Chapter 12 - Your Past bleeds into Mine
“And how exactly did you manage to keep this with you, all this time? It is from your childhood, correct?”
Between his gloved fingers, Hux gently cradled a small piece of brilliant-white stone. To most, it was barely something of any interest of all, perhaps the most attention it drew was for its strikingly-bright appearance.
“Yes, sir,” Efa smiled, admiring it as he held it up to better inspect it. “I kept it from one of the many times I visited the beach with my grandparents, there were always pieces of rock scattered about near where the cliffs met the sand.”
After they had spoken some more at the staff party, Efa had mentioned her treasured rock from her homeworld. Eagar to see it for himself, Hux had asked if she would mind showing it to him.
It didn’t take much convincing for her to lead him to her quarters, were she kept it neatly displayed on her desk.
He hummed, turning the stone around carefully. “You lived near the coast?” he asked, turning his attention back to her.
Efa nodded, watching the way the white stone glinted against the dark leather of his gloves. “Not exactly, but the coast was only a short ride away from home.”
Hux hummed thoughtfully again, still inspecting the stone. “It’s a rather striking piece.”
“Yes, it is,” she said softly, and caught herself looking at him a little too long.
He looked up just then…slowly, and their eyes met. The silence that followed was not the same as before. It was…heavier.
Not burdened by memory this time, but by intensity.
Hux stepped closer, not enough to be inappropriate, but close enough that she could see the precise stitching of his uniform collar, the faint sheen of his hair under the dim light.
“I understand why you kept it,” he said, voice lower, less performative than before. “When everything else is dismantled…sometimes even a stone can feel like stability.”
Efa’s throat tightened slightly, and she nodded. “Yes, truly.”
His eyes dropped for the briefest moment to her hand, still resting loosely at her side, before rising again to meet hers.
“You still carry it with you,” he said. Not a question. An observation. “Even now, so far from home.”
Efa’s voice came softer. “I like the weight of it, and the reminder of my life there before I left.”
“Not many in the Order speak that way,” he said, taking another step closer. “Most treat the past like a threat. Like something that might unravel them.”
She swallowed. The air between them was suddenly warmer than it had been, though the room remained the same. Hux stood within reach now, the line between personal and professional space blurring.
“And you, sir?” she asked, her voice careful, but her confidence daring. “Do you see your past as a threat?”
“No,” he said, his gaze holding hers. “I see it as a foundation.”
He turned the stone once more in his hand, then, almost reverently, he offered it back to her.
She took it slowly, and for a moment, her fingers brushed his.
This time, she didn’t look away.
Hux’s eyes lingered on her face longer than necessary, his gaze not cold or clinical now, but instead, searching. Like he was evaluating something far more complex than a report or a briefing. Something closer to curiosity.
Or desire, suppressed behind discipline.
“I admit,” he said, “I hadn’t expected your quarters to feel this…personal.”
“You imagined I lived in a storage crate?”
He allowed the corner of his mouth to lift. It wasn’t quite a smile, but something warmer than anything she’d seen from him before.
“No,” he said. “But I did not expect a collection of memorabilia, you have, of course, not been here so long. Therefore you have travelled with this when you first arrived with the Admiral.” He admitted, glancing along her desk at the array of items ranging from small photographs to tiny broken charms and pendants.
“I would have thought my room was searched while I was under investigation.” she said, following his gaze along her belongings. But then she stopped.
Not the First Order issued one.
Her heart-rate kicked up once again. It was sat among her charms, thankfully not looking too out of place. It was possible he wouldn’t notice…
Their eyes met again, closer now, and Efa felt her focus on her comms fall away.
Everything around them seemed to narrow, sound and light drawing in like a tide pulling back before the wave. She could feel her pulse in her throat, in her fingertips, in the soft silence between their bodies.
In an instant, Hux pulled her forward, pressing his body against her as his lips crashed against hers.
His hands slid around her, one finding its place in her hair and the other around her waist as their kiss deepened.
Falling into one another’s embrace, Efa felt the General work his hands under her shirt and against her breasts, cupping and squeezing them as his lips pressed more hungrily against hers. She let out a soft moan against his kiss as the cold leather began to tease her nipples.
He smirked against her lips as he continued, before turning her around, pushing her firmly against the desk.
