The guest house study was a dim room full of overstuffed chairs and side tables. One long wall was lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases sporting a literal fortune of antique bound books with pages of actual paper. The opposite wall held a large, stone-lined fireplace where several logs burned, pushing back the early afternoon chill that was settling in for an extended stay.

Aurelia and Hux sat in chairs facing each other. They had been at it for a couple of hours. Hux had been uncooperative. Aurelia had put a tight clamp on her temper. The remains of a light luncheon arranged by Mistress Eirica lay on a table between them.

Aurelia watched Hux quietly as he sat, arms leaning on his legs, hands covering his face in frustration. Eventually, he looked up at her.

"I don't want any of this." he grated.

"I know you don't."

"Are you sure I can't get rid of this …Force thing?"

"Not permanently," she answered. "You might be able to block it off again with some assistance, but eventually your Force sensitivity would manifest again."

He considered that. "I can hear a 'but' at the end of that sentence."

Aurelia nodded. "But there would be no way to predict when it would break through your block. And we won't know in advance whether it would be accompanied with another bout of Threshold Sickness." She sighed," We've been through this, Alasdair."

Hux shuddered. Threshold Sickness had been a profoundly unpleasant experience not to be repeated. "Well, what can I do?" he demanded.

"The same thing I told you hours ago when you had your temper tantrum. You can let me train you in the basics of controlling and managing your connection to the Force."

***TaBa***

"Let's go, Blondie."

"We can't Red."

"Why not?"

"We're waiting for Armitage."

"He said to leave if he wasn't here by sundown, Phasma."

"And?"

"The sun's going down."

"I don't feel right about leaving him behind, Kateria."

"He'll be alright. He's with my Master and Rey."

"Well, maybe."

"You know Slim can get a ride with them and catch up with us."

"I suppose."

"And he can comm you if he needs you. We've been over this three times."

"Ok. Start the departure checklist and I'll call the tower for clearance."

***TaBa***

"Tha mi duilich, oifigear. Bha cead aca falbh." (I'm sorry officer. They were allowed to leave.) The tower controller sounded apologetic.

"Tapadh leat," (Thank you) replied Agent MacBheatha before he signaled Poe to click off the comm.

Inspector Falkus slammed his hand down on the arm of his chair with a particularly vile curse in Comraichie. MacBheatha looked mildly scandalized.

"Sir?" asked Poe, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" growled Falkus, "What's wrong is that son of a bitch just left to gods knows where. We've lost him again!"

"Pardon me, sir, but did anyone see Hux board the freighter before it left?" asked Poe.

"Good point," replied the Inspector. "MacBheatha, make yourself useful and go talk to the ground crew for that docking bay. Find out if anyone noticed anything."

"Right away Inspector!" said MacBheatha, eager to be useful.

"Excuse me, Inspector?" ventured Finn, "I have a strong feeling that Hux hasn't left the planet."

Falkus looked back at Finn."I thought you were barely Force-sensitive."

"You're right, Inspector," answered Finn. "But barely Force-sensitive isn't Force null. Most of my hunches turn out to be right."

"Is that so?" drawled Falkus.

"Yes sir!" confirmed Finn.

"Let's see what MacBheatha digs up."

***TaBa***

"I just feel that events are beginning to spiral out of control," complained Hux. "And I can't shake the feeling that something nasty is coming for me."

"You have a bad feeling about all this?" asked Aurelia.

"I guess that sums it up in a trite saying."

Aurelia hummed a bit as she reached out in the Force. She felt something, but it was still a bit vague and formless. Right, time to get out the Cairtean Etteilla and see if she can tease out some more information. She reached into her satchel and pulled out her deck of cards.

Hux shifted his chair and skewered Aurelia with a gimlet-eyed look. "Really? Fortune-telling cards?"

"For my purposes, the Cairtean Etteilla is a focusing device," she said shortly. "I find it useful when a precognition in the Force needs clarification." She pulled out two cards and proceeded to shuffle the remaining cards several times. Then she held out the deck to Hux.

"Here. Shuffle them until you feel it's time to stop."

Hux reached out and took the deck with the same enthusiasm a society maven would have to handling a dead mouse. "I don't believe in magic," he grumbled.

"Fortunately, neither do I," she retorted.

Hux sighed and gingerly shuffled the cards a few times on the table between their chairs, then handed them back to Aurelia.

"Anything else? Would you like to read some tea leaves? Toss some runes? Poke at some creature's entrails?"

Aurelia gave him an unfriendly look but didn't dignity his sarcasm with a response. She put the deck on the table and cut it once. Next, she turned the two cards she had held out face up on the table and drew three more cards.

The first card in the line was Ridire nan Claidheamhan, the Knight of Swords. It is the image of an aviator who is dressed in flight gear. She looked at Hux.

"This card indicates a person who is intelligent, confident, decisive, and in all probably a bloody-minded son of a bitch. In this case, it represents you."

"You flatter me," he smirked.

