Disclaimer:
The following is a work of fanfiction. All characters and situations belonging to the Star Wars saga are copyrighted to Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Walt Disney Company.
Author's Notes:
When I first heard about "Rogue One," I honestly wasn't that interested in seeing it. Up until that point, if a book or movie didn't feature any of the core Star Wars characters, I didn't care about it. But after the movie came out and I started reading good things about it on the Star Wars messageboard, my curiousity got the better of me and I decided to go see it. I made sure I was thoroughly spoiled and, determined not to get attached to any of the characters because of the ending, I went to the theater. And got blown away. It was an amazing movie and dang if I didn't get attached to Jyn and the others. But to put it bluntly, I thought the ending sucked!
So I did what any good fanfiction writer who isn't happy with something would do: I decided to write a fix-it story. That was back in 2016. But I was in the middle of writing another story and as a rule, I don't work on more than one piece at a time. I finished that story and tried to get started on this. And then I lost my motivation. And then I got out of Star Wars for a while. This happened a few more times over the past three years with other fandoms taking over before I returned to Star Wars. But it's now 2019 and I am ready to complete this story.
My goal with this story is to remain as close to canon as possible while changing the fates of the Rogue One characters. The Battle of Scarif still has to lead into "A New Hope." So it will be an interesting challege as I write this story.
Besides the movie, I consulted a large number of reference books and novels to make sure I correctly recreated the worlds and characters of "Rogue One." Some of them are: "The Rebel Files" by Daniel Wallace, the "Rogue One" visual dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo, the "Rebel Dossier" by Jason Fry, the adult and junior novelizations of the movie by Alexander Freed and Matt Forbeck respectively, "Catalyst" by James Luceno, and "Rebel Rising" by Beth Revis.
All questions and comments may be sent to me at my e-mail address. Please see my author profile for details.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.
Chances
by
Julie Horwitz
Ignoring the driving rain coming down all around her, Jyn Erso climbed the dizzyingly high ladder up to the platform where her father was.
Her father who wasn't the traitor she had spent the last fifteen years believing him to be.
Her father who was possibly about to be murdered by a man she had thought was her ally, if not her friend.
She didn't understand it. Why would Cassian want to kill him when Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance, had clearly wanted Papa brought in alive? She'd even said she needed him to tell the Senate about the Death Star. What good would he be to anyone dead? It didn't make any sense, especially since they no longer had his message.
She didn't want to believe that Cassian was acting on his own. It would mean that he'd been lying to her face since almost the moment they'd met. It would mean that he'd simply used her to get close enough to Papa to...
No, this wasn't Cassian's idea. Something deep inside of herself told her that he wasn't the one who wanted Papa dead. (If all he cared about was killing Papa, then why had he saved her and the others from Jedha? A cold-blooded killer wouldn't have thought twice about abandoning people to their fate once he no longer needed them. And all he'd needed her for was to get to Saw...) So who was it and why? And, more importantly, why didn't Cassian have any problem following those orders?
Deciding that those question could wait until after she had gotten Papa to safety, she returned her attention to the treacherous climb.
She had no idea what waited for her at the top of the ladder. Papa could be anywhere in the facility. A facility which was swarming with Imperials. It would take everything she had to find him without being caught. And that didn't even take into consideration how she was going to get him out. (Was Papa even capable of climbing down the ladder?)
After what felt like an eternity, the end of her climb finally came into sight. She slowed down her movements as she approached the top and came to a complete stop just below the final rung.
Preparing herself for anything she might find once she got onto the platform, she rapidly pushed herself up the rest of the way and landed onto the platform in a crouch.
Directly behind a stormtrooper.
Before the trooper had a chance to turn around, she grabbed his blaster rifle and sent him over the edge.
She felt a twinge of remorse for what she'd done as she adjusted her grip on the weapon (a preemptive strike was not the same as a defensive one), but she knew the stormtrooper wouldn't have given her a second thought before blasting her. Feelings would have been trained right out of him.
Staying in her crouch, she moved towards a large crate that stood directly in her path.
She peeked around the side and, through the pouring rain, saw that it was part of a large wall of crates that crossed the platform. Pulling back, she glanced around her side of the wall and didn't see any troopers nearby. Of course, they could be everywhere else, but for the moment, she was still safe. The trick would be to stay that way until after she'd found Papa and gotten him to safety.
Moving with extreme caution, she remained low as she followed the wall to where it terminated.
Bracing herself for whatever could be around the corner, she peered out to see what obstacles she would have to face to find Papa.
And nearly cried out as she immediately saw him.
He was kneeling on the wet platform, a figure in white crouched next to him and leaning in close, saying something to him that, based on Papa's expression, was clearly upsetting him. Jyn was too far away to hear the words over the wind and the rain, but if she had a guess, it most likely had to something to do with all of the dead bodies surrounding them. (What in the name of the Force had happened?)
As she watched the exchange, a memory came to the surface, triggered by the color of the crouching man's uniform. It was the day both Mama and Papa had been taken from her by the man in white. She had not understood what had been going on at the time. Mama and Papa had been very afraid, which had confused her eight-year-old self since she had remembered the man in white always being at their home on Coruscant before they went on the journey with Saw to Lah'mu. She'd even known his name back then... (It had faded from her mind a long time ago.) She had thought that he was their friend.
And then he had killed Mama.
And now, she realized, he was the very same man threatening Papa.
But before she could act with this new knowledge, an alarm blared to life.
She fell back behind the crate, looking all around to see if she could locate the source of the alarm.
Was Cassian-
Her mental question was cut off as, to her utter shock and horror, X-Wing fighters came in firing every single one of their weapons.
She threw herself to the ground as energy bolts struck everywhere around her, including against the crate she had been using as her hiding place.
