#i do like that they name dropped Wobani in Andor

[thegirlwholied]

retcons. they're a writing tool. they're not fundamentally a bad tool. though I greet them more often with an "ugh, retcon" than a "nice, retcon"-

and that's often because they're overwrites. sometimes carelessly so, the 'didn't pay enough attention to what came before'/'guess I changed it' route. And sometimes retcons are the 'that's not the story I want to tell now or I can do better than that' route.

Andor is doing the second type of retcon, and interestingly so, because there wasn't a whole lot there to retcon *and yet* they are managing to do that.

When Rogue One came out, Disney dropped a bunch of expanded universe material. The NEW expanded universe, because they'd already ditched the old one, to avoid conflicts; this new one could be consistent (ha, ha, ha).

In those 2016 detail books we got the facts on Cassian Andor's backstory: from the planet Fest (clearly carefully chosen for its old EU history), father killed during a protest against militarization on Imperial Academy planet Carida (another world with EU history), involved with a Separatist cell from age 6 on...

Anddd anyone who'd read those extended materials knew Andor the show was ditching that backstory within seconds of him dropping the name 'Kenari' in context that was immediately clear it was his home planet. I appreciated at least getting a nod to the backstory we had since 2016 with dropping that his 'cover story' planet was Fest. They definitely were aware and chose not to go that route. And that's OK! they have a story they want to tell, they're digging into some interesting themes and meanings and...

Well. Either way it's a retcon. A minor one that 97% of the audience will never notice or care about. And yes they're still keeping to the spirit of that key line in Rogue One-

"I've been in this fight since I was six years old"

- clearly the mining disaster on Kenari presumably happened when Cassian was six years old. So his childhood was ruined by the Empire then and he's been resisting them ever since, it's not that it renders it untrue it's just-

it's just that he's pulling a moral high ground with that line over Jyn whose life was also ruined by the Empire at eight years old and was raised as a child soldier by Saw Gerrera, a character whose very name is designed to evoke guerilla warfare...?

I mean a Cassian who's already been in prison and is scrapping by and sticking it to the Imperials all he can, drawing those character parallels between them even closer then are we, but the whole crux of that (excellently written & filmed I'm still not over it) argument hinges on Cassian's relationship with/committment to the Rebellion above all else. The show's retcon has just... shortened that relationship. By quite quite a bit.

And there is now some unintentional irony, from this retcon, if Jyn was actually (via Saw's cell) part of the Rebellion longer than Cassian.

...it's fine, it's fine, tbh watch them retcon Jyn's backstory soon enough, it's a very minor retcon and maybe future episodes will reveal Cassian has been doing more actual rebelling than it seems and... nonetheless. Ugh retcon.

#andor #andor spoilers #cassian andor #rogue one #does no one else think kenari sounds a little too much like kenobi #I'm not saying fest is a great name but goddammit it was a planet that existed #i really don't understand why so many of the Disney movies/shows (except Mandalorian to a degree but even Rogue One my beloved did this) #refuse to use and build on old EU planet names #there's a frigging galaxy map #there's decades of source material #and every fan fic writer out there seems capable of doing research and crafting creatively off those details #yet it's mostly just been new planet after new planet #i do like that they name dropped Wobani in Andor #I'm not saying i dislike the show! #the choice to retcon feels a bit dismissive of the work of the writers who put together all those Rogue One books and those who bought? #it's by no means exclusive to this show this kind of thing happens all the time #my writing philosophy is just more 'work with what you have' vs 'this is a round peg and i want a square hole so let's make it a square' #that sounds harsher than i mean it to- sometimes the square hole is the better hole! #but just #ugh retcon

[jynappreciationsquad]

Title: Prism

[Read on AO3]

Summary: Jyn’s perspective on her parents changes over the years as her own life experiences change.

A/N: A massive MASSIVE thank you to @wonderstrevor​ for making the beautiful gifset to go with this fic!

When Jyn is very small, Mama is more a collection of sensations than a person: a laugh, a smile, a smell, a feeling. Safe.

As she grows older, she learns what causes those things: Mama laughs when Papa twirls her round in the air, smiles at Jyn when she explains what adventures she and Stormy had been up to, dabs perfume on her wrists that Jyn forever associates with her alone.

With age also comes the knowledge that her Mama isn’t always happy. Visits from Uncle Orson always make her upset (Jyn can’t figure out why, she loves Uncle Orson with his funny stories and the toys he always brings) and sometimes she and Papa argue afterwards.

Jyn doesn’t understand any of it until long after the night she is shaken awake by Papa —

“Come on Stardust, quick and quiet...we’re going on a very important mission.”

— long after her mother tries to explain it to her —

“I know you like Uncle Orson, Jynnie, but sometimes he’s not a very nice man, and he works for some very bad people.”

