That Night
Anika can't sleep. Between replaying the brief kiss with Matt, and over analyzing him checking the shuttle for sabotage, she's wide awake. She tries to rationalize with herself. Perhaps Matt was a much better technician with shuttle systems than radar relays. He could have expertise with something she was unaware of, that made him suited to the task.
But still, Anika thinks it's odd they didn't have someone more established on the base do the job. Who had even asked Matt to check for sabotage? He didn't say. It had to be someone high up, to make such a request. Perhaps Commander Ren himself? Or General Hux?
Anika sighs, sitting up to try to fluff her pillow. Wherever the First Order got their standard issue bedding from, the stuff was horrendous. Scratchy sheets, and limp pillows that were practically useless. I bet there's prisons with better beds…
She gives up, letting herself flop back down into bed on the unsatisfactory lump of a pillow. She replays the kiss for what feels like the hundredth time in her memory, letting her eyes drift closed. She recalls the way Matt had held his breath, their lips clinging, even as he slowly dragged himself away.
It was such a small thing, really. Barely more than a peck. But Anika finds herself grinning like a giddy teenager, there in the dark. It meant more, didn't it? Matt wouldn't kiss me, if he didn't like me too…right? The thought makes her so content, she might actually be able to fall asleep. She could dream of Matt's warm brown eyes, under that mess of blonde hair.
But sleep doesn't come. No sooner does she picture Matt's cute face, than it's replaced by the black mask of Commander Ren. A dark void where human eyes should be, a robotic voice that is downright sinister. Somewhere in her darkened quarters, Anika knows the teddy bear is laying where she'd dropped it. Lurking, more aptly, like a reminder of whatever intentions her superior suddenly had towards her.
Kriff…
Maybe if she made it known around base that her and Matt were a thing, the commander would back off. Gossip spread incredibly fast, at least. It was worth a shot, assuming things with Matt continued in a positive direction…
Though, there's a part of Anika that she doesn't want to admit is there. Somewhere, deep down…buried underneath her anxiety…she's curious.
What would a man like Commander Ren really be like in private? Would he be the dominating, controlling figure of her fantasies? She'd built him up, practically fetishized him into some sexy phantom that starred in her depraved delusions. It was made all the easier by the fact that he wore that all-black outfit, storming around like rage incarnate. But what if, underneath that, was something else… something tempting?
No! No… Not going there, brain. Not tonight. Go to sleep, you idiot.
Morning
Anika is disappointed when she gets to her work station, only to see no sign of Matt. She gets to work anyway, assuming he is assigned somewhere else for the day. But by halfway through her shift, she is getting curious. Mostly, she wants to know when she'll next see him.
She ends up using her lunch break to check her datapad, bringing up the work schedule for technicians. She scans it, only to frown when Matt's name is nowhere on the schedule. Huh?
Anika scrolls up, bumping the icon to move to the next day of the schedule. A moment later, her brow is crumpling in confusion. Matt is nowhere on the schedule for the following day, either. Within minutes, she's checked the whole week. It's like Matt has disappeared from the technician ranks.
This isn't good…Oh this really, really isn't good…
Why wouldn't he be on the schedule? Even if he'd been granted a day off, or two, he still should be on there for the rest of the week. Anika ignores her tray of food, mind searching for a logical explanation. But she can't find one, beginning to panic instead.
What if Matt had found something he shouldn't have? What if whoever was to blame for the sabotage, had wanted to stop him?
Anika sends a message to Matt, hopeful that he'll respond quickly. But when several minutes go by without a response, she stands. She picks up her still-full tray of food. The last thing she wants to do is force down the unappetizing food, while worried about Matt's safety. If he's in danger, she wants to help. Assuming it's not already too late.
Shit, shit, shitshitshit… Matt has to be okay, she reasons. Surely there is some other… random… currently hard to imagine… reason why he's not on the schedule!? Anika tries to convince herself she's overreacting. It would hardly be the first time.
She carries her tray to the trashcan, dumping the sausage and its too-soggy bun in. She slides the empty tray onto the return shelf above the garbage, turning around only to practically run into a stormtrooper. He still has his helmet on, and he looks between her and the trash.
"What? You not a fan of sausages?" he asks, grabbing at his crotch. He looks back towards his buddies, sitting at a nearby table. Only one of them humors him with a laugh.
Anika narrows her eyes, recognizing his voice. "Tim. I'm so glad you're back to work," she drawls. "Maybe next time Commander Ren can throw you into something a little more deadly." Like a sarlacc pit…
She shoves passed him, ignoring his attempts at a comeback. She's got a destination in mind, and she isn't about to get distracted.
