"Why are you here Bane?" Ezra asked narrowing his eyes.
"Me? I'm here just for a simple drink. The question you should be asking is, 'Why are you here?'" Bane asked with a twisted smile.
Ezra could of only respond to that question with a face that said 'I don't know.' He didn't know why the force brought him here to Bane, why was he drawn to him of all people? Cad Bane is nothing but a bounty hunter who will kill anything or anyone for credits. Not only he a bounty hunter he also a criminal who specialize in fighting jedi. He slaughtered hundreds of jedi and murdered thousands of innocents just for profit and he showed no sympathy while doing it. He is a ruthless duro who is feared by many and loved by none.
Ezra and his master Kanan had a few run-in with Bane in the past and they all didn't end in the best way. They tried to capture him and place him under arrest in the name of the Galactic Republic but he always manage to slip away somehow.
Bane always been a slippery one, always evading the impossible and staying one-step ahead of his enemy's. He's smart as a whip and always have something up his sleeves when you lease expect it, never underestimate the guy.
"Have a seat, let me buy you a drink my young jedi friend." Bane said with a smile.
"No thanks and im not your friend." Ezra said bitterly.
"Disrespectful as always." Bane said shaking his head side to side.
"Their nothing to respect when it come's down to you." Ezra said.
"Such disobedience… did you treat your master Kanan like this before his agonizing death?" Bane said with a smile.
"What?... How?... How did you know…" Ezra said shocked that Bane knew of his master passing already.
"It's all over the news. The Galactic Republic have fallen, the sith reign supreme, and thousands of jedi destroyed. Along with your master Kanan… he deserved what he gotten." Bane said still showing his twisted smile on his face.
Hearing that little remark about Kanan made Ezra blood boil overtime. Kanan was anything but a cowered, he saved Ezra life more time's than he can count. He took Ezra under his wing and mold him into the person he is today, if it wasn't for him Ezra would probably be a good for nothing street rat on Lothal right now. Even though Ezra and Kanan didn't see eye to eye sometimes, Ezra appriacted all things he done for him.
In anger Ezra slammed his hands down hard on Bane table making sure he had his full attention.
"You shut up about Kanan!" Ezra said with pure rage within his eyes.
"I think you might wanna keep your voice down." Bane warned.
Ezra was about to let out another loud fierce insult right in Bane face but before a word left his lips he notice Bane wasn't looking him in the eye anymore, he was looking behind him. Curious at what Bane was looking at Ezra followed his gaze and looked over his shoulder and saw what he wish he didn't see, especially in a time like this. 3 Coruscant underworld policemen just walk into saloon and by the look of them they were looking for someone… someone like him.
The Coruscant Underworld Police are Coruscant Security Force who are responsible for patrolling the lower levels of Coruscant. They keep the law and order in the underworld and they are really brutal about it. If anyone in the lowers level dare to step out a line you can believe they will be after you 24/7. Not only that they'll also send everything they have at you for any little crime even petty theft. They 'shoot first and ask questions later', that how they roll so it best to try to avoid them and stay under their radar as best you can because they are a corrupted system that show no mercy to any fugitive.
Knowing they were after him and his friends Ezra quickly sat down across from Bane at his table and shield his face with his hand prayed the 3 policemen wouldn't notice him.
"I'm guessing it haven't been fun since you and your friends got convicted as wanted felons, huh?" Bane said with his smile returning to his face.
"Shut up." Ezra whispered.
Still shielding his face with his hand Ezra took a quick look at the police officers who walked in and saw the 3 split up to cover more ground of the crowded saloon. Worried they would find and identify him as one of the wanted felons they were after, Ezra remained calm and tried to blind in into the crowd. He tried to look like a everyday customer but due to his long time foe across from him he couldn't. He feared Bane was gonna rat him out and blow his cover, destroying his and friends chances in staying incognito.
