Chapter 28: A Nice Little Chat

William Anders had been sleeping in his quarters for nearly sixteen hours straight. He had locked the door to his room to ensure that no unwanted guests would disturb his slumber. He was still on D'Qar, still under the watchful eyes of the Resistance high command council, be he would not be bothered by that, all he wanted was to sleep.

The only thing to slightly disturb him was a sudden shock sent through the force, which he picked up minutely, but thought nothing of it. He quickly fell back asleep.

That was until a knock sounded as his door. It woke Will up, but he did not acknowledge it, hoping whoever it was would get the message and go away. But the knocking continued, so much so that Will could no longer ignore it.

Grumbling sleepily in displeasure, Will rolled out of bed. He was still in his nightclothes, not bothering to put on his uniform as he walked to the door.

Opening the door he saw two faces he had not seen in a long time.

There, smiling at the sleepy eyed young colonel with disheveled hair was Major Rex Howe and Sergeant Huxley.

"Good morning, sir." Huxley said with a smile on his face.

Will's demeanor instantly changed from annoyance to giddiness on seeing the two individuals standing in his doorway.

"Huxley, it has been far too long!" Will said in excitement before grabbing the older man in a bruising embrace.

Huxley gladly returned the hug. "Same to you as well, sir."

Will released Huxley then turned towards Rex, and likewise grabbed his immediate subordinate in a hub.

After the two greeted each other, Will got down to business.

"What brings you two here this morning?" Will asked.

"Sir, we need to talk to you." Huxley said.

"About what?" Will asked in confusion.

Rex looked up and down the hallway, and then told Will quietly. "We need to speak to you in private."

Will nodded his head in silence, and then stepped aside to let the two gentlemen in.

Rex and Huxley stepped into the room and the door slid shut.

Will sat down on his bunk, while Rex and Huxley stood above him.

"Sir," Rex began, "We are here to have a debriefing with you about your recent expedition to Yavin 4."

"I already gave my report to the high command council." Will said confused.

"We know, but we are not here on the orders of the high command council." Rex continued.

"Then who?" Will asked.

" General Organa asked us to come by ." Huxley said.

"I already told her what happened." Will said, but knew that would not be enough for the general and her force sensitivity.

"She could sense you were reserving some things." Rex said.

"Like what?" Will replied instantly.

"She wants to know what kind of relationship exists between you and Phasma." Huxley deadpanned.

"W…What?" Will said, his voice raising in shock and irritation. "Does she think I am enamored with my enemy?"

"No, not at all." Huxley moved his hands in an appeasing manner.

"Then what is she thinking?" Will's hands rubbed his forehead.

"She does not know what to think. She thinks you skipped around her questions during the debriefing." Rex said calmly.

"She did not ask me such questions." Will said, "You call that a debriefing, I call that an interrogation."

"Regardless, sir, she wants to know. And, on some level, we do too." Rex said, motioning to Huxley and himself.

Will sighed. "Okay."

Rex and Huxley leaned in slightly.

" I believe the relationship that Phasma and I have formed is one that is based on mutual respect."

"Respect for what?" Huxley asked.

"Respect for each other's abilities, talents, and combat record."

"How so?" Rex asked. "Did this 'mutual respect' form after saving that trooper's life of Jakku?"

"I believe so," Will said, "But I cannot speak for Captain Phasma. However, I will say that during our other numerous encounters, our joint abilities to fight and think strategically earned some joint respect."

Rex then silently glanced at Huxley.

"What?" Will said, on edge about the glance.

Rex turned back to Will. "Will, General Organa has asked that this discussion between us remain confidential."

"Why is that? I thought she was using this as an addition to the 'debriefing' performed by the high command council." Will said, his fingers motioning mock quotations.

Huxley shook his head. "No sir, if some members of the high command council were to hear of this, they would be convinced that you are a traitor."

"But I am not." Will said.

"We know, she knows, but most of them do not. General Organa values you like no other regimental commander in this army, she would not let that happen to you. So please, Will, keep this meeting classified." Huxley implored, using Will's first name as emphasis.

"Will you inform General Organa of what I have said?" Will asked suddenly in concern.

