Chapter 7: Convergence

Jyn woke up to her comm beeping that someone needed to reach her. Climbing out of her bed she walked a few steps to her kitchenette's countertop and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Elia, I need you to trail someone for me."

"What information do you have?"

"His name is Ved Cortoo." A holo-image appeared on the device showing a particularly unfriendly looking man with a large blue head, "He's known to be in cahoots with former senate member Orn Free Taa. Last known whereabouts: Daamoren's Cantina."

"Got it. I will report back with his activities."

The transmission ended and Jyn began her normal morning routine of changing into pants and a draped top, making some polak toast for breakfast, and briefly praying with her kyber crystal before briskly walking to the cantina. Theed was a beautiful, bustling city with a Royal Palace overlooking sea cliffs. Most of the buildings were made from the same taupe rock and had rounded green roofs. It was unlike any other place Jyn had ever visited; it was relatively clean. Of course, Theed did have its particularly shady areas, notably one on the north side that held a place called Daamoren's Cantina.

Jyn kept her hood up as she sat down in the corner of the cantina and waited for Cortoo. After waiting for an hour she suddenly had a strong desire to leave.

Why am I anxious? He hasn't even showed himself yet.

At that moment Cassian stepped off a cargo ship that had just landed on the other side of Theed. Clutching his backpack, he and Mered walked to the nearest waterfall and gazed at it.

"I'll never get tired of this place. It's so grand! I wish we had more than a few hours here." Mered exclaimed, "Feel like a real aristocrat eh?" Cassian remained silent. "What's wrong buddy? Made the right choice?" Mered asked, genuine concern in his voice.

Cassian nodded. "I hope so," he said, still uneasy. "Lets take a look around."

The two men walked around the marketplace, visited Queen Yram's Needle and the Palace Plaza, the main tourist attraction. Cassian was hoping for something to click inside of him that told him Jyn was here, but it didn't come. At last he settled on meditating next to a fountain while Mered dealt with some business nearby. He thought of Jyn; her full lips and troubled stare while being interrogated by the Rebellion brought him to a time when he was merely a soldier. He recalled her defiant look and slight smile, something that he had been longing to see again for almost a year now.

"I'm not used to people sticking around when things go bad."

"Welcome home."

Jyn finally saw the blue-headed alien she was waiting for enter the cantina and meet up with a man wearing a lot of jewelry sitting by the door. They shook hands and exited. She followed the men outside to the crowded street. The sun was high in the sky, nearly blinding Jyn from finding the pair. At last she spotted them, walking down an alley going southwest toward the main canal. They walked for sometime before stopping to converse. Jyn watched the men intently from behind a fountain.

Cassian Andor sat at that same fountain, meditating on the opposite side. His eyes were closed and attempting to focus on someone who was much nearer than he knew.

Jyn watched as the men in the alley appeared to be having a disagreement, hushed tones turning quickly into yells. Cassian opened his eyes to look at the disruption. Being nearer to the palace caused a security officer to notice the altercation. Cortoo and the jeweled man split, going off in different directions unexpectedly. Jyn bolted after him, and Cassian saw her.

"Jyn?" he said, watching her run off. Barely having time to grasp the situation, he chased after her, running through the alley and into a crowded market. Pushing through the citizens, Cassian almost lost her, his heart beating hard and fast. The thought of losing this woman now was frightening. The adrenaline pulsing through Jyn was mirrored in the man following behind her. She broke through the crowd and into another alley. The blue-headed man reached the end before her and by the time she reached it he was gone.

"JYN!" Cassian yelled before she reached the end. Jyn stopped then, hearing her name spoken by someone who knew who she really was. Cassian breathed heavily, staying put at the opposite end of the alley. Jyn heard the voice she had been imagining for months in her head. She stood in disbelief before slowly turning around to face Cassian Andor. He watched as the reality washed over Jyn's beautiful face: from confusion and sadness to strength.

"Are you real?" She asked, voice shaking through.

He stared for a few moments before replying.

"Yes."

The two looked into each other's eyes. Once separated by the ends of the galaxy they now stood only 10 feet apart. A few moments passed before both could feel their feet walking toward the other. Their speed increased exponentially as they closed the gap between them to embrace. Jyn felt as if she couldn't hold him tight enough despite the air compressing in her lungs as she pressed against Cassian. She began to sob, rocking her entire being and bringing their emotional bodies to their knees. Cassian wept too, tears flowing down his face in despair mingled with exaltation. After a moment the two broke apart to look at each other once more. Cassian wiped the tears from Jyn's eyes as they analyzed every facet of what they missed.

"How are we alive?" Jyn muttered through her cries.

"I don't know." Cassian said, putting his forehead to hers. After a while their heartbeats slowed and emotions cooled down. The two separated and sniffled. The momentary lightheartedness manifested in little laughs while they held each other.

"Come on." Jyn said, turning and walking out of the alley. Cassian followed closely, watching Jyn's brown hair flowing in front of him. Today she had two loose braids in the front that joined a bun in the back. She led them to a small stone cove on the edge of the flowing canal. Jyn turned to face Cassian. The sun lit up her hair creating a halo around her angelic face. The two sat down on the edge of the canal.

"Where did you wake up?" Cassian asked.

"Lah'mu. I wasn't born there, but it was the only place I ever felt happy as a child."

"Were you alone?"

Jyn nodded, "Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Then why did you leave?" Cassian felt he knew the answer.

"Well this is going to sound ridiculous, but what isn't anymore?" Jyn continued, "My mother told me to come here."

"Your mother? Isn't she…?"

"Dead? Yes. But she showed herself to me as a ghost." Cassian looked confused but intrigued. "She was blue and translucent. I was gardening and when I looked up she was there and she told me to come to Naboo."

"I believe you." Cassian took her hand between his. Jyn sat quiet for a bit, feeling the warmth of his hands against her own, the calloused palms of labor massaging her skin.

"Where did you wake up?" She asked finally.

"My father's hometown on Lothal. In my grandmother's house." Cassian said, looking at the water and missing his family.

"Wow."

"Yeah, Gnuba is her name. She's amazing. I met my cousins there too. It's a small farming community. Very rural and peaceful."

"Did you like that?"

"I felt like everything was falling into place there, but it was not quite perfect."

"What do you mean?"

"Someone was missing." He told her bluntly. "At first I tried not to think too much about my situation and why I was feeling this growing unease. But after several months of meditating I realized that the person I was missing was you."

Jyn turned away and looked down into the water. The glistening ripples brought her back to that fateful day on the beach and she closed her eyes tightly.

"Jyn?"

"I could feel, on some level, that you were alive too." She said, eyes still closed. "But that was the only semi-tangible thing I can discern after waking up." Looking at Cassian again she asked, "Do you remember anything about where you went after you died?"

"I get senses of being apart from my body. My father telling me that I had a destiny. And that's it."

"It's the same for me, with my parents. And Chirrut!" Jyn said, with excitement in her voice.

"Chirrut? The blind Jedi?" Cassian asked, smiling.

"He wasn't a Jedi." Jyn said, laughing back. "He was one with The Force, and now we are one with The Force."

"Jeron!" Said Cassian's pocket.

"Oh shit, Mered." He said, digging the communicator out of his pocket. "Yes?"

"I got those converters, lets meet in the square and then we can head out of here." Mered replied.

"Yeah I'll see you there." Cassian said as he stood up. Jyn looked interested. "He's a friend."