Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
Maz tightened the bandage on her arm as footsteps echoed on the dusty stone floor of the alley outside. She let out a breath as panicked whispers followed, the sound of their owners' unease calming her nerves. Her attacker had projected many emotions during the chase. The shadow had reeked of exhilaration, bloodlust, anger.
Darkness.
Fear was not one of them.
She turned her attention to the woman across from her currently peering outside through the cracked window, a strand of her savior's chestnut hair peeking out from under the hood. After a moment, the woman finally stepped away with a soft sigh and nodded to Maz.
"He seems to have left the planet. I do not sense him anymore," the other announced, a rather strange way to word it, Maz noted.
The woman didn't feel like a Jedi to her, and Maz had seen her share of them during her long life. Yet, her savior was definitely Force-sensitive, especially given how the other had somehow gotten both of them away from the Knight earlier. She narrowed her eyes, peering into the darkness under other's hood in an attempt to see the woman's face.
"Who are you?" she found herself asking despite herself.
The stranger removed her hood, revealing streaks of gray through the soft brown hair. Maz reconsidered her initial assumption of the other's age. Still, the woman must have been beautiful in her younger years; even now the other's alabaster skin reflected off of a clear complexion outlined by just a few wrinkles from age that had begun to set in.
The woman seemed to have caught Maz's staring and smiled, sea green eyes twinkling. "Worry not. I am with the Resistance."
"Ah, so they sent you?" She felt herself relaxing. They might still be in quite a bind, but the thought of help gave her much needed hope.
The woman broke her gaze momentarily, eyes averted. "Not quite. I just happened to be on the planet when the attacks started happening."
Maz raised an eyebrow before a knowing smile spreading across her features. The Force always did have its way with circumstances whenever it sent people to her. "Just happened to be, huh?" Intentional or not, this Resistance fighter had still saved her life.
The other returned her smile. "To be truthful, I was actually searching for you for a different matter, but it seems that would have to wait now, given our current situation."
Maz snorted, pleased that the other proved to be as patient as her age suggested. "Agreed." Static echoed from the woman's comm, and the other took it out from her pocket, tapping the old object slightly before it connected.
"This is Kaiyo. I am glad to hear that you've received my message."
Maz was certain that Kaiyo was just a codename, but she wasn't one to judge. Given their occupations, she was surprised not all members of the Resistance used aliases to begin with. The color suddenly drained out of Kaiyo's face, the other's initial warm smile at the comm giving way to parted lips as whatever the person on the other line had said left her speechless.
"Is everything alright?" Maz asked, unable to take the anticipation any longer.
Kaiyo turned to her with wide eyes. "They've already arrived."
"That's…" Maz could not find the words to finish that sentence, too appalled that the declaration had not been a ruse after all. Why would they target an entire planet just for her? It made absolutely no sense. She gulped and collected herself quickly. They had little time to spare now that the enemy was here. "Then it's time we started moving," she declared, getting to her feet. They weren't going to burn down her planet, not while air still flowed in her lungs. She ignored whatever Kaiyo was trying to say to her and stormed out of their hiding place. The Knight was gone anyway, and they had a battle to prepare for.
She began barking orders to her clientele as soon as she reached the castle, it's walls still under construction after the last First Order assault. Leave or fight.
Kaiyo followed her wordlessly the entire time, eyes trained to the sky above where a massive star destroyer loomed just above the atmosphere. The Knight had likely returned to its massive hull in light of his failure. Just before Maz decided to tear her gaze away to return to her work at hand, three other ships came out of hyperspace, much smaller in comparison but intimidating nonetheless.
Maz narrowed her eyes, immediately reconsidering her decision. Forget fighting, she had to get as many of them out before the barrage of fire came.
An explosion in the waters next to the castle told her that even that plan would likely end in failure.
Kaiyo grabbed her hand and immediately took off, leading her to the forest as another beam struck the shore across the castle, lining the horizon with fire once the flash dissipated.
"We need to get to my ship!" She tugged Kaiyo in the opposite direction, but another explosion did all the convincing for her as she allowed the other to lead her away from her destroyed ship and burning city.
