#krina

Annoyance and anger rose in Krina as she sensed six people coming closer to her. The Knights of Ren, masked warriors who devoted themselves to the Dark Side – a true testament to its power when utilized correctly but they were more or less just used to scare people off. To Krina, six large, useless monsters were hardly a distraction. The seventh was going to be a problem. He never hesitated to intervene, cause a scene, and sabotage her missions. She stiffened, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.

Four stormtroopers stood around villagers, who were down on their knees, holding blasters to their temples. Krina’s boots crunched against dry and cracked dirt as she stepped forward. The hostages looked up at her with fear in their eyes as she towered over them, holding her lightsaber in a backwards grip and deactivating it in hopes of giving them some sort of false sense of security.

“Don’t be afraid,” She hummed, offering a sweet smile as she made a point to show them that she was putting her weapon away. She could feel their fear grow as they recognized her, and her capabilities. Krina took another step forward and the captives winced. She let out a cold laugh, throwing her head back. “None of you listened. That’s a shame.”

Krina eyed the line and began sifting through their minds, one by one. At each victim, she paused and leaned in, only inches between them. She smirked at each of them, watching as their sweat and tears mixed into a mess. All they could visualize was a dramatic slideshow of memories and goodbyes upon realization that this was indeed the end. However, there was nothing of substance, nothing she needed. So far, they were more useless than the planet they lived on. She continued down the line, ignoring the screams of those she was finished with as the troopers finished them off. With each death, the Knights of Ren inched closer.

As Krina reached the final villager, she held her hand out, instructing the Force to infiltrate the poor man’s mind. He left out a pained and strangled scream as Krina gained control over his thoughts. She rummaged through them, finding a hint of something worth looking into. She pushed the Force, wanting to peer further and gather more information. And yet, she was inevitably interrupted. A huff escaped her lips and she backed away, whipping her head around only to be met by six terribly designed masks.

“Interrupting yet another mission you have no place in, I see,” Krina spoke through gritted teeth. None of them answered. She was well aware their master was puppeteering them to keep their mouths shut. She shook her head at them and sauntered over.

“Where’s your master? Shouldn’t he be here trying to take my glory?” She hummed as she weaved in between the men, placing her hands on them like they were toys and she wanted to play. Almost as if he were listening, their master was now tangible in her mind and heading directly towards her, speaking to her through the Force. Kylo Ren had finally arrived.

"Get your hands off of them and do what you were told."

Krina audibly laughed and slithered over to Vicrul – or was it Ushar? She didn’t care to be able to tell them apart. She let her hands trail down the layers of the knight’s thick black fabric.

“Oh, he’s coming! How exciting! Once he’s here you all can pretend to be useful while he gives you silly instructions. As if I wasn’t already going to do all of it myself!” She cheered, practically bouncing along with her words.

Honestly, Krina felt bad for not only the stormtroopers but the poor lonely villager who had to watch this desperate attempt to get under Kylo Ren’s tattered and scarred skin. She wanted to have a little fun before the mission was over. Once she felt his full presence, Krina backed away from the Knights and stood in front of them, facing them.

Kylo Ren pushed past his men and stood only inches from the frustrated woman. He may be taller than her, but it was obvious that she was not the least bit intimidated by him. She stood with her shoulders back and her chin in the air, her eyes not faltering. This was the first time Krina had seen Kylo Ren’s newly reforged helmet and she made a mental map of the ridiculous red vein-like stripes.

“Supreme Leader,” Krina addressed the masked man, raising an eyebrow. Wordlessly, Kylo Ren walked over to the lone captive. Krina continued to face the Knights of Ren, working on not letting her anger for the Supreme Leader’s interruption get the best of her. The disruption in the Force is what made her turn around. Kylo Ren somewhat knew the one villager Krina hadn’t gotten a chance to fully infiltrate and kill. She could feel the turmoil it caused the already weak man in front of her.

“You’re with the Resistance,” Kylo spoke, breaking his silence. Krina didn’t intervene. She only motioned the stormtroopers to fall back and watched on. The captive only made a small, disgusted noise but kept his eyes locked onto the masked man in front of him. Kylo crouched down to be at the same level and mimicked the motion Krina had done only moments before, earning the same guttural scream as the man’s mind was torn through. The sound lasted much longer as Kylo poked and prodded, searching.

