Chapter 31
Hux was as angry as a Wookie and was just as likely to rip someone's head off with his bare hands. Despite this though he had duties to perform, to give a status report to Supreme Leader Snoke, then lead a ground team to demolish the Resistance as painfully as possible.
Something Hux was not expecting was Kylo's unconscious body being dragged away from the lift by two Elite Praetorian Guards. One of Kylo's arms was over one guard's shoulder, while the other did the same with his second. Kylo was scratched up, and despite his head being down Hux could tell he was bruised and sweaty.
There was something peculiar about the guards. One appeared completely normal, clean armour, they stood at the angle all First Order recruits are taught at a young age. The second was a different story, there armour was a mess and covered in scratches, there armour didn't appear to fit them right, and although it was slight, Hux could see that they weren't standing quite at the angle they should be.
After attempting to assist the scavenger girl in deeds that would undermine the First Order, Hux assumed the traitorous Kylo Ren would have been executed by now. The two guards halted in his presence.
"General."
"Where are you escorting Ren?"
"To the holding facility, the Supreme Leader could not make him see reason, but that explosion interrupted his execution. He will proceed after the ship is secure. The scavenger girl is dead."
"Excellent. I am glad that I now will be able to watch him be brutally tortured and than executed, carry on."
"Yes General."
The guards continued to drag the limp body of the Supreme Leader's former prized pupil away, and Hux knew he was now on his way to taking Kylo's place. The lift was long, giving him plenty of time to compose a version of recent events that made him appear as a promotional leader. Perhaps that he ordered the destruction of the Raddus, but last minute ordered the shields to be angled to the front of the Supremacy which minimized the devastating damage.
Finally, after a torturously long silent ride up, Hux reached his destination, he composed himself, and started speaking the second the doors opened.
"Supreme Leader Snoke, I- Sweet Nerf Cheese!"
Hux could not believe what he was seeing in front of him. The mighty throne room was a bloody war zone, all the guards were defeated, and in the centre of it all was the Supreme Leader himself, dead, half of him on his throne and the rest of him was unceremoniously lying in front of the throne.
It didn't take a genius, which Hux was, to figure out what just happened, Ren and the girl assassinated the Supreme Leader. Hux opened a com-link to the docking bay where Kylo's personal shuttle resided.
"Kylo Ren has murdered the Supreme Leader, do not permit him to dock his shuttle and leave. The two Elite Praetorian Guards are his accomplices, kill them all."
"Murder, dear god, General they just took off."
"Useless."
Hux got gunners on his com.
"The Supreme Leader is dead, vaporize Kylo Ren's shuttle."
"Yes General."
But they never got the chance, the shuttle went into hyperspace moments later, this Hux did not learn until later. Something did accrue to him however, neither Kylo Ren or Snoke could give him orders ever again, and that made him feel powerful. What can only be described as a malicious smile came across Hux's face.
Hux marched right up to the Supreme Leader's throne, and without even a second of consideration pushed the bottom half of Snoke off of the throne and sat in his place. His smile only widening, Hux waited for someone else to come, and he didn't have to wait long.
The remaining ten Elite Praetorian Guards, Commander Yago, and a handful of other high-ranking officers ranging from Captain to Admiral, exited the lift. Each officer, especially the Admiral and Yago, had a far more significant claim to being Supreme Leader over Hux. All approached Hux. Yago spoke.
"It saddens me to see that your report is true. Sadly we won't be able to deal with Snoke's death until after the Resistance are demolished, but we will destroy Ren for this."
"That we will, but I believe that Snoke's death will be dealt with right now."
Yago clued into what was going on, and he started laughing.
"That is funny, for a moment I thought you were laying claim to the throne. If it were to go to anyone it would be me or Captain Peavey. We'll decide on the matter later, but the throne will never be yours Armitage, you foolish child-"
Hux drew his blaster and shot Commander Yago right between his eyes.
"The decision is already made old man. My father was one of the founders of this military, he founded the soldier program that has built our armies to the glory they are now, and I am his only heir, no matter how scandalous my birth was, I still bare his name and blood. I am the architect that designed the capital ship you currently are standing on, and it was I who turned this military into the ruling body of the galaxy. Anyone else who challenges me will share the fate of Yago, but if you bow now you will be rewarded. So bow, bow before your new Supreme Leader, bow before Emperor Armitage Hux!"
The guards fell to one knee instantly, which scared most of the others into kneel as well, and finally everyone was on there knees.
"Excellent. Now, evacuate the training soldiers to the non-damaged star destroyers, and I shall personally lead the ground attack on the Resistance. My Empress is waiting for me."