As I hold Jyn's battle scarred hand, I look at her determined, yet disoriented face while we walk.  She seems really shaken up.  That is most definitely from repeating and thinking about the torture she had to go through at that Imperial camp.  Honestly, it kind of terrified me to hear what they did to her.  I know that I certainly could never be that strong.  She didn't cry a single tear, even when they tortured her probably near the point of insanity or death.  Not one, because she simply didn't want to give them satisfaction.  Now that is true devotion.  How the heck did she survive for so long? I certainly would't have.  I clearly am a total wimp compared to this incredible woman.

I honestly don't think Jyn knows how incredible she is, however.  She seems almost ashamed of the scars, and she should never be ashamed of something that proves how amazing she is.  She caught a whip.  That alone is impressive, but she did it blindfolded, after snapping her chains in half.  That's not even humanly possible.  She couldn't see it coming. It's almost like she has this sixth sense.  First with sensing the stormtroopers, now this? It's incredibly helpful, but what even is it?

Almost as if on cue, right as I wonder how she does it, she stops dead in her tracks.  

"What?" I ask concernedly.

"This is not right."  Jyn says immediately.  "Something's not right.  It feels wrong here.  Danger is coming."

"Stormtroopers?"

"I don't know.  But I have a bad feeling about this."

I try to act calm, but inside Jyn is making me very worried and nervous.  Her senses are always dead on and never wrong once.  If she thinks danger is coming, danger is definitely in the very near future.  That is a guarantee. I look around, but I, of course, don't see or feel anything unusual or dangerous.  But what do I know?  I'm not that smart. 

As we continue to walk forward, Jyn's prediction almost immediately comes true.  Several stormtroopers are on the beach ahead of us.

But this time, a massive Imperial base looms behind the beach, completely built inside the face of a ginormous rock cliff.  Imperial flags reign, and the six-spoked symbol of the Empire is carved into the rock.  It's easily fifteen feet in diameter, causing a sense of panic and terror in their enemies. Jyn pulls me into the bushes, thinking hard.

"An Imperial base? Here?" Jyn questions.

"Well, that's how those troopers found us the other night." I say, understanding it all.

"How are we going to get past it?" she asks in concern.

"Well, it isn't going to be easy."

Suddenly, Jyn bolts upright. "Hide.  NOW." she whispers, disappearing into the bushes.

"What?!"  Suddenly, I feel something touching my head. A gun.

"Stop right there, rebel scum!" A stormtrooper barks.  "You're under arrest."

I stand up with my hands behind my head.  There's three stormtroopers. Jyn is nowhere to be seen.  Please help me out, Jyn. I pray.

"Take this one back to the base." he commands.

Oh no. I groan. But I apparently don't need to worry about that. Jyn flies out of the bush, kicking and punching the stormtroopers.  I try to help, but within three seconds Jyn has managed to kill them all.  Without a gun.  They didn't even have time to react.  This woman is beyond good. She's skilled.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" I ask in awe.

"I taught myself.  I'll teach you sometime." she grins.

"That'd be great." I smile, happy to have something to look forward to.

"Now, put on the armor." she says, gesturing to the dead stormtroopers. When I look at her, she rolls her eyes.  "How do you think we're going to get past the base?"

"Oh.  Right."

After many minutes and grunts of discomfort, we manage to put on the armor.  Poor Jyn is really uncomfortable. The armor she has to wear is from a guy, and it doesn't fit her in the hips or chest at all.  But she pushes through it anyways, like she always does.  After hiding the bodies and the extra pair of armor, We take the blasters and attempt to be as stormtrooper-like as possible.

Walking out into the clearing, we begin to cross.  So far so good.  We've taken five steps and they haven't killed us.

"I can't see a thing in this helmet!" she mutters angrily.  "The Empire needs some better designers."

"Shhh." I mutter as two Imperial officials dressed in grey come up to us.

"What are you doing here?!" one asks angrily.

"Well, um-" I start.

"I don't recognize your voice.  What is your identification number?" the same one questions.

"You don't need to know." I reply, irritated.

"Yes, I do! I'm not going to ask you again. What is your identification number?"

I start to panic slightly.  What do I say? I have no idea what my identification number is, I don't have one. I decide to make one up, but then Jyn starts to talk.

"You don't need to know our identification number." Jyn says immediately, in a commanding, yet subtle voice. "We're on break."

Suddenly, he stands slightly taller, almost as if he changed his mind for no apparent reason.

"I don't need to see your identification." he repeats in a monotonous voice.  "You are on break."

I look at Jyn in confusion.  What was that?! 

"If you're on break, you had better head back to your barracks." the other one commands.

Jyn looks at me, like "Where are the barracks?! Tell me you know."

"They're in the base, you idiots." the officer groans.

"Yes, we know. We're going." I reply, heading towards the base with Jyn.

"Well, this stinks.  How are we going to get out now?" Jyn complains.

