Chapter Text
Vast space. That was all that young general could see from the bridge. There was no planet nearby. Only a few asteroids floating here and there. The ship under his command, the Finalizer, had been sailing into deeper parts of Unknown regions for a few days. They were sent here on the demand of Supreme Leader Snoke. For what, the general didn’t know. The order was to venture into depths of Unknown Region and find a valuable thing, be it artefacts or resources. Valuable artefacts or resources? In this empty waste of space? But he didn’t want to risk asking for the reason, oh no, he still remembered what happened last time he allowed himself to question his leadership. And he didn´t want to experience that again.
“Blasted force users and stuck up old geezers,” general Hux growled under his breath, “I should have stayed on the Star Killer Base. There are still three out of ten mandatory check-ups to do. If the weapon is used before doing these, there is a great possibility of malfunctioning. Who knows what would happen…But I am pretty sure that if something happens, I would be at the point of the blame. Not the one who ordered premature firing, no, no. Me. Because Star Killer is my creation, therefore I am responsible for incompetence of the others. Really beautiful…”
“Sir, may I speak my mind?” Chief Petty Officer asked.
“You may, Umano,” he nodded.
“I would suggest, that we try to hyperdrive to the north. According to maps, there is a small planet situated there. It may be the place we were sent to explore,” she said in a respectful voice.
“Very well. Permission to jump through hyperspace granted.”
“Underst…”
“SIR!” male voice cried.
“What it is, officer?”
“I am very sorry for interrupting Chief Umano, but we have picked up the call. The signal is coming from around four kilometres south-west from us. It looks like it´s a distress call.”
“Patch it through.”
“Roger that.”
There was a moment of silence. Statics cracked. Everyone on the bridge was waiting for the voice to start talking. And then, they´ve heard it.
“---Greetings. This is 2V-R8, maintenance droid of spaceship Fury. With this distress call, I am sending coordinates of this spacecraft. We are in dire need of help---” the voice went silent, then started speaking once again. But this time…
“That´s Huttese. Hm. It looks like this call is recorded. General, what should we do? It may be a trap,” officer Thannison frowned.
“Proceed with caution. Once the Finalizer is in close range, we will scan the ship for any lifeforms. Once scanned, we will pull the ship into the hangar. Once it will be inside, order troopers to have their weapons ready. That way, if anything will jump out of there, it´ll be quickly eliminated.”
“Of course, general. Start the approaching!” Umano commanded.
The Finalizer turned and at a slow pace, floated to the place, where distress signal called. Pilots chose slow tempo. General appreciated it. At this pace, he could look around the vast space around them. There was still a possibility, that Resistance was lurking around. even if it was 0,1 per cent possibility, he didn’t want to risk it. Slowly, in distance, Hux saw something. According to their maps, that was the place of their interest. Closer they were, easier they could see the spaceship. Or spaceships.
“Oh my. I do not believe my eyes,” the general said as the flagship halted in the movement, close enough to pull ship inside through magnetic fields.
And he was not only one who was surprised. Nearly every officer on the bridge gasped when they saw the ships. It looked like the crafts were crashed together. Once the magnetic field started to pull them into the hangar, it was clear to see, they were indeed crashed, but also melted, fused, into each other of the side.
“Those are…”
“The Fury-class Imperial Interceptor and Defender-class Light Corvette. The models produced over three millenniums ago. Fury-class used by Old Empire and Defender-class by the Old Republic. Incredible. And the droid on the Fury-class is still functioning,” general finished.
´Such luck. To find not one but two historical models…What a fortunate moment,´ he thought.
“Sir,” the voice from intercom said, “both ships were loaded into hangar and troopers are situated around it.”
“Keep lookout but do not step inside. Wait for me.”
“Of course, sir.”
Hux ordered officers on the bridge, to keep a lookout for possible threats. Then, he turned to the elevators. Accompanied by two stormtroopers, personally chosen to be his bodyguards, he went to the hangar.
“What is the situation, colonel Kaplan?” the general asked the moment he entered the hangar.
