Chapter 2: Victory

They had stayed in Voss for a week. They were in dire need of fuel, supplies, and food. Hopping around from planet to planet in the outer rim was not what Leia Organa had envisioned when she spoke of rebuilding the rebellion. But alas finally a semblance of hope came their last night on Voss. There had been an encrypted message detailed for Princess Leia of a sanctuary hidden within the forests of Aris. A sanctuary ready to receive her and her band of resistance soldiers.

The princess sat alone at a table looking the map of the Albarrio system, where Aris was located. It was a green planet overwhelmed with rainforests and jungles. The surface might be damp and sticky, but it beat the frigid air of Voss. Better yet, if the message was true, then they would finally have a place to start rebuilding, so she felt hopeful. It had been a long two months of travel. She looked around the ship and could see tired eyes. They needed this more than anything, somewhere stable and safe. A small victory but a precious one none the less.

"General you wanted to see me?" Poe drew her attention away from the maps.

"You are correct commander" she smiled, "I thought we should go over our plans once we reach Aris."

"Great."

"Great." Leia smiled and looked at him expectantly.

"Oh right." Poe smiled sheepishly, an act that reminded Leia of Han. She couldn't help it sometimes looking at the young and daring pilot and thinking of her lost husband. They were alike in many ways. Both a bit cocky, both a little to daring for their own good, and charmers. Stars they were both charmers. "Well," Poe began, "we'll have to establish some sort or perimeter when we land, send someone out there to make sure it isn't a trap or something. If all goes well, we're going to have a lot of work ahead of us. We gotta see who else is out there, reach out."

"All true." Leia smiled, "one more thing."

Poe narrowed his eyes, he was obviously raking his brain for the answer, but when he couldn't come up with one she just shrugged.

"We need to figure out what the First Order is up to. They have the upper hand on us now, and they will continue to do so unless we figure out their game plan."

"Right! And the sooner we figure out what the assholes are up to the sooner we can blow something of theirs up." Poe winked at her, and Leia chuckled genuinely.

To think in another life, Poe would have made a perfect son. As soon as the thought escaped her mind however she felt guilty and sad once more. How easy it would have been to have Dameron as her and Han's child. Maybe not, maybe in the end he would have hated them too. She knew she couldn't put the blame all on Ben. She had failed him just as bad or even worse than Han and Luke did. She would never forgive herself for that.

The air felt stiff on the bridge of the Finalizer. He felt stiff. He missed his mask. He couldn't deny it and he was more than tempted to fashion a new one. It was tiring work keeping such a stoic affront. He did his best to keep his emotions in check now that he was the Supreme Leader. But it was tiring and the only release he would have all day was in his chambers with his lightsaber slashing across the walls. That past couple months had passed with a blur. After the events on Crait, Kylo was hell bent on finding the remaining rebels and whipping them out once and for all. Hux did not at all agree with his plans.

"They are so minute in numbers," he had sneered, "they are barely a threat. In time we will find them, but we need to gather our own forces now and show the rest of the galaxy true might of the First Order."

The higher ranking officers agreed unanimously with the red head, a fact that still irritated Kylo to the bone. He had a realization then, about the Order and Hux.

They liked him more. Hux was not wreck less or had spouts of overpowering aggravation.

They had feared and respected Snoke without a hitch. They fear him as well, although it was a different sort of fear he knew. It didn't command the same level of respect as Snoke did. Snoke was older, mysterious, and powerful. They Order knew Ren as powerful, but after the defeat on Crait they thought him more unhinged. They feared him, he knew they did but he could sense their fear in his leadership. They did not have faith in him to lead the First Order. He could see that the fear in his powers outweighed the doubts on their minds. He could use that, would use that. The hurt that came with their lack of faith did not hit as deep as he thought it might. After all he was no stranger to the doubts of others. It was a feeling that had plagued him his entire life. His parents. His uncle. Snoke.

Rey.

Unlike the aforementioned however his own affections did not run deep for the people of the order as they did for the others.

So at the behest of the Order he ruled over, they had set a course toward the core systems and began to deploy the legions of storm troopers onto the more densely populated areas as to begin demonstrating to the masses where the new authority came from. It was a tiring task if Kylo was honest. He had to be witnessed in conferences, speak numbers, sigh papers and he was sure Hux was making the process more taxing any way he could. It wasn't like when Snoke was around, where he would sit upon his throne and wield his power with his words. Kylo had something to prove to these people, and he hated them for it.

Today was a particular grueling day if no other reason because Hux was in a such a pleasant mood.

"If there is nothing else…" He began, eager to leave the bridge.

"Actually Ren-"

Now this was something that genuinely out Kylo in a good mood. Making the little weasel suffer a bit. Hux knew better than to address him so casually in front of other higher ranking members. They were not equals anymore. In fact they never were.

"…supreme leader." He managed to say through his blocked wind pipe.

Kylo released his hold on him. While it was amusing to see him so red in the faced he was beginning to wonder when Hux's berating would stop. He was sure they weren't mere slips on the General's part. He was playing a game. Kylo had to make sure he would be the one victorious.

"Well?"

"Right," the General fixed his collar and cleared his throat, "I thought now that your legions are being placed we could aim out interests back the the pathetic few who call themselves the resistance."

"Go on."

"I have managed to contact a bounty hunter, a very good one."

"No. I won't send some mercenary. I will be there to watch them fall."

"It is a menial task at this rate Supreme Leader. Why bother."

"Because I said so, and my word is law. Understood?"

Hux seemed to deflate at this, "of course." He made his way toward the door of the bridge.

"General Hux I do have a task for you however."

Kylo waited until Hux turned to fully face him again.

"Oh?"

"Assemble my Knights of Ren, it is time." For a moment he could feel all eyes on him, and he was glad about it. He would revel in all of their fear.

To see Hux's face falter at the mention of his knights made Kylo smirk. One force user was plague for the general, what about six? I will be the victor in this game, not you.

***End Notes***

Oh wow look at that an update! Well to anyone still mildly interested in this story, I know its going by at a glacial space right now but thanks for sticking with it and I promise you I have plans for this tale so once again thanks for reading and hope you have a wonderful night…day?...afternoon?