GODDESS ▷ BODHI ROOK

four.

SOLA HAD BEEN TASKED with bringing Galen's Erso's daughter to Saw. She and the young woman— Jyn, she thought she had heard her name was, though she wasn't sure— had parted from her companions once they had reached the Partisan base, and travelled up into the monastery above the catacombs towards Saw's chambers. They now lingered in the central chamber of the monastery, where most of Saw's militia gathered to eat from small, portable cook stations and sleep on the stiff cots that had been cramped together. Benthic had gone to alert Saw of Jyn's presence, leaving the two to stand amongst the soldiers in silence. For the most part, Sola's comrades went about their business— many either had no idea who Jyn was or didn't have the energy to care— though Sola caught occasional glimpses of the dark looks that were being sent in the young woman's direction.

Sola knew of Galen Erso from whispers that carried through the corridors of the monastery and the murmurs that flew from soldier to soldier. Though she knew better than to believe in rumors, they were far better than knowing nothing at all, and Sola had taken her time sifting through the various pieces of information she had gathered to find the truth. Some clues had been gifted to her by Saw's occasional slip of the tongue and Benthic's silent confirmations, and throughout her detective work she managed to piece together who Galen Erso was— a genius scientist, an Imperial officer, a former friend to Saw Gerrera.

And, according to Bodhi, the creator of a weapon capable of obliterating planets.

She understood her fellow rebels' immediate dislike for Jyn— her father's research had helped the Empire maintain their control on the galaxy— but she was not her father. In fact, if what Sola knew of her was indeed the truth, Jyn was one of them. A rebel.

The long march from the Holy City had given Sola much time to ponder, and in that time she had figured out why she had recognized Jyn when she first saw her in Tythoni Square. A few months ago, while searching through Saw's things for a map of the Jedha City that he had requested, Sola had stumbled upon a hologram projector. At first, she had assumed it was the one Saw carried with him of all times, the one that carried the likeness of Saw's sister Steela, who had died during the Clone Wars. She hadn't meant to look at it, intending to return it to Saw, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her, and she found that rather than an image of Steela, the device depicted a girl Sola did not recognize. She had taken the knowledge of her discovery to Benthic, fearful of Saw's reaction to the questions she so desperately wanted to ask, and while the Tognath hadn't told her much, she gathered that the girl was someone of great importance to Saw, but whom he eventually left behind.

Now that Jyn had revealed her identity, the pieces of the story came together, and she understood the young woman's importance to Saw. Her father, once a dear friend of Saw's, had entrusted his friend with his daughter's safety while he conducted research for the Empire. Still, she couldn't understand why Saw had left her behind.

Sola so desperately wanted to question Jyn, to get answers about the story she had never gotten the full version of, but she knew to keep quiet. She recognized the look on Jyn's face, the look that many of the rebels within Saw's militia carried: she had been through too much for most to comprehend.