"Leader Snoke's chief of staff, please." Hux waited as the automated system connected them.

"This is Veska." It was the same person who had coached him through expectations for his first meeting with Snoke, although she had not mentioned the possibility of Force powers or mental violation. Hux frowned at the comm unit. Also, she'd called herself a liaison at that point, which wasn't even a formal title. All of this irregularity was very irritating.

"Colonel Hux. I have matters to discuss with the leader's staff in regard to procurement and resources allocated to a project I've been assigned. Who would I need to speak with?"

There was a long pause. "That would be … Lieutenant Chenwin. I can transfer you."

"I just need time on his schedule. Anytime tomorrow would be fine."

"Our schedules are not finalized. He's available at the moment."

"I'm on the Absolution 'at the moment'," Hux said with annoyance. "Would I be correct in assuming he is on the Eclipse?"

"Yes sir."

"Will he be available in the hour or two it will take me to arrange transport and come immediately?" Not that he wanted to. He'd intended to eat dinner, get out of uniform, and maybe go for a swim or something that involved a lot of sensation so he wouldn't keep thinking things were crawling on him.

"I'm sorry sir, I don't know."

"That's not acceptable. I am a colonel. That should mean something, including that some staff lieutenant will make time for me."

"I'm sorry sir." In a slow voice, she said, "Leader Snoke's requests come before all others."

"Has he requested this lieutenant's time tomorrow?"

"He may, sir. Or the time might be available. Do you wish to come tomorrow, sir? I will notify Lt. Chenwin as to your expected time."

Hux breathed out heavily. He lowered his voice. "We're not in the middle of wartime. Even generals understand that their staff has to have time to interface with the rest of the organization. That's what the staff is there for – to filter requests and information so the leader's time is not absorbed with minutia. Does Snoke want me going to him personally on these matters?"

"You may. I would not suggest it. No, never mind," she caught herself. "It's not my place to make recommendations. I can reserve time on Snoke's schedule if you wish."

"No, that is not what I wish! You are not a droid! I only want to have some questions answered-" He made an exasperated noise at what Snoke was doing to the First Order. This was not how the High Command had conducted things. "Fine, transfer the call. I might as well just talk then."

"Yes sir."

A few tones signaled the routing of the call. Then: "Chenwin speaking."

"This is Colonel Hux. I have been assigned a project by Leader Snoke. Have you been briefed on it?"

"Yes sir. The kyber weapon?"

Hux's brows drew together. "Yes, I suppose that's accurate enough. All I've been given is a general goal in making it work. I need other information." He paused, wishing he was there in person to read Chenwin's expression. "Do you know Snoke's idea of a timeline for this? Ten years? Twenty? A hundred?"

"I … wouldn't know, sir. He has not shared that with me."

"Well, has he shared an idea of budget? Scope? Resources? Ships? Staff? Anything?"

"He has said that this was one of three primary goals for the Order. Resources will be allocated appropriately."

"Three primary goals? How can you have three 'primary' goals? That's ridiculous. It's like having multiple things as the highest priority." Hux scoffed. "And what does 'allocated appropriately' mean, anyway? That still doesn't tell me if I have a ten year project or twenty, or if I will have any of what's needed to get it done."

"What will you need?"

"That's the thing," Hux huffed. "I won't know until I have an idea of what he wants accomplished. Right now I need other scientists to review what I've come up with and help with drawing up requirements. This may well be the single largest undertaking the Order has ever attempted. I don't know what these other projects are, but for this to work, we need endorsement at the highest level."

"Our master has been very clear that your project is a top priority."

"'Master'?"

"Yes. Leader Snoke."

"But you called him a 'master'? The First Order doesn't have masters. Slaves have masters." Hux laughed openly. This was a joke, right?

"Yes sir."

It wasn't a joke. There was something in the man's tone that shut Hux up instantly. Slaves have masters … Yes sir. These were dangerous thoughts. "Thank you, Lieutenant," Hux said after a long pause. "Would you happen to know if your master has time to see someone like myself this evening? I have questions I believe only he can answer."

"I would not know, but I can transfer you back to Veska to find out."

"Thank you." Hux's voice was icy. "Please do that."

