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I JEDHA - 42 Galactic Standard Hours before SCARIF
Chirrut Îmwe had been alone for a long time. His home was small, a tiny one room thing built above what might have once been a shop, but was now an open space for others to hide in. There was one window that, if Chirrut's calculations were correct, probably had a great view of the temple he'd once thrived in.
It was a good thing no one had ever asked Chirrut how he knew so much about his surroundings, because it would have been impossible to describe to anyone who hadn't felt it. It was mostly down to sound and instinct. Chirrut liked to think the force, of course, played some part in it, but not as much as he might have liked to claim.
The market was a loud, bustling sea around where he'd perched. There had been an itch in his fingers that day, the closest he ever got to true premonition, but the cold was starting to sink into his bones and he'd not yet found anything noteworthy in the strangers surrounding him. "May the force of others be with you." He said to the passing crowd; his repeated mantra when there was nothing better to say. Sometimes that alone was enough to garner a few credits. The reminder of a better time.
"May the force of others be with you." He said to a passing cluster of shoppers. He kept his lips from twisting into a tired smile. He wasn't sure what people made of a lonely monk offering suggestions of togetherness. In that regard they were doing better than he was.
Chirrut opened his mouth to repeat the phrase to another group when he heard the faint hum from the box strapped across his chest. He shut his mouth, concentrating on the sound and where its counterpart might be. Kyber crystals. They resonated with the gentlest of sounds, bouncing off one another to greater volume. Chirrut had been told this was false when the guardians were still an organized order; He had barely heard their comments over the singing of the kyber caves.
Chirrut tilted his head and considered the new crystal's origin.
It had already passed him by. It was small, or the sound was muffled by fabric. Chirrut took a guess and gave a shout, "You should trade that necklace! For a glimpse into your future!" He listened carefully, heard the shift of feet on pavement as someone turned. "Yes, I'm speaking to you!" He waved the light figure over to him, and introduced himself.
The voice was feminine and soft when it asked, "How did you know I was wearing a necklace?"
Chirrut grinned. It was always nice to be right. She was dragged away by an impatient voice before he could get an idea of what she was doing in Jedha, but the itch was back, and after shouting out, "The strongest hearts are made of Kyber!" as she left he waited a long moment and pulled himself up to follow.
The chaos that followed left Chirrut stumbling away from the heat of explosions and ducking into small back alleys to avoid fire. He let his feet lead him, following rarely traveled paths toward the barely there hum of the woman's necklace. He'd just caught up with them when they were stopped by the group of storm troopers. It had been a long time since he'd taken on a group that large, but he was in an infinitely better position than they were. It was, after all, fairly easy to draw attention to yourself and gain the element of surprise when you're just a blind man wearing outdated robes.
Chirrut had taken down the entire group, when suddenly something changed. There was a crawling charge down his back as another wave of storm troopers rattled into the square. Chirrut felt only a brief moment of concern before the air above his shoulder, disconcertingly close to his left ear, sizzled with hot blaster fire and the sound of plaststeel armor crashing to the ground surrounded him.
Chirrut blinked, stood from the instinctive crouch he'd fallen into and considered the area. Whoever had joined them stepped slowly closer, footfalls heavy against the dirty pavement. Whoever he was, he seemed to be done shooting, possibly a friend of the other two. Chirrut tapped his staff against the ground in irritation. "You almost shot me."
"You're welcome." Said a gruff voice before walking toward where the woman and her companions stood. Chirrut sighed and took a seat, the plaststeel armor of the nearest storm trooper sturdy beneath his weight. There was another charge and pulse of the stranger's rifle, another clatter of armor.
"Who are you?" The woman's friend asked.
"You might want to send your friend somewhere else." was the growled answer.
Chirrut could only assume the stranger had his blaster trained on the droid as the heavy metal twisted and began walking away with an odd mutter. The first man gave a startled, "Wait, Kaytoo, we're still-" He gave up and sighed. "Why did you do that?"
There was another scrape of boots in dust and a low, "So it wouldn't get shot." before the whole square was swarming with Saw's rebels.
Regardless of how strongly this Jyn woman had believed the name of her father would prove a useful bargaining tool, they were all rounded up and marched out of the city. It was now, marching across the hard packed desert outside of NiJedha, that it occurred to Chirrut he might've been better off minding his own business this morning. Just this one time.
He listened to the rhythm of solid steps around him. Chirrut wondered if he could get a handle on how many rebels were marching with them. If it was less than ten… he tilted his head to the side, listened to the scratch of rough burlap over his head, and determined that no, he wouldn't be able to count the footsteps. Not today anyway. But marching through the desert was boring. Despite the constant movement Chirrut was becoming restless.
"I am one with the force and the force is with me." He muttered. He needed something to keep his mind busy, and praying seemed as good an option as any. Perhaps by some miracle of the force a stray herd of bantha might come barreling out of nowhere to flatten their captors. "I am one with the force and the force is with me." Or a strong gust of wind. A dust devil. He realized of course that the woman with the necklace wanted to find the rebel base, but this seemed a rather unpleasant way to do it. "I am one with the force and the force is with me. I am one with the force and the force is with me."
Something solid pressed against the small of his back, pushing him forward in a stumbled step, "Quiet." growled a voice that was quickly becoming familiar.
Chirrut twisted, turning his ear toward the rebel and demonstrating where his attention was focused. He smirked, and lamented the fact that the other man wouldn't see it. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"
Chirrut was relieved to hear the man give a huff of amusement. At least he got the joke. "Somehow I doubt it."
"You've never asked for your fortune in the market?" Chirrut asked. The man was silent. He prodded Chirrut in the back again to keep him moving. That was probably a no then. "What is your name?"
"You need to stop talking."
Chirrut sighed. He walked quietly for another long moment. He was tired, they'd been at it for an hour at least. He couldn't resist, "Are we there yet?"
"Stop."
"Are you leading us in circles to confuse us?" Chirrut already knew the answer was no. He received no answer. "How much longer?"
The man leading him groaned. A surprisingly deep sound. Chirrut knew the man was tall, heavy, but now he had the faint idea he was broad too. It wasn't a theory he'd ever had the opportunity to test, unfortunately, but that voice must be resonating from somewhere. The man shifted closer. "You don't need that blindfold but I could turn it into a gag."
