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

xXxXxXx

Rey laughed at Flock's antics and poked the droid again, to no avail.

"Miss Rey," Phasma spoke up as Rey shook her head with mirth. "Where is Steven?"

"He's getting Ember so she can deal with Millicent."

"He is not supposed to leave your side."

"I gave him an order," Rey answered, looking sheepish.

"I see."

"Sorry?" Rey apologised in an equally sheepish tone.

Phasma merely huffed a breath in answer.

"Is she angry?"

"Probably only huffing about us not understanding the value of proper protection," Kylo answered, amused.

"But, we're on base. There's Guard everywhere."

"I know."

They grinned at each other and Phasma huffed again. Right at that moment, Ember and Steven rounded the corner.

"What happened?" Ember immediately demanded.

"Supreme Leader, Commander," Steven greeted in a voice that sounded slightly nervous.

"Steven," Phasma answered, an edge to it.

"Oh, come on, Phasma," Rey interjected. "I gave him an order."

"And I already told him off for listening to it," Ember said. "Now, what's going on? All Steven told me was that we needed to catch Millicent." She looked at Kylo properly. "What are you holding the droid for?"

"Millicent chased him," Rey answered. "So please pick up your cat so we can put him down again."

"Why don't you pick her up?" Ember countered. "You like her."

"Your cat, your arms at risk for getting scratched."

"Fine," Ember conceded with a roll of her eyes. She sat down on her haunches. "Come here, Millicent. Come on."

Kylo blinked at her, unaccustomed at the sweet tone Ember used. Millicent, however, gave one annoyed flick of her tail before daintily walking up to Ember and into her arms.

Ember huffed as Kylo put Flock back on the floor. "What can a cat do to a droid?" she mocked. "A few scratches at most?"

Rey lifted an eyebrow at her before crouching next to Flock. "Hey," she said. "How would you like to be equipped with a little water cannon?"

Flock immediately beeped back to life. "I would be fierce!" he exclaimed.

Rey threw a smug look up at Ember, who only scowled down at her.

"As if that droid of yours isn't big enough of a menace as it is," Ember commented before turning around and walking off. "Millicent, girl, that droid isn't worthy of your attention."

"Missus, can I really get a water cannon?" Flock asked.

"We'll have to ask Karina for some help. You'll have to ask nicely."

"Ooh, Missus TomTom. I like her. I'll be nice."

Rey stood and shook her head with mirth as Flock zoomed happy circles around them. Before she could ask Kylo about his meeting with Hux, Phasma spoke up.

"Sir, Miss, as of now, protocols will change."

Kylo threw her a look. "They will?"

"Your assigned Guard will now be exempted from having to follow orders that result in having to leave you unprotected."

"Phasma!" Rey protested while Kylo barked out a laugh. "We couldn't just have let Millicent chase Flock."

"It is an ugly monster," Flock supplied.

"We needed Ember," Rey insisted.

"And Steven could have called upon someone else to find her," Phasma dryly answered.

"Oh," Rey said.

"Oh, indeed."

Rey offered Phasma another sheepish grin before finally turning towards Kylo. "How did it go with Hux?" she asked.

He hummed and related what had been discussed while they headed to dinner.

The next day, Derek seemed to be particularly eager to share information as they arrived at Kylo's office.

"Supreme Leader, Miss Rey," he said, not waiting for Kylo to settle behind his desk before continuing. "Great news. A suitable medic has been found."

"You found someone who can remove the chip?" Rey asked, excited.

"We believe so, yes," Derek answered. "He's an elderly man who used to do medical research on the use of chips for improved transmission along damaged nerves. At least, that's what I understood from it; I have no medical training at all. He left the project when interest shifted towards the possibilities of brain regulation. This was twenty years ago."

"What happened to that project?" Kylo asked.

"It disappeared from the records," Derek said, tone annoyed.

"You think it's Snoke's project?" Rey guessed. "Of which the end-result is the chipped Knights?"

