See an updated character list at the end of this chapter.
War is not a state of being. It is meant to be a temporary chaos between periods of peace.
- Senator Bail Organa
"General Hux," Armitage Hux kept his face carefully composed at the surprising sight that greeted him on the holoscreen in front of him. He had been informed just this morning that his regular meeting with Pryde had been turned into a session with the whole High Command in attendance. What he did not expect though was the presence of Kylo Ren.
"There have been some unsettling news regarding an incident at a Zi'daya mining station that have reached us."
Although it seemed the Supreme Leader was content to let his Allegiant General do the talking, his expression bored, as he followed the proceedings with an absent look in his dark eyes.
"Unsettling?" Hux' let his voice reflect only genuine confusion, as he met Pryde's cool gaze. "I fear Allegiant General, you will need to specify what exactly has been unsettling about those news. As I explained in the report, I sent to you yesterday, the proceedings on Venya station have been quite successful. We have dealt a blow to the enemy with minimal losses on our side. In the end, whatever technology they are using proved no match to our firepower. And the information we were able to gather should allow us to deal with the remaining threat in the next weeks. The Finalizer is currently on her way to Ellesmee planet in order to analyze the data and refill our supplies."
He had kept that report purposefully vague, leaving out any details that hinted at an involvement of the force.
Pryde's pale blue eyes narrowed at his answer. "And the cases of possession?"
"Possession?" Hux raised his eyebrow. "There have been a few cases of irrational behavior by the mining crew. It might have been a gas rendering them unable to differentiate between friend and foe or something similar. As I stated in the report, we will have to investigate further to get to the bottom of this."
Hux leaned forward a little, injecting a questioning tone into his voice. "I have to admit I am turning a little curious, as to the origin of your information, Allegiant General. Your source seems to be quite prone to exaggeration. One has to wonder why that might be the case." The General let his gaze wander over the attending High Command. "However, I was not aware that it is First Order procedure now to give additional reports from unknown sources so much attention instead of following official reporting lines."
Notwithstanding, that they were most likely all spying on each other in one way or another, at least up front High Command had always followed proper hierarchy. He could see Bellada Parnadee and Actos Tosla exchange a look. It seemed no one was comfortable with having the going ones on their ships scrutinized too closely.
"Or am I under internal investigation?" Hux asked in a deliberately unaffected voice, his eyes returning to Pryde. Sometimes just addressing a topic directly was the best way to surprise an opponent and find out more. Pryde did not answer immediately though, his face showing no outward emotion, but then he did play this game too long to be unsettled so easily.
Instead, Kylo Ren sat up straighter, curiosity plain on his pale features for a moment. It was quite clear that whatever Pryde had planned for this meeting, he had not informed his Supreme Leader beforehand. Hux nearly shook his head at the dark-haired men's inability to hide his emotions. Perhaps as ridiculous at it always appeared to him the mask had not been the worst choice after all. If not for the force, the fool would not last long in this company. And even with it he would not wager on the Supreme Leader's survival for all that long.
"We noticed that despite the Zi'daya clearly violating their agreement with the First Order by running a mining operation in our territory, you did not recommend any disciplinary measures against them in your report, General Hux. How very … lenient of you." Griss commented, putting enough emphasize on the last sentence that the suspicion behind it was clear.
Before Hux could react to the thinly veiled accusation, Quinn added with a suggestive laugh. "Your Co-Commander is quite the hot little thing. Would not be surprising, if you were tempted to look the other way to get into her good graces. Perhaps she even had some convincing arguments."
His fellow General licked his lips, a lewd expression in his blue eyes. "Stars know, I would not mind to have that mouth around my cock. "
Hux' right hand balled into a fist, a nearly murderous rage rising up in him at that sadistic pervert even thinking of touching Selene.
Bellada Parnadee made a disgusted sound, aversion visible on her dark features. "Really Domeric, can't you at least try to appear like you have some class?"
Her interruption allowed Hux to quickly school his features into indifference again. He could only hope his slip-up had not been noticed.
But when he looked up, his eyes met Ren's, the Supreme Leader's dark gaze more than a little piercing. Hux was suddenly relieved that this was only a holo call. While he had been able to avoid Ren's mind reading abilities in the past – thinking of the next day's schedule in excruciating detail or reciting First Order regulations in his head mostly did the trick – he was not sure he would have been able to do so today. Ren tilted his head, something strange glittering in his expressive eyes.
"That is quite enough." The Supreme Leader's deep voice caught everyone's attention immediately, all eyes turning to him. "If I would have known you would only waste my time with your useless squabbling, I would not have attended this meeting." There was clear annoyance on his face and the way his fellow Generals all squirmed like chastised children told Hux Ren's displeasure was probably darkening the room. "I don't think anyone would ever accuse General Hux of all people of partiality for any enemy of the First Order or breaking First Order regulations." Ren looked at Hux again, a smile playing around his lips. "I am sure you have your reasons for your recommendations, General?"
Kriff, what had that been? He suspected Ren had actually realized he was hiding something. But why let him get away with it?
"Of course, Supreme Leader." The General's answer was calm. "While it is true that the Zi'daya mining station was in First Order territory it was a small enterprise with only a mediocre yield. A few iron deposits." He sincerely hoped Selene would appreciate him lying between his teeth for her. "However, it has put us in a position to put some pressure on the Zi'daya. I was able to negotiate a fleet wide delivery of their blasters in recompense."
He swiftly touched his datapad, sending out the technical data,he had asked Selene to provide him with this morning, to the whole High Command.
"As you can see, they are far superior to the standard blasters we are using in the fleet at the moment."
While the members of High Command studied the data, Hux used the time to scutinize the Allegiant General. While Pryde had not interrupted the discussion so far, there was a slightly disgruntled expression in his pale blue eyes. Hux nearly smiled. He was quite sure this meeting was not proceeding, as the older man had planned. The way Quinn and Griss had questioned him had been a little too well orchestred to be a coincidence.
"Are those specifications correct?" Admiral Tosla's grey eyes held reluctant approval. "That would mean an increase of firepower of nearly 200%."
Hux let a slight smile rise to his lips. "They are. I have seen the blasters in action myself. The Zi'daya will be able to supply the whole fleet in the next months, starting with the Finalizer…"
"No," Pryde's cold voice interrupted him harshly. "I want the Steadfast supplied first. Tell Sa'onserei, if she wants the First Order to forgive her transgression, she better makes sure my complete crew has those blasters at the end of next week."
Blast it, that was a definite tightening of the schedule he had discussed with Selene. He could only hope she would be able to follow through. Still, there was only one possible answer.
"Of course, Allegiant General," Hux inclined his head in acquiescence.
"The Zi'daya technology seems quite impressive," Kylo Ren interjected with renewed curiosity in his expression. "Have you noted anything else that could be to our advantage, General?"
