Disclaimer: Though I am a fan of Star Wars I am not as well versed as many, so there very probably will be some discrepancies with my story. Please note that this entire story is a divergence from canon, so if you have a problem with some of my mistakes just think of it that way. Thank you!
4
lu·mi·nes·cence
the emission of light by a substance that has not been heated, as in fluorescence and phosphorescence.
Twenty minutes later when the sunlight from behind them had all but disappeared Cassian was cursing his lack of forethought-he should have tried to fashion some sort of torch before they decided to go spelunking through a cave.
"We should head back to the jungle so I can get us some light." Cassian said, not liking the total darkness that surrounded them.
"Wait." Jyn said suddenly, an idea forming in her mind. She dug into her shirt and pulled her Kyber crystal necklace out and held it between them. It glowed faintly in the darkness.
"If you think that that will give us enough light to see in this cave then I may need to check your temperature."
"Shh." She snapped and closed her eyes, focusing on her hands. She opened her eyes a moment later when Cassian gasped. The crystal glowed brighter, not enough to see quite yet but enough to illuminate their shocked faces.
"You try." Jyn whispered, afraid if she spoke too loudly that she'd ruin it.
"I can't I'm not Force sensitive-I never have been." Cassian took a step back.
"Neither have I. But we are both Force something now." Jyn grabbed Cassian's hand and dragged it to cover her hand which had the crystal clutched in it. "Just… breath and focus on the crystal. Think about your blood moving to your fingers and tingling there." She didn't know if he was explaining it very well but when the crystal glowed ever brighter she grinned at him.
"This is amazing." Cassian whispered as the tunnel around them became illuminated, allowing them to see where they were going.
It was awkward moving from there because they had their hands clasped in front of them, holding the crystal out, like some sort of silly tango. But it worked.
Ten minutes later they stumbled through the last set of vines and into a large cavern. Water flowed from somewhere above, creating an even larger waterfall than at the entrance to the cave that flowed through the tunnel behind them.
Jyn was busy looking at the waterfall when Cassian nudged her, gesturing to the rest of the cavern. Crystals lined the cave, all glowing faintly, illuminating the cavern.
"Kyber crystals." Jyn breathed, she'd never seen so many in one place. "How did the Empire never find this place?" She wondered aloud.
"Because the Empire overlooks the planet of Dagobah nine times out of ten." A familiar voice boomed through the cavern.
Jyn and Cassian shared a surprised look and squinted around the crystals which began to glow brighter than before. A figure emerged from a large cluster, glowing white. He was nearly see through and he glided up to them with a serene smile on his face.
"Chirrut!" Jyn shouted, beginning to run towards him but Cassian caught her around the waist, tugging her back to him. She nearly stomped on his foot but Chirrut held up a hand.
"You cannot touch me, even if you try Jyn Erso."
"How is this possible?" Cassian asked, not releasing a limp Jyn.
"I am one with the Force and the Force is one with me." Chirrut intoned simply. Cassian almost scoffed but caught himself. Of course that's what Chirrut would say.
"Is Baze with you?" Jyn asked, quickly collecting herself again.
Chirrut looked sad for a moment before he answered "No he is not, but I will be with him soon enough. I just need to relay a message."
"What?" Jyn and Cassian asked simultaneously.
That got a smile from their friend, "In good time, but first I must show you ticket off of this planet. Come." He began to float upwards.
Jyn and Cassian looked at one another and around the cave until they discovered an old stone staircase cut into the wall of the cavern. They hurried to follow the ascending monk, pushing webs and vines out of their way until they reached the top of the stairs.
They were back outside now, staring off of the edge of a cliff. Wind whipped their hair and the sun dipped low in the distance. Behind them was another section of the forest.
Cassian almost asked if Chirrut had lost his mind in death until his eyes came upon a moss covered rock. He stepped up to it and ran a hand over it, the moss fell away revealing a very old and very small ship.
