"Sir. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have some disturbing news..." General Hux bowed his head as the doors opened to the darkened room. He did not enter.

"It had better be important for you to disturb me in my private quarters General." Ren barked, anger dripping from each syllable.

Hux glanced up slightly, unnerved by the sight of the mask and the ferocity of the voice speaking to him.

"It is, or else I would not have bothered you. One of the troopers has been found dead in their quarters on deck eighteen..." Hux started to explain.

"So, General ? We have a lot of troopers. Surely you can handle drafting in a replacement, or is that beyond you ?"

"Well. Yes...or...erm... I mean No. The thing is. This trooper...she was flagged up in the database when they were processing her after she was found. Her records seemed to suggest that ...erm..." Hux let his words fade away, unable to find a diplomatic way to continue without antagonising Ren further.

"Go on General..."

Hux was more aware than most of Ren's short temper, so he paused while he searched for the right words.

"Well. It was strange for a trooper. The records suggested that she might be special ops...that she likely reported directly to you..."

Ren stared at Hux. He did not need to use the force to sense his apprehension. "What was the troopers designation?"

"SF-9178."

"Leave me." Ren snarled, his rage building.

Ren wasn't bothered about the loss of one spy. He would get another, that was the nature of their role. It was who she had been spying on that bothered him.

Captain Shade.

He knew this couldn't be a coincidence.

Ren let his rage consume him, feeling the dark side of the force following through him. He left his quarters and stood in the corridor, arms outstretched. He roared as the panels of the walls flew away, twisted and broken.

"Just make sure these items are delivered to my drop ship tonight. No excuses."

Shade ordered the grey jumpsuited storeman.

"of course Captain"

She watched as he saluted and then walked away from her, down well stocked shelves. He disappeared from view as he turned the corner at the end of the shelves.

This is all too easy. She mused.

The items she had requested weren't strictly required for her given mission, but they would certainly come in useful for her own plans. Shade had reasoned to herself that if she was going to get away from the First Order then there was an irony that she should use First Order equipment to do it.

She turned to leave the stores as her communicator sounded.

"Please report to the bridge, Captain. Immediately." The voice said, causing Shade to frown.