Disclaimer:
The following is a work of fanfiction. All characters and situations belonging to the Star Wars saga are copyrighted to Lucasfilm Ltd. and the Walt Disney Company. Everything else, including original characters, are of my own creation.
Author's Notes:
It's taken a little while due to a very busy schedule, but I have completed the second part of my story! It's a bit lengthy and nothing too exciting happens, but it sets up the rest of the story. My main villain, Mirella, does not make an appearance.
There is one reference to an event from "Rebel Rising" by Beth Revis.
Although this story is a follow-up to my "Rogue One" AU "Chances," all other canon events follow the movies. The timeframe for the story is a year and a half after "Return of the Jedi."
Here is the "cast" for the new original characters first appearing in this part of the story:
Piter Yyse...Corin Nemec
Larg Sonin...Tanner Zagarino
Nicrae Linner...Panos Vlahos
Mentioned only:
Mirella Reedl...Lindsay Hartley
Erik Rydel...Jason-Shane Scott
All questions and comments may be sent to me at my e-mail address. Please see my author profile for details.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.
Jyn smiled contentedly as she sat down at the kitchen table next to Ashlyra, who was happily eating her breakfast.
She had woken up feeling very, very good. It had been two weeks since Ashlyra's last nightmare, and after waiting over a week to make sure the dreams had stopped (there were no words to describe how relieved she was that they were gone for now) and that Ashlyra would spend the entire night in her own bed, she and Cassian had resumed working on their, as he liked to call it, "project:" baby number two. Last night had been particularly amazing and she was convinced that they had finally succeeded in making a baby. She just had a very strong feeling...
But a feeling was, unfortunately, not a fact and she knew better than to get ahead of herself. This was not the first time she'd been so sure that she was pregnant only for it to turn out not to be true. Although she and Cassian had only been actively trying for a second child for about four months, she still hadn't gotten used to the disappointment each time she'd gotten her monthly cycle or a negative test result. Cassian kept telling her to be patient, that it would happen when it would happen, but she wanted another baby very badly. (She didn't understand why she hadn't gotten pregnant yet. She and Cassian were very certain that Ashlyra had been conceived their very first time together. So why was it taking so long to get pregnant a second time?) She was adamant that Ashlyra not be an only child like she had been.
Over the years she had often wondered how different her life would have been if she had had a sibling to share it with. If she had had someone with her from the moment Mama and Papa had been stolen from her. Someone who would have kept her company in that dark bunker while waiting to be rescued. Someone who would have felt her same devastating loss. Someone who would have never abandoned her.
And kept her from feeling the despair and loneliness she had known for most of her life...
Cassian was the first person since her parents who had made her feel safe and loved. But they did not have the shared history that she would have had with a brother or a sister. She could tell Cassian what life with her parents had been like, but a sibling would have already known. She wanted Ashlyra to have that kind of relationship in her life. It meant everything to her that her firstborn be spared from even the possibility of going through what she had.
"I'm all finished, Mama!" Ashlyra announced, cutting into Jyn's thoughts as she pushed her empty plate away. "It's time to go swimming!"
Jyn tried not to laugh at the loud declaration. Ashlyra said the exact same thing at the exact same time every weekend during the warm seasons, one of which they were currently in the middle of. She absolutely loved the water, the beach being her favorite place on the entire planet, and she had a hard time waiting to be taken swimming. (There was no question she had inherited her mother's impatience.) In fact, she had attempted to walk to the beach herself more than once after getting tired of waiting, scaring both her parents to death when they couldn't find her. (The beach was a twenty-five minute speeder ride away. It would have been a long and difficult walk for an adult and an impossible one for a small child.) She was especially eager to go now that she was learning to swim on her own.
"Papa and I aren't ready yet, baby," Jyn informed her as Cassian sat down at the table, bringing his and Jyn's food with him. "We have to eat first and then we have to do our morning chores, remember? Then we'll go swimming."
"But I want to go now!" Ashlyra pouted. "I'm ready now!"
"But we're not, little one," Cassian calmly told her. "You finished your breakfast and we haven't even started eating. Don't you think it's only fair that we get to eat too?"
Ashlyra seemed to consider this. "Yes..."
"And don't we always take you swimming when we say we will?" he continued.
"Yes..."
"So why would you think today would be any different?" he pointedly questioned.
The little girl shrugged.
"Why don't you go play and we'll let you know when it's time to get ready," he suggested. "It won't be too long. I promise."
"Okay!" Ashlyra happily agreed, her mood easily shifting, a trait she had inherited from her father.
She pushed herself away from the table, jumped out of her chair, and skipped out of the kitchen.
When she was out of hearing range, Jyn and Cassian burst out laughing.
"Wow," Jyn sighed, shaking her head. "Just wow. Every single week. You'd think she'd know the morning routine by now."
"Oh, I'm pretty sure she does," Cassian pointed out with a smile. "She's a smart one, that girl of ours. She just likes the extra attention it gets her."
"I think you're right," she agreed, taking a bite of her breakfast. "She always has liked being the center of attention. She definitely didn't get that from me!"
"Oh, really? So what do you call giving that big speech to the High Council back before we went to Scarif?" he playfully countered. "All eyes were definitely on you."
"I was really, really mad at them," she defended herself. "They were calling Papa a liar. And what would you know about that anyway? Weren't you busy gathering your team?"
"I may have caught the tail end of it," he admitted. "You, my love, were very compelling."
She snorted. "Yeah, right. They still didn't do a thing until we were already there. My yelling at them didn't make one bit of difference. And you are changing the subject. One speech doesn't make me an attention seeker."
"Only one? I seem to recall a second speech after we landed on Scarif," he informed her. "Something about taking chances."
"Okay, so I made two speeches," she conceded. "That still doesn't mean I like to be the center of attention. Tell me, when in the last five years have I ever done anything like that again?"
"All right, I'll give you that," he accepted. "There haven't been any other speeches. But, my love, you can't deny that there have been some incidents where you've gone out of your way to get my attention."
