(*Author's Forward/Disclaimer: For anyone reading this, something important that needs to be mentioned before we start down this fan fueled road of mine. First and foremost, I love Star Wars Rebels. In some respects I've come to already love it slightly more than Clone Wars. However, that being said, there are some things which have begun to frustrate me about the series. Small things, but they are there. Elements like the show blatantly avoiding some mature themes even when they would make perfect sense to the story or characters. Plot holes that the series doesn't address because the main target audience of the series -namely kids- likely wouldn't notice or care. And, lastly, some narrative threads that, for folks like me that have read every kind of novel and have watched every kind of film, can already be seen being set up that even in their early stages feel more than bit cliche and forced for the sake of keeping the story in a certain traditionally Star Wars place.
For me, these things feel as though they will hold the show back from it's full potential. Being that this is the case, and seeing as that it's somewhat unlikely Disney will alter the format of the series overmuch, I decided to, in essence, work around that. How? Well, by taking this series and these characters -much as I did with my Transformers Prime series- that I enjoy down the path of alternate time-line storytelling. Simply put? Rebels: The Long Road -and all subsequent stories to follow- takes place in an alternate course of events beginning at the end of 'Spark of Rebellion' but deviating from that point onward. So, every episode of the "canon" series will never have occurred in my continuity. Likewise I will endeavor to not retread on as much as I can, e.g. my stories will always try to be very different from what we see on the show, minus some of the tone which can be pretty great. In this I feel I can tell the story of these characters in a capacity I'd personally enjoy over choices being made in the show.
Now, with that said, here's my first attempt at Fan Inspired Fiction set in the Galaxy Far, Far Away...*)
Star Wars Rebels: The Long Road
Chapter One
Advancing across high orbit over the planet Lothal the Imperial class Star Destroyer Lawbringer parted the small yet steady stream of inbound and outbound traffic from the agricultural world before it, the captains and pilots of the various transports and passenger ships giving the massive triangular vessel and it's Turbo Laser adorned white hull a wide berth.
Poised at the observation windows on the Lawbringer's bridge, Kallus watched it all. With quiet intensity he studied the planet far below, trying to unravel the mystery of it's significance. Nestled among the various isolated systems of the outer rim, Lothal had until recently been of little importance to the Galactic Empire. Settled by only a few thousand colonists eager to escape the crush of life in the core worlds Lothal possessed no strategic value which could be immediately identified.
However, in his charge to bring stability to the lawless systems of the rim, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, Governor to the vast number of planetary sectors, had selected Lothal to serve as an example of how quickly the presence of the Empire on any world could quickly bring it's population to compliance for the sake of peace and productivity.
While the arrival of the Emperor's armed forces had quelled any minor objections the experiment had, thus far, not proven wholly successful even after the establishment of an Imperial training academy and production facilities of Sinear Fleet Systems. Had it been otherwise, Kallus would have not been where he was now, mulling over the events of the past 72 hours. Absently he ran fingers over the still tender flesh beneath his uniform where a blaster shot, his own in fact, had been deflected back upon him by a weapon he had thought never to encounter again outside of museums or the private collection of a wealthy senator.
As a boy and later as an agent of the Imperial Security Bureau he had watched with rapt attention Holorecordings of lightsabers being wielded by Knights of the Jedi Order against various enemies of the Old Republic. When Emperor Palpatine, formerly the Supreme Chancellor, had exposed the plot of the Jedi to overthrow the Galactic Senate in a bid for power those weapons, while glorious, had been unable to save them from the brutal hand of justice and authority. The Clone armies of the former Republic has swept the Jedi aside and into the dusty tomes of history. Or so most believed. But some, like Kallus, knew better.
Across the galaxy, hidden amongst the sentient races of a million worlds, some Jedi still remained, hoping to pass unnoticed and to live out their remaining days free from Imperial hands. While the ISB was tasked with protecting the interests of the Empire in all things, Kallus had never been called to actively hunt for any of the Jedi survivors, regardless of the threat their lasting existence posed. Instead the Emperor's most powerful enforcer, Darth Vader, had seen to hunting down and destroying the last of the Jedi. But, in that duty, the Dark Lord was not alone.
