Kylo Ren was having a wonderful morning. Not only had he made a semi-acquaintanceship-friendship-possible-future-mate-Maker-she-was-attractive-relationship the previous day with Rey, he had also discovered some intriguing information about the pretty radar technician's family (one of the perks of being the boss was uncontrolled access to the supposedly confidential employee files). And like any lonely, resourceful and powerful virgin on the verge of becoming obsessed with a girl, Kylo took the natural route and spent three standard hours stalking-"researching"-Rey. It was then he ran across just who Rey's grandfather was, none other than the Emperor Palpatine himself. Kylo felt giddiness-actual giddiness- bubbling up inside his stomach. Clearly, this budding relationship had the full blessing of the Dark Side and both respective grandfathers.
It was destiny.
Kylo's own words from yesterday about Rey being "made to rule" floated back into his mind, and he smirked at the poetic irony of it all. She would rule, he would ensure it, and not only that, she would stand by his side as the new vice-president of Starkiller Base and subsidiaries. He glanced at a nearby table on which rested his masterful Matt disguise. He'd made sure to carefully comb out the bottle blonde locks of the fake wig before retiring the night before. Not exactly heartthrob material but it would have to do.
Originally, he'd only intended to go undercover for a day or two at most, but the idea of becoming better acquainted with Rey on multiple fronts was irresistible. Maybe he could find out what she thought of Kylo Ren, sway her to his side without her even realizing it. He thought of the multiple posters of himself he'd had made and an actual grin broke across his features. Rey didn't stand a chance against him.
Rey scrubbed her face wearily, blinking back the vestiges of sleep that stubbornly remained even in the early afternoon. She had clocked in over five hours of overtime last night, and had promptly crashed on her bed when she had reached her quarters.
The early morning had been rough, and Rey was grateful there were no awkward Matt-interactions to deal with on top of her already sleep-deprived state. The bumbling newbie had been nowhere to be found the entire morning, and Rey firmly pushed aside any traces of concern for the missing technician. Currently, she was simply grateful for the chance to rest her feet as she sat down to eat lunch.
Unlike yesterday, she was able to finish her meal in peace, and Rey couldn't help but feel surprised and-was that slight disappointment? While Rey was friendly with all her coworkers, she was still somewhat of an outsider, and normally ate alone. In that sense she had empathized with Matt and his poor social skills, or lack thereof.
However, part of her exclusion resulted from choosing to finish late-night work rather than going out for a drink with the other technicians. The other part came from knowing deep down that none of her coworkers truly cared about her or her goals. Rey hummed resignedly. If giving up a few drinks and potential shallow friendships was all it took to prove she was capable, to prove herself a leader like Papa Palps, then it was a small price to pay. She realized she hadn't minded Matt's awkward conversations too terribly, except when he started asking about her personal life. Oh well.
"Hey Rey." It was Tim, one of the few stormtroopers who deigned to talk to her. The First Order was a caste-driven system, despite what everyone (and all the brochures) said to the contrary, but Tim had always been friendly with new employees and people he wouldn't normally come in contact with. "You haven't seen that new guy Matt around, have you?"
"If I had, I have a strong suspicion he'd be here bothering me." Rey cracked a smile to show there was no venom behind her words. "I haven't seen him since last night, sorry."
Tim shrugged it off. "No prob, just thought I'd ask since he seemed so fascinated with you yesterday. Uh, uh, uh, don't try to deny it," The stormtrooper chuckled as Rey began to protest weakly. "He kept asking me questions about you, what you were like, what your taste in men was, etc. Creepy, huh?"
"That's one word for it." Rey grimaced, mentally recanting her sympathetic leanings towards the new hire. "He's also apparently obsessed with Kylo Ren."
"Oh, I know," Tim nodded, turning and pointing to the wall where a large graffitied poster of the boss hung. Various disgruntled employees had scribbled less-than-complimentary epithets across the glossy print. "He freaked out yesterday when he saw that. Personally, I think the nickname Cry-lo Ren is pretty clever." The chunky stormtrooper snickered. "Anywho, see you around, Mrs. Matt! Hope you find Lover Boy!" And Tim was off to another table and group of employees before Rey could even articulate a response, much less a rebuttal.
Rolling her eyes, she rose to carry her now-empty tray to the dirty dishes chute, when the familiar ping of her comm link distracted her from her busy thoughts.