She tried very hard not to laugh. He definitely had her there. (She had definitely become a bit of a shameless flirt over the years. It was fun and it always got a reaction from him.) "That still doesn't mean Ashlyra got it from me!"
"Oh, so I'm the reason our daughter is like this, huh?" he teasingly shot back. "Considering my entire job depended on not being noticed, I highly doubt that."
"Except when you wanted to be," she pointed out, unable to keep from smiling. "And I can think of quite a few times when you most definitely wanted me to notice you.
"Like last night."
Cassian had been the one to initiate the lovemaking right as they were getting ready for bed. He had started kissing her just as she was about to get undressed and then he had removed her clothes for her...
He smiled back and reached across the table to take her hand.
"What can I say? I have a weakness for my beautiful wife. I need to be the center of your world."
"And I need to be the center of yours," she replied, squeezing his hand. "I love you."
"I love you too."
"Thank you again for last night," she told him seriously. "It was...amazing."
He picked up her hand and kissed it. "You are very welcome."
They fell into a comfortable silence, just taking a moment to enjoy each other's company.
"Now," she began again, "back to our overly dramatic, attention-seeking dau-"
The sound of an incoming call on Cassian's office holocomm interrupted her, instantly dissipating their light mood.
They exchanged a look. There were only two people who knew his private comm code. And they hadn't been expecting a call from either of them.
"I'll be right back," he said as he got up from the table.
"Okay," she replied, wondering why either Bodhi or General Draven would be calling them not only so far ahead of the normal scheduled time, but so early in the morning.
They had a standing appointment for Bodhi to call them every few months. He was the one who kept them up-to-date in galactic happenings. Unlike Jyn, he had officially joined the Alliance after Scarif as a transport pilot. After the war ended, he had continued to work directly for the New Republic government. He had recently been granted the rank of lieutenant commander and he had settled down on the current capital planet of Chandrila. He had visited them a few times over the years and Ashlyra adored her "Uncle Bodhi."
It was even rarer to hear from Draven and they were usually told by Bodhi when to expect a call from him. (Draven had never quite forgiven Cassian for resigning from the Alliance, but he'd respected his decision and he'd, in his own way, wanted to remain a part of Cassian's life.) He'd visited them exactly once and that had been right after Ashlyra had been born.
Jyn had long ago forgiven him for ordering Papa's death (she had understood his reasoning, as flawed as it had been) and she understood what he meant to Cassian. Draven was Cassian's Saw, a second father who had made him who he was today. Cassian had explained to her how Draven had personally recruited him into the Alliance and overseen his training as an Intelligence operative. Although it didn't outwardly appear to be the case (Draven was even better at concealing his emotions than Cassian was), they were close.
She hoped that there was an innocent reason for the unscheduled call, such as Bodhi wanting to share news about his personal life with them.
Because if there wasn't...
"Mama?"
Jyn looked to see Ashlyra standing in the kitchen in her bathing suit.
"Who's Papa talking to?" she asked.
"I don't know yet, baby," Jyn truthfully told her. She only knew who it could possibly be and she didn't want her to get excited if it wasn't "Uncle Bodhi." (The two of them had bonded almost immediately. Jyn constantly teased him about having a child of his own instead of hijacking hers.) "Shall we go find out?"
"Okay!" the little girl agreed as Jyn stood up and took her by the hand.
But before they could exit the kitchen, Cassian returned.
The expression on his face told her everything she needed to know.
The reason for the call had not been innocent...
"That was Bodhi," he informed her. "He's on his way here now with General Draven. They've just entered orbit."
"What? Why?"
For both of them to be coming here now, without any warning...
"Bodhi wouldn't say," Cassian told her. "He just told me that it's something I have to be told in person."
"Any idea what it could be about?" she asked, extremely concerned.
"None whatsoever," he answered. "But if it's important enough for Draven to personally come all the way out here...
"It can't be good."
((()))
Cassian stood with Ashlyra in his arms and Jyn at his side as the ramp extended from Bodhi's ship.
His mind raced with all kinds of possible reasons for this unexpected and unannounced visit and none of them were good. Draven would not have come here in person if the issue wasn't extremely urgent and a matter of Republic security. Although it had been a condition of his resignation that he be available to consult with on the planning of complicated missions (something he had excelled at during his tenure in Intelligence. Thankfully, he had only been called upon twice since his resignation and both instances had occurred during the first year), he'd always been able to give his input via holocomm. The fact that Draven felt that the issue was too sensitive to be shared over a call was a bad sign in and of itself.
The hatch opened and Draven and Bodhi appeared in the opening.
"Uncle Bodhi!" Ashlyra happily called out as soon as she saw him and started trying to wiggle out of Cassian's arms.
"Hey there, Ash!" Bodhi greeted her with a wave.
"Let me take her," Jyn said and he passed the squirming girl into her arms.
"Settle down, little one," he urged her, kissing the top of her head. "You can see Uncle Bodhi in a minute."
Jyn kissed her as well and then murmured something in her ear that was too soft for Cassian to hear, but it had an immediate calming effect on Ashlyra and she quieted down. (Jyn would tell him what she'd said to Ashlyra later. She'd most likely promised her something that she'd been asking for, such as a new toy or a treat. The little girl was very easy to please.)
Jyn then gave him a small smile, which he returned before shifting his attention to their visitors, who were walking down the ramp.
He moved forward to meet them at the bottom.
"General," he greeted Draven. "Bodhi," he nodded at his friend. "Andor," Draven replied, extending his hand.
Cassian accepted and gave him a firm handshake. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"Let's go talk in private," Draven told him without preamble.
It was a strange thing to say. Draven knew that he could speak freely around Jyn. She was aware of the consultation agreement and she was cleared to hear any sensitive information. There was no reason to hide anything from her.
He shared a look with Jyn before returning his attention to Draven. "Any reason you don't want Jyn to hear this?"
"It's about Tyrat," Draven simply stated, taking him by complete surprise.
Tyrat.
Mirella.