"It's too much of a coincidence, don't you think?" he answered Rey. "Why did the medic leave?" he asked Derek.

"There's only the official document that states he wasn't interested in the direction the research was going in."

"So he transferred to another research project."

"No."

"No?" Kylo and Rey said at the same time.

"He moved to a planet-bound Trooper hospital."

Kylo frowned at the news. That was definitely not what he would have expected. "Why?" he asked.

"There's no specific reason mentioned for this decision."

"You think he was against the project," Kylo guessed.

"Actually, it was Efren who has made that assumption."

"It is not unlikely," Kylo agreed. Rey was gazing at him with a clear question mark in her eyes so he elaborated. "He wanted out but couldn't as long as he was within the research field, so he went as far away from that as he possibly could."

"I see," Rey said.

"I want to talk to him over a secure line," Kylo stated. "As soon as possible."

Derek nodded. "I'll message Elisa," he said, rapidly typing on his tablet. "It's still night over there but given that it's a Trooper hospital they should be open for communication at all times. With some luck, you'll get to talk to him in, for them, the early morning which should be … in three hours. Maybe that's somewhat optimistic."

"I want to be there," Rey said. "Obviously without him seeing me."

Kylo nodded. "Anytime except for meditation hour," he said to Derek, who gave a short acknowledgement without looking away from his tablet.

"How old is he?" Rey suddenly asked.

"Seventy-two," Derek answered.

"Can he still do the surgery?"

"He's an active member at the hospital."

"There's a difference between patching up a cut and doing brain surgery," Rey commented.

"Most of it will be done by droids," Kylo said. "Is Building K's med bay equipped for this?"

Derek shook his head. "No, sir, but Efren mentioned that a lot of the surgeon-medics prefer certain types of droids. It might be beneficial to wait for the medic before acquiring them."

"I'll trust his word," Kylo said, finally settling behind his desk.

The communication with the medic was eventually planned for mid-afternoon. Kylo made his way to the communication center well on time, Rey hot on his heels, as well as Phasma and a Guard, per usual.

"Supreme Leader," Elisa greeted as they entered. "Miss Rey. Commander Phasma."

Kylo answered her greeting before getting straight to the point. "I want access to their surveillance cameras," he said. "When I talk to the medic, I need to be a hundred percent sure nobody else is around." He turned towards Rey. "Did Derek ever mention this guy's name?" he asked.

Rey blinked at him. "No."

"Reor Lance," Elisa supplied after she finished giving her orders. "We'll need your code in a minute, sir."

"That simple?" Kylo mused.

"Well, it's a Trooper hospital, sir," Elisa answered. "You're the head of our army so you have access to all that transpires in everything Trooper related. That includes getting access to their surveillance feed."

"Convenient," Rey muttered.

"Indeed."

He entered his code when asked, and the screen that had previously shown the surveillance from the hangar now showed four angles of an unknown communications room. They watched as an older man in a medic's uniform walked in and talked to the crew there.

"Shall we set up the connection, sir?" Elisa asked. "Or do we wait until the agreed time?"

"Let's wait," he answered. "We don't want them to know we're watching."

"Yes, sir."

Kylo continued watching the silent surveillance feed as Reor talked to the others, seeming to ask questions given how he got headshakes as a reaction. Nothing had been explained other than that someone very high up wished to talk to him.

When the time was finally there, Kylo went to stand at the center console so his image would be projected as soon as the connection was made. He listened to his team around him, giving status updates until the image of Reor flickered alive in front of him. There was a moment of silence as the medic blinked at him in confusion until someone in the background suddenly exclaimed,

"That's the Supreme Leader!"

Kylo only barely managed to hold back his amused snicker. He could feel that same amusement echo from Rey.

"Supreme Leader," Reor quickly greeted. "To what do I owe this honour?"

"Reor," Kylo greeted. "I will talk to you alone. Everybody else, leave the room."

