Chapter 12 – The Bargain

Leia sat on the ground with her knees tucked into her chest. Her eyes darted about the cargo hold. Some two dozen Rebels were packed in this small space. The mood was grim. Battle-hardened veterans checked their weapons, made soft conversation, or otherwise stood still with their eyes to the ground. Leia got the sense none of them believed they would survive this mission.

Whatever it was this mission entailed. She and Luke still didn't know why they were here. Perhaps they ought to ask someone, but the silence was fragile, and Leia didn't feel brave enough to break it.

Yet fortunately for her, someone else did.

"The Force is strong."

Luke, who was seated by her side, twiddling with his lightsaber, looked up with curiosity. Leia followed suit and saw a brown-robed man making his way through the crowd toward them.

"Ah," he said. "Very strong."

"You know about the Force?" Luke said. "How?"

"Ignore him," a gruff voice interjected. It belonged to a large man with long dark hair and an enormous blaster strapped to his back. "He's a fool, this one."

"You are the foolish one, Baze, if you do not feel it," the other man said. He knelt before them and extended a hand. Leia instinctively shied away from him. That's when she noticed the milky film over his eyes. He was blind.

"Who are you?" Luke asked.

"I am Chirrut."

"You can feel the Force? How? Are you Force-sensitive?"

Chirrut did not answer. He seemed distracted. His searching hand first found Leia's boot, then he touched Luke's knee.

"Hmm," he said, grinning. "The Force is with us." He stood, loomed over them for a second, not quite looking at them directly, but nonetheless seeing them, or perhaps more accurately feeling them. It was an odd experience. Leia was relieved when he turned and walked away.

"Forgive my friend's behavior," the large man, Baze, said.

"That's all right," Luke said.

"Could you explain to us what's going on?" Leia asked.

"You do not know?" Baze said. "Then why are you here?"

"We want to help," Leia said.

"Hold on," one of the soldiers said. "Who are these kids? How do they not know the mission?"

"Yeah," another said. "What's up with that?"

"We're here to help," Leia said again. "And we're not kids."

"Who are you?"

"What's your name?"

"They're Imperial spies!"

"No, no," Leia said, standing up. "We're not –"

"It's okay," came a welcome voice. "They can be trusted."

It was Jyn. She climbed down the ladder leading to the cockpit above. The crowd parted before her with almost reverent deference.

"She's with us," Jyn said, walking toward Leia. She placed a hand on Leia's shoulder, and Leia went stiff. Jyn looked at her and nodded. Leia could only blink spasmodically in response.

"This girl doesn't know the mission," a Rebel said.

"Then why didn't you tell her?" Jyn asked.

"I don't trust her."

"Neither do I."

"Do you trust me?" Jyn asked.

The Rebels traded looks. They nodded.

"Then you can trust Leia," Jyn said. "Luke as well. They're here on Cassian and mine's invitation. Understood?"

The Rebels again nodded, sheepishly this time. Satisfied, Jyn returned her attention to Leia.

"We're about to land on an Imperial facility on Scarif," she said.

"Why are we going there?" Luke asked. He stood and came to Leia's side, for which she was quite relieved. Her stomach began to untwist.

"We're after the plans for an Imperial battle station," Jyn said. "We need to find out how to destroy it."

"The Death Star," Luke said. "What's so dangerous about it?"

"It has the capability to destroy entire worlds," Jyn said grimly.

"Surely that's impossible," Leia said.

"Have you heard about what happened on Jedha?" Jyn asked. Leia shook her head. "I've seen its power first hand. It may seem unbelievable, but I promise you, it is real." Jyn looked around the cabin, her face firm with resolve. "The freedom of the galaxy rests on us," she said. The shuttle tremored, and Leia realized they must have landed. Cassian came climbing down the ladder to relay that information.

"All right," he said, looking at Jyn. "It's time."

Cassian stepped forward. "Melshi, Pao, Baze, Chirrut – you'll take the main squad. Move east and get wide of the ship. Find a position between here and the tower. Once you get to the best spot, light the place up." His lips twitched. "Make ten men feel like a hundred."

A ripple of agreement ran through the crowd.

"What about Luke and me?" Leia asked.

"The Jedi comes with us," Cassian said, nodding to Luke. "You – stay with Bodhi on the ship."

"What? No way!" Leia protested. "I'm coming with you."

"The more numbers we have, the more conspicuous we become," Cassian said. "You will be nothing but a hindrance to us."

"But –"

"No." It was Luke who stepped forward, grasping Leia by the shoulder. "We will not be separated. Leia is coming with us."

Cassian's face hardened. "This is not a debate."

"I promised to keep her safe," Luke said. "I can't do that if she stays with the ship."

Cassian shot Jyn a look. She nodded. "Let her come, Cassian."

"Fine," he said begrudgingly. "But she is your responsibility, Jedi."

"Understood," Luke said.

Leia bared her teeth at Cassian when he turned away. "I'm not anyone's responsibility," she hissed. "I can look out for myself."

