The training room walls echoed with the sound of punches against a bag in the corner, Bailee's jacket strewn along the floor beside it as she furiously beat out her pain.
Her fury had led her here, stalking past unsuspecting officers and half kicking the door open, something raw and primal coursing through her veins. Everything around her was a target, an outlet for her anger, and could be struck at any moment.
Nothing mattered now but imagining Elliott as the recipient of her attacks. The way her hair was half wild now, escaping its place, top buttons undone and shirt hanging free, it was no position to be seen in. Not by anyone. But what did that matter?
"Dare I ask?" Grace's voice broke through the barrage, the most timid her friend had ever heard it. Bailee stopped, running her hand across her face but not looking over, catching her breath for a moment.
"It's hardly worth talking about." was the reply, deep and hoarse and not like herself.
"I see... The general was looking for you, he seemed worried."
Bailee inspected her hands where she stood, shaking gently at the sight of them, a sheen of sweat and blood confirming all of the emotions raging within her. She swallowed. "He's the last person I ought to see...I've embarrassed myself."
"I know you saw the prisoner, B. I know it's him."
A tightness began to form in her throat as the anger started to seep away and her blood turn cold with pain. "I don't want to talk about him."
"I understand." Grace came closer, arms folded in slight caution. "But I am here...in case you need me. You might not."
"I always need you." Bailee turned to her, lip starting to tremble, voice catching and getting lost in her throat.
She nearly collapsed into her arms, wrapping hers around her neck and burying her face in her shoulder; her uniform gradually became wetter and wetter with tears. "I don't know what to do, Gigi."
"Hey...it's alright...Just let it out." Grace murmured, gentle and calm as she had her sit down by the wall and curl into her.
The punching bag continued to sway gently from its inflictions, stained with fresh streaks of blood and creaking a little. Bailee's hands were dull with pain now, starting to throb as everything else, all of the words and heartache seeped into her friend's uniform where they sat.
And even though Grace sat there with her in her arms, there was still that lingering little worm in her head, born from the harsh words of the prisoner: 'have you ever considered the fact that no one ever liked you?'
How could anyone ever start to sift through the depths of what was true now and what had all been a lie. Nothing but falseness and loathing and distrust. What had any of it ever meant?
Eventually, her breathing slowed, tears drying out and leaving that nauseating dull ache in her head. She sat back a bit from Grace's shoulder who brushed away the mahogany strands that stuck to her cheeks.
"I'm sorry..." Bailee whispered, pressing her hands to her head and taking some breaths.
"Never say sorry... Now, you don't have to tell me what's gone on, all that's been said," She wiped some escaped tears from her cheeks. "But I'm here if you ever want to."
Bailee nodded, the smallest flicker of a smile passing her lips in recognition. "Thank you."
"Now, shall we get you cleaned up? Come on."
***
Bailee tried not to let the whole thing with Elliott get to her, but it was hard to forget those words. Coming from anyone it hurts to be told those things, but from him, from someone who was supposed to protect and love her at some point, it soaked into her skin. Everyone she had ever known in fact felt the same. She had tried so hard in her life to build a strong barrier, thick skin, especially now she was in the Order which could be brutal at times. But in that one meeting between them, everything seemed to have crumbled. Being so vulnerable felt so wrong.
Still, she kept going, trying to make her work count now more than ever, her efficiency key in keeping the higher levels of the Order working. She could not forget how important she was, that was key to her success.
The general had been accepting of her outburst, not taking any kind of apology and instead asking how she was. Although she had recounted most of what happened to Grace, he was the one who had been there, heard it all, not just what she remembered to include. He endeavoured to be as understanding as he could, making sure she knew how valuable she was, too, earning her a promotion for her work on the trooper programme.
Now, she sat alone in the office, typing up some notes from a meeting just before and adding some extra points to be followed up on. Her attention was drawn away, however, when a notification appeared on the general's calendar, flagging a meeting due to begin in the next few minutes. It was odd considering she hadn't scheduled one...
She was about to message him when the door opened and a woman in a gorgeous flowing black dress entered, dressed to travel with gloves and a cloak too, brushing a strand of deep black hair back over the fur collar. She looked about the room for a moment then made for Bailee's desk, hardly breaking her gaze.
"Good afternoon, ma'am, can I he-"
"I'm here for my 3 o'clock with the general." she stated, removing her gloves.
"I see..." Bailee said, looking to the screen then standing. "He's not here currently but I'd be happy to take you to him."
The woman merely replied with a small nod and a 'hm' to which Bailee moved to the door, holding it open so she could glide through it, making their way to the bridge.
"And who are you?" The woman looked down at her as they walked, her heels clicking against the floor.
"Lieutenant Latt, ma'am, the general's assistant."
"I didn't realise he had one."
"Yes, ma'am." Bailee chewed at her cheek, datapad clutched to her chest. "I didn't catch your name."
"I would expect his assistant to know that." she replied, evidently annoyed at the question and shaking her head so her hair flowed down her back.
"Unfortunately not, ma'am. I didn't schedule the meeting so I have no details."
"Hm." She shook her head again, this time in disapproval. "Lady Rose Axos, the Supreme Leader intends to make a match of myself and the general. Standard, of course."
Bailee's head snapped up to her. "A match?"
Rose rolled her eyes. "God, how dire..." she muttered, her tone turning condescending. "My family are powerful people, myself included. The Supreme Leader wishes to build stronger relations with allies and boost the general's less than desirable image."
