#i want to please the hux girlies out there

[imabeautifulbutterfly]

In Other Words: Hold My Hand - Chapter 1

Weee look at me, starting another story when I have so many others left to finish 🙃 To be fair, I started this one a while ago and fully intended to get it off the ground sooner. But, you know, life. So after a sudden burst of creativity and motivation (while caught in throes of my Hux BS), here we are, chapter one ready to be released into the world. Just don't ask me when chapter two will come...

Part One: Hold My Hand

Chapter One

Hux x fem!reader | 2.4k words

Content warnings: Mention of torture/interrogation, mention of childhood abuse

It was a mystery how you'd ended up in this exact spot you currently found yourself in. The sequence of events themselves were fairly straightforward. There'd been an unexpected skirmish between some First Order troopers and your band of Resistance fighters; you and your best friend Nat had jumped foolishly into the fray despite only just having started your combat training; the Order had unsurprisingly cornered the two of you... and then, in what she probably thought to be a brilliant move, your friend had convinced the troopers you wanted to defect and join the Order. Then there was a week of nasty interrogation to ensure your stories matched up and held true. Somehow you'd both been cleared, and now here you were, standing outside the office of who would be your supervisor aboard The Finalizer, waiting to be summoned in.

What had happened was clear enough. The mystery was understanding why it had all happened. How could there possibly be good in the galaxy when it had devised such a series of unfortunate events to set you down right here, in the thick of all you despised? How could you possibly hope to improve that galaxy from here, or at the least simply benefit your own life? There was a reason espionage and spies weren't used against the First Order - a reason you'd tried repeatedly to explain to your stubborn friend to no avail.

Damn her, you grumbled to yourself, though you knew you didn't fully mean it. Sure, she'd had the idea, but you'd gone along with it. You couldn't make her shoulder all of the blame.

A swooshing sound accompanied the sudden opening of the door in front of you. You stood at attention, coming face to face with a young officer in a smart-looking hat. He clutched a datapad in the crook of his arm as if he were keeping it there on a time-out.

He didn't seem to notice your presence until he had already stepped out of the room and made to follow the hallway to the right. He paused in a second of surprise, and then made a little scoffing noise.

"He's in quite a mood," he said and gave you a knowing look, though you weren't sure what you were supposed to know by it. "Good luck."

He swiftly stalked off, leaving the doorway in front of you open to the office beyond. Fluorescent lights glowed from the ceilings inside, giving you a chance to scope out what you were walking into. Most of the room was bare up here by the door; too bare, like there was supposed to be more furniture but it had disappeared somehow. The back half of the room was more naturally filled. A large bookcase stood tall and proud along the back wall, boasting of thick tomes and unique trinkets. To the side was a low counter with a few liquor bottles and mixers. There was also a small box of some kind in the corner, with a carpeted top and a hole in the side. You weren't sure what it was for.

And placed before all of it, directly in the center, just before the threshold you now found yourself crossing, as if dividing the room between emptiness and warmth, was a large desk made of dark wood and brass furnishings. A lone chair sat in front of it for guests, while the office's owner sat in his own chair on the other side.

Hunched in his chair, was more like it. The position almost could have obscured his identity from you as you tried to get your nerves under control. But alas, the ginger hair still gave him away.

You choked.

"What," he drawled with annoyance, not bothering to look up from the work that occupied him on his desk.

Hux. The General Hux. The face of the First Order and all its terrifying advancements. He was to be your supervisor? What a cruel joke the universe was playing on you.

You stood in shocked silence, which seemed to annoy him further as he huffed and finally looked up. Whatever reproach he was prepared to give vanished as he took in your appearance.

"Who are you?" 

You swallowed hard under his gaze. Never in your life did you think you'd come face to face with this man, and now here you were, mere feet away, donning the uniform of his people and completely under his authority.

Oh you were going to kill your friend for this.

"I..." Your throat felt like it was constricting. Panic would soon overtake you if you didn't shake free of its grasp now. As you'd learned in your interrogation, it would not do to show any sign of weakness in this place, not even a bit of hesitancy. And you would need that strategy even more with General Hux watching you.

You cleared your throat quickly and straightened up further. "I believe I am to be your new assistant, sir. They sent me here to report for duty."

Hux regarded you for a moment and then leaned back in his chair with a quirked eyebrow. He didn't seem annoyed anymore, but there was a sort of sneering curiosity that took its place, and you weren't sure which you'd rather be dealing with in this moment.

"Ah, yes. Deserters from the Resistance. I was so surprised by the news, I had to see one of you for myself."

He paused to gauge your reaction, though you didn't have one. You were too preoccupied with keeping yourself standing upright in his presence.

"We don't get many rebels willing to join our ranks. Though when it does happen, it's always right at the moment they have a blaster to their heads. Curious, isn't it?"

You cleared your throat. "I suppose it is, sir."

"You will call me General," he said cooly.

"Yes, General," you obeyed promptly.

He studied you for a moment, no expression on his face to indicate anything he could be thinking. Surely he was suspicious of you; he'd be foolish not to be. And you suspected that's why you were to be his assistant. In case you were a spy of some sort. You'd be in proximity to a tempting amount of good intel, but wouldn't be able to do anything with it under the General's watchful gaze. He was clever one, you'd give him that.

Though what he was considering about you now was beyond you. Maybe he was changing his mind, saw the nerves you were so desperately trying to hide, deciding playing such a game with you wouldn't be worth the trouble.

"I expect an itinerary of the next day's events on my desk each evening by 8," he finally said. He quickly moved through his words as if he'd had to recite them numerous times, and you briefly wondered how many assistants this man had gone through before you finally realized you should probably be paying closer attention. "You will also maintain reports on the health of each department I oversee, filter any feedback or escalated concerns from the department heads, and share only the most important for my attention. You will accompany me to all non-confidential meetings and take down notes...."

He trailed off and sported a small smirk.

"Do you wish to take some down now?"

You quickly nodded, hating how he was already finding ways to subtly undercut your competency.

He opened a drawer and fished out a data pad, handing it over to you and gesturing to the opposite chair, all the while maintaining that smirk. You fiddled with the device and tried to quickly note down what he'd said so far. You could feel him watching you. Your fingers shook from the anxiety of it all.

When you finally looked up at him, his face was back into something more neutral. 

"Ready?" he asked softly. You realized he was being patient, an incredible relief to your nerves, so you tried for a smile with your response.

"Yes, General."

He nodded and continued, speaking almost a mile an hour as if through a well-rehearsed speech, and you did your best to keep pace. Your notes were a jumbled mess of various times and tasks, preferences and expectations. You hoped you'd be able to make sense of them later. One missed detail, and you suspected you'd be booted off the ship faster than you could say dank farrick.

"And finally," he said at last, and you couldn't help but let out the breath you'd been holding the past ten minutes, "this may go without saying but I shall state it anyway so we are perfectly clear. You will not be allowed access to outside communications."

He leveled a hard look at you, one that spoke volumes louder than his words.

"I have also waived your right to any leaves of absence. Until you have gained my full and complete trust."

You nodded, suspecting as much.

