Phasma paced back and forth like a sentry guard on post —and judging by the situation she currently found herself in, she supposed that's exactly what she was.

It had been a long time since Kylo Ren had left her in his training room with his unconscious Apprentice. Beyond the open blast door leading to the Commander's personal med bay, Phasma's eyes darted to where the girl still slept across an elongated recovery table.

It wasn't a peaceful rest and Phasma didn't need to keep stopping in her tracks to check on the girl to know it. She didn't need to catch the glimpses of her continuously scrunched up face, or the slight sheen of perspiration that glistened along her hairline and cheeks under the bright white tech lights beaming down overhead. Phasma didn't need to look at her at all to hear the little whimpers she made, signifying the discomfort or pain she must have been in. Not while she could hear every time the girl shifted as though fighting against an invisible terror, haunting her from somewhere in her head.

Once or twice she'd caught the Commander in the same state during his sleep, though it was a very rare thing to ever catch the young leader of the Knights of Ren sleeping at all, rather he preferred to meditate. The few times Phasma had witnessed this Force user trick, he looked more like a powered down droid; still to the point of near lifelessness. Even on their longest running missions together it was unlikely to catch the man with his guard down. Phasma understood how living in such a harsh, unkind world as theirs could make one feel as though they were never safe, not even amongst allies, who more often than not, felt like enemies. The First Order was a cut throat environment, full of young prideful men and woman who were typically out for their own advancement of wealth and power.

Kylo Ren had seemed to be out for the later, yet to her surprise, he'd never seemed to enjoy wielding any of what he had gained, not even Force related, though at least in that department the young warrior had learned to display that power enough to keep himself safe. Perhaps because he understood the truth of it; power meant responsibility, and always having a target on your back. The young man came to the Order with that ailment already. Since the Fall of the old Empire Force users such as the commander were hunted down and either forced into some sort of servitude, or destroyed. There were very few places they could hide, and none as successful as the Commander's late uncle's, Jedi Temple. Whether it had been intentional or not, both Skywalker and Snoke had made sure that the Sith nor the Jedi rose again.

Perhaps that's why Phasma had pitied Kylo Ren in the beginning. He was not only a Force user, but a very strong one. In the beginning he'd also lacked a sense of maturity and self worth, making him the perfect prey for one such as their First Order Leader, who was undoubtedly a creature of using everything and everyone at his disposal if it brought him closer to his own goals. At such an early disadvantage, Kylo Ren would never properly use the power he had, no matter how hard he worked to hone it, not if he couldn't figure out who he was or his own personal worth... no one could. Such is the human condition.

Because of the young male's ability to bare the weight of responsibility for those around him, especially those under his care or command, the pity for the boy shifted quickly to respect. It was a rare thing to find someone willing to burden themselves with the suffering of others, but a young Ren, had. This was a trait of either a good leader, not just one to use and abuse, blame and punish, or a poor one, which was most common among the First Order Officers. Even with good intentions, caring about the outcomes others... it was another weakness, if left unrefined. In the beginning the boy held every wrong on his back, carried the punishment of everyone around him as though he were the reason for their failures and the Supreme Leader, and rats like Hux, knew just how to utilize this softness of his. Back then, Kylo Ren was quick to disappear into the shadows, segregating himself from everything and everyone else in the Order... except for his Knights.

It was not until sometime over a year ago that the young man started to harden to the suffering of others. Not until after rumors of the missing Jedi surfaced and became all the boy thought about. Until shortly after...
—Then came the girl... And everything changed again. But Phasma wondered, was it for the better?

Rey's arms wrapped around herself protectively, and she shivered along the med table, her brows pulling tightly together as she whimpered.

Indeed, Phasma was perceptive, but unfortunately, she was not omnipotent. In fact the only power she held was of a humanly quality. There were many times she wished that she was of another species. Maybe something of the type which stood, looking at the girl now...

The Captain side eyed the youngling as he gazed equally enamored by the girl on the table as she was.

"Well?" Phasma asked, exasperated at the whole damn situation.

"She's really pretty, isn't she?"

Tilting her head towards the youngling gazing at the sleeping girl on the med table, Phasma's light golden brows furrowed beneath her helmet.

She sighed loud enough to be heard through the piece, causing the little Nautolan, youngling to shift uncomfortably.

"That seems to be the consensus, yes." She conceded to the enraptured youngling. "But your opinion on her aesthetics was not why I asked you here, SQ-165." Phasma, reminded.

The young boy nodded and leaning closer to the girl, he felt through the space above and around her sleeping form until he was in tune with her very chemistry, and then, he was feeling with her, along side her. Through her pheromones he could sense her fear, taste the physicality of her pain on her skin like the salt of his home world ocean, on his tongue. He didn't have to touch her. No contact was necessary. The chemical reactions her body gave off hung as a thick pressure in the room, like an electric fog settling in the air and he was a lightning rod, picking up on even the slightest changes in her static field. His racial gifts worked like a computer translating pheromones into simple data for him to analyze. Some of it was mathematical but most of it, he just understood instinctually.

