Star Wars: A Resistance Story. Book 1.

Chapter 15: Bloody Reunion.

"Hello Armitage."

Ly'ra was trying so hard to stay impassive as she was facing the General Hux. Right next to her, she saw Poe being searched and then handcuffed by a soldier. She lowered her hands and fixed Hux into his eyes. He looked at her back with as much hatred as she was sending him, but he was calm. Cold and calm. Slowly, he took one of her curls, making it roll delicately around his gloved fingers.

"You changed your colour? I prefered the previous one..."

One had to be an idiot to not understand his words. Ly'ra freed her curl by hitting the General's arm and the following second, he was grabbing her throat and tackled her violently against the wall behind her. The young woman closed her eyes when she felt the shock in her back, and she bit her lower lip. She would never let him see she was suffering. Dameron tried to get free but the Stormtrooper in charge of his oversight didn't let him move away.

"What is it little traitress? Did you think you could make fun of me just like that? You're gonna pay for what you did, trust me!"

"General? He's here..."

Hux turned slightly his head and a cruel smile appeared on his face. He kept his hand around the young pilot's throat before facing the new man.

"Well well... Such a good surprise. Colonel Kaplan..."

The man bowed slightly his head, showing his respect to his superior before freezing. It's been years since the last time he saw this face. Years that he was thinking she was dead. For one second, he seemed confused, shaken.

"So, Colonel? Surprised? That's a good surprise isn't it? Our dear little Ly'ra is alive. Alive and working with the Resistance it seems!"

The young woman tried to free herself from Hux's hand, but he tightened a bit more his hold around her throat, blocking even more her breathing.

"How do you feel about that?"

The Colonel Kaplan stayed silent a long moment. He stared at the young woman before facing his chief.

"Nothing. It's been a while that she doesn't mean anything for me anymore. Did you need me for something General?"

Ly'ra looked away, finding Poe's eyes. He thought he saw some kind of sadness in her green orbs. He couldn't imagine the young woman's feeling right now, but he was starting to have a small idea of what she went through.

"Actually yes. Our friend will send us the Dawn's coordinates in very few moments. As soon as we have them, you'll send a squad to eliminate them."

"If you do that, you're gonna destroy the cristals your boss wanted, dumbass!"

Hux turned to face Ly'ra, tightening again his hold, his face being only few inches away from hers.

"I prefer seeing these cristals destroyed than in the hands of these rebel scums!"

As Ly'ra was suffocating, Dameron tried again to free himself from the Stormtrooper's hold. The soldier was starting to have troubles holding him back.

"The Dawn had disappeared from your radars General and you have no idea of its destination. They won't come back for us either. It's over, you lost!'

Hux looked away from Ly'ra and offered a small, nearly sad smile to Poe.

"You're completely wrong. Right now, on board of your ship, we have a spy. Someone who is working for us. He's going to not only give us the Dawn's location, but also your base's. You're the one who lost, Commander."

During this exchange, Kaplan received a message. After having read it, he stepped closer to the General Hux and gave him the note.

"We just received the ship's location. He was forced to take a shuttle to escape but he was able to place a marker on the Dawn so we can follow it to the Resistance base."

The General's smile only grew wilder. He could feel his victory approaching.

"Perfect. That is perfect. Very good."

"And what about these two?"

Hux glared at the two Resistants with a small smirk. It was too much for the young woman who could feel her anger growing inside of her. Still blocked by the General's hand and without any way to free herself, she waited until he faced her again and she spitted right into his face. For one second, he didn't move. And then, he slowly wiped his forehead, still silent. They looked hard at each other and after another second, he leaned down and kissed her violently. Surprised, Ly'ra tried to push him away. Dameron, furious, succeeded in finally freeing himself from the soldier, but another Stormtrooper blocked his way and hit him hard in his stomach, locking him on the ground. The young woman finally gathered her thoughts and grabbed Hux's hands, keeping him close to her, before sending her knee between his legs. The sudden pain forced the General to bend over.

"It should cool down your heat, you son of a..."

She didn't have time to finish her sentence. The Colonel Kaplan stepped closer and sent his fist in her jaw. Ly'ra felt on her knees, with her lower lip bleeding. Hux took a deep breath, trying to calm the pain and pushed away a soldier who came to help him.

"You shouldn't have done that sweetie... I've always loved your arrogance and your impulsiveness, but now, you've gone too far. I just wanted to sell you to the Hutts, after all, you broke into their Palace, but now, I'm going to first ask you two some questions. To the both of you. But not here. Take them to the base! And when we'll be done, when I'll have turn off this fire that was animating you my beauty, the Hutts will do whatever they want with you and your new friend, it won't be my problem anymore."

He then straightened his back, fierce, and waved for his men.

"Take them away!"