Taking Command Book 1 (Kylux) (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Forty Seven: Escape

Hux PoV

I piloted the fighter and made a sharp, vertical climb as we ascended into Tatooine's atmosphere. I was not that amazing as a fighter pilot but just normal flying was a natural thing. I had  a gunner, and I was happy.

"There're X-Wings coming in fast!" Kylo shouted as I heard him shift around and fire at the incoming ships. An explosion on my left indicated that one of my men had perished. An elated yell from Kylo gave proof of a death on the side of the enemy. We had to pick off enough of them to buy time to escape while we went into hyperspace.

"Hux! Dameron's headed this way, I can feel him!"

True enough, the Resistance's hotshot pilot was heading straight for us, guns blazing. I dodged, and Kylo fired at him, swiveling the guns to best try to deter and disable the troublesome pilot.

"I'm gonna try something! Hold on tight!" I had an idea. It was dangerous, but we might lose him. I changed courses abruptly and headed for the planet again. We entered into a terrifying fast free fall.

"What are you doing?!" Kylo yelled, "He's still coming!!" I heard him firing.

"Can't you hit him?!" I asked. It was about time to do the hardest part. I braced myself.

"No! I can't. This guy is too good! Even for me!" I could hear his frustration. Granted, he was not at his best. His injuries probably made it hard to focus.

"Well, hold on." I answered him deadly calm, calmer than I thought was possible for me in these circumstances. I pulled the ship up out of its dive just meters before we would have crashed on a Tatooine sand dune.

True to his talent, Dameron survived too, but he did not fare as well as we did. He clipped the side of a dune and skidded across the sand. He had pulled up a split second too late.

"Let's get out of here!!" I heard Kylo yell. I was happy to oblige, and we headed back into space. When we go there, most of the X-Wings were destroyed or headed back down for Dameron. There were three troopers left, FN-2187 among them.

"Good work," I said, activating the radio between the ships. "Let's head back."

One by one they all slipped into hyperdrive. We were last, and in the blink of an eye, Tatooine was gone out of sight.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Kylo said. "I could not have  escaped." I sensed genuineness in his voice, but I was skeptical.

"You are so powerful, though! How could you not?" I asked him, curious about what had managed to render him so helpless.

"For the first bit of time I was captured, I was too weak and disoriented to use the Force. Then, they drugged me to keep me from accessing it. I was not physically strong due to injuries sustained from my landing. I was in no condition to save myself, and I was afraid.... I was afraid I would die." He sounded terrified and angry at the same time. I knew Kylo. I knew he hated the feeling of helplessness. He wanted to win, to come out strong, and in this case, he had not.

"But you're alive, and we made it. We escaped. You can not win every fight you're in, Kylo." I wanted to comfort him and sooth his wounded pride. "You did not know you would be ambushed. Things would have been fine if not for that. Some things are not controllable."

"I know. Thank you, all the same."

We rode back in peaceful silence, enjoying our company. About halfway back, I heard snoring and I turned to see Kylo's head resting against the seat, and I could hear him snoring through his helmet. I sighed. I wanted to make him feel worthy. I could tell he was angry with himself, and I was scared he would eat himself up with self loathing.

"You're perfect." I whispered. And in this case, I meant it. He was my beautiful dark warrior. We would bring order and save the galaxy together.