1Kylo starts to look for allies, but the pressure seems to mount up.
The Supremacy
'Am I really worried about socializing? I'm not some teenager from some typical secondary school holo.' Kylo looked out across what was the officers' mess hall of the massive ship. 'Then again there was more at stake here than awkward first impressions. If the Supreme Leader finds out, he could get suspicious, and I might not be seen as useful.'
He wore just a black tunic without a cape, it was simple and well if he was going to stand out, it wouldn't be too much. He walked towards a table that had four people sitting at it, all of whom gave him suspicious looks.
"Ah the Master of the Knights of Ren, appears to grace our simple table." The speaker was young for his rank of officer, even if he was older than him. He had red hair, fair skin, and the look of a predator in his eyes.
"Armitage, must you be snide? Anyway, I'm Admiral Ghalazi Sloane." This speaker was a woman with dark brown skin, and brown eyes. She smiled as she offered out her hand but her eyes were cautious. "This is General Armitage Hux
"Major General Cicero Pestige" The pale skinned man gave a curt nod, he was bald and blue eyed.
"Vice Admiral Kanbey Fisk." The last speaker was a tan skinned woman with green eyes and blond hair, who seemed more annoyed than anything.
"Kylo Ren."
"So, do the vaunted Knights of Ren eat better than even us, or are you here to try officer's slop?"
"Kanbey, really we're going to talk about food at the mess hall?" The admiral almost laughed.
"I think we should get the worst topic we could possibly talk about here out of the way now."
"It's passable, for military food." It could always be the food TIE pilots ate to survive after a crash, Klyo knew it would keep you alive, but not exactly appetizing. "I'm here because I figured it was best to know my comrades." He had a little experience with the First Order, most of his time was spent with either the Supreme Leader, the Knights, or by himself
"Us, comrades? We fight for a new better Empire. What do you fight for? Some mystic and the insane scavengers he brought along." Kylo could feel a deep seated anger from the genera;
"I would watch your tone, Armitage." Ghalazi's tone had a cold fury mixed with nervousness that could only be felt through the force..
"Me? Your mother is gone, a great woman who was almost like a mother to me too, Ghal. Are we to just accept the new Supreme Leader's word that she just disappeared?" Sadness seemed to permeate from of the table. [1]
"No, but Master Ren and his knights arrived later than the Supreme Leader. If something did happen, we shouldn't suspect them at least."
"Are you happy now Kan? We're certainly taking about something 'interesting'." Cicero did not raise his voice, but he was clearly annoyed
"I'm sorry to hear, from all I've heard of her your mother seemed like a strong and determined." Kylo hoped he could at least get somewhat in their good graces, and somewhere deep down he missed his mother too who seemed to be the same kind of person.
"She was."
"Don't you have your own parents to go back to, Solo?"
The other three went pale as Armitage broke one of the few taboo's of the First Order. Snoke had expressly forbid anyone from using his name, he didn't know if it was told to others yet. He still had an attachment to it, and for some reason he felt angry.
"I take after my grandfather instead."
"By wearing some stupid mask most of the time? I almost thought you were too afraid to look someone in the eye."
"And you are not wearing one yourself? Your anger is a mask for your own sorrow of a bitter man."
Kylo had little time to think before a fist connected to his stomach. With the help of the force he steadied himself and instinctually threw a punch back, it wasn't the best but his father did teach him something as much he hates to admit it.
'If you're left with no choice and have to fight, always attack first, and if that fails hit the other guy harder than he hits you kid.' He could still hear the smiling cockiness in his father's words.
Both men took up a brawling stance, it wasn't meant to be pretty, they just wanted to hurt each other. A few cheers could be heard around them, but they did not care as hateful eyes met hateful eyes, but before anything could happen a dark presence filled the room.
"Am I interrupting anything?" it was the Supreme Leader walking in with a slightly curious look on his face with two of his Pretorian guard in tow.
"No, Supreme Leader." Both men said in an uneasy unison.
"Good, I hope the food is enjoyable, as it seems the company apparently is not." The air seemed to be still with darkness. "Kylo, I expect to see you in my quarters soon."
