Chapter Text
Hux stood outside the conference room, spine ramrod straight and head up. His eyes were closed tightly and his hands clenched hard enough that he could feel his nails even through his gloves as he counted down the remaining seconds until his meeting with Supreme Leader Snoke would begin. The hallway of the star destroyer was completely barren. When his personal comm link went off to inform him that he was to meet with Snoke at the end of the hour, one didn’t need to have personally read the message to know that Hux’s time of judgement had arrived.
When he’d delivered Ren to Snoke days earlier, he’d been dismissed almost as soon as he’d arrived on the planet, just walking Ren up to the doors of a decrepit temple with an armed guard and then being told they were to leave by Ren. With the unpleasant sensation of eyes and fingers on his thoughts that didn’t belong to Ren, Hux didn’t message Snoke or ask to see him personally, just doing as Ren had told him with eagerness. Everything about that planet left Hux chilled to the bone and he couldn’t get away fast enough, particularly if it meant avoiding speaking with Snoke after Hux had secretly treasured putting it off as Ren healed from his fight with the stormtrooper who had defected and the scavenger.
And now, his time was up and his hopes dashed. Starkiller was just dust and debri now. He’d failed and he was going to have to face the consequences. Still, the tiny sliver of him that wasn’t resigned to submission argued valiantly for him that he’d done all that he could have. His design of the weapon had been closer to flawless what had ever been created before it. The fact that it had been defeated hinged on variables that no rational person would have thought to calculate and had Ren done as he was supposed to all along, they wouldn’t be in this position at all. It had come so damn close to serving its purpose and even if it hadn’t been able to destroy D’Qar, he’d brought the New Republic to its knees. If Snoke allowed him to continue on as General, he’d have the Resistance in the exact same place before him. It would be child’s play with the destruction of Hosnian Prime, Snoke would have to know that.
His heart started to race and his chest constrict as his count grew lower and lower. He flexed his fingers outward and then shook his hands out, taking a deep breath. When he hit zero, he forced himself to enter his credentials and pass keys and then enter the conference room, strolling up to the stage with purpose as he set his jaw and prepared himself for a verbal flogging if he was lucky. If he wasn’t so fortunate, he was unsure what his punishment would be. Ren and the rest of his so called knights were with Snoke, so if he was to be executed for his failure, it wouldn’t happen in right there. That relaxed him slightly even if he knew it could just mean that his death might prove to be much more public. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking so he put them behind his back and held them there. All he wanted to do was smoke or pace, ideally both.
The holoprojector flickered to life and the blue tinged pinpoints of light melded together to form a towering image of the Supreme Leader. Hux had always hated that it was such an enormous version of him. It wasn’t Snoke himself that intimidated Hux, quite the opposite. Hux knew he was more competent than the old man would ever be, force wizardry or not. He may have been the cause of the rise of the First Order, but Hux was what had driven it forward and what would keep it alive while Snoke chased Jedi and retrained his attack dogs. There were only two things that made Hux even remotely afraid of Snoke: the first being his ghastly appearance that was the stuff of nightmares, the second his ability to control Hux’s fate at this point in the game. It was only the latter that stopped Hux from outright arguing with him along with seizing power.
Hux had made the mistake of losing his temper with Snoke in the past when Snoke silenced him. At best, Snoke had overlooked it, but at worst, Snoke knew exactly how treasonous Hux had felt towards him in that moment. He had no clue which it was, but there was no way it would be positive for him. It had just been a nasty look, but such a thing was only acceptable when directed towards Ren, never Snoke himself. The thought of Ren, the person who was almost solely responsible for getting him here in the first place, made Hux have to bite down until his teeth felt ready to crack to control himself. But his face stayed slack, just as he’d been raised to do. Reprimand was something that one was supposed to take without fighting back.
“Supreme Leader.” Hux greeted stiffly.
“General.” Snoke intoned, his damaged jaw moving awkwardly as he spoke. “You feared this moment when you were at my temple.”
Could he sense Hux’s thoughts and emotions from this far away? Hux had no idea and being without that information put him at a deadly disadvantage. Whether it would be better to lie or not was the question. As much as he despised it, he chose to tell the truth lest he be caught trying to deceive to Snoke.
“I did. The First Order is everything to me and to lose my opportunity to rectify my mistakes and do my duty would be devastating.”
“How fortunate for you that I have decided what I have, then.”
