This is the first in a series of short stories that span across the Multiverse, covering nearly all mainstream movies and TV shows, with some sneaky videogames, anime, comics and even podcasts added in. In a moment frustration at my lack of vision f...
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Kylo Ren walked back to his ship, the sounds of his footsteps numbed by the crunches of the snowy layer of salt laid over the surface of Crait. His jet black cloak billowing in his wake, Kylo waltzed ahead of his Stormtrooper inferiors, masked soldiers in all white with black accents and blasters at their sides.
General Hux stood like a scarecrow with its arms tied behind its back at the foot of the slope leading to the bulk of Kylo Ren's shuttle. He was a rather skinny, shrewd looking man with ginger hair - he looked nervously at his new Supreme Leader. Kylo had the sneaking suspicion that Hux was willing to test him now that he was in office. Hux had always treated Kylo as if they were equals under the eye of Snoke, the former Supreme Leader of the First Order - despite Kylo being the clear favourite of the two and having a higher position than him, being Snoke's Sith apprentice. This Kylo had never appreciated.
Kylo eyed Hux on approaching the shuttle; the general looked to be in a testy mood, and Kylo was in no mood for testing. The new Supreme Leader paused in front of Hux. "There's a hologram for you, sir," Hux squeaked.
"From who?" Ren growled.
"Supreme Leader Snoke, taken before his death."
"What does it say?"
"I don't know. It says it's only to be viewed privately by one; Ben Solo."
A scratchy, explosive roar burst from Kylo's hand and a flash of red paused at the side of Hux's neck. Kylo had ignited his lightsaber, fiery red and crackling. "You have no right to say that name," he said. "Ben Solo died with his father by this blade. He is buried in the ashes of Starkiller Base, like his scoundrel father."
Hux, easily giving in at Kylo's threat, passed his superior the rectangular, mechanical chip containing Supreme Leader Snoke's message. Kylo took it, grunted, deactivated his weapon and walked into his shuttle, without another word.
The flight back up to one of the First Order's Star Destroyers, giant triangular ships that are a staple of the First Order and the Empire before it, was an uncomfortably silent one. Kylo kept second guessing what exactly the hologram would say, fiddling with it in his hands. Was Snoke telling him to step down, for he had foreseen Kylo messing up his new role as Supreme Leader and that he should give the job to Hux in life? Had he foreseen Kylo killing him? Was it a plan to crush the Resistance whilst they're weak? Or was it something he couldn't imagine? A weapon to destroy their enemies once and for all? Was his old master still alive in secret? No, that was impossible, he saw Snoke's body.
His mind was forced back a few hours. It was still a blur, Rey was on her knees before him, his red lightsaber retracted but pointed at her throat. Snoke was saying something, most of his words were blocked out in his decision, 'Snoke or Rey?' he remembered thinking. He could feel Rey's blue lightsaber, formerly Luke's and Anakin's before her, held tight by the Force next to Snoke.
Then he heard Snoke's roar, "Kills his true enemy!" Without a second thought, Kylo had closed his free fist and cut Snoke in half. Then his memory reached a blur, the blue lightsaber had been pulled through the air, into Rey's hand. She had rose to her feet and joined Kylo against all eight of Snoke's guards, dressed in all red and wielding electrical-based weapons. The fight ensued for several minutes; he remembered dropping his lightsaber in his duel, then Rey had thrown her saber towards him, he had caught it in his hand and killed the last of the guards. He stood up straight and paced over towards Rey, who was already trying to convince him to save the Resistance fleet still running from the First Order flagship. He gave it one last attempt, but she still said no. Rey would not join him to rid the present of the past in destroying both the Resistance and the First Order and starting afresh to build a new, peaceful galaxy.
