Deep breaths.

I focus on the hum of the engine and try to relax.

Hmmmmm.

Hera told us the plan right after we jumped into hyperspace.

We're going to a planet named Ord Mantell and stopping long enough to raid an Imperial Outpost, then jumping to hyperspace and Onderon.

Zeb and I got kicked out of our normal room by Hera, who gave it to Ahsoka. So Zeb snagged the tiny guest quarters. And I found myself in the gunnery at the bottom of the ship.

I actually don't mind it. Nobody except Chopper ever comes down here. It's quiet except the engines and nobody is going to come down here.

Currently I'm lying down in the gunnery and trying to focus the Force.

It's a lot clearer out here in space.

I wonder why? You would think it would be less clear because there's nothing living in space.

Blink Blink.

I push myself up yawn and trudge over to the comm unit.

I wonder why Hera didn't just comm—

Oh.

I shake my head and focus.

It's the plan for our raid.

Kanan and I are the ones getting into the warehouse.

Sabine and Zeb are together like usual providing us cover.

Hera will stay on the ship and be our getaway.

Huh.

Ahsoka isn't mentioned.

Maybe she's above a simple smash and grab.

I hit the microphone and press the button for the cabin.

"How far away are we?" I ask.

"10 minutes or so." Hera replied.

That fast?

Okay then.

I quickly use the fresher, then climb up the ladder to the main deck.

When I get to the cockpit, the door is already open, with Zeb and Sabine standing in the doorway.

"—would you like the distraction to be messy or clean?" Sabine asked.

"I don't really care." Hera said.

"Clean preferably. It'd be a sign to the Empire that the Lothal cell has moved off world." Ahsoka said.

"But they'd leave Lothal alone then." Zeb reasoned.

"No they wouldn't. They haven't done that to cells they've squashed." Ahsoka said.

Squashed?

"Make it clean Sabine."

"Got it."

"Get in position. Just make it look smooth coming off, and follow me until we reach the outpost." Kanan told us.

"How are we going to get in?"

"Slip in between guard shifts." He replied simply.

"Thank goodness for good intel."

"Hopefully it's better than the intel we got before Mustafar." Sabine says.

Exactly.

"We gave you what we had. You all did exceptionally." Ahsoka said evenly.

"By the skin of our teeth!" Sabine replied quickly.

"Sabine!" Hera said quickly.

"What? You were frustrated too!" She said right back.

"We all were. But it was for a purpose. A larger goal." Hera said strongly as we entered the atmosphere.

Kanan simply stood. "We can talk about this later. But we've got to get to work if we're going to Onderon."

I step aside for him as he walked to the cargo bay.

Sabine ran off, I assume to grab her helmet.

I use the time to double check I have everything.

Lightsaber.

Check.

Emergency Rations.

Check.

Flare.

Check.

Smoke Grenade.

Check.

I've got all my clothes, comfortable shoes and slingshot.

Haven't had to use it in forever,

It's kind of like an emergency thing now.

I'm in trouble if I lose my lightsaber and blaster.

I guess I could use the Force, but that'd blow my cover.

My lightsaber would do that too I guess.

Sabine comes rushing in as Hera is putting us down, nearly causing her to run straight into the doorway.

I laugh and smile at her.

"Gotta get that out early I guess." She shrugged.

The ship set down, and the wait begins.

One.

Two.

Three.

I glance at the door, and see the compressed air and oxygen mix come out from the door.

Then it opened, and Kanan led Sabine, Zeb and I out.

I take in my surroundings and try to get my bearings.

It's cold.

This hanger is small.

Weird.

I guess Hera got approval as a passenger transport and not a cargo ship.

As we cross the threshold into the spaceport, the Ghost's engines roar back to life.

I assume she'll meet us at the outpost.

The Stormtroopers guarding our hanger ignore us as we walk by.

Ahsoka told me to reach out using the Force while we're here.

Now's as good a time as ever.

I'll be too busy when we're at the depot.

I slip behind Zeb and Sabine and try to focus my thoughts.

"Welcome to Mannett Point. Governor Saresh reminds you that due to the Imperial Armed Forces, we are now celebrating unprecedented peace and prosperity…"

At the cost of how many stomped underfoot?

I feel…

Dishonesty. Like there's a black market nearby.

Fear.

And Pride.

I think the locals believe in the security the Empire has provided.

They must be enjoying this "unprecedented peace".

