Rey muscled through the moving crowd in attempt to catch up to Poe and the others. As soon as Beaumont had arrived with the news that they'd received a communique from a Star Destroyer that had escaped the battle, the council had scattered as if he'd dropped a bomb in the middle of them. Now everyone was rushing back to base, Ben's fate deferred for the time being.

When she drew abreast with the Resistance High Command, who were tied in a tight knot at the head of the rush, Finn shot her a disapproving look. Rey ignored him and jockeyed in closer to Poe, who was deep in conversation with Beaumont and Commander D'Acy. She tried to catch scraps of their conversation to see if she could learn anything more about the situation.

"—deployed a squad earlier today," Poe was saying. She assumed he was talking about the teams he'd told her about, who were going to go after rogue First Order ships like this one. "I didn't expect it to go south so fast."

Clearly Rey had missed some vital piece of information. But with Finn glowering beside her, she decided not to push her luck and ask too many questions. Instead she followed the group back to base, where the High Command and some of the more prominent squadron leaders fell into a loose formation around the main holo table, which was currently playing and replaying the transmission Beaumont had received while the council was in session. A uniformed First Order officer flanked by two stormtroopers hovered in projection.

"We have acquired the team you sent in pursuit of us," he said smugly. The hologram flickered and changed, showing now half a dozen Resistance fighters, handcuffed at gunpoint. Everyone gathered around the table crackled with collective anger. "We are willing to negotiate their return in exchange for something valuable to us. It is our understanding that you have come into possession of a prisoner of great interest. Kylo Ren is a traitor to the First Order. If you agree to surrender him, we will return your crew. If you refuse—" He didn't need to finish his sentence. "Well." He chuckled. "You have twenty-four hours to convey your response."

The projection faded and went out. Across the table from Rey, Poe's face was grim. There was a moment of bleak silence.

"We're not going to give into their demands," Finn said finally, more of a question than a statement. "We can't give them Kylo Ren. That's like handing them another superweapon. That'd be insane."

"But we can't just let our people die," Rose said. "Those are our friends. We've lost too many people already." She was clutching a pendant that hung around her neck.

"I agree," Poe said. "We're not going to abandon them to their deaths."

"But Finn's right," Commander D'Acy said. "It would be madness to give them back their old leader."

"It doesn't sound like they want him because they miss him," Poe said. "They probably want to deal with him on their own terms."

"Or this is an elaborate ruse, and he's been in on it the whole time," Finn said.

"He's not in on it," Rey said hotly. "He has nothing to do with it."

"Speak for yourself."

"I'm just trying to—"

"Rey."

Rey blinked, and mid-sentence she was at Ben's bedside, even as she stood with her friends outside the cavern. His empty tray was discarded, and his eyes were curious as they studied her.

"You're angry," Ben said. "I felt it in the Force. What is it?"

She hesitated; glanced to either side. Could the others hear her when she talked to him through their connection? "A rogue First Order ship," she said. "They've taken some of our pilots hostage. They say they'll give them back to us, in exchange for—in exchange for you."

Ben's stoic expression didn't falter.

"I won't let them, of course," Rey said. "We're figuring out another way."

"No," Ben said.

Rey frowned. "What do you mean, no?"

"There isn't another way," Ben answered. "Tell them you'll give me up."

"Absolutely not."

"If you don't, you'll never see those pilots again."

"You honestly think they'll hand them over once they have you?"

Ben smiled humorlessly. "No," he said. "They won't do that."

"Then what makes you think this is a good idea? Do you want to go back to the First Order?" Her heart was beating fast now. Don't say it, she willed him. Don't say it.

"I want to help," Ben said, sending relief washing over her in cooling waves. "I know those ships like the back of my hand. I know where they're keeping the pilots. I can get them out."

"Finn knows those ships too," Rey said.

"He might. But no one gets on that Star Destroyer unless they have me."

"Okay," Rey said, crossing her arms. "I'm listening. What do you propose?"

"Tell them you take the deal. Tell them you'll meet them in neutral space to make the exchange. I doubt they'll bring their hostages. But they will send a transport, and when they do, we can overpower them, take their place, and go back to the Destroyer."

"Sounds risky."

"It would be," Ben admitted. "We'd have to kill their crew before anyone sends a distress signal back to the Destroyer. But I think it's the only chance you've got to rescue your pilots."

Rey pursed her lips. "I don't know if the others will agree to it."

"They might, if they exhaust all other options first," Ben said. "Convince them. If we could pull it off—they might look more favorably on me in the aftermath." He attempted what probably thought was a comforting smile. "But even if they don't, I would still like to help."

Rey reached out to touch him before remembering she wasn't physically present in the room with him. "All right," she said. "I'll see what I can do."

"You can do a lot," he said, and broke their connection.

Rey found herself back in the forest at the holo table, the other members of the Resistance bickering around her. Apparently no one had heard her conversation with Ben. She swallowed. She had her work cut out for her if she was going to convince them to let him help on this mission. But she was determined to try.

A/N: Thanks for your patience with that cliffhanger! I had to buy time while I figured out what direction I wanted to take. Time for some action! :D