AN: I really enjoyed writing this chapter! How are you guys enjoying the story so far? 

Talia had changed out of her Imperial uniform into casual winter clothes. Dark pants, a thick red jacket in case it started to rain, and a signature soft gray Kuat scarf. Her uniform would draw too much attention, especially since they're going to a hangar bay where non-Imperial ships were located.

Cassian still ached all over; his wounds stung and tugged at the stitches. He forced the feeling away. He's had worse injuries. If his mother saw him now, she would say the same. The mission was ore important than his health. All they had to do was make it to the ship without being caught in order to find out what the objective was.

Talia held onto Cassian's arm to keep him upright. He stumbled every so often, giving others the impression that he was drunk. It was a good cover. No one would suspect much, or see the dark blood stain underneath his jacket.

She wondered if all his missions ended like this. Were they full of excitement? Adventure? Maybe it was adrenaline inducing. Heart rate increasing. Heavy breathing. Running. Shooting. Trying to escape alive. A part of her wanted to experience that. The other part, the deep-rooted insecurity about what had happened to her,... God. She couldn't even think of her name without putting herself through unwanted pain. It was unwanted, yet it was her drive. Taking down the Empire meant so much if she were avenging her.

The mechanics from earlier were still in the hangar, and glanced over as they took their break. Cassian chuckled faintly, a fake smile plastered onto his face. He had to keep up the act, at least for his sake. They entered his Allanar N3 Light Freighter and closed the door behind them.

The ship was small, but had enough space in the cargo hold below. A bag of clothes was open, and a few articles of clothing were strewn about on the ground around it. Messy wrappers littered the floor. He had no time for cleanliness when he had a mission to complete. Ahead of them were two chairs for a pilot and a copilot. The dashboard lit up when Cassian turned the battery on. He collapsed into the pilot's chair and started pushing buttons.

Talia stood behind him, watching his every move. No rest for the wicked. She thought, and almost laughed out loud at the fact that the Alliance to Restore the Republic was wicked in a way. Cassian killed somebody in front of her before, and she was sure that wasn't the only time. The Rebellion took lives as they see fit. If it came down to it, and there was no way out, she'd have to kill too. Talia wasn't looking forward to that.

Cassian put on the communications headset and started the recorded transmission.

A voice came through his headphones, one that Cassian had known all too well. The famous rebel pilot Captain Raymus Antilles. He'd been known to carry out incredible successful wins for the Alliance, especially with a limited number of team members. Now, he was reaching out to Cassian for help. "Captain Andor, this message is being relayed to you using an encoded transmission channel. The Alliance needs your help in completing this mission."

Antilles continued with confidence, "It's time to retire those old Z-95s! The Alliance received an encoded transmission from Incom Corporation saying they have newly built prototype ships ready to go. They don't want to be tied to this in any way, or the Emperor would have their heads, so we're going to make it seem like we're infiltrating the facility. I'm sending you the facility's map now. These T-65 starfighters can handle anything the Empire can throw at us!" There was a pause, and a heavy grief was detected in the pilot's voice, "Our pilots never made it to Fresia. The last message that I received from them detailed the discovery of the Imperial I-class Star Destroyer Tyranny in orbit around the planet."

A Star Destroyer? Above Fresia? What for? They don't need that much security, do they? Cassian ran through the different exports and imports that were taken through the planet, but he could only name a few. What was really going on there? His curiosity peaked, increasing his interest in this mission.

The transmission continued. "I'm taking my team to Wayland to get codes. Those codes are the only way you and your team are going to pass the Imperial blockade around Fresia. The Tyranny will be lured away from your destination, allowing you to get passed without a second glance. There is a task force waiting on planet Frellor. They're ready to infiltrate the facility. All that matters is you joining the fight. Once we get the landing codes, go pick them up, and jump to Fresia. Get the X-Wings. Get out. I know you have important matters to attend to, but we're incredibly low staffed. This is our only chance to take the opportunity." A few voices muttered in the backgrounds, but the static overshadowed them. "We're landing. The mission starts at midnight Kuat time. See you on the other side." The transmission ended, and Cassian set his headphones aside.

