He'd been playing things all wrong for low-level government agent Willix—not making more fuss about pain, to start—but better to stay consistent than overcorrect now. He closed his eyes and put back his head, simultaneously satisfied she'd believed him well enough and feeling sick to his stomach for the same reason.
"You're saving my life," he said softly. Not because he thought she didn't already know, but to prove that he did.
Jyn truly didn't find anything odd about Gabrael's reactions - he'd gone through an awful shock, after all, it made sense that the full realization of the crash hadn't quite manifested. He'd probably feel the pain much more when the morning came, and all the adrenaline (and what little pain meds she'd been able to bring) wore off.
She shook her head and then averted her eyes for a moment - a quiet one - before glancing back up, conflict more than clear in the furrowing of her brow, the set of her mouth. "Don't thank me yet. If anybody else finds you, I doubt they'll be quite as hospitable."
"That won't be on you." (Unless, for the umpteenth time, she was just toying with him; but if so, the best countermove would probably be guilt.) "And won't undo what you've done so far."
Endgame remained a question—either way: if she was tricking him or if she was genuine. Because if he wasn't to end up in Imperial hands— "Do you know what became of my ship?"
Jyn didn't argue the point, but the hard set of her lips suggested that she did not agree. It wasn't so much that all of her work would've been in vain, it would be that for once in her life, she had tried to do something - the right thing - and had failed, directly contributing to the loss of a life.
Although, if she were caught aiding and abetting, she'd be right there with him.
"There was already a team stripping it by the time I arrived. By now, the scavs have gotten to whatever was left. It's bones by now."
Without someone coming to find him, there were limited other options for escape.
"Ugh." He tried to think. …And couldn't: too many intangibles. First things first. He couldn't do anything until he was back on his feet. Once he was, he'd figure out his options. "Oh well. Couldn't get far right now anyway."
"No", she replied, her attention devoted to ensuring that she cleaned away as much sand and grit and anything else that might've caused an infection should it not be taken care of as soon as possible. "You barely made it in here, and that was with my help."
Jyn paused in her action - waited for a moment, and then continued right where she had left off. It might have stung and even caused more pain, but it was a necessity.
She should have expected the question, but the tightening of her shoulders was probably enough indication as any that she didn't like it. "Dr. Erso's daughter asked the wrong questions and crossed the wrong people - they're calling this reconditioning, but I consider it more a banishment. Can you keep standing for a few more moments? I want to get one of the blankets I brought down so you have something to lie on."
Jyn dug into her pack and grabbed the blanket, shook it out and folded it again as quickly as she could - she wouldn't make him stay standing if he was dealing with a concussion as well as possible spinal injuries. She didn't want to exacerbate those types of injuries.
"It's not much, I know - ", she apologized as she spread it out on the surface of the pallet. "But it's all I could get on short notice. I'll try to get another, and maybe something you can use as a pillow."
She gestured for him to sit again, watching closely before delving back into her pack. "I brought some nutrient bars, too, in case you get hungry."
"It's much more…" than I'd have on my own right now. But he has to stop talking to close his eyes and let the world stop spinning. Hopefully she gets it.
The thought of eating makes him feel ill, but it's important; he should make himself shortly. "Thank you."
He eases himself down—doesn't lie down fully, while she's here, but leans against the wall; puts back his head and closes his eyes.
"What kind of building is this?" Looked like a storage shed, but…?
She knew. It didn't look like he'd managed to rescue anything from the wreckage of his ship, so even though what little she brought felt so paltry, it was better than nothing at the very least.
The knot between her brow furrowed a little deeper as she watched the slow descent, the way he rested against the wall and closed his eyes, and even though they were strangers (why are you helping him you don't even know him he could be the enemy are you stupid stupid stupid) the urge to help was still strong.
But Jyn made no move other than to sit on the floor with a sigh, pulling her knees up and resting her chin atop them, which probably made her appear every bit her age, not at all like a threat.
But then, she didn't want to seem like a threat.
"Storage", she confirmed, with a quick nod of her head. "I don't know what's in the crates. It's been too difficult to bypass the security encryption."
...
"This is the least-used one, though, so there's little chance of anyone other than me making a surprise visit - ", she paused then, considering whether or not to continue. "Your rifle is still within easy reach, just in case."
That made him open his eyes and glance around until he spotted it. Right, his rifle… he was kind of amazed she hadn't taken it. This truly seemed like… she wasn't Imperial and he wasn't… well, suspicious.
He made no move to reach for it, though; not with her so near. "Thank you," he could only say again; meaning it more and more, and with a little more amazement, each time.
