A/N: Coming down to the wire. Only two more chapters that will post next week.

Chapter 20

Melshi tried to catch his breath. It was still more difficult after his being stabbed. "You think we eluded them?"

Jyn nodded. She was bent over with her hands on her knees, letting the wall behind her keep her upright. "Yeah. And we put enough distance between us that they shouldn't start searching near here any time soon."

She recovered her breath about the same time Melshi did and both set to having a look at their shelter. It was a two-story building, but the upper floor had long since caved in. There were several holes in the roof as well, letting in sufficient light for them to see fairly well. It was hard to tell if it had been a dwelling or a business. Not that it mattered; it was neither now.

Unfortunately, there was little that had been left behind that could be salvaged. Either that, or others had already claimed whatever there had been. "Ship's not due for a pickup until tomorrow morning. I'm not sure it's safe to risk trying to call them sooner. The Imps might pick up on our signal and track us."

Jyn nodded her agreement. "Get us settled in here and I'll go try to improve our circumstances a bit." She was gone before he could protest.

It took more than an hour for her to return, and she came well laden. She'd managed to find a jacket and hat that would roughly fit him, as well as a different coat for herself. She also had two thin blankets and a meager amount of food.

"Erso…" Melshi was a pragmatic man, but he didn't care overly much for stealing from others, at least not from anyone other than the Imperial forces.

"Don't. Just don't." She raised a hand to silence him. She folded one of the blankets to sit on and settled on the floor, with her back against the wall. Not meeting his gaze, she said, "Look, you know I'm a thief – it would have been in my file. Frankly, that didn't change just because I joined the Rebellion. Not when that skill is needed. I've only ever targeted Imperials or Imperial sympathizers, and usually only the latter when there was little choice. I go after the ones who have gained their wealth and their power by killing and stealing and destroying anyone or anything in their path. So, no, Melshi, I don't feel at all guilty about emptying their pockets."

She leaned her head back against the wall and finally looked up at him. "If you aren't comfortable using this stuff, fine. Don't. But I'm going to eat this food and use the clothes and blankets, and I won't lose any sleep over it."

A smile twitched at his mouth and finally he copied her example, seating himself on the other blanket and reaching for some of the food. "Understood." He chewed for a moment, then added, "Thanks."

"We'd best huddle up. It was starting to rain while I was out, and the wind was picking up. Looks like a storm might be coming in. That will discourage the Imps and slow their search for us, but it's gonna get pretty chilly, I expect." Already she was pulling the extra coat on over her other clothing.

xx

"Cassian, we may have a problem."

He glanced up, not unused to such proclamations from K-2, but he had learned long ago to find out the reason for it before becoming concerned. "How so, K?"

"I had little else to do, so I was tracking Sergeant Melshi and Jyn Erso's transponders and plotting it on a map of the city. Based on the planned course of their mission, they were last seen heading away from where they should have been. And then both transponders were shut off. I began following their heat signatures as best as I could, and they appeared to be heading far out of the city to the south. That is not anywhere near the expected pickup point."

Cassian's brow had furrowed the more the droid spoke. "How long ago did their transponders shut down?"

"Seventeen minutes and thirty-six seconds ago. And counting."

"Do you have a fix on their current location?"

"Only approximate. Atmospheric disturbance is interfering with my monitoring."

"Was there any evidence that they had been captured?" He was on his feet and moving to the cockpit as he spoke, and K-2 followed him.

"None was apparent. I only detected two heat signatures, but at this distance that might be inaccurate. However, there was not an appreciable heat source, suggesting they were not in a large group or in a building with many people. That would be likely if they had been captured."

"How close to their location do you think you can get us?"

"If we land, I may be able to get a better reading than is possible with the arising storm."

Bodhi had looked up and was listening curiously, trying to suss out their conversation. "What's going on?" he asked when both fell silent.

"Melshi and Jyn aren't where they are supposed to be and their transponders are off. Sounds like they may have run into some trouble."

"Well, wouldn't they signal us if they needed help?"

