Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hi and thank you for purchasing this holo-biography of, well, me. I’m Ezra Bridger and this is my story. I'm not going to be the one writing it. My old friend Hondo Ohnaka will be piecing it together from not just me but a variety of sources. He is very insistent on getting all the details correct and not just for profit.

You see Hondo isn’t exactly “honest” with him being a pirate and all. But when my wife and I became parents, he very much wanted to be a part of our daughter’s life. We talked it over and decided if Hondo could achieve something “honest” then we could see him being a positive influence on our daughter. This is his chance to become “Uncle Hondo.”

And so here we are with this biography of me and my story, albeit with my wonderful wife double checking it and acting as Hondo’s unofficial editor. She was insistent on this.

It’s funny to think about but a point was made to me by Hondo during this writing. He told me that in another life I would’ve made for a pretty good pirate. And looking back at who I was, I too can see that. Had I never met my Ghost family I can easily see my younger self eventually ending up in a pirate crew.

And as I think now of all the people you will meet in my story the only one truly destined to rebel against the Empire was the mom to our little space family, Hera Syndulla.

And it was only with her love, compassion, and infinite patience did our crew of lost souls become a family. Thank you, Hera.

A few final words before I turn over the reins of the story to Hondo. I just want to say again how grateful I am to my family and my friends. Without them and the work and sacrifice of fellow rebels, I wouldn’t be the happy father I am today.

For Sabine and Mira, everyday spent with you is a blessing. I love you two so much. And my parents, Ephraim and Mira Bridger. Your message and unwavering faith in others not only gave me strength in those darkest of days, but your courage was the spark this galaxy needed. We miss you.

Okay. I am turning you over to Hondo. May the Force be with you.

Chapter Text

A large squadron of Imperial Star Destroyers assemble in deep space, surrounded by the howling of the ever present TIE-Fighters. Though the chances of running into any resistance to such a gathering of Imperial forces this far out was miniscule.

It had been fourteen years since the infamous Order 66 and the end of the Clone Wars.The Separatists and their battle droids have long been wiped out; and the rapidly aging clones had been phased out to be replaced by non-clone sentients, primarily humans.

The Jedi Order itself is all but a memory. Many beings living under the yoke of the Galactic Empire believed the Jedi had all been eradicated, and if it weren’t for the long stand bounty for information leading to the capture of Jedi in hiding there would be little evidence left to refute the order’s complete destruction.

For those living in the luxurious core worlds, after ten years the difference between the Republic and the Empire was night and day. For those living in worlds along the far edges of the galaxy like in the Outer Rim it made little difference. Worlds that were ruled by the Hutts during the Republic were still ruled by the Hutts during the ten year old Galactic Empire.

Although there were generally two unspoken realities on many worlds. The first was the ever growing sightings of Imperial Star Destroyers and their smaller cousins the Light Cruisers. Imposing kilometer-long vessels signifying the Empire’s might. If it was the Emperor’s desire to repress speaking out against the Empire then his strategy had succeeded.

The other rule were the heavy troop presences garrisoned on many worlds. There were two types. The regular army that typically wore fabric uniforms of black and gray that offered little in protection but their helmets (if they had helmets) did not come with a mask. When the civilian populace saw these regular soldiers, they saw actual people with actual voices and many of whom had been born and raised on the planets they were stationed on.

The populaces knew these soldiers. They could see the color of their eyes. They knew their names. Spoke the same language. They were people just like them, there was no cause to fear at their sight. They weren’t always locals but these regular army soldiers, or “mudskippers” as they were sometimes referred to as, you could expect some semblance of understanding in day to day life.

But then there was the other type of soldier and the difference between the regular army and the ubiquitous Imperial Stormtroopers was night and day. Like Star Destroyers orbiting above the Stormtrooper divisions clad in all white plastoid armor were another demonstration of Emperor Palpatine’s power through projection. Fanatically loyal to the Empire and their Emperor, these men and women were better equipped and better trained than the regular army. Thankfully these fanatics had mostly kept to themselves.

Until now.

As the Emperor passed down increasingly draconian laws and the equally harsh punishments, the populaces throughout many worlds were beginning to think a bit differently about the Empire. But the thought of any organized rebellion was delusional. Despite these setbacks many denizens of the galaxy found the Empire tolerable.

But not all, and on the Command Star Destroyer in the squadron a slim but imposing figure of a haunting gray skin and feverish yellow eyes garbed in some sort of ornamental uniform made his way to the aft-Bridge hologram projection pod. For those educated in the various species of the galaxy they would recognize him as a Pau’an, an alien species native to the planet of Utapau.

This was the Empire’s tip of the spear when it came to hunting the remaining Jedi. He was the Grand Inquisitor.

With an air of indifference to the vessel’s crew around him, few in the galaxy knew the origins of this individual. Rather all they knew was that the Grand Inquisitor’s will was not to be questioned, unless risk losing your head to that strange circular weapon that sprouted twin red blades of energy that were strong enough to cut through anything - a lightsaber.

And the Grand Inquisitor was considered by many to be the most deadly and capable lightsaber wielders known with the exception of one. Once the aft-Bridge Communications Center was cleared of all other personnel, the Grand Inquisitor answered the incoming holocall and kneeled before the hologram projection of his master.

Darth Vader (Also known as the Great Helmet!)

“The Jedi Knights are all but destroyed,” Vader began after a long drawn out moment filled only with the sounds of his armor’s respirator. “And yet your task is not complete, Inquisitor. The Emperor has foreseen a new threat rising against him. The children of the Force, they must not become Jedi.”

“Yes, Lord Vader,” the Grand Inquisitor responded in a pleasant yet professional tone of voice, as he continued to kneel before the Dark Lord’s holoprojection and awaited further commands.

As imposing of a presence the Grand Inquisitor pulled off it was nothing compared to the nightmare inducing visage of Darth Vader, the Emperor’s chief enforcer of his decrees. Second only to the infamous Grand Moff Tarkin. But the Grand Inquisitor had long since learned the worst thing you could do in his position was to show fear and weakness before the legendary Darth and his plus-sized helmet.

“Hunt down this new enemy,” Vader said. “And if they will not serve the Empire, eliminate them along with any surviving Jedi who will train them. This is my Master’s command.”

“And so it will be done,” the Grand Inquisitor answered as he continued to bow his head low and under no circumstance make eye contact. It was only when Lord Vader ended the holocall and his projection flickered away did the Grand Inquisitor raise his head.

With pale yellow irises encircled by a ring of red the Grand Inquisitor showed sheer determination to carry out his Masters’ commands. For him it was not a question of if he would catch these remaining Jedi only a matter of when.

With his commands delivered the pau’an rose from his feet and then set himself toward the Bridge. The Captain and this squadron of destroyers were about to receive new orders.

=================================================================================

Half a galaxy away on the sparsely populated backwater planet of Lothal, a lone communications tower stood miles away from the planet’s Capital City. Surrounded by a sea of beautiful rolling plains the lone tower had long since fallen into a state of disrepair. With the exception of passing ships on their way to the Capital’s space port and those who lived in the City a short speeder hop away, most would hardly realize it was even there. Even fewer would think much of it.

Although for the young orphan Ezra, it was home.

Beautiful, Ezra thought as he stepped out from the tower’s circular residential hub. With a smile on his face he approached the guardrail of his tower’s balcony observation deck and turned his gaze outward across the plains. Far below he could see Loth-cats chasing each other through the rolling hills and wide flatlands.

The sight caused Ezra’s smile to widen just a bit more as his eyes continued to sweep the surrounding landscape. At fourteen years old he didn’t have a credit to his name but this, all of this around him, it made him feel like the richest man in the galaxy.

And that’s when he felt it again.

That hum.

That calling.

He had been brushing it off all week, believing that it was just the glare of the sun or something playing tricks on him. Or maybe it was something with the tower?

It was a pain in the choobies but he made a point to inspect his tower every now and then. And sure he wasn’t a genius engineer who knew all that math and architectural jargon, but he knew enough about nuts and bolts to keep his tower from falling to pieces.

Usually he waited more than a couple of months between inspections but maybe he should just do it anyway? The thought didn’t thrill him.

And besides somehow Ezra knew that noise had nothing to do with his tower dwelling or the sun or something else unremarkable . The calling was from something else. And deep down inside of him he felt himself wanting to return its call.

Ezra huffed and shook his head. He had things to do that day and needed to get a move on but maybe just another minute.

Leaning against the railing the boy continued his sweeping of the surroundings. This high up the countryside seemed to go on forever and it could be easy for anybody to miss and overlook something. But he wasn’t anybody and he did this nearly everyday and there was absolutely nothing different in sight.

He gave in. Before his brain talked him out of it Ezra chose to follow his instincts and closed his eyes, inhaled a breath, and reached out with his arm.

What am I doing? The logical part of his head asked him but he ignored it, because that hum he had heard of felt all week was beginning to ever so slightly become a little clearer.

Weird.

Taking another breath Ezra spreaded the fingers of his hand and tried to sort of reach out. As crazy as it was to him, closing his eyes was seeming to help. But help with what? What was he accomplishing just standing here with his arm held out?

He didn’t have the slightest clue. But that humming, that calling, was slowly becoming louder - only he was still no longer any closer to pinpointing the direction it was coming from.

It sounded like - it felt like - it was coming from all around him. Groaning in frustration Ezra sighed, dropped his arm, and plopped his chin onto the railing and opened his eyes. He was confident he’d figure it out soon enough. Eventually he always did.

He felt his tummy rumble and Ezra groaned again.

Right, food. And the other stuff if he wanted to make it there in time.

Just as he turned to head down the tower Ezra heard a noise, only this time it wasn’t a pretty hum but the sound of a large starship traveling overhead. A shadow fell over him and his tower as he looked upward to see an Imperial Star Destroyer overhead. The thing was so massive that it had blocked out the sun!

And it was headed right toward the Capital.

“No, no, no,” Ezra groaned but pushed himself off the railing. Grabbing his bag and other equipment from inside the hub, he ran toward the tower’s elevator and hit the down button for the lift.

The Empire, predictable as ever, was right on time and instead of being in the City here he was wasting time entertaining imaginary noises in his head!

“Come on, come on,” Ezra muttered as the lift slowly took its time to bring him from the top of his tower to the surface.

Not waiting for it to touchdown completely Ezra hopped off from a safe height and in the tower’s small makeshift garage. Amongst a bunch of junk and other scrap was one of Ezra’s most prized possessions.

With a smile Ezra climbed aboard his speeder bike and flipped on its engine. Feeling the steady thrum of its engine beneath him Ezra felt as the bike’s repulsors engaged and lifted the bike off the ground. Ezra remotely triggered the tower’s entry door and once it was halfway up gunned the engine once before twisting the throttle and shooting out of the tower and into the plains of his homeworld.

Away from the darkness in his tower, Ezra lifted his hand to block out the sunlight as his eyes followed the Destroyer that had now settled overhead of the City.

Just another day on Lothal, Ezra thought as the bike steadily increased in speed and quickly accelerated past 100 kilometers per hour as he cleared the rural plains and hopped onto the paved parkway that dead-ends near his tower but was a straight shot to Capital City.

With his long black-blue hair flying behind him Ezra felt the rush of adrenaline hit him and his excitement growing. Faster and faster he went, climbing past 150 and then 160 and soon 170.

Ezra grinned as he zipped past a landspeeder that had somehow ended up in the ditch next to the road, its driver yelling something at him as he left the poor guy in his dust.

“185 - Come on!” Ezra griped as he kept furtively glancing at the speed. He leaned his body lower in order to lessen the drag of the air against him and the bike. He smiled triumphantly as the speed increased further until finally.

“190!” Ezra cheered.

Not bad for a secondhand bike that could barely do 50 when it first came into his possession. He wasn’t some engineering prodigy. But he knew his bikes.

The City was nearing closer and so, quickly, for a few seconds Ezra closed his eyes and just let the feel of the air rush over his face. It was such a great feeling and one he just wanted to bask in. But his instincts kicked in and Ezra opened his eyes just in time to see the traffic going to and from the City.

Easing back on the throttle Ezra joined the flow of traffic, not wanting to draw attention to himself as he and other vehicles entered into the outer City’s speed limits. He glanced up and saw that despite his late start the Imperial Star Destroyer looked to just be coming to a stop itself over his City.

Later. After he took care of things here he’d head out to the plains and really enjoy flying his bike across the vast empty landscape.

As for now?

With a look of mischief on his face at its sight, Ezra entered the city on his speeder and began to head to a safe spot he knew of to temporarily stash it. And after that it would be time for the game to begin.

=================================================================================

Above the active bustle of the crowded marketplace came the howling scream of two TIE fighters flying overhead. In the marketplace itself was a small patrol of four stormtroopers led by two Imperial officers clad in gray uniforms.

Commander Aresko and Taskmaster Grint had been leading the Imperial garrison on Lothal for years now. Being posted to such a planet in the Outer Rim meant very little but the job wasn’t without some perks.

Shaking down the locals for example, now made even easier given the recent set of laws passed by the Imperial Senate in far off Coruscant.

Taskmaster Grint, a heavyset Imperial that towered over the stormtroopers and everyone else around him, tightened his fists and loomed over an older looking alien. Grint’s voice boomed out. “Your identification. Now.”

The fruit vendor, a non-human, was old and feeble in appearance. With green skin, yellow eyes, three fingers and bushy white beard, the alien held out his arms helplessly above his wicker basket of purple fruit with dark green stems. “I’m just trying to sell a couple of jogans here.”

Commander Aresko, in contrast to Grint, looked like he could use some more meat on his bones. With a gaunt face he looked like a scarecrow in an Imperial uniform. He had a very nasal sounding voice that went along well with his holier than thou Imperial accent. “All trade must be registered with the Empire.”

The jogan fruit vendor closed his eyes and shook his head and then looked away from the Imperials. His voice turned from helpless to contemptuous.

“I remember what it was like before your ships showed up. Before you Imperials ruined Lothal like the rest of the galaxy.”

The vendor turned his head back and glared at Commander Aresko, causing a human woman and a green-skinned rodian bystander to open their eyes in shock at this display of defiance. What was he thinking?

Commander Aresko didn’t hesitate. From his belt he plucked his comlink and held it in his black leather officer gloves, after a moment a beep came as the device activated. “This is LRC-01,” Aresko said and eyed the alien with disgust. “I’m bringing in a citizen under a charge of treason.”

The mechanical sound of a stormtrooper’s helmet vocabulation speaker came back over the comlink for all to hear. “Copy that, LRC-01. Dispatch to Cell Block AA-33.”

Thrilled with their latest catch Grint and two other stormtroopers wasted no time moving in to seize the fruit vendor’s arms. The alien looked around and tried to wrestle his arms away, but it was hopeless. With the stormtroopers gripping the vendor’s arms, Grint lazily took the opportunity to pick up the basket of fruit for himself.

“Take him away.” Aresko said and the stormtroopers moved on his command.

“You can’t do this!” the alien shouted, his eyes darting around him fearfully for an escape. No chance.

While chomping on one of the jogan fruit he had stolen, Taskmaster Grint eyed the alien with contempt. “Oh, yeah? Well, who’s gonna stop us?” He looks at the woman and the rodian. “You? You?” They both turn away nervously, unwilling to meet Grint and Aresko’s eyes as Grint laughs and jeers.

And then out of nowhere.

“Hey, mister, a spare jogan?”

A boy in a faded yet still bright orange jumpsuit and a roughshod backpack had subtly approached and stepped between Aresko and Grint. With his head bowed low and his hands open for charity the boy drew their attention, and their revulsion. A street rat urchin, hardly better than an alien.

Grint sneered and stared down at the filthy boy, causing the boy to almost back into Aresko as he cowered. “Move along, Loth-rat,” Grint said.

The Loth-rat turned about in a slow but smooth circle, still with his head low and hands out. “Sorry, sorry.” The boy said as his fingers brushed past Aresko’s belt. “Not looking for trouble.”

The boy quickly moved away from the intimidating Imperials, glowering after him.

Turned away from them, the boy opened his hand to reveal the comlink he had lifted from Commander Aresko’s belt. Nope. Not looking for any trouble at all.

“But it sure has a way of finding me,” Ezra said to himself once he was far enough away.

Lifting his head Ezra brushed his long hair out of his face and eyes. His eyes studied the Imperial Commander’s comlink in his hand, and then triumphantly and casually tossed it in his hand then brought it to his lips.

Meanwhile the vendor was still struggling with the two stormtroopers as Commander Aresko and Taskmaster Grint (jogan fruit in hand) look on in amusement when suddenly Grint’s comlink activates.

“All officers to the main square! This is a code red emergency.”

Grint threw the fruit down in annoyance and Aresko peers at the vendor with disgust.

“It’s your lucky day, Lothal scum,” Aresko said and looked at the two stormtroopers holding the vendor. “You two, come with us!”

At Aresko’s command the two stormtroopers throw the vendor to the ground while Grint lifts up the basket of fruits above his head and tosses it down onto the dirt-pocketed street, the basket and its jogans spilling out every which way. Without a backward glance Aresko led the way as he and the two stormtroopers ran after him. Grint left as well albeit at a much slower and annoyed pace.

The vendor couldn’t believe his luck. He had just dodged Treason!

Lying in the street he shook his head as the Imperials left, next to him his overturned basket of fruit. A shadow appeared next to him and looking up the vendor found the same boy in orange standing next to him, holding an Imperial comlink in his hand.

“Stay on alert!”

Ezra continued in his best impression of an Imperial officer.

“Repeat, this is a code red.”

Pocketing the comlink, Ezra sat down his backpack next to the vendor and crouched down next to him. He smiled but the vendor tilted his head and frowned.

“You,” the fruit vendor said. “I remember you.”

“And I remember you,” Ezra said.

“I suppose you want more of my fruit,” the vendor said. The street rat from last week, he realized. And the week before! Sighing he held out a single piece of jogan to Ezra. “Thank you.”

Ezra just smiled and in a tone of feigned politeness as he took the offered fruit from the vendor. “No. Thank you.” Ezra said. Without a second glance Ezra had put the fruit in his opened pack - and then began helping himself to more jogans from the basket!

“Wait. Wait!” the jogan vendor said, the beard on the whole of his face as full as ever. “What are you doing!”

“Hey,” Ezra said pointedly without an ounce of shame. “A kid’s gotta eat.”

He then gave the vendor a charming wink as well as a friendly two finger salute. It was nothing personal, just business.

And then without wasting another second Ezra jumped atop another vendor’s stand and from there jumped to a bit of metal roofing and then jumped and grabbed hold of a hanging light.

Nimble as a Loth-cat Ezra balanced his way across the lighting and then jumped atop a light fixture from an adjacent building before grabbing hold of the lip of the building’s roof and pulling himself up and over. And just like that he was out of sight, clearly having planned out his exit from start to finish.

The vendor looked on and sighed. His thoughts going from the kid to the Imperials. Treason, the vendor thought but then smiled when he saw the woman bystander stoop down to help him place the fruit back in his basket.

The vendor thought about what he would do next time he caught the street rat stealing from him. It was hard to put a price on getting rescued from Treason. And as kind as this woman was now, she wasn’t the one who saved him from Imperial imprisonment.

For now at least. Who knew what the Imperials would do next time.

Out of sight Ezra ducked his head low as he crossed the roof, the “borrowed” comlink from Commander Aresko activated and Ezra heard more Imperial stormtrooper helmet chatter.

“Copy that. We have reached the location and we are standing by.”

Reaching the far side of the roof, Ezra peered over and down into the square spying several interesting looking crates of Imperial cargo as well as a squad of stormtroopers and combat drivers standing near speeder bikes. The troopers and drivers were standing around idly while Aresko and Grint made their way to the Imperial Officer in charge of the supplies in the square.

“What's the emergency?” Aresko demanded of the lower ranking officer. He wasn’t wrong. Ezra’s fake distress call brought them to a very quiet looking square, with no sign of urgency present. The Imperial Officer - a Lieutenant - looks at him in confusion.

“Emergency?” The Lieutenant echoed and held out his arms in question.

“You called in a Code Red ,” Grint said abruptly, once more using his large physical presence to loom over his subordinate.

“I… I’m not sure what you mean,” the Lieutenant said and nervously stepped back.

Ezra held back a chuckle as he eavesdropped.

This was too easy. What a bunch of morons, and those crates being loaded onto speeder bikes were just ripe for the taking. Ezra smiled. He was going to enjoy this and he leaned out over the ledge to focus in on the closest bike that was almost done being loaded. Meanwhile the Lieutenant continued to prattle on.

“My orders are to get these crates to the Imperial Portal.”

Commander Aresko’s eyes narrowed and then he shook his head with a sigh. He looked at the crates and pointed.

“Well, get them loaded then!”

Ezra chuckled as he continued to eye the nearest bike “Almost feel bad for them.” Ezra said as he folded his arms and patiently waited for the clueless Imperials to finish doing the loading work for him. “Almost.”

His cavalier attitude takes a back seat when he hears it again.

The call, and never before had it been so clear.

He blinked his eyes. “Okay, weird again…” Ezra said and then whirled around as the call turned into a steady hum coming from somewhere on the other side of the building. And from his perch, standing in the middle of a shadowed street intersection some fifty meters away Ezra could see a man standing alone and in the center of the street. A few people walked by but none paid the standing stranger any attention.

Keeping his head low Ezra peered at the man carefully. He was tall and had a very lean stature from what he could see from this distance. He also had a blaster on his hip.

Ezra continued to watch him closely as the hum became clearer until there was no doubt it was coming from that man. Weird, Ezra wondered and tilted his head as he stared - only to see the man’s shoulders tense and just like Ezra tilted his head as well.

He continued to mirror Ezra’s movements perfectly even though his back was turned to him.

No way, Ezra thought and saw the man begin to look from left to right - searching the streets. Reflexively Ezra ducked down out of sight just before the man looked to exactly where Ezra had been standing a second before.

Moments passed and Ezra waited until he felt his trusty instincts tell him he was in the clear. And then slowly he edged his head back over the ledge of the roof and peered down again at the street below him. Now the man he had spotted was walking his way and passing by some big purple looking alien under a doorway.

A hairy one too. Not a wookie, that is unless wookies came in purple with bald patches. Closer now Ezra could see the man had long hair but tied into a tail. He paused in the middle of the street, and calmly slapped the side of his leg twice - garnering the alien’s attention before he continued moving on with the alien falling into step a few feet behind him.

And they were headed in the direction of the square and those cargo crates, Ezra realized as a sinking suspicion began to grow in his mind.

Their focus clearly elsewhere Ezra watched unobtrusively as the man came gradually closer to the partition of street below Ezra’s rooftop and nearer the square. He then paused again when he neared someone wearing a very decorative and stylish set of bright armor and a pair of blasters on her hips.

“Whoa,” Ezra admired her unique splash of color from his perch.

The man’s eyes were searching the streets, and Ezra could tell he was trying to see if there was anyone paying him any attention. But he never looked up. The woman (girl?) stood up from some pots she was looking at but made no move to look at the man.

He turned his back to her and continued eyeing the streets. If someone glanced their way they would see nothing out of the ordinary. But then there it was again, two loud pats to his leg.

And almost immediately after the girl in the artful armor and equally artful helmet, patted her leg too.

A signal.

The man went in one direction while the girl turned and headed toward the square.

“Interesting,” Ezra smiled brightly as he watched her pass by directly under him.

Three of them, so far, Ezra thought and grinned as he had a suspicion of what they were up to.

They were also professional. The only giveaway they weren’t around here was their weapons and just how clean their clothes and armor were. Not that that would cause any attention from those hapless Imperial idiots.

Still three bikes loaded with crates and three of them. Ezra could see where this was headed and quickly shifted his position - paralleling the girl from his rooftop as he watched her casually pass by a speeder bike with a driver next to it standing guard.

“Now what are you up to, Colorful?” Ezra wondered as kept his eyes on this walking painting in armor. Ezra furrowed his brow.

Walking painting in armor? Hmm. Bit wordy, but I can work with that.

No crates on this speeder bike - it was an escort - and he watched as she very subtly tossed a small object onto it and then continued walking around a corner and out of sight.

Tracker? Ezra wondered as he began to hear some beeping coming from the bike. So did the Imperial driver as he turned around and saw the girl walking away. Suspicious he began to walk after her only to stop and stare at whatever it was she threw on his bike.

The explosion was the last thing that guy saw as he was thrown back and the bike went up in fiery flames. Ezra hadn’t realized just how close he was and lifted his arm up to shield his face from the heat and any shrapnel.

Kriff my ears!

Noted. Little woman - big explosions! Oh I know! Paintbomb!

Aside from the Imperials no one else had been in the square and as the Imperials ran to investigate. The Lieutenant who was in charge of the area began shouting orders at the combat drivers standing near the loaded speeders.

“Get those crates out of here!” the Lieutenant shouted for all the good it did. “Keep them secure at all costs!”

The bells were still ringing in his head from that explosion but Ezra could still make out the orders, particularly that last part.

“All costs, huh?” Ezra wondered and smiled as his eyes widened in eagerness as a driver jumped onto a loaded bike and began to back out. “I like the sound of that.” Noting where the direction the Imperial were taking and knowing where the Imperial Portal was, Ezra darted across the rooftops and quickly deduced the route the cargo speeders would be taking.

And where his “competition" would strike. As he ran he reached for an innocuous looking handheld device on his belt. A small cylinder that fitted neatly in his grip.

Sure enough after one more jump Ezra landed on the roof next to another walled off intersection and smiled as he saw the man - their leader he supposed - backed a dingy red landspeeder into the middle of the intersection. He had completely blocked their route and caused the speeder bikes, loaded with two crates each, to stop.

Ezra thinks he heard the guy say something wiseass and snarky but he paid it no attention. He found the crates first and he wasn’t about to let the competition skate by with all of the loot.

He just needed to pick his moment, and his instincts were telling him to wait.

So that’s what Ezra did. Rolling the handheld cylinder in his hand he waited and watched and saw the guy leap out and kick one of the drivers off his bike, then pulled his blaster and shot another one.

No bystanders around, just like the square, Ezra realized right as two more Imperials - stormtroopers - quickly arrived to reinforce the drivers. Four against one now, it wasn’t looking good for the Wiseass but sure enough that big purple alien swung out from the shadows with his fists and began knocking down one Imperial after another.

Guess stormtrooper armor doesn’t protect from big, hairy, and probably needs a shower or two. Still the guy worked fast and between the two of them all three drivers and two stormtroopers were down on the ground either unconscious or dead.

Having observed them this long, Ezra was pretty confident they weren’t about to hurt a poor little kid - even if he does end up making them eat his dust. And as the alien dusted off his big hands triumphantly Ezra quickly hopped down onto a couple of struts on the side of the building and then leapt to a pole that connected this building to the one opposite across the street and conveniently right over one of the speeder bikes.

Knowing he had eyes on him Ezra dropped down to the bike and gave their wiseass leader a cocky salute.

“Thanks for doing the heavy lifting!” Ezra called and gunned the bike in reverse before the big guy managed to take a swipe at him. He saw what that guy did to those stormtroopers, he wasn’t about to take one of those furry fists to the head.

As he continued to drive in reverse Ezra waved at the man and the hair purple guy and - just as he figured - no following blaster fire. Not that he couldn’t say the same for the stormtroopers coming up behind him!

Keeping his head low, Ezra avoided the baster fire and when he was close enough used the crates in the back to smash into a few of the stormtroopers and sent a fourth one sprawling!

“That’s what you call a rock and a hard place,” Ezra punned and spun the speeder around as he thought over his own exit route - dodging a grab by that same Imperial Lieutenant who was supposed to be in charge of security around here.

This won’t look good on his report card, Ezra grinned but heard more blaster fire. Peeking over his shoulder he saw Mister Wiseass and big and scary had grabbed the other two speeders and followed his example: running over Imperials. Then the pair turned and looked like they planned on heading after him.

Crew of three, Ezra reminded himself as he hit the throttle down a straightaway of streets. Not about to shoot a kid though.

It was only at the last second did Ezra swerve to the right as an Imperial on speeder bike nearly T-boned him. Coming along a straightaway Ezra watched the Imp, with no cargo on his bike, come up alongside him. At first Ezra figured the guy would try to run him into one of the many buildings but instead he saw reach for a blaster.

So it was like that huh?

Before the Imp could point his blaster, the cylinder in Ezra’s hand extended out into a stun baton! The arm’s length baton crackled with electricity and before the rider knew what was happening Ezra had whipped the Imp with his baton and shocked him. A moment later the Imp dropped off his bike. Grinning to himself Ezra was about to collapse the shock baton back into its small handheld cylinder shape when the unexpected happened.

Ezra felt a bounce from the back of his crates and realized he wasn’t riding alone anymore. Whipping his baton around he was about to strike but paused when he saw the girl - Paintbomb! - and she nearly fell off the crates as she jumped on.

“Pretty gutsy move, kid!” the girl acknowledged though Ezra could hear the underlying sarcasm in her voice. And then in the blink of an eye had her blaster in her hand, aimed at him! “Now do the smart thing and pull on over.”

“I don’t think so, Paintbomb!” Ezra replied as he held his baton defensively.

He watched as Paintbomb tilted her helmet and he imagined she was looking at him like he was nuts, and waved her blaster at him.

“Blaster beats stick!” she said, though at this point they both knew she wasn’t about to shoot him. “Haar'chak! Get down!”

Sensing the danger Ezra kept his head and shoulders down as Paintbomb unleashed a barrage of blaster bolts. Peeking from the side of the speeder he saw a trio of stormtrooper bucketheads that had been lining up shots only to get gunned down. But there were still two more with fingers on their E-11s and Ezra knew they had mere seconds.

“Hang on!” Ezra yelled back and then swerved left at the last second, the stormtrooper’s blaster fire missing the girl by a hair. Despite his warning the girl lost her footing and nearly lost her blaster as she hung on.

Slowing down the bike a bit to try and figure out which new street he was on and where to head he noticed that his little stowaway had regained her balance and was back to riding on the second crate. He heard blaster fire coming from the street and he just knew the Wiseass and Big and Scary were still on his heels.

“You know there is such a thing as finders keepers!” Ezra said as he increased speed, having figured out which roads to take next to reach his hideout.

“Finders keepers?!” the girl shot back, her voice incredulous.

“Yeah!” Ezra said as he gunned the engine and began to pick up speed. As the speed increased he had to be extra careful not to hit any bystanders - something that the girl realized. “And honor among thieves too!” Ezra added. “You saved my neck, I saved yours!”

“You do know blaster still beats stick!” Paintbomb said, unwilling to back down from their earlier banter but also unable to hide the amusement in her voice.

“And yours is very stylish, Paintbomb!” Ezra said and with his long hair blowing wildly in the air he flashed the girl a roguishly charming smile that he just knew had won her over.

“Paintbomb, huh?” the girl repeated and gave a moment’s pause before coming to a decision. If only Ezra knew how well that described her. “Honor it is! But if the big guy catches you,” she said before pointing the blaster down in between the two crates and shooting. “He’ll end you.”

The joiner connecting the two crates was destroyed and now with only the one crate attached to his speeder bike, Ezra looked backward and realized that the girl had just outsmarted him by managing to steal his second crate.

“Good luck!” she waved to him, in much the same tone of voice he would use himself.

He may have just lost half his take, but Ezra still couldn’t help but grin at her daring. Somehow he didn’t think jumping from rooftops onto a racing speeder bike had been in any of her team’s contingency plans.

“She’s earned it,” Ezra laughed and then suddenly saw that the other two members of her team raced past her and were back on him! Whatever was in these crates must be valuable if they’re still on him, and they all needed to get out before the Imperials began locking down the exits.

Now with the lighter load Ezra knew it was in his best interest to get on a straightaway and just outrun them. Doing some more calculations on where he was he made a long sweeping turn to the right and in a moment was back on one of the main roads heading toward the direction of his stash.

But then Ezra looked up ahead only to see four stormtroopers run out to block off the next intersection - all with rifles aimed at him. His reflexes kicked in and he moved to dodge only for four blaster bolts to go flying past him and neatly dropping all four stormtroopers before any had had a chance to get a shot off.

Taking a sharp left Ezra went by the bodies of all four Imperials and shook his head at amazement. No one could shoot that good, and as he glanced over his shoulder he saw Wiseass back there with his blaster out. Well except for him maybe. The near death experience shook Ezra for a moment but he got his head back in the game when he saw Wiseass and the “Big Guy” were beginning to gain.

Ugh!

“Who are these guys?” Ezra couldn’t help but wonder and then turned to look back ahead only to gasp in horror.

A crowd! Bystanders! Innocent bystanders! Kriff!

He gunned the engine and as it let out a loud howl Ezra shifted his weight to dangerously fly the bike and his cargo up the side of a building but also safely keeping the crowd out of harm’s way. Once clear Ezra quickly dropped his weight downward to bring the bike back on the street.

Okay let’s not have to do that again! And shoot! He missed the turn to his stash! And with these two still on him there was only one option left. Having nearly lost his grip on his stun baton, with a flick of the wrist Ezra collapsed it and then secured it to his belt.

Plan B it is, Ezra thought and veered left and made tracks to get out of the City.

Thankfully his exit was right ahead and with a quick right he was once more on the freeway that would lead him back to his tower. He glanced back and bit back a groan when he saw that the two guys were still on him and as determined as ever.

What the hell is in this crate?

Two more loud howls followed by rapid blaster fire, signaling that more speeders had joined in the pursuit. Only this time Ezra knew that the Imperials piloting those speeders would have no problems with shooting at him! Or all of them rather, he realized when he saw that his two “friends” were also getting shot at.

Did these buckethead Imperial idiots not realize that shooting at them meant also hitting their own cargo? A blaster bolt found its way to hit the rear of Ezra’s bike, causing some smoke to flume and the repulsor to vibrate dangerously.

“That’s never good!” Ezra said as he fought to keep control over the bike, but at this speed it was like riding a Loth-bull.

As much fun as this had been he was running out of road and time. He had to lose them!

Gritting his teeth Ezra gunned the engine again and directed the energy to maximize the bike’s vertical repulsors. He couldn’t say how high exactly he had gotten in the air but he was pretty certain he just barely missed one of the towering highway poles that lit up the road at night. The landing was nearly as dangerous as Ezra came down on the other side of the freeway - his bike bucking dangerously.

And then there was the oncoming traffic…

Trusting his reflexes Ezra stayed focused as he weaved back and forth, dodging the incoming traffic at high speeds. Some big. Some small. Some big cargo trucks taking up nearly half the road! He didn’t know how fast his bike was going. Not top speed given the blaster fire and extra weight he was pulling, but it was taking all his concentration not to end up in a fiery wreck on the freeway.

A loud explosion came from behind somewhere and Ezra wasn’t hearing any more blaster fire so he hoped that meant that the Imperials were the ones that got taken out. Not that he cared about his competition or anything. He’d just had enough of getting almost shot today was all.

The road ahead cleared and Ezra could finally chance a look back to see indeed the Imperials were gone but the Big Guy and Wiseass were still on him - not that that would do them any good.

The girl had done him a favor earlier, taking that second crate from him. The city streets were one thing but on the straightaway with only one crate? It was only a matter of time until he lost them, he just needed to pick his exit. No one knew this patch of Lothal better than him.

There, Ezra thought at an upcoming rise on his left. Do another repulsor jump. Clear the barrier. And just take the long Lothal scenic route back to - Whoa!

Ezra had to swerve his bike when suddenly Wiseass hopped over to his side of the road, just like he had. The guy shot Ezra with a knowing smirk and it was then Ezra saw not only was he back on the same road as him but he had also dropped his crates so there was no way Ezra could outrun him now.

Ezra knew this and apparently so did he because he increased speed enough until he had enough of a lead to swerve his speeder bike into a stop and block Ezra from getting any further. With no choice Ezra quickly did likewise and when he came to a stop the two of them were sitting right beside each other.

A standoff. Great.

Ezra hit his fist on the bike in frustration and shook his head. But the look on the man’s face was clear. He wasn’t budging.

“Who are you?” Ezra asked at last.

Mister Wiseass rolled his eyes and pointed to himself with his thumb, “I’m the guy who was stealing that crate.”

So it was like that then.

“Hey, like I told Paintbomb,” Ezra began, and gestured with his arms to his own crate. “I stole this stuff, whatever it is, fair and square.” Ezra crossed his arms, refusing to budge on the matter.

The man gave what Ezra supposed was a look of respect from one thief to another.

“And you made it pretty far,” he said, but with all his attention on Ezra he wasn’t picking up on what was slowly but certainly making its way right at them from up in the air. “But I’ve got plans for that crate, so today is not your day.”

Ezra smiled and shifted his eyes to the left, causing the other man to frown when he realized that somehow Ezra had another card to play.

“Mmm, day’s not over.” Ezra hinted - pointed to the sky - and then quickly gunned his bikes and engine and hit its repulsorlift to clear the barrier and fly out onto the grasslands and away from the incoming TIE fighter.

It was a few more seconds before Ezra heard the unmistakable sound of the cannon fire from the TIE followed quickly by an explosion. Shifting on his bike he jumped the barrier again - back on the road - and looked over the fiery wreck of his new pal’s ride.

Unsurprisingly the guy had managed to jump clear of his bike just in time. Ezra smiled and waved at him. “Have a good one!” Ezra called as he gunned the engine and began to put as much distance with his bike and that guy as possible.

By now Ezra knew Wiseass and his team could handle whatever it is the Imperials could throw at them. But he himself had to think fast! That TIE was still up there and driving here in the middle of the road he was target practice for that thing.

But then he saw it - the end of the freeway and the wide expanse of Lothal’s plains. If he could just get far enough before the TIE saw… him.

Oh kriff, Ezra thought when he saw the TIE lazily begin to pace him going so far as to take a few shots at him in particular so as not to damage the bike or the cargo.

“Whatever’s in these crates must really be worth it!” he exclaimed and then ducked to avoid another blast of TIE’s cannon.

“Better be worth it!” he groaned as he realized that he was quickly reaching the end of his rope.

A couple moments later he heard the cannons and then a loud explosion as with surgical precision the TIE pilot hit the back of Ezra’s speeder, causing it to lose power to the cargo connector and then a few moments later to explode.

Thankfully in those last few moments Ezra had been aware enough to jump clear of the speeder before the explosion took him along with it.

Groaning from the hard landing he took when getting clear of the speeder, Ezra slowly pulled himself up and looked around the grassland. The golden grass came up to his waist and Ezra checked himself over. Bruised but nothing broken. The speeder bike was gone and he, thankfully, was not. And it looked like the crate was in good condition too! Even still had its repulsorlift.

There was just one problem and Ezra groaned when he heard the howling TIE fighter turn around to make another, and most likely, final strafing run at him.

As Ezra watched how the TIE swept in with its cannons locked on, a cold realization hit him.

Shocked to the core, all Ezra could think was that this was it. That this was how it ended.

Damn.

The cannons fired only not from the TIE! The TIE fighter exploded in mid air and debris began falling all around him with how close the explosion had been! For the second time that day Ezra lifted his arm up to shield his face from an explosion, and once again the bells in his head were ringing!

How he wondered but with the TIE gone and the explosion’s effect wearing off, Ezra began to hear the sound of a ship behind him. As he turned around he looked to his disbelief and saw a ship the likes he had never seen before hovering behind him with its loading ramp lowered and Mister Wiseass himself standing tall and proud from its extended ramp.

“Thanks,” Ezra whispered as it dawned on him they had just saved his life. Then frowned when he realized what had actually happened. And the real reason why they did what they did.

Doesn’t matter, that crate is still mine!

“You want a ride?” Wiseass called down to him. Ezra was about to tell him where to stick it, but then he saw them. At first only a shimmer of light and a blur in the distance, it didn’t take long for Ezra to hear the howling already as more TIEs were entering the area.

Ezra hesitated and tried to see a way out of this.

“Kid! You have a better option!” Wiseass shouted and judging by how the ship was beginning to move its pilot was getting antsy.

“Come on!” The guy called and this time Ezra knew he had no choice.

He hurried to the crate and quickly grabbed hold of it.

“Leave the crate,” he shouted. “You’ll never make it!”

Yeah? We’ll see about that!

Ezra hit the button on the crate to release it from the wrecked speeder’s cargo repulsor and generated its own free floating repulsors. Now able to run with the thing, Ezra dug deep and ran faster than he had ever run before.

He’d made this kind of jump before. He knew he could make it!

The swish of the grass between his feet as he ran. The howl of the incoming fighters. His body held tight to the crate as he jumped higher and further than ever, an impossible jump, as he and the crate both managed to barely catch the edge of the ship’s loading ramp.

Ugh. Okay, so the crate managed to stick the landing. He sort of just dangled and hung onto the crate with his legs dangling in free air. Using all of his upper body strength Ezra shuffled around the crate and then shifted his hold to the ramp.

Almost there, just one more pull.

Gritting his teeth Ezra harnessed his remaining energy and pulled himself over the lip of the ramp. He let out a sigh of relief and looked up to see his competitor looking at him in astonishment.

Won’t make it, Wiseass had said. Showed him.

His victory lasted only a moment before the both of them quickly grabbed the crate and got it inside. Wiseass hit a big button on a wall panel and the ramp immediately folded up and closed in behind them. Safely inside Ezra took a knee to try and shake off the last sixty seconds only to look up and see Wiseass, Big and Scary, and that colorfully armored exploding Paintbomb all staring at him.

Wiseass was still wearing that same look of disbelief, the girl looked frustrated - well maybe - hard to tell with her helmet, and the “Big Guy” she warned about looked like he wanted to just throw him right back out of the ship. And come to think of it, up close he didn’t look that scary. But none of that was important right now.

What was important was that Big and Scary! He has his fury three fingered hands on my crate!

That’s it. Big and Scary, you’re demoted. You are now Furball!

Chapter Text

That's my crate! Ezra thought and was about to remind them of his claim when the Furball popped off its lid and revealed that inside the crate was at least a dozen E-11 blaster rifles. Forgetting present company Ezra stumbled forward and looked down at the crate's merchandise as he mathematically began to add up how much it was all worth.

"Whoa! Do you have any idea what these are worth on the black market?" Ezra practically drooled as his eyes focused entirely on the weapons. The others didn't move, just continued to look at him unimpressed.

"I do actually," their leader, Mister Wiseass, said as Ezra picked up one of the weapons and inspected it.

"Don't get any ideas," the big purple furball warned dangerously with an almost animalistic growl underling his words.

He recalled the girl's, Paintbomb's, warning about him. On the other hand he had just stared down a TIE fighter a few minutes ago. It's hard to top that. He glanced from the rifle to the snarling purple face with those creepy yellow eyes. And, ugh, the smell! The sooner he gets off this ship the better.

But first thing's first.

"They're mine," Ezra retorts and holds up the weapon for emphasis only for Furball to snatch it out of his hands.

"If you hadn't gotten in our way…" Furball began.

"Too bad." Ezra cuts him off. "I got to them first."

Movement behind him. A quick glance over the showed that sure enough there was Wiseass with his ponytail and green eyes and is that a goatee? Who has those anymore? Whatever because Wiseass apparently had something else to say and he gently, but firmly, pushed Ezra away from the crate. Ezra frowned but then turned his attention back to Furball and decided he'd meet his glare with one of his own.

"It's not who's first." Wiseass said. "It's who's last."

Ezra just kept his focus on the giant waste of space that was Furball.

"Keep an eye on our friend here," Wiseass said and patted Furball on the shoulder.

Does he just go around patting everyone on the shoulder? Ezra wondered and watched as Wiseass climbed up a ladder, probably going to the cockpit or bridge or whatever. Ezra rolled his eyes and felt his stomach voice in protest.

Ah kriff! He never did get a chance to eat breakfast, hey wait! Before Ezra could do anything Furball had replaced the lid of the crate of blasters and locked it. Not about to be outdone Ezra hopped on top of the crate. He briefly looked over at Paintbomb - the only one who hadn't said anything - and noticed the head of a wolf on the left shoulder pauldron of her armor. It looked familiar.

He heard more growling, and this time it wasn't from his stomach. With a roll of his eyes he focused back on the Furball. This glaring thing is getting old - and so is this ship. And-

"Whoah!" Ezra cried as a sudden jerk nearly cost him his balance, but thankfully the nearby ladder gave him something to hold onto. Some of the crates began shifting too but Furball managed to keep them all sorted upright. Like him, Paintbomb stumbled backward into a bulkhead but managed to keep upright.

"Haar'chak!" she said after nearly hitting the deck.

Hey she said that earlier when they were almost creamed by the stormtroopers. Wonder what it means.

"You're telling me," Furball said as he held onto the crates. "Some artificial gravity might be nice!" he shouted but got no response.

"All that matters is who gets their last," Ezra mocked in a not too shabby Wiseass impression. "You know I had this all figured out. No explosions. No blasters. And definitely no TIE fighters. Then you guys just had to come along."

"Oh?" Furball said, deciding to indulge in the kid's delusions of grandeur for a moment. "Well then please, enlighten us."

"Pfft," Ezra scoffed. "My plan is way over your head. And it would've worked if you hadn't decided to turn the City into a warzone."

"So you mean to say you'd stolen all six crates on your own?" Furball baited, although his question did draw a sound of exasperation from Paintbomb.

"His plan was to wait until the buckets were on their way to the Imperial Portal, hop on the last bike, stun the driver, complete the hijack and then peel off before they noticed."

"That's not-" Ezra began but saw she had her hands on her waist, how she jutted her hip, and even with that mysterious helmet she worse Ezra just knew was looking at him and daring him to contradict her.

"My plan didn't involve getting shot out of the sky," Ezra said at last.

"Yeah well we're not out of the fight yet. And last I checked six crates are greater than two," Furball said succinctly as if that alone decided the argument.

Ezra sighed and decided to try a different approach. Giving Paintbomb a nod of consideration. So she'd seen through his bravado and had figured out his plan, but she never said it was a bad plan. Ezra looked at Furball.

"Look," Ezra gestured. "I was just doing the same thing you were. Stealing to survive."

If he was hoping for an understanding ear he wasn't getting it as the giant oaf stormed forward and shoved Ezra with that big arm of his.

"You have no idea what we were doing. You don't know us," Furball proclaimed.

"And I don't want to," Ezra snapped back and then pushed off the crate - getting in Furball's face. "I just want off this burner."

"Please," the furry alien replied with a sudden eagerness in his eyes. "Nothing would thrill me more than tossing you out! While in flight."

"Ugh," Paintbomb said as she continued to watch the two, but not about to get herself any further involved in the squabbling.

The ship was rocked hard as cannon fire from those TIE fighters smashed into the shields, scoring direct hits. It was jarring enough that Furball lost his balance and fell forward and knocked Ezra to the ground, pinning him with his weight.

"Get off." Ezra said as he strained to get out from under him. "I can't breathe."

"I'm not that heavy in this gravity," the big guy retorted but pushed himself off all the same.

Ezra rolled his eyes but didn't bother getting up off the deck.

"Not your weight, ugh, the smell."

That did it, Ezra noted as Furball sniffed and snarled viciously.

"You don't like the air quality in here, eh?" he stated and then grabbed hold of Ezra's leg and began to pull. "Fine. I'll give you your own room!"

"Hey, stop!" Ezra yelled but it was no use. Furball had a titan grip and easily dragged the kid to a door Ezra had missed before, hit a button, and it opened to reveal a small hold. Realizing what he intended Ezra tried to break free but he just shifted his grip and lifted Ezra off the deck.

"Let go!" Ezra grunted before being thrown into the hold. Landing on his side there wasn't anything Ezra could do to stop him, the door behind him being closed and locked. "Seriously!" Ezra said and pounded at the door but knew it was no use.

Okay fine, Ezra thought and looked around. Not about to be outdone, his eyes fell on the grating of a small air shaft.

"Rule one," Ezra said solemnly as he eyed the vent covering. "Don't lock up a street rat next to an air vent."

Working fast Ezra searched his pack for a simple screwdriver and then went to work, unscrewing the vent until it was loose enough for him to pry off.

"I'll come back for my crate later," he resolved and took off his pack. Placing it in the vent first Ezra began to shimmy his way in. The boy smiled as he began to make good progress.

Shimmy a few feet and then push his pack forward. Rinse and repeat. It was a bit cramped in the vent but really anything to get away from that purple menace and his diabolical stench. Probably why Paintbomb wore that helmet around the time, to block out the smell.

As Ezra continued to progress through the ship's ventilation shaft he felt the ship rock again from more hits from the TIE fighters.

"Don't they have any guns on this thing?" Ezra grumbled. "If I knew we were going to be blown up by TIEs I would've just stayed on Lothal."

Ezra frowned as he thought more on that. The TIE fighters really want this ship. If he hadn't climbed aboard, would they have even bothered with him?

"Note to self," Ezra grumbled and moved further through the vents. "If a stranger invites you onto his ship. Just say no." Suddenly he heard the voice of their wiseass leader coming from somewhere below.

"Zeb? Where is he?" Wiseass demanded.

Zeb? So Zeb is that purple freak's name. Zeb-Zeb-Zeb. Sort of it fit, he guessed.

"Well, he is still in the ship," Zeb replied and Ezra could hear the sheepishness in his voice.

"All brawn, no brains," Ezra determined, and smiled but then felt banged his head against the air vent as the ship continued to take more fire from the fighters.

"Oh, he's in the ship all right," he heard Paintbomb say.

Yup, in the ship and I think I'll take my chances away from Zeb or whatever his name is.

"Very creative," a new voice said, only this voice sounded a lot less hostile. "Sounds like someone I used to know."

Guns! Anything! Ezra thought as the ship jumbled yet again and the vent underneath him gave way as he and his pack fell from the ceiling down to the next deck. He hit the deck first and then his own pack clocked him on the back of his head. Groaning in pain he eyed the pack and the fruit within.

There's no way his jogan fruits survived all this.

Feeling around he felt a chair and some kind of console. Sighing in thanks Ezra climbed into the chair and leaned, his head resting against the seat's headrest. This was much better. After a moment Ezra opened his eyes and what he saw made his stomach drop in horror.

"I'm…" he began and looked out the gunner's viewport to see nothing but stars and a pair of TIE fighters zooming around the ship. "I'm in space!" Ezra said, shocked at what just happened. Matters only got worse when the two TIEs turned in and faced the ship head on, blasting away against its shields - their cannon fire hitting directly where Ezra was seated. "And I'm about to die!"

He heard the pilot saying something about buying time for a jump but all Ezra could see was his impending fiery death.

The boy winced and waited for the inevitable, but the green cannon fire from the TIEs smacked into some invisible wall surrounding the ship. Ezra let out a breath as he remembered that some ships had shields, this one included thankfully.

He then heard a different noise coming from within the ship - it sounded like some sort of heavy blaster fire or turbolasers or something. He watched as red cannon fire lit up the sky and destroyed a TIE fighter.

"It's about time," Ezra said and let out a sigh of relief. He then looked down at the control console in front of him and found that he was in some sort of gun turret himself. Useful if he had any idea - whoa! Ezra felt a small but frighteningly strong hand grip his shoulder and drag him out of the chair. He stayed on his feet, which was a nice change of pace and looked up to see the girl again looking down at him as he stood next to the chair.

Ezra's face had fixed her with a sharp glare, ready to tell her off when in one swift motion she removed her helmet but never took her eyes off him for a moment.

And just like that Ezra was forever lost.

Beautiful. Like, like Life Day beautiful.

Just her eyes alone. Brown? No, not brown. Something else. Something he didn't know the words for! And her hair? Orange and blue!

Such pretty colors.

"Paintbomb…" Ezra said so, so softly as his own blue eyes widened in sheer wonder of this girl.

"Whoa," Ezra said as he stared at her and appeared the very definition of awestrucked at her beauty. And was that just a hint of a smile - or am I imagining things? Oh whoa! Ezra closed his eyes and did his best to steady himself as more fire hammered at the shields of the vessel.

He opened his eyes, worry sketched over his face, that seemed to be reflected in the girl's eyes as she hurriedly placed her helmet on the chair's headrest and then sat down. With unwavering confidence she took the gunner's controls in hand.

As she aimed and fired the heavy gun the TIEs seemed to stop their shooting which meant the ship stopped rocking and allowed Ezra a chance to collect himself. Maybe getting on this ship wasn't such a bad decision after all, he thought with a grin and ever so casually came to stand just behind her chair and looked over her shoulder.

Time to put on the old charm.

"My name's Ezra," he said with what was undoubtedly the smoothest voice this girl had ever heard, and completely missing the girl's eyeroll of sheer annoyance at Ezra's pathetic attempt at flirting. "What's your name?" Ezra pressed.

He didn't hear the heavy stomping of feet behind him until it was too late, and Zeb had a hairy hand curled around his orange shirt's collar and with one tug had Ezra off his feet and staring directly into that purple freak's hard greenish-yellow eyes.

"My name's Zeb, you Loth-rat."

Watch it! Ezra wanted to tell him. He only had so many shirts!

But he decided that maybe Paintbomb had a point about the "Big Guy" ending him - Ezra smiled and tried for sheepishness, but Zeb wasn't having it. Before Ezra could come up with a way to placate the walking furball the a voice came over the ship's intercom system:

"Calculations complete, but we need an opening."

"FOUND ONE!" Paintbomb shouted and Ezra heard the hydraulic winding up of the turret and a moment later the girl was blasting at a TIE fighter that was heading straight at them.

Ezra winced for impact but the girl's shooting was true and the fighter exploded into tiny little bits as the ship flew its remains with only empty space remaining in front of them.

"Entering hyperspace!" the pilot yelled.

"Hyperspace?" Ezra gulped and looked to the gunner's turret and its large transparisteel canopy.

And then to Ezra's disbelief the stars began to stretch and stretch. Until the dark empty vastness of space was replaced with bright shining lines and a swirling infinite vortex of blue and white.

The hyperdrive roared and Ezra watched in astonishment as they jumped into hyperspace, and left his home behind.

Night had fallen on Lothal and the Star Destroyer Lawbringer still remained above Capital City. It's massive repulsorlifts powered by its fusion reactor, keeping it steadily hovering and looming over the citizens of Lothal, projecting the might of the Empire and bestowing fear in the populace below.

And neither the Imperials aboard the massive warship or the stormtroopers and AT-ST walkers on the ground showed any interest in leaving. It was the opposite. More shuttles departed the Lawbringer and brought more men and equipment.

And above it all on the same rooftop Ezra had watched from earlier, stood one individual in particular. Dressed in the olive drab officer uniform of the Empire as well as reinforced durasteel helmet and chestpiece, the individual had an unusual insignia on his armor. Also out of place was some type of exotic looking weapon slung over his shoulder and resting on his back.

Unlike the others around him, despite being in the field Imperial's dress was immaculate. Nothing in his appearance was out of place. With a stormtrooper on either side of him, his cool calculating demeanor demanded nothing but the highest of professionalism and competence.

Something that Commander Aresko (who had still yet to find his comlink that Ezra had swiped off him earlier and used to sow chaos) was very much lacking. And his superior and the accompanying stormtroopers could all pick up on Aresko's incompetence in his pleading voice.

"They knew our protocol," Aresko tried to explain.

As a AT-ST walker passed by, its spotlight continuing its search for any of the spotted criminals the commander watched on knowing that the search was ultimately fruitless. The pilots of the two surviving TIE fighters had reported long ago of the criminal's ship jumping into hyperspace.

But Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau had learned long ago that even in defeat, if one studied how they lost - or in this case the tactics and strategies these criminals employed against the incompetent Imperials under Aresko's command. Kallus was confident he could still salvage something from this failure.

"And were waiting in position!" Aresko added. Agent Kallus sighed and while he didn't think much of Aresko, there was no sense in berating his fellow Imperial.

"I've no doubt," Kallus said at last in a thick High Imperial accent. "You're not the first on Lothal hit by this crew."

Aresko sighed happily and his posture relaxed in those words of comfort. "That's a relief." Then just as quickly he straightened his hat and stood at attention once more - much to the amusement of the two stormtroopers looking on at this idiot of an officer. Aresko began his prattle once more. "I mean, I assume that's why you're here, Agent Kallus."

Agent Kallus removed his helmet, tucked it under his arm, and revealed his face. With hawkish eyebrows as well as a stylish golden blonde mutton chops that were just within regs of Imperial shaving requirements, this was a man who generated confidence. And while Kallus was disappointed, neither his voice nor hazel colored eyes held any contempt for Aresko's multiple failures. Instead he turned to look at Aresko and did his best to educate.

"The Imperial Security Bureau pays attention to patterns," Kallus said with emphasis. "When the Empire's operations are targeted on an ongoing basis, it could signify something more than the theft of a few crates." Kallus turned to again look out over the square and the charred remains of the speeder bike - courtesy of Sabine. Kallus sharpened his gaze and gave voice to his true concern.

"It could signify the spark of rebellion."

Kallus looked back at Aresko, and his voice spoke with an unwavering and inspiring confidence. "Next time they make a move, we'll be waiting for them. To snuff out that spark before it catches fire."

Ezra fought to get free of Zeb and his ape-ish arms as the big guy dragged Ezra through the ship, bringing Ezra to who knew where. Maybe an airlock if given Zeb's earlier threat. The two continued their glaring contest as the door of the ship's cockpit opened and Ezra gave yet another futile attempt to break free, while remaining completely unaware of the green Twi'lek woman sitting in the pilot's chair.

"Let go!" Ezra demanded of Zeb and finally managed to yank his arm free of his grip. "You can't keep me here! Take me back to Lothal!"

"Calm down. That's exactly what we're doing," the Twi'lek said with an amused look on her face at the childish antics and then returned her focus to flipping some switches at the pilot's console.

Zeb folded his arms, unimpressed. But Ezra was confused. "Wait, right now?" Ezra exclaimed and waved his arms around helplessly. "With Imperials chasing us?"

While he couldn't see the Twi'lek's face her voice carried with it confidence as well as compassion, unlike any of the rest of the crew he had met so far. "We lost the TIEs when we jumped," the pilot continued, doing her best to calm Ezra's justifiable nervousness. "And the Ghost can scramble its signature so they won't recognize us when we return."

And with that smooth simple explanation Ezra found himself put at ease and gasping in relief. Finally some good news, and pretty cool that a ship can do that.

"Oh, that's pretty cool!" Ezra said, putting his thoughts into words. Already he could tell that this person was more understanding than the others. Ezra shook his head as a thought occurred to him. "So just drop me and my blasters outside Capital City and…"

The same door Zeb dragged Ezra through hissed open behind him. "They're not your blasters," Paintbomb said in a very weary tone as Ezra turned his head to see the girl and Mister Wiseass arrive to start giving him their own two credit lectures.

"And we're not going back to Capital City. The job's not done." Wiseass added.

"Great," Ezra griped and looked around the cockpit for an answer to his problem when his eyes stopped on the view coming from the Ghost's transparisteel cockpit canopy. Transfixed on the sight before him, Ezra stepped forward and leaned forward over the co-pilot's chair. "Whoa…"

The compassionate pilot turned her head and Ezra caught her smile as the ship neared Lothal again, the beautiful planet filling Ezra's eyes.

"First time seeing your home like this?"

Ezra just nodded dumbly, all thoughts of his crate forgotten as he stood transfixed beside the Twi'lek pilot doing his best to soak in this experience.

For her part the green Twi'lek woman just looked on, smiling at Ezra's reaction and despite the trouble the crew had run into that day the sight of the young teen's face at seeing his world like this for the first time stirred something inside her.

"You're from Capital City, right? Well you can't see it from here," she said. "But Capital City is just over the planet's curvature on the left," she indicated as the ship began to approach the atmosphere.

"Curvature?" Ezra said.

"It's what we call a planet's horizon from space," she explained.

Ezra nodded and then frowned as the ship gently swayed to the right, as Mister Wiseass had said they weren't headed back to Capital City. Ezra left out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. It was then that Ezra finally wavered. There'd be other crates, he decided.

Plus seeing the planet's vast continents and beautiful oceans? It reminded him of his feelings from his tower that morning. The pride he had felt from where he came from despite living in squalor.

"Credit for your thoughts?" she asked as Ezra's joy began to affect herself.

"I wouldn't know where to begin," Ezra answered truthfully. "Amazing? Beautiful?"

She smiled.

"I'm Hera."

"Ezra," he replied, feeling good to finally have a name for the friendly Twi'lek. A real lady, he decided.

As the Ghost reentered Lothatl's atmosphere and made its way to the ground below, Ezra was surprised to see it was nightfall. Sure it had been a hectic day but he hadn't realized just how much time had flown by.

As Hera piloted the ship Ezra noticed that the ship was spending a lot of time flying amongst vast plains and gently rolling hills. He had a sneaking suspicion that Hera decided to take a bit of a scenic route to their destination, instead of what ships normally do when they enter a planet's atmosphere - head straight to where they plan on landing.

Still Ezra was appreciative of Hera's consideration. Ezra doubted he would ever get the chance to see his home like this again. A peaceful quiet settled the cockpit, with Zeb and Paintbomb taking the two chairs behind the pilot and co-pilot seat. Meanwhile the team's fearless leader, Captain Wiseass, hung out by the doorway with his arms folded.

"So this signature thing," Ezra said. "We were scanned when we came back."

"Yup," Hera nodded. "Only way to keep track of the ships coming and going out of systems. Why?"

"Heh," Ezra smiled. "Just imagining some Imperial looking at their screen and mistaking a ship this size for a Star Destroyer."

Hera chuckled. "Maybe not a Star Destroyer. But the scrambler could probably pass us off as a large freighter and the Imps would be none the wiser."

"Fitting for a ship named the Ghost."

Ezra laughed at the idea of an Imperial scanner technician mistaking a ship so small for something ten times its size, and never batting an eyelash. The Ghost's crew eased back into another quiet and Ezra continued to watch as the hills and high peaks of Lothal's conical mountains sped by faster than he had ever seen before.

Finally the Hera adjusted the throttle and the ship slowed as it approached a small rise, and as she did the others got to their feet and followed Wiseass to the rear of the ship. From the cockpit Ezra could make out a small village but nothing he had ever seen before. When he saw Hera stand up too, Ezra followed her knowing that he wasn't about to be trusted to stay on the ship alone.

And like Wiseass had said, the job's not done. But maybe he could convince Hera to spare him a few credits from the sale? Not a lot, just enough for a few good meals this week. That was a nice thought.

Climbing down a ladder into the hold, he saw that Zeb and the other two had already grabbed crates - with Wiseass taking personal custodianship of the crate of blasters. He saw Hera come to stand next to him and waited as the ramp lowered and revealed the sea of knee-high grass surrounding the ship.

Good to be home again.

Following them Ezra found himself stopping to look down at the small village at the bottom of the gentle sloping hill the Ghost had landed. The sun had long set but there was still more than enough light for Ezra to make out the structures in the village, only to realize that there really weren't any

What the hell?

He turned to voice his question to Hera only to see her and Wiseass headed off in another direction.

"Hey, where are they going?" Ezra asked Zeb as he and Paintbomb guided the other crates with their repulsorlifts toward the village. Zeb glowered at him before and he got this evil glint in his eye.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Oh, and I might just kill you anyway."

"Grab a crate, pull your weight," Paintbomb chastised before Ezra could form a comeback.

She then paused and looked over her shoulder at Ezra until he turned around and headed back into the ship. Zeb stopped too, not about to let the kid out of their sight and figured the kid had gone back inside the ship to sulk. But was surprised to see Ezra reappear at the top of the ramp with one of the same colored crates he and Sabine were delivering.

Wordlessly Ezra passed them by as he directed the crate and its repulsors to the village. He had no idea what was inside of them but his curiosity was put on hold as he along with the other two neared the village.

The closer they got the less Ezra liked what he saw.

His cheery mood dissipated and an uncomfortable feeling began to build up inside of him.

No houses. No businesses. No buildings. Just shed after shed and other ramshackle structures put together with whatever salvaged materials the people out here could find. Out in the middle of nowhere. So small, anyone of these… dwellings could easily fit in his tower. And already Ezra could see that most were filled with entire families and many badly in need of repair.

And the people here, there were just so many. Too many for a village this size. Most just sitting around wearing threadbare clothes that were in far rougher shape than his. And when he passed by a Rodian with no shirt on at all, Ezra could count the ribs. There was no hiding just how little food these people had to eat.

They were all so thin. So lost. Ezra fought back the need to clench his jaw at the sight. So forgotten.

"Lived on Lothal my whole life. Never been here," Ezra said carefully and then patiently waited to see their reaction.

Paintbomb shook her head and then heard the aggravation in her voice. "The Imperials don't advertise it."

"Locals call it Tarkintown," Zeb added and Ezra was surprised to hear he sounded just as aggravated.

"Named for Grand Moff Tarkin, Governor of the Outer Rim." Paintbomb said and Ezra saw her become further agitated as they passed more and more villagers. "He kicked these folks off their farms when the Empire wanted their land."

"Anybody who tried to fight back got arrested… for treason." Zeb added.

Unbiddenly Ezra's mind immediately went to the jogan fruit seller that was nearly arrested by Aresko for speaking up when they harassed him and his cronies harassed him over something as small as trade registration. Aresko had charged him with treason.

If I hadn't stepped in, would that man have been sent here? Would his business and fruit farm be taken away?

Ezra's pack wasn't heavy, aside from what he normally carried there were just the five pieces of fruit he had swiped from that farmer. But as he looked around now and realized what was happening here, here on his planet. His home. And he had no idea about it?

That feeling inside built ever higher and his pack had never felt heavier.

None of this was right, and Ezra felt that uncomfortable feeling become a bad churning in his gut that he couldn't put a name to. Or nothing he wanted to think about at least.

The three of them entered a wide expanse, which Ezra supposed must've passed for a village square in this "Tarkintown." Odd that it was getting lighter - because they were on a different part of the planet. That wasn't a sunset, it was a sunrise, Ezra realized.

Just how far out of the way did the Empire hide these people? Again the face of the fruit seller flashed into Ezra's mind. He shook his head and did his best to try and not think about it.

He was a street rat, he had to eat damnit.

Lost in these thoughts Ezra halted only when he saw Zeb and Paintbomb had lined up next to each other and began to unlock the crates. With Zeb in the middle he looked on as Zeb opened the crate to reveal a very familiar fruit.

Jogan.

"WHO WANTS FREE GRUB!" Zeb hollered, and for the first time Ezra heard the brute actually sound happy and cheerful.

Ezra shook his head and unlocked his own crate, taking off the lid and peering in it to see even more jogan for the villagers to eat.

"Yes," a villager said as they hopped meagerly to Zeb's crate and took a single fruit. "Thank you."

"Thank you! Thank you!" more villagers said as they lined up to take their share from each of the bathed in the golden dawn light Zeb and Paintbomb were smiling. And before Ezra could get clear of the growing crowd, a Rodian and an Ithorian came to his crate to take their share. Just one jogan each so that way everyone in the village would be able to eat.

"Thank you." the Rodian said and placed his hand on Ezra's shoulder. Ezra looked away, trying to pretend that those weren't tears he was seeing in the Rodian's eyes. "Thank you so much."

As the Rodian limped away with his piece of fruit Ezra felt his pack become heavier still, and that bad feeling in his gut grew stronger.

"I…" Ezra's eyes dropped to the ground. "I didn't do anything."

As he looked up and saw the smiling faces of Zeb and Paintbomb, and the thankful looks the villagers were giving them, it all suddenly became too much for the boy. Without thought of what the others might think Ezra quickly made his way past the growing crowd and headed back to the hill with the Ghost, continuing to keep his eyes focused on the ground he did not look back.

