Author's note: updated and revised on December 21st, 2016


Though I only got four hours of sleep, I made sure to wake early. I requested basic information about the officers that would be attending the meeting so that I might be prepared, and as I washed up and dressed, I kept the datapad propped up so that I could read through and memorize the names and faces.

Immediately, I was confronted with the fact that I would be in the company of the upper echelon of ranking officials on the base. The thought of being surrounded by such important people made me feel nauseous. Uniform or not, all I could see in my mirror was 221784-R. Though the designation had been retired and marked as "inactive," I had a feeling that it would never truly leave me. Logically, I knew that none of them would recognize me by my face, even without my veil, but my fear that I would be found out whirled around in my head as I worked to match the faces in the files to their names and ranks.

I'd done what I could in the time Hux had given me to prepare, but I had no idea what my expected role would be, officially. Was it normal to have an Advisor present for meetings such as this? I didn't know, but I could do nothing except show up and hope for the best.

I met Hux waiting outside of a turbolift. He gave me a curt nod, but no other recognition. I suspected that he was distracted by the upcoming conference, and tried not to let it bother me as we stood silently beside on another. The turbolift stopped two levels up to let on two men, and I recognized them as two of the officers in the meeting's manifest. Lieutenant General Hux introduced me to them formally, but his manner was terse and ungenial, even for him. By now, his demeanor troubled me, and made my nerves worse.

By the time we reached the conference room, the very same room where Hux briefed me the day before, the others were all waiting. All save General Rhidan, whose empty chair at the head of the table seemed like a deliberate insult, judging by Hux's expression. I took the chair next to him, facing away from the window overlooking the hangar. He ignored me, glancing through the meeting agenda as the four other officers present chatted, unconcerned.

Tech Sergeant Rand, a baby-faced mustachioed man and the lowest ranking person present apart from myself, took a seat at the table's holoimager console opposite from Hux and myself and began activating the holoprojectors situated in the center of the oval conference table.

General Rhidan arrived twenty minutes late without explanation or apology, and took his seat at the head of the table. I stifled my curiosity and tried not to stare at him, though it was quite difficult. He was handsome, enough to draw my eye. By his neat salt-and-pepper hair beneath his cap, and the fine lines at the corner of his eyes and in the space between his brows, I placed him anywhere from fifty to sixty years of age. His brows which were dark and severe, were well softened by eyes that squinted as if they perceived the world as humorous. His trimmed beard, white with grey mustache and chin, lent his mouth a serious shape, but as his intelligent green eyes moved to me, his mouth curved into a stately smile. He gave me a small nod in greeting.

I felt myself begin to respond in kind before I realized that Hux was looking at me with a warning in his eyes. He immediately launched into the first item on his agenda.

I wondered if he was still angry with me about our discussion the day before. Surely not. But I couldn't shake the feeling that he was being unduly cross with me. As technical and bureaucratic matters were discussed at length, with Hux doing most of the talking and the others contributing in small ways, General Rhidan sat in silence and listened. If prompted for his input, he simply gestured for the speaker to continue. Before long, I could tell that this tactic was beginning to wear on Hux as he argued his stance with an increasingly sharp tone.

Impatient, Hux gestured to Tech Sergeant Rand, who entered some commands into his console, bringing up a three-dimensional schematic of Starkiller Base. The glowing blue image was quite large, and as the lights of the room dimmed around us, I found myself dazzled by it. The image zoomed, and the general structure of the Superweapon was highlighted. Hux rose to his feet, one hand behind his back as he spoke, but my attention wandered.

With the lights dimmed, I felt less exposed, safer. The officers were each focused on what Hux was saying, or glancing to the flimsi documents on the table before them. But not all were occupied by the topic of the meeting. As Hux gave detailed accounts of resources and labor that were already devoted to the Superweapon's construction, I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched. I glanced up to the seat at the head of the table and caught General Rhidan's eyes flicker from me back to the holoimage. Despite myself, I felt a slight flush rise to my cheeks, and I didn't look away from him. When he met my eyes again, the humor lines at the corner of his lids deepened and my flush grew.

