Blinded by the Dark | General Hux

XVIII

"There's nothing to note going on in the bar or lobby," Amelia said as she returned to the room where the General was hunched at the desk to fill in reports and files, nodding at what she announced.

"That's to be expected."

She kicked her feet up on the sofa when she collapsed onto it, looking up at the ceiling with her head on the armrest. "Are you sure this is worth all this effort? That they'd definitely be here?"

"I'm hoping so. There's no way they'd make any deals or talk to anyone of influence so out in the open though; if they were smart they would wait for cover."

"And you think they'd definitely do that at this hotel?"

"This is where everyone and anyone with any kind of power or money wind up when they come here. It's a well-known hub for under the counter deals and trade, that's why our cover works. They'll be here."

"At one of those formals the hotel holds in the evening?" she asked and he nodded, meeting her eyes.

"Precisely. Lots of people for cover, for trade. We'll see what the one tonight has to offer.

"I'm excited already."

***

Amelia stuck close to him as they entered the lounge that held the already tens even hundreds of beautifully clad women in trailing ballgowns, some chattering excitedly while others discussed business with men in suits and a wide array of different species all representing their own planets of colonies in trade or government, although some were just there to have a good time.

"Stay close," she muttered, holding his arm while her eyes darted about the room, her lightsaber clipped to the outside of her leg under the deep red pool of the skirt of her dress. She looked about as deadly as she was with dark ringlets of hair framing her face and an almost dismissive look in her eyes, not hesitating to let people know that she should not be questioned. This certainly didn't bother her companion though, he was more drawn to her than ever before. "We don't know who's around. I need to be able to defend you."

"Yes, ma'am..." he muttered a tad sarcastically, following her tug to the bar where they might relax a little and blend in better. To him, that wasn't exactly going to be possible: she had managed to captivate him so dearly and others would no doubt follow.

"Seen anything interesting?" She kept her back to the bar as he ordered, her eyes on the rest of the room, scanning everyone individually.

"Not yet, but someone will surely jump out. The guilty are always easy to spot in my experience."

They became involved in a discussion with a group of arms dealers which was as good a cover as any even if she didn't entirely understand it all. Thankfully, her 'husband' did and fueled the conversation on their part while she kept an eye out.

"And what do you think, Ivylyn?" One of their new acquaintances brought her back to the reality of dealings.

"Me...?" she asked a little distractedly. "Oh, well...this is more my husband's area of interest. I mostly deal with...accounting," She said the first thing that came to her head as she looked back with a weak smile.

"You're married?" he asked with a noticeable twang of selfish disappointment in his voice, gesturing between them with his glass. They nodded.

"Two years...happily." She stepped the tiniest bit closer to Hux who noticed and wrapped a careful arm around her waist. She had to swallow the ball of nerves in her throat.