"Not in front of the children, dear."
There was a chorus of exasperated groans and "sssshhhh" s from around them, and Chirrut finally bit his tongue and resigned himself to silence.
II JEDHA - 38 GS Hours before SCARIF
Chirrut let the weight of his head rest against the stone wall while he focused his attention on the man standing guard outside of their cell. Chirrut still had the strangest feeling he should know the man.
"You didn't answer my question." Chirrut mused aloud. "You never introduced yourself." He added, the sound of his voice echoing faintly. Cassian had fallen silent, and the air seemed tense. It was quiet and Chirrut leant forward, turning his face toward where he could hear the large stranger breathing. "I was not speaking to my cell mate."
There was an irritated huff of breath before, "Baze." Chirrut waited a beat, blinked and raised an eyebrow in question. He received another grumble and, "Baze Malbus."
"Ah. So I do not know you, then."
Baze shifted in his seat. "No. Why would you?"
Chirrut gave him a placating smile. "Just a thought. Who's in the next cell?"
"An imperial pilot."
That got Cassian's attention. He'd been fiddling with a small pair of lock-picks, the slender pieces occasionally clicking against one another with a tinny ping, but then the fidgeting stopped and he shuffled across the cell toward the little window.
Chirrut listened with half an ear, trying to determine if Baze really was watching him, or if the weight of his stare was simply imagined, when the ground beneath them all lurched sickeningly and a tumble of dusty rock dribbled from the ceiling. He heard a growled "the hell?" and felt Cassian rush past him toward the bars of the cell.
"Let us out!" The Captain urged over the frantic clopping of rebels running toward the entrance of the base. "Come on!" He shouted.
Chirrut let himself fall to his mantra of prayer, mind focused on the door as he muttered under his breath, "I am one with the force and the force is with me."
"I don't have the key." Baze barked at Cassian, before another rumble shook the earth and he added. "Move."
Cassian's hand landed on Chirrut's shoulder, interrupting his prayer and pulling him away from the front of the cell as Baze's weapon clicked into use and the lock of the cell burst open with blaster fire. "The pilot!" Cassian called and the pattern of sounds repeated. Cassian's hand tightened around Chirrut's robes and dragged him up and out of the cell until Chirrut swatted impatiently at his hand. The captain released him to go running off toward his things.
Chirrut stood gathering his bearings. The ground still shook with the faintest tremors. He'd never felt an earthquake before.
"Monk!" Baze shouted from his right.
"My name is Chirrut Îmwe." He said, calmly, as if the base around them wasn't crumbling.
Baze ignored this. "Catch!"
Chirrut's lips tilted, a small pleased little smirk. He caught his staff easily, giving it a little twirl to show off. He was vaguely impressed by the man's certainty he could catch it. Most people underestimated him. A moment later Baze was stepping up beside him, something heavy nudging Chirrut in the shoulder. "This is yours?" Chirrut frowned, reaching up to grab the handle of his bowcaster. Chirrut sighed in relief and nodded. "Let's go." Baze said.
They ran towards the entrance to the cliff structure. Chirrut thought briefly that he'd have liked to explore Saw's hideout. Was it a natural cave system? A palace carved into stone like the great cities to the south? He followed Baze's heavy footfalls until he was hit with a blast of fresh air and dusty wind. Baze swore ahead of him and Chirrut felt a bubble of uncertainty. A moment later a heavy hand was wrapped tightly around his elbow and pulling him toward the sound of a ship's engine.
They stumbled aboard, from the cockpit Chirrut heard the droid mutter a beleaguered, "Oh, it's you two."
"Cassian is getting Jyn." Chirrut reassured the droid as the imperial pilot from the cell beside them scrambled into the loading bay with them. He'd said it and a moment later the two were leaping aboard, the ship shooting into the sky before the loading door had even begun to slide closed.
Cassian rushed passed toward the cockpit, while everyone else scrambled to find their footing. The ship gave a jump beneath his feet, and Chirrut stumbled backward, happily dropping to sit on a rough wooden crate. Across the loading bay the pilot thumped into a seat of his own, and from Chirrut's left came the sudden smell of sweat and soapy body powder. Like smokey incense and pine.
They jumped and shuddered through the sky, the skip lurching occasionally. Baze's weapons and armor clattered faintly every time he leaned forward, frequently enough that Chirrut assumed there was a window nearby. Chirrut desperately wanted to ask what was happening, but the rushing noise of air from outside made conversation seem pointless. There would be time later if they survived.
The ship gave a lunge as it shifted into hyperspace and a solid arm shot out to keep Chirrut in place. He blinked, surprised, and then turned to glare at Baze.
"Sorry." Baze removed his arm.
Once the ship settled into its new course Cassian rushed down from the cockpit, footsteps halting at the bottom of the steps. "What are you doing here?" He asked.
Baze shifted against the wall. Probably a shrug. "I didn't want to die." He answered.
Chirrut smirked. The question had seemed rather pointless. Cassian too, seemed to realize his mistake, muttering a soft, "Fair enough." before punching into the communications console.
They all sat quietly as the man sent out a coded message, to respect the captain's need to hear any incoming response, but more out of shock. Chirrut wasn't sure what had happened back on Jedha, but the mood inside their small ship was tense, heavy with unspoken horror, and he was itching to understand.
Cassian replaced the headphones in their cradle with more force than necessary, a barely restrained slam of frustration. "Set course for Eadu." He barked up toward the droid.
"Is that where we'll find my father?" Jyn asked, moving away from her position near the door.
The pilot, who up until that point had registered only as panicky breaths gave a soft gasp of surprise and said, excitement clear, "You're Galen's daughter?"
"You know my father?" She asked.
"I'm Bodhi. The pilot. I- I brought the message."
Chirrut settled against the wall. Bodhi. So he was a Jedhan native as well. Chirrut took a nervous breath and turned to Baze. "May I look at you?"
Baze scoffed. "I'd like to see you try." His voice was wryly sarcastic, but Chirrut planted his hands on the man's face regardless. He felt Baze's, "What the-" against the palms of his hands.
