Notes: Sorry for the wait. Not much else to say. Thought I'd start off with some Kanan x Hera stuff. I meant to make this longer, but ultimately decide to leave their grand escape from Nal Hutta for the next chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars Rebels or any of its characters. I have no affiliation with Disney or Lucasfilm. I am making no money off this and am writing purely because I feel like it.
Ch 4: Enter the Dragonsnake
A VCX-100 light freighter slowly flies into and lands in a Nar Shaddaa space port. In it the Ghost crew, minus Zeb and Ezra. "You send them our coordinates so they know where to bring the Phantom, Love?" the Twi'lek asked the despondent Jedi sitting beside her, as she leaned back from the controls, making herself more comfortable.
"Yeah, I sent out a transmission once we left hyperspace." Kanan responded curtly. He found himself to pry his mind away from the thoughts of the catastrophe the unsupervised Ezra and Zeb are no doubt causing. He was against leaving them alone on the Ghost in the first place. Whenever those two are left to their own devices chaos ensues. No, not only that, even when they were with Sabine and Chopper they managed to draw the attention of two inquisitors, something about them working in tandem just seems to attract calamity. He couldn't help but imagine something with an angry Hutt and a rancor.
Hera smirked; she knew exactly what he was ruminating on. "You know if you keep this up you'll be an old man before you know It." she mused as she stood up. Kanan began to speak, but before he could utter a word Hera cut him off. "You worry too much. Ezra and Zeb can take care of themselves. They always manage to get out of whatever trouble they stumble into." she consoled him as she sat on his lap. "Let me help take your mind off it Love." she finished as she leaned in to kiss him.
"Are you kidding? Sabine is still here you know…" Kanan struggled to force out the words in the face of the advances of his Twi'lek temptress. His breathing had become heavy and he knew he couldn't hold out much longer if she kept up. With how ardently she was suckling at his neck, it would undoubtedly leave marks. This was going to make it harder to keep things under wraps. If the others found out they would never let them hear the end of it. Well mostly Ezra and Sabine, those two loved the mock and quip, Zeb would probably get bored and quit after a day or two, and Chopper already knew. Plus what kind of example would that set for the two teens. It was just easier to keep it a secret. With all this in mind, he could already hear their gibing, however, Hera soon put those concerns to rest.
"She's still… taking inventory… of her paints… and dyes… to make a list… of what to get… now… that… we're on… Nar Shaddaa." she managed to get out between breaths and the many neck kisses she was giving Kanan. As he took in a whiff of her seductive scent he could no longer resist and began to return in kind. Sure, they just managed to get in some alone time before they left, but with two angst riddled teens and a grumpy Lasat they took advantage of every moment they got alone together. They worked their way back up until their eyes met and they locked lips. The kissed passionately and without reserve as Hera draped her hands around his neck, and Kanan smoothed hi hand down her back, before planting his hands firmly on the shapely arse she hid under her baggy flight suit.
They separated and breathed heavily, looking deeply into each other's eyes, completely consumed with lust. The leaned in for another kiss, but before their lips could meet they heard footsteps and roving motors from down the hall. Sabine and Chopper were coming. They quickly got up, straitened their clothes, and Kanan fixed his hair. "Chopper's receiving a transmission, it's from Rex and Ahsoka…" she spoke as she entered the cockpit with Chopper. Kanan and Hera put up a calm front, but they were still flushed from their previous activities, Sabine simply raised a brow and then shook her head, deciding to ignore it. She had Chopper start the transmission.
Chopper projected holograms of Ahsoka and Rex. "Where'd ya go?" Rex questioned in a calm but somewhat irritated manner. Ahsoka just stood there leaning against a supply crate.
"Zeb and Ezra took the Phantom, and are having us meet up with them on Nar Shaddaa." Hera openly replied.
Ahsoka just rolled her eyes and replied "Whatever. Just pick me up one of those new lekku buffers they're selling there." She went out of her way to bring them some supplies that weren't particularly easy to come by, as well as to see how Ezra's Jedi training was coming, so she was a little peeved.
Hera simply smirked and replied "Will do."
Rex laughed with gusto and said "Zeb and Ezra went off on their own. I can't wait to hear about their latest exploits." Ahsoka, Kanan, and Sabine all just rolled their eyes. The transmission ended. Sabine went back to her quarters to continue making her list, Chopper went to his charging dock, and Hera and Kanan stayed in the cockpit.
"Agh… What's taking them so long? They should have been here by now." Kanan sighed out, brooding once more.
Hera reached around him and placed her hand on his shoulder, leaning her head on the one closest to her. "You're right; it's been a while now. We should have at least gotten a transmission that they're en route by now. What could be the reason?" she questioned.
"I don't know, but I have a feeling I'm not going to like it." Kanan responded.
"KID, WATCH OUT!" Zeb roared as the dragonsnake rapidly approached Ezra and. Zeb ceased firing on the dragonsnake in fear of hitting his friend, but not knowing Ezra Lanna continued to fire. Zeb had to run to her and pushe her bo-rifle down. "NO YOU'LL HIT THE KID!" Zeb yelled at her out of fear for his friend. He was upset that he could only watch, as the dragonsnake knocked Ezra to the ground and the lightsaber from his hands.
