War Child--Rogue One

Prologue

Searing pain in my arms, in my legs, a duller one in my side, just as agonizing.

Every step hurts.  Every breath sends a wave of nauseating pain all over my body.  The climb up almost killed me, I had mere seconds to climb through an automated hatch before it would close and slice anything in its path.

But I have to get up there.  He went up there, and she's up there, alone, weaponless.  These plans have to get up to the Rebel ships.

It's no question of bravery anymore.  I'm not putting my life at risk.  I'm dying, anyway.  I'm sure I'm bleeding, inside, and each breath hurts more than the last.  But the adrenaline pumping through my veins gives me the strength to push on.

I come around the side.  He, I can't even remember his name anymore, has his blasted pointed towards Jyn.  They're talking, I can hardly hear them over my heart struggling to push blood through my aching body.

He's going to shoot her.

I shoot him first, and when Jyn comes for me, I collapse into her.  She tells me that we have to go down, and helps me, slinging an arm over her shoulder.  The pain is lessened this way, but still nearly unbearable.

Sometime during our descent, the weapon, the Death Star, fires.  I hear it and see it miss the base, but take off the satellite.  A few more minutes and the transmission never would have gone through.

My heart leaps at this, but at the same time I stumble.  Jyn catches me.

The Death Star's blast hit a few kilometers away, but I know from Jedha that it will spread.

There is no way to escape the blast.

I collapse in the sand, entirely spent, and Jyn kneels beside me.

Our hands each find the others, and I give hers a reassuring squeeze.  She returns it, much stronger than mine.

As the blast spreads, she turns me around so that my back is to the slow-moving shock wave and embraces me.

It strikes me that hers is the last touch I'll ever feel.  Tears begin to stream down my cheeks.

I feel spots on my all-too sensitive back and know she is crying also.

Neither of us thought we would go out this way, helpless, on a beach.

And then again, neither of us thought we would be heroes.

The blast hits us with a rush of wind and an explosion and a nothingness.

All is dark.

Then I realize I am closing my eyes.  I open them, and see a face I never believed I would see again.

My father's.