#cassian andor x kaz!oc

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

030; EPILOGUE

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.4k

a/n: this is an alternate ending cassian and Harlow died last chapter but this is imagining what would've happened.

Harlow looked in the mirror as she finished her makeup, a hand reaching for the necklaces on the table.

She had stacks of them now. So many memories that needed to be remembered, so many tragedies that needed to be told.

One from her parents, one from Nemik, one from marrying Cassian, one from surviving Scarif, one from the end of the war and one for their son.

When the war had ended and they were both free to do whatever they wanted, so they moved to Coruscant, to a nice apartment.

She had gotten a job as one of the coruscnt senators, she specialised in the outer rim and improving their conditions - just like Nemik would have wanted.

Cassian was working at a school, teaching the soldiers to fight and how to look after themselves because even though the war was won, there were still imperialists everywhere.

After they were married officially and had settled in, Cassian had been the one to convince her to have a child.

He had always wanted a family and she was scared but the second that she held him in her arms, she knew that there was no need to be scared anymore.

They had named him Jyron Karis Andor, after his grand father, Jyn, and her best friend. He was a small child, with his father's face and his mother's spirit.

At only six months old, the two shared turns in looking after him while the other was at work but they both cherished the time they spent with each other. 

She finished her look, pulling her coat on over herself to get ready to leave and she left their bedroom, ready to find Cassian.

She looked at a collage of pictures of their little family on the main wall as she walked back, a smile on her face as she was reminded of everythinf they had won.

It was nice to be a normal family for once seeing as they both grew up in turmoil. Jyron was going to have everything they never had.

Harlow walked through the halls when she heard a noise in Jyrons room. She would always be paranoid after everything she's been through, alway worried, always vigilant.

With a hand on her knife which was always concealed in her senators outfit, she approached the room. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that it was just Cassian hovering over the baby, a smile on his face.

She leant against the doorframe, his back turned to her as he reached a hand into the bassinet.

He whispered something in his native language before shaking his head, lifting him out and placing him in his arms, bouncing him up and down slightly.

"Don't you cry, nothing gonna hurt you here," he said, voice quiet as he probably believed Harlow to still be asleep, "Daddy's always gonna protect you, always,"

She smiled to herself, trying not to cry as she looked at the scene but the second she moved, her foot squeaking on the floorboards, Cassian whipped around, one hand going to hide blaster.

But when he realised it was just his wife, he calmed down, hand coming back up to support Jyron.

He smiled, looking her up and down in her white senators outfit. It was always weird seeing her like that, like she would have been if she had never joined the rebellion.

"Was he crying?" She asked, taking a few steps forward so she could gently rub her hand over her sons back.

"A little, I thought you weren't meant to go in for a few more hours," he questioned and she sighed.

"Yeah, I know," Harlow said, shaking her head, "Leia needed me in, there's been a dispute over the new anti slavery laws in the outer rim, that's my duty so I'm going in early,"

He nodded his head, beckoning his wife into the room. She walked in and he handed the little boy off to her.

He would never be tired of the sight of her rocking their son back and forth, a smile on her face as she brushed the pad of her thumb over his skin.

"You're gonna be good for daddy till I get back aren't you?" She said, voice quiet as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

When she looked up at the clock, he cursed her job for making her leave and she placed the baby back back in the bassinet.

She walked out of the room with Cassian as they listened to the little boy fall back into his slumber and as soon as the doors closed, Cassian reached for his wife, pulling her to his chest. 

With one hand he reached up and touched the necklaces around her neck. The more you had, the more you had suffered in life and he couldn't imagine the heavy weight she carried.

"Thank you," he said, letting his hand drop back to her hips.

"For what?" Harlow questioned, her brows furrowed but a smile still present on her face.

"For this life, for him, you've given me everything I've ever wanted," he said.

Harlow shook her head, a sad smile on her face, "You saved us on Scarif, if it wasn't for you we never would've gotten off. You gave us this life," she said, a hand coming up to rest on his cheek.

They had both grown with the war, having been born into it and having won it. It showed on their faces, the exhaustion, the scars, the occasional vacant look in their eyes, the tears.

But they were both able to stand here and know that they had given everything to save this world.

There were people they wished could be here, Maarva, Nemik, Clem, Jyn, Melshi. But everyone played their part in saving the galaxy.

"I think we both won this life Cass," she said, leaning in to kiss him.

No matter how many times she kissed him, she'd always cherish it because she knew that any moment this could be taken away.

She pulled away and he just pulled her right back into the kiss, pulling her closer to him.

"Easy Andor, you don't want to end up with another baby," she joked, pulling away again, her hands on his chest.

He smiled at her, forehead pressing against hers, "Would that be so bad?" He teased.

"I think so, we both had siblings and we saw how that turned out," she joked, "You don't know where yours is and mine tried to kill me multiple times,"

He shook his head, pulling away to look at her, "Maybe in the future," he said and she pushed away from him, looking in the mirror to see if her makeup was smudged.

In the mirror, she saw Cassian wiping lipstick from his lips and she smiled, heat rushing to her cheeks, "In your dreams Cassian," she said, eyes meting through the mirror.

He smiled to her, leaning down and pressing a kiss to the exposed skin on her neck, "You're always in my dreams Senator Andor," he said.

She chuckled, turning around and pushing him away slightly. She started to walk away and he followed her, closing their sons bedroom door behind him.

"Remember Brasso is coming round for dinner tonight," Cassian said, handing her an umbrella.

"Of course, tell the mayor of Ferrix that I would love to talk to him about the positive changes our bill has made on the planet," she said, a smile on her face.

After all these years, 6 years after they blew up the death star, they had never lost touch with the people who had gotten them there or the people who weren't able to be there.

"I never thought I'd see you like this," he said, a smile on his face.

Her brows were furrowed as she looked at him, "Like what?" She questioned.

"A politician," he said. She chuckled and shook her head.

"I was always very political when we were in the rebellion," She said, a smile on her face, "And anyway, once I've got this sorted out, hopefully in 3 years, we can move somewhere nice where we don't have to worry about this,"

"I know, I know," he said before pressing a kiss to her cheek,"Be safe yeah,"

"When have i not been?" She joked, pulling her coat over her shoulders, "I love you Cass,"

"Love you too Harlow, don't be late," he said, watching as she walked out of the door.

"You sound like your mother," she called back, a huge smile on her face as she looked back at him.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

004; WELCOME BACK

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

worcount: 1.3k

As they walked towards the camp, Harlow could tell that he was nervous as any human would be walking into a situation like

"Don't worry Cassian, I've got this under control," she said, shaking her head, not looking at him, "I mean Clem,"

When they got close, everyone started to crowd around as they wondered who was walking into camp with Harlow.

"Gather up, we need to talk," Vel said and he recognised her as the girl from earlier.

He looked around at the group and listened to Vel as she introduced him, "This is Clem, I mentioned him earlier and luckily Harlow just arrived with him,"

Everybody that surrounded him seemed nervous and suspicious of Cassian and they had every right to be.

"He'll give us critical redundancy in all areas," Vel said before turning to the group, "That's Skeen, this is Taramyn, Nemik and Cinta,"

"Can I speak with you," Taramyn said, his voice clearly angry and she could tell he was mad at both Vel and Harlow.

"Lets get Clem settled in, Cinta, Harlow, can you two go help him out," she said and the two nodded, Cinta looking at her older sister suspiciously.

"Welcome Clem, we appreciate all the help we can get," Nemik said, a smile on his face.

He knew that of Harlow was trusting this guy then he could as well. They had been best friend since they met at school and he had shared his political manifesto with her.

Cinta led Cassian to the hut closest to them and Harlow told him to sit down, watching as her sister grabbed some stuff from a medpack.

"Am I going to get you to take your shirt off now?" She joked, grabbing two canteens of water, one for each of them, from the side. 

"You're funny," he said, trying to keep a neutral face but a smile peeking out from it.

He looked down at her as she knelt down on the floor, "Okay, let me just-" Hatlow said, rolling up his sleeve and taking the bandage off, wincing when she saw the burn again.

"It doesn't hurt that much, really," he promised, looking into her eyes, a slight smile on his face, "And you did a good job bandaging it the first time,"

There was this sort of charm to cassian that she had never seen before and it made her smile, made her look at him in a different way than she'd ever looked at a man before but she ignored it, pretending it was just that she admired him.

She shook her head, pulling the bandage completely off and grabbing a new strip that they had, the old wound had bled through the last bandage and she didn't believe that it didn't hurt that much.

"Cin, can you grab me a bit booster when you're done over there?" She asked.

"That's a nasty burn, remember we need to save our pain meds 'Low," Cinta said before walking to the other side of the hut to grab the pain medication.

He looked over at her and saw that they looked similar, same dark hair, same subtle smile, same mischievous gleam in their eyes.

"That's your sister," He stated and she nodded, looking over at Cinta. She grabbed the syringe, filling it up slightly with some bacta serum before handing it to her sister.

"This is better than the shit last time," she said, "It's going to heal it faster, and it's going to hurt,"

She placed the needle onto his forearm and he looked away, flinching slightly when she pressed the button as it injected him with the small amount of bacta serum.

Cassian shook it off, looking at Harlow and then at her sister. She followed his eyeline and watched as her sister cleaned everything up.

"Yeah, she's barely twenty years old and look at her, running around and getting this all ready," she said, a smile on her face.

She cared about her sister more than anything and had always sworn to protect her so going on this mission meant she couldn't guarantee her safety. 

"And Nemik?" Cassian questioned, having seen the way the two looked at each other the second they got into camp.

"My best friend," She said, smiling, "Skeen and I get along okay and Taramyn will warm up to you eventually,"

She walked over to her sister, looking back to check on Cassian. When she looked back at Cinta, the girl was smiling.

"You're very friendly with the new guy," she said teasingly, watching as her sisters face heated up.

"I got him out of a situation, but that doesn't matter," she said, shaking her head.

Harlow shook her head, looking back at Cassian before turning to her sister and watching the smile grow on her face.

"Really, cause to me it seemed like you couldn't wait for him to take his shirt off," Cinta said jokingly, a smirk on her face.

She was teasing her because she had never seen her sister act like that around a guy before and there was a high chance they were going to die soon so she wanted to figure it out.

Harlow pushed her arm, shaking her head, "Go to hell," She said before she heard someone yelling.

"You go, I'll look after your guy," Cinta said with a smirk.

Harlow walked off, flipping her sister off as she tried to stop the fighting. When she got out of the hut she saw Nemik who reassured her that everything was okay, it was just about Clem.

"There's nothing wrong with Clem, we can trust him," Harlow said, sitting down next to her friend.

They had been best friends since they were teenagers having gone to the same school in coruscant and the same university, that was where they had decided to change the world and not be like the stuffy politicians that surrounded them.

"I know, he seems to have good intentions," Nemik said, narrowing his eyes at her, "How do you really know him?"

"I saved his arse and that's all that matters," she said, taking a bite from the bread that Nemik handed her.

He knew that she was lying and that there was something else going on but let it go, knowing that she'd explain it in  her own time

"He's nice," he stated, looking over at her, he wanted to see his friends reaction.

"Yeah, bit of an arrogant prick though," she said, laughing at her own comment.

"Yeah, looks like it, but he seems like he is dedicated to this cause," Nemik said.

She shrugged her shoulders, "I'm not sure about that Karis, but I know he's going to be able to help this mission," she suggests.

He was about to respond to her comment and scold her for saying his first name when they heard footsteps in the forest.

They both froze and turned to the forest when they heard a yell. That's when they saw Gorn walking towards them.

"Clem, come on out," Vel called and he stepped out of the hut.

He looked over at Harlow for reassurance and she nodded. Cassian walked closer to the man, eyeing him when he noticed the imperial uniform

"This is Lieutenant Gorn, he's our contact at the garrison," Vel explained.

Gorn was clearly angry at the plan and looked over at Vel, "We need to talk about this," he said, eyes narrowed at the man.

"Here's here and that's all that matters," Vel said, the message being loud and clear to the whole group.

Harlow nodded her head. She trusted Luthen with her life and if he believed that Cassian was vital to this mission, then he was 

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

029; THE END

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 2.4k

The second that Jyn and Harlow reached the roof platform, the latter collapsed onto her knees, her hands shaking as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

But she didn't have time to grieve Cassians' death and instead shook off her terror and took a deep breath, standing on her feet and walking over to the console.

Harlow chuckled to herself when she saw the ships fighting in the sky, trying to save them on Scarif, and for the first time since they landed, she had hope that they'd make it home.

"I knew the Rebellion would come through for us," Jyn said, a smile on her face as she stood next to Harlow at the controls.

Jyn inserted the data pack and it locked on. Then Harlow put the key fob into the system and they both took a deep breath, waiting for it to start transmitting but it never did. 

"Reset antenna alignment," the machine said to the in a robotic voice and Harlow swore under her breath.

She couldn't believe that after everything that they had done, the antenna being in the wrong place was going to ruin it.

Harlow shook her head, tapping furiously on the keyboard and when it alerted her of needing a manual reset, she shook her head, unbuttoning her shirt to reveal her tank top and rolling her sleeves up.

"What are you doing?" Jyn asked, looking at the girl.

"I'm climbing that thing," Harlow said and Jyn knew her enough to recognise that determined look in her eyes. She wasn't going to be able to stop her.

Jyn nodded and Harlow began climbing. She had to keep climbing and climbing because if they didn't get this set back into place then Cassians death meant nothing.

When she reached the top, she took a second, letting the wind rush through her hair before she kicked it back onto place.