He felt a bit dirty, ascribing motives to her, but the role obliged him to say: "I'm not very high on the chain of command on Ord Mantell… I'm not empowered to negotiate much at all. …But if I get out of this, and can find a way to thank you…"
She could have confiscated it, certainly. He was a stranger, after all, and no matter how injured, she couldn't begin to tell what his intention might have been. But she didn't get the feeling that he was going to do anything desperate, and so, here it sat, a precaution in case someone else did happen upon him.
She had meant it, after all, when she had warned that if anyone else discovered him, they wouldn't be as helpful or understanding as she'd been.
Jyn shook her head slightly, as if to warn against thanking her just yet. She hardly knew if he'd be able to get out of here at all, and didn't yet feel as if she'd done anything deserving of the thanks.
"We'll talk about it then", she eventually replied, her lips turning up just slightly into the hint of a smile. "For now, you need to get some rest."
"OK." He considered eating one of the nutrient bars she'd offered, but felt too queasy. Maybe after some more sleep. Yet one more time, but fully meant every time, he looked her straight in the eye and said softly, "Thank you, Jyn."
After the trauma of the day, Jyn wasn't surprised that the adrenaline had finally faded. The only thing she felt any regret about was that she wasn't going to be able to stay and keep watch while he rested - and with a concussion to deal with, going the night alone was a dangerous prospect.
There was conflict in her eyes and her furrowed brow as she nodded curtly - not because she was trying to dismiss him or his thanks, but because she almost couldn't stand the thought of being wasted in the end.
"Rest well. I'll try and check on you again soon."
With little else to be done tonight - and even fewer supplies with which to do anything, there was no real reason for Jyn to linger. Still, it took her a moment to grab her bag and stand, slinging it over her shoulder. She would have to be careful if she wanted to make it to her quarters unseen, but she was a woman determined.
"I certainly hope so."
With that - a nod, and she took her leave, however difficult she find it to do so. She didn't even know him, but still, she found herself worrying nonetheless.
The six year-old slipped from cover. He ran out onto the great sprawling steps of Carida Military Academy. In the midst of the riot, with a toy blaster, he put himself in front of Jeron's body and tried to defend it. He was knocked over by larger bodies who didn't see him at all. The blaster fell somewhere away. The child found his palms braced against Jeron's motionless chest.
Something blew up. The child tried to shield the body with his own. Then there were hands on him, pulling him up to his feet.
"He's gone," a voice told him. "Come on."
He struggled; lurched convulsively back toward Jeron. The stranger wouldn't release his arm. She pulled him back by it against her.
"Leave it," she commanded. Her voice, amidst the rioting and horror, would be no more refused than a rock in a torrent. "Leave it. That's it. This way."
He took her hand. They ran.
~
He woke a few times, drifting in and out. He had to keep reminding himself where (and when) he was. He managed to eat half a nutrient bar and keep it down. He wondered if Jyn Erso was real or he'd imagined her. He hoped she was real.
Jyn slept fitfully before she woke early, certain that even if she tried, she could no longer get any sleep. There was no real reason to believe that anyone would stumble upon Gabrael in one of the lesser-used warehouses, but just in case, she would have to remember to take her datapad with her when she was able to check on him again, just so that she could slice into the controls in order to change the passcode into something only she knew.
The sun began to rise, and she got up, too, in order to prepare for her day. The next time she would probably be able to see him would be after her shift, and with what little she had brought for him the night before, all she could do was hope that there was enough to get by -
And that when she returned, he wouldn't have succumbed to his injuries.
This time, on waking, he could think a little more linearly. And think about what he could do.
He couldn't choke down any nutrient, but he drank some water. And reflected that those supplies, clearly not belonging to any other container in this shed, were evidence that Jyn Erso was indeed real. And hopefully coming back. But, and not just on the chance she wouldn't, he shouldn't wait for her.
He mobilized himself enough, using the rifle as a crutch, to dig through some of the crates around him. He found supplies enough for a makeshift splint—and something to bite down on. Which he needed when he reset his own leg.
It was a pain he'd experienced before. Turns out that didn't help in it nearly making you black out. The concussion was the biggest 'nockdump of all. It didn't hurt as much as some of the other things but it kept him disoriented and nauseated and messed with his vision.
He stayed conscious and stayed hydrated and eventually had more of the nutrient bar. He was simultaneously ravenous and felt sick. Was this the worst he'd ever been injured? Couldn't be… could it?
He hadn't realized he'd drifted back out until he opened his eyes and the light had changed. He swore silently; but there wasn't too much else he could do with what he'd found so far. …So find more?
He was on the wrong side of the shed, arm-deep in a crate, looking for a datapad or anything else he could use, when he heard the door opening.
