Lyra's Daughter
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They stole the plans!
The incredulous thought was immediately followed by the rage as he saw the spy's figure climb up and out of the blaster's reach. He had to catch her, retrieve the plans before they were taken out of the facility. He turned around, reaching for his commlink to call for reinforcements he needed for the widespread and quick search, but no one was picking up. They were tied up in the battle outside, where he had sent them earlier. Krennic cursed at his own bad decision. In hindsight it was quite clear that the explosions had been the diversion!
He marched towards the lift, his mind working over the situation. What did he miss?
The rebels stole the plans... they had to get them out of the planet, but the orbital gate was closed, that was good...
Krennic was stopped cold.
The transmitter at the top of the tower!
The spy was going up, if the gate is opened during the battle she could beam up the data to her allies and then the career he had built over the many years of Imperial service—not to mention his life— was forfeit. Darth Vader didn't tolerate mistakes.
There was no more time for considerations. Krennic raced to the lift, dignity be damned.
His heart calmed during the ride, which took too long, but he got himself back under control and made a rudimentary plan of attack. He would ambush the spy and take her down if it was the last thing he did.
But it wouldn't be. Because he'd save the day.
Krennic stealthily crept around the top platform of the tower, staying out of sight as he approached the transmitter. A glance at the control panel confirmed the tape had been already sent. Krennic gritted his teeth, thinking about how to salvage the situation. The spy could have useful information. Where the plans were going to be taken, for example. The location of the rebel base could be his ticket to survival. Krennic set his jaw and moved forward. Yes, this might just work.
The spy was clinging to the damaged catwalk at the end of the platform. Krennic carefully trained his blaster sights on her and allowed her to climb up. She noticed him when she was back on her feet. Their eyes met, his cold and calculating, hers full of defiance that just infuriated him and all of a sudden he was hit by the familiarity of the feeling.
Where had he seen a face just like this? It must have been years ago... The old shoulder wound twinged with a memory of a burning pain.
"Who are you?" he had to ask her.
"You know who I am."
Confident. Daring. And so maddeningly insolent as she stood in his way, keeping him from what he sought most, just like, just like...
And then he saw it as clear as a day, even if it shouldn't be real.
The face of that woman superimposed over the girl's face. That thrice-damned woman that had always stood in his way, that could never just shut up and let him do what he needed to do. She had made things difficult for him then and she continued to do so even now, from beyond her grave.
"I am Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen Erso," the spy introduced herself by invoking the name of her father, another fool and meddler, but Krennic honestly could see no trace of the man in her.
All he saw was Lyra who came back from the dead to finish the job and kill him.
The blaster shot came from behind. Krennic fell down, wracked with pain. His own blaster slipped from his bloodless and numb fingers and clattered on the floor. He barely noticed the rebel girl (Jyn, her name was Jyn, he always knew but never used it because she was so insignificant, just a burden and possible leverage against her stubborn parents) escape with her accomplice. Instead he stared up at the sky, hazily contemplating his chances of survival.
Then a ray of green light divided the heavens, the detonation boomed in the distance and for the first time in his life Krennic experienced true regret as the fruit of his life's work was about to kill him. He didn't wait long. The shockwave took him away.
And somewhere in the afterlife, Lyra Erso smiled triumphantly as she leaned back into her husband's embrace.