"It's locked in," Jyn called up to her and Harlow nodded, beginning her descent back down the antenna.

But as she stated to climb down, she watched the bridge that Jyn was on get blown up by a blast from a tie-fightwr, leaving her hanging on the ledge.

Harlow tried to climb down faster fo help Jyn but she couldn't due to the small footholds on the antenna - she couldn't risk it not aligning again.

"You okay down there?" She called out when she noticed that Jyn had managed ro climb back up.

Over the last week, she had become fast friends with jyn. The two shared a skeptic view of the rebellion but still trusted it wholeheartedly.

"Yeah, I'm plugging it in now," Jyn said and Harlow could hear the machine whirring.

She took a breather, standing at the top of the antenna ladder as she prepared to go back down. They had won, and somehow, she had lost everything. She couldn't help but think about Cassian lying on the floor of the tower.

Harlow was so preoccupied with her daydream that she didn't hear the door opening or the footsteps coming out of it.

But when she did realise, she saw Krennik standing there, "Who are you?" He asked.

As she looked at him, anger boiled in her veins. That was the man who had killed her Cassian. Her future. She wasn't going to let him get away with it.

"You know who I am," Jyn said, looking at him "I'm Jyn Erso, daughter of Galen and Lera, you've lost,"

Harlow began to quicken her climb down and prepared for a sneak attack, knowing that she was going to be coming down on the other side of the antenna.

"Have I?" Krennik questioned, clearly cocky about his invention.

He was like every other person who worked for the empire. They thought they were holier than though, always trying to control a situation and take credit.

But Jyn wasn't going to let him take any credit. Her father had saved the galaxy by building a flaw in the death star and right now, they were the only two who had proof.

"My father's revenge, he built a flaw in the death star and put a flaw in the middle of your machine, and I just told the entire galaxy how to light it," she said.

Jyn smirked when she saw the shock in his eyes even though he didn't change his demeanour at all. She wasn't going to let her father's death be in vain.

Harlow came round the corner, reaching down for her gun before realising that she had left it on the platform when she had climbed up.

"The shield is up, your signal will never reach the base, all your ships in the air will be destroyed," Krennik said, gun aimed at Jyn, "You die with the rebellion,"

Harlow had to think fast, grabbing her knife and throwing it at Krennik but she was roo slow. By th time that it had lodged itself in his chest, he had already shot Jyn.

The confusing thing wasn't that though, there was another blaster hole in his lower abdomen and Harlow turned around, eyes wide when she saw where th shot came from.

Her heart stalled as she looked at him. He had an obvious limp, and she could see the cuts and bruises on his body, but all that she cared about was the fact that he was standing there.

As his gun clattered to the floor, she ran over with all the strength that she could muster and pulled him into a hug, unable to let go as she held him tight.

She had tears in her eyes as she held him, taking a deep breath and imhaling the now fading smell of Cassian. The smell of home.

He winced and she pulled away, hand going up to his face to make sure that he was really there.

"You're alive, you're alive, you're a-" he kept repeating but she froze when she remembered what had happened.

Harlows head whipped around and she rushed over to Jyns body as she lay there, a blaster wound in her stomach.

"Don't die on me Jyn, don't," she said, pressing her hand on the wound even though she knew it wouldn't save her.

Jyns eyes fluttered open and she spluttered slightly, "We saved them," the dying girl said and Harlow looked around.

Just before she had confronted Krennik, she had pressed th button and sent the plans to the entire galaxy. The empire had lost.

"You saved them. Without you, we would have nothing," she said, tears spilling over her cheeks as she looked at the film

"My father saved them," Jyn said, her eyes fluttering open and closed as she took heavy breaths.

Cassian came over, falling to his knees as he sat next to her. Despite the fact that she had annoyed him msor of the time she'd been there, he knew she was a hero to everyone.

"We will make sure they know what the Erso family has done for the galaxy," He said, a smile on her face.

Jyns eyes closed, "My father," she whispered, her voice weak and strained and on the next second. She was dead.

"Jyn, Jyn, shit," Harlow said and Cassian pulled her in for a hug, ignoring the fact that it hurt him. She needed him right no.

They had lost so much on this battle and now Jyn had died too. Harlow didn't know how much mourning one person could take in a life bit she was getting close.

"Lets go," Harlow said, unable to even look at Kyns body anymore.

She stood up, helping Cassian up as well and there was this sinking feeling in her stomach as she realised that she was going to have to leave Jyn here.

She had lost so many people who didn't have proper funerals, who didn't have anyone to mourn them and it was a frightening concept, to know nobody would remember your name.

They started to walk away when she noticed just how much pain he was really in. He might not make it out.

When he had fallen down, he had been dazed for a little while. He had heard her cries for him and her sobs as she kept climbing. He never doubted that she would stop climbing.

When he managed to muster up the strength to follow after her and Jyn, he knew that he had to protect them both from Krennik who had left after he had killed Cassian.

He had ignored the shooting pain through his body as he climbed up, rung by rung, to the top.

He had never been so close to death before. He had gotten himself into scrapes ever since he was young but never had he contemplated just staying there and letting it all go.

All Cassian could think about was Harlow up there and if he could save her and save the world from tyranny, then he would.

"Are you okay?" Harlow asked, breaking him out of his thoughts from his near death experience.

"Everything hurts but I'm not dead so," he said, trying to clear the air.

She looked at him, eyes trailing over his face as she double checked if he was okay. She knew that they would be able to help him when they got back to the rebellion.

"Do you think anybody listening?" He asked.

She smild to herself, she had never heard him say something like that, "I do, someone's out there," she said.

They walked to the elevator and Cassian leant against the wall of it, taking a breath and taking the pressure off of his leg.

He turned his head, eyes fluttering open as she looked at her in the flickering lights; the power had been broken on Scarif by the rebels.

She had always been beautiful to him, from the moment she took her hood off in that warehouse and to now as they stood there, potentially awaiting their deaths.

As Cassian looked at her, studying her face like he would never see her again, he accepted the idea of death for the first time in his life.

He leand over, ignoring the aching in his body as he placed a hand on her cheek, wiping the dirt away.

Cassian kissed her in that elevator as the lights flickered on and off, eyes closed as he took in the moment. It was sweet snd tender as they both relished in the fact that they had each other.

They had both lost everything for the rebellion but as they stood in that elevator, the rest of the world silent, it was just the two of them.

The door opened and he pulled away, her eyelashes fluttering opening against his cheeks. The light flooded into the elevator and they looked out to see it was completely empty.

Harlow let out a breath that she hadn't realised that she had been holding - she had ben horrified that the empire would be waiting for them outside the door, ready to kill them.

But she had been ready for it anyway, to die holding Cassian, with his lips on hers. She had never felt that at peace before.

They started to walk out, ready to find rhe ship and try to find a way out of this planet. With his limp and potentially broken leg, she didn't know how far they'd make it but they'd try.

That's what Nemik had said 5 years ago in his manifesto. That they just needed to try and shed kept that idea ever since. When she'd been stabbed, she tried ro make it out. She always tried.

But when she saw the death star hovering in the distance, her breath caught in her throat. Cassian followed her gaze, letting out a sigh.

"We're too late," she said, her voice almost quiet as she tried to stop the tears from falling.

The ticking clock of death was beginning to chime in her mind, reminding her that she had less than an hour to live.

"I want to go to the beach," cassian said and she looked at him, nodding her heads.

They started walking, his leg almost getting better as he was determined ro make it the short distance to the sand.

She shielded his face from their fallen comrades on the floor as they both realised they may be the only ones tht survived the onslaught.

They both collapsed on the floor as soon as they got there. Harlow hadn't shed a tear since she thought Cassian had died and she wasn't going to now. She was ready to go.

He reached over, hand grabbing hers as he noticed her watching the green flash of lightning hit the horizon and she thought back to the destruction of Jedha.

Her heart was pounding in her chest but she kept her composure, knowing that there was nothing she could do now but die.

She turned to look at him, "Nemik, Cinta, my parents, your parents, Jyn, K2," she said, "They gave everything for this fight, how do we beat this?"

Cassian sat there for a second, thinking about what was going to happen before nodding his head, "The rebellion will find a way, my love," he said, and she nodded, fighting off the tears.

There's nothing else left to say as the horizon began to crumble, the ground pulling away from itself just like it had done in Jedha.

She looked at him one last time, studying the way his face looked because both of them knew tht they'd never see it again.

Harlow didn't regret a thing. She could have easily forgotten Cassian had existed and gone back to working in the senate but she chose him.

She would always choose him and now as she faced her death, she was still choosing him.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her tight against him, wanting to hold her when they died. That was such a surreal thought to Cassian, dying. But now it was inevitable.

She buried her head in his neck, "I love you Kassa," she mumbled, knowing it was the last thing she'd ever say.

"I love you too," he said, eyes going wide as the bright light came closer and closer until it engulfed them completely.

And then, it was just over.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

028; KEEP CLIMBING

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 2.0k

"There's fighting on the beach, they've locked down the beach and closed the shield gate," K2 explained.

Harlow shook her head, "Damn it!" She yelled out as she realised the shield gate was closed. It ruined the whole plan.

"What does that mean?" Jyn asked, looking her confused.

"We're trapped, there's no satellite big enough to transmit the plans to the rebel fleet," she said, shaking her head in anger and frustration, "All this was for nothing,"

"We will get a signal up to tell them it's coming, but the size of the data is too great, it will never get through," K2 explained.

"Someone has to take the shield gate down," Cassian said.

They all stood there for a second and he reached for the comms device in his pocket, watching as Harlow paced back and forth in frustration.

"Bodhi, Bodhi, can you hear me?" Cassian asked and when he didn't hear a reply, he started to get annoyed, "Tell me you're out there,"

"We're standing by. They've started fighting, the base is on lockdown," Bodhi said and Harlow could hear the shake in his voice.

"I know, listen to me. The rebel fleet is up there. You gotta tell them to blow a hole in the shield gate so we can transmit the plan," Cassian said, his voice softer as he realised how nervous Bodhi was.

"I can't, I'm not hooked into the comms tower" he said, his voice fast and defensive.

Harlow sighed, walking over to the comms device, "Its the only way we're getting them out of here, find a way," she said.

He agreed and shut off the communication just as a few Stormtroopers came into the room, clearly having realised that somebody unauthorised had accessed the machine.

"Cover our backs K," Harlow said as her and Cassian rushed into the data vault room.

"You'll need this," Jyn said, holding her blaster out to K2 before she went into the room.

He took it hesitantly, "Your behaviour, Jyn Erso, is continuously unexpected," he said before she rushed into the room.

"Schematic bank, data tower two," K2 called out.

"How do I find that?" Harlow asked as she approached the console, this was her area of expertise and she knew she could do this.

"Searching," K2 replied and Harlow watched as a bunch of images appeared on the screens.

Harlow watched as all of the data banks popped up on the screen and she shook her head, she knew there was no way that they could find it in all of this mess.

"I can find the links but you'll need to use the handles for extraction," K2 explained.

Harlow looked around, shaking her head as she realised what she needed was right in front of her. She grabbed onto the handles, narrowing her eyes at it.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" She muttered to herself, locking her hands into the console and moving it around.

When she moved it, it would make a large ring around the data bank move up and down or side to side and she started to get a hang of the device.

They heard more footsteps and Jyn was about to check for more stormtroopers when the door to the vault closed and locked.

Harlow turned around, eyes going wide as she looked at the lock. It may have been a big room but the fear of knowing that the door was locked made her claustrophobia apparent.

"Breath Low," Cassian said as he walked over to her, a hand gently rubbing over her back gently before grabbing the comms device, "K, what's going on out ther?"

"Just a few Stormtroopers," he said and they could hear the sound of the gunfire outside.

Jyn kept reading out the names of the different data banks before she stopped, letting out a shaky breath as she looked at the machine.

"Stardust," she said, her voice quiet before she repeated it again with more confidence, "That's it,"

Harlow turned to look at her, "How do you know that?" She questioned, hands still locked into the system.

"I know because it's me," she said and Harlow nodded.

She reached out, maneuvering the machine towards where the data bank was being held, trying to keep the machine steady.

She locked it into place, pulling harshly on the machine and watching as the data unhinged itself, allowing her to access the specific schematics.

But just as soon as she had managed to do that, the lights started flickering on and off and Cassian pulled the comms device on. As soon as it turned on, they heard blasters firing and yelling and they knew that something bad was going on outside.

"Climb, climb, you can still send the plans to the fleet," he said, his voice cracking over the static, "If they open the shield gate you can broadcast them from the tower,"

They heard the blasters keep going off and the three looked at each other as they realised they had to do this by themselves now.

Harlow thought back to Nemik telling them to keep climbing when they were in that ship. He had saved them that day and she had always vowed to never stop climbing.

And she wasn't going to stop now. Even if the empire killed another one of her friends, she was never going to stop climbing and was never going to stop fighting for the rebellion.

"Locking the vault door now, goodbye," K2 said and they heard the communication line go silent. K2 was dead.

They were locked in permentantly now and even though Harlow had been able to stave off the fear for a little bit earlier, the sickening feeling in her stomach was coming back at the idea of being locked in here.

She stripped off her uniform along with Cassian and Jyn, leaving her in just her trousers and the cami top that she had worn under the uniform.

She was still boiling hot though, the hot flashes of fear constantly washing over her even though she tried to keep her composure.

Cassian had noticed instantly that she was worried about being in the confined space and he walked over, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Hey," he said, his voice soft and reassuring, "It's okay, we're going to get out of here,"

He pulled away, pressing a soft kiss to the exposed skin on her shoulder before walking away, leaving her to get all her knives ready.

