A/N: Troubling scenes to follow that include mental abuse and grief. Please be warned and aware of your triggers if you choose to proceed.
Chapter 3: Here Comes the General
Elaine
Loud rumbles and mechanical noises emanated from the shuttle walls as the men began to stretch and sit upright in their seats.
"Look alive, gents," Declan proclaimed when he stood up and grabbed ahold of a handlebar above his head.
The engines started to shut down as the ship shook and came to a complete halt with a violent jolt that almost threw me from the bench.
"Hey," Silas whispered down to me as he rose to mimick Declan's stance. "You stay with me, got it?"
I nodded, my eyes fixated on him. Please don't leave me, I begged.
With a small smirk in the corner of his mouth, he nodded back at me as the loading platform lowered.
My pulse erupted in my ears and drowned out everything as two individuals climbed the ramp to board the ship.
The stories were true, I wanted to vomit at that moment as I realized the severity of my situation. The First Order!? I screamed in my head, suddenly remembering the name. Oh, fuck, it just gets better and better.
The two stormtroopers quickly identified the men that rode with us and found exactly what they came aboard to find.
"Lieutenant Silas," one of them— I couldn't tell which— confirmed as they neared us.
"Yes, that's me, Sergeant," Silas responded.
My eyes studied every part of them, from their blank-expression helmets to the blaster rifles propped in their arms. Whenever little girls told stories of— what must have been the First Order— raiding their town or village, Mama would always roll her eyes and brush them off.
"You're delusional, child!" She would screech. "The empire is long gone, and you are safe here, with Mama."
I dunno, Mama. They look pretty real to me.
"We have been instructed by General Hux to acquire the asset and bring her to his chambers."
"I have direct orders from Hux himself to bring her to him personally," Silas challenged and shifted his body somewhat between them and me.
"Those orders have been overridden," The other insisted. Shit, how do you tell the bucket heads apart?
Silas grappled for a moment before he nodded and stepped aside. "Very well."
Please don't let them take me, Silas, I implored him, wishing desperately he could hear me.
"Come with us, ma'am," the one closest to me reached out his hand.
With little choice, I took it and let him lift me from my seat. I glanced back at Silas as they accompanied me to the platform.
"Bye-bye, little girl," Declan smirked and winked as we passed him.
The troopers escorted me down the platform, as the entirety of the hangar came into full view. I couldn't help myself as I gawked every which way, attempting to make sense of it all. Groups of stormtroopers marched in different directions, tiny droids rolled across the floor as they performed their tasks, various men loaded cargo into other ships, big and small. There was so much happening at once that I forgot to walk forward and when I remembered to take a step I almost tripped over a mouse droid that sped away from underfoot.
"Keep up," one of the troopers barked over his shoulder. My feet padded on the paved floor as I hustled to catch up with them. The more I looked around, the more I couldn't help but feel eyes linger on me, a drastically different sight than what I'm sure they usually paraded through here.
I followed in silence as we turned right into a hallway that seemed to stretch on and on. The walls were angled and lit with lights on the walls and floor instead of the ceiling as our footsteps echoed around us.
The hallways twisted and turned every which way until I lost complete sense of where I was. The troopers stopped in front of one of many double doors that lined the hallway, each exact copies of the rest with no distinctive signage or marks. The doors opened with a hiss and my pulse quickened again, throbbing in my throat as I followed the guards inside.
The room was huge, twice the size of the stage area in Mamas. Everything was monochrome from shades of black and gray to metallic silver. Furniture littered the open space, including a small table and chair, a loveseat made of leather, the largest bed I had ever seen, and a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe that looked as if one could comfortably fit up to five bodies in it. An enormous window served as the back wall of the chambers and provided a glimpse out into the vast space I had seen in the cockpit.
"General Hux will be with you momentarily," the pair of stormtroopers turned to me, their rifles clutched in their hands. After a pause, they walked in unison outside the automatic doors that quickly closed behind them.
I'm willing to bet they are still outside, I presumed. No way they trust you to be left alone.
For the first time all night, I heard true silence. Of course, there was the faintest hum of whatever machinery kept this massive ship alive, but I didn't hear tattoo guns or clunky footsteps or bastards harassing me.
I peeped over my shoulder, hesitating, waiting to see if anyone was about to walk in on me. Once the coast seemed clear, I briskly walked over to the window, obsessed with the view.
Pheme was right. A hint of a smile filled the corner of my mouth. By the stars, she was right.
Once I had my fill I turned away from the window and continued exploring my new cage.
On top of a dresser was a small memorial decorated with military medals, a certificate from the "Imperial Academy," and a single photo that had once been crumpled. It was a man and a boy, the man's hand wrapped around the tiny boy's shoulder, pulling him close at his side. Something was unsettling about it; perhaps it was the way that part of the older man's face was ripped off.
