A Shot In The Dark // Kylo x Reader

Chapter 1 || Failure

"Prepare for deployment, 5 minutes until landing."  The aircraft's intercom echoed throughout the carrier.

I fought to steady my breathing, my blaster suddenly felt heavier in my arms, I gripped it tighter in anticipation.

Just breathe, I repeated over and over, as if I would stop if it wasn't a conscious thought. I knew I was ready for this, years of rigorous training had lead to this moment. Breathe.

My body was on fire, nerves igniting one by one as we arrived closer to our destination. I stayed glued in my position, head forward, staring absently at the rows of troopers planted in neat lines around me. The steady buzzing of the ship added to the anticipatory energy that flowed through every soldier that flooded the area.

Breathe.

I glanced to my left with a slight turn of my head, the sight of JN-1615 calming my nerves for a second. She stood like me, not moving from her position, confidence radiated off her body. She was always cut out for this, during training her moves always calculated and perfect. We were the best in the class, but she was better, always more confident as she consistently fought with flawless technique.

As if she could sense my gaze, her head turned slightly towards me and gave a subtle nod. I couldn't help but smile through my mask as I returned one, knowing she was here with me sent a bolt of electricity through my body. A small wave of confidence made its way to my core.

Breathe. Just breathe. You can do this.

The ship landed heavily, troopers around me all steadied themselves after the impact. I gripped my blaster tighter in my palms awaiting the lowering ramp. A moment of fear flashed through me as we all marched in perfect lines toward the battle.

Instantly my surroundings were illuminated with flashes, blasters firing from the troopers who landed moments before. Our division was quick to join in as our perfect lines dissolved into the battlefield.

Oh gods this is happening, I don't want to die.

I stood frozen in place, struck with uncertainty as I looked around. The night sky was flashing, the silhouettes of troopers and citizens engaged in combat burned into my mind.

A small kick to my side woke me up, beside me was JN-1615 holding her blaster in the attack position. We wordlessly communicated, and with a nod of her head I followed her into the village. 

A bullet whizzed passed my helmet, as I turned around two attackers came into view, ready for a fight. Instinctively I fired at them as they did the same, I had to keep moving in order to doge their attacks as I traveled towards them. My body went into autopilot as I fired straight into their chests, the two men fell to the ground screaming in pain.

I didn't have time to think as another shot was fired from my right, in seconds I was turned, firing back at this woman who fell clutching her leg and screaming in agony. I ran to her, kicking the blaster out of her hand, bringing mine up to her chest in the process.

"You will never win, First Order scum." She spat, still clutching her bleeding leg. I reacted by firing a shot into her head before moving along to scout the village.

My body was buzzing, all my movements appearing on instinct. I had no time to think, just act, it was what we were taught. I shot down a few more people in the village, which was now filled with smoke and screams. All around me laid bodies from both sides and all I could hear were blasters being fired from all around mixed with screams of the dying. It was a sight I had never anticipated being so horrible when in training, I stiffened slightly.