【kylux】It's Part of the Plan 这是计划的一部分 (9)
LOFTER真的不适合发英文，莫名其妙地将两个词接成一个，但我也没耐心逐一手动断开，还是建议AO3看（如果可以的话）。
这一章我写得非常开心，一是因为Grammarly年会员终于打折了，开了会员后写英文真是如鱼得水；二是在加入General Quinn这个角色后，可写的剧情瞬间多了起来。我就爱看老政委给小同志做思想工作的戏码【x】让这位儒雅老军官给Kylo和Hux做做媒。
Chapter9
Kylo Ren arrived at the NightBuzzard, the Knights’ starship.
“Greetings, master.”
The six warriors stood in line infront of the Silencer, bowing their heads to Kylo Ren.
“It’s nice to see you all, brothers.”
Kylo nodded to them, carefully controllinghis expression.
Once, whenever Kylo reunited withthem, he felt as if he was home. The knights only took orders from him, evenSnoke couldn’t command them. No matter how cruelhis training under Snoke’s guide was when Kylo was with his knights, he wasalways at ease. But now, only “liars” echoed in his mind. Kylo was sober enoughto infer the Knights of Ren were the spies arranged by Palpatine from the verystart. They had never truly been loyal to him, their true master had alwaysbeen the old Sith Lord.
Hetreated them like faithful brothers, they regarded him as a joker.
How hilarious!
“Takeme to Albrekh. I need his help.”
Kylopoured the fragments of his mask on a stone table.
“Fixit for me. I want it stronger,” the young master ordered the metalsmith.
“Hum…Noproblem, Master Ren.”
Albrekhtook a piece of sarrassian iron off a shelf, melted it. Four poseable armmechanisms were held the mask fragments. The metalsmith cautiously applied the moltensarrassian iron into the cracks between pieces.
Inthe sound of hammering, Kylo silently watched the repair process, surrounded byhis once so-called brothers.
This is the last time I look likeyou, fighting behind masks, conquering the world without mercy. After this, noone can tell me who I am, what I should do, where should I go. Kylo Ren promised tohimself.
“Done!”
Cooling air nozzled from his repaired mask.Kylo picked it up.
"Ihave your word?"
"Itwill be stronger than it was before," Albrekh replied proudly.
“Good.Follow me back to the Steadfast, brothers. We have work to do,” The master ofKnights of Ren put on his renewed helmet, belying his true appearance.
**
Kylohadn’t expected that the person who greeted his team back to the Steadfast was Admiral Griss, the aide to Pryde.
“SupremeLeader, we caught a helper of the Resistance, an Ovissian. He transferred intelligenceto those scums,” The officer reported loudly, waiting for his superior’s praise.
“Welldone, Admiral Griss. Lead the way to the prisoner.”
Thiscould be good or bad. The prisoner should be the guy Hux had sent the messageto. Kylo was disappointed he had been caught, this pressed him for shutting thepoor helper’s mouth in case he’ll tell anything about the source of theinformation.
TheOvissian was dragged between two stormtroopers to the Supreme Leader’s feet,forced to kneel.
“What’syour name?” Kylo asked darkly behind his mask.
“Wh…I’m Boolio,” The ex-mine overseer answered, confused by the infamous leader’sfirst question was as innocent as chat.
Outof the blue, Kylo immediately activated his lightsaber and decapitated theOvissian, fast without pain.
Sorry, Boolio, you appeared atthe wrong time.The force user mourned quietly. Kylo Ren wasn’t a sentimental person, but hehated unnecessary death or sacrifice.
“S-SupremeLeader, we haven’t interrogated him yet!” Admiral Griss cried out angrily.
“Areyou questioning my judgment, soldier?”
“N-no…ofcourse not, Supreme Leader,” Griss swallowed nervously.
“Inform the Supreme Council for an emergency meeting.”
Kylograbbed the chopped-off head and left, following by six knights.
