A Silent Party

Finding Out About Your Future Husband

The sadness and resignation in your father's voice when he tells you about the man who is to be your husband were enough to show you his feelings about the person himself and the whole situation.

He opens his coat and takes his datapad, hidden inside an inner pocket, and searches for something. Then he shows the device's screen for you to see.

– His name is Armitage Hux. He's a General, and the man in charge of their mobile battle station, the Starkiller Base. This station is what we use to call a super weapon, something like the imperial Death Star, but improved or... worsened.

This description disturbs you, but there's no time for panic; besides, it's not on your power to avoid the curiosity, and no one can provoke one's curiosity than a man appointed as the commander of such... thing. You take the datapad from his hand, look at its screen and your feelings turn into a strange mixture of fear, anger and apprehension when you put your eyes on the man's image.

He is young. Younger than you expected, and you wonder that if the majority of the First Order's personnel is as young as him, the reason for the organization's power is the capacity of reuniting young and well prepared people with no fear of breaking up with past traditions in order to reach their goals under the same ideology. You have no doubts about the unscrupulousness of such group of people, and even less doubts of what their General would be capable of. Now, you believe nothing can surprise you anymore.

However, you are forced to raise your eyes form the datapad to your father when you hear what he says next:

- Not only he is the commander of the station, but he also designed it.

You look down at the screen to connect this new information to what you've already seen. It is not an easy task. As far as you can see, there is nothing wrong or unattractive in his appearance – anything your personal principles would associate with the fierceness that such position demands: his ginger hair is brushed and settled with hair gel in a style you suppose is followed by every male officer in this organization; you imagine that his scrutinizing blue eyes, looking forward as to something out of sight, are capable of piercing the observer only with their owner's will, and you look away at the thought of this happening; his skin is a bit pale, setting off the rosy tone of his lips, closed with a firmness you've only seen a few times in your life, and not in anyone you'd consider an example of amiability; his paleness is increased by the black regiments he wears, making him look older, and you wonder if this choice of clothing is deliberate.

Everything in this man reminds you of balance, order and tidiness in scary levels. In other circumstances, you could even say you find him handsome, but it's impossible to ignore things as they are, so you can't deny the unsettling sensation it gives you to look at his face, his eyes. You can't tell exactly what it is, but the sensation is so strong that you decide it's time to give the datapad back to your father.

– I've seen enough.

Despite your attempt to remain controlled, your father notices the uneasiness in your manners. He apologizes, still ashamed to be the cause of such feelings.

– Now you understand why this is so difficult for me to inform you...

Now you can't take the defeatist tone of his conversation. The anger you forced yourself to suffocate at first now comes stronger; all you want is to yell at him and disappear. You can't agree with his decision, it was wrong, even coward of him to act like this on your back, knowing the heaviest part of the task would fall on your shoulders, but you weren't raised to run or sit at the corner feeling sorry for yourself. You are the Senator's daughter, and in your family people soon learn to fight. This agreement, this marriage, this General... they cannot scare you, and they won't. It's just another battle for you to win, like all the others. And it's your duty to make your father remember that.

– Father, what it's done, it's done. We can't run from this now, and we won't. I won't. I don't approve this agreement, and I don't like the situation it puts me in. But I can't waste my time feeling angry or disappointed. We have work to do, and we'll do it very well – and when you notice your father is about to explain the dangerous implications of what you have in mind, you don't let him speak – I wouldn't be your daughter if I let a man like him scare me even before I could meet him in person. I wouldn't forgive myself if I let fear take over me.

You notice some tears filling your father's eyes, and hug him before they fall.

– He won't harm me, nor you. They won't hurt anyone in this planet as long as I'm here.