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

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The student, whose name was Juan Kraft, had only just turned 21. The directors had described him as a studious, generally affable young man who genuinely enjoyed his craft. Rey had shared her memory of her conversation with the boy with Kylo, and he had smiled at the enthusiastic way he'd started explaining his idea and the annoyed commentary on the things that had been going wrong. Rey hadn't understood everything Juan had told her but had picked up on the main idea. Kylo had had to admit he didn't fully understand the details of the boy's explanation either.

After some back and forth, it had been decided to continue to keep Rey's identity a secret from the research team, including Juan, but not from Reor. The latter had already figured out she was more than she proclaimed to be and 'a technician and researcher favoured by the Supreme Leader' really didn't cut it in his case.

The research team, on the other hand, hadn't turned out to be any less entitled than that first meeting had implied. That they were working on a top-secret project seemed to have inflated their egos, despite their lack of progress, and it grated on Kylo's nerves. They had only just finished setting up and restarting their progress. Rey had visited them once and, from the look in her eyes when she'd returned, Kylo had known the researchers had been condescending. He'd initially wanted to yell some sense into them, but Rey had held him back.

"Let them," she'd said. "I'm more interested in the student's work anyway. Besides, they'll have to shut up eventually when their work gets fixed by a 21-year-old."

Kylo had raised an eyebrow at her. "You're the same age, you know," he'd said.

Rey had only stuck out her tongue at that and Kylo had relented. It made him hope the boy was up to par though. He really wanted to smack down those researchers' egos.

They braced as the ship arrived and waited for the loading bay to lower. When it did, a young man still wearing his Academy uniform stepped forward, looking nervous but determined. He was of average height and had blond, messy hair. Kylo's attention slipped as a second person became visible behind him.

"Andrea," Rey exclaimed, dashing forward.

She was followed by an excitedly beeping Flock. Juan startled in surprise and watched with wide eyes as Rey ran up the ramp and right past him to barrel into Andrea.

"Miss Rey," Andrea greeted, bracing for impact.

Flock whirred circles around the two of them as they hugged.

"Hello to you too, Flock," Andrea said once Rey let go of her, crouching. "What's this? An addition?"

"Missus Thomas helped Missus Rey to give me a fierce water cannon against the fur monster."

Andrea looked up at Rey, confused.

"Karina is Thomas' wife," Rey explained. "She works in droid maintenance and helped me mount the water cannon so Flock can defend himself against Millicent, a cat."

"Fur monster," Flock reiterated.

"Their first meeting wasn't a success," Rey added.

Andrea laughed, then seemed to notice how Juan was hesitating halfway down the ramp.

"Go on," she said, "go greet our Supreme Leader."

"You didn't tell me you were going to come," Rey said as Juan turned around to obey.

"You didn't think I'd throw my student to the wolves unprepared, now did you?" Andrea answered.

Kylo lost track of the rest of their conversation as Juan finally arrived in front of him and offered an exemplary bow.

"Supreme Leader, greetings," he said.

"Welcome, Juan Kraft," Kylo said. "Thank you for joining our research team."

"Oh, no! Uhm, yes. Uhm, it's my honour, sir."

"He's a good one," Andrea said, nodding at Juan before bowing. "Supreme Leader."

"Director Andrea, welcome. It's good seeing you again."

"Under less astonishing circumstances, this time."

Kylo chuckled. "Indeed. I'm afraid though that you have no clearance for this base and, despite the knowledge you already possess, I won't grant it to you either."

"I understand, sir. I merely wished to make sure Juan here got properly settled in, and I would like to request you allow me a word with the research team. There is no need for me to know what it is they're researching; I merely wish to have a word."

There was a moment's silence where Kylo and Andrea gazed at each other before Andrea slowly, very deliberately, grinned.

"Ooh," Rey said.

Kylo snorted and shook his head lightly before throwing a look at Phasma.

"I'll give orders, sir," she said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"Director," Juan protested, looking uncomfortable.

"It's fine," Andrea told him with a pat on the shoulder.

"Let me introduce you," Kylo started, following up with introductions for Phasma and Ember before getting to Hux. "And that's Armitage Hux, our Base Leader. He will show you to your room and explain the base's rules to you."