"And in all transparency, there is not a single soul in this galaxy who has managed to earn my full and complete trust. Do I make myself clear?"

You nodded again, unable to keep his gaze. A part of you was sinking at the thought. You were trapped aboard this ship. No sky, no sea, no trees. Just sterile walls and shiny floors and an endless expanse of empty space behind a viewport. You could very well die here and never feel sand beneath your toes again.

General Hux stood, and you quickly rose to match.

"That said, it will be to our mutual benefit for you to take this position seriously. I run a very tight ship so I expect nothing less than professional excellence from you."

"Yes, sir. General. Sorry. Yes, General."

He gave an almost imperceptible sigh through your flustering. You certainly weren't inspiring any confidence in your ability to do this job, not when you kept remembering how dangerously thin a line you walked here. And though you didn't exactly want to be here, you'd be damned if you were ever thought of as less than good enough.

"You are dismissed." He waved a hand as he sat back down again, his attention already returned to the stack of papers he'd been pouring over before your arrival. You were more than grateful to finally be allowed out of this situation. The emotions you'd been bottling in needed to be let out. You wasted no time in turning on your heel and scurrying away.

"Oh, one more thing," he said just before you could open the door to your freedom. "You'll be given the rank of Second Lieutenant. It means nothing other than to ensure you have proper security clearance to accompany me when needed. You can pick up your badge and insignia at the security office."

This information, as well as all you'd noted down, weighed on you as you finally made it out the door. You walked down the hall in a daze, not knowing where you were going, entirely too fixated on this bizarre situation you found yourself in. You were a Second Lieutenant aboard a First Order ship, serving directly under General Hux, and banned from even so much as glimpsing a life outside of this one. You'd never be able to see your friends or family again. In fact, you'd be helping fight against them now. Whatever service you performed for the General would be in service to the war he waged against your people.

You paused in your wandering to lean against the nearest wall, grateful that whatever part of the ship you were in didn't have much foot traffic. The side of your head rested against the cool steel walls and your eyes closed in a fight against the tears that threatened to burst forth. You focused on your breathing. In and out. In and out. No thinking, no feeling. Just breathe.

You stayed like this an undeterminable amount of time before slowly reopening your eyes and coming back to the present moment. How long the calming effects of your meditation would last, who knew, but at least you were now numb enough to get back to the tasks at hand. You'd need to find the security office. And your room, or bunks, or wherever they intended to have you sleep around here. And perhaps most importantly, you'd need to find your friend.

If not to ensure she was alright, than at least to give her a piece of your mind.

* * *

Hux watched as discreetly as he could the disappearing form of the woman who was to be his new assistant. Even after the door slid shut behind her, his gaze still lingered on the spot she had last been.

He'd come to expect timidness from all who found themselves in his presence these days. His reputation had grown quickly and held fast, much to his relief. He still felt like he'd came into this position, this war even, much too quickly to have any real sense of confidence about it. Not that he'd let anyone see, of course, which was why he was grateful he at least had the skill of being able to put on a good show, to mask the insecurities he privately fought. Years of abuse and neglect were to thank for that.

But this woman, this rebel-turned-deserter, was throwing him off. She had been timid, yes, but had also shown all the other telltale signs of someone wanting his approval. Compliance, politeness, even a bit of pride. As if she had been raised in an old Imperial household and came here to work her way up the ladder of power with the rest of them, but still viewing him with a sort of fearful reverence.

It perplexed him. To what end was she here? An honest wish to change sides seemed unlikely, which only left the option of her being a spy. But that didn't fit the facts well, either. As a spy, she'd either be a good actor and show no signs of fear, or she'd be terrible at keeping on a game face and have no tact at all. She displayed both. He didn't know what to make of her.

He sighed, realizing he'd been endlessly ruminating again, and as a result could feel that familiar tension of an oncoming headache in his forehead. He shook himself, as if that would dispel the strain, and tried to focus back on his work.

He'd made her his assistant for a reason, to keep an eye on her, and to an extent her friend. He'd figure out their intentions soon enough, he'd just need to interact with her more.

~ ~ ~

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[enkisstories]

Out of the rain (pt. 2 of 3)

Jakku had become the refuge of a group of scattered supporters of the defeated galactic empire. But the one who dreamed the fiercest of their triumphant return, that one wasn't an officer, but the little boy, who hated the sun even more than he had hated the rain back home.

No matter how often his father yelled at him that "it isn't even that hot", the sun didn't agree with Armitage and Armitage didn't agree with sun being allowed to be so bright and piercing. He wasn’t even sweating, the heat wasn’t the problem at all. It was the brightness, that made his eyes and skin hurt.

Armitage missed his old hat with the wide brim. It had been his favorite color, too, even if the flowers had indeed been a bit girly.

Brendol's solution was in line with the rest of his parenting: Put a paperbag on the boy's head, so that he'd be "protected" from the sun. What had sounded kind at first to the three year old, turned out to be a lesson for him.

Now the boy's head was overheating even more. There was no winning against Brendol Hux, it seemed. It was either dripping sweat and breathing getting difficult with the bag on, or burning exposed to the sun. Torture either way.

And so Armitage sat under a tree that offered a modicum of shade, effectively blinded, while around him life went on. The seconds were ticking away, building up to minutes and hours. Armitage heard the other children at play, heard them laugh and the adults chat. Only he wasn't included, only his life got wasted away.

Only he... had the patience to wait for a cloud to cover the sun. If that moment came, the boy knew exactly what he'd do.

Alright. Almost time... Now.

Mission objective: Play in outside Secret mission objective: Secure survival gear from the enemy

Armitage: "Hello..."

Sandro: "Argh! You startled me!"

Armitage: "Do you know who I am?"

Sandro winced. The tone this other boy has asked his question in had been anything but childlike. In fact, it conjured the image of a janitor or librarian or a similarly vile creature. This boy was not Sandro's friend, and he hadn't approached to build a sandcastle together. That much Sandro understood.

Armitage: "I'm imperial scum! Wanted in the WHOLE New Republic! With a bounty on my head!"

Sandro: "Liar! You don't have anything on your head!"

Alright, that did it. Had little Armitage harbored a thimble full of guilt for what he was about to do, that vanished in the tiny desert breeze now. Nothing on his head?! How dared that little shit make fun of him like this?!

And all that stupid breeze, that he had hoped for, was doing now was making the sweaty boy feel chilly all of a sudden. Armitage stepped closer to the other boy and inhaled sharply...

Armitage: *A-choo!*

Armitage: “Give me your cap!"

Sandro: "Huh? But that's MY cap. For the sun."

Armitage: "That's why."

Sandro: "Please don't?"

Armitage: "HAT! NOW! Or I’ll sneeze at you again!"

Sandro: “Nobody can sneeze on demand...”

When Armitage found his father again, the man immediately realized that the boy had been in a fight. He was limping a bit, but didn’t seem to have bitten out more than he could chew, so it was alright.

Brendol: "There you are. Finally left your tree and decided to do some living? For real, am I raising a boy or a squirrel here? - Wait, where'd you get this cap?"

Armitage: "Spoil of war."