Krina felt it the moment Kylo found what she had already begun to uncover. He retrieved the information that would be useful to them: a small section of the Resistance’s current plans. Kylo hummed, dropping his hand and letting the Force dissipate.

“Valuable information in the mind of such an unimportant individual. Truly a mistake,” He stood as he spoke, steadying himself as he reached for his lightsaber.

“You forget yourself, young man,” The man began to speak in a panic and Kylo stilled. “The light is strong in your ever disintegrating heart. You may believe the Dark Side has a hold on you but your mother-”

“Oh, enough,” Krina scoffed, already igniting her lightsaber. The blade’s hum made her eager, and ready to kill. Kylo raised a hand, silently ordering her to stand down.

Krina grit her teeth at Kylo Ren, glaring at him in disgust. This was her mission, she was not going to let his fatal love for an absent mother cause yet another disruption. She stepped forward, keeping her eyes on the back of his helmet as she walked. When she got close enough, she shoved him aside, staring down at the man a part of Kylo Ren hopelessly wanted to spare.

“Krina,” Kylo Ren hissed, warning the Commander.

“Your naivety and weakness will not be mistaken for the First Order’s,” She spoke, her voice stable and her words harsh. She did not fear their useless, newly appointed Supreme Leader. In fact, she feared virtually nothing. Krina readied herself by taking a step backward, raising her lightsaber above her head. She smiled sinisterly at the man before striking fast and deadly, like that of a snake. She whipped back around and walked passed the group of First Order personnel without hesitation. She paused for a moment, facing away from her superior.

“While we are at it, if you so desperately want to be called by your ridiculous, made-up name then you will call me by mine, Ben Solo.” Krina was gone before Kylo had any time to react. He felt their connection break as she shut herself off from him through the Force. Krina had insisted they only be available to each other when necessary. She wanted nothing to do with the torment in his mind.

Kylo Ren’s blood boiled as he stared down at the mess Krina had left behind. She was always so insistent that things be done the way she wanted. She never thought of the consequences of her actions. He was always left to pick up her pieces, to reconcile for what she had done. He was the Supreme Leader, the true leader of the First Order, of the Dark Side. She was the newly appointed Commander, practically nothing. It was a choice he was forced to make once he stepped into the role he was bound for. He was reluctant to give her the title and its power, however, it was imperative that he keep the security of the First Order as his top priority. Besides destroying the Resistance, of course. He didn’t think it was possible but Krina became even more of an inconvenience.

Kylo may have been a monster but he was a fair one. He was going to continue to treat her lowly so long as she treated him like a joke. She so desperately wanted him to call her by her earned title yet never had the decency to show him an ounce of respect.

Lady Snake: a relentless, highly trained killer that lacked in dignity and humane morals. A woman so deadly, her victims weren’t able to utter their last words or gasp a last breath. Anyone could argue that Kylo was void of the same things but he didn’t mind. He, for the most part, knew where he stood and who he was.

Kylo kneeled down at the remains, his eyes scanning the Resistance fighter’s body in hopes of finding anything valuable. He examined Krina’s destruction, making a mental note of the way she attacked. Just like all her other outbreaks, this one was eerily perfect. A completely straight slice right through the man’s waist, causing his upper body to practically slide off. Krina’s approach was unlike Kylo’s in every way. His technique was jagged, rushed, and novice while Krina’s was so refined, it left those who witnessed it feeling uneasy and in awe.

In one fluid movement, Kylo stood up and turned around to face his men, one of his only constant reminders of Snoke. The Knights of Ren were a gift from his master when he renounced his past and gave into the Dark Side. His only other reminder was Krina, who wasn’t exactly a good one. The Knights all regained their posture and stood at attention.

Much to her dismay, Krina was ordered to stay on the Finalizer while a small portion of the First Order took to Crait in hopes of cutting off the Resistance and destroying them. She was restless, wanting to be in the middle of it all. She was more than capable of causing serious damage to anything the Resistance threw her way. The First Order knew she was the perfect person to go in and do the job but pride got in the way of seeking true success. And of course Kylo Ren stood in her way, ordering her to stand down. 

