2. The Prisoner
Later that same day, another Stormtrooper dropped off a tray of food, indicating it would be another night alone for Lyra, but for once, there was something to do while she waited.
When all was quiet, she grabbed some food from the tray and made her way down the hallways to the holding cell where the prisoner was being kept. Rebel or not the man deserved to be treated as a human being, that's if he was still alive at this point.
There were two Stormtroopers on guard and she frowned as she moved towards them.
"Let me through, I've orders from my husband to feed this man. After all, we need him alive if he's going to give us any information."
The Stormtroopers looked at one another, clearly questioning why she was called to do such a thing. The General's wife kept herself to herself at almost all times, for her to be out in the halls to visit a prisoner without her husband was most unusual. One of the stormtroopers reached for his radio.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The General is most tired today and I can imagine he would bite the head off anyone who questions his orders. He even snapped at me. I mean, you can contact him if you wish but, be it on your head, and your position here on the Finalizer.'
The Stormtrooper paused and then opened the door, allowing the young woman in.
"See to it I am not disturbed, perhaps I can get the prisoner to talk" she told them just before the doors closed behind her. Up ahead, the prisoner was being kept tied down with the strongest restraints on-board, he wasn't moving and for a moment she feared he had already been killed. As she moved around to face him he let out a sigh, his face bloody and his lip swollen but his eyes remained closed.
"Creep around in my mind all you want but I can't tell you what I don't know, I don't know where the droid is now, probably as far away from here as he can be."
"If the droid had any sense he would be far from here, I can't imagine he would relish becoming spare parts all for the sake of a map."
The prisoner's eyes snapped open and he smirked. "Ah the pretty wife, they send their wives to do their dirty work now, I did say you could hit me harder than that loser in the mask, what, are you their secret weapon or something?"
She smiled as she placed the food to one side and pulled out a silk handkerchief. "I'm not here to torture you."
The prisoner raised an eyebrow. "Oh no? What are you here for then?"
Lyra began to wipe away some of the blood from his face as gently as possible. "You looked hurt, I just wanted to check you were alright. Ren can be more violent than he needs to be, even with those on his side."
The prisoner shrugged. "Like I said, weak hits, I barely noticed him land those hits" he said while wincing as Lyra wiped a particularly sore part of his cheek.
"So I see, quite the brave rebel aren't you. Do you really know where Luke Skywalker is?"
"Why? Does he owe you money, spent a night with you and never call back? That's rough, I hate it when that happens."
She let out a quiet laugh and he watched her intensely as she tended to his wounds. "No, I just, didn't even know he was real. I read about him as a child, a real Jedi Knight, it's all exciting. The only person I know with Jedi abilities is Ren and he's, well he's not that exciting."
The prisoner's eyes rolled at the mention of Ren's name. "That chump isn't a Jedi Knight, he's a Sith at best. Luke is the real deal."
She bit her lip as she concentrated on wiping the blood away from him. "So he is real?"
"Honestly we don't know, we hope so though, so we can crush the First Order and give people new hope."
He looked at her with curiosity. She didn't look evil. Royalty sure, with her emerald green dress with a high collar that made her look pretty formidable. There was something about her eyes though, she had a kind face and eyes that looked trusting. Too trusting to belong to someone who was part of the First Order. At least someone who would choose to belong to the First Order.
"I'm Poe by the way, Poe Dameron."
She looked into his eyes. "Should you give the enemy your name? Is that wise?"
He smiled at her. "If I'm gonna die here I want at least one person to know my name so they know who's gone, also want to be remembered as someone who died a hero, don't leave that part out, maybe I can get a statue made or something. Can I get your name? Kind of makes me feel like I'm not dying on this ship all alone if I know your name."
She stared at him, pausing before she answered. "Lyrasanna Hux, Lyra, my name's Lyra."
Poe smiled, a very charming smile, she thought to herself.
"Lyra hey, well, good to meet you Lyra, I would shake hands but, I'm sort of tied up at the moment."
She laughed again, a sound Poe liked a lot, and went to pass him some food.
