Author's notes: Thank-you for taking time to read our fanfic! This story is a joint effort by myself ( DisappointedSon) and ( JustGeneralHux), and is a work in progress RP storyline on Twitter. Feel free to follow us there for updates as we write them.
Please note that the nature of Twitter roleplay necessitates a back-and-forth point of view perspective, and this will be reflected in the story here. If there are portions that feel a bit choppy, this is why. Thank-you for understanding!
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The General had woken early as always, but was reluctant to leave his warm bed. Ren had rolled in his sleep to face away Hux and the ginger watched him for a long while. He'd never seen the other so relaxed and peaceful. The screen of his datapad lit up, alerting him to the request for his presence on the bridge. He debated ignoring it before quietly slipping out of the bed. He showered quickly, dressed, groomed and left with a long look back at Ren.
Kylo Ren awoke to a buzzing on his comm link. Bleary-eyed, he looked around the unfamiliar room in confusion until he remembered what had happened the night before. With a sigh, he let his head fall back into the pillow. Hux was nowhere to be seen, and the young force-wielder felt his stomach twist as he remembered the events of the previous night. What had he been thinking? Dragging himself out of bed with a groan, he walked immediately to the door and made his way to his own living quarters to bathe and dress for the day. With any luck, Hux's and his paths would not cross today, and he'd have some time to meditate, center himself, and consider all the implications of what had passed between them.
An hour later, Ren sat quietly in his meditation chamber, staring at the relic that was once Darth Vader's mask. Normally this posture was soothing to his mind and spirit, but this day he had no peace. Sighing heavily, he rose from his seat and strode out of the room. Just as he was leaving, he heard the familiar sound of a message incoming on his personal holoprojector. Flicking on the device, a small image appeared of Lieutenant Mitaka. "Lord Ren..." he stammered, clearly unnerved. "The Supreme Leader requests your presence." "On my way," Ren replied, breaking the communication without another word. Grabbing his helmet on his way out the door, he placed it firmly over his head before exiting his quarters.
Hux growled under his breath as his communicator sounded again. He had been dragged back and forth across the Finalizer all day. He was tense and sore. All he wanted was just a moment to stop and drop his professionalism and just curl up, block out the galaxy. He ignored his comm, opting instead to look at the screen of his datapad as urgent notices continued to flood in. He sighed, apparently even taking a night to himself is off the table, now. When his holoprojector, communicator, and datapad all suddenly began to beep at once, he grabbed one at random. "What?!" He snapped into the comm. "G-General," A shaken voice began. "The Supreme Leader requests a meeting. Now, sir. It's urgent." The ginger gritted his teeth, "tell him I will be there shortly."
With long, determined strides, the imposing young dark sided made his way to the conference room where he always met with Leader Snoke. The cavernous room was cold, dark, and so silent it was almost painful to the ears. As he entered the auditorium, the image of the Supreme lmLeader himself materialized before him. Walking briskly down the aisle leading to the holo platform, he bowed in respect to his mentor. "Supreme Leader," he said solemnly, "I arrived as quickly as I could." Hearing the telltale sound of the door opening behind him, Ren turned quickly to see General Hux hurrying toward them and his heart jumped into his throat. (Blast!) he thought to himself. (So much for avoiding Hux today.)
Hux had shot exactly three stormtroopers for slowing him down on his way to the holochamber. He had delegated his work as best he could - or at least to the point that the ship would not implode in on itself while he was away. He paused in front of the metal doors, taking a breath and making sure that he was presentable before striding into the room. The ginger's eyes widened when they landed on Kylo Ren. He had hoped to be invisible to the knight for the remainder of the day. With a sigh, he stopped, shoulder to shoulder with the taller man. "Supreme Leader, I apologize for my tardiness."
Ren swallowed hard as Hux walked up to stand beside him. He could feel the other man's energy signature like the faint hum of electricity, and it caused the hairs on the back of his neck to bristle. A brief image flashed through his mind of the previous night - pale flesh, hot breath, rapid pulse... He hoped against hope that Snoke was not trying to view his thoughts at that moment, as he tried, largely unsuccessfully, to center his thoughts and calm his mind. Fixing his gaze straight ahead and upward at the colossal image of the Supreme Leader, Ren steadied his breath, thankful for the mask he wore which would at least prevent General Hux from seeing the color rising to his cheeks. "What is your bidding, my Master?" Kylo Ren asked in a deep and steady voice.
Hux clenched his hands behind his back even tighter as Ren's rough voice broke the silence that had taken over the room. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to stop his body from shaking. More than ever, the force seemed to flow off the other man in waves, wrapping around the General in soft caresses of pure energy. He tried to imagine a wall, but he couldn't find a way to fill the cracks already broken into it.
He turned his attention to the twisted, caricature of a man that sat on a crumbling throne. Snoke's voice rumbled around them, an earthquake with a controlled epicenter.
"Starkiller Base has been lost," the gargoyl began. "A failure that you both watched over." His eyes landed on the ginger. "A heavy blow to our forces, General, and an even greater setback in the war."
The young apprentice wilted beneath the judgement of his teacher, knowing that the failure of their imperative had been largely his own fault. Taking note of Snoke's heavy gaze falling on Hux, his heart sunk; whatever jealousy and differences there were between the two young men, he couldn't let Hux take the fall for his own shortcomings. Taking a step forward and raising his voice, Ren spoke loudly and clearly, "Supreme Leader, I am largely to blame for our failure at Starkiller." He cast a sidelong glance at the ginger haired man, knowing Hux couldn't see his face. "Punish me if you must, but spare the General." He was stunned by his own words. Such a display of compassion was uncharacteristic for him, and most likely would /not/ engender approval in the huge apparition before them.
