A/N: A big thanks to SirenBanshee. You are one amazing beta!

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It didn't take Derek long to arrive at Kylo's office.

"Sir," he said. "How can I be of help?"

"How much do you know about the situation?" Kylo asked.

"Not much, sir. Not after what happened in the hangar, anyway. I've been staying out of the way."

"That man, that Rogue," Kylo said with a sigh, "is a rogue Knight."

Derek blinked at him, a look of utter astonishment on his face. He looked as if he was having trouble processing the information, as if his brain had errored out like a faulty board computer.

"Oh," Derek finally said, as if he had realised something.

"Oh?" Kylo echoed, wondering what the man was thinking.

"He wants to learn the Force."

It was Kylo's turn to be surprised. How had Derek managed to come to that conclusion with so little information in such a short time? Had the look on his face not indicated confusion and lack of processing, but the exact opposite? One of processing at full capacity?

"But how did he find us?" Derek continued, lost in thought. "How did he know?" He turned serious. "Sir, should I start an investigation for a spy?"

Kylo shook his head. He was impressed with Derek's logical reasoning. No wonder he was such a good administrator.

"The flow of information has already been cleared."

He explained about Quicksilver and Daze, and the punishment he had meted out. He did, however, leave out any involvement of the Resistance.

"As you can see, no further investigation into the matter is necessary," he finished. "What I need your input on is the punishment of the crew that brought Rogue in. I need to know what the usual punishment is for such an offence. If it's a grave one—which I assume—we need to find a suitable alternative. This is, after all, a Knight we are talking about. That crew did not stand a chance."

"I will get right to it, sir."

"Also make sure the small training hall has all the basic needs installed. I entrust that completely to your care."

"Yes, sir."

"See if any other rearrangements are needed or wanted now that two rooms have turned vacant," he continued, trying to come up with other issues that Derek could help with but finding none. "I believe that will be it."

"Yes, sir."

Derek greeted, then seemed to hesitate. He looked up and Kylo wondered why Derek had suddenly turned nervous.

"May I, uhm. May I ask a question, sir?"

"Of course."

"What are you planning to say to the staff? To Leader Hux?"

Kylo cursed, causing Derek to stumble backwards and apologise.

"No, no," Kylo was quick to say. "I wasn't cursing at you. I forgot that I need to inform them. Thank you for reminding me. This day just keeps on getting longer."

"Oh, well, uhm," Derek stuttered, wringing his hands. "You, uhm. You are welcome, sir."

Checking the time, Kylo noticed they'd gone well past lunch and fully into the afternoon while dealing with the entire situation.

"I'll address them after dinner," he decided. "Please arrange for all available crew to gather in the mess. The Knights I'll address during dinner itself."

"Yes, sir."

"And, if you wouldn't mind, could you arrange some sandwiches for me and Ember to be brought here? Also, check with Phasma if the Guard needs to be supplied with lunch as well."

"Certainly, sir. Anything to unburden you."

Kylo gazed at the man with a smile. "Thank you, Derek," he said, truly appreciating the man's efforts.

Derek flustered under the gratitude and, after some mumbling, hastened out of the office. Kylo shook his head at him. He was glad the man had dared to speak up and regretted having cursed in reaction. Hopefully, it wouldn't deter Derek from speaking up more often in the future.

Kylo settled in his desk chair again, thinking about what he would and wouldn't explain to his staff. He had told them that any leak would lead to immediate death, yet he was letting Quicksilver and Daze live. How was he going to spin that story?

Would admitting that they stayed after making plans to defect help or worsen the situation? Maybe he could tell them he was planning on taking advantage of the life debt those three Knights now owed him.

He dragged his hand through his hair. He was a warrior, not a politician.

The thought made him blink and he growled at the solution his brain had just offered him. Was he really contemplating asking Hux, of all people, for help? There was no denying that the man knew how to tell his stories, but Kylo was loath to give the man that much power, let alone the knowledge that Kylo didn't know how to deal with the situation.

He was still struggling with the notion when Ember walked in.

"You look ready to commit a murder," she commented dryly.

"I detest my own ideas."

"Sir?"

