#touch chapter 1

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“Get back here!”  Another trooper yells in the distance, nearly drowned out by the sound of blasters and screams.  While he would normally turn to look, keeping an eye on his troop, this time, something else preoccupies his mind.  Why did he come here?  What was he so desperate to find?  He can sense that he’s close, but if he isn’t entirely sure of what he’s looking for, how is he supposed to know-

“Agh!”  A sharp pain in his arm cuts off his thoughts.  Reflexively, he holds his hand out behind him, forcing the perpetrator to the ground.  Kylo turns to see a young man holding an ornate blade.  A blue liquid, now swirling with his own blood, drips from the hilt.  How did he not notice the man coming towards him?  He’s losing focus.  Stupid.  “What did you do?”  He asks as stinging pain begins to crawl up his arm and into his chest.

“Devil’s Kiss… you’ll be dead within the hour,” the young man replies with shocking- no, offensive confidence, “my people will-”

Kylo draws his lightsaber, holding it to the young man’s throat.  “You think I don’t have antidotes?”

“Not for Devil’s Kiss.  Our healer created the poison.  She’s the only one that knows how to cure it.”  

Just as he finishes his statement, a hole burns through the man’s chest.  Kylo retracts his saber as the body falls limp to the ground.  Relying on the power of newfound rage and pain, he shifts his focus to this healer. 

“Find their healer,” Kylo roars, “now!”

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They’re looking for you, you can feel it.  Though you have no way of knowing for sure, there’s something in you that tells you they’re coming.  You hold your breath as a couple of troopers come into your tent, tearing the place down.  You focus on your body, keeping every muscle as still as you can.  And you wait.  Vials shatter.  Jars roll across the floor.  Tables flip.  But eventually, the ruckus calms down.  Footsteps soften.  They must’ve left- and I need to get out of here.  You finally breath out in relief.  You wait a little longer, just to be safe, listening.  Silence.  You stand.

The false wall tears open.

Your heart drops.

“Get up,” one trooper says, clearly satisfied with his catch, “you’re coming with us.”

The two of them cuff your hands behind your back and pull you out of the tent.  They drag you to the center of the small town, pushing you down to your knees at the infamous Kylo Ren’s feet, his black attire making for a stark contrast against the blazing buildings behind him.  

You feel a sudden throbbing pressure in your skull and look up to see Kylo’s shaking hand a couple of inches away from your temple.

“Where is the antidote?”  He asks in whatever calm tone he can manage, the pressure in your mind increasing.  A thick blue liquid drips from his fingertips.

Devil’s Kiss.  You knew your friend could do some damage, but nicking Kylo Ren himself?  That’s even better.  Though, any feeling of triumph quickly dissipates when you notice your friend’s body, limp on the ground, just a few feet away from you.  You turn your focus back to the man in front of you, Watching Kylo intently as he continues to push.  You get the urge to fight back- no, to push back?  It’s worth a shot.  No, you think, pushing back.  You feel his confusion- with just a hint of anxiety.  Pushing further, you hear his thoughts: How is she doing this?  Who is she?  Memories start to flash in your mind.  Moments where he felt drawn to someone- to you.  

His hand pulls back.  The pressure dissipates.

You let out a breath of relief.  “So you feel all that too, huh?”

A red saber appears at your neck.  “The antidote,” he repeats flatly.

“I don’t have any left…”  The saber gets closer, the heat starting to burn your skin.  Think.  “You can do that, but you won’t get any help then- I just need to make more.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Do you have a choice?”  You watch him, certain he’ll want to see for himself.  He slowly lifts a hand.  Before he can even start to push back into your mind, you pull him in.  He instantly pulls back.  Why?  What did he see?

“Fine.”  He retracts his saber and watches you, waiting for you to stand.

“I can’t do anything with my hands behind my back.”  You say, looking directly at Kylo.  He nods to the trooper to your right, who then releases your shackles.  You stand.  Instantly, you hear the clicking of multiple blasters, all pointed at you.  You put your hands up.  One trooper grabs your arm, which you quickly jerk away, glaring at him.  “I can walk on my own.”  You turn to Kylo.  “Follow me,” you instruct as you head back to your tent.