“Everything is calm. Nothing made attempts to leave the ship. We scanned both of them, to find potential bombs or any other unwelcomed weapons. It´s unfortunate to say, that Defender-class Light Corvette will be in need of great repairing. Both of her thrusters were heavily damaged, along with canons and shielding. On the contrary, Fury-class Imperial Interceptor is in better condition and it´s possible, that she will be able to take off, once we sever both ships from each other,” the asked man answered.
“And the signs of life? Did you find any?” Hux continued the interrogation while closing his distance with spacecraft.
“Scans showed us, four individuals. Two inorganics, possibility of being droids and two unidentified.”
“Unidentified? How come?”
“Scans cannot head and tail out of it. Here, please take a look,” Kaplan said as he handed Hux a datacom.
“Hmm. Interesting,” he hummed.
Suddenly, the heavy door of Fury hissed and opened. Trooper aimed their blasters on the entrance. For a minute, nothing happened. Then hurried steps were heard. Two differently sounding sets of steps. It wasn’t long before two silhouettes appeared in the entrance. Two droids. Golden, who looked like the predecessor to C3-P0 line. The other droid was blue in colour and its head was less humanoid like. Both were armed, but their blaster pistols rested on their hips. Droids stopped and looked around. They didn’t look hostile, quite opposite, Hux could tell. He stepped forward. And seemingly, as if he crossed some invisible line, blue droid turned to him and slightly bowed.
“Greetings. It is my greatest pleasure to meet the commander of this flagship, who decided to help us. You saved lives, sir. You saved the lives of very important beings. May I have the name of the prestigious sir? …Oh, what audacity of me! To ask for name, where sir is clearly of the highest position on this ship…I am 2V-R8. That is C2-N2,” the droid said.
Hux nodded. The droid was a little strange. But considering that the droid was on ships last seen three thousand years ago, it should be understandable, that it didn’t speak to another being for a long time. Sans the second droid, of course.
“Would it be possible for me and my crew to search both ships?” the general asked.
“Why of course, prestigious sir. Please, come in, come in.”
The golden droid only made static noise, and then saddened looked at the ground. ´It must have damaged vocal circuits. We will look at it after the search,´ general thought as he stepped inside the Fury. From the ventral entry ramp, through a short corridor, the group found themselves in, supposedly, the lounge. It contained a conference table, galley, acceleration chairs and quite large central Holoterminal. Connected right to the lounge were refreshers and medical bay. They could see another passage opposite to the one they just came through. By inspection, it led both to the bridge and captain quarters.
“Sir. Please come to the med bay, please. There is something strange in the Kolto tank,” one of the Hux's officers called.
General stopped inspecting the bridge which, he must say, was impeccable for such an old model. He returned to the lounge and entered the med bay. Then, he froze. In front of his eyes, and eyes of his research crew was very peculiar thing.
“What is statue doing in Kolto tank?” Kaplan voiced a question that appeared in the minds of every organic being on Fury.
“2V-R8. Can you tell us, why is there a statue?” General Hux turned to the blue droid, while golden droid made angry static noises.
“Of course, prestigious sir. That is not a statue. Those are our masters, who underwent the carbon freezing process,” there were couple static noises, “Oh yes. Masters left a message to anyone who will find Fury-model and Defender-model ships. Please, into to lounge.”
However shocked First Order officers were, they followed droid into the lounge. General gestured to his subordinates that they can sit down or lean against the walls. He himself stood still and straight.
The droid was typing into the panel on the side of the large holo terminal. Then, a blue image popped up. It was of the hooded person. ´Oh no, the Ren´s cultist type of the person. The type that covers the face behind the mask and brags about the Force all the time,´ Hux cringed inwardly, keeping cool façade on the outside. But he was not only one. His other officers though the same thing. They had experienced enough of the Supreme Leader´s apprentice.
“If you are listening to this message, you have discovered our ships and have been instructed by our droids,” the person said in a powerful but somewhat mechanized voice, not very dissimilar to Kylo´s voice from the mask. “This is Darth Nox of the Shadow Council. During the return from successful reclaiming of the Korriban, there was an accident. The Fury-model Interceptor was crashed into by Defender-model Corvette. This accident happened while both crafts were going to jump into the hyperspace which caused both ships to melt together on one side and throwing us out of our predestined trajectories. Only thing, that saves both of us, were strong shield around the crafts.
