Blinded by the Dark | General Hux

XXIV

The planet the Resistance had chosen was cold and barren and some distance from either base. The two sides watched each other from their respective positions, both equally sceptical of the other before their prisoners were even unloaded from their ships. 

Kylo Ren and the General kept their eyes on Commander Dameron suspiciously from a distance, both hoping he had stuck to his word because they were not ready to be made a fool of. 

"This negotiation of yours better pay off," Ren muttered as they began to walk toward him to meet in the middle. They only had a couple of reinforcements on each side and both had stuck to the no weapons rule. Well, maybe a hidden blaster or two just in case, and of course Ren's lightsaber, but otherwise unarmed. "Remember: you will be taking the blame if it backfires." 

"And you the glory if it goes well, I imagine," Hux replied, earning a huff. "It will all go to plan. I have no intention of failing now. What is important is Amelia, not us and who will be blamed for what."

They stopped in front of Poe who folded his arms with a little pleased smirk at getting them to stoop this low, though the two Order members remained as stoic as ever. 

"General Hux...Ren..." 

"Dameron. You have what we asked for?" 

"Yes." 

"And my demands have been met?" Hux asked, hands fidgeting behind his back. 

"Mostly. You're unarmed, I hope?"

"Yes, I'm a man of my word, as is Ren...most of the time," He received a small scowl for that. "Now, release Amelia and your fighters will be returned if you have stuck to yours." 

Dameron nodded so they both returned to their respective sides. Hux was nervous and continued to wring his hands to ease it: a few more moments and she'd be back home, she'd be safe and he would never let her go again. 

Amelia was pushed from the ship, shivering in only a thin tank top and cargo trousers that she had been provided, the gun in her back creating a harsh mark. The cold hit her and she stopped for a moment to brace it, stepping onto the dry ground and looking up for anyone she might know. 

Her heart was pulled from its seemingly eternal torment when she spotted the General by her master's side and she smiled in relief, ready to sprint when her cuffs were removed. 

"It's been nice having you stay," Dameron mocked as he unlocked one of the cuffs, keeping her held to the spot with the other and reaching to his belt for her lightsaber that hung there. "Rey told me I should give you this, though I don't see why I should." 

She took it hesitantly, fingers wrapping around the cool metal of the hilt yet it didn't provide her with that same rush of power it normally did. 

"Don't get into too much trouble now." 

As soon as he dropped her hands and set her free she ran, bolting away from him and running as fast as she could to the First Order ship planted a fair distance away, breath heaving, feet pounding the grey ground. They were so close...he was so close, she was so close to being with him again. 

When she approached, Ren stepped forward to meet her but she instead ran past him and into the General's arms, being pulled into a confused but enveloping hug. She wrapped her arms around him, clinging for dear life, expecting rejection soon enough but still burying her face in his shoulder; he rested his hand on her head and gently ran it through her hair. 

"General...I'm sorry, I just-"

He ignored any apologies for her affection. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Stars, you're freezing." He tightly wrapped his coat around her, pulling the lapels up. "And you're so thin..."