By himself now, Ezra was about to head into the ship when the memory hit him.

"Wait. Wait!" the jogan vendor said, the beard on the whole of his face as full as ever. "What are you doing!"

"Hey," Ezra said pointedly without an ounce of shame. "A kid's gotta eat."

Kid's gotta eat, Ezra thought. Noticing the empty repulsorlift Ezra decided to take a seat. From here he could see the entire village and the surrounding hills and mountains.

As good a place as any.

Checking to see his jogan fruits hadn't been completely squashed from all the flailing and crashing around in the ship earlier, Ezra took a piece of the fruit from the pack and finally had breakfast. He didn't feel particularly hungry anymore but he did feel his energy beginning to wane. It was probably evening by now at his tower.

He finished one fruit and reached for a second from his pack but paused, and looked down at… Tarkintown. So many people. All of them lost. And for what?

Ezra sneered as memories of his own childhood unbiddenly filled his head. And in that anger he pulled out a second piece of fruit and bit down.

The Empire runs things. It doesn't just throw people in places like these randomly. And it's been around now Ezra's entire life. If these people didn't understand then that's on them.

The Empire takes, that's all it does. If you mouth off or are too slow then you'll get taken too. All anybody can do is to just shutup, accept reality, and try to survive. And hey? If they're smart and quick enough to stick it to the Imps. Then good for them.

Except for some of these people, all they did was get upset when the Empire took their farms. What would be Mister Sumar's reaction if they took his farm? What would be my reaction if they wanted my tower?

Shame. That's what I'm feeling, Ezra admitted to himself. It was hard to admit but as once he had and was honest with himself that feeling of guilt down in him began to unwind and he was able to focus again.

Everyone had to eat. And he was a street rat. Can't change the past. Feeling his strength return from the fruit, Ezra closed up his pack and shrugged its straps back onto its shoulders. It didn't feel heavy anymore.

And that's when it hit him, again, the Call. Ezra got to his feet and searched with his eyes, wondering if Wiseass had returned. But there was nothing around but the village below. But the Call was so much stronger this time, but where was it kriffin' coming from? At last Ezra eyed the ship and all came together.

Did my good deed. Time for some answers, Ezra decided. Uncaring of what anybody else thought he entered the ship alone and as he neared the ramp the Call began to hum. Hum continuously.

And as Ezra climbed the ladder from the cargo hold to the cockpit it became more than just a hum. He wasn't just hearing it, he could feel it. Feel it pulling him, pulling him like he was attached to a string. The cockpit doors slid open, revealing the hallway Zeb had dragged him through. Only now did Ezra realize that this must be some sort of storage compartments or where the crew slept.

And the pull was coming from the room to his immediate right.

"Interesting," he said quietly and approached the door and placed his hand on it. There, it was definitely there. He glanced down and saw it was locked. Carefully Ezra slipped off his pack, and then he knelt down in front of the door and retrieved his old R-series scomp link lockpick.

He looked at the door and eyed the lock before nodding confidently. Having no idea when the others would return Ezra quickly went to work. Brushing his finger over the top button he then inserted the link and began to pick the lock. It didn't take long, but just as Ezra was finishing up he heard something - or thought he did - as he looked down the hall.

Nothing. He was alone.

With the door unlocked Ezra quickly pulled his pack together and shouldered it on his back. Then he entered and found a very unassuming cabin. Two bunks, one on top of the other but with no pillows or blankets in sight. No anything in sight really.

Was this place even lived in or was it for passengers or something? Ezra stepped forward and sat down on the bottom bunk. This was where he had been pulled and here the humming was louder than ever and coming from right next to his knee.

"Okay," Ezra said and reached down, feeling around. But feeling for what? Sliding off the bunk Ezra kneeled down in front of it but still found nothing. "Weird," he muttered and began brushing his hands across the side of the bunk. He was about halfway between the bed and the deck when he accidentally touched a hidden compartment, and on contact the small compartment immediately slid open.

Reaching inside he found something interesting, some sort of decorative cube. Ezra smiled and examined it - whatever it was. "Might be worth something," he decided and tucked it away before continuing his search. The pull hadn't lessened any, there was still something there.

He pulled on the compartment and its drawer slided out further revealing a long cylinder. Like some sort of handle. Like a torch maybe. Or, no this is more like a hilt?

He found a button and after ensuring he held it upright Ezra pressed it in and with a snap hiss a long shaft of blue light instantly emitted from the cylinder.

"Whoa," Ezra gasped and got to his feet, holding it in both hands as he admired it and its steady humming noise. Was this what had been calling to him this whole time? Ezra grinned as he waved it from right to left, and then gave a little test swing with the - lightsaber? That's what this was! It's what the jedi used!

In his left hand he held it up closer for him to inspect, its powerful blade emitting a soft blue light across the cabin as well as Ezra's face and hair. With a quick step to the right Ezra brought it up before him and held it in both hands while smiling triumphantly.

And then the cabin door opened.

"Careful… You'll cut your arm off."

Great, Wiseass was back. Ezra held the blade away from him as he turned and saw not only Wiseass but Hera and a small orange and white astromech droid looking at him from the hallway.

"Whompa, whompa, whompa!"

Probably tattling on me. I knew I heard something earlier. Ezra looked at them and decided honesty would be best, especially with Hera here.

"Look I know you're not gonna believe me, but it's like this thing wanted me to take it," Ezra said and returned his eyes to the lightsaber.

"You're right, I don't believe you," Wiseass said as he stepped into the room while Hera leaned against the door with an amused look on her face. "Now hand me the lightsaber."

"Lightsaber?" Ezra repeated and took a fighting stance, and held the lightsaber like he'd seen people hold swords. "Isn't that the weapon of the Jedi?"

The man's expression turned more serious.

"Give it to me, and get out."

With a look of defeat Ezra hit the button and extinguished the blade. Walking forward with his head down he handed Wiseass back his lightsaber and then smoothly walked through the opening between him and Hera left the room behind.

With Hera's back turned, Ezra confidently tossed the cube thing in their air and tucked it back out of sight.

Smooth.

Putting some distance between himself and the others, Ezra wandered down the hall and came to what looked like a lounge of some kind. Big and circular with a good amount of open space in the center. But there in the corner was a wide circular bench covered in some kind of leather or something.

A dejarik table was put there as well as a few stools with the same kind of leather. Guess they must play a lot of dejarik. Continuing to make his way to the behind or rear or whatever the direction was called aboard a ship, Ezra thought he heard something from the door in the back and as he approached it switched open to reveal a type of kitchen. Probably called a mess or something.

"Not too good at following directions, are you?"

Paintbomb, Ezra realized and quickly rubbed the back of his neck at having been caught. Still she wasn't putting off any cold vibes or seeming anything other than friendly. Ezra puffed up his chest, giving her his best devil-may-care attitude.

"Not so much. You?"

He took a moment to pause and take a mental picture of her with her back leaning against the counter and her helmet set beside and a cup of something in her hand.

"Heh," Paintbomb chuckled lightly and shrugged at Ezra's knowing look. "Never been my specialty."

She couldn't be that much older than him, although it was hard to tell with girls. Ezra brushed his hair and sighed as Paintbomb took a sip. Between the explosives, her colorful armor, the spaceship, and how the rest of them got on with each other. And on top of that them giving the food to those villagers?

"Who are you people?" Ezra asked, genuinely curious now. "I mean, you're not thieves exactly."

Paintbomb tilted her head as she looked back at him.

"Hmph, well I suppose you had a point about thieves with honor," Paintbomb said and now it was her turn to become curious. "But you already knew that when we met."

Ezra considered his options and since it already worked earlier, kind of, let's continue this honest streak. "Not the only thing I know."

Paintbomb tilted her chin and gave him a skeptical look. "This should be good."

"You're beautiful," he declared boldly.

"Wow!" Paintbomb said and gave small a huff of irritation. "And here I was worried you would be too forward."

Ezra grinned at her, a hint of mischief in his electric blue eyes before gesturing to her armor - primarily the part that's over her heart. "Your artwork, the firebird specifically. You're known as the Artist around Lothal - well Capital City at least."

"Oh," Paintbomb said and couldn't help the blush that colored her cheeks.

"Mmhmm," Ezra nodded with that cheeky grin on his face. "I also dig your Loth-cats."

"And here I was just trying to piss off the Empire," Paintbomb muttered and Ezra could see she was trying to regain control.

"Oh you're well on your way, Paintbomb," Ezra said and Paintbomb could tell that even though the kid clearly thought it wasn't just her artwork he found beautiful she had to give him some credit. That was actually pretty smooth.

Still…

"Sooo, if i'm the Artist - why Paintbomb?"

This time it was Ezra's turn to duck his head and fight off a blush, much to Paintbomb's satisfaction. Hah! What was it Zeb said? Loth-rat!

"Well while you guys did pull a fast one on the Imps. You, Furball, and Wiseass didn't exactly escape my own little recon. From a distance I couldn't make out your specific designs like your firebird but you were definitely colorful."

Sabine snorted and held her hand up to try and hold back her laughter at Ezra's names for Kanan and Zeb, he wasn't too far off either. Still… "Colorful?" she repeated. "Bit on the nose."

"No, Paintjob is on the nose," Ezra said and tried to go for a nonchalant shrug. Sabine saw right through it but found herself enjoying the conversation so she let the kid keep that one. "But when you walked by closer and I got my first real good look at you, Paintjob wasn't good enough."

"And Paintbomb is?"

"Umm," Ezra hesitated and rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe he should've gone with Paintbomb? But it's too late now. "Yeah. Between what you're wearing and the way you blew up that speeder, well, Paintbomb fits."

"Heh," Paintbomb said and shook her head at him, it was only then Ezra realized she had been messing with him just now. But before he could continue Paintbomb had a few other questions. "So I walked past you?"

"Rooftop," Ezra said and he saw Paintbomb narrow her eyes in confusion. "Hey don't look at me like that. Wiseass was the one in charge and he stuck out like a sore thumb. So did Furball, he needs to find less obvious places to lurk."

"Yeah well it was their job to make sure it was all clear to begin the op," Paintbomb said, her tone still a bit terse.

"And Wiseass did a good job, the square was clear of any innocent bystanders. And your distraction worked perfectly. Show the bucketheads one thing and then give them another - helped me with my plan too."

Paintbomb shook her head. "Can't believe we didn't spot you. I get Furball, but Wiseass?"

"Mmhmm," Ezra said. "Your fearless leader always has something to say, and he has a lot of one-liners. Some bordering on funny," Ezra grinned. "Still you guys were the competition. Although I appreciated the heads up about the Big Guy."

"Not that you took my advice," Paintbomb admonished, though he could see that she was thoroughly enjoying their little back and forth. "No nicknames for Hera?"

Ezra fought back a scowl. While they were sort of getting along for the moment, he hadn't forgotten his initial treatment by the three of them when he first came aboard. "I like Hera. She introduced herself and has been nothing but nice to me."

Paintbomb must have some kind of telepathy because she cleared her throat and glanced at her boots, feeling maybe a tiny bit guilty. Very tiny. "You were right about us. The honor among thieves thing. I mean! Not that we were about to let you get away with that crate. And besides, what were you even going to do with it? There a buyer operating out of Capital City we don't know about?"

Ezra shrugged. "I know what they go for, I'd have found someone eventually. Besides I'm always up for sticking it to the Empire. But 'nuff about me, Paintbomb. You're not exactly thieves…"

She considered Ezra and his original question, trying to put thought into words to describe them. The boy had been honest so far and she had to admit he was pretty impressive, though how Kanan didn't realize they were being watched Sabine hadn't the foggiest. Probably something to bring up during the debrief once the job is finished.

"Honor among thieves," Sabine said as she thought back to her first personal encounter with this gutsy kid. "Well, we're not thieves. Not really. We're not exactly anything. We're a crew. A team. In some ways a family."

Ezra dropped his eyes, a sad look dousing his eagerness for the conversation and when he glanced up he saw that Paintbomb had noticed and was looking at him imploringly.

"What… happened to your real family?" Ezra asked, his voice hesitant.

"The Empire." She answered. "What happened to yours?"

"She had to ask," Ezra muttered so quietly that she just barely heard him. But she did.

"Hey," Paintbomb said and began to throw the kid - Ezra, his name is Ezra - a lifeline but was interrupted when the galley's door swished open, causing both teens to swivel their heads. Zeb and the orange astromech stood in the doorway looking the pair over. Sabine took another sip from her drink.

"Kanan wants us in the common room," Zeb said and then knocked the astromech on its orange domed head. "If he tries anything, sound the alarm… or shoot him."

Ezra looked over at Paintbomb for a hand but she was already busying herself by cleaning her cup before putting it away. That was something else Ezra had noted, just how tidy this ship was. Not that he had much experience on starships.

"Whomp, whomp, whump!" the astromech replied.

"Shush. Just watch him," Zeb said and gave Ezra what he supposed could be considered a threatening look.

"You keep glaring and eventually your face will be stuck like that," Ezra told him, getting his digs in while he still could.

There was a barely audible snort from Paintbomb's direction at Ezra's comment.

"Bah," Zeb grumbled and left the galley with Paintbomb following afterward with her helmet tucked in her arm but just as she neared the door she stopped.

"Sabine. My name's Sabine," she said with her back to Ezra, but he could hear the gentleness in her voice. And then she - Sabine - looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Although Paintbomb…? Well, it does have flair."

Sabine turned back to the door but not before seeing the look she had left on Ezra's face, which had her smiling just a little herself. Not that she let him see it. And it was really hard to fight back a giggle when she heard the astromech garble out a warning and prevented Ezra from following.

He was cute, Sabine admitted to herself. And she knew he could turn quite a few girls' heads who were closer to his own age. Leaving the boy and the galley behind she joined the others in the common room but then ran into a teensy problem when she saw Kanan looking all serious.

That look and Ezra's impromptu nickname for him.

"Sabine?" Kanan questioned, his tone impatient at the teen and the strange look on her face.

But Sabine waved her hand and shook her head. "Nothing, just a thing that Ezra told me." Kanan and Hera shared a look for a moment before he shook his head and looked at the three others and nodded his head when he saw they were ready and focused.

Then he began.

If they had politely asked Ezra to butt out maybe he would've stayed in the kitchen while Wiseass - Kanan - held his meeting. Though if Paintbomb's - Sabine's - reaction was anything to go by he had hit the nail on the head with his nickname for the Ghost crew's Fearless Leader.

But they hadn't asked politely. Plus Furball had managed to somehow use his three fingers and made some blaster gesture with them at Ezra.

So just like Sabine - gosh she's pretty - told him, following directions wasn't his or her strong suits. And just like before one of the first things Ezra did when entering any of these rooms was search for exits. And there was an air vent access panel with his name on it.

Only problem was this astromech droid.

"Whump, wamp, woomp!"

"Yeahhh" Ezra said and pulled the collapsible shock stick off his belt. "I'm going to owe Hera an apology. Sorry, trash compactor. Nothing personal."

The stick sparked with electricity and the astromech put two and two together.

"WAAAH!"

In the blink of an eye Ezra snapped the baton forward and gave the troublesome astromech a good shock. Not enough to fry his circuits, but enough to cause the little guy to have to reboot. Which was all the time Ezra needed.

Using the same method as before, once Ezra was in the vent. Scoot his pack forward then move up behind it. Albeit this time he had to be much more stealthy as he traversed from the kitchen to the lounge or common room that Dumb and Ugly had called it.

Wiseass - or Kanan he guessed - had just begun the meeting and Ezra found the shaft leading to a similar storage compartment that Zeb had locked him in earlier. It would do.

"...Vizago acquired the flight plan for an Imperial transport ship full of Wookie prisoners."

Ezra's eyes opened wide. Ripping off Imperial slouchers on Lothal was one thing. But an Imperial ship? Ezra wasn't so sure, but then the more he thought it over he decided that it could be worse. Wasn't like they were going after a Star Destroyer. And Vizago. That name rings a bell…

"Most of these Wookies were soldiers for the Old Republic," Hera said and Ezra could hear the compassion in her voice.

"I owe those hairy beasts." Zeb said. "They saved some of my people."

Huh. Furball had a heart? Who knew?

"Mine too," Hera said.

"If we're going to save them, we've got a tight window," Kanan said as he returned the focus to the Op. "They've been taken to an unknown slave labor camp. If we don't intercept this ship, we'll never find them. Now, I have a plan, but-"

KRIFF!

Ezra winced as he heard the loud thud that was him hitting his head on the ceiling of the storage compartment. Durasteel hurts.

He heard the click of a button and the next thing he knew the compartment's door slid open and he was surrounded by surprised faces. Well mostly surprised. Sabine looked more amused than anything else.

They had had an entire conversation about each being direction-handling challenged. As for the Ghost crew's looks of shock. Well what did they expect? Sticking him in the kitchen while they had this big important meeting? They might as well have written him a formal invitation!

Still Ezra gave the four of them a friendly wave and did his best to look not guilty, but he had a feeling they wouldn't buy it. So Ezra darted back in the compartment and reached for the vent - only to feel the familiar hands of the Great Furball wrap around his legs and yank him back out, spilling him onto the floor front and center of everyone.

Ooowwww… Durasteel decks? Also painful!

"I ordered Chopper to keep watch!" Zeb said. As if that meant anything. Judging by Kanan's eyebrow arch, he thought as much of that as Sabine and Hera.

Guess Chopper is the name of that old astromech. And speaking of, here comes the little pest warbling and beeping away throwing his manipulators up in the air in outrage. Then came the snorting and growling from Zeb as he leaned over and began clenching his fists, just ready to drop the hammer on Ezra.

Wisely Ezra began scrambling backward, trying to get as far away from the enraged alien as possible and then watched as both Sabine and Kanan held him back.

"Can we please get rid of him!?" Zeb demanded.

"No. We can't," Sabine said quickly.

Ezra looked up at her and smiled.

"The kid knows too much." Sabine clarified.

And just like that, it's back to "kid" again. And right then Ezra felt like giving himself the old facepalm. Ezra fought back a groan. Kid.

But whatever, right? Never going to see them again after this.

Thankfully Hera took this moment to interject herself and reached down, holding her hand out to Ezra. "We don't have time to take him home anyway." Ezra gave the Twi'lek woman a small smile and took the offered hand, allowing Hera to help him up. "We need to move now," Hera emphasized and wrapped her arm around his shoulder to lead him toward the cockpit and away from Zeb and the others.

She looked back over her shoulders at the rest of the team. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"About time somebody got it," Ezra mentioned to Hera as they entered the cockpit.

"That a street rat is a street rat?" Hera chimed as she hopped into her pilot's chair and began flipping switches and punching in numbers to some sort of computer looking thing. She paused though thinking back on her wording. "Hey? I didn't mean it like that, Ezra."

And he believed her, which was why when he sat down in the co-pilot's seat he felt the need to caution her about Kanan's "plan." But first Ezra took a moment to enjoy the feeling of the ship lifting off again and the quiet but steady humming of the engines and as the Ghost reached outer space. He also watched with anticipation as the many stars once again became lines when Hera pushed forward a lever in the middle of the cockpit.

Ezra wondered if that's what star pilot's meant when they talked about "punching it" when getting drunk in cantinas.

"It's okay, Hera. And I'm over the street rat thing. It's just?"

"Just?"

"You know, this whole "mission" thing is nuts," Ezra said at last. He noticed her hurt look, which was the last thing Ezra wanted to make her feel. Searching for the words he idly twirled his chair around. "I'm not against sticking it to the Empire, but there's no way I'd stick my neck out this far. Who does that?"

Hera glanced at him and in her eyes he could see her pick up what he was saying. Or rather he was trying not to say.

He's come this far with us.

"We do," Hera said softly with a glance and then returned her attention to the controls.

Two words from her was all it took to dumbfound Ezra. Of all the crew Ezra had spent the least amount of time with Hera, but in that short time she had earned his respect more so than anyone else aboard.

And because of that respect for her Ezra didn't say another word but it wasn't like he could hide his facial expression, not about this. And Ezra's scowl told Hera everything she needed to know.

He thought this was a bad idea. He… worried, at least about some of them. But he was still going to go along for the ride. It was more than Hera could've hoped for.

For his part Ezra thought over other ways he could try and convince Hera out of this. But nothing he came up with would work. Not for good people like this that truly wanted to help others in need.

A few moments later the Ghost exited hyperspace at the coordinates this Vizago guy had provided them, and in front of them was the Imperial transport - along with four TIE fighters underneath it connected by airlocks. Ezra closed his eyes and waited for what he thought was the inevitable.

"Imperial Transport 651," Hera began as Ezra shook his head. "This is Starbird, coming inbound."

Starbird? Hmph, Starbird. Not a bad name for a ship.

"State your business," came the response over the ship's comm transmission, the High Imperial accent unmistakeable. The transport's Captain, Ezra figured.

"Bounty. We captured an additional Wookie prisoner and have transfer orders to place him with you."

Suddenly Ezra felt it. Felt one of those bad feelings he had learned to trust over the years. Something was very wrong.

"We have no such orders." Came a prompt reply and immediately the transport launched the first pair of its complement of TIE fighters. If Hera was nervous, she didn't show it. In fact she doubled down.

"That's fine. We already got paid by Governor Tarkin. If you don't want the oversized monong, I'll jettison here. Let you explain to your superiors why the Empire has one less slave."

Despite his reservations about the plan and unsettled feelings Ezra had to give her credit. With her complete nonchalance Hera could pull a solid con. Not that that didn't make the two TIE fighters any less threatening. All it took was one pilot with an itchy trigger finger, a fact that was more troublesome when both TIEs moved into attack position behind the Ghost.

But Hera kept her cool. The lady had nerves stronger than durasteel.

"Permission to dock. Bay 1."

With her arms folded over her chest, Hera turned to Ezra and smiled then looked back at the transport. But that bad feeling Ezra had felt still persisted, but he kept quiet as the Ghost came about to the transport's port bow and extended its airlock to dock with the larger vessel.

Step one complete, Ezra thought. But that only meant it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. Stormtroopers could be real idiots but would they really fall for this? Despite the hair and his smell Zeb still wasn't exactly a Wookie.

"No troopers. Security's soft." Kanan's voice came in over the comlink only to then suddenly cut to static. Hera jumped on it and began adjusting dials.

"Spectre-1, come in. Spectre-4?" Hera said as her earlier nerves began to give way to a real worry, a worry that was reflected onto Ezra. "Spectre-5?" Hera groaned.

Ezra eyed the cockpit's communication panel but kept quiet. He didn't know jack about spaceships. But he knew to trust his instincts and feelings. Something bad was about to happen.

"Comm's down." Hera said and then her green eyes narrowed in suspicion. "No, not down. Jammed."

Hera and Ezra traded looks, and then Ezra felt it.

"Something's coming," he said, his voice calm and certain.

Ezra's head whipped around as he focused on one piece of empty space, but before Hera could ask a moment later Ezra's suspicions and her worst fear were realized. The large looming superstructure of an Imperial Star Destroyer dropped out of Hyperspace, exactly where Ezra had expected.

"That's an Imperial Star Destroyer!" Hera announced as she grabbed the controls to the Ghost and rapidly began pressing button after button as quickly as she possibly could.

"This whole thing was a setup!" Ezra exclaimed as he turned from the giant warship to look at Hera for a moment and then looked back at the massive ship.

"It's beginning to look that way," Hera admitted grudgingly. Armed to the teeth and filled with an army of stormtroopers the capital ship engaged its sublight engines and began to make way, heading directly for them.

Hera took a deep breath. With the comms jammed there was only one thing they could do, that Ezra could do. And the danger Ezra was about to be placed in. Stars. What will his parents think?

"You need to board the transport and warn them."

"What?" Ezra said and looked at her like she had just grown a second head. "Why don't you do it?"

Hera closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, hating herself right now. "I need to be ready to take off, or none of us stands a chance."

Ezra's arms exploded outward in denial.

"No, no way! Why would I risk my life for a bunch of strangers?" Ezra demanded, but was surprised to find himself considering the notion. This was crazy. He was crazy.

"Because Kanan risked his for you." Hera shot back and then got right in Ezra's face. "If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing."

Ezra's eyes lowered in defeat, and Hera knew what his answer would be. "They need you, Ezra. They need you right now."

Ezra looked up, glancing at Hera briefly before turning his eyes upward as the shadow of the Star Destroyer spread over them from above.

As the transport and the Ghost were pulled into the Star Destroyer's hold, Ezra's face changed from a jumble of nervousness to one of stricken realization.

He was in over his head but something stirred within Ezra that refused to be ignored no longer.

A spark.

Chapter Text

As he ran out of the cockpit and into the bowels of the Ghost, getting closer and closer to the airlock that would lead him to a kriffin' Star Destroyer filled with thousands of Imperials armed with the same blasters he had been trying so hard to get his hands on, one thought kept resonating with him. A thought spurred by the female Twi'lek captain he had come to respect in such a short time. And it had nothing to do with Kanan risking his life for him.

It was the damn Tarkintown and the people there who were suffering.

"If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing."

Is that what had his life been all these years? Is that what his future was destined to be? No. He didn't want that. But helping his homeworld was one thing, but this was just crazy! And Hera's words moment's ago did nothing to alleviate that.

"Listen, our crew boarded that transport to selflessly rescue Imperial prisoners. They have no idea they walked into a trap. No idea what's coming!" Hera placed her hand on Ezra's shoulder, a look of grim truth in her eyes. "You need to go warn them, Ezra."

"No, it's too late for them, Hera." Ezra responded, his mind still grappling with the spark in his heart to do the right thing.

"We should run now, while–"

"You don't mean that."

"I do! I swear, I do." Ezra said, sighing in desperation. He could hear the throbbing of his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

Ezra's eyes gazed out the transparisteel cockpit of the Ghost as the destroyer's tractor beam pulled it into the belly of the Imperial vessel, and the dangers that were waiting beyond. So many dangers his mind reminded him of.

But that damn Tarkintown; and spurred by Hera's words of living a life worth nothing, Ezra's heart won out.

"Which is why I can't believe I'm doing this!" Ezra groaned, and ran from the cockpit to do something he'd never done before. Fighting for something other than himself.

When the airlock opened revealing the transport's interior, Ezra didn't know what to expect. But he spun into cover beside a bulkhead as a pair of stormtroopers roving the bay could spot him. It was only then Ezra realized all he had for weapons was his stun stick and his wrist mounted slingshot that shot electrical blasts.

Even if (and it was a big if) he managed to warn the others. And they made it to the ship. What about the tractor beam? What about those fighters? He wasn't in the Star Destroyer itself but he knew those things carried dozens of TIEs.

And where the kriff where the cell blocks anyway?!

Ezra groaned, and went to key his pull a comlink off his belt to ask Hera for directions - only to realize he didn't have any of the crew's com digits. Not to mention the Empire was jamming all unauthorized frequencies.

Which is why I'm running here on foot in the first place. Right. Time to focus.

"You two! Setup out of sight by the cells. Cut off all avenues of retreat." a stormtrooper with a brown shoulder pauldron said to the pair of stormtroopers.

Immediately the pair followed the senior stormtrooper, and before he could give his brain a chance to think things through Ezra was after them and praying they wouldn't look over their shoulders to see the small kid in orange following them.

"Come on, brig's just up ahead!" the lead stormtrooper said.

Brig? I hope that's sailor-talk for detention cells! Which meant one thing. Now or never!

"Hey bucketheads!" Ezra shouted, and as the three stopped they were met with a rapid firing of the yellow electric bolts from Ezra's slingshot.

Ezra's chest was heaving, not from the running but from the realization of the three unconscious Imperials in white armor lying on the dull gunmetal gray deck of the transport.

And for a a moment all Ezra could think was whoa.

But the moment passed and Ezra's mind shouted for him to focus and he shake off the shock. Resuming his pace he gave thought to grabbing one of the fallen stormtrooper's blaster rifles, but then he had never used one before. He'd probably have worse aim than the bucketheads!

So he continued on and kept his eyes up. Depending on how this played out it was luck or a curse he ran into the three of those guys. But they did say that the detention level was close - there!

The door swished open - do all starship doors make the same noise? And as it opened a rush of relief flooded over Ezra when he saw Kanan and Zeb getting ready to breach a cell door. He had found them and Ezra threw his arms out, waving like a kid possessed.

"IT'S A TRAP!" Ezra shouted as loudly as his lungs could handle. "We gotta get out of here, it's a trap!"

"Karabast!" Zeb snarled. "The kid's blowing another op!"

"It's not an op." Ezra exclaimed, as he doubled over and gasped for breath. "It's a trap! Hera sent me to warn you."

The two still looked doubtful. What the kriff!? Seriously! What's it take?

The cell door swooshed open and out charged stormtroopers with weapons ready.

I'll take it, Ezra thought and as Kanan and Zeb stumbled backward Ezra brought his slingshot. He shot off a single yellow bolt of electricity just to the right of the lead stormtrooper - and right into a dangerous looking power panel next to the cell door. His aim was true, Ezra's shot caused the panel to explode and take down the stormtroopers. Ezra fought the urge to smile.

Not bad for a street - oh kriff I'm about to be left behind! Ezra chased after, despite his best efforts of recalling his way here it was still no use he couldn't recall the path off the top of his head. All he needed was to just keep up with Zeb and Kanan and-

"We need to warn Sabine and Chopper!" Ezra reminded them. "But they've jammed the comm!"

"They'll follow the plan. It'll be fine." Kanan said, sounding more annoyed that it had been a trap than worried about something else - like say capture!

"Yeah, 'cause the plan's gone just great so far!" Ezra shot back, voice filled with sarcasm. Then he remembered something else. "Also? Tractor beam!"

"Relax. We got it." Kanan said as he led the way, with Ezra finding himself in the middle and Zeb taking up the rear.

More twists and turns, running blindly through the corridors but seemingly knowing where they were headed. At least it was just this transport and not the actual Star Destroyer itself. Those things were over a kilometer long!

Only around the next bend came a small squad of five stormtroopers led by a funny looking Imperial in an olive drab office uniform. Only he was also wearing this giant helmet and had some sort of chestplate, adorned with an insignia of red and blue that Ezra had never seen before.

"Don't stop!" Kanan ordered, holding his blaster at the ready as they ran.

Ezra's eyes widened as both groups ran at the other - neither one shooting. The stormtroopers Ezra understood, packed so closely they would just as likely shoot each other. But he'd seen Kanan and his accuracy. His plans sucked but he was a real deadeye with that pistol of his. What was he waiting for?

"Push off now!" Kanan yelled.

Push off?

And just like that Ezra found himself floating in the hallway, right along with Kanan and the stormtroopers and Mister Helmet. What the kriff just happened!

Blaster fire and Ezra looked to see that Kanan was at last shooting while floating. Okay now the Wiseass was just showing off!

Unaware of Sabine's tampering with the artificial gravity, and not truly understanding how gravity worked on starships, Ezra tried flutter kicking his legs and making swimming motions with his arms only to remain exactly where he was. More blaster bolts were exchanged, but thankfully stormtroopers had just as bad of aim floating as they did when standing. But how was Kanan moving - oh!

Ezra watched as with one hand he returned fire back at the stormtroopers, and the other he latched on to any handhold on the sides of the corridor and pulled himself forward. Gravity, Ezra realized and quickly followed suit by grabbing onto whatever he could reach hold of.

Which wasn't much as he was floating almost perfectly in the center, arms and legs unable to reach - hey! Ezra felt himself jerked back as Zeb used his body as a handhold to propel himself further.

But before the furball could get out of reach Ezra's hand shot forward and latched onto the Lasat's back, despite Zeb's shouts of protest.

After a few initial attempts to push Ezra away, Zeb resigned himself to carrying the kid. No novice to zero gravity the Lasat easily continued to find handholds on the walls, ceiling, wherever and pushed them both forward as Kanan continued to lead the way blaster first.

When they reached the stormtroopers, the few that were still alive Kanan and Zeb both used as handholds to continue propelling themselves forward. As Ezra continued to hang on he was hoping and hoping that the hangar and freedom was just around the next corner, this was all becoming too much for the young teen.

"You doing okay, kid?" Kanan called back as they passed through a door and took a right down to yet another corridor.

"You kidding?" Ezra asked in exasperation. "Ah!" Ezra yelped when Zeb finally managed to shrug Ezra off his back, leaving him on his own.

Sink or swim, Ezra found a handhold and pushed off. Finding himself able to keep pace with the other two he felt a small bit of relief.

Keep moving, Ez. Grab and pull. Grab and pull. You can do this. You're almost-

"Now!" Kanan said.

"Ah!" Ezra cried, as he felt himself hit the deck hard. Just as his brain began to register what had happened he felt Zeb's strong hand grip his collar and yanked him to his feet. After a few stumbles Zeb let go once Ezra had gotten his feet under him.

Another junction, this time with Sabine and that one pain in the kark orange astromech droid.

"Where are the Wookies?" Ezra heard Sabine ask.

"No Wookies!" Kanan replied. "Sabine, man the nose gun! Chop, tell Hera to take off!"

With Zeb running behind him, Ezra closed his eyes in relief at the words, knowing it meant that the airlock leading to the Ghost was near. He had done it. He could hardly believe it!

But Ezra's relief was short lived as he felt Zeb yank on him once again, only this time backward as the purple Lasat continued charging past him after Kanan and the others. Ezra glared as he watched the others take the next right and took a few steps forward only for a black gloved hand to grab him by his pack and pull him down.

"Let go!" Ezra grunted. He looked over his shoulder and saw that it was none other than Mister Helmet and coming up behind him were more stormtroopers.

Ezra continued to struggle but he was still a kid and didn't have the strength to fight off a full grown man, a man who knew how to fight with his hands as one arm squeezed his neck and the other locked his head in place.

He was trapped!

He glanced up, hoping to see help and there it was! Zeb out with his blaster rifle taking aim! Ezra was a few shots away from freedom!

Only the blaster shots never came and the arm around Ezra's neck only squeezed tighter. His captor was using him as a human shield!

"Kid! Get out of the way!" Zeb shouted.

"I'm trying!" Ezra choked out just before blaster fire erupted from behind him. The stormtroopers formed a line and began shooting down the corridor, forcing Zeb to take cover behind a bulkhead. Ezra's struggles began to pay off and he loosened the arm around his neck to gasp out a breath, and as he glanced to Zeb he watched as the Lasat's face changed from one of determination to something he had never seen on Zeb before.

Hopelessness.

He wouldn't.

No. They wouldn't!

"Sorry, kid!" Zeb shouted and looked at him with regret. "You did good."

Zeb left and the door sealed shut behind him.

He did. He left.

Ezra struggled, his eyes filled with fear as he waited and hoped to see Kanan or Sabine or hell even that annoying astromech to come back through the door and - and - and be the big stupid idiotic heroes they saw themselves as! The kind of selfless people that gave the starving people of Tarkintown hope.

The people that lit that spark inside of him.

Ezra elbowed the man holding him in the gut, only to wince when he felt his unprotected elbow smash against a very tough metal alloy. Still it caught Mister Helmet off guard and for a moment Ezra felt like he could get free.

But Helmet recovered and Ezra found himself grabbed again.

Silence filled the corridor, except for the frightened panting of a scared boy who came to the horrifying realization that there was no coming to his rescue.

"They need you, Ezra! They need you right now. If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing."

"Well," the Imperial Officer said with a tone of disappointment in his High Imperial voice, continuing to hold Ezra by the neck. "So much for heroes. And to think they came to rescue prisoners, and instead leave you behind."

Yeah, Ezra thought as a familiar ugly feeling settled in. A feeling accompanied by memories. Ones he tried to shove back in their box but it was no use.

People leave. Story of my life. Not that I'm about to Helmet any of that. But he did have something to share with him.

Ezra stopped his struggles and waited, waited until he caught the Imp's attention and could see him out of the corner of his eye.

Ezra managed to turn his shoulders around, look his captor in the eyes, and lifted his head high.

"Eat sand."

Ezra watched as the officer was first taken aback by the amount of nerve from such a young person, but then eventually followed by a flash of respect across the Imperial's face. And finally a begrudging smile and a nod.

Something heavy hit the back of Ezra's head. As the boy's world faded into black he had one last thought.

They always leave.

From the Ghost's nose turret Sabine stayed ready on the gun for any TIE fighters, but nothing was popping up on her scope. There was some prattle over the intercom in the cockpit from the Imperial Transport Commander and a witty comeback by Hera.

"Sabine, hit it," Hera said.

Smiling Sabine held the remote detonator in her hand and with a click of the button, triggered the numerous explosives she had planted in the transport ship. As the Ghost distanced itself from the destroyer she could hear the sounds of the explosions but had no way to see it.

She let out a sigh in frustration and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I can't see it from here," she said into her comlink. "How'd it look?"

"Gorgeous, Sabine. As always." Kanan said from his spot at the ship's dorsal turret, proud of the girl. The Star Destroyer's hangar filled with smoke and fire, there'd be no pursuit. And while the op had been a setup Kanan was still extremely satisfied in how quickly his team had adapted and managed such a smooth escape.

The results of careful planning and solid teamwork.

Sabine relaxed into her seat and smiled, taking the complement to her handiwork and watched as stars became lines and the Ghost jumped into hyperspace. With the ship free and clear she swiveled the chair around and got up, making her way to the cockpit and the upcoming debrief - grabbing her helmet along the way.

She fell in behind Kanan and they entered the cockpit together, joining Hera as she leaned back in the pilot's chair and nodded to them. Given what happened the debrief shouldn't take long.

Kanan's earlier jubilation with the escape had shifted to annoyance. He sighed and sat down next to Hera in the co-pilot's chair. "The whole thing was a setup."

"You think Vizago was in on it?" Sabine asked. It was the only thing that made sense to her.

"He'd sell his mother to Jawas for a couple credits," Hera said, thinking about the green skinned broken horned Devaronian. Sabine took her chair behind Kanan's as she listened to Hera. "But we're a source of income for him." Hera folded her arms and gestured with her hand. "Even odds he didn't know."

The cockpit's doors swished open behind and Sabine recognized the heavy footfalls of Zeb as he joined the others. Glancing she saw he too looked equally frustrated. Maybe even moreso as he sat down in his designated chair behind Hera, his eyes focused on the deck and refusing to look at anyone.

Kanan's annoyance wasn't going away anytime soon as he stared forward out the transparisteel - looking out into hyperspace. Sabine hoped that maybe Kanan would cheer up after dinner. Zeb was cooking after all.

"The kid did all right." Hera said suddenly and Sabine saw the huge smile come over the Twi'lek female's face. Sabine tilted her head at that. She recognized that look in Hera's eyes.

"He did okay," Kanan said, forcing the words out of his mouth begrudgingly.

Sabine hid a smile. She had only seen Ezra for a moment before they sprinted for the exit, but it looked like that diamond in the rough had stepped up. She wondered what Hera had said to get him to risk his neck like that for them.

Hmm, he did have nicknames for all of them.

Kanan just shrugged, but after knowing the man for two years Sabine could read him pretty well by now and with the look on his face he was having similar thoughts about how Ezra had come through for them. "Where is he?"

"I, uh, thought he was with you." Zeb said from his spot next to Sabine.

She heard the hesitation in his voice and a switch got flipped inside Sabine's head.

"Zeb," Sabine said slowly and leaned over to look him straight in the face. "What did you do to him?" Sabine asked, trying to ignore the sudden chill running down the back of her neck.

He wouldn't.

"I didn't do anything to him." Zeb said, shaking his head and looking at the others for understanding. Then shifted his eyes and went back to looking at the floor. "But that ISB agent grabbed him."

"What?!" Sabine, Hera, and Kanan said in unison. Horror and disbelief stamped on each of their faces as each tuned to stare at him.

Sabine felt the chill running down her neck freeze into ice.

"The kid got grabbed, okay?!" Zeb said, again looking to the others and searching for understanding.

If looks could kill!

"Garazeb Orrelios!" Hera said, addressing him by his full name.

"Oh, come on!" Zeb responded and began shaking in a mix of fear and frustration. "We were dumping him after the mission anyway!" His head swayed off to the side, the proud Lasat trying to hide his shame. "This saves us fuel."

Hera's eyes widened in disbelief from what she was hearing and looked at Kanan.

"They'll go easy on him. He's just a kid," Zeb said, though not he even sounded convinced of that. No one got off easy when it came to the Empire.

Kanan looked at Hera, his eyes mirroring hers.

They wouldn't abandon him, Sabine thought as she continued to look at her two surrogate parents to begin forming some sort of a plan. But their faces were despondent. Conflicted. Guilty.

Wouldn't they?

Keeping his eyes closed helped a little with the pain throbbing from his head. But did nothing for the other kind of pain Ezra was feeling. And he had nothing in his pack to help either, which sat uselessly on the cell's bench next to him.

"Hey, a kid's gotta eat."

"Pretty gutsy move, kid!"

"You want a ride? Kid! You have a better option!?"

"Nothing would thrill me more than tossing you out! While in flight."

"You can't keep me here! Take me back to Lothal!"

"I'm Hera."

"Grab a crate, pull your weight."

"Locals call it Tarkintown. Anybody who tried to fight back got arrested… for treason."

"Thank you so much!"

"I… I didn't do anything."

"Look I know you're not gonna believe me, but it's like this thing wanted me to take it."

"You're right, I don't believe you."

"Not too good at following directions, are you?"

"You're not exactly thieves."

"Sabine. My name's Sabine."

Ezra drooped his head back against the wall of his cell.

"Can we please get rid of him!?"

"The kid knows too much."

"I'm not against sticking it to the Empire, but there's no way I'd stick my neck out this far. Who does that?"

"We do."

"No, no way! Why would I risk my life for a bunch of strangers?"

"They need you, Ezra! They need you right now. If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing."

Ezra let out a breath and shook his head.

"Karabast! The kid's blowing another op!"

"Where are the Wookies?"

"Sorry, kid. You did good!"

"So much for heroes."

"Eat sand."

Ezra's eyes opened. The starving Rodian standing in front of him holding the small piece of purple jogan as if it were gold. His words of thanks echoing in Ezra's pounding head.

"I didn't do anything…"

The Rodian disappeared and the door to Ezra's cell swished open. His Imperial captor had ditched the helmet, but in Ezra's opinion he should've kept it. If only to cover up those overgrown muttonchops of his. How could that be acceptable in Imperial regs?

"I'm not against sticking it to the Empire, but there's no way I'd stick my neck out this far. Who does that?"

"Should've kept the helmet," Ezra commented. "Did wonders for that beard of yours."

The newly dubbed Muttonchops remained where he stood, on top of the stairs that led into the cell. His arms were folded behind him as he eyed Ezra with interest. The model of Imperial indifference. The silence felt deafening.

"Don't suppose you got some bacta?" Ezra said, continuing to try and bait the Imp. It didn't work.

"I am Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau," Muttonchops said, and with a holier than thou attitude he kept his posture as he descended the steps into the ceiling, stopping in front of Ezra.

"I recognized a few of your cohorts." He eyed Ezra more closely. "But not you."

Pushing aside the pain in his head and the pain stemming from his heart, Ezra leaned forward and matched the ISB agent's look of disinterest.

"Jabba the Hutt," Ezra said, trying one last time. But Muttonchops, or Agent Kallus apparently, remained unmoving. Impassive. Kind of like a droid that's switched off so it can recharge.

"Look," Ezra said, deciding it best to give them something at least. "I just met those guys today, I don't know anything."

"You're not here for what you know, "Jabba." You're here to be used as bait upon our return to Lothal."

Bait? Bait!

"Sorry, kid. You did good!"

"Wow, you're about as bright as a binary droid!" Ezra said, unable to keep the pent emotions inside for a second longer. Though he did his best to keep his tone light and carefree, Ezra couldn't completely hide the sting of hurt from his voice and his eyes glanced to the floor of his cell. "They're not gonna come for me. People don't do that."

They don't. Not ever.

Kallus inhaled deeply and took another step forward. Ezra eyed his insignia. A single line. Two blue squares on the left, an empty space, and a single red square on the right. Why the empty space? He misplace a square? Hope that doesn't mean a demerit.

Studying Ezra for another moment, Kallus leaned forward and Ezra could smell the crap meal the Empire feeds guys like this. He lifted his arm and reached out with his gloved hand, brushing some dirt off Ezra's left shoulder. Ezra flinched away, involuntarily.

Which was when he felt Kallus pluck something off his belt. Ezra turned his head to see the ISB agent holding up the commlink he lifted from Commander Aresko back in Capital City.

"Interesting. Commander Aresko's report read that the crew that hit the shipment of E-11 blaster rifles in Capital City had called in a "Red Alert" prior to the theft. What his report failed to mention was that it was his own personal comlink that was used - someone familiar with Imperial protocols could make quite the mess with such the device of a ranking officer. More interesting was that while today's Imperial casualties have been high, there were no reports of any civilians being hurt."

Kallus tilted his head. "And yet they left you behind to take the fall. Didn't they - "kid?" They get to be seen as heroes and no one gets hurt, well, no one important that is. Unfortunately someone will have to take the blame for today's theft, murder, and destruction of Imperial property. How… fortunate for them that the person they only met today will be the one holding the bag."

Ezra took a breath and nodded. "Okay. I'll tell you something. Something useful. Something I'm not supposed to even know about."

"I'm all ears," Kallus replied and leaned in to listen.

Clearing his throat, Ezra gestured and then cupped his hand to Kallus the secret.

"You actually looked better WITH the helmet," Ezra said just loudly enough for Kallus alone to hear. Ezra then turned his eyes to match Kallus, a smirk on Ezra's face. "Agent Muttonchops."

"Hmph," Kallus nodded but maintained his Imperial bearing and straightened his posture, then turned and walked out of the cell not looking back. "Search him," he addressed the two stormtrooper guards outside. "Then secure him here."

With Kallus' exit the two stormtroopers entered and closed in on Ezra, backing him against the wall. The first thing they did was remove his wrist-mounted slingshot. "Hey!" Ezra said, but the stormtroopers just shoved him back and rifled through his pack. They made quick work, finding his stun stick, R-series scomp link lockpick, and other tools. Lastly they threw the slingshot in the pack and shoved Ezra back when he tried to protest. "Get off!" Ezra said, but the stormtroopers just shoved him again before taking his pack and leaving the cell, sealing the door and locking it behind them.

On his knees in defeat, Ezra broke out his best impression of Hera.

"You need to warn them, Ezra."

So much for risking your neck for others.

Ezra shook his head and reached into his coat's secret pocket, revealing the weird cube he had swiped while aboard the Ghost. "What was I thinking?" Ezra muttered and got off his knees and walked back to the bench. "Better on my own." He narrowed his eyes at that..

Better on my own? When did I stop? Memories of what he witnessed at Tarkintown caused Ezra to groan in frustration and look at the cube. "And of course, the only thing I managed to hold onto is this worthless piece of…"

His hands twisted and turned and did everything possible, but got nowhere in opening the thing. With a growl of pent up anger, Ezra threw the cube as hard as he could against the wall of his cell and then collapsed onto the bench.

Man, Ezra thought. What do I do? Think. Not on a transport anymore with only a dozen stormtroopers. On a kriffin' kilometer long Imperial Star Destroyer with a thousand of those bucketheads. Okay, fine!

It may be a Star Destroyer but that doesn't make it a prison. But if I don't get out now that's exactly where I'll end up. So think. You can do this.

Ezra thought but they weren't the thoughts he was hoping for that. Muttonchop's words and just the hopelessness was getting to him. That stupid box of childhood trauma had conveniently reopened itself.

Zeb, sure he'd leave me. Kanan - the Wiseass. Sure he'd lend a hand so long as it's convenient. Guess I became inconvenient then. Wouldn't think twice. And Sabine?

Ezra really didn't like where his thoughts were taking him but he was helpless to resist.

Did Sabine really mean what she said in their conversation? The stuff about honor and family. She didn't seem like the kind to leave someone behind. Or was she? She loved the attention, that much was obvious. So what did that make him and their conversation in the ship's kitchen. Just looking for attention? Or, worse, an idle distraction just to bide the time?

He remembered the looks in Sabine's amber eyes at the end. And her imploring question about his own family. No way. Ezra can spot a con a mile away and that? Can't fake that.

At the same time, not like any of them would listen to her.

As for Hera? Ezra shook his head as memories of his own mother came uninvited into his mind. Hera was the one flying the kriffin' ship to begin with. She decides to stay or go. So yeah Hera cares about her family, with the emphasis on her family.

Everybody leaves.

Ezra gave a scornful huff.

Well done, Bridger. Any other useless holes of despair you want to dive down? Pity parties always result in useful solutions!

Closing his eyes, Ezra pushed all mental and physical distractions aside. He needed to focus. Needed to concentrate. Place isn't a prison, just a ship. Okay, it's a Star Destroyer but still just a ship. And while Agent Kallus-Muttonchops is smarter than your average Imperial the rest are still just bucketheads. All bucket and no head. So focus.

Holding his hands together Ezra cleared his mind and focused. Something would come to him. Eventually it always does.

Maybe it was a minute. Or maybe it had only been a few seconds. Lost in concentration Ezra wasn't aware that the cube began emitting a noise. First the whirring of the cube's corners as it began to unlock and then from within it became a hum. The same hum, the same call, he had heard over and over again with these past few days especially.

But only when it fully unlocked, floated into the middle of the room, and its corners and edges separated did it begin to play back a holorecording. A man's voice, a cultured accent, began to slowly rouse Ezra from his thoughts.

"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen."

Ezra's eyes opened wide as it clicked to him that not only had he opened it, but a holoimage of a bearded guy in some simple but really clean robes was now speaking.

"With the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place."

A Jedi, Ezra thought with his mouth agape.

"This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in the Force."

Ezra looked on as the recording ended and the cube pieced itself back together again, but didn't align the corners or lock the edges back to their original spots. Ezra gasped not only at what he had just witnessed but also the plan taking shape in his head.

Thieves, crew, family, kriffin' good samaritans whatever they think themselves as. It was a mistake trusting those guys. And anyway they're gone now, but I'm not. I'm on a ship. A spaceship but still a ship. And all ships have rats. Even Star Destroyers.

"No! No, no! No way! You cannot be serious!" Zeb exclaimed in disagreement to Hera's "plan."

"It's our fault he was there!" Hera argued.

"Come on, Hera! We just met this kid! We're not going back for him!" Zeb yelled, repeating everything he had already said only twice as loud and making Sabine flinch.

Who the hell cares if we just met him? Like Hera said, we put him there! This is our fault!

But that doesn't mean we can save him. He isn't on some transport or Gozanti class cruiser. Those are in our wheelhouse. Not this time. No, we're talking about an Imperial Star Destroyer with over a thousand stormtroopers and an entire wing of TIE fighters.

These vessels were the pride and backbone of the Galactic Empire's military. And chances are they're expecting us. Sitting and waiting patiently for us to drop out of hyperspace and charge in blasters blazing to save Ezra and? Yeah! If that's what they're thinking, well, they're right! Because I really! Really! Really! Want to do that right now!

And then me and Ezra exchange high fives as cellmates.

Sabine couldn't help it as her own strategic mind played out the consequences following their likely capture. Consequences that her artist's imagination painted into images. Images of an executed Kanan hung by the neck with the word "traitor" carved into his chest. Images of Hera in the chains of slavery working until death, or worse. And Zeb, the last Lasat, his race gone forever. And me -

"What happened to your real family?"

The Empire will eventually figure out who I am. They'll make me finish what I started.

Sabine hit rewind again and again and watched as her mind showed her every outcome. And every time Ezra's "rescue" ended with them captured or blasted into space dust by turbolasers. They needed something else if they were going to attempt this. But what that was Sabine hadn't the slightest notion, which meant one thing.

"They'll be waiting for us." Sabine said once there was a lull in the heated argument. Her voice was soft and quiet but loud enough so the others could hear her clearly. "We can't save him."

Sabine glanced up and immediately regretted it when she saw Hera's look of disappointment in her. She knew Hera would be disappointed and she still looked. Another fresh wave of guilt washed over Sabine.

And so she looked down at the helmet sitting in her lap. A part of her wanted to defend her reasoning but what was the use? Hera saw the flaws in the plan just as easily as her, they just disagreed. People do that. Disagree. And unless Hera could improve on her "plan" or unless Kanan had something she hadn't thought of?

Sabine looked at Kanan but he turned away from the rest of the group, his face just as guilt ridden. Sabine tightly clenched her helmet sitting in her arms. And tried not to think of Ezra's appreciation of her artwork.

"Whump, whumpa, whup!" Chopper said. And Sabine's eyes widened when she made the translation.

"Weakling meatbags! Scared of bucketheads? Please let me airlock them, Master!"

"What! What did he say?" Zeb said. He looked from Hera to Sabine for an answer.

"He voted with me." Hera said, a triumphant note in her voice.

That wasn't exactly what Chopper had said, Sabine thought, but she kept quiet.

"That's two against two. Kanan," Hera said. With her addressment all eyes went to the Jedi. "You have the deciding vote."

One more time Sabine ran through the dozens of different plans and scenarios of her own design but they all ended up with her family either dead or sitting next to Ezra in binders.

But Sabine knew that look on Kanan's face and then glanced down at her helmet and its Y-shaped visor. That was it then she thought, and wiped a thumb over her reforged helmet.

Ancestors watch over us.

"Chopper, bring up the schematics of the Star Destroyer," Sabine said in a voice as hardened as beskar steel. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hera's earlier disappointment began to change. Change in realization by what Sabine had said. Changed to pride.

It felt good, but it didn't make her Twi'lek Captain's plan any less crazy!

"Make adjustments for the damage in the Star Destroyer's hangar bay from the wreckage of the destroyed transport." Sabine continued and ignored Zeb's look of disbelief and focused instead on the Star Destroyer's holo-projection to see what she could do to improve on Hera's "plan."

There must be something they're missing. What aren't they seeing?

"And you bucketheads are gonna be sorry! When my uncle, the Emperor," Ezra shouted - knowing that would get the two stormtroopers' attention. "Finds out you're keeping me here against my will. I guarantee he'll make a personal example…"

Ezra cut it there and began to make the appropriate noises for his genius plan that cannot fail anyway whatsoever.

The stormtroopers shared nervous looks when they heard the coughing and choking noise coming from inside the cell. Not the Emperor! Without a second's hesitation the one on the left opened the cell and the two charged into Ezra's cell to help the Emperor's dying nephew.

But there was nothing there, not even the kid!

Ezra smirked as he snuck out from under the five stairs that led down into the cell, and then monkey-crawled up and out of the cell; he waved at the two stormtroopers looking up at him in shock.

"Bye guys," Ezra said, and then sealed and locked the door.

Think I'm starting to get the hang of this, Ezra thought as he quickly walked away from the cell blocks. He had done his best to recall Imperial wayfinding symbols he had seen at their ground installations, and thankfully there were a few similarities. And despite going in and out of consciousness as he was dragged from the hangar to cell blocks, Ezra believed he still had a general sense of direction.

Who was he kidding? First time on Star Destroyer and I magically know the way out? How is that possible? When every. Single. Hallway. Looked. Exactly. The. Kriffin' same! Successfully navigating my way around one of these things would be like picking a stormtrooper out from a lineup of stormtroopers!

Ezra quelled the growing sense of desperation and instead returned his focus on the ship's signs. That they were all in aurabesh didn't help but he was beginning to recognize a few of the signs and symbols displayed on the bulkheads of the Star Destroyer.

One looked suspiciously like it might be pointing to an armory.

An armory, where they'll take my stuff to? Probably. Maybe. Gah, whatever! Just get there, get my stuff, find an air vent and hide out until I can stowaway on a shuttle headed to a planet. Lothal preferably. Agent Muttonchops had said they'd be headed back there.

It also wasn't all he said. And he was right. They might help others when it's convenient, like Tarkintown, but in the end it's all the same. It's inevitable. People let you down. It's them first and everybody else second.

They abandon you.

"They need you, Ezra." Ezra said in a high pitched tone, mimicking Hera. "They need your right now." He rolled his eyes as renewed determination took over.

When I get back to Lothal? I'm going to start hijacking so many Imperial transports. I'll start my own smuggling ring! I'll sell so many blasters and - oh, the armory!

Seeing the coast was clear, Ezra darted to the armory door and entered. After checking it was empty he walked in and shut the door behind him.

Hmm… Think I'm getting better at this. There on those rectangle containers, Ezra saw and smiled as he grabbed his pack and inspected it and - hey! Someone ate the last of my jogan fruits!

He looked over the rest of the stuff and saw it was all there, minus Aresko's comlink that Kallus had taken possession of. Still it would be handy to listen in on Imperial transmissions, especially if he wants to get aboard a shuttle or - oh. Why hello there!

His search just turned up a collection of brand new Imperial cadet helmets. Grabbing the closest Ezra gave it a once over before setting atop his head and putting it on. Good fit. Next he began to focus the helmet's comlink to search for the right frequency, it didn't take long.

"The delay was insignificant. The transport ship Agent Kallus diverted will dock on Kessel within two hours. The Wookies will be offloaded to work Spice Mine K-76."

Aw krif! The Wookies! Well what am I supposed to do? K-76? Kessel? I don't know where that is and even if I did there's no way I'd get there on my own and no way I'd free them on my own and just no way! I'm in over my head and the only people who cared to help didn't turn out to be the heroes I thought they were.

Ezra grit his teeth, a determined expression on his face. They gave up. I won't. Just need to think of something. Then Ezra spotted something interesting, a stack of datapads. They all looked the same so he picked one at random. Turning it on he began reading its contents, and then smiled.

So I'm on the Lawbringer. An Imperial I-Class Star Destroyer. Whatever that means. They must hand these datapads out to special guests and new recruits. So they don't end up lost, which if so then that would mean-

Ezra smiled and the datapad revealed a map of the vessel.

"This is Stormtrooper LS-005, reporting to Agent Kallus."

"Kallus here."

"Sir, the prisoner's gone."

"What?! I knew the boy would act as bait but I never dreamed the rebels would be foolish enough to attack a destroyer. How did they get aboard?"

Rebels? Oh, Muttonchops thinks they're rebels! Ezra suppressed the urge to laugh as he listened to the embarrassed stormtrooper give the report. How long had those bucketheads waited around in his cell before remembering their helmets had comlinks too? Ezra eagerly listened in, awaiting what was sure to be a very amusing explanation.

"Sir, the rebels didn't free him. He, ah…"

"Agent Kallus! There's a security breach in the lower hangar."

Ezra blinked and before he could come up with ten excellent good reasons why not to go to the lower hangar, he was already crawling his way up and into the air vent leading out of the armory. He checked the map on the datapad and determined where he was and which direction to head toward to reach the Lower hangar.

Wait! Lower hangar? You mean there's more than the one?!

Ezra shook his head and continued crawling, and hoping one of these vents led to the correct hangar. He had found a visitor's guide, not the blueprints and ventilation schematics. It was then that Ezra realized he finally had something nice to say about the Imperials. The Imps do have really spacious air vents. I can even crawl around wearing my backpack!

"I don't know how, but the rebel ship approached without alerting our sensors."

"They came back!" Ezra said, and jerked up his head in sudden realization - hitting it loudly against the low ceiling of the ventilation shaft. "I don't believe it," Ezra exclaimed as the significance of what he was hearing slowly began to sink in. He frowned.

Why did they come back? People use you and leave you. That's how the galaxy works. And even if this crew is the exception, this is an Imperial Star Destroyer lying in wait for them. It's crazy!

But was Muttonchops right? Questionable grooming standards aside he is an intelligence agent and he did seem to know a lot about these guys. He didn't call them thieves or pirates or some other outlaw terminology. He specifically called them rebels.

And then it clicked for Ezra as he began making his own connections. Sabine's Starbird calling card. Zeb's anger at the idea of them stealing solely to survive. The food for Tarkintown. Risking their necks for the it to the Empire anyway possible. Not for power or credits, but because in their eyes it was the right thing to do.

The kind of things his own parents had done.

Muttonchops was right. Whether Hera and her crew realized it or not in the Empire's eyes they were Rebels.

Ezra groaned and shook his head.

And now the heroic idiots were risking their necks by taking on an entire Star Destroyer just to rescue me! Ezra looked down at the datapad with the map and studied it. It was hard to navigate in the vents but Ezra figured he was close to the hangar, but he wasn't hearing blaster fire - yet.

But there would be. I have to help, and not just for me but the Wookies! They were going to Kessel something. We could still save them! Well if I don't get shot that is.

Screw it, Ezra thought and resumed his crawl. Tarkintown was bad enough. If these idiots want to stick it to the Empire this badly then I guess that makes me an idiot too. Besides, I owe Zeb a hard fist to his ugly face.

"Order all stormtroopers to converge on the lower hangar." Ezra heard Kallus' command over the comm. "I'll meet them there."

He had no idea how Hera got the ship past their sensors and turbolasers and stuff or what the plan was to fight through a Star Destroyer crawling wall to wall with stormtroopers. But Ezra knew one thing for certain - he knew Imperial protocol.

Ezra cleared his throat before he keyed the helmet's comlink. He mustered up as deep a voice as he could and droned out his best High Imperial.

"This is Trooper LS-123, reporting intruders in the upper hangar. Sir, I believe the lower hangar is a diversion."

Ezra smiled and patiently tapped his fingers.

"Maybe," Kallus responded on the comlink. "Maybe not. Squads five through eight divert to upper hangar. The rest, converge as ordered."

"Well every little bit helps," Ezra supposed. He glanced once more at the datapad, committing the path to memory, and sped up his crawling. They wouldn't hear him. Not with the ship's alarm now blaring.

Turn down this way and the hangar should be up ahead! Only no stormtroopers? Is this the right way? Kark me. For all I know I'm on my way to the trash compactor.

"Hold this bay until we get back!"

Kanan?

"And this time, try not to leave until everyone's back aboard!"

Sabine!

Era grinned and flipped the datapad close, he was nearly on top of them. He eyed what looked like an emergency release lever and tried giving it a pull. The panel his head unlock and slid out of sight, revealing the deck below as well as a very sorry looking Lasat.

Someone was in trouble.

"That was not my fault!" Zeb yelled as they began their run to the detention center.

"Well!" Ezra shouted from right above so all could hear. "That's debatable," he said and dropped from the opening he created in the ceiling and ended up landing perfectly right in front of Zeb.

Only for Zeb to wind up a fist and punch Ezra so hard he went stumbling and skidding across the deck. Eventually he came to a stop between Kanan and Sabine, with looks of astonishment on their faces. Well he couldn't really tell with Sabine and her helmet but Kanan looked at him in disbelief.

Ezra shook his head, grateful for what protection the helmet did offer. He got to his feet and yanked the helmet off his head and slammed it hard against the bulkhead. He then leveled an equally hard glare at Zeb.

"First you ditch me! Then you hit me!" Ezra accused.

"How was I supposed to know it was you? You were wearing a bucket!" Zeb shouted in his defense.

Ezra's blue eyes burned blaster bolts through Zeb's head and his mouth parted in rage. He wouldn't be fooled. It wasn't Zeb's choice to come back for him. Speaking of.

Still holding the helmet, Ezra let out a war cry and ran at Zeb! Completely taken by surprise the Lasat could only groan as Ezra slammed the helmet across that coward's jaw.

"You had that coming," Ezra said, his voice having a lethal edge to it.. Zeb growled in response and in the Lasat's eyes Ezra could see the burning desire to unleash it and strike back but then he and the others heard it. Boots in the hallway just behind Kanan and Sabine, a lot of boots.

Right, Ezra thought and whirled around and threw his helmet as hard as he could at the cluster of running stormtroopers. And there was a lot of them.

"Let's go!" Kanan shouted.

Not about to argue, Ezra ran and joined Kanan and Sabine following after Zeb as they made the sprint back to the hangar. And to the Ghost.

Ezra smiled at the sight of Hera on the boarding ramp. But if she's out here, who's manning the guns? And the ship!

"Spectre-1 to Ghost! We're leaving!" Kanan yelled just as red bolts of blaster fire began to fill up the hallway all around them.

As they continued to run Sabine peeled off and with a blaster in each hand began shooting back at their pursuers. More blaster fire, Hera with a small blaster. She was shooting from entrance to the Ghost and then she was running up the ramp too as Zeb and Ezra reached it.

Ezra stopped and turned around, lining up a yellow electrical charge with his slingshot when a big purple paw grabbed his shoulder.

"OH NO! THIS TIME? YOU BOARD FIRST!" Zeb shouted and threw Ezra up the ramp and into the cargo hold.

Keeping his cool Kanan worked side by side with Sabine and continued their fighting retreat, reaching the ramp. "Ghost, raise the ramp!" Kanan shouted while keeping up his fire.

There were a few random crates lying around providing Agent Kallus and the stormtroopers some cover. But the pickings were slim and Kallus and along with two stormtroopers fought for cover from the deadly accuracy behind one crate in particular, exchanging blaster shots when possible.

The Ghost's ramp closed, the ship buttoning up as it began its takeoff preparations. Kallus quickly began speaking into his comlink to relay his instructions.

"Aim for shield generator and engines!" he commanded. "Do not let them…"

Fresh orange paint?

Kallus touched some of it to his glove for examination, and then he noticed the orange paint's design.

A rebel starbird.

He gasped when he smelled the faint scent of the explosives - their cover was right on top of it!

"Take Cover!" Kallus yelled and made a run for it.

He was almost too late. The yield of the explosive was large as it was destructive. Crates everywhere were broken into pieces from the force of the explosion, turning it into deadly shrapnel as it and the bodies of Imperials were sent flying through the air.

Kallus felt several vertebrae pop as he was lifted up off his feet and slammed face first into the deck by the entrance to the hangar. But that was only the beginning of his problems.

Before the ISB agent could think about getting back to his feet all the debris and bodies that were launched out from the hangar were now being sucked back in - including him! The Rebel explosive would not only provide cover for their escape but had caused severe damage to the hangar bay, leading to a massive tear in the ship's hull!

As Kallus got pulled further and further along, he searched for anything to hold onto. Meanwhile stormtroopers that weren't so lucky continued to fly past him and then out through the hull breach into the black void of space.

Where were the emergency shields?!

Kallus had reached the edge and was fighting for his life. His arms pulled uselessly at the deck while his legs and lower half were left dangling helplessly above the damaged opening.

"TURN ON THE SHIELD!" he shouted, louder than he had ever shouted before.

And through some miracle a stormtrooper near the entrance of the hangar, also hanging on for his survival, had heard the order and saw a panel lit up to manually engage the emergency shielding. The stormtrooper slammed his fist on the panel, causing it to go from red to green.

And below him Kallus gradually began to feel the pull of the vacuum lessen as the shields came online.

His body aching from the combined effects of the explosion followed immediately by nearing being sucked out into the vacuum, he pulled himself back into the hangar and rolled onto his back - just in time to look up and watch that damned rebel ship lift off and effortlessly glide through the hangar and out the open bay doors.

Several reports began coming in of stranded stormtroopers needing pickup immediately, while rated for vacuum their hardsuits only had so much breathable air. Search and Rescue teams assembled and began deploying. Medics arrived in the hangar, some medical techs headed toward him but the ISB agent waved them off. He continued his vigil on the comm until he had heard confirmation that the rebel ship had made its escape and jumped into hyperspace.

He glanced down at the glove, and charred markings from the paint he had examined before it exploded. Blasted rebels.

It didn't get any closer than that.

Hera only exhaled once the Ghost was safely back in hyperspace.

She closed her eyes in thanks.

We did it. We got him back. Thank the Force.

She opened her eyes upon the cockpit door opening and she looked back over her shoulder to see the person she most wanted to see. Both relieved but also exhausted. It really was one of those days that never seemed to end.

