A/N: Again a massive, massive thank you to my Beta (whose also an Alpha by now, hihi). She was so kind to allow me to freak out and helped me walk through what I've envisioned for the ending of this fic because, with it finally, finally being in sight (still multiple weeks though, it hasn't been written yet and I have a fickle muse...) I started second-guessing myself. So thanks SirenBanshee for talking me out of my slight panic and giving me a clear path to walk!

xXxXxXx

The Base fell into a new rhythm. The Guard went back to Base Z and succeeded in copying the data from the mainframe. Derek had located the design of the chip and was trying to decipher it with the help of Freya, the technician they'd hired with the extra staff and who seemed to have a knack for coding.

In the meantime, both Hux and Kylo kept a close eye on the Base Knights. However, despite their lack of self-agency, they seemed to fare well enough.

Rey was fitting right in. Kylo still cherished the look on her face when she'd walked into his office the day after their play-fight with the Force.

"Ben," Rey exclaimed as she stepped into his office. Kylo had ignored the opening of his door but now looked up. "You didn't tell me this Base has a cat!"

He was caught by the radiant look on her face. Her eyes were shining and her mouth tilted in a most beautiful smile, and he felt jealousy at whoever had caused this happiness. Then, he looked down and saw a blissed-out Millicent in her arms. The cat seemed like it was in seventh heaven as Rey stroked its fur.

"I see you met Millicent," Kylo grumbled.

He wasn't a big fan of the cat and the cat seemed to share his sentiment.

"Ooh, is that your name, little cat?" Rey cooed.

Kylo lifted an eyebrow. The cat was anything but little in his opinion. He rolled his eyes as Millicent stretched her neck so Rey could scratch her better and the purring went up a notch in volume.

"She's Hux's," he said. "Did I really not tell you?"

Rey paused for a moment, thinking. "Oh, actually you did." She grinned at him. "It's your fault I forgot. You're too distracting." Millicent bumped her hand for attention. "Look at how cute she is."

"She doesn't like me."

"Nonsense," Rey immediately countered, walking up to him.

Derek wisely moved to the side. The cat didn't like him either.

"You should pet her," Rey insisted, closing in.

As expected, Millicent lifted her head slightly and glared at him. Rey stopped dead in her tracks and blinked.

"Oh."

She started scratching Millicent's ears again and the cat once more melted under her touch, causing Rey to laugh.

"Maybe not," she conceded. "Who else do and don't you like, sweetie?" she asked Millicent.

"She seems to have taken a liking to Shadow as well," Kylo said, remembering how Shadow had been covered with cat hair when she'd decided to join in on the Base raid.

"Shall we go visit Shadow then?" Rey cooed again. "Come on, little Millicent. Steven will be able to tell us where she is."

Kylo watched as she turned and left without so much as glancing back. He narrowed his eyes dramatically.

"I regret the day I allowed that cat to stay," he said.

Derek didn't answer and merely pushed another document under his nose.

Shadow and Rey had fast become friends after that, bonding over Millicent and then over other things that Rey considered girl-talk. Kylo wasn't even sure he wanted to know. He was happy to see her fit in so well though. It was clear the Knights had fully accepted her, as had the Guard.

He hardly ever saw her interact with the staff but, apparently, she'd randomly helped Lane and Stevan when part of the Base's climate regulation had started to fail and given how well Rey seemed to know them by now, he figured she'd hung out with them as well.

Kylo was happy for her. He hoped it would replace some of the foul taste those last months at the Resistance had left behind.

In the meantime, the second building, the one that had been dubbed 'Building K' while the first one remained as the 'main compound', was nearing completion, which was why Kylo found himself in yet another construction meeting.

He was being informed about some finishing touches and tests that needed to be held when pain suddenly bloomed under his left eye. It was accompanied by a sudden spike of anger from Rey. Kylo flinched slightly in surprise, eliciting a hesitation in the project manager's explanation.

Kylo turned slightly to look at Phasma. "Find out what she's doing. Now."

"Yes, sir," she immediately answered before barking orders into her comm.

"Sir?" the architect questioned.

He was about to motion them to continue on when something impacted on his ribs. His mind travelled along the bond trying to pinpoint Rey's position. From where he was, however, he could only determine that she was within the main compound.

"Where?" he demanded of Phasma, rising from his seat.

"The main training hall, sir," she answered. "With Rogue. Arima is unsure whether they're sparring or fighting."

"Send Ember their way. Have a Guard stay close for communication," he ordered before nudging Rey over the bond.

He was afraid of distracting her in case it turned out to be a fight but he was unwilling to jump to conclusions. It seemed unlikely any of the Knights would suddenly turn against Rey.

"Ben!" Rey answered. "What's up? Is everything okay?"

Kylo sighed with relief. That she was worried about him meant she was definitely not in a serious fight with Rogue.

"Spar," he told Phasma.

"Shall I recall Ember?"

"Yes, but keep Arima there. She'll be delivering a message."

"Yes, sir."

"Ben? Is everything okay? Why aren't you answering?"

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, more severe than he'd wanted to. "I just got hit in the face and the ribs."

"Oh." Kylo didn't need to see her to know she looked sheepish. "You felt that?"

"Yes," he answered. "So what's happening?"

"Is that why Arima barged into the hall?"

"Rey."

"Rogue is teaching me some hand-to-hand combat. Don't worry, Ben."

"I could feel his hits."

"He got through my defense."

The pout was clear in her voice and Kylo couldn't help but shake his head a little. His little warrior.

"Are you okay?"

"It's just a bruise, Ben."

"I don't like it."

"You've bruised me before. It's no big deal."

"What brought this on?"

"He promised to teach me how to fight dirty."

