What is Right - A Rogue One Fanfic

    "You appear troubled, Captain." That Guardian was speaking to him. Captain Cassian Andor turned around, stopping the ceaseless pacing he had been doing for the past half hour. Chirrut Îmwe was sitting on a crate in the hangar of the Rebel Base on Yavin 4. He stared ahead blindly, leaning forward on his staff and moving his head ever so slightly as if to pick up sounds just out of his ears' reach. Baze Malbus, the fellow Guardian and lifelong friend of Chirrut, looked up from his spot behind the blind man. Baze made an "hmm" sound before going back to polishing the weapon in his hand.

    "Yes, I'm speaking to you," he spoke again. Cassian huffed, rubbing his messy hair as he walked over. He still couldn't quite wrap his head around how Chirrut always seemed to know what was going on. Logically, the Guardian shouldn't have even been able to tell that Cassian was present; unless Baze had told him, of course. Still, he had been correct. Cassian was, indeed, troubled with something.

    Ever since his and Jyn's conversation on the way back from Eadu, the captain had been feeling more contemplative than usual. At the time of their debate, he had not felt too terribly guilty for his actions. Yes, he was going to shoot Jyn's father, but those were his orders, and in the end, did he do it? No. Cassian had abandoned his task and refused to harm Galen Erso. He had decided to believe Jyn. However, his decision hadn't mattered in the end. Galen still died; just not by his hand.

    Yet Jyn still chose to blame him? Cassian found that to be completely unfair. Yes, he had lied to them. Yes, he was going to do it. But he didn't do it, and he had tried to save Jyn before she was blasted to pieces by the Alliance itself! So the fact that she still was angry with him had made him furious. What right did she have to be angry at him? He was following orders! All her life, Jyn had been able to make her own choices; she was able to choose who she fought for and what she believed. Some people didn't get that pleasure.

    People like Cassian.

    All of his life, Cassian Andor had done what he was told. The Rebel Alliance practically raised him, and he did as they wished. There were several occasions that he didn't agree with what they asked of him, but he did things for them anyway, because that's what was right. Wasn't it? Perhaps the things they requested weren't always true to Cassian's morals, but his morals didn't matter when it came to war. He had to do things the logical way, not the moral way. It may not have seemed right to him, but it was still right. Well, when he thought about it that way, it didn't seem to make much sense. Still, the Alliance knew what they were doing! Cassian had to believe that.

    As he came close to the blind Guardian, Chirrut reached out a hand as if to beckon him. "What makes you believe I am troubled?" the pilot questioned, resting his elbow on one of the many stacked crates, "Shouldn't you be saying that prayer or whatever it is that you say for the Alliance? We could certainly use it right now." At this, Baze cracked a grin of agreement from his position on another crate, but he continued to polish the weapon in his hand as if he wasn't paying attention.

    "Actually, you just missed that," Chirrut replied, smiling as if he had not just been insulted, "The Force moves ruminatively around one that is lost in his thoughts." Cassian sighed, rolling his eyes slightly as he leaned against the crate behind him. All he needed right now was a lecture on the Force from a crazy blind man. Didn't he have enough on his mind as it was? "Do I annoy you, Captain?"

    "A bit, yes," he answered flatly, glancing at Chirrut only to see him grinning. The monk almost seemed amused. For some reason, this made Cassian grow angry. Something about the peacefulness of Îmwe frustrated him. How could he be so relaxed while Cassian was forced to feel burdened and upset? Hadn't he just lost his home to the Empire? How was he so calm?

    "This is about the girl, is it not?" Chirrut asked, almost sounding matter-of-factly.

    "'The girl'?" Cassian said, trying to act oblivious to his questioning.

    "Jyn. She dwells on your mind." This time, he did sound certain of what he was saying. Captain Andor's frustration was growing increasingly obvious. This man definitely knew how to work on his nerves. He didn't want to admit it, but the fact that Chirrut was correct in his accusations made Cassian even more irritated.

    "Yes, she does occupy my thoughts. Why would you care, though? What do my troubles matter to you?" he retorted, raising an eyebrow. At this, Chirrut's smile became thoughtful and kind. He moved his head as he spoke, sounding gentle and wise.

    "The Force connects us all. Every man, every lifeform. With that, the troubles of everyone are my concern." As he explained himself to Cassian, Baze had stopped smiling and was now listening closely to his friend's words. Chirrut had unwavering kindness, that was for sure. Even though it was common for his fellow Guardian to shoot good-natured sarcasm at his friends and others, Malbus knew that Chirrut's heart was made of gold and truly one with the Force; even if Baze didn't entirely trust the mysterious Force as he used to.

