Chapter Seventeen: Compromise

Disclaimer: I own nothing here and I find that so uncivilized.

Stars of varying size and color glowed and orbited lazily around the dark map room. At the very center of it all Ben stood with his arms crossed over his chest and watched passively as Rey circled the room, studying the holo-map and all the planets with red outlines that defined them as falling under First Order control. There were many, and the current map only presented a portion of the inner rim territories.

"I don't understand," Rey said with a frown, her brown hair still slightly damp from their earlier... aquatic activity. "Why not just offer support to these planets instead of dominating them? It would make the Order much more popular."

"Because," Ben replied with a sigh, preparing to give out a long lecture. "Supporting a planet drains resources, while controlling it gains them. Resources promote the ability to offer stability. Without the stability to maintain authority, the galaxy will just relapse back into anarchy."

"That's such an absolute method though," Rey argued with furrowed brows. "There has to be some reasonable compromise between cooperation and tyranny. Otherwise the war will never end."

"It will," Ben replied firmly, though he chose his next words carefully. "Once the Resistance is... gone."

"But that's the thing, Ben," Rey said through a sigh of her own, halting her drifting. "Even if the organized group dies out, there will always be people across the galaxy that will resist. You that."

"Inconsequential," he muttered and waved a dismissive hand. "And easily snuffed out. A minor inconvenience in exchange for progress."

"More ," Rey murmured sadly, as if to herself as her gaze dropped to the floor in resignation, her hands forming fists at her sides.

, a voice seemed to grumble with disappointment in the back of his mind and he couldn't help glancing over his shoulder briefly. There was no one there, of course, but he caught a ghostly sense of disapproval, causing Ben to wonder what he had done wrong.

Scowling against his apparent failure, he crossed over to his sullen companion and raised a hand, palm up in a supplicating gesture. "Perhaps, we can put your methods to the test on one or two planets for a trial period. Should there be positive results, then maybe I'll consider some changes in the Order's procedures."

She offered a small smile up at him in return. "That's a start," she said optimistically and placed her hand in his.

Ben was struck by a sudden realization at how reminiscent yet conversely different it felt compared to their exchange in Snoke's throne room some months back. In this sense at least, he supposed compromise wasn't so bad.

The droning of chatter quickly died down as Ben and Rey stepped through the double-doors and entered the Supremacy's bridge. Hux and Peavey turned to regard them curiously from their places at the fore of the raised walkway. Ben hadn't been able to shake the nagging feeling that he needed to check in on the fleet's status. Hux was fully capable of running things in his absence, and therein lay the problem.

"Supreme Leader," the red haired general greeted, feigning pleasantness as usual. "We weren't expecting your presence today."

Ben fixed the general with a narrow look, his voice dangerous and low. "You play at a dangerous game, General."

Outwardly, Hux blinked innocently in response, though through the Force Ben could sense his anxiety, like a thick, sour stench. "I'm sorry sir, I'm afraid I don't catch your meaning."

"Oh I think you do," Ben grumbled with a sneer. "Tread Hux, I am not so blind to your machinations as you would like to think." He turned to Peavey, noting how the older man seemed to be shifting nervously at being witness to a disagreement between his superiors. "Status, Captain?"

Hux was reduced to a silent brooding as Peavey stood at attention. "Sir, we are currently orbiting the Mawan system, an important territory along the primary Core trade route." The captain paused to pull up a hologram on a terminal. It depicted an enormous city with high risers and sprawling residential areas. "Naatan is the capital city, where we seem to be running into some trouble, currently."

Ben felt his brow furrow with concentration. "Explain." He could also feel Rey's curiosity through the Force. She stood slightly behind him and to his left, listening with a quiet interest.

"Sir," Peavey responded and broke into his explanation. "Mawan has had a long history of crimelord occupation. Currently Naatan is under a form of loose democracy after a string of hostile takeovers and power vacuums. We have successfully stabilized the situation by sending a division to occupy the city, however..."

"What is it?" Ben demanded, eyes narrowed at the way Peavey and Hux shared a bothered look.

"There is a fugitive, a terrorist at large, somewhere in the city," Hux produced with a sour expression, as if the issue had vexed him, though he seemed glad to have a subject change from the suggestive accusations levied against him. "He claims to have a detonator linked up to numerous bombs planted throughout the city. He has threatened to ignite them if we don't withdraw the division within one more rotation."

"And what has been done to apprehend this criminal?" Ben inquired with a pressing tone.

Hux looked at him, affronted. "We pulled the division, naturally." He made a sweeping motion at the viewport where the planet in question, mostly green with hints of blue veins, floated like an emerald pearl. "No point in sacrificing our troops along with a populace so willing to hide a dangerous fugitive."