There was both a mental stress and a physical pain to how her body chemically reacted and he knew this explanation was not going to be welcomed by the Captain, no matter how true his analysis of the situation was.
Fidgeting with the silver cuff around his left wrist, he couldn't help but want to give her more of an answer. A deeper explanation that only he could really give her, but his Master had forbid him... Lean, slender fingertips ran over the shiny band, thoughtfully.

"From what I can tell, it's both physical and mental." He sheepishly conceded to his Captain, knowing it wasn't a very helpful analysis. "Could be a nightmare..." The youngling's words trailed off when the girl shook again on the table, this time more violently than before.

"—Or something else entirely..." Phasma gave words to the expression the amphibious child adopted in place of his failing ones.

"When the Commander first left her with me, she was sleeping peacefully." Phasma shifted her weight from one chrome plated foot to the other. "That was some time ago, and since then her... discomfort, has only gotten worse." The Captain hastily made her way to the girl's side. She placed both hands on her shoulders, holding the smaller woman's upper body down to keep her from rolling off the table.

"What I want to know is, is it Force related?" She finally asked bluntly.

Again the little Nautolan, found himself fidgeting with his bracelet. His right hand wrapped around the smooth piece and he squeezed tightly. "I don't... I don't know." He sighed, deflated and defeated by the promise he made to his Master. He wanted to help. Really he did. At his age and size, he wasn't of much use to his Master or the Knights... and he liked Phasma. She was hard on him, but always fair, maybe even kind from time to rare time.
—At least, she'd never hurt him. And before now, she'd never asked anything but this from him either... and here he was, useless.

After a long moment where the girl had stopped shaking, Phasma released her grip on her. Her shoulder turned in the direction on the youngling across from her.

"What exactly, do you do, for the Knights?" Phasma hadn't meant to sound so skeptical, but the curiosity was there none the less. Could his ability to detect and read pheromones be so valuable that Ren was willing to give protection and residency amongst his very secretive knights of Ren if the youngling had no Force capabilities?

SQ-165 noted how her voice didn't seem to have a single hint of the malice or disgust which he'd expected in response to his shortcomings. Rather, he sensed a genuine curiosity in her pheromones and found a complete lack of the contempt he expected to be met with in the aftermath of his failure to assist her.

His hand fell away from the trinket at his wrist. "I manage this place."

The boy initially meant to gesture to the space around them, but instead slide behind his head and he swiped under a long tentacle to rub at the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, not exactly here, though I've learned a thing or two loitering around the med bay, what I mean is, I take care of the equipment and maintain the gear and personnel training quarters for all the Knights and Master Ren."

"Hmm." The Captain eyed him suspiciously from behind her helmet before returning her attention back to the young woman who seemed to finally go calm on the table.

The youngling shifted the conversation. "Whatever stress she was under... it seems to have dissipated again."

"Yes, I see that." The massive woman stated dryly. She took a few well calculated steps back, her eyes never leaving the unconscious body on the med table, and even while in the bulky, metallic armor she donned, was able to quietly sit down on a bench nearby without making hardly any noise at all.

The boy took note of how keen the soldier was. —of how she knew exactly how far the bench at her back had been from the point of when she'd entered the room, to when she'd made her way to the sleeping woman's side. This was an exact example of the observations he wanted to learn from the warriors around him.

"So you're not training in the Force like the others..." Phasma asked, still eyeing the girl on the table wearily, as if at any moment she expected her to start shaking again, because she had several times in the past half hour or so.

"S-Stars no!" The boy exclaimed almost too quickly. "Master Ren tells me I have to be physically and mentally prepared before I can train with the Knights. If I have to be stronger, than that's just what I intend to do! But until then I'm going to serve the Knights in the best way I know how and I'm going to learn everything I can from watching them as I do!" The boy went on an enthusiastic rant, his passion growing the more he spoke.

"—Sorry I asked..." It was under her breath, but the Nautolan still caught the gist of her feelings through what she couldn't control in her body's pheromones.

The youngling couldn't understand why, but the notion of him wanting to become one of Kylo Ren's Knights, did not impress her one bit. In fact, he could sense how off putting his enthusiasm was to her.

Phasma had hoped the boy could tell her if the affliction the young woman Ren had left in her care was due to the Force or not, and short of asking one of his armor clad, hounds, she didn't know how to find out... but then he'd come here to clean up the space after assuming his Master and his Knights had finished training for the time. That's when Phasma had thought to ask the youngling... but her inquiry had failed and now she was deciding on whether he'd be able to find Ren if she asked him to. The problem was, she couldn't recall a time since his arrival here that she'd seen him ever wandering about the massive destroyer, so she thought better about requesting he do so now on her account.

Phasma continued to stare at the young woman across from her. She looked delicate, yet even sleeping, there was something strong about her. Her physique suggested she lived a life the required a certain amount of endurance and strength. She was thin, but seeing the girl in the med bay the day before last, Phasma had first hand knowledge of just how capable the slender woman was... at least when armed with a pole against a few scrappy med bots. And after that, more then once, she'd witnessed her standing toe to toe with Ren himself, and supposedly she was the one responsible for his injuries back on the StarKiller. At this very moment there was a Knight on his back in another med bay and again, she'd supposedly put him there...