It was said with such excitement Kylo couldn't find it within him to protest any further.

"We need to start testing how proximity affects our bond," he merely answered. "At least warn me before you start sparring in the future."

"You freaked, didn't you?" Rey teased. "Aren't you in the middle of a meeting?"

"A meeting full of people staring at me now, yes. You'll have to make up for that."

"I'll let you apply salve to my bruises."

Kylo blinked. He knew where that second blow had landed, how high up her ribs it was. To apply salve there… He could feel Rey smirking over their bond and he nudged her again.

"Continue to spar, you," he said. "Tell Rogue to be careful."

"Okay."

Their connection broke and Kylo turned to Phasma. "Have Arima tell Rogue that if he hurts her more than what I deem acceptable for a spar, he'll come to regret it. A lot."

Phasma nodded and Kylo waited. He wasn't disappointed.

"Ben!"

"Rey."

"You threatened Rogue."

"I merely reminded him of how precious you are."

Rey spluttered over the bond.

"It won't hold him back from sparring with you, Rey," Kylo amended. "But if he knows what's good for him, he'll pull his punches a little. At least until he's certain he won't get past your defense anymore. Besides, this is Rogue. He probably laughed at Arima."

"He did," Rey admitted.

"See? I won't hold you back, Rey. It was just a reminder for him. Go back to your sparring; I have a bunch of confused people to deal with."

"You're just going to ignore what happened and tell them to keep talking, aren't you?"

"Exactly."

Rey laughed, gave him the mental equivalent of a wave goodbye and turned her attention away. Kylo blinked himself back into full awareness and faced the construction team gazing at him with varied expressions of confusion.

"So," he said. "Where were we?"

"Sir?" the architect, Thomas, ventured.

Kylo sat back down and waved his hand. "Continue on," he said, amused with the team's reactions. "I think I missed some of what was said last though."

The project manager spluttered a bit, then restarted his explanation. At one point, the architect took over, relating the last few decisions that needed to be made.

"All in all," Thomas said, "the project is as good as finished."

"Good," Kylo answered. "Then you can start on the next one."

"Sir?"

"Good work, everybody," Kylo said to the group. "You can go."

"Next project, sir?" Thomas questioned once everybody had filed out.

"Another building," Kylo said. "One aimed for training children. Properly training them, not like how we originally designed the main compound."

"Sir," Thomas carefully ventured. "The original design for the base, was that a ruse?"

The creak of armour told Kylo that Phasma had tensed. The way Thomas glanced at her told Kylo he'd noticed too.

"Why would you think that?" Kylo asked.

"Those children were rumoured to be snatched from right under your nose," Thomas answered. "But now you brought in what I assume are Knights that have nearly finished their training. Yet, there's a distinct lack of those who have started their training but haven't progressed far. I, uhm, couldn't help but question where they went. If it's the same place as those first children, I assume they weren't kidnapped but rather sent away. And now you want a complex to train children."

Kylo gazed at him and Thomas seemed to shrink in on himself, gaze warily switching between him and Phasma.

"Smart," Kylo said, leaning forward. "And what will you do with these assumptions of yours?"

"Uhm, nothing, sir?"

"Then why mention it?"

"Curiosity? Because the you that ordered that first building isn't who's sitting in front of me now and it's confusing? Sir."

Kylo turned towards Phasma. "Is it safe for rumours to start spreading?" he asked.

"I think so," she answered. "I'll have to confirm with Efren. He will know for certain."

"I'm not planning on telling anybody," Thomas commented.

"Good," Kylo said. "Keep it that way."

"Definitely, sir."

"So, the new facility." Thomas flinched slightly at his words and Kylo narrowed his eyes again. "You are unwilling?" he asked.

"No, sir."

"Then what?"

"Sir, uhm, it's just…" The architect took a breath. "It's been a long time since I've seen my wife, sir."

It took Kylo by surprise. "Your wife?" he questioned, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, sir. She's on the Supremacy. It's not that I'm unwilling to take on another project, sir. I was merely looking forward to seeing her again."

"What's her position?"

"She's part of droid maintenance, sir."

Kylo inclined his head towards Phasma. "Get Hux in here."

"Yes, sir," she promptly answered.

"As for the facility," Kylo continued to Thomas. "You'll be visiting an Academy led by two women, Natasha Milkun and Andrea Jolsk. We will be attending children starting from age eleven and onward. They will be trained to become Knights. The women leading this Academy have unique ideas about teaching, training, and how to best run such a facility. I want you to collect and use them as a starting point. Most of our current Bases and Academies are...lacking."

"I see," Thomas said, grabbing his tablet and taking notes. "How will the new building interact with the existing ones?"

They discussed concepts and basic principles until Hux arrived.

"You've requested my presence?" Hux asked.

"Yes," Kylo said, turning his way. "Could we use a droid technician?"

Hux looked at him in surprise, thinking a moment before answering. "We wouldn't have a full-time position for them, sir."

"She wouldn't mind helping with maintenance. And she knows a thing or two about ships as well," Thomas said, causing Hux to give him a curious look.

"Well?" Kylo asked.

"If that is so, we could take her on," Hux answered.

Kylo stood. "That's settled then. Get his wife here," he said to Hux before looking at Thomas again. "I'm assuming your wife knows when to keep her mouth shut as well."

"Definitely, sir. Definitely."

With a hum, Kylo walked off.

"Are you still sparring?" he asked Rey.

"No. We're finished for today."

"For today?"

"He promised to further train me."

"You'll be at their level in no time," Kylo said. "Do you remember that Academy I went to?"

"The one where you got attacked? The one with the big shop and the fire extinguishing droids?"

"Yes, that one. Care to visit it?"

"Can I?"