[Cassian is angry at Luthen for visiting Bix while he was on Ghorman]
What's most important is The Cause! [mocks Cassian's own words in quotes] "Kill me or take me in." You're in! "Oh, but Ghorman looks too painful. Bix is too vulnerable."
This is everything? This fury? This lack of control? Violating every protocol we live by? Soft on Ghorman but willing to protect Bix at any cost.
We... We are not droids, Luthen.
We are not who we were when we started. Bix has to pull it together, or you will have to decide at what point it becomes too large a problem.
[as the Ghorman Front rebels escape with the weapons they need, Vel notices Samm sulking over accidentally killing Cinta]
Are you crying? Are you? Look at me. Look at me! There's no place to hide. Look at me. [inhales sharply] I'm not going to say "remember this," because I don't have to. This is on you now. This is like skin. You're taking her with you wherever you go for the rest of your useless life. [Samm tries not to look at her] Don't you look away from me.
SSamm
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
She was a warrior. She was everything that you have daydreamed about. She was a blooded, fearless warrior whose loss will be mourned in ways that you will never understand. She was a miracle. [scorns Samm as he keeps crying] And you... To die like this because of you... Some whining, simpering, foolish child. Don't you dare cry. You'll make up for this forever.
[At a private showing of Davo Sculdun's artifacts collection]
IDISB Director Orson Krennic
We studied the Battle of Carmeen at the ISB Academy.
Well, it wasn't much of a battle, was it?
Uh, no. How right you are. Insurgencies have a long history of puffing up their failures.
We were taught it was a systematic execution.
Well, that is exactly my point: criminals love to lie. After all, who wants to die for... lawless ineptitude?
You seem fixated on defining people by their resistance to power.
Words do still have meaning. As I'm sure we can still agree on that.
What's the word for the people like the Carmeen who simply wish to be left alone?
DSDavo Sculdun
"Vulnerable"?
What's the word for people who skin trespassers alive?
GGuest
Is that what they did?
PFPerrin Fertha
It was a very long time ago.
When they had their own code of conduct.
Ah. "My Rebel is your terrorist", something like that? What a swell party this is...
[Kleya Marki and Luthen Rael leave the Senate Investiture party after the private showing of Davo Sculdun's artifacts]
[gives bug she safely extracted from the Tinian Codex] You're welcome.
My face hurts from smiling.
Complain all you like, it worked.
We should have killed Krennic while we were up there. [they chuckle]
[Dedra Meero talks to Major Partagaz over a secure videolink]
Sorry to keep you waiting. The Emperor has taken a great interest in the situation. Director Krennic's still with him now, but they wanted me to pass along the affirmative message to you immediately. We are moving forward with the original plan. There is, apparently, no suitable replacement or synthetic alternative for the Ghorman substrate material.
It's not for lack of effort. Krennic's had the lab in Eadu working overtime all year. I don't know the science, but... it's bad luck Ghorman. We need what's in the ground, and when we're done, there won't be much left to call "home."
The fleet will be fully positioned in 48 hours. They're fiddling with the calendar, but to commence a full-enforced resettlement that fits Krennic's schedule, we'll need a Declaration of Martial Domain as soon as possible. Captain Kaido is arriving today.
He's here. He's outside my office. Who is he?
He is a crisis specialist. He'll be bringing a variety of personnel to help manage the situation.
We have plenty of security. What I need now is some clarity on how exactly -
Dedra. Calmly. Let the image of professional ascendance settle your nerves. A successful conclusion to this problem will reinforce the ISB's position at the Emperor's side. You've done excellent work bringing this forward. Everyone that matters knows how well you've played this. Captain Kaido knows the objective. He will answer to you operationally. The tactical details, however, will be at his discretion.
You're aware, sir, that the insurgents have weapons at this point.
[short pause] We're counting on it.
[at the Rebels' Massassi Ruins base on Yavin IV, Vel Sartha talks to Bix over Cassian and Wilmon suddenly leaving in a U-Wing]
They sent me to talk to you. Draven. Dodonna. They need him, Bix. They're on the verge of promoting him, and then he goes and does something like this morning. I know you. I know how deeply you believe in what we're doing. We're not Luthen's puppets anymore. We're not a bunch of maniacs running around Aldhani. We're building a real army. Cassian is a leader now. We've all given so much. A little discipline doesn't seem too much to ask.
He'll be there when you need him.
[as the Palmo Square protest heats up, Cassian - as Varian Skye - talks to Thela before heading out]
I'm not sure I'll be back.
TThela
Not to worry. You were never here. Didn't log you in.
Hey, I hope things work out for you.
TThela
Rebellions are built on hope.
[Syril confronts Dedra in the Imperial command center about what Carro Rylanz called him out on during the march to Palmo Square]
How long have you known about all this? [shouting] How long?!
[shaken] We can discuss this later.
It's too late already. [grabs Meero by the shoulders]
You're gonna tell me what this has really been about.
[pleading] You're hurting me.
And you are going to tell me what the mining ships are doing here.
There is an armada up there! They're already unloading in Jel-Novi and Leequa. You couldn't even wait.
No- [Syril seizes her by the throat]
[seething as he chokes Meero] Don't. You tell me this is a rumor and I will throw you out that window. What have we been doing here?
[gasping] There's a stone. Something in the dirt here. They need it. It's the energy program. It's directly from the Emperor. It's something they can't do without. They need the planet. [Syril releases her and she gasps for breath]
[disgusted] How long have you known this?
We're going home, Syril. We're going home as heroes. This began long before we got here. They've been planning it for years. They're doing this no matter what. We wanted to be together. [venomously] You didn't seem to mind the promotions!