"They use a very advanced armor," Hux answered slowly, more than a little uneasy at the Supreme Leader's sudden interest in the Zidan system. "And their weapons systems are at least as good as they say. However, they are not cheap."
"Mmmh, perhaps it is time for the Zi'daya's independence to end then." Ren threw a pensive look at Pryde. "Why did we not discuss this earlier, Allegiant General?"
Hux felt something like panic well up inside him. This was definitely not what he had intended. "I actually asked the same question before this mission, Supreme Leader. The Allegiant General had some compelling arguments against a military intervention. The current arrangement might be the most efficient way to get access to the Zi'daya technology without the risk of destroying the very industry we need."
The irony of him now arguing against a military occupation of the Zidan system was not lost on him.
Anger flashed over Pryde's face at Hux daring to get involved in the discussion between him and Ren, but he did not answer him directly, instead focusing on the Supreme Leader. "I made the suggestion to install a permanent presence of the First Order at Ellesmee years ago. However, Supreme Leader Snoke was very adamant that we were to leave the Zi'daya completely alone. I expect he shared his reasons with you as his apprentice, Supreme Leader?"
Hux had to suppress the surprise he felt at that information from showing on his face. What in the blazes of the galaxy could have prompted Snoke to get involved like that? And why make sure the Zi'daya remained untouched?
"Of course he did," while Ren's words were curt, there was a distinct look of unease on his features for a moment that indicated he had no idea what had been Snoke's reasons. He addressed Hux again. "Proceed with the mission as discussed, General. We will reevaluate the Zi'daya's position after you have dealt with the current threat."
"Yes, Supreme Leader," the General nodded, relief making him relax a little. At least they had some time now. The rest of the meeting proceeded without any more surprises, thank the stars.
After signing out, he threw a look at his comms. Selene had sent him a message that they were ready for departure to Ellesmee.
Making his way to the hangar, his mind was racing with the implications these newest developments had for his plans. While Pryde had not accused him of any infringement of First Order regulations directly, today's meeting had been clearly planned as some kind of tribunal. And even if it seemed Pryde had no proof apart from Peavey's reports this might have played out quite differently, if Ren had not interfered on his behalf.
If he was not able to get his Co-Commander's more direct support, he would find himself in a more than precarious position.
Still, he had always suspected that Pryde did not plan to let him return from this mission so that was no news. What was more interesting though was the state of the relationship between Pryde and Ren. There had been a distinct feeling of discord between the two men during the meeting. Obviously, Pryde was moving against the Supreme Leader a lot sooner than they had anticipated.
Hux frowned, as a thought passed through his mind. It might be the wisest course of action to offer his support to Ren, until he was able to get rid of Pryde, the Allegiant General the more imminent threat. If he could stomach supporting Ren long enough.
He went through the members of High Command quickly. At least a third was firmly on Pryde's side. Another third he would call allies, although he was not sure of all of them. The rest would follow the side, they thought would most likely be victorious in a confrontation. Now, how to convince those it was in their best interest to support him and not Pryde, who had surely been dangling promises in front of them for weeks now?
As he entered his Command shuttle, his gaze immediately strayed to his Co-Commander. Today her fair hair was done up a lot more elaborately, as was her wont, gleaming pearls holding back two small braids from her face, while the rest of her locks fell in open waves over her shoulders, left bare by the flowing dark blue dress shot through with silver thread she was wearing.
She had told him there was no way to keep his visit to Ellesmee from becoming an official affair and had clearly dressed the part of the Zi'daya heir. For a moment, he just drank in her sight, before she turned to him, obviously aware of his gaze. She gave him a slight smile and leaned into the shuttle's cockpit, ordering the pilot to depart, now that the General had arrived.
As the shuttle left the hangar, he accompanied her to the small private cabin at the rear of the ship.
"And?" Selene asked. "How did it go?"
When Hux gave her a short rundown of what had happened during the meeting the curiosity in her golden eyes was quickly replaced by worry.
"Are you able to deliver to Pryde that quickly?" he inquired.
She frowned. "Yes, if we postpone all other orders."
She stepped closer to him, absentmindedly rightening his General's insignia, while clearly thinking. "It will be a close call though. And we won't be able to supply you parallel."
He shook his head. "That doesn't matter. The most important thing is to get Pryde of our case for the time being."
Selene's eyes met his, their expression serious. "Speaking of time. How do you want to keep Pryde from finding out you lied to him after this mission, Armitage?"
She touched his arm softly, concern burning in her eyes. "You are taking quite the risk for me."
Hux remembered the caring tone of her voice, when she had told him she did not want him to die. Well, time to find out how far he could get her to commit to his cause.
"That depends, doesn't it?" he answered her, letting a hint of concern creep on his own face. "I don't think Pryde ever planned to let me survive this mission. And after what I heard today, I suspect we might have a shared interest in making sure neither Ren nor Pryde remain in control of the First Order."
Selene scrutinized him, an amused expression on her features. "And I suppose you already have somebody else in mind for the job?"
"I might." Hux' one hand went up slowly, letting one of her braids twirl around his fingers, while the other glided around her slim waist, pulling her closer to him. "Someone, who is a lot more appreciating of the Zidan system's various charms."
His Co-Commander laughed with a very cheeky expression on her face. "Now General, if I did not know better, I would think you are starting to get compromised by those charms."
She leaned into him, her own hand wandering to his nape, nimble fingers playing with his hair. "And that plan of your's probably includes regular visits to Ellesmee to investigate, if we remain firmly in line?"
The comment made Hux blink for a moment. Was she actually insinuating they could continue their little affair, after this starforsaken mission was over? While that was probably not politically advisable and Opan would chastise him for even contemplating it, he could not help the thrill going through him at the thought. How often could he visit the Zidan system before it became suspicious, he wondered. A few times a year? Every few weeks?
Against his better judgement, he felt a playful smile tugging on his lips. "Definitely," he murmured, his mouth only a breath away from hers. "I fear I will have to investigate that personally … and very very thouroughly." His hand on her waist dipped a lot lower on her back, pulling her against him, as he kissed her deeply, the sweet taste of her enveloping all his senses.
When she melted against him, sighing softly into his mouth, he felt a sliver of something that felt strangely like guilt go through him. He was using the fact that she cared for him to get her more firmly on his side. But then he would make it up to her, after he got rid of Ren and Pryde, so there was no harm in it, was it?
After kissing him back passionately for a few minutes, Selene sighed again, her tone quite different. She disengaged her lips from his and looked up at him, tilting her head. "As tempting as that offer might be, I fear I will need this alliance to be a little more official and permanent."
Even with her cheeks flushed and her breath shallow, her eyes held a calculating gleam.
"What?" Hux gave her a wide-eyed look. He could only imagine one way to make an alliance between them permanent, but that was surely not what she meant, wasn't it?