They ran through the rock-littered floor of the forest, the fire around them already starting to tear through the lush vegetation. Maz could hear some of the ships take flight and hoped that they would be able to escape, but the familiar roar of a TIE fighter dashed even that flicker of hope as shots rang through the air. She dared to turn around at the sounds in time to see another ship struck down as it attempted its escape. This was no invasion.
It was a simple massacre, the Hosnian Cataclysm all over again. They had watched in helpless horror when it had happened, had stood by and watched when the Resistance had retaliated, had continued to watch when the remnants of the last remaining opposition to the First Order called out for help from Crait.
And now, the entire universe was doing the exact same to them.
Her steps slowed to a stop, causing Kaiyo to turn around in a panic. "We must hurry!"
Maz shook her head, falling to her knees. "It is hopeless now." They had no ship, no allies. Only death rained from above.
"No, it is not. The Force will not let you die here!" Kaiyo declared, eyes flashing. "Listen! She is coming!"
"No one is coming, Kaiyo."
"She is!" Kaiyo insisted. All Maz saw was a TIE fighter headed straight towards them. She smiled, accepting that this might as well be the end. She did feel bad that she was not able to help Kaiyo with whatever the woman needed, but such was the way of life.
At that moment, the TIE fighter exploded in midair, shot out of the sky by a familiar ship, her dear old friend the Millennium Falcon.
She gasped, her eyes returning to the skies above as another star destroyer materialized out of lightspeed above, its size matching that of the largest.
"No! Rey!" It made sense now. This had to be a trap to lure out the last of the Resistance, and she had led the enemy right to them. She turned to Kaiyo to warn the other in hopes of having the woman convince Rey and the others to leave, but the other looked as if she was in a trance, eyes fixated on the star destroyer fleet above.
.
"General, we have verified that the Harbringer and the Conqueror will be meeting us at the rendezvous point."
"Very good." Hux had expected as much. The two vessels were part of the escort of the destroyed Supremacy, and he had made sure to maintain contact with their captains after the fiasco at Crait in light of Kylo's takeover, mainly to raise morale within the crew after witnessing such a massive blow to their forces. It was a wise move on his part in retrospect. "Do we have confirmation of how many ships the enemy forces have at Takodana?"
"Four, including the Dominion. The other three appear to be Imperial-class star destroyers."
"Likely the ones that didn't respond earlier," he muttered.
"What of the other ships?" Captain Peavey asked.
Mitaka shook his head. "We haven't heard from them, sir."
"Kriffing cowards," the older officer hissed.
"You don't seem surprised," Kylo commented softly next to him.
Hux almost snorted out loud. "Why should I be? I didn't expect them to show up in the first place." If he was captain of one of the common star destroyers himself, he would watch the spectacle from the sidelines until his leaders could come to a consensus, especially if one who was supposed to have died was suddenly alive again. This was Snoke they were going against. If anything, he was surprised more hadn't shown up in Takodana. He supposed he should appreciate the fact that their enemy seemed to lack rigid military training.
Fear was not a weapon one used when one was in want of loyalty.
"Then why even ask them to come?" the current supreme leader asked, snapping him out of his reverie.
He met Kylo's gaze pointedly. "So, they'll know to watch." He looked to Mitaka, the latter standing at attention. "Ready all cannons and target the Dominion when we drop out of lightspeed. Fire when I give the order."
Kylo huffed beside him. "Shouldn't we be targeting all of them?"
"A star destroyer isn't designed to be manned without their officers on the bridge. From what Igniv has told us, even controlling one ship would take a massive amount of concentration from several of the Knights at once."
"What are you implying?"
"That we can still reason with the other three vessels, assuming that they willingly joined the enemy. It would take a while for our cannons to penetrate the Dominion's shields, likely minutes if we were to target the Imperial-class star destroyers." He hesitated for a moment, finding himself unable to voice the next thought out loud.
"I do not particularly wish to destroy them for caving into fear, if that was what happened." Kylo's eyes met his, the other's expression indiscernible to Hux. He supposed that it was only customary to have the traitors executed on the spot, but they were also still recovering from the loss of the Supremacy. He'd rather not thin the First Order's forces if he could help it.
