Thump. Zeb was dimly aware of the noise. He rolled over on his mat to try to block out the sound. Thump thump thump. He groaned and threw a pillow over his head. THUMP THUMP THUMP. The noise only got louder. Furious now, he sat up and looked around the interior of the Phantom. Sitting next to him, back turned, was Ezra.

"Keep the noise down," Zeb growled.

Ezra didn't answer. He didn't even move.

"Hey, Kid!" he practically yelled. "I'm talking to you!"

Slowly, Ezra stood up and turned to face the Lasat. His lightsaber was ignited. A blood red blade protruding out of the thin hilt. His eyes were open. Yellow. The eyes of a sith.

Zeb took a step back, hitting the wall behind him. "Ezra," he carefully began, "what are you doing?"

Ezra didn't answer. Instead, he raised his blade up, ready to strike.

"Kid!" Zeb shouted. "This is not funny! Snap out of it!"

The blade came down, killing Zeb.

"ZEB!" Ezra shouted in fear before sitting up from his mat. His breathing was uneven and he was soaked with sweat. He looked around, desperately trying to find his fellow crewmate. It made him feel better when he heard snoring net to him. It was Zeb and he was very alive. Ezra let out a sigh of relief and flopped back down on his mat, trying to get some sleep. It didn't take long for him to drift off.

Ezra slowly opened his eyes when he felt something hard jab his ribs.

"Hey," a gruff voice shouted. "We don't let street rats like you sleep on the steps of the Jedi Temple."

Jedi Temple? Ezra wondered. He sat up and looked at his surroundings. His stomach sank when he realized that he was no longer in the Phantom. He was on the busy planet Courasaunt.

"What seems to be the problem here?" a calm and familiar voice asked.

Ezra gasped. Standing on the steps, in some sort of weird robe/tunic thing, was Kanan.

The gruff human ho had awakened him grabbed Ezra by the hair and roughly dragged him to his feet. "I found this rat sleeping on the steps again," he told Kanan.

Ezra bit back a cry of pain as the man yanked on his hair once more.

Kanan looked over Ezra, then shook his head. "I don't know him."

Ezra was shocked. "What?! Kanan?!"

The human yanked on Ezra's hair again. "Quiet, rat! That's Master Jarrus to you!"

Kanan turned to leave. "Do with him what you wish. Just don't let him disturb my Padawan's training."

Ezra was shocked. What was he saying? Did he have a new Padawan? What about the crew? He closed his eyes to stop the tears that threatened to overflow.

When he opened them, he was once more on the Phantom. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He tried to fall back asleep, but each time he would have a nightmare. Finally, he settled with some meditation. As much as he hated it, he often fell asleep while trying to meditate. Maybe it would have the same affect?

Ezra sat down on his mat, did his best to tune out Zeb's snoring, and let his eyes drift shut. His mind soon started to wander, touching the heart of each star they passed. It was an odd feeling to touch a star. It made Ezra be filled with energy. In time, Ezra felt something else reach out to him through the Force. It wasn't helpless like a star, and a definite connection to the Force could be felt. Ezra dove deeper, trying to identify the presence.

A vision filled his mind. It took place in a small, mostly empty room. No posters littered the walls, no objects lay on the floor, and no other presence could be felt. In the center of the room sat a man, cross-legged. He had a slightly trimmed brown beard and a shield covering his eyes. Kanan.

Kanan reached out through the Force, trying to touch the presence that had brushed his mind. It didn't take him long to recognize the strong Force-signature of Ezra. Something had changed, though. where the happy, witty, young mind of Ezra once was, a darker, older, more mature mind lay. As Kanan dove deeper into the presence, he could feel cold hints of the Dark Side lurking in shadowy corners. What bothered the Jedi most, though, was the constant pain that created a haze.

Ezra's eyes shot open and he stumbled backward. Was that really…

Kanan? He asked through the Force.

There was a pause, then the unmistakable voice of his master echoing through his head. Ezra? Is that really you?

Ezra broke into a smile. Yes, master, he told Kanan. It's me.

I can't believe your alive!

Ditto on that!

Ditto?

Yea. Same. You know, like…never mind. How's Sabine?

She's progressing in her training. She has nearly caught up with Robin.

Robin? Who's Robin?

He's one of my new apprentices I promised to train since you left. He and Sabine are proving to be great Jedi someday.

Oh.

Oh? Is something wrong?

Does Sabine miss me?

Yes, Ezra. Of course, she does! Everyone does. Do you think we would just forget about you?

Yes.

A pause. Then, well your wrong. Are you okay? I sense pain.

Yea, I'm fine.

Ezra…?

What?

Your lying, aren't you?

No. well…kinda…

Ezra…

What?

Wait. Why do I sense the Dark Side?

Uh…no reason!

What do you mean, no reason? Are you using it?

Kinda…

Ezra!

What?

You can't use the Dark Side! only a Sith does that! You aren't a sith, are you?

No…but—

You can't use it!

But I've gotten more powerful! I can help more people!

You'll only hurt them! The Dark Side will consume you.

But I've been using it for five years and I'm not a sith!

Are you a Jedi then?

…

Ezra?

…

Ezra?

Ezra broke the connection. He knew Kanan was right. He gave up his place as a Padawan for the Dark Side. but it had helped him! Why couldn't his old master see that? He had grown so powerful that even the Empire couldn't stop him. He could help more people. He wasn't a sith. He wasn't a Jedi, either. Sighing, Ezra reached into his bag to pull out an item. A familiar red glow filled the Phantom. Gently, Ezra cradled it in his hands. He closed his eyes. It started to glow brighter.

Ezra focused as he dove deeper into the Sith Holocron.

I know. Some of you are throwing your computer at the wall and some of you are crazy happy about the cliffhanger. For those of you throwing things: sorry! For those of you in laughing fits: your welcome!

Until next time!

-Spector7 out!