She raised up on her toes then, her lips trailing along his ear, making him shudder. "You don't really expect me to give up our independence for some promises and a few romps between the sheets." Her teeth grazed his earlobe, a hiss escaping him at the sensation. "As pleasurable as this has been so far, I am not a fool. If you want me to deliver any more weapons to you, I want something in return. As you said yesterday, that is how it works."
Hux stared at her. It seemed he had underestimated her again. But instead of disappointment at her not giving in so easily he felt his heartbeat quicken at the thought of trying to win her over, his desire for her only increasing. He enjoyed those little games between them a lot more than he probably should. "What do you want, Selene?"
"An airtight guarantee of independence from the First Order for the Zidan system and a non-aggression treaty."
Oh, that was what she was really after.
Now it was he, who could not suppress a sigh. "I can't afford preferential treatment like that."
She scoffed. "Afraid what your little friends at High Command might think?"
Hux narrowed his eyes at her, "Since I need their support it might be inadvisable to let them think I cater to your every whim, yes."
At the disappointed look in her eyes, he amended his statement a little. "At least officially this would be easier, if the Order had a base in the Zidan system. I would go very light on any taxes though."
The Zi'daya heir raised an eyebrow, her voice sarcastic. "And I would need to trust you on that. You could stab me in the back any time you want."
"Yes," he met her eyes coolly. "As you could now with Ren and Pryde."
That made her pause, her eyes turning a lot softer again, clear indecision flashing through them. Trying to drive his advantage home, he drew her against him again. "Think about it." She gasped, when she felt how their little discussion had already affected him. "I would gladly provide you with a few more arguments in my favor."
Desire wildly flashed through Selene's eyes, but she took a very deep breath and shook her head. "I fear we will have to postpone that to later. It can't be far to Ellesmee anymore."
Letting go of her reluctantly, Hux nodded slowly. She was right of course. He breathed in deeply himself, fighting to get his heartrate back under control. "Then only one open point remains. Do you have any idea, why Snoke was so adamant that the Order leaves the Zi'daya alone?"
Selene put a finger to her lips in thought. "Only a theory," she answered after a while. "You said he had the appearance of someone, who had been gravely wounded in battle. If Rhea and the Jedi were responsible for that it might have been fear." She shrugged. "If I was nearly immortal and somebody came close to killing me that would surely leave a mark. He might have wanted to make very sure that we are no threat any more before attacking us."
"Mmmh, but that would mean your ancestor was involved directly somehow in defeating this enemy the first time." Hux gave Selene a contemplative look. "You are very sure there isn't some kind of heredity…"
"Some kind of heredity manual 'How to kill off evil force users in three easy steps?'" his Co-Commander frowned. "I have to disappoint you. Rhea left nothing of that kind. Only a lot of advice that we are all connected throughout the galaxy and should follow the guidance of the stars. Not really helpful in this case." She looked at him with a serious expression on her face. "But I agree with you, we definitely need to find out more about her past. There has to be something."
He sincerely hoped there was, because if not, it left them at a disconcerting disadvantage. And asking Pryde or Ren for help was not really an option.
Following Selene through the shuttle's main space, he nodded to Opan and Mitaka, who were in conversation with Selene's aide and her second in command. Apart from them they were only accompanied by one squad of stormtroopers, since he did not want to give the impression this was in any way an aggressive military visit.
As they stepped into the shuttle's cockpit, Hux felt surprise followed by slight annoyance well up in him. "Captain Trach, I was not aware you are also a shuttle pilot now," he commented snidely, levelling a disapproving glare at the Galatean captain. Blonde Major Shi'seko, who had been standing next to the captain's pilot seat, obviously pointing out some landmarks, as they were entering Ellesmee's atmosphere, straightened up quickly with a guilty expression on her face, her hand falling away from his arm.
Trach did not seem all that concerned by his superior's anger, though. "You know I am a man of many talents, sir." The smug smile he shot at the major at those words, could have been cause for a demerit alone in Hux' opinion. "I have not found a ship yet I can't fly."
"And who will command the Finalizer's TIEs, if we are attacked while you traipse around planetside?"
Trach did not let the criticism deter him, as he stabilized the ship, flying over densely forested hills underneath them. "I thought you would want your best pilot to bring you back to the ship as quickly as possible in that case, sir."
"The best? That remains to be seen." The General narrowed his eyes at his insolent captain. "I hear Captain Fallon is already missing your competence in the sanitation department, though."
Stars, did his whole crew just did what they want for their own amusement now?
"Ouch," he jumped at a sudden pain at his backside. Selene moved past him on her way to the viewport. Had she honestly just pinched him? The suspiciously innocent look on her face seemed to indicate it.
"Look, we are nearly there," she exclaimed with excitement showing on her face. It made Hux gaze out of the viewport as well, just in time to see a big river underneath them cascading down a dramatic cliffside. Trach let the shuttle dive along the rivers flow, a sweeping sensation going through the General's stomach at the movement of the ship. "This is not a TIE-Fighter, Captain," he could not help criticize the maneuver.
But then his eyes were caught by the view before him. After the waterfall, the river opened up into a valley. And in that valley lay Ellesmee.
The city sprawled as far as he could see, reaching to the white-sanded shores of Ellesmee bay visible in the distance. White houses were clustered around red and gold leafed trees, their architecture unobtrusive but elegant. Any of those trees would have been impressive, if it was not for the giant in the middle of the town that dwarfed them all. Hux felt reluctant awe rise up in him as he stared at the huge tree with its magnificent canopy. A building was nestled in its branches so cleverly that it looked like part of the tree. That must be the Zi'daya palace.
Somehow, he had always thought Ellesmee to be similar to Naboo, all soft colors, extravagant buildings and well-appointed gardens. But the beauty of the Zi'daya capitol was quite different, something wild and untamed to it. While he had never liked Naboo, something about it too artificial for his tastes, he felt surprisingly touched by Ellesmee's charms.
His eyes fell on his Co-Commander. Or perhaps not so surprising after all.
Selene's golden eyes met his, a proud gleam in them, as she took in his reaction. "Welcome to Ellesmee, General Hux."
Two hours later Hux found himself in one of the spacious guest quarters in the Zi'daya palace getting ready for dinner. The wooden walls of the room gave it a cozy feeling, a small balcony allowing a spectacular view over the city below.
After depositing them at the palace's small hangar at the foot of the tree, Selene had actually left them to her grandmother's aide, a competent woman in her fifties, who had shown them to their rooms, citing the need to inform the families of her deceased crewmembers personally of their passing.
The Zi'daya aide had told the General he and his soldiers were invited to the official dinner this evening. All of his soldiers, she had stressed, although the Shue would really appreciate it, if there was no armor worn in her dining room. Hux had not seen any alternative to agreeing to the stipulation not wanting to insult his hosts on the first evening. Whatever his Co-Commander thought, he was not completely oblivious to the rules of civilized society.