It occurred to Phasma then, that both times she'd met this girl had been in med bays and her eyes narrowed in on her unconscious form. She may be strong, but clearly not strong enough... still, there was more to her than what meets the eye. But that didn't mean she couldn't also be just as capable of being the Commander's downfall. Certainly Kylo Ren was infatuated with her and the Captain could understand why, but how long could that really last anyway?

That thought passed just as she noticed how the young boy in the room was staring at her Commander's Apprentice.

"You'd best be cautious eyeing that girl so dreamily youngling, she's nothing but trouble." Phasma grumbled.

He cocked his dark cyan colored head to the left as though in deep thought, the short, slightly darker teal tentacles on either side of his head, jiggling with the curious motion. "You don't like her." The youngling stated, astutely.

Phasma rose to her feet. She was tired of waiting for either the girl to wake or for Ren to return for her.

Without changing the direction of his head, the youngling continued to make statements based off his observations. "And, you're very restless." He narrated everything her body movements and pheromones dictated to him as it happened in real time.

"Not that it's any of your business," The Captain crossed her armored arms over her steeled chest as she spoke, "but I don't like the kind of trouble that comes with her."

There was a mix of sarcasm and a slight hint of scolding to her tone that warned the young one to be careful of how far he pushed his open observations of his superior.

Large, almond inlaid eyes peered up at her, and Phasma knew the boy was staring into her, reading what he could not see through how she looked, but of how she felt to him. The Captain dismissively turned away from the girl she'd somehow gotten charged with babysitting... again.

"Let the little Nautolan take charge of her... it's not like she's currently going anywhere anyway." —Was how she wanted to handle the situation. Everything in her warning her to rebel rather than be near any part of whatever this girl was to her, Commander. Somehow she just knew this whole thing was going to come down around them... on all of them!

—Instead however, she fought against her better judgment, her natural instincts telling her to get as far away from the ticking time bomb as humanly possible... but, Phasma froze at the door's exit, unable to chance the wrath of Ren, should anything happen to the young woman behind her... he'd left here on edge, unhinged enough to storm his way to the Supreme Leader's holo chamber. There was a good chance Ren would spend the next fortnight in a re-conditioning chamber himself, simply for entering Lord Snoke's chamber in such a disobedient manner.

Serves him right! Brining her here.

Phasma consciously sighed. She didn't really mean that, but Hoth, if she didn't already have her hands full with this kriffing war! If Kylo Ren stayed on their side, the Order was sure to win. It was only a matter of time... but with this girl here —and from the Resistance none the less, what side would she stand on? Where would her allegiances be when it came down to the wire?

Rey's body lifted off the table in such a sudden movement that Phasma was actually startled. The girl's back contorted and she gasped for air, her hands finding the edges of the table as her body lifted off the padding beneath her. The Captain was quick to recover herself and she was already making her way to Ren's apprentice when the girl lept off the table. It happened so fast; one second she was out cold and the next she was on her feet and still going, she was still moving, dropping down to her knees and bending her head over the durasteel floor in a manner which she'd only even seen Kylo Ren do before his own Master one other time as she was not permitted to view their meetings in his holo chamber.

Phasma's metallic helm turned in the direction of the Nautolan questioningly. The young man was staring transfixed on the sight but he was doing more than just looking at her. He was reading her pheromones: distress, fear, determination... Many things were flooding his senses to the point where he was almost on overload and he didn't know how to respond to everything coming off of her like a tidal wave breaking over the shores of his home world.

He just shook his head, trying but failing to pick one thing out over another before being hit by something else.

Phasma turned her attention back to Rey who was now bitting down through clamped teeth. She reached out to her, placing a cautious hand on the girl's arm for just a second before jerking it quickly away. The shining trooper stood back, mystified by the heat she'd felt on Rey's skin. A heat of a high enough temperature to be felt through even the glove protecting Phasma's hand.

"What the Hoth is happening?"

NQ-165 was also backing away. He couldn't answer his Captain. Not with anything sensible. He was simply too overwhelmed, too unsure of what to say in response to what he was picking up in the moment.

"I—I don't know." Was all he could currently muster. His hand reached for the bangle on his left wrist and he pulled... but before the band slid off in his fingers, another, much larger hand fell over his, haulting the process with one tight squeeze.

The Nautolan's head shot up just in time to catch the very large, very fast shadow of a man moving through the space towards the girl on the ground just as her body shot upward and her eyes began to glow as though some unseen light were being reflected out through them.

All at once the scene was clear to SQ; the knight was breezing past he and Phasma, positioning himself between them and Rey to catch a sudden outward push of Rey's Force as it exploded free from her palms. The knight had rushed in so fast, throwing his weight into the direction of the blast to absorb most of the recoil that followed that the Nautolan hadn't even sensed his added pheromones in the room before it all transpired. And id he hadn't suddenly been there to intervene, Phasma would have received the hit directly as she was the first one rushing towards the wayward girl... and even still, SQ-165 may have just as easily been hit by the wave of energy himself if not for the wall of a back that he was staring into now.

