driftfleet | Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

Does it? What makes you think that? And please don't use anything your father might have said as reasoning. What makes you, yourself, think that?

_{[ He has to wonder about the ruin though. Were they neglected, as he said, out of choice? Or because they were being harried on all sides? ]}

[Did you have to go there, Kirk? His father was great, alright.]

I have seen it first hand. I've seen the Republic attempting to function and get eaten away from the inside out until it was swept away.

Well, that happens sometimes to governments. One just has to hope that the one that replaces it is better, though from what I heard glimpses of - yours doesn't quite count. The words "Imperial" and "Galactic Empire" aren't exactly friendly, to put it politely.

How, exactly, did it get "eaten away from the inside"?

Are we supposed to change the name of our organization simply because it doesn't sound friendly?

Keeping the order in the galaxy is not about friendship. [Hux was realistic- he didn't expect or mind being unpopular. It was about power and stability.]

The Republic was once controlled by the Senate. The Senate allowed corruption to grow and the bureaucrats became ineffective and inefficient and thus their systems were neglected, left to fend for themselves.

And yet, that's not a bad thing. Planets, governments, should be able to rely on each other when they need it - but planets are also worlds unto themselves. To be welcome to the galactic stage, they must have the ability to govern themselves and provide for themselves. After all, they had been doing it for quite some time, presumably.

They don't need outside forces governing them. If they try, that's essentially conquering them, stripping them of what they are.

They each have their own government but the galaxy does need to be unified under one overall government. The Republic attempted such and failed, the Empire succeeded for many years. Now I will bring back that order.

[Hux pulled himself out of the water slightly, starting to feel a little over heated. He wasn't used to heat for long periods of time.]

But why? There doesn't need to be a unified government. My world is proof of that. We have hundreds of worlds in Federation Space, but they each rule their own way. Your order, I fear, sounds much more like oppression.

_{[ He watched him get up, his brow furrowing slightly. ]}

Are you feeling all right?

_{[ He reached out to try and steady Hux, concerned for him despite the discussion at hand. ]}

Then feel free to tell the Jedi and those of the Republic that, though I suppose a Republic is a more friendly sounding name for a unified galactic government.

[Oh yeah, he was poking at you there, Kirk.]

I'm fine, I am simply used to colder cli-

He didn't have time to move out of the way before Kirk touched his hand. His mind had been dwelling on his speech to his troops, Starkiller's first blast and watching the distant sight of the planets in the Hosnian system were annihilated in a moment.

It had been a proud day for the First Order, one that would be long remembered.]

It sounds at least like it was voluntary, and not -

_{[ He cut himself off, jerking his hand back from Hux, a tremble running through him. The planets being destroyed, Hux, standing in front of that army, bellowing nonsense, like he was leading a righteous crusade. Anger and sickness welled, blue eyes looking at Hux, fists slowly clenching. ]}

What the hell was that?

_{[ His voice was tight, barely reigning in the emotions as he replayed the flash of an image of worlds bursting apart. ]}

[One of the things which had always made him uncomfortable around Kylo Ren was the other's ability to percive what he was thinking- how Kirk possessed these abilities he didn't know but he recoiled and jerked his arm away, anger flashing.]

I suppose you saw my memory of the Hosnian system and the Republic fleet being destroyed then.

[Not even a little sorry in the least.]

I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my mind though.

_{[ He had no idea what the Hosnian system was or where it was, but it
didn't matter. His gut twisted painfully and he stood up sharply from the
water, rage making him quiver. When he spoke, his voice was the sort of
deadly calm that people should fear, because it promised violence. ]}

Did you... Did you destroy those planets on purpose?

_{[ He couldn't fathom it even though he had seen it once before. He
didn't want to believe it. ]}

Yes, I selected the target myself.

[Hux eyed Kirk, not at all concerned. His blaster was within easy reach as he sat on the edge of the pool.]

It was a great accomplishment for the First Order and a day that will be remembered.

_{[ In the logical part of his mind, Kirk had words to say. An
impassioned speech. In the logical part of his mind. But his heart? Well,
that was different. The minute the words left Hux's mouth he lashed out
with his fist, aiming for the center of Hux's face. And he was glad in that
instant for Khan's augmented blood in his veins to add strength and speed
to his punch - not much more, but enough to make it truly satisfying.
]}

[Hux had just slightly turned away in order to pull himself out of the water- he was not suited to long exposures to heat. It was only out of the corner of his eyes that he suddenly saw Kirk swinging at him.

There was no time to get out of the way and he only managed to turn his head slightly to avoid getting hit right on the nose. The blow hit him hard just to the side and he staggered back, having to catch himself at the edge of the pool. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth though he ignored that to turn to Kirk, fury in his expression.

His hand went to his blaster though didn't draw it out from the coat pocket just yet.]

