Hi everyone. This is a series of shorts focusing on Ezra's years between the loss of his parents and meeting the Ghost Crew. Its' been done before, but I wanted to throw my penny in the well too. I plan to include an mention the other chracters we know influenced Ezra in his youth that we don't hear about too often- Fulpil Wallaway, Morenna Krai, and possibly Bossk.
I really hope we see more about Ezra's past in the show! D:
I'm also working on something much larger for Rebels, so please tell me if you like this so I know where you all want my focus to go. Encouragement really does help me get typing, so I hope you like what you read.
A big Thankyou to KimandShego and UnfathomableFandoms for beta reading.
Happy Easter to anyone who celebrates it- and happy discounted-chocolate-Monday to all who don't!
Stray
Ezra is seven when his parents are taken away.
It had been his birthday a few weeks before. They had celebrated together, at home. Where the noise of the Imperial parades couldn't penetrate.
The outside world was often scary nowadays, but manageable. But home was still as warm and happy a place as ever.
Until suddenly, it wasn't.
One minute Ezra's mother is reading him a story goodnight, tucked into his bed next to him and her chin resting on top of his head. One arm in looped through his mom's and she knots her fingers between his, squeezes, untangles them and does it again. He turns the pages for her, tracking her progress with a finger. Ezra's very good at is words and Mira praises him for it every day. His glow-light softly spins on his bedside table- a map of stars and light rotating on the walls, and Ezra thinks the whole Galaxy could fit inside his bedroom.
Ezra yawns, and turns his face into his mother's neck and feels his own breath ghost back on his cheeks. He inhales his mother scent and sighs as he closes his eyes, listing to Mira's melodic voice finish the last three pages of his story.
He is warm, and safe, and happy as he drifts off to sleep for just a few minutes.
And then Ezra wakes up to a nightmare.
His father flings open his bedroom door with a bang and shouts something at his mother- who goes white and clutches Ezra to her chest- bringing him fully awake with a jolt.
"Mom?" he asked, scared and surprised by this rude awaking. But she doesn't hear him, she's hissing sharp words at his father.
They fight in short angry whispers. At one point, Mira covers his ears.
Ezra doesn't remember what is said, only that the voices are hushed and panicked and he had never seen such fear run through their eyes. These scared people don't feel like his parents all of a sudden and the fear that governs the world outside his home has suddenly made itself very present.
Then, there is banging on the door. Three hard official knocks.
There is flurry of movement, and his mother pulls him out of his warm bed. Ezra is too scared and shocked to argue.
They race into the family room where his father has pushed the center stone away from the hidden room down below and ushers then to it.
"Go hide-" he starts to tell his wife, but Mira cuts him off with a look.
"If they don't find us both- they will look."
The implications are clear in her voice and Ephraim's face hardens. His eyes soften when he looks down into his son's eyes. He combs a hand through the boy's hair with a pained smile, a gesture which both reassures Ezra and frightens him in an unfamiliar way. His father's eyes drift back to his mother's and he nods once, and says in a hoarse voice, "Okay."
So it's just Ezra that descends the ladder attached to the wall. His little legs aren't quiet long enough to make the trip and he falls the last two rungs- landing on his rump. He climbs back onto his feet, arms outstretched to his parents face's above him.
"Mom?" he asks in a small voice, he wants her to hurry up and follow so he can climb into her lap while they huddle in the dark. They've done it before, but usually all together. Sometimes with his uncle Tseeboo. Sometimes for a few hours. Sometimes for a few days.
His mother smiles gently. "Not this time, my love- I'm staying with your Dad."
"But-"
"You must promise me to be very quiet- for now. But don't ever let the Empire take away your voice. Do you hear me? Speak your mind. Be safe, Ezra."
Ezra doesn't understand, but he nods weakly, hearing the fervor in her voice.
"Here- take this." Mira whispered, now holding in a broken sob and passes her son his father's backpack. It's too big and heavy with his fathers tools for his little frame, but he takes it. Holding it to his chest and looks up and shakes his head in confusion.
"Dad-"
His father, puts an arm around his mother and looks deep into Ezra's eyes and smiles. "Be a good boy Ezra. Do right and be brave. Be strong."
Ezra blinked, he doesn't understand why it feels like his parents are saying goodbye instead of just joining him in the safe room.
"We love you Ezra." Mira says, her big blue eyes are wet, she reaches out a hand and Ezra stretches up, longing to touch her-
There is another series of furious knocks on the front door, and Ezra's father pulls away with an agonized glance down to Ezra. The boy briefly thinks he's done something wrong to make his father's face twist up in such pain like that- then his father disappears from sight and a piece of Ezra's heart drops into his stomach.
Suddenly the center stone is being pushed back into place- cutting off the light.
Ezra feels panic rise. They're leaving him in here- alone! He needs to get to his mother. "Wait- Mom! Wait for me!"
She smiles, through her tears in the closing gap, and puts a finger to her lips- the stone is pushed into place.
Sealing Ezra in darkness.