Cassian was too shocked to respond. What were the odds that Draven would show up to talk about Tyrat less than a month after Ashlyra's horrifying nightmare? There was no way that this was a coincidence.
Although he had always been aware of the Force, he had not been much of a believer until he had fathered a highly Force-sensitive daughter. Over the years, he had learned to take her visions seriously. The fact that she had dreamed of his torture at the hands of that monster...
He was being warned.
After ten years, Mirella Reedl was about to make a reappearance in his life.
He became immediately ill at the realization.
The idea that she could come anywhere near his family...
"Ashlyra, why don't you show Uncle Bodhi all the new things you've gotten since he last visited?" Jyn spoke up, breaking into his whirling thoughts.
He turned to see her putting the little girl down.
"But I want to go swimming!" Ashlyra protested, putting her hands on her hips. "You promised!"
"We'll still go swimming later," Jyn assured her as she moved closer to Cassian and placed a comforting hand on his back. She always knew when something was bothering him. (He had not told her the name of the planet where his mission with Mirella took place, but she was about to find out.) "Mama and Papa have to speak with General Draven first. Then we'll go swimming."
"Come on, Ash," Bodhi said, coming over and offering her his hand. "I bet you have some great new toys."
"Thank you," Jyn mouthed at him and Bodhi nodded.
Ashlyra took a moment to think things over before saying asking, "Can Uncle Bodhi go swimming with us?"
Cassian, having used this small distraction to collect himself, said, "We'll see, little one. He and the general may not be able to stay that long."
"Aww!" Ashlyra pouted. "That's not fair! I never get to see him!"
"You're seeing me now," Bodhi pointed out, again holding out his hand to her. "And I really want to see your new stuff."
"Okay!" the little girl finally relented, taking his hand. "Let's go!"
Jyn removed her hand from Cassian's back and reached for one of his, grasping it as Ashlyra excitedly began dragging Bodhi towards the house, chattering away non-stop as they went.
"Are you okay?" she quietly asked him.
He nodded. "Tyrat is where I met Mirella."
Jyn's eyes widened at the revelation.
Before she could say anything in response, he returned his attention to Draven. "Jyn knows all about Tyrat and Mirella. I told her what happened there. What's going on, General? Why are you here?"
A part of him was afraid to know what had brought him here. Anything involving Mirella's home planet...
"The Tyratian High Council has contacted the New Republic," Draven informed him. (He doubted Mirella had anything to do with the High Council. Could he possibly have misinterpreted Ashlyra's vision? She was, after all, only four-years-old and the Force was communicating with her using images from her parents' lives. Maybe the dream had only meant to refer to the planet and not Mirella herself. Maybe it hadn't been a warning after all...) "They've formally asked to join."
It was a definitely unexpected piece of news. Tyrat was well-known for its unfavorable opinion of governments, which was why it had come to the Alliance's attention in the first place. Why would it suddenly want to join the New Republic? And why was Draven telling him? (He and Jyn had absolutely no ties to the New Republic. Lah'mu was an independent Outer Rim world that didn't even have its own united planetary government.)
"I'm surprised to hear that," he commented. "Leader Reedl was very adamant about staying out of galactic politics when I knew him. I wonder what-"
"Bustrn Reedl died over a year ago," Draven interrupted him. "Tyrat has a new leader now."
"Mirella," Cassian breathed, stunned by the news.
Her father had not been that old. It was a tragedy that he had died. (Though not as tragic as the fate of the planet in Mirella's hands...) He had been a good man and a good leader.
A good father...
"The request to join the New Republic is actually from the new Leader Reedl herself," Draven added. "She is the one who urged the High Council to petition for membership."
Cassian had no response to that. It sounded so unlike the Mirella he remembered, who had been extremely selfish and self-centered. She had never shown any interest in governing her planet. He supposed inheriting the leadership position from her late father could have changed all that, but he had a hard time believing it. (No one as evil and cruel as Mirella could change so easily.) And why the sudden decision to join the New Republic? It didn't make any sense.
But what made even less sense was why Draven was telling him about it. What did any of this have to do with him?
"However, she has a certain condition that must be met before she'll even agree to come to the capitol for a meeting," Draven said when Cassian remained silent.
"You."
"What?" he questioned, not exactly sure what he was being told. He felt Jyn tighten her grip on his hand and he turned to look at her. Her face had grown noticeably pale. "I don't-"
"Leader Reedl has demanded that you be there in person for the duration of the negotiations," Draven explained. "And she mentioned you by name.
"Your real name."
"Cassian..." Jyn gasped, grabbing his hand even harder than before.
Suddenly, there was no question of the meaning of Ashlyra's nightmare.
It had been a warning.
As impossible as it seemed, Mirella knew who he was.
And she wanted him on Chandrila.
And there could only be one reason for that: she wanted to punish him for leaving her all of those years ago.
He had never forgotten what she'd done to Khyrin Bastan for simply breaking up with her.
But what he had done to her was much worse...
And knowing Mirella, the fact that it had been ten years didn't even matter.
Suddenly, an icy fear unlike anything he had ever known took hold in his heart.
If she knew who he was, she might know that he was married.
That he had a daughter...
What if she had something worse in mind than just killing him?
What if she went after Jyn and Ashlyra...
But how could she have found out his real identity?
He'd left no trace...
"How is that even possible?" he wanted to know, trying to keep the terror out of his voice. (He was out of practice when it came to hiding his emotions. It was a skill he hadn't needed to utilize for the past five years.) "You know me, General. I would never have left anything behind and I've never returned to Tyrat in the ten years since. I was very thorough in eliminating all traces of my presence. I would have never left anything that could have led back to me or the Rebellion. It doesn't make sense how she could have identified me after all of this time."
But what was more disturbing than her discovery of his true identity was the fact that she had to have been looking for him to find it. She had only known him by his alias "Dominik Telor." How could she have connected his cover identity to his real one? As far as he knew, it would have been an impossible task. The name "Cassian Andor" was found in very few places. Until five years ago, the only records of his existence had been in classified Alliance files. Anything public would have been related to his multiple aliases. After his resignation, he had started openly living under his name, but only on Lah'mu. And Lah'mu was an isolated world that did not interact with the rest of the galaxy.