"We'll figure it out." I smile at Jyn reassuringly, and then sadly realize that she can't see my face.  What would happen if we got separated? I would have no way to find her. Quickly pushing the tidal wave of fear overcoming me back down, I change the subject.  "Well, we might as well do something useful while we're in here."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jyn says in a low, mischievous tone.

"If you thought blowing it up, yes." I laugh.

Jyn holds her armored hand in a fist, arm extended towards me. She's looking straight ahead. "Fist bump." she says in a serious tone.

Without turning my head, I raise my fist and complete the gesture, bumping my hand on hers.  "Let's do this."

"Where do you think they keep the bombs?" Jyn whispers to me as we enter the huge base. 

"How the heck would I know?" I reply, exasperated. "Probably somewhere that is very hard to access."

"Wait, hold on.  Let me look in the database. I might be able to find something."  Jyn says, running into a room and over to a computer.  

"I don't know if that will work."  I say uncertainly.  After she types a few commands to get it to start up, she groans.  

"Great.  It's asking me for a username and passcode.  What the heck would it be?"

"Use your dad's name.  They probably haven't removed him from the system yet." I reason.

"But what about the passcode?"

"Stardust." I reply immediately.

She shakes her head.  "I doubt it."

"But he named the freaking plans to the ultimate super weapon after you.  I would try it."

She sighs.  "Okay."  She types it in.  Suddenly, the screen unlocks and opens to a map of the base. "It worked.  We're in."

"Try to act normal, I don't think stormtroopers are supposed to be on the database."

She stands up.  "Okay.  I'll go take out some officers." she says casually.

"No, don't-"

Jyn leaves the room, despite my warning. This woman doesn't ever listen to me.  A few minutes later, she returns with two officer uniforms.

"Did you hide the bodies?" I ask, annoyed.

"Of course.  How dumb do you think I am?"

I sigh.  "Alright then.  Let's change quick." I close the door to the room and take off the armor, slipping on an Imperial uniform for the second time in my life.  I can finally see Jyn's face again, which is a relief.  I would hate to lose her in such a huge place.  Plus, I kind of missed seeing her beautiful green eyes.  Which sounds really cheesy.  It probably is.  

After we've finished, she looks up and down at my outfit. "Have I ever told you that you look handsome in a uniform?" Jyn smiles up at me.

"Well, thanks." I grin.  "You don't look so bad yourself."

Once again, Jyn is wearing an outfit meant for a guy.  She looks surprisingly good in it. It's pretty loose for her, but she pulls it off.  She can look good in anything.

"Now, back to the database." Jyn says, getting on the computer.  She looks through the files, trying to figure out where it is. "Prison cells, barracks, launch bay, more prison cells, eatery, MORE prison cells... Geez, how many prisoners do they HAVE?! Oh okay, here it is.  Weapons and Armory. It's at the very back, really far from the entrance." 

"Is there a passcode on the door to it?" I ask.

"I dunno, but probably.  I'll see if I can figure it out." she types on the computer.  "Yep, here it is.  The passcode is 2187."

"2187.  Got it." I reply.

"We had better go before we're-" Jyn starts, but the door opens.  In walks a very important man with several officers flanking him.  His hair is receding, but his eyes command respect despite his age.  His sharp jawline and high cheekbones instantly tell me who we are dealing with.

It's Grand Moff Tarkin.

"-caught." Jyn mouthes silently.

Tarkin walks towards us, his cold, pale blue eyes staring us down.  His eyes are completely different from Jyn's.   Her eyes are pale, but not cold.  They sparkle with warmth.  Tarkin's eyes do not.

"Excuse me, officers, but I need to access the database." he commands.  We step aside.  He looks down at the computer, raising an eyebrow at what he sees.  "You're signed in as Galen Erso. He died nearly two weeks ago."

I try to speak, but nothing comes.  Tarkin looks at us. "What are your names?"

"Officer Andor." I pipe up immediately.  He doesn't know my last name, there is no danger in me using it.  

"We don't have "officers".  That's not a rank." he counters. He looks at Jyn.  "I don't recall having any female officials in the Empire."

I inhale.  Oh no.  This is going to piss off Jyn so much.  Don't talk back, I pray. That'll only make things worse. 

"Well, I don't recall anything that says women are less capable than men." Jyn growls. 

"I just don't understand how it's possible." he replies.  This is not good.  This is very, very bad for us.  He is really making Jyn mad.  I can tell.

"Well, I don't understand why you think that it isn't possible!  I worked for this post.  I fought for it.  I've gone through the ranks.  I did NOT come all this way to be told by a male moron that it "ISN'T POSSIBLE"!" she roars. 

Tarkin glares at Jyn.  "You're outspoken.  You'd never make it this far in the Empire with Lord Vader.  But perhaps you would in the Rebellion."

I inhale sharply.  He knows.  He knows that we're not Imperial officials.  

"Get them." he orders, and stormtroopers come in, taking us down.  There are way too many to fight them off, and they handcuff us, dragging us away to a cell, far from the Weapons and Armory room.

They push us down in metal chairs next to each other after ripping off the Imperial uniforms. We're handcuffed and strapped down to the chair with chains.  Grand Moff Tarkin stalks in, his eyes even colder than before. He looks at Jyn, his eyes widening at when he sees her hands.