"Welcome aboard. Again." Hera said and looked at Ezra, the unspoken question on her face.

He couldn't hold Zeb's actions against her, or any of the others. And so after a moment Ezra smiled at that "aw shucks" look on his face and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Thanks." Ezra said and closed his own eyes for a moment. "That was crazy but thank you," he said, and then rested himself against the doorway. He opened his eyes and Hera could tell that he had something more to say. "I really didn't think you'd come back for me." Ezra said, and Hera could see that it wasn't something easy for Ezra to admit.

It was clear the boy had issues when it came to trust. Big ones. But Hera appreciated both his honesty and his candor.

"I'll get you home now," Hera said, and shot him a warm smile. "I'm sure your parents must be worried sick."

And then there it look again in Ezra's eyes and no longer able to hold her gaze he looked away, ashamed. The trust issues. His view of people in the galaxy.

It was all suddenly so clear to her as Hera realized the heartbreaking truth of it all. "I don't have parents," Ezra admitted to the Twi'lek, confirming her suspicion. And all she could think was just how fragile he sounded. How vulnerable.

And we nearly left him behind.

Hera kept her gaze on him a while, trying to string together something to say but words escaped her. And then the moment had passed as Kanan came clangering up the ladder to join them, which allowed Ezra to neatly dodge any further questions about his life. With Kanan in the co-pilot's seat and difficult childhood conversations averted, it was time for Ezra to refocus.

"And you've got somewhere else to be," Ezra said. When he spotted Sabine he quickly looked away and did his best to lean into the door and appear cool and relaxed in her presence. For her part Sabine pretended she didn't notice as she took her seat behind Hera.

"I know where they're really taking the Wookies." Ezra announced.

All activity in the room paused and the door behind Ezra swished close. The Spectres held their breath.

"Have you heard of the Spice Mines of Kessel?" Ezra said, and then waited expectantly.

Hera, Kanan, and Sabine all straightened up in their chairs at that announcement. Ezra interpreted that as not the news they were hoping for and all began exchanging nervous glances. Sabine turned in her chair to face Ezra and began.

"Slaves sent there last a few months, maybe a year."

"And for Wookies born in the forest," Hera said and she too turned in her seat to face Ezra. "It's a death sentence."

Ezra bit back the smile he was holding. He knew what they were each thinking. The funny thing was, he had already made his decision all the way back on that Star Destroyer when crawling in the vents. These guys were crazy, time to let them know they weren't the only ones.

"Thennn I guess we'd better go save 'em." Ezra stated it simply, and then had a warm smile for each of them when now all three plus Chopper turned to stare at Ezra in shock at his declaration.

No way, Sabine thought and leaned close to Ezra and eyed him very carefully.

After everything he's been through - he still wants to help out!

Then she asked the question they all had: "We?"

Ezra didn't back down and held out his hands in an obvious motion. "I've come this far," he responded to Sabine, as if everything he'd been through had been a stroll through the park. "Might as well finish the job."

Before anyone could comment about the giant grin on her face, Hera turned in her chair and began typing in the new coordinates. "Setting course for Kessel," she said with a knowing look.

For his part Kanan observed Ezra very intently for a few more seconds, as if he were trying to make up his mind on something. But his face was indecipherable and soon after he turned back to the controls to assist Hera in altering the hyperspace plot trajectory.

Sabine shook her head, dropped their shared heated gaze and looked up at the ceiling with a look of astonishment. What happened to that frustrating kid obsessed with that crate?

I swear! This-? This kid!

"Diasa'yr o'r chaavla," Sabine said after a moment of just staring upward.

"Umm," Ezra said and looked at Sabine in curiosity. "A diasaurous, Paintbomb?"

But Sabine just continued on looking at the ceiling, words failing her.

"Paintbomb?" Kanan asked, and turned around to look at Ezra suspiciously.

For her part, Hera did her best not to collapse in a fit of laughter.

"Whamp! Wooot!"

"You said it, Chopper," Hera agreed, and with that same grin from earlier she pressed a button for the hyperdrive. A dull roar could be heard as it came online and the Ghost altered its destination from Lothal to Kessel.

Kallus watched from the hangar as recovery efforts continued. With no leads, at the moment the Imperial Star Destroyer Lawbringer was putting all its resources to recovering missing stormtroopers and repairing the damage caused by the explosion.

But Kallus was a patient individual, and not one to dwell in defeat. Just as it had been on Lothal, even in defeat there were lessons to be learned. Learned and used when next facing your opponent.

"Sir, we think we have something," a stormtrooper announced. Kallus turned and listened. "One of the rebels was using this helmet. The transmitter was on."

Commander Aresko.

Kallus turned and took the helmet from the stormtrooper, it was a cadet model. Too small for a man to wear. But just right for the kid.

"Hello again Trooper LS-123," Kallus said after his examination of the helmet. He looked back up at the stormtrooper and began to give new orders.

They had a new lead.

Chapter Text

Spice Mine K-76

There was nothing Kitwarr's father, Kruwhrarrr, wouldn't do for his son but as he and the other thirteen Wookiees were paraded off the prison transport and onto the expansive landing pad it was becoming harder and harder to hide the reality of their situation to the young one.

"It's a game," Kruwhrarrr had told the boy in their people's native Shyriiwook. "The humans in white with the funny voices. They're playing it too."

Kitwarr would nod and smile but as the days went on, and the further and further they were from home the harder it was to keep up appearances. Especially when their food rations and water were becoming less and less frequent. The other Wookiees, while bonded in the same chains, were strangers to Kruwhrarrr and Kitwarr. Kruwhrarrr could only watch as one by one their spirits had broken.

Kruwhrarrr did his utmost to hide his anger at that. They were Wookiees. The warriors of Kashyyyk. Their ancestors had overcome the Shadowlands and they sang the history of their people with pride.

Only now that pride was broken. And despite Kruwhrarrr's reminder that word had gotten out about what the Empire had done to them. It was not enough.

While Kitwarr had slept, Kruwhrarrr had many heated arguments with the other twelve Wookiees. It was not over. There was still hope. If not for themselves then at least for Kitwarr. They had learned where the Empire was taking them and Kessel was a death sentence.

But they were watched too closely the others had argued. They were stronger than the humans but they could not break free of the binders on their arms. And even if they did, the humans had weapons. It could not be done.

Cowards, Kruwhrarrr had spat at them in anger. He was hoping to get a rise out of them. Get some anger, some hostility even if it was aimed at him. Something to show that they still had some fight left. But all he got were the looks of those who had been defeated.

"I don't like it here," Kitwarr and stopped following the others. "It's hot and the air tastes wrong. All is wrong, father. I don't like this game anymore."

Kruwhrarrr felt helpless but put on a brave face and came to stand next to his son, patting him affectionately on his head.

"It's almost over. We're about to win," Kruwhrarrr said.

"Keep moving!" one of the humans in white shouted at Kruwhrarrr and made a threatening motion with his blaster rifle. They could understand the human's Basic. But the humans couldn't understand Shyriiwook. It wasn't much of an advantage, but it was something.

Soon, Kruwhrarrr thought. There were large square boxes sitting around the landing pad. And the humans were less. No more than five or six. Some will die. He would probably die.

But if not now then never. And Kruwhrarrr refused to watch his son starve and be worked to death on this planet.

The others would go along once the humans began shooting. And maybe, just maybe, the fury of their ancestors would fill their hearts once more.

And the spark inside Kruwhrarrr would spread to the others in chains.

"We're going to play hide and seek now," Kruwhrarrr told Kitwarr. "As soon as I say. Run and hide by those crates."

"I said move you-"

"What's that?" one of the humans asked. Kruwhrarrr and the others heard it too.

All eyes lifted to the sky and through the dark brown clouds of pollution that filled Kessel's sky. A bright white light appeared.

And then it was chaos.

Ezra steadied himself as the Ghost dropped out of hyperspace and the sight of Kessel filled the cockpit's canopy viewport. Something called an inertia dampener helped a starship with fast acceleration and decelerations, but according to Hera jumping in and out hyperspace didn't have anything to do with how we normally think of speed.

Any physical feelings Ezra had of the ship speeding up or slowing down when it came to hyperspace was just his mind trying to make sense of a vast blackness filled with stars turning into a wondrous spectacle of blue and white. Hera assured him that after enough jumps eventually his mind would begin to accept that hyperspace was about entering a special dimension rather than an increase or decrease in speed. But for the moment, Ezra would stick to clutching the back of the co-pilot's chair whenever the stars outside the viewport did something weird looking.

Speaking of weird. Ezra frowned at the sight of the planet coming up on them. It was like something had divided it in half near the equator. The northern half an ugly orange, and the southern half showed mostly green.

"Whoa, what happened?" Ezra said.

"Mining," Hera said and began flipping switches as they approached.

Mining was nothing new to Ezra. It was becoming more and more prevalent on Lothal since Doonium had been discovered. But his homeworld looked nothing like this.

"Generations of unregulated mining," Hera added. The disgust was easily detectable in her voice.

"The Empire?"

"And the Republic before. There's a lot of ugly places in this galaxy, Ezra. What you're seeing is what happens when a government turns a blind eye to the people it's supposed to protect."

The boy shook his head and tapped his fingers on the chair's headrest. Hera could see his growing agitation the closer they came.

"Was there ever a government interested in protecting the Outer Rim? What about the Jedi?"

Hera paused and looked at Ezra, the truth in his words showing a comprehension beyond his years. She leaned in until she caught him with her green eyes. Her words were having the opposite effect of what he needed.

"Hey," Hera said. Ezra turned from the cockpit's viewport at the softness in her voice. "It's hard but right now those Wookiees down there are running out of time. And we're the only ones coming to their rescue." Hera reached forward and gently placed her hand over his. "Ezra?"

"Yeah. Yeah okay," Ezra answered and Hera watched as he snapped out of his despair and focused. He smiled at her, grateful for her pulling him out of that headspace. "Thank you, Hera."

She patted his arm and then refocused back on the controls, which included charging up the cannons. There was no question that the Landing Zone would be a hot one. Taking his cue, Ezra left the cockpit and went to join the others assembling in the cargo bay.

"Two days with us and already he wants to free the Outer Rim," Hera remarked.

"Whumpa! Whooch!" Chopper spoke up.

Hera rolled her eyes at her droid's assessment of the boy.

"Of course I see the similarity. Which is why Zeb has his special orders."

"Whoot! Wamp! Wyum!"

Hera bursted out in laughter at the thought of Zeb getting a full body wax. And all that hair just ripped off? Ouch!

"I think the threat to leave him on Kessel is motivation enough, Chop. Now let me focus!"

With so many mines, it took Hera a few moments to make sure she had the correct one. But once she had K-76 locked in she increased engine speed and maneuvered the Ghost into position. When she had the approach angle right, Hera steadied the ship for the insertion.

"Ready on those guns, Chop."

In the belly of the Ghost's forward cargo bay the Spectres - as Kanan called the crew members - did a final equipment check. They were all so professional and calm, Ezra noted. With one hand holding onto the ladder for stability, the boy wondered if they had been just as calm when they rescued him from the Star Destroyer.

He had briefly needled Hera for details of how they even snuck the Ghost aboard the heavily armed vessel. Hera looked conflicted as he waited. If he didn't know any better he'd say she was embarrassed. In the end all Hera would say was to ask Sabine sometime. She was the one who figured out a way.

Which only confounded Ezra with more questions. How was it that Sabine had puzzled out a way past the Star Destroyer's sensors? Her art was dazzling but wasn't she the explosives expert?

Ezra found his eyes subtly glancing in the girl's direction as she and Kanan readied themselves in the rear of the bay. They would be the first ones out and already Sabine had her pistols out and ready. Art? Explosives? A blaster in each hand and some really exotic looking armor. And able to outsmart the Empire and slip the Ghost past the Star Destroyer's sensors?

Who are you? Ezra wondered as he stared. You can't be that much older than me, what's your story?

Apparently Ezra's staring wasn't going unnoticed. Assigned to keep an eye on Ezra throughout the mission the Zeb glared at the kid and waved his peculiar bo-rifle weapon to gather Ezra's attention.

"Try not to get dead. Don't want to carry your body out." Zeb saw he caught Ezra by surprise. Zeb suppressed a growl of frustration. The boy needed to focus. And so when Ezra shot Zeb a glare of his own Zeb felt the frustration subside. His mind was back on the mission, though he could see Ezra trying to come with something to shoot back at the Lasat.

But before Ezra can come up with a retort Sabine and Kanan pass between them and readied themselves by the ramp at the forward most point of the bay.

Kanan on the left, Sabine on his right with her blasters ready. Nothing else is said or heard except for the volleys of heavy cannon fire from the Ghost as Hera made another strafing pass over the Landing Zone.

The cannon fire should send stormtroopers scurrying in fear, exactly what they wanted. Hera must've been satisfied with her handiwork as now Ezra felt the ship shift and steady itself.

They were touching down. Hera gave no warning but then they didn't need it. Ezra clutched the straps of his backpack tightly and wished he had something more than just his slingshot, something like an actual blaster. But as Kanan had told him repeatedly it wasn't Ezra's job to shoot.

The ramp slammed down to reveal a double stacked row of sixteen crates only a few meters from the ramp. With cover provided by the ramp removed, they had to hurry as three stormtroopers began peppering the vulnerable Spectres inside. Kanan and Sabine wasted no time in running for the cover of the nearby crates with Zeb and Ezra hot on their heels.

Instinctively Ezra quickly dodged to the left, blaster bolts flying past him right where his head had been the moment before. Was one blaster really too much to ask?

A small squad of six stormtroopers had formed a tight skirmish line standing shoulder to shoulder as they kept up their fire on the crates that the Spectres had taken cover behind.
Double stacked the crates were taller than Ezra.

He couldn't see the fight happening beyond the crates. All he could remember was what he saw when he exited the ramp. The stormtroopers and behind them the Wookiees.

There had to at least be a dozen of them! Kanan and the others had to be sure of their shots. If they missed a bolt could end up hitting on the Wookiees.

As Kanan put his back to the wall of crates as exchanges of heated blaster bolts continued. Despite that the older man looked to Ezra and gave him a nod. Now, while the stormtroopers were focused on the Spectres.

Right.

Ezra returned the nod and crept around Zeb to the edge of the crates and peeked his head out just enough so he could get a better view.

There wasn't a lot of cover, but his street rat eyes saw a path. If he kept his head low and moved quickly he would make it.

No words were exchanged. They trusted him to do his part just as he trusted them to do theirs And so. Ezra looked back at the path and waited for his moment. He didn't have to wait long.

In a flash Sabine popped out of her cover on the right furthermost crate. Leaning out just enough she began shooting both blasters into the stormtroopers. She picked her shots carefully so as not to hit any of the Wookies.

Kanan was then moving past her then to take a spot to another assemblage of crates to the right. And then Ezra found his own feet moving.

As the others drew fire to the right, he button hooked and crouched down low, running to the left. An orange blur that the stormtroopers paid no mind to, their focus on Kanan and the others who were matching the stormtroopers volley for volley despite being outnumbered two to one.

Ezra reached the relative safety of the shadow casted down from the parked prisoner transport ship. And after a quick glance to see that the Imperials were still focused on the others he ran from cover to cover. It wasn't hard, there were plenty of crates and so long as he kept low he remained unseen.

He paused and looked over the current crate he was hiding behind. Kanan's plan was working. All six stormtroopers were so focused on the others they had all but forgotten about the Wookiee prisoners they were supposed to be guarding. Which was fine by Ezra who had successfully snuck by their small skirmish line and was only a few meters away from the Wookiees that had huddled up in their own little line.

Briefly Ezra wondered what was stopping the Wookiees from making a run for it themselves? But then who knew what the Imperials had done to them. Ezra hadn't seen that many Wookiees before but with how they were hunched and quivering, it was plain as day that despite outnumbering the guards the Wookiees were terrified.

That spark in Ezra's gut flared brightly.

Not wanting to frighten them further Ezra put on his best smile as he vaulted over the crates and snuck up to the Wookiees. A little too well as he slipped in amongst their huddle one Wookiee, the biggest of the Wookiees spotted him and growled loudly.

Okay maybe he had been a little too stealthy, Ezra thought as others turned and began to approach him. The mistrust in the crowd was clearly evident.

"Hey, hey, I'm here to help!" Ezra said as he looked up at the towering Wookiee above him. With snarling teeth and angry eyes he really hoped they could understand basic. Ezra took his R-scomp lockpick from his pack and held it up for them to see.

The big Wookiee, their leader Ezra guessed, growled once more but then his eyes opened in recognition of the device. With his arms raised in a gesture of peace, Ezra watched as the Wookiees began to piece together what was happening and why this small human was here risking his life with a lockpick in his hand.

The Wookiee looked to another one behind him and growled something. A question maybe, Ezra thought though he had no idea. But the second Wookiee nodded and Ezra recognized what looked to be a flash of confidence in the Wookiee's eyes.

The group had made their decision and fell in behind their leader. A few seconds later and Ezra was already picking the first Wookiee's binders, freeing him. He smiled as he watched the leader lift his hands in wonder. That's right, Ezra thought. We're getting you out. All of you.

With one down Ezra moved onto the next Wookiee. He worked as quickly as possible not knowing how long the others could keep the stormtroopers distracted. They weren't distracted for long. Once Ezra had freed the Wookiees the former prisoners wasted no time in getting some payback by marching up behind the distracted stormtroopers.

The other bucketheads didn't stand any better of a chance as another got yanked up high in the air and shaken violently as the Wookiees swarmed them. Ezra watched as a chorus of primal roars became louder than the fierce firefight.

Half the stormtroopers were lifted and thrown to the ground head first. Others fell under the massive punches fueled by Wookiee strength. In moments no stormtrooper was standing and Ezra watched as Kanan and the others holstered their weapons and took a breath before leaving the cover of the crates. With Kanan leading them they met the Wookiee captives halfway.

Ezra still couldn't understand Wookiee, but the roars of anger had definitely become cheers of joy. The group of Wookiees parted down the middle to give Ezra an easy lane to walk through and reunite with the others. He couldn't help the triumphant smirk on his face.

He wasn't trying to brag or be smug but kriff! This felt great! He schooled his smugness, replacing it was a smile of satisfaction. A look he saw mirrored on Kanan's face as he nodded at Ezra in approval. A job well done.

Even Zeb was grinning and Ezra bet if she didn't have her helmet on that he'd see Sabine smiling too. They'd done it. Against all odds they had saved the Wookiees from the Empire.

I could get used to this, came a small voice from the back of his head.

But then just like that, the shared looks of happiness were quelled by an all too familiar howling.

Kriffin' TIE fighters!

Kanan and Zeb heard the unmistakable howl as their faces twisted from joy to worry. They had expected resistance and maybe some reinforcements. But TIE fighters?

Had they known we were coming? Ezra gasped as three TIEs popped up from the giant circular mining quarry.

Taken completely by surprise the TIEs ignored the team on the platform, instead focusing on the Ghost! At point blank range all three TIEs had come to a hover and opened fire, their guns making quick work of the Ghost's rear deflector shields. In another moment the shields had failed and the green cannon fire was hitting the freighter's engines.

Stunned in horror all they could do was look on as the Ghost was seconds away from being obliterated. But then as quickly as the TIEs had attacked, return fire came from the Ghost and its rear gun.

With no shields of their own and hovering at such close proximity the center TIE quickly erupted into a fireball as it was destroyed. Ezra, Kanan, and everybody on the ground might've been caught unexpectedly but the ever ready Hera had wasted no time in showing the Imperial pilots that she could give as good as she got!

Ezra snapped out of his surprise only to look on in terror when he saw that it wasn't just three TIEs but also a kriffin' Imperial Gozanti-class Cruiser with an additional three TIEs coming up behind it!

The other TIE fighters wasted no time and joined in, all fighters focusing fire on the Ghost. As carbon scoring began to build up on the freighter's hull no doubts remained. The Imps had known they were coming.

Then the cruiser's turbolasers took aim, not at the Ghost but at the crowd gathered on the landing platform!

Ezra and the others all dove for cover as blasts from the turbolasers exploded all around them. Lying face down in the grimy dirt of Kessel's landscape, the ground quaked under the heavy fire. And for a moment Ezra was certain that this was the end.

But then just as quickly as it had begun, the explosive turbolaser bombardment had stopped. And Ezra opened his eyes he found himself looking at a Wookiee, a Wookiee smaller than him. Its eyes were widened and terror and its small arms were still cuffed in binders.

He'd messed up!

With so many of the giant Wookiees circling him he had missed this smaller one! More howling came and Ezra looked over his shoulder, fully expecting to see the Ghost a burning wreck on the landing platform with the bodies of his allies and the Wookiees scattered around.

But in yet another example of Imperial arrogance, they had stopped all fire and the Ghost was still in one piece as well as everyone on the platform. Except now the TIEs were parting to make room for the incoming cruiser that was coming down to hover only a few meters off the ground.

Reinforcements, Ezra realized. Of course. They still intended to recapture the Wookiees and use them for slaves. The Gozanti's landing struts extended as the ship set down, and then its elevator extended down from the belly of the ship.

More stormtroopers, and the familiar sight of Agent Kallus with his stupid helmet. But how?

"Take them down!" Kallus yelled and immediately his squad of stormtroopers opened fire - focusing on the Spectres.

Scattered and caught out in the open, Sabine and Kanan managed to squeeze off a few shots before they scrambled for the nearest cover and so too did the Wookiees with captured stormtrooper blaster rifles.

Ezra shook his head and glanced back at the child only to see that it had taken off. His eyes searched the area and saw the Wookiee leader standing out in the open, searching as well and then stopped to focus on some crates near the prison transport.

The kid, Ezra saw. The small one was crawling over a wall of crates just as two stormtroopers ran in, their E-11 rifles blazing as they cut the child off from the rest of the group. As things steadily grew from bad to worse Ezra realized he couldn't move. It was as if his legs were cemented in duracrete. Instead Ezra looked on as the tall Wookiee fell to blaster fire.

Ah hell! Ezra thought and finally pushed past the fear that had held him in place. With his feet moving again Ezra kept his head low and ran toward the Wookiee leader, though he had no idea what he could possibly do to help. The giant Wookiee was three times his size and probably just as heavy.

Thankfully Ezra wasn't the only one crazy enough to run out into the middle of a battlefield.

Zeb's eyes bulged at the sight of Ezra as both had reached the wounded Wookiee at the same time. Wasting no time Zeb shook off his shock at the sight of Ezra and kept his voice calm and steady over the blaster fire.

"He'll be okay. I've got him," Zeb said. Ezra felt relief as Zeb managed to lift the Wookiee over his shoulder. Ezra was about to follow but he noticed that while wounded the Wookiee was frantically looking at something past Zeb.

Following the Wookiee's eyes across the landing pad Ezra looked on in horror as the small patch of brown hair ran away from the fight, chased by a stormtrooper.

The kid!

And no one was seeing him but me!

Time slowed and Ezra hesitated…

What do I do?

I'm no hero.

I'm no jedi.

I'm no soldier.

I'm just a kid.

He heard the growls from the wounded Wookiee. He had to be the kid's parent! Kanan! Kanan will know what to do. Decision made Ezra followed after Zeb and the wounded Wookiee. Already he saw the team regrouping behind some crates and as Ezra ran he did a quick count.

Ten stormtroopers plus Kallus and his stupid-looking helmet. How did anyone take him seriously with that thing on his head?

Shaking his head Ezra reached the others and crouched down next to Kanan, and only then did he realize that Hera and the Ghost had finally gotten back in the air and the TIEs had disappeared.

She must be leading them away.

A new firing line had formed, this time with the Wookiees that had picked up blaster rifles from fallen stormtroopers. Not a bad idea, Ezra thought and looked around but didn't see any E-11s lying around for him to grab.

He'd just have to make do with his slingshot then.

"Go!" Kanan yelled, raising his voice to be heard above the blaster fire. "Lead the TIEs away and give yourself maneuvering room!"

Ezra looked over to see him speaking into a comlink. And then he heard Hera's predictable answer to Kanan's orders.

"I am not leaving you behind!"

Ezra winced as a blast bolt nearly hit him. This close to Kanan meant facing a lot more fire from the stormtroopers. How were they going to get out of this?

"No, you're not. We're running a 22 pickup," Kanan said.

"Seriously?" Sabine said. She had turned away from the fight and Ezra could hear the disbelief in her voice.

22 pickup? Ezra frowned.

"You have a better option?" Kanan countered.

"Jump into the pit and get it over with?" Zeb said. Ezra didn't need to look over his shoulder to know the look Zeb was giving Kanan.

"All right, I'll be back. Make sure you're ready."

As soon as Hera cut off Sabine and Kanan turned their attention back to the stormtroopers, no further explanation provided.

Seriously?

"22 pickup?" Ezra said. "Care to let me in on the secret?"

Kanan tightened his hand into a fist and turned his green eyes to Ezra, he spoke solemnly. "Kid, I'm about to let everyone in on the secret."

And just like that Ezra watched as Kanan got to his feet and stood tall, ignoring the blaster bolts screaming past his head and shoulders. Like something out of a holo-vid Kanan calmly walked out from the cover, his eyes focused on Kallus and the Agent's ten stormtroopers.

Blaster fire centered on Kanan but the man continued to walk toward the group unimpeded, merely leaning his head and shoulders to the right or left to dodge the fire. Ezra expected him to return fire but instead he holstered his blaster.

He was going to get himself killed!

Leading his stormtroopers from the front, Kallus lifted his hand and made a fist. On his signal the all fire ceased and silence filled the landing bay.

All eyes were on Kanan as he reached for the long metal cylinder Ezra had seen attached to the back of his belt as well as what Ezra had thought was a spare power cell for a blaster. Instead he used both hands to twist the two together until they locked and formed a hilt.

A few meters from the team's cover Kanan halted and with his eyes never leaving the Imperials shifted himself until his right side was facing them. He raised his right arm forward and with a snap hiss his lightsaber came to life, pointing it directly at the stormtroopers.

The lightsaber!

A knowing look on Kanan's face, a look of calm determination that had Kallus shocked at what was unfolding in front of him. With a flourish Kanan now held the saber in both hands and took up a defensive stance. The message was clear to all.

"Whoa," Ezra said. His mouth opened and eyes wide. He heard the confused growls of the Wookiees behind him and for a moment the stormtroopers lowered their blasters and looked at each other in a mix of disbelief and uncertainty of what to do.

Moments continued to pass with neither side making a move, the tension building into a crescendo as this one person stood openly in defiance of the mighty Galactic Empire.

"All troopers, focus your fire on…"

Kallus paused and gulped. But then pointed his arm out at Kanan.

"On the Jedi."

The moment was shattered and a hailstorm of blaster fire flashed from ten rifles all focused on Kanan. Ezra looked on, astonished, at how the blue lightsaber arced through the air and how effortlessly it blocked the fire from the Imperials. Bolt after bolt of red blaster fire and even deflecting one of them blaster bolts back at a stormtrooper, dropping him!

"Time to go," Kanan called to them, though his eyes never left Kallus and the stormtroopers.

"Right," Zeb said. Holding the wounded Wookiee with one arm he waved his other arm at everyone else. "Everyone, into the container!"

Ezra looked on a few more moments in amazement before turning to follow Zeb and the rest, but stopped when he saw the Wookiee fighting Zeb and pointing back at the prisoner transport. The kid, Ezra remembered. Kriff! In all the excitement he'd forgotten to tell the others!

He looked back at Kanan and saw him continue to deftly protect not only himself but the others from the blaster fire. Ezra dared not call out and break his concentration. And the kid was far gone now, out of sight to all. Only Ezra had seen which direction he ran and had any idea of where he had been headed.

Him and that stormtrooper.

But what was he supposed to do?

With his eyes closed Ezra clenched his teeth and banged his hand against the crate in frustration. He should've gone after Kitwarr while he had the chance. Now it was too late!

Except… It wasn't too late. He could see Kitwarr. Kitwarr? Yeah that's the kid's name! And he was trapped. Trapped on that long walkway that dropped off at the center of the mining pit. He could see him. He didn't know how but he just did. And he could save him! Couldn't he?

Again Ezra clenched his hand as the same mantra from before echoed in his mind.

He wasn't a hero.

He wasn't a jedi or a soldier.

He wasn't one of these Spectres out to save the galaxy.

He was just a kid.

And so is Kitwarr! And the Empire was going to take him away and he'd never see his parents again!

If all you do is fight for your own life, then your life is worth nothing.

The fire inside blazed as Ezra felt a sense of righteous anger come over him.

That fruit vendor back in the Capitol.

The Rodian in Tarkintown.

Kitwarr.

My parents.

I didn't do anything.

Ezra's hands clenched into fists.

I'm no jedi. I'm no hero. I'm just a kid from Lothal and way in over my head!

Blue eyes flashed in determination and Ezra sprang into action.

And nothing is going to stop me!

He heard someone calling his name but didn't look back. He had no plan. He had no experience in this sort of thing. All he knew was that a kid was in trouble and that was enough for him.

Hang on, Kitwarr. I'm coming.

As he ran Ezra did try to at least think of a plan but was coming up empty. He had ducked into the shadows under the prison transport and now was running toward where he knew Kitwarr was. He didn't know how he knew but he was past guessing himself. Ezra paused and saw the long walkway to the left. Balanced perilously above the seemingly bottomless chasm - sure enough there was the stormtrooper chasing the little Wookiee.

More like a catwalk.

Ezra kept running and reached the catwalk, his eyes focusing on the stormtrooper. It was just how he saw.

Kitwarr.

Terrified with no way out and about to be taken. Never to see his parents again.

Like hell!

"Hey!" Ezra shouted and grabbed the stormtrooper's attention.

The stormtrooper whirled around, blaster in hand, and incredulous at the sight of this small boy standing there like he could do anything to stop what was about to happen. Ezra crouched, bending his knee and reaching a hand out over the ground. He had poised himself and waited for his moment.

He didn't have to wait long. Trusting his instincts he leapt at the exact moment the stormtrooper squeezed the trigger, the blaster bolt hitting exactly where Ezra had been. But faster than the eye could track Ezra had leapt several meters into the air and flew right past the stormtrooper who could only look on, dumbfounded by the sight.

As soon as his feet touched the catwalk Ezra whirled and let loose three yellow blasts from his slingshot. One, two, all three yellow bolts of electricity slammed into the stormtrooper's chest and head.

"Gotcha!" Ezra proclaimed and watched as the stormtrooper was knocked backward from the kinetic force of the slingshot blasts until he fell over the railing and off the catwalk.

Ezra heard his screams as the stormtrooper fell to his death. Shaking off the fact he had just killed someone, Ezra focused on Kitwarr and immediately got to work.

But as he studied the binders Ezra heard the familiar whirl of some specific engines. He looked up and could only watch as the Ghost lifted off and headed up into the sky, blaster fire trailing behind it.

Just like the dead stormtrooper Ezra put it to the back of his mind. He knew it was likely he'd be left behind, but at least this time it had been his decision. No use for regrets and besides right now Kitwarr needed him.

"I got you, Kitwarr," Ezra said, doing his best to assure the child. "I'll get you out of this."

Using his R-scomp picklock Ezra had the binders off in seconds. Kitwarr growled something in response as Ezra tossed the binders over the railing and into the pit. He smiled at Kitwarr and tucked his lockpick away.

There. All the Wookiees. Mission completed. Now to get us somewhere safe. Only when Ezra looked up he saw that he and Kitwarr were no longer alone.

Kallus.

He must've followed them, and now he had his blaster aimed at him. The ISB Agent's finger steady on the trigger.

Pushing Kitwarr behind him, Ezra gritted his teeth. They've come too far to lose now!

"It's over for you, Jedi," Kallus said.

Ezra frowned. He wasn't a jedi. And this was anything but over.

"A Master and an Apprentice." Kallus continued, his haughty Imperial accent full of smugness. "Such a rare find these days."

Kitwarr looked to Ezra, his eyes filled with fear. Ezra squeezed the child's arm, silently vowing he wouldn't let any harm come to the child. And then he scowled at the agent.

"I don't know where you get your delusions, Buckethead!" Ezra said as he recalled the sight of the Ghost flying off only moments ago. "I work alone."

"Not this time!"

No way, Ezra thought as he heard the familiar voice. He, Kitwarr, and Kallus all turned to look and see to their surprise Kanan standing atop the hull of the Ghost as it lifted up from the pit below. With lightsaber in hand the Jedi had once more adopted what Ezra had determined to be Kanan's hero pose.

Three shots rang out from Kallus' blaster and Ezra watched as Kanan moved his shoulders back and forth to dodge the first two then expertly blocked the third and sent it back at Kallus. The bolt impacted hard and its energy slammed into the agent's armor and toppled him backwards over the railing.

So long Muttonchops.

"Jump, kid!"

Together Ezra and Kitwarr made for the railing and as they jumped, Hera masterfully maneuvered the Ghost upward ever so slightly to give the pair a nice flat area of the hull to land safely on. Ezra landed easily enough but grabbed hold of Kitwarr to steady him, just in case.

"Come on," Kanan said and judging by his tone Ezra could tell that they were in a hurry. As the Ghost climbed higher into the sky Kanan hurried them to a maintenance hatch near the ship's dorsal turret. The hatch was already open.

Ezra entered first and found another yellow ship ladder. Hanging on to both sides he skipped climbing down the rungs and just slid down using the ladder's rails to direct his descent. He then waited for Kitwarr to make his way in. The last one in, Kanan closed the hatch behind him.

Then Kanan leaned his head back and looked from Kitwarr to Ezra, an unreadable expression on his face. Ezra had gone off mission, but he didn't exactly have a comlink to communicate to the others what was happening.

And he was pretty certain Kanan wouldn't buy his story of how he just knew where to find Kitwarr and knew the only way to save him for sure was to go off alone.

"Come on, Kitwarr," Ezra said quietly and gently took the Wookiee's hand in his. "Let's get you back to your family."

This was a reunion Ezra couldn't wait to see.

It wasn't hard to figure out where the others were. The growls and chortles of the Wookiee conversations happening could be heard throughout the ship. And so the three just followed the voices until eventually reaching the cargo bay. They stopped on the platform overlooking the group and a moment hung in the air as all chatter stopped.

There was the wounded Wookiee, all patched up, and a look of relief on his face when he spotted Kitwarr. Kitwarr was so excited he jumped onto the ladder and slid down it much how Ezra had done earlier. Not wasting a moment father and son embraced.

Ezra smiled at the sight. He also noticed the shared looks of joy on Hera, Sabine, and Zeb. Ezra remembered Sabine's words from earlier, describing their crew as a family. Ezra couldn't quite see it then but he did now.

Must be nice, Ezra thought and then quickly shook his head. Now wasn't a time to be down and gloomy. He'd have plenty of time for any laments later. Now he just wanted to focus on the Wookiees and capture this moment. He had helped make this possible.

Not bad for a street rat, he thought and was then surprised to feel a hand pat his shoulder. He looked and saw Kanan standing next to him with a look of appreciation and happiness on his face. Ezra felt a little awkward but smiled back all the same, and then looked back to where Kitwarr and his dad were still embracing.

He felt Kanan lift his hand and then move past Ezra to the ladder to go and rejoin Hera and the others. Good for them, Ezra thought and resolved himself to try and put on a brave face for the remainder of the trip back.

Kruwhrarrr let out a long happy growl as he and Kitwarr stood by the airlock, saying their goodbyes to the Ghost crew who had come to their rescue. Kitwarr looked up at this father happily. Sabine smiled too and turned away from the pair to translate for them.

"Um, he says if we ever need help, the Wookiees will be there."

Kruwhrarrr stepped forward ruffed up Ezra's hair affectionately with his hand, grateful for the lengths Ezra went to in protecting Kitwarr. Ezra fought back a blush of suddenly being the center of attention and instead focused on Kitwarr.

"Good luck, Kitwarr." Ezra said and stepped forward to say his goodbye. "Try to stay out of trouble."

Kitwarr and his dad waved happily and then turned and left, departing through the airlock to the Wookie ship.

"Ha, look who's talking," Zeb said and walked past Ezra to close the airlock.

Yeah, Ezra thought with his smile slowly disappearing as the airlock closed. Mission accomplished.

"So," Ezra said. "I guess you drop me off next?"

Ezra posed it as either a statement or a question, but the hesitancy was clear in his voice.

"Uh, yeah," Zeb said. He cleared his throat and tried to muster up some cheerfulness at the thought of Ezra leaving them. "Finally, right?"

Beside him Kanan stood impassive, not saying anything. Sabine remained quiet as well.

Stupid, Ezra thought and turned away from the group to hide his disappointment. "Right," Ezra said.

His back turned he missed the brief flashes of disappointment on Sabine and Zeb's faces as well as missing Kanan sigh and hang his head, equally unhappy but at a loss of what to say.

You're a street rat, Ezra reminded himself as he stood by the ladder leading to the dorsal turret. They needed you for a job. Job's done. He looked down at the deck as first Zeb then Sabine passed him by, neither one saying a word.

But as Kanan walked by the Wookiee ship disconnected and there was a significant heave to the Ghost. Not missing the chance, Ezra stumbled into Kanan and then quickly jumped back to lean against the bulkhead.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Ezra said as he hid the pieces of Kanan's lightsaber behind him. Kanan gave a subtle nod and continued along his way, none the wiser. Out of sight of any of the crew, Ezra looked down and admired the lightsaber. He then tucked the hilt and its separated power cell into his pack.

It's no big deal. He's a Jedi. He'll make himself a new one. Although by now he probably had noticed you missing, Ezra thought and removed the opened cube thing from his pack. He stuck it in his jacket pocket and then closed up his pack and went on his way.

It wouldn't be long now until Lothal and he wanted to see it one more time from space. And maybe say goodbye to Hera. But when he reached the cockpit he found it empty save for that orange astromech droid plugged into the console, piloting the ship.

Ezra shook his head and ignored the droid. For the best. Hera would probably try and convince me into some other crazy thing. The crazier thing is it probably wouldn't take that much convincing.

Through the cockpit's canopy viewport Ezra watched as Lothal came into view and sighed. It was better this way. There's a family out there somewhere. Someday. Just not here I guess.

Like a Loth-rat could ever be the galaxy saving type.

Reentry through the atmosphere went smoothly as did the descent from high altitude to flying just a thousand feet off of Lothal's golden plains of long grass. The droid remained quiet throughout the trip, to which Ezra was thankful.

And before he knew it the Ghost had touched down a couple hundred meters back from his comm tower atop a small rise.

The droid chortled something and then unplugged itself and departed, not that Ezra could understand the thing. Probably cursed his ancestors or something.

Ezra took a few more moments to just admire the cockpit until his head was nearly bursting with nostalgia. Nostalgia for strangers. Kriff, he really was that desperate. He turned to leave the cockpit, only to glance over his shoulder one more time, picturing in his head the moment when he announced to them all that he would join them in saving the Wookiees. At that moment it almost seemed like they had seen him as one of them.

Stupid.

The cockpit door swished close behind him and briefly Ezra wondered where had everyone wandered off to. It didn't take him long. As soon as he entered the forward cargo bay he saw the ramp was already lowered and in the bay below was Zeb, Sabine, and the droid. The latter of the two in the midst of some repairs to the droid.

So that's where it went.

Deciding it was probably best to say nothing at all, Ezra climbed down the ladder and saw Sabine glance over her shoulder back at him. Boy was she pretty. He gave her a small smile. She did the same and then focused back on the droid, who held out one of its manipulator arms in a wave.

Ezra just shook his head and turned away, missing Chopper's disappointed chirps as well as Sabine's own crestfallen face.

Zeb was next, pushing along the first of many heavy crates. Was the repulsorlift down or was he just in the mood for a workout? Zeb leaned back and rested on the crate, waiting on him. Ezra sighed, he should say something.

"So, uh, see you around?" Ezra said.

"Not if we see you first." Zeb said and then laughed, lunged forward and gave Ezra a friendly punch on the shoulder. Only it was a bit harder than Zeb had probably intended. Ezra winced and shook his head.

"Don't worry, you won't."

Stepping down the ramp Ezra was not surprised whatsoever to see Hera standing side by side with an annoyed looking Kanan, arms folded across his chest.

"I think you have something that belongs to me," Kanan said. Hera kept her eyes on Kanan and Ezra had a feeling that the pair had had an argument or something. An argument that neither one had felt very satisfied about.

Whatever. Not my problem.

Ezra reached back and from his pocket he retrieved the opened Jedi cube. He never did figure out how to close it. He looked at it for a moment and then at Kanan, his eyes narrowed and his voice hard.

"Here," Ezra said and tossed the cube into Kanan's hands. "Good luck saving the galaxy."

He gave the pair of them one last glance and then broke out into a run, putting the Ghost and its family behind him.

Ezra didn't look back until he reached the observation deck at the top of his tower. Returned to his rightful place in the galaxy, Ezra was a little surprised to see the Ghost still sitting there in the distance. He guessed it made sense. The ship had taken a lot of fire from TIEs and that Gozanti cruiser on Kessel. They'd want to be sure there wasn't anything busted too badly.

Maybe they'd even head to a town for supplies. Or at least a new caf machine. He didn't get the full story on how it busted. Regardless, Ezra understood. No caf can make for a cranky crew with everything they must go through. You know. Flying around saving the galaxy. Making a difference. The kinds of things Rebels do.

And being a family too.

Even though they couldn't see him, Ezra offered the small ship in the distance a little wave. He turned and walked along the deck when he paused in his tracks. There it was again. That hum. That call.

Someday he'd figure that out. Shaking his he headed into the domed communication hub turned living quarters.

Stepping just inside the doorway he pulled out the lightsaber and assembled it. The weapon of a Jedi. Guardians. Protectors. Dedicating their lives to a greater purpose. Making a difference. Saving the galaxy. And best of all?

Sticking it to the Empire.

Ezra smiled as he ran his fingers over the hilt. Kanan might show up for it. Or he'd just shrug and build himself another.

Ezra sighed and looked around his circular hub and his assortment of random collections of helmets and other souvenirs.

His small workbench. Refresher and the pile of old mattresses that passed for a bed. There was still the old communication equipment. He could probably fix that up. With the increased Imperial activity it wouldn't take too much to listen in on their communications. Keep an ear out for any news about the people trapped in Tarkintown.

Could also get a heads up on any particularly good shipments coming through. He still had his bike stashed in town, that is if someone hadn't already swiped it by now. Had it really only been two days?

And then he felt it.

The Call. Not what he felt when he looked out across the plains from his observation deck. But the same Call he felt when he first spied Kanan in Capital City. It seems like Kanan found him earlier than he thought. Ezra didn't bother looking behind him, he didn't have to.

Time for some answers.

"What's the Force?" Ezra said aloud.

Kanan followed Ezra into his tower's cabin. And after a glance around, he explained.

"The Force is everywhere," Kanan said. "It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together. And it's strong with you, Ezra. Otherwise, you'd never have been able to open the holocron."

Holocron. So that's what that cube thing is. Ezra turned and eyed Kanan cautiously.

"So, what do you want?"

"To offer you a choice," Kanan said. "You can keep the lightsaber you stole, let it become just another dusty souvenir. Or you can give it back and come with us, come with me and be trained in the ways of the Force. You can learn what it truly means to be a Jedi."

Ezra thought it over then asked the question that had been lingering in his head ever since what the ISB Agent had said to him on Kessel.

"I thought the Empire had wiped out all the Jedi."

"Not all of us," Kanan said and Ezra could hear the pain in the Jedi's voice.

Ezra glanced down at the lightsaber for only a moment, but when he looked back up Kanan was gone. A few moments later Ezra heard the turbolift activate as it began its descent.

There it was. The offer. But was it because he had the potential to be a Jedi? Or did they actually think he made a good fit with their crew or team? Or family? And what did Sabine and Zeb think of all this?

Stepping out onto the deck, Ezra looked across the plains. When exactly did he go from being the competition to potentially being one of them?

The Plains of Lothal held no answers to Ezra's questions.

Upon his return he found the crew waiting in the cargo bay for news. But all Kanan could offer the others was a shrug. Their guess was as good as his.

Feeling the sudden need for privacy Kanan meandered around the ship until he found himself sitting on the bunk in his cabin. He eyed the holocron Ezra had opened, and then closed his eyes and opened the holocron himself. Immediately the message began tot play. A message he had listened to over and over again, too many times to count.

"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both our Jedi Order and the Republic have fallen, with the dark shadow of the Empire rising to take their place.

"This message is a warning and a reminder for any surviving Jedi. Trust in the Force."

"Do not return to the Temple."

As Chopper did his maintenance he gave thought to the new meatbag. His logic processor deduced that the new one, if he joined, would make for excellent target practice.

"That time has passed."

Another crate secured, Zeb thought and then unwittingly his thoughts turned to the Kid and wondered what his decision would be. He had frustrated him to no end but? Zeb sighed and shook his head, moving on to the next crate.

"And our future is uncertain."

Alone in the common room Sabine hung her head. She tried not to think of them, but it was moments like these that the memories crept up on her. She missed having a little brother and missed having someone her own age she could get into trouble with. In the short time she had known him Ezra had filled that void. But most of all, he cared. Truly cared about the people in this galaxy. She eyed the broken caf machine, wishing for a caf. Diasa'yr o'r chaavla.

"We will each be challenged. Our trust… our faith… our friendships."

Hera sat in her chair in the cockpilot doing maintenance, trying not to think about Ezra. But whenever she looked up it was right there in the middle of the viewport. Ezra's tower. She sighed and gripped the control panel. Hera knew she was fond of Ezra and would miss him, but she didn't imagine it'd hurt like this. She had been so hopeful that Kanan would get Ezra to come with them, but in the end it's Ezra's decision. She had just wanted more for that smiling boy who had begun to feel like family to her.

Please, Ezra. You are meant for so much more.

"But we must persevere."

"And in time, a new hope will emerge. May the Force be with you… always."

His door opened and Kanan opened his eyes to see a cautiously optimistic Ezra standing there in the doorway. Did this mean what he thinks?

Kanan got to his feet as Ezra stepped in, meeting him halfway. Kanan saw one last brief moment of hesitation on Ezra's face before holding out the lightsaber to him. Kanan smiled. He took the lightsaber and patted Ezra's shoulder, welcoming his new apprentice and new crew member to the family.

Ezra smiled.

He needed to head to the medical bay, but Agent Kallus knew this was something that couldn't be put off.

As he entered the aft-Bridge communications center, Kallus cleared the room. Once he was alone he keyed up the appropriate frequency. It didn't take long.

"Greetings, Grand Inquisitor. I have news to share."

Chapter Text

“Whup! Whup! Wampa! Whimp!”

Chopper’s uninterpretable but likely rude remark temporarily pumped the brakes to Ezra and Zeb’s heated back and forth, and frankly Ezra was was grateful for it. He didn’t recall when Zeb and he had gotten into each other’s faces but the sight of the Lasat’s ugly mugl was rivaled only by the disgusting stench emitting from that purple matted hair that covered the kriffin’ furball from head to toe. 

And if Ezra never heard Zeb’s endless griping and complaining it’d be too soon! 

“No helmets,” Zeb insisted after the momentary truce had passed. “Kanan and Hera never said anything about helmets! Bah! They never said anything about you sleeping in my cabin!”

Ezra crossed his arms and shrugged at Furball. “Hey, I didn’t get a vote on where I was hanging by lightsaber at the end of the day.”

“Lightsaber? What lightsaber?” Zeb taunted. “So you opened some Jedi puzzle cube. Yeah, look at you. Real special.”

“Pfft,” Ezra said and turned away from Zeb and hid the hurt the furball was causing by playing on his insecurities. “Like you know anything. And my helmets are hanging right there,” Ezra pointed to an empty space on the wall. “And you’ll make a space for my stuff in the drawers.”

“Right. Orange, orange, and more orange. Don’t want to get any of your precious outfits mixed up.” Ezra began hanging his helmets, wishing he had kept the Cadet helmet from the Lawbringer Star Destroyer. “Better stock up on that blue hair dye you like so much,” Zeb jabbed.

“Hair dye?” Ezra whipped his head around and ran a fingerless gloved hand through his midnight-blue locks. “This is my hair you walking rug!”

“Whuta! Whoop!”

Ezra turned his attention to the orange astromech, enjoying the show from the corner of the room. He snorted and shook his head. “You’ve been with this ship how long and you never learned to speak astromech?”

“He’s Hera’s problem not mine,” Zeb replied. “Wish I could say the same for you!” Zeb growled but finally turned to his bottom bunk and began shifting through his clothes and other items. 

“Yeah? Well as I understand the vote to bring me aboard was unanimous,” Ezra pointed out. “You someone to be mad at, try looking in the mirror.”

Zeb turned his head and gave Ezra a piercing stare. Ezra held it a few seconds and when it was clear the boy wasn’t backing down Zeb sighed and continued making room for Ezra’s belongings.

“Thought you’d be bunking with Kanan,” Zeb muttered grouchily. “Not like I asked you to join us. Not like I will be the one teaching you to move stuff with your thick head.” Zeb shoved some clothes down into another drawer and then stood up, backing away from the bunk. He gestured to the empty drawer and sneered. “There you are, your Majesty. Your turn.”

Rolling his blue eyes Ezra began unpacking his meager belongings, doing his best to ignore all the orange in his wardrobe. The clothes were coarse in his hands and could do with a good washing. But for now they would do.

“Doesn’t change things. Kanan asked and you said yes. So did Sabine,” Ezra added and a small smile curling his lips at the thought of the lovely girl. Something that didn’t go unnoticed by Zeb.

“Vote? What vote? If Hera and Kanan want something they’ll do it. Made it perfectly clear with the other vote didn’t they?” Zeb watched and waited as his words sunk in. 

“Other vote?” Ezra stated and frowned at this news. “What other vote?”

“Why whether we’d rescue you from those buckethead Imperials of course.” Zeb answered. Cheekily he added. “I voted to leave you there.”

“You left me behind to begin with,” Ezra replied. “Like any of the others would do something like that.” As Ezra focused back on his clothes he missed the scheming grin on Zeb’s face. But there was no missing the joyful glee in the Lasat’s tone.

“Oh is that what you think? It was just me who didn’t like rushing to rescue our Loth-rat damsel in distress?”

“Whaaaa,” Chopper wailed out, and if Ezra wasn’t mistaken it sounded almost like the droid was warning Zeb off.

“Chopper got a vote?” Ezra smirked. “Well that’s not surprising he’d want to risk his logic circuits for me.”

“Oh?” Zeb grinned and a feeling of wariness took root in the pit of Ezra’s gut. “So you think it was Chopper who was against risking our lives by boarding that Star Destroyer.” Zeb tsked his tongue and shook his head. “Figured you’d of. No, that tin can casted the tying vote! For some reason he thought playing chicken with a Star Destroyer was a good idea.”

Ezra paused his unpacking and tilted his chin and turned his head to face Zeb, the big furball still leaning against the wall of the cabin. “Nice try,” Ezra said, refusing to believe the bothersome Lasat’s outlandish claim. Only Ezra’s denial caused the corners of Zeb’s mouth to further curl upward in joy.

“Fine, don’t believe me,” Zeb said with a hapless shrug. “Just thought you should know that I wasn’t the only one who realized that leaving you behind on that giant ship and its army of bucketheads was the right choice.”

He’s full of it, Ezra thought. And there’s an eyewitness right here.

“Okay, Chopper,” Ezra said and stood up from the drawers and smiled at the droid. “We can’t understand you, but I know how much you care about Hera. So on Hera’s honor. Lift your left arm and confirm that Zeb is full of it and failing to get under my skin.”

“Yeah, Chopper,” Zeb smiled smugly. “You heard him. On Hera’s honor.”

Ezra and Zeb waited. And waited. And then waited some more. But as seconds passed and all Chopper did was stand there unmoving, that wariness building inside Ezra grew turned to doubt.

“I’m no Jedi, or a teacher. But you want to hear some good old fashioned advice?”

“From you?” Ezra spat and raised his hand in a rude gesture at Zeb.

“Too bad, you’re gettin’ it anyhow. You know what hurts more than any insult? Hearing the truth.”

“Chopper, raise your arm!” Ezra said, his voice raising.

But the droid didn’t. Instead he gave some form of a morose warble and then wheeled out of the cabin leaving Ezra alone with Zeb.

“Chopper!” Ezra called before the droid disappeared but it just continued to roll away from the feuding rivals.

“He wouldn’t lie,” Zeb lectured. “Not on Hera’s honor.”

“You talk too much,” Ezra shot back and then kicked the clothing drawer closed.

“Hey! Watch it!” Zeb growled, displeased with  Ezra taking out his emotions on the roomates’ clothing drawers. Ezra ignored him and after a moment of thought walked to the open doorway.

“Kanan will tell me,” Ezra said simply. “And afterward you’ll be sleeping on the couch in the lounge.”

“Hahah!” Zeb cheered. “Sure, kid. Keep deluding yourself that everyone’s happy to have you here. You also might want to ask him the other thing your too scared to ask.”

“You know I figured it out.” Ezra said and looked over his shoulder at Zeb. “It’s part of my training. Rooming with you. A Jedi patience thing.”

But Zeb ignored him, and again targeted Ezra’s weak spot. “Look him in the eyes and ask. Are you here because of your skills as a thief? Or your potential as a Jedi? Because it sure aint’ your charming personality, kid.”

“Kanan won’t lie to me,” Ezra said and left, but before he got out of earshot he heard Zeb’s last remark.

“He wouldn’t lie to me. But you and your fragile feelings? I wouldn’t bet on it.”

Ezra ignored Zeb, but that didn’t help that seed of doubt the Lasat’s words had planted. He needed to find Kanan. 

Only when he turned a corner to check the lounge or common room or whatever they called it. He came face to face with Hera who smiled at the sight of him. She lifted her arms and showed Ezra a small bag of tools.

“There you are,” Hera said. “I was just coming to get you.”

Ezra glanced at the tools and then to Hera. He wondered about the timing. “Did Chopper say anything to you?”

Hera frowned and tilted her head at Ezra’s odd question. “No. Should he have?” Hera asked, feeling as though she was missing something. Something important. When Ezra didn’t elaborate Hera decided to let it go - for now. “I need your help. On a task you are uniquely suited for.”

“Oh, umm, I was sort of hoping to find Kanan. There’s something I need to ask him about.”

“He’s busy in the galley, it’s his turn to cook.” Hera said while still holding up the bag of tools. Her face twinged. “Sorry in advance by the way.”

“Sorry?” Ezra questioned.

“Part of being on the Ghost means sharing duties, one of them is cooking dinner. While Kanan is great with a lot of things. Cooking leaves something to be desired.”

Ezra blinked at the news and then turned this over in his mind. “So if everyone cooks then does that mean?” He let the question dangle and waited for Hera’s response.

“There will be a new schedule next week, including you.”

“Great.” Ezra responded. His tone was anything but cheery and wondered just how long it would take until there was a new contender for Worst Cook.

“Is it an emergency?” Hera asked. “Your question for Kanan?” She clarified at Ezra’s look of confusion.

“Oh. Eh, nothing that can’t wait.” Ezra flashed his boyish smile. “And I wouldn’t want to interrupt him and risk ruining dinner any further.” He could tell Hera was far from assured but the Twi’lek shook her head and handed Ezra the tools.

“Why do I have a bad feeling about this?” Ezra asked after closer examination.

“Hmm,” Hera said and placed a finger on her chin. “Maybe because it’s that innate Jedi sense of yours telling you that for the next hour you’re going to be giving the vents a thorough inspection.”

Hera turned on her heel and made way to the nearest access point, with Ezra quick on her heels.

“Wait!” Ezra said as he caught up with her. “I don’t know anything about spaceships and how their ventilation shafts work.”

“And that’s why there’s a tiny camera in there and a comlink Sabine created for you to wear only your wrist. We’ve been in a lot of situations where a guy your size and your talents would have made some of our plans a lot less risky. Here we are,” Hera said and opened an access panel in the common area. “I’ll be watching your progress with this,” Hera said and lifted up a datapad. “We’ll be in communication the whole time.”

He looked into the small bag and found a battery operated headlamp with a small camera attached. And in the bag was a nifty wrist brace that would make staying in contact with rest of the team a lot easier, particularly in small spaces.

“And here I thought I’d be doing Jedi stuff,” Ezra muttered quietly, but loudly enough for Hera not to miss it.

“Is that what you needed to talk with Kanan about?” Hera asked and Ezra could hear the motherly worry in her voice and look of concern on her face. Hera definitely voted to save him. But that meant her and Chopper and one other were for him. And if Zeb wasn’t lying, that meant either Sabine or Kanan thought it best to leave him there.

That kriffin’ self-doubt kept growing.

“I’m guessing there’s a tracker in the bracer as well?” Ezra said, ducking Hera’s concern. Hera’s concern remained but she decided it best to let Ezra’s worry slide for now.

“More like an emergency SOS,” Hera explained. “There is a tracker that can be activated remotely by the wearer or from a team leader but that’s only in cases of emergency. Sabine was insistent she would not include an active tracker to keep tabs on you at all times.”

“And who thought it was a good job to track me 24 hours a day?” Ezra said and looked at Hera carefully.

“Chopper,” Hera said and shrugged with indifference. “He thought it only fair since he doesn’t get privacy.”

“And since this doubles as my comlink, ditching it for some privacy would be like a cardinal sin or something.”

“The tracker is only for emergencies only. Key word emergency. Sabine was insistent on that and I completely agree. And so will Zeb and Kanan once they’re informed.”

“Sure they will,” Ezra said and rolled his eyes. As he made himself ready with the wrist communicator and the headlamp camera he saw a chance to ask the Ghost’s Captain a certain question. “So whose brilliant idea was it to room me with Zeb and not say someone like the guy who theoretically will be training me?”

His tone was spiteful but Ezra didn’t care at this point. The “conversation” with Zeb had drained him and now he was about to be crawling around in the vents for an hour. 

“My ship, I assign who bunks where,” Hera said pointedly. “Firstly, Kanan’s the leader so he gets his own space. Secondly, and more importantly, you and Kanan will be spending a lot of time together. If this is going to work, you two will need some time apart as well. And just as importantly you and Zeb will have to get used to each other. To trust each other even.”

“Trust him? The guy who left me behind?” Ezra balked at Hera’s logic but she wasn’t about to back down.

“Is this what you want to talk to Kanan about?” Hera said, deliberately refusing to get drawn into a session of Ezra complaining nonstop about Zeb.

Ezra shook his head and approached the access grate leading into the shaft. But Hera was nothing if not persistent.

“I mean it, Ezra. We’re a team and we need to work together. Which means trusting each other. Better to tackle your problem head on than let it fester. And I believe in you. I know you’ll make it work.” Hera hesitated then sighed. “And sorry in advance about Zeb’s snoring.”

“Wait! He snores!” Ezra said and looked back at Hera with wide eyes. Ezra shook his head and opened the vent. The thought of asking why not her or Sabine briefly flickered through Ezra’s mind but he dismissed it immediately.

Aside from the both being women. It was Hera’s ship and, also, if he was to have a chance with Sabine then the last thing he wanted was to be sharing a room with her. They were still getting to know each other, the last thing he wanted to do was to mess up by moving too quickly. And rooming together was definitely too fast!

“Comm check, Spectre-2 to Spectre-6. Can you hear me, Ezra?” Hera’s voice sounded from his comlink.

So many buttons, Ezra thought. Maybe they should’ve spent some time going over how this thing worked exactly? He took a guess and pressed the big green one.

“Spectre-6 here, I read you,” Ezra answered and then smiled when Hera responded back with an affirmative that she heard him as well. Of all the cool things he had experienced since officially joining, having his own callsign was the coolest.

“Turn on your headlamp and camera, Spectre-6. There’s a lot of area to cover and I don’t want you in there longer than needed.”

“Right, copy,” Ezra said and flipped on the light and camera. He wondered why Hera was insistent on hurrying this along.

Fifteen minutes in and already his back was killing him. But there was a lot to learn as he traveled the vents and checked on things like wiring or any wear and tear. He could see Sabine or Hera being able to do this, and maybe even Kanan. But there was no way Zeb had ever been assigned this job.

“You’re doing great, Ezra,” Hera said, her voice full of encouragement. “We’ve just about cleared the entire top deck of the forward area.”

Ezra frowned and then keyed his comlink. “That’s it? One floor of half the ship!”

“Yup. Don’t worry it won’t always be you. Sabine and I will each take our turns. There’s plenty of work to be done on a ship, and a lot to learn. The quicker you learn the less time you’ll spend in the vents and will be able to handle other tasks. You’re being here will really help us even out the maintenance work and have time to take on more jobs. Do some more good.”

Ezra couldn’t argue that logic. Tarkintown still weighed heavily on his mind. At the same time Zeb’s comment was still lingering. He checked the time on his wrist, or chronos as he learned, and saw he still had another twenty minutes. He knew he wouldn’t get through the entire ship but then Hera never expected him to. It was too much work and just too cramped. An hour at a time felt about right.

And as he went along the less and less Hera had to point out for him. There wasn’t really any big mystery for vent maintenance. There were a few places where repairs were needed and he handled those okay with the tools in the bag Hera provided. 

“Fifteen more minutes, Spectre-6,” Hera said. “So, you going to tell me what’s really bothering you? Or should I spend the last fifteen minutes pestering you?”

Ezra sighed. Figures. He should’ve known she wouldn’t have let it go that easily.

“It’s nothing,” Ezra said into his comlink. “I’ll get over it.”

“Remember what I said earlier about trust, Spectre-6.”

Ezra stopped his crawl and sighed. She had him there.

“It’s just us right now on this frequency?”

“Yup.”

“And you’ll be honest, even if the truth hurts?” Ezra bit his lip. This last part was especially difficult to ask. He liked Hera. But at times he felt like she was holding back. Keeping things from him, especially if she felt it was for his own good.

The long moment of silence coming from her end didn’t help either. “Spectre-2?” Ezra said.

“I’ll try my best. What is it?”

“Spectre…4 said some things,” Ezra began. “Most of it was space crap. But some of it made sense. Especially when Chopper didn’t say he was lying.”

“Seems like I’ll be needing to talk with them both. Talk to me, Ezra.”

Here goes.

“Would you have taken me on if I didn’t have the Force? And what’s this about a vote to rescue me?”

Hera’s sigh was so loud it came through over the comlink.

“Sithspit. Damnit Garazeb.”

Ezra remembered what Zeb said about truths versus lies, and questioning which hurt more in an argument. Ezra had his answer.

“So you and Chopper were for rescuing me. Zeb was against,” Ezra said and shook his head - accidentally hitting on the side panel of the vent. He continued. “So Kanan and Sabine were the holdouts?”

“You shouldn’t have had to find out about it like this, at the same time it’s not that simple, Ezra. Really.”

“Were you ever going to tell me?” Ezra insisted. 

“When the time was right,” Hera answered. “Once you were more settled in. More certain of your place here.”

That knot of doubt was growing and now it felt like it was punching his self-esteem over and over. What about the other thing Zeb said? Am I really here just because I can use the Force?

“And my ability with the Force?” Ezra said, repeating the second half of his question.

“You listen to me. Force or no Force, when you came into the cockpit and told us about the Wookies and said you were coming with? That was when I made my decision. I still had to run it past the others but make no mistake, I wasn’t about to just leave and forget about you.”

“Run it past the others?” Ezra asked.

“We’re a team, Spectre-6. And like you said you’re not against sticking it to the Empire. We needed someone like you. And you deserve to be someplace where others can appreciate you not just for your skills, but for your value as a person.” Hera paused and Ezra found himself able to imagine her, wherever she was, with a look of both sadness and anger on her face. “The only thing I regret was not seeing this coming. Zeb never should have-!”

Kriff, she’s about to go Mama Bear for me!

“Okay! Okay! I believe you!” Ezra hurried and clucked his tongue, trying to figure out a way to handle this himself. “I’ll handle Zeb. He needs to know not to mess with me.”

There was no initial response and Ezra could tell that Hera was thinking his words over. But really there wasn’t anything to think about. This trust thing wouldn’t work if Hera had to step in and play referee everytime Zeb (or himself) got into it.

“Copy that, Spectre-6.” Hera didn’t like it, but she respected Ezra’s decision and understood the logic behind it. “Ezra? You’re still holding back. Who else made you feel like we were just… Using you?”

“That Agent Kallus guy,” Ezra responded. “When he had me captured, it was how he tried to break me. Heh, oh right, apparently you guys are now officially Rebels in the Empire’s eyes.”

“I think you mean WE are rebels in the Empire’s eyes, Spectre-6,” Hera corrected, but her voice held only warmth. “Rebels, huh? Why’d he say that?”

“I mean it makes sense. This isn’t the first time you guys have pulled jobs on Lothal and elsewhere. Thieves wouldn’t bother with places like Tarkintown or Wookies. Plus Sabine’s artwork has been drawing a lot of attention. And when you came back for me? I think that sealed it.”

“Hmm. I’ll have to talk about this with Spectre-1. Good work Spectre-6. Not just with the Wookies but getting some valuable intelligence. Kallus may be dead but he certainly couldn’t be the only Imperial recognizing our pattern. We may need to adjust tactics.”

The rest of the maintenance was uneventful and ten minutes later Ezra was crawling out of the vents, and not looking his best. While Hera did her best to keep her ship tidy, the vents still caught a lot of dust and grime and Ezra was covered in both. Hera patted his shoulder affectionately and despite his appearance went in for a hug.

“You’re family, Ezra. No matter what anyone says. You’ll always have a home here.”

He hugged her back, and decided then and there that Hera’s nickname would forever be Mom or Space Mom he supposed. “Jeez, Hera. Laying it on thick,” he teased.

The two separated and after another look at him Hera sighed. “Go get washed up, Spectre-6. Then tell Sabine I want her to give you an introduction to the guns.”

“Wow,” Ezra said. “From vent cleaner to gunner all in the span of an hour.”

“Think about it, Ezra,” Hera interjected. “If we were ambushed by the Empire right now. Would you be more useful in the vents or in the turret?”

She made a pretty good point. Learning to fly one of these ships would probably take a lot of time. Days if not weeks. And it wasn’t like learning to fire lasers at TIE fighters wouldn’t be fun, especially with Sabine teaching him.

If only there wasn’t the vote thing hanging over his head. Almost as if she could read his thoughts Hera gently pressed her fingers under his chin and raised his head until his eyes met hers.

“It was Sabine who figured out the way for us to rescue you,” Hera said. “Hear her out.” Then Hera became more hesitant. “Or maybe tell her that when you’re ready to listen to her explanation.”

Ezra nodded and wordlessly removed the camera and headlamp, but kept the wrist bracer comlink that Sabine had made for him on his wrist. He thought back on the SOS option she built in as well as the emergency tracker. She had put a lot of thought into this, and how she was able to put it together with just the stuff lying around the ship was impressive.

“I’ll do that,” Ezra said.

“Promise me, Ezra” Hera said, her green eyes peering hard at him.

“Yeah, of course,” Ezra promised Hera. Hera’s defense of Sabine had caught him off guard but he supposed Hera had her reasons. She wasn’t just Space Mom to him after all.

“Sorry again,” Hera said as she stepped away.

“I can handle Zeb,” Ezra said, meaning what he said earlier. He didn’t want Hera going Mama Bear for him. Or at least not for something like this.

But Hera laughed. “I meant about his snoring!”

“Oh right,” Ezra said and arched an eyebrow at her. “Yeah that is pretty evil, Space Mom.”

Her eyes widened, realizing that Ezra had bestowed her a nickname at last. And it was one she couldn’t have been happier with. Seeing that light in her eyes had Ezra smiling as well.