"Sir?" The voice of an Imperial Ensign inquired from the operations well below. "Receiving a priority return message for you, coded urgent on red channel."
"Transfer the call to the ready room." He ordered. "Yes sir," the young officer complied, keying the signal through. Kallus was already in motion, collecting the remainder of his thoughts in anticipation of the forthcoming communication.
For weeks he had followed reports and various leads, all of which concerned the activities of a highly active and increasingly problematic group of smugglers, privateers and saboteurs operating in the near Rim. Over the course of nearly two years the same group had been linked to a multitude of thefts and insurrectionist activities on dozens of worlds. Hijackings and wanton destruction of Imperial property had quickly become their modus operandi. Mounting imperial casualties had quickly garnered the attention of the Security Bureau and Kallus, noted for his efficiency and dedication, had been tasked to identify and terminate the rebellious activities before word of the group's success could spread.
The mission had progressed with few if any real obstacles. Known underworld fences and black market dealers had been leaned upon or bribed with eyewitnesses interrogated thoroughly for any clue or scrap of information. Tracing patterns among the mounting intelligence gathered had eventually led him to a more narrow grid in which to search for his query. When a report of a VCX-class freighter, which matched various other descriptions he had received, blasting it's way clear of pursuit just outside of Lothal's capitol city had crossed his desk Kallus had known in that moment that his search was over. Once the Imperial agent had arrived on Lothal it had taken only a matter of hours to devise a stratagem for ferreting out the rogue group and goading them into a trap.
Civilian contacts under the thumb of the Empire had passed along information concerning a local black market dealer, a Devaronian named Cikatro Vizago, who was thought to be the most likely fence for smugglers conducting business on Lothal. Kallus had arranged for those same contacts to offer information to the syndicate boss at a price which would lend the unknowingly false data an air of critical imperial secrecy. Then it was only a matter of setting the trap and waiting for his query to bite.
Based on previous reports Kallus knew the rebel band would find the prospect of rescuing Wookiee slaves impossible to ignore. With the Lawbringer laying in wait, Kallus patiently waited for the rogues to board the Gozanti-class cruiser functioning under the guise of a prison ship. As expected the insurgents had arrived promptly, making their way deep into the heart of the freighter while, unbeknownst to them, Kallus and his strike team arrived in the Lawbringer to board behind them. Victory had been so enticingly close before a well timed explosion, something which Kallus should have anticipated familiar with the group's MO as he was, had thrown he and his troopers of balance, leaving them unable to effectively prevent the entire rebel cell from escaping.
The mission, however, had not been without some success.
In the final moments of the rogue group's escape Kallus had managed to apprehend one sole member, a young human male of around 14 years. At first it had appeared as though the boy's confederates had abandoned him, giving Kallus a small window in which to interrogate the teenager. The boy had, however, proved difficult to intimidate, likely having to do with what Kallus assumed was a troubled upbringing. Scans taken of the boy's face and fingerprints had revealed no matches with any records in the Imperial database.
Had Kallus been given more time he was sure some chink in the boy's armor could have been found and exploited. Alas he had only given himself one advantage over the young human's inexperience and naivete before the child had escaped custody in time to be retrieved by his fellow rebels in a nearly suicidal incursion on the Lawbringer herself. The escape had left the ship damaged enough to prevent immediate pursuit, allowing the enemy to jump to hyperspace.
While Kallus had been foiled in his initial attempts he knew one last opportunity remained when one of the Troopers revealed his former prisoner had managed to intercept an internal transmission on the ship detailing where the real Wookiee slaves were being transported. Pushing the Star Destroyer, Kallus had set course for the prison mining world of Kessel. The agent had arrived just in time to once again clash with the same enemy cell, the four man team plus their ship having overwhelmed the Troopers handling the Wookiee exchange. Kallus had quickly joined the battle, with his success seemingly assured due to the overwhelming force he had brought to bare against the rebels.