"Not if they feared an enemy picking up their signal. If we assume they are unhurt and uncaptured – not a given – they would most likely go to ground overnight and then attempt to reach the pickup point in the morning."

"Jyn's really resourceful, Cassian. I'm sure they'll be fine. And Melshi has a lot of experience." Bodhi's words were more confident than his expression.

"Maybe. K, is there a safe place to land anywhere in the vicinity of where you last locked onto them?"

"There is a forest slightly over two kilometers farther south, though whether there is anywhere in the forest large enough for the ship to land is uncertain."

Cassian stared unseeingly out the front viewscreen for several minutes, then decisively activated the intercom. "Team, form up for a briefing. Form up."

xx

"Good luck," Bodhi said quietly.

Cassian drew his rain gear more snugly around him as they exited the starfighter. That storm K-2 had noted showed no signs of abating soon. It uncomfortably brought to mind the trip to Eadu, but he forced it aside. There was no time to waste just now on self-recriminations. "Can you get a reading, K?"

"It is not as strong and definite as I would like, but I believe it is accurate."

"Okay, let's go. Lead the way."

xx

Melshi shifted his position yet again. Their shelter, if it could be called that considering all the wind and rain making it through the dilapidated structure, was not affording them much protection from the elements. It was only marginally better than actually being out in the storm. Initially he and Erso had sat together, for both warmth and protection, but trying to find dry spots to stand or sit had driven them apart over an hour ago. The best that could be said about their situation was that it was unlikely the stormtroopers were still searching for them.

He had just turned to walk back toward Erso when the building made a strange groaning sound, unlike anything he had ever heard. A moment later, it began to shift on its foundation, helped along in its collapse when a falling tree crashed into the side of it. Melshi was showered with splintered wood and debris as he scrambled backward away from the tree. Unfortunately, the tree was between him and Erso, and much closer to her…

"Erso!" he called, then paused to listen for a response as best he could. Nothing.

The parts of the building that were still standing seemed none too stable, but he cautiously worked his way along the tree's length to find a way past it. In short order, he was soaked through whatever had still been dry. The little protection the hole-riddled roof had afforded was certainly gone now. "Erso!" he tried again. If he could find her – hopefully unharmed – they could reassess their situation and decide what to do. Still no answer came to his ears.

He finally reached far enough along the tree to get below the branches, and was able to scramble atop the tree trunk. It swayed slightly under his weight and he moved cautiously, unable to see what further dangers there might be. A streak of lightning briefly illuminated the space, making him glad he hadn't jumped down on the other side of the tree. What they had thought was a two-story building actually had a basement as well. The tree had collapsed the flooring into the lower level. Best guess was that Erso was down there somewhere.

He maneuvered along until he found a spot on what was left of the first floor that looked like it might hold his weight, and eased himself down to begin searching.

x

Jyn jerked back to consciousness, barely suppressing a groan. Her right arm and shoulder were pinned under debris, including something heavy enough that she couldn't shift it off her with her left hand. At least the extra jacket she had found provided some additional padding, but when she swiped at a trickle on her forehead just as lightning flashed, the wetness on her fingers was darker than water would have been. Considering how much her head hurt, she didn't doubt it was blood. She lay still for several minutes, considering her status. Legs seemed functional. Left side moved without pain. If she could free her right arm, she might be okay.

She glanced up, realizing from the position of the fallen tree above her that the floor must have collapsed into a lower level they had not noticed. Melshi had moved away from her before it happened. Hopefully he had been able to get clear of the tree and any other dangers. With the wind moaning through holes in the timbers, she wasn't sure she would hear him if he called out to her. So, two immediate problems then – freeing herself, or contacting Melshi to come help her, if he was able.

Movement to her left startled her. At first she merely thought more debris had fallen, but this sounded more like it was being shoved out of the way. And it sounded like more than one person doing it. Not Melshi then. She couldn't get to her weapons, but she felt around with her left hand until she found a fairly sturdy piece of wood. Not much, but she didn't have many options.

"You okay?"

The question wasn't aimed at her, so she kept silent. Until she knew who she was dealing with, best not to alert anyone to her presence.