“Does that mean Papa is bad?”

“‘Why do you ask that?”

“He works for Uncle Orson doesn’t he?”

“Not anymore, Jynnie.”

“So was he a bad man then?”

“No he just got caught up in...well, he got confused. Don’t worry, you’ll understand when you’re older. All you need to know is that your Papa is a good man.”

— but what she does understand is how much happier her parents are on Lah’mu, especially her Mama.

Her Mama starts singing, teaches Jyn songs about the green fields of Takodana, the mountains of Alderaan and the Ampohr trees and blue seas of Scarif —

“I see the moon and the moon sees me, down through the leaves of the Ampohr tree, Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I love…”

— and Jyn listens raptly and swears that she will grow up and visit them all.

Mama laughs more and smiles more and hugs Jyn more, cooks terribly and sews worse, and teaches Jyn all manner of things about rocks and dirt and farming, and if Papa sometimes scribbles frantically on scraps of paper which he later burns in their stove with an air of resignation, well, he still seems content. Those are the happiest years of Jyn’s life.

Then Uncle Orson returns and Jyn is betrayed.

She sits in the bunker and rocks and tightens her grasp around Mama’s necklace until she can’t feel her fingers anymore. She doesn’t close her eyes, because she doesn’t want to see Mama’s body — notdeadnotdeadnotdeadNOTDEADshecan’tbedeadpleasepleaseplease — and Krennic’s cruel smile — notUncleOrsonneveragain — and Papa walking away — comebackpleasecomebackdon’tleavemehere — but the visions play out in front of her eyes anyway in the darkness of the bunker.

She can’t understand why Mama went back. She was supposed to go with Jyn, that was the plan, that’s what they’d practiced over and over, her and Mama down in the bunker, sitting quietly and identifying the different rocks.

I don’t understand. I don’t understand. I don’t understand. I don’t unde—

The hatch opens. Jyn looks up and her new life begins.

Life on Lah’mu in no way prepared Jyn for life with Saw. The Partisans live rough, and there are few smiles and even fewer laughs. Hugs become a thing of Jyn’s past, as does practically all casual physical contact.

Sparring becomes her main source of human touch, and she throws herself into it night and day. She advances in leaps and bounds, quickly outstripping her instructors and earning Saw’s gruff praise, a rarity which she treasures when it comes.

She learns all the things that her parents had tried to shield her from: the Empire and their evil, the terror and havoc that they were wreaking, and, most of all, information about Jyn’s Papa and the weapons he made for them once and is now again, or so Jyn assumes. Her resentment towards her Papa festers. How could he leave with the man who murdered Mama? How dare he make weapons that killed other people?

And so she ignores the echo of his last words —

“Remember, whatever I do, I do it to protect you…I love you, Stardust.”

— and fights harder, pushes Saw to take her on missions, establishes herself as one of his fiercest and most loyal fighters.

While her memory of her Papa sours, her memories of her Mama linger brighter, tarnished only by the final betrayal that she cannot bring herself to forgive. Nonetheless, she ends every day with her fist clenched tight around the crystal at her neck, not quite praying, but it’s the time she feels most at peace.

She asks Saw about her Mama once. He has become withdrawn of late, from everyone, but from Jyn especially. They are sat in a bunker, larger than the one Saw rescued her from, but still cramped, especially with a small cadre packed in.

Saw is silent for so long after she asks him —

“Saw...canyoupleasetellmeaboutMama?”

— that she thinks he isn’t going to answer, another unanswered question to add to the pile, but eventually he says “Your mother was very brave, and very loyal. She loved you, and your father. She believed in the Force, and she believed in the Cause.”

He looks at her, really looks for the first time in months. “You are so very like her, Jyn.”

They are silent for a while and Jyn jumps when he speaks again.

“I know I have been harsh to you at times”  — she shakes her head but he ignores her  —  “but you are like a daughter to me.”

Jyn thinks of her Papa and says defiantly, “You’re the only father I’ve had that’s counted.”

Saw smiles, though he looks sad, and pats her hand. “In the morning, I must take the cadre and go on ahead. Wait here for me, my child. I will return.”

In the morning, Jyn wakes alone. It takes her three days to admit to herself that he isn’t coming back.  

For the next four years, Jyn does her best to feel nothing. She doesn’t think of Papa, walking away from her with Unc...the man in white. She doesn’t think of Saw, saying “I will return.” She doesn’t think of Mama, tying the crystal round her neck and then leaving, leaving, leaving. (She does still fall asleep holding the kyber tight, but it doesn’t bring her the peace it once did)

She doesn’t think and she doesn’t feel. She survives and she works for whoever will pay her enough to eat and keep a blaster on her hip and clothes on her back, and she finds that it’s surprisingly easy to ignore the injustices of the Empire if you’re not looking. (That’s a lie. She always notices, but it’s easier to pretend she doesn’t.)

