In her dream, Jyn was on Coruscant again. She got up from her bed and peaked behind her bedroom door, seeing her mother and father talking with another man. The man in white. She was just a girl, five or six years old. She couldn't remember what they were saying, but she knew she wasn't supposed to be listening. Her Papa spotted her, but she didn't back away from the door. He smiled at her gently, kneeling down to her level.

"What's the matter Jyn? You look frightened."

He picked her up, holding her close in his arms, safe and warm.

"I'll always protect you," he promised, swinging her back onto the bed causing her to laugh. She bounced lightly. She could remember the old pillows and blankets. It was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept on.

"Stardust, don't ever change," he murmured.

The dream shifted.

Her Mama was placing her crystal necklace around Jyn's neck. She was hugging her goodbye. She was hugging her papa for the last time. She was running. She was in the cave, in the hatch. She was sitting in the dark, tears streaming down her face, waiting for her mama and papa, knowing they would never come.

The hatch opened and Saw Gerrera looked down.


Jyn snapped herself awake. The dream faded, but the images and voices still echoed behind her eyes and in her ears. She shook them away and looked out the U-Wing's window as it came into view of their destination.

Jedha was a barren rock of a moon, about on par with any other Outer Rim dust bowls she had come across. There were no oceans, or cities, or any type of landmark visible from space. Only cold red desert.

"That's Jedha," Cassian announced. "What's left of it anyway."

The U-Wing rolled and rocked as they descended through the atmosphere, the harsh winds bombarding the cabin only making it worse as they came closer to the surface. Jyn thought for sure she was going to be sick. Cassian and the droid seemed unperturbed in the cockpit, meanwhile Sera didn't so much as blink open an eye and remained curled in her blanket the whole way down. Jyn envied her. She would take unconsciousness over the nausea and steady stream of unwanted thoughts flowing through her mind.

Galen Erso is alive. My father is alive. Galen Erso is not my father.

Again, she pushed the thoughts down. She just needed to find something useful to do.

By the time they landed, Jyn had filled her satchel with supplies she found strewn about the ship; gloves, jacket, hood, a pair of combat truncheons, ration packs, maps, and so on. She doubted she needed all of it, but she often found it was better safe than sorry. As soon as the doors opened, Jyn made her way out of the ship only just catching Cassian finally nudging Sera awake as she exited.

They were perched on top of a mesa, providing a clear view of the valley below. She walked further down, and took a spot on a boulder away from the ship. She looked out, getting her first view of Jedha City, the Holy City, or NiJedha, depending on the source.

From so far away, it hardly looked like a city at all. Its worn red walls made it appear as if it had been naturally carved over years by the wind and sand. Only a single tower peeking out from behind the walls gave away the game. That, and the small swarm of shuttlecrafts buzzing from above the rooftops to the underbelly of the Imperial Star Destroyer looming overhead.

Jyn heard Cassian, K-2, and Sera exit the U-Wing behind her, sending small pebbles tumbling down the side of the mesa.

"What's with the Destroyer," she asked.

"The Empire's been sending those since Saw Gerrera started attacking their cargo shipments," Cassian said.

Jyn felt herself smile. She wasn't sure if it was out of pride for Saw, or spite for the Empire.

"What are they bringing in?" she asked.

"It's 'what are they taking out?'"

Cassian handed her a set of quadnocs. She raised them to her eyes and allowed them a moment to adjust, before zooming in on one of the shuttlecrafts. She could just make out half a dozen cargo crates colored hazard-orange strapped to the undercarriage.

"Kyber crystal," Cassian continued. "All they can get. We believe the Empire is using it as fuel for the weapon."

"They must be coming to the last of it," Sera commented. "There aren't nearly enough ships to be at full capacity."

Jyn turned, finally noticing the girl standing behind her and Cassian. Sera lowered her quadnocs and continued to look out to the horizon. Her eyes lingered on the Star Destroyer as her knuckles turned stark white.

"You really think the planet killer is real?" Jyn asked.

