you found it, and now you're going to give it to the First Order." He began walking around the man intimidatingly.

"The First Order rose from the Dark side. You did not."

"I'll show you the Dark Side.

"You may try," the man said. "But you cannot deny the truth that is your family."

"You're so right," Kylo said calmly before igniting his lightsaber and slashing it through the man. Theo nearly jumped forward to stop him before a blast came from their right fired. Kylo raised his hand and the single blue bolt remained suspended in the air. A pair of Stormtroopers ran to get the one who had fired it.

It was with great surprise and an even greater horror did Theo recognise that the shooter was Poe. They brought him forward towards Kylo and knocked him to his knees. Kylo crouched down to his level.

"So, who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?" Poe asked, able to maintain his sense of humour even in the face of adversity.

"The old man gave it to you," Kylo mused.

"It's very hard to understand you with all the," he gestured to the mask. "Apparatus."

"Search him."

The Stormtroopers made him stand, and they started patting him down. Poe's eyes drifted to Theo, and she saw his eyes widen slightly, his mouth open to say something but then deciding against it. Theo tensed up, remaining quiet.

"Nothing, sir," the Stormtrooper reported.

"Put him on board," Kylo ordered, and they started carrying him towards the ship. Theo's feet moved to follow before she came to a halt when Captain Phasma asked:

"Sir, the villagers?"

"Kill them all," Kylo said calmly before turning back towards the ship.

"Don't," she tried quietly, but he already walked into the ship.