"I'm looking at you." Chirrut interrupted calmly, sliding his hands up and over the man's jaw, over his cheekbones and into the tangle of his hair. Chirrut ran his thumbs over Baze's forehead, planning to map the details from top to bottom.
Baze sniffed, the line of his mustache brushing against Chirrut's wrist as he said, "I'd have liked to see you do this to everyone else."
"I didn't. I don't care what they look like." Chirrut felt a soft eyebrow raise beneath his fingers. "Young and beautiful no doubt."
"Thanks." Baze said with a wince.
Chirrut hummed a small laugh and slid his hands down the line of his nose, down the sides and under his eyes. The fingers of his right hand tracing the sharp curve of a scar. Baze was surprisingly patient, holding still within Chirrut's grasp. He followed the wrinkles from the corners of Baze's eyes and down his cheek, thumbs eventually stopping near the corners of his mouth and fingers spread up his jaw. "Smile." Chirrut ordered.
Baze did the opposite and frowned. "What?"
"You heard me." Chirrut said, pushing one side of his mouth up with a thumb.
Baze was clearly trying not to, but he was amused; his mouth tightened, the crow's feet deepened and it was close enough. It was a nice face. Chirrut had felt comfortable around the man, despite the brief misunderstanding of imprisonment, but it was an entirely different experience to know he had such a friendly face hidden beneath that rough exterior. He ran his thumbs back over the soft skin beneath Baze's eyes and grinned. "It's good to know I'm not the oldest of the group."
Baze scowled at that and Chirrut dropped his hands. "If it would make you feel better you can touch my face, now."
There was a moment of silence while Chirrut imagined the heavy brow furrowed in confusion. Finally Baze said, "I don't need to."
"I know." Chirrut smiled easily. Baze had a trustworthy face. He took a breath. "Now. What happened to Jedha?" Baze stiffened in his seat, throat clicking as he swallowed. "Please tell me." Chirrut said softly.
"It's gone." Bodhi whispered, voice trembling slightly as he admitted it. "If I, if I could have,"
"No." Jyn interrupted. "I've seen my father's message. Even if it had gotten to Saw in time, there's nothing he could have done against that."
"Gone?" Chirrut floundered slightly to imagine it. "The whole city?" He asked.
"All of it." Baze grunted.
"Surrounding area, too." Jyn said.
Chirrut wanted to make a joke, wanted to ease the tension in the room, but his humor failed him and he slumped back against the wall behind him instead. "I see." He took a shaky breath. "How?"
"They call it the death star." Jyn said. "I've seen my father's message."
Chirrut's bones ached. He was tired and the metal wall behind him provided very little comfort. The death star. Of course that's what they'd named it. Subtlety had never been the empire's strong suit. It was certainly to the point.
Eadu was a retrieval mission by Jyn's reckoning. Cassian's irritable manner worried Chirrut, but there wasn't much to say on the matter. He listened to the younger members of their rag tag group argue. Make decisions. He heard the occasional grunt of a question from Baze.
He was barely paying attention when he caught Cassian's frustrated, "Try to get some rest." Before stomping back up toward the cockpit.
"Get some rest?" Jyn asked the space Cassian had left, clearly offended that their conversation was being dismissed. "How does he expect us to rest?"
After the walk through the desert and the devastating events they had managed to survive, Chirrut's mind and body both were weary. The metal wall behind him might not have been ideal, but with the gentle heat emanating from Baze at his left, and steady hum of the ship, Chirrut thought he could very easily sleep there. For many years life on Jedha had required the ability to sleep wherever you could. Though he did understand Jyn's frustration. Chirrut leant forward, "Rest does not necessarily mean sleep. Relax, calm your mind. Pray if that is a comfort to you."
"Don't you start." Baze grumbled. "I for one do not want to listen to your chanting."
Chirrut pouted. "You don't like it?"
Baze huffed. "I want to sleep. Or at least pretend."
Chirrut nodded, Jyn sighed, and Bodhi gave a small hum from his side of the ship. "It'll take at least an hour till we reach Eadu." He said.
Baze's armor clattered against the metal wall as he leaned back. That was apparently all the prompting he had needed. Chirrut shrugged, "It's better than nothing." Jyn huffed, clearly unhappy with the thought, but she didn't say anything further, taking her own seat and falling silent. Chirrut considered the silence of the ship, weighed the pros and cons of sleeping here, surrounded by strangers. He pulled his legs up onto the crate and curled up against the wall. There wasn't much of a choice, he was tired, and they had things to do yet.
III EADU - 31 GS Hours before SCARIF
Chirrut stepped up to the open cargo door and out into the downpour of Eadu. There was a brief moment of regret, he should have found another set of the rain-gear Bodhi and Jyn had used. And then he was too wet to care. "Are you going to let a blind man wander alone?"
"It won't be the worst thing I've done."
"No." Chirrut conceded. "But it will be the most recent."
Baze huffed in irritation, but the crunch of stone beneath his boots was loud even through the rain. Chirrut smiled triumphantly. It was too easy really. It'd be interesting to see just how tightly he could wind the stoic man around his finger before this adventure blew up in their faces.
IV HYPERSPACE - 27 GS Hours before SCARIF
The silence in the imperial cargo ship was deafening. No one wanted to pop the tense bubble of quiet that Cassian had left in his wake. Chirrut could still hear Jyn's frustrated breathing, fast and heavy, with the occasional missed breath of a suppressed sob. Chirrut wanted to break the tension. Cut through it with a bad joke. Chirrut frowned where he stood. Maybe something like, now that we've all showered...
It was ultimately Jyn who broke the silence, shifting closer to the center of the room and giving a hitched breath of surprise while she passed by Chirrut. "You're soaking wet!"
Chirrut winced. It was true, and becoming increasingly uncomfortable. He tried for an easy smile anyway, "Don't look in a mirror."
"It's not the-" She huffed and turned back toward where she'd originally been standing near the ladder Cassian had disappeared through. "I'll see if I can find some towels."
Chirrut wanted to argue, but she was already tapping her feet down the metal rungs. Chirrut frowned, tapped his staff against the floor with an irritated hum and prepared to wait. He was, now that he was thinking about it, shaking, just the slightest. The tight feeling behind his eyes made him think it was due to simple exhaustion and hunger rather than cold, but towels couldn't hurt.