Brendol: "The sun isn't even out right now that’d you’d need “protection”. What's wrong with you?!"

Armitage: "Bet he peed his pants!"

Brendol: "The boy you took the cap from? Was it a local kid? They come only in two variants: Feral orphans, that would have eaten you alive, or pampered upscale brats that still wear diapers. He peed his diapers!"

Armitage: "Hahaha! Ew! Hahaha!"

Armitage: "Up there! To the gun!"

Brendol: "Alright, pilot, let's get you into your cockpit."

Armitage: "Pew! Pew!"

Now that both the rain and the sun bothered him no longer, all kinds of processes started up in the boy's brain. He saw not just the imaginary foes that he had to battle down, but besides his daydream world now also acknowledged the real one, that he could touch and manipulate.

If, for example, he tied a string to this gun, and yanked the handlebar real hard, then a second gun tied to the same rope might copy that movement and also fire at the enemy! But that tactical advantage Armitage wouldn't share with his father. It had been his very own idea, that he would protect.

The knowledge that his son, in Brendol's perception, wasn't a completely lost cause, didn't weigh lightly on the man's heart. Any random local kid of "variant 1" would have made a better heir.

His elders (not just Brendol, for most of the other new aunties and uncles were just as bad as him) giving more attention to random passerby than to a fellow imperial scum who was wanted in all systems wasn’t lost to the boy. He couldn’t understand why, and that inability to understand the world made his situation even worse.

Wren: "You crying, youngling?"

Armitage: "No?"

Wren: "But your eyes are wet."

Armitage: "It's the sun again."

Wren shrugged and let the matter rest. That other imperial - Rax, was it? Did they all end in -x? - had talked to him rather seriously. Maybe there was money to be made here, either by working for the imps or by selling them out to the bounty hunters. In either case getting on the empire’s wrong foot by calling one of their younglings a liar wasn't a smart move.

As for Armitage, to this day he couldn’t tell whether he had been lying or told the truth.

[boltwrites]

Not the anon from before but i would like to hear the red flags for star wars men👀

sure thing!

disclaimers: these are "red flags" not dealbreakers. that means they're just things you need to look into more. plenty of people can have these opinions (and i share some myself!) but the important thing is the reasoning behind them. i'm just sharing a few things i've come across in fandom that can be indicative of other biased/nasty behavior in combination with other factors. they're separated by what kind of nasty these people can be below the cut.

general ick

as with any fandom, fan-checking (asking questions to see if you're a "real fan") in a serious, non-joking manner, is always indicative of an asshole

people who will roll their eyes or otherwise berate you for having only watched the movies

especially men who berate women who have only seen the mandalorian, or call them "basic"

anyone who insults the actors and their portrayals, especially those who insult the actors from the prequels, and especially those who insult child actors

in a non-joking way, correcting people who call grogu baby yoda

if they hate the sequel trilogy (this could be misogyny, racism, or just general pick-me energy)

insisting that they call rey "rey palpatine" (not respectful of autonomy and chosen family)

don't like the chanel boots luke skywalker meme (homophobic, lmao)

if they generally dislike lgbt+ headcanons or other diverse portrayals, especially when regarding new, original characters

in general they disregard forms of fan media like fanfiction. maybe i'm biased, but that's a little... weird lmao

misogyny

hates at least 2-3 female characters, especially if they are underdeveloped, not shown often, or particularly girly (for example: satine, padme, shaak ti, mon mothma)

dislikes rey

dislikes leia in the sequels

dislikes the kenobi series (could also be racism, could also be just an annoying fanboy who wanted his vader/kenobi matchup in episode 1 and doesn't understand how storytelling works)

they are a man whose favorite character is boba fett (+1 if they hate the boba fett show. +2 if they read the comics. this can be indicative of many things, but mostly misogyny)

if they are a man whose favorite female character is ahsoka. (this can be indicative of misogyny if their favorite male characters are relatively underdeveloped/have less screen time than ahsoka. this can be indicative of predatory behavior if by "female character" they mean "character i want to fuck" because in 90% of ahsoka's screen time she is a child)

fascist/alt right/racist

let's start with the obvious: they heavily align with the empire or first order - not the sith, the empire/first order

their favorite character is hux or tarkin

they hate finn (or lando, honestly)

they are unusually interested in the fashion/clothing the empire wears, especially in the original trilogy (their clothing is basically copy-pasted from a certain time period in german history)

this is the big one: if they refused to watch andor, or if they watched andor and hated it. andor is one of the most blatantly antifascist pieces of media in the star wars universe. if they don't have a good reason for disliking it, this can honestly be a big red flag

basically just watch out. the empire is an allegory for wwii germany in the original trilogy, and the first order is an allegory for the alt right (although much more loosely). if they seem particularly weird or make "the empire was right" jokes a lot, give them a huge side-eye

i definitely missed some. please feel free to ask for clarification on any of these!

[happyhavnts]

so, i tried my best to be as organized as possible and set up some event plots that i have fleshed out. if anything strikes your fancy, feel free to message me or if you’re just interested in working something out for the event in general, let me know. 

BENJAMIN: Currently taking no one by choice

So here’s the skinny on Benjamin Parker. Right now the boy’s seriously deep in his feelings. He hasn’t been talking to his best friends since what happened on Valentine’s Day because he’s fearful that things are going to fall apart between the three of them. His ex that he’s still in love with, Morgan, has shown up. On top of that, he recently ran into his ex-boyfriend Sacha who abandoned him. He’s been bottling his feelings up for way too long and needs to find a healthy outlet for handling them. What is he doing instead ? Getting drunk. 

He’s planning on leaving the dance early to drink so someone can join in on his pity party ? | open connection.

He needs to seriously open up to someone and allow himself to break down in front of someone | possibly reserved by Beau Pride. 

Open to other ideas 

ARIN: Going stag by choice 

Arin was never a drinker before coming here so he’s definitely going to be drinking a bit to loosen himself up. He’s not too good around crowds but feels like he’s missed out on too much already in his life because of his fears and anxieties. 

Plans to approach several people while drunk, who knows how things will turn out | Ben Solo and Oberon Hux.

Someone needs to eventually drag him out to dance a little bit | Bryn Dameron.

Open to other ideas 

KIERAN: Planning on asking Charlotte

Dances were always one of Kieran’s favorite social events back home, but he’s never been to an event with so many mortals lurking about. Despite his distaste and aversion to mortals, he’s actually going to attempt to have a good time and focus on his time with Charlotte more than anything. 

He’ll be in need of a wallflower buddy eventually to just take a moment to chill with | open connection.

Open to other ideas.

LIX: Going with Lucky 

This dance is the best thing to happen to this town for Lix and he’s living for it. He’s so excited to make fancy clothing and help as a fashion consultant when he can. But, he also is allowing himself to get back to the basics and take some time for himself. He wants to focus on just having fun with both his best friend and steal his sister for at least a few dances. 

Want to have a total Princess Diaries moment with a character transformation ? He’ll help you prep for the dance | open to anyone

Open to anything, I don’t have too much in mind for him

ELIA: Going with Jin 

Elia has never been to a dance before so she is living it up. She wants to enjoy possibly everything she can and take it all in. After the two met on a rainy night, Jin asked her to go with him to treat her to a night out as a thank you for helping him. 

