I apologize for the late update, and for not responding to any reviews since the previous chapter. I threatened to torment Hux with a humor chapter and he assigned me to a double-work shift, and now I have sparse time for writing. I will try to get back to everyone's reviews before I post the next chapter. For now, have another pov for the last scene.
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Finn didn't trust Kylo Ren. He knew what the mask signified. Butchery. Smoke. Red streaks on a white helmet. Kylo Ren had tortured Rey. He had nearly killed Poe, for Force' sake! Why couldn't anyone get that – whoever this "Ben" was – he wasn't coming out of the First Order?
Poe was the bravest, most influential pilot Finn had ever seen, but his brain was two wires short of a hyperdrive. His loyalty and dubious choice in friendships was sometimes the only thing that kept the former FN-2187 around the Resistance, but Finn wondered if that companionability bordered on stupid. Why else would they be marshalling a rescue mission on Dantooine for a Sith lord that had just killed Han Solo? General Organa had lost her mind.
Finn wasn't sure Poe had been sane to begin with.
"Remind me again why we're going into Outer Rim territory to 'negotiate' with the First Order, right after we found out someone bugged our systems," Finn stated. He checked the safety on his blaster again, just to be sure.
"No one 'bugged' the systems," Ech'ban corrected, rolling his eyes. "The tech guy 'Matt' was a newbie, Gold Droid mixed him up with our radar technician, no one knew it was Kylo Ren until the holocams were wiped."
"So we just let him walk away? Ask for a rematch?" Finn spread his hands, urging Poe to respond. The pilot kept staring at the ship console, like he'd been for the last twenty minutes. "Our security was compromised. That's when we were supposed to evacuate – not see if Benny boy wants to come home."
"It's Ben."
Ech'ban and Finn glanced up at the mumble. Shaking himself, Poe glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. "Sorry. Mind blip."
And since when does Dameron apologize? Finn wanted to add. The whole Resistance was messed up over this Ben, and that was exactly what the First Order needed to tear them apart. Weakness. Friendship. They drilled us for years until we learned to ignore everything that hindered the mission. The devotion of the Resistance was their stronghold, and also their snare. They would die by the hundreds to rescue one prisoner.
Apparently they would sacrifice all for one former Jedi.
"General Organa is out there right now," Finn emphasized. "Even if she has backup, all the First Order needs to do is pick her out with a blaster scope. Does anyone else have the sense that this is a stupid plan?"
"It's gonna be a cinch," Ech'ban drawled. He leaned over Poe's chair, twiddling his fingers against the headrest. Poe remained in his thoughtful slouch, legs stretched over the console. "They'll blast their way inside in all the fiery Resistance glory, clap Kylo Ren over the head, drag him on board, and it's back home we go. End of Kylo Ren, end of the First Order. They can't just replicate evil dark lords like clones, y'know."
Because clearly they didn't have that much trouble after Darth Vader. Edgy, Finn jumped to his feet and began to pace. "He called me up about your jacket," he told Poe, even though he knew the pilot wasn't hearing him. "That was my third comlink in a week. How does he get all this information? I mean, he walked straight into the Resistance! Are we not taking this seriously?"
"Relax!" From the little Finn knew about Ech'ban, it was that he regarded everything as a novelty. Especially if it involved 'Kylo Ben'. Sometimes Finn wondered if the entire Resistance treated 'the kid' like a long-lost mascot.
"He toddled in like a spiky-haired nitwit who didn't know a wrench from an electric socket," Ech'ban continued. "If he wanted to blow up the Resistance base, all he had to do was try to reset a toaster." Shaking his head, Ech'ban tossed a hydrospanner and chuckled. "I would have signed up for the First Order just to see that."
Something clicked. "Wait – you saw Kylo Ren?" Finn posed. This wasn't included the report to General Organa.
"I saw Matt Dem." Ech'ban said lightly. "The radar technician. He was a newbie – I was supposed to show him the ropes. How could I know the golden droid let him in?"
"That's exactly what I mean!" How could the Resistance be so blind? "He was – right there!" No one seemed to get it. "How could we not have noticed a breach in the security?" How many other First Order spies are burrowed in the Resistance? There were no spies among the stormtroopers. Order protected them from imbalance. The Resistance had no such defense.
"The cameras were down," Ech'ban excused, waving Finn aside. "He probably jammed the holorecorders beforehand."