Rex nodded his head. "Yes, we will. But fear not, Organa will not tell a soul."

Will nodded and sighed. "Okay."

"Thank you Will." Rex said with a small smile.

"Thanks very much, sir." Huxley added.

"My pleasure." Will replied.

Rex and Huxley gave parting smiles before they both turned around and headed through the sliding door. Once Will saw the door slide shut once more, he lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. He tried to get more sleep, but he knew his efforts were fruitless, he was just too nervous.

After endless minutes of trying to go back to sleep, he sat up in his bunk, then quickly stood up.

He had to brace himself with a hand on his bunk when all of the blood rushed out of his head, making him momentarily dizzy.

He put on his uniform and left his room, walking down the halls of the large base. His destination was the offices of Leia Organa.


Captain Phasma remained in the med bay for many minutes. Slumped against the wall, the distraught and shocked First Order captains' strength had gradually left her, and soon she had slipped down the wall.

Now she sat on the hard durasteel floor, her long legs splayed out in front of her, and her cape bunched up and wrinkled behind her. Her head lolled, her helmet sometimes leaning weakly against the wall behind her, or slumped forward, so much so her helmet touched her chest plate. Eventually, Phasma felt claustrophobia take hold as she cried inside her helmet. Reaching up, her hands clasped both sides of her helmet and lifted it up off her head. She dropped the object to her side, a loud clang sounding through the room as chromium met durasteel.

Her entire face was flushed red with sadness, her cheeks, and eyes. The tears still came in a constant stream; she sniffled and brought her hand up to wipe away the tears threatening to spill down her chin.

It was in this that Phasma was no longer the imposing, intimidating, and awe inspiring commander she had been for the previous years; instead, she was simply a woman who grieved for all that she had lost. A situation which had played itself out over many millennia and across all reaches of the galaxy, now it had hit home.

A young teenage girl, not yet an adult, cradling a newborn child, a baby whose big green eyes stared up at the blue ones of the mother; the mother staring back and cooling lovingly.

The thought caused a muffled sob to break from her throat, her hands went into her light blonde hair and clenched the follicles for dear mercy.

Then more recent memories began to surface.

The same young teenage girl losing everything; husband killed on Alderaan, her baby taken from her arms, her life thrown into disorder.

Out of disorder came a desire for order.

A man in black drilling her on combat; the holonews displaying the destruction of a village by rebel fighters, the image of a mother cradling her dead child. Her hatred of those rebels, of the New Republic, of the Resistance.

Her first combat, the glee she felt when she killed her first Resistance fighter. The praise she got from her superiors after excelling in both combat and tactics.

Her promotion to captain of the Stormtrooper Corps, the respect and admiration she feels from her men. The feeling of power, of authority.

Of order.

Those thoughts gradually drew her out of the self wallowing she had been in for what seemed like an eternity. On the heels of that new line of thought, came another, more familiar emotion, anger.

Her hands released their tight grip in her hair and fell to her sides, touching the floor.

She was angry.

Angry at the Resistance. It was their fault all of this had happened, if there was not any disorder in the galaxy, everything need not had happened. She could have lived a simple life, with her loving husband and adoring child by her side. While the planet of Alderaan was destroyed by the former Galactic Empire, the destruction of Alderaan, in her mind, had its roots in the Rebellion.

If the Rebellion had not existed, and disorder not abounded throughout the galaxy, then Alderaan would not have been destroyed.

But disorder had plagued the galaxy, and all because of the Resistance.

Her hands clenched in rage.

It would do her no good to reflect on those emotions and thoughts that were so alien to her. Her goal in life was to destroy the Resistance, the organization that caused her so much anguish.

She realized that her motives for fighting had changed.

The reason she was now going to fight the Resistance was not only just to ensure order, it was the show the Resistance just how much she lost because of them.

This would be retribution.

And William Anders, no matter their newfound relation, was a Resistance soldier, fighting for the very organization that had taken seemingly taken everything from her. He was now an enemy, just like the rest of them.

Phasma righted herself, put on her helmet, and after deleting the results on the test computer, marched out of the med bay.

