Alistair Snoke's office has a one eighty view of downtown LA, perched on the top floor of First Order's headquarters. When Kylo is summoned to that office on Tuesday morning, the view is hazy, the sun still low in the sky and sending streaky ribbons of light between the high rises. Despite the early hour and last minute summons, he sports a suit and tie—black on black on black—as well as a clean shaven face and styled hair.
A full tea service is set up on the coffee table and Snoke waits for him in a wingback chair. His assistant, a new one who Snoke does not introduce, pours Kylo a cup, adding a splash of almond milk, and hands it to him as he sits down on the settee across from Snoke. The eighteenth century cup is ridiculous in Kylo's hand but he musters as much dignity as possible as he takes a sip.
"Kylo," Snoke starts. "Do you remember why you were so desperate to sign with First Order?"
"I don't remember any desperation," Kylo says. "I remember a generous offer."
"My boy, you were dying to be taken seriously and that would never have happened on your parents' label. Which leads me to wonder, now, why you're so stubbornly resisting your manager's efforts to that affect."
"Sir, with all due respect, you don't honestly believe Hux's bullshit?"
"I believe I've been incredibly generous and that I'd like a return on my investment. You've gone to greater lengths before, this should be nothing."
"I don't know what to say, sir. As much as Hux says it's purely business, it involves blurring the line between my private life and my professional life."
Snoke puts his cup down and within seconds his assistant is back to pour another cup. Is she hovering outside the door desperately listening for the clink of the cup on the saucer? Kylo watches her leave, her heels making the softest sound imaginable on the wood floor.
"According to Hux, you said you had a solution on Friday night, but when he rang you on Saturday you claimed to have no idea what he was talking about."
"Did Hux mention that I was completely wasted, or that he dumped me in my downstairs bathroom without even calling Lorna to make sure she checked on me?"
"He did mention that you overindulged, but your memory has always been exceptional, even when you're inebriated, so I'm a bit surprised."
"I wasn't trying to hide anything. It was just a stupid idea."
"Why don't you let me decide that?"
Kylo looks at his boss. Snoke sits back with his elbows on the chair arms, long fingers pressed together. Standing, he is almost as tall as Kylo, but weighs at least fifty pounds less. He looks far older than fifty, but his blue eyes are sharp. He smiles gently and Kylo sighs.
"Just some girl I met last year at a show. I ran into her again Friday night. She's a musician. Said she's in talks with Resistance."
Snoke sits up at this, hands gripping the chair arms. "What is her name?"
"Rey. Kenobi. I met her in Las Cruces."
His boss smiles and laughs, a wheezing chuckle.
"Sir?"
"Don't ever let anyone tell you that there's no such thing as destiny, Kylo Ren."
"I'm not following, sir."
"You've probably been holed up in your little house doing whatever it is you do all weekend, but we had a bit of drama yesterday. Seems our bright young A&R star Finn Storm defected to Resistance over the weekend. Sent a messenger to collect his things and deliver his resignation yesterday, and it seems this little messenger has some other talents, because we can't get a thing off of his computer or the server. The only thing we were able to track was a plane ticket on his company card, reserved for a Rey Kenobi. She arrived Friday at noon, from Albuquerque. Was this Rey you're acquainted with accompanied by Mr. Storm when you saw her?"
"No, Sir." Kylo hesitates.
"But?"
"She did mention that her A&R guy at Resistance was named Finn. Do we know why he left?"
"The letter mentioned an ethical objection to the Aayla situation, which would explain his abrupt departure. However, he flew in this artist on our dime and poached her. My sources tell me she signed with Resistance yesterday. I would consider legal action but a plane ticket isn't enough to establish intent to sign. Her advance was only half a million. It'd be less expensive to convince her to come back to First Order and buy out her contract with them."
"Have you even heard her music?"
Snoke waves a bony hand. "Mr. Storm's ear is impeccable. If she's really good, I might even let her release an album. Then I'd let it tank, of course."
"How would ruining her career hurt Finn Storm? I don't understand."
"Oh, my boy, that's because you have no understanding of people who possess integrity. Mr. Storm will be personally invested in this girl's career by now. Her failure will feel like his.
"What do you want me to do, exactly?"
"Date her, like you planned, then convince her to sign with First Order. You've managed to convince millions of people that you're a songwriter, so convincing one young girl to move to a bigger label for more money shouldn't be a problem."
"I was drunk when I thought about dating her. She's not really the type to agree to date someone for their image."
"Why on earth would you tell her? Hux was going about this entirely the wrong way. Contracts and actresses are needless complications."
"Sir, I don't think—"
"I'm not asking you to think. I'm telling you what you need to do and I don't think I could have been more clear. Do I need to be explicit about the consequences if you refuse?"
