Salvation [ENG] - Hux's Alternative Story

Prologue

He knew he'd be dead when they found out.

He knew Pryde wouldn't believe the Resistance story.

He knew that Pryde would act impulsively and would seek justice on his own terms.

He knew he had to act quickly and decisively.

Armitage Hux doesn't give up easily.

~

„There is your spy."

With that, Pryde aimed the blaster directly at Hux's torso. Armitage fell to the ground with a thud, his entire body rigid in an instant, his face frozen. Officer Aria Tillisk let out a small groan in horror. She didn't think the General would go that far.

„Get him out of here right now" Pryde drawled. „Tillisk!"

Officer Aria Tillisk took a deep breath, then stepped forward before a line of other officers.

"Bring the repulsor stretcher," she said to the stormtroopers standing nearby.

~

The corridors aboard the Steadfast seemed to go nowhere and go on forever. But Aria knew exactly where she was going. The repulsor stretcher with the General's body followed her every step. She entered the elevator, chose the penultimate floor, and leaned against the railing, shifting her weight onto it. She felt her stomach twist. Strangely, she had never seen a corpse. Well, at least not that close. The elevator stopped. Aria hesitantly stepped out of it and discreetly looked around. Sector Q-23 was not usually visited by anyone, but she preferred to be sure that everything was going her way. Empty. She took a step forward, now with a bolder step. She reached the door, which she opened using the officer's key.

For a few seconds the cabin was completely dark. As soon as she stepped inside, the room was filled with light. She set the repulsor stretcher in a secure position against the wall.

She reached into her uniform pocket and pulled out a syringe filled with liquid. After removing the protective cap, the syringe was ready for use. Aria ripped open the top of Hux's uniform, loosened the blaster-defence vest to reveal the General's torso. Having taken a couple of deep, slow breaths beforehand, she firmly drove the syringe into Hux's heart.

Armitage instantly, as if brought back to life, jumped off the stretcher, gasping loudly for air. Tillisk stopped him with a firm movement, then quietly but firmly said:

„Take it easy, General. We are safe."

Armitage looked around him, then collapsed back onto the stretcher, panting. They both sat in silence for a moment, staring at each other in confusion.

„You were telling the truth..." Hux finally said.

Aria sighed heavily and nervously adjusted her uniform.

„Sinth seed. A high dose lowers blood pressure. A good medic knows, however, that combining it with an extract of oro wood and a sudden jolt of the body causes something like para-cardiac arrest for about an hour."

After thinking for a moment, she added:

"I must admit that I didn't do it out of selfishness."

Armitage chuckled under his breath. He wouldn't do it for free either.

„Of course. Your payment is waiting for you in the XJ-PNJ4 locker. The encrypted lockbox code has been sent to your datapad*. I think 500 thou. Aurea is enough"

Tillisk nodded, then reached into her desk cupboard and pulled out a small bundle. Inside were a set of basic medicines, a small bottle, and white bulbs not much bigger than a thumb.

„Medpackage. Plasters, bandages, stimulants, clamps, kolto or bacta compresses. Anesthetic spray. And - the roots of the vincha bush. Chewing them twice a day will ease the discomfort."

Armitage nodded his approval. He thought how long his supplies would last, considering his injuries.

„I thought you were going to be shot in the arm, General." Aria pointed out.

„I thought so too."

Officer Tillisk cleared her throat nervously.

„Thevwound doesn't look bad. As I mentioned earlier bacta compresses in particular should help."

„Ship?"

„Waiting in the dock at the end of the corridor. There's even enough fuel to run to the Outer Rim."

Hux slowly got to his feet and, feeling fully recovered, adjusted his uniform. He took the bundle described above and the rest of the things he had prepared earlier, hoping that his plan would work. As he was about to cross the threshold, he turned and turned to Aria.

„You did well, Tillisk"

The officer blushed, then confidently saluted.

„Good luck, General. I'm sorry. You were the best general of the First Order"

"We all know that the First Order has long since ceased to exist" Hux drawled, then headed for the dock without looking back.

____________________________________

* - a kind of small personal computer widely used in the galaxy.

** - type of currency. Much of this money found its way into the First Order's vaults, which melted it back down.

Descriptions taken from the Ossus library.