There was only one group that she knew of that used X-Wings as their fighters of choice and she had seen a fair number of them back on Yavin.
Apparently, killing her father was so important to the Alliance that they hadn't trusted Cassian to get the job done himself.
Righteous anger filled her as she realized that she had been lied to from the moment she had been "rescued" from her prison. The Alliance had never planned on getting Papa to testify before the Senate. They simply wanted him dead. What a fool she had been to believe otherwise. (Mon Mothma had been so convincing...)
Realizing she was out of time, she got to her feet and rushed out from behind her hiding place. If she was going to save Papa, it had to be right this second.
"Father!" she shouted at him, knowing this was not the time or place to call him something as informal as "Papa."
Papa, hearing her voice, turned towards her, a confused expression on his face.
And in that moment, she realized that he probably didn't recognize her. Not only was she no longer the eight-year-old girl he had left behind fifteen years ago, but the heavy wind and rain made it difficult to see anything not directly in front of his face. How could he have any idea who this strange woman calling him "Father" was?
But he started to step towards her anyway.
She was about to call to him again, this time using the name he was used to hearing her call him when a huge explosion knocked her off of her feet.
Everything went black.
The next thing she knew was someone was shaking her by the shoulders.
"Jyn! Jyn, please! Wake up, Stardust! You have to wake up!"
She groaned as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Oh, thank the Force!"
She looked up to see Papa kneeling on the ground beside her, a relieved expression on his face.
"Papa," she breathed, unable to believe that he really was at her side.
Despite all of the odds, she had reached him before it was too late.
"Stardust," he said, as he helped her sit up. He then pulled her into a fierce hug. "My darling Jyn. I've missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Papa," she honestly answered as she hugged him back.
She had been lying to herself when she'd said she hated him and thought of him as dead. Even when she'd learned he was willingly working with the Empire, she had still held out hope he would come back to her. He and Mama had been the center of her world until she was eight-years-old. It would have been impossible for her to just turn off her feelings for him. Suppress them, yes, but free herself of them? Never in a million years.
She then broke out of his arms, knowing it wasn't wise to linger out in the open like this.
"We have to get out of here," she told him. "I have a ship waiting."
At least, she hoped she did. The U-Wing they had arrived in was a total loss. Bodhi had mentioned a shuttle depot near their crash site. Hopefully, there was something left behind by the fleeing Imperials.
The only trouble she foresaw was Cassian. If he tried to hurt Papa...
"Can you stand?" he asked her.
She nodded and he helped her to her feet.
She looked out into the chaos surrounding them. Stormtroopers, officers, and technicians were running in every direction to escape the dying facility. The shuttle that had been on the platform at the time of the attack was now gone. And laying on the ground in a crumpled heap...
"Krennic," Papa identified the now-dead man in white.
His once bright white uniform had been blackened by the explosion that had taken his life.
Good, Jyn thought, pleased that he had finally paid for at least some of his crimes. (His one death was of course in no way equal to the loss of life he had caused on Jehda. But at least Mama had been avenged.)
She resisted the urge to go over and fill his body with as many blaster holes as she could make before her power charge ran out.
"Do you know different ways out of this facility?" she asked Papa as she tried to figure out how to get away unnoticed. Going back down the ladder was out of the question. Now that she was with Papa, she knew he didn't have the strength for such a strenuous climb.
"Of course," he assured her. "The closest one is that way."
He pointed towards the facility entrance and started moving in that direction.
"Is Saw here?" Papa questioned as she followed him. "I assume Bodhi got the message to him since you're here, but Krennic said-"
"Saw's dead," she told him bluntly. "I was with him on Jehda when the Death Star attacked. I barely made it out alive. He didn't. I came here with the Rebels."
The Rebels who just tried to kill you, she silently added.
"So what he said about Jehda is true," Papa sighed. "I had hoped it was a lie to torment me before my execution, but then again, Orson was always truthful with me. I had hoped it could be destroyed before it could be used against anyone, but now it's too late. If only I'd acted sooner."
She could hear the incredible guilt in his voice.
"You-"
"Jyn! Wait!"
Jyn stopped and spun around to see Cassian hurrying towards them.
Without a moment's hesitation, she drew her blaster and aimed it straight at his heart.
Cassian came to a sudden stop and held his arms up, his rifle in one of his hands.
"Whoa, Jyn! What are you doing? We've got to get out of here!"
"Why should I go anywhere with you?" she shot back, moving so she was standing in front of Papa. "You lied to me! You and the Alliance want Papa dead!"
It didn't matter if the idea had originated with him or not. He was still guilty of wanting to assassinate Papa and she refused to have anything further to do with him.
"I see you found your father. Good," Cassian calmly said, ignoring her accusations. His arms remained raised. "We need to get to safety right now. This place is still crawling with Imperials. If we don't hurry, we're probably going to get caught."
"At least they're honest about trying to kill me," she retorted. "You and Mon Mothma both lied to me about needing Papa alive."
"Jyn, what do you mean by that?" Papa questioned.
"Tell him, Cassian," she urged, keeping her blaster steady. "Tell him that your precious Alliance who he went to for help wants him dead."
"Jyn, we don't have time for this," Cassian deflected. "Dr. Erso, you and your daughter need to come with me right now if we're going to have any chance of escaping off-world. Bodhi should have found us a ship by now."
"Deny it all you want, but I know what you came here to do," she interjected before Papa could respond. She gestured at his weapon. "Why else would you have put your rifle in a sniper configuration? And the Alliance fighters? Why are they here except to make sure the job got done one way or the other?"