The Resistance had grown accustomed to dealing with Kylo. They knew his motives and the way to break him down. It was surely going to be his downfall. They didn’t know Krina in the same way. She was a mystery to them, something of their nightmares that only ended in bloodshed with a devilish smile. It was no secret that the Resistance’s hatred for her exceeded anything they felt for Kylo. Even then, she wanted nothing more than to stand in front of them again and watch fear cloud their judgment.

Krina continuously shifted her gaze between the terrain in front of her and Kylo’s large frame as they trudged on, resorting to using the end of her long, delicate cape as a cover for her face as a strong gust of wind sent flumes of salt spiraling. A small group of stormtroopers followed behind them as a precaution but kept their distance. As the wind-picked salt began to settle, the Resistance outpost and remnants of the battle came into view. The pair took attentive steps into the wreckage.

A few First Order machines were the first to catch Krina’s eye due to the dark grey shading out against pure white. AT-AT and AT-M6 walkers had begun to cover in salt as if it were snow, causing only about half of each walker to be accessible to her. Large chunks of the armored exterior were missing from blasts, the impact of collapsing, and even time. Krina stared down at the AT-M6 beside her, scanning what had remained of it. It was apparent that it had been shot down by something Resistance owned since the wounds were small and plentiful. She took note before she continued to walk towards her destination, trailing a little behind her superior who didn’t need to assess the damage he had inflicted.

Catching sight of a lone skim speeder, a V-4X-D to be exact, is what caused Krina to stop again. The quality of the speeder, what was left of it anyway, showed its age. It was practically in pieces. First Order blasters and cannons were far more powerful than anything the Resistance could dream of making. Krina was surprised this one held up as well as it had. She bent down, landing on her knees. She put one hand on the metal, shivering at the cold, and closed her eyes. She invited the Force to take over and it flooded her senses. 

A slowly moving image played in her mind of the skim speeder losing its balance as it, and its pilot, narrowly avoided First Order bullets and collided with the salted terrain. Fear and a sense of acceptance hit the pilot all at once before their heads lulled to the side as the speeder landed on top of them. Krina didn’t flinch at the sight or the ghastly emotions. The image slowly disappeared and Krina was staring back at the vehicle again. 

“Force echoing?” Kylo questioned as he looked at her from over his shoulder. Krina looked up at him, pursing her lips.

“You’d know I could do that if you actually paid attention to anyone but yourself.”

Years ago, Krina had mastered her ability to use psychometry. Most called it “Force echoing,” much like Kylo did, but it was hardly technical terminology. It was a skill very few Force-sensitives were born with and those who mastered it could acquire information about objects just by touching them. Krina had been one of those few and was the only known Dark sider who possessed such a power. It was just another piece that made her so vital to the First Order. She could feel the jealousy radiating off of the man ahead of her.

Krina straightened out and made her way over to Kylo. The pair walked side by side once again, their eyes on the only real reason they were on this waste of a planet in the first place. The massive, metal mine shaft door was sealed shut with one massive crack running all the way down it. 

“The battering ram cannon only managed to put a crack in it?” Disgust oozed out of Krina’s words.

“It was successfully opened.” The sternness of Kylo’s correction trailed off as his eyes scanned the mysterious door.

“Then, why is it closed?” 

“Isn’t that the reason why we are here?” Kylo snapped and Krina rolled her eyes. 

It made the pair look so small as it towered above. It was quite comical how someone as tall and intimidating as Supreme Leader Kylo Ren seemed so insignificant against it. Krina took a step forward and closed her eyes. 

“You do not truly think you can open this door after it took death star technology to open it the first time?” Kylo snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Krina kept silent and deepened her breathing, using the Force to will the door open. As the door creaked and began to lift, Krina smirked proudly to herself. She could feel Kylo’s scowl burning a hole in the back of her head. It was an inconvenient day for him to decide to leave his helmet on this ship. As the stormtroopers approached, they all gasped at the sight. 

“Kylo Ren can’t do that,” One of them whispered under his breath, trying to keep his words to himself as much as possible. Krina threw her head back and let out a loud cackle as Kylo threw out a hand and squeezed around the trooper’s throat.