Juan earnestly greeted them all in return.

"Cute," Rey remarked.

"Again, same age."

"Shut up."

Kylo momentarily clenched his teeth to fight back his smile. Luckily, it was further covered by a Guard walking up to them and greeting. Andrea's eyes flickered to the name inscribed on the Guard's armour and raised a surprised eyebrow. She remained silent on the matter though.

"Reporting to help guide our visitors through the compound, sir," Guard Ella promptly said.

After a glance to Phasma, Kylo nodded once.

"I'll come too," Rey said.

"Abandoning me?" Kylo teased.

"Yup."

"You want to know what Andrea will say to the research team, don't you?"

"Don't you?"

"Fair enough," Kylo answered for all to hear, looking at Rey.

Andrea muttered something under her breath but Kylo ignored her. He motioned for Hux to lead them all away and turned to return to his office.

"Why is Ella here?" Rey asked soon after.

"I assume they're coordinating so you don't run into any of the other Knights or trainees."

A thought suddenly occurred to Kylo and he turned to Phasma. "Do we know when the ship was scheduled to leave again?" he asked. "Did Elisa know Andrea was coming along?"

"I'm not sure, sir," Phasma answered.

"Then how is she planning on leaving again?" He halted his steps, then turned around to head towards the communications center. "If it wasn't planned, this pilot is untrustworthy. If it was, Elisa should have told me."

Phasma grumbled. "It's my oversight, sir. I should have thought of that sooner."

Kylo shook his head. "We know Andrea so it wasn't alarming to have her show up. Still, this needs to be cleared up."

They arrived at the communications center and, when the door opened, they were met with a wall of sound. Kylo braced in surprise. He'd never seen Elisa anything but composed and to find her furiously yelling at a cowering pilot was quite shocking.

"Untrustworthy pilot it is," Kylo muttered.

"So it would seem," Phasma answered. "Can I act at will?"

After a glance her way, Kylo shrugged. "You can."

Those present finally seemed to notice their arrival and all eyes turned to them. Phasma very coolly pulled out her blaster and aimed it at the pilot, who promptly fell to the ground.

"Supreme Leader, please spare my life! It was a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding!"

"Shut up," Elisa snapped, effectively shutting the pilot's mouth. She bowed deeply. "Supreme Leader," she said, steel resolve in her voice. "I am incompetent and selected a pilot who cannot be trusted. I submit myself to any punishment you see fit."

"What?" the pilot exclaimed.

Kylo expected her to protest against being untrustworthy but her next words surprised him.

"I'm the one who made this mistake, not you," she continued. "What are you saying, you're submitting to punishment?"

"Would you shut up?" Elisa snapped again. "This is my responsibility. I selected you to go pick them up. Little did I know you'd be stupid enough to take more people than assigned."

"Have you met that woman?" the pilot exclaimed. "I'm not even sure anymore how she managed to convince me. I think she would be able to convince me to jump out of my ship in outer space. There's no going against her!"

"Rey," Kylo reached out. "Ask Andrea how she managed to get on board of the ship, if you will? She was never supposed to be here."

He only had to wait a moment before he got his answer.

"She said she managed to convince the pilot to take her along."

"How? Bribery?"

Another pause, then amusement poured through the bond. "She said she talked until the pilot didn't know left from right anymore and was so confused that she had no choice but to let Andrea onboard. Andrea also says she thinks that pilot is rather into women and that flirting did help a bit."

Kylo dragged a hand through his hair, not knowing whether to be amused or exasperated. "When you're alone, tell her I'll let her off the hook this time but not to repeat this stunt again."

"Oh," Rey exclaimed, catching up. "She was never supposed to be here. She breached security."

"Exactly."

"The pilot?"

"I'm dealing with it right now. Don't worry."

Elisa and the pilot were still yelling at each other, Phasma was still aiming her blaster at the pilot, and Kylo could feel a headache coming on.

"Shut up," he growled.

Both the pilot and Elisa snapped back to attention but kept their eyes averted.