"You really want to do this now?" Cassian shot back. "Fine! Yes, I had orders to terminate Galen Erso. Orders that came directly from my superior. But did I do it? Did I take the shot when I could have at any time? No, I didn't. I disobeyed my orders. Disobedience that's going to get me in trouble. Are you satisfied? Can we go now?"
Jyn was momentarily taken aback by his honest confession. She had been expected more denials. Instead not only had Cassian admitted everything, but he had pointed out that he hadn't obeyed his orders either. And that his disobedience would not be taken lightly by his superiors.
She lowered her blaster. "That still doesn't change the fact that the Alliance wants my father dead. If we go with you, you're just going to take us to them. Why should we go with you to the people who want to kill him?"
"Mon Mothma had nothing to do with my orders," Cassian informed her, still holding his arms up despite her lowered weapon. "They came directly from General Draven. Senator Mothma truly believes there is a diplomatic solution to be used against the Empire. General Draven is more realistic, but he won't ever say anything to the senator. She is completely unaware of my orders because she would never agree to them. The two of you come back with me and I promise that nothing will happen to your father."
Jyn took a moment to digest this information. If Cassian was telling the truth and she hated to admit it, but she had a feeling that he was, then going back with him to the Alliance was the best thing they could do. Papa could tell them exactly what he had helped the Empire build and what he had done to allow for its destruction. Countless lives would be saved.
"I believe him, Stardust," Papa spoke. "I want to go with him. It's the only way."
"All right," she finally said, holstering her blaster while Cassian put down his arms.
"Lead the way."
((()))
Cassian Andor had no idea what he was going to do. His personal mission was a complete failure-his own decision, of course, but Draven wasn't going to care. Draven had wanted Galen Erso dead and he wasn't going to take the scientist's survival lightly.
In other words, Cassian's days as one of the Alliance's leading intelligence agents were numbered.
But for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel guilt at the conclusion of an operation. He'd lost count of the number of lives he'd directly taken, either on orders or to ensure a mission's success, and it bothered him that he'd stopped counting. Why he'd hesitated when it came to taking out Galen Erso, he wasn't even completely sure. But every time he'd lined up the shot, he'd stopped short of pulling the trigger. And then once he'd seen Jyn on the platform...
He couldn't explain why, but in the very short time he'd known her, Jyn Erso had come to mean a great deal to him. She had awakened feelings in him that he'd almost forgotten he possessed. Feelings that he very much wanted to explore as he got to know her better.
She had surprised him when they'd first met. Based on her Intelligence profile, he had been expecting a hardened criminal who didn't care for anyone or anybody but herself. True, she had tried to give everyone in the conference room that impression, but she had quickly shown her true nature, which Mon Mothma had immediately picked up on and redirected the conversation to focus on Jyn's father. It had worked and Jyn had agreed to go on the mission.
But what had really impressed him was her ability to go head to head with Kay. As soon as he had witnessed her initial interactions with the snarky droid, he'd known she was someone special. While most people ignored Kay's bluntness and his ("healthy") ego, Jyn seemed to take pleasure in goading him. (Her comments about her being worried about blaster shots missing him and hitting her instead especially stood out.) And Kay clearly returned the sentiment. It had been hard to keep from laughing at the two of them.
Her antagonistic banter with Kay had also brought him to the realization that Jyn was starving for relationships of any kind. (From what her profile had said, she'd been on her own since she was about sixteen. He couldn't even begin to imagine what those lonely years had been like for someone so young. It explained so much about her behavior.) Though she tried to act like someone who only cared about getting a job done, every single action she took spoke otherwise. From her rescue of the child in the middle of the battle on Jedha to her instant friendships with Chirrut, Baze, and Bodhi, Jyn showed her true colors: she cared about others. She had a huge heart and she couldn't hide it no matter how much she tried.
It was also why she was currently furious with him. How she'd been able to figure out his mission to kill her father he didn't know, but what he did know was that any trust that had started to build between them had been annihilated the moment she discovered the truth. She had been giving him the silent treatment since they'd boarded the stolen cargo shuttle. He didn't know how he was going to start to rebuild that trust, but it was something he knew he very much wanted.
But he had a more pressing problem to deal with first: Galen's survival. He worried what Draven's reaction was going to be when Dr. Erso emerged from the shuttle alive and well. (Mon Mothma, of course, would be ecstatic. She honestly believed that the Senate would be swayed by one scientist. Cassian had to agree with Draven that Erso's testimony would do nothing. The Emperor had brainwashed most of the senators into instantly taking his side no matter what.) He had disobeyed a direct order. Draven would be within his rights to throw him in a cell right then and there, but the general couldn't afford to publicly admit to a kill order. Mothma would be furious with him if she knew. So any punishment headed Cassian's way would be privately meted out. It would most likely be a demotion or being kicked out of Intelligence altogether.
Unfortunately, that meant he would lose any authority he currently held. He would not be given any say on what happened to any of his companions, Dr. Erso especially. He wouldn't be able to make good on his promise to Jyn, though he doubted anyone else would try to kill the former Imperial scientist. (He was no longer with the Empire, so therefore no longer a threat to the Alliance.) Hopefully, the Ersos would simply be relocated to a safe world where the Empire wouldn't find them.
Which meant he'd never see Jyn ever again.
And therefore could never have the chance to regain her trust...
"We have a visitor," Kay suddenly spoke, startling him out of his private thoughts.
He wondered who had decided to speak to him again. So far, he'd gotten the cold shoulder from everyone since their escape from Eadu. (Even Bodhi had left the cockpit in silence after they'd entered hyperspace.) He had no doubt that it was anyone but Jyn.
Turning around, he was shocked to see Galen Erso himself climbing into the cockpit.
"Dr. Erso, how can I help you?" he asked, having a feeling he already knew what the scientist wanted. (If he'd found out someone wanted him dead, he'd want to know why too.)