Krina really was a lot stronger than she let on. She was going to have to boast about this when she was back on the Finalizer, tell Hux how Kylo Ren’s blood boiled, and maybe try to impress a few Knights of Ren. If only the First Order would have let her attend the mission the first time around. Whether she was strong or not, the amount of power and manipulation of the Force it took to open the door knocked the wind out of her. She tried her best to not let her newfangled exhaustion show as she very slowly and cautiously stepped inside.

The outpost was a skeleton of what was already a bare bones operation. It had been stripped, forgotten, further abandoned. Dust, grime, and dirt had begun to rest in cracks and on the tops of surfaces. All machines had been powered down or destroyed. 

Truthfully, Krina couldn’t quite understand how the Resistance found a place as desolate and outdated as Crait to be useful to them but then again, they were terrible at making just about any decision. And this time, they managed to get away but their fleet was continuing to dwindle. Had she been allowed to go, the Resistance would no longer exist. Then again, maybe Krina would no longer exist instead. This could have been the very place where she fell. The very place where the Resistance showed her no remorse, where Kylo Ren stood with them as they struck her down.

Kylo Ren. Krina quickly abandoned the crates and searched for him. Stormtroopers, deserted equipment, and no sign of the Supreme Leader. Panic. All that settled in Krina’s bones was unbridled panic. Was this all just a ploy? A way to get her alone so he could put an end to her? 

Had he really left her behind? 

Krina pushed past stormtroopers and searched everywhere. Her mind was racing and she didn’t stop for a second to think of utilizing the Force. She was so used to cutting him off from her mind and keeping her distance that searching for him in a way that made them both vulnerable felt foreign and sinister. 

While running a shaky hand through strands of hair that had fallen out of a haphazard ponytail, Krina let out a breath. Pain, manifesting as both physical and mental, caused the sigh to come out as a whine. The whole world seemed to freeze around Krina as she unraveled.

“Kylo.” One simple word came out in a broken whisper. Something tugged at Kylo as he searched the premises in a room that veered off from the main hangar. It echoed in his mind, practically screaming at him. Something was wrong. Immediately, he thought of Krina and all the ways she could be causing trouble.

Krina was so frantic, she didn’t realize Kylo, out of breath and disheveled, had arrived at her side. A gentle touch and soothing voice shook her out of her thoughts.

“Krina,” He practically whispered back to her. She looked up at him, eyes wide. “What have you done?”

“Nothing!” She scoffed, stepping away from him. “I don’t spend all my time causing problems for you.”

“I sensed a disturbance. I only thought-”

“Well, you were mistaken. Whatever you sensed was not from me. If you don’t recall, I tend to keep you cut off. I don’t need to be interrupted by your unbalanced connection with the Force.” Krina’s words were a string of defenses to cover a moment of weakness. Hopefully, that was something Kylo couldn’t sense. He did. 

“The Force does not lie, Krina. I would not have abandoned my search to come to your rescue if it was nothing.” 

“My rescue?! You can do that now when it’s misplaced but not when I was dying?!” Krina’s voice echoed through the bunker as her volume continued to get louder. She was yelling at the Supreme Leader of the First Order with no remorse. Kylo’s facial features twisted in confusion. 

“Dying? When were you dying?” His works cracked and frayed at the seams. The thought of Krina dying struck fear in both of them. Krina’s eyes doubled in size before she tried to normalize her expression and erase any signs of her former panic. This nightmare had continued to seep into moments in her life and blur the edges of reality, which she was losing her grip on.

“Unimportant,” Krina mumbled as she turned on her heels and walked back towards the crates she had been rummaging through. Kylo followed closely behind her.

“I only found pieces of broken speeders and a holopad that seems to be damaged,” Krina kept her eyes on the items as she listed them off. No part of her wanted to explain her words to Kylo Ren of all people. Kylo blinked at the change in conversation. 

“The holopad could be an important piece. If we can get it working, we can essentially come in direct contact with the Resistance.” Kylo commented, keeping his eyes on Krina. Nothing on this planet was worth what had just happened between them. He wasn’t going to let her off the hook. 

