[Teller]
"You can't talk to them," Major insisted on the private channel.
"Yes, I can. I obviously did," Teller responded.
"You'll get in trouble!"
"I'm only going to get in trouble if someone reports me."
"I'm going to report you."
"So you said," she said with a long-suffering sigh.
"I have to report you, sir," he tried to explain, as stupidly earnest as he always was. "Those are the rules."
"I know." She could be angry at him. She wanted to be. But after serving with him for more than a year, she was mostly resigned. She really didn't want another demerit for idle curiosity. "But listen – knowing what that is might be valuable information. Now I can look him up in the ship database. Abednedos might have weaknesses or even special powers!"
"We already saw it had a special power. It lifted General Hux like he weighed nothing."
"I don't think General Hux weighs very much anyway," she said, unimpressed. "CL-0745 could probably lift him like that." That was an exaggeration, but not by much. Maybe Ten-ten could do it. He was the other muscle-head in their section.
"But what if it had done it to you?"
"I think he's male." She wasn't sure. But seemed like it, assuming Abednedo secondary sex characteristics lined up with those of most humanoid species.
"He could have bashed you against the hull before I could blast him."
"He's not going to bash me against the hull," she dismissed. He wouldn't do that unless she was rude. Which she hadn't been. So she was safe. "They're just people."
"They might. You can't understand them. They're not us. They're not allies. They're just … nearby. And they stole our uniforms."
"I think those are fake uniforms. They put an extra code cylinder loop on them." And the fabric didn't look right, but she couldn't be sure without touching it.
"They did? How?"
"Uh, with whatever uniform-making equipment they used."
"How would they do that? They can't make our uniforms!"
"Beings in the rest of the galaxy have technology, Major. They get their stuff somewhere."
"Okay, whatever. But I think they infiltrated the Finalizer. They must be in league with the Allegiance. What were they even doing there?"
"Then all the more reason for me to talk to them and find out what they know." Not that she believed the former supreme leader was in league with General Pryde. The reasons for the assault were unknown to her – just that it had happened and they were to patrol the corridors in preparation to repel possible boarding parties. Were these Resistance members part of such a boarding party? If so, then why was General Hux tolerating them? Asking such questions was not allowed. At least – not of her superiors.
Major said, "You can't trust anything they say. That's why – the rules, the regulations – you're not supposed to talk to unauthorized beings."
"The reporting of minor infractions should be reserved for standard operations and not be carried out in an active combat zone, unless such infraction constitutes an urgent threat to mission, life, or material," she paraphrased from memory, giving it the official tone that Major was always impressed by. In her normal voice, she added, "None of which are in danger from me asking his species. So just … stow it until we're back shipboard." If they ever were back shipboard. With any luck, he would have forgotten it by then.
Major was silent for a while, finally saying, grudgingly, "Fine."