Kylo stormed on to the flight deck still visibly fuming, his nails digging into his palms from clenching so hard.
"HUX!" He called harshly, not yet fully in the door.
"Yes, Supreme Leader?" Hux and everyone else in the room stood straight to attention, meeting his glare nervously.
"Have we made any headway on acquiring a new mother ship? I want to advance on the Rebels as soon as we have word of them." Kylo thought he caught Hux give an eye roll, which after his tantrum yesterday that cost them the chance at ending the Resistance he wouldn't be surprised. He ignored it, for now.
"Yes Sir. I think you'll be more than pleased to hear we're in serious negotiations with a small group of anonymous donors from Coruscant. I have a fleet of troopers headed there now for physical inspections, but take a look." He smirked proudly and flicked on the hologram projector.
Spinning before him was the form of a gargantuan battleship, easily twice the size of the Destroyer, he could tell just from scale. Fiercely angular and heavily armed it was exactly what they needed and acquiring it quickly would prove they wouldn't be set back by the loss of the Destroyer for even a nanosecond. Kylo was abruptly bubbling with excitement, feeling even more certain of what his purpose with the Order was. He couldn't help but let a smile creep across his face, he was, for once, notably impressed with Hux's work.
"She's perfect, how soon can we get her?"
"Within the week Sir, so glad to see you're pleased!" Hux's chest puffed pridefully.
Not wanting to give him too much self satisfaction Kylo nodded gruffly, and with a hand holding his opposite wrist behind him he looked out among the stars. He breathed deeply feeling a wonderful sense of calm, although they would have to act quickly if they were to catch up with the Rebels before they picked up too much steam he had no doubt the fight would soon be over and even felt fairly grateful for the destruction of the Star Destroyer. Now he could seize the opportunity to start his reign as the Supreme Leader with a clean slate and an even more imposing and powerful ship, what luck. He chuckled to himself thinking of the foolish Admiral Haldo, sacrificing herself in vain.
"Well, inform me immediately when news from the inspection arrives, I'm eager to hear." Kylo nodded again at Hux, caving now to give Hux the praise he so obviously was itching to hear. "Nice work General."
"Th-thank you Supreme Leader." He stuttered gleefully looking around at the other pilots as if for confirmation he'd indeed heard a compliment directed his way. "I'll let you know as soon as I receive word."
Kylo gave everyone a quick look of appreciation for their work and made his way out heading now back to his quarters with thoughts of himself at the helm of the frightening new vessel.
As the door to his room came into sight he was struck still with the remembrance that there was a woman in his room and unless he found another place for her, not likely on the current ship, she would be staying there until they acquired the mother ship. An unfamiliar confusion overwhelmed him as he thought of how to approach the situation now that he wasn't reeling with emotion and need. He straightened and took a deep breath. He was the Supreme Leader, he certainly wouldn't be thrown off his center by a woman, he would enjoy her company for what it was. Surely a woman who carried herself the way she had and gave her kindness so completely was one worth getting to know. At the very least it would be an opportunity for him to become close with a woman who wasn't ... her. With that goal in mind he opened the door.
He sighed heavily with relief to find Chrystalline curled tightly like some sort of feline in the corner of his bed. He didn't just yet have to figure out what to say. She was dressed in the outfit he'd sent for her, seeing her pale skin swathed all in black was shockingly arousing. He pushed the thought that was edging it's way into his mind of Rey dressed the same, standing by his side in front of their subjects. Somehow the outfit seemed to suit Chrystalline even better than he could imagine it would Rey. Her rosy blonde hair being beautifully magnified by the color and eyelashes appearing even darker to match. She really was a stunning woman, he could only imagine the kind of attention she drew when walking freely through a city. Any man would be lucky to call her his, surely someone, somewhere had had the honor before she was captured. Perhaps he should ask her this and learn her story first hand rather than diving into her thoughts without asking and extracting her memories from her. That is how normal men and women interacted wasn't it. He smiled to himself, such a foreigner to the very concept of exchanging with the opposite sex let alone sharing a room and bed with one. Careful not to disturb her he went to remove his sweat soaked garments.
Chrystalline's eyes opened warily after a fitful nap hearing the signs of movement within the room. As the blurriness lifted and the forms around her focused she caught sight of him, the Leader, shirtless on the other side of the room, sitting at his desk and pulling firmly at his boots. She feigned sleep and kept her eyes open just a sliver to observe him as he tossed his boots to the side and sat back in his chair. For the first time since she met him she was impressed with the sight of him, the very length of him as
He stretched out in his chair was astounding. The men on her home planet though shapely, were compact and not much taller than the women, but him, he was substantial. Broad and lanky with a physical power that was visibly perceptible. She gazed on practically mesmerized as his biceps flexed with striations as he reached up to push his hair from his face and tie it up behind his head.
