Chapter Text
Chapter One
Phasma rolled her eyes behind the safety of her helmet. The weekly meeting involving the two commanders, two other captains and the four lieutenants, had started the same way as always – General Hux had opened proceedings, gone through the agenda, and not even five minutes in Lord Ren had opted to oppose whatever Hux was claiming. It was, in Phasma’s opinion, a massive waste of time for them all.
“I don’t understand your objection.” Hux stated calmly. Kylo stood up and crossed his arms in order to look that bit more intimidating.
“This proposal just will not work. You cannot expect your troops to know how to handle a situation like this.”
“Again, Lord Ren,” Hux all, but spat the name, “I cannot understand your objection, when it was you that absolutely demanded to me last week that this proposition take effect. I am acting as per your requirements.”
“Then you are doing it wrong.” Ren countered darkly, though Phasma was sure he was just being obstinate at this stage for the sake of doing so. She’d long suspected that Kylo hated to be at these meetings, but Snoke forced his hand. All these petty and pointless arguments to just be a way of Kylo creating a bit of amusement for himself.
“I’m doing it wrong?” Hux scoffed, disbelieving what he had just heard. “I am following the notes exactly from the last meetings minutes! If I am doing it wrong, Lord Ren, then that’s because you detailed it wrong.”
“Perhaps it wouldn’t be detailed wrong, if the minute taker could do the job properly.” Kylo returned, the suppressed anger slipping a bit further in his tone.
“Might I remind you that I have attempted to call you on your comm many times, Ren, and each time I have been ignored. I finally caught up with you two days ago and informed you I wished to meet with you to discuss the particulars of your demands, and yet you informed me you were ‘busy’. You offered no further explanation and walked off. If you cannot make the time then that is on you, not my Lieutenant, who, I might add, recorded the minutes excellently last week – How do I know? BECAUSE I WAS THERE, LORD REN.” Hux shouted, finally breaking from his carefully created calm. What sounded like a blast of static which Phasma interpreted as a huff, came from Kylo as he stormed out the room.
Hux watched him go, glad to be rid of him. Taking a moment to breathe, he looked up at the rest of the team.
“Lieutenant Mitaka, please be sure to add the fact that Lord Ren chose to throw a strop and storm out the meeting today to the record. I will not be held accountable when he claims I’m not keeping him in the loop.” Mitaka nodded confirmation and complied. “Shall we move onto the next item on the agenda then?” Hux asked the room, beginning to relax again.
The rest of the meeting went well and without any further interference from Kylo. There were a couple of disagreements with regards to suggestions being made, but they were able to come to solutions through civilised discussion, which was only ever really possible without Kylo being present. Once everyone had filed out, Phasma approached Hux who was still collecting and looking through his notes.
“Sir?” Phasma said, announcing her presence. Hux looked up at her and motioned for her to sit. She took a seat next to him as directed.
“What can I do for you, Phasma?” Hux inquired politely. Phasma hesitated for a second which caught his attention. Phasma was not one to hesitate for any reason.
“Have you and Lord Ren always hated each other?” Hux understood the hesitation now. It wasn’t recommended to bring Kylo up in any conversation, let alone one involving feelings and the history between them. Phasma knew Hux well enough to know his odd insecurities, and knew he would need evidence that he wasn’t about to get mocked before he would answer (which if she admitted to herself, she did have a habit of doing when she knew she’d get away with it). Lifting the helmet off, she let Hux see her face so he knew there was nothing malicious in her question and that it was simple curiosity. Hux studied her for a moment, then turned back to his notes. For a few seconds she thought he simply wouldn’t answer and considered leaving, when he suddenly spoke up again.
“Put simply, yes. From the very first moment we were introduced he was clearly harbouring some sort of ill-will against me. As if I hadn’t enough to contend with that day…” Hux trailed off a bit. Had Phasma been anyone else, pushing for more would have probably resulted in being escorted to the nearest airlock, but Phasma didn’t fear Hux and the repercussions. If nothing else, she knew at the very least he wouldn’t kill her, and so ploughed ahead.
“Why? What were you contending with that day?” Hux looked at her again, this time with his trademark scowl in place. Phasma maintained eye contact, not willing to back down until he finally relented. He usually did with her, Phasma thought with a touch of smugness, though she made sure not to let it show.
“My father.” Hux said, as though that cleared things up. Well, it did to some degree as Phasma knew all about Hux’s strained relationship with his father, but still she wanted more detail, so remained quiet and let Hux talk. “He was on board the Finalizer that day. I’m fairly sure he planned that. You already know when I made General and was given command of this ship, his only comment to me was that he was sure I’d fuck it up soon enough.” Phasma nodded. She’d been present for that one, but luckily was the only one there that had witnessed the exchange, and Hux knew she was loyal enough not to go spreading it as gossip. “Well, the second it got announced we were to host Kylo fucking Ren, my father couldn’t seem to help himself. Told me that he knew I was too young and stupid for this, and that Snoke had been hasty in giving me the title of General. He said it was obvious I wasn’t doing well or another commander wouldn’t need to be brought in to help me. Got that same tired speech about how I wasn’t good enough, I was sullying the Hux name, I’m an embarrassment, etc, etc. So no, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I met Lord Ren. I was already seething at my fathers words.”
“Before your first encounter with each other, and before your father had said any of that, was there any part of you that was looking forward to meeting Lord Ren and working with him?”
“Am I in therapy? Did you get bored of being a Captain and thought you’d like to try a different occupation?” Hux questioned, voice now quite clipped. Phasma knew it was a sign not to push much further or there would be consequences. She was still certain he wouldn’t kill her, but she didn’t quite fancy sanitation duty or whatever he felt was justified if she didn’t play her cards right.
“Answer that and I’ll leave you be.” Phasma tried. Being bold was part of who she was, and Hux certainly wouldn’t have appreciated her attempting at being soft and pitying. Luckily it paid off and Hux answered after a short consideration.
“Fine. Initially I was looking forward to meeting him. I wasn’t pleased I’d have to share command – it’s taken my entire life to prove to people what I can do, but since the situation was out of my hands I’m adult enough to know that I need to do what’s best for the First Order. In that sense, knowing he was one of these ‘force users’ I had an inkling of hope that we’d be like Darth Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin. They worked together like a well oiled machine, and despite Darth Vadar being a sith with little regard for the lives of those about him, he still respected and listened to Tarkin. But that hope died the second Ren opened his mouth to me. It is what it is, now I spend more time trying to manage the unnecessary damage done on board our ship. Have I satisfied your curiosity, Phasma? Passed your psychiatric test, or whatever this was?” Hux stood, but turned to face her before departing.
“You have, sir. Meet me in the officers lounge on Deck 37 and I’ll pay you for the story in the form of a drink. 2100 hrs?” This seemed to mollify Hux somewhat, though Phasma had already known he’d react well enough to that, hence why she had suggested it. Originally she’d intended to curl up with a holofilm and have an early night, but sometimes to keep a good relationship with a friend you need to sacrifice time.
“Can’t do 2100. I’ll see you there at 2315.” Hux replied, leaving no room for discussion as he swept out the room. Definitely no chance at all of an early night tonight then, Phasma sighed to herself. There was nothing for it, but to get on with her day and meet Hux as promised later. She picked herself up and made her way to the training rooms, ready to whip her stormtroopers into shape.