Jyn set about her usual duties - albeit a bit distractedly, not that anyone would really notice. Her duties here at Carbon Ridge couldn't be called important more than they were soul-crushingly repetitive.
But then, wasn't that was why she was here, after all, to learn how to follow directions and do her job efficiently, and all without asking questions or getting into trouble. Life here on this base was a lonely, boring thing, and Jyn hated every second.
Her shift ended, and she set out on mission to gather more supplies, and all without getting caught in the midst of it. If she didn't swipe things surreptitiously, like food, she either flirted (with no intention of actually following through) in order to pocket a bottle of unguarded painkillers, or talked her way into procuring an extra datapad from requistions because she'd 'lost' hers, and who was going to care if inventory was off by one, anyway?
It was nearing dusk when she returned, careful to ensure that no one was following before she keyed in the entrance code and stepped inside, just as careful to ensure she closed the door quickly. Neither of them could afford being caught now, and there was probably no doubt as to her role in this whole thing if someone were to discover them.
Jyn wouldn't care one way or the other if Gabrael was stealing whatever he could use. It didn't affect her directly, none of it belonged to her. And the ever more disillusioned part of her might even think 'good, stick it to them'.
The silence was unnerving, but understandable, and she slowly crept from the entrance to where his little nest had been set up, hoping that when she found him, she wouldn't find that the silence was going to be permanent.
"Gabrael? It's Jyn - ", she offered, her voice soft, but just enough to echo out into the room. "Are you here?"
Maybe he wasn't. Maybe he'd decided to make a go of it on his own in the middle of the night. She wouldn't blame him if he had - the odds probably seemed preferable than the danger inherent in staying here.
He managed to get himself up again, and started toward her, leaning on the blasterrifle. "I'm here." He hobbled into view; and was a little surprised to find how very good it felt to see her. (Yes, she was his lifeline… but this went even a little beyond that…) "Hi, Jyn."
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"You're saving my life," he said softly. Not because he thought she didn't already know, but to prove that he did.
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She shook her head and then averted her eyes for a moment - a quiet one - before glancing back up, conflict more than clear in the furrowing of her brow, the set of her mouth. "Don't thank me yet. If anybody else finds you, I doubt they'll be quite as hospitable."
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Endgame remained a question—either way: if she was tricking him or if she was genuine. Because if he wasn't to end up in Imperial hands— "Do you know what became of my ship?"
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Although, if she were caught aiding and abetting, she'd be right there with him.
"There was already a team stripping it by the time I arrived. By now, the scavs have gotten to whatever was left. It's bones by now."
Without someone coming to find him, there were limited other options for escape.
Damn.
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He still wanted to know her endgame. "How does Dr Erso's daughter wind up on Jakku?"
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She should have expected the question, but the tightening of her shoulders was probably enough indication as any that she didn't like it. "Dr. Erso's daughter asked the wrong questions and crossed the wrong people - they're calling this reconditioning, but I consider it more a banishment. Can you keep standing for a few more moments? I want to get one of the blankets I brought down so you have something to lie on."
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He could keep standing. And he knew what she was talking about.
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"It's not much, I know - ", she apologized as she spread it out on the surface of the pallet. "But it's all I could get on short notice. I'll try to get another, and maybe something you can use as a pillow."
She gestured for him to sit again, watching closely before delving back into her pack. "I brought some nutrient bars, too, in case you get hungry."
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The thought of eating makes him feel ill, but it's important; he should make himself shortly. "Thank you."
He eases himself down—doesn't lie down fully, while she's here, but leans against the wall; puts back his head and closes his eyes.
"What kind of building is this?" Looked like a storage shed, but…?
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The knot between her brow furrowed a little deeper as she watched the slow descent, the way he rested against the wall and closed his eyes, and even though they were strangers (why are you helping him you don't even know him he could be the enemy are you stupid stupid stupid) the urge to help was still strong.
But Jyn made no move other than to sit on the floor with a sigh, pulling her knees up and resting her chin atop them, which probably made her appear every bit her age, not at all like a threat.
But then, she didn't want to seem like a threat.
"Storage", she confirmed, with a quick nod of her head. "I don't know what's in the crates. It's been too difficult to bypass the security encryption."
...
"This is the least-used one, though, so there's little chance of anyone other than me making a surprise visit - ", she paused then, considering whether or not to continue. "Your rifle is still within easy reach, just in case."
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He made no move to reach for it, though; not with her so near. "Thank you," he could only say again; meaning it more and more, and with a little more amazement, each time.