"What's wrong with her?" Jyn asked as she pulled the clunky uniform off.

"Enclosed spaces, being locked in places. It's her worst fear, she could kill 100 men but she can't do this," he said, shaking his head.

He looked over and saw her muttering something to herself, her hands grasping onto the necklaces around her neck as she tried to stay calm.

Cassian sighed, "When Stormtroopers slaughtered her village, she hid in a cellar for four days, she hates being locked away," he explained.

She reached for a chair, grabbing it and throwing it at the window, watching as the glass smashed and the chair fell down the cavern below.

She looked back at Cassian and Jyn, her trademark smirk on her face as they all walked over. It was almost like she had never been scared at all.

"I'm going to jump over," Harlow stated and Cassian looked at her, brows furrowed.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" He questioned and she nodded her head.

"Best one we've got, you guys come over after me," she said, climbing out the window.

She looked at Cassian as she held onto the ledge, nodding before jumping to the other side, hands gripping the data vault side.

Harlow turned around, an adrenaline filled smile on her face as she looked back at them, holding her thumb up.

Jyn jumped next and then Cassian, the three scaling the middle in search of the right one. They found it eventually, hanging out from where Harlow had tried to pull it earlier.

She looked down at the other two and pulled it out, tugging it as hard as she could, nearly falling back in the process.

Cassian called out her name in fear, his arm coming out to grab her but she had already regained her balance, her hand coming back to hold onto the centre as she looked down at them, heart pounding.

He shook his head at her antics and she passed the data piece to Jyn. Harlow reached in, pulling out a key fob.

The message was in a two person system to make sure that it was secure. One person would input the actual data while another one okayed it on the key fob.

They thought that they were in the clear and were preparing to make their way back to the room when another door opened.

Standing at the entranceway was Krennik and two stormtroopers and they were all holding guns.

They started shooting and Cassian pulled out his gun, shooting at them whilst trying to dodge the fire himself. He managed to shoot both of the stormtroopers and Harlow watched them fall down into the abyss.

Her and Jyn started climbing round the back out of Krenniks view, they both had the plans and they couldn't risk losing it now.

Harlow looked down at Cassian and he nodded, "Keep climbing!" He yelled out.

Once again, she thought of Nemik and nodded her head, her hands coming up to grab for the next rung and the next.

She wasn't going to stop because if she did then this would all have been for nothing and they would die there having failed the rebellion.

When she heard a yell, she looked down and saw Krennik had shot Cassian and his hands had fallen off of the centre.

She screamed out his name, eyes falling on Krennik as he looked at them with a sense of pride.

Harlow watched as the love of her life fell down, hitting two poles with a clank and then falling onto a platform. He was completely lifeless.

She had never expected to see him like that, body limp as he just lay there, unable to get up. She didn't know if he was dead but every bone in her body told her that she couldn't leave him there.

She had lost too many people that she had loved, whether they had died or they had betrayed her but either way, she had lost too much.

Harlow reached down, her hand coming to grab the fob as she held it out for Jyn. She wasn't going to leave Cassian.

"Take it," she yelled out, her voice breaking as she tried to get Jyn to leave.

"I can't, you have to come with me," the other woman said and Harlow shook her head.

She looked back down at Cassian where he was lying, having not moved an inch and she didn't have time to worry. She didn't have time to grieve for the life she had lost.

Harlow took a deep breath, pressing her forehead against the cool metal of the centre platform and nodded, attaching it back to her belt.

She reached for the next rung and they kept climbing up to th roof, trying to make it to the satellite because otherwise his death would be in vain.

"Keep climbing, keep climbing," She repeated over and over again beneath her breath, the mantra being the only thing that was keeping her going.

She tried to hold on tears as she neared the top, jumping through the opening and closing platform with Jyn.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

026; LAST NIGHT

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.2k

Harlow looked at one of the only pictures that she had with Cassian. It was a picture of the two of them on the base, wide smiles on both of their faces.

She picked it up with a shaky breath, her thumb brushing over both of their faces as she thought about how simple that moment was.

There was a part of her that wished that she could go back to a time where the world wasn't ending in front of them and they didn't have to risk their lives for the rebellion.

But there had never been a time where she was not doinf something for the rebellion, where she was not being put down by the empire.

When she felt two hands wrap around her waist, she leaned back into his chest, feeling him against her.

"That's my favourite picture of you," he said and at this angle, he could rest his chin against the top of her head, "You just look so happy,"

She placed it back down, spinning around in his touch so that his hands were resting on her hips, "And I don't normally?" She asked teasingly and he smiled.

It was nice that he was able to smile when the world was falling apart at their feet. She could stare at his smile forever.

"No, it's just nice to be able to capture your smile forever," he said.

Cassian sighed as he looked at her, eyes trading the sharp curves of her face, the deep colour of her skin, the soft look in her eyes as she looked at him.

Her smile turned into a frown as she felt his stare on her. She could tell that he was ready to give everything he had for this mission and that worried her.

"Don't look at me like that," Harlow said, shaking her head.

"Like what?" He asked, thumb brushing against the bare skin on her waist from where her shirt had ridden up.

She sighed, looking at him, "Like we're not coming home," she said.

He noticed what he meant, a hand coming up to brush against her cheek, "We're not going to die," he said but she knew him well enough to hear the worry in his voice.

She reached up, placing her hand on top of his. She leant over, pressing a kiss against his wrist.

"We should retire after this, run away and live on a planet where the empire can never hurt us," he said.

She loved the idea of it just being the two of them forever in a little beach house, knowing that they were going to live to a ripe old age. But with the rebellion, that was never guaranteed.

She shook her head, "You know we would never be able to escape, not until the empire is gone," she explained.

Cassian sighed because he knew it was true. He knew that until the empire was gone them they could never have any peace.

There was a solemn silence that fell over them as neither spoke because neither knew what to say. This could be the end for them and she didn't wand it to be.

"Tonight I don't want to think about it," she said, pulling away from him but keeping her hand in his.

Harlow had gone through every bad thing that anyone could ever go through. She had lost everyone that she had ever lost and all she had left was him.

Cassian loved her more than anything else and she loved him too. They had the same horrors in their pasts and the same drive for the rebellion, even if they showed it in different ways.

"Okay, I won't even mention it," he said, looking into her eyes again. Even though she couldn't shake the feeling that he knew they would die whenever he looked at her, she cherished each moment.

"You won't?" She questioned, eyes wide as she looked at him.

"No, tonight, I'm making it all about you?" He said and with the grip he had on her wrist, pulled her back so she was pressed against his chest again.

He had a smirk on his face and she knew exactly what he wanted to do, to forget that anybody else in the world existed except for each other.

"Come on baby, I've been neglecting you with this big mission," He said, two fingers coming under her chin to pull her face up so she would look at him.

As he looked at the flustered expression on her face, it reminded him of the first time they had ever done something like this, the first time that his hands had explored her body.

She smirked at him once the initial shock wore off, one hand coming up to his chest to push him back against the bed.

He looked up at her and for the first time in the night, he wasn't looking at her like it was the last time, he was looking at her with complete and utterly lust.

So as she crawled up into his body as he laid on the bed and as she pressed a heated kiss to his lips, she was able to say everything that she was too afraid to say.

Too afraid to tell him that without him, she would have nobody and that without him, she would not know what to do with herself.

They weren't co-dependant or clingy. They could go weeks without seeing one another and then just jump back into what they had.

She took a shaky breath as she pulled away from their heated kiss, his teeth pulling on her bottom teeth, "Tell me what you want baby," he said, hand running over her flesh.

Harlow sighed, "Never let me go," She said and he nodded, pulling her flush against his body and not letting her go for the rest of the night.

Harlow was more ready than ever for the mission and she knew that whatever was going to happen was going to happen and there was no way to stop it.

As they stood in the ship, ready to sneak away and betray the rebellion, she knew that this could be the last mission that any of them went on.

Harlow looked out at the prepared faces of everyone there who knew that there may be no way back.

"May the force be with us," she said, looking out at the crowd.

They all nodded their heads and she looked at all of them. They were people she knew, old friends and new and they were all sacrificing their lives for the rebellion.

She walked up the ladder as the shuttle door closed, leaning over Bodhi's shoulder as they prepared to leave.

"Cargo shuttle, what's going on out there?" A rebellion voice said over the intercoms.

"Yes, yes we are," Bodhi stuttered, looking back at Cassian and Jyn who also stood in the cockpit.

"That's an impounded imperial ship. What's your call sign," They asked, nobody knowing what to say.

Bodhi looked around confused, "Rogue one," he said, nodding his head.

They heard a scoff come from the other side of the line, "Rogue one? There is no Rogue one," he said.

"There is now," Bodhi said as he pulls the lever, flying off into the distance and away from the rebellion.

There was a silence as they jump into hyperspace to get to Scarif because everyone knew that they may have just spent their last night on earth.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

025; BUILT ON HOPE

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.1k

he rest of the flight was awkward to say the least. Harlow mostly holed up in the small back area and Cassian tried to keep the peace.

As soon as they got to Yavin 4 and called the council meeting, Harlow rushed away.

She stood in the crowd of all the important members of the council and listened to Jyn explain all about the death star to them.

The audience didn't seem to receptive about it all. They seemed shocked and horrified but nobody had any clue what to do - like normal.

"Are you really suggesting getting rid of all that we've worked for?" Pamlo asked, looking at the group.

"I joined an alliance, not a suicide pact," Vaspar yelled out from next to her.

As she looked at them, she knew what they were sacrificing but they didn't know the sacrifice that people who weren't born rich made every day for the rebellion.

"If she's telling the truth, we need ro act now," Pamlo stated.

"The death star us nonsense," someone called out from the crowd

"What reason does my father have to lie? What benefit would it bring him?" Jyn asked, defending her father no matter what.

"To lure our forces into a final battle to destroy us once and for all," Draven said, arms folded across his chest.

"And you Draven, you've got so many bright ideas. Why don't you share them with more than just one person?" Harlow questioned.

He narrowed his eyes at her and she could tell that he wasn't expecting the bitterness from her.

Jyn looked at her, noticing how Harlow was standing up for her, "My father gave his life so that we can defeat this," she said.

"If the empire has this power, what chance do we have?" Mon questioned, finally speaking up from the head of the table.

"What chance do we have? The question is what choice. Run, hide, plead for mercy, scatter your forces, you give way to an enemy this evil with this must power and you condemn the Galaxy to an eternity of submission," she explained.

There was a smile on Harlows face as she watched the girl rallying the troops. She was a born leader and when you believed in a cause, nothing could stop you.

"The time to fight is now every moment you wasted another step closer to the ashes of Jedha,' she said.

"What is she proposing?" Pamlo asked, looking at the girl.

"Send the best troops to Scarif," Harlow said and everyone turned to her, "We need to capture the death star plans if we have any hope of destroying it,"

The two girls shared a look of solidarity, and any issues they may have had on that ship were left behind because they were united and needed to work together.

"You're asking us to invade an Imperial thing based on nothing but hope?"

Jyb scoffed, "rebellions are built on hope," she said.

She looked at Cassian and Harlow who stood together across the table and Harlow nodded, a half smile on her face.

Jyn watched as the whole council argued about what was going to happen and what they were going to do on terms of thr issue.

Harlow knew politics and she knew that they weren't going to find a middle ground but she hoped that for once, she was wrong because they needed to do this.

"I'm sorry, without the full support of the council, the odds are too great," Mon said once everyone stopped talking.

Jyn shook her head, leaving the room in anger a everyone watched her, whispering about her behind her back.

Harlow stood there as the crowd dissipated, trying to get her head around their logic.

She didn't notice Cassian leave with two men in a deep conversation because she was too busy trying to change their minds.

"We're going to lose if we don't destory that," she said to Mon, shaking her head as she looked at her.

Mon knew what she meant and in all honesty, she wished that she could have done something about it but the democracy had chosen not to.

"I'm sorry Harlow, but we will win this war," Bail said before walking out of thr room.

Harlow couldn't believe that they were just giving up and she turned around, storming out of the room.

If they didn't destroy the death star then they would all die. She had seen the destruction that the death star left first hand and it had been awful.

"Jyn!" Harlow called out and the girl turned around, "I believe in you,"

Jyn smiled at the girl. She knew that after everything that had happened that she had reacted out of love, that she was protecting Cassian.

"And I'm sorry for what I said on the ship," she said, an apologetic smile on her face.

Jyn nodded, "It's okay, I'm sorry for getting mad," she said, the to starting to walk out of thr hangar together.

"No, it's fine, you were right to be mad. Cass was about to kill your dad,' she said, "Anyway, we need to find a way to stop the death star,"

Jyn nodded. When they left the hangar, Harlow stopped in her tracks and Jyn followed the girls eyeline to Cassian who was standing there with people behind him.

She walked ove slowly, both girls confused as to what was going on but when she saw a smile on Cassians face, she knew that he had a plan.

"They were never going to believe you, but we do," he said, looking behind him at the group.

Harlows face lit up as she looked at him, proud that he had made the right decision for the rebellion.

"We'd like to volunteer, most of us have done terrible things for the rebellion," Cassian said and she could see the pain in his eyes.

He had done everything for the rebellion, everything for Harlow and didnt stop often enough to think about what he wanted.

"Everything I did, I did for the rebellion, every time I walked away from something that I wanted to forget I told myself it was for a cause that I believed in, that it was worth it because without that we've lost everything," he said.

There was a silence as everyone listened to Cassians speech and it resonated with everyone.

