From Flames To Ashes

[Milo Ren]

Treya

The young girl crept slowly through the hallways of Milo's Correllian Corvette. A knife was in her right hand. The child had learned quite a lot from her mentor. Of course, the thought that she was being taught by the man who had ordered the death of her father was complicating, to say the least. But her mind hadn't been clear for a while. How long ago was it that her father was taken from her? Weeks? Months? Years? She didn't know. Milo's corruption of the innocent girl was very effective. She had been transformed into a weapon, a better tool than Zesiro could ever be.

And that's why Milo told her to kill her.

It had happened suddenly after dinner. The Sith approached Treya, who had just finished eating, and gave her a slight squeeze on the shoulder to get her attention, then lowly whispered.

"It's time."

Nothing more had to be said. The girl knew exactly what that meant. She had been preparing for a long time to kill the woman who had taken her father, Cinnic, from her. Now was her opportunity, and she would make sure that it was done.

All for revenge.

Soundless footsteps padded across the cold floor as her slight body made its way over to the bedchambers that Zesiro and Milo shared. He wasn't there, though. It was just her. The woman whom Milo had trained and conditioned for her to hate. Was he afraid to kill her himself? Possibly. He would be more effective, but it was her time to shine, her moment to gain vengeance.

Treya quietly opened the door. From here, she could see the bed, and a single, sleeping figure in it. The curvatures of the figure under the sheets were a tell-tale sign of who was in it. As silent as an alley cat, the weaponized girl slinked up to the bed. The moment she had dreamed about...

The dagger came down, once, twice, three times, aiming for vital organs, as fast as lightning...

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

The atmosphere on Milo's ship was off. Something was going on and Zesiro felt it. When it was dinner time, she ate alone. The three of them normally ate together. The girl and Zesiro at least pretended to get along during those times. This time neither was there. Cleaning up after herself, she went and prepared herself for bed.

Again, it was still wrong. They slept together and Milo was not off a mission or having training. He should have been here and going to sleep with her. Over the course of their relationship, this had been coming. They had been drifting apart and now it appeared to be total. It had to end. One way or another.

Zesiro went to bed, but could not sleep. She was so used to having her companion by now. So she lay awake quietly thinking of what to do. She felt, but did not hear Treya coming up behind her. The girl was good, she had to give her credit. Before the first stab was issued, Zesiro was off the bed and facing the girl.

"So that is why he is not here."

The girl had wanted her dead since they met. She had killed her father and the desire for revenge filled the girl sense.

"You will not get me tonight, young one."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Treya

"Time to die, schutta. This is for my papa!"

The little girl leapt forward with the athleticism and agility of a maalraas. Holding her knife in a backwards grip, she springed forward with a roar, targeting Zesiro's gut. Rage and pain simultaneously ran through her. The assassin in front of her was responsible for her father's death, and in her little heart, she knew that it would end her, tonight, covered in the woman's blood, her caretaker rewarding her for a job well done.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Like a wildcat, Treya was moving. She held her knife backwards and came at Zesiro aiming her slash at her stomach. Zesiro took a step to her right and out of the way of the oncoming freight train of death. As the girl passed by her, she stuck her left foot out to try and make the girl trip. If that didn't work, she sent an additional shove with the Force to the middle of the girl's back just between her shoulder blades. One or the other should take Treya off her feet.

Zesiro didn't actually want to kill the girl, but she needed to disable her and take her out of action while she went to see Milo.

"Milo had me kill your papa. You know that."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Treya

The trip and the additional shove from the Force sent the girl off balance and on all fours, briefly, before she leapt back up in a show of grace. Treya was small, but her agility was unmatched. The girl readjusted her grip and came in again, in a leaping slash intended to take Zesiro's jugular out.

"And you killed him while I watched! Murderer! I've seen animals with more mercy than you!"

There was no hope in reasoning with her. Milo had done his damage, shifting all blame, hate, and other negative emotions that the child's psyche held towards Zesiro.

The solution, it seemed, would lie with the Sith himself.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro watched as the girl went down to all fours, but she made no move to attack Treya. She allowed the girl to get back up, but almost regretted that. She came flying in with a hit that would try to stab at her jugular.

"No, little one, animals don't know mercy."

Again, Zesiro stepped out of the way and made to grab a hold of the girl's wrist and disarm her.

"Look kid, I know you want me dead. I don't want to kill you."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Treya

Her target was fast. Just as fast as her, perhaps even a little more. The assassin managed to grab Treya's wrist and disarm her with a twist. Still, the spiteful child continued to fight, resorting to punches to the leg that were surprisingly painful for someone of her size.

"I wanna kill you! I want you dead! Dead! Dead! You killed my papa! You killed him! You did! Murderer!"

Treya was now in tears as her blows reduced to a wild frenzy of slapping, hitting, scratching, and biting. It was obvious that the events that took place in her hut, reduced to ash, would haunt her for a lifetime. There was no going back. Her entire life had been stolen from her. Everything she knew, from hunting with her father to the doll that she was so fond of, was gone because of the woman in front of her.