"You!" The general's face twisted into a sneer.
"Armitage, you idiot!" Ghalazi hissed to not draw any more attention "And you, you are no better." She pointed a finger at Kylo next that he figured it was best to not try that again. "Although I think I could take both of you at once if you do want to do something stupid."
"That was a quick body blow." As much as Kylo wanted to go kill this man in front of him he had value, or at least he tried to tell himself that.
"You at least know how to throw a punch, and it actually hurt." Hux was rubbing his face. "If you're here to butter up my father, it won't work." An intense hatred emanating could be felt from the young general at the mention of his father. [2]
"I could care less about your father." These words seemed to calm the man down, in fact something like happiness could be felt from the man's force presence. "Whatever you claim to know of me, I'm more than my name, I think you might be the same."
"You'd fit right in with the Army, they're always prone to a few good dust ups." Kanbey's remarks were scoffed at the major general sitting next to her.
"Says the one naval officer, who enjoys a good brawl?"
"Is the military always this quarrelsome with each other?" Kylo didn't know much of the
"You have no idea." The admiral remarked to the leader of the Knights of Ren. "If Armitage had his way he would want the AT-M6 project to go ahead, why do you need that monstrosity when we have the fleet?"
"Why does the fleet need so many Resurgent class ships, don't we have enough capital ships Ghal?"
"I thought this was the mess hall, not the Supreme Council." Kanbey chipped in.
"Too many weapons that no one can agree on the right use for?" Kylo's remarks broke some of the tension.
"Something like that." Kanbey replied. So do you have understandable hobbies or are you cloistered with those Knights. What do you lot even do?"
"We serve at the Supreme Leader's order like the rest of you. Although outside of that I like flying fighters." It was the best thing he could come up with. 'I'm pretty sure communing with my dark emotions or Sith Spirits wouldn't make for relatable conversation.'
"Oh a hotshot, let me guess, You like the thrill of the speed as you see the void?" Cicero seemed to be a mix of humored and annoyed.
"I prefer being in the blue, being in the black is only worth it, for the nebula." Pilot slang for being in the atmosphere against being in space. His uncle always did say it didn't matter between the two, you could always find some good views behind the controls of a star fighter.
"So you're not like reckless vac-brains under my command."
"Oh what's this Ghal, you're not patting yourself on the back for once?" A rare smile crossed the general's face.
"My pat myself on the back?" Ghalazi's mock concern made the general chuckle "I would never think to gloat about saving your skin with death from above."
"Really? I guess not. Where would the great Ghalazi be if I couldn't take the objectives that couldn't be blasted or bombed from orbit."
"Nice to see you two back in sparring spirits."
Kylo noticed he was almost finished, it wasn't too bad, aside from attracting the attention of the Supreme Leader.
"So you're getting ready to leave?"
"It would be best to not leave the Supreme Leader waiting. I have a feeling he's not exactly pleased about this little fight." Kylo figured it would be the best excuse to leave.
"Hm, you're almost bearable." Armitage gave him one last look, it wasn't harsh or friendly but it was probably better than their initial meeting.
The leader of the Knights of Ren made his way through the Supremacy towards his, for now master. It was annoying having to talk through the twisting corridors and near endless hallways. Snoke was there where he expected him, sitting on his throne.
"You wished to see me, my master?"
"I take it you've been in pleasant company?" It felt like an odd question to go ask surely the Supreme Leader knew he and the general disliked each other.
"The officers, they were tolerable."
"No, I mean the spirit in that artifact." Kylo almost wanted to freeze up, but to show that could mean death.
"I was dissatisfied with the pace of training, I had wanted to learn more and seek out the spirits of old." It was something he practiced in case this came up, Snoke seemed to have an earnest smile on his face, before it became a look of caution.
"The secrets of Sith are potentially powerful, but nothing is gained without a cost. I would hate to see your training and life cut short by seeking advice from a particularly angry spirit."
"I understand, My Master."
"Although I am curious why you have decided to fraternize with some of the officers, especially an interesting choice in officers at that?"
