Force Destiny

Ghosts of Mandalore

Battle was what he had been trained for; it was what he did best. Bloodlust drove his strength and power in the darkness. He felt at home on a battlefield. The whispers, the memories, the ever-present ache in his chest faded away to the images, sounds and smells of battle. It grounded him; the ghosts faded, and his mind was forced to remain in the present. When he threw himself into battle, it became his sole purpose. What happened before and what would happen after meant nothing.

All that mattered was that one battle, that one opponent, that one strike. In the absence of deeper meditation, it was the closest imitation of peace he had experienced. The battlefield was the only place where the galaxy made sense. It was a simple dichotomy; the battle was either won or lost, they were either with him or against him, it was either kill or be killed. Simple. Emotions were simple, people's intentions were simple, consequences were simple. There had never been a moment he hesitated to step out onto the battlefield, until that very moment. It had little to do with the battle itself. His mind wasn't in it – it was thousands of lightyears away. It was further proof of his weakness.

"Supreme Leader."

Kylo was grateful for the distraction. The man may have irritated him to no end on a regular basis, but in strategical preparations, Hux was an asset. "General, I've been awaiting your update."

"Intelligence on-world indicates that the troops have sufficiently quelled the battle on Mandalore and do not require assistance. I will oversee the completion of that end from the bridge," Hux said in a commanding way that would have irritated him to an aggressive reaction if it had been any other day. He didn't have it in him to care. "Your... expertise is required to assist with the prisoners on Concordia."

Kylo could feel Blue studying him. He was a curious little droid, and Kylo knew there would be questions following the conversation with his general. Unfortunately, those questions didn't have an easy answer. He knew he wouldn't have wanted to answer Rey's questions either if she had been there. His eyes never left the hologram of his general to avoid that entire line of thinking.

"What's to assist? You know what to do."

"Not yet," Hux drawled, clearing his throat. "Several key prisoners require your – alternative methods – of gathering the intel we need."

He knew the answer to his question before he asked. It was an inevitability. For all its vastness, the galaxy was well-populated, and the First Order had friends throughout. Someone was bound to know something. He had only hoped it would take longer. "What intel?"

"The location of the Resistance," Hux said, his eyes alight with brutal promise.

Kylo looked away, fearing what his own eyes would reveal as he stared out at the barren landscape of the grey moon. "And why should we believe them?"

"The tribe broke decades of silence on the Concordia – a silence so extensive they were believed to be extinct – to attack Mandalore in an attempt to gain access to their lightspeed-capable ships. They were planning to collect the bounties themselves." Hux's voice was calm and collected. He was being patient with him. Too patient.

What does he want? What does he know?

Kylo pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Is the uprising suppressed on Concordia?"

"Yes, the prisoners are in custody, however, they are refusing to cooperate."

Blue began fidgeting next to him, and Kylo knew he was listening intently. He glanced at the little droid, selecting his next words carefully. "Then I will assist in gaining their cooperation."