Rey arrived on deck J07, section B12 and the troopers standing guard snapped at attention. She had decided that Hux wouldn't salute his subordinates and didn't return the gesture.
The officer who had called Rey clicked her heels together. "Sir, this way."
She led her into a room with a small console in the middle of it. The room was buzzing with mouse droids with their characteristic beeping.
Rey noticed right away that the lower port of the console was slightly scratched. The officer took a knee and brushed over the port.
"The supervised maintenance crew didn't report scratches. But it's possible they wouldn't report it – be it because they feared punishment or it simply wasn't there when they last updated the core."
Rey shifted from one leg to another. "At what time did the programme go offline?"
"23:21 sharp. The rebels were of course already in custody at that time."
"Is it possible that the rebels have set a timer?"
The officer shook her head. "Unlikely. We have found no malware and no spike … yet."
Was it just a lucky coincidence? The room was without doubt heavily guarded at all times … from the corner of her eye she saw a mouse droid scurry out of the room through a small droid hatch next to the door.
Finn was no technican, he couldn't have manipulated a droid to sabotage the tracker programme. Perhaps the woman he was with? No, they were working with a shady slicer who had betrayed them for credits.
The mouse droids beeped again. Droids … A droid – BB-8! Rey jerked her head around and scanned the room with her eyes. There was a small strangely quadrangular box under a console. She quickly averted her eyes lest the officer wouldn't notice it.
She had to get rid of her. Rey cleared her throat. "Leave me, I want to examine the room on my own."
The officer didn't even raise an eyebrow, she just turned on her heel and left.
Rey waited for a moment and then she quickly knelt down and lifted the black box. BB-8 made a high-pitched beep and activated its blow torch as it was uncovered.
Rey lifted her hands. "I want to help Finn, I- I'm a spy for the resistance. Meet me outside the room as soon as I leave – I can take you somewhere safe. Just stay close to me."
BB-8 beeped quizzical.
"We don't have time for that – just- just trust me, okay?"
She got up and strode out of the door, outside she cleared her throat and said the officer: "Keep me updated."
"Yes sir."
She pretended to check her chronometer and registered that BB-8 rolled out of the droid door. It was bound to attract attention because of it bright colours. Rey straightened herself as she briskly walked toward the lift, BB-8 in tow. She hoped that the fact that the droid seemed to belong to Hux would be enough to avert noisy glares.
ooOOoo
Rey would never have believed that the way the First Order being submissive to authority was to the extent that their general could strut around on the flagship with a foreign droid without being questioned – but here she was again in Hux' office without as much as a quizzical glare.
She cowered down and gave BB-8 a smile.
"We made it, BB-8."
The droid beeped a few times.
"Of course I know you – I'm a friend of Finn's. I guess sabotaging the tracking device was your handiwork?"
BB-8 whistled and beeped.
"I know. But first we have to save Finn and the other rebel. They're currently held in cells and we've to-"
Beep.
"We've to think of a plan to free them, alright?"
She noticed that BB-8's antenna was bent, she reached out and had to pull her hand back when BB-8 activated the blow torch again.
"Relax, I'll just want to fix it."
Slowly she reached out again and took the antenna off. Rey bent it back and attached it again.
"There you go."
BB-8 rolled further away from her and shot her something like an inquisitive look.
"Look, I know that you don't know me – but I need you to convince Finn to trust me when-"
Beep-beep!
Rey exhaled. "I know that I said I was his friend … well, I am – but he doesn't know it yet."
BB-8 stared silently at her and rolled further back.
Rey sighed ran her hand through her hair and flinched a little when she touched the gelled wisps. She gulped. "What would I gain from lying to you? I could've just turned you over to them."
Beep?
"Well, whether you trust me or not – we have to save the rebel fleet and free Finn. I'll try to come up with a sensible plan and … I can't force you to help me but-"
BB-8 whistled and beeped in agreement.
"Great! I'll go and check on Finn and the woman – you'll find a network access right by the desk." Rey got up and straightened her uniform.
With an excited beep BB-8 rolled towards the desk. Rey watched it disappear behind the furniture and gulped again before she turned and left the office.
ooOOoo
Thanks to the ship's schematics on her holo she found the interrogation rooms quickly. A quick glance at her chronometer told her that it was now 00:12.
