ghost ― rogue one

TWO

CHAPTER TWO
( I'VE GOT YOU. )

KITRA sat in the pilot's seat of her UT-60D freighter — the Bravo One — her tense fingers curled into fists around the ships familiar controls. Her mind buzzed with thoughts of her sister, who was currently passed out in the crew hold, but even from here Kit could practically smell the woman she had once considered to be her sister. 

A metallic hiss alerted the pilot to the door opening behind her, the familiar presence of Ruescott entering the hold. Kit ran her tongue over her dry lips, setting the controls to autopilot as her commander sat down beside her. She tugged her fingers through the ends of her ponytail and sighed.

"How you holding up?" He asked absently, reading his oversized blaster across his dirties pants.

Kit shrugged, "As well as I can be."

"You seem to be taking all this remarkably well." He continued, "For someone who just arrested the sister she hasn't seen in three years."

"There's nothing to handle." Kit said, but the conviction behind her words sounded weak even to her. "Jyn was my sister, then she left. I have no connection with her anymore."

Ruescott scoffed and shook his head. "You almost sound like you believe that." He said. "Have you spoken to Cassian about it?"

Kit ground her molars together and turned back to the controls, her fingers skimming the familiar pattern in preparation to reach the rebel base. "Cassian Andor doesn't know everything about me." She told the Rebel sergeant. A crude smile found its way across Ruescott's lips as she continued, "Why is it everyone seems to think so?"

"Perhaps it because the two of you are practically joined at the hip?" He suggested with a light chuckle, making the younger teen roll her deep brown eyes. "Or maybe it's the fact you wear around his old fighter jacket all the time?"

"We're approaching Yavin IV." Kit informed him, conveniently ignoring the sergeants previous statement. Ruescott grinned, but said nothing.

The blue and black vortex of colour ahead of them shifted and faded to a streaking white before eventually falling away to the familiar star-speckled galaxy, the red gas giant Yavin filling the ship's viewport. "Home sweet home." Ruescott muttered, eyes taking in the small forest moon holding the Rebel base. "You right to take it from here?"

"Sure." Kit nodded as the sergeant left again, the door sighing closed behind him.

Kit leaned forward and flicked on the com-system, the staticky voice of the Rebel base filling the small cab. "Approaching UT-model please confirm your identity." A soft female voice requested.

"Rebel Alliance freighter, callsign Bravo One, requesting clearance to land." Kit responded, the run-through coming as naturally as reciting her own name after so many years of repeating it.

"Alright, Bravo One, please transmit clearance codes."

Kit leaned over to the copilot's seat to enter the code into the system before submitting them to the base. "Should be coming through now." She said.

"Got 'em." The girl responded as a light flashed green on her panel, "You're cleared to land, Bravo One, Hangar Two should be clear."

Kit flicked off the com and leaned back against, her fingers curling back around the controls. "Here we go." She sighed to herself before gearing the ship to land.

• • •

KITRA walked through the Rebel base, heading the group of returning rebels and her rogue sister. The stares that accompanied them didn't faze her — she was used to the staring. After all, being the daughter of Galen Erso didn't come without its own set of consequences.

"Kit!"

Kitra turned, her eyes coming to rest over the familiar frame of her best friend. Cassian Andor had changed in the few weeks that the pair had been separated, the stubble lining his jaw growing in the beginnings of a light beard. A bright smile wove its way across the brunette's lips at the sight of him as she broke away from the group to greet him.

"Cassian, you're looking handsome." She told him. "Well, handsome for someone who just crawled out of a Sarlacc Pitt."

Cassian grinned and shook his head, "I see you're as smooth as always."

"What can I say?" The smaller girl shrugged, "You've either got it or you don't. So, how's the spy business treating you, Captain?"

Cassian shrugged as the two began to walk again, following the route towards the conference room. The staring became less noticeable once they'd left the hangar, the sight of Kitra and Cassian a frequent and insignificant scene. "About as eventful as staying under the radar can be. What do you think about the moustache? I figured it made me stand out less."

"As dashing as a hairy brown caterpillar on your face can be." Kitra replied, a teasing smile on her lips.

Cassian rolled his eyes and laughed, "Oh please, you flatter me."

Kit laughed, the sound trailing off as they approached the solemn metal doors leading to the conference chambers. Kitra's heart sunk a little at the sight of it, already sensing the tense air inside the room.

"Hey," Cassian squeezed the shorter girl's shoulder affectionately. "You sure you can handle this? I'm sure that if you asked Senator Mothma would—"

"I don't need to be excused." Kitra shrugged off his hand, her features set into a look of determination. "I need to look into her eyes and tell her what she put me through. I want her to know the pain that I felt. And I want her to feel pain too."

Cassian sighed, a weary look in his dark eyes. "This isn't about revenge, Kit. We need her help."

Kitra narrowed her eyes on the door. "Another point, I still don't like the idea of trusting the mission with her."

"We don't really have a choice." Cassian pointed out, "Saw Garrera didn't trust anyone except for your family. And as far as he knows you're dead. That leaves Jyn as our only option. Besides, she'll have us to keep an eye on her."

Kit caught the inside of her lip between her teeth and bit down on it anxiously. "You're right. I've got you to help me out."

Cassian smiled, "Always." And then he opened the door.

• • •

OKAY, I apologise for the fact that this is extremely short and uneventful but the intent was to flesh out Kitra's character and introduce her friendship with Cassian. Don't worry though I promise that from here on out we will be picking up the storyline ... this is where the real adventure begins!