"If the First Order is to be a weapon in our hands, I felt it would be best to understand them."
"Have you taken up Echani philosophy by chance?" He swore a slight look of annoyance crossed his master's face.
"No."
"Then why were the two of you about to come to blows? That wasn't another part of your social visit?"
"We hit a touchy subject. It should not happen again."
"I supposed it cannot be helped, the good general is an angry spiteful man living in the shadow of someone who hates him. He hopes the Starkiller Base will win him the glory he so craves."
"How so?"
"It is in the theoretical stages, but Starkiller Base could wipe out an entire solar system, if used where the New Republic fleet is massing it could cripple them and leave them ripe for conquest."
"Are we putting all of our hopes into one Superweapon, didn't that fail with the Tarkin Doctrine?"
"It did, but this Starkiller Base is to be as much a weapon of war, as well as a tool of terror."
"So he has a lot to prove and he could prove it." Kylo's assessment seemed to be accurate as the Supreme Leader nodded.
"I am glad you seem to be trying to find your way, I am your teacher but I cannot guide you through everything. Although depending on what you search for you may have to deal with more than angry spirits." He almost believed it was a threat.
"I shall show more tact."
"Very well, you may do what you wish."
Taking this as a cue to leave Snoke's chamber, Kylo left to go find his own. Today was an eventful day, and he learned valuable things, but also dangerous things.
Entering his room the familiar presence of Darth Vowrawn returned in spirit form
"You are back. Why the unease, that mask wasn't a social crutchwas it?" If it was an attempt at humor the young force user wasn't amused
"He knows I've taken a relic." Vowrawn's face dropped all mirth and became cold and analytical.
"Yet, you still live? He must need you alive."
"He says he is glad I am showing interest in learning. I hope he does not suspect my prior conversion with the officers on top of that."
"What happened?"
"He walked into me squaring off with a general."
"How did that come about?
"The man is distrustful of me and the Supreme Leader, and easily angered. I think he and an admiral are close possibly like siblings, and might suspect something had happened to a figure they cared for."
"Well what shall you do? You could easily gain favor by rooting out these 'evil' traitors to the First Order." The spirit seemed almost eager to see what the young man would say.
"Yes, but I could gain their trust to fight against the Supreme Leader." Vowrawn just smiled a proud smile
"Ah, you're grasping an opportunity, how wonderful. You could rightfully save the First Order from the 'vile' usurper Snoke instead." The ghost continued with his dramatics.
"I am not sure what to do just yet, I'll need to investigate further."
"Yes, but for now you just need to keep building a relationship with your new 'friends'."
"But if I am to get involved with the military, how does one play military politics?" The spirit's tone soon became less jovial.
"I was the head of the Pyramid of Production and Logistics and later head of the Sphere of Civil Administration. Armies march on their stomachs, and there's never enough of fuel or weapons."
"So everyone wants the best equipment first?"
"Exactly!" The Sith put his hands on his temples even if he was just a spirit. "I hope you enjoy military meetings, if not start to like them, you're going to need all the 'friends' in the military and the grunts you can find."
"There isn't exactly a force technique to stave off the boredom of long meetings is there."
"No, several were tried in my time, until a law was passed banning the use of mind tricks and other force powers in meetings was passed."
"This was never going to be easy was it?"
Vowrawn nodded as the young man started to look through a list of the current First Order chain of command.
So, This is what I'm talking with wanting to do a little bit more with the First Order, especially if I can maybe make them less an endless fleet of pizza slices with just bigger and better toys for it's army, and maybe a more interesting fleet and army composition.
[1] The First Order before TFA is an odd organization because Snoke shows up much later, but somehow you already had clear leadership and plenty of people who served the Empire before Snoke. So I'm planning on keeping a mix of fresh faces of the new generation along with whatever old hands of the Empire came with Grand Admiral Sloane and company.
[2] Oddly enough one such leader that is still alive is Brendol Hux, the father of Armitage Hux and creator of the First Order's Storm Trooper Corps. He basically dies in 30 ABY due to the machinations of his son, not that he didn't deserve it.