Glancing down to see the message, Rey's eyes widened and she nearly dropped the tray. Kylo Ren wanted to have a private interview with her. This was it, someone had seen her potential, her hard work was about to pay off. Rey smothered the rapidly rising feeling of elation, determined not to get her hopes up. For all she knew, this interview could be about anything from a broken holo to that supposed eight-pack of his. A rosy flush stained her cheeks at the traitorous thought Matt had put there yesterday.
Focus, Rey.
Disposing of her tray, she quickly made her way to Kylo Ren's office, heart thudding in time to the clack of her boots on the polished granite floors. The short comm had given her brief but clear directions to the office of the Master of the Knights of Ren, and Rey rubbed her clammy palms on her rough pant leg, attempting to shake out the nervousness that stole into her fingers.
She had no idea what someone as important as Kylo Ren could want with her, but she prayed it didn't have anything to do with her bloodline. Her first few weeks at Starkiller, she'd lived in terror that the executives would discover her ancestry and spontaneously throw a celebratory party, pushing her onto a podium and chanting "speech, speech, speech!" while her employees were forced to pay homage around her. Rey's lips twisted in humor in remembrance of her absurd worries.
Kylo Ren's office was in a quiet and remote part of the base, and Rey hesitated at the threshold of the imposing obsidian door. Before she could press the comm link, the door buzzed and slid open with a quiet hiss.
"You may enter." A mechanical and distorted voice spoke from inside, pulling her into the austere and minimalistic office where the owner of the voice was standing behind a large black desk.
Rey had seen Kylo Ren from afar many times at various work gatherings, where it was expected for the bosses to come and give "motivational (and mandatory) peptalks" to their employees. Kylo Ren's peptalk had consisted of congratulating them for not annoying him enough to warrant their demise by his hand.
Now, in such close proximity, Rey realized just how tall the man was, towering over her small frame and filling the office with his intimidating presence.
"You wished to speak with me, sir." Rey stated respectfully, unsure if she should salute or perform some other such military nonsense. She decided against the action; he was only her boss after all, and not her emperor. The anxiety in her chest eased a little as Kylo settled into his chair.
"Yes, Rey, the girl I've heard so much about." It was difficult to discern his emotions through the crackle of the voice distorter, but his inflection seemed to suggest interest. Rey wished she could see his real face, and not some silly mask that looked like it'd been polished within an inch of its life. And was that incense she smelled burning?
"Would you care for a drink?" He asked, causing Rey's eyebrows to shoot upwards at the unexpected request.
"Um, sure, thank you."
"Wine?" He sounded hopeful.
"Caf, please."
Kylo held out his hand, a cup of caf flying from across the room into his outstretched fingers. "Please sit down," He instructed, Force-floating the cup across the shiny desktop towards Rey.
Show off. Rey snorted internally, curling her fingers around the caf and relishing the warmth that radiated from the cup and seeped into her cold skin.
"It has come to my attention that Starkiller has the good fortune to possess an employee with no ordinary level of skill and leadership material." Kylo began, shifting- fidgeting- in his oversized desk chair. "We at Starkiller pride ourselves on recognizing such potential with proper rewards."
Rey could hardly believe her ears. Not two days ago she had despaired of the work politics and plain obscurity that were hindering her goal. Now the President of Starkiller, a multi-million-unit operation, was personally commending her work ethic. It was a signal of approval from Papa Palps, it had to be. She stayed silent though, not wishing to presume anything and risk everything.
"Naturally, I am referring to you." Kylo continued, inclining his head in her direction as his voice dropped lower, a feat Rey didn't think possible.
"Thank you, sir. It is both an honor and a pleasure to help further the cause and maintenance of the base-" Rey replied, her words spilling out in grateful relief. This was it, her chance had finally come. She stopped short as smooth jazz music flowed into the room from hidden speakers, but Kylo seemingly took no notice of the interruption.
"Due to the many glowing reports of your hard work, I have decided to make you the vice president of Starkiller base, where you will rule alongside me as my equal in everything but title."
Rey blinked in shocked astonishment. Surely this was a dream; it was too fantastical for the realm of reality. Her, an entry-level radar technician promoted on a whim to Vice President of one of the largest corporations in the First Order? She discreetly pinched herself, unsure how one was supposed to respond to a dream job offer, no matter how far fetched. It might have been her imagination, but the music appeared to increase in volume and the scent of musky cologne invaded her nostrils.
"I….uh...I'm afraid I don't understand sir." She stuttered, her tongue tripping over her words as her mind scrambled to make sense of the unnatural proceedings.
