FADE | Kylo Ren

- chapter one

          The star destroyer is filled with life even at this hour. There are always people on duty, no matter how late or how early. Anyone around here is lucky if they can catch even a few hours of sleep, Florence would most certainly know. She hasn't slept more than three hours in the past few years. At this point, she can hardly remember how long it has been since she pledged herself to the dark side. Since Kylo Ren told her to let go of her past and embrace her new life. It's exactly what she has done.

         Florence always stands out when she walks down the hallways of the star destroyer. Not only is she not wearing a classic officer outfit like everyone else in her ranks, but she is also a woman. There aren't many around this place, and if there are, they're on the bridge. And quite specifically, her hair makes it easy to spot her in a crowd; long platinum locks that reach below her waist, always carefully braided into pretty updos. She was relocated to the destroyer not long ago, and she rather hates it. It is unbelievably large and she often finds herself getting lost.

          "Naya!" Someone calls out to her, voice echoing through the hallway. She turns around, trying to find the source, expression softening at the sight of Hux. Yes, he's a pain in her ass, but somehow, they've formed quite the friendship over the years ( friendship is definitely an overstatement, but they have a mutual respect that she quite appreciates ). "Come with me." He gestures.

           "What for?" She raises a brow as she catches up to him, falling into a walk beside him.

           "Where were you headed?" Hux answers her question with another, something he does quite often which deeply annoys her.

           Florence frowns at his question. "The mess hall. Why?"

           "We have a meeting." He says simply, as if that isn't a new and strange thing to say to someone who has never been apart of any of these meeting before.

           At a loss of words, she just stares at him for a moment, eyebrows knitted in confusion. "We? Who's we? And why am I suddenly a part of this we?"

           A wicked, proud smile stretches across his lips. "We have decided that you're ready to take a further step up the ranks. The supreme leader wants to meet with you."

            Breath catches in her throat, the supreme leader wants to meet with her? She is rather no one amongst the rest of the first order. She is not special. She is not worthy of praise so high that the supreme leader would want to see her. But she nods nonetheless, her shock obvious by her expression. Hux pays it no mind, leasing her through the ship and into a large, dark room.

           Florence marvels at the sight before her: the supreme leader, present through a hologram that sizes him up to a giant. She swallows nervously, glancing at Hux as she steps forward, heartbeat increasing when she hears him leave the room after nodding curtly at the hologram in front of them. Unsure of what to do with herself, she clasps her hands together on her back and looks up at the supreme leader with cold eyes.

          "So you're the one Hux speaks so fondly of." His voice is deep and raspy, rumbling throughout the room, causing her very being to tremble. She inhales a deep breath, clenching her jaw.

            She arches a brow. "I suppose I am."

            "I hear great things about you and your accomplishments," he stares down at her and she seems to shrink under his gaze, "but I feel the conflict. You're still so drawn to the resistance. It makes me wonder if you're truly right for our cause."