counting the stars ✦ cassian andor

entry three

"Shouldn't I be talking to the senate or the council first, I can't possibly believe they just would let me come onto their base without an interview first." I said as Cassian lead me through the halls of the base.

"Let's just get the test done first, then they will decide if you are an asset or not." He said coldly.

"Do you think I am a possible asset to all of this?" I said stopping and tugging him back.

"In my opinion, yes, I believe so," he looked away as we continued to walk, "but it's not me you have to convince."

He led me to a large room that was completely open and had cabinets lining the walls. The room was lit up quite well with bright white lights, it was rather annoying to look anywhere but the ground. Cassian quickly grabbed a metal ball from the cabinet and threw it up into the air, where it stayed and zipped slowly in a circle above us. He then walked over to another cabinet and brought out a silver, cylinder-looking object the size of my forearm. I looked confused at the object as he handed it to me.

"Go ahead turn it on." He assured as my eyes still fell upon the mysterious object. There was a button on the side which I could assume was the on switch. And just light that a blue ray of light raised from the cylinder and buzzed in front of me.

"That is a lightsaber, Jedis use it during battle. It is one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy." Cassian explained as he watched me start to slice the air with the so called lightsaber.

"And what is that thing?" I asked directing both of our attentions away from the ray of light.

"That is a remote. When I power it completely on it will target you with small blasts, you must use the lightsaber to deflect the blasts." He said before switching the small moving device on all the way.

"I don't understand exactly how to do–" but my voice was cut off by a small blast hitting my shoulder. "–damnit. okay."

"Focus, Azura, use the force." He said as another two blasts hit me and I stood there still trying to use this ray of light to deflect the shots. I thought my determination was strong after getting it once but then I started getting hit a few more times. I didn't like this feeling but small tears from the burns slowly formed within my eyes.

"I don't know how to use the force." I muttered lowering the lightsaber, in such shame, and surrendering to another blast.

"What was that?" Cassian asked.

"I said I don't know how to use the force!" I yelled back at him as I noticed that a single blast from the remote had not reached me. It was still within the air just 2 inches from my face.

Cassian stood in shock yet with a smile on his face realizing what had just happened. I had little understanding of it but I knew if I asked I would only get the answer I am already thinking.

I had just used the force.

"We better get you to the senate Azura." Cassian said grabbing the remote from the air and letting the blast hit the ground behind me. The lightsaber was soon replaced with his hand as he led time to finally talk to the senate and council.

The halls of the rebel base were much nicer than what I had been used to on my home planet. Obviously everything was better than the planet I was just on. I kept a steady pace with Cassian, but feeling somewhat like a prisoner or a misplaced person.

"Captain Andor, I see that you have located and brought Azura safely home." The senator had welcomed as I nodded my head and looked anywhere but at the people around me who had serious staring issues.

"This isn't my home, not that I can recollect," I said finally looking her in the eyes, "I used the force, I guess that makes me useful now?"

"Very useful." She said which were words I was hoping she would've twisted into something more positive. "We want to send you on a mission, to retrieve a defected Imperial pilot from Jedha."

I looked over to Cassian and whispered, "does she know–"

"–Senator, I regret to inform you that Azura is not the same girl you remember. The Empire has wiped her memory, we need to explain to her some basic information before we leave for this mission." Cassian said speaking up. The woman looked rather disappointed but her face distorted almost like she was thinking out loud.

"Fine, you have 36 hours to inform Azura of basic intel. This is excellent timing I suppose because we are also locating Jyn Erso." She said directly to Cassian.

"Erso?" Cassian said with a disgusted look on his face, his accent very emphasized.

"Daughter of Galen Erso, Imperial engineer." She reassured him and, in a way, reminded me.

"What does she have to do with this mission?" Cassian asked getting angered.

"She can help us get a meeting with Saw Garrera, they were acquaintances." The senator said.

"We've located him?" Cassian asked.

"Yes, we are going to pursue him as soon as we get Jyn on board, which may be sooner than we think so please hurry with Azura." The senator asked of us before leaving out of the board room.

"Come with me." Cassian said holding my hand to pull me along.

"I now how to walk without you holding my hand." I said shaking him off.

"Oh sorry." Cassian muttered under his breath as we left the room as well. "My room is just down this hall."

We entered a very small room, half of the size of my hut. This is where he lived? There was a stiff bed hanging off of the left wall, a small table behind it, a metal chair in the corner, and a small window lined around the sides with rebellion posters.

"You can sit on the bed if you'd like." He said roughly trying to clean things off from the floor.

"Thanks." I said under my breath sitting awkwardly on, what felt like wood, bed. "You sleep on this thing?"

"Well I don't do much sleeping, but yes." He said finally taking a seat across from me on the chair.

"Okay, so, tell me everything I need to know for this mission." I said sitting up to look more attentive.

"I will start with the basic, yeah?" He started, "Empire is a powerful force that must be stopped, only death comes from that side. Then there is us, you, me, the rebellion, the resistance, we are the light. We are the good side." Said Cassian.

"Me?"

"Yeah, you, your mother was a Jedi, a teacher. We need you, the galaxy needs you." Cassian continued holding my hand, but this time I didn't mind it.

"It hardly needs me." I laughed a little bit.

"I beg to differ," he answered looking at me and then back down at his feet, "anyway, so about Jedha..."