Disclaimer: I don't own rights to Star Wars rebels, or any Star Wars material. This is a fanfic not a for profit book.

Chapter 1

Hera had actually come to Lothal with Chopper for some vacation time. She get much of it these days since she joined the Phoenix squadron. She'd actually rarely gotten it when she still lived with her father on Ryloth, constantly fighting the Empire, and the separatists before them. Being part of a rebel cell wasn't as strenuous as fighting as an insurgency, but it was still a very difficult endeavor. For one thing, she and chopper were going solo, not teaming up with other members of the cell. Fortunately, her faithful orange astromech helped her through the physical and emotional pain of this time. And she helped him, as friends should. Fulcrum had graciously given them three days leave from the constant missions, probably as a reward for their stellar performance as rebels. The twi'lek and the droid were more than happy. What neither of them knew at the time is that their dynamic duo would soon become a terrific trio.

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"Hey, you!," a voice said from behind Hera. It was a smug looking male officer and three stormtroopers. "You wouldn't happen to be a Jedi would you?" he asked suspiciously. Hera gave the man a dry look and sane kill replied,"Every person wearing a robe and hood isn't a Jedi, or didn't you know that?"
"Don't get smart with me! Why are you acting so worried and anxious?" He demanded to know.
"Seeing what the empire has done to anyone it suspects of disobedience or disloyalty, I have every right to be worried and anxious," she defiantly barked back at this imperial snob.
"That's enough!" he snarled. "Identification now!"
Suddenly, out of an alleyway, a boy, about seven or eight years old, jumped out and shot the imperial officer in the leg with a stolen scout trooper blaster. The officer cried in pain, flung his arms out and fell backward into the three grunts behind him, knocking them to the ground. Hera turned to look at the boy, as did the imperials. Before any of them had a chance to do or say anything, the little street urchin fired and killed the officer and the stormtroopers with four quick shots. 'Impressive', the green twi'lek thought as the boy turned to regard her.

" These big bad imperials won't bother you anymore, thanks to yours truly, Ezra Bridger." he said giving her a smirk. "My hero" she replied, smirking in return. This very young man's courage touched her, so much so that she wanted to add him to the small family and crew she was apart of.

"I'm off, and so should you be if know what's good for you" he said, giving her a salute and preparing to run off, when her voice stopped

"Wait a second kid. Do you have a home or a family? Are you living on the streets all by yourself?" She asked gently, already suspecting what the answer would be. The boy's face went from smug to sad almost immediately and he looked away from her. "I'll take that as a yes," Hera continued. The boy remained silent "The Empire split up my family too. My father thinks we should only fight for the planet Ryloth, I think we should fight for all enslaved planets and peoples." Ezra turned to look at her, but held his tounge.

" I don't believe it was an accident we met Ezra. We we're destined to encounter each other, to form a new family, to use each other's talents to help defeat the empire. Will you come with me to my ship and join my crew?" Hera asked, getting on her knees and spreading her arms. Ezra looked at her with suprise and suspicion. " I'm not asking you to trust me," Hera said, trying to ease the boy's justified fears." I know how difficult that is, especially when your own family doesn't support you, or you lose them. I'm just asking you to give me a chance" she finished making the 'come here ' motion with her hands.

Ezra pondered her offer for a few anxious seconds. Part of him wanted to go with her, the other part wanted to run away and forget he ever saw her. Accompanying this woman would either be the best or worst thing that ever happened to him. She seemed genuine in her statement about her dad and fighting the empire. But even so, Ezra didn't want to lose her like he lost his parents, who had also rebelled against the imperials, and then had disappeared. On the other hand Ezra longed for love and support from a family, which he'd had until he lost his parents. 'What the heck.' he finally decided. 'I've got skill, if she tries anything, I'll kill her and escape.' " I'll come with you lady" he said nodding his head, and smiling in return when she beamed at him. He felt her love reach him like the wind. Then he frowned and said "But you'll end up like them if you stab me in the back" pointing to the dead officer and troopers. Momentarily stunned, Hera recovered and said " Understood sir. Now let's get going before the Imperials find out what's happened." The little boy Bridger walked briskly toward the daughter Syndulla, his gun trained on her the time. As her arms wrapped around him, he put the weapon against her chest, taking no risks. Understanding perfectly, she picked him up and then scrunched her nose turning away.
" I know, I know, I need a bath." Ezra said in a dry voice. " They aren't easy to come by on the streets. I'll take one on the refresher on your ship, alone" he emphasized. No way this woman was seeing him naked or touching him. "Fair enough" the twi'lek said. Without another word, she raced off back to the ghost with her new and cute companion.