"Chirrut." Baze called softly from the left, proving that he had actually listened to Chirrut when he'd told the man his name. "Come here."
It was only a couple of steps between them, but Chirrut took them carefully, wary of his tired limbs and the barely shifting floor. Careful hands grasped him by the shoulders, Chirrut willingly going where they pushed and pulled, until he was pressed down onto a makeshift seat and into an unexpected rush of warmth. He frowned, tilting his head in concentration. There was the tickle of moving air over his ears. Heat slowly making itself known through the layers of wet fabric.
"Heating vent." Baze explained.
Chirrut grinned. "My hero." He spread his arms, trying to get some sort of air flow through the heavy fabric. "So that's what you've been doing over here."
Baze gave a hum of acknowledgment, and Jyn's sharp footsteps returned to the ladder rungs and up onto their level of the ship. "No towels," She said, "But here's a couple of blankets." She placed them gently in Chirrut's lap, and his nose wrinkled at the smell of neglect. "They're a little dusty." She said apologetically.
Chirrut shrugged. "I can relate." He unfolded the first blanket, a scratchy, imperial army issued thing, "Thank you, Jyn."
Her breath stuttered a little on the inhale but her speech was clear of any lingering sorrow when she answered, "You're welcome. I just feel like I need to keep busy."
Chirrut grabbed her hand, pulled her closer and softly said, "You are not the only one grieving." He nodded his head toward where Bodhi had finally settled, having not said a word since returning from the rains of Eadu.
"Oh." And then she was gone, steps leading toward the pilot.
"You meddle too much." Baze muttered.
Chirrut scrubbed the blanket over his short hair, pulled it over his head and around his shoulders. "I meddle just the right amount." He tossed the second blanket toward where he was pretty sure Baze was laying down.
"I don't nee-"
"For your hair." Chirrut interrupted. He kept his gaze trained toward Baze's direction until he heard the scratch of the blanket against the tangled mane of hair he'd briefly felt earlier. The blanket returned to his lap a short moment later, balled up into a wad and damp in the center. Chirrut rolled his eyes.
"You need it more than I do." Baze said.
Chirrut huffed and straightened the blanket out over his lap. He carefully tucked the ends beneath his thighs, tucking the excess cloth tightly around his body. When the fabric became too damp to do him any good he threw it back at Baze, enjoying the splutter of surprise as he curled closer to the warm air of the vent. "I'm sorry," Chirrut mused, "Did I wake you from your nap, old man?"
Chirrut was so focused on listening to Baze's growl, waiting eagerly for the man's response, that he was utterly shocked by the slap of wet fabric against his face. The wad of blanket fell into his lap with a sad plop, and Chirrut gaped in surprise.
Baze snorted faintly, his armor clattering as he lifted himself off the metal floor. "What, don't tell me you didn't see that coming?" He joked, his voice a good deal closer now that he'd sat up.
"I never see anything coming." Chirrut corrected. He folded the blanket in half, grabbing either end and twisting the material tight.
"But you think you can get me with that blanket?" His words were teasing, but his voice sounded less certain. Chirrut hadn't missed the sound of his body shifting away.
"I hit you earlier, didn't I?"
Baze hummed. "That didn't require much aim, did it?" The satisfying thwack of Chirrut slapping him in the chest with the end of the towel rope was the only response he was given, "Hey-" Chirrut managed to get another hit against him, though not as solid as the first, before the rope was snagged and pulled from his grasp. "I should have known you'd be like this."
Chirrut grinned easily. "Well if you're going to be such an easy target," he gave a yelp at the sudden sting against his thigh. "You would attack a helpless old man?"
"You're younger than me, brat."
"Pffft." Chirrut leant closer toward the heating vent, hoping the angle provided the semblance of looking down on the larger man. "We haven't confirmed that, yet."
"That you're a brat? Yes we have."
A throat cleared gently from Chirrut's right. "We uh," Cassian's voice fumbled, "We'll be landing soon."
Chirrut frowned, listened to the tell of Jyn and Bodhi, but could find none. They must have retreated to the level below to speak privately. Chirrut nodded. "Thank you, captain."
"The two of you will need to be briefed. They'll want to know who you are before they let you roam freely." Baze made a low rumbling noise, that Chirrut supposed sounded somewhat concerned. Cassian seemed to be thinking the same. He hummed in thought and continued, "I don't expect they will give you any trouble. They might not have approved of Saw's methods. But he was some kind of ally against the empire."
"Hmmm."
Chirrut could hear the scratch of Cassian's shirt as he crossed his arms. The barely there shift of his weight. "Right. Thought I should warn you. I need to radio base that we're landing."
"Thank you, again. May the force be with us."
Cassian didn't seem to know what to say to that. He lingered another awkward moment before walking off toward the radio.
"Are you ready for this?" Chirrut asked softly.
Baze groaned, Chirrut's lips twisting in a sympathetic wince. "No point worrying. We don't have much of a choice, do we?"
V Yavin IV - 25 GS Hours before SCARIF
"Gentlemen, My name is General Dodonna, this is Evaan Verlaine, one of our pilots."
Baze gave a grunt of acknowledgment and Chirrut smiled, hoping to make up for the surly attitude. "Good afternoon." Chirrut supplied. There was an awkward moment of silence, Baze quiet and the rebel officers waiting for something…
To his right he heard Bodhi hesitantly clear his throat. He shifted forward in his chair. "I'm Bodhi. Rook." he paused, "Uh, the pilot."
Chirrut blinked in surprise. "Oh, I'm Chirrut Îmwe, this is Baze Malbus." Chirrut hoped he wasn't going to have to carry them both through the entire interview process.
"This is of course a formality. Cassian has informed us of your assistance during his mission." Dodonna said. Chirrut kept his face still. Either the rebellion was truly desperate for any help they could get, or Cassian had omitted a few details. The general continued, "We have also been informed as to the 'testing' you endured under Saw's watch, Mr. Rook. Given what you have survived, and done, we have no doubt to your loyalties."