Ezra lay flat on his back, the dragonsnake roared as it approached him. Ezra rolled back to where he was standing on his shoulders, and his hands were planted firmly on the ground. He used them in tandem with the Force to propel himself into the air. He extended his arm and force pulled his lost lightsaber back into his hand. As he landed the dragonsnake coiled around him on the ground. His legs became completely ensnared by the beast. It lunged at him, the killing intent evident in its one good eye. He bent over backwards to avoid the dragonsnakes attack from his side. He blasted it in the eye that didn't have a vibroknife stabbed in it, on his way back up. The dragonsnake roared out in a rage and coiled around him tighter. It charged at him again, this time head on. There was only one way oud and Ezra knew it. In an instant, Ezra furrowed his brow, steeled his gaze, and ignited his lightsaber. As the dragonsnake's fangs neared ever closer to Ezra, he swung his lightsaber from the side, immediately decapitating the predator and cauterizing the wound on contact, preventing blood spray.
As the dragonsnake's head fell to the ground, its grip on him loosened, and the two Lasats could only look on in aw; Ezra had come a long way in terms of his combat ability. Slaying one of the most dangerous predators on Nal Hutta was proof of this. Ezra extinguished his lightsaber, placed it back on his belt, and breathed a sigh of relief. He stepped out of the dragonsnake's limp carcass that had entrapped him. He and Zeb shared a look as they had a mutual understanding. Lanna had seen him use the Force and wield his lightsaber; they needed to make sure she wouldn't blab about it. Zeb turned to her and as he was about to speak she did. "No need to worry Jedi. My people are no friend to the Empire. Your secret is safe with me." She took a breath, and motioned to the direction Zeb and Ezra had originally come from. "We gonna go or what?" she questioned.
"Ugh, Yeah." Zeb grumbled, somewhat bewildered. They started off Zeb and Lanna in the lead and Ezra trailing behind them, Zeb supporting her and her injuries when she needed it. Lanna tried to be strong and walk on her own as much as possible, apparently all Lasats hate to show weakness, or maybe it's just Honor Guards. "So what do ya plan to do after this?" Zeb questioned Lanna.
"Don't know, haven't thought about it much?" she said hoping Zeb would offer to take her with him, once they left the planet.
"Why don't ya come with us?" Zeb offered to the female Lasat. She grinned, it was just what she wanted to hear.
"Really, not even going to run this by Kanan or Hera?" Ezra sarcastically interjected, as he calmly strolled along with his hands behind his head.
Zeb cocked his head back and shot Ezra a dirty look. "Yeah, like they ran you joinin' the crew by me?" Zeb rhetorically asked.
"It's different, it's their ship." Ezra retorted with guile.
"It's Hera's ship. Why would you think Kanan has a stake in it?" Zeb retorted, irritated and curious.
"Huh? They're married, aren't they?" Ezra asked with a sense of childlike naivety and innocence.
"No, of course they…" Zeb paused. "Ya know I actually don't know." he continued.
"They sure act married." Ezra spat out, sharing his honest belief.
"Yeah, they do. Should we ask them?" Zeb questioned, now curious on the matter.
"Hey!" Lanna interjected now ahead of the both of them. Zeb had subconsciously slowed down while talking to Ezra. "That isn't your ship, is it? If it is, we're gonna have a problem!" she stated as she pointed at the Phantom, being leeched dry of power by a horde of hungry xuvvas. The large, pale brown, bat-like creatures were having a feast.
"This aint good. Let's make a break for the ship and try to knock 'em off… With any luck we'll have enough power to make it to Nar Shaddaa." Zeb spoke calmly and quietly. With his words the three shared a look and nodded.
They drew their blasters and charged the ship, firing at the xuvvas. Zeb was up front as the vanguard, followed by Lanna, and Ezra covered the rear. Both Zeb and Lanna had managed to blast three xuvvas each off the Phantom with their bo-rifles. Ezra blasted two that left their feeding frenzy and flew at the Lasats.
Once they were only a few meters away from the Phantom Zeb switched his bo-rifle to melee mode and started to whack the xuvvas from the ship. The remaining xuvvas began to swarm him. While the xuvvas were concentrating on Zeb, Lana managed to sneak by and onto the ship. Ezra stopped blasting and ignited his lightsaber. He Force pushed the xuvva off of Zeb, he then took the starting position of Ataru and Force leapt towards the dazed horde, doing some mid-air summersaults. He hacked apart all the xuvva within his reach.
Zeb got on the Phantom and tried to start up the ship while Ezra held off the xuvva. The controls lit up and dust shifted in the air as the ship began to hover off the ground. That's went everything went black and the ship fell to the ground, completely out of power. "OH, COME ON!" Zeb roared, bashing his fists into the control console out of frustration. Deciding he needed to hit something, he grabbed his bo-rifle that he had set by his side at the pilot's chair, and wen to go help Ezra. Lanna just sat on one of the benches in the Phantom completely exhausted, her injuries taking their toll.
Ezra had managed to slice apart the majority of the xuvvas, and the few that were left were retreating. Ezra extinguished his lightsaber and looked at the fleeing xuvvas with a sense of satisfaction. Unfortunately one was still left and flew at him from behind. It bushed him to the ground and clawed at his back. Ezra's already frayed and raggedy suit was torn apart. The xuvva continued to claw at Ezra, rending the flesh of his back. Ezra could only scream out in pain, as his body sprawled out on the ground.
"KID!" Zeb shouted out in a rage upon seeing what was happening to his little buddy. He set hi bo-rifle to melee mode and charged the xuvva mauling his friend. He whacked it square in the face, the force of the hit sending the beast flying while completely eviscerating its head. He looked down and saw Ezra struggling to get up, his clothes in shreds, his back riddled with cuts and covered in blood. Zeb grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up, proceeding to drag him into the Phantom. "Come on kid…you'll be alright…" Zeb spoke halfheartedly and full of worry, as he tried to reassure both himself and Ezra.