How could she have found him?
And, more importantly, how long had she known who he really was?
How long had she been planning her revenge?
"I have people looking into it as we speak," Draven assured him. "If there was a breach into our secure networks, it will be found. But that takes time. And Leader Reedl is very insistent about your attendance at the negotiations, which begin in two days. She refuses to come to Chandrila unless she has confirmation that you are already there. She says she will withdraw her membership petition if you aren't on the planet."
"Good riddance," Jyn commented, not even trying to hide her hatred of this person she'd never met. "Who needs her? Based on what Cassian told me about this woman, the New Republic will be better off without her and her planet."
"Unfortunately, Chancellor Mothma and the Senate disagree with you," Draven informed her. "Tyrat is a very wealthy world with numerous industries and exports that they feel will be assets to the New Republic. It is imperative to them that the planet joins the government." He turned his attention directly to Cassian. "Chancellor Mothma has instructed me to bring you back to the capital any way I can. I am authorized to grant any request you may have that will ensure your cooperation."
"Why don't we go inside and talk," Cassian replied, already knowing that he would be going to Chandrila. (Without Jyn and Ashlyra. He would not let Mirella get anywhere near them...) Draven wasn't going to leave without him. Direct orders from the head of the New Republic could not be disobeyed.
No matter how much he wished they could...
"No, you can't seriously be-" Jyn started.
"I don't have a choice," he gently cut her off.
"Of course you do!" she insisted, yanking her hand from his and taking a step back from him. "Cassian, from what you told me about her, she probably has some kind of revenge in mind to get back at you for leaving her. That's probably the only reason she wants you there. You go and she's going to hurt you, I know it."
"That's why I've asked to be allowed to reinstate him into the military," Draven interjected before he could respond and they both turned their attention back to him. "My request was granted by the Chancellor herself. Andor, I have also promoted you to the rank of major, which you were due for before you resigned. As a high ranking officer, you'll be permitted to carry weapons on your person at all times, including inside of the senate complex. You will also have the Republic security and local police forces at your disposal. Any protection you feel you need, you will be able to order."
"Thank you, sir," he managed, stunned by the unexpected gift.
In all of the years he had known the general, Draven had never given anyone anything that wasn't earned. Intelligence operatives advanced by proving themselves on missions. The more missions completed successfully, the more authority and autonomy an agent was awarded. For the general to both reinstate and promote him...simply for his own protection... It spoke volumes about how Draven felt about him. (Though Draven would never outwardly admit to such things. He had a reputation as a dispassionate and pragmatic officer to maintain.)
As a military officer, Cassian would have authority in almost any given situation. If Mirella tried anything...
"Let's go inside and work out the details," he said after a moment.
He reached out for Jyn's hand, but she didn't take his, a sign that she was very upset with him.
And she would be even more upset when he told her that he wanted her and Ashlyra to stay behind.
Mirella was not going to get anywhere near his family. He didn't care if anything happened to him as long as Jyn and Ashlyra were safe.
They were all that mattered to him.
"Lead the way, Major," Draven said and Cassian began walking towards the house.
Jyn walked slightly behind him, another indicator of how upset she was.
There was no question that there was going to be a heated argument later.
((()))
"Absolutely not!" Jyn hotly informed her husband in no uncertain terms as she paced back and forth. "You are not leaving me and Ashlyra behind! We go together or you don't go at all!"
She and Cassian were alone in their bedroom, having excused themselves from Draven when she began to fight with him on the issue. Not wanting to argue in front of the general, they had gone to have it out in private.
"I don't want you or Ashlyra anywhere near that woman," Cassian insisted, his voice calm. "I told you what kind of person Mirella is and what she does to those who anger or displease her. If this whole negotiation is a ploy to get at me like we think it is, I wouldn't put it past her to go after the two of you as a way of hurting me. I'll feel better knowing that both of you are safe at home."
"And what about you?" Jyn countered, stopping to directly face him. "Why is it all right for you to knowingly walk into a dangerous situation while we stay here? Why shouldn't you get to be safe, too?"
It drove her crazy how he could be so ridiculously overprotective of her and Ashlyra but when it came to his own personal safety, he barely gave it a second thought. She hated how he seemed to value their lives so far above his own. Why didn't he think his life mattered as much as theirs? It was why she was so angry at his unilateral decision that he should go to Chandrila alone. How dare he decide that it was okay for him to jump head-first into a situation that could possibly lead to his death!
Because that was what she was terrified was going to happen.
That Mirella was going to kill him...
"Jyn..." he sighed. "You heard Draven. These negotiations are top priority for the New Republic and they aren't going to happen if I'm not there. Mirella has made that perfectly clear. I have to go. You and Ashlyra don't."
"As if I'm going to let you face that monster by yourself!" she shot back. "There's no way in all of the hells, Cassian. None! It's all of us or none of us. Get that through that stubborn head of yours!"
She knew him too well to even consider backing down on this issue. If he believed that she and Ashlyra were out of Mirella's reach, he was more likely to do something foolish, like confront her directly, consequences be damned. And that could possibly be the last mistake he ever made. Because once Mirella had him in her clutches...
A sudden thought struck her, one even more terrifying than just the possibility of Cassian's death: what if Mirella didn't just want him dead?
What if she wanted him to suffer?
And she'd had ten years to perfect her revenge...
"Stubborn? You're calling me stubborn?" he incredulously wanted to know. "Look who's talking!"
"And your point is?" she countered, trying to push aside the horrifying possibilities of what could happen if she wasn't there to protect him, to keep him safe. "I am not backing down, Cassian. If you go, I go. End of story. So what's it going to be? Are we all going or are we all staying?"