Surprisingly the barely dressed female waitress twi'lek approach and stood at Ezra and Bane table with a round plate in one hand with 2 mugs on it full of some kind of yellow liquid Ezra couldn't identify. The female twi'lek gave Bane his ordered drinks with a short apology for the long wait and walked off to take someone else order on the other side of the room.
Still deeply scared that Bane was gonna call him out by name to the authorities in the room Bane did something Ezra did not expect someone like him would do. Bane passed Ezra one of his drinks to him like the two don't have a violent history with one another. Ezra raise a eyebrow at Bane wondering what is he up to, what kind of game is he playing and also wondered if he lost his mind. Plus, knowing Bane the drink he offering to him is probably some kind of alcohol that will probably mess him up sideways. Besides, Ezra against drinking he will never let his lips touch the liquid known as alcohol. He not drinking that, no way.
"So… how are things?" Bane asked.
"What?" Ezra said very confused how Bane is acting in the given moment.
"How life treating you?" Bane asked while taking a sip of his drink.
"Uhm?" Ezra answered.
"Judging by the way you look it haven't been fun being hunted down huh?"
"Hunted down?" Ezra said with eyebrow raised.
"They launch a search for surviving jedi to be hunted down and defeated." Bane said.
"Who they?" Ezra asked.
"The Empire." Bane said narrowing his eyes.
"The Empire." Ezra repeated.
Ezra remembered hearing that name late last night threw the announcement when he, Ahsoka, and Barriss first learned they were wanted criminals. He never took the time to think about the new risen power since he had so much other things on his mind at the time. But now The Empire have his full attention he wanted to learn who they are and what they wanted.
"Yes, they are a new found government that replaced the Galactic Republic after it fallen into the sith hands and they are ruthless. They destroyed the remaining Separatists, their taking control of every planet in the galaxy, and now the Emperor launched a search for remaining jedi to be hunted down and captured or destroyed." Bane explained.
"What do they want?" Ezra asked.
"Order, control, power. That what they thrive for, that their goal and they won't stop till they get it." Bane answered the young padawan.
Ezra paused and went into deep thought, he attempted digest all the new information he just been given but… it wasn't sitting well with him. He just couldn't believe how much have change in such little time. The sith rose to power, the Empire is in control, and now… the jedi are being hunted down by the enemy they swore to destroy and the worse thing about all of this is that he doesn't have Kanan to guide him threw all this mess.
But if this… Empire are really bad as Bane say they are and if The Chancellor or now the Emperor truly is the sith lord who pulling all the strings of this new found government than he must be stopped. With or without Kanan he must do something. Their no telling how many innocent people are going to suffer because of this new power, Ezra must take action. But wait… why is Cad Bane one of his enemy's, telling him all of this?
"Why are you telling me all this?" Ezra asked.
"Must I have a reason?" Cad Bane answered with a smile.
"I know you didn't just told me all that useful information just because you wanted to." Ezra said.
"Can a guy just warn a old friend of a possible near doom in his future?" Bane said.
"Okay you either lost your mind or you want something from me, witch is it?"
Before Bane could think of a response to give to the young padawan he and Ezra heared stern voice over by the saloon counter. They both took a look in the direction the voice came from and saw one of the police officers interrogating a male rodian about something close to their table.
"Have you seen these fugitives?" The Police Officer said with a holopad in his hand displaying a hologram of Ezra, Ahsoka, and Barriss bodies and faces.
The male rodian only answered with a head shake that said 'no' with a little fear in his black eyes. Ezra immediately hid his face with hand again knowing the they were on to him and were going to make their over to his and Bane table at some point. Keeping silent and trying to act like a everyday customer like everyone else, Ezra kelp his head down.
Cad Bane drank up the last of his drink and slam the mug containing his yellow liquid down hard onto the table. He suddenly stood up from his seat and looked down on the young padawan with a very crooked smile of his face.