"Ah, so if they are smart, they'll rejoin us," Igniv commented from the side, breaking the tension. "That is, if they are smart," he repeated, emphasizing the conditional.
He chose to ignore the man's attempt at humor. "They'll be convinced, one way or another."
The Finalizer soon exited hyperspace, the Dominion and three other star destroyers visible in the distance, their massive hulls casting a shadow over a sea of fire below.
"They've already started," Kylo hissed, the anger radiating from the man so raw that several of the officers involuntarily flinched lest he drew his lightsaber.
Hux grimaced, mentally keeping his own fists from automatically clenching at his side.
"Incoming message from the Regency, sir," Mitaka announced almost immediately.
He had expected this. "Patch them through."
"General Hux, this is Captain Khromi of the Regency." The man looked pale, bottom lip trembling as he spoke. Hux did not see any signs of the Knights behind Captain Khromi, only the usual personnel as required on a standard bridge. The captain continued, and Hux almost applauded the other's courage at such insubordination. "We refuse to follow the usurper. Supreme Leader Snoke lives. W-we've all heard him."
Hux could sense the unease in the air, could sense his men watching him with bated breath. He glared at the monitor, jaw set and his decision made.
"Understood, captain."
Captain Khromi looked confused for a moment, but Hux made sure to cut that expression short on the other as he turned almost methodically to Mitaka.
"Lieutenant, you may close the communication. I have no interest in talking to cowards." His eyes flashed as he turned back to the monitor. "If you decide to reconsider your decision in the near future, Captain Khromi, then I'd suggest you start thinking of ways to prove your worth." Hux looked away as to make a point. He had been bred his entire life to play his role perfectly, and he intended to do just that in this battle. He was the one in control, not Brendol, not Snoke.
"Fire," he commanded.
Captain Khromi's eyes widened at the suggestion. "No, wait! Please reconsider!"
The screen cut off, and the cannons on the ship began their assault, firing a barrage of lights at the Dominion. Hux admitted that Starkiller may have been his greatest "achievement," but there had always been an elegance to the care put into the Finalizer's build as the First Order's most advanced star destroyer. He himself had directed much of the design decisions for the kyber crystal-powered weapons, and at the moment he considered themselves lucky that they had found a suitable kyber-filled world for Starkiller. He considered themselves lucky that they did not have to decommission any of the weapons on the Finalizer to power the late superweapon.
"We need to get a little closer before we can adequately penetrate their shields," Mitaka said as the rain of fire continued outside.
"I am aware. Keep firing for now. We'll advance when the Harbringer and Conqueror arrive." Hux turned to Igniv. "You're up. Are you able to tell us the locations of the other Knights from this distance, Igniv?"
The Knight nodded, closing his eyes. "Let's see…" His breath slowed, brows furrowed in concentration. "There are three on the Dominion. I don't sense the others on the other ships."
"Skaara isn't there…" Hux heard in his head.
"Concentrate, Igniv," Kylo said quietly, but the Knight only shook his head, opening his eyes.
"That's all I've got, general."
"Good." This was playing out as expected.
The Dominion continued to fire upon the planet in the distance, ignoring the lasers from the Finalizer as they collided harmlessly with the star destroyer's shields.
Hux viewed the display expressionlessly only to wince slightly when he felt a slight pain shoot through his head as he watched another barrage of lasers bounce off the Dominion's shields. He had to refrain from massaging his temple at the dull headache that had begun to creep up on him, and he saw Kylo look at him in the corner of his eye.
"Are you okay?"
"Must have not drank enough caf this morning," he replied. The throbbing persisted however, and he bit his lip to fight off the uncomfortable sensation. He spotted a dim wave of lights come out of Takodana's atmosphere only to be shot down by the star destroyer's cannons, likely the planet's inhabitants trying to escape.
"Sir, sensors have spotted the Millennium Falcon on the surface of the planet."
He grimaced and looked at Kylo, finding the latter's lips drawn into a thin line.
"What would you have me do, Kylo?"
He heard no response from the other, and it was then that he sensed it, a wave of Darkness lurching out from the other, assaulting his mind. He nearly fell to his knees from the sensation, catching himself at the last minute when the Conqueror and Harbringer suddenly dropped out of lightspeed, cannons at the ready.
