Nutritional portions research had never felt so exciting. Aneep felt drowsy with joy at her own forwardness and her stomach twisted in both shock and excitement at her actions. She'd never felt so daring in her entire life, and she'd left the medical corps early to join a secret Imperial remnant at the age of 21! This was different though, this wasn't a professional thing but a personal one. It was a personal daring that she'd never experimented with before, a type of sexual power that she's never thought to test. She was no wallflower by any stretch of the imagination, but she had never exuded the kind of sensual authority that she'd felt in that moment before. It was intoxicating and moreish…she needed another taste. It was so maddeningly easy too which made the situation even worse. All she had to do was think of a scenario and she knew that he'd be able to see it in her mind if he wanted to, and she was certain that he did. Though even if for some reason he didn't she knew she could make him want it. She sensed the power she had over him and the thought of that alone was turning her on. She revelled in her sexual power for a triumphant moment longer before returning her attention to her work. Ultimately she was a benevolent God. She would not torment him nor attempt to instigate some form of connection with him without his permission. It would be best to wait until he was free of the treatment tank and then she could appeal to him face to face for some private and confidential appointments at a mutually beneficial time. If he declined then of course she would be disappointment, but at least she'd have applied. She was fairly certain at this point though that he would accept the offer (especially given the look in his eyes earlier) and she could look forward to making some of her night-time imaginings a reality. She should stop thinking about it. The more she thought about the possibility of it happening in the real world the more distracted she became and the harder it was to focus on her research. The two year drought might be over soon though and that thought was very distracting indeed.

She looked up at the glowing tanks and Ren turned his head to look at her over his shoulder. She met his eye and thought,

"Can you hear me?"

Ren inclined his head in the affirmative. Aneep covered her face with her hands and dropped her head to the desk dramatically.

"That's terribly embarrassing." She thought, hiding her face.

She peeked back up at him through her fingers and saw that he was amused by her display. She smiled up at him feeling like a teenager again in the first flush of attraction. Her cheeks glowed red but she was happy and giddy. It was wonderful for just that second to feel like two young individuals enjoying a secret joke and each other's company, feeling alive, joyous, relaxed and content.

The moment soon passed. Without warning Ren abruptly snapped his face back to face the door clenching both his fists tightly. Aneep sat up, alarmed at his sudden motion and as she did the tank was plunged into darkness just as the door to her office slid open revealing General Hux marching into the room. Aneep immediately stood and crossed the floor to meet him. She did not glance once at the darkened tank (at least now she knew how the light had been switched on this morning, Kylo must have done it himself).

"General, how can I help?" she asked smoothly. He'd obviously come in here with a specific purpose in mind, either that or the man just enjoyed a grand entrance. He stood before the darkened tube looking up into the voided depths. There was a question perched on his lips but before he could ask it she was already answering him. "The Commander is resting after some heat treatments." The lie came easily and sounded plausible. Hux's only reaction was to prickle at the mention of Kylo being a Commander which Aneep enjoyed seeing immensely. Kylo evidently found it amusing too for she could feel his mirth emanating from the tank beside her.

"How long until he can be free of that?" Hux barked in his usual clipped and measured tone.

"I have devised treatments that will allow the Commander to be free of its confines whenever that may be deemed necessary. However, the best course of treatment for his recovery would be to stay in full submersion for as long as possible."

"And how long would that need to be for full recovery." He asked peering into the inky depths of the liquid.

"A full week."

He shot her a look. "Impossible."

She nodded, "Which is why I devised the alternative treatment."

He turned his head and studied her now. What was it that she saw in his eyes, admiration or irritation? She could not tell.

"He's to be made ready in four hours."

A spike of disappointment hit her gut hard but she tried not to show it. "So soon?" she enquired.

"We are to rendezvous at the Resistance base where we will destroy both it and their entire remaining fleet. Once that is achieved we will then convene with the Supremacy where Ren is to be transferred."

There was an end to that sentence that Hux did not say but Aneep knew exactly what he was thinking…"where Ren is to be transferred permanently with any hope."

The General turned and visibly puffed out his chest as he spoke, "I do not anticipate that the destruction of the Resistance will take long." A small thin smile played about his lips.

"His final victory is at hand, no wonder he preens so." She thought to herself.

Aneep shot him a wary smile in return. She hoped for his sake that everything went as he had planned for the Supreme Leader did not take kindly to failure.

"I will be sure to move the Commander in around two hours time then General."

"We should have dropped out of hyperspace by then and be right at the Resistances' door step." He looked like he relished the thought of seeing those ships destroyed. He had probably worked his whole career with that one aim in mind and she hoped he'd find the moment satisfying after all those years of hard work. A question nagged in her own mind now and she found herself asking it without thinking.

"Sir, might I ask why we cannot use Starkiller Base to destroy the Resistance's planet?"

Hux prickled at the question. "I am surprised you have not heard."

"I have been busy." She waved her hand in the direction of the tank. She was intrigued now and moved a little closer to him waiting for his response. He gave it reluctantly.

"The Resistance scum somehow destroyed the base." He did not look at her as he said it, he just continued to peer blindly into the blacked-out tank.

Flabbergasted, Aneep blinked at the shock of the news and exhaled deeply. "That is a blow" was all she could muster to say after a pronounced pause.

Hux's cheeks flushed in frustration, "It will be rectified soon enough. We now know the location of their base and what remains of their pitiful fleet. Soon enough there will be no Resistance left in the Galaxy and the First Order will reign supreme at last." He spoke it as though it had been learnt by rote. Like he'd had to repeat it to himself everyday until it was burned into his brain.

"He's trying to convince himself," She thought, "and he'll need that confidence. If he fails again then I imagine that it will be his head on the block."

Another thought occurred that worried her suddenly. "Perhaps Kylo was also implicated in this disaster." She hoped that was not the case for she'd hate to think of him being in any danger.

"Is it true?" she thought to him. There was no reply and her heart fell- his silence was all the answer she needed.

Completely crest fallen now she almost didn't hear Hux's affirmation that he would check in on Ren's status in two hours' time, but part of her brain clocked the implied slight against her work ethic and her tongue lashed out without thinking.

"Do you not trust that I will see it done?" There was no disguising the anger in her voice this time. Hux looked perplexed and then annoyed at her insubordinate outburst.

"Our Supreme Leader was very specific in his instruction." He replied curly.

"They cannot fail him again." Aneep thought sadly, and for the first time ever felt sympathy for both Hux and Kylo for their close relationships with Leader Snoke.

"Yes Sir. Of course. I apologise." She stood to attention and bowed her head slightly in a somewhat elaborate show of respect. It worked. Hux nodded, the rustle of his overcoat signalling his retreat as he swept out of the room.

Aneep was left alone once again in a silent room with a darkened bacta tank and her own bitter disappointment.

Now she was afraid for the man in the tank. She'd patched him up only to turn him out into worse dangers. She might never see him again after today, and this is where her own more selfish feelings began to take over. She'd never have the chance to be with him in the way she wanted to, the way she'd hoped to.

She'd ended up falling for a mirage. The drought was far from over.