Her hands fell forward, steadying herself as he began to unbuckle his belt behind her. Efa’s breathing grew heavier in anticipation as she listened to the sound of it clattering to the ground. Without hesitation, his fingers hooked into the sides of her pants, pulling them down slowly. A heat began to spread across her cheeks as she felt a breeze against her bare ass. One her pants were around her ankles, the General pushed her feet apart, spreading her legs as he saw fit.
She gulped quietly in surprise at the suddenness of his movements.
At the sound, he stopped, “is this OK, Efa? Do you wish for me to continue?”
“Y-yes.” she managed, silently pleading for his touch, his body mere inches away from her own.
He hummed, but didn’t return to her, instead one gloved hand shot around her neck, pulling her up so that her back was against him.
“Yes?” He whispered, his grip tightening slightly as he spoke. “Yes, what? You are forgetting your place ever so quickly.”
Efa swallowed thickly, closing her eyes as she felt herself giving into her needs.
“Yes, please, sir-Yes, General.” she managed, her voice weak in his grip.
“Very good, Efa.” He smirked, releasing her throat and pushing her back down against the desk. Her face lay flat against the cold wood, his hand resting on her head, holding her in place.
As he positioned himself behind her, his other hand traced her hip, sending small shocks of desire through her. She sucked in a shaky breath as she felt his now free length push against her ass, her pulse finding its way to her lower lips.
“If only you knew how long I’ve been thinking of having you like this,” he said, his voice low. “Every time I’d see you, you would play on my mind for hours…the way your uniform presses against your body,” his hand dragged lazily as he spoke, eventually finding its way to her pussy, tracing lightly along her lips.
Her breathing quickened at his words, and she could feel her wetness forming, her mind driving itself crazy.
Eventually, his touch circled closer, and she gasped as a leather clad finger slipped inside of her.
He hummed deeply, pulling out and taking his finger to his lips.
“The way you serve me with such passion, even now…” he murmured, sucking the juices from his finger.
She began to tremble, her body more in control of her mind as he continued to tease her.
His hand returned to her lips, and he slid two fingers in slowly. She gasped, trying to compose herself as he began to slide them in and out. The sound of her wetness against leather filled the air as she struggled to contain her moans.
Hux hummed, adding another digit as her wetness continued to form. Her eyes widened as he began to move more quickly, his other hand forming a tight fist in her hair.
All too soon, he pulled away, his hand sliding out of her easily. She moaned softly at the change in sensation, her pussy achingly empty.
“Oh Efa,” he whispered, his voice lower than before, “how willing you are to take me. Is this truly what you want?” his cock brushed against her opening and she swallowed, her body now beyond her control.
“Yes, sir. Yes.” she whispered, her voice laced with a desperation she never knew she had.
But, at her words, his touch left her. She opened her eyes, fearing he was unsatisfied with her pleas. “Please, General. This is what I want.”
She tried to turn her head to face him, but his hand remained on her head, keeping her firmly in place.
He leaned over her, his breath warm against her neck as he brushed her hair to the side. “Well then, allow me to oblige you.” he said slowly, his cock pushing against her entrance and into her agonisingly slowly.
She let out a half-moan half-wail as he pushed fully inside of her, Hux releasing his own low grunt as he began to buck against her.
She gripped the desk as he slowly picked up the pace, each thrust sending bursts of pleasure through her.
Leaning back to his original position, Efa moaned as he found a new angle, somehow pushing himself even further inside of her.
Her hair fell into her face as he continued his rhythm. His hand moved away from atop her head and down to her waist, holding her in place as he pushed deeper.
His other hand moved forward, reaching around and towards her face. Two gloved fingers slipped their way past her parted lips and into her mouth. She blushed at the faint taste of her own wetness, her mind a blur of pleasure as he continued.
“Mmm you’re taking me so well.” he praised ruggedly, gripping her waist even tighter, “stay like this, yes. Good girl,” he grunted.
Without warning, his hand fell from her mouth and down to her waist. But, instead of holding her like the other, it continued downwards, stopping at the top of her entrance.
“I do hope you remember this kindness, Efa. This is something you have earned.” he whispered, his fingers tracing her clit with a feather-light touch.
She clenched around him at the sudden sensation, a coil in her tightening as he began to apply pressure. He grunted softly, beginning to trace circled around her.
Barely able to take it all, Efa let out a moan, her cheeks turning a bright red as she did so.
A soft chuckle from behind her caused her to blush even further, but she barely heard it through the deafening pleasure.
Her wetness now dripping down her leg, Efa closed her eyes, trying to ground herself somewhat as the General continued his rhythym, both inside her pussy and at her clit.
