Chapter Text
It was love at first sight. A horrible cliché Mitaka knew, and very much not the sort of thing an aspiring First Order officer should deal in. But it was the truth. And it got him shot in the head.
Fortunately it was only a training scenario. But it had still been very embarrassing at the time. The incident happened during his first joint training exercise since he'd arrived on the Rectifier. It was a capture the flag type scenario between the Naval and Army branches, set in a hyper realistic simulation of Naboo. Everything had been going so well.
Then-Colonel Hux had been leading his squad through the rainforest toward the Naval stronghold. That in itself had already been a distraction. Hux had been in the year above him at the academy, they'd both been valedictorian, and yet Bren Hux was already a Colonel whilst Dopheld Mitaka had only just made First Lieutenant. Of course Hux was a military and engineering genius. No one else in First Order history had made Lieutenant Colonel at the age of only twenty four, and now there were rumours of some game changing new weapon he was developing. Mitaka knew better than to compare their careers, but it still stung. He was too good at his specific job that was his own limitation- superior officers resisted promoting him in case they lost his expertise.
So yes, he had been distracted, thinking about his career instead of the path ahead and walking straight into... well. Even a decade later Dopheld struggles to accurately describe his spouse- waxing lyrical about rich skin soft as incense smoke, plush lips syrupy sweet, high arching brows, and dark eyes filled with nebulae. At the time though his only lasting impression had been of impossibly long legs and a perfect face filled with surprised contempt. He'd hesitated. The figure in the teal uniform had not. They'd shot him in the face and stepped over his twitching form as the simulation interface took his vision and administered the appropriate level of electric shock for his catastrophic mistake.
Of course Hux chewed him out once the simulation was complete, and he deserved it, but he was infinitely grateful that the rigidly controlled man had no idea of the reason for his lapse. Hux had no patience for such nonsense and would have doubled his punishment. As it was Mitaka ended up with the most unpleasant tasks for the rest of the training exercises. Which as how he ended up in a fox hole in the middle of a snowy wasteland with The Vision In Teal.
This final simulation for the day was loosely based on the Battle of Hoth, but assuming that the atmospheric blockade had held. The aim was to work together to capture the simulated Rebel leaders before they found a way to get off planet. Hux had sent Mitaka in this direction, ostensibly to scout for fleeing downed pilots, but in reality Dopheld knew the Colonel just wanted him away from the bulk of the combat. That had not worked out as planned.
The simulation of Luke Skywalker had lead a band of desperate Rebels right in Mitaka's direction. He'd managed to coordinate with the nearby Naval forces and eliminate about half of them before the Rebel command had brought their X Wings down on their location. Now there was nothing to be done but take shelter until someone could mobilise a corresponding airborne Imperial Force. And so he'd ended up cowering and covered in muddy slush, next to the most gorgeous creature he'd ever seen.
Introducing themselves only as Lieutenant Commander Dex they'd actually commended his actions in this campaign and apologised for shooting him in the face earlier. Mitaka had babbled for a while before regaining his composure. When he finally held his hand out and introduced himself, Dex had blinked their huge eyes, smiled sweetly and stated that "Mitaki" was a very rude word on their home planet. Dopheld had been horrified, until the other had nudged him and said they 'hoped he could live up to it' with a wink. He'd never known that it was humanly possible to turn quite that shade of red. The LTC had turned the conversation back to tactics after that but the smile had stayed with him for hours after the battle. They'd won. Working together they'd come up with a strategy that captured Skywalker with ease. Hux had been impressed, though he clearly believed Dex to be more responsible for the victory than Dopheld.
That had hurt a little, until he undressed for the evening and found a card containing unknown comm details in the pocket of his jodhpurs. He'd debated for nearly half an hour about whether to comm now- he was exhausted from training, or wait- he couldn't get that face out of his mind. He'd done it. Dex had smiled in a way that made his heart race and he knew it was the right decision. They'd suggested meeting in a nearby recreation area for a quick drink. Six hours later Dopheld had been forced to run half the length of the star destroyer just to avoid missing the start of his shift.
-----
Dex was a fascinating individual and Dopheld had found it impossible to stop listening to them. If he hadn't heard the warning chimes for the shift change he could have sat there for days.
Mitaka had been born on a Star Destroyer, his mother a respected Major within the Imperial Forces. She'd been killed within the year by a Rebel attack. His father on the other hand was a senior technician and one of the first to join the exiles in opposing the Galactic Concordance. He'd never forgiven the Republic for taking his wife and he'd raised his son to honour her memory.