Hux paused at the door to Snoke's office, chambers, or whatever he was calling it, a few moments before his appointed time slot. He really should have learned his lesson after the previous three sessions. He wanted to spit in the creature's face. He wanted to pick a fight. He wanted to prove he wasn't Brendol's whipping boy any longer and he wasn't about to be Snoke's. (Though he'd already been … and here he was about to walk in to a fourth session.)

He wanted to prove the First Order, and all those students Hux had recruited and trained, weren't going to be Snoke's slaves. (Yes, the Order had slaves, but they were a small percentage of the population and the status was generally earned by misbehavior. He wasn't a slave and he wasn't going to be one.) His father had not built this organization for it to turn into this!

It was a poor frame of mind to be in. Before he finished his thoughts, the door slid open. He was beckoned inside by the warrant officer Snoke was using as a door attendant. Hux composed himself as he approached. "Sir."

Snoke gave him an arched brow and a displeased look. "In future, you will preface all requests for my time with an agenda so my staff can gather the necessary information prior. What is it you want?"

"I-" Faced with Snoke's mood, Hux found his voice failed him. His heart was beating too fast. He took a couple deep breaths. Snoke tilted his head with a disapproving expression. That prompted a surge of irrational anger in Hux, mostly at himself for being afraid. It gave him his voice back even if his upper lip twitched upward as he spoke. "I need answers on the project I am to undertake, primarily on your desired timing and available budget." He reviewed his words. They were acceptable, although his tone left a great deal to be desired. With an effort, he sealed his lips over his teeth so he didn't look like he was snarling.

"Had you requested this audience properly, the information would be available."

"Well, yes, but your staff has no better information than-" Hux flinched, hit with a wave of pain that was visceral and breath-taking in its intensity.

"You speak out of turn, again. And beneath your words is a criticism of my rule. Would you like to speak these words out loud?"

"No." But he would think them. Snoke couldn't take that from him unless he killed him.

"Then think them. I will listen." Snoke leaned forward attentively.

O-kay … maybe Snoke could take that away. Hux was pretty sure that thinking treasonous, rebellious, murderous thoughts right in front of a mind-reader would get him killed. He wanted to stab the guy. He really, really wanted to stab him. But he knew he wouldn't get a single step. He clenched his fists and tried to direct his thoughts back to the questions he had about the project. The project was what mattered. Bringing victory to the Order was what mattered. Fulfilling his charge, his duty, and his oath – none of which would be furthered by getting himself killed.

"Good, good." Snoke leaned back and smiled as pleasantly as he could manage.

The praise was unexpected. Unasked for. It tasted poisonous. Hux drew in a shaky breath. He was disgusted by how hungry he was for such toxic affirmation, but he allowed himself to be pleased by having gained it. Even if it made him feel like a bootlicker. Or slipper-licker, he supposed. He looked at Snoke's slippers and wondered where he got them. They weren't First Order issue. Somewhere in the Republic?

Pain again, but not nearly as bad. He winced and jerked, staring at Snoke with a resentful snarl. Was that just … for nothing? Like Brendol, to prove he could?

"I will be reading your thoughts frequently after your mishap with the lightsaber. You would be wise not to question things outside your purview or to linger on your hate. Go. I will have the information you require sent to you after I have deliberated on it."

Hux argued, "You can't simply deny the realities of the-" Snoke batted him to the ground with some telekinetic application of the Force. Hux continued to speak as though it hadn't happened, because he was too stubborn to not to finish what he'd started. "-timetable. If you would-" This time he was interrupted by mind-splitting agony, an impression that continued until Hux felt his consciousness retreat into himself much as he had the first time he'd met this monster.

He felt like he was outside of himself. Fine. He'd been interrupted. Snoke had proven his point. Hux tried to decide if he was sorry about having pushed it that far or not. He didn't think he was. He wished he'd just pass out and get it over with.

Snoke sounded bored. "I will not let you slip into unconsciousness. There is no such escape."