But ever so quickly it became all too much.
The coil inside her began to tighten further and further, until she felt herself overcome. Her walls pressed tightly against his length as she came, crying out at the pleasure coursing through her.
It was like nothing she had experienced before.
Her legs shook and her grip on the desk tightened as he led her through her orgasm, his quickening touch at her clit lengthening the sensation.
At the same time, he felt himself nearing the edge, and he pulled his cock away quickly. As she began to come down from her own release, Hux finished over her ass, one hand gripping her cheeks tightly as he pumped his cock with the other.
Collapsing under him, Efa let out a long breath, her heart still racing.
The General staggered back, his own heavy breathing filling the space around them.
After a few moments, Efa lifted her head, pushing herself up onto shaky legs. Slowly, her mind was returning to normal, and she blinked away the last few hazy spots of her orgasm.
“Stop, don’t move.” Hux stated, his voice stern.
Her stomach dropped, unsure if she had offended him in some way. She turned, but her vision became blurry. She leaned back against the desk, her energy not having fully returned to her yet.
Hux reached forward, supporting her with one hand as he stood next to her. She frowned at the sudden soft sensation below her. She glanced behind her slightly, and she saw he was patting her with one of her towels.
Blinking in confusion, she was gently guided towards her bed, where she was placed down. The General looked down at her as he set her down, his now ruffled hair bouncing against his forehead as he adjusted her.
“Thank you…sir” she managed, her mind still catching up to her. Stars, she was exhausted.
With a jolt, she shot up.
She was about to contemplate if all of that had been a dream, but her answer was given to her as she met the eyes of the General, who was sat at her desk facing her.
Looking up from his datapad, he titled his head slightly, somewhat surprised at her sudden movements.
“Efa, can I bring you something?” he asked simply. Her cheeks began to burn as her memory of the night before started to return to her. Quickly, she lowered her gaze.
“Uh, no sir. Thank you.” she managed, her hand rising to her head at the headache now beginning to take form.
“I expected you to be asleep longer,” he said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips as he registered her blush, “but you seemed…restless.”
“I’m sorry, sir. I-” her face dropped as her mind began to flick back to the party. He noticed a slight sadness in her eyes, but said nothing.
She looked in his direction, but didn’t meet his eye. Pulling her arms around herself in a make-shift hug, she sighed.
“I am…worried about a friend, that’s all. Someone I work with.” she began.
He sat up a bit straighter, raising a brow, “are you reporting a serious matter, Efa? If there is a sincere threat to someone affiliated with the Order then you must inform me immediately.”
She waved her hand dismissively, but not rudely. “No, nothing like that. Its a friend who is…getting too close to another co-worker. Someone who is, well, rather unpleasant.”
He furrowed his brow, “are you…reporting this?”
“No, I- more like getting it off my chest. I apologise, sir. Is that inappropriate?”
He relaxed a little, tilting his head, “Not even slightly, if this is bothering you then please do continue.”
She smiled a bit, a small sense of happiness bubbling away at her as she breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, General. Its all been a bit much,” she said. “I want to help her, my friend. The man she is seeing is…violent and manipulative. He’s lashed out before and I know it wasn’t the first or last time. She’s so kind-hearted and she doesn’t see the danger she is in when the Lieutenant is-”
She stopped herself, but she knew it was too late.
Hux sat forward, his gaze quickly changing from thoughtful to stern.
“The name?” he asked, his tone now serious.
She sucked in a breath. There was no going back now.
“…Walder,” she said finally, watching his face carefully.
His frown deepened, “you mention he is violent. That he has lashed out. Is that in any way linked to the interaction between the two of you shortly before you were released from interrogation?”
Of course, how could she have expected the General to believe her over his own colleague. She’d attacked him, the Lieutenant had said. She was the violent one…and now the General believed it too.
Hux watched her carefully, noting her sunken expression and trembling hands. He stood, approaching the bed before sitting beside her. She froze, unsure what to make of his sudden closeness.
But Hux lowered his gaze, taking her hands gently in his. “Efa, tell me,” he said, more softly this time. “Did the Lieutenant exaggerate? Did he lie? You will not be reprimanded for the truth.”
She breathed out a quiet sob, before regaining herself. She hadn’t expected the General to listen, to comfort her like this. Maybe…maybe talking about it would give her the strength to speak to Mina. If she could tell the General, then she could tell her.