However all the intelligence he had acquired on his targets had failed to reveal one crucial element which had, still to his fury, turned the tide against him. From the among the combatants an adult human male had revealed himself to be one of the hidden Jedi survivors, brandishing a laser sword with a skill that had thrown his strike team into disarray. In the frantic, pitched battle which followed the Wookiee prisoners had managed to escape along with the insurgents.
During the fight Kallus had spied the young human who had escaped him previously attempting to rescue one of the Wookiees, a youngling, from being recaptured. The boy had just managed to incapacitate the Stormtrooper set against him when Kallus arrived, undaunted and determined to prevent the boy's escape a second time. However the arrival of the rebel ship, and it's Jedi, had proven too much. Kallus had tried in vein to shoot down the Jedi, only to have his laser shot deflected into his own shoulder. The wound had healed under bacta treatment well enough, but the scar of that defeat still festered within him.
Almost immediately he had begun to devise knew plans for rooting out the threat posed by a rebel Jedi, but not before he had submitted his report on all which he had discovered to Imperial Center on Coruscant. It had, as he had known it surely would, roused the attention of a higher authority. Stepping into the Communications suite within the Lawbringer's ready room, Kallus now stood face to face with that same authority.
Clearing his voice he spoke with more deference and respect than he allowed for any individual save for the Emperor and Lord Vader himself. "Excuse the intrusion, Inquisitor." He began slowly, trying as best he could to mask the anxiety his superior provoked. "But as you've no doubt read, I have, over the course of my investigation, encountered a Rebel cell, the leader of whom made proficient use...of a Lightsaber."
Before Kallus, veiled in the blue semitransparent glow of the Holoprojection transmitting his ghastly, imposing image, Vader's Jedi hunter, known only by his moniker of The Inquisitor, allowed a small, disconcerting smile to come to his face, his eyes remaining shut as though he was speaking internally to some presence Kallus could not see or hear. Then he spoke, the voice as darkly melodic as it was chilling. "Ah, Agent Kallus. You did well to call." Eyes of molten gold opened sharply to regard the ISB officer. "Indeed I have read your report. Now I want you to tell me everything..."
. . .
In his dreams he saw the same face which had been haunting him for days now. Hazy, as though he was looking upon it through an oiled lens, the face and it's molten, glowing eyes still seemed to bore into him, radiating a fury and malice that turned the blood in his veins to ice and left his heart racing with fear.
The unknown enemy drew closer and he could see the hand reaching out for him, trying to pull him into darkness. He screamed, trying to run yet unable to do so as his legs tangled beneath him. Then Ezra was falling away from the hand and the nightmare, both of which vanished in a painful explosion of light and sound before his eyes as his body hit the hard metal floor below the bunk he had been given aboard the Ghost.
Momentarily dazed and disoriented Ezra tried to shake the stomach churning fear that had maligned his sleep. Absently he realized his legs had become tangled in the blankets his roommate had begrudgingly tossed him days before. As if merely thinking about the unruly Lasat had prompted some reaction even Ezra's fall to the floor seemingly had not, the purple furred behemoth named Zeb grumbled something guttural and unintelligible before turning from his side and onto his back, deep snoring immediately filling the small cabin space.
Shaking his head at the sight, sound, and even smell Ezra sighed then slowly untangled himself, rising to his feet and throwing the blankets back atop the bunk above the Lasat's. He knew sleep wouldn't be possible now, and remaining in the small cabin wouldn't help calm his nerves. Pulling on the orange coveralls and dark tan boots that were his only change of clothes, Ezra slipped out of the cabin and into the central corridor beyond.
Across from the room he now shared with Zeb the door to Sabine's cabin was shut, the Mandalorian girl likely asleep at such an early hour or, he wondered, possibly immersed in one of her artistic endeavors. He'd met his share of street artists while growing up on Lothal, but none who somehow managed to add explosives and destruction of property to their work like Sabine took pride in doing.
