Dark and Light

Chapter 10

"Her Force signature is weak." Hux glanced over as Kylo spoke, pacing back and forth on the ship. "When is the attack?"

"There won't be an attack. We are making a negotiation with the Resistance to win the war." He responded, hoping the Knight of Ren wouldn't destroy yet another control panel in a fit of frustration. "Of course, Phasma will be there to trap Skywalker... you can kill him afterwards just as Snoke ordered. He shouldn't have too many Resistance member with him so-"

Hux frowned and glanced back over his shoulder to see Ren wasn't even there anymore. That probably wasn't a good sign. An irritated growl escaped his throat between his clenched teeth and stalked in the direction the man had gone. "Where are you going Ren?"

The black robed figure ignored his question and kept walking, finally turning in the direction of his private quarters. Hux stopped giving up for now considering Ren wasn't destroying anything currently, and walked to the meeting room. He needed to discuss Ren's behavior with Snoke. He was tired of his ships being destroyed by Kylo Ren and now he didn't have the Finalizer after the Resistance's unexpected attack... and after he'd spent all those credits to fix it too! Admittedly he was worried about Predator too though, despite trying not to care he needed that bounty hunter's friendly tormenting to ease his mind off other stressful issues. And to hear Ren's comment about the Force signature, whatever that was exactly, he was pretty sure she wasn't in a good condition.

A scream echoed down the hall followed by the clatter of armor. Hux gave an irritated sigh and quickly went to find the source of the commotion, why couldn't things ever just go as planned? He found a Storm Trooper sprawled on the floor looking very disoriented as they stood up, the wall dented slightly from where their body had slammed into it... Ren had done this. Annoyance flooded him as that realization came to him... he couldn't leave that childish man alone for one second!

"What happened?" Hux barked the question at the poor Storm Trooper.

"Kylo R-Ren..." The white armored man stuttered as he coward under Hux's glare. "H-he's taking a-an attack party to-to D'Qar... I t-tried to stop him sir."

"Useless!" Hux forced himself not to lose all of his composure and stared at the Storm Trooper. "Report back to Captain Phasma about what has happened, tell her to send a full scale invasion if I don't have Ren back by the time the sun sets on D'Qar. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

Hux hurried in the direction Kylo had taken; how dare that man go against his direct orders! If Supreme Leader Snoke didn't want Kylo Ren alive so badly he would just let the Knight of Ren go on this suicide mission. "Ren is going to be the death of me..."

"You're right General. And if my sister dies because of you I will make sure an unfortunate accident happens that you can't get out of." Ren's voice sent a wave of agony through his skull; Kylo knew he lied about that... He hated the thought that the man-child had gone into his head.

"Kylo Ren, get back here this instant!" He slowed slightly as the tall dark figure came into sight around the corner. "Supreme Leader Snoke will not be pleased if you do this!"

"I don't care!" Pure anger was radiating off Ren and the lights above burst, showering them with sparks. "You lied to me General, not only that but despite those feelings I sensed you had for my sister you were going to leave her to die! Snoke will never find out... even if I have to wipe your memory of this!"

"Why do you care so much about her? She's only your half sister!" His voice was rising in pitch despite his best efforts and he took a deep breath before continuing. "Snoke would say she's pulling you back to the Light, just like your father."

A choking pressure built up in his throat as Ren raised a hand towards him. "My father! My father will die! He is trying to hold me back and make me weak like Ben was! Predator defied me once, I admit, but she has never tried making me go back to the life where no one understood me!"

Hux dropped to the ground; his pride injured slightly, as he regained his breath and rubbed his throat. He hated Force users... so very much... Why he allowed himself to be dragged into a contract to work with this drama queen he wasn't sure. However, if Ren wasn't going to be persuaded to wait for a tactical attack... it would be best to go with him and make sure he actually made it back here alive. He hated acting like a baby sitter for a grown man, especially when that said grown man was prone to finding trouble.

~-~-~-~

He had stayed away from Kylo the entire trip and only moved closer once the ship landed, its cloaking mechanism keeping it invisible to eye sight and radar, something Hux was quite proud of for owning... now he could only hope Ren wouldn't get it, and everyone on it, blown up.

"Do you even have a plan Knight of Ren?" He glared at Kylo, mocking the taller man's title.

"The troops will act as a distraction and I will go in and find my sister." His head was tilting to the sides, as though he was already locating her through the Force.

Hux frowned. "And what do you expect me to do?"

"Well General, I expect you to stay back here where you'll be nice and safe." Kylo taunted back at him. "It is what you do best."

"May I remind you how I was the one who dragged your sorry excuse for a trained Knight of Ren off Star Killer? You were defeated by an untrained girl yet you still act arrogant and rash!" Hux continued to follow the aggravating man. "I'm coming with you so I don't have to go looking again."

"As you wish General." Ren shrugged through his thick robes, giving off an air of disinterest as he signaled for the Storm Troopers to begin the attack. "I hope your life of being pampered and protected from blaster fire doesn't get you killed."

He glared at Ren's back. He was not pampered! Sure, Hux enjoyed staying out of the thickest of the fighting, preferred his world to be organized to his view of perfection, and wanted to be praised by the galaxy as its Emperor... but that didn't make him pampered! Kylo Ren knew nothing of what he'd been through in his past; he couldn't let the gothic man get to him though. He composed his features and continued walking, swearing he heard a faint robotic laugh slip out from Kylo's helmet... If that man was going into his mind again... he swore Snoke would hear about this and there would be a punishment.