Eventually though her luck runs out, she works with the wrong person at the wrong time and Liana Hallik ends up in Imperial custody and very quickly on her way to Wobani. She thinks of Mama for the first time in years as she’s forced into the mines, remembers Mama’s clever hands and kind words, explaining different types of rock to a younger version of herself, as the ‘troopers push the prisoners past the point of physical exhaustion towards insanity with their stun prods.

The ‘troopers guard every exit, keep a watchful eye over every group of toiling prisoners. There’s only one escape route left clear, a walkway to a patch of grey sky where you can step off and fall down, down, down to crunch against the bottom of the mine shaft below. The ‘troopers don’t try and stop any prisoner who walks that way. There’s always another one to take their place.

Jyn wonders, sometimes, about that patch of sky, whether it would be better to die looking up than at the hands of her cellmate or maybe an overzealous trooper shoving a stun prod in a bit too long. She walks all the way to the edge once, past the’ troopers and the other workers, the sky calling her, but when she gets there, she looks down and sees the bodies in varying stages of decay, and she can’t quite do it, can’t lie down just yet. She feels very aware of the crystal round her neck as she walks back, pulsing in time with her heartbeat it seems, and somehow it gives her the strength to pick up her tools once more, ignoring the jeers from the other prisoners and the threatening crackle of electricity from the ‘troopers prod.

That night she falls asleep with her fist around the crystal for the first time since she came to Wobani, and wakes to water dropping on her face and the snores of her cellmate, and she curses her own weakness and promises herself that today she’ll die looking up, but she never gets the chance, the Alliance throwing a wrench in her plans. It’s fitting, she thinks later, that her last view of Wobani is a fading patch of grey sky. That had always been her plan.

The Alliance leaders are a shriek of raw sound against her nerves, numbed by so long in Wobani, none more so than Captain Andor. There’s something about him, something Jyn can’t think to name, a fire in his blood that reminds her that her blood ran hot once, but she remembers the pain that comes with the heat, and shies away.

The mention of Papa rocks her to her core, because she isn’t lying, she did think he was dead, and the thought of Saw makes her sick, but the thought of Wobani makes her sicker, a knee jerk response that surprises her. She didn’t realise she had any fight left, but there it is, and so she agrees to give them an introduction.

Jedha is a surprise. She dreams of her parents as they travel and maybe that’s why she’s so on edge as they land, ready to start a fight where normally she would walk away, and talking to the blind monk unsettles her, reminds her of how her mother used to talk of the Force, dragging memories long hidden to the surface, but the Captain, Andor (Cassian), he surprises her the most, his idealism —

“Rebellions are built on hope.”

— and his willingness to put himself in harm’s way for her, how he shoots one of the Partisans without a second thought, and it’s been a long time, so long since she had someone to watch her back, and she attributes the heat in her belly to that, allows it to explain why she jumps in front of his droid, and claims them in front of the Partisans, claims her own name as well for the first time in years and it feels better than she can believe to be Jyn Erso again, makes her feel closer to her Mama, and to her Papa, who maybe, maybe hasn’t betrayed her as she thought.

He hasn’t.

His message cuts her wide open, no pretence at apathy left, because she hasn’t lived as he would would want, as Mama would want, allowed her own pain —

“The pain of that loss is so overwhelming I risk failing even now.”

— to make her lose sight of the Cause, and as they flee Jedha, crumbling now, brought low by the Empire at last, she grasps her necklace and prays to the Force, to Mama, please don’t let me be too late.

She makes it on time but somehow is still too late, the story of her life, and as they flee Eadu, she turns on Cassian, the fire in her belly still there, but fueled by rage now and not whatever strange affection she felt before, and she lashes out hard, feeling her blows hit with vicious satisfaction as his mask finally drops and he lashes back. It’s the most honest she’s been with anyone in years.

He’s obviously taken her words to heart, because he vanishes as soon as they land, and so she goes in front of the council, not alone, because Bodhi is there, brave Bodhi, but without Cassian, and that stings more than it should from a man who just tried to kill her father.

They don’t listen, because of course they don’t, Saw was right about them —

“The Alliance will never be capable of a decisive strike, because they do not have the strength to make the difficult decisions. This is why they have abandoned us, my child: they recognise that we will not hesitate.”

— but she was wrong about Cassian, he didn’t abandon her. She listens to his speech and her heart grows lighter with every word, and as the men rush past them, she has to tell him, let him know somehow how much it means —

“I'm not used to people sticking around when things go bad.”

— and his eyes soften as he leans in close and intimate —

“Welcome home.”

— and the crystal around her neck sings.

