As soon as Cassian moved to push him off, Poe took a step back, putting his
arms up, and - and then watched the pour guy puke his guts out. Okay.
Probably could have expected that reaction. But he really, really wasn't a
medic, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
"Hey, bud - just sit down on the floor for a minute and try to breathe,
alright?"
All that came up was bacta, which had the unique effect of making Cassian's throat feel a bit better. Though left the rest of him feeling so weak, he instantly took Poe's advice.
It was some time later before he could speak again. "So it's been years. But you know Alliance codes."
Does that mean I can trust you?
But the eyes Cassian raised to Poe's were… (burdened) (haunted) miserable.
"... Not the same fight." He tried to say it gently, as he sat down on the
floor across from him. "The Empire fell. The Emperor, the Death Star, Darth
Vader - - they all fell with it. I know the Alliance codes because they
were the precursors to the New Republic codes, so they get picked up by the
system."
He wet his lips, watching Cassian a little sadly.
"But yeah. It's been years. I - I was born here on Yavin. Two years after
the Death Star was destroyed. After the data that Rogue One received helped
destroy it, before it destroyed Yavin instead."
For a moment, in Cassian's mind, he laid waste to the med bay with a club. Smashing the bacta tank over and over until it was itself sand. Turning the club onto 2-1B8… but even in fantasy, he couldn't strike even a deactivated droid. Especially one that had only done as Jyn asked it to.
Jyn.
All Cassian's life he'd fought what came naturally to him. He'd recognized all those things in her the first time he met Jyn. Doing what was right not just the right move; not sacrificing individuals to the big picture; trust, connection, humanity. Jyn had cracked the shell casing Cassian had maintained so laboriously, and the fissures went all the way through. In finding it in her, he'd been unable to keep denying it in himself. He wouldn't go back. Whether he ever saw her again. He wouldn't undo what she'd done.
So he set the unasked and unanswered aside and focused on the rest.
Which was that they'd won. The Death Star gone. The Empire gone.
I was born here on Yavin. Two years after…
So many things to extrapolate, and on some level of brain function, that was happening… but there was something else that had to happen first.
Slowly, Cassian sat properly upright. He closed the robe and wiped his mouth with the sleeve. Then looked back at Poe.
"You've already done a lot for me that you didn't have to," he said quietly. "Can I ask for one more thing?"
"... Yeah. Of course." If he sounded a little wary, it was because he was -
the guy was obviously going through a lot, and for good reason. So
he didn't really know what to expect.
"This is Base One, yeah? The Massassi Temple?" Cassian braced his hand on his knee, breathing measuredly. "I used to climb to the top. I don't think I could climb it right now. Do you have a ship—a way to get us up there?"
It occurred to him it might need saying: "I want to see the forest." Assuming it was still there. I.e. I promise not to jump off.
Cassian nodded heavily. "I can fit." It had taken him just over an hour to climb the temple. That would be a matter of seconds for an X-wing. Comfort needn't be a priority.
He wouldn't think as far as getting offplanet—or any other aspect of continued existence—until after. Seeing if this world, at least… was… … …still.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 02:35 am (UTC)As soon as Cassian moved to push him off, Poe took a step back, putting his arms up, and - and then watched the pour guy puke his guts out. Okay. Probably could have expected that reaction. But he really, really wasn't a medic, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do.
"Hey, bud - just sit down on the floor for a minute and try to breathe, alright?"
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 02:40 am (UTC)It was some time later before he could speak again. "So it's been years. But you know Alliance codes."
Does that mean I can trust you?
But the eyes Cassian raised to Poe's were… (burdened) (haunted) miserable.
"Does that mean… we're still fighting?"
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 02:54 am (UTC)"... Not the same fight." He tried to say it gently, as he sat down on the floor across from him. "The Empire fell. The Emperor, the Death Star, Darth Vader - - they all fell with it. I know the Alliance codes because they were the precursors to the New Republic codes, so they get picked up by the system."
He wet his lips, watching Cassian a little sadly.
"But yeah. It's been years. I - I was born here on Yavin. Two years after the Death Star was destroyed. After the data that Rogue One received helped destroy it, before it destroyed Yavin instead."
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 03:04 am (UTC)So there is fighting.
For a moment, in Cassian's mind, he laid waste to the med bay with a club. Smashing the bacta tank over and over until it was itself sand. Turning the club onto 2-1B8… but even in fantasy, he couldn't strike even a deactivated droid. Especially one that had only done as Jyn asked it to.
Jyn.
All Cassian's life he'd fought what came naturally to him. He'd recognized all those things in her the first time he met Jyn. Doing what was right not just the right move; not sacrificing individuals to the big picture; trust, connection, humanity. Jyn had cracked the shell casing Cassian had maintained so laboriously, and the fissures went all the way through. In finding it in her, he'd been unable to keep denying it in himself. He wouldn't go back. Whether he ever saw her again. He wouldn't undo what she'd done.
So he set the unasked and unanswered aside and focused on the rest.
Which was that they'd won. The Death Star gone. The Empire gone.
I was born here on Yavin. Two years after…
So many things to extrapolate, and on some level of brain function, that was happening… but there was something else that had to happen first.
Slowly, Cassian sat properly upright. He closed the robe and wiped his mouth with the sleeve. Then looked back at Poe.
"You've already done a lot for me that you didn't have to," he said quietly. "Can I ask for one more thing?"
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 03:09 am (UTC)"... Yeah. Of course." If he sounded a little wary, it was because he was - the guy was obviously going through a lot, and for good reason. So he didn't really know what to expect.
But asking was harmless, at least.
"What is it?"
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 03:17 am (UTC)It occurred to him it might need saying: "I want to see the forest." Assuming it was still there. I.e. I promise not to jump off.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 03:20 am (UTC)Oh. Shit. That was a good point.
"Uh - yeah, but just my X-wing. It's not exactly a two-seater, but... you might be able to squish yourself in behind me."
It wasn't going to work to get them off planet, though. For that...
For that, he might need to go home.
no subject
Date: 2018-06-02 03:29 am (UTC)He wouldn't think as far as getting offplanet—or any other aspect of continued existence—until after. Seeing if this world, at least… was… … …still.