Everyone in the room had done something bad for the rebellion. Harlows own sister had tried to kill her for the rebellion so she knew first hand how awful it can be.

"It won't be comfortable. It would be a bit cramped but we'd all fit," Bodhi said.

Harlow smiled, walking out between Cassian and Jyn, "Okay, we're leaving tomorrow morning," she said, looking out at everyone that was ready to fight for this.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

024; ALL LIES

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.4k

When Harlow heard the sound of ships in the distance, she worried that they were going to be caught by the imperials, but another fear set in when she realised it was the rebellion

She swore under her breath, rushing back into the ship and reaching for the comms. She didn't know how close he had gotten to the building but she knew what ships they were. Bombing X-wings.

She was shaking as she yelled into the mic, begging for a delay on squadron support.

"There are Alliance forced on site, I repeat, Captain Andor is on site," she yelled into it.

All she heard was static through the machine and she slammed it back into the wall with a yell. She wasn't going to lose him like this.

She stormed out of the ship, "Come on K2, we're going to save Cassian," she said and he started ro follow her.

Just as they did that, a bomb exploded into their ship and she wondered what luck she had for it not to have exploded whilst she was in it.

When they were walking back, she spotted a figure running towards them in the distance and she lowered her gun when she noticed that it was Bodhi.

"Where's Cassian, Bodhi?" She asked snd when he didn't reply, he noticed that angry look in her eye that the others saw earlier, "Where's my husband, damn it!"

"He's gone to save Jyn, he's on the landing pad," he explained, out of breath

She didn't know whether to be mad or not because he had made the decision to save Jyn when he could have left her bit he didn't. But she was also mad that he had put himself in danger.

"Lets go, tell me where that shuttle depot is," she said, turning to Bodhi.

He explained the way and the three started running toward it. When they got there, they were lucky that it was abandoned.

"Get in, we're heading to the platform," she said as she saw Baze and Chirrut in the distance, rushing the other way.

There was a smile on Chirruts face as he rushed over, almost like he was glad that she had made the right decision to follow her heart.

When they were on, Bodhi and K2 manned the system and in a few seconds, they were at the platform that had been bombed by resistance fighters.

She rushed to the open hatch, a sickening feeling in her stomach as she thought about Cassian having been killed there.

When she saw the stormtroopers shooting at them, she started firing back and that's when she heard Cassian call her name and a weight was lifted off of her shoulders.

"Get in!" She called out, noticing that he was with Jyn.

The two rushed over and he helped Jyn up. She reached her hand out and pulled him into the ship, watching as he fell into her arms and the door closed.

Everyone was silent and nobody knew had happened whilst everyone else was in their different places.

Jyn turned to Cassian, face pulled in a grimace as she pointed in his direction. It was almost like she was trying to stop the tears from falling.

"You lied to me," she said, her voice bitter.

He ignored her, putting his gun back on the shelf, "You're in shock," he stated, completely nonchalant.

"You went up there to kill my father," she said, her voice cracking slightly at the end as she finally admitted it out loud.

He scoffed as he turned back to look at her, "You don't know what you're talking about," he said.

"Deny it," Jyn said, shaking her head a she looked at the man in front of her.

"You're in shock and looking for some place to put it," he said, trying to deflect.

Harlow watched. She knew that he was never going to win because Jyn had just lost her father and wasn't going to give up.

"They know," she said, gesturing to the others.  "You lied about why you came here, and you lied about why you went up alone,"

She scoffed, looking back at Cassian. She had made up her mind about the kind of person that he was at this point.

"That's why you two were arguing yesterday. You lied to Harlow too," she stated, knowing how to push his buttons.

That was the statement that made him lose his cool, "Don't bring her into this," he said, pointing at her, "I had every chance to pull the trigger, but did I?"

"You might as well have. My father was living proof and those were alliance bombs that killed him," she said, raising her voice at the end.

"I had orders, orders that I disobeyed," he explained, arms waving and voice raised.

"Ordeds, when you know they're wrong?" Jyn said. She clearly had never been a soldier, "You might as well be a stormtroopers,"

That's what cut deep for Harlow. Cassian noticed the way she inhaled sharply, mouth open before it closed; her jaw clenched.

She stepped forward, standing between the arguing duo. They all saw this mysterious side of her again, the anger growing in her eyes.

"Cut it out Jyn," she said, trying to hide the shake in her voice, "Stuff happens, you've got to get over it,"

Jyn didn't know what it was like to fight for freedom. She seemed to think that there was nothing wrong with the empire if you didn't bother them.

"What do you know? Suddenly the rebellion is real to you," Harlow explained, her voice loud, "Some of us live it, I've been in this fight since I was 8 years old,"

Jyn looked at the girl, watching as the tears brimmed in her eyes as she yelled at her, letting out the anger.

"You're not the only one who lost everything," She said, lowering her voice as it started to shake. "And stormtroopers killed my whole family so don't compare him to them again,"

"You can't talk your way around this, you can't defend your diginity and his," Jyn stated.

There was an awkward tension in the air like nobody knew what to say. None of them had seen her so angry before.

"Anybody else?" Harlow asked and when nobody answered, she turned and looked at Jyn, "I'm sorry about your father Jyn,"

She climbed up the ladder, leaving all of the bad energy behind as she sat on the floor, knees pressed against her chest and head on her knees.

Cassian followed her up, sitting down next to her and brushing a hand through her still wet hair.

"You didn't have to defend me there," he said, his voice soft, unlike it was earlier

"Why did you not do it?" She asked, raising her head to look at him, "Kill Galen?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "all that matters is that you're okay,"

He didn't kill Galen because he knew that it was the wrong thing to do. He also knew that Harlow would never forgive him if he did.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, watching as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry for yelling," she said and he nodded.

Growing up, she had always yelled. She had alway hidden behind her tough shell and never let anyone inside and she thought it was a strength.

But falling in love with Cassian turned her into a better person. She had more compassion and knew when to make the aggressive move.

She didn't want to become that awful person again and when she started yelling, all the anger bubbled back up to the surface.

"I don't care," he said, placing a kiss on her temple, "Yell as much as you want darling, I'll always love you"

She sighed. Although she felt awful for the way that she talked to Jyn in the light of her father's death, she didn't regret it too much.

All that mattered was that they had each other and they would be able to lean on each other no matter what.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

023; ATTACK ON EADU

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summary: bea henderson falls into a strange world that will change her life, probably for the worst, as well as falling for someone from her past she knows she can't have

wordcount: 1.8k

Everyone was still shaken up about what had happened on Jedha and whilst Cassian messaged Draven about the state of the mission, she sat next to Baze. 

"Baze, tell me, is it all destroyed? The whole city?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"All of it," he said and she put her head in her hands, unable to comprehend the amount of lives lost. They nearly died there.

"Set course for Eadu," Cassian said to Bodhi and K2 in the pilots seat. He was taking a break after the attack.

"Is that where my father is?" Jyn asked, having overheard the conversation and Cassian nodded, "My father's message, I've seen it. They call it the death star but they have no idea that they know how to defeat it,"

Everyone was listening to her, "He built it," Cassian stated, shaking his head.

"Because he knew they'd do it without him, my father sacrificed himself for the rebellion," She explained, "He rigged a trap inside it,

"Where's the message?" Cassian asked, looking at her before realising he didn't have it, "You have the message, don't you Jyn?" He turned towards his fiancée, "Low? Did you grab it?"

"It all happened so fast, I didn't know, the message was a hologram," she explained. It had been a nerve-wracking moment and she forgot all about the message

He scoffed, "Nobody is going to believe her without the message Harlow, you know that," he said and Jyn just sat there, a defeated look on her face.

"What kind of trap?" Baze asked, interrupting the silence in the room.

"If you can blow the reactor, the module, the whole system goes down," she explained, "You need to send word to the alliance. They need to know we can destroy this thing,"

"I can't risk sending that. We're in the heart of imperial territory,"

"Then we will find him and bring him back so he can tell them himself," Jyn said, watching as Cassian shook his head as he walked to the back of the ship.

"You can't do it Cassian," Harlow said, having followed him to the back.

She had figured it out long ago what he was planning to do and she knew it wasn't like him to kill someone's father.

"You don't tell me what to do," he said. Cassian was exhausted and frustrated and mad and he was taking it out on her.

"But Draven does?" She said with a scoff, shocked that he was talking like this.

"He knows that this is the only way that we can protect the galaxy from this weapon," he explained.

"We can't do this. He could help us," Harlow tried to convince him.

At this point, everyone could tell that there was some lovers quarrel going on in the back. Even though they tried to hide it, they could tell the two loved each other.

"I can't let him live. I have to protect you," he said. That's how he always justified the things he did for the rebellion. He was protecting her.

"You follow that man blindly. He is wrong, and you know that," Harlow said, poking him in the chest.

Cassian shook his head, "He is our superior," he stated, standing his ground.

"And I am your wife," she said, her voice raised and angry, "Think about it, you don't need to do it,"

The rain poured down on the ship as they flew through Eaudo. The imperial kybrer refractory was nowhere in sight.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Cassian asked, the ship rocking back and forth as Bodhi led the way.

"They have landing trailers patrol squadrons. You've got to stay in the canyons, keep low," he explained.

Harlow held onto her armrest, she had gotten over her ship sickness years ago but this just made her stomach churn, and it was too early in the morning for that.   

"How much further?" Cassian asked, trying to see through the rain.

"I don't know, I'm not sure. I never really come this way but we're close, I know that," Bodhi explained.

Just as they were placing their faith in him, they spotted the building in the distance, getting closer and closer.

"Put it down now," Bodhi said, shaking his head as they began approaching too fast. Cassian protested and Bodhi shook it off, "If you go any further, you'll be over the shutter depot! watch out,"

They started heading towards a cliff that they hadn't seen through the rain and started crashing, falling down at a fast pace.

"Hold on tight, we're coming down hard!" Cassian called out and everyone held on, feeling  them crash down.

The first thing he did when he had unbuckled himself was rush over, looking at Harlow as she lay her head back, eyes closed.

"You okay?" He asked, reaching his hand out and she opened her eyes, taking her hand in his.

"I've seen better landing," she said with a smirk, letting go of her tight grip on the sides and allowing him to help her up.

They both walked outside to go and check on the engine. The rain was pouring down on them but they both knew if the engine was failing then they would need to fix it soon. 

"I'm sorry for doubting you Cass, I just don't think killing Galen is the right thing to do," she stated and he turned back to her, brushing his wet hair out of his face.

"He built a weapon that can destroy whole planets. We've seen what it can do," he said, both of them stopping.

"I know, I know, and I trust your judgement. If you think its right, follow your heart," she said.

Although she didn't believe it completely, she knew that she wasn't going to be able to stop him and if he didn't kill Galen, someone else would. No matter what, she'd defend him.

"Come here," he said and she walked over, letting him kiss her in the pouring rain.

She pulled away, pressing her forehead against his, "I'll fix this while you're gone, I don't want to be a part of this," she said.

He nodded, grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to her knuckles before they walked back into the ship.

"How's the engine?" Baze asked, noticing that they had both come back.

"It's fine, I'll patch it up," she said, watching as Cassian changed his jacket out to a warmer coat.

It was silent apart from the rain on the roof of the ship and they all knew that there was something going on.

"Where's the research facility?" Cassian questioned, walking back over to Bodhi.

"Over that ridge," he stated and Cassian lookd out through the open door to where he was pointing.

"We'll have to hope there's an imperial ship left to steal because if Harlow can't fix this then we're not getting out of here," he explained.

"Have I ever let you down before Cass?" She questioned teasingly and he pursed his lips together, trying to hide a smile.

"Hopefully the storm keeps us hidden down here, Bodhi, you're coming with me to the ridge. Harlow and K2 are going to try to fix the ship," he explained and everyone nodded.

"I'm coming with you," Jyn interjected. She could tell that she was desperate to see her father again and she understood.

"No, your father's message. We cant risk it, you're the messenger," he stated, his word final.

Harlow looked at him and he couldn't even look at her in the eyes because he knew what he was going to do that required Jyn being as far away as possible.

"All I want to do right now is get a handle on what's going to happen and we're going to go up the rise and see what's what," he explained.

She looked over at him as she walked past, their hands brushing as he walked past.

When he was gone, she pulled his jacket on over her shoulders, grabbing the tool box as she walked out of the ship to fix the engine.

But before Harlow got too far, she heard Chirrut say something that caught her attention, "Does he look like a killer?"

"No, he has the face of a friend," baze said and her brows furrowed as she wondered who they were talking about.

"Are you talking about Andor?" Jyn asked and Harlow flinched at the sound of his name, "What do you mean, does he look like a killer?"

She was listening more intently now that they were talking about Cassian. Maybe she should have listened to him, maybe Jyn was dangerous.

"The force moves darkly near a creature thats about to kill," Chirrut said and her breath caught in her throat. They knew.

"His weapon was in the sniper configuration," Baze stated, a sad tone to his voice, almost like he didn't want to believe it.

Harlow shook her head. She wasn't going to just stand there and let them talk about him like that.

"I think that's enough," she said and the three of them turned to look at her as she stood in the doorway, his jacket over her shoulders.

"Captain Kaz," Baze said almost defensively.

She raised an eyebrow, "Tell me what you think, don't hide it," she said and they could tell she was annoyed.

Everyone had seen the pleasant side of the girl but none of them had seen the cold hearted killer until now, and none of them even knew that side of her existed.

"Your husband is going to kill Galen Erso, and you knew about it," Chirrut said, looking at her but almost like he was looking through her.

"You knew?" Jyn asked, turning to the girl with a horrified look on her face.