Sera looked at her, cocking her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"You don't?"

Jyn shrugged.

"Could be. I'm not surprised that Empire wants a planet killer. I'd just be surprised if it works."

"It might not," K-2 said cheerfully. "There haven't been any other reports of kyber mining outside of Jedha."

Jyn eyed the droid carefully, taking special note of his Imperial markings.

"Maybe we should leave target practice here behind."

"Are you talking about me?" K-2 asked.

Cassian straightened up, tightening his pack and jacket as he did so.

"She's right," he said. "We need to blend in. Stay with the ship."

"I can blend in," K-2SO said matter-of-factly. "I'm an Imperial droid. The city is under Imperial occupation."

"Half the people here want to reprogram you. The other half want to put a hole in your head," Jyn countered.

She looked down at her bag and back at the valley towards the city, calculating the distance in her mind. She had definitely over packed.

"I'm surprised you're so concerned with my safety."

Jyn straightened up and walked towards the droid.

"I'm not," she said. "I'm just worried someone might miss you and hit me."

She tossed him the sack, and continued on, barely paying attention when the droid called back.

"Doesn't seem so bad to me."

She could hear Sera laugh lightly, as she followed behind.

"Better luck next time Kay."

"You're staying behind too," Cassian said.

That caught Jyn's attention as she spun around to see Sera stop in her tracks, looking at Cassian in disbelief.

"What?"

Cassian remained unaffected by her outburst, keeping his face neutral.

"Watch after Kay and wait for my signal in case we need a pick up."

"Kay can watch after himself," she countered.

"Fine, he watches you."

"Cass—"

"That's an order lieutenant," he cut off, sharply.

That shut her up as she seemed to realize the line she had crossed.

Jyn had a feeling it was a line the girl crept along the edge of often, as she straightened to attention, becoming the soldier Cassian was telling her to be.

"Yes, sir."

The whole scene felt very familiar to Jyn. In her mind, she saw Saw Gerrera again, standing tall and imposing over her; his features hardened, but his eyes holding a small hint of pride as she stood a rigid attention. She looked to Cassian waiting to see the same look.

It never came. The soldier's masked faltered. His shoulders slumped slightly, and his expression grew soft, and, for a lack of a better word, tired.

"You're the one who gave up your blaster," he said wryly.

Sera looked like she wanted to argue the point, but her resolve dissipated. She gave him a half-smile instead and nodded her head in defeat.

In a rare sight Jyn didn't think she would ever be witness to, Cassian actually smiled back. He walked to the girl and gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

"We'll be back before you know it," he promised.

He then turned back to Jyn, the warmth fading from his eyes.

"Let's go," he said.

And just like that, Captain Andor was back, and Jyn was grateful.

She could handle Captain Andor, rebel intelligence. She wasn't sure if she fully understood Cassian.


So, she was being punished, Sera concluded as she watched Cassian and Jyn walk towards the Holy City. She should had known she'd gotten off too easily on the flight there.

She made her way back to the U-Wing to see Kay already at work tuning the radio to Cassian's frequency.

"I told you he wouldn't be happy," the droid said as she dropped her pack in the cabin.

"I never said he would," she countered. "Are we set?"

"Yes, and now we wait."

He already sounded just about as bored as Sera was feeling. She didn't bother going to the cockpit, and instead sat in the entrance of the ship looking out towards the desert and the city far in the distance.

As the minutes ticked by, she couldn't keep her eyes from going back to the Star Destroyer. She had never seen one enter the atmosphere before and therefor never got a proper sense of just how enormous the ship actually was. The Empire undoubtedly was using the ship purely for intimidation, and it was working.

If that was a Star Destroyer, how big would a planet killer be?

She pushed down her fear as best she could, but being forced to just sit and wait left her agitated.

Cassian could handle himself. She knew that. And Jyn would be with him too. He wouldn't be alone.

All the same, her gut twisted as she thought of everything that could go wrong.

"Kay, what's the statistical likelihood they'll run into some kind of trouble?" she asked.