“Put those tools up and go get yourself cleaned up. I’ll let Sabine know you’ll be dropping by for gunner training - knock first.”

Ezra gave her a nod and then parted for the utility workbench. Hera went in the opposite direction, to inform Sabine and then do whatever else a ship’s Captain was responsible for. Ezra imagined it had to be a long list.

Twenty minutes later he was cleaned up and in fresh clothes and standing outside Sabine’s door, which ironically was the cabin directly across from him and Zeb’s. Zeb hadn’t been in the room which had been a nice change of pace. It gave Ezra time to think.

Hera had set most of his doubts to rest, but Ezra didn’t miss that she evaded both Kanan and Sabine’s involvement in “the vote.” She didn’t seem too worried about Kanan’s reaction to such a line of questioning but given her fierce protectiveness of Sabine, Ezra knew he would have to handle that conversation with care.

And what did that say about Sabine? Ezra wondered as he raised his hand to knock on her door and announce himself. She wasn’t scared of anything. Right?

“Whamu! Woot! Whamabam!”

“Shoo!” Ezra scolded Chopper who decided it fun to eavesdrop from the door leading to the cockpit. Chopper shot something back at Ezra, not that he understood anything that came out of that domed head of his.

Regrouping himself, Ezra gathered his wits and remembered Hera’s words from earlier.

Knock first.

Ezra knocked on the door and waited a moment, then spoke. “Uh, Sabine? It’s Ezra.”

“One minute,” he heard her say from the other side of the door.

“One minute,” Ezra whispered and he looked back up the corridor to see that Chopper had rolled off somewhere else. Good riddance.

Continuing to wait, Ezra shivered. Fresh out of the shower and in clean clothes, despite being in the heart of the ship it was taking some getting used to how cold space could be. That would take some getting used to along with just how hard everything was around him. 

The deck, the walls, the ceiling. He smirked, realizing he was now referring to the floor as a deck. At least that was going his way. But the hardness of the durasteel walls and bulkheads. He understood the reasoning, but it was just another thing to get used to.

The same could be said of the silence. He hadn’t noticed it at first but now as he stood here in this hallway, it really hit him just how quiet a spaceship could be. He was used to sleeping in his tower and if he needed to go out and maybe look at the stars or hear the wind brushing across the plains it was just one doorway away.

It was taking some getting used to.

“Hey,” Sabine said as the door to her cabin opened. As always she was in her armor albeit without her helmet, showing off her flashy blue hair with orange tips. He didn’t know why but the color combination spoke to him. And then there was her olive skin and her eyes.

Stunning.

She cleared her throat and it was then that Ezra realized he had been staring. Well, he hoped it was staring and not gawking. His mouth was closed at least so that had to be a positive sign. What was he here for again?

“Hey,” Ezra managed to get out and then something obtrusive filled his nostrils. “Oh,” he said as his nose identified it. “Fresh paint?”

“My helmet,” Sabine said. “I did my other armor pieces earlier. Nothing ruins art quicker than blaster fire.”

“Oh yeah, I get that,” Ezra said.

He absolutely did not get that but the thought of having to clean and paint over the carbon scoring from blaster fire sounded like a real pain to Ezra. He couldn’t imagine how many times Sabine must have done it. He also wondered between that and all the artwork she must have decorating her wall space, did Sabine always smell like paint? Hmm, maybe she likes the smell of paint fumes?

Ezra grinned and took a deep breath. “Wow, that smell.”

She coughed and looked away, her eyes focusing downward at the deck. “Yeah.”

“It’s just so you,” Ezra said, and smiled broadly. When Sabine glanced up and saw his smile she studied it for a moment then rolled her eyes at his antics.

That wasn’t the reaction Ezra was hoping for. And kriff, did I just make it all uncomfortable?

“Hera said you needed gun training. Let me grab a few things here and I’ll meet you up in the dorsal turret.” Before she turned to head back into her room she saw a look of confusion on his face. Sabine replayed her last sentence and then it hit her. “Right, first time aboard a spaceship. Dorsal means the top. Ventral means… You know what? Never mind. Just meet me at the top turret.”

“Right!” Ezra exclaimed, smiling even wider. He so had this.

Fighting the urge to whistle Ezra headed backwards - aft! To a ladder leading to the top turret. Why she wanted to start him out here, Ezra didn’t understand. The front turret when he first saw her take off her helmet was a lot more roomier. But then, maybe she didn’t want roomier?

The teen liked that line of thought and began to whistle as he climbed the ladder and took his seat in the turret. As soon as he looked out the bubble transparisteel canopy his eyes widened. He had seen the blue tunnel of Hyperspace before but to see it everywhere he looked was something else entirely.

It was so vivid and enormous that it bathed the turret and Ezra himself in a soft blue light. But it seemed kind of odd. When he thought of turret training he didn’t think they’d start out in Hyperspace. Could a turret even fire in Hyperspace?

As if on cue he heard a shift in the Ghost’s engines and the blue tunnel disappeared and an even greater field of view greeted Ezra as the stars, too many to count, filled every square inch of the canopy. “Whoa,” Ezra said, utterly mystified.

“Yeah,” Sabine said as she swung up the ladder and then climbed up to join Ezra. There wasn’t much room but Sabine found a ledge to lean against as she too looked at numerous fields of stars surrounding them. “In the future we’ll do most of the training in the front turret but for your initial introduction it’s important we begin here.”

“Okay,” Ezra said and he glanced from the beautiful stars to the turret control. “Nothing really to shoot at.”

“Well we won’t really be doing much shooting this session,” Sabine said. “There’s a few jobs Hera and Kanan are trying to line up so we have to get back into Hyperspace soon. But we have thirty minutes, which is enough time. Now, before we get started let’s cover the basics.”

“Okay,” Ezra said and at last pulled his attention away from the stars and really big guns to look at Sabine.

“If I said this turret could turn a full 360 degrees, what does that tell you?”

“Oh,” Ezra said and frowned. “360? Isn’t that a hoverboard move when a guy on a ramp flies up and spins around?”

Sabine smiled in relief. “Yes! Exactly that. Okay and if a hoverboarder were to fly up and only spin halfway around, what would that be called?”

Silence. “Umm, I really don’t know much beyond the 360 thing,” Ezra said and looked downcast. He wondered if this was something kids his age who went through normal schooling were supposed to know. He felt Sabine’s hand on his forearm and when she spoke her voice was gentle.

“Hey, I get it. No judging here. We’ll take this step by step.”

Ezra nodded but the ever present reminder that he wasn’t as good, or even average, when it came to simple things like math stung at him. He knew it wasn’t his fault. No teenage scavenger on a backwater planet with no parents or education could possibly understand the intricacies of space travel. It was ludicrous.

He wondered how it was that Sabine figured this out about him. He’d only told Hera, but then Sabine was pretty insightful. And he didn’t make it a secret he was stealing to survive.

But at the same time Sabine wasn’t pressing for answers but instead respecting Ezra’s privacy. And boy if that didn’t make him like her all the more.

“Okay, we’ll keep the 360 degree hoverboard metaphor in mind,” Sabine said, continuing the lesson. “What about if I said TIEs at twelve o’clock. Where would you turn the guns?”

Oh! This he knew!

“Directly ahead, the front - uh - bow of the ship!”

“Right!” Sabine said and patted him on the shoulder. “And six o’clock!”

“Well that’s behind me. I’ve snuck into enough holo-cinemas to see plenty of vids about fighter battles.”

“Good to know,” Sabine grinned. “So like the face of a clock. If I’m in the cockpit looking at the sensor board and I’m picking up TIEs on the port - left - side of the ship. TIEs you can’t see yet but I can because of the Ghost’s sensors. Which direction would you turn the turret? And remember. Think like a clock.”

“Okay,” Ezra breathed and imagined the face of a clock. “Left side of a clock - so that would mean something like nine o’clock?” He turned to the left but the amount of stars in the sky was just a bit overwhelming.

He had a sudden memory from yesterday, sitting in the cockpit beside Hera waiting on the others when that feeling snuck up on him. That something was coming. And then exactly where he was looking the Star Destroyer appeared. Was that the Force?

“Ezra! Please pay attention.”

“Can Jedi sense these things through the Force?” Ezra asked. When he saw Sabine tilt her head at hand he waved with his hands. “Before the Star Destroyer showed up, I sensed this feeling that something wasn’t right. Something was wrong and I looked over at the - uh - one o’clock direction. And then a few moments later blam! Star Destroyer exactly where I was looking.”

He focused on Sabine who had a thoughtful look on her face. “Well, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen Kanan used his lightsaber. But I have seen him make some pretty impossible blaster shots. And he has feelings, gut feelings he would say, of dangers he couldn’t possibly know. But then in a few moments that’s exactly what happened. So maybe? Mandalorians and Jedi don’t really mix.”

“Mandalorian? That sounds so familiar.” Ezra asked and he looked at Sabine, seeing her struggle to keep from laughing. “What? What did I say?”

“You have a lot to learn, Ezra, especially if you’re going to become a Jedi. But for now? Let’s stick to learning where to aim. So like you said one o’clock? If I said from the cockpit there were TIEs coming from two o’clock, where would you aim? Just point with your hand.”

Ezra really wasn’t sure where Sabine was going with this but he followed along and pictured the clock again in his head, then pointed to his right.

“Okay, but where specifically?” Sabine pressed.

“Oh, just somewhere over there,” Ezra said and circled an area of space with his hand. The clock hands were simple but not really helpful. He would need more than twelve hands on a clock to know where to aim his gun. Especially if it was a matter of life or death with only seconds to act.

If Sabine was disappointed she didn’t show it, in fact she looked almost as if she was expecting that answer. “Exactly. So if I said TIEs at 180 degree, or Point One-Eighty. Where would you turn the turret?”

Kriff. The 360 thing again. Well like Sabine said half of twelve was six. Ezra wasn’t great at math but isn’t half of 360, 180?

“Umm, directly behind me?” Ezra asked, though it was clear he was far from certain.

“Your six o’clock, exactly,” Sabine nodded. “That’s actually how we call out targets in space,” Sabine said. “Because of just how massive it is, the gunners really do need to know where to look. So let’s forget the clock for a second and imagine a compass.”

Ezra grimaced. “I don’t know how to use a compass.”

“Well it’s the same premise as a hoverboard. To spin around completely, that’s a full 360 degrees.” Sabine said and made a circle gesture. “Zero degrees being right in front. So if I said fighters mark Point Zero that would just mean dead ahead, which is probably what I would say. But if they fighters were a little way off to the left, halfway between twelve o’clock and three o'clock. That would be fighters Point Four-Five. Shorthand for 45 degrees - and I lost you again didn’t I?”

Ezra winced. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“You’ll get this,” Sabine promised. “We’ll work on your compass skills later. For now we’ll stick to the twelve o’clock stuff. Okay?”

Ezra smiled and nodded. And then followed along with Sabine’s instructions on how the gun itself worked. But as time passed he found himself beginning to dwell and his focus shifted. Zeb’s words and Hera’s non-answer haunting him. Sabien noticed and he felt something flick his ear.

Sabine!

“Hey-”

“Hey, yourself! Pay attention.”

“Sorry, just distracted,” Ezra said and crossed his arms in front of him.

Sabine was silent for a moment before saying something in some language he didn’t know and shook her head. “I’m going to kick Zeb’s ass when we’re done here. This is about that stupid vote isn’t it?”

“Hera,” Ezra said in realization. “She told you?”

“She hinted at. Hinted Zeb had a big mouth and knew how to get under a person’s skin. She was worried you’d be distracted.”

Well she had him there. But it didn’t change the fact that she sided with Zeb. Or was it Kanan?

“I sided with Zeb, initially,” Sabine said once it became evident that there was no skating around the issue. “Kanan had the deciding vote.”

“So it’s true. You guys really were just going to leave me there!” Ezra exclaimed. He didn’t mean to yell but this was just too much.

“Look around you, Ezra. If a Star Destroyer dropped out of hyperspace right now and was headed for us. What would you tell Hera to do? Charge in, headed directly for the hangars where the Imps are waiting and hope we’re fast enough not to get blasted away by the Destroyer’s gunners? Or would you think of another plan? A safer plan that would get not just you but all of us out of there alive.”

“Is that what you think would happen?” Ezra asked testily. Kallus was confident they would come rescue him, and Ezra got the impression the Agent wouldn’t order the Ghost’s destruction. He wanted them - the Rebels - alive.

“No,” Sabine said. “He would order the gunners to hit the engines until we were crippled. Then he’d just come in with a tractor beam and scoop us up.” Sabine shook her head. “Maybe he’d let you go but Hera and Kanan and Zeb?”

“And you?” Ezra asked. “When we first talked you said the Empire did something to your family.”

Sabine was quiet, thinking over her words carefully. “They did,” she said at last. “And if they got their hands on me again it’d mean hell for not only my family but all Mandalorians. Zeb was a piece of osik for leaving you there. A coward. But we didn’t find out until it was too late and we were already in Hyperspace and I’m sorry, Ezra. But I wasn’t on board with Hera’s plan of charging in and hoping for the best.”

There was that word again, Mandalorian. Was that who Sabine was? And if so, why would she be following a Jedi around if ‘Mandalorians and Jedi don’t mix?’ He recalled Hera’s advice to go easy on Sabine. It was her plan after all and Ezra remembered the Imperials freaking out over how the Ghost snuck past their sensors, meaning the gunners weren’t aware the Ghost was present until it was literally in the hangar.

‘It was Sabine’s plan.’

Maybe Sabine had a point. If she could figure out a way to sneak past all these super spaceship sensors, who knows what else she could be capable of doing. And if the Empire already knows about this? Ezra was tempted but got the distinct feeling that that was one of those subjects not to bring up with Sabine.

“Are we good?” Sabine asked.

“Almost,” Ezra said and glanced at her, managing a small smile.

“We,” Sabine began but paused and took a breath.

“I don’t leave people behind.”  

The conviction in Sabine’s voice spoke more than her words. These weren’t just words to her. They weren’t some slogan she picked up somewhere. This was something she believed all the way to her core. No, not just a belief. But a part of her. Part of her very identity.

Who are you?

“We wouldn’t have left you, Ezra,” Sabine reiterated. “Maybe Zeb would but not the rest of us. We’d have tracked you and when the time was right we’d have pulled you out.”

Her words reminded Ezra of his meeting with the Imperial Agent. He had said they had planned to take him back to Lothal. He looked out of the transparisteel canopy and wondered. He heard horror stories of the firepower of those Star Destroyers. Enough to destroy entire cities.

Hera was all heart, which was something Ezra admired. But at the same time that has its downsides. If Hera’s plan was a suicide run, then what was different with Sabine’s?

“How’d you do it?” Ezra asked. “Not even the Imperials knew what was happening until the Ghost was landing in the hangar.”

Sabine had a wry look on her face, amused at the question.

“And here I thought you wanted to fire a gun?”

Ezra leaned forward, took the controls, and squeezed the trigger shooting off several flashes of bright turbolaser fire!

“Cool,” Ezra stated. And then both their comlinks lit up as the rest of the crew began shouting questions of who was attacking them.

The best part was Zeb exclaiming how he had been sleeping and when he heard the fire he jolted upward. Sitting up so fast he had hit his head on the bottom of Ezra’s bunk in the cabin!

Sabine shot Ezra a scolding look but it was no use. The way the corner of her lips were fighting for control he knew she was just as on the verge of laughing as him.

“Spectre-5 here. Calm down everyone. Spectre-6 was just showing off.”

“Damn kids,” Zeb’s voice said. There was some mild lecturing from Hera and Kanan but gradually the chatter stopped and then it was just Sabine and Ezra again.

“You enjoyed that,” Sabine said flatly.

“I’ll enjoy it more when there’s more than just stars to shoot at. Now come on. How’d you do it? How’d you sneak the Ghost past the Star Destroyer’s sensors?”

Sabine smiled and her eyes flashed with mischief.

“Well. I guess it was pretty cool.”

“Everybody,” Hera said over the Ghost’s intercom. “We’re thirty seconds out, Chopper double check Sabine’s program. You guys okay down there?”

“If by okay you mean regretting leaving the kid behind? I do! I really do! Because this rescue plan is suicidal!” Zeb said.

“It’s the only way,” Sabine said. Zeb looked at the Mandalorian in disbelief but had nothing more to say.

Sabine already had her twin Wester blasters out and charged; as did Kanan and Zeb with their respective weapons. The Imperials were waiting for them. The odds of surviving a frontal assault were a thousand to one. Which meant whatever plan they came up with meant avoiding a frontal assault. And so the plan, and by plan it was hers and Hera’s, there was really only one way to sneak a ship through a Star Destroyer’s sensors in deep space.

“Twenty seconds!” Hera called down, no longer bothering with the intercom.

Kanan looked at Zeb and Sabine and nodded. Then looked up the ladder to the cockpit and yelled back. “We’re set!”

“Well friends,” Zeb said. He looked at the other two and sighed. If this was the end then at least he’d be dying amongst family. “Any last words?”

“We’re doing the right thing,” Kanan said. Sabine was grateful for her helmet to hide that smirk on her face. Ezra was right, such encouraging words from their wiseass Jedi leader.

“Ten, nine, eight…”

“Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it,” Sabine said. Unable to understand her native tongue Zeb looked to Kanan.

“And that means?”

“It means hold on!” Kanan said. He gripped the ladder tightly as Zeb and Sabine found other handholds to brace for the rapid deceleration. Up in the cockpit Hera held her finger on the button that would run Sabine’s automated program for this desperate stunt.

“Two! One! Execute!” Hera hollered and pressed down on the button.

Instantly the Ghost dropped out of light speed with a painful lurch that shoved Sabine up against the durasteel bulkhead of the cargo bay.

“EMERGENCY THRUSTERS!” Hera’s voice shouted down from the cockpit. The Twi’lek did her best to keep Sabine and the others up to date while concentrating on not getting them killed.

“We’re all gonna die!” Zeb cried, as anything not tied down in the cargo bay went flying about and causing damage. And not just in the cargo bay.

“So that’s how the caf machine got broken,” Ezra said at the conclusion of Sabine’s retelling of their surprise landing in the Star Destroyer Lawbringer’s lower hangar that led to his rescue. “And what was that that you said? Hat - something?”

“That’s what you took away from the story?” Sabine asked. “The broken caf machine?”

“Cut me some slack,” Ezra replied. “By now we both know I know about as much about hyperspace and lightspeed as I know about algebra.”

Sabine sighed and nodded in consent.

“So,” Ezra said and smiled at Sabine. “You were at lightspeed and wrote some sort of automated program to drop the ship out of lightspeed right before it slammed into the side of the Star Destroyer . ” When he saw Sabine’s small smile Ezra shook his head in amazement. “But that was like thirty minutes after you left. How did you even know the Star Destroyer would be in the same place?”

“Well that was more of an educated guess,” Sabine explained. “The biggest question was when exactly to drop out of lightspeed. Too soon we end up on their sensors and become target practice for their gunners. Too late and?”

Sabine just shrugged her shoulders. Ezra could tell she really didn’t enjoy thinking of how slim the margin had been between success and her ship and family being destroyed.

“Some guess.” Ezra said and then let out a long whistle, glancing at Sabine with wonder in his eyes.

“Quit it,” Sabine said and lightly smacked his shoulder. “It’s really not that complicated,” Sabine said. “The Lawbringer had taken extensive damage. It had to still be in the system. While in Hyperspace I wrote the program and estimated where in the system we could drop out of Hyperspace without being detected by the Star Destroyer’s sensors. Once in the system we powered down to avoid detection and once I had the Lawbringer’s coordinates and heading I was able to calculate down to the tenth of a second where it would be - provided it didn’t change course at the last second.”

“That’s still relying on a lot of luck.” Ezra said, and his earlier tone of playfulness had disappeared. “If your calculations were the slightest bit off-”

“They weren’t.” The certainty in Sabine’s voice left no room for doubting. “We fed the calculations into the computer, powered up, and made a quick hop into light speed before we were detected. When we dropped back out of light speed we had traveled to the other side of the system and sitting right underneath the Empire’s nose.”

Ezra blinked and shook his head at this, barely able to make sense of it all. “Right under the belly of the kriffin’ Star Destroyer and outside of its sensors.”

“I think the words you’re welcome are what you're searching for,” Sabine said, her tone short and defensive.

“Sorry I didn’t mean it like that. Just a lot to learn, you know?” Ezra said at last. “Starboard is left and port is right. Forward and behind. Then all this other jargon like galley and deck and cabin. And now the Point 360 thing.”

“Left is port, starboard is right,” Sabine said and gave a small breathless laugh.

“See!” Ezra exclaimed befuddled.

“You’ll get it,” Sabine said with her own quirk of a smile. “Like starboard? Well just remember in the alphabet R for right is next to S which would be starboard.”

Ezra blinked and tilted his head as he pondered her advice. “I think I can remember that. But there is one thing.”

“Okay,” Sabine said.

“I just wanted to know what those three words you said meant.”

“Words I said to who?” Sabine said as she looked at Ezra for clarification.

“In the story you were telling me. Hera counting down the exit from lightspeed. Not knowing if you were going to live or die. Zeb shot his mouth off about last words before you died. And you said Hat- hat - something. Remember? ”

“Haat, Ijaa, Haa'it,” Sabine said at last. “It’s a common phrase in Mando’a.”

“Mando’a?” Ezra asked, his brow knit in both curiosity and frustration. He missed Sabine fighting back the urge to smirk as she watched Ezra continue to fumble his way through the pronunciation of the words from her native tongue. “Hat, Ichta. Hat?”

“Mandalorian,” Sabine said, with a small smile. “Haat, Ijaa, Haa’it; it means Honor, Truth, and Vision.”

And then it was as if a light bulb had gone off in Ezra’s head.

“Mandalorian! You’re a Mandalorian!” Ezra said and pointed excitedly at her armor.

“You figured that out just now?” Sabine asked.

“Well I’ve heard stories,” Ezra said. “I thought it was a myth until I ran into two Mandalorians this one time. They were pretty serious and neither of them had armor like yours, Paintball. Somehow I get the feeling you're one of a kind.” Ezra narrowed his eyes and tried again.

“Habitcha hat?”

Sabine snorted at that, half in amusement and half in derision. Though Ezra could tell she liked what he was saying. “Haat, Ijaa, Haa’it,” Sabine repeated. “Truth, Honor, and Vision. Usually said when sealing a pact. Or in this case, final last words.”

“Fitting,” Ezra said, and tilted his head as he looked at her thoughtfully.

“I thought so,” Sabine said, and gave him a smile before checking her chronos on her wrist bracer.

“I get it now,” Ezra said quietly and Sabine lifted her eyes to his. Amber brown and azure blue. “Why you had such a hard time figuring out what to do. There was a lot more to that vote, and Zeb really twisted it around on me.”

He paused, trying to collect his thoughts.

“I’m sorry for yelling earlier. You never would have left me behind unless there was absolutely no other choice.”

“You didn’t know.” Sabine said and met his gaze with her own. The same way she looked at him when they discussed the hardship of handling directions. The same way when she asked him about his family.

The air was so thick with tension Ezra felt as though he was about to get zapped. But then as quickly as it had come Sabine dropped her gaze and cleared her throat.

“So dinner should be ready soon,” Ezra offered.

“Yeah,” Sabine agreed and winced. “Although I think it’s Kanan’s turn tonight.”

“Yeah. Hera warned me. She also apologized for rooming me with Zeb given how he snores.”

Sabine nodded but remained quiet, her thoughts still on the not-a-moment that she and Ezra had shared. The pair felt a bit of a lurch and the star of Realspace vanished as the Ghost entered Hyperspace once more, the faint blue glow filling the canopy turret.

Sabine cleared her throat and gestured to the turret and its controls. “I think we’ll call that a wrap for today. What do you think?”

“Yeah,” Ezra nodded. “Maybe I’ll spend some time learning about compass stuff.”

The Mandalorian grinned and made a scoot motion with her hands. Obliging her Ezra scooted out of the way. As Sabine climbed down the ladder Ezra gave it one last shot.

“Haat. Ijaa. Haa’it.”

Sabine didn’t reply, but he felt pretty confident he had gotten it right. He then wondered what other Mandalorian words he could learn.

And what was that she said about Mandalorians and Jedi? Not mixing?

Ezra took the seat at the top - dorsal - turret and looked around at the whirlwind blue and white river of Hyperspace. His mind was a jumble of thoughts, mostly centered around the enigma that was Sabine.

‘I don’t leave people behind.’

The Lothalite street rate gave up any further thoughts. He didn’t have anything else to do at the moment, so he just sat there in the turret and took some time out for himself.

Nothing would beat the sunrise over the golden plains of Lothal. Or the two pale moons in its bright night sky. But views like this? Definitely a close second.

Time continued to pass until his comlink beeped and Kanan called the crew to dinner. Giving the beautiful blue one last glimpse, Ezra climbed down the ladder and hoped that Kanan’s cooking wasn’t as bad as everyone was making it out to be.

An hour later, nestled in the middle of the common room’s comfy bench with a dejarik board in front of him, Ezra reflected on Kanan’s “dinner.” They were all wrong. There weren't words to describe what Kanan had cooked.

It was glorious. The only downside was when Hera slapped Ezra’s hand and not so subtly hinted at him to slow down and chew his food. It looked like he would have more than just spaceship maintenance, turbolasers, and Jedi stuff to learn.

‘It has everything you need to keep a body strong,’ Kanan had insisted as Ezra helped himself to seconds. Seconds! ‘Go ahead Ezra, eat as much as you need. You’re going to need it.’

Everyone had nodded their heads in reluctant agreement, except for Ezra. His nod was jubilation. Afterward when Ezra passed Hera she whispered not to worry. She’d make sure tomorrow’s dinner would be something special.

‘Thanks, Space Mom,’ Ezra said, and smiled at how Hera’s eyes lit up again at his nickname for her.

Still Ezra didn’t see what was so bad about Kanan’s cooking. Maybe he’d change his mind the more he was introduced to other foods the galaxy had to offer. Until then his mind was occupied elsewhere, and not on the dejarik game he was currently engaged in Zeb with.

And badly losing, which was no surprise. Ezra was still learning the names to all the pieces let alone strategy. And despite Zeb’s promise to go easy there was no missing the glee he took every time he captured one of Ezra’s pieces.

That glee came to a full stop when Sabine sat down next to Ezra and began “advising” him on what moves to make with his pieces. That had taken the wind out of Zeb’s sails and it wasn’t long until the Lasat’s lead was diminished and things were evened up again.

Good food. Kicking Zeb’s ass. Good company. Traveling the stars. Ezra could get used to this. Except for just that one last thing.

He had talked to most of the crew today, but there was still one nagging doubt. Unfortunately the only person who could settle it had been busy in the galley cooking and was now occupied with a datapad. Hunting down jobs if Ezra had to guess.

“Karabast! Enough, I resign,” Zeb grumbled and stood from the table. He looked as if he had a few other things he wanted to say but one sharp look from Hera told him to zip it.

“G’night all,” Zeb said and left the room, headed to his bed.

“Does he really snore that bad?” Ezra said, to no one in particular.

“Like a herd of Bantha,” Sabine said and shook her head.

“Whaipaa! Woot! Baah!”

“You’ll adjust,” Hera said soothingly, pointedly ignoring whatever Chopper had said.

“It’ll be good training,” Kanan added as he continued to look for work.

Ezra didn’t think finding work would be that hard at first. But the more Hera explained the more difficult their position was. There was plenty of work and the crew had no qualms about smuggling or stealing, especially when it came to the Empire.

But exactly the “what” of which they were to be stealing was the problem. Slaving. Spice. And apparently there had been some arguments over weapon smuggling too, though Ezra had a hard time seeing what weapons would be so bad to cause turmoil.

If the end goal was to make life hard on the Imps and better for people on worlds like Lothal, then was there really a line too far?

“Whata! Whoop!”

“I don’t think so, Chopper.” Sabine shook her head. “Maybe once Ezra has gotten the hang of the game.”

Ezra frowned. What was so bad about playing Chopper?

“I’m off to bed,” Kanan said and rose from the chair he had been sitting in.

“Excuse me,” Ezra said to Sabine and squeezed his way out from where he was sitting and hurried to catch up with Kanan.

He had to know.

Ezra caught up to Kanan just as the Jedi was about to enter his cabin. He stopped when he saw Ezra’s arrival and let out a breath. “Look. I know I’m not the best cook. So if you were trying to spare my feelings there was no need.”

“Huh?” Ezra said and frowned. “Anything is good compared to what I’ve been getting by on.”

Kanan visibly winced and turned to go but Ezra had to know.

“Did you really want me here? Or is it just because of the Force?” When Kanan hadn’t answered for several moments Ezra pushed ahead. “You said either I could stay on Lothal or come with you and learn to be a Jedi.”

“I did,” Kanan said.

“Well what if I don’t want to be a Jedi?” Ezra asked. It wasn’t true. And Hera made clear that she would’ve offered Ezra a place here Force or no Force. But with Kanan it was different.

Did his “Master” really want him here? Or was it solely because of his potential to be a Jedi?

“Search your feelings, Ezra.” Kanan said.

“What?” Ezra asked, his nose wrinkling.

Kanan shook his head. “When you’re strong enough in the Force, you’ll know the answer. Get some sleep. We’ll have work to do.”

A moment later Ezra was left alone in the corridor and wondering about what Kanan had said. Or maybe it was more what Kanan had NOT said? Neither was exactly helpful.

“Goodnight, Ezra,” Hera said as she entered the corridor and stood at the door opposite Kanan’s, her cabin.

Reluctantly Ezra nodded and headed to his own cabin, or rather one he shared with kriffin’ Zeb. Really? What was Hera expecting? With a shake of the head Ezra entered and was immediately greeted by a symphony of snorts, groans, and loud breathing from the slumbering Lasat.

Bantha was right, Ezra thought as he climbed the smaller ladder that took him to the top bunk. Furball might have a new nickname soon.

Resting on his back, Ezra stared up at the ceiling as his mind went over everything that had happened so far. As well as what was still yet to come.

He tried doing what Kanan said. Reaching out with the Force or searching his feelings or whatever Jedi mumbo jumbo he was supposed to be able to do. After several long minutes Ezra had his answer.

“Bantha Furball,” Ezra decided and closed his eyes.

The Lasat snored on but Ezra was determined.

He would meet this challenge. Meet it and succeed.

Five minutes later Ezra had stripped the bedding and buried his head between the pillow, blankets, and covers. At long last the snores had reached tolerable levels.

Yup, totally on my way to being a Jedi.

Chapter Text

“I don’t have a shot!” Kanan’s voice came over the Ghost’s intercom. Still the sound of a few courtesy blasts from the Ghost’s dorsal laser cannon did fill Ezra with some hope. That hope was questionable when the Rebel ship rocked from the continuous laser fire hitting the Ghost from all angles. Or rather the TIE’s L-s1 laser cannon, as Sabine had him memorize.

Well try to memorize. Sabine handed him a detailed holo of Imperial ships and, if needed, how to fly them. Ezra didn’t want to disappoint her and he did enjoy spending all this time with her but he really didn’t see the point. He was here to be a Jedi. Move stuff with his mind and stab at things with a laser sword. Still as a gunner he supposed it made sense to understand who was going to be shooting back at him and with what.

The TIEs had a lot of firepower for such a small fighter, and it drew that power from its ion engine. Ezra had no idea what an ion was but as he understood it was the same engine that gave the TIE fighter’s their speed.

‘They pack a lot of firepower. That’s the downside. The upside is they trade that firepower over no shielding and the L-s1’s are so powerful they eventually overheat. Upsides right?’

Yeah, Ezra thought as another barrage hammered the Ghost’s shields. Because 99% of whomever the TIEs go up against won’t have guns to shoot back with. And there will be one less ship if they don't get out of here, fast!

There were too many to hold off alone, Ezra thought as he peered at scope from the cockpit’s sensor readout. Or Kanan’s chair as he had come to think of it.

“Chopper,” Hera said. “Do you have the coordinates?”

“Bee, whamp, whomp, whump!”

“What did he say?” Zeb asked as he held on for dear life in his seat. Likewise for Sabine sitting in her chair next to him.

Ezra could just imagine what Chopper said. Probably something like: What do you think I am a slimey meatbag?

Another volley of cannon fire racketed the Ghost, but Hera was smiling.

“He said, ‘Hello, hyperspace,’” Hera said.

“That's not what he said,” Zeb muttered.

But Hera punched the lever and stars became lines as the Ghost made the jump into hyperspace, leaving the Imperials behind. Ezra and the others breathed a sigh of relief, but it only lasted so long. The job was officially botched. 

Everyone was silent.

A few moments later the door to the cockpit made its telltale swoosh as it opened, Kanan standing on the side as the Jedi rejoined the crew in the cockpit. He was looking awfully satisfied with them. Too satisfied, Ezra thought. Either the Imperials caught a lucky break or they knew we were going after that Star Destroyer. 

Probably the latter as not all would be eager to do another ISD job so soon. Though Ezra briefly wondered who was running the hunt now. With Agent Kallus falling to his death on Kessel, Ezra figured there were no more competent Imps in the sector. But with the way things were going that clearly wasn’t the case.

All eyes turn to look at Kanan except for Chopper and Hera. The first didn’t have eyes and Hera, well. And all once the crew began speaking and gesturing wildly with their hands and arms.

“Told you we’d get away,” Kanan announced.

“With the shipment,” Sabine said, annoyed. “You said we’d get away with the shipment.”

Kanan held his hands out defensively but it didn’t help out their Wiseass Fearless Leader any. Not even with Hera when she addressed him.

“Kanan we’re low on everything,” Hera said.

“Food,” Ezra said.

“Explosives.” Sabine said.

Hera folded her arms over her chest but her voice lost its edge and became cordial. “Fuel. We need to make some money or we might as well put the Ghost in storage.”

Silence again and Ezra wondered if that was something they would actually do.

Kanan glanced down, made a decision, and then looked back at the others. Determination on his face.

“There’s always Vizago’s job,” he said.

“So we’re arms dealers again?” Zeb said, not liking it one bit.

“Mm, more like arms redistributors,” Kanan tried to explain it away. Ezra felt a brief kick to the back of the chair and he saw Sabine eyeing him with an eyebrow raised in expectation.

Ezra rolled his eyes. No way did he ever sound anything like that.

“Come on,” Zeb said, trying his best to reason on the very touchy subject. “We don’t even know what kind of weapons we’re talking about here.”

Touchy subject or not Ezra felt his empty stomach grumble. They’d been on rations for days now. “Hey, if it puts food on the table and frees up some time for, oh, I don’t know, Jedi training, ” Ezra said while stressing the last part. “Them I’m in.”

Kanan strutted forward and affectionately whacked Ezra on the head for his attitude. Then the man looked over at Hera.

“You game?” Kanan asked.

Hera had already decided but was curious, and a little flirty. Near death escapes can cause that Ezra had noticed.

“Say I am.” She said, “What then?”

Kanan put on some more that charm Sabine griped about whenever he tried to get Hera to see things his way. Though in this case Ezra didn’t mind it one bit, and neither did Sabine if he was reading her expression right.

“I already know the mission.” Kanan said. “Let’s head to the spaceport. Sabine, how’s your Aqualish?”

“Aqua-what?” Ezra asked, his face drawing up like he had tasted something sour.

“Aqualish.” Sabine said in clear pronunciation for Ezra’s sake. “They’re a species native to Ando. They had these round, black eyes and large tusks.” She looked at Kanan suspiciously. “It’s fine. Just don’t ask me to speak it.”

Kanan smiled, a plan taking shape in his head.

“Aqua-leesh?” Ezra said, the Lotha-rat trying the word out again.

Sabine smiled in amusement. “No, not leesh. Ish. Aqualish.”

Hera smiled at them both and then looked at Kanan. “Care to share with the rest of us?”

Kanan looked at Sabine. “Think you can wing it at least?”

Sabine sighed and flopped her head back in her seat. She didn’t look uncertain or doubtful, but annoyed. Not that Ezra noticed, he had looked forward. His brow determined to get the wording correct.

After a further moment of consideration Sabine got out of her chair and made her way after, pushing past Kanan. “Should have some old holos lying around,” she said. “I’ll be brushing up. Come find me when you have the rest of the plan figured out.”

“Aqua… Lish! Aqualish! Like delish!” Ezra said and looked around only to see an empty chair behind him. Sabine had left. “Oh,” he said, disappointed by her absence.

Hera just chuckled.

Lothal, Capital City Spaceport

The Spaceport’s PA system had itself a male announcer speaking in basic as it called out the departures and arrivals.

“Now boarding Star-Commuter Shuttle ST-45 bound for Garel.”

The public transportation shuttle was piloted by a droid of some kind. Boarding the shuttle first was a tall Ithorian then Sabine, Zeb, a woman with orange hair, a green Rodian, followed by Ezra walking alongside Chopper with another man hurrying to catch up.

Zeb and Sabine shared a bench seat near the front while the Ithorian and green Rodian who took opposite seats near the back. The woman found a place for herself next to a window.

Meanwhile Chopper makes his presence known by zipping past Ezra, nearly knocking him over. Zeb draped his left arm over the bench and stared at Chopper.

Chopper beeps something menacingly.

“How rude,” Zeb grumbled at the droid.

Ezra thumped Chopper, for what good it did, and then took the bench seat in the middle of the shuttle as more people continued to file in with the man taking a seat in the back near the Ithorian and Rodian. More people board the shuttle, this time a familiar looking blonde haired woman dressed in a soft blue tunic with the air of professionalism in her step. 

It’s Minister Maketh Tua along with male Aqualish weapons manufacturer, Amda Wabo.

“This way Mister Wabo,” Minister Tua said as she guided him.

The team had found their marks. Sabine kept her eyes on Tua while Zeb glanced back at Ezra with a sly smile but Ezra kept his eyes forward and focused on the marks.

Tua led Amda Wabo to the seat bench in front of Zeb and Sabine. “We have seats in the front.”

Wabo spoke up, speaking in Aqualish. Something the Minister didn’t understand in the slightest.

So far so good.

Tua sighed and looked around in frustration. “Where is that translator?” She demanded in indignation.

It was then the brightest gleaming (golden?) protocol droid Sabine had ever seen appeared. It was followed by an older modeled but well maintained looking blue and white astromech boarded the shuttle. Weird colors for Imperial droids.

“Coming, Minister,” the protocol droid said, oblivious to the lady’s frustration. “Come along, Artoo.”

The blue and white astromech R2 beeped back in response. An amusing little guy.

R2 and the protocol droid took their spots next to Tua at the front of the shuttle while a green protocol droid entered but headed to the very back of the shuttle.

“ Final call for Star-Commuter Shuttle ST-45, bound for Garel.”

At the very last moment Kanan rushed aboard the shuttle with the door closing a second behind. Confidently he walked to the back and took the seat bench behind Ezra, who at this point was dealing with an irate Chopper that remained relentless in his whacking of Ezra with his arm manipulators.

In a courteous tone the pilot droid swiveled around in its chair at the front of the shuttle and addressed the passengers. “Sentients, please prepare for takeoff.”

The Pilot activated its onboard repulsors and the shuttle lifted off, leaving the spaceport. It then engaged its sublight engines as it climbed out of Capital City and away from Lothal. Not long after it reached its hyperspace lane and vanished into hyperspace.

Back in the shuttle Chopper had not moved and continued to poke at Ezra. Ezra had his arms crossed and his legs kicked up on the seat bench in front of him. He was trying his best to ignore the droid as it continued to chirp and poke at his shoulder.

Wabo spoke up in his native Aqualish, unable to speak in Basic. The Imperial protocol droid translated.

Listening to the droid drone on Sabine didn’t think she had ever heard a more annoying voice.

“Amda Wabo is most honored you are joining him on Garel, Minister Tua. And, uh, if I might add a personal note-”

“Will you cut it out!” Ezra yelled at Chopper, loud enough for everyone to hear.

In the middle of the shuttle Ezra was up and out of his seat with his hands raised, one clutching a seat and the other shoving back on Chopper’s dome head.

“You have plenty of room! Stop crowding me.”

Chopper raised its shock attachment and began its retaliation, shocking Ezra, and sent the boy toppling backward onto the floor beneath the seat bench. Sabine barely caught herself from laughter at the sight.

“Ow!” Ezra yelped.

Kanan got to his feet and leaned over the top of Ezra’s seat bench. He glared.

“Kid! How ‘bout you get that rust bucket under control?”

Chopper let out a string of new angry warbles and waved his arms and shock attachment at Kanan threateningly. Kanan jumped backwards, back on his bench to stay away and not get shocked like Ezra. Ezra meanwhile picked himself up and then climbed up on his bench and stood, facing Kanan.

They were naturals.

“Mind your own business!” Ezra shot back.

Chopper then shocked Ezra again and chirped out more curses. Ezra cried out and fell to his seat, glaring at the out of control astromech droid. It was then Kanan decided to take matters into his own hands and stood from his seat and looked forward to the front of the shuttle.

“Hey, Pilot. Isn’t there some rule against droids in the passenger area?”

The Pilot droid sighed and looked at Ezra. “I am sorry, Sir. Your astromech must proceed to the back of the craft.”

Not that Ezra would be opposed to having Chopper in the back, but the kid wasn’t about to let anyone push him over that easily. “Hey, if my astromech’s banished, then those two astromechs are banished too.”

It was all Sabine could do to keep from bursting out in laughter. How much acting exactly was happening back there between Ezra, Chopper, and Kanan? While she kept up a polite smile her eyes mischievously looked from the boys in the back and to the Minister in the seat directly in front of her.

The golden protocol droid was horrified. “Astromech? Me?” He scoffed. “I have never been so insulted. I’ll have you know that I am a protocol droid…”

Minister Tua facepalms half in embarrassment and half in a steadily growing annoyance with this blasted protocol droid.

“...fluent in over six million forms-”

Tua pointed at her two droids. “Pilot, these two droids are with me and I am on Imperial business.”

“Sorry, ma’am,” the pilot droid responded, trying to placate the Government Official. “But these are Imperial regulations.”

Sabine nearly died as the pilot droid suavely lowered its purple tinted visor over its blue eyes and then returned its attention to piloting the shuttle. Talk about a burn.

“But, Minister-” the protocol droid protested.

“I can’t risk an incident spoiling these negotiations.” She looked at the protocol droid sternly. “Go!”

Properly chastised the protocol droid and the R2 astromech begin to make their way to the back. 

“Oh, this is so humiliating.” the protocol droid wailed.

Sabine saw Zeb turn and smile at her.

“Trust an astromech to ruin everything,” the protocol droid said.

As the duo moved past Ezra, Sabine thought she overheard some chatter from R2 but couldn’t make it out. But the protocol droid was only too happy to assist.

“Secret mission. What secret mission?”

Wabo then spoke up in his Aqualish. After spending some time with her old language holos Sabine understood it perfectly, which was more than could be said for the now disgruntled Minitster Tua.

Still Tua had put on her most apologetic face. “I’m sorry, Mister Wabo. I-I don’t understand you.”

Sabine smirked proudly. It was time to shine.

Zeb leaned forward and placed his hand on the seat bench. “Hello. Excuse me. I couldn’t help noticing your predicament.” He pauses to make sure he had both Tua’s and Wabo’s undivided attention. “If it’s of any help, my ward here is quite fluent.”

Sabine took her cue, with a flair of the dramatic. “Oh, I would never presume.” She then looked thoughtful. “Though it would be good practice for my Level Five exams at the Imperial academy.” Then, as if only just realizing she had spoken aloud Sabine went back to the dramatic and waved her hands in embarrassment. “No, no. But I couldn’t.”

The look in Minister Tua’s said it all.

“You’re a Level Five academy student?” She chuckled and her voice became wistful. “I was too, once upon a time.” Tua turned away and looked upward, dreamily, and lost in the memories of her younger days.

Sabine elbowed Zeb, the smirk back on her face. Hook. Line. And sinker.

Ezra tilted his head curiously, having been listening just as intently to Sabine. What was a level five academy student, he wondered.

Now in the back of the shuttle the golden protocol droid looked at R2 for help. “That young creature can’t possibly take the place of a fully programmed protocol droid such as I.” He scoffed. “The odds of our mission becoming a complete debacle are-”

Not able to take any more of it, R2 slams his chassis into the golden protocol’s legs and told him to shush. The mission was already becoming overly complicated.

“Don’t you shush me!” he protested. “It hardly matters to you what they’re saying.”

Not about to miss out on some droid on droid violence, Chopper excitedly wheeled himself around R2 and squared off against his blue and white opponent. With a wild whop Chopper slammed his chassis into R2 sending the other astromech against the rear bulkhead.

Mistakenly thinking that Chopper had come to his defense, the protocol droid was pleased. “Well, thank you.” He then patted Chopper affectionately on his orange dome. “There. You see, Artoo? Here is an astromech who understands etiquette.”

R2 shook his own dome and chirped angrily. Without missing a beat Chopper whortled back in kind.

“You could learn a lot from this old C1-10P.” the protocol droid declared.

R2 sighed and gave out a long beep. Whatever it was, the droid’s mission had just become a lot more complicated.

Meanwhile at the front of the shuttle Minister Tua was leaning back in her seat and smiling happily at Sabine who waited on her eagerly.

“Now, please ask Mister Wabo where the shipment is being held.”

Sabine nodded and cleared her throat. She was so going to make Kanan pay for this later. “Ruff-quin-robbit?”

Wabo smiled appreciatively and replied. “Ah-phoobey-do.”

Bay Seven.

Sabine shifted her eyes from Wabo to Tua. “He said Bay 17,” and smiled as widely and brightly as possible.

The pilot droid interrupted Sabine’s flow and itself backward to wave its manipulator at the passengers. “Sentients, we are approaching Garel. Please prepare for landing.”

Silently Sabine sighed in relief. It was always a rush to pull a con, especially over someone as insufferable as this Minister Tua. But all this high society politeness osik? Thank the Manda she had gotten away from all that.

As the shuttle exited hyperspace its passengers were rewarded with the sight of a planet with a purplish hue with a few bright golden spots branching outward over its surface. A large body of white clouds shrouded much of it, but from an aesthetic point of view Garel was quite beautiful in appearance from space.

And in the middle of the shuttle Ezra did his best to see as much as possible of this Garel but it was hard to see sitting way back here in the shuttle. He could only imagine what it would look like on the surface.

As the shuttle got lower and his eyes continued to gaze out the viewport, he heard a loud “ahem” from behind him. But Ezra ignored Kanan, in favor of looking out and seeing the vibrant pink and purple hues that made up Garel’s beautiful twilight sky.

With proud mesas standing high above the horizon and not one, not two, but three moons just becoming visible. He loved it. Never would he have thought he’d see places like this. And look at those craters on the surface? How had those gotten there? 

And while the town the shuttle was headed toward was in a large piece of flatland in the mesas to the left he could see lights emitting from them. Apparently people dwelled in those enormous rock formations, formations bigger than anything he’d seen on Lothal.

“Ahem!” Kanan spoke again, louder this time.

“Okay,” Ezra grumbled and sat back in his seat. “Not like I’ll get a chance to enjoy the view on the way out. Odds are we’ll be running for our lives.”

Back in the front Sabine waited as the shuttle touched down and watched as Ezra rushed to the front of the shuttle. He stood near the doorway, eager to be off. Apparently so was Chopper given how close on Ezra’s heels the little astromech was. She shook her head at their shenanigans and stood up, nodding her head politely as Minister Tua continued to talk her ear off about her time in the academy.

She gritted her teeth and kept up her most polite smile, listening as “intently” as possible and hanging off “every” one of the Minister’s words. Ezra wasn’t the only one who wanted off this shuttle as soon as possible. In other circumstances she’d elbow him in the ribs and take his spot.

Instead she nudged Zeb and he got up, making way for Sabine to gracefully stand and continue to smile and nod at the Minister while ever so subtly leading the woman over to the exit. They weren’t first or second in line. But Sabine would settle for third.

Just get me away from this lady before I blast her.

The door opened and Ezra, followed by Chopper, rushed out while the rest followed at a more sedated pace.

“My Dear, you did great service to your Empire today.” Minister Tua then wagged her finger at Sabine. “Now focus on those Level Fives.”

Tua then turned and began walking away and Sabine couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“Oh, I will, Minister. It’s been such an honor!” Sabine said and gestured broadly with her arms in an overly dramatic adoration of the older woman. Because she so wanted to be an Imperial lackey when she grew up.

Shoot me now.

“Thank you…” Whack, and Sabine winced as she nearly lost her footing. Zeb lowered his arm and smirked at his “ward.”

“Careful. I’ll let Kanan know how eager you are to do an undercover mission at some uppity Imperial ball.” Zeb grinned. “And Ezra can be your date.”

Sabine narrowed her eyes at the Lasat. If looks could kill. She said nothing and led the way to rejoin Ezra and Chopper headed in one direction of the landing bay. Meanwhile the Minister, Mister Wabo, R2, and that golden protocol droid thankfully went in the other direction, and grouping up with a small squad of six Imperial stormtrooper bucketheads.

Yeah. Sabine really wanted that life.

Keeping up with the pretext of a man in a hurry, Kanan dashed past the Minister and her awaiting buckethead escort.

“Take us straight to Bay 17.” Minister Tua commanded.

“Yes, Minister.” The stormtrooper in charge replied, a sergeant Sabine thought as she recognized from his shoulder pauldron.

Ezra meanwhile had found himself an out of the way spot next to a cargo crate he could lean up against. Sabine pretended not to notice that faraway look on Ezra’s face as he attempted to subtly glance at her. At least he wasn’t shoving it in her face like most boys would.

“Bay Seven,” Sabine said quietly to Ezra without breaking stride, and placed her helmet back over her head. Walking side by side with Zeb she began navigating her way to the rendezvous.

She’d done her part. Now it was up to Spectre-6.

Ezra’s eyes followed Sabine as she departed the landing bay.

Smart.

Fun.

Beautiful.

She’s got those eyes!

And her smile?

Ezra sighed happily and tapped his head against the cargo crate.

He liked her helmet, it was as much of her as the rest of her armor. And just as beautiful. Though it was strange that she never wore anything else. Must be a Mandalorian thing. But why go around wearing armor all day?

Ezra shook his head and looked around the shuttle’s landing bay. The Minister and her entourage were the first to leave, with Chopper following behind them at a cautionary distance. Eventually everyone else had made their exit, everyone but him. And now the coast was clear.

My turn.

With the speed and nimbleness of a Loth-cat, Ezra sprinted across the bay to reach a large selection of cargo crates. Climbing over one crate after the other and jumping a few more. He had planned this route out as soon as he had been off the shuttle. And at the end of it the entrance to an air vent.

An air vent that would supposedly lead him out of the bay and to the rooftops above. After that things became more, umm, theoretical? This wasn’t that large a spaceport and with how its buildings were clustered theoretically he should be able to navigate his way toward any bay in the port. Find another airvent and presto change-o the crew would have a man on the inside.

Again theoretically. Kriffin’ Kanan and his plans. 

Sabine’s just messing with me. I am nothing like him.

Ezra reached the vent and then, with a quick few turns of his wrench he had it popped open. It was only when Ezra was inside the narrow vent did he recall his initial opposition to Kanan’s plan. 

He was supposed to be a Jedi. The unbeatable space wizards that stood alone in the middle of battle, defiantly batting aside all enemies like puny insects. But when it came to these heists he was just a glorified greaseman. The small agile guy who can squeeze in and out of tight spaces. Not a heavy hitter.

As the door to the vent clanged close behind him, Ezra activated his comlink - the one Sabine had made especially for him - and just let loose.

“Kanan, I thought you were gonna teach me Jedi stuff. So far, all I’m doing is thieving and I already knew how to do that.”

The first junction, and a chimney shaft. Ezra looked up and squinting his eyes he could tell that it would lead him to the roof outside. Ezra glanced down and saw the air vent also went in the opposite direction and bottomed out a good ten meters down.

“Just get to Bay Seven, open the door, and we all get paid,” Kanan replied.

“So we steal to stay alive. See? Told you I already knew this.”

Ezra gritted his teeth as he climbed. Altogether this shaft had to be at least thirty vertical meters from top to bottom. Wedging one arm against the wall of the shaft at all times he shimmied his way further upward. 

He tried not to think about what would happen if he slipped, it was a long way down.

At last he reached the top of the shaft and the vent, thankfully, opened with a simple push. Pulling himself out of the shaft the door closed behind and Ezra was greeted with the sight of another T-45 shuttle taking off right in front of him. And behind it the cityscape of Garel.

All the domed buildings and towers. And that pretty purple night sky. He wished he had time to leave the city and its fumes and bustling traffic and go out and explore like he could on Lothal. Ezra shook his head and glanced around. Bay Seven.

He frowned and took a small mini-datapad from his pocket. Already downloaded was the holonet map of the spaceport complex. Much to his pleasant surprise, he had found the tracker Sabine had built into his comlink brace worked both ways. Thanks to the tracker he knew where he was on the spaceport map. Which meant that Bay Seven was theoretically four buildings to his right.

Four buildings and a fast moving lane of airspeeder traffic.

The buildings weren’t too far apart, and he had used the Force before with his jumping. But that traffic. Ordinarily this would be when he turned back. Those speeders were just moving too fast, the timing would be impossible for a normal person.

But not for a Jedi.

Theo-krifffin-rheticorally!

Not that Ezra had said that at the mission briefing. He didn’t want to give Kanan any more reason to put off his training. And besides Sabine had been standing next to him.

Ezra walked to the ledge and closed his eyes, and in his head tried to see where the air vent leading to Bay Seven would likely be. He had practiced this a few times already. Noticing Ezra’s doubts, after the briefing Hera left the Ghost in Chopper’s hands and led Ezra to the galley. There the pair spent some time playing a shell game with a blaster power cell and three cups.

With his eyes closed Hera would shuffle the power cell around between the upside down cups. Ezra then, with his eyes still closed, had to point at which cup hid the power cell. He had managed to successfully do so two out of every three times. Though it had a lot less to do with any training from Kanan or knowledge in the Force. It was Ezra just relying on those trusty instincts that had kept him alive for so long.

It wasn’t much of a confidence boost but it was something.

He had it. He could see his pathway to Bay Seven and the required jumps. Some would require a lot of height. Others required crossing a far gap. All four of them would require the Force.

But the real question was that speeder traffic. He had to time the final Force jump at a moment when he wouldn’t end up like a bug splattered against a speeder traveling over a hundred kilometers per hour.

“We all get paid,” Ezra muttered, recalling Kanan’s words, and opened his eyes. He focused on that fourth building in the distance some couple hundred meters away. Got it. Or at least I hope I do.

And then he heard it, the hum. The call. The Force. Just like on Lothal. It was her too. And it was with him. He had it.

With a running start he leapt to the first building, a far drop of thirty meters that needed a tuck and roll at the bottom to avoid hurting himself. Done.

Second jump, Ezra propped himself against the slope of the domed roof. No change in height, just a really-really far gap. He lunged forward and trusted the Force to carry him to the next roof.

Whoa! He stumbled a little on the landing but he reached it. Third building! And the airspeeder lane, it was clear!

Ezra jumped again, only narrowly missing a speeder as it swept past him. Kriff! So much for clear.

He had no idea how far up he was but he was losing his grip on this stupid sloped roof. Scrambling for purchase Ezra managed to scramble his way to the top. He bent over, catching his breath as the adrenaline rushed through his body. He looked up.

Last jump. It wasn’t that bad. And with one last leap he cleared the thirty meters and landed on the roof of what he hoped to be was Bay Seven. He checked the tracker on his wrist. It matched the spaceport map but there really was only one way to be sure.

Spying a similar airvent to the one he had popped out from, Ezra made for it and it too opened without any resistance. No locks, no complaints. Only makes my job easier.

At the top of a vertical shaft Ezra again jammed his elbows and knees into the sides of the vent and prepared himself. One. Two. Three. Ezra eased up on the pressure and at a controlled descent smoothly slid down the vent and then stopped himself right as he reached the junction. Leaving the shaft behind he was back on his belly and crawling forward.

He noticed it was a similar setup as the first bay. Only this time when he reached the access leading to the bay, all this took was a good shove and presto. It was open. No wrench or lockpick needed.

He really hoped this was the right landing bay. He hadn’t bothered counting them but when he glanced there had to be at least thirty bays in this spaceport. He looked around and was relieved to see the giant 7 painted on the wall opposite him.

More importantly he saw the lovely pile of crates all arranged in a neat pile in the center of the landing bay. Ezra keyed his comlink.

“Okay. I’m in Bay Seven.”

Without waiting for a reply, Ezra jimmied his way out of the vent and then turned to face the wall and grip the bottom lip of the access. He glanced down and sighed. No helpful cargo crates this time. And nothing else to grab hold of. Just a dozen or so meters straight down to the duracrete landing bay floor.

Great way to break an ankle, or his neck. Between this and the bottomless air shafts you’d think Jedi would be able to levitate somehow or at least slow a fall? If so, that could be something really useful right now!

He let go and two seconds later he was on the ground, and winced from the landing. He landed on the heels of his feet and rolled backward using the palms of his hands to stop his roll. But he would definitely be feeling that tomorrow.

If Jedi could cushion their falls with the Force? Well what was Kanan doing sitting on teaching me stuff like that? That would have been a neat trick to have known right now!

Stowing his grumbling, knowing it wouldn’t do him any good, Ezra pulled himself up and on wobbly legs made for the door panel on the wall a few meters from where he landed. He swatted the door button and it swept open revealing the rest of his team patiently waiting on the other side and looking none the worse for wear.

In fact Zeb was clapping. The jerk. On the other hand Sabine was there. Hands on her waist, her hip jutted in that signature way of hers. Ezra straightened up fast and threw on his best debonair look that he may or may not have been practicing in the fresher mirror.

“Well, kid, you pulled it off.” Zeb said.

“Was there ever any doubt?” Ezra smiled.

At the same time Zeb and Sabine chimed. “Yes!”

Marching past Zeb did give him a grudging pat on the shoulder that he did indeed do good. Sabine was a bit more aggressive and with some extra power her pat turned more into a playful shove that nearly knocked Ezra off his feet.

“Gah!” Ezra winced, causing Sabine to pause and look him over. “I’m okay,” Ezra said and did his best to look assuredly. Sabine didn’t buy it, especially when she noted the opened airvent and the long drop from there to the landing bay. 

Where Ezra must’ve hit the ground.

With Kanan already working at wall panel controls and Zeb nearing the crates, Sabine put a wait on checking Ezra over. But the first chance she got she was dragging him to the common room and bringing the medkit.

“Almost there.” Hera’s voice was steady over the comlink.

Kanan punched in the last commands and the bay’s shutter doors opened themselves, revealing the outside and the gusts coming from the Ghost’s repulsorlifts as the ship descended until it was parallel with Bay Seven. Then Hera eased the freighter forward until it was just inside. Touching down on its landing struts she opened the Ghost’s cargo bay and extended the ramp.

“Do we know what exactly Vizago has us stealing yet?” Hera asked.

Zeb popped the lid of one of the crates, and his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Karabast.” Zeb said.

In contrast Sabine became excited and reached inside to grab a really long and really expensive looking rifle. The thing had to be a meter long!

“Whoa. They’re T-7 ion disruptors.” She glanced at Ezra standing next to her. “These were banned by the Senate. You can short-circuit an entire ship with these.”

There was that ion word again. Not seeing anything special, other than large credit signs Ezra’s attention went elsewhere.

As Kanan stepped forward for a closer look, Zeb stepped backward and Ezra watched as a horror show of emotions flickered over his purple face. The deep pitch of his voice heightening from a haunting memory.

“That’s not why they were banned.” Zeb said.

Ezra frowned. Minister Tua’s responsibility was Lothal. Why would she be after such dangerous and illegal weaponry? Before he could voice the question Kanan had yanked the weapon away from Sabine and set it back in the crate, then slammed the lid on it closed.

“Get ‘em aboard before company comes.” Kanan said.

The tone in his voice left no room for argument.

The team looked around until they saw what they hoped to see. Repulsorlift cargo dollies. They should be able to carry the weight of a crate of two. The four shared a single glance and then got to work. Ezra and Sabine ran to each grab a dolly while Kanan and Zeb went to organize the crates.

When they reached the dollies Sabine spared a moment and looked at Ezra. He wasn’t limping but he wasn’t moving as fast as he normally did. Ezra saw her staring and shook his head.

“It’s fine. I’m fine,” Ezra said and grabbed his dolly and activated its repulsorlift. Silently Sabine activated hers and the pair ran back to the center of the bay, and the disruptor rifles.

Despite Ezra’s mystery injuries they were making good time. Zeb and Kanan decided on two crates per dolly and with three dollies it wouldn’t take long. The only problem being it was a bit of a jog to the Ghost from here.

Rather the only problem until Chopper began chortling up a storm over the team’s comms.

“Whomp, whomp!”

“Well, stall them.” Hera ordered the droid

“Whahbam, whubba, bam.”

Sabine and Kanan had each grabbed a dolly loaded with two crates, running it solo. But for some reason Zeb decided to pair up with Ezra and help him push. The Lasat didn’t tease him but it was clear that Sabine hadn’t been the only one to notice Ezra’s injury.

Kanan meanwhile was shouting from the Ghost’s loading ramp as they ran the last of the crates. “Hurry! We’re out of-”

“Time’s up!” Ezra said quickly. “We’re busted.”

Ezra and Zeb stopped at the sight of nine stormtroopers rushed into the landing bay with blaster rifles held ready. The Stormtrooper Sergeant was at the lead.

“Hands up,” the Sergeant commanded.

Zeb did as instructed, lifting both of his hairy three-fingered hand and then ever so slowly began to walk to the stormtroopers and all nine of their E-11 blaster rifles. Out of sight of the stormtroopers, Kanan and Sabine looked back from the second to last disruptor crates. Indecision written on each of their faces as they too watch Zeb seemingly give up.

“What are you doing?” Ezra hissed.

The stormtroopers had spread outward in an echelon formation, and kept their rifles trained on Zeb. A friendly smile on his face the Lasat came closer and closer within ten meters now to the Sergeant in the center. Cloistered behind the bucketheads were the Minister, the weapons manufacturer Wabo, and the two Imperial droids. Zeb spoke, his tone conversational.

“There a problem here?” Zeb asked innocently.

Wabo shook his head and gestured toward Ezra and the crates, speaking his alien Aqualish language. Minister Tua didn’t need a translation. She had been too trusting back on the shuttle. Now she had her guard up. First the orange astromech and now the same purple haired alien who claimed the girl as his “ward.” No Tua had figured out what this team was up to. And what was in those crates.

“Amda Wabo says those crates contain his disruptors,” the golden protocol droid translated.

Meanwhile Zeb kept walking, nearing striking range. And at last Ezra got the gist of what Zeb had planned. He almost felt sorry for the bucketheads. Kanan also picked up on what was happening. Wordlessly the Jedi signaled Sabine to continue loading while he pulled out his blaster and cautiously made his way toward Ezra. 

This was his mission and these were his people.

“There must be some mistake.” Zeb continued. “Can’t possibly be disruptors in there ‘cause they’re illegal, right?”

Tua was done being played the fool. “That’s irrelevant. We’re going to search your crates.”

Zeb stopped walking and gestured to the crates. “Be my guest,” he said.

The Sergeant waved his hand at two stormtroopers. “Forward.”

On his signal two stormtroopers lowered their E-11s and walked forward to the crates on Ezra’s dolly, believing their fellow stormtroopers had things in hand. They were wrong.

“On second thought,” Zeb said.

Before they could react, Zeb whirled around and grabbed the stormtroopers by the neck. One stormtrooper per hand. Blaster fire began but not before Zeb had turned back to face them and held the stormtroopers. The blaster fire that would have hit him hit their comrades instead. Only that wasn’t enough for Zeb!

With a wild shout the giant Lasat hurled the stormtrooper in his right and then hurled the other one in his left. Like bowling balls they took out three stormtroopers each. The three on the Sergeant’s left, and the other three on his right leaving only the Sergeant in the middle standing.

Standing thirty meters away Ezra could make out the fallen soldiers groans of pain and made a note of such tactics for another time. Stunned by the display it was only at the last second did the Sergeant see the angry Lasat changing and by then it was too late. 

The Sergeant got off two panicked blaster shots before he was in Zeb’s hands and then flying through the air.

The rest of his squad shook their heads and collected their fallen weapons. One didn’t bother to get to his feet before he started shooting. He was a smart one. Once on their feet the others joined in with one even charging forward at Zeb!

Zeb knocked the E-11 out of that one’s hands and with a headbutt sent him flying. That stormtrooper dealt with Zeb, turned and found a second one charging at him. But a single solid uppercut sent that one flying too! And as if he had Jedi senses of his own, Zeb turned and found a third stormtrooper trying to fight him in close combat. Another powerful Lasat punch sent him flying too.

Two things popped into Ezra’s head as he looked about the fallen stormtroopers, half the squad and its leader taken out. Just how stupid these bucketheads were and to never underestimate the power of Zeb’s Lasat Punch!

For his part Zeb was nearly feral. Growling ferociously he had taken his bo-staff off his back and ignited both ends of the staff with purple electricity cracking at either end. “You want disruptors, you gotta come through me!”

Despite Zeb’s rampage four stormtroopers remained standing, all armed with blaster rifles. Ezra was frozen stiff, expecting Zeb to be shot down at any moment only to watch as his teammate flourished and twirled his long staff in one hand before slamming one end of the staff upward into the chin of one stormtrooper dispatching him. Then swinging around to Lasat Punch a second standing nearby before engaging the third.

“Never again!” Zeb roared. “You’re to shoot me? You missed!”

Ezra felt someone next to him and he turned to see reinforcements in the form of Kanan had arrived. His blaster out he traded looks with Ezra, both equally shocked at Zeb and his continued onslaught as he knocked down yet another stormtrooper with his electrified staff. 

A couple got back on their feet only for Zeb to leg sweep one then shove the end of a staff into another - electrifying him.

But then blaster fire. Despite Zeb’s heroics the bucketheads had to learn sometime and as they got to their feet they came up blasting. There were too many for Zeb alone. Kanan’s voice snapped Ezra back to reality.

“Get those crates aboard ship, now!”

“Uh, right!”

Ezra recognized Kanan’s blaster pistol as he joined in the fight but didn’t look back. His focus only on the repulsorlift dolly and the last two remaining crates of disruptors. Only after Zeb’s display just now, Ezra was beginning to rethink this job. The Big Guy really didn’t like disruptors!

The fight raging behind, Ezra had the Ghost at last and there was Sabine waiting. He waved to her. Getting the hint Sabine rushed down and joined him. The two teens making quick work of loading the final last two crates into the Ghost and its cargo bay.

Behind him Ezra could hear the wheels of an astromech droid and knew that Chopper had managed to find his way back to them. Now it was just Kanan and Zeb.

“Spectre-1 to Ghost. We’re good to go.”

“Here!” Sabine called.

Ezra looked down in surprise as one of Sabine’s prized blasters fell into his hands. Seeing her take up a position on the left side of the cargo ramp Ezra followed and took the right side. 

Together the pair began laying down covering fire as Zeb followed by Kanan retreated to the Ghost. How any stormtrooper was left standing and able to fight was a mystery to Ezra but a storm of blaster fire was chasing after the two remaining Spectres. 

The Ghost was already lifting off and its ramp closing, Zeb hung back to reach out an arm and catch Kanan as he leapt aboard - just as the ramp closed up behind him.

