Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Tython was a beautiful planet. Rich in resources, full of rocks and forests, plains. In the middle of it, a new city was slowly growing, the centre for the Final Order.  

"Construction is proceeding faster than we had planned, sir," one of the construction leaders said. "The foundations for your palace are complete. Construction of military housing centres is also progressing. The only place where there are problems is the academy, sir."  

Hux nodded with a little displeasure. He expected something to come up.  

"What's the issue?"  

"The building itself is not the problem, sir. But the archives part. We don't have any plans available for that. And creating new plans will delay construction, sir," the construction leader explained humbly.  

Hux nodded and waved. The construction leader bowed and walked away to his team, while Mitaka ran closer.  

"Sir, the news has come. We've been looking for plans at other academies, but unfortunately, most of them were destroyed during the war after the fall of the Old Empire... The last place we didn't search is Arkanis..."  

Hux just sighed. That was what he'd been afraid of. No matter how hard he tried, the damned planet was just going to pop up out of nowhere again.  

"Alright... Schedule a meeting for tomorrow morning. We'll talk about Arkanis..."  

"Yes, sir..."  

Hux turned and headed back to the makeshift hangar that stood nearby. So far, there were only a few makeshift buildings everywhere, but that was to be expected at first. The Order's command was still on the Finalizer now.  

"Hux?"  

"You know I'm not technically Hux anymore?"  

Kylo stepped closer and looked around. It seemed that now that he was sure they were alone, he allowed himself to speak more openly.  

"So what should we call you?"  

"Master?"  

Kylo stepped closer.  

"Even in private?"  

"Vicrul would say he doesn't mind."  

"Vicrul is too obsessed with you."  

"You came here to tell me the obvious?" Hux asked with a touch of bitterness and walked over to Night Buzzard.  

Kylo followed without waiting.  

"No, I... Why are you avoiding Arkanis so much? You know, there are things there that we need to build the academy. Maybe more. Yet you've been sending soldiers across the galaxy to other planets for weeks, even though we know they've been destroyed long ago..."  

Hux stopped with an irritated sigh.  

"And what does that have to do with you?!"  

"Come on! We can all see something's up! We've been trying to talk to you for weeks, but you always avoid us. We're trying to help you!"  

"I don't need help!"  

"What's on that planet, Hux? What's there!?"  

Hux took a few deep breaths, just to calm himself down. Indeed, even months after everything had changed around him, Kylo could make him angrier than anyone else.  

"There's nothing there... Just the past. You should know best that the past is best left alone..."  

"Hux... You know I don't want to go against your decisions. I respect you as our Master and Emperor. But this is... What past? What's going on?"  

"Nothing's happening, Kylo. Nothing," Hux snapped, heading for the ship.  

The bond between him and the Knights was unique. It allowed for incredible things, real-time coordination without a single word on a level that no amount of training could achieve. The ability to empower his Knights in battle through his Force was also a fascinating subject that Hux wanted to explore more deeply someday. But it had one drawback - he couldn't lie as well anymore.  

Hux had learned to lie at about the same time he had learned to speak. He quickly learned, through all his governesses, that his father was disappointed in him. As if Hux was responsible for who he was born to, who his mother was. He had always tried so hard to be better, more perfect. But he soon discovered that it would never be enough.  

And so he began to lie.  

He learned to lie so well that he could eventually fool even Snoke and Kylo, the most powerful Force users at the time.  

But how could you lie to someone who had access to your mind to the depths that Snoke could only dream of?  

Hux sighed softly and struggled against the bathroom sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror. He still looked the same - the same red hair he had hated so much in his youth, the same freckles, the same thin face. But still, he felt as if he were staring at a stranger.  

Who was he, anyway?  

"The planet is located in the Outer Rim. According to available information, it is still fairly densely populated, even after the fall of the Empire and the transition to the First Order. We now have only a few representatives on the planet, overseeing the main military facilities. Unfortunately, the academy was closed down at the time of the fall of the Empire. According to the latest data, it is now closed and abandoned, with only a few administrators."  

Hux listened quietly to Mitaka's lecture in the conference room, while several officers and construction managers on Tython listened.  

"The purpose of the mission is simple - to visit the military facilities and the academy. If our assumptions are correct, there should be project plans for the facilities and sealed archives. We expect to find several important data stores there."  

A map of the main centre of Arkanis appeared on the holoprojector in the middle of the table. Hux watched with inner displeasure as the map swept past the military facilities to the academy. He knew they needed the place.  

But if he could, he would have the entire planet bombed.  

"Good, we'll leave tomorrow. Prepare the Finalizer for a hyperjump tomorrow morning. Have the research team prepare a list of places they want to go."  

"Yes, sir!"  

"Master?"  

Hux had managed to hide in his old general's office for barely a few minutes before Trudgen found him there. It seemed that the stronger the bond, the more aware everyone was of the whereabouts of the rest of the group. Normally, that would have been another interesting thing to examine, but now it just made Hux nervous.  

"Yes?"  

"What's on Arkanis?"  

Hux sighed and threw the datapad on the table in exasperation.  

"Do any of you understand the concept of ' I don't want to talk about it '?"  

"We share everything," Trudgen replied simply.  

What more could be said? It was unfortunately true - there was no such thing as privacy among the Knights of Ren.  

"It's... Insignificant. Nothing that would jeopardise our mission to build the base."  

"But it bothers you. That's why it's important."  

Hux finally capitulated. He knew in his heart that he couldn't hide from the Knights forever. Keeping all these secrets from them was tiring; it took the Force to keep up mental shields. And the fact that even Trudgen, who usually barely said anything, had come himself meant that things were already too obvious.  

"Arkanis is... the place where Armitage Hux was born. And it's the place where General Hux was created... The Academy was... tough. They're not years I remember fondly."  

"I see... Are you afraid of what you'll see there, Master?"  

"I'm afraid there'll be a past there that I hoped was dead..."  

Trudgen nodded and sat down at the table. Hux found a touch of nostalgia in that look. It felt like the years when he was still a general and the Knights occupied his office, still loyal to Kylo.  

"We... don't often talk about each other," Trudgen spoke after a moment of silence. "The old ways of the Knights allowed for no weakness, we lived only on strength and destruction. But each of us has a past. Before we became Knights of Ren..."  

Hux had honestly never thought of that. The Knights were still somewhat mysterious figures. And though the bond between them transcended any personal relationship humans could have, he didn't know much about their past.  

"We have closed our past," Trudgen told him. "The Knights of Ren have no past, they only serve the most powerful Master. By taking the name Ren, we have renounced the past and closed it. You should do the same."  

"Do you think it's that easy?" Hux snapped, a little irritated. "Just say it's all over and wave your hand?"  

"No," Trudgen replied calmly. "But you can close it. Like we did."  

"And you did it how?"  

"Kylo killed his father. Vicrul burned down his home village. I found my old teacher, and I killed him too."  

Hux was speechless. It was a bit extreme, but then again, he had helped bring about his father's 'unexpected' death. Who was he to pretend to have any morality?  

"So what? Should I take the cruisers and bombard Arkanis?"  

"You can, Master. You're the Emperor," Trugen nodded simply as if they were having a chat about some petty battle with the Resistance. "Or you can go back and show them what you've become."  

Hux was about to say something, but then he stopped himself. That was clever...  

"Interesting..."  

Trudgen nodded.  

"We have followed your career as a general, long before we betrayed Palpatine, Master. We know you can destroy that planet with a single order. But I think returning there as Emperor will be far more painful to the people of your past than a bombardment can be..."  

Hux leaned back in his chair and looked out the window of his old office. Several cruisers were now in orbit around Tython, mainly to protect the construction from orbit and transport materials.  

"I think I know what could be done..."  

Chapter Text

Hux sat down in a chair in his quarters and picked up a datapad and a pencil. The holoprojector displayed a projection screen from the datapad, the cards of officers, employees, or just ordinary people with no major ties to the Order. All connected to Arkanis.  

"Is that them?" Vicrul asked with interest, leaning closer.  

Hux nodded quietly. The Knights nodded back, looking at the holoprojector. Hux slowly went through the names and faces, carefully remembering who was who in his past.  

A friend of his father, old and wealthy, always supported the Empire with his credits. Hux circled his name carefully. Another is a former professor at the academy. A colleague of his father, a great supporter of strict punishments. Two more people, former classmates, remain on Arkanis as academy administrators after it closed.  

At the end, there was the last name. Hux stared at the old photo for a moment before circling it several times. And to be sure, he underlined the name. His former classmate. The warden of the Arkanis military compound. And the man who, after his father, had made Hux's life the worst hell.  

"Wait... I know that name... Pryde? Like Enric Pryde, who served Palpatine?"  

Hux nodded and put down the datapad, his gaze sliding to the projection above the desk.  

"Exactly. This is his son. While his father had gone on a grand journey, his son was no longer as gifted, despite Pryde's efforts to push him somewhere. So he was given the position of warden of the Arkanis military compound. What he lacked in intelligence, he made up for in brutality."  

Kylo frowned deeply and turned to Hux.  