Open to anything, feel free to come ask her to dance and have fun with her

EDEN: Hoping to be asked by Rick

It’s no secret the young witch has become quite enamored, so she’s been envisioning what the dance will be like ever since the moment she saw the flyer for it. She wants to embrace her inner girliness and just fret over simple things for once such as the right pair of shoes to match her dress. 

Someone she hypes up at the dance and gives them to courage to approach a crush | open connection. 

Open to other ideas.

POSIE: No date, open to being asked as friends or more

A kingdom of isolation and it looks like she’s the queen here. Crowded events have always caused her anxiety to spike but she is in desperate need of a distraction. She’ll spend the entirety fretting over the fear that her powers might start to act up because of building emotions.  

Someone who can ease her mind and help her have some fun | open connection.

Open to other ideas. 

WILOW: Going with her friends Frank and Brian

Time to hang with the bros. Though she’s honestly only going so she can stare at hot girls in their dresses. 

Open to anything, I expect her to try and make some moves but she’d be down for playful flirting with anyone who looks her way.

CHRISTOPHER: Going with John

Ready for a night of awkward fun? Christopher may have just asked John out because they hooked up, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy each other’s company ... right?

He’s a brat so he wants to test John a bit, so any guy who would be interested in dancing with him or stealing a few kisses. Hit me up. | open connection.

Open to anything.

ALEC: Going with Tempest

Mirror, mirror, on the wall ... who is the pettiest of them all? Oh, wait, wrong movie. But, the answer is still Alec and Tempest. Alec is only going because he wants to show off and spy on the mortals that are supposedly interesting. He hardly sees the value in anyone here but perhaps his viewpoint might change tonight.

Potential dance partners ? Specifically ones he can dance with and make someone else jealous. | Poppy Briar. 

Potential hook ups ? Hyping his best friend up and finding her someone she deserves is going to be his main focus, but who says he can’t have a little fun on the side ? | open connection.

Anything else. 

FLYNN: No date, open to being asked as friends or more

Flynn hasn’t ever been to a dance before but they’re out here to have a good time and not worry about anything else. 

Chaotic pals ? Yes please. | Ace Jwa

Open to anything. 

NICHOLAS: No date, open to asking anyone 

As a prince, he’s used to attending balls but never one like this. He’s definitely being to be on the stiffer side of things but he’ll loosen up throughout the duration of the night. He’s mainly attending to keep an eye on his little sister. 

Someone to lowkey obsess over through the night and get their attention | open connection.

Someone to be a bad influence on him and even coax him into hooking up | open connection.

Anything else. 

[rook-de-rivas]

kinktober day 2: begging

yeah this is a fun one. basically i built it into the “Lights On” universe that my lovely pal is writing and well yeah. there’s a longer version on AO3 with some more backstory but for now... enjoy the begging.

The pounding on her door was what woke her. It was heavy and insistent and authoritative and sent a cold knife of anxiety straight into her heart. Whatever this was, whoever this was, it couldn't be anything good.

At some point in her sleep, Rey had kicked off her oil stained jeans, leaving her clad in just hole-ridden panties and her greasy, oversized work shirt. Under normal circumstances, she would have grabbed some sweatpants, but the knocks at the door were louder and louder with every passing moment, and the clock burning 3:27am into her retinas makes her run to the door to avoid this guest waking her neighbors.

She didn’t check the peep hole, simply unlocked the door and opened it, and she regretted it as she saw who had ripped her from sleep. A middle aged man, perhaps a decade or two older than Rey herself, stood before her, his black uniform and silver badge immediately signaling his status as a police officer. She squeaked slightly and took a step back.

“Rey Niima?”

“That’s… that’s me. Can I— Can I help you, Officer?”

Her voice shook and she was uncomfortably aware of the expanse of skin she was showing, particularly as his eyes flicked down her body and then up again to her face.

“Officer Tritt Opan, ma’am. I need to speak with you concerning… Well, I think it’s best I come in.”

He didn’t wait for her permission, simply moved forward so quickly that Rey was forced to take another step back, allowing him across the threshold. He shut the door behind him with a snap and turned a thin smile on the trembling dark haired girl.

“Could I… um, can I just go get changed, Officer—“

“No need, Miss Niima. I understand this sort of attire is quite common for people in your, ah…profession.”

She blanched, color draining from her face. She had known, in the back of her head, that prostitution (and it was prostitution that Mr. Hux had forced her into, whether she liked to think of it that way or not) was illegal here, had seen the reports of sex rings being broken up on the news, but it hadn’t ever occurred to her that she could… that she could end up in trouble with the police over this.

“Oh, kriff. I… Mr… I mean, Officer Opan, I swear, I didn’t… I don’t want to be doing this, sir. I swear it. My landlord, Hux… Mr. Hux, I mean— I’m behind on rent, Officer, and he… he made me a deal and he overlooks my rent shortages if I… if I do what he says. Please, Officer, I can’t—“

Her hands shook violently and Opan put a comforting hand on her lower back, leading her towards her own shitty sofa in her own damned apartment. He sat and motioned for her to do the same and she valiantly tried to ignore how it made her baggy shirt ride up higher, exposing a strip of golden skin above her panties.

“Mr. Hux, you say? Alright, girlie, tell me what’s going on. I’m sure you know that late rent isn’t going to fly in front of a judge, especially not the one on duty tomorrow! He doesn’t like whores, no sirree…” Opan trailed off, a grimace on his lined face as he angled his body towards Rey’s shaking form.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this! It… it was just a blow job, Officer, I swear! And then another one… and then he… he said I had to do more to… to make it worth his while, because the shop— I’m a mechanic, see, and the shop, it’s been really slow lately, and then we had to shut for a week, and… Well, I wasn’t making enough money, and even trying to keep the heating off and only eating ramen— I couldn’t earn enough, Officer Opan, but I swear, I didn’t want to… to sleep with any of them!”

“And how many men would you say you’ve sucked fucked now, while you’ve been Mr. Hux’s whore?”

Opan didn’t seem phased at all, though Rey flinched at his coarse language. She twisted the hem of her shirt between her fingers, tears threatening to spill over her dark lashes. “Ten, maybe? I… and… and more blowjobs, I guess. Um…” Her voice trailed off as Officer Opan hummed in understanding, though the look in his eyes was anything but. “Please, Officer… I can’t go to jail. I… Please, sir.”

Twice in less than twelve hours, prideful Rey Niima found herself begging a strange man for salvation. He could be her deliverance— maybe if she turned on Mr. Hux, told the judge everything, then they wouldn’t be so harsh on her? Maybe they’d even let her off! Her mind danced with the possibility that she could escape this life, and so caught up in the fantasy she was that she didn’t register Opan’s standing and moving towards her open bedroom door.

