The trip to the Eamus system would have been shorter and safer had they made it in hyperspace. Zeroes rode with Poe in the Falcon, while the other troopers flew in their TIE fighter pairs. Eamus Prime was a rocky, cold planet covered with mountains and salty lakes. Vegetation and an atmosphere were nearly nonexistent, and the only life-forms were large, spider- like creatures called arachyrs. It was almost as if it were a planet designed to kill whatever decided to go live on it.

"You guys have a base here?" Zeroes said in disbelief.

Poe shook his head. "This is just a meeting point. Our escort should arrive soon. Then you can dock the TIEs and we'll jump together. Before you ask, I have no idea where we're going, either."

"Secretive, huh?" Zeroes tilted his head. "I get it. It's probably safer that way."

Poe shrugged. "It's how we've managed to keep a war going on for so long." Zeroes seemed to ponder this. "How long have you been part of it, anyway?"

"About as long as I can remember," Poe admitted. "My parents were part of the Rebellion when the Empire was still kicking. Then they helped out with the cleanup crew after the Battle of Endor. New Republic rolled around, then the First Order showed up, and well, by then, I'd already picked a side."

Zeroes picked at his nails. "You ever think about doing anything else?" Poe's heart skipped a beat. Finn had asked him the same question, but this time, Poe only offered an ambiguous shrug. "Not really."

"Fair enough." Zeroes crossed his legs. "You know, I always did want to be a pilot. I just thought it was fascinating, the whole flying thing. Get up in the air, shoot people from the sky – that just spoke to me, you know?"

"Yeah, I know." Poe ran a hand through his hair. "It's really something, isn't it?"

Zeroes cracked a smile. "Yeah. Except they assigned me to ground troops, and, well, I never got the chance."

Maybe we could teach you when the war's over, Poe nearly said. He mentally chided himself. He'd made the same promise to Finn, and he hadn't been able to keep it. There was no point in making promises like that, not when the war wasn't going to end anytime soon. Poe considered again the lanky trooper sitting next to him, thought about the numerous others that Zeroes had said were breaking away from the First Order this very moment. Maybe, just maybe . . .

"Let's hope that you and your friends can help us turn this around," Poe said instead. "Then maybe, you'll get to fly."

"I'm not opposed to either of those," Zeroes replied. "Fighting wears down on you."

Poe murmured his agreement. "What do you want to do after?"

Judging from Zeroes' surprised expression, Poe guessed it was a question that no one had ever asked the ex-trooper. Zeroes recovered quickly, though. "I don't really know. Maybe I could just help out wherever I was needed. I mean, the only thing I really know how to do is shoot a target."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Poe said, staring out into the distance. "You could probably pick up something new pretty fast if you wanted. It might take a while to make things right again, once the fighting's over."

"Yeah, the fighting's the easy part," Zeroes agreed. "Politics, cleanup – that sounds like it would be harder."

"Tell me about it." Poe ran a hand through his hair again. "I remember when I was a kid, my parents were always off on some planet or another, doing some diplomatic job. I mean, it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it was something. I got to see a lot of the galaxy, though, so it was okay."

"Got a favorite planet?" Zeroes asked.

Poe shrugged. "I've been all over, but Yavin's always gonna be home." He counted off other planets on his fingers. "Hosnian was nice. I've only been to Chandrila a few times, but I liked it. I love Corellia - you won't find a wilder planet in the galaxy."

"Smuggler's planet, right?" Zeroes joked. "Isn't that where Han Solo came from, though?"

"Sure was," Poe confirmed. "Famous man, huh?"

Zeroes shrugged. "Historical figure. Hard to imagine a Rebellion captain hailing from a criminal planet."

Poe stared. "What exactly do they teach you in Galactic History? Han Solo is one of the most Corellian people I've ever met. I mean, I love the guy, but he can be pretty, well -" Poe waved his hand in search of a good word. "Corellian."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Zeroes said, holding his hands up. "On both accounts."

"It's just one of those stereotypes, you know, like how Hutts are disgusting womanizers," Poe explained. "Which, by the way, is not completely true."