"Yeah, you guys?"

Guys. Plural. Not good. She might have had a chance against one but things had just gotten much worse, unless they proved to be friendly. Jyn's luck didn't usually lean toward anything so optimistic.

"At least the storm should wipe out any trail we might have left. Maybe they'll ignore an abandoned building that has collapsed."

"Doesn't exactly improve anything, though, does it?"

"Where else are we gonna go? We've got no way off this planet."

"Maybe we should have taken that into account before we did this!"

"It's not like we had a lot of time to plan and prepare! Stop acting like this is my fault."

"Would you two shut up! We all decided on this. We have to stick together or we're dead. Now stop arguing and start thinking about what we can do about our situation."

Jyn was hearing three distinct voices and the comment about 'two' suggested that was correct, unless others had remained silent during the argument.

"Well, I guess we look around and see what we can do to create a new shelter. At least until the storm ends. Going out in that is a waste of time. Storms on this planet are usually pretty strong. We wouldn't get far in it."

"Yeah, okay. Look around and see what still is usable."

Jyn's grip tightened on the wood in her hand. Hopefully Melshi was safe and looking for her. She'd at least try to hold them off until he could get to her. It was her only chance.

Another flash of lightning just then made her heart sink. There was no mistaking stormtrooper uniforms. And two of them were staring right at her.

For several minutes, neither side spoke or moved. When Jyn drew the wood closer to her, their heads followed the motion. Now they knew she was armed, but likely so were they. And a blaster could take care of her without their having to get in range of her bludgeon.

Unexpectedly, the trooper on the left reached up and removed his helmet. These guys never took their helmets off in public.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Jyn just glared at him without speaking, though she doubted he could see her expression in the dim light.

The trooper next to him said something too quietly for Jyn to hear but the man waved him off. He took another step toward her. "We're…we're not stormtroopers."

"Could have fooled me."

"Yeah, I know. Look, we were, but now we're not. And you look like maybe you need some help right now." When Jyn didn't relax or give him any encouragement, he added, "Look, we could just shoot you if that was what we wanted. If we were still stormtroopers, there isn't any reason we wouldn't just kill you and be done with it. Or even just leave you there to die eventually. So, how about it? Want some help?"

His words did make some sense, though Jyn had no intention of trusting that he didn't have an ulterior motive. Still, if they freed her, thinking her harmless, or helpless against three of them, she stood a better chance of being able to defend herself than lying pinned here.

"Okay."

He approached her cautiously, though the other two held back. As he got within range, he said, "Look, don't hit me with that thing, okay? I've had a pretty lousy couple of days and I'd rather you not bash my face in."

"Fair enough." Jyn had to admit the guy didn't act much like any stormtrooper she'd ever met.

He pulled a small light from his utility belt and shone it over her, assessing the problem. "Any pain anywhere? Anything numb or feel like it's bleeding, other than your forehead?"

"No."

He moved carefully to her right side and warned, "Maybe cover your eyes and face with your hand in case anything shifts toward you unexpectedly. I'm going to try lifting things away from your arm."

For a moment, Jyn hesitated to release the wood, but finally she let go and raised her arm over her face, though she peeked under it to keep an eye on him.

He managed to slightly lift what was on her arm, but the weight was too much and slipped back into place. She stifled a groan of discomfort.

"Sorry," he muttered. "Come on, you guys. Give me a hand with this."

Slowly the other two troopers moved over to join their companion. When all had a grip, the first one said, "On three – one, two, three." Together they shoved the debris to the side and Jyn scrambled away to her left, moving to a crouch just in case.

She shifted the wood to her right hand so she could rub the circulation going in her right arm and shoulder. At least nothing seemed to be broken or bleeding now that she could better exam it.

The four of them just stood staring at one another uncertainly. At length, Jyn ventured, "So, if you're not stormtroopers, what are you? Actors in a holodrama?"

"Uh, no. We were stormtroopers, but we…separated from service…unannounced."

"And they let you keep the uniforms as part of your retirement? I didn't realize the Empire was that generous."

