Title: Forget Me Not
Rating: M for graphic violence, language, and adult situations.
Summary: After spending years on the Starkiller Base, an ambassador to the First Order fears there may be a spy in their ranks, or worse, an assassin.
Prologue
Twenty-two years before the events of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
"Stop sucking your thumb."
The little girl only stared blankly back at her father, thumb still firmly lodged in her mouth.
Loson na Thelonia knelt and wrapped his hand tightly around her wrist. "Remove your thumb this instant or I will remove it for good. Now, Vollys." He hissed, squeezing just hard enough to leave a bruise.
Vollys slowly pulled out her thumb and wiped away the spittle on her sash. Her expression remained neutral even as her father shook his head in disgust.
Loson was in absolutely no position to present himself and his family as anything but the image of perfection. Poise, dignity, and most of all, the illusion of absolute power were needed now more than ever.
They had once been the leaders of a great nation. Their planet Agranon was lush and green, overflowing with crops and precious metals that made them a center for trade in their star system. Now their economy was cripplingly stagnant, dry as a tinderbox. Their involvement with the creation of the Death Star branded them as pariahs, no longer to be trusted and undeserving of support from the Republic. Eight years had passed since the destruction of the Death Star and the fall of the Empire menace, and they had yet to recover as hunger and unemployment generated civil unrest that threatened to topple the once prestigious Thelonia Regime.
A message had been transmitted just hours earlier, informing Loson and his four councilmen that they would be receiving the distinguished General Brendol Hux for a discreet rendezvous that same day.
Vollys had never seen her mother Druscilla in such a panic, flying up and down the halls, fussing and barking orders at the servants, trying to make their already grand home look presentable for their guests. The significance of their arrival was lost on the six-year-old, and she paid her mother no mind until she forced her to wear the most uncomfortable dress in her wardrobe and had a maid hold her down as she tried to brush her hair into three tight braids, each tied up with a scarlet ribbon.
The three Thelonias, accompanied by half a dozen guards were now waiting out on the landing pad as the shuttle carrying their visitors descended, the roar of the engines so loud that Vollys had to cover her ears.
Her mother put on a warm smile as three men in formal uniforms descended from the craft, followed by a small squadron of Stormtroopers. The din of the shuttle lessened as the engines died down and Vollys uncovered her ears. The three men in uniform, or rather, two men and a boy not much older than she walked in unison down the landing strip where they were greeted by by Loson and Druscilla and ushered inside.
"General Hux, what a pleasure to have you all here again." Her father said politely.
Vollys peeked up at him, noting the strain in his voice. He was either nervous or annoyed to have him here.
"Loson, good to meet with you again." Hux replied. He turned to the man beside him. "This is Gerneral Archpel and this-" he turned the other way and gestured to the boy "is my son Brendol Jr. I wanted him to attend our meeting and observe how diplomatic relations are conducted."
Hux Jr. nodded a greeting. He was tall for a twelve-year-old, and especially thin, but was indeed the spitting image of his father with the same ashen, almost sickly pallor and bright, red hair.
"Of course, what better way to do it?" Loson extended his hand to all three. "General, you remember my wife Druscilla."
Hux smiled courteously. "Of course I do." He took her hand and gently kissed it. "Lovely to see you again Lady Druscilla. It's been such a long time since I've visited your beautiful home."
Vollys could barely contain her grimace. Beautiful indeed. The last time she looked, everything on the grounds was dusty or dead. All this flattery amongst bureaucrats was a waste of breath. Why does no one ever say what they mean?
General Hux's cast his gaze at Vollys. "And who might this young lady be?"
An unnameable fear swept through her as their eyes met, and she ducked behind her mother's skirts.
"This is our daughter Vollys. Stand up straight and say 'Hello', Vollys." Druscilla cooed.
She peeked out from behind her mother, eyeing the General warily. "Hello, Vollys." She finally said.
The General gave a wry smile, then turned his attention back to Loson. "We must begin the council at once, Loson. I'm afraid we can't waste any time."
Loson ushered them towards the council room as they had asked. Druscilla, who was a council member herself, followed suit, but not before instructing the maid to escort Vollys back to her room until either the meeting was over or dinner was ready.