Hangar Bay
Anika heads straight to the hangar, intent on checking a few things for herself. She wants to get an idea for Matt's recent whereabouts, to know exactly when he was examining the shuttle. It's even possible he's still working on it, going through the systems. But if not, she can use the access logs for the hangar security system to see exactly when he entered and exited the bay.
She punches her credentials into the large door, darting inside when it slides open. The wreckage of the shuttle is still there, out in the middle of the bay. What remains is charred black, parts of the metal looking melted. She doesn't see Matt.
Anika turns her attention to the computer console inside the door, quickly bringing up access records. But her face falls when Matt's name or employee number is not there. In fact, the only individual to have accessed that particular bay the night before was Commander Ren himself.
What the… Of course, it made sense that Commander Ren might come back to examine the shuttle. Especially if he believed the sabotage was intended to kill him. But that doesn't explain why Matt isn't in the log…
Had he lied to her, about where he was going? Anika's stomach sinks. Had he been making up an excuse, to extricate himself from her advances? But no… She was going to leave, he'd stopped her. He had initiated the second kiss. Why would he lie about having to leave, after stopping her to kiss her properly?
She logs out of the system, beyond frustrated. Someone could have cleared the log… But why? Unless…
Anika bites at her lip nervously. Unless they were trying to hide something…
There was a second, more roundabout way to see who was in the bay, and during what times… Assuming the individual had a commlink or datapad on them, the device would link up to the nearest network router. The entire base's system recorded which devices were being used in what areas, constantly. Anika frowns, knowing she probably wouldn't have permission to check such a thing.
But what if someone had cleared the access log? Wouldn't it be worth it to figure out what was being hidden? Especially if something bad is happening with Matt…
Mind made up, she gets on the system a second time. She makes quick work of getting into the network access history, scanning for Matt's employee number in the list of devices in the hangar bay. But yet again, she is disappointed to see that he is missing.
What the kriff…
However, it becomes immediately clear that someone did alter the access log. After Commander Ren left the bay the previous night, another device is listed as being active for eight minutes. Anika squints at the employee number, not recognizing it immediately. She pulls her datapad out, using it to search the ID.
She gets a terrible feeling when the result pops up. Her supervisor was in the hangar bay last night, and must have cleared herself off the access log. What are you up to, Patty?
She scrolls through the history, passed the middle part of the prior day. There's her own device, Ren's again, the stormtroopers, various pilots… And Patty's datapad, again. Anika raises her eyebrows at the times recorded. Her supervisor had accessed the bay in the middle of the night, before the day of the commander's scheduled mission.
Anika plugs her datapad in, copying the information to it. She doesn't want to risk losing the only evidence she has. Whether her supervisor has an innocent explanation or not, someone is tampering with access logs. At the very least, she thinks, that is suspicious.
But it still doesn't explain where Matt is…
Later, Medbay
"Darial-"
"You're not dying, Anika."
"I really am this time, though," Anika argues, impatient. She needs to tell someone, needs to get advice. She has no idea how to handle the situation, and she's too worried about Matt.
"You're going to need to wait, I have a patient," Darial insists, gesturing down at the man on the guerney between them.
"What? He looks fine," Anika retorts dismissively.
"He needs stitches!" Darial snaps, threading a needle.
"Lady, do you not see the bloody gash that used to be my shin?" the man snaps.
Anika takes a second to actually look down at him, wrinkling up her nose in disgust. His leg is indeed torn open in a long, jagged cut. "Okay, fine, you got me there…"
She leaves them to it, pacing in the waiting area of the medbay instead. When Darial is done a few minutes later, she tows Anika into the supply room to talk. Anika rambles quickly, pouring out all of her concerns over Matt and what she found on the hangar bay security system.
Darial's face grows more alarmed by the second. When Anika is finally done explaining the cause of her most recent panic, her friend looks as worried as she feels.
"This is very bad, Anika…" Darial says, voice low. "Your supervisor could be covering her tracks, if she was trying to get the commander killed."
"I know! Why do you think I ran in here like my head is on fire!?"
"Has Matt messaged you back?"
Anika consults her device quickly before shaking her head. "No. Still nothing."
"You have to go to someone," Darial insists. "Someone way above Patty. You have to report this! What if she is guilty, and finds out you are onto her?"
Anika gulps. "Okay, but who?"
Darial drops her eyes, making a face towards the floor. "I mean… It was Commander Ren's shuttle."