The three glanced at one another again and held a quiet argument that Jyn couldn't hear. Finally, her helper explained, "Look, I don't think you are Imperial, so you're probably just…a concerned citizen." It was all Jyn could do not to snort at that. "At any rate, I don't think you much care if we don't return to our previous employment."

Jyn shrugged. "None of my business. That's between you and your…boss. Won't he be looking for you?"

The man blanched, but admitted, "Maybe. We're hoping they don't do too close of a body count on the fire that killed the rest of our squad, and notice that they're three short."

Jyn almost smiled. "And you think that's likely, do you?"

The trooper to his left removed his helmet also and shook his head. "No, it's not likely."

"That kind of puts you in a bad spot. You should have gotten off the planet right away."

"Not so easy to do. We didn't exactly depart with a plan. We just…took advantage of the opportunity when it came."

"Hmmm. That's unfortunate for you."

The first man took a deep breath and stepped slightly toward her, causing her to tense with readiness. "Look, we're kind of hoping you might be able to help us find a solution to our problem. You know, maybe as thanks for helping free you?"

"We're all in an abandoned building in a thunderstorm on the outskirts of a town. What makes you think I'm in any position to offer you aid?"

He shrugged. "Call it a hunch. Or maybe just wishful thinking."

Before anything more could be said, a large black object dropped from the remnants of the building above them and both sides fell back. The troopers recovered first and shone their lights on the object, then fumbled for their blasters at the sight of a KX Security Droid.

"No!" Jyn tossed the piece of wood at them, causing them to fall back without firing. "Don't shoot. He's with me."

K-2 turned his glowing photoreceptors on her. "May I ask what exactly you are doing with these troopers? This is not how I expected to find you."

"K…it's kind of a long story." To the troopers, she added, "Holster those blasters or you're not going anywhere. You shoot him and you lose all hope of any assistance from me."

"But it's an Imperial droid!" one man sputtered.

"He was an Imperial droid. He also separated from service."

"I can't wait to hear the explanation for this," K muttered.

Jyn grinned at him. "So, does your presence mean my ride has arrived early?"

"It does. But surely you are not intending that they accompany us."

She shrugged. "We'll see what the others say. Can you get us out of this hole?"

"I could just toss them up."

"K, be nice."

"Oh, very well. I'll lift you up and then, if they behave, I may lift them up also. But I think you should relieve them of their blasters first. I have no desire to be shot the moment you are out of sight."

She turned toward the trio. "Probably a good idea. My friends are apt to be more willing to listen if you are unarmed." She held out an expectant hand. The first man readily handed over his weapon, and the second followed. Only the third hesitated, but a nudge from #2 made him finally relinquish it.

"You, let me have your utility belt to fasten these to."

The trooper handed it over and K soon was lifting her, calling, "She's coming up."

Hands reached to catch hold of her as she neared the upper floor, and pulled her onto a seemingly still sturdy section of flooring. As soon as she was up, Cassian shone his light over her checking for injuries, but paused when he noted the belt full of weapons. "What?"

"Good to see you, too. I'm fine. Just a little banged up, but fine. Now then, these belong to three former troopers down there. K's going to lift them up also and then we can discuss what to do with them. They, uh, they got me out from under some debris that had me trapped. So give them the benefit of the doubt for the moment."

The two men looked at each other, but nodded agreement. "Alright, K, send them up," Jyn called down.

It didn't take long to extricate the trio and for K to climb out as well. Cassian and Melshi had found a more stable area in the remaining building and created a makeshift shelter against the rain and wind with supplies K had carried in case they were needed. The heat sticks were particularly welcome and they huddled around a couple for their discussion.

Cassian fished out a ration bar for Melshi and Jyn. Jyn noticed the three men lick their lips, their eyes focused on the ration bars exchanging hands. She met Cassian's gaze and tipped her head slightly in the direction of the troopers. He looked down toward his hand and she saw there were only two bars remaining. Their gazes met again, and he gave her a tiny nod of agreement.

"When was the last time you ate?" Jyn looked to the lead trooper.

He shifted uneasily, but admitted, "Yesterday morning. That's when our rations ran out."

