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spottedlekkudancer · 7 years

Text

Same Heart

Chapter 2 - Onslaught CH1

SUM: You are a Colonel from the Battlecruiser Absolution now aboard Finalizer in an attempt to close a banking deal for the Order abroad. Not much has ever given you cause to seek a significant other before, however, when several people on the ship start taking a personal interest in you things may change.(KyloxReaderxHux)

Word Count: 4000+

Warnings: N/A

The next morning came swiftly: sleep having taken you out like a highly trained assassin after retiring to your room. You had the day off but your body’s internal clock wouldn’t allow you to sleep in. So the next thing on your mind was your ever growling stomach. Typically you would just have your provisions brought to your quarters, however, as a guest on this ship you would have to dress in your uniform and go to the cafeteria again.

After grabbing your own tray you stood awkwardly in a corner of the dining area, scanning the tables for your Lieutenant. You previously sent him a message asking if he had already eaten and if not if he would share the meal time with you. Eating with Zack was better than eating alone with all trooper and grey coats’ eyes on you. You spotted him quickly: he already had taken a seat with an unmasked stormtrooper and to your surprise Matt the radar tech.

Zack gave a quick smile to you as you sat down next to the trooper, filling in the square. He was already deep in a conversation.

“Ridiculous, where do you get this stuff man? Are you like in love with this guy?” The trooper gave a short laugh: his unshaven double chin giggling with his own delight. “Why don’t you give him a kiss for me, huh?” Zack chuckled at this as well, Matt on the other hand seemed very unamused.

“What are we talking about?” It was a strange thing to hear when you were just engaging the three men.

“Matt over here wants to bed Kylo Ren.” The heavy man pushed the food on his tray around. You noted his ID number, he was part of the 501st Legion.

Zack was the one to answer next. Clearing your confused expression. “Ignore Tim, Colonel (L/N), He’s just teasing. Matt here was telling us some of the things his friend knows about the Commander.”

“We’re off duty, Just (F/N) will do for today.” You corrected, then immediately turned to Matt. His face was hot with anger. “What things? I’d like to know.”

“Uuugh here we go.” Tim groaned with his mouth full. You shot him a look of discontent and he momentarily turned his attention away from you and Matt to talk to Zack.

Matt’s hands slid off the table into his lap. “Why do you care?”

His tone was one you did not desire when someone addressed you, but he was upset. You were letting a lot of things you would normally reprimand go on the Finalizer. “For a better understanding of our Commander maybe. Maybe I just want to be included in a friendly back and forth. Take it however you like.”

Matt straightened in his seat. “Well how do you feel about him?” He turned the conversation on you first, some of the animosity he carried leaving.

“I know nothing about the man. Therefore, my opinion is null.” You took a few bites before continuing. Matt wasn't going to speak again until you answered him. “But if you must know: I feel like he is a loose canon. Or at the very least needs to find a coping method for his feelings other than hurting the things and people around him. I guess it would be understandable if they insulted him directly, but

I mean we are all on the same side here. Do you not agree?”

The way his brow knitted gave away that he in fact did not agree. He glared you down for a long intense moment, drawing the attention of Tim and Zack. Without any body language to warn you he shot up out of his chair and swiped his arm across the table. Successfully knocking everyone’s trays to the floor. He didn’t once brake eye contact with you as he left; his nostrils flaring with every breath.

For a moment you were stunned. Zack’s voice was the one to break your empty thoughts. “(F/N)?”

You connected gazes with him and then back down at your tunic. It was splattered with your unfinished breakfast. “Well. Guess I’ll be leaving too.” You brushed a piece of grey protein matter off your shoulder.

As you departed the other two men shared a shrug and returned to the mess hall’s buffet.

After a brief refresh and change of clothes you checked your data pad. There was a new message from one of the many officers. They were requesting your presence in the room Kylo had destroyed the night before; wanting a verbal and written witness statement. The latter of the two was easy, you had typed it out before leaving the scene and all you had to do was forward it to the officer in charge.

