Pain Ensues

Blue sky's are all I see when I open my eyes. With a throbbing headache I lazily look around only to realize I'm being dragged feet first on my back across the ground. The pain of being dragged across the dirt ground combined with my headache fully wakes me, unfortunately my wrists are in metal cuffs and Dad seems to still be unconsciousness while being dragged parallel to me. The one dragging me tightens his hands as he feels me moving to look around.

"Kyaris is gonna make an example out of you". He grins while turning his head to look at me before looking forward again. Damn I was hoping we were just another family he captured but he targeted us, because of CC ? No they think he is just a protocol droid, they had repeating blasters when they captured us. Glancing at my captors once more I see it, Imperial weaponry. Pristine and worst of all I recognize them from the base we robbed. How did they learn I was in on the job ? Fuck calm down they could just be guessing because you're droidsmith and those skills would be useful for something like that. Wait they also knew dad's name and mine, they really know don't they ?

With a yank I'm thrown before rolling on the dirt into a circle of men armed with blasters and scavenged metal armor. Dad follows shortly after landing near me, it seems the entire town was rounded up here. However I only see men and women fifteen or older here, the elderly are also absent from our huddled group. I start shuffling to Dad on my knees when one of Kyaris's men step out of the circle to stop me, shoving me back. "Listen up dirt farmers, these two are special and as such you shouldn't get near them, and as for you Val stay over there by yourself". The scared people move away from Dad and me but all of us are surrounded by armed men still. "What do you want with me and my Dad ?" Buying time for CC and hopefully getting some answers at the same time, let's hope he takes the bait. "Me ? I don't care about you or your father but Kyaris does, that's all that matters". Waving his hand as if I'm a dog he can dismiss with just a wave.

"Why is he so damn interested in us ?". The man looks at me, is that pity in his eyes ? "Kyaris has the flare for the dramatic. He will tell you when he gets here, but he had some arrangements to make first". Gesturing with his arm I see a metal cross erected upon the ground some feet away from Kyaris's armed thugs. My stomach drops seeing it, I have no idea what it's for but I get a bad feeling anyway. It's here when I finally realized that only myself and Dad are cuffed on our wrists, every other person from town is free but still huddling together in fear. The thugs suddenly part ways letting someone else enter the circle. Without any confirmation I know it's him. The way he walks tells me everything I need to know.

Kyaris

Black hair with black eyes wearing what looks like actual combat armor instead of the scrounged up stuff his men wear. As he approaches I speak "What do you want from me ?". His neutral expression frowns before he draws his holstered pistol and blast my stomach. "Ahhhh" I scream before dropping to my knees holding my stomach where my flesh is now cauterized. My heart won't slow down and the beating is echoing in my head, I'm now burning up and my hands have become sweaty.

"Did I say you could speak ?". Having learned my lesson I shut up, just need to buy time for CC. That's all you have to do. Kyaris then smiles upon seeing my silence before holstering his blaster. "Now you're probably wondering why I so adamantly picked you, well it's simple really. One week ago my men attacked several cities under the control of other Warlords like my self. The attack didn't go as planned, we encountered heavy resistance in the form of Imperial weaponry." Kyaris pauses to look at me, waiting for conformation I'm listing. I merely nod in acknowledgment.

"I then learned that a seller recently put out the weapons to everyone important but me, and that an abandoned Imperial base was raided. I did catch a luckily break with a female Twil-wik know as Run was captured by my men, and she lead me to your friend Jax." Kyaris can probably see the gears turning in my head because he chuckles upon seeing my new expression of realization. "A little bit of torture and one deal later lead me to you. Jax, unlike you has a lot of contacts that are useful for me and someone has to pay for getting my men killed. Worst of all you actually tried to escape this planet, escape me! And the funny thing is Reece works me too *hehe*, Jax selling you out didn't matter in the end anyway."

I nearly collapse completely hearing everything, it was all for nothing ? And Jax sold me out ? I was being punished for just wanting to leave ? Your fucking kidding me he has to be lying, just a sadistic asshole who likes breaking people. Jax wouldn't sell me out after everything that happened with Mom.

Looking up I glare in response to everything Kyaris said."Jax wouldn't sell me out Kyaris". The disdain in my voice so strong I'm surprised he just doesn't just shoot me out right. "Don't believe me huh, good I'm sending a message to any one who would oppose me and I need you broken. Jax my boy come on out". Jax steps out from between Kyaris's men who were hiding him. Staring at Jax as I wrestle angry and sadness in my heart mixed with betrayal. "Sorry Val, I have family too and although I'm joining Kyaris they get to live. I truly am sorry." Yeah they get to live alright, at the cost of mine. My eyes begin to turn red, blurry from tears starting to form but I hold them back with everything I have left. I won't let Kyaris get the satisfaction of it.

"Leave Jax, I don't want your pity or sympathy". Jax slumps his shoulders slightly and with a nod from Kyaris leaves. I can't forgive him for selling me out not ever, but at least appreciate the time with your family you gain from this. Kyaris seemingly unsatisfied with the whole encounter steps forward to study my face, red eyes and all. "It's not enough".

He mumbles before going back to his men to give them orders. Soon two men grab my shoulders and arms to hold me still, then a large group of Kyaris's men approach Dad who still is unconscious. They already beat him when they captured us earlier, they begin beating him again viciously, like savages. "NOOOO LEAVE HIM ALONE !" but the two men holding me quickly knock me down and stuff some cloth in my mouth to keep me quiet. Pinning me down they force me to watch Dad get beaten repeatedly.

Only when he is on the verge of death do they stop, only for Kyaris to walk forward and aim his blaster at Dad's head. Using every ounce of strength I have trying desperately to throw these grown men off me but they just won't budge. Dad turns to look at me before it's over, confusion and pain written across his face but his eyes are filled with life, he mouthes "It's not your fault" before a ball of plasma melts half his head killing him almost instantly.

There is no more life in his remaining eye, it's dull and unfocused. The world has become silent, so eerily quiet that I don't feel anything anymore. Not my scorched stomach, my fresh tears rolling down my face, I can only feel how alone I really am now. I have nothing left and I just want the pain in my heart to stop, feeling nothing would be better than this. Death would be better than this.

I don't even hear Kyaris's last words before he departs. His men pick me up and drag me to the metal cross, I'm so weak I just let myself get dragged. The fight is gone in me, it's over.

The only good thing is how numb I feel, when they crucify me I almost don't feel the physical pain it causes. My mind only lingers on CC, he would have activated if he didn't require manual reactivation by now. I was so fucking stupid putting all my hopes on a shot droid, should have grabbed that blaster and killed my self when I had the chance.

All the pain, fatigue, and now blood loss from the crucifixion makes my vision blurry, the edges dark. As the darkness encroaches upon me I let it take me, my head slumping as consciousness fades.