I was so distracted by this involuntary reaction to his attention that I nearly missed when Hux asked me a question. He'd called me by my false name.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant General, could you repeat that?"

When faced with his impatient expression, I felt the heat creep higher into my cheeks.

"You've read my proposal, Advisor Teraah. Perhaps you can provide us insight from a fresh perspective. How would you advise us to go forward?"

My eyes widened, moved to all present. Every face, drenched in the reflected blue light of the holoimage, was turned toward me. The image of the base and the weapon's substructure down to the core rotated slowly, but it told me nothing.

How could he ask me something like this? He knew damn well that I was no tech, nor involved in this process whatsoever. How could he make me speak in front of these men? Was he deliberately trying to humiliate me? His face gave no indication of his intentions, nor any emotion at all but for the narrowing of his eyes.

They were waiting. My heart began to race.

"I'm not sure," I said, forcing my voice to cooperate, to not stutter. I swallowed the dryness of my throat, but the muscles seemed to tighten of their own accord, nearly choking me. As I scrambled to figure out what to say next, Hux cleared his throat.

"Do you have nothing to add to the discussion you've been observing for the last two hours?"

"Add?" I asked. My eyes darted around the room. My hands felt cold, and I clenched them under the table on my lap to warm them, wiped my clammy palms on my thighs. "Sir, I don't think I'm really qualified to offer an opinion on technical matters like this. My background isn't in this area."

Hux scoffed.

"You may not be a solar array technician but you can answer a simple question, can you not?" he asked with sudden venom before turning back to the rotating model. "Even a child can see that with the current climate of the galactic governance, hesitation shows weakness. Defeat the biggest bully in the school yard, and all others will fall in line. It would serve you well to pay attention, Advisor."

I heard a small sound of derision come from somewhere else at the table, but I didn't dare look to see who it was. I dropped my eyes, mortified and stunned. After a moment of silence that stretched, Hux turned his attention away from me and resumed as though nothing had happened.

The meeting proceeded. Others spoke up, but Rhidan continued to say little. Now when he looked at me, I kept my eyes firmly on the table, and the unreadable flimsiplast sheets spread before me.

The next length of time seemed to drag, even as conversation picked up. With every passing moment, I felt as though I wanted to shrink and disappear. Belatedly, I realized that Hux's analogy of children and school yard bullies was possibly a sly reference to my relatively young age and implied inexperience. Embarrassment and anger roiled low in my stomach.

A brief recess was called. I didn't stay to partake of the hot caf and small refreshments brought to the room by kitchen servers in neat white uniforms, even though I was hungry. Instead, I took the chance to leave the suffocating room. I followed the indicators which led to this level's entrance to the hangar, and the moment I stepped into the vast open space, I took a breath and leaned against the back wall.

Techs and pilots passed me by without notice on the wide walkway, unconcerned by the lack of railing between them and the fathomless drop over the edge. My eyes trailed along the lights on the far side, stretching vertically into eternity in both directions, until I felt dizzied by the sight and closed them.

Wild thoughts, of simply walking away and never returning flashed through my head. I could stuff my uniform down a garbage chute and hide. A base this size had plenty of hidden places. If I found a way to feed and clothe myself, I could stay hidden for months.

Or, I could throw myself over the edge now and save myself the trouble of living like an animal in the bowels of Starkiller Base. That grim thought lingered longer than I would have liked, but the fact was, Hux's behavior brought a bevvy of insecurities to the forefront of my mind.

My contract with him provided little comfort now. My attempt to protect myself behind the regulatory systems to which Hux was so adherent fell short when he pointed out how informal our relations were. I wondered what game he was playing. Or was that the wrong question? Perhaps his behavior was sign that he was no longer playing any game. Perhaps he had realized his mistake by lifting me from the slave rabble.

A creeping fear began to take root, and I had to force myself to breathe.

Someone stepped out onto the walkway with me. At first, I didn't think anything of it. Personnel came and went often and paid me no mind as they went about their business. But when they didn't leave, I glanced over.

"General Rhidan," I gasped, snapping into a straight-backed posture. I stood away from the wall and did a metal check to re-establish the barriers that had, for just a moment, slipped.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked.

