Chapter 3: You Care For Him
Poe observed Rey and Matt laughing and working on the Falcon through his small viewfinder from clear across the hangar bay.
"I'm telling you, man. It's eerie. It's like looking at him," Finn insisted.
Poe peered through the googles once again. "Yup, I can definitely see it," he mused. "Just lose the blonde curls and the glasses. Do you think a plan like that would work, though? We aren't very accomplished in subterfuge."
"I feel positive we could pull it off. Think of it: deposing the Supreme Leader without firing a shot!" Finn's eyes gleamed with the possibilities.
Poe thought it over before finally nodding once. "I'll discuss it with my advisers."
"Excuse me, Private Matt? May I speak with you for a moment, please?"
Matt was passing Commander Dameron's office when he heard the Resistance leader call out to him. He entered the private study and pulled the door to before standing at attention. "You asked to see me, Commander?"
"At ease, soldier." Poe rose from his desk and circled it. All the while, he kept staring at Matt closely, curiously. It was deeply unsettling, almost. Finally, the general spoke. "Matt... are you aware of the resemblance you hold to the Supreme Leader? Kylo Ren?"
At this, Matt flushed deep red, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh... yeah. I get that a lot." His face suddenly broke out into a beaming smile. "Rey enjoys teasing me about it." Poe noted, but didn't comment on, the way Matt's eyes lit up when he said her name. He did not seem to mind when Rey brought up the likeness, as if he knew that it made her happy. Poe filed this away for later.
"Well, that's encouraging, because she has expressed this to me on occasion herself," Poe transitioned smoothly. Halting in front of his desk, he leaned against the wood. "Matt: my advisers and I are discussing the idea of having you infiltrate the First Order and impersonate the Supreme Leader. Switch places with him and take the throne."
Matt stared at the general, mouth agape. "Depose him, you mean. A bloodless coup."
"This would take many months of preparation, of course," Poe placated quickly. "Completing your resemblance to him. Teaching you how to talk and act like him. But, yes. If you could switch places with Kylo Ren, we could capture the real him and you could lead the First Order to a voluntary surrender with us. No one should suspect a thing."
Matt gulped. He wasn't so sure about that. In some respects, the First Order was even more devious than the Empire. Surely some officer might suspect that there was an imposter, a traitor, in their midst. And such discovery would mean certain death. Besides, although it would be easy to alter his appearance, he still differed from Kylo Ren in one critical respect: he had no command of the Force. Poe must have seen the uncertain look on his face, for he added, "It was Rey who suggested this plan to me. I'm sure it would really impress her." And of course, because it was Rey, Matt decided he would have to make the attempt. Be brave for her.
"I'll do it."
"Good man!" Poe clapped Matt on the shoulder. "You're dismissed."
Matt headed back to the hangar bay, his mind in a fog. How could he ever hope to mimic the Supreme Leader? But, as long as it made Rey happy...
As he got near the Falcon, Matt happened to glance up... and stopped dead in his tracks.
There, at the base of the gangplank, stood Rey, her arms draped about the neck of, and openly kissing, Kylo Ren. Other fighters were mingling about, and strangely appeared not to even notice the display.
Matt felt as though a thousand hot scalpels were digging into his skin, exposing the muscles to be burned by the sun. His blue eyes stung with the salty tears that pleaded to be shed, and he could think of nothing else but rushing forward.
"REY!"
His plaintive cry made Rey and Kylo Ren broke apart, rather roughly and awkwardly. And just like that, Kylo Ren quite literally disappeared into thin air. Matt skidded to a halt in front of his friend. "What the stars are you doing with him?!"
"With who?" Rey blinked.
"Kylo Ren! I saw him!" Matt hissed. "You were kissing him!"
At this, Rey's eyes went wide. She reached out both hands in a placating, pleading gesture. "I can explain..."
"No need," Matt twisted away, his voice broken. "Now it all makes sense! Why you went to Poe. You think you can use me to switch places with Kylo Ren, ending the war and getting your little squeeze toy all in one package. That's why you want me to execute that plan to impersonate him. Poe told me it was your idea!"
Rey's eyes were the size of dinner plates. "I did no such thing! What makes you think I would do that?"
"I don't know, Rey. I don't know what to think at the moment! Are we still friends? Do you even care about me at all? You know how much I don't like others pointing out my similarities to Kylo Ren! But I let you tease me because it makes you smile!"
Rey stared at him for a moment. "Excuse me," she squeaked brokenly, and she stalked past him, doing everything in her power to keep her anger in check, as her body shook with rage. She had to get to the bottom of this...
"COMMANDER!" Rey yelled, as she barged into Poe's quarters without even knocking. "I want a word!"
Poe stood from his desk. "Yes, Master Jedi? What is it?"
Rey could only goggle at him with a mixture of disbelief and betrayal. "How could you?" she whispered brokenly, tears threatening to spill over.
"How could I what...?"
"How could you set Matt up for something so dangerous? Never mind that you lied and said I suggested it! You send him into that lion's den and he makes one misstep, the First Order could kill him!" Tears streamed down Rey's cheeks now. "Do you even show any concern for him at all? A general is supposed to look after all his soldiers!"
Poe watched the display before him curiously. "Rey... I came up with it at Finn's behest. I thought it could help Matt be of some use..."
"He already is!" Rey cried, her voice cracking and clogged from her tears. "Helping me with the Falcon! He's worth more than anyone gives him credit for, and he is certainly worth more than whoever he may happen to look like!"
Poe peered at her. "You care about him..." It was a statement, not a question.
Rey blinked rapidly for a moment, thrown by Poe's observation. "Of course I care about him! I..." She stopped short, shaken by what she almost spoke aloud.
Something in Poe's eyes flashed that was almost unreadable. Then, in the next second, he was pulling Rey into his arms and trying to kiss her. Rey gasped and twisted away before their lips could touch.
She didn't think through the motion. SMACK! The slap echoed throughout the office, and Poe staggered back, a hand to his singing cheek. Rey's voice now shook not with sorrow, but with rage.
"If you ever try and hurt either one of us again, I will run you through with my lightsaber!" she vowed in a growl. And she fled from the office in tears.