"That's alright sweetheart I'm not too hungry at the moment, besides you look like you could use the food, do they feed you up here in the Order?"
Truth be told she was getting thin. Her husband worried, which made her worry, which made her skip food most of the time. Besides, she couldn't remember the last time she had a real, home cooked meal and not just the readymade food they kept on board the warship.
"Are you sure you don't want something? I don't know when you will get fed next?"
"You worried about me now sweetheart? Have we bonded, was this our bonding time? I'll be ok. I suppose it's too much to ask to let me go?"
She frowned. "I can't, I wish I could, I'm so sorry."
Poe winked at her. "It's alright, I understand, you seem as much a prisoner here as I do, just stay safe alright sweetheart."
She nodded and cleared the food away before leaving.
Lyra watched for anyone passing through the halls as she left Poe Dameron's cell. It was late and the ship was silent as it always was at this time of night. The Stormtroopers on guard watched her carefully as she closed the door behind her, staring down at the food in her hand.
"He wasn't hungry. Thank you for keeping watch, and please, don't tell anyone about this, I'm sure Ren and my husband will just worry more than they need to about me getting involved" she said quietly to the curious Stormtroopers. They nodded once and stood to attention once more.
As she walked back to her chambers, her heart began to pound and the realization of what she had done suddenly dawned on her. She had visited a prisoner, gone against the orders of her husband and General of the ship. If Ren found out he would most likely accuse her of working with the enemy. She had always flirted with breaking the rules, challenged Ren mildly with sarcasm, drank a little too much at events, questioned her husband's actions within the First Order but she had never gone as far as to commit a crime punishable by banishment, or worse, death.
If Hux had been to their chambers he would know she had left, she had to make it look as if she had been looking for him, so she made her way to his office. His office was an intimidating place, no colour, barely any light, everything had its place, it was as ordered as he was. There was neatly filed paperwork and data files outlining those committing treason, targets and bases that needed to be raided or wiped from galaxy completely. The office was empty, at least of people and yet more and more files had found its way to his desk, which meant more and more targets for the First Order.
Considering she had already broken the rules once that day Lyra decided to allow her curiosity to get the better of her once more. She walked over to the desk and inspected the file closest to her. It was of the Hosnian system, a series of planets where the Senate and the most important members of the Republic resided. There were a few military bases in the system as well as the impressive fleet the Republic commanded, but there were also cities and residential planets where innocent families and peaceful members of the Senate lived.
It was marked as a target. Lyra frowned and shook her head, it couldn't be true. It had to be a mistake, a whole system wiped from the galaxy was insanity, especially one with so many innocents residing in it. She would just ask her husband what it meant, it had to be wrong.
"What are you doing in here my darling?"
She looked up to see Hux standing in the doorway.
"Looking for you, I thought of something we could do together, when you have time."
He managed a small smile and moved aside to clear the doorway. "Well I'm sure it will be lovely whatever you suggest but we can discuss it in our chambers when I finish work. I don't want you messing any of this data up, it's far too important."
Lyra frowned. "Armitage, these files on the Hosnian system, they have to be wrong, it's marked the whole system as a target but that can't be right. That system is full of families. It isn't a military target."
The General sighed and closed the door behind him, locking them both in his study. "You shouldn't be looking through files that do not concern you."
"Armitage, the First Order cannot just blow up an entire system, it's not just a huge military base."
"The Republic supports the rebels, their fleet has to be destroyed, they cannot keep supplying the enemy."
"It isn't just about them! What about the innocents, what about the people who aren't helping the rebels?"
Hux massaged his temples with his gloved fingers as he thought of what to tell his wife. "The Star Killer station must be used to get people to submit to the First Order so that they may live under one rule that will keep them safe. We must show our strength to get people to listen, the Senate is built on lies and corruption, we must end it."
Lyra frowned, stepping closer to him. "Armitage, these aren't just examples of abuse of power you can use as justification, these are people, living people with families and children. You can't be serious about this?"
Hux hated to see his wife upset, it pained him. She was a part of him, an extension of himself, whatever pain or hurt she felt, he seemed to feel it too, but he had to do what he believed was right.