"What about Ashlyra?" he deflected with his own question instead of answering hers. He was still keeping his voice calm, hiding the emotions that she knew were driving his determination to keep her and Ashlyra safe at home. She knew he was afraid as she was, if not even more so. "What about our daughter? If you are honestly telling me that you feel comfortable bringing her into a situation where her life will be in danger, then you clearly aren't thinking this through. Because if you are-"
"Oh, don't you dare use our daughter to try to change my mind!" she cut him off, recognizing his tactic for what it was. He was trying to get her to shift her focus onto Ashlyra's safety instead of his own. (Thank the Force she hadn't gotten a chance to mention the possibility of a pregnancy. If he even thought she might be carrying a baby, nothing she could say would sway him.) If he thought that was going to work... "Believe me, bringing her is the last thing I want to do, but there is no other choice. You, of all people, should know that. We have no one to leave her with, do we? She has to come with us. Besides, I can't think of a safer place for her to be than with us."
"I can," he interjected. "Right here at home. With you."
She made a loud sound of frustration and threw up her hands as she walked away from him.
How was she going to get through to him? She needed to be there! She needed to protect him! But he was too blinded by his own need to protect them that he couldn't...
"What if we aren't safe here?" she suddenly questioned as an idea came to mind. If she was right about Mirella wanting him to suffer... She turned to face him again. "What if separating us is exactly what Mirella wants to happen?"
"Wh-what?" he responded and she could tell she had caught him off guard by the uncertain look that briefly appeared on his face. "What are you-?"
"You've been adamant that Mirella doesn't know about me and Ashlyra," she quickly continued before he could redirect the conversation. "That she would only learn about us if we went with you. But what if she already knows? Neither you nor Draven know how she found out your real name when she only knew you by an alias. And until five years ago, there were no records of you outside of the Alliance. But for the past five years, you've been living openly as Cassian Andor. And all records of you mention your wife and daughter.
"As well as where we live."
"Jyn..."
"She could have known about us for a very long time," she pressed on, hoping that this would be the end to his resistance. "She could have been planning her revenge against you for a very long time. And what better way to get it then to go after your family while you aren't there? While you're on Chandrila, she could-"
"Jyn, no!" he cut her off and she knew she'd succeeded in rattling him by the emotion in his voice. "Tha-that won't happen! Mirella is..." He paused, taking a few breaths to get himself back under control. (After all these years, it still amazed her that he could do that.) "She's not a planner. It's not her style. She likes everything done immediately. She doesn't have the patience for what you're suggesting."
"It's been ten years, Cassian," she pointed out. "A lot can change in ten years."
"I doubt anyone can change that much," he stated, dismissing the possibility. "And I know what you're trying to do, Jyn, and it isn't going to work. I'm not changing my mind. You and Ashlyra are staying here and that's final."
"No!" she shot back, her anger and frustration flaring back up. "You can't do that to me! I need to be there, Cassian! Please! I can't let you face her alone! I won't!"
It was his turn to make a frustrated sound. "Why are you fighting me on this? Please, Jyn, please! Just stay here where it's safe. For Ashlyra's sake. For me. Please."
"I don't want you to die!" she finally burst out, no longer able to keep her true fear hidden from him. Tears began to fall from her eyes. "I can't lose you, Cassian! I can't! And that's exactly what's going to happen if-"
She was cut off as he immediately came over to her and pulled her into his arms.
"Oh, my love," he murmured as he held her tightly against him. "Is that what's this is about? Oh, Force, Jyn. I had no... I didn't..."
"I'm so scared for you," she quietly said as she cried. "What you told me about her... I just know she wants you dead."
"So do I," he admitted as he tightened his arms around her. "And that's why I don't want you or Ashlyra anywhere near her. I don't want either of you around if she tries any-"
"But that's just it!" she cut him off, pushing herself away so she could look directly into his face. "I want to be there so I can protect you! She won't be able to hurt you if-"
"Jyn," he cut her off in return, placing his hands on her arms to keep her where she was. "I need you to listen to me very carefully, my love. I know you don't want to hear this, but you and Ashlyra are more important to me than anything. Even my own life."
"Cassian, no!"
"Yes," he reiterated. "If I have to die, I'd feel better knowing that the two loves of my life are safe and out of any danger." He took one of his hands and began to wipe the tears from her face. "I am not going with the intention of getting killed, I promise. I want to come back to you and Ashlyra more than anything. But I have no idea how Mirella is going to react when she sees me after all this time. And if the two of you are there... I'm so afraid... Please stay. For me. Please."
"No," she told him again. "I won't. I can't. You're the first person that I've loved that I haven't... Before you, everyone I have ever loved has died. Everyone! I'm not losing you too. I can't! You're everything to me, Cassian. If you die... I don't know... I need to be there so I can protect you. Please, my love, let me do this. Please."
She didn't know what else she could say to convince him to change his mind. She had exhausted her list of arguments. If he still wanted to leave her behind with Ashlyra, she would have no choice but to give in.
Cassian pulled her close against him and she continued to cry, terrified that she had failed.
If he left without her...
He led her over to the bed and sat them down on the edge, continuing to hold her tightly against him.
After a moment, he heaved a sigh. "You won't let this go, will you?"
A flare of hope formed in her chest.
"Never. I'm stubborn, remember?" she told him.
He gave a small laugh, which she felt more than heard.
"And tying you up wouldn't work either," he said and she immediately knew that he was relenting, "because you'd just find some way to escape and follow me anyway."
She smiled at the teasing remark. "Hey, that's on you for insisting I learn how to pilot. I was perfectly happy to remain a passenger."
He kissed the top of her head. "If we're doing this, you have to promise me that you'll listen to me in all matters of security."
Relief flooded through her body.
"Only if they keep all three of us safe," she informed him. "Otherwise, no deal. None of us are allowed to die, got it?"
"Got it," he replied, giving her another kiss. "You drive a hard bargain, my Jyn."
She quietly laughed against his chest.
After a few moments of just being held, she softly said, "Thank you."
"I love you so much," he told her. "I just want to protect you. You and Ashlyra."