"Well that's a conveniently vague way of putting it," the droid said sardonically.

Sera rolled her eyes.

"The kind of trouble that end with them being dead then."

"Approximately 72.6 percent."

She took a moment to think. It was a silent agreement between her and Cassian not to run interference until the odds of death reached at least eighty percent. Then again, she knew for a fact Cassian had violated the rule more than once. Besides, Saw Gerrera was an unknown variable in the equation, anything could happen.

Sera stood and started shuffling through the cabin. She quickly found what she was looking for; an A280-CFE blaster. She grabbed the sniper attachments as well, just in case. It would be a little tricky sneaking it into the city, but she could manage.

She unpacked her bag and stuffed the weapon inside before covering it haphazardly with clothes, rations, and whatever else a traveling pilgrim would bring to Jedha.

"Stay with the ship," Sera said. "I'm just going to make sure they aren't in any trouble."

She pulled on a jacket and gloves, and covered her head in a grey scarf before swinging her satchel over her shoulder. Standing straight, she brushed her hand behind her back, reassuring herself that the compact blaster was still safely hidden.

"And what if you get into trouble?" Kay asked.

She looked up, giving the droid a wry smile.

"Then you'd better come and get me."

As it turned out, she needn't had bothered hiding the blaster. While Stormtroopers did guard the gates to the city, they seemed more concerned with the people going out than coming in. They barely gave her a pacing glance as she made her way past the first check point.

Remembering her training, she allowed herself to get swept up in the flow of people, keeping in pace with those around her. She kept her head down, making note of the patrols marching up and down the streets. Only when the crowd thinned out in the market place did she dare break away.

She imagined, at another time, she might had enjoyed the city in some strange way. Pilgrims from across the galaxy came to Jedha, humanoid and alien alike. The wall of noise was a mixture of different languages, either haggling or praying or some variation of both. The smell of food from the local vendors wasn't half bad and she could admire the artistry of some of the small trinkets for sale. But, there was no ignoring the shadow blocking out the sky above. Underneath the normal sounds of the market were the distorted voices of Stormtroopers, the clattering of their armor, and the echo of distant blaster shots. Jedha was a city under occupation, a state which Sera knew well.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the flashing of an Imperial propaganda hologram.

"Citizens of Jedha, you must come forward with information of the location of this missing cargo pilot. A reward of 600 credits for the information shall be awarded."

That caught her attention. She turned toward the recording, but didn't dare get any closer than she already was. She could just make out the profile of a young man, around the same age as Cassian being displayed. He was dark skinned, bearded, with a large nose and wide dark eyes. She memorized the features, storing them away in the back of her mind for later.

"He goes by the name Bodhi Rook," the hologram continued. "Contact the local authorities with any information."

The message ended, looping back around to the Imperial insignia before starting up again. She tore her eyes away, scanning the area for a familiar face, but there was nothing to see. She shouldn't had been surprised. Cassian and Jyn had a good lead on her. She wasn't going to catch up to them from the ground.

Taking a quick look around, she ducked into one of the nearby alleyways. Along the sides of the walls were crates and barrels, stacked one on top of the other until they almost reached the building's ledge.

Checking the entrance to the alley for Stormtroopers, she tightened the satchel strap across her chest and climbed up onto one of the crates, then another, then another until she was about four crates up. The stack wobbled slightly as she reached the top, but she maintained her balance all the same. She looked up, seeing the ledge of the building remained about two feet out of her reach.

Taking a breath, she slowly rose to her feet and jumped.

Her hands latched to the side of the building, causing her feet to dangle dangerously along the side. Gritting her teeth, she hauled herself upward, using what little grip she could get with her feet to pull her up and over the edge.

Once she was safely up, she crept towards the ledge, peering down at the people below.

There was still no sign of Cassian or Jyn, which meant they were further along than she thought. Finding the balance between caution and speed, she made her way across the roof tops.