In the time of recording this message, we have been travelling through hyperspace for three hours. It´s impossible to jump out, we´ve tried it numerous times already. We are not sure how long will this take. It can last day, weeks, months or even years. For that matter, both of us will be carbonized and put into the Kolto tank. After that, droids will wait until the ships jump out of the hyperspace. Once that will happen, they are ordered to send distress call two times a week. When the call is answered, they begin decarbonization. By the time this message is finished, Kolto tank is drained and decarbonization is about to begin.
Long live the Emperor, long live the Sith Empire. Darth Nox, out.”
With that, the recording stopped, but then started again. This time, it was another figure, still covered by the hood, but the style of the clothes was very different from what wore the person before.
“This will be a very short message. Because the tank in the med bay is designed for one person, we decided to reduce our own mass. Therefore, I humbly ask you for your discretion, when we are uncarbonized. There are cloaks prepared in the cabinet in the medical bay. Let the Force be with you,” person had gentle, one could be said whimsical, voice.
Hux turned back to the med bay. And yes, the tank was drained and decarbonization has already started. Now he could distinguish the characteristics of both persons. By horns on their heads, both were Zabraks. Only which…ah, Dathomirian Zabraks by the colour of their skin. And twins, by their facial structure and their horn positioning. The only different thing about them so far were the tattoos on their bodies. And scars.
The decarbonization finished and both of them fell on their knees. ´Who knows how long they were in there. There will be disorientation for the first few days, then it should be fine. The priority now will be to get them into The Finalizer´s medical wing.´
“Call the first aid. We are going to transport them into the med bay,” he told one stormtrooper as he put cloaks on shivering aliens.
“Right away, sir,” trooper salutes as he went outside of the ship.
A few seconds after, two doctors came in along with a group of troopers pushing hovering stretchers. Two Zabraks were put on them, secured and then the group left. Hux stood up, following them but not before turning to Kaplan.
“Search both ships from top to bottom. Take every artefact, every weapon, everything that´s not attached to the ship and divide them in hangar. Scan both crafts in the chance of something being hidden in the walls. Look into all records on the holo terminal and in the datacron. I want everything to be looked up or looked into.
Once you finish “raiding” the ships, organize taken things in the empty storage room and lock it. None other than you and me will know codes.”
“Understood, general,” Kaplan saluted.
When the young general arrived into the medical wing, he was pleasantly surprised that their guests were in deep sleep. As one of the doctors explained to him, them being in Kolto tank resulted in nearly picture-perfect health. Sans the tiredness and dizziness, of course. It was estimated that both males will be asleep for, at least, one full day. Or more.
Faces of both Zabraks were clear to see. Hux could see differences in tattoos. Tattoos of the one who was closer to him made his face look serene. General could see clear rigged lines of the scars on sides of the mouth. By the look of them, the man must have his mouth cut open. It went all the way to the ears. But by the look of it, it must have happened a very long time ago, most likely when a man was still a child. The young commander stepped towards the second Zabrak, examining his face. Tribal tattoos on this man were making even his sleeping face look fierce. Marked by the scar on the left side of the face. Vertical rigged marl went from the forehead through the eye and stopped in middle on the cheek. There is horizontally spread to the ear. General couldn’t read what was there, but it looked like a serial number. Oh, a slave mark. Probably received in the childhood.
´Both of them have scars since they were children, but why are they so different? Could it be that the twins were separated at childhood? That could explain the differences…´ general was musing.
“General! General!” a panicked voice came from his communicator.
“What is happening?”
“General! Your codes on Starkiller base terminal have been breached!”
“WHAT!” Hux shouted as he hurried to the bridge.
“General Pryde is preparing the base to fire.”
“How did he get the codes?! And what about those three mandatory tests?! Did he, at least, finished them?!”