Both soldiers and officers alike jumped aside as she walked through the hallways, cape billowing behind her. They could feel the anger boiling around her and knew that she walked with murderous intent.


William Anders nearly forgot to breathe when he felt a dark and almost oppressive feeling tear through the Force. He quickly calmed himself, and soon was at the offices of General Organa.

Just as he walked through the double doors, he was greeted by an empty room.

He was about to walk out and return later when a voice stopped him.

"Going so soon?"

Will's fists clenched, he knew that voice.

Out from another door came Major Ematt. The man strode into the spacious office with a smile of his face.

"I was looking for General Organa, major." Will said tersely.

"I am afraid the General's out right now, can I take a message?" Ematt asked.

"The information I am to speak to her about is classified." Will said.

Ematt laughed. "Come now, Anders, I sit on the command council. I have the proper clearance."

"That is colonel to you, major." Will said in displeasure, "the only reason you sit on the council is because you are Organa's secretary."

That did it. Ematt's smiling face turned into a frown. And soon the major had walked up the Anders, and stood toe to toe with him.

"That is a hell of a thing for you to say to me." Ematt fumed.

"Is it?" Will asked.

"I do not need to listen to your petty excuses on the council to know what went down on Yavin 4. Aiding the enemy, are we?" Ematt said with a sinister smile.

Will huffed. "You wish."

Ematt's smile grew. "Then tell me why you had such wonderful times with the enemy."

"If by wonderful you mean agreeing to a cessation of hostiles and working together to survive." Will said in an anger filled tone.

"Tell me, was Whip there?" Ematt said, "I surely enjoyed hearing his pained screams."

Just then the main door to Organa's office opened, and in walked the general. She was just in time to witness Will rear back and punch Ematt in the face as hard as possible.

The man went down in a heap on the floor, dazed but conscious.

"Stop!" She yelled.

Will whipped around to face her.

Soon she had Ematt escorted out of her rooms to get medical attention.

"Willaim, what did you do?" She asked as she walked up to the colonel.

"I punched Ematt in the face." Will said simply.

"Why?" Leia asked.

"He insulted an honorable man." Will said truthfully.

Leia nodded her head slightly. "While that understandably made you mad, assaulting an officer is no way to settle a dispute. You should have contacted me. Now, members like Donhue will call for your arrest."

"Donhue can go shove his head up Ematt's ass for all I care." Will was simply beyond formalities at this point.

"William! Control yourself!" Leia boomed.

Will wisely shut up.

"I sent Howe and Huxley to contact you, did they do so?" Leia asked, her tone returning to the normal friendly tone she used when talking to Will.

"Yes, and I told them what I thought. Did they report back to you yet?"

Leia nodded. " I think your answers are understandable given most of your situations. Does it impact the way the fight? In that, how you view the enemy?"

Will sighed. "I view the enemy as simply, the enemy. Indeed, during my encounters with Phasma and her troopers, most of the time they are shooting at us, but on Yavin 4, for instance we had to cooperate. And in cooperating, some of those troopers opened up, and us likewise. It was as if this galactic conflict did not exist."

Leia nodded and smiled. "War is not always good versus evil. There always exists a gray area. The Resistance contains war criminals and evil individuals; likewise, the First Order contains some moral and decent humans in its ranks. That is just the way war is."

"Indeed." Will said.

"Have you looked into your force connection with Phasma at all? Leia asked.

"I have not had much time. But it has become clear that we share some common similarities, strong similarities."

Leia nodded. "Did you feel what went through the force a couple of minutes ago?"

Will nodded an affirmative. "Who was it, Snoke, Ren?"

"Phasma." Leia replied, "She is angry, extremely angry, and that does not bode well for any of us."

That piqued Will's curiosity. What was Phasma angry at?

"I have an assignment for you?" Leia said.

"Naturally." Will responded with a smile.

Leia smiled in return. "You are to take your regiment to Dantooine. The Resistance has a large base there, one of the largest besides D'Qar. We have credible intelligence that the First Order is planning to mass around the planet, and land ground forces on it. If they capture it, Dantooine, will be lost to us. Are you willing?"

"Always." Will said.

Leia grabbed him in a hug. "I can always count on you."