The man was solid as a tree and trim in his uniform, an impressive sight now that I saw him in full. Even with his stately appearance, his manner was relaxed, far more than mine.

"Not at all, General."

H nodded and leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest, completely at ease as he watched the hangar techs move about on the other side. He did look over to me, but as the occurrences within the meeting came back to me, I wanted nothing more than to disappear. What must he think of me? If Hux intended for me to gain Rhidan's interest, he'd likely done me great harm.

"That room was starting to feel rather stifling," he said with a mischievous smirk. I might have stared at him openly before I caught myself and looked away, my embarrassment fresh again. I straightened the cuffs of my sleeves, thinking to leave the General alone.

"I suppose I should take this time to look through the notes," I said, folding my hands in front of myself to still their fidgeting. I hated the way the heat was starting to creep up my neck again. With a slight nod, I made to leave.

"The Lieutenant General should not have spoken to you in such a harsh manner," Rhidan said, stopping me mid-step with a raised hand. My eyes fell to his shoes, an involuntary reaction to the candid statement. "His behavior was unbecoming of a ranking officer."

"I should have been better prepared."

Rhidan clasped his hands behind his back and regarded me.

"I suspect no preparation could have appeased him."

"Sir?" I said, not sure how I should respond. On the subject of Hux, I was at a loss for what was appropriate for me to say. Yet I didn't want to argue with Rhidan.

"Armitage Hux is a great officer," he said with surprising sincerity. I had never heard Hux's first name before. It seemed strange to me that he even had a first name, but Amon Rhidan spoke of him with great familiarity. "His career has been exemplary. A model of First Order values, to be sure. He has advanced quickly, however. As such, he is afflicted with the impatience of a young man. You should not take his words personally."

Part of me appreciated even this gentle criticism of Hux. The other part feared what he would do if he learned of the candid conversation about him. Didn't he want me to become close to Rhidan? But after his behavior, I couldn't be sure what he wanted anymore.

"I am lucky to have his endorsement. " I said, choosing the safer response.

"Yes, to be chosen by a ranking officer is an honor, even for the most weathered advisor. Your instructors at Luan Academy must consider you one of their successes."

It took me a moment to realize that he was referencing Sindal Teraah's history.

"You've seen my file," I stated, my heart in my throat as I tried to stay calm. He was sharp. He nodded.

"I like to be well-informed," he said, neutrally, even as his green eyes took measure of me.

"I just consider myself fortunate for the opportunity I've been given. I've always wanted to serve the First Order."

"We need more like you. Young blood, to keep old men like me on our toes," he smiled. I smiled back, puzzling over the strange flutter in my stomach.

"To be honest with you, Sir, I've never felt young," I said. It was the first honest thing I'd said to him, and he seemed to take it with appropriate gravitas.

"Your parents," he supplied. "The war."

I nodded, my mind racing to recall the details of my backstory. Sindal Teraah was an orphan and an only child, a measure taken to avoid any complications if someone were to investigate my connections. I could relate, though I would have to remember how a normal person might be affected by this. I couldn't remember having parents. I knew nothing outside of being alone, and I was just fine with it. Sindal, however, still missed them.

A pair of Stormtrooper patrols greeted Rhidan as they passed.

"You fought the Rebellion as well," I said, changing the subject. Rhidan seemed surprised. I continued after giving him a moment. "I like to be informed as well, Sir."

Now he flashed his straight, even teeth as he chuckled. The flutter in my belly intensified. He was a very good-looking man, I thought to myself as I took in the sight of him. With some apprehension, I recalled that this was exactly what Hux had wanted. I had no desire to please him, but I was starting to realize that I liked General Amon Rhidan anyway.

"That was a long time ago," he said. His eyes moved over my face and lingered on my lips for only a second. "I daresay, I miss the action. Give me a tumbler of Corellian brandy, and I may tell you about it some time."

My humor was dimmed when I remembered that I would have to return to that room. As if sensing my change, Rhidan cleared his throat.

"If I might offer a suggestion, Miss Teraah," he started.