As if to make up for years of suppression, her memories of Mama and Papa are at the forefront of her mind as they move through the base on Scarif, their faces peering at her around every corner, Mama’s voice in her ear as she makes the leap onto the central tower in the vault, and when Cassian falls, his body crunching on steel beams, she screams his name and for a split second, she thinks about letting go too, thinks about climbing down to him, but the moment passes as she presses her forehead to the cold metal in front of her and she thinks I understand now Mama. I understand why you went back for him.

Krennic doesn’t recognise her. The shock on his face when she reveals herself —

“I'm Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen and Lyra. You've lost.”

— is almost worth the knowledge that she’s going to die at his blaster, the same way that Mama did, except when the shot comes she doesn’t feel it, and she watches in disbelief as he crumples at her feet, feels a smile come to her face unbidden as she looks up to meet Cassian’s eyes, alive, alive, alive.

She lets him pull her away from Krennic, supports him as they make it to the turbolift, watches him as they descend, unable to put her emotions into words, but for once certain that she is understood despite her silence. He says nothing either, but the words are unnecessary, his eyes speaking volumes.

They stumble out of the citadel into the daylight, and she can feel his weight growing heavier at her side, knows that if they don’t find a way off this planet soon that he might not be able…and then she looks up at the same moment as him and sees the light, too bright for the sun, and she understands immediately that there will be no way off the planet for them. Their fight is done, the baton passed, and all that’s left is peace and each other.

They move in silent agreement towards the water’s edge until she can carry his weight no more and they slide to the ground. Jyn spies the Death Star beyond the halo of light and struggles against the impulse to laugh hysterically as she remembers the song her Mama taught her so many years ago —

“I see the moon and the moon sees me…”

— before Cassian’s hand on hers distracts her —

“Your father would be proud of you Jyn.”

— and she can’t help but think —

‘He would, but not as proud as my Mama.’

— but there’s no time to explain, so she smiles at him in gratitude because he’s done what no-one else in her life has done, come back for her again and again, and she wants to give him some of that comfort back, carefully pulling his body against hers as he expends the last of his strength to return her embrace. He presses his face into her neck as she watches the light move towards them unblinking, her Mama’s voice echoing in her head.

“Over the mountains, down by the sea, that’s where my heart is longing to be, Please let the light that shines on me, shine on the one I lo—”

Fin

#jyn erso #jynersoedit #rogueoneedit #therebelcaptainnetwork #rogue one #ours #by: yavemiel #by: wonderstrevor #fanfiction #gifs #other: lyra erso #other: saw gerrera #other: galen erso #other: cassian andor

[michellemjjoneses]

Operation Stardust

Words: 3,664

Rate: G

Summary: Jyn is sent to a solo mission to find Han Solo, while Cassian prepare himself and the entire Rebellion for an operation called Operation Stardust.

Well, this is the first time I made a really serious and long fanfic. I was inspired from Phineas and Ferb episode called Phineas’ Birthday Clip-O-Rama where Phineas went through the city while his friends were preparing a surprise party for him (and yes Frozen Fever too) (And for a warming up before my chapter-by-chapter fanfic and some aus)

I made it in order to celebrate my birthday (which is yes, today, April 26). I always imagine if Jyn had birthday, what would our captain do? Throw a surprise party of course.

Well enjoy my fic!

A03

Another morning in Yavin IV. But things are not going well in Temple Of Massassi after Princess Organa takes place to give some missions to everyone. Jyn isn’t an exception. 

“Maybe I should drop you on a mission on Tatooine,” Leia says while check her datapad. “You need to find an informant named Sef Trevor.”

“Find an informant? But, that’s an intelligence duty, ma'am,“ Jyn corrects.

“Correct, Sergeant,” Leia says. “But I need you to take Captain Andor’s place since he got sick.”

Jyn purses her lips together. After he came back from Coruscant with some new recruits, Cassian got sick. Just a fever, actually. But it makes Jyn worries to him, of course. She took care of him, every time. She even asked him to go to medbay. But, he rejected it.

“Don’t worry, Sergeant,” Leia says again. “He’ll be fine here. You just need to find Sef Trevor and he will lead you to another informant. Your mission is to get Solo and bring him here. Understood?”

“Understood,” Jyn answers. She stands and walks away from the War Room to the U-Wing. She doesn’t suspect anything from The Princess. 

Leia smiles even wider. She never knew that she would be trick a sergeant. She then turns her head. “You can come out, Captain.”

Cassian sighs of relief. He was hiding behind the wall when Leia talked to Jyn. With Jyn gone for a ‘fake mission’, he has enough time for his operation.

“You think she’ll be fine?” Cassian asks. 

“Of course,” Leia answers. “Solo is in Correllia. You don’t need to worry about her. Beside, there something you need to do for her, right?”

He smiles. He takes his comlink and turn it on. “Operation Stardust, begin!”