[coldly] Good luck, Dedra. [storms out]
[in the aftermath of the chaos at Palmo Square, Dreena goes on the radio]
DDreena
Palmo One. This is Palmo One. This is the voice of Ghorman. This is Palmo One making an emergency broadcast on all open channels. This is Palmo One! This is Palmo One. We are under siege. We're being slaughtered. The Imperial murder of Ghorman has begun. There are hundreds of bodies this moment. As I say these words, hundreds of murdered Ghormans lay dead in Palmo Plaza. Thousands more on the streets. More every minute. We're being destroyed! This is Ghorman reaching for any open channel that can hear me! If you can... If you can hear me... If you believe in truth, if you have any faith left in truth, please, please mark this message and pass it forward. This is murder! The Empire built this fire. They made this fire and led us to the slaughter. Now they expect us to die without knowing why. The conspiracy we've feared is real! It's here today! Imperial ships are already landing across... Help us! Is there no one who can help us? Is there no one?
[Eedy and her friends watch the news coverage of Ghorman, knowing that Syril was killed on Palmo]
NANews Anchor
Even as Imperial security forces are still assessing casualties, even as our fallen heroes are beginning their final journeys home, questions are being asked about how an insurrection of this scale could be mounted without the aid and support of outside rebel assistance. In the days to come, as the Imperial martyrs of Ghorman are mourned, we're sure to learn a great deal more about what happened here today and the price we'll pay for our own safety.
[Everybody in the Senate foyer stands as Ghorman Ambassador Dasi Oran is hauled off by Imperial Stormtroopers]
DODasi Oran
No warrant! No charges! This is the Senate Chamber, I have every right to be here. Will no one help me? Ghorman is being slaughtered! It's my people today and yours tomorrow! Remember this day! Remember Ghorman! This will be you soon enough. Remember this day!
[Senior Senator Bail Organa has just invoked a Senate rule to allow a Senior Senator to give their time for a privilege speech to another Senior Senator - Mon Mothma]
Fellow Senators, friends, colleagues, allies, adversaries, I stand before you this morning with a heavy heart. I've spent my life in this chamber. I came here as a child, and as I look around me now, I realize I have almost no memories that predate my arrival, and few bonds of affection that cleave so tightly. Through these many years, I believe I have served my constituents honorably and upheld our code of conduct. This chamber is a cauldron of opinions, and we've certainly all had our patience and tempers tested in pursuit of our ideals. Disagree as we might, I am hopeful that those of you who know me will vouch for my credibility in the days to come.
I stand this morning with a difficult message. I believe we are in crisis. The distance between what is said and what is known to be true has become an abyss. Of all the things at risk, the loss of an objective reality is perhaps the most dangerous. The death of truth is the ultimate victory of evil! When truth leaves us, when we let it slip away, when it is ripped from our hands, we become vulnerable to the appetite of whatever monster screams the loudest.
This Chamber's hold on the truth was finally lost on the Ghorman Plaza! What took place yesterday, what happened yesterday on Ghorman, was unprovoked genocide! [the other Senators are incensed at her words] Yes, genocide! And that truth [points back referring to Oran's arrest] has been exiled from this Chamber! And the monster screaming the loudest, the monster we helped create, the monster who will come for us all soon enough, is Emperor Palpatine!!
[Bix leaves behind a video message for Cassian]
My love. You're sleeping now. You look so peaceful. I wanna be brave, but I can't. If I was brave, I would stay and do this in person... but I know you and you'd just talk me around, and I've been thinking about this too long to let that happen. I have to leave. I have to go away. I'm not sure where or for how long, I just know that I can't stay here with you now. I believe what you said. It is a choice. It just can't be me. I can't be the reason you leave here. If you ever gave this up for me, I'd... I'd never forgive myself. We have to win. We have to beat them. And I believe you have purpose in making that happen. I need to believe that. So, I'm choosing for the both of us. I'm choosing the Rebellion. And when it's done, when it's over and we've won, we can do all the things we ever wanted. Everything we'd know we've missed. I'll find you.
[Lonni talks to Luthen about their covers possibly being blown, but Luthen feels Lonni is buying time for ISB tactical teams to arrest them both]
Then there's no time to play games. I need to know what we're talking about. You're not the only one who'll be running. We're in this together. I need details. What are we up against?
LJLonni Jung
The Emperor's energy program is a lie. All of it. The rebellion on Ghorman, it was a front from the start; a cover to strip-mine the planet for some mineral they need. They're not looking for Partisans on Jedha; they need kyber crystals. The crackdowns, the Public Order, the labor camps, Scarif...
LLonni
A weapon. Orson Krennic's been building a secret weapon for over a decade. Colonel Yularen wasn't even told until a month ago!
[Luthen receives Dedra at his antiquities store, where she presents him with something familiar - the N-S9 Starpath he was looking for on Ferrix]
A vintage Imperial Starpath unit. What do you think? A little damaged, perhaps... But I'd say it's held its value. [Luthen breathes deeply] I have dreamt of this. Too many versions to remember. And here you were... all that time, hiding in the shelter of Imperial peace and quiet.
And I've known you all along. Hardly seems fair.
You disgust me. Do you want to know why?
Everything you stand for. Freedom scares you.
"Freedom"? You don't want freedom. You want chaos, chaos for everyone but you. Ruin the galaxy and then run back to your ridiculous wig and little workshop.
The building is surrounded. You're finished.
And you're too late. The Rebellion isn't here anymore. It's flown away. It's everywhere now. There's a whole galaxy out there waiting to disgust you.
And soon, you'll be telling us all about it. [she spots smoke rising from the back room] What have you done? [Luthen turns his back to her] Turn around. [aims blaster] Turn around or be stunned. [sees Luthen's hand holding a Nautolan bleeder he showed her, indicating he stabbed himself before he collapsed] No. No. No, no, no. All units engage. I need a med-team. Now!