Kylo explained the problem he had with addressing the staff in short, annoyed sentences.

"And this detested idea of yours?" Ember asked once he was finished.

"Ask Hux," he growled.

Ember startled slightly. "That's definitely…unexpected."

"He is my enemy," Kylo snapped, glaring at Ember for no other reason than that he could.

"In my opinion, he seems genuine in his position as leader of this facility, sir."

"I can't trust him."

"I'll be there as he talks to the staff." Ember tensed and straightened. "I'm still his guard, assessing his every move. If he goes against you, I will kill him."

Kylo frowned at the amount of tension Ember's words seemed to bring to her countenance. Her face had gone expressionless, like a true Knight. He was no longer used to seeing her like that. Unwilling to deal with yet another issue and trusting Ember's word, he let it slide. It was probably a result of today's tension.

"Fine," he exclaimed, reluctant. "Derek is fetching us sandwiches. I'll send him for Hux once he's back."

"I guess that's not what you summoned me for?" Ember said, slightly relaxing again.

"No, indeed," Kylo answered.

"Are you going to tell me why I needed to keep the Force close?"

"That, and train you."

"Now?"

"Yes. Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case Quicksilver tries to mind-trick you."

"What?" Ember exclaimed.

Her hand had reflexively reached for a sword. Kylo grinned, getting at least some entertainment out of the situation.

"Quicksilver hasn't lost his connection with the Force," he explained, "although he's unaware he's still using it."

"Quicksilver is still using the Force?" Ember echoed. "How?"

"That ability of his? To go around any- and everybody without getting noticed? He's using the Force to influence the minds of the people around him, making them forget they ever saw him."

"And I would have noticed the shift in the Force when he tried it, even if I didn't know what was happening."

"Exactly."

There was a knock at the door and Derek entered with a tray filled with sandwiches.

"Here's your lunch, sir, Ember of Ren," he said, placing it on the desk. "I passed Commander Phasma earlier. The Guard are being offered lunch as we speak."

"Thank you, Derek," Kylo answered, wanting to roll his eyes as Ember immediately made a beeline for the tray. "Can you get Hux to come?" he asked.

"Certainly, sir. I will find him right away."

After a nod from Kylo, Derek left the office again. Kylo joined Ember, who was already halfway through her first sandwich.

"The food's not going anywhere, you know," he commented.

"I'm hungry."

Kylo snorted. "Apparently."

Silence fell as he grabbed a sandwich as well. Once he took the first bite, he suddenly couldn't fault Ember for her enthused reaction anymore. He, too, was hungry.

"So," Ember said after having finished her first sandwich and grabbing a second. "Quicksilver is using mind tricks?"

"Yes," Kylo answered between two bites.

"How come he hasn't lost the Force completely?"

"I'm not sure. I did not look for that."

Ember eyed him. "Look?"

Kylo merely grinned, taking another, big bite. She huffed a laugh in response.

"What is it you'll teach me?"

"Right now? How to recognise it. Maybe even blocking, depending on how much time we've got left after that. Teaching you how to use mind tricks yourself is for later. Using the Force for combat is more important."

A knock sounded at the door before it opened and Hux walked in. He glanced at Ember before saluting. Kylo's mood soured immediately. He could not believe he was doing this.

"Supreme Leader, Ember of Ren," Hux said.

"Hux," Kylo groused.

He eyed the ginger. Hux's face was a careful, neutral mask, but Kylo could see a trace of tension in the way he held his shoulders. There was also a careful evasion of eye contact. Kylo decided to shove his pride to the side and simply jump into the deep end.

"I find myself in need of an excuse," he said.

"An excuse for what, sir?" Hux answered, uncertain.

"I told the staff that I would immediately kill whoever leaked any information about this Base, yet I've decided to let them live. For now, that is."

"Sir?" Hux ventured carefully. "I'm not sure I understand the situation."

Kylo sighed and started pacing while relaying the information Hux needed. He was already tired of explaining things again and again. There were still the Knights to inform, and Rey.

"I see," Hux said once Kylo was finished.