She wouldn't rest until the murderer was choking on her own blood.

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Now Zesiro had caught the cats so easily she really didn't know what to do with her. She held the child upside down and endured the hitting, slapping and punching. When the teeth set in though, she couldn't stop her gut reaction and she started choking Treya with the Force.

She REALLY did not want the girl to die and restrained herself from that. When the struggling ceased, Zesiro laid the girl gently on bed. Checking for a pulse, she actually gave the child a kiss on the forehead and covered with the bed sheets.

"Next time we meet, there will be no mercy."

That problem being dealt it, she went to find Milo. Grabbing her lightsaber on the way out, she reached out with the Force to sense him. He was on the bridge.

Zesiro walked confidently down the halls to where he was and walked in. They were docked and the crew members had been given leave. Nobody was there but her lover, master and now her enemy. Such was the way of the sith.

"Coward. You can't even kill me on your own. Instead you poison the mind of a little girl and send her after me."

Her saber hilt was in her hand, but she did not ignite it. Instead waiting to see what Milo would do.

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo turned around slowly, slightly surprised that Zesiro was alive. His training had been hard, brutal even, but it was effective. And now to see the intended target in front of him was a mild surprise.

"That little girl has more potential than most. Even you. Which is precisely why I wanted her to take your place."

The Sith's lightsaber was still on his belt. He wouldn't need it.

"I am no coward. I could easily have killed you myself, but the girl had to prove herself. I suppose she wasn't ready. The flower hasn't fully bloomed, so to speak. And she is a flower. Unlike you."

Milo's tone was cold, analytical, and it was meant to pierce his lover's heart like an icy dagger.

"Look at you. Pathetic. Weak. You couldn't even kill a child sent after you. You have no use to me anymore. You are broken, and have reached your capacity for usefulness. Not like your successor. No, she has only began to tap into her potential."

He looked over her body and scoffed.

"Even your charms are worn to me. Now they only disgust me, a reminder of a time where Milo Ren was weak."

The Sith crossed his arms, yellow eyes burning into Zesiro's soul.

"You have served me well, slave, but your use has run its course."

He then looked at the lightsaber held in her grip, and smirked maliciously.

"Are you going to kill me? Come now. You know how that will end. Still, you are welcome to try. It's about time I paint the walls of my bridge in a color more...lively."

[member="Zesiro"]

 

[Zesiro]

Zesiro could tell Milo was surprised to see her and that gave her some small satisfaction.

"What good can a little girl that can't use the Force be?" She shot this back at him as she took a step closer.

"Your girl failed. Now she lays in our bed. More likely you would rather have her there now than me."

His words were meant to hurt, but she was too far gone to care anymore. He wanted her dead, not standing there mad at him.

"I did not kill the child because I was unable to, but because I want to see her grow, mature and then come after me on equal footing. Finish your training of her and then send her after me. If you can find me.
When we were both weak."

She took another step forward. His arms crossed his chest and stopped her moving forward. Why was she doing this? What purpose would it serve? No, this had to end and this was how it was going to happen.

"I am NOT your slave."

I was at one time, no more...these words went through her mind. He saw her lightsaber finally and sneered at it.

Looking away from him, how she still loved him, she also hated him at the same time. An argument internally.

"No, I can't kill you, my love."

With those words and a parting look, Zesiro would turn around to leave Milo behind with Treya.

"You've dug your grave."

[member="Milo Ren"]

 

[Milo Ren]

Milo did nothing to stop Zesiro from leaving. A part of him wanted to call her back, another part of him wanted to crush her internal organs with the Force. At the moment, he was conflicted.

"Goodbye..."

He whispered the final farewell to himself, alone on the bridge. He wasn't alone for long. Treya soon came in, gloom surrounding the young girl as she kneeled before the Sith, tears dried on her young, unblemished face.

"She was too strong. I couldn't kill her."

Milo gave a soft glance towards the girl. It was no fault of hers.

"It's ok. We have to train harder, that's all. I'm glad she didn't hurt you. On your feet."

She did as she was commanded, looking at her caretaker with big, apologetic eyes.

"You'll get your chance again, Treya. For now, rest. You've earned it. Once we get to a city, we'll go to a store and you can get anything you want. How does that sound?"

Treya's face momentarily lit up with happiness.

"Really? Thank you, pa- I mean, Milo."

A faint whisp of a smile crossed the Sith's face. Did she just almost call her papa? How quaint. He hadn't fathered any children, at least none that he knew of, but the notion of being a father, even if it was just a role figure, was something he wouldn't mind. And if he ever had a child, he would want him or her to turn out like Treya. Strong, intelligent, and driven.

"Go to bed, dear."

"Milo?"

"Yes?"

"When will I be able to kill her?"

"When you are ready."

[member="Zesiro"]