The guards at interrogation room 4 stood at attention when she approached and even opened the door for her. Once it slid shut behind her she stopped dead in her tracks. The rebel woman was strapped to a stretcher, it was the same model she had been strapped to by Kylo Ren a couple of months ago. Right next to the prisoner stood a trooper – he snapped at attention and took a quick step back from the woman. "S-sir!"
Rey glanced at the trooper and the woman. The way he had reacted away led her to believe that he had overstepped his bounds. Had he tried to interrogate her himself?
"Leave us," she ordered and stared at the trooper with the coldest glare she could muster.
"Sir!" The trooper hurried out of the room.
The woman stared angrily at her. Rey had no idea what to do next; she had only come to check upon the prisoners. Well, she had to start somewhere.
She stepped to the controls next to the stretcher and deactivated the restraints. The woman's eyes went wide, then she slowly freed herself from the stretcher and lifted her chin defiantly. She was barely reaching Rey's or rather Hux' chest but the intense way she stared at Rey made her uncomfortable. The bright light made her feel hot in the thick uniform and involuntary she took a few steps back – out of the pool of light into the shadow.
The woman frowned, again she seemed surprised.
"The guard. What did he do?" Rey asked quietly in an attempt to appear as non-threatening as possible.
She crossed her arms. "Is this some kind of pathetic attempt of an interrogation? First you let me alone with some ass and then you're the nice guy I'm supposed to open up to?"
"Not at all. Care to tell me your name?"
She shifted from leg to another. "The name's Tico. And you are?"
Rey hesitated for a second before she answered. "Hux."
Tico's eyes widened again. She blinked. "General Hux? So you're charge here, huh?" Her voice trembled a little.
"In a sense. Kylo Ren killed Snoke – he's the new Supreme Leader."
"What?"
"It's true, it happened just a couple of hours ago. I guess this makes me second in command."
Tico clenched her right hand to a fist. Rey was taken aback by the anger and fear she suddenly felt from Tico – she had felt her emotions through the Force! But- that wasn't possible, was it?
But she clearly felt the tension, fear and rage from her. She was about to assault Rey. She had to calm her down.
"You're thinking about attacking me," Rey said. "But that wouldn't be wise. You might not believe me, but I want to help you and Finn."
"Helping us? What a load of bantha dung!" hissed Tico.
"The tracking system is down, BB-8 sabotaged it and-"
"You're lying! You- why do you know BB-8s name? And Finn's?"
Rey felt a headache coming up and rubbed her temples. This wasn't going well. "I don't have time for this discussion, I have to check up on Finn. As soon as I-" she interrupted herself and took a breath. "I'll be back."
Before Tico could mouth another question she strode out of the room and said to the trooper outside the door: "Bring the prisoner to a cell with a bed and get her something to drink and eat."
"Yes sir!" he replied.
ooOOoo
Rey went to the next room and entered it as well. She felt her heart leap when she saw Finn, she had to suppress a smile. Finn was strapped to a stretcher and glared at her. The hatred in his eyes gave her a stab in the chest. There was also a trooper present, he stood in the back of the room.
Rey considered for a moment if she should sent the trooper out. It was possible that this would raise suspicion since she'd already sent Tico's guard away. She came closer to Finn, there was a film of sweat on his face and he looked as if he wanted to spit on her.
"Why did you leave the First Order?" she asked.
"What do you think, Hux? Because I'm no murderer!"
Rey began to pace back and forth in front of Finn. "You just decided to desert us? No prior thoughts and discussion among your uh friends?"
Finn frowned. "Did you hear me? I'm not a murderer – never was!"
"Nobody encouraged you?" inquired Rey.
"This might surprise you, but some of us still have something called morals. You think that we're all your good little soldiers, but we're still people!"
She felt his distain towards her and her headache got worse. The pulsating pain made her massage her temples again and for an unguarded moment she grimaced.
"That's really blowing your mind, isn't it?" jeered Finn. He laughed humourlessly.
Rey felt sick. Was it Hux trying to take back control? All her efforts would be in vain if she lost control. She decided to retreat somewhere private to try to find out what was wrong with her. Besides being trapped in the body of an enemy general of course.
"I have other matters to attend to." She turned to the trooper. "Bring him to a cell and make sure he's ready for the next interrogation."
"Yes sir!"
Rey literally fled the room.