“Oh, um— that’s my bedroom, Officer, there’s… nothing in there, honestly, I—"

“Maker, you talk a lot, don’t you, Niima?” His voice was mild as he sat on the edge of her bed and undid his belt. His hand brushed against his holstered weapon and he gave her a meaningful look. “Now listen, sweet cheeks, you and I both know how this is gonna go. So why don’t you use that mouth for something a bit more useful than talking, and I won’t tell our mutual friend all about how you were ready to give him up to a judge, eh?”

Tears burned as they spilt over, tracking down her cheeks in wet trails. She backed up slightly, but Opan was faster, gripping her wrist and hauling her onto the bed before she could take another step. Distantly, she heard her bedroom door slam shut, and the tell tale click of the lock that Finn had helped her install during her first day in the apartment. For safety.

She certainly didn’t feel safe now.

———

“Please, Officer. Please, don’t do this. I’ll… I…”

“What, are you gonna pay me off? I know you’re skint, whore. That’s why I’m here. Mr. Hux isn’t particularly happy with your situation— paying for that part is going to cost you, Niima.”

How Hux knew about the additional loss of money, Rey didn’t know, but she let out a choked sob as Opan advanced on her. She was younger, and probably quicker, but he had his gun and a reason to arrest her— and, more importantly, he clearly knew Mr. Hux. How stupid could she be, thinking Hux would give her a night off? Especially with rent due so soon…

Calloused fingers wrapped themselves into her hair and forced her from her bed to the floor and onto her knees. “It’s not going to suck itself, girl. Get to it, and maybe I’ll even let you cum.”

There was no way out of this that ended well for her, and… and maybe if she did what Opan wanted, he would keep his word, and Hux would never know that she had spilled the beans with no prompting at all. Her fingers worked quickly, months of experience on her knees disgusting her as she grasped his briefs and tugged them down. He tutted as she made to grasp his half-erect cock, raising an eyebrow at the tear-stained girl on her knees.

“All the way off, Niima. And mind the gun, won’t you?”

So much for this being easy. She carefully tugged his uniform trousers down to around his ankles, struggling to pull them off over his shiny, black shoes. At his command, she removed those as well, and once she did so, looked up to see his shirt had joined his trousers on the floor.

“Please… Officer, please, don’t do this to me. Sir, please…”

“Maker, shut up. Get that filthy shirt off. Kriff, s’like you were raised in a fuckin’ barn. Hux’ll have to invest in better meat next time, you’re disgusting.” But being disgusting, it seemed, wasn’t much of a mood killer for Officer Opan, and before Rey could protest, her work shirt was roughly tugged up and over her head, and her one functional bra (a flimsy thing she had owned for years that had seen better days) was literally ripped apart. She found her face pressed against his weeping cock, one hand in her hair, and the other reaching down to cruelly twist one of her rosy nipples. She wretched and whined, the now-familiar scent of sweat and pre-cum filling her nostrils without her permission. “Suck.”

Her mouth opened and his cock made its way inside, pressing uncomfortably against her uvula. He wasn’t as long or as thick as Hux, or some of the other men she had taken, but his fingers were so tight in her hair that she thought he may be worse than the others. He wasn’t content to let her work herself up to it, instead using her as little more than a hole to masturbate into. Occasionally, one hand would release her hair and slap one of her perky tits, and her resulting yelp would have him groaning and holding her tightly against his groin.

“If you’re really good,” he panted, giving her a little control and allowing her to bob her head up and down his heavy cock while he spoke, “If you’re really fuckin’ good, Niima, I’ll keep the precinct away from you, understood? But only if you’re a good little slut for me, understood? Prove you want this, Niima. You don’t wanna go to jail, right?”

He groaned as she redoubled her efforts, a fresh wave of tears streaking down her already wet face. Spit dribbled from her open mouth and she cupped his head with her tongue, teasing him with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Surely he wouldn’t report her, turn her in, not after all of this?

“Moan like you mean it.”

And so she did, moaning as she sucked and licked at his cock, swirling her tongue around the head and trailing kisses up the large underside vein. That seemed to work, because within a minute, Opan had groaned loudly and pulled her off his dick.

“Get on the bed.”

Ice filled her belly.

“Please, Officer Opan, I—“

“Get on the bed, or I cuff you like this and take you to the precinct. Hell, I’ll even let the drunk tank play with you while I do your paperwork. Bet you’d just love that…” His eyes were cold, soulless, and Rey whimpered as she climbed up onto her bed beside him.

Every other client, every other man that Mr. Hux had made her… service, she had seen in the room downstairs, the little apartment just across from Hux’s office. To have someone in her own bed, in her own safe space… her stomach churned and she bit back a wave of nausea.

“Hands and knees, you dumb whore. I don’t want to have to look at your stupid, weepy face while I’m getting mine. Make me believe you mean it, and I’ll let you cum. If I don’t… well, you know.”

The bed beneath her shifted as her panties were, like her bra, physically torn from her shaking body. “Skinnier than I usually like ‘em, but I guess you’ll do,” he said, moments before a slaaaaap! rang through the bedroom and her ass burned like fire. She yelped, a sob and a plea for him to stop barely contained. “What do you say when I do something to you, girl? You’re a filthy whore, you deserve punishment, don’t you?”

“Th-thank you, Officer,” she stammered, heart hammering and eyes burning with unshed tears as she played the game. “P-please, I… I’m a filthy whore and I… I need to be punished. Please, Officer. Please spank me.” The words weren’t practiced, because most of her clients didn’t care to hear her speak. Instead, she did her best to improvise, responding to him and thinking back on what others had said to her instead of coming up with her own material.

The fat head of his weeping cock pressed against her folds and she sobbed as it slid through her vulva easily. Ever since Mr. Hux had started… whoring her out, she had found herself aroused so much more easily. It was less painful, to start, and afterwards… the nasty things the men had said to her while they pumped her full of their cum seemed to just burn in her gut, sending slick arousal through her veins and into her cunt each time she thought back to them.

In her mind, she knew it was just conditioning, her body reacting to repeated stimuli and associated language. But she couldn’t help but feel… She liked it. She had always liked a bit of rough play, some dirty talk, and the way they had treated her just exacerbated it.

“God, you’re so wet. Look at that, you’re absolutely gagging for it,” he murmured, slapping her ass again as he lined up with her clenching, desperate hole. She whimpered, pressing herself back against him, her cunt throbbing and longing for something to squeeze around.

“Please, Officer. P-please f-f-fuck me. I need your cock, pleas—uhhhhh,” she trailed off, the last vowel of the word lost as Opan slammed his hips against her, pistoning his cock into her wet cunt. She moaned aloud, praying she sounded realistic, enthusiastic, as Opan set a steady pace and drilled into her pussy without a care for her. Occasionally, his hand would connect with her pert ass, and she would wail like a cat in heat, back arching as the pleasure-pain spiked in her clit.

“Please, please, please, Officer… please, may I cum? Please t-touch m-me…” The words were realer with every passing moment, her clit throbbing and needy. Opan’ hand wound itself into her hair and he pulled her back, fucking into her harder and deeper as the angle changed.