Recognizing the Fourth of his Master's knights by his size alone, the Nautolan verbally identified the new figure in the room. "D-Jynn...?" The boy mouthed in shock.

Thanks to years of combat honed reflexes Phasma processed the movement in the room well before she had time to decipher identities or intentions. As quickly as the new figure appeared, she pulled her quicksilver baton. The huge blur of darkness was faster than it's size should realistically allot for and it took her mind a few moments to catch up to the realization that it was a Kriffing Knight of Ren who'd caught her off guard well enough to get between her and her charge.

Dark garb and armor, weapons tucked here and there catching her eyes as they investigated the level of threat posed, and finally the unmistakable masked helmet. It was certainly one of Ren's hounds, but what were his intentions... and what just transpired between he and the girl he'd just lunged at, only to be Force blasted backwards a couple of feet.

Phasma stepped closer to Rey but having already recovered his balance, so had the knight. The intruder was already to close to extend her weapon before the Knight was fully in her space. The girl was breathing heavily now, her head bowed los again and her body and hands flattened over her thighs as she tried to regain control of herself. Phasma could also hear Rey mumbling something, but she couldn't make out what it was. More alarmingly, the knight had moved his attention from the girl to Phasma, herself.

The hulking form of the largest of Ren's knights, was standing so close that if Phasma activated her weapon now, she'd skewer the At-At of a giant, which she didn't necessarily see as a bad thing, but first he would explain himself.

The Knight's mask was already trained on hers and Phasma lost sight of youngling's form hidden behind the trunk of the creature's body. She wasn't sure what was staring across from her from behind that mask, but it was certainly unnerving to be within this proximity to the unknown individual, even more so because she wasn't sure of his intentions.

"—Boy?" Phasma's line of sight didn't change as she threw the question into the air, thankful that sound could travel more easily around the mountain of a Knight than her sight could.

The Nautolan child peeked from around the Knight's body and he nodded at the Captain, who still hadn't shifted her helmet away from the wall of a man between them. "I'm ok."

Phasma nodded, both in response to the youngling and up at the knight when she asked, "And your purpose?"

The knight's gaze shifted back the girl on the floor. Rey was still mumbling and her body was still slightly shaking, but she seemed to be attempting to pull herself up from the ground. The knight's position changed and his boots followed suit. He turned, silently offering Phasma his side as he lowered himself beside the girl, who looked infinitely smaller than him in contrast.

"What are you doing?" Her own body followed the line to parallel the Knight, just in case he made anymore sudden movements.

When he knelt in front of the girl, he made no direct attempt to touch her. He was close, so close she could lean forward just a fraction and they'd be touching, but the Knight was so cautious in how he approached her space that it would be by her terms if they made contact.

"He won't hurt her." SQ-165 made light of his specific insights as a creature who specialized in exactly these types of inquiries.

Phasma still hadn't replaced her baton at her side, in fact her grip had painfully tightened and her hand was cramping over her hold on the solid object.

"I think... I think he stopped that girl from blasting us with the Force just now." The Nautolan voiced his insights out loud.

Phasma finally had enough. She clasped her baton back to her side, freeing her hands for the next steps she would take.

"Did your Master send you here?" The question sounded like an accusation, one in which the Knight either felt no inclination to, or cared too little about, to respond to because he chose not to acknowledge it at all. "Well?" Phasma tried again, but the mountain didn't even twitch.

The Nautolan, youngling stepped forward, his cyan tentacles slightly twitching at the ends along his shoulders.

"Kylo Ren ordered it."

As though his name brought her out of a deep trance, Rey's eyes flew open and her head flipped up like a switch in SQ-165's direction. Her mouth trembled and her breathing was loud and erratic. The Knight shifted his torso so that Rey could locate the voice that spoke from behind him.

"ky—Kylo Ren... where? —Where is he?" Her eyes were bloodshot and her skin was damp with lingering perspiration.

The Nautolan was staring back at her, meeting her with unblinking eyes of his own; this wasn't difficult given that his own eyes had no lids to blink with. His small hand flew to the smooth surface of his wrist bangle again and he stuttered back in response.

"I— I don't know..."

Even with his bracelet on, he could feel the presence of the Force lingering around the woman. Where before the amount of her immediate capabilities made him feel more like he was, limited in her capacity to wield it. But now... in stature of the Force, she shadowed over even the Knight kneeling before her.

Phasma was the one to break the building silence in the already tense room. "So you're finally awake. Are you hurt?" She inquired as professionally as she would any other work related issue.

The direction of Rey's head snapped to the Captain who chose that very moment to move to the left of the Knight, rounding off her position so she was no longer cut off from her view.

"N-not me... He needs me."

