What She's Worth (Reylo)

Chapter 38

Armitage Hux walked through the corridors of Star Killer Base, his footfalls echoing through the empty halls as he made his way towards Supreme Leader Snoke's holo chambers. He had been summoned from an important meeting, so to say that it was irksome would be putting it lightly. But this was the Supreme Leader. Anything he said went.

Combing back his striking red hair and straightening his uniform, Hux approached the doors which led to the chamber when it whooshed open, paving the way for six Knights of Ren—the Supreme Leader's elite. He had seen these knights before—clad in black, faces hidden behind intricate masks—so he wasn't too surprised to see them emerge from Snoke's holo chambers. What did surprise him however, was seeing a young man in tan robes emerge along with them. The man was pale, with a full head of dark hair reaching down his nape, and had a pair of dark, haunted eyes which now, for some reason, met his.

That look in the young man's eyes was familiar. Hux had seen it far too many times from others to know it couldn't be anything else but loathing.

Hux wrinkled his nose. "What are you staring at?"

"Nothing," the young man replied. "You remind me of a pathetic red-headed wretch I once knew."

Hux had not expected a reply, much less one of that kind. But before he could speak further, the young man turned away and left with the knights without another word.

"General..."

Shaken from a bout of sudden rage, Hux straightened himself once more and entered the chamber, where the holographic image of Supreme Leader Snoke loomed large over a gigantic throne.

"Supreme Leader." Hux bowed.

"General..." came the Supreme Leader's voice, which reverberated throughout the chamber, "We have a new Kylo Ren..."

"That young man?" Hux almost sputtered from disbelief.

"You have met him." It was a statement, not a question. "General...that young man has powers that you cannot begin to fathom. But..."

"But what?"

"I perceive a problem..." the Supreme Leader trailed off for a moment, his beady eyes seemingly elsewhere. "It appears the new Master of the Knights of Ren...is keeping something from me."

"Keeping something from you, Supreme Leader?" Hux repeated, his incredulity showing. No one and nothing got past the Supreme Leader. Hux knew that much of Snoke's powers, even from wherever it was in the far reaches of the galaxy he was broadcasting from.

The Supreme Leader seemed distracted still. "That girl...he claims he knows nothing of her...and I see nothing in his mind...but she existed!"

Snoke's bellows made Hux cringe. Whatever it was the Supreme Leader was talking about made no sense to him but he knew better than to ask, and so he waited for the humanoid to return to his usual eerie calm.

Snoke exhaled. "General...I need you to keep an eye on Kylo Ren. You must be aware of his whereabouts at all times. And should he do anything that may be of suspect, inform me straight away."

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Hux's answer was swift, just as the Supreme Leader would want it, though he had his reservations about the task. But despite this, he had little objection. Nothing gave him greater satisfaction than bringing others down in order to bring himself up in the Supreme Leader's eyes.

**

Leia felt as though the floor beneath her feet had morphed into a sarlacc pit. The massacre at Luke's Jedi Academy and her son's disappearance had been devastating, and she had thought nothing could come close to that feeling of helplessness and despair.