“Touch you myself? You’re disgusting,” he hissed, biting at her throat like he was more animal than man. She sobbed loudly and turned it into a keening moan, only half faking the pleasure it sent rippling down her spine. “You’re a filthy whore. You want to cum on my cock, is that it? Being fucked and getting to keep a roof over your head isn’t enough for you, you need to get off as well?” He pulled her head back so he could see her properly, and she recognized the wild look in his eyes.

“Get yourself off then, slut. Cum on my cock, do it. Do it, slut!”

With a shout, he grabbed at one of her breasts, twisting the nipple again. She wailed and her hand slid down to pass fingers once, twice, three times over her clit before she felt herself fall apart, pussy squeezing his length as the tremors rolled over her. From beyond the fog of her post-orgasmic haze, she felt Opan shove her face first into the mattress with one hand, slapping her ass so hard she screamed in real pain with the other. His hips stuttered into hers as he emptied himself into her pussy, filling her with cum she had never wanted inside of her.

“Good to know all you sluts are on birth control. Don’t need some dirty bastard coming out of this,” he muttered, shoving Rey away as he withdrew his cock from her sore, wet cunt. He looked over at her and smirked slightly, picking up her work shirt and using it to clean his cock as he did so. “Rags are good enough for cleaning up whore juices, at least.”

And with that, he reached for his shirt and trousers, dressing with an efficiency that only regimented practice could achieve. Rey watched from her bed, red rimmed eyes refusing to acknowledge how his cum leaked out of her onto the defiled bedspread. This had been her safe place, her own space, and… and Hux had taken that from her, just to punish her.

“Good,” said Opan before he unlocked and opened her bedroom door. “You won’t have any more officers coming round, girl.” He moved into her living room, and she followed, using her shirt to cover herself the best she could without putting it on. It smelled of sweat and grease and cum, and she hated it.

He turned, “Oh,” he smirked at her. “Hux wants to see you in the morning. Seven am in his office. Don’t be late.”

And with that, he left, and Rey locked up behind him, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

In the distance, the clock by her bedside blared 5:42 AM into the darkness.

[testyourloyalty]

Chapter 13

Trigger warning: Attempted (failed) sexual assault

By the time General Hux woke up several days had passed. He requests to have his datapad delivered to him so he could get in contact to see how Captain Phasma is doing. Upon receiving his tablet he sees multiple notifications illuminating the screen with urgency. Hux unlocks it at once and views the messages, relieved to see one from Phasma asking how he is doing after dealing with Kylo Ren. A small smile flashes across his face before he responds stating that he is healing well; he also asks if there is any new information on your location. She responds that she has information on your whereabouts and is planning for a rescue mission as she typed. After hearing that the ginger immediately requests to be let go from the infirmary. Despite multiple doctors and nurses trying to convince him that he should relax and take it easy Hux is allowed to leave and he makes a beeline to Captain Phasma’s office, knocking briefly before entering.

“General Hux, I didn’t expect you to be up so soon.”

“I can’t expect this mission to not have a leader.”

“I was going to attend myself.”

“Then two leaders for extra precautionary action.” The captain smirks beneath her mask, knowing that nothing she will say can or will deter the man in front of her.

“Very well. You will have two Stormtroopers escorting you in this condition however.” Hux’s lips tighten as he slowly nods.

___________________________________________

You were tied and laying on the floor in that cell that you had been living in for the past five days. Your body was covered in sweat, blood, tears, and several other bodily fluids. You had been humiliated, beaten, and spat on; your wrists and ankles are raw from where you have been trying to tear away at the rope. You lost your voice several days ago from the merciless pain that has been inflicted upon you practically every waking moment save for night time. You know that this was not out of the man’s kindness but his own need to recharge for another day of making your life hell. The familiar sound of your cell door opening causes you to roughly gulp, the saliva stinging your aching throat on the way down.

“Please… Kill me.” You meekly whisper. You had given up hope of the First Order saving you from dying alone by this man.

“Don’t worry.” He says as he gets down on his knees, cupping your cheek in his hand and stroking along your lips. You shudder in fear, tears already pooling to your eyes. “I was planning on making today the day. You’ve been alive too long anyway.” You were scared as you want to die, but what would be next? A million thoughts race in your head, but finally they settle on Hux. You wish you could see him one last time. You missed his scent on those pillows you shared, how he pulled you closer and tighter against his chest as you slept, you missed everything about Armitage. You truly feel alone in the universe and the man before you knows it. A sickly sadistic grin is sprawled across his face as he takes in your beaten and hopeless face.

“Missing someone? Good. Now you know how he felt. How I feel!” He growls at you. “I’m going to make this your worst day yet.” You shake and your eyes widen in fear as you see the man slowly begin disrobing himself.

“Wh-what are you doing…” The man grins while staring at you, working on getting his pants unbuttoned.

“Don’t be naïve.” He looks you up and down as he removes the last of his clothes, taking his member in his hand. He gives it a few strong tugs before making eye contact with you.

“Open wide, girlie.” You sob as you feel his hand grab a fistful of your hair and pull you up by it. Unnoticed by the two of you the door to the room opens quietly. You hear a scream of anger, frustration, and maybe even sadness fill the room and immediately the sound of a blaster firing is heard. Your head falls to the floor, a loud banging sound results from it as you fall unconscious once more.

You jolt awake in a panic, confusion as you recall the odd events that occurred before you passed out. You realize that you are no longer tied… no longer in the cell… you are back in a First Order standard infirmary! You look around in disbelief, certain your mind is playing tricks on you. Or maybe you died and this is the afterlife?

General Hux enters the room and rapidly turns his head in your direction. His face shows that of utter joy and excitement much like a child at their birthday party.

“______!” He rushes over to be by your side and grabs your hand, taking it in his larger gloved ones. He is careful to not hurt you, knowing that your fingers are broken. You look up at the general and smile softly at him.

“If I’m dead, this isn’t too bad.” You say half-joking. Armitage’s face shows extreme concern and sorrow, his crystal eyes seem to stab into your soul like daggers as tears start to fill them and fall from his face. You notice the dark bags hanging from under his eyes pairing with several bruises and cuts down his face which cause you to frown.

“You need sleep.” You sternly say to him. He grabs your shoulders and pulls you into a tight embrace, obviously not planning to let go anytime soon. It hurts a little since you have some broken and bruised ribs among other internal damage, but you do not dare say anything. It felt so nice to feel warm tightness holding you with care as the scent of cinnamon, cedarwood, menthol, and cigarettes invade your nose. You almost did not notice that the man began sobbing uncontrollably and clawed at you.

“I thought… I thought you were dead. I thought I was too late. When I saw him I couldn’t control myself. I kept shooting him over and over again. ______ I can’t lose you again. I hate how weak you’ve made me but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” You panic slightly at his words, rubbing his back as you let him spill onto you. He was obviously carrying a lot of stress that came down all at once but what if Supreme Leader Snoke heard?

“S-sir but what about Snoke? He would nev-“ Hux pulls away from you finally and stares into your eyes.

“He’s dead, ______.” Your mouth hangs agape at the news. “Kylo Ren is the new supreme leader.” It did not ease your concerns about a force sensitive supreme leader listening to these words. Almost as if sensing your concern Hux quickly spoke.