She rolled her eyes and pointed at the next card, Banrigh nan Soithichean, the Queen of Vessels. The image shows a powerful woman standing in front of a rose window. She holds up a goblet and stands in the shadows.

"This card indicates a woman who does not suffer fools gladly. It represents me."

Hux decides to hold back the smart remark that is rising to his lips.

Aurelia points at the remaining three cards. "These should give us clarity on the situation facing you."

The first card is Ceartas, Justice. It depicts a stern-faced woman standing between two pillars. There is a set of scales in front of her with gems on one weighing pan and a feather in the other.

The second card is Ochd Claidheamhan, the Eight of Swords. It depicts a blindfolded woman seated in a high back chair. She is surrounded by swords that are either pointed at her or fencing her in on the chair.

The final card is Sia de Chlaidheamhan, Six of Swords. It depicts an ancient balloon airship. There is a man and a woman in the gondola basket hanging below the balloon.

Hux leaned over and looked at the layout. "Pretty pictures, but what, if anything, does it mean?"

Aurelia frowned. "Ceartas is self-explanatory. Those who are asking for Justice are approaching. Ochd Claidheamhan suggests that imprisonment is looming in the near future. The final card, Sia de Chlaidheamhan, can have several meanings but in this case, I believe it means escaping or running away."

Hux sat back in his chair, a thoughtful look on his face.

"Presuming I accept this hocus pocus as a valid tool to focus on the Force, what precisely does it mean? Is some agency going to attempt to arrest me? When will they be here? Can I get back to my ship and leave?"

"You are training with me until I am sure you can handle your connection to the Force safely. And that is how you keep things from, as you phrased it earlier, 'spiraling out of control' Alasdair." Aurelia said with an air of finality.

There was a gentle knock on the study door.

***TaBa***

The evening was settling on Sruighlea Aerodome when Agent MacBheatha stomped up the ramp to report to Inspector Falkus.

"Good news Inspector!" wheezed MacBheatha, "Your suspect was not on the freighter when it departed earlier."

"So that means we only have the rest of the planet to search," replied Falkus laconically.

"Weeel, I may be able to narrow it down a bit," observed MacBheatha. "I talked to the ground crews that serviced the freighter and the other freighter and they remember a red-haired man getting into a transport vehicle that belongs to the wizards who have a compound north of the city."

"The other freighter?" repeated Falkus, "What other freighter?"

"The VCX-100 parked a few pads down from here. Tower Control says it's registered as the Ghost under the command of Rey Skywalker."

The Inspector stood and walked towards the ramp. "Maybe I'll just stroll over and have a chat with Captain Skywalker."

"There's no one there sir, I checked." declared MacBheatha earnestly. "The crew of both freighters went off on the wizards' transport."

Can you get us a transport and a driver, MacBheatha?"

"Certainly Inspector! I can have that available in about 30 minutes," answered MacBheatha. He headed into the cockpit to comm the Tower with their request.

Inspector Falkus turned to Poe and Finn. "Well gentlemen, we're off to see the space wizards. I just hope they're not barking mad."

***TaBa***

The study door opened to admit the grey-clad figure of Seneschal Dòmhnall MacSheumais. He cleared his throat gently.

"Pardon the intrusion, Master Galen," he began, "but the Meimeal wanted you to know that we will have company presently."

"Company, Seneschal MacSheumais?" asked Aurelia.

"Yes, Master Galen. An inspector from the United New Republic. I do believe he is making inquiries regarding your apprentice."

Hux stood up suddenly and mutter a few choice curses under his breath.

The Seneschal continued, "Master Mac Dhomhnuill suggests that an alternative location would be appropriate for you and your apprentice to continue training. He recommends The Bungalow near Both Chèi as an acceptable venue."

"Please convey my thanks to Master Mac Dhomhnuill, Seneschal," acknowledged Aurelia. "Is ground transportation available?"

"Young Davy is readying an appropriate vehicle at this moment," replied the Seneschal. "And Mistress Eirica has arranged for the kitchen to prepare a basket for you and your apprentice that should suffice for tonight's meal and tomorrow's breakfast. The caretaker for the Bungalow will be available tomorrow to make arrangements as necessary."

"Do we have enough time to pack our bags before the UNR official arrives?" she queried.

"Already packed and waiting by the main door," replied MacSheumais.

"You are the soul of efficiency, Master MacSheumais. Thank you."

"Of course, Master Galen. I will advise the Meimeal of your imminent departure."

The Seneschal made a slight bow and left.

Aurelia extended her hand. "Time to leave Alasdair."

Author's Notes: Hux is having a bad feeling about the immediate future. Aurelia is still trying to get Hux to stop fighting Force training. Inspector Falkus realizes that Kylo and Rey are on planet. He is also apprised that Hux was spotted and is probably with a group of barking mad space wizards.

I'm going out of town for several days so y'all are getting this chapter a bit early. And that tension between Hux and Aurelia - are they attracted to each other or is it just a case of conflicting personality quirks? I reckon when I know I'll let y'all know.