A Reylo Novel (updating soon)

Chapter 2

(Ben Solo)
I opened my eyes. My heart was racing, sweat dripping down my forehead. There was a pressure building deep inside my gut, beginning to flow through my veins. I could feel the tension rising. It was in this moment, that I was aware I was completely alone. The realization blindsided me. Perhaps I should have felt alarmed, but I didn't.
I leaned back and ran my hands through my hair. I couldn't help but think of her. She, who had shown me compassion, though I had shown her none. She, who had treated me like I was more than a child hidden behind a mask. She, who when we had spoken, seen a part of me so vulnerable, that no one had seen before. She...
A sharp rapping on the door tore me away from my thoughts. A tense voice sounded from just outside.
"My lord, we received word that a rebel cruiser appeared on our scanners."
I took a breath. How fitting, that the very last thing I wanted to deal with had found itself as my most present concern.
"My lord?" Hux spoke again from outside the heavy doors. His voice held more of an edge this time, urging me to attend to the matters at hand. I stood, moving slowly, my head pounding, and my emotions raw. Each step felt heavier than the last. There weren't many rebel cruisers left. In fact, I knew of only one, and I knew who would be on it. I let out a shuddered breath, and reached out with shaky hands for the knob on the large doors. My fingers curled around it, then fell to fists at my sides. I outstretched my right hand, calling my saber to meet it. It shot from its place into my palm, and in one quick motion, was activated. It's red blaze lit up the dark room, sending shadows across the walls that so oddly resembled people. My father, Luke, her...
I swung the saber around, connecting with the wall. I heard Hux wince outside the door. I took heavy steps towards the door, and thrusting it open, found Hux staring at me. No emotion crossed his pale face.
"Are you finished yet?" he sneered, leaning up against the doorframe. "Because there is a matter that concerns you, that is, if you aren't too busy playing with your--ahem, toys."
I ignored his comment and instead stormed past him. Hux pushed away from the doorframe and fell into step behind me. I gave him a look of irritation, then began to walk faster. Hux continued to follow at my heels, his pace matching mine. I abruptly turned around, coming within inches of Hux's face. I took a large step back as Hux did the same.
"Do you mind?" I said through gritted teeth.
Hux glared at me and began to open his mouth, but before he could say anything, I began walking towards the elevator. I made my way quickly and reached it without Hux in tow. The doors were just about to close when he managed to slip inside.
"Must you run down the halls like some...child?" he muttered distastefully.
"Must you follow at my heels?" I retorted back.
Both comments were met with a scowl. The elevator made a faint hiss as the doors locked, followed by a beep as we lurched upwards. I stood with my arms folded in front of me, my head bent low. The last thing I needed to see was Hux and the dumb smirk plastered on his face. The rest of the ride, I was met with nothing but silence. Another beep, followed by more hissing as the doors opened, signaled that we had arrived in the control room.A buzz filled the room as people rushed back and forth, voices rising as all our attention was on the cruiser before us. I longed for the silence of my chambers, where I could be alone with my thoughts. A young man with pitch black hair came over to Hux and I.
"Sir, we have been instructed to inform you that the final Rebel cruiser has been sighted. Shall we lock onto it?"
I was silent for a moment, pondering my options. I was presented with a choice; to chase after and obliterate the Rebels once and for all, or...
The man looked at me expectantly, waiting for my command. Suddenly a voice shook me from my thoughts, returning my attention to the bridge. One of the lower ranking men, a private, his eyes still glued to his computer screen, shouted out above the hum of noise.
"Sir, the cruiser has just jumped to lightspeed!"
All eyes turned my way.
"What would you like me to do, Sir? Shall we prepare to make the jump to lightspeed?"
"No," I growled, angry, for not reacting sooner. Self-doubt was beginning to show itself despite my efforts to mask it.
"Prepare my shuttle for takeoff," I shouted as I stormed off of the bridge, with Hux ever presently beside me.
"Don't you have anything better to do?"
"Better than irritating you? Hardly."
The only way I was able to hold back a fit of rage was to bite my tongue until I tasted blood. I clenched my fists and took a breath.
"Why don't you make yourself useful for once, and fetch Captain Phasma, hmm?"
"Of course, my Lord." He looked me in the eye as he went into a deep bow, staying there just a moment too long, before turning his back on me. I could hear him muttering under his breath as he stalked away, but the words were incomprehensible. I ignored Hux's immature statements. My shuttle would be ready by now. I went into the elevator alone, my cloak trailing in my wake. The doors hissed shut and I was carried down. To my left I saw another elevator dropping down to the shuttle bay, which contained the brutish form of General Hux, along with Phasma. Hux looked over at me and grinned. He knew I was beyond irritated with him, and he was enjoying every second of it. As the elevator shuddered to a halt, I stepped forward in the direction of my shuttle, and waited as the deck lowered slowly to the ground. Phasma and Hux joined me.
"I don't need you to accompany me," I said, trying to keep my tone civil.
"Perhaps not, but seeing as you are somewhat lacking in, how shall I say it, common sense--" Phasma cleared her throat from behind me.
"If you boys are quite finished, we have a rebel ship to catch," she said smoothly, as she climbed aboard the shuttle.
"Who said we're going to catch a rebel ship?" I asked as I joined her aboard the shuttle.
"Well someone around here had to make the decision, and since you proved incapable, I took it upon myself." She lowered her head slightly at me, as though she were waiting for me to contradict her. Since her face was concealed behind her helmet, I could not read the expression on her face, but, knowing her, there was a good chance she wore a smirk. Hux, failing miserably to suppress a chuckle, received a nasty glare from me as I settled into the pilot's chair. Phasma took the co-pilot's seat, leaving Hux to sit behind one of us. To no surprise, he chose the one behind her. As the shuttle's engines roared to life, it began to move. "Course set for Dantooine," I said as the ship left the hangar. Phasma turned her head towards me. "Dantooine? One of the most remote planets in the galaxy? Why there?"
"Where else would the rebels hide? My mother, because she was so involved in the Rebel causes, simply insisted on my education of the history -- and geography -- of the bases, commanders, and confrontations."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement from the back right side. I glanced behind me, catching Hux as he mimicked my words.
With a murderous stare, I shot back "This is where one of the largest, albeit abandoned, bases was located, oh, twenty years ago? If they were smart, this is where they would've chosen to seek shelter."
"Dantooine it is, then," Phasma said decidedly, with a gesture that could've been taken for rolling her eyes at Hux's antics.