Taking Command Book 1 (Kylux) (#Wattys2016)

Chapter Fifty Five: Retaliation

Hux PoV

Against my hopes, our departure did not go unnoticed by our betters. Upon our return, Captain Phasma informed me that Snoke wanted a word with both of us. She was the only stormtrooper that Snoke ever spoke to, as Phasma was my main lieutenant.

As soon as she said that, both Kylo and I knew that were in trouble. We had snuck off the base on a mission, had passed up the opportunity to kill a man allied with the Resistance, and on top of all that we had come back empty handed. Snoke would have no kind words for either of us.

We entered his chamber as soon as I had finished filing the reports of the mission. It was a dull task, but it was mandatory that I, as the General, set a good example for the recordkeeping.

Snoke's eyes followed us as we entered, pinning me down in a malice filled gaze. I could feel the tension in the air making me feel hot and uncomfortable in my coat. Kylo shifted around nervously as we stood, awaiting the words of the Supreme Leader.

"What did you do? I felt a disturbance in the Force." He sounded calm, for now at least.

"We went searching for a lead. Kylo found a lead about the map of Skywalker's whereabouts. We wanted to see if we could find the map." It was an honest answer. I just deigned to point out that we had redoubled our efforts in an attempt to dethrone him as soon as possible.

"But you defied me once again, General. Kylo Ren was not to leave this base. He disgraced the First Order with his failures. He is a liability to the Order at the moment." I could sense the evil glee in his voice as he spoke and resisted the urge to lash out.

Kylo had never been bound by such dutiful emotions to his superiors and did it for me. "I left the base so I could try to end the Jedi. That is the purpose, or one of the purposes of the First Order. Would you prevent me from exercising my duties as the heir of Lord Vader? I have failed in the past, but I have grown stronger, despite you thinking I would grow weaker due to my love." Kylo was all defiance and pride at the moment and I loved him for it. Sadly, the Supreme Leader felt differently.

"You insolent brat! I raised you up from the Jedi, showed you the power you could inherit! I gave you power and the potential to bring balance and Order to the galaxy! You have the nerve to defy me?!" Snoke's wrath emanated through the room, despite him not having a physical presence. If was terrifying hearing him unleash this much anger. I wanted to curl up into a ball and hide. If Kylo possessed this kind of power, I could only imagine the things he could do to someone who crossed him.

Kylo seemed to be a little but less intimidated. Granted, his father and mother were major pilots of the Rebellion of old, and his grandfather had been Darth Vader.  "You helped me, yes, but have I not devoted enough to you? I have the right to leave your fold. Just as I left my family to learn this way of the Force, now I stand at another crossroads. Perhaps there is no dark and light. You are too naive to see it. There is a grey area unexplored and untapped because you and the Jedi have one thing in common. You are cowards who use others like me for your dirty work."

"Kylo," I gasped, horrified. We had openly defied him before, but what Kylo was saying was a massive insult to Snoke. I did not want Kylo punished by his master. But I could only stand and listen as master and apprentice clashed.

"Your parents were weak fools who relied on the light. There is no other option than the darkness you were so quick to embrace." Snoke sounded both frustrated and angry. Mentally, I cheered on Kylo for his boldness, yet I worried.

"You cannot have light without darkness and vice versa. You can not have black and white without gray area in between. I will walk that path and be great. Greater than you and I will stand to rival my grandfather. You cannot deter me. I've made up my mind." Kylo's voice was confident and powerful.

"I gave you a chance to recant. I could have killed you when you first defied me or any of the other times, but I have spare you. No more. It may hurt the First Order temporarily, but it will hurt this glorious enterprise more if I let you live. Be ready for retaliation. It is forthcoming."

It was an obvious dismissal and one we were happy to accept. Kylo and I sprinted back to his room. It was closer.

"That was crazy," I said,"what do we do now?" My voice was calm despite my racing heart.

"We run," Kylo replied,"we find Skywalker on our own."

"Who will lead the Order?" I asked. This calling was my pride and joy. I had no issue with giving it up for Kylo, but I did not want it to wither and die.

"My former master is willing to kill us. But he cares about the First Order too, that's why he hates what we do. He thinks it will damage the First Order. That means he would not kill us unless he had backups. There will be someone to replace us." Kylo was all confidence but I could feel his terror. "For both of our sakes, we need to leave. The retaliation of Snoke and his wrath are not something I want to see."

Only a couple hours after our return, we loaded everything into my personal shuttle, Firestorm, which we had flown to Coruscant. We left again into the night. We were not losing, merely retreating for now and biding our time. Retaliation would come and we needed to buy as much time as possible to respond,