It was Nemik, it was Kaytoo, it was Cassian's own desperation to get to Jyn, to make sure she saw this to the ending
Climb
He clawed his way hand over hand, hanging by his fingernails on the cliff face with Melshi beside him as Narkina scout ships soared overhead; don't let them catch you but goddammit
Climb!
Unmistakably Kaytoo, now, his (dying? yes, dying) voice so different than ever before, and Cassian couldn't save him, he could only do as he was told and hope it was worth it.
Jyn. Jyn was up there and might still need him. That was worth it.
Climb. Climb.
No, stay still, a voice like Kerri or Bix pled with him. You can still be extracted and healed if you don't push like that—
No one is coming for me, he answered, almost reassuringly. This is all I have left to do. Help Jyn.
He hadn't died from the fall. Climbing, he knew, would kill him. So be it.
But he had to do it quickly, get there before the Man in White shot her… and he was failing. The climbing wasn't stopping. He knew somewhere above was the snapping trapdoor and he didn't know how he would get through it… but he wasn't even reaching it. He was just
climbing, climbing, climbing
and not getting anywhere.
There was the trap up ahead.
And suddenly a head appeared through it. The Man in White looking down at him. And Cassian knew he was too late as the man took aim and fired down at him and he fell
* * *
And out in the waking world, Cassian convulsed and screamed, "Jyn!"
two for the price of one
It was Nemik, it was Kaytoo, it was Cassian's own desperation to get to Jyn, to make sure she saw this to the ending
Climb
He clawed his way hand over hand, hanging by his fingernails on the cliff face with Melshi beside him as Narkina scout ships soared overhead; don't let them catch you but goddammit
Climb!
Unmistakably Kaytoo, now, his (dying? yes, dying) voice so different than ever before, and Cassian couldn't save him, he could only do as he was told and hope it was worth it.
Jyn. Jyn was up there and might still need him. That was worth it.
Climb. Climb.
No, stay still, a voice like Kerri or Bix pled with him. You can still be extracted and healed if you don't push like that—
No one is coming for me, he answered, almost reassuringly. This is all I have left to do. Help Jyn.
He hadn't died from the fall. Climbing, he knew, would kill him. So be it.
But he had to do it quickly, get there before the Man in White shot her… and he was failing. The climbing wasn't stopping. He knew somewhere above was the snapping trapdoor and he didn't know how he would get through it… but he wasn't even reaching it. He was just
climbing, climbing, climbing
and not getting anywhere.
There was the trap up ahead.
And suddenly a head appeared through it. The Man in White looking down at him. And Cassian knew he was too late as the man took aim and fired down at him and he fell
And out in the waking world, Cassian convulsed and screamed, "Jyn!"