It sounded as if Bodhi had collapsed into his chair with relief. Chirrut frowned, it was the first he'd heard of any 'testing'. The pilot had been out of it when they'd found him.
"Baze Malbus," The general said, addressing the next concern. "How long exactly were you acting in deference with Saw Gerrera?"
Baze shifted in his seat. Uncomfortable, or intent. "Couple years. Before that I was for hire."
"For hire doing what?"
"Whatever was needed." There was a tense silence following the statement. "I never worked for the empire, if that's what you're thinking." Baze growled.
Chirrut heard Verlaine tap something into a holopad, before Dodonna continued, "Good. There are some concerns however, over your weapon, Mr. Malbus. It is rather alarming, highly illegal, and possibly volatile."
"That's rich coming from a secret rebellion."
"Be that as it may." Dodonna said sharply.
"Please." Chirrut said calmly, interrupting the thought. "I realize it seems like a liability, but it is effective, and I have witnessed no glaring errors in its use or care. He knows what he's doing with it, despite how ungainly it might appear."
Baze scoffed. "How would you know?"
"I can hear you know, that battery on your back isn't quiet."
Baze sounded amused when he said, "And a blind man's bowcaster is so practical?"
Dodonna cleared his throat. "You are a holy man, Mr. Îmwe?"
"As much as I can be." Chirrut replied easily.
"Very well, your input on the matter has been noted."
Verlaine tapped her nails against the holopad a moment before clearing her throat. "If I might inquire, how long have you two been together?"
Baze huffed a, "What?"
Chirrut grinned. "Oh dear, it feels like only yesterday." He heard Bodhi snicker softly as he waved a hand toward Baze. "How long has it been? 22, 23?" He asked no one. "Yes, I believe it's been 23 hours now. 23 long hours and still no marriage proposal." He sighed.
Baze nudged him sharply in the side with an elbow. "Do not tease. It was a simple question, requiring only a simple answer." Chirrut tilted his head with a frown.
"I apologize for my assumptions." Verlaine said stiffly.
"They're always like that." Bodhi supplied, an awkward reassurance.
"Well." The woman said, hesitating a moment before quickly saying, "We do have a small ceremonial hall if you ever get that proposal, Mr. Îmwe."
Baze groaned. "Do not encourage him."
Chirrut grinned.
VI Yavin IV - 22 GS Hours before SCARIF
The plaeklite seat was uncomfortable, and the little disk clicked on its stand when Chirrut shifted. The mess hall around them seemed too loud to his too tired ears. Everyone sounded so… awake. Chirrut heard Baze's heavy boots heading his way, the loud click of a food tray landing on cheap tabletop announced the man's presence. It scraped across the table to stop in front of Chirrut, wafting unfamiliar smells into the air.
"Bodhi was getting me food."
The table rattled against the concrete floor as Baze dropped himself into his seat, Chirrut's own seat gave a sad wobble in response. "And I helped him." Baze said. He sounded as tired as Chirrut felt, "the food here is weird."
Chirrut patted carefully at the tray of food, hands finding what must have been the eating utensil. He frowned, lifting it and carefully prodding the round pokey end. Baze scoffed. "Yeah."
Another clatter of plastiware against the table, the sound much more delicate this time, and Bodhi filled the seat to Chirrut's left. "You've discovered the spork, I see." he said in greeting.
Chirrut took another deep breath of foreign food, and asked, "Did they at least have rice?"
"Yeah." Baze huffed, "It's orange."
"Orange?" Chirrut asked.
Baze hummed in agreement.
Chirrut sat straighter in his seat and set his spork down. "We need to leave immediately."
Baze snickered, and even Bodhi gave a hitched, surprised little laugh. Chirrut grinned, fairly pleased with himself, and grabbed hold of his spork. He carefully felt out where the three dishes on his plate were, and took hopeful aim. Everything tasted unfamiliar, though it was pleasant enough. Chirrut imagined all three of them felt the same, and when Baze sighed in a put upon way Chirrut knew he'd been right.
Bodhi must have figured the same. "If I'd have known that was my last day in Jedha, I'd have visited Grandma Ten's before throwing myself to the rebels." He said wistfully.
Chirrut opened his mouth to agree, she had served the best noodles in the city, before a niggling thought stopped him. Baze cut through his searching thoughts with the answer, "She closed a couple years back."
"What?" Bodhi gasped, possibly heartbroken.
Chirrut nodded. "That's right. Moved to be with her daughter."
"Oh." Bodhi sounded tired, but he perked up a moment after, knocking his knees beneath the table as he added, "At least she wasn't in the city when it went."
The reminder was an unpleasant one. They ate together, each mourning silently the city they had known so long. The future stretched ahead of them, possibly long and empty without a home. As sad and changed as it had become. Chirrut didn't know exactly what would happen next, but he knew someone was going to be leaving to find a way to defeat the weapon. Something that destructive could not be allowed to exist. Not without dramatically changing the landscape of the galaxy and the force. It was an abomination, and whoever went after the plans, Chirrut planned to be with them.
Jyn was meeting with councilors in the morning to try and sway them to support an invasion of Scarif. Captain Andor had not seemed optimistic about the outcome, and Chirrut's chest felt tight with dread. Cassian would know better than anyone. But the death star… to help defeat it? There might not be a more noble cause to give one's life for. Chirrut wasn't afraid to die. His life had not been easy, but there had been the ups. He had lived.
Chirrut chewed thoughtfully on a mouthful of what must have been the orange rice he had joked about earlier. It was good. Nuttier than the rice on Jedha. He reached down to run a finger over the keycard he'd been given earlier. They'd been granted access to sleeping quarters for the next 24 hours. It was early in the evening there on Yavin IV, but it had been a long 20 hours since the destruction of the holy city. Chirrut was exhausted, yet his limbs thrummed with excited energy.
He listened to the careful movements of Bodhi beside him, the heavy shift of Baze across from him, the numerous footsteps tapping through the busy mess hall. He pulled the key card from his pocket and tapped it against the cheap tabletop. He took another bite of food and frowned at the sudden stillness across the table. Chirrut hummed, faintly surprised to realize he'd had his face pointed toward the larger man while he listened. That must have been a bit unnerving. He smiled apologetically and tapped the card again.
