The Search: Part 7
Flouga Stance, felt his ship land and he looked around at his crew. He smiled, from what the sensors told him they outnumbered those on this moon almost eight to one. This was going to be easy. "Gorsk, I want you to send four men to guard those other ships, we do not want them slipping away on us. Then stay here with another four men to guard our ship. Tegga we will split what is left and you will lay down suppressive fire while I move up with the rest and stun them all." Stance liked his plan, they all needed this to work. Then perhaps one of the larger Mercenary groups or Bounty Hunter Cells might recruit them and they would finally gain the wealth and respect that they needed. Departing the ship, he looked at his fifteen men that was going to do the assault. Tegga had the other eighteen with him. Moving in squad formation the two groups converged on where the sensors said their target was located. "Yes, this was going to be easy." He muttered as Stance led his men.
"Here they come. It looks like there is about forty of them, they have split up." Ezra said as he pointed to the two groups of approaching assorted aliens and humans.
"I think I know what they are going to do, one of the groups is going to lay down suppressive fire while the other advances close enough to take us out." Lando observed holding his blaster firmly in his hand.
"So, while they do that Ezra, Ashoka and I will block the shots with our Lightsabers. You and Sabine then can fire on them. It might discourage them to back off and retreat." Luke suggested, seeing the others believe that would be a good strategy
"When they do retreat, it will be near dusk. I think I should then be able to sneak out and take out their ship." Ezra suggested seeing Sabine wince visibly.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed, just so you do not have to face my mother?" Sabine accused him.
"No, I am the logical choice. I know this place better than all of you combined." Ezra replied then to lighten the mood. "If I can't face your mother, then that is just a bonus." Sabine had explained to him that he would have to go and stand before Ursa Wren, to determine if their marriage is acceptable. If it is not she can denounce it and they would no longer be married. Ezra was afraid of that.
The plan was set, so when the raiders started to fire upon them. The three Force Users could tell there was some reluctance from the attackers. As they blocked the incoming Blaster Bolts.
Slashing back and forth, Ezra remembered the sensation of using his Lightsaber. Then with a sudden premonition, he swung his blade up and stopped Luke from hitting him with his Lightsaber. Gritting his teeth Ezra heard and felt the block through his arms. "Be careful Skywalker, I am on your side."
Luke grimaced, he had been blocking the bolts and he noticed that he was not as good as Ezra and Ashoka were. He needed more practice. Stepping back, he made sure that he did not make the same mistake again. Ashoka and Ezra did not need to worry about blocking the incoming fire and him accidently striking either of them at the same time. Silently swearing that later he would continue to train until he was as proficient as Ezra and Ashoka were. In moments the attack ended and the raiders pulled back out of range of Lando's and Sabine's fire. "Sorry about earlier, I guess I need a little more training in blocking incoming fire."
"Yes, you do. I might suggest that if they attack us again tonight you use your blaster with Lando and Sabine." Ezra said firmly not caring if he made Luke feel like an untrained Pattawan. He had survived this long, he did not need an ally to kill or maim him.
Stance moved forward with his men and when he saw three Lightsaber blades blaze into existence. Blocking the suppressive fire from Tegga and his men. He then noticed when two blasters began to shoot back at them. This was going horribly wrong. "Everyone pull back, this is not going to work." Signally his men they began to move back, laying down their own suppressive fire.
When the last invader was out of sight, Ezra deactivated his Lightsaber. "Well I better get going before they set up some type enclosure on us." Sabine stopped him and kissed him roughly.
"You be careful, I mean it. I finally found you and I am not going to lose you now!" Sabine ordered as she kissed him again. Pulling away, she watched him intently as he ducked into the shadows and disappeared.
Slipping through the woods, Ezra moved carefully. He could sense the Invaders all around him, they had the presence of mind to set up to discourage those in the cave from getting away. The good thing though was they did not know the terrain as well as he did. Dropping into a dry creek bed, Ezra crawled several meters. Then crawled several more. Once near some underbrush he stood and knew he was beyond their sentries. Running he made his way to the large clearing where the Invaders Gunship sat. Circling around the field he picked out the four sentries. He could tell that the men were bored and lounged against the ship or trees. Approaching the nearest, Ezra used the force to put the man asleep. Passing the sleeping man, Ezra jumped high into the air and landed on the top of the Ship. Using the Lightsaber, he cut a way into the ship. The Invaders were stupid, they had no men inside to guard against such an action. Making his way to the Engine Room, he found the Coolant and Fuel lines. Two slashes and the precious and flammable liquid splashed on the floor. Turning Ezra left the same way he had come in, he did not want to be on the ship when the two liquids combined. Once it did the explosion would result in the ship being severely damaged. On the hull again, he moved to the Long-Range Communication Dish, three slashes and the Dish was destroyed. Jumping back to where the sleeping man was he slipped back into the woods. He was breathing hard and sweating as he headed towards where the Lady Luck and Ashoka's ship sat. He had not told them the other part of the plan he had, he was going to take out the guards that he knew were there. Running as fast as he could while being stealthy he made it to the smaller clearing, just as the Gunship Engine Room exploded. The Guards at the smaller field all converged towards the Larger and Ezra quickly attacked them. Cutting their blasters apart then kicking and punching the men, knocking them out. "Mission Accomplished, I also have taken care of the guards at Lando's ship. It should be clear, hurry and get here." He said into his comm-link.