Ben unwittingly formed fists at his sides as his mind wrapped around the implications. He wasn't entirely sure why he suddenly cared so much when he had so often given similar orders of execution. "You intend to fire on the city to flush him out of hiding?"

"Once the populace realizes we care less about their lives than this so called liberator, they will no longer have a reason to harbor him." Hux smiled wickedly, as if he were expecting some manner of praise for his brilliance.

"You can't do that! There are thousands of innocent people down there!" Rey suddenly exclaimed as she stepped forth, her face contorted with righteous anger. "Hypocrite!" she snarled directly at the general and Ben could only blink with wonder at her unwavering pluck. "How can you stand there and call him a terrorist when you yourself are willing to stoop to his level?"

Hux bristled instantly. "And who are to question ?" he shouted back and stomped over to face her, his features equally enraged. "You're nothing but an ill-mannered, poorly trained pet!" He raised a threatening hand, as if to strike her across the face, but stopped himself and flicked a tentative glance at Ben, as if suddenly anticipating a retribution himself.

"No, by all means, continue," Ben told him with a dismissive gesture, not ignorant to the offended look Rey sent him.

"You don't care if I reprimand her?" Hux was nearly incredulous by how much the concept confused him, his hand dropping considerably for a moment.

"Could prove entertaining." Ben shrugged and turned his head indifferently, though he eyed Hux sidelong as he added in an offhand tone, "since she has my permission to retaliate."

It took a few seconds longer than it should have for Hux to process his Supreme Leader's meaning, but when he finally did his face turned two shades of red with rage and embarrassment. He dropped his hand and sputtered and growled but finally just turned his back on the both of them, a knot on his forehead clearly throbbing with aggravation.

Ben could feel it through the Force like a refreshing breeze, how it was all Rey could do not to burst out laughing at the display, though she clearly couldn't fight off the smirk that worked its way onto her face.

"Do you have a suggestion?" Ben prompted her, his eyes expectant but patient. He felt himself suddenly shrouded by her contagious good mood. They both derived great pleasure from tormenting the general, it seemed.

Rey stood silently for a moment, thinking. A tense silence had overtaken the bridge after the short, heated confrontation. "If the fugitive is the problem," she said slowly, carefully. "We could try and find him ourselves. Subdue and capture him before he has a chance to detonate the bombs."

"Are you volunteering?" Ben asked, an amused smirk playing across his lips.

Rey met his gaze steadily. "I am."

"Fine," Ben replied and turned promptly to his commanding officers. "General, Captain, prepare my shuttle and hold off any further action against the planet until I return."

"But sir!" Hux whined as he met his Supreme Leader's stare. "This will just be a waste of time! If my forces could not flush him out, what hope do the two of have?"

"Let me worry about that, General," Ben told him pointedly. "You will continue to manage the rest of the fleet in my absence. Is that clear?"

"Yes," Hux sighed out in obvious grudging submission. "Of course, Sire."

Ben turned and motioned for Rey to follow him out, only to halt when a technician in one of the pits called out with an announcement. "Supreme Leader! I have an urgent communication from the rebel pilot, Poe Dameron." The tech paused, probably to listen intently to the message in his headset. "He's requesting permission to land in hangar bay eight. Says he needs to speak with... your apprentice, sir."

Ben groaned audibly and placed a hand to his head in aggravation. This was not a development he had anticipated. Why couldn't that damn pilot just run off like he was supposed to? Why did he insist on playing the hero the very instant he was granted freedom?

"Ben?" He looked to see Rey staring at him, hopeful and bright. His loyal guide through a maze of darkness he was only just beginning to see taking shape around him, yet it had somehow always been there.

He turned back to the tech in the pit and nodded. "Permission granted."

"What is going on here?" Hux thundered from his place on the walkway, his attention flicking between the pit and Ben. "Who authorized that rebel's release?"

"I agreed to release the three rebels in exchange for Snoke's murderer," Ben spoke out clearly, calmly in the general's direction, though he projected it for all to hear. "Are we not men of our word, General?"

"Are you ?" Hux cried, ludicrous with outrage as he flung a pointed gesture out the viewport. "That's the very pilot that caused the complete destruction of the Fulminatrix and all hands on board! Over two-hundred- soldiers because of him!"

, Ben thought to himself as he noted the silent, uncertain glances passed around in the pits below. He knew in that moment that there was very little he could do to turn the situation around, though he could at least put the general back in his place. "And he will soon be back on the front lines against our forces. When that time comes, General, you have my permission to board a and shoot him down ."

Hux was still fuming, though he was reduced to a strangled silence as Ben swept off the bridge with Rey in his wake. He got the distinct sense that he was leaving one exceedingly annoying human being behind only to soon be confronted by another of equal value.