Chapter Text
RAMIFICATION 1
- Who are you? – came the confounded question from Cassian who forced his mind to remember the person’s face that was distorted from anger. Before the man could answer, almost all at once the voice of a shrill gunshot, and a huge crack can have heard – so he instinctively turned his face to the source of the noise.
Carro’s body was tossed against a pillar by an Imperial KX droid so hard, that the man immediately died from his injuries. Cassian turned his head back to the man, who was still standing right before him, but he was pressing his hand to his chest – the bullet somehow hit him, right on his heart there. His fingers were painted with the stream of his own dark red blood.
- I am.. I am.. – pressed the man through his clenched teeth in an almost inaudible moan then he collapsed to the ground lifelessly.
Cassian stood up just to rush to the city centre.
RAMIFICATION 2
- Who are you? – came the confounded question from Cassian who forced his mind to remember the person’s face that was distorted from anger. Before the man could answer, almost all at once the voice of a shrill gunshot, and a huge crack can have heard – so both of them instinctively turned their head to the source of the noise.
Carro’s body was tossed against a pillar by an Imperial KX droid so hard, that the man immediately died from his injuries. Cassian turned his head back to the man, who was still standing right before him, but he was pressing his left hand to his right upper arm. The bullet somehow hit him there. His knees were shaking, as he was walking slowly towards to the other man. He seemed terrified – Cassian was sure, that the man had never been in a situation like that before.
- It would be better for you to remember.. - pressed the man in a weak tone through his clenched teeth. He was two steps ahead from Cassian, when the rusty haired man was hit with a cordon – what came from an Imperial KX droid. His body flew some meters before he landed roughly on the ground – and he remained unmoved.
Cassian stood up just to rush to the city centre.
RAMIFICATION 3
Carro’s body was tossed against a pillar by an Imperial KX droid so hard, that the man immediately died from his injuries. Cassian turned his head back to the man, who was still standing right before him. He wasn’t hit by the bullet – although his knees were shaking. He was walking slowly towards to the other man. He seemed terrified – Cassian was sure, that the man had never been in a situation like that before.
- It would be better for you to remember.. - pressed the man in a weak tone through his clenched teeth. He was two steps ahead from Cassian, when a metal cordon flew behind his back – the Imperial droid missed his throw.
The men glanced at the other’s eye - Cassian didn’t hesitate just stood up to rush to the city centre. He needed to be faster than the other one.
- Stop! – cried the rusty haired man right before he plucked up all of his courage and ran after the other one – what was a hardly achievable task to do, because of the panicking swirling mass.
Some minutes passed by as he was running throughout the wide streets and finally he found Cassian – he warded a young man from a droid – by shooting at it. How ridiculous! He stopped in the middle of the street to regain all of his power – both mentally and physically – when suddenly, among screams and crackling noises - a gunshot can have heard again.
The red-haired man could feel a sharp, stabbing feeling under his right lung – the bullet hit him somewhere in his liver. Air stuck in his throat – and he felt that everything became dark in front of his eyes – but right before he collapsed he could hear a loud, crackling voice of metal.
…
Not the cleaver headache and the taste of his own blood were the worst things when he opened his eyes – well, at least it was a good point that he was alive. But he hadn’t got a clue, where he was, and moreover, he felt his right side would have torn out of his body. He made some heavy blinks and tried to take a big breath – but he immediately regret his act. He put his shaking hands to his right side and felt hat something was terribly wrong with him. He was too weak to make any sound, and right before he closed his eyes he could see Cassian’s face.
- Don’t you dare to die! – came his voice from far, far away..
RAMIFICATION 4
…
- Stop! – cried the rusty haired man right before he plucked up all of his courage and ran after the other one – what was a hardly achievable task to do, because of the panicking swirling mass.
Some minutes passed by as he was running throughout the wide streets and finally he found Cassian – he warded a young man from a droid – by shooting at it. How ridiculous! He stopped in the middle of the street to regain all of his power – both mentally and physically – when suddenly, among screams and crackling noises – and gunshots can have heard again. The red-haired man could feel a sharp, stabbing feeling under in his stomach. One of Cassian’s bullets got a ricochet and hit the red-haired man right there. Air stuck in his throat – and he felt that everything became dark in front of his eyes and he collapsed.
