A.H A Star Wars story (English version)©

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝒆𝓻 𝟐𝟗

WARNING: Violence, murder.

Weeks went by slowly aboard the Finalizer. The young man was bored to death in this monotonous, tasteless routine. He had expected the rumor of his rapprochement with Phasma to get out, but he heard nothing like it. The person who had surprised them certainly didn't care about spreading gossip. He was now certain that his father hadn't been told about the affair. When he had met him he had not had to endure any remarks, only his usual scornful look. He seemed to be off the hook, but there was always someone who knew about it.

Brendol Hux had just returned from a long mission. As in recent years now, the First Order had been exploring planets for settlement. They were exploiting their resources for their war machines. Children were among those resources. They came from all corners of the galaxy, but more specifically from unknown regions. The First Order operated far from the bosom of the New Republic, so keeping a low profile was essential. Any enemy ship that appeared on the destroyers' scanners were shot down immediately. No survivors, not a single witness.

The new children escorted by Brendol Hux were between 3 and 6 years old. At this age their malleable and docile spirit instilled in them the values of the First Order. To this end, screens had been installed in each dormitory. New recruits, like the old ones, were required to watch a video just before going to bed.

Propaganda suggested that the First Order was the only one capable of establishing lasting peace in the galaxy. Order and security breeds stability. From the highest leaders to the recruits, everyone had a role to play :  become the builders of that peace. It was nothing more and nothing less than a slow and insidious lobotomization.

Most of these children were orphans, and those who were were orphans were gaining a home. They would never lack food, water and fear the next day. Sometimes children were forcibly taken from their families to provide fresh soldiers for the First Order.

In the early days, the corridors of the Finalizer were haunted by the cries of young children. It was a sight as terrifying to hear as it was to see. Armitage couldn't bear to hear children crying, calling out for their parents. It was something that made him sick to his guts and physically uncomfortable. What disgusted him was that he was going to have to supervise this kind of horror, when his father thought he was worthy of it. Did he have another alternative? No, he didn't. He was stuck.

- I want my mommy ! shouted a little brown girl, she wasn't more than four years old. Her red cheeks streamed with tears. She was trying to free herself from the grip of a stormtrooper, who was holding her hand firmly.

- Silence !  The soldier replied brutally, his voice distorted by the vocalizer of his white helmet.

By some unknown miracle the young human managed to escape the soldier's grip. She ran as fast as her legs would allow and fell backwards when her forehead hit the back of Armitage's knee. Surprised, the owner of this battered leg turned around. He looked at the young person and bent down slightly to reach out his hand. The little one, still in tears, wiped her face with the fabric of her sleeve, without noticing the hand stretched out towards her.

- It's all right, little one... Get up now. Armitage murmured softly, her hand still extended.

Astonished that someone addressed her so calmly she scanned the young Hux's face for a few seconds. She finally grabbed his hand and stood up, head down. Her screams had stopped, but tears continued to roll down her round cheeks.

- What's your name ?  Armitage asked.

- Jaessa.

The young man froze on the spot, as if the whole weight of the galaxy had fallen on his shoulders. Why on all the names in the universe did this child bear his mother's name ? Behind his layers of tight-fitting clothes he felt as if his mother's necklace was getting heavier. He swallowed, and tried to come to his senses. It was just a name.