Hux let some of the breath he’d been holding escape out of his nose. That had to at least mean that he wasn’t to be put to death. In the days of the Empire, large enough mistakes carried the price of one’s life. While Hux refused to put that rule in place under his command, knowing respect was a far better motivator than fear from personal experience, it was still prevalent in certain areas of the First Order and it was rumored that it was making quite the comeback of late.
“I am indebted to you, Supreme Leader.”
Snoke may have sneered, but it was next to impossible to tell. “And you will repay that debt by serving under your replacement.”
It felt like Hux had been hit by a shuttle.
“My…” He immediately attempted to piece himself back together. “My replacement?”
“Your strategies have proven to be ineffective. As such, we must employ new tactics. I have sent word for one of the greatest strategists of the Empire to join us. You will assist them and I will leave it up to them exactly how you are utilized further within the First Order. Do you understand?”
There was only one thing to say even if Hux could feel his face flushing from shame and fury.
“Yes, Supreme Leader. Thank you.”
“I will have the coordinates sent to where you are to meet him.”
“Who is they, if I may ask?” Hux attempted to ask evenly.
Snoke’s deep voice revealed exactly how much he was enjoying Hux’s pain. “You will know them when you see them.”
At that, Snoke cut off his end of the holocall. When the image had dissipated completely, Hux slumped over to sit in one of the chairs. Even if the shock of what he’d heard was showing no signs of wearing off, there was no denying what he’d heard. He was done here. As of now, his title was only a flashy decoration that now held no meaning. Starting to feel himself be pushed over the edge, he expelled a violent sigh and got to his feet, adjusting his uniform and carefully running his fingertips over his hair to make sure that it was all in place before making a beeline back to the bridge, refusing to allow anyone to think that he was weak. He’d survived Snoke’s reprimand and he was going to show it, even if he was likely going to be shuttled to a planet that contained the person he was to play ensign to while he watched the major work that should have belonged to him be accomplished by some ancient war hero that probably didn’t know how to use a modern data pad.
And he was certainly going to do it with a stiff upper lip, clear eyes, and a strong voice because anything else would have him eviscerated.
A few cycles later the coordinates and written orders were sent to his private data pad when he was off shift. He was to go to Kamino and stay there until he was dismissed. As Hux reread the message once again, he could only try to regulate his breathing and get up to pack. The Finalizer had been the his ship. It was his first command and he’d kept the vessel as he continued to advance in rank. He loved her and these had been his quarters for years. As he packed, the bareness of his rooms brought him down. He should have appreciated this space more while he had the chance. It had been the only living quarters that had been entirely his and now, they would likely be stripped of the few private modifications he’d had made and then handed over to a new officer.
The shuttle transporting him to Kamino’s surface was leaving in a few hours to allow him time to pack and finish any last duties aboard the Finalizer. His uniforms and toiletries were all neatly packed in a couple of bags that were now sitting by the door. The only personal items he was taking with him were his holorecords and medals that he now pointedly despised. Instead of taking the bottle of Coruscanti Whiskey, he chose to sit down in his favorite chair one last time and open it, not bothering with a glass. He’d been saving it for something special, but now just wanted to numb himself rather than savor it as was it was supposed to be. It was smooth and burned pleasantly, but he didn’t take time to appreciate it, just allowing its artful craft to prolong the time in which he could knock it back without pulling up for air.
This was deplorable behavior and he was hyper aware of that, but he was beyond caring. No matter what happened, he’d been able to keep going with the idea of being able to show people like his father, Snoke, anyone that no matter what the setback was, he could prove them wrong and earn their approval. That was all over now. He was done. It would have been nobler for him to go like Grand Moff Tarkin had and perish in the obliteration of his own creation. Now, he resigned to be the bootlicker Ren had always been so fond of telling him rightfully that he was. That thought made him take another pull from the bottle without heading just how much he’d all ready consumed.
He wasn’t a large man. Tall, yes, but never having been able to fill out even with physical training and an enhanced diet. Because of that, he usually made it a point never to drink more than a few fingers or glasses depending on the alcohol. He’d nearly doubled that and had skipped straight past feeling warm and relaxed to battling nausea. Kriff, he was not going to be sick when he met this new strategist. His pride wouldn’t allow it even in this state. Getting to his feet, he swayed a little and his thoughts were fuzzy and scrambled like a jammed comm. He was arriving on Kamino in what would be there evening. If he was lucky and could keep upright and his words clear, he could probably make it through introductions and wave away a meal if it was offered to go sleep it off.
There was a buzz as someone at his door requested his presence. Praying that he appeared sober, Hux pulled on his coat and donned his hat went before opening the door to reveal his shuttle pilot and an anti grav dolly.