Tatooine, one of the hottest planet in the galaxy. Jyn doesn’t like Tatooine. It’s fill with sands and it reminds her to her time in Scarif. Sands, sands everywhere, she thinks. 

She landed on Mos Eisley and she walks in the most dangerous place in Tatooine. Filled with many criminals. Last time she visited this place when she was eighteen. She was Tanith Pontha back then. And now, she visits this place again and as Tanith Pontha again.

From what she knows about Sef Trevor, he’s a guy who smuggles some blasters to the Outer Rim. That’s what she found in his profile. She walks to the cantina and open its door.

Music plays and smokes spread across the cantina. She tries to hold her cough but she can’t. She closes her mouth with her scarf. “This place is even worse than Wobani,” she mumbles with mouth close.

“Tanith!”

She turns her head and finds a dark-haired woman in her age. Beside her, there’s a dark skin guy. His face is similar in his profile.

Sef Trevor.

“Hi, Klara,” she says. “It’s been a long time.”

Klara chuckles. “Of course. Now, look at you. You’re change too much. How’s life?”

Jyn lifts her shoulder. “Still usual.”

“Oh, still smuggling, huh?” Klara asks. She takes another sip from her glass. “I heard from someone that you need to talk to my boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Jyn answers. “About business.”

“Business, huh?” Finally Sef speaks. “Klara, you should go.”

“Alright, Dear,” Klara answers. “I’ll have to go. See ya, Tanith.”

Jyn just nods. And now, it’s time to get some information about Han Solo from this guy.

“So, do you know a smuggler named Han Solo?” Jyn asks.

“Solo? That guy?” Sef quirks. “Ah, my nemesis. He’s in debt with Jabba. But, I don’t care about his debts.”

“When was the last time you saw him?” Jyn asks again.

“Well, where’s that guy?” There’s a pause within a minute. “Ah, he’s in Naboo. My friend said that he’s shipping to Naboo.”

“Naboo?” Jyn once went to Naboo. She lived with Sabé.  Maybe, I can get some information about Solo from Sabé.

“Thank you, Sef,” Jyn says. She then stands and walks away from cantina.

Back in Yavin IV, all of the Rebellions, new recruits or not, are working together to prepare the Operation Stardust. 

The truth is, Cassian never did this before. He planned this two weeks before Jyn’s birthday. And unexpectedly, The Princess approved his plans, despite Draven’s rejections. After all, Jyn deserves more after what she did for the Rebellion. 

A surprise party. For Jyn Erso.

And now, Cassian can orders the entire people in the Rebellion for a surprise party. Most new recruits know about her and they can’t wait for it. They decorate the First Base with lamp bulbs and balloons, arrange tables for food and put ‘Happy Birthday, Sergeant Erso’ banner. For pilots, they arrange presents from people and park their X-Wings and help the new recruits put the lamp bulbs and balloons around their X-Wings. For data analysts, they help the Captain for log datas for the party.

And for Rogue One crew, Cassian gives them a job. It’s supposed to be an easy job. Make a birthday cake.

“But we never bake a cake, Cassian,” Kaytoo protests. “There is 90 percent chances that the cake…”

“Not now, K!” Cassian cuts Kaytoo’s protests. “We’ll make this cake perfectly. Beside, some cooks are here to help us. And the party will run perfectly What could possibly gone wrong?”

“Jyn won’t like the cake?” Bodhi says.

“Jyn won’t like the party?” Luke adds.

“Jyn will finds out that The Princess tricks her for you?” Chirrut adds.

“The cake’s taste will gone bad?” Baze adds. 

“And Jyn will finds out that you lied to her,” Kaytoo says. 

Cassian levels his glare to his team. Everyone shut their mouth instantly. 

“Go back to work!” He orders. They nod and walk to their station. Bodhi and Luke prepare the frosting while Chirrut and Baze mix the batter of the cake. 

He sighs again. His eyes catch a glimpse of a party. He imagines Jyn walks in and finds out about the party. Her body hugs his. 

Cassian’s smile rises again. He can’t wait for Jyn to come home.

Jyn takes a deep breaths and let them go. It’s been a long time she never breathe the freshest air in the galaxy. Naboo looks so peaceful despite there’s a war up there. She considers to live in here after the war’s over.

“Jyn, is that you?”

Jyn turns around and find her. Sabé still same. But she taller than the last time she saw her. 

“Hi, Sabé,” Jyn greets her. “It’s been a long time.”

“Yeah, it is,” Sabé says. “You know, I’ve been serving The Queen again so I’m sorry if I can’t keep in touch with you.”

“It’s okay, Sabé,” Jyn answers. “I’ve been joining the Rebellion so I’ve been busy too. Maybe, you wanna visit Yavin IV?”