"You really didn't plan this very well, did you?"

The most contentious of the three snapped, "It wasn't intentional. The opportunity arose and we knew we likely wouldn't get another chance. If we stopped to plan, we'd be dead or still with the Empire."

She held out the three ration bars. "Yeah, that can happen." Wordlessly, Melshi gave her half of his ration bar for herself.

Hesitantly the lead trooper took the bars and passed one to each of the others.

"What are your names? I need some way to differentiate you."

"We go by designations…"

"So, you don't have another name or you prefer the designation?"

The three looked at one another and then he said, "I'm Ved, that's Rimmer and Gazz."

She nodded. "Lyra, Jeron and Rue. You met K-2. So, what prompted your retirement from the service?"

The three fell silent, chewing the food and staring down at the ground. Finally, Gazz snarled, "The Death Star. That's what it was called, right?"

Jyn nodded. "That's what most people called it. The Empire tended to use different names to conceal it until completion."

"Yeah, well they kept telling us 'mining disaster on Jedha', though it was never clear how it managed to kill so many Imperials. They didn't even try to pretend when they wiped out Scarif base. All those Imperial troops serving faithfully and they just obliterated them in an instant. Just because a few Rebels were attacking? It made no sense. And if those on Scarif weren't safe, were any of us? All this time the Empire has held itself up as the great protector of mankind, a force for peace, and then they do that?" He shook his head vehemently. "No. No chance I could believe a word they said after that."

The other two nodded agreement. After a moment, Rimmer added, "I guess we always knew DS-1 was a weapon, but they always presented it as a deterrent, a threat to make the enemy yield. I never thought they'd actually use it. And then Alderaan happened. I mean, yeah, the planet was known as largely Rebel-sympathizers, but still. An entire planet? Destroyed? How…how…?" His voice trailed off, his question left unasked.

Ved looked at Jyn. "And that's why. We thought what we were doing as part of the Empire was right, until we couldn't escape the truth any longer. But knowing and doing anything about it are two different things. I'd…I'd pretty much given up hope of finding a way out. Then the fire happened and we escaped and…and we just took off and never looked back."

"You do know the Rebels destroyed it, don't you? The Death Star?" Cassian asked.

Ved nodded. "Yeah, we heard. They tried to keep it quiet, but too many civilians knew about it and were talking. It was easy to overhear their conversations. But that doesn't change the fact that they used it, that they would have continued to use it if they could. Without it, they'll just find other ways."

"Jeron."

It was startling to hear K-2 call him that. "Yes, K?"

"The storm is abating. We could leave within the hour if you wish."

"Okay, thanks, K." He turned and met Jyn's gaze, quirking a questioning eyebrow at her. Did she want to continue interrogating them, or did she want him to jump in?

Jyn dropped her eyes in thought, then asked, "So what is it you're wanting from us, Ved? We can drop you on a planet with Imperial presence – that's most planets these days – but if they do notice your 'absence', you're apt to get flagged no matter where you go. If you find some place not affiliated with the Empire yet, well…well, let's just say they might be a little hostile toward an Imperial attitude."

"What planet are you from?" Gazz interjected.

Jyn shrugged. "Us? We're from all over, but now that we're spacers, pretty much whatever planet we are on at the moment is home."

"You're spacers?" Rimmer didn't sound fully convinced of it.

"Yeah. Mostly run freight, but occasionally we'll take on passengers or do charters. The ship gives us a roof over our heads and we make enough to eat and buy fuel. It's not a bad life."

"And the KX unit? Where'd you get that?" Gazz asked.

Likely they all three were suspicious, but clearly Gazz was the most vocal in expressing it. "Found him in a junkyard. He's an out-of-date model so not much use to anyone. We managed to wipe his original programming and it's handy to have him around." She grinned. "Cuts down on people stiffing us our fee."

"Sooooo, you all don't have an affiliation either Empire or Rebellion? Just whoever pays you?"

"A lot of people don't choose sides," Melshi commented.

"Why're you so interested in other…choices? You fellas looking to do a complete flipflop?"

