Electricity sparked onto Kanan's battered body, giving the air a distinct smell of burned flesh. The Jedi gritted his teeth, trying in vain to keep his cries of pain from echoing in the cell, but had no success. His fists curled into balls, he would not give in, he would not!
"Still protecting your precious crew," The Pau'uan in front of him chuckled darkly, and the electricity ceased. "Quite admirable. But what I want to know is about the other rebels. Codename: Fulcrum."
Kanan sighed. Couldn't this guy take a hint? "I know nothing of a larger rebellion," his tounge flicked across his dry lips, what he would do for a glass of water... "And if I did, I'd rather give my life than tell you."
The Inquisitor gave him a look that clearly said he would give anything to arrange that, but the look vanished, and he gave another dark laugh. "So heroic, just like your Master." Kanan stiffened and leaned as far away from the sith as his restraints would allow. "Tell me, Jedi. How did you survive Order 66." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Kanan could see, the Inquisitor had been waiting to get this reaction from him. Well, he would not get the satisfaction—"It was your Master Billaba who laid down her life for yours." The alien leaned closer. "Do you remember her last word to you, her last and final breath before she died? You do, don't you? You see it in your sleep. You hear her voice when you wake." He grinned, bearing his pointed teeth. "Tell me, Jedi, what was her last word to you?"
In that moment, Kanan was Caleb Dume again. In that moment, he was back on Kaller. In that moment, the events replayed all over in his head. Grey and Styles, suddenly turning and firing at him and his Master. His Master telling him—ordering him to go on without her. With difficulty, Kanan managed to utter out a single world. A word that had continued to haunt him for fifteen years, a word that had plagued his mind and dreams.
"Run."
The single word echoed throughout Kanan's mind, he hardly heard what the Inquisitor said next.
"And does your loyal and precious crew know you ran as your master fell," Kanan froze as the Pau'uan spoke."Abandoned her and the Jedi Order... when they needed you most? What do you think your rebels would do...if they knew their leader was a coward?" No, he wasn't a coward, he wasn't. He was following orders, he wasn't a coward. "You're even afraid of your own power. You don't have the courage to wear your full saber out in the open." The truth stung...maybe he was a coward. "Let me tell you something, Jedi. You're right to be afraid. You couldn't save your master then, and you can't save your followers now."
Kanan wanted to say something, anything, but the Inquisitor left. Leaving the broken Jedi, the last Padawan, to muse his thoughts.
He was a coward.
Literally all I can write now is angst