"Sir, orders to advance?" Mitaka asked from the side.
Hux found that he had lost his voice, the Darkness now swarming around him, threatening to devour him whole.
Kylo looked just as perturbed, eyes wide as the sensation swept over Hux like a smoldering blanket, the sound on the bridge suddenly cutting to a loud ringing. Hux looked around, finding the others looking to him expectantly as he tried to escape the void that had caught him in its grasp.
Kylo wouldn't hurt him, he reasoned. He had nothing to fear. He had nothing to-
Snoke.
Snoke was trying to get into his mind. He fought off the chill that spread through his limbs, tried to suppress the panic that was likely starting to manifest on his face. This was not how a general should be acting. He could not let his men see him like this.
His father stood before him in his mind, belt in hand.
Weak.
He let out a shaky breath, feeling his legs turn to jelly. Kylo took a step towards him.
"Concentrate," he heard Igniv in his head, a sudden clarity throughout the Darkness. "Reach out."
He took a deep breath, turning his gaze back to the battle at hand. He was suddenly on the planet, surrounded by her seas, her forests. Then, Takodana was burning, its lush green trees below a blazing red and orange. Its seas were turbulent, its waters screaming as each beam penetrated its depths. It was then he heard her.
The kyber crystal felt warm in his pocket, and he removed his glove to grab it, feeling it hum against his skin. His mind suddenly felt clearer, lighter.
"Sir?" Mitaka repeated, starting to look worried.
Hux straightened up. "Advance. Ignore the Millennium Falcon for now. We have more urgent matters at hand."
He turned to see that Kylo and Igniv had left.
.
The sky erupted in a display of lights as the three newest arriving ships began firing in unison at one of the star destroyers above them. Maz looked on in awe as the Millennium Falcon landed near them, its door lowering.
"Hurry!" Rey called out to her, and she ran to the ship, finding Kaiyo still fixated on the battle above.
"Come, it's time to go," she urged the other, finding the two of them switching roles as she grabbed the woman's hand and led the other to the ship. They boarded promptly, and soon they were in the air again, flying close to the ground to avoid detection as the forests continued to explode around them despite the battle above.
"It is good to see you, Princess Leia," Maz greeted the general when she spotted the other, giving the general a warm hug before situating herself by one of the windows. She blinked at the other faces in the ship, likely the very last remnants of the Resistance. They were few in number, but she could still sense that fiery determination in their eyes.
"Rey was the one who insisted on coming for you," Leia explained. "We were actually very fortunate that she was able to track you."
"You have my deepest gratitude," Maz said as she looked over to the young Jedi, who nodded in reply, eyes averting. She smiled knowingly and turned her gaze through one of the windows. "This is surprising. Why are they attacking each other?"
"Must be some fracture in the Order after Snoke died," one of the men spoke up, and Maz suddenly realized it was Finn, the stormtrooper defector Han had brought with him that day. She almost didn't recognize the determination in the other's eyes, so different from their first meeting. "We need to fly clear of the star destroyers before jumping. They'll destroy us in a second if we're spotted exiting the atmosphere."
"They probably already know that we are here," Rey finally spoke, still unwilling to meet her gaze. Maz knew that the girl must have done much to convince the others to come here, and she was eternally thankful to Rey. There had to be more to how the Resistance had found them in the forest of all places, but Maz was not about to pry.
Meanwhile, General Leia shifted from her seat over to Kaiyo, who had been quiet the entire time. Maz noticed that the other was clutching a pendant of some sort that the woman wore around her neck, knuckles so tense that they were almost white. She blinked, sensing something odd about the gesture as Leia smiled and sat down next to the other.
"Kaiyo, are you okay?"
Kaiyo shook her head, snapping out of her trance before the life seemed to finally return to her eyes. "I am fine. Thank you for coming for us, Princess Leia."
Maz watched as she slipped the pendant back under her clothes, a momentary gleam of white flashing across the room to her.
Perhaps not a Jedi yet, she thought, the corners of her lips turning upward.
It was never too late to start.
.
"Supre-" Hux began as the other finally appeared in the holo projector, the red hue of the TIE silencer casting a soft glow on the man's face.