When you arrived two petty officers greeted you. You immediately noticed the back end of Matt. He was on all fours with his head stuck in one of the damaged panels. You mindlessly answered there 101 questions as you watched him work. He really had no idea what he was doing and you wondered where supervisor was.

“Thank you for your time Colonel.” The female officer nodded to you as she and her partner left.

Time. Time was all you had today, and time meant boredom. Boredom lead to bad decisions on your part. Like the one you were making right now: to go and talk to Matt again. You couldn’t put your finger on why you kept torturing yourself; approaching the man had yet to be a pleasant experience. Maybe it was the way that baggy uniform was trying to hide that more than perfect butt of his that got you to stick around just now. He did have it so perfectly on display for you.

That was a wildly inappropriate thought. You scolded yourself.

“What up Matt.” You made an attempt at sounding like the stormtrooper that kicked his wrench yesterday. His reaction was better than you anticipated, apparently your impersonation was good. He jolted up, hitting his head hard on the metal encasing he hovered between. He grunted and rubbed at the spot, pulling himself out slowly this time. “Whoa, hey you okay?” You leaned against to equipment next to him.

Every line in his face grew deep with a frown. “What do you want? Don’t you have something better to do?” Kylo wasn’t the least interested in making eye contact with you. Still all he felt was your stare burning into his head. You insulted him to his face, unknowingly at that, but nevertheless. If he looked at you now he might do something he couldn’t take back. He wasn’t just ready to blow his cover.

“Nope.” You said with plane cheerfulness. It was unprofessional, but so was everyone else besides Hux on this ship.

“Go bother someone else. I’m busy.”

You rolled your eyes at his dismissal, you were getting use to the rude way he rejected you. “You’d be less busy if you blunted that red and green wire and disconnect the TMA strip.”

He halted his movements.

“I mean you are trying to turn all power in this room off safely so it can be replaced right?” You watched carefully as the man nodded. “Good well then you will need these.” You squatted to his level and handed him a pair cable strippers, and then pointed to a thick red and green striped wired deep in the computer’s box. “Remove about two inches from the end.”

He took the pliers from you. “Why does a Colonel know how to do this?”

You smiled glad he was taking interest. “It’s not like i was trained in it. I just pride myself in my droid building skills. Not hard to figure this out from that. Same mechanics.”

“You have built a droid?” there was disbelief laced in the question.

“Well no. More like re-built. I have a B1 battle droid I use as an assistant waiting for me back on Absolution.”

The frown he carried faded and his shoulders started relaxing. “Clone War era. Why even bother with something so out of date?”

“Well Her programing isn’t out of date. I change it periodically.” You handed him the next tools he would need.

“Her?” It was an odd thing to address a droid as, especially a B1.

“Oh yes, I installed a RTS model translator chip. It was a surprise to me too when it influenced a feminine personality. So I ended up changing her name from Bucket to Sterling.”

“Sterling?”

“Ya. I had her painted a shiny gray. That sandy brown never was appealing to me, and almost every thing from that era comes in it. I also equipped her with k-FM top 40 droid music and a YYTW-c4 program that allows her to play orchestral music. She really seems to enjoy singing while cleaning.” You rambled on about Stirling. Even if he wasn't actually interested you jumped at any chance to talk about your accomplishment with her. She was the closest thing you had to a friend and you had worked so hard and long on getting her just right.

Kylo still wasn’t looking at you, but he could feel your aura light up with elation as you went on about the stupid droid. “It’s a B1 and you have it cleaning?”

You scoffed. “Come on, let's be honest. Those battle droids weren’t very good at fighting. Their whole shtick was to come in overwhelming numbers and hope they shot their target. But Stirling does still carry a hand blaster. I gave her a DC-17.”

That was something else old enough to be a collectible. “What’s with all the ‘rise of the Empire’ shit. Are you obsessed with that era or something?”