    Cassian was also taken aback by the blind man's words. He had told Jyn before that the Guardians had done nothing but cause trouble for the others on Jedha, and he had always seen them to be nothing but trouble; religious fanatics. However, hearing Chirrut speak honestly with him about what he believed took away some of Cassian's anger. His shoulders relaxed slightly, and he stared at the ground awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

    "You care about her," Chirrut went on, and Baze raised his eyebrows. When he said this, the Rebel was quick to defend himself.

    "I don't," Cassian cut him off. Then, he felt somewhat bad for the way he had said that. "At least, not in the way that you are thinking." Baze chuckled slightly, glancing back at Cassian as he stood there. Chirrut was grinning, too.

    "Who's to say the way I was thinking?" the monk responded, "I said that you care about her, and you do. The fact that you question so quickly if I was thinking in a certain way is an obvious sign that you do feel the way that you thought I was thinking." Cassian said nothing. He stared at Chirrut with his mouth hanging open slightly before looking away and sighing. He rubbed a hand down his face before he turned back to the pair of Guardians.

    "Yes, I do care about her. She's been a wonderful friend." Cassian made sure to emphasize the word on the end. "But clearly she does not feel the same. I lied to her, and now... Well, she hates me!" And he believed that she did. At that moment, he realized how guilty he actually felt. That was what was making him so burdened. Well, more burdened than usual. As he finished his sentence, Chirrut somehow knew precisely where to place his hand so that he could rest it on the captain's arm. His smile was gone.

    "Jyn has no hate in her. Anger, perhaps, but not hate. I sensed that she is mostly disappointed in you." Cassian looked away again. For some reason, disappointment sounded worse than hate. It's one thing to let down someone who hates you, but it's another thing to let down someone who doesn't hate you. He glanced over to Chirrut, who was still staring straight ahead at the darkness that was his vision.

    "Then what can I do so that she will forgive me?" The blind Guardian smiled at this, removing his hand from Cassian's arm and gripping the side of his own staff. He leaned forward slightly, holding himself up with the long stick. Again, his head would move as if to pick up sounds while he spoke.

    "You must go with Jyn to Scarif," he stated without a shadow of doubt. Cassian raised his eyebrows. Even Baze looked somewhat surprised.

    "Scarif? I can't do that. The Alliance won't allow it!"

    "I have told you before: There is more than one prison. I think you carry yours wherever you go. The Alliance has created a prison for you, Captain Andor. Though they mean well, you do whatever they tell you because it is 'right.' I can tell you now, right and wrong are nothing more than a perspective. Just because the Rebellion tells you to do something does not mean it is the right thing to do. If it isn't right to you, then it is not right at all, and if you are seeking to do what is right, then you must do what you believe to be right." Cassian was shocked silent by his words. The pilot's mouth hung open, but Chirrut went on.

    "You wish to make peace with Jyn, and I can assure you, if you make peace with her, you will make peace with yourself." He smiled widely before speaking his final words of wisdom to the Rebel. "Do what you believe is right, Captain!" he stated loudly, leaning back and staring straight ahead. Cassian thought about this for a moment. Baze then spoke as well.

    "I do not agree with him on much," he said, gaining Cassian's attention, "However, he is correct about this. Do what you think is right; not the Alliance." Chirrut seemed pleased with his friend and fellow Guardian.

    "If Baze is agreeing, too, then I must be correct!" he exclaimed. Baze shook his and smiled before returning to the care of his weapon. Cassian was allowed to smile slightly and think about what he had been told. For years, he had done what the Rebellion had requested. He did as they wished with no regard of his own wishes. At that moment, as he contemplated the wise words of Chirrut Îmwe, one of the Guardians of the Whills, Cassian Andor decided that he was going what was right. Really right.

    He was going to help Jyn, and he was not going to do as his past self would have.

    With that, Cassian nodded, looking at the two Guardians with determination. "All right," he said, straightening the jacket on his shoulders. "I'm going to help her. I'm going to go with her to Scarif!" Chirrut continued to grin as he heard the man walk away briskly. He sat there a moment, pleased with what had occurred, before pushing himself up with his staff. He continued to smile as he began walking after Cassian.

    "Come, Baze! We've got a trip to prepare for." Baze smiled a bit at his friend as he walked away. He stood, following behind the other Guardian as he held his weapon close to his chest.

    "Where are we going?" he asked, though he knew quite well where they were heading.

    "To Scarif! It's time we do something to stop this war, don't you think?"

    Yes, it was time.