Harlow just stood there, head held high, and that was the only answer that Jyn relieved because the girl couldn't say it aloud.

Jyn grabbed a gun, storming for the door. Harlow grabbed her wrist, the girls head turning to her with an angry expression.

"Save your father if you can, but if I see you have laid one hand on him, I'll kill you," she said, letting go and watching her walk into the distance.

Harlow had lost everyone and Cassian was all she had left. Neither of them were perfect but they were enough for each other.

"You've both seen great tradgedy," Chirrut said, looking at the girl.

He could sense the weight that she held on her shoulders all the time. She was always playing some part, the politician, the fighter, the leader, the wife.

"I don't need your mine tricks, Chirrut," she said, holding in her emotions.

Baze noticed the change in demeanour, how the horrified armour of the strong woman vanished and she shrunk into herself, almost ashamed.

"I've got to fix the ship, if anyone else is missing when I come back, that's not my problem," she said, walking out to where K2 was working on the ship.

She felt everything crumbling. Cassian was out there trying to kill Galen, Jyn, who was th only person who knew the message, had gone after him and everyone else hated them.

"She's strong willed, I like that," Baze said and that's all she heard before before walked away after Jyn.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

020; TRUST GOES BOTH WAYS

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.1k

Harlow and Cassian headed towards the ship, Jyn standing between the two of them.

Harlow was explaining the situation to the girl, all about where they were going and what this meant. All about the rebellion and the war and what they stood for.

Cassian smiled to himself. Despite the fact that he didn't trust Jyn, he trusted the woman who would one day become his wife, and that was enough.

He knew that she was going to stand up for Jyn on this mission no matter what and although he loved the way she cares for everyone, it was sometimes her fault and that showed with what happened with her sister.

They were walking towards the ship, some of the members of the rebellion eyeing the new member cautiously when they heard Dravens voice.

They turned around to see him standing there, "Captain Andor," he called out, and Cassian looked at Harlow with a smile before walking off.

She scoffed, "I hate that man," she mumbled under her breath, Jyn listening to the sentiment and taking note of that.

They stepped onto the ship to see K-2SO, who was sitting in his usual seat as Cassians co-pilot. He seemed cautious of Jyn like everyone else did in the centre.

"I'm K-2SO, I'm a reprogrammed imperial droid," he stated.

Jyn narrowed her eyes at the droid, "I remember you," she stated, thinking back to when she was taken from Wobani and brought here.

"I see the council is sending you with us to Jedha," he said, and you could hear the bitterness in his voice.

"Play nice K2," Harlow said, trying to make sure that the droid who couldn't stop himself from spilling secrets wasn't hating on their new member.

"That is a bad idea, I think so, and so does Cassian. Harlow doesn't think so, and they bicker about it," He admitted.

"K2," she reprimanded before turning to Jyn, "I'm sorry, he tends to say whatever comes into his robotic mind, it's a byproduct of the reprogramming,"

Jyn gave her a smile that said it was okay before looking at the droid, fiddling with the blaster in her hands.

"Why does she get a blaster, and I don't?" K2 asked like a spoilt child who was just refused a toy.

"Because I'm the leader here," she said, putting her foot down on the matter.

At that moment, Cassian stepped up onto the ship after his talk with Draven, his eyebrows raised as he listened to the conversation.

"I thought I was the leader," he said in an almost flirty tone, one that would go unnoticed to anyone who didn't know about their relationship.

"You've never been the leader, Cass," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder before walking to her bag to grab her blaster.

Jyn watched as he walked over, leaning over her back and leaning towards her ear. If she didn't know any better, she would say they were having some kind of secret affair.

"You can't let her have a blaster," he said, his voice quiet in her ear.

She pulled away, and he instantly recognised the stoic look on her face - he wasn't going to be able to change her mind about this, and he knew it.

"Yes, I can. She's going into this fight, and she needs to defend herself," she said.

The two stood there for a second, eyes narrowed and focused in on each other, and neither were ready to break their silent argument.

"Trust goes both ways," Jyn said, jumping in on the conversation.

Cassian pursed his lips with a sigh before walking to the front of the ship, sitting down in his seat.

Jyn looked at Harlow, who had a smile on her face knowing that she had won the argument and K2 had noticed it too.

"You're letting her keep it?" He questioned angrily,"You can't just let Harlow push you around. Do you know the probability of her using it against you?"

Cassian grabbed onto the controls, looking at the droid, "Shut up," He said.

The droid went silent, looking through the window. In the back, Harlow and Jyn smiled slightly at one another, strapping themselves into the seats ready for the journey.

They landed on Jedha in the middle of the desert which was a long walk away from the city.

Jyn looked around, a wonderous look on her face as she took in the city that was resting on the horizon.

Harlow looked up, shaking her head when she saw the ship hovering over the city, almost like it was monitoring it at all times.

"What's with the destroyer?" Jyn asked, looking through the binoculars at the city.

"Saw has been attacking cargo shipments for months now," Harlow explained.

She knew that he had been causing trouble for the planet and for the empire, but she didn't realise the empire had done this much to try and stop it.

"What are they bringing in?" Jyn questioned.

She was curious and it only made sense after years of not having seen her parents or Saw who helped raise her.

"It's what they're taking out," Cassian explained, "Kyber crystal, it's the fuel for the weapon,"

She knew that it was one of the most valuable resources in the planet but nobody knew what they wanted it for until now.

They had been extracting the crystals for years but nobody had realised that it was for one of the most deadly weapons that the galaxy had ever seen.

"The weapon your father is building," Cassian continued and she could hear the bitterness in his voice.

He wouldn't admit it to her but the idea of this planet killing machine scared him. She heard it in his voice, she felt it in the way he held her at night.

Jyn looked behind her at K2, "Maybe we should leave target practice behind," she said.

"She's right, sorry K2, we need to blend in," Harlow said with a nod, "But you can stay with the ship,"

She pulled her backpack over her shoulder and the three of them headed out towards Jedha, ready for the mission.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

018; REBEL COUNCIL

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.6k

They got off the ship, Melshi and another member of the resistance holding Jyn by her arms, "Take her to the council room, I'll be there in a second," Harlow said.

They muttered a yes ma'am before taking her towards the room. She looked around, quickly finding Cassian standind alone.

She didn't receive the same heroes welcome back from a mission due to its secrecy but as she walked over to him, she knew that this was all that she would ever need.

He grabbed her hand, pulling it up to her lips and kissing her knuckles, hearing her wince. With worried eyes, he looked down and noticed the bruiss on them.

"She didn't go quietly?" He questioned and she chuckled, pulling her hand back.

"Not really," she joked, hand reaching up to grab the collar of his jacket, "You miss me?"

He chuckled, a small blush evident on his cheeks, "Always," he said, a smile on his face.

She pulled him towards her, one hand on his collar still and the other on the back of his head as she kissed him deeply, holding him close.

"Mon will be mad if we're late," he whispered against her lips, eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks as he pulled away slightly.

"I don't care," she said, kissing him again, not ready to let go of him late, "She needs us, she can wait,"

Cassian knew that in that moment as she kissed him again whilst the world prepared to implode around them that he loved her with all of his heart, that he couldn't get rid of her.

He chuckled, a hand on her shoulder as he pulled away, "We have to go, seriously," he said.

She groaned, through her head back in frustration before shaking her head, "Lets not leave the senator waiting then," she reached down, grabbing his hand.

Harlow sat in the council room. The important members and leaders of the Council had been called to talk to Jyn Erso about the sensitive information.

Only the people in the room knew about the new super weapon that was being built and they intended to keep it that way. They knew that if too many people found out about it then there would be mass panic.

Draven stood at the head of the table, hands on it as he leant over - he was clearly trying to intimidate her.

"You're currently calling yourself Liana Hallik, is that correct?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She sat there, stoic and emotionless as she tried to not let any information slip as she knew she didnt need to say anything.

Harlow was impressed. If she was in the same  situation and had just been kidnapped by a group of people who knew her real identity, then she wouldn't let any information out either.

"Possession of unsanctioned weapons, forgery of imperial documents. Aggravated assault. Escape from custody. Resisting arrest," Harlow read out from the page.

The girl turned to look at her, not having realised that there was more than one person interrogating her.

"Imagine what they'd say if they found out who you really were, Jyn Erso," Draven said, watching her face shift before she concealed her shock, "That's your given name isn't it?"

Jyn took a deep breath, composing herself as she averted her eyes from his. If they knew everything about her then she didn't need to tell them anything.

"Daughter of Galen Erso. A known imperial collaborator in imperial development," he explained, his voice harsh.

Anybody with a conscience could see that Jyn was uncomfortable, shifting in her seat, not making eye contact with anyone.

Mon Mothma stepped forward towards the table, looking at the girl as she tried to decipher if she was going to help them or not; because if she didn't then she didn't know what they would do. 

"What is this?" Jyn finally asked, looking around at the group.

Harlow smiled slightly, glad that she thought that she could talk to them and she tried not to sound too intimidating as she answered the question.

"It's a chance for you to make a fresh start, we think you can help us," Harlow said, standing up from her position next to Cassian.

"This is Captain Cassian Andor, rebel intelligence," Mon Mothma said, "And that woman you were talking to is Harlow Kaz, rebel mission leader,"

Cassian stood up as well, coming out from the shadows and looking at Jyn, arms folded against his chest. He didn't like the idea of inviting her here and it showed.

Since they had joined, he had dedicated every single hour of his time to the rebellion, to making the galaxy a better place for the future.

It had changed him though, in good ways and bad. He had gained more confidence and he had learnt to open up to hr more. But he had also built up a foreboding mask that made him seem intimidating.

"When was the last time you were in contact with your father?" He asked, eyebrows raised in an accusatory way.

"15 years ago," she stated, not making eye contact with either of them

"Any ideas where he's been all this time?" Harlow questioned, knowing that

"I like to think he's dead, makes things easier," she stated and Harlow understood.

Sometimes it was easier to think that her sister was dead and that she didn't hate her because it eased her conscience more. It is easier not to worry about the problems you cause in the world.

"Easier than what? That he's a tool of the imperial War machine?" Cassian asked, his voice raised and aggressive.

She lookd over at him, narrowing her eyes "I've never had the luxury of political opinions," she stated.

"When was your last contact with Saw Gerrera?" Harlow asked, diverting the conversation away from her father.

When she said that, she noticed Jyn shuffle in her seat uncomfortably, not liking the idea of thinking back to her time with Saw Gerrera.

"It's been a long time," she said, not wanting to explain anything.

"He'd remember you, wouldn't he?" Harlow questioned, arms folded across her chest.

"He'd remember you," she said, eyes trained on Harlow almost accusingly,  "Kaz, you used to do assailant work didn't you? Cheap work,"

As soon as he heard that, Cassian stepped forward, an angry expression on his face. He wasn't going to let anyone talk about her in that way.

She held her hand up, stepping forward as well and pushing Cassian back, her hand resting on his shoulder. She looked in his eyes and knew he didn't want to stop defending her but he sighed, letting it go.

"We don't get along now adays, I've burnt those bridges," she explained, trying to seem civilised, "But he might agree to meet you, if you came as a friend,"

The room is quiet and Harlow could feel the tension in the room, not just from the comment about her but also because of the horror of the situation.

"We're up against the clock here girl so if there's nothing to talk about well just put you back where we found you," Draven said.

Harlow turned to him, holding her hand up. She shook her head as she turned back fo Jyn, now seeing the spark of fear in her eyes.

"We will do nothing of the sort, I don't put people back in prison," she explained, a smile on her face, "And anyways, she will help us, won't you?"

"I was a child. Saw Gerrera saved my life, he raised me," she explained, finally talking, "I have no idea where he is, I haven't seen him in years,"

"We know how to find him, that's not a problem," Cassian explained, narrowing his eyes at her.

"What we need is somebody who gets us through the door without being killed. I, for example, would be killed, and none of us want that now," Harlow told the girl.

"You're all rebels aren't you?" Jyn questioned, shaking her head.

"Yes, but Saw Gerrera is an extremist, he's been fighting on his own since he broke with the rebellion," Mon Mothma interjected.

"His militancy has caused the alliance a great many problems. We have no option other than to mend that broken trust," Harlow explained to the girl.

Jyn was silent for a second, almost like she was taking all the information in. And then she sat up, eyes narrowed and the stoic look was back on her face. 

"What does this have to do with my father?" She questioned, looking around around at the council members.

Everyone is silent. Clearly the girl did not know about this mass killer that could end any chance of rebellion in a flash.

There were shared looks between the council members, almost like they were trying to figure out what they were able to say without exposing too much.

"There's an imperial defector in Jedha who is being held captive by Saw Gerrera," Harlow explained, "He's claiming the emperor is creating a weapon with the power to destroy entire planets,"

There was a flash of horror on Jyns face that she quickly covered up again at the idea that her father had made something like that.

"The pilot says he was sent by your father," she continued, making eye contact with the horrified Jyn.

"We need to stop this weapon before it is finished," Cassian explained, his hand resting on the table next to Harlows, fingers just touching.

"Captain Andor and Kaz's mission is to authenticate the pilots story and then if possible, find your father," Draven explained, "Your father is critical to the development of this super weapon,"

"Given the gravity of the situation and your relationship with Saw, were hoping that he will help us locate your father and return him to the senate for testimony," Bail explained as he stepped out from the shadows. 

"And if I do it?" Jyn questioned and for the first time, it had seemed like she was ready to cooperate with them.

