All of the Stars

Part 30: Shift

"I want to try something new," Snoke whispers, yet his quiet voice managing to fill the room with the thick, sticky feeling of fear.

Ara wasn't in any bonds anymore, instead, she stood by herself in the centre of the room, a thin hospital gown covering her bruises, although it was already stained with blood. Her arms are covered in goosebumps and crossed across her body as if trying to hold herself together.

Her hair is matted with sweat and blood, hanging in thick, greasy strands over her face.

Her eyes flick back and forth across Snoke's face as he speaks, not able to conceal the fear.

"If you will not give into Darkness, I will give you some." Snoke draws his lips back from his teeth in a revolting, deadly smile. "You have your friend Kylo to thank for the theory behind this little... Trick."

Hux stands at the back of the room by the door. As always his uniform is tidy, but his hair hangs loosely around his face. He watches Snoke, and with his thoughts closely guarded, imagines in what way he would murder him.

"This may be slightly uncomfortable..." Snoke tilts his head. "I'm sure you will not mind." 

He brings his hand up to Ara's chest, he can feel her heart beating wildly. In an almost imperceptible glance, her eyes flick up to meet Hux's and in those fleeting moments he tries to reassure her. 

Ara looks away, back to Snoke, standing close to her.

Snoke closes his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath. 

At first, Ara stands still, confusion starting to dawn on her face as Snoke continues to take deep, slow breaths.

And then her eyes roll back in her head. Her body begins to jerk. 

As if fused to Snoke's hand, her body shudders uncontrollably, and yet she does not fall, held up by his fingers over her heart. 

A dark stream of blackness swirls around Snoke's hand, Hux stares at it. Watching it's mesmerising dance as it surges around his hand. 

As if it had tested the water far enough, it seeps down Snoke's fingers and disappears into Ara. 

Hux takes a step forward, his eyes wide, but as soon as he does the jerking abruptly stops.

Ara stands still then straightens again straight again, her eyes shut. Hux holds back from stepping forwards, instead, watches her.

Ara continues to stand with her head held straight, her eyes closed and her chest slowly rising and falling.

"Ara?" He finally questions, the silence stretching out once more before he receives an answer.

"That was uncomfortable..." She whispers, her voice low. 

Snoke's breaths start to become shallower. His eyes still shut.

Hux watches, his mouth hanging open.

"Oh." Ara opens her eyes.

Oh. Thought Hux.

Ara's eyes shone, but not with tears, with a bright, burning yellow.

Ara's eyes trailed down to Snoke, who stood in front of her, still frozen in place.

Slowly, as if her hand was moving through a thick liquid she moved it up until it was touching Snoke's forehead.

"Thank you for that." She stated, and with a crack, Snoke's body flew across the room and hit the opposite wall. 

Ara watched him crumple to the ground with a small smile spreading across her lips.

"That was fun."

Hux swallowed. 

"All this power..." She whispered, her focus shifting to her hands, rather than Snoke. "I can feel it all."

"Ara?" Hux said tentatively, standing with his hand slightly outstretched to her.

"Armitage Hux..." Ara giggled, her eyes trained now on Hux. 

She took a few steps forward, grinning. Her bare feet making dull noises on the dark floor.

"Aren't you handsome?"

Ara reached up and put her hand on the back of Hux's neck, and then reaching up, she kissed him. 

Hux hesitated for a moment, his eyes wide in shock, before relaxing closing his eyes and, pulling Ara closer to his body. His hands around her waist, his mind blank apart from her.

Ara leaned back, biting her lip, yellow eyes dancing between Hux's blue ones, her smile wide.

She walked her fingers up his chest, and he stared at them, his eyes glazed. "Let's have some fun." She said, her voice light and airy.

Ara took Hux's hand and led him out of the door, stepping over Snoke's limp body.

A guard outside the door drew his weapon and Ara sighed, her eyes sad.

With a flick of her wrist, she broke the guard's neck and kept walking, pulling Hux along behind her.

As more guards came sprinting around the corner, their weapons pulled Ara stopped, holding her hands up in mock surrender.

"I suggest you go check on your little, Supreme Leader in there..." Ara jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the cell door. "But then again, you are now under my command."

Her eyes glowed for a slight second and that guards relaxed, placing their weapons in unison back into a neutral position.

Ara turned back to Hux, her eyes filled with glee.

"Come on!" She giggled, pulling Hux down the hallway, unaware of the cold that was filling his body.