By contrast Dex was a volunteer, from a Republic colony no less. They'd been eleven years old, the youngest child of mercantile family, newly sold in to an arranged marriage, when they'd heard the First Order ships breeching the atmosphere. As the rest of the town ran screaming from the brilliant white uniforms, Dex had stolen masculine clothes from the hamper and climbed out a window. It had been easy enough, with their knowledge of the town's alleys and secret spaces, to get to the transport ships unseen. They'd knelt before the Stormtrooper with the red command pauldron and, in halting Basic, offered to lead the troopers to the hidden bunkers that would be concealing the majority of the town folk- in exchange for the chance to join their organisation. The captain had accepted ready enough, though he later admit to intending to kill the little waif as too old for conditioning until he saw how readily they joined the executions. Dex had never explained that the men they'd killed that day had been the father that had so readily sold them and their buyer.
Despite the language barrier Dex had taken to the First Order training program like a natural. Within a year all trace of their accent was gone and they'd been accelerated to the Officer program. The Academy had moulded an eager vengeful child into a talented navigator, brutal fighter, and one of their most devoted advocates.
Dopheld often wondered whether Hux had ever heard Dex speak about the evils of the Republic; their conversations from those early days would often echo though his mind during the General's daily propaganda. He was drawn in by the passion with which Dex seemed to approach every aspect of their life. It influenced him, made him a better officer; despite a life time of loyalty and excellent grades he finally found himself truly driven to succeed.
Unfortunately the relationship had stalled there for a time. Mitaka was not unexperienced, but he'd never engaged in anything emotionally more complex than a brief liaison in the shower blocks. In fact he'd never been sexually involved with anyone he hadn't already seen naked in advance. Dex was special, Dex was better than that. He had no idea how to proceed. So they'd plateaued at drinks and shared lunch breaks for nearly four months until the evening when Mitaka had returned to his quarters to find his bed already occupied. Dex was special, Dex was impatient.
Dex was perfect.
-----
They had proposed to Dopheld six months later, on his birthday. Or rather they had intended to do so, having already completed and submitted the paperwork for a marriage to his superior officer. Colonel Hux had promptly spoiled the surprise by informing a very confused Mitaka that since the two branches shared no command structure their application was approved, but given their superior genetics it would be a waste to limit them to two offspring so he would personally sign off on an open ended licence. It had taken a very long awkward conversation for Dopheld to actually understand what was going on, followed by an agonising wait for the end of his shift so he could find Dex and accept the proposal.
The marriage license was the first time Mitaka had seen Dex' first name. He couldn't pronounce it- in fact it contained three characters he didn't even recognise. That night he'd asked them about it. Dex had said it once- it sounded like a crackling fire, impossible for a mouth used only to Basic to emulate. It meant 'delicate flower'. Mitaka agreed it was the worst name anyone could possibly have given Dex. So he offered his own instead. He knew it was a rude word in their language, but hopefully they'd continue to live up to it.
So, First Lieutenant Dopheld Mitaka and Lieutenant Commander Mitaka Dex were married on the bridge of the Rectifier by General Kope. Shortly after their two children, Azmari and Malaki, were born in quick succession. Five years after their marriage the plan to add a third was placed on hold when the entire family was transferred to the Finalizer, the first of the Resurgent-class Star Destroyers and flagship for the newly appointed General Hux. War was coming. The General's star was on the rise.
Mitaka, never having progressed further that Lieutenant, no longer allowed the vast difference in their career progression to bother him. He worked closely with the brilliant man- and the terrifying Force user who would eventually become the General's partner- and he knew in his heart that he was in the right place, regardless of his rank. Dex on the other hand had continued to excel and now far outranked their spouse. Neither of them cared much, though the Naval dress uniform for the Commodore rank highlighted Dex' tall slim frame and long legs perfectly.
Following the failed Resistance attack on Starkiller base and the destruction of the Ileenium system, the family moved again. Living on a planet, even a mobile one was an odd sensation for Mitaka. He spent the first few weeks insisting he could feel Starkiller's rotation as he tried to sleep at night. Dex missed the Finalizer. The task of manoeuvring the mobile planet required very different navigational skills that their own and they were required to take a role in training the next generation of bridge officers. The children, however, loved their new home, revelling in the wide open spaces. Mitaka preferred not to go outside. The lack of any real ceiling made him uncomfortable.
-----
Having worked on the bridge in close proximity with his spouse for so many years Dopheld found himself becoming hyperaware of his comrades in the Command Centre. He knew the moods, habits and preferences of all the crew on his shift within a month. He'd also discovered the General's secret language.
Of course he'd seen Hux and Ren standing a little too close together on the bridge of the Finalizer before, but he'd never realised they were speaking in low tones the entire time. The tiny muscle movements that would have been invisible under the tactical lights of the bridge were easier to see in the sunlight streaming through the Command Centre. And so, he'd discovered that their long rumoured relationship was a reality. For the first few months after their victory over the Resistance he'd mostly seen the General speaking to Ren on military matters with the occasional flirtation thrown in. Since the Knight's face was covered it was impossible to see what he said in reply, but his body language was always approving.