Sabé nods. “Of course. The Queen requested me as the representative from Naboo to the Alliance. I’ll be going to Yavin IV tomorrow.”

“Really?” Jyn asks with excited tone. “That’s amazing! I can’t wait for you!”

Sabé chuckles. “Me too. So, Jyn, what brings you to Naboo?”

“Well, my informant said that Solo is here,” Jyn states. “Did you see him?”

Sabé shakes her head. “I’m sorry, Jyn. I didn’t see him. But my friend said that he was out from here. His destination was Corellia.”

“Corellia?” Jyn asks again.

“Yes, Corellia,” Sabé confirms. “Anyway, I must pack my things for tomorrow. See you later.”

“See you,” Jyn answers. “May the Force be with you, Sabé.”

“May the Force be with you too, Jyn,” Sabé replies and turn around as she walks to the city.

Jyn sighs. Corellia. This is better your last destination, Solo.

It’s 0300 in afternoon in Yavin IV. Preparation almost done. Presents with various colours are well-arranged. Decorations are ready. Light bulbs were tested and they’re work. Special hangar are prepared carefully for the Millennium Falcon to land in front of the party.

But the problem is the cake. Rogue One crew must change the cake many times because of its taste. Leia becomes the tester of the cake’s sample. And of course she said that every samples of the cake aren’t delicious. She even offers herself to help them.

“We tried seven different cake sample and none of them are delicious!” Cassian shouts. 

“Cassian, calm down,” Bodhi tries to calm him down. “It’s not like Jyn won’t like it. Beside, she will understands. Plus, this sample is already delicious.”

“You don’t understand, Bodhi!” He shouts, again. “It’s 0300 and we must finish this cake before sunset! And we’re not even arrange the cake!”

He needs Jyn this time. He knows that Jyn could handle this situation. She probably would calm him down right now.

“Cassian, your heartbeat is increasing,” Kaytoo chirps. “I suggest that you-”

“Thank you, K,” Cassian answers. “We must finish this cake for once and for all.”

Jyn lands the U-Wing carefully in the hangar. She then come out from it and use the scarf to cover her head. She walks to the outside of the hangar. Minutes later, she hears a machine humming. She turns around and finds out that her- Cassian’s U-Wing, is flying.

“Hey! Come back!” Jyn runs to chase the U-Wing. But it’s too late. The U-Wing is already flew.

What would Cassian says after he knows this? He probably angry to her. Jyn doesn’t wanna to fight against him again. She knows Cassian loves his U-Wing after The Princess gave another one to replaced the one which was destroyed in Eadu.

And now, she’s trapped here. Alone. Her credits are not enough to pay for a pilot to get out from here. If she couldn’t get out and come back home, what would happen in Yavin IV? Cassian probably panic and aboard another ship to get her out.

But she can’t relies on Cassian. She must get out from here with little credits. Maybe if she can finds her old friend…

“Hey, Hallik!”

Jyn turns around. She finds Han Solo leaned on the wall meanwhile his Wookie friend, Chewbacca, roars to call her. She sprints towards them. 

“You always disappeared, Solo,” Jyn says.

He lifts his shoulders. “Sorry, Sergeant. The Princess’ order. I heard you lost your U-Wing?”

“That’s not my U-Wing, but Cassian’s!” she corrects. “Kriff, he will be mad at me.”

Han chuckles. “Alright, Erso. I’ll pick your up from here. I’m also wanna go back to Yavin IV because we’re done some catch up here.”

Jyn sighs of relief. Finally she can go home and sleep in her bunk.

“Alright then,” she says.

“Then, let’s get out from here,” Han says and leads her to the Millennium Falcon.

After twenty times trial, Cassian swears to himself that this will be the last sample. Otherwise, they must go to Coruscant to order some birthday cake which will takes time

Ting!

“The cake’s ready!” Cassian says. He runs to the oven, but Baze prevents him.

“This is not your job, Captain,” he says. “This is mine.”

He puts gloves on his hands and opens the oven. The smell from the cake spreads across the kitchen. Baze puts the cake on the table very carefully.

“Alright, let’s give it a try,” Cassian says.”For the last time.” Without The Princess, he must tries it. He tells himself that he represents Jyn too. He cuts the cake into a slice and put it on a small plate. Bodhi, Luke, Chirrut and Baze looks at him with anxious expression when Cassian takes a bite.

Chirrut prays, hopes that the cake will be delicious. Bodhi closes his face, afraid that Cassian will be angry, again. Luke and Baze are hiding under the table.

“It’s good,” he comments. 

Bodhi, Luke, Chirrut and Baze are blinking with we’re-not-believe-it faces.

“It’s good,” he says again. “It’s good, guys! Let’s bake this again! And makes sure that this will be the last sample.”

