Cover [Cassian Andor]

05

    "Jyn, how are we going to survive without Saw? Sure, we can fight as steal but without Saw, where are we supposed to live? Work?" I asked, pacing back and forth in the bunker we were abandoned in. The only thing Saw left us with was a blaster and a knife, each.

    "We'll be fine, we always are. I'll protect us, I'll protect you," Jyn said, reaching out her arms to stop me pacing. Her touch calmed my actions and thoughts but I was still worried. I looked into my sister's grey eyes, the ones similar to the pair that I had, seeing that she meant every word she said. Slowly, I started to nod and relax, abandoning my thoughts. Jyn smiled at me before pulling me into a hug, one that I quickly participated in. It was just Jyn and I, a sixteen year old and her fourteen year old sister, up against everyone and all the odds.

    I quickly woke up, blinking so my eyes could adjust to the dim light. Around me, the walls were rusted and an ugly brown color, the roof was leaking on my face, and the lights were barely working. I looked over and saw that Taja was still sleeping next to me. She was in her forties and acted as my mother, keeping me safe when I'm not in the pits because I'm the youngest here. There was a major age gap between me and the other players, at least by ten years. Taja was one of the oldest but she ferocious, quickly dominating all her opponents and winning. Most always bet on her, just having one look at her in the line up for who's playing and knowing she'll win. That never happened for me. Everyone who's never bet here before thinks I'm some weakling, someone who was thrown into the line up just because the bosses needed to get rid of me. I always prove them wrong and I make people a lot of money.

    Taja was slowly waking up, stretching her back and cracking some bones. She looked over at me and she saw I was already awake. Knowing that meant I had a bad dream and seeing I was tearing up, she reached out her arms and pulled me closer to her. She was soothing down my hair while whispering in my ear about how she was there and I didn't need to worry while I sobbed. After I settled down, she pulled away some to look me in the eyes but she continued to soothe down my hair.

    "What did you dream about, Li?" She asked. "Were you dreaming about your sister?"

    I nodded because I didn't trust my voice to work. Taja was about to speak before there was a loud beep. I paled and hid my face in her shoulder while she looked around worriedly.

    "Players 057, 099, 102, 626, and 972 please report to lineup." The automatic voice had boomed through the cellar and I looked up fearfully at Taja. She was player 057 and the rest of the players were really good at winning. Taja gave me a sad look before detangling herself from me.

    I was shaking my head while babbling about how she couldn't go and how it wasn't fair.

    "Don't worry, I'll win. I'll win to come back to you," she promised. She stood up and walked past the guards to the open doors that led to lineup. Lineup was just where the five players stood so the people could officially place bets, even with the bosses, before the players get into an elevator and are brought into the pit, one by one. The pit was just a sandy playing field, formed in a circle. No blasters were allowed in but batons, staffs, and knives were and that's it. The audience was in balconies around the playing field and anyone who wanted to come could watch but the ones who placed bets gets front row seats.

    Once Taja was out of sight, I curled up into a corner, worried about her and scared someone else would break the rules and try to hurt me. It must have been a short game because the doors opened and a very battered Taja was pushed in, landing in a heap. She got up and stumbled a bit before falling back down. She tried to get up again but didn't have the strength since she collapsed back down. I quickly got up and I scurried over to her before helping her up and letting her use me as a crutch as I helped her to our corner.