Chapter 7
General Hux moved onto the bridge, an ease floating over his shoulders as he moved. Four days, that was how long it had been since he last heard or saw from Supreme Leader Ren and his black buffoon. The First Order had been under his absolute command, (following strict instructions left by Ren, of course, but at Hux's leisure). The Storm Troopers had been inexplicably compliant, placid even, in taking their orders and fulfilling them. Yes, Hux thought, Things are indeed better without Ren or his sorcerer.
"General Hux, sir!" A lieutenant cried out.
Hux turned his heel, looking to the officer with his hand raised. "What is it?"
"We are receiving a transmission from…" She lifted her eyebrows in disbelief, "A freighter designated as the Millennium Falcon."
"What?!" Hux demanded, his heart stopping for a second. "Run it through."
"Yes, sir." The officer tapped a button and nodded to Hux, turning the general to face the hologram projectors.
At once, the pale blue image of Kylo Ren in mask and black cloak appeared before him, sending ice through Hux's veins.
"Supreme Leader, sir!" Hux exclaimed, snapping to attention as the heads of his command bridge looked up.
"The Rebels took my ship," He announced in a calm, monotone. "I was forced to improvise my method of transportation."
Amusement fluttered over Hux's face, "The Rebels, took your ship?"
Kylo stared at him, then lifted his hand. Hux felt a vice grab a handful of his hair and smack him, face first, onto the glossy black floor. Three times, in succession. The pain in Hux's forehead caused him to groan and writhe on the floor, his chest tightening with fury.
"Second in command!" Kylo's voice boomed over him.
From somewhere in the back of the command bridge, General Ogren rushed forth, "Sir!"
"We are arriving with a prisoner. The girl Rey, target number one. Take these instructions down, I want them followed to the letter." He waited, allowing Hux to turn his head back to General Ogren, seeing him accept a holopad from a task runner. Ren didn't wait for anyone, a trait passed on from his predecessor, meaning that this command was of upmost importance.
As soon as General Ogren appeared to be ready to take notes, Kylo began. "The girl is a danger, so I do not want a single being going near her. Program a droid to check on her every half hour. Nothing big, a BB unit should do. We will be coming with her lightsaber, it is not to be in the same room with her. Lock it up." He paused, looking beyond the hologram recorder at something before turning back. "I will interrogate her personally. No one else, is that understood?"
"Yes, Supreme Leader!" General Ogren declared, typing furiously.
"General Hux, get off the floor unless you wish to lick it clean."
Hux inhaled, his fists clenching as his chest constricted unbearably. He drew himself up, inhaling to keep his emotions in check. Despite the distance and use of technology to communicate, he knew, could feel, Kylo staring at him eye to eye. "We will be arriving in an hour's time. I expect to see you on the landing dock."
Hux nodded, rage surging through his veins, "Yes, Supreme Leader."
Without any further adieu, the transmission severed, leaving Hux to stare at his own reflection in the bay window. He swallowed, knowing that he needed to compose himself lest he appear to be like Ren who had a reputation of letting his rage escape at whim. He turned to his left, catching the eye of Captain Frees. She stood, watching him with hawkish eyes and trigger ready hands. He nodded once to her. She gave a curt nod in return, then about faced away from him.
Hux moved towards General Ogren, hardly looking at the man as he said, "Prepare the droid. I will ready the welcoming party."
Two brigades of Storm Troopers rushed onto the Finalizer's landing dock, running in nearly perfect rows to stand in formation, waiting for their Supreme Leader. Waiting in their own formation, General Hux and the chain of command stood, their lips sealed after having judged Hux's mood correctly. He paced in his allotted four feet of walking space, seething.
Each time that girl had been in their custody, something happened and she was a direct cause. The first time, she and the other Rebels had destroyed Star Killer Base and severely wounded Ren. The second time, she killed former Supreme Leader Snoke and then incapacitated Ren. Hux could hardly wait to see what she would do this time. If she killed Ren, he might be tempted to offer her the title of Queen of the Galaxy beside him. Might, though the thought of sharing power with anyone, even a wife, left a certain sour taste in his mouth.