“So this wasn’t all for nothing?” 

“No, I suppose not. Although, one holopad hardly seems like a victory. We need to bring this back to the Steadfast immediately.” Kylo barked the orders loud enough for the stormtroopers to hear and marched out of the hangar. Krina hesitated before she followed behind with her head hung low. Silence became a close friend on the trip back.

“Careful, scum. I don’t think you’d want something so polarizing to be your last words,” Krina shook her head as she spoke. Rose didn’t answer again. How could she? Krina had thrown her hand up in anger and was crushing Rose’s windpipe. 

“How did you get yourself captured again, little wretch? You and FN-2187 just caused quite a stir on the Supremacy and now here you are, back in our grasp. You really are so inexperienced and naive. It’s a shame. You have the potential to be so useful,” Krina never really did know when to stop talking, she found it fun to torment and taunt. It was just a game to her: how many words could she fit in before the scum was only an inch from death. She watched as the fear grew in the poor prisoner’s eyes. She couldn’t tell if Rose was afraid of death or Krina herself. Maybe it was a mixture of both. Maybe Krina didn’t care. She let go of her hold on Rose’s throat. Gasps and deep, strangled breaths filled the air. Krina took the time to saunter on over to the chair. She stopped inches from Rose’s face, outstretching her gloved hand. The side of her palm slowly moved down Rose’s face, causing the girl to thrash away.

“Get away from me, you monster,” Rose screamed, earning a giggle. Krina was delighted to hear such words and it showed in the way she smiled, the corners of her lips curling. Rose looked absolutely mortified. 

“Monster?” Krina repeated the word to taste how it felt coming from her own lips. “Most refer to me as a snake but I like monster.” Krina practically sang her words as the Force tingled against her skin. Her eyes slowly scanned up and down Rose’s face, silently and nonchalantly pulling at her mind. 

Krina was met with the memory of Captain Phasma. They weren’t friends, per say, but they stuck together. Being a woman in a higher ranking position in a place like the First Order wasn’t easy and they didn’t need to make it any harder on each other. Krina felt a shift in the Force. The same one she felt when the traitor killed Phasma. As anger shook through her core, Krina prepared herself. Rose struggled, shook, screamed, and did anything she could to get away from the inevitable, even as Krina connected a few leather covered fingers to her temple. 

Green. Bright tints and dark shades covered everything. Vines wrapped up tree trunks that were adorned with branches covered in luscious leaves. The rich brown of the planet’s natural soil was stark in contrast to the vegetation. Resistance starfighter ships were all docked on a makeshift landing zone. 

A limestone cave, carved out and littered in supplies. A large ship sat in the middle, hooked up to wires and buzzing the entire place to life. A command center, makeshift quarters, a training spot. Books, supplies, resources. 

A girl, wearing pure white and wielding a staff, stuck out against the terrain. She spun the staff and stabbed a small droid, smirking at her progress. She repeated the motion over and over again, attacking at the air. 

Krina blinked and was staring at a defeated, exhausted Rose. She soaked in all the information she just pulled out of the weakling's mind. A new Resistance base. The scavenger, looking so different from the last time Krina had caught a glimpse of her. She had grown, learned the ways of the Jedi. She was far more of a threat than she ever was before. That just meant Krina was going to have to kill her. But first, she had someone else to slaughter. 

“A new base? Hux is going to be elated to hear about this. Such a pity you won’t be alive to watch it burn to the ground,” Krina spoke as she retreated from beside the chair and stepped in front of it. 

“Rey would never let that happen,” Rose retorted, weakly. 

Rolling her eyes, Krina shot down the pitiful answer. “That's if she can even hear the attack coming. Your little boyfriend seems to be shouting her name all the time.” 

Rose seemed more bothered by that statement than she wanted to be. Trouble in paradise. She could feel the girl’s heartache, but quickly dismissed it. Krina did note that this was a sore subject, possibly usable in the future, and continued on. 

“I suppose it's only fair to kill you the way Phasma would have wanted.” Krina ignited her saber and twirled it effortlessly before striking. Krina pushed the blade against Rose’s neck, only applying the smallest amount of pressure so that it didn’t sever right through her, branding her prisoner. 