Hoth forsaken- [He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his other hand, wincing slightly. No one had punched him in a long time.]

_{[ Hux might be furious, but Kirk was incandescent with rage. Blue eyes
shone, twin super novas as he literally shook to keep himself from striking
Hux again. If he saw his hand on the blaster, he showed no fear of it.
]}

Shut up. You don't have the right to talk. There's nothing you can do or say to defend what you did. Destroying three planets? Billions - no, trillions if not quadrillions - of lives?! You sit there and tell me your Empire, your Order, is meant to bring an end to chaos, an end to lawlessness?

You're nothing but a murderer hiding behind the false grandeur of your own delusions - and those people paid the price for it.

_{[ His mind filled with the memory of Vulcan imploding, the beautiful
red planet being swallowed into itself, gone without a sound, and his heart
ached for the loss of a people he would never know now, for a people that
hadn't done anything but in the path of madness. He leaned in close, eyes
still blazing, daring Hux to contradict him. ]}

Three planets, a moon, and the Republic fleet.

[Hux corrected, showing no trace of remorse. If you're going to blame him, at least give him proper credit. He didn't care what Kirk called him- he knew that the ends justified the means. The Emperor had understood that- so did the Supreme Leader.]

It was necessary.

[This time he did draw the blaster as Kirk leaned in, daring him to strike out once more.]

I did give the order for the system to be wiped out so if you are expecting me to show regret or remorse, you are wasting your time.

What you did was never necessary. It was the act of a coward, afraid to be told, to be proven, that he's wrong.

_{[ He didn't even look at the blaster, eyes still focused on Hux, never
wavering even as his fingers clenched and unclenched. ]}

You did it because you were afraid, because your cause is built on delusional lies. And I wish I could be there the day you are brought down.

I have nothing to prove. I have seen first hand that what we do is for the good of the galaxy.

[Hux's lips turned upward into a sneer. He had been raised in the last days of the Empire and it was all he had ever known. He had grown up listening to speeches by the Emperor, being taught all the good the Empire did for the galaxy and how the Rebels/Resistance would bring back days of chaos.

And now it was his turn to revive that vision. It was a responsibility which weighed heavily but he refused to give in, even now.]

We are stronger than the Resistance, stronger than the Republic. That will never change, even if I fall. It's greater than simply myself.

How can you possibly justify murder? No - a genocide. Try. Try and explain how wiping out trillions of people is for the better.

_{[ He spat the word at him, lips curled in a snarl. ]}

It just sounds like your leaders twisted words to brainwash you, to make you believe what you're doing is right when all it is is tyrants seizing power, making you believe the atrocities you've done in their name are right.

_{[ His mouth twisted in a hard smile, more teeth than lips. ]}

We have a saying where I am from - the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

It's not brainwashing to be shown the truth- to see it for your own eyes.

[After all, he would know brainwashing considering his father was an expert in the field.

It was what his father had done to his cadets and Hux later used on his Stormtroopers. He had to modify a few things though considering FN-2187's actions though.

He didn't lower the blaster, waiting for Kirk to make the next move.]

I would take the same action again if I had to. And most likely such measures will be necessary in the future.

_{[ The last shred of his control snapped, visions of Vulcan swimming in
his head as he lashed out once more at Hux, coming in from the blaster's
side, aimed right for Hux's face. ]}

[This time he reacted faster, one hand catching Kirk's wrist tightly as he pressed the blaster closer.

He faltered though as the vision of a planet breaking up before collapsing in. It wasn't a planet he recognized and his eyes widened. A vision from Kirk's world?

How-? ]

How was the planet destroyed?

_{[ Kirk jerked his hand away sharply from the other. Apparently this
memory thing went two ways then. Unfortunate, but he wasn't mad about that.
He has no room to be mad about it against the sick feeling that swelled
looking at the others face. ]}

It was destroyed by a Romulan names Nero, in petty revenge. But that's better than what you did.

_{[ He shoved past Hux, making sure to knock him with his shoulder,
remembering Nero's face, the collapse of Nero's ship into the artificial
black hole, as he stood up up and out of the water. ]}

Or did you mean how Nero did it? In which case - go screw yourself. I'm not going to give you any more ideas on how to commit genocide.

I wanted to know how- not why. How is far more interesting. [His eyes were shining at the thought of new and different technology. He had never heard of the Romulans but there were huge stretches of the galaxy yet unexplored or named. He had made a mental note that if he was ever to return home, he would look into it.

He saw the flashes of the ship, the black hole as Kirk moved past him and hit his shoulder. This just made him more curious but he didn't follow.]

Well you won't be getting it from me. Unlike you, I'm not psychotic or a mass murderer.

_{[ He grabbed his towel and put it around his waist, making for a quick exit before he turned around and further messed up his hand against Hux's face. ]}

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therewillbeorder - 2016-07-01 06:30 (UTC) - Expand