RY-4209, or Rey as some of her squad mates referred to her as, hurried down the corridor towards the main hangar. The halls were empty except for the occasional droid, and she was grateful for that since she was running late. Rey didn't normally frequent the larger TIE fighter hangars but today they had a mandatory welcoming event. She and everyone else on board had been surprised when the Finalizer had been recalled from the front lines to act as an escort for one of the Knights of Ren on a mission. Rey nearly rolled her eyes at the thought. Why would a Knight need General Hux's flagship to go anywhere? They had their own resources, and weren't they supposed to be so much more powerful than the average human? She didn't know the details—no one did yet—but they would be taking on a host of new stormtrooper squadrons along with the Knight.

Rey eventually came to the closed side door and she halted outside to make sure her blue squad commander pauldron was in place perfectly before entering the cavernous hangar. It was loud with the chattering noise of hundreds of stormtroopers, pilots, techs, and officers. It was impossible to tell the 'troopers and pilots apart in their full armor unless one had on their own helmet and she scanned the place, quickly identifying any familiar designations. The new troops and special guest hadn't arrived yet so many of the ship's personnel were still milling about, speaking to one another during the rare event that most of them were in the same place.

The main hangar was more brightly lit than the smaller one that she and her squad used. The black of space stood in stark contrast to the pale metal walls and Starkiller loomed in the darkness outside of the hangar shields. Rey could not help but look towards the enormous glowing red eye that gazed out malevolently from the planet's snowy surface. Little had changed in the five years since she'd last seen Starkiller. However, it was definitely farther along in construction and looked to be almost complete.

There were a few senior officers speaking to one another near the temporary stage, but General Hux hadn't arrived yet. She wasn't surprised—after all, he would not be caught dead mingling with the rabble. Despite serving aboard his vessel, Rey could count on one hand the number of times she'd actually seen the general in person outside of his speeches. He was quite elusive and generally kept himself well away from all but his bridge crew.

Of course, that didn't stop him from being fodder for gossip among the 'troopers and pilots. It wasn't uncommon for Rey to hear more than a few snippets of conversation here or there about how good looking General Hux was. She supposed he was, in a purely aesthetic sense. His commanding voice was certainly noteworthy, as well, but considering all the other things she'd heard about the man . . . Rey grimaced.

She eventually pulled her eyes from Starkiller and walked over to her squad. There were twenty-five in all but only five remained from the time she had joined the interceptor squad two years ago. Rey was commander by merit, it was true, but she'd gotten the position because the previous one had had been killed during the last battle at the front. The five that remained were as close to friends as she was likely to get on the Finalizer. Death was doled out far too easily for 'troopers to get attached.

HS-6510 was a tall male who tended to hover over her. She knew that he thought the promotion to commander should have gone to himself. And perhaps he was right. Ten had been at this longer than she, but his stats did not back him up as the superior pilot. Rey far outstriped everyone in her squad.

"Any idea what's going on?" he asked, even as his eyes bored holes into the blue pauldron she wore. The others gathered around her as if she would somehow magically have an answer.

Rey shook her head. "No idea. All I know is that General Hux isn't happy about whatever it is. A couple of stormtroopers had to go to the med bay after he received his orders." The general was not prone to tantrums, but he was a violent man when angered. That violence usually manifested in him beating one or two 'troopers into the ground. It didn't happen often—only twice since Rey had come aboard five years ago—so whatever it was, Hux was not pleased.

Ten looked like he was about to say something else when the main double doors slid with a metallic grating sound and the man himself stepped into the hangar. That signaled the end of any conversation and the 'troopers quickly got into formation. The hangar was eerily silent as everyone shut their mouths and stood completely still.

Whoever they were expecting must be practically on top of them for Hux to finally make his appearance. He was so regal in his dark uniform, and his bright red hair was combed neatly to the side. Hux's face was stone cold as he walked past the 'troopers and pilots lined up on either side of the main walkway. As squad commander, Rey stood at the front so the general passed not two meters from her. He was taller than she'd thought he would be, towering over many of the 'troopers and officers. Though Captain Phasma, who followed close behind him, was still taller, Rey realized with a slight grin.