Anika shakes her head, wanting to refuse Darial's suggestion. But she has to consider that it is probably the best solution. Ren would want to know the information she has. And by telling him, she might be able to find out if Matt is okay. It makes perfect sense that I have to tell him… and yet…
"I'd…rather not," she admits, grudgingly.
"Well you could try someone else, but I think the commander might be the only one you can really trust. If someone is trying to kill him, who knows who else might be involved…" Darial argues.
Anika groans. "How do I even…?"
"Message him."
Ten Minutes Later
"Anika! You can't mention the word 'sabotage' in the message, what if your supervisor monitors your communications?" Darial chides.
"Okay, but I can't just say what you said. 'Need to meet with you urgently' sounds like a booty call," Anika retorts, deleting the message yet again.
"No, it doesn't," her friend snaps back, irritated. "Just say… You have important information regarding the mission you were scheduled for. And that you need to meet him in person."
"I really don't see why I can't just message him the important information-"
"Do you know where Matt is right now?" Darial demands.
Anika falls silent, frowning. "No…"
"And that is why you aren't sending sensitive information over comms," Darial argues. "Because if something bad happened to him, you don't want to be next! You know what… Come on."
Anika makes a noise of protest as Darial grabs her arm, pulling her from the supply area. "What are you doing?"
"Taking you to the bridge," Darial replies.
"What!? Why? We can't just barge up to Commander Ren-"
"Mitaka owes me a favor. I'll see if he can get you a meeting," her friend explains.
Anika trudges along dutifully as Darial leads her from the medbay, her stomach jumping with nerves. She really doesn't want to talk to Commander Ren. The thought of staring down his mask, while trying to not remember all the weird fantasies she'd imagined is too much. But what if he already knew all of them? What if he'd been paying attention to her thoughts, long before she realized? Why am I a bumbling moron…
"I'm going to throw up," Anika groans as they get closer to the bridge.
"Keep it together. You have to do this to help Matt," Darial points out, voice sympathetic.
Right, Matt. I have to find out if Matt is okay.
She tries to focus on that, as Darial leaves her fidgeting nervously next to the entrance to the bridge. Her friend approaches one of the lieutenants, speaking lowly. Matt better be okay… I only got to kiss him once. I swear if Patty did something to him, I'm going to shove her into a trash compactor.
Row, row, row your boss, gently into the trash- She jumps at a male voice, turning to realize Darial and the lieutenant have come over.
"I can get you in a room with him, but fair warning, he's in a mood today," Mitaka says solemnly.
"Fantastic," Anika replies weakly. "Thank you so much."
Mitaka nods, leading her towards one of the meeting rooms in the rear, away from the main control center. "Wait here. Commander Ren's on his way back with General Hux, it should only be a few minutes."
Anika nods, only to panic when Darial starts to leave the room with the lieutenant. "Wait! You aren't staying!?" she calls after her friend.
"I'll be right outside in the bridge," Darial tries to soothe her. "It'll be okay. Just get right to the point, don't ramble like you usually do."
"Right. Of course," Anika agrees. "Wait, I ramble? I don't think I ramble. I mean sometimes I talk too much when no one else is talking, but I would stop if someone else-"
"Anika, sit down. Take some deep breaths," Darial suggests.
Anika nods, pulling out one of the chairs around the meeting table while Darial and Mitaka retreat. She can still see them, if she cranes her neck. They're standing in front of one of the vast windows, talking near a computer terminal. She watches for a few minutes, trying to not let her mind get carried away. Mitaka disappears at one point, leaving Darial to stare out at the stars beyond the bridge alone. Anika fights the irrational urge to flee the meeting room, or to drag Darial back into it with her.
Matt… I have to do this, for Matt…
She can tell when someone higher up has entered the bridge. The officers she spots out the doorway snap up straighter, their body language hinting at the proximity of a superior. A moment later, and Anika sees the immediately recognizable red hair of General Hux. Her eyes narrow as the general wastes no time at all approaching Darial.
I knew it, you little man skank…
He'd had his eyes on Darial at the last party on base, watching her like a hungry hawk from across the room. Darial had been oblivious, and later denied the observations. But as Anika watches now, her friend is practically giggling with the attention. No…She actually is giggling.
Anika leans forward even farther, sprawling herself out onto the table to continue spying on them. The chair she's in groans, its balance tested as she rocks forward on the wheels at its base. She makes a disgusted face as their flirting escalates, an exaggerated gagging noise leaving her mouth when Hux's hand finds its way to Darial's arm.
