[Threnalli]

The Resistance members looked at one another after the hatch slid shut behind Hux and the first sergeant. Kylo had exited the rear compartment, hair a mess and him looking bemused about it. Kaydel offered him her comb and he took it, but he didn't seem to know how to use it. It was as though bedhead and manual hair care was a new thing. Chewbacca had gone back to the ramp and lowered it so he could peer outside.

Rose asked, "Are we just going to ignore that someone has to be nominated to talk to General Hux?" She looked around as no one volunteered. "He has a point. We need to stay organized. We only have a certain number of supplies. Our people," she gestured around their side of the room, "have to talk to their people," she waved at the stormtroopers, nearly all of whom were now armored, "so we can work together. Otherwise … there will be problems."

Finn sighed. Kylo shrugged while inexpertly picking at his hair. Kaydel was watching him with a perplexed expression. Rey, who had settled against the wall next to him, looked only mildly curious about his dilemma. Poe said, "I can do it."

"Then it's solved," Kylo said. He looked at the comb with exasperation, as though this was its fault. Rey took it from him and pointed at the floor. He sighed and sat. She started in on his hair in the manner of someone who had not been accustomed to (mis-)using the Force for most of their adult life for hair styling.

C'ai spoke up. "No. It is not solved. This is an important matter. We should discuss it more than that."

"What's to discuss?" Poe said.

"You may be the highest ranked person here, but Kylo was their supreme leader. If rank mattered, he would be the automatic choice. Finn has been a stormtrooper and knows their procedures better than any of us. Connix has been a communications officer and assistant to General Organa for many years so she has done what General Hux is asking for. All of these are good reasons why they should be the candidate and not you. General Hux appears to like you, but that does not mean you will do the best job of representing us and understanding how we can work together. He will still like you even if we select someone else."

There was a moment of silence as people looked to see how Poe took that. He just shrugged. He and C'ai went way back. "Fair point," Poe conceded, which cleared the floor for the others.

C'ai wasn't through, though. "I should also mention that Rose has already worked with the general, successfully and without argument. That is important." He turned to the Wookiee on the other side of him. "Chewbacca is our oldest and most level-headed member-"

Chewie interrupted with several growls and a yip.

"Yes," C'ai said. "It is unlikely the general would understand you and mutual understanding is key for this role."

As the Abednedo turned to her, Rey jumped in to say, "Before you mention me, I withdraw myself from any nomination. I need to keep my attention on the Force, not on … whatever administrative duties this involves."

Kylo said, "Same here. Plus, I have a history with Hux. It might not have always been bad, but it would be a distraction. He and I … clash."

"I, too," C'ai said, "would not be a good candidate for that reason. I fear I would be unable to keep my temper."

Rose said, "And me. Not my temper, but," she shook her head. "I'm good at doing things. I'm not good at the talking part. I'm sure this … First Order unit commander job is more about talking than doing."

Eyes turned to Kaydel and Finn, the only two left other than Poe. Kaydel nodded to Rose. "It is. If it's like what I did for General Organa, there's a lot of coordinating involved, even for a small group. But there are going to be differences – critical differences. Just this, what we're doing right now?" She gestured around between them. "Talking about it and making a group decision? That's not how they're going to do it." She motioned to the stormtroopers, who were silently watching what must have been an unfathomable discussion from their point of view.

Kaydel said, "There are going to be things General Hux expects or says that only a member of the First Order will understand. And more important for us, only a member of the First Order will catch when he's suggesting something outside protocol, something different, something we should be suspicious about."

"Or a former member of the First Order," Poe said, obviously understanding where Kaydel was going with this. She nodded at him.

"Me?" Finn said. "Have you forgotten I'm the traitor? He tried to have me executed."

Rose said, "If he can't get past that, the rest of us need to know that. He was going to kill me, too."

"And Kylo," C'ai said.

Kaydel said, "I'm sure he wouldn't mind killing all of us. He still might."

Finn grimaced. "If he hasn't already, then he's not going to unless something changes."

"See," Kaydel said, "you'll know that better than any of us."

Finn tilted his head and said, "Okay. I'll do it."

As if on cue, the hatch slid open. General Hux stood in the opening, his eyes going first to Poe, then to where Ren was still sitting on the floor getting his hair tended to. Whatever he saw there wasn't what he was looking for, because he had to ask aloud, "Who did you pick?"

"Me," Finn said, stepping forward and coming to proper attention. "… Sir."

Hux's expression was flat. He scanned the faces of the rest, then gestured inside as he stepped back. "Come in. Sit." The hatch slid shut after Finn entered.