"Supreme Leader Snoke has demanded this of me. I cannot undo all this work, all the efforts of the men. I cannot go against his orders Lyra, you know that."
She thought of Poe, of his efforts to do what he believed was right as well. "Then we can leave, we will leave the Finalizer, we can go and escape all of this and start anew."
Hux shook his head. "We can't abandon the mission. I can't abandon the mission, Lyra, it's killing some to save many, don't you understand that?"
Lyra stared at her husband in disbelief, she knew he believed in his work, in the First Order but this was something else. She had never seen him condone the murder of innocents. Either he truly believed this was right, or he was too scared to back away.
"You can't do this, you can't. Armitage I know you, I love you, please, you know this is wrong, you can't really go through with this."
Something in Hux's eyes changed, he frowned at his wife before he bridged the gap between them both. "I can and I will, and I will not allow you to jeopardise this mission and put both of us in danger. You will do as you are told, and right now, I'm telling you to come with me."
Lyra tried to step away but Hux caught her arm and gripped it firmly as he led her out of his office.
"Armitage please, let me go, stop this at once. Please, Tij, listen to me, this is wrong and you know it. We still have time, you don't have to do this, please you can't" she pleaded with him as he led her back to their chambers forcefully. He didn't look at her, he couldn't. He knew if he looked at her he would falter, he would weaken, and Snoke would never favour the weak. He felt her try to resist him, pull away from him. For the first time in their marriage Hux felt his wife fear him and his power and for once, he did not relish the power he had. She had always been his innocence, his other side, the best part of him and watching her cower from him was frightening in itself. Still, he could not turn back now, and once the rebels were taken care of, all would be well again. His grip tightened on her.
"Armitage, you're hurting me. Let me go, please let me go, this isn't you. I know this isn't you" Lyra spoke and yet she could see her husband wasn't listening. He had tuned her out, he had become a shell, a complete servant to the First Order and she had been blind to it happening. She managed to squirm away from his grip as they entered their chambers and backed away from him.
"You will remain here until the order to destroy Hosnian Prime is carried out. I will see to it you are well taken care of in my absence. I won't be long. I'll be home in a few hours, a day at most. You can reach me on the radio, or the data pad should you need me?"
Lyra took his hand in hers and held it, looking up into her husband's cold, green eyes. "Please don't go. Stay here with me, don't be a part of this Armitage. You are better than this, you are a good man, I would not have married you if you weren't."
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead softly. "I love you, I do this to create a better world for us both."
Before she could attempt to stop him again he left. The doors closed behind him instantly and Lyra jumped to open them only to realise he had locked her in. The young woman pounded on the doors and shouted for Hux, believing there was still a chance to stop this. She looked around the room for anything she could use to alert Hosnian Prime, but she had nobody. Who could she contact? Hux most likely was already working on blocking the system in their chambers from hacking, knowing she was skilled at programming. She reached for her radio and tried to contact him but had turned off his radio. Feeling helpless and lost, Lyra dropped to the floor and began to cry. She thought of Poe, of how she had the opportunity to free him and she hadn't taken it, he might have been able to help, he might have been able to call the rebels to help. After a few minutes, she tried to contact Hux again.
"Armitage, please, you don't have to do this. I know you are trying to impress Snoke, I know you never had the support you deserved growing up but I love you, and I believe in you and the good in you. Please don't do this, we can leave this place together. We can be happy together, away from Snoke, away from Ren, from all of this. It's always been about us, we have only ever needed each other. Fuck the First Order, fuck all of this, please stop this madness."
She waited for a response, the radio crackled for a moment and then Hux's voice came through, quietly, barely audible.
"You risk our safety even sending a message like that Lyra. Stay quiet and behave, everything will be alright soon enough. I need you to believe in me Lyra, please."
Before Lyra could reply he turned the radio off, leaving her to call after him again, her voice hoarse after pleading with him.
Lyra sat, feeling helpless, staring at the floor for what felt like hours. She clutched the radio in her hands hoping to hear another message from her husband, one along the lines of:
"Lyra, I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore, I'm coming back to you and we can be rid of this place, this ship, these plans, Ren, even the Supreme Leader."