The moment you walk in, you get to work, starting with tidying up a bit.  You flip the table over, set up a couple of chairs, and begin placing some of the strewn-about supplies on the table.  Kylo stands at the door.  

“Go on, sit.”   

Kylo moves to the chair furthest from you.  You take a piece of dried fruit from a jar and set it in front of him.

“I’m not going to eat that.”

“It helps numb the pain,” you note, starting to grind some ingredients into a powder with your mortar and pestle.

“Why would I-“

“Trust me, this one hurts.  Now eat the damned fruit.”  He doesn’t move, simply watching you.  You stop for a moment, rolling your eyes.  “Fine, don’t.”  You finish making the paste, moving to sit in front of Kylo.  “Why are you tearing this village apart?  These people have done nothing wrong.”  You begin to apply the paste to his wound with a flat wooden spoon.

“We’re looking for something you have.”

“Well I’m not sure what this place has to offer, but I could help you find it if it means you’ll leave us alone?” You offer, standing up to grab some bandages.  

Silence.

You sit back down.  “Although, I guess I can’t know what it is…”  You pause.  “For all intents and purposes, I hope you do find it.”

“We already have.”

“Oh, good.  So you can leave now?”

“Why?  So you can go warn the resistance?”

“So I can- what?  No,” you laugh, “heavens no.”  You shake your head.  “I would much rather stay out of your war.”  You pick up your bandages, applying extra paste to his wound.  “I’ll bandage this and then you can go.”

“I have droids to do that for me.”

“These bandages help the healing process.  Just to make sure the antidote works faster.”  He says nothing.  “It’s not going to do any harm to try, okay?”  Still nothing.  “Just let me do it.  I don’t want you to walk back to your ship, cough, and have me killed on the spot because you think I lied.”

“Watch your tone.”

Biting your tongue, you grab his arm to start applying the bandage. You freeze.  He freezes.

Images.  

Flashing visions, almost like memories.  

You see this moment, but from a different perspective.  

A strike to your cheek.  

Your hand extending down to his.  

Holding hands.  

Holding each other.

You jump, pulling your hands away, eyes wide.

“Wh-... What… was that?”  You look at Kylo..  He had to have seen that too, right?

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but it’s pointless.  Do your job, and make it quick.”  He holds his arm out to you.  You swallow hard and nod, taking his arm in yours and wrapping it in the bandages.  The moment you finish, he stands.  “Come with me.”  Confused, but unwilling to argue, you stand and follow Kylo out of the tent, back to his ship.

“There, he’s all fixed up,” you announce to the surrounding officers.  You stop walking as Kylo carries on, quietly speaking to a trooper.  Silently, he walks onto the ramp to the ship.  “You’re welcome!” you call after him.  Ungrateful bastard.  Whatever.  You turn and start walking back to your tent.

A trooper grabs your arm, pulling you backwards, and starts dragging you back to the ship.

“Hey!  What the hell are you doing?  You can’t kill me, I healed him!”  Kylo turns back to face you.

“You’re coming with us,”  Kylo answers.  He boards the ship.

“What?  No, no!  Why me?” You finally manage to wrench yourself away from the trooper, running towards the Commander in your own fit of rage.  “Kylo Ren!”  You make it to the ramp just as you feel a blaster pressed into your back.  You stop, now standing before him.  Kylo turns around again.  Tears start to brim at your eyes.  “Why are you doing this?  I healed you!”

“And I’ll need healing again.”  His hand waves across your face.  Your vision blurs.  Your eyes close.  A tear rolls down your cheek.  You fall to the ground.

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You wake up on a plain, white cot.  You immediately sit up, scanning the room.  Computers, wired machines, droids attached to the walls, med kits, and a small window through which you could see the bright stars scattered across the black vastness of space.  Son of a bitch really did take me with them.  There’s definitely a way out, though.  That’s what you need to focus on.  You stand, feeling dizzy, and stumble over to the door.  Aren’t these supposed to just… open?  You see a small panel beside the door, a red light glowing in the corner.  No matter how much you try, you can’t get the damned thing open.  You start rummaging through everything in the room, hoping to find something you can use to pry the door open.  

There’s barely any supplies in here.  Probably because droids do everything.  Ugh, why the hell am I even here?  You slump back onto the cot, the entire room now a mess.

The door slides open.

You sit up.

Kylo Ren steps in.