“The shuttle is ready whenever you are, General.” The pilot stated, her demeanor clipped but polite.
“Yes, thank you.”
She picked up his bags and placed them on the dolly, pushing the thing behind Hux as he stepped out of his quarters and sealed them up without looking back, just heading to the hangar bay. His officers knew that he was leaving even if they had never been told why and those he passed saluted him. Nodding at each of them in turn, he'd always done his best to be a stellar officer because that was what these people deserved. They were a capable crew and he dearly hoped his replacement knew how to utilize them as such. Perhaps that respect went both ways because it seemed like he was passing countless more officers in the hallway that had any right to be there, but he wasn’t going to make assumptions when he was just barely still able to classified as tipsy and not something sloppier.
The shield of the hangar bay cast everything in a soft blue light, making Hux’s eyes burn. Directing him to one of the smaller shuttles, the pilot had the ramp lowered for them and then stepped aside to allow Hux to board first. He did, his feet feeling clumsy as he climbed the ramp to step into the passenger section of the ship. The pilot came up behind him to magnetically lock the dolly to the floor and then wait patiently for Hux to sit down in one of the flight chairs before reaching to strap him in. He held up his hand.
“I’m fine.”
“As you wish, General. We’ll be taking off shortly.”
“Good.” He said without remotely meaning it.
Leaving to go to the cockpit, Hux was left surrounded by empty chairs. Not sure if it was his own self pity or the alcohol leaving him feeling ill, he just worked on getting the complicated safety bar down and in place over his shoulders and chest so that he wasn’t thrown around the ship. The last thing he wanted was to show up not only drunk but bruised. The ride to Kamino wasn’t going to take more than an hour with hyperspace given how close they were all ready and Hux was almost appreciative of that. He was ready just to face the music and then be able to sleep after disappointing yet another person.
Putting his head back, he tried to doze for a while, actually succeeding after some time. He woke up with the brim of his hat touching his nose and his coat wrinkled around him. It was foolish not to take it off before sitting down, but it was too late now. It wasn’t as if it would detract from him at this point. Pushing his hair back and then readjusting his hat, he could hear rain buffeting the hull of the ship even over the sound of the engines. They’d arrived on Kamino. Somehow, Hux was ready despite waking up feeling even worse than he’d been earlier. Maybe he just wanted to get this over with, he was earnestly curious, or both. No matter the reason, when the shuttle touched down and then the engines were shut off, Hux unlocked his harness and rose to stretch. The pilot and copilot emerged from the cockpit to carry his things and accompany him.
Once the ramp was lowered, Hux got his first look at Kamino. It was absolutely pouring down rain and Hux’s coat and hat, which were meant for cold weather rather than rain, would be drenched in minutes. They were standing on a series of interconnecting platforms build over a churning ocean and Hux wanted nothing more than to get inside. A tall Kaminoan person approached them flanked by a small ceremonial guard of stormtroopers to welcome them.
“General Hux.” They began in a friendly tone. “We have prepared for your arrival. Please, let us get out of the rain.”
He gave a respectful nod, hoping it didn’t appear awkward. “Thank you.”
He did as he was invited, following them into the closest building. One of the stormtroopers took the dolly from his pilot and split off to head down a different hall.
“Your possessions will be taken to your quarters. We assumed that you would like to meet the Grand Admiral before dinner. Are we correct?”
That title brought up several names inside Hux’s clouded head. Rae Sloane was one of them. Could he really be assisting Rae Sloane? That might make this tolerable. Sloane was one of his heroes and there weren’t many people left who held the title of Grand Admiral. Being able to work with her would allow him to combine his prowess with hers and had the real potential to lead to him being reinstated in the First Order should she respect his work.
“Yes, you are.” Hux responded.
The Kaminoan was pleased. “Then please, follow me.”
The tall alien walked alongside Hux, guiding him completely through their current building and then two more, each time putting them back out in the downpour. Hux hadn’t been in rain in so long and he was finding that he enjoyed it as much as he remembered. Arkanis was always so damp and growing up with the rain had left it a pacifying sound and sensation for Hux. Perhaps Kamino would be a nice enough place to reside. Still, why here of all places? Hux would have greatly preferred some place run by humans despite the alliance the Kaminoans had held with the Empire and the First Order. They had created the stormtrooper clones back when they were still utilized and in more recent years had shifted to biological weapons and medical research. Maybe that was part of the Grand Admiral’s strategy. Only time would tell.