"What?" Baze asked.
A good question. Chirrut shrugged and continued eating, pointing his face down politely.
Bodhi shifted a little closer in his seat. "So you're as tired as I am?"
"Not exactly." Chirrut said, sliding his left index finger over a line of digits on the key card and thought…well why not? It was the night before his own probable demise. He glanced back up and pointed his spork toward Baze. "We should have sex."
Bodhi spluttered to his left, the delicate plop of food against cheap plastiware meant that not all of his mouthful had survived the surprise. Baze was silent a long moment while Bodhi coughed. Finally his tray scraped away from them and the man shifted closer.
Chirrut caught the smell of sweat and wrinkled his nose. "After you've used the fresher." He added.
And then Baze laughed, loud and surprising into the space between them. It started as a snort, then softened to a chuckle. Chirrut grinned, relishing the previously unknown sound. "You're not smelling so great either." Baze said, voice heavy with amusement.
"Well." Chirrut said, tilting his head to the side. "We could go together."
Baze scoffed, grabbing the key card from Chirrut's fidgeting fingers and pausing for a moment. Chirrut clenched his fist and waited. Baze hummed, "Somehow I doubt we'd both fit."
"Uhm… I can leave?" Bodhi offered, is voice wobbling with uncertainty.
"Stay." Chirrut said calmly while Baze said "You're fine". Chirrut raised an amused eyebrow and smiled.
Baze sighed. "Why?" He asked, almost a growl.
"Why not?" Chirrut shrugged, and when no amused agreement came he sighed. "Whatever happens I highly doubt we're going to survive it. Not if we plan to face it with them. I for one am not planning to stay here while others fight." Without the key card in hand he tapped his spork against the edge of a bowl. Nervous fingers trying to work off his restless energy. "I know last meals are the customary pre-death indulgence, but seeing as Grandma Ten isn't around..."
Rough hands wrapped around his tap-tapping fingers. "Stop." Baze grunted.
Beside him Bodhi was breathing shakily, terribly still. "I hadn't…considered that."
Chirrut winced. "You have a better chance of surviving than I." He said softly to the pilot. It was true. He was younger. He could see. He could fly himself out.
Baze cleared his throat. "Why me?"
That distracted Chirrut from his feeble attempts at reassuring the pilot. He laughed, perplexed by the question. "Who else would I ask?"
Baze's hand tightened around Chirrut's, the plastic edge of the spork digging into the pads of his fingers with the added pressure. Baze's weight shifted away. "Right."
Chirrut bit his lip. Considered what he'd said and course correct as he felt the warm palm slip away. "Though, it would not have occurred to me if you weren't here." He shrugged. "You are rather my type."
Baze paused for a slow breath and huffed. "Do tell."
Chirrut pouted slightly. "You have a nice voice, you smell good when you're clean." He thought on that a beat. "Ish." He added. Baze gave a funny grunt at that and Chirrut decided to interpret it as a question. He tilted his head in thought. "Like blaster-oil and pines." What else… "And you're strong. That's always nice." He grinned. "Your face is ok."
"Hm." Chirrut could easily imagine the crooked tilt of a smirk he'd felt on Baze's face earlier after the soft hum of amusement. Chirrut's own tray scraped closer toward him and Baze said, "Finish eating."
"Guys." Bodhi said, a short, bemused complaint.
Chirrut was, admittedly, eating a little bit faster in light of Baze's implied agreement, but he didn't think it warranted Bodhi's, "You look like an eager child". Chirrut had not, in fact, realized the comment was meant for him until he heard Baze's huff of amusement that followed.
Chirrut frowned in Bodhi's direction. "What?"
"You know." Bodhi almost sounded smug. "You look like a kid that's trying to eat as fast as possible because he's been told he'd get a candystick if he finished... his green peppers." After the word 'candystick' Bodhi must have realized his mistake and started trailing off. He finished the thought anyway, but Chirrut was biting his lip around the urge to laugh at the poor kid. Bodhi groaned. "You know what, just go."
"I don't think I'm finished with-"
"Close enough." Baze said, standing up and grabbing both of their trays. "You alright alone?" He asked Bodhi.
"Yeah, Jyn and Cassian will be back from their briefing soon. Or I'll sleep. You both have uh, fun."
Chirrut laughed, twisting out of the strange seat and stretching onto the balls of his feet. Trying to work some life back into his limbs. "Sleep well, Bodhi." He said. "May the force be with you." He added, stepping forward to follow Baze's easy-to-track steps.
Behind him he heard the faintly bemused, "Uh, you too." from Bodhi.
The halls were unfamiliar, and after a close call with a cleaning droid, Baze slipped a hand around Chirrut's elbow and led him carefully through the halls. It really wasn't necessary, the occasional cleaning droid might provide a fun new challenge for Chirrut, but he appreciated the sentiment, and appreciated how easily Baze's hand wrapped around the bulk of his arm.
"Where's the room?" Baze asked.
Chirrut frowned, sincerely hoping his face conveyed what he thought of the question. "I don't know, Baze, I've never been here before. What does the key card say?"
Baze shuffled through his pockets, his steps slowing slightly as he searched before the sounds ceased and he hummed. "I think…this way."
They got there in the end, only having to turn around and backtrack the once. As they had suspected, the room was small, though it did contain a small attached fresher, which Baze confirmed would not hold both of them even if they tried. Chirrut had promptly closed the door on him and told him to hurry up. He tapped his way around the room, hands skating over the wall. He found a small recessed shelf laden with soft folded sheets and underclothes. It was amazing what a relief it was to feel even the simplest of accommodations.
Chirrut sat on the edge of the small cot, wondering faintly if they'd even fit on the bed together, while he plucked carefully at the small buttons of his heavy outer robe. He carefully set his bowcaster beside his staff against the wall. He removed the echo box, feeling briefly vulnerable without it; hung up the almost dry robe. He considered lying down, decided not to for fear of falling asleep, and then the nervous beating of his heart reminded him that he wouldn't. Too much adrenaline.
