Red Opus

Chapter 8: Repression

Weeks had passed since your endeavours on Takodana, and though the memory lingered you decided not to dwell. Time spent recalling countless nameless victims did nothing to aid your irredeemable soul.

Swinging your left leg over the edge and kicking it back and forth, you sat up in your nest, head rested back against the wall, eyes shut, listening to the gentle clacking sound as the strap around your calf clicked against the metal. It was still dark, the low lighting of the sleep-cycle still in effect. You had been in your perch since the night before, your desire to sleep completely erased by the 2-day long meditation you had endured. As time passed, more and more officers attended the bridge. You heard the tell-tale slapping of regulation boots along the polished floor. You smiled before you had even opened your eyes, peering down to see General Hux storming his way to the command console. You watched with lazy interest as he strode to the command console and tried his utmost to look as intimidating as possible.

The general was still a bit twitchy around you. He was probably still trying to figure out where you fit into his grand plan. Although not interested in him on a personal level, you knew that you had to be more attentive to the General. He was, after all, carrying out the will of the Supreme Leader. In many ways, he was just as much an orchestrator of his commands as yourself.

You knew he had his own agenda, but so did you. And today, that involved passing some time before your next endeavour. Swinging your right leg down and sliding your butt over the edge, you silently dropped onto the walkway from above, between Hux and the doors, and a female officer shrieked as you almost landed on her. Her paperwork made a loud whoosh and rustle as she dropped it, and you stalked away before Hux could register your disturbance, paper flying everywhere like white birds. You were certain if you looked around, you would see his blue eyes narrow and pierce your back.

You walked for a few minutes, disregarding the awful attempts at salutes which were thrown your way. Your boots made no sound as you tread along the long corridors as a phantom, sticking to the sides as much as possible.

Finally, you reached the central walkway on the Supremacy. You glanced to your left, then your right, then straight ahead. You were alone. The ship was so incredibly huge, that even full of people you could find yourself completely isolated like this. Able to sense anyone passing nearby, you had no issue with proceeding to sit cross-legged in the middle of the corridor, closing your eyes, and calling on your connection to the force. You inhaled gently, filling your lungs and slowly drew out your exhale, feeling the breath leave your body.

Every living thing gave off a force signature. Some were stronger than others, living life with untapped potential they would never be aware of. Others were very faint, especially down in the med bay. You could sense the weak pulsing and dying of force energy as various lifeforms below you gave in to their mortal wounds. It gave you a strange feeling of peace. All life returned to the force in the end, all energy only borrowed.

Snokes own force signature was muted greatly by not only his sheer willpower, but also the suppression in the metal lining of the walls in the lower levels. You could sense him if you focused, but his very presence made you want to look away. Like there was a suggestion of his aura that you didn't want to be near him, triggering your fight or flight response. You shivered, withdrawing from him, and cast your mind elsewhere, searching for Ren.

You could sense him very faintly. He wasn't on the lower levels with Snoke, but rather his energy was coming from the other side of the Supremacy. Even at this vast distance, you could make out the subtle traces of orange in his signature. He felt...anxious?

No, not anxious. The crease appeared between your eyebrows as you focused on him.

Sad.

Committing the force signature to memory, you decided to take the most direct route. Instead of following the turbolifts up and then traipsing through an endless maze of corridors, you used the force to pull the opening from a nearby droid port.