"Did he attack you?"  

Hux just laughed coldly at that.  

"And how did you think the training at the academy was? It was a place designed to make young children into perfect leaders for the Empire and later the First Order. Through discipline, corporal punishment, and drills. Only the best of the best graduated. A few students died."  

Hux saw how shocked Kylo looked. His own Republic upbringing had left him unaware that not everyone was so fortunate.  

"Pryde followed in his father's footsteps as best he could. And knowing that he would never graduate with honours from the academy, he decided to build a name for himself by tyrannising anyone who was below him by his standards."  

"We'll kill him."  

Hux turned to Vicrul, who was staring back at him. The idea that a word was enough and these people would be dead the next day was very intoxicating. But not what he wanted.  

"While I appreciate your bloodlust, I do not want them dead."  

"And what do you want, Master?" Ushar asked.  

"I want to see them suffer as I had to," Hux replied.  

In his private life, Hux had never enjoyed theatrics much. He had always preferred simplicity and directness, if only to save time. But there were times when an exception was necessary. And advantageous. Like Starkiller. The speech he gave to hundreds of soldiers that day was really good, even by his own strict standards.  

So when a small expedition to solicit plans for the construction of a new academy turned into a week-long delegation trip, Hux didn't hesitate.  

"Sir, everything is planned," Mitaka would chant as Hux walked around the room, checking that everything he needed was packed.  

He still had assistants for this, but he liked to check everything himself.  

"So tell me..."  

"After the official arrival on Arkanis and a welcome from the planet's representatives, there will be a trip to the military base and a tour. Then there will be a trip to the academy, where the team will begin the search. You can then take a diplomatic tour of the Arkanis centre, sir."  

"Great... Anything about the topic we discussed?"  

Mitaka nodded.  

"Yes... Sir Pryde will lead the welcoming committee upon your arrival, sir."  

Hux turned to Mitaka. Usually, he refrained from using the Force on Mitaka, knowing how traumatised the young man was by Kylo. But now he couldn't help but feel a strange mixture of revulsion and fear.  

"Everything okay?"  

"Yes, sir," Mitaka nodded unconvincingly.  

"Mitaka..."  

Mitaka folded his arms behind his back. Hux noticed that he always did this when trying to maintain some semblance of professionalism and discipline.  

"It's... personal, sir."  

"Did something happen?"  

Mitaka took a deep breath. Hux was starting to wonder what was going on. Mitaka rarely felt like this. He had already built up some kind of backbone in his years of service under him. He usually only acted like this around Knights.  

"I... I know Mr. Pryde, sir... From when I was a student at the academy."  

Hux pressed his lips together tightly. He didn't need the Force for this. He knew a victim of violence when he saw one.  

"I'm supposed to say Pryde hasn't changed since I was a student?"  

"I think he's... gotten worse, sir," Mitaka muttered honestly.  

Good. Another reason to let the man suffer.  

"Don't worry. I think Pryde will be surprised to see us..."  

"I have a request for you..."  

On the day of the Arkanis' departure, everyone was preparing in the hangar for the actual flight to the planet after the hyperjump. While the rest of the Knights had already set off in the Night Buzzard, Hux stopped Cardo at the guardrail.  

"Yes, Master?"  

"I want you to be by Mitaka's side for the entire expedition."  

Cardo cocked his head to the side. Hux ignored the fact that this attempt at a confused appearance was no longer working for him.  

"May I ask why, Master?"  

Hux looked around, just for reassurance.  

"Pryde will be there. And Mitaka doesn't have the luxury of having security behind him."  

Cardo was silent for a few moments.  

"Did he treat him badly too, Master?"  

Hux nodded wordlessly.  

Cardo nodded back.  

"I'll take care of it, Master."  

"Where's Cardo?"  

Hux nodded to Kuruk, who nodded back and prepared the ship for launch.  

"He's been given a minor mission," Hux replied, taking a seat. "He'll be guarding Mitaka for this mission."  

Kylo frowned slightly and sat down across from Hux. The ship shuddered a little, then lifted off from the hangar.  

"Is something wrong? Did someone threaten him?"  

"He's had a similar experience with Pryde to mine. Probably worse. I gave him Cardo to take care of."  

"I'm increasingly curious about who this Pryde is..."  

"You've seen his father," Hux waved his hand. "Same ego, self-centeredness, and a blind disregard for his own actions."  

"What do you plan for him, Master?" Vicrul asked eagerly. "Are we going to torture him?"  

Hux just grimaced.  

"Maybe later... We have a whole week to show him who we are..."  

Chapter Text

The Night Buzzard slowly descended onto the landing pad by the large military hangars. The ramp slid open and Hux stepped out, looking around. In a rare display of good weather on Arkanis, it was not raining, the sky was overcast, and heavy clouds blocked the sun.  

Hux nodded to the Knight, and together they climbed out of the ship and headed for several diplomats standing nearby, while the soldiers who had arrived on Arkanis earlier made a path leading to several speeders parked nearby.  

And there stood Pryde, older, more wrinkled, with the same contemptuous expression on his face. Even without the Force, Hux could tell how much he resented the fact that he could see Hux. But the Force now revealed to him how deep the hatred and resentment went.  

Several representatives and delegates from the planet gathered around him.  

Hux waited for Mitaka to step out of the other ship, the Upsilon, accompanied by Cardo. Hux had to chuckle inwardly at how uneasy Mitaka seemed. Hux knew he had no idea why Cardo was following him again.  

And he hadn't missed the way Pryde looked at him, and the way Mitaka turned away. Before Hux could even think of anything, Cardo stood between Mitaka and Pryde and led him to Hux. What devotion...  

"Master..."  

"Sir, I... What's going on?" Mitaka asked in a nervous, low voice.  

"Just a minor precaution, nothing more. In case anyone forgot where they belonged," he added, clearly addressing Pryde.  

Mitaka nodded wordlessly and straightened up a little, gratitude radiating from his face.  

Hux nodded back, and as a group, they headed for the delegates.  

Pryde stepped out of line and nodded in a stiff salute.  

"Emperor Hux, welcome to Arkanis."  

Hux merely raised an eyebrow. One of the delegates standing behind Pryde nudged him and quickly muttered something in his ear. Pryde clearly gritted his teeth, but he turned back to Hux and bowed again.  

"I'm sorry... Emperor Ren... Welcome. We're glad you've visited your homeworld."  

Everyone on the landing pad must have known how contrived and insincere that sounded. But Hux hadn't expected anything else. He just nodded and looked around.  

"Thank you... It seems the base isn't what it used to be..."  

Another delegate laughed nervously.  

"Oh yes, unfortunately, the planet is struggling with a slight economic problem. But that's not up for discussion here, sir! We've arranged transport to the base where we can begin our discussions, sir."  

"Good. I look forward to a thorough inspection," Hux nodded, enjoying the way Pryde stared at him.  

As the group headed for the speeders, Hux looked around again. It all seemed a bit too impressive, even for a planet that would be in economic crisis. Perhaps they'd need to look into it more deeply.  

The journey was short. In a few minutes, the speeders pulled up at the main building of the military complex. Hux stepped out and nodded to the guards, who saluted. At least someone knew how to behave here.  

"As you can see, sir, the deal is still active, and soldiers are being trained here," one of the group of delegates began. "We're putting a lot of effort into maintaining the tradition that has been here on Arkanis for many years. We're getting good results, which is encouraging."  

Hux nodded as the group entered the compound. Indeed, Hux could see several groups in the large courtyard, engaged in physical training, others running on wheels. So far, it looked like a normal training ground.  

"I see... What is the applicability of the senior cadets to the new Order?"  

The delegates looked at each other as Pryde stepped forward.  

"Applicability is good," he nodded as if answering the question.  

"How many recent graduates do you have, and what are their majors?"  

"We have about twenty graduates in total, sir," the delegate continued. "Five cruiser pilots, ten officer adaptations. The remaining five are in a new major we've opened, more focused on active reserve, like combat and gunnery."  

"So why haven't we had any new cadets from Arkanis to join the Order in months?"  

The delegates smiled again. Hux increasingly suspected that something was going on here, and they were all trying to cover it up.  

"Oh, it's true that we've been without cadets for a while, finding suitable candidates is difficult, sir," one of them nodded, trying to smooth things over. "And with all the changes that have come, the First Order, then the Final Order, there's been a lot..."  

Hux turned to Mitaka.  

"Make a note of it. We'll look at this later."  

Pryde's gaze slid from Hux to Mitaka. He had to recognise him, Hux just knew it. But again, Cardo took a simple step forward, shielding Mitaka from Pryde's gaze with his larger body.  

Hux nodded contentedly at that. This would be even more interesting.  

The tour of the rest of the grounds was as dull and unexplained as one would expect. Although the delegates sang the praises of everything around them, they were unable to explain why no new cadet had left this planet in weeks, why the base was in such poor condition. It all came down to poor economics.  

When the tour was over, the delegates offered to take a tour of the academy. Hux politely declined, saying that he knew the area well enough on his own. He immediately noticed how disapproving everyone looked. But no one objected out loud.  

