The Empire's Snare: A Rogue One Fanfiction

Corellia's Chaos

Cassian awoke abruptly, on the floor of an imperial cruiser, and he's struck curious to find Jyn and the crew, nowhere in sight. Cassian is pleasantly shocked to realize that the pain he once felt is a thing of the past. His leg has miraculously healed, and his blaster wound is gone.
Jyn. His mind darts to her. After escaping Scarif and helping the oblivious fools of imperial cadets avoid pulverization, he had passed out. But he remembered Jyn there, almost dreamlike, sitting besides him and holding his hand. He was able to rest peacefully because of that. They had been through a lot together. They now shared an unbreakable bond. Loosing the same friends, completing the same mission, and nearly dying in each other's arms.

Jyn! His thoughts quickly turned sour. She's gone, and likely with the oblivious Imperial fools. Against his better judgment, fight mode takes him. Cassian ransacks the cruiser until he stumbles across an old imperial issue blaster. Discontinued, but still working. Running out into Corellia's busy streets, he's struck with fear. Corellia's huge and beautifully made shipyards are all about him, and people flood the streets and flock to carts full of galactic delicacies. Determination soon takes him. If she's out there, he'll find her. If the Imperials have harmed her in anyway, he'll kill them.

"You there!" He ran up to a male Bothan selling some sort of seafood with thirteen eyes. "Have you seen Imperial Cadets, an Imperial Officer, and a beautiful woman come by here?"

* * *

Jyn walks besides Ex-Imperial Junior Officer Jensen, and ex-Imperial Cadets Blaze and Rau. They had just parted ways with Sevens and TF-562, who wished to return to their Imperial training. They did however, come to an agreement with Jensen to not take Jyn and Cassian in, and not report their existence, nor the existence of Jensen, Blaze, and Rau to the empire. Due to the life debt they owed, they agreed. Although Sevens felt inclined to ignore the debt he owed, he eventually gave in.

Jensen lead the four of them through back allies and empty side streets towards a destination only Jensen knew of. As they entered an elaborate blue and gold dwelling structure, Jyn let out a whisper into Jensen's ear. "Why did you do it?" She asked. She and the two ex-cadets had tried without success, to get out of him where they were going. Thus she resorted to ask her other burning question.

"Why did I do what?" He replied as he entered an elevator, and hit a combination of buttons.

"Why did you save us? We were enemies at that time, and you had yourself to worry about saving. As well as these kids. Who I'm sure protested, or tired to, against stopping for two injured rebels on the shore."

Jensen waited some time till he even acknowledged what she had said. He took off his officer hat, and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. His hands were slightly shaking. He was nervous. Never before had Jyn noticed his true age, he was younger than her by years. As he opened his mouth to respond, they reached their intended level.

"If it isn't Jensen Tal Rann!" A human man wearing a cape, exclaimed as he neared Jensen to pat him merrily on the back. "How've you been kid?"

"Lando. It's been a while." Jensen smiled.

"Lando. Lando Calrissian?" Rau asked Blaze, who simply shrugged.

Jyn was confused at their predicament. By the way that Jensen was acting, she thought he was taking them to a crime lord to ask for a favor. But what she saw before her was the reunion of two childhood friends. "I'm sorry, but there's a reason we're here." She interjected.

"Yes." Jensen said. "We need some new identification discs mate. As soon as you can get them."

"More frankly, now." Jyn added.

"Ah. I see. I like a woman who get's straight to the point." Lando said charmingly. "Just for you three?"

"Us and one more." Jensen handed Lando a hologram with Cassian's profile on it. Lando took it and went to work.

Jyn's thought immediately went to Cassian. They had brought him a medic, who did wonders to his leg, and left him, against Jyn's wishes, alone of the cruiser. The medic had assured her he would be asleep for another five hours. But now still, a part of her regretted leaving him. They hardly had a chance to talk about it all. Their mess of a mission, their friend's sacrifices, K-2's demise, Krennic's last words, what had occurred in the elevator, and the deaths they had excepted but did not receive.

"My sister." Jensen said suddenly, waking Jyn to reality. "You look like her. And she was killed by us." He clenched his fist. "She was having dinner at sunset with her betrothed. He was an unconfirmed rebellion spy. Weather she did or didn't know of it. She paid the ultimate price. And a seed of doubt in the empire was planted. It's grown to soaring heights since. When I rushed the cadets off into the cruiser, to avoid what was to happen, we flew right by you. I thought you were her. So I stopped us. I blinked and realized that you weren't her. But I couldn't resist saving you. Something in me awoke, and reminded me about doing good no matter what. It's what she would've done. So I pulled you and your husband in--"

"Cassian's not my husband." Jyn interjected.

"Oh. I'm sorry. I only meant, you seem to deeply care about and respect each other. It's admirable." He admitted, and Jyn found a small smile on her face.

Lando returned back into the room with four new and clean holo disc IDs. He handed Jensen the four and gave him a hug. "If you ever need anything. Don't be a stranger.

"Of course. And I owe you one."

"Forget about it Rann."

Jensen waved and smiled, as they entered the elevator and started to descend. He let out a huge sigh of relief. "That went surprisingly well."

"How so?"

"Lando was a friend of my sister. I grew up with him around. I never liked him. Last time I saw him, we brawled in a bar. I hit him so hard that I knocked him out. I guess I hit him really hard that he forgot about the whole ordeal, or he's just being sympathetic because of Lina's death. I honestly thought there'd be a brawl or at least some unease. That's why I brought the three of you."

The two boys chuckled.

"Here." Jensen handed Jyn two holo discs. "Once we get back to the cruiser, and your Captain Andor wakes, you go. Go find a fresh start wherever you want it. Or just keep it for a rainy day."

Jyn was touched. She took the discs, pocketed them, and smiled a genuine smile and gave a nod of thanks.

They returned to the cruiser with provisions, new clothes, and clean blasters. Jyn rushed over to where Cassian had been, but found him absent. He had vanished. "Cassian?" She uttered under her breath to no reply.

Jyn rushed to exit the cruiser to search the surrounding area, but ducks at the sound of blaster fire. It just misses her overhead. She shoots out her blaster, but refrains from returning fire, for a battalion of troopers has surrounded her and the ship. Jensen, Blaze, and Rau rush out to stand in surrender besides her. There was a time for fighting against numerous odds, blasters blazing, shouting last cries. But this was not one of those times.

"You're under arrest for conspiring with rebels, and dishonoring your loyalty to the Empire!" The squadron leader announced.