Force Destiny

Resistance Location

Blue beeped and whirred with questions from his position next to him as Kylo focused on the controls of the command shuttle. There was a succession of warning beeps from the hypertransceiver before it flickered to life, casting a blue glow over the darkness of hyperspace. "Supreme Leader."

"Congratulations, General; only you can make that title sound so repulsive," Kylo sneered, "I thought I made it clear I had set course to Concordia. Could this not wait until then? You're disturbing an otherwise peaceful jump."

"Be that as it may," Hux drawled, trying to control his own caviling tone, "the First Order has pressing matters that require your attention. I was informed that you wanted immediate knowledge of any new information on the Resistance, and, considering your ridiculous refusal to be accompanied by any other crew members on your mission, you are the only one to whom I can relay this information." He glared at Kylo. He knew he had him. Kylo sighed and leaned back in his chair with splayed hands.

"What is so important?"

"Intelligence has narrowed down the location to several likely planets on the outer rim. Each contains bases that could potentially harbor the Resistance. As you Force users have some...connection... can you wave your hand or meditate or something equally non-violent and see if she is located on one of these planets?"

Kylo searched his subordinate's face for the twitch of a mocking expression to no avail. Unfortunately, the general was serious. Does he have any idea how the Force works? This was all an exercise in futility, of course, because he already knew which planet the Resistance had found as a temporary base. Kylo opened his own holopad, locating the document from the general. With the modicum of feigned interest he could muster, Kylo sifted through the projected planets.

"Tatooine...is Vader and Skywalker's home planet, but it's an inhospitable desert with no hideout, little resources, and unfriendly inhabitants who would turn them over to us if they didn't kill them first."

"Kashyyyk..." he continued, "is even less likely. The Wookiee would not be foolish enough to bring them there. It's directly on a major navigational route, and the Millennium Falcon would undoubtedly be recognized around those parts, as it was instrumental in their liberation."

"Arbra would be an excellent hideout, but the Rebel Alliance was unable to make the planet a base due to the invasive, energy-consuming behaviors of the native species. I won't step foot on that forsaken planet, General,; I highly doubt Leia Organa would risk the lives of her few remaining members on such a formidable place."

"Barkhesh... " His pulse quickened. He had figured the planet they selected was a relatively good choice. It was sparsely inhabited, and the rainforests provided excellent cover. He considered his options hastily. He had to direct them away from that world... away from Rey. But if he lied, to help the Resistance, no less, it was treason.

"Barkhesh has a native insectoid species that colonized the planet. One bite contains enough venom to kill their entire group. They are not foolish enough to step foot on that planet, and, if they were, they're long gone by now."

"And Hoth... Hoth was a Rebel stronghold during the Imperial war. Their general was based there with the Rebellion. Without supplies, they would not last long in those temperatures, but if I had to choose, I would focus efforts there, as it is the most likely of the possibilities you provided me." Hux stared at him expectantly, and he sighed. He waved his hand over the Holo mystically, pressing his lips together to suppress a smirk. "I can't sense a variance in the Force from her presence on any of these planets. The intel your troops have gathered is disappointing, General." He closed the holopad with disinterest, hoping his performance had been believable enough. It was clear they were closing in on Barkhesh. When he returned, he would have to use Force persuasion to implement a fail-safe at the bridge.

He could leave a suggestion with Peavey to divert from any course to the Seitia sector, but Hux would immediately become suspicious by the change of course. He could leave a suggestion instead for Peavey to respond to any order of change of course to Barkhesh with the assertion that they were already on course to Barkhesh. It would give him deniability with Hux. If he left a suggestion with Peavey to contact him with every order for a change, of course, it would give him time – something that had become increasingly more pressing.

It was inevitable that their hideout – or the members themselves – would be discovered, but with enough warning, he could ensure Rey's safety before the First Order was within range. She could hate him, but he wouldn't be the reason for her death. It was the only move he had. Until then, he would do everything in his power to buy more time. "Find me another planet – the right one. I assume your troops have not found the Corellian light freighter?"

"No... Supreme Leader, but they will," the general intoned.

The general was right. He needed to buy time. If there was a distraction – a significant one – then perhaps it would give him enough time to access the central computers. After his mission on Kamino, Kylo thought of the perfect distraction. He raised a Commander Halden in Weapon Controls on the hypertranceiver.

"Yes, my lord?" the man said hesitantly.

"Run a weapon's test on the abandoned base on Arkanis."

A grin grew on the commander's face. "Yes, sir. And the weapon?"

"Impress me."