"May we speak in private?" Erso requested, all but confirming what this conversation would be about.
"Of course," he replied. He would have to be very careful in his choice of words when explaining his last minute orders. He was already on the poodoo list of one Erso. He didn't need to get on another's. "Kay, would you mind giving us the cockpit?"
"Yes, I very much would," the droid informed him. "I'm quite interested in hearing what he has to say. Please continue, Doctor."
Erso's eyes widened in shock. "Well, I, uh..."
"Kay, out now," Cassian commanded, doing his best to conceal his amusement at Erso's reaction to Kay's...unique...behavior. (The KX droids he would have encountered during his time with the Empire would have been single-minded enforcers of Imperial "justice." They had no personality or compassion and followed their programming to the letter of the law. Kay was the complete opposite-thanks to his reprogramming, he had a huge personality and tended to disobey any orders he didn't like.) "I'll fill you in later."
"I don't believe you," Kay insisted. "I think I'll stay."
Erso, who had recovered from his shock, began to say something, but Cassian held up his hand. "Kay, leave the cockpit. That's an order."
"I'm starting to think this isn't an equal partnership," Kay grumbled, starting to rise from his seat. "You better fill me in on all of the good stuff. There's a high probability that-"
"Kay!"
"Oh, all right," Kay finally gave in, moving away from the pilot's chair. "But only because you asked so nicely."
"Thank you," Cassian said and Kay stalked out of the cockpit.
"What a fascinating droid," Erso commented, his voice thoughtful. "I've never seen that kind of behavior displayed before by a KX unit. I assume his memory was fully erased before the reprogramming?"
Cassian was taken aback by his sudden change of demeanor as well as in the unexpected topic of conversation.
"Not exactly," he let him know. "I had a lot of trouble with the memory wipe and because I was in the middle of a mission, I had to start the reprogramming before I had completely removed his original program. It took a few tries before he stopped trying to arrest or kill me. His...charming new personality was the result. He has absolutely no filter and says whatever comes into his circuits. He takes more than a little getting used to."
"I can believe that," Erso agreed. "I've known and worked with many droids, but none quite like yours. It may not be my area of expertise, but I'd love to take a look at his program files."
"I'm, uh, sure that can be, um, arranged," Cassian managed, not knowing what else to say. He then cleared his throat. "Dr. Erso, you said there was something you wanted to speak to me about?"
"Yes, of course," the scientist nodded. "It's about Jyn."
"Jyn?" he repeated, surprised. Why would he want to talk to him about Jyn? Especially after all of the things she'd probably said about him while they were escaping Eadu's atmosphere and entering into hyperspace.
"Yes, I'm very concerned about her and I can't get her to talk to me," Erso explained. "She's very upset about what happened back at the research station. Unfortunately, the last time I saw her she was eight-years-old. She's clearly no longer a child and therefore I can't communicate with her the way that I used to. I was hoping you had some insight on how I can reach her."
Huh?
"Why would you think I have any insight?" he asked, confused. "I actually just met her a couple of days ago. Besides, as I know you're aware, she's not very happy with me right now. I don't see how you'd think I'd be any help. I'm probably the last person you should ask."
It was ironic that while he was mourning the lost opportunity to get to know her better, her father was convinced that he knew her better than he did.
"But that's where you're wrong, Captain," Erso countered. "You may not realize it right now, but my daughter thinks very highly of you. Why else do you think she gave in to you so easily on Eadu? If Jyn truly hated you as you seem to think she does, she would have ignored you and the two of us would not be having this conversation right now. I may not have spent much time with the adult Jyn, but I remember the child very well. And once Jyn decided she didn't like you, that was it. She would have nothing further to do with you."
Cassian wasn't sure how to respond to that. Yes, it made him feel good to know that Jyn didn't hate him like he thought, but he didn't see what any of that had to do with him getting through to her when her father couldn't.
"You may not have known her for very long, but you've obviously made an impression on her in the time she's been with you," Erso continued. "Tell me about your interactions with her. How did you two meet?"
"Well, we weren't exactly formally introduced to each other," Cassian explained, "but we first met on Yavin. A team had just freed her from an Imperial labor camp for-"
"A labor camp?!" Erso gasped, clearly shocked by this news. "What was she doing in an Imperial labor camp?"
Cassian felt a sympathetic twinge for the man. He had not seen his daughter since she was a small child and had just now found out that the Empire considered her a criminal.
"In the years since she's left Saw Gerrera's group, she-"
"I don't understand," Erso interrupted, more distressed than before. "She left? Why did she do that? Saw promised her mother and I that he'd take care of her and we believed him. Did he-"
"Doctor Erso," Cassian cut him off, not wanting their already strange conversation to get anymore off-topic, "the only person who can answer that is Jyn. All the Alliance knows is that she went her own way when she was sixteen. We don't have any of the details. But her association with Saw Gerrera is the very reason we freed her from the camp."
"I apologize," Erso said, still obviously upset at the revelations, but willing to push his concerns aside for the time being. "Please, continue."
"Long story short, we had heard from a credible source that an Imperial pilot had defected and that he was rumored to have information about a weapon of mass destruction," Cassian narrated. "Word was that he had been sent by you to Saw Gerrera. We needed to see this information for ourselves, but since the Alliance and Gerrera had had a falling out many years ago, we needed someone who could get us a meeting."
"Jyn."
"Exactly," Cassian affirmed. "Not only was she a former associate of Gerrera's, but she was your daughter. We thought the connection to both of you was appropriate, which is why we sought her out and retrieved her."
"I'm guessing the two of you started getting to know each other after she agreed to help?"
"I suppose you could say that," Cassian said, remembering his first one-on-one conversation with Jyn.