He had to admit her talents and striking good looks had nearly bowled him over when he'd first seen her without her Mando helmet on, but in the days since the events which had thrown them all together she'd made her disinterest well known and, not wanting to offend her, Ezra had kept his attraction muted. He knew following her around the ship like a love struck puppy wasn't likely to endear him to her anytime soon.
Passing her room Ezra walked quietly down the corridor towards the galley, wondering if he'd find anything decent to eat in the pantry besides slightly expired blue milk and ration bars. Since escaping the Imperial Agent Kallus and returning the captured Wookiee slaves from Kessel to their kin on a refugee ship near Sullust, the crew of the Ghost had been moving, trying to stay ahead of the patrols searching the local systems around both Lothal and Kessel for ships matching the Ghost's description. To make matters worse, security cameras aboard the Star Destroyer Ezra had escaped with the crew's help had made it possible to ID most of them, their faces now appearing on nearly every Holodisplay and terminal screen from Lothal to Tattooine.
The difficult situation had prevented them from obtaining supplies and even fuel for nearly three days, and the ship's food stores were becoming noticeably light. From the pantry Ezra managed to scrounge up a small pouch of di'll pyckkles, washing the tart produce down with water from the ship's tap. As a meal it wasn't much, but he'd survived on less. Much less in his life on the streets. Despite the growing concern about their current situation, Ezra happily admitted that life aboard the Ghost was the greatest luxury he'd experienced since before his parents had disappeared when he was only seven, leaving him to fend for himself.
It wasn't something, given his current state of mind, that he cared to think about. Looking for a distraction from the lingering troubles of his dreams and thoughts of his past Ezra wandered back out into the corridor, barreling right into the four foot astromech droid coming down the passage in the opposite direction. Indignantly the C1-10P unit bleated, honked, and buzzed at him, producing a small pincer arm that waved and pointed at him accusingly.
"Hey!" Ezra shot back, understanding enough binary language to suss out what Chopper, as the crew called him, was saying. "You ran into me, rust bucket. If anything you should apologize." Shaking with what approximated annoyance and anger for the droid, Chopper produced another arm, this one tipped by a shock prod which now sparked in Ezra's direction. Eyes wide, Ezra jumped back, hands in the air. "Okay, okay. My fault. Bygones, alright?" Retracting the arm, Chopper honked a laugh, then rolled past down towards the ship's cargo hold. Biting his tongue, Ezra rolled his eyes at the droid's back wondering if he had been better off staying in the cabin with the foul smelling Zeb.
"Still making friends?" A friendly voice, light and just slightly smokey, asked from behind. Standing in the doorway to the cockpit was the Ghost's Twi'lek pilot and captain, Hera, her light green skin bright against the slightly yellow coveralls she wore under a simple vest. Her lekku, the twin headtails which jutted from the back of her head, swayed slightly as she slowly shook her head at him with bemusement.
Blushing slightly, Ezra ran a hand through his blue black hair. "Sorry. Guess I stepped on his toes. Or something."
"It's okay. You should have seen how he treated Kanan once upon a time." She confided with a smirk, taking a quick sip from the mug of Caf she had in her gloved hands. "Trust me, Chopper likes you. He just has a...unique way of showing it."
"You're telling me." He replied, thinking on the number of times the droid had given him a shock or knocked him over with a modulated laugh.
Watching him silently for a moment Hera asked simply, "Can't sleep?"
"What gave it away?" He answered wryly.
"You have nightmares." She told him openly. "I've heard you. Even over Zeb's snoring." Ezra avoided her eyes with a shrug. "And Kanan's felt it too. Guess it's hard to hide that kind of thing when the two of you have the Force connection."