Jyn smiled at her, and Leia felt her indignation dissipate into fluttering butterflies. "Cassian can be tough. But he means all business. If you show you can be trusted, he will trust you. As simple as that."

"Well I'll show him," Leia said. "And I'll show you too. I'm a fighter."

"Yeah," Jyn said, chuckling. "I can tell."

Δ Δ Δ

"I can't see a thing in this helmet!"

She and Luke were clad in ill-fitting stormtrooper armor. They had pilfered it from the unsuspecting inspection crew which came aboard the shuttle when they landed. Leia felt rather ridiculous. It was as if she were swimming in all this gear.

"You're one to talk," she said to Luke.

"Shut up, both of you," Cassian snapped.

Leia stuck out her tongue at him from under her helmet.

They were in a small railcar taking them from the landing pad to the main spire of the Imperial facility on Scarif. Jyn and Cassian stood in front, wearing stolen Imperial officer uniforms. A reprogrammed Imperial security droid called K-2SO accompanied them as well. He swayed a bit, looking far more nervous than the other four humans in the car.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he said.

"Shush, K," Jyn said.

The car slowed to a stop and the blast doors opened.

"Just act natural," Cassian whispered.

Leia and Luke followed Jyn and Cassian out of the car. K2 took up the rear. The facility reminded Leia of the academy on Palaam. The halls were the same, sterile and glossy black. Yet instead of students, the halls were full with officers, stormtroopers, and security droids. Leia felt her stomach tighten every time someone looked their way. Yet their disguises seemed to be holding up for now.

"We need a map," Cassian said.

"Well, I'm sure there's one just lying about," K2 said in response. Leia shot the droid a curious glance. This one had a bit of an attitude, clearly.

"You know what you have to do," Cassian said.

That sure was a cryptic comment. Leia didn't know what it meant. She would find out a few minutes later. They took a turn into a lesser hallway, away from prying eyes. Another Imperial security droid went walking by. Without warning, K2 lunged at his doppelgänger.

"Don't be alarmed," K2 said when Leia gasped. He dragged the limp security droid away to a small alcove while Jyn and Cassian stood guard.

"Be quick," Cassian said. "We don't have much time."

"Thank you for reminding me," K2 said, sounding very much not thankful.

Leia fiddled with the safety of her blaster as they waited. Her field of vision was so narrow in this helmet, she had to awkwardly twist herself left and right in order to see the entirety of the hallway.

"Something feels off," Luke said next to her.

"Off?" she echoed. "What do you mean?"

"I can't explain," Luke said. "Do you feel it?"

Leia thought about it. She couldn't say either way. Certainly she felt uneasy, but that was to be expected given the circumstances. But there was something else. A sort of…

"Cold," she said.

"Yeah," Luke agreed. "Cold."

"Our optimal route to the data vault places only 89 stormtroopers in our path." Luke and Leia turned to K2's voice. "We will make it no more than 33% of the way before we are killed."

Cassian pulled out his comlink. "Melshi, talk to me."

"Ready," a voice replied. "Standing by."

Cassian looked at Jyn. She nodded. Cassian keyed the comm. "Light it up." Pocketing the device, Cassian took a breath. "All right," he said. "Lead the way, K."

They carried on down the hall. Luke and Leia followed a few paces behind.

"I don't like this," Luke said.

"What are you thinking?" Leia asked. "A trap?"

"Maybe," Luke said. "Probably."

Leia shook her head. "There's no turning back now."

With that, a klaxon began to wail throughout the facility. Leia looked around, seeing pulsing red strobe lights along the walls. Her heart jumped in her throat when she saw a column of stormtroopers rushing their way, but they soon took a turn down a bend in the hallway away from them. Cassian and Jyn stopped and watched as the stormtroopers filed past them.

"Looks like they did their job," Jyn said.

"Let's go," Cassian said.

The facility was empty now. They encountered no one save for a couple panicked technicians and a handful of assiduous mouse droids.

They took a turbolift up to one of the upper levels of the spire. When the door swung open, they found themselves at the entrance to the data vault. There was no one there save for a single Imperial officer manning a technical station. He looked up when he heard them approach.

"Can we help you?" he asked.

"That won't be necessary," K2 said. With sudden brutality, the security droid walloped the officer over the head with a metal fist.

"Good work, K," Cassian said.

"See if you can find where they keep the plans," Jyn said.

"On it," K2 said, dragging the unconscious officer away from the station.

Luke took off his helmet. Leia did the same. Sweat made her bangs stick to her forehead, so she brushed them aside.

"This is going well," she said.

"Too well," Luke said.

"You will need validation to access the vault," K2 said.

"Validation?" Cassian said. "What sort of validation?"

K2 pointed to the unconscious officer. "Validation," he repeated.

"Oh," Cassian said. "Hey Jedi. Help me out, would you?"

"With what?" Luke asked.

"Help me drag him."

Luke made a face. "Uh… okay." He lifted the officer's left shoulder while Cassian lifted the right. Jyn and Leia watched as they dragged the limp body away down the hall leading to the data vault.

