Scarif survivor AU

[imthepilot]

Bodhi lingered after the briefing, hands behind his back in that stance that had become habit. The stance that hid his prosthetics arm from view. Not that anyone stared any more but some habits were hard to break.

“General Rook?” Mon Mothma didn’t need to look up to know it was him, tidying up the data chips as the rest of the briefing room emptied. “You're wondering why I didn’t assign you to the Endor strike.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He found it strangely comforting, the way she always knew. So, he never needed to ask.

“I have another mission for you and your team.” She gestured him to follow, leading him into a private antechamber. Her expression turned serious as she touches the little data-chip containing the information the Bothans had paid so dearly for. “There was a second message, from an imperial informant.” Her expression tightened, suppressing some deep emotion behind her stateman’s mast.

She pulled up a star map, gesturing to a gas giant orbiting a single star adjustment to Endor’s binary system. “According to this informant, there is an imperial research and development station in the Moddell sector. It’s being used to hold a group of scientists and weapons specialists. Against their will.”

“And you believe this information is credible.” Bodhi asked, his braided hair falling over his shoulder as he leaned in to look at the small speck in the map.

“I do. Yes.”

There was something about her voice, the tamped down strain that made him look at her. There was so much in her eyes, in the tightness of her lips. So much unsaid.

“Your mission, General Rook, is to retrieve the scientists and, our informant. Alive, if at all possible. And then destroy the facility.”

Bodhi nodded slowly, considering. “I’ll need an imperial craft.”

“You’ll have it.” She answered, a little faster than necessary. “A second shuttle has been set aside for this mission. Select your team and brief only those you need to. This mission is of the upmost importance. The Emperor has built a second Death Star. Even if we fail to destroy him, there must never be a third.”

Bodhi accepted the dossiers she had prepared him on the informant. “You have my word.”

He didn’t open the file till he was perched in the pilot’s seat as the other members of Rogue Squad, all Scarif survivors, loaded up. It wasn’t till then he saw the face of the Imperial informant. A holo of a woman, candid and some years out of date. Not a mugshot or a service record scan but the sort of holo someone might carry on their person. A holo of a loved one.

The medic who had saved his life on Eadu. And whose name he now learnt was Rochin. Rochin Mothma.

That was why the commander had such faith in the message.

***

They moved down the corridor at an easy trot, covering doorways and each other as they moved further into the facility.

Getting in had been easy. Easier than it should have been. The facility seemed to be manned by a skeleton crew while the rest of the garrison was elsewhere. On the Death Star perhaps. Or down on the forest moon. Bodhi send up a quiet prayer to the Force for the Princess and Luke’s safety. He’d gotten to know and like them both well. Even if he didn’t have much love for General Solo.

“Cover me.” He called to Melshi as he crossed to the last of the detention block controls. He had to step over a dead trooper, the smell of burnt duroplastic and flesh filling his nostrils. He would suffer for that later. For all of it. He wasn’t past the nightmares, that had become almost a familiar occurrence. Part of the fabric of his scars. But his hands no-longer shook during the fight. Only after.

He gave a triumphant ha as the door locks slammed back, echoingly loud. “Sefla, clear the cells to the left. I’ll take the right. Pao, keep the engines hot, we’re coming your way.”

He shouldered the rifle, concealing a stunner in his flesh and blood palm, just in case this one didn’t want to be rescued. Some of the scientists they’d pulled from other cells were frightened, erratic. Some were so badly mistreated they’d tried to fight off their rescues. And a desperate man could be stronger than he looked. As Bodhi’s blooming black eye could attest.

He opened the door with care, shifting his stance in readiness.

And stopped dead.

Comments

[imthepilot]

They're herded into a mess hall, food brought out as they wait. Delta base is mostly durocrete bunkers but big skylights bring in the dappled sunlight from the towering trees above.

It's several hours before they get to Galen. All the time, Bodhi is nowhere to be seen.

The interrogation is polite enough. A tired looking middle aged officer with two younger ones keeping watch in case it gets less friendly. Just the basics - his name, his history, how he came to the Empire's attention.

[galen_erso]

Galen tells it all -- his history, his family, Krennic tricking, then forcing, him to work for the Empire; his secret sabotage, and finally Bodhi. Sending Bodhi to find Saw and Jyn.

He doesn't outright say that Bodhi and he are (were?) lovers, but he says nothing to dispel the potential implications, either.

[imthepilot]

All three men listen with mounting interest. And respect.

"You're the Galen Erso? The man who sent the message." One of the younger men asks, with a note of awe. "Then you're- I'm so sorry! Jyn Erso was- is a hero of the Rebellion."

[galen_erso]

"Until today, I was made to believe she was alive," Galen says tonelessly. "And that Bodhi -- General Rook -- was dead. And yes, that Galen Erso. I built the monster. And then, I had to build it all over again."

[imthepilot]

"The general thought you were dead." One of the young men says softly.

The older man hushes him and turns back to Galen. "Can you tell us what the Empire has had you working on? Anything you can tell us that would help up bring it down would be appreciated."

[galen_erso]

"Anything you need," Galen assures them. "I was working on the Death Star Mark II -- specifically, the kyber controlled focussing unit at the heart of the lasers. After last time, they didn't let me anywhere near the project management of the thing, bug if course I had to see everything, for context. So, for all it is worth..."

And then he went technical, at great detail and for a long time.

"In had to keep it all in my head," he says apologetically, about three fifth through. "Digital long-term storage in the Empire is total and utter crap. As is everything else. Sorry."

