A/N: This is the story related in Happily Ever After, in the chapter "Mitaka Meets Snoke".

Mild warning: Someone dies. There's some gruesome stuff. It's no worse than previous stuff in Star Performer.

The presence of Lt. Dopheld Mitaka was an accident. He wasn't supposed to be there. To encounter one another on the same lift on a vessel the size of the Supremacy, which was the ship of assignment for neither Hux nor Mitaka, was ridiculously unlikely. For it to happen when Lt. Mitaka had things he wanted to discuss with Hux was even less likely. But here he was.

General Marhod, whom Hux was accompanying to an audience with Leader Snoke, smiled indulgently and said, "By all means, Lieutenant, continue. It's good to see the younger staff showing such enthusiasm and work ethic."

"Thank you, sir," Mitaka said. Hux had to make an effort to keep his features immobile at the way Mitaka said it. One might not know from looking, but Mitaka and Hux were within a year of one another in age. But whereas most recognized Hux as the age he was, Mitaka was perennially mistaken for a subadult. It didn't help that there were many talented subadults who had recently entered service to confuse him with, but to be thought half his age so consistently had to be irritating. Hux was familiar enough with Mitaka's tone to affirm that was indeed the case.

Hux faced his own share of discrimination due to age. He felt genuine sympathy for Mitaka's plight. Marhod seemed oblivious, both to the slight, Mitaka's annoyance, and Hux's amusement. "Lieutenant?" Hux asked.

"Yes sir." Mitaka turned to him. "I checked into that discrepancy you asked about with the fuel cells. You were right. They'd skipped synchronization and overcharged them. It's going to take three days to-"

"Three days!" Hux chafed. They needed to be able to get the planet out of orbit within a week if they were to keep to the schedule for test firing. They'd have the star drained by then. If they couldn't fire up the engines, then they'd have to postpone everything.

"Yes sir?"

"Go on," he said irritably.

Mitaka continued stoically. "Three days to get replacements installed and synchronize the intake sensors correctly this time."

"We don't have three days," Hux said.

Marhod said, "Snoke been pushing you too hard on that planet-killer project?"

"He is pushing appropriately," Hux said, wondering what rock Marhod had been hiding under that he was still calling Starkiller Base 'that planet-killer project'. He didn't know much about the man except to recall his introduction at the sole meeting of the High Command Hux had attended.

He explained, "Delays cannot be tolerated. Especially when they're due to incompetence. This should have been tested-" while Snoke was in charge of Starkiller, back when the engines were installed to start with, rather than waiting until the last minute to see if they actually worked, "before."

Marhod said, "Mistakes are always going to be made. You know that, Hux."

"I do." He supposed it was better that he'd found the mistake. Because Hux would get it fixed, have someone reprimanded, and move on. Snoke would kill someone and then threaten other people with death unless they fixed it on some impossible timetable.

"Snoke should know that, too."

Mitaka watched silently, waiting for his betters to finish.

Hux told Marhod sourly, "I would not suggest you point that out to him when you meet him."

Marhod shook his head. The lift had reached their level and they exited. Mitaka followed. In retrospect, Hux should have told him that he'd get with him later. The lieutenant didn't need to witness the sort of disrespectful talk that came next. Marhod said, "What Snoke needs is to understand reality. He needs generals and admirals willing to stand up to him and explain how things work."

Hux gave the general a pointed stare as they walked, abruptly realizing the reason for this audience with Snoke. The pit of his stomach felt cold. This was not going to go well and he could think of nothing he could do to prevent that. "I think you are the one, sir, who is unaware of how things work."

Marhod shook his head. "I've heard about you, Hux. Your father wouldn't have done what you're doing. Everyone says you're a lickspittle. You're a young man, so maybe you don't know any better. I'm only trying to talk reason here. You don't know what's going on in the Order."

Hux gave him a scathing look. "Obviously Snoke knows or he wouldn't have called you. Were you friends with the late Admiral Halcor?"

"Hm?"

"You sound a great deal like him. Do you think insulting me is a good method of persuasion?" Hux looked at him in disdain.

"Talk to Allinine," Marhod urged him. "Come to the High Command meetings."

"Allinine should know better." Though perhaps she did, as it was Marhod who had been summoned instead of her. They were nearly to Snoke's throne room and there was no point in wasting further words with the general and getting himself implicated in whatever nascent treason the man was plotting. Mitaka, though, was a different matter. Too much had been said in front of him.

Hux started to turn to him just as a door slid open just a handful of feet before them. Four people emerged, all serious and silent. They headed out down the hall, three the opposite way, one past them. Hux, Marhod, and Mitaka waited politely. Just as the others cleared and they began to go forward again, Snoke himself exited the room.

What mood Snoke had when he left the room wasn't something Hux detected (and he had become quite the devoted student of Snoke's moods), but once Snoke's eyes settled on them, his features turned sullen. He looked as done with General Marhod as Hux had suspected. Then his eyes turned to Hux. "You need discernment." He raised a hand in a dismissive gesture.