"This is a severe breach of security and completely unacceptable," Kylo said. "You," he continued, stepping towards the pilot.

Phasma walked up to her, only tucking away her blaster once she'd reached the pilot and dragged her up with a fist at the back of her clothes. Kylo didn't mention the rough manhandling, despite being slightly surprised. He'd given Phasma leave to act as she pleased earlier after all.

"Allow me to lock her up, sir?" Phasma asked.

Kylo gazed at her, then shrugged again. It would give him some time to think. "Go right ahead."

"Yes, sir."

She dragged the pilot along, ignoring her frightened squeaks. When the door opened again, there was already another Guard waiting to take Phasma's place at Kylo's side. With a heavy sigh, Kylo turned to leave as well.

"Sir?" Elisa asked behind him.

"It's not like you're going anywhere," Kylo answered without looking at her or halting his steps.

He marched through the building, feeling weary.

"Sir," Derek greeted once he arrived at his office. "You were gone longer than expected. I have this report here that-"

"Not now, Derek," Kylo interrupted him.

"Sir?" Derek managed to inquire after some stumbling.

"What punishment did we give the crew of the ship that brought Rogue in?"

"Sir?" Derek asked again, sounding alarmed.

"Director Andrea was on that ship," Kylo explained. "She managed to confuse the pilot into taking her along. Given that we know her, the base isn't compromised but it's still a massive breach in security. The pilot needs to be punished but I don't want to kill her. Still, both her and Andrea need to understand the consequences of their actions. So what did we do to the crew that brought in Rogue?"

Derek thought for a moment before answering. "As the pilot had expressed he was willing to take all the blame, he was demoted all the way down to the position of a regular crewsman. The crew wasn't punished but split to work on different ships. The young one that had given away the ship's destination was sent to work on a ship of no importance."

"I see," Kylo sighed. "This ship barely has any crew and it was entirely the pilot's decision so they can be left alone. That leaves the matter of the pilot herself."

"Another demotion, sir?"

"Unless you know a better way?"

"Not that I can think of at the moment, sir," Derek answered. "Where is the pilot, if I may ask?"

"Phasma locked her up somewhere."

"You don't know where?"

"No," Kylo admitted. "I gave Phasma full authority. I trust her not to do anything too out of order."

"I see. How far down do you want this pilot demoted, sir?"

"Not at all," he muttered. He realised though that, simply because the person that wasn't supposed to arrive was someone he knew and mostly trusted, the breach itself was forgivable. "As far down as she can get while still retaining her status as pilot," he finally answered. "Do you think that's sufficient?"

"I'll have to check her current rank, sir, but given that she was allowed to fly here I believe it should suffice. Especially if you add that the person brought in is someone you know."

Kylo nodded, eyes closed. Even if Rey relayed to Andrea that she'd better not pull this stunt again, he was going to have a word with her. She needed to know she was responsible for the pilot's demotion.

"The situation is settled then," Derek said.

"Not yet," Kylo said with a sigh.

"Sir?"

"Elisa is taking part of the blame as well," he explained. "And is requesting punishment."

"Why?"

It was so out of character for Derek to make such an exclamation that Kylo opened his eyes again to look at him.

"She said that she chose the pilot so she's responsible for the pilot's incompetence."

Derek frowned. "She couldn't possibly have known," he said. "If she checked the pilot's credentials, background and previous missions, as well as the background of the crew, there was no way for her to know the pilot would make such a mistake."

"I agree."

"Sir, if I may be so bold, why not tell her that?"

"I'm not sure she'll accept it." He looked at Derek again. "Would you, in her case?"

That caused Derek to pause for a moment. "No," he agreed eventually. "Unless it's based on previous merits."

"What do you mean?"

"If it were me, I would only accept it if I had a history of completing assignments without mistake for quite some time. If it was phrased as such that one mistake, which isn't due to negligence, doesn't weigh up against all the successes I've had, I would be willing to accept a lack of punishment."

"That makes sense," Kylo said, feeling relieved. "I'll ask her to prove she did all the background checks as needed and, once she does, waive all responsibility as you said."

He leaned back in his chair with another sigh, hoping that at least Rey was having fun catching up with Andrea.