Chapter 4: Sea of black

Just a friend. Old buddy. Old pal. How are you? Don't hug him when you see him that will be weird. Don't not hug him he'll think you don't want to touch him. Pat him on the shoulder. No, a friendly wave. Oh, hey there Armitage! Hey there Arm. What's up Hux? Alright mate? Don't call him mate you've never called anyone mate in your entire life. Greetings, Officer Hux. Too formal. The Huxenator! Too stupid. His face reacting to that last greeting would be priceless. What if he is already engaged and then I will look like I'm behaving inappropriately? Oh no. His father was top military rank. They had always tolerated her. Maybe she could persuade them to give her special treatment?

She felt a twinge of embarrassment at this thought but knew it was the only way she would get out of this ridiculous arrangement. Knowing her luck it was that Officer Yeegatz that kicked animals when no one was looking. She hated that guy. She already knew what Armitage's reaction would be and she raised her hand to count them off as she paced the recently aired bedroom of her villa. Either: a) he would listen in silence, leave and then without any warning her engagement would be mysteriously cancelled or b) he would admonish her for doubting the logic of the First Order and encourage her to accept the arrangement. With him there was no middle ground. The tying ceremony would be soon, she didn't have much time. Quickly, she changed into a full-length dark blue dress, brushed her hair and grabbed the first earrings she could find before heading back out in the direction of the Hux villa.

The compound had changed. When she was younger it had been patrolled by 6 guards at any one time. Now numerous men in full-body white armour stood at the walls, in front of the different villas. Stormtroopers, that's what they were called. Programmed from birth and perfectly disciplined under Commandant Hux's own military program. They carried weapons which Avin knew could kill in seconds. She had seen stormtroopers fire on weapon smugglers on the outskirts of Kwilaan, a huge taskforce of soldiers for a pathetic gang operation. She had travelled to give a singing lesson to some Gungan nobility but all she could see throughout the day in her mind was a young dirty smuggler's corpse on the ground. Would her body smoke like his if they shot her? She tried to resist those kinds of thoughts. She needed to focus on pleading her case to Armitage. He understood her at least. They had been friends in their own way, for all of his coldness. He knew she wanted to continue her studies of politics on Naboo and perhaps other worlds, working up to a doctorate as quickly as possible. She supported the First Order but she would make an absolutely awful military wife.

She pounded over a grassy knoll and there the villa was, stretched out on all sides. The beautiful old tree had been cut down and the house seemed naked without it. She would have to use the front door and so she strode towards it, nodding at the Stormtroopers standing guard respectfully. Commandant Hux's wife was sitting outside on a low bench in the side garden which was full of fragrant, exotic flowers. Butterflies fluttered in the approaching purple twilight. Maratelle had always been a passive woman, but passivity had deepened into glacial coldness when the rumours had spread around Armitage's parentage. His father's abuse of his son became common knowledge after their rescue from the New Republic's bombardment of Arkanis.

"Lady Shuah."

"Lady Hux."

Avin was distinctly aware how awkward, round and badly presented she looked compared to Lady Hux but it didn't truly matter. She had much more important things to worry about then her looks.

"Is Armitage here?"

"Officer Hux is at the tying ceremony."

"Is Armitage getting married?" she said aghast. Maratelle looked slightly shocked and recovered quickly.

"No. Of course not."

"Oh… The old tree is gone." Avin said, trying to keep the conversation going. Lady Hux gave her a sad little smile.

"I did love that tree."

Avin's mother had her faults. Sometimes she swore too much and would go into periods of depression which frightened her daughter. Sometimes her parents would fight, and her mother's tongue would crack like a whip. Her mother went to too many parties and had never cooked a decent meal in her life, but her mother always enjoyed living life. Lady Hux had always made Avin feel sad when she saw her without the eyes of a child. She had lived like a shadow without one solid opinion or moment of action, dependent on her husband for direction and meaning. Avin made her mind up very early in life that if she had to choose she would live like her mother, and grab life by the proverbials if she had to. The last thing she wanted to do was to be tied down like Lady Hux by some brute of an officer and spend all her days sitting alone without a hint of power. She quickly said goodbye and ran towards the function room, lifting her skirts to scandalised glances.

The room was unrecognisable. Huge red and black banners were placed on the walls and loomed over the heads of the crowd as well. Avin could see no sign of refreshments, cake or presents which were usually dotted around marriage ceremonies. The crowd was seated and deathly silent. A sea of black uniforms was spotted by older couples in muted colours. Her mother in her purple gown and her father in his white linen stood out of the crowd like a peacock amongst crows. She shuffled in beside them, trying not to catch any officer's eyes. After a moment she tuned into the couple's speech which was a recitation of their marriage vows, repeating the words together:

"To honour the ways of the galactic empire and the First Order. To submit to the Supreme Leader and devote health and home to our success in the galaxy. To work for the Order faithfully and fulfil any duties we are given. To stay loyal to the one we marry and support our partner and progeny in upholding the tenets of the First Order."