They could hear the following blaster fire smattering against the thick hull of the Ghost. A futile attempt as the armed freighter took off from the adjoining landing platform and made its escape out of the spaceport and into the sky above.

Down in the cargo hold Ezra realized two things. In all the excitement the first thing he failed to realize was that they had picked up a couple of extra passengers, that annoying golden protocol droid and that blue and white astromech droid.

The second thing was that his earlier assumption back on the shuttle ride into Garel had been proven. They were escaping Garel under a hail of blaster fire and he was down here in the cargo bay with no viewports to see the pretty skies.

Oh well. He had made certain to get an eyeful on the shuttle in.

Sabine turned to him and wordlessly he nodded and returned to her the blaster she had let him borrow.

“You need practice,” the Mando Girl said.

Ezra grinned and wondered about her. Where the heck did she learn to wield two blasters at the same time? Was that a thing all Mandalorians could do? But she was right. He was skilled as a thief but never had need for a blaster before.

“Not a bad idea.” Ezra agreed.

At the sound of clattering feet and astromech wheels, Sabine turned to see not only Chopper but the other two droids as well.

Sabine gestured at the two Imperial droids. “Oh, look. Chopper made friends.”

Chopper made a series of warbles that only Hera and Sabine could understand, to Ezra’s ear it sounded like one long tiresome groan.

“I am See-Threepio and this is my counterpart, Artoo-Detoo. I was translating for Minister Tua when we were attacked by thieves like, uh, you.”

C-3PO’s voice turned nervous when he saw Zeb strut up the ramp past him, eyeing the annoying protocol droid menacingly. And the way Kanan eyed him wasn’t any better as he followed behind Zeb. 

Zeb climbed the ladder and leaned against the railing of the overseer platform above the cargo access section of the cargo hold. From his perch he watched the proceedings as Kanan looked to Sabine and Ezra, the two standing by for his commands.

“We have company. Imperial droids. Spectre-5, let’s get a couple restraining bolts on these two.”

Sabine gave Kanan a mock salute and then headed up the nearby ladder. “Yep. On it.”

Kanan then pointed his fingers at the two droids. “Spectre-6, Spectre-3, keep an eye on ‘em.”

“Right, that’ll happen.” Ezra murmured.

Ezra turned to face two droids and the annoying 3PO droid once again tried to explain away the situation

“Excuse me, Sir, but this is a terrible mistake.” Ezra rolled his eyes and ignored the droids, but 3PO followed after him. “My partner and I are in service of Minister Tua of Lothal.”

With Ezra trying to ignore 3PO and Zeb again questioning Kanan about whether or not to go through with the sale of the disruptors, no one noticed as R2 extended his communication antenna array and began to transmit a message.

With 3PO still following after Ezra, the boy returned just in time to hear Sabine return with the restraining bolts. She had joined in on the conversation about the T-7s.

“Least we got ‘em out of circulation. When I was translating, I found out they were shipping those T-7s as prototypes so the Empire could mass-produce them on Lothal.”

Sabine slid the rest of the way down the ladder and began the process of installing the restraining bolts. 3PO had finally shut up and Ezra returned him to stand next to R2. Keeping his eyes on 3PO he continued listening in on Zeb and Kanan. With everyone’s attention diverted, R2 carefully retracted his antenna back into his dome. 

Transmission sent.

“See Zeb? Perfect crime. We steal weapons meant for the Empire and sell them for credits we desperately need to keep this bird flying.”

Sabine looked up at Kanan, standing next to Zeb on the platform above, and then gestured to 3PO and R2. “Oh, hey. If we need credits, maybe Vizago will buy those two droids.”

“Yeah. Good idea,” Kanan said.

The Jedi then grabbed hold of the ladder and climbed out of the cargo bay, leaving his trusty crew behind to oversee things down there.

ISD Lawbringer, Communication Information Center

In the secured room Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus stood with his back to the holo-communications pod, and the hologram projection of Minister Tua. His arms folded over his chest in consideration. After hearing her initial report he spoke.

“Describe the thieves,” Kallus said.

“I saw five,” Minister Tua said. “An adult male, a juvenile male, a juvenile female, and an old C1 droid.” She then paused in her recount, focusing on who else she saw. As unlikely as it was, she was certain. “And a Lasat.”

At that Agent Kallus’ ears perked and he looked over his shoulder at the Minister’s holoprojection.

“Honestly, Agent Kallus,” Tua said. “I didn't think there were any Lasats left.”

It’s them.

Turning around Kallus placed both hands on the communications pod and leaned in, a broad gleaming smile on his face.

“A few, Minister,” Kallus said. “Only a few.”

Minister Tua stepped back, finding the Agent’s sudden interest unnerving.

The Ghost

“And stay out!”

Despite his best efforts otherwise, Ezra got shoved backward into the corridor while Zeb shut and locked the cabin door behind him.

“You can’t do that!” Ezra yelled and pounded on the door angrily. “It’s my cabin too.”

“Ezra?” Hera called from the cockpit. “Come in here.”

Knowing it was no use, Ezra took one more swing at the locked door then gingerly eased his way down the corridor that led to the cockpit.

The pain in his left ankle had only increased, and now that the adrenaline from the mission was winding down it was becoming more noticeable. Sabine had asked him a few leading questions about it. Ezra got the feeling she wanted to take a look at it, but the Imperial droids were keeping her occupied.

Ensuring her that it wasn’t an immediate problem Paintbomb did manage to convince him to at least go to his bunk and take a load off. It sounded like a good idea. But then the angry Furball decided to throw a temper tantrum and shoved Ezra out of their shared room.

Promising himself he’d get Zeb back later, Ezra entered the cockpit and resolved not to let Hera see him in pain. Sabine was one thing and if he could get her to just forget about it he would. It was nothing he couldn’t handle. He didn’t need his Space Mom on his case too, not when there were more important things!

“Hera,” Ezra said. She was alone, good. “Zeb’s booted me from my own-”

“I know,” Hera said and held her hands up in surrender. Her voice calm, she continued. “But maybe you could cut Zeb a little slack today.”

It was the wrong choice of words.

“Oh, the way he cuts me slack?”

“Do you know what a T-7 disruptor is, what it does to an organic being?”

“Uh, no,” Ezra said. Hera’s words gave Ezra pause, and he felt some of his anger release.

“Well, Zeb knows.” Hera said as Ezra took a few steps and plopped down in the co-pilot’s chair across from her. “Because it’s what the Imperials used on his people when they cleared his homeworld. Very few Lasats survived. And none remain on Lasan.”

Ezra closed his eyes and the last of the anger left him. He leaned back in his chair and brushed his blue locks out of his face. He mulled over this new information and came to a decision.

“I… I guess I could cut him a little slack.”

“Good man,” Hera said and smiled at him. Ezra could hear the relief in her voice, as well as the desire to move on. Hera folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, mirroring Ezra.

“So, how’s the Jedi training going with Kanan?” Hera said.

“Jedi training?” Ezra said and slumped down in the chair. “Never heard of it.”

“We’ll see about that,” Hera said and Ezra could hear the edge in her voice.

But any further conversation was wrapped as both noted the alert that the Ghost was about to exit hyperspace. Hera turned her focus to the pilot’s control panel and Ezra turned in his seat to eagerly await the sight of Lothal.

“Home, sweet home,” Ezra said. “Garel was really pretty. Purple skies and the mesas. But there’s just something special about Lothal.”

Hera smiled. The Lothalite street rat had a long way to go before the novelty of space travel wore off.

“I get it,” Hera said but then frowned. “And don’t worry. We’ll make sure no T-7 factories will ugly up your home.”

Ezra smiled, encouraged by Hera’s words as she took the Ghost in. They had some disruptors to sell as well as a pair of shiny droids. It should make for a tidy haul.

Good thing too. Ezra could only take so many space waffles.

Down in the cargo bay Sabine was surprised at what the little blue astromech had to say. She was more surprised that she believed the little guy. Ezra felt the same when he rejoined them shortly before the Ghost touched down at the meetup.

It took a careful eye but Sabine spotted Ezra favoring his right leg. She sighed. She heard the ruckus between Ezra and Zeb from the deck above and had half a mind to go up there and tell him off. But someone needed to keep an eye on these droids and the Fearless Leader was Missing In Action. Probably some last minute discussions with Vizago if Sabine had to venture a guess.

Shortly after Ezra returned, Zeb joined them and for a moment Sabine was concerned she would have to play referee. Only she didn’t. For some reason Ezra was being pretty cool around Zeb, in a good way. Hera must’ve had a talk with him and said something to keep the peace.

As the Ghost came to a rest on the soil of Lothal, Sabine walked over to Ezra and once more offered him a blaster. The boy smiled at her and shook his head.

“You sure?” Sabine said, and Ezra didn’t need to see her face to see the worry on it.

“Yeah,” Ezra said. “I’m just as likely to shoot myself in the foot. I’ll stick to my slingshot.”

Sabine sighed and nodded, she understood. She agreed even and normally she wouldn’t hand a blaster to someone clearly needed training. And Ezra had already hurt one foot this mission. But now Sabine was determined.

Get through this thing with Vizago and help Ezra with his foot - his ankle, Sabine figured. And then she’d begin teaching him everything she knew about blasters. Standing out in the open for precious seconds at a time? Seconds spent unmoving as Ezra was drawing back the sling to ready a bolt? Fighting squads of bucketheads like that would get the kid killed long before he learned to use a lightsaber!

The clamor of people on the ladder was heard and Sabine looked up to see Hera climbing down, with a look that Sabine recognized. With Kanan following after Hera, Sabine put two and two together.

Hmm. Looks like someone was in the dog house.

“Can we discuss this later?” Kanan said.

“That’s fine, Love,” Hera said. “But we will discuss it.”

Kanan sighed and folded his arms. Like Sabine, he knew that tone in Hera’s voice. He may be Spectre-1 but everyone knew who was really pulling the strings. But it wasn’t often the pair butted heads, especially during a mission. It was curious.

It was then R2 rolled forward and began a long series of beeps and chirps, which reminded Sabine of what she had learned.

“Oh, right,” Sabine said and looked at Kanan. “This Artoo says its real mission was to make sure the T-7s never reached the Empire, and that his master will pay handsomely for their return.”

It was a nice turn of events, Sabine thought. But she also knew that there was a code amongst smugglers like Vizago. And that was you were only as good as your word. And the Ghost crew had given their word that Vizago would get his disruptors.

Kanan would make certain of it.

“I’ll think about it,” Kanan said.

“So, we’re not selling the droids but we’re selling the T-7s,” Zeb said. “We don’t even know who Vizago’s buyer is.”

“We know it’s not the Empire,” Kanan said. “And I already made a deal with Vizago. So let’s get these crates off the boat.”

Sabine frowned behind her faceplate. What was with Zeb and the T-7s? She’d ask Hera about it later. For now they had a job to do.

But first.

“Hey,” Sabine said and tugged on Ezra’s orange jacket to get his attention. “It’s the home stretch so take it easy. Let us handle the heavy lifting.”

Ezra nodded and Sabine could tell he got it. No sense making an injury worse, not when they were one shady arms deal away from leaning back in the common room and taking a well deserved rest.

Staying close to Ezra as they began to offload the crates, it didn’t escape Sabine’s attention that that annoying C-3PO unit disappeared up the ladder. If they didn’t have their hands full she’d chase him down. She had a good feeling about this R2 fella, but that protocol droid was pretty clueless.

She should’ve left the restraining bolt on him.

With the ramp lowered the Spectres and R2 exited one by one with Hera leading the way. While it was always wise to go into a meeting expecting an ambush Sabine didn’t really think they were in any danger from Vizago. Smarmy as the broken-horned Devarion was, his word was equally as important as theirs.

No one liked to work with backstabbers.

“Home sweet home,” Ezra said and breathed in a deep lungful of Lothal air.

Satisfied that this wasn’t a trap, Sabine removed her helmet and magnetically attached it to her belt before following after him with her own repulsorlift of T-7 crates. She kept an eye on Ezra and was pleased at the sight of him leaning a little on the push-rail that came with these dolly cargo transports.

The kid was right, the air was nice out here.

The cargo was brought within the confines of a small circular rock formation, keeping those present hidden from view. This far from civilization made for a really nice clandestine meeting spot and it wasn’t the first time Vizago used it.

After unloading his crates Ezra had found a spot by one of Vizago’s cargo hauler speeders. She was relieved to see him lean his back to it and take some pressure off his injured ankle.

Then once everything was in place Sabine looked around and saw Zeb grumpily leaning against the base of one of the towering spiral rocks. He didn’t like this but he was a professional. Sabine kept an eye out as well, as Kanan and Hera were occupied with the sale to Vizago who was now beginning to inspect the goods.

The green Devarian popped open the crate and smiled widely. Lifting a T-7 out he inspected it closely and closed his eyes, thoughts of the credits he’d be making distracting him from everything else.

“Oh. I can make some beautiful music with these.” Vizago said.

“They’re not that kind of instruments!” Zeb said.

“Ah,” Vizago said and held out his hands in an attempt to placate the angry Lasat. “You just have to know how to play them. And how to play those who want to buy them.”

“You have to buy them from us first,” Ezra said. His teeth were gritted but he kept his pain hidden.

Not bad, Diasa'yr.

“Finally,” Vizago said. The smuggler leaned forward and held a finger against Kanan’s chest.  “Someone on your crew who understands business.”

Kanan shoved Vizago back and puffed up his chest, making how he felt about Vizago and his “business” clear.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Kanan said.

Not to let his mood be deterred with the promise of a good sale, Viazgo kept smiling. But his smile dropped when the recognizable noise of a starship’s engine could be heard. A big engine. A big ship.

Vizago turned and looked through one of the few open spaces in the cluster of rocks. He didn’t like what he saw. And when Sabine took a few steps so she could see, she didn’t like it either.

An Imperial warship, Gozanti-class. And it was carrying something under its hull.

Osik!

Viazgo lifted up his T-7 and peered through the scope, then lowered it and turned to point a finger at Hera. He wasn’t happy.

“What is this?” Vizago said. “You were followed!”

“That’s not possible,” Hera said.

“Tell it to the Empire!”

As Hera and the others walked to where Vizago was standing - had been standing - she saw that Vizago was right. And as the cruiser came closer Sabine worried. Under its hull were attached two Imperial scout walkers. Enough firepower to handle anything they had here.

How did they find us?

The landspeeders started up and Sabine turned to see Vizago’s men, with half the crates loaded, already taking off!

“Leave the rest,” Vizago said. “We’re gone!”

Kanan reached out and grabbed Vizago’s arm, holding the smuggler in place.

“You haven’t paid us yet,” Kanan said. But Vizago wasn’t having any of it and wrenched his arm free.

“Cikatro Vizago doesn’t pay for half a shipment,” he said. Vizago climbed aboard the second cargo speeder. “And he doesn’t pay for trouble with Imperials.”

Haar’chak!

“My friends,” Vizago said from atop his speeder. “I hope you live to bargain another day. And if you don’t?” The speeder lifted off. “Eh?” Vizago said and lifted his arms in a helpless gesture, his speeder leaving them behind and at the mercy of the Empire.

“Bic ni skana'din!” Sabine swore, and picked up her helmet from where she left it. “I almost wish there were some TIEs around to blast that smug look off that smug di'kutla’s face!”

“Forget about him,” Hera said and then followed after Kanan as he ran to the wide opening between the rock formation and the Lothal plains. Slowly but inevitably the Imperial warship, its two walkers, were headed right for them. Sabine released the magnetic seal from her belt and took the helmet with her hands and placed it over her head.

“Shouldn’t we be going too?” Sabine said. She didn’t like it but couldn’t see any alternatives.

“We can’t let these disruptors fall into Imperial hands,” Kanan said. “Sabine, destroy the guns.”

“Ha,” Sabine said, pleased with the order. “Now you’re speaking my language. I’ll go get my gear.” Sabine began running back to the ship but stopped short at the sight of those two droids again.

“Artoo, stop!” 3PO said. “What are you doing?”

R2 beeped back a few words in binary, and Sabine smiled at the response.

“Joining the crew?” 3PO said and, with Chopper rolling along next to him, watched as R2 went for one of the remaining crates of T-7 disruptors. Reaching out with his motivator R2 took hold of a rifle and held it up for all to see.

Sabine removed her helmet and tucked it in the crook of her arm, she smiled at what the little droid was getting at.

“Of course,” Sabine said. “Overload the disruptors and boom! Good call, little guy. You can join our crew anytime.”

Sabine patted R2’s dome affectionately but failed to notice the angry shake of his dome that Chopper gave. There would only ever be one droid in this crew!

Kanan then came running over with Hera beside him. Already he was thinking three moves ahead. Behind them came Ezra and Zeb.

“Hera,” Kanan said. “Help Sabine open the crates. Zeb, Ezra, line ‘em up!” Kanan picked up one of the disruptors and looked back at the approaching ship. “Meanwhile, I’ll deal with the walkers.”

At a hundred meters from the rocks the cruiser came down to treetop level - if there were trees on Lothal - and released its magnetic clamps on the walkers. Each dropped to the ground with no trouble and immediately opened fire with their heavy laser cannons.

And knowing Imperial strategy, Sabine knew they wouldn’t be alone. While the rest of the group huddled for cover behind a rock, Kanan held his nerve and took aim with the ion disruptor.

“They say these things can take down a starship,” Kanan said. The walkers would only ever let him have one shot, then they’d mark him as a priority.

He squeezed the trigger and a large flash came from the weapon. Its heavy bolt slammed into the armored plated cockpit of the walker on the left. It didn’t destroy, but the bolt’s ion energy created a series of green and red flickers over the walker’s hull and the machine began to stumble as it lost power. A moment later it had crashed to the ground, its systems fried and power offline.

Kanan raised his rifle to take target on the second walker but the walker’s pilot was quicker. The walker’s cannon roared and a heavy blaster bolt landed right in front of where Kanan stood! An eruption of dirt and rock kicked up several meters into the air, peppering Kanan with several pieces of rock. But the real damage was the kinetic force behind the blast as it lifted Kanan high up into the air and sent him crashing backward to the ground.

He hit the ground hard. And as he hit it he ended up face down and knocked out. The rifle lying uselessly beside him. But before the walker could land a follow up shot on the unmoving Jedi, Hera had flanked the walker to the left. And using the rocks as cover she began to open fire on it with her boot-holstered Blurrg holdout blaster.

It didn’t have a lot of shots, but the backup weapon could pierce the plastoid composite of stormtrooper armor. And while Hera’s blaster bolts hit home they didn’t pack nearly enough punch to penetrate the walker’s durasteel.

But it was enough to distract the pilot from Kanan, and for Hera that was all that mattered.

Moving rapidly the scout walker had shuffled its two long legs around and opened fire, causing Hera to make a run for it. Weaving from left to right explosions erupted all around her but Hera kept ahead and avoided getting too close. Playing it smart the Twi’lek grabbed cover behind a large rock as soon as she could and broke line of sight with the Imperial walker.

“Help Kanan!” Sabine said as she continued her work on the crate of disruptors. So focused on her work she nearly missed Ezra following Zeb! And with his leg slowing him down he’d be a sitting duck!

“Ezra!”

“I got this!” Ezra yelled, and to his credit he wasn’t limping. Must be the adrenaline. Still she shook her head and cursed under her breath.

“Damn, Jedi!”

Together Ezra and Zeb helped the unconscious Kanan to his feet. Meanwhile the Imperial Gozanti set down and just like on Kessel, it lowered its elevator to deploy a squad of stormtroopers. Nothing special but as Sabine glanced up she saw - Kallus!

No! The ISB Agent fell to his death on Kessel! Ezra and Kanan saw it!

But if he survived? Then that means the Empire knows about Kanan and Ezra!

“Advance and fire,” Agent Kallus said as his stormtroopers ran ahead of him, E-11 blaster rifles ready.

Kriff! Kriff! Kriff! Sabine looked around and, to her relief, saw that Kanan was up and moving again with both Zeb and Ezra at his back. Zeb with his bo-rifle and Ezra with his blasted slingshot. It wouldn’t be enough, she had to hurry! But how in the hell did they find them?

“Thank you! Thank you!” C-3PO said, his voice filled with relief. “I knew some form of rescue would arrive.”

Sabine groaned. Mystery solved. I knew I shouldn’t have let him sneak off!

Completely oblivious to his own danger the kriffin’ protocol droid continued walking forward, right in the open! He walked past the Kanan and the others and headed right toward the incoming stormtroopers. Sabine briefly thought about warning him but decided that everyone would be better off if the stupid droid got its head blown off.

Well that would distract the stormtroopers. And besides, on the shuttle he had insulted her translation skills.

Sabine focused back on the crate of disruptors, her work almost finished. But she smiled at the sound of blaster fire followed by 3PO’s shrieks of fear. He had the audacity to complain that the Imps were supposed to be there to rescue him.

More heavy stomps from the left, the walker was moving again and so was Hera. She was running again and continuing to use the rocks for cover from the walker’s heavy gun.

“Chopper, ready the ship for takeoff!” Hera said.

With so much blaster fire Sabine couldn’t hear him, but when she glanced up she saw the bright orange astromech heading toward the ship. Good. Powered down with no shields or weapons the Ghost was a sitting duck! A couple of well aimed blasts from the walker or that Imperial cruiser and they’d be stranded. Thankfully Kallus and the gunner manning those heavy cannons had no interest in the ship.

But Kallus was interested in someone.

Stepping over the body of a dead stormtrooper, Kallus held up a strange but also familiar looking weapon. It looked to be part gun but also part staff? And Ezra was right! Could the guy have a stupider looking helmet?

“You, Lasat,” Kallus said. His loud voice carried itself across the loud volleys of blaster fire between the Spectres and the stormtroopers. With a slight twist of his wrist Kallus expanded the weapon and Sabine knew where she had seen it before. “Face me!” Kallus demanded.

A bo-staff, Sabine realized. Just like Zeb’s!

With lethal electricity bursting from each end of the staff, there was no stopping the Lasat as he charged, answering Kallus’ challenge. And Kallus broke ranks from his own stormtroopers and raced to meet Zeb head on.

The teenage Mandalorian hurried. She needed to finish with her explosives and get them into the fight. With Ezra hurt and probably Kanan too, the last thing they needed right now was Zeb answering some honor duel with Kallus.

But that’s exactly what happened and with each man screaming their electrified staves collided and then matched each other, strike for strike. And Zeb was filled with fury, which was exactly what Kallus wanted!

“Only the Honor Guard of Lasan may carry a bo-rifle!” Zeb said furiously.

Kallus only cackled with glee.

“I know. I removed it from a guardsman myself.”

Faster than her eyes could track the pair were at it again. Swiping low. Striking high. For every jab and slash Zeb threw, Kallus had an answer. No movie to pugil fighting Sabine saw it. Kallus was toying with him.

“I was there when Lasan fell,” Kallus continued. “I know why you fear those disruptors… I gave the order to use them.”

Zeb saw red and whatever self control and discipline he had left evaporated. Enraged and out of control Zeb attacked again and again, chasing Kallus around the rock formations. And Kallus just laughed and allowed Zeb to continue wearing himself out. He landed a solid kick at one point, and it slowed Zeb. But a moment later Zeb was back on him. Determined to destroy the ISB Agent!

The two fighters neared the center of the rock formations. And taking cover nearby to their left were Kanan and Ezra. Kanan had his blaster up and ready while Ezra had to resort to his slingshot. It helped but not much.

And then the fight shifted. Kallus went on the offensive and began landing blow after blow, the electrified end of Kallus’ staff shocking Zeb each time it landed. Zeb’s chances of winning slipped away further and further.

“Ah!” Kanan said, after exchanging more blaster fire from the squad of stormtroopers. “That fool Lasat’s gonna get himself killed!”

More stormtroopers arrived, seven now. Not bothering with cover or aim they just stormed in with blasters firing, though they did make certain not to accidentally hit Kallus or Zeb. It appeared they had orders that Kallus alone would deal with the purple Lasat.

Sabine sighed and set down the last disruptor. She smiled at her handiwork. If they’re that eager? Let them come, she thought.

“Okay,” Sabine said. “We’re ready!”

With no time to waste those not fighting or running for their lives broke into two groups. Kanan and Ezra grabbed one of the rigged dollies with two crates of T-7s. Sabine and the two droids grabbed the other rigged dolly with an equal amount of rigged T-7s.

“Everyone!” Sabine yelled. “Push!”

Hera rounded a boulder and jumped to help Sabine. As the walker moved in between two large rock formations the girls smiled. There was no way out. With one giant heave they and the two droids pushed and then let go of the dolly. Its repulsors did the rest of the work as it glided smoothly beneath the walker’s and settled in between its two legs.

They couldn’t have aimed it better.

Across from them Kanan and Ezra had focused on a similar chokepoint, one they managed to bait the seven incoming stormtroopers into running through. At just the right moment Kanan and Ezra shoved their rigged dolly forward and watched as it glided into the squad of stormtroopers. The soldiers stopped and eyed the innocent looking crate of T-7s suspiciously.

It was the last thing they did.

The rigged rifles beeped furiously and the rebels made a run for it - and then a deafening roar silenced the battlefield. Enormous fireballs of the exploding disruptors devastated everything nearby, doubly so with the kinetic forces trapped in the natural chokepoints of the rock formations.

The explosions had gone off simultaneously. Kanan and Ezra’s had killed the entire squad of stormtroopers. And the walker and its drivers were destroyed nearly instantly from their rigged crate. The combination of the heat and the concussive blast that shattered bones and incinerated their insides.

In the end all that remained were a few twisted scraps of charred durasteel from the walker. It was exactly what Sabine had counted on. What she didn’t count on was how the force of the two blasts continued past the chokepoints and sent both delivery teams flying through the air and crashing to the ground.

Ezra held his arms over his head, protecting himself, but Kanan was caught unaware and for the second time in the fight hit the ground hard. If he didn’t have a concussion yet he certainly had one now.

Worse, Kallus had gotten the upper hand and was now firmly in control of the fight. After a few more well-aimed strikes the ISB Agent had Zeb doubled over and clutching his belly in agony.

Hera and Sabine both glanced up to see Kallus raising his staff high into the air, moments away from slaying a defeated Zeb. Sabine reached for her blasters but had lost them in the blast. Hera too and Kanan was still down!

The bo-staff swung down for the killing strike, but at the last possible second a loud yell of fear and anger shouted from across the battlefield.

“NO!”

A wall of unstoppable energy slammed into Kallus and lifted the Agent several meters into the air and sent him tumbling head over heels backwards until his body slammed sideways into a rock. The Agent collapsed to the ground, either unconscious or dead.

Sabine hoped for the latter. But what in the Manda caused that?

She looked over at Kanan, but instead of the Jedi it was Ezra!

Both arms extended outward with palms facing up, the boy was gasping for air at the amount of energy he had expended.

“By the Stars,” Hera gasped at the sight.

Sabine meanwhile was just speechless.

This was Ezra and he was… Just a kid. How was this possible? To have that much power?

At last Kanan was back on his feet. A little wobbly (definitely a concussion) but he had regained his focus. As Ezra looked at his hands in disbelief Kanan realized what must’ve happened and looked at where Zeb was kneeling and then looked at where Kallus had ended up.

It took him a moment to understand the ramifications but once it registered Kanan took control and began issuing orders. Now was not the time for this. Kanan pointed at Hera.

“Spectre-2! Get the kid aboard!”

“Right,” Hera said. She ran to the still bewildered Ezra and took his hand in hers.

Following Hera’s lead Sabine sprung into action, scooped up her fallen blasters, and got to her feet. R2 was flat on his back and Sabine went right to it, pulling the little astromech back up onto his feet then pointing her finger at him and C-3PO both.

“All of you. Move now!” Sabine said, and then led them all as they hurried to the Ghost. The Imperial ground team was defeated but there was still the cruiser. With herself and Hera looking after the others, she could only hope Kanan could get Zeb moving on his own.

Sending Chopper ahead had been a welcomed relief as the ramp was extended and the engines warmed up and ready to go. Getting aboard Hera stopped by the ramp control panel and then waited. Her recovered blaster in one hand and Ezra in her other, Hera kept her eyes open for Kanan and Zeb.

If a buckethead popped their head out the Twi’lek wouldn’t hesitate.

Understanding the other woman, Sabine first removed her helmet and attached it to her belt, and then carefully took Ezra from Hera and led the still shocked boy into the cargo ramp.

“I? No way. That’s impossible,” Ezra said, his eyes still staring down at his hand. And what he had been able to do with it.

“Come on, Ezra,” Sabine said, her voice gentle and soothing. She looked down and while he wasn’t limping - kriffin’ adrenaline - she knew that his ankle had probably swollen to the size of a jogan.

“Hey? Let’s just sit down over here,” Sabine said when she spotted a small crate.

“Will our torment never end?” C-3PO said. Sabine had to restrain herself from pulling her blaster and putting a shot right between that idiot droid’s photoreceptors.

She might look back at this day and laugh one day. But that day will be a very-very long time from now.

“Thanks, Paintbomb," Ezra said and leaned into Sabine as she helped him down onto the crate. Sabine smiled at Ezra’s nickname for her. “That droid?” Ezra said.

“Threepio?” Sabine said.

“If he stays, I'm stealing Kanan’s lightsaber and cutting him down to slag.”

Sabine bit back a laugh.

“Yeah? Well you better hurry before I blast him to slag myself.”

The two teenagers exchanged similar looks, held the other’s gaze for a moment, and then each bursted into laughter. Oh it felt so good to laugh!

The sound of the ramp closing brought them back to the present and they looked up to see Kanan help Zeb into the cargo bay and Hera had activated her comlink. “Chopper, get us out of here,” Hera said. The fierce look on her face led Sabine to examine the others.

Kanan was hanging in there but she knew Hera would insist on a medical scan of some sort. He’d taken one too many knocks to the head on this job.

But Zeb? She didn’t catch all of the fight between him and Kallus but it was clear that the Agent had beaten him. She’d seen Zeb take some hard hits and blaster burns but she’d never seen him like this before. Unable to stand on his own feet, the Lasat had collapsed on the deck of the cargo bay with Kanan only able to help keep his head and shoulders up.

“Will he be okay?” Sabine said

Solemnly the group, including Chopper, waited for an answer. Zeb groaned but opened his eyes and peered up at Sabine.

“Yeah,” he said, and managed to get his breathing under control. He looked at Kanan and nodded. Together they got him off the deck and back on Zeb’s two feet. “Thanks, mate.” Zeb said. “Appreciate the save.”

At this an amused look spread across Kanan’s face.

“Wasn’t me,” the Jedi said. Zeb eyed him in confusion, then looked at where Kanan was staring. “It was Ezra.”

Standing between herself and Hera, a look of understanding came over Ezra. The realization had finally sunk in. Zeb didn’t exactly smile but he did give Ezra a nod of respect and thanks. Ezra returned it.

“And, Ezra,” Kanan said. Sabine and Ezra turned their attention to Kanan. “Your formal Jedi training starts tomorrow.”

The boy’s blue eyes widened in understanding and he smiled when he felt Hera place her hand on his shoulder and looked at him with pride. Sabine had a similar look, but then at the sound of several beeps and whistles she looked over at the little R2.

“Artoo also gives his congratulations,” Sabine said. “And says you have it in you to be a great Jedi.”

“Umm,” Ezra said. “I’ll try not to let you down, Artoo.”

Sabine watched as Ezra appeared to shrink under all this attention. Clearing her throat she looked to Hera.

“I think the boys need to get settled. They each took some pretty bad hits.”

“What?” Ezra said. He waved his hand dismissively, trying to play it off. “No I’m fine, I swear.”

“Yeah,” Kanan said, mustering up his best Fearless Leader voice. “Besides, the job's not done. We still need to get these two back to their master.”

“Okay, tough guys,” Hera said, in a placating tone of voice to soothe their manly egos. “Let’s just get you settled, examined, and go from there.”

Despite another round of protests eventually all the guys agreed to sit out the rest of the mission and allow Hera to deal with the handoff between the master and his droids. Unable to get Zeb back to bed and Kanan not feeling inclined to leave his friend’s side, Ezra elected to stay in the cargo bay with the rest of them.

It made things easier on Sabine as she broke out the medical kit and its scanner and began to examine the boys. She was pleasantly surprised when R2 came to assist her after handing off the rendezvous coordinates to Hera. 

At first glance he seemed like an older but well maintained astromech droid. But when he popped out a more sophisticated medical scanner than what was in the med kit, Sabine was impressed.

And curious. Wonder what other surprises this little guy has? But he already had a master and already Sabine was hearing the whirring up of the Ghost’s hyperdrive. She sighed. Maybe they’d get the chance to work together another time. She had no clue as to the droid’s secret mission but it was clear he was no fan of the Empire.

“How’s it look?” Zeb said, and brought Sabine back to the present.

“Won’t lie, you took your lumps. Repeatedly.” Sabine said and then a tone of mischief could be heard. “If it wasn’t for Ezra we’d be saying our goodbyes to you.”

“Ugh,” Zeb said. “Don’t remind me.” When Sabine frowned Zeb shook his head, then winced in pain from the motion. “Look. You were right. You all were right about him. Just not looking forward to the next part.”

Sabine hit Zeb with an injection of bacta as well as some other pain relieving drugs.

“Which part?”

“The part where he won’t shut up about it.”

Sabine grinned. “I’m sure it won’t be that bad,” she said. Off of Zeb’s scowl Sabine gave his worry some more consideration.

“You’ll just have to eat your crow, Zeb. And don’t worry.” Sabine said as she got to her feet and glanced over at Kanan, her next patient. “With the amount of trouble Diasa'yr gets up to, you two will be back to even soon enough.”

“Good,” Zeb said. “Fast the better.” The Lasat paused and frowned, then looked at Sabine. “Diasanour?”

Sabine grinned. “Diasa'yr,” she pronounced and gave a shrug. “Ezra had nicknames for all of us.”

“Yeah,” Zeb said. Then his frown deepened. “And he’s the Kid.” At Sabine’s shrug Zeb grumbled. “So, Diasa’yr, that some Mandalorian slang for pain in the ass?”

Sabine just continued to grin and patted Zeb affectionately on the shoulder, and then headed to check on Kanan. At Kanan’s side she kneeled down and went to work with the scanner. As the device performed its diagnostic she chanced a glance at Ezra, and then thought back on the first time she had laid eyes on him and wondered.

Never in a million years would she have thought.

“Diasa'yr o'r chaavla,” Sabine whispered under her breath.

She smiled.

Chapter Text

“And don’t even think about coming back without at least one meiloorun fruit. Clear?”

The two Spectres walked into the town of Kothal, each keeping their eyes open as they took in their surroundings. The people. The layout of the nearby buildings and streets. Escape routes in the event they were recognized by the ever growing presence of Imperials on Lothal. They took in everything.

Everything other than each other.

Ezra and Zeb had thrown some verbal jabs at each other when Hera first kicked them off the Ghost and into this supply run. But otherwise both males had kept their mouths shut and their fists balled.

Ezra didn’t understand what Hera hoped to achieve by sending them together out here. Other than giving the others back at the ship some peace and quiet, which if that were the case then shouldn’t Chopper be here too? As always he was the one that started this whole mess.

Earlier that day…

“Okay you can do this,” Ezra said as he focused on the empty cereal bowl placed in front of him. His hands open just like they were when he had saved Zeb. He imagined the bowl in his mind and then reached out into his surroundings and felt the Force around him. 

If he listened carefully he would hear it, that hum, that call. But since connecting with the Force regularly that call had become less and less noticeable. Now like any noise it was just part of the background, allowing Ezra to instead focus. Focus and feel.

Ezra closed his eyes.

Chopper stood across from him, making innocuous warbles in an attempt to throw Ezra off his game. But to no avail. His focus was absolute.

I can do this.

And the Force flowed through him, faint at first like a whisper. Stretching out Ezra felt his immediate surroundings. He could kind of feel Chopper but not really, it was different with droids. And then as he opened up more he could feel the ship around him. Feel Zeb snoozing in their shared cabin. Feel Sabine in her cabin, artwork probably. Gosh she’s so pretty.

Focus!

Ezra let out a calming breath and opened himself up again. Hera was doing inventory and Kanan? He wasn’t entirely sure. But Kanan felt like a powerful beacon of Force energy. It was practically blinding.

With the Force flowing through him, Ezra focused back on the table. Back on the bowl sitting in front of him.

Gently he reached out.

Furrowing his brow Ezra concentrated. And concentrated. Until finally he heard it. The bowel was moving!

Excitedly Ezra peeked open his left eye first and then his other as he used the Force to lift the bowel from the table!

He did it!

“Yes!” Ezra exclaimed excitedly.

“Wah. Wah.” Chopper warbled and the clicking and whining of his motor servos could be heard, as the orange and white astromech menace stretched out his motivator arm showing off his ability to lift the bowl.

“Very funny,” Ezra said and glared and leaned forward. “But I don’t need your help.”

“WAH, WAH, WAH!”

The next thing he knew Chopper had thrown the bowl and it smacked Ezra right in the chest. As anger mixed with disappointment bubbled up inside of the boy, he knew there was no way he could focus now. And it was all one little droid's fault!

“Chopper!” Ezra yelled and leaped forward at the pest, only to miss. Chopper was two steps ahead and out the galley door. He was rolling so fast he left skid marks through the lounge. As well he should.

Chasing after the troublesome droid, when Ezra got his hands on him he’d shock the little trash compactor until all his circuits were fried!

“Come back here you rolling junk pile!”

Chopper just continued on with his maniacal cackling and continued rolling down the corridor of the crew quarters - including Sabine’s. Her door was open to help with fumes as she focused on her latest work. And just like that the teenage boy had forgotten all about the droid, his focus was entirely on her. The girl of his dreams.

She’s so pretty.

Ezra took a deep breath and threw on his best suave. So focused on her work she probably didn’t even realize he was there. Perfect. And remember! Be smooth.

“Oh, hey, Sabine,” Ezra said, his voice smooth as silk as he perched himself in the open doorway of her cabin. “I see you’re painting stuff.”

“Well, nothing gets past you, kid,” Sabine said and paused in her work to respond. Then she looked at him thoughtfully. “Move any bowls yet?

Ezra held back a sigh at the kid nickname bestowed on him not just by Sabine but by nearly all the crew. A constant reminder of his age and status amongst them. He shook his head. Regroup! Won’t be a kid forever, he reminded himself. I’ll be Jedi Master Ezra. Only a matter of time.

“Well you know how it is, Sabine,” Ezra commented and gave a dismissive wave of the hand. “Perfection can’t be rushed.”

“Mmhmm,” Sabine said. “What about the piloting manuals? And the blaster training? Find anytime to fit those into your busy schedule?”

He idly tapped the door with his fingers and cleared his throat. Smooth be smooth. “Oh it’ll happen, don't you worry,” Ezra answered. 

“Right,” Sabine monotoned. “Perfection can’t be rushed.”

“And you know?” Ezra said. “If you ever need a little inspiration with your art…”

“Yeah.” Sabine said and gave a scoff. “Then I’ll be sure to look elsewhere.”

Ouch! Okay, okay! Don’t panic! Just regroup! Regroup!

“Wahbah, wahbah, wah!” Chopper said from behind Ezra, the droid having successfully snuck back up on his current victim. Then he did a wheelie and pushed through the door and into Ezra’s room!

“Chopper!” Ezra yelled. “Stay out of my room!” But the door had closed behind the droid, leaving Ezra stuck in the hallway.

Fighting back the urge to rush after Chopper and begin the dismantling, Ezra looked back at Sabine. But the girl’s attention was back on her art and was using her paint applicator. Stupid droid. He threw me off my game!

“Gotta go!” Ezra said to Sabine before heading after Chopper - again . He hoped Sabine would understand and let him make it up to her later.

Upon entering his cabin, Ezra looked things over carefully. Zeb was snoozing in his bottom bunk. Not a bad way to spend a day off. But where did that evil little droid go?

“Kid, you wake me, you die.” Zeb said without opening his eyes. The threat in his voice was palpable, Ezra didn’t need the Force to feel that.

Unfortunately that was when Chopper chose his moment to strike! Without warning a large voltage of electricity rippled over Ezra, with Chopper making great use of his onboard electroshock probe.

Ezra’s painful cry was accompanied by Chopper’s gleeful laugh of chaos. Pushing the pain aside Ezra faced the droid just in time to dodge another incoming jolt of electricity. Bad news for Chopper as Ezra’s trusty reflexes kicked in and saved him.

But the sleeping Zeb wasn’t so lucky as Chopper’s electric bolt slammed into the slumbering Lasat, causing him to spasm and wriggle in pain from the attack. He also rolled off the bunk and Ezra, no longer the target of Chopper’s antics, doubled over and covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud.

Not that it did him any good as Zeb picked himself up off the deck and sneered at the sight of both Ezra and Chopper laughing at him. “It’s his fault!” Ezra said and pointed at Chopper.

Snarling like a wounded reek, the large Lasat lifted himself off the floor and towered over them both. The orange droid. The orange clad boy. All Zeb saw was orange.

“I don’t care.” Zeb spat. “I’m crushing you both.”

Chopper made a run for it and ordinarily Ezra would be right behind the droid, but today he had a certain card up his sleeve. 

“That’s Lasat gratitude for you,” the boy said and placed his hands on his hips. Zeb came closer, rolling up his sleeves in anticipation of knocking Ezra’s teeth in. But the Lothalite stood his ground. “All I did was save your life from an Imperial agent.” Ezra lifted his finger and pointed it at Zeb. “Or did that slip your mind?”

The attitude in the kid’s voice. The smug look on his face that Zeb wanted to hit so hard. The truth of the matter. Zeb sighed and lowered his fists. The kid was right and it frustrated Zeb to no end.

“How could it?” Zeb said. “You remind me every 23 seconds.” Zeb turned to head back to his bunk, the sting of Chopper’s shock wearing off. The same couldn’t be said for Ezra as he followed behind, continuing with his “lecture.”

“You know, Zeb,” Ezra said. “In some places when a man owes you his life, he’s your servant forever.”

With shoulders hunched Zeb sat down on his bunk and eyed Ezra. Honor was in Zeb’s blood. And he still felt a twinge of embarrassment when he thought back to their first meeting and he had left Ezra behind on that Star Destroyer. He probably always will. But that was then. This was now and there are going to be boundaries.

“Well,” Zeb said. “This isn’t someplace. It’s my place. So get out!”

“Sorry, roomie.” Ezra said and approached the ladder that led to the top bunk of the cabin’s two beds. “No deal.”

Zeb closed his eyes as Ezra climbed the ladder up to his assigned bunk.

Hera, Kanan, and even Sabine had explained it to Zeb a dozen times each. Zeb STILL didn’t understand WHY he ended up with the kid as a roommate. It was Kanan and Hera’s idea to take him on and yes they asked Zeb if he would be okay with Ezra joining on full time. But it still made no sense to Zeb why? Why make them roommates?

Sabine and Hera needed their space, Zeb understood that. But why not Kanan? He was the other Jedi. He was the kid’s Master or Professor or whatever Jedi have. Why-

The middle section of Ezra’s bunk came loose and it (along with Ezra) crashed down into the bottom bunk - and Zeb.

Happily Sabine continued her art, though Ezra’s comments weren’t lost on her. 

Moving bowls? 

Kanan said he’d begin “formal training” but so far it looks like Ezra was still lone wolfing the Jedi training. She knew Kanan had hurt his head on the last mission but was it so hard to give the kid a few pointers?

She shook her own head, banishing the thoughts. She had a day off and she wasn’t about to waste it. She just hoped Ezra’s training wasn’t as bad as his flirting. The kid’s crush was cute (in an adorable puppy dog sort of way) and so were his attempts at charming her.

And Sabine had to give him credit, he was determined. But it didn’t change anything. Even if Sabine was interested in a relationship right now, it wouldn’t be with the kid. They’d been through a lot together, more than she would have ever thought in so short a time. But she was coming to see him as not just a crewmate or friend but as a kid brother. 

Ezra and Tristan were roughly the same age.

Sabine smiled at memories of her younger brother. As messed up as her biological family was, she never blamed Tristan. For any of it. And while it wasn’t exactly the same, Ezra was filling a void in her heart without him even realizing. It felt nice.

And someday Ezra would grow out of this amusing fourteen year old boy phase and see Sabine just how she saw him. She had told Hera as much the day after the mission with the disruptors and droids. Sabine looked forward to that day. Until then though she’d deal.

Sabine leaned forward to add another layer of paint when a crash came across the hall.

Zeb and Ezra’s room. The Mando Girl smiled and turned away from her art, eagerly awaiting. It didn’t take long.

“It’s not my fault!” Ezra cried as he came running out of their shared room.

“Tell it to my fist!” Zeb yelled.

Keeping out sight Sabine grinned as Ezra, wisely, made a run for it. With fists raised Zeb wasn’t stopping for nothing. Popping her head out of her own cabin she watched Ezra grab a ladder and drop down to the next deck, with Zeb still chasing.

“Wah, wah.”

Sabine looked over and saw Chopper not so innocently standing next to her door, and having just as much fun watching a furious Zeb chasing after Ezra. He then shot out both of his arm manipulators revealing the cause of the mishap.

“The bolts from Ezra’s bunk?” Sabine said and crossed her arms at Chopper. She tried to sound contrite but the little guy was just so cute and made things entertaining. She couldn’t stay mad at him. Especially when she wandered across the hall and took in the scene of Chopper’s little disaster.

She could see it in her head. How it happened. The reactions on each of their faces.

“Hmm,” Sabine said as she touched her chin to the paint applicator still in her hand. Ideas raced through her mind as she spotted one particular empty area on the wall. “Needs a little something.”

Sabine grinned. What was it her little Diasa’yr had said? Inspired? Sabine’s grin widened as she continued to eye the empty wall space. She had a feeling the boys would be busy for a while.

Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

Ezra sped through the Ghost, sensing Kanan’s presence out as he reached the platform above the cargo bay. Behind him came the monstrous roars of the angry Lasat.

Without a second to spare Ezra grabbed the ladder and rode it down to relative safety. Zeb wouldn’t try anything in front of Kanan after all. Right?

A ferocious blur of purple flew through the air and slammed into not only Ezra but the carefully placed crates Kanan had finished stacking. Not that Ezra could see much. Zeb had him in a full mount and with his giant hands slamming Ezra down into the deck all Ezra could see was gnashing snarling teeth and green eyes of fury.

Anytime now Kanan!

“Ahem-hem,” a different voice spoke up, one that caught everyone’s attention.

Standing atop the platform above them was Hera, looking down at Zeb and Ezra - as well as the crates Kanan had just finished stacking. 

She wasn’t happy.

Ezra closed his eyes, cursing the orange droid. He didn’t know how. But somehow he just knew that Chopper was the mastermind behind all of this.

And now he and Zeb were going to be the ones who paid.

“Enough. This is my ship you’re wrecking and I want you off it.”

“Hera, be reasonable,” Zeb said.

“Come on. You know what he’s like.” Ezra said. Hera’s response was to hand Ezra a list on datapad. “What’s this?”

“A market list. The town of Kothal’s two clicks to the south and I’m sending you both on a supply run.”

“With him!?” Ezra and Zeb had both balked, pointing at each other.

“With each other,” Hera said. “Oh. And don’t even think about coming back without at least one meiloorun fruit. Clear?”

Yeah, Ezra thought as he walked down the bustling market street of Kathol. Some much for a day off. At least the Furball had split and gone off on his own as soon as they entered the town. Seriously. What was Hera thinking?

Ezra reached the produce stalls and began searching. He smiled at an excitable Rodian fruit vendor. His assignment sucked and he was missing out on crucial Sabine time and Force training. But it was still good to get out and see more of his homeworld.

He hadn’t been to Kothal in a while but it was a good town with good people. And he wasn’t even here to steal anything. His Loth-rat days were over. He was a Rebel, whatever that meant.

“Ezra?” a voice called.

Oh kriff, spotted! Instinctively Ezra prepared to run when the voice called again, only this time he recognized it. He turned and spotted an older man with worn gloves and a faded purple shirt hovering over his own produce stall back a ways from the other stalls and vendors. He recognized the man immediately.

“Is that Ezra Bridger?”

“Mister Sumar?” Ezra said, his voice warm at the sight of the old farmer and walked over to his market stall. It had been years.

“Ezra.” Sumar said, his voice equally warm and chuckled in fondness of Ezra. “Look how you’ve grown. Here, have a jogan.” Sumar said and tossed one of the purple fruits to Ezra.

“Thanks.” Ezra said and then had a thought. “Don’t suppose you have any meilooruns?”

“Meilooruns?” Mister Sumar said and looked at Ezra oddly, as if waiting for the punchline to a joke. Realizing Ezra was serious, Sumar shook his head and chuckled. “Meilooruns don’t grow on Lothal.”

Ezra frowned. “They don’t?” He thought harder and then it hit him. Hera. “No,” Ezra said. “Of course they don’t,” and then facepalmed himself with the hand not holding the jogan. The last thing he needed was Zeb to pop up and laugh at jogan-faced Ezra.

Mister Sumar leaned forward, his wrinkled eyes friendly and wanting to help Ezra. “I suppose you could find an off-world importer, but it’d cost you,” Sumar warned.

Handing me free fruit. Cautioning me about the prices of food. Mister Sumar must be one of the few people in all of Lothal who didn’t know of my stealing to survive.

“Right,” Ezra said and a plan began to take shape in his head. He waved to Mister Sumar, thankful. “Well, great seeing you again.” But as Ezra turned he froze.

A dozen meters down the street an Imperial officer and a trio of stormtroopers. And as Ezra squinted real hard the officer looked familiar. He pointed in Ezra’s direction and the rebel ducked out of sight next to a stall. As the Imperials passed by, not noticing him, he got a better look at the officer.

Supplymaster Lieutenant Lyste, Ezra recognized. The same idiot who was in charge of the crates the day he met Kanan and the others.

There were a few things Ezra had made a point of since joining the Ghost, aside from learning the ship: its maintenance, its weapons, and even the basics when it came to flying. There was also training in the Force and of course charming Sabine. All important. One of the smaller but also important things he’d focused on was learning the faces of each of the Imperials officers garrisoned on Lothal. 

It wasn’t that hard. Just a few holonet searches and he was visiting the holonet site of your friendly Imperials of Lothal. All it was was names, faces, and ranks. But with all the continued run-ins with the Imps on Lothal, Ezra figured it paid to know which ones to watch out for. And which ones would get lost in their own barracks.

But Lyste was in Capital City. Who decided it was a good idea to allow this idiot to go way out to Kothal with just a few stormtroopers as backup? Ezra wondered. Sticking to the shadows, Ezra trailed the small patrol to find out what they were up to.

It didn’t take long, and what Ezra saw caused his blood to chill. Lyste had led his small detachment right to Mister Sumar! Ezra watched carefully, as concern for his friend grew.

“There there. Sumar!” Lyste said. “Have you changed your mind?”

“No,” Mister Sumar said and crossed his arms over his chest. “I told you. I’m not selling my farm.”

“Hmph,” Lyste said. “Very well.” Ezra watched as Lyste then turned and led his stormtroopers down the street.

Ezra frowned. No negotiating? No threatening? Lyste expected this response from Mister Sumar. Ezra closed his eyes and groaned as realization sunk in.

Tarkintown. He had to warn Mister Sumar. Once Lyste and the Imperials were out of sight Ezra left his hiding spot and walked back to Mister Sumar, only to see him closing up his stall.

“Mister Sumar,” Ezra said.

“Oh? Sorry, Ezra, I’m closing for today. But I’ll be here tomorrow, be sure.”

“No,” Ezra said. “You won’t.”

Mister Sumar frowned and Ezra gulped.

“I don’t know how many times Lyste or others like him have asked you, but the Empire is done taking “no” for an answer.” He let out a breath, it pained Ezra to have to tell Mister Sumar this. “Every farmer that has stood up and told the Empire no has had their land seized and then shipped off to this tent village in the middle of nowhere never to be heard from again.”

“Tent town? Oh you mean that Tarkintown rumor,” Mister Sumar said.

“It’s no rumor, I’ve seen it,” Ezra said.

“Hmm, that is disturbing. But if the Empire wants to take my land it’ll have to take it. And it won’t take it without a fight.” Mister Sumar smiled at Ezra as he finished packing up. “I appreciate your concern Ezra, but I think I can handle that Lyste fool and a few pushover troopers.”

Mister Sumar finished packing up his merchandise. Ezra took up a few bags of the produce and helped him load his old beaten-up landspeeder.

“Thank you, Ezra,” Mister Sumar said and then looked at the boy thoughtfully. “Tell you what. I promise to give it some thought. Talk it over with my wife.”

Ezra shook his head. “That’s not good enough. They’re done asking, and the Empire doesn’t waste time. As soon as Lyste has his troopers he’ll-”

“Ezra,” Mister Sumar interrupted. “I promise you I’ll talk it over with my wife,” Mister Sumar said. With that Mister Sumar climbed into the land speeder and pulled away, heading down a side street that would lead him out of the town.

Kriff.

Well now what am I supposed to do?

“Any luck?” Zeb asked, coming up from behind Ezra with a couple boxes the size of Ezra in his big hairy Lasat arms. 

Luck? Ezra thought and then eyed the giant furball had overheard. Only Zeb didn’t seem overly worried about Ezra’s friend. 

“Yeah,” Zeb said, and with Ezra’s confusion still exhibited he growled. “Meilooruns?”

Oh. The stupid fruit that doesn’t even grow on Lothal. Ezra had forgotten all about Hera’s joke on them, what with Mister Sumar about to be carted off to Tarkintown in chains. “No,” Ezra said. “And I don’t think Hera meant for us to have luck. Meilooruns don’t grow here.”

“Heh,” Zeb jeered. “And the Lothal-rat forgot all about that, did he?” When Ezra didn’t rise to the bait Zeb glanced around the marketplace. “Well, someone has to be selling those things. Here, take this,” Zeb said and shoved one of the large boxes into Ezra’s hands. “I’ll go find one.”

That seemed to get through to Ezra, and the boy’s anxiousness was replaced with that insufferable smirk. “Seriously? You want me to carry your supplies after saving your life?” Ezra said as he struggled to balance the large crate in his arms.

It was the last straw for Zeb. Marching forward his momentum shoved Ezra back, the boy back wheeling to keep from falling. “Stop saying you saved my life.” With one last shove Ezra stumbled back into a crate, jarring the lid loose and surprising the two Spectres at what was inside.

“Meilooruns!” Ezra and Zeb proclaimed excitedly.

Zeb took Ezra’s large box back into his arms and Ezra looked around for the seller, it took him only moments to spot the green Rodian vendor. The two smiled and approached the stall.

“How much for the whole crate?” Zeb asked the vendor.

Ezra was thinking the same thing. One meiloorun? Thinks she’s so clever. Wait ‘till Hera sees this.

“I’m sorry. They’re already sold.” The Rodian vendor replied.

Oh really, Ezra thought. “Well, maybe we can buy one from…”

The lid slammed down on the crate of fruit and all three turned to see a stormtrooper pick up the crate of meilooruns and then walk away, taking the fruit with him.

“From the Empire?” the Rodian scoffed. “Yeah, good luck.”

Ezra and Zeb shared a glance and quickly ran into the shadows and out of sight. Together they stealthily followed the stormtrooper. Luck? Please. They were Spectres. Luck has nothing to do with what they were capable of.

More importantly it was a matter of pride. Hera tried to trick them, well they would show her. The Lasat and the Loth-rat continued to shadow the stormtrooper until they reached a loading bay on the edge of town. To neither of their surprise there was an armored troop carrier currently being used for cargo.

And the crate of meilooruns was being stacked at the very top of the crates already loaded onto the transport’s roof. 

Ezra did the math. Four stormtroopers and an armed transport. Just him and Zeb and no weapons, well except for his trusty slingshot. For all of Sabine’s issues with his slingshot, it was handy to have on hand and no one ever suspected his comlink brace doubled as a weapon.

Ezra smiled, but Zeb wasn’t.

“What are you smiling about?” Zeb asked.

“The obvious answer to our problem.” Ezra replied smugly. 

Zeb growled and pushed Ezra down behind a stack of crates. Out of sight of the Imperials Zeb kneeled down and shook his head. “No.”

“Hey, it’s not like we’ve never stolen from the Empire before.” Ezra pointed out, his voice still carrying that smugness.

“Right.” Zeb said doubtfully. “So what’s the plan, kid?” Ezra felt Zeb’s light punch hit his shoulder. “You gonna use the Force?” Zeb taunted.

“Maybe.” Ezra said at the sound of doubt in Zeb’s voice.  “Sure. Why not?”

In truth there were only four stormtroopers. Ezra figured they’d get close and Zeb would knock out two while Ezra used the element of surprise to pick the others off with his slingshot and use his stun baton as well if needed.

But then Zeb decided to run his mouth about his Force ability. That changed things.

Ezra leaned out from the stack of cargo crates they were hiding behind and focused on the crates of meilooruns. It was a fair distance, and the sight of a magical floating meiloorun would definitely draw some eyes. But none of that mattered.

Not when pride was on the line.

Ezra closed his eyes and reached out his hand. Using the Force Ezra could see the lid in his mind’s eyes. He could feel it, and he could feel the cusp of its lid. All he had to do was wrap his fingers around it and pull the lid off.

It didn’t give easily but he could feel it shift and wiggle. He almost had it.

Which was when a stormtrooper noticed the lid had come loose and shoved it back into place. Ezra opened his eyes and he heard Zeb’s laugh.

The furball put a hand on Ezra’s back and shook his head. “We should go.”

“You go. I’m getting what we came for,” Ezra said and slipped out Zeb’s reach before the Lasat could coral him.

“Wait, kid,” he heard Zeb say but Ezra was already into the loading area, sneaking from crate to crate. 

He didn’t get Zeb, Ezra thought as he neared the transport. Brash and full of himself. Always happy to stick it to the Empire. But he chickens out here over stealing fruit? Whatever. If he wanted to give up and go back to the ship then fine. He’d show him. He’d show them all.

Ezra Bridger, Jedi Master.

Spotting a rock lying on the ground, Ezra picked it up and tossed it in the opposite direction of the transport. It landed in a shadow not far from the nearby stormtrooper that stood in Ezra’s path. Distracted by the noise from the rock as it hit the ground, the stormtrooper went to investigate. And Ezra had a clear path to the transport.

Or so he thought, Ezra frowned and looked around. Not one or two but three armored troop transports. And even more stormtroopers. Ezra dropped to all fours and began to crawl.

In his mind this was good news. Had he used the Force there was no way he’d have telekinetically floated the fruit over to them without drawing attention. Meanwhile his thieving skills? Nothing to it, Ezra thought and reached the open hatch to the transport.

With no stormtroopers in sight he hopped and gripped the topmost frame to the hatch. Finding solid purchase Ezra pulled himself up and smiled at the crate of meilooruns sitting right before him, completely unattended.

He lifted the lid and reached in to take one and smiled. All too easy. Unable to contain himself Ezra looked at where Zeb was still crouched and held up the fruit triumphantly.

Wait ‘till Sabine hears about this.

“You there!” Ezra looked down to see three stormtroopers with three blaster rifles all pointed directly at him.

Or maybe he wouldn’t tell Sabine about this.

“I’ll just put this back,” he said and carefully lifted the lid and put the meiloorun back.

Which was when several large cargo crates came flying through the air and crashed into the stormtroopers. One dropped after another as the heavy crates thrown by a very strong Lasat slammed into their bodies.

Good luck explaining those injuries to their doctors.

“Hey kid!” Zeb called as he picked up another crate, arm pitched back ready to throw. “Run!”

Realizing that Zeb had a point, Ezra dropped down from the transport and landed in a crouch, the sound of running feet coming to his right. He looked and saw more stormtroopers being led by none other than everyone’s favorite Imperial Supply Master Lieutenant Lyste.

Yes. It paid to know the faces and names of the Imps on the planets you worked. But as incompetent as Lyste was, the idiot could likely still hit a target sitting out in the middle of the open. 

A target like me.

Wasting no more time Ezra ran for it with Zeb joining him, and together they ran out the way they came. No blaster shots but the Imperials were definitely after them. The two Spectres glanced over their shoulders. Yup definitely after them!

“You made me lose the rest of the supplies!” Zeb snapped as they ran. “At least we’re even.”

“Even? Please.” Ezra fired back and looked at Zeb like he had lost it. “I had the whole situation under control.”

Ezra heard the Lasat’s growl a moment before he took Ezra by the collar of his shirt and yanked him off the ground. “Come here!”

With no other option Ezra was hauled along. Zeb turned a corner, losing line of sight with their pursuers and the next thing Ezra knew they were climbing. Climbing up the sheer vertical wall of a building.

And Zeb was hanging on with nothing but the nails of his toes and fingers. How is that even possible? Ezra wondered. As they neared the top Zeb and Ezra looked downwards to see the two stormtroopers pursuing them had stopped and were looking confused.

“Where’d they go?” One said and Ezra knew they had seconds before one of them looked up. Zeb did as well because with one herculean effort Zeb tossed Ezra up and over the lip of the rooftop. The teen sprawled across the hard surface of the roof. He’d feel that in the morning, but he was out of sight.

Which was more than what could be said for Zeb, a thought that was punctuated when in a few short moments the retorts of blaster rifles barked out from the narrow alley below. Zeb was a sitting duck on that wall. Ezra pulled himself up and scrambled to the edge of the rooftop and looked down.

It wasn’t good. Zeb was a good fifteen meters up and even stormtroopers could hit at that distance. Zeb tried to make the last few meters to the top but it wasn’t happening, the blaster shots were becoming more precise. They’d have him in moments. So Zeb did what Zeb always did, he snarled and pushed off the wall with arms held wide.

He aimed well and clobbered the two bucketheads when he fell atop them. That was one way to handle the problem!

“Zeb!” Ezra called down.

“Just keep going.” Zeb called back. “I’ll catch up to you.” He then made a run for it as five more stormtroopers entered the alley to find Zeb running and their two compatriots knocked out on the ground.

And then the stormtrooper leading the hastily assembled squad did something unusual. He called for a halt and began a quick inspection of the scene with the two unconscious stormtroopers. He then looked up and his focus narrowed in on… me. Me and the scorched blaster marks dotting the wall just below where I was leaning.

Kriff.

“Split up!” the stormtrooper commanded and the group broke up. Some headed after Zeb and the others, well Ezra wasn’t about to hang out to find out. He needed distance, fast. As he ran he thought about Zeb and how they were going to meet up and get back out of this. Kathol was a decently sized town as far as Lothal went. But it wasn’t big like Capital City or even Garel. And neither he nor Zeb knew its exact layout. If the Empire was here in force they’d eventually be cornered.

Blaster fire and he could feel the heat radiating off the bolts as they passed by him. Ezra did his best to weave and dodge but the narrow rooftops he had been thrown atop offered only so much room. But there was a gap ahead, a big one. One that only someone with the Force would be able to cross.

He couldn’t consciously tap into the Force, and maybe he never would. But subconsciously he knew now he always had been. Particularly when it came to being a street rat. When to run. When to hide. And maybe a little extra help to get over a large wall. And that was the kind of thing he needed right now.

So, like the dozens of times before, Ezra trusted his instincts as he dodged without looking back. His instincts were right and no blaster bolt found him. A few meters from the jump he put in an extra burst of speed and jumped as far as possible and sure enough he easily reached the next rooftop.

Ezra grinned, knowing that the stormtroopers chasing him were undoubtedly wondering just what had happened. They looked pretty winded too. Maybe they should’ve spent a few less hours at the mess hall and some more time at the gym. 

The young boy’s inner sass took a backseat when a moment later he realized he they weren’t the only stormtroopers up here, Ezra realized and dropped his head just in time to avoid a blaster bolt aimed at him by a distance of less than a meter.

Two more stormtroopers had just popped up on the same rooftop as him! And they were in fresh shape!

Oh come on, Ezra groaned inwardly. 

He put on some more speed, drew back his sling, and ducked into cover just in time to quickly pelt both stormtroopers with shots from his slingshot. The hit but they did little more than cause them to stumble for a moment.

So much for his trusty slingshot.

Groaning, Ezra grabbed the headstart and the race was on - again. Instead of looking over his shoulder he continued to rely on his instincts to avoid blaster fire and it was working. In the distance he spotted a wall that he could leap to and they wouldn’t follow.

And then he heard the familiar howl of a TIE fighter.

“Great. Just what I need.” Ezra muttered and glanced from the TIE to the roofs he was racing on. A stray thought of would the Empire resort to trying to hit him at the risk of destroying Kothal homes and businesses?

It’d be stupid. It’d wreck whatever good will the Empire still retained on Lothal. But with Lyste in charge?

He couldn’t risk it and Ezra began to look for a way out, when the TIE drew close enough he could nearly jump to it. And see the pilot! Zeb! The Lasat waved at him cheekily. Where did he get that thing!

Ezra’s worn street shoes kept pounding the stone architecture of Kothal’s rooftops, he glanced back at the TIE and winced when Zeb tried to shift it so it could face him only to nearly crash it into the street.

Less blaster fire now and Ezra slowed his pace, bringing up his wrist comlink to speak.

“You’re going to kill someone!” Ezra yelled into the comm. A blaster bolt burned through the air, missing him by less than a meter. He needed to get out of here, and despite Zeb’s poor piloting the small ship was just close enough. “Let me in!”

But the TIE’s hatch didn’t open, instead his comlink blinked and Zeb’s voice began. “So now, I’d be saving your life, right?”

Ezra was huffing and puffing, clearing yet another gap between buildings. “What?” Ezra said in astonishment. Then shook his head. “Yeah, sure. Yes!”

This was insane!

“Whatever!” Ezra seethed, but the hatch still didn’t open.

“If I let you in, we’re even.” Zeb said.

Unbelievable! Ezra fought back the urge to reply with something nasty. Ezra threw his arms up and looked up at the TIE. “Fine!”

“You have to say it!” Zeb demanded.

“All right, all right. We’re even. Now let me in before I run out of roof!”

“Heh, oh yeah.” Zeb said and Ezra just knew that the thought hadn’t even occurred to him. Still the TIE dropped a few meters and the hatch popped open. Without wasting a step Ezra leapt and dove into the cockpit headfirst, his body landing between Zeb and the fighter’s controls.

Whoops.

Zeb threw him off to the side as the TIE dipped below the rooftops of the buildings lining the narrow street that made up Kothal’s marketplace. Any lower and he’d be clipping the stalls with the TIE’s large solar panels on its wingtips. And any lower than that…

Ezra reached for the controls but Zeb shoved him back. “Don’t crowd me, kid. I’m flying here.”

“You don’t know how. Let me,” Ezra said. That wasn’t entirely true but he had been glancing at those training manuals. And flying a TIE wasn’t hyperspace physics. Ezra pushed Zeb and fought for the controls. “You’re gonna crash!”

“Let go!” Zeb said and fought back.

Suddenly the green colored Rodian that had been importing the meiloorun fruits was visible through the TIE’s viewport and only getting closer.

Ezra had his hand on the control’s left handle, Zeb had his big purple one on the right. “Turn the ship!”

“I’m trying!” Zeb yelled. He overpowered Ezra and took control of the TIE again, but not before accidentally brushing someone’s hands over the fighter’s firing button.

The sound of the cannon firing filled the cockpit and to Ezra’s horror he watched as the familiar green arcs of laser fire destroyed the Rodian’s fruit stall. He couldn’t be sure but it looked like the Rodian had leapt for safety. Meanwhile his produce went flying in the air and, inconveniently, splattered itself over the transparisteel cockpit.