They must not know the truth.

Kanan mentioned that the change from the Republic to the Empire didn't change leaders.

How can they not question him?

Nobody is above being questioned. How can they just go with everything he puts into law?

I glance around and see the sights of a market, with locals contently shopping.

No rush, without a care in the world.

Wordlessly, Sabine and Zeb wave to Kanan, and then split off.

I take a few quick steps to walk beside Kanan.

"You feel them Ezra?" He asked me.

"Yeah. They aren't worried about anything."

"Because nothing has happened here in years. It's been quiet since the Clone Wars. Nobody your age here knows anything other than the Empire and its safety."

"Is it like this most places in the galaxy?" I ask.

"Yes and no. If the war really affected a planet, you can still feel the effects. The people walk differently, act with more purpose."

"Here they don't really have one." I say.

"Exactly. This could be you if you didn't have such vocal parents Ezra. And if they didn't disappear. Don't forget that we all could be them. We can't be too quick to discard any person."

"Because they don't know anything different?" I ask.

Kanan smiled, and Sabine and Zeb walk out of an alley about 20 feet ahead of us.

Just as I start to wonder why they disappeared—

BOOM!

I whip around and see a gigantic fireball erupting out of a building a few blocks back.

Stormtroopers start rushing towards the building, yelling out commands.

"Get three units out here! I think it's a gas leak! It just went up!"

"Where did that come from?"

A clap in my direction gets my attention, and I look to see Sabine and Zeb ducking into a building, with a hanger attached.

Oh snap.

We're here.

I hurry inside behind Kanan, pulling out my lock pick.

"No time for that." Kanan said brusquely, grabbing his lightsaber.

I slide my pick back into my jacket and run to keep up.

We slip into the storage room, and Kanan cuts away the security cameras and locks in seconds with his lightsaber.

I grab a pallet of crates and start pushing.

Beside me, Sabine and Zeb are doing the same.

Kanan goes ahead to ensure that we're not walking into a bunch of Stormtroopers.

We did that once. So now we check ahead of time.

We can't lose this shipment.

Ahsoka would probably be mad.

Kanan grabs the door and yanks it open for us.

When I get inside, I see that the Ghost is already here.

Hera pops out from the Ghost and hustles to us, grabbing my crate.

"We're all ready except for Fulcrum."

"Where's she?" Kanan asked, as we all start for the ship.

"She—"

I freeze in place.

I…

I know the feeling behind me.

By the time I'm looking at Kanan, he's already telling Hera to get to the ship and turning around.

I try to shake off the cold that surrounds me, but can't.

"Do you feel it?" I ask, turning around also.

I don't know what it is!

Has to be an animal.

Kanan grabs his lightsaber just as the…whatever it is…feels like it's getting closer.

Gushh…Shhhh…

Is that…

Gushhh…Shhh…

A figure in all black calmly steps thru the door.

And ignites a blood red lightsaber.

Gushhhh…Shhh…

It's breathing.

I pull out my lightsaber and try to think.

What is…that?

A person?

I look to Kanan, but he's already moving towards the figure.

Before I know it, Kanan has made the first move, but the Figure bats his slice away with a one armed swing of his own lightsaber, hitting Kanan's shoulder guard and causing sparks to fly up.

Kanan regroups just in time to block a power strike from the cloaked figure.

Kanan spins out of the lock and makes an aggressive move towards the enemy.

Which he turns into a saber lock.

He's got at least 5 inches on Kanan.

Power is his game.

GET OUT OF THERE!

As if he can read my thoughts, Kanan spins out again, and then makes a lightning fast stab towards the figure's midsection.

WHAT—

The figure simply side stepped the stab, and grabbed Kanan's wrists.

I blink, and Kanan's yelling and flying towards the wall on the side.

"NO!" I yell, running towards the black figure.

I don't get more than 4 steps in before he grabs me with the force and pins my arms to my sides, then pinned me against a walker leg.

Oh no.

This is bad.

Really really bad.

"Your master has deceived you…into believing you can become a Jedi." The figure said, in the deepest voice I've ever heard.

I try to move, but can't at all.

Then my saber arm is slowly pulled towards me.

Towards my neck.

Stop.

I focus myself on my arm and throw all my energy into stopping…my own arm.

Stopppp…

It's coming right for me…

STOP.

STOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!

It's not stopping.

I'm gonna die.

And then I collapse off the girder, and hear the figure make a noise.