Harlow smiled, "We'll make sure you go free, record wiped clean," she said and Jyn nodded, finally agreeing to the deal.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

017; RESCUE MISSION

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summary: the one where harlow kaz realised that the world was going to end but she decided to try and save it with the people that she cared about, no matter what it takes

wordcount: 1.6k

The second that Cassian got back, Harlow was waiting for him at the entry door, like she always had. She stood in her usual spot by the archway, waiting to see him again.

When he got off, his eyes scanned the crowd that had began to grow around the landing slip and the second he noticed her, his face lit up.

They had tried to keep their relationship on the down low but whenever one of them would get back from a mission safely, they had to see each other.

They had been on a mission on some random planet when somebody has bombed the ship they were going to land on.

They hid away for 13 days before somebody rescued them but at that point, they had ended up admitting everything to one another, about how they felt.

And since that moment he hadn't been able to let go. Every mission that they went on, he made sure she was safe over him and it changed the way they fought but also made them better.

Harlow pushed through the crowd of people congratulating the successful mission, her eyes locked on his as she tried to get to him, to check if he's okay.

When she made it there, they just stared at each other for a second, smiles on their faces. They were always glad that they managed to make it another day in the rebellion.

"You okay?" Harlow asked, reaching up to place a hand on his face, thumb brushing over the stubble on his cheek.

"I'm good," he said, placing his hand over hers and pulling it over his lips, pressing a kiss against it.

"You've got to go debrief don't you?" She questioned and he nodded.

"I'll meet you in your office afterwards," Cassian said. His hand moving to go under her chin, pulling her in for a soft kiss, "I won't be long, but this is a big thing,"

When he got back, she was waiting for him in her office as she wrote down something in a file. He stood at the doorway, a smile on his face as he watched her work.

"You would have made a great politician you know," he said and she looked up, shaking her head.

"Nemik would have made a good politician, I made a good wing man," she said, putting her pen down as she leant back in her chair.

He knew that it still made her upset to think about Nemik but his memory was what kept her going, what kept her focused on th mission ahead because otherwise, his death was in vain.

"Do you have your mission report Captain?" She asked and he smirked, holding out the file.

She took it, scanning through the pages to get caught up on the mission. Her eyes went wide when she noticed something in the writing.

"Galen Erso, he has a daughter?" She questioned and he nodded.

Harlow narrowed her eyes at the paper. This could change everything, especially with the revelation of a planet killer that he had helped build.

"What's her name?" Harlow asked and Cassian stood there for a second, thinking.

"Jyn Erso, but she's been missing for years, presumed dead," he explained.

"Missing?" She questioned, eyes wide. Nobody in the galaxy ever really went missing, especially someone as important as her.

They knew that if they wanted to find out what the rebel pilot knew then they were going to have to find him. The only person who may be able to help is Galen Ersos daughter. 

"Okay, I will call Sarithra in the tech department and hope she can find something on this girl," Harlow said, taking a note on a piece of paper and sticking it onto the wall.

Cassian walked over, holding his hand out. She smiled, taking it and allowing him to pull her up from her seat behind the desk.

After years of friendship and falling in love, he was one of the only people she'd allow see her like this. She had left behind the days of no affection and a constant feeling of melancholy for him.

Sure, they were living in the worst time in history with the imperials watching their every move but they had each other and it was enough.

"Did you get checked out at the infirmary?" Harlow asked, a hand coming up to rest against his cheek, her forefinger brushing over a small cut by his eyebrow.

He nodded, hands falling down to rest on her hips, pulling her close. That was his favourite way to hold her, it made him feel like she was safe in his hands.

"I wasn't hurt too bad, you should see the stormtroopers," he said with his signature smirk.

She shook her head with a smile, "What do you think about this planet killer?" She questioned.

Cassian sighed, averting his eyes from hers to think before looking back down at her, "I think this is big, that the empire has created a weapon unlike any other," he explained.

Harlow could see the turmoil and fear in his eyes at the idea of something that would kill entire planets, she probably had the same look in her eyes.

"But I also think that we can't let people get too worried, we have to stay strong for the rebellion," he said.

"And what about you?" Harlow questioned, her hand reaching back to cup the back of his head, "You don't have to be strong for me,"

"I'm always going to be strong for you Low," he said with a sigh, "But of course I'm worried, this could be the end of everything,"

"Even when we're gone, the rebellion will always be here," she said, nodding her head.

He reached down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, "I hope we get to see the end of this war Low," he said with a smile.

He pulled away, taking her hand in his, "Why don't we unpack, go back to our room, rest between missions?" He suggested.

She shook her head, a smirk on her face, "You're just trying to get me into our bedroom," she said.

He chuckled, pulling her hand up and pressing a kiss to her knuckles, "So what if I am?" He questioned, looking up at her through his eyebrows.

She scoffed, "You're an idiot Cassian Andor," she said, still allowing him to pull her into the direction he wanted. He could take her anywhere and he knew it.

Harlow stood in front of the group, gun slung over her shoulders and jacket tied up to keep out from the cold.

They were on Wobani and after finding out that Galen Ersos daughter was alive and she had been arrested a while back, she had brought together a group and went out straight away.

Although Cassian disagreed with bringing this girl into the rebellion, he knew that it may be the only chance that they have to contact Saw Gerrera seeing as he disliked most people in the rebell alliance.

"We have one mission guys, don't mess this up. She will fight but we take her with whatever force necessary," she explains, "But if she dies, I'll have your head on a stick,"

The men all looked over at her. They trusted her as the leader and they all nodded on agreement with her battle plans.

Ever since she had joined the rebellion when it was in its infancy, she had been a strong force to he reckoned with and everybody believed in her.

"Lets go then, come on," She said, the group rushing towards the cart after it had stopped.

She snuck round, slitting the throat of the man in the front seat before heading back, wiping the blade on her trousers.

Melshi held up the bomb and she nodded, watching as he placed it onto the door, holding the detonator in his hand.

He counted to three, holding his fingers up to count before reaching zero and pressing the button on the detonator, the door blowing off of its handles.

Her and Melshi went in first, shooting the three stomtrooprs in the room before looking around at the different prisoners.

"Hallik! Liana Hallik!" Harlow called out, looking around to try and find the girl they needed.

They had figured out that Jyn Erso was going by the pseudonym Liana Hallik since she was in prison and they had heard that she was here.

When the girl looked up at them, they knew that she was the one they were looking for and she nodded at Melshi who walked over, the key in his hand.

"You wanna get out of here?" He asked and the girl nodded. He unlocked the bolt holding her in and the second he did that, she sprung into action.

Jyns legs jumped up, knocking him over  onto the floor as she knocked over one of the other men, punching him in the face as he fell into the wall

Harlow jumped forward, her legs wrapping round Jyns waist and knocking her onto the floor, holding her down.

"Stay still," she said with a struggle, pulling one of the knives from her pocket and holding it on Jyns throat.

She stopped struggling as much and Harlow reached one hand up, K2 coming over and grabbing Jyn from her, holding her in his robotic arm.

"Congratulations, you're being rescued, please do not resist," K2 said, holding her still so she didn't move. 

Jyn looked over at Harlow who stood over her, catching her breath. "Lets get her out of here, move, move, move," she said and Jyn was left wondering ehere she was going

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

014; RIX ROAD

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

wordcount: 1.6k

The first thing that Harlow did once they lost the connection of the call was pull her coat on and rush over to Brassos work.

She waited outside for a while before seeing him and waving. He narrowed his eyes at her, knowing she shouldn't be out in case anyone saw her and that if she was here then something had happened.

"How long you been here?" He questioned, looking around to make sure they were safe.

They started walking, "I spoke to him," she stated, unsure of how else to break the news

Brasso froze, looking around again before placing a hand on her shoulder and leading her towards an alleyway where they could talk.

"He called my machine, it wasn't his signal and he wouldn't tell me where he was," she explained, looking up at him.

"Does he know?" Brasso asked and she knew he was talking about Maarvas death.

She nodded her head, "I had to tell him, he asked about the funeral," she said and he agreed, knowing that he deserved to know.

"Who else knows?" He questioned.

"Nobody, its a secure line," Harlow assured, she had worked on that comms link herself, nobody else should know.

"Good, they're watching Maarvas, they could be anywhere," he said, once again looking around with a paranoid gaze.

"I told him it would be crazy for him to come here, he wouldn't listen," she said, shaking her head.

"Where are you going?" He asked when she started to take a few steps away from him.

"To the scrapyard where Cassian said he used to go, thought maybe there'd be some of Maarvas stuff there," she said and he nodded, understanding.

He knew that Cassian often spent time at his old ship and that if he was to go anywhere, he would go there, that's where he would feel the safest.

"Yeah, I'll come with you," Brasso said, stepping forward and watching as she took a step back.

"Do you mind if I go alone?" She questioned and he took a deep breath, thinking about it.

He wasn't going to let this girl get hurt, not after all that she had done for Cassian and Maarva but he nodded his head, knowing he couldn't stop her - she was like Cassian in that way.

"Yeah, just tell Pegla why you're there, who you are," he said, a smile on his face, "Be careful,"

Harlow nodded as she walked off, pulling her hood over her head as she dodged between the residents of Ferrix.

She had very quickly become a local, known only as Brassos cousin who was planning on staying with him.

Harlow knew that she didn't want to go back to Coruscant after seeing this place. Despite its impirial rule, the place was beautiful and she was going to stay as long as she had to.

She walked outside of the city centre, smiling at one of the ladies as she walked into her house before the rain started to pick up.

She swore under her breath, looking around before starting to run, mud from the puddles already splashing up her legs as she tried to make it to the shipyard before it got worse.

Somehow, she managed to get in without anybody having seen her so she took her hood off, taking a respite from the rain outside.

Harlow stood in his ship, knowing that he sometimes came and slept here instead of Maarvas so she guessed that he might be more comfortable here.

She picked up a picture and smiled, it was the only real thing that showed that anybody lived her - everything else was bland and basic.

It was a very Cassian way to live, with very little possessions and nothing that tied him down - just in case he needed to escape.

She was about to pick something else up when she heard a large bang behind her and in an instant she turned around, gun pointed at the door.

Harlows breath hitched when she saw Cassian standing at the door, his gun pointed at her as well but she didn't care.

She dropped her gun, rushing over and allowing him to pull her into a hug. After nearly three months of not seeing one another they held each other tight for a second.

Neither one thought they would miss each other so much but over the small amount of time they spent together, they had formed a bond that nobody else would ever understand.

She pulled away, one hand on his face as she examined him, trying to see if anything was wrong and he just smiled under her inquisitive haze.

It was like looking in a mirror, they had both lost everyone that they had loved and only had one another.

"Are you okay?" She asked and he smiled, pushing her hand gently away from his face.

The interaction was intimate but between two friends, it showed a bond unlike any other - one that made them inseperable.

"Just a few bruises, it's been a long few months," he said, a smirk on his face.

She chuckled to herself, shrugging as she stepped away from him slightly, the two walking over to his bed where they sat down.

"I guess so," she said, "Im sorry about what's happened to your mum Cassian,"

"You know she's not really my mum," he said, a sad smile on his face, "She saved me from people who would have killed me and raised me as her own. So really, she was the only mum I ever knew,"

"Yeah, she told me," Harlow said, "She loved you so much Cass. The second I got the call from Bix to get here, I flew straight over to look after Maarva,"

"You did?" He questioned, his eyes wide and vulnerable as he took in the information.

She nodded, "She was sick, I had to do something. Her son saved me and I'm sorry I couldn't save her," she said, a sad smile on her face.

He pulled his bag over, looking in as he rummaged through it before pulling out a black book and handing it to her.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked at the folder. She knew that it was Nemiks manifesto and she thought that she had lost it months ago but here it was.

"You've got his manifesto," she said, her voice cracking slightly as the tears welled up in her eyes.

She had left it in his ship and was hoping to get it back when they would see each other again so to see it now made her smile.

"Yeah, I went back for it," he said and she smiled at the sentiment,"I couldn't leave it there,"

She picked it up, taking a shaky breath as she opened the first page and heard Nemiks voice for the first time in almost three months.

They'd been apart for so long that she was forgetting the little things about him that had always made her smile, the glimmer in his eyes, his toothy grin.

Cassian reached down, his hand next to hers as he interlocked their pinky. He had noticed that sometimes she was uncomfortable with too much touch, always grabbing his wrist rather than hand, shying away from hand shakes.

But as she laced her fingers into his, he smiled to himself, trying to hide the red from spreading over his cheeks. She trusted him and that was something he wasn't going to forget

"There will be times when the struggle seems impossible, I know this already," Nemiks voice spoke from the book.

Harlow held back the sobs, trying to control her breathing as she heard his voice again.

"Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneouseously and without instruction. Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy," He explained.

He had never shown her any of his manifesto, saying she deserved to see the finished product and here it was. He'd done everything he'd wanted to.

"The imperial need for control is so desperate because its so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort," he explained and she thought back to her past.

The stormtroopers had raided her village in the dead of night, separating the elderly and the children from the adults.

A kind old lady who had been trapped in the same hut as them had shown them an escape route that she had built years ago. The siblings were the only ones who made it out that night

"One single thing will break the seige, remember this. Try," he said, the words poignant.

The recording stopped and she stood up, walking towards the entrance to the ship where the cold wind blew in through the open door and let out a sob.

Harlow had left so Cassian wouldn't see her like that but he just walked over, wrapping his arms around her instantly as she cried into his shoulder.

He let out a tear or two over his mother's death, trying to be discreet but she knew that he needed this just as much as she did, that they were both broken and nobody could fix them.

Once she calmed down, Harlow took a deep breath, leaning her head against Cassians shoulder as the two stood there, staring out into the torrential downpour of rain.

