POE

"Are you sure this is gonna work?" I ask again. Finn rolls his eyes at me and places another charge under a cruiser in the main hangar.

"Yes, I'm sure. Trust me, I'm an expert when it comes to planting explosives," he boasts, clearly referring to the tiny bombs he set off on Starkiller.

I roll my eyes. "Okay, whatever. But this isn't gonna blow my ship up, right? I need that X-Wing."

"No, it won't. Promise. But I do feel bad for all these other ships. Collateral damage sucks, but it's necessary." Finn attaches the last charge to the belly of an old freighter and wipes his hands clean on his shirt.

The thundering roar of an oversize craft coming out of hyperspace draws my attention skyward. A ridiculously large ship glints in the sun, making a swift approach toward the station. "Shit, here they come. Are we ready? Are we really doing this?" My palms begin to sweat and my heart races, anxiety about the coming fight taking over.

Finn shoves me to shake me from my daze. "Come on, I have the remote detonator. Let's go." I follow him across the hangar, deep shadows nipping at our heels. They catch up with us as we slide through the main door, and suddenly the world is shrouded in darkness.

"Jeez, why does anyone need a ship that big? That's friggin' ridiculous," I mutter. "Look, it's blocking out the entire sky."

Finn huffs. "That's the point. It's an intimidation tactic." We hide behind the wall as best we can without looking suspicious.

"Look at you, using big words," I tease him, using humor to mask my lack of confidence in our plan.

"Shut up and focus."

Snoke's ship slows to a stop, hovering over the sea, a low droning noise emitting from its engines. A few moments pass before the shuttles descend. Only four, which is fewer than I was expecting. This might actually work.

"That's...that's a lot more stormtroopers than I was expecting," Finn whispers, eyes wide.

"Huh? What do you mean? There's only four shuttles. We can handle that." I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince him or me.

"No, no, it's a lot, trust me. They're built to carry ten people comfortably but when it comes to stormtroopers, they just shove 'em in until they can't fit any more. That's gotta be at least sixty, maybe even eighty," Finn hisses nervously. I stare up at the quickly approaching shuttles and look back at my friend for orders. He glances my way and notices my expectant expression. "Okay, we can manage. We have to warn Rey and Ren. We can't let them-"

I shake my head. "It's too late, we'll never make it to them in time. Just blow the charges, we still have work to do."

"Okay, okay. Fine. Firing in three...two...one." Finn squeezes the detonator and at first, nothing happens. Then , all at once, a blinding light and deafening explosion send smoke, fire, and shrapnel in all directions. Ships are blown apart and the shriek of metal-on-metal fills the air, coupled with the stench of burning fuel. I peer through the smoke, trying to make out the shuttles to see if we did any damage.

"There's no way we hit them all," I mutter, moving toward the hangar door. "I'm going to see if I can figure out where they went."

Finn reaches out and grabs my shoulder. "Be careful, Poe. For Rey's sake. If we mess this up, she dies. And she's our last hope against the First Order."

I nod, false confidence bringing a grim smile to my lips. Finn steps backward into the shadows and I open the door, disappearing into the plumes of smoke. Ten paces in and already my eyes are burning, lungs unable to take a single breath without setting off a painful fit of coughing. Carefully, slowly, my feet shuffle along toward what I think is the edge of the hangar. Smoldering debris litters the ground around me, slowing me down as I try to keep from tripping on it, or setting myself on fire. Happy thoughts, Poe. Happy thoughts.

The wind picks up and clears some of the smoke, much to my relief. I find myself standing where Finn and I had been as we watched the shuttles' descent. Squinting my eyes against the harsh light, I try to make out any sort of shadow or silhouette, and finally I see them, close enough that I need to run to keep from being seen. But I can't move. My eyes are fixed on the shapes behind those four shuttles.

There are more troopers coming now. Many, many more. Eight shuttles in all, so according to Finn's math, would mean at least one hundred and twenty stormtroopers. We are so screwed.

I backtrack as quickly and carefully as I can, dodging ships and debris, lungs screaming as I take in gulping breaths of the acrid air. Finn spots me and holds the door open. My feet slide across the floor, wet with jet fuel from the hangar floor, and I hit the wall with a painful thud.

"So? Are they still there?" He asks, fingers tapping anxiously on the blaster on his hip.

I nod, coughing so hard my back aches. "And they brought their friends this time," I rasp. "Four more shuttles. Eight in total." Finn's eyes go wide, as he realizes how dire our situation is now. "We have to move, now, Finn!" But he doesn't move. He just stares straight ahead, processing what this means, coming to terms with our probable deaths. I punch him in the shoulder hard enough to bring his focus to me. "C'mon, we have to go. Now. They're gonna find us if we don't run."