"No, sir." He sets his cup back on the saucer and stands. Snoke rises and returns to his desk without further acknowledging his presence.
Kylo leaves, passing the silent assistant on his way out. In the elevator, he takes off his tie and shoves it in his pocket. Luck is with him, and the elevator doesn't stop until he reaches the ground floor.
A trio of girls ask for his autograph and a photo while he's waiting for his car. They have one of the valets take it with one of their digital cameras. Two of them press into his sides, all but forcing him to put his arms around their shoulders. The one on his left, a blonde who is almost his height in her platform sandals, kisses his cheek as the shutter snaps.
"I'm Tanisha," the prettiest of the three says. "We just finished a tour of the label." She vaguely indicates one of the other girls. "Lauren's uncle works here. We're taking an extended spring break. From Dartmouth."
Clearly she's expecting him to say something about how he thought they were models or actresses instead of college students, or at least act impressed about their school, but he just smiles and says "Cool. Hope you're having a good time."
She writes something on her valet ticket, slips it in Kylo's breast pocket and climbs into a waiting BMW, taking her time so as to properly showcase her long, smooth legs. "We're at the Chateau Marmont. Bungalow Three."
"Oh, neat. John Belushi died there." He catches a glimpse of her horrified face before the valet shuts her car door. His Land Rover pulls up immediately after.
Traffic is shit so it takes him nearly an hour to get to his business manager's office in Reseda. He makes a few phone calls and listens to most of Disintegration. It was one of his first CDs, bought the same day his parents gave him a Discman for his birthday. They had been dubious about CDs and told him he could only buy new music on disc because they weren't buying anything a third time. He listened to it non-stop through most of junior year, and still uses it to focus and calm himself. By the time Lovesong is over, he's managed to rationalize what Snoke has asked him to do. It's only a few dates, after all, not a relationship, and she never has to know. It's clear she can barely stand him anyway so it will likely only last a date or two anyway, if she agrees to go out with him at all.
He parks in front of a coffee shop a block away from Unamo's office, sheds his suit jacket and untucks his shirt before getting out. He makes it in and out of the shop with no hassle, but as he's about to open the door to Unamo's office building, someone comes out, barreling into him and sending his soy latte flying. It lands on the hood of a parked car.
"What the fuck?" he says. He grabs the person's arms to keep them from knocking him over, and looks down.
It's Rey Kenobi. And she's crying.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" she says. "Aren't there like ten million people in this goddamned town?"
"Hey, shhh," he says.
"Don't fucking shush me."
He bends down to look her in the eye. "If you attract enough attention someone is going to recognize me. Come inside." He pulls her into the lobby, which is really just an entryway with mail boxes and a flight of stairs, no receptionist. She doesn't protest but she won't look at him. He lets go of her arms. "What are you doing here?" he asks.
"I needed some air. What are you doing here?"
"I have an appointment with my business manager."
Rey sniffs and wipes her nose on her sleeve. The cuff is frayed, and her hip bones jut out above the waistband of her cargo pants. "Me, too. I mean, I just hired her, or I'm about to. I had eighty-six dollars in my bank account on Friday and now I'm hiring a business manager."
"Unamo?"
"No, um, Korr Sella. How many more people am I going to have to hire?"
"Do you have an assistant yet?"
"Oh God," she says, slouching against the wall and pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes. "This is all too much, too fast. I can't do this."
"Rey." He touches her shoulder and she flinches away. "Hey, Rey. Look at me."
She drops her hands to her sides and looks at him. This is the first time he's seen her eyes in full light. He'd thought they were brown, but they're hazel, almost green at the moment. Her wet eyelashes are stuck together in clumps and her nose is red.
"Rey, it's never going to stop moving this fast. It's like riding a wave."
"I've never even been in the ocean."
He presses his lips together and inhales through his nose. "Okay," he sighs. "But you've seen people surfing, right, in the movies? TV?"
"Yeah."
"They look like they're in control but it's a lie. They're always seconds away from disaster, riding something that's bigger than they can ever hope to be."
"This isn't making me feel any better."
"It's not supposed to. It's just a fact." He straightens up. "Do you want a cigarette?"
"I don't smoke."
"Do you want one?"
"No. I need to go back up there. I told them I was going to the bathroom." She starts up the stairs.
"Hey, Rey."
"Yeah?"
He looks down. He could always just wish her luck or say goodbye.
He looks up at her. "Would you like to go have dinner with me sometime?"
It looks like she might actually laugh, until her eyes fill again. But these aren't the sad, frustrated tears from before.
"I just told you that my whole life is moving too fast, that everything is too much, and you're asking me out?"
"Well…yes?"
"Unbelievable."
"So is that a yes or a no?"
"Oh my God," she says, turning and stomping up the stairs.
"Fuck."
He waits for the bathroom door to close before trudging up to Unamo's office.