The four nod and bake the cake again. Several hours later, three cakes are out from oven. Bodhi, Luke and Baze are now coloring the cake with food dye. The cake will be in colour of dark blue like night sky. Chirrut spreads some glitters which can be eaten on the cake so the cake will be just like night sky fill with stardust.

“We’re done, Captain!” Luke reports. 

Cassian gasps when he sees the cake. It’s beautiful. Jyn will love it.

After done with decorating, Kaytoo helps Cassian to arrange the cake. Cassian puts gloves on his hands and put the medium cake to the big one.

“Take it easy, Cassian,” Kaytoo says. “Take it easy.“ 

He bites his lips when he puts the smallest cake on the medium one. He worries that the cake will be destroyed. 

“Be careful, Cassian, be careful,” Kaytoo says again. “Be careful, Cassian, be care-”

“Shut up, Kay!” Cassian shouts. “I can’t concentrate if you say that!”

Kaytoo then shuts up. Cassian sighs again and finally he puts the last part of the cake without hesitation.

After that, Bodhi and Luke are frosting the cake with white icing. Luke writes ‘Happy Birthday, Jyn Erso’ on top of the cake.

“We’re done, Captain!” Luke shouts.

“We made it,” he says. He turns to his friends. They’re smiling of course after look at their handiwork.

“Captain!”

Melshi rushes to the kitchen. “Captain, we’ve got transmission from Solo!”

Without hesitation, Cassian lets his apron go and then runs to the War Room.

In the War Room, they already receive some transmission from Han. And now, they’re waiting for Captain Andor

“Stardust will be back to the base,” Draven reads the transmission. “Should we reply it, Princess?”

Leia just sits and purses her lips. The cake isn’t ready yet. She needs to wait for Captain Andor. Unfortunately, Captain Andor needs to calm his temper, that was what his KX droid said. Maybe I can order Solo to bring Jyn to other planet. 

Leia opens her mouth. “Tell Solo…”

“That the Operation is done.”

She turns around and finds that Captain Andor is here. And his clothes are dirty. Not because of mud or blood like always, but because of the batter of the cake. 

Leia smiles and nods to General Draven. “Tell him that the Operation is done.”

General Draven nods and types the transmission. 

“And now, it’s time, Captain,” Leia says as she stands again. “You better change your clothes. Are you ready?“ 

He nods. "I’m ready.”

Stardust. Wake up, darling.

Jyn shrugged her blanket again. She doesn’t like to be awaken. She wanted to be awake by herself. 

Stardust. Wake up, Dear. It’s morning already.

She gave up and opened her eyes. She looked over to find out who called her. Papa and Mama were in front of her. They smiled so brightly.

“Happy birthday, Stardust.”

Mama brought a chocolate birthday cake while Papa brought many presents. Jyn smiled and scream with excited attitude. 

“Make a wish, Dear,” Mama said.

Jyn closed her eyes. I wish we will always together. She opened her eyes and blew out four candles. Her parents clapped their hands. 

Jyn opened her first present. A doll with white fur and red face. She then hugged her parents so tightly.

“Thank you, Mama, Papa,” she said. “I love you.”

“We love you too, Stardust,” her parents replied.

Jyn awakes from her sleep. It was just a memory. Just a dream. She cries silently. Her parents are not here to celebrate her birthday. Her wish won’t never come true. 

“Alright, we’re almost there.” She hears Han talks to Chewie. Jyn stands from the bunk as she wipes her tears away.

“Don’t worry, Erso,” Han says. “We’re almost there. You better sit down.”

Jyn sits down on the chair behind Han’s chair. She sees Han is trying to contact The Alliance. 

“Chewie, try to contact Yavin IV,” Han orders his Wookie. “We’re gonna landing.”

Chewbacca roars softly. 

“What?” Han asks. “We can’t contact The Alliance?”

“What happened?” Jyn asks.

“Something wrong with Yavin IV,” Han answers. “But, don’t worry. They already sent us some coordinate so we can landing safely.”

Jyn bites her lips. No, not again. Please be safe. She prays for The Alliance. She can’t loses her second family, her home.

When they come out from hyperspace, Jyn sees the base is dark. No lights shine the First Base like usual. 

“Alright, Chewie,” Han calls his friend. “We’re landing slowly.”

Millennium Falcon already reach out the atmosphere of the planet. And it lands safely and slowly. 

“The Base never been so quiet,” Jyn mumbles.

“We’re better get out from here and ask The Princess,” Han advices.

Jyn nods. Han opens the door and let Jyn out first. The Base is so dark and quiet. 

“Hello?” Jyn calls. “Is anybody here?”

Suddenly, lights shine the Base along with the bulbs that around the X-Wings. Jyn shuts her eyes because of the lights. She then opens her eyes again.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SERGEANT ERSO!” Everyone scream so loudly.

