Armitage Hux knew from a young age that you never, never allow yourself to appear weak. His father, the late, mostly unlamented Brendol Hux (Armitage had an air-tight alibi) had reinforced that knowledge with various levels of incentive, primarily physical and mental abuse. The younger Hux was also the test subject for several of the innovations and tweaks the Commandant made to his Stormtrooper program. The fact that he was still relatively sane was a testament to his strength of character, his unparalleled intelligence, and his bloody-minded determination to dance on on the graves of his enemies.
Consequently, Phasma's determination to treat him like an invalid was infuriating and frustrating. Not only did she insist on supporting him onto the transport vehicle, but she sat squashed up next to him on the trip to the Grey Council Charterhouse. Dr. Galen was just as bad as Phasma. She was squashed up on his other side, watching him like a hawk, as if she were expecting him to have some sort of Force fit.
He wasn't sure it was safe to trust her yet. He was still angry that she had used the Force to get inside his head. He had no idea what she saw before he made her get out.
Once leaving the city there was a long drive through the foothills and a turn up a winding side road that did nothing to help the nausea and dizziness he was feeling. The whole miserable trip was exacerbated by the cheerful conversation between the driver ("Call me Davy!") and the rest of the group.
It was intolerable. Yet he was forced to tolerate it. For now. He closed his eyes and did his best to look as if he were merely napping.
#TaBa
Aurelia spent the trip from the aerodrome to the Charterhouse fretting about Hux. How severe a case of Threshold Sickness would he experience? At age 36 (she asked Kylo. Just 4 years younger than her. Interesting.) he is the oldest Awakening documented in the Grey Order records. He's already showing some physical distress, headache, nausea, and dizziness. Is he going to experience hallucinations or uncontrollable precognition? Something worse?
She wasn't even sure she was strong enough to take him through Threshold Sickness safely. She could only hope Master Daibhidh would have some insight to offer her once she explained the situation to him. At least the Meimeal offered the hospitality of the guest house, which suggested that he was willing to listen to her.
As they went up the winding road to the Charterhouse complex she peeked over at Hux. Was he feeling worse, or was that his normal dyspeptic expression?
"Armitage," she ventured, "How do you feel? Has your dizziness or nausea become worse?"
"Doctor," returned Hux sourly, his eyes still firmly closed, "I told you not to hover."
Kateria, who was curled up on the other side of Phasma, leaned forward to address Hux.
"Lighten up a little Slim. Doc is just doing her job." she chirped.
Hux opened his eyes and glared at the redheaded Knight, "I would appreciate you not using that ridiculous nickname."
"Are you yelling at my Knight, Hux?" called Kylo from the front of the transport.
"I'm ok, Boss. Slim is just being a grouch."
Hux huffed and closed his eyes again. Maybe he would be lucky and this Threshold Sickness thing would be terminal.
#TaBa
The Charterhouse and the attached Guest House were a pleasant surprise, While both buildings were extensive, they were not ostentatious. The main door of the Guest House opened into a great room with two short hallways leading to a study, a parlor, a kitchen, and a dining room. There was the main staircase that led up to a second floor where several bedrooms were located. A tall, dignified woman with cinnamon-brown hair greeted them warmly and introduced herself as Mistress Eirica Andarsan, the Châtelaine for the Charterhouse.
"You've arrived just in time for afternoon tea," she informed the group. "If you could follow me upstairs I'll take you to your rooms where you can freshen up first."
She turned to Aurelia. "Adept Galen, Master Mac Dhomhnuill would like to speak to you in the study. Do you need a guide?"
"Thank you Mistress Eirica, I know the way," she answered calmly. She wasn't nervous about talking to the Master. Of course not. Probably not. Maybe a little bit.
"Are you going to be alright?" asked Rey, a touch of worry in her voice. She was present in the cockpit during the discussion between Aurelia and the Master of the Order, and Master Mac Dhomhnuill had not sounded pleased with the situation she had dropped in his lap.
"I've known Master Daibhidh since I was a small child," Aurelia replied. "He may grumble a bit but he won't bite."
Phasma was still fretting over Hux as they followed Mistress Eirica. "Armitage, are you sure you can handle the stairs? You still look shaky."
"Force Brienne, just stop," growled Hux. "I can walk up a few damn steps. I'm not an invalid."
#TaBa
Aurelia walked down the short hallway past the parlor and stopped in front of the door to the study. She stood there a few moments to compose herself. She knew she would need to plead her case with calm certainty. She couldn't afford to let her temper get the better of her if the Master lambasted her for her decision to bring the 'two most dangerous men in the galaxy' (as Master Daibhidh had phrased it) to the Grey Order stronghold. She took a deep breath and rapped crisply on the door.