"I'm not going to ask why or how you know that," said Zeroes. "But please, continue."

"Yeah, so the thing about Corellians is that they tend to be smooth talkers, great pilots, and great sabacc players," Poe said. "Oh, and they have amazing alcohol tolerance. All of which is true about Han."

"Hm." Zeroes considered this. "I don't think I know anyone like that. Then again, we weren't allowed to drink or gamble."

"I can see that," Poe said. "Resistance discourages it, but they can't exactly stop us. Besides, I can't really get drunk, either."

"Keeping up appearances, Dameron?"

"Well, there's that," Poe amended, "and it's something to do with this Force sensitivity I have."

"Ah."

"Besides," Poe added, "I no longer have the luxury of having to keep up a good front."

"Why is that?" Zeroes wondered. "You're the best they've got. Why would they want to lose you?"

Poe waved a hand ambiguously. "It's a long story, but it's safer this way."

"If you say so."

As if the Resistance just had the best timing in the universe, it was then that a Resistance cruiser appeared from hyperspace, flanked by a small squadron of X-Wings. Poe felt a small pang of longing that his own ship was not among them.

The radio beeped with an incoming transmission, which Poe opened. "Hey there, Falcon." It was Snap, whom Poe quickly picked out at the front of the squadron.

"Hey, Wexley. Good to see you."

"Same." Poe could hear the smile in Snap's voice. "You can take your friends and dock in Bay Twelve. I'll have Hanna and Isak take you."

"Much appreciated, buddy."

"See you in a bit."

True to his word, two X-Wings broke from formation, sailing towards the underbelly of the cruiser. Poe switched frequencies and hailed the TIEs. "Okay, guys, just follow those two. They'll take us to our landing point."

A chorus of variations on "copy" echoed over the comm, and Poe pushed the Falcon forward to follow the X-Wings. Bay doors opened underneath the cruiser, and Poe gently landed the old freighter. Mechanics and flight personnel peppered the bay, waving and guiding the TIEs into line.

Poe powered down the ship. "Now all we have to do is get out in hyperspace."

Zeroes nodded. "Sounds good. Uh, should we stay here?"

"I think it'll be fine if we get off," Poe replied. He stood. "Just as long as you guys stick together, it shouldn't freak people out too much."

Zeroes followed Poe through the Falcon's halls and down the exit ramp. They waved and beckoned at the other TIEs, and the other trooper pairs gradually disembarked and joined them. Poe didn't pretend to ignore how out of place they seemed and the quizzical stares from Resistance staff. The renegades already seemed perfectly aware of that.

The cruiser's layout was familiar, with its white-washed walls and scuffed floors. Not quite as reflective as the First Order's halls, but still clean and stately. Poe gestured to Zeroes, who brought his fellow renegades into an uncannily synchronized formation, and led them down the long corridors. Poe was met with a few waves and smiles, which he readily returned. It was good to be home.

Then, one thin-faced officer pulled him aside as he turned a corridor. Poe glanced at the rank badge on the man's jacket. Captain.

"That's three times you've brought the First Order to the Resistance's front doorstep, Dameron," he snarled in Poe's ear. "Better think about where your loyalties lie while you still have the General's ear."

"Watch your tone, Captain," Poe hissed coolly. "My first loyalty is to the Resistance. You have no right to question that."

"And you have no right to give me orders," the captain snapped back, his piercing hazel eyes glinting disdainfully. He released Poe's arm and saluted mockingly. "Commander."

Poe didn't return the gesture. "Captain." When the man was out of earshot, Poe turned to Zeroes. "Sorry you had to see that."

"Sorry we're the root of your problem," Zeroes replied amiably. He looked like he was about to say something else, but he didn't.

"It's not you," Poe said. "It's the attitudes people have." He turned a final corridor, where the central command was waiting behind a set of double doors. "Not everybody's willing to believe that people can change."

The doors slid open, and Poe walked through, his hands in nervous fists in the pockets of his jacket. Though he knew he shouldn't take the captain's words to heart, something inside him couldn't help but feel incredibly guilty. He didn't pretend to not notice the nervous looks that officers and technicians gave his way, the hushed whispers whenever Zeroes' team walked past. The renegades seemed to be equally uncomfortable in the presence of Resistance soldiers.

