K-2SO walked down the hallway ahead of Jyn towards the room where they would be mission planning with Cassian. Jyn felt unsure of how she would get along with Cassian since they last met. She had felt good about their first interaction but her defenses had kick started after K-2SO had shared what Cassian had said about her. Was his friendliness motive driven to procure the most usefulness out of her? Was she an assigned diplomacy project that would allow him to get the most out of her being Erso's daughter? She had been used before, and the faded scars of those times always threatened to reappear as fresh wounds. She recalled how he had spoken to her and it seemed genuine, but that was the caveat, seemed was a far cry from knowing. Bowing her head in contemplation she silently promised herself to be wary, and to focus on the work at hand. She would have plenty of time to work out Cassian's trustworthiness later. Abruptly K-2SO's lumbering form stopped and Jyn bumped into his metal form,
"Watch yourself calculator," she muttered stepping back.
"We're here," K-2SO replied overly bright.
Jyn wondered about how much wiring had crossed to give this droid such a definitive grasp of sarcasm.
Jyn tilted her chin up and stepped into the room where she saw Cassian sitting, bent over various holo files. He looked up his brown eyes carefully guarded.
"Good morning," he said standing.
"Is it now?" replied Jy. She reprimanded herself; she had wanted to come across as calm and in control, not reactionary. She cleared her throat
"I have been informed that we will begin mission planning today, may I ask why I am included now so suddenly?"
Cassian took a couple of slow steps forward rubbing one hand on the back of his neck "Mothma see's potential in you, she informed me of some of your skill. We could use that on this mission."
Jyn crossed her arms and frowned skeptically "I see...not to overstate the obvious but perhaps my connection to my father has some play in this?"
Cassian's brown eyes stared into hers intensely as he stepped towards her "I can tell you, this mission has nothing to do with your father-we will plan the details, you can ask questions, and I will show you," he said.
She held his gaze, under the dim lighting they appeared a deep shade of golden brown, and undeniably sincere. She studied the grim lines in his face, he was handsome but somber. She felt the familiar pull towards him that had arose the first encounter she had with him. She took a step back and looked to the side; the intensity of his gaze caught her off guard.
Cassian wondered at Jyn, one moment she seemed full of brazen confidence and fight, the next like she was unsure of the ground she stood on-it was hard for him to read her. To read her reactions to him, if she disliked him-okay. They would work together anyway, but this...this would drive him crazy, the subtlety of these changes was like a winding stream that he could not see the end of. She had held his gaze openly and suddenly it was as if she couldn't handle it. Why the change? He could practically see the chip jutting out of her shoulder; he could tell easily her mistrust of others had occurred before arriving here. It was hard to work out why one moment she would seem so readily cooperative and the next an impenetrable wall. Certainly being disliked altogether would be much easier this?
Cassian sighed and let out his breath slowly, it was time to push away questions like these and find stable ground to stand on with Jyn. They would rely on each other in this mission and building trust was an absolute must. He would find the definitive areas, and hold to those.
"Look...I know this situation must seem very trying for you-spending time as an Imperial prisoner to find yourself attached to a cause for no other reason than what appears to be your connection to Galan. If I were you I would not make myself at home yet either," he said offering Jyn an encouraging smile.
"I know you are brave, it takes a lot of fortitude to hold your own in a work camp, and you are tough. I hope that I can find something worthwhile for you in all of this...at least while you work with me."
Jyn looked down thoughtfully and sat in silence for a moment, she abruptly looked up at Cassian with a look of unguarded curiosity.
"It was hard, and I am thankful to be freed. I just don't want to turn around and find myself imprisoned in other ways; this place doesn't seem so bad. I am just not sure what the expectations are-what the price is to keep my freedom."
"If it helps at all, Mothma has vouched for you since the beginning. She sees this a new start for you and hopes that you will come to join our cause whole-heartedly. Hopes and not expects. Regardless of what others think her opinion counts more where your position here is concerned."
"I did find her to be rather nice,"said Jyn a look of relief in her features. "Alright then, I can handle those conditions for now," a subtle smile playing at her lips.
Cassian found himself appreciating her smile, she seemed calm, almost content. Which was more than anyone could hope to ask for in the midst of a rebellion. He committed the image to his memory.
She nodded towards the table of plans signifying they should begin.
"Let's get started then, K-2SO will start us off," said Cassian returning the nod.