A/N: As always, thank you SirenBanshee for sticking with me despite me still not having learned the proper use of a semicolon.

xXxXxXx

Kylo started pacing as the door closed behind Phasma.

"She knows too much," he said.

"The spy, sir?"

"No. Well, yes, her too, but I'm talking about Maz Kanata."

"What exactly happened, sir? If I may know?"

Kylo dragged a hand through his hair. "Right after we entered Jessy's cell, Rey contacted me saying Maz was badgering her to talk to me. Somehow, somehow, she already knew we caught Jessy." He turned towards Phasma. "Have you checked her for implants and other communication equipment?"

"Yes, sir. I will check again."

"Do that." He recommenced his pacing. "What worries me more is that Maz knows about the bond between Rey and me. It seems that she has known for quite some time. The damage she could do with the information…" He shook his head, grimacing. "Yet, she claims to be neutral."

"Neutral, sir?" Phasma echoed. "Isn't she with the Resistance?"

"Ha!" He made a wild gesture with his hand. "Exactly what I said, but she claims to be doing nothing more than preventing suicide missions on their part. She kept requesting to spare Jessy, based on her neutrality, and because Maz claims to already know everything.

"Apparently, this woman uses knowledge to compensate for her lack of size! Insisting she only gathers it for her own entertainment. As if I'm to believe that. As if I'm to believe that Jessy truly is the last spy on this ship only because she refused to leave when requested. Have you ever heard such absurdity?"

"It does seem rather far-fetched, sir," Phasma replied. He could hear some uncertainty in her voice. "Could you perhaps ask her what she thinks about it?"

"You may call her Rey, Phasma, and I can't. Not right now, that is. Her connection with the Force grows stronger every day, but the conversation took a lot from her. She should be resting right now, not tire herself out even more." He growled. "This Maz is a threat. And there is nothing I can do about her, not without starting the war again."

"What shall I tell the other Troopers, sir?" Phasma asked, diverting the conversation.

Kylo stopped his pacing again. "How do you think they'll react if we tell them the truth?"

Phasma took a moment to think before answering. "It is hard to predict, sir. They might band together even more than they do now, or they might grow wary of each other, harming their cooperation."

He grunted, dismayed. "Would you risk it?"

"I'm uncomfortable making that call, sir."

Kylo scoffed. "Then we give them an excuse." He waved his hand in a vague, almost dismissive manner. "Tell them she went on a scouting mission or something." He straightened his posture, a vague idea forming in his head. "Maz knew about this real quick, didn't she?"

"I agree, sir." Phasma's reply had a questioning quality to it.

"I need to know exactly how fast Jessy can get a hold of Maz, and whether or not it's a two-way communication."

"Sir?"

Ignoring her, he brushed past Phasma and walked out the door. Kylo could hear the commander rush after him as he headed back towards Jessy's cell.

"Sir!" Phasma protested as he barged in, not allowing her to go first.

Jessy shot up from where she had been sitting on her bunk. "Supreme Leader," she greeted.

"How do you communicate with her?" Kylo barked more forcefully than intended. Seeing Jessy had once more sparked his anger.

"I'm unwilling to give up that information, sir."

"Unwilling?" he yelled at her. "You have no qualms betraying the First Order, betraying me, yet you stay loyal to that woman? Why? Do you hate me so?"

"No, sir," Jessy answered, staying remarkably calm. "Rather on the contrary, you are a most interesting person."

The statement took him by surprise. "Then why?"

"I was already hers when I joined the program, sir. In all technicality, I didn't turn against you."

"As if the distinction will save you now!"

"I hold it close to my heart, sir. I have no wish to betray you. I'm loyal to both you and Maz."

"How is that even possible?" Phasma snapped.

"Maz is neutral," Jessy answered.

Kylo snorted. "And you believe that?"

"Yes, otherwise I would not have offered up any information."

He stared at her, trying to detect a lie but finding none. "How are you so calm?" he finally asked.

"Sir. I knew this might happen from the very first day I joined Maz's network. There is no use in panicking. I will accept my punishment."

"Prove that you're loyal to me," Kylo demanded. "Give up some of Maz's information."

Jessy blinked, obviously confused. From the corner of his eye, Kylo could see Phasma turn her head towards him as well.

"Prove it," he repeated.

Jessy regarded him, contemplating. Kylo had always thought she had keen eyes and now he could see the intelligence they hid.

The woman seemed to come to a conclusion and sighed. "I'm the last of Maz's spies on this ship," she offered.

"Not good enough," Kylo answered. "Maz already told me that, although it's good to hear it confirmed."

Jessy's eyes widened. "She did? Maz must think highly of you then. But when and why did she tell you?" Jessy tilted her head to the side. "And how do you communicate with her?"

Kylo gave her a sly grin, lifting an eyebrow in challenge.

"I see," Jessy said, a smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Information for information?" Another sigh. "I was the one to plant the hologram," she finally conceded.

"YOU!" Kylo roared.

"I'm sorry, sir," Jessy said, not sounding sorry at all, her lips twitching even harder. "Maz was quite disgruntled at having to relocate."

He marched up to her, grasping her chin and forcing their eyes to meet. Kylo penetrated her mind—ignoring Jessy's flinch—just deep enough to determine with certainty whether or not Jessy was lying. He knew he could force all the secrets out of them, but that would only serve to alienate the woman.

"If Maz ordered you to kill me, would you?" he demanded.

"No, sir. I would refuse."