“N-no, general Hux. He breached everything. Even changed the course of the fire.”
“How? How? How? That impossible! That course was secured by so many codes… Call the Starkiller base! Immediately! I want to speak with Pryde!” he shouted as he stepped onto the bridge.
“Of course, sir. Right away.”
The holo terminal lighted up, showing that the call is transmitting. Hux frantically tapped his foot. He was angry, confused and impatient. How did Pryde even get all those codes? How?
“Ah, general Hux. What a pleasant surprise. What do you have on the heart?” Pryde´s sneering voice filled the bridge as his image appeared on the terminal.
“Cut the pleasantries, general Pryde! What is the meaning of this?”
“Oh? Of what? You should specify, my dear Hux?”
“Your plan to use Starkiller prematurely! Who even allowed that?! There are still three tests to run!”
“Oh shush. Supreme Leader Snoke said it´s the time.”
“How did you even get all my codes?! And why did you change the target location?!”
“Lord Ren helped get me those codes. Good thing you weren’t able to take all your officers with you.”
“What are you…No! No! No, you did not. Not Mitaka!”
“Oh yes. Yes, Mitaka. Lord Ren probed his mind and gave me all the codes for the Starkiller base. If you want to see the show, I suggest you start your way back. Goodbye, Hux.”
“Dammit!” general punched the panel connected to the terminal. “Set the course to the Starkiller.” ´Dammed Pryde. Dammed Ren. Dammed Snoke. Even with the highest speed, we won´t be able to make it in time. Travelling here alone took a day in hyperspace…Let´s hope Mitaka is alright. He is surely traumatized. Getting probed is no fun.´
“Jumping into the hyperspace, sir,” Umano announced.
The Finalizer was travelling for ten hours now. And the atmosphere on the bridge was so thick one could cut it with vibroblade. General Hux was pacing, angry and terrified at the same time. Angry, because the Starkiller was not ready and terrified at the damage Pryde was going to cause with it. He himself had chosen deserted, unclaimed system. He was not stupid to destroy heavily populated one and Republic one on top of that, he knew that if he destroyed any system closely allied with the New Republic or Hosnian system alone, it would be like stirring into Killik´s nest. He needed them to see the power of The First Order, fear it and out of fear stop giving resources to the Resistance. Or even better join the Order. All these years he had spent. All his plans…Destroyed. Like Hosnian system soon will be.
Around fourteen hours of the flight back through hyperspace, Finalizer´s holo terminal booted itself up. It showed Pryde standing on the podium. Everybody knew what it meant.
“Today is the end of the Republic. The end of a regime that acquiesces to disorder. At this very moment in a system far from here, the New Republic lies to the galaxy while secretly supporting the treachery of the loathsome Resistance.”
Hux sucked in a breath. And he was not alone. Umano frowned. Other few officers kept their mouths curved downwards.
“This fierce machine which you have built, upon which we stand will bring an end to the Senate, to their cherished fleet.”
Troopers on the Finalizer were confused. Why is general Pryde making this speech? Why are they doing it? General Hux had not yet returned to Starkiller base. They, the Finalizer, had not yet returned to the base. They should wait. This was meant to be Hux´s moment. Moment of his accomplishments.
“All remaining systems will bow to the First Order and will remember this as the last day of the Republic! FIRE!”
And while on other Star Destroyers officers and troopers cheered, the Finalizer was silent. They watched in horror as red laser bean, powered by kyber crystals, traversed trough space, split in multiple beans and making contact with the targeted system. Hux just stood there, looking at destruction his weapon caused. Hosnian system was gone. Obligated. Vaporized. Only dust stayed there as reminder of once-powerful planets. The broadcasting ended.
“You are all permitted to voice your own opinions,” he said in a voice that told everyone general was not exactly with them with his mind. His eyes were distantly looking into flashing lights of hyperspace.
“Sir, I believe it would be wise to go to your quarters. You clearly need to lie down for few hours,” officer Umano called out in caring voice. “Let us take care of everything. UM-3324, UN-8876, please, escort general to his quarters.”
“Yes, madam,” Hux´s bodyguards saluted before they gently nudged young general to the lift.