"I had no idea."
"Hmm, not as important as you think." She gave her a spiteful smile, sickly sweet. "Perhaps the general ought to replace you."
Bailee smiled politely. "We work well together, have a history."
"Do you really...we'll have to see about that."
This was going to be a challenge. "Well...I hope you enjoy your time here nonetheless."
"I shall try..." Rose muttered as they reached the bridge, Bailee going on ahead to tell the general who was entirely in his own world, reading through some numbers projected in front of him. The place was fairly quiet with the officers focussed on their screens though their eyes flickered up to Rose while she waited, refusing to meet their gaze.
"Sir," Bailee muttered to him. "Um, your 3 o'clock is here: Lady Axos?"
"Oh stars, is that the time?" He turned to look back at his guest who gave him a snarky smile. This was perhaps the first time he had ever let time get away from him. "Lady Axos."
"General."
He cleared his throat. "I apologise for not being at the office to meet you, I've been rather distracted. I hope Lieutenant Latt has been accommodating?"
"Well, yes...I suppose. It's good to see you again."
"Indeed, likewise..." He seemed nervous yet disinterested at the same time, like he wanted to impress her but was annoyed at the intrusion and disruption to his work. Well, that was always a given. He hated anything getting in his way, but this seemed rather more important. "Are you well?"
"I am."
"And your family?"
Ah, yes, of course. That was the key really, wasn't it? Bailee couldn't imagine he would be indulging this if not for the chance to further the Order. But then if Snoke was involved he probably didn't have a choice anyway. She felt...sorry for him.
As they spoke, Bailee stood by on her datapad, the longer the conversation went on the more apparent it was that this wasn't his idea, nor in his own best interests.
And she felt for him. He was a good boss to her, perfectly nice, and to imagine him miserable in this way, trapped in something he had never had any interest in, not even remotely, it kind of broke her heart.
It just sunk listening to them, a tenderness forming in her chest when she looked up at the discontent on his face. For some reason this whole thing hurt her, even thought it wasn't her place to judge, even though his personal life had nothing to do with her, and even though they were only colleagues. It was strange...
"How about a tour? If I'm to know my way around...in the future?" Rose asked, shooting Bailee a knowing glance.
"Yes, of course, if you'd like." Hux said, handing his datapad over when Bailee held her hand out for it.
"Is there anything I can do for you in the meantime, sir?" she mumbled, a little thrown off by Rose's looks.
"I don't think so," he replied as Axos walked past them to inspect the rest of the bridge, looking out at the stars while wringing her gloves. "Just finish up those notes...Oh, and I need to speak to the admiral, so schedule a meeting, please."
"Yes, sir." she said as Rose came back, taking off her cloak and dumping it and her gloves into Bailee's arms.
"Take those to my quarters, would you."
"Y...Yes, ma'am."
She gave her a condescending grin then left to walk beside the general, bashing into her shoulder as she went. He was entirely in his own world though; oblivious and making a head-start.
She rubbed it as she watched them go with a whole strange heaviness in herself. So many new things had happened so quickly, everything had been suddenly flipped on its head by Axos's arrival and it was just a little surreal. She caught the general's eye when he turned to look back at her with a small, thankful smile.
And that's when her whole world seemed to fall apart around her while simultaneously building up something entirely new.
Perhaps she confused it with this weird sense of abandonment, but when he met her eyes something just felt different in her and her face flushed hot, something innately protective rushing over her. Why did she care so strongly about how he lived his life? Who he would inevitably live it with? It wasn't like they were even friends. Just general and assistant.
"Who was that?" Grace had appeared on the bridge, there to discuss something from operations with another officer but stopping to follow her gaze.
"Uh...just an ally the Supreme Leader is interested in." Bailee mumbled back, shifting the weight of the cloak in her arms. She wanted to rip it to shreds... "That's all."
"More like an interest in the general, seems proper stuck up. They're made for each other," she smirked, nudging her jokingly. When she didn't respond, she stopped. "Sorry... Well, I need to go. Have fun with her, I don't envy you... See you later."
Bailee sighed as her companion walked away then also left, trying to juggle all of the stuff in her arms in order to look through her datapad and find where Rose was staying. If she could she would just dump it in the trash compactor and get on with her real job. Axos was unlikely to miss it.
Still, she found her way and threw the things on a chair in the corner of the rather lovely room, far nicer than hers by a long way.
Standing in that room she felt so irrationally angry. Or perhaps it was rational. Yes, she was the general's assistant, but being a servant was not in her job description. Her entire short interaction with Axos had made it very clear the type of person she was. Fight or flight was starting to rage, her duty to her superior even more so, and maybe that wasn't normal.
As much as she cared for him in their professional relationship, this feeling, this drive, had never been so strong, so powerful. And though she didn't want to admit it, it felt like something else entirely, something she had known a long time ago, but never on this scale. It was like it had been creeping up on her, slowly building until the worst, most inconvenient moment. Like the moment he was evidently, clearly, going to be married off to someone else.
Because why would her life ever be simple?
A/N
What's that? An update within a reasonable amount of time? Who is she!
(And yes, please ignore the fact that I reused a name from my other story; surnames are hard!)
Anyway, thank you, once again, for reading and following along! It always means the world to see how much people enjoy !
Thank you all so much! <3
*~GhostoftheNebula~*