I pop up and see Sabine, with both guns out and pointed at the figure.

She fires off another powerful shot right on target, but the figure deflects them both back at her.

"AHHHHHHH!" I hear Sabine scream and fall over.

The figure starts to close in on her.

Wait.

NO!

I quickly reignite my saber and jump between them just as he's raising his lightsaber at Sabine.

I manage to slip my lightsaber in and block the finishing blow.

But he keeps pushing.

I grit my teeth and put my entire strength into fighting back.

It's not going to last long.

I'm not strong.

Gushhhh…Shhh…

What is this guy?

I'm so close to him that I can see the details of his mask.

It looks like a skull.

Finally, he lets up a slight amount, and I push him one footstep farther from Sabine, who is still down.

Then a black blur comes flying at me, and I flinch in time for the figure to grab me by the throat.

Choking me.

I try to breathe and free myself, but I'm stuck and end up making a gagging sound.

I can't breathe.

It's a vicegrip.

"I am TIRED of your insolence…" The figure growled, bending me backwards, choking me with the hand on my throat, despite me trying to fight back.

Now I'm going to die.

A voice then barged into my head.

YES. THIS IS HOW YOU DIE.

I see red coming at my throat, and I close my eyes.

And then I'm on the ground.

What's going on?

The figure let out a yell, and tumbled a few feet away.

I breathe and see Kanan, standing tall.

He reignited his lightsaber.

"Get on the ship. Both of you." He ordered us.

I get to my feet.

"No. I won't leave you." I say, pulling my lightsaber out again.

I'm not letting him fight this guy alone!

"It doesn't matter Jedi. Soon, you and your crew will all be dead." The figure declared, in the same mechanical, deep voice.

With the breathing.

Gushhhh…Shhh…

"Any last pathetic words?"

"Yeah. I've got a couple." A familiar voice called out.

Then another figure dropped in between Kanan and I and the figure.

Ahsoka!

Where was she?

We could have used her a little while ago.

The figure stopped for a moment.

"The Apprentice…I was under the impression you had fled from the Order like a scared youngling." The figure goaded.

"Strong words from a Sith. Where is your master? A robot only serves." Ahsoka demanded.

"I am not a robot…Jedi."

"I'm not a Jedi. They cast me out. But you apparently knew that." Ahsoka replied coldly.

"Leave, or be destroyed then." The figure said strongly.

"No." Ahsoka replied, just as strong.

The figure attacked with a lightning fast force push.

Ahsoka quickly repelled it, no harm done.

"Impressive…apprentice. You have grown strong."

"How do you know me?" Ahsoka growled out, sounding angry, beginning to walk in front of the figure.

"You live."

Huh?

Ahsoka suddenly went still, then screamed "NO!"

What?

"It is true." The figure replied. "Search your feelings. You know them to be true."

"Pad…What would Padmé think?" She asked, looking horrified.

Why is that name familiar?

"Did you say—" Kanan begins, then was silenced by the dark figure.

"Do NOT…say that name."

"You…have no hold over me. Lord Vader." Ahsoka said strongly.

What?

"I have all the hold over you, and your friends. And you all are about to die."

Ahsoka crouched down, tapped a button on her wrist and force pulled her lightsabers to her.

The familiar sound of them activating gives me goosebumps.

Whoa.

The figure reactivated his lightsaber, and moved towards Ahsoka.

In seconds, they've attacked, parried, countered, feinted and even flipped.

The action finally stopped as Ahsoka blocks a powerful downward strike and yelled "GO!" at Kanan and I.

I just stand there and watch as Ahsoka and the figure battle it out.

Then Kanan pushed me.

"She'll be right behind us! Go!"

I backpedal as fast as I can while watching Ahsoka and whoever it keep fighting.

This time, Ahsoka is in control. She is pushing the guy back; forcing him into defensive blocks and making him give ground.

Ahsoka looks like a whirlwind.

The Ghost's engines roar to life, and the ship suddenly rises a few feet.

Then Ahsoka grabs him with the force, and sends him rocketing towards a walker.

The figure stops himself, but then Ahsoka brings the walker down on top of him.

YES!

Then a loud noise rockets above us, and I crouch down instinctively.

TIEs?

Looking up…

Those aren't TIEs.

It's another kind of ship.

Looked like a backwards Y.

Ahsoka comes sprinting towards us, as the fighter drops a torpedo right at the walkers.