Still, he felt the first stirrings of annoyance, when he left his room to find AN-3478 and his squad dressed just in the plain stormtrooper black next to Opan, Mitaka and Trach in their officer's uniforms. He began to suspect, where Selene got her kriffing ability to make other people subvert the rules from.
Opan fell into step next to him, as they followed the Zi'daya aide to the dining room. "You will have to be careful tonight," his Informations officer murmured under his breath. "Oilena noe Sa'onserei has a reputation for seeing through people easily and using their weaknesses against them." The blue-eyed captain's lip twitched. "And she loves to say what she thinks without any care for propriety."
Hux nodded curtly. He had to admit he was more than a little curious to meet Selene's formidable grandmother. Although Opan was right to caution him. It would be very foolish indeed to let the Zi'daya leader know, how susceptible he was to her granddaughter's charms.
If Selene's interest in him was not calculated after all. Even now, he could not completely silence the doubts about their arrangement flashing through his head.
"Now that is what I call an eye opener," Trach commented, when they entered the huge dining room, one side of the room a complete glass front that allowed an even more impressive view of the city than his balcony. The sun had set by now, the first lights beginning to glitter down below.
"And kriffing expensive, as you can imagine," a melodious voice, tinged with amusement greeted them. "My father had it installed decades ago to impress foreign dignitaries. Getting the glass panel up here was a logistical nightmare. I am sure he would be ecstatic that it works."
Taking in their Zi'daya host, Hux saw immediately from which side of the family Selene got her beauty. Oilena's resemblance to her granddaughter was nearly uncanny, although the older woman's features were sharper and showed the signs of age around her eyes and mouth. Her golden eyes twinkled with the same bright intelligence he was used to, though. More than a physical resemblance then.
"Shue," bowing his head, he took one of her hands and raised it to his lips, the respectful gesture coming to him instinctually. "Thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, we are thrilled to have you here, General Hux." Distinct amusement appeared on the Shue's face. "And thank you for humoring my request. In my old age I find myself so easily disconcerted by the outward drapings of war."
Hux did not really believe anything ever disconcerted Oilena noe Sa'onserei, but he could not shake the feeling this had been some sort of test. The question was, what his acquiescence had told her.
He quickly introduced his officer's, stopping afterwards, unsure how to proceed. He could hardly call the troopers only by their designation, could he? A twinkle in her eyes telling him that Oilena was quite aware of his predicament, she did not comment, but instead greeted everyone graciously.
She then pointed to a slim young man to her right, whose fair hair was kept away from his face in a tight bun at the back of his head. It was a little strange to see Selene's familiar features mirrored on a male face, even if the gold of her brother's eyes held nothing of her warmth.
"My grandchildren. Tayshen." The Shue turned to the young couple on her other side. "And Deacon with his wife Melody."
Selene's oldest brother seemed to come after the other half of the family, his build a lot more stocky than his siblings, his hair a darker blonde and his eyes a warm brown instead of the distinctive gold. His dark-haired wife leaned on his arm heavily, very obviously quite far along in her pregnancy.
After Hux greeted the Sa'onserei brothers, Oilena's eyes turned shrewd, as she indicated the last remaining occupants in the room. "And of course our dear guests, Melody's parents, Senator Tolney Quell and his lady wife Evanna."
Senator Quell. Well that explained, why the lean grey-haired man and his richly dressed wife had thrown angry glares at Hux and his men, since the moment they had entered the room.
Obviously, he was one of those senators who had been lucky enough not to be in the Hosnian system, when he had destroyed it. According to the intelligence reports more members of the senate had escaped than one would have thought.
"Senator, Lady Evanna," Hux murmured with a nod. He was quite aware anything he said now would only make the situation more awkward.
The Senator looked through him, as if he was not even there, focusing his disgruntled gaze on Oilena instead. Lady Evanna stared at him down her pointy nose, as if he was a particular disgusting bug she had found on the floor, though.
"It might have been prudent to inform us of tonight's guest list beforehand, Oilena." Senator Quell complained.
"Oh, I must have forgotten it." Oilena shrugged elegantly, her dark green dress flowing around her, as she led the way to the table. "But this is neutral ground. I am sure we can all put aside our difference for one evening and have a delightful dinner." Sitting down at the table, she kept her gaze focused on Hux, who sat down opposite her, clearly interested in his reaction. Annoyance rising up in him at this obvious attempt to unsettle him, the General nonetheless summoned up another polite smile.
"Of course."
When everyone was seated and the first course was being served, Hux realized that Selene was still missing. Oilena tilted her head at him, having caught his searching gaze. "Don't worry General, Selene is just held up in the city for a while longer. She will shortly return to your side."
Hux tried to keep the expression on his face carefully composed, his thoughts racing. That had been quite a curious choice of words. Had Selene actually told her grandmother that something had happened between them?
Despite the disapproving presence of the senator and his wife at one end of the table, the conversation flowed quite easily, mostly due to the fact that Miss Brentiss and Major Shi'seko had also joined them. Selene's brothers seemed to share her ability to connect to people quickly, talking with his stormtroopers and his officers animatedly. Even Hux could not suppress a slight amusement at the wide-eyed way some of the troopers stared at the luxurious setting of the table, AN-3478 murmuring under his breath what part of the cutlery to use every now and then.
The older Sa'onserei's wife remained silent, only turning to Major Shi'seko a few times, but Hux could honestly not really blame her for it. She probably had family and friends in the Hosnian system.
"Where is Shima, Briseis dear?" Oilena inquired from the blonde Zi'daya after a while.
"He asked to be excused tonight. He wants to see his daughter after being away on the mission so long." The Shue gave out a dry laugh, sipping on her wine. "More likely he wanted to see his wife after so many weeks in a lonely bed, the little girl will be fast asleep at this time."
"Now, General Hux," Deacon y Sa'onserei's brown eyes held a certain gleam, as he addressed him. "We are all more than a little curious how working together with my sister is turning out."
Hux looked up from his plate, contemplating how to answer without rising any suspicions. "Commander Sa'onserei is a very competent young woman and an asset for the mission so far. We are working together quite efficiently in my opinion."
"Sure," Sa'onserei glanced at his brother for a second, before starting to laugh quite loudly. The younger brother's eyes held a lot of reluctant amusement as well.
Hux raked his brain in what way he had betrayed himself with that answer. That had been completely inconspicuous, hadn't it been? He felt a flush on his cheeks.
"Excuse our amusement, General," Oilena chuckled slightly as well. "It is only that as her family we know Selene very well." Her golden eyes turned piercing, as she concentrated completely on him. "And efficient and competent is not the assessment we would have expected from a man like you. We are quite aware she has a problem with following the rules," she smiled. "Don't worry, we are among ourselves. You can be honest with us."
Her words made someone, probably Senator Quell, scoff in derision, but Hux could not glance over, completely caught by her gaze. He felt a strange nervousness in his stomach and could not help a slight hesitation, as he tried to formulate an answer.