Chrystalline wriggled as a pleasant warmth rose in her lower abdomen and there was no mistaking he was immediately aware of her eyes on him as he straightened in his seat.
"Ah.." He coughed nervously. "You're awake, uh... I hope everything found you well. I see the dress did at least." He pulled some papers from his desk in front of him and made himself look busy to mask the bizarre sense of embarrassment that he was certain she could see plastered across his face. How, he wondered, after being so plain as to practically beg her to sleep next to him last night was he now feeling such a childish shame in knowing she was watching him.
"Yes Supreme Leader, thank you." She sat up slowly and gave a slight head bow. "Is it really night already? I must have slept all day."
Watching her as she rubbed sleep from her eyes he couldn't help but smile, she looked so different than she had last night, no longer the stone-faced strong woman who feared not even death, but a girl, which she was, by the looks of her she was no older than eighteen.
"Oh, no. I returned early, I did my training for the day and checked on everything I needed too. I also rid us both of that horrid little toad who brought you to me. He won't be bothering you anymore."
Chrystalline giggled, but stopped short realizing if that boorish brute of a man didn't own her was she now indefinitely property of the Leader? Somehow when caught in the cell bound with the other girls she could still imagine a hope for escape, but now left alone with someone so powerful she wasn't sure she would manage out of this alive. Yes, he had been kind to her in the small, weak moments they'd shared together, but this man was a killer, who saw nothing of demolishing whole populations with the wave of his hand. Chrystalline knew she couldn't be so naive as to think that she was somehow immune to his fury.
Kylo observed her face change quickly from glee to an undeniable look of horror and he couldn't keep himself from entering her thoughts as she went silent. She was thinking so much further than even he had of the situation. He was so caught up in his own plans and mission he hadn't even realized that in freeing her from the pimp he had become her keeper and after what she'd done for him he knew he wouldn't feel right subjecting her to that fate either, but for some reason he couldn't make himself wholly wrap his head around right now, he wasn't ready to let her go if that meant to never see her again. In a selfish way he wasn't ready to be so horribly alone again but even more than that he wanted the chance to be close to someone in a way he couldn't anyone else he knew. For the men on his ship he had to be the emotionless, power seeking Leader, not a friend. And to the rest of the Galaxy he was the head of the First Order, already his reputation for anger and chaos preceded him, but to Chrytalline, before even romantically, he could just be... human. That wasn't a possibility he was willing to let go of so easily.
"I won't keep you here forever. You don't deserve that and I would be a hypocrite if I made it so." He looked at her calmly, hoping that she could read the sincerity in his face. "But, I... I want to know you Chrystalline... I've spent so much of my life alone and locked up in my own head , I just want the chance to know someone and have them know me without any hidden agendas or intentions." The words flowed from him without effort. Just like last night it just felt good to finally be honest with someone. He immediately felt lighter having spoken his truth.
Chrystalline didn't quite know what to say, the most she could think of was "Why her?" But knew the bluntness might be pushing it, besides, he was probably seeing every question running though her mind as they spoke so why bother. Seeing no other way to respond and still processing what had been said, she nodded and pulled her legs out from underneath her, straightening her back to face him, allowing him to read her eyes if he wished.
"Thank you for understanding. Well, I hope that you'll join me for dinner and I can even give you a tour, I'm sure you're need to stretch your limbs after I so thoughtlessly left you with nothing to do but sleep all day." Kylo stood and walked to his closet, sorting through things for something to change into. "I'll go wash up and tell the droids to prepare something and come back to retrieve you."
She stood, straightening out the skirt of her dress and shaking her head at the utter insanity that had been the last few days events. If her father, or Abel could see her at this very moment, agreeing to just be company to a dark Lord, well...she couldn't even picture how they'd react. With her eyes to the ground she went to fasten into place the stray strands of hair that had come loose while she slept. She looked up again to find him inches in front of her, her eyes meeting his chest and the thick raised scar that led from there to his face. She shivered as his finger tilted her chin to look up at him.
"Just be honest with me as I am with you and I promise that no harm shall come to you, not while I'm around." And with that he dropped his hand walked out the door.