War Child--Rogue One

XXV

The next day, we all gather back in the same room to see where we'll begin our training.

I am, apparently, working with Ciara, the sniper from the rescue to become a sniper myself. Apparently, the Senator or maybe even the Captain, thought that I could do better than my mediocre score in the shooting assessment and wanted to improve upon it.

We are dismissed (Linami is recruited as a pilot, Gaspard as an infantry man with the possibility of becoming a general) and Ciara calls me over.

"So.  It appears that you are the only one I have to train, so let's go and get things started.  I am Lieutenant Ciara Byron."

"Cassian Andor."

"Let's see if you can handle a sniper rifle."

She walks briskly out of the room and I jog to keep up. I would wonder how she got to be such a prestigious position at such a young age, she appears no older than twenty, but then I remember how well she shot at the prison break.

Ciara Byron may be the best shooter I've ever seen. Stormtroopers tend to be sloppier shots, because they can't see well through the helmets and just want to finish the job quickly.

Despite her gruffness, I can tell that she has extreme patience when lining up her shot.

Not so much with clumsy me.

"No!  The sight is not an extension of the barrel.  Try again."

I squint at the half assembled rifle.  I can fix normal blasters within minutes, but this is all Huttese to me.  In other words, I don't know what I'm doing.

Finally, I slide the sight on, screw on the extended barrel and silencer, then hold it up, both hands far away from the rifle.

"Finally.  Take it apart and do it again."

I do.  I get everything right this time.

"Faster."

This time I goof up probably a hundred times and, although my movements are faster, they are clumsier and I almost damage the rifle.

When I finish, I present it to Ciara.  She takes it from me, disassembles it, and reassembles it in mere seconds.  It took me almost a minute my fastest time.

Ciara puts it back on the table and rests her head on her hands.  "Go."

"What?"

"I'm done for today.  Same time tomorrow."

I stand slowly.

"Goodbye."

I raise an eyebrow and hustle out.  I don't want to risk her wrath.

In the hall, I run into, quite literally, Linami.

"Careful!" she scolds.

"Sorry."

"What are you in a rush for?" Linami asks as she falls in stride with me.

"I don't want to risk Lieutenant Ciara Byron's wrath," I say with a laugh.

"She's the sharpshooter?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't seem like the happiest person does she?" she muses, pausing to open the door.  "Except when she's around her boyfriend."

"She has a boyfriend?" I ask, closing the door again behind us.

Linami laughs.  "Yes, didn't you notice?  The boy on the ship on the way here.  Corporal Felix Something-or-other.  Are you jealous or something?"

I snort.  "No.  Just must not have noticed."

She shakes her head, and mutters, so I can barely hear, "Boys.  So utterly clueless."

"Hey!  I'm not clueless!"

"Sure you aren't."

"So how was your first day as a Rebel pilot?"

"I'm still in training," she says with a shrug, "which honestly, is a bit annoying, since I'm already better than my mentor."

"Who's your mentor?" I ask.

"I don't remember," Linami admits.

"Who's the clueless one now?"

She shoves me.  "No fair!"

"Oh, it's so fair!"

"It's not my fault he's so dull I can't even stay awake! I know how to fly seventy-four different kinds of ships, an X-Wing isn't that different."

I shrug.  "I don't want to cross your judgement, but maybe humor him a bit.  Maybe he'll let you fly sooner."

"Oh, good Jedi Master, show me your wisdom," Linami mocks.

"Just try it."

"Alright.  Wanna bet on it?"

"I have nothing to bet."

She pauses.  "What about time?"

"I guess.  What kind of time?"

"The rest of eternity!" she intones dramatically.  "A favor.  If it works, I'll..." she trails off, gesturing for me to finish it.

"Teach me how to fly."

Linami raises an eyebrow.  "Really?  I thought after that crash dive you wouldn't want to--"

I furrow my brow.

"Okay.  And if it doesn't work, you have to scrub my fatigues."

"Alright.  That won't be that hard."  I start walking and she follows.

"I can make it hard."

"Please don't."

"There's a volunteer program for off-hours Rebels.  I could go muck the fields or something.  Put a new meaning to scruffy nerf herder."

I shove her and she hops to the side.  "You have to actually try my idea though."

"You can trust me," she says with a grin.

"Can I?"  I cock my eyebrow.

"Obviously.  I haven't shot you yet."

"Yet?"

"There's always the possibility.  Don't annoy me too much."  She winks.

"I'll try not to."