"So, we have a gin and tonic for Amilyn," said Poe, passing out each glass on the small black tray he was holding to a waiting member of the production team, "Dark Fruits for Rey, vodka lemonade for Rose, Jack and coke for Finn, and a red wine for when Leia graces us with her presence."
The last glass was placed in front of an empty chair.
"Leia's joining us tonight?" asked Finn with pleasant surprise, not waiting a moment longer to take a well earned sip on his drink.
"If she can get enough of her admin done then that's her plan. I think I might have her snowed under with risk assessments, I owe her all the wine the bar carries for that." Poe smiled with playful embarrassment. "I do want to congratulate you all on some stellar work today. The cast like to think they're the centre of the show, but they wouldn't know their arses from their elbows without you lot. To the backstage!"
Poe raised his glass in a toast and the rest followed suit.
"Are you sticking around for the first one?" said Finn.
"Sadly not, I feel there are some egos that need nursing over at the actor's table, but I'll see you later," Poe turned to Rey, "You make sure you get this one home by midnight, we've got an early morning tomorrow."
"I'm making no promises."
"I expected nothing less."
With a quick kiss goodbye to Finn, Poe took his own drink and picked his way through the busy bar to the table where all the actors were sat with ring of empty tables around them. The volume and gesticulating of actors often discouraged members of the public from sitting too close. Rey momentarily clocked Kylo sat with the group. He wasn't talking, but was watching the rest of the cast with the intense concentration of someone ill at ease. A bartender carrying a large tray of empties obscured her view and she was pulled back in to the conversation of her own table.
"How are you finding your first proper show, Rose?" asked Amilyn, "Big step up from college, I'd bet."
"Definitely. When I saw the brief I'd been given, I just about quit on the spot."
"That's everyone's first reaction working with Poe." Finn interjected with a smirk, "The first time I did sound for him I threatened to move out."
"I had the sofa ready and everything." added Rey.
"I don't think I'd ever seen someone manage to be so vague, and so particular at the same time," said Rose, "But now it's all built, I'm honestly so happy how it turned out. Plus it's nice to be building from my own designs for once."
"It's a good feeling isn't it," said Finn, "You should be doubly proud you were given the design because of trust. Rey was given her first design after Ivano got sick of her not sticking to his lighting plan."
"You can't tell me I wasn't making improvements."
"I wasn't saying I could, just saying you climbing the ladder involved stepping on a lot of toes."
"Please. They love me."
"I once heard a flyman consider dropping a lighting bar on you."
"Flyman express their love in unusual ways."
"If that's what you want to believe... " Finn turned his attention back to Rose, "Seriously though, your set looks great, you should be proud of it."
"I just hope it works in the other venues too," Rose replied.
"Provided your diagrams are accurate," said Amilyn, "I'm sure we'll have no bother. Especially with the wonderfully thorough instructions you wrote for the in house crew."
Rose smiled and looked away, proud but shy. Rey looked over at the actor's table again. Kylo still seemed to be silent, seperate from the loud conversation going on around him. He looked towards her and they locked eyes for just a moment, until Rey realised that she had made it look like she had been staring and turned hastily back to her own group. She hoped that none of them had noticed.
"Making moon eyes, are we?" Finn, ever the eagle eyed, said with a playful smirk. Her hope had been in vain.
"At who?" said Rose, craning to look in the direction Rey had been looking.
"At no one." Rey took one more quick look to the actors table. Mercifully all, including Kylo, were consumed in whatever conversation was currently going on and none had seemed to notice that all the heads at the production table were currently pointed at them.
"Rey was pining over the dark and broody Kylo Ren."
"I was not, and the word you are looking for is 'brooding'. Broody means baby fever."
"You're right, of course. You definitely haven't been stealing glances at his flowing hair and strong nose since we sat down."
"You like Kylo?" Rose sounded skeptical. Amilyn's mouth tensed into a straight line.
"Jesus, how old are all of you? Did I go back to high school and not realise?" Rey could hear the defensiveness in her voice, and she knew from the amused twinkle in Finn's eyes that he could hear it too, "I was just noticing that he seemed uncomfortable. That's all."
"Well, that's not really surprising is it?" said Rose.
"It's not?" replied Rey, glancing at Finn. She saw her own curious expression mirrored in his, neither of them had expected Rose to be a source of unknown gossip.
"Considering what happened, I'm surprised he's even at the pub with them to begin with."
Rey wasn't sure if Rose was genuinely assuming that they would all know what she was referring to, or if their newest colleague was an expert at gossip storytelling.
"That depends on what happened, doesn't it?"
"You know, a few years ago at-"
"Organa incoming," interrupted Amilyn, standing to greet her friend. Stopped talking, and looked nervously down at her drink, "Leia, I'm so glad you could make it."
"It was touch and go, but I'm here. I think I've earned it," Leia pointed at the empty seat and full wine glass, "For me? Poe mentioned he had the first round."
"Yes, of course. I think we might be getting some food soon as well." said Amilyn as the two sat down, "How is everything? How's Han doing? God only knows when we last saw him."
"Oh, he's away touring some forum theatre in community halls up north. Something to do with big businesses invading local spaces. It's being received quite well from what I hear. " said Leia, taking up her glass and sitting down, "As for me, much the same, trying to chip away at my Hydra of paperwork - but that's a dull topic. Tell me about your technical. Is everything ready for the dress?"
The conversation turned to recounting the days events, and Rey excused herself to the bathroom.
Exiting the cubical, she was surprised to see Amilyn hovering uncertainly by the sinks.
"I wanted to talk to you for a moment," she began.
"Oh? Excuse me," Rey edged around her, and began washing her hands.
"I just didn't want to say in front of everyone one."
"What about?"
"You know I don't like to encourage gossiping-"
"That sounds like there's a 'but' coming," Rey shook water off her hands.
"But I do feel like I should let you know-"
"Sorry, excuse me again."
Amilyn moved from her spot in front of the paper towels and continued, as Rey grabbed a couple.
"I feel I let you know that this is Ben's first show after-"
"Who's Ben?"
"Kylo is a stage name. I thought you might have guessed that."
"Coming from an Amilyn," said Rey with a smile.
"Still, his actual name is Ben Solo."
"Wait, like-"
"Han, yes. He's Han and Leia's son."
"Didn't think she's old enough for him to be that age."
"Not the point. How long have you worked at the New Republic?"
"Three years, maybe?"
"Ben used to do a lot of theatre here, but there was an… incident. There was a bit of violence. Leia wouldn't let him act in anything for, well, it must be going on five or six years now. This is his first role since."
"Ok, either give me enough detail for this to be good gossip, or tell me why you're telling me this."
"I just want to let you know to be careful with him. I don't know how much was just Finn trying to tease you, but as your co-worker and, frankly after three years I would hope, your friend, I just want you to be careful."
"Jesus Amilyn, I literally just had a cigarette with the guy, I didn't marry him."
"Still, I thought I should let you know just in case."
"Are you going to tell me what the incident was, or are you just going to leave me hanging? Because that is not fair."
"Leia wants to leave the whole thing in the past. I'm just meant to keep an eye on him, just in case," Amilyn went to leave, "Just be careful, ok?"
"I'll be careful."
The door swung shut behind Amilyn. With a sign, Rey looked herself in the mirror and dumped the used paper towels in the bin. As she picked her way back to the table she stole a glance over to where the actors were sat. Kylo's seat was now empty.