"Your hands are torn.  Almost as if they were catching something moving impossibly fast.  Maybe... whips?" he probes.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jyn says defiantly.

"You were signed in as Galen Erso.  Your hands are torn.  And you're rebellious." he says, putting it all together. His eyes widen with malice.  "You're Jyn Erso. The Rogue."

Jyn locks eyes with him, staring him down.  "Took you long enough to figure that one out."

"We must inform the Empire at once that you still exist and are back in Imperial custody. Prepare my shuttle." he instructs an officer.  "Keep the girl alive.  Kill the spare." He leaves the room with confidence, his boots clicking on the metal floor, all of the officers following him.

"You heard him.  Kill the spare." a stormtrooper instructs another.  The other one raises the gun, aiming right at my heart.  I'm gone. I close my eyes.

"NO!" Jyn screams as the gun fires.  I brace myself for the blast, but it never comes.  I open my eyes to see the blast frozen in midair, three inches away from my heart. What the hell?!

Jyn growls and snaps her chains off, running over to me. She pushes me over as the blast unfreezes.  I feel an extreme pain in my shoulder, only to realize that I've been hit.  My vision goes dark and blurry from the pain. Jyn breaks me out, grabbing a gun and killing the stormtroopers in two shots.  

"Hang on, Cassian!" she pleads to me as my consciousness fades in and out.  "I just have to light the explosives..."

She grabs me, carrying me the same way as we have done many times before.  She runs to the Weapons and Armory, shooting stormtroopers as she goes.  She reaches it, punches in the code and walks in.  I see her shoot the fuse to hundreds of barrels of TNT.  She grabs me as my consciousness fades.  As I black out, I have no idea if we'll make it out alive.  But I trust Jyn with all my heart, so I am not afraid.

***

"Cassian, hang on." Jyn says worriedly as I regain consciousness.  "I've bandaged your arm, it's all going to be okay, I blew up their base..."

I open my eyes, and Jyn's face floods with relief.  "Oh, thank the Force you're okay! I was so worried.  How's the shoulder?"

I wince.  "It hurts, but I'll be fine. Thanks for getting me out." I sit up and look around, and we're on a hill near the Imperial base.  Or more like the blazing inferno that was the Imperial base.  The orange fire illuminates Jyn's face, in sharp contrast with her eyes.  She looks incredible.  I can only imagine how badass she looked when she walked out of the exploding building, carrying me in her arms.  I wish I could've seen that.

"Tarkin escaped." she states immediately, almost as if she read my mind.  "I saw his shuttle leave as I ran out with you. He knows we're still alive.  We're going have to be on the move."

"Eventually, yeah.  But it shouldn't be too bad.  You kind of destroyed their entire force here." I say.  "Man. The Empire is not going to like you." I grin.  

"They never did." She grins.  "So you're sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good." I stand up, but suddenly a wave of pain hits me, and I nearly collapse on the ground.  Jyn catches me, her face full of anxiety.  She sits me down, and she sits on her knees, holding onto my jacket to keep me upright.

"Cassian, hold on. Please." she whispers, a tear running down her cheek. "You promised me you'd teach me how to swim." she places her hand on my cheek.  "You promised you wouldn't let me go."

For the first time, I realize something.  Jyn doesn't want to be left alone again.  Her parents abandoned her first when she was only six years old.  Saw Gerrera left her when she was fifteen.  Now, nearly all of her friends have died and left her behind.  She's holding onto me for dear life, because I'm the only one who hasn't left her.  I force myself to remain conscious, and take a deep breath.

"I am never letting you go, Jyn.  Not like the others.  I'm not leaving you, ever.  I want to be with you." I say with finality, my eyes locked onto hers. "I promised you.  And I don't ever plan on breaking that promise."

Suddenly, Jyn's eyes fill with need and desire.  She leans in close to me, her lips ever so slightly parted.  I put my hand on her neck, leaning in closer.  My face is two inches away from hers, allowing me to see every shade of green in her irises.  Those same eyes flick down to my lips, hungry for passion.  We both lean in closer, and my lips finally touch hers.  Fireworks go off in my head, her emotions clouding all other thoughts.  Our need for each other is far greater than anything else right now.  Jyn slowly runs her hand through my hair, and I quietly sigh against her lips.  The kiss is slow and chaste, but full of passion and hope.  I hold her close to me, the inferno illuminating us.  Honestly, there couldn't be a better place to have a first kiss.

After we've had enough bliss and euphoria, we finally break apart.  Jyn looks up at me, a new tenderness in her eyes.

"I like you, Cassian."

"I like you, too." I reply, taking her hand.  She smiles, placing her head on my shoulder and nearly instantly falling asleep.  I lay down, careful not to wake her up.  Her head rests on my chest, the exact same way she has done it in the past.  With my lips tingling from a kiss from the person I trust the most, I fall asleep, knowing in my heart that there is no reason to watch guard.  Jyn will always be there for me, and I will always be there for her.