He laid down, listened to the echo of the shower spray against tile walls. He took a deep breath in, releasing it slowly. Another in, another out. The door clicked open and a wave of steam dragged the smell of soap into the room. Baze's damp feet slapped the concrete floor outside the fresher and stopped there. "You're sleeping? That's disappointing." He muttered.
Chirrut waved a hand. "I'm awake!" He said somewhat proudly.
"Hmmm." Baze moved closer. "You can shower later."
Chirrut grinned, the mattress shifting beneath him as Baze's warm knee pressed into the bed at his side. Baze hovered, carefully placed limbs on either side of Chirrut, caging him there. Chirrut curled up to sit, hand up and running into warm skin a little faster than he'd anticipated. He paused there, right hand spread flat against the surprisingly smooth skin of Baze's chest. He took a moment, a steady breath, it'd been a while. Too long, if he was being honest.
Baze took a breath, his chest pressing out against Chirrut's palm, and whispered a concerned, "Hey."
Chirrut felt a little lighter, he winked quickly and slid his palm over the pleasant swell of Baze's chest, over broad shoulders and around his neck to tug him into a kiss. The tickle of the beard was unfamiliar, but Baze's lips were soft, his breath as fresh as the rest of him. Chirrut was suddenly very proud to have made all of that happen. Chirrut pressed forward eagerly, arms wrapping around the mass of heat Baze had become, tongue sliding passed lips and teeth, then pulling back so Chirrut could bite at Baze's lower lip. Baze groaned, pushing gently at Chirrut's shoulders to drop him back to the mattress.
Baze peeled his lips from Chirrut's, wide hands sliding over his chest and picking at his remaining robes. "How do you get this off?"
Chirrut bat faintly at the man's hands, waiting for them to retreat before slipping the buttons open. Baze hummed above him, dropped to his forearms on either side of Chirrut's head, and seemed intent on following the path Chirrut was opening with his mouth. The beard tickled at the side of Chirrut's neck more than he'd expected, his toes curling and his breath leaving him in an unsteady laugh. His knuckles brushed against the warm belly hovering above him as he worked at the robe and Baze bit at the spot just beneath his ear, humming against Chirrut's neck, the sound singing down Chirrut's spine.
Chirrut groaned, hands shaking on the last pair of closures before quickly tossing the robe open. He started wriggling his arms free before Baze pulled away from his neck, hand landing heavy against his sternum. "Hold on."
Chirrut froze, left shoulder out of the robe, chest heaving with over excited breath. "Hmm?"
Baze took a long, loud breath. The hand on Chirrut's chest slid up toward his shoulder, rubbing a rough thumb over the line of his left collar bone. Chirrut sighed softly and Baze sat back on his heels, bare thighs pressing against the tops of Chirrut's still clothed ones.
"Do you have any idea what you look like?" Baze asked, voice soft.
Chirrut scoffed, too busy focusing on the feel of Baze's cock brushing against the inside of his left thigh to try and imagine himself. But he smiled, prepared to humor the man if it got him moving. "No. Stunning, right?"
Baze huffed a breath. He brushed a finger against the right side of Chirrut's neck before it was quickly replaced with his mouth. Well, he hadn't denied it. Chirrut grinned and finished pulling his arms out of their covering. It seemed Baze was done looking, and Chirrut wanted more contact. He wrapped bare arms around Baze's shoulders and turned his face into the damp tangle of hair at the side of the man's head. The shampoo he'd used smelled like lemongrass and water.
He grabbed a handful of hair and pulled those lips back to his own, curling up toward the larger body above him. From chest to belly he was almost too hot, and the line of linen cutting his waist off from the rest of the heat was an unwelcome reprieve from the almost overwhelming sensation. Chirrut growled into the kiss and moved his hands to get the cursed pants off.
Chirrut got distracted.
He managed to pop the first button through it's loop before reaching for the second and brushing his knuckles against wiry hair and hot skin. Baze's breath hitched against Chirrut's lips and he bit down a grin, changing the position of his hand enough to increase the pressure of his fingers against Baze's erection while he continued to free his own. He managed to resist grabbing hold of the other man until after he'd finished with the fastening of his pants. He was at least on the right track to being naked when he slid his palm over Baze's groin, thumb rubbing down the length.
Baze broke the kiss with a groan. His beard brushed back over Chirrut's neck before biting gently and kissing his way down Chirrut's chest. His mouth followed a trail lead by his hands, which had maintained their touch against his skin, a hot anchor of continuous sensation. It was a surprisingly thoughtful gesture, no sudden touches, fewer surprises. What had happened to this sweet man to turn him into the gruff assassin he'd been pretending to be on Jedha?
Baze's wandering hands and mouth eventually led him to curl too far from Chirrut's fist, his kisses becoming a growl into the center of Chirrut's belly as his cock slipped from Chirrut's grasp.
Chirrut laughed, the buzz of a voice against his sensitive stomach igniting an entirely knew bubble of pleasure inside. "You did that yourself." He admonished.
Baze hummed, hands tightening briefly around Chirrut's sides, before the bite of teeth gently pressed beneath Chirrut's navel and Baze continued his careful trip down Chirrut's body. The skin over his chest felt too hot, scratched raw by Baze's facial hair, and Chirrut's pulse was thumping heavily, a not so gentle throb through his hands and groin. It was…a lot. There was a reason he rarely sought such things out. His breath was a thready thing when Baze's fingers finally slipped beneath the waist band of his leggings to drag the fabric down over his thighs.
Chirrut sighed around a moan, a brief moment of relief to be free of the cloth restraining him, only for his breath to twist into an embarrassing squeak as hot breath washed over sensitive skin and then away. Rough hands slid his leggings down past his knees, squeezing gently at his ankles until Chirrut caught their meaning and kicked the cloth off of the last inch of his toes.
Baze's hands made their way back up to rest against the insides of his thighs, pressing and lifting carefully until Chirrut's legs had settled around his shoulders and his breath had returned to tease.
Chirrut groaned, his cock riding a hot pulse of want, hands curled in the sheets beneath him. "I-" He sighed in frustration.
"Hmm?" Baze asked, his lips pressing softly to the smooth skin along the inside of Chirrut's left thigh. "You're finally speechless?"
"Ha!" Chirrut squirmed, trying to relieve the tension in his gut. "You are incredible." He finally huffed. "And maybe a little cruel."