Kanan grabs Ahsoka and we quickly race inside the ship.

Explosions rock the outside of the ship as we speed away.

I collapse in the doorway, next to the supplies.

Kanan and Ahsoka race off.

I…

What just happened?

Who was that?

I sit there for I don't know how long, in a haze about what just happened.

Only when the ship starts doing evasive maneuvers does my brain finally start working.

We're in trouble.

I need to get to my guns.

We aren't out of this yet.

I scramble to my feet and sprint full speed towards my temporary bunk, dodging Zeb and Chopper.

Three.

I can feel them around the ship.

I don't think there's more.

I strap in as fast as I can and press the button to lower the gunnery so I can actually help.

Behind me, I hear the comm click on.

"Ezra, is that you?" Kanan's voice asked.

"Yeah! Trying to help!" I tell him.

They aren't close right now.

I don't have a shot.

"There's 3 TIEs. We're trying to jump into hyperspace before they send an entire squadron after us."

"Got it."

I feel one of them trying to avoid the shots up top, and diving down.

Towards me.

I line up my shot and take it.

Before my eyes, the TIE darted into my line of sight and right into my shot.

BOOM!

Okay.

That makes two.

"Who got that?" I hear Ahsoka ask.

"The kid. He's below."

"Where are you?" I ask.

"I'm up top!" Ahsoka replied, voice rising as I hear her fire.

BOOM!

Where's Hera?

I feel the last TIE to my right.

He's going to fly right in front of the cockpit and try to scare Kanan.

Then he's going to come right to me.

I prepare to blow this guy out of the galaxy, lining up a shot.

BOOM!

What?

I crouch down and look up to see the leftovers of an exploded TIE.

Kanan must have felt the TIE too.

And blasted him.

The guy did fly right in front of him.

Made it too easy.

I climb out of the gunnery and press the button for it to rise back to the ship.

I need to talk to Kanan.

Who was that guy?

I don't see Zeb, Chop or Hera and Sabine on my way to the cockpit.

Instead I bump into Ahsoka as she's also walking towards the cockpit.

"Good shooting Ezra."

"Thank you." I smile.

I follow her into the cockpit, where Kanan is leaning back in his chair looking exhausted.

I take the seat in the back, while Ahsoka sits next to him.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah…just a little thrown off." He replied.

I glance at the armor on his shoulder to see a gigantic cut in it.

"Was that what sparked?" I ask.

Kanan looked down.

"Yeah. I wasn't expecting him to be so fast. And strong."

"Really? I kept him off Sabine."

If I can push him back, strength on strength, then he could have.

"Yeah, then he grabbed you by the throat and nearly broke you in half like a twig Ezra." Kanan frowned at me.

I nervously swallow, and my throat twinges in pain.

"How'd you get him off? I got there right before I dropped down." Ahsoka asked.

"Threw my weight at him. It knocked him off balance and did the job. Gonna feel it tomorrow though."

"You don't know who that is Ezra." Ahsoka said. "That's Vader. The guy that we thought was on Lothal."

"I guess our intel is wrong."

"When we get to Onderon I'll comm Senator Organa. I need to talk to him anyway." Ahsoka said simply.

"His name is Vader? Where's he from?" I ask.

"Nobody knows. Most people that meet him end up dead. We only know about him because we watch the Holonet closely. He pops into one or two shots a month, shutting down a rebellion and 'maintaining order'." Kanan said.

"What was with his breathing? That's the weird thing." Kanan turned to Ahsoka.

"I don't know."

"The fear…the anger…the hate…I haven't felt a presence like that since…" Kanan said quietly.

"The Clone Wars." Ahsoka finished his sentence.

"But not even then. My master and I bumped into Count Dooku once, and he didn't feel like that."

"That guy felt like a black hole. One minute we were in the hanger and okay, then suddenly all I felt was cold." I say.

"That's a full blown Sith." Kanan said.

"I…don't know what he is. General Grievous was mostly machine, but he couldn't use the Force. Something isn't right." Ahsoka shook her head.

She looks shaken.

"Did I do alright?" I ask Kanan.

Kanan turned to me, with a strange look on his face.

"Alright? That's what you're worried about? Ezra, we were lucky to survive."

"I know but—" I begin, but Kanan cut me off.

"You should have died twice. Twice! Once with your saber, and Sabine bailed you out. Then she got her armor blasted thru, you saved her, and then you nearly got broken in half! So no, I don't think you did alright." Kanan snapped at me, looking angry.