Ezra didn't know how to answer, wondering just how much Kanan had felt through the Force, and maybe even somehow seen. The energy which, as Kanan had described, connected Ezra and all life was still a concept he was having trouble getting his head around. And Kanan, for his part, had yet to prove much of an instructor aside from the odd quote from his mysterious Jedi past. If anything Hera had proven to be more of a mentor and sympathetic ear during the course of Ezra's stay on her ship. As if to reinforce that the Twi'lek woman asked him gently, "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Not really." He answered, hoping he didn't offend her. Being open about his feelings was still something he wasn't remotely used to. While Hera had been easily the most warm and supportive figure on the ship there were still walls Ezra didn't feel comfortable letting down.
"Well," she said next, clearly trying to lighten their discussion. "I'm sure you'll feel better once you get off the ship for a bit." That brought Ezra's head up quickly, eyes slightly narrowed in confusion.
"I thought it still wasn't clear for us to head back to Lothal, or any spaceport." He observed.
"It's not, as far as I can tell from the HoloNet broadcasts Chopper and I have been monitoring." She explained, moving into the cockpit proper and slipping into the pilot's seat. "But, our situation is getting dicey enough that I'm making good on a standing invitation. Though I wasn't keen on doing so until we were pretty desperate."
"So," Ezra inquired, taking the co-pilot's chair next to her. "What's the invitation?"
"Back when I first met Kanan, he and I had some help preventing a catastrophe on a mining planet called Gorse. We lost some good people." She told him, distant and melancholy for a moment, remembering comrades long past. "But," she continued, eyes bright once more like shining emeralds. "We also made some true friends."
"And that's where the invitation is from?" Ezra asked. "These friends on Gorse?"
"No. Just the one. And, thankfully, she's not on Gorse."
"Wizard." Ezra remarked. "So...where are we going then?"
"Just be glad it's not space sector the middle of nowhere anymore." Answered a firm, deep male voice from the cockpit door. Standing there looking as somewhat stoic and slightly dour as he always did, at least to Ezra, was Kanan, the crew's resident rogue Jedi and Hera's defacto second in command. Scratching at his goatee, Kanan looked to the Ghost's pilot as he asked, "You get in touch?"
"Yeah. She'll be expecting us. Said she'd keep the kettle on. And that she decorated the tree." She told him with a knowing smile, which Kanan reciprocated. The sudden warmth on Kanan's face took Ezra aback, prompting him to observe, "Wow. This lady must really be something huh?"
"She's a rare one." Was the only answer Kanan offered. "We need to get things settled on the ship. What's our ETA?" He asked Hera.
"Should come out of Hyperspace in a little over an hour." She looked across to Ezra. "I'd hoped to surprise all of you when you woke."
"Hey, if it means a hot meal and some fresh air, I'll fake all the surprise you want." He offered.
"Fake what surprise?" A new voice grumbled from just behind Kanan. Rubbing the sleep from his face with a massive furry four fingered hand, Zeb looked to the trio standing around the cockpit interior. "What's going on?"
"Shoot." Hera said, showing genuine disappointment. "Remind me to do a better job at surprises for Life Day."
"How are you actually awake?" Kanan asked. "Short of the ship being attacked, didn't think you rose early for anything."
"Guess I've gotten used to the kid's mumbling while he's out." Zeb explained dryly. "When the room was actually quiet for a change, worried he was up to something."
"Sorry. Guess the noxious gases in there wreak havoc on my brain..." Ezra shot back.
"Oh? Let's see what effect my knuckles on your head have instead!" Zeb growled.
"Enough you two." Hera chastised sternly. "Today's actually brought us some good news. If either of you do anything to ruin it I'll personally lock you both in the storage closet. On the Phantom." She warned, indicating the Ghost's small shuttle. The two fell quiet.
"Now, how about everyone finds something productive to do while I make sure we don't have any unwanted guests waiting for us on this course." She patted Ezra briefly on the knee. "I'll tell you more later." She promised. Giving her a nod of thanks, Ezra rose from his chair, begrudgingly following Zeb back out into the corridor as Kanan took his place beside Hera.