It ended. Slowly, Hux pulled himself to his knees. Inexplicably, he still felt like giving Snoke a hefty piece of his mind. But he kept his mouth shut and struggled to police his thoughts, which were mainly along the lines of insisting Snoke couldn't merely deny reality whenever it suited him. Just because the Force allowed him to warp reality near him didn't mean it was going to magically speed up the entire project to completion in a ludicrous five year span. Not simply because Snoke wanted it to. No amount of torture was going to change this. He wanted to shout it and make himself be heard. But these were non-constructive thoughts.

Also, he hurt. Badly, even by Hux's standards. His joints ached and he'd probably pulled muscles. There was a third option, which was to tell Snoke what he wanted to hear, short-term, and then try to hide or escape longer-term. Which was dishonorable, despicable, and Hux thought he'd rather die than live with that.

But that didn't keep the thought from being there. If he was going to be hurt this much … at a certain point, he knew torture would elicit anything at all from a person as they attempted to get the torment to stop. He didn't want to be at that point. It would get him killed and he'd deserve it. It was a conundrum. He needed to contemplate it at some point when he wasn't kneeling and shaking at the creature's feet.

Snoke rolled his eyes. "Leave me and consider this situation, then, and come back when you have found a solution. Do not require me to summon you."

Hux had a sense he meant his conduct, not the timeline. Even though his traitorous mind still wanted to argue about the kriffing timeline, reality, and the Force. He wanted to ask, to make Snoke say explicitly that their method of working together was more important than the schedule, but that would be a) delaying, b) argumentative, c) possibly get him hurt again, and d) actually not true. Also e) it was the opposite of what he was just thinking so kriffing yes, he was just being argumentative. He could tell this rationally, but he still wanted to cut Snoke into pieces.

If anyone needed to be schooled in accepting reality, it was him, he realized. So Hux stood. He bowed stiffly. He said sincerely, "Thank you, Leader Snoke. I will return shortly." He left.

Hux returned. He stopped in front of Snoke, who had been wearing an unamused look the whole time Hux approached him. "Sir."

"Speak."

"The construction of the megaweapon is a project which will require direct oversight by the leader of the First Order. As such, the project lead for that should report directly to you. Although I have been promoted, my chain of command has not been clarified in the intervening few days, nor my position relative to my peers. This lack of structure … is unsettling. I would ask that you transfer me to your staff or otherwise make it clear that you are my direct commanding officer. I would then provide you with the respect appropriate for that position."

Snoke pursed his lips and regarded him for a bit. "It sounds as though you are attempting to extort a further promotion."

It was not a question, but Snoke made a gesture inviting response, so Hux said, "No, I am not. I am attempting to regularize our relationship."

Snoke tilted his head. "All this … fighting … has been due to bureaucratic pettiness? I do not wear the appropriate stripes on my sleeve to garner your deference?"

Hux decided not to sugar-coat it. "Yes sir."

"And this 'solution' will solve your behavior problems?"

"The important ones."

Snoke looked skeptical. Hux blinked and tensed as he felt that wormy presence in his head, sorting his thoughts and making him feel small. He had hoped Snoke wanted an actual solution and not just an instrument to abuse him with further, which was all any list of escalating punishments would have amounted to. His obedience was based on the assumption Snoke was working for the betterment of the Order as a whole. Even though Hux was still in his twenties, he understood that might be very subjective. He was prepared to give the matter a lot of leeway. Snoke had seen his rationales for killing his father, so hopefully that was enough. If it wasn't … well.

Snoke sighed. "I suppose I should not be surprised. You are everything I accused you of being: petty, vain … obstinate. Very well. I will see to it. What else?"

Hux waited a beat, pulling himself together. He could do without the frequent invasions of his very being, but it seemed imprudent to ask for that. Instead, he went back to business. "In regard to the timetable you have proposed for the project, I ask your permission to approach others about it so that I have a better understanding of how best to achieve our goals." Meaning – he still thought Snoke was full of shit, but he wanted to get a second or third opinion on it before saying it to Snoke's face again.

"Granted, without limitation. There is no need for the level of discretion I see in your mind. This weapon will not be built in secret from our own people – only from the Republic, from whom we hide our very existence. I will review your progress in one week's time, by which point the administrative minutiae that you feel so strongly about should be complete."