It had not been a typical getting-to-know your mission partner exchange. First Kay and then Jyn's stolen blaster had been the topics. While neither subject seemed like they were the ideal way of getting to know someone, he'd actually learned a great deal about Jyn Erso from them.
And he'd liked what he'd learned a lot...
"Tell me some of your first impressions of her," Erso urged.
"Headstrong and stubborn," Cassian told him, listing the first things that came to his mind.
"Then she hasn't changed all that much," her father smiled. "What else?"
"She doesn't trust easily," he went on, mentally going over their conversations. "She's very protective of herself. She has to know she won't be betrayed before she freely shares information. She's extremely opinionated and has no qualms sharing those. And she has a biting sense of humor."
Cassian found that he couldn't help but smile as he recalled some of the stinging barbs she'd sent Kay's way.
"And that, Captain, is exactly why Jyn came back with you on Eadu," Erso concluded. "You know her and she realizes that. She trusts you because of it. She may not agreed with all of your actions or decisions, but she understands that you believe you are doing the right thing. She knows what kind of person you are and that's enough for her."
Cassian wanted to respond, but he couldn't find the words. What exactly was he saying?
"And that's exactly why I can't be the one who gets through to her," Erso stated, clearly having come to some kind of realization.
He locked eyes with Cassian.
"It has to be you."
Cassian was once more taken aback by the scientist.
"What? It can't be me," he protested. "I'm the reason she's upset in the first place. I'm the last person she'd respond to."
"Or maybe you're the only one she will," Erso suggested. "You know why she's upset. Explain yourself to her. Make sure she understands the position you were in. She can't stay angry if she knows why you made the decisions you did.
"I may not have known you very long, Captain Andor, but I can tell that you're a good person," Erso said, stunning Cassian even more. (How could he say that when he obviously knew that Cassian had been supposed to assassinate him?) "And Jyn does too. Go talk to her. Set things right between you."
Cassian had no idea what to say. This conversation had taken more turns than a podracer in a canyon. How had it gone from Erso wanting to speak to him about Jyn to the scientist telling him he was the one who needed to talk to her?
"You should do it before we reach our destination," Erso went on. "I have a feeling we'll all need to be at our best for when we speak to the Alliance Council."
The reminder made Cassian cringe. He'd have to give Draven a private debriefing afterwards and he didn't need to have the Force to know how that was going to go.
"It was good talking with you, Captain," Erso said. "I'll get out of your way now."
Galen Erso gave him a nod and then left the cockpit.
Cassian could only stare at where the man had been moments ago.
What in the galaxy had just happened?
And was Erso right? Should he go clear the air with Jyn before they arrived at Yavin?
But before he could come to a decision, Kay stomped back into the cockpit.
"That took long enough," the droid grumbled as he retook the copilot seat.
"So, what did I miss?"
((()))
"Jyn."
Jyn looked up at the sound of her name and when she saw who had spoken, she looked away again.
"What do you want?" she demanded of Cassian, the last person she wanted to see right now.
He had some nerve coming to talk to her after what he'd nearly done to Papa. While she logically understood that he'd been under orders, it didn't change the fact that he hadn't questioned them. (Disobeying them at the last minute didn't erase his earlier intentions to carry them out.) What kind of person did that make him? How many other people had he killed under orders? The very thought made her shudder.
And to think that she'd started to...
"To talk," he answered. "That's all."
"About what?" she questioned, still not meeting his gaze. "About how you were lying to me since we met and that you had planned to kill my father all along?"
Cassian took in a deep breath before responding.
"What I need you to first understand is how Alliance Intelligence views your father," he said. "They see him as someone who helped design and create a planet killer. Their main concern is preventing him from helping the Empire to build something even worse. They want to make sure that this is the first and last weapon of its kind."
"And they think that killing him would stop the Empire from building something else?" Jyn shot back incredulously. "I find it hard to believe that a group that calls itself 'Intelligence' could be so stupid. My father is one scientist."
"You have no idea how smart and talented he is, do you?" Cassian countered. "Galen Erso is one of the brightest minds the galaxy has ever seen, a polymath with no current peers. His expertise in crystals is unmatched. He graduated from the Republic's Futures Program with top honors. The Empire would have done anything to have someone like him working for them in their weapons program. I doubt they could have built their weapon without his assistance."
Jyn snorted at the ridiculous assumption.
"Then why is it that my father himself thought they didn't need him at all?" she wanted to know. "I told you that in the message he sent Saw, he says he knew they could have built it without him. Yet he chose to work so he could make sure it could be destroyed."
"So he says," Cassian pointed out. "Look, I just met your father and don't really know him, but I've encountered a lot of beings over the years who will tell themselves things over and over until they believe it to be the truth. Isn't it possible he only said that to make himself feel better about his own guilt? The guilt that made him send the message in the first place?"
His words brought Jyn's anger roaring back to life.
"You have no idea what you're talking about!" she hotly informed him. "My father hates the Empire with every fiber of his being! He wanted nothing to do with them and their weapons! We went into hiding to escape them! We spent four years living on that farm in fear that they would find us! And then one day they did! They-they... They killed my mother to make him go with them!"
All of her anger drained out of her at the memory of that terrible day.
"Mama died trying to save him.
"I saw it happen."
Silence fell between them at the revelation.
"Jyn... I had no idea. I'm so sorry."
She didn't doubt that Cassian's sympathy was real, but hearing the words from him after he'd just accused Papa of willingly helping the Empire rekindled her anger.
"You and the Rebellion have no idea about a lot of things," she declared. "All you care about is stopping the Empire and it doesn't matter who you destroy in the process. You don't try to find out all of the facts before deciding to kill someone. Killing people is apparently more important than saving them."