She looks at a dozen, not, the entire Rebellion. And then, she looks at Cassian. He is standing in front of them. He smiles to her. That same smile he used when he believed her to steal the Death Star plans.

“Happy birthday, Jyn,” Cassian says.

Tears running on Jyn’s cheek. She chuckles between her tears. She looks to the people of the Rebellion. She never celebrate her birthday again. She runs to Cassian and hug him tightly.

“Thank you,” she says between her sobs. “Thank you.”

Everyone are clapping their hands. Cassian sees Han and nods to him as a thank you for bring his stardust home. Han nods too to say ‘you’re welcome’.

“What about make a wish first?” he offers. A triple-level cake with dark blue color and glitters that shine like stardust comes. 

“Wow,” Jyn sees the cake and admires it. “I love it.”

“The cake was Cassian’s idea,” Kaytoo explains. “He was inspired from stardust. We tried twenty times-.”

“Shut up, Kay!” Cassian shouts again. Jyn laughs when she sees Cassian tries to shut Kaytoo up.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Bodhi asks. 

“Alright, alright. I’ll blow the candles,” Jyn answers. She shuts her eyes. She never makes a single wish in her birthday. But today is an exception. She’s not alone anymore. She is surrounded by the people who love her.

I wish we will always together. 

She opens her eyes and blows up the candles. Everyone cheer and clap their hands. 

“Jyn, you won’t celebrate your birthday with that outfit, right?” Leia asks. “I can lend you one of my dress if you want to.”

Jyn nods. She follows Leia to her quarters and changes her clothes into a beautiful blue dress. Her hair is styled in a classic bun. After that, they come out from Leia’s room and go to the party again. Everyone are surprised when they look at Jyn. Kaytoo reminds Cassian to breathe. 

“And now, it’s time for the dance!” Luke shouts with excitement. 

Some Pathfinders member already on their place and play their music instruments. Everyone find their partner and dance together. Han with Leia, Chewbacca with some new recruits, Luke with Bodhi while Baze and Chirrut just sit and enjoy the view.

And of course. Jyn is dancing with Cassian. She never sees him happily like this. Or perhaps she never been this happy. And then, she remembers his U-Wing. 

“Cassian,” she calls. “Your U-Wing, I lost…”

“No, you didn’t, Jyn,” he answers. “You didn’t lose it. Shara piloted it when you came out from it. She was with Solo and waited for you to come. When you came out, she sneaked into the U-Wing and flew it back here.”

Jyn turns to see Shara along with her husband, Kes. She smiles and waves her hand. Jyn smiles to her and she forgives her. After all, Shara is her friend. 

“So, this was all your plan, Captain?” Jyn asks. “I suggest, maybe your next birthday, I’ll be do the same.”

“Really? You’ll do that for me?” Cassian asks.

Jyn nods. “But I won’t pretend that I’m sick. You know, I was worried when you got sick! Turns out, you pretended! I was worried sick of you!”

“Alright, I’m sorry, Jyn,” Cassian admits. “I’m sorry that I make you worries.”

“Promise me you’re not gonna pretending again in front of me?” She offers.

“I promise,” he answers.

Silent comes again. Cassian twirls Jyn around before she faces him again. “How do you know that today is my birthday?” Jyn asks.

“Well, I checked your data,” Cassian answers. “Two weeks ago, I found your data and I planned all of these. I asked my plans to The Council. Unexpectedly, The Princess agreed with my ideas despite General Draven’s rejections. Even Senator Mothma agreed with it. We planned these for two weeks. When you’re gone with Pathfinders, I got help from the entire Rebellion. When the day has come, all of us must work together to prepare all of these. Including the ‘fake mission’.”

“So that’s why The Princess sent me to find Solo,” Jyn remembers when The Princess asked her to find Solo through Trevor.

“And the cake, yes that was my idea,” Cassian admits. “You’re a stardust, Jyn. So maybe I wanted to make a cake that represents you.”

“Says the Captain who tried to make the most perfect cake in twenty times trial,” Jyn corrects. “Cassian, seriously, how much flour that you spent for a cake?”

He chuckles. “Well, I don’t know. But you love the cake, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I love the cake,” Jyn answers. “It’s delicious, by the way. Did you bake it by yourself?”

“No, of course,” Cassian answers. “I got help from Bodhi, Chirrut, Baze, Kaytoo and that farm boy.”

“He’s not a farm boy anymore, Cassian,” Jyn corrects. “He’s Luke Skywalker.”

“Alright, then. Luke Skywalker,” he says. Jyn laughs again. 

The music turns slowly. Jyn hugs Cassian again. And he hugs her, too.

“Thank you,” Jyn whispers. “For all of this.”

He kisses her forhead. “You’re welcome, Jyn.”