"Please," I replied, forcing my eyes to meet his, fighting my years of training to do so.

"Speak your mind. You were assigned to this base for a reason. The Lieutenant General may be lacking in social niceties, but he is no fool. Dissent fosters innovation."

I smirked. I suspected that this wasn't what Hux wanted. That was enough to give me renewed confidence.

As much as I had enjoyed speaking to Rhidan, the recess was over too soon. Somehow, I'd lost track of the time. The General escorted me back to the meeting room. When we entered together, Hux was speaking in a low voice to a corporal, but he stopped when he saw us.

I couldn't easily read the expression on his face, but it struck me as irritated. I returned to my seat, my back a little straighter, and when Rhidan took his place at the head of the table, the meeting recommenced.

I was ready to do as Rhidan suggested. If Hux called on me again, I was determined not to make a fool of myself. But as it stretched on, he said not a word to me, nor did he even spare me a glance. Rhidan spoke up more, though. It seemed that his silence in the first half was due to careful calculation. For every point that Hux, or the other officers made, Rhidan had a quick response that was difficult to argue with. His concerns centered around a weakness, some kind of thermal regulation oscillator that was tied with energy containment. I didn't understand much, but I knew enough of human body language and subtle voice inflection to see that Hux's careful patience was nearing its end. And so was the meeting.

As Hux prepared his closing remarks, I caught General Rhidan looking at me as though deciding something.

"Advisor Teraah," he said, startling me. "Now that you've witnessed both sides of this matter, I'm curious to know what you think," he said, his green eyes kind.

I squared my jaw, even as the sound of Hux's scoff beside me made the flush rise to my cheeks. Once more, I found myself the subject of the room's attention. I could see the looks on some of their faces. I focused instead on Rhidan, who nodded to me with encouragement. What was I to say? I thought of Hux's anger, and I faltered.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to observe such a vital debate," I started, swallowing the dryness from my throat. I could feel my heart hammering, and my hands were already beginning to sweat. I clasped them on my lap, my eyes moving about the room. "It must be said that I respect the stances of you, Sir, as well as Lieutenant General and the other officers present. Both caution and action have their merits. It's difficult to say that one is better than the other."

"Oh come now, Sindal," Hux said with an audible sneer. "Don't mince words. Tell us what you really think."

His use of my first name was a deliberate show of disrespect in the context, and despite my outward calm, I felt the heat begin to prickle in my chest. I took a deep breath and met Hux's cold eyes without flinching.

"I think that aggression without temperance sets a dangerous precedent," I said to him, marveling for how steady my voice was in my anger. "As does underestimating the strength of the Resistance. The Republic may be oblivious to us now, but one misstep will bring them, and their Resistance, to our door."

Hux seemed temporarily at a loss for words. It was Corporal Gentry, a short man with a paunch who spoke up.

"Starkiller Base is impregnable," he said sharply, though his tone bore none of the derision that Hux's had. He stroked his beard, which was clipped close enough that it looked drawn on. "Our defenses are sound, no ship can breach our shields, as has been stated."

I glanced to Rhidan. He sat back in his chair, a pleased smile upon his face. I looked to the model of Starkiller which still hovered over the table, and gestured to the area around the superweapon's eye.

"I'm no tech, but I know that every machine has moving parts. The more there are, the higher the chance that one will fail." I remembered the sewage sweepers, and how easily their smaller gears could jam if contaminants managed to find their way in. "The failsafes that General Rhidan has proposed are conservative enough. If I understand correctly, construction on them has already begun. Completing even those basic protections would delay completion only minorly. I must support the use of prudence in this case."

A quick glance showed me that Hux's face had settled into a hard mask. Unreadable but for the dangerous glint in his eyes. The rest of the room was silent for a moment, except for the faint sound of the holoprojectors working.

"Perhaps your advisor is wiser than you give her credit for, Lieutenant General," Rhidan said. Hux nodded and offered a tight-lipped smile, remarkable for how it lacked in any kindness.

"I can see that I chose her well," he said carefully before looking at me with the same tense smile. "Thank you, Advisor Teraah, for your input."