"I know," she responded. "That's all I want to do for you. I love you too."
"I guess we better get back to the general now," he told her, releasing her from his arms. "I'm sure he's wondering what happened to us."
"I'm actually going to check on Ashlyra and Bodhi," she said. "I want to make sure she hasn't completely exhausted him already."
He smiled. "I wouldn't be surprised if she has. Our little one is full of energy today."
"Which isn't much different from most days," she pointed out. "This I'll freely admit she got from both of us."
"Oh, most definitely," he agreed.
He leaned in and gave her a deep kiss.
"I love you," he firmly repeated. "Don't make me regret giving you your way."
"You won't," she assured him. "The only one who's going to regret anything is Mirella if she tries to hurt any one of us on my watch."
And she meant every word of it.
She would do anything she had to in order to protect her family.
Anything.
((()))
"Last chance to change your mind," Cassian told Jyn as they approached the ship's hatch.
"Not on your life," Jyn informed him as she held a sleepy Ashlyra tightly in her arms. "It's all of us or none of us, remember?"
"As if you'd let me forget," he shot back with a smile, reaching out to stroke Ashlyra's hair.
The little girl had her face buried against Jyn's shoulder, exhausted and overwhelmed from the whirlwind that had been the last day and a half. She had been very upset at first when she was told that they wouldn't be taking her swimming yesterday, but then she'd gotten excited when they told her that they'd be taking a trip to another planet instead. (Since she was too young to understand what was really going on, they had decided that it was easier to just tell her that they were taking a vacation, especially since it was her first trip off-world.) She had immediately rushed off to start packing all of her toys. (An impossible feat that had led to a temper tantrum or two when it was pointed out that some items were just too big to pack. Only the promises of even better toys and swimming at their destination had calmed her down.) But when it came time to board the ship in the late afternoon, the reality that they were leaving the only place she had ever known for the entirety of her short life had hit her hard and she'd had a meltdown. Jyn had brought her to the ship's cabin and stayed with her until she exhausted herself from crying while Cassian had taken them off-planet and into hyperspace. After napping for a few hours, Ashlyra had woken up feeling a lot better and ready to explore her new surroundings. Naturally curious, she had immediately begun checking out every part of the ship she could find. (Thankfully, the more dangerous areas were either locked or out of her tiny reach.) By the time they'd reached Chandrila, she had completely tired herself out and had fallen asleep in Jyn's lap.
"Time for us to face our greeting party," Cassian said as he activated the control to lower the ramp and open the hatch.
"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can get this one to wherever they have us staying," Jyn commented, kissing the top of Ashlyra's head. "She's going to be hungry and cranky when she fully wakes up."
"I don't think this should take too long," he assured her as the hatch finished raising up. "This is just a formal welcome since I've come here in an official capacity. Whoever's out there will say whatever they have to say and then we'll most likely be turned over to an escort who'll bring us to our accommodations. Since the negotiations don't begin until tomorrow, we'll have the rest of the day to ourselves.
"But," he added as he again stroked Ashlyra's hair, "if it looks like it's going to last longer than ten minutes, I'll ask to have someone take you and Ashlyra ahead."
"Sounds like a plan," she said.
He gave one of her hands a squeeze before stepping out onto the ramp and getting his first view of their greeting party.
To his complete surprise, Mon Mothma herself stood front and center. (For the chancellor herself to come to meet him...) She looked much the same as Cassian remembered her, if only a little older and more tired. Draven stood beside her with another officer slightly behind him. There were also two aides, a droid, and three security guards. Rounding out the group and standing at the very back was Bodhi.
"Welcome, Major Andor, Jyn," Mon Mothma greeted them as he descended the ramp, Jyn following close behind him. "On behalf of the Senate, I thank you for coming on such short notice."
"Thank you, Chancellor Mothma," Cassian formally replied. The fact that she was here emphasized how important these negotiations were to the New Republic. He doubted she took time out of her busy day to meet just anyone arriving on the capital world. "When the New Republic asks for my help, I'm more than happy to give it."
It was a slight lie, of course. While he'd normally have no objection to giving his help, this involved putting his family in danger and if he'd been given any other choice, he would have said no. But that was not something said publicly to the head of the New Republic.
If it were up to him, he, Jyn, and Ashlyra would still be safe at home.
As far away from Mirella as possible...
"The Tyratian delegation is scheduled to arrive mid-morning tomorrow," Mon Mothma continued. "Senator Leia Organa has been appointed the lead on the negotiations. Lt. Commander Rook will take you to meet with her from here," she informed him, and Bodhi came forward at the mention of his name. (Cassian knew it would be easy to persuade Bodhi to briefly detour to drop Jyn and Ashlyra off at their accommodations before continuing on to the senator's office.) "She has been doing the majority of her work from home while caring for her young son. She will go over everything expected of you for the duration of the negotiations. Per Leader Reedl's request, you are to attend every meeting and function. This includes tomorrow night's welcome gala."
He felt Jyn tense up beside him. From what she'd told him of her past, she'd had only one experience with a formal event-part of a mission-that had ended very badly... (She'd lost a close friend...) The idea of attending this new one was causing her distress. He placed a comforting arm around her waist.
"This is a non-negotiable issue," Mon Mothma pointedly went on and he knew the observant politician had noticed Jyn's reaction. "Your absence from any single event will end the talks."
"I understand," Cassian assured her. "I intend to be at everything I'm supposed to. You can count on me."
In the back of his mind, he hoped he would be able to convince Jyn that she didn't need to attend any of the events at all, especially the ones that would make her uncomfortable, but he knew he wouldn't succeed. She was determined to be with him as much as possible in order to "protect" him.
"I know I can, Major," Mon Mothma let him know. "Your impeccable service record speaks for itself. But I am also fully aware of your past history with Leader Reedl and what her motives in asking for your attendance may be. Which is why we have put several security measures in place for the safety of you and your family." She gestured to Draven. "General?"
