Chapter 1
Kylo Ren was asleep. He was on a bed in the medbay. He had many bandages wrapped around him, over his wounds. He was very badly injured after the fight with the scavenger scum girl.
General Hux looked over him, standing next to the bed. He had just rescued Kylo from the self-destructing Starkiller base. His precious, wonderful work of genius, Starkiller base, destroyed, just like that. Gone. He couldn't care less about what happened to Kylo. He could've died along with his masterpiece for all he cared. All he did was destroy important computers on Hux's ship. He wasn't any help. If Snoke hadn't commanded it, Kylo would've been thrown off the ship in an instant.
And worst of all, Kylo believed in that stupid, old religion; the Force, which Hux knew was nonsense. If Kylo had any powers, why hadn't he seen them? Some of his Lieutenants would talk of rumors of his rare use of his Force powers, of how he'd choke people that angered him without even touching the person. Hux thought they had quite a big imagination. If it wasn't for Snoke's orders, he would have left Kylo on that dying planet.
Kylo squirmed in his sleep. Hux looked down and scowled. This excuse of a knight, this weak little brat…
Kylo woke up, breathing heavily. He looked down at himself, scanning the bandages.
"Have a nice nap, Ren?" Hux said, scowl still on his face.
The voice startled Kylo. He whipped his head around to face the general. "What happened?" He asked him.
"Nothing," Hux sneered, "Nothing except that we don't have the droid or the girl, you almost died and I had to go get you, and Starkiller Base has been destroyed. So we're in a pretty good spot right now."
Kylo ignored Hux's tone. "Starkiller Base was lost?"
"Yes," Hux tried to keep his face straight. "We're on our way to see Snoke. He requested to see us. I suspect he won't be happy."
"I suspect he won't, General," Kylo said. "Where is my mask?"
"We could not recover it from Starkiller in time," Hux replied.
Kylo sighed. He tried to get up from the bed and winced in pain. Hux bit his lip to hold back a cruel smile.
"That will be all, General," Kylo said, waving his hand, "You are dismissed."
"Oh, you think I waited here just to tell you the news?" Hux sneered, "I don't take orders from you, Ren. I'm here until the nurse comes back so you don't turn the medbay into a room of lightsaber scratches."
"If you haven't noticed, General, I can't move without causing myself pain," Kylo sounded annoyed, "What makes you think I'll destroy the medbay?"
"Well, that just seems to be the only thing you do around here," Hux responded mockingly, "Shouldn't your magic Force power help with your injuries?"
"That's not how the Force works!" Kylo growled.
"Is it now?" Hux scoffed, "Seems like the Force doesn't work in a lot of ways."
"Not this again," Kylo rolled his eyes. Hux smirked to himself.
The nurse came back that moment. She said that Kylo would be healed in just a couple days. Hux asked in his head why it couldn't be longer. He then left for his office.
It took a week to reach Snoke's secluded hideout on the outer rim. Kylo had healed, but Hux hadn't seen him. He didn't feel the need to see that annoying brat unless absolutely necessary, like today. Today he must confront Snoke with him and accept punishment.
The shuttle lowered to the planet's surface. The door opened and the ramp was lowered. Hux stood next to Kylo. Nothing had really changed, except for a scar that now stretched across his face where the scavenger girl had hit him.
They walked down the ramp. A structure stood in front of them. It was an ancient temple of the Force. This was where Snoke was keeping himself. The two men entered and walked down a dark hallway.
"The Force is very strong here," Kylo stated.
"Is it now?" Hux said, tone neutral. Kylo snarled.
They reached a spacious room. No lights were lit. It was dim and dusty. The room seemed empty.
"He is here," Kylo told Hux, "I can feel it." Hux rolled his eyes.
"You've arrived," a deep voice said. Kylo and Hux whipped around. Where there was once empty darkness, now there was Snoke, standing there. Not a hologram, the real deal.
"S-Supreme Leader," Hux stuttered.
"Hello boys," Snoke said, his deep, dead voice droning. He looked at Kylo, "You've seemed to heal well, since your little, incident."
Kylo spoke, "Supreme Leader I can explain-"
"And General," Snoke cut Kylo off and turned to Hux, "You let Starkiller Base get destroyed. And you, more than anyone, know how hard we worked to get it running."
"Supreme Leader, truly I do," Hux's heart was beating like crazy. He might die tonight. Snoke might order Kylo to do it right then in there. "I accept any punishment you have for me-"
"Punishment?" Snoke laughed. Hux and Kylo looked at each other, scared. "No, there will be no punishment. What good what it do me to kill my two best men?"
Hux sighed. He heard Kylo sigh beside him. "Thank you, Supreme Leader. You are merciful."