The smell of burning and slowly rotting flesh burned Krina’s nostrils and she smiled. She always loved the times when it wasn’t her own body being cooked and torn through. Rose’s scream tore through the room but honestly, Krina was hoping for more pleaing and thrashing. These Resistance fighters really did want to take away the thrill. Then again, she had overworked Rose’s brain twice over. She pushed down a little more, feeling the blade slip just an inch further.

 Krina’s control over her lightsaber was something to behold. She had been wielding it since her very beginning days of being Snoke’s apprentice. Her connection with it had grown alongside herself and her connection with the Force. It was practically an additional limb.

Just as she was going in for the kill, Krina was interrupted by a bang on the door. With a grunt she stepped away from Rose, who was grateful for the pause in torture. As soon as she stepped outside, she immediately felt disdain for the sight before her. 

“Ah, a Knight of Ren. Which one are you? I always get you all mixed up,” Krina mewled, cocking her hip to the side. She sifted through their wide display of helmets in her head and matched names. Vicrul. The Knight stayed quiet. She wondered if anyone of them even knew how to talk. 

“Ma’am, you instructed that no one be let in,” One of the stormtroopers spoke out hesitantly. 

“I did, yes. And so far, you’ve done your job.”

“This Knight claims the Supreme Leader sent him to collect you,” That same trooper finished his explanation and Krina could see right through it. She eyed the Knight, searched his mind for any sort of information and yet, he was blank. A trick Kylo Ren must have taught him. Though, she didn’t care much. She was sure the emotional nuisance wasn’t satisfied with the insufficient amount of annoyance he was able to add to her day. It was usually way more than even that intense, melodramatic moment. 

“Tell Supreme Leader Buckethead that we’ve done enough talking for the day,” She dismissed, ignoring the stormtroopers that simultaneously tilted their heads in curiosity. For supposedly well trained and properly brainwashed fighters, they really did have their own personalities. Vicrul was quick to turn on his heels and walk away as if he was actually going to listen to Krina’s orders for once. She stared at him skeptically for as long as he was in view.

“Finish off the prisoner,” Her words came out in mumbles as she began to follow Vicrul’s path, almost step for step. 

He headed towards the Night Buzzard, The Knights of Ren’s ship, springing an impromptu meeting on them. Though it was docked, they had just come back from a personal mission he had sent them on. He could sense their presence far before they caught a hint of his, giving him an advantage. They may have been his men but his trust in them was thin regardless. Kylo could sense his warriors slacking off, chatting and acting far from professionally. When he entered, they all stood formally in a line, at the ready. 

Kylo walked down the line. It was so silent, every breath rang in their ears. Kylo was peering into their minds, hoping to find nothing out of the sorts. They were all carefully thoughtless. Vicrul is where that changed. 

“Is there something wrong, Vicrul?” Kylo asked as he walked away from his men and stood by the door.

“No, sir.” Vicrul responded quickly. 

“No? It seems there must be considering you have disobeyed direct orders.”

“I apologize, sir. I was unaware the orders were of priority importance.” 

“Do I need to spell it out for you? You are to know where Krina is and what she is doing at all times. I want you to report back every single day.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You are not to be caught. Do you understand me?”

The Knight nodded his head slightly. “Yes, sir.”

“I have no power over her nor her actions. She will not hesitate to kill you.”

“She would kill you long before she’d –”

Vicrul’s words caught in his throat as the Force crushed against it. Panic filled the room as the rest of the Knights turned their attention to their leader, knowing he was the source even though he hadn’t moved a muscle. 

“Utter such words again and I will do the honors.” As soon as the words left his lips, Kylo stormed out, his cape whipping behind him. He didn’t release his grip on Vicrul’s throat until he knew the bastard was seconds from death.

He kept walking, practically aimlessly. His mind, body, and connection with the Force were all weathered and out of control. He couldn’t quite place his anger in one place. Vicrul’s words echoed against images of Krina. It didn’t stop there. Even the scavenger mocked him. Eventually Kylo stopped and put a hand on the hilt of his saber.