She could feel the agitation and fear she had acquired on the ship start to melt away as jumped and climbed, making sure to always keep one foot in front of the other. This was what she was good at. Crawling around vents, alleyways and rooftops; gathering intel from places no one else could. There was no need for a fight because nobody could catch her. Hell, nobody was even looking.

She stopped, spotting a group of approaching Stormtroopers and ducked low.

Their footsteps never faltered as they continued down the street.

Carefully, she straightened slightly, looking down at the plaza. It wasn't far from where Cassian and Jyn were supposed to be meeting their contact.

At that moment, a glint of something caught her eye. She turned. On a roof, not far from where she was sitting, she caught it again; the reflection of a sniper scope.

Her heart leapt into her throat and she turned her head to the other rooftops, catching one man getting into position. Turning her eyes downward, a Duros stood on a staircase, hidden from street view. In the distance, she could hear the low rumble of a tank.

She needed to get out of there. Keeping an eye on the street, she crawled along the rooftop, only to stop when she saw the familiar blue of Cassian's jacket.

She froze. Her eyes going wide as both he and Jyn came into clear view.

The tank rolled into the plaza. She didn't have time to climb down and warn them, as everyone poised their weapons. Her instinct was to scream for him to run, but she fought it down. It would only tip off the Imperials starting the firefight before the rest of the rebels were ready and no doubt killing both her and Cassian in the process. She didn't know what to do.

The deafening boom of the grenade made the decision for her.

She could feel the vibrations in her teeth and ears as the world around her exploded into a barrage of blaster fire. Her heart pounded in her chest as she ducked below the roof's edge. She wasn't in control of her breathing anymore and her hands shook.

She closed her eyes, trying to get a hold of herself, but it only amplified the yelling and explosions and the smell of burnt metal. She kept focus on her breathing all the same. There wasn't time to be afraid. She needed to move.

Snapping her eyes open, she grabbed her pack, and pulled out the blaster, adjusting it with new found speed. Taking a position along the edge, she set her sights on the nearest Stormtrooper.

Don't think, Cassian had told her, just breathe and squeeze.

She fired. The bolt went straight through his chest making him crumple to the ground. She had no time to linger on the sight as she caught Jyn making a run across the plaza.

She didn't bother to question why Jyn as making such a dangerous move. Through the scope, she laid down a barrage of cover fire, shooting at anything with white armor. She got one in the shoulder, another in the leg. One she missed completely, but it was enough to draw his attention only to be hit by someone else.

Jyn came running back, holding a small girl in her arms.

Sera continued to fire, keeping half an eye on the Jyn the entire way back.

Jyn handed off the girl to presumably her mother pausing just a second too long. She was too exposed.

A blaster bolt flew past Jyn's head.

Sera followed the shot back to the trooper and opened fire, hitting him twice before he went down. She turned her eyes back to Jyn, just in time to see her duck behind the tank, blocking her from most of the firefight.

Out of the corner of Sera's eye, she spotted one of Saw's men pull out a grenade and take aim for the tank; right where Jyn was.

She turned her sights toward the roof, but never got the chance to fire, as the man was hit by multiple blaster shots before falling to the ground. Her eyes followed the shots back, to see Cassian hidden behind one of the archways.

Before anything else could be done, the fallen grenade exploded, sending another deafening boom through her ears. She tried to shake it off, but the ringing remained persistent, throwing off her focus. She didn't notice the man coming up behind her.

His arm wrapped itself around her neck pulling her up, to her feet. She struggled to breath clawing at her attacker's arm as he only tightened the pressure around her throat. Bending her head forward, she slammed it back and heard the satisfying crunch of a broken nose. His grip loosened just enough for her to elbow him right in the stomach before ducking out of his grasp. Gasping for air, she stumbled forward and quickly grabbed her blaster still laying on the ground. She spun back around and raised her weapon just in time for her attacker her to charge. His whole body slammed into her, sending them both tumbling over the roof's edge.

She landed on her back with a hard thud; knocking what little air was left right out of her lungs. Her head was dizzy and her vision was blurred from the pain. Every part of her body ached; her back, her throat, her chest.