(What are you doing?!) Hux mentally yelled at the knight, not really knowing if Ren could hear him, but nonetheless shooting the thought in his direction. Part of him, however, in that same thought thanked the other man for pulling the Supreme Leader's gaze away from him. "Lord Snoke," the General growled. "Please forgive my failures. It will not happen, again."
Grey eyes narrowed as a torn face scowled, "for your sake, I hope that your promise is true. Remember, General, that you may have been chosen by me once, but you can easily be replaced." His glare then shifted to his apprentice. "You have your own failures, Kylo Ren. Losing the scavenger and the map to Skywalker, do not add to them. You have both failed." Hux shivered, trying to remain still as Snoke's power radiated even just from this hologram of him. "And you will both take part in the punishment of these failures."
Ren flinched imperceptibly at the thought the General had nearly screamed at him. He rolled his eyes at the older man. Raising his voice once more, the apprentice addressed his master. "Only say the word, Teacher. What must we do to redeem ourselves to you?" He tried to calm his pulse, hoping he hadn't started sweating beneath his layers of black fabric.
Snoke considered them, watching them in silence. Hux held his breath, hoping to all things that the Supreme Leader was not in either of their minds, right now. He felt cold under that steely gaze, like he was ripped apart and thrown into the winds on Hoth.
"There is a planet, not far from where you are, now. Utapau." The name sounded vagely familiar to Hux, like he had heard it in a dream or a fleeting conversation from his childhood. "It onced housed a great Kyber crystal that powers Sith weaponry. Now, it is in ruin."
Hux glanced over at Ren - as statuesque as ever. He was tense. "What do you wish us to do, Supreme Leader? Do you want us to re-take the planet?"
"No, it is useless to us in that way. It would be just another way for you to waste my time," the hologram flickered. "You two will go on a mission to the surface of Utapau and seek complete crystals. It is time you had a fully functional saber, my apprentice."
Ren cringed as the massive hologram flickered. The anger and disappointment radiating from the ancient was palpable even, he felt sure, for someone who was /not/ sensitive to the Force. Furthermore, the remarks had hit a nerve; he had grown very fond of the lightsaber he had crafted with the cracked kyber crystal. He reveled in its uniqueness and its volatility. But he knew better than to argue with the Supreme Leader. Genuflecting, the dark knight spoke solemnly, "We will not disappoint you, Master. I will -" he cast another sidelong glance at Hux standing beside him. "-/We/ will do as you say." Inwardly, Ren wondered why Snoke would send Hux with him on such a mission. Surely he was capable of fending for himself in such a task. Silently chastising himself for doubting his master's wisdom, he rose to his feet once more.
The hologram flickered out, leaving the two men alone in silence and dim lighting. Hux clenched his jaw. Being in the same room as Ren, right now, was like splashing him with cold water. Going on a mission, alone, with him would be like expecting him to survive a blizzard. The General kept his pale eyes trained ahead of him, too aftraid at what might happen if he looks at the force-user beside him. "A new crystal. You must be excited...can't say why I'm being dragged into it, though." It was a lame thing to say and he knew it. But the silence was suffocating and he couldn't think of anything else worth commenting on short of saying 'hey, Kylo, thanks for the great time last night, we should do it again sometime.' He sighed. "I will alert hanger deck 4. You are fit to fly, correct?"
Ren stood frozen in place. The absence of Snoke's presence - even virtually - left a vacuum in the massive chamber. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan at Hux's remark. Excited? Hardly. Looking down at the floor, the imposingly tall young man felt very small. He'd been berated, albeit somewhat passively, in front of the one other person whose opinion mattered to him, and now he was alone with that man. The General's thoughts and feelings - primarily embarrassment and anxiety - forced themselves on Ren uncomfortably. Hux didn't mean to, he knew, but in the time that he'd come to know General Hux, Kylo learned what almost no one else on the Finalizer knew - that though he was self-disciplined and composed at all times, General Hux was a man who felt deeply and passionately. The impetuous force-user was constantly baffled by his ability to remain unflappable, even under the most alarming of circumstances; it was a quality that Ren found both admirable and infuriating. Finally, he turned to look at Hux and spoke in a cool and level tone. "I am," he said with a nod. "I will go and make preparations." And with that, he turned and strode out of the room. (I will go and make preparations?) he thought to himself as he walked away from the other man as quickly as he could. He was going to have to get a grip on himself if this mission was going to be even vaguely successful.
(What have I done?) Hux watched the other man go, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding. The intensity that rolled off of Ren was strong enough to make most men cower. While Hux had gotten to the point where he could stand to be around the knight, his knees still felt weak when they were together. The ginger suddenly felt very alone, but on edge, like eyes were watching him from the long shadows that stretched around him, reaching with ghostly fingers to caress his boots. He shook his head, tossing away the irrational fears and turning on a heel to escape to his chambers. He packed light, clothes, shoes, blaster, and a few other weapons that he kept hidden away. He looked at his datapad, checking the time. He didn't have long to notify his officers of his extended leave, so he opted to do so while stalking his way to the hanger. (Looks like Ren and I will have a lot of time to awkwardly avoid talking...)