First Order's A&R team are scattered around the main conference room. Most are still availing themselves of the breakfast spread on the credenza. A few are already in their seats, but when the head of A&R walks in, precisely at nine, all chatter ceases and everyone scurries to the table.

At six foot three inches, Phasma stands taller than everyone in the room, even without heels. She always wears heels.

She's been in the office since seven this morning, but there isn't a hair out of place on her sleek platinum bob, or a wrinkle in her grey pantsuit.

"Let's make this quick today, shall we? We'll start with company news. You've probably all heard by now but we finally have all five signatures on The Knights of Ren's new contract. It's a sixty-million-dollar advance, which the company can well afford, but it may mean a bit of belt tightening so don't be surprised if you're have to soothe some new artist egos after negotiations over the next few weeks. Any questions?" Her blue eyes scan the room. "No? Good. Speaking of contracts, the company will not be releasing Aayla from her contract."

Finn looks around at his coworkers. Most are unfazed. A few look uncomfortable. Aayla is a pop artist, signed to one of the company's subsidiaries. She'd asked to be released from her contract after stating that the subsidiary's head, who also acted as her producer, had sexually harassed her. She'd already delivered on one of her two albums, which had gone gold and recouped her advance plus expenses. Finn had been certain they would quietly let her go, to avoid any negative press, or at least sign her to First Order or one of the other subs. He's stunned that Snoke has decided to push the issue, considering it will likely go to court.

One of his coworkers, Trent, raises his hand. Phasma nods at him. "Okay but I've got this girl group I'm looking at and they've got this whole girl power shtick like the Spice Girls. You know Aayla's gonna go to court on this. What do I tell these girls when they ask about it?"

"Tell them that Aayla had a fantastic relationship with her producer, of which we have proof via the emails they sent back and forth, and that she only started the sexual harassment nonsense when they started recording this album and he brought in new songwriters."

"Is that what happened?" Trent asks.

"It's what we'll go to court with. Remember, your loyalty is to the company, not your unsigned artists. Any other questions? Good."

Phasma reviews the rest of the company news and begins going around the table to check in with everyone. Finn feels queasy. He'd known Aayla for a few years, having met her at a company party right after she was signed. She's an incredibly talented and prolific songwriter, with the ability to write for almost any genre. He'd actually considered having her mentor Rey. He thinks about Rey and how happy she was when he'd told her he was interested in signing her, how she'd looked ready to burst during the last half of her set. Rey radiated goodness, in a way few people he knows out here do.

"Finn?" Phasma says. "What do you have cooking?"

He jumps. He hopes this is the first time she's called on him. "Me? Oh, yeah. I've got a couple of things going but we're not close to an offer yet," he says.

"I'm excited to hear what you've got. Have Robyn drop the demos off with me today."

After Phasma adjourns the meeting, most of his coworkers stay in the conference room, finishing the last of the buffet and gossiping, but Finn bolts to his office. Robyn is away from her desk, and for once Finn is pleased with that.

Rey is flying in tomorrow and her deal memo is sitting on his desk. He had her sign it before he left to officially establish their business relationship. He shuts the door and stands for a moment, taking deep breaths. He cannot believe he's about to do what he's about to do.

First things first. He turns on his shredder and feeds Rey's deal memo into it. No one had seen it, and he hadn't updated Robyn on his trip to New Mexico. It's like it never existed.

Once the paper is destroyed, he sits at his desk and takes several deep breaths, picks up the phone and dials.

"Resistance Records, Poe Dameron's office."

"Bebe! Finn Storm here. Is Poe in?"

"He just got here. Hold on a moment, Finn, and I'll transfer you."

When Poe picks up the call, Finn is in the middle of another round of cleansing breaths.

"Finn! It's been a minute since I've seen you. How are things over on the dark side?"

His anxiety only slightly relieved by Poe's pleasure at hearing from him, Finn gets to the point. "That's actually what I'm calling about. You know how you've always said you owe me a huge favor, after I saved your ass that time?"

"Of course. What's up?"

"Are you hiring?"

"Finn did you get fired? What the hell did you do?"

"No, but I'm going to quit. Today." He looks out his office window, then closes the blinds. "And I'm going to poach an artist while I'm at it."

"You're serious? What's going on over there."

"You know about the situation with Aayla?"

"A little here and there."

"They're not releasing Aayla from her contract. It's probably going to go to court and it'll get ugly. Snoke is making an example out of her. But Poe, this new artist I found, well, Oola found her but that's whatever, anyway, she's special. Really special. And I just imagined what it could be like for this girl if we sign her. That she could be another Aayla. Or they could decide they want to package her. Make her a pop act. I don't want that for her, and I don't want to work at a company that operates like this."

"Wow, Finn. That's intense. And yeah, I think we can find a spot for you here. I just don't have the power to make it official and the General is off on a retreat in Bali. No Internet, phones only for emergencies. She'll be back next week."

"Okay, I can wait about the job. But if by some crazy chance Ms. Organa says no about hiring me, you'll take care of Rey, right?"

"If she's good I can sign her. I trust your judgment, but I do need to hear her and meet her, as a formality of course."

"Good. Good. Okay. We need to get through the weekend. Her flight is in tomorrow at noon and there's an ASCAP party that night. So I can bring her by tomorrow afternoon? I'll send a courier with a demo."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Yeah, I'll act like everything's normal tomorrow, stay out of the office all weekend, then send someone for my things on Monday with my letter of resignation. Oh, shit."

"What?"

"I'm going to have to get Robyn to come with me, for one. She's talked to Rey and handled all of her travel arrangements. First Order will make this messy if they can figure out a way to claim we already had any kind of agreement. But shit, Robyn doesn't matter anyway because they'll just pull my emails."

"Well, then I think Bebe should be the one that goes to clean out your office on Monday."

"Why Bebe?"

Poe laughs. "Let's just say they know their way around a network. If Bebe goes in, there'll be no sign you sent or received anything from that account."

"And they'd do that?"

"Of course I will!" Bebe breaks in.

"Have you been on the line this whole time?" Poe asks.

"You never told me to hang up."

"Shit. Sorry, Bebe. You can hang up now."

"Okay, later!"

"Poe, thank you, man. I'm serious. Even if you do owe me, this is huge."

"No worries. I've been trying to figure out a way to poach you for years. You made it easy."

"All right. We're really doing this."

"Yes we are."

"All right. See you tomorrow then. Oh, one last thing?"

"Yeah?"

"Rey's hotel is booked on my company card."

Poe laughs. "Cancel it and I'll have Bebe make new arrangements. Welcome to Resistance, Finn."