"Wait. You never told me what the surprise was?" Zeb called back towards the Ghost's pilot.
"Zaluna's." Was all Hera answered. It was all, apparently, Zeb needed. The Lasat whooped, laughed, than smacked Ezra on the back hard enough to put him down on the deck.
"Come on, kid!" Zeb cackled. "Tonight we eat like kings!"
"Really?" Ezra asked, rubbing at what was certainly now a bruise on his back. "Awesome."
"Hey?!" Sabine spat, leaning out of her now open door. "What's with the fan fair out here? Someone kill the Emperor or something?"
"We're heading to Zaluna's!" Zeb hollered. Sabine, amber eyes only slightly still rimmed with sleep, nearly jumped at the mention, looking up towards the cockpit. "Hera?!"
"Yes." She confirmed.
"Stellar!" Sabine exclaimed, disappearing back into her cabin. "I've got so many new pieces for her to see. She's going to love 'em!"
Listening to the dramatic mood shift Ezra merely stood in the middle of the corridor, mouth slightly agape, thoroughly confused. Rolling to a stop beside him, Chopper bleated.
"Let me guess." Ezra told him. "You're also excited about this person I know nothing about, right?" Chopper simply spun his concave dome slightly, letting out a long drawn out raspberry.
"Well." Ezra said. "That's something at leas...Gah!" Was all he could managed as an electric shock knocked him over. Chopper chortled, then rolled away.
. . .
"Well, least their in a good mood." Hera observed mirthfully. Her look sobered as she glanced in Kanan's direction. "Which is more than I can say for some people."
Kanan favored her with his usual sardonic expression. "Hey, I'm plenty excited. It'll be nice to get some R&R and something other than rations slightly past their expiration date."
"But...?" Hera interjected.
"But, waiting at Zaluna's for the heat to die down won't solve our bigger problem." He observed.
"Which is?" Hera asked him pointedly. At that, Kanan gestured absently behind him, using the Force to key the switch for the cockpit door which promptly slid closed.
"Because of the kid the Empire knows our faces now. Most of our faces, anyway. Means from here on out the jobs are going to get a lot tougher to get done, let alone find."
"People like Vizago won't care what our troubles are as long as we keep to our word. That hasn't changed." She told him. "And neither has the mission. If anything, Ezra's reminded us why this is a fight we have to continue. You should get that better than anyone."
Kanan sighed, trying to feign detachment but, as was nearly always the case, he knew she was right. "I know."
"So then what's this really all about, love?" She asked him, her expression making it clear she didn't have the patience for his usual deflection. She expected the truth.
"You wanted me to teach that kid. And I know it's the right thing to do. He's got as much anger and fear coiled up inside him as I had when...when I was on my own." Kanan said quietly. "His dreams. I can feel something dark in them. I can't tell what it is. But with his connection to the Force, strong as it is, there's so much risk of him making the wrong choices, heading down a bad road. Last thing the galaxy needs is another Force user playing for the Dark Side of the team."
"Okay. Then teach him." She said simply. "You know what you have to do."
"And that's the problem." He answered. When she looked back at him inquisitively, he continued. "I don't know if I have what it takes to do it." Kanan gazed back out at the swirling blue and white tunnel of hyperspace. "And what happens if I fail? What happens to that kid, to the galaxy, if I can't keep him on the right path? Or keep him safe?" He left those questions hanging in the empty air between them.
"Well," Hera finally answered after a moment's thought. "We might not all be Jedi or have the Force. But," She continued, reaching out to place her hand atop his own, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "What I do know is that we're a family on this ship. We look out for our own. All of us. Whatever Ezra needs to help him realize his potential, we'll all do our part. That's a promise." She told him. "And we never break our promises."
Kanan nodded, looking only slightly less weary about everything weighing on his mind. "Right." He said. "Well, then let's get this beauty to Zaluna's. I want to get a crack at all the grub before Zeb eats the table."