CH.7: Rogue and pilot
Kanan had set off from Corellia as fast as his ship could take him. His plan was to get to Zeb before the Imperials sold him. He was quite aware of the Imperials and their xenophobia not to mention their slave market which stole aliens from their home and whoever bid the highest got someone to use as a pet. It was rather sick and was one of the few things he didn't agree to in the galaxy. Coming out of Hyperspace he looks out at where the ship holding Zeb was.
"Ok…one Star Destroyer…shouldn't be too hard to…bingo!" Kanan grinned triumphantly but noticed no one was around to celebrate with him. "Yeah I'm good like that," he shrugs as he begins to set an intercept route.
Suddenly the space near him parts allowing another ship through…this one was bigger than his and had Imperial marking on the side. Kanan raised a brow and punched through some comm channels figuring he'd get lucky and hear in on the pilot and whoever they were communicating with. At first it was static…but then he listened in:
'Please state your id and where you are coming from,' the voice says, very crisp and clearly likely Imperial and he would bet his lightsaber it came from the Star Destroyer.
'id number 220045 and coming from Kessel. I have in my possession some prisoners who were trying to escape. Shall I take them to the Emperor or-."
'The Emperor is a busy man…you may drop the prisoners off here and maybe the Emperor will hear about this. That is all.'
As the communication ended he could tell the voice coming from the ship was female and quite businesslike. He wondered what her body looked like, no matter, point being she had access to the Destroyer and he needed to shadow her to get onboard. Cracking his knuckles he put his flight skills to test and flew right under the belly of the ship as it flew to the Destroyer docking baby. The pilot seemed to be quite crafty pulling off maneuvers that were making him put his game face on.
By the time they were in the Star Destroyer he had no place to hide and it was clear by the Stormtroopers assembled ready to take the prisoner his ship had clearly been a surprise. So much for coming in undetected. Kanan shook his head but had no time to curse his luck as he brought the ship down hard feeling the landing gears vibrate through the entire ship as they sheared off.
Popping the hatch he feels the heat of the blaster fire aimed at him and he leaped out rolling for cover. The pilot who had flown the ship in with the prisoner was also in trouble…he could see the pilot scrambling out amdist the blaster fire and from her outfit she was no Imperial. Clever girl, he thought, deceiving Imperials to get onboard…wonder what she is after.
Kanan had his mission orders though so he watched as she stayed crouched down. They were closing in on her and he was further away…far enough to make his escape and locate this Zeb and be on his way. The girl popped her head out and was hit in the shoulder and she was down. Something about this didn't sit right with him…he should just move on and leave her to her fate…but that didn't feel right. It was almost like the force was telling him to stay…to help this Twi'lek. Most of his life he had only cared about one person, himself, do what he felt like doing…don't get caught up in this Rebellion that was struggling against the might of the bigger opponent, the Empire. So far that life had worked well for him…but seeing her hurt…he genuinely cared to see her get out of this. Bowing his head he knew that by helping her he would be revealing his secret…and once that was out there was no turning back. Still…with his ship down he would need a pilot to get him out of here.
Rushing over he hops onto a crate before her and throws out a hand. "Hey…you Troopers…you want someone to shoot at…shoot at me!" Kanan bellows.
"You know I had everything under control before you showed up," the girl noted as she tried to rise up but he held out a hand.
"Look…you needed help so I came to help you…you can thank me later. How does a date sound, after that we can discuss where things will go on your ship, sound fair?" He flashed a smile at her.
"Are you kidding me? You are saving me …even though I do not need to be saved…and you are holding a date over my head? Does this even work?" The girl wore an incredulous look and he shrugged.
"It works now and then…I need an answer though…I mean I could leave you here but that would give the Troopers a target that can't fight back." Kanan saw the Troopers advancing and he could sense their weapons warming up.
"You are scum…you know that…I mean lower than earth scum. First off…you shadowed my ship coming in…you brought this mess down all around us. And second…I like girls…so don't flatter yourself if you think you are coming off handsome…cause you look like you are in way over your head and you have no blaster on you."
Well…that was a first. He could not tell if she was being serious about liking girls, but, that could be discussed later. "Ok how about this…I need a flight off this death trap…I save you and you get me at least to Lothal. Deal?" Kanan looked down at her and knew he could see reasoning in her face.
"You know what…fine…just quit flirting with me with moves that are as outdated as your clothing." The girl waited and he grinned as he had waited for this moment for a bit. A good challenge always called for an audience.
"Freeze Rebel…don't make another move!" The lead Trooper notes and Kanan just smiles as his hand moves to his belt.
"Sorry…but this move is for the lady…so I have to!" Kanan holds his lightsaber in his hand and as he lights it up the Troopers step back unsure what action to carry out.
"You're a Jedi?" The girl noted and he beamed a smile. They always seemed to say that before he…well the details weren't important.
"Blast him!" The Troopers opened fire and Kanan began deflecting the bolts back at them sending their white armored bodies thudding to the floor.
"You are going to get yourself killed…get down here!" The Twi'lek then pulls him by the boot and he topples over on top of her and grins before she pushes him off.
"Look I was doing fine till you pulled me down…by the way I don't believe we've been properly introduced…name is Kanan…how you-?"
