☆ 𝐄𝐂𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐒𝐄 ☆ 𝐂. 𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐑

forty eight

Kitra peered over her shoulder before she continued running. She descended down the hill and followed after Jyn, catching up with the women once they reached the bottom of the ladder. Kitra gazed up, as her eyes traveled up the tall ladder which led to the high altitude platform. It would take a long time to climb all that way.

Jyn shifted towards the ladder as she prepared to climb, only for Kitra to place a hand on her shoulder and tear her attention towards the rebel. Jyn sent her a questioning gaze from beneath the hat that she wore, while Kitra's eyes looked back with a serious expression from underneath her hood. "Promise me that if you change your plan, you tell me. We cannot afford to improvise, not in a base like this." Kitra requested, while Jyn read the girl.

"I promise." Jyn nodded, as Kitra removed her hand and nodded her head towards the ladder, telling Jyn to go first. The woman huffed to herself before she began to climb up the ladder. Kitra kept watch of Jyn, before she climbed up the ladder after her. The slippery surface of the steps made them both slow down, as they climbed with caution. While Kitra pulled herself up the ladder, she could feel the same nervous feeling swirl within her. Her heart hammered against her ribs while her chest tightened. 

Kitra pushed her worries to the back of her mind, and forced herself into the present moment. She needed to tune into her senses and become aware of everything around her. They could not afford to get caught, the Rebellion relied on them, and Jyn relied on her. The Jedi let out a heavy breath, as she paused her travels, while gazing about her surroundings. By now they were half way up the tall ladder. The heavy winds started to breeze past them, knocking them about as they were forced to tighten their grip. The heavy rain plummeted down onto them, blocking the clarity of their vision whenever they looked up. 

The girl gazed down and observed the distance that they've climbed, while she assessed that the coast was clear and they were still safe. Kitra gazed back up and continued to climb after Jyn. The further they climbed, the more the platform loomed over them, casting a shadow over the already dark realm. A distant rumble thundered through the sky, making Kitra pause her movements, while Jyn stopped to observe. 

An Imperial shuttle pierced through the clouds and dived towards the landing platform. The shuttle's bright light exposed everything in its path, forcing many out of hiding. The shuttle's engines roared as it descended onto the platform, landing gently on the pad. Kitra could feel the motor's heavy vibrations, as she heard the distant hiss of the ramp lowering. Kitra quickly gazed up at Jyn, "Someone is here. Are you sure you want to do this?" Kitra questioned, knowing that it was their last chance to turn back. Kitra wondered who had just arrived at the facility, and more importantly, why were they there? Did the Imperials know about their operation?

Kitra and Jyn continued to climb up the ladder, drawing closer to the platform. The stark lighting from the platform caused a cloud of white steam to roll from the edges, as Jyn and Kitra began to expose themselves the closer they got to the light. They climbed through a secluded passageway, before Jyn climbed onto a lower platform. The woman turned and held her hand out for Kitra, making the girl eye her before she took her hand and was pulled onto the platform.

As they crawled down into an air duct, Kitra held up her fist and seized both of their movements. She held out her hand to Jyn, while she listened to the chaos on the platform. She could hear a group of shuffling, as a chorus of men whimpered in fear while a couple of blasters powered up. Whoever was there had guards. Kitra let out a sigh and dropped her hands as they continued through the duct. 

Kitra reached the end of the air duct and grabbed onto the wheel which would open the manhole. The girl turned the wheel slowly, while Jyn watched with anticipation as the rusting metal creaked ever so slightly. Once the door was loosened, Kitra opened the hatch. Jyn quickly approached Kitra in haste, making the Jedi hold out a hand to stop her. The girl slowly turned to their exit and gently peered over the hole, as she observed their surroundings.