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"We made it!" Hera exclaimed, as the Ghost came into view. Ezra viewed the vessel with restrained interest. It had not been the first time he had seen a ship, but something about hers intrigued him. The ship was parked in a dock, which Hera didn't like, as she preferred to stay under the radar. But she wasn't planning on staying in this particular city long, she only needed a few supplies. Thanks to that blasted officer and stormtroopers, now she would have to flee with this kid. Just her day.

The green twi'lek, still carrying her new charge, sprinted towards the Ghost, up the ramp, and towards the cockpit. Opening the door, she set Ezra down, and told Chopper, who was waiting by the terminal, to start the engines.

"Who's he?" Chopper asked in Astro droid speak.

"I'll explain later, fire it up now!" Hera demanded. Chopper obeyed and the ships engines sprang to life. Hera pressed the button to make her vessel hover. Once it did, she pushed the joystick forward, and the ghost was speeding off. It was fortunate that Ezra had gotten into the co-pilot seat next to Hera and buckled up, otherwise, he could have been thrown against the wall and seriously hurt.

"Whoah this is cool." Ezra exclaimed, never having been on a ship before, and thrilled at how flying felt. His new benefactor smiled at his enthusiasm, glad that life on the street hadn't destroyed his childlike wonder." You think this is exciting, wait until we get into space." the woman said, her smile growing as his excitement a few minutes , the yellow, sun rising Sky of Lothal was replaced with stars and the black void of space. "Making calculations for the jump to hyperspace," Hera said ,not looking at Ezra since she had to concentrate, but clearly intending to psyche him out. It worked as he said " Hyperspace!" in an incredulous tone."Making the jump,"'she announced. Ezra Bridger eyes nearly bugged out of his head as the stars became white lines, and then it look like he and Hera were traveling through a shiny, white and blue fiery tunnel. "Awesome and Amazing." the boy softly exclaimed, while his much older host had to resist glomping him.

"Alright we're in hyperspace, now tell me who this boy is." Chopper assertively said to his captain. Hera first looked at her droid then her new ward, and said " Follow me to the refresher kid, you need to get clean." "Chopper, this is Ezra Bridger. He helped me out of a tight spot. I asked him to join us and he agreed. He'll be our new comrade and family member in our campaign against imperial opression and rule." She spoke in a tone that left no room for argument. Taking her cute companions hand, she led him toward a much need cleaning.

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"Awww, this feels so good." Ezra said contentedly. It had been a long time since he'd had a bath or shower at all much less a hot one. Usually, when his own stink became unbearable, he would look for a river, or lake, or watering hole, or ocean to clean himself off in. Taking a shower or bath in someone's home was out of the question. As was stealing enough water for a bath and then heating it up with a campfire, like he'd seen other kids do. Sometimes the natural water he bathed in would be hot or warm, other times it would be cold or freezing. Sometimes he had to walk miles, for days on end, to find natural water. Bathing was a hassle, which was why he rarely did it. He was going to savor every moment of having the hot steamy shower water wash away his impurities. Outside, Hera felt very good listening to the boy's happiness. She knew this was a luxury he had long been denied, and was more than happy to provide him with it. Chopper, her astromech, was more than a little concerned.

"I'm still not comfortable with this, Boss lady. We don't know what bad, possibly disastrous, habits the kid has learned on the streets. We don't know if he's mad with vengeance over losing his parents and will do drastic despicable things to get the Empire back. Plus, he's a seven or eight year old boy. The battlefield is the last place a child like him should be." the Clone wars era mechanic argued.

