Missing Piece

3. Dinner

"Hey..." As I walked into the canteen I noticed there was no one, but Matt. "Where is everyone?"
  Matt shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe they all had something important to do."
  I took place in front of him, on the other side of the table.
  Matt abruptly stood up.
  I rose an eyebrow.
  "What do you want to eat?"
  Now it was my turn to shrug. "I don't know, I'm fine with everything. It's just that the food here is a bit crappy."
  Matt left through the kitchen door.
  "Matt! You're not allowed to go in there."
  The radar technician didn't listen. Of course.
  When Matt came back, he was holding two plates of spaghetti.
  "How'd you get that?" I enquired eagerly. The scent of fresh tomatoes and basil already danced along my tongue.
  Matt placed a plate in front of me before seating himself. "Uhm, someone owed me a favour."
  I could hear he was lying, but I decided not to push it.
  If the smell was already irresistible, I couldn't wait to taste it. "Hmmm." My nose hadn't betrayed me. "The pasta is really, really good. This is a General's quality," I joked.
  Matt's face hardened and his shoulders tensioned.
  "It's a joke Matt."
  He seemed to calm down. "Yes I know, of course."
  That was weird.

  "And, what are your interests?" I tried to get to know the man on the other side of the table.
  "Uhm.. I'm a radar technician." Matt seemed to be at a loss for words, having reached the end of his script.
  "Yeah... I know, but I noticed you don't really like your job. Is there something you do like?"
  Matt took some spaghetti. When he finally answered it wasn't quite the answer I expected. "Kylo Ren. He is a great leader. What do you think of him?"
  I frowned confused. "Ehm, I don't know. I've never had the honour to meet him." I tried to sound as respectful as possible, I didn't want to hurt Matt.
  Then I remembered what I had made for him. "Wait here Matt, I'll be back soon." I stood up and quickly sped to my chambers.
  I was the owner of a small room, but everything is better than sharing one. I took a small box from under my bed and took it with me.
  When I headed back towards the canteen, I heard Matt talk to himself, "what am I doing..."
  The automatic doors opened. Matt stopped talking as soon as he noticed I was nearby.
  "Look what I've brought." I placed the box on the table in front of him. "Open it," I ordered.
  Matt seemed to want to protest and parted his lips, but managed to close them. He opened the box. "Pastries?"
  I nodded. "I learned how to make them back on my home planet. They are called air cakes. They're fresh. I made them today, for you, because you saved me."
  Hesitantly, Matt gazed at the pastries, then at me, and back at the delicacies again.
  "Come on, taste one. I'll feel insulted if you don't," I urged.
  Matt took one of the delicious smelling pastries and carefully took a small bite. After he had swallowed it, he didn't lavish any time and took another bite, not as careful and small.
  "This is really good. What is your home planet?" Matt asked with his mouth still half filled with the pastry.
  "Corellia." Bad memories flushed my mind towards negative memories.
  "What's wrong?" Matt put the sweet down.
  I was surprised by his serious tone. A deep breath filled my lungs. "As you might know, Corellia is a planet that rebels against the First Order. I, on the contrary, have never liked the New Republic, and have always wanted to become an engineer for the First Order. Of course most of my fellow Corellians didn't like me because of that..."
  Matt nervously shifted in his seat, "I am sorry to hear that."
  A halfhearted smile broke through on my face. "I don't know how you noticed there was something wrong... but I appreciate it." I chuckled, for the short time I had known the radar technician I had never thought I'd say this. "You're a sensitive man, Matt."
My holo-watch beeped, it was time to leave.
  "What is that?" Matt asked.
  "Just an invention of mine, a holo-watch. It's like a holo-pad, but then in the same shape as a watch."
  Matt nodded. "Do you have more inventions?"
  "Not really... but I have another personal project. And I mainly help with blueprints, etc."
  "I'm sure Kylo Ren would like to hear about your inventions."
  I suppressed the urge to shrug. "I don't know. How would I ever get the chance to tell about them. It's not that I have ever spoken with him."
  My holo-watch went off again. "Besides that, I liked talking with you. Yet it's really time for me to leave. I have to get up quite early tomorrow." I stood up, picked up our empty plates and placed them on the counter so the cleaners could clean them. When they're back. I was still confused about the fact that the canteen was empty.
  "Of course, of course. We all need to work tomorrow..." Matt stood up as well.
  "Would you like to meet up tomorrow? I enjoyed your company. And I don't have many friends to be honest," I admitted.
  Matt answered short after, "me neither. I don't mind meeting up tomorrow... I know just the place."
  I reached for the door, "'till then."
  Matt nodded, "yes."
  Before I left, I watched Matt as he carefully picked the box with the remaining pastries up.