Chapter 2, Hux

The girl is missing. Ren is missing. Hux is barely keeping it together.

General Hux is stood in the main control centre of Starkiller Base when he gets the news.

The girl has escaped.

Gone from the interrogation chamber, the door was left open and the Stormtrooper on guard is found wondering aimlessly without his weapon. Hux has Phasma extract what happened from him, he can't bring himself to deal with another defect. It's happening more and more, and he will loathe himself to agree with Ren that his men are less capable than clones.

Speaking of which, where is Ren? He has questions for the Knight since he was the last person to see the prisoner.

Hux stomps around shouting and barking half-useless orders until one of his Commanders finally approaches him. He informs him that Kylo Ren is also missing in action. Feeling his blood pressure rise, Hux shouts even more, frustrated and infuriated, and perhaps a little unprofessional.

He's utterly fed up with dealing with Ren's nonsense, more damage is caused by him than good he does for the Order. Hux can hardly remember the last time a mission of his was successfully completed. Someone always ends up injured, or worse, or kidnapped. There is a reason unknowns are not taken, they might go wandering. It's suspicious in itself that the girl disappeared after being interrogated by him. His interest in her was strange to begin with, and now he's missing also... Hux knew he couldn't be trusted.

Moving into his office, Hux sets about scanning the security cameras for the whereabouts of Ren. He's barely covered five cameras before Phasma appears at his door. JB-007 is oblivious, she reports, no recollection whatsoever. That is not what he needed to hear. He slips down in his chair, hands rubbing his face as his composure slips. Phasma is the only Alpha on the base, perhaps in the Order, that he trusts in any sense of the word. She's reliable, consistently gets the job done and has commendable leadership skills. Her duty is more important than sharing his moments of weakness with others. With the dead end, he sends her to gather her most competent Stormtroopers and head the search for the girl. If anyone can find the girl, Phasma can.

He sits with his eyes closed, concentrating on his breathing in an almost meditative state. Silently he doubts they'll find her. This girl, young but seemingly powerful, has evaded them this far. The only hope they have is catching her before she can find a ship to flee the base. Rumours are that she was piloting the Millennium Falcon, and if that's true she'll likely be able to fly something on the base.

However, he has more important things to worry about now. The droid (that Ren consistently failed to apprehend) will be back with the Resistance and their last chance to find Skywalker vanished with the girl. This entire fiasco will hardly be overlooked by his peers and superiors. The Order will find it difficult to forgive Ren for this, but they will doubt his abilities too. Fantastic. He's worked so hard for this position, for the recognition outside of being his father's son. He slams his fists against his desk, yelling out in frustration, glad that Phasma closed the door as she left. His father would be turning in his grave if he could see him now.

No good to anyone, especially himself, sat wallowing at his desk, he stands with purpose. He'll be damned if anyone else brings Ren down for this. Before he can leave, his communicator beeps. A message from Snoke, he wants an update. Well, he'll just have to wait, there's nothing to update until he can at least find Ren.

He starts his search at the interrogation chamber, the last place anyone saw Ren and the girl. Logically there should be some sort of clue or information here. As he approaches, his nose twitches. What, what is that smell? The hairs on the back of his neck are standing on end, and his heart pulses irregularly. Shaking his head, the incoming fog dissipates some, but it only gets worse as he enters through the doors.

Reaching the centre of the room, just in front of the metal frame, he dips to one knee. A shuddering breath escapes his lips, but as he inhales he's overwhelmed. Dipping his head, he focuses on something, anything that will clear his mind. The strange scent originates from here, he's positive of that. Metallic black shines in the corner of his eye, he turns to find Ren's helmet. He's surprised to see it without its owner — he rarely sees him without it. Picking it up, his head darts around.

Why would he leave this?

With nothing else catching his attention, he leaves. In the corridor his nose detects the same scent travelling around the corner to his right. Using his senses in a way he's never had to before, he tracks the lingering trail all the way to Ren's private quarters. Weary of what he may find, he presses the communicator button on the wall to announce his presence. With no response, he punches in the override code and the doors slide open.

He really isn't prepared for what he finds.

This was meant to come after I'd finished an essay, or four... But, I couldn't not write more for this!