Surrendered

Chapter Twenty Five : Hostiles

Chapter Twenty-Five

The clock on the wall told me I'd slept for four hours, I wondered if that was enough time for Kylo to have come back. I used the fresher and splashed some water onto my face to wash the sleep out of my eyes.

I went out to the main area where Ushar was still waiting for me.

"Good sleep?" He asked.

"Just wonderful." I stretched. "Have you heard anything from them?"

"Yes, he's a hard man to find. We might have to stay the night here." My heart sank, I really wanted to be back in our quarters with Kylo alone.

My facial expression must have alerted him "Do you want me to ask if we can take you back to the Finaliser?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I'll wait for him to return."

"Are you hungry?"

"What a daft question, I always am hungry." I laughed and he went away.

He came back with a tray for me and I settled at the table to take it.

"I didn't know that you were a chef?" I teased.

"It's premade." He replied bluntly.

"Aren't you having any?"

He shook his head.

--

I read a book to keep myself preoccupied to fill the time whilst I anxiously waited for Kylo's return. The longer he was out for the more I worried, I decided to stay out of his head I didn't want to distract him but I eagerly felt for his presence in the force just so I could know that he was okay. The Knights received little in the way of updates from Kylo so I knew that was no point in asking for any updates. There was a rustle in the cockpit, and I heard a pounding of boots.

"There's hostiles outside." Ap'lek informed us, he was gripping his weapon tight desperate to hear the order from Ushar to go and neutralise them.

"Take Cardo with you, and deal with them. I'll guard Lady Ren." Ushar ordered him and he got up to retrieve his weapon and stood in front of me facing the door.

My heart began to pound, and I reached for my light sabre, standing up to take up a defence stance behind Ushar.

"No, just sit we will handle it." He pushed me back gently.

I took a step back but refused to sit, I knew I wouldn't be much use but I wanted to be ready to protect my child if it came down to it. I couldn't reach Ap'lek or Cardo, I couldn't even feel their force signatures anymore.

"What's going on?" I asked worried.

"The hostiles are putting up a fight, Cardo is injured." I gulped, my heart pounding. "Don't strain yourself, I will protect you"

I nodded and tried to listen out to any commotion outside, but it was deadly silent. After what felt like an eternity Ap'lek burst through the doors carrying Cardo, blood was pouring onto the floor and I moved quickly to let Ap'lek rest him on the kitchen table.

"Shit." Ushar growled as he ran to get the medical kit.

I went over to assess his injuries, his armour had been blasted apart and there was a deep wound in his abdomen. He was struggling to breathe under his mask, I pulled it away from his face. His brown hair was knotted, and his face was drenched with sweat, his breathing shallow and he was pale as a ghost.

"You'll be okay." I found a cloth and pushed it against his wound to help stop the bleeding.

He screamed in pain and clenched his fists.

"Don't brother." Ushar warned Cardo when he came back. "I'll hold that, find a bacta patch and something to clean this out with"

I scrambled through the bag and found what we needed, I cleaned his wound the best I could whilst the other two knights held down his arms.

"Fuck!" He screamed as I spread the antiseptic and pressed the bacta patch against the hole in his side.

"What now?" I asked Ushar.

"He needs medbay but we have to wait for Kylo to come back" He answered.

"How long can he hold out?" I looked over as his breathing was audibly becoming shallow.

"He's strong, he can wait but we'll call and ask Kylo."

"He won't like being distracted." I whispered so Cardo wouldn't hear.

"I know, but we can't let him die."

As we anticipated Kylo was furious being disturbed, he thought I was in trouble but it was just one of his knights. I didn't realise he saw them as being so disposable, we needed to bed down for the night and he was sending some troopers to help protect the ship as we were a knight down.

For a man in so much pain Cardo was remarkably silent through his suffering, we gave him as much fluids as was in the medical kit. I was worried about how much blood he had lost but the other knights insisted he was strong and I just needed to look out for myself. I couldn't help but feel frustrated at Kylo if it wasn't for him Cardo wouldn't have been injured. I could have stayed safely on the Finaliser with an armed guard, but instead he brought me on a mission pointlessly to essentially be a sitting duck. And not only that, I had to stay on this ship instead of in our comfortable quarters.

It was miserable waiting for them to get back, we had no more updates on what was happening. I gave up waiting for him after midnight, I retired into the small bedroom to try and get some sleep. I was exhausted but I struggled to push away my fears for Cardo and anxiety about how safe Kylo was.

--

I was awake as soon as the sun came up, I shifted out of bed, pulled my cloak on and made my way into the living area. Cardo was resting on the sofa, whilst the other knights were scattered around.

"Any news?" I asked pouring myself a glass of water.

"No." Ap'lek replied. "He's taking his sweet time, if it was all of us we'd have had this done by now."

"Shut your mouth now." Ushar warned.

"Or what?" Ap'Lek threw himself up and squaring up to Ushar, ready to reach for his weapon.

"Stop it, both of you!" I snapped. "I am sick of you all acting like children. You sit down." I gestured to Ap'lek.

"Yes Lady Ren." He obeyed my order, it was nice to have someone listen to me for once.

Finally, the comms roared into life, my husband was coming home.

--

Hours passed before there was a noise outside whilst they boarded the prisoner onto the other ship. Kylo stormed onto our ship and ordered his knights to pilot the ship before he went into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

I followed "What the hell Kylo?" I demanded, I hadn't seen him for 24 hours and he couldn't be bothered to say hi to me.

"Leave me alone." I could feel waves of guilt wash over him when he made eye contact with me.

"What did you do?" I asked with my arms folded.

"Nothing now leave." He snarled.

I sighed and walked out slamming the door behind me, Ushar gave me a sympathetic look.

"Well he's in a great mood" I sighed, settling onto the sofa beside Cardo.