"We're ready, sir."  

Hux looked at the scouting party, who were preparing to search the academy archives.  

"Look for anything on the building plans. If you find anything else that might be of interest, report it at the end. Make a list of the expansion disks you're taking, the location, and the date."  

"Yes, sir!" the group leader nodded, and then they left.  

When they were finally alone, Hux allowed himself to exhale. What a charade.  

"So this is it?"  

Hux looked at the tall stone building that stood on a hill not far from the training centre. The appearance alone was intimidating.  

"Yes... Arkanis Academy, one of the key academies of the old Empire and the First Order..."  

"How long have you been here?"  

"Fifteen years," Hux muttered.  

Kylo turned to him in surprise.  

"What? Fifteen years have you been here?"  

Hux shrugged and headed for the main entrance.  

"The program usually started at the age of five. And an extended officer training course, culminating in graduation with honours for the best.”  

Kylo didn't seem to see any point in this.  

"I guess the Republic education was different..."  

Kylo nodded slowly.  

"I... My mother taught me at first. My father was often away on his smuggling trips. When I was older, she sent me to Luke because of the growing Force. I was about ten... And when I was twenty-three, I left him and joined the Knights, killed the original Master, and became the new Master, as Snoke wanted."  

Hux nodded with interest.  

"I've heard about it... gossip, mostly. I wasn't in direct contact with Snoke then, as I would later. But even then, rumours were circulating about his new apprentice... Interesting..."  

Kylo turned away, his gaze returning to the building they were approaching.  

"Where do we start?"  

"Maybe in the archives. The library should be further along."  

It was dark and silent inside. Hux could smell a mustiness in the air, it seemed as if the academy had been closed for a few years. While the Knights looked around, Hux walked through the main doors into the giant entrance hall and looked at the nearby wall.  

Nothing had changed - on the wall hung a giant metal sign and many lines, marking the order of the best cadets who had graduated here.  

"What is this, Master?"  

"Here the names of the best graduates were displayed, their results in the final exams. And then they were compared to achieve greater motivation," Hux explained.  

Vicrul moved closer. And then he turned to Hux, a smirk on his lips.  

"That was to be expected, Master..."  

The rest came closer too. Hux recognized the moment when they found his name, at the very top of the list.  

"Were you the best?" Kylo wondered in surprise. "Of all?"  

"The list was renewed every twenty years," Hux nodded. "I kept my result until the end of the academy's existence."  

The feeling of admiration and respect that spread through the bond was pleasant, Hux did not argue about that. He was proud of his results - even if they abused and cursed him, tried to break him, he was the best. And no one on this cursed planet, not even his father, could take that away from him.  

"No wonder Snoke took such a liking to you... I always hated it," Kylo sneered in disgust. "The way he pitted us against each other. Every time he sent me on a mission and something went wrong, he reminded me how General Hux was a few years older than me and so successful and accomplished. I hated you so much..."  

"It seemed to have a purpose," Ap'lek said. "If you two were to team up, Palpatine could be in danger."  

"Who knows what was going on in that old fossil's head," Hux snorted contemptuously. "He always seemed a bit crazy to me... Let's go ahead, the archives are this way..."  

The first search didn't yield much. The archives on the ground floor were full of the usual administrative paperwork, papers about the academy's management. Nothing that would help him in building the new one on Tython.  

After about an hour, Hux headed out into the inner courtyard and breathed in some fresh air. Returning here brought back too many memories.  

"Hux?"  

"I'm not Hux anymore," Hux repeated out of inertia.  

Kylo stood next to him and looked around the courtyard.  

"This place has a strange atmosphere... It's not the Force, but there's still something dark here..."  

Hux looked at the stone floor, the toe of his boot brushing away a layer of dead grass. Even in the gloom, dark stains were clearly visible. Blood.  

"Bad things have been happening here..."  

Kylo looked at the ground. Hux knew it wouldn't take him long to figure it out.  

"They tortured you..."  

"My father, as the creator of the elite child soldier program, believed in harsh upbringing, severe punishment, and persistent discipline..."  

"What the hell is the elite program... oh..."  

Hux just hummed.  

"The best minds to shape are the children's. The father quickly understood this, and as a high-ranking officer at the academy, he began to promote his vision. The Empire liked the idea. So they began to implement it..."  

"So they tortured and brainwashed the children to make them what? Some mindless, fanatical followers?"  

Hux looked at Kylo.  

"You're talking to a graduate of this place, Kylo..."  

Kylo sighed and rubbed his face in a slightly nervous gesture.  

"I know, I just... Children? Really?"  

"Where did you think all those officers you met on the Finalizer over the years came from? Here, and in similar academies around the galaxy. We were all trained to serve the First Order. Absolute loyalty was required. And of course, a desire to succeed."  

"That's how you got up there?"  

"I think around the time you murdered Skywalker's precious little Jedi students, I had my father killed. Phasma helped me, she was loyal... Then I took over my father's place and perfected the program."  

"And so General Hux was born..."  

Hux just nodded. There was nothing more to say.  

"You were hiding this? That's why you didn't want to come here so that we wouldn't see your past?"  

"I don't know," Hux admitted quietly, with rare honesty. "I didn't want anyone to see it. For me to meet people like Pryde again... I wanted to forget it all... But I see it every time I look in the mirror..."  

Kylo nodded and looked around the yard. His face was grim.  

"Let's get out of here for today..."  

Chapter Text

"The best rooms are prepared for the Emperor!" the delegate nodded, apparently trying to appear hospitable and respectful. Hux agreed to the game and was led around the vast house, which was apparently now used for important visits. "We have prepared accommodations for your Knights in the second wing of the house..."  

That was to be expected. Kylo had predicted that they would try to separate them. Hux doubted that anyone would try to attack or kill him on his first day here, but the longer he was here, the more suspicious he became.  

"Of course. Mitaka, go with Cardo."  

Mitaka nodded and followed Cardo down the hall, where one of the servants who looked after the vast house led them. Hux hoped everything would be okay. The assassination attempts on his person were one thing, but Mitaka was somewhat innocent in this.  

The rest of the Knights followed the other servants, except for Vicrul and Kylo. The delegate looked at them, clearly unsure of how to respond.  

"Uh... Should I prepare another room for the gentlemen?"  

"We're staying with the Emperor," Kylo said in a voice that didn't leave much room for argument.  

The delegate did a pretty poor job of looking confused. Hux might have felt insulted that they hadn't done more to try to fool him. But he had to remind himself that he had the advantage of the Force.  

"Oh... Sure," the delegate finally laughed, as if he'd heard a good joke. "Must be a bit tiring, being on guard all night, huh?"  

Hux watched with relish as Vicrul took a step forward until he was standing in front of the delegate, using his height to his advantage.  

"The Knights of Ren don't sleep. Ever."  

Hux only allowed himself to snort at that in his mind. Such nonsense. But it seemed the reputation of the Knights of Ren was fierce enough for the delegates to believe it.  

"That's... fascinating," the delegate nodded, his smile even more fake than before. "Well... I'll let you rest, sir..."  

"Something going on here."  

Hux sat on the edge of the bed as Vicrul began to circle the room, doing some security checks. Hux gave up trying to tell the man what to do. The greater the risk to Hux, the more stubborn Vicrul became.  

Kylo, however, seemed to share the same concerns. He walked around the room a few times, then stared out the window at the front gardens for a moment.  

"They're planning something..."  

"Did you see it in their minds?"  

Kylo frowned but shook his head.  

"The delegates are hiding something. But they're keeping it hidden. Too deep for me to reveal with just a quick peek inside. They know I have these abilities, someone told them what to do..."  

"Pryde," Hux growled irritably. "His father served in the Imperial Army under Darth Vader. He must have had information that you, as a grandson, would be able to do the same..."  

"I guess so," Kylo agreed, finally settling into one of the chairs nearby. "Pryde's mind is almost blank. Too blank for someone who would be innocent..."  

Vicrul finally finished his search of the rooms and returned to them.  

"There are our soldiers outside, Master. But this house is huge. I don't like it..."  

Hux would have liked to brush it off by saying that they were both paranoid. But he could feel it too. They had chosen a house further from the military base, so large and empty. They had mysteriously sent the rest of the Knights to the other side entirely. Either something was going to happen tonight. Or they were preparing a fast and testing Hux's ability to handle it.  

"I don't think it's going to happen tonight... That's highly likely. Pryde is an idiot, but he's got his father's upbringing. And he always knew patience was key. We're supposed to be here for about a week. If something happened the first night, everyone would know who was to blame," Hux said, giving his opinion on the situation. "He must know that if we don't report tomorrow, the cruisers will launch an attack... That doesn't seem like Pryde's style..."  

"How well do you know him, Master? The young one?"  

Hux was silent for a moment, trying to sum up fifteen years at the academy into the shortest possible narrative. The other Knights were listening through the bond, so at least he wouldn't have to say it twice.  

"He's about a year older than me. We had similar family backgrounds, Imperial fathers, and similar upbringings. But Pryde always found it amusing to try to bully me because of my background... It soon became clear that we were hardly going to be friends. Even the academy didn't encourage that. Rivalry was one of the cornerstones of the education..."  