Quietly, she spoke, “he-he collected me from the cell. He had the stormtroopers take me to the interrogation room.” She managed, “it-I I don’t know why. But he started to act differently than he had right away. He sent the troopers out and then he hit me…he hit me with his blaster,” she paused, wiping away a tear. “I couldn’t move, I was strapped to the chair. Then-then he said that he would report me, he would say I had attacked him. And then he-he said if I could show him remorse then he wouldn’t report me…He crouched close to me, he-he touched my hair. And then you came through the door.”
She didn’t meet his eye, instead she simply stared down at her hands within his, the warmth of his touch a quiet comfort.
“Thank you, Efa. I am glad you shared this with me,” he said. His tone was different now, but she couldn’t interpret what he was thinking. Looking up, she saw that his eyes were distant, but he composed himself before she could truly read his expression.
Letting go of her hands gently, he stood.
“You should try and get some more rest. I apologise, but I have a meeting with Commander Ren. Regrettably I must attend.”
“Of course.” she said, the warmth of their exchange continuing to swirl inside her, “thank you, General. Thank you so much.”
A slight smile tugged his lips, but his eyes remained somewhat haunted. As he began to move towards the door, she began to tuck herself back into bed.
The morning came quickly, mainly because she had barely slept by the time her alarm woke her at 7.00.
She sighed, grabbing her datapad and scrolling through the messages she’d been putting off since yesterday.
Most were just as mundane as she was expecting. A new edition of the First Order magazine, the announcement of altered opening times for the canteen on weekends…
But there was one that caught her by surprise.
Stars, she didn’t realise they allowed that here.
Leaping to her feet, she pulled on her unform and picked her datapad back up as she headed through the door.
Her package was just down the hall, poking out of a small postbox with her name scribbled across it.
She stopped, pulling it out for a better look. As she did, a tiny note fell out and onto the floor. She picked it up, deciding to inspect them back at her quarters.
Placing them on her desk, she started with the parcel.
It was very thin, a strange shape with pointy edges. Curiously, she opened it, and as soon as she saw what it was her eyes began to water with joy.
It was a large sheet of paper, folded many times at many different angles to form the clumsy shape of a starship. She wasn’t too sure what one it was supposed to be, but she smiled at a child’s scribbled writing clearly labelling her as the stick figure piloting the ship.
Flipping it over, she saw the writing:
Have fun on your ship, we miss you!
Smiling wider than she had in far too long, she stroked the edges of the paper gently, hoping the kids were doing ok. Haro might see the good in keeping them away from Lothal, but she knew it was hard on them being away from their dad.
Thinking forward to the ceremony, she made a mental note to bring it up again with Haro. Maybe she could convince him to have them visit? A few weeks or so would make all the difference, she knew they missed him dearly.
Setting it down carefully, she turned her attention to the note.
Perhaps it was from Aunt Mala, Efa was eager for an update on how the kids were doing.
Unfolding it she frowned.
It hadn’t been sent to her post box, it had been left there.
In thick, cursive, in a dialect she hadn’t read in years were the words:
Efa, I have sent my translator to speak with you. She will wait for you in the guest lounge. This is not an officially arranged meeting.
Despite taking a few minutes to piece together the note’s meaning, she recognised the handwriting immediately. And the initials confirmed it.
Hoping she wasn’t too late, she gathered her things quickly and ran through the door.
Grabbing a quick snack from the canteen on her way, Efa began to speedwalk in the direction of the guest lounge.
She was surprised to hear from the Admiral, as she as certain there were more pressing matters to deal with elsewhere. But the upcoming speech would certainly be of grave importance, and she was more than happy to speak with his new translator in preparation for it. That must be what this was about.
As she crossed the threshold into the brightly-lit room, she smiled as she met the eyes of Lira.
She didn’t know her too well, in fact she hadn’t initially arrived here with her. She recognised her from the holograms she’d had when she’d called the Admiral. Lira was always there just in case, but so far she hadn’t needed to step in during their calls.
After Efa was given the more long-term contract with the Order, the Admiral had returned to Lothal. Although Efa would be handing the General’s speech, and Lira the Admiral’s, Efa had been asked to meet with Lira at the Admiral’s request.
Clutching her datapad filled with translation notes in one had, and her half-eaten pastry in the other, Efa moved towards her.
Lira lifted up her gaze at the sound of sudden footsteps. She smiled back and stood, gesturing to the seat opposite her at a small table.