"You're here though. So we can learn from this." Ahsoka said calmly.

"Ezra…" Kanan began, then stopped and clutched at his head. "Everything you did was off instinct. Which is okay, but that's how it was at Mustafar with the Inquisitor. You didn't use any of your training. It was all athleticism and instinct. Think."

"It'll take time. I didn't learn to think while fighting until after I left the Order." Ahsoka said.

"Ezra, what was his main fighting style?" Kanan ignored Ahsoka and asked me.

"I...I don't know. I was too busy trying to fight him off."

"You had chances. It's not like you're going to get to size him up. During your saber lock with him, he gave himself away to anyone who knows the forms."

"What was he?" Ahsoka asked.

"Form V. He threw some other elements in there too as well. Very good fighter." Kanan said simply, and then turned back to me.

Ahsoka sat back and seemed to ponder that.

"I may be being too harsh Ezra. But…you can do this. Not like today though. You were afraid. That's why you went back to your old self."

"I'm not afraid." I say firmly.

"That's what worries me. You say you're not worried, then one day we'll meet Vader again, and—"

"That's not going to happen." Ahsoka said, reaching out and grabbing Kanan's shoulder.

Knock knock.

I turn around and the door opened, revealing Hera and Sabine.

Sabine's who arm is wrapped in ice and clear stuff.

Ahsoka hopped to her feet. "How's your arm?"

"It's alright." Sabine shrugged, taking one step in.

"I put some kolto cream on it and bandaged her up. I want her to see somebody on Onderon as soon as we can though. I'm not a doctor." Hera said, walking up and taking Ahsoka's chair.

I hop up and offer Ahsoka my chair.

"Thanks." Ahsoka said.

"Good job today Ezra. Sounds like you did well." Hera smiled at me.

I nervously shrug.

"I can do a lot better though." I say.

Kanan and Ahsoka are right here.

I wonder why she said that.

You can hear thru that door.

I've done it myself, trying to figure out who Fulcrum was.

Kanan leaned back. "I'm the one that sucked today. I should have done a lot better. I let him play his game."

"You can't blame yourself too much though—" Ahsoka begins, but then I feel Sabine behind me.

I turn to get a better look at her arm.

"Hey, can you come with me for a second? I never got to give you your datapad back." Sabine said to me.

"Uhh, sure." I say.

Sabine stopped leaning on the doorway, and led me back towards her room.

Wordlessly, she let me in and grabbed my datapad.

"Here you go. I thought I'd paint it for you. Looked too boring with just black." Sabine extended it to me.

I smile and take it.

Sabine went crazy on it.

All sorts of colors and designs.

"Thanks Sabine. It…looks great." I say.

I don't know what else to say.

"There's more when you activate it."

"You got thru my password?" I ask.

Sabine cocked her head to the side and smiled.

"1234 isn't a good password Ezra."

I try not to blush in embarrassment.

"I don't want to forget it."

"Then make it your birthday or something." Sabine said

That's actually not too bad.

I nod and smile.

"How's your arm?" I ask.

"It's okay. My armor is wrecked though. Burned right thru it, plus one of the bolts hit me between my plating."

"Ow…I didn't know that's what happened. It was all a blur to me." I say.

Sabine shrugged.

"Thank you though. I…probably wouldn't be here if you hadn't shot at him." I say sincerely.

Don't mess this up Ezra.

This is kind of like a second chance for the Mustafar disaster.

"I should be thanking you. You saved me from him. I…" She gulped and looked scared for a split second.

"You got hit. Don't beat yourself up. I'm just glad I got there in time."

Before I know it, Sabine's wrapped her arms around me and has her head buried in my chest.

Uhh…

"No…thank you. You saved my life. I don't care what Kanan says. You did great."

I hang my head, almost on her shoulder.

When'd I get to be taller than her?

I get my bearings, and Sabine's still hugging me.

I'm an inch or two taller than her.

Wasn't I shorter than her on Mustafar?

"I knew you guys heard him." I say quietly.

She's hugging me.

"I think he's more mad at himself than at you." Sabine said, then let go and look up at me and smiled.

"I don't know about that. He's pretty mad." I say.

He had some good points.

"Let's go see when we're getting to Onderon. I'm hungry, and I want my stupid arm fixed." She smiled at me, then led us back towards the cockpit.