[imthepilot]

All of it is faithfully recorded and set down. "Thank you." The older man nods. "We'll have this send on to our technical people. Are you-" He hesitates. "Will you be sticking around? In case they need to ask you anything?"

[galen_erso]

"I will be sticking around and helping as long as I can," Galen says. "You might need things built, too. Peaceful things, preferably, but I will do what I can to help undo the damage they forced me to contribute to. If your engineers decide to trust me enough for it, I will do my utmost to help you crack that monster I had to work on."

Pause.

"If you will have me."

And if Bodhi will have him.

[imthepilot]

The older man rises and offers Galen his hand. "I can't speak for the higher ups, sir. But I'd be very glad to have you on our side."

One of the younger men offers to escort him out to the barracks where they've set up accommodation for the liberated scientists.

At the very far end of the hall, Bodhi stands silhouetted against a large window, arms clasped behind his back and looking out at the forest.

[galen_erso]

Galen follows the man, but when they get close to Bodhi, he stops.

"Bodhi?"

[imthepilot]

"General." The young man salutes.

Bodhi turns with respectful nod. "Thank you, Lieutenant- Nika, isn't it?"

"Yes, sir." The young man flushes with pride at being remembered.

"Would you tell Melshi I've gone up to the temple. And to comm. me as soon as there's news."

"Yes, sir." The young man heads off with a spring in his step.

Bodhi watches him go with a sigh. "Saddest part is he's only a couple of years younger than me." But today Bodhi looks and feels so much older. "I hope you're well enough for a walk?"

[galen_erso]

"I am," Galen says. "And I need to learn my way around. I have offered to stay and help, and I hope..."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi nods, leading him away from the hall and out onto the forest. "Until your clearance comes through, you won't be allowed to leave the base without supervision. Rules, you understand. But as I currently outrank all but four people here, no-one will object if I assign myself as escort."

It doesn't take long before the winding forest path shields them from view of the base. The further they get from it, the more Bodhi seems to relax. "I'm sorry, Galen. I know this must be hard. It's come as- as a shock."

[galen_erso]

"More than shock," Galen says. "Jyn is dead. My Jyn, my Stardust..."

He reaches for a tree-trunk to steady himself. This new Bodhi, the one who outranks all but four, probably doesn't love him any more, the way his pilot did. Bodhi must have mourned and moved on, and who can blame him?

So Galen tries not to reach for him, not to make things awkward, to postpone the gentle brush-off that would follow.

[imthepilot]

But Bodhi does reach for him, resting a steadying arm on Galen's shoulder. "She fought like a nexus, Galen. She stood up to the most powerful men and women outside the Empire and she called them out as cowards. Because they weren't willing to act. She put them all to shame and they never forgot it. No-one will ever forget what she did. What you did. You both died as heroes."

He huffs softly and withdraws his hands. "I know that no conciliation. And nor am I."

It's been four years. Four hard and long years since they said goodbye.

[galen_erso]

"I don't need you as consolation," Galen says softly. "I'd rather have you as you, and mourn my Jyn..."

He swallows.

"But its been four years, so I understand if you..."

He swallows again

[imthepilot]

"What?" Bodhi asks sharply. "Found someone else to screw around with?" he gives a disgusted little huff and steps away from Galen. "Is that really what you think of me? That I'd just- get over losing you? Loving you?"

[galen_erso]

"Never that," Galen says. "But perhaps you stomped on your heart altogether, because it all hurt too much."

He sighs.

"I love you, Bodhi, so much it swallows everything else. Stars, Bodhi, I love you so much. I never want to take you for granted."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi leans against the trunk of a tree, looking up at the dappled canopy. "I wasn't the one who stomped it." He says softly, almost to himself.

The declaration of love seems to hurt more than help and Bodhi closes his eyes. "I'm not the man you met on Eadu, Galen. I've done things-"

He shakes his head, pushing off the tree. "Come on. There's something I want to show you."

[galen_erso]

Galen nods, and follows. This will take time. But they have that, at least some of it.

"Yes. Show me."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi leads Galen to where several small creeks feed onto pool, ringed by an amphitheater of ancient stone. There had been a large building here once. A structure of some beauty but time and nature had claimed it back.

Bodhi stepped lightly over the stones, reaching confidently for handholds to climb up on face of the seeming ruin.

"The last drop is a bit of a squeeze but it's not to hard a climb."

[galen_erso]

"I'll manage," Galen says.

He hadn't had a chance to climb rocks since Eadu, so despite the fact it's not something to easily forget, he takes his time. But he manages. He does get there.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi doesn't speak but he keeps an eye on Galen, glancing back to check his progress.

After a while, they reach an opening, a gap where a larger stone has fallen sideays.

Bodhi pushes into it, feet first. "Four metres, curve right then another five metres. The drop to get out is only a couple of metres."

He shimmies down into the darkness and out of sight.

[galen_erso]

If following Bodhi into the womb of the planet is what it takes, then Galen will do it. And it's almost instinct now; this was among the first things he learned from Lyra.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi reaches to steady him through, intentionally using his flesh hand more than the other. No-one likes the touch of cold durasteel.

He switches on a small torch. The space is a stone antechamber of some sort, the walls elaborately carved.

"I spent six months on Delta Base. Forced medical leave. I found this place by accident. At least I thought I did." There are signs here and there that someone put time and effort into stabilising it.

Bodhi leads Galen down a corridor, running his flesh hand over the wall absently. He's use to walking this way in the dark.