They were flying blind and only a few meters off the ground!

Zeb pulled back on the controls, gaining some altitude at last. Though his control over the TIE’s horizontal axis was still shaky. “I can’t see a thing!” He growled.

“Gain altitude. Zeb.” Ezra said as calmly as he could, his nerves were frayed and adrenaline was spiking in his body but he had to keep it together.

“I know,” Zeb said shortly.

But the TIE continued along the same trajectory, Ezra was about to remind him when he felt a slightest tug come at him from out of nowhere. But just as quickly as it was there it had gone.

Weird.

Not quite Ezra’s eyes Sabine thought as she continued working on her latest project. She had her eyes closed and tried to picture the kid in her mind, especially his eyes. She’d been stuck on them for the past ten minutes and didn’t have much success when suddenly out of nowhere it was as if he was standing in front of her clear as day.

And looking a little freaked.

Sabine opened her eyes and frowned.

Weird. 

But the brief flicker of him in her mind’s eye did the trick and she gave her paint selection a stir and smiled at the appropriate shade of blue.

There’s my inspiration, she thought. She was about to get back to it when she saw Hera pause by the cabin’s opened door. The female Twi’lek was not expecting to see Sabine in Ezra and Zeb’s cabin, and already had the question of why poised on her lips. 

But Sabine didn’t let her get that far and hurried to the doorway holding her arms out blocking entry.

“Sorry, Hera. No entry.” Sabine said with as cheery a smile as possible.

But Hera was no fool, she could smell the paint from here. “You do realize this isn’t your room?” She questioned her. It was a valid point, especially with the earlier argument between the room’s actual inhabitants. Hera didn’t need more drama today.

“I was inspired.” Sabine said and quickly added, “It was Ezra’s idea.”

That much was true and with another winning smile Sabine closed the door and went back to her work.

She didn’t have a lot of time and was determined to get his eyes just right.

Zeb was tense, Ezra didn’t need to look at him to know it. He could feel it. And what’s worse he had stopped listening.

“Pull back and climb higher,” Ezra tried again. “Gain some altitude.”

“I know what I’m doing,” Zeb responded. He glanced back at Ezra and then back to the fruit smeared canopy. It was impossible to see out of. “How can you tell?”

Ezra tensed. He couldn’t. And yet his instincts were screaming at him. He was so focused he missed Zeb’s comment about cleaning the window. Staring straight ahead, he didn’t need to see the danger. He could feel it.

Too late to climb.

“We need to turn.” Ezra said. Zeb ignored him and Ezra’s eyes widened. “Turn!” The boy leapt for the controls and gave a sharp pull to the right. The TIE responded to the yank and banked a hard right, its solar panels missing one of Lothal’s rock formations by mere meters.

Gasping in shock at how close they’d come, Zeb looked and stared at Ezra for an explanation. “How did you know?”

The kid closed his eyes and shook his head. “Not sure,” Ezra said. “I just knew.”

That wasn’t true. It was the Force and both Spectres knew it. The nervous laughter on Zeb’s face showed both gratitude and worry.

Ezra’s abilities were manifesting quickly and Kanan despite his promises their Fearless Leader was still dragging his feet on any of Ezra’s formal Jedi training. Something that Ezra, Hera, and Sabine kept dropping hints about. But for one reason or another Kanan always had some excuse to postpone it.

“Good. That’s good,” Zeb said. Ezra didn’t know it but in that moment he had not only gained Zeb’s trust but also an ally in his mission for training. Not that Zeb was about to tell such a thing. “Now get out there and clean the canopy.” Zeb insisted. 

For a moment Ezra was taken aback. Zeb was right, but he wanted Ezra to do it mid flight? And what if Zeb ended up flying them toward another rock formation. What was Ezra supposed to do? Bang on the transparisteel and hope Zeb could read minds?

“Open the hatch,” Ezra said. Zeb did so without thought, believing Ezra had agreed to his insane idea.

Instead when the hatch opened Ezra only crawled halfway out and peered around, happy to see there wasn’t anything in the TIE fighter’s immediate path and that the ground was pretty level.

“Okay,” Ezra yelled. “Set her down now.”

“What?” Zeb shouted, still under the illusion that Ezra intended to clean it while in flight.

“Set it down!”

“I can’t see!”

“Now!”

“Gah!” Zeb snarled but just like before, he put his trust in Ezra and followed the kid’s instructions. Slowly the TIE came to a hover and Zeb tilted the nose upward and engaged the craft’s repulsors.

“Five meters,” Ezra yelled to be heard above its engines. Zeb eyed the instrument panel and found what must’ve been the TIE’s altimeter. Gently the Lasat set it down. “Okay!” Ezra yelled and then climbed out of the ball cockpit and went around to the front of the TIE.

Zeb had a nagging feeling he was forgetting something and played around with the instrument panel while Ezra cleaned off the canopy with the sleeve of his shirt. He’d need a change when they got back to the ship, and some time later in the fresher to clean it fully.

Zeb continued searching the instrumental panel until he found the fighter’s sensor array and more importantly its scope. Ezra was making quick work and more than half the canopy had been cleaned of the fruit smatterings. But it was still taking too long for Zeb’s liking.

So his green eyes remained glued to the sensor scope as the seconds slowly ticked by. Just sitting out here like this. Not even a buckethead could miss them.

At last Ezra deemed the TIE clean enough and he climbed up the front, feeling for the durasteel framings of its transparisteel windows. A moment later he dropped back into the cockpit and Zeb closed the hatch behind him. The Lasat wasted no time and immediately got the TIE back in the air.

“Enjoy yourself?” Zeb asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“A little fresh air never hurts,” Ezra said, matching Zeb’s sarcasm with his own. Though between the exhaust from the TIE and the stench of the spoiled fruit, the air had been anything but fresh. Still the canopy’s translucent transparisteel was spick and span and he looked through outward but didn’t recognize any landmarks. He hadn’t when he had been outside cleaning either. “So where are we?”

Zeb pointed at a little dot on the TIE’s sensor panel. “See that dot? That’s us.”

“Okay,” Ezra said. “And where’s that dot in relation to the Ghost. ” The look on Zeb’s face said it all. Ezra sighed and began looking around the instrument panel. “That’s the comm,” he said and pointed to one of the TIE’s centermost controls. Ezra leaned in and began to fiddle with it, doing his best to remember what he read about adjusting the comm frequencies on these things.

The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally hail the Empire. 

No longer in a hurry Zeb waited with content. His earlier worries gone now that they were in the air, he could enjoy himself. It wasn’t often the Lasat got an opportunity to fly. And even though he’d blasted at them countless times, he was curious about what the TIE could do. 

“Is there a way to keep this thing?” Ezra said, unknowingly voicing Zeb’s own thoughts.

“You want to keep it?” Zeb said, curious as to Ezra’s reasoning.

“Is it really that bad an idea? Think of what we could do with it? It’d make sneaking up on the Empire a lot easier.”

Zeb grunted, then allowed a smile. “And you want to fly it,” the Lasat said, correctly guessing Ezra’s true motives.

“It looks like fun,” Ezra admitted as he continued to search the fighter’s communication interface, remembering all he could about changing frequencies. “And flying one beats looking at it from a training-holo.”

“Heh, true enough,” Zeb said in agreement. He’d snuck a quick read at one of those holos when the kid was detailed to organizing cargo. There was a lot of valuable information, but it made for dull reading.

“Got it,” Ezra said after a long moment of tuning. He stepped away from the console and leaned against the spacecraft’s pilot chair.

“Good,” Zeb said, but he still had an inkling that they had forgotten something. Something very basic when it came to stealing ships. But they’d been out of contact long enough, it was time to call in. “ Spectre-4 to Ghost.”

“Go ahead, Spectre-4,” Hera’s voice greeted them from the comm. They both let out a silent breath of relief that they figured out the communications correctly.

“Right. Well,” Zeb said and hesitated briefly. “We’ve had a bit of a problem.”

“I thought you might,” came Hera’s response. “Look, don’t worry about the meilooruns.”

“Yeah, meilooruns. We found some,” Ezra said. “But we lost them. Then we found them again, but we smashed them.”

Zeb sighed and adjusted the TIE’s heading to avoid a mountain top. “Just cut to the chase, kid.”

Suddenly Kanan’s voice cut in.

“Wait! What am I hearing? It sounds like… “

“Yeah, about that.” Ezra said and then braced himself. “See, well, we stole a TIE fighter.”

“You what!” Kanan shouted.

Zeb and Ezra collectively winced. “He’s taking it better than I thought,” Zeb whispered to Ezra.

“Get rid of it!” Kanan ordered.

“Do we have to?” Ezra and Zeb each exclaimed, their hopes dashed. Kanan’s accompanying sigh of frustration was answer enough to their question.

“At least tell me you dismantled the locator beacon.”

“Karabast,” Zeb hissed, quietly so that only Ezra could hear. “Knew I’d forgotten something.” He covered. “Of course.” Zeb lied. “We’re not fools.” 

Ezra’s eyes widened in comprehension and shared a quick look with the Lasat, then dropped his pack and opened a readily available side pouch. From it he drew his multitool and with practiced ease opened its blade. 

Zeb looked over his shoulder at Ezra. “Under there.” He hissed with a nod toward a maintenance panel behind the pilot’s chair. “The red wire. No, wait. The blue.”

“Well, which one?” Ezra asked as he held the blade over the wires.

“It’s the read and the blue,”   Kanan informed, not at all happy with the pair.

“Right. Got it.” Ezra said then shook his head and smoothed his voice. “I mean, got it a long time ago.” He winced. There was no way anyone would buy that. Still a good con man always doubled down. “You know, back when we first boarded. Right away,” Ezra said and lifted a finger. “Immediately.”

Zeb glanced back at Ezra in disbelief. He didn’t really believe they were buying this was he?

“Stealing a TIE attracts unwanted attention.” Kanan lectured. “Rendezvous at Shadow Site 2. Fly straight there. Do not stop. And don’t do anything.”

The bite in Kanan’s voice was obvious. “On our way,” Zeb said. “Spectre-4 out.” The big guy felt a bit sullen at his and Ezra’s mess up when the kid leaned in and gave him a broad smirk.

“That went well,” Ezra said, completely unapologetic and Zeb picked up on it immediately.

The Lasat smiled, his mood brightened. He liked Kanan but the man had had a bit of a chip on his shoulder of late. It felt good to give a little back.

“Yeah,” Zeb said.

“Do you know which way we’re supposed to go?” Ezra asked.

“No idea.” Zeb smiled and leaned back in the chair, happy for the moment.

The pair took a couple minutes to watch the rolling Lothal landscape through the TIE’s window. It was the first true moment of respite they’d gotten in some time. And it wasn’t as if they could get in any more trouble.

“Shadow Site Two,” Zeb said at last, breaking the companionable silence as he searched his memory.

“Yeah,” Ezra said and leaned in to figure out the TIE’s navigation system.

For security reasons no one on the team carried around the number of comm frequencies or meetup coordinates. If the Empire got their hands on those they could track and capture the Rebels no problem. At the same time it wasn’t like they made it a regular habit to visit their shadow sites. They were meant for emergencies.

“Okay, I think I got it,” Ezra said after cycling through several systems on the fighter’s right panel. Zeb then read off the coordinates he believed to be correct and Ezra typed them in. “Try it,” Ezra suggested.

“Okay.” Zeb said and peered down at the main panel. “Navigation system’s online.” He then reached out and hit a button. “Course set for rendezvous point.”

A moment passed and Zeb wondered again about the possibility of finding a place to stash the TIE. Keep it a secret just between him and Ezra, and probably Sabine knowing the kid and his quest to impress the girl. Not that she would be one to rat them out. She’d get a kick out of the thing too.

It was fun to fly and Zeb really wanted a chance to test out its weapons against some bucketheads. And the kid made a damn good point about it being useful. At the rate the team’s encounters were going with the Empire, a TIE was bound to come in handy at some point.

His thoughts on this he missed the smoke on the horizon. Ezra did not.

“What’s that?” Ezra said and pointed.

Looking back through the transparisteel the empty Lothal plains and its vast horizon weren’t all that empty. That was a lot of smoke, and Zeb adjusted course to check it out. “Looks like smoke,” Zeb stated.

Ezra stepped around to the other side of the cockpit and peered closer. “Yeah.” Ezra said, his voice sounding edgy. Edgy and determined like a certain Jedi’s. “Only I think I know where it’s coming from.”

He had seen that determination before, only not so much on the kid. And Zeb knew what it meant.

Karabast.

Ezra turned his eyes to Zeb and to the Lasat’s surprise gave him the most pleading look he had ever seen on the kid. “Go check it out. Please,” Ezra requested.

Kanan, Spectre-1, had given direct orders. Come straight back. Zeb rolled his eyes but relented and kept the TIE on the current heading, flying closer to the smoke. It wasn’t long until they were over a fair-sized farm and its house and other buildings.

The smoke from the farmhouse, destroyed by what could only have been a blast from a heavy laser cannon told the story. “Friends of yours?” Zeb asked.

“Of my parents.” Ezra answered, his tone tense. “Lieutenant Lyste was after him earlier in town. They wanted to buy his farm. Have for a while now, apparently.”

Zeb nodded slowly. “Tarkintown.”

“I warned him about going back,” Ezra continued. “But it was only Lyste. Mister Sumar thought he’d have more time.”

“He didn’t want to back down,” Zeb said and began to circle the TIE around the rest of the farm. “Can’t fault him for that.”

“I never said I did,” Ezra hissed heatedly, his fist curling in agitation.

Zeb sighed and shook his head. “That had to be what, an hour ago at the longest? Thirty minutes by speeder I reckon. Lyste is an idiot, sure. But he knew what your friend’s answer would be. You did good by warning him but he never stood a chance.”

Zeb paused and looked at Ezra, studying him and could see the self-blame creeping up on the kid. He shook his head. “Don’t do that. You warned them. You did all you could.”

“Did I?” Ezra spoke. “I mean Lyste was right there in the loading bay. And we - and I?” He sighed. “I was too caught up with meilooruns.”

On a hunch Zeb expanded his circling, checking the scope until three dots were detected on ground sensors. The TIE’s sensors pinged them as friendlies, which only meant one thing. “There’s a convoy of Imperial troop transports heading northwest,” Zeb said and pointed at the sensor he readout. “Probably the same ones from town.”

He turned to look at Ezra and the look on his face said it all.

“Karabast! I know that look,” Zeb swore.

He felt Ezra lean in and rest a hand on his shoulder, the kid putting on the charm. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Well,” Zeb said and shrugged his shoulders. “We both wind up dead.”

“Besides that.”

And just like that, Zeb was in. “Oh, boy. Here goes nothing,” the Lasat murmured and put the TIE on an intercept trajectory. “Okay we’ll be coming up on them from Point Eighteen-Zero.”

Ezra tilted his head, doing the math in his head. “So we’re coming up directly behind them.”

“It’s what I said wasn’t it?” Zeb said, then realized who exactly it was had said that. “Heh,” Zeb said with a chuckle. “Look at you. You’ll be manning a turret in no time.”

And with that danger-sense of his he’d be damned good too.

In a few moments the three armored speeder transports came within visual range, and they were in a hurry. And as they came closer still Zeb and Ezra both saw the heavy laser turrets in the back of the transports.

“Karabast,” Zeb cursed. “You know these things aren’t shielded, right?”

“Yeah, but remember why we wanted a TIE in the first place?”

“Sure. Shooting bucketheads,” Zeb said and grinned.

“That and infiltration,” Ezra said. “We just gotta get close enough.”

“No good.” Zeb shook his head and pointed at a number on the sensor. “See that speed. Your good kid but that’s too fast, even for you.”

“Well,” Ezra said and pointed at the TIE comm system. “Convince them.”

“Karabast,” Zeb muttered and moved the TIE closer until it was above the convoy. He decreased speed, coughed to clear his throat, and then hailed the lead transport. “Attention, transports. This is Imperial Commander Meiloorun.”

Ezra smacked his arm. “Meiloorun? Seriously?” Zeb held up a finger to quiet him. Then he continued.

“There’s a report of rebel activity in your sector. Reduce speed.”

“Acknowledged, Commander,” came the recognizable voice of the obedient and dim-witted Lieutenant Lyste.

Zeb and Ezra watched as the sensors detected the transports were slowing down. Zeb could hardly believe it himself. Lyste really was that big of an idiot. At the same time that meant this off the cuff rescue was a go.

“You sure, kid?” Zeb said.

“Just get me in close.”

Wordlessly Zeb nodded and dropped altitude. He drew closer to the transports and then readjusted the speed of the TIE to pace them. Ezra had already opened the hatch and was standing halfway out, his long hair flying about in the wind. His eyes focused on the transport and the rescue of his friends.

Zeb tried not to stare too much at the transport’s laser cannons, twin barrels of death at this range and pointed directly at the space he had positioned the TIE fighter. Still he gritted his teeth and kept it there for until he heard Ezra fist pound the hull. The signal.

He waited a few moments to give the kid adequate time to jump then pushed the throttle and shot over the transport. Sure enough Ezra had successfully dropped from the TIE and onto the transport, with nothing but his slingshot. Karabast. When’s Hera going to get the kid a proper blaster?

But Zeb had trust in the kid and cleared the convoy, waiting for the next part in Ezra’s “plan.”

“Nice flying, Commander Meiloorun,” Ezra whispered as the TIE flew off, its entry hatch still open. He had bounced his landing a little but regained his footing and was now standing tall atop of the transport. Ready to not just help his people, but to set them free.

As Zeb flew off Ezra did a quick inventory check to make sure he had all his gear, and then he went to work. This was a real fly by the seat of the pants rescue. They had no idea if the prisoners were inside the transports or caged on the outside.

Ezra was really hoping for the latter. With only Zeb for backup and with the safety of not only himself but Mister Sumar and whomever else the Imperials captured. Well. The least amount of complications the better the chances of them all getting out alive.

As Ezra began his search he heard Lyste’s voice over his comlink as the Imperial Lieutenant contacted the good old Commander Meiloorun.

“This is Supply Master Lyste, Lsm-03. My men reported a stolen TIE.”

“That’s not the TIE you’re looking for.” Zeb’s response over the comm caused Ezra to wince.

That’s not the TIE you’re looking for? Seriously?

“It’s - uh - totally different TIE. I sent it to seek out the rebels.”

“Commander,” Lyste addressed. “Repeat your operating number.”

Zeb hissed over the comm, trying to sound like static. If the situation wasn’t life or death Ezra would’ve found it hilarious.

“Sorry. Hiss. Didn’t catch that. But maintain current position.”

No response and Ezra felt the transport increase its speed. So much for that idea. He hopped between transports, continuing his search for the prisoners and then heard the turret activate and rotate. He turned and saw just in time as it opened fire on Zeb’s TIE fighter high above.

Really not good!

“Don’t think he’s taking Commander Meiloorun’s orders anymore,” Zeb glumbly reported and then waited for Ezra’s response.

“Another minute,” Ezra said and jump his way back to the transport he’d first dropped to. He stooped down on the transport’s roof, next to its cannon. He looked over the edge and there they were. Mister Sumar, his wife, and one other whom Ezra didn’t recognize.

Right where I had landed. Why didn’t I check here first?

Ezra got down on all fours and leaned his head out. Using his hand to cover his mouth and cancel out the wind, he shouted loudly to the prisoners. His voice came through clearly.

“Mister Sumar!”

“Ezra?” Mister Sumar said, his voice filled with surprise. He couldn’t look up but he did recognize Ezra’s voice. “Ezra Bridger?”

“Hold on. I’ll have you out soon,” Ezra promised and leaned out even further, inspecting the reinforced durasteel cages that locked the prisoners to the hull of the transports.

But where there were locks, there were security panels that could release them.

It only took him a few seconds of searching, and then he spotted it. About a meter down next to Mister Sumar’s cage. Ezra reached out. If he could just get a hold on the security and hit its release. Ezra leaned forward more and nearly fell forward and off the transport.

But he was so close. A hand’s width away.

“You’ll never reach it.” Mister Sumar called up. “It’s too dangerous,” his voice ladened with worry for the boy’s safety. It was appreciated, but not persuasive enough to get Ezra to give up.

There has to be a way, Ezra thought and went over everything he had with him. And then it hit him on the head, the one thing he had forgotten that he had. The Force.

“Okay. You can do this,” Ezra told himself. 

He closed his eyes and like so many times recently, he tried to reach out and recall the locking panel he had observed next to Mister Sumar. Recall where it was. What it looked like. How to operate it. And finally to feel it.

You can do this.

And then he saw it. The black panel with a long white light and three square red buttons and a single round red light that signaled it was locked. With his eyes closed Ezra unknowingly reached out his arms and waved his fingers.

And just like that the red light blinker and turned off and the locking mechanisms securing the prisoner cages were unlocked. There was a loud hiss as all three cages opened, leaving nothing standing in between Mister Sumar and the others with freedom.

“I knew I’d get the hang of that.” Ezra said, his voice filled with pride and renewed confidence. All his time spent trying to teach himself to move stuff around. It hadn’t been wasted. He did it.

And the Imperials would know it!

Ezra leaned down and yelled to the others. “You have to jump. Jump and scatter.”

“We’re moving too fast!” Mister Sumar said. Still in cufflink binders he turned his head up at Ezra, his green eyes imploring for him to understand. And Ezra did understand. It was dangerous. They could get hurt, maybe even die. But it was their only chance.

“So you’d rather stay prisoners?” Ezra said. It was less of a question and more of a challenge. If Ezra were faced with such a choice, he knew which option he’d pick. And it looked like Mister Sumar was of similar mind.

The three prisoners turned their heads, looking not at Ezra but to each other. An unspoken message was said between the Lothalites and then, together, they jumped free of the fast moving troop transports. It was a rough landing but they did it. They survived. And they were free.

Ezra smiled and waved at the three from his spot on the transport, and smiled wider when he saw Mister Sumar raise his hands and wave back as the distance between the freed prisoners and the Imperials grew. Good, Ezra thought. The further away the better.

He didn’t hear the boots scuffing the metal hull and the shifting of plastoid plates until it was almost too late. At the last moment Ezra ducked and dodged the blaster bolts from three stormtroopers and their E-11 rifles.

And just like Ezra was in for the fight of his life!

The transport’s turret activated and send a parting shot at Mister Sumar and the others! But from what Ezra could see it landed close, but it didn’t hit. Then the guns elevated and began firing at Zeb in his TIE fighter above.

Their cover completely blown, Zeb immediately came about and began his attack run. He unleashed volley after volley of green laser fire on the transport scoring some minor hits before pulling out of his dive and climbing back to altitude.

“That gun turret’s gonna be a problem. This bird has no shields!”

“Working on it,” Ezra replied into his comlink as the stormtroopers continued to focus fire, all three of their weapons on him.

With zero time to come up with a plan, Ezra followed his instincts and made a jump between transports. He jumped from the one on the right to the one in the middle. Blaster bolts chased after him and caused carbon scoring on the other transport’s hull and cargo crates.

Ezra ducked down behind the cargo, using the crates for cover as he bought himself some time to think. He peeked his head out to keep an eye on the stormtroopers but they remained standing and kept up the fire. One bolt blasted so close it blew the lid off the lid of his crate and - kriff! This has got to be a joke? Meilooruns?

But it was no joke, and as blaster fire continued to pour in around him Ezra kept his eyes on the fruit and smiled. “Well, hello, stranger,” he said, his voice ever so smoothly.

Even in the face of near suicidal odds, nothing could shake Ezra’s sense of humor.

It was an interesting development but not enough of a distraction for Ezra to forget his plight. He ducked down behind the crate and drew his slingshot then popped back and fired. The first shot was immediate and he quickly drew back for a second and a third, trying to take down the stormtroopers that had formed a firing line on the other transport facing him.

The shots hit home but to Ezra’s dismay they didn’t do anything but cause the stormtroopers to be knocked around a little. The trooper leader confirmed as much when he yelled to his small squad.

“Maintain fire.” The leader said. “His shots won’t penetrate your armor.”

Not about to let the brief respite go to waste, Ezra gave up on his “trusty” slingshot, looked down at the crate of fruit and a crazy idea grabbed hold. Before he could second guess himself he picked up a fruit and felt its firmness. It was big. Three times the size of a jogan. More importantly it was heavy and its skin tough.

Ezra hurled one at the leader and watched as it hit him straight in the helmet, stunning him. Ezra’s second meiloorun throw finished the job and knocked the leader out completely. His third knocked a second stormtrooper off the transport leaving only one left. And his fourth knocked the last one off his feet and onto his back.

Ezra smiled and began collecting up the fruit that Hera had asked for. He had three when the stormtrooper he had knocked down began blasting, and with surprising accuracy. The only thing that saved Ezra was the fruit exploding in his hands that absorbed the blaster fire.

Covered once again in meiloorun guts, Ezra grabbed one and escaped by jumping to the leftmost transport. He thought he had gotten clear but this last stormtrooper had something the others didn’t, he didn’t hesitate and followed Ezra. One jump after another until he had him cornered on the last transport.

With only a meiloorun in his hands, Ezra wasn’t seeing a way out.

“Gotcha!” the stormtrooper said with his blaster rifle leveled as Ezra’s chest. Instinctively Ezra held out the meiloorun, using it as a shield. That’s when the absurdity of it all hit the stormtrooper like a pipe to the head. “Wait! You did all this for fruit?” the stormtrooper asked.

Immediately Ezra became defensive. “No!” the boy said and clutched the fruit tight against his chest. He glanced down at it and groaned. “Okay, maybe a little,” he admitted reluctantly.

And in a moment of brilliance Ezra hurled the fruit as hard as he could as the stormtrooper, knocking him down. Ezra didn’t waste the opportunity and lunged forward, grabbing hold of the E-11 blaster rifle! When the stormtrooper recovered he found himself staring up at Ezra.

Meiloorun curled protectively in his left hand, the blaster rifle held at the hip in Ezra’s right. 

Down on his back, it was impossible for the stormtrooper to make any move before Ezra could squeeze the trigger. The tables had turned.

“Helmet,” Ezra demanded.

Moving slowly the stormtrooper removed his helmet as Ezra instructed, then waited.

“Throw it over.”

The stormtrooper scowled but did as he was told. He scowled not at the loss of the helmet but its built-in comlink. The kid knew his stuff. And with the transports traveling at this speed his helmet was left far behind in the tall grass of the Lothal’s plains. He looked up at Ezra who had tilted his head considering his options.

“Well?” the stormtrooper demanded and wondered if the kid had it in him to kill a downed and unarmed enemy. The kid shrugged. 

“You have two choices. Jump, or?” and Ezra hinted by moving the blaster ever so slightly.

The Imperial glanced around. They were still in the middle of nowhere and without his helmet there would be no means to call for help or navigate this planet. This wasn’t his homeworld. He hadn’t the slightest idea of where to go next. 

“All of this for fruit,” he grumbled.

Ezra gave another shrug and tossed the meiloorun over the side. The tough fruit easily survived its impact with the ground, even at this speed. The stormtrooper watched it sail through the air and noted where it landed. If his suspicions were correct, it’d be his only food source.

“Better go now,” Ezra teased. “The longer you wait the tougher it’ll be to find.”

Debating no longer, the stormtrooper staggered to his feet, eyed the ground nervously, and then jumped as far as he could to clear the transport. Protecting his head with his arms and hands, he landed on his side and rolled. By the time he picked himself off the ground the Imperial convoy was nearly out of sight.

“All for fruit,” the stranded buckethead lamented and looked around, then began walking toward the meiloorun fruit Ezra had tossed overboard. It wasn’t much but the stormtrooper figured if he rationed it, he’d eventually find his way back. Hopefully.

Meanwhile, back on the transport, Ezra studied the blaster rifle and recalled what he had learned from his studies. He’d really have to study up some more. Still, like with the TIE, he did recall quite a bit from the training manuals. And so it didn’t take him too long to find the weapon’s setting. Flicking a small switch, Ezra took a few experimental shots until he at last found the setting for stun blasts as well as how to put the weapon on safety.

It’d do for now. He then returned to the meiloorun crate and set his pack down beside. Hera had asked for at least one fruit, but by Ezra’s estimate he could fit at least two in his pack plus the E-11 he had swiped from the stormtrooper.

It was a heck of a lot better souvenir than a helmet. Though there was no way Ezra could have it out and  climb and jump and whatever else he needed at the same time. So into the pack it went until he figured out some way to carry it around.

Suddenly the turret activated as Zeb swept in with his TIE. It began taking several shots and Zeb had to pull out. Frowning, Ezra looked back into his pack for ideas, and his eyes found a wrench.

“You’ll do,” Ezra grinned. He set the E-11 to safety and put it and the two meilooruns in the pack, then took the wrench and approached the turret. He waited until Zeb had cleared the firing zone and then jammed the wrench into the left barrel of the dual laser cannons. Then he took several steps back and waited.

When the turret opened fire on Zeb’s next pass, the jammed barrel misfired and the turret exploded! Ezra was about to message Zeb that the coast was clear when he heard the climbing of hands and feet.

Turning around he saw what he expected, more stormtroopers. Three of them. 

With no blaster and no fruit to throw, Ezra was trapped and the stormtroopers knew it.

“Fire,” their leader commanded.

But before they could squeeze the triggers, a loud howl called down from the sky followed by a volley of green laser fire from Zeb and his TIE. And boy was it accurate! The three stormtroopers were a scant five meters away but it was enough distance for Zeb to light them up and give Ezra the escape the kid needed. 

Ezra turned and saw Zeb’s handiwork, all three stormtroopers were down and out. He activated his comlink. “Not bad, ace.”

“You know? I’m really starting to like this thing! Now get ready!”

Smiling Ezra watched as Zeb swooped in, his TIE upside down and its hatch open and - his head and arms hanging out. Which left Ezra thinking only one thing. Who was flying? But he didn’t have time to ponder. Another turret was firing and the TIE would be over the transport in seconds. 

Now or never, Ezra thought and Zeb flew by Ezra jumped into his waiting arms. The TIE flew past the other transports and out of range of their fire. Ezra dangled perilously in Zeb’s arms he looked up at the Lasat, half in wonder half scared out of his mind.

“Zeb?” Ezra asked. “How are you flying this thing?”

The sheepish look on Zeb’s face said it all. He was hanging on with his feet! “Hang right,” Zeb said as he used his feet to roll the TIE rightside up. With gravity working in their favor again both plopped unceremoniously back into the cockpit.

After disentangling themselves, Zeb got back into the chair and Ezra rubbed the back of his neck the way he always did when uncomfortable.

“Thanks for the save.” Ezra said. “Guess I owe you now.”

But Zeb just smiled and gave the kid a sidelong glance. “Let’s just say we’re eternally even.”

Ezra smiled and found himself just fine with that sentiment. “Oh,” Zeb said and reached for something off to the side of the cockpit. “You collect these, right?” Zeb asked and revealed to Ezra the signature black helmet of an Imperial fighter pilot.

Ezra smirked as memories of another TIE pilot he ran into not that far back popped into his head. “Already have that one,” Ezra said and then felt a pang of regret when he saw Zeb’s face fall. “But this is a nice one,” Ezra added and quickly reached to take it, showing Zeb he appreciated the gesture. “Besides, maybe I can get Sabine to paint it for me,” he said thoughtfully. “So thanks.”

Zeb smiled, happy to see the kid smiling and returned his attention to the control panel and piloting the TIE. They’d done it. And absolutely under no circumstance were they to let Kanan or Hera know about any of this.

“So, what do we do about the TIE?” Ezra asked.

The two guys shared smirks and traded playful jabs at each other’s arms. No way they were giving up the TIE. It was just too much fun and had already proven its value during the rescue of Mister Sumar and his family.

They just had to find a place to stash it.

And also what to tell Kanan and Hera.

Ezra gave it some thought and then smiled. “Okay. I got an idea.”

The shadows had grown long and night was rapidly approaching when Ezra and Zeb spotted the Ghost at last. With Lothal’s sun setting at their backs they approached the parked freighter on a stretch of dirt. 

Kanan stood midway up the extended ramp while Hera was waiting on the ground. Neither looked particularly happy. Still they didn’t wait for Ezra and Zeb to reach them, instead walking toward them and meeting them halfway.

“One fresh meiloorun, as ordered.” Zeb said politely, and held out one of the two pieces Ezra had managed to snag during the rescue.

He dropped it in Hera’s outstretched hands and in turn she smiled and bowed her head. “Thank you, kind Sir.”

Zeb grinned and playfully checked Ezra with his shoulder. “Team effort,” the Lasat said.

While Hera was happy to see them safe and sound, Kanan had an altogether different look. “Forget about the fruit,” he said, not finding the situation funny in the least. “Where’s the TIE fighter?”

The two delinquents traded a glance and sighed, Zeb hanging his head low. “I crashed it,” he said.

“On purpose.” Ezra added, coming to his defense. “We didn’t want it to fall back into the Empire’s hands.” He emphasized this further by showing off his newest helmet, the one Zeb had taken from Baron Valen Rudor of all people.

When Ezra had heard Zeb’s description of the pilot, he couldn’t help the ensuing laughter. Not that any of that would help the pair now. They smiled and did their best to appear innocent, awaiting judgment by Kanan.

Their leader let them hang a moment then smiled happily and nodded his head, pleased with their initiative. “That's what I like to hear,” Kanan said. Hera shared his sentiment and the two led the way back up the ramp with a laughing Ezra and Zeb following behind.

They’d bought it.

Meanwhile back in Zeb and Ezra’s cabin, Sabine was putting on her final touches. And just in time too it seemed as she heard the two wayward Spectres returning from their mission. Only she didn’t hear arguing and bickering and promises of death.

Was that laughter?

The door to the cabin opened and Sabien stepped back from her work. She glanced over and saw that the pair had indeed been laughing, which was good. It was good to see them finally getting along.

And was that a TIE fighter helmet in Ezra’s hands?

“Finished,” she announced to them and then approached the piece of wall art she had spent most of the day working on. With a look of mischief in her eyes she folded her arms and waited for their reaction.

“Finished with what, Sabine?” Ezra asked, his voice ever so gentle as he approached her. Zeb meanwhile wasted no time. Walking past Ezra and Sabine to get a look at what the Mandalorian artist had gotten up to with her spare time.

The Lasat grimaced at the sight.

“Thought it was a moment that needed to be immortalized,” Sabine shrugged. While she went for a tone of nonchalance, her eyes were still filled with glee at each of their mortified expressions.

There on the empty space of the cabin wall, overlooking the room, was a cartoon depiction of Ezra and the top bunk crashing down on Zeb lying on the bottom bunk. And for a finishing touch, Chopper was laughing maniacally holding up the bolts to the bed, one in each of its arm manipulators.

It was a true work of art, and hilarious. Unless you were Ezra of Zeb of course.

And absolutely immortalized. Because no way would Ezra dare to wipe it up. He’d never destroy any of Sabine’s art, even ones that depicted him like. Well…

“And you did say you wanted to be my inspiration,” Sabine added cheekily.

The girl was loving it.

“Yeah, but that makes me look like a fool,” Ezra said.

“Makes me look like a bigger fool,” Zeb said, agreeing fully.

But Sabine was ruthlessly unapologetic.

“I paint what I see.” She said with her arums held wide.

Mechanical laughter erupted from the opened door, causing Ezra and Zeb to turn their focus on the true mastermind responsible for all of today’s troubles.

Chopper!

Sabine may have seized the opportunity, but her ‘inspiration?’ That wasn’t on her. And Zeb punched his fists together in preparation of the ensuing confrontation.

“Chopper!” he growled.

“This was all your fault!” Ezra said and took a threatening step forward.

Step by step, together, the roommates closed in on the menacing droid. The orange astromech laughed again then spun around and wheeled away as soon as possible.

“Come back, you metal menace!” Ezra shouted and both boys rushed toward the door, each all too eager to get their hands on the droid. Though Ezra did have the sense of mind to steal a second and set the helmet safely out of harm's way.

“I’m tearing that rust bucket apart!” Zeb yelled and then the both of them raced out of the room, stumbled into the hallway and gave chase to the fleeing astromech.

Barely able to contain her excitement, Sabine dashed out of the room and then leaned against the wall of the corridor and watched in amusement as they fought to get their hands on the - admittedly - evil droid.

Sabine did wince however when she saw the pair miss Chopper and run straight into a pile of supplies, knocking over sealed pods and locked crates.

“It’s his fault!” they said, pointing at Chopper when Hera and Kanan stepped in. Both of their faces were one again showing disappointment at what was effectively a repeat of that morning.

But they were family. Her family. Sabine smiled and left the mess for Kanan and Hera to deal with. She spotted the helmet Ezra had taken and picked it up off the deck, studying it in her hands.

She was feeling inspired again.

Chapter Text

Rise of the Old Masters

“Luck?” Zeb said. “We’re gonna need a miracle.”

“Don’t tell Ezra,” Kanan ordered her reproachfully. “That’s an order, Spectre-5 .”

With that Sabine watched as her pseudo-father left to make his own preparations, leaving her alone in the middle of the corridor. Alone but for one bone chilling thought.

Ezra would be leaving. And there was nothing she could do about it.

Earlier…

“Focus,” came Kanan’s voice. “Focus on letting go.”

“Letting go?” Ezra asked, spitting the words out with gritted teeth. “Rather hold on, if you don’t mind.”

“Enough jokes,” Kanan said wearily.

Ezra gritted his teeth and listened to his Master’s instructions. But never expected one of his first formal lessons would involve standing on his hands several kilometers in the air above Lothal. And the circular curvature of the Ghost’s dorsal turret only compounded the difficulty as Ezra’s gloved palms fought against the slope to keep his balance. Combine that with the wind and the sweat pouring from Ezra’s brow, it was amazing he lasted this long.

“Focus,” Kanan said for what must’ve been the hundredth time.

“I’m trying,” Ezra bit back, only to struggle further the longer this exercise of ‘concentration’ played out.

“Do or do not. There is no try,” Kanan lectured with his hands on his hips.

“What does that even mean?” Ezra asked, the confusing phrase not helping in the slightest. “How can I do something if I don’t try to do it?”

Well,” Kanan said and stroked his goatee in thought. “See-”

With clarity Ezra realized that his Master had no idea what that phrase meant.

“Sounds like something off a fortune cookie,” Zeb spoke up from his place behind Kanan, sitting on the hull of the Phantom and watching the lesson with amusement.

Kanan sighed. “Actually, that one always confused me, too.” The Jedi admitted, his voice turning from wise and all knowing to earnest dumbfoundedness. “But Master Yoda sure used to say it a lot,” he added in an attempt not to sound like a complete idiot.

No one bought it and with Zeb’s sarcastic yawn Kanan deflated, then turned to the Lasat. “I really thought this Jedi stuff would be more interesting,” Zeb said. “No wonder the old religion died.”

“Whaba, whampa, whub!” Chopper spoke up, albeit the only one who could understand was Kanan. Not that the stoic Jedi Wiseass gave any indication. Instead he looked at Zeb and gave the purple Furball a nod. A signal of some sort that Ezra was not privy to.

Zeb looked like he wanted to argue but off of Kanan’s stern look he sighed and resigned himself. Pushing himself off his laurels he approached Ezra, who was still fighting for balance with his handstand. “Sorry, Kid,” Zeb said and that was all the warning got before Zeb took the turret’s laser cannon barrels in his massive hands and gave them a good shake.

The effect was immediate and Ezra lost all balance and tumbled backwards, away from Zeb and the others and landed on his back in a crate of empty milk cartons.

“Bah-haha!” Zeb laughed, unable to control himself, and while Ezra still had a long way to go to understanding droid he could tell Chopper was having a riot too. He almost wished he had landed on the harder surface of the hull. And when Kanan approached and began to help Ezra off the crate, Ezra felt himself doubly humiliated.

And so the Kid wrenched his arm out of Kanan’s grasp and stood up himself. Kanan shrugged and walked to the forward section, staring out at the swirling golden clouds around him. Not letting Zeb or Chopper distract him in the slightest. Unlike Ezra.

“Do they have to be here?” Ezra demanded. As far as his first formal Jedi lesson went, this was not at all what he imagined.

“He’s annoying, but there will always be distractions.You need to learn to focus through them.” Kanan said with his hands clasped behind his back. He turned and saw Ezra wasn’t convinced, which was only natural. Kanan’s eyes lit as an idea struck him “Here. Let’s try something else.”

The others watched in surprise as Kanan crossed back over to them, his hands going to his where he kept his lightsaber. Ezra’s eyes opened wide as he saw Kanan assemble it. To this date he could count on one finger the amount of times he’d seen Kanan wield his lightsaber.

And then just like he handed it to Ezra.

Ezra held the fabled weapon of the Jedi with reverence. How light it felt and as he traced his fingers across the contoured hilt he felt a pang of envy hit him. “When do I get my own?” Ezra asked, his azure eyes still looking at the weapon longingly.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say as Kanan roughly grabbed Ezra’s collar and yanked him close. “Having a laser sword doesn’t make you a Jedi,” Kanan chided.

“Gets me closer.” Ezra whispered and with a whoosh ignited the lightsaber - and nearly stabbed Kanan in the chest with it!

“Careful!” Kanan shouted and jumped back just in time.

“Haar’chak,” Ezra muttered and immediately aimed the blade safely away from Kanan. He then let out a breath. Crisis averted, Kanan was fine, and he lifted the sword upward in a sorry excuse for a ready position. Kanan cautiously moved past Ezra and stood behind him.

“There’s a control on the side that adjusts the length to your height,” Kanan said and pointed to a small dial.

Curiously Ezra felt the dial and began to turn it. He watched as the blade shrink by a third, leaving Ezra a bit more comfortable with wielding such a weapon. Meanwhile Zeb couldn’t resist.

The Lasat  held up two of his fingers and carefully shortened the width between them, making for a smaller breath between the fingers. “I think it should be a little shorter,” Zeb teased. Chopper added his own laughs.

Ezra wondered if he could manage a Force push again and launch Chopper off the ship. Would it really be so bad? The troublesome trash compactor had his own rocket booster or something. Instead Ezra took the higher path and ignored the droid and walked forward, eyeing the blade with respect. This was his chance to not only show his skills with a blade but to get some of his own back.

Once in position, Ezra looked to Kanan who now stood several meters away next to the crate of empty milk cartons. “Okay,” Kanan instructed. “Close your eyes.”

The recent memory of him and Zeb in that TIE together and nearly crashing into a mountain flashed in Ezra’s mind. Unable to see through the cockpit’s canopy, it was only the Force that guided Ezra to turning the TIE at the right moment and avoiding catastrophe.

With confidence Ezra closed his eyes and readied himself. He did this before, he could do it again.

“You sure about this?” Ezra heard Zeb ask. His voice that had been filled with merry laughter before had lost its enthusiasm. “It’s a long way down.”

“I got this,” Ezra spoke. His Lasat friend was genuine in his concern. But that didn’t mean it was appreciated. “Let’s go, Professor,” Ezra added, purposefully egging on Kanan. With how uppity the Jedi had gotten of late, 'Wiseass' no longer felt fitting.

But all Kanan did was look to Chopper and threw the droid an empty milk carton. “Let him have it, Chopper.”

Warbling with mad glee, the astromech terror did just that. With a whirl of his servos, he spun his upper half and let Ezra have it.

Use the Force. Do or do not, Ezra reminded himself.

But a milk carton hit his face followed by raucous amounts of laughter from the others didn't help his focus. And it didn’t end there.

Do or do not, Ezra repeated.

“Oww,” Ezra grunted as the edge of a milk carton caught the corner of his eye. And then another one hit him square in the chest when Ezra failed to catch it in time with the lightsaber. More cartons pelted him and each time he either swung too soon, too fast, or never swung at all and was caught by surprise.

“Be precise.” Kanan urged. “Keep the blade up.” 

“That’s it, Kid,” Zeb cheered as Ezra continued to fail, despite Kanan’s words of wisdom. “Use your body to slow down that trash.”

Ezra held his ground though at this point it was more about keeping his balance as Chopper alternated between hitting Ezra in the head and then the chest and then somewhere a bit more sensitive before hitting him in the head again. Kanan closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration.

“Can I at least open my eyes?” Ezra pleaded.

“No,” Kanan said shortly. Chopper chattered something and Zeb laughed. Both Kanan and Ezra had missed that Zeb had increased the tempo. The Lasat handing cartons to Chopper at a much faster pace.

“No,” Kanan said as Ezra continued to miss. “You’re not focusing.”

“Might want to open your eyes for this, Kid!” Zeb hollered as he uplifted the cart and Chopper began spinning so quick he had become a centrifuge.

With Zeb now pouring empty cartons to Chopper the little droid had become a repeating blaster of milk cartons.

With his reflexes kicking in and warning Ezra of the danger, he opened his eyes and just barely got his saber up to ward off the first of the incoming cartons. And to the boy’s credit he deflected the first few. But the pace was just too much!

Left, right, high, low! Ezra tried to keep up but carton after carton hit him and gradually he felt himself being pushed closer and closer toward the edge of the Ghost. Kanan had ceased paying any attention and Chopper, in a spree of manic further, hurled carton after carton at Ezra’s feet causing the boy to lose all balance and like on the turret earlier, fell backwards off his feet.

Only there was no crate to save him, there was nothing but the sloped transparisteel windshield of the Ghost’s cockpit. And when Ezra failed to catch that he tumbled further to the bubble canopy of the front turret and managed to briefly catch hold and pinned as much of his body to the outside of the turret.

And for a moment he saw Sabine’s amber eyes staring at him from inside the turret. She was in complete shock and horrified at Ezra’s plight.

“Ezra!” she cried.

For a moment time stood still between the two and Ezra forgot all about the impending fall to his death. All he saw was her worry and so he fixed her the best smile he could manage and gave a slight wave. 

And then he was gone. Sliding off the canopy into thin air, plummeting to the ground far below.

Inspiration, the word played over and over in Sabine’s mind as she tried to imagine the scene Ezra had told her about. Him and Zeb fighting for control of a TIE fighter they had stolen and later crashed! What she wouldn't give to have seen it!

Still she wasn’t trying too hard in particular, unlike her piece in the boys’ room. But it was a fun way to pass the time while Ezra and Kanan did their Jedi training on the outside of the Ghost. In the middle of the sky no less, which she thought was crazy (even by Mandalorian standards) but Kanan had been insistent.

Zeb and Hera also weren’t too keen on the idea but Ezra was desperate at this point. And Chopper? Well Chopper was Chopper. Zeb accompanied the three topside while Hera busied herself in the cockpit, claiming she was hunting down a few possible leads.

Sabine knew better and was thankful that the other female was ready at hand in case the worst should happen.

As in right now!

“Ezra!” Sabine cried as she stared transfixed at the sight of him planted on the outside of the bubble canopy. He managed a smile and then just like that and for a moment Sabine’s world stopped turning, her eyes only for Ezra. But then as quickly as the moment had come, he was gone.

“Hera!” Zeb shouted, but the Twi’lek was already on it and the Ghost was dropping altitude as quickly as she could manage. The Lasat’s feet pounded the decks of the ship as he raced down the corridor and to the ladder leading to the cargo bay.

Sabine however sat frozen in the gunner’s chair. The image of Ezra’s smile, his bright azure eyes, and wave flashing again and again through her mind. A silent farewell as her friend then vanished from sight. The last time she would ever see him alive.

More yelling with Hera and Kanan communicating with Zeb. About what though? In the span of seconds Sabine’s mind from inspired clarity to a murky fog. But slowly the words of the others permeated her brain, especially when she heard what Zeb said.

“Got him!” Zeb shouted.

It was a jolt to Sabine’s chest and her mind stopped spinning and reality took hold. Got him? Got Ezra? Well who else! Hope flared in Sabine’s chest and with her sketchbook forgotten she sped out of the nose turret and raced to the cargo bay and where she heard Zeb’s voice originate.

And when she arrived she saw a very freaked Ezra and an equally freaked Zeb. And there in the middle of the cargo bay was a laughing orange astromech. Despite being frazzled Sabine put two and two together.

“You okay?” Sabine said at last as she looked down from her perch on the observation platform that overlooked the entire bay.

“Fine,” Ezra said, his voice clipped as he made for the ladder with Zeb following behind.

Sabine sighed and shook her head. She left the cargo bay for the common room and ducked out of whatever confrontation that was brewing. Whatever was happening with her space family she was sure she'd hear all about it in the coming days. More than once!

Taking a set in the corner sofa lounger, she decided a distraction would be in order. With practiced ease she switch the dejarik board to the Holonet and tuned into the latest Imperial news. She heard voices being raised in the corridor that led to each individual crew cabin.

“You wouldn't have been falling to your death if you were focused.”

Silence for a moment, then Kanan continued his tirade.

“Your undisciplined and full of self-doubt.”

“And whose fault is that, Master?”

Another long moment.

“It’s difficult to teach,” Kanan said and the next thing Sabine knew the Jedi left the crew corridor and was joining her in the common room.

Sabine sighed. So much for the first day of Jedi training. And Ezra had been so excited about it too.

“Anything good?” Kanan asked. He was looking for a distraction and Sabine continued to peruse the Holonet channels.

“Blah, blah, Empire great. All hail his Worshipfulness on Coruscant.” She turned to another frequency and then something caught her eye.

“Kanan?” Ezra began as he and the rest of the crew entered the common room.

“Shh!” Sabine said, excitement bubbling up in her. “You made the Holonet.”

And projected in the middle of the board was the town of Kothal and an enlarged TIE fighter in center focus. Sabine smirked and then recalled she still had a certain black fighter pilot helmet to decorate. She'd set some time aside for it later.

“Who made the Holonet?” Kanan asked and folded his arms across his chest, his chin tilted and waiting for an explanation.

Sabine, Ezra, and Zeb’s eyes went wide.

Oops.

But before Kanan could press any further, the Imperial newscaster continued,

“The stolen TIE fighter was later used to attack a transport full of innocent workers.”

“You liar!” Zeb snarled. “We set ‘em free!”

Kanan shook his head in disappointment. “You were ordered to head straight back, and instead you attacked an Imperial prison transport?”

“Kanan-” Hera said and put her hand on his arm to calm him, which was when the holoprojection blurred and static hissed. In place of the TIE fighter and the town of Kothal was a familiar portrait of none of than Gall Trayvis.

A pirate broadcast, and one that wasted no time in getting to the point. Sabine set her chin in her hands and leaned forward eagerly.

“Citizens, this Senator-in-Exile Gall Trayvis. I bring more news the Empire doesn’t want you to hear.”

“What’s a Gall Trayvis?” Ezra asked.

“The only member of the Imperial Senate with the courage to speak out publicly against the Empire,” Hera answered, her voice filled with passion.

Sabine frowned. That wasn’t entirely true. While not as radical as Gall Trayvis, both Bail Organa and Mon Mothma had levied some harsh criticisms against the Emperor recently. The holoprojector changed from Trayvis’ portrait to a green skinned female Mirlian. Donned in an orange prison jumpsuit, the Mirilian walked under guard with a stormtrooper on either side of her.

“One of the Republic’s greatest peacekeepers, Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, is alive. She has been imprisoned unlawfully somewhere in the Stygeon system. As citizens, we demand the Emperor produce Master Unduli, and grant her a fair trial before the entire Sen-”

The broadcast was cut and the Imperial emblem returned to the holoprojector, as well as the same annoying male Imperial newscaster.

“...marking another successful planetary liberation, utilizing the Base Delta Zero initiative.”

Sabine turned it off as her Imperial Academy training kicked in. Base Delta Zero. Naval code used by the Empire to order the complete surface destruction of a planetary target, eliminating all life, industry, and natural resources on the surface. Tarkin’s handiwork no doubt, and she didn’t have the heart to hear it right now.

“This Master Luminara… you knew her?” Ezra spoke.

Sabine frowned and turned her attention to Ezra who was looking at Hera and Kanan, the latter of which was stroking his chin hairs deep in thought.

“I met her. Once.” Kanan answered as he continued his ponderings. “She was a great Jedi Master. Brave, compassionate, disciplined.”

Kanan opened his eyes, an idea taking root in his head.

“In fact, she’d make an excellent teacher for you.” Kanan proclaimed and pointed a finger at Ezra. “There’ve always been rumors she survived the Clone Wars,” Kanan said, only now directing his attention to Hera. “But they never came with a specific location before. We can’t pass this up.”

“Was hoping you’d say that,” Hera said and fondly placed her hand on Kanan’s shoulder. “I’ll set course for the Stygeon system.”

Kanan smiled at her and as Hera left for the cockpit he turned to us. “The rest of you, prep for an op,” he ordered. Sabine knew what that meant, it was time to whip up some miracles. Only she didn’t move like Zeb and Kanan did.

Instead her focus was on Ezra and the crestfallen look on his face. And no one else saw it but her. Well her and Chopper who gave a short warble and waddle.

“You hear that?” Ezra said, his voice absent of any joy. “He’s done with me. He’s gonna pawn me off on some stranger.”

There was nothing Sabine could say. She didn’t know all the ins and outs of being a Jedi. But she heard plenty of stories about the Clone Wars and the role the Jedi played. “I’m gonna work on some miracles,” Sabine muttered and then got to her feet.

Ezra nodded and just stared at the deck of the common broom, his face uncharacteristically downtrodden. With words escaping her Sabine left the common room and managed to catch Kanan in the crew quarter’s corridor.

“Hey, Jedi!” Sabine snapped and marched right over to Kanan.

“Excuse me?” Kanan said and narrowed his eyes at the girl.

“You heard me,” Sabine retorted. “Look here, Jedi. Hera may not realize it yet but I do. You’re not just ditching Ezra as a student. You're kicking him off the ship!”

“Whoa!" Kanan said and held up his hands in surrender. "I never said-”

“Jedi work in pairs of two you di’kut! You hand your Apprentice over to a new Master and this Luminara is the one who decides not only how Ezra will train but when and where! And I don’t exactly see this ‘disciplined’ Jedi Master hanging out here on the Ghost while we pull job after job stealing and fighting the Empire.”

“Sabine,” Kanan began but when he caught the fierceness blazing in her eyes, Kanan couldn’t hold it. He turned and looked away.

“You really don’t care?” Sabine asked him.

Kanan’s shoulders slumped and he balled his fists. Sabine tried to get a read on his face but he had hidden it in shadow.

“Of course I do. But it’s not about what I or you or anyone feels. This is about what’s best for Ezra. A Jedi-”

“He's not a Jedi!” Sabine exclaimed. “Ezra is a Rebel. A Rebel who happens to also have a connection to the Force. And for all your osik about him ‘being undisciplined?’ Maybe he isn’t the traditional Jedi but Ezra can jump like no one else. He senses things before they happen. He’s teaching himself to move stuff with his mind - not that you would know!”

Sabine stopped, taking a breath to try and calm herself. Time passed, neither looking at the other. Her mind rehearsing back the words the man had said, Sabine began to wonder if she would ever see Kanan the same way again. Doesn't he realize the impact of this to a boy like Ezra. A boy who lost his parents and nothing but the streets for the past however many years?

“You done?” Kanan said at last.

Wrong choice of words.

“He saved Zeb’s life!” Sabine rebuked him harshly. “He took down a squad of stormtroopers with meilooruns and a kriffin’ slingshot! He navigated that TIE fighter safely away from a mountain that Zeb would’ve crashed into, using nothing but gut instinct!”

“And he nearly died!”

“Ezra’s family!”

Sabine paused as the weight of the truth in her words sank in.

Hands on her hips she shook her head. “Were you even going to tell him?”

“Are you done?” Kanan said, his voice turning frigid. “Because I think you have an op to plan for.”

Sabine didn’t think, her hand flashed out and smacked Kanan across the jaw. More importantly. She found she didn’t regret it in the least.

Kanan brought his hand to his jaw, feeling the sting. She'd hit him. Sabine had actually hit him.

“You’re unbelievable.” Sabine said, her voice a bare whisper in the corridor.

If her words phased him, Kanan didn’t show it. Instead he blew out of his cheeks and stretched his neck. The Jedi’s mind was made up and his will resolute.

“Don’t tell Ezra,” Kanan ordered her reproachfully. “That’s an order, Spectre-5 .”

With that Sabine watched as her pseudo-father left to make his own preparations, leaving her alone in the middle of the corridor. Alone but for one bone chilling thought.

Ezra would be leaving. And there was nothing she could do about it.

Sabine balled her fists, barely holding in a savage scream of anger at the unfairness of it. The injustice and now the sudden distrust she had towards Kanan. If he would give up on Ezra so easily after just one lesson? What else would he give up on?

Hera. Sabine didn’t know how the Twi’lek Captain hadn’t pieced this together herself just yet, but after the mission she’d corner her and demand she do something. Knowing how Hera felt about Ezra and was just as conflicted about Kanan’s earlier training methods, Sabine didn’t think it’d take much effort.

On the other hand she had never thought Kanan was capable of something like this either.

“Haar’chak,” Sabine muttered and then turned to head to her cabin and work on the "miracles" the mission would need.

Neither she nor Kanan ever noticed the patch of blue hair, barely visible from the ladder leading to this deck down to the cargo hold. The blue hair of the boy who had overheard everything and with trembling hands held onto the ladder as if his life depended on it.

“Where’d you get that?” Zeb asks, eyeing the E-11 stormtrooper blaster that Ezra had jury-rigged a sling to.

“Last mission,” Ezra said, his voice lacking its usual spunk. “My slingshot isn’t doing the job anymore.”

Zeb sighed and shook his head. “Shoulda said something earlier, Kid. Can’t be running around and crawling through air vents with that thing and your pack. Too much. You'll get stuck on something. Or make too much noise.”

“Thought we’d have more time,” Ezra answered. “Maybe contact Vizago. Trade it for something smaller and - whoa where’d you get that?” Ezra asked when Zeb opened a drawer from his bunk and pulled out a blaster pistol of some sort.

“It’s a long story. But let’s just say you’re not the only one that enjoys a good trophy,” Zeb said with a smirk. The blaster was on the small side for the Lasat but it was a good fit for Ezra. More importantly the Lasat had kept the holster too. He handed Ezra the blaster.

“Wait,” Ezra said as he studied it more. “I recognize it now. These are the blasters the Imperial officers carry.”

“Yeah, SE something or another. A quick run down. It has a fully automatic capability there, a similar dial the bucketheads use for their E-11s rifles. But trust me, keep it set on semi-automatic. Thing will overheat otherwise and that's the last thing you want in a fight. Not mention you’ll chew through ammo faster than Sabine does her spray paint.”

“Yeah I remember,” Ezra nodded. “I’ve been going through more of those training manuals. Wish I had time to test it but-”

“Yeah,” Zeb said and took the E-11 rifle from Ezra. “Hopefully you won’t need it, but storming one of the most heavily guarded prisons with no weapon doesn’t sit right with me. Just promise me you treat this blaster as a last resort?”

“I promise,” Ezra said with a smile, and Zeb was happy. Both to see that Ezra’s earlier melancholy had lifted and that the Kid was treating the weapon with respect. Zeb figured he would. The Kid’s been on the receiving end of Imperial weaponry enough times.

There wasn’t usually much for the two roommates to prep for when it came to missions. Just double checking all their gear was in working order. This time the pair worked quietly together to fashion the holster to Ezra’s utility belt, with Zeb humming parts of a tune every now and then.

Zeb could still feel the lingering vibe of tenseness in Ezra but chalked it up to him almost dying earlier. Something he had played a small part in. “Sorry,” Zeb said. “About earlier. Shoulda known better.”

Ezra shook his head. “I was the idiot who tried to block every carton. I should’ve powered down the saber. Instead I kept blocking until I fell of the kriffin’ ship.”

Zeb frowned as he thought over the events. He’d voiced his doubts to Kanan but was ignored. Maybe he should’ve been more insistent? He didn’t recall Ezra training with the lightsaber before, in fact not ever. And he doubted the Kid knew the exact shape of the Ghost’s outside fuselage. With his eyes closed how’s he supposed to know where to step and where not to. Only so much ship to walk on.

”Maybe. But it’s on the teacher to to know what their soldiers can handle and what they can’t. Don’t know how other Jedi train but I think Hera was right earlier. Maybe stick to the ground for a bit before wandering around the outside of a flying ship.”

Ezra managed a smile but Zeb’s words unintentionally reminded him of the impending rescue of Luminara, and the "conversation" between Sabine and Kanan in the hallway. He thought about mentioning it to Zeb but then recalled how distressed Sabine was. Knowing her she was still stewing over it across the hall in the privacy of her cabin.

No, Ezra decided. Best to keep Zeb in the dark. There'd been enough distractions and mess ups already for the day. If this was his last hoorah with his Space Family. He wanted it to go as smoothly as possible. Go out on a high note.

So Ezra kept quiet about his potential departure and instead focused on trading some stories and jokes with Zeb. The Lasat had plenty and so did Ezra. But eventually the ship’s intercom buzzed and Hera announced for everyone to gather in the cockpit for the briefing.

“Come on then, time to hear what the Professor’s grand plan is,” Zeb said with a smile.

Ezra laughed, seeing that his latest nickname for Kanan appeared to be catching on. They exited their room and ran into Sabine. She was carrying a small bag, one that Ezra recognized she used for the carrying of explosives.

She wasn’t happy. Both of the guys could see it, but only Ezra knew why. Her confrontation earlier with Kanan. He didn’t think he’d ever seen her so angry before. But then her mood shifted as her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted the new accessory to Ezra’s belt.

“Whoa,” Sabine commented, her eyes focusing on the holstered blaster on Ezra’s left hip. “Where’d you pick up an SE-14? You know those things have an overheating problem, right?”

“The Kid’s slingshot isn’t packing its usual punch,” Zeb explained with a wry grin. “Found him with an E-11 he took off a buckethead.”

Ezra shrugged. “Well you can only carry so many meilooruns into battle.”

“How true,” Sabine smirked and nodded at the blaster. “You know that model can be fitted with a silencer right? It'll take some adjustments but its doable and perfect for stealth.”

Huh, Ezra thought. That he didn’t know but it was definitely something to consider. Or maybe not. Not if this Luminara Jedi decides Ezra’s days of solo assignments are over.

“Got some miracles for us there?” Zeb said, eyeing Sabine’s bag of explosives excitedly.

“As much as I could on short notice,” Sabine smiled and nodded to the door leading to the cockpit. “Come on. Let’s hear what the Professor has to say.”

Definitely catching on.

It was Sabine who kicked off the briefing to Ezra’s surprise. Explaining the "Spire of Stygeon Prime" and its defenses and outlining just how impenetrable the prison was. Kanan shot forward idea after idea but each one was summarily shot down. Unlike other installations the Empire had put a lot of thought into the defenses of this place. Great for guarding a Jedi. Nearly impossible to free one.

“Look there,” Kanan said and pointed to one spot on the prison’s schematics. “There’s only room for a couple guards, we take them down, make our way to the upper level isolation cells, free Luminara and come back out the way we came in.”

Chopper wasted no time in warbling his protests.

“Yeah,” Sabine said in agreement with the astromech. “You’d have to be crazy to try that lousy plan.”

“Let’s hope the Empire thinks so, too,” Kanan replied smoothly, thick with the charm.

“Are we really in that much of a rush?” Ezra asked, his voice filled with skepticism. 

Kanan frowned and gave Ezra a sharp look. “You have something to say?”

“It’s not like Luminara is going anywhere,” Ezra elaborated. “I think we should do some more recon before going in. Maybe there’s something on the blueprints we’re missing.”

Not to mention the main reason Kanan was so eager to do this is to get rid of me. So eager he’d rush a job like this and risk everyone’s lives on luck than spend another couple days with me as an Apprentice.

“Luminara’s waited long enough. This is the plan, we’re going.” Kanan said and put an end to any further discussion on the topic. He looked at Ezra’s new blaster and shook his head. “Be careful with that.”

Ezra bit his lip to keep from lashing out. Kanan was lecturing him about safety when he’s committing their lives to this half-baked plan on a prison guarded by an army of stormtroopers?

“If I’m so dangerous and your plan is so safe, why would I even need it?” Ezra asked defiantly.

It was a good question and one that caught Kanan completely off guard. Tension filled the cockpit and Ezra could see that Kanan was building up steam for another lecture. Well Ezra wasn’t interested. With a dismissive shake of his head, the boy turned and left the cockpit. He’d said his piece and knew others agreed with him.

Whatever happened next was on his “Master.” 

Instead Ezra found his way to the galley. He wasn’t hungry. Instead he took an empty bowel from a cupboard and sat down at the table. Setting the bowel on the table Ezra spent his remaining time concentrating on the bowel. He found he was able to wobble it and if he focused hard enough able able even to move it a little. It was a marked improvement from his attempt days before.

He wondered then about the first Force users in the galaxy, the ones without teachers. Had they taught themselves in similar ways.

‘Do or do not, there is no try.’

Yeah. He still didn’t get that one. Not that it stopped him from thinking it over, or from trying to get the hang of moving things with his mind. He’d done it twice before when his friends lives were on the line. He’d figure this out too, eventually.

An hour had passed by the time the intercom buzzed, alerting everyone to assemble at the Phantom. They were going in. Ezra gave the bowel one last look then returned it to the cupboard and joined the others. 

They were tense. Far more tense than when he had left earlier. But whatever had been said after he left no one was saying anything of it now. So Ezra quietly climbed into the shuttle, waved goodbye to Chopper who would be remaining behind, and once everyone and their gear had been loaded Hera detached the shuttle and took control of the Phantom.

Both Kanan and Zeb leaned back with their eyes closed as Hera dove the Phantom through Stygeon's upper atmosphere. Sabine alternated between looking at her decorated helmet and Ezra. There was something on her mind, and Ezra wondered perhaps if she felt guilty for not telling him about not telling him what he had overheard between her and Kanan.

“Sabine?” Ezra asked and lifted an eyebrow.

“It’s nothing,” Sabine answered and forced a smile to her face. “I’ll tell you after.”

Ezra nodded and subconsciously felt his new blaster pistol holstered at his side. He still had his slingshot on his wrist brace, but the feel of the blaster and the knowledge he could truly defend himself was comforting.

Soon the Phantom entered through a bank of clouds, high above Stygeon’s surface, and snooped their way past the prison’s sensors, both long range and short. A credit to Hera’s flying capabilities as well as Sabine's jammer she'd worked on for the mission. Ezra still hoped he’d get a chance to learn a few things from Hera someday. He had nearly mastered the turrets and cleaning the vents, and was now moving on to learning about the more complex starship systems. But still no flying.

“Thirty seconds,” Hera said as she flew the Phantom through the narrow pocket of the Empire’s sensors. “Good luck.”

Sabine put on her helmet and together the Spectres got to their feet. Despite the high risk, no one was letting their nerves get the better of them. A testament to the team’s experience. Still there was no way Zeb couldn’t let a good jab go.

“Luck?” Zeb said. “We’re gonna need a miracle.”

“Here are three,” Sabine said cheekily and held out two of her custom detonators in her left hand and another one on her right. Zeb and Ezra didn’t hesitate. They smiled and felt a small boost of confidence as they each plucked one of her trusty explosives. 

Kanan stood at the shuttle’s rear exit, readying himself. He looked over his shoulder, his eyes finding Ezra. “Try to stay focused.”

“Thought there was no ‘try.’” Ezra replied glibly and felt a rush go through him when he saw that Kanan was once again stumped and had no witty reply. That sealed it. No witty comeback? Wiseass was out and the Professor was stuck.