"Name is Hera…not interested even to save my own life. Come on maybe if you help me with my job we'll get out of here faster." Hera pops up taking a shot at a trooper trying to get up and flattened him. "Chopper put the shields up and make sure no one tries to board…my new friend and I will go and get the plans we came for."
Kanan raised a brow as they ran from cover, his blue blade directing blaster fire all over the place keeping the heat off them as they make it to a door before heading in.
"So, who is Chopper, your boyfriend on the side?" Kanan manages to ask as they run.
"Chopper is a droid…who happens to like guy droids," she explains as they duck behind some cover as troopers walk by.
"Do droids even have a sex…I mean who do they even-?" Kanan felt her hand on his mouth and he shut up.
"Chopper is my friend…we've been working jobs for a bit. All you need to know is he is the only thing keeping that ship from being boarded and leaving us stranded here. I was sent here to procure plans that list all the Rebel Cells out there…in the wrong hands it could spell doom for our agents."
Kanan nods his head realizing the threat that posed. Of course that was not his mission and as they began running again he placed his lightsaber back on his belt. "That is fine and all and I sympathize but I did not come here for any plans…I came here to rescue a guy named Zeb-."
Kanan was pulled aside and pressed up against the wall as she looked at him closely. "Wait…did you say Zeb…as in Garazeb?'
"You know if you wanted to make out with me you could have simply asked…not doing it for you…ok yes I came her for that guy…why do you know him?" Kanan inquires when she lets him go and she rolls out blasting an Imperial Officer happening upon them.
"He is one of our agents…was sent to investigate Agent Kallus but something happened to him, he got caught. I was ordered not to rescue him…however…if you are here to rescue him…I can get the plans and all is not lost. If we work together maybe this can be a win-."
"Look Hera…I work better alone…besides I'm the one with the force, what do you have?" Kanan inquired and as he walked out ready to push some troopers aside he saw that there were a lot more than he had anticipated.
"I have instincts that keep me alive…which your force does not have." Hera took down two troopers before she pulled him into another door and they began rushing down a long corridor with troopers right behind.
"Ok…so I got in a little over my head…not the first time. Do you even know where you are taking us?" Kanan hurried alongside her and as blaster fire came at them he activated his weapon and the blue blade snap hissed to life blocking the attacks.
"Well…if we're lucky…Zeb and the plans will be in the same location. If I am correct this will be the prisoner cells along with the officer's quarters. Agent Kallus sleeps near here…according to data we received. Remember get Zeb alive…do not worry about Agent Kallus."
Kanan rolled his eyes at her commanding voice and as they got into the room they found Zeb chained and Kallus wearing a bathrobe.
"What is the meaning of this…who are you?" Kallus went for his weapon but Hera was faster blasting into the bed where the blaster lay.
"Someone who has already had to deal with one loudmouth today, sorry, but you'll get over it. Now…where are the plans?" Hera aimed again and fired as Kallus tried to make a run for it.
"Plans what plans…I don't know what you are talking about…this is madness! I will call in security…you won't get away with this!" Kallus glowered at the lady and Kanan decided to act fast and used his weapon to free Zeb.
"Thanks…nice weapon. Kallus doesn't have the plans…they are being taken to the planet Coursant…straight to the Emperor himself."
"Blast…we have to intercept those plans. Kallus…I hope we do not meet again." Hera took another shot sending him scrambling for cover and the three of them set out.
"Zeb what were you two doing in there exactly?" Kanan inquires as they dodge through blaster fire as they make their way back to the docking bay.
"I'd rather not talk about it if it is all the same to you. Gotta say I didn't think I'd be rescued by you Hera…I would've sworn the Rebels would want to lay low and only concern themselves with the plans-."
"That is exactly it Zeb…I wasn't sent to rescue you but the plans," Hera says as she drops a trooper and ducks for cover as several more troopers block their way.
"I came to save you Zeb," Kanan tells him as he brings his lightsaber into the fray blocking the blasts and sending them back or about the place to send the troopers scrambling for cover.
"Well I'll be…rescued by someone not part of the Rebels…didn't see that coming by a longshot, still better than spending another moment with Kallus. So tell me what is your name and who do you work for?" Zeb inquires and Kanan led the way as he barreled into a trooper trying to get up.
"The name is Kanan…and I work for someone you know all too well…goes by Lando." Kanan could see the startled reaction on his face and grins.
"Lando eh…didn't figure that guy would care that much to have me rescued…than again…er hrm…I guess I owe him a thank you now." Kanan could see how hard this was for him and he recalled his meeting with Lando and how he expressed concern for Zeb's disappearance.
"Boys if you don't mind…I'd rather not spend much longer on this ship if you don't mind speeding things up." Brought back into reality Kanan hurries forward into the crowded Docking Bay doing his best to keep the blasters off his newfound allies and as they make it to the ship the shields drop letting them onboard where Hera rushes to the pilot's seat.
"So Hera…about our date-?" Kanan strolled to the cockpit then the thrusts were turned on as the ship began its ascent and he was thrown onto his back.
"Sorry…what date…kind of have my hands full here at the moment…how about you try never and get back to me," Hera shoots a smirk as she takes them out of there and as they enter Hyperspace the race is on to recover the plans.
Authors note: Sorry for these lengthy chapters…I always seem to just type a lot. Anyway next chapter the race is on to recover the plans while a chance encounter with another ship will slowly put the Ghost crew together.