Eventually, the main points were agreed upon, and the delegates were left arguing over minor details. A few of the more hostile Senators sometimes dragged out the proceedings over petty arguments, but Telana quickly put an end to it before the warlord could be offended.
After the third guard shift - Leia had to admire how seamless and silent each rotation was - Ben stiffened. His demeanor went from bored to alert in a second. Eyes scanning the room, he leaned to the side to whisper into Hux’s ear.
The warlord’s eyes hardened. He stood up, ignoring the Senators’ surprised protest.
“A moment, Senators. There is a matter to be dealt with.”
It all happened very fast afterwards.
A man cried out behind them, in shock and in rage. Leia barely had the time to turn her head in order to see one of Hux’s warriors draw out his blaster. A delegate yelped as he aimed for Hux, and fired.
The blast hurled towards the warlord at breathtaking speed.
Ben was faster.
In an instant, his arm was raised, and the bolt stopped right over the center of the durasteel table. Not even letting the aggressor a second to react, he jumped on the table, arm still raised as the attacker’s hands started clawing at his throat.
He launched himself at the man, and Leia’s heart stopped to see him pass so close to the frozen blast. But Ben seemed oblivious, and in a few quick moves had Hux’s would-be-assassin pinned against the table, his hand around the man’s throat and squeezing tightly.
The closest of the Senators recoiled a few steps even as Hux calmly made his around the table. Ben didn’t even look at him as he came to stand behind him.
“A moment, Kylo.”
“He is a traitor!” Ben snarled. “He doesn’t deserve a minute -”
“Kylo,” Hux said again. The tone was neither warning nor cajoling ; Hux was simply repeating the name he insisted on calling her son, yet it was enough to have Ben relent, just a little. His grip loosened, but he never let go of his hold.
Hux eyed the still struggling man. “I understand you take issue with my leadership style?”
“...Negotiations…” the man wheezed out. The venom that had been in his eyes quickly shifted into fear when Ben growled, yet still he continued. “You weaken us… No compromise, but conquest….”
Hux sighed. “I have always found you terrible short sighted, Thanisson.”
He stepped backward, and crossed his hands behind his back.
“It seems you have proven me right.”
Then, as if prompted by an invisible signal, Ben moved. His hand sneaked into his robes, and came out with a long vibroblade. The hand on Thanisson’s throat was replaced with a sharp edge.
The spray of blood was much larger than anything she had seen before ; blasters were made of impact and burns, cauterizing the wound the same moment they inflicted it. Here though, the arteries and veins were still wide open and blood still poured out of them even after the initial burst.
Ben, looming over the man, had caught most of it. It was an added red scar to his face, a crimson slash down his clothing, dots on his shoulders like morbid freckles.
A few stray drops landed on Hux’s boots. The warlord didn’t even look down.
“Kriff!” someone shouted.
Neither of the men acknowledged her. Ben turned around slowly, and Leia’s heart froze at the stillness of his gaze, made even more terrible by the slight smile he wore when Hux stepped forward.
The redhead dug through his coat to remove a handkerchief. Slowly, he took the blade from Ben’s hands, wiped it clean and put it back himself inside the taller man’s robes.
Throughout it all, green eyes never looked away from black ones.
Telana, who had been sitting very close to the action, stood in outrage. “Hux!” she yelled, foregoing the title completely. “This is… this is murder! Unlawful execution!”
“In the New Republic, perhaps,” Hux replied, still not looking at her. “In my army, treason has but one punishment.”
“We cannot...The Senate cannot abide such actions!”
“Why not?” The warlord finally turned towards her, gaze cold. “You were more than happy letting us kill each other so long as it was out of your sight. Worry not, Senator, next time I will make sure that your eyes are closed.”
Telana held his gaze for a moment longer, before looking away with a hiss.
The blaster bolt released and tore a hole in the tent wall. Cold night air immediately swept in.
With a dead body on the floor, and Ben splattered crimson, it almost seemed appropriate.