"Mom!" Ezra shouts in a dry whisper. "Dad! Come back!"
He hears movement, but no answering scrape of the center stone pushing back. Ezra moved to climb the ladder, he's going to push the stone back himself.
He reached out blinding in the dark, groping for the ladder rungs. He finds it, and pulls himself in close, feeling in the air with one foot and finding the bottom rung-
There's a crash above and Ezra falls to the floor in shock and yelps, landing on the power cell in his backpack.
His cry is covered by the barrage of crashes and a multitude of voices shouting that explodes overhead. Blaster fire breaks out and Ezra instinctively wrapped his arms over his head and squeezes his eyes shut. Why is this happening? Why are they here?
He rolls to his side and scrambles, fleeing to the wall to help find his feet and climbs upright onto trembling legs. Someone cries out in pain- a woman's voice.
"Mom." he whispers, tears leek out of his eyes. "Dad." They should be down here with him!
Suddenly, there is silence. And somehow- that's much worse.
Ezra allows his legs to unlock and blinks upward into the pitch dark- his eyes following the smallest sounds and movement above.
There is a rumble and Ezra recognizes the hum of a transport tank- outside his house? But why? No one important enough to have a tank should be here.
There's a scramble and the sounds of struggle, then two sets of knees hitting the floor.
No. This can't be happening. Nothing his parents have done could be worth this? Ezra's known about the broadcasts- he's known about the secret meetings and the whispered conversations had down here in the bunker- but surely, none of it was ever worth the attention of the Empire?! His parents are just normal folk, why would the Empire care what they have to say?
This can't be happening.
There is a single pair of footsteps, moving across the ceiling. Ezra steps away as it draws close, folding his arms against his chest and sucking in a shaky breath.
Now he can Ezra can hear voices, but they're muffled and unintelligible down here through the thick duracrete floors.
There was a man's voice that Ezra doesn't recognize, speaking in a calm and business like tone. Ezra has a feeling the voice belongs to the footsteps, and they drone on for a several minutes.
And then, Ezra hears his father speak.
He can't make out the words, no matter how hard he strains his ears, holding his breath and pressing two hands over his heart to muffle the loud infuriating pulse.
His father's voice is level, and calm and while Ezra can't quiet hear what's being said- the string of sound gives him a sliver of hope. His fathers voice is reassuring and constant and filled with strength. His father was going to sort this all out and any minute now the center stone would be pulled away and Ezra would join his parents again. This was all a misunderstanding, and soon the Imperials would leave.
Ezra hears his father's words pause, for just a moment, and then he raises his voice, loud and clear; he says four clipped words.
"We will never talk."
There is more silence, and Ezra can't afford to waste thought on confusion at what his dad's saying, because now hears a pair of sharp boots squeak on the floor as they turn to face the second prisoner- his mother. Ezra strains, but all he can make out is the he hard short tone of a Imperial officer. He's asking a question.
And then his mother answers. A single sentence. A few short sounds in his mother's pretty voice, but its in a firm and angry tone and sounds almost nothing like her.
"Down with the Empire."
His heart stops and Ezra is thoroughly floored. These are words that should be thought and felt- not spoke out loud! At least not outside the safe room- why is his mother breaking the rules!?
Ezra struggles to pull in air, his chest is tight. His little heart hammering in his chest, he can feel it all the way through his belly and throbbing in his ears.
Why were his parents throwing themselves at the Imperials feet like this?! Why hadn't they come to hide with him? Didn't they know what they were doing?
More silence- this one is heavier and Ezra's hands become fists, one shoved over his mouth and the other over his chest.
The imperial is speaking again, his voice so low, Ezra can barely hear his voice let alone make out the words. He doesn't speak for long however, the boots squeak as the moves away, towards the fount door. More troopers move above him.
Ezra can't believe it- they're leaving? Whatever his parents have said- is it possible it worked? His heart jumps into his throat for just a moment. Everything is going to be ok.
And then, Ezra hears two blaster shots.
Short and quick. Maybe stunners, maybe kills- he doesn't know!
He shoved his hand into his mouth and bites done the first one fired- which was the only thing keeping him from calling out for his mother when the second round goes off.
Ezra wants to cry, but he doesn't dare make a sound. Be quiet, his mother said he had to be quiet!
Mute and trembling, his knuckles pinched between his teeth, Ezra sinks to his knees and gently rocks back and forth on his heels.
There is more talking above him, some movement and shuffling- and then the boots gives out one loud clear order. He shouts so loud Ezra has no touble making out what he says.
"Find every trace of evidence in this house!"
Immediately there is a series of crashes above as the bookshelf is toppled and the dishes are broken in the kitchen.
Ezra can hear the house being torn apart above him and suddenly he realizes, they are looking for something- and they will find him! They will find him and shoot him like his parents!
He shuffles away from the ladder, the sounds of furniture moving and his parents belonging's being carelessly pushed onto the floor, barely audible though the blood throbbing in his ears.