"This is supposed to be our way off of this planet? This ship doesn't look like it's flown in years." Cassian asked the ghostly monk incredulously.
"I have faith that you can get it off of the ground." Chirrut hovered over a nearby rock, his legs crossed in the air. Cassian groaned and he and Jyn began to uncover the ship, trying to assess the damage if any.
"Jyn Erso, Cassian Andor," Chirrut's voice boomed suddenly causing them to jump. "Your purpose in the galaxy has not yet been fulfilled. You must head back to Lah'mu, there is something waiting for you there. You will know where to go from there."
"What do you mean 'we will know where to go from there'?" Jyn asked "Can you be a little more specific?"
But Chirrut was already fading, a mysterious smile plastered on his face. "Trust one another. I know you can do it. And do me one more favor, live your lives-it's not everyday that you get a second chance so don't waste it."
Then he was gone, leaving Jyn and Cassian standing next to an old and moss covered ship.
"That was…" Jyn began, a little dumbfounded.
"Cryptic." Cassian finished for her as he turned to the ship with a huge sigh.
"Do you think you can get it in the air?"
He plucked a large piece of moss off of the hull "I guess it will have to if we want to get off of this planet."
They worked together quietly for the next hour, clearing away the moss and the debris, until the light had finally faded from the horizon and they needed to light a fire in order to see.
"We have gotten it mostly cleared off," Cassian observed as he took a step back to gauge their progress "I'll open it up tomorrow and start getting an idea of what I need and can do."
Jyn nodded as she dropped another round of sticks near the fire for later. "In that case I'm going to go wash off in the river." She felt all grimy from their sweaty, humid, journey.
"Be careful." He called as she headed off towards the river, her crystal clutched in her hand. It was becoming increasingly easier for her to make it glow enough for her to see her way in the dark. When she reached rocky outcropping that pooled off from the flow of the river she was pleased to find more Kyber crystals sprinkled through the water. When she stripped off her clothes and stepped into the cool water the crystals lit up, their glow reaching out for her.
She waded into the middle of the pool until it the water was up to her waist dunked herself underneath, rubbing her hands through her hair in an attempt to dislodge the dirt and untangle her knotted hair.
When she finally came up for air she nearly screamed when she saw Chirrut floating above her.
"Chirrut I'm naked!" she gasped as she pushed through the water to grab her shirt.
"And I'm still blind." the force-ghost replied dryly. Still, Jyn covered herself with her shirt which was now soaked. "I just wanted to add one more thing for your ears only, Jyn Erso. You need to open yourself up-more so than ever."
Jyn opened her mouth to respond but Chirrut was already fading fast "Trust yourself and Cassian. Don't be afraid of things changing because they will more than likely change for the better."
Then he was gone, leaving Jyn standing in the middle of the pool with a wet shirt and a confused mind. "Why did he need to come back and repeat himself?" She mumbled to herself as she decided to scrub her shirt since it was already wet.
An hour later she emerged from the pool, cleaner but more thoughtful than when she had entered it. She held her wet shirt out in front of her and sighed, she'd just have to wear her tank top for the night until the shirt was dry.
"Have a good bath?" Cassian asked from a rock by the fire, he'd heated up some more of the stew that Master Yoda had given them and held out a small bowl to Jyn.
"Yes," she replied curtly, "And you should have one too, you stink." She moved past him to drape her shirt over a nearby rock before taking her soup and quietly eating it.
"Alright, you don't need to tell me twice. I'll be back soon." He stood and headed into the darkness, not wanting to stick around and ask what was making her so cranky.
Jyn sat by the fire and stared into it, thinking about Chirrut's words. She hadn't wanted to listen the first time either-how was she supposed to trust Cassian the way that the Force and everyone else wanted her to?
It was one thing when they were on a mission where their outcome of living was exactly zero. But in times like this? Too many other things got in the way, they were alive but that was it. As soon as they got off this planet and finished whatever they needed to do he could leave and continue being a rebel and Jyn could… she didn't know.
-LittleMoonLover-