She knew it wasn't entirely true even as she spoke (that was more Saw's m.o. than the Rebellion's), but it felt good to say the words to him. She wanted to hurt Cassian as he'd hurt her.
"The decision to kill your father came directly from General Draven, my superior," Cassian reminded her. "Mon Mothma and the Alliance Council had nothing to do with that."
"It doesn't matter who it came from!" she retorted. "The only thing that matters is that you had no problem accepting the order! Changing your mind at the last moment changes nothing else. You were going to kill my father."
"Yes, I was," he admitted. "I was given orders and I was taught to obey orders."
"Without questioning them?" she pressed. "That makes you no better than a stormtrooper."
"I never said I didn't question them," he calmly explained. "But what you have to understand is that the Rebellion has been my home and family since I was six years old. I lost both my parents at a very young age and joining the fight against first the corrupt Republic and then the Empire gave me a direction and purpose that I would have otherwise lacked. I grew up hearing about and witnessing first-hand the atrocities and horrors the Empire has inflicted upon the galaxy. It became my personal mission to help put a stop to it. Everything we do is for the greater good. So when I'm told to kill someone whose death will ensure that others will live, I do it. I may not like it, but I do it. This is war."
Jyn didn't know how to respond. In the span of a few moments, she'd learned more about Cassian than she had in the days since she'd met him. She hadn't realized that he'd never known the kind of peace she had on Lah'mu with Mama and Papa. He had literally been raised in the fight against the Empire. It was no wonder he followed his orders exactly as he'd been given them. He knew no other way.
But it did help to know that despite following them, he did question them. As she'd already decided, he wasn't a cold-blooded killer. He was a soldier, as she had been for Saw.
And he had, at least just this once, disobeyed orders: he hadn't killed Papa.
"Will you be in trouble for letting my father live?" she asked at last, knowing there was no point in staying angry at him.
"Oh, there's no question," he said matter-of-factly. "General Draven delivered the orders to me personally. He only does that for what he considers the most important missions. My guess is that I'll be stripped of my rank and that I'll be charged with insubordination. I'm probably looking at some brig time."
"I'm sorry," she apologized, meaning it. It hadn't occurred to her that Cassian would suffer because Papa lived. "It's not fair that you'll be punished for doing the right thing."
"I'll survive," he assured her. "It's not like I'm going to be executed for disobeying orders." He gave her a slight smile. "The problem will be keeping Kay from trying to break me out before I'm released."
Jyn couldn't help but smile back. His words were meant to lighten the mood and they'd worked.
"Yeah, that sounds like something he would do," she agreed. "Just make sure he can't get his hands on a blaster."
"That would be a very bad idea," he concurred. "I'll have to warn whoever's watching him to lock up their weapons when they're not around. The last thing the Council needs to deal with is an ex-Imperial droid leading a jail break."
"He'd succeed too, you know," she told him. "If he wanted you out, you'd be out. The question is would you go with him?"
"You think he'd give me a choice?" Cassian pointed out and they both laughed at the ridiculousness of the whole thing.
Another silence fell between them, but this one was more comfortable and relaxed.
For the time being, she didn't have to worry about Papa's safety or her own. Now that she understood Cassian a little better, she knew they would be safe with him. He no longer had any intention of following his orders, no matter the consequences. He had proven himself to be a true friend and ally.
The problem was now what would happen after they were no longer in his care.
She was more than a little worried about this Draven who specifically wanted Papa dead. Cassian had said he wasn't used to his orders being disobeyed.
Would he try to carry them out himself when no one was looking?
"What's going to happen to me and my father once we return to Yavin?" she asked, needing to know what lie ahead for them.
"Mon Mothma intends for Senator Organa and Senator Pamlo to bring your father to Coruscant to testify before the Senate about the weapon," he told her. "I'm sure she wants him to speak to the Alliance Council as well. Beyond that, I don't know if any plans have been made. My guess is that the two of you will go into hiding on a safe world until the war is over."
Jyn doubted that there were any worlds truly safe from the Empire, but it would be nice to be able to spend time with Papa without fear of being caught at any moment.
Like the year she had spent on Skuhl with Akshaya and Hadder...
Before the Empire had found that world too...
"Do you think the Senate will believe him?"
"My honest opinion? No, I don't think they will," Cassian told her. "There are too many senators who are blindly loyal to the Emperor. But the best we can hope for is that some of them will believe your father and that they will bring their worlds into the Alliance."
"What about the Death Star?" she pressed. "My father created a way to destroy it. All the Rebels need are the plans from Scarif. Will they go get them?"
"That is a matter for the Council to decide," he let her know. "No one does anything or goes anywhere without their approval."
"And will they give it?" she wanted to know. "That thing needs to be destroyed. We can't let what happened on Jedha happen anywhere else."
"Jyn..."
"My father risked everything to share that information with you," she reminded him. "I need to know if the Rebellion is going to use it."
"I can't tell you what I don't know," he told her after a brief silence. "You'll just have to wait and see like the rest of us."
"You don't even have a guess?" she pressed.
Cassian sighed. "No, I don't think they're going to go after the plans. The Council has to have complete agreement on an issue and the non-military members always prefer to pursue a diplomatic solution first. They are, after all, senators."
"Karabast," Jyn cursed.
"But," Cassian added, "that's just my guess, which you wanted to know. I could be wrong."
"I hope to the Force you are."
"What will you do if they don't?" he questioned her.
"I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I'm going to do something. The Death Star needs to be destroyed.
"I'll make sure of it if it's the last thing I ever do."
((()))
Jyn tightened her grip on Papa's hand as Bodhi lowered the cargo shuttle's ramp.