He turned his heel, turning from one wall of white lined Storm Troopers, to another. They had been better without Ren. He knew it, the chain of command knew it, and the Storm Troopers were better off because of it. They were under a military dictatorship, led by him, General Armitage Hux, and the First Order was at full function because of it. Ren was far too unpredictable for anyone's good and that caused… problems. Mostly for Hux who had to prove that he was up for the challenge of meeting Ren's fire with equal ferocity. Since Ren had donned his custom silver robes (another challenge that had certainly added another brick of stress placed upon Hux's chest), Hux had felt particularly dog-like and not in the positive way. Always fetching and doing Ren's bidding, always waiting and nearly flinching in his presence waiting for the sorcerer's reprimands.
He flexed his sore hands, lifting them to his chest to rub them. It was far from exhausting, beyond humiliating to be treated in this way. The sooner the girl killed Ren, the better. Dealing with her would be his particular problem, something he would have to deal with when the time came.
Footsteps rushed over the sleek floor, not encouraging Hux to turn in the slightest. "General Hux, sir!" A voice called, this time prompting a turn. "They're inbound!"
Hux glared at the lieutenant, then turned away from him, fuming out the main hangar entry in time to see the big cream colored freighter appear out of hyperspace and sail, sputtering, into the landing dock.
Such a hideous old ship, Hux thought eyeing it.
The thrusters sputtered to a halt, fluttering off. He exhaled, and jerked his head towards the ship, sauntering towards it with the chain of command in tow. In a hiss of steam, the ramp lowered, revealing Kylo Ren, tall and proud with his mask off. Behind him, Koita Mathe Ren stood with his mask on and the seemingly lifeless body of the girl slung over his shoulder, her legs hanging over his chest like decoration.
Immediately, Hux and the other officers of command dropped to their knees in respect, each one but Hux lowering their heads. Ren's eyes merely swept over Hux's frame, acknowledging his presence, then twitched over the other officers of command in silent roll call. His eyes settled back on Hux, waiting for the proper welcome.
"Supreme Leader Ren, welcome back to the Finalizer," Hux told him as courteously as possible.
He could have sworn his face twitched in amusement. "Good to see such a reception," Ren replied.
"The detention ward has been prepped with your exact instructions."
Ren looked over his shoulder at Koita Mathe who stepped forward with his cargo, looking for a release. From the side, three Storm Troopers arrived pushing a portable interrogation chair.
For a second, Hux couldn't explain why, he was drawn to Ren's face as the chair was wheeled in. There was something different about him then, he was… compassionate. Almost sorry that she had to be placed on such a shackle. Ren swallowed, his stature unwavering, but his eyes appraising each move they made placing this Rebel scum into the chair, the clamps securing the moment she was settled.
"Be careful with her," Koita Mathe commanded, tearing Hux's attention away from their Supreme Leader. "The Resistance will pay dearly for her."
Hux could feel Ren's gaze upon him, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling the longer he waited to face him.
"What happened with the crew from the Vulture?" Ren demanded at last, stepping around Hux to slowly follow the girl.
"Only one pilot escaped from the Resistance's grasp," Hux told him, following along with quick steps to keep up with Ren's long strides. "She landed on a friendly system and was able to give detailed coordinates on the location of the fallen dreadnought. Sir," Hux inhaled, his feelings of discomfort kicking in his stomach, "We were unable to recover the plans for the Central Systems via impersonal connections. It has been recommended that we send a squadron of intelligence troopers to the wreckage-"
"Give the command to destroy it," Ren ordered. "It will send a message to the Resistance as well as take out their key analysts."
"Yes, Supreme Leader," Hux replied, doing his best to keep his emotions in check.
Ren whirled on Hux, his face telling the experienced general that Ren used his sorcery to determine Hux's indignation. "The Rebels will have an increased interest in finding our weaknesses. They will not discard a single shred of information lest it be truly important."
Hux nodded, scowling internally that he had not thought of that. "Yes, Supreme Leader."
"Pull the files from our archives, find the plans for the Central Systems. They might not have been a complete file but they might be spaced out as individual uploads."
Hux's eyes widened as his heart slowed to a stop, "Th-that's nearly four hundred files, sir."
"Then you had best get started, General."
