Chapter Text
Bodhi worked frantically at the ship’s controls. The shifting weight in the cabin wasn’t a problem - this was a cargo ship after all and it could handle all the issues that came with much heavier loads. But it was difficult to keep the ship steady, avoid the wreckage around the platform, and make the adjustments necessary in preparation for their escape, all without the aid of a co-pilot.
It was especially difficult to accomplish all that while he felt so utterly panicked.
In some ways, the arrival of the Death Star had been helpful. The sight of it distracted the other ships in Scarif’s airspace and allowed Bodhi to fly the shuttle completely unchallenged all the way to the Citadel. By the time they’d gotten half-way there he’d noticed starfighters, both Imperial and Alliance, disengaging from the battle and heading out of the planet’s atmosphere. By the time the shuttle approached the tower, he could see Imperial ships lifting off from pads and hangers all around them. Evidently some of the Citadel’s staff had grave doubts about the Death Star’s purpose above their planet. For what it was worth, Bodhi thought they had the right idea.
But while the scene was chaotic and the work delicate, none of that was what really bothered him. He kept seeing the destruction of Jedha City playing over and over in his head. The fear, confusion, pain, and horror that he’d experienced then kept threatening to overwhelm his senses now, causing his heart to beat rapidly and his fingers to tremble. He caught himself holding his breath several times and had to concentrate on breathing evenly. He couldn’t risk passing out, not when all their lives were in his hands. Again.
“Keep it together. Keep it together,” he muttered to himself. “You can do this.”
He heard a loud thump in cabin and hoped it meant that they were all okay and onboard. As soon as Tonc yelled the all-clear, Bodhi gunned the engines, urging the shuttle away from the planet, maximum speed. He couldn’t see what was happening behind them, but the aft sensors were registering a massive energy build-up from an unidentified, and very large, Imperial craft - which seemed to be enough of an answer in itself. “Come on, come on!” he urged the ship as he made more adjustments. “Faster!”
He was so intent on the shuttle’s systems that he didn’t notice Tonc climbing up the ladder to the cockpit.
“Zas is getting them settled,” Tonc said, startling Bodhi as he began strapping himself into the co-pilot’s seat. “They’re both pretty beat up, but Captain Andor is in bad shape. I think he needs medical attention ASAP.”
“We have to get out of here first,” Bodhi replied bluntly. He couldn’t afford to think about Jyn and Cassian right now. His concern for them was too much of a distraction. “Have you flown before?”
“Not solo,” Tonc admitted, “but give me a second to look things over. I think I can help.”
The comms unit sputtered to life suddenly and over the hiss of static they could barely heard General Raddus’s voice. “Rogue One - may the Force be with you. All ships, prepare for jump to hyperspace!”
“What does that mean?” Tonc asked.
Bodhi could guess exactly what it meant. “Oh hell,” he muttered, frantically flipping switches, trying to squeeze every ounce of extra speed out of the cargo ship’s engines. “No, no, no, not yet…”
Then all the warning and sensor alarms in the cockpit seem to go off simultaneously. Massive energy discharge warning. Atmospheric warning: hurricane force winds, please make adjustments. Proximity alert: brace for flying debris. Too many warnings for Bodhi to even process. But they all indicated the same thing: the Death Star had fired.
Bodhi made the choice in an instant.
“Making hyperspace jump,” he said, surprised at how calm his voice sounded. He plotted the course to the first location that came to mind.
“What?” Tonc looked over at him, dismayed. “Where to? Aren’t we still in the atmosphere?”
Bodhi answered him in reverse order. “Yes. And anywhere but here.” Then he hit the final switch and the cargo shuttle lurched into hyperspace.