Interrogated

It’s an interrogation. Nobody says it. It sure as hell doesn't look like it. About ten Resistance captains sit with them at the table. Kiran sits at the far end, Maggie to her left but on the long end of the table. They asked her to come specifically because they “needed accurate information on the Outer Worlds”. Just go there, assholes. But, no, it’s to see what people Kiran has killed.

Maggie isn’t listening to what anyone is saying, she just watches Kiran. Regular interrogations don’t work on the ex-third in command of the First Order. Violence, bribery, even begging. She never folds. (She knows this from the constant questioning about Kiran’s coworkers and personal life. Kiran does not ever fold.)

“Mairgold?” The name pulls her out of her head and she looks at the rest of the group. They’re all looking at her. Shit. One of the older women, the one who called her name - her full name, how long was she out? - asks, “What is the common wage of a person living in the Outer Worlds?”

Maggie shrugs. “It depends on what they do. I worked by commission, and that was,” she wiggles her hand for emphasis, “okay. If you’re asking for a class status, they’re mostly lower.”

The woman nods and goes back to talking to Kiran. But Kiran isn’t looking ahead, as she was before. Her eyes are trained on Maggie. There’s a twinkle in them. It’s not friendly. She looks like the cat who caught the canary, or a condescending parent. Kiran looks entirely predatory.

It's been a long time since the interrogation ceased. Kiran, of course, was silent save for a few words that made the more noble captains in the room gasp. She’s back in the care of Maggie, and by extension, Trish. The latter is out, enjoying a dinner with some pilots that have grown fond of her formal mannerisms and ignorance, which admittedly, can be pretty cute. (Maggie didn’t let her leave without a small knife, hidden in her wrap top.) It’s just Kiran and her in the dingy little living quarters Kiran’s status as a prisoner granted all of them. Maggie sits on a stool scrubbing at her jumpsuit while Kiran sits on the bed opposite to her. That stupid look is still on her stupid face, and Maggie feels trapped. She huffs and starts to stand, walking to the door.

“Where are you off too, Mag?” Kiran leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Maggie shrugs. “You’re gonna leave me all alone? I could just leave.”
“You’d be sedated.” Put down like the dog you are, she thinks, but nope. Not the time. Even in her head, it comes out more bitter and confrontational than she means.

“Right. You know, you should be in a better mood. You know more about the Outer Worlds than your valiant, brave, all-powerful captains.”

“Let’s be clear, I want to be here as much as you do. It’s just that one of us is on house arrest, I have to babysit you, and Trish would hate me if we left. She loves it here.”

“Babysit me? I’m more capable than you. I babysit you.”

Maggie is in Kiran’s personal space before she even realizes it. Her braids dangle in the corners of her vision. “Which one of us gets punished for your fuckups, Kiran?”

Kiran leans forward. Something in her is bubbling. It spills over in a teasing tone, the kind that is meant to get under your skin. Innocent, but dark. “Oh, but you love trouble, don’t you, Marigold?”

Maggie needs to get better at thinking before she does anything, because in a couple of seconds she doesn’t remember her knuckles hurt like hell and Kiran is holding her cheek, bent over at the waist and turned to the side.

“Do not fucking call me that.” Adrenaline fills Maggie’s blood and she steps back. “Ever. That bitch shouldn’t have even called me that.”

Kiran, to Maggie’s shock and horror, laughs. Once. “You’re dead.”

Maggie grips onto Kiran’s shoulder as the ex-general shoots up, arms wrapped around her waist in an attempt to drop her to the ground. Maggie holds on, nails digging into the other’s jacket. She tries to grab at the short silver hair, but a leg sweeps out from under her and she collapses onto her back with the weight of Kiran on top of her. She can’t even take a breath before a fist collides with her face. Payback. Then another, and another. Maggie has half a mind to lift her arms to protect her face, but Kiran grabs her wrists and pulls them down.

In that moment, Maggie lifts herself off the floor and flips both of them over. “Cut it the fuck out.” She breathes.

She doesn’t really mean it. The throbbing ache in her nose and jaw is exhilarating. Kiran has a similar wild look in her eyes. They’re both predators. They’re both prey. “You started it,” Kiran shoots back. Maggie stands up. Kiran is on her elbows when the inner side of a boot collides with her side. She flips over but keeps her composure. They’re up on their feet, circling each other with their hands in front of their faces.

“Try and hit me,” Kiran taunts. In the back of her mind, the miniscule rational piece of her brain, Maggie knows she’s fighting a battle that’s already lost. There’s no way she’s going to outlast a First Order General, current or former. Still, she swings.

Maggie dips, fist almost colliding with Kiran’s stomach. A knee comes up and turns her vision fuzzy. She doesn’t know where she is when she feels her back slam into a surface and a hand around her neck. Her vision clears, and Kiran is looking up at her darkly. She realizes with exhilaration that her feet aren’t on the ground.

“At least you tried.” Kiran gets in her face. “Never try to lay a hand on me again. I am not above killing you.” She lets go, and Maggie crumples to the floor. She feels bruised, buzzing with energy and pain. “Get yourself cleaned up, Maggie. Trish wouldn’t want to see you like this.” Kiran goes back to sitting on the bed, staring down at her.

There’s a dull sense of pride when she looks up and sees Kiran’s reaction to her wide grin. It’s subtle, but there’s an obvious shock in her eyes. Maybe even disgust? Whatever. “You punch hard. And your grip? No wonder you’re such a good shot.” Kiran scoffs and rolls her eyes, disgust overwhelming shock. Maggie stands up, legs shaking, entire body shaking, and goes to the door.

“Thanks for not breaking any of my bones. But hey, let’s do that again sometime. On better terms.” Maggie opens the door and then she’s gone, leaving Kiran in the room alone.