"Ben doesn't… know anything about cameras," Poe said quietly. Ech'ban and Finn hesitated, waiting for further communication. Poe's brow furrowed as he leaned towards the viewing screen. He hissed softly and jumped to his feet. "Out. Everybody, out.
"What? What is it?" Ech'ban asked, nonplussed as he scooped up his helmet and blaster.
"Just go! Go, go, go!"
Finn never questioned orders. He dove from the ramp, hit the ground and rolled, his spine clipping gravel, scars slowing his reflexes and pinning him even while he tried to get up – go – run – leave it all behind –complete the mission! Before he could wrestle aside the First Order's training, before he could wrench past his instincts and look back to see if Poe and Ech'ban had cleared the ship, the concussion blast rammed him onto his shoulder.
"Get down!" Ech'ban hollered. Waves of fire floomed over and around them.
Around…. Coughing, his back rippling in excruciation, Finn gasped. Flames surfed above him, buffeted by unseen forces.
How?
Ech'ban laughed and slapped Finn's shoulderblade, yanking his arm and pointing to the side. "I told you he was just a dimwitted technician!" he shouted.
The maelstrom inaugurated from the slurry of black robes that smothered Poe, shielding him from the blast. Finn raised an arm to shade his eyes. It can't be…!
Kylo Ren. Murderer. Mindless destroyer. The talons of Snoke. He lay in the dirt, maskless, defenseless but for the Force, flung over the one who had destroyed his superior weapon.
What kind of man are you, Poe? Finn mused. He killed his own father. What loyalty have you earned?
When the heat finally swept the air clean, Finn dragged himself to his feet. The old scar flared again and his fascination plunged into unease. Suspicion clenching his gut, he snapped to face Kylo Ren and Poe. Neither had moved.
"Hold on!" Ech'ban stated, bracing a hand on Finn's shoulder to halt his shuffling. "I knew this kid once. Give 'em a moment, Finn. Something big is happening here."
Something big like he's probably strangling Poe. Galvanized, Finn bit down his protests. Leia had ordered him to trust her officers.
He bent down, streaks of pain running down his legs, and shakily retrieved his blaster. Just in case.
Poe didn't exactly stand. He swayed and wobbled, and somehow he regained his feet. Kylo Ren rose with a little more assurance. Ech'ban punched Finn's shoulder in cheer, but to the former stormtrooper it seemed like a predatory stance. He couldn't make out the conversation.
When Kylo Ren crumpled into an untyrannical, inglorious hug, Finn had to step forward and blink. Slowly. Close his eyes, reopen – the hug scene was still there.
Ech'ban laughed. "Poe's got somethin' on him, I tell ya. I shouldn't be surprised the he can still calm the kid, but then again Ben didn't used to be that ugly."
"There's something wrong here," Finn murmured, because nothing was this easy. Not with the First Order. Not with Kylo Ren. Even if Phasma had quietly evaluated the Sith more than she critiqued Slip, she respected his authority. She would never let him defect to the Resistance.
Sunlight flashed from Kylo Ren's glove and Finn burst forward, raising his blaster to the dark head. "Poe, get down!"
It was a trap – he'd known all along, and no one would listen. Even now Ech'ban clapped a hand on Finn's wrenched shoulder, holding him back as Poe looked behind him. Too slowly.
"Poe!"
A shade to the right. He'd fired perfectly during the training simulators in the First Order. If he aimed for the knife, risked a shot to Poe's back …
Before he could pull the trigger, bypass that deadly glint of steel, burly arms wrapped around him and yanked him down.
"What are you doing? Are you mad?" Finn howled, bucking to free himself. His blaster dropped. The silver vanished. He screamed.
"Let go! He's killing him!"
Ech'ban slung backwards, slugging Finn into his fall, twisting wires and frames and Force knows what else was holding together his wretched scars. "Stay down!"
"He had a knife!" Finn shouted. "Are you blind?"
In a wash of ice, he knew. There never was an army of spies in the Resistance. The First Order only needed one.
"You filthy traitor!" Finn gnashed. He squirmed, face lancing as his shoulders remained pinned. "You planned this!"
Ech'ban stared ahead, grim and silent. His arms quaked.
"You were his friend," Finn guessed furiously. "You betrayed him."
"The First Order is right, Finn," Ech'ban said shakily. "I had to do this. I'm sorry."
