Blinded by the Dark | General Hux

IV

"Yes...No, I'm sure that will be fine...I wasn't aware you participated in field missions."

"Well, not from a fighting perspective, I'll be observing from the ground shuttle to make sure everything goes smoothly."

"I see..." She nodded as their conversation came to a fading halt, leaving them unsure quite how to conclude it. "...Was that all?"

"Um, yes, I suppose."

"Right...I must be going. Thank you and I will see you shortly."

He gave a single nod and departed without another word to the other side of the hangar to the larger command shuttle that would oversee from planet-level so she boarded Ren's ship and took her place beside her master in the cockpit still processing her conversation. It was such a strange turn from their previous interactions she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Maybe he was mocking her but it honestly didn't sound like it. Maybe he'd gotten the memo from their last argument that she would not hesitate when it came to her power.

"What did Hux want?" Ren asked, flicking switches while she absentmindedly adjusted her seat, hitting the button to close the cockpit door.

"Only congratulating me on my place on the mission," she replied as he engaged the engines. "And he said he's starting to see the potential you do."

He didn't seem entirely convinced by Hux's sudden appreciation of his apprentice - although not much was easy to interpret from under the mask - and let out a disgruntled 'hmph' as they left the base.

"What's wrong with that? He's starting to respect me as an equal. Coming from such a higher up, from someone I've had serious issues with recently, doesn't that make you proud in your training?"

"I do not like that man. There is much distrust between us. I think he is creating a false sense of security for you, to make you believe you're more than you are to inevitably fail you and spite me."

"Maybe if you tried to like him there wouldn't be so much distrust between you: I did, to begin with," she muttered and he caught on, quickly turning to look at her. "What?"

"I have my reasons, as do you, evidently."

"Why can't you just be a little proud of my achievements, my new worth in the eyes of the General of the First Order rather than being so negative all the time? It's a start, isn't it? Even if he is a pain in the arse."

"I am proud."

"Well, you certainly have an interesting way of communicating it, master."

She was silent and instead focussed her attention out of the window and the mission at hand, trying to hide her nerves by wringing her cloak in her hands and taking some breaths, chewing at her lip.

Yes, she had trained, and hard at this point, but there was a difference between training and the actual thing: of going out there and fighting real people. There would be no second chances if she screwed up, those blasters would be real and would rip through her like scissors through paper.

Still, she had trust in her master, in herself and their army. She would be okay, right? As long as she was focussed and undistracted.

"I'm glad he congratulated you on your achievements." Ren eventually said and she looked over at him. "It is good he is recognising your potential...Only, in my experience, Hux and Force users don't mix. He'd easily leave a friend for dead if he had to, there is no doubt he would do the same to you given your distaste for one another. I only want you to be cautious."

She allowed a small smile and nodded once. He was right, of course, as always. She shouldn't be completely trusting.

"Thank you."