Blinded by the Dark | General Hux

XXIX

Kylo Ren searched the halls and rooms of the base for his apprentice with growing concern. He had started at her room to pick her up, then the training room and now anywhere else as he approached the bridge. 

He knew her fondness for her training had begun to dwindle but she was a good student and had never missed it before, so he was growing more anxious the more empty rooms he searched.

He walked up the bridge, looking around it for her as he approached the General who kept his shoulders as rigid as always and focus absolute but a little distant, almost pained about something; glum. But Ren had no time for his problems, he couldn't care less. 

"General Hux." 

The man in question turned to him, for the first time ever not offering some snarky comment about why he was bothering him. "Ren, good morning." 

He furrowed his eyebrows at his politeness. "Have you seen Amelia this morning? She's late and you always seem to know everything about my apprentice." 

Hux swallowed and looked away. "No. No, I haven't...she doesn't want to see me at the moment, we're not on the best of terms." 

"Why, what have you done." 

"Nothing...and I guess that's the problem..." 

"Huh...you're really weird, you know that? Thanks for the help, or not." 

"Sir," an officer called, shrinking into her seat when Ren turned on her. "A patrol squad just spotted your apprentice on the surface, sir." 

He nodded once then left swiftly without another word, leaving Hux to continue to ponder his thoughts and actions alone with a heavy weight on his heart. 

It wasn't long before he found his apprentice on the freezing cold surface, lightsaber in hand and furiously slashing at a large tree, leaving deep red score marks as some physical indication of the pain and anger she was carrying. 

"Amelia?" 

"What do you want." she replied aggressively without turning around. 

"What are you doing out here? What's wrong? There's plenty of stuff to destroy inside." 

"Nothing to do with you." she muttered with one last strike, shoulders heaving in exhaustion. "You wouldn't understand." 

"Maybe I will, even if I don't at least you can talk." he offered gently as he approached. "Is it the General? He said you'd had a bit of a falling out." 

"That's an understatement." she whispered, refusing to let fresh tears fall. "He is...insufferable." 

"Don't I know it...What's wrong?" 

"Why don't you ask him seeing as he's always right." 

"We both know that's not true." He placed a hand on her shoulder so she turned. The tears that she tried to hide welling in her eyes worried him even more. How bad could it have been? "What's he done?" 

"He...he just..." she breathed shakily, looking away and trying not to make it seem like she was properly upset. But as soon as she started speaking everything hit her and she began to sob uncontrollably. He was shocked at this, at how badly hurt she had been and pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back as comfortingly as he could. He was going to kill him...how dare he. "I'm sorry..." 

"What happened?" 

"W...we had an argument...I started it, I shouldn't...have started it. I know he was right but..."

"Right about what?" 

She sighed, shaking her head. "I...we...I don't want to talk about it...I shouldn't."