Vollys, while quiet and timid, was not one to just sit idly when company came to call, even if they were a bunch of boring adults. Nothing interesting ever happened
She cracked open her door and peered out. Not a soul in sight. Silently she navigated the halls until she came upon the grand, ornate doors of the council room.
General Archpel's voice drifted through the doors..
"...And we must once again ask for your participation. Like before, we would use your valuable resources for weapons and building spacecraft for our soldiers. Your markets would be full again, your people no longer starving."
"Bringing your planet back to it's former glory is only half of what you will gain." Hux added. "Our armies will provide you with protection from the Republic when your involvement once again come to light."
Loson scoffed. "And how can you assure me such a plan will come to fruition when the last one worked out so well? Your failure has cost us dearly, and I will not easily be swayed this time."
That was all Vollys had time to hear, when heavy footsteps echoed from down the hall, growing closer and closer. She scurried back to her room and shut herself in before anyone spotted her.
Several hours passed and the adults remained in the council room. Vollys ate dinner by herself, brought to her on a tray to her room by her favorite maid.
"Why Miss Vollys," she said, setting down the silver tray on the round tea table. "You've lost one of your pretty red ribbons. I'll keep a lookout for it on my way back to the kitchen."
The maid departed and left her alone to eat, but Vollys had no appetite. For a while she picked and pushed, and rearrange the food on her plate. She had already popped her thumb back in her mouth when a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.
This was highly unusual. No one ever knocked, they always asserted their authority and entered her room with no warning. Perhaps the maid's hands were full and she needed her to open the door for her? But then how would she knock? With her foot?
She stood and opened the door.
It was the boy from earlier.
Vollys said nothing as always, thumb still in her mouth. Hux Jr. stared back a her for a moment then cleared his throat.
"Ahem, I uh, found this in the hallway by the council room." he said, holding his hand out to her.
He was holding her missing ribbon! It must have fallen out when she was spying on the council. She would have to thank him. She reached out as if to take the ribbon from him, but instead took him by the wrist and guided him inside her room.
She shut the door behind them and walked over to her bed. She got down flat on her belly and crawled underneath.
"What on earth are you doing?"
Vollys wriggled back out, pulling a small, ornate box with her. She placed the box on her bed and flipped it open, then beckoned for Hux to come stand beside her. The box was filled with brightly colored candies and confections she had stashed away without her mother's knowing.
She slid the box closer to Hux, implying that she wanted him to take one.
"...Thank you." he said, and picked out a small round treat, not even knowing what it was. "You know, sucking your thumb like that will ruin your teeth."
Vollys pulled her thumb out. "So will candy."
The corner of his mouth twitched into a half-smile. "Why don't you tie your ribbon around it to remind you not to put in your mouth."
She hadn't considered that. "I can't tie a knot." She admitted.
Hux rolled his eyes. "Then I'll do it for you. Hold out your hand."
The ribbon was too long to leaving tied around her thumb, he realized after he tied it in a neat bow. "Do you have any shears?"
Vollys shook her head.
"Oh nevermind, I'll use this." Hux produced a small knife from his pocket that easily sliced through the ribbon. "There, now you'll be perfect."
Vollys admired the ribbon for a moment before asking the question that had been nagging at her all day long.
"Why are you here?" She blurted out.
Hux look at her, thoughtfully considering his answer so that this child could understand. "We're here to restore order." He finally said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that we're making everything better. The Republic has been in charge for too long."
Vollys crinkled her nose in confusion. She had heard her parents speak of the Republic, and none too fondly at that. "The Republic is bad, right? You'll make them go away?" she asked.
Hux nodded. "And when they're finally gone, you're whole planet will be rich again, and everyone will be happy."
Vollys beamed. "You'll do that? For us?!"
"There's no way we can lose. My father will see to that. And when I'm grown I'll be in charge of it all." Hux said with pride. He popped the candy into his mouth as if to reward himself.
Oh how wonderful! How lucky they were to have such strong and intelligent new friends save them from such dire straits!
"You're the nicest, most smartest boy I've ever met. Will you marry me?"
Hux nearly choked on his candy.