When Light Meets Dark - Kylo's Sister

The Belly of the Beast

"Seeming and knowing made hideous faces at one another across the breadth of her mind."

~Pamela Dean

Rey

I was by the kitchen sink, back at our apartment in Chandrila. A soapy plate slid about in my fingers as I held it beneath the running water, letting the soap suds slide off and vanish. Pure white sunlight, the kind that was most distinct in the early hours of the morning was staining the rooftop across from me. As I turned to put the plate in the draining rack I felt something, a small hand press against my leg. I looked down and there was a child there, staring up at me with a bashful expression.

It was a little girl, I could not tell her age, maybe she was five or six. Her hair was long and black and fell about her shoulders messily. Bushy dark eyebrows were sprouting over her eyes which added a striking and beautiful effect to her face. Her lips, pink and familiar, were twisted to the side as she tried to express her still unspoken request.

A smile stretched my lips. Without speaking I rinsed and dried my hands, and then bent to pick the girl up. She was heavy, but I bore her weight like I could tell I had done many times before. She wrapped her skinny legs around my waist and arms around my neck. The fabric of her pyjamas, a pale sky blue, was soft against my skin. I left the kitchen and walked with her into the hallway. She was clutching my neck a bit too tightly but I said nothing. The tiny guestroom, left bare since we had bought the place, appeared to be in use. There was a small wooden sign pinned up on the door, surrounded by stickers. The door itself had been slid back. I was about to take her inside but paused with my handle on the doorframe when she spoke.

"Mummy, when is daddy coming back?"

I felt a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, even without fully grasping the depth of her question. An awareness that the apartment was empty, save the two of us, overcame me suddenly. I started to feel cold and the arms around my neck seemed to grow tighter, as did the legs which were were wrapped around my waist.

I started awake, just in time to hear the second rap of the soldier on the door. It had been the first which had woken me. Stupidly I tried to stand up, to answer the door, but the restraints on my hands and feet had other plans. The throbbing in my head came instantly, it was unbearable. I blinked in some vain attempt to relieve myself. I wanted to rub my eyes, but I could not. My arms were bound to the wall by heavy metallic restraints, spread like the wings of a bird. A hard bench was beneath me and around my ankles, similar metal restraints had been placed. There was also something around my neck, something which I dared not think about for fear of awakening any remainder of the physical sensation it induced.

The cell door swung back and three guards came in. They were terminus soldiers, the very kind I had fought at Kappi-Ban. Two of them had rifles, and one of the two was holding the small black remote which I had come to discover, controlled my collar. The third soldier, ironically the one standing the furthest away from me, was holding a metal tray. A bowl, spoon and cup sat on it.

It was the second meal they had offered me since I had been brought there. The first time they had come with the food I had been under the impression it would be left for me, and my restraints loosened. But as it seemed, I was too dangerous for such luxuries. 

The third guard came closer and set the tray down on the bench near me. He threw a glance back at the other two and I was almost sure I heard one of them chuckle. My concentration was dim. I knew what was coming, and I would not resist it this time. Hunger had consumed me over the hours, to the point where I was almost excited to be awoken by the rap of the knuckles on the door.