He glided by and made his way up onto the stage to look out at everyone and Rey couldn't help but wonder at all the pomp and circumstance. After all, it wasn't like they were welcoming Supreme Leader Snoke aboard. It was just a Knight and most weren't worth the fuss they insisted be made over them—in Rey's opinion anyway.

Just as the General stepped into place, a giant command shuttle appeared in the distance above Starkiller. They waited as it neared the hangar entrance and Rey got her first real glimpse of it. The shuttle had tall bat-like wings that angled straight up as it came in for a landing. She didn't recognize the model right off hand which was unusual for Rey. It must be a custom ship, she thought with a sinking feeling. Not many people had the resources to commission a one of a kind vessel, and even fewer in the First Order had the clout to actually get one.

She sighed into her helmet as eight other troop transports landed behind the shuttle. Hundreds of troopers poured out and moved into formation as the ramp of the command shuttle finally lowered. A small battalion of black-pauldron 'troopers came out before the dark form of the Knight emerged from the cloud of steam that poured from the vents on either side of him.

It was just the kind of dramatic effect a Knight would go for, and it wouldn't surprise Rey in the slightest if it had been a feature added on purpose. They all wore masks these days and it took her a second to get a good enough look to identify which Knight it was. The silver lines that wrapped around the eye visor of the mask were unmistakable. Kylo Ren. She could now understand why Hux had been in a foul mood the last few days. The rivalry between the ginger-haired general and the master of the Knights of Ren was almost legendary within the First Order.

Personally, Rey had never been much of a fan of the Knight. Not with the way he destroyed First Order tech over the slightest provocation . . . and then there was the lurking. Up until five years ago, Rey had been stationed aboard Starkiller during her training. The massive base had been heavily under construction, but it still served as a major hub of 'trooper training as they underwent conditioning and schooling. Rey had spent most of her life—all that she could remember, anyway—on Starkiller being trained as a 'trooper first before being reassigned as a pilot. It had been a quiet life, overall, filled with routine and structure.

Until the Knights had shown up.

She'd been seventeen when Kylo Ren had appeared on the base. Given her observations of the Knights who had come before him, she hadn't allocated him much thought until he started just . . . creeping around.

Lord Ren had often been sighted mingling in the shadows, watching the 'troopers and pilots run simulations, and it was unnerving to have the masked man lingering all the time. His presence was almost overbearing and worst of all was that it had seemed that he was watching her. She'd never dared to even speak to the giant man and he'd never sought her out for a conversation or an explanation of his actions. Rey's patience had already been worn thin by the Knight who had come and gone before Lord Ren, and seeing him constantly hanging around like a giant gloomy bat had not made things easier for her.

Because she hadn't been the only one to notice his attention.

Other people had as well and they talked. When she'd graduated just before her eighteenth birthday and received her orders, she'd nearly wept in relief to finally be away from the towering gargoyle of a man. Unlike most others, she'd been given a choice of assignment, which meant that she'd been requested by more than one officer. She could either stay on Starkiller, or go to the frontlines as a pilot on the Finalizer.

The last time she'd seen Kylo Ren, he'd been standing in one of the hundreds of hangars around Starkiller, overseeing the departure of graduated troops and the arrival of the newbies. And among the sea of thousands of helmeted 'troopers and pilots, he'd seen her. Though she could not see his eyes, she had known he was looking right at her through the crowd.

She'd happily left Starkiller that day and hadn't returned. Her only regret was the loss of FN-2187. Her best and only friend had also been selected to serve aboard the Finalizer as Captain Phasma's protegé, but at the last minute he'd been removed from the roster. No explanation had been given and she'd been heartbroken. Rey had nearly changed her mind about leaving, but FN-2187 had just shaken his head.

"This is your dream, Rey—to be a pilot. If you stay here, it'll just be drills and demonstrations. Out there, you'll get to really fly."

Five years later, they still spoke occasionally over the comms on the rare occasion when they had the same rest time, but she still missed him terribly. 2187 had meant so much to her, and he still did, if she were honest. He'd been there for her when she'd been at her lowest and she'd never forget that rare genuine kindness.

Rey shook herself free from her thoughts of the past. Hux had spoken quietly to Lord Ren, but now he'd finally turned back to the soldiers and his microphone was on.