"That's enough now General," Snoke waved his hand. "I have important matters to discuss."
"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux said quickly.
"Now," Snoke started, "Do you remember the plan we organized before Starkiller was finished."
Hux's eyes widen, "Yes Supreme Leader."
"We shall continued to carry it out," Snoke said, "Despite the recent events."
Hux held back a grin. His face remained neutral, "Yes Supreme Leader."
"Supreme Leader," Kylo said, "I don't believe I was here while this plan was being made."
Snoke turned to him, "Hux and I discussed a plan to rally the people of the galaxy behind us. With someone connected to the First Order in a powerful position in the government, the people could be persuaded to our ways, or forced," He smiled. "With my power, I've set it all up. Hux will become this galaxy's next Emperor."
Kylo's eyes widened in shock. He turned to Hux, who was smiling in the corner of his mouth. Kylo knew. He knew this has Hux's dream for a long time. He was power-hungry. He loved to rule over people. He loved the luxury. He couldn't believe Hux was actually achieving his dreams, "What?!"
"Yes Ren," Snoke said, "He has excellent leadership skills, he is an amazing speaker, and he is a tactical and strategic genius. He will make a great Emperor, maybe as great as Palpatine himself."
"Supreme Leader, you're praise is too kind," Hux said, the tone of his voice making it clear that he knew he was all that Snoke said.
Ren sighed. As much as he couldn't stand Hux, Snoke was right. "Yes Supreme Leader."
"You are to be his personal Knight and bodyguard, Ren," Snoke said.
Kylo's face showed dread, "Supreme Leader I don't think-"
"Silence!" Snoke shouted. Kylo shut up. "You will do as I say."
"Yes Supreme Leader," Kylo said, his head down.
"You will train with me until the night of the coronation," Snoke said, "General, you will see to preparations."
"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux nodded.
"That is all," Snoke said. "Kylo, come with me. Hux, you may leave. Come back for Ren in 10 days."
"Yes Supreme Leader," Hux said again. Kylo left into the darkness of the room with Snoke, and Hux turned back to the ship.
Over the next 10 days, tailors visited Hux's quarters to fit him with his new Emperor's uniform. He wrote his acceptance speech. He communicated with the Capitol to organize the coronation. The days went by so fast, and seemed to blur together.
When everything was done, before they set for the Capitol, they retrieved Ren from Snoke.
There was a very large crowd at Hux's coronation. It reminded him of when he gave that speech to his troops before they destroyed the Republic. There must have been just as many people as there were stormtroopers that day, and the stage must have been just as big. Hux was cautious. Surely there would be assassins for him.
He waited in a room, waiting for his comlink to beep, signaling him when the coronation was starting. He wore what would be his new uniform; similar to his General's outfit but a pure, pristine white. The fabric was much softer and his cape was floaty. He wore black gloves. Kylo waited in the room with him. His uniform had not been changed, but he had been given a new, clean, undamaged one to wear. He was not given a new mask, so his face showed, new scar and all. His black hair flowed behind him.
"You look ready for this," Kylo broke the silence in the room.
"I've been ready for this for a long time, Ren," Hux replied. He looked in a mirror and fixed a couple loose strands of hair.
"Listen," Kylo started and stepped towards Hux, "Snoke has ordered me to be your bodyguard. And both of us know that I don't approve of that."
"Yes, I know," Hux said, turning to look at him, "But this is how it will be now." He did not keep his expression neutral. He smiled widely. It was happening. All he had worked towards was happening. His dreams were happening. And best of all, Kylo served him now. Since he was in a particularly good mood, he said, "Ren, our partnership in the past has not been the smoothest, but I hope now we can work better together, and rule the galaxy." He held out his hand.
Kylo glared at Hux's outstretched hand, but he knew this was the right decision. Maybe they could work well together. This would be a fresh start for them. He took Hux's hand and shook it, "Yes. I agree, General."
Hux smirked. "Emperor," he said, "You'll call me Emperor now."
The coronation was grand. Music played as Hux walked onto the stage, white cape billowing behind him. Kylo walked at his side. Some people in the crowd cheered, some booed.
At center stage he received his crown. "Armitage Hux, son of Brendol Hux, I now declare you Emperor of this galaxy," a man pronounced. A simple circlet of pure gold was placed on his head. It was heavy for something that looked so light.
Kylo gave Hux his lightsaber and kneeled. Hux turned on the lightsaber and waved it over Kylo's shoulders, "I knight you Lord Kylo Ren. You may stand." Kylo stood and took his lightsaber back.