"Major Andor, allow me to introduce you to Captain Piter Yyse, my top agent here on Chandrila," Draven said, acknowledging the officer behind him, who moved forward at the mention of his name. "He is in charge of you and your family's security for the duration of your stay. He is answerable only to you, your wife, me, and the Chancellor."
Yyse, who had more of a scholarly than a military air about him (a definite asset for a field agent), nodded. "I've arranged for you and your family to stay in an apartment outside of the Senate Complex in one of the more affluent residential sectors of the city. The building was chosen because it has some of the heaviest security measures in the city. There is a single entry/exit point on the ground floor that is manned by guards at all hours. It is used by both residents and staff. Everyone has to be checked in by the guards before being directed either into the residential or employee areas. Access codes are needed for both entry and exit from the building as well as for the elevators. There are six elevators in the building, four for residents and two for staff. Only one of the residential elevators and both of the staff elevators go past the twenty-fifth floor. Out of the fifty floors, the higher twenty-five are reserved for the more exclusive guests. Each of these higher levels has a single apartment that take up nearly the entire floor. Yours is on the forty-ninth. There is only one door that leads into the apartment from the hallway. There is also a veranda, but it is protected by a force shield that will prevent anyone from entering the apartment through it."
Cassian was very impressed and nodded to show his approval of the arrangements, which were similar to anything he himself could have come up with. (Though he would have chosen a less opulent location himself. It concerned him that the apartment would not be suitable for housing a rambunctious four-year-old. If she broke anything...) He could see why Draven had chosen Yyse. He was extremely thorough and meticulous in his planning.
"Because you will be spending the majority of your time in the negotiations, I have focused mainly on the safety of your wife and daughter," Yyse continued. He shifted his attention to Jyn. "Ma'am, I have assigned you and your daughter a three-being security detail. The two of you are not to go anywhere outside of the apartment without letting them know. They will provide all transportation and are to remain with you at all times. They will be discreet, of course, but they will stay close enough to immediately intervene if an incident were to occur.
"I know you are trained in weapons and combat," he added before Jyn could comment, "but having a team nearby will allow you to focus entirely on protecting your daughter. The team will be there to cover you while you get her to safety."
Again, Cassian was impressed. Yyse was saying all of the right things to give Jyn the impression that she was in ultimate control of Ashlyra's safety. He was making it sound as if the team was there to assist her rather than take over. (He wondered how much Draven had told him about Jyn and her trust issues that stemmed from her difficult past. While it bothered him as her protective husband, he understood as a former intelligence officer that it was necessary to ensure her cooperation. She and Yyse could not afford to be at odds if an incident happened.)
"Thank you, Captain Yyse," Jyn told him and Cassian could hear the genuine gratitude in her voice.
The gentle manipulation had worked and she was feeling comfortable with what she had been told. Keeping Ashlyra safe was one of her two main priorities (the other was to keep him safe) and knowing that she would be allowed to do it her own way went a long way in getting her to trust Yyse's judgment. (He still regretted how he had handled some of their earliest interactions. He had judged her so wrongly based on the profile he himself had compiled...)
Yyse nodded and returned his attention to Cassian. "I've instructed the team to defer to you as the highest ranking officer at the times when you are with your family. I will be in command at all other times. In the event of a high-level emergency, you will of course be contacted immediately no matter where you are."
"Thank you, Captain," he honestly told him. Based on Draven's recommendation alone, he knew that Yyse was more than capable of keeping Jyn and Ashlyra safe. Draven was a difficult man to impress and he had referred to Yyse as his "top agent" on Chandrila. "You have clearly gone above and beyond to ensure my family's safety. I have every confidence that you and your team will handle any situation that may come up. I look forward to working with you."
He extended his hand.
"Thank you, sir," Yyse replied as he accepted his hand and shook it. "May I just say that it is an honor to get the chance to work with you. I've long admired the work you did for the Alliance. Yours is an example that many of us hope to live up to."
"You flatter me," Cassian responded, "but I was just doing my job, just like any other agent."
"You've always been too modest, Andor," Draven spoke up. "It was never a secret that you were one of the best. No one else ever came close before or since. Losing you was quite a blow to Intelligence."
He tightened his hold on Jyn's waist and pulled her closer against him. "I stand by my decision to resign. It was the best one I ever made."
Draven had never understood why he'd left and he stopped trying to explain himself a long time ago. (As far as he knew, Draven had never been in a romantic relationship, which would explain why he was unable wrap his head around Cassian's decision.) After all, it was impossible to put into words how meeting Jyn had changed his entire universe. In a few days, she had made him question everything he believed and thought he wanted out of life. She had become his everything without even trying. The love he felt for her... He had become unable to imagine his life without her in it.
And then Ashlyra had come along and...
"Which is all the more reason that you have our gratitude for coming here," Mon Mothma interjected before Draven could comment further. "Now, as my aide has just reminded me, I have an appointment I must get to. Lt. Commander Rook will take the three of you from here to Senator Organa's apartment, where she is expecting you."
Cassian was surprised to hear that Organa was holding their meeting in her home, but then remembered almost immediately that Mon Mothma had mentioned that she'd been working out of her apartment because she had a child herself.
Which gave him the perfect opening for asking that Jyn and Ashlyra be brought to theirs. If anyone would understand a slight delay in their arrival, it would be another mother.
"Actually, if it would be all right, I'd like to have Jyn and Ashlyra dropped off at our apartment first," he said, directing his comment mainly at Bodhi, who hadn't moved since Mon Mothma had initially mentioned him. "They don't need-"
"Senator Organa wants both you and Jyn there," Mon Mothma firmly told him. "She feels that it would be best if both of you are familiar with the schedule and Leader Reedl's expectations. She's already had a room prepared for your daughter to rest in while the three of you talk."
"That's very kind of her," Jyn said, and as if she knew she was being talked about, Ashlyra began to stir in her arms. "As long as there's something for her to eat, she'll be fine."
"Let me take her," Cassian offered, releasing his arm from around Jyn's waist so he could take hold of the little girl.