All of this information processed in Cassian's mind. He only had one choice: fight. If he didn't take action, the plan would surely fail. No one else was onboard on such short notice. This could turn the tide for the Rebellion. X-Wings, imagine that! Rebel pilots flying ships that could withstand a successful space battle. The Rebel leaders would greatly appreciate Cassian's involvement in such endeavors on short notice.

He checked the time. 23:35. The mission starts in less than half an hour. With resolve, Cassian turned his gaze to Talia. His face was stern, and he spoke as if he were giving orders to his subordinates back at the base, "You're coming with me."

Talia furrowed her brow. She hadn't heard a thing from that transmission. Going in blind wasn't an easy option for her. She questioned, "What? To where?" She internally sighed. She had the next few days off, so she thought she'd be able to kick back and relax. Of course something had to pop up just in the knick of time.

Cassian dismissed her question with a wave of his hand. "It's not important. Can you fly?"

"I'm not going unless I know what I'm doing." Talia stood her ground. Fighting for the Rebellion was one thing, but not knowing what she was walking into was another. She could be waltzing right into the place where she dies! Risking her life for the cause meant so much, but shedding a little light on the mission never hurt anyone. Do other rebels blindly follow orders without knowing the full situation?

"It's classified." He grit his teeth. He had no patience at the moment. They had to get into the air now. This mission needed to be successful, and there was no way it would happen if they sat here chatting. "Now are you coming willingly or not?"

Classified...and way above her pay grade. Cassian's mood changed so quickly, from joking and light to his old commanding self, causing Talia to think it must've been really important news. She mulled it over in the span of a few short moments. It sounded important, so maybe it was worth the risk. As long as she followed Cassian, she wouldn't be completely left to the wolves on the battlefield. She knew how to fight, but she's never been physically in the middle of a big battle. She was a spy, not a regular combatant. There are worse ways to spend a weekend. She nodded to him and replied, "I'm a mediocre pilot, though."

"You'll be my copilot. You control the laser cannons." He motioned over to the copilot's controls.

"Great. You going to make aiming difficult for me?" She laughed a bit as nervousness crept up on her. "I don't know how many ships I'll be able to take down."

Cassian started the ship's engine and put the headset back on. He clicked a few more buttons to read the status of all the parts of the ship. "Let's make this interesting then. I'll bet fifty credits you won't be able to hit an enemy ship." Hey, if he could make a little money on the side and have fun, that'd be an added bonus. Plus, it'd be something to look forward to. Sometimes little rewards were great.

Talia narrowed her eyes and launched imaginary daggers at his back. If this was a challenge, she'd greatly accept it just to prove him wrong. "Watch me, Joreth." She sat down in the copilot's chair next to him, and looked over the controls for future reference.

That's when something panged in Cassian's mind. Was it paranoia? He might not respond to the name in battle, so it might be a precaution. Maybe it was guilt. Lying to Talia when she had been nothing but honest felt...wrong. He looked at her with his dark eyes and quietly added, "My real name is Cassian Andor."

"You didn't trust me enough to know your real name? Are you even a captain?"

"I'm a captain...I didn't think I'd communicate with you for this long." Talia was too trusting in telling her real name to someone she hadn't known long. In this time...saying your real name to a spy was like signing your death certificate. They could give her up, and then her name would be plastered all across the galaxy on wanted holograms. He continued with sincerity, "You're going into battle with me. I want you to know the truth now, rather than learn it later from another rebel."

Talia admitted to herself that his action was smart. If she got caught by the Empire, she wouldn't know his name. He covered his tracks. She couldn't blame him for doing that, especially since she worked for the Empire. She didn't glance over at him, and focused her eyes on the viewport in front of them. Words danced on her vocal cords, waiting to be said, but she forced them all down and spoke softly, "Thank you."

That was a pleasant surprise. Cassian watched her expression in curiosity to see what she was thinking. Her face was a blank slate, and almost unreadable. He scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion. "You aren't mad?"

Yes. No. All the above? She didn't really know. Talia shook her head and concluded, "No. I understand why you did it, Cass."

Cassian cringed and shot back, "Don't call me Cass."

"Is that an order, or does it bother you?" Talia smiled as he grumbled under his breath. She listened for a reply, but when he was silent, she continued, "No. Yes? I'm going to call you Cass. It'll teach you to trust me."