Ezra thoughts were all over the place, was Bane finally going to rat him out? Was he finally going to call him out by name to the authorities and ruin his and his friends cover? Was he finally going to take this golden opportunity to possibly get rid of this worse enemy? Ezra heart was racing with fear and he couldn't do nothing but look into Bane cold red eyes and wait for him to rain hell onto him and his friends already pitiful lives.
After a minute of non-stopping looking at each other eyes Bane finally spoke and what he said made Ezra eyebrow raise the second he heard the entire sentence.
"You owe me for this." Bane said.
"What?" Ezra responded.
Bane quickly reach down into his weapon hoister and pulled out one of his blaster pistols. He raised it high into the air and fired three shots from his pistol. Within seconds everyone in the crowded saloon scattered and ran like cockroaches while letting out screams and yelling from almost every patron in the room. They all made a mad dash to the exit leaving the three police officers in the room confused and trapped in the moving crowd.
Ezra was shocked at Bane action, why did he do that? Ezra looked up to give Bane a weird but shocking look on his face but the second he did, Bane was gone. He vanish like some demon in the night and Ezra could only give another shocking look on his face but he couldn't sit their and wonder were he ran off to.
Ezra had to move and get out while he still had the chance. Ezra got up and ran with the crowd to the front exit, he beautifully blinded into the crowd and ran right pass the three police officers with ease.
Once he was outside onto the streets he made a beeline to the slum market with the urge to find Ahsoka and Barriss. Since shots have been fired Ezra knew the police are going to be all over the place investigating the area to find out happen that made everyone in the saloon to run and scream all the sudden. So it would probably be best if they leave before trouble come looking for them… again.
Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Barriss where still walking side by side around the slum market with Ahsoka surprisingly carrying a backpack full of food. Apparently in The Underworld of Coruscant food cost a lot less than the food on the surface, of course the food didn't look or taste good like the surface food but it's better than nothing… right?
The two were quite please what they got with the little credits they had on them but something was really bugging Barriss. The morning argument she had with Ahsoka was still bothering her. Yes they already apologize and made up and that great but, she was still little mad waking up this morning and seeing Ezra arm so comfortably wrapped around Ahsoka waist like they were some kind of… couple.
So Barriss decided to take a deep breath and talk to Ahsoka about it. She hated bringing the subject back up because she didn't want to start another argument with the girl she love like a sister, but maybe talking it out will resolve this issue and finally get the annoying subject off her mind.
"Ahsoka?" Barriss said.
"Yes Barriss." Ahsoka responded while putting her sight on her closest friend.
"Uhm… can I… ask you something?" Barriss asked.
"Sure Barriss, anything." Ahsoka replied with a small smile.
"What going on with you and Ezra?" Barriss asked with her eyes narrowed.
Ahsoka was totally caught off guard by the sudden question, of course she have a crush on Ezra but she didn't want Barriss or anyone else to know. Ahsoka really thought about telling Barriss about her crush on the young boy from Lothal but, the thought of someone else finding out and getting laugh at haunted her consious day and night.
Barriss is her best friend and she love her like a sister but she just couldn't push herself to tell her so she decided to keep it a secret from her and the galaxy. But what made Barriss ask such a bold question?
"What do you mean by that?" Ahsoka asked rubbing the back of her neck.
"I mean… is their something between you and Ezra?" Barriss asked.
"What? No, what made you think that?" Ahsoka replied.
"This morning, you and Ezra were sitting so close to each other and… Ezra had his arm wrapped around you and…" Barriss said but got cutoff by her dear friend.
"Barriss I can promise you their nothing going on between me and Ezra." Ahsoka said.
"Are you sure?" Barriss said narrowing her eyes.
"Yes." Ahsoka said.
"Are you telling the truth?" Barriss said narrowing her eyes even more.
"Yes!" Ahsoka shouted.
Their was now a awkward silence between the two female padawans. They kelp on walking side by side threw the crowded slum market not really caring where their going. The odd moment they shared with one another filled the air around them and the unsettling feeling within their chest started to carve patterns in their beings.
