Runaway--Rogue One

VII

It's been two weeks and he still won't tell us whether whatever was in those tubes is Kyber or not.  Yuba and I didn't tell any of the others what we picked up, or what we thought we picked up, and they dropped it pretty quickly.

Director Krennic seems on edge lately.  He is always checking over his shoulder and seeming increasingly urgent about the whole affair.

I overhear Krennic and Erso one night on my way to my barracks.

"It should not take this long to build a battle station!" the director exclaims.

"It is a massive project," Erso says quietly.  "A station of this scale does not take days.  The senate was not built in a day, Orson."

"Galen, the emperor is getting restless.  It's only a matter of time—"

"If you want it finished faster, bring me more scientists.  Give me a better lab.  I can't work out of a star destroyer for the whole project."

"It's a matter of security, Galen."

"Then provide the security.  Bring my pilots and station stormtroopers and TIE-Fighters."

There's a pause.  I take a step to leave.

"You're stalling," Krennic accuses.

"I told you, this project is immense—"

"I could find her."

Erso goes silent.

"I can track her down," the director continues, quietly but equally ass strong as if he were shouting.  "I have ways and the technology to find her.  The Empire can and will use anything for leverage."

"She may be dead," he says quietly.

"If that is the case, so be it.  We are on the brink of a civil war.  The Rebellion grows stronger by the hour.  This station must be completed in two months' time or it will be reassigned."

"I am the only one who can build this and you know it!" Erso yells.

"Then show me!" Krennic thunders back.

Footsteps approach the door.  I hurry down the hall.

To my misfortune, Krennic turns the direction I am walking.

"Rook!"

I stop and turn.  "Yes, Director?"

"Lights-out is in four minutes.  You should be in your barracks."

"Yes, Director.  Good night."

He grunts in response and walks past me.

I don't tell anyone what I heard, but sure enough, a week later, we are directed to pack our things and report to the hangar for assignments.

Workmen are loading crates upon crates of things into the cargo ships.  They're labeled as lab supplies.  I didn't know Erso could stuff that much into his tiny laboratory here.

We stand at attention, waiting for our orders.

"Set a course for Eadu.  Beware of the weather, it tends to storm on the planet perpetually and many a trained pilot has crashed.  The coordinates for the base have been programmed into your Cargo ships for reference now and in the future," Krennic directs.

"Yes, sir!" we all say, and head to our ships.

I tuck my bag of belongings into its mess bag attached to the wall and start the pretakeoff procedures.

Someone climbs into the ship behind me.

I turn my head to look.

It's some low-ranked officer.  I stand to salute him.

"At ease.  I have a transmission for you."  He holds it out, not meeting my eyes.

My stomach flips as I take it.  "Thank you."

There's no time to view it now.  We take off and head to Eadu.

The entire time I feel like I am going to be sick.  It could either be some great news from Mama — maybe she remarried? — something from Papa, or terrible news.  Because the officer didn't meet my eyes, I assume the worst.

I find myself nearly praying to the force, then I remember what we learned in training when a trainee began to recite a Whill prayer.

"The Force does not provide for you nor is it with you.  It is an extremely powerful weapon that Darth Vader uses to defend the galaxy from the troublesome Jedi.  Do not call upon it again."

The trainee was given a citation and extra kitchen duty.

I transmit the landing code and descend through the wind and rain.

The storm is almost a good thing.  I have to concentrate so hard on not dying that my mind stops focusing on the transmission and focuses on the task at hand.

But as soon as I land, I grab my bag and clutch the transmission, waiting for permission to be dismissed.

It takes a few minutes of waiting before everyone lands and Erso walks over.  He introduces us to the scientists — I'm too nervous to pay attention to their names — and shows us to our barracks.

Before he leaves, I catch up with him.  "Is there a transmission viewing room anywhere?"

"I was actually just heading there.  Come on."

I follow him, fiddling with the metal piece.

"You can view yours first," he says, stepping aside and turning down the lights. 

I slide the transmission into the machine.  It whirs to life and processes the chip for a minute before an image appears.

It's Mama.