Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars characters; however, Angeles & Les Dollslayer characters are mine.

"Lieutenant General Hux," Angeles replied, still in shock that he was in the same room with her.

"Actually, it's General Hux now," he corrected her. Hearing that made Angeles nervous.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, her fists clenched.

"No," he softly replied. "The Emperor has instructed me to show you the evidence of poll tampering."

Angeles' eyes widened. Hux was the general Vader was referring to!

"I don't believe a word that monster says..."

"Here," Hux said to her, as he turned on the TV screen. They both stood and watched video of her political opponent paying off the pollsters.

"Is this real, or a trick by Vader?"

"It is real," Hux assured her. "Your opponent will stop at nothing to get you out of office." He hated what the rival was doing to Angeles.

"He's just like Vader," Angeles gasped. "What my opponent did was wrong. But I can't just drop a bill that deserves to be passed!"

"You must." Hux drew closer to her. She was afraid, and stepped away from him.

"Don't be afraid," he said. "I will not hurt you."

"Liar!" she screamed. "You serve Vader, Therefore, you are hurting me!"

"Listen to me. You need to give Vader what he wants, if you want to survive."

"I would rather die than give Vader anything!" Angeles crossed her arms in defiance. Hux sighed and replied,

"I know you would. But he will go after your father and anyone else you care about."

Angeles closed her eyes. She knew what Hux was saying was true. Vader was ruthless in getting wheat he wanted.

"He has plans for you," Hux added.

"Plans? What plans?' Hux drew close to her, and placed his hand in hers.

"Vader wants you on his side, to pass laws favoring his goals."

"He sees me as a threat..."

"He sees you as a potential ally."

"No! I will not work with that monster!"

"Angeles," he begged, staring into her brown eyes. "Please don't be foolish. You need to submit to Vader's demands. Otherwise, he will kill everyone you care about before your eyes, and then he will kill you. I don't want to see that happen to you!"

"I didn't know you cared, General," Angeles hissed sarcastically. She expected a snide remark, a threatening comment, made to her.

Instead, Hux took her in his arms and passionately kissed her. Just like last year at her party, she was surprised by the kiss.

"He will kill anyway, even if I cooperate," Angeles whispered after the kiss was broken.

"No, he won't," Hux replied, tracking her cheek with his knuckle. "If I get you to comply, he will place you under my custody. You will be with me, unharmed."

"But as your prisoner. This is not right, Armitage!"

"But it will keep you alive. Don't you want to live to see your eighteenth birthday?"

"Not at the expense of compromising what I believe in."

"Believing in something doesn't matter if you're dead." Hux held her in his arms and added,

"Please. At least think about it." He paused for a moment, then said,

"You must be hungry. I will order dinner and a birthday cake for us."

"That is not necessary..." Angeles argued with him.

"But it is. We need to celebrate." He gave her a warm smile.

"Celebrate? Celebrate what?"

"Besides our birthdays, we can celebrate being together." His blue eyes gazed at her. She nervously looked away. He chuckled before ordering the food & cake.

"You're right, the food is good here!" Angeles said, as they ate dinner together. "Too bad everything else about the Empire isn't."

"You will get used to it," Hux promised her.

"No, I won't..."

"Angeles, stop being stubborn. You don't understand..."

"That's right. I do not understand how you can serve a monster like Vader, and yet be kind to me."

"I won't be kind to you if you refuse to cooperate," Hux uttered in a mournful tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Angeles, her face pale and her eyes full of worry.