Sabine's voice responded in language that Ezra only heard a couple of times when she was upset or angry. After multiple Mandalorian, Twil'ek, other languages he did not know swear words; she said they were on their way.
When Stance heard the explosion, he rushed towards where his Ship sat. He did not notice that all his men were also converging onto the Clearing and the ship. Arriving in time to see his Ships Engines blazing on fire. Looking at the four men he had left on Guard he scowled. "What the hell happened?" Then he heard one of the ships that belonged to those at the cave lift off and depart. He then knew what had happened, especially when he saw all his men milling around in the Large Clearing watching their ship burn.
Sabine ran as fast as she could and when she saw Ezra standing near Lando's ship and he was safe and unharmed. She ran into his awaiting arms. Almost knocking him over with her haste to hold him. Swearing again. "This was the last time you do something this dangerous or stupid again! Understand!"
"Well I still have to face your mother, so that could be counted as dangerous." Ezra smirked as he held onto Sabine. Lando rushed up into his ship, the engines came on line a second later. Stepping up into the ship, Luke closed the ramp and the ship began to rise.
Looking out a side viewport, Ezra watched his home for the last five years as they pulled away from there. If it was not for the fact that he was marooned there alone, otherwise it was not a bad place to live.
Sabine sitting comfortably on his lap whispered in his ear. "It is alright, I promise it will be alright." She had seen moisture in his eyes as they left the uninhabited moon and headed for a safe location to enter hyperspace. She thought it funny that the Attackers were now stuck on down there. She bet that they had enough spare parts to get the engines working and there was fuel and coolant on Ashoka's ship. It would take them some time, but unlike Ezra they could eventually leave the moon. Ezra had been marooned there for five years with no hope of self-rescue. "Lando you can drop us off at Knownest." She ordered.
Pacing back and forth in a room next to the Grand Hall at the Wren Clan. Ezra felt nervous and anxious along with a little fear. He had been told to wait and it had been almost an hour. Waiting to be summoned, so he could stand before Ursa Wren the head of the Wren Clan and Sabine's mother. What made him afraid was, Ursa could denounce his and Sabine's marriage. That their union was not acceptable and he and Sabine would no longer be married. He would have to leave her and never see her again. That would be devastating to him, almost as much as when he was marooned on that hellish moon. He had an urge just to leave, he knew that Ursa would never allow for Sabine to remain to be married to him. After all he was nothing, just a Loth-Rat scum that by a trick of fate now by Mandalorian customs was married to Sabine.
In the Main Hall, Sabine waited for her mother to summon her Ezra. The delay was making Sabine nervous. All her mother had to do was accept Sabine's choice, she did not believe that her mother would denounce her choice.
"My dear, are you sure you want this boy? I know of others that would be more suitable." Ursa asked as she looked down from the two-seated throne. Sabine's father Alrich sat next to Ursa and did not speak, to defend Sabine's choice.
"I am sure mother. I love him and no one is more suitable than he is." Sabine protested feeling defensive and not knowing why her mother was not just summoning Ezra and accepting him.
"Sabine, it is not that I do not like the boy, he has done much for our Clan and Mandalore. I just do not believe that he is good enough for you or your station." Ursa informed Sabine.
"What are you saying Mother? Are you going to denounce my marriage to him?" Sabine asked feeling upset.
"He is nothing, he has no family and no homeland to claim as his own. Now that he cannot return to Lothal." Ursa stated, watching Sabine become angry.
"He is something, he is the one I love and if you denounce our union then I will take him and leave. Never to return." Sabine replied firmly, ready to just take Ezra and leave.
"Sabine!" Alrich her father yelled loudly. "You cannot mean that, you are willing to leave your family!"
"I do and I will leave." Sabine said as she exhaled.