But no message came. It was only when a bright red light lit up the space around her did she move to the windows and saw her worst fear confirmed. The Starkiller was gaining power, it's aim fixed on the Hosnian System. It was too late. Hux had given the command to fire, and she feared she had truly lost her husband to the dark side.
She watched as the piercing red lights fled toward the unsuspecting planets and thought of all the families, all the work the senate had achieved to work toward peace. Gone. Reduced to nothing more than dust. As the light reached the planets, there was eerie silence and then each of the planets broke apart like the shell of an egg, helpless and weak against the machine her husband and his troops had built.
Once more, she slumped to the ground and rest her forehead against the cold glass of the windows, as she cried for those lost. She barely registered Hux when he returned hours later, her head still pounding as she imagined the frightened faces of the now deceased senate.
"Are you alright?"
She didn't look up, she couldn't face him.
He extended a hand down to her. "Please darling, at least get up off the cold floor."
She inclined her head towards his hand but didn't reach out to take it, still averting his gaze.
"When I met you, I could see you were a broken man. You wouldn't tell me anything about your father and how he raised you but I knew it wasn't good, even from the small amount of interaction I had with him. I thought, for so long I thought I could save you. If only you knew someone loved you, had faith in you and your mind and your strength, even your heart, I might have been able to heal you. But now I see you have no interest in me being the one to fix you. Instead, you have placed your faith in the dark side. It's somewhere I do not know, and somewhere I do not care to know."
His gaze on her softened, and he waited a moment before withdrawing his hand.
"I've been thinking, perhaps it's best if you return to our home in Naboo, for the foreseeable future at least" he told her, his voice clinical, void of any caring, or even any love.
With that, her head snapped up to look at him and his heart fell at the sight of her red, watery eyes and cheeks wet with tears. "You want to send me away from you? We always said we would remain together, no matter what."
This time it was Hux's turn to avoid her gaze. He stood to attention as if he were addressing one of his comrades.
"Yes, well, it's dangerous for you here now. And besides, my warship is no place for you really is it? It is for your own sake more than anything else."
Lyra nodded once. "Well, if that is what you want today has proved that when you make your mind up to do something, nothing can stop you. Just give me until tomorrow to pack my things."
The General looked at her, his eyebrow twitching as he saw the anger in her eyes. He had never seen emotion in her like it before and he wanted nothing more than to erase that look in her eyes by holding her close and telling her everything would be alright.
She moved past him, bumping his shoulder as she went and began to pack her things away. Hux watched her for a while, packing away her life with him on the Finalizer with a deep sadness. She was the only thing he had other than his work. To watch her leave would be like losing an arm, but he had to. There was no other choice.
For once, the General did not step out of his chambers in the evening to do work and instead got ready for bed. As he climbed into their bed, Lyra regarded him as she packed away clothes. She was surprised he wasn't gloating. No doubt Snoke had already praised his efforts, usually the smirk on his face after Snoke praise him couldn't be wiped away for hours. But he looked unfulfilled and sad. Perhaps because his wife wasn't there with Snoke, praising him as well. When she grew tired of folding dresses away she changed into nightclothes and walked closer to the bed.
Thinking Hux would argue otherwise she debated sleeping on the sofa but he pulled the covers back and patted her side of the bed.
"Please come to bed darling. All this arguing is so beneath us."
Her brow furrowed. "You think holding me one last time before you send me away can ease your conscious? Peace of mind is not so easily bought Armitage."
Embarrassed by her words, he nestled back down into bed and waited for her to join him.
With reluctance, she did but turned away from him as he drew the covers over her. Together they lay there in silence, space and unsaid words between them. Finally, it was Armitage who spoke.
"I do love you. I just, can't have you here with me anymore, I hope you understand."
A tear escaped her eye as he leaned over to kiss her head softly. She felt it now, in the silence and space between them both. Loneliness. Her lack of friends and family had not bothered her too much when she had him on her side but now it felt crippling. She felt as if floating around space without air would be a similar feeling.