Rey spoke as though she were in a state of daze. She looked awake; her eyes were open, but she didn't seem to really be looking at any of those around her. And the last of her words were spoken under her breath and wether this was due to embarrassment or desperation, Phasma didn't know. Either way it spoke to the girl's changed demeanor towards Kylo Ren. The softness and concern she was showing for him just by how she spoke... well it was certainly a new and unexpected development. The last time she'd seen her with Kylo Ren, he was bullying her up the ramp of his personal shuttle to come here. Phasma had thought that would be the last time she'd see Ren or the girl, or both; assuming they'd kill each other in route to this very battle cruiser.

Was it a positive development? Or was this concern only really about her own safety —should something happen to the one person willing to pull the stars from the sky to keep her breathing?

"Upon your waking up, Kylo Ren has instructed that I am to immediately return you to your quarters."

Though he hadn't mentioned anything about her shaking, convulsing or nearly blasting anyone in the room with bursts of the Force before hand... Phasma was going to voice some serious concerns the next time she spoke with her Commander in person.

"Wake —waking up?" Rey blinked as though confused by the idea of having just been asleep.

Like the viewport of a ship leaving a searing Jakku for the dense cold of space, her mind was hazy with a thick slick fog she had to wipe away before she could see clearly. She remembered being in his arms; his hand raising in preparation to shut off her mind to his, and with it, her consciousness to the world. But then what did she remember? —He was there. Somewhere tethered to the back of her consciousness, even while she slept under the weight of his mind... but shortly after... he was gone. This was a feeling she was beginning to understand coincided with the presence of his Master.

Even while unconscious, Rey had felt the absence of his end of their bond as if the battle cruiser they all stood in was suddenly devoid of oxygen. Still under the weight of his Force command and while in that state, unable to comprehend the danger she'd put herself or him in, Rey had searched for him. She followed the taught line stretching the distance of time and space between them until she found on his end, pain, hot and searing and worst still, constant. Immediately she recognized its cause. She knew it's familiarity from the first time she'd been caught connected with Kylo's mind while his Master tortured him several long months ago.

  Her eyes squeezed shut and tears creased their corners. That first time... she'd been with Leia and the others; no idea what was ahead of her or how drastically her life was about to change. Her hands wrapped around herself and Rey let her thumbs press into her arms the same as Kylo had done to her back in the steam filled refresher. Heat rose on her cheeks and she squeezed her arms even tighter around herself.

"Tethered..." The recent memory of his voice echoed through, clearing what was remaining of the daze that muddled the memories of what had recently transpired in this room. Presently, she could feel him through the hum of their bond... whatever had happened between he and his master was over, but Kylo was still keeping their line tightly closed from his end. He was purposely keeping her out and the realization of this hurt more than any physical pain she'd ever endured.

Finally, Rey was set in her resolve.

Unsteady on her feet, the former Jedi in training ungracefully pushed herself up from the ground. A thickly armored forearm struck out, pausing in front of her face, not to touch, but to position itself like a bar for her to grab and thankfully, just in time to stop herself from staggering forward and falling in her exhaustion. The knight had been meters from her and yet somehow, it was only now that she noticed him at all. 

As she gripped the mysterious knight's forearm for balance, Rey allowed her eyes to close and she inventoried through the recent memories she'd commandeered from his brethren, looking specifically for signs of this one. Pain drilled at her mind from just beneath the surface of her eyelids while she searched the rubble left of the memories from the Knight Rey had learned was named, Xaurus, and she guiltily wondered if the memory of this pain was her own or his? Was this what he went through while she reeked havoc through his memories?

Not wishing to use the same technique to torture the Knight before her, like she had his comrade, Rey gritted her teeth through the pain of forcing more from her own tired mind as she shuffled through her damaged recollection. She searched for the Knight with the rounded, smooth faced helmet. This Knight's mask lacked the rich detail of the others she'd previously seen. There was no personality to it. Nothing distinguishable beyond its plain and empty nature... but then, maybe that was the intention of its creator. Admittedly though, this made Rey more curious about the face that resided behind the dome, rather than less.

Images of this Knight briefly flickered in and out of some of the more recently surfaced memories she'd stolen from the Knight masked in the guise of Death, but there was nothing of significance. When Rey had searched his memories, it had been specifically focused on those of Ben and that left little room for her to notice on any of his knights as individuals. At best the one thing she could decipher from the fleeting glimpses of this Knight was that Kylo Ren was already a long since established identity when this Knight had at least become a part of his training sessions. It didn't mean he wasn't with Ben sooner, but this possibility couldn't be fully confirmed by few memories she'd glimpsed him in.

Rey almost felt rude knowing absolutely nothing about the warrior who bowed before her now, offering his arm for her to take to steady herself before she had the earned opportunity to smash her face on the floor against the weight of exhaustion pulling her off balance, especially after she practically just tortured one of his own earlier in this same day.

It didn't take Rey much thought to weigh him as a threat though; he was, but not to her. If he were anything like the first two Knights she had witnessed joining Kylo Ren as Ben, then how could she not trust him? So quickly her perception of those Kylo seemingly kept closest had changed from how she'd initially viewed them all. She'd wrongly assumed by their association with the FirstOrder, that they too must be inherently power hungry and evil.

