closed starter with @prceteritus
Blaster fire could be heard behind Hux, though he couldn’t say the sound alarmed him. The Order had come to the planet of Takodana in search of the BB unit that held the map to Luke Skywalker, their traces leading them to here. Of course, while the planet had no formal alliance on either side of the war, many of the inhabitants of the planet were rather... progressive. Thus, it didn’t take very long for the Resistance to show up and open fire against the First Order. Most of the fighting took place by the lake and entering into the town, but some troopers took to the woods for any stragglers.
Ren had taken to the East of the town and Hux had gone west with a squadron of troopers, blaster in hand. If the Resistance wanted to fight, then the Order would give them a fight.
Stepping deeper into the understory, Hux and his men split up to better scout out the area. Occasionally he’d hear blaster fire in the woods, though whether it was his men finding Resistance officers or getting spooked by a bird, he couldn’t tell. All the same, he held his blaster up at the ready, taking steady steps.
Focus occasionally flitting to his wrist and back again, Hux found himself growing steadily more and more irritated. The number was going down much faster than it normally would. Why? Why now, and here? This was not what he needed to focus on at the moment. Were they here? Could they be a soldier, originally from the west side of the woods? Or a Takodonian who had fled the scene of the fighting into the woods?
His eyes watched as he stepped in one direction and the number went down from 100, to 99, then 98, and then the more he walked, back up. 99, 100, 101.
Freezing in his steps, he felt his jaw clench. Just how close were they?
Changing directions, he began to walk again, and just as he had suspected, the number began to lower once more.