A/N: This would be the night of the same day as the last chapter.
Hux hit send on the report and took a deep drink of the liquor he'd poured himself. There was a default format for these reports. Hux had stuck to it. It did not include a section for stabbing one's co-commander on the bridge or for singeing a general's sideburn with a lightsaber. It sounded almost childish when put that way. He played with the concept mentally, weighing the different points of view on childishness. Most people idealized them, inappropriately, in Hux's opinion (and his father's). Children made the best killers.
He was as good an example of it as any – as he'd aged, he'd developed compunctions. It was why he now entertained regrets about trying to eviscerate Ren. It was a complicated situation. He took another drink. As an adult, he understood that more than he would have as a child, when things were merely an issue of following the orders he'd been given.
Speaking of which, he sensed a presence. He'd been more or less waiting for it – hence the alcohol. Snoke thought to him, Your report has arrived. Review it for me.
Of course. Hux complied, working through the mission from their arrival at ISR-458 through the present. He reviewed units deployed and lost, objectives attained, and current status – all information in his submitted report – but the mental contact allowed him to give more detail on the matters he considered important. He had drank enough that he was relaxed, but not yet impaired. He was aware of what a dangerous and fine line that was.
Snoke had few questions to interrupt him with. At the conclusion, he asked, Would you regard this as a successful mission?
Yes.
In which respects?
Several. It is my opinion this was a training mission to prepare the Order for conquest of the New Republic. You may be assessing the capabilities of specific individuals and units. Such an isolated, low technology world poses little risk to us, and outside of such experience, little reward. We lost nothing of significance and exposed several weaknesses we can now rectify and tactical errors we will not repeat.
Which individuals do you think I was testing?
Kylo Ren for one. Perhaps myself. The ship captains. I found-
Ren only. The rest are insignificant. Describe to me Ren's performance.
Hux tried to avoid mentally voicing his irritation at the interruption and his own 'insignificance' in Snoke's eyes, but it was there, palpably. He focused on the question. Ren is naïve. He believes- A jolt of pain shot through his left side, from his cheek down his ribs and partly down his leg. He twitched and shifted in the chair. It was a strange, asymmetrical pain compared to others he'd had at Snoke's hand. He supposed it had something to do with the distance.
You will give me a description, without moralizing with your opinion.
Hux recalibrated and tried again. He interfaced poorly in briefings on-ship, demonstrating an incomplete grasp of the logistics of the operation and the capabilities of the units he was deploying with. He paused, waiting for punishment for something so opinion-laden, but there was none.
Hux continued. Once deployed, the units he was with personally moved quickly, outpacing the rest and relegating surrounding units to support roles. He required resource reallocation multiple times due to failure to synchronize with the larger ground force. It was inefficient. (Though flashy. Glory-seeking.) Hux tried not to think that, but it was impossible.
He hurried on. His idea to eliminate the enemy's air units resulted in a near-catastrophic endangerment of the Finalizer itself. I have not yet had the opportunity to fully evaluate that engagement, but the objective was not achieved. It did lead our enemies to be more judicious in air deployments, so there was that.
In individual actions, he was successful in his objectives, showed bravery and aggression, and gained experience both as a leader and as a live combat participant. His failings tend to the strategic, not tactical. If I may … perhaps relevant to your interest in testing him …? I have noted an increasing trend of … affiliation with the First Order from him. Including considering the troopers he served with as his own.
Hux stopped when his head ached. Snoke was digging for something. It seemed simpler to wait until he had it before continuing. Several images flashed in his mind, projected there by Snoke: Ren's lightsaber in his face, the droplets of blood on the deck, the taste of his own blood in his mouth. You were not going to disclose this to me? Snoke's mental voice was a dangerous whisper, like fine silk over a knife – a pretense of concealment that hid nothing.
Hux was abruptly very tired, irritable, and angry. He was going to be punished and he knew it. He wished briefly that he'd completed the report in his office, where he'd started it. As he'd neared the end, he'd come to his quarters because the liquor was here. It wasn't so much that he believed in the influence of the Abyssian ornament, but maybe Snoke did. Maybe Snoke wouldn't try to hurt him if he was sitting in his chair under it. But he wasn't there. With resignation, he answered the question that had been posed, No. It was not relevant.
Two of my chief agents attempting to slaughter one another is not relevant to me? You presume too much! He was slammed face-first into the table, narrowly missing the liquor glass. Pro: the custom-made table from salvaged hull plating was exceptionally stout; it was undamaged. Con: his face took the full brunt of it. He lost consciousness.
He woke to find himself pinned to the floor, with a feeling like he was pressed against blazing hot metal. He pushed, trying to lift himself, but it was pointless. He collapsed, whimpering before he could stop himself, muscles jerking as he tried ineffectually to writhe. His mind fragmented into terror and pain and groveling.
The grip on him evaporated and Hux lurched to his hands and knees. A moment later, he escaped to the couch, getting himself off the floor entirely (and not coincidentally onto a softer object should Snoke make free with telekinesis again). He tried not to cower, but he did anyway. He was ready to flinch at the slightest sign, despite knowing there would be none – no hands reaching for him, no visible warning.
Too many images of violence and torment flitted through his still stuttering mind, concussed and bewildered. He couldn't trust anything, anyone, not even his own body. There was nowhere to go. Nothing to do but cringe. He didn't even have his knife. He was so afraid he felt a pressure in his bladder that he barely controlled.
His face ached. His nose was bleeding. He could sense Snoke's awareness pilfering through his mind for whatever errant scraps of information he wanted. Hux noted absently and clinically that his subjective experience suggested Snoke was unfamiliar with the limitations of the human body. He suspected he hadn't intended to knock him out cold. It was something to think about while his mind was being violated.
Snoke was still angry. I would have thought you had enough strategic sense of your own not to endanger one of the Order's greatest assets!
Me? He was an asset? Ren had called him the foremost general. Where had Ren heard that? From Snoke? It had to have been.
Not you! You were in no danger!
Oh. Yes. Hux supposed that might be true. Ren's blow had been calculated for maximum offense and minimum injury. His antics with the lightsaber were for show. Of course Snoke did not count Hux as an asset. He supposed he was more of an obstacle, useful only due to durability and persistence. He began to slowly sag into the couch, his mind dulling as he tried to pull himself together.
Snoke monologued at him. Kylo Ren is a rare gem the likes of which few ever know. His breeding is impeccable, a purity that is not an inbred singularity or an unblemished profusion of sameness, but instead the culmination in wise choices for outbreeding. He is a perfect lattice for channeling the Force – properly attuned, he will be greater than any who have come before.
You could have been as great yourself. But you are less than your potential. Ignoble creature. A mistake. Keep your vile talons from Kylo Ren's flesh. He will be the weapon, the true weapon, I will wield against the galaxy! You are nothing but the stone upon which the iron is sharpened.
Ah. Yes. Kylo Ren was special. Hux was not. Ren had … accomplished so much in his life in comparison. Hux tried not to think this, but the sarcasm was there anyway even if he managed to keep himself from mentally verbalizing it.
Still, for some reason, Snoke seemed to calm. He had to have heard that quiet almost-a-thought, but he let it go. You know nothing of him. One day you will bow to him. Vex me further on this subject and that day will be soon.
Hux wanted to lash out, but as usual, there was nothing here except the specter of consequences for further insolence. He was lucky that he had gotten away with what he had. He was not such an idiot to keep it up. Yes, Leader Snoke. He was tired again, and shaking for the second time today. He just wanted to be left alone. Eventually, he was.