They both knew that so much had to be said, that they had to tell one another about the events of their time apart but just for a moment, they stood there in peace, taking the moment for themselves.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

010; NARKINA FIVE

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

wordcount: 1.4k

Home felt empty without Nemik. Harlow hated her lifestyle, the riches, the high rise flats but she knew that she could be grateful for it.

The reason why she was in the rebellion was to help people like her family who were slaughtered and to encourage people who were living like her to join a cause bigger than themselves.

It had been nearly three months since she had last seen Cassian and she was worried that he hadn't sent a message yet, wondering what trouble he had gotten himself into now

Instead she stood in the mirror in a long teal dress, getting ready for Mon Mothmas senator party.

She had been invited due to her work on abolishing slave trade in the outer regions and was seen as the next best political - Mon was mentoring her when she was around.

Harlow always had a back up plan, if the rebellion slowed she would work here but she wanted to be free and to save the galaxy through hard work.

The drive to Mons was slow and it gave her too much time to think about what she was doing and the people she had left in her life.

She had to get information about where Cassian was, she was worried sick about him and at this point he was the only person he had left.

Cinta and Vel had gotten home safe about two weeks ago but had left nearly as quickly as they had gotten there on some secret Misson that Luthens assistant had set but they wouldn't tell her.

She didn't have her best friend anymore and coruscant felt like a ghost town and she was walking through tainted memories.

Her adopted father was distant with all of his work ever since the funds were starting to dry off and he wasn't telling her about his secret trips off world.

And to top it all off she had no work in the rebellion so she felt redundant, stuck to working the politicians to try and get some aid for lesser off people in the galaxy.

That was the only reason why she was standing in the elevator to Mons suite, she needed to get some help on where she could go to do something to help people.

Harlow walked over to Mon Mothma as soon as she was done being stuck to the stuffy politicians at the party who had lured her in with talks of her school paper.

When Nemik used to be here, he could charm them for days, telling then all about their idea and entrancing them. Harlow just felt like she didn't speak as eloquently and that she seemed almost difficult in comparison.

She stood next to the woman at the bar, "Sorry Mon, I was just wondering if we could talk?" She questioned, clearly desperate for answers.

She looked around, making sure nobody heard them, "Yes, of course, is this about the uh, friend again?" Mon asked.

"Yes, have you heard anything?" Harlow asked, her voice almost pleading.

She shook her head, "I'm sorry Harlow, I've listened to some channels but nobody has even heard of this man," she explained, seeing the heartbreak in the girls eyes.

She wished she would visit her more knowing now she lived on her own with nobody to care for her. This man was clearly the only person she seemed to have left.

"Well, thank you for trying Mon," she said with a sigh, shaking her head in disappointment.

Harlow was worried because she hadn't heard from Cinta and Vel in a while and now she didn't really have anyone. She would sit in her apartment all day doing nothing, grieving the life she used to have.

Thats when Perrin came over, an obnoxiously large smile on his face as he offered the girl squigs and she kindly refused.

"Hello Tay," Mon Mothma said and Harlow looked over her shoulder to see the Senator of Chandrilla standing there.

"Tay Kolma, how prompt you are," Perrin said and Harlow could hear the bitterness in his voice, "Still in town or commuting?"

"Bit of both," he said before looking at Harlow, his eyes narrowing at the girl "Are you not going to introduce me to your friend Mon?"

"How rude of me," she said with a politicians smile, "This is Harlow Kaz, her father is the antiquities dealer down by that lovely diner. She is the best up and coming poltician that Coruscant has to offer,"

"Harlow Kaz, you worked with um, Karis Nemik at Coruscants finest political school," he said and she nodded, "I read your paper"

She wanted to be proud that such a prominent politician had read hers and nemiks paper on outer rim reform and control but also she was upset because Nemik was an orphan and had no family, she had no explanation as to why he hadn't come back with her so she pretended that he was elsewhere.

So she grieved on her own.

"Really? That's an honour sir, Nemik would be amazed if he was here-" she said, her face falling, "-you know, cause he's moved to work on abolishing slave routes in the outer rim,"

"That's wonderful work, but the senator I'd here more for politics than charity," Perrin said, narrowing his eyes at Tay.

She could clearly tell the man's distaste for Tay Kolma and she pondered on the idea that Mon was having an affair with her old childhood friend.

"The new legislation is definitely having an effect," Tay said before turning to Harlow, "And you, my dear, must talk to me later about your work,"

"The rebels might have thought that over before blowing up Aldhani," Perrin said, leaning against the side.

Harlow froze up and looked at Mon, one of the only other people who knee about her involvement in the plot.

"Perrin, I don't think there's any need to mention such atrocities," Mon said, shaking her head, she knew how much Harlow had gone through there and what she had fought for - even if she didn't agree with it herself.

Tay noticed the look between the two and wondered if Harlow was also involved in Mon Mothmas rebellion plan.

"Good luck feeding the galaxy, I'm off to feed myself," Perrin said, grabbing his glass of squigs before walking off.

Harlow looked at her watch, "I'll let you two talk but Mon, could you get that thing done for me, I think I'm going to head off," she said, a smile on her face.

"So soon?" Mon asked, wondering what the girl was up to now.

"I have work to do," she said, putting on her perfect fake smile. She didn't want to mention that these events were heartless without Nemik and she felt sick even being here.

Tay chuckled, "A budding politicians work is never done," he said and she nodded.

"That's very true, it was lovely to meet you Tay, and I'll see you around Mon," she said before heading towards the door.

The second she got into the elevator, she rested her head back against the large mirror with a groan.

She pulled out her comms device, seeing that her small pager had a red notification and she knew that the only place that could have come from was Maarva.

She needed her help and Harlow had promised Cassian that she would look after her. Harlow wasn't going to break that promise, even if that meant risking her position in the government and her work to change the galaxy for better.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

008; YOU JUMP I JUMP

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

warnings: mentions of suicide, main character death

wordcount: 1.4k

Harlow sat on the chair next to the operating table. She held onto Nemiks hand as the four handed doctor began to operate in him. Her leg was shaking up and down and she could feel tears burning behind her eyes.

The doctor had asked her to step away but she had demanded that she sit with him the whole time. She wasn't going to leave him for a second. What if he woke up and needed her? What if something happened?

She didn't know how long she had been sitting there holding his hand and watching as the doctor tried to save him.

She would flinch every time she heard a bone crack into place or when the metal would meld to his spine but she was there for him, whispering things even though he couldn't hear her.

Harlow tried to hold in her tears as she brushed his hair out if his face, "I'm here, you're gonna be okay," she whispered, more to herself than to anyone else

She was one of the least emotional people you'd ever meet but here, with her best friends life in the balance she was an emotional mess. Harlow had cried more in the last day then she had in the last 6 years.

"He means the world to you doesn't he?" Vel said and Harlow turned back to look at him, tears welling up in her waterline.

"If Cinta doesn't come back, he's all I got left," she said, her voice cracking at the end.

She tried to hold her tears in as she remembered all the times with Nemik, knowing that it may not ever happen again. But she held in hope that ge would

"I never told you about what happened in coruscant, how we met. He saved my life and I wouldn't be here without him so I'm gonna do anything for him," she said, wiping the tears away with her free hand.

The doctor looked up at Vel and shook his head and Harlow looked up, knowing that it was the end.

"No, no, he's okay isn't he?" She questioned and looked over at Vel.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said and she let out a sob, watching as Vel wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her back

Harlow let out a scream and Vel tried to hold her tears back, it was the most pained she had ever heard her friend.

She had to hold her back as the girl kept yelling, holding a hand out as she tried to reach him, almost like it would be able to save him.

"You've got to let him go," Vel whispered and Harlow went limp, stopping her struggling.

Vel let her go and Harlow knelt on the ground, her hand reaching for his and feeling how cold he was. Her yells turned into sobs as she sat there, trying to hold on.

He was some of the only family that she had left and it had all been ripped from her. He wasn't supposed to die.

When Cassian heard the screams he ran in, his blaster held up and they all looked at him.

She turned around, her eyes red and puffy and something clasped in her left hand, her other resting in her lap as the man covered up Nemiks dead body - he looked like he was sleeping. 

"It's not what you think," Cassian said as Vel gave him a suspicious look before he turned to the doctor, "I'll give you 40,000 credits for the ship in the barn,"

"Where's skeen?" Vel asked, the two ignoring Harlow as she sat on the floor, her mind in a different place.

"He's dead, he wanted to take the money and leave you here," Cassian explained, his voice almost erratic.

"He wouldn't do that," Harlow whispered, realising that another friend was dead.

"I'm taking my cut, the number I was promised and I'm leaving with the freighter," he explained, still holding the gun in his hand. Vel nodded, allowing him to leave. She knew Skeen would betray them.

"Cassian," she said, standing up on shaky legs, holding something in her hand, "I'm coming with you,"

Vel didn't even flinch when she realised that man's name wasn't Clem, she had always expects it was an alias.

"What do you mean?" Cassian and Vel said at the same time, looking at the grief striken girl.

"I can't come home right now Vel, I can't go back to an empty apartment without Karis," she said, shaking her head as she tried to hold in the tears.

"I have room," Vel said, protesting against the idea of her going off with Cassian.

"I'll call you if anything happens, the money will go to your account for now, transfer it over to me in Coruscant," she said, holding the tears back, "Give Nemiks to charity, one to stop slave trades," he always been passionate about the subject after his mother was killed in slavery.

She walked over to Cassian, putting the necklace in her pocket as she held Nemiks manifesto in her hand.

"Thank you, and tell 'pa that I'm okay, that I'll be home soon," She said shakily before turning around and walking out the door, leaving Nemik behind.

Her and Cassian didn't say anything until they were in hyperspace and that's when she ran off and he heard sobbing echo through the ship.

When he walked out, he saw her sitting in the only bedroom there, tucked in a ball as she cried into her knees.

He sat down next to her and even though he wasnt the biggest fan of physical contact, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting her cry it out.

Once she calmed down, she looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy and dried tears down her cheeks.

"I live on Coruscant, after my family died I was adopted by that man you met, me and my sister," she explained, her voice shaky.

Cassian nodded, he wasn't expecting her to explain her life to him now but if it made her feel better, she could talk all night.

"I was 12 and I met Karis Nemik a year later," she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks, "He was intelligent, a little too intelligent and we were instant best friends,"

"How did you meet?" Cassian asked and she shook her head, her smile fading.

"I was on the roof of our school, 14 stories High and I was going to jump and he saw me and didn't panic, he just stood next to me and smiled," She explained.

Harlow sighed, a sad smile on her face as she remembered how he looked at her on that day and held his hand out, helping her down from that ledge.

"He told me it was a lovely view and asked if I wanted to grab a coffee with him sometime, I couldn't refuse," she said, holding back the tears.

Cassian looked down at her, watching as the tears spilt over her eyes as she looked down at the new necklace around her neck.

"God I miss him," Harlow said, the words getting caught in her throat

Cassian narrowed his eyes at her neck, "You've got his necklace," He stated, watching as she toyed with it.

"In my culture, you wear different necklaces to symbol hardships," she explained.

Harlow pulled out a black circular necklace with a red symbol on it from inside of her top before wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"This is from my family village, it means survivor," she explained, her voice going quiet, "Me and my sister were the only ones to survive,"

She looked down at the new addition to the collection, the necklace was a golden symbol that he had created. It was like a circle but not, with one spike coming out of the middle - he had always wanted to make it a symbol of the rebellion.

"This is Nemiks, he always told me I could have it one day and I told him he shouldn't give it up," she said, shaking her head, "This symbolises everything I've lost,"

They just sat there in silence, the only thing breaking that being her occasional sobs. But he just sat there as they floated through the expanse of space, looking for somewhere to go.

Just the two of them, orphans, Survivors, villains, heroes. One day they'd be able to get over it all but tonight it was just the two of them, unsure where they were going but knowing that they were going down together..

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

007; THE EYE

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

wordcount: 1.8k

They opened the vault, the Commondant still trying to persuade them that they're wrong.

"I can't unlock the trays, it takes a signal from Alkenzi," he explained, bartering for his life.

Skeen smirked, running over and pressing the bombs against the vault openings. "Fire in the hole!" He called out.

She covered her ears as they went off and the locks came loose, the group cheering over their victory but it was overshadowed by the need to work; they were already behind.

Harlow spent her time stood by the train, hauling the trolleys of payroll up onto the ship as the men went back to work.

"Almost done! Everyone can go home!" Taramyn said when they started ro slow down, yelling at them to keep moving.

Gorn started walking down the steps and she looked up at him, "What are you doing? You should be leaving!"

"We've got two minutes," Harlow called out.

He shook his head, looking around, "We need to be locking up," He said, clapping his hands as the men stood up.

The commandant shook his head in disgust, "You'll hang for this," he said, his chest heaving from overexertion

"Seven years working for you, I deserve worse than that," he said before walking off, "We ready?"

"Yeah, let's go," Vel said as she helped Harlow pull up the last of the cases.

They were getting the last cases on when they heard footsteps, one of the guards walking towards the steps at the top of the room.

"What's going on here?" He asked, looking around confused with a few men behind him for back up.

"You're off your post corporal," Gorn said, shaking his head, "This is a classified mission and you're not supposed to be here,"

"Commondant?" The guard asked, looking at the man who was heaving over

"Tell him he needs to leave," Gorn said to the commondant.

"He's having a heart attack Gorn!" Harlow said when she saw one hand reach for his heart, the other for his arm.

He fell to the floor and the shooting match started, shots being fired from ever angle.