Once the door of the lift closed, Umano loudly sighed.
“Poor general. It was meant to be his big moment when Starkiller was supposed to fire. Not Pryde´s,” officer near the navigation loudly said, with a lot of people agreeing.
“Is that man nuts?! He just destroyed the system with billiards of habitats! That is practically a genocide! General Hux at least targeted system that had the minimal number of habitats!”
“Exactly! The Oquare system consisted mostly of dried dead planets with no life nor vegetation. Only Gha´afve-Liuex had a population. And the number does not even reach a hundred.”
“And while that would be also considered a genocide, the lives lost would be minuscule to this!” another officer called out from the side of the holo terminal.
The Finalizer finally appeared in close distance of Starkiller Base. Around the planet-sized weapon were other Star Destroyers. Umano stabilized vessel into place and ordered to prepare a shuttle for General Hux. Just as she closed the line with the hangar, said general entered the bridge.
“Sir! Welcome back. We´ve ordered to prepare transport to the base,” she said as he stopped next to her.
“Very well, officer Umano. Did something happen during my absence?” to every officer on the bridge, his voice still sounded tired.
“Nothing, sir. We did not get any news from the base, nor any news from supreme leader Snoke.”
“And any news about our guests in the med bay?”
“Still asleep. But one woke up for around ten seconds before falling unconscious again.”
“Which one?”
“The one with the scarred mouth. He wasn’t aware of his surroundings. Eyes half-lidded, clouded.”
“When it happened?”
“Two hours fifteen minutes and twenty-three minutes after you retired to your quarters, sir.”
“Excellent,” Hux nodded. “Keep eye on them and contact me immediately, when they wake up.”
“Understood, sir.”
“The squad that accompanies me to the base is prepared?”
“Yes, sir. They are waiting in the hangar. We got permission to land on the base.”
“Permission? What permission?! Finalizer should not be asking for any permissions! Star Killer base is listed under command of our Star Destroyer, our Finalizer! It should be THEM, who should ask for permission. From US!” general huffed.
And officers agreed. Hux designed, created that base. Automatically, general should be permitted to enter the weapon´s atmosphere any time he wanted!
“It doesn´t matter. Take care of the ship while I am away.”
“Of course, sir.”
The moment Delta-class JV-7 escort shuttle touched concrete of Starkiller´s hangar, stormtrooper clad in shiny reflective armour marched through the gate. While other troopers stood in neat formation; this trooper stood in front of the descending platform. It was clear, that this trooper was higher in the imperial hierarchy then rest of the squad standing behind them.
“General Hux,” trooper said, the voice while distorted but clearly belonged to the woman. “Welcome back. I hope your mission was calm and successful…”
“It was nice and calm until I received notification that all my codes were overwritten, message that my lieutenant was probed by Kylo Ren and that the Base is about to vaporize Hosnian system,” general snapped at the trooper as he descended the ramp along with his bodyguards and trooper squad.
“Lieutenant? Probed?... Wait you mean Mitaka?”
“Who else, captain Phasma?! The only officer I left on Killer Base and he gets his mind raped!” he fumed. “Delta squad!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Go find Dopheld Mitaka and escort him to the shuttle. Stay with him and wait for my return. I am going to talk with Pryde, Kylo Ren and, hopefully, with Supreme Leader Snoke.”
“Of course, sir.”
As squad marched away, Hux along with his two bodyguards and captain Phasma went the other way, destination – Control room. General hoped that he would first find Pryde, then go to talk with Snoke. He did not want to speak with Ren but he had something crucial to say. Something that included Mitaka.
As if Fate itself wanted to make him miserable, when the small group turned into the corridor near the Control room, they encountered young Force user marching opposite to them. Hux frowned but quickly regained his stony expression. Kylo Ren noticed them and seemingly decided to approach the general.
“Hux.”
“Ren.”
“You were not present for the firing. Why?
“I was on a mission assigned to me by Supreme leader Snoke.”
“That´s not a reason to be not present.”
