#ruthlessproficiency

     It had only been a short couple of weeks since his return, and Ben was already itching for.. Something. A plan he'd started crafting in his head, he wasn't sure if it was going to work or not, but he'd thought out enough details that it seemed sound. Take the Falcon, go back to the Order, take Hux, and turn tail faster than he can say jawa juice. He still had his identification chip and other things that had just been on his person, it was enough to patch him through when he got in range, as well as keep him from getting obliterated. A plausible story had been made; he was overpowered by the group in the forest. They took him hostage, kept him from the Order to throw them in disarray. Interrogated him. It was... Somewhat believable. He knew Hux was smart and truly wouldn’t fall for it, but he also knew the General would at least humour him. That was going to be his chance. Of course, he wasn't able to do it on his own, as much as he loathed admitting it. Luckily, an ace pilot happened to agree to help to such a ludicrous scheme.

     They'd been watching Chewie and Rey's routine with the Falcon, trying to figure out the best time to get on when they weren't there and punch it off D'Qar. Luckily, it paid off because they were able to sneak on board once they got the rhythm. Slamming the boarding ramp shut and letting it retract as soon as Poe came on, Ben felt the nerves hit. "We're doing this.." More a comment for himself than his companion, but it was there nonetheless. Ushering them into the cockpit, Ben couldn't stop the tremble in his hands as he sat down in the pilot's chair. Golden dice hung above the console, and for only a brief second, he felt calm. He didn't say anything as Poe settled beside him and they began lift off. They were off, and left a very confused base behind them as the comms started lighting up with questions. Shutting it off, the Solo didn't pay much mind to it as he set their coordinates.

     With the blue light of hyperspace enveloping them, Ben finally looked to his friend that had joined his cause. Too many things hung on his lips as they shared a glance. "You don't know what it means to me to have you doing this.", he settled on. It would only be a short time before they came out on the other side, facing down the Order and praying they'd listen to Ben upon receiving transmissions. A deep breath, he let his fingers tap against the control console to try and exert the nervous energy within. He was so wrapped up in how he felt, he couldn't even begin to scratch the surface of how Poe must feel or what was going through his head.

     He hated getting made up for events. Absolutely hated it. The stuffy uniform, the uncomfortably tight boots, the restricted movement, and most of all he hated that he couldn't have his saber with him. Or rather, it was advised that he shouldn't, which he knew meant absolutely not. He felt naked without it. Not helpless per se, but very... Assailable. Pulling his gloves on and straightening out his cloak, Ben didn't make much more of a huff about it. Staring at his reflection, he hardly recognized himself. Lips curling back, he inspected his teeth. Clean. White. Oddly spaced in a way he couldn't change. Brows raise at his own thought and he closed his mouth. Looking at the time, he really had to get moving. Everything was straight. Every hair was in place without a stray in sight on himself or anywhere else. Exiting his room and taking quick and languid strides, he reached the elevator to bring him to his destination. In all honesty, Ben had hardly been paying attention at the time when he'd been assigned to go to the event. All he knew that Hux and Phasma were also in attendance, equally as made up and polished. Hopefully either of them would be feeling gracious enough to tell him what he was supposed to be doing. A soirée was not something he cared for anymore.

     Breezing in to what he assumed was the salon, he was correct upon seeing hundreds of people gathered into the room. Officers of varying degree, some with their spouses, others with friends, he could feel a rather jubilant aura expelling from everyone he saw. Nothing dark or sinister to be had thusfar. Coal eyes scan the room to find his counterparts, or at least one if not the other. Whomever was unlucky to be seen first would be the one he regrettably stuck himself to. Finding a flash of ginger, it was like the Universe was playing him a fool. Of course the General would be the one he found. He'd be an even bigger fool if he didn't stay close, letting Hux facilitate and control the conversations. Snagging a drink on his way by, he didn't really sip it until getting in close. The taste reminded him of why he didn't enjoy alcohol, nose scrunching as it went down. Stepping up beside Hux, Ben caught his attention. Another sip, for strength, he thought to himself.

@ruthlessproficiency

@ruthlessproficiency

For days he meditated, shut up in the special chamber in his room. He wasn’t about to let Hux stumble onto the weapon’s home by happenstance. He would locate the proper planet on his own. That’s why Snoke had sent him to the Finalizer. 

The arrogance of the General made him grind his teeth. He didn’t want to be idle, he’d said. He’d rather waste resources than wait patiently. Foolish. The sooner Ren found the location, the better. And then he could rub it in the man’s face. 

Then one day, he found it. Just one system over from where they were currently traveling. Almost a gaping hole of lifelessness. What life he could feel, traces of animal instinct, seemed only just enough to keep an ecosystem running. What was necessary to keep vegetation alive. 

He honed in, reached out, grasped at threads of the Force. Cold. Deeper. Glimpses of tunnels. Subterranean? Natural? He wasn’t sure. But the longer he focused on the planet, the more he could see. The tunnels were everywhere. They would make construction easier. The cold, hard ground wouldn’t, but they could manage. 

Something warm trickled over his lips and down his chin, and he blinked out of his trance before wiping away a trickle of blood from his nose. He frowned, but otherwise ignored it, grabbing his gloves and his helmet, and donning them before exiting his quarters. Then he went straight to the bridge. And once there, straight to the ship’s helmsman. 

He leaned over the helmsman’s station, startling the officer, and reached down to move the navigational maps on the console. There. He pointed to the planet. “There. Go there. Now.” 

The officer didn’t move. There was an obvious command on the Knight’s voice, but his orders came from General Hux. He was weighing the option of who he wanted to anger, and was frozen in fear of them both. Ren hissed in irritation, jabbing his finger at the console. “Now. Or I will remove you and find someone who will follow my orders.” 

She has just about banned her troopers from looting dead Resistance members for their weapons, instead instructing them to only take the ammo and anything else of use and then rendering the weapons inoperable. She doesn’t care for poetry when it comes to using your enemy’s weapons against them. The scientists in R&D already have enough ‘samples’ to last them a while for finding ways to defend against Resistance weaponry.

Phasma will always be the first boots on the ground and the last boots off of it. You will never find her giving commands far back from the front lines like Hux. This is the point where they differ greatly in how they command, enough so that there have been reports of heated arguments that soon burn themselves out just as quickly. But don’t mistake their debates for hatred. They respect each other, even like the other (though often won’t admit it). They trust the other to know their job and to do it well. Hux would be remiss in saying that her unit wasn’t all the better for her leadership style, and Phasma will admit that their military at large could rival the best of the old Empire’s thanks to Hux. They fill in for each other’s strengths and weaknesses and both are intelligent enough to recognize it and use it to the full extent. They work independently from each other but can also work cooperatively.