Hux shook his head and unbuttoned his uniform coat to make himself a little more comfortable. The memories of the past here only caused him an anxiety he hated. He was no longer the weak boy he had been, but the damage had been done.  

"Pryde and his group found endless amusement in torturing younger children. What he lacked in intelligence and academic achievement, he made up for in cruelty. And through his father's position, he always got out of detention... it took a long time for me to rise high enough to stop being easy prey for him. Then, thankfully, he left me alone and found other victims. But he always hated the fact that Brendol Hux's bastard was better than him..."  

"He should die..."  

Hux sneered at Vicrul's statement.  

"That's obvious. But if we cut his throat now, we'll learn nothing. And if we arrest him and rob his mind, we risk that he's not alone in this and doesn't know everything. His allies might notice his absence and run away. We need to find out more."  

Vicrul was unhappy with the decision, but for once he kept quiet, which Hux appreciated. Now was not the time to argue.  

The bedroom was silent for a few minutes. Hux stared out the window, absently watching the rain begin to fall. Arkanis was too rainy.  

"Maybe... Maybe I have an idea," Kylo admitted slowly. "But it's going to take some tactics... And some acting..."  

Hux looked at Kylo suspiciously. Why did he have the feeling that this was going to be another of Kylo's favourite quick-fire moves?  

"What do you mean?"  

"Well... Pryce hates you. But he probably won't come at you with a vibroblade in his hand. He probably has allies. We all know something is going on here..."  

"We already know," Hux said impatiently. "To the point."  

"What would Pryde do if he felt we weren't all loyal to him?"  

Hux frowned. What kind of plan was this?  

"What do you want to do? Play traitor so that you... oh, Kylo. Again?!"  

"He has strong ties to the old Empire. And his father to my grandfather. If we give the impression that I'm not entirely happy with how it all turned out and you became Emperor..."  

"Why you?" Vicrul asked challengingly. "You're not the only one here!"  

"Because you have no reason to suddenly rebel!" Kylo snapped. "You have no ties to the Empire. And you have a reputation for loyalty. I have a different reputation."  

"Kylo, you were the one who put the crown on my head," Hux said slowly. "How do you expect Pryce to think you're going to betray me?"  

"I lied to Palpatine," Kylo snapped irritably. "I lied to you. I lied to the Knights. To my mother, Rey. Do you think I can't outwit Pryce?"  

Vicrul was silent, which only made Hux more suspicious that the plan seemed feasible to him.  

"Let's say I understand the theory," Hux admitted. "What do you want to do?"  

"You have an official visit to the city tomorrow. We can arrange for me to go on another tour of the base. Pryce will be there."  

That made too much sense. Hux sometimes forgot a little, with all his rage and nerves, that Kylo was quite intelligent if he wanted to. But maybe he wasn't the only one who forgot that. And maybe Kylo would make a good spy...  

"I don't like it," Hux said finally.  

"I see," Kylo shrugged. "But it's a good plan. Pryde might be more talkative when you're not around. And I'll look around the other people on the base, look into their minds. Maybe I'll find something."  

"Okay," Hux finally nodded. "But be careful..."  

Kylo grinned, that arrogant grin of his that Hux didn't know if he wanted to wipe down with a kiss or a fist.  

"I'm Kylo Ren..."  

"And the Pryde family has a history of dealing with Force people. Remember that damn collar? You don't know what they might know. So be careful."  

Kylo nodded and stood up.  

"I'm going to take a walk. I'll see who I run into."  

Hux watched quietly as Kylo left and closed the door behind him. God...  

"He'll be fine," Vicrul said quietly. "Kylo is strong and experienced."  

"Experienced how? That he lied to all of us at one point?"  

"We were all forced to lie at one point."  

Hux had nothing to say to that. Because it was true.  

Vicrul came closer and sat on the bed next to Hux.  

"Let's meditate. We will unite in the Force, it will strengthen us. And tomorrow we will decide what to do next."  

Chapter Text

The quiet crackling of candles echoed through the room. Hux took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He felt nothing unusual—the bond, the other Knights. Even Kylo, somewhere in the house, had joined them.  

"Do you feel the Force?"  

Hux nodded slowly, trying to relax as best he could.  

"Good... Let it strengthen you..."  

Hux took a few slow breaths, calming his heart. Somewhere outside, a wind blew. Raindrops pattered softly against the windows.  

And then there was silence.  

Hux slowly opened his eyes. The room looked the same. Hux noticed nothing was moving. Not even the candle flames, the rain outside or Vicrul.  

"What an interesting fate..."  

Hux turned quickly to the door, where stood the cloaked figure. The same one he had seen on Exegol.  

"Exar Kun..."  

The figure nodded. Vicrul seemed to be right; the spirit of Exar Kun had somehow escaped destruction by the Jedi.  

"The Jedi never knew the depth of my knowledge... I escaped once, I escaped twice... Even though it cost me the ultimate sacrifice..."  

Hux stood up hesitantly. This did not look like the Force ghost Kylo had described to his grandfather—no bluish light. The figure seemed all too tangible, yet time seemed to stand still...  

"The Force," the figure said. "Through it, I can communicate with those the Force has taken a liking to..."  

That sounded acceptable. But after what Hux had seen on the Sith planet, he was cautious. The Sith were devious.  

"Why are you here?"  

The figure stepped forward, striding across the room. Hux caught his attention as the figure headed for Vicrul, who sat motionless on the bed.  

"Knights of Ren... You must be special, Armitage Hux, when they follow you... The Knights of Ren is an old order that chooses only the most powerful..."  

Hux frowned and stepped forward, standing between Vicrul and the figure.  

"What do you want?"  

The figure removed its hood and finally showed its face. Hux had no idea what he had expected. Exar Kun looked normal, without any terrifying disfigurement. But Hux noticed the look and the empty black eyes where there should have been whites. Hux involuntarily stepped more to the side, completely hiding Vicrul behind him.  

"What loyalty," Kun muttered with interest. "You're different from the last one..."  

"Who are you talking about?"  

"He had many names, like you. He was best known to you as Darth Sidious. He tried to connect with me for many years, to find my spirit. He succeeded several times..."  

That was to be expected, Hux snorted in disgust. Palpatine knew the limits of nothing. He was probably begging for some more knowledge in the Force.  

"True," Kun nodded. "The same privilege was offered to you on Korriban. I was there, watching from the shadows, expecting to witness your downfall... And yet you rejected the ancient knowledge. And you saved the beast... You are strange..."  

"The beast did not deserve what awaited it," Hux snapped in exasperation. "And I do not want knowledge that is not my destiny."  

"Wise... Many Sith have gone insane in the pursuit of knowledge and power, yearning for more and more..."  

"I am not a Sith."  

"No... you're not," Kun nodded, moving away from Hux and walking across the room. "It's interesting to see someone seeking new paths... I once, thousands of years ago, yearned to find a new path for the Sith..."  

"Did you succeed?"  

"Unfortunately... I've become stuck in dogmas that I fought against... it's all the more interesting now to watch the efforts of others..."  

"I don't understand... I thought Luke Skywalker had destroyed your spirit... Why the return? Why the pursuit of some form of communication? Why did you help me see that vision on Exegol back then?"  

"Call it curiosity... Interest. Darth Sidious has shown how the Sith way can drive even the most powerful to madness. That's the price of knowledge and the power it can offer. Seeing someone so young and new to the Force reject the Sith way was a change strong enough to capture my attention..."  

Hux was still wary. The Force was one thing. Visions of thousands of years-dead Sith were the second.  

"What do you want?"  

"It's too late for me. After Skywalker's attack, I'm now limited to these... visions," Kun admitted, waving his hand around the room, still frozen in time. "But let's just say I'd like to see where your path takes you. That's why I have a small gift I can give you."  

Hux took a step back.  

"I don't want Sith gifts," he refused without hesitancy.  

"Don't worry. It's just information, worthless to me, but it may be important to you."  

"What information..."  

Kun pointed at Vicrul.  

"It seems this man has done much to grant you the power of Darth Sidious. His rituals were dark enough to attract my attention. It's been years since anyone has done such things... It could have cost him dearly. His life... His sanity..."  

Hux frowned deeply at the statement.  

"Vicrul is mine. You won't hurt him."  

Kun smiled. A crooked smile that Hux didn't like or trust.  

"Have you ever wondered what ritual could change someone who isn't Force-sensitive?"  

"If you have something to say, say it!" Hux snapped, tired of the games and riddles.  

"Your mother. She's the key."  

Hux blinked in surprise, shocked by what he was hearing.  

"Wha... What do you mean..."  

Kun only grinned harder. And then, as if someone had pushed Hux away with an invisible force, everything around him rippled and went dark.  

"Master!"  

Hux panted and looked around—the same room, the same night. The candles were burning, and the rain was beating against the windows. And he lay on the bed, while Vicrul bent over him with anxiety.  

"Master!"  