As the finishing remarks commenced, I felt the shock creeping in from what I'd just done and said, but I couldn't help but feel some measure of triumph as well. I'd spoken up, and not only had my opinion been taken seriously, but I'd managed to show Hux that I would not take his venom with passivity.

The meeting was disbanded soon after. Hux didn't even look at me as he walked out of the conference room, but I could almost feel the anger radiating from him and had no doubt that I would be hearing of it later. I deal with it then.

I lingered in the meeting room to watch the hangar through the window. I considered that perhaps I should plan for a contingency whereupon I could no longer rely on my arrangement with Hux to protect myself. It was not something I wanted to consider, but based on his recent behavior, the possibility seemed nearer than I would have liked.

I watched as the techs performed maintenance on fuel lines, but when I heard someone moving about in the room behind me, I suspected I might know who it was.

"Advisor Teraah, I was most impressed by your statement. I sincerely hope I didn't cause you undue stress by calling on you as I did."

I turned to face General Rhidan. Behind him, officers and soldiers moved about past the open door to the hall. An older woman in a Lieutenant's uniform was waiting patiently by the door for him, scrolling through the information on her datapad.

I looked down, feeling shy, though I couldn't explain why.

"I want you to understand that, while your advice gave me courage, my thoughts were my own."

Rhidan nodded and clasped his hands behind his back.

"I would have it no other way."

He stood there for a moment longer. I could tell that there was something else that he wanted to say. In fact, it was the first time I had seen him act uncertain. Curious, I turned to him fully.

"General, is there something I can do for you?"

He cleared his throat.

"Advisor Teraah," he started.

"Please, General. Call me Sindal."

"Only if you address me as Amon," he said, returning my smile. He clasped his hands behind his back. "Sindal, I admit that I find you most refreshing. I hope that I have the opportunity to share your company in future meetings. You certainly livened up what would have otherwise been a dull and tedious affair."

I laughed, surprising even myself.

"Likewise… Amon." I looked down, fighting the blush rising to my face before meeting his eyes again. They were fixed on me unwaveringly. "Perhaps I will take you up on that offer of a drink and a story."

Rhidan chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck, a charmingly boyish gesture of bashfulness. My stomach fluttered again. What was I doing? Flirting with a General?

"I am happy to oblige you, though you may come to regret it. I've been told I can put even the liveliest of souls to sleep once I get started."

We shared a good-natured chuckle. He bowed his head, and with that, he left alongside the female lieutenant.

After the meeting, I fully intended to make up for the previous night's restlessness and take a small nap. No sooner had I entered my quarters that I received a message on my datapad.

It was from Hux. I tossed the datapad on a chair without looking at it and went into my refresher to wash my face. I ordered food, but as I waited for it to arrive, my eyes kept straying to the datapad, its message notification light blinking.

Unable to assuage my curiosity any longer, I opened it to see what he had to say. The message was simple.

'Advisor, please meet me in mid-tier cantina 7A in an hour, if you care to. I suspect we have some things to discuss.

H.'

My initial reaction was to scoff and close the message. If he thought I had any interest in seeing him after what he pulled, he was delusional. What was he thinking? There had to be another layer to this.

Everything about this situation was strange to me. No matter how I tried, I couldn't picture Hux patronizing a cantina, let alone one where the lower ranking officers went for post-shift drinks.

His sudden change in behavior made me feel uneasy. The more I got to know Lieutenant General Hux, the less I felt I understood him. But there was one thing of which I was certain: he had a reputation to protect. Perhaps he hoped that I would not retaliate in a public place. And perhaps he would be right to think so. Of course, that protection went both ways, he had to realize; if he were to act unseemly in front of other personnel, it could have long-reaching ill effects for him.

I couldn't say what it was that motivated me to change my mind. Desire to know the nature of his purpose, the chance to speak my mind where I might be safe to do so, perhaps even a measure of curiosity to see him outside of his duty and his quarters.