**
“Wehave a spy among us!” The fearsome force user said, throwing the Ovissian’shead on the conference table, “who just sent a message to the Resistance.”
“Whoeverthe traitor is won’t stop us,” he walked passed the behind of sitting Pryde,gave a glance to Hux sitting opposite their mutual enemy.
“WhatI see on Exegol. The First Order will become a true empire.”
Yes,an empire for that disgusting half-dead Sith Lord or his granddaughter, nothim.
Kylosensed Hux’s restlessness via the Force. Did anything happen when he’s absent?
"Isense unease about my appearance, General Hux."
Themasked Leader decided to pick up their drama, gave Pryde and his followers ashow.
“Aboutthe mask? No, Sir. Well done,” Hux replied in a clownish voice.
The unease wasn’t for me, Ren.Please be calm when… Atthe same time, Hux explained in his mind, but suddenly disrupted by General Quinn’svoicing.
"Forgiveme, sir, but these allies on Exegol, they sound like a cult. Conjurers andsoothsayers."
Everyoneturned their heads to General Quinn.
Here is him! Huxcursed and laughed simultaneouslyinside Kylo’s mind. Be gentle with him.He just proved he’s on our side.
"They'veconjured legions of Star Destroyers. The Sith fleet will increase our resourcesten thousandfold," Pryde shot back eyeing Hux, “such range and powerenough to correct the error of the Starkiller base.”
Theofficers started to debate, but Kylo paid no attention to that. He was losingin what Hux intended to express.
What’re you talking?Hux, I can’t get what you mean! Kylo replied frustratingly through the Force.
"Thisfleet, what is it, a gift? What is he asking for in return? Doeshe—arrgh!"
Kylowas fed up enough, he couldn’t let himself be questioned in public like this.He needed these people to think of him as a simple-minded warmonger. So, he cutQuinn off by Force choking and slam him into the ceiling.
NOOOO! Ren! Don’t killhim! Huxthundered in his mind. He’s our friend.
AlthoughKylo still hadn't worked out what happened between Quinn and Hux, he decided tolisten to his counselor.
Calm down. I’ll leavehim to you.Kylo appeased his confederate, meanwhile acting as a tyrant.
“Prepareto crush any worlds that defy us. My knights and I are going hunting for thescavenger.”
Heordered mercilessly and threw the unconscious Quinn back on the table.
**
DomaricQuinn woke up in dizziness. His first sight was the unfamiliar white ceiling,then he looked aside and saw the young general sitting next to his sickbed.
“Howdo you feel, General Quinn?” Hux handed him a bag of nutrients, helping put thedrinking straw into his mouth.
Quinnswallowed difficultly. The liquid moisturized his sore throat, making him feelbetter.
“Thankyou, General Hux. Where am I?”
Quinnlooked around, the room wasn’t large and half of the area was empty, with onlya few shelves and a medical droid. It was impossible to be in the medbay.
“Anidle storeroom nears the cargo apron I’m in charge. You have been reported deadbecause of hypoxia, so don’t worry, noone will come to trouble you.”
“Yousaved me,” the veteran said hoarsely, “you shouldn’t have done this and putyourself in danger.”
“I’mfine, general. You said what I dare not say in theSupreme Council. You have my respect.”
Huxsaid it sincerely. He remembered when he was a student in the Academy, Quinn'streatise on computer simulations of the battle strategy was their requiredreading. Reckless wasn’t the logic-based strategist’s character. The reason forhim to question Kylo Ren in person must be because he had no choice but todesperately.
“You’restill young, Armitage. Could I call you by first name?” After getting the nod permissionfrom Hux, Quinn went on to say, “The First Order is hopeless. Run, son. Thisisn’t a coward or traitorous behavior. The Order isn’t worth your sacrifice.”
“Butyou sacrificed yourself for the hopeless regime. You clearly knew what willhappen to you when you questioned the Supreme Leader’s authority.”