The shuttle slowed and the exit door wooshed open. Kanan didn’t hesitate. One moment he was still as a statue and then the next he was out the door, flipping through the air as he sailed down toward a small alcove roughly thirty meters down. From just inside the shuttle Ezra could just make out two stormtroopers on the tiny platform.

“Whoa,” Ezra said as he saw Kanan land neatly and then, without wasting any movement, cleanly unarm and and dispatch the two stormtrooper guards.

No lightsaber required. And the drop wasn’t much higher than the one from the TIE fighter to that troop transport back on Lothal. Still riding that surge of confidence Ezra followed Kanan’s lead and jumped out of the shuttle.

And the moment his feet left the shuttle he knew he’d made a mistake. His body tumbled out of control Ezra flailed his arms uselessly and yelled wildly as he turned head over heels through the air. But luck was with him when he managed to land on the balls of his feet and then rolled until at last hitting the durasteel blast door that served as the entrance to the facility.

He didn’t break any bones or hurt himself, but he was noisy and a loud boom resonated from the door when his body slammed into it.

Ezra froze at the noise and Kanan, standing in the middle of the platform, winced. Carefully Ezra edged back away from the door until he felt his body knock against Kanan’s. Together the two held their breath, eyes staring at the door.

But it stayed closed. They remained undetected.

“What just happened?” Kanan whisper–yelled into Ezra’s ear causing the boy to wince and step away. “You were supposed to exit with Zeb!” Kanan crossed his arms and Ezra, feeling like an idiot, looked away. “You’re lucky every stormtrooper in the prison doesn’t know we’re here.”

A sudden beep and the door opened, and standing ready were four stormtroopers. The troopers looked at Ezra and Kanan, disbelief written on the faces under their helmets. Then they glanced at each other. Ezra groaned. Kanan just had to say that, didn't he?

Fortunately the troopers' hesitation cost them everything as with the Force Kanan threw out his hands, closed the door, and wrenched the blaster rifles out of the hands of two of them. Which still left two armed and ready.

As Kanan continued to deal with the first two the others began to lift their rifles only to get pushed backward and stung as non-lethal but painful burst of yellow electricity slammed into their chests. More bolts of yellow electricity hit. With no blaster shot it was hard to pin down where the odd fire was coming from. But after a few moments of searching they spotted Ezra standing off to to their left, his slingshot up and shooting as fast as he could manage.

The troopers fought through the pain but by the time they readied weapons Zeb and Sabine had both jumped from the Phantom and rushed the two troopers. With stealth on everyone’s mind, Sabine went for the trooper on the left and quickly and quietly disarmed him. Grappling the trooper into a shoulder lock, she then threw the trooper over the safety rail of the small platform and allowed gravity to do the rest.

The last stormtrooper had finally brushed off the pain from Ezra’s slingshot when Zeb’s large hand clamped down on the trooper’s wrists. And then with one arm threw the trooper over the side of the platform and into the abyss below.

Likewise Kanan had dispatched his two troopers and had rounded fiercely on Ezra. “Stunts like that put us all in jeopardy.” He took his hand and shoved Ezra back. “That is exactly why you need Master Luminara to teach you discipline.”

“I was just following your example.” Ezra tried to explain.

“Yeah?” Kanan said. “Well, try to stay focused and follow the plan instead.”

A beep sounded from the door and Sabine turned her helmeted head and cleared her throat. “I hate to interrupt but we need the Kid to open the door.”

“I’m on it,” Ezra said and stepped back from Kanan, eager to get away from the irate Jedi and hurried to the door. Taking his scomp-link lockpick he found the port and linked in. The locking port squawked and beeped as Ezra worked but he was making decemt progress.

Only not fast enough for Kanan as a prison spotlight nearly spotted him, Zeb, and the two unconscious stormtroopers that hadn’t been thrown over the ledge. “Ezra,” Kanan hissed.

“Quiet. I’m focusing,” Ezra replied. As Zeb finished propping the two remaining stormtroopers against either side of the door, arranging them just right so they were standing upright despite being unconscious. Ezra smiled as he broke the prison’s lock and opened the door. 

With the coast still clear the team quickly entered and the door closed behind. Ezra knew he screwed up, but he thought he still handled himself okay back there. As pitiful as his slingshot was, it was enough of a distraction to keep the other two stormtroopers occupied long enough for Sabine and Zeb to join and take them out.

No blaster fire. No alarms. Ezra was still doubtful of Kanan’s plan but for the moment they were still good.

A shoulder slammed into his back causing Ezra to nearly lose his footing. He thought it was Zeb but it was Kanan who had puposefully knocked into him. And he never looked back. “You’re welcome,” Ezra shot at the Jedi’s departing back.

“You did your job,” Zeb said, his tone less severe than Kanan but clearly not happy with Ezra’s reckless jump from the shuttle. “You want a medal?”

And that was enough to deflate Ezra’s ego. He expected Kanan’s disappointment. It felt like there was nothing Ezra could do that wouldn’t somehow disappoint him, but it was different with the others. Or at least he had thought.

Zeb brushed past followed by Sabine, who paused and looked at Ezra. Paintbomb examined him quietly before making up her mind. “There’s nothing for you to prove, Ez. Not to Kanan, not anyone. Now come on. Plan Crazy is still a Go.”  

Trust Sabine to see right through me, Ezra thought and fell into step behind her and Zeb. The three approached Kanan who was standing in the middle of the dull gunmetal gray hallway that was standard for every Imperial ship and facility.

“Luminara’s here,” Kanan said. “I sense her presence, but it’s clouded.”

The team pressed on and fortunately didn’t run across any more stormtroopers. In retrospect as foolish as his leap had been it was possible Ezra had gotten the attention and drew out all of the troopers guarding this part of the prison. That or it was a trap. Ezra was beginning to suspect the latter.

If Ezra were to lay odds he’d say it was fifty/fifty. Maybe forty/sixty.

Sabine had found the terminal next to the turbolift and sliced her way in past the security. Ezra could tell she had found something but from her mannerisms she was confused.

“Where’s Master Unduli?” Kanan asked.

“Uh. Detention block CC-01. Isolation cell 0169.”

That wasn’t what they had expected.

“They have isolation cells on the lower levels?” Kanan said, a frown on his face. He glanced down at the terminal to see for himself. “We planned off outdated schematics.”

“What does that mean?” Ezra asked, saying the question on each of their minds.

“It means the plan changes.”

No one liked that idea.

“You got a backup plan?” Zeb said, and looked at Kanan with doubt.

“Figuring one out right now.” Kanan replied.and then walked to the opened turbolift. “Zeb, Sabine, you’re coming along.”

“Weren’t we supposed to hold our escape route here?” Zeb questioned with arms held out in exasperation. 

“Now the turbolift is our escape route. Let’s go,” Kanan ordered.

Gathered in the turbolift, the team waited as the lift ascended. Sabine groaned. “His plan gets worse all the time.”

Zeb nodded in agreement and rolled his eyes. “Just hope he doesn’t change it again.”

“I’m standing right here,” Kanan said to the pair.

“We know,” the two responded, their answers perfectly choreographed as one.

Ezra would have smiled but all he could think of was just how desperate Kanan was being. Any other job and Kanan would’ve called it off by this point. So either he wanted to rescue this Luminara at all costs - including their lives - or he was just this desperate to be rid of me.

Ezra snorted. Given what he told Sabine back on the Ghost, it wasn’t exactly a toss up.

The turbolift continued on and the uncomfortable silence persisted, but all had the presence of mind to ignore it. When the lift stopped and the doors opened Kanan reached out and pulled the two stormtroopers standing guard outside into the lift.

Trapped between Kanan, Zeb, and Sabine the pair stood no chance and were quietly knocked unconscious and dropped to the floor. Peeking out and seeing no one around, Kanan cautiously stepped forward out of the lift and determined which way to go. He looked back at the others.

“Maintain comm silence.” Kanan said as Ezra followed him out. “And whatever you do, hold this lift.”

“Hey, you! Stop!”

Two stormtroopers doing their hourly patrol had just rounded the corner and spotted Kanan and Ezra. They had their blaster rifles up and ready. Not that that helped any as Kanan lifted out both arms and Force yanked them toward him.

Flying through the air neither stood a chance as Kanan clotheslined each with an arm to their throats. They dropped to the deck, unmoving, with their blaster rifles fallen beside them.

“Wow. You’re really not messing around tonight.” Ezra said, impressed by the level of ability Kanan was showing. 

“There’s a lot more at stake than you realize.” Kanan said and walked on without looking back, leaving the bodies for Zeb to hide away.

Ezra rolled his eyes but stayed quiet. All he knew was Kanan wanted him gone. Which left Ezra feeling less impressed and more angered. Sure Kanan was pulling out all the stops but the deeper they go the more difficult it would be for them to escape if caught. If he wants to risk his life like this so badly then fine. But Zeb and Sabine deserved better than this.

They navigated through a few more corridors and Ezra’s instincts began to nag at him. As big as this place was there was supposed to be an army of stormtroopers here. There were two guarding the entrance. Four more and now that they reached the level this Jedi Master was on so far they ran into a grand total of four? 

It’s like Old Joe would tell him. When things were too good to be true, it’s because they are.

Kanan said she was here but her presence was “clouded.” What could do that to a Jedi Master? Ezra was about to speak up when Kanan held back his arm and peeked around a corner. He motioned for Ezra to look.

As Ezra did he saw two stormtroopers guarding a cell, the first two they had come across since the turbolift. “Ever seen this Jedi Master?” the one on the left asked.

“Don’t have the clearance,” the second one answered.

And then Kanan stepped out from their place behind the corner and walked forward, making no effort to strike them or hide. Instead he stretched out his arm. Then spoke. “Shouldn’t you be guarding the Jedi’s cell? It’s on the next level.”

“It’s on the next level,” the left stormtrooper replied, his voice becoming listless in its response.

“You better get moving.” Kanan added.

“We better get moving,” the right stormtrooper said, his voice as equally monotone. And then just like that both stormtroopers walked off. It was like they were under some sort of spell or hypnotised.

Ezra had seen Kanan do something impressive things before, but he’d never seen anything like this. He joined Kanan, excited, and pointed at the two mindless stormtroopers. “When I do I learn that?”

“Luminara will teach you,” Kanan said and gently pushed Ezra aside. He then focused and used the Force to activate the security panel and opened the cell door. “Much better than I could,” he added and stepped inside.

Ezra looked back at the two stormtroopers and a great sense of doubt filled him. He liked sticking it to the Empire. He liked his family on the Ghost. His hand touched the holster and his blaster. He liked being a Rebel.

Was becoming a Jedi really worth losing all of that?

Silently Ezra obediently followed Kanan into the cell and found him standing in front of a small and fragile looking older Mirilian female. Like on the Holonet she was in an orange prison jumpsuit. Only Ezra’s instincts were once more screaming at him.

“Is it really her?” Ezra asked.

“Yes, but…” Kanan hesitated. “Something’s wrong.”

The Mirilian approached them worldlessly, and stopped before Kanan.

“Master?” Kanan asked.

But Master Unduli said nothing. Instead she turned and walked toward an unseen sarcophagus standing beside the wall, a small transparisteel window where a person’s head would be. It looked old. And somehow frozen.

Then to both Ezra and Kanan’s amazement they watched as Luminara stepped right through, almost as if she weren’t there at all. And then settled inside. And then just like the illusion lifted and for the first time Ezra and Kanan saw the real Luminara.

Frozen and lifeless inside the sarcophagus. Kanan gasped and Ezra took a step back, unable to understand. “What happened to her?”

Ezra shook his head and looked from the sarcophagus and back to Kanan. “I don’t understand,” Ezra said.

“No?” a mysterious voice said. “It doesn’t seem complicated.”

Both rebels turned and saw that they were no longer along. Standing in the doorway of the cell was a tall, lean, looking humanoid type of alien that Ezra had never seen before. He was bald and his cheeks were skeleton gaunt. And he had pale gray skin with red tattoo streaks marking both his eyes. And his eyes?

Sunken and ringed with deep darkness, but they eyes themselves were gold. Gold and glowing. And that voice rang with Imperial authority, though he wore a uniform Ezra had never seen before. No not a uniform more like some sort of ceremonial armor gray like the color of his skin but black shoulder pauldrons, chestplate, and high neck collar.

When he spoke and it was with the accent of High Imperial. It drummed authority.

“I am the Inquisitor.” He stated and in a flash he pulled a semi-circle device from behind him, only for it to flash a bright right light. And Ezra would recognize that snap hiss sound anywhere.

A lightsaber!

Without care the Inquisitor stepped down the few steps into the cell.

Danger. Danger. Danger!

Ezra wanted to run but the Inquisitor was blocking their only exit.

The door then slid closed behind him and the most creepiest smile Ezra had ever seen shaped across the Inquisitor’s face. Wide. Wide with the promise of death for any who got in his way.

“Welcome,” he said cheerfully, the unnerving calmness in his voice. The certainty. Like a shark circling a helpless bit of prey. That was more terrifying than anything Ezra had ever seen or heard.

He lifted his lightsaber, its red glow lightening the area around the door. Opposite it was the soft blue light casting of Kanan’s lighsaber from the partition of the cell he and Ezra were standing. Ezra hadn’t even realized Kanan had had his saber out until now.

The Inquisitor continued.

“Yes, I’m afraid Master Luminara died with the Republic.” He explained, talking to them as a teacher would their students. “But her bones continue to serve the Empire, luring the last Jedi to their ends.”

Kriff!

Ezra lifted his comlink. “Spectre-3, come in. It’s a trap!”

Crackling static was the only reply. Ezra hit the SOS button Sabine had included on his comlink but whether that got past the jamming or not he had no way to be sure.

“There will be no reinforcements,” the Inquisitor answered, a stern expression on his face.

Kanan lunged and the Inquisitor was ready. All Ezra could do was look on as his Master battled away at the enemy, this Inquisitor guy. But it only took a few short moments for all three to recognize that Kanan was outmatched.

While Kanan had the entire floor of the cell to work with and line up his attacks. The Inquisitor remained where he had been standing on the steps. And while Kanan used both hands for each of his swings, the Inquisitor calmly held his lightsaber with only one. 

And while Kanan remained disciplined, Ezra could also see the desperation in his face. The Inquisitor’s expression never faltered. When Kanan thought he had the Inquisitor pinned the tall lithe alien would calmly step aside and with precision shifted his guard from low to high.

Low to high. Left to right. Up and to the left, back and to the right. Nothing was getting past this guy!

Beaten back at every blow and deflection, Kanan was struggling to come up with any sort of attack. Meanwhile everything the Inquisitor did was measured. No movement wasted. No excess energy expended. Nothing but efficiency and a poise that never broke.

He was fighting Kanan with one hand behind his kriffin’ back! And he made it look so effortless!

Kanan had his lightsaber batted away and the Inquisitor held his blade to Kanan’s throat, but paused in his thrust. The point of the lightsaber mere centimeters away and Kanan winced in preparation, but the killing blow never came. Instead the Inquisitor just smiled and waited.

Like this whole thing was a game to him! Like it was a sparring session between friends!

He’s toying with him!

Kanan didn’t let the opportunity slip by and quickly backed off and took up his guard once more. Now it was the Inquisitor's to advance, and advance he did. With his masterful skill he drove Kanan further and further back. Although this time Kanan did appear to be doing somewhat better.

Ezra didn’t get it.

“Interesting,” the Inquisitor said when his strike was caught by Kanan and held in a lock. He smiled with gleeful wickedry. “It seems you trained with Jedi Master Depa Billaba.”

“How… Who are you?” Kanan stuttered, his eyes widening with fear.

Blaster? No. Slingshot? Yeah right. Stunstick? No. Need a miracle right -

Ezra put his hand on Sabine’s small detonator from where he tucked it on his belt.

Thank you Sabine!

Ezra watched the duel carefully but more importantly he felt his instincts. The Inquisitor was treating this like an exercise. Or putting on a show. Ezra timed it when the two broke out of yet another lock and took a step back, Ezra ran between them to the opposite side of the cell.

Yup. Neither one of them wants me dead.

Cautiously he edged his way closer and closer to the door, holding onto Sabine’s explosive.

Please work.

“The temple records are quite complete.” The Inquisitor explained, answering Kanan’s question of how the Inquisitor knew so much.

With a speed unmatched he swung his blade around and Kanan only barely got his saber up in time to keep it from cutting his neck. The Inquisitor pressed, and Kanan had to give ground.

“In close quarter fighting, Billaba’s emphasis was always on form three, which you favor to a ridiculous degree.”

Form three? There are forms!

Kanan was cornered, his back nearly pressed up against Lumanari and her sarcophagus.

A bolt of yellow electricity burned through the air and the Inquisitor caught it only at the last moment. But as Ezra expected, the slingshot had too little energy compared to that of a blaster bolt. Instead of being deflected by the red lightsaber it just dissipated.

Which was good, because Ezra was pretty certain this guy could deflect any aimed blaster fire right back at him.

Besides the distraction worked, and with a wild yell Kanan slashed forward but missed as the Inquisitor leaped over him - his bald head nearly scraping upon the ceiling of the cell. And as he came down he delivered a sharp kick to Kanan.

The Jedi went stumbling forward and lost his grip on the lightsaber, deactivating it. Ezra rushed to his Master’s side as he lied facedown in the cell. He looked up and back at the Inquisitor who was standing tall again.

“Clearly, you were a poor student,” the Inquisitor informed him.

Ezra’s response were several more shots from his slingshot, only for the Inquisitor to open his arms and embrace them - embrace their pain - and revel in it.

“Is that really all you’ve got, my boy?” the Inquisitor asked.

“Well, I’ve got that.” Ezra said and gestured to the detonator he’d planted at the doorway.

Before any could move it a loud deafening blast and a powerful kinetic force slammed into all three of them. Smoke and debris filled the room, but Ezra wasted no time and grabbed Kanan by the arm and hauled them out of the and back into the hallway.

Disoriented from the blaster Ezra relied on instinct. He took a quick a left and began racing. He didn’t need to look behind him to see the Inquisitor. Even with his ringing eardrums he could hear the steady human of the lightsaber chasing them.

They turned down another hallway and Kanan stopped, pushing Ezra aside he ignited his lightsaber just in time to block the Inquisitor from cutting them down. The fight resumed only now the Inquisitor wasn’t interested in Kanan.

“Are you paying attention, boy?” he asked Ezra and then stepped back from Kanan. He held out his saber evenly and to Ezra’s shock watched as the other end of the lightsaber ignited.

A second blade? They can do that? Wielding the lightsaber like one would a bo staff the Inquisitor went on the attack again, with Kanan doing everything he could to hold him back.

“The Jedi are dead, but there is another path,” the Inquisitor grinned and pushed Kanan backward. “The Dark Side.”

“Never heard of it!” Ezra snapped and fired off another bolt from his slingshot, which the Inquisitor easily parried and then reached forward. With one hand he wielded the Force and blasted Ezra with a force equivalent to one of Sabine’s miracles.

Ezra was knocked against a bulkhead as he flew down the hallway from the power of the throw.

Stunned for a moment, Ezra shook his head.

Dark Side?

“Have you taught him nothing?” the Inquisitor asked, dissatisfaction in his voice.

Ezra picked himself back up and Kanan struck out in anger, the fight began again. And maybe it was just his head but the two looked to be moving faster than before. Fast. So fast. Faster than Ezra’s eyes could keep up with.

“Do you really think you can save the boy?” the Inquisitor asked. He then narrowed his eyes at Kanan. “For his sake, surrender.”

Kanan risked a glance over his shoulder and saw that Ezra was back on his feet. Unsteady but still standing. He then focused back on the Inquisitor, gripping his saber tightly.

“I’m not making deals with you.” Kanan hissed.

The Inquisitor was amused by this response and dropped his guard and stood to his full height. “Hmm. Then we’ll let him make one, shall we?” He reached out one arm and Kanan went flying backward, past Ezra and back into an entirely different hallway.

Ezra could only watch as his Master laid there outstretched on his back, unmoving.

“Your Master cannot save you, boy.” The Inquisitor said from behind him. “He is unfocused and undisciplined.”

Unfocused?

Undisciplined?

“Then we’re perfect for each other!” Ezra yelled and brought up his slingshot, firing more bolts.

The Inquisitor blocked a few but then rushed and swiped his lightsaber down at Ezra. But for once Ezra was a step ahead and jumped over the blade and then pushed off the wall to dodge the followup strike.

Ezra regained his footing and faced the Inquisitor.

“I do admire your persistence.” The Inquisitor complimented and began to twirl the double blade in a broad wide circle. “Ready to die?” 

Cornered with nowhere to run, Ezra could only watch as the Inquisitor twirled his saber above his head and then rush forward with the weapon - poised to strike.

“NO!” Kanan shouted and suddenly the Inquisitor felt an invisible force grab him and then yank him upward. Ezra watched as Kanan used the Force to slam the imposing Inquisitor against the ceiling and pin him there.

“Run!” Kanan yelled. Ezra nodded and immediately ran past the pinned Inquisitor to rejoin Kanan. When he neared him Ezra found he was still holding out his arm outward and holding the Inquisitor against the ceiling. But as Ezra reached him Kanan dropped his arm and let go.

The Inquisitor was released but instead of just dropping, the alien twisted his body around so as to fall gently to the deck. Kanan’s Force attack had bought them time, but little else.

The Inquisitor stood and held out his hilt. Both blades ignited and then, to his disbelief, Ezra watched as the blades began to spin. Spin! Not twirl like a baton or staff. But spin like a propeller!

“Does yours do that?” Ezra asked Kanan, his mouth agape.

“Come on! Let’s go!” Kanan shouted and pulled Ezra along.

And they ran, but as they did questions confounded Ezra.

Red lightsabers?

Dark Side?

Why is this guy so interested in me?

As they ran for their lives it was that question that Ezra dreaded the most.

Officially the worst plan ever! Sabine thought as she and Zeb battled their way around stormtroopers in the maze of hallways.

With comms jammed and more stormtroopers alerted and redeployed to their position, the pair began a run and gun chase with the Imperials. They heard a distant explosion earlier and it was in that direction Sabine was trying to lead them.

And hope she ran into a Jedi with a bad ponytail and a blue haired street rat with a knack for getting himself into and out of trouble.

She came to a T-junction in the hallways and turned to see running down the hallway were none other than Kanan and Ezra! And behind them a tall person with a red lightsaber?

A red lightsaber with two blades?

Like the one from the story mother would tell.

“Guys!” Sabine shouted to them. “This way!”

And then she pulled on Zeb and they ran, slowing down just enough for Ezra and Kanan to catch up. All together again Sabine led the way.

The one with the red lightsaber chasing after. Sabine gulped away her fear, trying her best to focus and remember the way out. But the figure with the double bladed lightsaber...

Not good.

“You figured out it was a trap?” Kanan asked breathlessly.

“Yeah,” Sabine said as they rounded another corner. “Luminara?”

“Long gone.” Kanan answered grimly. “Our new exit?”

“Landing platform,” Sabine replied, her voice equally grim.

“Thought it was impossible to get out that way.”

“Well,” Sabine said and tried to smile in spite of the looming terror. “Let’s hope the Empire thinks so, too.”

The one chasing them lifted his gloved hand up and spoke into a built-in wrist comlink. Across the prison’s public announcement system all heard his command.

“Secure the facility. Full lockdown.”

“Well that’s not helpful,” Ezra said and then the clear and open hallway before them began to change as a series of blast doors were triggered.

They were closing, slowly, and threatening to split the team apart and trap them for the Imperials. If they got trapped and separated there woudl be no way out. They would be doomed.

The team hurried but as seconds ticked by the space between the closing doors grew smaller and smaller. They wouldn’t make it.

Sabine turned and fired a few shots at the lightsaber wielder. It was a fruitless gesture as blocked them effortlessly. And then he too began to run.

Focusing back on escaping the team was running and hurdling over the closing blast doors, the doors closed in from all sides.

But up ahead was one door, not a blast door, but a giant door the size big enough to fit industrial sized equipment and other large vehicles through. Large crates as another example. It was locked down but a door that big meant one thing.

The landing pad.

Zeb realized it too as he threw himself in between the final blaster door, right as it was about to close for good. With all his strength the Lasat held it open for the rest of the team. He grunted and pressed back against the hydraulic system that was slowly overpowering him.

“Can’t do this all day!” Zeb shouted.

The team hurried and jumped over and under him, clearing the final blast door. Safely on the other side Zeb jumped clear too and smiled triumphantly as the door closed right in the face of their pursuer. The man had reignited his saber at the last moment but he had been too late.

Or so Zeb had thought, until the saber pierced through the door and nearly him with it!

Zeb backed away and fearfully watched as the red blade began to slowly cut its way through the door.

Kriffin’ lightsabers!

The team continued moving on until they reached the large doors to the landing pad. Zeb unslung his bo-rifle and took careful aim then blasted the security panel of the last door between them and whoever was chasing them. Sabine figured it had to be a Dark Sider of some sort. And with Kanan running like he was, they were all in real danger.

Sabine wasted no time in accessing the door controls to the landing pad but banged her hand against it in frustration. “I’m locked out of the system. Ez?”

Ezra took out his scomp-lockpick and plugged it into the port, only to receive a nasty electrical jolt in response. The shock knocked the boy backward and his lockpick went flying.

Sabine knelt down beside him but Ezra pushed himself back up with the palms of his hands, wincing a bit from the pain. He was moving but he definitely suffered burns of some kind.

“Sorry,” Ezra told her.

She fought back the urge to scream. Screaming and venting wouldn’t help them now. Instead Sabine took a mental inventory of what the team had on hand. If not to unlock the door then what weapons or tactics they could use against that Dark Sider chasing after Kanan and Ezra. It wasn't impossible. After all situations like these were what her people dedicated their lives to!

Only the best thing she could think of was that Zeb should still have one of her detonators. If they could get it to detonate close enough, that should be enough to knock him down for a moment. And then they’d finished him off.

Still that was risking a lot on lucky, and Sabine had about as much trusting to luck as she could handle for one op.

“Ezra,” Kanan said and helped the boy to his feet. Tilting her head Sabine watched as Kanan led Ezra to the middle of the chamber and stood right in the middle of the enormous door. “Together,” he said, his voice hoarse and ragged with exhaustion.

“Seriously?” Ezra asked as he looked at the door in disbelief.

“Yes.” Kanan said. He was winded and hurt - and Ezra had more than just electric burns. But they were both far from out of the fight. And in that moment she felt a swell of pride over her Space Family.

“Picture the locking mechanism in your mind.” Kanan instructed.

Picturing a locking mechanism inside a door? But Ezra’s never trained for anything like this before!

Still Ezra gathered up what strength he had left and mirrored Kanan, closing his eyes and reaching out with his arm. Theoretically Sabine understood what Kanan was trying to do, but she couldn’t begin to imagine the strength it would take.

Still, if he believed Ezra could do it?

“Come on, Ezra,” Sabine said quietly, hoping for a different sort of miracle this time. “You can do this.”

The red lightsaber pushed through the final door, and began to cut. “Excuse me,” Zeb shouted. “But can we train Ezra later?”

“Kanan knows what he’s doing,” Sabine said and glanced to the two Jedi. “And so does Ezra.”

The Lasat gave the Mandalorian a doubtful look but Sabine stuck to her guns, literally in this case as she kept them trained on the lightsaber at the door. But every moment or so she’d glance at Ezra and after the third time she noticed something.

Even though both guys had their eyes closed Ezra’s hand and arm were mirroring Kanan's exactly. Motion for motion. That was all the proof Sabine needed. It’s been a rough start. But with the right support and encouragement Ezra has the potential. We just had to make sure he lived long enough to get there!

But as her attention returned to the door and the pathway the red blade was making, Sabine was beginning to share Zeb’s impatience. Thankfully it was at that moment she heard something massive turn and a valve released. Steam poured forward from the hangar door as its locking mechanism was activated and the doorway opened.

Ezra had a look of triumph on his face. And so did she, only for it to sour when a squad of stormtroopers stood ready, blasters trained at them. And the stormtroopers had cover.

The Spectres did not.

The troopers wasted no time and opened fire while the Spectres did their best. Dog tired both of them, still Kanan drew his lightsaber and began defelecting blast bolts while Ezra drew his own blaster and added his own firepower to Zeb and Sabine's. But then Zeb lowered his rifle and reached for the detonator Sabine had handed him.

“One last miracle here,” Zeb said and pitched it at the largest bunch of stormtroopers. It was a good throw and landed right at their feet.

A torrent of fire and pressure exploded at their feet. The damage to their enemies was extensive. Those not directly caught in the blast went scurrying for cover, and gave the Spectres the opening they needed.

With Kanan and his lightsaber at the front, he kept up the pace and deflected blaster shots that came at he group. Meanwhile she, Zeb, and Ezra all had their blasters up and were laying down fire. They had fought hard for fire superiority and they weren’t about to lose it to a bunch of bucketheads!

She saw a black suited figure trying to get into a TIE fighter. Recognizing him for a pilot Sabine took careful aim with her blasters and squeezed both triggers. Her bolts hit home, dropping the Imp and keeping him from accessing the TIE and its powerful weaponry.

A TIE fighter was the last thing they needed right now!

Upon reaching the middle of the landing bay, Sabine took cover while the boys kept a handle on things. She activate her comlink and hoped they had gained enough distance from the facility to make a clear transmission.

“Spectre-5 to Phantom,” Sabine called. “We’re on the landing deck, ready for pickup.”

To everyone’s relief, Hera’s voice came in over the comm.

“On my way, Spectre-5. And I’m bringing the fleet.”

“We have a fleet?” Zeb asked over his own comlink.

Sabine could only shrug and return to the fight, joining the others in laying down blaster fire.

“We do now,” came Hera’s confident voice and just like that the Phantom appeared - along with six giant winged beasts of some type, seemingly following Hera’s lead.

Somehow the beasts sensed the danger and swooped down and knocked down groups of stormtroopers left and right. The stormtroopers tried shooting at them but the blaster bolts that hit were ineffective and as for Hera, she let loose with the Phantom’s own guns. Destroying one parked TIE fighter after another until four were nothing but fire and molten metal.

The path forward clear, Kanan pointed and the team ran for the shuttle.

A turret popped out and began firing green laser fire at the Phantom. Hera weaved the shuttle safely out of the way but Zeb’s solution of blasting the turret to pieces with his devastating bo-rifle was a much more permanent solution. 

And there it was, the Phantom on the edge of the landing pad with its rear door open. As the team began to get aboard Kanan turned and at the last moment got his lightsaber up to deflect a spinning lightsaber blade?

The team watched in amazement as the lightsaber, acting like a propeller, returned to the hand of the Dark Sider. And as the Phantom pulled away every member of the strike team kept their eyes focused on the strange Force user below who stared right back at them.

“Does yours do that?” Zeb asked Kanan, and Sabine found herself fighting the urge to smirk.

It was a good barb. But she was still pretty pissed with Kanan. As the arendaline from the fight wore off the exhaustion set in and her thoughts ended up drifting to Ezra. She could only guess at what the Kid must be thinking.

As they broke atmosphere and retreated into the vacuum of space, Kanan stood beside Hera at the controls to the Phantom.

“Master Luminara?” their fearless Twi’lek Captain asked.

“Gone,” came Kanan’s response. “We’ll have to find a way to spread the word.”

“How’s Ezra taking it?”

“Not as bad as I am.” Kanan answered. “I guess he’s stuck with me. For now.”

Behind the faceplate of her helmet Sabine scowled and balled her fists. After all that and still Kanan wanted to ditch him? What does it take? She glanced at Ezra who had his head tilted ever so slightly, his ear open to the conversation happening.

He heard everything.

Sabine tightened her fists, fighting back the rising anger inside.

Haar’chak.

“Hey Kid,” Zeb said. Ezra lifted his head and looked at Zeb sitting across from him and Sabine. The Lasat smiled and nodded in approval. “You did good back there.”

Damn right he did.

When the Ghost finally touched back down on Lothal, Ezra let himself out of his cabin and made his way to the cargo bay. When the landing ramp extended he took a seat halfway down. His knees hugging his chest he propped his chin up under his folded arms and searched the distant horizon. Searching for what? Who knew. He certainly didn't. But the warmth of Lothal and the smell of the wind rushing across the plains gave Ezra a sense of peace after everything he had just went through.

And what he was still going through.

Sabine had wanted to talk but he begged out of it. Said to her he needed some space. He had a good idea of what she wanted to talk about, and while it felt good to have her in his corner. Ezra didn’t really think it’d do much good.

He tried napping but every time he closed his eyes he saw him. The gold glowing eyes. The creepy smile. And that red lightsaber. And how he wanted Ezra as his Apprentice. For what, Ezra could only imagine. And he didn't like what he saw.

Maybe it was that Dark Side thing. It certainly sounded ominous enough.

Ezra’s eyes kept still on the horizon and the tempting plains of golden grass. It'd be so easy. And if this guy was determined to get his hands on me?

This crew had been through a lot together. But if Kanan was this desperate to be rid of me, to risk all of our lives like that. Ezra came to a decision. It wasn’t the one he liked, but he had to do what was right. And with everything going wrong around him it seemed like the only sensible choice he had. He had to do what was right.

Someone had to. 

And then he felt the steps of another on the ramp and Ezra sighed when the person drew closer. Ezra would recognize that long shadow anywhere. He knew what Kanan was about to say, but Ezra would rather just not bother with it at all. He didn't have any fight left in him at this point.

“Look, don’t bother saying it.” Ezra said. “I’m letting you off the hook.”

“What are you talking about?” Kanan asked.

“Stop pretending. I know you wanted to dump me on Luminara,” Ezra said. “And just ‘cause she’s gone doesn’t mean you’re stuck with me.” Ezra sighed and shook his head. “I’ll talk with Hera.”

Hopefully I’ve done enough good that she’ll still want me on the team. If not? Ezra looked back across the beckoning plains.

Kanan sighed and rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to dump you,” he said with aggravation seeping into his voice. He took a seat next to Ezra on the ramp. “Look,” he said. “I just wanted you to have the best teacher.”

“Well I don’t want the best teacher! I want you!” Ezra exclaimed.

And as soon as the words left his mouth both guys grimaced at how that came out. On the one hand it was cool that Ezra wanted Kanan as his teacher. On the other hand Kanan's would-be student admitted that Kanan was far from the best teacher.

“Uh, not that you’re not the best. I-”

“-Ezra,” Kanan interrupted, putting off Ezra’s attempt at damage control. “I’m not gonna try to teach you anymore.”

Ezra had expected the let down, prepared himself for it. But it still stung. He looked away and back at the horizon.

“If all I do is try,” Kanan continued. “That means I don’t truly believe I can succeed. So from now on I will teach you.”

Ezra looked back at his teacher, surprise on his face.

Kanan sighed. “I may fail. You may fail. But there is no try.”

Silence descended on the pair as Ezra considered his words. They weren’t what he had expected, but there was still one lingering doubt in his mind.

The one he overheard in Sabine’s confrontation with Kanan. If Luminara had agreed to train Ezra with the condition of doing it elsewhere, a condition that Sabine had predicted was extremely likely. Would Kanan have agreed. Would Hera?

He desperately wanted to know but in the end Ezra was just too scared to ask.

“I understand… Master,” Ezra said at last.

“Let’s see if you do,” Kanan replied and handed Ezra the lightsaber.

This time when Ezra held it, he didn’t look at the "fabled weapon" the same way he had earlier. After everything he’d seen today, the novelty had worn off. 

Like his slingshot. Like his blaster. It was just another weapon, a tool even. And maybe someday it could even be seen as a symbol of something great again.

Kanan got to his feet and headed off the ramp, then searched the ground around the Ghost for some appropriately sized stones.

Ezra did his part and after getting to his own feet he put some distance between him and Kanan. He took up the stance he’d scene Kanan do several times, or Form Three he guessed it was called. And ignited the blue lightsaber.

When he was ready Kanan threw the first stone. This time no closed eyes. No scared out of his mind going to fall to his death. No Zeb or Chopper there to distract him. 

After five stones and five successful blocks, Ezra was smiling. Maybe he’d get the hang of this Jedi thing after all.

But he was still going to talk to Hera. She needed to understand him. Whatever direction this training took him, Ezra was a Rebel first and foremost.

And he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Eavesdropping?” Hera’s voice asked, startling Sabine from her place at the nose turret where she was currently overlooking Kanan and Ezra’s training.

Not only their training but their conversation too. She didn’t dare turn away, needing to hear every word.

“Tell me. If Kanan had said Ezra needed to go? Because Luminara thought it best that Ezra being trained someplace not here?”

“Kanan, and a Jedi Master, would know best how to train him,” Hera said. When she saw Sabine about to protest, Hera raised her hands forestalling the Mandalorian’s fury. “That said, Ezra’s old enough to make his own decisions. The decision would have been his to make. No one else’s.”

“That’s,” Sabine said but then stopped, unable to think of what to say next. “That’s good.” Sabine said at last. “And he should know that.”

“I thought he already did.” Hera said truthfully. “After all - he’s family.” Hera waited patiently to see if Sabine would follow her advice and leave them be. Instead the girl pulled out her sketchbook.

Hera shook her head and smiled, leaving the teenager to it. She’d talk with Ezra later. Make certain he knew where he stood with Hera and his place on the Ghost.

Meanwhile with a careful eye, Sabine studied Ezra and his stance. How he held the lightsaber. How the wind flowed through his hair, and the color of his eyes out there in the brilliant sun. She settled with how he held his lightsaber high in the air when blocking one of the stones.

She began her sketch.

Chapter Text

Breaking Ranks

A week had gone by since the thing on Stygeon and since then things have been going pretty well. Kanan has stepped up and we’ve been training a lot. He keeps reminding me it’s been only one week but already I’ve gotten to the point where I can float bowls and other kitchen utensils around with ease. It’s made breakfasts more interesting.

The others have mostly left me and Kanan to it on those days. There were two smuggling jobs we had set up with Vizago, but those both went off without a hitch. We stuck it to the Empire and made a few credits. Everyone was satisfied, except for Hera. 

She’s been acting off, like she knows something we don’t. Sabine doesn’t like it, and she’d rant to me about it whenever she could get a chance alone with me. She was curious if Kanan was acting off but other than being a responsible Jedi Master invested in his student’s training, no he seems like Kanan. Not that Kanan embracing his decision to be my teacher was a bad thing.

Just taking some time getting used to Spectre-1 as Master.

Unhappy that I didn’t have any ideas, I try to cheer her up but Sabine isn’t having it and tells me I should focus on meditations and other important Jedi osik. She believes with a clearer mind I’ll make better progress with Form One. Which was strange. I don’t recall ever telling her about Kanan’s criticisms of my lightsaber forms.

Zeb meanwhile would keep himself busy by keeping an ear to the ground at Old Jho’s. That and I think he’s taking a shine to what Jho keeps on tap. It’s actually how we found that second smuggling job. More than once he’s clambered back to the ship late at night after one too many drinks.

And Chopper, well, Chopper is Chopper. A few days ago I walked into my cabin seeing him making use of his arc welder and buzz saw on my bed. I chased him out and inspected the damage but it looked like I’d caught him before he could do anything damaging. Or at least I think I did.

We’d just finished up dinner when Hera joined us in the common room and cleared her throat. “My contact came through. We got a mission, a mission that would really put the hurt on the Empire.”

“What’s it pay?”

“What contact?”

“I’ve been meaning to clobber some bucketheads!”

“I said a mission, not a job,” Hera said, making certain to spell it out. “The pay is we put the hurt on the Empire. The contact is confidential and no buckethead clobbering.”

I get that Kanan was always looking for some extra credits, he’s like that. And Hera had all but confirmed Sabine’s suspicions that she was hiding things and maybe after this we could find Zeb a job to beat up some stormtroopers. The Purple Furball gets antsy the longer he goes without a good clobbering.

Crossing her arms Sabine slumped back in her chair and gave Hera the old stink eye. “Fine. Keep your secrets. Tell us about this mission.”

“In four weeks time somewhere there is going to be a major Imperial shipment. Kyber crystals, we don’t know what for but the Empire can do a lot of hurt with those.”

“Okay that’s bad,” Kanan said.

“If the intelligence is accurate,” Sabine said, unable to help herself. Hera gave her a look and Sabine rolled her eyes. “Hey! I’m not eager for another crazy plan sneaking around a heavily defended Imperial prison with outdated schematics.”

“Well nothing you need to be worried about. We’ll have plenty of time for prep and getting our hands on reliable schematics. We already know the information that will tell us exactly where this shipment will be can be found in the office of our favorite ISB Agent Kallus. And.”

“Oh!” Zeb gleaned. “Been meaning to even the score with him. You sure we can’t smash our way in? Plenty of bucketheads to clobber that way!”

“No, Hera’s right,” Kanan spoke up. “This needs to be pulled off discreetly. But his office is at Imperial HQ. It’ll be hard to get in and out unnoticed. Sabine’s right, we’ll have to take our time with the prep.”

I’m fighting back a yawn. All I heard was four weeks until our next big mission. And that was four weeks I could spend working on my Jedi training. Had I been more observant I might’ve noticed the sour look Kanan shot my way.

“Which is why we’ll be sending in someone who won’t be noticed. Our very own Cadet Ezra Bridger!” Kanan announced with a knowing look on his face.

I blink and look around and notice all eyes are on me.

“Cadet?” I ask and frown. I think I might’ve missed something important.

“He’ll need a name and cover story,” Hera said thoughtfully, warming up to the idea.

I clear my throat. “Cadet who?”

“Forget it,” Sabine said, rejecting the idea outright. “Ezra’s talented but he’s not up for this. He doesn’t know Imperial protocols. He has no formal education. He isn’t competent enough with blaster weaponry and he just isn’t ruthless enough. He’ll get creamed!”

“Plus I’m pretty certain Kallus knows the Kid’s face by now,” Zeb added.

“It’s not Kallus’ job to train cadets, besides all the cadets wear helmets,” Kanan said.

“Umm do I get a say?” Ezra asked and raised his hand to help garner some attention from the others.

“Just a little undercover mission. You not up for it, Kid?” Kanan teased. But it didn’t work. He couldn’t get under my skin.

Sabine on the other hand…

“He’s not up for it,” Sabine reiterated.

“Am too!” I suddenly say.

She blinks, not expecting such a visceral response from me of all people. Neither did I but just something about her not having faith in me feels wrong. And does she really not think I can do it, or is she trying to protect me from something dangerous? I can’t tell.

“What’s Code 94364?” Sabine asks and sets her hands on her hips.

“Umm. It's the code for… Well it’s not a widely known code obviously, which is why I never heard-”

“It’s the Code the Empire uses whenever it seizes a family’s land and throws them into a labor camp. Happens everyday on Lothal.” Having proved her point Sabine dismisses me altogether and then turns to face Kanan and Hera. “He can’t do this.”

“Yes he can,” Hera proclaimed and looked pointedly at Sabine. “This isn’t Coruscant or Mandalore. This is Lothal, not exactly the best and the brightest. And besides. You’re going to make sure he makes it.”

“Me?” Sabine balks. 

“Can you think of someone better?” Hera responded.

“No. No way.” Sabine refused. But Hera wasn’t wrong. I don’t know a lot about Sabine’s past but every now and then I catch tidbits. Her ability with languages. Category Five exams, whatever those were. She had to be in an Imperial Academy of some kind, and must’ve been impressive. Hera’s refute that Sabine was the best choice for the task pushed out any lingering doubts.

At the same time, her being a Cadet didn’t tell me much. If anything it only left me with more questions. Not that I would be getting any answers.

There were more protests and arguments and Hera and Kanan heard each of them out. Even Chopper threw out a few reasons why. And the more I listened the more it was getting to me. In retrospect I think that was Hera’s plan all along.

“I can do it,” I say, speaking up at last.

Silence filled the common room. My decision to go along with it had sealed the deal and everybody knew it. Sabine stood and glared not just at Hera and Kanan but me as well! It was late and she was tired but before she left for bed she strode up to me and jabbed my chest with her finger.

“Until this mission is over you are out of there with the decoder, you are not Ezra Bridger. You are  Dev Morgan. At dawn you will meet me outside the Ghost. ” She looked back at Hera one last time, her amber brown eyes filled with resentment. “You better have a backup plan ready.”

After Sabine’s departure there were a few things to go over but nothing mission critical. And as expected of me, and not wanting to give Sabine any more excuses to be annoyed, I met her outside the Ghost at dawn. Uncertain of what we’d be doing.

“Get a good night’s sleep?” Sabine asked and I noticed that I had caught her in the middle of a series of stretches.

“Uh, yeah,” I answered.

Sabine’s small but powerful fist shot out and caught me unawares, landing a punch in my gut. I gasp out and nearly double over. All I can think of was what the actual kriff?

“The words ‘uh, yeah’ are not part of your vocabulary anymore, Cadet Dev Morgan. From now on I expect sharp and attentive responses! You will talk only when granted permission. Now stand at attention!”

The next thirty minutes was spent on what Sabine called “military bearing.” She also quizzed me. Some questions were easy. Who is in command of the military? Emperor Palpatine. What is Code 94364? I wasn’t about to get that answer wrong again and answered correctly.

After thirty minutes of getting half right and half wrong, and every time I got one wrong she had me do a number of pushups, Sabine moved onto the next portion of the day’s training. Running. Running with weighted packs on our shoulders specifically.

Wasn’t so bad, I had thought at first. But then Sabine kept at it with the questions and whenever I failed one she would make me turn around and run back a hundred meters at a full sprint and then return just as quickly. If I wasn’t fast enough (and Sabine knows how fast I can run) she’d make me repeat it. 

The whole day went like that. One long gruelling run over the plains of Lothal filled with questions and a variety of punishments if I got one wrong. If I got anything wrong at all! When the sun was high in the sky, around noon, Sabine halted the run and asked me where we were and how far we had run.

But for the moment I was too caught up in catching my breath, and for a moment I saw Sabine's mask falter. She slipped off her pack and from inside retrieved a water skin and handed it to me. Nodding gratefully I greedily drank from it, Sabine though showed no inclination she was all that affected by the run.

She sighed and then reached for the water before I was finished. “You’ve already had too much,” she said.

“Seriously?” I say.

“Basic biology,” Sabine shrugged and placed the water back in the pack where she had it sorted. “Dehydration and heat exhaustion caused from lack of H2O and electrolyte imbalance that can present-” She paused and glanced at Ezra.

“H2O?” he asked.

“Water,” Sabine sighed. “Two elements of hydrogen and one element of oxygen.”

“I thought we breathed oxygen?” Ezra said and frowned.

“Oxygen in its gas state, or O2, is two elements of oxygen bonded together. That’s what humans primarily breathe.” Sabine shook her head. “I can teach you chemistry someday if you want. The Imps won’t care about your knowledge of how the body works. They’ll only care about how much punishment your body can take and how devious your mind is at hurting others. That’s the Imperial Academy.”

“Which you know so much about,” Ezra said and perked an eyebrow. Sabine shook her head and pulled out a small aerosol spray from her bag.

“Place this in your mouth, then hold down on this button and breathe in.” Sabine demonstrated and then handed it to Ezra. It took him a few tries but once he figured it out and took his first inhale it was as if his entire world was reset and turned back to normal.

He looked down at the device in marvel. “What is this?”

“Something you won’t have access to at the Academy, Cadet Dev Morgan,” Sabine said and took it back from him. “It’s every kid for themselves there. And if you can’t keep up no one will call for a break, you’ll be left behind.”

“And the Empire walks off with a really valuable crystal,” Ezra muttered.

“It’s a power source for some secret project,” Sabine said. “Otherwise there’d be no need for a decoder and all this espionage we’re doing.”

“What kind of project would take that much energy?” Ezra asked, not really expecting an answer.

Sabine let out a breath. “Mandalorians wear the armor we do to counter the lightsaber of a Jedi. So much power concentrated in one tiny gem that can cut through nearly any material in the galaxy.”

Memories of the red lightsaber that Inquisitor had cutting through blast doors flickered into Ezra’s mind. So much power in just the hilt of a saber blade.

Ezra snorted and shook his head. “Doesn’t make sense.” Sabine tilted her head, looking at him inquisitively. “The Empire has thousands of warships capable of leveling entire planets. It has that Delta Gamma Zero code for destroying all life and everything. Proton bombs that just level everything they touch.”

“Base Delta Zero,” Sabine corrected automatically, but her eyes narrowed in thought. “And it’s not like they make a secret of hiding that policy, they brag about it in their Holonet transmissions.”

“So what? The Empire is secretly trying to build lightsabers?”

“Intel said it's not many small crystals but one big one,” Sabine reminded. “At least ten times the size of that thing in Kanan’s lightsaber. Whatever that crystal is being used for, it's a lot bigger than a lightsaber. And all the more reason to get back to training, Cadet Dev Morgan.”

Ezra groaned. “Can you at least leave out the ‘cadet’ part?”

“The sooner you get used to it the easier it will be for you to focus on your mission’s main objective, Cadet. Now come on. It’s a long run back and you’ll need your sleep for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“You’ll see,” Sabine said and packed up the supplies and returned to their run. “Now! What’s Code 35065 Sigma, Cadet?”

Ezra groaned.

Two weeks later, Ezra was standing at attention in his white cadet uniform in front of the Academy’s Commandant, holding his helmet in his hands.

And hoping his hair didn’t give him away. He didn’t think Aresko ever caught a good look at him before, or Grint whom he’d spotted earlier shoving his boot down on a cadet that was trying to do pushups. But he knew Kallus or even Lyste would recognize him.

He really wanted to put his helmet back on.

“Cadet Dev… Morgan?” Commander Aresko asked

“Yes, Commandant.” Ezra replied sharply and promptly, just how Sabine had taught him.

“At ease, Cadet,” Aresko said with a diminutive hand wave. Ezra widened his legs and rested his hands behind his back. “High marks on your physical and mental acuity examinations.” Aresko continued. “Unexpected from a transfer from the Pretor Flats Academy.”

Ezra didn’t know what to say to that, so he followed Zeb’s advice. ‘If a recruit doesn’t know what to say, best not say anything.’

“Had it not been Grint who performed your evaluations I might not believe it.”

 “The Cadent can assure you  Sergeant Major was very thorough , Commandant.”

Aresko chuckled and closed Dev Morgan’s file. “I’m certain he was. Small wonder you already achieved your helmet. Very well. Unit Aurek has an opening. I think you’re just the type Squad LRC077 needs. Dismissed.”

Ezra came back to Attention. “Yes, Sir,” he said loudly and then did a sharp ninety degree angle Left-Face and walked out of the office. The first thing he did was pull his helmet back on over his head, hiding his distinct midnight blue hair. He then picked up the Imperial bag containing his uniforms and other materials, but adjusted it in such a way he’d be able to drop it quickly in the event he needed to defend himself.

“I’ll be fighting other cadets? When?”

“Whenever,” Sabine shrugged. “That’s the thing about Imperial Academies, Cadet Dev Morgan. Palpatine and Tarkin are only interested in the strongest and most loyal. Teamwork and friendships don’t have a place in the Empire. And the other cadets aren’t going to just roll over and let you walk away when you keep coming in number one and making them look bad.”

Ezra found his assigned barracks and took out his cadet-sized code cylinder that gave him the most minimal access. Hardly better than a visitor’s badge. He swiped it and entered the door as it opened. Inside he found eight bunks and seven boys staring at him. One of whom had nothing but contempt.

“Look who it is, it’s the replacement.” The boy said with a sneer and got up out of bed. Walking over and putting himself in front of Ezra, blocking his way forward. “Probably more kriff from the Flats. Just what we need.”

“You’ll be alone. The outsider. They’ll have allies. Temporary agreements to work together to get ahead. You won’t. You’re new. An unknown. A potential threat. You need to strike first.”

Just as Sabine had shown him, Ezra slammed his helmeted head into the other boy’s nose and heard the crunch that came with a nose breaking. The boy swore as blood sputtered but Ezra had already dropped his bag and turned to face the next opponent.

This boy didn’t fare any better and once Ezra had him in a headlock he used the boy as a shield between him and any other attackers. But it seemed like no one else wanted to step up and try the new kid.

“And remember - ruthless. Once you have the advantage, keep it. Otherwise they’ll overwhelm you and you won’t be able to use the Force for help.”

“You had enough?” Ezra asked the boy he still had his arm around, he tightened it for good measure. The kid coughed, his skin turning bright red as Ezra’s hold choked off his blood supply. “Tap out,” Ezra commanded, his voice hard but steady.

He felt a slight tap of the boy’s hand against his leg and Ezra let go and shoved the kid to the ground, where he held at his neck and coughed. Ezra eyed each of them warily but none made a move. A few moments later they had returned to their bunks or resumed conversations as if nothing had happened.

Ezra picked his bag back up and made for the only empty bunk. He sat down and removed his helmet - and the smear of blood covering it. He looked back at the boy with the broken nose, the one who first challenged him. He glared at Ezra a moment before looking away.

“Remember this is just temporary. Chopper will be watching you and we’ll be right outside the whole time. The sooner you get in and grab that decoder, the sooner you get back home and we put this crap assignment behind.”

Ezra got out of his bed and headed to the communal refresher to clean the blood off the helmet. Those past two weeks had been tougher than any of his Jedi training - or any physical training he’d ever been through -  and Sabine was relentless in preparing him.

Sabine made Grint look like a saint in comparison! And while he hated it at the time, right now he couldn’t have been more grateful for all the time and patience she invested into him.

The next two days passed but no other attempts were made at him. And Ezra let himself be pulled into the monotony of life in the Imperial Academy, or Junior Academy as Sabine had put it. No one was going to be trained to be a stormtrooper there. It was designed for assessment. 

Does this kid have what it takes to be a stormtrooper? Is he that fanatical and ruthless? The boy, Oleg, who first challenged Ezra seemed to fit that type. Aggressive. Uncaring. Out for themselves. Definitely Oleg.

Ezra never really gave much thought about the faces behind the Imperial helmets he collected. And he decided that that was the point. If eventually all they became was a number and a helmet, it’d be all the more easy to lose your identity and for others to see you the same as any other Imperial. Any other buckethead.

But so far only Oleg and the other kid who tried to attack me seemed to fit that stormtrooper type. The others weren’t nearly as aggressive and ruthless and there was even some comradery. Jai especially who shared Ezra’s own sense of humor. While he never forgot Sabine’s training and that he was there undercover, Ezra couldn’t help but eventually become friends with the other boy.

As days became weeks Ezra found the others were growing on him, all except for Oleg and his friend. And there was also that Leonis cadet - their unit leader - he seemed a bit too intense. But Ezra didn’t see the others as all different from him. But there was one difference, and it trumped all else.

Everyone was there to earn a place in the Empire. Stormtrooper, TIE pilot, an officer, or kriff even a cook. They all saw the Empire as the power to serve and in all likelihood they would shoot him if they ever learned that “Dev” was there not to serve the Empire but to stop it.

And as Squad LRC077 stood at attention in the hangar and watched as Aresko activated the Well for the first time, Ezra knew at long last he would get his chance to stop whatever it was the Empire was up to. This exercise and its rewards for coming in first was what Ezra had long waited for.

“The what?”

“The Well,” Sabine stressed. “It’s a high-tech squared off pit built into the deck of the hangar or something. It opens up and lowers your whole squad ten to fifteen meters below the hangar floor. And the only way out of it is up.”

Ezra frowned. “So what then are there ladders or ropes?”

Sabine rolled her eyes and laughed.

“I said high-tech! There are dozens of moving repulsor platforms, hidden from inside the walls. They will slide out and hover around for a bit, maybe move up or down, and then eventually return to the wall only for a new platform to take its place.”

“And we're supposed to do what? Jump our way to the top and hope we don’t fall and break our necks?”

Sabine gave him that look she’d been giving him whenever he’d miss something obvious. Or something he should’ve known but had clearly forgotten. And it hit him.

“Right,” Ezra said. “Everyone is out for themselves.”

“Have you ever seen a stormtrooper stop to help a wounded comrade in the middle of a fight? I sure haven’t. The Empire is a machine and they’re cogs in a machine, Cadet Morgan. And the kids in your squad are all jockeying to be the best cog. You’re there to get Kanan and Hera the intel they need to blast the machine to pieces.”

“And Zeb said he found a safehouse?” Ezra asked.

“A small apartment a block away from the hangar. We’ll be outside the whole time, Ezra”

Ezra smiled at her slip of calling him by his actual name. It was the first time he had heard it in weeks. “Be sure to get something to cover up Zeb’s aroma, Paintbomb.”

Sabine rolled her eyes. “Please. That Furball is taking one shower a day minimum the whole time we're there. I am not living in that stench for the next two weeks!”

They shared a laugh and then grew serious, minds refocusing on the mission.

“So tell me about these platforms? I bet you figured out how and placed first.”

She never talked about it, but Sabine had long given up the pretense around Ezra of not having been an Imperial Cadet in her past. Given she was also Mandalorian and Ezra could put two and two together and figure out where and probably when she was a cadet. Yet he did his best not to bring it up, and when he did it was in cases like this.

To gain an edge.

“I did place somewhere in the top, yes,” Sabine said coyly. “But it won’t matter. Not in your case at least. Although you should know that the crates can be electrified at any moment and eventually in your training your class will be handed E-11s.”

“Blaster rifles? What are we supposed to do with those - hit the moving crates?”

Sabine was smiling but her eyebrows dipped and she had that look again in her eyes that told him he had missed something obvious once again.

“Oh,” Ezra said.

Blaster rifles. Every cadet for themselves.

Great. But Sabine was right. It shouldn’t really be that much of a problem for someone like him.

“Come on, Kid,” Sabine said and gave Ezra a playful shove. “Time for you and Chopper to work on your hand signals again.”

“You know only one of us actually has hands. He’s a flashlight on wheels.”

Sabine chuckled.

“You know I think that might be a new one for Chopper.”

Aresko was at the top of “the Well” lecturing and Oleg was down there trying to prove how tough he was and how he was going to get to the top first. His current target was Jai, though his targeting Jai was less about Jai and more about trying to get under Ezra’s skin.

Ezra just grabbed Oleg by the arm, twisted it, and shoved him away from Jai. It’s nothing he hadn’t already done the past couple weeks, except this time Oleg didn’t look intimidated in the least. But he was rather expecting it and was hoping for an excuse.

“Better watch yourself, Morgan,” Oleg chided. “It’s a long fall from the top. Same for you, Kell.”

Ezra winced inwardly and watched as the Well activated and the platforms began moving. Sabine was right, this wouldn’t be a challenge for him. But Jai didn’t have it in him. It’d been mistake after mistake and Sergeant Grint was already eyeing Jai and marking him for whatever punishment his brute-mind could come up with.

So far it’d been withholding rations but as Sabine put it, on Mandalore at least, the punishments could be far more severe. But that was Mandalore. So far the horror stories he heard weren’t manifesting themselves here on Lothal.

“Assessment begins!” Grint announced and as Ezra expected, out came the platforms.

The other cadets weren’t as prepared and Jai commented that this was impossible. So Ezra did the only thing he knew that could motivate him. He gave Jai a teasing shove and then led the way. Making it look so effortless that Jai was following right in his footsteps and so were many of the other cadets.

Not that it helped. The platforms were moving too fast for Ezra to help all of them. And besides this was supposed to be about separating the weak from the strong. If Ezra’s meddling interfered with the Empire’s test scores, then that made it all the better.

“You make it look so effortless!” Jai shouted as Ezra all but wallran up a side of the Well. Instinctively knowing which crate  was going to pop out next and where to place his hand for the best hold.

“What can I say?” Ezra said. “I’m a natural!” 

And a bit of an inside edge, Ezra thought as a platform below jumped with electricity and shocked the cadet standing on it. It was just as Sabine described, and then Ezra felt it. His instincts scream at him to move.

And so he did, jumping to the next platform and missing being shocked by less than a second. And then his instincts screamed at him again. Ezra made another jump to a passing platform. Again they screamed and so he jumped down to a lower one and kept jumping until finally he felt the danger had passed. 

That wasn’t random at all, Ezra realized as he glanced around and found himself looking up at Grint and Aresko looking down at them from their own hovering platforms. Aresko held what Ezra thought was some fancy looking datapad but only from this angle it didn’t look quite right. It must be a control device of some sort, with control of the Well and its platforms.

They’re trying to get me to fall. There’s no way anyone should’ve been to avoid that many electro-shocks.

“Morgan!” Jai yelled and his voice snapped Ezra back into the moment. Focused again, Ezra made a few jumps and placed himself on the same platform as Jai. He would come in first, he had no doubt. But Jai could use a break from the punishments.

Besides, Ezra thought as he sensed Oleg’s crate approaching them. Oleg was really excited about seeing one of them fall from this high.

“Jump!” Ezra shouted and guided Jai to another platform just in time to avoid being shoved from the crate by a passing Oleg. Instead it was Oleg who plummeted to a crate far below.

Ezra winced and then pointed to another passing crate. Together he and Jai made quick work of the final few crates and as Ezra climbed out of the Well it was with Jai right beside him.

“First again,” Ezra exclaimed and took his helmet off, breathing with ease unlike Jai who was bent at the waist gasping for air.

“Yeah. Well, I’ll get you tomorrow,” Jai verbally jabbed back at him.

“You said that yesterday too,” Ezra replied.

There was another boy too, and Jai helped him out as soon as he neared the ledge. It was hard to keep track of who with all the helmets but Ezra was pretty certain that the yellow helmet was Leonis.’  He didn’t have it out for Ezra, or anyone really.

Jai would be easy enough to steer away, aside from liking the guy and it was the other reason Ezra chose to befriend him. It was a little manipulative, true, but then that was the point of this whole undercover mission. 

Besides, Jai wouldn’t complain about getting an easy assignment and full meal today. And so long as Ezra picked a moment when Leonis wasn’t around he’d be in and out of Kallus’ office with the decoder in no time.

“Quite a finish, cadets,” Commandant Aresko complimented and clapped his hands in congratulations. “Morgan, Kell, you both set course records.” Aresko said and stepped off his platform to approach the cadets. “And, um, is it Leonis?” He asked and the third boy with the yellow helmet removed it to show his black skin and cropped haircut.

“Sir, yes, Sir!” Leonis said proudly but respectfully.

“You three are today’s winners. But rest assured, your next trial will be a great challenge.”

Ezra held his breath. Could it be? Was it finally time?

Come on. Please…

“Follow,” Aresko commanded and led the three away in the opposite direction of the Academy.

The more they walked the further they went from the Academy and the closer to the Imperial Headquarters. And Agent Kallus’ office.

Inside his head Ezra heard Sabine’s lecturing of maintaining a military bearing, and he was! Walking in a single line with the others behind the Commandant as they went through the labyrinth of hallways that made up the Headquarters.

But Ezra’s inner child was bouncing off the walls in excitement.

The turned at a corner and out of the corner of his eye Ezra spotted Chopper in an Imperial droid paint schematic. How the old C1 was fooling anyone Ezra couldn’t imagine, but he bet the grumpy old droid was as eager as him to be done with this mission and back in space flying.

“Whump, whump,” Chopper intoned as he passed Ezra.

First finger and last finger, Ezra thought and motioned the signal to Chopper. Everything was all good. He’d make his move today and they’d be out of here.

Looking back he should’ve known it’d be too good to be true.

Aresko gave the three their assignments and Ezra hurried through his, not knowing he had picked up a shadow. When he bumped into Kallus he made certain he was wearing his helmet so he wasn’t identified. Gaining access to the Agent’s office, also a breeze, and so was getting the decoder.

He opened the door to leave and make his escape, where standing in front of him was the last person he expected to see.

A cadet with yellow insignia, Leonis?

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, his voice coming across the helmet’s vocabulator.

A moment passed and Ezra squared up, his body bracing itself for a fight. He wasn’t wearing his helmet, carrying it in the crook of his arm instead to hide the decoder. And Leonis knew him by sight. His cover was compromised and now he had to fix this before word got out.

More movement outside and before Ezra could rush to a defense the other cadet quickly shoved Ezra back inside the office, missing an Imperial patrol by seconds. Stunned, Ezra watched as Leonis took off his own helmet, revealing his identity and then reached into Ezra’s helmet and lifted the decoder!

“Hey!” Ezra said and reached for it, but Leonis kept it back.

Leonis studied it for a moment and shook his head. “Figured it would be something like this.”

“It’s not what you think,” Ezra said, trying to explain.

Leonis turned away and looked around the office. “I think this device has a built-in sensor, which would trigger that .” He pointed to a security sensor above the door that Ezra had missed. “You try walking out with this thing, the whole facility goes on lockdown.”

Haar’chak, Ezra thought and realized he had been inches away from getting caught. And then it hit him.

“Wait,” Ezra said and looked at Leonis in question. “Are you trying to help me?”

Leonis held the decoder back to Ezra. “You really want to discuss this here and now?”

“Mmm, not so much,” Ezra replied and took the decoder. Briskly he returned it to Kallus’ desk where had swept it and then considered his options.

No one on the team had predicted this, and there was no way that Ezra would make his pickup with the team. Which would freak the others. But there was nothing for it. He’d try to sneak another message to Chopper later, hopefully he’d also have a backup plan figured out.

For now he’d have to improvise, but as things stood now he doubted he could pull this off alone. But then maybe he wouldn’t have to.

Neither said another word and went through the rest of their assigned duties. Once it was lights out and they were certain the others were asleep, Ezra and Leonis got out of bed and snuck out for a quiet chat.

“You’re slipping,” Leonis said once he and Ezra had found an out of the way storage room for some privacy. “Two weeks you come in all big and tough, putting Oleg in his place. Say ‘Yes, Sir’ and ‘No, Sir.’ But now you’re strutting around like you own the place. And was that your droid? Could you have been more obvious? Sloppy. If Aresko didn’t have his back turned-”

“You’re undercover too,” Ezra said. It was the only explanation and judging by the look on Leonis’ face Ezra wasn’t wrong.

“My sister, Dhara, was a star cadet. Wrote to us all about this place. Excited to be here. Then she up and disappears and Aresko feeds us this crooked story about her running off. I came here for answers and memorized everything I needed to know, including the alarm systems, and what triggers them.”

Ezra was impressed. He thought they’d covered every detail of the place. That he knew the ins and outs. But they had missed something crucial. What else had they missed?

Leonis stopped to take a breath, Ezra held his tongue and gave the other boy his moment. The boy’s shield of determination and competence returned and then he looked to Ezra.

“Sneaking into Kallus’ office is a good way to get shot.”

“Long story,” Ezra replied. “But I need that decoder. And I could use a partner who knows his way around.”

“What’s in it for me?” Leonis asked.

It triggered a familiar memory to Ezra. One not so long ago when Hera presented him with a similar choice. Stick it to the Empire but risk his neck to help people he hardly knew, or just continue looking out for number one.

But it wasn’t just about sticking it to the Empire, not for Leonis. He still had hope he’d find his sister. Be reunited with his family. All Ezra had was contempt for what the Empire had done to him. 

Ezra looked down at the floor. He had no choice, he needed help. “I was seven when the Empire took my parents from me. There was nothing I could do.”

Leonis let out a breath and sighed. He knew what that meant.

“This decoder,” he said. “It’ll hurt the Empire?”

“My friends and I have been targeting the Empire for a while,” Ezra explained. “There’s a shipment the Empire is trying to keep secret about. All we need is its location.”

Leonis nodded and held out his hand. Ezra took it and shook his hand.

“We’ll have to finish in the top three tomorrow,” Ezra said. “If we’re going to get into Imperial HQ.”

Leonis nodded, not showing the slightest doubt that they could do that again. “Then let’s do it. I’m Zare, by the way, Zare Leonis. And you’re Dev, right?”