Hux found himself slammed into the wall hard enough to knock the breath out of him. His skull hit with enough force to stagger him, sending him to his knees before he regained control of his body. His mind fixed on Snoke's words. He'd made a mistake – somewhere, somehow. Snoke was pointing it out to him.

Kind of him, really. Discernment. He needed some. Perhaps his timing was poor, coming on the heels of another meeting so closely. Maybe 'discernment' meant he should have checked in with Fuseb for the leader's schedule. Next time, he would rectify that oversight.

Then another thought – Mitaka. He was no more than a pace behind Hux. Things had been said in front of him that he shouldn't have heard, things Hux should have prevented him from hearing. And he would have, had he known such dangerous words were about to spill from Marhod's mouth. But he hadn't known and looking back he didn't know at which point he should have told the man to shut up (not that another general was beholden to do as he said).

It didn't matter now, because Mitaka knew there were active plots from within against the Order's leadership, Snoke knew Mitaka knew, and it was entirely possible Snoke would kill Mitaka or otherwise harm him for knowing, and thereby preserve his aura of invulnerability. (Which clearly Snoke was not invulnerable, or he wouldn't keep killing everyone who so much as thought about moving against him.)

Hux liked Mitaka. It was different from how he'd felt toward Cheskar, but he didn't want to see him dead. Especially for the crime of being in the wrong elevator and wishing to do his duty, relaying information Hux had asked him to get and doing it now rather than an hour or more later. He wasn't … tainted … by what he'd heard. Was he?

It took Hux very little time to think this. He rose unsteadily to his feet during most of it. Marhod was staring at him, then turned to face Snoke. Snoke looked contemptuous of him. There would be no correction, then, Hux knew. At least, not in the context of Marhod having an opportunity to improve his future thinking and performance. Snoke's hand curled into a claw and Marhod clutched at his throat.

To say the man gasped would have implied he was able to draw air, albeit tortuously. He was not. His mouth worked. His throat made wet sounds. His skin flushed. After enough seconds had passed for Marhod to realize what was happening, he fumbled at his waist and drew his blaster. Hux watched impassively, neither concerned for Leader Snoke's welfare nor hopeful that a shot might be gotten off. Marhod's trembling fingers dropped the weapon as Hux had expected. He collapsed a moment later.

Mitaka gasped. Hux did not turn, although this took focus. He wanted to do nothing that drew attention to the lieutenant. Snoke's fist was still clenched. Was he finishing Marhod, or had he turned to Mitaka? Or was he going to kill both of them? Or maybe all three?

Hux looked to the general, who was twitching and convulsing as his unconscious body put in a last valiant struggle to find air. It was denied, but his jerking was pronounced enough that Hux felt justified in taking a full step away from him for safety. It was with relief that he heard Mitaka take several steps away in quick succession at Hux's motion. He wouldn't have done that had he been dying.

Marhod's death, like any death from mere lack of oxygen, took long minutes of agonal spasms. Why Snoke chose to do it this way was not something Hux knew for sure. He seemed to relish killing people slowly for maximum impact on those present, so Hux assumed there was some lesson here he was supposed to be learning. Perhaps it was to impress upon him the need for the previously-mentioned discernment. Maybe he was supposed to have discerned the reason for Marhod's audience earlier in the process, and thus have taken the opportunity earlier to warn off Mitaka. Yes, that seemed more likely than the other options, although it would be a good idea to continue with the plan of checking with Fuseb.

He hoped Mitaka survived Hux's error. Hux began mentally reviewing Mitaka's virtues in case Snoke was listening. Mitaka was a quick study, patient and diligent. The enthusiasm Marhod had noticed was genuine. Dopheld had impressed Hux with how sincerely he wanted to do a good job and see the Order succeed. He'd studied the great leaders during the Galactic Civil War and spoken about his dream of serving with the next generation of leaders. It was a very noble aspiration. Losing Marhod made the Order stronger. Losing Mitaka would not. It was not Hux's decision either way and he would bow to Leader Snoke's judgement on it. This plea he made like a prayer.

Marhod's body finally slumped, thoroughly dead. His bladder released. Snoke's hand relaxed and fell to his side. "Clean that up." He turned and shuffled off towards the throne room.

"Yes sir," Hux said automatically. Practical and efficient, he moved to the corpse and took up an arm. He glanced over at Mitaka. The man's eyes were huge in his boyish face. He was leaning against the wall like he wanted to huddle into it and hide himself. "Help me," Hux ordered from where he crouched next to the body.

"He's dead."

Snoke had not yet reached the throne room. There was still time for him to turn around and take action. Quietly, Hux said in an even voice, "We were given an order. Your life may depend on following it. Help me."

Mitaka looked over Hux's head in Snoke's direction, then he moved to Hux's side. His hands shook and he took Marhod's sleeve instead of his cooling hand. The two of them pulled. "Where are we taking him?" Mitaka asked.