"Our mission," he began, his voice echoing through the wide open space of the hangar, "is one of the most important things any of us will do, and will cement the rule of our Supreme Leader. The last Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker, has been hiding like the coward that he is for fifteen years, but his stay of execution has ended. We have information that the Resistance has located the final section of the navigational chart needed to find Skywalker, and today we will embark on a journey that will finally end his legacy and that of the Old Republic."

That should have been the end, but he began speaking again about the glory of the First Order and Rey slumped a bit. This was going to be one of those speeches. The kind where Hux hadn't heard the sound of his own voice enough so he had to inflict it on everyone else to make his quota. The general was quite fond of flowery language and overstuffed prose and Rey, along with every other soldier, was treated to the sight of Kylo Ren subtly tapping his foot on the ground as they all had to wait for Hux to finish.

She snorted behind her helmet and heard some of her squad-mates do the same over the comms. Thankfully it was soft enough that no one besides them heard. Eventually the speech came to an end, and Hux stood silently for the few seconds it took for everyone to realize he was actually done.

She gave the expected salute along with her brethren and then it was finally over. Lord Ren left first, nearly shoving the general aside in his haste to leave. Hux's lip curled at being forced to follow the Knight if he wanted to leave now. The general said something to one of the officers to make it look as though he wasn't waiting the extra few seconds for Ren to clear the room, but the second the doors closed behind the Knight, Hux was striding away. The hangar remained quiet and still until the second man left as well.

Phasma began coordinating with the new 'troopers who had just arrived and they all broke formation to return to their duties. She felt the ship tremble ever so slightly as it jumped into hyperspace—it would be at least a day before they arrived at their first destination. She was about to head back to the interceptor hangar when a voice called out from behind her.

"Rey!" She turned around and her helmet scanned the sea of identical stormtroopers before a specific designation caught her attention.

"FN-2187!" she said happily as a soldier in white broke away and came towards her. She smiled, knowing he would not see it but that he would know nonetheless. They didn't embrace as that would be far too intimate in the public forum, but they did clench wrists in greeting.

"I didn't realize you would be on this mission," she said easily. And she hadn't. Rey had checked the registers on the off chance that her friend would be there, but he hadn't been listed.

2187 shrugged. "It was a really last minute change. One of the other squads got called away to the front lines so mine was moved up."

She nodded. "That's great. It's so good to finally see you again." Her hand tightened around his wrist and his did the same. It had been five years, but it seemed like nothing had changed between them. She was about to say something else when his helmet shifted slightly. She recognized the movement even after all these years.

"I have to go check into my barracks," he said with an apologetic shrug.

"We'll talk later," she promised with a smile.

He nodded and headed off. She stood there for a while, just staring after him, until she shook herself from her thoughts of the past. It was highly frowned upon for stormtroopers to interact too heavily with those outside of their rank and class. It might have been overlooked back when they were in training together, but not when they were full-fledged soldiers. By now, most of the non-essential personnel had already dispersed and gone back to their sections. Rey wasn't due for her shift until they reached the planet, but a few of her squad-mates had asked her to look over their instruments since the interceptors had that last maintenance check.

There was only one interceptor squad aboard the Finalizer and they had their own hangar due to their ship's design requiring more space than the average TIE, so she headed there. She looked around as she left and realized that none of her squad-mates had waited for her. It wasn't surprising, really, but she hadn't thought any of them would be in that big of a rush to return to the hangar, either. She shrugged and left the noise of the main hangar behind and stepped out into the hallway. A few droids buzzed by her and a couple of patrols marched past, but the further away from the more populated deployment areas that she got, the emptier the corridor became. Her shoes clicked loudly along the polished floors and it was the only thing that her sensors registered which was why it came as a shock when someone called her designation.

"RY-4209," came from directly behind her, and the voice had a modulation to it that could only belong to one person. She froze for a half second as she got her racing heart under control and turned around. Lord Ren stood far closer than she was comfortable with—close enough that she had to step back to make her salute or she'd have hit him. How had he snuck up on her? Rey's mouth twisted. He watched her silently for a few seconds after her acknowledgment of his presence and rank. Kylo Ren had to be the creepiest person in the Order and apparently his lurking tendencies hadn't diminished since her days on Starkiller.