The bond literally vibrated with fear and worry. Before Hux could say anything, the door to the room flew open, and Kylo ran in, looking around as if expecting an attack. When he saw Hux, who was still lying on the bed, he quickly went to him.  

"Hux! What the hell was that!"  

Hux just shook his head, took Vicrul's offered hand and sat up. His head throbbed with pain in his temples. He involuntarily looked towards the door where Kun had been, but of course, there was no one there.  

Kylo waved the door shut, the locks clicking. Then he knelt next to Hux on the bed.  

"Hux, speak... Are you hurt?"  

"I... I... I had a vision..."  

Kylo looked at Vicrul, who just shook his head.  

"I didn't see anything. We started meditating, but then suddenly I heard a scream... It sounded far away, I don't know. I opened my eyes and the Master was lying on the bed like he was having a seizure!"  

Kylo turned back to Hux and grabbed Hux's face in his hands, starting to examine him.  

"Are you okay?"  

Hux pulled away and waved his hands away.  

"I'm okay... I.. I'm not dying! It was just a vision!"  

Kylo grabbed Hux's shoulder in irritation and shook him.  

"A vision?! The bond shook, and then for a few seconds, it was like you weren't even here! Your energy was gone! That's not a vision!"  

"Like you died," Vicrul muttered, still shaken.  

Hux took a deep breath. What had happened...  

"I... It was a vision, but... different... I... It was like Exegol..."  

"Kun," Vicrul muttered in shock, leaning closer. "Was it him?"  

Hux nodded in agreement, while Kylo only frowned more.  

"What the hell are you talking about?!"  

"Exar Kun... I saw him a second time... He spoke to me..."  

Kylo's face twisted with strange suspicion.  

"What did he tell you? Was he trying to persuade you of something?"  

"No, he... he asked me if I knew how Vicrul could make someone who didn't feel the Force do the opposite... He told me the answer was my mother..."  

Vicrul and Kylo looked at each other.  

"I... Master... I didn't do anything about your mother, I don't know what she is," Vicrul said. "I..."  

Hux shook his head.  

"I know. I don't know who she was. I've never met her. But he had to mention her for some reason..."  

"Do you believe him?"  

"He didn't want anything for the information. He didn't offer any... power or knowledge..."  

Kylo ruffled his hair with a flustered gesture.  

"Okay... okay... that's enough for today. We'll go to bed. You two go to sleep, I'll keep watch, just in case. And tomorrow we'll try to find out about your mother..."  

Hux started to argue as Kylo stood up and walked out the door, but Vicrul squeezed his hand and shook his head.  

"They're worried about you," he muttered quietly as the door clicked shut and locked. "It was scary, you disappeared from the Force... they must have thought you died... Theybwere scared..."  

"How is this possible... I swear it seemed like a vision. But time stood still, and he was here..."  

"I don't know," Vicrul admitted reluctantly. "I have... I know a lot. But not enough. Kun the spirit is thousands of years old. No one knows what rituals he performed back then. It's a dark, really dark part of the Force..."  

Hux remembered what Kun had said about the rituals Vicrul performed. How it could have cost him his life or his sanity. But he let it go for now. They had argued about this topic many times before. And things were too tense now.  

"Rest, Master," Vicrul muttered. "I'll be here with you..."  

Chapter Text

The tour of the capital was like a dream. Hux nodded and looked around, yet deep in thought in his mind. Kylo carried out his plan and sent a message to the military base early in the morning under the pretext of interest in the training program. This pleased the delegates, at least officially, enough for no one to object. Cardo was with Mitaka, the remaining Knights eventually joined the research team that was still searching the academy. This left Hux under the close watch of Vicrul. The latter took his new duty as an exclusive guard very seriously and had been at Hux's side all morning.  

"And of course, your family's house is still closed, but we're taking care of basic maintenance. Would you like to see it?"  

Hux flinched slightly, turning his head to the delegate. His family's house? It only took a few moments for it to dawn on him - even though he and his father had left the planet after the fall of the Empire and hidden away in a secret base in the Unknown Regions, where the First Order was born, everything had of course remained here. Hux had somehow expected that someone else had long since owned the house. But the Hux name still had some weight here, thanks to his father.  

"Sure... Let's go take a look."  

The estate stood on the edge of the city, abandoned and desolate. The garden around it was barely maintained, and the exterior of the house needed renovation. The ravages of time had damaged the entire structure quite a bit.  

After a short negotiation, the delegate agreed to leave them alone and left, saying that he would return in a few hours and head for the second part of the city tour. Hux wanted to be alone when he set foot here.  

"Is that it?"  

Hux nodded, his eyes fixed on the tall estate before him.  

"Yes... The Hux estate... In its heyday, it hosted Imperial-era high society parties, with servants, nannies, expensive speeders... Everything that would indicate father's social status..."  

Vicrul looked around. Hux could see him probably trying to imagine it.  

"Come on... It's probably empty..."  

Except it wasn't. Hux expected his father to have everything shipped to a First Order base, or sold. Instead, the inside of the house seemed frozen in time. The furniture was covered in white cloth, dust and musty air everywhere. Hux glanced around the entrance hall, memories of the years he had spent here coming back. What unnecessary sentimentality...  

"Let's go to the study. If something's somewhere, it's there..."  

The study looked the same as the rest of the house. Hux paused in the doorway, looking across the room. Large, wide windows on one side of the room overlook the garden. A large table in the middle and diplomas and photographs of important people and acquaintances are displayed on the wall behind the table. On the other side, several cabinets were full of documents and unknown boxes. Hux looked at the wall next to the door. Two reeds were displayed on a wooden stand.  

Hux just shook his head at that. He hated this place so much that he wanted to set it on fire. Hux finally just shook his head and headed to one of the cabinets and opened it, and began searching through the datapads.  

Vicrul walked around the room, looking at the photographs on the walls.  

"Do you feel it too, Master? It's not like the Force but... a strange darkness..."  

"It's probably that place," Hux muttered back. "Father was a bastard through and through. If places hold energy, this would be it..."  

Vicrul frowned.  

"I don't know... I know the darkness of places where. Terrible things have happened. It's... pleasant. But this is sour... like bad things have happened here, even within the darkness... I felt something similar at that academy..."  

Hux turned to Vicrul. Normally, he would have ignored it, but now it caught his attention.  

"At the academy? You didn't say anything."  

"Yes, I... I thought it was because of the bond and your bad memories," Vicrul explained. "But... I'm not sure now... Something bad has been happening here..."  

Hux looked around the room. There was a lot of bad going on here, but nothing so horrific that it would stir Vicrul's perception.  

"How would you define it?"  

Vicrul squirmed.  

"I don't know, I... It's kind of on the edge of the mind... It happens in places where things have happened against the Force, or against nature..."  

"Like Exegol?"  

"Partly," Vicrul nodded. "Like when Palpatine experimented with clones... That place left its mark. It's a bit similar here, but I'm not very good at searching for the Force," he admitted, his head bowed. "Kylo's better at it, he's more sensitive to the sources of the Force..."  

"It's all strange," Hux muttered to himself, closing the closet.  

The study was a dead end, like the rest of the house. Although Hux hadn't expected to find all the answers to his questions here, at least a small clue would have been a pleasant surprise. Instead, it was just gloomy memories.  

Hux went up to the first floor and opened the double doors at the end of the hallway, leading to his old room.  

As empty and clinical as he remembered. Bed, wardrobe, desk, without any touch of personality.  

Vicrul walked inside and looked around.  

"You had a strange family..."  

Hux remembered what Trudgen had once said.  

"What about your family?"  

"I barely remember," Vicrul replied lightly. "Before I joined the Knights, I lived on an unnamed planet somewhere on the outskirts. I worked in the local quarry, child labour. It's common practice in these places."  

"That's terrible," Hux muttered, frowning.  

Being Emperor and a military general was one thing. But even he could see that child labour was a perversion of the past. Once he had dealt with this, he would have to work harder to control the planets in the centre, and then move on to the Rim. There was no room for such things in the new Empire.  

"What about the place now?"  

"I destroyed it."  

Hux nodded wordlessly. Well, places like that deserved no other fate.  

Vicrul looked around again.  

"Are there things you'd like to take away?"  

"Not at all... Having things in your personal possession was always dangerous; it created an attachment to those things and made them a target for theft. It was easier not to own anything important."  

"I see... You think there's something about your mother?"  

"I doubt it," Hux snorted, and he and Vicrul returned to the ground floor of the house. "Father hardly ever spoke of her. Only when he got drunk and started cursing about my birth. That's why I doubt he had her picture or details anywhere..."  

Vicrul frowned but said nothing. Hux preferred it that way. Revisiting his terrible past didn't solve much, Hux didn't feel any better. It was too late for a pat on the back to fix these years of horror. Hux didn't want that.  

"Let's get out of here. The delegate will be back in a moment, and we'll finish today's inspection."  

Nothing. Nothing happened. Hux finished the second day of his diplomatic trip, asking questions carefully, probing the minds of those around him as subtly as he could. And nothing. Everyone was acting a little strange, but either they had no idea why or they were good at hiding it. That only irritated Hux more. He had originally travelled here only for the academy's plans! How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?  

