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WHO: Alfie Solomons, Armitage Hux
WHERE: Maurtia Falls
WHEN: Mid-September
WHAT: An unexpected dinner meeting
WARNINGS: n/a; will edit if anything comes up

[Even when he doesn't have a shady business meeting set up in a particular restaurant or pub, Alfie still likes to regularly drop in on the ones that he's allied, or at least friendly, with. Patronizing them serves multiple purposes: it's a show of goodwill and support when he chooses to have dinner at an associate's restaurant, and being a frequent guest is also a reminder that he could drop in at any time - and that while he can't always be watching, he can at least be watching frequently.

And so tonight, he's treating himself to a late dinner at Vinnie's Pasta & Pizza House, tucking himself into his usual back corner booth and ordering a personal pan pizza with onion, mushrooms, and green peppers. Though the table will seat four, he doesn't have anyone joining him today, leaving him free to scan the room and see who's coming and going - purely out of curiosity, of course. Other regular customers get a nod; servers that he recognizes get greeted by name. As always, Vinnie himself will come out to say hello, and to wish him a happy Erev Yom Kippur (he mispronounces it a little, but it's the thought that counts).

All in all, it's been a good evening so far. Hopefully, it'll stay that way.]

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[Few would look twice at a slender ginger wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a greet sweater, and a long blue button up coat heading into the pizza place that evening. He didn't want attention that he would get as Armitage Hux- the destroyer of words, the ruthless First Order general so thus the casual outfit and tousled hair.

But it seemed to have worked as he made his way over to Alfie's booth- no one stopped him or even looked up at him aside from a waiter who waved off with a comment that he was joining someone tonight. His files from Dooku were incomplete, the transactions had been meticulously maintained, however. He would give the Count credit for that. It made it easy to look up information on Alfie Solomons and after gathering some information, he decided that it would be worth his time to see if he could make use of him.

He didn't ask or wait for an invitation as he sat opposite of Alfie, waving down a waitress to order water and two slices of pizza with pineapple and pepperoni before taking off his coat.]

I hear the pizza is good here- I thought it as good a place to meet you as any.

[Alfie doesn't recognize this guy in the slightest, though his voice sounds vaguely familiar - if he's an imPort, maybe they'd talked over the network once or twice, he thinks. But regardless, he's not surprised or perturbed by being approached. He's had more than one business deal start like this. Gesturing to the bench across from him, he invites Hux to take a seat.]

Yeah, it's very good; Vinnie's the best in town. How's your night treating you, mate?

Not that bad. And what about you, Alfie Solomons?

[He got comfortable as he folded his coat, setting it beside him on the bench. He wasn't sure if Alfie knew who he was or not but he didn't ask. Either way, he was sure that Alfie would do his own research after their discussion.]

I know I am disturbing your dinner but I have a matter to discuss with you tonight.

Please, go ahead, Mr...?

[He cuts into his pizza with a knife and fork, looking expectantly at Hux.]

Just call me Regulus.

[He smiled as a waitress brought him his pizza and water before turning his attention back to Alfie.]

I assume you're still looking for work then. I need help with a procurement. Nothing high profile but it's a delicate matter I can't directly be involved in. I've heard you have a talent for those sorts of things.

[He openly rolls his eyes at the code name, but doesn't argue - for now, anyway.]

Mate, I've got plenty of work; I'm not hurting for it. But if you're looking for help, well - that's a different story. What sort of things are you looking to procure?

[He saw the eye roll but he didn't comment on it as he picked up his fork and knife. He was sure Alfie would find out his real name easily enough with the news, especially after FanPort and his public feud with Count Dooku. But he was making a point- Dooku was out. He was in charge now.]

Things I would rather not be connected to. I trust you understand.

[He looked at Alfie carefully as he took a drink of his water.]

I'm sure you understand there are some details I would rather not disclose in public. But with the right incentive, I'm sure you can find an opening in your busy schedule.

Mm. And I trust you understand that I'm certainly not gonna agree to anything without having all the details - your real name included, of course.

[Sorry, Hux.]

Would my flat be private enough?

Certainly.

[He could appreciate Alfie's caution. He didn't seem like a man who would willingly follow Count Dooku's lofty ideals which was a point in his favor. It had made him cautious in approaching former members- many were still loyal to the Count.]

You should finish your dinner first.

[Somehow, he had already finished his pizza slices and he watched Alfie with an amused smirk.]

[Alfie, on the other hand, is taking his time, still cutting it into little bite-sized pieces.]

Not even your name can be said in public? Really? I'm not gonna call you Regulus; that's just fucking ridiculous.

Let's say I have a...reputation. You may not want that kind of attention.

[Not that he was ashamed but he didn't want his more shady dealings to be public. It was easier to operate with his codename for these kinds of things.]

I'm not sure what your relationship was like with my predecessor was, I don't care. But I have my reasons for what I do- it's not for you to understand those reasons but to do the job I pay you to do.