FILL: Kylux - Lords of Wild Space 2b/4
Eventually, the main points were agreed upon, and the delegates were left arguing over minor details. A few of the more hostile Senators sometimes dragged out the proceedings over petty arguments, but Telana quickly put an end to it before the warlord could be offended.
After the third guard shift - Leia had to admire how seamless and silent each rotation was - Ben stiffened. His demeanor went from bored to alert in a second. Eyes scanning the room, he leaned to the side to whisper into Hux’s ear.
The warlord’s eyes hardened. He stood up, ignoring the Senators’ surprised protest.
“A moment, Senators. There is a matter to be dealt with.”
It all happened very fast afterwards.
A man cried out behind them, in shock and in rage. Leia barely had the time to turn her head in order to see one of Hux’s warriors draw out his blaster. A delegate yelped as he aimed for Hux, and fired.
The blast hurled towards the warlord at breathtaking speed.
Ben was faster.
In an instant, his arm was raised, and the bolt stopped right over the center of the durasteel table. Not even letting the aggressor a second to react, he jumped on the table, arm still raised as the attacker’s hands started clawing at his throat.
He launched himself at the man, and Leia’s heart stopped to see him pass so close to the frozen blast. But Ben seemed oblivious, and in a few quick moves had Hux’s would-be-assassin pinned against the table, his hand around the man’s throat and squeezing tightly.
The closest of the Senators recoiled a few steps even as Hux calmly made his around the table. Ben didn’t even look at him as he came to stand behind him.
“A moment, Kylo.”
“He is a traitor!” Ben snarled. “He doesn’t deserve a minute -”
“Kylo,” Hux said again. The tone was neither warning nor cajoling ; Hux was simply repeating the name he insisted on calling her son, yet it was enough to have Ben relent, just a little. His grip loosened, but he never let go of his hold.
Hux eyed the still struggling man. “I understand you take issue with my leadership style?”
“...Negotiations…” the man wheezed out. The venom that had been in his eyes quickly shifted into fear when Ben growled, yet still he continued. “You weaken us… No compromise, but conquest….”
Hux sighed. “I have always found you terrible short sighted, Thanisson.”
He stepped backward, and crossed his hands behind his back.
“It seems you have proven me right.”
Then, as if prompted by an invisible signal, Ben moved. His hand sneaked into his robes, and came out with a long vibroblade. The hand on Thanisson’s throat was replaced with a sharp edge.
The spray of blood was much larger than anything she had seen before ; blasters were made of impact and burns, cauterizing the wound the same moment they inflicted it. Here though, the arteries and veins were still wide open and blood still poured out of them even after the initial burst.
Ben, looming over the man, had caught most of it. It was an added red scar to his face, a crimson slash down his clothing, dots on his shoulders like morbid freckles.
A few stray drops landed on Hux’s boots. The warlord didn’t even look down.
“Kriff!” someone shouted.
Neither of the men acknowledged her. Ben turned around slowly, and Leia’s heart froze at the stillness of his gaze, made even more terrible by the slight smile he wore when Hux stepped forward.
The redhead dug through his coat to remove a handkerchief. Slowly, he took the blade from Ben’s hands, wiped it clean and put it back himself inside the taller man’s robes.
Throughout it all, green eyes never looked away from black ones.
Telana, who had been sitting very close to the action, stood in outrage. “Hux!” she yelled, foregoing the title completely. “This is… this is murder! Unlawful execution!”
“In the New Republic, perhaps,” Hux replied, still not looking at her. “In my army, treason has but one punishment.”
“We cannot...The Senate cannot abide such actions!”
“Why not?” The warlord finally turned towards her, gaze cold. “You were more than happy letting us kill each other so long as it was out of your sight. Worry not, Senator, next time I will make sure that your eyes are closed.”
Telana held his gaze for a moment longer, before looking away with a hiss.
The blaster bolt released and tore a hole in the tent wall. Cold night air immediately swept in.
With a dead body on the floor, and Ben splattered crimson, it almost seemed appropriate.