The hallways were all the same. White, sterile, and to Hux’s liking. When the Kaminoan finally stopped in front of a door, they had to request entry. After about a minute of waiting, the door slid open and the Kaminoan moved aside so that Hux could enter.
“A trooper will be outside the door should you need anything, General.”
“Thank you.”
The Kaminoan and most of the stormtroopers left at that and Hux was left in the doorway. Hoping he didn’t appear frazzled or inebriated, Hux stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He was in a luxurious set of private quarters, the making of which he had never seen before. It was the complete opposite of the spartan facilities outside and it left Hux feeling very much overwhelmed. There was a plush carpet underneath his feet in a soft champagne color, contrasting with the maroon walls and deep blue furniture. Shelves and display cases shows off strange items ranging from pieces of pottery to old weapons, some of which Hux couldn’t begin to identify. The walls were covered in artwork of various mediums including paintings, sketches, photographs, and even pages of writing and sheets of music.
There was no way this was Rae Sloane from what he’d read about her. She was a woman of necessity and had been noted to abhor flashy displays of power and wealth. Even Gallius Rax, with his noted love of fine things, Hux couldn’t see residing here. Whoever this sitting room belonged to was a mystery to Hux and that bothered him. He was at enough of a disadvantage with his intoxication without being presented with someone that he had no information about.
“General Hux.” A deep voice called out.
Hux turned. A door to another room had opened, how long ago Hux couldn’t ascertain, he’d been so preoccupied with his own thoughts and analysis. What did matter was that Hux immediately knew who he had said his name and his brain continued to misfire as facts conflicted with what he was seeing and his own emotions churned underneath it all.
“This can’t be right.”
“And how is that? We are on Kamino, aren’t we? Really, General. I can see that you are clearly not at your best, understandably so, but come now. I expected more from you.”
The man front of him was dressed crisply in a First Order uniform that had yet to have any ranking attached to it with his dark hair neatly combed backward. Still, that wasn’t what identified the figure for Hux. Even in the shadows of the softly lit room, his eyes glowed red with bioluminescence, highlighting the red markings on the skin underneath. Skin that was a soft blue in hue. There was no denying who this was, or at least, whose clone it was from his hint.
“I was warned that you might not respond to me being Chiss well, but gawking is quite beneath you along with your drinking. You carry yourself well enough to hide most signs of it, but you neglected the smell.”
Still, Hux could say nothing. This couldn’t be his new superior. Even if Hux knew Thrawn’s history, he couldn’t accept this. Thrawn was an anomaly and this was a clone of him. Somehow, he was to take his place? No wonder Snoke had waited for Hux to discover the name of his replacement himself. That was the true slap to the face, not the demotion itself.
“Perhaps it would be best if you were to lie down.” He suggested.
Hux stepped away. “I can do so in my own quarters.”
“Of course. We can convene for lunch tomorrow.”
“Yes, fine.”
Hux knew he was being anything but respectful, yet he’d reached his limit. Turning on his heels, instead of storming out as he had intended, he stumbled and barely got his arms out in time to catch himself before his face hit the floor. His arms stung from the impact and his hat fell off. After he’d pushed himself back onto his feet, Hux glanced at Thrawn from the corner of his eye, burning with chagrin. Thrawn hadn’t moved from his spot and his gaze held minute traces of pity. Lip threatening to curl over his teeth, Hux stooped down to retrieve his hat, reaffixed it, and then opened the door. He was unable to keep from looking over his shoulder as he stepped back into the hall before the doors shut behind him, but his counterpart was no longer there.
He smoothed his expression and tone before addressing the trooper that had been waiting for them.
“Take me to my quarters.”
“Yes, General. This way.”
The trooper started to lead Hux across the hallway. They only made one turn before they stopped in front of a door. Having his quarters right next to the Thrawn’s made sense even if it irritated Hux beyond measure. Bitter, Hux let the trooper open the doors to his quarters for him.
“Sir, should I have someone come and alert you when it is time for dinner?”
“No.” Hux asserted, hating the idea. “I’ll have my meal in my quarters tonight.”
“Yes, General. There is a data pad for your use on the table. Should you require anything, there is a comm link that will summon someone.” The trooper informed him.
“Good.”
Hux entered his room at that and shut the door behind him. It wasn’t the hospital white like the hallway, but Hux had no desire to explore it right then and after ascertaining that his bags had been placed on the floor next to the table where a data pad was indeed sitting, Hux went into the bedroom and sprawled out over the bed without getting under the covers or taking off his clothes. He fell into a fitful sleep soon afterwards as rain continuously landed on the roof overhead.