"Major, Jyn," Mon Mothma said after he had settled Ashlyra into his arms, "I will see both of you tomorrow when the Tyratian delegation arrives."
"Until tomorrow, Chancellor," Cassian agreed.
"Chancellor," Jyn acknowledged her.
Mon Mothma inclined her head and then turned to her aide, who started speaking to her almost immediately as they walked off. They were followed by the other aide, the droid, and the security guards.
Bodhi came over to them.
"Whenever you're ready to go," he let them know. "My speeder is just outside the docking bay."
He pointed towards the entrance, which was across the hangar.
"My team and I will have your things brought to your apartment," Yyse spoke up. "Everything should be ready for you by the time you finish with Senator Organa. We're going to do one last sweep to make sure the space is secure."
"Thank you again, Captain Yyse," Cassian told him.
Yyse held out a datapad. "Here is my contact information. Comm me as soon as you're ready to come to the apartment. Either I or one of my teammates will meet you outside and bring you up. You'll need to be checked in and given your security codes."
Cassian accepted the pad. "Got it. Thank you."
Yyse nodded and started walking towards the ramp of their ship, several beings Cassian had failed to notice earlier appearing and following him. (He was more out of practice than he'd thought. Before his resignation, he would have caught sight of them the moment he'd exited his ship.)
"Andor, Jyn," Draven acknowledged them before he too started after Yyse.
"Okay, Bodhi, I think we're ready to go now," he told his friend.
"This way," Bodhi said, motioning for them to follow him.
Jyn ran her hand along Ashlyra's back and smiled at her husband.
"Are we having fun yet?" she teased.
He smiled back and they both began following Bodhi.
((()))
"You better get going if you don't want to lose track of them," Nicrae Linner informed Larg Sonin in that annoyingly condescending way of his. "Mistress Mirella will be very displeased if you do."
Larg ignored him as he kept his holocam trained on the man Mistress Mirella had instructed him to follow. It irritated him that Nicrae thought that just because he was older and had been in the mistress's service longer that he was in charge. He didn't need anyone telling him how to do his own assignment, especially this son of a mudscuffer he had unfortunately been paired with for this task.
The two of them were positioned across the street from the docking bay and he was recording with maximum magnification. Although he had not been able to pick up any sound from this distance, the picture was perfect. Mistress Mirella would be able to see everything that took place. She would be very pleased and he would most likely be rewarded when she arrived tomorrow.
He had no doubt that the same wouldn't be true for Nicrae, who had been given a near-impossible assignment.
"She'll be just as displeased with you if you don't get those transmitters into wherever they're staying," he shot back without looking at him. His sight remained trained on the man, who was headed in their direction along with another man and the woman and child with which he had emerged from his ship. He had been told that the target's name was Cassian Andor and he would most likely have his wife and daughter with him. "And that'll be, what, your third or fourth strike?"
Mistress Mirella had a punishment system that was based on the number of strikes a servant accumulated. Strikes were earned by displeasing the mistress. Small mistakes that simply annoyed her were dealt with immediately. Those who made the minor errors might have food withheld for a meal or two or lose turns in the mistress's bedchamber. (Larg could proudly say that in the five months he had been in her employ, he had not earned one strike and he'd been her chosen bedmate multiple times.) Strikes were given when a mistake incurred her anger, such as failing to meet her exacting demands. (He'd heard stories of other servants getting strikes while taking their turn in her bed.) The first strike resulted in a warning. The second, a short beating from the mistress. Third strikes incurred a longer beating at her hands. Fourth strikes led to being locked in a room for several days without food. Fifth strikes... From what he'd been told, once a servant earned a fifth strike they were never heard from ever again...
"For your information, I've had only one strike against me," Nicrae informed him. "And it wasn't for displeasing the mistress. It was for giving a snot-nosed son of a gundark what was coming to him. In fact, you remind me of him quite a bit."
Larg refused to take the bait. He knew what Nicrae was doing: he was trying to distract him to keep him from completing his assignment. Nicrae knew that he had been given a task that would most likely be impossible to complete while he had been given the much simpler one: follow and record Andor and everyone with him. (He was curious why this man had drawn the mistress's attention, but it was not his place to question her orders. Whatever she told him to do, he would do it.) Nicrae on the other hand had to plant video devices inside the place Andor and his family would be staying. Based on what they had just witnessed (the chancellor and military officers had met his ship! Who was this man?), he was probably going to be housed somewhere with high security. Larg just knew he was going to fail.
Just as he knew that the reason he was given the easier assignment was because he was Mistress Mirella's favorite servant, which she herself had told him on multiple occasions. And he was determined to remain her favorite.
Refraining from voicing a rather nasty Huttese insult, he started walking in the direction that Andor and his companions had gone. (He had a feeling if he pushed Nicrae too far, the other man would assault him and neither of them would complete their assignment, which was probably what Nicrae wanted. The sleemo would do anything to make himself look better, including having them both fail.) He had a job to do and he wasn't going to let anything stop him, especially not his idiot mission partner.
He put down his holocam and reached into his pocket to extract the small device he had been given by Erik Rydel, Mistress Mirella's personal droidsmith and computer tech. It was a tracker that he had been instructed to use when he would be unable to directly follow his target. As he passed by the speeder where Andor and his wife were busy securing their child into her seat, he tossed the tracker towards the vehicle, where it magnetically attached itself to the front end. He walked further and when he determined that he was enough of a distance away, he stopped and pulled out his datapad.
Activating it, he found the link for the tracker's program and opened it. A map instantly appeared with a blinking icon. The icon represented the tracker. Zooming in, he was able to see the street name and confirm that it was working properly. Satisfied, he replaced the datapad in his pocket, reactivated his holocam, and started walking back towards where he and Nicrae had left their own speeder.
As he was walking, he saw Andor's speeder pull away from the curb and pass him by.
It didn't matter that they had a head start. With the tracker, it was only a matter of time before he caught up with them.
And then he'd continue to do what he'd been sent to do: follow and record.
Mistress Mirella was going to be very pleased indeed.