I glimpsed the doors again, waiting for whoever Hux was to barge in at any minute. I strolled over to the leather couch and sat down, wrapped my arms around my torso as before, and continued to wait.
Ironic, I remarked. He wanted you so badly when you were up on that stage he was willing to pay 50,000 credits to fuck you, but when it came time to bring you home he couldn't be bothered.
With a huff I leaned back against the couch, my bones and joints collapsing as they refused to hold me up anymore. It was the most comfortable I had been all night. No men were gawking over me, waiting for me to sleep so they could pull my skirt aside and toy with me. Just the peaceful hum of the ship filled my ears as my eyes began to sink.
He'll be here any minute, I protested, but my body dug its heels in and my head lolled to the side. My limp body sank first, overcome by exhaustion from the night— or was it morning? The next day?— and my mind followed shortly after, swallowed by darkness as I drifted into sleep.
It could have been hours, or possibly days, for all I knew. Though the couch didn't compare to Pheme's bed, with her sweet scent lulling me to sleep each night, it was tolerable.
I wanted to dream of Pheme, see her face again in my mind, to pretend that she was still with me, brushing my hair and calling me little Laina. Instead, there was emptiness. Just the blackness that suffocated me as I submitted to fatigue. I heard and felt nothing as if I floated in my mind.
There was a shift in the environment as echoes bounced around in the void that stirred me from my slumber. My eyelids fluttered and I woke to realize I had fallen onto my side, curled up on the couch with my hands cradled against my chest.
"I see you've made yourself at home," a voice overhead remarked.
Fear shocked my heart and I jerked into an upright position. Blinking, I discovered the source of the voice that awakened me: his arms, like Silas', were propped firmly on his back. His uniform was entirely different though, completely black and resembled more of a robe than a suit. His bright, green eyes reminded me of emeralds against his fiery, red hair. He loomed over me, his figure dwarfing me in comparison.
"No need to be frightened," he reassured. His eyes danced across my frame, soaking me in. "You're alright. I can't imagine how you must be feeling after your travels. Elaine, is it?"
My brain struggled to keep up as it attempted to put the pieces together.
Hux. This has to be Hux. How long was I out? Was he waiting here this whole time? I shouldn't have slept on his couch.
I winced as my tattoos burned when my skin stretched.
"Ah, yes," he acknowledged my pain and held out his gloved hand to me. "Let me see how it all turned out."
He assisted me into a standing position, his eyes swelling along with his smile. Hux observed the tattoos between my breasts while I shifted my gaze to the ceiling. "Fantastic," he breathed and twisted my hand to turn me around. "Absolutely stunning. They really are experts of their trade."
As if his stare made it colder, goosebumps flooded my back as his eyes devoured my exposed skin.
"My, my," he spun me around again to face him. "I bet it stings, doesn't it?" his eyes locked on mine.
I nodded and bit the inside of my lip.
"Come, let's draw you a bath and wash you off," his grin returned to his mouth as he took my arm and led me to the bathroom.
While most of the furniture in the main part of his chambers were dark shades of gray and black, the bathroom was quite the opposite. Everything was bright-white, including the free-standing tub that could fit several people inside it. He bent over the ledge and ran the water before he turned back to me.
"Here, let me." Before I could object, his leather fingers reached out and freed my shoulders of the dress, the fabric falling limp on my chest.
I clenched my jaw and stared vacantly as the dress hit the floor, exposing my naked body to him. Heat rose in my cheeks as my muscles stiffened, unwilling to budge. I clutched my hands into fists at my sides, urging for the awkwardness to subside.
"Pardon me," he bent over and scooped the pile of fabric into his hands. "Now, I'll take care of this while you wash up."
As he closed the door behind him, I could've sworn I heard him sniff my dress. My stomach violently squirmed until I relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief, finally alone again, with only the sound of the running water as it filled the tub.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a figure move. My head whipped around to see who was spying on me. I caught the first glimpse of myself since I put on my red auction dress, the full-length mirror exhibiting every inch of my body to me. My teeth pulled my bottom lip between them tightly as tears welled up in my eyes.
At Mama's, if I felt brave enough, I would spy on the recently auctioned girls as they left the house with their fresh tattoos. I remembered one girl with yellow-brown hair who looked as if she had been painted with gold ink. I forever wondered what tattoos Pheme endured and decided to assume they were swathes of blue to match her eyes.
My tattoos were neither blue nor gold. The designs were not flourishes or decorative strokes, but stark, rigid, geometric lines. A web of black triangles decorated the space between my breasts while long, straight lines like cables interlaced up my hips from my thighs. I pulled my hair to the side and twisted to look at my back. I choked on my breath as I stared at the reflection of dark shapes that stamped up my spine. It resembled as if someone had pulled back the outer layer of a droid to reveal their insides, made up of nothing but wires and grids.
