A Rebel's Hope (Jyn Erso & Cassian Andor)

Chapter 3- Sacrifice

Cassian and Jyn turned around to face K2 when he had finished with his transfer with the droid.

"K?" Cassian asked expectantly as K2 swiveled towards them.

"Our optimal route to the data vault places only 89 storm troopers in our path. We will make it no more than 33% of the way before we are killed." He stated matter-of-factly, as if he wasn't confirming our deaths.

Jyn looked at Cassian with dread in her wide eyes.

It was time. Time for a lot of good men to die.

They both glanced down each end of the hallway as Cassian clicked his communicator, raising it to his mouth while speaking quickly, "Talk to me."

A voice crackled through the silver cylinder, obviously out of breath, "Ready. Ready. Standing by."

Cassian hesitated a bit, looking over at Jyn who nodded once, her eyes glistening in her helmet.

He brought the device up to his lips again as he spoke harshly, "Light it up." It beeped as he let the switch go.

He slipped the comlink back into his pocket, and took a deep breath as he looked down at Jyn.

"They had to engage sometime." She told him quietly, as she laid a hand on his arm comfortingly. These were his men, and he was sentencing them to death. He looked down at her with a sudden pang of regret, and she saw it immediately.

She moved her gloved hand to his cheek, knowing there wasn't much that could comfort him.

"This is what they want. They are sacrificing themselves for this mission, to save so many other lives." She stated quietly, her voice muffled by her helmet. "And that is why we cannot fail. Don't let their deaths be in vain."

Cassian placed his hand on hers as he brought it down in front of them, studying it as he held it.

He looked up at her, the anguish gone from his gaze. "I am no stranger to sacrifice and neither are they, but this is more important than anything we have done." He stated, his voice rough. "I-"

He was cut off by the blaring of the alarms resounding throughout the base, signaling the success of their charges. The sound of troops mobilizing could be heard echoing through out the halls.

"Time to go." Cassian stated quickly as he broke his gaze with Jyn, dropping her hand before starting down the hall quickly. K2 and Jyn joined him on either side as they marched down the hall.

They stopped at a four way intersection, allowing a platoon of storm troopers to rush across their path. Jyn stared after them with eyes wide.

"Let's go, Jyn." She blinked as she saw K2 and Cassian already starting away, she sped marched a bit to catch up.

It was a bit overwhelming to have everyone around them mobilizing and running around. They tried to pick up the pace so it wasn't as obvious that they didn't belong.

After a while it seemed that most of the troopers had already left to engage our rebels, so they were left alone as they made their way down the halls. It was a wonder how K2 knew exactly where they were the whole time, Jyn was totally lost with how many twists and turns they had made. This place was a labyrinth.

Finally we reached a closed door that they could assume held the data vault.

Jyn and Cassian stood in front of the door as K2 fiddled with the controls to the door, before getting them to slide open slowly quickly.