You scratched the back of your head thinking. No one had asked you that before. “I wouldn’t say Obsessed. But ya, kinda. I guess this huge fascination with droids and old tech stuff came from my love for Darth Vader. I heard once as a child that he built a droid and was good with fixing things before he became the infamous inquisitor. Since then I wanted to build a companion of my own.”

That one caught Kylo completely off guard. “Darth Vader?” He stopped working, anger melting away enough to watch you instead.

You were looking up at the ceiling, in a day dream like haze. “Don’t get me wrong. As much as I admire him I know I could never be anything like the man. I’m no force user, but just the sheer power and restraint he had over others and himself. It’s awe inspiring, ya know?”

Perhaps you weren't as bad as he originally thought. Kylo figured you at least had good taste in this matter.

“Matt! You done with that box yet!?” The brass voice of Matt’s supervisor interrupted your train of thought. She had come around the corner and into the room.

“Almost ma’am” He spoke through gritted teeth, not at all trying to hid his loathing for the woman.

You took a step forward. “That’s my fault. I have been providing a distraction with questions about the extent of the damage.” You passed her. “Excuse me.”

“Of course Colonel. Not a problem.” She sounded less irritated with your excuse for Matt.

Now the question of what to do next stood. You didn’t want to go and just sulk in your room, nor did you want to go to a common area. Making friends wasn’t something you enjoyed. Too many years of “professional relationships only” being beat into you. You wished you were aboard Absolution and able to do real work. Work was your only purpose in life.

A thought struck you. Perhaps with permission Hux would allow you to do more under his command, as if this was a short term reassignment instead of a business visit.

Hux was where he always was: the bridge; his choses team of Lieutenants bustling around with his orders. You decided on at least trying to be pleasent with him. You catch more bees with honey than vinegar, after all. “General, Sir.” You called from the rear observation deck. “A moment of your time, please?” He excused himself quietly from the subordinate to oblige you. When he got close enough you continued with your request in hushed tones: feeling that if you came off more abrasive like you usually did he might say no. “Sir, may I be short with you?”

Though at times you could have blunt or snarky comebacks they were never directed towards him. You were always to speak in a roundabout or elegant way even when upset with him. So naturally the question peaked his interest. “Is this about Ren?” He wondered if the bloody Knight had insulted you again or even attacked you. The man’s rage was predictable and more so, worthy of a complaint. You shook your head negatively. A small wave of relief for Hux. “Then I don’t see why not.”

“Sir, I’m not use to down time. Do you have anything you’d like done that you-yourself can not attend to at the moment?”

Hux didn’t even take a moment to think. He had a long list of tasks every day that he couldn’t delegate to the officers under him. But a Colonel, he could use. “How do you feel about carrying out discipline?”

“Anything will do Sir. I don’t mind being the ‘bad guy’.” This was true. It had bothered you when you were first assigned to such things, but that faded quickly. The first Order was already viewed as a monster among most of the galaxy. So a few more handfuls of people was little more than a nuisance.

Hux was pleased. “I’ll send you a list. Sergeant Tolle will need a shuttle prepared for him. He is to be demoted and shipped out to Solken3 Base. The others are minor offenses and you may deal with how you wish.” He waited for your acceptance.

Whatever Tolle did must have been serious. Solken3 was a wasteland where the Order sent people they wanted to forget about. “I’ll have it done by next meal Sir.”

Without delay you set upon completing this small mission: first preparing transport for Tolle, next sending troopers to Tolle’s dorm to pack his things for him while he was working, then issuing the appropriate documents to Solken3, and finally several hours later- when all your ducks were in a row- pulling the Sergeant out of duty to give him the bad news. Naturally he wanted to argue the sudden change, but you would hear none of it. If you needed too you would have a pair of troopers escort him to his ship. He knew this and the arguing didn’t last long.