“Kylo Ren leads differently. He leads with fear, as far as he’s concerned we just need to stay in our place.” You gulp and nod.

“However you will be in a different place. You will be getting a promotion as well as I. I am going to become the Commander and you are going to be my personal assistant and bodyguard.” You were excited at the implications of getting to see Hux more at work but understood that your job would become a lot more important which meant that there would be less room for error.

“By the time you are healed the changes should be made in the system and your new uniform will be delivered to our new quarters here on Coruscant.”

“Coruscant? Why are we on Coruscant?” You ask, almost afraid to know since Snoke was killed.

“We took significant damage so commanding officers are to report here for more training, preparations, and planning. Since Luke Skywalker is no longer with us we needed-“

“LUKE SKYWALKER IS DEAD?” You could not help yourself but to blurt it out. Hux sighs and nods.

“I will tell you more while you heal, okay?” Eagerly you nod.

You heal rather quickly over the next few weeks thanks to some new drink the First Order was experimenting with that promotes cell growth. Hux keeps to his word and informs you of what happened in the short time you were gone. He also mentions that Kylo Ren has started talking to himself occasionally which the two of you start to assume is due to him slowly losing it after having been beaten twice by that girl.

You notice you have started having nightmares of the man that had you locked in a cell. You decide to try and keep it hidden and to yourself instead of burdening your boyfriend with it when he has his own issues. You notice he has been sleeping, what you can only assume, more than he had been but his bags still were there. You wonder if he is experiencing something similar to you. You yawn and close your eyes, telling yourself that you will have to ask him tomorrow about his sleep as you scooch closer to the ginger who wraps his arms tightly around you.

[raptorginger]

I Will Follow You Into the Dark: Chapter 9

Atlantic Ocean, of the coast of Nags Head, Outer Banks, North Carolina 1878

Ben paddled furiously toward the dark ship just ahead, his face set in an expression of stone-like determination.  

“Why do I have to be under all this shit?” Finn grumbled from beneath a woolen blanket and piles of rope.

“Because they’re going to see us coming.  They’ve probably already spotted the boat, so hush.  It’ll look suspicious if they see me talking to myself,” Ben hissed back, trying not to move his mouth too much in case they were watching him through a spyglass.

Finn harrumphed in agreement.  Ben heard a metallic click indicating Finn was checking his revolver ammunition again.  Ben tried not to reach for the one he had beneath his shirt at his back.  He had another in a holster at his waist and a sword on his other side.  Tekka had demanded to know why Finn and Ben needed his guns and blades, much less his boat.  Finn had blurted it all out in a rush, and Ben had panicked, thinking Tekka was going to have him arrested, or hell, just shoot him on the spot, but Tekka had only opened a trap door in the floor of the shop and pointed down.

“Take whatever you need.  Get that girl Rey back.  Kill the bastards.  I expect you back here in a couple days,” he said, his voice muffled and sagely.

Ben felt dread settle over him like a blanket.  He’d been so foolish to think he’d never be found.  The past ten years felt like something out of a dream, and now he had woken up back in his nightmare.  He rowed resolutely on, determined to face down his demons once and for all.  

“So, what’s the plan again?” Finn whispered.

Ben frowned at the blanket and muttered under his breath, “Get to the ship.  They’ll lower a ladder rather than raise the boat. I climb up, and you stay put until I’m on deck.  Then, you crawl out and onto the hull and find a good vantage point.  Wait for an opportune moment; odds are Snoke has something horrible planned, and there’ll probably be a moment when he and the crew are occupied with me.  Get Rey out of there, away from the ship.”

“What about you?”

“Leave me.  I’m taking that ship of horrors down or I’m going to die trying.”

Finn said nothing, which Ben took as agreement until he murmured, “Rey’s not going to let that happen.”

“Drag her off that ship if you have to.  She might hate you for awhile, but she’ll be safe.  That’s all that matters.”

Again Finn said nothing.

***

Rey tried to keep her breathing even as she waited off to the side of the door, ready to jump whoever opened it.  She clutched the dagger in her hands, focusing on the deadly blade, the steel glinting even in the darkness of the room.  It was actually beautiful, in a macabre sort of way.  The blade was long and slender with a mother of pearl handle and a silver tang engraved with scrollwork.  She wondered who Snoke had killed to get it.  

She heard commotion on deck, the voices too muffled to make out what they were saying, but it sounded like someone was approaching the ship.  Ben.  Rey tensed, knowing they’d be coming for her soon.  She’d already set up her trap, as it were.  She opened one of the windows and tied her rope to one of the posts that supported the cabin throwing the slack out the window.  With any luck, they’d come in to investigate, and that’s when she’d make her move.

Sure enough, she heard a key turn in the lock and the knob began to turn.  Rey held her breath, keeping absolutely quiet and still, dagger clutched tight.

The door creaked open and a grimy slurred voice called out, “Time to go, Girlie Girl.”

Rey pressed her lips tight together as the door opened wider and a disheveled man strode in.  He smelled strongly of drink and filth, and Rey stifled a gagging sound.  The man closed the door behind him.

“Shit!” he exclaimed as he ran to the window.

Rey smirked and ran, her feet swift and silent.  She leapt at the man’s back, one arm coming around to cover his mouth and the other raising the dagger high before bringing it down quickly into the back of the man’s neck.  It made a sick, wet sound as it sank easily into the man’s flesh.  The man sputtered against her hand, but otherwise made no sound as he breathed his last and Rey lowered him quietly to the floor.  She stood back and yanked the dagger out, gagging openly at the sound it made as it unsheathed itself from the pirate’s neck.  She watched as the man’s blood pooled around his head, a pillow of angry crimson against the wood.

Shaking herself, she turned back to the door.  No one had followed him in.  She crept to it and pressed her ear to the scarred surface.  She could still hear noise on the deck, but it was quieter now.  She risked cracking the door open an inch.  She saw no one immediately in the area directly in front of the cabin.  She tried to look off to either side, in case someone was waiting there like she had, but saw nothing.  The door for Snoke’s cabin was facing the deck head on, and Rey guessed there wouldn’t be anywhere she could get to to hide without being spotted first.  She looked over her shoulder at the open window above where the dead man lay.  She might be able to get somewhere that way.  She dashed over and started to crawl out of the window and onto the hull of the ship.

The wind was strong and biting as she clung desperately to the wooden planks.  Frozen by fear for only a moment, she made her way along the outside of the ship slowly.  She cursed as her foot slipped, but she quickly regained her footing.  She was just out of sight of the window when she heard loud cursing and crashing coming from Snoke’s quarters.  

“Fucking bitch killed Nico!”  

“Did she fucking jump?!”

“Can’t’ve!  We’d’ve heard it!”

“Captain! She’s gone!”

“Search the ship!” she heard Snoke roar.  Rey began to hurry.  She needed a place to hide now.  She made her way onto the broad side of the ship and began to climb cautiously upwards.  She peeked between the railing and saw a large coil of rope just to her side on the deck.  It was large enough for her to hide in.  Confident she hadn’t been spotted, she clambered over the railing, keeping low as she headed for the rope.  As she was about to hop in, she felt arms wrap around her from behind.  