"No one is safe under tyranny, Chopper, especially not the orphan of two rebel parents. You don't trust him? that's fine, neither do I. Trust takes time. But we should give him a chance and not assume the worst of him. He did the same for me. He came on this ship even though he was worried." Hera pointed out to her mechanical companion. Chopper let out a droid sigh, unable to argue, and said nothing else.

"Ezra! I want to wash your clothes! I'll leave you some sleepwear to put on, if that's okay with you!" The twi'lek woman called to the boy. To her delight, the boy responded with "Sure it's okay!" meaning his trust of her was growing. She told Chopper to go get the pajamas, while she went in and got the boy's filthy outfit to wash on the laundry.

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When it came to food, Ezra was like a wild predator. Sometimes the hunt for food was successful. Other times, it came up short. The last time Ezra had a full meal was three days ago. For one reason or the other, he'd only been able to acquire scraps of food. The son of Mira and Ephraim Bridger was ravenous, like a wolf. He didn't object at all to Hera's offer of food. Expecting a ration bar or something, he was shocked when Hera made him some special twi'lek soup that her mother used to make. Her mother must have been a good cook, because after on experimental sip, Ezra began to devour the dish.

" Don't gobble your food, Ezra" Hera warned seriously. "Your stomach shrinks when you don't eat, especially after three days. I don't want you vomiting or your stomach bursting ." Reluctantly, the half-starved boy slowed down his consumption. After he finished, Hera gave him a tour of the ship, showing him where everything was and how everything worked.

"I'm not a slave-driver kid. If you don't understand something, or can't do something, or are too tired to keep working, or need to ask a question, let me know. I won't get mad I promise."

"I got you, no problem." Ezra said happily, which his new guardian smiled at.

"However," she continued giving him a stern look."I won't tolerate disobedience or laziness. I expect you to do your part and obey my orders, if you want to keep living here. Okay?"

"Ma'am yes Ma'am" Ezra said, giving the beautiful alien woman a salute. She couldn't resist giggling at his mock professionalism. Chopper rolled up, and beeped to Hera that they had come out of hyperspace and we're back at Lothal. To her suprise, the little boy understood the droid.

"You're going back to my home planet after leaving?" Ezra asked confused. Hera kindly explained to him that they had left to throw off the Empire, and would now sneak back into the planet's atmosphere. When he called her a genius, she spontaneously hugged him, for the both his adorableness and the compliment.

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When they re-entered Lothal's atmosphere, it was a moonless night andthe stars were out. Hera landed the ship, the turned to ask Ezra" Do you want to sit under the stars, sweetheart?"

Once again, his expression went from elated to depressed. Before his caretaker could ask what was wrong, he elaborated.

"My mother and father used to watch the stars with me." It frustrated him that no matter what he did to distract himself, he still remembered his mom and dad and it hurt so bad.

Lifting up his chin, the twi'lek gave him a comforting, sympathetic look.

"I know I can never replace your parents, little one. But I can repair the damage done to your heart by their disappearance, if you'll let me." She informed him in an almost pleading tone. Ezra deeply appreciated this alien woman's concern for him, and said "Okay, we can watch the stars." Hera gave him a radiant smile, and kissed his forehead, laughing out loud when he blushed bright red. She picked him up, walked down the Ghost's ramp, and sat down on the flat grass. The unlikely companions sat their for an hour staring at the starry heavens of Lothal. Then, the green skinned beauty felt her boy's head hit bosom, looked down, and saw young Ezra was fast asleep. Smiling at boy's sense of safety with her, she thought to herself 'soon he'll be calling me mother.' She thought about taking him inside and putting him to bed, but decided to just sit there under the star lit sky for a little while longer.

Authors Note: I got the idea for this fanfic from a great drawing by Star Wars Rebels fan artist Meldy Arts. Type this in your search engine: smol ezra au.