Technical Error

Chapter Thirty-Two

Contact: Not Always On Your Terms

Captain Phasma treated you much as she would a droid; that is to say, she was aware of your presence yet acknowledged it only when it served her needs. You were accustomed to this sort of treatment. It was what a lot of officers and stormtroopers did when you were working on something that would assist them. You took no insult, opting to utilize the moments when you were essentially ignored to take several notes that would serve you once you started on a project that the chrome armored woman had mentioned to you. There was much terminology that she used that you had rarely utilized. That was one aspect of working with her you were enjoying. It reignited your passion to strive to be better in your field.

"Tatey-five," your superior said, and you looked up from the notes that you had put into the datapad. Captain Phasma did not so much as turn her helmet in your direction. There was no looking at you. "Familiarize yourself with the weapons that had been used by the Praetorian Guards. Replicate and upgrade them for my troops."

You felt yourself squinting as you attempted to decide if that fell to the defense or offense teams. Perhaps both. You offered the woman an acknowledgment of her command whilst deciding it would best serve you, and everyone else, if you took the initiative to contact one of the offense leads for a co-project. It would save your hide. Though Phasma currently had no quarrel with Kylo Ren, you weren't going to offer her one by disagreeing on this matter. That was one downside to the relationship you had with the Supreme Leader. An excuse to use you to get at him always existed.

I completely understand why he shied away from sentimentality for so long .

You knew that, in his own way, he was coming around considering that he had Squeakers with him. For some reason, or multiple reasons, he had taken to the droid. You couldn't help but feel pleased at this given how connected you felt to Squeakers as well. It was like sharing a family pet.

"You are grinning very widely, Tatey-five." You bit the insides of your cheeks, however failed to erase that grin completely. There was much for you to be proud of when it came to your personal and business life. Furthermore, it gave you comfort to know that Squeakers was with Kylo Ren given the droid's shield capabilities. While Kylo had the Force, you knew that he was not yet fully recovered from his battle with Snoke. No one was in one way or another. "Do not become distracted." Another line of chastisement from Captain Phasma. You nodded. The smile lessened a bit more.

This was one area that Snoke's death had not touched. Phasma was, as always, Phasma. Guarded on many levels. There was a coldness to her that had nothing to do with the armor she wore. It was her personality. Likely how she had survived...wherever it was she had grown. The chrome armored woman's unaltered disposition contrasted with the growth you noticed in General Hux. Said man was drawing nearer to the pair of you. This was an indication that you would be working with him and the Knights of Ren earlier than you had originally believed. Captain Phasma bit back any disapproval. You wondered if she had great control of her facial features, or if she was more expression like Kylo could be.

You knew that General Hux could not be thrilled with the fact that Supreme Leader Kylo Ren planned to extend a sort of truce to the remnants of the Resistance due to the existence of Rey and other Force sensitives. Even you were not aware of the full details of whatever agreement he planned to create. It did frustrate you to an extent, mostly due to wanting to know when your schedule would need to be altered. You had every intention of inserting yourself, one way or another, into the meeting. Not that you would necessarily be there in person. Still, you wanted some sort of visual onscene. That was your job. Kylo had promoted you; this was business as much as it was personal.

It would be quite easy indeed to argue that the last Supreme Leader who met with individuals from the Resistance hadn't fared so well. General Armtiage Hux knew this, too, and it was why you were not opposed to seeing him early now.