This was it. Their mission had been successfully completed and she had brought Papa to the Rebels just as she'd been instructed. Whatever happened in the next few moments would determine the course of the rest of their lives.
Now she would find out exactly what the Rebels were made of: would they be willing to do anything to stop the Death Star? Or was Cassian right and they would prefer to stand by and do nothing?
"Everything's going to be just fine," Papa assured her, obviously sensing her unease. "You know that coming here was the right thing to do."
"I hope you're right," she responded, worried about the possibility of nothing being done to stop the Death Star. Her conversation with Cassian had left her deeply unsettled.
As the ramp opened, sunlight rushed into the cabin and it took Jyn's eyes several moments to adjust.
By the time she could see again, the ramp was fully extended and she saw that there was a group gathered at bottom waiting for them. She immediately recognized Mon Mothma and Bail Organa as well as the military man who'd been so impatient with her at the first meeting. (She hadn't caught his name and didn't care if she ever learned it or not. She didn't plan interacting with him more than she had to.) There were two additional people she didn't recognize, senators judging by their dress.
"Don't bring up my orders," Cassian quietly murmured as he came up next to her. "No one but Draven knew about them and he's not about to say anything in front of the others, especially Mon Mothma. He'll want to debrief me in private after this initial meeting."
Draven was there?! Jyn couldn't believe it. The man who wanted Papa dead was now in front of her.
Scanning the group, she realized that there was only one person there who it could be: the impatient man from the meeting.
Now his behavior made sense. He'd only cared about one thing and one thing only: having Cassian assassinate Papa.
"I'm not making any promises," she informed him, fighting the urge to charge down the ramp and punch his lights out.
"Listen to Captain Andor," Papa urged, clearly having overheard what Cassian said. "Making a scene won't aid our cause."
"He wanted you dead!" she countered. "I-"
"Please, Stardust," he cut her off. "Nothing is more important than stopping the Death Star. Don't let your feelings prevent us from saving countless lives."
Before she could respond, Papa started down the ramp.
"Welcome, Dr. Erso," Mon Mothma greeted him. "I am so pleased that you are here with us. The information you can provide us with will be of invaluable help."
"It took me far too long and for that I am deeply sorry," Papa returned the greeting, extending his hand to her as he reached the bottom of the ramp. As she accepted his hand, he said, "I just pray it isn't too little too late."
"If we can use your knowledge to prevent another world from suffering the same fate as Jedha, then that is all that matters," Bail Organa added as Jyn came to stand next to Papa.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cassian and the others lingering slightly behind them.
"Then we must act as quickly as possible," Papa said, shaking his hand in turn. "Orson Krennic, the man who was in charge of the project, has died and now control of the weapon falls to Govern Wilhuff Tarkin, who will not hesitate to use it on more worlds immediately."
"We are very familiar with Tarkin and his doctrine," Mon Mothma told him. "I agree that there is a great urgency in getting your knowledge before the Senate. The Empire has already covered up the Jehda incident by saying it was a mining disaster."
"They did what?!" Jyn cried incredulously.
Papa put a hand on her shoulder to calm her. "I'm not surprised. It's been their standard operation procedure for decades. One, I'm sorry to say, that fooled me at one time as well."
"And that is why your testimony is so important," Mon Mothma said. "You have the first-hand knowledge of what the Empire has done and what they will do in the future if they aren't stopped. You can provide the proof of their lies. Your truths will shine a light on the darkness that Palpatine has brought to the galaxy."
"We have plenty of witnesses that can corroborate his story," Jyn put in, gesturing to where Bodhi, Chirrut, and Baze stood with Cassian. "We all saw what happened on Jedha."
"If I may," Draven spoke up after having said nothing since their arrival. "I'd strongly advise sending too many people who have direct knowledge of the planet killer to Coruscant at the same time. After the testimony, the Empire will act swiftly to ensure that the knowledge goes no further than the Senate, which, I might add, the Emperor for all intents and purposes fully controls. It will be difficult to protect a large group of people."
Draven's suggestion surprised her. Wouldn't he have wanted to put Papa in a dangerous situation to ensure that he possibly wouldn't survive? It would have been perfect. The Empire would have done his dirty work for him.
But his words about the Emperor basically controlling the Senate reminded her of her conversation with Cassian. He hadn't believed that Papa testifying would do any good. So what was the point of putting him in such danger if that were true? There had to be another way to stop the Death Star that didn't risk Papa's life.
And then it came to her.
"Why does my father have to go before the Senate at all?" she questioned as she remembered what Papa had said in his message. "Why not just destroy the weapon before it can attack another world? My father has built a trap into the main reactor. All we need are the technical plans, which are stored on Scarif. We get those and we can stop the Death Star once and for all."
"A military action of that magnitude would require unanimous approval of the Council," Mon Mothma told her not unkindly. "And I'm afraid that that the members would never all agree on that. Our policy has always been to try diplomacy first. It is our wish to be better than the Empire. Fighting is a last resort."
"And when diplomacy fails?" Jyn demanded to know.
"Jyn, enough," Papa interrupted. "We are their guests."
"It's all right," Mon Mothma assured him, holding up a hand. "I understand exactly where your daughter is coming from and, to be honest, there are more and more who think like her. It is difficult to reason with someone like the Emperor. But the Alliance was built around the diplomatic principals of the Republic and to deviate from them, even for something this important, would destroy everything we stand for. We must abide whatever decision the Council makes."
"Even when the decision is wrong?" Jyn pressed, shocked by what she was learning about the Rebels.
She couldn't believe what was happening. If what Mon Mothma was saying was true, then the Council would very likely choose to do nothing and let the Death Star continue to terrorize the galaxy without lifting a finger to stop it. How did they ever expect to stop the Empire if they didn't actually fight against it? (Saw may have taken things too far too often, but at least he did something. That was more that it was looking like she could say about the Alliance.) Did they not care that billions of lives were at stake?