She rolled her head to the side in a halfhearted attempt to figure out what was going on, only to be met with dark blank eyes. The scarf had fallen off her attacker's face, revealing, not the man she assumed, but a boy, maybe only a year or two older than herself. Her first thought was he broke his neck when he hit the ground, but the spreading dark stain on his stomach told another story. She had been able to get a shot off before they went over the edge. Chances were he had been dead before they had even hit the ground.

The world around her slowed to a crawl as bile began to rise in her throat. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. The firefight around her faded away and she could only hear the hammering of her own heart.

A pair of hands yanked her to her feet, jostling her out of her thoughts. She was being half carried, half dragged only for another explosion to force her back to the ground.

Sera turned her head to see Jyn covering her with her own body, taking the bulk of the explosion.

"Can you walk," Jyn asked harshly.

Sera still didn't have enough air in her lungs to talk, but she nodded a yes. That was enough for Jyn as she once again pulled Sera to her feet, and pushed her forward. Cassian was by their side a moment later, leading the way away from the approaching AT-ST.

The adrenaline was starting to come back to her and the world came into focus.

One foot in front of the other. Just keep one foot in front of the other.

She followed Cassian, always keeping one stride behind him. They turned a corner only to be met by another Stormtrooper. It was then Sera realized she dropped her weapon in the plaza. Luckily, Cassian still had his and shot the trooper straight in the chest. It wasn't enough, as a squad quickly came into view.

Cassian immediately turned around, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside a nearby archway. The troopers open a volley of fire from either side effectively trapping them.

She pressed her back against the wall and felt a small pressure on her spine. Smiling slightly, she reached behind her and pulled out the compact blaster she had hidden away. It felt oddly comforting in her hand as she snuck peak at the street just behind Cassian. Four troopers in total; two on the left, two on the right, all hiding behind various walls up the walk way. The troopers behind her were more exposed, about five if she remembered right. She looked up meeting Cassian's eyes. She jerked her head to the street behind him and raised four fingers. He nodded in understanding.

Ignoring the throbbing in her chest, she jumped out of the archway, firing blindly before dropping to one knee. The troopers came out of hiding only for Cassian to come out just behind her and finish the job. In a second is was over. The pair of them turned on their heel ready to fire on the other squad only to see Jyn in the middle of beating the troopers in the ground.

Sera lowered her weapon, raising her eyebrows in surprise. She got to her feet and looked to Cassian. His expression mirrored hers perfectly.

Jyn managed to disarm one of them, grabbing their blaster and firing at the remaining troopers. She then backhanded a trooper trying to rise across the face, before spinning around and firing a single shot into an approaching K-2 security droid. The droid's chest popped and sizzled before it tumbled to the ground, only to reveal a second, identical droid marching right behind it.

Sera recognized the posture and battle marks immediately and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did you know that wasn't me?" K-2SO asked suspiciously.

Jyn looked slightly taken aback but covered it quickly non-committal shrug.

"Of course."

Sera allowed a small smile to pass her lips, feeling the urge to laugh. It didn't last however, as her eyes found Cassian's hard, unflinching gaze.

"What were you thinking," he growled.

Sera winced at his tone, but she didn't back down. Her body was too full of adrenaline, to give much thought to consequences.

"I was thinking you don't leave a scout in the getaway ship," she said matter-of-factly.

Cassian looked like he was about to have an aneurism, but he knew it was not the time or place to have it out. Although, Sera had a feeling he would put in with Draven for her to be grounded for at least a month as soon as they got back to base.

"And what's your excuse," he snapped, looking to K-2. "I thought I told you to stay on the ship."

"You did," the droid said coolly, "but, I thought it was boring and that you were in trouble."

The droid's head jerked, and Sera followed his gaze to a Stormtrooper rising to his knee, a small metal cylinder in his hand.

Jyn raised her truncheon warningly as just as the trooper limply tossed it at all of them. Sera tensed to leap out of the way, but K-2 extended his arm and caught it with ease.

