Star Wars IX- Balance Of The Force

Chapter 26- So it Begins

Aboard the bridge of the Supremacy Dreadnought, Captain Peavey had an uninterrupted view of the First Order's encampment on Ruusan. To the left were the shuttles on which General Kail, General Targo and General Valax occupied along with Colonel Kramer and behind the shuttles were the troopers' barracks and behind those was a light scattering of trees. What Captain Peavey saw, however, gave him great cause for concern; their base was under siege. Blasters were shooting in all directions from ground forces supported by tanks. X-Wings in the sky were bombarding shuttles and barracks with laser fire, and they were all heading this way.

"Wake Supreme Leader Hux, get his bodyguard out there now with her Knights. Get all Tie crews to their fighters to defend our divisions. Inform Vice Admiral Renor, Grand Admiral Skalick and Admiral Deltan that we're under attack. Get crews in our AT-ATs and AT-M6s now!"

Captain Peavey's command was relayed quickly, and within the hangars of the Dreadnought, red lights began flashing, and insistent alarms started ringing as ground crews frantically got Tie fighters ready and flight-suited pilots manned their ships. Stormtroopers hastily set up the AT-ATs and AT-M6s and clambered into the cockpit or the hold.

-X-

Outside Supreme Leader Hux's personal quarters, Chromia woke from her bunk with a start. Since the issues at the trial, Hux liked to keep her close by; her quarters had been moved directly outside Hux's door. Red lights were flashing, and alarms were sounding. Had they been hacked again? Was there a fire? She threw the blanket off and got to her feet. As she did so, a trooper opened the door and stood to attention. She could sense embarrassment from the helmeted trooper regarding her barely-dressed form, as the soldier's head wouldn't look directly at her, focusing instead on a nearby wall.

"Chromia Mam, we're under attack from the Resistance. My orders are to wake Supreme Leader Hux."

"I'll do it. Leave," she snarled, and the trooper nodded and quickly left, with the door automatically closing behind them as they did so.

Behind her, the door to Hux's quarters opened, and he stood in the doorway. He looked bewildered, and his bright auburn hair, for once, wasn't immaculately combed back but dishevelled. He was dressed in simple black trousers and nothing else. He was so pale in stark contrast to the black surroundings that his skin appeared translucent, almost glowing. Kylo Ren had been just as pale but bigger and broader than Hux. Kylo's body had been riddled with the scars of his life's battles; he was a true warrior. Chromia enjoyed Hux's tenacity, ruthlessness and viciousness, but he was not a man of physical strength or force. His mind was his strength, his ideas and desires, and the superior technological forces at his command.

"What's going on?" he queried, dazed, confused, and half asleep.

"We're under attack." She started to dress as she spoke, pulling on her skin-tight dark assassin suit and over the top, she placed parts of her chrome armour- shin plates, forearm plates, shoulder plates and chest plates. The full armour was impressive but not what she would need. She was aware Hux was watching her as she did so. She went to reach for her helmet when he grabbed her hand. She turned to look at him.

"What if something should happen?" The something he referred to was to her, but the apprehension on his face and behind his eyes was only personal concern regarding himself. What would happen to him if something should befall her? She came close to him; he was taller than her and almost as tall as Kylo Ren, yet he'd never seemed as tall due to being less ominous. Looking up at him, she replied.

"I do not fear death," she smiled at him, pointed teeth showing; impulsively, she grabbed his face and planted her lips on his in a hard kiss. "Stay here."