Hux thought his speech was glorious. It was filled with passion, emotion. The people cheered in all the right places. He smiled down at the people, his people. He ruled them now. He was the Emperor.
All the while, Kylo was at his side.
He was about to the exit the stage, when Kylo shouted, "Get down!" He stepped in front of Hux and raised his hand. He knew it, there was an assassin.
Hux peeked over from behind Kylo to see a blaster shot suspended mid air. His jaw dropped. Never had he seen something like this before. How what it possible…
"Your Excellency sir," a guard said from behind him, "Emperor Hux, please you must get out of here."
Hux shook his head to clear it, "Right. Yes. Let's go."
They left the stage, Kylo blocking a couple more blaster shots. Inside, they went through the halls and out the back door. They got onto a shuttle that lifted off as soon as Hux and Kylo got on. They flew through the sky, safe.
They sat at a table. Kylo looked out a window. Hux stared at him, "Y-you saved my life."
Kylo turned around to look at him, "Yes, I did. Those were my orders."
Hux's heart was still pounding, adrenaline still running. "How did you do that?"
"I used the Force, Emperor," Kylo said plainly.
Hux blinked. He'd seen it. It was real. "I see."
Kylo looked out the window again, "You finally see now."
"Why did you never should me before?" Hux demand. "Smoke always said you were powerful, and I see why now. We could have used that power more-"
"No," Kylo said, "My training is not complete. Smoke ordered me to rarely use the Force on the ship or in front of the crew, and to never use it in front of you, not until I completed my training. He knew you and your power-hungry mind would want to control me for it. He let you think it's just a rumor, and be just another non-believer, like the majority of people. I went through years of your mocking, your teasing, knowing I couldn't do anything about it. But now, I am allowed to show you. You can see," he made a paper on the table float in the air, "You see my true power."
Hux tried not to look too impressed, or angry. All this went on behind his back, on his ship, and he was never able to know. Phasma was right, he could stop blaster beams. Mitaka was right, he could choke people in mid air, without touching them. It was Snoke's orders, he told himself, Snoke was the only one to decide this. He had no reason to be mad at Kylo. They were starting over, a new, different partnership. He couldn't snap to anger as quickly as he used to. "You are quite skilled."
"Thank you," Kylo kept floating the paper around.
"I apologize," Hux looked away, "For not believing you."
Kylo looked at Hux, a bit of surprise showing on his face. Did Hux, the one of the most self-centered, arrogant people he ever met, just apologize to him? It seemed impossible. "No need for that, Your Excellency," He muttered quickly, although thinking to himself that it was very needed.
They sat in silence for a moment. It wasn't awkward silence, but it wasn't comfortable either. They flew over the city, tall buildings looking like toys below them.
"Are we going to the palace?" Hux asked.
"I believe so, Your Excellency," Kylo replied.
They were going to the palace, in fact. When they arrived, Hux strutted through the gates confidently, Kylo at his side. Stormtroopers stood guard everywhere, at the gate, by the door, even as he entered the Throne Room.
The Throne Room was a beautiful sight. Gold was everywhere, the carpet path that led to the throne was red. It was luxurious.
They reached the throne. Hux started at it. His eyes shined. So much gold, silk, velvet. It was for the Emperor. It was for him.
He sat down and let his arms fall onto the armrests. For once in his life, he didn't sit up straight. He relaxed into the pillows of the throne. He leaned his head on his hand and grinned.
"You seem to smile more lately, Emperor," Kylo said. He stood at the side of the thrown.
"One tends to smile when they're happy, Ren," Hux responded cooly, "You should take notes."
That night was the first night he slept in the Emperor's chambers in the palace. When he arrived at the room, Kylo was by his side, as always.
"Where will you be as I sleep?" His asked him.
"I'll be guarding you outside the door," Kylo answered simply.
"Surely you must need to sleep," Hux said.
"I'm not required sleep," Kylo said back, "The Force can support me."
"Bullshit," Hux said, "I now believe in the Force, but not that much. You will sleep in the Head Guard's quarters. Some soldiers on the night shift can protect my door."
"Emperor, sir," Kylo tried to argue, "My orders were to protect you-"
"You take orders from me now, Ren," Hux said sharply. "You are still protecting me if you go tell two of your men to stand guard here."
Kylo sighed, "Yes, Your Excellency." He turned and left, his black cape surging behind him.
Hux smiled. It felt good to be in charge. Just because they would now be in a civil partnership, didn't mean Hux couldn't use the power he was given.
He opened the door and entered. The room was large and extravagant. Again, gold covering most of the room. The bed was a four-poster king size. Hux ran his gloved fingertips along the silk sheets. Yes, he could get used to this.
He undressed and crawled into the bed. He slept soundly that night.