Hello readers. Welcome to the story idea I had after watching Rogue One. You can either read this as its own solo story or as a continuation of my Renegade Series, there will be no references other than a namesake.
The first couple chapters may be a tad slower and have less action than the following ones, but its heavy with suspense because there's the constant threat of failure and death looming over them. And I'm hoping in the first few chapters to have some rich character introductions and first impressions that will last the length of the story.
As always, thank you for reading.

She was a pale waif of a woman. Starved thin, worn ragged - rag and bone. Bodhi busily moved around her as she slowly examined his rusted shuttle with a curious piercing stare.
"Have you ever been in a cargo ship?" he asked stooping to check something here or fix something there. It needed to pass inspection, that day was not the day for a mistake.

"No," was her simple answer.

His trembling hands paused as he turned to where she stood now watching him. She, was a mistake. He didn't remember how Galen Erso had talked him into bringing her, if Galen had done more than ask. It was a blur. "You got a name?" he asked shuffling past her, finding that she stood only a spare few meters shorter.

"Yes."

Her eyes were back on the ship, or rather the cargo. She walked without touching, as if knowing better. But her interest was clear in the way her fingers played along the frayed hem of her oversized gray shirt. In a short while she knelt behind the nervous pilot leaning against his chair watching the world fly past.

Several minutes earlier he'd turned looking for a toggle and startled at her blonde head by his elbow: she'd moved without sound. It further solidified his need to be rid of her, this quiet still woman. He'd agreed to carry her to Jedha, nothing else had been asked of him nor had anything else been given. Was she trustworthy? Would she hurt him? Why was she in Imperial uniform - granted it was the uniform of a labor worker but her shirt bore the same insignia as his own?
"You can sit there," he said without turning, jerking his head to the chair beside his. "Be my copilot."

"It's not my place."

He looked at her then, in surprise at her quick admittance. How many times it must've been engrained into her – that she was nothing. If not for the fire in her eyes he might've mistaken the softness in her voice for belief. "Bodhi," he said suddenly. He met her sharp stare before quickly turning back to the console.

She found him just as curious. He was a small man with the face of a boy, narrow shoulders, flaccid spine. This Bodhi didn't leave her expecting much. But he was here still. "Eris." Her stare didn't waver as he turned wide-eyed, a twitching grin before he ducked his head and turned away. And still she looked at him – thinking nothing, and everything, of him.

"We're almost there," he told her releasing a shaky breath. This moment would decide his fate, if he made it past this he could do it, if not he was dead. He wasn't ready, they should've talked this through, made a plan. "They'll check everything, make sure everything's accounted for and nothing more. You can't, Eris-" He'd turned and she was gone. No goodbye, not a sound, as if she hadn't been there at all.

It left him standing outside the shuttle bouncing on the balls of his feet waiting for her to be dragged between two troopers flailing and kicking. How well could he lie? He'd never seen her before, she must've snuck in when the cargo was unloaded, maybe she paid someone to help her. Could he do it?

With a tremor in his spine he listened to the dull clanking of boots on the ramp, and holding his breath he watched as they descended empty handed. A distorted voice behind a dark helmet gave the, "all clear," and Bodhi released a heavy breath smiling briefly. He was quick to straighten, glancing around him for any sign of suspicion.

He climbed back in and set his course for home. It was decided, he was doing this, really truly defecting. Not only that, but actively turning against the Empire. Something he'd once thought he could only dream and even then it didn't end well. But this, he could do this. They.

Sliding out of the pilot's chair he peeked down the hall for a flash of yellow. He crept further glancing at every crack and corner, working his way to the lower level and still finding nothing. Though he did find an understanding, she'd been looking for a place to hide. "Eris?" he called quietly, as if a stormtrooper might suddenly appear to say they'd known all along.

"I'm here."

Her voice had been a whisper behind him. No foreign hand touching his shoulder to startle him, no sudden noise as she climbed out of wherever she'd crammed herself. Just a soft breath of a response and he turned unafraid to find her against the wall waiting. "We'll be there soon," he said turning back to the ladder to pilot the shuttle again, now that he'd found her.

Following him she asked, "where?"

"Jedha."

His answer was lost on her, but she'd see soon enough. She knelt beside him as he fluttered about weighing her options. She didn't remember home and all she knew was how to be a servant of the Empire, she couldn't leave. The planet was a desert, more than that it was Empire run so she couldn't stay. Way she saw it there was one option. "Do you know where to find this man?"

"Saw Gerrera?" he asked looking down at where she sat on the cold metal floor. He bit his tongue to keep from offering the chair next to him again. "Jedha's in a war between the Empire and anar- uh," he broke off realizing there was no obligation to those words. "The rebels. They'll lead us to Saw Gerrara." He took a steadying breath turning to her. "And you, where will you go? You must've dreamt of this a hundred times."

"And more," she agreed, seeing his faint grin that flickered in and out like a star too shy to shine. At the way the ship vibrated beneath her she curled further against the chair knowing they were landing.

He stood ushering her down the ladder, hearing the loud hiss of air as the cargo door opened. There wasn't much time now, he should've told her to hide instead of asking her where she'd go – as if the answer was anything other than away. With heavy breaths he turned to Eris, not having the time or the mind to realize for the first time he hadn't thought of her as extra cargo, to find her climbing into a narrow vent on the wall. Of course, the ventilation system. A breath left him as a smile pulled at his mouth and quickly fell as he turned back to the doors.

Eris bent awkwardly chest over legs in the tight space hearing the thud of heavy boots on metal and seeing a glimpse of dark helmets moving passed. Only a few minutes, she told herself unable to expand her chest to get enough air to call it breathing. Only a few minutes. Over and over she told herself this, anytime now. Because really, anytime now they'd pass by her again. And she could breathe.

When the shuttle was cleared Bodhi knew where to go, and though she didn't need it he still grabbed her legs helping her down. "You never said where you'll go," he said as she turned to him, realizing all at once her face bore innumerous freckles and that they might soon be parting ways. And he didn't want to.

She shrugged. "I don't know anything else," she answered following him toward the door.

"Oh," he breathed marching down the ramp onto the streets, "that makes it harder. I'm sure I can come up with-" he once more turned to find her disappeared. Quickly he scanned the area around him for her pale hair before stepping back onto the ship. He found her standing a little to the left of the ramp wide eyed and dazed as she stared at the new world. "Come on," he urged. "Quickly now before we're noticed." He beckoned to her and turned checking to see no one was watching.
Looking back he found her rooted, and he honestly thought of leaving her. Maybe she didn't want to go. But he gave a distressed sigh and walked back to where she stood. "Eris we have to go," he told her, a slight tremor in his voice. They were taking too long.

She turned to him and he was met with the same grim closed off face he'd met when Galen introduced them, the same guarded stare. But the rise and fall of her chest was rapid, her eyes were too wide, her jaw wired shut. Bodhi had mistaken this for calm, had thought her brave. She was scared. Scared the same way he was.

Whether it be his understanding of her uncertainty or his own fear, he wasn't leaving her. Swallowing he took a breath and held his hand out in offering. She noted its shaking and looked back up to him, he was an easy read and she found him to be good. Reaching that conclusion she took his hand. Though her grip was sturdy she looked to him for guidance, and he with the stuttering palms gave her a small nod of assurance.
Together they stepped from the ship holding fast to one another.