So, I began to go through my small in-built clothing locker. Acquiring new clothes was now as easy as finding a pattern in the database and having it sent to me. My commission, whatever it was, was more than I'd ever be able to spend, and without a real concept or care for financial matters, I didn't worry about it. I didn't have many in my wardrobe yet, but I had thought to find something casual to wear out of uniform.

I didn't want to call undue attention to myself necessarily, but I also wanted to look appealing. I took my time fixing my hair in an up-do that exposed my neck in an attractive way, and applied eye-enhancing cosmetics.

Before my refresher's mirror, I chose clothing that seemed to suit me: fitted black trousers tucked into synth-velvet ankle boots, a simple white long-sleeved shirt, and a long, sleeveless grey sweater that draped on my over-tall body like liquid. It was enough to ward away the pervasive chill of Starkiller Base's halls without obscuring my figure. Instead of my usual veil, I wore a loose hooded neck wrap and arranged it so that it obscured my nose and mouth. With the cosmetics, in colors that complimented the brown and grey of my eyes, and the neck wrap, I almost didn't recognize myself.

No one would think my appearance strange outside of the military sections. I looked like a civilian. Perhaps even someone important.

I felt confident by the time I strolled out of my quarters half an hour later than he'd proposed. Somehow, within the safety of my attire, I didn't even mind that I caught a few lingering looks as I passed.

The mid-tier officer's cantina was busy. Privates and petty officers mingled with second lieutenants and other enlisted personnel at the lower end of the pay grade. A few non-military personnel entertained or served drinks, or caroused. The atmosphere of scented t'bac smoke clung to the ceiling in a faint white haze that blurred the dim, indirect lighting and made my eyes water.

I felt like I was infiltrating a restricted area. There were no slaves here, just non-military workers and service droids. I had to remind myself that I was allowed to be here now as I weaved through the drinkers and smokers.

My eyes found Hux immediately, though it took me a moment to realize that the man at the booth by himself was who I was looking for. Hux lounged back with one leg propped against the edge of the table. An arm rested on the back of the seat, and held loosely between his gloved fingers was a t'bac stick, its thin ribbon of smoke adding to the haze above us. His other hand, resting atop his propped knee, clutched a glass tumbler of amber liquid.

He was watching the personnel at the bar and didn't see me until I slipped into the chair opposite him. When our eyes met, he took a small drag and let the smoke seep out of his mouth like water falling upward.

"Advisor," he said, tapping the stick into the ash tray on the table. He looked tired. "Can I offer you a drink?"

I glanced at the glass in his hand.

"I'd rather have a clear mind," I said. I'd never had a chance to try alcoholic drinks, but I knew how they affected judgement and inhibitions.

"One drink won't absolve you of reason."

Before I could protest further, he was already waving over a droid.

"A glass of lum for the lady," he said to the bipedal server. It nodded and left for the bar. I stared at him in disbelief. He seemed to lack any of his irritation from earlier. Perhaps the drinks had cured him of his sour temperament.

"What do you want?" I asked. Hux's eyes fell to my mouth. He took a small sip of his drink before meeting my eyes.

"You did well with the General. But there's been a change of plan."

I was taken aback and stared at him as the droid returned with a tall bluish-green cocktail in a frosty glass. He didn't seem to notice my look of disbelief.

"What change of plan?"

His eyes moved around the room. Music was coming from somewhere in the cantina. Personnel with their uniforms loosened or undone began to dance. Slurred male voices began to sing at the bar. In a way, the activity of the cantina around us formed a pocket of privacy at our corner table.

"You may cease your pursuit of the General's favor," he said. "I've decided to put that initiative on hold for now."

I couldn't believe it.

"How many of those have you had?" I asked, nodding to the drink in his hand. He didn't respond immediately, deigning instead to down the rest of it before setting the glass on the table with a heavy thunk. He seemed to be in full control of himself, but the narrowing of his eyes seemed more due to a lack of focus than anger.

"Drink with me, Advisor. It's what normal people do when they meet in a cantina. They have a drink. Discuss work. Socialize."

I didn't touch the cocktail, as tempting as it looked. The room was hot, and the air heavy with smoke and the smell of spilled beer. I loosened the neck wrap, pulled it down as I looked around us. Hux's eyes trailed over my face, his lips parted in barely concealed attraction.