Ezra winced and rubbed the back of his head. The ever observant Leonis closed his eyes and nodded. A cover name. Especially since Dev just admitted that he was part of a group targeting the Empire. Throwing around his real name would be a great way to get anyone who knew him hurt.

“Sorry,” Ezra said.

But Leonis, or Zare, shook his head and held up his hand. “It’s fine. I get it, do what you have to do. Besides if this shipment is as secret as you make it out to be and the Empire finds out you had a hand in it. Well, the less I know the better. But after you and your friends are finished with the decoder. I want you to promise me you’ll hand it off to an associate of mine.”

Ezra considered this and nodded. “Got a name?”

“Spanjaf. And I think he can help us get back in here tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Ezra said. “Tell me more.”

The first sign that today wasn’t going to be as easy at the Well, was the addition of four more cadets. Which meant four more kids he (and now Zare Leonis) would have to beat to the top.

Even better, every cadet had an E-11. After a quick inspection Ezra saw that it was set for non-lethal, but not that that helped much. One lucky shot and he could fall from first to last in the race to the top.

“Sort of feel like we're at rock bottom,” Zare said as he came over to stand by Ezra and glance at the newcomers. “Aresko was watching you earlier.”

Ezra frowned. “He was watching all of us.”

Zare rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I like you Dev but you really need to work on your observation skills. They tried shocking you a bunch yesterday but got nothing but air. I don’t know what your deal is, but you’re on their radar now.”

Osik, Ezra thought and looked up the well. Commandant Aresko and Sergeant Grint were both staring down but as he looked he saw that both kept eyeing Ezra in particular. Ezra had briefly brought up hiding his Force powers but Sabine dismissed it. If all went to plan he’d only have to do the Well once.

Kriff.

“One thing at a time, Zare,” Ezra said. “I’ll watch your back, you watch mine.”

“Right,” Zare said and then gave a sidelong glance at Jai. “The two of us getting to the top will be hard enough. But three?”

“Yeah,” Ezra said. “He’s a good guy.”

“Whose training to join the Empire,” Zare said, barely containing the resentment in his voice.

Ezra scowled and narrowed his eyes at Zare. “I’ll keep my end, Leonis. Count on it.”

Zare studied Ezra and searched him for something. Ezra had no idea what, but a moment later the boy nodded. Satisfied with what he saw. He checked his rifle and nodded. “Okay, Dev. Let’s do this.”

Ezra nodded but found himself glancing back up at Aresko. Zare couldn’t have known it but his words rattled Ezra more than he could’ve known. His story about Dhara being a star student and then going missing? And now Aresko is taking an interest in himself? All he needed was Aresko or Grint to start running their mouths about the blue haired cadet and it’d only be a matter of time.

“Do you really think you can save the boy?” the Inquisitor asked, his lips wide and showing off his devil smile. 

Ezra suppressed the shudder and focused back on the moment. Thinking like this would do no good. He had a mission and if he didn’t get this wrapped up soon they’d miss their window and the Imperial convoy too.

Zare was right. No matter what they had to reach the top.

Aresko’s nasally voice reached them, bringing focus to him in his perch beside Grint high above them. The sick bastard loved lording his power over us kids. Setting us against each other. This time they had to use their weapons to shoot the targets on the crates in order to activate a crate. But no one was fooled.

He wanted to be entertained, and those around him would waste no time in turning the weapons on each other. 

“Hey Dev,” Jai Kell greeted Ezra, happy to see his friend. “You seeing this?” Jai nodded his head to his left and Ezra turned. Sure enough there was Oleg staring at him  and then pointing his blaster rifle at him, a silent promise that no matter the outcome Oleg was going to make Ezra pay.

Great.

“Three! Two! One!” Grint yelled. “Begin!”

Cadets dropped left and right as they opened fire on each other. Ezra got tagged by Oleg and the stun setting was painful but it wore off quickly. If it happened near the top, however. Oleg didn’t enjoy his victory long as both Dev and Zare directed all of their shots at him.

“Come on, Dev!” Jai yelled above the loud circus of blaster fire.

Ezra got to his feet and glanced around. “I’ll hit the crates and lead the way! You guys keep them off me!”

It wasn’t much of a plan but by working together, the three made progress and soon had taken the lead. With Ezra making use of his Jedi precog and successfully navigating them higher and higher out of the Well and the other two picking off any cader who tried pointed their rifle at him, it wasn’t long before they neared the top.

But Oleg wasn’t to be deterred. He couldn’t get his gun on Ezra, but in Oleg’s eyes Ezra wasn’t the only one who had wronged him. Ezra and Jai jumped to the next higher crate and were just so close to the top. But just as Zare was to follow, Oleg squeezed the trigger causing Ezra's partner to fall.

“I’m not going to make it!” Zare yelled. His conclusion was clear as Oleg was climbing higher and higher, nearing the top himself. And he would, which only meant one thing.

“Sorry Jai,” Ezra said and slammed his shoulder into his friend’s back, causing him to lose his balance and fall several meters. His fall was broken, hitting a passing crate rather than falling all the way to the ground but the damage was done. Jai opened his helmet’s visor and stared at Ezra with a look of betrayal.

Ezra held the look, feeling guilt inside, but then flipped his visor back down to help Zare. Working together Ezra and Zare reached the top just as Oleg did.

And Aresko was clapping and lauding Ezra, pointing his betrayal out for all to see.

“Cadets, follow Morgan’s example. There is no friendship in war.”

It was all Ezra could do to keep from turning his rifle on the Commandant and making him stuff his words with a shot to the chest. Aresko droned on talking about how tomorrow’s test would be even harder, but the reward would be a ride in an Imperial walker.

Absently Ezra noted it. If needed it could be a potential escape vehicle.

As the assembled cadets moved to disperse Zare stopped by Ezra and saw the despondent look on his partner’s face, he also saw Jai headed right for them. His face a torrent of confusion and anger.

“Don’t try explaining or apologizing,” Zare whispered. “It’ll only make the betrayal worse.”

With that Zare left to make his way to the Headquarters and Ezra was left facing Jai alone. 

“What was that, Dev? You sabotaged me!” Jai said, his voice seething and on the verge of exploding.

“I did what I had to do,” Ezra said. He then flipped down his helmet’s own visor and turned his back on Jai. 

“Good to know,” Jai said, his words chasing after Ezra’s retreating back.

Ezra gritted his teeth. The quicker he wrapped this mission up the better.

He found Zare waiting for him halfway between the Academy and the HQ. The look on Ezra’s face said it all. The other boy stood and placed a hand on Ezra’s shoulder.

“The mission is what matters,” he said.

“Try telling Jai that,” Ezra responded.

Ditching Oleg proved to be no problem and Aresko had up and disappeared. Now if only Kallus wasn’t sitting at his desk with the decoder sitting right next to him. But that proved not to be too much of a problem as Zare was two steps ahead and revealed a list of…

“Pod racing parts?”

“Thought we might need some dumbied up datapads. And Spanjaf came through for me.” Zare explained. “Should be enough to distract Kallus long enough for you to sneak in and grab the decoder? You said you had a way in.”

Ezra set his shoulders straight. There was no way Zare would believe him outright. “Seeing is believing, just keep a straight face okay? You need to keep Kallus’ eyes on you.”

With that the pair found a nearby empty office with access to the headquarter’s ventilation system. Zare wasn’t the only one who had memorized the layout of this place and right now that preparation was going to make all the difference.

Ezra silently crawled his way forward until he was at last in the vent overlooking Kallus. He frowned as he watched the Agent type away at his desk, undoubtedly chasing down lead after lead of Ezra’s adopted family. 

He wanted to use the Force and throw Kallus through his office windows. End that threat to his family for good. Instead he pushed aside such non-Jedi thoughts and settled in. Five minutes later Zare rang the call button outside Kallus’ office. 

“Come,” Kallus said.

The door opened revealing Zare with a datapad filled with a long list of parts. “Sir,” Zare said. “Your Podracer parts have been delivered.”

Kallus leaned his head back in confusion and Ezra smirked from his spot in the ceiling.

“If you’ll just sign off here, I’ll bring them up.” Zare said, playing his part perfectly.

The outrageousness of the notion was enough for Kallus to stop all work and get to his feet. With his focus on Zare and his list he walked over to the door to address the issue. So far so good, Ezra thought as he reached out with the Force.

Now Zare just had to keep up his performance, which wouldn’t exactly be easy. Still Ezra placed his trust in the other boy and through the Force felt the decoder. Closing eyes and reaching with his hand he pulled the card loose and then began to draw it to him.

Zare fought to keep his eyes on Kallus but it was a little difficult, what if the decoder floating mid air in the room!

And yet in the face of the Empire’s best, he kept up his appearance and Kallus remained focused on Zare and the ridiculous list of Podracer parts. Ezra sighed in relief once he felt the decoder in his hand. He then quietly closed the vent and began to head back the way he came.

A good thing too as Kallus had dismissed Zare and his bogus list and was studying his office. Except there was nothing out of place or missing. Kallus shook his head and returned to his work.

Hunting Rebels.

“As usual, the assessments have proven quite illuminating,” Aresko’s voice filtered up from a nearby air vent.

As usual? Ezra frowned and changed direction. He paused beside the vent leading to what he could only figure was Aresko’s office. And then listened.

“I believe we’ve identified two cadets, Morgan and Kell,” the Commandant continued. Hearing the mention of his name and his friend, Ezra cautiously slid the vent open a few inches and looked down to see Aresko addressing the blue glow of a holoprojector. “Yes. I believe they meet your special criteria, Inquisitor.”

Ezra’s blood froze.

No.

“Excellent, Commandant.” The Inquisitor replied over the transmission and there was no denying it. It was  the same voice Ezra heard in his nightmares. “Tomorrow, I will arrive on Lothal to test them myself.”

No, no, no!

“If the tests are conclusive, I will take them into custody.”

Moving at what felt like glacial speed, Ezra gently closed the vent and gasped. 

This was supposed to be it. His last day here. In a few hours he was supposed to meet with Sabine and Zeb with the decoder and get the hell out of here! 

And then what? Leave Jai to face the Inquisitor? He’s only been succeeding because I’ve been helping him.

Ezra’s mind raced in turmoil and he tried to get a reign on his thoughts. It took some time but eventually he boiled it all down. Ironically it was what Zare said earlier to him about the mission that mattered.

He wasn’t wrong, and Zare was certainly focused on his own mission and this decoder will hopefully help him find his sister. Though with this realization of Aresko sending star pupils who meet certain criteria to the Inquisitor felt like a lead balloon to Ezra.

Depending on how long Dhara had been missing, Ezra was certain she must be in the Inquisitor’s clutches at this point. And who knows what’s happened since then.

Ezra couldn’t recall how he found his way back to his exit point in the vents but when he hopped out it was clear Zare had been waiting for a substantial amount of time. “There you are,” the Cadet spouted. “Decide to take the scenic route? And what was that floating thing with the decoder? You do have the decoder, don't you?”

Ezra patted his pants pocket where he had slid it. However Zare, ever perceptive, noticed that something had spooked Ezra.

“It's because I’m a Jedi,” Ezra said. Zare’s mouth opened in surprise, that wasn’t something he had been expecting to hear. “And we need to talk.”

“Pacing won’t make this go any faster,” Zeb said ever so casually.

Night had fallen and Ezra was overdue for his pickup, and Sabine was trying very-very hard not to grab the grenade off her belt and chuck it at a cluster of stormtroopers and storm the Academy with blasters out and shooting anyone who gets in her way. But she couldn’t do that. She knew she couldn’t do that. So she did the only thing she could do.

Sabine kept up her pacing and Zeb sighed. “Trust the Kid. He knows what he’s doing.”

“I know that,” Sabine said. “And I do trust the Kid. But he’s never been this deep before. Not for so long and without someone watching his back.”

“Look,” Zeb said, deciding on another tact. “Things never go according to plan. But the Kid has kept his cover up this long. He’s not about to blow things now when he’s this close.”

“I just… I just wish I could see him. To be sure,” Sabine admitted.

“And you will. As soon as - oh there he is.” Zeb said.

Sabine stopped her pacing and turned to see Chopper had snuck out again and had made his way to the predetermined meetup point. It’s about time, Sabine thought as Chopper rolled up to her.

“The decoder?” Zeb asked. While Ezra was risking his life in there, they were running out of time to stop that Imperial shipment.

Thankfully Chopper had the answer to that. Out of one of his disc drives popped the decoder. The sight of it brought a smile to Zeb’s face. He took the decoder and examined it, it was exactly the spec they were looking for.

“Thataboy, Kid.”

Chopper gave out a low grumble that Zeb couldn’t understand, but Sabine did. She huffed. “Yeah, yeah, you helped too. Now where’s Ezra?”

Again Chopper let out a low grumble but a series of warbles, and by the end it had Sabine in near state of panic. “What? What do you mean he went back to the Academy?”

“Karabast,” Zeb muttered. He\d spent the past two days assuring the girl the Kid was handling things just fine. And here he goes and misses the pickup and for what? Why in the blazes would he stick behind. Every moment he’s in there he’s risking life and limb!

This time Chopper didn’t bother answering, he just played the holorecording. Sure enough it was Ezra, and Sabine was seeing him. Just not at all how she wanted.

“Guys, I know you’re expecting me, but I have to stay at the Academy.” Ezra said hurriedly, making it apparent he didn’t have the luxury of time with this recording. “There’s this kid there, Jai Kell. And he’ll get scooped up by the Inquisitor if I don’t help him.”

Holo-Ezra threw up his arms in a helpless gesture.

“Wait. The Inquisitor?” Zeb said slowly. “Is Ezra out of his…”

“You probably think I’ve lost my mind. And you’re probably right. But it’s your fault. The old me never stuck his neck out for a stranger.”

Holo-Ezra sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Clearly, I’ve spent way too long with you heroes. Decode the hyperspace coordinates and get them to Spectre-1.”

Zeb sighed but a smile began to grow on his face. The Kid wasn’t being irresponsible, he’d completed his part of the mission. Now he was doing what he felt he had to. To let an innocent be taken by the Inquisitor? Zeb imagined if the roles reversed and he was in Ezra’s shoes.

And realized Ezra was right. He would do the same thing. And when Sabine removed her helmet and Zeb saw the forlorn look on her face, he could tell the troubled girl felt similarly.

“I do have a plan though. If you’re not too busy, attack the Academy tomorrow at noon. I could use the diversion so I can get out of here. Spectre-6, out.”

Holo-Ezra gave a little salute and with that the holorecording flickered out.

“Get us those coordinates,” Zeb said immediately to Chopper and handed the decoder back to the astromech, and Chopper got right to work. It wouldn’t take long.

“I can’t believe this,” Sabine said and Zeb noticed she had resumed her pacing. She then paused and whirled on Zeb. “This is your fault!”

“What in the Stars, Girl? Are you hearing yourself now?”

But Sabine wasn’t about to be deterred.

“Always taunting and trying to get under the Kid’s skin! Making him feel like he’s useless or not needed!”

Zeb flinched. Okay so she had him there, but he felt like he’d been easing up on that since the Kid saved his life and the two had their TIE fighter journey together. Still if there was anyone the Kid was trying to impress on the ship - it wasn’t him!

“Sabine, I think the Kid was sincere in his holo-recording. Not trying to impress a soul. He’s changed since we first met him. And he’s going to keep changing as he grows.”

He could tell that while Sabine was listening and possibly even agreeing, she still wasn’t happy about it. Not at all. 

“We’ll get him out of there. And he’ll be pleased as a Loth-kitten with a ball of yarn when he sees what you’ve cooked up for him.”

Chopper gave a beep and Sabine closed her eyes, smiling at the imagery Zeb painted. She was really looking forward to Ezra’s reaction when he first laid eyes on it. She’d worked so long on it. Getting it just right. 

It was certain to be a show.

“Begin the transmission, Chopper. Kanan’s going to flip when he hears this.” Sabine said.

“Yeah,” Zeb said with a chuckle. “Glad it's you who’ll be telling him.”

“What?” Sabine said and snapped her amber brown eyes to fix Zeb with The Look. “Nuh uh Big and Smelly. You’re telling Spectre-1!”

“Smelly? Smelly! I smell like daisies!” Zeb objected.

“Only because I’ve made you take a shower twice a day on this assignment! Ezra wasn’t lying. You need to change your diet or something.”

Chopper warbled that time was ticking and added that he had to get back to the Academy soon.

Sabine rolled her eyes and braced herself, figuring out how to word it. Maybe if she emphasized the need for them to leave ASAP she could skirt telling them about this altogether?

“Go ahead, Chop. Begin the transmission.”

“This’ll be good,” Zeb said.

Kidnapping Jai and forcing him to the same storage area Zare and Ezra had used earlier wasn’t too difficult. Sure Jai came in second all those times because of Ezra’s help, but it was because of Ezra. How Aresko missed that key detail Ezra would never know.

So kidnapping him wasn’t too hard, and since it wasn’t that hard Ezra was half tempted to make a run for it now. But Zare had kindly reminded Ezra that while his astromech droid coming and going was one thing, three cadets making a run for it was certain to draw attention.

Also there was the small matter of convincing Jai to make a run for it to begin with. The boy still wasn’t happy with Ezra. And why would he? To him his friend “Dev” backstabbed him for Zare.

No, Zare was right. While making a run for it was tempting. It was better to be patient and have Zeb and Sabine on standby. They just had to be sure to be gone before the Inquisitor showed up.

Ezra sighed. Unfortunately there was no predicting when that would be.

Meanwhile here was him and Zare in this kriffing supply closet trying to convince Jai to make a run for it while he still could. But he just wasn’t buying it. With arms folded and leaning against the wall, Zare looked like he’d given up on Jai entirely. But Ezra still felt he had a couple cards left to play.

Maybe.

“No. No way.” Jai said, his tone filled with resolve and convinced that both boys had it out for him. “This is just another dirty trick. You’re trying to get me busted out of the Academy.”

Ugh.

“Uh, yeah.” Ezra admitted. “But not the way you think The Inquisitor…”

“Please.” Jai scoffed and got into Ezra’s face. “I don’t believe this Inquisitor exists. And even if he does? Then maybe it’s a good thing. The Inquisitor trains me and I get a top rank in the Empire.”

“Kell, you got a family?” Zare asked suddenly. Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, it was the first thing he’d said in five minutes.

But it worked and Jai rubbed his hands nervously. “Uh, it’s just me and my mother.”

“And how would she feel if she never saw you again?” Zare pressed and stood tall, narrowing his gaze on Jai. He walked forward until he was eye level and an arm’s length away from him. “My sister disappeared from this place. And I’m betting it was the Inquisitor who took her away,” Zare said and shoved Jai back a step.

Ezra winced. He had hoped to get a chance to talk with Zare afterward about what had likely happened to his sister. He should’ve known the boy and his perception would’ve already figured it out.

“So unless you’re ready to say bye to Mom forever…” Zare said and pressed on the hard sell.

Ezra watched as Jai thought it over, piecing things he’d seen together and calculating the odds.

“Okay.” Jai said at last. “What’s the plan?”

Ezra gave a quick sigh of relief before pulling them together into a huddle. “Simple,” Ezra began. “The three of us have to win tomorrow’s challenge.”

“Not so simple,” Zare said.

“And how’s that supposed to get us out of here?” Jai asked.

Ezra smiled.

“Because it gets us inside that walker.”

As it turned out, for once, Ezra’s optimism was in the right.The first time in the Well it was six cadets. The second day it was ten. But today? For some reason Aresko only had four. Ezra and his group, and Oleg.

Knowing what was on the line the three boys knew what they had to do. Just as the previous day as soon as the test began all three formed up and began working together. Ezra led the way and made sure each boy made the jump. While the other two took turns covering Oleg, who was once more alternating between playing catch up and trying to take a shot at one of the three.

He may still hold his biggest grudge against Ezra, or rather Dev Morgan, but he was just as happy to take shots at any of the three so long as it meant he would finish in the top three.

Unfortunately for Oleg he was outgunned three to one and never could get a clean shot. He almost got one on Jai but Zare had his sights on the boy and hit him with a stun bolt.

“Thanks,” Jai said.

“We’re a team,” Zare reminded him and followed Ezra up to the next platform. 

When Ezra reached the final platform he turned and covered Oleg so that the other two could make the final push. Far below, nearly at the bottom, all Oleg could do was stare up at the three in frustration.

This time it was Jai who reached the top first followed shortly by Zare and lastly Ezra. The three boys exchanged smiles. The plan worked, but they were also lucky. Had it not just been Oleg it was doubtful all three would’ve reached the top first.

The three stood in a line before Aresko and Grint. The two Imperials waited until Oleg had climbed out of the Well and took his place at the end of the line, making a small effort to keep his distance as much as what was acceptable by Imperial close order drill standards.

Grint didn’t look pleased, not surprising since he had spent a lot of time one on one with Oleg and had come to favor the boy above all others. It figured given their shared bully mentalities. Aresko on the other hand looked very happy, and it was that response of Arekso the led to Ezra figuring out why it was only the four of them.

The Inquisitor.

Ezra, Zare, and Jai worked together the previous day against the other cadets and while Ezra “betrayed” Jai at the end it was pretty evident that he didn’t like it. And Aresko had noticed, so this time he made certain that the Well was clear of all other competitors but one.

It was rigged from the start. With the three of them working together and taking shot after shot at Oleg, they were guaranteed to reach the top. And the two cadets Aresko had promised to show off to the Inquisitor had finished in the top three on the very day of the Inquisitor’s inspection.

“Cadets Kell, Leonis, and Morgan win the day and the prize.” Aresko announced, a pleased tone in his voice and then gestured with grandiosity at a nearby walker in the Academy’s hangar.

In an angry huff, Oleg dismissed himself and left the hangar. Ezra smiled, happy to finally be rid of the selfish brute. And as they boarded the three Ezra’s happiness grew when he saw out in the training grounds a certain astromech throw what looked like one of Sabine’s miracles at the leg joint of a walker that was guarding the entrance to and from the Academy.

Things never went exactly to plan but maybe today would be the exception, Ezra thought as he closed the hatch and joined the others inside the walker. Its pilot was already seated and ready to go, and Zare had begun asking him questions on how to drive the thing.

With the pilot’s attention diverted, Zare picked up the pilot’s E-11 blaster rifle and passed it to Ezra. Behind his helmet Ezra smiled and checked the setting. He decided to set it to stun. With Zare standing next to the pilot and Jai in the co-pilot chair just behind, Ezra positioned himself on the other side of the pilot so he could look through the view ports.

Sure enough there was Chopper ready and waiting, just as eager to be done with this assignment as Ezra. The droid activated his signal light and Ezra counted the blinks.

They were ready. Ezra glanced back at Jai and nodded to him, then readied himself.

The explosion caught everyone off guard, everyone except the three boys in the walker.

“What was that?” The pilot asked as he looked on, stunned as the other walker collapsed on its damaged knee joint and fell to the ground outside the hangar doors.

The only response was the blast from Ezra’s E-11 and the pilot slumped forward, unconscious. “Jai, help,” Ezra said and together the two boys pushed the pilot out of the chair and Zare took his place.

“You know what you’re doing, right?” Ezra asked.

Zare put the walker into gear and after the first few steps Ezra had his answer. Zare did not know what he was doing!

“It’s the gyro-stabilizers,” he explained as the walker lumbered forward. Alarms from the hangar began to ring out and the hangar door began its slow descent. They didn’t have long before it closed and sealed them in.

Another walker had powered up that was closer to the doors and was already exiting the hangar, but it looked like their walker wouldn’t reach the doors in time.

“Do something!” Jai shouted and tried to get his hands on the trigger of the walker’s heavy cannon.

“No!” Ezra yelled and batted Jai away.

“What the kriff, Dev?” Jai demanded.

“The last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves,” Ezra said. “The longer Aresko thinks we’re three innocent cadets the better.”

“But the door!” Zare said and pointed.

The walker’s comm flared to life. It was Aresko.  “Pilot! Stand down! You cannot risk the lives of those boys!”

Jai frowned. “Why is the Commandant so concerned about us?”

“The Inquisitor,” Zare reminded him. “We’re no good to him dead.”

Ezra grabbed control off the walker’s comm and cleared his throat. Adapting a deeper, more gruff tone he spoke.

“This is the pilot reporting a 34029, someone sabotaged the controls. I don’t have control!”

“34029?” Jai asked.

“A remote slice,” Ezra quietly answered.

“Blast! Stop the hangar doors! Pilot, do what you can to keep those cadets safe! We’ll handle the damned slicers! Do they have control of the weapons?”

“Negative, Sir,” Ezra responded in the same gruff tone. “I shut them down before they could get to them.”

“Excellent! Keep up the good work, Pilot!” Aresko said and the comm went silent.

“Are you sure your friends can handle this?” Zare asked as an armored troop transport now joined the other walker. “That’s a lot of firepower.” Ezra leaned back from the comm and smirked as the hangar door began to retract, opening the way once more.

Before Ezra could answer they watched as from somewhere outside the Academy perimeter a flash a white smoke streaked across the grounds and a guided rocket slammed into the troop transport. The rocket must’ve been for anti-armor as it cut through the transport like butter and the ground shuddered from its explosion and Imperials went running for cover to avoid its shrapnel.

There was no way anyone inside survived that.

“What’s that astromech doing?” Jai asked and pointed out the left view port.

“He’s on our side,” Ezra answered as Chopper crisscrossed between the walker and threw more of Sabine’s miracle detonators on its leg joints. The little guy then zoomed himself clear just as the detonators were triggered. The explosives had the same effect on this walker as they had on the one before and it too collapsed forward as its legs gave way.

“The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” Zare commented. Stormtroopers poured out of the hangar only to be met by aimed blaster shots from just outside the perimeter.

“Okay we need to get out of here,” Ezra announced.

“No kidding,” Zare said. He had managed to get the walker under control and was doing better with driving. “But you didn’t plan this far ahead, did you?”

That was true. Ezra had half expected the Imps not to buy his line about the walker being sliced and under enemy control. But he gave the correct Imperial code and the last thing Aresko wanted was for Cadets “Dev Morgan” and Jai Kell to be hurt.

“Time to blow our covers,” Ezra said. “We’re far enough from the academy now, we can outrun any troopers. We stop the walker and climb down-”

“I’m staying”

“What?” Ezra asked and looked at Zare in astonishment.

“My sister, she’s still out there. The best place for me right now is back there. And your friends need to get that decoder to Spanjaf. I have a feeling it’ll help.”

Zare then stopped the walker and turned his head. He gave his two friends a smile. “Stun me and make a run for it,” Zare said.

“They’ll question you,” Ezra warned.

“And think what?” Zare countered. “Instead of making a break for it when I had the chance I decided to remain undercover?

“Dev,” Jai said, his voice tense. “We have to go.”

Ezra nodded and raised the blaster rifle. “I’ll see you again,” he said to Zare. “And we’ll find your sister.”

Zare only nodded and waited. Letting out a breath, Ezra stared down the sights of the blaster at his smiling friend. He squeezed the trigger and the circular stun bolt struck Zare and left him unconscious.

“Come on!” Jai said, his hand already on the hatch.

“Right,” Ezra grumbled, still not comfortable with leaving Zare behind but knowing there was nothing he could say to change the boy’s mind. If their places were reversed, Ezra would have chosen to stay behind as well.

This time Jai led the way, climbing out of the walker and then down its side followed shortly by Ezra. Only when they reached the ground they quickly found that they weren’t out of the woods yet as a trio of stormtroopers arrived at their side.

“Morgan and Kell? We’re here to get you out of here!”

“Doubtful,” a familiar voice called out and a flash of colorful art struck out, kicking one stormtrooper in the neck and then blasting the other two with her twin WESTAR blasters. The downed stormtrooper reached for his rifle but Sabine’s blasters roared again, finishing him off.

“Who is that!?” Jai said, looking at the quick work the girl made of the three stormtroopers.

“She’s with me,” Ezra said and smiled brightly at Sabine. “Come on!”

As the three ran for the gate two more stormtroopers charged in, trying to cut them off. But two blaster bolts from a sniper perch handled them.

Zeb, Ezra realized.

“Get in!” Sabine commanded when they turned a corner and found a landspeeder idling. Idling with a very irate Chopper sitting in the back, just as eager as Ezra to leave this place behind. 

As the teens climbed in they heard more shots as Zeb continued to cover their escape. 

With Sabine at the controls, the landspeeder peeled out of there. Ezra gave a backward glance and hoped that Zare would be alright. He was in for a hell of an interrogation later. But if he stuck to his story, he’d be okay.

“How’d you get them not to shoot on your walker?” Sabine asked once they had cleared the immediate area.

Jai grinned and slapped Ezra on the shoulder. “Dev called in a 30249! I can’t believe they bought it!”

Sabine glanced at Ezra and somehow he knew she was smiling. “I can,” she said.

“What can I say?” Ezra said and fought back a blush of embarrassment. “I had a good teacher.”

Sabine let out a laugh and shook her head. She then returned her attention to the road ahead, increasing speed to hurry them along before the city locked down. But it wasn’t long until the familiar sound of blaster cannons filled the air.

“Oh, kriff!” Jai said as he looked back. “We got bikers!”

“Cool it. Ezra, in your pack!” 

“Ezra?” Jai said and looked at Ezra in confusion.

Ezra just pressed the blaster rifle into Jai’s hands. “Shoot back,” he said and then searched the landspeeder’s  floorboards until he  saw his familiar pack. What did Sabine have in there for him?

“It’s not working!” Jai yelled, his voice barely audible over the heavy blaster fire.

“Oh for kriff’s sake! You need to change the selector from stun!” Sabine shouted back.

“You mean lethal? I never fired lethal before!”

“Haar’chak!” Sabine swore. “Anytime, Ezra!”

There it was, Ezra saw and gripped his palm around his blaster pistol. Only something was different about it. A lot was different about it.

For one it had been repainted an almost onyx black but highlighted a certain shade of blue, blue like his hair. And there were decorations that looked a bit like diamonds etched into the grip, as well as something in a language that Ezra didn’t recognize. But the biggest addition was the extended barrel, a cylinder hanging off the end of the barrel.

“What is this?” Ezra asked and held up his pistol.

“You use it to shoot the badguys!”

“It’s beautiful, Sabine!” Ezra said excitedly.

“Thanks!” Sabine swerved the landspeeder down a different road. “Now shoot, Kid!”

Ezra looked up and saw that Jai’s efforts had amounted next to nothing. The boy was still fumbling with the E-11’s fire mode selector and the bikers had chased them down this new road and closed into well within thirty meters. Sabine was doing a phenomenal job of cutting corners and dodging their blaster fire, but Ezra knew they had seconds at most.

With zero time Ezra lifted his pistol, drew a bead on the nearest bike trooper, and held down on the trigger letting off two three round bursts. All six blaster bolts hit the target dead on, killing the bike’s rider.

But that wasn’t the amazing part. The amazing part was there was virtually no noise from the pistol. And then it clicked for Ezra, the conversation they had over a month ago about how the SE-14 model could be modified, including a silencer. And it looked like Sabine (because who else?) had made a couple more adjustments. There was hardly any kick, even when shooting three blaster bolts at a time.

It was perfect.

Ezra peered down the sights as another biker drew closer. He steadied his hand as best he could and waited and waited until the biker himself came across Ezra’s crosshairs. Then Ezra squeezed the trigger. Another trooper fell off his bike.

“Whoa!” Jai exclaimed at the blaster and Ezra’s accuracy. “How did you do that?”

“I’m hearing talking but no shooting!” Sabine called as she spun the controls to take a sharp right, the landspeeder narrowly dodging blaster fire from the third and last bike.

“I can’t get this gun to work!” Jai yelled.

“For kriff’s sake! This is the guy the Empire wants?”

Close enough, Ezra thought and squeezed the trigger. Six more shots went downrange and all six hit the trooper center mass. A moment later he dropped from the bike, and at last they were free of pursuers.

“Are we clear?” Sabine asked over the engine and the wind lashing across them as she floored the speeder.

“Clear,” Ezra reported. “Time to get out of here.”

“Roger that, Spectre-6.”

“Spectre-6?” Jai asked.

“Later,” Ezra told him and took another admiring look at the extensive work Sabine had done to his blaster. She must’ve had  a lot of free time on her hands. 

As they exited the Capital Ezra leaned back in his seat and felt the adrenaline leave his body. He’d done it. Now all he could do was hope that Hera and Kanan had reached the coordinates in time.

He glanced back down at the pistol in his hand, and the strange writing. He’d have to ask Paintball about it later. But for now Ezra just closed his eyes and let the steady thrum of the landspeeder’s engine lull him to sleep.

The sun was rising just above the horizon when the Ghost touched down at the designated rendezvous site. After picking up, the Spectres had to tap into Imperial comms in order to avoid TIE fighter patrols that were out there searching for them. It wasn’t that difficult.

It wasn’t just Sabine but Chopper too that had been trying to find things to do to stay busy the past couple weeks. When he wasn’t passing messages between Ezra and the others the droid apparently decided to do some spying of his own by jacking into the Imperial Headquarters computer and learning all sorts of interesting things.

The encrypted information Chopper had gathered would help keep the Spectres a step ahead, at least for a while.

It was a good outcome for all, especially when they heard back from Hera and Kanan that the Imperial convoy and its kyber shipment were taken care of. Albeit only barely and with a much larger explosive than any had predicted.

They’d expected a large explosion, but what Kanan described was something else entirely. It was also something that could wait for later. For now Ezra contented himself with watching the sunrise while Hera did her best to comfort Jai.

“You’ll have to go into hiding,” Hera explained to the boy. “Your mother too.”

“From the Empire,” Jai grumbled. “Yeah I know. No problem.”

“We’ll help with that too. Now come on,” Hera said and guided Jai aboard the Ghost. “Ezra should have some clothes your size. Hope you're okay with orange.”

“Orange?” Jai asked as the pair disappeared inside with Chopper following after.

“I’ve never been so happy to see the Ghost,” Sabine said once it was just her and Ezra.

Ezra smirked. “I did warn you about Zeb.”

“It's the Furball’s diet,” Sabine remarked. “No matter how many showers he took and how many air fresheners I used, nothing helped. Me and Hera are so going to have a serious talk about the ship’s food stocks for the foreseeable future.”

Sabine glanced at her fellow co-conspirator and found Ezra smiling, but only a little. “So you're gonna spill or what?”

“About?” Ezra asked.

Sabine playfulled punched his arm. “Kid, you just pulled off one of the toughest solo assignments I can think of. So why so moody?”

“Just… Just thinking about Zare. I just left him there, Sabine.”

“From what I heard he didn’t leave you much choice,” a voice said from behind the two.

Kanan.

“I’m going to take a much needed shower, in my own room. And with my own bed! Oh how I’ve missed this place!” Sabine said excitedly.

“Can I see it?” Kanan asked. Wordlessly Ezra unholstered his freshly upgraded pistol and handed it to Kanan. “Whoa. A silencer, and very pretty.”

“It’s something special.” Ezra intoned.

“What’s this writing?” Kanan asked.

“Mishuk Gotal'u Diasa’yr,” Ezra said with a very broken but passable Mandalorian. “It means: Pressure Makes Diamonds.”

“Well you had a lot to deal with these past four weeks,” Kanan said as he continued to examine the colorful but extremely powerful blaster. It didn’t have the heavy hitting power of a heavier blaster. But if it's accurate enough and if Ezra’s aim is true, hitting power would hardly matter.

“So how was being on the inside?” Kanan asked.

“Like the view a lot better on the outside,” Ezra replied easily. “I forgot what it was like to be on my own.”

“You miss it?”

“No grumpy robots, no smelly Lasats.” Ezra said and then smiled. “I did make some friends, but it was pretty clear that the last thing the Empire wants is its people being friendly. Just cogs in a machine. I don’t know. I’ll never be able to look at a buckethead the same way again. Under all that armor and all that… indoctrination. They’re still people, Kanan. And some of them really believe they are doing the right thing. Zare’s sister certainly thought she was.”

“I see,” Kanan said and looked back at Ezra’s upgraded pistol. “And you’re okay with that?”

“Kanan. They were transporting a kyber crystal, one so powerful it destroyed three cruisers and anything else caught in its planet-sized explosion. And the Empire didn’t just find it by chance.”

Ezra sighed and got to his feet. “The mission is what matters.”

Kanan nodded and handed Ezra back the pistol.

“But yeah. It’s good to be back,” Ezra said and smiled.

Kanan chuckled and, since couldn’t help himself, replied. “At ease, Cadet.”

“Sir, yes, Sir!” Ezra laughed and made his way into the Ghost.

It was good to be home.

Chapter Text

It happened in a flash.

One moment, he and Sabine are sitting secured in the Phantom’s aft jump seats as Hera skillfully evaded the chasing TIE fighter. Then? Then Ezra felt it.

The Call.

The feel of the Force pulling on his mind and calling out to him. Not in an encouraging call to guide. But an urgent demand. A demand to act. A demand to act now!

“Sabine!” Ezra yelled.

The beautiful girl sitting across from him in the seat opposite turned her attention to him. And what could be so important?

The TIE’s cannon broke the Phantom’s shield.

Its green laser fire ruptured the rear hull.

The molten firepower’s heat and external pressure made the weakened hull split. In the blink of an eye, the breach caused the Phantom to lose nearly the entire shuttle’s aft crew compartment, and Sabine right along with it.

“SABINE!” Hera shrieked.

But it was too late. She hadn’t even been wearing her helmet! She wouldn’t have stood a chance at this altitude and at this speed. That is unless, of course, if it wasn’t Ezra here with her now.

“Oh kriff!” Sabine screamed as she was dragged behind in the Phantom's wake, with nothing to keep her from falling. Nothing that is but Ezra.

“It’s okay, Sabine!” Ezra called to her as he folded the Force around her like a warm blanket and buoyed her to the rear of the shuttle. He generated a powerful protective bubble around the entire Phantom to replace the fallen deflector shield. The pressure from the outside hammered at his Force-generated bubble, but Ezra held fast.

Nothing would happen to her, not on his watch as Ezra stood boldly in the exposed rear of the shuttle. The darkened night of the Lothal sky and the speed they were going made it hard to keep track of the dangerous mountaintops zipping by all around them as Hera continued to dodge the incoming green arcs of laser fire by the TIE fighter.

“Whoa!” Sabine said, as more of the green fire smattered against Ezra’s bubble, only to dissipate harmlessly. “I don’t know what’s more impressive!” she exclaimed. “What you can do with the Force or the view!”

“Hey, Ezra,” Hera called to him. “Any ideas about that TIE?”

“Yeah, watch this,” he responded and while his right hand remained reaching outward and protecting them with the Force. His left hand felt for their enemy. And when he felt the TIE in his grasp. With all of Ezra’s might, he closed his left hand into a fist.

The durasteel armoring of the TIE fighter was tough.

But Ezra’s determination to protect those in danger and his power in the Force were stronger.

The TIE stuttered under the might of Ezra’s grip. Its pilot tried to pull back and disengage. But it was no use. Alarms blared and warnings popped up inside the TIE’s cockpit, alerting the pilot to the danger. But there was nothing he could do.

Ezra focused and tightened his grip ever so slightly, and the TIE fighter crumpled and lost all power of flight. From her view, Sabine watched in amazement as the TIE bucked and cratered and fell to the ground like a comet and exploded into flames.

She looked away from the fiery crash. Her eyes found Ezra’s, who still held her safely in his outstretched hand. She smiled warmly at him.

Ezra saw this and smiled back. They kept smiling while Hera found a place to set down the Phantom. Only once the badly damaged shuttle was on the ground did Ezra gently release Sabine. The bewildered girl felt the ground under her feet once more.

Brushing his midnight blue hair over his shoulder, Ezra walked gallantly up to her and smiled.

“I’d never let anything happen to you, Paintball. I’d never let you fall.”

Sabine laughed and pulled him into her arms.

“Mandalorians don’t have a word for hero,” she murmured into his ear. “So this will just have to do.”

The two closed their eyes as their lips pressed together. Relaxing in each other’s arms, the rest of the world stood still as they just basked in the presence of the other.

The heat from their bodies.

The feel of their lips.

The scent of paint from Sabine and the new body wash Ezra had switched to, the smell of which was driving Sabine wild as her heart fluttered in her chest.

“Oh, Ezra,” Sabine whispered softly as the kiss continued.

“Sabine,” Ezra replied and deepened the kiss.

“Ezra,” Sabine said . But then her tone changed. Becoming louder. “Hey Ezra? Ezra! Hey!”

Ezra blinked his eyes.

“Hey Kid!” Sabine hollered in Ezra’s face from her seat across from him. “You awake in there?”

“Uh yep! Present!” Ezra replied and shook his head.

It had all been in his head. The Phantom was still in one piece. There was no him reaching out with the Force and destroying a TIE with one hand. And that kiss? Well he was still breathing. If he made a move like that on Sabine he imagined it'd be the last thing he'd do in this life. But what a kiss! Ezra could only wonder what kissing her would really be like. Maybe someday?

Meanwhile, in the front, Hera was flying by the seat of her pants. Chased by a TIE that just wouldn’t take the hint at such a low altitude. Ezra felt his nerves tingling as the Force warned him of the dozens of danger lingering on the peripherals.

But barring the Phantom flying into a mountain or crashing into the ground, Hera had the situation well in hand as the best the TIE could do was score a few glancing hits. All of which were handled easily by the craft’s rear deflector shields.

Still, it was getting to him. Sabine turned her head and looked forward at their jade green Twi’lek who was fearlessly defying the odds with her skill. But a person could only rely on skill for so long long.

“Hera, shouldn’t we be, uh, firing back?” Sabine suggested.

Hera shook her head, her lekku headtails swaying back and forth. “Stay calm. It’s all part of the plan,” Hera told her.

Ezra gulped and nervously gripped the edge of his seat. “Is getting blasted out of the sky part of the plan, too? Because if it is, then the plan’s going great.”

Hera smiled and reached forward to flip a switch. She then paused in dodging the laser fire and looked back at him and winked. “Ezra, you should know better.”

Outside on the roof of the Phantom, its dorsal laser cannon activated and swung to the rear. It had the TIE locked in a second, and in the next second it opened fire. With no shields of its own, the TIE stood no chance and after a few shot it exploded into a ball of flame.

“Splash one,” Hera said and flipped the switch off and leaned backward into her chair. Her calm and easygoing nature had a causational effect as first Sabine and then Ezra unbuckled their safety harnesses and left their seats.

As they came to stand behind Ezra, the two had somewhat different reactions. To the left of Hera, Ezra looked relieved and a little impressed. Meanwhile, to the right of the Twi’lek, Sabine wore a look of simple annoyance.

Hera caught both of their looks and grinned cheekily. “There isn’t a pilot in the Imperial fleet that can outrun me.”

Seeing the chance, Ezra leaned against the flight console and put on his charm. “Yeah. So, uh, how ‘bout teaching me some of those high-flyin’ moves?”

Sabine, for her part, crossed her arms and tried to keep her annoyance at bay at just how casual they both were acting. She rolled her eyes at Ezra’s question.

“You? Fly my ship?” Hera’s chuckle was polite, but her words bore skepticism. “I don’t know, Ezra. You really think you’re ready?”

Images of being able to do what Hera just did flashed through his mind, and Ezra closed his eyes and nodded confidently. Definitely, he thought. Except he felt something more pressing, something immediate. Ezra opened his eyelids and his eyes immediately focused on the cockpit viewports at the three TIE fighters coming in!

“Not ready. Not ready!” Ezra yelped as his eyes widened in fear.

Flying in close formation, the three TIEs adjusted their sights and, with the Phantom dead ahead, they opened fire. But Hera was ready and at the last moment dove the Phantom down. The TIEs missed and had to swing back around as they flew right by her.

Not a single shot had landed.

Back on the defensive, Hera had the Phantom hugging the ground as she forced the Imps to chase her through the dangerous Lothal mountain range. Dipping into canyons and dodging the towering mountaintops to their left and right. The TIEs had to maintain their close formation for all three to keep her in sight, even though that increased the risk of them crashing into each other.

But the Imps were good and despite the low altitude and cramped conditions. They opened fire once more. The Phantom shuddered under the firepower, its hull protesting against the punishing hits. But the deflector shield held and did its job. Bouncing away the shots that did land and kept those inside safe as Hera continued to make the Imps work for the few chances they could find to get a shot off.

Hera kept her cool, her furrow brow, and green eyes determined. Ezra, who’d been so eager to learn to fly, was sweating bullets, and decided he liked his daydream of saving Sabine with the Force much more than this. As for the girl herself?

“Well,” the teenage girl spoke, her voice laced with sarcasm. “We’ve gotten ourselves into another fine mess.”

“I admit it’s a little messier than our intel indicated,” Hera acknowledged, her primary focus still on her flying.

“Yeah.” Sabine expressed in that same tone of annoyance. Unsatisfied with Hera’s not-answer, she continued. “That’s been happening a lot lately. Where, may I ask, does this intel come from?”

Recognizing the trap for what it was, Hera replied with good old fashion snark. “You may ask.”

Sabine leaned away from Hera and pressed her back against the wall of the cockpit. That wasn’t the response she’d been fishing for.

“Excuse me.” Ezra stated, less interested with what the two female were so busy not-arguing about. “Sorry to interrupt, but could we maybe focus a little more on not dying?!”

“Hang on!” Hera warned and shed pulled hard on the control stick.

The Phantom banked hard to the right as it threaded its way through a very narrow canyon. Too narrow as its bottom hull scraped its belly against the rock wall of one mountain. The interior of the Phantom shuddered, but to the relief of all, they were still flying. Meanwhile, only one of the three TIEs tried to follow Hera through the narrow passage only to wind up exploding against a rock face.

The other two detoured slightly, but were soon enough back on Hera’s six.

Flashing lights and beep alarms filled the shuttle. Ezra and Sabine hurried away to a panel in the back of the craft to check the systems. “It’s okay.” Ezra reported as he looked over the damage. “Paint might be a little scratched, but no real damage.”

Sabine returned to her spot at Hera’s side and looked over the Twi’lek’s left shoulder and at the flight controls.

“Oh, there’s damage. Steering’s off.” Hera claimed, disagreeing with whatever the sensor panel was telling Ezra. She could feel the vibrations coming off the Phantom’s control stick.

“Not what this says.” Ezra replied and glanced from the panel to Hera. The pilot closed her eyes and let out a tiresome breath.

“It’s what I say, and I know my ship.”

Ezra rejoined the pair at the front and noticed that the mountain range that had been helping keep them alive was gradually being left behind. It wouldn’t be much longer before the two remaining TIEs would have a clear shot.

“Hey, I’m all for sticking it to the Empire, but what was in that convoy?” Sabine asked. “You never told us why the mission was so important.”

“I’ve told you before, Fulcrum’s intel is on a need-to-know basis.” Answered Hera, tiredly. This wasn’t the first time Sabine had questioned her about this.

“And I told you before, I need to know more.” Sabine asserted with equal frustration.

Whatever her thoughts, Hera kept them to herself. She flipped a switch, activating the dorsal gun once more and aimed the rear cannon at the tops of the few remaining mountaintops. She fired and her shots exploded the mountaintop, developing an enormous cloud of dust and debris to blind the two pursuing TIEs. Having lost all sight, one of the two pilots panicked and pulled up. It was the absolute worst decision he could have made.

As his ship cleared the cloud, the pilot had a fleeting moment to ponder the wisdom of his choice as his TIE smashed into the other, destroying them both. Hera had done it again.

Inside the Phantom, she exhaled in relief and smiled at the sight of the nervous but giddy blue eyed blue-haired boy, happy to be alive. Sabine had more to say, but for the moment bit her tongue.

No one had realized that the Phantom had taken more than a few scrapes when it grazed the side of that mountain.

With Hera still unconvinced things were fine, she wasted no time in leaving Lothal behind and making for the nearby Ghost waiting in orbit. After a successful docking, the proud captain led the way off the shuttle and onto her bigger and more heavily armed freighter.

The rest of their space family was waiting for them in the Ghost’s common room.

“Everyone okay?” Kanan asked.

With his comforting presence at her side once more, Hera let down some of her walls and welcomed the Jedi’s embrace. “We’re fine,” she said, and then scowled. “But I scraped - the Phantom’s underbelly.”

Kanan pulled back a bit to look at her, astonishment in his eyes. “You?”

Hera rolled her eyes and gently digged him in the ribs with her elbow. “It was somewhat unavoidable once your plan went south.”

Kanan smiled and took it in stride. “Ah, there we go. Knew there had to be a way this was my fault.”

Hera laughed at her guy sweetly, enjoying his banter. “And you were right, dear.”

Ezra shook his head. He didn’t know why he was so surprised. Of course, the plan was Kanan’s. And with Hera upset over the damage the Phantom had taken? She’d want answers. Answers with lots of details. Ezra exchanged a glace with Zeb. In an unspoken agreement, the big purple Lasat left in the same direction Ezra was heading, the pair trying to remain as unnoticeable as possible. Like it was that easy.

“Zeb,” Hera addressed with her voice, taking on the role of captain. Zeb and Ezra’s shoulders slumped. Caught. “I’ll need the Phantom ready to pick up the supplies from Fulcrum. Adjust the steering and run a diagnostic. Chopper and Ezra will help you fix any problems you find.”

Wait? Chopper too! Ezra didn’t like the implications of this arrangement at all.

Zeb scoffed and gestured at Ezra with his arm. “Really? Have you met them?”

The little orange astromech growled, and Ezra smacked Zeb’s arm for what good it did.

“Hey!” Ezra declared, affronted by the insult. He’d been pulling his weight! The Academy job and before that, when he and Zeb outsmarted all those Imps on Kothal. And made off with a TIE fighter of their own!

“And I’m leaving soon,” Hera continued, with no care to hear their excuses. “So get to it.”

Hera left the room through the door leading to the crew's quarters and cockpit. Kanan headed aft to the galley. Zeb, followed by Chopper, took the ladder that would lead to the shuttle deck and whatever mayhem the droid had in store. Some mayhem Ezra would prefer to avoid.

That was when he noticed Sabine, sitting alone at the dejarik table with her helmet placed in its center. She had the expression of someone whose thoughts were a million light years away. She hadn’t said a single word throughout all that. But it was clear she was thinking about something important.

Ezra then thought about how Kanan had comforted Hera and it looked like Sabine might want some attention?

Sabine looked up from her helmet on the table, noticed Ezra, and frowned.

Ezra gulped. Was he staring that obviously?

“I’ll just, yeah,” Ezra announced and quickly left the girl by herself. Maybe he could try that comfort thing some other time.

He had planned to head toward the shuttle and help, as Hera had ordered. But then gave it some thought. Did they really need his help there? All that time spent undercover and training with Sabine had cut into his Jedi lessons. And it wasn’t like Kanan was busy with anything currently, not while Hera was running around with these Fulcrum missions.

He was just about at the Phantom when Ezra changed his mind. He headed back the way he came, intent on finding Hera instead. Get her to see things how he did. Or maybe he’d talk to Kanan first? Ezra pondered as he climbed down the ladder and returned to the common room, finding it empty. No Sabine, but her helmet remained on the table.

Odd, Ezra thought, and then headed forward through the ship. Despite her bravado, Ezra noticed Hera liked to spend some time in the pilot’s chair of the Ghost after a stressful mission. Sure enough, he heard voices coming from the cockpit and Ezra slowed his pace and one of them was Hera’s.

The boy slowed his approach, not wanting to interrupt anything, but the doorway was open. Not thinking anything of it, Ezra peeked his head through and then his jaw dropped.

Over two cups of steaming caf, Kanan and Hera were enjoying a private moment together. A private moment with a kiss the likes Ezra never could have imagined!

The pair hadn’t noticed him, thank the Force! And Ezra knew he shouldn’t be spying - and he wasn’t! Just shocked. He’d been with the team for months now and had long suspected. But suspecting was one thing, seeing was another!

Coming to his wits, Ezra backed away slowly only to back right into - Sabine! Her amber brown eyes bore into his azure blue with a mixture of amusement and disappointment? Wait! Did she think I was?

No!

No! No! No! No! No!

Sabine rolled her eyes, took Ezra by the hand, and quietly guided the startled boy away from the open doorway. But only a few steps. She then released his hand and held a finger up to her lips in the universal sign to be quiet.

“Mm,” Hera’s voice came from the cockpit.

“Better than the caf?” Kanan inquired, his voice smooth as silk.

“Mm, hard to say but. You do make a good cup of caf, Love. So maybe barely?”

“Well,” Kanan responded and gave a small laugh. “Caf is a strong competition.”

More laughter, which was nice, Ezra thought. It was good the two had that kind of connection. But glancing at Sabine, he saw she didn’t find any of it endearing. His fellow teen was anxiously biting her lip in frustration.

What was she up to? Ezra wanted to ask. He just came here to get out of working on the Phantom. He knew Sabine was mad, but why were they just standing here, out of sight, creepily eavesdropping on Hera and Kanan?

“So,” Kanan said. “What happened out there?”

“Well, we took the target,” Hera replied.

“Yeah. I got that part.”

“Fulcrum was right about the timing and route but underestimated the Imperial defenses.”

“It’s getting harder to anticipate the Empire’s moves. That’s for sure.”

Ezra felt a sharp pull on his wrist as Sabine all but shoved him backward, further into the hall. Meanwhile, she boldly strolled into the cockpit and cleared her throat.

“Yeah, about that I’d like to know why we’re relying on intel from this Fulcrum, whoever he is.”

It was then that Ezra decided that maybe spending some time with Zeb and Chopper at the other end of the ship wasn’t that bad an idea. Jedi training could wait a day or two.

“Where’ve you been?” Zeb demanded when Ezra joined him and Chopper at the Phantom. Ezra opened his mouth but was hard pressed to come up with an answer. “Whatever,” Zeb retorted. “Get down into that maintenance duct and check the steering Hera was going on about.”

Ezra eyes the maintenance duct under the floor of the Phantom. Another tight duct only I could squeeze down in. Great.

Still, he got to it, and while they worked, Zeb made conversation. Conversation surrounding how much he could go for a heaping stack of waffles right now. But Ezra only gave minimal responses. So minimal that Zeb dropped it entirely as the Lasat focused on the diagnostic test.

The steering does feel off, Ezra determined and examined the problem further. But his mind was wandering. Wandering back to that kiss, and how was it that Kanan and Hera ended up dating in a galaxy like this with the work that they do?

Ezra moved and accidentally hit the side of his hip against the duct, the side with the holster and the pretty blaster that Sabine had customized for him. Hmm. She was pretty impressed by my work at the Academy. It was a pretty daring assignment. She’s also always impressed by Kanan and the stuff he can do, the stuff I’ll be able to do one day.

Maybe that fantasy wasn’t so much a fantasy after all? Maybe all Sabine needs is a knight in shining armor to sweep her off her feet and save the day?

That guy could be me. Totally it could! My armor isn’t metal or shining, but nowhere does it say a knight can’t wear orange!

Ezra smiled. It was so obvious. So simple. He’d just have to be ready when the time came. Which shouldn’t be a problem. Sabine didn’t need rescuing all that often, but in the work they did, it was bound to happen eventually. And also, he had the Force. He’d sense any danger a mile away! Nothing could go wrong!

“Well how about it, Kid?” Zeb asked from his spot at the sensor panel that was tracking the diagnostic programs. “Ezra! The steering?”

“Right, yeah,” Ezra replied. “Hera was right. Steering’s definitely out of whack. But I almost got it fixed.”

Ezra popped his head and shoulders out of the duct and stretched. He then grabbed a wrench from the toolbox. “I got this,” Ezra replied and ducked his head back into the duct to finish with the repairs.

“Results are in!” Zeb spoke. “There we go. Life support filters need cleansing. Chopper, as soon as Ezra’s out of the repair duct, purge ‘em.”

Life support filters, Ezra thought as he worked. That would explain a few things. And also pretty lucky. The Phantom had scraped that mountain hard. He’d of thought there’d be something more serious, but then he was still learning the ropes.

Ezra smiled and with one last twist of the wrench, he felt the steering drive finally recalibrate to the correct setting. Though at the rate he was going, maybe it wouldn’t be that long before he convinced Hera to show him how to fly. That’d be something! Now time to get out of here and purge this thing.

“All fixed!” Ezra announced. He heard Zeb acknowledge him, and it sounded like Chopper did one of his little evil laughs.

And then he lost track of all thought as alarms suddenly went off from inside and a stank cloud fumes and debris filled Ezra’s vision as the purge consumed everything in the duct, himself included!

“Whoa! Hey!” Ezra exclaimed.

But the only response he could hear over the alarms and hissing of the purge was more maniacal laughter from that cursed astromech droid.

Chopper!

Finally, the alarms stopped blaring in Ezra’s ears, and the cloud that blinded him cleared. Gripping the wrench tight, the boy hoisted himself out of the vent and glared. There was Zeb by the diagnostic panel, and holding his chest as he bellowed with laughter. Ezra got to his feet, still holding the wrench.

“Sorry, kid. I told him to wait till you were out.”

Then Chopper waddled past Ezra, chortling in laughter. But Ezra blocked the little pest’s path and knelt down, getting eye level with Chopper’s optic receptors. His blue eyes flashing with anger.

“Not funny.”

And then Ezra acts by jumping atop Chopper’s dome and begins hammering the droid with his wrench. Chopper rolled and bucked to throw Ezra off, but it wasn’t working. The boy was holding on, intent on his revenge.

Zeb did his best to keep his own anger in check and be the responsible one. He gestured at Ezra, at the sensor panel. “Hold it. We’re not done here. The diagnostic’s still running.”

But Ezra wasn’t listening, only continuing to hammer and jab his wrench into Chopper’s thick dome. “You can run a diagnostic on Chopper when I’m done with him.”

Realizing that Ezra was serious, Chopper spun his wheels and zipped past Zeb with Ezra still atop, hammering his wrench. Only as they sped past, the wrench goes wide and accidentally caught Zeb. It was the last straw for the Lasat. With a guttural growl, he runs after them.

When the diagnostic results came in, no one was there to read them.

Sabine didn’t know what to think (at first) when she found Ezra standing outside the cockpit door as Hera and Kanan spent some much deserved alone time together. And at the moment she didn’t care, she just needed him out of there and preferably with Zeb at the Phantom, making sure the thing wouldn’t fall apart on its next mission.

A mission Sabine refused to be excluded from. Because she was tired. Tired and frustrated of being kept in the dark while the missions were becoming steadily more dangerous. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them.

But as she sat in silence next to Hera on their journey to the cargo pickup, Sabine thought back to her interruption. After she shoved Ezra on his way and stepped into the cockpit, breaking up Hera and Kanan’s little private meeting.

“Yeah,” she had spoken. “About that. I’d like to know why we’re relying on intel from this Fulcrum, whoever he is.”

Kanan predictably had come to Hera’s defense. “It’s Hera’s job to find missions that create problems for - the Empire.” Kanan got to his feet. “- and profit for us.” Sabine held her ground as he approached her, his height giving a natural advantage that forced her to rise her chin to meet his eyes. “- If Hera trusts the contact, I trust the contact. No questions asked.”

“At the Imperial Academy…” Sabine told. “They didn’t want me to ask questions either. That didn’t work for me. That’s why I ended up here.”

Being compared to the Imps had Kanan taking several steps back. This was sensitive ground for Sabine and he was clumsily stepping all over it. Then the man opened his arms in a non-threatening manner.

“And we’re glad to have you,” he said. Sabine couldn’t believe him at the moment. The man was trying to charm her! Not in the way Ezra would, but try to dissuade her anger with what he thought was charming? Kriff that!

Like the teenage daughter she was, she squared up to Kanan and flung her arms and hands out in exasperation. “You are so frustrating!”

Not about to argue with a moody teen, Kanan turned and left the cockpit. But not without a parting shot. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before.”

It had been the last straw for Sabine and Hera took a big gulp of her cup of caf as Sabine walks to the middle of the cockpit, her arms gesturing wildly.

“Fine. I’m done asking questions. I’m telling you: I’m coming on your run to meet Fulcrum.”

Hera sat quietly, tilting her head and studying Sabine for a moment. Then smiled and shook her head. “You know, you can be pretty frustrating, too.”

Sabine laughed.

“Learned from the best.”

Hera then went over a few minor details on the pickup with her. It was nothing complicated. A simple pickup on an old abandoned base leftover from the Clone Wars. After Hera finished the rest of her caf, she stood and led the way through the corridors. She’d stopped to bid Kanan farewell, but he looked to be deep in meditation, and so Hera just continued on.

Then they reached the common room and found, well, Sabine wasn’t sure what Hera expected, pairing up the three of them. Did she expect Chopper to not cause mayhem?

“I take it you’ve finished the repairs?” Hera had asked, cutting to the chase. They had a timeline to keep.

The Kid prattled first. “Uh, you were right. The steering needed fixing, which I did.”

He then held up a wrench, the same wrench he had been using to beat on Chopper with. Sabine had to give the Kid credit. He got something done before the inevitable calamity. Chopper sputtered something out about how Ezra was overselling his importance. That a monkey could do his job.

Zeb then stepped forward and continued the report politely. “And life support filters needed purging,” the big Lasat then threw a friendly arm across the Kid’s shoulders as the two smile sheepishly. “Which we also did.”

Sabine didn’t quite catch what Chopper chortled next, but he did whirl up his servos and rammed his body into Ezra hard enough to make him stumble. Before she could blink, Chopper whipped out his electroshock attachment and sent a few thousand volts of electricity into Zeb.

Now that was painful! And the fragile peace had between the three had been broken.

Knowing the odds were against him, Chopper made a run for it, but both Zeb and Ezra were right on his tail.

“Chopper! I’m gonna “dismantalate” that nut bucket!” Zeb yelled as he raced after the droid.

“Leave a few bolts for me!” Ezra called out, running just behind him.

Hera didn’t look particularly impressed, but Sabine was smiling at the whole thing, the antics of her family improving her mood a bit. When Hera turned and saw Sabine’s smile, the other female caved and ended up smiling, too.

They were frustrating. They were annoying. The Kid drove her up the wall with attempt after attempt. But they were still family. And that mattered more than anything.

“Let’s go,” Hera said.

Now in the Phantom and on their way to meet this mysterious Fulcrum, Sabine decided time had passed enough. It was just us girls. Time for answers.

“So what’s the deal? Is Fulcrum just another smuggler like Vizago? Why all the secrecy?” Sabine proposed. She kept her tone as reasonable as she could.

But Hera was ready for it. “Oh, it’s no secret we’re fighting against the Empire,” Hera answered. “We need as many allies as we can get.”

Hera’s not an answer had reignited Sabine’s earlier frustration. “How do you find a way of answering questions without - giving any answers?”

Hera took a moment to spare the teenager a look of amusement. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

A long dull wail comes from the controls, interrupting the conversation’s flow. It was the comms and someone was hailing them, and Sabine just bet she knew who. When Hera held down the button to receive the transmission, the voice hailing was garbled. The effects of a voice modulator working to disguise the speaker.

“Phantom, this is Fulcrum. Come in.”

Hera answered. “This is Spectre-2, Fulcrum.”

Sabine saw the opportunity and looked at Hera all innocently.

“Why don’t I talk to him?”

Hera's eyes widened with worry and pointed a finger at Sabine. “Don’t you dare,” she whispered, and Sabine held her hands up in surrender.

“Already at the rendezvous, Spectre-2. Supplies are unloaded and ready. Should I wait?”

Before Hera could cut her off, Sabine pulled an Ezra.

“Yeah, stick around.” Sabine suggested. “Spectre-2 and I would love to talk to you.”

It was then Fulcrum realized Hera wasn’t alone. “Spectre-2, what’s the problem?”

Hera gave Sabine a sideways glance with an extra helping of irritation, but held back on any biting rebukes of Sabine’s insubordination. “No problem, Fulcrum. Spectre-5 decided to help with the supply run.”

A long moment of silence went by and Sabine could only imagine what the stranger on the other end of the comm must be thinking. “Understood.” Fulcrum said at last. “Fulcrum out.”

Hera switched off the Phantom’s comm and gave Sabine a very unhappy look. “You know, an outburst like that is not appreciated.”

“Neither is all this secrecy.” Sabine rebutted.

And that was her main point in all this. As immature as she was being right now, that’s her family back on the Ghost. Kanan, Zeb, Ezra, and even Chopper. And Kanan was just blindly trusting Hera with Fulcrum and their missions. Each time out, it was becoming more dangerous and Sabine was genuinely wondering if they would make it back or not. And if they weren’t? If they’re going to die for something, then she at least wanted to know that it had been for something important. And while Hera might act more mature about all this, she’s still refusing to give Sabine any genuine answers.

The rest of the flight was filled with silence. And the hidden base Sabine had been told about was actually in the middle of one of the largest asteroid fields Sabine had ever seen. Well hidden and forgotten about.

Perfect for a meetup.

After landing, Sabine reached for her helmet, only to realize she had left back on the Ghost on the kriffin’ derjarik table! She sighed. Nothing to do for it now. She exited the Phantom beside Hera and looked around the enormous expanse that of the destitute and abandoned clone trooper base.

“So, where’s the mystery man?” Sabine asked.

“I don’t know.” Hera responded, making no effort to hide her sarcasm. “Maybe Fulcrum didn’t like your attitude. I know I didn’t.”

When no one made an appearance, the two girls make treks to the only relevant thing in sight: several large piles of crates. Crates and many red barrels with a familiar symbol on each. Sabine just couldn’t remember its meaning.

Only unbeknownst to either, the fuel line was leaking and a pool of green fuel was gathering under the Phantom. Caught up with Chopper’s chaos, neither Zeb nor Ezra knew of the issue. And neither did Sabine and Hera.

A hundred meters from where Hera had touched the Phantom down, the two females reached Fulcrum’s cargo shipment. Both pause and inspect the crates. All seemed similar, all except for one. One with a strange symbol etched into its side. Sabine moved to take it, but Hera placed a hand on her shoulder, restraining the girl, and then nudged past her to take hold of it.

“I’ll take that one,” Hera proclaimed.

Realizing she’d been put in her place, Sabine grabs a different crate and helps load the supplies. Neither can see the pairs of predatory yellow eyes gleaming at them from inside the darkened hangar.

As Hera nears the Phantom, Sabine increases speed until she’s walking her crate next to Hera. She then tries again, a more earnest approach. And Hera hears her out.

“Look, Hera, I’m sorry for the attitude. It’s just things seem to be getting more dangerous every day, and I need to know that you and Kanan can trust me.”

Hera, hearing the honesty and vulnerability in Sabine’s words, tries again to explain, but it wasn’t always easy with girls her age. “We trust you, Sabine. We just can’t tell you everything. It’s for the safety of the whole crew. If captured, you can’t reveal what you don’t know.”

“You think I’d talk?” Sabine stated, the young firebrand Mando inside poking out.

Hera (keeping in mind Sabine’s youthfulness) tried again. “I think- We think the Imperials can make anyone talk. You’ve seen what they’re capable of.”

“Yeah, I have,” Sabine replied, though she felt some of the wind let out of her sails. “That’s why I need to know.”

“You already know exactly what you need to know and no more. I need you to trust me now.”

But Sabine scoffed and shook her head, and a bitter regret of despair seeped into her voice. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better? Hera, you know what happened when I was a cadet at the Imperial Academy on Mandalore. I trusted the Empire, followed its orders blindly, and it was a nightmare.”

Sabine followed Hera into the Phantom, a crate each, and sets it down. Then followed her back out to pick up more crates. “I want to believe we’re doing good, making a difference.”