Thrashing and flailing, she heard an English voice hiss in her ear, “And where do you think you’re going?”

Rey turned, looking into the face of the red-headed man currently holding her.  His eyes were pale blue and cruel, his features twisted with hatred and malice.  

As she was divested of her weapons, the man called out, “I have her, Captain.”

Simultaneously, a voice called out from the crow’s nest, “He’s climbing up, Captain!”

As Snoke practically floated down from the helm, a vicious joy on his face, Rey truly began to tremble with fear.

***

Ben hoisted himself over the railing and immediately went cold.  The deck of the Supremacy, flagship of the First Order, hadn’t changed at all since he’d jumped ship when he was nineteen.  Dirty, hateful faces leered at him from all across the deck, positioned strategically in case he decided to make a break for it.  He felt an involuntary twitch in his brow as his eyes passed the mast, to which he’d been tied and lashed so many times in the past.  Not wanting to give the crew any indication that he was afraid, Ben schooled his expression into one of cold neutrality, his mouth set in a grim line.

He clenched his jaw as Snoke approached from inside his cabin, hands clasped behind his back.

“Kylo Ren,” Snoke said, his voice suspiciously amiable.  “Welcome home.”

“Where’s Rey?” Ben hissed.  There was no point in pretending that she wasn’t the reason he was here.  

Snoke smiled wickedly, raised his hand and flicked two fingers forward.  Ben snarled as Hux, Snoke’s first mate now if his hat was any indication, dragged her forward.  She looked angry, and Ben felt a flicker of pride.  She hadn’t made things easy for them, and she appeared relatively unharmed, in spite of her bound hands and the gag in her mouth.

“You have me now.  Let her go,”  Ben said, his voice low, dangerous.

“In due time, in due time.  I think, first, a few lessons are in order.  Can’t have your shipmates thinking it’s acceptable behavior to abandon ship for a little wench, now can we?”

Ben paled.

“And she happened to kill our dear Nico.  We can’t let that go unpunished, no,” he said pleasantly as he reached out a grimy finger, running it down Rey’s cheek.  She jerked her head, trying to avoid his touch, but Hux held her firmly.

“Stop it,” Ben snarled, his fists clenched.  Two men ran forward, holding him back.

“No, no.  No need to restrain him.  You’ll behave, won’t you Kylo?”  Snoke continued in his unnerving voice.

Ben tugged his hands free and held still.  He knew Snoke’s cruelty, and he wouldn’t hesitate to slit Rey’s throat if Ben made any move.

“Now, that’s better,” Snoke said as he removed the gag from Rey’s mouth.  “To make things as...efficient...as possible, I’ll give you a choice.”

Ben heard a thunk against the side of the ship, but it may as well have been his heart falling into his stomach.  None of the other men on deck seemed to pay it any mind.

Snoke continued conversationally, “You can either hand her over to your crewmates for...discipling, or she can receive twenty lashes.”  He smiled a twisted smile as he finished.  

All of Ben’s courage and feelings of defiance left him, and he felt himself close to vomiting.  He looked at Rey, and he knew the terror in her eyes was reflected in his own, but she held her chin up.  He saw he eyes flick to the whip at Snoke’s side.  

He hung his head.  “The lash,” he muttered, defeated.

He heard the struggle as Snoke’s men bore Rey to the mast, fastening her arms over her head.  He watched, disbelieving as Snoke approached him, the whip held out in his hand.

“I failed to mention you’d be the one delivering them,” he said, unable to contain the glee in his voice.

Ben’s breathing stopped.  “No,” he whispered.  “I can’t do this.  Take me instead.  Please,” he begged.

“You’ll do it or I’ll do it myself and throw her to the men afterward and make you watch,” Snoke hissed, pure venom in his voice now.

No matter how hard he tried to stop it, he felt the tears beginning to fall from his eyes.  He looked at Rey, feeling completely broken, defeated.  She twisted to look at him over her shoulder.  Rey looked terrified, but there was a resolution in her gaze as she regarded him.

“It’s all right, Ben.  It’ll be all right,” she said softly.  He was a hair away from weeping openly, in awe of her strength.

Ben felt the rage bubble inside him as the men laughed and sneered.  He was going to kill them all.

As he was about to raise his arm, he heard the shriek of a falcon overhead.  A flash of rust and white swooped down over Snoke’s head, causing the man to scream out in pain.  A pouring of crimson burst from between his fingers where he’d been clawed by the creature’s sharp talons.  Ben’s eyes followed the bird, wide and uncomprehending, as it landed on the shoulder of a somewhat piratical looking man, a pistol in one hand and the massive falcon on the other.  He was swarthy with a rakish grin.  Beside him stood Finn, brandishing his own weapon.

“Hugs, you miserable bastard, it’s been a long time,” he snarled, his grin disappearing as he took in the scene before him.

“HUX!” the red-head bellowed.  “Kill them!”

Utter bedlam broke loose.  A score of men had leapt on the deck of the Supremacy right as Hux had cried out and began attacking the First Order.  Galvanized into action by the sight of Finn and the stranger, as well as the appearance of men who appeared to have it out for his enemies, Ben ran to Rey, cutting her wrists free.  Finn was at his side in a second, handing him his extra pistol before dashing off.  Ben crushed Rey to his chest, lifting her off her feet and running to the ladder he had used to climb up.  

“Get off this ship!” he said shoving her toward the ladder, having to shout to be heard above the din of battle.

Rey grabbed his arm, “Not without you!”

“Rey, please!  I can’t lose you!”

“And what makes you think I can lose you?”

Ben stared at her, his jaw slack.  He saw Rey’s eyes widen as she snatched the gun from his hand and fired a shot over his shoulder.  Ben turned and saw one of Snoke’s men collapse a couple of feet from him.

“We don’t have time to argue!  Focus, Ben!” Rey shouted and giving his face a light smack, shoving the gun back in his hand as she dashed for the dead man, grabbing his weapon instead.

Giving himself a good shake, Ben ran to Rey’s side, keeping his back against hers as they fired on the men trying to close in on them.  Sparing a glance to his surroundings, Ben saw two massive gunships just off the bow, making ready to fire on the Supremacy.  

Ben didn’t have time to reflect as he realized Rey was no longer beside him.  Dropping his empty pistol, he dashed to a body and snatched up the man’s discarded pistol and sword and looked frantically around.  Relief flooded him when he saw Rey beside Finn, helping him take out a few more of Snoke’s men.  A second later, the man himself was directly in front of Ben, frothing with rage and swinging his sword wildly.  Ben was able to dodge the blade easily.  Snoke was cursing and shouting, but Ben heard nothing as he plunged his blade into Snoke’s stomach, taking full advantage of the man’s erratic and unbalanced stance.  Snoke’s eyes went wide, his body giving a jerk as Ben pulled the blade out.  Ben looked down at the dying man coldly as he fell to his knees, hands clenched to his stomach.  

Looking up at the gunships again, Ben turned and made a mad dash for Finn and Rey as he heard a massive boom, grabbing their arms roughly and making for the railing where he pulled them over.  Fire erupted behind them as they plummeted together into the water.