"Let us hear what this boy has to say to that. Summon him." Ursa ordered as Triston went to get Ezra. When he entered he strode purposely up to Sabine and took her hand. "You should know, Ezra Bridger. I have not decided whether to allow you to remain married and joined to my Daughter. She has stated that if I denounce your union then she will leave with you and never return. What do you say to that? That she is willing to leave her family for you."
"I cannot let her do that." Ezra replied then turned towards Sabine. "I love you Sabine. But you went through too much to get your family back. I cannot let you throw that away for me, I am not worth it." He felt tears come to his eyes as she stared at him then threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"You are worth it, If I cannot be with you then I do not deserve to have a family. Because I will never love another as much as I do you." Sabine stated letting him go and standing next to him, glaring at her mother.
Ursa smiled, she had heard what she wanted to hear. Ezra Bridger would sacrifice any future with Sabine just so she be with her family, that was admirable. Stepping down she hugged her shocked daughter then the equally confused and shocked Ezra. "Welcome home Ezra Bridger Wren. You have proven to me that you are worthy to be married to my daughter."
Moving back so Alrich and Triston could congratulate them Ursa smirked. "Now on to more important matters. When will there be an heir?"
"Mother!" Sabine said loudly as she stated at her mother wide eyed. "We would like to wait until we are ready."
"But I am ready." Ursa argued. "I want a few grandchildren to pass on the family name." Then she chuckled at her son-in law as he turned pale and started to weave back and forth. In all appearances that he was about to faint.
Returning to Corsecaunt, Luke sat alone in the back of the Lady Luck. He felt depressed and let down. He had failed to recruit Ezra Bridger and Ashoka Tano. He somewhat could understand why Ezra did not want to be a Jedi right now, he had been alone and in some respects, that is what a Jedi is. A Jedi is generally alone. Luke believed that in time Ezra may decide to return as a Jedi, that gave him some hope. What really depressed him was Ashoka, she had the knowledge and experience to be a Jedi Master. Having her would help in training new Jedi in the ways of the Force. Closing his eyes, Luke exhaled hoping that he would be able to locate others that will join him.
Listening to Tegga tell him the damage report, Stance winced. The Primary Hyperdrive Engines were beyond repair and the Secondary Sub-Light Engines had been damaged. The good news was with the parts from the other ship and the spares that they had there was a chance that Tegga and Gorsk could get them partially operational. But it would take a month to repair them, maybe longer. Gorsk reported that there were ample supplies in the cave, nine crates of Imperial Ration bars. Stance already felt indigestion from the thought of eating those things. "Let me get my hands-on Fett." He mumbled as he watched his crew work on his ship. Fett had set them up for some reason. Sure, Stance wanted to get back at the ones that had caused this misery of stranding them on this moon, but he wanted also to get back at Fett. The chance to impress the Bounty Hunters or Larger Mercenary Groups was gone, now Stance did not know what to do.
Hera ran down the ramp of the Ghost and launched herself into Ezra's arms, hugging him tightly. Her green eyes rained down tears as she squeezed him tightly. Then she hugged Sabine just as fiercely. Gazing back at Jason her son and Chopper her droid. Chopper happily chirped and tweeted as it rolled forward and bumped into Ezra. Introducing her son to Ezra, Hera felt happy and relieved. Someday someone would have to train Jason in the ways of the Force and she did not want Skywalker to do that. Hera wanted Ezra to do it, mainly because Kanan had trained Ezra and it would her son a piece of Kanan's heritage to him. To know his father through Ezra. As the Ghost slowly lifted off, she waved at Ezra and Sabine, having Jason do it as well. She had to promise before she left not to tell anyone but the closest friends that Ezra was on Knownest. Hera understood, there were those that would want Ezra to return to Lothal and he would not have a normal life. He was too well known as the Hero of Lothal. Something he did not want. With a final wave she flew the Ghost into space.
Sabine and Ezra watched the Ghost rise and depart. Ezra began to cry, he could almost see Kanan sitting in the Co-Pilot seat waving at them. It was a vision or a hallucination, either one upset him. He silently wished that perhaps Kanan had somehow cheated death from the explosion, but he knew it was not true. He had felt Kanan die and that memory still haunted him. He did see a lot of Kanan in Jason, someday he would have to train the young man just like Kanan had trained him. Squeezing Sabine's hand, he gazed over at her. She had grown her hair back out and colored it, the same color as the day that he had met her those many years ago. She led him back inside, they still had a lot of work to do on his Armor. It had to be casted and fitted to him. She also wanted to paint it to match hers. After all he was a Mandalorian now an Mandalorian's wore Armor.
The End?