Then the atmosphere changed. Hux became more and more tense, without any apparent military or political cause. Ren stood closer, watched for longer, hands reaching but never connecting. The worst day in this deterioration, with Hux snapping and contemplating unauthorised planetary destruction had turned in a single moment to become the best. Whilst the rest of the command crew were staring in wonder at the uncovered face of Kylo Ren, Dopheld was accidentally eavesdropping on an intensely personal moment. He'd known Bren's status, had shared a dorm with the man briefly at the Academy as a teenager, but it had never occurred to Mitaka that Hux would pursue this route, certainly not with Kylo Ren. Still- given the mysterious Knight's frankly adorable reaction to the news of the pregnancy, and the General's own rare smile- it was clearly the right route for them.
He'd stared at his console and fought not to grin as he tapped out a direct message to Captain Phasma. Clearly he'd been riding high on memories of having his own children to have done something so unwise. Though he soon out did himself- offering Hux his congratulations had been the single most foolish choice of his life. He'd had to think fast to avoid the threat of the front line. A decades long good working relationship did not stop this man from being General Starkiller- destroyer of worlds. Mitaka needed to remember that.
Although all kinds of ludicrous rumours sprang up around Kylo Ren, the real news didn't spread any further that Phasma, Dex and himself for the first few weeks. Until the General began to show signs of sickness. Dopheld wasn't going to approach him directly again, he wasn't a stupid as certain Force users might assume, but he did his best to help. Dex had endured a hard time for the first few months with both of their children; they swore by spice root and crackers, so Mitaka made it is personal mission to ensure the General always had both on hand. It improved the man's mood but it didn't stop the whispers amongst the staff.
Hux seemed to think he was doing a good job of disguising his condition, but those who hadn't noticed the sickness did notice the new habit of smoothing the front of his uniform, or Kylo Ren's repeated halting gestures towards the bump Bren's thin frame failed to hide. No one said a word though. Even when Hux kept taking the Finalizer out to engage the last dregs of the Resistance in battle.
Mitaka regretted not saying anything when he received the communication pings from Ren's shuttle four months after he'd seen that original whispered conversation. First Kylo Ren was looking for Hux, concerned that there would be an attack. Then the news from the Finalizer began to come through- engine failure; sabotage; explosions; power failure; thousands dead; an attack on the bridge; the General injured. The shift change arrived, but no one left. Everyone just stood in tense silence, watching the bank of communication consoles for updates. Word spread through the base, passing from pad to pad and soon every officer not on active duty was in the Command Centre or crammed into the corridors behind it. Mitaka saw Dex with the children in tow, and other officers with their own.
When the message came through that Hux intended to make an announcement Dopheld sagged with relief. No one on board the Finalizer had seen fit to update Starkiller Base on the General's condition, or perhaps he'd forbidden it; either way, not knowing whether he was even alive had been hell for the staff. Now they whooped and cheered in a most undignified fashion when Kylo Ren confirmed the end of the Resistance. When the General finally publicly confirmed his pregnancy it sounded like the entire base had made a soft sound of joy. Mitaka felt sorry for the crew currently facing Hux- there wasn't an officer alive who'd ever dare to say 'aww' within earshot of the General, no matter how much they wanted to do so. At least here, under the command of an officer with six children of his own, the gathered staff could let out their relief in the form of excited babbling without fear of reprisal.
Finally the shift changed. Heading for the main doors Mitaka crouched to intercept his son. Running his fingers over the boys closed cropped curls he wondered briefly about having another. Dex fell into step with him, Azmari reaching up to grip both their hands. Yes. Another one might be good, now the war was ending. He glanced at his spouse, raising an eyebrow. They winked. Yes. Definitely. They could make a start on that once the children were asleep.
-----
With the Resistance gone the Republic lost its will to fight and slowly, system by system, gave in to the First Order's demands. Life on Starkiller became easier with each acquisition and Mitaka did his best to aid the General wherever possible. Which was why he was so late returning to the family's quarters on the evening when the final independent system- Coruscant- was due to negotiate the terms of their surrender.
His shift had ended hours ago, and Dex had grown increasingly worried when the corridors were placed on security shut down. When he finally staggered through the door, grey with exhaustion in a ruined uniform they'd feared the worst.
"Dopheld! Where have you been?"
With a heartfelt groan he'd continued past them, stripping off the damp uniform as he went, before retrieving his hardware and cramming the sticky uniform into the incinerator chute. That done he collapsed face down on the bed in just his boxers and socks.
"The General..." He mumbled, words obscured by the mattress, "he's had the... In the... I think I'm a Major now...." After a moment he began to snore.
"What?" Dex asked as they prodded him in the buttock. No response. "You just leave it at that?! What happened?! Dopheld!! Wake up, damn it!"
He did not wake up. Groaning with frustration Dex headed for the door, if Mitaka couldn't tell them what was going on they'd just have to find someone who could. They headed for the gym- Phasma always knew the best gossip.