The two were secretly praying for something to come end this dreadful silence before them but apparently the force wasn't on their side today. After a minute long silence that felt like a eternity Barriss thought of a question that could flip the whole galaxy on it's back.
"Ahsoka… are you in love with Ezra?" Barriss asked looking down at the ground.
"What? No!" Ahsoka answered. "Are you?"
"What? No, of course not." Barriss said with blush. "Besides jedi are not allowed to have romantic attachments remember."
"Yeah your right, of course." Ahsoka said with a fake smile.
The two girls let out little chuckles before once again the two were caught in another awkward silence, but Ahsoka did not want to go threw it all over again so she quickly tired to think of something that would spark a peasant conversation with mirialan.
"Sooo… do you think we got enough fo…" Ahsoka said but got cutoff by the sounds of people running and screaming.
Out of nowhere people started to run and scream in multiple different directions all around them. Ahsoka and Barriss did not know what was going on but after a second of observing the people fleeing from the area the two padawans started to hear police sirens in the distance. The ongoing sirens was a good sign to the two that they should leave before trouble come knocking at their front door but in the distance they saw a shadowy figure with long hair running toward them… fast.
The first thing that pop into their minds was to pull out their light sabers and be ready to defend their self's but before they could put a hand on their weapon holsters a very familiar voice shouted…
"RUN!" Ezra shouted.
Ezra ran right up to Ahsoka and Barriss, once he did he grabbed both of their hands kelp on running with his friends dangling right behind him.
"Ezra, what happened?" Ahsoka asked.
"I'll explain later just run!" Ezra said.
The three padawans ran with the crowd and disappeared into the swarm of people, knowing the police couldn't spot them if they hid among the screaming crowd. After a while of running threw the streets the police sirens started to fade away as they got further and further from the slum market.
The three returned to the abandon 5-storey building they called their temporary home, they all entered the shady building and sat down to catch their breath from all the endless running they just done.
"Okay… I think were in the clear." Ezra said sitting down on the old couch.
"What was all of that about?" Ahsoka said panting a little while dropping the backpack full of food on the old couch.
"Ezra what happened back there?" Barriss asked.
"It's a long story." Ezra said.
Over a half hour Ezra explained what happened at the saloon and told them who he met when he was their. He told them Cad Bane himself willingly gave him good information about what been going on in the galaxy since the jedi destruction and also told them Bane actually help him escape being discovered by the police.
Ezra told them about the risen power The Empire, the hunt for surviving jedi, and the sith rise to ultimate power. Ezra told them everything and Ahsoka and Barriss couldn't barely believe what they were hearing, it's… just unbelievable.
"Woah…" Ahsoka said shocked. "Wait, why did Bane help you?"
"I don't know, he… wants something." Ezra said.
"What do you think he wants?" Barriss asked the long hair boy.
"I don't know, he always been a slippery one." Ezra said.
"Well… we definitely can't stay here." Ahsoka said.
"I know your right. If The Empire are truly hunting us down than we gotta move, they'll check this building eventally." Ezra said giving off the old couch and back on his feet.
"Where should we go?" Barriss asked.
The three jedi in training sat in silence, they didn't have a clue. The Empire is hunting them down and they had no where to hide… on this planet at least. They knew they had to get off world and start over somewhere else… but where? Where would be the best place for them to lay low long enough so they can come up with their next move?
Ezra had a idea… but he didn't like it, not one bit.
"Have you guys ever got the chance to see my home world?" Ezra asked his fellow padawan friends.
"No." Ahsoka and Barriss both said at the same time.
"Pack your stuff, were going to Lothal." Ezra said.
Author Note - Here you go my people, the next chapter. Tell me what you think about it, give me your ideas about what you want in the future chapters of this story, and just stay awesome like you people always are. Peace, Love, and Positivity.