"Trust is earned, not taught."

"You earned my trust the day we met. You could've given me up at any time. You didn't. I did the same. If anyone isn't trusting enough here, it's you."

She had a point, but he wasn't going to admit that out loud. That would only grant her satisfaction, and let her dangle it over his head. He had every right to not trust anyone he hadn't worked with multiple times. He knew some other spies he'd give his life for if it came down to it. Talia Revik? He wasn't so sure about her skills on the field, or if she'd give her life for him.

Captain Andor's entire body screamed from exhaustion. Maybe he should've taken Talia's offer to sleep on the bed for a bit. He strained to focus his clouded mind, and locked his eyes on the viewport in front of him. His hands coiled around the flight controls. I can do this. The thought crossed his mind, leading to him releasing a long breath. Breathe normally. Steady my grip. He mimicked his mother's words from the training session.

Talia glanced over at him worriedly. He was pale from blood loss, and she could see his eyes pleading for rest. A sense of remorse washed over her. She told him to clean the trail of blood he made in her apartment. She was extremely serious until now. This man overworked himself, and she could see the toll it was taking on him. I don't usually care about other people, but...he's risking his life to protect me from being found out. I owe him. She put on the copilot's headset to hear Cassian easier if they were to head into battle. Her hands shook lightly as she latched onto the controls. Her heart raced in her chest. How would she feel after the battle was over? Would she feel the same? Would she feel the guilt? The sorrow? Would she get addicted to taking out Imperials in battle? Her stomach churned at all of the questions.

The ship broke into orbit, and the sight before them made Cassian frown. Y-Wings and CR90 Corvettes scattered around the Kuat Drive Yards, bombing unfinished ships at will. The mission must've started early. Leading the Tyranny away would take some time. He mustered up some energy and pushed a few buttons. A communications channel opened up, and he commandeered the ship to a safe place. He instantly recognized the rebel fleet that attacked, according to the paint jobs along the side of the ships. "Green Leader, this is Captain Andor. Captain Antilles recruited me onto this mission. Is the Tyranny on its way?"

There was static on the other end for a moment. The explosions were silent, but the vibrations swept through the air, and shook the freighter as they passed. The bombs blew up in different colors as they collided with the ships. Purples, blues, reds. Without oxygen, the colors seemed to change in a weird way.

The communications line lit up and Green Leader spoke up, "I read you, Captain Andor. I'm sending you the transmission we intercepted from the Drive Yards just now. Be prepared to leave when the Tyranny arrives. Green Leader, out."

The intercepted transmission played over the communications line.

A panicked manager of the Drive Yards talked first, "Kuat Shipyard to all Imperial units! We are under siege by significant Rebel forces! All ships in the area, respond! Emergency Code Zero!"

There was silence for a long moment. Then came another transmission. "This is the Tyranny responding to Code Zero. Be aware that you are altering plans set by Lord Vader himself, and you will answer to him if this code as been invoked lightly."

This was it. The Tyranny was on its way. Cassian couldn't believe how many missions he had taken on in the last few days, but it was all worth it in the end. This was for the Rebellion. He put his blood, sweat, and tears into this cause. He didn't regret a minute of it. He brought up the schematics of the facility on the screen in the middle of the dashboard. He motioned to Talia, "Remember every inch of this map. No questions asked."

Talia glanced over the map, and tightened her lips into a tight line. "Fine. But when it comes to infiltrating this place, I'm covering you. Not the other way around." He was hurt, and now he was rushing into battle? No way.

"How good of a shot are you?"

"Better than you are in this state," she retorted.

He wanted to laugh. "That sounds like a bet."

Talia moved her mouth to respond, until her eyes fixated on the Tyranny as it arrived out of hyperspace. The Star Destroyer was massive. This was the closest she had ever seen it to the Drive Yards, and being up close and personal made her feel so small. She was an insignificant little bug compared to this monstrosity.

Captain Andor followed suit with the mission's orders and immediately pushed the ship into hyperspace. Pick up the soldiers. Infiltrate the building. Grab the X-Wings. Go. Simple. He thought with hope. The rebel fleet followed behind him, off to aid the fight on Wayland.