Chapter Two

As horrible as it sounded war was good for business so once that war ended so did those who had profited off from it. She knew the ending was near, she felt it and just like a candle it was snuffed out. Almost overnight she went from being barely able to keep up with the jobs to no jobs at all. It was like someone had turned off a facet. That and her General was now MIA. She didn't want to say she missed him; his personality was well he didn't really have one. He was always very stiff, former never with a smile and always to the point. She knew he was a dangerous man and had done horrible things, unspeakable things but like she had once said. One does what one must in order to survive. Still she missed him. Maybe it was because of what he had done for her or maybe because he was the only constant in her life. Whichever the reason she knew it wasn't healthy and yet his disappearance was disconcerting.

The Resistance had won; the First Order had been defeated. A new government was needed and yet no one knew where to go from there. It made people dangerous, the not knowing. Some of her staff had quit the rest she had to let go. She had stock piled enough supplies to last her a while and the plan had been to leave her small no named moon in search of a new home. Maybe even something out of the system. She had nothing tying her there. No family or friends and she was sure no one would ever really miss her.

It was raining the day that he found her again. She had decided that she had had enough and that tonight would be her last night there. With no government established the moon was quickly becoming dangerous especially for a girl on her own. She had just packed up the last of her belongings and was stowing them away when she took one last look around the business she had built from the ground up. It made her sad that this was it. But now was time to move on and start over again. That was when she noticed the hunched over figure slumped against the far wall. It was where her clients usually waited before they boarded. Carefully she approach the blaster that she now carried at his insistent was in her hand. She didn't recognize him at first. He was covered in an oversized brown coat and he had wrapped himself inward. A hood covered his usually well-groomed red hair.

"You can't be here. I'm closed." She said from a few feet away. The body didn't move, great. Her next thought was having to deal with a dead body. If she left it there whoever found it would likely think she was responsible. She could think of a number of people who would gladly point their fingers in her direction. She wasn't very popular with the locals due to her past dealings with the first order. She approached even closer carefully placing her hand on his shoulder giving it a little shake. "Hey, you need to wake up and go. I'm closed." Still no response. Closing her eyes and reaching around to find a pulse she prayed to herself and whispered "Please don't be dead, please don't be dead, please don't…" She let out a little scream as a hand shot out and grabbed her by the wrist. Familiar yet unfocused eyes started back at her.

"Karis." He whispered his name.

"General?" She questioned as she dropped to her knees in front of him taking in his shaking body. He was unkempt and seemed to be having problems breathing. His arm was wrapped around his lower torso. He seemed to bite back a grown and that's when she noticed the blood. "General, oh my…are you okay?" Well that was a stupid question. Of course he wasn't.

"Karis." He whispered again. "Please." He pleaded looking at her with desperate eyes.

"Are you bleeding? You're hurt." More points for her stating the obvious. She was doing so well. His grip on her wrist seemed to tighten slightly as if conveying his need.

"I need…I need…" He was starting to loose consciousness. She needed to get him on her ship where there were supplies and light.

"Okay, I've got you. Can you move?" She asked wondering how he got to where he was to begin with in the shape he was in. he gave her a weak nod as she wrapped an arm around him trying to support his weight. Slowly and painfully they made it barely. He was significantly taller which made her moving him that much more impressive. "Okay General, not that much more." She encouraged him his head lopping on her shoulder. "You need to stay with me okay." He lifted his head slightly and looked into her eyes. His still unfocused but held a hint of determination.

"Armitage."

"What?" She asked thinking he was just spouting nonsense.

My name….Armitage. Not General. Not anymore." She nodded in understanding as she led him to the small bed that she used in a part of her ship she had converted into sleep quarters. Setting him down as carefully as she could but nearly dropping him she finally got him to half sit half lay on the bed.

"Alright then Ari, let take a look at these wounds." She used the nick name thinking Armitage was way more than a mouthful to say in a hurried moment. He reached up and grabbed her wrist once more, his grip not as tight.

"Good, Ari is good. Need a change." He really wasn't making much sense but she figured it was due to whatever ailed him. She went to take her wrist back to take a look at what she was dealing with but his gripped tightened and he shook his head. "No. Must leave first."

"Well you can't go anywhere until I look at you." He shook his head vigorously.

"Not here. We have to leave or they will find me. Please I need your help."

"I'm not sure you are going to make it if I don't stop that bleeding first." He looked at her desperately. "Look my ship is secure. It would take a hell of a lot of fire power to get in. I shut and locked the ramp. Everyone is gone for the night. It's just me." She smiled a half smile just them. "This awesome client of mine, a former General you see, he gifted me this really high tech security system that I integrated into my ship just in case I needed a quick getaway. Now let me patch you up and I will take you anywhere you want to go, okay." He looked at her for a second before he answered.

"It wasn't a gift I was protecting…"

"….Your asset, I know."

"…what was mine." He said at the same time. She looked into his eyes to see how serious he was being but she was starting to lose him once again. She knew she had to question him about it but until then she had a patent to save.