"You. Vice President. Me. President. Us. Ruling Starkiller together." Kylo stated matter-of-factly, as coolly as if he were ordering a sandwich from the canteen. "What else is there to understand?"
"I, I don't mean to argue with you sir, but I'm just a radar technician, I haven't even worked here a full year, and there are surely more qualified people than I-"
"More qualified?!" Kylo Ren burst out, his legendary temper flaring in a frightening burst of anger. "I'd like to see a single employee on this whole entire base that even remotely compares to you." He took a deep breath, collecting himself with an effort.
"You, you really mean it?" Rey questioned, unable to keep the suspicion from leaking into her tone. Her head was spinning and she needed a moment to collect her turbulent thoughts. "This isn't some sort of twisted joke?"
"Do I look like a man who makes jokes?" Kylo demanded, an edge of annoyance creeping into his voice. "Just accept your destiny as vice president and take the position….please." He added, tacking the word on like a half-forgotten courtesy.
Rey inhaled the comforting aroma of caf, exhaling slowly as she eyed the masked CEO. It still felt too impossibly surreal, but Rey was past the point of analyzing her good fortune. Maybe it was a sign from Papa Palps, signaling his approval at her efforts. Maybe it was time she donned the power and privilege she'd been born into, maybe it was time to train formally in the Force, maybe…..
She set the cup down gently, extending her hand to Kylo, willing her arm to remain steady in spite of the nerves that twitched at her muscles. "I would be honored to help lead Starkiller Base to an even brighter future." Her lips quirked as she watched Kylo ceremoniously remove his glove and she restrained a gasp at the cool grip of steel that encased her small hand.
"The honor is mine." Kylo replied after a minute of silence, still firmly holding her hand. A pregnant pause followed.
Rey coughed awkwardly, tugging her hand free. Stars knows she'd had enough uncomfortable dealings with socially unaware men. "Soooo, when do I start?" She breathed, wishing to break the thick tension that had flooded the room. The heady smell of incense was overpowering, and pressure started to build in Rey's temples. The music had morphed into what she was 90% certain was a Mandalorian love medley.
"Right," Kylo said briskly, replacing his glove and rising to pace the spacious office, rattling off expectations and plans like he'd spent the night figuring out the minutiae (which was closer to the truth than Rey would have been comfortable with knowing).
"-told him that he'd have to get used to following orders from his superiors, but Hux tends to be stubborn. Inform me immediately if he is harassing you or refusing to comply….We'll change the outfit of course, I took the liberty of looking up your size and having some attire made up for you….My grandmother was a queen, so I think you'll find them fitting as my consort, err, business partner...Oh! Mustn't forget your training in the Force either….Of course, someone with your bloodline should have no trouble learning….I have a wonderful training room, the Knights are no equal match one-on-one, but against six you should have no-"
"Wait." Rey broke in sharply, cutting him off with a fierce glare. "What did you say about my bloodline?"
"You are the granddaughter of Emperor Palpatine." Kylo commented, cocking his head as if confused by her reaction. "You do know who your parents are, don't you?"
"Of course I know who my parents and grandparents are." Rey snapped, shooting out of her chair in indignation. She felt so small and weak sitting before the hulking mass of Ren that towered over her. "My question is, how do you know that?"
He shrugged. "I have access to employee files." Obviously, his tone implied.
"That's a breach of employer/employee confidentiality." Rey gritted her teeth as sick realization flooded her senses. "Do you even know anything about my actual skills and abilities? Or is that why you offered me the position? Because of who my grandfather was?"
"Why else would I call in some nobody-radar technician and offer her the second most powerful job on the base?" Kylo asked shortly, his voice growing clipped to match the bubbling frustration in Rey. "You were born to rule, admit it. Why scrounge in entry-level obscurity where no one will recognize or appreciate your talents? You could command this entire base, why hide who you truly are?"
"My grandfather worked his way up from "entry-level obscurity" to become the most-feared man in the galaxy." Rey snarled, the dismay and disappointment that curdled in her stomach fueling the rage in her blood. "He didn't rely on his past connections to pave his future; he created his own path, and I intend to do the same. When I ascend to power, it will be because I've earned it, not because some hot-shot grandson of Darth Vadar promoted me who can't even manage his own base without his Force-deaf lackeys." She gasped for breath after her tirade, simultaneously frightened and gleeful at her impassioned outburst. She only wished she could see Ren's facial reactions. The stuck-up little prince.