I covered my mouth in an attempt to hold back my screams of anguish. I couldn't breathe or stop the trembling that shook my limbs. I wanted to slam my fists into the glass and strip away the skin that was imprinted and ruined. Then maybe I could erase my memory of it ever existing on my body.
I cradled my knees against my chest as I sat in the bath. My cheek rested on my legs while I rocked back in forth; I stared into the mirror at a girl who appeared disturbed, her eyes unblinking and her face motionless. The water was ice cold, but it didn't bother me anymore.
No more crying, I coached myself as my fingers started to prune. You can't afford to cry anymore.
If I let this upset me, how would I possibly be able to handle the things that were to come right outside that door?
I sat in the tub long after removing the drain stop, delaying the inevitable as long as I possibly could. I heaved a sigh and stood up once I began to shiver from the crisp chill, loathing myself in the mirror as I stepped out.
You look like a womp rat, I criticized.
I wrapped myself in one of the towels that was stored under the sink. The shivers quivered up my spine as tiny droplets dripped down my legs and back. It was then that I remembered he took my dress with him, and I was forced to go out in nothing but that skimpy towel.
To my disbelief, it was even colder out there than in the bathroom. Goosebumps coated my skin in raised bumps and I grit my teeth to fight off the shivers that shook my jaw.
"Ah, there you are," he stood up from the table. I couldn't help but notice the hot cup of tea that he set down, steam wafting from its luscious heat. "Does that feel better?"
I nodded, grasping the ends of the towel that covered my shoulders. "Can I have my dress back, please?" I inquired meekly.
He raised his eyebrows, strained to hear what I asked. "Hm? Oh, no, you won't be needing that anymore."
My eyebrows furrowed. "What?" I blurted out.
"I threw it away," he clarified simply.
Another round of convulsions prickled up my spine as water droplets from my hair slid down between my shoulders.
"Come, sit," he rested back into his chair at the table. As I neared, I looked around for another seat, puzzled since there was only one.
"Mm!" he exclaimed, mid-sip of his tea. "Sorry about that, I should have been more clear. Sit on the floor in front of me."
Everything in my body was suspended at that moment. My brain couldn't compute his request as my legs became paralyzed. The shivers finally stopped because the only thing colder than being wet and naked was the sound of his voice as he commanded me again.
"I said, sit down."
I kneeled in place before him, all of my functions running on autopilot as he set down his tea.
"We haven't made formal introductions have we?" he remarked as he turned to me in his seat, reclining back as his eyes locked on mine. "I know you, Elaine," he began. "But you don't know me or why I brought you here."
My fingernails turned white as I clutched the towel to stabilize while I balanced on my knees.
"I am General Hux, but you will only ever refer to me as 'sir,' or 'master,' do you understand?"
I nodded.
"Good. You're a fast learner," he gulped his tea again. "As for why I purchased you...well, to be completely honest, my dear, you are not worth 50,000 credits," he chuckled wryly. "But I don't desire a girl who is worth that amount, do you know why?"
I shook my head.
"Because a girl that is worth those 50,000 credits will know that she is worth 50,000 credits and will behave like an impudent, selfish, entitled little bitch. And I don't want that, do I? No, I wanted a girl just like you; plain and shy, ignorant and obedient, whose instincts are to look at the floor instead of the man speaking to her, am I right?"
I remained frozen, incapable of reacting.
"Of course I am. So, your next question must be why in all the galaxy have I gone through the trouble to get you? Frankly, I'm bored. I'm sure you saw some of the—" he fumbled for a minute, trying to dig up the right word. "Ladies aboard the ship, and let's be honest, they're quite dry. No, they're far too dignified for me, hardened by whatever blasted academy spit them out and told them they could perform in the workforce."
I thought my teeth would shatter from the amount of pressure that I squeezed them with.
He sighed and turned his gaze back to me. "You see, my tastes are beyond what any regular girl could provide. And that is why you are here, now, with me. I own you, your body, and every fucking breath you take. You will serve me and anyone else that I deem fit to play with my little toy. Do I make myself clear?" his leather hand clasped my jaw in his fingers, holding my face to his. "Answer me, pet."
"Yes," I whimpered.
"Yes, what?"
"Yes sir."
"That's better," he smiled sickly and released the grasp on my jaw. "Now hand that over. You are no longer allowed to hide my toys from me," he held out his hand.
My upper lip twitched as I begrudgingly let go of the towel, my skin erupting in waves of goosebumps again. He snatched it from me and held it out away from him.
"Fold this up and put it back where you found it," he instructed.
I couldn't look at him without my heart pounding in the back of my mouth. I grabbed hold of the towel back with trembling fingers and folded it gingerly before heading to the bathroom. I felt his icy gaze square on my ass when I turned away from him and it made me sick.
"Oh, and pet?" he called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.
"If you ever dare sit on any of the furniture again without my permission, I will see to it that you cannot physically sit on anything at all."