Learning who Kylo truly admitted into his circle was important. Not all in the Order would be admitted of course, Rey was sure of that! It only took the memory of a certain red headed General gloating over her while she was in shackles to know how important deciphering friend from foe was going to be to her survival amongst those of the FirstOrder.

Her eyes opened and Rey allowed the Knight before her to assist her to her feet; something she would typically refuse at all costs. This was a rare moment she needed in order to help recovered her composure and after today, she saw no reason to deny herself the limited help this Knight offered.

"What's your name?" She questioned the dark figure, only realizing just how large the Knight was after they were both standing toe to toe. He was intimidating for sure and at least as tall as Ren, but far more massive all around.

Arm still out for her hand to keep perch on, the Knight bowed his head, but it was the youngling behind him that spoke for him.

"That's Master D'Jynn Ren." The boy was nervous when he spoke and his words literally came out along side a croak, a common vocalization among his kind, but an accidental insertion based entirely on the mixing emotions he was getting from everyone in the room, including himself. It all blended into one high dose of anxiety.

Rey peeked beyond the Knight and an unexpected smile spread along her mouth. Both the surprise she felt and the warmth traveled out of her expressive features when she discovered the shy youngling. She hadn't expected to find a child here... though she supposed it should have surprised her less, since Phasma had recently told her that the FirstOrder had full families residing on the bases and apparently that didn't just go for the planetary ones.

The youngling was an interesting species. One she'd never encountered before in person and though she wanted to blurt out a plethora of random questions, there were more important ones she needed answered first.

"And you, what's yours?"

Having not expected to feel such genuine warmth and curiosity from the strange woman who'd put one of Master Ren's knights in the med bay and currently had another bowing before her only to escort her to her feet there after, left the little Nautolan thoroughly confused. His senses didn't lie though, her interest and joy at finding him here was sincere.

As though sensing his reservations, Rey remained where she was, but she bent at the hips, bowing her head to show the youngling who seemed startled by her attention, that she posed no threat. She continued to face him but she also made a show of cautiously eying the space they stood in. "I apologize about the Force thing a moment ago. I have no intentions to harm you." Rey leaned forward slightly and her voice lowered to a quiet whisper. "If I'm being totally honest, I'm not very good at controlling the relationship between my emotions and my abilities with the Force yet..."

The little Nuatolan's head tilted thoughtfully and his right hand squeezed tightly along a bracelet he wore on his opposite wrist.

Rey took note of how deeply the youngling thought about this concept before she continued on. "I'd appreciate your forgiveness and patience with this embarrassing matter..." Rey hoped the mishap hadn't scared him off before she even got to learn his name.

When was the last time she'd even seen a youngling? Sure there were a few unclaimed urchins running around Plutt's trade stall from time to time, even a few scavenging and pickpocketing an unsuspecting passerby for a parent or other wayward guardian's benefit, but youngling's never survived long on Jakku, having ended up either being sold or traded out of the necessity for credits or other recourses. —Or taken by slavers...

The bluish green skin along the youngling's mouth stretched wide and his hands dropped to his sides. He nodded courtly to the beautiful woman who spoke so kindly to him. "I'm SQ-165."

"SQ-165," Rey warmly repeated. "I'm Rey and it's very nice to meet you." She returned a curt nod and a wider smile of her own.

By the way Phasma spoke alone, the room could hear when she rolled her eyes. "Endearing, I assure you..."

Rey straightened and she finally released the Knight's arm who'd helped her up in the first place.

"Phasma!" Rey's eyes lit up with the recognition of a friendly-if only semi-friendly, recognizable, face.

Phasma was puzzled by the girl's reaction to her... On two accounts; firstly: Rey had spoken to her only just a moment ago in response to wether she was hurt or not, and secondly: why was she happy to find her here? They certainly didn't seem to be on friendly terms the first time they met...

Phasma grunted in response to the strange girl's unwarranted excitement at her presence.

"Phasma, I have to see him." Rey implored.

"And I have to get you to your quarters." The silver trooper countered.

"I have reason to believe he's hurt... what if he needs me?" Large glossy eyes pleaded the sincerity behind Rey's  concern but Phasma was firm in her own resolve.

"If the Commander is harmed in any way, then it is by only one hand and that hand is of the highest rank in the Order. What do you think would happen if I let you intervene?" Before Rey could protest Phasma cut her already opening mouth, off. "—Not just to you, or even to me. What do you think the Supreme Leader would do to Kylo Ren in turn of your intercession? Do you think he would take kindly to such insolence as to stand against him in defiance of any kind?"

Rey swallowed back the thickening lump that built in her throat with every truthful point that Phasma stated.

"Now listen here, newly named Apprentice; Kylo Ren has survived nearly a decade under The Supreme Leader's guidance, whatever that entails. You would do well allowing him to continue to survive." Phasma raised her armored hand to stop the girl when she took an assured step towards her. "When and if the Commander needs you, he will know where to find you because I can be counted upon when given orders. You will also do well to follow suit." She tutored expertly.

Knowing it was Snoke she'd be risking the wrath of, it was either extremely brave of the girl to want to help him, or incredibly stupid; quite possibly both, Phasma concluded.

