The sound of blaster fire steadily increases as Cassian and Jyn wind their way through the base. Cassian's heart beats a steady, fast rhythm in his chest. They make their way through familiar corridors made unfamiliar by collapsed ceilings, pockmarks, and scraps of abandoned equipment. Every scrape of sound makes Cassian's fingers tighten around his blaster.
Cassian feels a clench of residual fear in his gut. Even though the attack was over a month ago, he can easily imagine these halls filled with Imperial stormtroopers and Jyn trying to drag his unconscious weight to safety.
He glances at her, sees the tight clench of her jaw, and decides not to say anything.
There will be time later, he tells himself, and ignores the real risk that they won't make it out.
He can't allow himself to think of that.
Without needing to discuss it, they follow the sounds of blaster fire to the base's main hanger. The door to the hanger is askew and the smell of plasma and burnt machinery seeps into the corridor.
Cassian risks a quick glance through the door to check the situation. It's not great. The Pathfinder team has been driven back to the edge of the hanger, sheltering behind pieces of abandoned equipment. A squad of stormtroopers cuts them off from the transport; the empty expanse of hanger offers no cover to hide behind. Another squad of stormtroopers advance on the transport itself, a pair of troopers manhandling a mobile weapons platform with enough power to punch through the U-Wing's hull.
Cassian trades a glance with Jyn. The odds are terrible. They both know it.
They've got the element of surprise, but that won't last for long, and two squads of stormtroopers are more than even they can handle.
The crunch of Imperial boots on snow from the corridor behind them makes their decision.
There's no way to go but forward.
They trade one last look, check their blasters, and lunge into the room.
They move together like dancers, long accustomed to each other's patterns. Cassian goes for the squad further from them, the one approaching the U-Wing. A blaster is not a sniper rifle, but his aim is true and they begin to fall. Jyn aims for the squad pinning down the Pathfinders, picking off four before they even realize what's happening.
They get only a few moments of surprise. Then the troopers turn and Jyn and Cassian's deadly dance becomes a lot more frenetic.
They press closer together for cover as blaster fire fills the air around them. Cassian's world narrows to the brush of their arms, the smell of burnt plastoid, the ache of his body, and the warmth of the blaster in his hands.
They angle towards the ship, firing steadily as they move. The ship is the goal and, sitting in the corner of Cassian's vision, he takes it at his beacon.
(Bodhi's on board. Bodhi has to be on board.)
He doesn't hear the shot, but he feels Jyn stumble. He catches her with one arm but can't turn to look.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she says and she's still firing but she doesn't let go of Cassian's arm.
He presses closer, offering support and cover. Neither of them slows.
They meet the Pathfinders halfway across the hanger. There's no time for greetings, even if Cassian does want to clasp Kes Dameron on the shoulder and offer a heartfelt thanks.
The remains of the first two squads are forming up with the third coming through the hanger door. They have the cannon set up and there's a brief lull in the shooting as they swing it into position.
"Time to run," Kes says.
Cassian's body protests every step as they pound across the hanger. He doesn't slow and he doesn't take his hands off Jyn.
The U-Wing's entry swings open and they tumble in. A bolt from the blaster cannon whines past them, missing the ship by only a few centimeters.
"Rook, get us out of here!" Kes shouts and the U-Wing surges into the air.
(Bodhi's here. Cassian's heart leaps and he feels Jyn's fingers tighten around his own.)
Cassian wants to collapse back against the floor, let the tension seep out of his body, and just be. It feels like Scarif all over again, a desperate run to an unlooked-for miracle and the sudden release of knowing they made it.
But they're not done yet.
"The ship," he murmurs to Jyn, and she flaps her hand in agreement.
He drags his pack to his side.
"Our ship's fine," Kes says, braced against an overhanging bin and watching them both with kind eyes.
"Not ours," Cassian says. He pulls out his comm and flips it to the frequency Jyn had given him, then presses the transmit button.
For a moment, nothing happens, then one of the Pathfinders pressed against the ship's viewports lets out a low whistle.
"That's quite the bang," he says.
Kes leans forward to look out the window and Cassian twists to do the same.
Echo Base is growing increasingly smaller in the viewport but the fiery glow of the burning Imperial ship is still clearly visible.
Kes blinks and then grins, looking over to Jyn.
"What did you use to get that?" he asks.
She grins back just as wide. "Blaster cell and a couple ration packs," she says.
Kes looks taken aback for a second, then his grin stretches impossibly wider. "You'll have to show me how to do that," he says.
Jyn's expression turns contemplative and teasing. "Don't know if that's a good idea," she says. "Don't think your wife would be too happy if you blew your fingers off."
Kes laughs and shakes his head, turning to check on his team and letting Jyn and Cassian press together and breath.
"We made it," Jyn says.
Cassian nods and wraps an arm around her shoulders.
"We all made it," he says.
She glances up at the U-Wing's cockpit where the curve of Bodhi's shoulder and his mess of dark hair secured in a tail are visible over the seat back.
"We did," she says and tips her head back against his shoulder.
Home, Cassian thinks and lets the sight of the two people most important to him in the galaxy lull him to sleep.