Admiral Hux leers out the great window of the bridge, staring out onto the vast expanse of space beyond it, waiting. He's aware that his hands are clasped behind his back, of his straight posture, of his furrowed brow. What he's not aware of is the tapping of his toe on the shiny surface or the crew behind him intently watching his boot rise and fall to some rhythmic beat.
And then it comes, bursting out of hyperspace, into view of the Leviathan—the new flag ship of the First Order—that blasted TIE Whisper.
A low snarl escapes Hux's curled lips at the sight of the lone ship set on course towards them.
It dawns on him then that there had been a tapping sound. But he can't hear it anymore. If he looked down, he might realized his grounded foot was the culprit. But he can't tear his gaze from the ship. And now he can't hear anything besides his own grumbling thoughts. Angered cries baying for Ren's blood.
"Excuse me? Admiral Hux?"
He shifts his gaze away from the window, to glower down at a snivelling man. Browk. Hux pulls his name from the deep recess of his mind. A new recruit whose a bit too green for his own good. If he survives the next few weeks of this war, it'll be a miracle. "What is it?"
"The Council's ready for you," Browk squeaks.
Hux rolls his eyes. "Tell them I'll be there soon. I have something to see to first."
He doesn't wait for Browk to accept the order; there's no refusing him. Turning on his heel, he strides off the bridge.
A collective sigh echoes once he's gone.
#
The TIE Whisper settles down on the hanger and hums into sleep. Kylo steps out of the craft, low whispers still haunting him. They haven't stopped. They won't stop, either. That is their threat. They will keep at him until he gives in.
... destiny... power... take it already...
"Oh, shut up," Kylo mutters. Not that it's helped any of the times he's said it before.
But they do fall silent. As another voice shouts across the cavernous space, echoing cold and mirthless.
"Back, are we?"
Kylo clenches his fist. He almost leaps back into the cockpit of his Whisper and takes off again. Was it too much to hope to not have to face this man every time he came back?
Evidently.
"Don't sound so sad." Kylo faces Hux as the ratlike Admiral treads a slow, predatorial pace towards him.
"I had hoped," Hux says, his words falling just as slowly, "for some deep, grievous wound at least."
"No luck." Kylo gives him an apologetic shrug.
"Pity."
...kill him...
Kylo grins, a secret smile that fades to a frown as Hux's expression grows ever uglier with its malice and contempt. He's not sure why he's put up with this man all this time. Well, he has a sense. They have a history, rose together through the ranks. And he knows this enemy. Hux is the safer option to keep around. One arm to take care of the war side of thing, while he focuses on finding some balance in himself.
Besides, Hux's bark has always been far worse than his bite. A man far happier to spew words of venom than actually take up a blaster and do something.
"And what have you been up to while I've been away?"
Hux scoffs at the question. "Like you care."
Surprisingly, he does. Just not for a reason Hux should ever even guess. "Did you find their base?"
Hux rolls his eyes, blissfully oblivious. "Not yet. But it's only a matter of time before we blow her out of the sky."
Kylo raises a hand, his fingers curling. Hux splutters, choking, rising of the ground.
...yes... kill him...
Hux flails his legs as he's slowly strangled by an invisible force, his fingers fumbling to free himself of an enemy he can see, but cannot fight.
"You will not move against the base unless I give the order," Kylo says, slowly laying the warning out. But there is a bite of urgency he is keeping swallowed down. One that may betray him yet.
His fingers unfurl and Hux is released, falling to the ground with a heavy thud. The rat pants there, coughing as air is his once more to breathe without restraint. His dark eyes glower up at Kylo, unashamed of their deep contempt. "As you command, Supreme Leader," he spits bitterly.
... coward...
Kylo shakes away the insult as he turns towards his inner sanctum, a place he can be undisturbed, a place to think.
#
If his hatred was a blade, it would have punctured Kylo a thousand times. If his hatred was a blaster, it would have blown him apart.
There are no shortage of deaths that Hux could imagine for Kylo Ren. He is no Supreme Leader. Too weak to finish this war. Yet too strong for Hux to kill. But if the power was his...
... what would you do if the power was yours, admiral hux? ...
Hux starts up, stares around him, looking for the body behind the voice, but there's no body. And maybe there was no voice. Just something he's imagined.
... if we promised you power, what would you do with it?...
... would you kill him?...
... would you take on the legacy of the sith?...
The Sith? That old dream. Hux understands now. Ren is playing with him. He turns back to show that he's no fool, but Ren is gone too. There's no one else in the hanger.
#
Kylo falters a little as the gem in his pocket shifts, as if the power in it has gone, but then it's back again, a weight for him to bear for now.
And he doesn't think anything else of it.