After the official dinner, which was as boring and meaningless as the official lunch, Hux retreated to his quarters. Vicrul followed him, himself suspiciously quiet all evening.  

And to top it all off, Kylo had not returned. Even though Hux had a rough idea of where he had been, the fact that they had barely spoken all day was another thing that made him nervous. He was safe, or at least Hux hoped so.  

"What are we doing here..."  

"I don't know, Master..."  

Hux turned on his side in the big bed, frowning. Vicrul sat in the chair next to him, honouring his resolve to guard the Emperor.  

"What would you do?"  

"Torture them."  

A sense of agreement spread through the bond. The rest of the Knights seemed uneasy with the inaction and the uncertainty of the situation. Except Kylo.  

"He's probably with Pryde," Vicrul muttered into the darkness of the room.  

"Do you think he'll find out something? That Pryde will believe him?"  

"Kylo can be persuasive..."  

It sounded a little bitter. Hux propped himself up on an elbow and looked at Vicrul, who was staring off into the room.  

"What's going on?"  

"Nothing..."  

"Vicrul..."  

Vicrul shrugged, his gaze still distant. Hux didn't like it when he was like that. It was always the moment before everything went up in flames.  

"I don't like it here... I just... have a bad feeling. Something's wrong," he repeated in an angry voice.  

He wasn't alone. During the day, the other Knights had also let him know that they were uneasy here. Not out of fear, but out of a strange discomfort that they couldn't find a reason for.  

"Alright... We'll start searching properly tomorrow..."  

Chapter Text

Hux had planned it all out in his head. After the official breakfast, he would demand a meeting of all the base leaders, and the interrogation would begin. The Knights would hunt anyone who failed to show up. Until everything went to hell.  

"Master!"  

Hux jerked, waking from his miserable sleep. He had barely turned to face the door when it opened and Mitaka ran in, followed by Cardo.  

Hux sat up quickly, his mind instantly sharp. Mitaka didn't do this, run around without even try to salute normally. And when he did, something was very wrong.  

"What... What's going on?!"  

Mitaka leaned back on his knees, trying to catch his breath, his hair dishevelled, his uniform wrinkled.  

"Sir... The entire team... The team that investigated the academy. They're dead!"  

Hux sat up in shock, as Vicrul took Cardo quickly aside and they started talking quietly in the corner.  

"How..."  

"I went on a search this morning to get some new information from the team leader. I found them in the main hall, dead, sir! All with their throats slit!"  

Hux waited for nothing and quickly got out of bed to get dressed. There was no time for formalities.  

"Did you see any of the delegates or Pryde?"  

Mitaka shook his head furiously.  

"No, sir. We came back here quickly, I was afraid you'd been kidnapped!"  

"Where are the rest of the Knights?!"  

"They're coming here," Vicrul said, standing by the door where he and Cardo had been guarding.  

Mitaka retreated to a corner, where he looked around the room nervously.  

"Sir, I... I contacted the Finalizer, but the message wasn't sent. Something's interfering with the ground transmission..."  

"Hux!"  Kylo ran through the door, his face and hands covered in blood. "Pryde's dead!"  

"What?! Kylo, blood..."  

Kylo shook his head and moved closer to him.  

"I was supposed to meet Pryde in the courtyard of the base. I saw him come out the door, but as he got closer, someone shot him, a sniper."  

"Like our team..." Hux muttered suspiciously. "Someone knew we were close, that we suspected something... I thought it was Pryde..."  

"Maybe... sir... that's the plan," Mitaka said.  

Hux turned to him, a clear question on his face. Mitaka stumbled on the spot but continued.  

"The history between you and Pryde senior and junior is public knowledge, sir. Someone could have used it to try to hide the true purpose of what's going on here. They suspected we'd be targeting Pryde..."  

Hux buttoned up his uniform coat and clipped a blaster to his belt.  

"Delegates, find them!"  

It had been a long time since Hux had felt this angry at himself. He had allowed himself to be blinded by his own hatred of the past, without seeking a greater understanding of what was happening around him. All he had on his mind was revenge for his twisted past. And that was costing him valuable information now.  

"Master..."  

Hux entered the room where the delegates had their office. Three older men sat on couches, their bodies limp, their eyes wide open, staring into the distance. On the table in front of them was an unmarked bottle of pills. Kylo took the bottle in his hand and sniffed it.  

"Suthan poison capsule... They knew we were coming for them..."  

Hux looked around the office angrily.  

"What the hell is going on here?! What were they hiding?"  

Kylo put the bottle back down and looked around as well.  

"Whatever it was, they better take it to their graves... We need to get back to the Finalizer and send in the troops."  

"If we leave, they'll have time to cover their tracks!" Hux argued sharply. "We need to move on!"  

"You can't stay here! You're in danger," Kylo snapped, pointing at the corpses. "This isn't just ordinary cover-up, our team is dead, they're dead! Someone is trying to cover something up here and they're not afraid to kill!"  

"I'm not afraid!" Hux argued furiously. "I'm not running away with my tail between my legs!"  

Kylo was clearly on edge as a nearby vase exploded. Mitaka flinched as the Knights watched in silence. Hux was only further enraged by the display of poor self-control, his nerves on the march.  

"Kylo, calm down!"  

Kylo didn't look like he wanted to calm down, his face twisted with anger. Hux was reminded all too much of that fateful moment on Crait, when Kylo had thrown him into the console with the Force, breaking his ribs. But before either of them could say anything, Mitaka appeared and, in a show of sheer courage or folly, stepped between the two Force users.  

"Sir. I have an idea. I... When we found the bodies, some equipment was missing. Like the team leader's personal datapad."  

Hux was about to retort that that would hardly help them now. But then he stopped himself as he looked at the datapad in Mitaka's hand, which displayed a small map.  

"Trackers..."  

Mitaka nodded.  

"Yes, sir. After the Steadfast was hijacked, on your orders, sir, we increased the deployment of trackers. And we've started installing them in all the commanders' equipment as well."  

"Is it still active?"  

“Yes, sir,” Mitaka nodded and pointed to the datapad, where a small red dot was flashing on the map.  

"Where is it?"  

"The academy, sir."  

Hux just shook his head. Everything was coming back to that building. There had to be something there.  

"What was the research team working on that day?"  

"The upper floors were searched, according to the report the commander sent last night. This morning, the basement was on the list, sir. There were backups of some archives stored there in the old plans. Our team wanted to find them and retrieve them."  

"Where is that datapad now?"  

"According to the map the team put together, it looks like the second floor minus, sir..."  

"No... Hux, no..."  

Hux ignored Kylo's complaints and turned to the rest of the Knights.  

"Get ready, we're going to the academy."  

Everyone bowed and left the room. It seemed that rather than stay in the presence of an angry Kylo Ren, Mitaka had chosen the presence of the remaining Knights and fled after them.  

Hux turned to Kylo, who was staring stubbornly to the side. It didn't take the Force to make it clear that he was angry, very angry.  

"Kylo," Hux muttered, coming closer, placing a hand on younger man's arm. "You have to trust me..."  

"Why can't you just... be the Emperor every time something comes up, get yourself taken to safety, and let us handle it!" Kylo snapped, trying to pull away.  

Hux shook his head, holding him closer.  

"I'm not some old Imperial to hide in the back, Kylo. You know that..."  

"It would be easier..."  

"But you don't like easy."  

Kylo snorted, still looking angry. Hux knew there was no time for a long discussion about what Hux's role was.  

"I'm the Emperor. But also the Master. So I'm coming with you, okay? I survived the fight with Rey, I can do this too."  

That seemed to soften Kylo a little because it was a fact. Even though he was injured, he and the Knights had held their own against the scavenger pretty well.  

"Okay, just... Stick with Vicrul..."  

It seemed as if the planet itself was trying to show how miserable the situation was. The rain had gotten worse, a storm had begun. Hux was reminded of how long and dreary the days could be. Another reason he never missed the planet like this. Even though he was used to the cold of space, this creeping dampness was awful.  

As soon as the speeder stopped at the academy, the entire group got out and headed into the building. The darkness made everything look even more eerie than usual.  

When they entered, the bodies of the dead team lay in the entrance hall, just as Mitaka had reported. There was blood all around, their work equipment gone. Hux noticed with concern that there was no sign of a fight. Even though they were a ground reconnaissance team, these men were trained in combat. They wouldn't just be executed, one by one.  

Mitaka pointed wordlessly to the door at the end of the right corridor, where Hux had been picturing the entrance to the underground part of the academy. As a student, he had never had access, so he had no idea what was there. Officially, backup archives and technology for the academy's operations. Now? Who knows.  

As the Knights readied their weapons, Hux grabbed Mitaka's arm.  

"Stay with Cardo, not a step to the side. Anything you find, tell him. We can communicate through the Force, okay?"  

Mitaka nodded quickly, his eyes wide. Hux had no idea how much Mitaka knew about the bond he had with his Knights, and there was no time for assumptions and misunderstandings.  

Hux nodded back and looked at Vicrul, who had appeared at his side.  