The supreme leader cut him off before he could even complete the thought. "You're in charge of the battle from the bridge, General Hux. Do what you must." The communication turned off.
Hux stared blankly at the space where Kylo's projection had been, appalled that the supreme leader himself would go into battle. If anything happened to Kylo, then he would not know what to do next.
His past self would have seen it as an opportunity to take hold of the First Order, but at the moment, all he wanted was the idiot to come back to the bridge where Kylo belonged.
"Orders, sir?" one of the men asked from his station below, likely wondering if they were going to change their plan of attack now that the supreme leader himself was out in the battlefield. Hux told himself to send out a few reminders for appropriate conduct on the bridge after this was over.
"Continue to concentrate all firepower at the Dominion. Send out the TIE fighters and engage them."
The cannons roared around them as the three Resurgent -class star destroyers continued their onslaught. He didn't expect the Dominion to last much longer if they continued approaching at this range, but he had learned to always expect things to go wrong the last second.
"Sir, enemy ships approaching!"
The two forces engaged in front of them, the lasers from the TIE fighters bouncing harmlessly off of the Finalizer's advanced defenses. Still, small ships at such a close range was what brought down a Mandator IV-class siege dreadnought last time, and he was not taking any chances. The fact that all of their ships looked the same didn't help much either for his nerves, and he left it to his men to keep a close count of who was fighting on which side.
It was then that he sensed a number of them heading for the hangar, the sudden wave of danger so apparent that it nearly made his mind reel.
"Concentrate the portside cannons in front of the hangar!" he barked. He had to get used to this.
An explosion to their left confirmed his suspicions, and he let out of breath of relief. The last thing they needed was the enemy firing their lasers inside the ship. However, the momentary distraction proved detrimental as he saw several TIE fighters approaching the bridge.
"Fire at those ships!" Peavey yelled beside him, but their fear was short-lived as several beams from the side connected with the incoming enemy, blasting them to oblivion. He could hear the howl of Kylo's TIE silencer and another ship, Igniv he sensed, as it flew past.
Hux bit his lip, forcing himself to focus on the overall battle at hand. They were doing fine at the moment, but the ease of it all put him on edge. He had seen far too many cases of relief lead into a downward spiral of disaster.
"How much longer until we're within penetrating range?" he asked Mitaka impatiently.
"Five minutes, sir."
.
Kylo shot down another enemy TIE fighter before turning his ship around to fire at the two that had decided to catch him from behind while he was seemingly distracted. He was actually greatly distracted, he admitted to himself as he flew through the remnants of the two he had just blown to smithereens. Igniv was the one who had protected Hux, not him. The thought itself made him want to destroy something, and what better way to do so than through the battle before him.
"You know, normally the Supreme Leader should not be on the front lines," the man in question's voice reverberated through the comm system as Kylo whirled around yet again to dodge some incoming fire.
He ignored the Knight and continued to shoot down ship after ship, making note to keep track of which ones actually belonged to the Finalizer.
Kylo did find it odd that the Dominion had not fired at them yet. It was far better equipped than the three smaller Imperial-class star destroyers to take them on, yet it only continued to pummel the surface of the planet below, ignoring them as if they were no more than mere pests.
The thought itself made Kylo's blood boil.
There also remained the fact that two of the Knights were missing. Perhaps they had gone elsewhere in search of Force-sensitives to slaughter, or perhaps there was a more sinister overlying plan. There was no telling when it came to Skaara.
His stomach dropped at another thought. Perhaps this entire battle was indeed a ruse, a mere distraction from whatever Skaara Ren and the last Knight were doing in the name of Snoke. His former master was strong and was able to project the Force across vast distances. Perhaps they were searching for a way to bring the monster back.
Igniv's sudden panicked thoughts in his head dragged him away from his musings.
"Kylo, he's going for the general!"
Kylo shot down another enemy TIE fighter, fighting with himself more than the battle at hand. If he went back now, then Snoke could attack Hux again through him. And, if he went back, then who was there to protect the bridge? He could still remember the sight of the Raddus's bridge exploding, his own hand merely seconds away from committing the deed himself.