All at once, help came to Cassian – an Imperial Kx droid was trying to unalive him and Wil – but fortunately it was crashed against a wall.
- What are you doing? – asked Wil in a questioning tone when Cassian tucked the red-haired man and the droid into the vehicle.
- They might come in handy!
…
Not the cleaver headache and the taste of his own blood were the worst things when he opened his eyes – well, at least it was a good point that he was alive. But he hadn’t got a clue, where he was, and moreover, he felt his right side would have torn out of his body. He made some heavy blinks and tried to take a big breath – but he immediately regret his act. He put his shaking hands to his right side and felt hat something went terribly wrong in him.
- Hggnn – a weak grunt left his lips. Some minutes later Cassian stepped closer to him – maybe he heard the other’s voice, or maybe he was waiting for him to wake up. He cannot decide which was true.
- Drink! – said the man shortly, and provided a glass of water to the other one. The rusty-haired one grimaced and refused the offer. Cassian shrugged his shoulders. – Fine, I don’t care if you die here.
- If you don’t care, you hadn’t carried me here.. – pressed out from his lungs the other one quietly.
- Your injury was my fault. Drink it! – asked the stubble faced one again. The other one examined his face for a while – he didn’t see anything. Neither fear nor regret. Finally he stretched his left hand and grabbed the glass.
His dry mouth felt relief when the clean, cold water flew slowly through his throat.
- Who are you? – asked Cassian, but the other one just gave the glass back to him and looked at him with stingy eyes.
- Where are we?
- In a small planet.
- Why?
- The ship has damaged. I needed to do an emergency landing.
- Why don’t you call somebody? – Cassian’s face tightened.
- The radio is broken too.
- What’s your name? – asked the red-haired one in a derogatory tone.
- Cassian.
Awkward silence covered the conversation of the two man. Finally, the rusty-haired man took a jagged breath and said only one word.
- Syril.
…
Three days passed by, when Syril felt a little better. Cassian was trying to fix the ship and the radio at the same time but it was a complicated and long process. Not just because he was alone, but his mechanical-technical knowledge battered. Three unbearable long days passed by without talking to each other. Piercing, suspicious glances to each other.
- How long is this going to take? – asked Syril in the morning of the fourth day, after he stepped close to Cassian who was sitting on front of the dismantled control panel. Wire on the back of a wire – and a shocked face on the impact of the question.
- I’m all alone to fix the ship and the radio too! What is that urgent?
Syril took a deep breath and hide his hands behind his back. He looked right in the other’s eye, but it seemed, he was embarrassed.
- Well, maybe poor hygiene is enough for you, but I have needs.. – Cassian opened his mouth in his surprise.
- Well, I neither like to be sweaty and stinky, but guess, we cannot leave this place with a broken ship Mr. Clean!
- My body is covered with my own dry blood!
- Mine as well. Maybe there are some of yours too! - as they were arguing, they became louder and louder.
- Well somebody hit my face so hard that my lips ruptured!
- You broke my nose! – stated Cassian, right before he stood up and stepped closer to the other one.
- Somebody shot me in my bloody stomach! – Syril’s voice cracked as he saw Cassian was coming closer to him
- It was an accident! But you! You attacked me on purpose!
- I know, that you are a rebel. Your kind need to be vanished!
Cassian pinned Syril to the wall by his neck with his forearm. The red-haired repressed a cried out in pain. His stomach sink in pain – but it was hard to decide because of his healing injuries or that the other man was closer to him than ever before. Syril’s glance was jumping between Cassian’s eyes and mouth. His nostrils widened, but his muscles remained relaxed.
Cassian’s face was worn, but it still radiated massive masculinity. The stubble on his face grew bigger, his hair was messy and became greasy a bit. Dark bags relaxed under his eyes. His body odour stung Syril’s nose. But still, he wanted to remain like that. The man bent closer so their lips were only inches away.
- Is this what you think? After everything you saw on Ghorman?
They were standing like that for long minutes, but it wasn’t embarrassing neither of them. Syril opened his mouth for an answer, but instead of it, he moved his head a bit forward. He didn’t press his lips against Cassian’s, just let him make the second – or first – step. And the man wanted to take the opportunity – he moved closer, but right before he could press his lips to Syril’s, the radio signal came to life.
- This is our chance to leave – whispered Cassian and left Syril with his back against the wall – alone, full of questions.