With that, Ren turned his heel and left Hux standing in the middle of the hallway, Storm Troopers returning to their posts in long, white lines.
SWSWSW
Takodana
BB-8 watched the horizon, waiting for signs of friendly ships to return. He had been anxious these last few days, unable to settle on a single task. R2-D2 had detected his unease and had scolded him several times for it. Droids were not meant to allow the bipeds cause for concern, and BB-8 was particularly dependable.
Still, he could not help but wonder what Poe was doing without him or if he needed his help. Knowing Poe, he would need BB-8's help at some point. That hardly concerned him compared to what was taking them so long. They should have been back long before the First Order's allotted ceasefire ran out.
The ancient wheeling sound of R2-D2 rolled towards BB-8 and the experienced astromech pulled beside him, beeping rhythmically.
Where are they? R2-D2 asked.
BB-8 issued a low hoot, I don't know. No news.
Not good, R2-D2 replied.
BB-8 wanted to rebuke his companion, to declare that Poe would be alright and would return to them as sure as the rain would come the next day, but something caught his eye. He turned his head, seeing three orange lights in the night sky. BB-8 issued a shaking squawk, drawing R2-D2's attention.
What is that? BB-8 asked, narrowing his lense to get a better look.
A ship, R2-D2 declared. But what kind?
They watched, waiting for the ship to come closer to determine panic or celebration. Suddenly, BB-8 chirped excitedly. Chewbacca!
Immediately, R2-D2 rushed back to the safety of the temporary Rebel base and extended a metal arm into a socket, twisting until he found the arrival alarm and set it off. Around them, a loud, burp! burp! burp! resounded accompanied by red lights flashing overhead. R2-D2 reclaimed his metal arm and turned, watching BB-8 rolled towards the biggest available landing site, anticipating the arrival of Chewbacca's big freighter.
R2-D2 moved to join BB-8, glancing back at the sky for more ships. A shocked beep escaped him when he realized that the freighter was alone, something that should not have happened. Something went wrong, he knew it.
The cargo ramp lowered, revealing a solitary Wookiee before an empty space, unaccompanied.
What happened? BB-8 asked in a series of panicked beeping. Where's Poe? Where are the Rebels? Did something bad happen? Where are they?
Chewbacca barked at him, sending the small droid rolling back with fear.
What happened? R2-D2 asked, moving to stop him.
Chewbacca moaned, They were attacked. The First Order was there, it was a setup.
Bright lights from the Rebel base flashed on, flooding them with sight as running feet began tapping on the pavement.
"What is it?" The voice of a commanding biped called. "Where are the others?"
Chewbacca moaned again, retelling this latest tale of woe as D'Acy shot into view. BB-8 turned to R2-D2, waiting for the command to be given.
"Right," D'Acy nodded, her face settling with dissatisfied calm. She turned her heel, facing the Rebels that ran out to her, including Maz Kanata. "Command has fallen. Initiate withdrawal protocol immediately." She looked to Maz, the small alien setting her jaw, her body ready to react. "We were never here."
"Got it," Maz agreed. Upon her back, she wore a junior sized jet pack, perfect for her small frame. At once, she tapped her bracelet, causing an ignition in the jet pack, and blasted off, steering herself in the direction of the fallen Vulture.
Suddenly, a screaming missile soared overhead and exploded inches from the cluster of ships, causing BB-8 to flinch. Immediately, he and R2-D2 whirled to the skies, seeing fast moving lights race across the night sky, pursued by other lights.
R2-D2 wobbled on his two dominant legs, worried. Chewbacca roared, calling the droids' attention. To the Rising Dawn, he commanded.
Pilots, fully awake now, rushed out of the rebel base and hurtled towards their ships, the crew of the Rising Dawn picking up what essentials needed to be taken into the otherwise prepared ship.
It was an old vessel, part Mon Calimari class B cruiser and part Old Empire TIE cruiser, but it worked and could serve as the Rebels' command center. R2-D2 cleared the entrance ramp and immediately took off to his designated post on the command bridge, ready to power the ship and order the other astromechs to keep the ship afloat. BB-8 stayed with the cargo hold, securing valuable crates of supplies so that he wouldn't have to fix their destruction from skidding across the floor. Especially if Poe was flying them.