"This, then, is how I am repaid." Kylo growled menacingly, stalking over to Rey, his fists clenching as his voice dropped dangerously. "I had thought someone with your ancestry might at least attempt some semblance of diplomacy, but it no longer matters. You will rule Starkiller with me, if I have to destroy half of the base to do it."
"I'd rather chew on bantha fur than rule with you simply because of my bloodline." Rey spat, feeling the telltale pressure of power she'd striven to suppress grow at the base of her skull. Kylo had no idea who he was dealing with.
"You'll never get anywhere without my help." His words were tense and bitter. "I will make sure of it. You'll never see the faintest hint of a promotion or raise until you accept who you are and your place by my side. Do you honestly think your grandfather would be proud of how you're working like a common slave, refusing your rightful position?"
"If I remember my history books correctly, someone else's grandfather actually was a slave." The reply shot back with all the sting of painful reality.
Kylo staggered as though he'd been physically struck. "Take it back."
"Take back the truth? Not likely."
"Well, your grandfather would be ashamed to call you family." He burst out petulantly, bending down to glare (she assumed) into her face.
Rey didn't know who started it, all she remembered was the red mist clouding her vision-how dare he speak as if he knew what Papa would and wouldn't be proud of-and screams erupting from her throat as metal support beams crumpled like fabric, glass shattering and flying, the roar of Kylo Ren's rage shaking her bones.
She woke up in her bunk with a massive migraine and an even bigger sense of incredulity. That punk. He actually had the nerve- She clenched her fists, she'd show that pampered child, she would succeed without his ridiculous and ethically questionable promotions. Her better judgment caught up with her, and a wave of panic struck. What was she thinking, screaming at her boss, Force-wrecking his office? It was a wonder they hadn't escorted her off the base already.
The sound of someone moving nearby caused her to hastily rise, eliciting a yelp of pain as her head protested the sudden movement.
"Easy, honey, you had a hard knock there." Myra stood next to her bunk, holding a hot cup of tea that she pushed into her hands.
"I'm not...fired?" Rey questioned uneasily, massaging the soreness out of the back of her neck.
Myra snorted amusedly. "You? Naw, Bryon said to take the rest of the hour off, but he needs you back today so long as it's not a concussion."
"Naturally," Rey groaned, accepting the tea and slowly sipping the semi-bitter concoction, relief temporarily replacing the headache and nausea. "How long was I out?"
"Thirty minutes or so, they said you slipped and fell in the office of the Big Cheese himself."
"Yeah, it was an...experience." Rey managed, grateful for the half-truthful alibi. She had no wish to further explain herself to well-intentioned but notoriously gossipy coworkers. "Thank you, Myra." She added, her tired facial muscles manufacturing a small smile. "Tell Bryon I'll be out in twenty."
Myra hummed in acknowledgement, exiting the room soon after. She popped her head back in the doorway to deliver one final message. "By the way, that technology-challenged Matt-guy is asking after you. Should I tell him you're alright?"
Rey sighed. "Yes, that's fine." She collapsed back on the bunk, inhaling deep, soothing breaths, psyching herself up to finish the rest of the work day.
The galaxy was just not cutting her any slack today.
Kylo had spent the better part of the hour venting his anger and rage on his hapless office walls (or at least what remained of them). How dare she reject him! With her haughty princess airs, making snide comments about Darth Vadar, as if she was too good for his descendants! He would change her mind, he must! The fact that her refusal had only made her appear even more attractive infuriated him to no end.
Kylo growled and punched the button for a cleanup droid with a viciousness that cracked the innocent panel, ignoring its squeal of protest. He was desperate to escape the claustrophobic atmosphere; he needed to train, to blow off steam.
One intense workout later, he was back in his chambers and able to calmly and rationally collect his thoughts. Rey still didn't know he was Matt the radar technician, and that could be used to his advantage. As Matt, he could gain her friendship and garner her sympathy towards Kylo Ren. As Matt, he could convince her to join him. His mind flashed to the poster in his work locker and Rey's flustered reaction to the simple idea of his eight-pack. He smirked, imagining her face if she saw the real deal up close and personal, as confident assurance relaxed his tight shoulder muscles.
This would be easier than he initially thought.
A/N: I would love to hear your thoughts! Reviews are what inspire my muse and get me writing. Follow me on Tumblr earial13 for updates and fun stuff!