Taking care of the others was far more simple. Some you sent to reconditioning, others to janitorial duty on the lower levels for the rest of the standard quarter year. More often than not Hux would have pulled them into the training room very nonchalantly and pitted them against a fighter far superior than them, or simply instruct a group of guards to beat on said individual. This however, never sat right with you. It was something he picked up in his youth and never grew out of. Knowing his father Brendol like you did you weren’t surprised by the development of man’s behaviour early on. You grew up knowing only this Hux and you use to wonder if Armitage was ever innocent and kind.

It was when you reached the last person on your list that you had your first bit of real trouble with the task at hand. You were under the impression going into the conversation that this would be the easiest of the lot, that’s why you saved it for last. Yalhem, a petty officer, had failed a block sweep. There was no contraband found in his bunking, but it was unusually untidy. You figured a verbal slap on the writs would be enough to satisfy everyone.

Apparently not.

“If this happens again you will face consequences. Do I make myself clear?”

Kylo overheard you chiding the younger officer. Your tone was the same you used with him the night before and this made his blood run hot. He dropped his previous thoughts on what he was doing and went to follow the clear authoritative reprove. After tuning corners he found you. Comparatively to him you were small and he found any other though of you was incorrect. Literally beneath him. You were petite, inconsistent, and annoying with the way you thought you could run things.

This was the third time he saw you trying to make your presence hold some meaning other than a paper lackey known. Kylo was having none of it. Your place was behind a desk; not berating and chastising every one of his subsidiary workers, including himself.

“(L/N)” his long legs made for determined strides, stepping in between you and the officer he did not know the name of. He pushed you by the shoulder back some making every inch of his incorrigible towering frame vividly menacing. “Three people on this ship have the power to dictate over these men. You are not one of them.”

“Excuse you?!” This was the last straw with him. For too long he had shown disrespect to you. “I have the sovereignty to do as I see fit at anytime.” You couldn't help but think about why this guy was always around at the worst times. Yalhem started slithering away slowly, far more frightened than you were by the brute in front of him.

“No, you need to mind your place!” spit flew out of the enraged man’s mouth. Whipping out his saber and cutting you down would be an easy thing for him right now.

You crossed your hands over your chest and lowered your voice. Something you had picked up when dealing with aggressive men on the daily. If you stayed the calmer of the two, the more likely you were to come out the victor or an argument. “Maybe you should take a hard look in the mirror techie. You aren’t one of those ‘three people’ either.”

Techie. Matt. Kylo was still in his radar technician clothes. His realization of the mistake came too late, he would have to continue to lambaste you for the sake of pride.

“Matt. I don’t know if you think you have some kind of special place here because of your elegend relationship with the Commander, but no amount of favoritism is going to spare you from my hand. You are just as insignificant to me and everyone else on this ship as a pile of Wampa pie.” You made an obscenely disgusted face, emphasizing the offel nature of the beasts’ excrement.

Kylo, or rather Matt was fuming. Now at both you and himself. “At least I am not called on half way across the galaxy to sign an otherwise worthless document.”

You opened your mouth to speak but in an instant of realization were struck with awe. A brief recovery. “How do you know that?” It was not announced to anyone what you were here for, for all anyone under Hux knew you could be a new permanent. You shook this off too, returning to your upbraiding. “Never mind. Weather you like it or not I AM your superior, and will not be spoken to in such a way.”

“Funny, You haven't corrected me on it before. I thought you liked it.” Through gritted anger his words were thick with sarcasm.

“Oh yes supper funny.” You came back dropping the higher ground to match the derision he gave. “As funny as it will be to watch you clean the sweat off the training room floors every night for the next standard half year.”

Kylo pointed an accusing finger. “You still don't get it. No one gave you the right to-

“Hux gave me jurisdiction over punishments while i'm here. And I’m positive you wouldn’t speak to him like this.” Your argument had turned to one resembling siblings or an old married couple. Too full of himself to back down, both feeling everything they said was the work of a god.