The last thing BB-8 saw before the ramp was sealed, was the night sky igniting in a curtain of orange as Maz Kanata, a tiny speck of shooting yellow, detonated the hundreds of bombs placed in the interior of the fallen dreadnought, its secrets secured in the hull of the Rising Dawn.
SWSWSW
Rey watched as the same BB droid rolled into the room to examine her. She hadn't seen another living soul enter for several hours since she awoke and found herself to be once again strapped to an interrogation chair in some detention room. Perhaps Ben was torturing her with his silence, she didn't know. She could feel his presence was close by -there was no mistaking that beacon of conflict and darkness in the Force- but he had yet to grace her with his presence.
The black BB droid narrowed it's red eye at her, rolled to her right, then to her left. It reminded her of BB-8, a wicked little clone of such a good little droid. It paused, determined that she had not become a threat since the last time it visited her.
Rey leaned forward as best she could. "Where am I?" She asked, her voice soft in the hope that it would tell her something.
The BB droid beeped harshly. Rebel Scum, it said.
Rey's face fell, and she latched onto the Force. Such a busy, anxious vessel she was on, and such a hard programmed droid. Ben was clearly not taking chances with her. "You will tell me where I am."
The BB droid twitched it's head, the glowing red and yellow dots blinking furiously. It was conflicted, fighting against it's master's programming to answer her.
Rey inhaled deeply, the Force warning her against pressuring the droid any further. "You will tell me where I am."
A thin waft of smoke slithered from beneath it's head, then with a think! the head shot off, banging off the roof and clattering to the floor, prompting Rey to jolt in her confinement.
She cringed, "Sorry."
The ball base rolled to the wall behind it in listless reply.
She sighed, leaning her head back onto the head rest of her stretcher prison. She was on a ship, hours of tuning in to the Force had told her that. But what she couldn't figure out was why Ben was keeping her here? Punishment, no doubt. She couldn't forget that face, that same face shown to her on two occasions. The face of hope lost. Perhaps he was going to negotiate for her? Her life for… what? Surrender of a system? Surrender of the entire Resistance? That was futile and Ben would surely know it. Hope could not be squashed so easily.
She pulled against her wrist restraints, not to escape but to keep her mind off the memory of Ben's face before he hid it behind Kylo's mask. His hope had been shattered, obliterated. He wanted her to join him, to prove that he was not alone in the galaxy. That he could have a loving family found with her…
Rey's ears pricked at a sound and she stopped her pulling, commanding her body to be calm to determine what it was. People were talking outside, although after a few moments it was more like one person was barking and a Storm Trooper was reluctantly complying. Rey leaned forward, the restraints pulling against her chest. She sent the Force out to the speakers, willing, hoping… It wasn't Ben outside, but someone with authority it seemed.
The doors opened and a single man with red hair walked in, his face pinched in sour frustration. He took his time appraising her with his eyes, taking in every bolt of containment before a sly little smirk blossomed on his lips. "So, this is the infamous rebel girl that has been the cause of so many headaches," He taunted, eyes searching her restrained body for answers.
"Where am I?" Rey demanded, latching onto the Force for any information she could gain.
General Hux, commander of the fleet, keeper of the First Order. He was tense, he had just come from an argument. Who was he arguing with?
Rey blinked, he had been speaking to her while she searched.
"Your modest little fleet won't stand a chance against a power such as this. You are maggots, feasting upon a piece of rotten flesh and your time is running out-"
"Where is Kylo Ren?" Rey interrupted, raising her eyebrow.
Hux set his jaw, face matching his hair. "The Supreme Leader is the least of your worries, girl! You are on my vessel, you are my prisoner. And I, shall deal with you as I feel fit."
It was Rey's turn to smirk, "Your prisoner? You were the man in the mask who knocked me out? You carried me onto this ship? Put me in these binds?" His jaw set with indignation and Rey smiled, "Ah, no you didn't. So, I'm Kylo Ren's prisoner and… who are you exactly?"
He took a step forward, "I am General Hux of the First Order, and who are you but the girl who murdered Supreme Leader Snoke! You should be tried for murder and conspiracy to commit murder against the First Order!"
