So I'm trying my hand at a star wars story. I was very fustrated with the number of deaths in the Erso's family in Rogue one. I loved them all, and will therefore try to change things. I am leaving my usual character behind in favour of a new one. Please leave some comments !

It should have been a good day; I was giddy when my mentor, Lieutenant Director Krennic, told me we were going to retrieve Galen Erso. That man held no title, no rank, nor anything that could have been remotely significant in the all the empire's positions except for his brain. That man was a genius, and, according to my mentor, his friend.

I knew little of the reasons why he was away; I was not privy to this information. And albeit I respected my mentor and was eternally grateful for picking me up and offering me this bright future in the research section, Director Krennic was a man who didn't overly share. He had been kind and supportive when my mother died, watching over me from afar, making sure I made it into his team of scientists. His appreciation of my skills in the crystal research meant a lot to me; his support, had, many a time, insured my survival. He had also ensured I was given the necessary training to defend myself. It gave me a new purpose, a sense of power I had never felt before. From a great brain, I became capable of killing and incapacitate. I trained both body and mind daily, growing in power, growing in knowledge. It was easier to be deadly when treading in this world of men; being a lovely woman in her mid-twenties would have been much more uncomfortable had Director Krennic not insisted upon this training.

So now, whenever one of my fellow scientists mocked me or scorned my findings, I could stand my ground with confidence.

I'd always been in an awkward position; too bright for my age, too grave. I had too many questions to ask, too many whys. I needed to redemonstrate everything I was presented for the sake of understanding. My brain just didn't work like the others did, overlooking things that seemed weird to my fellow scientist, and digging into theories that were obvious to them. This difference had caused me to adapt; with my strange vision of things, I had to think twice as fast to settle the basics in my brain. What teachers gave me for granted, I worked, twisted, looked at it at every possible angle before I could integrate it. But once it was done, I knew more about said theory than anyone else.

Luckily, I needed little sleep. Year after year, my knowledge grew. Bound by my father's career with the republic and my promise to a dying mother to remain true and work hard, I became any laboratory's bane. I asked too much and accepted too little. And sometimes, my stubbornness and different vision caused a breakthrough everyone had overlooked. My thirst for knowledge gave me little time for romance and emotion. There was no place for feelings, except for respect. I respected the people I worked with, until I moved past them, and realised they were not as great as I thought. So far, no one had been able to keep me interested more than a few years. Every single time, I outgrew my admiration, moving from one subject to the next. Outgrew their knowledge as well.

But Galen Erso was another character. A genius, a pacifist – so weird. I had worked on his notes for a long time, trying to stabilise the chain reaction of the Kyber crystals with fellow scientists. I became, soon enough, an expert in the problem, especially thanks to Erso's notes. They were disorganised and complex, more obscure than any religious' mantras. But my difference brought me to break through many of his discoveries. Unfortunately, my arrogance had brought me to a stop. No matter how intelligent I thought I was, this man was greater than I would ever be. His mind, unprobed, could reason and form more advanced theories than mine. I was at a setback, and it didn't even piss me off; my admiration for the man only grew.

So when Krennic burst into the facility, stating that the great Galen Erso was going to take over the group and resume his research, and that I, Elya Talatheen, would be his second in command, my heart leapt into my throat. My hands trembled upon my vest when I passed my uniform that day, my long, reddish hair braided tightly. Director Krennic smiled at me when I boarded his private shuttle – he was very high in the chain of command under Emperor Palpatine now – and I responded with a giddy expression. The man's blue eyes twinkled a moment, catching my uneasiness, then a cold mask settled upon his face; eight storm trooper, dressed in black, followed me inside. The price of being high in the chain of command.

I shrugged. I knew Krennic rather well, by now. He had made me spy material rather than restrict me to a scientist's role. I knew that coldness and sharpness of mind made a good Director; he had taught me as much. Emotions should be held in check to avoid the enemy any leeway. What confused me, though, was that Galen Erso was supposed to be his long-time friend. Shouldn't he feel as giddy as I was to retrieve the man? Were all those soldiers necessary, or was he expecting an ambush along the way ?

Something was amiss, I could feel it in the air. And if I had shut down my emotional outbursts a long time ago, following the career that my parents had laid before me, I wasn't impervious to them. Nor did I miss the tension in the cabin as we set off into hyperspace. Perhaps we had to travel through the alliance's territory; it must be it that set people on edge. I zoned out in my own little world as we flew, low voices coming from the cabin, until Krennic emerged and locked eyes with me. I was surprised when he sighed, and sat on the bench beside me, his eyes still assessing me. And damn, he could pierce one's soul when he wanted.

— "Elya," he said.

My head cocked aside; the use of my first name, used with fondness, only happened in private. So very scarcely that he might have used it no more than a dozen times.

— "Yes, Director?"

— "Ah, none of that here. There is a matter I have not mentioned to your colleagues."

I nodded. I wasn't about to drop the formalities, even with an invitation. The galactic empire was becoming more military prone to the second given the war with the rebels. He was just showing me courtesy, and trying to use the bond we shared. That of a mentor and his affection for his charge. Somehow, and despite the thirteen years that separated us, Krennic had been quite a father figure.

— "Galen Erso might have qualms joining our crew again."

— "Why would he object?" I naively wondered. "This is the completion of his life's research?"

The Director gave me an indulgent smile, seeing the young woman, infatuated with science that he had recruited straight out of school.

— "Remember how Galen is a fierce pacifist?"

I refrained the urge to roll my eyes there; those idealists couldn't fathom that a war needed fighters and sacrifice. I had asked, so many different ways, why Erso had abandoned his research in the first place, but all I had received until then were scornful glances, and a few words from my mentor about he wanting to protect his daughter after facing death during the clone wars. A trauma, perhaps. One I couldn't possibly relate with; fighting wasn't about fear, it was about skill.

— "Is that the reason why he left his research behind?", I asked again.

— "One of the reasons, yes. And we might face a little resistance to reintegrate him into our team. His wife doesn't like us much."

A weight settled in my stomach, this little setback was graver than I had thought. To learn that my idol wasn't about to join us willingly caused my nervousness to peak.

— "But we need him!" I pleaded, catching myself an instant later.

Director Krennic gave me a nod, choosing to ignore my outburst.

— "I know. This is why you are here. You are a brilliant girl, Elya. You can convince him, I am sure."

I blanched, swallowing my incredulous retort at once. It wouldn't do for me, a trained woman, to show how unconvinced I was by this plan. Who was I to go against such a legend? Especially if his wife did not agree? What about their daughter? How old was she now?

I had trouble understanding what it meant to be a father, or even a mother. My time had been dedicated to the betterment of the mind and the training of my body. Excellence, at every step. Matters of the heart didn't touch me. All I knew is that mothers and fathers killed for their children, but even now, I had forgotten what it was to have loving parents. Not that my father had been very loving in the first place, and the affection shown by my own mother had been conditional to success. This love, this bond that held families together held little sway over me. It felt like knowing that fire burnt without ever feeling the sting of it. A theoretical issue.

— "I shall do my best, Director, to sway him if he objects."

— "I'm sure you will, Elya. You are my best asset."

His words unsettled me, but I took pride in them. All this had work was about to come to fruition. So when the shuttle landed on the outskirts of what looked like a farm, I gathered my poise and let the calm wash over me. This was a historical moment. The moment I met my idol, the man I'd seen as a hologram for years. The most important moment of my life.

But I couldn't imagine just how life changing this event was going to be.