"Tell that to Poe!" Wrenching his torso, Finn snagged the blaster and rammed it into Ech'ban's jaw. Blood spattered his chin as he wriggled free, dragging himself into a crawl. He raised his blaster, silently hollering as blood spread beneath Poe's curled form.
One shot! That's all I need!
His aim flew wide as Ech'ban yanked him down. The bolt pinged on a scrap of metal and hit the burning remains of General Organa's cruiser. One armored fist cracked Finn's head into the dust.
"You don't understand!" Ech'ban exclaimed, drawing back his fist to strike again. "We can't fight 'em. Kylo Ren is restoring order to the galaxy. It's one pilot or the universe, Finn! Make your choice!"
"Why do you think I left?" Finn roared. He slugged both fists into Ech'ban's throat and rolled. A muscle near his spine careened and then went numb. One leg flopped uselessly in the dust.
"Kriff!" Finn bellowed, dragging himself forward. Three more feet. Four inches. The blaster was just within his reach –
He caught Ech'ban's foot before the pilot could smash in his face. Enraged, Finn clapped the ankle between both hands, twisted, and yanked. Ech'ban screeched, and as he fell Finn kicked smashed his good foot into the traitor's eye. No more delays.
He raised the blaster and aimed, only for the weapon to be torn out of his hands. "No!" the scream tore his throat and he flung himself at the assailant. A yelp responded – too young to be Ech'ban's voice. Aghast, Finn scrambled as he was pulled away from Lieutenant Connix.
"Finn, stop fighting us!" commanded the soldier holding his arms. "Force, you almost shot the general!"
General Organa… Gasping, Finn rolled to his hands and knees and scanned the chaos.
Two of the Resistance soldiers were buckling Ech'ban into restraints.
Another leaned over Kylo Ren, pinning his head while a third stabbed a hyposyringe into his neck.
Finn looked forward, choked, and beckoned for Lieutenant Connix to pull him alongside the stained brown jacket. No. No, no, no, no, no.
General Organa had drawn Poe into her arms, pillowing the dark head as she leaned over him. Wrinkled hands were braced against the wound. Her eyes were closed, her visage ashen as the pilot's, her brow creased in fervor.
"Poe!" Finn staggered away from the lieutenant and hobbled the last few feet, dropping at Poe's side. Snap trotted up and crouched beside Leia, shaking her gently.
"General Organa?"
She shoved him away.
"Medic," Leia croaked. She pressed deeper, crimson bubbling over her fingers. "Hurry."
"Let me help," Finn pleaded as Snap bolted, shouting for a response team.
Shivering, Leia shook her head. "I can... stop this…." Her hand rippled and Finn leaned back, swallowing in acceptance.
The Force. If she couldn't save Poe, no one could.
"The bastard," he cursed softly, glowering at Kylo Ren's motionless form. "I should have been there."
"Stop blaming yourself and shut up," Leia murmured.
Finn was good with orders. Orders had preserved him during the countless training drills as a stormtrooper. The commanders knew what they were doing.
Orders might well have killed his best friend.
Helpless, Finn pounded the dust. Leia grunted agitatedly and he reigned himself in. Don't think about it now, Finn commanded. Be there. Poe needs you.
No. Poe had needed him before, when he was vulnerable and uncertain about the dark lord whom everyone referred to as 'the brat'. Poe had needed him when he was wavering after the explosion, three seconds before Ech'ban could have intervened. Finn should have blasted Kylo Ren's skull the moment the traitor stood.
Clasping the pilot's greying hand, Finn lowered his head against his fist and sobbed. He wasn't strong enough for this. Not with Slick, not with Rey, not even with Poe's stupid droid. They told me the First Order would restore peace the galaxy. They never told me what they would take instead.
He dug his fingers in gently, concentrating on the fleeting pulse. Thready, eccentric beats tapped his fingers. Two seconds paused between beats. Four.
He could barely feel anything.
Leia flung her head back and screamed for the medics. Too late, they appeared in Finn's peripheral vision, scattering equipment with professional urgency. He raged at them for taking so long.
Too long.
Lifting Poe against her, Leia tucked the dark curls against her shoulder and buried her face in them, silent tears dripping onto the pilot's cheeks. Finn gripped Poe's wrist and shouted obscenities, ordering him to snap out of it.
Panic calmed him, drained him, left him sunken as the medics pushed him away. He settled back with his head buried in his hands. Coldness birthed in his chest and he knew it would never fade.
He was three seconds too late.