"While there have been a few cases of differing opinions in the beginning, our relationship is quite …mmh…amicable now."
Oh stars, that had sounded more like a question than a statement. And why did he use the word relationship?
"Amicable?" The Shue repeated slowly, as if she wanted to find out the meaning behind the word. Her smile reminded him uncomfortably of a feline on the prowl.
The General cleared his throat. "Yes, I have definitely come to value her skills." Blast it, he was making it worse with every word he added. "As my Co-Commander." Knowing that it was the last thing he should think about, while sitting at the same table as her family, his kriffing mind choose to remind him of Selene's other skills he valued quite a bit. He felt heat return to his face, as he remembered that time in his office, when she had gone down on him.
The Zi'daya leader's smile deepened even more. "That is good to hear," she commented smoothly, swirling the wine in her glass, before taking a sip, her eyes still not leaving him. This was turning out to be a lot more challenging than the questioning by High Command earlier today.
Fortunately, he was saved then by Deacon y Sa'onserei exclaiming jovially, "Ah, there she is," making everyone at the table look over to the entrance of the room to see his Co-Commander entering. The way her eyes narrowed in annoyed surprise at the sight of Senator Quell and his wife, told him she had not known, what her grandmother was planning in advance.
"You are arriving at the perfect moment, sister. The main course will be served shortly." The older Sa'onserei brother grinned openly, as Selene sat down on an empty chair at the middle of the table. "And General Hux was just regaling us with praise of your competence."
"Yes, imagine our surprise," Tayshen y Sa'onserei added, his eyes cool, as he regarded his sister. "Who would have thought you to develop a sudden liking for the military?"
Hux half expected her to fire back with a quip immediately, but instead she blinked at her brothers a little wide-eyed. "I…" Her eyes slid to him and she bit her lip. "I am professional enough to work together with different people to achieve a common goal, yes thank you."
Kriff, that had not been all that smooth.
"Perhaps you should leave your damp lab more often, Tay," Major Shi'seko's clear voice was teasing. "Just ordering your little assistants around is not what one would call working together productively."
Sa'onserei raised an elegant eyebrow, as he turned to her. "And how do you find working together with the First Order, Brie?"
There was a glint in the Major's eyes, as she looked over at Captain Trach. "Surprisingly stimulating." A sassy smile appeared on her lips. "I learned many new things about flight maneuvers thanks to Captain Trach."
The way the Captain smiled back at her was definitely not professional. "I will gladly demonstrate any maneuver you like to you, Major."
That made the Sa'onserei brothers stare at the blonde Zi'daya and the First Order Captain, their attention clearly off Selene and him.
Who would have thought Hux would be grateful to Trach for flirting outrageously in public one day?
When he caught a swift glance from Shi'seko to Selene the General realized the diversion had been deliberate. It seemed his Co-Commander could really count on her friends to have her back in every situation.
"Mmh," the Shue politely thanked one of her staff, who had placed the next course in front of her, before turning to Hux again. "I have to say I am a little gross with your High Command, General. Why did we have to deal with Pryde all those years? If I had to listen to that boring First Order propaganda all the time, I would at least have preferred to have something nice to look at."
He could only stare at her for a moment, at a complete loss what to say.
"Or what do you think, Selene?"
Selene narrowed her eyes at the piece of meat on her plate, clearly not amused by her grandmother's antics. "I could not say. I was too busy with that really important mission to protect our people to notice something like that," she ground out.
"Ts," her grandmother made a disbelieving sound. "The only excuse to not notice so many good looking men right in front of you would be, if you were blind or dead."
"As I said, I was a little preoccupied with trying to survive," the tone of Selene's voice had turned glacial.
"Well, that is entirely your own fault then. You should have let those nice gentlemen take care of that part of the mission. Shooting at things and making them explode is what men are there for, darling." The Shue was very obviously immune against her granddaughter's glare. "Well besides other things of course." She wiggled her eyebrow suggestively.
"I keep telling you there is more to life than work. No wonder you are still single. You are not getting younger, my dear."
For a moment Hux feared for Selene's wine glass, as she grabbed it tightly, clearly incensed.
Her grandmother's eyes slid back to him. "What are your thoughts on the topic, General? You are still unmarried as well, aren't you?"
He was thinking that the enigmatic Zi'daya leader knew exactly what was going on between him and her granddaughter and was having her fun with them. Or she was only suspecting and trying to get a rise out of them. Whatever was true, it was quite obvious that Selene had not told her about it, clearly uncomfortable with her family's curiosity.
"I always found it commendable to put one's duty before any personal interests," he answered carefully. Before the Shue could comment on that, the cheerful voice of ZN-7785 interrupted. "Surely any man in the galaxy would be glad to have you, Commander." The blonde stormtrooper's blue eyes held the excitement of a young puppy, as he beamed at Selene.
"Thank you, Pip, you are very kind," his Co-Commander's smile back at the trooper held genuine warmth.
"Oh yes, surely every man would be," the Shue's golden eyes nearly glowed, as she continued to scrutinize the General.
There was a loud clang at the end of the table, as Senator Quell put down his cutlery harshly, the look on his face that of a man at the end of his patience. "Do you really expect us to sit here and listen to you catering to those murderers?" the way he slurred his speech indicated that a few glasses of wine too many had done their part as well in making him lose his temper.
"Hey, who are you calling a murderer?" there was real indignation in ZN-7785's voice. "We are soldiers of the First Order. It isn't our fault that the Republic…"
"Pip!" AN-3478 tone was sharp, as he tried to reign in the young trooper.
Senator Quell laughed mirthlessly. "Oh spare me, boy. I am quite aware of the nonsense the Order brainwashes you with. I don't even blame you for it, your kind obviously lacks the necessary capacity to know better."
Before Hux could decide to intervene, his Co-Commander had leaned forward, anger blazing in her eyes, as she rounded on the senator. "Your kind? And what kind would that be, Senator? Not one of your privileged little circle that decides who is worth anything in this galaxy and who not, I guess."
The Senator sneered at her, shaking off his wife's cautioning hand on his arm. "You definitely have no reason to pretend you have the moral high ground anymore, my dear. Tell me, is your grandmother only whoring out your weapons to the First Order or did you threw in a little personal attention for good measure as well?"
"Father!" Melody Quell's shocked exclamation fell into the sudden silence in the room.
White-hot fury burned through Hux so violently that he reacted without thinking. "I do hope for your sake, Senator, that you did not just call her a whore."
The icy tone of his voice achieved what nothing else had so far, making the Senator visibly shrink back under his piercing gaze. Avoiding anyone's eyes he got up, pulling his wife with him. "Come Evanna," he said, as they left the room. "The stink of blood in the air is souring my appetite."