It was not uncommon for officers to call stormtroopers to their beds for one-offs. Some 'troopers even deliberately had their helmets off when inspections were done; hoping they would catch the attention of a powerful superior. Rey had never done such a thing, herself, but she didn't begrudge those who sought a bit of physical comfort where they could get it. With the less-than-subtle way Lord Ren had watched her during training, everyone had simply assumed that Lord Ren either had or would be calling for her. But he never had, which made his presence all the more confusing.

He was looking her over now, though she wasn't sure what he would see. Rey was covered from head to toe in her black flight suit. He said nothing as his mask moved the slightest bid up and down and while she could not tell specifically what he was looking at due to his helmet, she could somewhat gage the approximate location of his attention. It eventually settled on the blue pauldron on her shoulder.

"You've done well for yourself," he said finally, and she detected a hint of irritation even through the vocoder. "I even heard you are now leading an interceptor squad. Very impressive."

Rey could not even begin to understand why or how he would have 'heard' about anything she was doing during the last five years. She was a pilot and he the master of the Knights of Ren. They had nothing to do with one another aside from his insistence on watching her.

"Thank you, sir," she said anyway, and she was prepared for this to be the end of the conversation.

He didn't dismiss her. "Remove your helmet," he said instead, and Rey took another step back. She hesitated but she couldn't disobey a direct order, and so she reached up and hit the latches. The helmet made a hissing noise as it was removed and she knew her hair was probably a mess, but it was his order and thus his problem. She didn't look up towards his visor, instead focusing on a spot over his shoulder. Lord Ren's mask tilted this way and that as he looked her face over silently. He didn't return the favor by removing his own helmet, but then she hadn't expected him to. Rey stood there silently as he examined her, her level of irritation rising as the seconds ticked by.

"I requested for you to remain on Starkiller," he said suddenly, and it took her a second to process and understand what he was talking about. She blinked in confusion at the conversational turn. So he had been the one to request that she stay on on the planet-weapon.

"I didn't know that," she said calmly. Not that it would have made a bit of difference when she'd left Starkiller to get away from the Knight, and she'd be grateful as soon as this mission was over and he was well off of the ship.

"I will be making another request at the end of this mission," he said, and her jaw tightened as she knew where this was headed. "You will accept my request and return to Starkiller," he finished.

Rey wanted nothing more than to ask why. Why was he cornering her? Why was he ordering her away from the fight? But she couldn't, of course. She couldn't question the orders of a superior officer. So she nodded before adding a dull, "Yes, sir."

Lord Ren continued to stare at her for a long moment before he turned and walked away without another word. Rey let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as she continued to digest the . . . dialogue that had just taken place. The entire exchange simply baffled her.

"Put your helmet back on," a decidedly feminine, but no less authoritative, voice called from the hall beside her. Rey looked up and caught sight of Captain Phasma standing not far, her blaster at the ready. Rey hastily put her helmet back on, almost grateful for the extra layer of protection it gave her. It was easy to read a 'trooper when they were so used to having their faces covered. Phasma had either seen or heard at least part of the exchange, judging by the way the woman hadn't immediately left after issuing the order.

So Rey took a chance. "What would you do?" she asked, and Phasma did not even pretend to misunderstand.

"Follow orders," she said steadily, and Rey deflated a bit at that before the captain added, "Technically, General Hux and Lord Ren are of equal standing; however the general is your current commanding officer. If General Hux orders you to stay, his orders supersede those of Lord Ren."

Rey bit her lip. "General Hux is . . . General Hux. I can't see him specifically ordering a pilot to stay," she said with a defeated sigh.

Phasma was quiet for a moment and her body did not so much as twitch to give away what she must be thinking. "If the general knows Lord Ren is looking to poach a pilot from him . . . well, he has a tendency to get possessive of his resources."

Rey looked back up quickly and allowed a hopeful smile to form. "Will he hear about it?"

Phasma snorted. "Of that, you can be assured."

Rey full-on grinned behind her mask and she saluted her superior before walking off.

New fic! This one is just seven chapters so it's no Backwater Girls. However, like BWG, I've already finished writing it, I'm just in the midst of editing and this will be posted weekly on Mondays. :)