"We're ready."  

"Let's go," Hux agreed, picking up his blaster, just in case.  

As Kylo led the group, illuminating the path with the red glow of his saber, Hux looked at the datapad again. The second underground level is all off the official plans and drawings. This wasn't supposed to be here. But Hux noticed that the entire underground section looked newer than the rest of the building. As if someone had started building under the academy, quite recently. The walls looked roughly machined, everything held together by durasteel supports. Imperial style of construction.  

Mitaka nodded at the datapad and pointed ahead. Where was the bare wall? According to the signal, the datapad should be somewhere behind the wall.  

"Okay," Hux muttered quietly. "We'll find some way to find the entrance. There must be some kind of mechanic here, or-"  

Before he could finish, Kylo took a step forward and angrily slammed the hilt of his saber into the wall. There was a loud crack, plasma splattered around. Nothing happened for a moment. And then there was a loud click, and the hidden door slowly opened.  

Kylo wrenched his blade out and turned to Hux as if to yell at him to say something. But Hux knew a losing battle when he saw one, so he remained silent. Maybe it really was time to put diplomacy aside and draw weapons.  

Chapter Text

The smell of disinfectant. That was the first thing Hux noticed. A strong smell of disinfectant and mustiness, hanging in the air. Kuruk somehow managed to turn on the lights, and they all looked around.  

At first glance, it looked like a medbay. Long rows of beds, and medical equipment, all old, and dusty. The beds had no mattresses as if someone had vacated and abandoned this place years ago. And there was silence everywhere. Too big, ringing in the ears.  

"Sir... What is Project Harvester?" Mitaka muttered in a strangled voice, pointing to the wall.  

Hux looked and sure enough - peeling, almost faded writing on the wall. What was this place? A secret hospital?  

"Your father was Brendol, wasn't he?"  

Hux turned to Kylo, who was standing nearby, looking at something lying on one of the tables.  

"Yes, why..."  

Kylo lifted his head and looked at him. Hux didn't like what he saw in his gaze. Kylo picked up one of the datapads. And the top line read Brendol Hux. Project Harvester leader.  

"There's no one here," Kyle muttered. "No signature in the Force... Just..."  

Hux could feel it too. As he got closer to the mysterious door, he felt it, that strange feeling, probably the same one Vicrul had described.  

"What is it..."  

"Something bad was going on here," Vicrul said. "Unnatural..."  

What could be happening here so terrible as to worry even someone like Vicrul? The man could bathe in the blood of his enemies without blinking an eye, and now he was looking around warily.  

"Sir, there's a terminal," Mitaka said quietly, pointing to a nearby table, partially covered with a dirty cloth. "I have..."  

"Look at this, try to go through the files, see if there's anything left," Hux nodded, looking at Cardo. "Watch him. We'll move on."  

"Yes, Master..."  

Another corridor was barely lit. Hux felt like they were descending lower, the air getting colder and colder.  

"I feel like I know this place," Kylo said quietly. "I haven't been here, but... those corridors are familiar..."  

"Vision?"  

"I don't know," Kylo sighed. "Vision, dream, narrative... There were plenty of places like that in the old Empire. Secret bases, research sites... Snoke often talked about them when he talked about the Empire... It makes sense when it was Palpatine... But the Harvester project doesn't make sense to me..."  

"Neither do I," Hux admitted indignantly. "I know about a lot of secret things the Order did, but Imperial things were often classified after the fall, materials destroyed. Anything not used by the later First Order was destroyed..."  

"The Empire was working on various things... More cloning? Like Palpatine?"  

"But why here, if he was doing it on Exegol? Why hide underground under the academy on Arkanis? It doesn't make sense..."  

"Maybe something with the academy students?"  

Hux thought, trying to remember any strange events or disappearances.  

"I... Sometimes someone disappeared, but... A lot of students were kicked out of the academy. There were... accidents... But I never heard of any experiments. Father always..."  

And then it hit Hux. He stopped in his tracks, and Kylo turned to him suspiciously.  

"What did your father do..."  

Hux rubbed his face. It had been years since he had had this conversation with his father. He was young, back from his first year at the academy. His father had taken him into his study, and while he was slowly getting drunk, he had been preaching his wisdom to Hux. But he had mentioned something...  

"Once... Father once talked about how his child soldier selection program would be much more successful if the children could be... bred..."  

"What... what the hell? Breeding?"  

Hux nodded grimly. As disgusting as it was, it fascinated his father.  

"It was just drunken gibberish, but... He talked about how perfect it would be to have a bloodline of children who had all the good qualities for soldiers and officers, without any defective, weak individuals..."  

The disgust was palpable. Kylo just turned away and continued walking. Hux didn't blame him. His father was depraved enough to try to make such a thing happen.  

Another room awaited at the end of the tunnel. Kuruk managed to turn on the lights again. And in that moment, Hux sensed, somehow deep down, that he was right.  

This no longer looked like a hospital. Hux shuddered with disgust at the sight. Off to the right was a long shelf, high to the ceiling, filled with jars of unborn children's remains, floating helplessly in a greenish liquid. Each jar had a faded label with a number on it.  

As Kylo cursed loudly, Hux turned away. This wasn't right, no...  

Vicrul and Ap'lek moved closer to Hux, blocking his view of the shelf, while Ushar and Trudgen moved closer.  

"They're immature," Ushar muttered, his voice strangely calm, as if he were watching some interesting holodocument. "But not deformed... It doesn't look like any genetic experiments..."  

Hux looked the other way. More tables, and a large Imperial emblem painted on the wall. Filing cabinets full of datapads, some drawers open. And empty. As if someone had picked them out quickly.  

"They closed it when the Empire fell," he murmured in understanding. "That's why it's deserted here... Father and other high-ranking officers fled to the Unknown Regions after the fall of the Empire. So they closed it here..."  

Hux walked on, looking around. There was a lot of lab equipment on the tables, broken glass, and old instruments.  

There were stains on the floor tiles that looked too much like dried blood. Experiments on children? Were they really trying to breed superior soldiers here? But the First Order would take over something like that. His father himself had continued the child soldier program, which Hux took over after his death. And there was nothing of the sort in the records!  

Hux spotted a holoprojector on one of the tables. Hesitantly, he turned it on.  

A small figure of an unknown man in a lab coat bearing the insignia of the Empire appeared above the table.  

"Test Subject 40 demonstrated spontaneous telekinetic abilities. However, he later fell into a state of complete exhaustion and was put into a state of artificial sleep. After a few days, Subject 40 was terminated."  

Hux watched in horror as the hologram jumped to another. This time it appeared to be an elderly woman, dressed in the same coat.  

"Test Subject 17 has developed an unknown illness and has been placed in quarantine. His condition could not be stabilized and he was placed in a cremation chamber and terminated."  

Another holovideo. This time there were two people in the frame. Hux realized with shock that one of his men was his father. A younger image of Brendol Hux stared at him as the other man began to speak. He looked so young, perhaps even before Hux was born. How long had this madness lasted?!  

"Test Subject 13 has demonstrated abilities beyond expectations. He passed the first round of testing. Subject 13's parent number 456 was advanced to the next round of the reproductive program, but later died of complications during childbirth. The body was sent for autopsy."  

Hux turned off the holoprojector with a shaking hand and leaned back against the table. He had always known his father was a bastard. But this... How far had his desire for the perfect army for the Empire gone? How many children and parents had died here in some crazy experiment? And what was the point?!  

Vicrul reached around and started the holoprojector again. Hux wanted to argue that he had seen enough. But Vicrul just shook his head and tapped something on the small numeric keypad next to the holoprojector. There was a soft beep, and then a new holovideo appeared. Brendol again, alone this time.  

"Subject 13 seems to have lost the abilities he demonstrated at birth. His physical development seems slightly delayed. That is why he was excluded from research."  

Hux turned to Vicrul, still not understanding what Vucrul was looking for, who just shook his head again and moved the projector to another holovideo. This time, instead of interrogating the scientists, it was a shot of a room. Judging by the bars on the door that were visible in the video, it looked like a prison cell.  

A child was sitting on the floor. Did he look about five? Hux watched with a sinking stomach as the scientist approached the child, placed a small wooden cube in front of him, and said something to the child. The child stared at the cube in front of him for a moment. Then the child reached out. And the cube slowly rose into the air.  

Hux stepped back in shock.  

"What the hell... What is this?!"  

"Experimenting with the Force-sensitive children..."  

A heavy silence filled the room. Hux turned to Vicrul, who was staring grimly at the suspended projector.  

"No... What do you mean?!"  

Vicrul tipped something on the keyboard again. And another video appeared. Brendol again, alone, sitting at the desk. This time he looked older, maybe the age when Hux had been at the academy. Just the thought of all this happening under his feet for years made Hux sick.  

"We've received new subjects for the new wave of subject creation. Several of the women were killed in combat, but the rest were transported here and put into artificial sleep. According to Yupe Tash, who visited us today, the project is starting to lose money. The Jedi have a small percentage of individuals suitable for experiments, the subjects die or lose their abilities within months of birth..." Brendol rubbed his face on the holovideo. "It looks like they're going to end it here soon. The Resistance has stepped up attacks on key Imperial facilities, funds are now going to repair and build new ships. Tashu told us that there aren't enough credits for another year of research, we've got the last round. We need to come up with as many subjects as possible to show the viability of the Harvester project."  