"Well, what course is next? Ah, chocolate mousse, my favorite." Oilena noe Sa'onserei did not seem in the least perturbed by the scene that had just taken place on her table. "Quell should have held back a little longer. You should never let your morals get in the way of a good dessert."
"One has to note, that they did not keep him from enjoying the wine." Opan remarked dryly, earning him an amused chuckle from the Shue.
"I am so sorry," Melody Quell's dark eyes were full of remorse, as she turned to Selene. "It wasn't your fault, Mel," the other woman gave her sister in law a reassuring smile, before focusing on her grandmother, her eyes showing more than a hint of reproach.
The pregnant woman got up, signaling to her husband to remain seated. "I should probably go after them."
After she had gone from the room, Selene asked coldly. "Are you happy now, grandmother? Was that really necessary?"
The Zi'daya leader remained calm. "Believe me, I fulfilled my quota of charity towards this man months ago. Everything since then has only been my unending patience. And that is running out quickly now. How those two people have been able to raise such a pleasant young woman as your sister in law will always remain a mystery to me. You do have my fullest sympathy, Deacon darling."
The older Sa'onserei brother looked at her, all traces of joviality swept from his face, a sudden hardness in those brown eyes. "I would prefer, if you left my wife out of your little games though, grandmother. Especially in her condition."
The Shue licked of some chocolate mousse of her spoon, briefly closing her eyes. "It is not my fault, that your wife is nearly constantly pregnant since you married her, darling. Besides, she is made of much hardier stuff than you give her credit for. She is quite able to put her personal feelings aside for political necessities."
Tayshen y Sa'onserei raised an eyebrow at his grandmother, his tone more than a little chastising. "Perhaps it is time for some more aprobiate topics? We have guests after all."
"Ts, propriety is grossly overrated." The Shue scoffed, her face suddenly loosening all the playfulness from before. She levelled her intense gaze on Hux again. "Tell me, General, do you make sure decency is maintained, when you destroy a planet in the name of the First Order?"
As he took in the cool look in her eyes, Hux suspected that was the first time this evening he got a glimpse of the real Oilena noe Sa'onserei. Not looking away, he answered her calmly.
"In my experience decency is the first casualty in every war."
Surprise flashed through her eyes at his words. He was a little surprised himself at the nearly weary tone of his voice.
"Mmh," the Shue murmured, a pensive look in her eyes. "You are not quite, what I expected General Hux. Not at all."
After that comment, the conversation at the table resumed without any more incidents, although a certain tension remained in the air.
When dinner was concluded, the Shue smiled quite brilliantly "Now, that has been a most illuminating evening." She turned to her granddaughter. "Selene dear, if you would be so kind to show our guests back to their rooms? There will be enough time for business tomorrow."
His Co-Commander's face stayed carefully blank, as she nodded in agreement. "Of course, grandmother."
Hux was not really surprised, when she politely but efficiently escorted his crew to their respective rooms, leaving his for last and following him inside.
"Is that wise?" he commented, as she went to the balcony, obviously deep in thought. She shrugged. "I can always say, we had something mission related to discuss."
"Still, your grandmother seemed to have realized…"
"She doesn't know." Selene shook her head, but unease flashed in her eyes for a moment, indicating that she was not as sure of that assessment as her words indicated. "She was just fishing. And not very subtly."
She rubbed her temple for a moment. "I am sorry. That was not how I thought this evening would proceed."
"Your grandmother is a formidable woman." Hux stepped behind her, letting his hands glide over her shoulders, applying a little pressure, when he noticed how tense she was. "And I am not surprised that she wanted to test me a little."
"Mmmh, that is nice," Selene hummed, leaning into his touch.
"How was your visit to the city?" he asked, softly kneading the hardened muscles at her nape. She sighed. "As sad, as I feared. Hector's mother is a widow and he was her only child. It hit her hard." Selene let her head fall back against him and glanced up at him. "I would really appreciate it, if you could take my mind off things for a while."
Hux hesitated for a second, before starting to open the zipper on her back. This evening had shown him that Oilena noe Sa'onserei was indeed a dangerous ally …or enemy and not to be underestimated. It would probably be wise to remember that she had practically raised the beautiful woman in front of him.
All thoughts of politics flew out of his head though, as Selene let her dress glide over her hips to the floor and swiftly opened the bra she wore underneath. The sight of her bare breasts made him breathe in deeply and he was not able to keep himself from reaching for her. Only a black bacta patch on her collarbone remained of the wound she had sustained two days ago.
Cupping one firm breast in his hand, he marveled at the way its full weight filled his hand completely. "Those are the most perfect breasts in the galaxy," he stated reverently. Selene looked at him with an amused smile on her lips. "Really? Did you make a galaxy wide comparison?"
Hux teased one of her rose-colored nipples with his thumb, making it harden under his touch and her eyes close with another sigh. "I don't need too. I know perfection, when I see it."
Bending down to let his lips whisper over her skin, he relished in every shuddering breath she took.
After indulging into his fascination for her breasts for a while, he let his hand wander over the soft slope of her stomach to slowly slide between her legs. He could not help a groan escaping him at the definite proof of her arousal he already found there. Selene moaned softly, when he entered her wet warmth with one finger, her hands clutching at his shoulder. "Oh stars, yes."
"Have you been thinking of this during dinner?" Hux murmured into her ear, adding a second finger, making her squirm against him. She smiled at him, her eyes blazing. "More like the whole day." She wiggled her hips, helping him drag down her panties.
For a moment, he just stared at her, something heady about the way she was naked and willing before him, while he was still completely dressed. But then his own need became too insistent to longer ignore and he swiftly picked her up, carrying her to the wide bed in the middle of the room.
When he deposited her on top of the sheets, she lounged on the bed temptingly, spreading her legs without any shame. He had realized by now that none of his previous partners in bed had been nearly as self-assured as Selene in her wants and needs. It was incredibly arousing.
"Get out of those clothes," she ordered impatiently.
Hux hesitated again, the room far too brightly lit for his preferences. He knew it was foolish, but his father's remarks about him as a boy– thin as a paper slip – had remained in his head and his partner's beauty only made his insecurities worse. Furthermore, he had no inclination to explain the scars on his back to her tonight. During all their previous encounters his undershirt had stayed on, preventing any questions, thankfully.
"Could we dim the lights?" he muttered, a little concerned that she would ask why. But while slight curiosity flashed through her expressive eyes for a moment, she just uttered a command in Zi'daya that made the room darken considerably, before starting to open the buttons of his uniform.
The way her touch roamed over his skin tenderly, as she undressed him, clear appreciation on her face, considerably soothed his unease, though. He only stopped her wandering hands, when she reached for his hard length. "Careful," he muttered, leaning over her on the bed. "Or this might end sooner than we want."
Hunger blazed through Selene's golden eyes, as she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him closer. She gasped softly, when he entered her, a languid smile playing around her lips. "Oh finally, it has been much too long."