The three troopers glanced at each other, before Rimmer cautiously told them, "Just looking to see what our options are. Like you said, if our absence is noticed, we'd need to be careful. Very careful."

"Makes sense," Jyn agreed. "Well, we've met a lot of folks all over the galaxy, so we could probably introduce you to someone in your field of interest." She chuckled. "Even Hutts, if you're looking for a life of crime." She shrugged. "You wouldn't be the first troopers to 'retire' from service."

"Maybe we should get to the ship and talk more where it's dry and warm," Cassian suggested.

Melshi nodded. "Right. I'm all for that."

As they stood, the three eyed each other and then Rimmer asked, "Should we leave the armor here?"

"Not a good idea," Cassian advised. "If they haven't noticed you're gone, finding three empty sets of armor is sure to raise questions and make them take a closer look."

"Oh, yeah. Right."

Melshi met Cassian's eyes for a moment, then said, "Okay, let's get everything packed up. Don't want to leave anything here."

While the troopers moved to help, Cassian approached Jyn and slid his arms around her waist. "Glad to see you're safe," he said, loudly enough to be heard, following it with a kiss. More softly, he asked, "What do you think?"

She giggled and nuzzled against him, making noticeable sounds of pleasure, before replying, "Not sure. I believe they up and quit. But they aren't giving off strong 'I want to join the Rebellion' signals. I know they have to be careful, but they can't expect the Rebellion to come recruiting without a little more encouragement."

"Agreed," Cassian murmured, dropping another kiss on her lips.

"Hey, you two. Knock it off and come help. Save that for later," Melshi called.

"Yeah, yeah, coming," Jyn retorted, seeming put out by the interruption. They trailed over to join in while still holding hands.

The trek back to the starfighter went more quickly than the trip from it had, now that the storm had died down and the wind had eased considerably. It was still raining steadily, but they were already soaked so it made little difference. As soon as they glimpsed the ship, Melshi tapped Cassian's arm. "Come on. We'd better go on ahead and rearrange things so we all fit. Lyra and K can bring our guests." Jyn nodded an acknowledgement and they moved away.

By the time the rest of them reached the ship, Bodhi had been apprised of the situation and Melshi had called instructions to Tonc to make preparations there. Though the starfighter officially would hold at least four passengers in addition to the pilot, that number did not include the expectation of one of that number being a seven-foot droid. Melshi stood behind Bodhi in the cockpit for the short trip, but that left the rest of them to squeeze into the back.

Shortly after they took off, Ved cleared his throat. He and the others had held quiet conversations among themselves while they walked, and had kept glancing at one another from the moment they sat down. "Look…I, uh…we…well, you don't know if you can trust us and we don't know if we can trust you. We understand that. But as Lyra pointed out, all of us were in an abandoned house on the outskirts of town in a rainstorm, and clearly unprepared to be there. So, uh, well…the truth is that we had kind of intended to flipflop, as you called it." He stared pointedly at each of them.

"All three of you decided that at a moment's notice when the chance to leave presented itself?" Cassian asked skeptically. "That's a pretty big life change on the spur of the moment."

"It…it wasn't quite that spur of the moment," Rimmer admitted. "We had patrolled together before and stood guard together. You get to talking about things and after a while, well, we began to realize we all had the same view of what the Empire was telling us. And not telling us. And that we were all desirous of a…change. The same change."

"The hard part was figuring out a way to do it." Gazz had kept mostly silent, but now joined in. "It seemed pretty hopeless. The fire…it just happened and we were in the right place at the right time. We took advantage, figuring another opportunity wasn't likely to come our way."

Cassian nodded thoughtfully. At length he looked up at them. "We can probably introduce you to people to assist with that flipflop, but it won't be easy. You know they're going to be wary of you. You'll have to prove yourself to them."

"Yeah, we figured that. All we need is a chance."