"Into this room. Out of sight." They dragged the corpse into the empty conference room, leaving a wet smear of urine behind him. Hux glanced up and down the corridor for witnesses when they were done, then shut the door. Mitaka moved to the garbage chute panel and vomited down it. Hux toggled the comm panel on the wall. "Connect me to hazardous waste disposal."

"Yes sir." A moment later, a different voice, "Waste disposal."

"This is General Hux. There is a human body in conference room A23 next to the throne room. It needs to be removed."

"Yes sir. Um, are the- um, do we need to alert medical services?"

"No. He's dead. He needs to stay that way." In the background, Mitaka heaved into the chute again. "Also, there is vomit in the garbage chute. Send a vent-scrubbing droid or something to clean that as well."

"Yes sir."

"And urine in the hallway."

"Yes sir?" The man sounded confused.

"This should be your highest priority. I am sure Leader Snoke does not want his area to remain soiled any longer than necessary. I suggest you move on it immediately."

"Yes, yes, it is, sir." His voice turned suitably motivated at the mention of Snoke. "On it, Commander. General. Sir." The line disconnected, which was a little improper. Hux rolled his eyes at the comm. He turned to Mitaka.

"Come with me. Where there's a conference room, there's usually a refresher near."

"What about … what about the general?"

"Waste disposal will send a squad of troopers to pick him up. That's their job. You're mine. You're not fit for duty at the moment. Let's fix that." Hux pointed him to the door. "Watch your step. Avoid the urine or you'll be cleaning it off your shoes."

"Oh …" He sounded like he might throw up again. They were silent as they went down the hall. As Hux had expected, there was a refresher near. It featured two toilets and one sink. Mitaka heaved over the sink, but nothing else came up. "He killed him!"

"Rinse your mouth. Wash your face. Put yourself back together," Hux said patiently. "Of course, he killed him. You heard what the general said. It was treason. You are fortunate you weren't killed for hearing it."

Mitaka looked at him and gulped.

"Rinse your mouth." Hux switched to one command at a time. He remembered walking Cheskar through a similar situation more than five years earlier.

Dopheld turned on the water, scooped some in his hand, and rinsed. He heaved again. He rinsed more. He held the sides of the sink and panted. "What do we do?"

"Absolute loyalty is the only option. Or death, I suppose, if you can't bring yourself to that. If you are loyal, obedient, and useful, then you will at least die an honorable man. Plus, Snoke does seem discriminating in who he kills. It's not random." Hux leaned against the wall. "Wash your face."

Mitaka scooped more water, splashed it messily on his face, and took the towel Hux handed to him. "You've done this before."

"Mm. It happens." He touched the knot on the side of his head. It hadn't bled, which was a blessing. He wondered idly if Snoke was precise enough with the Force to control that. He suspected he was supposed to have some feelings about these assaults instead of the numbness he felt.

"I'm serious," Mitaka asked, "what do we do? Is there … anything that can be done? The High Command?"

"Marhod was in the High Command. They will live longer if they keep to their purview as a judicial and advisory body."

"You're in the High Command."

"Which was Snoke's design."

"But … the High Command confirms their own members. Are you saying Snoke appointed you?"

"That's above your grade, Lieutenant." Hux shrugged. Snoke was stacking the judiciary with his people. Even if they didn't have time to attend the meetings, they'd be able to vote as he directed should it come to it. Dryly, Hux said, "With Marhod's death, there will be another opening. Some existing member will nominate someone and the confirmation process will proceed. It's all legal and by the book."

For a moment, Hux's gaze was vacant and haunted before he pulled himself back together. It wouldn't do to show weakness. "I follow the orders of my superior officer, as we all should. As I said before, absolute loyalty is the only viable option." Mitaka swallowed and blinked. He looked like he was about to cry, an image exacerbated by his youthful looks and wet face. Hux was not fooled. "Have you ever seen death before?"

Although Dopheld shook his head, he said, "My grandmother died. But … she was very old. I was with her, at her bedside. We all were."

Hux smirked. 'Dopheld Mitaka' – as was obvious from the name, he was born to officers. "You didn't go to Grafson Academy then. My father made sure everyone who graduated from there saw the deaths of animals and spent some time with human corpses as well. Where were you trained?"

"Aboard ship. The Harbinger. My family was there. Still is." Mitaka wiped his face more slowly with the towel.

"You seem to be thinking now. That's good. As long as we're here on the Supremacy, we need to see if there are any specialists aboard who can do the installation faster on the new fuel cells. As I mentioned, Snoke does not abide delays due to incompetence. Perhaps you see now why I push so hard to maintain our schedule?"

Mitaka nodded. He gave Hux a concerned look. "How? How do you work for him?"

"I work for the Order. He just happens to be in charge of it. One day, Lieutenant, the First Order will rule the galaxy. Our job is to make sure that happens. If that means working for Leader Snoke, then we work for Leader Snoke."