That drove an amused laugh from Hux. "Yes, like two days?" She grinned up at him and clenched around him, making him groan. "Mmmh really? It felt longer, though." Her hips moved against his, pleasure rushing through him violently.
"Stars, this feels so good," there was a slightly desperate tone to her voice, as he thrust inside her, making him look down at her face. "Please don't stop, Armitage," she begged him, her hands burying in his hair. "Don't ever, ever stop." Those words and the nearly piercing need on her features that accompanied them, should have made him pause.
Instead, he whispered "Never" against her lips again and again, kissing her wildly, part of it a promise, part a confession, as he lost himself in her warmth.
Oh, this was the most comfortable she had felt in a long time, Selene thought, snuggling deeper into the sheets, her partners body a reassuring warmth against her. She just wanted to stay like that forever.
Kriff, alarm went through her suddenly. They had obviously both fallen asleep after a vigorous bout of lovemaking.
And while she could have explained away an hour or two in her Co-Commander's quarters, slinking away in the morning was definitely not an option. Not with her grandmother and her brothers already suspicious about them.
The way she had tensed up next to him seemed to unconsciously reach Hux, because he suddenly moved against her with a noise of discomfort, one arm drawing her closer again.
"Armitage," she murmured a little reproach in her voice. "We have fallen asleep."
His long fingered hand splayed over her stomach, the heat of his body nearly burning against her skin. "And? You can just stay here."
"No, I can't." She sighed, more than a little distracted by the way he buried his nose against her hair. "Somebody might see me."
He sighed as well, a shiver going through her at the sensation of his breath ghosting along her neck. "Just a little bit longer." That hand glided up and cupped her breast, making her breath hitch. "I will make it worth your while."
Selene tried to hold on to her resolve, but the way those elegant fingers played over her skin made it nearly impossible. "Fine," she murmured. "But I really have to go afterwards."
Hux hummed against her hair in approval, his hand wandering over her stomach to dip between her thighs. Soon all thought of leaving had been swept from her mind, waves of pleasure going through her at his touch. There was something languid and unhurried about this, quite different to the previous times they had sex.
Time lost all meaning, as she drowned completely in the exquisite feelings he ignited in her body. When she felt his hardness against her backside, her own need sharpened as well though, making her squirm against him. It drove a groan from his lips, the slide of his fingers becoming more rhythmic. "More?" he asked and she moaned in answer, eager to have him inside her again.
The feeling of him filling her completely, his body still hot against her back, his lips touching her neck, made her realize he had been right. One knew perfection, when one encountered it.
She wished they could stay like this forever, without any care for what happened outside this room or outside this bed.
Selene's fingers grabbed the sheets, as he moved inside her, still in that unhurried pace, that made waves of pleasure go through her endlessly, until they finally crested, her climax making her shudder against him. With a few hard thrusts, Hux finished as well, his teeth grazing the skin of her neck in a slight bite.
It took her more attempts than she liked to admit to tear herself away from his warmth, but she somehow managed to slide to the edge of the bed.
When she looked back at him, she saw he had already fallen asleep again and she wondered, if he had even really opened his eyes, while he made love to her.
His face was completely relaxed for once and her hand moved without any conscious thought on her part, softly stroking his red hair. Her touch made his lips tug up in a slight smile even in sleep, the expression so sweet it made her heart clench.
She was slipping up, she realized. They both were.
And what was worse other people were starting to notice.
The thought made her get up and grab her clothes, dressing swiftly, her thoughts in turmoil now that the afterglow was over.
Despite it, she could not help one glance back at him, as she left through the door, nor thinking that she would have preferred to stay with him.
As she walked through the dimly lit halls of the palace, her mind raced. While she had not commented about it earlier, it had been clear from the moment she had entered the dining room today, that her grandmother and perhaps even her brothers suspected that her relationship to the General was not completely professional.
Since she had barely talked with her family until then, it must have been he, who let something slip. Knowing how perceptive Oilena was, it might not have been something big, mayhap an expression on his face, when she was mentioned. She should have probably warned him beforehand, but then she had assumed he was quite able to hide his feelings behind an impenetrable mask.
He was, something whispered inside her, before you.
Selene fully expected her grandmother to confront her about this eventually. And she was at a complete loss how to explain her relationship to her Co-Commander to anyone. After all, she was completely torn herself.
Her thoughts turned to the offer he made to her after his conversation with High Command. Even if it clearly had been quite the concession from his point of view, unfortunately it was not enough for her.
Because, while she agreed getting rid of Pryde and Ren was necessary, there was no way she would ever agree to let the First Order rule, whoever commanded it. Neither Ellesmee nor the Galaxy.
If she had been a different sort of woman, she might have gone for it, might have even played for a more official place at his side, trying to use her influence on him to reach her goals. Empress Selene did have a certain ring to it, after all.
However, there were lines she would not cross and part of her balked at the thought of being completely dependent on his attention, vying for his approval.
She even had the feeling that he might resent her after a while, if she agreed. A lot of the attraction between them hinged on the fact that they had always met as equals.
She would not become his plaything.
Nevertheless, she felt tempted a lot more than she should.
Reaching the door to her rooms without meeting anyone, Selene silently thanked the ancestor that was responsible for placing the guest quarters so close to the rooms of the ruling family.
When she entered the room, she stopped immediately at the sight that greeted her, something akin to horror flashing through her.
Her brother was lounging on her bed.
Tay's eyes slowly slid from the small metal ball he had been throwing up in boredom to her.
"Sister."
She had not known one single word could hold so much repressed anger.
"Tayshen," she answered, her face carefully composed. "Has something happened? You are visiting me in the middle of the night."
He got up swiftly, his expression incredulous. "I" those golden eyes, that looked so much like her own narrowed at her dangerously, "have been waiting for you for four kriffing hours."
Selene's heartbeat sped up painfully in panic. Kriff, what kind of excuse to use.
"Sorry, I did not know you were here." She said, still trying to appear calm. "I was held up by some mission related topics."
"Oh, really?" Her brother scoffed and crossed his arms, making the dark red shirt he was wearing rise up slightly. "One word of advice, before trying to sell me that bantha crap as an excuse, you should have taken care of that love bite on your neck."
Selene hectically looked into the floor length mirror on one wall of her room, her hand going to her neck. The skin there was completely smooth, not a single mark in sight.
And she had just fallen for the oldest trick in the book.
Throwing an annoyed glare at her brother, she decided to change tactics. "Frankly, it is none of your business how and with whom I spend my nights, Tay." She raised one eyebrow. "It is not, as if I have ever questioned you about your lovers."
He stared at her. "Perhaps, because even I would never do something that stupid." A pleading tone creeped into his voice. "Please tell me I am just paranoid and you are actually fucking one of those little stormtroopers." He gave a slightly hysterically laugh. "Stars, at this point I would even take you having a threesome with Brie and Captain Trach."