“When Finalizer got a message from Pryde, the ship was hyperspatial twenty-four hours away from the base. It was practically impossible for us to be here in time. Twenty-four hours in hyperspace is a quite long time, Ren.”
“Don´t get cocky with me, general,” Kylo sneered in general face.
´Thank heavens he is wearing that mask. Otherwise, he would cover me in his spit…´ Hux though.
“On the other hand, Ren, I have something to say to you.”
“What is it?”
“If you touch anyone who is under my command, you will regret it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I am talking about lieutenant Dophel Mitaka. The officer you´ve mind raped for codes.”
“And?”
“And? AND?! What have you done was unacceptable! Along with destroying the ship, harassing the officers, killing the troopers! That´s all unacceptable! Stop behaving like Neanderthal! You are worse than Trandoshans…Ugh…” Hux was lifted from the ground as he tried to grab invisible force strangling his throat.
“GENERAL!” called two bodyguards as they pointed their blasters at Force user.
“Kylo Ren, stop this in instant!” captain Phasma ordered, knowing very well her ranking was under said man. “Supreme Leader Snoke will be angry with you if you kill him.”
“He´s not needed anymore. His work is done. The weapon is built and is working. The Order does not need him anymore……what……Master?” Kylo fell silent as he apparently listened to his master in his mind. “Tch.”
He unceremoniously dropped Hux´s, nearly unconscious, body. One of the bodyguards quickly caught their general.
“Snoke wants to speak with you. Now,” and then Kylo turned on the heel and left.
Small group, without Phasma as she left them before Hux had a conversation with Supreme leader, just stepped inside of Control Room when alarms went off. Scanners showed several small ships entering the Starkiller base´s atmosphere. At the same time, Hux got a call from officer Umano.
“Sir, several X-wing starfighters just flew pass the Finalizer! They ignored us and went straight for the base. It looks like an attack led by the Resistance!” and the moment she finished her sentence the shields dropped.
“Somebody just dropped shield around the base! It´s an attack meant for destruction of it! Prepare Finalizer for departure and for at least twenty evacuation shuttles! I am going to order mass evacuation!” he said to Umano before turning to personnel in the Control room, “Try to raise shield back up!”
“Understood, sir.”
Hux ran to one of the officers sitting behind the main control panel.
“Sir, the shields are impossible to put back up. They jammed them,” officer nearly cried, panicking.
“Start the alarms! And put me through!”
The former First Order stormtrooper, FN-2187, now known as Finn, was fleeing the shield monitors along with legendary Han Solo and Chewbacca. They just dropped his former captain into trash disposer and were making their way out, to the forest, where Rey ran with Kylo Ren chasing after her. And where was Millennium Falcon hidden. Then, the alarm went off.
“They are NOW putting up alarm?” Han asked.
“Rhaaaw!” Chewbacca growled in agreement.
To Finn, this alarm was strange. He never really witnessed it…but…it was strange. This wasn't an alarm that was announcing the intruders. No. This was something else. Meant for something else.
“No, Mr Solo. This…”
“Attention to all on board the Starkiller Base,” a voice cut through all noises.
“Who…”
“That´s…”
“This is General Hux speaking. I am ordering a mass evacuation. I repeat, mass evacuation has been ordered. Find your way to the hangars and depart the base. Shuttles are prepared to take you to nearest Star Destroyers. Those, who are in the air, fighting Resistance´s Starfighters, are ordered to leave their positions and…”
“They are admitting the defeat? Hey, Finn, who´s this Hux fella?”
“…shields of Starkiller Base have been put down and jammed. It´s clear that the base will be in few minutes destroyed. Please, abandon your posts…”
“Hux is general. A quite young one. I met him only once when he was picking his bodyguards.”
Trio finally exited the interior of the base and made their way to Falcon.
“I am going to find Rey…”
“Oh no, you don´t, sonny…”
“But…”
“We are going to find a young lady. So, hop on. With Falcon, we will be quicker.”
“Yes, sir.”
As they reached Millennium Falcon, they saw dozens of TIE boarding shuttles accompanied with TIE Fighters flying above their heads.
