"I assure you, Re-"
"'Supreme Leader', General."
Armitage Hux's expression hid annoyance as he sharply exhaled. The red-haired general's penchant for pleasing higher authority ended once Ren had been appointed. His black uniform was a stark contrast to his pale skin.
Hands clasped tightly behind his back, he started again.
"Supreme...Leader. My operative is not only with the Rebels, but has already distributed reliable information that has nearly resulted in the arrests of key members twice now."
"And yet," Ren answered with a bored tone, "your informant cannot tell us where their base is.".
Head tipping toward the floor momentarily, Hux regained his composure.
"When our member was recruited, it was only after they boarded the unidentifiable vessel that the rebel insignia was revealed. They had to agree to an injection that put them into stasis, and it did not fade until after arriving at the underground facility. It seems their numbers are still too precarious to risk their location being revealed."
Ren nodded. "Send no one to Ahch-To. Wait for further confirmation. I've called in some assistance for the time being."
"Sir, what assistance?"
"You're dismissed, General Hux." Ren stared him down. It had already been obvious that Armitage suspected that he'd have been involved in Snoke's death. There had been murmuring amongst the battalions regarding the death of Snoke and his guards at the hands of a small girl, who left the apprentice alive.
Ren and Hux had always been in competition with one another in their time serving with the First Order, but after hearing from Snoke himself how he had played him and Rey, sometimes he questioned if he and the rabid cur had also been manipulated.
"Yes, Sir." Hux gave a partial bow, and turned toward the board room exit. He was still reaching for the panel when it slid open and he hastily backed out of the way as six black-clad figures strode one-by-one past him into the room.
Three filed on the left side of the long table, and three took to the right side.
Hux had a sour look on his face, but Ren detected his trembling nervousness beneath the facade. The red-haired general straightened as he turned sharply out the door.
The door closing behind him hissed loudly in the silence of the room.
No words were spoken from any of the individuals, and they were focused on Ren, who still stood at the head of the table. They were all diversified marginally in their appearance; black robes crossed and tied in variations between all six due to their height differences. Some were covered in black armour for torsos and arms, others had asymmetrical capes, but each figure donned a unique black helmet with a faceless visor.
"Tyrus," Ren spoke to the figure on his right, "I wasn't entirely sure you'd received my message."
The figure reached up and engaged the release mechanism of the helmet; the visor was cut in a disorientating X pattern that left one to wonder where the eyes were.
A hiss emitted from under the chin, and the helmet was removed, before it unceremoniously clunked onto the table.
Bright, cerulean eyes in a pale face met Ren's gaze. His mouth pressed in a hard line below his pointed nose, tensing the corner of his square jaw; red hair was cropped short on the left side of his head, while long waves were pulled over onto the right side, skimming a jawline covered lightly in stubble.
"Received your message," he answered flatly, "that we did." Crossing his arms over his chest, he glanced over at his companions, and said no more.
"I understand. You do not necessarily appreciate coming aboard a First Order vessel."
A flicker of emotion crossed Tyrus' face as he considered something in his thoughts, but it was gone in an instant.
"You summoned us for assistance." he answered in his strange, drawling accent. "Now that has not happened in a long time."
Ren wasted no words.
"Snoke is dead."
Tyrus blinked slowly a few times as he processed the news, and what passed for a smile spread on his face. Ren could feel the tension amongst the group, save one.
"You usurped Snoke yourself?" a synthetic voice asked from the figure on the left, a taller being with barbed shoulder pieces and a helmet with a vertical slit down the middle.
"No. A Force-user killed him while detained aboard our vessel. A girl from Jakku." Ren's jaw clenched, as he shielded his thoughts.
A warbly, synthetic whistle followed. "Sounds like someone I'd like to meet."
Tyrus all but rolled his eyes. "That's enough from you, Freen." He turned to Ren once again. "You went through all the trouble to message us, get us to step foot on this ship, because you need assistance from us acquiring...a girl?" He stepped forward, and his head cocked at an angle.
A moment of silence transpired in the room.
"This...scavenger...not only is she strong in the Force, but she is leading the rebels under General Leia. They've taken extreme precautions in recruiting new members without revealing their location. We'd prefer to take care of this problem before their numbers inflate to something more threatening."
"A scavenger," Tyrus mused thoughtfully, "how did she come to get strong enough to murder Snoke?".
Ren stared for a moment at the table.
"She trained under Luke Skywalker."
The figures shuffled their feet in agitation at the mention of the jedi master.
Freen sounded oddly pleased. "And the plot thickens. I bet she gave you that scar too."
Ren shot him a death glare, before inhaling hot anger back down into his belly.
"We cannot risk her reviving the Jedi once more. I need you to hunt her down and-"
"-Kill her?" Freen interjected.
"No," Ren almost shouted, "we need her on our side. Bring her in alive after you've obliterated the Rebellion by hand."
Tyrus furrowed his brows as he considered him. "You believe she'll turn?"
"I know she will. I've seen it in a vision."
Tyrus stared critically at him for a moment. Ren could feel ghostly fingers gliding along the invisible boundary of his memories; Tyrus was curious about the vision, and doubtful of his motives. Ren knew he despised Snoke, and he detected no remorse at the mention of his passing. Tyrus operated on loyalty however, and more importantly, he hated being lied to.
Ren flexed his cranial shield under Tyrus' prodding, and he ceased his explorations all together.
Tyrus regarded Ren with a suspicious stare as he straightened his posture.
"Very well, Ren. When shall we leave?"
"I'll have General Hux meet with you to transfer all intel he has on the Rebels currently, then you can leave at once."
Tyrus nodded, and motioned for the rest of the group to depart. They peeled away from the table as he plucked his helmet from the surface.
Just as he lifted it over his scalp, Ren stepped close to him, his voice full of threat.
"When I said bring her in alive - I meant it. No one touches her."
Tyrus' defiant gaze never left his as the helmet came down and sealed. Ren faced the X-marked helmet, refusing to make room for him to leave.
A distorted, deep tone responded through the voice synthesizer.
"As you command...Supreme Leader."