The General's Wife

11. The Revelation

The fall of Starkiller base had been suddenly and swiftly done. All plans of revenge for his deceased wife and child were put on hold when sirens began wailing and the floor began to shake beneath his boots.

As a senior officer Hux had taken to ordering Mitaka and his other lieutenants to begin evacuating the base immediately. Kylo Ren was nowhere to be found of course, but Hux expected no less. In such a dire moment who wouldn't expect the childish cretin to save himself first?

Blasts rained down over the base. Indeed, it became obvious they were aiming for the thermal oscillator. This wouldn't have been nearly so damaging had the oscillator's shields not been somehow mysteriously deactivated. First Order TIE fighters had been deployed immediately to combat the skilled X-wing squadrons.

Shortly before the collapse of the pseudo-planet began General Hux received word that pyro denton explosives had also been used internally by someone targeting the thermal oscillator from within. Furious but unable to do anything, Hux simply watched the video footage showing the seconds before detonation, when Kylo Ren had surprised perhaps even himself and stabbed his own father in the chest with his the erratic red blade of his lightsaber. Soon after they noted that he left, braving the frigid winds outside for some reason or another.

However, there was no time to mull over this. Hux looked around him and saw that few remained in the vacant room-- headsets dangled over the control panel and a few chairs swiveled with the motion of the destabilised planet.

He headed for the throne room at a run, forgetting for a moment that he was a grieving widower, or a man hellbent on vengeance. In that moment he was only a general and a man faced with horror and fear over his likely impending demise.

Snoke's shaky holographic form sat atop the throne as Hux ran inside, "Supreme Leader," he gasped out, trying to quell the panic in his voice and appear calm while the room shook, albeit much less than it had at the control panel. Snoke's response was brief, "Leave the base at once and come to me with Kylo Ren. It is time to complete his training."

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The morning sun rose gradually over the peaks of the mountains, stirring the wildlife that had nestled into their trees and burrows to sleep. The rustle of leaves in the wind and birdsong was a tender melody to most who chose to reside on Naboo, including Cara. Today however was the exception.

"Ahhh!" she screamed as another pain overtook her. The pressure she'd experienced when prying herself from the hands of death in the form of her ruined home had only intensified as she and Mira climbed the mountain looking for safety. By the early hours of the morning, when the first gold rays of the sun began to peek through the branches of the trees, Cara finally collapsed on the ground, moaning to Mira that she could go no further.

The hours had passed and with them came the sun brighter and fuller as it rose, but with it crested the pressure that had gradually given way to pain.

Mira was beside herself with panic. "I'm not a midwife milady, I don't know what to do...how to do, well ANYTHING!"

Cara tried to stay calm, swallowing the lump in her throat that threatened to verbally rend Mira into pieces for thinking she had more right to be scared than her.

"It's fine Mira, I'll be fine. I just need you to stay calm for both of us right now."

Mira's watery red eyes looked at her friend as though trying to memorize her, almost like someone who thinks they will never...

"MIRA! I need a towel, or... SOMETHING!"

That broke her mournful trance quickly, and Mira sprang into action, "Yes milady, here take my coat, you can lie down on it here."