"That's it," Vicrul muttered. "That's what we felt. Not the Force, because they're all dead or gone. But this left an imprint on the energy of the place. They weren't just breeding ordinary soldiers. They were trying to breed soldiers with the Force..."  

Chapter Text

Being a First Order officer taught Hux a lot. Discipline, high education, and the ability to make split-second decisions. And of course, having the stomach to do the dirty work when needed. Hux had cut a lot of throats, both figuratively and literally, in his quest to become the youngest First Order general. But there were limits to everything.  

Hux gave up any attempt to even pretend that he wasn't utterly disgusted by what they'd discovered. Instead, he sat down, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. Finding this was crazy. But having proof that his father had led this madness...  

"Who the hell is Tashu," he murmured into a quiet room.  

"He was Palpatine's advisor," Ap'lek said. "Sith Ethernal..."  

"The same ones who helped him with the cloning?"  

"Exactly... It seems they were interested in finding new sources of Force-powered individuals and using them in the war..."  

"They sensed they were losing," Kylo said. "They wanted to turn the war around..."  

Hux turned to Vicrul.  

"How did you know the numbers on the holoprojector?"  

Vicrul handed him another datapad instead of an answer. It appeared to be a list of all the test subjects. Most were marked 'terminated'. And the numbers of all the holovideos for each subject.  

"So they were kidnapping Jedi women and forcing them to get pregnant..."  

"They probably hoped there would be a hereditary transfer of the Force," Ushar nodded.  

"But that's not how it works," Kylo argued. "It's not just genetics. There are so many variables... Even if this worked, it would be thousands of children for a few dozen soldiers..."  

Hux glanced absently at the shelf of remains in bottles. Who knew how many children had died here? And the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.  

"That's why someone killed our team. They were afraid we'd find it..."  

"They probably didn't expect you to come back here. And then they panicked."  

"Okay, the delegates poisoned themselves. But what about Pryde? You said someone shot him. If he was with them, why would they murder him?"  

"We're missing information," Kuruk nodded, leaning against the table next to Hux. "We still don't know who killed the team. Pryce too... But I think they've already fled the planet."  

At that, Ushar nodded, finally stopping his study of the display on the shelf. Hux couldn't understand how he didn't mind staring at the bodies of dead unborn children.  

"I think so too. Whoever it was, they didn't have time to get anything up and running. And now they know we know. They probably just took the most important stuff and fled last night."  

Hux hated how realistic it sounded. Who knew what had disappeared from here? Most of the terminals were gone. The datapads around it contained only administrative-type information, with no details about what was going on. The equipment was old and probably no longer usable. There was no point in coming back here now that the place had been discovered.  

Hux had no idea what to do. Call for backup? Were the communications working at all? Leave and burn this place to the ground?  

"Sir..."  

Hux looked up at Mitaka, who had appeared at the entrance to the room. Hux was immensely grateful that when Cardo noticed what was on the shelves at the side of the room, he had stepped up so that Mitaka couldn't see it.  

"Yes?"  

"I... I've been through the terminal, sir. Most of it was recently erased, and only general information remains. I managed to pull the hard drive from the terminal, the Finalizer might be able to recover the data..."  

"Good... What about communications?"  

"It's out for now, but we're deep underground, and there seems to be some form of metal in the walls that's shielding the signal. Maybe I can get a connection on the surface, sir."  

Kylo came closer and leaned toward Hux.  

"Come on, we'll go back to the Night Buzzard and fly to the Finalizer. Two of them will stay until the soldiers get here..."  

"We'll stay here," Ushar nodded, Trudgen at his side. We'll check the rest of the place out to see if there's anything left."  

Hux finally got up hesitantly. That was probably for the best. He needed to take a step back and put everything into perspective. And he couldn't do it here.  

The departure from the planet was chaotic. No one on the base had any idea what had happened; they were still trying to investigate Pryde's murder. In the end, the explanation that the Emperor was leaving the planet for safety because of the murder was enough for everyone.  

Fortunately, the ship's communications were working. As soon as Hux got off the ship after returning to the Finalizer, several transports with soldiers were already being prepared in the next hangar, and their commanders were waiting for Hux.  

"Sir," one of them saluted. "As you ordered, the units are ready to leave."  

"The base commander, Pryde Jr., was murdered at the military base. Take charge of the investigation, question everyone, and review the camera recordings. Anyone who resists, arrest them and transport them here for questioning," Hux ordered sharply. "At the academy, search the underground areas, there are two of my Knights there. Go through everything and secure the evidence."  

The commanders saluted again and quickly headed for their ships. In a few moments, the transporters were taking off from the hangars, escorted by several TIE fighters.  

"Sir, I'll go and deliver the disk to the department for decryption-"  

"No," Hux refused. "You do it."  

Mitaka blinked in surprise.  

"Sir, I... It'll take longer than if-"  

"I know. But I need someone trustworthy to see the data first, okay? Don't talk to anyone about this. Maintain security. You're off duty for now, focus on decrypting the disk."  

Even though Mitaka looked like he might object, he just saluted and hurried away.  

"You think there's a spy here?" Kylo muttered.  

"No... But we don't know what's on the disk. Maybe nothing. Maybe a list of all the subjects' names. I want the details to be known to as few people as possible."  

"Should I keep watching him?" Cardo asked.  

"Yes... But from a distance... Keep an eye on his progress at work. If anyone is hanging around him too much, anyone outside the usual range of people."  

Cardo nodded and followed Mitak. Hux headed for the elevators, impatient to get to his office. He needed to think.  

When he finally returned to the office and saw Tuk'ata sleeping in the living room, he felt a strange sense of relief. He locked the door behind him and sat down on the couch with a sigh. Tuk'ata woke up and stretched, watching him without much interest.  

"You have too simple a life," Hux muttered quietly. "You've gotten lazy."  

Tuk'ata just stretched again and yawned widely, showing all those sharp fangs. But the truth was that as the animal got used to comfort and a regular diet, it had become a bit of a wimp. At least it wasn't growling at everyone around it anymore. Those first few days had been really difficult, even with the possibility of limited communication through the Force.  

What now? There was probably nothing left to do but wait. Mitaka needed time. So did the soldiers. And standing behind them wouldn't help. It would only make Mitaka nervous; the soldiers didn't need him staring at them, they had their commanders for that. And after all, he was the Emperor. Maybe it was beneath his position to be out there somewhere and personally oversee everything. Maybe it was time to start delegating.  

Tython was a really good planet. On a sunny day, Hux decided to return to the planet and show off to the people around him. Tuk'ata took it as a chance to stretch his legs, so Hux organized a tour of the existing structures. Even though he hadn't been gone for a week, some places were already looking much better.  

"We've managed to speed up the construction of the military accommodation again, sir," said one of the construction managers who was showing Hux around. The workers around him looked surprised to see him there, but they all bowed respectfully, and Hux nodded back. Showing up here was the last thing he could do, and it might help morale a little. "The ground on site wasn't as hard as we thought, so we've moved forward with the foundations for the training area. Here, as you can see, the construction of the social part of the facility has begun."  

Hux nodded, watching what would probably be some form of plaza in the future. So far, the credits that had gone into it seemed to be well spent.  

"Any problems?"  

"No, sir," the site manager nodded, satisfied. "So far, we're doing well within the assumptions for this area. We had a meeting yesterday where-"  

Before the man could continue, the sound of workers shouting from a trench filled the air. Some of them ran out and started waving in their direction.  

"Sir! We found something!"  

The site manager frowned.  

"I... I'll be right back, sir..."  

Hux followed the site manager slowly, interested, to the trench. What had been found?  

By the time he got there, the workers had gathered around, chatting excitedly among themselves. As soon as they saw Hux, they all respectfully made their way. The trench was a few meters deep. And what did it look like ruins at the bottom?  

"That's common here, sir," the site manager sighed, looking a little irritated. "The previous inhabitants had built many structures in this area, and while most of them had been destroyed, parts of them, like walls and empty dungeons, had survived."  

"What do you usually do?"  

"We'll remove the ruins if possible, sir. We've been modelling, and larger ruins could cause instability in the ground."  

That sounded reasonable. Hux was glad someone was paying a little attention to the work.  

But this didn't look like just a section of ruins. If Hux wasn't mistaken, did he see something like a door?  

"Explore it,” he ordered.  

It was finished in a few hours. And for once, Hux was glad he'd come here in person. It wasn't just any ordinary ruins. But a sealed room full of Jedi scrolls. Hux even saw two holocrons down there. What an interesting find...  

The soldiers who had taken on the job of securing the find climbed out of the trench after a few minutes, holding a large crate filled to the brim with scrolls and two holocrons between them.  

"Everything is safe, sir," one of them nodded. "Where should we deliver it?"  

"To my office, I'll look into it..."