Chapter 2 - Road to hell
Everything was black, everything felt heavy, every part of her body was sore. From, as it seems, far away, she could hear the raging voice of Hera.
-"Chopper, why didn't you tried to stop them?!"
Bwop-beep bwap bee-eep.
-"What do you mean, you're not stupid enough to try stopping a Sith Lord? Sabine tried!"
Beep bwop-beep bee.
-"I know she was nearly killed, but at least..."
Sabine opened her eyes, grunting. Through her blurry sight, she saw Hera turning to look at her, worried. She was talking with the lousy droid, just outside of the Ghost's Med-bay.
-"It's okay." Said Hera, coming near the girl. "You're safe now."
The Mandalorian leaned on her elbows, shaking slowly her head to get herself together. -"And Ezra?"
Her voice was hesitant. She was anxious for her friend, and with reason...
-"We couldn't stop them." Answered sadly Hera, sitting beside the girl. "They shot down those who tried to get in their way and jumped into hyperspace as soon as they could." She posed a hand on the trembling one of Sabine. "And you, how do you feel?"
The Mandalorian took a deep breath. -"I think I'm okay. My armor took most of the shock." She was shaken, but not for herself. If only she had been faster...
-"Good." Hera turned to Chopper. "Go tell everyone she's fine." The droid went away, beeping. "And tell them 'Meeting in the lounge in 5 minutes'!"
There was another distant beep. -"What was that?" retorted Hera back, then sighed. "You should rest now." continued the Twi'lek with a much sweeter tone while turning his attention back to Sabine.
-"No, I can stand. I'll go with you." replied the proud girl.
Hera nodded, and helped her get on her feet. -"Okay, but don't strain yourself."
It only took a few minutes, but as soon as Chopper relayed the message, everyone gathered in the Ghost lounge. They needed to talk about what happened, to gather their mind and understand how it could have gone so wrong in such a short moment.
Zeb entered as last...
-"You!" Scolded Sabine.
-"Me? What!?" Retorted the Lasat surprised, still in the doorframe.
-"You had to say it!" Anger was almost burning her, yet, she seemed also disappointed.
-"Said what?" Continued Zeb confused when, suddenly, it stroke him. "Wait, you don't mean when I said I wouldn't help him with the Inquisitor!? It's not like I crossed my arms while watching you fight!" he replied, defensively.
-"Don't you know that, sometimes, speaking brings bad luck?" She reprimanded him.
-"Then, it must have been karma!" He stubbornly defended. "I mean, he deserved it!"
-"Zeb Orrelios!" Jolted Hera. "You can't really mean that!"
Kanan frowned and stood up, hands on the table.
-"No one deserves to be captured by Inquisitors. Even less by a Sith Lord! Who knows what they're doing to him right now..." A shiver ran across his spine. "I don't even want to start thinking about it."
He was talking from experience...
His pained expression made Zeb swallow with uneasiness. He rubbed his big hand on the back of his head, then sighed.
-"Karabast!" He hit his knuckles against his palm. "I know you're right. We need to get him back!... So, where do we start looking?"
Kanan let himself fall on the bench.
-"That's the problem. We know nothing of what they intend to do with him. Less where they could have taken him..."
The crew dropped their heads, sad, pondering. Where were they suppose to start looking?
...
Ezra started to wake up, hardly, all his muscles stiff and sore.
Still jammed in the metallic trap, half-lifting his heavy eyelids, all he saw was the floor of an unfamiliar ship and the legs of two Stormtroopers. They were watching over him, weapons in hands.
-'Okay, not in the right camp.' He thought. 'I have to go back.'
He struggled subtly, while making an interesting discovery.
-"Stop moving!" Ordered a Buckethead, taking aim at him!
Well, maybe not subtly enough, but it made him realize he was now loose in his restrain. There were slights explosives marks on the metal were the device had been weakened, and he only knew one person talented enough to damage the trap without hurting him.
-'Thanks, Sabine.' He muttered gratefully in his head. 'Now, I need to get rid of those Bucketheads if I want a chance to escape.'
Having a little more space than before, he managed to move his hand and, making sure he wouldn't hurt himself, he ignited his lightsaber! The Stormtroopers jolted, jumping back, and fired at him. Ripping open the device, the Padawan deflected their blast back at them!
As the men fell on the floor, he felt the spaceship landing. Now was his chance!
He stood up, ran to the ramp and pressed a button to make it open. Outside, he instantly recognized the landing deck of a destroyer. Never thought he would see another one so soon, he didn't even had time to miss the last one, but, no time to think on how much trouble he was again. All he knew was that he had to make haste...
So he ran.
Making it the fastest he could with his stiff legs, he made his neurons run too. If he wanted to escape, he needed to find a hiding spot before looking for some kind of ship, escape pod or other means of transportation and get the heck out of here as soon as he could.
Just when he was reaching the end of the docking bay, another group of Stormtrooper appeared in his way.
He frowned, grunting. -"I don't have time for this!"
Firming his grip on his saber's hilt, he deflected more shots, sending them back at some enemies. Using his running pace, he kicked another Trooper on his bucket, making it do a half turn on the man's head. Quickly, he had them all either on the ground or disarmed.
-"Good, now I just have to make a run for... ahr!"
He was stopped in his course, feeling an intense throbbing pain in his skull. Dropping his saber, he took his head with his hands, falling on his knees, and this pain, such intense pressure, made him sure it would explode if he was to release his hold even for a split second!