Ezra's spine hits something flat, and he slides down the wall and pulls himself into a ball around his father's backpack. He squeezes the bag into his chest and worries he might throw up or wet himself or maybe he'll faint- but he does none of these.
Ezra doesn't dare make a sound- he barely breathes- so he cannot cry. But tears and snot and drool streaming down his face and he closes his eyes- trying to remember what his mother had said before. Be quite for now. Be safe.
Please Don't find me. Don't find me. Go away. Go away.
Ezra waits in the dark, praying not to be discovered.
They do go away, eventually.
After several hours of raiding the house; they just, leave.
Ezra, half dazed, hears their heavy boots file together, trampling the house remains, crunching glass and crockery under-heel. He looks up at the dark ceiling. He knows they're standing right on top of him, he can feel their presence crushing down on him.
Heavy footsteps circle the room above and come to a stop- just beside the secret room entrance and they wait.
Ezra is almost past fear at this point. He's now equal parts exhaustion and anger. Leave, Ezra thinks angrily. Leave us alone!
There is a single clipped tone, it's Boots again- One order, "Move out. This location is on lock down!"
The troopers march away, dust shifts in the ceiling and settles on his cheeks. He's too stunned, and over wrought to believe it.
He can feel the transport tanks moving though the vibrations in the walls, and the hum grows distant- and then, finally, everything is quiet.
They have been gone for hours now, and no one had returned.
Ezra's stomach rumbles unhappily in the darkness and he presses a hand over his gut- his mind drifts to the kitchen only a few feet away from his hiding spot. He really needs to go to the fresher, and his mouth is bone dry, but he doesn't dare move. He can't.
Ezra falls asleep at one point, too exhausted inside and out, to fight it off. He slump's forward, his crusty cheeks resting on his father's backpack. He has a dream- and he is sure he dreams of his parents.
He thinks he sees the stars- spinning around him, like the glow-light in his bedroom. Only they change, and now these stars are far away and the darkness between them is thick and empty.
Yet, two stars are within arm's reach, and they pulsate and glow with warmth.
"Do right and be brave." Says one star- and it recedes away from Ezra's hands as he reaches for it.
"We love you Ezra." says another and he doesn't catch this one either, it shys away from his touch and gently floats out into the dark.
"Wait!" Ezra says, he tries to run but his feet are stuck in the earth- paved into the street and he can't get free. "I need you." He calls out, and tries to follow the stars rapid movements around him. But they don't hear him, and they get further and further away- and Ezra loses sight of them in the network of flashing lights.
He tries to open his mouth, to call out to his mother and father. But when he pries his lips apart- he had no voice.
The earth opens up and begin to swallow his feet. The stars begin to glow, brighter and brighter- until they hurt Ezra's eyes- and suddenly everything is on fire, and it burns- but its touch is like ice.
Ezra jerks awake with a sob and his heart in his throat- he feels cold.
"Mom..." He sobs, wretchedly. "Dad..."
He falls back into sleep almost instantly, partly from shock and partly exhaustion, dropping his head against the wall with a whimper. His heavy eyes closing before he knows it.
This time- this time there is warmth. And sunlight and laughter and rolling fields of grass that sway in the breeze.
Be brave, the wind whispers. Be strong.
When he wakes again, Ezra can't remember what he saw in his dream- but something of it stays with him, leaving him with a seed of warmth in his chest. It helps to soften the blow as he remembers where he is and why he is sat alone in the dark.
His cheeks are crusted and he scrubs at his eyes, loosening grit and sleep. His mouth is parched, and his gut aches and every piece of him protests as he slowly uncurls from his huddle on the hard floor.
The smallest prick at the back of Ezra's mind, suggested he should move. He had to leave his hiding place. It had been safe- but that didn't mean it was safe any longer. He had to be brave, now. He had to get up and do something. No more hiding, or at least, not here.
Ezra uses the wall to steady his legs as he gets to his feet, groping along the wall and blinking blindly in the dark. He fumbles and finally finds the right straps and shoulders his father's backpack.
It take a few minutes to find the ladder again, bumping his knees against the tipped over stool and reaching out in front of him. He feels his way around the desk and his parent's heavy transmitter.
It's a relief when his fingers close on the cool metal ladder and he steels himself before he climbs up.
The centre stone is heavy, and Ezra has to hook his legs through the rungs at the top of the ladder, and presses his back and arms against the stone. He heaves, gritting his teeth and grunts as he strains- The stone shifts half an inch. The scraping is like an explosion in the quiet.
He waits and listens- but there is no outside noise. No troopers coming to investigate.
Its slow work- but Ezra manages to push the stone away just enough to squeeze his head and shoulders out. He shoved the backpack through first- and when it's not immediately shot up by blasters, he risks sticking his hand out, followed by his head.
There is no one here. The house is torn apart, and the bright afternoon sun is streaming in through the gaps in the panels boarded up on the windows, but there's no one here. Even the space before the doorway- where a terrified part of Ezra feared he would find two cold bodies- is empty.
Ezra realizes, for the first time, he is alone.
R&R for more!