THE HUNT

Twelve

The room has never been this quiet. 

I stand behind Kylo, who is seated at the head of the table. There are a dozen of the highest ranking First order officials sitting at the table as well. The group is split into two, with six on each side. 

Kylo created the Supreme Council to help keep order in the galaxy while he's on the battlefield, and to create a plan for the future of the galaxy, as it is soon to be entirely ruled by the First Order. For some reason, he added General Hux. 

I'm sure he thinks that having the Resistance's informant here is humorous, but he's putting the Order at risk with the allowance of his presence. 

"Leader Ren, do you truly believe that Emperor Palpatine has returned?" Hux asks, raising a brow as he looks to me. "As far as we know, death is final. Could this just be a joke? Or another regime attempting to surface?"

"General Hux," Kylo says sharply. "As far as you know, death is final." He angles his head slightly, and the general begins to choke. "But I know more than you ever will."

"Y-yes, Supreme Leader." Hux gasps. Kylo releases him, standing. 

"My Knights and I will continue our search. We will begin again on Naboo." He lets his words fall silent for a moment before lifting his hand. "You are all dismissed." As always, the officers scramble to leave the room, but one stays seated. An older, blonde woman clears her throat. "Speak." Kylo orders, looking down at her as he stands above. 

"Sir, we need to reinforce our stormtrooper intake. I would like to suggest a clone army." Kylo is silent for a while, but then he chuckles. The woman's face grows pale, and she shrinks back into her seat. 

"You are aware of General Hux's aversion to the idea, yes?"

"Yes sir. That is why I am coming to you." Her gaze darts nervously in my direction and Kylo turns, a small smile pasted across his face.

"What do you think, sweetheart?"

If Hux doesn't like it, I say go for it. I think in response. He nods. 

"Good girl." He drops his smile, turning back to the woman. "Yes, General Engell. I will task you with the creation and manufacturing of a clone army." She nods. 

"Thank you, sir." She shoots out of her chair. "I will begin right away." Kylo waves his hand, dismissing her. Once the doors close, I open my mask.

"That was a quick decision." I say, lifting myself onto the table and kicking my feet. He steps in front of me, placing his hands on the table on either side of me as he leans forward to kiss me. 

"Well, if Hux doesn't like it..." He trails off, grinning. I laugh, taking his face between my hands. "Would you like to come to Naboo with us?" He asks, turning his head to kiss my palm. 

"Of course." I grin, and he pulls away, taking my hands in his as he looks down at me. 

"I've got to attend another meeting," He says. "I'd like you to go notify the division of our trip tomorrow. Don't tell them what the plan is, only the time." He presses a kiss to the top of my head, releasing my hands. "I'll see you tonight?" 

"Of course." I grin up at him and he steps back. "I love you." 

"Not as much as I love you." He mutters, smiling slightly. "Burning my regime and everything." 

I laugh, throwing my head back. He chuckles, touching my cheek before drawing back, and I watch him leave the room, pushing myself off the table, still smiling. 

"That's very sweet." Before I even turn fully, my knife is sailing through the air, angled towards the speaker. Before it hits him, it freezes in the air inches from his mask, adorned with wide eyes and four thin vents like gills on either side of where his cheeks would be. "Well, that certainly wasn't." 

And then the knife arcs back at me through the air, shoving itself into my shoulder. I scream, or rather, I try to. 

The air is sucked from my lungs before I can make a sound. 

"Let's be nice and quiet about this, yes?" He curls a finger in my direction, and my body slides over to him. He's not tall like Kylo, but his mask, black clothing, and ability to yank me around terrify me just about as much as Kylo did when I first met him. 

Kylo. I think frantically as I choke. A cold, metal plated hand grabs my face, laughter like metal against metal sounding from behind the mask. 

"I don't think the beautiful little bond that you have with your lover will work anymore." He says, voice about as sweet as it can be. I feel something twist in my chest as I kick my feet, lifting my hands to claw at my neck as my vision tunnels. As I begin to fight, the hold on my throat is released and I fall to my knees, pain shooting into my hips from the impact. "Now I'm sure you know the whole kidnapping hostage monologue, so I'll give you the basics." He crouches down, the blank eyes of his mask boring into me. "Shut up, do what I say, play it cool, and you get to keep that arm." He gestures to where the knife is still embedded in my flesh. The one day I choose not to wear my armour. I think bitterly. Kylo. I squeeze my eyes shut, and the man laughs again. "I broke your little thought bond the moment he walked out of this room." 

"W-what do you want?" I narrow my eyes at him, throat sore. 

"To follow the orders I was given." He grabs my uninjured arm. "Up we go." He points up to an uncovered ventilation shaft, and my heart sinks. 

"I'm not going up there." 

"Sure you are." He waves his hand, and my feet leave the ground as he uses the force to lift me inside the shaft. I look down, wondering if I could kick him in the head as he climbs up after me, but I lose the idea fairly quickly. 

I still have the tracker inside my mask, and I still have the comm inside that I've never used. 

He'll come and save me. 

He has to.