The New Normal

Small Talk

Rey felt like a child trying to sneak out after curfew. She might as well be one as it seemed most of those abroad the ship were asleep. The maintenance crew and droids were the ones out and about at that unforsaken hour. She knew she had to be on bedrest but the news she had for her dyad could not wait. Rey had tried to locate him through their bond and when that failed, she had asked the Commander Nala to locate him.

With no luck, she had no other option but to find him herself. She left her quarters, still in her pajamas, (Ben's tunic and some long pants), hair down, and slippers. Despite the doctor given her the okay to walk a little more, of course not much only in case of emergencies, Ben insisted on carrying her everywhere and if it wasn't Ben, Chewie was up to the task. Ben's overprotectiveness showed no signs of stopping, in fact, it had increased. Ben had asked Rey to wear a digital patch on her belly which monitored the twin's heartbeats with a small data pad, a data pad Ben kept in his pocket.

Rey loved how much her fiancé cared for her and the family they were about to start but at times, she wished he would ease up a little. Knowing Chewie would reprimand her for leaving her room without someone, Rey snuck passed his given quarters which were the same when he had first come for a visit.

Ben had left that afternoon to a nearby Order base on the planet Geus and promised to come back before bedtime. Rey was informed of his return hours ago and yet he had not gone up to see her or perhaps he had come by only to find a very tired Rey asleep. Nevertheless, Rey had woken up with excitement and was dying to see her love.

"Ben?" Rey called to him once again. She could not feel him and so, determined, she made her way to the bridge. She had to sneak pass most stormtroopers and officers as Ben had given the orders Rey was not to be out of their room without him, Chewie, or a knight of Ren.

Rey was almost to the bridge when she heard a patrol unit come down the corridor and slipped into the first room she found. She stayed silent until she felt safe enough to relax a bit. She didn't want to hear a lecture, dampening her good humor.

"Ma'am?" a voice was heard from behind her, startling the poor pregnant Jedi. As Rey turned around, she found herself staring at General Hux who was presently sitting on the edge of his bed. He was in casual wear with a dark blue, short sleeved tunic and some black plants, black slippers, and data pad in hand. She had stumbled into Hux's quarters.

"Hux...General Hux...um...hi..." Rey had never spoken to Hux casually before, not without Kylo present. She knew little of the man, only that he was a demanding character and carried a vengeance against her fiancé for being the supreme leader. Rey felt some sympathy for Hux at times, she knew how Kylo was with him and surely, not even Hux, deserved to be the target of Kylo's tantrums. "I...um...am looking for Ben, I mean Kylo."

Hux looked around his room and back at Rey. "I can assure you he is not here." He looked Rey up and down until his eyes locked on to her pregnancy. He had never been this close to her and quite frankly had not notice how big she had gotten. "Upon his returned, the supreme leader went to his private deck and asked to be left alone, not before throwing most officers against the wall, I was spared, thank the stars, and destroying a navcomputer with his lightsaber."

"Oh," Kriff, he had turned off their bond knowing Rey would feel whatever he was concealing. "I'm sorry for his behavior, General Hux, I truly am."

"Hmph, why should you be the one to apologize," Hux stood from his chair, "you weren't the one going crazy. Sit."

"Excuse me?"

Hux pulled out a chair from his small table along the left of the room. "Sit." Rey did as she was told without a fuss. As she took her seat, Hux placed a cup of what seemed like java juice in front of her. He pulled out the chair opposite of her and sat down himself. "From what I understand you are not allowed to be walking out and about and yet here you are."