Selene took a deep breath. "Listen, I know I might have crossed a line."
"That is not crossing a line." The disappointment in her brother's eyes hid her harder, than she would have thought possible. "You sleeping with Armitage Hux? That is smashing it to pieces, pouring gasoline over the wreckage and setting it on fire for good measure."
"It just kind of happened," the excuse sounded weak in her own ears. "there was that strange connection between us from the start and I" there, she could finally admit that much to herself. "I mean he is…"
"Connection? Please tell me you are kidding." Something looking a lot like disgust flashed over Tay's face. "That man is a monster. He murdered billions in the name of the First Order. How you can even stomach letting him touch you…"
"You just don't understand. How easy it must be to just sit down here, far from it all and judge me. Well, let me tell you it is quite different, when you actually go out there on a mission risking your life."
There was hurt in her brother's eyes for a moment, telling her she might have gone too far, before he snapped back at her. "Let me tell you one thing then, Selene. You think Quell calling you a First Order whore tonight was bad?" He shook his head. "This is only a small taste of what will happen, if that ever gets out."
"I don't care what people say."
"Well you should, because even if you have forgotten it, those people are our kriffing allies."
"Don't lecture me on intergalactic politics, Tayshen," Selene's voice had turned cold as well, anger welling up in her.
"Then remember your kriffing duty. Blast it, you are the heir." His ire had made an agitated flush appear on her brother's face. "At least Mum and Dad don't have to hear this."
The words fell between them with a ringing finality. Selene saw in the way Tay's eyes widened that he probably rued them immediately, but she did not care, the pain that went through her at hearing them too intense.
"Get out," she ground out, pressing a hand to her breast, as if he had wounded her.
"Selene…" remorse darkened his face.
"Get out of my room," her voice was nearly a scream. She pressed her fingernails into her palm, refusing to cry in front of him.
"Will you tell grandmother?" her whispered question stopped Tay at the door.
"No," he said softly, "but your lover is not the most inconspicuous. I suspect she already knows."
As the door closed after him with a click, Selene let herself fall on the bed not longer able to hold back her tears.
Characters (as of Chapter 12)
The First Order
Armitage Hux - General of the First Order, Commander of the Finalizer, member of High Command
Dopheld Mitaka - Lieutenant, his aide
Tritt Opan - Captain, Informations officer onboard the Finalizer
Edison Peavey - Captain, second in command onboard the Finalizer
Masir Trach - Captain, Wing leader of the Finalizer
Rek Javan - Major, his second in command
Lanzora Goran - Lieutenant of Navigations onboard the Finalizer
Lesley Tosla – Lieutenant of Communications onboard the Finalizer
Cid Stormwater - Pilot onboard the Finalizer
Baska, Tark, Higgs, Merras - officers on the Finalizer
AN-3478 - called „Tank" stormtrooper sergeant on the Finalizer
ZN-7785 - called „Pip" young stormtrooper on the Finalizer
FN-3377 - called „Meg" stormtrooper on the Finalizer
ZN-4080 - called „Clics" stormtrooper on the Finalizer
KN-9373 - called „Happy" stormtrooper on the Finalizer
TN-7750 – called "Lyra" stormtrooper on the Finalizer
Dev Fallon – Captain, in charge of the stormtroopers on the Finalizer
Janine Cadwick – Major, Chief of Maintenance and Repairs on the Finalizer
Kylo Ren - Supreme Leader of the First Order
Enric Pryde - Allegiant General, Commander of the Steadfast, military leader of the First Order Fleet, member of High Command
Bellava Parnadee - General of the First Order, member of High Command
Domaric Quinn- General of the First Order, Commander of the Interceptor, member of High Command
Frantis Griss - General of the First Order, Commander of the Valiant, member of High Command
Actos Tosla – Admiral of the First Order, member of High Command
Rae Sloane – Grand Admiral of the First Order, member of High Command
Tishra Kandia - Captain, Commander of the „Executer" dreadnought, former Lieutenant of Communications on the Finalizer
The Zi'daya
Oilena noe Sa'onserei - Shue (Lady) of the Zi'daya, Leader of the thirteenth house
Damaris - her aide
Selene noe Sa'onserei - youngest granddaughter of Oilena, the „Bright Star of Ellesmee", heir to the seat of the thirteenth house, Commander of the Zidan Research fleet
Elodia Brentiss - her aide, originally from Corellia
Khendrik y Shi'seko - Captain of the Morning Guard, Selene's sworn protector
Briseis noe Shi'seko - his sister, Wing leader of the Zidan Research fleet, childhood friend of Selene
Shima y Khi'sheko - Captain, second in Command of the Zidan Research fleet, childhood friend of Selene and Briseis
Samara noe Ta'sherie - his wife
Fayth Hikeda - Lieutenant of Communications in the Zidan Research fleet, originally a slave on Mataou
Deacon y Sa'onserei - eldest grandson of Oilena, Governor of Terenia
Melody Quell - Deacon's wife, originally from Hosnian Prime
Taran, Kieran, Alona - their children (7, 5, 3 years of age)
Senator Tolney Quell and his wife Evanna - Melody's parents from Hosnian Prime, moved to the Zidan system after its destruction
Tayshen y Sa'onserei - middle grandson of Oilena, in charge of Zi'daya Research and Development
Peeta y Ti'shava, Kara noe Be'amara – Pilots on the Evenfall
Rine – Technician on the Evenfall
Darrow y Pa'lenna – Commander of Venya mining station
Zenia noe Shi'seko – Briseis' and Khendrik's mother
Galdonia noe U'lenna – Council member, leader of the third house (Finance)
Elaine noe Sa'onserei – Selene's, Deacon's and Tay's mother, Oilena's daughter, deceased
The resistance
Leia Organa - General, Princess of Alderaan, military leader of the Resistance
Poe Dameron - Commander, Wing Leader of the Resistance
Finn - Commander of the Resistance, former FN-2187
Rey - of Jakku, young Jedi
Rose Tico – Lieutenant Commander of the Resistance
Others
Trilla Nemase Orlia – Hutt, family head of the Nemase family, member of the Huttese ruling council
Mekat – her aide
So happy new year to all of you!
I hope you had a good start and wish you only the best!
Actually I decided to split this chapter in two parts. Partly because it is just turning out to be really long (even part 1 is more than 10.000 words) and number two I thought I would give you all an update after the short hiatus.
So as always I would love to hear your thoughts.
Many thanks to heya for the very kind review! Yes, I hope a better storyline… although better than that mess should not be too hard ;-) I can promise a happy end though!
Next chapter will be Ellesmee Part 2.
Masir will be confronted with some obstacles by Briseis Family.
Fayth has a surprise for Tank.
Selene shows Hux the city.
Tay has a Little taste of that First Order fascination (although he would never admit it)
Oilena grills Hux a Little more