[Alfie sets down his fork, staring hard at Hux. It's the kind of intense, prolonged stare that would make a lot of people uncomfortable. Then, out of the blue, he says:]

Your predecessor, that would be Count Dooku?

[It's just a guess, but he's relatively confident about it.]

[Hux met that stare, not looking away. He even leaned forward a little, his gaze intent.]

Correct.

Really/. Now, you'll forgive me if I haven't kept up to date with this organization of yours. Have you staged a takeover?

More like I'm picking up the pieces after his incompetent actions.

[He doesn't exactly have the highest option of the Count which is clear from the disdain in his tone.]

He is no longer involved in any part of the organization.

[Oh, well, this sounds juicy. Alfie inches his pizza a little to the side so that he can lean forward, elbows on the table.]

And just what caused this split? Imagine, right, that I haven't been following you closely, and may not have been exposed to the worst of this incompetence.

[Which probably isn't hard to imagine, given how little information is available to outsiders - even outsiders like Alfie.]

You didn't hear? He led a heist that failed and ended up getting caught and arrested.

It was quite a disappointment but given what I know of his past, not a surprise.

[Hux has no sympathy for Dooku, obviously. Failure of an old man, in his view.]

I heard that the man had been disgraced. I didn't look much into the details; heists aren't so much of my thing, you understand.

He was in prison for a time, he may still be under house arrest.

So what is your specialty then, Mr. Solomons?

Prison. Well, now I know he fucked up well and good. They don't like throwing us in prison.

[Though he wonders if that'll change, now that anti-imPort sentiments are spiking.]

Me, I'm a simple businessman, mate; I sell things. But I did like the idea of taking the porter under our control. Is that a goal of yours, as well?

It is- I am not exactly thrilled at being at the mercy of the porter.

[To say the least...and if he has to take down a government to get access then that is just what he'll do.]

But, it's something that has to be approached carefully.

[There's a little glimmer in Alfie's eyes at that. Those are Just the words that he had been hoping to hear.]

You know - I had a conversation with Dooku once, about that. And I told him that it seemed to me that doing something just for the sake of being able to say that something was done could very easily be worse than doing nothing at all.

I would have thought it was a lesson he would have learned but apparently not. We have to be careful in how we approach this, rushing in just to say we did something is foolish.

[Yes, Hux saw that glimmer and smirked, pleased.]

I don't intend to make the same mistake as he did.

No, you'll make entirely new ones.

[Alfie says cheerfully.]

But I do hope that yours won't be nearly so disastrous.

No doubt. But I have more realistic expectations and understanding than Count Dooku has- but I suppose it's not entirely his fault- his experience works against him.

[Hux knows he has made mistakes but at least he hasn't lost a war as Dooku did. Or get his head chopped off. Yet.]

I hope you're not gonna say that your inexperience works for you.

Of course not, that would be ridiculous. I'm simply not entrenched to an outdated past.

Well, then.

[He holds out a hand out across the table for Hux to shake.]

I'll tell you the same thing that I told Dooku, shall I? I will not promise you my undying loyalty, but you have captured my interest.

I don't need your undying loyalty- only your dependability, and discretion.

[He reached out to take Alfie's hand firmly to shake it, meeting his eyes.]

[Dependability might also be a stretch, honestly - but he doesn't avoid his gaze, or hesitate to shake just as firmly.]

Don't make me regret going against my instincts not to trust a man who puts fruit on his pizza, eh?

[Hux smirked, amused as he finally let go of Alfie's hand.]

I was unaware there was a bias against having fruit on pizza here.

Would you like some strawberries as well? Banana? Orange slices?

[Alfie's comment did not have the intended effect as Hux actually pondered it, mentally putting the pieces together. Fruit wasn't exactly common in space and he would never turn it down.]

Does strawberry pizza exist? I don't see why not.

[Alfie just stares at Hux for a few long seconds, unblinking. Then he lifts a hand to signal a waiter, who rushes over.]

Benny, Benny - you make strawberry milkshakes, yeah? Have you got strawberries in the kitchen?

[Poor Benny starts to guiltily explain that their strawberry milkshakes are actually made from a powder, not fresh strawberries, but halfway through Alfie waves for him to stop.]

All right, listen. Go to the grocery, buy some strawberries for this man, and cook him up a strawberry pizza, size small. I'll pay for it.

[Hux may have destroyed five planets and murdered millions but even he wouldn't stoop to using a powder mix for a strawberry milkshakes. That was just too low for him.

He raised his eyebrows as Alfie gave the waiter the order, amused. He waited until after the waiter scramble off to the store.]

So I'm going to assume putting strawberries on pizza isn't common.

No, it's meat and vegetables, generally. And the--

[He gestures to Hux's pineapple and pepperoni.]

Strange. With such easy access to fruit, I would think it would be more popular.

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