"There are a lot of explosion for two people blending in," he said, casually tossing the grenade over his shoulder. It hit the ground with a hard boom, and Sera could just see the pile of Stormtroopers it left in its wake.

"You're right," he said. "I should have just stayed on the ship."

He strode away, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.

"I suggest we leave immediately."


Cassian tried his best to ignore the chill creeping in through his coat as the four of them weaved their way through the maze of the Holy City. The adrenaline which had kept warm blood pumping through his veins was starting to fade and he was becoming acutely aware of the layer of sweat clinging to his undershirt. Still, if was bad for him, he could only imagine what Jyn and Sera were feeling.

His eyes found Jyn first.

The need in her eyes hadn't faded. If anything, it had grown only more feral. He was certain it was that same need keeping her standing. She winced with every step, no doubt feeling the bruises she'd sustained while brawling with the Stormtroopers. He wondered, too, how much damage was done when she had saved Sera's life in the plaza.

Cassian's gut twisted at the thought as he turned his attention to the girl.

She was shaking, but he couldn't tell if it was from the cold or the fading adrenaline; mostly likely a combination of both. He needed to get her to a medic. The fall had most certainly given her at least a minor concussion, and that wasn't even taking into account her back.

The moment she fell flashed in front of his eyes and he felt his heart stop once more. He had spotted her on the roof early on as she covered Jyn's run to save the little girl. A part of him had hoped it wasn't Sera, and rather one of Saw's rebels who remembered Jyn from years ago. The second her body hit the ground destroyed any hope he had. The slight roll of her head was the only indication he had she was even alive, but he couldn't get to her. He had been too pinned down. If Jyn hadn't gotten to her first…

He shook away the thought. She was alive. Jyn was alive. He was alive, that was all that mattered.

He wanted to be furious with her, but he couldn't hold onto the feeling. He understood why she had disobeyed him. It wasn't in her nature to sit still and do nothing. He knew that, and yet he still made her stay behind. He shouldn't had been surprised at the outcome. A part of him just wished, for once, she would do as he said as not as he did.

He was jostled from his thoughts, when Jyn stuck out a hand blocking him from entering a small alley way. He looked up, just in time to see a squad of troopers pass by.

"Double back," he said, turning back the way they came, making a different turn, only to stumble to a halt as Jyn abruptly stopped. Blocking the side street, was the wreck of an X-wing Starfighter.

"Halt! Stop right there!"

The four of them turned toward the voice. The Stormtroopers who'd passed by were now spread out to the block their retreat.

Too many to fight, Cassian thought. His hand drifted toward his blaster anyway, more just to remind himself it was there. Jyn's shoulder's sagged, but the fire was burning, ready for a fight. Sera was shaking more visibly now, but there was something almost calculating about it. Her eyes were just a little too sharp for it to be natural.

The squad leader nodded to K-2SO. "Where are you taking these prisoners?"

Cassian felt just the smallest flicker of hope spark in him.

The droid stared back at the squad leader, tilting his head as if confused.

"These are prisoners?" he asked.

Cassian winced. The hope snuffed out.

"Yes," the squad leader said. "Where are you taking the prisoners?"

"I am taking them," K-2 stumbled, "to imprison them. In prison."

Cassian couldn't take it any longer and tried to channel his irritation into something a prisoner might say.

"He's taking us to—"

The droid swung a metal arm into Cassian's face.

"Quiet," Kay snapped. "And there's a fresh one if you mouth off again!"

Cassian's nose and chin were throbbing, but he had to admit, it wasn't a bad cover. Unfortunately, it did them little favors.

"We'll take them from here," the squad leader said.

"That's okay," the droid insisted. "If you could just point me in the right direction, I can take them, I'm sure. I've taken them this far."

Three troopers approached them, holding hand cuffs. Jyn looked to Cassian and reached for her truncheons, but Cassian shook his head. Still too many and no way out. It was at that moment Sera spoke up.

"There's been a mistake," she said, her voice quaking.