“You’d be really fucking surprised princess-

A chime came from the tablet in your arms. You held up a finger to hush Matt and surprisingly it worked. Though as you were looking down at the notification you missed the fact Matt received a message too.

Return to the bridge.

It was from Hux. “Speak of the devil.” You murmured. You didn’t bother engaging Matt again. He only lead to more trouble.

Kylo’s message on the other hand said something for more pressing to him and wouldn’t be able to keep up the fight if he wanted to.

The Supreme Leader has called. Where are you?

You snatched the com from Mitaka, glaring him down into submission. “Lieutenant, patch me into the main Hangar now!”

This time he does as you say, clicking away on the control panel at your hip. He gives you the nod to go.

“Flight Control. This is Colonel (L/N). I need six standby fighters, Zeta and Epsilon squads, launched to execute Tango-Delta-48.”

A staticked voice links back to you. “Uh.. Sir? This is Flight Control, Hangar one is locked down until

“That is an ORDER Officer.” You cut him off, well aware of the excuses.

“Yes Sir, right away.” His speech is hurried this time. “All stations get ready for a draft we’re opening the shield doors. On my mark. Ten. nine. Eight...”

When you had arrived in the main hub of the ship Hux wasn’t be found. Instead you were greeted by a very disgruntled Mitaka. For nearly a half hour the two of you exchanged small talk while waiting for the general to return. Then something unusual happened. An officer called out that resistance ships were pulling into your quadrant from hyperspace. The kind of ships were yet to be determined, however, that wasn’t to be analyzed now.

The ability to assess and determine the details of a situation make the Order’s elite revered and respected as vigilant guardians of maintaining peace and justice over their respective systems. In these situations careful coordination and patience between man and machine is imperative to the success of a mission. That’s why you lept into action. If Hux nor Kylo was around to give orders you’d be sitting ducks.

Mitaka was quick to advise otherwise, even going as far to say he would give commands in Hux’s wake. This was unacceptable. He had no Navy or Army command training. Once this point was firmly made he had little left to argue with.

As the rebel group drops out of hyperspace the ties are ordered to maneuver defensively around the perimeter to ensure maximum coverage of the Finalizer’s surface. Following up on their new instructions the relentless squadrons exercised caution with the approaching battle. Once orbit has been secured you order the deployment of two tie bombers and a tie defender.

You signal for all coms live. Every word exchanged amongst your men is important.

“Bombers Zulu-918, 938 prepare initiate depart sequence.”

“Defender Foxtrot-005 stand by for final safety checklist.”

“Zulu-938 Roger that.”

“Zulu-918 Roger that”

“Foxtrot-005 standing by, Roger.”

“Foxtrot-005 crew is secured and pre-flight list checks out.”

“Good on go, Foxtrot-005 Roger that.”

“Colonel, All personnel accounted for. With your authorization we’re ready.”

Your calmness, that cool and calculating face, was returning. This was good news, but the tension behind your shoulder grew. You could do this. It had been sometime since your last fleet battle but you were confidant. You had been taught well, even under Grand Admiral Thrawn’s standards. “Good work men, you are released. Safe flight and let's keep the formations tight out there.”

“Zulu-918, 938, Foxtrot-oo5 You’re authorized to initiate departure.”

“Zulu-918 Cross-locked engaged, disengaging primary docking. Confirmed.”

“Zulu-938 Confirmed. Transferring vector heading for hangar door approach.”

“Foxtrot-005 green light on final pre-launch sequence confirmed.”

“Colonel, Flight command confirms all troops secured and departing. Flight Command standing by.”

(Mun: I know guys I’m sorry. It’s late. I’m a procrastinator. And I know “cliff hangers” are a shit move. BUT It’s getting long. It would be well over 7000wc if I had EVERYTHING I wanted in this chapter. No worries. That just means another long chapter next week or an extra chapter total.)

Thanks for reading <3

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