POE

Poe hurried down the ship's corridors with Rey at his side. His hand still felt warm from her touch. He'd never held a girl's hand before, which he would never admit to anyone. It wasn't something he would have normally done, but she'd grabbed his jacket, reaching for him as though she needed some sort of connection.

He was just a stand-in, he knew, for Kylo Ren. He shouldn't encourage her, when she seemed so needy. He'd hugged her in the past, but now in her quarters, even a simple hug seemed like a dangerous thing to do. When she'd let go of his jacket, as though giving up, he took her hand. He had to let her know he'd be there for her in any way she needed. He probably should have just made a joke or started talking about the current mission or something. He did let her hand go, when they stepped out of the room and were confronted with the guards. Rey used her Force influence to convince them she was allowed to leave, which was impressive and slightly eerie to witness.

"Poe?" Rey waved her hand in front of his face and he blinked. They'd stopped walking and he hadn't been paying attention to where they were going. "Which way do we go, left or right?"

He looked up at the sign above. Corridors B2-S28 - 38 ran to the left.

"Left," Poe said and they started walking again. The ship still smelled of new plastic and fresh paint, as though the luxury cruiser had been built only yesterday. They took another turn and this time the wall to the right was lined with windows which ran all the way down the hall, opening up the place and making Poe feel less claustrophobic. Outside, the expanse was filled with colourful gasses. They lit the opposite wall in shades of pink. The ship wasn't moving, which made Poe unsettled, like they were a sitting target. He liked to always be moving.

"Are you sure they're still having the meeting?" Rey said. They were running late, since Poe had insisted they eat first.

"We'll find out soon enough," he said, picking up his pace.

"If Kylo Ren decides we're his enemies," Rey continued. "Then we don't stand a chance. We're a bit outnumbered here."

Poe frowned. She was losing her confidence, which seemed to happen whenever she was around Kylo Ren.

"You underestimate Leia," Poe answered and Rey smiled in response. They slowed as they neared the Command center, then stopped in the entrance way. General Leia was speaking to the room full of commanders. She had everyone's attention, including Hux's. Poe ushered Rey to a seat near the back. There was only one left and he offered it to her.

"Poe Dameron," General Leia said, looking at him. He stood straighter. "Is one of the best flight captains in our fleet." All heads turned to him and Hux's expression soured. Poe gave a tiny salute.

"And First Order, Elite Special Forces fighter pilot, Commander Hament," General Leia continued, pointing at the pilot who'd helped her and Poe escape from the Ruling Order space station. "Will be leading our flight crews, along with Captain Dameron, on this mission."

"General," a metallic voice said. Phasma stood at the front of the room, off to the side. She'd been so still that Poe had overlooked her as part of the ship's décor.

"Yes?" Leia and Hux answered at the same time.

"The stormtroopers, how will they assist in this invasion?"

General Leia nodded to Hux and he spoke. "We'll be needing more bombers and destroyers for this attack. As far as we know, all of these vessels have been compromised and we will need troops to go on board and regain access to their main systems control, to deactivate the virus."

"We need you to work on a system reboot, of sorts," General Leia added. "The way you did with this ship, in getting it back online again, so we can acquire some vessels."

"Different ships will have different security," Hux said. "I'll need a full report on the likelihood of salvaging particular ships. I'll send you the specific ones we're hoping to acquire from them."

"Understood," Phasma said.

Rey turned in her chair and looked up at Poe. She set her hand on the back of the seat, inadvertently brushing his hand with hers. Poe stepped back, his pulse racing again. She looked like she was about to tell him something, but General Leia dismissed the meeting and everyone got up and started talking at the same time. Rey got up too. Poe saw that the General was gathering her things to leave.

"I need to go talk to the General," Poe said to Rey, his mind already racing with the details of this upcoming mission. He would have to hold another meeting with his new flight crew, to discuss strategies. Rey nodded and Poe hesitated for a moment, before walking off. He could tell she wanted to talk to him too. But they'd need a quiet place and more time, to have that kind of discussion. He set a hand on her shoulder, hoping to reassure her in some small way.

"Which General do you have to talk to?" she asked him.

"The one who was obviously leading this meeting," he said, giving her a wink. Then he let go of her shoulder and headed to the front, pushing past some Rebel leaders who were talking about weapons and hurrying towards General Leia.

"Poe!" she said when she saw him. "I was getting worried we'd lost you, when I didn't see you at this meeting, at first. Tell me, have we heard anything from Finn or Rose?" Leia's expression turned serious. "There's a new Ruling Order station in the Otomok System, where they were headed, in that unstable hunk of junk."

"The Falcon's a legend," Poe said, trying to keep the General from worrying. "It can survive anything. Are you thinking a rescue mission?"

General Leia smiled at him. "You read my mind."

------

HUX

"You had the meeting, without me?" Kylo Ren said in a calm voice.

Hux recognized that tone. It was the calm before the storm. His heart raced, even though he knew he wasn't defenseless anymore. He had power now.

Kylo made an abrupt turn and Hux jumped, then frowned. Old habits died hard, apparently. Kylo began to pace again and Hux braced himself for the inevitable fit of rage; the yelling and the Force choke that were sure to come. But Kylo only continued to pace, which was somehow even more unnerving.

"We need to defeat this enemy," he said. Hux wasn't sure if he meant the Resistance or the Ruling Order. Or both. But he didn't ask. "Once the Ruling Order Army is destroyed," Kylo continued. "We'll finish off the Resistance, too."

Hux cleared his throat. "It's their Command Stations that we need to destroy, not their droid army."

Kylo stopped pacing and glared at him. "And the girl, is my prisoner. She's not to be let out."

Hux raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of topic. He held his tongue, though. Now didn't seem like the right time to tell Ren that Rey was out and about, even attending the end of their meeting not long ago. Kylo would find out soon enough.

"Go, find Phasma and send her to me," Kylo commanded. Hux clenched his jaw, hesitating.

"Now!" Kylo yelled.

Hux nodded and turned to leave.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Kylo said from behind him.

Hux's back stiffened and he stopped walking.

"Yes... Your Supreme Leadership," he managed, through clenched teeth. His powers were his secret weapon for now. He would wait for the right moment to use them. Plus, he still didn't know exactly how strong he was. Just then, General Leia stepped into the room.

"Oh, good," she said. "You're both here." She looked at Ren and her eyes filled with emotion. "Ben..."

"Leave," Ren said abruptly, turning his back to her.

"I have news from-"

"Get out!" Kylo's lightsaber was suddenly in his hand, the red blade pointed in his mother's direction. She wasn't close enough to be in any danger but Hux stepped in front of her nevertheless. Kylo's fierce gaze turned to him.

"Get out of my way," he spat.

"That's no way to speak to you mother," Hux said calmly.

Kylo raised his free hand and grabbed Hux in a Force hold. Hux immediately retaliated and put Kylo in a choke hold, which earned him a satisfying look of shock from his Supreme Leader.

Kylo's hold released and he reached up to his neck, as though to remove the invisible hands around it. Hux's heart hammered in his chest. He'd waited so long for this moment and yet it didn't give him the satisfaction he'd thought it would.

"That's enough, boys," General Organa said. Hux immediately released Ren and stepped away from the General. His hands trembled, and he quickly set them behind his back.

"Hux," the General said to him. "I'd like to speak to my son alone, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Hux said, then turned to leave.

-----

Author's Note: Hi guys, I know I said like 2 weeks ago that I'd post a chapter called 'Tainted Love 2'. I haven't forgotten! Just haven't reached a chapter yet which would be worthy of that title! When one comes up, you'll know by the title ^_^ . See you guys again in a few days <3