Rey balled her fists and she shot against her restraints. "I didn't murder anyone!" Her voice echoed in the room.
"You cut the former supreme leader in half with a lightsaber, then fought off Kylo Ren and the Praetorian Guards before escaping." Hux told her, eyes narrowing.
Rey scoffed, "All by myself? You really think that I could have fought off Kylo Ren let alone Snoke's guards, by myself? With all of them attacking me at the same time?"
Hux leaned away slightly, eyes twitching with thought. "K-Kylo Ren came later. He felt a disturbance-"
"Kylo Ren killed Snoke!" Rey told him, "He helped me fight the guards-"
"Why?" Hux breathed, looking at her feet as he thought. "Why would he do that?'
Dread filled Rey's stomach as the metal binds chafed her wrists, pushing it's way from her core to her throat. Ben's offer, given immediately after the fight. That black gloved hand extended to her, those begging eyes. That whispered "please."
Hux looked at her, eyes wide, and gave a single chuckle. "Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, terror of the galaxy… is in love." He chuckled more as he looked around, "He has been chasing a rebel girl from nowhere, because he feels compassion."
Rey flicked her eyes to Hux's blaster fastened to his belt, then back to him. "Maybe at one time." She told him, willing herself to downplay her error. "Now he hates me. He wants me dead."
"But he has you, doesn't he?" Hux laughed softly. He spread his arms, looking around at the detainment room, the smell of the deceased droid wafting over them. "You're his prisoner. Why hasn't he just killed you?"
Rey swallowed, her heart beginning to pound faster. What was he thinking? She grabbed the Force, searching frantically for a way to hear his thoughts.
"No answer?" Hux smiled, sending her feelings plunging towards alarm. He reached up and took his blaster from his belt. "Well, then, let me simplify matters." He pointed it at her, the Force screaming danger, this wasn't a man to make idle threats. "Kylo Ren's emotions have made him weak. He has turned my army into nothing more than a joke to gain a girl who would sooner see my cause destroyed than help him preserve it. So, I will rid of you now, and while that pathetic wretch is pining over your loss, I will take the First Order back to it's original purpose and slaughter those who stand in my way!"
Rey narrowed her eyes, the Force a whip in her hands. Hux's body straightened, his arm slapping to his side as his eyes widened with alarm, moving rapidly around as he felt his restraint.
Rey's voice was so calm, the recesses of her mind were surprised when she hissed, "What are you going to do to him?"
The Force tightened around Hux's body, releasing his jaw to let him stammer, "I-I am going to kill Supreme Leader Ren as he pines over your body."
Rey inhaled, chest heaving. She opened her lips, the words "You will not touch Ben Solo" etched into her mind so hard that her head hurt. But, she hesitated. If she would command Hux, she would only stop one person from hurting Ben. There would be others after him, an entire chain of command. And she was helpless at present.
She tightened the Force around Hux, then released it, letting him double over with a sigh of relief. Hux clutched his middle, inhaling sharply.
"You, you tried to kill me!" He exclaimed, looking at her.
Rey slumped in her chair, doing her best to feel exhausted. She forced a pant, channeling her days on Jakku in search of a clean water source. Feebly, she yanked against her arm restraints. "Don't you dare hurt Kylo Ren!" She cried, twisting and willing him to believe her. "I won't let you!"
Hux stood tall, adjusting his grip on his blaster. "And who is going to stop me if you're dead?" He raised his blaster and fired.
A single beam of red light sliced through the room towards Rey. Rey lifted her fingers and the Force grabbed it, pausing the stream of light inches from her breasts. She gasped as her temples began pinching, this was not something she should do often. She cut her fingers through the air, turning the shot from the path of her chest to hit the restraints on her wrist. The metal splintered with a BANG! Shards flying into a nearby light. Rey flinched, but instinctively thrust her hand out wide to bring the blaster towards her. It flew from Hux's hand and into hers, barrel first so that in the fumble to turn it around, Hux had backed away, tripping on the remains of the broken BB droid.
"Guards!" He yelled, scrambling to his feet. "Guards she's escaping!"
Rey pointed the blaster at Hux, but growled and turned it instead on the control panel and fired. The restraints snapped open, permitting Rey to fall forward onto the floor in a pained heap.
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