"You want to discuss the meeting today?" I said as anger tugged at me, prickled my chest.

"I trust you gained some new insight as to your position. I expect you will be attending many more like today, if you are fortunate. It will make your position more… convincing."

"If anything, my position is more tenuous now than it was before. Was it your intention to make me look like a fool in front of everyone?"

Hux's brows knitted briefly before smoothing. He took a long, slow drag from his t'bac stick and tapped it into the ash tray before responding.

"I treated you no differently than I would any other contractor fresh out of Academy. Stakes are high. I can't afford to have you at my side if you can't play the part. Think on your feet. And it seems that you did, to perfection."

My irritation, and the atmosphere, which seemed to be getting warmer by the minute, made me thirsty. I decided to try the lum. It was tart on first taste, but hit the back of my tongue with a pleasing sweetness. It burned my throat.

"My argument pleased you?"

He shrugged one shoulder and glanced around the cantina again. "It was convincing enough. But perhaps a less combative stance would be better next time. Overt antipathy can be as suspicious as constant compliance."

The same server droid returned to our table and Hux agreed to a refill with very little encouragement.

"I meant everything I said," I told him, leaning forward. Feeling overly warm, I tugged the neck wrap from around my neck and set it atop the sticky table in a pile, ignoring how Hux's eyes were drawn to my neck and the small hint of collarbone showing above my shirt.

"You can drop the act, Ria-" Hux cut himself off, looked around to see if any had heard, before amending "Advisor Teraah."

I scoffed. "You wanted me to gain his favor. I admit that I had no intention of doing so. But it turns out that the General is a good man. And your dislike of him only makes him more appealing."

Hux snatched the drink from the server droid before sneering at me. His propped foot dropped to the floor and he sat forward.

"And so you will ignore my wishes and pursue him out of spite? I must inform you that you waste your time. I don't care what you do, or who you sleep with, as long as you perform your function as my advisor."

He took a sip, but his movements were tenser. My wrath flared and I closed my eyes against it, trying to let the feeling of the drink soothe it. It was helping. It would do me no good to attack him in public. When I opened my eyes, Hux was grinding the butt of his t'bac stick into the tray. A heavy vanilla scent rose with the waning smoke.

"Would it be so surprising to you if my interest in him were real?" I asked, swirling the straw in the half-full cocktail in front of me.

Hux laughed derisively.

"You are too ambitious. I know what men like him want. To him, you're nothing more than a girl to warm his bed and remind him of his youth. Once he is done with you, you'll be discarded. You'll find no advancement through him. None that I can't give you."

I clenched my teeth until they hurt. And then I finished my drink. I felt braver. I could see through his ruse and his stiff, swaggering airs for the petty, overconfident man that he was. I knew how small he was without his uniform, how much of a slave he was to his own flesh and blood as anyone else, despite his arrogance.

"You're jealous," I stated, taking his full measure with my eyes and finding him lacking. Stunned, his mouth tightened as he looked at me. But I saw how his eyes flickered away from mine, the subtle tell of uncertainty. I knew then that I was right. "You can't stand the thought of me being with him, a better man than you'll ever be."

Hux pushed himself over the table as though he meant to snap, eyes flashing, before he remembered that we were in a public place and settled back into his seat. He held his glass, swirling the liquid around inside of it without breaking his stare.

"I was wrong to try and use you against him. There are other, easier ways of getting what I want. And I will get it, with or without your assistance." He looked down to his drink, a contemplative expression overtaking his ire. At some point, my drink had been replaced, though I hadn't noticed. I began to sip, desiring more of the way it softened everything around the edges. "Understand me, Advisor. I only want what's best for the Order. That is all I've ever wanted. You may think me callous, or heartless," he began.

"Inhuman, I think, was the word I used," I cut in. Hux sighed and leaned back in his chair, looking off to the side where a boisterous table of ensigns was participating in a loud drinking game.