Krina’s day had been far from eventful and she was ready to turn in and retreat to her quarters. She turned the corner and froze in her tracks at the sight in front of her. Kylo Ren stood hunched over, frantically slashing. Large, jagged marks covered the console in front of him. His chest heaved and his entire body shook. He paused for a moment, almost regaining his composure, as if he knew she was there, before he unraveled all over again. Krina was unsure of what to do. She knew any sudden or wrong movement would end poorly for her. 

Every ounce of pain radiated off of Kylo and Krina could sense all of it. It was as if there was a crack in the Force, in the barrier she had created. She had shut herself off from him and his uncontrollable emotions, yet the Force insisted she have a taste of what he was currently feeling. She shivered at the overwhelming sensation running down her spine and she stared, unable to tear herself away. Watching him come undone was magnetizing. He was vicious and exposed, unlike how Krina was used to seeing him. He was kinder to their enemy than he was to his own equipment. 

“What are you doing?” Krina spoke slowly, her words making Kylo freeze. He was so engulfed in his actions that he didn’t sense anyone coming. It was as if she was a parent catching her child acting up.

“Leave at once,” He ordered, his grip on his saber tightening.

“I believe I asked you a question,” Krina pushed. Abruptly and wordlessly, Kylo turned on his heels and stormed away from Krina, who stood dumbfounded. After realizing what had happened, Krina quickly followed.

“Supreme Leader, I believe I asked you a question,” She repeated, her words thick with sarcasm as she was practically on his heels. She watched as a door opened in front of him and she picked up speed, slipping through. 

Suddenly, she was in unmarked territory. Her eyes scanned every bit of the room. Her skin grew pale when she realized she was standing in Kylo Ren’s quarters. The apparent size difference between hers and his came to mind before much of anything else. There they stood, Kylo faced away from her, knowing she was there- knowing she was seeing a place that was only meant to be his.

The slightest bit of personal satisfaction mixed with Kylo’s surge of emotions as Krina was finally able to witness an infamous temper tantrum and better yet, she was finally able to witness a piece of Kylo he kept so private. Just as Krina was about to throw a snarky remark into the mix about his choice of decoration, the dam that kept them apart broke and flooded her mind. Krina had spent years working to successfully cut herself off from Kylo, flipping the switch only when needed. And now, it was shattered and she was left overwhelmed. The Force was showing her that she mistook fury for pain. 

“She would kill you long before she’d ever think to kill me.”

Vicrul’s words replayed in her mind like a broken record. She swallowed hard as her eyes widened. Kylo’s body tensed. He knew what she had heard. He whipped around, marching over to her and stopping only inches from her face.

“You.” There was so much hatred in one word that Krina’s defenses were automatically triggered. She raised an eyebrow at him. 

“Me?” 

“What did you hear?” Krina could barely make out his words through the purposeful distortion through the mask mixing with his apparent clenched jaw. 

“You know what I heard.”

“You should not be in here,” He stated, changing the subject and taking a few steps back. Krina repositioned herself and stuck out her neck.

“You shouldn’t be destroying First Order property.” Krina’s words earned a scoff from the masked joke of a man she was dealing with. 

“Oh, Krina. I am the First Order.” 

“No,” She started, holding back laughter. “You’re an entitled brat that wouldn’t have anything if it weren’t for us.”

“Us? You think you matter to these people?” Kylo asked harshly.

“I know they’d rather keep me alive and that’s all I need.”

“You just do their bidding, their dirty work. You are nothing to them.” Krina scoffed at Kylo’s words and crossed her arms over her chest. She couldn’t believe he had the audacity to speak to her in such a way, as if he truly believed she was unimportant. 

To keep herself from staring at him, Krina shifted her gaze to objects in the room, slowly taking it all in. The perfect mix of white and black covered surfaces. Everything was sleek and clean, unlike most of anything Krina had ever seen. She may have seen death in ways unimaginable, but a suite this pristine was a shock. The space was similar to hers, of course, but it felt entirely different. It was as if no one truly lived here. 

Krina forced herself to return her eyes to the masked man the room supposedly belonged to.

“What is with you calling people nothing? Do you think that’s a good way to entice women?”

“Krina-” 

“I distinctly recall telling you to call me by my title,” Krina cut him off, seriousness dripping off of her words.

