Rogue One- Alternate Ending

Chapter 14

~Cassian~

It's been 2, no 3 hours until Jyn left.
Despite my still throbbing shoulder I pace up and down, biting my nails- she should be back by now.

The day is coming to late afternoon and the refugees have made quick work of setting up camp- there are several misshapen sleeping shelters, a medical tent and more logs have been dragged around the fires for an eating area.

Blake and Amelia organised a small hunting group who are searching for food right now- due to get back in about 20 minutes, wether they found food or not.

The snap of a twig behind me has me whipping round with my blaster out. I don't know why I'm so on edge, it's either Jyn's absence or the pressing stress of having 250 civilians to look after.

A man in rags is approaching me with his arms up. I don't recognise him from the refugee groups but when I see the number on his jacket; 1634, I know he's an ex prisoner of the empire.

"Andor right?" He asks.

"Yeah," I scowl, lowering my blaster.

"I have news about the Erso girl," he continues.

In seconds I am right in front of him, pressing my blaster to his head. "Tell me, now." I command.

"Look, I'm not with them," he says, gesturing to the prisoners we rescued. "Erso came to the base, we were all prisoners- she let us free to raid the base and, well, a lot of us died. I'm here with a group of about 500, the others are still on the raid."

I press the barrel of my gun further into his forehead. "What about Jyn?" I hiss.

"I'm getting to that, there where about 3000 of us, 2500 left."

My knees go weak, Jyn has practically given the rebellion another army. If they are willing to fight.

"She freed you all?" I ask.

"Yes, we led an attack on the base, nicked all the supplies-" the man says, pointing at a group of people over the crest of the trees dragging supply crates. This is why I love you Jyn I think.

"Where is she now?" I demand desperately.

"She created a distraction and I saw her getting dragged away."

My mind goes blank. I will kill those Bastards. I will kill them slowly.

"What condition is the base in now?" I ask frantically.

"The empire troopers took over again but we managed to destroy a lot of stuff and get a load of the supplies out." He says, eying the gun I still have at his head.

"Get more supplies, don't use anything until I get back. Tell this story to the other prisoners." I say, lowering my gun.

"What about you Andor?" The man asks as I start walking off.

"I'm gonna go get Jyn," I growl.

"Andor, a tip about that woman- I knew her for about five minutes but I also know at some point she's gonna get herself killed. The empire don't like that kinda fire in a person. Yeah she'll take them down but she's pretty broken."

I turn around slowly. "How do you know all this?"

"I'm good at reading people. She's so used to no one coming back that she'll think she has to save herself- and give up hope when she can't."

I look down on the man in surprise. "You are good at reading people- tell the others I'm leaving and arm then with whatever you find." I say.

"Wait!" The man calls back. "Good luck."