By the time Rey finally shut her mouth, it was uncomfortably dry. Phasma wasn't wrong and Rey really wanted to dislike her for being so sensible, but after meeting the Supreme Leader herself, she knew she didn't want to cross him, and especially not for a man who wouldn't do so to protect his own life. Rey wasn't afraid of dying, but dying in defense of someone who wouldn't return the sentiment, who'd likely watch it happen from behind a cold steel mask to please the same person who tortured him and forced him to kill his family one by one... even Rey was not so desperate for acceptance of her Master if it meant her demise would come in such a scenario.

Finding herself once again embarrassed by the more experienced woman, Rey's self assuredness deflated and her chin unconsciously lowered as the physical representation of it.

"You— you're Master Ren's Apprentice? Not another Knight, but like... his real Apprentice?!" The youngling stepped forward, his tentacles writhing with the excitement of it all.

The Knight between he and the girl, Rey, turned his body at an angle between the little Nautolan and the young woman he gushed over. His armored head tilted slightly and he knew the Nautolan was picking up on the slightest hint of offense, just as he intended.

The small boy's hands raised in protest and he stepped back once more, his own head tilting to match the angle of the Knight who was now side eyeing him through the thin slit of his mask's eyeline.

"N-no, no offense, Master D'Jynn..." The boy sheepishly retreated, his left hand falling behind his neck so he rub the sweat building beneath the hood of tentacles bundled together just beyond his shoulder blades.

Ignoring the brief interaction between the Knight and youngling, Rey struggled with the level of admiration the boy had for the role with which Rey was recently titled. Suddenly she felt the full weight of today's events on her shoulders. At the prospect of being Kylo Ren's apprentice, Rey felt less than convinced, herself. "I'm supposed to be..." She lamented on a quiet breath.

"Of course you are." Phasma scoffed. "And you'll prove it every day, starting at step one: following simple orders."

Rey had to admit, the Captain was consistent; even if, a bit crass about it.

Rey rubbed at her still sensitive arms. Knowing that Ben had undergone such abuse nearly his whole life long... —what had happened to him only moments before she woke, it felt impossible for her not to make a move to run off and find him...

Kylo, that is...

"Look, he can't keep himself safe if he's worried and distracted with protecting you." The chrome soldier explained.

Phasma likely wasn't wrong... and Kylo trusted her...

This, paired with realizing that every time Rey had taken matters into her own hands, -since practically the island- things inevitably got worse for her or for those around her. The startling realization pushed her in a new and terrifying direction. Perhaps it was finally time to try something completely different. Something that meant she'd have to give up at least, some of the control she'd always dictated her life with.

Kylo had started this movement between them; he'd initiated it with countless actions and labeled it as one simple word that Rey never thought she'd willingly give to another living person ever again, and definitely not have reciprocated back to her without falter.

Trust...

It was hard to imagine a world where that word wasn't used a manipulation tactic. Hard to imagine how that word actually related to anything positive in real life. previously the notion of it was something dangerous... something that even a Master Jedi had betrayed... repeatedly, from what she'd gathered of her recently brought to light memories of a time when she was Kira.

Rey wanted to give to Kylo Ren what he seemed to repeatedly offer her. She wanted to afford him whatever comfort she could in what ever way possible and the realization meant she'd have to at least be vulnerable with him... but trusting someone, really trusting them...

Was that something Rey of Jakku was even capable of anymore? Could she tap into at least that part of Kira? The innocent part that could allow someone else the confidence to take the lead for her? Rey wasn't at all ignorant as to how badly that could turn out for her... still...

She released a deep centering breath.

Kylo Ren had forced her into unconsciousness again and at some point there after, he'd left her again.

Her eyes traveled through the room, taking in her surroundings at full for the first time since she'd awakened here. She was clearly in some kind of Med-Bay again, but she wasn't upset this time. And there was at least a familiar face this time, as well. And then there was this large and imposing Knight who stood at her side as though in defense of her; a shield in place of his Master's presence. -Or so she assumed by how the Knight was offering her aid and standing in wait of her next move.

Her eyes landed on the Knight in question, "Kylo Ren sent you here to what?"

The tank of a man snapped to attention before dropping his head and slamming his closed fist across his left chest over his heart... or where it should be, if it turned out that he was as human under that helmet and gear as he physically appeared to be.

She was unfamiliar with the ways of a Knight -or any other kind of noble sentiment really, but she was smart enough to understand the message the warrior was conveying with his movements. He was here to either protect her, or serve her -which was extremely unnerving, so protect her was the role she chose to assign him with.

Rey nodded once in understanding.

And he'd been accompanied by a youngling which she hadn't had enough time to place yet, but she felt no threat from him at any rate.

The main point to focus on now was that this time when Rey woke up here, she wasn't alone. Those here with her were trusted by him. Kylo had made sure she was safe even while he couldn't be with her; while he was what she considered unsafe by default.

Trust...

Rey decided then, that she wasn't going to fight with those he chose to be with her while she was most vulnerable.

