Two hours later, Ben had once again mastered the art of walking, but not before tottering around like a newborn colt for thirty minutes. Despite the gravity of the approaching situation, Rey had to giggle at him. It was as if he'd been lost in perpetual night for a decade and had suddenly emerged into a brilliant afternoon; different parts of his personality were coming to light that had too long lain dormant. And for Rey, at least, it was beautiful to watch.
"I feel like an idiot," Ben said when he stumbled for the eighteenth time.
"You look like an idiot," Rey agreed cheerfully.
That gave him the renewed vigor to cross the room and grab her by the waist, both of them laughing.
They ate another meal together and got him a fresh change of clothing before it was time to go. It was odd, but not unpleasant, to see him wearing something other than his uniform black. Rey rather thought brown suited him, and matched the deep earthiness of his eyes.
The humor they had shared over the last few hours drained out of them as a pair of guards came to cuff Ben and lead them both to the transport. Rey's instinct was to argue against the restraints, but she reminded herself that for this mission to succeed, Ben had to be perceived as their prisoner—which, to everyone but her, he actually was.
The squad boarded the transport in stilted silence punctuated only by necessary monosyllabic communications. All told it was Rey, Ben, Finn, Jannah, Rose, and the three other pilots who Rey didn't know by name, and who didn't take this opportunity to introduce themselves. Poe and D'Acy saw them off, swearing that they would keep in constant contact the whole time. Just as they were about to buckle up for the take-off, Poe took Rey aside and spoke to her in a low tone as she crouched down at the edge of the transport to be on his eye level.
"Listen," he said, "I know you've got your heart set on this mission being proof that Ben is a Resistance hero or a changed man or something." Rey made a face at this, but didn't interrupt. "And I'm not against that happening. I just want to make sure that if things don't work out like that, you'll be able to handle it."
"I've had plenty of chances to turn to the Dark Side already," Rey said. "I'm not going to start now."
Poe smiled wryly. "Not really what I was worried about, but good to know. I more meant—well, you're our only real defense against a Force user if things go south."
"I'll take him out if it comes to it," Rey said, hoping Ben couldn't overhear. "Have I ever let you down before?"
"Nope," Poe said, thumping the side of the transport. "That's why I've got my hopes up for good things with this. Good things, Rey!" He called the last part over his shoulder as he put space between himself and the transport, which was starting to rev up. Rey scampered up the ramp and found her seat against the wall next to Ben, strapping in as the door sealed shut and the ship gathered its power beneath it. Rey wanted so badly to reach over and put her hand on Ben's cuffed ones, but she felt the flint of Finn's stare across from her, as if he knew her urges, and she refrained.
"All right," Finn said, projecting his voice as the noise of the transport grew louder and they rose into the air. "This should be a short trip, so let's review the plan. The First Order ship that's flying out to meet us will dock to our transport. Under no circumstances will we make any moves until we see whether they have our people with them. If they do, we fake the exchange and then turn at my signal before they can leave with our prisoner. If they don't, we attack immediately, and the second half of the mission begins."
"What are my orders?" Ben said unexpectedly. Everyone in the transport caught their breath, looking to Finn. He was staring at Ben with unconcealed loathing.
"Your orders," he said, "are to shut up and do what you're told."
The air inside the ship was electric. Rey closed her eyes and willed Ben not to say anything incendiary. She'd done enough of that for both of them.
"What am I told if your plan doesn't work, and they take me?"
"Then we'll blow their ship out of the sky."
"Finn," Rey, Jannah, and Rose all said at once.
"It's the truth," Finn said. "All I care is getting our friends back. Once we do that, he can get blasted into smithereens or frozen in carbonite, for all I care."
Ben didn't even blink. He tilted his head slightly, studying Finn with apparent curiosity. "Funny. I seem to recall us fighting on the same side before. Why is it that you get to switch sides, and I don't?"
"Because you chose that side. I didn't have a choice."
"Choice is an illusion," Ben said, and for a moment Rey heard that old steel in his tone. Her shoulders tensed.
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, man," Finn said, and looked away, signaling that he was finished with this conversation.
For a moment Rey thought that Ben might pursue the point further, but the ship shuddered as it left the atmosphere, and he tipped his head back to rest against the wall. Rey leaned towards him and lowered her voice to where she was fairly certain no one else could hear. "I won't let that happen, you know. Blow you out of the sky."
"He wouldn't do it," Ben said, but he kept his voice at normal volume. Finn glared at him.
Rey breathed out frustration. "Must you make it worse?"
"For once, I'm not the one making it worse."
As stubborn as ever, Rey thought to herself, but before she could make a reply, one of the pilots came over the intercom.
"We're approaching the coordinates," he said. "No sign of the First Order ship so far."
"I don't like this," Rose said.
"Something feels wrong," Finn said.
Rey agreed. There was something off about this. She closed her eyes and sank down into the Force. It was like slipping into a body of cool, refreshing water, its omnipresence a reassurance pressed against her being. But the relief of it didn't last for long. No sooner had she reached out to it, then a great looming shadow crossed over its warmth, a sinister umbra. Rey opened her eyes.
"They tricked us," she said.
"It's the Star Destroyer," came the pilot's panicked voice over the intercom. "It's a trap!"
"Get us out of here!" Finn said.
"I can't—they've got us in their tractor beam. They're pulling us into the ship!"
"Did you know this was going to happen?" Finn said to Ben.
"Leave him alone!" Rey said.
"Why are you defending him?"
"Why are you attacking him when he's just trying to help?'
"You don't know that, Rey, you don't—"
"Stop it!" Rose cried. "Both of you! You're acting like children. Now is not the time!"
The transport shuddered as the tractor beam took hold of it and began to drag it towards the Destroyer. The team glanced around at each other, aghast.
"I guess we're skipping to the second half of the mission," Rey said with resignation. She had a bad feeling about this.
