Defiant | Star Wars/Rogue One

Part VIII

"Okay," Bodhi announced as the cargo shuttle came out of hyperspace above a bright blue planet. "We're coming in."

"What's that haze around it?" Mirax asked, leaning over the back of his seat to see through the forward viewport. Jyn stood nearby, watching over Mirax's shoulder.

"There's a planet-wide defensive shield with a single main entry gate," he explained. "This shuttle should be equipped with an access code that allowed us through."

"Assuming the Empire hasn't logged it as overdue," K-2 pointed out.

"Or stolen," Bodhi added.

"What happens if they have?" Mirax wondered aloud.

Bodhi glanced at her before answering. "Then they shut the gate," he said. "And we're all annihilated in the cold, dark vacuum of space."

"Not me," K-2 argued. "I can survive in space."

Scarif grew larger, the orb changing from simple blue to swirls of sapphire and cobalt and cerulean and lapis, accented here and there with white wisps of cloud. Two Star Destroyers loomed near the shield gate, with smaller ship spread between them.

"Okay," Bodhi said as they approached the gate. "Here goes." He punched a button, activating the commlink. "Cargo shuttle SW-0608 requesting a landing pad."

A voice responded quickly. "Cargo shuttle SW-0608, you're not listed on the arrival schedule."

Luckily, Mirax and Bodhi had thought of an excuse for that very thing. "Acknowledged, Gate Control," Bodhi replied. "We were rerouted from Eadu flight station. Transmitting clearance code now."

"Transmitting," K-2 said, activating the code's transmission.

While they waited for the gate control officer to tell them if the code cleared or not, Cassian walked up the access ladder and joined the group in the cockpit. He walked beside Mirax, putting a hand on her shoulder—she didn't notice until then that she had been biting her thumbnail. She crossed her arms over the back of Bodhi's seat, tucking her hands under her forearms so she wouldn't be tempted to keep biting her nail to the quick.

"Cargo shuttle SW-0608..." Everyone held their breath when they heard the gate control officer's voice. "...you are clear for takeoff."

"Yes!" Bodhi cried, punching the air—thankfully, their end of the commlink wasn't activated.

"Impressive," K-2 commented.

"I'll tell the others," Jyn offered as she walked past Cassian and Mirax to the ladder leading to the cargo hold.

The ship lowered through the shield gate, entering the tropical planet's atmosphere. "SW-0608, cleared for Landing Pad Nine," the gate control officer told them. "Acknowledge, please."

"SW-0608 proceeding to LP Nine as instructed," Bodhi replied.

As Bodhi skillfully piloted the ship towards the landing pad, Cassian looked out the viewport. "That man building down there, what is it?" he asked.

"That's the Citadel Tower," Bodhi answered. "They keep all the Imperial structural archives up there. If the plans are anywhere, they'll be there."

"What about that dish?" Mirax asked, looking at the impressive building. "What's it for?"

"I guess it takes a lot of signal to send those data files out," Bodhi offered with a small shrug. "Normal transmissions can't penetrate the shield, and a normal rig wouldn't have the bandwidth to handle everything on-base at once."

"Landing track, engaged," K-2 spoke up.

"Landing track locked." Bodhi punched more controls as he spoke.