"You know how to use your words," Kylo answered. It didn't sound like a compliment. "Spin a story," he commanded. "Without outright lying or fabricating anything."

Hux glanced at him and Kylo could practically see the cogs in his mind whirling. He suppressed a somewhat unhinged laugh. How had it come to this? To him using Hux's underhanded techniques to his advantage when they were once used against him? It was inconceivable, yet happening right at that moment.

"I will not be there when you give the staff their explanation," he said. "Ember will be, and if you spin that story of yours the wrong way, she will kill you."

Hux turned to regard Ember, a look in his eyes Kylo had never seen on the man before. Ember had gone strangely tense again.

"I don't doubt she will," Hux said.

Kylo was confused by the almost mild tone of voice Hux had used. He felt like he was missing something. Once more, he shoved the feeling away. It really wasn't of any consequence.

"Derek has arranged for the staff to gather in the mess after dinner," he stated.

"I have received the message," Hux answered. He bowed lightly. "I will gladly accept the Supreme Leader's orders."

"Get out," Kylo snarled, feeling like Hux was mocking him.

After a last glance at Ember, Hux promptly turned and left.

"I still don't trust him," Kylo grumbled.

Ember shrugged. "He'll do as you told him. Isn't that all that matters?"

"I guess," he allowed. "Let's get your training started."

"I assume we'll be sitting on our asses?" Ember asked.

Kylo snorted. "You assume correctly."

He started explaining as they settled. There were no cushions available in his office, but they would manage.

"A mind trick is a lot more subtle than an invasion of your mind. Do you remember how it felt to have me enter your mind when I reconnected you?"

Ember nodded. "Too full," she said.

"Exactly," Kylo agreed. "Consciousness takes space. For it to be present in your mind, your own mind needs to budge over, in a manner of speaking. Therefore it's a very noticeable intrusion. A mere thought, however, is tiny in comparison. It's the same size as any new idea you might have yourself, so it's easily assimilated in your usual flow of thoughts.

"It is still an invasion though. Part of the training is recognising when a thought is from a foreign origin. These mind tricks always carry some form of command. In Quicksilver's case, it's most likely something in the nature of 'forget that you ever saw me'. In order to have this order executed, a sliver of the Force is sent along with the thought. This little bit of the Force will then change your memory or actions as commanded by the thought. Can you understand what I'm trying to explain?"

Ember hummed. "Someone who wants to mind-trick me shoves something between a thought and a command into my head, along with some Force, and that will change what I do or remember."

Kylo barked out a short laugh. "Pretty much, yes," he answered. "The only way to teach this is for me to actually mind-trick you," he continued. "Do you trust me to do this?"

She gave him an exasperated look. "I allowed you to rummage in my head and reconnect me to something I'd learned to fear," she deadpanned. "I guess I can deal with a few puny commands."

"If you put it that way…" Kylo managed to say after a moment of shocked silence.

Ember smirked at him in amusement.

"I suggest we start while you're in meditation," he said, giving Ember a mild glare for her smirk. "That way you'll be more aware of your thoughts and it will be easier to recognise foreign ones coming in."

As Ember settled into her mediation, Kylo started contemplating which commands he would give her. He eventually decided not to mess with her too much.

"You will fall backwards," he shot her way once she had fully relaxed.

"I will fall backwards," Ember echoed before doing exactly that. "What the hell?" she exclaimed, scrambling back up.

Kylo was grinning at her. "So obedient," he teased.

"Oh, shut up," she snapped.

Her eyes grew wide, realising what she'd just said, but Kylo devolved into laughter. Ember grumbled something under her breath but otherwise merely waited for him to finish laughing.

"Right," Kylo eventually said. "Did you notice anything?"

"No," Ember answered, sullen.

"I would have been surprised if you did," he said with honesty. "Let's try again."

Ember once more settled into meditation.

"Say 'I'm crazy to let a random staff member shoot a blaster at me'," he commanded.

"I'm crazy to let a random staff member shoot a blaster at- Hey!"

She shot him an indignant look and Kylo laughed again. He was thoroughly entertaining himself.

"Good," he said, the mirth still obvious in his voice. "You caught it at the end this time. Let's try again."