A bell was sounded as the couples' hands were wrapped together in black ribbon and a loud shout rose up amongst the guests as many of the male and female officers raised their arm in an aggressive salute. Once the cheered died down they left the stage to sit with the other married couples. Their hands were still wrapped together in the black ribbon. Avin could imagine Armitage now, sneering at the sentimentality of such a practice. The crowd went silent again as a tall man in commander regalia strode on to the raised platform. His greying red hair made him instantly recognisable as Commandant Brendol Hux. His voice rang out through the room with his rolling Coruscant accent.

"What a glorious day for the First Order!" Fists rose in the air again, including the Stormtroopers which crowded around the corners of the stage. Avin could see little Lady Hux in the far-right corner seated facing the audience that must mean Armitage is-

"May I introduce the newly appointed Colonel Hux. My son has been fast-tracked to the rank of colonel as a sign of gratitude for his great work of the First Order in the recent resurgent altercations with the rebels. May he always work faithfully for the Supreme Leader!"

A cheer rose up again and then Armitage was on the stage in the same menacing regalia his father wore. In person he looked even more different. The striking leanness of his face had not changed, and he had grown taller since last year. When he stood beside his father to receive the extra stripe denoting his rise in rank the arm salute was raised again and this time the whole crowd joined in. Avin felt her side nudged until she raised her fist as well. All thoughts of having a private conversation with him utterly vanished from her mind. He looked scary and unapproachable like this, and she couldn't equate this man with the boy who softly read A Compendium of the Empire's History through the comm screen to her eight months ago when she was ill in bed. His father held his hand up and the cheering was instantly silenced.

"I have yet more excellent news. Now that they are both coming of age it is my pleasure to announce my son, Colonel Hux and Avin Shuah of House Palpatine are formally engaged and will be performing the Tying ceremony in one weeks' time."

Another cheer rang up and everyone's fist was high in the air. Avin's head was spinning. She honestly thought she had misheard but everyone in the crowd kept craning their heads to look at her. Her father leaned into her and commanded her to smile which she did automatically. The spectacle over, she rushed out of the room looking for his red hair amongst the crowd. She found him near the cigar room, waiting for her. "Did you know?" she pointed an accusing finger at him. "I am a Colonel of the First Order and must be treated with respect." He countered back, already angry with her. "Well, I'm a civilian so you can go to hell with that rank nonsense. Did you know? Did you talk to me for years and not tell me that you knew we were arranged to be married? I can't believe I am even saying that sentence."

"I knew."

"What!"

He looked over his shoulder as people walked by, nodding briefly at people of similar rank to him as if they were having a completely normal conversation.

"I chose you."

"You're supposed to be my friend. How could you even think that this would be, okay? Unchoose me now."

His brow furrowed and he took her arm and pulled her through a door into a side entrance, which was thankfully empty. He stared at her intensely and spoke:

"No."

"Why? I will make a terrible wife." His faced flushed and he reached out to grip both of her forearms. He leaned in slightly so she could only hear him.

"I want you."

"That's what this is about? Some stupid teenage crush?" she hissed back at him, her face flushing to match his own. They stared in silence. A wave of pure rage rose in her. "Fine then. Let's get this over with."

She pulled him against her suddenly so they were both leaning against the wall and then with deft speed snuck her hand into his trousers. With a little attention he was surprisingly hard and very thick. She pulled on him at an angle, like she had seen in holovids. His face had instantly changed from indignant to completely slack.

"Stop…stop… don't… yes… oh… yes… please…don't stop" he gasped at her.

He leaned forward and braced his forehead against the wall, Avin could hear him panting and sweat began to glisten on his forehead. She had never seen him with so little control. She sped up her hand, running it up and down his silky-smooth length. He groaned into the wall, his whole body began to tremble. She could feel him begin to tense up as she moved up and down. The dribble of precum helped her movement and he pressed into her suddenly and came into her hand with a long-strangled gasp. They stood still for a second and then he looked at her with lids half-closed.

"There," she said softly, looking for something to wipe his cum off her hand. He lazily handed her a handkerchief. When she had wiped her hand he took the handkerchief back and folded it neatly into his pocket. She folded her arms across her chest and stepped away from him.

"Sexual tension is now over. You can go find a nice officer to marry to be your regulation bride." He continued looking at her, his face still terribly flushed. The strong scent of sandalwood surrounded her and then he leaned in and kissed her lips, holding her face with both hands. She was so shocked she froze and the kiss grew longer. He tried to slip in his tongue into her mouth and pressed against her. This surprised her even more, she had always thought he would be such a cold fish.

"Colonel Hux!" his father's voice rang out behind them. They sprang apart, for all the world looking like a couple in love. His father was standing at the entrance to the room, looking incensed. "This is not appropriate public behaviour for a representative of the First Order. Both of you return home at once."

She left quickly and got lost in the crowd as fast as she could. Side-stepping the sea of black wishing to congratulate her she rushed back to her parent's villa. They were not there, probably pretending to celebrate. A flashing light from her communications device caught her eye as she went to her room to undress and think. She had just done something really stupid and impulsive, thinking if she got rid of the tension between them he would lose interest instantly. It had completely backfired. She already knew without looking what was on her comm device. There was a message from Armitage.

I look forward to our marriage.

She had no choice. She would have to run.