What is Darial thinking? Didn't she hear the rumors about Hux? The man went through lovers like a Hutt went through Tarisian ale. The contents of General Hux's pants were vastly more well-known on base than the literal face of Commander Ren. Ugh, he's a grade A, certified, nasty piece of-
"Man skank?"
Anika shrieks at the mechanized voice of Commander Ren, coming from directly behind her. She jerks away from it, and that last little motion is enough to tip the balance of the chair. It dumps her forward, but she at least manages to catch herself on the table. She scrambles upright, whirling around to see that the commander has crept up silently in back of her.
He's standing there, like a huge, menacing statue. Just watching her clumsy antics, his dark mask unreadable.
"C-Commander Ren! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you come in," Anika rushes to apologize. "I wouldn't have stayed seated if I knew you were here-how did I miss you, I was staring right at the door? It doesn't matter, I'm sorr-"
"Stop."
Her babbling is cut off by his order, and she realizes her mouth is hanging open a bit still. She closes it, confused as Ren raises his hand in the air. But he gestures, pointing his thumb back behind his back. There's a second door to the meeting room, one she hadn't even noticed.
Anika feels her face heat up with a scorching blush. Of course. Right. Second door. Kriff, should I say something else? He's just staring at me. Is he expecting me to talk? Or does he want to talk? The moment of silence between them is starting to become awkward before he finally breaks it.
"Mitaka said you had something urgent to speak with me about," Ren says. "And yet all that seems to be on your mind is the sexual proclivities of your general."
"I-I wasn't-" she tries to deny, to stretch for some excuse. But she doesn't get far.
"You were."
Ren's tone is final, and she doesn't dare argue. To her horror, the door to the bridge slides shut. Neither of them moved near the control panel, but it seals itself regardless. Anika realizes he must have done it with the force, and swallows nervously.
"How much time do you spend, pondering the sex lives of your superiors?" Ren asks, his voice somehow dropping even deeper from within the helmet.
Anika's eyes widen in panic at the question, searching the black emptiness of his mask. He takes a step forward, and she freezes like a trapped animal. Her back is to the table, she has no room to retreat. His presence is so intimidating this close, she has to remind herself to keep breathing.
"I-I'm sorry Sir. For thinking about General Hux's private affairs," she stutters out.
"Are you sorry?"
Her lips part at his tone, unsure if she really heard it correctly. Could the mask's effect on his voice be playing tricks on her? It almost sounded…Flirtatious.
"I am sorry," Anika confirms, voice small.
"Is that all you're sorry for?" Ren presses, stepping even closer.
She has to tilt her head to look up at him, before she second guesses herself. She drops her gaze to the floor, wondering if she should be staring into the void where his eyes would be. Anika's heart is pounding hard in her chest as she tries to answer carefully.
"I'm not sure what else I would be sorry for, Sir," she replies.
Another step, and Commander Ren's black boots meet her gaze. Her breath leaves her lips in a trembling exhale when the commander reaches out. The fingertips of his leather gloves ghost down her cheek, curving under her chin to force her head up. Her eyes raise to search his mask yet again as he answers her.
"I'll forgive you for lying, just this one time," Ren growls quietly. "Since you don't know any better."
Anika licks her lips before she catches herself, trying to force her face to remain still. She's scared and mortified. Partially because he's calling her bluff, but also because her body is a complete traitor. Something about the commander holding her face up towards his mask, his deep voice putting her on the spot… It's too much like one of her fantasies. Anika realizes there's something more than anxiety dancing in her belly.
The commander's fingers linger, cool leather on her skin as he continues. "From now on, you might as well not bother lying to me. I can always tell. Do you want to know how?"
She takes a quick breath. "How, Sir?"
"I can feel it in your body," Ren explains, bending closer. The mask comes near her face, she can hear the filtered sounds of his breath. "I can feel the way your muscles tense, the nerves firing along your spine. You breathe faster, shallower. Lying is a feeling close to excitement, isn't it?"
Anika's mouth is hanging agape, as she doesn't know what to do. What does he want her to say? Should she apologize? Beg for her life? It's undeniable now. Her stupid body is aroused, hovering between lust and fear. It's helped along by the way he practically purred to her in that dangerous, altered voice of his, as if he knows exactly what he's doing to her…
Is he… playing with me? The thought is incredulous to her, but yet… Between the gifts, and his behavior now, she's nearly certain that is the case. For one long moment she's stuck staring at him, at a loss for words.
But then Commander Ren pulls his hand away, stepping back. "You're going to tell me exactly what was so urgent. Now."