"W-we have to slow them down," Finn stammered. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a round, black charge, the same we had just used to blow up the hangar. "I have a few detonators left. Figured we might need them later."

"Great, fantastic. Place one at the door and we'll hope the debris holds them back long enough for us to get to the control room," I ordered, my commander tone taking over now. I'll get us through this.

Finn rushes to the doorway and looks around, searching for the spot that would cause the most damage. He finally looks up at the ceiling, then back at me. "Poe, I need you to give me a boost." I rush over and bend down, lacing my fingers together in front of Finn. He steps into my hand and I lift with a grunt, getting him as high as I can before I have to drop him. Finn drops back to the ground and glances up to make sure the explosive stuck.

"Okay, now let's g-" I'm cut off by the sound of heavy footsteps, marching in unison, growing closer by the second. "Ah, shit. They're here."

The smoke, hanging heavy in the hangar, swirls and parts as the new presence disturbs it. Sunlight glints off shining white armor and polished boots, the reflections like dancing lights against the destruction surrounding them.

"Go, go, go!" I yell, turning and sprinting down the corridor. "Blow it when they reach the door!"

We slide to a stop and hide in a doorway off the main hall, waiting for the troopers to get close enough. "Almost there," Finn whispers, finger hovering over the red button on the detonator.

"You set the charge, right?" I ask, unable to recall whether the light on the black sphere was blinking.

Finn looks at me, clearly doubting himself. "Yeah, I did. Didn't I? I think so. I had to."

Guess we're about to find out.

The stormtroopers are almost at the door now. Finn's finger shakes as he waits for the right moment to strike. My blaster is in my hand, aimed at the door, just in case the charge doesn't blow.

The ground beneath us gives the slightest tremor, likely from another shuttle landing. A heavy clank draws my attention to the ceiling, to the spot where the charge had been just moments before.

"Please tell me that's not a bomb rolling toward us," Finn hisses. The storm troopers are at the door, in the door, and the black sphere that should have blown them to pieces by now is halfway down the apparently uneven corridor.

"Blow it, Finn! Now!"

Finn slams his fist down on the button, but nothing happens. It wasn't set. "Shit," Finn whispers, looking around in a panic. The troopers are inside now, marching toward our hiding spot.

Without thinking, I lift my blaster, aim it at the rolling bomb, and fire. The explosion sends us flying back into the wall, the impact sending agonizing pain through my skull and down my back. I shake my head to try to clear the stars from my vision. My ears are ringing and there's a dull ache in the back of my head.

"Hell, Poe! You almost blew us up!" Finn groans, stumbling to his feet beside me.

"I did not! I had total control of the situation," I snap, ignoring the sharp pain in my ribs. A deep groaning noise draws my attention to the ceiling directly above the blast site, and I watch as the metal beams bend and crash to the floor, through the hole left by the explosives. "Well, almost complete control."

Finn shoves me out of the doorway and around the mess I made. "Forget the hole, we need to get out of here before they see us."

"Freeze! Don't move!"

I turn slowly, arms above my head, and find myself staring down the barrel of a blaster. Against my better judgment, I open my mouth.

"Isn't that what freeze means?" I ask, grinning. The trooper steps forward, and the last thing I see before the world goes black is the end of his blaster swinging toward my face.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

BEN

I watch from a distance as Rey cuts down the last stormtrooper, her face illuminated in the pulsing red light of her saber. She swipes at the moisture beaded on her forehead, and I can't tell if it's sweat or blood in the scarlet glow of her blade. There's a glimmer in her eyes, a change in the way she carries herself. A certain confidence I've seen before, but I can't recall when or where. She turns to look at me and my breath catches at the sight of her, body still poised for a fight, the Force an undulating aura of power around her.

There's no doubt in my mind now. She will turn against the Jedi, against those who would rather see her deny her power and her destiny than embrace who she truly is, because they fear their inability to control her. But they can only contain her so long.

"Are you okay?" I ask, though by the triumphant smile on her face I already know the answer.

She nods enthusiastically. "I'm fine. Great, actually. I think I'm getting better at this!"

I swallow hard and look away, my heart racing with the adrenaline of the fight. "We need to keep moving. There will be more, and the other two can't keep them distracted forever." I watch Rey warily as she deactivates her saber and clips it back on the belt slung low on her hips. She turns to walk back toward the service hangar where our shuttle is hidden.

"Are you coming or not?" She asks, turning to find me still watching her. Her head tilts slightly. "What are you staring at?"

I scowl and head up the corridor and past Rey. "Nothing. That color suits you."

She jogs to catch up with my long strides. "What color?"

I gesture at her lightsaber. "The red."

"What does it mean?"

"Depends on who you ask."

"What does it mean to you, then?" She presses.