"Yes, sir," someone in the background answered.

From the corner of his eye, Kylo watched the surveillance feed. The staff filtered out of the room, save one.

"I said everyone," he growled.

The remaining officer jumped in his seat. "Apologies, Supreme Leader," he said. "There's a ship arriving."

"Leave it in orbit."

"Sir!" It sounded scandalised.

Kylo turned his head roughly in the direction of the young man. "Are you ignoring me?"

"No, sir. Apologies, sir," the man was quick to answer. "I'll just tell them to stay put and leave."

A moment later, he, too, slinked out of the room.

"He has left, Supreme Leader," Reor supplied.

Kylo nodded once. "I have an inquiry to make of you," he told Reor. "Know that no matter your answer, you won't get into trouble because of it. I need you to be completely honest."

Reor frowned but agreed, his hands clasped behind his back.

"You used to do research," Kylo said. Already Reor's shoulders tensed, his eyes narrowing just slightly. "You left. Why?"

"The field no longer interested me," Reor answered.

"I requested your honesty, Reor Lance," Kylo countered.

It was near impossible to hold a staring match over holograms but they somehow managed it. Reor's steadfastness and seemingly lack of fear for confronting Kylo didn't seem born out of arrogance but rather the type of experience that only came with age.

Eventually, Kylo raised a single eyebrow.

"Why do you wish to know, Supreme Leader?" Reor asked.

"My reasons are my own."

"I will not return to research."

"And I'm not asking you."

"Then what's the point?"

"Do you know what became of the project?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I severed all ties when I left. Its clearance level also went up so even if I hadn't, I wouldn't have heard anything."

"Why did you leave?"

Reor sighed and seemed to think for a moment before coming to a conclusion.

"I disagreed with the premise."

"Which was?"

"A chip that could influence how the brain works."

"Good."

"Good?" Reor answered, scandalised. "Supreme Leader, even if you kill me for it, I will not create such a chip!"

"You don't have to," Kylo answered. "It has already been created."

Reor staggered slightly. "Of course," he whispered. Then, stronger, "If it already is, what do you need me for?"

"I assume you are still capable of directing surgery?"

"I also refuse to implant such a chip," Reor immediately countered.

"This is definitely the right guy for it," Rey commented.

"It is," Kylo agreed. "If it was an implantation, I could have any somewhat skilled medic do it," he dryly countered Reor's exclamation. "We will discuss the specifics once you get here. Pack your things; a transport will be prepared with haste."

"And what if I refuse to come?"

"I'll have you kidnapped."

Reor clenched his jaw and straightened his posture in defiance. Kylo smiled.

"I can guarantee you that nothing of what I'll ask you to do will go against your ethics, Reor Lance," Kylo said. "I do, however, believe you're the best and maybe only person for this job so come you will."

"As the Supreme Leader wishes," Reor said through clenched teeth, clearly unhappy about the matter.

"This conversation will remain between us," Kylo said, waiting for Reor's nod before he continued. "I will see you soon."

Kylo nodded towards Elisa who promptly cut the line. On the screen, they could see Reor stiffly walk out of the communications room and the other staff filter back in.

"Can we hack them further?" Kylo asked.

"What do you wish to do?" Elisa asked in return.

"Make sure they don't have any recordings of what was just said," Kylo answered. "I don't trust them."

"Lewis," Elisa said to the middle-aged man that had brought up the surveillance feed earlier.

"On it," he immediately answered.

They watched as the communications crew of the base discussed among one another, not returning to their work, until something one of them said caused them all to troop together behind a screen.

"They do have a recording," Lewis said. "Deleting it now."

There was some amusement to be found in seeing the hospital's communications crew's confusion as the recording they were looking at disappeared right before their noses. There was some satisfaction as they worriedly looked at one another. Kylo turned to throw a look at Phasma.

"It will be dealt with, sir," she said.