“Ah, yes. Lady Snake,” It felt wrong coming off his lips. “A name you have hardly grown into.”

“I deserve my title far more than you deserve yours.”

“Ah, I can sense you believe this to be true. You never did like me much.”

“I still don’t.” 

“And why is that?”

“Why?” Krina scoffed. “You’re a pathetic man hiding behind a helmet you’ve destroyed and rebuilt, too afraid of the person underneath it.”

“You hardly know the man underneath.”

“I don’t care to know him.”

Kylo Ren, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, let out the softest of hums before reaching up, his fingers hooking into the bottom of his helmet. Krina could’ve sworn he hesitated, second guessed his decision, wondered if it was the right one to make. He pulled off the helmet, letting it drop to the ground aimlessly. Neither of them were fazed by the sound of metal clashing onto the ground. 

Krina immediately glanced at his newly uncovered face, wanting to take in every inch of him. She had seen him without his mask before but something about the man standing in front of her was entirely different.

The color of his skin was so pale it was almost sickly even though it was scattered with spots of red, a true representation of his current anger. One poorly healed scar looked monstrous, compared to the small ones that littered his face, as it started at his forehead and cascaded all the way to his neck. Krina knew of its existence, that the scavenger had done it, but hadn’t seen it up close. His lips were pulled into a thin line but it was evident that they were chapped and cracking. His natural blemishes were made unimportant by all the damage years of war had done to him. Finally, Krina dared to peer into his eyes. His pupils were dilated, swallowing the soft brown that surrounded them. Around the edges of his irises was a brilliant mix of tints and shades of green, yellow, and brown, creating the most perfect hazel. Behind the color lived enough pain to last several lifetimes, pain that was going to outlive both of them. Krina’s eyes searched around one last time, this time trying to read his expression. She almost didn’t need to because the divide in him was already crying out through the Force. Both the Light and the Dark pulled at him as if they were engaged in an intense game of tug-a-war and he was stuck in the middle.

Something bubbled in Krina’s chest and caused an ache in her throat: a sense of finally understanding someone who had always been a mystery to her. And yet, even with this newfound information, Krina couldn’t shake her frustration. She had always known it to be true– this split of his soul was his downfall, his weakness. It was taking him over, resting somewhere in the cracks of his bones. How could someone who had been betrayed by the Light still have such a desire for it? The Light was filled with empty promises and ineffective hope. It made Krina sick. 

Anger dissipated as Kylo Ren took a step closer to Krina, daring her to make any comment about his appearance. She stiffened. 

“I am far more than a rebuilt helmet.”

“Hardly.”

“And you are more than the guilt that keeps you here.” Kylo’s words sat in between them. Krina wasn’t sure what to say as it almost felt tender, understanding. “You are a product of something that has an unforgivable grip on you. And you continue to let it abuse you.”

The sympathy Krina thought was weaved into Kylo’s words dissipated as he finished. He was a contradiction, acting out of hate but depending on love. His words matched the sentiment and Krina had no luck trying to make sense of it. This side of him was all new to her. There was a softness around his edges that left her uneasy and even more unsure of who he truly was. She swallowed hard, trying to rid herself of the lump in her throat.

She thanked the Maker for the beeping that came from a pocket of hers as it gave her the chance to put Kylo’s feeble attempts on hold. She swiftly pulled out her Holo-Pad and pressed the center of it, watching a holographic image of Hux appear. 

“General,” She spoke as calmly as possible. No one needed to know she was standing in their Supreme Leader’s quarters, especially not Hux.

“Krina, you have a new assignment. You are needed in the interrogation room. We have a new prisoner onboard.”

“Prisoner?” Krina and Kylo Ren spoke simultaneously, their voices mixing together. Krina flashed him a deadly look before looking back at her Holo-Pad. 

“Who- where are you?” Hux asked, eyes wide. Krina mentally cursed both of the impossible men in her life. 

“Unimportant. Please, continue.” She urged in hopes of steering Hux away from his curiosity. 

“Very well… She was captured on a simple supplies retrieval mission. The Resistance had similar plans, so it seems. You are to report there immediately.”