I shrug. "Power, I suppose. And strength, focus." I don't mention the fact that only Sith wield sabers of red. She doesn't need to know.

"To me, red represents life," she offers, and I look curiously at her. "If you think about it, red is the source of all life. For our species, at least. The red of our blood, of sunrises and sunsets. It's vivid, energetic, and bold. It's the color of skin under the sun, of anger, passion, and...love. It's neither good or bad. It just is. Like life. It's up to us to determine how we interpret it."

I don't say anything for a while. I've never thought that much into a color, and it seems ridiculous to read into it as much as she has. We continue on in silence, taking each corner cautiously, keeping an eye out for more troops.

"What happens when we kill him? Snoke, I mean." Rey's voice is almost timid, and she avoids eye contact.

"What do you mean?"

She takes a deep breath. "Well, killing the Supreme Leader only does so much. What happens to the rest of the First Order? What happens if...someone...steps up to take Snoke's place?"

"What are you asking?" I snap.

"How can I be sure you aren't using us to help you kill him so you can take over as Supreme Leader?" Rey turns to face me, gaze unwavering.

"You can't be sure. I guess the only way to prevent someone from taking the throne is to take it yourself." I stare back at her with equal intensity.

She doesn't say anything. Based on the crease between her brows, though, I think it's safe to say I've irritated her.

As we near the small service hangar a voice to my right stops me in my tracks and sends ice shooting through my veins.

"Ah, Ren. You found the girl. Excellent."

General Hux stands at the opposite end of the hall, fiery red hair illuminated by the harsh lights above. He's flanked by two hooded figures, and I immediately recognize them. I was never told their names, I only knew them by their weapons. Two of my Knights, one wielding a wide-bladed sword, the other a menacing axe. Their armor is dirty and littered with scrapes and small dents, telling me they've been busy.

"The diversion your little friends concocted was amusing at best. Little more than a pebble in my shoe. The pilot wouldn't talk, but the traitor was more than happy to squeal once we started chopping up his pal," Hux smirks.

Rey gasps, hand flying to grasp her saber. I reach out and grab her wrist to stop her, and Hux's eyes follow the move. "Let her try, Ren. I want to see what she's capable of." His voice is taunting.

"You betrayed me," I seethe, rage bubbling to the surface, "and I'm going to kill you for it."

Hux barks out a humorless laugh. "Have you forgotten your own betrayal, Ren?" He spits my name like a curse. "You abandoned us long before we left you to die. Every hesitation and moment of inner conflict was a betrayal against your Supreme Leader. He could not let that go unpunished!" Hux's eyes are wide and crazed, his skin is sunken and sallow. I almost feel pity for him.

Rey and I glance at each other and I nod slightly, removing my hand from her wrist. Her fingers wrap around the hilt of her saber.

"The Supreme Leader is offering you a chance to prove your loyalty, Ren. He's willing to forgive your err in judgment. I would not turn down such a generous offer, if I were you," Hux sneers.

Anger boils inside and my fists clench at my side. "Go. To. Hell."

"Take them both," Hux commands, "alive. We'll let the Supreme Leader determine their fate." He turns on his heel and the Knights step aside to let him through, then face us again. They remain motionless, as if waiting for us to make the first move.

"Do we fight?" Rey whispers beside me.

"Do you accept this as your fate?"

"No. Never."

"Then fight it."

The hall is bathed in flickering red light. The Knights approach, weapons drawn, and Rey holds her saber in a white-knuckled grip. This won't be like fighting the stormtroopers, and I fear Rey underestimates her opponents. I have to trust she can handle herself.

The Knights are upon us and our weapons clash in an explosion of sparks and blinding light. I keep my focus on the one in front of me, refusing to get distracted by the sounds of Rey's fight. My footing shifts and allows me to shove the Knight back a step, his grip on the axe slipping.

Rey cries out and my gaze snaps to the blood dripping down her face. Rage explodes and the body swinging an axe at my exposed neck is thrown back into the wall. When I turn back to Rey she's staring at me, eyes wide with fear and anger, a sword pressed to her throat. He presses the sword in further and Rey whimpers, blood welling under the blade.

"You can't kill her, Hux wants us alive!" I shout, using the Force to bring Rey's discarded lightsaber to my hand. I ignite it and point it at the Knight, my own blade keeping the axe-wielder at bay.

He slides the blade along her throat, leaving a deep red line in its wake. Rey gasps, face contorted in pain.

"Stop, STOP! I'll go with you." I deactivate the sabers and the axe Knight grabs them both from my hands. The sword falls from Rey's neck and her hands fly up to cover the wound. Blood seeps between her fingers, dripping down her arms and shirt. She looks up at me as blinding pain explodes on the back of my skull, and the world goes black.