Wild Child
Ben's cage is so small he has to bow his back and keep his knees tucked in if he wants to avoid the bars. The cage's energy bars don't allow him to use the Force, at least not without it ricocheting back onto him as he found out in a failed escape attempt. He doesn't have his lightsaber or pack after they surrendered themselves to the Jeedai. He doesn't even know where Hux is being held. Through the bars, he sees straw in neat rows with black, brown, white, and yellow feathers sticking out. It reeks of the natural musk of chickens, and he hopes that he won't have to spend a night with them. He hears the coop's door swing open and is then sees a Rodian coming inside. He wears armor like the Jensaarai and then realizes that the Rodian is Kelbis Nu.
"Padawan Solo, you're in serious trouble."
"I can't tell with me being in a cage and all," he responds sarcastically. Nu winces, and Ben feels guilty for snapping at him.
"You assaulted a Jeedai."
"She had a lightsaber to Hux's neck!"
"You didn't have to throw her through a wall. You gave her a concussion, a dislocated shoulder, and lots of bruises. Also, you caused some property damage, but the Jeedai are more furious about your assault on one of their own. With all the strength you have, you could've taken her saber and used it against her."
"I didn't think I had to consider the safety of a woman about to murder my friend!" Ben shouts, earning a wince from Nu.
"What's done is done. Have you heard from him?"
"How? I've been stuck in a cage and can't even stretch my neck!"
"Have you tried through the Force? If you have a bond, then this cage can't muzzle it like the physical aspects of your powers."
"I'm not entirely sure if we have one. Sometimes, I feel emotions that aren't mine," Ben says vaguely, not really wanting to accept that it's possible he and Hux have a bond. He already has bonds with his mother and his Master, and it's hard enough to hide anything from them. He doesn't want Hux to experience what he's experienced, the lack of privacy even in one's own head.
"It sounds like you have bond, or a start of one. You should reach for him if you want to know how he is." Strangely, Nu's words come out slower than before. He looks up and sees the Jensaarai frightfully still.
The pitch darkness surrounds him like the Force. Monsters love hiding in the darkness. Hux has met his fair share of monsters in the dark, and one in particular that made him only see darkness for a time. Fear is a common reaction to the darkness, but Hux isn't afraid. In fact, he doesn't feel anything. He's reminded of his botched torture exam and subsequent kidnapping at sixteen. His kidnappers injected him with drugs that left him like this.
What burns will I be receiving this time?
None if I can help it.
Ancient Sith? Oh, you're the Sith Lord.
Darth Nihilus.
I know all about you from the Commandant's Ancient History lessons and father's dreams. I guess you're taking over me now and that's why I feel numb.
No, that would be the sleeping potion the Jeedai slipped into your water. The Jeedai believe this will keep me subdued.
I can't blame them for being cautious.
They wish to destroy me, but I'm inside of you.
I hope metaphorically because I would hate to find your mask as part of my guts.
They will kill you if need be.
I surrendered to them to prevent bloodshed and maybe get leniency for Ben.
If you die, I doubt the Padawan will take it lying down. He's strong in the Force, but he's young and he'll lose control. He'll hurt everyone if something happens to you.
Why would you care about him? Isn't a goal of the Sith to wipe out the Jedi?
It's not my goal in this time. The Padawan is also useful at this time.
To help me escape? That's why you want him around. It would be inconvenient for your new vessel to die.
I am not possessing you. I am just a piece of myself. You picked up my mask and acquired me.
It's not like I had a choice since I was about to drown.
That was not my doing. I believe it was the Force.
I hope the Force gave you enough power to get us out of here.
You will wake up soon, and that is when I will act.
I won't let you kill the Jeedai.
Killing them all would require far more power than you have. I do have a nonlethal solution, but it is quite temporary.
That sounds perfect to me!
Ben can't feel anything. It's like Hux is dead, but he feels like he would feel that. Even inside his cage, he can still sense the Force. In fact, he feels a sharp coldness to it. It's the Dark—
The end of a blue lightsaber cuts through the door hinges.
WHAM!
The door falls. Hux walks in and uses the saber on his cage. There's an impressive show of blue and white sparks, but the ancient energy cage gives out after a minute into the assault. Ben stands up and rubs at stiff neck.
"So much for relying on the Jeedai's mercy, huh?"
"They drugged me and were probably going to kill me."
"Judging by the Sith technique on display, it was more a certainty on their part." Force slow is used to slow down opponents, almost freezing them in place, making it far easier for the Sith to kill his enemies. Hux isn't doing this, so it must be Nihilus. Ben frowns at a Sith Lord willing to be this helpful.
"Don't worry, Nihilus said he wasn't going to kill them. However, we need to run for our lives now because he can't do this for long." Ben nods, and Hux hands him his saber. They make it only a meter out of the village when some Jeedai come after them.
"Poodoo! I thought an ancient Sith Lord would be able to hold them off for an hour!"
"It's only a piece of him, and he has to rely on me for power."
"Any chance he can do something to slow them again?"
"If we can get to those fruit trees, I've got a distraction!"
The make it to the trees laden with large, purple fruit. Hux reaches out in the Force to the trees. Ben sees a burst of green flowing through the trees and then their long branches swaying. The trees sling their fruits at their pursuers, causing quite a few to fall. However, it's the branches knitting together to form a wall that buys them the time needed to reach the ship. They take off just as Jolee reaches them. She tries blasting at them, but her blaster isn't strong enough to leave any marks on the ship. Ben notes the determination on her face.
So much for my goal in getting more allies for the Jedi Order. Even worse, Hux has a piece of a Sith Lord inside him. Who knows what that piece will do to him in the long run? Ben looks to the co-pilot seat and is surprised to see Hux fast asleep. The ginger uses his arms to pillow his head on the ship's console.
There's nothing I can do about Nihilus, but I can get Hux to bed. Hopefully, when he wakes up, the Force will give us some better directions. I hope.
Author's Comments- Here is the link:
Here is an image of a universal energy cage. They were used when the Sith Empire was around in Legends/EU: a href=" . "Link/a
There is potentially two or three one-shots left for this little series. Then again, there's a lot of potential to write Hux and his unique grasp on the Force along with having a piece of Nihilus. I'm not sure if I want to end the series so soon, so we shall see it where it goes.