Kylo was surprised at the truth of her words. There wasn't the slightest hesitation, nor doubt.

"Then what will happen to you?"

"Nothing, sir. All Maz's spies are free to draw their own lines."

He released her and stepped back, dragging a hand through his hair. The entire situation baffled him.

"How fast can you communicate with her?"

"I will not give up that information, sir."

Kylo growled. "I'm not asking you how; I'm asking how fast."

Jessy narrowed her eyes at him, contemplating. "It varies," she finally answered.

"On what?"

She shook her head.

"Answer me!" Kylo yelled. "Your life depends on this communication of yours," he continued more controlled.

She looked away from him. "On whether or not she's listening."

"And when she's listening?"

"It's instantaneous, sir."

He could hear the reluctance in her voice. "Does it go both ways?" he demanded.

"Sir!" Jessy protested.

"Does. It. Go. Both. Ways?"

"Yes, sir! Please ask no more."

"Fine," he snapped.

He swirled around and walked back towards the door. Before he left, he turned to regard Jessy over his shoulder.

"Don't kill yourself," he grumbled. "I'm inclined to spare your life."

He caught a glimpse of her bow as he and Phasma walked through the door and it closed.

"Sir," Phasma ventured hesitantly, "what is your verdict concerning me?"

Kylo regarded her, uncomprehending.

"I allowed a spy to infiltrate your ranks, sir. I have failed you in the worst way possible."

Still, he regarded her. True, she had failed. Having a spy in his entourage could have turned out detrimental. However strange it was, they were lucky it had been a spy of Maz and not someone else.

"How did you figure out it was her?" he asked.

"I had to retrace all our communication, sir," Phasma answered. "I had split the information up so that no-one knew the entire mission. Eventually, I discovered that Jessy had somehow managed to access all of it."

"That's it?"

"Sir?"

"That's all that incriminates her?"

"Yes, sir."

He looked from Phasma to the closed door of Jessy's cell. "She must be really good, then," he mumbled.

"Even though my failure is inexcusable, I believe she stayed undetected for so long because whichever information she transferred wasn't used."

"What do you mean?"

"There was no other irregular activities. For as far as I know, that is. I could not find any traces that pointed towards information used for other's benefits. Maz manipulating Rey into using that particular ship was the only instance."

Kylo gazed at her intently. "You believe Maz's neutrality is true? That she doesn't use the information she gathers?"

"I'm inclined to, sir."

He hummed in response. Even though Phasma had indeed failed, he was uncertain how to deal with it. The damage was minimal and, with Jessy's skill, it was unsurprising that she'd stayed undetected for so long. The rage that had been smouldering in his blood suddenly disappeared, leaving him feeling drained.

"No verdict just yet, Phasma," he said, sounding tired even to his own ears. "I need to think this through. All of it. And speak with Rey once she's slept off her exhaustion." He regarded his commander solemnly. "This is the first time you've failed me, commander," he said. "I suggest you don't panic." It was all he could give her at that moment.

"Sir!" Phasma exclaimed with a bowed salute.

"Let's head back," he said, feeling weary.

"What about Jessy, sir?"

"Just leave her there for the time being. I think she might be of use."

"I will do as you command, sir."

Kylo nodded, accepting Phasma's need for deference. He knew she took pride in her work and that the failure must come as a real blow.

Along the way back to his office, he checked the time and was surprised by how little of it had gone by. He felt like it should already be well into the afternoon, while in reality the entire situation had taken up only an hour and a half.

He settled into his office chair—Phasma solemnly taking up her post outside his door—but did not reach for any of the documents waiting for him. His resisted the strong urge to contact Rey and see if she was alright, not wanting to interrupt if she was sleeping. Despite everything, he trusted Maz to bully Rey into taking some rest, whether she wanted it or not.

Kylo buried his head in his hands, replaying his conversation with the tiny woman. Nobody knew exactly how old Maz was, and something told him Maz had lost count of the years herself. It hit him how young everybody must seem to her. What was 29 years compared to 1000?

He snorted, wondering how he would react if a 3-year-old tried to intimidate him. The idea was preposterous. No wonder Maz had stayed so calm, even daring to poke him.

Sighing, Kylo leaned back in his chair. He realised he feared the woman. The thought alone made him curl his lip. He was the Supreme Leader! He was supposed to fear nothing. Yet, this woman had seen so much that he wondered exactly how much she could predict. Did she know where this was heading? Did she know how he would end up?

He shook his head, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts. Suddenly, Chewie's old stories of days long gone gained an entirely new meaning. How many friends had the Wookie already lost because of his longevity? How many had Maz?

He slammed his hand on his desk and stood abruptly. There was no way he was going to be able to focus. He stalked out of his office.

"I need to spar," he grunted as he walked past Phasma. Three steps further, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Say," he said, turning back with a wicked grin, "would you consider it a punishment if I defeated you in combat? Several times in a row?"

"Uhm, sir?"

"I'm in no mood to hold back, commander. You're good, very good; I admit that from last time we sparred, but I doubt you can match me at full force."

Phasma pulled back a little, her eyes going wide behind her mask.

"You'll end up battered and bruised, have no doubt," Kylo pushed.

After a breath, Phasma saluted. "I will accept my punishment, Supreme Leader."

Kylo's grin widened. "Good," he said.

Fifteen minutes into their first bout, he knocked Phasma to her knees. Fueled by leftovers of his anger and irritation, and using the Force to track Phasma's movements, Kylo was, indeed, not holding back and giving his commander a solid battering.