Also, he had already proved himself unable to control the Darkness that surrounded him, the same Darkness that Snoke had used to project himself at Hux. Going back only meant that-
"Kylo, the general's like a sitting duck in there without you to shield him. Even if you don't have complete control, it's still something."
"But Snoke attacked him through me," he replied. "You saw it yourself."
"And you were both able to ward him off, right? If that weren't the case, Snoke would've had you destroying the entire bridge back there!"
Kylo shot down another TIE fighter, still reluctant to return. He was a danger to Hux in this volatile state.
"I'll take care of things out here!" There was a pause, and he felt the sudden wave of fear coming from the other.
"Go back now, Kylo! Please!"
He grimaced and turned the ship around.
.
Hux heard an unearthly laughter echo throughout the room and had to prevent himself from whirling around when he saw that his men were oblivious to the noise that assaulted his senses. This only meant one thing, and he gulped in anticipation as the wave of Darkness washed over him like before, weaker than Kylo's yet more controlled, and he knew from experience that control meant everything.
"He thought that you'd be safe if he left the ship. Wrong, as usual." It did not sound like Snoke, which he supposed was a blessing, but like a collective of voices. He could feel their presence getting stronger as they neared the Dominion, and an idea suddenly struck him. The Knights were likely projecting to him, so the other ships were left without instruction.
He took a deep breath, wondering if he could use this to his advantage. He looked to Mitaka, fully concentrated on the battle ahead. Perhaps if they were able to damage the Dominion substantially, then the other ships would see the futility in it all and surrender.
The voices continued, drowning out any further plans that had crossed his mind.
"His Darkness is great. It was actually preventing us from getting in, but now he has left you alone, unguarded."
Hux tried to ignore them, tried to shield his thoughts away as he cleared his mind. If they were able to project like this, then they would likely figure out his plan sooner or later.
The voices merely laughed, and a sudden return of the earlier headache nearly brought him to his knees. "Your schemes matter not. Take down the general, and the fleet goes with him," the Knight's voices echoed through his head, threatening to split it apart. Hux grasped onto one of the railings for support, beads of sweat trickling down the side of his face as he fought off the pain and the stars that threatened to cloud his vision.
He knew the others could not sense it; they were all concentrating on the battle at hand as they continued to approach the Dominion. The destruction continued outside, a rush of lights indicating where their TIE fighters were currently clashing. And, Takodana continued to burn, the massive star destroyer in distance still firing into its surface. He let out a shaky breath. They just needed a few more minutes.
Yet, the Knights continued, undeterred and only growing stronger as they neared the enemy ship.
"There are over 80,000 men on board, most of which trained through your program, general. Would you forsake them for an insignificant little planet like Takodana?"
"Your gross display of power is going to destroy the Order," he retorted vehemently, focusing on using his anger in an attempt to drive the other out, but only a sense of amusement radiated from their collective minds.
"Like how you destroyed the Hosnian System, my dearest Starkiller?"
Hux froze, his veins turning to ice at the accusation. He knew that they were correct, and logically, he had no right to tell them otherwise. He saw Snoke smile cruelly in his mind's eye, likely knowing that the other had struck a nerve.
"Come back. You belong to me," the creature whispered.
The bridge disappeared before him, melting into a memory that the Knights ripped from the recesses of his mind and dragged back into the surface. Hux struggled helplessly against the violation, but he was restrained, trapped in his own thoughts.
He was tied to the bed, watching the wrinkled form of Snoke with bated breath as the other eyed a device in its bony hands almost curiously. A string extended from the switch, and he bit his lip, unwilling to give the other the satisfaction of knowing his discomfort.
Snoke sneered regardless. "Why fight it? You belong to me after all." The long, disfigured fingers flipped the switch on to max.
He screamed.
He was back on the Finalizer. Hux felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped over his head, and he grasped the railing tighter to keep his shaking at bay. His breathing hitched, and he nearly gasped for air, fighting the urge to hyperventilate.
The laughing only became louder in his mind, threatening to rip it apart.
"General?"
He looked to Mitaka. If the Lieutenant had noticed anything, Mitaka decided to hide it. Hux decided that if they survived this, he would have to give the man a promotion. His head continued to throb with the onslaught, and the Dominion began turning towards them, cannons ready, as they approached.