“Ihave lived long enough, but your life can be better. Look, Armitage, I’mgrateful for your help. I’m sorry I tried to push you negotiating with thetyrant. We shouldn’t demand a monster understand reason,” Quinn sighed, “leave,son, before it's too late.”
Assoon as Hux opened his mouth, the door sliding opened. The sturdy figure walkedin no other than the tyrant they just mentioned.
Quinn’sblood ran cold, struggle to sit up, using his own body to block the way betweenthe young leader and Hux.
“Isee you’re getting better, General Quinn.”
Kylo'svoice sounded ruthless, but he didn't make any threatening moves.
“Younever learn to knock the door, Ren, ” Hux complained, gently held Quinn's shoulder tolie him back on the bed.
“Heknew?” The ex-imperial officer asked, eyeing Hux implausibly.
“Ofcourse, or he would break your neck long ago, rather than choking you to pass out.”
Kylocoughed awkwardly. The mask twisted the sound, but Hux knew how embarrassed theface under that mask should be.
“I’msorry for the harm I caused you. Hope the Bacta spray will help alleviate yourpain.” Kylo put the spray into Quinn’s fist and sat next to Hux.
“Supreme Leader, I don’t understand, you…”
“Iknow everything, more than you know, in fact. But I can’t reveal my trueintention, otherwise the situation will be worse.”
Quinnwas silent for a short time and suddenly burst out laughing. “You two are thereal strategists! I underestimate you, young men.”
“There’sno guarantee of victory. We don’t want to see meaningless deaths,” The facelessknight stated, “You’re the senior ground forces commander in the Order,general, I believe your people trust you. Leave the Steadfast when you have achance, find your people, and get them out of the troubles the cult will make.”
Quinnlooked into the optic part of the helmet, unbelieved the child-like tyrantoutside man had a hero heart inside.
“LordVader should be proud of you, sir,” he whispered softly.
Kylostood up without warning and strode to the open space, speaking to the air.
“What?”
“Themysterious Force thing. He’s connecting to the scavenger,” Hux explained wearily.Although he knew there was “the Force bond” between Kylo and that girl, henever saw it with his own eyes.
“Ioffered my hand once. You wanted to take. Why didn’t you?”
Kyloasked the girl Hux couldn’t see. He knew Kylo had persisted on finding theother half of himself in the Force, but listening to Kylo speaking those words,Hux involuntarily tasted sour in his feeling.
“I’mgonna find you and turn you to the Darkside. When I offer my hand again, you’lltake it.”
Huxcouldn't help but imagine such a picture: a beautiful and powerful female forceuser, holding Kylo's manly hand, the First Order’s scarlet flags behind themwas slightly blown by the wind. A romantic scene, like the few classic love-storyholo films that he rarely watched.
Thecrisp sound of beads landing on the metal floor brought Hux back to reality.
“Sillygirl,” Kylo chuckled, fisting a necklace from nowhere.
“Impressive.But how?” General Quinn asked in curiosity.
“We’rea dyad in the Force. As our bond getting stronger, I can touch the items she’swearing or using, ” Kylo explained patiently because of his good mood, “I’mgoing to find a technician testing this necklace’s origin and hunt her down.”
Heheaded the entrance immediately.
“Ren!”
Kylostopped and looked back.
“Becareful,” Hux said softly.
Theknight nodded and left.
“Forgiveme if I am wrong, Armitage,” Quinn patted Hux's shoulder with one hand. “Youmay an artist of strategy, but you know nothing about love affair.”
“Ithink personal feelings have nothing to do with what matters to us now. I will delivera Tie-pilot suit to you by hiding it in a box of sundries. Please take a goodrest before that.”
“You’reblind if you deny he’s going all out for your wish.”
“We’llsee. Nice rest, general.”
Huxpushed the open door button.
“We’llsee, son,” The elderly man smirked.