-"Leaving us, already ? I don't think so."
The mocking tone of the Seventh Sister slips out of him. All his attention was focused on not fainting. At the very moment he thought the suffering was gonna make him puke, he faintly heard the voice of Vader.
-"Stop it." Ordered the Dark Lord. "We are supposed to bring him a boy. Not a corpse."
The honeyed voice of Seventh answered almost immediately. -"As you wish, my Lord."
The pain faded away, vanishing from his skull, and he deposed his forehead on the cold floor, panting.
Some Troopers roughly grabbed him, handcuffing his wrists in front of him. One took his lightsaber and gave it to the Sith Lord.
-"Take him into custody until we arrive at our destination." The disembodied voice hardened. "And do not hurt him any further."
-"Leave it to me, my Lord." Continued Seventh with a reverence, raising her head only when the Sith Lord left the room.
Frowning, she stood up and motioned at the Stormtroopers to started walking. They hastily began, half supporting Ezra.
The walk to his cell made him feel better, and more when they helped him sit on the metal bench, but he grunted when he realized the men were leaving without the Inquisitor. She stayed in the room with him...
As soon as the door closed, the Mirialan turned to stare at the boy with a strange smile, almost a smirk.
-"Ah, I'm so happy to be the one tasked to watch over you."
-"Not again. Won't you ever shut up?" Spat Ezra exasperatedly, rolling his eyes to the sky.
She grunted for a second, but her smile didn't take long to reappear. The look in her yellow eyes sent a chill down Ezra's spine. One way worst than the first time she had captured him...
-"Now now, don't be like that." She said smoothly, approaching suavely, one step at a time. "I just wanted to ask you one little question."
Since he was sitting, he couldn't back off, but he did slide a little to the side, trying to keep some distance.
She sat near him and followed his evasive movements. -"How was it?"
-"How was what?" Winced Ezra.
-"Don't play dumb with me. I, too, have read the Grand Inquisitor report. And, I saw your face, back at the old factory." A flash of excitation ran in her golden iris. "You have felt the Dark side of the Force. I sensed it. Hell, everyone sensed it! Even the Troopers."
He soon was cornered at the junction of the bench and the wall. Giggling, she deposed her leg onto his thighs, trapping them, stopping him from rising away. With one hand, she folded one of his thin shoulder, using her other to cuddle the boy's chin, forcing him to look at her.
-"So, how was it? Be a good boy and tell me how you felt."
He moved his head away to eluded her gaze, freeing his jaw. -"Why should I? It doesn't concern you."
Swiftly, she grabbed him again with rage, digging her nail inside the tender skin of his cheeks. -"Don't make me force it out of this sweet mouth of yours."
-"I've heard it too!" He retorted provocative, trying to ignore the pain. "You were ordered not to hurt me!" His fingers were chenched on her hand the best he could despite the cuffs, but she wouldn't release her firm hold.
Her smile grew more devilish.
-"Oh, dear boy. The first order was to make sure you wouldn't escape. I could always say you tried to get away and I had to stop you... forcefully."
He swallowed the lump stuck in his throat. Something in her gaze made him feel even more uncomfortable than her threat...
Releasing his jaw, she ran her fingers in his soft blue-black hair. -"So, for the last time, How Was It?"
'Why is she so eager to know?' Wondered Ezra. But, it was not as if she had inquired him on some vital info on the Rebels or something.
So, he decided to answer, frowning. -"Cold. I felt cold."
Her eyes widened, as if she was surprised. She let go of her grip, standing up again, and laughed. A true, honest laugh that could almost be cute if it has not been the one of a dangerous and frigid Inquisitor.
-"What's so funny?!" Jolted Ezra, annoyed.
She turned, leaning herself on the wall while crossing her arms. -"For you to be so honest, it's a rare sigh"." Her voice softened. "But, don't worry boy. You'll get used to the cold."
-"Don't need to." He muttered, looking away. "It's not like I'll ever use it again."
She laughed once more. This was beginning to get on his nerves.
-"So innocent. So naive. I can't wait to see you back after your little stay on Pyleiad."
Pyleiad? Was it their destination? He'd never heard of that planet.
-"Why? What's so special about this place?"
-"Don't make me spoil you the fun." She retorted with a grin. "You'll see for yourself soon enough."
He turned his head, pouting to be left without a real answer. Not so heroic, but, at least, he was hiding a growing feeling of discomfort. A lingering fear that was nesting in his belly for some time now and that kept expanding in him.
-"But," She continued almost gently, teasing him. "since you've been mostly cooperative, I think I'll give you a hint on what's coming next." She approaches again, stooped to the level of his eye and curled a strand of his hair with her forefinger. "I, too, visited this place. Back when I was younger, innocent and naive."
His eyes widened, unbelieving. He could never imagine how those adjectives could fit with the fierce Inquisitor he had in front of him.
She raised up. -"Try to get some rest if you can. You'll need your strength if you wish to put a good fight. I wish I could stay to see your struggles.
He sighed, laid himself on the bench and glared at her, frowning. -"I don't need a babysitter to sleep."
-"Right. Like I would thrust any others to keep an eye on you." Was her amused answer.
Maybe they were starting to know him a little too much. He turned his back to her, cowering a little. Only one thought was still in his mind before he could rest.
'Kanan, I tried...'