Poe could sympathize. Both sides had been taught to see the other as the enemy for as long as each could remember. Finn's face flashed before his eyes – the ex-trooper's kind grace and easy smile almost coaxed another tear from Poe's eye. Finn had taught Poe that the measure of a person's heart was not the uniform he wore. Now it fell on Poe to convince the Resistance of the same.

Admiral Ackbar hovered over a large holodisplay, but he looked up when he heard Poe walk in. "Commander."

Poe didn't try to correct the veteran admiral. If Ackbar deemed one worthy of a rank, his word was final. "Admiral."

Ackbar's large, unblinking eyes swept over Zeroes and the other renegades. Poe felt the troopers stiffen behind him, and he tried to project confidence and casualness through the Force. Thankfully, Ackbar didn't ask any questions. Leia must have already filled him in. The Mon Calamari tilted his head slightly. "Finn . . .?"

Zeroes opened his mouth to answer, but the look on Poe's face coupled with the slightest shaking of the head was all that Ackbar needed.

"I'm sorry," Ackbar said simply. He turned his attention back to the holodisplay. "I would have like to know him better."

Poe didn't say anything else. Instead, he gestured at the pinpricks of light that indicated the fleet's position. "What's new?"

"Resistance intelligence has picked up several more reports of renegade factions in the First Order," Ackbar rumbled. He hit a few buttons, and a large scatter of red lights and lines appeared on the display. "We've been trying to analyze their sources and cross-reference the information we can get to make a more accurate map of First Order troop deployments, fleet movements, and base locations."

Poe crossed his arms, glancing from one colored point to the next. Most of them seemed to be centered around the Core Worlds, but he couldn't tell if those were report sources or theoretical First Order locations.

Zeroes stepped forward and pointed to one of the clusters of light. "That one for sure is a ship factory. Here's the pilot academy right next to it."

"A lot of us came through there," Wings added. "And the system right by it isn't much more than a supply outpost. Nothing important ever happens there."

"That may be so, but anything you can tell us will be of great use," said Ackbar. "Perhaps we can wait a while until we reach our base, then you can tell the council everything you know, in more detail."

"Sounds like a plan," said Zeroes. He quickly added, "Sir."

Ackbar grunted in acknowledgment. He glanced at Poe. "Dameron, a word?"

"Of course." Poe exchanged a quick glance with Zeroes, who nodded once. Ackbar placed a large, webbed orange hand on Poe's shoulder and turned him aside.

"Poe, I'm sure you're already aware," Ackbar began, "but there are people in this fleet, on this cruiser even, that don't quite agree with the idea of having stormtroopers in our midst."

Poe swallowed. "I'm aware."

"Good," Ackbar said solemnly. "General Organa explained to me what happened back on D'Qar, but not everyone here would understand. You're an integral part of our fleet, but your absences have not gone unnoticed. I hope you understand how it must look to others when it seems you're all too connected to the First Order."

"Hang on." Poe held up a hand and stared incredulously at the admiral. "You're not suggesting – "

"Me? No, of course not," Ackbar said stiffly. "Even if I didn't know you like I do, I trust Leia's judgment. I just need you to be careful. We're doing our best to keep control, but at the end of the day, you're another man that someone could place the wrong blame on."

"I'll keep that in mind." Poe inclined his head politely.

"Good man." Ackbar clapped him on the shoulder, a glint in his yellow eyes. "Who knows, maybe you'll get your wings back."

A thrill of excitement fluttered in Poe's stomach. "I'd certainly like that."

"We'll see what we can do. For now, all that matters is getting to Chandrila."

Poe tilted his head in surprise. "I thought we abandoned the Chandrilan base three years ago."

"That's what the First Order thinks, too," Ackbar said knowingly. "But we've reopened, and we've brought in some old friends."

Poe smiled at that. "Sounds good to me."

"Hang in there, Poe," Ackbar rumbled. "This flight's not over yet."