It was hard to reconcile the reality with what she had so long believed about the Rebels. It angered her that if the Council decided to be cowards and not take a stand then the entire Rebellion would do the same. How could this be the same group that had wanted to kill Papa? (She hated to admit it, but she was developing a grudging respect for Draven. She may not have agreed with his methods, but at least he was willing to take action against the Empire.) It was almost like there were two different Rebellions!
Before another word could be spoken, a woman walked up to the group.
"Senator Mothma," she said, "the Council is waiting for you, ma'am."
"Thank you, Hendri," she replied. "Dr. Erso, Jyn, if you'll please follow me."
She then turned and started walking towards one of the large buildings next to the landing field, the others in her group, including Draven, following.
"Come on, Stardust," Papa gently said as he urged her to start walking. "I know you didn't like what you heard, but we can only tell them what we know. We can't force them to act upon it."
"But we can't just let them do nothing," Jyn protested. "Not after everything you've been through. It wouldn't be right."
Papa smiled at her. "You remind me so much of your mother. She was a woman of action just like you."
"I miss her so much," Jyn told him.
"So do I."
She reflexively pulled her pendant out from beneath her scarf as Mama's last words to her all those years ago came to her mind.
"She'd tell us to trust the Force," she said, her heart clenching at the memory.
"Not a very scientific sentiment, but a heartfelt one," Papa agreed. "And I suppose that's all we can do now. Trust in the Force and hope that the Alliance will act on the information I've brought them."
Well, if they won't, I will, Jyn silently asserted.
The Empire could not be allowed to get away with any more acts of evil.
She would personally make sure of it.
((()))
Cassian watched as Jyn, her father, and Bodhi, who had taken off after them as soon as they started walking after Mon Mothma and her group, headed into the Great Temple.
He shook his head as he thought of what was about to happen. He'd been to enough Council meetings to know it would start off civilly before devolving into what was basically a shouting match. No consensus would be reached and the Alliance would once again do nothing.
He feared the kind of reaction Jyn would have when Mon Mothma concluded the meeting and it was decided that no action would be taken against the Death Star. He only hoped her father would be able to quickly calm her before she said or did anything she would regret. (Jyn honestly had no control over what came out of her mouth. She was very much like Kay in that respect.)
He hated that the Council would never agree to send their forces to Scarif, but the fact was that it included senators who were under the delusion that the Emperor could ultimately be reasoned with and that a peaceful end to the war could be reached. Why they believed such a preposterous thing he couldn't say, but it continued to have an effect on the way the Alliance fought the Empire. The military's hands were tied when it came to taking the fight directly to the enemy. They could only mount small attacks on small targets. The Council was against anything that would do any real damage. (He had no doubts there were some who were upset about the attack on Eadu.) Unless something changed, they had no chance of winning the war.
He knew he wasn't alone in his thinking. That was why as much as he disliked some of the things he'd been forced to do, he knew that all of his actions had done something to hinder the Empire. Every act of sabotage, theft, or, even killing, had served the greater purpose. Draven knew exactly what type of information was needed to enable to military to hit the Empire where it hurt the most.
And nothing would hurt it more than the destruction of its greatest weapon.
"You are worried about the outcome of the meeting," Chirrut spoke up, breaking into his thoughts. "You do not believe they will make the right decision."
"I've seen it happen too many times," Cassian told him. "The senators on the Council are too afraid of retaliation. They think negotiation is the only way to end the war."
"Sounds a bunch of fools," Baze snorted.
"They let their fear control them," Chirrut said. "Their judgment is clouded because of it."
"I know they want to stop the Empire as much as the rest of us," Cassian continued, "but if they continue to keep us from fighting, we'll never win."
"Then why let them, Captain?" Chirrut questioned. "If you know the right thing to do, there is no reason why you shouldn't do it."
"If only it were that easy," Cassian sighed, thinking of all of all of the rules and regulations he'd be breaking if he went on an unsanctioned mission.
"Let the Force guide you and you will always go down the right path," Chirrut offered.
Cassian suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at that. He was not the biggest believer in the Force. If the Force was such a power for good, why was the galaxy controlled by something as evil as the Empire? To him, that meant it wasn't as all-powerful as some people thought.
But the Guardian had the right idea. The Death Star had to be destroyed. What happened to Jedha couldn't be allowed to happen to any other world and it would unless the weapon was destroyed before it had a chance to strike again. The Council couldn't be allowed to keep them from doing what was right.
And if that meant going against their decision...
His mind returned to his private conversation with Jyn on the way back to Yavin. She had made it very clear that if the Council didn't decide to go after the plans, she'd do it herself. And knowing Jyn as well as he did, she really would.
But in order for her to do that...
Suddenly, he knew exactly what he had to do.
"Wait here," Cassian instructed the two Guardians. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
If Jyn was going to go to Scarif anyway, Council's decision be damned, she was going to need all of the help she could get. And Cassian knew exactly where he could find that help: his friend Ruescott Melshi. The Special Forces Pathfinder sergeant had very similar views to his own when it came to fighting the Empire and would know exactly who else would help them on their unsanctioned mission. He'd have to move quickly to put together their team because knowing Jyn, she'd want to go as soon as the meeting let out, which, based on previous Council meetings, wouldn't be too much longer.
"We'll be here when you return, Captain," Chirrut assured him.
"It's not like we have anywhere to go," Baze declared.
"Jyn will be very pleased," Chirrut added.
Once again, the Guardian took him by surprise with his insight.
But not wanting to take any time away from putting together the mission, he simply nodded at them and hurried off to search for Melshi.