"You will need a handprint to enter the data vault," K2 called after them.

Leia winced. Jyn noticed right away

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Luke's right," Leia said. "Something's not right." The cold had grown more noticeable. She felt it against her skin, as if she were encased in a block of ice.

"What are you talking about?" Jyn asked.

"Looking for the plans?"

The pair spun around at the foreign voice. A middle-aged man stood in the entryway, his hair long and his face haggard. Jyn gasped.

"Father?"

The man's eyes searched Jyn, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Hello Jyn."

Jyn made to rush forward, but Leia grabbed her forearm, holding her in place. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Let me go, Leia," Jyn said. "He's my father. We can trust him."

"No," Leia said. "We can't."

"The plans are no longer in that vault," Jyn's father said. "They were removed and brought to a safe location."

"What?" Jyn said. "Why?"

"Because he knew you were coming."

"Who?"

The blast doors behind Jyn's father opened. Leia felt the breath leave her as if she had been punched in the gut. She recognized this odious sensation, this chilling terror. He was here.

Darth Vader strode forward, black cape rippling.

"Leia," he said. "You are coming with me."

For a moment, she was frozen. Then her limbs unshackled and she sprang into action. Pushing Jyn behind her, Leia drew her blaster and fired. Yet Vader was unfazed. He merely held out a gloved hand and absorbed the blasts into his palm. Leia was stunned. She let the blaster fall out of her hands where it clattered to the ground.

"You got away from me on Palaam," Vader said. "You will not escape now."

"No," Leia said, but there was nothing she could do. Vader marched forward and grabbed her arm.

"I have fulfilled my end of the bargain, Galen Erso," Vader said. "Your daughter is returned to you."

"Thank you, my lord," Galen said.

"But Father, the Death Star plans –" Jyn tried to say.

"We will discuss all this and more," Galen said, "when we are away from here."

"I can't believe this!" Jyn said. "You sided with him? With the Empire?"

"Jyn, listen –"

"No! I trusted you!"

"Enough of this," Vader growled. "We are leaving. Now."

"No."

Leia twisted as much as she could from Vader's ironclad grip. There she saw, and heard, Luke standing by the entrance to the data vault, green lightsaber in hand.

Vader stared at him silently for several long moments.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Luke did not answer. "Let Leia go."

Vader, surprisingly, obliged. He released her, and Leia staggered away. She was confused about why he had done this, until she saw him reaching for his belt. He activated his red lightsaber and held it calmly at his side.

"Galen," he said, voice firm with barely suppressed rage. "Take the girls to the shuttle."

"Cassian, K2," Luke said, "get out of here. I'll deal with this myself."

"Not a chance," Cassian said, raising his blaster. Vader did not look at him, eyes dead set on Luke, but he flicked his left wrist, and Leia heard a crunching sound.

"Ah!" Cassian cried, dropping the blaster. He held his right arm to his chest. It was broken. Vader had done that. Leia's eyes widened further still, in awe and fear.

"Go," Luke said, seemingly unaffected by this display of power. "Now."

This time, Cassian did not object. He and K2 gave Vader a wide berth as they crossed the room to where Jyn, Leia, and Galen were.

"Luke, don't!" Leia called. "He'll kill you!"

Luke ignored her. "Go," he said.

"Luke!"

Jyn took hold of her. "We need to go."

"We can't!"

"We must. Leia, please." Jyn gave her a tug, but Leia wouldn't yield. She locked eyes with Luke. A voice spoke in her mind.

Run, Leia.

She recognized it somehow, yet in the moment couldn't quite place it.

Run!

And so she did. With Jyn leading the way, Leia left her friend behind to an almost certain fate.

Again.

The blast doors sealed shut just as green met red.

Δ Δ Δ

"Jyn, you have to trust me! I beg you!"

"How can I trust you? You betrayed us!"

They had turned into a small room, a storage closet by the looks of it. Jyn grasped her father by the collar of his shirt, teeth bared and eyes ablaze.

"Jyn," Galen pleaded.

"The plans aren't here," Cassian said, still grimacing with pain, his broken arm held into his body. "We have to leave while we still can."

"We can't," K2 said.

"What?" Cassian said.

"We cannot leave," K2 said. "The Empire has closed the planetary shield."

Jyn's head snapped away from Galen. "We're trapped?"

"Unless the shield is breached, there is no way in or out of the planet," K2 said with infuriating calm.

"I can get us out," Galen said.

"You can?" Cassian said. "How?"

"I will tell you, but first you must promise to come with me."

All eyes turned to Jyn.

"Stardust," Galen said. "Trust me."

Jyn's square jaw twitched.

"Fine," she bit out.

"Good," Galen said. "Follow me."

"But what about Luke?" Leia asked.

"Your friend is at Vader's mercy," Galen said grimly. "There is nothing we can do for him now."

Leia wanted to argue, but she knew he was right. She hated that he was right.

"Take the lead, Erso," Cassian said.

Jyn released her father, and Galen massaged his throat. "Thank you," he said. "With me. Quickly."