Then, the large Resurgent-class star destroyer finally began firing at them, lasers slamming into the barrier with such force that the bridge shook with the impact. It was now or never. His hands found its way back to the kyber crystal, and the headache lifted slightly, just enough for him to regain momentary control.
He straightened up with the pure strength of will alone. "Concentrate all firepower on the Dominion. I want all cannons to fire at exactly the same time on my command."
"You would murder your own men, Starkiller?"
He could suddenly feel the fear emaciating from the men on the four ships, amplified a thousand times by the Knights. Snoke must have thought this was some sort of punishment, connecting his mind like this to the ones he was about to kill, the ones he had utterly failed.
"Sir?" Mitaka looked at him expectantly. He felt the eyes of the bridge on him.
No, he had not failed them, not yet.
He closed his eyes, hand still clenched around the crystal. Two could play at this game.
"This is General Hux of the First Order. Move away from the Dominion. You have my permission to use the escape pods if you must." The thought echoed loud and clear through the connection, and he could sense a swarm of minds look up.
The Knights' laughter ceased in his head.
"You wouldn't dare."
His vision wavered, and the headache intensified. He wanted to scream, to let the Darkness claim him. He was going to be ripped apart. It was over. He was going to fall, and Snoke would win, would stand over his body just as the monster had always done.
"Armitage..."
"Sir! Look!" He looked up in time to see the Regency fire at the Dominion.
Suddenly, the other two smaller Imperial-class star destroyers followed suit, pummeling away at the enemy flagship.
"What are you doing? Fire on the traitors or we will kill every single last one of you!" the voices reverberated through his mind, no longer concentrated on him alone.
He could sense the cannons on the Dominion turn to the side. He had to give the order now or else all four ships would be lost. Hux swallowed, his mouth dry.
"Fire."
The air around him seemed to go silent as a rain of lasers flew towards the Dominion in unison. He could see the shields waver, then disappear, and fire soon engulfed the entire ship as each subsequent beam made contact.
"Traitor!"
The bridge exploded, and the splitting headache lifted only to be followed by a wave of agony of the men still stationed on the Dominion, the ones who have been unjustly dragged into this entire mess. He raised a hand weakly and their onslaught ceased, but the Dominion was finished as a continuous series of explosions took its hull. It all seemed to happen much too slowly as pieces of the shattered ship flew away, accompanied by an ongoing wave of screams that continued to flow through his mind mercilessly.
He let out a breath, feeling the wails dull only slightly even as the connection with the Knights broke completely, torn from him with the same pain as if he had lost a limb.
"The Regency is trying to make contact, sir!"
"Patch them through," he managed.
"G-general Hux," Captain Khromi stammered, sweat rolling down the side of the man's face. "Forgive us for our insubordination. Long live the supreme leader."
"You made the right decision," he told them, gaining a relieved salute from the captain as the communication shut off for the time being. The Dominion continued to burn before them as pieces of the ship started to fall away. He could spot a few escape pods detach from its hull only to be hit by the floating debris.
The sight made him nauseous, and he looked away, still unable to fight off the ongoing screams in his mind as his vision began to cloud. The connection to the Knights and Snoke was dead for now, but he could still hear the crew of the Dominion, an unrelenting onslaught. He didn't understand, didn't know how to block it out. It was too much, too much.
"General?" Mitaka was beside him in an instant. He wanted to congratulate the man on a job well done, to assure the other that he was fine, but the cries swallowing him whole as the Dominion continued to break apart outside kept him rooted to the spot, unable to move away from the destruction he had caused.
Starkiller. He would always be the Starkiller.
A murderer.
He-
"Supreme Leader Ren?" he heard Mitaka gasp beside him.
He felt something wave across his mind, a soft sensation, beckoning him to sleep. He fought it for a moment, reasoning that he should continue to watch the results of his destruction, to suffer as he had caused them to suffer. Yet, the other was stronger, and he felt his mind eased into oblivion as his muscles went limp.
A pair of strong arms caught him, holding him close as its owner barked out a series of orders to the bridge.
As usual, thank you for reading!