Baze said nothing, only slid his right hand up to Chirrut's hip and over, strong fingers finally wrapping around his erection and giving a small tug. That and the shift of Baze's shoulders beneath his knees were all the warning he was given before tight lips were sliding down toward his hips and the breath was pulled from his chest. Chirrut hadn't meant to tighten his legs, but Baze seemed unfazed as he was pushed that last inch, his mouth vibrating faintly with a laugh and numbing Chirrut to any other sensation.
Chirrut's right hand dropped to tangle in the damp waves of hair spilling over into his lap, the cool strands a surprise within the heated bubble of space they had created. Chirrut frowned faintly. Somewhere in the midst of it all he'd lost track of Baze's hands. He took a deep breath, ignored the heated flare of fluid leaking from his cock as Baze drew his tongue around the head, and tried to focus. One was on his right knee.
He rediscovered the right hand when two fingers slid through the mess of saliva and pre-come that had pooled around the base of his cock and down to press long stripes behind his balls.
"I'm not really-" he chokes on a moan, "...prepared for any..."
Baze slid up and off of his dick, face pressed to his thigh. "You mean you didn't wake up this morning alone on Jedha and realize you should clean up?" He snorted. "I guessed as much."
"First rule of the guardians," Chirrut huffed. "Constant vigilance."
Baze laughed. "No it isn't."
"No." Chirrut frowned. "Are you so sure?"
"I grew up in NiJedha." He pressed a kiss to Chirrut's lower abdomen, his beard just barely scratching against Chirrut's abandoned erection and tangling through Chirrut's pubic hair. It was a strange new sensation to come across. It was distracting enough that Chirrut almost missed the rest of Baze's explanation, "Hard not to learn a thing or two about the guardians in that city."
It was a shame Chirrut hadn't discovered the joys of a beard between his legs sooner. Baze sucked a soft kiss against the join of his thigh, another to the sensitive skin at the base of his cock, which pulsed another thread of pre-come onto Chirrut's belly. Chirrut tugged at the hair in his hands. "I want you up here."
"Oh?" The insufferable bastard pressed his tongue down to follow the path his wandering fingers had taken earlier.
"Yes." Chirrut groaned, gasping to get his breath back to finish his thought. "I want your face." He clenched his hands against Baze's scalp and prayed that the man understood.
Apparently he did. Warm hands returned to Chirrut's knees, lifting them away from Baze's shoulders and back down to the mattress. Chirrut kept his hands anchored in Baze's hair as he crawled back over Chirrut, the flimsy bed shaking beneath them with the motion. Chirrut slid his hands over the man's face and smiled. The line of Baze's body gently brushed and lowered against him.
Chirrut thought briefly of flipping Baze onto his back, maybe taking him by surprise, but the disappointing fact of the matter was that any attempt to do so would likely result in him accidentally throwing the man off of the small bed instead. He settled for yanking the man in against his mouth and thrusting his hips up against Baze's. As much as he'd enjoyed the other man's mouth wrapping around him, this was better. It had been a sense of closeness Chirrut had been chasing when he propositioned Baze, and the man's moans echoed through his barreled chest and into Chirrut's, his right hand slipping beneath Chirrut's back to grip his shoulder. This was what Chirrut had been craving in the face of imminent danger.
Baze had begun to curl his hips forward in time with Chirrut's thrusts. Heat pooled like honey within Chirrut's hips, the drag of Baze's erection over his own, the scratch of hair against his skin, after the attention he'd already been given Chirrut was amazed he'd lasted this long. His head jerked back against the bed, his breath leaving him in a long, gusty moan as his cock leapt and spilled across his stomach.
Chirrut only spared a moment to smile over the thought of any unfortunate passersby in the thin walled halls of the rebellion before he caught the faint curse dropped from Baze's lips and quickly reached up. He spread his hands wide to cradle the man's face. He just wanted to know. Baze smiled, a bright thing that disappeared as suddenly as it formed, his face going lax, lips and breath buzzing over Chirrut's thumbs on a groan. His hips moved with increased pressure before stilling, breath halted and mouth open as he spent himself.
Chirrut ran his thumbs thoughtfully over Baze's upper lip, following the line of his mustache where it flowed to his chin, up to brush his lower lip, and repeat. Baze lay there between Chirrut's thighs, torso hovering above Chirrut just enough to keep his weight off of him, while they caught their breath. Chirrut's thumbs continued their course for a further three rounds before Baze bit gently at the pads. Tongue sneaking out to taste his fingerprints. Chirrut grinned and tugged gently at the corners of his mustache.
Baze huffed and pulled himself away, landing on his side, squeezed between Chirrut and the wall. "You should shower now."
"Come with me."
"We've been over this."
Chirrut sighed and rolled off of the bed. "Don't get dressed while I'm gone."
"No." Baze growled. "I'm old and I need to sleep."
Chirrut patted the man on the thigh. "And you will. Naked."
"Fine. It's too hot in here anyway."
Chirrut shook his head fondly and tiptoed carefully around the room, grabbing up his robes and hooking them around the top of his staff to dry the last remnants of the Eadu rain, then made his way toward the fresher, carefully feeling for the entrance before stepping up and into the tiled room. Chirrut should have enjoyed the hot running water while he could, but his limbs felt heavy after the long day, and the endorphins from sex had managed to calm the adrenaline fueled mania he'd suffered earlier.
He climbed into bed, surprised to find Baze still awake and keeping the side nearest to the fresher open. Warm arms wrapped tightly around Chirrut's chest once he'd settled under the thin sheets. Like that, it was all too easy to slip away into sleep.
VII YAVIN VI, 10 GS Hours before SCARIF
Chirrut was reluctant to drag himself awake. He had the heavy feeling of someone who had slept too long. There was a knocking on the door, a sound that seemed to have no end. It was what woke him, and through the door he could hear someone tapping their foot. He heard of huff of frustration, decided it was probably Jyn, and heard the electronic beep of a key card.
The door slid open and Jyn huffed, "You two." There was the snap of a light-switch, the flinch of motion beside him as Baze jerked awake, and a moment's pause from the door way. Finally she said, "We need to leave.".