All of the Stars

Part 27: Intimacy

"Can't you feel it? It pulls to you." Snoke's voice was punctured with wheezing breaths.

Ara sat without any shackles on a chair, but invisible bonds held her tightly. Sweat glistened on her pale face, illuminating the dark circles under her eyes.

Hux stood in the shadows, once more his uniform was impeccable, but shadows were hanging under his eyes as well.

"Answer me!" Snoke screeched, causing the previous sinister calm in the room to shatter.

Ara flinched in her chair, managing to lean back only slightly before another invisible shackle stopped her.

"I... Will never... Feel it." Ara spoke with her jaw clenched, her voice hoarse.

"You will break, soon enough, and I will have control of you. You are weak." Snoke spat and placed one hand on each of the arms of Ara's chair, leaning close to her face.

Ara turned her head, struggling to put space between her and Snoke but failing.

"Hux." Snoke smiled and leaned back and inclined his head to Ara, staring at General Hux.

Hux took an unsteady step forwards out of the shadow, his eyes trained on Ara's body.

"Supreme Leader... Is this necessary?" Hux straightened, feeling Snoke's eyes bore into him, even in his weak state.

Hux took a few more steps forward until he was standing right in front of Ara.

She slowly lifted her eyes to him, the shadow that fell over most of her face didn't hide the hatred. Or the fear.

Hux's eyes lingered on hers for a second before he wasn't able to meet the terror in them any longer.

He reached over to a table sitting next to Ara's chair and picked up a long thin cane. Taking a deep breath Hux pressed an ignition switch, the cane instantly jumping and crackling with purple electric currents.

The light played over Hux's face, displaying his pale face, looking sickened.

Ara's body tensed when she heard the noise, her fists opening and closing quickly.

Hux watched her hands, the cane still cracking in his hands as the electricity played over it.

"Begin." Snoke's quiet voice came from the edge of the room, Hux's head whipped around, breaking out of his trance and swallowed.

With a sudden unexpected speed, he brought the cane down onto Ara's hands, closing his eyes as her scream filled the room.

Ara's pained scream continued to pierce the air, burning into Hux's mind and burrowing itself deeply.

"Release." Hux opened his eyes and draw the cane away as quickly as possible, flicking the switch once again.

Snoke inclined his head to him and moved forward.

"I hope you enjoyed that." He breathed into Ara's ear and then exited the room, leaving Hux staring after him and Ara panting, her face crumpled in pain.

Hux waited until the door shut again before he dropped the cane, the metal ringing as it hit the ground.

Ara started and looked up, meeting Hux's gaze and then bowing her head again, her fists clenched.

Hux began to take off his coat, ripping the buttons as quickly as possible. Ara lifted her head slightly to watch him, fear coursing through her veins.

He ripped his shirt apart and reached in, the sound of more fabric ripping meeting Ara's ears, even though her gaze was slightly obscured.

"Here," Hux said, breathlessly. He stood in front of her, his shirt ripped open and his chest displayed, his coat thrown into the corner, but he had his hand outstretched.