PHOENIX ━ dameron

059 | before it breaks

A fair distance away, a ravine had cut a gaping hole in the landscape. On the other side was the skeletal frame of an old mid-size cargo ship. On the dented panels of the outside was the tell-tale starbird mark. As they approached, the chasm only appeared to yawn wider. They were high up, and there was no way anything could jump across to the other side without falling.

"Wonderful," Eden said, stepping forward with a look of distaste. She spun back around to look at Lyra. "So no crates for us then?"

"If one of us can get over to the other side, we can use the repulsorlifts and float the crates back over the ravine," Aliyah reasoned.

Ellis picked up a stone off the ground and tossed it over the side. He watched it fall, and it made an audible sploosh as it hit the water down below. "I was just giving you guys a real-time representation of what's gonna happen if any of us try to jump. Who would like to end up smashed at the bottom of a ravine today?"

"If I get down to right there, I can make a jump for the other side," Lyra pointed to a space about halfway between the bottom of the ravine and where they were standing. The rock formation bowed in, and there was a smaller gap between the two sides.

"Did you not hear what I said?" Ellis picked up another rock and chucked it over the side just to prove his point.

"Look, we're getting those crates," Lyra squinted against the sun. The idea was sound. One easy jump and she'd be able to climb up the other side.

Eden widened her eyes. "Wait! Can't you just use the force and levitate them or whatever?"

"Eden," Aliyah scoffed playfully.

"What?" Eden blinked. "You did it to the snake!"

"The snake was the size of my arm!" Lyra argued. "I can't levitate a bunch of crates, I'm not a Jedi. We're just going to do it the old-fashioned way."

After ten minutes of Ellis and Eden arguing about the best spot to cross, Lyra gingerly lowered her body over the edge of the cliff. The rough surface of the rock fit in her palms as she climbed lower and lower. Finally, she tested her weight on a handhold.

"You're good!" Ellis shouted from above her. "Just don't fall!"

Lyra's concentration was on swinging her body around to face the rock face on the other side. One deep breath in, one deep breath out.

The jump wasn't short, and if she missed, there was nothing but an injury on the other side. But with ease, Lyra kicked off the rock and propelled herself forward. It was fluid. Simple. She was climbing up the other side and standing on the grass before she even had to think about it.

With Eden's repulsorlift charges clipped to her belt, Lyra picked her way up and below the frame of the crashed ship. Sure enough, the five crates gleamed in the shadows. Lyra pried the lid off of each one of them, taking note of how much was in each. Soon, they were all floating over to the other side with a little aid from the Force to move them along.

Lyra too was almost back over when she moved her arm too hastily. The jagged edge of a rock sliced deep into her skin. Anger flared. She shouldn't be on Yavin going on pointless missions into the middle of the jungle. She should have left for Ahch-to at her first chance. Every little thing here was only a reminder of how deeply she had failed.

Blood dripped from her arm as Lyra emerged on the other side. The cut ran parallel to the barely-healed scar carved by Ren's saber. Eden looked at it with wide eyes, but said nothing. They had all seen worse.

"Got the supplies," Lyra began, wiping some of the blood off on the side of her leg.

"Then let's move," Ellis said, pushing a crate in the direction they had come. "I'm not interested in being snake food."