Star Wars: Rebel Rising(9)

Saw stood over her shoulder, and Jyn held up the code replicator for him to look at. He cocked an eyebrow. “Not bad,” he said, scanning the data. “We’ll make a forger out of you yet.”

Xosad started opening jars of some sort of vegetable and mashing them into a pot to make a sauce. “So, I contacted my man on Coruscant,” he said casually to Saw.

Saw’s eyes went to Jyn’s immediately, and he shook his head just a little. “And?”

“Galen Erso is definitely there.”

“He is?” Jyn breathed, hope in her voice.

“Excuse us,” Saw said. Jyn didn’t want to leave, but Saw’s fingers dug into her shoulder until she winced. As she followed him back to her room, she couldn’t help noticing the way Reece watched her, his chin jutting out and his eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“That’s Papa they’re talking about,” Jyn said as soon as her bedroom door was closed. She hated the whine in her voice.

Saw sighed in defeat. “And you have a right to know what they’re saying about him,” he said finally. “But I can’t let them know you’re Galen Erso’s daughter.”

Jyn shook her head. “Why not?” she asked.

Saw knelt so his warm brown eyes were even with hers. “Jyn, I promise to tell you everything after supper. Xosad and the others are all leaving then. I’ll tell you everything. But not in front of them.”

“I won’t say anything,” Jyn said. “I just want to listen.”

“He’s your father, Jyn,” Saw said. “Of course you’ll say something. Stay here. I promise. Do you trust me?”

Jyn nodded reluctantly.

She could hear them on the other side of the door, laughing and talking, silverware clattering on the clay plates as they ate whatever it was Xosad had made for everyone. She tried to pick out each individual’s voice, and then to discern their words, but it was all dulled by the heavy rock walls and steel door separating them.

She paced her room. Back and forth, back and forth. She wished she had the code replicator. She could distract herself with numbers.

She thought about that last day.

Jyn, whatever I do, I do it to protect you. Her father’s voice had been almost calm, deep and solemn. He had spoken those words with such conviction and certainty, and he had looked straight into Jyn’s eyes as he said them. When she closed her eyes, she could see his face. His hair was always unkempt; he never had time for a haircut. Mama had laughed at him about it all the time, saying she would have to tie him down just to trim his hair. And he had a little beard, something he hadn’t bothered with on Coruscant. There were gray hairs in it, coarse and scraggly. They tickled Jyn’s face whenever Papa hugged her.

She took a deep breath. He had been serious when he spoke to her then. His dark eyes unwavering. The lines on his face etched deep with worry.

Say you understand, he’d said. He had spoken those words like a promise. A covenant between them.

I understand, Jyn had replied in a clear, true voice. She felt so much younger then. But she had meant it. She understood what he was saying, and she believed it. She believed him.

Jyn sat down on her little bed on the floor and waited.

She heard the others say their good-byes. She heard the ships leaving. She heard Saw walk to her door, hesitate for several long moments.

And then he came inside.

“Jyn,” he said, his voice heavy.

I do it to protect you.

“I want the truth,” Jyn said.

Saw sat down on the floor in front of Jyn. He took a deep breath.

“Ever since I picked you up on Lah’mu, I’ve been looking for your father and trying to figure out what the Empire wanted with him,” Saw said. “I know his research into crystals, I know the Empire must have a reason for it. He covered his tracks well. I’ve had some contacts of mine—not just Xosad and the others, different people—”

“Spies,” Jyn supplied.

“You could call them that.” Saw shrugged. “I’ve reached out. Tried to see if he needed help. Tried to tell him about you.”

“Could you not find him?” Jyn asked.

Saw watched her without letting his face show emotion. “We found him,” he said.

“Where is he? In prison somewhere?” Jyn’s heart leapt to her throat. “Is he hurt?”

“No.” Saw shook his head. “He’s fine. He’s on Coruscant.”

The air left Jyn’s body. “Coruscant. He could—I could go to him.” It wouldn’t be the same without Mama, but…

Saw was still shaking his head. “He could leave any time he wanted to,” he said.

“Maybe he doesn’t know where I am,” Jyn said quickly. “You can take me to him, in your shuttle.”

“Galen Erso is working alongside Orson Krennic.” Saw spoke in clear tones, enunciating each word, as if he knew the truth would cut her and it would be cleaner if he used a sharp razor rather than a dull blade. “Your father is working—knowingly—with the Empire. He reports directly to Imperial forces. He has made it entirely clear to my sources that he has chosen a side, and that side is the Empire.”

“No!” Jyn shouted, the word erupting from within her. “That’s not true!”