I watch the battle from the observation deck, instead of the bridge. I want to give Hux a chance to prove himself as the Fleet Commander, instead of me calling all the shots. He knows more about battle than I do anyway. Phasma's out there too, fighting on the front lines. I haven't heard from her lately so it makes me worry a little.

Explosions light up the darkness outside the large windows as the Skandrei ships are destroyed, one after another. Now the Galaxy will have one less space gang to worry about. The bright colours fade and the excitement dies down. I wait a moment. Is it over?

I walk over to the nearest Comm unit and press the button. "General Hux, report."

"The Skandrei ships have been destroyed. We are now setting a new course to follow the warp signature of the disbanded fleet as you commanded," Hux replies through the speaker.

"Meet me in the briefing room with the other officers," I say.

"Yes, Sir."

* * *

"How soon until we reach them?" I ask the chief tactical officer, Lucas.

"About two hours, Sir," he replies. The officers are all seated around the command table in the briefing room, but I prefer to stand and pace the room, walking around them.

"Can we go any faster?" I ask.

Lucas hesitates before answering. "We could, Sir, but the fighter planes and some of the battle cruisers wouldn't be able to match that speed and we'd arrive without them."

"Then we'll wait for the battle cruisers to catch up before we destroy the last of the Skandrei."

Lucas frowns. "Yes, Sir."

"General Hux, what's your report?" I stop walking to look down at Hux.

He blinks and seems to gather his thoughts for a second. "The Skandrei ships we attacked were destroyed but we lost 18 fighter pilots and there's been damage to two of the battle cruisers as well as to the hull plating on Deck Seven and Nine."

"Will the battle cruisers still be usable for a battle?"

"Yes, Sir, and we should have enough ammunition to defeat the smaller disbanded fleet of Skandrei, without needing to stop at a nearby base for reinforcements."

"Sir," Lieutenant Jaylon says. "We could approach the Skandrei traders under the guise of wanting to make a trade for the slaves you require, then once we've acquired what we want, we can destroy them."

I nod. "Do you know where the Skandrei are now?"

"Yes, Sir. They are in the Mandalore System on the trading planet of Gargon."

I stop pacing and cross my arms. "Then we'll go to Gargon, and make a trade for the slaves." I look around the room. "You are all dismissed," I say, then turn to Hux. "Commander, report to my Ready Room."

* * *

"An hour seems too long," I say, setting my helmet down on the glass table in front of me. The mask has its own ventilation and doesn't get hot like the Stormtrooper masks do. Only a small handful of the crew have seen me now without my mask on and I want to keep it that way. I run my fingers through my hair and sit down on a bench-like seat.

Hux sits down beside me and puts his hand on my shoulder. "We'll get there in time."

I sigh. "Now I wish I'd paid better attention in class, you know?" I look over at Hux. "I'm scared I'm going to call someone Lieutenant when they're a Commanding Officer, or say one of the technical terms wrong. Do we even have dual cannons?"

Hux smiles. "Well, they're Dual Plasma Cannons."

I groan and Hux laughs. "It's fine. And I'm just bugging you."

My muscles relax at the sound of Hux's laugh. He seems less uptight now that we're alone.

"You know I can't treat you as an equal, when the other crew is round, right?" I say.

"I know."

I stand up again and begin pacing the room. "We've only got one hour, maybe I should call another meeting to discuss exactly how we're going to follow through on this plan."

"I think they've got it figure out," Hux says, watching me pace. "They're a competent crew."

I continue pacing. How fast does the trading happen on these types of planets? Will Rey have been sold by the time we get there?

"Ren?" Hux says.

"Yes?"

"Are you listening?"

"What?" I look down at my hand and realize that I'm holding Rey's rock, Mr. Rock. I don't even remember taking it out of my pocket.

"Is she going to live on board with us?" Hux asks, glancing at the rock.

I put it back into my pocket. Rey was so worried about Mr. Rock going missing, how much more upset would she be about all those who died in the battle that we had only moments ago?

"She'll go back to Jakku," I say, "with her parents."

"And if they're dead?"

"Contact Engineering and see if the warp drive can go faster."

"It can't-"

"That's an order," I growl.

Hux stands up, squaring his shoulders, but doesn't respond.

"Did you hear me?" I say.

He nods, frowning, then turns to walk out of the room.

"Hux!" I yell after him.

He stops, but keeps his back turned to me.

"Don't forget who's in charge."

He starts walking again and exits through the doors.

* * *

I set Grandfather's helmet onto the night stand in my room. It was delivered to me from the Academy and I know Phasma and Hux also had things delivered to them. I can't imagine what Hux had them bring for him, from the school. He's not one for material attachments.

I remove my helmet and set it beside Grandfather's.

"I know your wife, Padame, died, after Mom and Uncle Luke were born. She lost the will to live, they say. But I won't let that happen to Rey. I'm like you now, even when they said you were too young to be a Master on the Jedi council, you became so much more powerful than any of them. I'll follow in your footsteps. I have the power now, to save Rey, and to bring order to the Galaxy. I will finish what you started."