Armitage Hux, former General of the First Order, currently mercenary-for-hire (between assignments), recently Awakened in the Force (and wasn't that a kick in the tush) and unwilling passenger on the Ghost is en route to - somewhere. He's not sure yet. That lady doctor, Galen, was spouting something about a Grey Council but he has no idea what that is or what planet it's located on.
And where the blue bloody hell is Phasma? She wouldn't let him be kidnapped without a fight. Is she alive? Is she dead? Or something in between? He rubbed his eyes distractedly as he looked around the cabin in which he had awakened. The headache he woke up with was getting worse. He needed information. He needed a painkiller. And he needed to strangle Ren for pulling that Force shit on him.
He carefully slid off the bed and stood upright, closing his eyes as the pain in his head bounced around a bit before it found a place to settle - right behind his left eye, of course. He stood there for a few more minutes with his eyes closed until the room stopped spinning. Now, weapons. He cracked open an eye and looked around the cabin. It was sparsely furnished - bed, side table, chair. Nope, Ren wouldn't be so careless as to leave his weapons where he could reach them. No matter, he had received top marks in unarmed combat at the Academy and had kept his skills up to date during his career in the First Order. When advancement in rank occasionally meant eliminating the competition - literally - it behooved him to keep his skills honed to a razor-sharp edge.
Now, approach. Ren was essentiality an apex predator, so it was a choice between subversive guile and a direct, forceful confrontation. Screw that. He was incensed at the violation of his body. Direct and forceful it would be.
Hux stormed out of the cabin into the lounge and yelled "Ren! You mangy son of a bitch! How dare you!" There was a moment of absolute silence. Then a confused voice floated out of the cockpit. "Hux?" Another moment or two of silence, then Kylo entered the lounge from the cockpit area. "What the hell are you yelling about, Hux?"
"You, you bastard! You used that Force shit on me and knocked me out. I know you're an overpowered child but that was low even for you."
"Me?" retorted Kylo, "You think I Force Stunned you? I'm not the only Force user on this ship."
"Well, I doubt your girlfriend would have bothered. Who else on board would have the power to do that to me?" growled Hux.
Aurelia stood in the doorway of her cabin watching the confrontation. She knew she would have to step in but she wanted to get her bearings first. In the short time she had known him she had seen a variety of expressions on Hux's face - cynicism, boredom, arrogance, and superiority. She had not seen incandescently bloody furious before. It was breathtaking.
As she stepped out into the lounge Hux turned to look at her. Green eyes, she thought. They made her think of alexandrite - deep green, a hint of blue, very hard, and very cold. She took a breath.
"Is there a problem?" she asked calmly.
"Not at all," replied Hux angrily, "I just need to forcefully explain to Ren that you don't use that Force shit on an ally without permission."
"Hux," protested Kylo irritatedly, "It wasn't me."
"What?"
"Aren't you a bit young to be hard of hearing? It. Wasn't. Me."
"Gentlemen," Aurelia interrupted. She wasn't in the mood for a replay of 'who's on first, what's on second' from these two. "Your mutual antagonism is neither appropriate nor useful."
She turned to Hux. "Alasdair, I was the one who stunned you. You are having an Awakening in the Force. You are older than normal, which puts you at risk of threshold illness. I felt it incumbent on me to get you to a place where you could get assistance."
Hux's expression hardened. "You took away my choice."
"You did not have the knowledge you needed to make an informed choice," she countered. "As a doctor and a Grey Adept, I have a responsibility to render aid when necessary."
"You used the Force on me without my permission." Hux insisted. His headache was becoming worse. He rubbed his eyes as the pain stabbed through his skull.
"What's wrong Alasdair?" asked Aurelia.
"Just a headache," he replied. "I'll be ok with some painkillers."
"May I check?" she asked cautiously. "I promise I won't stun you or intrude on your thoughts."
Hux is reluctant to agree but the headache is getting worse. "Go ahead." He wants to say something snarky but his head is pounding. Aurelia gently touches his forehead and focuses through the Force. After a few minutes, she withdraws her hand with a frown.
"I don't think painkillers are going to help, Alasdair," she tells Hux.
She turns to Kylo. "Could you please ask Rey what our estimated arrival time is to Sruighlea Aerodrome?" Kylo nods, closes his eyes, and concentrates.
"Rey says we are entering the Comraich sphere of influence shortly. We should land in an hour," answered Kylo.
"I'm going to need her assistance," remarked Aurelia. "Kylo, can you fly the Ghost by yourself?"
Kylo smirked "Does a bantha shit in the desert?"
"Should I take that to mean 'yes'?'
"Yes, Aurelia," said Kylo. He turned to return to the cockpit. "I'll send Rey back right away."
By this time Hux has graduated from a killer headache to a killer headache plus full-body shivers. Aurelia steps up to him and gently takes his arm. "Alasdair, I am taking you back to the cabin. I would like you to lay down while Rey and I support you in the Force."
"Why?" asked Hux. He would like to snap at her but he's shaking so hard his teeth are chattering.
"Threshold sickness," she replied shortly. "I am going to attempt to stabilize you until we can get you to the Charterhouse."
As Aurelia turns Hux back toward the cabin Rey comes into the lounge from the cockpit. She takes his other arm and helps Aurelia walk him into a cabin and onto a bed.
"What do you need me to do, Dr, Galen?" asked Rey.
"I need you to link with me and held me stabilize him," answered Aurelia. "At least until we can get to the Charterhouse. I'll show you what you need to do."
As the Force begins to envelop him Hux feels as if he is floating away from his body. "What's at this Charterhouse?" he slurs.
"Adepts with more experience in this than I have," replied Aurelia. "We'll get you through this, Alasdair."
Author Notes: 'Threshold Sickness' is not Star Wars canon. In my headcanon, it's similar but not the same as threshold sickness from the Darkover series of novels.
Hux is right to be upset. Aurelia violated his agency by stunning him. Regardless of the fact that he needs the help of the Grey Adepts to make it through his Awakening and threshold sickness, he was not given a choice.
For the cultural reference fans, there is a Schrodinger's cat reference and a reference to the famous Abbot and Costello comedy sketch.
Alexandrite is a very rare, very expensive gemstone with a lovely green color highlighted with blue. alexandrite-meaning