Tonc was ready for them when they docked with the main ship. As instructed, he'd directed Chirrut and Baze to keep out of sight and sound. Neither much looked like spacers and if not seen then they avoided the danger of being revealed if the troopers proved false. Tonc and Baze had dragged one of the padded floor mats from the common room back to the unused cargo hold, and made sure the room had nothing that could be used as a weapon or to contact anyone outside the ship. Melshi intended to confine the three men there with K-2 watching over them until Alliance command could be notified.

They divested of their armor in the hold and then each was given a few minutes in the 'fresher to clean up a little. At least their armor had kept them mostly dry.

"I don't see why I have to be the one to stand guard over them," K-2 huffed. "It is stereotypical to make me do it just because I was once an Imperial Security Droid."

"What you once were isn't the reason I chose you," Cassian assured him. "You are the one they are least likely to be able to overpower, if you feign shutdown they may speak more freely in your presence, and you would be able to record any conversations for the Alliance to study later for any hidden meaning. All without them realizing it."

"Yeah, K – you get to be a spy like Cassian. I thought you'd like that," Jyn added with a grin.

"A spy?" K-2 considered that while Cassian and Jyn shared a look. It was evident the droid was pleased by that prospect. "Very well. I will get the information you seek from them."

"All you need to do is lull them into a false sense of security. They'll know the door is locked anyway, and figure you are just an added precaution. Take no apparent notice of what they say or do – just as if you were fully shut down and recharging. Then we'll see what happens. Surveillance isn't very exciting spy stuff, but it is essential."

When all of them were ready to settle in for the night, Cassian handed around more ration bars and a blanket each. "Sorry, but we don't have much extra bedding. K-2 will stay here with you. If you need anything, he'll let someone know. Just be careful. He'll be recharging. If you startle him into alertness, he may react defensively. It's best to stand clear and call out to him until he responds."

They nodded their understanding and Cassian bid them goodnight. After he secured the door, they looked warily at the droid. For a moment, it just stared at them, but then announced, "Well, I do not know about you, but I need to recharge. Hiking through a storm has drained my energy cells." With that, he plunked down near the charging outlet and attached his connector.

Hesitantly the three shuffled around, deciding how to make use of the space. Though they stretched out as if to sleep, none of them were quite relaxed enough to feel like that would happen anytime soon.

"Well, it could be worse," Rimmer observed. "We aren't being held prisoner—"

"We're locked in a cargo hold and being guarded by a KX Security Droid," Gazz replied sarcastically. "What part of that doesn't make you feel like a prisoner?"

"Guys, come on. Rimmer is right, Gazz. They have to be careful. Of course they do. But they fed us, gave us some place fairly comfortable to sleep. And, most importantly, they got us off the planet."

"Still doesn't mean they won't try to turn us in for reward money. Why were they in an abandoned building outside town? Seems like they just didn't want to be discovered there any more than we did. If they were doing something shady, they'd get clear first and then turn us in when they look totally innocent of any wrongdoing."

They lapsed into silence, but after several minutes had passed, Ved told them, "Maybe you're right, Gazz, but I don't think so. I think Lyra will help us as much as she can."

"Damned optimist. How'd you ever end up as a stormtrooper in the first place?" Gazz scowled toward his companion but it went unseen in the dark.

"Same way you did. No choice," Ved replied quietly.

"I had a choice," Gazz muttered. "I was just too blind to make a good one."

"Then it's time to fix that." Ved lay still for a moment, then added, "Try to get some sleep. We'll see what tomorrow brings."

To be continued…

invented characters:

Sergeant Daster – head of the tech shop on the tech frigate

Dr Lesorid – kind doctor caring for Cassian

Isk-Gun Jul – bounty hunter

Marika Tonc – cousin of Rogue One team member Stordan Tonc

Ved, Rimmer, Gazz – stormtroopers Jyn meets

All other characters actually are taken from the existing Star Wars universe.

ch 20 note: (with stormtroopers who 'quit') Though Krennic says all Imperial troops were evacuated from Jedha before they fired the weapon, I can't see the Empire being that conscientious and taking the time/making the effort to pull everyone out. Plus, to do so would have looked suspicious. I think it more than likely they pulled many of the troops back to their ships and left, but that there were still Imperial ground troops planetside at the time Jedha was destroyed.