Cassian turned to her to see she had managed to bring up a swell of tears to her eyes. Her whole body was shaking like a leaf. It curled into itself making her appear five years younger. Playing innocent was a bit desperate, but in all honesty, he would take anything at this point.

"We-we just took a wrong turn. And there was shooting and…" she couldn't go on, causing some of the troopers to stop. "I just want to go home."

Cassian did his best to match her tone, adjusting his face to one of fear and confusion, but it was too little too late.

"Cuff them," the squad leader ordered.

The three troopers looked at each other, as Sera continued to whimper, but they did as their commander told them.

It had been worth a shot.

They snapped their restraints on each of their wrist as Sera tried to plead their case.

"We just want to go home. Can't we just go home?"

"Take them away," the squad leader called.

The Stormtroopers circled and moved in unison. Cassian felt a rifle muzzle nudge at his back.

"You can't take them away!" K-2 protested.

"You stay here," the squad leader said. "We need to check your diagnostics."

"Diagnostics? I'm capable of running my own diagnostics, thank you very much."

Don't argue, Cassian wanted to snap at the droid, but there was nothing he could do. As soon as the imperials took them captive and ran their test, they would discover K-2's reprograming. There would be no getting out then.

You messed up, he thought, and now you have to pay the price.

"Let them pass in peace!"

Cassian turned to see the blind man, one the Guardians of the Whills, standing in an archway looking out toward the Stormtroopers. Cassian stared in disbelief. Was is a joke? Or was he just as zealot as the reports always said?

"Let them pass in peace," he said again, walking out into open.

The Stormtroopers spread out, some watching the blind man, others keeping an eye on the roof for another ambush.

"The force is with me and I am with the force."

The man was in the middle of the street now, separating most of the squad from Cassian, Jyn, Sera, and K-2SO.

"And I fear nothing, for all is as the Force wills it."

"Hey! Stop right here!" The squad leader's snapped.

"He's blind," one called.

"Is he deaf?" asked another.

"I said, stop right there!" The squad leader repeated.

The blind man raised one foot from the pavement, and the squad leader fired a single shot. He heard Sera beside him start to yell out a warning, but it caught in her throat. The bolt never found it's mark. The guardian didn't die. A small twitch of the head, a glance to one side, had saved him and sent the energy instead right past Cassian's ear.

The troopers who had previously hesitated to shoot a blind man opened fire.

The guardian did not look put out by this, dodging two of the shots, both of which hit the Stormtroopers at Cassian's back.

He didn't hesitate. Grabbing Sera, he pulled them both out of the range of fire with Jyn at their heels. He ducked behind a doorway just as another volley of shots flew past his head. He landed hard against the wall, barely getting his bearings as he watched the spectacle unfold.

The guardian was now in the center of the squadron, his staff moving through the air with the fluidity of water. He swept under their feet, and twisted their arms back unnaturally, all with delicate ease. He was even smiling as he slammed his staff into one trooper's foot.

"Is your foot all right?" he asked jokingly, just before kicking the staff upward to the trooper's face, knocking him to the ground.

He twisted another around, using him as a shield as the troopers fired aimlessly, not a single bolt hitting their mark.

It didn't seem possible, at yet, there it was. Cassian had only heard about such things as stories. The great Jedi Knights of old, wielders of the force, protectors of the galaxy, before they were corrupted by the Republic. Even as their enemies, the separatist still had some respect for the Jedi. He had never met a Jedi, but he had believed the stories.

The guardian swung his staff one last time, knocking out the last of the squadron, but the fighting wasn't over yet.

A second squad of Stormtroopers rushed in from another quarter. The guardian was too far way to intercept them before they could take aim. Cassian pressed further into the doorway for cover.

The sizzling snap of a particle bolt echoed through the air, then another, and another mowing down the squadron before any of them could discharge their weapons. When the last was dead, the shooter emerged from across the way.

Cassian recognized him: the blind man's silent partner from the alley, with the repeating cannon and red armor. He held the weapon tight in his hand. In the other was an ornate, gold trimmed bowcaster which he passed to the guardian.