"Alright than, 'guess it's back to my room." She finally conceded, though every independent fiber in her told her to demand someone take her to see Ren, and in one Hoth of a haste, too.

Assuming a repeat of the attitude and disobedience witnessed the first time Phasma had met this girl back on the Finalizer, she impulsively stepped forward aggressively.

"Now listen here!"

Taken by just as much surprise by the woman's outrange as Rey's raising eyebrows also suggested she was, the Knight pivoted in Phasma's direction.

Rey's words finally sunk in and Phasma cleared her throat as if to excuse her lack of composure. "I... —Oh."
Rey chortled in response to Phasma's knee-jerk reaction but the woman herself was feeling a tad bit embarrassed for assuming her Commander's typically reluctant Apprentice would continue to fight against everything he'd set in place for her here, even though her past actions suggested she'd do so now.

"Right." The Captain lowered her sight to the youngling. "SQ-165, off you go. Back to your studies or whatever it is that you do when your not cleaning up after the Knights." She shooed him off and turned her attention back to the Knight who'd promptly squared off with her, yet somehow currently relayed that he was presently relaxed in his position before Rey. "And you... well, I guess you'll want to come for the walk back with us, hmm?" She managed to sound indifferent to this fact, even while the very idea annoyed her to her core.

The armored warrior didn't move a muscle in response so Phasma hadn't much of a choice but to move on from him.

Rey stepped in her direction and in a quick honest manner she revealed a private truth to the metallic trooper, "I'm glad you're here." She confided, only then realizing she put herself out there far more than she'd initially meant to, even though every word was true. "—On this cruiser, I mean. I'm glade you could join the Commander here..." She attempted a quick recovery.

Rey started ahead of the others, her embarrassment leading her forward in surefooted strides and her Knightly defender followed suite close behind.

Phasma however was feeling leaden. Her feet fell in tune with her brain and together both refused action. She blinked as though surprised by the young woman's decisive actions and then by her revealing words. The young woman certainly wasn't happy about her presence because of her charming personality. No. The confession from Ren's new Apprentice was far more vulnerable then that. The honestly on her face. The exposure in her armor... Phasma was sure that what she really meant was, because Kylo Ren trusted her here, so would she. Honestly she was astounded by the speed at which the Commander had accomplished such a change in this girl. Because if not, than that meant she was one Hoth of a Kriffing actress.

With Ren's knight having cleared the area, the Natoulan was finally in full view of Phasma and she had to blink twice to make sure the smile she found on his rounded youthful features was really directed at her in the way that it was. Bright as a beaming holo add, the youngling's smile made Phasma flinch back.

The nose in the center of the youngling's cyan face crinkled in amusement. "Does Master Ren, know?" He was leaning in as though speaking about a secret he didn't want the others in the nearby training room to here.

Phasma rolled her eyes as though exasperated. She wished the perceptive little greenish, blue skinned child
would just leave her be. He could simply turn his attention back to whatever tasks he normally had, or Sith, even back to gushing over that girl -the thorn in her armor-clad side that she was sure to be- and all would be better for the silence it would bring... but in stead he was scrutinizing her with those freaky little feelers he had. Reading her every expression and likely every little pheromone change —to which the Captain had no bloody control over, which made this game pretty unfair. She pursed her lips, really wanting to tell the boy off for sticking his nose where it didn't belong... but honestly, she was curious by what his ambiguous question was getting at.

So instead of telling him off, the Captain played his game. "Does Master Ren know what?" She asked on the back of an exasperated huff.

He smiled, white teeth looking all the brighter against the darker of the green that encircled his mouth and the blackish crimson of his large, shining eyes as they unblinkingly, gleamed back at her. "That you secretly hope she's perfect for him."

Phasma's eyes widened in surprise and in the next second she was moving hastily in his direction, her armor clanking, metal against metal as she moved in long strides to shorten the distance between them, her finger out in a disciplinary point that told Ren's youngest follower he was in for it before she even opened her mouth.

Her finger changed to pointing directly at the ends of his tentacles and his eyes redirected to that very finger.

"You'd better turn those things off or I'm going to wrap them over your mouth and tie them into a bow at the back of your head! It's best you play as innocent as you look, youngling. Stay quiet about affairs that don't concern either of us before you get yourself, or both of us, into trouble." She scolded him as though she were his parent and the young boy squealed playfully as he darted out of her armor-clad reach.

The Nautolan took off, dashing out of range and bursting through the open blast door leading into the training room were his Master's Apprentice waited by the exit with D'Jynn. The Knight's head was cocked in his direction and the youngling dropped the smile as though nothing had just transpired between he and the Captain following hot on his heels; her shiny metal armor repelling the lights back into every angle of the room from which they initially shone from.

"Lets get on with it then. Some of us have duties to attend." The chrome-armored woman ordered just as she dismissively breezed by him.

And thank his lucky stars for that... Because of course he should have kept what he'd picked up on to himself, but the Captain's pheromones were practically screaming at him about her changing feelings towards his Master's Apprentice, and it was too rare of a moment not to share with the Captain herself, since she hadn't seemed to, logically, pick up on it yet.

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