“Looks like he really meant it. The evacuation,” Han mused with Chewbacca nodding.
“When gene…Hux is announcing something, he usually means it seriously,” Finn nodded.
When they found Rey, she was not looking very good. She was trying her best against the Dark Force user, but her combat skills were nowhere near his level. He had her on the ground, looming over her, with red lightsaber ready to cut her leg off.
“REY!” Finn shouted as he reached the duo from the lowered ramp of nearing Millennium Falcon.
Something stirred inside him. He felt something phantom in his outstretched hand. So, he pulled at it.
.
.
.
Lightsaber of Kylo Ren flew at him. But he didn´t catch it. It flew past his hand, pass the Falcon, burying itself in the snow. Former stormtrooper looked shocked at his hand. Ren looked, shocked, at his own hand. Then shifted his gaze at the reason why his saber was not his hand anymore. Rey used the moment to flee the Dark user. She sprinted to the fallen tree trunk, climbed it as Falcon was nearing. It slowed a little, giving her a chance to jump on the ramp, where Finn was waiting. She prepared.
.
She jumped.
.
And landed onto Finn. Thanks for the impact, both flew into the ship as the ramp raised up. They were saved. Han Solo turned the ship to fly away. But at that moment, one of the Order´s shuttles appeared, hovering, not landing. It´s ramp lowered and it showed young-looking man, with ginger hair, leaning out.
“Kylo Ren! Snoke ordered me to take you to Finalizer! Forget them!”
“No! They are right here!”
As Ren pointed at the Millennium Falcon, said the ship was already flying away.
“NOOOOO!”
“STOP THIS NONSENSE, REN! STARKILLER BASE IS GOING TO EXPLODE! MOVE YOUR SORRY ASS!”
“FUCK YOU HUX!” Ren yelled as he drew his lightsaber back to him.
“IF YOU STAY HERE, WHO WILL FINISH WHAT DARTH VADER STARTED?!”
Kylo fell quiet. Then he sprinted to the shuttle. Ramp closed and shuttle flew away.
Hux´s shuttle was last to board the Finalizer. General immediately ordered ship´s stormtroopers to take care of evacuated officers, technics and troopers. He himself with his bodyguards dragged Kylo Ren to the bridge.
At times like these, he was happy that one elevator was directly connected to the bridge. He punched his code on the console and elevator went up.
“Officer Umano, prepare launch into the hyperspace. Set the course towards the Supremacy.”
“Roger that, sir.”
General Hux stepped to the window as the Finalizer was slowly and slightly turning to the left. Starkiller base was clear to see.
He touched the reinforced glass.
Few officers looked at him.
He could see three Resistance´s Starfighters in distance entering the hyperspace.
The Finalizer stopped turning.
Centre of the base started to glow red.
Thrusters of the ship were heard loudly humming.
Eruptions were scorching everything on the planet-sized weapon.
The last thing, Hux saw before the Finalizer entered the hyperspace, was one massive explosion. Starkiller base was no more. His creation. His precious creation. He spent so many hours perfecting this weapon. For nothing!
He drew a deep breath. Exhaled. Turned away from the window and started to made his way towards the elevator. But he was stopped. Grabbed by the biceps.
“Why did you not shoot the Falcon? They were right there!”
“Orders were clear. Take Kylo Ren before base´s destruction,” Hux hissed as he yanked his arm from Force user´s grip.
“But you ordered everybody to leave their posts! That´s treason!”
“I did what good general would do. I ordered evacuation to save lives! Don´t you have respect for a person´s life?!”
“Rich coming from you, who annihilated whole Hosnian system,” Kylo sneered.
“I annihilated?! Ok, maybe I´ve to build a weapon of mass destruction, but my target was the deserted system with a complete population of fifty-three humanoids who were surviving on cannibalizing each other. If you want to point a finger, point it at Pryde. It was him, who destroyed billions of lives. And also point it at yourself. You also contributed to that genocide! It´s thanks to you that Pryde got to rewrite my codes!”
“Hey…”
“I am going to visit Mitaka. Who knows in what state did you left him?”