"I am the way I am out of necessity. I have made many sacrifices to get here, devoted my entire life to the Supreme Leader's ideals. Often at the cost of personal gratification." His eyes moved up to me, but the heat was gone. The whites had taken on a glossy, reddish tint. I wondered how many drinks he'd had before I arrived.

"That explains a lot."

"Do you know why I chose you?" he asked. I was unnerved by the candid way he met my eyes, and the nature of the question. Someone jostled into the back of my chair and nearly caused me to spill my drink. They slurred an apology before a friend helped them stumble back to the bar.

"Because I attacked you?"

He snorted and tipped his tumbler back, swallowing its contents with a faint gasp.

"Because you understand. You seem to possess the innate ability to read people, see through them. Whether this was granted to you somehow by the Force, I can't say. You were being wasted. A fount of untapped potential, limited only by the circumstances of your birth."

I couldn't deny that I was flattered by his words, but I couldn't forget the way he'd treated me, and all the ways he'd caught me off guard, or always seemed to be a step ahead. I could see nothing in his behavior to suggest that he was lying right now, though. Perhaps the drink had been a good idea after all.

"You speak so highly now. Yet when before your superior and your peers, you chose instead to insult me. Humiliate me. If this is how you choose to show your admiration, without witnesses, you may keep it to yourself. It's worth nothing to me."

The words came to me easily. Perhaps too easily. But I took immense satisfaction in the way that Hux's eyes widened, darted about in search for eavesdroppers. He leaned forward further, resting his forearm on the table.

"Must I profess my affection for you in public, then? Shall I have a notary log the occasion in the official records? Or perhaps you would have me announce it to the drunk rabble in this cantina. Would that please you? Sir?" he hissed.

If he'd meant to provoke me, he'd failed. Instead, I found my focus shifting to the way his mouth moved when he called me Sir. The simmering heat of my anger with him began to grow, but it also began to sink lower in my belly.

"Nothing so artless, Armitage," I replied, giving him a slow smile. His jaw tightened when he heard me say his name, and I felt that I'd gained another small victory. I could thank Rhidan for that one. I crossed my legs and leaned back in my chair. I didn't like him. But I wanted him. And I knew he wanted me. That was enough. "But perhaps you should bear in mind how cruel I was to you last time. And how much crueler I can be."

Hux's eyes narrowed with apprehension, but his hand tightened atop the table and he maintained his position leaning toward me.

"I don't doubt it. But I also place a lot of trust in your judgement and self-control."

I felt the power collecting inside of me, residual emotional energy from the day's stress as well as fresher feelings of spite and desire, and I willed it to gather in my hands until my palms itched with the potential power of the Force.

"Perhaps it's not my self-control you should be worried about," I said with a wicked grin. And then, with the flick of my wrist under the table, I sent a bolt of pure sexual want into him. His torso buckled, just slightly, and he exhaled in a short gasp. His hand tightened into a fist and he clenched his eyes shut.

"Advisor," he grated through his teeth once the sensation had passed. "This isn't the place. Or the time."

My smile didn't leave me. I breathed deep, savoring the stirrings of Force energy inside of me, feeling the strength grow.

"I think it's the perfect time to teach you a lesson in etiquette," I retorted, taking a sip of my drink. Another bolt of specific energy made him shudder, tighten his fist until I heard the creak of leather. His cheeks, already flush from drink, were darkening. His eyes, when they were open, shone, and he breathed through his parted lips as though the effort to maintain his composure was taking everything he had.

"Your point is made. I will endeavor to-" his words choked into a strangled groan. I bit my lip as I watched him struggle to remain calm. The heath gathering between my legs spread and I pressed my thighs together tightly to quell it. "I will show you the respect you deserve."

"Good boy," I whispered, finding that the way my heart pounded with the nearness of potential observers was most pleasing. Hux's eyes were closed now, and his gripped the edge of the table with both hands. I suspected that his trousers were feeling uncomfortably tight by now.

I downed the rest of my drink, stood to my feet, and left just as another drunk patron slid into my seat.

"Lieutenant General Hux," I heard the man slur as I reached the door. "Kin I buy yer a drink?"

I didn't hear his response, but I could imagine his state. My step was lighter on the walk back to my quarters.