"You almost shot me," said the blind man.

"Your welcome," the other replied. Without looking, he fired a bolt into the back of a Stormtrooper crawling nearby.

Sera peaked her head out first causing the man to turn toward the three of them. He raised his cannon, his expression wary, but not hostile.

"Clear of hostiles," K-2SO announced, striding out on a nearby archway.

Immediately, the armored man aimed at the droid. K-2SO froze, raising his hands into the air. "One hostile!"

To Cassian's shock, Jyn leapt in front of the droid, her hands raised as well.

"He's with us!"

"They're okay," the blind man said gently.

His partner lowered his weapon again. Cassian had the impression he was a little disappointed.

K-2 got to work unclasping their binders, first Jyn, then Sera, and then himself.

"Cassian, I'm sorry about the slap," the droid said. It sounded like he meant it too, but Cassian was too distracted to really take notice.

"Go back to the ship," he ordered. "Wait for my call."

Surprisingly, the droid made no protest and ran out towards the city gates. He then turned his eyes to Sera. She stiffened slightly, but held his gaze waiting for him to order her to go back as well. He was tempted, but he thought better of it. The moment she was out of sight, she'd climb up the nearest wall and start to follow them just as she had before. He'd rather she stayed on the ground where he could see her.

His silence was answer enough for her as she gave him a small nod in thanks. She at least had the decency not to look excited about it.

He then looked to the guardian, feeling a cautious wonder fill him.

"Is he a Jedi?" he asked.

"No Jedi anymore," the armored man said. "Only dreamers like this fool."

Cassian tried not to feel disappointed, but something in him deflated. He didn't know what he would had done if the guardian was, in fact, a Jedi, but somehow it felt they had just lost chance at something he couldn't name.

"The Force did protect me," the guardian insisted with a smile.

"I protected you," his companion replied.

Cassian raised an eyebrow at the exchange. Perhaps it was fortunate the guardian wasn't a Jedi.

"Can you get us to Saw Gerrera?" Jyn asked.

She never got her answer as another voice interrupted them.

"Hands in the air!"

Rebels emerged from the alleys and rooftops. Cassian recognized some of them from the plaza and dropped his weapon immediately. He needed to make it clear to them they weren't the enemy. Sera quickly followed suit, slowly reaching behind her back and lowing her blaster to the ground. Jyn, however, looked like she was ready to fight all of them into the dirt with her bare hands.

"Can't you see we are no friend of the Empire?" the guardian asked.

It did little to help them as both he, Jyn, and Sera were forced to their knees.

One rebel stepped forward: a thin, skull-faced Tognath in leathers who breathed through a mechanical respirator and spoke in his native dialect.

"Tell that to the one who killed our men."

Cassian stiffened as the image of the man he shot flashed in his mind. He didn't feel guilty about it. He had acted on instinct. The man was going to kill Jyn. His very reason for being there. But, if they wanted to punish him for it, that was fine by him. There was plenty else in his life he was guilty of.

Out of the corner of his eye Sera straightened up, glaring hard at the Tognath.

"Maybe if you actually remembered who your enemy was–"

She was cut off by a back hand across the face, undoubtedly forming a bruise to match the one Jyn had given her.

He didn't think. He made a move towards her, but never made it past his knees as two hard hands shoved him back to the ground. A sharp pain between his shoulder blades from the back of a blaster rifle followed for his troubles.

"Anyone who kills me or my friends will answer to Saw Gerrera," Jyn called.

A mummer spread across the group of rebels, each of them turning their heads to look at her. Jyn held her head high, daring any of them to question her.

"And why is that?" the Tognath asked.

"Because I am the daughter of Galen Erso," Jyn said defiantly.

There was a long pause as the Tognath stared her down. Jyn didn't so much as blink.

"Take them," he said.

Cassian was grabbed by the shoulders as a rough dark bag was placed over his head. He could hear the struggles of Sera and Jyn, but neither of them said anything. The only words that were said, were those of the guardian.

"Are you kidding me? I'm blind!"