"Thig a-steach (Come in)." Master Mac Dhomhnuill's voice was a deep baritone that reminded Aurelia of smokey peat bogs. She reached for the handle and opened the door.
Master Mac Dhomhnuill was seated in a wide, tall backed leather chair near an unlit fireplace. The Master was a tall muscular man, dressed in his robes of office. His long grey hair was caught neatly at the back of his neck with an ornate clasp, and his grey beard, which still showed a bit of red, was neatly trimmed. His deep blue eyes studied Aurelia as she entered the room.
There was a similar chair on the other side of a small table that was set with a tea service. She breathed an almost inaudible sigh of relief. If he was offering her tea things may not be as bad as she feared.
He nodded at the empty chair, indicating that Aurelia should sit. She bowed her head briefly, moved over to the chair, and sat. "Master," she said respectfully.
"Adept," he replied as he continued to study her.
She gestured to the tea service. "May I pour?"
"Mas e ur toil (Please)"
She filled the Master's cup and then her own, adding a bit of cream in each cup.
Master Mac Dhomhnuill smiled. "You remembered how I take it."
They sat quietly for a few minutes sipping and savoring their tea.
Finally, the Master put his cup down and looked soberly at Aurelia.
"I won't admonish you anymore, Adept Galen. I'm sure you realize you've potentially dumped the Order into a Sarlacc pit."
Aurelia sat silently. Of course, she knew there were risks in bringing Kylo Ren and Armitage Hux to the Grey Order.
The Master fixed her with a gimlet stare, his heavy grey eyebrows pulled down and a thunderous frown on his face.
"Why?"
"Why what, Master?" she said evasively.
"Why in the name of Lady Space and the Force did you bring two war criminals to the Charterhouse?"
#TaBa
"Are you coming down, Armitage?" asked Phasma, leaning in the doorway of the room Hux had been assigned.
"I don't feel like faking polite conversation," muttered Hux.
"You need to eat something. Or at least drink some tea. I don't want you to get dehydrated."
"When did you become my mother, Brienne?"
"Don't make me pick you up and carry you, Armie," threatened Phasma.
Hux glared at her. He had no doubt that she would do exactly that if he didn't start moving.
"Fine. I'll go," he grumbled. "And stop calling me Armie."
They walked out into the mezzanine overlooking the great room where the rest of their group were waiting. Hux really had no desire to be sociable. He still had a headache, and while he wasn't dizzy at the moment the nausea was getting stronger. Maybe some tea would settle his stomach. If he could make it down the stairs without embarrassing himself.
As he reached the top of the stairs the throbbing pain in his head increased significantly. Phasma was speaking to him and it felt like needles were being driven into his ears, while the lights around him began to pulse and stab his eyes. He bent over, covering his ears and closing his eyes. As he blacked out he dimly heard Phasma cry "Armitage!"
#TaBa
Master Mac Dhomhnuill listened to Aurelia plead her case as he packed his pipe, lightly filling it and tamping the tabac down before summoning a flame to light it.
"So you see, Master, it would have been dangerous to allow him to go through an Awakening without assistance. He is much older than the typical Awakening and there is a potential for severe to deadly Threshold Sickness."
The Master took a slow, steady pull of aromatic smoke, savoring it before puffing it out in a steady stream as he regarded Aurelia.
"And it didn't occur to you to leave such a man as General Hux, the Starkiller to his fate?"
"No Master," she answered firmly. "It is not my place to be judge and jury. I am a doctor as well as an Adept. I cannot and will not leave a person to suffer when I am in the position to offer aid."
She sat and sipped her tea, waiting for the Master's judgment. He puffed on his pipe for a while, his eyes distant and calculating.
"Adept Galen, I see no reason to gainsay him our assistance since he is here and in need," the Master acknowledged. "But I will need to consider what to do about him once he is past the Threshold Sickness."
"Thank you, Master," Aurelia responded, relief evident in her voice.
"Now, tell me about the situation with Kylo Ren." said the Master.
Before she could answer they were interrupted by a frantic knocking on the study door. It opened to a very agitated Mistress Eirica.
"Master Mac Dhomhnuill," she blurted, "One of our guests has collapsed."
"Who?" he asked.
"The red-haired young man," she answered.
"Alasdair!" Aurelia thought as she jumped up from her chair.
The Master looked over at her and put his pipe down. "Let's go see to our patient, lass."
Author's Notes: Yes, we end the chapter with a cliffhanger. Yes, Hux's Threshold Sickness is going to be tough.