He felt a bit dirty, ascribing motives to her, but the role obliged him to say: "I'm not very high on the chain of command on Ord Mantell… I'm not empowered to negotiate much at all. …But if I get out of this, and can find a way to thank you…"
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She had meant it, after all, when she had warned that if anyone else discovered him, they wouldn't be as helpful or understanding as she'd been.
Jyn shook her head slightly, as if to warn against thanking her just yet. She hardly knew if he'd be able to get out of here at all, and didn't yet feel as if she'd done anything deserving of the thanks.
"We'll talk about it then", she eventually replied, her lips turning up just slightly into the hint of a smile. "For now, you need to get some rest."
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There was conflict in her eyes and her furrowed brow as she nodded curtly - not because she was trying to dismiss him or his thanks, but because she almost couldn't stand the thought of being wasted in the end.
"Rest well. I'll try and check on you again soon."
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He murmured, with a touch of humor, "I'll be here."
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"I certainly hope so."
With that - a nod, and she took her leave, however difficult she find it to do so. She didn't even know him, but still, she found herself worrying nonetheless.
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The six year-old slipped from cover. He ran out onto the great sprawling steps of Carida Military Academy. In the midst of the riot, with a toy blaster, he put himself in front of Jeron's body and tried to defend it. He was knocked over by larger bodies who didn't see him at all. The blaster fell somewhere away. The child found his palms braced against Jeron's motionless chest.
Something blew up. The child tried to shield the body with his own. Then there were hands on him, pulling him up to his feet.
"He's gone," a voice told him. "Come on."
He struggled; lurched convulsively back toward Jeron. The stranger wouldn't release his arm. She pulled him back by it against her.
"Leave it," she commanded. Her voice, amidst the rioting and horror, would be no more refused than a rock in a torrent. "Leave it. That's it. This way."
He took her hand. They ran.
He woke a few times, drifting in and out. He had to keep reminding himself where (and when) he was. He managed to eat half a nutrient bar and keep it down. He wondered if Jyn Erso was real or he'd imagined her. He hoped she was real.
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The sun began to rise, and she got up, too, in order to prepare for her day. The next time she would probably be able to see him would be after her shift, and with what little she had brought for him the night before, all she could do was hope that there was enough to get by -
And that when she returned, he wouldn't have succumbed to his injuries.
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He couldn't choke down any nutrient, but he drank some water. And reflected that those supplies, clearly not belonging to any other container in this shed, were evidence that Jyn Erso was indeed real. And hopefully coming back. But, and not just on the chance she wouldn't, he shouldn't wait for her.
He mobilized himself enough, using the rifle as a crutch, to dig through some of the crates around him. He found supplies enough for a makeshift splint—and something to bite down on. Which he needed when he reset his own leg.
It was a pain he'd experienced before. Turns out that didn't help in it nearly making you black out. The concussion was the biggest 'nockdump of all. It didn't hurt as much as some of the other things but it kept him disoriented and nauseated and messed with his vision.
He stayed conscious and stayed hydrated and eventually had more of the nutrient bar. He was simultaneously ravenous and felt sick. Was this the worst he'd ever been injured? Couldn't be… could it?
He hadn't realized he'd drifted back out until he opened his eyes and the light had changed. He swore silently; but there wasn't too much else he could do with what he'd found so far. …So find more?
He was on the wrong side of the shed, arm-deep in a crate, looking for a datapad or anything else he could use, when he heard the door opening.
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But then, wasn't that was why she was here, after all, to learn how to follow directions and do her job efficiently, and all without asking questions or getting into trouble. Life here on this base was a lonely, boring thing, and Jyn hated every second.
Her shift ended, and she set out on mission to gather more supplies, and all without getting caught in the midst of it. If she didn't swipe things surreptitiously, like food, she either flirted (with no intention of actually following through) in order to pocket a bottle of unguarded painkillers, or talked her way into procuring an extra datapad from requistions because she'd 'lost' hers, and who was going to care if inventory was off by one, anyway?
It was nearing dusk when she returned, careful to ensure that no one was following before she keyed in the entrance code and stepped inside, just as careful to ensure she closed the door quickly. Neither of them could afford being caught now, and there was probably no doubt as to her role in this whole thing if someone were to discover them.
Better safe than sorry.
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The silence was unnerving, but understandable, and she slowly crept from the entrance to where his little nest had been set up, hoping that when she found him, she wouldn't find that the silence was going to be permanent.
"Gabrael? It's Jyn - ", she offered, her voice soft, but just enough to echo out into the room. "Are you here?"
Maybe he wasn't. Maybe he'd decided to make a go of it on his own in the middle of the night. She wouldn't blame him if he had - the odds probably seemed preferable than the danger inherent in staying here.
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