Two Sides

Conflicted

He picks up his helmet and places on his head, locking it in place. Then he takes it off and hurls it at the wall in a fit of rage. He left Rey on that planet with a traitor. Finn, they call him. FN-2187. One of his soldiers, turned to the rebel cause. Hux should have done better. A man's conscious should't be able to override a lifetime of training. Jealousy rages through him. He will kill Finn, and any other man who's come near Rey. The girl is his. He stalks out of his chambers to the command deck. 

Hux stands at the bow of the ship, watching as they drop out of hyperspace and a new system comes into view. A blood red sun hangs in the distance. 

"Where are we, General?" says Kylo. 

"The outer rim," says Hux. He motions to a planet in the distance. "My new superweapon is being constructed outside of Ch'hodos."

"Another planet killer?" Kylo wonders why they keep at this. Unbelievably, at every turn, the resistance has been able to destroy their weapons. 

Hux's eyes gleam. "It's a mobile starkiller. Isn't it beautiful?"

Kylo peers out the window at the sleek, black ship hovering outside of Ch'hodos atmosphere. It's thrilling to view such a machine of war.

"If it delivers, General, you'll have made yourself indispensable." 

"If? We test in three days. Any idea where the rebel rabble are hiding? I believe I've done more than my share of the work. Get me their location and we will destroy their entire system. There will be no way for them to flee." 

Kylo stares out the window at the new ship. What the First Order is able to do with weaponry is staggering. They have come a long way from their disorganized, desperate beginnings. 

He's glad he doesn't know where the rebel forces have gathered. He was honest with Rey - he can't kill her. But if she won't come to him on her own, he must find a way to force her to come. She belongs with him. And if she chooses not to come to him . . . well, he won't allow the traitor to have her, or anyone else. 

He returns to his quarters, and attempts to connect with her. To tell her what kind of weapon they are up against. If she knew, she would come to him. She'd try to stop it. He knows he can't convince her to leave her friends. She would never abandon them to save herself. He grits his teeth when she ignores him for the better part of an hour. 

His anger rises. How dare she refuse to respond him? He hadn't realized how strong she had become, but he should have known. Just as Snoke said - as he rises, so does she. 

Another hour passes. Now, he is enraged. He cannot believe she would deny him. He thought her declaration that they should not meet again insincere. He walks to the workout facility. The others in the room flee as soon as they can, leaving him alone. Always alone. He punches a punching bag until his knuckles bleed. If her power lags behind his, he will be able to break into her protective barrier at some point. 

Three days pass. His crew moves to the new ship, the mobile starkiller. It is as sleek and updated on the inside as out. This ship has the benefit of movement, shields, and advanced offensive weapons to protect it. The starkiller base was a target from the start. 

For three days he's tried to contact Rey. She has not only refused him, but she's refused to tell him why. Seething, unfettered rage tears through him. In the moments where he cycles down out of a high, he considers his anger. He sees her face, so open, so compassionate. And her fingers, running down his face. He'd let her slice him a million times if it meant she would touch him again. He cannot remember the last time someone touched him with that much gentleness. Probably his mother, when he was a young boy. The rage cycles up again.

He stomps to Command. They targeted a largely uninhabited system on the rim to test the starkiller. The ship thrums as power is drawn in, and bursts a ray so bright it blinds him through his closed eyes when it discharges. The targeted planet bursts into a silent, shimmering ball. The power of it makes him forget his anger. With this weapon, the First Order will rule the galaxy.

"General Hux," says Kylo. 

"Sir?" 

"Target a known system that sympathizes with the rebellion. They won't be so quick to answer the calls for aid if they see what it will cost them." 

The general smiles; it's a smarmy, ridiculous expression on his pale face. Kylo considers slamming his helmet down on the man's head. His life would be much improved if he didn't have to look at that face.

"As you wish, Supreme Leader."

Over the next week, the First Order destroys one planet per day. They search for communications from the rebels, and their leads begin to multiply. Millions dead, and the entire galaxy on its knees in terror. 

As Kylo is walking back to his rooms from the last weapons discharge, a sharp pain in his chest draws him up short. He resists the urge to double over, knowing he cannot show weakness here in the open. He makes it back to his room and locks himself in. His heart beats wildly, and he lays down to settle himself. 

And then Rey appears, standing right in front of him, her face pale and drawn. He moves quickly to stand in front of her, drinking down the sight. So beautiful.