With a relaxed glance about, Efa breathed a sigh of relief.
The two of them had the space to themselves.
Looking back at Lira, she noticed that she too was scanning the room, albeit a lot more clumsily.
Infact, as she draw her attention more closely to the twi’lek opposite her, she saw that she was shaking. Her eyes darted about more rapidly, and her face was held in a strained, awkward smile, as though she was trying very had to compose herself.
Efa felt a surge of concern engulf her, and she leaned forward slightly, her worry showing.
“Lira, hey, is everything ok?”
Lira’s eyes shot to hers, and her smile dropped slightly.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be so…” she started, gesturing to herself, “I really need to speak to you. Its…a private matter.”
Efa’s eyes softened, suddenly even more worried for the girl, but simultaneously focused on trying to comfort her in some way.
Her mind darted to Lothal, to the Admiral.
Stars…had something happened?
“Ok, no problem. Its just us here, but if you would prefer, I could book us a conference room? Please don’t worry,” she said, her hand reaching out to Lira’s arm as a show of comfort. But she pulled away before Efa’s hand could make contact.
“I’m sorry, I’m not good with physical contact.” Lira sniffled, “thank you but…I think its better if I just blurt it out.”
Efa nodded in response, not wanting to upset Lira further.
Drawing in a deep breath, Lira sat up a bit, placing her hands together in her lap.
“I found something,” she said through sniffles. “On the Admiral’s datapad. There was a video, I didn’t mean to-” she paused, looking down. “I shouldn’t have, I was trying to access the document for the ceremony. But, anyway, it was there…and I opened it,” she took in another shaky breath.
“I don’t understand it-I-I told the Admiral right away. They were kind enough to offer me forgiveness, but, they insisted I tell you about it. They…they were planning to anyway.” Lira paused, shooting a quick glance around the room once more, “there were two people. One man, one stormtrooper. But, uh, the stormtrooper looked different than the normal ones…more shiny. I’m sorry, that’s the best way I can describe it. They spoke together about…about a murder.” she whispered the last word, trying very hard to keep her voice steady, it was clear she was terrified.
Efa was focused on her words, trying to decipher what Lira was describing to her.
“It uh-” she continued. “It wasn’t easy to hear them, but the man spoke about promotions and ranks. I-I have one sentence here,” she retrieved a crumpled up sheet of paper from her jacket pocket, opening it up with trembling hands. “Ren will use Pryde to elevate his power, as a means to diminish my own…we must take away this stepping stone for Ren. We must remove Pryde. Can I intrust you to take care of this, as before?” she read, before looking up at Efa. “The Admiral said the names were important…that you’d need them to understand,” she explained, quickly repocketing the note.
Efa sat back slowly as Lira spoke. She knew the answer before she asked the question, but she needed to be sure, “thank you, Lira. If its not too much trouble, and if you remember of course, what did the man in the video look like?”
Lira nodded, “yes, I remember. He wore black. Not just clothes, he had a black hat too, and red hair.”
Swallowing quickly, Efa nodded.
“Ok, thank you again Lira. I-” she glanced around the room quickly. They were still alone. “Tell the Admiral thanks for me, would you? I do hope they are well.” she smiled, hoping to send some warmth Lira’s way.
Lira smiled back nervously, before standing quickly. “Yes, Ok. No problem.” She took out her hand as if to shake Efa’s and Efa stood too, taking it politely. “I guess I’ll see you in a few days for that uh preparation rehersal.” Lira said, releasing her hand and beginning to back away.
Efa frowned slightly, but nodded, “Oh, yes. I must not have gotten the information on that yet, but yes. Hopefully I’ll see you there.”
Lira nodded, turning away quickly and heading away down the corridor.
Efa listened to the hurried footsteps for a moment longer before collapsing back into her seat.
She pressed her hand to her mouth, holding back the rise of nausea. She had walked into her quarters with him. She had admired him.
She’d let herself be close to him. Like there was something beneath his coldness, something vulnerable. Something human.
And he had killed someone…his own colleague.
Was this political ambition? A desperate attempt to maintain power in a shifting structure?
Or had it always been this cold underneath?
But, regardless of his reasons, she was now holding the weight of that knowledge.
And she was his translator. His voice in the days to come.
She had spent weeks preparing his speech. Shaping it. Perfecting tone and cadence and breath. She knew it by heart. And that meant her voice would carry that legacy forward.
A legacy ever dripping in blood.