Cassian grabbed Harlows wrist, narrowly pulling her from the line of fire as the two hunched behind a large case.

"I can handle myself!" She yelled out over the gunfire, turning around to shoot at the man behind them.

"He was going to shoot you," Cassian exclaimed, not understanding her unappreciative tone.

"I'll cover for you, get onto that train," she said and he nodded, running the short distance to the train whilst she shot at the guards.

As soon as he got on, another guy grabbed onto Cassian, his yards around his neck as he slammed him first into the console and then onto the floor.

When Harlow looked over, she noticed the man was on top of Cassian and swore under her breath, squinting as she aimed her fun at the man.

They kept struggling and tossing around and she took a deep breath before taking the shot, hitting the man in the neck.

Cassian took a deep breath as he stood up, looking over at her and shooting her a thankful smile before beckoning her over.

He covered for her as she ran in and she watched as Taramyn was shot dead by the guards, she hadn't noticed that Gorn had been shot as well.

After vel and skeen managed to run in, the duo closed the doors and everyone sighed as they finally got to take a short break from the fighting.

Nobody was able to mourn the death as Cassian and Harlow rushed to the seats, her in the Co pilot seat as they blasted the train off.

It went off with a jolt and she heard a thud behind her and everyone hit the walls and she focused on the scene in front of her rather than that.

"All good back there?" She called out, expecting everything to be okay but when she heard Vel call Nemiks name she knew something was wrong.

She turned round and saw that he was hidden between two of the carts and jumped out of her seat and rushed over to him.

"We've got to get this off," Harlow demanded, her and Vel pulling the cart as Skeen pulled him away.

He was breathing heavily, repeating the same thing over and over again, his voice cracking, "I can't feel my legs, I can't,"

"I've got you Karis, I've got you," she said, pulling him towards her, his head in her lap.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt this was, with the inevitability of death looming over her but at that moment, with the adrenaline coursing through her veins, all she could think about was her best friend.

"Can you hear me? Please, respond Nem, please," she said, her words coming out as a prayer.

"I thought I told you not to call me Karis," he muttered, his voice quiet but solid and she let out a sigh of relief.

"I need my co-pilot!" Cassian called out, not realising anything serious had happened.

"I'm a little busy Andor!" She yelled back, her face flushing as red as it could get.

Luckily everyone was too preoccupation with Nemik to realise she'd called out his last name, she knew she'd be in trouble if they'd realised.

"Hey, I'm here Nemik, I'm here okay, your gonna be okay," she said, brushing the hair from his face as she heard his breathing speed up, "Someone give me the god damn med spike!"

"All of it?" Vel questioned as she grabbed it from her satchel with shaky hands.

"All of it Vel! All of it!" She said frantically and Vel grabbed the syringe.

She filled it up to the brim with all of the medication she had and handed it to Harlow, the adrenaline stopping her hands from shaking.

"Hold still Nem, I've got you," she said, taking a deep breath, "This is gonna hurt,"

She jabbed it into his chest, right over his heart and watched as he took a deep breath in, his eyes fluttering shut and for a second she wondered if she'd given him too much.

"Where am I heading, I need numbers," Cassian called out, clearing frustrated now.

Harlow ignored him, instead focusing on Nemik, "You with me?" She asked, her voice the softest the others had ever heard it.

"Yeah, I'm here," he said, his voice quiet and weak, "Take me to Clem,"

They pulled him over, ignoring his wincing as they moved him to the cockpit

"I need you now Harlow," Cassian said, his voice strained as he tried to control the ship on his own.

She looked down at Nemik before standing up, "I'll be back, don't die on me," she said, sitting down in the co-pilot seat.

Nemik held the device in his shaking hands, looking down at it as he tried to figure it out.

"Climb! Full climb now," he yelled out as the flight path came in.

"It's jammed," Cassian said, trying to pull down on the lever.

Harlow reached over, her hand on top of his as they both pulled down on the lever, the ship shooting up into the sky.

"Climb!" Nemik yelled out again, his voice full of anguish.

Cassian kept pulling, going higher and higher every time. Even when the other ships were trying to shoot them out of the sky he kept going.

"Dive!" Nemik called out, his voice cracking and this time cassian didn't question him, just following his lead.

He called out a set of number and Harlow inputed them, pulling the boost thrust on full level. They all let out a sigh of relief as they made it out and they rushed to look after Nemik.

Skeen pulled a now exhausted Nemik over to the cabin, watching as the med spike began to wear off. She sat by his side, his hand in hers as they sat in silence.

"Gorn said it was beautiful. He was right, its a nice last thing to see," he said, trying to hold the tears in but she could hear how upset he was.

"You're not gonna die on me Karis," she said, taking a deep breath as she tried to stay strong for him.

"You're the only person I've ever let call me that, not even my mum," he said, his voice weak.

He never talked about his mum. His parents had died when he was 10 and he had been in Foster care ever since, that's really where they met.

"You're my best friend, I'm not letting you die," she promised, trying to hide the shake to her voice.

He sighed, his eyes fluttering to a close, "The adrenaline rush is coming down," he admitted, a half hearted smile on his face.

"I know, you get some rest for me, we'll be back in coruscant soon and we'll have lunch at that awful fancy pavilion," she said, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I love you Nemik,"

"Love you too," He whispered before slipping into a sleep.

She sat there, tears streaming down her face as she tried to hold in her loud sobs. He had never told her that before and she didn't know if it would be the last time she'd ever hear him speak.

Once Harlow had composed herself, she stood up, walking over to where Vel and Skeen where talking, "He still with us," she promised, hoping they wouldn't notice how red her face was.

"Yeah, you disappointed?" Skeen said, his words directed at Vel.

Harlows brows furrowed as she looked at her friend, "Vel? What does Skeen mean by that?" She asked.

"She wants to bail on him," he admitted, shaking his head in disappointment.

"He's dying," Vel stated, her voice shaky. Cassian walked out, listening to the conversation.

"You don't know that, please don't give up on him," Harlow pleaded, holding her tears in.

Skeen turned to Cassian, wanting his opinion, "There's a doctor but she doesn't want to jeopardise the mission," he explained.

"He's the reason why we're here, he brought us all together and I can't let go of that," she said, her eyes wide as she looked at Cassian.

He shook his head, unable to deny her when she looked so heartbroken, "Give me the numbers Harlow, how do we get to the doctor?"

She smiled, letting out a sigh of relief as she rushed into the cockpit, helping Cassian with the coordinates, she wasn't going to give up on him.

[sankta-starkova]

BURN IT DOWN

006; MISSION TIME

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summary: the one where harlow kaz goes into a new mission with her best friend to help the rebellion but ends up meeting a man who changes her life completely

wordcount: 1.5k

Nemik zipped Harlow into the wetsuit, the two of them silent as she prepared to leave him. She turned around, allowing him to push her hair back as he smiled at her, "You've always been my best friend you know that,"

Harlow let out a shaky sigh, "Nemik," she said, her voice quiet.

"No, just let me speak," he said, saying it quickly, "You're my best friend and we're going to make it out and we will change the world,"

"I was thinking we could leave coruscant together, forever," she suggested, a sad smile on her face, "We could run away to the rebellion and we wouldn't have to worry ever again,"

"Yeah, that sounds perfect Low," he said, brushing her hair behind her ear, "Did you get much sleep?"

"More than you did, did you even sleep at all?" She questioned, ignoring the fact that she had to go in a minute.

He chuckled, "A little bit, I sort of just watched you most of the night," he stated.

"That's creepy to some people Nemik," Harlow said sarcastically, relishing in the moment to just have fun with her friend and not worry too much about the world.

"It's not creepy to you, you find it comforting," he said.

And he was right. Nemik meant the world to her and he knew it. He knew she relished in knowing someone was there for her no matter what. .

"Touché," she said with a laugh, not knowing what else to say. 

"And if I told you Clem was watching us, would you feel creeped out?" He asked, his eyebrow cocked suggestively and she hit him on the shoulder.

"You're an ass Nemik, you are an awful human being," she said, shaking her head with a smile.

Vel and cinta call out to her, saying they had to leave, "I've got to go," she said.

"Don't go," Nemik pleaded, he had just enjoyed what might be his last sunset with his best friend, he didn't want to leave now.

"I've got to go," she repeated, her voice firm but wavering.

She pulled him into a hug, holding him tight against her like she wasn't going to let go and he held her in the same way.

"I'm coming back, we're both coming back," she muttered into his shoulder, trying not to get too emotional.

"I never doubted you," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead before pushing her away, "Now go,"

She pulled away, walking slightly before she heard him call out her name and she turned back, looking at his sad smile.

"I'm going to be worried about you all the time," he said, shaking his head as he tried to keep the tears in.

"Don't be, I'll be here when you get back," she said, running off and not looking back.

Harlow sat under the rock by the river, having changed into the wetsuits that would keep them insulated on their journey across.

She took a deep breath as she sat in the enclosed space, knowing that this was something that she had to do to complete the mission.

She hadn't been able to sleep last night and stayed up talking to nemik until the early hours of the morning where she eventually fell asleep on his lap.

Harlow was worried for her best friend but knew that he was strong and was going to make it to the other side, they both were.

Her, Cinta and Vel all looked up as the first meteor went overhead before they grabbed the propellor, allowing it to take them to the entrance to the imperial armoury.

They loomed around, Cinta climbing the ladder first and the other two girls following her up. They sat at the top, taking off their wetsuits.

Harlow pulled out the electricity bomb, it was going to cut out the comms for the imperial guards. She ran to the station, plugging it in before running back and hiding behind the wall with the other two.

"Call them," cinta said, determined in what she was going to do, a trait that Harlow worried would get her in trouble.

Cinta was setting up the ropes for them to absail down when Vel questioned her, "You're sure?"

Cinta rolled her eyes, shaking her head, "You're stalling," she accused Vel.

The younger sister had always been the most steadfast. She would do anything for the rebellion no matter what and she didn't let anything get in the way, an admirable trait to a certain extent. Going on blind faith was more of a hinderence.

"Valley one is ago," Taramyns voice echoed through the comms, "Are you on point,"

"Call it," Harlow said, her voice almost desperate as she shook her head, "Are we going or not?"

Vel took a shaky breath before telling them to go. The three of them jumped off with the rope as the sun set, making their way to the service tunnels.

They ran through the tunnels with the guns and when they got in, the boys had already managed to capture and begin to bind the hostages.

"You'll be taking us to the payroll vault," Vel said, pointing her gun at the Commandant.

"Time check Nem?" Harlow asked as she checked the amount of blaster fuel in her gun.

He held his wrist out before pulling it back, looking at his watch with a shake of his head, "We're falling behind,"

"I don't control the vault, its on a remote from the airbase," the Commandant explained, trying to sage himself as he looked at his family.

"Keep lying and it'll be a short night for you," Harlow said, an almost sadistic look on her face, "We know how the vault works, we need your hand to key the sensor. I can take just that if you prefer,"

Whilst her sister would do anything for the rebellion, Harlow was always the one ready to get her hands dirty. She was the one who really put the final nail in the coffin while her sister sat back.

She went with Cassian to the comms room and when the doors opened up and the two men turned around, they were ready to fight.

"Hands away from the console," Harlow yelled out and the two men held their hands up in surrender, terror on their faces.

"Get up now!" Cassian ordered as Harlow tied them up behind the console, watching as the others brought the other three hostages in, placing them next to them.

Nemik stood there, explaining the system to Cinta as Vel intimidated the Commandant, exerting her power.

"You're coming with us everyone else stays here," Vel explained, "Your comms have been disabled, ours are working. If you don't help us your family will die,"

He shook his head, looking at his family behind the control panel as they fell to their knees, "You'll kill us anyway,"

Harlow laughed, looking over at him with a smirk, "Cause that's what you'd do isn't it?" She already knew the answer.

"If we get what we came for, everyone walks away, but if we go down, you're there with us," Vel stated, pushing the front of her gun into his chest.

Harlow walked over to Cinta, pulling her into a hug, "I'll see you on the other side Cinta," she said, a sad smile on her face.

She looked at the matching necklaces they wore, in their village, necklaces symbolised moments in time and theirs meant that they had survived.

She walked away, scared to look back at her little sister as she knew she was leaving her behind, even Vel looked upset.

She stood in the elevator with Vel, Cassian, Taramyn, Nemik, Skeen and the Commandant, all of them waiting for it to stop.

Harlow looked at Nemik, reaching over and grabbing his hand and squeezing it tight before letting it go when the elevator doors opened.

She could feel her heart racing in her chest as she realised that at the end of that muddy elevator, she was going to seal her fate and couldn't turn back.

Cassian went out first, his gun aimed around the room and the others followed to the door, watching as the men opened it and took the Commandant, her and Vel staying behind..

"Commandant inspection," Taramyn announced, his voice loud and clear, like it would be as a stormtroopers and Harlow couldn't help but think of her bad memories with them.

The men all got in a line and that's when the team rushed out, holding their guns at them and watching as the realisation of a robbery flashed over their faces.

"This is not an inspection, it is a robbery," the Commandant explained.

They ignored his comments as they pushed the men to their knees, each of them holding guns to their faces.

"They've taken the tower and they're holding hostages, including my wife and son," he explained,  "They've already killed and I am sure they will do it again,"

Harlow rolled her eyes, pointing her gun at the commandant, "You open your mouth one more time and I'm putting the barrel of my gun down your throat and shooting,"

She moved to the train doors, taking a deep breath ad she realised how crazy what they were doing actually was. But this was her future, and she wasnt going to let the rebellion down.