The Empire's Snare: A Rogue One Fanfiction

Future Fates

    After Cassian explained that he was privileged enough to know and speak the language of the creatures that certain desert planet dwellers refer to as "sand people". He also told the two ex-cadets, one of whom was unconscious and would definitely not remember the conversation, and Jyn that Tusken Raiders were actually nice people, but were so commonly misunderstood. He expressed his frustration at those who killed the Tuskens without giving them a chance to voice their side of the story, or their reasons for doing certain things.

    "You'd think that with all the droids being produced for the main purpose of translating, that we'd be in a better place of communication in this galaxy." Cassian shook his head at the stars.

    Healing expertise was sought from the elder, Chiock Uzuk, who Cassian had a lengthy conversation with, about weather patterns on local systems. Or so he told Jyn afterwords. She just had to take his word for it.
They waited outside the tent as Uzuk worked her wonders on the Mandilorian boy. Blaze had decided to start pacing miles in length, leaving Jyn and Cassian to sit besides each other, as they watched the planet's sun stay at a place of unceasing dawn. In the moment, Cassian recounted his adventure in searching Corellia for her, and Jyn told her tale of Jensen's charming smuggling friend, and Jensen's own solemn story.

    After Jyn mentioned the comrade who had perished, they both fell silent.
"I've realized that we haven't talked about what happened. Scarif."
"It's only just hitting me now." Jyn said, her eyes watering. "They're all gone. All of them. And we're the ones that survived."
"That doesn't have to be a bad thing." Cassian took her hand and brought it close to his heart. Jyn inched forward, and saw that there was sadness on his face as well.
Jyn saw in his eyes, a flash of all the things that had happened on Scarif. The death of their friends, K-2's sacrifice, Cassian saving her. Last of all their bitter-sweet, longing filled, kiss in the elevator. They had both known it was the end, and it was mutually understood that they deeply care for each other. It was a goodbye filled with what ifs kiss. Almost a promise that if things were different, they'd stick together. This kiss also made what they thought to be their last embrace, a sweeter moment. That had almost been a promise too.
"I never said that it was." Jyn placed a gentle hand on his face. Imperfect and beat up as it was, it was a face she had grown to love. She didn't mind the man attached to it either.
Cassian gently pulled at her arm, bringing her closer still, giving their lips the perfect opportunity to meet. This kiss was less bitter and more sweet than the last. It lasted longer too, that time seemed to mean nothing, and their kissed seemed like it owned all the time in the universe. Yet when they pulled apart, it didn't seem like it had been long enough. Not yet.
It also went without saying, that this kiss had been a promise too. Emotion filled, and glazey eyed as it was.
Jyn rested her head on his shoulder, and he placed his arms around her.
"Jyn. I know in the past you have said, you're not use to people sticking around when things get bad. I want you to know you'll have to grow accustom to someone sticking around. Weather you like it or not, I'll have your back Erso."
"I don't think I'd mind that too much Andor."
Cassian smiled at her reply, then remembered something he forgot about during his retelling of his tale of woe. He reached in his jacket and pulled out a small, Kiber crustal. It was a third the size of Jyn's crystal. But this one has a slight hue of green that made it glow a green stream of light when lit.
He held it up for her to see, and she sat straight up and marveled at it. She took out the large clear crystal that sat around her neck, and compared the two. "I've never in all my travels, found a green one. I've always hoped that I'd cross paths with one and have the means to acquire it."
He was pleased that she liked it.
She shot him a look of curiosity, and awe. She knew Kiber crystals coast more than the average gem. A green one would've cost someone an arm and a leg.
Cassian merely shrugged, and Jyn shook her head with fond annoyance. He helped her hang the green crystal around her neck, and almost swore he saw them twinkle just the slightest. But he dismissed this occurrence as fantasy.
"You never cease to surprise me Captain Andor."
"And you never cease to amaze me Ms. Erso." He whispered back.
Another conversation took place between the two, without words. It addresses their future fates and where they would go. But they agreed that they didn't know yet, and would not discuss the matter now. They understood each other perfectly, and words were not always essential.
Although nothing was stable or settled in their lives, the galaxy let them have a precious moment to hold each other and watch a large orange sun stuck in the state of setting. That is before the galaxy threw them into an abyss of danger and uncertainty. But the moment was theirs and would remain so, even after it was long past and forgotten.